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Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L. Moench]) is among the most important cereal crops worldwide and is widely grown across Texas’ diverse geographies. While sorghum breeding programs strive to improve both profitability and adaptation of the crop, increases in grain yield are the ultimate measure of progress. Using five decades of data compiled by Texas A&M AgriLife Research, trends in grain sorghum were retrospectively assessed. Performance data from over 4094 hybrids were collected between 1970 and 2021 in a total of 514 county‐year environments. Hybrids in these trials were either commercially available or in the final stages of testing for release. A linear mixed model approach produced the best linear unbiased predictions of genotypic and environmental effects for grain yield and relevant agronomic traits. These measures, as well as the raw data, were used to inform and visualize trait dependencies, yield gains, and geographic regions with similar effects on hybrid performance. Over these decades, grain yield increased at an average rate of 0.03 t ha−1 per year. A strong positive relationship between hybrid yield and plant height, as well as several other correlations, were detected through separate periods of yield increases which occurred in the early 1980s and 1990s; since that time, a sinusoidal pattern of yield performance has prevailed. Principal component analysis clustered production regions primarily based on moisture availability. The results herein indicate that modest increases in height can increase grain yield and that available moisture is the preeminent delineator of grain sorghum production environments in Texas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe unmanaged waste disposal, coupled with the increased industrialization and urbanization, has aggravated the problem of heavy metal contamination in the environment, especially in the agricultural soils. In view of this, the present study was planned to evaluate the effectiveness of zinc (Zn) in the amelioration of cadmium (Cd) toxicity in plants, thereby sustaining the crop productivity in near future. The experiment was performed in two parts. The first part focused on calculating the EC50 (half-effective concentration) of Cd, for which the potted experimental plants (Amaranthus cruentus L.) were treated with different doses of Cd (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mgL−1). In the second part, the EC50 Cd dose was combined with different Zn doses (100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mgL−1) and the effect of Zn supplementation on Cd exposed plants was studied by evaluating the response of different biochemical, physiological and yield parameters. The EC50 Cd dose was calculated to be 26.5 mgL−1. Plant yield increased significantly with reduced Zn dosages. Biochemical parameters improved more than physiological parameters after Zn treatment in Cd-stressed plants. At higher Zn doses, its toxic effects exacerbate Cd toxicity. The study indicates that Zn partially decreases Cd toxicity in Amaranthus plants. The results suggest that 300 mgL−1 Zn dose was sufficient to bring about maximum recorded mitigation of Cd toxicity. However, since the synergistic effects of high doses of Zn with Cd cannot be ruled out, the selection of the applied Zn dose should be carefully selected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and elevated CO2 (eCO2) have demonstrated their individual potential to enhance plant yield and quality through close interaction with rhizosphere microorganisms and plant growth. However, the efficacy of PGPR under eCO2 on rhizosphere microbiome and, ultimately, plant yield and active ingredient accumulation are not yet fully understood. Methods: This study investigated how the medicinal plant Pseudostellaria heterophylla (P. heterophylla) and its rhizosphere microbes respond to PGPR (Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens) at eCO2 (1,000 ppm). Results and Discussion: It was found that the yield and active ingredient polysaccharides accumulation in the tuber of P. heterophylla were significantly increased by 38 and 253%, respectively. This promotion has been associated with increased root development and changes in the indigenous microbial community. Metagenomics analysis revealed a significant reduction in pathogenic Fusarium abundance in the rhizosphere. Potential biocontrol bacteria Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were enriched, especially the genera Bradyrhizobium and Rhodanobacter. The reshaping of the rhizosphere microbiome was accompanied by the upregulation of biological pathways related to metabolite biosynthesis in the rhizosphere. These modifications were related to the promotion of the growth and productivity of P. heterophylla. Our findings highlighted the significant role played by PGPR in medicinal plant yield and active ingredient accumulation when exposed to eCO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meloidogyne spp. are the most devastating plant‐parasitic nematodes affecting tomato worldwide. Although resistant cultivars and rootstocks are used, selection for virulence occurs in the pathogen. Consequently, using other resistance sources, such as Solanum torvum, could improve resistance durability. Several experiments in microplots and plastic greenhouses were carried out to determine the potential use of S. torvum as a tomato rootstock to protect against M. incognita and M. javanica. In microplots, the relationship between nematode density at transplanting (Pi) and multiplication rate did not differ between Meloidogyne species in either ungrafted or grafted tomato. However, maximum multiplication rate and maximum density on grafted tomato were 1.27% and 2.93% those on ungrafted, respectively. The grafted tomato plants yielded between 2.9 and 7.5 more times than the ungrafted plants at Pi ≥ 100 eggs + J2s per 100 cm3 of soil, but no differences were observed in plastic greenhouse where a large amount of scion‐rooting occurred. In microplots, the quality of the tomato fruits of ungrafted and grafted plants was affected by the Pi. In parallel, some pot experiments were conducted on S. torvum and susceptible eggplant to determine the putative selection for nematode virulence to S. torvum and the nematode fitness cost. These showed that the nematode subpopulations infected and reproduced less on S. torvum than on eggplant. However, the female fertility was only reduced after development of three or four subpopulations on S. torvum. Finally, a histopathological study showed that nematode infection and development in S. torvum was delayed compared to eggplant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbes present in the vermicompost plays a major role in exhibiting the beneficiary effect which results in significant plant growth and yield. In this study, we aim to analyze the microbial load present in the vermicompost which is prepared from different medicinal plants including Phyllanthus emblica, Senna auriculata, Justicia adhatoda, Annona squamosa at two different ratios of preparation with cow dung. To perform this, microbial load was evaluated before and after vermicompost formation. After completion, it was observed that fungal and actinomycetes loads were significantly higher in vermicompost samples prepared from Phyllanthus emblica plant samples. Concerning bacterial load, it was observed that vermicompost samples prepared from Senna auriculata showed the maximum load. These data provide us the information about the importance of the vermicompost with different medicinal plants in increasing the microbial load concentration which further enables plant growth and yield. It is also noted that the ratio of 1:2 gave better microbial load results than the 1:1 ratio sample. These datasets provide us with the basic knowledge to improvise the field of the vermicomposting process with the potential usage of medicinal plants [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tomato cultivar ('Izmir F1') grafted onto six commercially available rootstocks ('Arnold', 'Dohkko', 'Emperador', 'He-man', 'Kaiser', and 'Suzuka') together with self-grafted plants of the tomato cultivar (Izmir/Izmir) were included in a pot experiment. Growth, root morphology and nutrient uptake parameters were evaluated under different salinity conditions (0 and 50 mM NaCl). Grafting increases root length, specific root length, and root length ratio, which enhances the capabilities of hetero-grafted plants to exploit a larger volume of soil or otherwise increase root density under root restriction conditions. Since the root traits and nutrient concentrations in hetero-grafted variants were less impacted by a change in the salinity level, the use of specific rootstocks ('Arnold,' 'Dohkko,' 'Kaiser') could contribute to a steadier growth and yield of tomato plants under fluctuating salinity levels in the irrigation water. The hetero-grafted tomato plants (Dohkko/Izmir, Suzuka/Izmir) demonstrated higher Na sequestration/compartmentalization capabilities than the self-grafted (Izmir/Izmir) plants which helps to maintain a more appropriate K+/Na+ ratio. By exhibiting lower translocation indexes of some heavy metals (Al, Ni, Zn, and Cd), appropriate rootstock/scion combinations might be a useful tool for reducing the risk of their accumulation in edible plant organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric CO2 concentration is elevated globally, which has "CO2 fertilization effects" and potentially improves plant photosynthesis, yield, and productivity. Despite the beneficial effect of CO2 fertilization being modulated by vapor pressure deficit (VPD), the underlying mechanism is highly uncertain. In the present study, the potential roles of hormones in determining CO2 fertilization effects under contrasting high and low VPD conditions were investigated by integrated physiological and transcriptomic analyses. Beneficial CO2 fertilization effects were offset under high VPD conditions and were constrained by plant water stress and photosynthetic CO2 utilization. High VPD induced a large passive water driving force, which disrupted the water balance and consequently caused plant water deficit. Leaf water potential, turgor pressure, and hydraulic conductance declined under high VPD stress. The physiological evidence combined with transcriptomic analyses demonstrated that abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) potentially acted as drought-signaling molecules in response to high VPD stress. Increased foliar ABA and JA content triggered stomatal closure to prevent excessive water loss under high VPD stress, which simultaneously increased the diffusion resistance for CO2 uptake from atmosphere to leaf intercellular space. High VPD also significantly increased mesophyll resistance for CO2 transport from stomatal cavity to fixation site inside chloroplast. The chloroplast "sink" CO2 availability was constrained by stomatal and mesophyll resistance under high VPD stress, despite the atmospheric "source" CO2 concentration being elevated. Thus, ABA- and JA-mediated drought-resistant mechanisms potentially modified the beneficial effect of CO2 fertilization on photosynthesis, plant growth, and yield productivity. This study provides valuable information for improving the utilization efficiency of CO2 fertilization and a better understanding of the physiological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the demand for edible oil continues to soar, rapeseed cultivation remains pivotal for sustainable and efficient oil production, catering to the nutritional needs of a burgeoning population. Given the substantial impact of environmental stress on plant productivity, this study aimed to explore the in vitro responses of calli-derived hypocotyls from five Brassica napus genotypes under varying concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%). The objective was to assess various growth and physiological parameters, including Callus Growth Rate (CGR), Relative Water Content (RWC), Index of Tolerance (INTOL), Relative Growth Rate (RGR), and Proline Content (PC). Results unveiled a significant surge in proline content with increasing levels of PEG, with the highest accumulation observed at 40% PEG concentration. These findings suggest that heightened osmotic stress induced by PEG led to a notable rise in proline accumulation in calli-derived hypocotyls. Furthermore, elevated levels of PEG-induced osmotic stress adversely impacted growth parameters such as RWC, RGR, and CGR. Notably, genotypes Geronimo and Arc5 exhibited enhanced drought resistance in in vitro environments compared to other genotypes. These particular genotypes showcased greater resilience and adaptability to PEG-induced osmotic stress, as evidenced by significantly higher measurements of relative water content (RWC), relative growth rate (RGR), and Callus Growth Rate (CGR). Physiological indices like Relative Water Content (RWC), Relative Growth Rate (RGR), and Callus Growth Rate (CGR) offer valuable insights into a plant's response to environmental stresses like water scarcity. This selection process is crucial for developing more resistant plant varieties that thrive even in challenging environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study assessed soil preparation in terms of the advantages it provides in lowering the physical obstacles and their influence on soybean cultivation, with reference to its establishment, development and yield, apart from quantification of the energy demand for tractor performance. The experiments were performed in the field adopting the randomized block design with a two-factor scheme (6x2). Factor A included a variety of soil preparations performed during the off-season of the soybean crop. Sowing was accomplished using the same fertilizer deposition mechanism only, and the areas having no soil preparation done were sown using various other fertilizer deposition mechanisms from the seeder, namely: (A1) sowing without soil preparation (SSPS)+double disc in the seeder (DD); (A2) SSPS+turbo disc (DT); (A3) SSPS+furrowing rod (HS); (A4) plow harrow+DD; (A5) scarified+DD and (A6) subsoiled+DD. Soil preparations before sowing were done on days 52 and 98 days, respectively, during the first and second harvests. Factor B included two soybean cultivars, namely: (B1) Nidera 6601 and (B2) Brasmax Valente. No interaction was observed between the factors investigated. While the scarification+DD showed the need for higher fuel consumption, the results were increased productivity. For the seeder-linked mechanisms, the HS gives more extensive root development of the plants and grain yield. On the contrary, while DD and DT show the combination of the highest operational capacity and lower fuel usage, this is related to lower grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planting geometry is one of the most important management practices that determine plant growth and yield of corn. The effects of eight planting geometries (35 × 23 cm, 40 × 21 cm, 45 × 19 cm, 50 × 18 cm, 55 × 17 cm, 60 × 16 cm, 65 × 15 cm, 70 × 15 cm) on plant growth and yields of three sweet corn hybrids (Argos F1, Challenger F1, Khan F1) were investigated under Erzurum, Türkiye conditions in 2022 and 2023 years. Variance analysis of the main factors shows a highly significant effect on whole traits but in two-way interactions some of the traits were significant and in the three-way interactions, it was insignificant. As an average of years, the number of plants per hectare at the harvest varied between 92,307 (35 × 23 cm) and 120,444 (70 × 15 cm) according to the planting geometries. The highest marketable ear number per hectare (107,456), marketable ear yield (24,887 kg ha−1), and fresh kernel yield (19,493 kg ha−1) were obtained from the 40 × 21 cm planting geometry. The results showed that the variety Khan F1 grown at 40 × 21 cm planting geometry obtained the highest marketable ear number (112,472), marketable ear yield (29,788 kg ha−1), and fresh kernel yield (22,432 kg ha−1). The plant density was positively correlated with marketable ear number (r = 0.904 **), marketable ear yield (r = 0.853 **), and fresh kernel yield (r = 0.801 **). The differences among the varieties were significant for the studied traits, except for plant density and kernel number per ear. In conclusion, the variety Khan F1 should be grown at the 40 × 21 cm planting geometry to maximize yields under study area conditions without water and nutrient limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of global warming is increasing and thus exacerbating environmental stresses that affect plant yield and distribution, including the Eriobotrya japonica Lindl (Loquat tree). Eriobotrya japonica, a member of the Rosaceae family, is valued not only for its nutritious fruit but also for its medicinal purposes, landscape uses, and other pharmacological benefits. Nonetheless, the productivity of Eriobotrya japonica has raised a lot of concern in the wake of adverse environmental conditions. Understanding the characteristics of the LRR-RLK gene family in loquat is crucial, as these genes play vital roles in plant stress responses. In this study, 283 LRR-RLK genes were identified in the genome of E. japonica that were randomly positioned on 17 chromosomes and 24 contigs. The 283 EjLRR-RLK proteins clustered into 21 classes and subclasses in the phylogenetic analysis based on domain and protein arrangements. Further explorations in the promoter regions of the EjLRR-RLK genes showed an abundance of cis-regulatory elements that functioned in growth and development, phytohormone, and biotic and abiotic responses. Most cis-elements were present in the biotic and abiotic responses suggesting that the EjLRR-RLK genes are invested in regulating both biotic and abiotic stresses. Additional investigations into the responses of EjLRR-RLK genes to abiotic stress using the RT-qPCR revealed that EjLRR-RLK genes respond to abiotic stress, especially heat and salt stresses. Particularly, EjapXI-1.6 and EjapI-2.5 exhibited constant upregulation in all stresses analyzed, indicating that these may take an active role in regulating abiotic stresses. Our findings suggest the pivotal functions of EjLRR-RLK genes although additional research is still required. This research aims to provide useful information relating to the characterization of EjLRR-RLK genes and their responses to environmental stresses, establishing a concrete base for the following research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the role of genetic diversity originated from three-way crosses of landraces and synthetic bread wheat derivatives attempted with elite cultivars to identify the genotypes having better grain yield as well as better starch contents under flowering stage drought stress. In total, 50 genotypes comprised of 47 derivatives of landraces and synthetics, and three standard varieties were grown in the fields of CIMMYT, Obregon following alpha lattice design with two replications. Drought stress was imposed by stopping the irrigation before anthesis and post-anthesis stages. Different traits related to physiological adaptations, earliness, grain yield and starch contents were decreased under drought stress except amylose which increased significantly. Canopy temperature depression was not significantly affected by drought stress. Further, we identified strong correlation of grain yield with plant height, normalized difference in vegetation index, plant maturity, spike length, grain number and thousand grain weight but negative with canopy temperature depression. Non-significant correlation of amylose and amylopectin was recorded with grain yield. Results revealed that genetic diversity derived from landraces and synthetic bread wheat can improve grain yield and starch contents but simultaneous improvement of both is elusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] growers in the US Midwest rely on soil test values for evaluating the crop's fertilizer needs. However, threshold values for Illinois were calibrated to soybean yield in the 1960s when the production systems and yield potential were much different than today. The objective of this study was to determine which and how well soil test values predict yield of unfertilized soybean. Preplant soil samples, collected from 133 trials across Illinois from 2014 to 2021, were analyzed for 14 chemical attributes and compared to unfertilized soybean grain yields from those same studies. Pearson correlation coefficients (r), principal factor analysis, and latent variable regression models were used to determine those soil attributes most closely associated with grain yield and yield components. The association of planting date and yield (r = −0.56) led to dividing the data set into five planting date groups. Soil fertility levels resulted in a strong correlation with yield for Late or Very‐late planting groups, but not for the Early or Very‐early groups. A factor analysis of soil attributes largely resulted in retention of two factors, identified as Soil Organic Charge and Soil Fertility, across the planting‐date groups. Regression of these factors with yield confirmed that soil fertility had a greater influence on grain yield for late‐planted soybeans than early‐planted and that these differences were associated with average seed weight. Therefore, positioning late‐planted soybeans in higher fertility fields and early‐planted soybeans in lower‐fertility fields could reduce the need for supplemental fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to find alternatives to paraquat for weed control and basal foliage removal in hops (Hummus lupulus L.), due to regulatory and safety concerns, a study was conducted across Oregon and Washington in 2020 and 2021. The study compared the efficacy of tiafenacil and tolpyralate against a nontreated control and carfentrazone. Applications were made early when hops were 2‐ to 3‐m tall (early), and at over 4 m (late). Tiafenacil showed 55%–85% effectiveness in basal foliage control, slightly higher than carfentrazone, and did not cause crop injury. Tiafenacil at 50 and 100 g a.i. ha−1 controlled Lolium multiflorum (Lam.) Husnot (63%). The mixture of tiafenacil and tolpyralate controlled 80% of L. multiflorum, Cirsium arvense L., and Bassia Scoparia (L.) A.J. Scott. In all cases, control was followed by weed regrowth. No signs of crop injury were observed in any of the studies with tiafenacil. Early applications of tiafenacil reduced yield between 0% and 40% relative to the nontreated control. Late applications of tolpyralate and tiafenacil did not significantly reduce yield. Tolpyralate was as effective as carfentrazone for weed control and basal foliage removal. Early applications of tolpyralate reduced plant height and yield relative to the nontreated control and consistently induced phytochemical injury. Tolpyralate yield reductions ranged from 0% to 84% relative to the nontreated control, depending on the trial. A mixture of tolpyralate and tiafenacil was the most effective treatment tested. We conclude that both tiafenacil and tolpyralate are safe for sucker applications in hops, but careful timing is needed to reduce the risk of injury with tolpyralate. The mixture of tiafenacil and tolpyralate can improve weed control comparable to available options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The tropical legume Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. can meet three agricultural needs: low-cost protein, high-value medicines, and green manure or cover crops. But like other underutilized crops, it needs more modern breeding resources. Identifying marker-trait associations (MTAs) can facilitate marker-assisted breeding and crop improvement. Recent studies have demonstrated the feasibility of identifying MTAs using a small number of accessions (< 100). We have characterized a panel of 70 M. pruriens accessions across two consecutive years and performed association analysis for 16 phenotypic traits related to seed (seed length, seed width, seed thickness, seed yield per plant, hundred seed weight); pod (pod length, pod width, number of pods per cluster, number of pods per plant); inflorescence (inflorescence length, flower buds per inflorescence, flower length, pedicel length), and biochemical attributes (L-DOPA, total protein, total carbohydrate), using 66 genic-microsatellite markers following mixed linear model. Results: The results showed significant phenotypic (P < 0.05) and genetic diversity (Shannon's information index, I = 0.62) in our germplasm collection. Many tested traits were highly heritable (broad-sense heritability ranging from 42.86 to 99.93%). A total of 15 MTAs was detected at an adjusted significance level of P < 5.55 × 10− 3 for nine traits (seed length, seed thickness, seed width, hundred seed weight, seed yield per plant, inflorescence length, flower buds per inflorescence, flower length, and petiole length), contributed by 10 SSR markers (MPU_19, MPU_42, MPU_54, MPU_57, MPU_58, MPU_83, MPU_89, MPU_108, MPU_111, and MPU_122.) with phenotypic variance explained (PVE) ranging from 14.7 to 31.1%. Out of the ten trait-associated markers, the BLAST analysis revealed putative functions of seven markers, except MPU_57, MPU_58, and MPU_83. Conclusion: Fifteen MTAs identified for important traits with phenotypic variance explained > 10% from mixed linear model offer a solid resource base for improving this crop. This is the first report on association mapping in M. pruriens and our results are expected to assist with marker-assisted breeding and identifying candidate genes in this promising legume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generating CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutants in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) involves screening shoots regenerated fromcultured cells transformedwith a T-DNA harboring sequences encoding Cas9 and single guide RNAs (sgRNAs). Production of transformants can be inconsistent and obtaining transformants in large numbersmay be difficult, resulting in a limited variety of mutations. Here, I report a method for generating various types of mutations from one transgenic plant harboring the CRISPR/Cas9 system. In this method, a wild-type plant was crossed with a T0 biallelic mutant expressing two sgRNAs targeting the RIPENING INHIBITOR (RIN) gene, and the resulting F1 seedlings were classified using a kanamycin resistancemarker on the T-DNA. Genotyping of the RIN locus revealed that kanamycin-sensitive F1 seedlings, which carried no T-DNA, always harbored the wild-type allele and a mutant allele from the transgenic parent. Kanamycin-resistant F1 seedlings, which do carry the TDNA, harbored a variety of novel mutant alleles, but not the wild-type allele, suggesting that it was mutated during crossing. The novel mutations included one-base insertions or short deletions at each target site, or large deletions across the two target sites. Thismethod was also successfully applied to producemutations in Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase 2 (GGPS2). Because thismethod involves crossing rather than transformation, it can be readily scaled up to produce numerous novel mutations, even in plant species or cultivars for which transformation is inefficient. Therefore, when initial transgene experiments fail to induce the desired mutation, this method provides additional opportunities for generating mutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ozone (O3) is one of the most harmful and widespread air pollutants, affecting crop yield and plant health worldwide. There is evidence that O3 reduces the major limiting factor of photosynthesis, namely CO2 mesophyll conductance (gm), but there is little quantitative information of O3‐caused changes in key leaf anatomical traits and their impact on gm. We exposed two O3‐responsive clones of the economically important tree species Populus × canadensis Moench to 120 ppb O3 for 21 days. An anatomical diffusion model within the leaf was used to analyse the entire CO2 diffusion pathway from substomatal cavities to carboxylation sites and determine the importance of each structural and subcellular component as a limiting factor. gm decreased substantially under O3 and was found to be the most important limitation of photosynthesis. This decrease was mostly driven by an increased cell wall thickness and length of subcellular diffusion pathway caused by altered interchloroplast spacing and chloroplast positioning. By contrast, the prominent leaf integrative trait leaf dry mass per area was neither affected nor related to gm under O3. The observed relationship between gm and anatomy, however, was clone‐dependent, suggesting that mechanisms regulating gm may differ considerably between closely related plant lines. Our results confirm the need for further studies on factors constraining gm under stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drought is a significant abiotic stress that adversely affects plant growth, development, and metabolic processes, thereby reducing plant yield, quality, and production, and threatening global food security. In recent years, nanotechnology has emerged as a promising strategy to overcome the existing environmental challenges and has been tested on some plant species. But it is still awaiting investigation for grapevines. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) to modulate some morphological, physiological, and biochemical parameters in grapevine saplings (5 BB/Crimson Seedless, 41 B/Crimson Seedless, and 1103 P/Crimson Seedless) under drought stress conditions. Results: In the study, Se-NP solutions at different concentrations (0 (control), 1, 10, and 100 ppm) were applied by the spray method to wet the entire green surface of grapevine saplings grown under well-irrigated (90–100% field capacity) and drought stress (40–50% field capacity) conditions. Our results showed that 10 ppm Se-NP concentration had the most positive effect, 1 ppm concentration showed limited effects, and 100 ppm concentration led to toxic effects, especially when combined with drought conditions. Se-NP applications at 10 ppm concentration improved the growth parameters (leaf number, leaf area, root fresh and dry weight, shoot fresh and dry weight, etc.) and increased the SPAD index of grapevine saplings under both normal and drought conditions. Additionally, 10 ppm Se-NP applications improved the relative water content (RWC) and stomatal conductance values, proportional to the increases in protein content. On the other hand, under drought conditions, the drought index, leaf temperature, membrane damage index, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels significantly decreased as a result of 10 ppm Se-NP applications, showing an opposite trend. Furthermore, the levels of proline, total phenolics, and antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, and APX) that rose significantly due to drought stress were reduced by 10 ppm Se-NP applications, which also helped to lessen the oxidative stress caused by the drought. Conclusion: The study concluded that foliar application of Se-NPs at 10 ppm significantly enhances drought tolerance in grapevine saplings by improving antioxidant defense, proline and protein accumulation, and overall growth, while lower concentrations are less effective and higher concentrations can cause phytotoxicity. These findings indicate that Se-NPs applications may hold promise not only for grapevines but also for mitigating drought stress effects and improving productivity in other economically important fruit species, warranting further exploration across diverse crop systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article evaluated the genetics of six cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) cultivars and 30 hybrids based on morpho-yield traits. The dominant and epistatic gene effects managed the fruit weight in three cucumber hybrids (C-25/1, A-6, and A-9), while additive gene effects in three other hybrids were supreme. For productivity per plant, dominant genes with epistatic effects controlled these in three accessions, while additive effects played a special role in manifesting the trait in three other hybrid (C-25/1, A-6, and A-9) genes. Likewise, dominant genes with epistatic effects controlled the yield per plant trait in three accessions, while additive effects influenced the attribute in three other hybrids (C-25/1, A-6, and A-9). According to these traits, the promising hybrids were С-25/1 х С25/2, С-26 х С-25/2, С-26 х С25/1, А-9 х С-26, and А-6 х С-25/1. The cucumber F1 hybrids C-26 x C29, A-9 x A-6, and A-9 x C-25/2 showed characteristics of large fruits weighing 108.2 to 113.1 g. In the accessions, C-25/1, A-6, and A-9, the additive gene effects dominated the studied trait (σ2ĝi > σ2si). The superior-in-yield hybrid combinations were C-26 x C-29, A-9 x A-6, and A-6 x A-9, with a total fruit yield of 691 to 769 g per plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigated the local wisdom of Sakon Nakhon province, Thailand, on cultivating Indigofera plants for optimal natural indigo dye yield. Focusing on Indigofera suffruticosa Mill. and Indigofera tinctoria L., the study explored the impact of pod development stages and harvesting time on dye yield. The findings showed that harvesting at the brown pod stage (18 - 20 weeks) and early morning (6:00 a.m.) yielded the most dye. Additionally, the study compared the Indigofera plants cultivation under 100 % and 60 % sunlight exposure, demonstrating that full sunlight significantly increased dye yield. Moreover, Indigofera suffruticosa Mill. gave significantly more indigo dye yield than Indigofera tinctoria L. (p < 0.05). This investigation, therefore, underscores the value of incorporating local knowledge into optimal cultivation practices for enhanced indigo production. However, further research should delve into additional factors, such as soil composition, fertilizer regimes and the genetics of the Indigofera plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Plant Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Plant Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Tan spot (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) is presenting a persistent challenge to the plant health and yield of all wheat-growing regions. This research is focused on tan spot disease management in spring wheat when planted at three distinct times and with three different seeding rates without the use of fungicides. Across all years, higher seed rates (500 and 600 seeds per m2) generally resulted in lower tan spot intensity compared to the lower seed rate (400 seeds per m2). Significant differences in tan spot intensity were observed across seed rates at all sowing times. In 2021, the percentage of the AUDPC was significantly higher in the late sowing time (324.58%), with about a 2-fold difference compared with the early (167.48%) and optimal sowing time (191.80%). This suggests that delayed sowing significantly exacerbates disease occurrence. The combined effect of sowing time and year on the AUDPC was notably significant. The AUDPC of the tan spot in all seed rates was the highest in the late sowing time plots in comparison to the ideal and initial planting dates plots. Our results demonstrate how important seed rate and sowing timing are in determining the degree of tan spot in spring wheat. Growing crop methods may be improved by taking these elements into account to better control tan spots. More agricultural methods and environmental aspects should be investigated in future studies to create all-encompassing tan spot control plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry production has been continually increasing worldwide, but this growth has often resulted in a lack of taste, favoring yield and plant adaptability instead. However, in recent decades, consumer focus has shifted towards more flavorful fruits. Consequently, the application of new sensory methodologies for consumers in strawberry breeding programs is becoming essential. This review provides an overview of new rapid consumer-based sensory methodologies and a brief summary of their potential applications when combined with Augmented Reality technology. These advancements aim to better understand and meet consumer needs, offering breeders valuable tools for their future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of insect pests in crops directly affects the yield of plants and grains. This scenario led to the mass investigation of chemical products that overcome these adversities and provide control potential. Nonetheless, over the years, this strategy resulted in high production costs, generation of waste harmful to the environment, and resistance of target insects. The adoption of alternative practices, such as the formulation and production of products of microbial origin, emerges as an encouraging tool compared to control alternatives, indicating a sustainability bias, and allowing a reduction in the risks of human and animal contamination. The purpose of this study was to perform bioprospecting for microbial agents with potential insecticidal effects. The isolated microorganisms were submitted to submerged fermentation, at 28 °C and 120 rpm, for seven days. The fermented broth was filtered using a vacuum pump and centrifuged at 3200× g and 10 °C for 10 min. Initially, 163 microbial agents were collected. Subsequently, a pre-selection of the 50 most promising bioagents was conducted, based on the mortality rates (%) of the applied isolates to target pests. Furthermore, a global mathematical modeling design was created, indicating the best potential microorganisms. Moreover, to stipulate the difference between treatments, dilutions of the fermented broths of each microorganism were conducted (n × 10−5–n × 10−8). Mortality was maximum (100%) for Helicoverpa zea and Euschistus heros. Other encouraging results were indicated in the control of Anticarsia gemmatalis and Chrysodeixis includens (up to 87.5%) and Elasmopalpus lignosellus (up to approximately 83.5%). Fungal isolates were identified as Talaromyces piceae. Among the bacteria, based on sequencing of the 16S ribosomal gene, the isolates were identified as Lysinibacillus fusiformis, Paenibacillus ottowii, and Clostridium sphenoides. The results obtained are relevant to the scientific community and, especially, are interesting for companies that are operating in this field in the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop models have suggested high sensitivity of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] to day length and the resultant extension of the growth period as a concept to overcome yield loss due to climate warming. However, experimental validation of this concept is incomplete. The E3 and E4 loci encode phytochrome A isoforms and enhance sensitivity to day length. Our previous study showed that the dominant E4 allele can mitigate yield loss due to warming. In this study, we similarly tested the hypothesis that the dominant E3 allele can reduce yield loss caused by warming. One of the leading Japanese cultivars Enrei (e3/E4) and near‐isogenic lines (NIL‐e3e4, NIL‐E3e4, and NIL‐E3E4) in the Enrei genetic background were grown at near ambient temperature or either 2.0°C or 4.7°C above ambient temperature in temperature‐gradient chambers (TGCs) in a cool region in Japan. The number of days from sowing to beginning of flowering (R1) decreased with increasing temperature, regardless of genotype. However, increasing temperature extended the period from R1 to beginning of pod filling (R3) and increased pod number per plant and seed yield per plant in all genotypes except NIL‐e3e4. Combined data from the TGC experiment and from field trials across three different latitudes showed that the decreased developmental rate during the R1–R3 period can be attributed to longer days, rather than by supra‐optimal temperatures. We conclude that E3, in addition to E4, could potentially increase seed yield in cool regions under future warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Water deficiency stress reduces yield in grain legumes, primarily due to a decrease in the pods number. Melatonin (ML) and 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) are recognized for their hormone-like properties that improve plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. This study aimed to assess the impact of different concentrations of ML (0, 100, and 200 µM) and EBL (0, 3, and 6 µM) on the growth, biochemical, and physiological characteristics of chickpea plants under water-stressed conditions. Results: The study's findings indicated that under water-stressed conditions, a decrease in seed (30%) and pod numbers (31%), 100-seed weight (17%), total chlorophyll content (46%), stomatal conductance (33%), as well as an increase in H2O2 (62%), malondialdehyde content (40%), and electrolyte leakage index (40%), resulted in a 40% reduction in chickpea plants grain yield. Our findings confirmed that under water-stressed conditions, seed oil, seed oil yield, and seed protein yield dropped by 20%, 55%, and 36%, respectively. The concurrent exogenous application of ML and EBL significantly reduces oxidative stress, plasma membrane damage, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) content. This treatment also leads to increased yield and its components, higher pigment content, enhanced oil and protein yield, and improved enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant activities such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, polyphenol oxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, flavonoid, and carotenoid. Furthermore, it promotes the accumulation of osmoprotectants such as proline, total soluble protein, and sugars. Conclusions: Our study found that ML and EBL act synergistically to regulate plant growth, photosynthesis, osmoprotectants accumulation, antioxidant defense systems, and maintain ROS homeostasis, thereby mitigating the adverse effects of water deficit conditions. ML and EBL are key regulatory network components in stressful conditions, with significant potential for future research and practical applications. The regulation metabolic pathways of ML and EBL in water-stressed remains unknown. As a result, future research should aim to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by employing genome editing, RNA sequencing, microarray, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic analyses to identify the mechanisms involved in plant responses to exogenous ML and EBL under water deficit conditions. Furthermore, the economical applications of synthetic ML and EBL could be an interesting strategy for improving plant tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Era studies are key to estimate the historic rate of genetic gain for commercial traits of a crop. We evaluated for the first time nearly all maize hybrids released (269) in five relative maturity markets (95, 100, 105, 110, and 115) from Bayer Crop Science Dekalb brand over the last 20 years. We focused on grain yield, plant height, moisture, and test weight. We then compared the predicted gains derived from the genome‐wide prediction models with the estimated ones. We found that genetic gain was positive and significant for grain yield across the five relative maturities, ranging from 0.077 to 0.147 Mg ha−1 year−1, while it was negative (desirable) and significant for plant height, with a decrease from −0.259 to −0.456 cm year−1. We did not find significant changes for grain harvest moisture and test weight. The genetic gain estimates were consistent with predictions using the company's genomic estimated breeding values. We concluded that breeding has delivered increased yield and decreased plant height over this period for Dekalb hybrids, and the company's genomewide prediction model can be used to predict the direction of future maize genetic gains. This era study includes a larger number of hybrids, broadens the range of relative maturities, and incorporates comparisons with genomewide predictions compared to previous era studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeding rate recommendations for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) are often 150–450 seeds m−2. However, we hypothesize that wheat grown with high resource availability (i.e., fertility and moisture) can maximize yield under considerably lower rates. Our objectives were to explore winter wheat response to low populations under high resource availability using yield‐contest fields as a case study. A factorial experiment evaluated four wheat varieties (i.e., Joe, WB‐Grainfield, Langin, and LCS Revere) exposed to five seeding rates (50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 seeds m−2) during five seasons in commercial wheat fields managed by yield‐contest winning producers near Leoti, KS. Fields were silt‐loam soils with high available water‐holding capacity, long‐term history of manure application with non‐limiting fertility, and adopted a sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]–fallow–wheat rotation. Plant density ranged from 26 to 341 plants m−2 and yield ranged from 3.2 to 6.8 Mg ha−1. Water use efficiency of 19.5 kg ha−1 mm−1 suggested no management limitations to yield. Quadratic models portrayed the grain yield–plant density relation well, with 95% of the maximum yield reached at 68 to 91 plants m−2 for crops sown at the optimum date (4 out of 5 years), and at 312 plants m−2 for a late‐sown crop. Greater fall temperature accumulation reduced the relative yield between the maximum and minimum seeding rates. There was no variety × plant density interaction and Langin was the most consistent yielding variety across environments. Optimum plant density for winter wheat in environments with high resource availability may be considerably lower than current recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planting density is an important factor affecting plant growth and yield formation in rapeseed. However, the understanding of the mechanism underlying the impact of planting density on biomass, canopy, and ultimate seed yield remains limited. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of planting density on seed yield, yield components, biomass accumulation and partitioning, and canopy structure. Five planting density levels were set as D1 (2.4 × 105 plants ha−1), D2 (3.6 × 105 plants ha−1), D3 (5.4 × 105 plants ha−1), D4 (6.0 × 105 plants ha−1), and D5 (7.2 × 105 plants ha−1). The results showed that with planting density increasing from D1 to D3, the seed yield, number of pods in population, and 1000-seed weight increased, while seedling survival rate, yield per plant, number of pods per plant, and number of seeds per plant decreased. When planting density increased to D4 and D5, seed yield dramatically decreased due to a decreased number of seeds per pod and 1000-seed weight. Increasing planting density from D1 to D3 increased biomass accumulation in all organs. D3 produced the highest biomass partitioning in seeds. In addition, D2 and D3 treatments had a high level of pod area index (5.3–5.8), which caused an approximately 93% of the light to be intercepted. The distribution of light in D2 and D3 was more evenly spread, with the upper and lower parts of the canopy displaying a distribution ratio of roughly 7:3. Therefore, D2 and D3 produced the highest seed yields. In conclusion, D2 and D3 are recommended in rapeseed production due to their role in improving biomass accumulation and partitioning and canopy structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizome rot is a destructive soil-borne disease of Polygonatum kingianum and adversely affects the yield and sustenance of the plant. Understanding how the causal fungus Fusarium oxysporum infects P. kingianum may suggest effective control measures against rhizome rot. In germinating conidia of infectious F. oxysporum, expression of the zinc finger transcription factor gene Zfp1, consisting of two C2H2 motifs, was up-regulated. To characterize the critical role of ZFP1, we generated independent deletion mutants (zfp1) and complemented one mutant with a transgenic copy of ZFP1 (zfp1 tZFP1). Mycelial growth and conidial production of zfp1 were slower than those of wild type (ZFP1) and zfp1 tZFP1. Additionally, a reduced inhibition of growth suggested zfp1 was less sensitive to conditions promoting cell wall and osmotic stresses than ZFP1 and zfp1 tZFP1. Furthermore pathogenicity tests suggested a critical role for growth of zfp1 in infected leaves and rhizomes of P. kingianum. Thus ZFP1 is important for mycelial growth, conidiation, osmoregulation, and pathogenicity in P. kingianum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this experiment is to evaluate the impact of chitosan-NPK slow-release fertilizer (CS-NPK SRF) on the germination and growth of silk tree and rice in different planting patterns, as well as to assess the nutrient release rate of the SRF. The germination test followed a complete randomized design, incorporating a single factor (fertilizer type), namely no fertilizer (F0), SRF CS 0.5% weight 0.03 g (F1), SRF CS 0.5% 0.01 g (F2), SRF CS 0.7% 0.03 g (F3), SRF CS 0.7% 0.01 g (F4), and conventional NPK fertilizer (F5). The growth test utilized a 2-factor split-plot design, with the primary factor being the planting pattern (sengon/rice monoculture-SM/RM and sengon-rice agroforestry-AF) and the second factor being the fertilizer type. Results indicate that F2 and F4 yielded the highest germination and growth values in both plants, although not significantly different from F0. These findings suggest that CS-NPK SRF has the potential to enhance plant growth. The AF pattern exhibited lower growth compared to SM/RM, attributed to plant competition. CS-NPK SRF demonstrated a slower nutrient release (47.65% N; 85.01% P; 31.80% K) compared to conventional fertilizers. This slow release could potentially reduce nutrient loss to the environment while enhancing plant nutrient absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soybean is an important oilseed crop but it has poor seed longevity. Studies on seed longevity are very complex and hence, an indirect selection criterion should be identified. In this study, seed longevity and its association with agronomic traits of seven soybean varieties was evaluated in the year 2019-2020. Methods: Seed were kept for storage under ambient conditions for a period of 16 months (January 2019 to May 2020). Their germination was recorded at bimonthly intervals and seed longevity was inferred as the time period in months up to which the seed maintains its germination percentage above IMSCS. Result: Accordingly, Palam Early Soya 1 and Him Palam Hara Soya were classified as having short seed longevity (12 months). Hara Soya, Shivalik, Him Soya and Palam Soya were classified as having medium seed longevity (14 months). Whereas, PS 1556 was classified as having long seed longevity (>16 months). Further, it was found that seed longevity was positively associated with number of pods per plant and seed yield, and negatively associated with number of branches per plant and 100-seed weight. This study presents an indirect selection criterion based on some easily accessible parameters which have strong association with seed longevity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pigeon pea is an economical source of protein cultivated in arid and semi arid tropical areas of the world. Genetic improvement mainly depends upon the amount of genetic variability available in the population. It is necessary for a breeder to understand the extent of genotypic and phenotypic variation among the germplasm to design an effective breeding programme. Methods: Eighty pigeon pea genotypes were evaluated for their variability with regard to yield and yield contributing traits. The experiment was carried out at Regional Research Station, Paiyur during 2021-2022 following randomized block design with two replications. Result: The traits viz., plant height, number of primary branches per plant, number of pods per plant and single plant yield can be improved following simple selection method as they exhibited high variability in combination with high heritability and genetic advance. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed three significant principal components (PCs), which accounted for 81.24% of phenotypic variation among the studied genotypes. The traits days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, number of primary branches per plant, number of pods per plant and hundred seed weight had significantly positive association and positive direct effect with yield. Hence, these traits can be used as good selection criteria for yield improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf angle (LA) is a major agronomic trait of rice plant architecture, which is determined by the development of the leaf lamina joint (LJ) and closely related to plant yield. The LJ is formed by the leaf collar belt (ligule band), leaf tongue (ligule) and leaf ear (auricle). Parenchyma cells (PCs), sclerenchyma cells (SCs), vascular bundles (VBs), and arenchyma tissue (Ac) are present in the cross sections of LJ. The genetic and molecular regulation of rice leaf angle and LJ development has been well investigated in recent years. However, the underlying complex regulatory network still requires further elucidation and comprehensive discussion. In this review, we briefly describe the cellular characteristics of four typical stages of LJ development, and systematically summarize the genes regulating rice leaf inclination based on their roles in PC proliferation and elongation, as well as SC proliferation and differentiation. We also introduce the emerging regulatory pathways of phytohormones and transcription factors (TFs), environmental cues that are involved in rice LJ development, discussing the relevant intricate signal network that is relevant to provide further insights into the genetic improvement of leaf angle traits in rice breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucumber is a vegetable crop of economic importance in Mexico. In 2023, fresh or frozen cucumber and pickle international sales reached USD 783M, placing Mexico in second rank among countries with the highest currency inflow in the world. This crop is mostly grown under protected environments with new production technologies, including rootstocks that are tolerant to biotic and abiotic factors that limit the yield and quality of the harvest. Therefore, the goal of this work was to assess three cucurbits as rootstocks (Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata and Citrullus lanatus), as well as studying the response of cucumber crop to the tested rootstocks. The following treatments were assessed: T1:PSP = cucumber Cv. Paraizo F1 without rootstock; T2:P/MA = cucumber grafted over Cucurbita maxima; T3:P/MO = cucumber grafted over Cucurbita moschata; T4:P/CL = cucumber grafted over Citrullus lanatus Citroides Var. The assessed variables included the number of fruits per plant (NFPP), fruit weight per plant (PFPP), average fruit weight (PPF), plant dry weight (PSP), xylem vessel area (AVX), number of xylem vessels (NVX), vascular bundle area (AHV) and number of vascular bundles (NHV) in roots (R), basal stalk (TB) and apical stalk (AT). Significant differences among treatments were found in the results for variables: NFPP, highlighting that T2:P/MA was superior by 46.15% versus T1:PSP and by 67.69% versus T3:P/MO. Regarding PFPP, T2:P/MA achieved the highest weight (5445 g), as it proved superior by 99.45% than the cucumber without rootstock (T1:PSP). Regarding PSP, T2:P/MA achieved the highest weight (196.65 g), significantly exceeding T1 by 137.5%. Regarding AVXR, T4:P/CL had the highest value (30,063 µm2). Regarding NHVR, watermelon had (T4:P/CL) 39.33% more vascular bundles than the root system of cucumber (T1:PSP). Treatments T2:P/MA and T4:P/CL had the highest values at AVXTB, while for variable NVXTB, treatments T3:P/MO and T2:P/MA were almost equal, surpassing non-grafted cucumber by 175.47%. However, T2:P/MA showed the greatest AHVTB, and T1:PSP was significantly superior to T3:P/MO, by 34.93%, for NHVTB. Furthermore, positive and significant correlations were found among PFPP, AHVR, and AVXTB, as well as among PSP, AVXTB, and AHVTB. Therefore, we may say that having a larger area of vascular vessels in the roots and a larger area of xylem vessels in the basal stalk leads to higher fruit yields per plant. In the same vein, the use of rootstocks is a sustainable alternative to increase fruit yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to conventional crops, less is known about how genetic and environmental variability affect the yield and quality of specialty crops like cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.). Herein, we performed a multifaceted analysis of six commercial cranberry beds planted to the Stevens cultivar. The six beds included three with above‐average multiyear yields and three that were lower than average. We considered genotype, edaphic factors, and plant nutrient content as driving variables of yield and fruit quality. We found that genetic purity within beds raised the odds of obtaining above‐average yields over an 8‐year period. The highest levels of genetic contamination (38%–75%) were found at the low‐yield beds, where significant differences in yield and fruit quality were observed between genotypes, within beds. Across all beds, focusing only on plots genetically confirmed to be Stevens cultivar, we also found that plot‐scale yield in 2020 was significantly higher for two of three high‐yield beds, suggesting other factors besides genetic contamination influenced differences in bed‐scale yield. A factor analysis of mixed data that jointly included genotype, edaphic variables, and plant tissue nutrient content revealed complex relations among these variables that were tied to grouping plots based on long‐term yield. Findings highlight the need for further research into the complex genetic and environmental factors that control cranberry yield and fruit quality. Core Ideas: Cranberry yield and quality were impacted by genetic and environmental variables across six commercial beds.Genetic contamination negatively impacted long‐term crop yields.Within bed variability in yield and fruit quality arose due to genetic contamination.Phenotypic plasticity caused variation in yield and fruit quality across beds within the Stevens cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field-based phenomic prediction employs novel features, like vegetation indices (VIs) from drone images, to predict key agronomic traits in maize, despite challenges in matching biomarker measurement time points across years or environments. This study utilized functional principal component analysis (FPCA) to summarize the variation of temporal VIs, uniquely allowing the integration of this data into phenomic prediction models tested across multiple years (2018–2021) and environments. The models, which included 1 genomic, 2 phenomic, 2 multikernel, and 1 multitrait type, were evaluated in 4 prediction scenarios (CV2, CV1, CV0, and CV00), relevant for plant breeding programs, assessing both tested and untested genotypes in observed and unobserved environments. Two hybrid populations (415 and 220 hybrids) demonstrated the visible atmospherically resistant index's strong temporal correlation with grain yield (up to 0.59) and plant height. The first 2 FPCAs explained 59.3 ± 13.9% and 74.2 ± 9.0% of the temporal variation of temporal data of VIs, respectively, facilitating predictions where flight times varied. Phenomic data, particularly when combined with genomic data, often were comparable to or numerically exceeded the base genomic model in prediction accuracy, particularly for grain yield in untested hybrids, although no significant differences in these models' performance were consistently observed. Overall, this approach underscores the effectiveness of FPCA and combined models in enhancing the prediction of grain yield and plant height across environments and diverse agricultural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Tillering is generally considered counterproductive for grain yield in maize (Zea mays). However, recent research defies that idea and suggests that the effects of tillering on grain yield depend on the yield-environment. Aims: To synthesise the impact of tillering on maize grain yield across a wide range of environments. Methods: Literature regarding tillering in maize was assessed to create a multi-environment database of grain yield per unit area and per plant of side-by-side comparisons of grain yield of tillered versus de-tillered treatments. Regression analyses and mean comparisons were used to compare the performance of tillered and de-tillered crops. Key results: The maximum plant density in the database was 7 plants m−2. Tillered crops out-yielded de-tillered crops irrespective of the de-tillered grain yield (y -intercept = 841 kg ha−1, P < 0.01 and slope = 1, P = 0.91). For the lower tercile of yield-environments (i.e. lower than 5269 kg ha−1), the frequency of lower yields on tillered crops was higher (all database = 0.21, Pampas = 0.5) than in the mid or high terciles (all database < 0.13, Pampas < 0.18). Across environments, individual plant yield was higher for tillered crops (42 g plant−1 or 16% difference), but that difference decreased as the de-tillered individual plant yield decreased turning into zero below 136 g plant−1. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the data set, tillering was generally beneficial or indifferent for grain yield, but detrimental effects may be recorded in very low yield-environments. Implications: Tillering does not condition maize yield across most environments. Tillering (equivalent to branching in broad leaf species) is promoted by management practices adopted in marginal environments for maize production. Farmers generally consider tillering to be counterproductive for grain yield in maize (Zea mays), but we found that across a wide range of environments, tillering is generally positive or indifferent for grain yield determination. Therefore, farmers should not consider tillering as a conditioning trait when selecting maize hybrids for cultivating this crop in different environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress significantly affects plants by altering their physiological and biochemical processes, which can severely limit their growth and development. Similarly, drought has severe negative effects on medicinal plants, which are essential for healthcare. The effects are particularly significant in areas that rely mostly on traditional medicine, which might potentially jeopardize both global health and local economies. Understanding effects of droughts on medicinal plants is essential for developing strategies to enhance plant adaptability to drought stress, which is vital for sustaining agricultural productivity under changing climatic conditions. In this study, a meta-analysis was conducted on 27 studies examining various parameters such as plant yield, chlorophyll content, relative water content, essential oil content, essential oil yield, non-enzymatic antioxidants, enzymatic antioxidants, phenols, flavonoids, and proline content. The analysis explored the effects of drought across different stress conditions (control, moderate, and severe) to gain deeper insights into the drought's impact. The categorization of these stress conditions was based on field or soil capacity: control (100–80%), moderate (80–50%), and severe (below 50%). This classification was guided by the authors' descriptions in their studies. According to meta-analysis results, enzymatic antioxidants emerge as the most responsive parameters to stress. Other parameters such as relative water content (RWC) and yield also exhibit considerable negative mean effect sizes under all three stress conditions. Therefore, when evaluating the impacts of drought stress on medicinal plants, it is beneficial to include these three parameters (enzymatic antioxidants, RWC, and yield) in an evaluation of drought stress. The chlorophyll content has been determined not to be a reliable indicator for measuring impact of drought stress. Also, measuring antioxidants such as flavonoids and phenols could be a better option than using radical scavenging methods like DPPH (2, 2-difenil-1-pikrilhidrazil), FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power), and ABTS (2, 2′-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Modern agriculture heavily relies on the use of synthetic fertilisers, which are expensive and associated with significant environmental risks. Hence, it is necessary to focus on developing integrated farming practices that encompass cost-effective synthetic fertilisers. Method: The present experimentation was carried out to assess the effect of various treat-ments comprised of fermented liquid bio formulations, biofertilizers, & organic amendments on the horticultural, biochemical, & soil nutrient attributes of garden pea varieties. A Factorial Randomized Block Design was laid out for treatments in three replications. Results: The results of the investigation exhibited a significantly positive influence of the treatments and their interaction with pea varieties for most of the studied traits. Among varie-ties, treatments, and their interactions, variety GS-10 and PB-89 treatment modules, viz., Jeevmurta 20% + Phosphorus solubilizing bacteria 100% + Farmyard manure, and their interaction were found to be best for improving the various horticultural and soil traits i.e. shelling percentage, protein content, effective nodules per plant, available nitrogen and phosphorus content. However, the application of Jeevamurta 20 % + Rhizobium 100 % + Farm yard manure on pea variety GS-10, resulted a positive increment in yielding traits namely, plant height, number of pods per plant, single pod weight, total pod yield, pod yield per plant and pod yield per plot. Conclusion: The combination of variety “GS-10” with Jeevamurta 20%, Rhizobium 100%, and FYM, showed the positive increment in productivity of the garden pea, also found to be effective to control the incidence of rust and powdery mildew. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing demand for higher-quality food production in smaller soil areas points to optimized land use. Intercropping has the potential to increase yield, reduce pests and diseases, and boost biodiversity. This study, conducted at the Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, from 2017 to 2019, aimed to determine the effect of white cabbage intercropping with aromatic plants, calendula, French marigold, thyme, and sage on yield, mineral and biochemical composition. Aromatic plants are known to reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases, so this study aimed to determine whether aromatic plants affect the yield, mineral, and biochemical composition of white cabbage. The two-year observations demonstrated that aromatic plants did not affect or slightly affect the mineral composition of cabbage's primary macronutrients (N, P, K, Mg, and Ca). Cabbage's dry matter, sugars, and ascorbic acid content vary when grown intercropped with aromatic plants compared to monoculture. Although the results were comparable, sugar concentration was lower in all cabbage combinations than in monoculture. Lower nitrate levels were detected in cabbage monoculture, probably due to agro-meteorological circumstances. The highest cabbage yield was achieved by intercropping with thyme (7.25 t/ha) compared to monoculture (6.81 t/ha) in 2018. It was found that intercropping with aromatic plants had little effect on the biochemical composition of white cabbage. The study results suggest that French marigold and thyme can be grown together with white cabbage to improve the phytosanitary of vegetables without compromising the biochemical quality of the cabbages. However, the influence on biochemical composition, especially on the nitrate and glucosinolate levels, should be examined further, providing valuable insights for future research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation was carried out in maize to estimate General Combining ability (GCA), Specific Combining Ability (SCA) and their interaction with three environments. Nine maize inbred lines were crossed in all possible combinations including reciprocals in 9 × 9 diallel fashion. The resultant single cross hybrids along with parents were evaluated for their combining ability over environments. The combining ability analysis of diallel crosses across three environments showed high significance of GCA and SCA variances for all the traits viz., days to physiological maturity, plant height, cob length, cob girth, cob weight, 100 grain weight and grain yield per plant indicating the importance of both additive and non-additive gene action for the expression of these traits. The ratio of additive to non-additive variance was greater than one for all the traits except for cob length, cob girth, cob weight and grain yield across the environments, indicating the additive type of gene effects were more important in the expression days to physiological maturity, plant height and 100 grain weight and thus simple selection would confer rapid improvement of these characters. The hybrid combination UMI79 × UMI176 was the best for grain yield, cob weight, cob girth and early maturity. For reduced plant height UMI176 × UMI467 was the best across environments. The hybrid UMI176 × UMI13 was identified as the best for cob weight and cob girth. The crosses UMI79 × UMI57, UMI79 × UMI285 and UMI432 × UMI936(W) were the best for cob length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Green Revolution which occurred by introducing dwarfing genes into bread wheat varieties had a great impact on the global wheat production. Nevertheless, these genes decrease grain yield under rain-fed conditions. In general, semi-dwarf genes may not have any advantage in heat and drought stress conditions. In rain-fed conditions, the combination of Rht-D1b and Rht-B1b genes causes a decrease in the grain yield and coleoptile length. It should be noted that the genes Rht4, Rht5, Rht7, Rht8, Rht9, Rht12, Rht13 and Rht14, which are sensitive to gibberellic acid, do not affect coleoptile length. Materials and methods: In the present research, wild type genes which cause higher plant height were transferred from Roshan to Excalibur variety using backcrossing. Similarly, in the F3 generation of a cross between Roshan and Mahdavi, a semi-dwarf plant was observed. This plant was backcrossed with Roshan to have semi-dwarf isogenic lines of this cultivar. Development of isogenic lines for plant height in two genetic backgrounds made it possible to study the effect of the plant height on yield and yield components. Isogenic lines and their parents were evaluated in two successive years (2020-2021 and 2021-2022) under Sepidan rainfed conditions. Results and discussion: On average, plant height of Roshan and its semi-dwarf isogenic lines were 90.84 and 51.22 cm, respectively. Also, the average plant height of Excalibur and its tall isogenic line were 47.61 and 65.36 cm, respectively. Results showed that breeding for higher plant height had a positive and significant effect on wheat grain yield under rain-fed conditions. On average, tallness increased grain yield by 375.43 and 177.94 kg.ha in Roshan and Excalibur genetic backgrounds, respectively. In addition, the effect of plant height on yield components under rain-fed conditions was investigated. The findings of this research show that breeding for higher plant height indirectly increase grains number per spike and 1000 grain weight to improve grain yield. While, spikes number per meter square was not affected with plant height. Considering the high heritability of plant height and its significant correlation with grain yield, it is suggested that this trait be considered in breeding programs under rain-fed conditions. Conclusion: In the present research, it was found that tallness improve grains yield of bread wheat under rain-fed conditions via increasing grains number per spike. Two other yield components were also investigated and it was found that the plant height had no effect on spikes number per meter square. 1000-grains weight did not affected by plant height in the first year, although in the second year, the taller genotypes had higher 1000-grains weight. Considering that plant height has high heritability and response to selection, it is recommended to pay special attention to this trait in breeding programs for rain-fed conditions. It should be mentioned that as narrow sense heritability of plant height is very high, selection for this trait based on single plant is very effective. Consequently, selection for plant height in backcrossing and pedigree breeding methods could be extremely successful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macro-element for plants, and understanding the characteristics of the absorption and transport of P in crops is essential. The low availability of P restricts the growth, nitrogen fixation, and yield of soybean plants. In this research, the radioisotope 33P was supplied to the culture solution to trace the absorption and transport of P in nodulated soybean plants monitored using an imaging plate. The absorption rate of 33P was almost the same under the light and dark conditions. The absorption rate of 33P in the decapitated roots was near to that of the intact plants under light. These results indicate that the P absorption is not affected by evapotranspiration over a short time period. Conversely, the 33P transport from the roots to the shoot was significantly lower under dark conditions than it was under light conditions, although some 33P reached the top of the shoots under both the light and dark conditions. The transport of P to the shoots depends on the transpiration supplemented by the root pressure. The multiplication value of the 33P concentration in the xylem sap and transpiration rate was almost equivalent to the transport rate of 33P in the intact shoots. This value may be adaptable and used to estimate the transport rate of P for the diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The productivity of animal agriculture in developing countries will need to be substantially increased in order to satisfy increasing consumer demand, to more efficiently utilize scarce resources and to generate income for a growing agricultural population. Biotechnology has the potential to improve the productivity of animals via increasing in growth, carcass quality and reproduction, improved nutritional quality, safety of food, improved health and welfare of animals and reduced waste through more efficient utilization Agricultural biotechnology is one area of application of biotechnology involving applications to agriculture and the application has long been source of innovation in production and processing, extremely impacting the sector. Agricultural biotechnology has been practiced for a long time, as people have sought to improve agriculturally important organisms by selection and breeding. This includes plant breeding to raise and stabilize yields; to improve resistance to pests, diseases and abiotic stresses such as drought and cold; and to enhance the nutritional content of foods. Biotechnology is being used to develop low-cost disease-free planting materials for crops such as cassava, banana and potato and is creating new tools for the diagnosis and treatment of plant and animal diseases and for the measurement and conservation of genetic resources. Modern biotechnology has the potential to provide new opportunities for achieving enhanced livestock productivity in a way that alleviates poverty, improves food security and nutrition and promotes sustainable use of natural resources. The major cause of poor livestock productivity in tropical regions of the world is inadequate nutrition. Low-quality forages are a major component of ruminant diets in the tropics. The lack of quality of ruminant feeds is caused by a high content of lignified crop residues and mature grasses, usually associated with a low content of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. The shortage of feed in most developing countries and the increasing cost of feed ingredients mean that there is a need to improve feed utilization. Animal feeds and feeding practices are being changed by biotechnology to improve animal nutrition and to reduce environmental waste. The ultimate goal of using biotechnology in animal nutrition is to improve the plane of nutrition through the use of enzymes to improve the availability of nutrients from feed and to reduce the wastage of the feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present experiment was conducted in bhindi / okra to observe the extent of heterosis for eight characters of plant and fruit yield traits through diallel analysis. The characters consist of plant height (cm), number of primary branches per plant, node at which 1st flower appears, number of nodes on main stem, internodal length, days to 50% flowering, pod yield per plant (g) and pod yield per hectare (q/ha). The experimental material comprised of 66 F1 hybrids developed from crossing 12 okra genotypes in diallel crossing excluding reciprocals. Out of eight characters studied, plant height, number of branches per plant and number of nodes on main stem are growth determining features. They generally decide the fruit/pod bearing surface of the okra plant. Therefore, Positive heterosis is desirable for plant height, number of branches per plant, number of nodes on main stem including fruit yield per plant and fruit yield per hectare but negative heterosis is profitable for node at which 1st flower appears, intermodal length and days to 50% flowering. Out of 66 F1, 50, 32 and 38 hybrids showed significant heterosis positively over mid parent, better parent and standard check respectively for fruit yield per plant and fruit yield per hectare and the highest was reported in hybrids IC-45831 ×IC-43733 subsequently IC-45831 ×Pusa A-4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The use of endophytic microbes is increasing in commercial agriculture. This review will begin with a strain selection. Most strains will not function well, so only a few provide adequate performance. It will also describe the endophyte–plant relationship and the fungi and bacteria involved. Their abilities to alleviate biotic (diseases and pests) and abiotic stresses (drought, salt, and flooding) to remediate pollution and increase photosynthetic capabilities will be described. Their mechanisms of action will be elucidated. These frequently result in increased plant yields. Finally, methods and practices for formulation and commercial use will be described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effects of solely and integrated application of inorganic (NPK), commercial organic (NC), and biological (MIX, mixed strains Ensifer meliloti and Azotobacter chroococcum) fertilizers on the chemical characteristics of arugula biomass and its yield, as well as changes in soil microbiological parameters after the experiment in relation to the control treatment (Ø). The experiment was performed in semi-controlled greenhouse conditions, in pots, from the 4th decade of March to the 2nd decade of September, in 2023, at three cutting times/swaths, during one agricultural season, with Vertisol soil. For soil characterization, the following parameters were analysed: granulometric composition using sieving and sedimentation procedure; soil acidity—potentiometrically; SOM—soil organic matter by Kotzmann method; total N using CNS analyser; available P—spectrophotometrically; available K—flame photometrically; total number of microorganisms on an agarized soil extract medium; fungi on a solid Czapek agar; actinomycetes on a solid Krasiljnikov agar with saccharose; Azotobacter spp. on a liquid Fyodorov medium with mannitol; ammonifiers on a liquid medium with asparagine; and dehydrogenase activity—spectrophotometrically. For plant characterization, the following parameters were determined: N and C, both on CNS analyser; P on spectrophotometer; K on flame photometer; air-dried yield biomass. A stimulative effect on all microbiological parameters was found in the treatment with integrated use of organic and biological fertilizer, except for fungi, which grew better in the treatments with separate inorganic and organic fertilizers. Generally, the stimulative impact on plant chemical parameters manifested in combined inorganic and biological, organic and biological, and inorganic and organic fertilization treatments, and was inhibited in treatment without fertilization, in all three swaths, which could also be stated for the plant yield. Positive influence of all fertilization treatments on chemical parameters was observed for the second swath in relation to the first and the third. The total yield in the NPK+MIX treatment was 121%, and in the NC+MIX treatment, it was 87% higher compared to the control (Ø). In general, integrated use of inorganic and biological, organic and biological, and inorganic and organic fertilizers, respectively, could be proposed as an optimal fertilization treatment in arugula cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]