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(1) Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews) is a woody ornamental plant originating from China, and beloved by people worldwide. Non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) play a crucial role in regulating the flowering quality of tree peonies in both field and potted conditions. However, the effects of NSCs accumulation and allocation in various organs during the vegetative growth stage on the flowering quality of tree peony under forcing culture remains unclear. (2) Two-year-old grafted seedlings of tree peony cv. 'Luoyanghong' were subjected to orthogonal treatments to investigate the role of NSCs accumulation in plants' developmental process. We measured leaf photosynthetic capacity, NSCs accumulation in the organs of seedlings, observed key ornamental characteristics of flowering quality under forcing culture conditions, and evaluated the qualities of seedlings and flowers using the seedling index (SI) and flowering index (FI), respectively. (3) There was a significant positive correlation between leaf photosynthetic capacity and NSCs accumulation in both the whole plant and roots of potted tree peony. Roots were identified as the primary organs for NSCs accumulation in potted tree peonies. Sufficient NSCs accumulation in the plant, particularly in the roots during the defoliation period, was essential not only for enhancing the seedling quality of potted tree peonies but also for improving the flowering quality under forcing culture conditions. Both the seedling index (SI) and flowering index (FI) exhibited a significant dose-response with increasing root NSCs accumulation at defoliation. The T3 group, which involved slight root pruning (by 25%), combined with a high-concentration rooting agent (750 mg·L−1) and Metarhizium anisopliae (20 million U·mL−1), resulted in the highest photosynthetic capacity, SI, FI and NSCs accumulation status (NSCAR), making it the optimal treatment combination. (4) This finding indicates that increasing NSCs accumulation in the roots of potted tree peonies is a crucial biological foundation for producing high-quality potted flowers under forcing culture conditions, which provide new insights into the importance of NSCs in tree peony flowering and may improve the production technology for high-quality potted tree peony flowers under forcing culture conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACTMaize (Zea mays L.) is the most important cereal crop in the world. Flowering period and photoperiod play important roles in the reproductive development of maize. This study, investigated ZmMADS42, a gene that is highly expressed in the shoot apical meristem. Agrobacterium infection was used to successfully obtain overexpressed ZmMADS42 plants. Fluorescence quantitative PCR revealed that the expression of the ZmMADS42 gene in the shoot apical meristem of transgenic plants was 2.8 times higher than that of the wild-type(WT). In addition, the expression of the ZmMADS42 gene in the endosperm was 2.4 times higher than that in the wild-type. The seed width of the T2 generation increased by 5.35%, whereas the seed length decreased by 7.78% compared with that of the wild-type. Dissection of the shoot tips of transgenic and wild-type plants from the 7-leaf stage to the 9-leaf stage revealed that the transgenic plants entered the differentiation stage earlier and exhibited more tassel meristems during their vegetative growth period. The mature transgenic plants were approximately 20 cm shorter in height and had a lower panicle position than the wild-type plants. Comparing the flowering period, the tasseling, powdering, and silking stages of the transgenic plants occurred 10 days earlier than those of the wild-type plants. The results showed that the ZmMADS42 gene played a significant role in regulating the flowering period and plant height of maize.

The flowering period of rice significantly impacts variety adaptability and yield formation. Properly shortening the reproductive period of rice varieties can expand their ecological range without significant yield reduction. Targeted genome editing, like CRISPR/Cas9, is an ideal tool to fine-tune rice growth stages and boost yield synergistically. In this study, we developed a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplex genome-editing vector containing five genes related to three traits, Hd2, Ghd7, and DTH8 (flowering-stage genes), along with the recessive rice blast resistance gene Pi21 and the aromatic gene BADH2. This vector was introduced into the high-quality japonica rice variety in Zhejiang province, Jiahe212 (JH212), resulting in 34 T0 plants with various effective mutations. Among the 17 mutant T1 lines, several displayed diverse flowering dates, but most exhibited undesirable agronomic traits. Notably, three homozygous mutant lines (JH-C15, JH-C18, and JH-C31) showed slightly earlier flowering dates without significant differences in yield-related traits compared to JH212. Through special Hyg and Cas marker selection of T2 plants, we identified seven, six, and two fragrant glutinous plants devoid of transgenic components. These single plants will serve as sib lines of JH212 and potential resources for breeding applications, including maintenance lines for indica–japonica interspecific three-line hybrid rice. In summary, our research lays the foundation for the creation of short-growth-period CMS (cytoplasmic male sterility, CMS) lines, and also provides materials and a theoretical basis for indica–japonica interspecific hybrid rice breeding with wider adaptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, thrips have transitioned from a minor nuisance to a major problem, significantly impacting the yield and quality of cotton. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for plant protection have emerged as an effective alternative to traditional pesticide spraying equipment. UAVs offer advantages such as avoiding crop damage and enhancing pesticide deposition on the plants and have become the primary choice for pesticide application in cotton fields. In this study, a 2-year field experiment found that the thrips population in a cotton field in Xinjiang, China, exhibited gradual growth during the early flowering phase, peaking in late July. The thrips population gradually shifted from the lower canopy to the upper canopy as the cotton flowers opened layer by layer. From 09:00 to 11:00 (GMT+8) and 19:00 to 21:00 (GMT+8), thrips mainly flew outside the flowers, while from 17:00 to 19:00 (GMT+8), they mostly inhabited the inner whorls of flowers. The insecticides 10% cyantraniliprole oil dispersion and 10% spinetoram suspension concentrate, sprayed by UAV, had the best control effect on thrips, with 80.51% and 79.22% control effect after 7 days of spraying, respectively. The optimal spraying time for 10% cyantraniliprole oil dispersion was 19:00 (GMT+8), and the control effect on thrips reached 91.16% at 7 days of spraying. During the cotton flowering period, thrips inhabited flowers in the evening and flew outside during the day. The best control effect on thrips was achieved with UAV-sprayed 10% cyantraniliprole oil dispersion at 19:00 (GMT+8). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Mediterranean grasslands are semi‐natural ecosystems that have been affected by land‐use intensification and abandonment during the past decades. Adaptative multi‐paddock grazing regimes, where grazing alternates with long periods of vegetation recovery, have been proposed as a more biodiversity‐friendly management compared with continuous grazing. This study aimed to compare the effect of these two different grazing regimes on a set of plant traits in mediterranean grassland vegetation over time. Location: Central part of Sardinia (Italy) at 350 m a.s.l. in a permanent grassland system. Methods: We applied the point quadrat method to quantify the specific contribution of each species along permanent transects in spring and winter from 2018 to 2022. We considered the following plant traits: leaf dry matter content, life forms, flowering start and length of flowering. Overall, we performed 128 surveys and measured traits for 61 species. We ran a linear mixed model to test the effect of season, grazing regimes and years on functional diversity and community‐weighted mean for single traits. Results: Adaptative multi‐paddock regimes over time increased the leaf dry matter content. However, compared with grazing regimes, seasonality through time had the greatest effect on flowering traits and life forms. Conclusion: The relatively small variation in the plant traits suggests that the mediterranean grassland was rather stable despite wide variation in grazing regimes, probably linked to their long history of human association. Nonetheless, adaptative multi‐paddock regimes may have higher beneficial effects compared with continuous grazing, favouring more palatable species and improving soil fertility. By contrast, the high variation in the plant traits over time suggests a high vulnerability of the same grassland to climatic changes. [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.)

Abstract This study aimed to clarify the effects of drought during flowering period on the carbon and nitrogen metabolism, growth, and yield of Tartary buckwheat. Tartary buckwheat cultivar Jinqiao 2 was treated with well-watered (CK), slight soil-drought stress (LD), moderate soil-drought stress (MD), and severe soil-drought stress (SD), with the soil water potential maintained at − 0.02 to − 0.03, − 0.04 to − 0.05, − 0.05 to − 0.06, and − 0.06 to − 0.07 MPa, respectively. With prolonged growth period and an increase in drought stress, the antioxidant enzyme activities and the contents of substances and activities of enzymes related to carbon and nitrogen metabolism in Tartary buckwheat leaves initially increased and then decreased. Meanwhile, the contents of malondialdehyde and superoxide anion showed a continuous. LD treatment induced the highest antioxidant enzyme activities and the contents of substances and activities of enzymes related to carbon and nitrogen metabolism but the lowest contents of malondialdehyde and superoxide anion in Tartary buckwheat leaves. Compared with CK, LD treatment increased the grain number, 1000-grain weight (MTS), and yield per plant by 6.52%, 17.37%, and 12.35%, respectively. In summary, LD treatment can increase the antioxidant enzyme activities and the contents of substances and activities of enzymes related to carbon and nitrogen metabolism, thus enhancing the adaptability of Tartary buckwheat to drought stress and increasing the yield per plant.

Sophora davidii is a cross-pollinated plant with important ecological protection and medicinal value in China, but its seed yield is low due to backward and nonstandard production technology. Therefore, we divide the flowering period of Sophora davidii into initial, full and final flowering period, measuring the floral morphology, pollen viability, stigma receptivity, nectar volume and nectar concentration, foraging behavior of pollinators, fertilization physiology, seed yield and quality through field observation and indoor testing to explore whether the flowering period affects the floral traits, pollinator behavior and seed production of plants. Our results revealed that the nectar volume, nectar concentration, pollen viability and stigma receptivity at full flowering period were the highest. The single visit time and visit time per flower of Chinese honey bees were the longest in the full flowering period, while the number of transfer, visit frequency and number of touching stigma were the least. The visiting number of the bees was the most and the most active in the full flowering period. The bees pollination not only improved the pollen amount, germination rate, pollen tube length and the ovule number of S. davidii, but also their effect was the most obvious in full flowering period. The principal component analysis showed that pollination by Chinese honey bees during the whole flowering period of S. davidii was the best way to produce seeds. We can conclude that flowering period affects flower traits, foraging behavior of pollinators, seed yield and quality of S. davidii.

Wildflower areas are increasingly used in both urban and rural settings to enhance landscape aesthetics and help the conservation of pollinators, whose dramatic decline threatens both ecosystem functioning and agricultural production. Consequently, today many 'pollinator-friendly' wildflower seed mixes can be found on the market. Criteria for the design of these mixes are focused on the ability of the plants to attract pollinators, whereas the identity of the plants themselves in terms of their alien or native status is often not adequately considered. Moreover, seed mixes often lack sufficient floral resources in the early spring and late-season months, which are important to sustain pollinators throughout their whole life cycle. In this study, we analyzed 36 'pollinator-friendly' wildflower seed mixes commercially available in Italy in terms of (1) the abundance of native and alien species, (2) the occurrence of locally alien species with reference to three Italian geographic areas (northern, peninsular, and insular Italy), and (3) the flowering period of native and alien species. Most (83%) of the analyzed seed mixes contain species alien to Italy, with three of them also including invasive alien species. Among native species, many (41%) are locally alien to at least one of the geographic areas. Overall, native species provide earlier blooms than alien species and around 35% of the seed mixes lack blooms in early-spring (March) or prolonged throughout autumn (September-November). These findings highlight the widespread use of alien plant species in 'pollinator-friendly' wildflower mixes, which poses serious risks for biodiversity and habitat conservation, especially when sown in agricultural areas. We suggest a more careful design and use of such wildflower mixes, promoting a wider adoption of native seeds of local origin and a greater attention to the blooming period. If properly designed, wildflower mixes can represent an effective strategy for biodiversity conservation in both urban and rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to clarify the effects of drought during flowering period on the carbon and nitrogen metabolism, growth, and yield of Tartary buckwheat. Tartary buckwheat cultivar Jinqiao 2 was treated with well-watered (CK), slight soil-drought stress (LD), moderate soil-drought stress (MD), and severe soil-drought stress (SD), with the soil water potential maintained at − 0.02 to − 0.03, − 0.04 to − 0.05, − 0.05 to − 0.06, and − 0.06 to − 0.07 MPa, respectively. With prolonged growth period and an increase in drought stress, the antioxidant enzyme activities and the contents of substances and activities of enzymes related to carbon and nitrogen metabolism in Tartary buckwheat leaves initially increased and then decreased. Meanwhile, the contents of malondialdehyde and superoxide anion showed a continuous. LD treatment induced the highest antioxidant enzyme activities and the contents of substances and activities of enzymes related to carbon and nitrogen metabolism but the lowest contents of malondialdehyde and superoxide anion in Tartary buckwheat leaves. Compared with CK, LD treatment increased the grain number, 1000-grain weight (MTS), and yield per plant by 6.52%, 17.37%, and 12.35%, respectively. In summary, LD treatment can increase the antioxidant enzyme activities and the contents of substances and activities of enzymes related to carbon and nitrogen metabolism, thus enhancing the adaptability of Tartary buckwheat to drought stress and increasing the yield per plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aromatic Camellia had important economic value and research value. The analysis of phenotypic traits and sensory evaluation of aroma for aromatic Camellia variety resources could provide a basis for the development and utilization of aromatic Camellia resources. The observation on the flowering habits, determination on the phenotypic traits and sensory evaluation were carried out for the three introduced and preserved aromatic Camellia varieties, including Xiangtaiyang, Xiangfei and Keruimo Damudan. The results showed that there were differences in flower type, flower color, aroma and flowering habits among different aromatic Camellia cultivars. Xiangtaiyang was a delicate aroma style Camellia, with the most unique flower type, which was a double flower type of anemone. Xiangfei was a strong aroma style Camellia, which had the characteristics of gradual change of flower color, large amount of flowering and great market potential. Keruimo Damudan was a delicate aroma style Camellia, with the longest flowering period and an ornamental period of nearly half a year. The three aromatic Camellia varieties had strong ornamental value, long flowering period and were easy to be cultivated and managed, which could be used as the excellent varieties of the lunar new year flower for the expanding propagation and promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this study, we aim to provide a scientific basis for breeding superior varieties of Camellia oleifera by conducting multivariate statistical analysis on the flowering period and floral organ traits of this plant. The flowering stage and floral organ traits of the hybrid offspring of C. oleifera (YZ2xDY2) and their parents [female parent (YZ2), male parent (DY2)] were investigated and measured. The flowering stage traits were graded, with nine traits (floral transverse diameter, floral longitudinal diameter, number of style divisions, pistil length, length of stamen group, number of petals, number of anthers, relative days of full flowering, blooming duration) being analyzed based on variation, correlation, principal component, and cluster analyses. The relative days of the blooming stage and blooming duration were graded equidistantly, and the flowering period types (95 strains) and the types of very long duration (43 strains) were selected to meet the objectives of breeding superior varieties. The variation coefficients of the nine traits ranged from 9.75% to 35.74%, among which, the coefficient of variation of the relative days of the blooming stage was the largest, and that of the number of style divisions was the smallest. The mid-parent dominance rates of floral-related traits ranged from -23.17% to 0.84%, which were all negative, except for the relative days of the blooming stage. For all traits, we detected ultra-low-affinity and ultra-high-affinity individuals, and there was a highly significant positive correlation between anther number and other floral traits (P<0.01); the relative days of the blooming stage were significantly correlated with transverse diameter, longitudinal diameter, pistil length, petal number, and blooming duration (P<0.01), and were significantly correlated with the number of style divisions (P<0.05). According to cluster analysis, the hybrid progeny population could be divided into three groups, class I corresponding to the earliest and longest flowering periods, class II corresponding to the latest and shortest flowering periods, and class III corresponding to the mid-flowering period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology 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.)

We evaluate whether cumulative photosynthesis (An,C) could predict the time of harvest in strawberry better than light (IC) or temperature (Ta,C) as forecast indices. We monitored the daily dynamics of flowering, fruit set, and harvest in over 2,700 fruits across the growing season in a greenhouse in Japan. Photosynthesis was calculated using a biochemical model, and An,C calculated by totalling the cumulative rate from flowering to harvest in each fruit. IC and Ta,C were calculated by totalling daily cumulative light intensity and average temperature. A new index (D) was defined as the normalised variation of An,C, IC, and Ta,C, and a statistical analysis was conducted on the means for each index. The results showed that An,C had the lowest D (0.114), suggesting that it was a better index for predicting the time of harvest. This study suggests the importance of considering the accumulation of photosynthates in individual fruit, which cannot be achieved by IC or Ta,C, these results can be used to improve the forecasting and optimisation of yield. However, further research is required to substantiate these claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews) is a woody ornamental plant originating from China, and beloved by people worldwide. Non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) play a crucial role in regulating the flowering quality of tree peonies in both field and potted conditions. However, the effects of NSCs accumulation and allocation in various organs during the vegetative growth stage on the flowering quality of tree peony under forcing culture remains unclear. (2) Two-year-old grafted seedlings of tree peony cv. ‘Luoyanghong’ were subjected to orthogonal treatments to investigate the role of NSCs accumulation in plants’ developmental process. We measured leaf photosynthetic capacity, NSCs accumulation in the organs of seedlings, observed key ornamental characteristics of flowering quality under forcing culture conditions, and evaluated the qualities of seedlings and flowers using the seedling index (SI) and flowering index (FI), respectively. (3) There was a significant positive correlation between leaf photosynthetic capacity and NSCs accumulation in both the whole plant and roots of potted tree peony. Roots were identified as the primary organs for NSCs accumulation in potted tree peonies. Sufficient NSCs accumulation in the plant, particularly in the roots during the defoliation period, was essential not only for enhancing the seedling quality of potted tree peonies but also for improving the flowering quality under forcing culture conditions. Both the seedling index (SI) and flowering index (FI) exhibited a significant dose-response with increasing root NSCs accumulation at defoliation. The T3 group, which involved slight root pruning (by 25%), combined with a high-concentration rooting agent (750 mg·L−1) and Metarhizium anisopliae (20 million U·mL−1), resulted in the highest photosynthetic capacity, SI, FI and NSCs accumulation status (NSCAR), making it the optimal treatment combination. (4) This finding indicates that increasing NSCs accumulation in the roots of potted tree peonies is a crucial biological foundation for producing high-quality potted flowers under forcing culture conditions, which provide new insights into the importance of NSCs in tree peony flowering and may improve the production technology for high-quality potted tree peony flowers under forcing culture conditions.

New gene sources are needed for adaptation to climatic changes, resistance to the regeneration of diseases and pests, and achieving high heterosis in sunflower breeding. Wild species are the most important gene sources for sunflower breeding studies. For breeding studies, it is necessary to know the morphological, Phenological, and agronomic characteristics of these genotypes in field conditions. The aim of this research was to determine these components of annual wild sunflower (Helianthus) species under field conditions in the 2012 and 2013 growing seasons for new gene sources. In this research, H. agrestis, H. annuus (4 different genotypes), H. anomalus, H. argophyllus, H. bolanderi, H. debilis (ssp. debilis, ssp. cucumerifolius, ssp. silvestris, ssp. tardiflorus and ssp. vestitus subspecies), H. deserticola, H. exilis, H. neglectus, H. niveus (ssp. niveus, ssp. canescens and ssp. tephrodes subspecies) H. petiolaris (ssp. petiolaris (2 different genotypes) and ssp. fallax subspecies), H. porteri, and H. praecox (ssp. praecox (2 different genotypes), ssp. hirtus, and ssp. runyani subspecies) were used as material. In this study, determined characters on annual wild sunflower genotypes were plant height, primary branches number, secondary branches number per primary branches, plant spreading diameter, the number of days from planting to first flowering, the number of days from planting to 50 % flowering, the number of days from planting to the end of flowering, the number of days of the flowering period, main stem diameter, head diameter, 1000 seeds weight, and seed yield. Year factor had a significant effect on these characters except plant height. Genotype had a significant effect on all characters in both years except seed width in 2013. In both years, the highest values for seed yield, 100 seed weight, head diameter, and main stem diameter were obtained in wild H. annuus genotypes while H. argophyllus had the highest values for plant height and primary branches number, and the highest days numbers from planting to first and 50% flowering. In the first and second growing seasons; values of the genotypes changed between 61.33 and 325.67 cm for plant height, between 0.73 and 101.20 g for thousand seed weight, between 97 and 223 days for the time from planting to 50% flowering, between 50 and 171 days for the flowering period, between 5.0 and 800.70 units for the number of plant heads, between 1.57 and 233.20 g for plant grain yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flowering period of rice significantly impacts variety adaptability and yield formation. Properly shortening the reproductive period of rice varieties can expand their ecological range without significant yield reduction. Targeted genome editing, like CRISPR/Cas9, is an ideal tool to fine-tune rice growth stages and boost yield synergistically. In this study, we developed a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplex genome-editing vector containing five genes related to three traits, Hd2, Ghd7, and DTH8 (flowering-stage genes), along with the recessive rice blast resistance gene Pi21 and the aromatic gene BADH2. This vector was introduced into the high-quality japonica rice variety in Zhejiang province, Jiahe212 (JH212), resulting in 34 T0 plants with various effective mutations. Among the 17 mutant T1 lines, several displayed diverse flowering dates, but most exhibited undesirable agronomic traits. Notably, three homozygous mutant lines (JH-C15, JH-C18, and JH-C31) showed slightly earlier flowering dates without significant differences in yield-related traits compared to JH212. Through special Hyg and Cas marker selection of T2 plants, we identified seven, six, and two fragrant glutinous plants devoid of transgenic components. These single plants will serve as sib lines of JH212 and potential resources for breeding applications, including maintenance lines for indica–japonica interspecific three-line hybrid rice. In summary, our research lays the foundation for the creation of short-growth-period CMS (cytoplasmic male sterility, CMS) lines, and also provides materials and a theoretical basis for indica–japonica interspecific hybrid rice breeding with wider adaptability.

The present work tried to evaluate whether arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) affected physiological aspects of saffron corms by triggering flowering and dormancy together with improving growth parameter. Endomycorrhizal fungi inoculum was inoculated into potted saffron corms (Crocus sativus L.) exposed to stress conditions (water and salinity) and followed for two growing seasons. Results highlighted a variation among saffron responses to endomycorrhizal fungi inoculum under water and salinity stress. The mycorrhizal corms showed a regular flowering period that occurred earlier than that of non-inoculated with AMF. The superior values of morphological traits, such as leaf and root length, leaves number and daughter corm number were between 3 and 12 cm, 11 to 25 cm; 13.4-4.5; 7 and 3 at respective concentrations of 1 g/l and 5 g/l of NaCl. Similarly, in AMF inoculated saffron, no statistical difference was observed in the dry weight average of aerial part in plants facing water level 60% (0.38 g) and 40% (0.27 g) compared respectively to 0.36 g and 0.22 g in control plants. The fresh weight of aerial saffron parts were 2 g (1 g/L), 0.6 g/L and 0.33 g at 5 g/L of NaCl compared to 1.6 g, 0.4 g and 0.2 g in control plants. At water level of 60% and 40%, this weight decreased from 1.46 g to 0.85 g. Almost equal values of dry weight of root parts were noted at 3 g/L (0.33 g) and 5 g/L of NaCl (0.22 g) in saffron plants from bulbs grown in soil incorporated with AMF inoculum compared to 0.25 g (3 g/L) and 0.18 g at 5 g/L of NaCl in control plants.

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The Thymus serpyllum L. is a widespread in the steppe bioсenosеs of southern and eastern Ukraine. It is well cultivated in specialized farms. A promising direction of modern phytochemical research of wild and cultivated Thymus L. species is the determination of the accumulation of biologically active polyphenolic compounds that exhibit pronounced biological activity. The purpose of the work is to determine the accumulation of polyphenolic compounds in Thymus serpyllum L. herb at the flowering using TLC and HPLC methods. The Thymus serpyllum L. herb was harvested in steppe biocenoses of southern and eastern Ukraine at the flowering, during the period of biologically active polyphenolic compounds maximum accumulation. For experimental studies, alcohol extracts from Thymus serpyllum L. herb (1:100) were used. The substances component composition was studied by TLC method Biostep CD 60 densitometer (Germany) and HPLC Agilent 1260 Infinity HPLC System Open LABCDS Software (Japan). TLC and HPLC methods revealed up to 25 polyphenolic compounds. Experimentally were determined 13 flavonoids and 12 hydroxycinnamic acids. All these biologically active compounds are well known in modern phytotherapy for their pronounced antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. During the flowering period up to 25 polyphenolic compounds were identified and quantified in the ethanolic extract (1:100) obtained from Thymus serpyllum L. herbal raw material. Of these, 13 compounds were attributed to flavonoids with a defined total content (0.3 mg/100 mg) and 12 to hydroxycinnamic acids (0.9 mg/100 mg). The highest accumulation of hydroxycinnamic acids in the Thymus serpyllum L. herbal raw material were characterized by rosmarinic acid (12.77 + 1.19%), chlorogenic acid (8.55 + 0.79%) and p-coumaric acid (7.41 + 0.69%). Of flavonoids, the highest content were established for rutin (8.45 + 0.79%), luteolin (3.87 + 0.37%), luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3.86 ± 0.33%), apigenin-7,4'-diglucoside (3.86 ± 0.32%), quercetin (3.85 ± 0.34%) and apigenin (3.81 ± 0.36%). The results obtained by TLC and HPLC methods indicate the perspective of polyphenolic compounds research for the purpose of determining the biological activity of extracts and carrying out the standardization of Thymus serpyllum L. herb. The study of the polyphenolic compounds accumulation in the Thymus serpyllum L. plant raw materials is important for this standardization and obtaining effective phytopreparations.

This study was investigated the effect of removing the central bud (pinching) and different levels of nitrogen fertilizer urea on some morphological and physiological traits of ornamental sunflower. This study was conducted as a factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with four replications on ornamental sunflower (Helianthus annuus ‘Teddy Bear’) at Horticulture Farm, Department of Horticulture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, in 2020-2021. The first factor was pinching in two levels (pinching and non-pinching) and the second factor was using urea at four levels (0, 200, 300, and 400 kg ha-1) in the form of water-soluble fertilizer. Results showed that the highest flower dry mass (59.25 g) was observed in pinched plants fertilized by 400 kg ha-1 of urea. Besides, the application of a high level of urea fertilizer and pinching treatment increased the amount of total chlorophyll and chlorophyll b. By removing the central bud, the amount of N, P, K, Ca, Zn, and Fe elements in the leaf increased by 1.5, 1.6, 1.3, 1.9, 1.4, and 1.5 times, respectively. Therefore, pinching and the adding of urea fertilizer at 400 kg ha-1is recommended for the production of high-quality sunflower plant ‘Teddy Bear’.

In model plants, the BRI1-EMS suppressor 1 (BES1)/brassinazole-resistant 1 (BZR1) transcription factors play vital roles in regulating growth, development, and stimuli response. However, the roles of maize ZmBES1/BZR1 members are largely unknown. In this research, the ZmBES1/BZR1-9 gene was ectopically expressed in Arabidopsis and rice for the phenotyping of flowering. We found that the complementation and overexpression of ZmBES1/BZR1-9 in bes1-D mutant and wild type Arabidopsis both resulted in early flowering that was about 10 days shorter than in the untransformed control under long-day conditions. In addition, there was no difference in the rosette leaf number between all transgenic lines and the control. Subsequently, the ZmBES1/BZR1-9 gene was overexpressed in rice. It was found that overexpression lines of rice exhibited early flowering with heading dates that were 8 days shorter compared with untransformed plants. Moreover, the results of RNA-seq and qRT-PCR showed that five flowering-regulated genes, namely At2-MMP, AtPCC1, AtMYB56, AtPELPK1, and AtPRP10, were significantly up-regulated in all complementary and overexpressing lines of Arabidopsis. Meanwhile, the results of RNA-seq showed that 69 and 33 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were up- and down-regulated in transgenic rice, respectively. Four flowering-related genes, namely OsGA20OX1, OsCCR19, OsBTBN19, and OsRNS4 were significantly up-regulated in transgenic lines. To sum up, our findings demonstrate that ZmBES1/BZR1-9 is involved in controlling flowering and provide insights into further underlying roles of BES1/BZR1s in regulating growth and development in crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The present work tried to evaluate whether arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) affected physiological aspects of saffron corms by triggering flowering and dormancy together with improving growth parameter. Endomycorrhizal fungi inoculum was inoculated into potted saffron corms (Crocus sativus L.) exposed to stress conditions (water and salinity) and followed for two growing seasons. Results highlighted a variation among saffron responses to endomycorrhizal fungi inoculum under water and salinity stress. The mycorrhizal corms showed a regular flowering period that occurred earlier than that of non-inoculated with AMF. The superior values of morphological traits, such as leaf and root length, leaves number and daughter corm number were between 3 and 12 cm, 11 to 25 cm; 13.4–4.5; 7 and 3 at respective concentrations of 1 g/l and 5 g/l of NaCl. Similarly, in AMF inoculated saffron, no statistical difference was observed in the dry weight average of aerial part in plants facing water level 60% (0.38 g) and 40% (0.27 g) compared respectively to 0.36 g and 0.22 g in control plants. The fresh weight of aerial saffron parts were 2 g (1 g/L), 0.6 g/L and 0.33 g at 5 g/L of NaCl compared to 1.6 g, 0.4 g and 0.2 g in control plants. At water level of 60% and 40%, this weight decreased from 1.46 g to 0.85 g. Almost equal values of dry weight of root parts were noted at 3 g/L (0.33 g) and 5 g/L of NaCl (0.22 g) in saffron plants from bulbs grown in soil incorporated with AMF inoculum compared to 0.25 g (3 g/L) and 0.18 g at 5 g/L of NaCl in control plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the possibility of reducing the growth period and increasing the grain yield of different quinoa genotypes, in 2018, a factorial split plot experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the research farm of Shahed University. The main factor included three different genotypes of quinoa (Titicaca, Giza 1 and Sajama) and the secondary factors included three models of planting methods (Transplanting, seed Priming with 1000 ppm Boric acid solution, and direct sowing) and boron foliar application at two levels (control and foliar application with 1000 ppm Boric acid solution). The results showed that the effect of genotype was significant on all studied traits. The highest plant height (123.38 cm) and grain yield (2860.228 kg/ha) were obtained in Giza 1 genotype. Also, the shortest period of growth and flowering was related to Titicaca genotype and the longest period was related to Sajama genotype. The effect of planting method on quinoa growth and yield traits was significant and transplanting was more effective than other methods. This method increased the plant height by 48.15% and grain yield by 176.69%, reduced the flowering (34.35%) and ripening period (37.97%). The priming was also able to improve the studied traits compared to the control. Of course, its effectiveness was not as high as transplanting. The effect of boron foliar application on grain yield was significant and increased this trait by 16.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Biennial bearing, the biggest factor destabilizing citrus fruit production, is primarily attributed to unfavorable weather changes. However, the relationship between the yield of Satsuma mandarin for more than 50 years and the weather remains poorly understood. Therefore, the present study investigated the effect of meteorological factors, such as average temperature, precipitation, and sunshine duration, on the yield of Satsuma mandarin in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. We analyzed fruit production statistics and meteorological observation data from 1961 to 2018. Furthermore, we investigated the alternative indices of flowering and sprouting in each of the 20 districts of Mikkabi Town, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. RESULTS: We detected a positive correlation between the average temperatures in March and February and yields in Shizuoka and Hamamatsu Cities. All alternative indices, except flowering in the early‐maturing cultivar, were significantly lower in the southern than in the northern districts (P < 0.01 or 0.05). Particularly, the alternative index of flowering in the late‐maturing cultivar was significantly different between the northern and southern districts (P < 0.01). Furthermore, we found a negative correlation between the mean annual temperature or average temperature from January to April and alternative indices of flowering and sprouting. CONCLUSION: The findings of our field survey in Mikkabi production area suggest that mean annual temperature may affect the biennial bearing of Satsuma mandarin. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of sufficient and diverse resources across time is important for maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. In this study, we examine the potential for variation in environmental conditions across topographic gradients to extend floral resource timing. Flowering time on a landscape may vary across topography due to differences in abiotic factors, species turnover, or genotypic differences. However, the extent to which this variation in phenology affects overall flowering duration on a landscape, and the components of diversity that influence flowering duration, are unexplored. We investigate whether differences in flowering time due to topography yield an overall extension in duration of flowering resources in a northern California grassland. We recorded flowering time of pollinator resource species across four successive spring growing seasons (2015-2018) on paired north and south aspects. Flowering time differences were evaluated both at the community level and within species present on both paired aspects. The role of plasticity was examined in an experimental case study using genotypes of Lasthenia gracilis. We found that aspect is a strong determinant of phenology, with earlier flowering on warmer south-facing slopes. Aspect differences resulted in complementarity in timing of flowering resources across sites, as aspects that started flowering earlier also ended earlier. Complementarity between north and south aspects served to extend the flowering time of pollinator resources by an average of 4-8 days (8%-15%), depending on the year. This extension can be attributed to both within-species responses to aspect differences and species turnover. Flowering of L. gracilis genotypes was distinct across aspects, demonstrating that plasticity can drive the extension of flowering duration. Our findings indicate that heterogeneous topography can extend overall flowering time of pollinator resources, which may support pollinator biodiversity. Extension was most pronounced at the community level, which incorporates species turnover as well as plastic and genotypic differences within species.

Stingless bees, play an important role as pollinators of many flowering plants. The present study was aimed to know the floral resources foraged by stingless bee, Tetragonula nr. Pagdeni in Bengaluru, Karnataka through visual observations. Roving surveys were conducted and observation on the stingless bees visiting flowering plants were recorded from June 2021 to May 2022. A Total of 258 bee floral plant species, belonging to 68 different botanical families were documented. Most frequently foraged families were Asteraceae (28 species) and Fabaceae (27 species) followed by Bignoniaceae (14 species), Acanthaceae (11 species), Lamiaceae (10 species), Poaceae (10 species), Cucurbitaceae (9 species) and Solanaceae (8 species), besides 141 plant species coming under 60 other families. The flower colour, shape and size also influenced the foraging efficiency. Greater bee visitation was evident in white and yellow coloured flowers with open shape and small and medium sized flowers as compared to other. These results suggested that the studied site can provide floral resources to stingless bees throughout the year which is an important pre - requisite for maintaining stingless bee populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the field performance of six new Raphanus sativus L. varieties (Brassicaceae family) for landscape and ecological values with the aim to find new ways of improving the cultivated land quality and develop Chinese countryside. Eleven indices were observed, including total flower number, total flower area, flowering stage, initial flowering stage, and nutrient content of returning field. The weighted correlation degree was calculated using coefficient of variation, and the evaluation was carried out using the grey correlation analysis. There were differences between the ranking of equal weight correlation degree and ranking of weighted correlation degree. The weight in total flower area, flower number, and average flower height was high according to the indices of landscape value; weight of fresh grass yield was medium according to the indices of growth; and the weight of phosphorus and potassium was high according to the indices of ecological value of green manure. Three varieties were ranked in the top three according to equal weight correlation degree and weighted correlation degree. They also yielded the best results based on the grey correlation analysis of coefficient of variation. Thus, these three resources could be given priority for use in green manure technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of the analysis of the collection of two-year-old flowering ornamental plants in the Botanical garden of Bila Tserkva national agrarian university. It was established that the biennial collection includes 17 species belonging to 15 genera and 10 families. The largest number of species is represented by the family Brassicaceae Burnett. - Brassica oleracea L. var. Acephala DC., Erysimum perovskianum Fisch.hort., Hesperis matronalis L., Lunaria biennis L. The collection presents species that have not only decorative, but also medicinal, fodder, and tanning properties. Diditalis grandiflora contains poisonous glycosides. Alcea rosea has ethnographic significance and belongs to amulet plants. The morphometric indicators of biennials by height and their flowering periods were analyzed. It was established that 41,2% of the collection of biennials of the Botanical Garden of the Bila Tserkva NAU belongs to low-growing species, medium-sized and tall plants are represented by the same number of species, which is 29,4% each. The largest number of species in the collection is represented by the group of summer-flowering biennials, 47,1%, late-spring-flowering ones make up 29,4%, and early-flowering ones - 23,5% of species. Most biennials are cultivated in open ground to decorate flower beds, only a few to create seasonal bouquets and phytocompositions. Thanks to the plasticity of biennials, which is manifested in non-standard sowing dates, relative frost resistance and early spring and early summer flowering periods, biennials reduce the costs of growing seedlings and care for them after planting in a permanent place, provide an annual change in the design offlower beds and fill the flowerless periods of early spring and early summer. Biennials are suitable for creating borders, flower beds, rabatoks, lawns, carpets, ribbons, for decorating flowerbed groups and balconies, container culture. Tall species can be used as a background for the entire composition. Varietal diversity of Bellis perennis L., Brassica oleracea L. var. Acephala DC, Dianthus caryophyllus L. var. Grenadine hort, Dianthus barbatus L., Viola wittrockiana Gams. allows you to create monoculture flower beds with a wide color palette. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Nectarine (Prunus persica L. Bath) belongs to Rosaceae family, Prunoidae subfamily, and Prunus genus. This fruit is generated by a vegetative mutation in one of the peach genes. Therefore, it is a kind of peach that has been developed due to the mutation of the fruit with special aroma, color, and taste. Nectarine had about 10.1% of the total distribution of stone fruits in Iran. In Khorasan Razavi province, the production and yield of nectarine were 5412.7 tons and 6243 kg/ha in 2018, respectively. Due to the lack of sufficient research on different nectarine cultivars in Khorasan Razavi province and farmers' lack of access to new and high yielding cultivars, and the use of unknown low-quality cultivars with low marketability and yield, the present study aims to investigate morphological, pomological, and qualitative responses of 10 nectarine cultivars and genotypes in Khorasan Razavi province climatic conditions were performed to select promising cultivars and genotypes. Materials and Methods This study was conducted to select the best genotypes in terms of growth, morphological, and pomological traits from among ten nectarine genotypes and cultivars (‘Flamino’, ‘Nectared’, ‘Henri’, ‘Shaniaria’, ‘Royziana’, ‘Taj No.-1 and -2’, ‘Shalil No.-1’, ‘Andrros’, and ‘Sungold’ as a control) as a randomized complete block experiment with three replications during 2018-2019 in Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Khorasan Razavi. The traits measured in the present study are flowering start time, flowering period, harvest time, tree height, and diameter, yield, length, width, and weight of fruit and length, width, and weight of the stone, acidity, titratable acidity, soluble solids, fruit tissue firmness, and flavor index. Results and Discussion Results indicated that the cultivars and genotypes showed significant differences in terms of phenological traits (first bloom, full bloom, flowering time, flowering period, and harvest time), morphological (tree height, trunk diameter), pomological (yield, length, width, and weight of fruit and length, width, and weight of stone) and quality (acidity, titratable acidity, soluble solids, fruit tissue firmness, and flavor index). The earliest flowering genotypes were ‘Nectared’, ‘Flamino’, and ‘Sungold’, while ‘Henri’ and ‘Taj No.-1’ were the latest flowering. ‘Henri’, which had the most extended flowering period, showed a later harvest time. The panel test results showed that ‘Flamino’, ‘Henri’, and ‘Shaniaria’ had the highest rank in terms of color, texture, smell, and taste. While ‘Royziana’ had the lowest average. ‘Flamino’ had the highest chlorophyll index (36.91), which was not significantly different from the ‘Nectared’, ‘Henri’, ‘Shaniaria’, ‘Taj No. -1 and -2’. ‘Henri’ genotype with 44.6 kg yield, 3.55 kg/cm2 fruit tissue firmness, and 16.39% soluble solids showed statistical superiority in quality traits. ‘Flamino’ and ‘Shahlil-1’, with 138.76 and 129.51 g, respectively, had the highest fruit weight, increasing 32.97 and 28.19% compared to the control. In the second year, due to more growth and increasing the age of the tree naturally, increased tree height (22.41%), trunk diameter (79.8%), crown of the tree (73.3%), chlorophyll index (5.16%), fruit weight (35.06%), and fruit flavor index (28.46%) were observed compared to the first year. Tree yield was positively and significantly correlated with tree height and fruit tissue firmness and negatively and significantly correlated with fruit length, fruit width, and stone length. Tree height, crown of the tree, fruit width, stone weight, and fruit weight entered the regression model, finally explaining 55.91% of the tree yield changes. Conclusion In general, ‘Flamino’, ‘Nectared’, and ‘Henri’ are recommended for cultivation in Khorasan Razavi province's climatic conditions due to their high pomological and phonological traits as superior nectarine genotypes.

Soybean, Glycine max L., is one of the most important agricultural crops grown in a wide range of latitude. In this regard, in soybean breeding, it is necessary to pay attention to the set of genes that control the transition to the flowering stage, which will make it possible to adapt genotypes to local growing conditions as accurately as possible. The possibilities of soybean breeding for this trait have now significantly expanded due to identification of the main genes (E1–E4, GmFT2a, GmFT5a) that control the processes of flowering and maturation in soybean, depending on the day length. The aim of this work was to develop a panel of markers for these genes, which could be used for a rapid and efficient genotyping of domestic soybean cultivars and selection of plant material based on sensitivity to photoperiod and the duration of vegetation. Combinations of 10 primers, both previously developed and our own, were tested to identify different alleles of the E1–E4, GmFT2a, and GmFT5a genes using 10 soybean cultivars from different maturity groups. As a result, 5 combinations of dominant and recessive alleles for the E1–E4 genes were identified: (1) e1-nl(e1-as)/ e2-ns/e3-tr(e3-fs)/e4; (2) e1-as/e2-ns/e3-tr/E4; (3) e1-as/e2-ns/E3-Ha/e4; (4) E1/e2-ns/e3-tr/E4; (5) e1-nl/e2-ns/E3-Ha/E4. The studied cultivars contained the most common alleles of the GmFT2a and GmFT5a genes, with the exception of the ‘Cassidi’ cultivar having a rare dominant allele GmFT5a-H4. The degree of earliness of cultivars positively correlated with the number of recessive genes E1–E4, which is consistent with the data of foreign authors on different sets of cultivars from Japan and North China. Thus, the developed panel of markers can

The rise in early spring temperatures due to climate change has been advancing the flowering period of peach trees. This phenomenon increases the possibility of frost damage in early spring and consequently reduces the productivity of peach trees, causing economic losses. Under aberrant spring temperatures, delaying peach flowering could be used to avoid frost damage. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate whether treatment with sodium alginate and CaCl2 in the 2nd (swollen bud) blooming stage could delay peach flowering as a strategy to avoid frost. Regarding the expression rate at the 3rd (calyx green) stage, the control treatment (CT, distilled water) showed a sharp increase from 8 days after treatment (DAT), peaking at 14 DAT. However, the 5AG group (5% sodium alginate + 100 mM CaCl2) and the 7AG group (7% sodium alginate + 100 mM CaCl2) had the maximum expression rate at 17 DAT. After maximum expression, expression in the CT sharply diminished, whereas the 5AG and 7AG treatments showed gentle decreases. At the 4th (calyx red) stage, the CT, 5AG, and 7AG treatments reached peak expression at 20 DAT (43.5%, 31.9%, and 40.2%, respectively). However, maximum expression levels of all treatments were below ~ 50%. The 5th (first pink) stage was first expressed in all treatments when the expression rate at the 4th stage peaked in all groups at 20 DAT. Maximum expression was 50.7% in the CT, 33.7% in the 5AG treatment, and 49.2% in the 7AG treatment. This tendency was similar to that at the 4th stage. Particularly, expression in the 5AG treatment diminished more slowly than that in the CT and 7AG treatment at the 3rd, 4th, and 5th stages. The CT group bloomed first at 20 DAT, reaching full bloom at 81.4%, ahead of the AG treatments at 28 DAT, while the 7AG and 5AG groups bloomed fully at 34 and 37 DAT, respectively. Our results suggest the 5AG treatment is suitable to delay peach flowering when phenological development of the flower buds reaches the 2nd stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In model plants, the BRI1-EMS suppressor 1 (BES1)/brassinazole-resistant 1 (BZR1) transcription factors play vital roles in regulating growth, development, and stimuli response. However, the roles of maize ZmBES1/BZR1 members are largely unknown. In this research, the ZmBES1/BZR1-9 gene was ectopically expressed in Arabidopsis and rice for the phenotyping of flowering. We found that the complementation and overexpression of ZmBES1/BZR1-9 in bes1-D mutant and wild type Arabidopsis both resulted in early flowering that was about 10 days shorter than in the untransformed control under long-day conditions. In addition, there was no difference in the rosette leaf number between all transgenic lines and the control. Subsequently, the ZmBES1/BZR1-9 gene was overexpressed in rice. It was found that overexpression lines of rice exhibited early flowering with heading dates that were 8 days shorter compared with untransformed plants. Moreover, the results of RNA-seq and qRT-PCR showed that five flowering-regulated genes, namely At2-MMP, AtPCC1, AtMYB56, AtPELPK1, and AtPRP10, were significantly up-regulated in all complementary and overexpressing lines of Arabidopsis. Meanwhile, the results of RNA-seq showed that 69 and 33 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were up- and down-regulated in transgenic rice, respectively. Four flowering-related genes, namely OsGA20OX1, OsCCR19, OsBTBN19, and OsRNS4 were significantly up-regulated in transgenic lines. To sum up, our findings demonstrate that ZmBES1/BZR1-9 is involved in controlling flowering and provide insights into further underlying roles of BES1/BZR1s in regulating growth and development in crops.

The aim of this study was the evaluation of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) pollen production during the 2021 and 2022 seasons in the Mexicali Valley, Mexico. Twelve seed-propagated male palms of 20 years of age and similar vigor were selected and grouped into four groups with phenotypic characteristics of the common female cultivars in the area (Medjool, Deglet Noor, Khadrawy, and Zahidi). The pollen was extracted manually, with average production among all individuals of 780.94 and 777.11 g, in 26 and 24 inflorescences, respectively, for each year. Likewise, the flowering period on average was 47 and 41 days for each year. The pollen extracted from the earliest four inflorescences averaged 38.7 and 32.55 g, while that of the latest one produced 10.70 g and 18.28 g for each year, respectively. Seedling male palms with a phenotype similar to the Deglet Noor cultivar produced the greatest amount of pollen with 1250.98 and 1114.26 g on average for each year, produced during a late, short flowering period. Likewise, those palms with phenotypes similar to the Medjool cultivar produced the second-highest amount of pollen with 851.28 and 866.43 g on average for each year, produced during an early, long flowering period. Finally, an in vivo viability test through the fruit set percentage, revealed that the use of any of these four pollen sources would be suitable for the pollination of the recipient female cultivar Medjool, the most widely cultivated variety in Mexico. These results will allow date producers to select and propagate better pollen-producing male palms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to analyze the differences of metabolites and their pathways from flowering to withering of Rhododendron delavayi, we used LC-MS/MS material separation and identification technique to non-targeted the chemical components of bud stage, dehiscence stage, pollination stage, blooming stage, senescence stage and withering stage. The results were as follows:(1)A total of 973 kinds of metabolites were detected, mainly including flavonoids, organic acids, phenolic acids, amino acids and their derivatives, lipids, alkaloids and so on.(2)Principal component analysis(PCA)showed that there were differences in metabolites among samples. Combined with orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA), P value of t-test and fold change of univariate analysis, differential metabolites(VIP > 1, P < 0.05, Fc > 2 or Fc < 0.5)were screened out, involving 591 species, the quantity and expression of differential metabolites increased significantly after the R. delavayi flower stage entered the senescence stage and the withering stage, in which the expression of differential metabolites from bud stage to dehiscence stage was mainly down-regulated, while those after entering senescence stage and withering stage were mainly up-regulated.(3)A total of 68 differential metabolic pathways were annotated by KEGG, of which three pathways were significantly enriched with differential metabolites(P < 0.01), including phenylpropanoids biosynthesis, plant hormone biosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis.(4)Based on the analysis of biosynthetic pathways of phenylpropanoids, flavonoids and other effective components, ten kinds of differential metabolites were screened from flowering to withering of R. delavayi, including L-phenylalanine, trans-cinnamic acid, chalcone, naringenin, p-coumaroyl shikimic acid, ferulic acid, coniferyl alcohol, sinapic acid, syringin and quercetin. In addition, the differential metabolites of effective components showed that phenylpropanoids biosynthesis and metabolism activities gradually increased with the development of R. delavayi, while flavonoid biosynthesis gradually decreased. These key differential metabolites may play an important role in regulating the development of R. delavayi. This study provides a metabonomic basis for the study of effective components in the metabolic pathway during the process from flowering to withering of R. delavayi, and provides a reference for the further study of the molecular mechanism of flowering period regulation of R. delavayi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming increases the risk of high-temperature injury to maize. Inter- and mixed-cropping of maize varieties with different genotypes is one way to effectively alleviate the high-temperature injury during the flowering period. However, the mitigation effect of different varieties and intercropping modes on high-temperature injury is still unclear. Based on previous years of field production, Denghai 605, which is more sensitive to high temperatures during the flowering period, was determined as the main test variety, and Zhengdan 958, Dedan 5, Weike 702, and Xianyu 335, which have great genotypic differences, were used as auxiliary varieties. The main test varieties and auxiliary varieties were intercropped and mixed cropped, respectively. Plant height, ear height, leaf area index, population light transmittance, ear characteristics, and yield were measured, and the land equivalent ratio (LER) was calculated. The plant height of Denghai 605 intercropped with Zhengdan 958 and Dedan 5 and mixed with Weike 702 and Xianyu 335 decreased significantly. The population light transmittance of the bottom or middle layer in Denghai 605 increased significantly when intercropped with other varieties. The grain number per ear increased significantly under inter- and mixed cropping with Zhengdan 958 and Weike 702. Except under intercropping with Dedan 5, the yield of Denghai 605 increased significantly, by 8.8–28.0%, under inter- and mixed cropping. Under intercropping with Zhengdan 958 and inter- and mixed cropping with Weike 702 and Xianyu 335, respectively, the group land equivalent ratio was greater than 1.1, indicating that under the combination of these varieties, inter- and mixed cropping effectively reduced the impact of high temperatures during flowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Pruning" is a simple and efficient way to control the flowering period, but it is rarely used in perennial woody ornamental plants. In this paper, Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum was pruned in different degrees, and the relationship between pruning intensity and flowering number, and flowering time and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were compared. After statistics, it was found that pruning could advance blossoms of L. chinense var. rubrum; also, light and heavy cutting could both obtain a larger number of flowers. In addition, through correlation analysis, it was found that during the flowering period, the Rfd parameter of the unpruned treatment had a very significant positive correlation with the number of flowers FN, which was 0.81. In other pruning treatment groups, Rfd and FN also presented a certain positive correlation, indicating that the Rfd parameter can be used to predict the number of flowers during the flowering process of L. chinense var. rubrum. The research results provided a new idea for the regulation of the flowering period of L. chinense var. rubrum and other woody ornamental plants and laid the foundation for the diversified application of L. chinense var. rubrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Introduction: Recently the addition of cheap and available organic compounds to soils has attracted the attention of many researchers. Mineral salts are an important plant stress factor, having adverse impacts on urban trees and road verges where salts are used for de-icing. Material and methods: Here we investigated the effects of biochar 0, 5, 10 g/pot (0, 5, 10 ton/ha) and wood vinegar 0, 2 and 4 ml/pot (0, 2000 and 4000 L/ha) to mitigate salt-induced stress (0.4, 2.1 and 4.2 dS m−1 ), simulating road salt additions in a factorial glasshouse experiment in the university of Mohaghegh Ardbili. Results and discussion: Results showed that increasing slat stress reduced flower number, flower size, flowering period and total phenolic compound and leaf relative water content, whereas electrolytic leakage and total phenolic compound were increased. Wood vinegar reduced electrolyte leakage in comparison to biochar and control, increased relative water content, flower number and stem diameter, but wood vinegar did not affect flowering period and flower size. Plants treated with biochar showed an increase in all vegetative traits and relative water content, while there was a significant decline in electrolyte leakage. The highest plant dry weight was recorded in plants treated with 10 g/pot of biochar under 0.4dS m-1. Under severe salt stress (4.2 dS m-1 ) the highest dry weight was recorded in plants treated with biochar and 4 ml/pot of wood vinegar. Leaf chlorophyll content and chlorophyll stability index (RSI) under both normal and salt stress condition in biochar-treated plant were significantly higher than control plant. Increasing salt level significantly increased enzyme activity of peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase. Under low stress conditions treatment did not affect enzyme activity, while under high salinity stress conditions biochar and wood vinegar reduced enzyme activity. Conclusions: results of present experiment showed that biochar and wood vinegar are able to mitigate salt stress in marigold pants. It seems these compounds alleviate salt stress by optimizing plant water relations and soil conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent years, with the significant increase in global temperature, global warming caused by climate change has attracted widespread attention. Climate warming will change plant phenology, and the changes in flowering period can directly reflect the adaptation of plants to the surrounding environment, especially alpine plants are more sensitive to climate change, therefore, exploring the flowering period of alpine plants is more representative. In order to understand the changing characteristics of the flowering period of plants under the background of climate warming, and to develop reasonable plant protection measures. We took the famous alpine plant Meconopsis as an example, based on the data of 3 056 alpine plant specimens of Meconopsis from 1880 to 2017 kept by the Chinese Virtual Herbarium. Among them, the attributive years of flowering specimens were 104 years, and there were 1 539 specimens of statistical significance. Correlation analysis was used to study the relationship between the flowering period and year of Meconopsis plants distributed in China. The results were as follows:(1)Under the background of climate warming, with the increase of years, the flowering period of Meconopsis showed a trend of postponing.(2)There were differences between species, among them, six species of Meconopsis, including M. integrifolia, M. punicea, M. racemosa, M. henrici, M. lancifolia and M. chelidonifolia, showed a trend of delayed flowering period with the increase of years; the flowering period of three Meconopsis species, M. horridula, M. quintuplinervia and M. impedita showed an earlier trend with the increase of years.(3)Among them, the number of days of delayed flowering period was M. punicea, which was delayed by 6 d on average from 1880 to 2017, and the most advanced number of flowering days was M. impedita, with an average of 5 d in advance from 1880 to 2017. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that the flowering period of Meconopsis trends to be delayed as a whole under the influence of climate warming, and the flowering period of most species is delayed, while the flowering period of a few species trends to be earlier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize ( Zea mays L.) is the most important cereal crop in the world. Flowering period and photoperiod play important roles in the reproductive development of maize. This study, investigated ZmMADS42 , a gene that is highly expressed in the shoot apical meristem. Agrobacterium infection was used to successfully obtain overexpressed ZmMADS42 plants. Fluorescence quantitative PCR revealed that the expression of the ZmMADS42 gene in the shoot apical meristem of transgenic plants was 2.8 times higher than that of the wild-type(WT). In addition, the expression of the ZmMADS42 gene in the endosperm was 2.4 times higher than that in the wild-type. The seed width of the T2 generation increased by 5.35%, whereas the seed length decreased by 7.78% compared with that of the wild-type. Dissection of the shoot tips of transgenic and wild-type plants from the 7-leaf stage to the 9-leaf stage revealed that the transgenic plants entered the differentiation stage earlier and exhibited more tassel meristems during their vegetative growth period. The mature transgenic plants were approximately 20 cm shorter in height and had a lower panicle position than the wild-type plants. Comparing the flowering period, the tasseling, powdering, and silking stages of the transgenic plants occurred 10 days earlier than those of the wild-type plants. The results showed that the ZmMADS42 gene played a significant role in regulating the flowering period and plant height of maize.

Sophora davidii is a cross-pollinated plant with important ecological protection and medicinal value in China, but its seed yield is low due to backward and nonstandard production technology. Therefore, we divide the flowering period of Sophora davidii into initial, full and final flowering period, measuring the floral morphology, pollen viability, stigma receptivity, nectar volume and nectar concentration, foraging behavior of pollinators, fertilization physiology, seed yield and quality through field observation and indoor testing to explore whether the flowering period affects the floral traits, pollinator behavior and seed production of plants. Our results revealed that the nectar volume, nectar concentration, pollen viability and stigma receptivity at full flowering period were the highest. The single visit time and visit time per flower of Chinese honey bees were the longest in the full flowering period, while the number of transfer, visit frequency and number of touching stigma were the least. The visiting number of the bees was the most and the most active in the full flowering period. The bees pollination not only improved the pollen amount, germination rate, pollen tube length and the ovule number of S. davidii , but also their effect was the most obvious in full flowering period. The principal component analysis showed that pollination by Chinese honey bees during the whole flowering period of S. davidii was the best way to produce seeds. We can conclude that flowering period affects flower traits, foraging behavior of pollinators, seed yield and quality of S. davidii .

Abstract The availability of sufficient and diverse resources across time is important for maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. In this study, we examine the potential for variation in environmental conditions across topographic gradients to extend floral resource timing. Flowering time on a landscape may vary across topography due to differences in abiotic factors, species turnover, or genotypic differences. However, the extent to which this variation in phenology affects overall flowering duration on a landscape, and the components of diversity that influence flowering duration, are unexplored. We investigate whether differences in flowering time due to topography yield an overall extension in duration of flowering resources in a northern California grassland. We recorded flowering time of pollinator resource species across four successive spring growing seasons (2015–2018) on paired north and south aspects. Flowering time differences were evaluated both at the community level and within species present on both paired aspects. The role of plasticity was examined in an experimental case study using genotypes of Lasthenia gracilis. We found that aspect is a strong determinant of phenology, with earlier flowering on warmer south‐facing slopes. Aspect differences resulted in complementarity in timing of flowering resources across sites, as aspects that started flowering earlier also ended earlier. Complementarity between north and south aspects served to extend the flowering time of pollinator resources by an average of 4–8 days (8%–15%), depending on the year. This extension can be attributed to both within‐species responses to aspect differences and species turnover. Flowering of L. gracilis genotypes was distinct across aspects, demonstrating that plasticity can drive the extension of flowering duration. Our findings indicate that heterogeneous topography can extend overall flowering time of pollinator resources, which may support pollinator biodiversity. Extension was most pronounced at the community level, which incorporates species turnover as well as plastic and genotypic differences within species.

During growing medicinal plants, the main condition is the correct selection of agricultural technology, because these plants require the correctness and accuracy of actions in the cultivation process. Nowadays, medicinal plants are becoming more relevant among Ukrainian agricultural producers, as sustainable profits can be obtained from the sale of medicinal raw materials. The aim of our research was to develop and improve the elements of technology for growing chamomile medicinal (Matricaria recutita L.) in the Pollyssya region of Ukraine. To establish the effect of changing the period of vegetation of the crop by sowing the plants at different sowing periods on the extension of flowering period. For these studies used a variety of chamomile medicinal Pearl Forest-steppe. We have established that the flowering period depends essentially on the sowing period, namely on the duration of the growing season. For the autumn sowing and sowing rate of 5 kg/ha, we obtained an average plant density of 710 pcs/m2, a plant growing season of 220 days and a long flowering period of up to 20 days. And with spring sowing the same norm – the density of plants was much lower – 640 pcs/m2, the growing season lasted 90 days, flowering period reached only 14 days. In terms of productivity, the autumn sowing period showed the highest yields of both the raw mass of inflorescences and the air-dry, respectively. The yield of the crude mass of autumn sowing ranges from 1.1 to 1.3 t/ha and the dry weight, respectively, from 0.5 to 0.7 t/ha. As for spring sowing, the yield was slightly lower than the previous one, as the flowering period and the growing season of the plants were generally shorter. In the future it is planned to carry out more research on the impact of agrotechnical measures on the yield of medicinal chamomile in the conditions of the Pollissya zone, where this issue has not been sufficiently studied.

Over the years, thrips have transitioned from a minor nuisance to a major problem, significantly impacting the yield and quality of cotton. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for plant protection have emerged as an effective alternative to traditional pesticide spraying equipment. UAVs offer advantages such as avoiding crop damage and enhancing pesticide deposition on the plants and have become the primary choice for pesticide application in cotton fields. In this study, a 2-year field experiment found that the thrips population in a cotton field in Xinjiang, China, exhibited gradual growth during the early flowering phase, peaking in late July. The thrips population gradually shifted from the lower canopy to the upper canopy as the cotton flowers opened layer by layer. From 09:00 to 11:00 (GMT+8) and 19:00 to 21:00 (GMT+8), thrips mainly flew outside the flowers, while from 17:00 to 19:00 (GMT+8), they mostly inhabited the inner whorls of flowers. The insecticides 10% cyantraniliprole oil dispersion and 10% spinetoram suspension concentrate, sprayed by UAV, had the best control effect on thrips, with 80.51% and 79.22% control effect after 7 days of spraying, respectively. The optimal spraying time for 10% cyantraniliprole oil dispersion was 19:00 (GMT+8), and the control effect on thrips reached 91.16% at 7 days of spraying. During the cotton flowering period, thrips inhabited flowers in the evening and flew outside during the day. The best control effect on thrips was achieved with UAV-sprayed 10% cyantraniliprole oil dispersion at 19:00 (GMT+8)., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Liu, Dou, Ren, Ma, Liu, Qasim and Han.)