Search

Alongside wheat, maize is one of the most important species of cereals used for food and feed as well as in the bioethanol industry. As a result of this fact, maize is today the spotlight of many researchers, constantly trying to increase the productivity of this species, particularly important i from the economic point of view. The main aim of this article is to investigate the efficiency of the Blidar type filter-paper bridges (BFPB) in initiating the maize in vitro cultures for liquid culture media, in comparison with the conventional agarized culture media - solid culture media. In these experiments a modified Murashige-Skoog culture media (1962) (free of AIA and amino acids) supplemented or not with agar, were used. The inocula consisted in caryopsis of Zea mays L. (hybrid Kiskun 4255) and based on the results of these experiments it can be underlined that growth increases for the cultivated vitroplants on liquid culture media provided with filter-paper bridges compared with those conventianlly cultivated on an agarized culture media, as following 5.34% for dry weight and 356.09% for leafs length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of yield gaps has become more complex, prompting the use of varied approaches to measure yields and a wider range of factors to explain these gaps. In the Global North, the focus is on precision farming, whereas in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a broader perspective is necessary due to pronounced variability in farmland conditions. While biogeophysical and management factors have been traditional focal points in yield gap analyses, socio-economic and institutional factors are increasingly recognized as significant, especially in SSA. This review synthesizes research from the past decade in SSA that integrates biogeophysical, management, farm characteristics, and institutional factors in yield gap discussions. The findings indicate a slow shift in including socio-economic factors, with management, particularly nutrient supply and crop management, remaining predominant. However, there is a growing trend towards methodological diversity, such as the adoption of remote sensing and GIS in recent years. Case studies from Kenya and Ghana, utilizing field surveys, interviews, panel data, and spatial analysis, highlight how a multifaceted approach can enhance our understanding of the various elements influencing maize yield gaps in SSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper purpose was to assess the impact of climate change on wheat, maize and sunflower yield in the period 2017-2021, using statistical data from National Institute of Statistics (NIS) and National Administration of Meteorology (NAM) and other sources. Comparison method was used to evaluate the deviations between the registered air temperatures and precipitations and the 1981-2010 climatological norm. Graphic method reflected the dynamics of monthly air temperatures and rainfalls in each year. Descriptive statistics for mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation reflected an more comprehensive image upon air temperature, precipitations and yield. Correlations and regression equations were used to establish the intensity of the kinks between climate factors and yield. The highest average air temperature In Romania was 12.130C in 2019. In the period 2017-2020, the average annual temperatures exceeded the climatological norm 1981-2010 accounting for 9.10C. The lowest rainfalls, 614.2 mm, were recorded in 2019, being below of 633.1 mm the norm for the period 1981-2010. The high temperatures associated with drought and low precipitations have deeply affected yield of many agricultural crops, including maize, wheat and sunflower. The highest wheat yield 4,888 kg/ha was achieved in 2017, and the lowest one, 2,966 kg/ha in 2020. Maize registered the highest performance of 7,644 kg/ha in 2018, and the lowest one, 3,977 kg/ha in 2020. Sunflower carried out the high performance 3,041 kg/ha in 2018, and the lowest one, 1,858 kg/ha in 2020. The worst agricultural years for these three crops was 2020, but 2017 favored wheat, while 2018 favored maize and sunflower. The correlation coefficient had in general small values between average temperature and yield, but a higher link with precipitations level. The multiple correlation between yield, air temperatures and precipitations was: r= 0.817 for wheat, r = 0.116 for maize and r = 0.504 for sunflower. In the South Eastern Dobrogea, the driest area in Romania, the rainfalls declined by 65% in the period 2018-2020 having a deep negative impact on sunflower seeds yield, which decreased from 4,282 kg/ha in 2018, to 1,503 kg/ha in 2020. The correlation between precipitations and sunflower yield positive and very strong (r = 0.737). As a conclusion, the climate conditions should be analyzed in each farm and farmers have to take measure to adapt the technologies for sustaining production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize Ustilago maydis is a disease that severely affects maize yield and quality. In this paper, we employed transcriptome sequencing and GWAS analysis to identify candidate genes and reveal disease-resistant germplasm resources, thereby laying the foundation for further analysis of the molecular mechanism of maize Ustilago maydis resistance and genetic improvement. The results of transcriptome sequencing revealed that a considerable number of receptor kinase genes, signal-transduction-related protein genes, redox-response-related genes, WRKYs, and P450s genes were significantly upregulated. There was a wide range of mutations of Ustilago maydis in maize inbred lines. Thirty-two high-resistance maize inbred lines were selected, and 16 SNPs were significantly associated with the disease index. By integrating the results of GWAS and RNA-seq, five genes related to disease resistance were identified, encoding the chitinase 1 protein, fatty acid elongase (FAE), IAA9, GATA TF8, and EREB94, respectively. It provides a certain reference for the cloning of maize anti-tumor smut genes and the breeding of new varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main concern of today's scientists is the sustainable development of agriculture to achieve global food and nutrition security. Genome editing technology is recognized worldwide for its potential for sustainable agricultural intensification. In this paper, applications of genome editing in maize were analyzed and exemplified, based on statistical data collected from the EU-SAGE Database from January 1996 to July 2023. In addition, the existing regulations for this new technology were also discussed. The results showed that, so far, 51 applications of maize genome editing have been reported in the EU-SAGE database, and the CRISPR/Cas system was the most used genome editing tool with the potential to rapidly generate new genotypes with high yield, improved quality, and stresses resistance. Most applications were developed in China and the USA. Due to current GMO legislation and political indecision regarding the authorization of genome-edited products, the European Union is not yet able to use and cultivate these new improved genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Modern computational modeling could provide the key to obtaining new insights into the mechanisms of maize stalk failure as well as suggesting new ways to improve stalk strength. However, a complete set of mechanical properties of maize tissues is required to enable computational modeling of maize stems. This study developed two compression test methods for obtaining the longitudinal modulus of elasticity of both rind and pith tissues, assessed the influence of water content on tissue properties, and investigated the relationship between rind modulus and pith modulus. These methods involved uniform 5–7 cm segments of maize stems which were scanned using a flatbed scanner then tested in compression using a universal testing machine in both intact and dissected (rind-only and pith-only) states. Results: The modulus of elasticity of pith tissues was highest for fully turgid specimens and decreased as water was removed from the specimens. Water content was negatively correlated with the modulus of elasticity of the rind. Rind and pith tissues were found to be weakly correlated. The median ratio of rind modulus to pith modulus was found to be 17. Of the two methods investigated, the pith-only specimen preparation was found to be simple reliable while the rind-only method was found to be adversely affected by lateral bowing of the specimen. Conclusions: Researchers can use the information in this paper to improve computational models of maize stems in three ways: (1) by incorporating realistic values of the longitudinal modulus of elasticity of pith and rind tissues; (2) by selecting pith and rind properties that match empirically observed ratios; and (3) by incorporating appropriate dependencies between these material properties and water content. From an experimental perspective, the intact/pith-only experimental method outlined in this paper is simpler than previously reported methods and provides reliable estimates of both pith and rind modulus of elasticity values. Further research using this measurement method is recommended to more clearly understand the influence of water content and turgor pressure on tissue properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the main agricultural crops grown worldwide under very diverse climate and soil conditions. For maize cultivation in a conventional tillage system, autumn plowing is a mandatory condition. Minimum soil tillage or no tillage has been applied in recent years, both in research and in production, for reasons relating to soil conservation and fuel economy. This paper presents the results of the research executed under pedoclimatic conditions at the Agricultural Research and Development Station Turda (ARDS Turda, Romania; chernozem soil) regarding the behavior of the maize hybrid Turda 332 cultivated in four tillage systems and two levels of fertilization during the period of 2016–2022. The following soil tillage systems were applied: a conventional tillage system (CT) and unconventional tillage systems in three variants—a minimum tillage system with a chisel (MTC), a minimum tillage system with a disk (MTD), and a no-tillage system (NT). They were applied with two levels of fertilization: basic fertilization (350 kg ha−1 NPK 16:16:16, applied at sowing) and optimized fertilization (350 kg ha−1 NPK 16:16:16 applied at sowing + 150 kg ha−1 calcium ammonium nitrate with additional fertilization in the phenophase of the maize with 6–7 leaves). The results highlight the fact that under the conditions of chernozem soils with a high clay content (41% clay content), maize does not lend itself to cultivation in MTD and NT, requiring deeper mobilization, with the yield data confirming this fact. This is because under the agrotechnical conditions for sowing carried out in MTD and NT, the seeder used (Maschio Gaspardo MT 6R) does not allow for the high-quality sowing of maize, especially under dry soil conditions. Instead, the MTC system could be an alternative to the conventional tillage system, with the yield difference being below 100 kg ha−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate estimation of the maize leaf area index (LAI) and biomass is of great importance in guiding field management and early yield estimation. Physical models and traditional machine learning methods are commonly used for LAI and biomass estimation. However, these models and methods mostly rely on handcrafted features and theoretical formulas under idealized assumptions, which limits their accuracy. Deep neural networks have demonstrated great superiority in automatic feature extraction and complicated nonlinear approximation, but their application to LAI and biomass estimation has been hindered by the shortage of in situ data. Therefore, bridging the gap of data shortage and making it possible to leverage deep neural networks to estimate maize LAI and biomass is of great significance. Optical data cannot provide information in the lower canopy due to the limited penetrability, but synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data can do this, so the integration of optical and SAR data is necessary. In this paper, 158 samples from the jointing, trumpet, flowering, and filling stages of maize were collected for investigation. First, we propose an improved version of the mixup training method, which is termed mixup+, to augment the sample amount. We then constructed a novel gated Siamese deep neural network (GSDNN) based on a gating mechanism and a Siamese architecture to integrate optical and SAR data for the estimation of the LAI and biomass. We compared the accuracy of the GSDNN with those of other machine learning methods, i.e., multiple linear regression (MLR), support vector regression (SVR), random forest regression (RFR), and a multilayer perceptron (MLP). The experimental results show that without the use of mixup + , the GSDNN achieved a similar accuracy to that of the simple neural network MLP in terms of R 2 and RMSE, and this was slightly lower than those of MLR, SVR, and RFR. However, with the help of mixup + , the GSDNN achieved state-of-the-art performance ( R 2 = 0.71, 0.78, and 0.86 and RMSE = 0.58, 871.83, and 150.76 g/m 2 , for LAI, Biomass_wet, and Biomass_dry, respectively), exceeding the accuracies of MLR, SVR, RFR, and MLP. In addition, through the integration of optical and SAR data, the GSDNN achieved better accuracy in LAI and biomass estimation than when optical or SAR data alone were used. We found that the most appropriate amount of synthetic data from mixup + was five times the amount of original data. Overall, this study demonstrates that the GSDNN + mixup + has great potential for the integration of optical and SAR data with the aim of improving the estimation accuracy of the maize LAI and biomass with limited in situ data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the prospects of Ukraine on the world grain market and ways to increase the efficiency of maize cultivation using environmentally safe technologies in the conditions of the negative impact of climate change and other stress factors. The methodological approach takes into account the peculiarities of agrarian production based on the use of data of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, United States Department of Agriculture, United Nations, Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine and State Statistics Service of Ukraine. The dynamics of world production and export of maize grain, sown areas, production and yield of maize in Ukraine are demonstrated, which directly focuses attention on the competitiveness of Ukrainian maize on the world grain market. These arguments are confirmed by analytical results, which show that in 2022, among the world leaders of maize grain producers, Ukraine took fifth place, and among exporters - fourth. In order to mitigate the impact of climate change and other stress factors on the effective production and export of Ukrainian maize, adaptation measures are proposed, which consist in the application of modern technologies, which include: optimization of the structure of sown areas and scientifically based crop rotations with the effective use of competitive varieties and hybrids of agricultural crops, the introduction of organic and mineral fertilizers and plant protection products, the use of soil protective tillage, sideration and mulching, irrigation systems, and also the productive use of plant residues with the application of modern biodestructors. Their comprehensive implementation will contribute to the development of maize yield, grain quality, preservation of biodiversity and the solution of the grain-food problem in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mechanism of grain development in elite maize breeding lines has not been fully elucidated. Grain length, grain width and grain weight are key components of maize grain yield. Previously, using the Chinese elite maize breeding line Chang7-2 and its large grain mutant tc19, we characterized the grain size developmental difference between Chang7-2 and tc19 and performed transcriptomic analysis. Results: In this paper, using Chang7-2 and tc19, we performed comparative transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic analyses at different grain development stages. Through proteomics analyses, we found 2884, 505 and 126 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) at 14, 21 and 28 days after pollination, respectively. Through metabolomics analysis, we identified 51, 32 and 36 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) at 14, 21 and 28 days after pollination, respectively. Through multiomics comparative analysis, we showed that the phenylpropanoid pathways are influenced at transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic levels in all the three grain developmental stages. Conclusion: We identified several genes in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, which may be related to the large grain phenotype of tc19. In summary, our results provided new insights into maize grain development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes decades of research developing a new type of corn (maize) cultivar that utilizes partnerships with seed-borne, bacterial endophytes to create environmentally friendly, nutritious corn that is better adapted to organic farming. Over time the project engaged and formed multiple, evolving networks of corn breeders and other scientists, organic farmers, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), private companies, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), and state agricultural universities in several states. It addressed and partly resolved the need for developing (a) yield-competitive hybrids with greater nutrient density (methionine and minerals), (b) better adapted inbreds for organic production conditions, and (c) reduced pollution from nitrogen fertilizers. The partnership approach taken also differs from usual top-down mechanistic breeding approaches in that the methods of breeding entailed holistic attention, learning, and respect for what turned out to be corn plants evolving in symbiogenesis with beneficial microbial partners. Initial studies indicate that the resulting corn from the program is competitive in yield but has better nutritional value. It obtains more of its nitrogen from microbial biomass and organic matter and nitrogen fixation than does conventional corn. Its performance partially depends on seed-borne plant/microbial partnerships. This corn continues to be developed at the Mandaamin Institute but is also being commercially introduced for testing by farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research of alternative variants to the conventional tillage system (characterized by plowing with furrow turning) pursued the development and promotion of technologies adapted to the specific conditions of different agricultural areas, especially regarding soil type, climatic conditions, land topography and equipment available. The failure of the extension of many alternative tillage practices has been linked to weeding, cultural deficiencies and lower yields. The paper presents the results of research regarding the influence of the tillage system, fertilization and chemical treatments, the degree of weeding of the crop and the yield of maize during 2018–2021, under the conditions of the Turda Agricultural Research and Development Station (ARDS) Turda, located in the Transylvanian Plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since joining the North American Free Trade Agreement, Mexico has increased its meat production and exports and become more dependent on imported feedstuffs such as genetically engineered (GE) corn. Mexico recently banned the use of GE corn in corn‐based foods and called for a gradual substitution away from the use of GE corn for other uses (e.g., feed). This paper considers how a complete ban on GE corn might affect Mexican households using a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to simulate the impact over the medium run (5 years). Results indicate that Mexico decreases corn imports by 76.9% and increases corn production by 65.6%—an increase that would require 3.3 million hectares more land for corn. The policy leads to a 24.8% increase in Mexico's corn price and up to a 6% increase in the prices of other agricultural products. But Mexico might have difficulty shifting land to corn; as such, we consider an alternative scenario that restricts land movements. We find that impacts are further exacerbated in this scenario—for example, corn prices triple. Our final contribution is to pair these results with a compensating variation calculation based on the almost ideal demand system. We find that Mexican households would need to spend, on average, between 6.7 and 13.9% more on food, depending on the scenario, to compensate for the resulting price escalations. Ultimately, our results show that a move toward greater food sovereignty in Mexico is ultimately borne by consumers via higher food prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and dark septate fungi (DSE) were simultaneously colonized in the root cells of maize. Single AMF and DSE symbiosis have been proven to improve the drought tolerance of maize. However, the effects of both fungi coexisting in maize roots under drought stress are not yet known. In this study, pot experiments of maize seedlings were conducted through four inoculation treatments (single AMF inoculation of Rhizophagus irregularis, single DSE inoculation of Exophiala pisciphila, co-inoculation of AMF + DSE and non-mycorrhizal inoculation) under well-watered (WW) and drought-stressed (DS) conditions. AMF and DSE colonization status, maize physiology and aquaporin gene expression in maize roots were investigated. The objective of this paper was to evaluate whether AMF and DSE had competitive, independent or synergistic effects on regulating the drought tolerance of maize. When maize seedlings of three inoculation treatments were subjected to drought stress, single AMF inoculation had the highest shoot and root dry weight, plant height, root length, osmotic root hydraulic conductivity and hydrostatic root hydraulic conductivity in maize seedlings. However, co-inoculation of AMF + DSE induced the highest stomatal conductance in maize leaves and the lowest H2O2 and O2•− concentration, membrane electrolyte leakage, intercellular CO2 concentration and gene expression level of ZmPIP1;1, ZmPIP1;2, ZmPIP2;1, ZmPIP2;5 and ZmPIP2;6. In addition, co-inoculation of AMF + DSE also obviously down-regulated the GintAQPF1 and GintAQPF2 expression in R. irregularis compared with single AMF inoculation treatment. Under DS stress, there were competitive relationships between AMF and DSE with regard to regulating mycorrhizal colonization, maize growth, root hydraulic conductivity and the gene expression of aquaporins in R. irregularis, but there were synergistic relationships with regard to regulating membrane electrolyte leakage, oxidative damage, photosynthesis and the aquaporin gene expression of maize seedlings. The obtained results improve our knowledge about how the mechanisms of AMF and DSE coexist, promoting the drought tolerance of host plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most widely grown cereals in the world. Its cultivation is affected by abiotic stress caused by climate change, in particular, drought. Zinc (Zn) supplied by foliar nutrition can increase plant resistance to water stress by enhancing physiological and enzymatic antioxidant defence mechanisms. One of the possibilities to reduce the effect of drought on plant production is also the utilization of trehalose. In order to confirm the effect of the foliar application of selected forms of Zn (0.1% w/v solution)—zinc oxide micro- (ZnO) and nanoparticles (ZnONP), zinc sulphate (ZnSO4) and zinc chelate (ZnEDTA)—a pot experiment in controlled conditions was conducted in combination with trehalose (1% w/v solution) on selected growth parameters of maize exposed to the drought stress. A significant effect of coapplication of Zn and trehalose on chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, root electrical capacity, weight of maize aboveground biomass (AGB) and Zn content in AGB was found. At the same time, the hypothesis of a positive effect of carbohydrates on increasing the uptake of foliar-applied Zn was confirmed, especially for the ZnEDTA and ZnSO4. This paper presents the first empirical evidence of the trehalose addition to sprays for zinc foliar fertilization of maize proving to be an effective way of increasing the resistance of maize grown under drought stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize is one of the most important food and feed sources at the worldwide level. Due to this importance, all the pathogens that can infect this crop can harm both food safety and security. Fungi are the most important pathogens in cultivated maize, and Fusarium spp. are one of the most important families. Reduction in yield and production of dangerous mycotoxins are the main effects of Fusarium spp. infection. Fusarium graminearum (part of the Fusarium graminearum species complex) is one the most important fungi that infect maize, and it is the causative agent of Gibberella ear rot (GER). The main characteristics of this species include its ability to infect various species and its varying infection pressures across different years. This fungus produces various harmful mycotoxins, such as deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, butanolide, and culmorin. Infection can start from silk channels or from ear wounds. In the first case, the environmental conditions are the most important factors, but in the second, a key role is played by the feeding action of lepidopteran larvae (in Europe, Ostrinia nubilalis). All these factors need to be taken into account to develop a successful management strategy, starting from cropping methods that can reduce the source of inoculum to the direct control of the fungus with fungicide, as well as insect control to reduce ear wounds. But, the most important factor that can reduce the effects of this fungus is the use of resistant hybrids. Different studies have highlighted different defensive methods developed by the plant to reduce fungal infections, like fast drying of silk and kernels, chemical compounds produced by the plant after infection, and mechanical protection from insects' wounds. The aim of this paper is to review the scientific evidence of the most important management strategies against GER in maize and to highlight the genetic basis which is behind hybrid resistance to this disease, with a focus on genes and QTLs found in studies conducted across the world and with different types of maize from tropical cultivars to European flint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has become the biggest global challenge, being a real danger especially for crops and an inevitable threat to food security. This paper presents the results of a study conducted in the Transylvanian Plain during 2012–2021, regarding the influence of climatic factors, such as temperature, rainfall, water reserve in the soil and hours of sunshine, on the development stages and yield of maize. During 2012–2021, the soil water reserve determined for maize cultivation was above the minimum requirements (1734.8 m3 ha−1) in the spring months, but fell below this limit in the months when the water consumption for maize was the highest, but without reaching the withering index (1202.8 m3 ha−1). The hours of sunshine in the maize vegetation period have been significantly reduced from 1655.5 h (2012) to values between 1174.6 and 1296.7 h, with a significant decrease in this parameter being observed. The coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.51) shows the importance of rainfall during the period of emergence of reproductive organs in maize production. During 2019–2021, there was a decreasing trend of temperatures in May compared to the multiannual average of this month, and therefore the processes of emergence and growth of plants in the early stages were affected. During the period of the study, all parameters analyzed (temperature, rainfall, water reserve in the soil, hours of sunshine) deviated from the multiannual average, with negative variations compared to the requirements of maize. Climatic conditions, especially during the growing season, have a significant influence on the yield of a crop, especially when the interaction between several parameters is manifested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale application in Romania of work systems that aim to preserve soil fertility is of primary importance given that increasing arable areas are cultivated without consulting a specialist and without a system in which to take account of the short-, medium- or long-term consequences on the soil. The purpose of soil preparation works performed after the ploughing consist of breaking and crushing the structural soil clods and soil structural macroaggregates in order to sow. For the execution of mechanized soil scarification, the preparation of the germination bed and of the sowing of maize is important for the choice of the types of tractors according to the technological work process and the biological properties of crops depending on the following indicators: gauge, size, plot size, energy consumption of agricultural machinery, land condition, humidity, and manoeuvrability. This paper aims to highlight the usefulness and economic efficiency of conservative (unconventional) works because this cultivation technology contributes to: reducing soil works to a minimum by reducing the number of machines; reducing soil setting by reducing the number of passes and work operations; reducing water and wind erosion by leaving plant remains on the soil surface; maintaining soil humidity by reducing evaporative water losses because the layer of plant remains are left on the ground; increasing the soil water capacity due to the layer of plant remains that slows water drain on the soil surface thus increasing the infiltration time; improving the physical structure of the soil; increasing the content of humus; and developing biological activity in the soil. From an economic point of view, the method is less costly because it reduces fuel consumption and working time with machines. The use of modern mechanization technologies has a great economic efficiency due to the following: works are carried out in a short period of time, so that the optimal time of technological work is respected; the number of aggregates is reduced; the number of passes on the ground is reduced; the setting of soil is reduced; wage costs are reduced; fuel consumption is reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agriculture / Poljoprivreda is the property of Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek 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.)

Although, morphologically, maize is one of the most vigorous species, with a well-developed root system and stem, lately it has become sensitive to one particular species of weeds, namely Ambrosia artemisiifolia. With devastating effects on agriculture, on the environment and on human health, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, comonly named ragweed, is one of the most harmful invasive species. Currently, it belongs to the category of dominant weeds in some agricultural crops, which causes significant damage in production and from observations made in the maize crop, its frequency exceeds 50 individuals on a square meter. This paper presents the results of herbicides efficacy tests regarding the control of this invasive species in maize crop. The research was carried out in the Timiş Plain, on a eutricambosoil soil type, poorly glayed, with high fertility, due to good physical and chemical properties. Of the four herbicides applied post-emergence in maize crop, the best efficacy was obtained by Glyfos Ultra herbicide, applied in doses of 3.5 l / ha, which ensured a significant reduction in coverage, of over 90% 15 days after application, while Kideka herbicide has been situated at the opposite pole, with an efficacy of about 82%. Also, the results of the same set of herbicides applied indicate very high efficacy of Glyfos Ultra herbicide, which exceeds a percent of 98% 30 days after application, while the lowest results were obtained by the herbicide named Dicash 480 SL of approximately 67%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solving the problem of the stem contour extraction of maize is difficult under open field conditions, and the stem diameter cannot be measured quickly and nondestructively. In this paper, maize at the small and large bell stages was the object of study. An adaptive threshold segmentation algorithm based on the color space model was proposed to obtain the stem contour and stem diameter of maize in the field. Firstly, 2D images of the maize stem in the field were captured with an RGB-D camera. Then, the images were processed by hue saturation value (HSV) color space. Next, the stem contour of the maize was extracted by maximum between-class variance (Otsu). Finally, the reference method was used to obtain the stem diameter of the maize. Scatter plots and Dice coefficients were used to compare the contour extraction effects of the HSV + fixed threshold algorithm, the HSV + Otsu algorithm, and the HSV + K-means algorithm. The results showed that the HSV + Otsu algorithm is the optimal choice for extracting the maize stem contour. The mean absolute error, mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and root mean square error (RMSE) of the maize stem diameter at the small bell stage were 4.30 mm, 10.76%, and 5.29 mm, respectively. The mean absolute error, MAPE, and RMSE of the stem diameter of the maize at the large bell stage were 4.78 mm, 12.82%, and 5.48 mm, respectively. The MAPE was within 10–20%. The results showed that the HSV + Otsu algorithm could meet the requirements for stem diameter measurement and provide a reference for the acquisition of maize phenotypic parameters in the field. In the meantime, the acquisition of maize phenotypic parameters under open field conditions provides technical and data support for precision farming and plant breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to global climate change, droughts are likely to become more frequent and more severe in many regions such as in South Africa. In Limpopo, observed high climate variability and projected future climate change will likely increase future maize production risks. This paper evaluates drought patterns in Limpopo at two representative sites. We studied how drought patterns are projected to change under future climatic conditions as an important step in identifying adaptation measures (e.g., breeding maize ideotypes resilient to future conditions). Thirty-year time horizons were analyzed, considering three emission scenarios and five global climate models. We applied the WOFOST crop model to simulate maize crop growth and yield formation over South Africa's summer season. We considered three different crop emergence dates. Drought indices indicated that mainly in the scenario SSP5-8.5 (2051–2080), Univen and Syferkuil will experience worsened drought conditions (DC) in the future. Maize yield tends to decline and future changes in the emergence date seem to impact yield significantly. A possible alternative is to delay sowing date to November or December to reduce the potential yield losses. The grain filling period tends to decrease in the future, and a decrease in the duration of the growth cycle is very likely. Combinations of changed sowing time with more drought tolerant maize cultivars having a longer post-anthesis phase will likely reduce the potential negative impact of climate change on maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate factors have an impact on plant life cycle, yield, productivity, economy and profitability of agricultural production. There are not a lot of studies on understanding of influence of climate factors variation on maize yield in agro-ecological conditions of Serbia. The aim of this paper is analysis of variation of climatic factors over a long-time period, as well as assessment of impact of the examined climate parameters on maize yield in two localities in the Republic of Serbia. For the analysis of climatic factors (temperature, precipitation, sunshine, humidity) in the region of Central Serbia and Vojvodina, the data of meteorological stations Kragujevac and Sombor during two thirty-year periods (1961–1990 and 1991–2020) were used. In order to determine the existence and strength of the relationship between the observed climatic factors and maize yield, a correlation analysis of these indicators for the period 2005–2020 years, was performed. In the period 1991–2020, the average values of temperature were annually increased for 0.046 °C in Kragujevac and for 0.05 °C in Sombor, and in the same period the average value of sunshine on an annual level was increased for 1.3 h in Kragujevac and for 5.01 h in Sombor, 2020 in comparison to average values in period of 1961–1990. The humidity was decline annually for 1.3 in Kragujevac and for 3.4 in Sombor in period 1991–2020 in comparison to average humidity in period of 1961–1990. The results of the correlation analysis showed that the maize yield was significantly lower in the years with expressed high temperatures and precipitation deficit. Based on these studies, established effect of climate change on maize yield and that this demand developing adaptation agricultural practice through creating maize hybrids and varieties with greater adaptability and improvement of agrotechnic measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize crops occupy an important place in world food security. However, different conditions, such as abiotic stress factors, can affect the productivity of these crops, requiring technologies that facilitate their monitoring. One such technology is spectroscopy, which measures the energy reflected and emitted by a surface along the electromagnetic spectrum. Spectral data can help to identify abiotic factors in plants, since the spectral signature of vegetation has discriminating features associated with the plant's health condition. This paper introduces a spectral library captured on maize crops under different nitrogen-deficiency stress levels. The datasets will be of potential interest to researchers, ecologists, and agronomists seeking to understand the spectral features of maize under nitrogen-deficiency stress. The library includes three datasets captured at different growth stages of 10 tropical maize genotypes. The spectral signatures collected were in the visible to near-infrared range (450–950 nm). The data were pre-processed to reduce noise and anomalous signatures. This study presents a spectral library of the effects of nitrogen deficiency on ten maize genotypes, highlighting that some genotypes show tolerance to this type of stress at different phenological stages. Most of the evaluated genotypes showed discriminate spectral features 4–6 weeks after sowing. Higher reflectance was obtained at approximately 550 nm for the lowest nitrogen fertilization treatments. Finally, we describe some potential applications of the spectral library of maize leaves under nitrogen-deficiency stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the effect of meteorological factors such as rainfall, temperature, sunshine, wind speed, and relative humidity on the yield of maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) at different growth stages in Togo's Plateau, Central, and Savannah regions. For this purpose, data from 1990 to 2019 on weather variables and maize and sorghum yields were used. The study applied Fisher's meteorological regression and Chebyshev polynomial function. Our findings revealed that rainfall had a more beneficial than detrimental effect on maize and sorghum yield across stages and regions. Contrariwise, temperature influence was as beneficial as detrimental and more significant across all growth stages of maize and sorghum in the Savannah and Plateau regions. Furthermore, the sunshine effect on maize yield was more significant in the Central and Savannah regions, while negative on sorghum yield in all the growth stages in the Central region. Similarly, the wind speed was also beneficial and detrimental to maize and sorghum yields, although it was more significant for sorghum in Plateau and Savannah regions. Lastly, relative air humidity positively and negatively influenced maize and sorghum yields in all the growth stages and regions for maize and the Plateau and Savannah regions for sorghum. Therefore, there is a need for real-time agricultural meteorological information to help farmers plan crop production more efficiently and increase crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize is one of the globally most important cereal crops used for food, feed and fuel. It requires optimum soil nutrients such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) for proper growth and development as well as for tolerance to biotic and other abiotic stresses. Yield potentials are not met under suboptimal soil fertility. One of the innovations that can reduce environmental impacts of continuous fertilization and lower the cost of maize production under low soil nutrient conditions is the development and use of tolerant cultivars. This paper provides spotlights on the following: (1) morphology and physiology of root and shoot systems; (2) genetics and genomics; and (3) transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome profiles, to elucidate maize tolerance to low amounts of soil nutrients, N, P, and K. Maize cultivars having deeper rooting structure, more lateral roots, dense roots, and high root exudates are more tolerant to N, P, and K limited conditions. Cultivars that are tolerant to N, P, and K stress (low) have high nutrient use efficiency, good photosynthetic and translocation activity that support high aboveground shoot weight under suboptimal N, P, and K conditions. Maize tolerance to N, P, and K stress (low) is quantitative, and mainly controlled by additive genes. Maize cultivar development and dissemination programs can exploit the mechanisms highlighted in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effect of mineral fertilizers and waste lignite, the latter applied to the preceding crop, on the enzymatic activity of soil. The research was conducted between 2014 and 2016 at the Agricultural Experimental Station of the Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Zawady (Poland). The following treatment combinations were involved: 1—control; 2—NPKMgS; 3—NPKMgS + 20 N; 4—NPKMgS + 40 N; 5—NPKMgS + 60 N. Three varieties of maize grown for silage constituted the second research factor. Mineral fertilizers were applied at the following doses (pre-sowing): N-100, P-35, K-125, Mg-12 and S-14 kg ha−1. Nitrogen was additionally applied as top dressing with 3, 4, and 5 treatment combinations at 20, 40, and 60 kg ha−1. Waste lignite was applied to the preceding crop on two plots (3 and 4), in 1 and 5 t ha−1 doses. In the subsequent years, the significantly highest content of soil organic carbon was recorded on the NPKMgS + 60 N plot (1.12%; 0.98% and 1.16%). With 49.25 and 51.95 mg NH4-N h–1 kg–1 DM, urease activity in the soil treated with NPKMgS + 20 N and NPKMgS + 40 N was 56.95% and 65.55% higher than in the control plot soil. Throughout the experimental years, acid phosphatase activity did not vary much and amounted to 3.51–3.53 mmol PNP h–1 kg–1 DM. Mineral fertilizers significantly increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase and dehydrogenases in relation to the control. To ensure the high enzymatic activity of the soil and a high biochemical index of soil fertility, pre-sowing fertilizers at the level of 100 kg N, 35 kg P, 125 kg K, 12 kg Mg, and 14 kg S per hectare and top dressing of 20 kg N or 40 kg N per hectare are recommended. At the same time, it is advisable to use 1 t ha–1 or 5 t ha–1 of waste lignite of low energy value on the preceding crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertilizers play an essential role in agriculture due to the rising food demand. However, high input fertilizer concentration and the non-controlled leaching of nutrients cause an unwanted increase in reactive, unassimilated nitrogen and induce environmental pollution. This paper investigates the preparation and properties of slow-release fertilizer with fully biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) coating that releases nitrogen gradually and is not a pollutant for soil. Nitrogen fertilizer (calcium ammonium nitrate) was pelletized with selected filler materials (poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), struvite, dried biomass). Pellets were coated with a solution of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) in dioxolane that formed a high-quality and thin polymer coating. Coated pellets were tested in aqueous and soil environments. Some coated pellets showed excellent resistance even after 76 days in water, where only 20% of the ammonium nitrate was released. Pot experiments in Mitscherlich vegetation vessels monitored the effect of the application of coated fertilizers on the development and growth of maize and the dynamics of N release in the soil. We found that the use of our coated fertilizers in maize nutrition is a suitable way to supply nutrients to plants concerning their needs and that the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) that was used for the coating does not adversely affect the growth of maize plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural practices of smallholder farming systems of Latin America can play an important role in reducing their exposure to the risks associated with climate extremes. To date, however, there is no systematic analysis of scientific evidence for the extent to which these practices can provide the multiple benefits needed for smallholders to adapt to climate extremes. In this paper, we searched scientific databases to review scientific evidence of the benefit provided by twenty-six practices in crops commonly farmed by smallholders in the region and highly relevant for their food and nutrition security; namely, coffee, maize and beans. We reviewed scientific documents (n = 304) published in the period 1953–2021 to register evidence of the practices' effects on fifty-five benefits. Our analysis of these documents found measurement records (n = 924) largely based on field experiments (85%). Our results show strong evidence of the multiple benefits that some ecosystem-based practices (e.g., tree-based practices for coffee and no tillage for maize) can provide to support the adaptation to climate extremes of smallholder farming systems and enhance a farm's natural assets (e.g., biodiversity, water, soil). We also found that the majority of research on practices in the region focused more on the socioeconomic dimension (54%) rather than on the capacity of practices to improve the natural assets of a smallholder farmers or reduce the impact of climate extremes. Given these knowledge gaps, we discuss the importance of a renovated investment in research to address existing knowledge gaps. Our concluding suggestions for future research include the need for systematizing existing knowledge from different sources (e.g., peer-reviewed, gray literature, farmers, extension agencies, etc.), and to assess the extent to which these practices can provide multiple benefits for smallholder farming systems by improving their wellbeing, reducing their vulnerability to different hydroclimatic extremes while also contributing to ecosystem services provision at the landscape level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experimental zone of the Transylvanian Plain is characterized by some particular problems for the maize crop due to an oscillating thermal regime; relatively shorter frost-free interval; climatic diversity; mixed relief; and soils with different peculiarities, even from one plot to another. This paper presents the results of research conducted during 2016–2021 regarding the influence of four soil tillage system and two fertilizer doses on emergences and maize yield, in the pedoclimatic conditions of the hilly area of the Transylvanian Plain. In all experimental years, a faster maize emergence was observed in the conventional-plow and minimum tillage—chisel compared to minimum tillage-disk and no-tillage. In a conventional system (control), the yield achieved (7603 kg ha−1) was close to the minimum tillage—chisel system (7529 kg ha−1), and higher than the minimum tillage-disk (6391 kg ha−1) and no-tillage (5178 kg ha−1). The beneficial effect of additional fertilization with CAN 27 (granular nitrogen fertilizer containing magnesium and calcium from dolomite) is found in a better development of plants and on the increase of yield with 356 kg ha−1 compared to the variant with basic fertilization. The yield difference between the two hybrids included in the experiment is insignificant (under 100 kg ha−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water footprint (WF), based on irrigation water quality, is important as a decision-making tool for crop selection based on the comparative advantage of water consumption and yield to maximize agricultural water productivity and sustainably improve water use efficiency. This paper presents a generic link between climate variability and water footprint. To support this link, a case study is presented for wheat and maize in different agro-climate zones in Egypt. In this study, the three agro-ecological zones, Nile Delta, Middle Egypt, and Upper Egypt, were selected to represent three different microclimates. The climate data were analyzed to estimate reference evapotranspiration (ETo) and calculate crop water use (CWU) for wheat and maize from 2015 through 2019. Cultivated area and yield data were analyzed during the study period. Water footprint (WF) was calculated for old land (clay soils) and new lands (sandy soils) in three climate regions based on blue and grey water. Green water was excluded due to negligible rainfall depths in Egypt. The results showed that the mean values of WF for maize were 1067, 1395, 1655 m3/ton in old land and 1395, 1634, 2232 m3/ton in new land under the three climate regions, respectively, while it was 923, 982, 1117 m3/ton in old land and 1180, 1258, 1452 m3/ton for wheat in new land for the three regions, respectively. The results show that the crop water use fluctuated over regions due to climate variability where the CWU values were 6211, 7335, 8007 m3/ha for maize and 4348, 4825, 5774 m3/ha for wheat in the three regions, respectively. The results show an 11% and 33% increase in maize and an 18% and 29% increase in wheat CWU in Middle and Upper Egypt regions comparing to what was observed in Nile Delta due to an increase in solar radiation, temperature, and wind speed. The Egypt mean value of wheat water footprint was 1152 m3/ton and mean value of maize water footprint was 1563 m3/ton. The data clearly show the effect of microclimate variability on WF and irrigation requirements between regions. The methodology and results from this study provide a pathway to help the policy makers to mitigate climate change impacts on crop yield and to enhance water resources management in major crop production regions by redistribution of the cropping patterns based on the comparative advantages of each crop within each region. The crop choices relative to the soil water retention characteristics could also contribute to the moderation of microclimate, which affects ETo and ETc and the water footprint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of research on the impact of organic fertilizers, obtained from poultry manure with and without pro prebiotic PoultryStarRmeEU, on the microbiological and biochemical quality of soil and corn productivity. For this purpose, initially, an experiment was organized in the practical conditions of the individual poultry enterprise "GT Nicolaescu V." from village Fagureni, district Straseni, in which material for the study was used the probiotic PoultryStarRmeEU, and the object of research were broiler chickens ROSS 308. Subsequently, the manure obtained was subjected to traditional composting, and after 9 months, it was were injected into the soil. As a result of research, it was found that organic fertilizers have improved the microbiological and biochemical quality of the soil by increasing 10 times the amount of beneficial microorganisms, the content of organic matter - by 48.02% - 114.81% and humus - by 15.14% - 10.56%, thus stimulating the physiological development (height) of the plants by 7.69% - 10.53% and increasing the corn grain harvest by 5.98% and by 17.45% the amount of straw (organic matter) compared to the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an estimation of the parameters connected with the additive (a) effect, additive by additive (aa) epistatic effect, and additive by additive by additive (aaa) interaction gene effect for nine quantitative traits of maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines. To our knowledge, this is the first report about aaa interaction of maize inbred lines. An analysis was performed on 252 lines derived from Plant Breeding Smolice Ltd. (Smolice, Poland)—Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute-National Research Institute Group (151 lines) and Małopolska Plant Breeding Ltd. (Kobierzyce, Poland) (101 lines). The total additive effects were significant for all studied cases. Two-way and three-way significant interactions were found in most analyzed cases with a considerable impact on phenotype. Omitting the inclusion of higher-order interactions effect in quantitative genetics may result in a substantial underestimation of additive QTL effects. Expanding models with that information may also be helpful in future homozygous line crossing projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) is one of the important factors affecting maize root morphological construction and growth development. An association panel of 124 maize inbred lines was evaluated for root and shoot growth at seedling stage under normal N (CK) and low N (LN) treatments, using the paper culture method. Twenty traits were measured, including three shoot traits and seventeen root traits, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using the Bayesian-information and Linkage-disequilibrium Iteratively Nested Keyway (BLINK) methods. The results showed that LN condition promoted the growth of the maize roots, and normal N promoted the growth of the shoots. A total of 185 significant SNPs were identified, including 27 SNPs for shoot traits and 158 SNPs for root traits. Four important candidate genes were identified. Under LN conditions, the candidate gene Zm00001d004123 was significantly correlated with the number of crown roots, Zm00001d025554 was correlated with plant height. Under CK conditions, the candidate gene Zm00001d051083 was correlated with the length and area of seminal roots, Zm00001d050798 was correlated with the total root length. The four candidate genes all responded to the LN treatment. The research results provide genetic resources for the genetic improvement of maize root traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Genetika (0534-0012) is the property of Serbian Genetics Society 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.)

Background: Stalk lodging (breaking of agricultural plant stalks prior to harvest) is a multi-billion dollar a year problem. Stalk lodging occurs when high winds induce bending moments in the stalk which exceed the bending strength of the plant. Previous biomechanical models of plant stalks have investigated the effect of cross-sectional morphology on stalk lodging resistance (e.g., diameter and rind thickness). However, it is unclear if the location of stalk failure along the length of stem is determined by morphological or compositional factors. It is also unclear if the crops are structurally optimized, i.e., if the plants allocate structural biomass to create uniform and minimal bending stresses in the plant tissues. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to investigate the relationship between bending stress and failure location of maize stalks, and (2) to investigate the potential of phenotyping for internode-level bending stresses to assess lodging resistance. Results: 868 maize specimens representing 16 maize hybrids were successfully tested in bending to failure. Internode morphology was measured, and bending stresses were calculated. It was found that bending stress is highly and positively associated with failure location. A user-friendly computational tool is presented to help plant breeders in phenotyping for internode-level bending stress. Phenotyping for internode-level bending stresses could potentially be used to breed for more biomechanically optimal stalks that are resistant to stalk lodging. Conclusions: Internode-level bending stress plays a potentially critical role in the structural integrity of plant stems. Equations and tools provided herein enable researchers to account for this phenotype, which has the potential to increase the bending strength of plants without increasing overall structural biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A standard concept of biogas plants - strong maize silage concept is due to its high economic advantage as the maize silage is one of the most effective substrate for anaerobic digestion in matter of biogas yield. Increasing demand for maize silage, reflected in a rise of its price, endangers the economic effectiveness and therefore economic sustainability of the biogas sector. This situation also creates negative externalities related to upward pressure on food prices and lower livestock production. Moreover, biogas plants focused primarily on maize silage could increase the area of arable land for growing maize for energy purposes and decline the production of crops for human nutrition. The paper focuses on examination of consequences of maize cultivation intended for biogas production in case of Slovakia. The results show the impact of biogas production via anaerobic digestion on area of land used for maize production and live bovine animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorophyll in leaves plays a vital role in plant growth and can be used as an indicator of a plant's nutritional status. In this paper, an experimental setup for measuring total chlorophyll content using three-wavelength diffuse reflectance is proposed, for which light-emitting diodes with peak wavelengths of 640, 660, and 940 nm are used. Two different maize strains, Zhengdan-958 and Xundan-20, fertilized at different levels before the jointing stage, were used to validate this setup. Regression analyses between remission function values of diffuse reflectance and SPAD values, as well as remission function values of diffuse reflectance and the actual total chlorophyll content, were performed. The determination coefficients between remission function values and the actual total chlorophyll content were 0.9766 for Zhengdan-958 leaves and 0.9612 for Xundan-20 leaves. The experimental results validated the feasibility of using the diffuse reflectance spectrum to determine the total chlorophyll content. This paper also provides guidance for the development of a portable instrument to determine the actual chlorophyll content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aflatoxins are carcinogenic compounds produced by certain species of Aspergillus fungi. The consumption of crops contaminated with this toxin cause serious detrimental health effects, including death, in both livestock and humans. As a consequence, both the detection and quantification of this toxin in food/feed items is tightly regulated with crops exceeding the allowed limits eliminated from food chains. Globally, this toxin causes massive agricultural and economic losses each year. Results: In this paper we investigate the feasibility of using an aflatoxin-degrading enzyme strategy to reduce/eliminate aflatoxin loads in developing maize kernels. We used an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) targeted sub-cellular compartmentalization stabilizing strategy to accumulate an aflatoxin-degrading enzyme isolated from the edible Honey mushroom Armillariella tabescens and expressed it in embryo tissue in developing maize kernels. Three transgenic maize lines that were determined to be expressing the aflatoxin-degrading enzyme both at the RNA and protein level, were challenged with the aflatoxin-producing strain Aspergillus flavus AF13 and shown to accumulate non-detectable levels of aflatoxin at 14-days post-infection and significantly reduced levels of aflatoxin at 30-days post-infection compared to nontransgenic control Aspergillus-challenged samples. Conclusions: The expression of an aflatoxin-degrading enzyme in developing maize kernels was shown to be an effective means to control aflatoxin in maize in pre-harvest conditions. This aflatoxin-degradation strategy could play a significant role in the enhancement of both US and global food security and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Newcastle disease (ND) represents a major viral disease across the world which imposes high costs to poultry producers for vaccination. Hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) and fusion (F) proteins are the major immunogenic epitopes of Newcastle disease virus and hence, have been the main targets for development of anti-ND vaccines. This paper reports transient expression of a synthetic gene composing of four tandem repeats of HN and three tandem repeats of F epitopes in maize leaves as initial step toward production of recombinant vaccine against ND. Materials and Methods: The synthetic gene was cloned in pBI121 plasmid to yield an expression vector. The vector was sophisticated by the addition of AUG codon, polyhistidine-tag, tobacco mosaic virus omega sequence, stop codon, and restriction sites. Leaf transformation was conducted by the agroinfiltration method. Molecular detection assays including polymerase chain reaction, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were carried out to evaluate transgene expression in infiltrated leaves of the corn plant. Results: The result obtained in this research revealed that the transgene was transcribed and translated in maize leaves only 48 hours after infiltration. In the second phase of the experiment, the expressed protein was injected into rabbits. The result of the ELISA assay indicated induction of immune response in the rabbits after injection with the heterologous protein. Conclusion: These results confirm the feasibility of agroinfiltration for transient gene expression of viral epitopes in monocot plants which naturally resist stable transformation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Practical implications of this finding are discussed in detail and some recommendations for future studies are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examined factors that explained pesticide usage among maize farmers South Western zone of Nigeria. The study used primary data to accomplished the objectives of the study. The primary data were collected through focus group discussion, personal interview and detailed questionnaire administered to maize farmers in the study area. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed in this study. There are six States in South West geo-political zone; Two States were selected randomly from the Six States and Six Local Government Areas were randomly chosen from Ondo and Ekiti making a total of Twelve. Two Towns/Villages from each of the Local Government Areas were selected giving a total of Twenty-Four Towns/Villages' Proportional random sampling was used to select 472 maize farmers for the study. Data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study established that experience. Farm size, pest infestation, extension services and education status of respondents were critical determinant of pesticide usage among maize farmers in the study areas services. Farmers are encouraged to access the services of extension agent through training on pesticide usage which will lead to correct application and usage of pesticide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper goal was to analyze the dynamics and distribution of maize cultivated area and production in Romania and in its regions of development, using empirical data provided by the National Institute of Statistics for the period 2007-2013. The statistical parameters: mean, deviation standard and coefficient of variation were determined in order to characterize each indicator. With 2.5 million ha cultivated with maize Romania came on the top position in the EU-28.For maize production, it is on the 2nd position after France. Romania's production increased more 2.7 times in the analyzed period, and the contribution of the development regions to it was the following one in 2013: 22.29 % South Muntenia, 18.18 % South East, 18.19 % North East, 13.06 % South West Oltenia, 12.47 % West, 9.68 % North West, 5.69 % Central part and 0.44 % Bucharest-Ilfov. The means, standard deviations and the variation coefficients proved that both the cultivated area and maize production registered a high variation from a region to another. The discrepancies among the regions concerning soil and climate conditions, farm size, technical endowment, applied technologies, maize varieties, farm management resulted in a high variability of production performance. For Romania, maize is a strategic crop which could cover both the internal market, and become a good product for export on the foreign market. As a result, the Romanian farmers should be aware that the yield growth must be their main objective which should be reached using high potential hybrids resistant to drought and diseases, and extending irrigation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzed wheat and maize production, export and import in Romania in the period 2007-2016 in order to point out the main trends and factors which sustain the position of the country in the international trade. Index method, comparison method, export/production ratio, export/import ratio, gross exchange index have been determined to characterize efficiency of external trade. Maize and wheat production increased 2.8 times during the last decade, representing 50 % and respectively 38.5 % in cereal production. Romania comes on the 2nd position for maize and on the 5th position for wheat in the EU production. The production growth is due mainly to the large cultivated surface, 4.7 million ha, for these two cereals which represent 85 % of the cultivated area in Romania. But, with 4.1 tonnes maize and 3.9 tonnes wheat per ha, yield is by 42.39 % and respectively 26.22 % lower than the EU average. Romania exported 11 times more maize and 34 times more wheat during the last decade. Also, it imported less maize but more wheat mainly for re-export. Export/Production ratio increased from reached 0.32 for maize and 0.82 for wheat, and Export/Import ratio reached 7.78 for maize and 5.83 for wheat. Export and import value also had a high growth rate, while import had a decline, resulting a positive balance, and this under the decline of export price and increase of import price. As a conclusion, the production growth contributed to the development of export with a benefic effect on the trade balance and Romania's prestige and position as a cereal producer and exporter. To increase yield level, investments are required in new technologies ( machinery, irrigations, high production value hybrids and varieties, fertilization and plant protection). Also, farm size should be increased by joining in associative forms for a more efficient use of capital and human resources and increase economic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize is one of the most sensitive industrial crops of zinc supply. Questions about fertilisation methods and the type of fertilisers used are the subject of serious scientific discussion. The key objective of this paper was to evaluate the possibilities to recover the yielding potential of Zn-deficient young maize plants by application of nanosized Zn-containing foliar fertilisers. The agronomic response of Zn-deficient maize plants to foliar fertilisation with nanoscale zinc-containing foliar fertilisers was investigated. The study was conducted in two stages: i) planting and growing the plants under controlled conditions in a zinc-deficient environment for three months; and ii) moving the plants and continuing the experiment in field conditions. A single spray with two nanosized zinc-containing foliar fertilisers was carried out. The physiological status of the plants and the dynamic of zinc and micro- and macroelements concentration in plant organs were monitored. The influence of foliar zinc fertilisation on yield and grain structural components has been determined. Our results indicated that zinc fertilisation throughout the initial growth stages plays a decisive role in the formation of the reproductive organs of maize plants. Foliar zinc fertilisers can entirely recover the physiological performance of plants grown under conditions of zinc deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize, one of the most traded agricultural products in the world, was chosen for analysis from several cereals and oilseeds owned by a farm in Ilfov County. Economic analyses were performed on this crop in order to determine: expenses per 1,000 lei income, gross margin and their share in the gross product, rate of net income, rate of operating expenses and rate of depreciation. Following the analysis and evaluation of the mentioned indicators, the sensitivity analysis was applied, this being also the purpose of this paper. Sensitivity analysis highlighted the gross margin in relation to changes in price and average production, based on which the main sources of risk or opportunity in terms of crop profitability can be identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agriculture / Poljoprivreda is the property of Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek 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.)