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The present study on evaluation of low-cost hydroponics using different crops as a supplementation for fodder for livestock was conducted at Kumaraguru Institute of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu in 2019. From the study, it was concluded that on 8th day, shoot biomass per plant was recorded maximum in maize (55 g) and minimum in ragi (37 g). Highest fodder production was recorded in maize (8.6 kg). Maize also resulted in highest B-C ratio of 1:2.8. The results showed that maize was superior over other crops in case of shoot biomass per plant production, fodder production and B-C ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis and analysis of past cropping research can provide valuable information to direct future decisions around crop management. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are considered gold standards in the synthesis and analysis of scientific research because they distil large amounts of information about complex issues, provide a summary of knowledge to date, and identify knowledge gaps. However, several issues concerning the methodologies employed to conduct systematic reviews have been identified; among them is the risk of publication bias when a review relies too heavily on 'white' literature from published academic sources and in so doing fails identify relevant 'grey' literature. Grey literature is inherently difficult to identify and collect, but forms a large portion of information available in many fields including agricultural-based research within Australia. The Online Farm Trials (OFT) database is a digital database of crop research field trial data from across Australia that has the potential for use as a discipline-specific source of grey literature to inform systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Using a case study approach to investigate the amount of information available on time of sowing (sowing date) on crop yield across Australia, we demonstrate that the OFT database provides easy access to transparent and reproducible search results similar to other commonly used academic databases. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are considered gold standards in the synthesis and analyses of scientific research, but search methods often rely heavily on 'white' literature from published academic sources, and do not identify relevant 'grey' literature. Here, we show that the Online Farm Trials database provides an easily searchable source of relevant grey literature that should be used for future reviews and analyses of Australian grain crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For 13 cucumber genotypes grown under greenhouse conditions the researchers quantified relations among seven variables: fruit length (FL, in cm), fruit diameter (FD, in mm), fruit weight (FW, in g), number of fruits per plant (NFP), yield (Y, in kg/plant), percentage of total soluble solids (TSS, in °Brix), and days to start of harvest (DSH, in days after transplant-dat). Also, path analysis was estimated for yield. The crop was planted on coconut fiber as substrate, and managed with fertigation. Yield showed a highly significant correlation with FD (r = -0.75**) and NFP (r = 0.59**). The main positive direct effects on yield were exhibited by FW (path coefficient-PC = 1.66), NFP (PC = 1.18) and DSH (PC = 0.28), while maximum positive indirect effects on yield were exhibited by FL (PC = 1.63), DSH (PC = 1.01), FD (PC = 0.65) and TSS (PC = 0.65) through FW; and by NFP (PC = 0.61) through FL. On the other hand, the main negative direct effects on yield were exhibited by FL (PC = -0.78), TSS (PC = -0.23) and FD (PC = -0.17). It is concluded that FW and NFP were the main yield contributing variables in these trials, and thus represents fundamental selection criteria for greenhouse cucumber breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-way tables of data, either observed or standardized in some way, are commonly analyzed by spectral decomposition or singular value decomposition, providing scores for both rows and columns of the two-way classification. Two of the most common examples in plant and crop research are sample × variable data (principal component analysis) and genotype × environment data, the latter either centered for environment only (genotype main effect plus genotype × environment interaction biplots) or doubly centered for both genotype and environment (genotype × environment interaction biplots based on the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction [AMMI] model). Results are often displayed by plotting the row scores, column scores, or both to visually study the structure of the data. Usually, arrows or lines are drawn from the origin to facilitate interpretation. Graphical features such as angles between arrows and distances between points, as well as graphical operations such as orthogonal projections, allow a number of useful interpretations. For the validity of such properties and operations, it is imperative that the two axes of a plot or biplot be equally scaled exactly (i.e., 1 cm on the vertical axis must represent the same number of units as 1 cm on the horizontal axis). Unfortunately, this important fact is often neglected by users when preparing such plots or integrating them into a text document for publication, rendering all of these features of a plot essentially meaningless. The purpose of the present note, therefore, is to highlight the importance of equal scaling using pertinent examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frost research to improve genetics or management solutions requires a robust experimental design that minimizes the effects of all other variables that can cause plant damage except for the treatment (frost). Controlled environment facilities cannot faithfully replicate field radiative frost processes, but field studies are limited by the reliability of field methods to exclude frost. An effective field frost exclusion method needs to prevent frost damage while not impacting growing microclimate or yield, and be automatic, modular, mobile, and affordable. In this study, we designed an effective prototype treatment with these features for field frost research that uses diesel heating. The effectiveness of the plot heater to provide an unfrosted control is evaluated by monitoring canopy temperature (CT) and air temperature during frost events, showing that these remain above zero in the heated plots when ambient temperature drops below zero. We find that the plot heater method can prevent potential frost damage at the plot-scale, while not appearing to have an impact on either plant development or yield components. This offers a potential new tool for frost field crop researchers to incorporate a plot-scale control into their experimental design.

Proper application of experimental statistics is very important issue in plant and crop research. Results of the surveys of research papers published in agricultural and biological journals show that very often statistics is used or interpreted incorrectly by authors. Researchers usually do not pay enough attention to correct statistics application in all stages of the investigation. The aim of this paper is to stress the main points on widely used statistical methods in plant and crop research. The paper includes topics on research design and statistical analyses, basic assumptions and transformations, ANOVA application, regression and correlation analyses, presentation of research results. Suggestions on proper usage of statistical methods in all stages of crop research are provided. This paper does not cover statistical methods which are beyond traditional ANOVA and regression and more advanced computer packages are needed to perform them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface ozone is mainly produced by photochemical reactions involving various anthropogenic pollutants, whose emissions are increasing rapidly in India due to fast-growing anthropogenic activities. This study estimates the losses of wheat and rice crop yields using surface ozone observations from a group of 17 sites, for the first time, covering different parts of India. We used the mean ozone for 7 h during the day (M7) and accumulated ozone over a threshold of 40 ppbv (AOT40) metrics for the calculation of crop losses for the northern, eastern, western and southern regions of India. Our estimates show the highest annual loss of wheat (about 9 million ton) in the northern India, one of the most polluted regions in India, and that of rice (about 2.6 million ton) in the eastern region. The total all India annual loss of 4.0-14.2 million ton (4.2-15.0%) for wheat and 0.3-6.7 million ton (0.3-6.3%) for rice are estimated. The results show lower crop loss for rice than that of wheat mainly due to lower surface ozone levels during the cropping season after the Indian summer monsoon. These estimates based on a network of observation sites show lower losses than earlier estimates based on limited observations and much lower losses compared to global model estimates. However, these losses are slightly higher compared to a regional model estimate. Further, the results show large differences in the loss rates of both the two crops using the M7 and AOT40 metrics. This study also confirms that AOT40 cannot be fit with a linear relation over the Indian region and suggests for the need of new metrics that are based on factors suitable for this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water saving was and remains an acute problem in places with water scarcity and inaccessibility. In order to solve this problem, drip irrigation started to be used in many countries, and for the first time, in Kazakhstan, there were used cultures that consume water sufficiently in large quantities such as rice and soybean. Ways of irrigation have significant effect on elements of structure of a rice and soybean crop. Drip irrigation with a two-row tape way of crops forms essentially distinct structure of a rice crop in comparison with usual technology of cultivation of rice and soybean. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) and soybean (Glycine Max L. Merr.) crops were grown in 2013-2016 to determine effect of drip irrigation in the different variants water levels on growth and productivity under conditions of the south-east of Kazakhstan. In result of three years of researches on studying of rice and soybean drip irrigation efficiency were made the following conclusions: Drip irrigation (Di) with application of the mulching film promotes emergence of early and amicable shoots of rice and soybean, intensive growth and development of plants, productivity increase. Drip irrigation with use of the mulching film at 8-10 times reduces a contamination of crops of rice that allows to exclude application of manual use, mechanical and chemical processing of crops. Use of the mulching film under rice drip irrigation promotes creation of the favorable nitric mode of the soil with big accumulation of ammoniac and nitrate nitrogen and mobilization of motile phosphorus. The best way of rice crops under drip irrigation is 2-row tape crops with distance between tapes of 70 cm and a row-spacing in a tape of 30 cm. At the same time the drip tape keeps within row-spacings in a tape. Comparison of the productivity of soybean varieties showed that productivity in variants with mulch far exceeded variants without mulching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classification methods based on Gaussian Markov Measure Field Models and other probabilistic approaches have to face the problem of construction of the likelihood. Typically, in these methods, the likelihood is computed from 1D or 3D histograms. However, when the number of information sources grows, as in the case of satellite images, the histogram construction becomes more difficult due to the high dimensionality of the feature space. In this work, we propose a generalization of Gaussian Markov Measure Field Models and provide a probabilistic segmentation scheme, which fuses multiple information sources for image segmentation. In particular, we apply the general model to classify types of crops in satellite images. The proposed method allows us to combine several feature spaces. For this purpose, the method requires prior information for building a 3D histogram for each considered feature space. Based on previous histograms, we can compute the likelihood of each site of the image to belong to a class. The computed likelihoods are the main input of the proposed algorithm and are combined in the proposed model using a contrast criteria. Different feature spaces are analyzed, among them are 6 spectral bands from LANDSAT 5 TM, 3 principal components from PCA on 6 spectral bands and 3 principal components from PCA applied on 10 vegetation indices. The proposed algorithm was applied to a real image and obtained excellent results in comparison to different classification algorithms used in crop classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A transnational approach to plant science is required to address global challenges such as food security and climate change. Action from the plant, crop and agricultural science communities will be required to meet these challenges. Islands of knowledge (e.g. crop, discipline, scale, environment, organization) need to be better integrated. Mapping is needed to identify gaps and make connections between these islands. Translational research, spanning from the molecular to farm scale, should be the focus. We need more `integrators' to manage complex global projects and integration should be recognized as an important skill in itself. We need to advocate teamwork over individuality - and reward teams. Impact should be taken much more seriously as an outcome and we need to better understand impact pathways. Focusing on key game-changers will more likely lead to impact rather than attempting to do everything. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are currently 805 million people classified as chronically undernourished, and yet the World's population is still increasing. At the same time, global warming is causing more frequent and severe flooding and drought, thus destroying crops and reducing the amount of land available for agriculture. Recent studies show that without crop climate adaption, crop productivity will deteriorate. With access to 3D models of real plants it is possible to acquire detailed morphological and gross developmental data that can be used to study their ecophysiology, leading to an increase in crop yield and stability across hostile and changing environments. Here we review approaches to the reconstruction of 3D models of plant shoots from image data, consider current applications in plant and crop science, and identify remaining challenges. We conclude that although phenotyping is receiving an increasing amount of attention - particularly from computer vision researchers - and numerous vision approaches have been proposed, it still remains a highly interactive process. An automated system capable of producing 3D models of plants would significantly aid phenotyping practice, increasing accuracy and repeatability of measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the table of content of the periodical of June 2019 reports the economics of agriculture, food, natural resources, and the environment in Canada; lists members of the periodical editorial board including editor Getu Hailu; and presents the periodical copyright and copying policies.

An experiment was carried out to study the effect of type and time of pruning on flowering behaviour of Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica L.) in sub-tropical landscape during 2013-15. The experiment was laid out in two-factor randomized block design comprising four different levels of pruning viz., P0 (unpruned), P1 (45 cm height from ground level), P2 (60 cm height from ground level), P3 (75 cm height from ground level) and five different times of pruning viz., T1 (15th October 2013), T2 (15th November 2013), T3 (15th December 2013), T4 (15th January 2014) and T5 (15th February 2014). Among the levels of pruning, pruning at height of 75 cm from ground level was found to be best for increasing flowering period, quantity and quality. It induced early flowering (bud visibility at 151.53 days, bud opening at 165.33 days, full bloom at 177.87 days), greater flower number 699.33/plant and longer flowering duration 109.73 days. Among the months, February (2014) month responded best in terms of flower earliness (bud visibility at 102.25 days, bud opening at 117.58 days, full bloom at 132.50 days), more number of flowers per plant i. e. 676.33/plant and longer flowering duration 105.92 days compared to other pruning levels and time. The treatment combination pruning at 75 cm from ground levels in February month was the best for good quality flower production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation was carried out during rabi seasons of 2013-14 and 2014-15 at Horticultural Research Station, Mondouri, Faculty of Horticulture, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia (West Bengal), India. The experiment consisted of four tomato varieties, namely, Pusa 120, Pant T 3, Arka Vikash and Pathar kuchi and five flower flushes of each variety. The experiment was laid out in two-factor randomized block design with three replications. Most of the characters were found to be statistically significant with respect to variety, flower flush and their interaction. The variety Pusa 120 under its third flush recorded highest fruit yield (4.23 kg/plant) followed by Pant T 3 variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies were associated with the influence of rootstock on Oriental melon volatile aroma compounds. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether Cucurbita and Cucumis melo rootstocks could influence the aroma volatile compounds of Oriental melon fruits. The effects of grafting two rootstock genotypes, Cucurbita moschata × Cucurbita moschata hybrid [Nanzhen No. 1 (NZ1)] and Oriental pickling melo (OPM, Cucumis melo L. var. conomon Makino), on the volatile compounds of Oriental melon 'Liyu' fruits were studied. Relatively low levels of the volatiles responsible for sweet notes were observed in fruits from grafted plants. However, the levels of key aroma esters ethyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate and phenyl methyl acetate were similar in grafted and non-grafted samples. Grafted samples were tasted similar to non-grafted samples. Grafting to Cucurbita rootstock NZ1 and C. melo rootstock OPM resulted in 'Liyu' of acceptable quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of greenhouse bioassays, the sensitivities of root and shoot biomass of barley (Hordeum vulgareL.), corn (Zea maysL.), oilseed rape (Brassica napusL.) and sugar beet (Beta vulgarisL.) to soil-incorporated sulfosulfuron and tribenuron methyl were assessed. Shoot and root biomass production was measured 30 days after emergence. Plant responses, including roots and shoots dry weight per pot, were described by a three parameter log-logistic regression model as a function of sulfosulfuron or tribenuron methyl doses and the relative sensitivities were calculated at the various ED-levels with their associated 95% confidence intervals. The most precise ED-levels were that at ED50and sensitivity rank was oilseed rape, sugar beet, corn and barley, whatever the chosen response level and herbicide. We calculated relative sensitivities at ED10, ED50and ED90for the species of barley, the most tolerant crop, as reference. Comparison of relative sensitivity of crops to both herbicides showed that the sensitivity of these crops was much larger for tribenuron methyl than for sulfosulfuron. Oilseed rape was the most sensitive species (ED50 = 0.202 and 0.179 µg kg−1soil for root dry weight (RDW) response to sulfosulfuron and tribenuron methyl, respectively) while barley was the most tolerant one (ED50 = 1.008 and 3.68 µg kg−1soil for RDW response to sulfosulfuron and tribenuron methyl, respectively). Sugar beet and corn had intermediate sensitivity. Also, we demonstrated how important it is to show the confidence intervals of relative sensitivities. In several instances the relative sensitivities, even numerically large, were not significantly different from 1.00. We demonstrate that classifying biotypes as resistant to a herbicide requires the threshold of resistance/susceptible (R/S) of 4.00 only be accepted if confidence intervals do not cover 1.00. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Point-based crop models are frequently used to investigate the interaction of genotype, environment and management (G × E × M) for breeding programs and adaptation research. These studies require the processing of millions of simulations to make assessments in national scales. Here we demonstrate a platform to run crop simulations with HTCondor as implemented across more than 120 000 cores on CSIRO network. The workflow of HTCondor usages was built through a server-client structure with standardized messages (simulations), which were queued by message queue sever. The new workflow maximized the performance of the CSIRO HTCondor service and could simultaneously utilize more than 8000 cores. A case study of 4.8 million APSIM simulations (ca. 2 mins each on model desktop), was completed in 32.5 h. This platform makes it is possible to assess all combinations of G × E × M in a short period. The generic platform has since been used to run other massive serial processing tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utility of time series polarimetric C-band data for vegetation state monitoring was explored to understand the mechanism of growth and phenology for important winter crops in India. Parameters investigated were HH–VV phase difference (co-polarization phase difference, PPD), amplitude ratio, and polarization indices. Data were acquired during the entire growth phase categorized as early, mid/peak vegetative, and post-vegetative /flowering phase. The trend emerging in this study showed a shift in the phase difference distribution for agricultural areas relating to the growth rate for various crops. The time series data set revealed that the PPD is a function of frequency and was directly affected by crop type (planophile or erectophile), vigour, structure, and crop biophysical parameters, particularly biomass. The behaviour of crop biomass with PPD responded differentially across crop architectures and vigour classes. Co-polarization index was found to be a good measure for discrimination in early growth stages while cross-polarization index suited in advanced vegetative stages where geometrical orientation was uniform. The PPD captured the change in frequency distribution resulting in a peaked distribution at sowing changing to smooth, well-spread frequency distribution as the peak vegetation stage approaches. This histogram nature is observed to be gradual for high-biomass crops and peaked in case of the low-biomass crops. It is indicative of the rate of growth; a low peaked normal curve indicates faster growth rate and resulting in high biomass. The amplitude ratio in the later phase of growth as on the third date is similarly altered as in the VV returns from the crop. Intuition of the rate of growth and plant vigour is obtained from the temporal PPD pattern. The current study shows that while phase differences and amplitude ratio carry little information content on a single resolution cell basis, their spatial distribution over a wider time span can be used to derive quantitative relationships between SAR response and crop condition. The synergy of information involving the above parameters were used to derive useful information on the vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Sugarcane is an annual crop with a dynamic canopy that changes over time mainly because of genetic adaptation. There is uncertainty about the temporal trends of throughfall ( TF) in this important commercial crop. In the present paper, we used troughs to measure TF in a third and fourth ratoon and subsequently in a fourth and fifth ratoon. Additional measurements were carried out in an adjacent riparian forest. There were no significant differences between cycles of sugarcane, growth phases and riparian forest. The TF results for ratoon crop and riparian forest in 2011/2012 were 76% and 79.5% of gross rainfall, respectively, while in 2012/2013, they were 79% and 78%, respectively. However, TF was remarkably lower in the riparian forest relative to ratoon from the second half of the culm formation and elongation phase (280 days after harvest) until harvest. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid inversion method was developed to estimate the leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) and canopy chlorophyll content (CCC) of crops. Fifty hyperspectral vegetation indices (VIs), such as the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) and canopy chlorophyll index (CCI), were compared to identify the appropriate VIs for crop LCC and CCC inversion. The hybrid inversion models were then generated from different modelling methods, including the curve-fitting and least squares support vector regression (LS-SVR) and random forest regression (RFR) algorithms, by using simulated Compact High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (CHRIS) datasets that were generated by a radiative transfer model. Finally, the remote-sensing mapping of a CHRIS image was completed to test the inversion accuracy. The results showed that the remote-sensing mapping of the CHRIS image yielded an accuracy ofR2= 0.77 and normalized root mean squared error (NRMSE) = 17.34% for the CCC inversion, and an accuracy of onlyR2= 0.33 and NRMSE = 26.03% for LCC inversion, which indicates that the remote-sensing technique was more appropriate for obtaining chlorophyll content at the canopy scale (CCC) than at the leaf scale (LCC). The estimated results of various VIs and algorithms suggested that the PRI and CCI were the optimal VIs for LCC and CCC inversion, respectively, and RFR was the optimal method for modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Austronesian settlement of the remote island of Madagascar remains one of the great puzzles of Indo-Pacific prehistory. Although linguistic, ethnographic, and genetic evidence points clearly to a colonization of Madagascar by Austronesian language-speaking people from Island Southeast Asia, decades of archaeological research have failed to locate evidence for a Southeast Asian signature in the island's early material record. Here, we present new archaeobotanical data that show that Southeast Asian settlers brought Asian crops with them when they settled in Africa. These crops provide the first, to our knowledge, reliable archaeological window into the Southeast Asian colonization of Madagascar. They additionally suggest that initial Southeast Asian settlement in Africa was not limited to Madagascar, but also extended to the Comoros. Archaeobotanical data may support a model of indirect Austronesian colonization of Madagascar from the Comoros and/or elsewhere in eastern Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message : Thermotolerant crop research. Abstract: Global warming has become a serious worldwide threat. High temperature is a major environmental factor limiting crop productivity. Current adaptations to high temperature via alterations to technical and management systems are insufficient to sustain yield. For this reason, breeding for heat-tolerant crops is in high demand. This review provides an overview of the effects of high temperature on plant physiology, fertility and crop yield and discusses the strategies for breeding heat-tolerant cultivars. Generating thermotolerant crops seems to be a challenging task as heat sensitivity is highly variable across developmental stages and processes. In response to heat, plants trigger a cascade of events, switching on numerous genes. Although breeding has made substantial advances in developing heat-tolerant lines, the genetic basis and diversity of heat tolerance in plants remain largely unknown. The development of new varieties is expensive and time-consuming, and knowledge of heat tolerance mechanisms would aid the design of strategies to screen germplasm for heat tolerance traits. However, gains in heat tolerance are limited by the often narrow genetic diversity. Exploration and use of wild relatives and landraces in breeding can increase useful genetic diversity in current crops. Due to the complex nature of plant heat tolerance and its immediate global concern, it is essential to face this breeding challenge in a multidisciplinary holistic approach involving governmental agencies, private companies and academic institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The estimations of greenhouse gas (GHG) field emissions from fertilization and soil carbon changes are challenges associated with calculating the carbon footprint (CFP) of agricultural products. At the regional level, the IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (2006a) Tier 1 approach, based on default emission factors, insufficiently accounts for emission variability resulting from pedo-climatic conditions or management practices. However, Tier 2 and 3 approaches are usually considered too complex to be practicable. In this paper, we discuss different readily available medium-effort methods to improve the accuracy of GHG emission estimates. Methods: We present four case studies-two wheat crops in Germany and two peach orchards in Italy-to test the performance of Tier 1, 2, and 3 methodologies and compare the estimated results with available field measurements. The methodologies selected at Tier 2 and Tier 3 level are characterized by simple implementation and data collection, for which only a medium level of effort for stakeholders is required. The Tier 2 method consists of calculating direct and indirect NO, emissions from fertilization with a multivariate empirical model which accounts for pedo-climatic and crop management conditions. The Tier 3 method entails simulation of soil carbon stock change using the Rothamsted carbon model. Results and discussion: Relevant differences were found among the tested methodologies: in all case studies, the Tier 1 approach exceeded the Tier 2 estimations for fertilizer-induced emissions (up to +50 %) and the measurements. Using this higher Tier approach reduced the estimated CFP calculation of annual crops by 4 and 21 % and that of the perennial crop by 7 %. Removals related to positive soil carbon change calculated using the Tier 1 approach also exceeded the Tier 3 calculations for the studied annual crops (up to +90 %) but considerably underrated the Tier 3 estimations and measurements for perennial crops (−75 %). In this case, the impact of the selected Tier method on the final CFP results was even more relevant: an increase of 194 and 88 % for the studied annual crops and a decrease of 67 % for the perennial crop case study. Conclusions: The use of higher Tiers for the estimation of land-based emissions is strongly recommended to improve the accuracy of the CFP results. The suggested medium-effort methods tested in this study represent a good compromise between complexity reduction and accuracy improvement and can be considered reliable for the assessment of GHG mitigation potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulation of oil biosynthesis in plant seeds has been extensively studied, and biotechnological approaches have been designed to increase seed oil content. Oil and protein synthesis is negatively correlated in seeds, but the mechanisms controlling interactions between these two pathways are unknown. Here, we identify the molecular mechanism controlling oil and protein content in seeds. We utilized transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants overexpressing WRINKLED1 ( WRI1), a master transcription factor regulating seed oil biosynthesis, and knockout mutants of major seed storage proteins. Oil and protein biosynthesis in wild-type plants was sequentially activated during early and late seed development, respectively. The negative correlation between oil and protein contents in seeds arises from competition between the pathways. Extension of WRI1 expression during mid-phase of seed development significantly enhanced seed oil content. This study demonstrates that temporal activation of genes involved in oil or storage protein biosynthesis determines the oil/protein ratio in Arabidopsis seeds. These results provide novel insights into potential breeding strategies to generate crops with high oil contents in seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Puccinia striiformis causes stripe rust on cereal crops and many grass species. However, it is not clear whether the stripe rust populations on grasses are able to infect cereal crops and how closely they are related to each other. In this study, 103 isolates collected from wheat, barley, triticale, rye, and grasses in the United States were characterized by virulence tests and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Of 69 pathotypes identified, 41 were virulent on some differentials of wheat only, 10 were virulent on some differentials of barley only, and 18 were virulent on some differentials of both wheat and barley. These pathotypes were clustered into three groups: group one containing isolates from wheat, triticale, rye, and grasses; group two isolates were from barley and grasses; and group three isolates were from grasses and wheat. SSR markers identified 44 multilocus genotypes (MLGs) and clustered them into three major molecular groups (MG) with MLGs in MG3 further classified into three subgroups. Isolates from cereal crops were present in one or more of the major or subgroups, but not all, whereas grass isolates were present in all of the major and subgroups. The results indicate that grasses harbor more diverse isolates of P. striiformis than the cereals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient strategies for limiting the impact of pathogens on crops require a good understanding of the factors underlying the evolution of compatibility range for the pathogens and host plants, i.e., the set of host genotypes that a particular pathogen genotype can infect and the set of pathogen genotypes that can infect a particular host genotype. Until now, little is known about the evolutionary and ecological factors driving compatibility ranges in systems implicating crop plants. We studied the evolution of host and pathogen compatibility ranges for rice blast disease, which is caused by the ascomycete Magnaporthe oryzae. We challenged 61 rice varieties from three rice subspecies with 31 strains of M. oryzae collected worldwide from all major known genetic groups. We determined the compatibility range of each plant variety and pathogen genotype and the severity of each plant-pathogen interaction. Compatibility ranges differed between rice subspecies, with the most resistant subspecies selecting for pathogens with broader compatibility ranges and the least resistant subspecies selecting for pathogens with narrower compatibility ranges. These results are consistent with a nested distribution of R genes between rice subspecies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding for stress-resilient crops strongly depends on technological and biological advancements that have provided a wealth of information on genetic variants and their contribution to stress tolerance. In the context of the upcoming challenges for agriculture due to climate change, such as prolonged and/or increased stress intensities, CO 2 increase and stress combinations, hierarchizing this information is key to accelerating crop improvement towards sustained or even increased productivity. We propose traits with high scalability to yield and crop performance that can be targeted for improvement and provide examples of recent discoveries with potential applicability in breeding. Critical to success is the integrated analysis of the phenotypes of genetic variants across different environmental variables using modelling approaches and high-throughput phenotyping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive vegetable production in greenhouse systems has been largely developed in southeast Spain in the past 40 years, thus the elimination of tonnage amounts of by-products inherent to this economic activity constitutes a major problem to solve. To discern the suitability for biogas production of the different by-products generated, a study about their proximate composition was carried out in fresh and ensiled material. The output of the analyses indicates a chemical composition similar to medium-high quality forages, since all exhibited high protein and digestible fiber content, and a low amount of lignin, showing the applied model an optimal potential for methane production. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A long-term field experiment on a Haplic Phaeozem, established 1949 with four levels of potassium (K) supply (5, 69, 133, and 261 kg K ha-1), was analyzed for the interaction between K supply and yield loss of five crop species by water shortage. The crop species were cultivated simultaneously side-by-side in the following rotation: potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), silage maize (Zea mays L.), spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), beet (Beta vulgaris L.), and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The treatment with 133 kg K ha-1 supply had a nearly balanced K budget. In the treatments with lower supply, the soil delivered K from its mineral constituents. On the low- K plots (especially on those with only 5 kg K ha-1), crops suffered yield depressions of nearly all main harvest products (cereal grains, potato tubers, beet storage roots, silage maize) and byproducts (straw, beet leaves) by up to 40.7% of dry matter. Only wheat grains were an exception. Potassium concentrations in the harvested plant parts decreased nearly in parallel to the reduction of their dry matter yields, with the exception of cereal grains, which kept stable concentrations even in the treatment with only 5 kg K ha-1. A comparison of four year-pairs with differing levels of precipitation in yield-relevant periods showed an average water shortage-induced depression of dry matter yields by 19.7% in the main harvest products. The severity of this yield depression was not mitigated by elevated K supply, with the exception of beet leaves, where the dry matter production was stabilized by high K supply. In this crop, the reduction of storage-root yield was associated with a decrease in harvest index and was therefore obviously caused by an inhibition of assimilate translocation from the leaves into these organs, in contrast to cereals, where water shortage primarily affected dry matter production in vegetative organs. It is concluded that the physiological causes of yield reduction by drought stress and the possibility of its amelioration by K supply differ between plant species and organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were carried out during two consecutive years at the National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, with the hypothesis that seed rate and nitrogen (N) application improves plant morphology, yield production and brix value of forage sorghum cultivars. Twenty-seven treatment combinations comprising three sorghum cultivars, namely, 'JS-2002,' 'Chakwal sorghum' and 'JS-263' were sown with three seed rates (75, 100 and 125 kg ha−1) and three N levels (0, 60 and 120 kg ha−1). Experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design with split-split plot arrangement in triplicate. Seed rate changed the plant morphology, yield traits and brix value variably. Increasing N application (0-120 kg ha−1) had a positive impact on growth and yield traits except brix value. Results revealed that 'JS-2002' surpassed the other two cultivars for plant height, number of leaves, leaf area per plant, leaf to stem ratio, green forage yield and dry biomass yield, dry matter content and brix value at given developmental stages at seed rate of 125 kg ha−1 with applied N level of 120 kg ha−1, during both the years. The highest N application (120 kg ha−1) in 'JS-2002' gave an increase of 45% forage yield as compared to control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated bee visitation on 10 agricultural crops grown on diverse small farms in Tennessee to determine the abundance of native bees and honey bees and the partitioning of visitation among crops. Summaries for each crop are used to generate mean proportions of bee visitation by categories of bees. This shows that native bee visits often occur as frequently, or in greater proportions than non-native honey bee visits. Visitation across multiple crops is then analyzed together with nonmetric multidimensional scaling to show how communities of bees that provide crop pollination change depending on the crop. Within squash and pumpkin plantings, continuous and discrete factors, such as "time of day" and "organic practices," further explain shifts in the community composition of flower visitors. Results from this study show that native bees frequently visit flowers on various crops, indicating that they are likely contributing to pollination services in addition to honey bees. Furthermore, the community of bees visiting flowers changes based on crop type, phenology, and spatial-temporal factors. Results suggest that developing pollinator conservation for farms that grow a wide variety of crops will likely require multiple conservation strategies. Farms that concentrate on a single crop may be able to tailor conservation practices toward the most important bees in their system and geographic locale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an economically important pest of maize and other crops in the Americas. Studies suggest that modern varieties of maize lost some of their natural defense mechanisms against herbivores during domestication and agricultural selection. In the present study, we evaluated the attraction, feeding preference (host fidelity and consumption rate), and performance of S. frugiperda larvae reared on hybrid (Pioneer P4063W) and landrace (Tuxpeño) varieties of maize. We also evaluated the damage caused by S. frugiperda to Pioneer and Tuxpeño maize plants in the field. We found that fifth-instar larvae were more attracted to Pioneer plants than to Tuxpeño plants in a Y-tube olfactometer. Additionally, the fall armyworm larvae showed more fidelity to Pioneer leaves than to Tuxpeño leaves. However, the larval consumption rate was similar for both types of maize plants. The life cycle of S. frugiperda was significantly longer when the larvae were reared on Tuxpeño leaves than on Pioneer leaves. In the field, the Pioneer variety was infested with more S. frugiperda larvae than the Tuxpeño variety. Thus, our results provide evidence that modern varieties of maize may have lost some of their defensive traits during selective breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study was to determine how the conversions of home gardens to mono-crop fields affect soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) stocks. The study compared SOC and soil TN stocks in 7 paired sites of home gardens and converted mono-crop fields (khat and sugar cane; cultivated for 1-20 years after conversion) in Wondo Genet, Southern Ethiopia. Except two recently converted mono-crop fields (1 and 4 years after conversion), most of converted mono-crop fields had significantly lower contents of SOC (18.3-47.1 %) and soil TN (14.9-45 %) compared to home gardens. Converted mono-crop fields over 10-20 years old showed significantly lower SOC stocks (18.2-30.2 %) and soil TN stocks (16.7-28.7 %) compared to home gardens. There was no significant relationship between the periods after conversion and the rate of decrease of SOC and TN stocks in the mono-crop fields. Study results show that conversion of home gardens to mono-crop fields decreases SOC and TN stocks. Further studies are needed to identify the major mechanisms causing the decrease and quantify the change of SOC and TN in different environment and climate conditions. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a detailed ethnographic case study of sorghum seed acquisitions in a smallholder farming society in northern Cameroon. The effects of variability in household demographics and socioeconomic status on observed patterns of seed provisioning are explored alongside other variables such as age and gender. Our data set comprised 223 seed acquisition events. Independence tests (Pearson's chi-square and Fisher's exact tests) were carried out to test for significant dependencies between individual- or household- level characteristics and properties of seed acquisition events (categories of seed source, social relationship of exchange, and type of landrace). Results indicate that wealth is a structuring factor of the local seed circulation network in as much as it is highly correlated with household composition and size. Members from wealthy households benefit from a more diverse set of seed sources. Their greater number of coresidents and the importance of intrahousehold dynamics of seed transactions also play a role in making wealthy farmers more seed secure than others. The methodological implications of our findings indicate that when documenting seed exchange networks, the collection of data through a single informant or the undertaking of social network analyses at the household level may induce important biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chelates such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) enter the environment from various sources but its impact on crop growth and mineral uptake has been evaluated only sporadically. In a pot experiment with graded EDTA applications the impact of free EDTA on crop performance, macro- and microelement uptake was assessed. The sensitivity towards EDTA decreased from sunflower > oilseed rape > maize. Maize was the least sensitive crop showing no visual toxicity symptoms, however, a reduction in biomass development. In comparison, oilseed rape and sunflower displayed necrotic lesions on their leaves and biomass development was significantly reduced when higher rates of EDTA were applied. Soil EDTA application increased the uptake of Mn and Zn in shoots of all three crops and in roots of maize and sunflower. In maize EDTA increased not only the uptake of Mn and Zn, but also all other investigated micronutrients in shoots with the only exception of copper. In oilseed rape EDTA applications increased the uptake of Cu, Mn and Zn in shoots while the Fe, Mn and Mo content decreased in roots. Changes in the micronutrient content in shoots of sunflowers were similar to that in oilseed rape. In roots EDTA increased the Mn uptake. Next to micronutrients EDTA influenced the macronutrient uptake of the tested crop plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop wild relatives, the progenitors and kin of domesticated crop species, promise breeders a potent weapon against climate change. Having evolved outside the pampered environs of farms, wild relatives tend to be more rugged to survive temperature, salt, floods, and drought--all the extremes characteristic of a warming planet. But who will benefit from re-wilded crops? What kinds of agricultural systems will they tend to support? And can wild relatives be protected before they are lost under pavement, desertification, and expanding industrial farms? In this essay, I explore different visions of conservation and use for crop wild relatives. With CWR valued at an estimated $115-120 billion to the global economy annually, many researchers suggest ancient germplasm can be harnessed to feed billions in a warming world. Others look more closely at ancient customs and farmer knowledge that have long promoted conservation of wild species within and around cultivated landscapes. By intentionally planting crops at field borders, farmers also perform "in vivo" breeding. I conclude that wild relatives hold much potential to reinfuse diversity into eroded crop gene pools, providing greater systemic resilience. But unless we consider who controls seeds, intellectual property, and wild and agricultural lands, CWR innovations will only prop up an agriculture that ultimately undercuts crop and wild relative renewal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper measures and assesses the variation in total factor productivity (TFP) growth among Canadian provinces in crops and livestock production over the period 1940-2009. It also determines if agricultural productivity growth in Canada has recently slowed down as indicated by earlier studies. The paper uses the stochastic frontier approach that incorporates inefficiency to decompose TFP growth into technical change (TC), scale effect (SE), and technical efficiency change. The results indicate that productivity changes were mainly driven by TCs for crops, while the productivity changes in livestock was mainly driven by SEs and technical progress. Though change in technical efficiency is mainly positive (except for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia), its contribution to productivity growth was very little for the provinces. We also found that over the entire period, the productivity growth rates for the crop subsector are on average higher for the Prairie provinces than for the Eastern and Atlantic provinces. On the other hand, the productivity growth rates in the livestock subsector are on average higher in the Eastern and Atlantic provinces than in the Prairie region with the exception of Manitoba. Finally, we found that though there is some evidence of a recent decline in productivity growth for the crops subsector, there is no such evidence in the livestock subsector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on two recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations, two corresponding backcross (BC) populations were constructed to elucidate the genetic basis of heterosis in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). The yield, and yield components, of these populations were evaluated in three environments. At the single-locus level, 78 and 66 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were detected using composite interval mapping in RIL and BC populations, respectively, and 29 QTL were identified based on mid-parental heterosis (MPH) data of two hybrids. Considering all traits together, a total of 50 (64.9%) QTL with partial dominance effect, and 27 (35.1%) QTL for overdominance effect were identified in two BC populations. At the two-locus level, 120 and 88 QTL with main effects (M-QTL), and 335 and 99 QTL involved in digenic interactions (E-QTL), were detected by inclusive composite interval mapping in RIL and BC populations, respectively. A large number of QTL by environment interactions (QEs) for M-QTL and E-QTL were detected in three environments. For most traits, average E-QTL explained a larger proportion of phenotypic variation than did M-QTL in two RIL populations and two BC populations. It was concluded that partial dominance, overdominance, epistasis, and QEs all contribute to heterosis in Upland cotton, and that partial dominance resulting from single loci and epistasis play a relatively more important role than other genetic effects in heterosis in Upland cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culture medium from an isolate of the fungus Aspergillus candidus was extracted, fractionated and examined to discover compounds antagonistic to plant-parasitic nematodes that are important pathogens of agricultural crops. Column, thin layer and preparative chromatographies and spectral and elemental analyses, were used to isolate and identify two major constituents of an active fraction (Fraction F) obtained from the medium. Compound 1 was identified as 2-hydroxypropane-1, 2, 3-tricarboxylic acid (citric acid). Compound 2 was identified as 3-hydroxy-5-methoxy-3-(methoxycarbonyl)-5-oxopentanoic acid, an isomer of 1, 2-dimethyl citrate. Compound 1 and a citric acid standard, each tested at 50 mg mL-1 in water, decreased hatch from eggs of the plant-parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita by more than 94%, and completely immobilized second-stage juveniles after 4-6 days exposure. Fraction F and Compounds 1 and 2 decreased the mobility of adults of the plant-parasitic nematode Ditylenchus destructor in vitro. Fraction F (25 mg mL-1) inhibited mobility >99% at 72 hrs. Compounds 1 and 2 (50 mg mL-1) each inhibited mobility more than 25% at 24 hr and more than 50% at 72 hr. This is the first assignment of nematode-antagonistic properties to specifically identified A. candidus metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean production in South America has become a symbol of commodity crops produced on a large scale for the agribusiness geared to global markets. However, in practice, there are diverse styles of farming, ranging from the very large scale to the small scale, associated with different social relations of production. This diversity of farm types is often overlooked within the focus on the stereotypical large-scale farm. Any understanding of the social dynamics of relations of production and farming practices, and so insights into longer term trajectories of agrarian change, must also go beyond a simplistic dichotomous vision of large-scale versus small-scale farming. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

By accelerating crop development, warming climates may result in mismatches between key sensitive growth stages and extreme climate events, with severe consequences for crop yield and food security. Using recent estimates of gene responses to vernalization and photoperiod in wheat, we modelled the flowering times of all 'potential' genotypes as influenced by the velocity of climate change across the Australian wheatbelt. In the period 1957-2010, seasonal increases in temperature of 0.012 °C yr−1 were recorded and changed flowering time of a mid-season wheat genotype by an average −0.074 day yr−1, with flowering 'velocity' of up to 0.95 km yr−1 towards the coastal edges of the wheatbelt; this is an estimate of how quickly the given genotype would have to be 'moved' across the landscape to maintain its original flowering time. By 2030, these national changes are projected to accelerate by up to 3-fold for seasonal temperature and by up to 5-fold for flowering time between now and 2030, with average national shifts in flowering time of 0.33 and 0.41 day yr−1 between baseline and the worst climate scenario tested for 2030 and 2050, respectively. Without new flowering alleles in commercial germplasm, the life cycle of wheat crops is predicted to shorten by 2 weeks by 2030 across the wheatbelt for the most pessimistic climate scenario. While current cultivars may be otherwise suitable for future conditions, they will flower earlier due to warmer temperatures. To allow earlier sowing to escape frost, heat and terminal drought, and to maintain current growing period of early-sown wheat crops in the future, breeders will need to develop and/or introduce new genetic sources for later flowering, more so in the eastern part of the wheatbelt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth observation-based long-term global vegetation index products are used by scientists from a wide range of disciplines concerned with global change. Intercomparison studies are commonly performed to keep the user community informed on the consistency and accuracy of such records as they evolve. In this study, we compared two new records: (1) Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) normalized difference vegetation index version 3 (NDVI3g) and (2) Vegetation Index and Phenology Lab (VIP) version 3 NDVI (NDVI3v) and enhanced vegetation index 2 (EVI3v). We evaluated the two records via three experiments that addressed the primary use of such records in global change research: (1) leaf area index (LAI), (2) vegetation climatology, and (3) trend analysis of the magnitude and timing of vegetation productivity. Unlike previous global studies, a unique Landsat 30m spatial resolution and in situ LAI database for major crop types on five continents was used to evaluate the performance of not only NDVI3g and NDVI3v but also EVI3v. The performance of NDVI3v and EVI3v was worse than NDVI3g using the in situ data, which was attributed to the fusion of GIMMS and MODIS data in the VIP record. EVI3v has the potential to contribute biophysical information beyond NDVI3g and NDVI3v to global change studies, but we caution its use due to the poor performance of EVI3v in this study. Overall, the records were most consistent at northern latitudes during the primary growing season and southern latitudes and the tropics throughout much of the year, while the records were less consistent at northern latitudes during green-up and senescence, and in the great deserts of the world throughout much of the year. These patterns led to general agreement (disagreement) between trends in the magnitude (timing) of NDVI over the study period. Bias in inter-calibration of the VIP record at northernmost latitudes was suspected to contribute most to these discrepancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]