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

The aim of this study was to explore the feasible measurement of the control of cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) accumulation in rice grains. A field experiment was carried out to research the effect of different treatments, including spraying silicon (Si)/selenium (Se) foliar fertilizers, the application of lime (CaO), water management (continuous flooding), and the co-application of foliar fertilizers and flooding, on Cd and As accumulation in rice grains in Guangxi Province. The results indicate that Cd accumulation in rice grains decreased under different treatments and Cd content in rice grains reached the threshold of 0.2 mg kg−1. In the single technical treatments, CaO application, flooding, spraying foliar Se fertilizer, and spraying foliar Si fertilizer decreased Cd content by 73.15%, 60.44%, 45.76%, and 36.07%, respectively. However, flooding and CaO amendment enhanced As accumulation in rice grains. The co-application of flooding and spraying foliar fertilizer can simultaneously reduce Cd and As in rice grains. In addition, they resulted in lower Cd content than the single technical treatments. Among the treatments, the lowest bioaccumulation factors of Cd and As were found after the co-application of flooding and Si foliar fertilizer, which decreased these factors by 74.02% and 22.72%, respectively. These results suggest that spraying foliar Si fertilizer combined with flooding may be a promising method to synchronously inhibit the accumulation of Cd and As in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is one of the most important environmental problems we are currently facing, so we must work on using some techniques to mitigate the harmful effects of drought on plants. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of foliar spraying with ascorbic acid on some characteristics of safflower plants under drought stress in Burj Islam village - Latakia, Syria 2024 according to the randomized complete design (R.C.D) with three replications. The treatments consisted of three levels of polyethylene glycol PEG (15, 30 and 45%) and three concentrations of ascorbic acid (50, 150 and 200 mg.l-1). Traits such as plant height, number of branches, (chlorophyll, proline and MDA) content in safflower leaves and seeds number were measured. The results of the study showed that the studied traits decreased significantly under the influence of drought stress except proline and MDA content in leaves. The lowest value for plant height (5 cm), number of branches (51 branch/plant) and seeds number (246 seed/plant) was at P3 45%. Meanwhile, ascorbic acid spraying increased the plant height of safflower plants, especially at 150 mg.l-1 concentrations AS2. The ascorbic acid and PEG treatment significantly increased the plant height (14 cm), number of branches (95 branch/plant) and seeds number (642 seed/plant) at AS2P1 treatment. Hence, a 150 mg.l-1 concentration of foliar ascorbic acid could be used in drought stress for better growth of safflower plants.

Zinc deficiency is one of the most widespread nutritional problems, affecting nearly one-third of the world population. In addition, it is known that zinc deficiency not only reduces crop yield but also its quality. The effect of different methods of zinc application on the growth, yield, and quality of safflower seeds under regular irrigation and interruption of irrigation from flowering to harvest (82 and 80 DAS in the first and second years, respectively) was evaluated. Zinc sulfate was applied in both soil and foliar methods. The zinc sulfate treatments include no zinc sulfate, soil application of 20, 40, and 60 kg ha−1 at the planting stage; spraying 2.5, 5, and 7.5 g L−1 in the rosette stage; and spraying 2.5, 5, and 7.5 g L−1 in the flowering stage. The end-season drought caused a decrease in the chlorophyll index, leaf area index, relative water content, plant height, yield components, biological yield, seed yield, harvest index, seed oil content, oil harvest index, and seed element content compared to regular irrigation. The decrease in yield occurred with a decrease in the capitol number and diameter, seed number per capitol, and 1000-seed weight. The severity of the damage of the end-season drought stress in the second year was higher than in the first year due to the higher temperatures and the decrease in the rainfall. In both years, the application of zinc sulfate in different ways had an increasing effect on the studied traits in both normal and stress conditions. The application of zinc sulfate reduced the negative effects of unfavorable environmental conditions and improved the yield and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and iron element content in the seed. In both application methods of zinc sulfate, the increment in the zinc sulfate concentration decreased the seed phosphorus content. However, the phosphorous content was more than that of the treatment of non-zinc application. The application of zinc increased the biological, seed, and oil yield of the treated plants, but the seed and oil yield were more affected. This effect was shown in the seed and oil harvest index increment. Under regular irrigation, higher concentrations of zinc sulfate enhanced plant performance, but under stress conditions, medium and lower concentrations were more effective. The highest 1000-seed weight and potassium and zinc content were obtained by spraying zinc sulfate at 5 g L−1 in the flowering stage under normal irrigation conditions. A comparison of the two methods of applying zinc sulfate showed that foliar spraying was more effective than soil application in improving the seed yield. The soil application is more effective on biological yield than seed yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the effects of agronomic practices on yield–nutrition relationships in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grains for Zn biofortification while improving yields simultaneously, effects of different soil fertilization and different drone-based foliar spraying treatments were investigated in calcareous soils. For soil fertilization, the incorporation of Zn or increasing the N/P ratio in compound fertilizers proved to be effective in enhancing grain Zn concentrations and yields. However, the overall effects of soil fertilization are limited, with a maximal yield increase of only 7.0% and a maximal increase of the grain Zn concentration from 19.4 to 27.0 mg/kg, which is far below the target biofortification value of 40–50 mg/kg. Unfortunately, there was a negative side effect, which decreased Fe and Mn concentrations and the Fe bioavailability. Notably, drone-based foliar Zn sprayings increased grain yields from the control 7.5 t/ha to 8.6 t/ha at ZnO treatment by 12.0% and 8.8 t/ha at ZnSO4·7H2O treatment by 17.3%. Meanwhile, grain Zn concentrations were increased from the control 33.5 mg/kg to 41.9 mg/kg at ZnO treatment by 25.1% and 43.6 mg/kg at ZnSO4·7H2O treatment by 30.1%. Treatments with ZnSO4·7H2O increased grain Zn concentrations and accumulation more so than ZnO, indicating the importance of chemical Zn forms in determining the effectiveness of foliar spraying. Moreover, foliar Zn sprayings simultaneously increased grain concentrations and accumulation of Fe, Mn and Cu, demonstrating multiple benefits. There were positive correlations between Zn and Fe, Mn or Cu, indicating synergistic interactions. Compared to micronutrients, concentrations of grain macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) were less affected. Thus, a dual-benefit in both grain yields and micronutrient (particularly for Zn) nutrition could be effectively achieved through appropriate soil fertilization and foliar Zn spraying. These findings provide a better understanding of the yield–nutrition relationship among wheat grain yields, Zn and other nutrient elements for a better integrated manipulation to achieve a win–win situation in yield and nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of medicinal plants plays a crucial role in promoting human health benefits. However, the production of these plants can be affected by drought conditions. This research aimed to investigate the impact of differing water status (non-drought and drought during the flowering to harvest stage) and various iron treatments on the performance of black cumin. The iron treatments included no iron as the control (nFe), no iron with seed hydro-priming (nFe + P), seed iron priming (pFe), seed iron priming with iron foliar spraying (pFe + sFe), and double iron foliar spraying (sFe + sFe). The purpose of these treatments was to assess the effect of iron application methods on plant response under different water conditions. The findings revealed that drought significantly reduced the levels of Chla (15%) and RWC (5.9%), plant height (7%), follicle number (16.7%), seed number (4.6%), 1000-seed weight (3.2%), and seed yield (30.1%). Additionally, drought increased the proline content (90.9%), electrolyte leakage (9.2%), and MDA levels (23.9%). Interestingly, applying iron amendments reduced electrolyte leakage and increased seed yield under both water conditions. The drought-induced increase in proline content was more pronounced in the nFe treatment than in the other treatments. The amount of MDA in the nFe and nFe + P treatments was significantly higher under drought conditions compared to non-drought conditions. In conclusion, the addition of iron amendments helps black cumin plants recover from the effects of drought and reduces damage to seed growth. This means that using both seed iron priming and iron foliar spraying can significantly improve yields. Alternatively, focusing on either seed iron priming or double iron foliar spraying can also boost black cumin production compared to not using iron amendments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the effect of foliar spraying of certain minerals on the yield and fruit quality of pomegranate trees with fewer flowers than normal. In the trees planned for flower thinning, after 50% of the flowers bloomed, they were removed by hand, assuming these flowers were damaged by biotic or abiotic agents and would eventually fall. The tested trees were subjected to the following treatments: T1- Remove the flowers + foliar spraying of complete micronutrient fertilizer (4 g/L), T2- Remove the flowers + foliar spraying of Zn as ZnSO4 (3 g/L) + K as Soloptas (3 g/L). T3- Remove the flowers + foliar spraying of Zn as ZnSO4 (3 g/L) + Soloptas fertilizer (3 g/L) + N as Urea (2 g/L). T4- The trees were allowed to flower continuously without foliar application of nutrients. T5- Flowers were removed, but foliar spraying was not done (Control). Foliar spraying was repeated four times at interval of 15 days. The results showed that the maximum yield (66.90 kg of fruit/tree) was in T4. However, the effect of foliar spraying on fruit yield/tree, number of fruit/trees, average fruit weight (g), cracked fruit (%), average aril weight was significant in trees with thinned flowers compared to control (T5). The highest and lowest increase in yield per tree due to foliar application of nutrients was in T3 and T1, respectively. Foliar spraying increased the yield in T3, T2, and T1 treatments compared to the control by 68%, 64%, and 53%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is an environmentally friendly crop with a rich history and promising market prospects. To avoid competing with staple crops for land, we propose that utilizing salt-affected soil could be a potential strategy for developing the hemp industry. However, hemp plants are glycophytes, which means that their salt tolerance needs to be improved. Phytohormones are known to play critical roles in regulating plant responses to stress. Thus, in this study, the effects of foliar spraying of abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), gibberellin A3 (GA3) and α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) on the salt tolerance of hemp seedlings were evaluated. The seedlings were treated with 200-mmol/L NaCl and different concentrations of ABA, SA, GA3, or NAA through sand culture experiments. The results showed that the growth of salt-treated hemp seedlings (in terms of plant height, stem diameter, and biomass) was significantly improved by spraying 250-mg/L ABA, 250-mg/L SA, 150-mg/L GA3, or 100-mg/L NAA. Spaying the hemp salt-treated seedlings with these phytohormone concentrations decreased the malondialdehyde content, Na+/K+ ratio, and electrolyte leakage but increased the endogenous indole-3-acetic acid, chlorophyll, carotenoid, soluble sugar, and soluble protein contents, K+ concentration, superoxide dismutase activity, and peroxidase activity. This study is the first to show the effectiveness of ABA, SA, GA3, and NAA in alleviating the adverse effects of salt on hemp seedlings. These novel findings suggest that the exogenous application of phytohormones may serve as a potential management tool to improve the salt tolerance of hemp plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micronutrient elements play a key role in the formation of chlorophyll and function of photosynthesis, respiration, enzyme system and physiological processes of the plant and their deficiency has destructive effects on the growth, production and yield of the plant. This research was conducted in a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications on mung bean plant in the Research Farm of Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran, in 2019-2020 growing season. Two cultivars of Gohar and Partu and foliar spraying of zinc chelate, iron chelate, zinc nano-fertilizer, iron nano-fertilizer, and control (spraying solution with water) were tested. The maximum leaf area index (3.12), maximum growth rate (16.2 g m-2 day-1), and leaf area duration (157 day) were achieved by Gohar cultivar in the presence of foliar application of zinc nano fertilizer. Zinc nano-fertilizer had the greatest effect on the pods/plant (21.7), grains/pod (8.08), and grains/plant (164) of Gohar cultivar, which increased by 62, 22 and 62, 77.6 percent respectively, compared to the control. The highest biological yield (8599 kg ha-1) was obtained with Gohar cultivar when receiving foliar application of iron nanofertilizer and zinc nanofertilizer. The highest grain yield (2657kg ha-1) was obtained with Gohar cultivar subjected to nano-zinc foliar spraying, which was not significantly different from Parto cultivar in foliar spraying with zinc nano-fertilizer and caused 38% and 35% increases in grain yield of the two cultivars compared to the control, respectively. The highest harvest index was also obtained with Gohar cultivar supplemented by foliar spraying of zinc nano fertilizer, which increased the harvest index by 24% compared to the control. Foliar spraying of iron and zinc fertilizers caused significant increases in growth, biological yield and grain yield, as well as the content of these elements in the grain of both cultivars. The effect of zinc and iron nanofertilizers on the studied traits was more pronounced in Gohar variety than in Parto variety.

Nanoparticles, due to their extensive production and application, can have significant consequences for the environment, including soil and plant pollution. Therefore, it is very important to assess how nanoparticles will affect plants depending on the exposure pathways. The effect of gold nanoparticles in a concentration range of 1–100 mg/L on Mentha spicata L. during a 28-day experiment was investigated. Two routes of nanoparticles exposure were applied: root and foliar. Transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize nanoparticles and their effect on plant leaves' ultrastructure. Gold content in soil and plant segments was determined using k0-neutron activation analysis. For root exposure, gold was mainly accumulated in soil (15.2–1769 mg/kg) followed by root systems (2.99–454 mg/kg). The maximum accumulation of gold in leaves (5.49 mg/kg) was attained at a nanoparticle concentration of 100 mg/L. Foliar exposure resulted in the maximum uptake of gold in leaves (552 mg/kg) and stems (18.4 mg/kg) at the highest applied nanoparticle concentration. The effect of nanoparticles on the Mentha spicata L. leaves' biochemical composition was assessed. Nanoparticles affected the content of chlorophyll and carotenoids and led to an increase in antioxidant activity. Root exposure to gold nanoparticles resulted in an increase in the number of starch grains in chloroplasts and also suppressed the activity of the soil microbiota. Gold extraction from mint leaves into herbal infusion varied from 2 to 90% depending on the concentration of nanoparticles in the solution and the exposure route. The health risk as a result of gold exposure via herbal tea intake was assessed through estimated daily intake. The hazard quotient values were found to be less than the cutoff, indicating that a cup of tea infusion should not cause a serious impact to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit cracking and sunburn are two major disorders that can negatively impact pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) production. To address these problems, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the combined effects of silica (0, 100, 300, and 500 ppm) and calcium nitrate (0, 0.75%, and 1.5%) spraying on the fruit of 'Malase-Saveh' pomegranate. The treatments were applied three times during the growing season and a factorial experiment was conducted based on the completely randomized block design. The results indicate that most of the qualitative and quantitative traits were influenced by foliar spraying of these substances. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that foliar application of silica, calcium nitrate, and their interaction significantly affected fruit cracking. The lowest fruit cracking (1.06%) was obtained by spraying 500 ppm silica and 1.5% calcium nitrate, while the highest fruit cracking (21.6%) was recorded from untreated plants. The highest fruit weight (215.4 g) was observed in the treatment 1.5% calcium nitrate. Most of the treatments had a positive effect on fruit weight and increased it compared to the control. Moreover, the treatments improved some qualitative characteristics, such as an increase in fruit acidity and decrease in sunburn disorder. Ultimately, this study concluded that combined spraying of silica with calcium is more effective than individual use and results in the highest fruit yield and quality, as well as the lowest cracking and sunburn disorders. These findings suggest there are synergistic effects between these compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of external application of ornithine amino acid on the morphological characteristics, mineral elements content and antioxidant activity of pistachio cv. Ahmad Aghaei was studied as a two-year experiment. Foliar application of ornithine in four concentrations (0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 mM) at four stages, including bud swelling, leaf area reaching 5%, leaf area reaching 75%, and concurrent with the initial start of kernels filling, was done. The results showed that the highest fresh and dry weight of the fruit, current year shoot length, leaf area, split nuts percentage and the lowest blank nuts percentage was obtained at the level of 7.5 mM ornithine. Foliar application of ornithine was able to affect the macro and micro elements content in pistachio leaves and fruits, such that the highest amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, iron and zinc elements in pistachio leaves and fruits was obtained at the level of 7.5 mM of ornithine. The ornithine also significantly improved the antioxidant capacity and activity of treated trees, and the highest activity of antioxidant enzymes comprises ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes was obtained in the samples treated with 7.5 mM ornithine. In general, according to the obtained results, foliar application of ornithine as an important natural compound from a scientific and economic point of view can be a fundamental step towards food security and sustainable agriculture by helping to absorb mineral elements and increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginkgo biloba L. leaves are rich in secondary metabolites with important medicinal values; to increase their contents, foliar spraying of micronutrients is a potential strategy. Zinc, a multifunctional element, has a significant impact on the content of secondary metabolites in other plants, but relevant research into ginkgo is still lacking. In our study, different spraying time and concentration strategies were used to investigate the effects of zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) on physiological indicators and secondary metabolites of 2-year-old ginkgo. The results demonstrated that ZnSO4 could increase the contents of hydrogen peroxide, abscisic acid, and free amino acids in ginkgo leaves. It also enhances the antioxidant enzyme activity of ginkgo leaves, decreases the content of plant auxin, and ultimately facilitates the accumulation of ginkgo terpene lactones (TTL). Spraying ZnSO4 in June resulted in a more significant increase in the contents of TTL and flavonoids compared to spraying in August. After spraying 12 mmol/L ZnSO4 in June, the contents of TTL and flavonoids in ginkgo leaves were significantly elevated by 35.95% and 24.30%, respectively, compared to those in the CK (p < 0.05). The contents of ginkgolide A, B, and C were notably increased by 45.93%, 46.56%, and 74.29%, respectively, compared to those in the CK (p < 0.05). Therefore, our study suggests that the optimal timing for spraying ZnSO4 on ginkgo is in June, with a recommended concentration of 12 mmol/L. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the accumulation of secondary metabolites in ginkgo and guides the production of its leaf-utilization plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micronutrient elements play a key role in the formation of chlorophyll and function of photosynthesis, respiration, enzyme system and physiological processes of the plant and their deficiency has destructive effects on the growth, production and yield of the plant. This research was conducted in a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications on mung bean plant in the Research Farm of Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran, in 2019-2020 growing season. Two cultivars of Gohar and Partu and foliar spraying of zinc chelate, iron chelate, zinc nano-fertilizer, iron nano-fertilizer, and control (spraying solution with water) were tested. The maximum leaf area index (3.12), maximum growth rate (16.2 g m-2 day-1 ), and leaf area duration (157 day) were achieved by Gohar cultivar in the presence of foliar application of zinc nano fertilizer. Zinc nano-fertilizer had the greatest effect on the pods/plant (21.7), grains/pod (8.08), and grains/plant (164) of Gohar cultivar, which increased by 62, 22 and 62, 77.6 percent respectively, compared to the control. The highest biological yield (8599 kg ha-1 ) was obtained with Gohar cultivar when receiving foliar application of iron nanofertilizer and zinc nanofertilizer. The highest grain yield (2657kg ha-1 ) was obtained with Gohar cultivar subjected to nano-zinc foliar spraying, which was not significantly different from Parto cultivar in foliar spraying with zinc nano-fertilizer and caused 38% and 35% increases in grain yield of the two cultivars compared to the control, respectively. The highest harvest index was also obtained with Gohar cultivar supplemented by foliar spraying of zinc nano fertilizer, which increased the harvest index by 24% compared to the control. Foliar spraying of iron and zinc fertilizers caused significant increases in growth, biological yield and grain yield, as well as the content of these elements in the grain of both cultivars. The effect of zinc and iron nanofertilizers on the studied traits was more pronounced in Gohar variety than in Parto variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Flea beetles (Phyllotreta spp.) are among the most significant pests of canola, causing damage during the early growth stages, particularly in the seedling or cotyledon stage. Chemical control, including seed disinfection and foliar spray, is considered one of the primary strategies for managing this pest. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of seed disinfection with imidacloprid (Gaucho(R)) on different canola cultivars and foliar spray with imidacloprid (Confidor(R)) and cypermethrin for controlling flea beetles. The experiment was conducted in a factorial arrangement as a randomized complete block design in a canola field in Behshahr, Mazandaran province. The treatments included seed disinfection with Gaoucho(R) at a rate of 14 g/kg of seeds for the cultivars Hyola 50, Delgan, and RGS, and the infection coefficient was determined for each treatment. The Henderson-Tilton equation was used to calculate the percentage of insecticide efficiency for imidacloprid and cypermethrin. The results showed that the highest efficiency, with an infection coefficient close to 10%, was observed in the seed-disinfected Delgan cultivar, followed by Hyola cultivars (13.21%) after one week. The evaluation of insecticide efficiency also revealed that cypermethrin had the highest efficiency at approximately 90% after seven and three days of spraying, while the lowest efficiency was observed for Confidor(R) at around 60% three days after spraying. Comparison of the infection coefficients of the sprayed treatments with seed disinfected Hyola cultivars after four weeks indicated that foliar spray with cypermethrin exhibited the best efficiency with an infection coefficient of 15.18%. Based on the results of this study, the Delgan cultivar with seed disinfection and cypermethrin as the most effective insecticide is recommended for controlling flea beetles in canola.

Dry-hot wind stress causes losses in wheat productivity in major growing regions worldwide, especially winter wheat in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China, and both the occurrence and severity of such events are likely to increase with global climate change. To investigate the recovery of physiological functions and yield formation using a new non-commercial chemical regulator (NCR) following dry-hot wind stress, we conducted a three-year field experiment (2018–2021) with sprayed treatments of tap water (control), monopotassium phosphate (CKP), NCR at both the jointing and flowering stages (CFS), and NCR only at the jointing stage (FSJ) or flowering stage (FSF). The leaf physiology, biomass accumulation and translocation, grain-filling process, and yield components in winter wheat were assessed. Among the single spraying treatments, the FSJ treatment was beneficial for the accumulation of dry matter before anthesis, as well as larger increases in the maximum grain-filling rate and mean grain-filling rate. The FSF treatment performed better in maintaining a high relative chlorophyll content as indicated by the SPAD value, and a low rate of excised leaf water loss in flag leaves, promoting dry matter accumulation and the contribution to grain after anthesis, prolonging the duration of grain filling, and causing the period until the maximum grain-filling rate reached earlier. The CFS treatment was better than any other treatments in relieving the effects of dry-hot wind. The exogenous NCR treatments significantly increased grain yields by 12.45–18.20% in 2018–2019, 8.89–13.82% in 2019–2020, and 8.10–9.00% in 2020–2021. The conventional measure of the CKP treatment only increased grain yield by 6.69% in 2020–2021. The CFS treatment had the greatest mitigating effect on yield loss under dry-hot wind stress, followed by the FSF and FSJ treatments, and the CKP treatment only had a minimal effect. In summary, the CFS treatment could be used as the main chemical control measure for wheat stress resistance and yield stability in areas with a high incidence of dry-hot wind. This treatment can effectively regulate green retention and the water status of leaves, promote dry matter accumulation and efficient translocation, improve the grain-filling process, and ultimately reduce yield losses.

In this study, the effects of the soil application and foliar spraying with magnesium fertilizers on rice yield and quality in Liaoning Province were investigated. Field experiments were conducted at Kaiyuan, Xinmin, and Dawa in 2022 and 2023. Magnesium fertilizers were used in the soil as magnesium sulfate monohydrate and silicon–magnesium fertilizer and on leaves was magnesium sulfate heptahydrate. The results showed that the application of 12 kg magnesium hm−2 in the soil at the Kaiyuan site can significantly increase rice yield by 14.8% compared with sites without magnesium fertilizer. The use of silicon–magnesium fertilizer showed a more obvious yield increase of 22.2%. The application of 3 kg magnesium hm−2 or 6 kg magnesium hm−2 on the leaf surface increased the rice yield at Kaiyuan by 19.4% and 21.6% and at Xinmin by 17.8% and 5.4%, respectively. The yield increase was more significant under the optimal fertilization treatment compared with the conventional fertilization treatment. The application of magnesium fertilizer increased the magnesium, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents in rice shoots and the potassium and crude protein contents in rice grains. The effect of foliar spraying with magnesium fertilizers was more obvious than soil application. Therefore, the magnesium fertilizer used on the leaf surface plays an important role in improving rice yield and quality in rice-growing areas with relatively rich soil magnesium content. Magnesium fertilizer can compensate for the yield decrease caused by the reduced use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers by promoting nitrogen and phosphorus absorption in rice. Conclusively, the application of magnesium fertilizer is a promising measure to improve rice production in Liaoning province under a reduced nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In order to evaluate the foliar application of Ca and Zn fertilizers on seed and fatty acids composition of peanut oil (cv. NC2 ), an experiment was conducted at the Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Guilan Province, Rasht, Iran, during 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons. Methods: This experiment was carried out as a split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Four levels of Zn fertilizer sources, including without Zn application (as control), nano-chelated Zn fertilizer, Zn-EDTA, and Zn sulfate were considered as the main plot and four levels of Ca fertilizer sources, including nano-chelated Ca fertilizer, CaEDTA, Ca-chloride and, Ca-nitrate were considered as the sub plot. Results: Foliar application of fertilizers was done before the flowering stage and then repeated with 30-days intervals. The highest seed yield (2790 kg/ha), biological yield (9303 kg/ha), seed oil content (52.3 percent), oil yield (1625 kg/ha), protein yield (673 kg/ha), and oleic unsaturated fatty acid (57.3 percent) was obtained under simultaneous foliar application of Ca and Zn nano-fertilizers and increased the parameters by 29.8, 17.5, 13.4, 38.3, 24.4 and 19.2 percent in comparison to control treatment, respectively. Conclusion: Application of Zn and Ca nano-chelated fertilizers as foliar sprays improved seed and oil yield of peanut under the local conditions. Hence, the Zn and Ca nano-chelated fertilizers could be recommended to enhance the quantitative and qualitative yield of peanut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of foliar application of amino acids on yield and yield components of oil rapeseed under late-season drought stress conditions. The experiment was conducted as factorial based on a randomized complete blocks design in the research farm of the Faculty of Agriculture at Tarbiat Modares University during the 2021-22 growing season. The experimental treatments were irrigation regimes at three levels (normal irrigation, withholding irrigation from 50% flowering stage, and withholding irrigation from pod forming) and foliar spraying at five levels (no foliar, foliar spraying 0, 1, 2, and 3 g amino acids per liter of distilled water). The results showed that plant height, shoot dry weight, 1000-seed weight, harvest index, and biological and grain yield, number of seeds per pod, and the number of pods per plant were significantly affected by the interaction of irrigation regimes and foliar spraying. The highest plant height (166.5 cm), 1000-seed weight (3.58 g), number of pods per plant (131.4) and grain yield (4514 kg ha-1) were obtained by foliar spraying of two g amino acids per litre under normal irrigation conditions. According to the results, foliar spraying 2 g amino acids per liter had the most positive effect on the yield and yield components of oil rapeseed in all irrigation regimes (normal irrigation, withholding irrigation from 50% flowering stage, and withholding irrigation from pod forming). Therefore, upon approving in future research it could be recommended to use foliar spraying with 2 g amino acids per liter in oil rapeseed cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The present experiment addressed the effects of foliar sprays of different iron (Fe) concentrations (mg L−1), i.e., 2.8 (Fe I), 4.2 (Fe II), and 5.6 (Fe III), as well as an ionic derivative of salicylic acid (iSal) in two doses (10 and 20 mg L−1) on lettuce yield, chlorophyll and carotenoids content, and fluorescence parameters. Chemicals were used individually and in combinations two times, 23 and 30 days after the plants were transplanted. This experiment was carried out in a climate chamber. The Fe and iSal applications generally (except Fe I iSal, 10 mg L−1; Fe I iSal, 20 mg L−1; and Fe III iSal, 20 mg L−1) did not influence the fresh and dry matter content. The concentration of chlorophylls and carotenoids was reduced for all treatments in comparison to the control (without spraying). The Fe content in leaves was promoted in the Fe-treated plants (+70% for Fe III + iSal, 10 mg L−1, and Fe I). The iSal treatment promoted the Mn content. For most combinations, the Zn and Cu accumulations, as well as the fluorescence parameters, decreased after the foliar spray applications. Overall, our study revealed the effectiveness of Fe-DTPA chelate, but not iSal, in increasing the Fe content of lettuce grown in soilless cultivation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the research that look for biological technologies that guarantee sustainable agricultural production and application methods that maximize the benefits of adopting this practice has been increasing. This study aimed to assess, for the first time, the different application methods and agronomic efficiency of Azospirillum brasilense Az39 for corn cultivation in Brazil. Four trials were conducted under different soil and climate conditions in the 2017 - 2018 harvests (Santa Maria-RS and Ibirubá-RS, Brazil) and 2019 harvest (Londrina-PR and Primavera do Leste-MT, Brazil). The experimental design used was a randomized block, evaluating three inoculation treatments with 10 replicates each: control = non-inoculated ; TS = inoculation with A. brasilense Az39 via corn seed; and Foliar500 = foliar application of A. brasilense Az39 at the V4 stage of corn. The A. brasilense Az39 strain was effective in Brazilian soils and increased corn grain yield in all evaluated areas. Furthermore, foliar application of this strain at a dosage of 500 mL ha-1 resulted in greater increases compared to seed treatment. Thus, the A. brasilense Az39 strain is a promising bio-input technology for Brazilian agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc deficiency is one of the most widespread nutritional problems, affecting nearly one-third of the world population. In addition, it is known that zinc deficiency not only reduces crop yield but also its quality. The effect of different methods of zinc application on the growth, yield, and quality of safflower seeds under regular irrigation and interruption of irrigation from flowering to harvest (82 and 80 DAS in the first and second years, respectively) was evaluated. Zinc sulfate was applied in both soil and foliar methods. The zinc sulfate treatments include no zinc sulfate, soil application of 20, 40, and 60 kg ha−1 at the planting stage; spraying 2.5, 5, and 7.5 g L−1 in the rosette stage; and spraying 2.5, 5, and 7.5 g L−1 in the flowering stage. The end-season drought caused a decrease in the chlorophyll index, leaf area index, relative water content, plant height, yield components, biological yield, seed yield, harvest index, seed oil content, oil harvest index, and seed element content compared to regular irrigation. The decrease in yield occurred with a decrease in the capitol number and diameter, seed number per capitol, and 1000-seed weight. The severity of the damage of the end-season drought stress in the second year was higher than in the first year due to the higher temperatures and the decrease in the rainfall. In both years, the application of zinc sulfate in different ways had an increasing effect on the studied traits in both normal and stress conditions. The application of zinc sulfate reduced the negative effects of unfavorable environmental conditions and improved the yield and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and iron element content in the seed. In both application methods of zinc sulfate, the increment in the zinc sulfate concentration decreased the seed phosphorus content. However, the phosphorous content was more than that of the treatment of non-zinc application. The application of zinc increased the biological, seed, and oil yield of the treated plants, but the seed and oil yield were more affected. This effect was shown in the seed and oil harvest index increment. Under regular irrigation, higher concentrations of zinc sulfate enhanced plant performance, but under stress conditions, medium and lower concentrations were more effective. The highest 1000-seed weight and potassium and zinc content were obtained by spraying zinc sulfate at 5 g L−1 in the flowering stage under normal irrigation conditions. A comparison of the two methods of applying zinc sulfate showed that foliar spraying was more effective than soil application in improving the seed yield. The soil application is more effective on biological yield than seed yield.

The cultivation of medicinal plants plays a crucial role in promoting human health benefits. However, the production of these plants can be affected by drought conditions. This research aimed to investigate the impact of differing water status (non-drought and drought during the flowering to harvest stage) and various iron treatments on the performance of black cumin. The iron treatments included no iron as the control (nFe), no iron with seed hydro-priming (nFe + P), seed iron priming (pFe), seed iron priming with iron foliar spraying (pFe + sFe), and double iron foliar spraying (sFe + sFe). The purpose of these treatments was to assess the effect of iron application methods on plant response under different water conditions. The findings revealed that drought significantly reduced the levels of Chla (15%) and RWC (5.9%), plant height (7%), follicle number (16.7%), seed number (4.6%), 1000-seed weight (3.2%), and seed yield (30.1%). Additionally, drought increased the proline content (90.9%), electrolyte leakage (9.2%), and MDA levels (23.9%). Interestingly, applying iron amendments reduced electrolyte leakage and increased seed yield under both water conditions. The drought-induced increase in proline content was more pronounced in the nFe treatment than in the other treatments. The amount of MDA in the nFe and nFe + P treatments was significantly higher under drought conditions compared to non-drought conditions. In conclusion, the addition of iron amendments helps black cumin plants recover from the effects of drought and reduces damage to seed growth. This means that using both seed iron priming and iron foliar spraying can significantly improve yields. Alternatively, focusing on either seed iron priming or double iron foliar spraying can also boost black cumin production compared to not using iron amendments.

Abstract The search for an effective zinc fertilizer and its application method to effectively increase zinc content and enhance aroma in rice grains is a crucial objective. In this study, a 2-year field plot experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of ZnO NPs foliar spraying on rice quality, grain zinc and aroma content, along with exploring the physiological mechanisms underlying these effects. Our results demonstrated that the rice breakdown value and taste value of foliar spraying zinc oxide nanoparticles were improved by 31.0–41.7% and 8.2–13.0% compared with CK (control treatment involved spraying water), improving the tasting and steaming quality of rice. While Fe and Cu content in grains decreased for the application of zinc oxide nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles foliar spraying significantly increased the zinc content and accumulation of grains by 33.6–65.1% and 37.8–74.7%, respectively. Further analysis showed that the sprayed zinc oxide nanoparticles achieved effective enrichment of zinc in edible parts and increased the final bioavailability of Zn. In addition, foliar spraying of zinc oxide nanoparticles significantly increased activities of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase in leaves, which elevated nitrogen content in leaves and grains, and ultimately enhanced 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) content in grains at maturity by 6.1–21.4% compared to CK. Our findings indicated that zinc oxide nanoparticles can be practically applied as a foliar fertilizer at the gestation for quality improvement, zinc enrichment and aroma enhancement of rice grains.

Exogenous addition of IAA has the potential to improve the metal tolerance and phytostabilization of plants, but these effects have not been systematically investigated in naturally tolerant plants. Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is a typical indigenous plant in the Lanping Pb/Zn mining area with high adaptability. This study investigated the phytostabilization ability and Pb tolerance mechanism of ryegrass in response to Pb, with or without foliar spraying of 0.1 mmol L-1 IAA. The results indicated that appropriate IAA treatment could be used to enhance the phytostabilization efficiency of naturally tolerant plants. Foliar spraying of IAA increased the aboveground and belowground biomass of ryegrass and improved root Pb phytostabilization. Compared to Pb-treated plants without exogenous IAA addition, Pb concentration in the shoots of ryegrass significantly decreased, then increased in the roots after the foliar spraying of IAA. In the 1,000 mg kg-1 Pb-treated plants, Pb concentration in the shoots decreased by 69.9% and increased by 79.1% in the roots after IAA treatment. IAA improved plant growth, especially in soils with higher Pb concentration. Foliar spraying of IAA increased shoot biomass by 35.9% and root biomass by 109.4% in 1,000 mg kg-1 Pb-treated plants, and increased shoot biomass by 196.5% and root biomass by 71.5% in 2,000 mg kg-1 Pb-treated plants. In addition, Pb stress significantly decreased the content of photosynthetic pigments and anti-oxidase activities in ryegrass, while foliar spraying of IAA remedied these negative impacts. In summary, foliar spraying of IAA could increase the biomass and improve the Pb tolerance of ryegrass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using Huapi Kumquat as the research object, nano-selenium and sodium selenite as selenium sources, the effects of surface spraying selenium fertilizer on chlorophyll content and fruit yield, soluble solids, vitamin C, reducing sugar, total soluble sugar, malondialdehyde content, and glutathione peroxidase activity in plant leaves were analyzed. The results showed that, compared with CK, the selenium contents in pulp, peel and leaf of Huapi Kumquat were increased by 230.6% and 118.5%,253.8% and 79.8%,616.3% and 185.0%,respectively, after spraying nano-selenium and sodium selenite on leaf surface. The activities of GPx in flesh, peel and leaves were significantly higher than those in CK treatment. MDA content in flesh, peel and leaves decreased significantly. Foliar spraying nano-selenium had better effect on fruit growth and fruit quality formation than sodium selenite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfate is taken up from the soil solution by the root system; and inside the plant, it is assimilated to hydrogen sulfide, which in turn is converted to cysteine. Sulfate is also taken up by the leaves, when foliage is sprayed with solutions containing sulfate fertilizers. Moreover, several other sulfur (S)-containing compounds are provided through foliar application, including the S metabolites hydrogen sulfide, glutathione, cysteine, methionine, S-methylmethionine, and lipoic acid. However, S compounds that are not metabolites, such as thiourea and lignosulfonates, along with dimethyl sulfoxide and S-containing adjuvants, are provided by foliar application—these are the S-containing agrochemicals. In this review, we elaborate on the fate of these compounds after spraying foliage and on the rationale and the efficiency of such foliar applications. The foliar application of S-compounds in various combinations is an emerging area of agricultural usefulness. In the agricultural practice, the S-containing compounds are not applied alone in spray solutions and the need for proper combinations is of prime importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

A field experiment was performed at the Karma Ali site, affiliated with the Agricultural Research Station of the College of Agriculture, University of Basra, located in Basra Governorate. An experiment was conducted in the winter of 2021-2022 to examine the impact of four nitrogen fertilizer concentrations (N0, N1, N2, and N3) and three concentrations of Ethephon (750 and 1500 microliters L-1) on the growth characteristics and yield of rape (Brassica napus L. Var. Pactol). The nitrogen levels tested were as follows: 0, 100, 200, and 300 kg N ha--1. It was designed using randomized complete blocks (RCBD) in three replications using the factorial experimental method. For both seasons, the N3 fertilizer level substantially improved the following parameters: net photosynthesis, crop growth rate, leaf area, and leaf area index. In the second season, as for seed yield, the N3 level exceeded (3.24 tons ha-1), and it did not. In the first season, the N3 level (2.71 tons ha-1) differs significantly from the N2 level (2.60 tons ha-1). The findings also indicated that foliar spray treatments containing varying concentrations of Ethephon had a significant impact on the majority of the traits examined, as evidenced by the higher average E2 concentration for the majority of the traits. Yield and development over two seasons. The interaction between nitrogen and Ethephon was high in most traits except leaf area, leaf area index, and net photosynthesis for the first season. The combination N2×E2 recorded the highest average for seed yield (2.91 tons ha-1) in the first season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc deficiency in rice can lead to reduced nutritional value and taste. This study investigates the potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) as a foliar fertilizer during the jointing stage to improve rice yield, quality, and grain zinc enrichment. Over a two-year field experiment (2019–2020), six doses of ZnO NPs (ranging from 0 to 12 kg hm−2) were applied during the jointing stage (46 days after transplanting). The results revealed that foliar spraying of ZnO NPs increased the number of spikelets per spike and the thousand-grain weight by 7.4% to 9.2% and 4.2% to 7.1%, respectively, resulting in a substantial increase in rice yield. Furthermore, it led to a reduction in chalky white and chalky whiteness by 6.23% to 23.6% and 2.2% to 27.9%. ZnO NPs effectively boosted zinc content in rice grains while decreasing the phytic acid to zinc ratio, indicating improved zinc enrichment. Remarkably, protein and amylose content remained unaffected. These findings underscore the potential of ZnO NPs as a foliar fertilizer to enhance rice production, quality, and zinc enrichment. Further research can explore optimal application strategies and long-term effects for sustainable rice production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria (PPFM) isolated from cotton leaves was identified based on phenotypic and genotypic characteristics as Methylobacterium rodiotolerance. Two field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of PPFM, methanol (10 and 30%) and a combination of bacteria and methanol on the growth, fruit quality, and yield of two strawberry cultivars (Florida and Festival). The main differences between the two cultivars are greater foliage fresh weight and early yield in cv. Florida while Festival cv. had a higher total yield per plant and greater anthocyanins and ascorbic acid contents. The greatest vegetative growth, dry matter percentage, potassium content, and carbohydrate content besides the earliest yield per plant were observed following spraying with PPFM or PPFM mixed with 10% methanol. Spraying with PPFM resulted in the highest total yield per plant, highest yield per feddan, and fruit quality. Spraying cv. Florida with PPFM resulted in the best early yield while spraying cv. Festival with PPFM resulted in the highest total yield and fruit quality. Spraying with PPFM appears to be the most efficient treatment for enhancing the total yield of Festival cv. by an average of 23.02 and 24.06 tons per feddan in the first and second seasons, respectively.

Abstract Background Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is one of the oldest cultivated medicinal plants, as well as it is rich with medicinal antioxidant components. The effect of foliar spraying with molybdenum, cysteine on growth, quality and productivity of fenugreek was evaluated in a conducted greenhouse experiment during 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 growing seasons. Results Results showed that there were different effects of molybdenum, cysteine and their interaction on morphological characters, photosynthetic pigments, seed yield and yield components and some chemical components of fenugreek plants. However, there was a variety of polypeptide bands with different molecular weights ranging from 18.94 to 250 kDa and was detected with polymorphic ratio 61.91%. Moreover, multiple bands varied in their molecular weight were detected in all tested plants using ISSR primers. The polymorphic percentage reached 70.00, 73.33, 76.19, 72.22, 77.77 and 70.59% in all tested plants with primer IS-01, Is-02, IS-03, IS-04, Is-05 and IS-06, respectively. Conclusions It was cleared that foliar spraying with molybdenum, cysteine and their interaction enhanced and improved growth, quality and productive characters of fenugreek. Moreover, there were molecular changes in fenugreek under study and generated bands using the six ISSR primers.

Nanoparticles, due to their extensive production and application, can have significant consequences for the environment, including soil and plant pollution. Therefore, it is very important to assess how nanoparticles will affect plants depending on the exposure pathways. The effect of gold nanoparticles in a concentration range of 1–100 mg/L on Mentha spicata L. during a 28-day experiment was investigated. Two routes of nanoparticles exposure were applied: root and foliar. Transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize nanoparticles and their effect on plant leaves’ ultrastructure. Gold content in soil and plant segments was determined using k0-neutron activation analysis. For root exposure, gold was mainly accumulated in soil (15.2–1769 mg/kg) followed by root systems (2.99–454 mg/kg). The maximum accumulation of gold in leaves (5.49 mg/kg) was attained at a nanoparticle concentration of 100 mg/L. Foliar exposure resulted in the maximum uptake of gold in leaves (552 mg/kg) and stems (18.4 mg/kg) at the highest applied nanoparticle concentration. The effect of nanoparticles on the Mentha spicata L. leaves’ biochemical composition was assessed. Nanoparticles affected the content of chlorophyll and carotenoids and led to an increase in antioxidant activity. Root exposure to gold nanoparticles resulted in an increase in the number of starch grains in chloroplasts and also suppressed the activity of the soil microbiota. Gold extraction from mint leaves into herbal infusion varied from 2 to 90% depending on the concentration of nanoparticles in the solution and the exposure route. The health risk as a result of gold exposure via herbal tea intake was assessed through estimated daily intake. The hazard quotient values were found to be less than the cutoff, indicating that a cup of tea infusion should not cause a serious impact to human health.

The tea plant accumulates elevated levels of fluoride (F) from environmental sources. Drinking tea containing high F levels poses a potential threat to human health. Selenium (Se) was applied by foliar spray to investigate its effects on F accumulation and physiology in tea plant. Foliar application of different forms of Se, i.e., Na2SeO3, Kappa-selenocarrageenan, Selenomethionine and Nanoselenium, reduced F content in tea leaves by 10.17 %−44.28 %, 16.12 %−35.41 %, 22.19 %−45.99 % and 22.24 %−43.82 %, respectively. Foliar spraying Se could increase F accumulation in pectin through increasing pectin content and pectin demethylesterification to bind more F in the cell wall, which decreased the proportion of water-soluble fluoride in tea leaves. Application of Se significantly decreased the contents of chromium (39.6 %−72.0 %), cadmium (48.3 %−84.4 %), lead (2.2 %−44.4 %) and copper (14.1 %−44.6 %) in tea leaves. Foliar spraying various forms of Se dramatically increased the Se content and was efficiently transformed into organic Se accounting for more than 80 % in tea leaves. All Se compounds increased peroxidase activity by 3.3 %−35.5 % and catalase activity by 2.6 %−99.4 %, reduced malondialdehyde content by 5.6 %−37.1 %, and increased the contents of chlorophyll by 0.65 %−31.8 %, carotenoids by 0.24 %−27.1 %, total catechins by 1.6 %−21.0 %, EGCG by 4.4 %−17.6 % and caffeine by 9.1 %−28.6 %. These results indicated that Se application could be served as a potential efficient and safe strategy diminishing the concentration of F in tea leaves.

Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata, is an important food and forage legume worldwide. The cowpea weevil is a major cowpea pest that causes damage both in the field and during storage. This study investigated the effects of some foliar treatments, including three foliar fertilizers (Ca, K, B) and two growth regulators (mepiquat chloride (MC) and forchlorfenuron (CPPU) on the cowpea yield and its components. Furthermore, evaluating the susceptibility and resistance of cowpea seeds resulting from the previous treatments against the C. maculatus insect. The results showed that all foliar sprays had significant effects on yield and its components in both seasons compared with the control. The highest yield was achieved by CPPU treatment, followed by K treatment, and the lowest yield was achieved by MC treatment. The results of the free-choice and no-choice tests revealed that cowpea seeds treated with MC treatment were the most susceptible to C. maculatus attack. At the same time, cowpea seeds treated with K and CPPU treatments showed their resistance to infestation by the same insect. Foliar application of K and CPPU treatments could be used in integrated pest management programs to reduce the risk of pesticides to human health and increase crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sage (Salvia officinalis L.) is an important medicinal and aromatic plant, whose the volatile oil from the leaves are commonly used as a raw material in pharmaceutical and perfumery industries. In this study, the influences of the foliar applications of 24-epibrassinolide (BRs: 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 µM) and paclobutrazol (PBZ: 17, 25, and 34 µM) as well as three moisture conditions (non-stress, slight water deficit stress, and mild water deficit stress) on the content and chemical compositions of the essential oil from the sage leaves were investigated. For evaluation of phytochemical characteristics, the essential oils were analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS. Substantial effect of the foliar applications of BRs and PBZ under different moisture conditions on the quantity and quality of the essential oil of sage was found. The highest essential oil contents were recorded for sage plants treated with BRs at 3.5 µM under mild drought stress (0.79 mL/100 g dry matter) followed by PBZ at 17 µM under slight drought stress (0.72 mL/100 g dry matter). Using the BRs and PBZ foliar meaningfully enhanced biologically active substances, including 1,8-cineole, α-thujone, β-thujone, and camphor as the major constituents in the essential oil under different moisture conditions. In final, it can be concluded that the applied of the BRs and PBZ mitigate the reducing effects of water shortages on improve the quantity and quality yield of S. officinalis L. under drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The search for an effective zinc fertilizer and its application method to effectively increase zinc content and enhance aroma in rice grains is a crucial objective. In this study, a 2-year field plot experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of ZnO NPs foliar spraying on rice quality, grain zinc and aroma content, along with exploring the physiological mechanisms underlying these effects. Our results demonstrated that the rice breakdown value and taste value of foliar spraying zinc oxide nanoparticles were improved by 31.0–41.7% and 8.2–13.0% compared with CK (control treatment involved spraying water), improving the tasting and steaming quality of rice. While Fe and Cu content in grains decreased for the application of zinc oxide nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles foliar spraying significantly increased the zinc content and accumulation of grains by 33.6–65.1% and 37.8–74.7%, respectively. Further analysis showed that the sprayed zinc oxide nanoparticles achieved effective enrichment of zinc in edible parts and increased the final bioavailability of Zn. In addition, foliar spraying of zinc oxide nanoparticles significantly increased activities of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase in leaves, which elevated nitrogen content in leaves and grains, and ultimately enhanced 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) content in grains at maturity by 6.1–21.4% compared to CK. Our findings indicated that zinc oxide nanoparticles can be practically applied as a foliar fertilizer at the gestation for quality improvement, zinc enrichment and aroma enhancement of rice grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fig (Ficus carica L. cv. Sabz) fruit growth and development under rain-fed conditions differs from fig grown under irrigated conditions and responds differently to the growth regulators application. This study aimed to reveal how ethephon (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 mg L-1) and 2,4-D isopropyl ester (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 mg L-1) can accelerate fruit ripening in fig cv. 'Sabz'. Fruits were sprayed three times by foliar application at 15-days intervals for two consecutive years. The highest fruit ripening percentage occurred with the second time that ethephon (200 mg L-1) was sprayed. Application of 100 mg L-1 ethephon increased the total soluble solids with the second and third foliar spraying. Ostiole cracking in dry fig fruits became most prevalent when applying 50 mg L-1 ethephon by the third foliar spraying. The highest carotenoid content was caused by 100 mg L-1 ethephon by the second foliar application. Furthermore, the highest sugar content occurred in response to the second foliar spraying of 50 mg L-1 ethephon. The second 2,4-D isopropyl ester (10 mg L-1) foliar spraying significantly increased fruit diameter. Since the crop has asynchronous nature of ripening, harvesting continued for several weeks. Ethephon (200 mg L-1) accelerated fig harvesting and made it occur about 7 days sooner under rain-fed conditions. Therefore, accelerating fig fruits ripening can reduce the likelihood that fruits will be exposed to drought near the end of the season. Also, ethephon treatment can help prevent loss of fruit quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Rice is a popular food in Africa, but current yield achieved is far lower than the yield potential due to abiotic/biotic stresses. We recently demonstrated that commercially formulated products of Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma asperellum strains increased rice yield when applied as transplant dipping or post-transplanting foliar sprays in Tanzania (Africa). Further experiments were conducted to investigate: (1) synergies in alternate use of B. subtilis and T. asperellum products as dipping or foliar spray in Tanzania, and (2) effects of coating seeds with Serratia nematodiphila in Kenya (Africa). In Tanzania, using formulated B. subtilis and T. asperellum products led to > 100% increase in yield. Furthermore, alternative use of B. subtilis and T. asperellum as transplant dipping or post-transplanting foliar spray led to further yield increase (ca. 32%) over the use of single-organism products at both times. Microbial treatments led to significant reductions in rice blast. In comparison with the fungicide treatment, increased yield with using microbial products appeared to have resulted mostly from improved plant development rather than reduced rice blast per se. At the Kenyan site where current yield is relatively high, the overall yield increase associated with microbial products was limited although statistically significant. Coating seeds with one specific S. nematodiphila strain led to grain yield comparable to applying microbial products as transplant dipping and post-transplanting foliar spray. The present study suggests that the formulated microbial products can significantly improve rice productivity in subsistence farming and should be applied in alternation over time to exploit their synergies.

Introduction Nowadays, the application of chemical compounds is limited due to their harmful effects on human and the environment health. The benefits of seaweeds as sources of organic matter and fertilizer nutrients have been known to agriculture for centuries, especially in coastal areas extracts of these seaweeds have been used for decades as foliar- and soil-applied treatments in crop production systems due to the presence of a number of plant growth-stimulating compounds. Unlike chemical fertilizers, extracts derived from seaweeds are biodegradable, non-toxic and non-hazardous to humans, animals and birds. Therefore, it is required to find a safe compound that is utilized in the postharvest technology of fruit and vegetables. Pre-harvest application of nutrient solutions such as seaweed increases the quality and quantity of crop and also enhance their storage life and marketability. Various researchers reported that aqueous extracts of seaweed increased the yield and quality of tangerine and orange, strawberry, grape, apple, and watermelon fruit. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of pre-harvest foliar application of Seaweed extract on quality and quantity values, antioxidant properties, and storage life of kiwifruits.Material and Methods This experiment was carried out on 10-year-old kiwifruit vines, in a commercial orchard located in Gilan Province. Vines were selected with uniform size in terms of growth, yield and fruit load, then sprayed with seaweed extract at four levels of 0, 1, 2 and 3 g.l-1 as a foliar spray and control vines only received water. Foliar spraying was performed in three stages, (110, 125 and 140 days after full bloom stage) and Tween 20 was used as a surfactant. This experiment was designed as factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The fruits were harvested in November with soluble solids content (TSS) of 6.5-6.2% and then transferred to the post-harvest physiology laboratory of the University of Zanjan. The treated fruits were stored for 90 days at 1 ° C with 90% RH. Sampling was done at harvest time and after 30, 60 and 90 days of storage and some quantity and quality traits such as weight loss, tissue firmness, TSS, ascorbic acid, total phenol and flavonoids, antioxidant capacity and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzymes were evaluated.Results and Discussion The ANOVA results showed that seaweed extract, storage time, and interaction of seaweed extract × storage time had a significant effect (p≤0.01) on evaluated traits. All treatments maintained the antioxidant capacity, total phenol and flavonoids content and PAL activity at a higher level compared with control. The amount of fruit tissue firmness, TA and ascorbic acid decreased by increasing the storage time, and at the third month of storage, the lowest amount was observed in the control fruit. Also, comparing the interaction of the mean of treatments and storage time showed that pH, weight loss, TA, TSS, antioxidant capacity, total phenol, flavonoids and PAL enzyme activity increased by increasing the storage time. At the end of the storage time, the highest level of TSS, weight loss and pH were observed in the control fruit. The lowest antioxidant capacity (48.14 %) was observed in the control treatment at harvest time and the highest antioxidant capacity was observed in 3 levels of brown algae extract treatment at the end of storage period. Comparison of means showed that at the first 30 days of storage, the highest PAL enzyme activity was observed in the treatment of 3 g / l of brown algae. PAL enzyme activity significantly increased after the experiment. At the end of storage period, the lowest PAL enzyme activity was observed in control fruit. Treatment of 3 g / l brown algae had higher PAL activity. PAL, as a key enzyme in phenylpropanoid metabolism, catalyzes the conversion of phenylalanine to trans-cinnamic acid, which is the first step in the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids and leads to the production of secondary metabolites such as lignin, phytolaxoids, and flavonoids. The direct and positive relationship of this enzyme with the synthesis of phenols and flavonoids has been discovered in the fruits of blood orange, strawberry and blueberry. The results of the comparison of the mean showed that the total phenol and flavonoids increased by increasing the storage time. The lowest phenol (23 mg GAE.100 g-1 FW) was observed in control fruit at harvest and the highest (8.88 mg GAE.100 g-1 FW) content of total phenol was observed in 3 levels of brown algae extract at the third month of storage. Plants release phenolic compounds in response to some messenger compounds that play an important defense role. Studies show that there is a positive relationship between total phenol content and their antioxidant activity. Flavonoids are also polyphenolic compounds and are the most important secondary compounds of plants. Under oxidative stress, in plants, the activity of propanoid pathway increases, especially the pathway of flavonoids biosynthesis. Flavonoid compounds are abundant in plants and show antioxidant activity. Seaweed extract enhances the antioxidant capacity of the fruit and thereby inhibits oxygen-free radicals Treatment of 3 g/l seaweed extract had the best effect among the treatments applied in maintaining firmness, fruit weight loss, TA, antioxidant capacity, total phenol and flavonoids and PAL enzyme activity. All three levels of seaweed extract increased the amount of total phenol, flavonoids and antioxidant capacity all over the storage time, but no significant difference was observed among the treatments levels. Based on the results, the application of 3 g/l seaweed extract effectively increased the antioxidant capacity and PAL enzyme activity during 90 days of storage time. As a result, seaweed extract treatment had positive effects on maintaining the quality and increasing the shelf life of kiwifruit during 90 days of storage.ConclusionSeaweed extract is one of the natural compounds and compatible with human health and nature has medicinal and nutritional value that can increase the shelf life and maintain fruit quality in the postharvest period. In summary, foliar application of seaweed extract has a significant effect on fruit firmness, total soluble solids, total acid, vitamin C, phenol and total flavonoids, total antioxidant activity and the enzyme phenylalanine ammonialyase. The appropriate treatment for kiwifruit cultivar ‘Hayward’ is introduced. Among the applied treatments, 3 g/l of seaweed extract had the best effect on firmness (40.40%), fruit weight loss percentage (41.87%), titratable acid (25.37%), vitamin C (33.26%), antioxidant capacity (26.70%), total phenol (81.17%), total flavonoids (103.67%) and PAL enzyme activity (153.75%) compared to the control in 90 days of storage.

The experiment was carried out in one of the private orchards in the Saqlawiya sub-district of Fallujah district for the spring season 2021 to study the effect of foliar spraying with potassium silicate and Agri-fertilizer under the trade name IQ COMBI, which contains some microelements on some vegetative and chemical growth characteristics of the Apple cv. Ibrahimi. The spraying with potassium silicate included four levels (0, 1.5, 3, 4.5 ml. L-1) represents the first factor is symbolized by (S0, S1, S2 and S3) sequentially, while spraying with Agri-fertilizer IQ COMBI, represent the second factor included three levels its symbol is (Q0, Q1 and Q2) sequentially. The results can be summarized as follows: The foliar spraying with potassium silicate had a significant effect in improving the vegetative and chemical growth characteristics, as the level S2 gave the highest area per leaf of 32.13 cm2, while the level S3 gave the highest content of chlorophyll in leaves of 64.61 mg.100gm-1 fresh weight and highest content of carbohydrate in the branches was 9.73% compared to the level S0. The foliar spraying with Agri-fertilizer IQ COMBI had a significant effect on improving the vegetative growth and chemical characteristics, as Q2 gave the highest increase in the most studied traits. The interaction between the two factors of the study had a significant effect on all studied traits.

Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria (PPFM) isolated from cotton leaves was identified based on phenotypic and genotypic characteristics as Methylobacterium rodiotolerance. Two field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of PPFM, methanol (10 and 30%) and a combination of bacteria and methanol on the growth, fruit quality, and yield of two strawberry cultivars (Florida and Festival). The main differences between the two cultivars are greater foliage fresh weight and early yield in cv. Florida while Festival cv. had a higher total yield per plant and greater anthocyanins and ascorbic acid contents. The greatest vegetative growth, dry matter percentage, potassium content, and carbohydrate content besides the earliest yield per plant were observed following spraying with PPFM or PPFM mixed with 10% methanol. Spraying with PPFM resulted in the highest total yield per plant, highest yield per feddan, and fruit quality. Spraying cv. Florida with PPFM resulted in the best early yield while spraying cv. Festival with PPFM resulted in the highest total yield and fruit quality. Spraying with PPFM appears to be the most efficient treatment for enhancing the total yield of Festival cv. by an average of 23.02 and 24.06 tons per feddan in the first and second seasons, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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