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Wheat production plays a central role in the Russian agricultural system and significant land area is dedicated to this strategic crop. However, the wheat enterprise is highly constrained by weed interference which cause serious yield losses hence minimizing production income. The main objective of the study was to assess the efficacy of three various cultivation technologies as basic, intensive, and highly intensive systems on wheat biological efficiency. Three weed species Echinochloa crus-galli, Stellaria media, and Viola arvensis, and three winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties Moscovskaya 40 (V1), Nemchinovskaya 17 (V2) and Nemchinovskaya 85 (V3) were studied. The data was analysed as a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Weed density, biological efficiency, yield performances, and selected qualitative parameters (measured through protein and gluten contents) were determined as affected by different cultivation technologies. The results showed that the high intensive cultivation technology (T3) was the most effective in reducing weed infestation levels as follows (0.3 plant/m2 Echinochloa crus-galli, 0.5 plant/m2 Stellaria media and 0.4 plant/m2 Viola arvensis) with biological efficiency of 96%, while 81% and 90% were recorded with basic and intensive cultivation system respectively. Moreover, the highest wheat yield 10.6 t/ha was obtained by T3, with the greatest grain quality 5% higher than basic cultivation technology designated in T1. The results were variety-dependent revealing the intrinsic genetic performances and the different patterns of high competitive ability. The current results open real opportunities concerning the implementation of potent wheat production systems.

Vegetables accumulate considerable amounts of nitrates that enter the human body through nutrition, causing severe problems. This study aims to determine celery plants' response to replacing mineral nitrogen fertilizers with bio-nanoparticles. Three different treatments of nano bio-nitrogen fertilizer (20, 30, and 40 ppm) in addition to traditional nitrogen (NH4NO3) treatment (100 kg N/acre) were applied on two celery cultivars (Balady and Utah Tall 52–75). Plant growth parameters, vitamin C, carotenoids, nitrate accumulation, macro-nutrient uptakes, and antioxidant activities were determined at the vegetative marketing stage. Our findings reveal a significant positive impact of replacing conventional nitrogen fertilizers with bio-nano-synthesized forms. Notably, applying bio-nanoparticles improved celery yield efficiency, ranging from 5.1 to 5.8 tons per acre, suggesting a viable alternative to traditional fertilization methods. Furthermore, transitioning from mineral to organic fertilizers in nanoparticle form reduced nitrate accumulation in fresh celery crops, decreasing nitrate levels from 342.5 ppm to as low as 100 ppm. This environmentally conscious approach offers a sustainable solution to mitigate chemical residues and enhance celery's flavor, nutritional value, and health benefits. Specifically, our results demonstrate alleviated nitrate contents in fresh celery leaves after applying bio-nano-fertilizer. Nitrate levels in treated plants decreased by up to 70.0% compared to traditional fertilization methods. This highlights the potential of organic nano-fertilizers to address concerns related to nitrate accumulation, thereby promoting safer and healthier vegetable consumption. By advocating for organic nano-fertilizers, we propose a promising strategy to optimize celery fertilizing management, ensuring sustainable farming and consumer well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weeds are a major yield-limiting factor bedeviling eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) production in Russia. This study aimed to determine the influence of macronutrient rates and drip irrigation regimes on weed flora composition and potential soil contamination by weed seedbanks in the eggplant field. Three field experiments were conducted during the 2019–2021 cropping calendar. Two-factorial field experiments were designed in four blocks whereby the composition of weed flora in eggplants was examined under the influence of different macronutrient rates (40 tons manure and N140P30, 40 tons manure and N320P120K210, and control without fertilization), and three thresholds of pre-irrigation soil moisture % least moisture capacity (LMC) (in particular, 70, 80 and 90% LMC). The results demonstrated that nutrient rates contributed to a significant increase in weed density of 27.1 to 37.6%, due to an increase in the number of annual weeds (annual winter weeds and annual early spring weeds), and an increase in soil moisture threshold from 70 to 90%. Nevertheless, low moisture availability between the rows as a result of drip irrigation utilization led to a decrease in weed populations by 10.8 to 15.9%. Potential contamination of the arable soil layer with weed seed was desirably decreased, ranging from 19.8 to 21.7% with the application of fertilizers, compared with the control. Furthermore, the soil weed seedbank was considerably reduced by an increase in the pre-irrigation threshold of soil moisture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The study was carried out to evaluate three commercial DNA extraction kits, Probe GS, FitoSorb and Sorb GMO, thus identifying the most suitable for isolating the phytopathogenic bacteria Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. allii. Materials and Methods: Onion seed samples were prepared which were inoculated with bacterial concentrations ranging from 101 to 107 CFU per ml. Real‐time PCR was performed to determine the efficacy of the isolated DNA in enhancing the sensitivity of the assay. The DNA extracted by Probe GS had the best detectability, having been detected at the lowest concentration used in the study 101 × 3 CFU per ml. FitoSorb and Sorb GMO yielded DNA with a higher and similar limit of detection 103 × 3 CFU per ml. Furthermore, Probe GS had the lowest cycle at every concentration tested as compared to the other methods. Conclusion: Therefore, Probe GS proved to be the most optimized kit for the extraction of X. euvesicatoria pv. allii, hence enhanced degree of sensitivity for the assay. Impact and Significance of the Study: The findings generated in this study can be used by phytosanitary laboratories to develop highly rapid and accurate diagnostic protocols for X. euvesicatoria pv. allii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]