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During revision of the genus Microphysogobio Mori, 1934, we discovered a new species of Huigobio from the Yangtze River Basin in China. The new species, named Huigobio heterocheilus sp. nov. , can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: medial pad on lower lip not visible; ventral region scaleless before pelvic-fin insertion; lateral-line scales 39–40; caudal peduncle depth 49.2%–59.1% of length; barbel length 6.6%–10.7% of head length; black blotch between anterior margin of eye and upper lip. Using the K2P model and cytochrome b (cyt b) sequences, interspecific genetic distances between the new species and Huigobio exilicauda Jiang & Zhang, 2013 and Huigobio chenhsienensis Fang, 1938 were 13.2% and 15.1%, respectively. The new species is known from the upper reaches of the Xiangjiang River in the middle Yangtze River Basin. A diagnostic key for species of Huigobio Fang, 1938 is provided.

The authors describe, discuss, and illustrate Tillandsia oliveirae, a new species from the inselbergs of the Caatinga biome in the municipality of Itatim, Bahia, Brazil. The new species is similar to T. hofackeri, differing by morphological characters such as larger size of the plant, longer peduncle, more laxly arranged leaves, which are more numerous, and whitish petals. It is an endemic species with a restricted area of distribution, being considered critically endangered (CR) due to illegal extractivism, specifically for regional and international trade.

Purpose This paper aims to examine the fire retardant property potentials of cow horn ash particles (CHAp) bio-additive and aluminium trihydrate (AH), a traditional inorganic fire-retardant additive, respectively, in banana peduncle fibre (BPF) reinforced polyester composites. An attempt was made to comparatively analyse the fire retardant capacity potentials of CHAp, a bio-material waste that is readily available, at no cost, as a potential fire retardant material for composites manufacture with a conventional inorganic fire retardant additive (AH). Design/methodology/approach The fibre used in this research was derived from the banana peduncle. The matrix is unsaturated polyester. A scanning electron microscope was used to analyze the particle size of the carbonized CHAp. The composites were compounded using 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% of CHAp and AH, respectively. A cone calorimeter instrument was used in the analysis to obtain combustion information of CHAp and AH formulated polyester-BPF composites. Test samples were cut to the dimensions of 100 × 100 mm. All materials are conditioned at 23 ± 30 °C and the relative humidity of 50 ± 5% for 24 h before testing. The samples were wrapped with aluminium foil around the back and edges before placing the samples on the holder and then into the cone calorimeter. The samples were backed with a non-combustible insulating refractory material (brick). The samples were orientated horizontally and exposed to irradiances of 50 kW/m2 at a temperature of approximately 6000 °C. The samples were pilot ignited and ran in triplicate; the average readings of the three runs were taken. Findings The results obtained from the analysis depicted similar fire retardant properties for formulations with CHAp and AH, respectively. Composites formulated with CHAp exhibited delayed ignition time of 25%, increased end of burning time of 14.24% and reduced total heat release rate of 9.07% for the developed composites. The developed BPF/CHAp/polyester composites yield composites with fire retardancy, which would find relevance in the engineering material industry. Originality/value CHAp, therefore, would suffice as an alternative to the inorganic, expensive and non-environmental friendly, conventional fire retardant additives used in composites manufacture.

The present research was conducted to examine the accumulation and remobilization of some promising lines of durum wheat assimilates using a randomized complete block design. In this regard, two experimental groups of stress and normal (no stress) with three replications were compared during two crop years. The analysis of the results included measuring the accumulation and remobilization rates of assimilates using the weighting method as well as investigating the relationship between internode characteristics (length and specific weight) and dry matter accumulation. The obtained results were indicative of a significant difference among various genotypes considering the contribution of different internodes to the stem length under normal and stress conditions. In all genotypes, the peduncle internode had the largest contribution to the stem height. Under both conditions, the lower internodes had the highest remobilization as well as dry and specific weights. The highest rate of remobilization from the lower internodes was detected in G2 genotype under normal and G7, G18, and G6 genotypes under stress conditions. Moreover, the highest remobilization efficiency from the lower internodes was observed in G7 and G18 genotypes under stress conditions. The obtained results were indicative of two different mechanisms of storage capacity and remobilization ability. As observed, the G14 line was one of the genotypes that revealed the highest specific weight of peduncle while the rate of remobilization was the lowest in response to stress conditions. The highest rates for the specific weight of the lower internodes with the lowest rates of remobilization were observed in G4 and G8 lines. According to the results, the wide variation for the accumulation and remobilization of assimilates among the durum wheat genotypes can pave the way for possible trait changes in breeding programs.

A new species, Allium negianum (Amaryllidaceae), belongs to the genus Allium subg. Rhizirideum, sect. Eduardia is described here from the Uttarakhand Himalayan region of India. This taxon grows in Malari region of Niti valley in Chamoli district and Dharma valley of Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand, India. It is a narrowly distributed species and morphologically more closer to A. przewalskianum Regel but differentiated by its tunic color of bulb, umbel with lax flowers, peduncle length, perigone colour, size and shape and leaf anatomy. Taxonomic delineation and relationship analysis based on nuclear ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS) region indicated that A. negianum is distinct and related to A. przewalskianum. This study provided a comprehensive description and comparison with A. przewalskianum, an identification key and notes on the distribution of the species.

Global wheat yields are suffering due to differences in regional climatic conditions and soil fertility. Plant breeders are continuously working to improve the yield per unit area of wheat crop through selecting superior lines as parents. The screening and field evaluation of available lines allow the selection of superior ones and subsequently improved varieties. Therefore, heritable distinctions among 33 bread wheat lines for yield and related attributes were assessed under field conditions. The experiment included thirty lines and three check varieties. Data relating to different plant characteristics was collected at maturity. Significant differences were recorded for yield and related traits of tested wheat lines and check varieties. Wheat lines V6, V12 and V20 proved better with reduced number of days to reach anthesis and other desirable traits compared to check varieties. Days to start heading had strong correlation with spike length and number of spikelets spike-1. Flag leaf area had positive relationship with peduncle length and yield related traits. The 1000-garin weight and grain yield were also correlated with each other. It is concluded that V6, V10 and V20 proved better for all studied traits than the rest of the lines. Therefore, these lines could be used in wheat breeding program as parents to improve yield.

For automating the harvesting of bunches of tomatoes in a greenhouse, the end-effector needs to reach the exact cutting point and adaptively adjust the pose of peduncles. In this paper, a method is proposed for peduncle cutting point localization and pose estimation. Images captured in real time at a fixed long-distance are detected using the YOLOv4-Tiny detector with a precision of 92.7% and a detection speed of 0.0091 s per frame, then the YOLACT + + Network with mAP of 73.1 and a time speed of 0.109 s per frame is used to segment the close-up distance. The segmented peduncle mask is fitted to the curve using least squares and three key points on the curve are found. Finally, a geometric model is established to estimate the pose of the peduncle with an average error of 4.98° in yaw angle and 4.75° in pitch angle over the 30 sets of tests.

We report a new species, Oxynoemacheilus fatsaensis, from the Elekci Stream, a small stream that flows to the Black Sea in Northern Turkey. It is distinguished from other Oxynoemacheilus species in the Black Sea, Upper Euphrates, and Kura-Aras River basins by having a suborbital groove in males, an axillary lobe at the pelvic-fin base, no dorsal adipose crest on the caudal peduncle, a deeply emarginate caudal fin, small inner and outer rostral barbels, and mottled flank pattern. Molecular data suggest that the new species is separated by a minimum p-distance of 3.3% from O. banarescui in the mitochondrial DNA COI barcode region.

Citrus fruit is considered a very nutritious and delicious diet. Citrus consists of lemon, oranges, mandarin, and grapefruit which have economic value in the world. Significant losses occur in citrus due to numerous diseases. Among various diseases, citrus trees are seriously affected by a phytopathogenic mollicute Spiroplasma citri which causes stubborn disease. S. citri is transovarially transmitted by several leafhopper species. Symptoms include smaller and cupped leaves, small size, crook fruits with aborted seeds. Moreover, irregularity on the fruits such as different sizes, shapes, and typically lighter, smaller fruits than its healthy counterpart has also been observed. The affected fruits often drop before maturity. The color inversion is often seen with the stylar end remaining green and the peduncle end showing color. Various molecular and biochemical tests are conducted to identify S. citri. Under in-vitro conditions, S. citri grows on SP4 media where a fried egg-like shaped colony is observed. Keeping the importance of the stubborn citrus disease, the present short note briefly described the symptomology, detection, transmission, and management.

This paper provides detailed morpho-anatomical and histochemical characteristics of the leaves, peduncles, stems, and roots of Eryngium yuccifolium Michx. (Apiaceae) by bright-field light and scanning electron microscopy. Noteworthy morpho-anatomical features include the monocot-like leaves with parallel venation and distant marginal bristles, amphistomatic leaves with paracytic or anisocytic stomata and heterogenous isobilateral mesophyll, the presence of epicuticular wax crystalloids on both leaf surfaces, calcium oxalate druses and secretory canals in all the studied plant parts, presence of hypodermis, stem and peduncle with longitudinal ribs containing collenchyma, presence of aerenchyma in the peduncle and root, and absence of sclerenchyma in all the plant parts analyzed. These characteristics would aid in the taxonomy, species identification as well as quality control of the botanical.

The runout of newly cultivated areas in the world without recurring to the deforestation, demand a necessity to improve yield to sustain a growth population which demands each time more food. To avoid that is necessary to solve the main issues which cause crop productivity reduction, such as lodging which causes yield reduction in many major crops such as wheat, barley, rice and oat. In this sense, a study with eight cultivars evaluated morphological traits of the stem as crown diameter, internal and external diameter of the first four basal internodes, the length of internodes, peduncle and panicle, plant height, and also lodging resistance factor (cLr), green and dry panicle matter. The diameter of the crown does not show differences among the cultivars, the morphological characters which showed correlation and relative contribution with cLr were the internal and external internodes diameters, showing their capacity to be one of morphological traits of the stem to an indirect selection of resistance to lodging in Avena sativa L. The length did not show a good correlation with lodging, probably due to the fact that this trait was the focus of breeders for many years, reaching the plateau, demanding focus in other traits to avoid lodging such as interna and external diameter of internodes. The cultivar URS Brava and IPR Afrodite demonstrated to be a source of lodging resistance in oat.

Variation in resistance of xylem to embolism among flowers, leaves, and stems strongly influences the survival and reproduction of plants. However, little is known about the vulnerability to xylem embolism under drought stress and their relationships to the anatomical traits of pits among reproductive and vegetative organs. In this study, we investigated the variation in xylem vulnerability to embolism in peduncles, petioles, and stems in a woody plant, Magnolia grandiflora. We analyzed the relationships between water potentials that induced 50% embolism (P50) in peduncles, petioles, and stems and the conduit pit traits hypothesized to influence cavitation resistance. We found that peduncles were more vulnerable to cavitation than petioles and stems, supporting the hypothesis of hydraulic vulnerability segmentation that leaves and stems are prioritized over flowers during drought stress. Moreover, P50 was significantly correlated with variation in the dimensions of inter-vessel pit apertures among peduncles, petioles and stems. These findings highlight that measuring xylem vulnerability to embolism in reproductive organs is essential for understanding the effect of drought on plant reproductive success and mortality under drought stress.

The subject of our research was Trifolium repens L. The aim was to assess the level of morphological and anatomical variability among populations from different habitats (meadows, roadsides, subalpine slopes) and different altitudes (891–1881 m) in Brezovica (Sharri Mountain, Kosovo). The investigation covered 26 morphological and anatomical traits in populations from 12 locations. From the results obtained during this research, it can be concluded that there is a significant difference among populations for most micro- and macro-morphological traits. There is also a tendency towards a reduction of most of the average values of the investigated parameters (total plant height, total leaf length, leaf petiole length, peduncle length, fruit weight, number of flowers in an inflorescence, stomata length on the upper leaf surface, and diameter of collateral bundle) in relation to altitude increase. However, trichome length showed consistency and was not affected by habitat and altitude changes. The results also lead to a proposal for taxonomic revision of this taxon.

Correlation is the simultaneous variation of two variables. It is often desirable to observe and measure the relationship between two traits. A field experiment was conducted during the growing season 2018/2019, to calculate correlation for days to heading, plant growth, spike traits, yield and its components in four wheat genotypes (Gemmeiza-11, Sids-12, Shandweel-1 and Sahel-1) in M2 generation using sodium azaide at (0, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08 %), at the Experimental farm, Faculty of Technology and Development, Zagazig University, Egypt. This research was conducted with three replications in split plot design. Analysis of variance showed significant and highly significant differences among treatments for all traits. Mean square du to genotypes was significant and highly significant for days to 50% heading, plant height, number of tillers/plant, peduncle length, spike length, number of spikes /plant, number of spikelets / spike, number of grains/ spike, 1000-grain weight, and grain yield /plant. Meanwhile, analysis of variance for sodium azide treatments revealed highly significant for days to heading, peduncle length, No. of tillers / plant, Protein content % and grain yield plant. While it showed significant for No. of spikeliets /spike, No. of infertile spikelets / spike, No. of fertile spikelets / spike, No. of spikes / plant, straw yield / plant and biological yield/plant. The results demonstrated significantly (P≤0.05) positive association between various traits, such as 1000-grain weight made positive and significant correlation with harvest index % (0.71**) and grain yield /plant (0.62 **). Straw yield/plant demonstrated positive and highly significant association with biological yield/plant (0.99**), grain yield/plant (0.83**). Meanwhile, biological yield/plant demonstrated positive and highly significant association with grain yield/plant (0.89**). Harvest index showed positive and highly significant association with grain yield/plant (0.72**). These results demonstrating a comprehensive selection for these traits will ultimately improve grain yield in bread wheat genotypes Conclusively, genetic correlation coefficient represents the degree to which respective traits are correlated therefore correlation coefficient have predictive value in selection for water stress.

A multilocus genome-wide association study of a panel of 369 diverse wheat (Triticum aestivum) genotypes was carried out in order to examine the genetic basis of variations in nutrient mineral concentrations in the grains. The panel was grown under field conditions for three consecutive years and the concentrations of Ca, K, Mg, Mn, P, and S were determined. Wide ranges of natural variation were detected among the genotypes. Strong positive correlations were found among the minerals except for K, which showed negative correlation trends with the other minerals. Genetic association analysis detected 86 significant marker–trait associations (MTAs) underlying the natural variations in mineral concentrations in grains. The major MTA was detected on the long arm of chromosome 5A and showed a pleiotropic effect on Ca, K, Mg, Mn, and S. Further significant MTAs were distributed among the whole genome except for chromosomes 3D and 6D. We identified putative candidate genes that are potentially involved in metal uptake, transport, and assimilation, including TraesCS5A02G542600 on chromosome 5A, which was annotated as a Major Facilitator Superfamily transporter and acted on all the minerals except K. TraesCS5A02G542600 was highly expressed in seed coat, and to a lesser extent in the peduncle, awns, and lemma. Our results provide important insights into the genetic basis of enhancement of nutrient mineral concentrations that can help to inform future breeding studies in order to improve human nutrition., A multilocus GWAS for a diverse wheat panel highlights several putative candidate genes for mineral accumulation in the grains, with a Major Facilitator Superfamily transporter showing the most significant marker–trait association in enhancing the nutritional value.

Gypsum is widely used in agriculture to supply nutrients to the soil-plant system. However, the excessive use of gypsum may lead to a reduction of cationic soil nutrients such as potassium in the most superficial soil layer. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using gypsum and potassium for cauliflower crop nutritional status and commercial production. The experiment was conducted in 5x5 factorial scheme, corresponding to five K doses (0, 100, 180, 240, 360 kg ha-1 of K2O) and five gypsum doses (0, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 kg ha-1) in dystrophic Red Latosol. Leaf N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn contents, commercial head mass, diameter and height and peduncle diameter were evaluated. The application of 360 kg ha-1 of K2O resulted in 29.69% more K in cauliflower leaf and 18.94% more commercial head mass compared to the non-application of K. The application of 4000 kg ha-1 of gypsum resulted in reductions of leaf S and Mn and increase in leaf Cu. Based on the results observed, 4000 kg ha-1 of gypsum and 360 kg ha-1 K2O could be required for high cauliflower production. O gesso é utilizado na agricultura para o fornecimento de nutrientes ao sistema solo-planta, aumento da profundidade do sistema radicular das culturas e, também, para mitigar os efeitos do estresse hídrico nas plantas. No entanto, seu uso indiscriminado pode levar à redução do conteúdo de nutrientes catiônicos da superfície do solo, principalmente o potássio. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a viabilidade da utilização de gesso, associado à aplicação de potássio, no cultivo de couve-flor, cultivar Sharon. O experimento foi conduzido em esquema fatorial 5x5, sendo avaliadas cinco doses de K (0, 100, 180, 240 e 360 kg ha-1 de K2O) e cinco doses de gesso (0, 500, 1.000, 2.000 e 4.000 kg ha-1) no delineamento em blocos completos casualizados, com três repetições. Foram determinados os teores foliares de N, P, K, Ca, S, Mg, B, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn e a massa comercial da cabeça, o diâmetro da cabeça, o diâmetro do pedúnculo e a altura da cabeça. A aplicação de 360 kg ha-1 de K2O resultou no aumento de 29,69% no teor foliar de K e 18,94% na massa comercial da cabeça, em relação à dose de 0 kg ha-1 de K2O. A aplicação da dose máxima de gesso, resultou na redução dos teores foliares de enxofre (14,71%) e manganês (25,11%) e, aumento dos teores foliares de cobre (16,97%). Com base nos resultados observados, conclui-se que para a cultura da couve-flor, as doses de gesso e K2O recomendadas são de, respectivamente, 4.000 e 360 kg ha-1. &nbsp

The popularity and high price of durian make quality control in terms of ripeness very important, which in turn depends heavily on harvesting at an appropriate maturity stage. To date, reports on data-driven methods for maturity prediction are scarce, with many rather focusing on ripeness prediction. Herein, we report the first disclosure of key molecular markers in the liquid extract of durian peduncle that can be a predictive tool for maturity. Multiple chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques including TLC, HPLC, PS-MS, LC–MS/MS, and NMR, were used to characterize chemical profiles of the aqueous extracts from peduncles at different ages. Four compounds that show positive correlations with maturity were identified as sucrose, asparagine, arginine, and pipecolic acid, with asparagine as the most abundant species. This finding paves the way for more research of high impact such as the relationship between biochemical reactions in peduncle and pulp, and the development of accurate and non-destructive sensors for maturity prediction.

Triplophysa ferganaensis sp. nov. is described from the Shakhimardan stream, a small tributary of the Syr Darya, which does not reach the river in Fergana Valley. It can be distinguished from other valid Triplophysa loaches based on the following combination of characters: body smooth and scaleless, lateral line complete, posterior chamber of air bladder degenerated, inner gill rakers 10-11 on the first-gill arch, outer gill rakers absent, vertebrae 4 + 35-36, 8 + 8 branched caudal-fin rays, caudal peduncle depth 2.1-2.7 times its length, two supratemporal pores, dorsal-fin origin closer to the caudal-fin base than to the snout tip, caudal fin emarginated and pelvic-fin tip reaching the anus. The new species can also be distinguished from its congeners based on the molecular analyses of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (coI) gene sequences. The phylogenetic position of this new species indicates that it is a sister taxon of Triplophysa tenuis.

In this examination the Mechanical Properties of Coconut Leaf Stalk Fibre Peduncle is found for the various lengths (3mm, 6mm, 9mm) are taken and treating with two different process. One set of fibre is washed with the distilled water and another set of fibre is treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution to increase the strength of the fibre. Here the NaOH mixer is about 5% are considered. After treatment the fibre are dried for 2 days and cut to the required sample size. All sample composite materials were made using the standard die (hand layup method) and samples were cut using high-pressure water jet cutter as per ASTM standard. The test was taken with ASTM D638, ASTM D790 and ASTM D256 standard Universal testing machine (UTM). The result exemplify that the 6 mm alkali-treated CPLSF (6 NTCPLSF) composite exhibited the maximum tensile strength of 26.14MPa, the flexural strength of 79.81MPa and impact strength (Izod) 9.7 kJ/m2.

Farmers and plant breeders are often faced with the problem of selecting the best genotypes of okra as a result of lack of adequate knowledge of association among yield and its component characters which has led to the inefficiency of crop improvement. Efficient selection in any breeding programme will not only depend on yield alone but on yield together with other yield components. Based on this fact, this research was carried out on forty genotypes of okra to determine the association of different agronomic characters with pod yield and their direct and indirect effects on pod yield so as to select the best genotype for further breeding work. The seed of each genotype was sown in a plot laid out in randomised complete block design with three replications, and data were collected on fourteen agronomic characters and analysed. Pod yield per plant had highly significant and positive genotypic and phenotypic correlations with plant height, number of leaves, petiole length, internode length, plant height at flowering, peduncle length, fruit length, fruit diameter, number of seeds and number of pods, indicating that pod yield in okra could be a function of these traits. Highly significant, negative genotypic and phenotypic correlations were observed for pod yield per plant with days to 50% flowering and days to maturity, suggesting that early flowering and maturity are desirable traits for improved productivity in okra. Path coefficient analysis revealed that number of pod per plant had the highest positive direct effect on pod yield per plant with its largest indirect effect with days to 50% flowering and reduction in days to maturity. Due to close associations among these traits, they could be used as basis of selection when high yield is the breeding objective.

A field experiment was carried out with 109 diverse indigenous genotypes of bread wheat along with four checks in Augmented Block Design for study of character association and path coefficient, divided in to 7 blocks of equal size. Each block had 15 plots of test entries along with 4 checks (viz. LOK-1, HD-2009, WH-147 and DBW-17). The trial was conducted at Main Experimental Station Research Farm of Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad (U.P.) during Rabi 2015-16. The observations were recorded on eleven quantitative characters viz., days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height (cm), tillers per plant, spike length (cm), flag leaf area (cm), peduncle length (cm), 1000 grain weight (g), biological yield per plant (g), harvest index (%) and grain yield per plant (g). Results revealed that the experimental field was divided in 7 blocks. Each have had 15 plots of the entries with 4 checks.

Various biometric and geometric measures were used to discriminate between the morphologically similar river puffer, Takifugu obscurus, tiger puffer, T. rubripes, their hybrids, and their triploid hybrids. The hybrids and triploid hybrids had greater anal fin width, nostril width, and snout length than the parental species (p

Invasive alien species management is pivotal for biodiversity conservation. Commelina caroliniana Walter, from the family Commelinaceae, is an alien plant native to the Himalayas and India, but it has been widely introduced around the world, including in the United States, Brazil, Philippines, and Japan. In Korea, the first population was found growing adjacent to agricultural land and farm roads on Jejudo Island, and field observations confirmed the presence of at least nine populations there. It is similar morphologically to C. diffusa Burm. f. but can be distinguished by involucral bracts that are ciliate at the base, hairs on the peduncle and obsolete upper cincinnus, brown spots on its 4-lobed antherode, and seed surfaces that are smooth to slightly alveolate. It was determined to have an invasiveness low score of 8 according to the Korean ‘Invasive Alien Plant Risk Assessment’, suggesting that it may spread to natural habitats. Although the current distribution of C. caroliniana is restricted to Jeju-si, it has spread dramatically in many other areas of the world. At present, it has had a limited impact on the local environment, but local and regulatory authorities should pay close attention to this plant and take measures to prevent its expansion in the future.

A emissão e sobrevivência de perfilhos em trigo depende de diversos fatores. Neste estudo, objetivou-se avaliar a influência da densidade de semeadura, do potencial de perfilhamento e da ordem temporal de emissão de perfilhos, na emissão, na sobrevivência e no desempenho de perfilhos individuais em cultivares de trigo contrastantes quanto ao potencial de perfilhamento. O experimento foi realizado em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições, em esquema fatorial 2x4; sendo duas cultivares de trigo (TBIO Toruk e TBIO Sossego) e quatro densidades de semeadura (208; 312; 416 e 500 sementes aptas m−2). Os perfilhos foram identificados semanalmente, conforme a ordem temporal de emissão durante quatro semanas consecutivas. Foram avaliadas a emissão, a sobrevivência e o desempenho produtivos de todos os perfilhos, além disso, foram avaliadas a altura de plantas, comprimento do pedúnculo, diâmetro de colmo, massa verde e presença de grãos. A mortalidade geral de perfilhos emitidos foi de 24%. Houve um decréscimo de 73% na emissão e 92% na sobrevivência de perfilhos ao longo de quatro semanas. O aumento da densidade de semeadura promoveu decréscimo de 43% na emissão e 44% na sobrevivência de perfilhos. A cultivar Sossego apresentou menor potencial de perfilhamento, mas com sobrevivência superior a Toruk. Os dois primeiros perfilhos emitidos representaram 77% do total de perfilhos emitidos. Perfilhos sobreviventes emitidos na primeira semana foram responsáveis por 40% do total da presença de grãos ao final do ciclo.

The morphological developments in laboratory-reared larval and juvenile Cirrhinus molitorella and larval C. microlepis were described, and ontogenies (including yolk sizes and absorptions, fin-ray and myomere numbers, allometric changes in the snout, upper jaw, head and pre-anal lengths, maximum body depth, eye diameter and melanophore distributions) were compared. Body lengths (BL) just after hatching were smaller in C. molitorella [3.3 ± 0.1 (mean ± SD) mm] than in C. microlepis (4.4 ± 0.1 mm), and subsequent increase in body lengths were slower in C. molitorella than in C. microlepis. Yolk sizes just after hatching were correspondingly smaller in C. molitorella than in C. microlepis and the yolks were completely absorbed by ca. 95 hours after hatching in the former and ca. 118 hours in the latter. In C. molitorella, fin-rays started appearing at a smaller size than in C. microlepis, with full complements attained by 14.4 mm BL (day 35) in the former, while they did not attain by 16.4 mm BL (day 20) in the latter. Allometric changes started in smaller sizes in C. molitorella than in C. microlepis. Total myomeres were 38–41 in C. molitorella and 39–43 in C. microlepis. Melanophore distributions progressed similarly in both species, except for a darker deposition on the caudal peduncle of C. molitorella of ca. 7–10 mm BL. Larvae of these species were identifiable mainly by differences in fin-ray numbers and allometries by size.

Eriocaulon meenachilense, a new species of the family Eriocaulaceae from the southern Western Ghats, India, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to Eriocaulon idukkianum and E. tuberiferum but differs in its short, linear-subulate, stiff leaves, solitary 6-angled peduncle, inflexed involucral bracts, eglandular petals, and yellow anthers and seeds.

Aphanius hormuzensis is an endemic tooth-carp found in the Hormuzgan drainage in S-Iran. This study aimed to investigate the size-dependent alternations of scale surface ornamentation in this species by conducting scanning electron microscopy and morphological analysis. A total of 50 wild fish individuals were captured from Shur River, and were classified into five size classes based on the standard length; SC-I (SL = 10-20 mm), SC-II (SL = 21-30 mm), SC-III (SL = 41-50 mm), SC-IV (SL = 51-60 mm), and SC-V (SL = 61-70 mm), and their scales were removed from below the dorsal fin (key scale) and caudal peduncle regions. The results revealed a clear trend of scale structural development in A. hormuzensis. The scale of small-sized (TL 30 mm) and large-sized fishes (TL 30 mm) differed, respectively, in the following characters; the overall shape (often circular vs. polygonal), relative focus size (large, FL/SL = 440-610 μm vs. intermediate and small, FL/SL = 100-330 μm), types of radii (only primary vs. three types), relative radii length (short, RL/SL = 100-180 μm vs. long, RL/SL = 320-450 μm), lepidont (absent or undeveloped vs. present and developed), and the relative lepidont length (short, LL/SL = 0.83-0.90 μm vs. intermediate and long, LL/SL = 1.2-2.2 μm). These character alternations could explain certain developmental stages in this species. The size-dependent changes in the surface micro-ornamentations as shown in this study suggest that these characters should be used cautiously for taxonomic studies of the aphaniid fishes.

We evaluated the effects of changes in habitat structure resulting from conventional logging (CL) and reduced-impact logging (RIL) on the ecomorphological structure of stream fish assemblages in the eastern Brazilian Amazon, investigating (1) which habitat characteristics are influenced by different logging methods, (2) the differences in the ecomorphological structure of fish assemblages between two logging methods and undisturbed forest (UF), and (3) the relationships between ecomorphological traits of fish assemblages and habitat variables. We measured 13 habitat variables and characterized 11 ecomorphological traits of 55 fish species collected in 34 sampling sites (stream stretches) located in CL, RIL, and UF. In logged areas, the streams present a fine sediment increase and reduced vegetation cover, while in the UF a greater amount of natural shelter and more cover vegetation were observed. These environmental changes selected ecomorphological traits of stream fish assemblages, recording a greater relative width of the mouth in UF, higher ventral flattening index in RIL, or greater relative head length, and higher caudal peduncle compression index in CL. In this sense, we recommend that logging practices, including RIL, should be reviewed as a means of adopting better strategies to minimize human disturbances in streams.

Resumen Introducción. Los frutos de piña ofrecidos en el mercado final muestran pobre desarrollo de color, debido en parte a que la clorofila se degrada muy lentamente durante el almacenamiento en frío. Objetivo. Evaluar el efecto de la temperatura de acondicionamiento previo a simulación de transporte y posterior almacenamiento, sobre el desarrollo de color amarillo en la epidermis de frutos de piña cv. Dorada Extra Dulce. Materiales y métodos. Frutos de piña fueron expuestos a temperaturas de 7,5°C; 10,0°C; 12,5°C; 15,0°C; 17,5°C y 20,0°C por 48 horas y luego almacenados C durante 21 días a 7,5°. Se determinó su efecto sobre índice de color ((1000*a)/(L*b)) de la epidermis, tasa respiratoria, producción de etileno, pérdida de peso, desarrollo de mohos en el pedúnculo y calidad interna de las frutas (firmeza, sólidos solubles, acidez titulable y translucidez). Resultados. La temperatura de acondicionamiento presentó efecto lineal en el índice de color de la epidermis, tanto al final de las 48 horas de acondicionamiento como al final de los 21 días de almacenamiento a 7,5°C. La tasa respiratoria mostró un incremento exponencial con el aumento de las temperaturas de acondicionamiento y no se evidenció efecto de las mismas sobre la producción de etileno. La pérdida de peso y el desarrollo de mohos en el pedúnculo se incrementaron con el aumento en las temperaturas de acondicionamiento durante 48 horas. La calidad interna no se afectó por las diferentes temperaturas evaluadas previas al almacenamiento en frío. Conclusiones. Mantener frutos de piña durante 48 horas a temperaturas entre 15°C y 20,0°C previo al almacenamiento a 7,5°C, incrementaron el índice de color de la epidermis de la fruta, sin afectar la calidad interna de la misma, pero temperaturas superiores a 15°C indujeron aumento de incidencia y severidad de mohos. Abstract Introduction. Pineapple fruits offered at final markets show poor external color development, due in part because chlorophyll degrades very slowly during cold storage. Objective. To evaluate the effect of the conditioning temperature prior to transport simulation and subsequent storage on the development of yellow color in the epidermis of pineapple fruits cv. Golden Extra Sweet. Materials and methods. Pineapple fruits were exposed to 7.5°C, 10.0°C, 12.5°C, 15.0°C, 17.5°C and 20.0°C for 48 hours and then stored for 21 days at 7.5°C. Its effect on color index ((1000*a)/(L*b)), respiratory rate, ethylene production, weight loss, development of molds on the peduncle and internal fruit quality (firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity and translucency) was determined. Results. Pineapple exposed to different acclimatization temperatures before storage showed a linear increase on color index of the peel, both at the end of the 48 hours and at the end of the 21 days at 7.5°C. Respiratory rate showed an exponential increase with increasing temperatures, and there was no evidence of their effect on ethylene production. Weight loss and mold development on the peduncle increased with increasing acclimatization temperatures for 48 hours. Internal quality was not affected by evaluated temperatures prior to cold storage. Conclusions. Keeping pineapple fruits for 48 hours at temperatures between 15.0 and 20.0°C prior to storage at 7.5°C, increased peel color index without affecting its internal quality. However, exposure of the fruit at temperatures above 15°C increased the incidence and severity on molds.

Resumen Introducción. Con frecuencia, la fruta de piña que se cosecha, no puede ser enfriada y empacada inmediatamente, debido a la distancia que existe entre el campo hasta la planta empacadora. La industria indica que seis horas es el tiempo máximo conveniente, pero no hay información publicada al respecto. Objetivo. Determinar el efecto del retraso en iniciar el enfriamiento sobre la calidad de piña (Ananas comosus) var. Dorada Extra Dulce, con simulación de transporte. Materiales y métodos. Se realizaron 4 ensayos en diferentes zonas y épocas (seca y lluviosa). La fruta recién cosechada fue expuesta a temperatura ambiente durante 6, 12, 24 y 48 horas, luego de estos períodos, cada lote de fruta fue desinfectado con cloro a razón de 150 mg.l-1. Se le aplicó fungicida prochloraz 300 mg.l-1, se enceró (cera con base de aceite vegetal), se enfrió por aire forzado durante 4-5 horas hasta alcanzar 12-13°C. Se realizó luego una simulación de transporte y finalmente se almacenó por 21 días a 7,5°C y 85-90% HR. Se evaluó el impacto de los tratamientos sobre variables de calidad: pérdida de peso, color externo e interno, moho en pedúnculo, deshidratación parcial, translucidez, firmeza, acidez y sólidos solubles. Resultados. Después de 12 horas de retraso en el enfriamiento, la calidad de la fruta disminuyó, con un impacto más evidente en la deshidratación, el desarrollo de moho y reducción en la firmeza de la pulpa. El color externo e interno, la translucidez, la acidez titulable y los sólidos solubles totales no se vieron afectados. Conclusiones. El retraso del enfriamiento tuvo un impacto negativo en la calidad de la fruta de piña, especialmente en el desarrollo de moho y la deshidratación parcial de la fruta y un impacto menor en la firmeza de la pulpa. Bajo las condiciones del presente estudio, el retraso máximo permitido en el enfriamiento de la fruta fue de 12 horas. Abstract Introduction. Frequently, harvested pineapple fruit experience cooling delays due to the distance from the field to the packing plant. The industry reports 6 hours as the maximum convenient time however, there is no published information about it. Objetive. To determine the effect of the time between harvest and cooling on quality of pineapple (Ananas comosus) var. Golden Extra Sweet, with transport simulation. Materials and methods. Four trials were conducted in different regions and seasons (dry and rainy season). Freshly harvested fruits were exposed to ambient conditions for 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours before cooling, after these periods fruits were disinfected with chlorine at 150 mg.l-1. Prochloraz fungicide at 300 mg.l-1 was applied, fruits were waxed (vegetable oil based wax), packed, and forced air cooled for 4-5 hours until they reached 12-13°C. They were them subject to transport simulation and stored for 21 days at 7,5°C and 85-90% R.H. Treatment effects were evaluated on quality variables: weight loss, external and internal color, mold on peduncle, partial fruit dehydration, flesh translucency, flesh firmness, acidity and total soluble solids. Results. After 12 hours of cooling delay, fruit quality declined, with more evident impact on dehydration and mold development, and reduction o pulp firmness. External and internal color, translucency, titratable acidity and total soluble solids were not affected. Conclusions. Cooling delay had a negative impact on pineapple fruit quality, especially on mold development and partial fruit dehydration and a minor impact on flesh firmness. Under the conditions of this study, maximum allowable delay in cooling the fruit was 12 hours.

The chemical, morphological and anatomical characteristics of banana pseudo stem, banana leaf (midrib) and banana peduncle were determined. Banana wastes were characterized with good amount of α-cellulose (40–45%), moderate amount of lignin (20–24%) and medium to long fiber length (1.22–1.92 mm). Alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation (ANO) showed that the main lignin unit of banana stem and leaf was p-hydroxybenzaldehyde and that of banana peduncle was syringaldehyde. The yield of ANO was very low (17–24%). Soda-anthraquinone (AQ) and formic acid/peroxyformic (FA/PFA) acid pulping processes of these banana wastes were evaluated. In soda-AQ process, pulping at 20% alkali charge, pulp yields were 30.0%, 34.55% and 39.12%, for banana stem, leaf and peduncle, respectively, with kappa number below 20. Higher pulp yield was found in FA/PFA process than soda-AQ process due to very high ash content in the samples. The banana waste pulps showed excellent papermaking properties.

An elaborate study on ‘yield and quality of chrysanthemum as influenced by integrated nutrient management’ had been carried out during the two consecutive years i.e. 2016-17 and 2017-18 at Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola. The yield attributes viz. yield plant-1 and ha-1 as well as number of flower head plant-1 and quality attributes viz. diameter of flower head, length of peduncle, longevity of intact flower, shelf life of flower and weight of flower were recorded maximum with the treatment comprising of application of 75% RDF + vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1+ Azotobactor + PSB.

Based on the material collected during the fieldwork seasons from 1996 to 2007 in the amount of 223 specimens, we studied phenetic relationships and taxonomic structure of the genus Cyphocottus. Two valid species, C. megalops and C. eurystomus, within the taxonomic boundaries established by D.N. Taliev (1955) were confirmed in the genus Cyphocottus. Interspecific differences in C. eurystomus are manifested in greater values of interorbital distance, the height of the head, body and caudal peduncle, as well as in smaller values of eye diameter and caudal peduncle length. Polymorphism in the definitive sizes, colour and the number of neuromasts in the lateral line is typical of C. eurystomus. At the same time, all populations have specific characters of C. eurystomus different from C. megalops. We found no intraspecific variability in C. megalops.

The Chungcheongbuk-do Agricultural Research and Extension Service has developed a new Dendrobium cultivar, a new cultivar ‘Little Pink’ has pink flowers and dwarf habit (compared to D. kingianum). It was bred in 2007 by crossing D. kingianum and D. kingianum var. silcockii. The seed germination, cultivation, selection, and characteristic trials were conducted from 2008 to 2015. After a specific line with good growth and flower color and shape was selected, the morphological characteristics were investigated from 2016 to 2018, using the standard survey standard to evaluate new varieties of Dendrobium spp. The new cultivar was selected in 2019. It has fragrant pink flowers (Red-purple Group 72B based on RHS color chart) with shading petal. The plant height is 7.3 cm, making it smaller than the control cultivar D. kingianum. The leaf width is 1.2 cm, and the width of each flower is approximately 2.4 cm. The number of flowers is 3.7 on average, and overall volume of the flower pot is relatively high. The length of the peduncle is 7.2 cm, similar to that of D. kingianum. The flowering time of ‘Little Pink’ begins in late February, with flowering period of approximately 30 days.

We report a new hybrid Cymbidium, ‘Aroma Pink,’ bred at the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, in 2017. The hybrid was derived from the cross of C. Lucky Rainbow ‘Lapin Hot’ and C. eburneum in 2000. After the artificial crossing, 120 seedlings were obtained through in vitro seed germination and seedling acclimatization in a greenhouse. Based on a number of characteristics, including flower color, leaf shape, flower stalk, and vigorous growth, three initial lines were selected. The first and second trials for characteristics were conducted from 2011 to 2016, confirming the stability and uniformity of the three lines, and one final line, coded ‘00-1174-100’, was selected as ‘Wongyuo F1-62’ and named ‘Aroma Pink.’ This hybrid is a medium-sized plant with white petals (WNN155D), light pink colored sepals (RP62D), and yellow lip (Y2B). The flower has an incurved shape and the dimensions are 6.1 cm (length) and 5.2 cm (width), making it a relatively compact flower. Overall, its shape and size resemble that of its female parent, but instead of a dark red lip, it has a yellow lip that is similar to the male parent, giving a bright overlook rather than an intense impression. Each plant has 2.9 stalks on average and 6.5 flowers attached on each stalk. Although the number of flowers is relatively less, the flower has a delicate fragrance that is similar to that of C. eburneum. In addition, the new hybrid has a stable shape with erect peduncle and less drooping leaves. ‘Aroma Pink’ begins to bloom from March, under normal cultivation and without the need of moving it to a high altitude area. Although the color of the flower can become blurred in high temperature during flowering season, this hybrid is easy to cultivate and manage.

The Selective Coffee Shaker Brudden DSC18, is part of the Assisted Coffee Harvesting, for the year’s largest production peaks. This machine, which is a joint development between the Brazilian company Brudden (https://www.brudden.com.br/) and Cenicafe, applies innovative principles in fruits harvesting. It uses the branches to propagate vibration waves and causes the coffee fruits to fall due to fatigue of the fruit peduncle. The machine bases its selectivity in the fact that ripe coffee fruits need fewer cycles to fall down than immature fruits. The machine must be used in conjunction with the harvest pass retention and plastic tarps on the ground to receive the detached fruits. In order to determine the performance of the machine in real conditions, it was evaluated in coffee plantations with different terrain slopes, trees ages and trees densities, at Cenicafe´s Experimental Stations. The results showed the following mean values: yield of 28.53 kg h-1, immature fruits content in the harvested mass of 6.07%, 6.67 ripe units per site of fruits left on the trees, and 12.77 units per site of fruits left on the ground. The yield with the machine was 180% higher than the one obtained by an average coffee picker with the traditional system. The low content of immature fruits in the harvested mass confirms the selectivity of the machine, the ripe fruits left on the trees are acceptable, while, the fruits lost to the ground were very high for reasons unrelated to the operation of the machine.

This study was conducted from January-April 2017 located in Sail River, Pekanbaru City, Riau Province. The aim of this study was to investigate morphometric and meristic characters of Asian knifefish (Notopterus notopterus) besides as the most accurate initial identification of certain species. Fish samples were collected using sero (traditional setnet) to be further observed for their morphometric and meristic characters using ruler of 50 cm. Morphometric analysis applied to the Asian knifefish resulted in 23 characteristics. The highest value was found in the total length (TL) of female fish which reached 135-270 mm, while the lowest was in the characteristic of snout length (SNL) in male fish of 1,3-1,8 mm. A total of 8 meristic characteristics were observed, included: Dorsal fin rays (D), Pectoral fin rays (P), Ventral fin rays (V), Anal fin rays (A), Scales before dorsal fins, Circumference scales, Scales at caudal peduncle, and Scales along lateral line. According to its morphological characters, Asian knifefish has a flat body with sideways-elongated oval shaped and a humpback appearance. The shape of head near the back is relatively straight and scaly. The mouth of this species has protractile structure (able to protrude) with a terminal position and no tentacles. Asian knifefish has a large size of mouth opening as they are carnivorous fish. Adult fish has an evenly brown color, slightly concave dorsal shape, dark bands all over the body; and white-silver head color with enormous small gray spots. The fish body is covered with cycloid scales.

The morphological features of fish, such as the body length, the body width, the caudal peduncle length, the caudal peduncle width, the pupil diameter, and the eye diameter are very important indicators in smart mariculture. Therefore, the accurate measurement of the morphological features is of great significance. However, the existing measurement methods mainly rely on manual measurement, which is operationally complex, low efficiency, and high subjectivity. To address these issues, this paper proposes a scheme for segmenting fish image and measuring fish morphological features indicators based on Mask R-CNN. Firstly, the fish body images are acquired by a home-made image acquisition device. Then, the fish images are preprocessed and labeled, and fed into the Mask R-CNN for training. Finally, the trained model is used to segment fish image, thus the morphological features indicators of the fish can be obtained. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme can segment the fish body in pure and complex backgrounds with remarkable performance. In pure background, the average relative errors (AREs) of all indicators measured all are less than 2.8%, and the AREs of body length and body width are less than 0.8%. In complex background, the AREs of all indicators are less than 3%, and the AREs of body length and body width is less than 1.8%.

Amaryllis is a bulbous flowering plant that has attracted many florists in Iran in recent years. The present study aimed to explore genetic diversity and quantitative and qualitative yield of imported cultivars and promising genotypes of amaryllis. The research used 16 genotypes based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in the Ornamental Plants Research Center in Iran (2017-2018). Based on the guideline of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), 17 major traits were selected to assess the genotypes. The differences in genotypes showed a wide diversity in all traits among them. The highest general heritability was observed in flowering period (93.86%) and leaf length (91.24%) and the lowest in the number of florets per branch (20.37%). Overall, most traits had high heritability. The highest number of flowering branches, flowering period, floret length, stalk diameter, leaf number, and leaf length were obtained from ‘Moscow’. The highest peduncle length, floret width, and flowering period were observed in the promising genotype ‘OPRC-202’. The flower form was double in ‘Cherry Nymph’, ‘Dancing Queen’, and ‘OPRC-204’, miniature in ‘Baby Star’, and simple (single-flower) in the other genotypes. Based on the results, the promising genotypes ‘OPRC-202’ and ‘OPRC-204’ have a high potential to be introduced as new competitive cultivars in domestic and international markets. The promising genotypes and cultivars were categorized in four groups. The results showed that major of the diversity in the traits was due to genetic factors and the effect of the environment on these traits was less.

Breeding for tolerance to lodging is an objective, but also a challenge, in oat (Avena sativa L.) breeding programs. A widely adopted method to assess breeding lines for tolerance to lodging is based on visual scoring of plant standability (1 = standing upright; 9 = completely lodged). The lack of sufficient lodging pressure due to weather or growing conditions often renders the visual scoring method ineffective. We present an alternative approach that allows selection for tolerance to stem lodging by screening for peduncle strength in the absence of lodging pressure. This approach also provides objective selection of lodging tolerance using a quantitatively measurable plant trait rather than subjective scoring of the lodged plants. Stem structural and mechanical properties of six oat cultivars with varying levels of lodging tolerance were tested at field experiments over 3 site-years under three nitrogen rates. Results suggested peduncle breaking resistance (PBR), measured below the panicle, as a potential selection criterion for stem strength and therefore lodging tolerance. Significant genetic variation among oat cultivars (p 2 > 0.73, p ≤ 0.05). This suggests that PBR provides a good estimation of the whole culm strength. Phenotyping of PBR can be easily integrated into breeding programs because of the ease of sampling and rapid measurement.

Sweet grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a neglected crop mainly grown for its sweet grains in the pasty form. Although its taste is the main character of interest, knowledge of protein related content of the grain, especially when linked to its value for infant porridge appears equally important. The objective of this study was to evaluate the status of crude protein content of pasty grains and to determine genetic correlations between morphological and biochemical traits among sweet grain of sorghum genotypes in Burkina Faso. Eight sweet grain sorghum cultivars (BTO2, BZI1, KBZ4, PBO5, PGO3, SBR7, SPI2, STO4) were evaluated through 13 morphological and two biochemical variables. Crude protein content of these genotypes was also compared with the composition of two controls of sweet stalk sorghum (ETS) and ordinary grain sorghum or common sorghum (EBS). The analysis of variance revealed variability within sweet grain sorghum accessions, mainly on the biochemical traits (crude protein and water content) and two morphological traits (peduncle and panicle lengths), which discriminated significantly in the thresholds of 1 and 5%, respectively. In addition, sweet grain sorghum had low crude protein content compared to other types of sorghum, except, two genotypes of sweet grain sorghum (BZI1 and STO4) which recorded higher protein content compared to the common sorghum. An important and negative correlation was noted between sowing-flowering cycle and protein content.

The floristic inventory carried out for Heliantheae s.l. from Serra do Cabral, Minas Gerais, Brazil, revealed two new species: Dimerostemma scabrosum characterized by its leaves ovate and scabrous, heads solitary or in pairs, pappus 4-aristate in ray flowers and 2-aristate in disc flowers; and Wedelia tenuifolia characterized by its leaves narrow, heads solitary or in pairs, peduncle long, and involucre 4–5-seriate. Descriptions, illustrations, phenological and geographic data of these species are presented.

Barnyard millet also known as kudhiraivaali is known for its high nutrient content. Barnyard millet is being cultivated mostly as rainfed crop and it is ravaged by several pests. Of which, pink stem borer causes dead heart and white ear symptoms by boring into stem and peduncle region causing heavy economic loss. Hence, the present study was conducted for the management of pink stem borer, Sesamia inferens in barnyard millet with botanicals. The treatments were neem oil 3%, pongamia oil 3%, mahua oil 3%, citrus peel oil 3%, Vitex negundo leaf extract 5%, sweet flag rhizome extract 3% and neem seed kernel extract 5%. The above treatments were applied two times during the year 2020 at Central farm, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai. Among the treatments, neem oil 3% (62.01%) was found to be the most effective followed by citrus peel oil 3% (60.74%), pongamia oil 3% (57.94%), mahua oil 3% (56.87%), Vitex negundo leaf extract 5% (54.72%) and neem seed kernel extract 5% (51.73%). Among all treatments sweet flag rhizome extract (50.22%) was found to be the least effective. With regard to yield, the neem oil 3% recorded the highest yield (7.34 q/ha) over control with the cost benefit ratio of 1:1.74 and sweet flag rhizome extract 3% was the least performing treatment with 11.50% increase in yield over control with the cost benefit ratio of 1:1.45.

Among cereals, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) ranks fourth in consumption worldwide. Among barley breeding goals, one can refer to gene mapping, studying their inheritance, and saturated genetic linkage maps. Problems with pesticide applications include reduced genetic diversity, reduced nitrogen fixation, and destruction of the habitat of especially endangered species. The effect of pesticide application on the emergence of QTLs expressing traits in experimental barley was investigated using 104 barley F2:4 families from Badia × Kavir cross. A total of 25 QTLs were mapped for all traits. In non-using pesticides, 12 QTLs were identified for peduncle length, stem diameter, flag leaf length, and awn length. It was found that qFL-4 has major effects on flag leaf length. or using the pesticide, 13 QTLs were detected that QTLs related to stem diameter, grain weight, flag leaf length explained a high percentage of phenotypic variation. The results of this study showed that pesticide application affects the expression of some genes in barley. Besides, major-effect trait-controller QTLs and their associated markers can be used in marker-assisted selection (MAS) programs.

Habitat-associated morphological divergence of the three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus populations was investigated in the southern Caspian Sea basin using landmark-based geometric morphometric method to understand the population structure of this invasive species. A total of 127 specimens were collected from three stations, including the Babol River estuary (center), Gomishan Wetland (east) and the Gisum Coast (west). The left side of each specimen was photographed and 23 landmarks-points were selected to extract body shape data. After generalized procrustes, the data analysis was analyzed using principal components analysis, multivariate analysis of variance/canonical variate analysis and cluster analysis. The results showed a significant difference in body shape between three studied populations (P