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Bamboo is used as a multi-purpose, non-timber plant worldwide. The variation in flowering time across bamboo species and prolonged interval between vegetative and reproductive phases has attracted researchers over the decade to understand the ecological, physiological, and molecular reasons behind this. Typical flowering pathway genes related to photoperiod, vernalization, and hormonal regulation have been identified in the sequenced bamboo genome Phyllostachys edulis and many of them are transcriptionally active in other bamboo species such as Bambusa tulda. However, growing evidences suggest that stress such as drought may act as an important ‘cue’ to determine the flowering time in bamboo species. Here we provide evidence that indeed, an abundance of ABA, which is the marker hormone for drought response, is higher in young leaf from flowering culm (YLF) than a leaf from non-flowering culm (YLN). We also have observed that fire and pruning can induce flowering in Bambusa tulda, B. balcooa, Dendrocalamus hookeri and Melocanna baccifera. Finally, we discuss on the putative role of stress-induced flowering pathway genes in bamboo. Taken together, the finding of this study will aid in the sustainable management of bamboo resources in India and elsewhere.

Low-input training systems, such as minimal pruning (MP) and the semi-minimal pruned hedge (SMPH), require less working hours as a result of fewer viticultural process steps and permit a higher degree of mechanisation. However, their effect on viticultural costs and per litre costs on both flat terrain and steep slopes has not yet been analysed. This study quantifies the viticultural costs of vertical shoot positioning (VSP) and low-input training systems for standard processes on different types of flat terrain and steep slope vineyards. The costs were obtained from a dataset of 1,519 working time records of labour and machine hours from 20 vineyards belonging to five German wine estates over three years. The costs for standard viticultural processes were compared across three pairs of VSP and low-input training site types with different mechanisation intensities. The comparison was carried out by univariate analysis of variance with fixed and random effects, and by descriptive analysis of mean values.On flat terrain, SMPH significantly decreased the costs for the viticultural steps of winter pruning, tying, shoot positioning and defoliation, but it increased the cost for pest control. Hence, the total cost on flat terrain decreased marginally, but still significantly, by 46 %. The cost effects on steep slopes were similar, decreasing by 34 % for SMPH in unsupported steep slope harvester sites and by 46 % for MP rope and winch-supported steep slope sites. The per-litre costs were calculated for different yield levels. Since the yield in low input systems is higher than in VSP, the production costs per litre further decreased.The study confirmed the high cost-saving potential for wine growers of the mechanisation of canopy management and the omission of winter pruning in low-input systems. Combined with higher yields, the cost savings from low-input systems are particularly suitable for producers of bulk wine and market entry and mid-level wine profiles. By converting to low-input systems, the costs associated with mechanisable steep slope vineyards can be reduced to amounts approximating VSP on flat terrain. For certain wine profiles, low-input systems should therefore constitute an integral part of strategies to increase the economic sustainability of steep slope viticulture. The estimated cost benchmarks provide critical input for the cost-based pricing policy of steep slope growers. These benchmarks also give agricultural policy reliable indicators of the subsidies required for preserving steep slope landscapes.

Background Understanding end-users’ preferred breeding traits and plant management practices is fundamental in defining sound breeding objectives and implementing a successful plant improvement programme. Since such knowledge is lacking for Synsepalum dulcificum, a worldwide promising orphan fruit tree species, we assessed the interrelationships among socio-demography, ecology, management practices, diversity and ranking of desired breeding traits by end-users of the species (farmers, final consumers and processing companies) in West Africa. Methods Semi-structured interviews, field-visits and focus groups were combined to interview a total of 300 farmers and final consumers belonging to six sociolinguistic groups sampled from three ecological zones of Benin and Ghana. One processing company in Ghana was also involved. Data collected included socio-demographic characteristics; crop management systems and practices; and preferences of farmers, final consumers and processing companies and ranking of breeding traits. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independence, and non-parametric tests, generalized linear models, multi-group similarity index and Kendall’s concordance coefficient. Results Men (86.33% of respondents) were the main holders of S. dulcificum in the study area. The three most frequent management practices observed in the species included weeding, fertilization and pruning, which were applied by 75.66%, 27.33% and 16.66% of respondents, respectively. The management intensity index varied significantly across ecological zones, sociolinguistic groups, and instruction level (p < 0.001) but was not affected by gender (p > 0.05). General multigroup similarity indices ($$ {\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{\mathrm{T}} $$ C S T ) for farmer-desired traits, on one hand, and final consumer-desired traits, on the other hand, were high across ecological zones ($$ {\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{\mathrm{T}} $$ C S T ≥ 0.84) and sociolinguistic groups ($$ {\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{S}}^{\mathrm{T}} $$ C S T > 0.83). Nevertheless, respondents from the Guineo-Congolian (Benin) and the Deciduous forest (Ghana) zones expressed higher agreement in the ranking of desired breeding traits. Preference for breeding traits was 60% similar among farmers, final consumers, and processors. The key breeding traits desired by these end-users included in descending order of importance big fruit size, early fruiting, high fruit yielding (for farmers); big fruit size, high fruit miraculin content, fruit freshness (for final consumers); and high fruit miraculin content, big fruit size, high fruit edible ratio (for processing companies). Conclusion This study revealed stronger variations in current management practices across ecological zones than across sociolinguistic groups. A high similarity was shown in end-users’ preferences for breeding traits across the study area. Top key traits to consider in breeding varieties of S. dulcificum to meet various end-users’ expectations in West Africa include fruit size and fruit miraculin content. These results constitute a strong signal for a region-wide promotion of the resource.

In Ant-gardens, ants build nests with organic materials and take specific seeds of some species of epiphytes which germinate. In this mutualistic interaction, a variety of other epiphytes could colonize the nests and develop, but it doesn't happen. We assume that there is chemical allelopathy with epiphytes inhibiting the germination and growth of other species of epiphytes, and with ants cutting off non-mutualistic epiphyte species. To investigate this, we performed chemical and prune tests which determine the composition of the epiphyte species of Ant-Gardens of parabiotic ants, Camponotus femoratus (Fabricius, 1804) and Crematogaster levior Longino, 2003. For the chemical allelopathic test, we administered the extract of the stem and leaves of Peperomia macrostachya (Vahl) A. Dietr. and Codonanthe calcarata (Miq.) Hanst. (the most common species in parabiotic AGs) in different concentrations. For the prune test, we used seedlings of the mutualistic plant Peperomia macrostachya and non-mutualistic plant Cucumis sativus as a control, then we inspected the nests to evaluate the ants pruning the seedlings. In the chemical allelopathy tests, the species Codonanthe calcarata decreased the germination speed indexes in relation to the control (distilled water). On the contrary, the length and weight of the seedlings were positively influenced by epiphyte extract. In the prune test, most of the plants pruned were non-mutualistic. The results of the chemical allelopathy and prune experiments showed that both mutualistic epiphytes and ants play a decisive role in the composition of epiphytes in Ant-Gardens.

Plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) serve diverse ecological functions by providing nectar to a broad spectrum of arthropods (e.g., ants, parasitoids). This study examined the extent to which plant architecture of American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis L.; Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis [L.] Bolli), resulting from two pruning methods that produced herbaceous (base-pruning) and woody (high-pruning) stems, and elderberry genotype (nine genotypes were evaluated) influenced ant attendance and arthropod abundance and diversity on elderberry EFNs. Results showed that the proportion of elderberry plants that produced EFNs was significantly greater for the base-pruning compared to the high-pruning method. The positive relationship found between the number of EFN-bearing plants that secreted nectar and ant attendance on EFNs was greater for the base-pruned plants compared to high-pruned plants. Plant genotype also significantly influenced the outcome. When base-pruned, the proportion of plants attended by ants was greatest for the genotypes Ocoee and Marge. The proportion of plants visited by other arthropods (e.g., parasitoids and predators) was greatest for the genotypes Ocoee, Bob Gordon, and Wyldewood. Overall, our findings indicate that the combination of plant genotype selection and selective pruning can modulate insect–plant interactions including mutualistic ant–elderberry associations and visitations by an array of arthropods.

Herbal products are now considered among the most important sources of phenolic compounds: the FINNOVER project aimed at the creation and development of sustainable supply chains to extract and use natural biologically active agents. Vitis vinifera is one of the most utilised herbal products derived from buds and sprouts as polyphenolic food supplements for its homeostatic and astringent properties. This research was aimed to describe the antioxidant capacity and the phytochemical composition of V. vinifera herbal products by the application of spectroscopic and chromatographic fingerprints considering phenolics as potential markers to significantly differentiate traditional preparations (macerates) from innovative extracts obtained by an ultrasound extraction from V. vinifera buds. Two different commercial products were also considered. Flavonols were the most abundant class in ultrasound extracts (45%), while phenolic acids were the most important class in traditional macerates (49%) and commercial bud-preparations (about 50%). This study may support the potential use of V. vinifera bud-products (starting from pruning byproducts) as food supplements to integrate human diet with good amounts of phenolics. Finally, the use of different extraction methods on the same plant material could be an important development to produce innovative herbal products with a phytochemical composition similar to traditional preparations.

This study was carried out to determine the effect of vine and fruit pruning on watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) yield. Five pruning methods: P1=no pruning at all, P2=pruning to four vines with two fruits per vine, P3=pruning to four vines with one fruit per vine, P4=pruning to three vines with two fruits per vine and P5=pruning to three vines with one fruit per vine were evaluated on two watermelon cultivars: ‘Sugar baby’ and ‘Julie F1’ under a factorial randomized complete block design with three replications. Investigations were carried out in the seasons 2017A (short rains) and 2017B (long rains) at Karama and Rubona experimental sites belonging to Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board. The obtained results indicated a significant difference among the different cultivars and pruning methods tested during both seasons and at two sites. Generally, all studied parameters recorded higher values during season 2017B than in season 2017A at Rubona site. A similar trend was recorded at Karama site except that the fruit yield per plant and per hectare for plants which were pruned to three vines with one fruit reduced during season 2017B as compared to season 2017A. The highest number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, fruit yield per plant and per hectare was recorded in ‘Julie F1’ compared to ‘Sugar baby’ at both sites and during both seasons. Higher fruit weight was obtained when both cultivars were pruned to three or four vines with one fruit per vine. Higher number of fruits per plant and higher fruit yield per plant was observed under pruning to four vines with two fruits per vine at Rubona site; while at Karama site, higher fruit yield per plant was recorded under pruning to three vines with one fruit or two fruits per vines and pruning to four vines with two fruits per vine. A similar trend was observed in fruit yield per hectare. Based on results of the current study, cultivation of the hybrid ‘Julie F1’ and pruning to three vines with one fruit per vine is recommended for optimum watermelon yield with big-sized fruits.

17 Pags.- 3 Figs.- 4 Tabls. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license., The market demand together with the need for alternatives to withstand climate change led to the recovery of autochthonous grapevine varieties. Under climate change, the summer pruning of vineyards may lead to an increase of vegetative residuals of nutritional and medicinal interest. The objectives of our study were (1) to evaluate the nutritional properties of the leaves of three local Spanish grapevines (Tinto Velasco, TV, Pasera, PAS, and Ambrosina, AMB) when grown under climate change conditions, and (2) to test the potentiality of these grapevines as suitable candidates to be cultivated under climate change scenarios based on the quality of their must. Experimental assays were performed with fruit-bearing cuttings grown in temperature gradient greenhouses that simulate rising CO2 (700 μmol mol−1) and warming (ambient temperature +4 °C), either acting alone or in combination. TV and AMB were the most and the least affected by air temperature and CO2 concentration, respectively. The interaction of elevated CO2 with high temperature induced the accumulation of proteins and phenolic compounds in leaves of TV, thus enhancing their nutritional properties. In PAS, the negative effect of high temperature on protein contents was compensated for by elevated CO2. Warming was the most threatening scenario for maintaining the must quality in the three varieties, but elevated CO2 exerted a beneficial effect when acting alone and compensated for the negative effects of high temperatures. While TV may be a candidate to be cultivated in not very warm areas (higher altitudes or colder latitudes), PAS behaved as the most stable genotype under different environmental scenarios, making it the most versatile candidate for cultivation in areas affected by climate change., This research was funded by FUNDACIÓN UNIVERSITARIA DE NAVARRA (2018). Partial support was obtained from the SPANISH STATE RESEARCH AGENCY (AEI) cofinanced with the EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND (FEDER) (project AGL2017-83358-R to Y.G.; AEI/FEDER, UE), and the ARAGÓN GOVERNMENT (Group A09-20R).

Based on the processing of literary sources, the history of the formation of green spaces of the Uman National University of Horticulture (UNUS) is investigated. The analysis of the taxonomic composition of autochthonous and introduced tree and shrub plants that are now chgrowing in this territory is carried out. It has been established that among gymnospermous plants, representatives of the genus Thuja and its shape variety predominate, the genus Picea is slightly less representative, and the genus Pinus is the third most numerous. Among shrub species of the order gymnosperms, the genera Juniperus and Taxus predominate. The order of angiosperms is represented by the tree genera Aesculus, Acer, Betula, Corylus, Juglans, Mahonia, Quercus, Ulmus, Tilia, Fraxinus, Salix and Sorbus. The largest representation of shrubs of this order are the genera Berberis, Caragana, Cornus, Philadelphus, Laburnum, Viburnum, Spiraea, Symphoricarpos, Syringa, Tamarix and Forsythia. To improve the aesthetic state of these stands, it is necessary to carry out forming pruning. The presence of a large number of fruit plants, which represent the genera Armeniaca, Cerasus, Malus, Morus, Pyrus, was noted. The total number of gymnosperms in the territory of UNUS is 28 % of the total, and angiosperms, respectively, 72 %. Behind the altitude parameters (structure), tree and shrubbery can be assigned to the group of plants of the first, second, and third tiers. As a result of a visual examination of the general condition of woody and shrubby plants growing on the territory of UNUS, proposals are made for their reconstruction, which is carried out by removing damaged and dry branches of 1-3 branching orders and pruning a certain amount of them in the lower part of the trunk – with the stem. If necessary, fertilize the plants. In order to increase the decorativeness of these stands, it is necessary to carry out additional group and single plantings of species and form diversity of the following genera: Thuja, Juniperus, Morus, Acer, Ulmus, Fagus, Berberis, Viburnum, Magnolia, Rosa, Spiraea, Weigela, Forsythia.

The results of studies of the species composition of wood-destroying fungus in the Park of Recreation and Leisure named after Mykhailo Chekman in the city of Khmelnytskyi are presented here. In the Park, 29 species of wood-destroying fungus were found, which are widespread on 14 tree species. The most common types of destroying fungus were: Fomitopsis pinicola, Bjercandera adusta, Bjercandera fumosa, Phellinus igniarius, and Stereum hirsutum. These types of wood-destroying fungus are found on almost all tree species of the park which have been damaged by the fungi. The tree species, which are most susceptible to wood-destroying fungus, are: Betula pendula Roth., Fraxinus excelsior L., Salix alba L., Populus nigra and Quercus robur L. The lowest occurance of wood-destroying fungi was found on вільсі чорній and грабові звичайному. It has been proved that the role of wood-destroying fungus in urban plantations is negative. Most species of wood-destroying fungus cause a variety of rot. Such trees have no external signs of weakening for a long time. It is possible to find affected trees with wood-destroying mushrooms by the presence of fruit bodies. The methods of dealing with wood-destroying fungus are presented here. The main method is conducting periodic forest-pathological surveys to detect the species composition of wood-destroying fungus and the degree of affliction of plantations. In the park, along with the implementation of sanitary measures, the individual protection of trees is important. Methods of protection are; wound healing, wound rubbing after pruning and filling of tree hollows. Protection of trees on the basis of chemical methods should be carried out with single defeat. Measures to regulate recreational loads and prevent mechanical and other tree damage are also important in Chekman Park. The obtained research results broaden the idea of the species diversity of wood-destroying fungi in the park plantations of Khmelnytskyi and can be used in the organization and implementation of forest-pathological monitoring, as well as determining the locations of future sanitary and recreational activities.

Background Branch angle is a pivotal component of tea plant architecture. Tea plant architecture not only affects tea quality and yield but also influences the efficiency of automatic tea plant pruning. However, the molecular mechanism controlling the branch angle, which is an important aspect of plant architecture, is poorly understood in tea plants. Results In the present study, three CsLAZY genes were identified from tea plant genome data through sequence homology analysis. Phylogenetic tree displayed that the CsLAZY genes had high sequence similarity with LAZY genes from other plant species, especially those in woody plants. The expression patterns of the three CsLAZYs were surveyed in eight tissues. We further verified the expression levels of the key CsLAZY1 transcript in different tissues among eight tea cultivars and found that CsLAZY1 was highly expressed in stem. Subcellular localization analysis showed that the CsLAZY1 protein was localized in the plasma membrane. CsLAZY1 was transferred into Arabidopsis thaliana to investigate its potential role in regulating shoot development. Remarkably, the CsLAZY1 overexpressed plants responded more effectively than the wild-type plants to a gravity inversion treatment under light and dark conditions. The results indicate that CsLAZY1 plays an important role in regulating shoot gravitropism in tea plants. Conclusions The results provide important evidence for understanding the functions of CsLAZY1 in regulating shoot gravitropism and influencing the stem branch angle in tea plants. This report identifies CsLAZY1 as a promising gene resource for the improvement of tea plant architecture.

Mangifera indica is the fifth most consumed fruit worldwide, and the most important in tropical regions, but its anatomy is quite unexplored. Previous studies examined the effect of chemicals on the xylem structure in the stems of mango, but the anatomy of the phloem has remained elusive, leaving the long distance transport of photo assimilates understudied.In this work, we used a combination of fluorescence and electron microscopy to evaluate in detail the structure of the sieve tube elements composing the phloem tissue in the tapering branches of mango trees. We then used this information to better understand the hydraulic conductivity of the sieve tubes following current models of fluid transport in trees.Our results revealed that the anatomy of the phloem in the stems changes from current year branches, where it was protected by pericyclic fibers, to older ones, where the lack of fibers was concomitant with laticiferous canals embedded in the phloem tissue. Callose was present in the sieve plates, but also in the walls of the phloem conduits, making them discernible from other phloem cells in fresh sections. A scaling geometry of the sieve tube elements, including the number of sieve areas and the pore size across tapering branches resulted in an exponential conductivity from current year branches to the base of the tree.Our measurements of the phloem in mango fit with measurements of the phloem architecture in the stems of forest woody species, and imply that, despite agronomic pruning practices, the sieve conduits of the phloem scale with the tapering branches. As a result, the pipe model theory applied to the continuous tubing system of the phloem appears as a good approach to understand the “long distance” hydraulic transport of photoassimilates in fruit trees.

The genus Lasiodiplodia has been reported from several grape growing regions and is considered as one of the fastest wood colonizers, causing Botryosphaeria dieback. The aim of this study was to (i) evaluate the efficacy of Esquive®, a biocontrol agent, on vineyard pruning wound protection, applied single or, in a combined protection strategy with a new site-targeted copper-based treatment (LC2017), and (ii) compare their efficacy with chemical protection provided by the commercially available product, Tessior®. For two seasons, protectants were applied onto pruning wounds, while LC2017 was applied throughout the season according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pruning wounds of two different cultivars were inoculated with three isolates of Lasiodiplodia spp. Efficacy of the wound protectants, varied between both years of the assay and according to the cultivar studied but were able to control the pathogen to some extent. The application of LC2017 did not show clear evidence of improving the control obtained by the sole application of the other products tested. Nevertheless, LC2017 showed a fungistatic effect against Lasiodiplodia spp., in vitro, and has previously shown an elicitor effect against grapevine trunk diseases. Therefore, this combination of two protection strategies may constitute a promising long-term approach to mitigate the impact of Botryosphaeria dieback.

The interactive effects of cultivar, collecting period, and geographical location on the content and composition of biophenols and macro and micronutrients in olive (Olea europaea L.) leaf were investigated. Leaves of six cultivars were collected at three periods in two locations in Croatia. The leaves of Istarska bjelica cultivar had the greatest biophenol (oleuropein) potential, especially those sampled in January and in March at the location of Pag. All the cultivars yielded leaves with the highest concentration of biophenols in March, which coincided with the pruning period. Except for high oleuropein concentration in Istarska bjelica, flavonoids were found to be most useful for differentiating olive leaves according to cultivar. Verbascoside turned out to be the most potent differentiator of collecting periods, while phosphorus and zinc turned out to be most useful for differentiating locations. Despite different agroecological conditions at the two locations, cultivar exhibited a significant effect on olive leaf nutrient composition, which was certainly causally related to that of the biophenols. The results obtained showed that it is possible to plan more well-timed and efficient exploitation of biophenols from olive leaf based on the knowledge about the interactive effects of the three studied factors.

Vitex doniana is a major but threatened economic plant collected as a leafy vegetable and fruit in West Africa. How the species withstands coppicing as an agricultural management practice was investigated in this research. Three seedling vigor classes (10&ndash, 25 mm, 25&ndash, 30 mm, 30&ndash, 40 mm) and two coppicing heights (20 and 40 cm) were compared to controls in eight replicates using a randomized complete block design. Mixed effect models were used to compare the effects of treatments on sprouting intensity, sprout growth, and biomass yield in the short (12 months) and medium term (three and five years). Results indicated that V. doniana is a fast-growing species, with heights between 2.72&ndash, 7.73 m and diameter at breast height between 4.46&ndash, 14.64 cm in five years. Vigorous (basal diameter &gt, 30 mm) and shorter coppices (20 cm high) produced a higher number of sprouts. Although biomass yield was relatively higher on high coppices, the difference was not statistically significant. While a more severe harvesting regime was detrimental to plant growth, V. doniana can be managed to produce both vegetables and fuel wood in the medium term. These findings are significant for further improvement of the species, for food security, and climate resilience.

Diffuse greenhouse glass can increase the production and growth of several crops, by scattering the incoming direct sunlight, which results in a better and more homogeneous light distribution in the crop canopy. Tomato and bell pepper growers in Belgium tend to install low-haze diffuse glass with a double anti-reflection (AR) coating. These glass types have a limited diffuse effect but have a higher light transmission compared to standard float glass. Therefore, tomato growers often increase stem density to maximize light interception. However, a denser crop could counteract the positive effects of diffuse glass on the vertical light distribution. In this study, the effect of low-haze diffuse glass with an AR coating was evaluated for different cropping densities for tomato and bell pepper taking into account the vertical light distribution throughout the crop canopy. Tomato plants with two stem densities (3.33 and 3.75 stems.m&minus, 2) and bell pepper plants (with only one stem density of 7.1 stems.m&minus, 2) were evaluated in a greenhouse compartment with diffuse and reference float glass during a full growing season. For tomato, a significant production increase of 7.5% was observed under diffuse glass during the second half of the growing season but only for the low stem density. The benefit of diffuse glass appears most relevant during sunny clear skies and on the sun-side-facing rows of the crop. For bell pepper, no significant production increases were noted between regular float or diffuse glass, because a bell pepper crop is typically covered with thermal screens to prevent sunburn on the fruits during sunny days. The vertical light distribution and the usefulness of AR-coated diffuse glass depends on the crop type and should be optimized accordingly by altering the stem density, leaf pruning strategy, row orientation, or crop variety.

A new cycle of growth begins after pruning of cassava, and weed control is necessary. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the selectivity and efficiency of sequential application of herbicides alone and in mixture with and without of foliar fertilizer after pruning of cassava. Two experiments were carried out in a randomized block design with four replications. The treatments of Experiment 1 consisted of control without weeding; control with weeding; mesotrione; mesotrione/mesotrione; mesotrione + foliar fertilizer/mesotrione + foliar fertilizer; mesotrione/mesotrione + foliar fertilizer; mesotrione + clethodim; mesotrione + clethodim + foliar fertilizer/mesotrione + clethodim + foliar fertilizer; mesotrione + clethodim/mesotrione + clethodim; mesotrione + clethodim/chlorimuron; mesotrione + clethodim/chlorimuron + foliar fertilizer; mesotrione + clethodim + foliar fertilizer/chlorimuron + clethodim + foliar fertilizer; mesotrione + clethodim/chlorimuron + clethodim]. Treatments of Experiment 2 consisted of control without weeding; control with weeding; chlorimuron; chlorimuron + foliar fertilizer/chlorimuron + foliar fertilizer; chlorimuron/chlorimuron; chlorimuron + clethodim; chlorimuron + clethodim + foliar fertilizer/chlorimuron + clethodim + foliar fertilizer; chlorimuron + clethodim/chlorimuron + clethodim; chlorimuron + clethodim/mesotrione + foliar fertilizer; chlorimuron + clethodim/mesotrione; chlorimuron + clethodim + foliar fertilizer/mesotrione + clethodim + foliar fertilizer; chlorimuron + clethodim/mesotrione + clethodim. The doses of mesotrione, clethodim, and chlorimuron used in both experiments were 240, 120, and 20 g ha-1, respectively, while 2.5 L of the commercial product Amino Plus® was used as foliar fertilizer. The first application was carried out at 50 days after pruning and the second application at 22 days after the first application. In Experiment 1, the application of mesotrione, mesotrione/mesotrione, and mesotrione + clethodim/mesotrione + clethodim showed selectivity to cassava and were efficient in weed control. In Experiment 2, chlorimuron + clethodim/mesotrione, chlorimuron + clethodim + foliar fertilizer/mesotrione + clethodim + foliar fertilizer, and chlorimuron + clethodim/mesotrione + clethodim were efficient in weed control, but no treatment was selective. The addition of foliar fertilizer to the spray solution did not contribute to increase selectivity.

Grape growers use rootstocks to provide protection against pests and pathogens and to modulate viticulture performance such as shoot growth. Our study examined two grapevine scion varieties (‘Chardonnay’ and ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’) grafted to 15 different rootstocks and determined the effect of rootstocks on eight traits important to viticulture. We assessed the vines across five years and identified both year and variety as contributing strongly to trait variation. The effect of rootstock was relatively consistent across years and varieties, explaining between 8.99% and 9.78% of the variation in growth-related traits including yield, pruning weight, berry weight, and Ravaz index (yield to pruning weight ratio). Increases in yield due to rootstock were generally the result of increases in berry weight, likely due to increased water uptake by vines grafted to a particular rootstock. We demonstrated a greater than 50% increase in yield, pruning weight, or Ravaz index by choosing the optimal rootstock, indicating that rootstock choice is crucial for grape growers looking to improve vine performance.

Vine-shoots post-pruning storage time revealed an important stilbenes accumulation, but there are no studies with other minor metabolites. For this reason, the evolution of non-volatile phenolic and volatile compounds of two vine-shoot cultivars (Airen and Cencibel) after 1, 3 and 6 months of post-pruning storage was studied. Significant differences among cultivars were observed, making a total average content of 2 g/kg in Airen and 1.6 g/kg in Cencibel, being the non-volatile phenolic fraction the most abundant. The highest accumulation was observed after 6 months post-pruning storage. Especially significant was the accumulation of vanillin at 6 months, with a 7% increment observed in Airen cultivar and 35% in Cencibel. Such increment was related to the decrement of ferulic acid content with time. Consequently, the storage of vine-shoots post-pruned have a direct impact on the concentration of several metabolites, not only stilbenes, which suggest an alternative new use of such agricultural wastes.

In the EU-28, the annual fruit tree production is about 1.29 million ha. In Germany pome and stone fruit are cultivated on 44,744 ha (apples 31,334 ha, 3855 ha plums, 1925 ha pears). This generates not only food, but also abundant amounts of biomass when orchards are cleared at the end of their life span. While the pruning wood from fruit trees is already partly utilized, clearance wood has not been studied in detail for its energetic potential for direct combustion. The main aim was to evaluate the woody residues potential from a fruit tree production area of 676 ha and if that were suitable for direct combustion in a regional context. The mean biomass yield of clearance wood from fruit orchards in the study is 10.6 Mg*ha−1, with a theoretical energy content of 53,172 kWh*ha−1. With a total annual biomass yield of 357 Mg in the studied area, an oil equivalent of over 150,000 L could be substituted each year by clearance wood from fruit orchards. Utilization of clearance wood as an abundant biomass source is a promising concept for a sustainable energy supply on a local to regional scale and without interfering in food production or causing land allocation issues.

In paired field experiments, two Trichoderma sp. isolates were evaluated for their ability to separately prevent wood decay on the pruning wounds of Benin mahogany (Khaya grandifoliola) and rain tree (Samanea saman) in Singapore. For each species, 150 pruning wounds were created among 10 trees and received either a conidial suspension of the biological control agent or no treatment. At regular intervals, the ability of the isolates to colonize wounds was evaluated using selective fungal isolations, and wound wood occlusion was simultaneously monitored by successive wound diameter measurements. After 18 months, the wounds were harvested and dissected to measure the size of wood discoloration columns. Overall, relatively superior outcomes for the biological control of wood decay were observed on rain tree compared to Benin mahogany. Trichoderma spp. were approximately twice as abundant on the treated wounds of rain tree than Benin mahogany at all times during the experiment. Although the Trichoderma spp. isolates were effectively inoculated onto the pruning wounds of both species, they were isolated at rates that declined by approximately half over the 18-month experiment. Compared to non-treated controls, rain tree pruning wounds treated with T. harzianum 9132 had significantly less wood discoloration and greater wound wood occlusion, but the same treatment effects were not observed on Benin mahogany using T. virens W23. The results demonstrate that T. harzianum 9132 is an effective biological control agent for wood decay on rain tree, and the treatment effects offer a valuable way to limit the biological and mechanical costs of tree pruning.

Pruning is an important management practice for regulating tree structure and physiology, and the timing of pruning can enhance forage production during dry periods of the year. Experimental pruning was performed on Guazuma ulmifolia trees to explain the morphological and physiological changes that occur when they are subjected to programmed defoliation to promote regrowth during the dry season. Three prunings (P-1, P-2 and P-3) were conducted from August to October (rainy season), and four foliage harvesting dates (H-a, H-b, H-c and H-d) occurred from February to April (dry season) over 2 years of evaluation. The trees developed similar numbers of branches from pruning and harvesting (P > 0.05). Differing predefined pruning height resulted in greater tree height in P-3. Trees in P-1 developed shorter (P

Hymenoscyphus fraxineus causes a destructive invasive tree disease known as ash dieback threatening the survival of common ash not only in the forests, but also in urban and landscape settings. Pruning is a potential management practice that could help maintain tree vitality and aesthetics in parks, gardens, alleys and recreation areas, as well as maintaining veteran trees having high heritage or cultural value, or trees with high genetic importance (e.g. located in clonal seed orchards). In this study we investigated the maximum distance proximal to the lesion margin at which H. fraxineus can be detected on individual branches infected by the fungus in order to provide recommendations for pruning. Pruning of branches was carried out on 38 trees in southern Sweden. Tissue samples including bark and wood were collected from the margin of the lesion and at 5 cm intervals proximal to the lesion. Molecular analysis revealed presence of H. fraxineus in 91.3% of the investigated lesions. The proportion of lesions at which H. fraxineus could be detected declined with increasing distance from the lesion margin, with a significant reduction in the number of positive samples at 10 cm proximal to the margin. At 30 cm from the lesion edge the pathogen was never detected. Our results suggest that routine pruning may help maintain the vitality of younger trees. Pruning branches at least 35 cm from visible, active lesions in the bark should exclude the fungus and therefore reduce the probability of stem infection by H. fraxineus , however this cultural control tactic may only be economically feasible for high value amenity trees.

Recovery of the root system following physical damage is an essential issue for plant survival. An injured root system is able to regenerate by increases in lateral root (LR) number and acceleration of root growth. The horticultural technique of root pruning (root cutting) is an application of this response and is a common garden technique for controlling plant growth. Although root pruning is widely used, the molecular mechanisms underlying the subsequent changes in the root system are poorly understood. In this study, root pruning was employed as a model system to study the molecular mechanisms of root system regeneration. Notably, LR defects in wild-type plants treated with inhibitors of polar auxin transport (PAT) or in the auxin signaling mutant auxin/indole-3-acetic acid19/massugu2 were recovered by root pruning. Induction of IAA19 following root pruning indicates an enhancement of auxin signaling by root pruning. Endogenous levels of IAA increased after root pruning, and YUCCA9 was identified as the primary gene responsible. PAT-related genes were induced after root pruning, and the YUCCA inhibitor yucasin suppressed root regeneration in PAT-related mutants. Therefore, we demonstrate the crucial role of YUCCA9, along with other redundant YUCCA family genes, in the enhancement of auxin biosynthesis following root pruning. This further enhances auxin transport and activates downstream auxin signaling genes, and thus increases LR number.

Maqui ( Aristotelia chilensis (Molina) Stuntz) is a wild tree native to Chile with one of the highest levels of antioxidant activities known. The increasing demand for its fruit is all coming from wild collection. The ongoing domestication process is seeking for better fruit quality and sustainability of the production. The present research studies the response of cultivated maqui to different pruning treatments: spring heading, summer heading and renewal cuts. Spring pruning favored the appearance of vegetative and reproductive shoots. This treatment also improved the fruit yield of the following season compared with summer pruning. Vegetative shoots sprout mainly on two year old branches, while reproductive shoots appear also from recently grown plant sections. To achieve high fruit yields, maqui should be pruned in spring and branches renewed constantly to maintain a small plant size.