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The status of the photosynthetic pigments in the aquatic plants Lemna minor L. and Elodea canadensis Michx. under the action of Ni2+, Co2+, Cu2+ and Pb2+ acetate in concentrations 5.00, 2.50, 1.25, 0.62, 0.31, 0.15, 0.07, and 0.03 mg/L was assessed by changes in the fluorescence intensity of chlorophyll a and b and their ratio. It was established that nickel acetate in original solutions in all the above concentrations caused an increase in the fluorescence intensity of chlorophylls a and b in L. minor in relation to the control while the lead salt suppressed it. Co2+ acetate inhibits the fluorescence of chlorophyll a with concentrations in the initial solutions of 0.03 to 0.15 and 2.50 mg/L and that of chlorophyll b at all concentrations, except 0.62, 1.25 and 2.50 mg/L. For E. canadensis it was found that the salts of all metals at all concentrations caused a reduction of the fluorescence intensity of chlorophyll a relative to the control and increased it in the case of chlorophyll b. The exception is the effect of copper and lead acetates with a concentration of 1.25 mg/L, when the fluorescence intensity of chlorophyll b is maintained at the control level. The presence of Ni2+, Co2+, Cu2+, and Pb2+ acetates in all concentrations in the culture medium influences the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of chlorophyll a and b, which indicates a violation of the photosynthesis process. Our data on the change in the chlorophyll a / b ratio leads to a conclusion about degradation of chlorophyll a relative to chlorophyll b after the effect of heavy metals.

Background and Objective: Justicia gendarussa (family Acanthaceae) is regarded as a medicinal plant valued for its beneficial pharmacological activities. A polybag experiment has been conducted at Bogor (Indonesia) to determine the effects on growth, photosynthetic and yield of various NPK ratios and manure fertilizer application in J. gendarussa. Materials and Methods: Six treatments (control: 50 g/plant manure, NPK (1.1 g/plant N:0.7 g/plant P2O5 and 0.6 g/plant K), 50+50%/plant (manure+NPK), 10+50%/plant (manure+NPK) and 50+10%/plant (manure+NPK) were performed in a randomized complete block design. Data of individual plants were extracted from various treatments: plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic parameters, yield and sugar content were collected. Results: The plant treated with 10+50%/plant (manure+NPK) demonstrated a statistically significant increase in plant height, number of leaves and number of branches with the value of 59.00 cm, 85.00 per plant and 9.50 per plant, respectively. Chlorophyll a (0.538 mg g1 FW), chlorophyll b (0.192 mg g1 FW) and total chlorophyll (0.730 mg g1 FW) were significantly improved by the treatment of NPK fertilizer. The application of manure and NPK at (50+50%) and (50+10%) was significantly increased stomatal conductance and transpiration rate, respectively. Leaves yield (9 g/plant DW) was improved by the application of 10+50%/plant (manure+NPK) fertilizer. The highest sugar content was obtained from J. gendarussa growth with 50+50%/plant (manure+NPK) followed by 10+50% plant (manure+NPK) fertilizer. Conclusion: The J. gendarussa plants could benefit from combined manure and NPK fertilizer application in growth, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, transpiration rate, leaves yield and sugar content.

Tetradesmus is a microalgal genus with biotechnological potential due to its rapid production of biomass, which is plenty in proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and bioactives. However, its morphology and physiology need to be determined to guide better research to optimize the species cultivation and biocompounds processing. Thus, this study describes the biochemistry and morphology of the strain Tetradesmus obliquus BR003, isolated from a sample of freshwater reservoirs in a Brazilian municipality. In the T. obliquus BR003 dry biomass, we identified 61.6% unsaturated fatty acids, and 3.4% saturated fatty acids. Regarding other compounds, 28.50 ± 1.47 g soluble proteins/100 g, 0.14 ± 0.009 g carotenoids/100 g, 0.76 ± 0.013 g chlorophyll a/100 g, and 0.42 ± 0.015 g chlorophyll b/100 g with a chlorophyll a/b ratio of 1.8 were detected. The main chemical elements found were S, Mg, and P. The cells of BR003 were elliptically curved at the ends and without appendages. Histochemical tests showed carbohydrates distributed in the cytoplasm and pyrenoids, some lipid droplets, and proteins. The cytoplasm is rich in vacuoles, rough endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and chloroplasts. The nucleus has a predominance of decondensed chromatin, and the cell wall has three layers. Chloroplasts have many starch granules and may be associated with a spherical central pyrenoid. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first biochemical description combined with ultrastructural morphological characterization of the strain T. obliquus BR003, grown under standard conditions, to demonstrate specific characteristics of the species.

This article shows the relationship between the content of photosynthetic pigments of spring barley varieties in the conditions of the dry-steppe zone of Northern Kazakhstan, including changes in the content of chlorophyll a( Chla), chlorophyll b (Chlb) and carotenoids during tillering, output into the tube and earing, and the yield level over the years of research. It is proved that according to the genotypes of spring barley, the high content of photosynthetic pigments in the leaves (With Chl a -0.42, C car-0.083) during the earing of plants has a positive correlation between yield, which is confirmed by images of linear dependence.The picture of the level of correlation, determined by the results of mathematical analysis, is also confirmed by images of linear dependence. Along with the low content of chlorophyll b (Chlb), it is obvious that the yield of barley varieties is far from the dependence line, while the amount of chlorophyll a (Chla) and carotenoids is close to the dependence line of the productivity of crop varieties. Productivity is directly related to the nature of photosynthetic processes occurring at the stages of plant growth and development. In turn, the course of photosynthetic processes directly depends on the amount of photosynthetic pigments in the leaves of plants.It is proved that according to the genotypes of spring barley, the high content of photosynthetic pigments in the leaves (With Chl a -0.42, C car-0.083) during the earing of plants has a positive correlation between yield, which is confirmed by images of linear dependence.A close relationship is shown between the yield level of barley culture and the amount of chlorophyll a (Chla) in plant leaves (r-0.680438), according to the complex of pigments, it is recommended to use Astana 2000, Sabir, Monolith varieties as a donor in practical breeding to increase grain yield.

This study aimed to develop a mathematical model for assessing optimal manganese (Mn) requirement to repair the photosynthetic apparatus of maize (Zea mays L.), damaged during seawater exposure. The developed mathematical model described the changes in physiological responses of maize leaves in response to cellular Mn concentration. The photosynthetic apparatus that contains a variety of pigments/protein complexes, including photosystem (PSII), cytochrome b6f (Cytb6f), and photosystem I (PSI) were also covered by the model. The proposed model explains the variations of fresh and dry mass, relative leaf water content (RWC %), chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), total chlorophyll, carotenoids, fluorescence parameters (Fv/Fo and Fv/Fm), efficiency and quantum yield parameters (ψEo, φEo, δRo and φRo), and performance indices (PIabs and PItotal) with respect to cellular leaf Mn concentration in a perfect way with r = 1 and S = 0. The correlation coefficients for the parameters is unity and standard error is zero, meaning thereby the perfect validity of the hypothesis and the developed model. The model would be useful to develop strategies for mitigating salinity stress by increasing cellular Mn concentration for better growth and development of crops.

Pineapple is one kind of fruit that contains a lot of nutrition. The waste from residual pineapple processing is called bromelain. Bromelain contains polymer complex in the form of organic sources from nature if it could be decomposed properly. One way to exploited bromelain is by composting. Composting is done with the help of fungi of Trichoderma sp. to speed up the decomposition process. The resulting compost is aerated to increase the nutrients and form a further decomposition process in the soil. The research was carried out from January till March 2021 in the Microbiology Laboratory Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, University of Lampung. The parameters of this research are the content of chlorophyll and the number of leaves. This research used a completely Randomized Design with 7 treatments that are A1 (24 hours of mixed bromelain), A2 (48 hours of mixed bromelain), A3 (72 hours of mixed bromelain), A4 (24 hours of pure bromelain), A5 (48 hours of pure bromelain), A6 (72 hours of pure bromelain), and A7 (control). Based on this research the value of the highest chlorophyll A on A6 treatment is 0,655. A value of the highest on chlorophyll B on A6 treatment that 0,429. The highest total chlorophyll on the A6 treatment is 1,048. Based on this research the A4 treatment has the highest average number of leaves compared to other treatments.

The current study evaluated the influence of different nitrogen (N) concentrations (0, 5, 10, and 14.6 mM) on plant growth, essential oil (EO) yield and compositions, some biochemical, and physiological traits of Salvia officinalis L. which has grown in soilless conditions to explain any differences in the studied characteristics. This experiment was carried out based on a completely randomized design to assess the effects of different N levels (0, 5, 10, and 14.6 mM) on the nutrient content, growth, EO yield and compositions, and biochemical characteristics of sage under hydroponic condition. The results showed that N concentrations affected plant growth traits, micro- and macronutrient uptake, EO yield and compositions, photosynthetic pigments, total soluble sugars, proline, and total phenolic content, as well as antioxidant activity. Based on the findings, 0 mM N level reduced all of the studied traits. The greatest accumulation for N, P, K, Mg, Mn, Fe, B, Cu, Zn, Ca, Mo, the highest chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid, total soluble sugar, proline, total phenolic contents, antioxidant activity and EO yield and the least S content were observed at the highest N concentration (14.6 mM). The highest oxygenated monoterpenes (80.92%), as the main group of compounds, was observed at 14.6 mM N level. The application of 10 mM N showed the highest α-thujone as the major compound. The suitable concentration of N was 14.6 mM which can improve plant growth, nutrient content, and biochemical characteristics of sage as well as EO yield and composition by true nutrient management.

The measurement of leaf pigments using non-destructive methods can be influenced by water management conditions and the use of nutrients in cauliflower, not showing adequate correlations with chlorophyll contents. The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the SPAD index and the pigment content in cauliflower leaves managed with different water conditions and the application of silicon (Si). The cultivation was carried out in a protected environment in the city of Maringá, Paraná State from October 2019 to March 2020. It was adopted a randomized block design, with treatments in a 3 x 4 factorial scheme, with three levels of water recharge (40; 70 and 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc)) and four doses of Si (0; 50; 100 and 150 kg ha-1), with four replications. Once plants showed developed inflorescence, the SPAD index was determined in the field and the levels of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids in the laboratory using leaves from the upper third. The correlation between water recharge and Si fertilization on the SPAD index was determined. The proportion of carotenoids in relation to total pigments was compared under different conditions. Correlation analysis was performed considering silicon fertilization, water recharge, leaf pigments, and the SPAD index. Silicon fertilization reduced the levels of carotenoids in addition to being related to chlorophyll a (100% of ETc) and chlorophyll b (70% of ETc). The correlation of the SPAD index with pigments is variable with the water condition of the crop, in a condition without water deficit, it is related to chlorophyll a and in a condition of 70% replacement of ETc, it is correlated with chlorophyll b.

Photosynthesis in deserts is challenging since it requires fast adaptation to rapid night-to-day changes, that is, from dawn’s low light (LL) to extreme high light (HL) intensities during the daytime. To understand these adaptation mechanisms, we purified photosystem I (PSI) from Chlorella ohadii, a green alga that was isolated from a desert soil crust, and identified the essential functional and structural changes that enable the photosystem to perform photosynthesis under extreme high light conditions. The cryo-electron microscopy structures of PSI from cells grown under low light (PSILL) and high light (PSIHL), obtained at 2.70 and 2.71 A, respectively, show that part of light-harvesting antenna complex I (LHCI) and the core complex subunit (PsaO) are eliminated from PSIHL to minimize the photodamage. An additional change is in the pigment composition and their number in LHCIHL; about 50% of chlorophyll b is replaced by chlorophyll a. This leads to higher electron transfer rates in PSIHL and might enable C. ohadii PSI to act as a natural photosynthesiser in photobiocatalytic systems. PSIHL or PSILL were attached to an electrode and their induced photocurrent was determined. To obtain photocurrents comparable with PSIHL, 25 times the amount of PSILL was required, demonstrating the high efficiency of PSIHL. Hence, we suggest that C. ohadii PSIHL is an ideal candidate for the design of desert artificial photobiocatalytic systems. Cryo-EM photosystem I structure reveals adaptation mechanisms to extreme high light in Chlorella ohadii.

In this study, the effect of mild (100 µM), moderate (300 µM) and severe (500 µM) nickel (NiSO4.7H2O) toxicity on the photosynthetic activity, photosynthetic pigment content and some antioxidant enzymes in the leaves of a barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Tarm-92) was investigated. Moderate and severe nickel toxicity decreased root length while shoot length was not affected by nickel stress, probably due to over accumulation of nickel in roots. Similarly, biomass accumulation was declined by moderate and severe nickel toxicity as reflected by the lowered fresh and dry weight. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and consequently total chlorophyll content decreased by all nickel applications, presumably because the reduced level of carotenoids. Chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements showed that nickel toxicity blocked electron movement in some specific points of the photosynthetic electron transport system. The constant Fo value indicated that PSII reaction centers was not damaged in the leaves of barley under nickel toxicity while the reduced Fm value showed that acceptor side of PSII was more sensitive to nickel toxicity as compared to donor side. Changes in JIP test parameters in the leaves of barley showed that primary photochemical reactions are reduced, and thermal dissipation of excess energy is increased. SOD and CAT activity is elevated in the leaves of barley under moderate and severe nickel toxicity which demonstrate an efficient superoxide dismutation. Severe nickel toxicity, however, did not affect SOD and CAT activity. The ascorbate-glutathione cycle was activated in the leaves of barley plants under nickel toxicity, probably indicating an efficient H2O2 detoxification. However, considerable H2O2 and MDA accumulation was observed in the leaves of barley under nickel stress. As a result, it may be concluded that the barley genotype Tarm-92 is moderately tolerant to nickel toxicity.

The present study was performed to address how Cr(VI) posed its toxicities on photosynthesis, lipid peroxidation, and its retaliation by antioxidative system of Helianthus annuus L. during Cr(VI) accumulation. For this, a pot experiment was performed wherein three different concentrations viz, 15, 30, and 60 mg Cr(VI) kg-1 soil were applied to Helianthus annuus L. at the time of seeds sowing. The results revealed that Cr(VI) accumulation was two to three folds higher in roots than in shoots which suggests that root is the major site for Cr(VI) accumulation. It was observed that with increasing doses of Cr(VI), growth indices hampered significantly, along with closure of stomata and damaged guard and epidermal cells. Photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids), leaf gaseous exchange parameters (A, E, GH2O), and PSII efficiency (Fv/Fm) worsened under Cr(VI) toxicity in dose dependent manner. Cr(VI) accumulation intensified the lipid peroxidation, too by triggering the MDA and H2O2 production, however, the plant responded well against the lipid peroxidation by enhancing the coordinated action of enzymatic (SOD, APX, GR) and non-enzymatic (GSH, AsA) antioxidants. In a nutshell, Helianthus annuus L. could be used as a potential Cr(VI) accumulator because of its good tolerance strategies against Cr(VI) toxicities.NOVELTY STATEMENT The results revealed that Cr(VI) accumulation was two to three folds higher in roots than in shoots which suggests that root is the major site for Cr(VI) accumulation. Photosynthetic pigments, leaf gaseous exchange parameters, and Fv/Fm worsened under Cr(VI) toxicity. Cr(VI) accumulation intensified lipid peroxidation by triggering MDA and H2O2 production, however, the plant responded well against the lipid peroxidation by enhancing the coordinated action of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. In a nutshell, Helianthus annuus L. could be used as a potential Cr(VI) accumulator because of its good tolerance strategies against Cr(VI) toxicities.

BACKGROUND Barley grass (BG) powder has gradually attracted researchers' attention for its abundant nutritional components and functional activity. Yet, the effect of different drying methods on storage stability is still unclear. In this study, BG was subjected to hot-air drying (HAD), steam blanching prior to hot-air drying (SHAD), vacuum freeze drying (VFD), and far-infrared drying (FID). Effects of different drying methods on BG powder during storage were evaluated. RESULTS Moisture content of dried samples during storage decreased at 50 °C, but at 37 °C increased first and then remained stable. The a* value of SHAD BG powder before storage was the highest (-6.51), followed by FID, HAD and VFD. Moreover, the a* value increased during the storage process. Contents of l-ascorbic acid and total chlorophyll in samples dried by VFD were 28.29 and 7.8 g kg-1 , respectively. The degradation of chlorophyll a and b followed a first-order kinetics model and was modeled by the Arrhenius equation. The activation energies for chlorophyll a were 83.68, 83.21, 62.29 and 76.64 kJ mol-1 in BG powder dried by SHAD, FID, VFD and HAD, respectively. The activation energies for chlorophyll b were 66.76, 48.03, 61.02 and 58.01 kJ mol-1 in SHAD, FID, VFD and HAD BG powder, respectively. CONCLUSION VFD had the highest preservation of color, l-ascorbic acid and chlorophyll compared to HAD, SHAD and FID. SHAD shortened the drying time and delayed the degradation of l-ascorbic acid and chlorophyll during storage. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

The differences of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), photosynthetic pigment, organic acids and antioxidant activity in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst) needle extracts were determined to compare different half-sib spruce families’ chemical backgrounds and the abilities to synthesize biologically active compounds and antioxidant activity for potential pharmaceutical and nutraceutical use. Spectrophotometric analysis showed that the highest TPC was found in needle extracts of half-sib family 599 (38.7 mg g−1). The needle extracts of family 548 had the highest TFC (797.7 mg g−1). The highest concentration of chlorophyll a (chl a), chlorophyll b (chl b) and carotenoids was determined in the needle extracts of Norway spruce families 541 (0.651 mg g−1, 0.386 mg g−1 and 0.235 mg g−1, respectively) and 463 (0.655 mg g−1, 0.383 mg g−1 and 0.227 mg g−1, respectively). Using HPLC analysis, the highest concentrations of vitamin C and folic acid were determined in needle extracts of family 541 (16.93 mg g−1 and 0.02 mg g−1, respectively), the highest concentrations of malic and succinic acids were found in 463 (0.95 mg g−1 and 3.09 mg g−1, respectively), the highest concentration of oxalic acid was identified in needle extracts of family 599 (0.50 mg g−1), and the highest concentration of citric acid was found in needle extracts of family 577 (0.68 mg g−1).

It is quite important to develop the microorganism resources with biocontrol capacity for rice blast. This study evaluated Bacillus subtilis JN005 for growth promotion and biocontrol efficacy against Magnaporthe oryzae. Results showed that rice seeds treated with 1 × 107 cfu/mL suspension of B. subtilis JN005 had 16% germination energy, 14% germination rate, 15% germination index, and 270% vigor index compared to those treated with sterile water (control). In pot experiments, the JN005 strain-treated rice plants exhibited notable increase in plant height, root length, stem circumference, and fresh weight, as well as higher concentration of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll in rice leaves. Rice leaves inoculated with the JN005 strain resulted in increased activities of defense-related enzymes, including peroxidase (POD), phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) compared to the water and the M. oryzae-inoculated treatments. In vitro inoculated rice leaves with 1 × 107 cfu/mL bacterial suspension compared to sterile water or control treatment exhibited lower disease incidence in the curative and preventive groups by 79% and 76%, respectively. Field experiment showed that after spraying with 1 × 107 cfu/mL bacterial suspension, efficacy rates on controlling rice blast on plants were (56.82 ± 1.12)% and (58.39 ± 3.05)% at seedling and maturity stages, respectively, and that rice production yield was (524.40 ± 17.88) g/m2. Therefore, B. subtilis JN005 could be a promising biological control agent for rice blast, thereby warranting further investigation of its efficacy.

In order to evaluate physiological and biochemical changes of wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.) under the stress of four herbicides namely, (pinoxaden, tribenuron-methy, pyroxsulam and clodinafop-propargyl) at recommended dose on three wheat cultivars (Saka 95, Giza 171 and Shandweel 1). In a totally randomized method, an experiment was performed in El-Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. During 2020 season. The analysis of variance showed that the content of the main pigments of leaf (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and caroteniod), activity of catalase, peroxidase, oxidase enzymes and ascorbic acids. Data showed that the herbicide pinoxaden was the highest toxicity while tribenuron-methy was the lowest one on the three cultivars of wheat in chlorophyll content. Chlorophyll a, the reduction percentages were17 .2, 16.8 and 13.6 % in Giza 171, Shandweel 1 and Saka 95, respectively compared with control. The reduction percentages in chlorophyll b were 14.8, 14.2 and 11.0 % in Saka 95, Giza 171 and Shandweel 1 , respectively compared with control. The opposite picture in carotenoid the reductions were 18.8, 15.3, and 9.7 % in Giza171, Saka 95 and Shandweel 1 compared with control. On the other hand, the four herbicides led to a significant decrease in the activity of wheat antioxidant enzymes compared with control. Results showed that the oxidase and peroxidase enzymes were high sensitivity to all treatments compared with control, but ascorbic acid and catalase enzymes appear low sensitivity on all cultivars of wheat. These results showed that all used herbicides reduce plant tolerance from damage and enzymes activities, therefore it can be used as an index in physiological research.

Chlorophyll content is an important index for monitoring the health status of vegetation growth. Revealing the variation characteristics of the chlorophyll content in leaves of Populus euphratica plays an important role in evaluating the health and ecological conservation of Populus euphratica. In this study, leaves of healthy Populus euphratica and water-stressed Populus euphratica were collected from May to October, and the spectral reflectance was obtained at 390–1100 nm. At the same time, the chlorophyll content of Populus euphratica leaves was analyzed. The results indicated that from May to October, the chlorophyll content showed a trend of "two peaks and two valleys," which decreased first, then increased and then decreased. In general, the chlorophyll content of healthy Populus euphratica leaves was higher than that of water-stressed Populus euphratica leaves. The ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b was maintained between 3.0 and 3.4 from May to August, while there was a significant increase in September and October. The ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b in healthy Populus euphratica leaves was significantly lower than that in water-stressed Populus euphratica leaves from June to September. The spectral curves of healthy Populus euphratica leaves were relatively consistent from May to August, and the curves in the near-infrared band were also concentrated. For the water-stressed Populus euphratica leaves, the curve in the near-infrared band was more dispersed. There were two absorption valleys at wavelengths of 500 and 675 nm, and some of the absorption characteristic parameters of the two absorption valleys had a significant correlation with the chlorophyll content. A partial least squares regression model constructed by these absorption parameters roughly estimated the chlorophyll content of the water-stressed Populus euphratica leaves.

In this study, novel deep-red-emitting Mg2InSbO6:Mn4+ phosphors were prepared through a high-temperature solid-state reaction. The as-prepared phosphors belong to the perovskite structure with the space group of R 3 ‾ (No.148). The calculated energy gap value of Mg2InSbO6 is ~1.788 eV. Emission spectrum of the Mg2InSbO6:0.3%Mn4+ was obtained under 301 nm excitation, which centered 665 nm due to the 2Eg→4A2g transition. The optimum concentration of Mg2InSbO6:xMn4+ is confirmed to 0.3% mol, and the concentration quenching effect is ascribed to the dipole–dipole interaction. The relative temperature-dependent PL spectra demonstrate that phosphors possess commendable repeatability and high activation energy. The chromaticity shift diagram shows the phosphors have good resistance of color drifting. The Mg2InSbO6:0.3%Mn4+ phosphor has a high color purity of 99.8%. Furthermore, a red light-emitting diode is fabricated with Mg2InSbO6:0.3%Mn4+ phosphor and a 365 nm near-ultraviolet chip. The emission spectrum of the red LED is perfectly overlapped with plant pigments (chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b) absorption spectrum. Thus, Mn4+-activated Mg2InSbO6:Mn4+ phosphors have the potential to apply in plant-cultivation LEDs.

Interaction between plant and virus induces significant alterations in the physiology of the plant affecting its performance. African yam bean (AYB) is a high yielding legume with the potential of solving the food security need of the nation. Alterations in basic physiological parameters due to Telfairia mosaic virus (TeMV) infection of AYB (Sphenostylis stenocarpa (Hochst ex. A. Rich) Harms) were studied. Infected AYB exhibited symptoms of severe mosaic, leaf distortion and malformation. Results analyses revealed that the virus engendered significant (P ≤ 0.05) reduction in chlorophyll a, ratio of chlorophyll a/b with increase in peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PdH) enzymes activity. The virus caused insignificant reduction in relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll b, carotenoids with increase in 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGdH) activity. Alterations induced by TeMV on S. stenocarpa physiological components did not differ statistically at initial period but significant at prolonged infection. Telfairia mosaic virus caused percentage reduction of 34.2% for chlorophyll a at 120 days after inoculation (DAI) and 31.1% for ratio of chlorophyll a/b at 30 DAI. The virus induced increase in activity of –61.2% (POD), –65.5% (PPO) and –126.9% for G6PdH an enzyme of the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (OPPP) at 90 DAI. All enzymes activity declined at 120 DAI except G6PdH activity. Telfairia mosaic virus significantly altered some physiological parameters with attendant effect on growth and yield of S. stenocarpa.

Salinity is a devastating environmental stress factor that severely affects plant growth and development. Soil salinity often hinders plant productivity in both natural and agricultural settings. Vesicular Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (VAM) symbionts can mediate plant stress responses by enhancing salinity tolerance. Experiments were conducted in a greenhouse at the nursery of the Experimental Station of Forestry and Wood Technology Dept., Faculty of Agriculture, University of Alexandria, Abies region, Alexandria, from June, 2017 to May, 2018 and repeated at the same time in the second season. The obtained results showed that the inoculation with VAM and addition of RP led to enhance the growth significantly, in terms of survival, shoot height, shoot root ratio, root dry weight, shoot dry weight and total dry weight and minerals of the leaves of M. oleifera (N, P and K%) compared with the uninoculated ones. Chlorophyll a of M. oleifera was affected by salinity. Na Cl treatments caused a decrease in chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b content in both seasons. The largest increases in plants nutrient uptake (N, P and K) and decreasing in Na were observed with the VAM+RP treatment. The inoculated seedlings with VAM induced the highest value in Proline content in the first and second seasons compared with the uninoculated ones.The present study concluded that (M. oleifera Lam.) could tolerate salt concentration up to 171.1 mM in the presence of mycorrhiza. It is recommended; however, to inoculate the seedlings with VAM and (1g/kg soil) rock-phosphate application to enhance its growth and mitigate salinity stress.

Recent studies show that Nanotechnology can be effectively used to enhance the characteristics of many types of trees including forest trees. Dalbergia Sissoo Roxb., which belongs to the Fabaceae family, is a forest tree that grows in dry land and water conservation areas. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of nano silver (NS) at (0, 30, 60 and 90 mg/L) and gibberellic acid (GA3) at (0, 50, 100 and 200 mg/L) concentrations on seed performance and subsequent growth of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. The results reveal the enhancement of germination rate and velocity by using GA3 at 100 and 200 mg/L. NS90 treatment increased each of shoot and root fresh and dry weight, leaf area and plant height whereas GA50 treatment increased number of branches per plant and primary root length. Non-significant differences between treatments on Peroxidase enzyme activity and chlorophyll a content was observed whereas NS30 had the highest chlorophyll b and lowest total carotenoids. Shoot and root contents of some essential and non-essential elements differed between treatments. In roots, N90 treatment increased each of Cu and Mn elements, but it decreased Cl content. Although GA100 treatment increased Cl content, it decreased Mn. The paper concludes that the applications of nano-silver and GA3 on Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. have significant effects on its growth and physiological parameters.

ASPECTOS BIOQUÍMICOS E FLUORESCÊNCIA DA CLOROFILA A EM PLANTAS DE MINIMELANCIA HIDROPÔNICA SOB ESTRESSE SALINO* LAÍS MONIQUE GOMES DO Ó1, ALIDE MITSUE WATANABE COVA2, PETTERSON COSTA CONCEIÇÃO SILVA3, HANS RAJ GHEYI4, ANDRÉ DIAS DE AZEVEDO NETO5, ROGÉRIO FERREIRA RIBAS6 1Doutoranda em Engenharia Agrícola da Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Rua Rui Barbosa, s/n, Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brasil laisnique@hotmail.com. 2Pós-Doutoranda no Programa de Pós-graduação de Engenharia Agrícola da Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Rua Rui Barbosa, s/n, Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brasil, alidewatanabe@yahoo.com.br. 3Doutor em Engenharia Agrícola, Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Rua Rui Barbosa, s/n, Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brasil, petter.ufrb@gmail.com. 4Professor Visitante, Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Cruz das Almas, Bahia, hgheyi@gmail.com. 5Professor Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Rua Rui Barbosa, s/n, Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brasil, andre@ufrb.edu.br. 6Professor Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Rua Rui Barbosa, s/n, Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brasil, ecofisiologia@gmail.com. *Este artigo é proveniente da tese de doutorado do primeiro autor. 1 RESUMO A salinidade é um dos principais estresses abióticos que induz distúrbios bioquímicos e fisiológicos em diversas culturas. O objetivo do trabalho foi investigar os efeitos da salinidade da solução nutritiva (CEsol) sobre a produção, acúmulo de solutos orgânicos e inorgânicos e fluorescência da clorofila a em plantas de minimelancia cv. Sugar Baby. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado com quatro repetições. As plantas foram cultivadas em sistema hidropônico com cinco níveis de CEsol: 2,5; 3,5; 4,5; 5,5 e 6,5 dS m-1. Foram avaliados: massa do fruto, biomassa da parte aérea, teores de clorofilas a e b, fluorescência da clorofila a e teores de solutos orgânicos e inorgânicos. A massa do fruto e a biomassa seca da parte aérea foram influenciadas negativamente pela CEsol. Houve redução na concentração de carboidratos solúveis totais, aminoácidos livres, proteínas solúveis e prolina livre com o aumento da CEsol. Os íons sódio, cloreto e razão sódio/potássio aumentaram com a salinidade e os teores de potássio foram reduzidos. O incremento da salinidade aumentou linearmente o teor de clorofila b e reduziu linearmente o rendimento quântico da conversão de energia fotoquímica do FSII promovendo um ligeiro aumento no rendimento quântico da perda de energia regulada do FSII. Palavras-chaves: biomassa, carboidratos, íons tóxicos, estresse abiótico. Ó, L. M. G.; COVA, A. M. W.; SILVA, P. C. C.; GHEYI, H. R.; AZEVEDO NETO, A. D. de; RIBAS, R. F. BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS AND CHLOROPHYLL A FLUORESCENCE IN HYDROPONIC MINI WATERMELON PLANTS UNDER SALT STRESS 2 ABSTRACT Salinity is one of the main abiotic stresses that induce biochemical and physiological disorders in diverse crops. This study investigated the effects of nutrient solution salinity (ECsol) on production, accumulation of organic and inorganic solutes and chlorophyl a fluorescence in mini watermelon plants cv. Sugar Baby. The experimental design was completely randomized with four replications. The plants were grown in a hydroponic system with five levels of ECsol: 2.5; 3.5; 4.5; 5.5 and 6.5 dS m-1. The variables evaluated were the mass of the fruit, the biomass of the aerial parts, contents of chlorophylls a and b, fluorescence of chlorophyll a, and contents of organic and inorganic solutes. The mass of the fruit and dry biomass of the aerial parts was negatively influenced by ECsol. There was a reduction in the concentration of total soluble carbohydrates, free amino acids, soluble proteins and free proline with the increase in ECsol. The sodium, chloride and sodium/potassium ratio increased with ECsol and potassium levels were reduced. The increase in ECsol linearly increased the chlorophyll b content and reduced the quantum yield of the photochemical energy conversion of the PSII promoting a slight increase in the quantum yield of the regulated energy loss of the PSII. Keywords: abiotic stress, biomass, carbohydrates, toxic ions.

In the present study, a hydroponic experiment was performed to evaluate the effect of exogenous silicon (Si) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on the mitigation of Cd toxicity in tomato seedlings. The results revealed that Cd-stressed plants exhibited growth inhibition, increased lipid peroxidation, and impaired photosynthetic pigment accumulation. However, Si and MeJA applied alone or in combination significantly ameliorated the above-mentioned adverse effects induced by Cd. Among all treatments, Cd+Si+MeJA treatment elevated the dry mass of roots, stems, and leaves by 317.39%, 110.85%, and 119.71%, respectively. The chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid contents in Cd+Si+MeJA-treated group were dramatically elevated (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the malondialdehyde content in roots and shoots were reduced by 32.24% and 69.94%, respectively. The Si and MeJA applied separately or in combination also resulted in a prominent decrease of Cd influxes in tomato roots; therefore, a reduction of Cd content in tomato tissues were detected, and the Cd concentration in tomato roots were decreased by 27.19%, 25.18%, and 17.51% in Cd+Si, Cd+MeJA and Cd+Si+MeJA-treated plants, respectively. Moreover, in Cd+Si+MeJA-treated group, the percentage of Cd in cell wall fraction was enhanced while that in organelle fraction was decreased as compared with Cd-stressed plants. Collectively, our findings indicated that Si and MeJA application provide a beneficial role in enhancing Cd tolerance and reducing Cd uptake in tomato plants.

The use of modern and safe techniques to increase plant growth and yield is of significance. There is little data, to our knowledge, on the use of organic fertilization and ozonated water (ozone (O3) affecting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) growth and quality. Different tomato growth and fruit quality parameters including yield, fruit number, leaf fresh and dry weight, leaf and inflorescence number, plant height and stem diameter, distance from the first inflorescence to the collar, total soluble solids, total acidity, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total were determined. O3 treatment resulted in significant affects in all tomato parameters. One of the interesting results of the present research is the increased concentration of the antioxidant ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in response to ozonation, which can also improve tomato quality. However, organic fertilization and its interaction with the O3 treatment significantly affected only some of the measured tomato parameters. Ozonated water, at proper concentrations, may improve tomato growth and fruit quality, and if combined with organic fertilization, its positive effects may increase.

In mature leaves, cell-to-cell transport via plasmodesmata between mesophyll cells links the production of assimilates by photosynthesis with their export to sink organs. This study addresses the question of how signals derived from chloroplasts and photosynthesis influence plasmodesmata permeability. Cell-to-cell transport was analyzed in leaves of the Arabidopsis chlorophyll b-less ch1-3 mutant, the same mutant complemented with a cyanobacterial CAO gene (PhCAO) overaccumulating chlorophyll b, the trxm3 mutant lacking plastidial thioredoxin m3, and the ntrc mutant lacking functional NADPH:thioredoxin reductase C. The regulation of plasmodesmata permeability in these lines could not be traced back to the reduction state of the thioredoxin system or the types and levels of reactive oxygen species produced in chloroplasts; however, it could be related to chloroplast ATP and NADPH production. The results suggest that light enables plasmodesmata closure via an increase in the ATP and NADPH levels produced in photosynthesis, providing a control mechanism for assimilate export based on the rate of photosynthate production in the Calvin–Benson cycle. The level of chlorophyll b influences plasmodesmata permeability via as-yet-unidentified signals. The data also suggest a role of thioredoxin m3 in the regulation of cyclic electron flow around photosystem I.

Heavy metal pollution is a great hazard to the environment that enters the ecosystem through different natural and anthropogenic sources. A study was performed to evaluate concentrations of Cd and Pb in selected plants, Ricinus communis and Parthenium hysterophorus, and soils from different functional sites in Sialkot. Maximum fresh and dry weights of R. communis were recorded from control and field sites. Highest concentrations of Cd in P. hysterophorus (33.5 mg kg−1) and R. communis (24.36 ± 2.83 mg kg−1) were recorded at residential and industrial sites, respectively. However, road site samples showed maximum concentrations of Pb both in R. communis (9.06 ± 0.35 mg kg−1) and P. hysterophorus (7.90 ± 0.36 mg kg−1). Soil from the road site were found to be highly acidic (pH 4.75 ± 0.04), while the field site showed highest EC (494 ± 3.60) and TDS (509 ± 3.00) values. Generally, there were reductions in chlorophyll a and carotenoids, but an increase in chlorophyll b was observed in both plants at all sites compared to the control.

Chlorophyll is a notable green photosynthetic pigment found in cyanobacteria, algae, and higher plants. Chlorophyll manifests antioxidant, anti-cancerous properties, It also has a role in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The main objective of this research investigation is to compare the total chlorophyll content in some important plant families (Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae) and to make a comparative study on the concentration of chlorophyll as this bioactive compound has great importance in food and pharmaceutical industries. In the present study, chlorophyll was extracted from the leaves of ten plants from each family that are locally available, using 80% acetone and quantified by the Arnon method (1949) respectively. The final results revealed that Euphorbiaceae exhibited an enormous amount of average total chlorophyll. However, Catharanthus roseus from Apocyanaceae exhibited the highest concentrations of total chlorophyll.

A pots experiment was conducted in cage-house at Wheat Research Department and the laboratory of Soil Improvement and Conservation Department, Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 seasons. The stepwise regression analysis method used to determine the most effective characteristics related to wheat grain yield under three salinity levels. The data collected on five characteristics groups i.e., seedling, phenological, spike, physiological, yield and its contributes. The results showed that, the salinity levels less than 3.5 dSm-1 did not negatively affect wheat seedling growth, while, increasing salinity levels more than 3.5 dSm-1 significantly decreased all studied seedling characteristics. The salinity level of 3.5 dSm-1 led to earliness percentage of 4.2, 4.9, 3.8 and 2.2% in booting, heading, anthesis and maturity developmental stages, respectively. Meanwhile, increasing salinity levels up to 10.5 dSm-1 caused decrease for emergence speed by 21.7% and delay booting, heading and anthesis developmental stages by 3.9, 10.8 and 8.5%, respectively. Salinity stress decreased flag leaf area and increased chlorophyll pigments concentration, where the increase percent was higher for chlorophyll a compared with chlorophyll b and the total chlorophyll. Salinity stress decreased all studied spike characteristics with strong effect on number of kernels spike-1 and spike kernels weight. Salinity stress decreased yield and its contributes where its effect was strong on plant height, root dry weight, biological and grain yield. The stepwise regression showed that biological yield, spike kernels weight, emergence index, number of spikes pot-1 and hundred kernels weight under salinity stress are the important selection criteria of high grain yield.

Models of cultivars of agricultural crops are created for certain agro-climatic conditions. The aim of the research is to supplement the existing models of two- and multirow spring barley cultivars adaptive to the soil-climatic conditions of the Volga-Vyatka region with new features and properties for their more effective implementation. Studies were carried out using extensive, statistically processed data from collection nurseries and competitive variety tests for 2003–2019. Cultivars having longer growing periods were characterized by high yields. Under the conditions of the region, barley cultivars formed yields due to a different combination of elements of the yield structure. Thus, a significant contribution to yields was made by the spike productivity and the thousand kernel weight; however, in multirow barley, the dependence of productivity on these traits was more significant (r = 0.61 and 0.78, respectively) than in two-row barley (r = 0.40 and 0.42). In all cultivars, the density of plants per unit area for harvesting should not exceed 350–400 pieces per m2. The optimal ratio of the count of grains per spike and the thousand kernel weight in two-row cultivars is 1.0 : 2.3 and that in multirow cultivars 1 : 1. Lodging-resistant cultivars of both the subspecies were characterized by a large number of nodular roots and a ratio of grain mass to straw of 1.0 : 1.0 or 1.1 : 1.0, depending on the growing conditions. To select forms with high adaptive properties, it is necessary to use the root length index (RLI), which characterizes the growth of the root system under stress, and the RSR index, which reflects the distribution of plastic substances whose values should approach 100%, and changes in physiological processes in plants under stress should be minimal (the integral index of resistance). The statistically significant association (at p ≤ 0.05) of chlorophyll a (r = 0.64), chlorophyll b (r = 0.58), and carotenoids (r = 0.60) in the second last leaf with the yield capacity also makes these indicators promising for use in barley breeding.

Due to extreme climate changes, plants are exposed to severe soil water content, i.e. flooding and drought. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of different soil water content on the nutritional potential of young Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis) on the level of phenolics, sugars, photosynthetic pigments and antioxidant capacity. Total phenolic acids were induced in plants grown under drought conditions. Both types of stress increased soluble sugars in Chinese cabbage but reduced total tannins. Plants grown under drought had more L-ascorbic acid than the control group ; however, the concentration of ferulic acid and quercetin was reduced. On the other hand, excess of water increased the amount of sinapic and ferulic acid, main hydroxycinnamic acids in Chinese cabbage. Photosynthetic pigments were more susceptible to flooding (reduced amount) than drought, the only exception was chlorophyll b whose concentration was significantly higher in plants grown under drought. In addition, among all the measured parameters, chlorophyll b reacted most specifically against flooding (decreased) and drought (increased). Chinese cabbage grown under flooding had reduced amount of porphyrins compared to the one grown under normal and drought conditions, but showed higher antioxidant capacity (ABTS). Based on the results, the use of excess water could be considered as a possibility when growing young Chinese cabbage since it increased the concentration of antioxidants sinapic and ferulic acid and resulted in higher antioxidant capacity, recorded by ABTS assay, compared to control plants.

The rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is an economically important source of natural rubber. H. brasiliensis grows slowly in southern China mainly because of relatively low temperatures there. The slow growth rate delays plant propagation, so ways of increasing growth are needed. Light is important for regulating plant growth. An extended photophase is commonly used to increase plant growth and development. We studied the effects of an extended photophase, by supplemental LED night lighting, on the growth and physiology of young H. brasiliensis. Night lighting significantly increased plant height, stem diameter, and flush number. Chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll contents significantly increased, while chlorophyll b and carotenoids were unaffected. The photosynthetic parameters, nutrition status, and soluble sugar and protein contents changed little with supplemental lighting. The activities of antioxidases, including superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase, were similar in the experimental and control plants. The results showed that overnight LED lighting, in addition to solar irradiation during the daytime, could improve the rhythmic growth of H. brasiliensis without causing obvious physiological changes.

2, 3-bisphosphoglycerate-independent phosphoglycerate mutase (iPGAM), is a key enzyme that catalyzes the reversible interconversion of 3-phosphoglycerate and 2-phosphoglycerate in glycolysis. iPGAM has been found to be involved in several physiological processes, including stomatal movement, chlorophyll synthesis, pollen production, chloroplast development and photosynthesis in different plants. However, the roles iPGAM plays in model plant tobacco are still elusive. In the current study, two copies of the iPGAM gene in Nicotiana tabacum were cloned, NtiPGAMa and NtiPGAMb, from the variety “Honghuadajinyuan”. Expression profiles and subcellular localization analyses showed that NtiPGAMa and NtiPGAMb were highly expressed in the anthers and were localized to the nucleus, cytosol and cell membrane. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, three mutant lines with mosaic leaves were obtained by targeting the second exon of the iPGAM gene. Based on Sanger sequencing, the mutant lines were chimeric plants and displayed mutation rates ranging from 82.3% to 92.5%. The iPGAM mutations showed significantly decreased photosynthetic pigments, i.e., chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoids, thinning or loss of chloroplast thylakoid lamellar structures. RT-PCR analysis showed that the expressions of genes associated with chlorophyll synthesis and photosynthesis were significantly down-regulated in the iPGAM mutant plants compared to wild type. The pollen development was greatly impaired in mutant plants, resulting in reduced and deformed pollens with grains inviable. Our findings indicate that iPGAM is critical for pollen vitality, chlorophyll synthesis and chloroplast morphogenesis in N. tabacum.

This study aims to obtain a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) prototype and a voltaic cell prototype using the kedondong plant ( Spondias dulcis Forst ). Kedondong leaves as a source of chlorophyll were deliberately chosen to be in line with the use of kedondong fruit as a material for electrochemical cells, so that two research results could be obtained from the kedondong plant. This research is for the application of scientific development, increasing the added value of kedondong plant, and as support for the use of environmentally friendly energy. Research methods in general are chlorophyll extraction, citric acid isolation, chlorophyll testing, DSSC assembly, electrochemical cell assembly, and performance testing for both DSSC and electrochemical cells. The analysis results show that typical peaks appear for the functional groups in chlorophyll at certain wave numbers. Hydroxyl (-OH) groups appear in the range of 3650 - 3200 cm -1 , the C=C group at 1700 - 1500 cm -1 , the C-N group at 1350 - 1000 cm -1 , and the C-O group at 1300 - 1000 cm -1 . Quantitative testing used a UV-Vis spectrophotometer at 645 nm and 633 nm, the results obtained were chlorophyll a was 4.52 mg/L, chlorophyll b was 8.43 mg/L, and total chlorophyll was 12.95 mg/L. The DSSC prototype performance test with a size of only 2.5 cm 2 , can produce a minimum voltage of 30.1 mV and a maximum of 280 mV. The electrochemical test of kedondong citric acid extract showed that the value of the electric voltage ranged from 121 to 630 mV. Keywords: Kedondong, Chlorophyll, DSSC, Citric acid, Electrochemical cells

Yield of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is highly constrained by water deficit especially when this occurs during the reproductive development. The purpose of the study was to determine the association of the morphophysiological traits with water stress and how this affects grain yield in common beans. A field experiment involving eight common bean genotypes and three water regimes (50 %, 75 %, and 100 % of crop evapotranspiration) was conducted at National Irrigation Research Station, Mazabuka district during the 2012 growing season. A Split plot design with four replications was used; with soil moisture regime (main plot) and the genotypes (subplot). Based on variation in water stress tolerances, 8 test genotypes - Gadra, KE 3, KE 4, ZM 4488, SER 76 SER 180, SER 89 and CAR-ZAR were used. Water stress treatments were imposed at pre-flowering stage and was discontinued after 43 days when the crop was in its late reproductive stage. Significant differences were found among genotypes for Chlorophyll a (Chl a), Chlorophyll b (Chl b), Total Chlorophyll, Relative water content, Grain yield, Number pods per, Seed weight, Seeds per pod and Days to 50 % flowering under the three water stress conditions. The grain yield in normally irrigated condition (2191.3 kg ha-1) was 60 % higher than in high water stress condition (866.2 kg ha-1), while in the low water stress condition (1078.3 kg ha-1), the reduction in grain yield was 50.8 %. There were significant genotype by environment showing that the genotypes behaved differently under the different growing conditions. Results suggested that Gadra, KE 4, ZM 4488, and SER 180 were water stress tolerant while the SER 89, CAR-ZAR, KE 3 and SER 76 were water stress sensitive genotypes. These results suggest that a selection method based on 100 SW, Chl a, Chl b, and NPP can be used in breeding for bean genotypes to water stress.

Chlorophylls function in photosynthesis, and are critical to plant developmental processes and responses to environmental stimuli. Chlorophyll b is synthesized from chlorophyll a by chlorophyll a oxygenase (CAO). Here, we characterize a yellow-green leaf (ygl) mutant and identify the causal gene which encodes a chlorophyll a oxygenase in maize (ZmCAO1). A 51 bp Popin transposon insertion in ZmCAO1 strongly disrupts its transcription. Low enzyme activity of ZmCAO1 leads to reduced concentrations of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, resulting in the yellow-green leaf phenotype of the ygl mutant. The net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate are decreased in the ygl mutant, while concentrations of δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), porphobilinogen (PBG) and protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) are increased. In addition, a ZmCAO1 mutation results in down-regulation of key photosynthetic genes, limits photosynthetic assimilation, and reduces plant height, ear size, kernel weight, and grain yield. Furthermore, the zmcao1 mutant shows enhanced reactive oxygen species production leading to sensitivity to waterlogging. These results demonstrate the pleiotropy of ZmCAO1 function in photosynthesis, grain yield, and waterlogging tolerance in maize.

Portable chlorophyll meters can be a useful tool for nitrogen (N) determination in crops, particularly in those that show a high correlation between N levels in plants tissues and chlorophyll readings. However, there is a lack of information regarding these correlations in some crops, such as sweet sorghum. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the photosynthetic pigments extracted in dimethylsulfoxide and N content in leaves with the readings of a portable chlorophyll meter (ClorofiLog®), as a function of the application of N doses in sweet sorghum. The experimental design was a split-plot, with five N doses applied at sowing (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 kg N ha−1) in the main plot and as subplots were considered five topdressing of N doses in order to reach 0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 kg N ha−1. At 25 and 43 days after emergence, portable chlorophyll meter readings, destructive determinations of photosynthetic pigments and N content in sorghum leaves were measured. At harvesting, biometric and yield characteristics of plants were determined. ClorofiLog® was not able to estimate N status at V5 stage, but it can assess the N status in sorghum leaves at V9 stage. At the latter stage, topdressing N promoted greater increases on dry mass, the chlorophyll b index (obtained via ClorofiLog®) and total chlorophyll (obtained by the destructive method).

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L), the herbaceous plant cultivated for its starchy storage roots, has a complex genome (2n = 6x = 90) with the estimated genome size of about 4.5 GB. Albinism, a phenomenon that occurs in plants, is defined as the total pigment loss accompanying with insufficient chloroplast membrane differentiation. For this study, an identified natural albino mutant of Xuzi-8 cultivar was subject to RNA sequencing relative to the green plants of identical cultivar. The results showed that total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids were significantly lower in albino plants than in normal green plants. In addition, the CO2 assimilation rate, intercellular CO2 concentration, conductance level, and transpiration rate were significantly higher in normal green plants than in albino mutants. High-quality reads in the total number of 27,520,273-39,862,794 were obtained following the removal of the potentially contaminated or low-quality reads from the albino-mutant and normal green sweetpotato libraries. Later, sequences were matched with the available online data of Ipomoea batatas, and a very low matching degree (2.22%) was obtained, which indicated the very few available data of Ipomoea batatas genome compared with other plants. Additionally, the obtained unigenes were conducted functional annotations and classification, including GO, KOG, and KEGG analyses. The significance level and DEGs differences between albino-mutant and normal green plants were determined according to the thresholds of FDR ≤ 0.001 and log2 FC ≥ 1. A total of 3000 unigenes were upregulated in albino mutants but normally expressed in normal green plants. These genes were involved in facilitating plant nutrition sources depending on the stored carbohydrates and fats. Furthermore, these unigenes were aligned to the DDP family zinc finger protein, glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase, beta-galactosidase, GDE-like, and SELMODRAFT PDDEXK. On the other hand, altogether, 2418 unigenes were downregulated in albino-mutant plants compared with normal green plants, which were responsible for chloroplast differentiation and development, chlorophyll degradation, and synthesis of other pigments. Therefore, they might be related to the defect that caused this mutant.

Due to their widespread therapeutic and agricultural applicability and usefulness in removing metals and metalloids from water, cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (NPs) are currently receiving increasing attention from researchers. However, their potential phytotoxicity is still poorly understood. Thus, the aim of the current study was to assess the effects of synthesized cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) NPs on biological (morphological, physiological, and biochemical) parameters of edible plant garden-cress (Lepidium sativum L.), depending on particle size and concentrations. In this study, physical characteristics of cobalt ferrite NPs were determined. Increased total content of Co and Fe in L. sativum tissues and their transfer from roots to above-ground parts of seedlings, which depended on the size of NP (15

The nonlinear optical properties of chlorophyll B dissolved in chloroform have been studied using single-beam z-scan technique with a CW Laser at wavelength λ = 635 nm. It was found that the chlorophyll B has a large 3rd nonlinearity. The nonlinear absorption coefficient β and the nonlinear refractive index n2 were estimated from fitting of the experimental data, which was found to be proportional to the concentration of samples. The origin of the nonlinearity properties was discussed. Our results have indicated that the chlorophyll B could be promising candidates for application on nonlinear photonic devices.

The Brazilian Northeast region suffers from some abiotic stresses that are responsible for the loss of agricultural production, such as long drought periods and high evapotranspiration, associated with the quality of the water, which induces the use of saline water as an alternative for the expansion of irrigated areas, and silicate fertilization contributes to reduce the effects of salinity under the Northeastern semi -arid conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the osmotic potential and physiological indices of yellow passion fruit seedlings under irrigation water salinity and silicate fertilization. The experiment was carried out under greenhouse conditions at the Federal University of Campina Grande, Pombal -PB, Brazil, in a randomized block design in a 5 x 5 factorial scheme, relative to five levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water - ECw (0.3; 1.0; 1.7; 2.4 and 3.1 dS m-1) and five doses of silicate fertilization (0; 25; 50; 75 and 100 g silicon per plant) in four replicates and two plants per plot. The application of 50, 75 and 100 g silicon per plant reduced the osmotic potential in the leaf tissues of ‘Gigante Amarelo’ passion fruit plants. Water salinity lower than 1.3 dS m-1 resulted in an increase in chlorophyll b content; increase in carotenoid content was observed in plants subjected to silicon doses of 25 and 100 g per plant. Salinity levels above 1.1 dS m-1 compromised the performance of photosystem II of passion fruit plants when subjected to silicon doses. RESUMO O Nordeste brasileiro sofre com alguns estresses abióticos que são responsáveis pela perda de produção agrícola, como os longos períodos de estiagem e elevada evapotranspiração, associado à qualidade das águas que induz ao uso de águas salinas como alternativa para expansão das áreas irrigadas, com isto a adubação silicatada contribui para redução dos efeitos da salinidade nas condições de semiárido nordestino. Objetivou-se avaliar o potencial osmótico e os índices fisiológicos de mudas de maracujazeiro amarelo sob salinidade da água de irrigação e adubação silicatada. O experimento foi desenvolvido em condições de casa de vegetação na Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Pombal-PB, em delineamento de blocos ao acaso em esquema fatorial 5 x 5, relativo a cinco níveis de condutividade elétrica da água de irrigação - CEa (0,3; 1,0; 1,7; 2,4 e 3,1 dS m-1) e cinco doses de adubação silicatada (0; 25; 50; 75 e 100 g de silício por planta) em quatro repetições e duas plantas por parcela. A aplicação de 50, 75 e 100 g por planta de silício reduziu o potencial osmótico nos tecidos foliares das plantas de maracujazeiro ‘Gigante Amarelo’. A salinidade da água menor que 1,3 dS m-1 resultou em incremento no conteúdo de clorofila b; aumento nos teores de carotenoides foi verificado nas plantas submetidas as doses de 25 e 100 g de silício. Níveis salinos acima de 1,1 dS m-1 comprometeram o desempenho do fotossistema II das plantas de maracujazeiro quando submetidas as doses de silício.

Beautiful green leaves of Papaya are the rich source of Chlorophyll. Green color of chlorophyll has been used for a very long time as a natural colorant. Carica papaya has been considered as a good example and reasonable source of natural phytochemicals, which makes it suitable to color the food items and beverages. The aim of the present investigation is to develop the process of ultrasonic extraction in combination with solid phase extraction (SPE) to extract out chlorophyll with high yield as well as high degree of clarity. Newly customized ultrasonic-assisted extraction technique for the extraction of chlorophyll from Carica papaya leaves is optimized by taking different parameters like time, temperature, solvents concentrations, and raw material under consideration. Furthermore, the extract was purified by means of SPE and examined by using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The highest yield of chlorophyll (dye) extract was found as 40% in solvent solution having 80 mL of ethanol and 20 mL of water with 5 minutes of extraction time, 35°C of temperature, and 1 grams of raw material in the sonication bath. Furthermore, the SPE purified sample was characterized by means of the UV-Vis spectrophotometer and here the total chlorophyll content was 34 mg/g, including chlorophyll a with a concentration of 14.1246 mg/g and chlorophyll b with concentration of 19.845 mg/g respectively. Consequently, sonication method can be suggested as a good method to get better concentration of chlorophyll.

Five Astragalus species (A. cicer, A. falcatus, A. galegiformis, A.glycyphyllos, and A.ponticus) grown at the M.M.Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine were investigated. Plant raw material was collected at different ontogenetic stages, including budding, flowering, and fruiting. After that, the content of ash, calcium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and photosynthetic pigments was analyzed and statistically processed. The content of ash varied from 3.12 to 5.22 %, calcium – from 0.31 to 0.91 %, phosphorus – from 0.07 to 0.14 %, and nitrogen – from 1.93 to 2.48 % depending on the stage of growth. The content of chlorophylla varied from 0.901 to 2.475 mg/g FW (fresh weight), chlorophyll b – from 0.190 to 0.676 mg/g FW, and carotenoids – from 0.496 to 1.129 mg/g FW. Thus, the accumulation of ash and its components in the raw material of the investigated species depended on the period of growth and certain species. Content of photosynthetic pigments correlated with the content of phosphorus (r = 0.887–0.999) and with plant increment (r = 0.756–0.998) for all investigated species. Obtained data can be applied to analyze productivity and during the cultivation of these plants.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can benefit many plants, but their effects on walnuts are not yet known. The present study aimed to analyze the effect of five AMF species, namely, Acaulospora scrobiculata, Diversispora spurca, Glomus etunicatum, G. mosseae and G. versiforme on biomass production, chlorophyll contents, sugar fraction contents, and mineral element contents of walnut (Juglans regia L.) seedlings. The five AMF species colonized roots of walnut, established mycorrhizas in roots and hyphae in soil, and released easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein into soil, whilst D. spurca exhibited the best effect. All the AMF inoculations, except A. scrobiculata, stimulated shoot and root biomass production. Mycorrhizal fungal inoculations collectively increased leaf chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll a+b concentrations, and thus promoted leaf sucrose accumulation, which provides an important mycorrhiza-carbon source to roots. AMF inoculations conferred a positive effect on leaf N, P, K, Mg, Fe, B, Zn and Cu contents, while they reduced leaf Mn contents. These results concluded that AMF were beneficial to the growth and physiological activities of walnut, which gives the support for the AMF application in walnut.

Few relevant research attempts have been made to determine heavy metal resistance mechanisms of rhizomatous perennial plants. Thus, it is pertinent to investigate the physiological and biochemical changes in Phragmites australis under metal-stressed conditions to facilitate the development of strategies to enhance copper (Cu) tolerance. We measured parameters related to plant growth and development, metal translocation and physiological responses of P. australis subjected to Cu stress. In addition, the differentially expressed proteins (DEP) were evaluated using the isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) system. A large amount of copper accumulates in the roots of P.australis, but the growth parameters were not sensitive to Cu. However, the high concentration of Cu reduced the content of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, and the expression of important photosynthesis proteins PsbD, PsbO and PsaA were all down-regulated, so photosynthesis was inhibited. In contrast, the content of ascorbic acid and proline both increased with the increase of copper stress. P.australis fixed a large amount of Cu in its roots, limiting the migration of Cu to other parts of the plant. Moreover, Cu stress can affect photosynthesis by inhibiting the activity of PSI, PSII and LHCII. In addition, P.australis synthesizes ascorbic acid through the D-mannose/L-galactose pathway, and synthesizes proline through the ornithine pathway. Ascorbic acid and proline can increase Cu tolerance and protect photosynthesis. These results provide a theoretical basis for understanding the tolerance and repair mechanisms of plants in response to heavy metal pollution.

This study was carried out to determine the main pigments in some different selected seaweeds and to reveal their antioxidant potential regarding the ever-increasing demand for utilization of marine pigments in human health and nutrition. The individual amounts of algal pigments were found by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and their total antioxidant capacities (TAC) by two spectrophotometric TAC assays, namely: CUPRAC (CUPric ion Reducing Antioxidant Capacity) and ABTS/TEAC (2,2′-azinobis [3-ethyl benzo thiazoline-6-sulfonate])/(trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity). These two tests gave the same rank order for TAC. The TAC of HPLC-quantified compounds accounted for a relatively much lower percentage of the observed CUPRAC capacities of seaweed extracts, namely ranging from 11 to 68% for brown, from 4 to 41% for red and from 3 to 100% for green species, i.e., some TAC originated from chromatographically unidentified compounds. Fucoxanthin, chlorophyll a, and pheophytin a compounds were major pigments in brown algae. The relative carotenoid contents in red marine algae were generally lower than those of chlorophylls. Overall total quantities were quite low compared with those of brown species. In general, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b were chiefly present in green algae, but β-carotene, violaxanthin and siphonaxanthin were also detected substantially higher in some species of green algae such as Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea and Codium fragile.

Two faba bean (Vicia faba L.) cultivars namely Giza 716 and Giza 40 were investigated for their response to foliar application with some botanical extracts and salicylic acid to improve vegetative growth, yield, and its relation to chocolate spot disease caused by Botrytis fabae Sard. Garlic cloves (GE), onion bulb (OE), eucalyptus leaves (EE) extracts (50 and 100 ml/L) and salicylic acid (SA 100 and 200 ppm) were used during two successive seasons of 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 at Etay El-Baroud Agricultural Research Station Farm, El-Beheira Governorate. Under field conditions Giza 716 had better values of growth, agronomic parameters and higher leaves content of chlorophyll a, b, (a+b), seed content of total carbohydrates %, protein %, leaves peroxidase and catalase activities and total phenols in both seasons. GE, OE, EE and SA increased faba bean growth and yield compared to Mancozeb and control treatments. SA 200 ppm increased leaf area /plant after 95 days in the first season. It had the first grade of shoot dry weight after 75 and 95 days and seed weight/plant in the second season and increased leaf area /plant after 75 days, plant height, number of branches/plant, number of pods/plant, 100 seed weight and seed yield/fed in both seasons. It increased chlorophyll a in the first season, chlorophyll b in the second season and chlorophyll a+b in both seasons. As well as, it had the highest catalase activity, total phenols content and protein %. In this respect, GE 100 ml/L significantly increased shoot dry weight /plant after 75 days and leaf area/plant after 95 days in the first and second seasons, respectively. It significantly increased shoot dry weight/plant after 95 days and seed weight/plant in the first season only compared to Mancozeb and control treatments. B. fabae spore suspension was applied using two techniques; foliar spray and droplet on leaflets. Using detached leaf test in the laboratory, Giza 716 had lower disease severity % (DS %) and spot diameter than Giza 40. In case of spore suspension foliar spray technique the treatments of GE 100 ml/L, SA 200 ppm and Mancozeb had the least DS %. In case of spore suspension droplet technique the treatments of OE 50 and OE100 ml/L and Mancozeb had the least spot diameter values. Under field conditions, disease severity increased with increasing periods from 75 to 105 days. Giza 716 had the lower DS % after 75, 90 and 105 days from sowing in both seasons than Giza 40. SA 200 ppm and OE 100 ml/L had the lowest DS % values in the first and second seasons, respectively.

A pot experiment was conducted during the seasons of 2017 and 2018 at Antoniades Research Branch, Horticulture Research Institute, A.R.C. Alexandria, Egypt to study the effects of foliar spray of some vitamins (control, ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol or nicotinamide) at 100 ppm and irrigation intervals (2 or 3 days) on the vegetative growth, flowering, and some biochemical constituents of (Helianthus annuus L.) plants. The results cleared that, most parameters were significantly affected by application of the three vitamins which were used in this study. The magnitude of increase is more pronounced by applying α-tocopherol, where, using α-tocopherol by 100 ppm gave the highest number of leaves and stem diameter, and the lowest proline concentration. Also, using of α-tocopherol by 100 ppm combined with 3 days irrigation interval gave the highest significant increases in the plant height, leaf area, leaves dry weight, stem dry weight, flower duration, flower dry weight, and leaves content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total carbohydrate. Kakar and Soomro (2001) Therefore, it is advised to use this treatment to provide the amount of water used in the production of the plant and obtaining the highest quality for it.

Lippia grata Schauer is a Brazilian savanna plant that belongs to the Verbenaceae family. Its importance in folk medicine, combined with threats to its natural habitat, gave rise to the necessity to carry out studies involving large-scale propagation. Unlike other species of the same genus, L. grata has shown high rates of hyperhydricity, which reduces survival during acclimatization. The present study aimed to define an efficient protocol that minimizes hyperhydricity. Young cuttings containing nodal segments were cultivated in Murashige-Skoog medium. The culture test tubes were totally sealed with aluminum foil (non-ventilated) or partially sealed (ventilated) with aluminum foil containing one hole. The cultures were maintained in a growth room exposed to four light treatments for 45 days: two combinations of red and blue light-emitting diodes (LED) with red: blue light ratios of 5:1 and 1:1, white-LED, and fluorescent lamps. Non-ventilation under fluorescent lamps represent traditional conditions of tissue culture. The lowest hyperhydricity rates in plants were found in the partially sealed culture test tubes. The combination of partial sealing with red/blue LED at a 1:1 light ratio resulted in 26% hyperhydric leaves in contrast to 87% under traditional conditions. Higher contents of photosynthetic pigments, namely chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids were found in plants under partially sealed test tubes under white-LED illumination, reaching 1.24, 0.56, 1.79, and 412.94 mg g−1 FM, respectively. In addition to uniformity in cell morphology of the various tissues, plants cultivated under partial sealing showed higher content of total soluble carbohydrates and sucrose, i.e., 487.49 and 192.74 mg g−1 FM, respectively. These results demonstrate that micropropagation systems with higher light intensity and quality (wavelengths), combined with a facilitated gas exchange between culture and laboratory air, were efficient in preventing hyperhydricity and in preserving leaf morphophysiology.

Chlorophylls and carotenoids are the main photosynthetic pigments in plants, and photosynthetic potential can be used to determine the nitrogen fixation or cycling capacity of cover crops. Therefore, this study quantified and compared the content of photosynthetic pigments in Raphanus sativus and Vicia sativa by using two different methods, namely the extraction method and measurements with a portable chlorophyll meter, and determined whether the results of these two methods showed a significant correlation. Photosynthetic pigments were measured, using both methods, in a greenhouse and laboratory, at four developmental stages: the vegetative stages I (30 days after sowing [DAS]), II (60DAS), and III (90DAS), and the reproductive stage (150DAS). The determination of the photosynthetic pigment content in R. sativus and V. sativa, obtained from the extraction method and chlorophyll index, revealed significant differences depending on the developmental stage in both species. Furthermore, the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids determined using the extraction method showed high coefficients of correlation with the total chlorophyll index determined using the portable chlorophyll meter. Therefore, the portable chlorophyll meter can be used for the accurate evaluation of the photosynthetic potential of Raphanus sativus and Vicia sativa, which also saves time and reagents.

The present study was executed to analyze the functional phytochemicals of hulless barley grass grown under different intensities of ultraviolet stress. The wheat seedlings were imposed to 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 h ultraviolet radiation and harvested in different times at vegetative stage. Specifically, the contents of total polyphenols, total flavonoids, total triterpenes, total polysaccharides, proanthocyanidins, and chlorophyll were determined and antioxidants capacity was evaluated by OH• and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging ability. A mathematical model (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution, TOPSIS) was also employed for the comprehensive evaluation of functional components of hulless barley grass at different growth stages. The results showed that the UV stress could efficiently improve/preserve the contents of total polyphenols, total flavonoids, total triterpenes, total polysaccharides, proanthocyanidins, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll, as well as the OH• and ABTS scavenging capacity. TOPSIS evaluation revealed that the highest phytochemical contents were yield on the 15th day under 1.0 h ultraviolet treatment.