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Abstract Background Mixtures with birdsfoot trefoil (BFT) increase herbage intake in grazing cattle. We hypothesized that BFT spatially separated from grasses would increase preferential grazing of BFT and herbage intake compared to grass and BFT in mixed rows. Methods Binary mixtures of BFT were established with orchardgrass, meadow bromegrass, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass in alternating and in mixed rows. Pastures were rotationally stocked with Jersey heifers, and herbage mass, intake, and preferential grazing were estimated. Results Planting BFT in alternating rows did not affect herbage mass, intake, or BFT preference. Regardless of spatial arrangement, pasture production averaged 4116 kg ha−1 per rotation, of which 32% was BFT. BFT comprised 39% of herbage intake in alternating and mixed rows, 7% greater (p = 0.001) than offered, indicating partial preference for BFT. Greatest preferential grazing of BFT was in tall fescue and orchardgrass mixtures, but less than commonly reported for legumes grown in more contrasting spatial arrangements with cool‐season grasses. Conclusions Grazing heifers showed partial preference for BFT over grass. However, the lack of an effect of spatial arrangement on herbage mass, herbage intake, and diet preference indicates that spatial arrangements greater than alternating rows may be needed to increase overall herbage intake.

Abstract Background Using winter fallow fields for plant forage is important to ensure food security. Forage triticale (× Triticosecale) has higher yields than other available forage crops and can be planted widely in winter fallow fields. Recently, the planted area of forage triticale in Shanxi Province, China, has exceeded 3500 ha; however, problems such as low farmer willingness to plant (WTP) winter forage still remain. Methods A total of 219 farmers were surveyed in Taiyuan, Lvliang, and Jinzhong. We analyzed the factors influencing farmer WTP forage triticale, focusing on personal, family, land, and cognition characteristics. We used a binary logistic regression model to quantify the influence of various factors on farmer behavior and conducted a robustness check and heterogeneity analysis. Results “Age” was negatively correlated with farmer WTP—farmers 50 years of age and older showed less WTP. “Land lease situation” was also negatively correlated with WTP. Factors that positively correlated with WTP were “land areas,” “raising of livestock,” “size of labor force,” and “development prospect.” Conclusions Many farmers are over 50 years of age, land lessors, and have low WTP winter forage. Farmers who raise livestock and have large labor forces, huge land areas, and good cultivation prospects have a high WTP. This study identifies the factors influencing farmers' WTP to assist in the development of the forage triticale industry in the study region, improving land resource utilization and efficiency. The findings are likely to have wider relevance and application.

Abstract Background Diet regulates rumen microbiota, which in turn affects animal health. The present study evaluated the response of rumen microbiota and the immune system of lambs to a fermented total mixed ration diet. Methods A total of 30 lambs were assigned into two groups: a group fed an unfermented high‐fiber diet (total mixed ration [TMR]) and a group fed an fermented low‐fiber diet (fermented TMR [FTMR]). Results The results showed that FTMR markedly (p

Abstract Background Plant phyllosphere microbes are important for the host plant's protection. Plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Trichoderma are common biocontrol agents (BCAs) for disease management. Pathogens and BCAs can change the rhizosphere microbial composition; however, the effect of PGPR or Trichoderma on plant phyllosphere microbes, particularly for mesocosms involving the interaction between pathogens and BCAs, is not well known. Methods High‐throughput sequencing was used to identify the phyllosphere bacterial community of common vetch interacting with Colletotrichum spinaciae, two PGPRs (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis), and Trichoderma longibrachiatum. We evaluated anthracnose severity, phyllosphere bacteria diversity and composition, and the relationship between the activities of plant defense enzymes and hormonal molecules in plants treated with individual and combined inoculations of PGPRs, Trichoderma, and C. spinaciae. Results PGPR or Trichoderma alone reduced disease severity. Trichoderma reduced the salicylic acid content, PGPR increased the catalase activity in plants, and co‐inoculation of PGPR and Trichoderma decreased the salicylic acid content. Inoculation of PGPR and Trichoderma individually or in combination changed the disease‐associated phyllosphere bacteria, and this effect was related to plant defense enzymes and hormonal molecules. Conclusions We suggest that the plant defense response induced by PGPR and Trichoderma results in the enrichment of a fraction of favorable chloroplastic bacteria, which facilitates plant defense against diseases.

Abstract Background Arundo donax L. has great potential as an energy crop due to its high biomass yield and broad adaptability, while lack of a reference genome is a hindrance to genetic improvement efforts for this species. Methods Genome assembly of A. donax was conducted by utilizing PacBio SMRT sequencing and high‐throughput chromosome conformation capture technology, with further analysis exploring the plant's ploidy, whole‐genome duplication event, and evolutionary history through comparative genomics. Results The genome assembly of A. donax consists of 1.30 Gb with a contig N50 size of 33.15 Mb. A total of 74 403 gene models were identified, with over 90% of genes being functionally annotated. Karyotype and synteny analyses revealed that A. donax is an autoalloenneaploid (3n = 9x = 108) and has experienced significant gene family expansion and two whole‐genome duplication events during its evolutionary history. Furthermore, utilizing the genome assembly, a variety of salinity stress‐related genes were uncovered through the analysis of public RNA‐seq data. Conclusions This study presents the initial chromosome‐scale genome assembly of A. donax, which will advance genetic comprehension and support the genetic enhancement of this important energy crop.

Abstract Background Only a few decades ago, colorful, small‐scale, heterogeneous, and species‐rich hay meadows or extensive pastures were common, but have often been replaced by species‐poor, uniform, large‐scale multicut meadows. Technological advancements and improved efficiency in grassland management have come at the cost of biodiversity. Methods In Germany, 150 grassland plots have been investigated since 2006. Using these extensive data, we propose a new compound index for estimating the site‐specific mowing intensity in order to facilitate assessment of the impact of mowing intensity on biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Our index integrates the various qualitative components of mowing machine type, mowing height and use of a conditioner, with the annual number of cuts. Results The newly proposed index achieves a much finer gradation of mowing intensity compared to the previous quantification based on the number of cuts only. Furthermore, a decrease in plant and arthropod species was observed at higher mowing intensity. Conclusions The proposed mowing intensity index offers enhanced precision in calculations and can easily be integrated into assessments of land‐use intensity in grasslands. Further, it could serve as a basis for providing subsidies to farmers, who adopt low‐impact mowing practices.

Self-fertile cultivars of sweet cherry (Prunus avium) produce heavy crop load that is often associated with small and poor-quality fruits. Therefore, a crop load-management strategy is required to improve the quality of the fruit. In this study, the effect of blossom thinners on fruit set, yield and quality of the fruits was evaluated. Three types of blossom thinners were used at three different concentrations viz., ammonium thiosulphate (ATS) (1, 1.5 and 2%), naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) (20, 40 and 60 ppm) and corn oil emulsion (1, 2 and 3%). These were sprayed at 80% of the bloom stage. The vegetative, flowering, fruit set and yield parameters were observed and recorded. Fruit quality was evaluated by measuring the physical and chemical characteristics of the fruits at the harvest stage. Negative correlation was found between fruit set and quality of fruit. The reduction in the crop load was associated with enhanced vegetative growth, including higher leaf:fruit ratio, higher supply and availability of photosynthates to the remaining fruitlets and reduced fruit firmness and titratable acidity. Fruit size, weight, volume, hue value, chroma value, soluble solid content (SSC), total sugars, SSC/acid ratio, anthocyanin and ascorbic acid content were enhanced as a result of thinning. The foliar spray of ATS at 2% and NAA at 60 ppm, at 80% bloom proved to be the most effective in reducing crop load and enhancing the fruit quality.

We evaluated the effects of neodymium (0.000, 2.885, 5.770 and 8.655 mg · L−1) and zinc (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg · L−1), as well as their interaction on lettuce plants in hydroponics. Applications of 2.885 mg Nd · L−1 and 5.770 mg Nd · L−1 increased plant height, number of leaves and leaf area, as well as fresh and dry stem, root and total biomasses. Root volume was greater in plants treated with 2.885 mg Nd · L−1. With 0.1 mg Zn · L−1, plant height, leaf area and fresh stem, root and total biomass were greater, while applying 0.3 mg Zn · L−1 increased the ratio of dry biomass of stems and roots. Plants exposed to 5.770 mg Nd · L−1 + 0.3 mg Zn · L−1 exhibited greater leaf length. The ratios of fresh and dry biomass of stems and roots increased in plants treated with 8.655 mg · L−1 Nd + 0.3 mg Zn · L−1. Dry biomass weights of stems, roots and total were the highest in plants treated with 20 mg Nd · L−1 + 0.1 mg Zn · L−1. Nd significantly increased foliar concentration of N, P and K. Hence, Nd and Zn improve growth and nutrition.

Red raspberries are among the most significant wild edible fruits (WEFs) in Türkiye, thriving in cold to warm temperate regions across the country. This study focuses on 11 wild red raspberry ecotypes sampled from the Northern Anatolia region, examining their sensory, biochemical and antioxidant properties. Sensory analysis was used to compare ecotypes based on aroma, taste and juiciness. Biochemical assessments included soluble solid content (SSC), vitamin C amount, organic acids, total anthocyanins (TA), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content and total antioxidant capacity. The Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay measured antioxidant capacity. Despite similar growing conditions, significant variations were observed among ecotypes and across years. In the first year, fruit weights ranged from 1.04 g to 1.33 g, and in the second year, they ranged from 0.97 g to 1.27 g. Fruit chroma values ranged between 26.11 and 33.70 in 2021, and 23.17 and 30.19 in 2022. Vitamin C exhibited considerable variability, ranging from 29.3 mg · 100 g−1 to 44.4 mg · 100 g−1 across ecotypes and years. TPC, total anthocyanin content (TAC) and total flavonoid content ranged from 164 mg to 390 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) · 100 g−1, 17.3 mg to 33.2 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent · 100 g−1 and 10.3 mg to 17.6 mg quercetin equivalent (QE) · 100 g−1, respectively, in both years. Citric acid emerged as the dominant organic acid across all ecotypes. Notably, the ecotypes V-4, V-8, V-3 and V-10 showcased larger, more appealing fruits suitable for fresh consumption, whereas V-3 and V-5 presented sweeter fruits ideal for processing. Additionally, the ecotypes V-6, V-7 and V-11 displayed higher levels of health-promoting compounds, such as TPC and antioxidant capacity, suggesting their potential as functional foods and valuable sources of natural antioxidants in the future.

Palestine has rich floristic diversity due to its location, diverse biogeographical zones, and various topographical features. The Royal Irises (Iris section Oncocyclus), are a monophyletic group of herbaceous geophytes, consisting of 33 species, endemic to the Middle East. Within the West Bank of Palestine, three Royal Irises are documented. However, their distribution, population size, and status are not studied comprehensively. This study focused on evaluating the occurrence, distribution range, population size, status, number of flowers, inflorescence coloration variety, and habitats of the vulnerable and endemic Iris haynei, the endangered and sub-endemic Iris lortetii, and the vulnerable and sub-endemic Iris atrofusca. I. lortetii was found in 10 sites within Nablus district, with more than 12625 clones and 25088 flowers flowers recorded. I. haynei were documented in 4 sites within Jenin district, three are new to science, where 10729 clones and 9562 flowers were recorded. I. atrofusca was reported in 13 localities in Tubas and Ramallah districts, where 1853 clones and 8460 flowers were recorded, whereas six locatities are new to science. 12, 12, and 7 unique variations in coloration of inflorescences were observed for I. lortetii, I. atrofusca, and I. haynei, respectively. The results indicate that the population size and the distribution range of the three Royal Irises are larger than previously reported, whereas the documented inflorescences’ coloration variations are unique and considerable. This study sheds light on hotspot occurrence sites of endangered and vulnerable species in Palestine, which can assist in laying adequate conservation actions and management plans in the future.

Abstract Oligosaccharins, widely recognized as plant immunity inducers, have been applied and studied for enhancing antiviral defenses in rice over the years. However, due to the complex induction mechanism in rice, further studies are needed. In this study, we demonstrated that oligosaccharins enhanced rice resistance to southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) at both the symptomatic and molecular levels. RNA-seq analysis revealed that oligosaccharins enhanced rice antiviral defense by activating multiple defense pathways. Among them, the jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathway, a crucial antiviral pathway in rice, was investigated in detail. Interestingly, RNA-seq data showed that genes related to JA signaling pathway were significantly induced after 1 h but not after 24 h of oligosaccharins treatment, suggesting that JA induction by oligosaccharins was rapid and sensitive. Furthermore, JA levels and sensitivity analysis showed that oligosaccharins induced JA accumulation, making treated rice plants more sensitive to methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Additionally, oligosaccharins treatment also induced a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in rice. Notably, oligosaccharins demonstrated a low-dose effect, within a certain dilution range from 6000-fold to 1000-fold diluted solution of 5% oligosaccharins, with the 4000-fold diluted solution exhibiting a stronger ability to induce elevated production of JA and ROS. Moreover, the application of low-dose oligosaccharins also enhanced rice resistance to SRBSDV. These data suggest that low-dose of oligosaccharins can enhance rice antiviral defense by inducing multiple defense pathways, including the JA signaling pathway and ROS production.

Abstract Weeds are undesired plants competing with crops for light, nutrients, and water, negatively impacting crop growth. Identifying weeds in wheat fields accurately is important for precise pesticide spraying and targeted weed control. Grass weeds in their early growth stages look very similar to wheat seedlings, making them difficult to identify. In this study, we focused on wheat fields with varying levels of grass weed infestation and used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to obtain images. By utilizing deep learning algorithms and spectral analysis technology, the weeds were identified and extracted accurately from wheat fields. Our results showed that the precision of weed detection in scattered wheat fields was 91.27% and 87.51% in drilled wheat fields. Compared to areas without weeds, the increase in weed density led to a decrease in wheat biomass, with the maximum biomass decreasing by 71%. The effect of weed density on yield was similar, with the maximum yield decreasing by 4320 kg·ha− 1, a drop of 60%. In this study, a method for monitoring weed occurrence in wheat fields was established, and the effects of weeds on wheat growth in different growth periods and weed densities were studied by accurately extracting weeds from wheat fields. The results can provide a reference for weed control and hazard assessment research.

Abstract Background This study aimed to produce Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV)-free Cymbidium orchid ‘New True’ plants from ORSV-infected mother plants by culturing their meristems and successively repeating subcultures of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) derived from the meristems. Results Initially, ORSV was confirmed as the causative agent of viral symptoms in orchid leaves via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. Meristems from infected plants were cultured to generate PLBs, which in sequence were repeatedly subcultured up to four times. RT-PCR and quantitative RT-PCR analyses revealed that while ORSV was undetectable in shoots derived from the first subculture, complete elimination of the virus required at least a second subculture. Genetic analysis using inter-simple sequence repeat markers indicated no somaclonal variation between regenerated plants and the mother plant, suggesting that genetic consistency was maintained. Conclusion Overall, our findings demonstrate that subculturing PLBs for a second time is ideal for producing genetically stable, ORSV-free Cymbidium orchids, thus offering a practical means of generating genetically stable, virus-free plants and enhancing plant health and quality in the orchid industry.

Abstract Background Ribosome profiling (or Ribo-seq) is a technique that provides genome-wide information on the translational landscape (translatome). Across different plant studies, variable methodological setups have been described which raises questions about the general comparability of data that were generated from diverging methodologies. Furthermore, a common problem when performing Ribo-seq are abundant rRNA fragments that are wastefully incorporated into the libraries and dramatically reduce sequencing depth. To remove these rRNA contaminants, it is common to perform preliminary trials to identify these fragments because they are thought to vary depending on nuclease treatment, tissue source, and plant species. Results Here, we compile valuable insights gathered over years of generating Ribo-seq datasets from different species and experimental setups. We highlight which technical steps are important for maintaining cross experiment comparability and describe a highly efficient approach for rRNA removal. Furthermore, we provide evidence that many rRNA fragments are structurally preserved over diverse nuclease regimes, as well as across plant species. Using a recently published cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the tobacco 80S ribosome, we show that the most abundant rRNA fragments are spatially derived from the solvent-exposed surface of the ribosome. Conclusion The guidelines presented here shall aid newcomers in establishing ribosome profiling in new plant species and provide insights that will help in customizing the methodology for individual research goals.

Abstract Background Grains make up a large proportion of both human and animal diets. With threats to food production, such as climate change, growing sustainable and successful crops is essential to food security in the future. Germination is one of the most important stages in a plant’s lifecycle and is key to the success of the resulting plant as the grain undergoes morphological changes and the development of specific organs. Micro-computed tomography is a non-destructive imaging technique based on the differing x-ray attenuations of materials which we have applied for the accurate analysis of grain morphology during the germination phase. Results Micro Computed Tomography conditions and parameters were tested to establish an optimal protocol for the 3-dimensional analysis of barley grains. When comparing optimal scanning conditions, it was established that no filter, 0.4 degrees rotation step, 5 average frames, and 2016 × 1344 camera binning is optimal for imaging germinating grains. It was determined that the optimal protocol for scanning during the germination timeline was to scan individual grains at 0 h after imbibition (HAI) and then the same grain again at set time points (1, 3, 6, 24 HAI) to avoid any negative effects from X-ray radiation or disruption to growing conditions. Conclusion Here we sought to develop a method for the accurate analysis of grain morphology without the negative effects of possible radiation exposure. Several factors have been considered, such as the scanning conditions, reconstruction, and possible effects of X-ray radiation on the growth rate of the grains. The parameters chosen in this study give effective and reliable results for the 3-dimensional analysis of macro structures within barley grains while causing minimal disruption to grain development.

Abstract The rice, like other plants, undergoes photoprotection mode by increasing nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) in high light intensity (> 1200 µmol m− 2s− 1 PPFD), which attenuates photosystem II yield (φPSII) drastically. The plant remains in photoprotection mode even after light intensity becomes not stressful for an extended period. While there are significant differences in the time it takes for photoprotection to recover among different genotypes, its use is limited in plant breeding because measuring the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in progressive actinic light after dark adaptation takes more than forty-five minutes per genotype. The study finds that instantly measured A400/A1800 ratio by five minutes in flag leaves of 25 diverse genotypes strongly associated with the φPSII400 differences between theoretical and actual, qPd400 and NPQ400 with R2 values 0.74, 0.65 and 0.60, respectively. In two consecutive years, GWAS of A400/A1800 ratio identified the regions with genes reported earlier for plant photoprotection recovery. Additionally, QTL analysis in a RIL population also identified the regions carrying known genes related to photoprotection. Thus, the A400/A1800 ratio can quickly phenotype many plants for easier introgression of the traits in popular cultivars. The identified genotypes, genes, and QTLs can be used to improve yield potential and allele mining.

Abstract Abiotic stress is one of the major factors restricting the production of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Developing rice varieties with dual abiotic stress tolerance is essential to ensure sustained rice production, which is necessary to illustrate the regulation mechanisms underlying dual stress tolerance. At present, only a few genes that regulate dual abiotic stress tolerance have been reported. In this study, we determined that the expression of OsMT2b was induced by both drought and Cd2+ stress. After stress treatment, OsMT2b-overexpression lines exhibited enhanced drought tolerance and better physiological performance in terms of relative water content and electrolyte leakage compared with wild-type (WT). Further analysis indicated that ROS levels were lower in OsMT2b-overexpression lines than in WT following stress treatment, suggesting that OsMT2b-overexpression lines had a stronger ability to scavenge ROS under stress. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) results demonstrated that under drought stress, OsMT2b influenced the expression of genes involved in ROS scavenging to enhance drought tolerance in rice. In addition, OsMT2b-overexpression plants displayed increased tolerance to Cd2+ stress, and physiological assessment results were consistent with the observed phenotypic improvements. Thus, enhancing ROS scavenging ability through OsMT2b overexpression is a novel strategy to boost rice tolerance to both drought and Cd2+ stress, offering a promising approach for developing rice germplasm with enhanced resistance to the abiotic stressors.

IntroductionThe food providing for the growing world population has always been one of the main concerns of mankind and rice is one of the most important sources of human food. The importance of rice plant in human nutrition and the necessity of achieving self-sufficiency in its production through increasing yield is not hidden from anyone. Among the solutions that humans have used to deal with this problem is choosing the right planting method, planting date and cultivars. Currently, the cultivation of this plant is carried out in most parts of the world in the form of transplanting. Supplying sufficient amount of water is necessary to increase crop production and lack of water is one of the basic limitations in the development of rice cultivation in some regions of the world. Therefore, it is an undeniable necessity to choose a suitable bed for planting plants that will reduce water consumption and produce optimal crops. Also, planting date can have a significant impact on crop growth and rice yield, and it is important to determine the most suitable cultivars for a special planting date. Despite the great importance of different rice transplanting beds on its crop production and the optimal management of these beds through the application of appropriate planting dates that can have a significant impact on crop production, so far not many studies have been conducted in Khuzestan.Materials and MethodsThis research was designed to determine the feasibility of establishing rice cultivar seedlings in dry beds and compare it with wet conditions at different times of seedling production. The experiment was carried out during the cropping years of 2021 and 2022 at the Shavur research station in Khuzestan province, located 65 km north of Ahvaz. It was conducted using a split-plot design within a randomized complete block design with three replications. The main factor, planting beds for the seedlings, included transplanting in a conventional bed (paddling), transplanting in a bed with field capacity, transplanting in a flat bed under dry conditions, and transplanting in a raised bed under dry conditions. The sub-factor was the date of seedling production, which included June 2, June 12, and June 23. The rice cultivars, which were the sub-sub-factors, included Champa, Anbori, Germez-Paboland, and Daniyal.Results and DiscussionThe results of comparing the average of traits showed that the highest yield of paddy in the two years of the experiment was related to the flat planting bed and the planting date of 2 June (5190 kg.ha-1 in first year, 6536 kg.ha-1 in second year, respectively in Anbori, Germez-Paboland and Champa). Rice yield showed a high correlation with biological yield, number of panicles per square meter, panicle length and plant height. The lowest yield of paddy in the two years of the experiment belonged to the conventional bed (2811 kg.ha-1 in 12 June in first year, 2964 kg.ha-1 in 23 June in second year, respectively in Anbori, Germez-Paboland and Daniyal).ConclusionLong-term waterlogging in the method of gerbera cultivation has caused disturbances in the growth and production of the plant, resulting in a decrease in paddy yield. Therefore, it can be concluded that different beds for transplanting have a significant impact on rice crop production. Optimal management of these beds, through the application of appropriate planting dates and suitable cultivars, can effectively improve crop production. Also, according to the obtained results, although the Daniyal cultivars is a high-yielding cultivars, compared to the local varieties, it could not achieve better performance under the conditions of the treatments investigated in this experiment.

IntroductionIndigo (Indigofera tinctoria L.) is a flowering plant belonging to the Fabaceae family. This plant has a high ability to grow again after harvesting, and the low sensitivity of this plant to the attack of pests and diseases in hot weather conditions is one of the reasons for increasing the yield of this plant. Global climate changes have led to changes in rainfall patterns and it is predicted that periods of insufficient rainfall will lead to drought with a gradual decrease in water available to the soil of plants, causing an impact on the growth and development or early death of the plant. The unreasonable long-term use of chemical inputs, including fertilizers and pesticides, has increased environmental pollution and in some cases has had a negative impact on the yield and quality of agricultural products. One solution is to use the principles of sustainable agriculture, especially the use of organic inputs in agricultural ecosystems. Humic acid (HA) is an organic biostimulant that significantly affects plant growth and increases crop yield. The purpose of the experiment is to investigate the effect of irrigation intervals and foliar spraying of humic acid on the physiological characteristics and indigo content of Indigofera tinctoria.Materials and MethodsThis research was carried out as split plot layout based on randomized complete block design with three replications during 2019 in the agricultural research institute of Zabol Research Institute in Zahak city of Sistan and Baluchistan province in Iran. The experimental treatments were irrigation intervals of 7, 9 and 11 days as the main factor and five levels of humic acid foliar application as the sub-plot (no foliar application, foliar application with a concentration of 20, 30, 40 and 50 liters per hectare). Irrigation treatments were carried out two months after the planting date. Humic acid foliar application was started after three months from the date of planting in the flowering stage, every 15 days. The foliar spraying was done at the end of the day and at sunset with a back pump sprayer and with the same pressure on the bushes. In order to calculate the leaf yield by removing the marginal effect, the crop was harvested in the last week of November 2019 and kept in the warehouse at room temperature for 23 days. Then the dry leaves were separated and the weight of the leaves was obtained in each plot and its yield was calculated in terms of tons per hectare. Wilson's method was used to prepare ash and extract to measure the concentration of iron, zinc, phosphorus and potassium elements. The amount of photosynthetic pigments was calculated by Arnon's method. To measure guaiacol peroxidase enzyme by Fielding and Hall method, calculate ascorbate peroxidase by Yoshimura method, catalase enzyme by Beers and Caesar method, proline amount in leaves was measured by Bates method. Also, the indigo content was measured based on the method provided by Stoker et al. (1998) and Sales et al. (2006).Results and DiscussionThe results of analysis of variance showed that the effect of different levels of irrigation on chlorophyll a, catalase, iron and zinc was significant. The effect of different levels of humic acid foliar application on chlorophyll a and b, carotenoid, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorus and indigo content was significant. Also, the results of the analysis of variance showed that the interaction effect of irrigation in foliar application of carotenoid humic acid, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, iron, phosphorus and indigo content was significant. The highest (39.32 mg.g-1 fresh weight) and the lowest (24.49 mg.g-1 fresh weight) content of indigo were obtained at the 7-day irrigation interval under the conditions of foliar spraying of 50 liters per hectare and the 11-day irrigation interval under the conditions of no humic acid applicationConclusionThe results of investigating the effect of reducing different levels of irrigation and increasing humic acid foliar spraying on indigo showed that the amount of chlorophyll a and b and zinc increased. Also, the increase in humic acid caused an increase in potassium and blood. At each level of irrigation, it was found that the amount of carotenoid and indigo content increased with the increase of humic acid foliar application. Some other physiological characteristics of indigo such as proline, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase and guaiacol peroxidase showed a decrease in each irrigation level with increasing humic acid foliar application. In future researches, it is possible to consider the comparison of soil application and foliar application of humic acid. In general, for the production of vesme leaves, 9-day irrigation interval in foliar application of 40 L ha-1 of humic acid is suitable; and In order to obtain more indigo content, an 11-day irrigation interval in foliar application of 40 L ha-1 of humic acid seems appropriate.

IntroductionPeanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) possess significant commercial and nutritional value (Gulluoglu, Bakal, Bihter, Cemal, & Arioglu, 2016). However, this plant is highly susceptible to weed competition due to its slow canopy extension, dormant growth habit, and lengthy critical weed control period (Everman, Burke, Clewis, Thomas, & Wilcut, 2008). Consequently, effective weed control measures are crucial for successful peanut production. Furthermore, implementing appropriate planting patterns can reduce competition among peanut plants, enhance solar radiation absorption and other growth resources, and ultimately lead to increased crop yield (Bihter, Bakal, Gulluoglu, & Aroglu, 2017). Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the impact of planting pattern and the integration of pre- and post-emergence herbicides with hand weeding on the yield and yield components of two peanut cultivars, specifically in the climate of Kermanshah, for the first time.Materials and MethodsTo investigate the impact of weed management and planting patterns on the yield and yield components of different peanut cultivars in the weather conditions of Kermanshah, a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design was conducted. The study took place in 2022 at the research field and physiology laboratory of the agricultural campus and natural resources of Razi University. The experiment consisted of three factors: Peanut cultivars (NC2 and NC7), Planting patterns (P1: row and plant spacing of 50 cm × 25 cm, and P2: 75 cm × 18 cm), Weed control treatments (M1: Two rounds of weeding combined with the application of Trifluralin 48% EC (796 g a.i.ha-1), Bentazon 48% SL (960 g a.i.ha-1), and Haloxyfop-r-methyl 10.8% EC (75 g a.i.ha-1), M2: Two rounds of weeding along with the use of Trifluralin (1233 g a.i.ha-1), M3: Two rounds of weeding combined with the use of Haloxyfop-r-methyl and Bentazon, M4: Complete weeding, and M5: Weed-infested treatment) Measurements of plant dry weight, seed dry weight, and pod dry weight per square meter were conducted using a precision scale. Additionally, the number of seeds and pods per square meter were counted. To assess seed size, photography and image processing using JMicrovision software were employed. The analysis of variance was performed using the GLM procedure in SAS ver. 9.4.Results and DiscussionThe results of the experiment revealed several significant findings. The NC7 cultivar exhibited the highest plant dry weight per square meter (620.83 g), showing a 37.37 percent increase compared to the NC2 cultivar (452.11 g). Similarly, the NC7 cultivar also demonstrated the highest pod dry weight per square meter (412.80 g). Among the weed control treatments, the M4 treatment resulted in the highest plant dry weight per square meter (678.79 g), which was about 416 percent higher than the M5 treatment (13.163 g). The M4 × P1 treatment combination produced the highest seed dry weight per square meter (291 g), while the P1 planting pattern yielded the highest pod dry weight per square meter (427.67 g). Notably, weed control treatments and the P1 planting pattern promoted larger seed size. Overall, effective weed control enhanced the studied traits of peanut. Although no significant differences were found among the weed control treatments, the combination of Trifluralin 48% EC (796 g a.i.ha-1) with a row and plant spacing of 50 cm × 25 cm is recommended for Kermanshah due to its lower herbicide consumption and comparable efficacy to other weed control treatments.ConclusionThe results of the study indicate that optimizing row distances can play a crucial role in improving the yield and yield components of peanuts. Furthermore, the implementation of effective weed control measures, including both hand weeding and herbicide application, resulted in a significant increase in peanut yield. These findings highlight the importance of considering row distances and weed management strategies in peanut cultivation. Based on the favorable yield production of peanuts in the Kermanshah climate, it can be considered as a promising and viable crop for inclusion in summer rotations in the region. Further research and investigations should be undertaken to provide more comprehensive recommendations and promote the cultivation of peanuts in Kermanshah. This crop has the potential to contribute to agricultural diversification and enhance the profitability of farmers in the area.

IntroductionDrought stress is one of the most common limiting factors for crop production. Due to its detrimental effects on numerous physiological and biochemical processes, this stress restricts the growth and development of plants. In this regard, the application of stress modulators (methanol, silicon and humic acid) has been found to enhance plant growth and grain yield while also increasing its resistance to abiotic stresses. On the other hand, stress modulators can lessen the effects of stress toxic by reducing malondialdehyde and hydrogen ‎peroxide accumulation and keeping the effectiveness of the photosynthetic apparatus‎. Therefore, measurement of traits of such as antioxidant enzymes activity, chlorophyll content, proline and soluble sugars content, malondialdehyde content, electrical conductivity are as indicators of plant response to environmental stress. Although, several strategies have been developed to decrease the effects caused by drought stress on plant growth. But, among them, the application of stress modulators (methanol, nano silicon, and humic acid) plays a very important role in yield improvement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of foliar application of stress modulators (methanol, nano silicon and humic acid) on the activity of antioxidant enzymes, compatible osmolytes, photosynthetic pigments content and grain yield of wheat in different irrigation regimes.Materials and Methodsan experiment as factorial was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications in Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Station of Ardabil, Ardabil, Iran, in 2022-2023 growth season. The treatments were different irrigation regimes (normal irrigation as control; irrigation withholding at 50% of booting and heading stages) and foliar spraying of stress modulators (foliar spraying with water, foliar spraying of methanol (25% volume), nano silicon (50 mg.L-1), humic acid (300 mg.L-1), foliar spraying of methanol and silicon, methanol and humic acid, nano silicon and humic, methanol with nano silicon and humic acid). In each plot, there were six rows with two m long. In this experiment, the wheat cultivar ‘Hiran’ was employed. For this cultivar, 400 seeds.m-2 is the optimum density. The used nano silicon had an average particle size of less than 30 nm and the special surface of particles was more than 30 m2.g-1. They were product of Nanomaterial US Research which was provided by Pishgaman Nanomaterials Company of Iran. For a better solution, deionized water was mixed with nano Si powder and placed on a shaker with ultrasonic equipment (100 W and 40 kHz). Two phases of period growth, BBCH 21 and 30 were used for the foliar application of nano silicon. In this study, the activity of antioxidant enzymes (Catalase, peroxidase, and Polyphenol oxidase), compatible osmolytes (Proline and soluble sugars), photosynthetic pigments content (Chlorophyll a, Chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid), H2O2, MDA, protein content and grain yield of wheat were investigated.Results and DiscussionThe result indicated that both application stress modulators (methanol, silicon and humic acid) at irrigation withholding in booting stage decreased malondialdehyde content (39.79%) and electrical conductivity (31.25%), but increased activity of peroxidase (4.89%), polyphenol oxidase (7.73%) enzymes, soluble sugars (22.15%), chlorophyll a (33.48%), chlorophyll b (24.96%), leaf protein content (25.09%) and grain yield (36.21%) in compared to the no application of stress modulators under irrigation withholding in booting stage.ConclusionAccording to our findings, applying stress modulators (methanol, silicon and humic acid) under water limitation often reduced this damage by strengthening the defensive mechanisms, particularly antioxidant enzymes and compatible osmolytes (Proline and soluble sugars). In summary, our results indicated that application of stress modulators upgrade plant physiology and trigger the cellular defense of wheat plants against severe water limitation. Therefore, in can be suggested that applying stress modulators as individual and integrated could enhance grain yield of wheat under water limitation conditions due to improving of physiological and biochemical characteristics.

IntroductionThe challenges of climate change and increasing greenhouse gas emissions have led to consequences such as global warming and successive droughts. Additionally, the rise in agricultural activities has significantly increased the pressure on available water resources. Consequently, it has become essential to consider wastewater resources. To make appropriate management decisions and find solutions to reduce CO2 emissions in the agricultural sector, it is crucial to understand how soil moisture and sources of irrigation affect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly CO2. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of water stress and irrigation management on soil CO2 emissions, water productivity, and soybean yield and yield components.Materials and MethodsThis research was carried out at Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources with latitude (36° 33′ N) and longitude (53° 00׳ E), elevation (14 m, above sea level), average temperature (17.9°C) and total of precipitation (650 mm), during the growing season (2022-2023). The experiment was carried out in the form of a split plot based on a randomized complete block design in three replications in growth season 1402-1403, Sari. Experimental treatments include; the main factor was water stress in three levels ((non-stress, FC100), FC75 and FC50) and the sub factor was irrigation management in two levels (Urban Wastewater (UWW) and Well Water (WW).Results and DiscussionBased on the findings, the highest amount of CO2 emission in the middle and end stages of sampling in 60, 75, 90 and 105 day after sowing in non-stress conditions-FC100 was observed with 535.9, 534.5, 543.6 and 444.5 ppm.min-1, respectively. In addition, its lowest amount was related to water stress-FC50 with 505.3, 499.8, 506.5 and 409.8 ppm.min-1, respectively. The results showed that the highest amount of Co2 emission was assigned to irrigation with urban wastewater with 536.5, 540.1, 538 and 516.9, respectively. Due to the increase in the plant growth rate and approaching the grain maturity, the amount of CO2 emission increased with the increase in temperature, root system development, plant roots respiration and the soil microorganism’s activities. The highest amount of water productivity was observed in the non-stress condition FC100 with a 0.62 kg.m-3. Which compared to water stress conditions-FC75 and FC50 increased by 43.5% and 51.6%, respectively. Also, the results showed that in the non-stress condition-FC100 and irrigation with urban wastewater, the highest pod number (304.8), grain number of per pod (665.1), 100-grain weight (18.7 g), grain yield (1060.4 kg.ha-1) and total dry matter (743.3 kg.ha-1) were obtained. In the condition of irrigation with urban wastewater, the highest number of pods, grain number of per pod, 100-grain weight, grain yield and total dry matter was observed with 234.5, 495.8, 18.5 g, 679.4 kg.ha-1 and 645.7 kg.ha-1, respectively. While their lowest amount was assigned to water stress conditions-FC50 with 218.6, 483.3, 17.7 g, 555.1 kg.ha-1 and 625.5 kg.ha-1, respectively. Optimum soil moisture conditions under non-stress conditions-FC100 and water stress conditions-FC75, especially when irrigating with urban wastewater, increased the yield and yield components by providing nutrients needed by the plant.ConclusionThe results showed that in the early stages of soil sampling, irrigation management (source of irrigation) did not significantly affect the amount of CO2 emission. However, in the middle and final stages of sampling, the growth and development of plant organs and increased soil respiration due to the development of the root system caused the release of CO2. This effect was more pronounced during irrigation with wastewater than with well water. Based on the findings, considering the water scarcity crisis and the challenge of water stress during the soybean growth season, it appears that accurate management and efficient use of wastewater resources is both inevitable and a suitable solution.AcknowledgementSari Agricultural sciences and Natural Resources University (SANRU) financially supported this research under contract number: 02-1397-05.

IntroductionGarden thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), is a small perennial plant native to the Mediterranean region that is now found worldwide. It is commonly used as a culinary herb and for medicinal purposes as well (Silva et al., 2021). Thymol is one of the main and active chemical compounds of thyme. It has been shown to have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties and is often used as a natural preservative in food and cosmetic products (Hammoudi et al., 2022). Golubkina et al. (2020) reported that the use of mycorrhizal fungi as a technology that is compatible with the environment and by increasing plant access to nutrients and increasing resistance to stresses as well as improving water absorption, can lead to improved plant growth. Today, the use of organic compounds such as humic acid can affect many morphological, physiological and biochemical processes of plants and lead to improvement in plant growth (Mousavi et al., 2022).Materials and MethodsIn order to investigate the effects of foliar application of humic acid fertilization and mycorrhizal fungi symbiosis on Thymus vulgaris L., a factorial layout has been applied, based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the field of the research farm of Islamic Azad University, Takestan Branch during 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 growing seasons. Experimental factors included three species of mycorrhiza fungi (control, Glomus mosseae, G.etunicatum and G.intradices) and humic acid fertilizer levels included (control, 150 and 300 mg.L-1). Important traits such as plant height, herbal fresh weight, essential oil percentage, and yield, flavonoid content, root colonization percentage, thymol and carvacrol percentage were measured and analyzed.Results and DiscussionThe results showed that the effects of the treatments were significant at the 1% level for all investigated traits. For the characteristics of essential oil percentage and essential oil yield, the interaction effect was also significant at 1%, with an observed increase of over 200%. The application of 300 mg/liter humic acid resulted in a 14% increase in root colonization and a 16% increase in flavonoid percentage. Similarly, the application of mycorrhiza increased these traits by 23% and 30%, respectively. Thymol and carvacrol were the most abundant essential oil compounds. It can be concluded that the quality of thyme essential oil improved under the treatments. Among the mycorrhizae used in this research, G. mosseae mycorrhizae were more effective than the other two types. The results suggest that the application of mycorrhiza has a more significant impact on improving the examined traits compared to humic acid.ConclusionBased on the results of this study, application of mycorrhiza due to creating a symbiotic relationship with the roots of the garden thyme plant and humic acid spraying could increase the quantity and quality of the produced product. mycorrhiza was better than the use of humic acid in most treatments.

IntroductionOnion (Allium cepa L.) is a species of the Alliacea family. It is of great economic importance in Hormozgan province, Iran, which is ranked the second among the largest producers of onion in Iran in terms of cultivated area (8147 ha) (Agricultural statistics, 2021). Conventional Irrigation have undoubtedly helped in improving both bulb yield and quality of onion, but lately, it was arising many novel trends in Irrigation. Using of chitosan as an antiperspirant compound is one of these trends, as it can improve the water use efficiency (Geries et al., 2020). Chitosan is a member of the polysaccharides which is considered a useful natural polymer and is produced by alkaline N-deacetylation of chitin. Ahmed et al. (2019) reported that positive effect of chitosan nanoparticles on onion, as it significantly promoted seed germination and radical length under salt stress. The best treatment on germination was 0.3% of nano chitosan. Growth variables (plant height, leaf area, fresh and dry weights of the shoot and root) were increased significantly. Nevertheless, data on the utilization of chitosan for onion are meager in Iran. In this way, this study was carried to consider the impact of irrigation periods and chitosan as a biological elicitor on onion cultivar of Taki yellow, uniquely the adjustment in yield and quality properties.Materials and MethodsThis study was carried out at the private farm in Sohrabi village, Shamil district, Hormozgan province, Iran, conducted during 2020-2021 growing season. The experiment was carried out as autumn planting. This experiment was conducted as split-plot arrangement based on a complete randomized block design with 3 replications. Treatments were three irrigation periods and three doses of chitosan as main and sub plot, respectively. In this experiment 3 irrigation periods (such as two days, four days and six days) and 3 doses of chitosan (including zero, 1000 and 2000 ppm) with constant density of 63 plants m-2 yield and yield components (such as mean onion weight, length and diameter, onion shape index and dry matter content) and harvest index of onion were measured.Results and DiscussionThis study was conducted to assess the potential effects of irrigation periods and foliar spraying with chitosan, on the growth, yield quality of onion bulbs. In this experiment, nearly all measured traits were significantly (P

Abstract Accurate monitoring of wheat phenological stages is essential for effective crop management and informed agricultural decision-making. Traditional methods often rely on labour-intensive field surveys, which are prone to subjective bias and limited temporal resolution. To address these challenges, this study explores the potential of near-surface cameras combined with an advanced deep-learning approach to derive wheat phenological stages from high-quality, real-time RGB image series. Three deep learning models based on three different spatiotemporal feature fusion methods, namely sequential fusion, synchronous fusion, and parallel fusion, were constructed and evaluated for deriving wheat phenological stages with these near-surface RGB image series. Moreover, the impact of different image resolutions, capture perspectives, and model training strategies on the performance of deep learning models was also investigated. The results indicate that the model using the sequential fusion method is optimal, with an overall accuracy (OA) of 0.935, a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.069, F1-score (F1) of 0.936, and kappa coefficients (Kappa) of 0.924 in wheat phenological stages. Besides, the enhanced image resolution of 512 × 512 pixels and a suitable image capture perspective, specifically a sensor viewing angle of 40° to 60° vertically, introduce more effective features for phenological stage detection, thereby enhancing the model’s accuracy. Furthermore, concerning the model training, applying a two-step fine-tuning strategy will also enhance the model’s robustness to random variations in perspective. This research introduces an innovative approach for real-time phenological stage detection and provides a solid foundation for precision agriculture. By accurately deriving critical phenological stages, the methodology developed in this study supports the optimization of crop management practices, which may result in improved resource efficiency and sustainability across diverse agricultural settings. The implications of this work extend beyond wheat, offering a scalable solution that can be adapted to monitor other crops, thereby contributing to more efficient and sustainable agricultural systems.

Abstract Aiming at the problems of low efficiency and high cost in determining the phenotypic parameters of Cymbidium seedlings by artificial approaches, this study proposed a fully automated measurement scheme for some phenotypic parameters based on point cloud. The key point or difficulty is to design a segmentation method for individual tillers according to the morphology-specific structure. After determining the branch points, two rounds of segmentation schemes were designed. The non-overlapping part of each tiller and the overlapping parts of each ramet are separated in the first round based on the edge point cloud-based segmentation, while in the second round, the overlapping part was sliced along the horizontal direction according to the weight ratio of the tillers above, to obtain the complete point cloud of all tillers. The core superiority of the algorithm is that the segmentation fits the tiller growth direction well, and the extracted skeleton points of tillers are close to the actual growth direction, significantly improving the prediction accuracy of the subsequent phenotypic parameters. Five phenotypic parameters, plant height, leaf number, leaf length, leaf width and leaf area, were automatically calculated. Through experiments, the accuracy of the five parameters reached 98.6%, 100%, 92.2%, 89.1%, and 82.3%, respectively, which reach the needs of various phenotypic applications.

Abstract Maize is the most grown feed crop in the United States. Due to wind storms and other factors, 5% of maize falls over annually. The longitudinal shear modulus of maize stalk tissues is currently unreported and may have a significant influence on stalk failure. To better understand the causes of this phenomenon, maize stalk material properties need to be measured so that they can be used as material constants in computational models that provide detailed analysis of maize stalk failure. This study reports longitudinal shear modulus of maize stalk tissue through repeated torsion testing of dry and fully mature maize stalks. Measurements were focused on the two tissues found in maize stalks: the hard outer rind and the soft inner pith. Uncertainty analysis and comparison of multiple methodologies indicated that all measurements are subject to low error and bias. The results of this study will allow researchers to better understand maize stalk failure modes through computational modeling. This will allow researchers to prevent annual maize loss through later studies. This study also provides a methodology that could be used or adapted in the measurement of tissues from other plants such as sorghum, sugarcane, etc.

Abstract Fruit acidity significantly influences fruit flavor, but the specific impact of soil pH on fruit acidity remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of various soil pH levels on fruit acidity and citric acid (CA) metabolism in lemon (Citrus limon L.). High soil pH (pH 8) decreased total soluble solids concentrations in lemon fruits, while low soil pH (pH 4) increased titratable acid and CA concentrations. Although low soil pH reduced the synthesis of CA due to the decreased citrate synthase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activities, the elevated fruit acidity under low soil pH conditions is not directly related to CA synthesis. Instead, low soil pH was found to suppress the activity of cytosolic aconitase (Cyt-ACO), an iron-dependent enzyme, indicating a potential role for CA degradation inhibition in low soil pH-induced CA accumulation. Furthermore, low soil pH significantly reduced cytosolic iron (Cyt-Fe) concentration, which was positively correlated with Cyt-ACO activity. In conclusion, low soil pH contributes to increasing fruit acidity in lemon, partially by inhibiting CA degradation due to the reduced Cyt-Fe concentrations. Our work unravels the influence of soil pH on CA accumulation and provides important clues for modulating CA levels through microelement fertilization in citrus.

This research examines the variability in tuber yield, yield component, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity of twenty-five Jerusalem artichoke genotypes. The field experiment is arranged using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The plant tubers are harvested at maturity and recorded for tuber dry weight, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity. The results show significant genetic variations in tuber dry weight, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity determined by FRAP and ABTS methods. Significant and positive correlations are found among individual tuber dry weight, number of tubers per plant, tuber dry weight, including phenolic content, and antioxidant activity determined by the FRAP method. Jerusalem artichoke genotypes are classified into five groups based on tuber dry weight, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity determined by DPPH and FRAP methods. KT504 is identified as the accession with high levels of tuber dry weight, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity, and this genotype might be used as a material source for the pharmaceutical industry. Total phenolic content in the tuber can serve as an index for selecting Jerusalem artichoke genotypes with direct high antioxidant activity.

Changes in land use due to deforestation can affect the diversity, composition, and structure of fauna communities, including termites. This study aims to examine the diversity, composition, and structure of the termite community in several land uses. Land uses include natural forest, secondary forest, plantation of oil palm, and settlements in Dharmasraya District, West Sumatra Province. The research was conducted to determine the distribution of species and termite colonies in Dharmasraya District. The research method used observation on the level of habitat disturbance. The observations were conducted on 50 m x 10 m plots. One plot was split into 5 m x 5 m sub-plots, and there were 20 sub-plots in total. Termite samples collected from each plot were identified in the laboratory. This study found 14 species of termites on different land uses in Dharmasraya Regency West Sumatra Province. The level of disturbance of land use types affects the composition and structure of termites within it, especially from taxon groups and their food groups, and there are similarities in termite species composition in natural forests and secondary forests and and also similarities on termite species composition in oil palm plantations and settlements.

Recent studies have tended to reduce the added quantities of mineral fertilizers by using strategies of combination both organic and chemical. Thus, the effect of a combination of organic and chemical fertilizer was studied from March until August 2023 to investigate the growth, yield and mineral content of mustard as affected by onion biowaste and NPK fertilizer. This experiment was carried out with 5 different treatments and 4 replications, utilizing the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The treatments consisted of a control with 100% NPK fertilizer (T0), 100% peel onion fertilizer (T1), 50% NPK fertilizer + 50% peel onion (T2), 30% NPK fertilizer + 70% peel onion (T3), 70% NPK fertilizer + 30% peel onion fertilizer (T4). The parameters evaluated in this experiment included plant height, number of leaves, plant fresh weight, and NPK content in the leafy parts. The results showed that there were significantly higher in all studied parameter when using combination of 50% NPK fertilizer + 50% peel onion (T2) compared to the other combinations. Hence, it can be concluded that the combination of NPK fertilizer and peel onion fertilizer is a promising approach to reduce chemical fertilizer application and increase the quality of crops.

Salak (Salacca spp.) is a tropical fruit native to Indonesia that has various benefits for human health. Salak breeding programs to produce new superior varieties are constrained by the long-life cycle of the plant, making it difficult to select the desired traits. Few systematic literature reviews have been conducted on salak breeding. The present article was written to analyse the existing literature on application of plant biotechnology on salak breeding program. Guided by the PRISMA Statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) review method, a systematic review of the Scopus and Google Scholar databases identified 42 eligible related studies. The literature screening process was conducted using Mixed Method Appraisal Tool, whereas the bibliometric network analysis was conducted using VOS viewer software. Further review of these articles resulted in three main themes – genomics, metabolomics, and tissue culture. These three themes produced a total of eight sub-themes. The application of biotechnology on salak plant breeding are still limited, the genomic and metabolomic of this tropical fruit are still a mystery. Several future perspectives for salak’s breeding program includes deeper study on the plant’s genomic aspects, such as genotyping by sequencing, genome mapping, and development molecular marker assisted selection.

Bacterial stalk rot (BSR) disease is caused by Dickeya zeae, where infection on maize could lead to an enormous yield loss. Although curative action to control BSR infection can be done using bactericides, preventing the establishment of infection is still the best approach in minimizing potential yield loss. Among the different methods in preventing BSR infection, the use of resistant maize hybrid is considered the best approach. In this study, Genome Wide Associated Study (GWAS) was employed to find SNP markers associated with BSR resistance in maize. Six hundred twenty four lines were divided into two observation groups and further phenotyped for BSR resistance at 5, 10, and 15 days after inoculation (DAI) with BSR. GWAS was performed in a time-series manner using MLM (Mixed Linear Model) controlling for population structure and kinship. We found one SNP marker in chromosome 2 displaying significant association to BSR resistance spanning the entire observation periods. We also found SNP markers with significant association to BSR spanning two consecutive observation days located in chromosome 2 and 5. These results would hopefully contribute to the development of hybrid maize with better resistance against BSR.

The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) cropping system model is a part of the management module that processes user inputs describing crop management. The precision and accuracy of cropping models require recent research to calibrate and validate models according to climate changes and new cultivars. This study aims to determine the genetic coefficient (GC) of the mung bean variety KUML4 for the CSM-CROPGRO Model and compare predicted data from the model with observed data in the phenology, growth, yield and yield component used in DSSAT. Mung bean is planted in two seasons (dry and rainy seasons) at two locations. Plant growth is monitored at V4, R3, R6 and R7. DSSAT CROPGRO-cowpea model is used to calibrate the GC with the generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation (GLUE). Results show that the GC evaluation of mung bean by using the second planting date in the highest growth and yield plot, then the genetic coefficient of KUML4 was calibrated by GLUE until predicted values of plant growth and development were close to observed values. The GC of KUML4 mung bean could estimate growth, such as shoot weight, leaf area index, and plant height. The prediction of mung bean yield is acceptable.

The extensification of paddy fields is the government's program for food security and nutrition, but it influences the destruction of acid-sulfate soils. This study aimed to assess the improvement result of acid-sulfate soil character applied biochar from local materials with the various doses and to determine the production of IR-Zinc after the treatments, as recommendations for farmers cultivation of IR-Zinc on acid-sulfate soil. The research was conducted in Karang Indah Village, Barito Kuala District, South Kalimantan, from November 2021 to July 2022. The design used was a randomized, complete experiment with two factors: the raw material and the application dose. Research objects consisted of bulk density, porosity, pyrite (FeS2), soil organic-C, number of productive tillers, and weight of dry-milled grain for each treatment. A test using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% was used to determine the source and dose of biochar that affected significant object changes. The results showed an interaction between raw material and dose levels of biochar. Rice husk biochar increased the yield of IR-Zinc with an application dose of 1.8 kg and improved the characteristics of acid-sulfate soil. Rice husk biochar can provide nutrients due to soil physico-chemical improvements in reducing bulk density and acidity.

This research is conducted to study the induction of polyploidization in Katokkon chili using colchicine to study the effect of chromosome doubling or polyploid on certain superior characters during the seedling phase. Some morphological alterations were determined and proven to persist during the seedling phase. The study was conducted in the laboratory and screen house of the Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Hasanuddin. The polyploidy of the Katokkon chili is induced by soaking the germinated seeds in 0%, 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% colchicine solutions for 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours each. Ploidy levels are analyzed using flow cytometry (Partec®Cy-Flow Space TM). Results show significant differences in colchicine treatment affecting all parameters observed: hypocotyl base of sprouts, plant height, stomata size, and the number of lateral shoots. Flow cytometry analysis histogram confirmed that administration of 0.1% colchicine concentration with 48 hours soaking time and 0.2% colchicine concentration with 24- or 48-hour soaking time can induce tetraploid plants (4n=48) with different coefficients of variance (CV-x%), 5.36%, 4.65%, 6.08%, respectively. Vigorous growth phenotype in leaf size and plant height was more clearly seen in the one-month-old tetraploid Katokkon chili seedlings induced by 0.10% with a soaking time of 48 hours.

Heat stress and drought are combination of stresses that have the potential to occur simultaneously in extreme temperature changes. Rice is the main food crop in Indonesia and includes plants that are sensitive to stress. Indonesian local rice is believed to have high adaptability to Indonesian's geographical conditions, however there is lack of updated data to explain this information. This study attempts to determine the level of adaptability or resistance of Indonesian local rice to a combination of heat stress and drought. The results showed that the 24 Indonesian local rice accessions were divided into 3 resistance classes. The high resistance class is Sintha, the resistance classes are Gajah Mungkur, Kalimutu, Kapuas, Sukamandi, Seratus Malam, Cabacu, Bengawan Solo and Cisokan, as well as the medium resistance classes Jatiluhur, Batang Ombilin, Mahakam, Nona Bokra, Pucuk, Bengawan, Rojolele, IR64, Barumun, Cisadane, Memberamo, Cibodas, Gilirang, Fatmawati and Ciherang.

There is still limited information about the formulation of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi culture with the specific ability to overcome P retention in Andisols. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the functional ability of eight AM fungi cultures consisting of four cultures from the generation I (A1I31, A2I21, A0I31, and A0I21) and four cultures from generation II (A1I32, A2I22, A0I32, and A0I22) in dealing with P constraints on an Andisol, compared with the application of fresh AM fungi inocula isolated from natural soils, synthetic chemical fertilizers (CF), rice straw (RS) compost, and several combination treatments including Bio-RP Nutrition. The highest functional ability in increasing P uptake and maize growth on Andisol is obtained by A1I32, followed by A2I22 and A0I22, indicating that AM fungi cultures generation II exhibited higher effectiveness than generation I. The increase of P uptake and maize shoot dry weight yielded by those three AM fungi cultures were in the range of 80-97% and 89-103% of T14 (CF 100%), indicating the high potential biofertilizers for reducing the use of chemical fertilizers. By cultivation plate method, the present findings also confirmed that AM fungi inoculation affecting significantly the abundance and the composition of foliar endophytic bacterial communities.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has been detailed to affect soil microbial exercises or community composition. There is a lack of information on the degree to which PGPR as a biofertilizer concurrently influences the action, estimate, and composition of the soil microbial community. This research investigated the impacts of the timing and frequency of PGPR application as biofertilizers on the rhizosphere bacteria community in arable soil. We compared four treatments in an experimental field site, namely: one-time treatment of PGPR at the beginning of planting (P1), twice treatment of PGPR (P2), 15-days of planting (DP), and 30-DP (P3); and without treatment of PGPR (WP). A total rhizosphere bacteria community fingerprint was surveyed using ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (RISA) using a culture-dependent and culture-independent approach. The rhizosphere bacteria community was surveyed during 80 DP. The unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) clustering showed that the rhizosphere bacteria community in three-frequency applications of PGPR was more abundant than without PGPR application and one or two PGPR applications. This study revealed that the rhizosphere bacteria community was increased in soil with PGPR application, especially in P3, three dosages of PGPR application. Increasing the rhizosphere bacteria community could strongly influence the clay foam soil nutrient.

Identification of fruit flies and the methods of their control are essential to overcome the problem of pests. Using attractants is one of the control methods, which is environmental friendly and leaves no residue on plants. The study aimed to identify the species of fruit flies attacking Siam citrus plants and determine the most effective type of attractants to control their population. Identification was made on the fruit flies captured on attractants, and the study on attractants was conducted using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) consisting of four treatments and five replications. Four treatments (type of attractants) were petrogenol, rongit glue, chery glue, and king super glue. Two species of fruit flies, i.e., Bactrocera dorsalis and B. umbrosa, were found in the citrus plantation in Lambung Bukik Padang. The most effective attractants to control the fruit fly population were rongit glue and super king glue, which trapped the highest number of flies. Rongit glue trapped on the average of 94.2 individuals, and King superglue at 91.0 individuals per week. Rongit glue and super king glue can reduce fruit fly attacks. It is also part of an integrated pest management system to support sustainable agriculture.

Conventional propagation experiences problems due to long period for seed production, disease contamination, low reproductive rate and season dependent. In vitro propagation offers several advantages. This research aims to assess the impact of different media types and the concentrations of BAP and IBA on the in vitro growth and development of A. muelleri shoots. Bulbil explants were cultivated using MS media with different media types (solid media, agitated liquid media, and static liquid media) with various BAP and IBA concentration treatments (1 mg/l, 2 mg/l, and 3 mg/l). The results demonstrated that the media type and combinations of BAP and IBA treatments significantly influenced period of callus formation and the number of shoots. The development of explant on both solid and static liquid media involves initial explant swelling, formation of nodular callus, greenish buds, and ultimately shoots. Anatomical observation showed that explants experienced indirect organogenesis, characterized by the presence of pre meristem nodular callus, meristematic tissue, apical meristem and leaf primordia. The agitated liquid media didn’t promote growth and development of the explants. The most effective combination was found to be the static liquid media supplemented with 3 mg/l BAP and 1 mg/l IBA.

The quality of artificial diets is important to produce high quality cultures of S. frugiperda. The research aimed to determine the effect of artificial diets based on wild plants on the growth and development of Spodoptera frugiperda. The plants used for enriching artificial diets were Zea mays (control), Ipomoea aquatic, Ipomoea reptans, Amaranthus hybridus, Morus rubra, Brachiaria mutica, and Setaria sphacelata. The results showed that S. frugiperda larvae consuming artificial diets enriched with A. hybridus, Z. mays, I. reptans, and I. aquatic leaves had higher body weight, lower larval mortality and abnormal pupae compared to those of B. mutica, S. sphacelata and M. rubra leaves. The adult females from larvae-consuming diets enriched with A. hybridus, Z. mays, I. reptans, I. aquatica, and S. sphacelata leaves had higher fecundity compared to those of other diets. However, diet enriched with S. sphacelata leaves caused higher larval mortality. Thus, the more suitable diets to increase the larval growth and survival, and adult emergence and fecundity were the diets enriched with wild host plants (A. hybridus, I. reptans, and I. aquatic leaves). Using weed or wild host plant leaves to produce artificial diets is feasible for mass-rearing S. frugiperda.

Water scarcity is an extreme global concern due to changing climate and rapid population growth. Worldwide, freshwater sources are depleting and there is a need to implement water-conserving approaches in water-limited or arid areas for sustainable crop production. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of deficit irrigation on cucumber plant physiology, growth, and fruit yield traits grown under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was conducted in a complete randomized design with four water regimes, 100%, 80%, 60%, and 40% crop water requirement (ETc). Results showed that the highest plant leaf chlorophyll contents (43.2 µmol m-2), plant biomass (12.43 g), plant height (172.39 cm), number of leaves (19.85), fruit yield (2.49 kg), and total soluble solids (3.73 °Brix) were in plants irrigated at 100% level. In comparison, the lowest plant height (115.73 cm), number of leaves (15.77) and fruit yield (1.81 kg) were recorded at 40% irrigation. Results revealed that reduced irrigation regimes up to 80% or 60% have no significant inhibitory effects on cucumber agro-morphological traits. However, 40% of irrigation levels showed significantly reduced plant morphological and fruit yield traits. Overall, the result demonstrated that regulated deficit irrigation can significantly conserve water without negatively impacting cucumber yield.

Massive production of watermelon is correlated with its nutritional value and attractive appearance. Intensification of plant breeding through polyploidization is of utmost importance in horticulture to improve productivity with desirable morphological traits. Colchicine is a common polyploid inducer with limitations, including effects on plant viability and high costs. Another anti-mitotic agent has been developed from Catharanthus roseus ethanolic extract, but the applicative provisions need further exploration. This research focuses on the efficacy and performance of biocatharantine and colchicine in improving ploidy levels with morphological evaluation on orange watermelon ‘Citra Laga’. Mature seeds were treated with 2% biocatharantine and 0.2% colchicine for 12 and 24 hours. Generally, major morphological traits are unchanged, with significant differences found only in the width of leaves and color characteristics. Flow cytometry is performed to assess the ploidy level of plant cells. Mixoploid plants containing 2C+4C+8C DNA are produced by colchicine, but the lowest germination rate is found to have a negative effect. Biocatharantine increases the peak intensities of tetraploid 4C DNA within mixoploid plants with minimum risk to plant viability. This research discovers the potential of biocatharantine as an anti-mitotic agent, with an evaluation of the octaploid success of orange watermelon ‘Citra Laga’ mediated by colchicine.

Browning limits the shelf life of fresh-cut eggplant. To control browning, organic Thai eggplant cv Chao Phraya is treated with calcium lactate at different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0%) a 5 minutes dip before storage at 10°C with 90% relative humidity for 4 days. Water dip and no dip serve as control treatments. Calcium lactate at 0.5-1.0% remarkably reduces browning to a moderate degree; in contrast, higher calcium lactate concentrations, water dip and no dip treatments caused very severe browning at the end of storage. Browning severity is also manifested as reduced lightness (L*) values and increased brown pigment concentration. The total phenolic content did not change much in response to the 0.5-1.0% calcium lactate treatment, while the other treatments reduced the phenolic content, indicating conversion to brown pigments. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and peroxidase (POD) were significantly lower with 0.5-1.0% calcium lactate than with other treatments. This supported the reduction of browning by these treatments.

The black ant (Dolichoderus thoracicus) is known as a natural enemy of Hypothenemus hampei Ferr., the Coffee Berry Borer (CBB). The conservation efforts for this natural enemy can be carried out by using ant nest technology with artificial feed. This research explored artificial nesting and feeding methods for black ant colonies in coffee plantations in Jember District, Indonesia, to combat the CBB. Utilizing a Randomized Block Design, the study examines different nest materials and shapes, various artificial feeds, and the influence of environmental factors on ant colony growth. Cocoa leaves are the most effective nesting material, significantly increasing ant populations (11,532 individuals on average) compared to coconut leaves (4,645.83 individuals); no significant impact of nest shape on ant attraction; granulated sugar is the preferred artificial feed. A notable increase in ant populations was observed with a longer nest placement duration of four weeks. Environmental factors, especially humidity and temperature, significantly influence nests' and feed interactions. The study highlights the importance of specific nesting materials and environmental considerations in effective pest management strategies in tropical agriculture, offering a sustainable approach to enhancing coffee plantation productivity.

The use of microbial seed priming may be a promising tool to improve the first stages of seed germination of several herbaceous species. In tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.), enhanced germination and vigor, and biotic and abiotic stress control, with a reduction in chemicals, have been reported. In this study, seeds from two Italian tomato varieties (Canestrino di Lucca and Pisanello) were primed with seven different strains of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPB) belonging to Azospirillum baldaniorum, A. brasilense, Methylobacterium symbioticum, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, B. licheniformis, and B. subtilis. They were selected for their ability to produce auxin. The germination test was carried out on treated seeds and the germination percentage was calculated. The obtained seedlings were transplanted and kept in greenhouse conditions. After 60 d, fresh and dry weight, root number, and length of plantlets were recorded. A general and significant improvement in the growth parameters was observed in the treated plants. All microbial strains proved to be indolacetic acid (IAA) producers using the Salkowsky method. A positive relationship between root number and length, and amount of IAA was found. The overall results suggest that the microbial priming of tomato seed could be useful for advancing organic farming, sustainable agriculture, and environmental protection.

Alstroemeria spp. and carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) have considerable and increasing economic importance in the floriculture market, therefore breeders carry out intense breeding programs to select new superior varieties. However, poor germination of hybrid seeds remains a bottleneck. Based on this assumption, seed pre-treatments and in vitro germination protocols, using different germination substrates, were applied in Alstroemeria spp. and carnation to improve germinability. Seed viability was tested using the 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) test, and resulted in 91.10% ± 2.33 and 86.66% ± 3.85 in Alstroemeria and carnation, respectively. In Alstroemeria, pre-treatment with potassium nitrate (KNO3) in combination with modified ½ Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium ensured high germination uniformity combined with high germination percentage, showing significantly higher values than the control. In carnation, a suitable seed sterilization procedure was set up (up to 95.8% sterility); treatments with gibberellic acid (GA3) and KNO3 did not influence germination percentage compared to the control. A high multiplication rate of seedling lines was obtained on hormone-free MS medium.

Abstract Ancient Platycladus orientalis holds significant ecological, landscape, historical, and cultural value. In northern China, leaf blight has significantly impacted the growth and ornamental value of ancient P. orientalis. In this study, 26 blight leaf samples of ancient P. orientalis were collected in Beijing, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated internal transcribed spacer (ITS), β-tubulin (tub2), and RNA polymerase second largest subunit (rpb2) DNA sequence data combined with fungal morphological characteristics revealed three taxa of Nothophoma, i.e. N. platycladus, N. spiraeae, and N. juglandis. Of which, N. platycladus is a species new to science. Koch’s postulates indicated that all these three species of Nothophoma could cause leaf blight of P. orientalis.

Abstract Fusarium graminearum is a prominent pathogen responsible for causing head blight disease in small grain cereals, leading to substantial agricultural damage. A recent study revealed the infectivity of a hypovirus, Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (CHV1), in F. graminearum. However, the effects of CHV1 on the pathogenicity and development of the fungus remain largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the effects of CHV1 infection on F. graminearum and made several interesting discoveries. First, we observed that CHV1 infection attenuated the pathogenicity of F. graminearum and reduced its conidiation. CHV1 efficiently spread through various transmission modes, such as hyphal fusion and spores, including conidiospores and ascospores. However, the accumulation of the virus was reduced following transmission through spores. Interestingly, despite causing hypovirulence, CHV1 infection enhanced the production of deoxynivalenol (DON), a mycotoxin known to play a role in F. graminearum’s virulence and induction of DON production by a DON-inducing medium elevated CHV1 accumulation. The transcriptional expression of key regulatory genes involved in DON biosynthesis or toxisome formation was upregulated in response to CHV1 infection. Furthermore, our study revealed that CHV1 infection suppressed the formation of lipid droplets. Overall, our study provides insights of how the infection of a hypovirulence-inducing mycovirus affects the physiological and metabolic processes in F. graminearum.