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The study of the effect of biological preparations on the growth, development and yield of tomatoes was carried out at the experimental field of the Educational-Scientific-Practical Center of the Mykolaiv National Agrarian University under the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine according to generally accepted methods: field, laboratory and statistical. In order to study the elements of the organic tomato cultivation technology, a two-factor field experiment was conducted under the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine: Factor A: cultivar: 1. Rio Fuego; 2 Missouri. Factor B: complex fivefold treatment with biological preparations: Azotophyt-r, FitoHelp, Organic Balance, Mycohelp, Actoverm, Lepidocide during the growing season: first – 12–14 days after the emergence of seedlings, then every 12–14 days. As a result of the conducted research, the effect of biological preparations on biometric indicators of plant growth and development, namely plant weight, above-ground height and root length as well as dry weight accumulation in the vegetative mass of Rio Fuego and Missouri tomato cultivars. The above-ground mass of tomato plants of the Rio Fuego variety in the flowering phase in the variant with treatment was 196.8 g·piece-1, which exceeded the weight of the plant from the control variant by 38.2 g·piece-1, or 24.1%. The positive dynamics of the increase in raw vegetative mass during the treatment was noted during the fruiting period – 1036.4 g·piece-1, in the control – 857.3 g·piece-1. The increase in the raw mass of one plant, on average, was 20.9%. It was found that the use of biologics during the growing season of tomatoes contributed to an increase in the aboveground mass and a decrease in the percentage of roots to the total mass of the studied cultivars. The effect of biological preparations on the commercial yield of tomato fruit, which differed according to the years of research, was studied. The biologics used throughout the years with different agroclimatic conditions gave approximately the same results. The yield of the Rio Fuego cultivar increased in 11.1 Mg·ha-1, or 24.9% due to the biologics. The Missouri cultivar turned out to be less productive throughout the years of research, but it was more responsive to the treatment with biologics, with the increase in the marketable fruit yield in comparison with the control being 10.9 Mg·ha-1 (29.9%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted to investigate the efficacy of putrescine (PUT) treatment (0, 1, 2, and 4 mM) on improving morphophysiological and biochemical characteristics of Zinnia elegans "State Fair" flowers under salt stress (0, 50, and 100 mM NaCl). The experiment was designed in a factorial setting under completely randomized design with 4 replications. The results showed that by increasing the salt stress intensity, the stress index (SSI) increased while morphological traits such as plant height decreased. PUT treatments effectively recovered the decrease in plant height and flower quality compared to the not-treated plants. Treatment by PUT 2 mM under 50 and 100 mM salt stress levels reduced the SSI by 28 and 35%, respectively, and increased plant height by 20 and 27% compared to untreated plants (PUT 0 mM). 2 mM PUT treatment also had the greatest effect on increasing fresh and dry biomass, number and surface area of leaves, flower diameter, internodal length, leaf relative water content, protein contents, total chlorophyll contents, carotenoids, leaf potassium (K+) content, and K+/Na+ ratio in treated plants compared to untreated control plants. The treatment of 2 mM PUT decreased the electrolyte leakage, leaf sodium (Na+) content, H2O2, malondialdehyde, and proline content. Furthermore, PUT treatments increased the activity of defense-related enzymes including catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and phenylalanine ammonium lyase (PAL), and reduced the abscisic acid (ABA) content while increased the level of gibberellin (GA) content compared to untreated samples under all different levels of salinity stress. In this research, enhancing the plant's antioxidant system, increasing K+ absorption, K+/Na+ ratio, and reducing the ABA/GA ratio are likely the most important mechanisms of PUT treatment, which improved growth, and maintained the visual quality of zinnia flowers under salt stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to improve yield, and characteristics of pistachio nuts of three cultivars by foliar application of volk oil and potassium nitrate. Research method: The study was carried out during the bud swelling stage using a factorial design, following a randomized complete block design with four replications. The experimental factors consisted of three cultivars, namely 'Fandoghi', 'Hasan-Abbasi', and 'Haj-Abdollahi', and three treatments: volk oil (1% and 2%), potassium nitrate (KNO3) (0.3% and 0.5%), and a mixture of volk oil and KNO3 (1% volk oil + 0.3% KNO3, and 1% volk oil + 0.5% KNO3). A control treatment was also included in the study. Findings: The results of this study showed that the highest percentage of open shell nuts (52.17%) was observed in 'Hasan-Abbasi' cultivar, and the highest fresh weight of 100 nuts in 'Haj-Abdollahi' (202.2 g). The lowest ounce (29.07), the highest dry weight of 100 nuts and 10 kernels weight were obtained 76.26 and 26.56 g in 'Fandoghi' cultivar, respectively. The use of 2% volk oil treatment was effective in budbreaking, as well as increasing the percentage of open shell nuts and reducing the percentage of balk nuts. Research limitations: There was no limitation. Originality/Value: 0.5 % KNO3 increased the fresh and dry weight of 100 nuts and decreased ounce of pistachio in all cultivars. Therefore, the use of volk oil and KNO3 treatments can be effective in pistachio orchards, and increase the quantity and quality of the yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This research was conducted to investigate the efficacy of putrescine (PUT) treatment (0, 1, 2, and 4 mM) on improving morphophysiological and biochemical characteristics of Zinnia elegans “State Fair” flowers under salt stress (0, 50, and 100 mM NaCl). The experiment was designed in a factorial setting under completely randomized design with 4 replications. The results showed that by increasing the salt stress intensity, the stress index (SSI) increased while morphological traits such as plant height decreased. PUT treatments effectively recovered the decrease in plant height and flower quality compared to the not-treated plants. Treatment by PUT 2 mM under 50 and 100 mM salt stress levels reduced the SSI by 28 and 35%, respectively, and increased plant height by 20 and 27% compared to untreated plants (PUT 0 mM). 2 mM PUT treatment also had the greatest effect on increasing fresh and dry biomass, number and surface area of leaves, flower diameter, internodal length, leaf relative water content, protein contents, total chlorophyll contents, carotenoids, leaf potassium (K+) content, and K+/Na+ ratio in treated plants compared to untreated control plants. The treatment of 2 mM PUT decreased the electrolyte leakage, leaf sodium (Na+) content, H2O2, malondialdehyde, and proline content. Furthermore, PUT treatments increased the activity of defense-related enzymes including catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and phenylalanine ammonium lyase (PAL), and reduced the abscisic acid (ABA) content while increased the level of gibberellin (GA) content compared to untreated samples under all different levels of salinity stress. In this research, enhancing the plant’s antioxidant system, increasing K+ absorption, K+/Na+ ratio, and reducing the ABA/GA ratio are likely the most important mechanisms of PUT treatment, which improved growth, and maintained the visual quality of zinnia flowers under salt stress conditions.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to improve yield, and characteristics of pistachio nuts of three cultivars by foliar application of volk oil and potassium nitrate. Research method: The study was carried out during the bud swelling stage using a factorial design, following a randomized complete block design with four replications. The experimental factors consisted of three cultivars, namely 'Fandoghi', 'Hasan-Abbasi', and 'Haj-Abdollahi', and three treatments: volk oil (1% and 2%), potassium nitrate (KNO3) (0.3% and 0.5%), and a mixture of volk oil and KNO3 (1% volk oil + 0.3% KNO3, and 1% volk oil + 0.5% KNO3). A control treatment was also included in the study. Findings: The results of this study showed that the highest percentage of open shell nuts (52.17%) was observed in ‘Hasan-Abbasi’ cultivar, and the highest fresh weight of 100 nuts in ‘Haj-Abdollahi’ (202.2 g). The lowest ounce (29.07), the highest dry weight of 100 nuts and 10 kernels weight were obtained 76.26 and 26.56 g in ‘Fandoghi’ cultivar, respectively. The use of 2% volk oil treatment was effective in budbreaking, as well as increasing the percentage of open shell nuts and reducing the percentage of balk nuts. Research limitations: There was no limitation. Originality/Value: 0.5 % KNO3 increased the fresh and dry weight of 100 nuts and decreased ounce of pistachio in all cultivars. Therefore, the use of volk oil and KNO3 treatments can be effective in pistachio orchards, and increase the quantity and quality of the yield.

The study of the effect of biological preparations on the growth, development and yield of tomatoes was carried out at the experimental field of the Educational-Scientific-Practical Center of the Mykolaiv National Agrarian University in the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine according to generally accepted methods: field, laboratory and statistical. In order to study the elements of the technology of tomato cultivation with the use of organic technology, a two-factor field experiment was conducted in the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine: Factor A: cultivar: 1. Rio Fuego; 2 Missouri. Factor B: complex fivefold treatment with biological preparations: Azotophyt-r, FitoHelp, Organic Balance, Mycohelp, Actoverm, Lepidocide during the growing season: first - 12-14 days after the emergence of seedlings, then every 12-14 days. As a result of the conducted research, the effect of biological preparations on biometric indicators of plant growth and development, namely plant weight, above-ground height and root length as well as dry weight accumulation in the vegetative mass of Rio Fuego and Missouri tomato cultivars. The above-ground mass of tomato plants of the Rio Fuego variety in the flowering phase in the variant with treatment was 196.8 g piece-1, which exceeded the weight of the plant from the control variant by 38.2 g piece-1, or 24.1%. It was found that the use of biologics during the growing season of tomatoes contributed to an increase in the aboveground mass and a decrease in the percentage of roots to the total mass of the studied cultivars. The effect of biological preparations on the commercial yield of tomato fruit, which differed according to the years of research, was studied. The biologics used throughout the years with different agroclimatic conditions gave approximately the same results. The yield of the Rio Fuego cultivar increased in 11.1 Mg ha-1, or 24.9% due to the biologics. The Missouri cultivar turned out to be less productive throughout the years of research, but it was more responsive to the treatment with biologics, with the increase in the marketable fruit yield in comparison with the control being 10.9 Mg ha-1 (29.9%).

Compost is commonly utilized to improve properties of infertile sandy soils, despite its high biodegradability which may increase greenhouse gases emissions. It is possible to combine compost with biochar, which degrades at a slower rate, forming a “co-composted biochar” product. This mixture could enhance plant growth parameters beyond those attained for using each component, individually. To investigate this assumption, zucchini was selected as a test plant to be grown, under greenhouse conditions, on a sandy soil that received biochar, compost or co-composted biochar (from rice straw or sugarcane bagasse (SB)) for a duration of 15 days. This timeframe was deemed sufficient to achieve a relatively stable degradation rate for compost. Application of organic materials increased both fresh and dry weights of zucchini plants, particularly when co-composted biochar of SB was used. Specifically, plant fresh weights increased by 1.24–1.71 folds when using this additive versus the control group. Additionally, availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in soil and their uptake by plants significantly increased owing to application of all additives, with superiority for the co-composted biochar of SB. Enhancements in plant fresh weights were strongly correlated with increasing availability and uptake of phosphorus by plants. In conclusion, organic amendments have a substantial positive impact on enhancing the nutritional status and growth of zucchini, even during the early vegetative growth stage (within the first 15 days after planting). The greatest improvements were observed when co-composted biochar of SB was used and this confirm the main hypothesis of the study.

Pak choy and mustard greens are traditionally grown with many inorganic fertilisers, which can reduce soil fertility when applied frequently. The adoption of organic fertilisers offers a sustainable solution to this challenge. This study investigates the impact of liquid organic fertiliser (LOF) derived from goat urine, Moringa leaves, and banana stems on the growth and yield of pak choy and mustard greens. The research design employed a randomised complete block design with four treatments and ten replications. These treatments included a control group, 100% nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (NPK, inorganic fertiliser), 100% LOF, and a 50% NPK + 50% LOF blend. The application of LOF, sourced from goat urine, Moringa leaves, and banana stems, demonstrated a significant influence on nearly all plant parameters. Notably, the 100% LOF treatment yielded the highest results for fresh leaf weight (26.46 g), fresh stalk weight (39.64 g), dry leaf weight (4.57 g), stem diameter (48.27 mm), Soil Plant Analysis Development value (SPAD, 40.73 units), plant height (31.59 cm), leaf width (8.45 cm), and leaf length (13.33 cm) for pak choy. Additionally, 100% LOF also produced the highest results for fresh leaf weight (21.34 g), dry root weight (0.31 g), stem diameter (21.53 mm), SPAD value (32.40 units), plant height (31.59 cm), leaf width (10.40 cm), and leaf length (15.65 cm) for mustard greens. This study demonstrates that a blend of goat urine, Moringa leaves, and banana stems can be used as a LOF that can replace inorganic NPK fertilisers in growing pak choy and mustard. It not only addresses issues with soil fertility but also contributes to environmentally friendly farming practices. [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.)

Sole biochar addition or exogenous melatonin application can decrease cadmium (Cd) toxicity in polluted soils and improve plant performance and growth. Yet the additive effects of biochar and melatonin application on plant growth, oxidative stress modulation and Cd absorption remain unclear. We conducted a pot experiment to study the combined effects of melatonin, biochar and Cd stress on pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedling growth, antioxidant enzyme activities, photosynthesis parameters and Cd uptake. Results showed that Cd addition significantly decreased pea growth, chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance (gs), and increased intercellular CO2 concentration (ci) and oxidant enzyme activities when compared to non-Cd contaminated treatment. Exogenous applications of the biochar or melatonin alone significantly decreased the harmful effects of Cd stress and promoted pea seedling growth. Moreover, soil remediation with biochar could more effectively improve pea growth, chlorophyll contents, and photosynthesis parameters and contribute to Cd immobilisation; the melatonin treatment alone could more effectively increase antioxidant enzyme activities. The treatments of biochar and melatonin showed an additive result and had the largest promoting in pea growth, antioxidant enzyme activities, and lowest Cd contents in pea tissue and soil. These results indicate that the combined use of melatonin and biochar is more effective at reducing Cd uptake by pea tissues and alleviating Cd harm to pea plants.

IntroductionGrasses are narrow-leaved plants that are used as cover plants in landscape. These plants are one of the basic and necessary components of the green cover of most gardens, parks and as the background color of landscape. In Iran, due to the high costs of planting and management of grass, high water requirements, climatic incompatibility and damage to water and soil salinity, it is recommended to remove from the green space in some cities, especially in areas with low water and water and soil saline. If it is possible to benefit from the role and influence of these plants by observing the technical points and choosing the best species for each area. Salinity stress is the second limiting factor for the growth of plants in the world after drought, which affects the efficiency and performance of plants. Increase in salinity causes a decrease in the water potential in the soil. In this condition, the plant spends most of its energy to maintain the water potential, cell mass, and water absorption to have minimal growth. The aim of this research is the effect of external application of glycine betaine on the accumulation of osmolality compounds and the antioxidant system of sports grass under salt stress. Materials and Methods This research was carried out in 2022 in pots in the research greenhouse of Ilam University as a factorial based on a completely random design with three replications. Experimental treatments included three salinity levels with sodium chloride salt (without salinity, 50 and 100 mM sodium chloride) and three levels of glycine betaine foliar spraying (0, 5 and 10 mM). Glycine betaine application was performed after mowing twice with a distance of 48h from each other, and then salinity with sodium chloride salts was applied. 4 weeks after application of salinity stress, some morphological and biochemical characteristics of plants were measured. The results were analysed using SAS software (v.9.2), and Tukey's test was used to compare the means at the 5% probability level. Results and DiscussionThe results showed that salinity stress decreased all the study morphological, physiological and biochemical parameters including plant height, shoot fresh and dry weight, number of tiller, leaf area, chlorophyll content, protein and total antioxidant capacity in the studied plants. It also increased peroxidase enzyme, H2O2 and proline in plants, but glycine betaine application significantly improved the morpho-physiological characteristics of plants compared to the control under salt stress conditions. Thus, the highest height, shoot fresh and dry weight, leaf area, number of tiller, chlorophyll content, and protein and antioxidant capacity were observed in plants sprayed with glycine betaine. Also, the highest content of glycine betaine and activity of catalase and peroxidase enzymes and the lowest content of glycine betaine and H2O2 were observed in in plants sprayed with glycine betaine and 10 mM glycine betaine was more effective than 5 mM. The occurrence of salinity in plants disrupts the absorption of ions and causes the reduction of nutrients and increases sodium ions. One of the effects of salinity in plants is the reduction of photosynthetic activity, which results in the reduction of chlorophyll, carbon dioxide absorption, photosynthetic capacity, plant height, shoot fresh and dry weight, number of tiller and leaf area. One of the most strategies to deal with stress is accumulation of osmolyte and increasing the antioxidant activity, which makes plants resistant to environmental stresses. Salinity, through the toxic effect of Na+ and Cl- ions, affects the growth and performance of the plant by reducing the soil water potential, disrupting water absorption and imbalance of nutrients in the plant. The results obtained from comparing the average results of glycine betaine show that glycine betaine increased plant height, shoot fresh and dry weight, number of tiller, leaf area, chlorophyll content, total protein and antioxidant capacity, but on the other hand, it increased proline and H2O2 decreased, which is due to the accumulation of glycine betaine as a protector in plants under salt stress conditions. In stress conditions, glycine betaine can protect photosynthetic activities including photosynthetic enzymes, proteins and lipids in thylakoid membranes in the combination of photosystem II, and also the task of protecting cell membranes against osmotic stresses in the plant. ConclusionThe results obtained from this research showed that salinity stress reduced all the morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics in the sport grass plants, but glycine betaine application played a positive role in reducing salinity damage and maintaining plant quality. Glycine betaine is known as one of the effective molecules in stress signaling, so it can protect the plant cells against stress by reducing the destruction of the membrane and by increasing the salt tolerance mechanisms. Also, glycine betaine 10 mM is introduced as the best treatment to reduce salinity damage in sport grass during present study.

The growth of rocket Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC. profiles was studied during 30 days of growing in the chamber under different lighting regimes; T5_ peak at 630 nm, LED1_ peak at 545 nm and LED2_ peak at 599 nm. There were no significant differences in dry weight after 15 days, however, from day 15 to 30, the increase in dry weight was significantly biggest under LED2. This agrees well with estimated average leaf area (LA) per plant (43.83 cm2 ), the increase of LA (39.70 cm2 ) and total fresh weight (7.898 g per plant). The regression analysis revealed the strongest correlation between the dry weight and PPFD_R light intensity (0.792**), showing the positive effect of additional LED lighting in comparison with standard T5 light.

The cut flower industry needs postharvest techniques that allow for extended storage of fresh cut flowers to meet consumer demands. We compared the use of a sub-zero storage temperature (−0.6 °C) to maintain viable flowers with improved or comparable vase life to flowers stored at the industry standard (4 °C). The vase life of 17 commercially important cut flower species, alstroemeria (Alstroemeria), anemone (Anemone coronaria), campanula (Campanula medium), carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum), delphinium (Delphinium elatum), freesia (Freesia), gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii), gypsophila (Gypsophila paniculata), larkspur (Consolida), lily (Lilium), lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum), ranunculus (Ranunculus asiaticus), rose (Rosa hybrida), stock (Matthiola incana), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), and tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa), when stored dry at −0.6 °C for durations of 4, 8, and 12 weeks was comparable to or longer than that when stored at 4 °C. Tuberose stems were not viable after holding for any storage duration or temperature. Experiment 2 compared the use of a prestorage pulsing treatment of water, hydrating solution, or holding solution containing carbohydrates for 8 hours before extended storage for carnation, chrysanthemum, delphinium, lily, and rose stems. Stems of carnation benefitted from pulsing with a hydrating solution and maintained vase life similar to that of nonstored control stems when stored for 4 weeks at −0.6 °C. Conversely, rose stems only maintained vase life similar to that of nonstored control stems when held at 4 °C for all pulsing solutions. Lily and chrysanthemum stems had a decline in vase life with all pulsing solutions and only remained viable after 8 weeks of storage when held at −0.6 °C. Additionally, stored chrysanthemum and lily stems had a longer vase life when stored at −0.6 °C than that when held at 4 °C after 4 and 8 weeks of storage, respectively, with all pulsing solutions. Delphinium stems were not viable after any storage duration. Experiment 3 further evaluated carnation, lily, and rose stems with and without a prestorage acclimation period at 4 °C for either 24 hours or 1 week before extended storage of 4, 6, or 8 weeks. Holding stems at 4 °C for 1 week before extended storage reduced the vase life of all species. Rose stems remained viable after 8 weeks of extended storage when held at −0.6 °C, but only when no prestorage hold was used. Lily and rose stems were not viable beyond 4-week storage durations when held at 4 °C, but they remained viable with no prestorage holding period after 8 weeks at −0.6 °C. Carnation stems maintained a longer vase life irrespective of a prestorage holding period when stored at −0.6 °C. Through this analysis, we showed that many species of cut flowers may be held at a sub-zero temperature with vase life better than or comparable to that with the industry standard of 4 °C.

Copyright of Glasnik Zastite Bilja is the property of Zadruzna Stampa D.D. 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.)

This article examines the impact of different concentrations of sucrose and sodium hypochlorite on the lifespan and characteristics of cut chrysanthemum flowers. The study reveals that treating the flowers with a 10% sucrose solution for 4 hours yields the best results in terms of flower weight, water absorption, weight retention, and overall vase life. Sucrose acts as a respiratory substrate and can extend the lifespan of cut flowers. The research emphasizes the importance of chemical treatments, particularly sucrose pulsing, in prolonging the vase life of chrysanthemum flowers. The document also explores the effects of various pulsing treatments on water loss through transpiration, weight retention, petal water content, soluble solids, and vase life of cut chrysanthemum flowers. The findings demonstrate that pulsing with a 10% sucrose solution leads to the lowest water loss through transpiration and the longest vase life. The study also identifies correlations between vase life and factors such as flower weight, diameter, water absorption, petal water content, and weight retention. These results suggest that sucrose pulsing can enhance the water balance and metabolic processes of cut chrysanthemum flowers. [Extracted from the article]

Given the scarcity of water resources for agricultural use, it is necessary to promote the use of wastewater for agriculture. The towns of Capulálpam de Méndez and Ixtlán de Juárez in the State of Oaxaca have anaerobic wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). The morphological growth, biomass production and N and P content were evaluated in two forage species --Chenopodium quinoa Willd and Zea mays-- irrigated with treated wastewater (TWW). A complete randomized design (CRD) was established in each municipality, given the homogeneity of the soil, using a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement, i.e., two forage crops (Quinoa and corn) and two types of irrigation (fresh water and treated wastewater), with 4 replicates per treatment. Analyses of variance and Tukey mean tests (P=0.05) were performed for the studied variables. In the soils, the pH level was "moderately acid" to "neutral" (5.1 to 7.3); the EC indicated "negligible effects of salinity"; organic matter was found at intervals of "medium to high", and the texture was sandy clay loam in Ixtlán and clay loam in Capulálpam. Growth variables (plant height, stem diameter, and number of leaves) and biomass were significantly higher in plants irrigated with treated wastewater in both forage crops. Nitrogen and phosphorus contents were significantly higher in quinoa and corn plants receiving TWW. TWW could be an alternative that would help reduce the use of chemical fertilizers, as it is an important source of nutrients in forage crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of gibberellic acid on vegetative and heterocyst cell size, inducing sugar and protein content was investigated in Anabaena at three durations (7, 14 and 21 days). According to the results, vegetative cell size did not show any significant differentiation under gibberellic acid treatments and time duration. Length and width of heterocyst cells showed a significantly different impact only with 10µM gibberellic acid at 7-day-old cultures. Algae treated with gibberellic acid had more fresh weight. Gibberellic acid induced heterocyst formation after 14 and 21 days. The amount of photosynthetic pigments increased in the 7 and 14-day cultures and decreased in the 21-day cultures. Application of gibberellic acid to the culture medium did not affect heterocyst percentage after 7 days, but it increased the heterocyst numbers in the 14 and 21-day cultures. Reducing sugar content changed dependence of gibberellic acid concentration and growth period. Treatment with gibberellic acid could increase protein content at different concentration and growth period. The results of this research showed notable effect of this plant growth regulator on Anabaena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous pepper studies indicated that biomass production and the amounts of bioactive compounds were dependent on light sources, maturity processes and pepper genotypes. However, the above topic has received little attention in supplemental light versus cultivar combinations under a hydroponic growing system. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the biomass production (fruit, root, stem and leaf) and fruit bioactive compounds (vitamin C, total flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity-AC-FRAP, total polyphenol-TPC) of two pepper cultivars ('Fehérözön'-Fö and 'Szegedi 80'-S80) in three fruit maturity stages (green, beaker and red) under two LED light treatments (full-F and blue-white-BW spectrums) in a deep water culture hydroponic system. The stem biomass and water use for total and fruit biomass were significantly different for cultivars and light treatments. Light treatments, maturity stages and cultivars had significant effects on fruit biomass production and on all bioactive compounds. However, the results on the bioactive compounds varied according to the green, beaker and red maturity stages of the two pepper cultivars. In correlation analyses, 30 pair-variables correlated significantly and nine showed values r > 0.9 for fruit weight versus (vs.) vitamin C, fruit weight vs. AC-FRAP, fruit weight vs. TPC, vitamin C vs. AC-FRAP, vitamin C vs. TPC, AC-FRAP vs. TPC, and flavonoid vs. TPC. This study suggested that additional lights and maturity features of cultivar genotype strongly determined the biomass and bioactive compounds of pepper under a deep water culture hydroponic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change-related impacts have hampered the productivity of agricultural lands in recent times, affecting food security globally. Novel technology-based agricultural production systems such as controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) are a way to reduce the impact of climatic variation and pests that harm current global crop production and ensure consistent crop development. These systems often use artificial lighting and soilless mediums to produce crops. This meta-analysis has investigated the key influencing factors on crop production within these systems, using previous studies on lettuce (the most cultivated crop in these systems) to understand what affects yield within CEA. This analysis has found that on average, CEA systems yield twice that of field-based agriculture (3.68 kg m−2 vs. 1.88 kg m−2), with the most influencing factors being the variety of cultivars grown, the season, the nutrient delivery method, and the lighting type. The cultivation time for this study was 40 days, with 94% of papers having trial periods of 70 days or less, much lower than field-based agriculture (60–120 days). Vertical farming (stacked vertical CEA cultivation) studies were found to especially drive up yield per area (6.88 kg m−2). The results of this meta-analysis are useful for starting to understand the key influencing factors on CEA growth and highlight the breadth of research ongoing in the CEA industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, rice seedling raising factories have gradually been promoted in China. The seedlings bred in the factory need to be selected manually and then transplanted to the field. Growth-related traits such as height and biomass are important indicators for quantifying the growth of rice seedlings. Nowadays, the development of image-based plant phenotyping has received increasing attention, however, there is still room for improvement in plant phenotyping methods to meet the demand for rapid, robust and low-cost extraction of phenotypic measurements from images in environmentally-controlled plant factories. In this study, a method based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and digital images was applied to estimate the growth of rice seedlings in a controlled environment. Specifically, an end-to-end framework consisting of hybrid CNNs took color images, scaling factor and image acquisition distance as input and directly predicted the shoot height (SH) and shoot fresh weight (SFW) after image segmentation. The results on the rice seedlings dataset collected by different optical sensors demonstrated that the proposed model outperformed compared random forest (RF) and regression CNN models (RCNN). The model achieved R² values of 0.980 and 0.717, and normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) values of 2.64% and 17.23%, respectively. The hybrid CNNs method can learn the relationship between digital images and seedling growth traits, promising to provide a convenient and flexible estimation tool for the nondestructive monitoring of seedling growth in controlled environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eryngium campestre is a medicinal plant belonging to the Apiaceae family, which is very important in the pharmaceutical industry. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of glycine, nitroxin fertilizer, and humic acid on morphophysiological traits of Eringum campster. The experiment was conducted in factorial based on a completely randomized design with 3 factors namely, nitroxin (0, 1, 2 ml.l-1), humic acid (0, 1, 2 ml.l-1), and glycine (0, 75, 150 g.L-1) and 3 replications in the greenhouse of Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in the autumn of 2019. The measured traits included root fresh weight, root dry weight, root length, plant height, number of leaves, leaf surface, and absorption rate of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus elements by leaves. Results showed that the traits measured under nitroxin, glycine, and humic acid factors separately and in combination with each other were significantly different compared to the control. In general, the results showed that the factors used in this study had the potential to improve the quantitative and qualitative traits of the Eringum campster plant and can be used in commercial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proper management of treated agricultural wastes (e.g., composts) contributes to the protection of water and soil quality by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers, lowering leachate, and protecting renewable and nonrenewable resources. Natural zeolites, particularly clinoptilolite, can be used in agriculture to improve soil quality and increase yields due to their unique properties. The objective of the study was to test the effects of the co-addition of compost, zeolite and ammonium-based fertilizer on the Above-ground Fresh Weight (AFW) of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), leaf nutrients and soil fertility. To this aim, a soil pot experiment was carried out at the Department of Soil Science of Athens, which is located in the region of Attica, in the area of central Greece. Two levels of olive compost originated from olive leaves (0% and 10% v/v), three levels of zeolite (0%, 2%, and 5% w/w) and two levels of chemical fertilization (no fertilization and NPK fertilization) were combined. Furthermore, two different soils were introduced, one moderately acidic (pH = 5.6) and sandy loam in texture (Ac-LT), and the other slightly alkaline (pH = 7.7) and sandy clay in texture (Al-HT). Results showed that the response of lettuce yield to chemical fertilization and zeolite application is soil type-dependent, whereas compost application significantly improved AFW in both soil types. The availability of macronutrients (P, K, and Na) in the soil, as well as their concentration in leaves, were significantly increased by NPK fertilization in most cases. Conversely, the impact of inorganic fertilization on DTPA extractable micronutrients and leaf micronutrient contents was found to be associated with the type of soil. The study recorded a significant reduction in available Fe, Cu, and Mn in AL-HT soil, whereas DTPA-Mn and -Zn were significantly enhanced in Ac-LT soil. Comparable patterns were also documented for the micronutrient concentration in leaves. In most cases, compost application had significant and beneficial effects on plant nutrients. On the contrary, different responses of soil properties to compost addition were registered. The main effect of compost treatment on soil pH, EC, SOM, total N, and available P was significant and positive in both soil types, except for pH and EC in Al-HT soil. On the other hand, exchangeable K and Na were significantly reduced by compost. Zeolite substantially increased the availability of P, K, and Na in soil and plants, whereas the concentrations of DTPA-extractable micronutrients and leaf macronutrients were largely unaffected. In addition, the results of our study indicated that co-additions of organic and inorganic amendments did not yield any significant impact on the lettuce yield, leaf nutrient content and soil fertility. It is suggested that the degree of changes in main soil properties (e.g., pH, EC, SOM) as a result of amendment application as well as the interaction of the amendments with nutrient availability are strongly related to soil type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We train and compare the performance of two machine learning methods, a multi-variate regression network and a ResNet-50-based neural network, to learn and forecast plant biomass as well as the relative growth rate from a short sequence of temporal images from plants in aeroponic cultivation. The training dataset consists of images of 57 plants taken from two different angles every hour during a 5-day period. The results show that images taken from a top-down perspective produce better results for the multi-variate regression network, while images taken from the side are better for the ResNet-50 neural network. In addition, using images from both cameras improves the biomass estimates from the ResNet-50 network, but not those from the multi-variatemultivariate regression. However, all relative growth rate estimates were improved by using images from both cameras. We found that the best biomass estimates are produced from the multi-variate regression model trained on top camera images using a moving average filter resulting in a root mean square error of 0.0466 g. The best relative growth rate estimates were produced from the ResNet-50 network training on images from both cameras resulting in a root mean square error of 0.1767 g/(g·day). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the decomposition behavior of biomass oxidation, there is need to analyze the process by some models. An e-tracking system was established and modeled by the object-oriented methodology of kinetic parameters of biomass oxidation. The system calculates kinetic parameters of the biomass oxidation through neuro-fuzzy methodology which is the main core of the e-tracking system. The main attempt in this study was to develop a model for tracking of the biomass oxidation based on different input features. Activation energy and reaction order were the kinetic parameters of the biomass oxidation which were used as the output parameters. Fixed carbon and ash are the most influential factors for the activation energy and reaction order respectively. Oxygen concertation has the smallest impact on the activation energy and reaction order. Designed e-tracking system could have potential for practical applications since it could be updated with more input parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different forms of application (before planting and as top dressing) of organic fertilizers, namely castor bean cake and hoof and horn powder, on the production of jambu plants. The experiments were conducted at the Experimental Farm of São Manuel, SP, and at the 'Estância Três Nascentes' site in Botucatu, SP. Seven treatments were evaluated in a 2 x 3 + 1 factorial design, with two organic fertilizers, castor bean cake (CBC) and hoof and horn powder (HHP), and three forms of application (100% before planting, 100% as top dressing, and 50% before planting + 50% as top dressing), plus a control treatment. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Plant height, number of inflorescences (NI), fresh weight of inflorescences (FWI), fresh weight of vegetative parts (FWVP), and total fresh weight (TFW) were evaluated at each location. In São Manuel, there was a difference between fertilizers in the forms of application, 100% before planting and 50% before planting + 50% as top dressing, for FWVP and for TFW only in the first form. In Botucatu, HHP resulted in higher NI when applied 100% before planting and FWVP and TFW between fertilizers when applied 100% as top dressing. The increases compared to the control, with HHP and CBC, were 81%, 83%, 168%, 83%, and 95% in São Manuel and 19%, 42%, 316%, 56%, and 67%, in Botucatu, for plant height, NI, FWI, FWVP, and TFW, respectively, confirming the importance of supplementing base fertilization with organic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro cultures can provide a sufficient quantity of high-quality uniform biomass under controlled conditions. The aim of this study was to develop an efficient micropropagation system for biomass production from S. rebaudiana. In vitro shoot proliferation of S. rebaudiana was compared in classical agar-gelled solid culture medium (SM) and the Plantform temporary ımmersion bioreactor system (TIS). Murashige and Skoog 1962 (MS) medium was used in both culture systems and was supplemented with 0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 mg/L 6-Benzyladenine (BA). The maximum biomass production (1396.72 ± 54.03 mg) was recorded using the TIS in the variant with a concentration of 0.2 mg/L BA. The lowest biomass production (229.96 ± 29.33 mg) was obtained on MS solid culture media without BA. It is noteworthy that the water content tended to decrease in TIS compared to SM. In vitro-grown plantlets were screened for possible genetic differences using Start Codon Targeted (SCoT). The PCR amplification products were monomorphic in micropropagated plants and their mother plant, thus proving the genetic fidelity and uniformity of the plants grown in vitro for biomass production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein hydrolysate biostimulants are environmentally friendly options for the reduction of nitrogen input, but their plant growth-promoting mechanisms are still not completely unveiled. Here, to put the "signaling peptide theory" to the test, a greenhouse experiment was undertaken using low (1 mM) and optimal (8 mM) NO3-treated butterhead lettuce and three molecular fractions (PH1 (>10 kDa), PH2 (1–10 kDa) and PH3 (<10 kDa) fractions), in addition to the whole product Vegamin®: PH, in a randomized block design. PH1 and PH3 significantly increased fresh yield (+8%) under optimal (lighter leaves), but not under low (darker leaves) NO3 conditions. Total ascorbic acid, lutein and β-carotene increased with PH3, and disinapoylgentobiose and kaempferol-3-hydroxyferuloyl-sophorosie-7-glucoside content increased with PH (whole/fractions) treatments, particularly under low NO3 conditions. The complete hydrolysate and analyzed peptide fractions have differential biostimulatory effects, enhancing the growth and nutritional quality of lettuce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, exposure experiments were conducted to assess the effects of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS) and amine-modified polystyrene nanoparticles (APS) at environmental concentrations (1, 10, and 100 µg L− 1) on two fungal species (Geotrichum candidum and Aspergillus niger), isolated from leaf litter in streams, concerning their growth and metabolic activity. Results showed that PS at 1 and 10 µg L− 1 have hormesis effects on G. candidum growth. Compared with G. candidum, A. niger had higher sensitivity to nanoplastic exposure. Besides, the peroxidase and cellobiohydrolase activities of A. niger were significantly inhibited by nanoplastics (except 1 µg L− 1 PS), which would weaken its metabolic activity in carbon cycling. These results provided a new thought on how the growth and functions of aquatic fungi cope with the stress induced by nanoplastics. Overall, the study provided evidence for the different responses of aquatic fungi to nanoplastics in streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An e-monitoring system was established and modeled by object-oriented methodology for prediction of the maximal biomass yields based on in vitro culture parameters. The system calculates the maximal biomass yields through neuro-fuzzy or adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) methodology. The final biomass fresh weight was considered as a function of culture parameters. ANFIS models were created for the prediction of the maximal biomass yields. According to the prediction accuracy of the models, the inputs' influence was determined on the biomass fresh weight. It was determined that the pH of growth medium has the highest impact on the biomass fresh weight (RMSE = 0.8302) while the medium culture vessel has the smallest influence on the biomass fresh weight (RMSE = 0.9556). The designed e-monitoring system could have the potential for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Hydrobiology is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Hydrobiology 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.)

Forage production in the Cerrado is based on well-defined seasons: a rainy summer, and a dry winter. To define strategies that minimize the seasonality of forage production, responses in growth and biomass accumulation of five irrigated forages were evaluated during winter. The experimental design was randomized blocks, in a split plot arrangement, with five replicates, five forages in the plots (three of Panicum maximum - Mombasa, Tanzania, and Masai; two of Brachiaria brizantha - piatã and MG5), and five cuts in the subplots made from July to October 2016. Forages were cultivated with centre-pivot irrigation and the water level was defined according to the reference evapotranspiration determined through a Class A pan evaporation method, 0.8 kc, and two-day irrigation shifts. The number of shoots, leaves/tiller, leaves/plant, fresh leaf and stem biomass, dry leaf and stem biomass, fresh leaf mass/fresh stem mass ratio, dry leaf mass/dry stem mass ratio, and biomass accumulated in the five cuts were calculated. Irrigated forage during winter in the Goiás’ Cerrado showed satisfactory growth, reaching a lower plant height between cuts than those reported in the literature. Among the Panicum grasses, Mombasa grass stood out, and MG was superior to piatã grass. Highlights • The forages Panicum maximum - Mombasa, Tanzania, and Masai -; and Brachiaria brizantha - piatã and MG5 -, presented satisfactory responses in growth and biomass accumulation in an irrigated culture during winter in the Goiás’ Cerrado. • The Mombasa grass stood out among the forage of the genus Panicum and MG5 in the Brachiaria. • The Mombasa and Brachiaria MG5 grasses are recommended for cultivation of irrigated forage during the winter in the Goiás’ Cerrado.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a chilling-sensitive staple food crop, and thus, low temperature significantly affects rice growth and yield. Many studies have focused on the cold shock of rice although chilling acclimation is more likely to happen in the field. In this paper, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was used to identify the genes that participated in cold stress and chilling accumulation. A total of 235 significantly associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. Among them, we detected 120 and 88 SNPs for the relative shoot fresh weight under cold stress and chilling acclimation, respectively. Furthermore, 11 and 12 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified for cold stress and chilling acclimation, respectively, by integrating the co-localized SNPs. Interestingly, we identified 10 and 15 candidate genes in 11 and 12 QTLs involved in cold stress and chilling acclimation, respectively, and two new candidate genes (LOC_Os01g62410, LOC_Os12g24490) were obviously up-regulated under chilling acclimation. Furthermore, OsMYB3R-2 (LOC_Os01g62410) that encodes a R1R2R3 MYB gene was associated with cold tolerance, while a new C3HC4-type zinc finger protein-encoding gene LOC_Os12g24490 was found to function as a putative E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase in rice. Moreover, haplotype, distribution, and Wright's fixation index (FST) of both genes showed that haplotype 3 of LOC_Os12g24490 is more stable in chilling acclimation, and the SNP (A > T) showed a difference in latitudinal distribution. FST analysis of SNPs in OsMYB3R-2 (LOC_Os01g62410) and LOC_Os12g24490 indicated that several SNPs were under selection in rice indica and japonica subspecies. This study provided new candidate genes in genetic improvement of chilling acclimation response in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh weight is a widely used growth indicator for quantifying crop growth. Traditional fresh weight measurement methods are time-consuming, laborious, and destructive. Non-destructive measurement of crop fresh weight is urgently needed in plant factories with high environment controllability. In this study, we proposed a multi-modal fusion based deep learning model for automatic estimation of lettuce shoot fresh weight by utilizing RGB-D images. The model combined geometric traits from empirical feature extraction and deep neural features from CNN. A lettuce leaf segmentation network based on U-Net was trained for extracting leaf boundary and geometric traits. A multi-branch regression network was performed to estimate fresh weight by fusing color, depth, and geometric features. The leaf segmentation model reported a reliable performance with a mIoU of 0.982 and an accuracy of 0.998. A total of 10 geometric traits were defined to describe the structure of the lettuce canopy from segmented images. The fresh weight estimation results showed that the proposed multi-modal fusion model significantly improved the accuracy of lettuce shoot fresh weight in different growth periods compared with baseline models. The model yielded a root mean square error (RMSE) of 25.3 g and a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.938 over the entire lettuce growth period. The experiment results demonstrated that the multi-modal fusion method could improve the fresh weight estimation performance by leveraging the advantages of empirical geometric traits and deep neural features simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of different copper (Cu) concentrations on some plant growth parameters in coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.). The study was perfomed at the Agricultural Biotechnology growth room, Faculty of Agriculture, Siirt University (Turkey). In the study, the coriander Mardin province population was used as plant material. Five different doses of Cu (0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 ppm) were applied to plants. Plant height (cm), stem diameter (mm), the number of branches per plant, the number of umbel per plant, the number of seeds in the main umbel, plant fresh, and dry weights (g) were determined. According to the results, the effect of different Cu concentrations in all growth parameters except stem diameter and number of branches were found to be significant. In the current study, plant height, stem diameter, number of branches, number of umbel, number of seeds in the main umbel, and plant fresh weight and dry weights were ranged between 41.31-52.79 cm, 1.57-2.18 mm, 3.07-5.71 per plant, 2.57-4.86 per plant, 13.36-37.86 per plant, 2.33- 4.12 g and 0.239-0.550 g, respectively. In the study, it was concluded that coriander can be included in phytoremediation programs in Cu-contaminated areas.

The strawberry growth and fruit yield of five Korean cultivars in the tunnel-type greenhouse predicted using their growth. The number of leaves, petiole length, leaf length and width, crown diameter, and the ratio of red and far-red (RFR) of the five Korean cultivars were measured during the cultivation period. The number of leaves of all cultivars exhibited a similar trend during this period; the plant and petiole length of 'Maehyang' were the longest, leaf length exhibited similar trends in all five cultivars except for 'Jukhyang', the leaf width of 'Arihyang', was the longest, and crown diameter of 'Keumsil' was the thickest. The leaf length, crown diameter, and RFR were associated with the fruit yield in the multiple linear regression. When a single model was used to predict the yield of all five cultivars, the correlation between expected yield and actual yield was r = 0.53. When cultivar-specific models were built for the prediction, the correlation increased to r = 0.77. The results indicated that the fruit yield of strawberry cultivars could be better predicted by considering cultivar-specific information, so it may be necessary to consider individual cultivars specifically rather than all cultivars simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forage production in the Cerrado is based on well-defined seasons: a rainy summer, and a dry winter. To define strategies that minimize the seasonality of forage production, responses in growth and biomass accumulation of five irrigated forages were evaluated during winter. The experimental design was randomized blocks, in a split plot arrangement, with five replicates, five forages in the plots (three of Panicum maximum - Mombasa, Tanzania, and Masai; two of Brachiaria brizantha - piatã and MG5), and five cuts in the subplots made from July to October 2016. Forages were cultivated with centre-pivot irrigation and the water level was defined according to the reference evapotranspiration determined through a Class A pan evaporation method, 0.8 kc, and two-day irrigation shifts. The number of shoots, leaves/tiller, leaves/plant, fresh leaf and stem biomass, dry leaf and stem biomass, fresh leaf mass/fresh stem mass ratio, dry leaf mass/dry stem mass ratio, and biomass accumulated in the five cuts were calculated. Irrigated forage during winter in the Goiás' Cerrado showed satisfactory growth, reaching a lower plant height between cuts than those reported in the literature. Among the Panicum grasses, Mombasa grass stood out, and MG was superior to piatã grass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the yield and compliance of selected Iranian garlic (Allium sativum L.) cultivars, including Tuyserkan (TSN), Heydareh (HDH), Mouien (MUN), and Taroom (TRM), during two growing seasons. The TRM cultivar germination rate is higher than the other cultivars studied. The TRM cultivars have quite remarkable values for the dry weight, fresh weight, stem diameter, and the number of leaves present. The fresh weight and dry weight of the TRM cultivar for the second year are 33.8 t/ha and 16.7 t/ha, respectively. However, on average, the HDH cultivar is the tallest plant in the experiments. Average pyruvic acid content in fresh samples of the TRM and HDH cultivars is 78 µm/gfw and 69.3 µm/gfw, respectively. It is observed that there are remarkable differences in the level of pyruvic acid between the different cultivars. The growth, development, and yield of plants are highly dependent on their genetic characteristics; in this experiment, the TRM cultivar shows a good yield (16.7 t/ha), and the evaluated characteristics improve compared to the other cultivars studied, which could be due to the high compatibility of this cultivar to the environmental conditions of the study. The excellent performance on the yield of TRM makes this cultivar more appreciable on a commercial level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassica microgreens are typically cultivated using a peat-based growing substrate with a higher production cost as this substrate must be imported from overseas. In Vietnam, a source of local bio-materials that could be used to replace imported peat, resulting in more affordable growing substrates. Several growing substrates for Brassica microgreens were evaluated in this study: GT1 (30% sand +20% organic soil + 50% coco coir), GT2 (75% coco coir + 25% rice husk), GT3 (75% coco coir + CaO 2.2 mg/kg + acid humic 0.41%) and imported peat GT4 (75% white sphagnum peat +25% vermiculite (size 4-6 mm). The local organic material coco coir GT3 was found to be as effective as the imported substrate for microgreen production. The material coco coir mixed with soil and sand could increase the risks of soil-borne disease infestation on Brassica microgreens. Microgreens grown in the substrate GT3 and GT4 had higher productivity and lower disease infestation levels than other tested substrates. Nitrate level and microbiological contamination (E. coli and Salmonella spp.) of Brassica microgreens cultivated in these substrates were determined to be at safe levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.)

As the host, the hairy roots have good growth conditions, which is the key to establish the hairy root-AM fungus dual culture system. In order to optimize the medium composition, to screen the sucrose concentration suitable for the growth of hairy roots and to improve the growth of tobacco hairy roots, leaf growth of two types of tobacco, NC82 and Va116 were induced to have hairy roots through solid and liquid culture on 1/2MS medium with different sucrose concentrations and confirmed by PCR. The effects of sucrose on the growth of two tobacco hairy roots were studied by measuring the number of branches, fresh weight(FW)and dry weight(DW)of hairy roots. The results were as follows:(1)C58C1 could induce hairy roots in both tobacco leaves, but the induction rates were different. The induction rate of NC82(87.3%)was higher, which was 2.26 times that of Va116(38.6%).(2)The number of hairy root branches induced by NC82 and Va116 increased with the incubation time, and the increased amount varied with the concentration of sucrose. Sucrose has a significant effect on the growth of hairy roots, depending on the tobacco variety and the number of initial branches.(3)The solid medium was optimized to cultivate the induced NC82 and Va116 hairy roots, and the inhibitory sucrose concentrations for branch number growth were 25 g·L-1 and 15 g·L-1, respectively. In addition, the results of liquid optimized culture showed that the hairy roots induced by NC82 and Va116 reached the maximum F(D)W at 25 g·L-1 and 15 g·L-1, respectively, which were 0.541 g(0.055 g)and 0.474 g(0.050 g)respectively, which was mutually corroborated with solid optimized culture.(4)The present data suggested that the concentration of sucrose in the medium significantly affected the growth of hairy roots. Considering the number of branches, F(D)W, and hairy root growth vigor, C58C1 induced NC82 hairy roots with optimal sucrose concentration was 25 g·L-1, and the hairy roots of Va116 was 15 g·L-1. The study of tobacco hairy roots optimized the suitable sucrose concentration in the medium, laying a foundation for subsequent large-scale propagation of hairy roots; at the same time, established a hairy root-AM fungus double culturing system and solved the problem of poor growth of hairy roots as a host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the corn green matter production at different sowing densities, in Valle del Mezquital, Hidalgo, Mexico. Design/Methodology/Approach: The DK-4018 hybrid corn was sown in the spring-summer 2021 cycle. The treatments (T) were different sowing densities: (T1) 112,500, (T2) 120,000, and (T3) 136,000 plants per hectare. The experimental design was completely randomized. The evaluated variables were: plant height at 30, 60, and 76 days after sowing (cm); final stem diameter at ground level (cm); fresh weight (g); and green matter yield (ton ha-1). The results were analyzed with the SAS program (2001) and the means were compared with the Tukey test (p-0.05). Results: The highest green matter production of the DK-4018 hybrid corn was obtained with a sowing density of 136,000 plants per hectare, with an estimated yield of 114.6 ton. Study Limitations/Implications: No scientific publications about the DK-4018 hybrid corn green matter production were found. Findings/Conclusions: With a population density of 136,000 corn plants per hectare, 114.6 ton of DK-4018 corn green matter yield is estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the medicinal treasures of Indian Ayurveda is Commiphora wightii which is being used for treating many diseases due to the presence of an oleo-gum-resin (guggul gum) that is having a number of secondary metabolites which are bioactive principles for a number of medicinally important ayurvedic preparations. Over-exploitation of the plant for this resin led it to the verge of extinction and need to develop an alternative way to produce this guggul gum has become imperative. The present study was aimed to understand the behaviour and growth pattern of cell suspension culture of C. wightii, which can foster the way to produce secondary metabolites from in-vitro cultures or secondary metabolite rich cell biomass. For this, callus was initiated from immature embryos collected from seed raised mature plants and tissue culture raised mature plants on Gamborg’s B5 medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Cell suspension culture was established for both the samples in Gamborg’s B5 medium with 0.5 mg/l 2,4-D and hormone free medium. Study showed a comparable growth where good growth was observed in medium containing hormone than medium without hormone. In tissue culture raised plants highest biomass was observed on 27th day which is 17.3149 ± 0.71 gms in hormone supplemented medium while in hormone free medium highest biomass was obtained on 27th day which is 14.6219 ± 1.28 gms. Whereas in seed derived plants highest biomass produced in medium containing hormone was on 27th day that is 14.9060 ± 0.73 gms while in hormone free medium highest biomass was obtained on 27th day that is 11.2113 ± 0.74 gms.

In this study which was carried out during the 2015 summer season in Eskişehir, the flower, pod and seed characters attributed to yield components were investigated in 12 forage pea genotypes. They showed significant differences in terms of agronomic and morphological (flower, pod, and seed) traits. The highest fresh hay yield with 2171 kg/da and plant height with 106.6 cm were obtained from Populasyon-1. Crackerjack had lower values in some flower traits such as, whereas the higher values of pod and seed traits were obtained from cv. Rose. In addition, Population-1 included in the higher value group for standard petal width, keel petal length, calyx tube and teeth lengths, and flower length. Although cluster analysis did not reflect agronomic traits, the clustering resulted in four groups. The first group consisted of Özkaynak 1, 2, and 3 and Taşkent, Töre, and Population-2, which were the standard petal colour violet, light, and dark violet. Population-1 had both violet and white standard petal; however, it was included in the second group together with white-flowered Ulubatlı and Ürünlü according to cluster analysis. While Rose and Gölyazı were in the third group, Crackerjack was in the fourth group alone. There was a highly significant positive correlation between fresh hay yield and both standard petal width and length and flower length. Consequently, a hopeful result for summer growing in Eskişehir condition was obtained from Population-1. It was suggested that some flower characters can be used for pre-selection of yield-related traits in the evaluation of genetic diversity of pea germplasm through morphological trait.

The estimation of tree biomass serves as a parameter of forest productivity; in addition, it is a method to estimate carbon fixation and storage. Studies on total biomass that include the belowground component for the Pinus genus are scarce in Mexico due to the difficulty and high costs for its quantification. In this study, allometric models were fitted to estimate the total biomass of Pinus patula Schiede ex Schltdl. & Cham., from the pine-oak forest of Ixtlán de Juárez, Oaxaca, for which a destructive analysis was made of 25 trees distributed in five diameter classes, classifying the biomass by components (root, stem, branches and foliage). With the component biomass data, different models were fitted by nonlinear regression techniques, using the diameter at breast height (D, cm) and the total height (TH, m) as independent variables. The model with the best fit was an exponential type In this study, it was observed that the studied species stores 22.62% of the biomass in the root, 69.61% in the stem, 5.67% in the branches and 2.11%, in the foliage. The models proposed in this study allow the estimation of total biomass and by structural component independently and additively. Its use is recommended in trees of P. patula, in the range of 5 to 25 cm of diameter at breast height, in forests with similar growing conditions.

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant growth and productivity. Since agricultural soils in Iran are predominantly calcareous with very low available Pi content, Pi deficiency has been considered to be a major nutritional constraint for crop production, thus, the application of Pi-fertilizers is essential for satisfactory crop production. The application of Pi-fertilizers contaminates soil and water resources. Therefore, the application of Pi-fertilizers should be reduced through some efficient strategies. The identification of genotypes more tolerant to Pi deficiency is an important low-cost strategy to promote sustainable agriculture in low fertility soils. In this study, the morphological and biochemical responses of five cultivars of common bean (Talash, Mahali Khomein, Sadri, Kosha and Line Ks21191) were evaluated under Pi sufficiency and Pi deficiency. Under Pi-deficient conditions, fresh and dry weights and shoot length were lower while root length was higher in comparison with Pi-sufficient conditions. Under Pi-deficient conditions, the highest and lowest levels of total P were observed in Mahali Khomein and Talash, respectively. The activities of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase in root and catalase in leave showed remarkable increase under Pi-deficient conditions. In conclusion, Mahali Khomein and Talash were the most and the least Pi-deficient tolerant cultivars, respectively.