Bean Plants Research Articles

Yield and Quality of Snap Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Cultivars from Successive Harvests in Spring and Fall Production Seasons in Oklahoma

Numerous studies have evaluated snap bean pod yield and quality at different pod maturities, but only a few have evaluated yield and pod quality across different seasons within the same year or for pods harvested at the same relative maturity successively from the same plants. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine if snap bean yield or pod sugar accumulation differed for pods at the same relative stage of maturity from plants harvested multiple times in spring and fall planting seasons in north central Oklahoma. Nine snap bean cultivars (seven green-podded and two yellow-podded) were field-grown in Spring and Fall 2022 and 2023. Pods were harvested weekly for 3 weeks from the same plants and at the same relative pod development stage. Pod yield and sugar concentration were measured. The total pod yield pooled across seasons and years of ‘Sybaris’ was lower (approximately 4100 kg⋅ha−1) than that of six of the other cultivars, which yielded between 7000 to 8600 kg⋅ha−1. In spring, pod yield increased from 900 to 1300 kg⋅ha−1 in the first harvest to 3500 to 3700 kg⋅ha−1 by the last harvest. In Fall 2022, the yield decreased from 1900 kg⋅ha−1 in the first harvest to 690 kg⋅ha−1 by the last harvest, whereas in Fall 2023 the pod yield remained steady at 2600 to 3000 kg⋅ha−1 at each weekly harvest. The Fall 2022 decrease in yield was likely caused by low temperatures during pod development and a freeze that shortened the harvest season. From the first to the last harvest, the total pod sugar concentration decreased from 145.5 to 107.2 mg⋅g−1, glucose decreased from 48.4 to 33.0 mg⋅g−1, and fructose decreased from 90.7 to 52.0 mg⋅g−1. However, the sucrose concentration increased from 9.2 to 21.9 mg⋅g−1. This decrease in the total and monomeric sugar concentrations, coupled with a disproportionally smaller increase in sucrose, is typical for overly mature snap bean pods, which are considered less desirable because of lower sweetness. Snap bean pods harvested later in the growing season in a successive harvest system at the same relative stage of maturity as earlier harvested pods had sugar concentrations resembling those of overly mature pods, indicating that snap bean plant age may influence the pod sugar concentration.

High-throughput phenotypic traits estimation of faba bean based on machine learning and drone-based multimodal data

Faba bean is a global food legume crop, and it is essential to accurately and timely determine its plant height, above-ground biomass (fresh and dry weight) and yield for enhancing cultivation practices and planning the next planting season. Traditional ground sampling is a time-consuming and labor-intensive approach. However, the utilization of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as a high-throughput technique offers a promising alternative strategy for estimating crop phenotypic traits. In this study, a two-year experiment was conducted from 2020 to 2022, where UAV-based multimodal data were collected using red–green–blue, multispectral and thermal infrared sensors. The variables derived from these three sensors and their combinations were used to estimate the fresh weight, dry weight and yield of faba bean based on extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), random forest, multiple linear regression and k-nearest neighbor algorithms. The following findings were obtained: (1) The use of the maximum percentile crop surface model resulted in the highest estimation accuracy for faba bean plant height. (2) Fusion data from multiple sensors increased the estimation accuracy of faba bean fresh weight, dry weight and yield, the coefficient of determination (R2) improved by 14.22%, 1.45%, and 18.76%, respectively, compared with the best estimation accuracy of a single sensor. (3) The XGBoost algorithm outperformed the other algorithms in estimating fresh weight, dry weight and yield of faba bean. These results demonstrate that multiple sensors and appropriate algorithms can be used to effectively estimate faba bean phenotypic traits and provide valuable insights for agricultural remote sensing research.

Low-cost nano biochar: a sustainable approach for drought stress mitigation in faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

This study tends to reach some objectives of the sustainable development goals, which call for responsible consumption and production and climate action. Long-term global food security is affected by drought and the optimal use of water in agricultural areas under climate change scenarios. Our approach aims to amend soil for cultivation under drought stress and improve plant growth to contribute to food security. In this context, a biochar was prepared from peanut shell and thoroughly examined as a soil enhancer for broad bean cultivation during drought stress. The produced biochar exhibited 0.307 g cm−3 bulk density, 9.6 cmol kg−1 cation exchange capacity, −15.5 mV zeta potential, and an average diameter of 21.86 nm. Surprisingly, the application of biochar increased soil water holding capacity and organic matter by 66% and 220%, respectively. Moreover, its application under drought improved plant growth as indicated by stem height, leaf area index, pod number/plant, pod weight, protein level, chlorophyll content, nutrient levels in leaves, and reduced lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage. The principal component and factorial analysis of the current study demonstrated correlations between the physiological response of faba bean plants and soil physiochemical parameters after the application of peanut shell-derived biochar. This study presents promising nano biochar that could be an effective sustainable practice for disposing residual materials.

Effect of Different Zn Concentrations on Crop Growth and Root Nodulation in Yard-Long Bean (Vigna unguiculata L.)

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of Zinc (Zn) as a micronutrient on growth and nodulation in Vigna unguiculata L. The experiment was carried out as a pot experiment in the Crop Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Palachcholai, Eastern University, Sri Lanka from August to November 2023. The experiment was laid out in Complete Randomized Design with six treatments and four replicates. The treatments are T1 (Control), T2 (50 mg ZnSO4/kg soil), T3 (100 mg ZnSO4/kg soil), T4 (150 mg ZnSO4/kg soil), T5 (200 mg ZnSO4/kg soil) & T6 (250 mg ZnSO4/kg soil). The experiment used source of Zinc in the form of Zinc Sulphate (ZnSO4,5H2O) which yard-long bean plants can grow. The experiment results showed that, T2 treatment, the soil treated with 50 mg ZnSO4/kg soil significantly increase the Plant height, Chlorophyll content, Leaf area, Fresh weight of shoot & root, Dry weight of shoot & root, Number of nodules, Effective nodule percentage, as well as Soil respiration compared to the other treatments. However, beyond the level of 200 mg ZnSO4/kg soil, reduces the growth & nodulation of Vigna unguiculata L. and this shows that the level 200 mg ZnSO4/kg soil and beyond that level were the toxic level to the Vigna unguiculata L. Accordingly, the treatment T2 (50 mg ZnSO4/kg soil) was at the micronutrient level of Zn concentration which involved in many key cellular functions and show the best positive effect on growth and nodulation in Vigna unguiculata L. The results clearly indicate that, Zn can be use as a micronutrient up to a trace level in inducing plant growth and nodulation. However, at higher levels of Zn may act as heavy metal and cause phyto-toxicity in plants.

Immunity priming and biostimulation by airborne nonanal increase yield of field-grown common bean plants

IntroductionStress-induced volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that induce plant immunity bear potential for biocontrol. Here, we explore the potential of nonanal to enhance the seed yield of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) under open field conditions that are realistic for smallholder farmers.Methods and resultsUsing plastic cups with a nonanal-containing lanolin paste as low-cost dispensers, we observed that exposure of Flor de Junio Marcela (FJM) plants over 48h to airborne nonanal was followed by a 3-fold higher expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes PR1 and PR4. Both genes further increased their expression in response to subsequent challenge with the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. Therefore, we conclude that nonanal causes resistance gene priming. This effect was associated with ca. 2.5-fold lower infection rates and a 2-fold higher seed yield. Offspring of nonanal-exposed FJM plants exhibited a 10% higher emergence rate and a priming of PR1- and PR4-expression, which was associated with decreased infection by C. lindemuthianum and, ultimately, a ca. 3-fold increase in seed yield by anthracnose-infected offspring of nonanal-exposed plants. Seeds of nonanal-exposed and of challenged plants contained significantly more phenolic compounds (increase by ca 40%) and increased antioxidant and radical scavenging activity. Comparative studies including five widely used bean cultivars revealed 2-fold to 3-fold higher seed yield for nonanal-exposed plants. Finally, a cost-benefit analysis indicated a potential economic net profit of nonanal exposure for some, but not all cultivars.OutlookWe consider nonanal as a promising candidate for an affordable tool that allows low-income smallholder farmers to increase the yield of an important staple-crop without using pesticides

The Effect of Different Forms of Zinc and Manganese on the Productivity of Faba Bean Plants

The Effect of Different Forms of Zinc and Manganese on the Productivity of Faba Bean Plants

From cactus to crop: genomic insights of a beneficial and non-pathogenic Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens strain and the evolution of its pathosystem.

With the advent of advanced sequencing technologies, new insights into the genomes of pathogens, including those in the genus Curtobacterium, have emerged. This research investigates a newly isolated C. flaccumfaciens strain 208 (Cf208) from Arthrocereus glaziovii, and endemic plant from Iron Quadrangle. Previous results show that Cf208 exhibits the potential to remediate soils, facilitating the growth of tomato plants. Furthermore, Cf208 showed no virulence towards bean plants, thus, confounding its phytopathogenic origins. Using a comprehensive comparative genomics approach, we analyzed the Cf208 genome against 34 other Curtobacterium strains, aiming to discern the genomic landmarks associated with its adaptation as an endophyte and its avirulence in bean crops. This revealed a predominant core genome comprising about 2426 genes (68%). Notably, Cf208 possesses a unique plasmid, pCF208-73, which contains 84 unique genes (2.5%). However, unlike the plasmids previously described for pathogenic strains, pCF208-73 does not feature genes associated with virulence induction. In contrast, while several genes traditionally linked to virulence, like pectate lyases and proteases were identified, but the T4P apparatus emerged as new crucial factor for understanding virulence in the Curtobacterium genus. The presence or absence of this apparatus, especially in strains from different clades, may determine their virulence towards leguminous plants. In conclusion, this work highlights the significance of comparative genomics in unraveling the complexities of pathogenicity within the Curtobacterium genus. Our findings suggest that, although the limited genetic variations, specific genes, particularly those linked to the T4P apparatus, play a fundamental role in their interactions with host plants.

Leveraging Edge Computing and Deep Learning for the Real-Time Identification of Bean Plant Pathologies

Beans are essential crops globally, standing out as one of the most consumed and nourishing legumes, thereby playing a significant role in human nutrition and food security. Their cultivation faces several challenges, such as pests, diseases, unpredictable weather patterns, and soil erosion. Of these challenges, diseases are recognized as a key challenge, resulting in a decline in both yield quality and quantity, and inflicting substantial financial losses on farmers.This work proposes a deep learning-based approach for precise in-field identification of diseases in bean plants. We evaluate image classification and object detection models using state-of-the-art Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architectures to identify Angular Leaf Spot (ALS) and bean rust diseases, key bean diseases in Uganda and the region in general, from smartphone images of bean leaves collected in various districts of Uganda.The dataset employed to train these models is the Makerere University beans image dataset, comprising 15,335 images categorized into three (3) classes (ALS, bean rust, and healthy). To improve in-field performance, the dataset was expanded to include an additional class (unknown class) consisting of a diverse collection of 2,800 images to account for images unrelated to the three (3) predefined classes. Adversarial training was further employed to enhance model robustness in identifying the target classes. In addition, two (2) Out-of-Distribution (ODD) detection techniques, i.e., confidence thresholding and training with an auxiliary class (unknown class), were utilized to handle inputs unrelated to bean leaves.Our results show that our custom CNN, BeanWatchNet, achieved 90% accuracy when tested on unseen data for the classification of the three (3) target classes, i.e., ALS, bean rust and healthy. EfficientNet v2 B0 and BeanWatchNet demonstrated superior performance for the four-class (with unknown class) image classification task, achieving 91% and 90% accuracy, respectively, when evaluated on the test dataset. YOLO v8 exhibited superior performance for the object detection models, attaining mAP@50 of 87.6. The custom CNN model and YOLO v8 model were quantized and deployed across two (2) edge platforms: a smartphone (through a mobile application) and a Raspberry Pi 4B to facilitate in-field disease detection. The benchmarking code and best models are publicly available on GitHub.1

Progress in the study of anti-tumor effects and mechanisms of vitexin.

Vitexin (apigenin-8-C-beta-D-glucopyranoside) is a natural flavonoid derivative with anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, anti-asthma, anti-epilepsy, and other therapeutic effects. It is extracted from pearl millet, hawthorn, pigeon bean, mung bean, and other medicinal plants. Vitexin has received widespread attention because of its significant anti-tumor effect. It induces apoptosis and anti-tumor angiogenesis, inhibits tumor cell migration and invasion, regulates tumor cell autophagy and immunity, and increases patient sensitivity to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It has a significant anti-tumor effect on breast, prostate, liver, cervical, and colon cancers, gliomas, and other malignant tumors. This review demonstrates the latest research progress on the anti-tumor effects and potential mechanisms of vitexin. It summarizes its anti-tumor mechanism to provide new theoretical support and reference for cancer treatment.

Up-regulation of nitrogen metabolism and chlorophyll biosynthesis by hydrogen sulfide improved photosystem photochemistry and gas exchange in chromium-contaminated bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plants

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is considered as plant growth promoter under heavy metal stress, though its specific effects on photosynthesis are rarely explored. This study investigates the protective effects of exogenous H2S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) on chlorophyll metabolism and photosystem II (PSII) function in 24-day-old bean plants exposed to 10 μM chromium (Cr) stress. Sodium hydrosulfide (100 μM) reduced Cr accumulation in both roots and leaves, leading to restored plant growth. Concomitantly, H₂S mitigated Cr-induced oxidative damages by decreasing reactive oxygen species levels and further enhancing antioxidant scavenging activities. This resulted in significant reductions in Cr-elevated leaf pheophytin and chlorophyllide levels by 59% and 67%, respectively. Furthermore, NaHS application increased levels of porphyrin and its precursor, 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), in Cr-stressed bean. The up-regulation in chlorophyll biosynthesis was associated with enhanced activities of glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase, essential for glutamate (precursor of 5-ALA) production, as well as nitrate and nitrite reductase, leading to increased nitric oxide generation. Under Cr stress, H₂S significantly improved the electron transport rate, effective quantum yield of PSII, and photochemical quenching by 112%, 53%, and 38%, respectively, while reducing non-photochemical quenching by 50%. Furthermore, H₂S promoted net CO₂ assimilation and photosynthesis at saturating light, respectively, while reducing stomatal conductance and transpiration to maintain water balance. Exogenous H₂S restored respiration, as indicated by increased light saturation and compensation points in Cr-treated plants. Overall, these findings indicate that H₂S regulates photosynthesis in Cr-stressed bean by modulating nitrogen and chlorophyll metabolism, thereby optimizing PSII efficiency and gas exchange.

Cost-effective and optimal control analysis for mitigation strategy to chocolate spot disease of faba bean

Faba bean is one of the most important grown plants worldwide for human and animal. Despite its various importance, the productivity of faba bean has been constrained by several biotic and abiotic factors. Many faba bean pathogens have been reported so far, of which the most important yield limiting disease is Chocolate Spot Disease (Botrytis fabae). The dynamics of disease transmission and decision-making processes for intervention programs for disease control are now better understood through the use of mathematical modeling. In this paper a deterministic mathematical model for Chocolate Spot disease (CSD) on faba bean plant with an optimal control model was developed and analyzed to examine the best strategy in controlling CSD. The optimal control model is developed with three control interventions, namely prevention (u1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$u_{1}$$\\end{document}), quarantine (u2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$u_{2}$$\\end{document}) and chemical control (u3\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$u_{3}$$\\end{document}). The Pontryagin’€™s maximum principle isused to derive the Hamiltonian, the adjoint variables, the characterization of the controls and the optimality system. A cost-effective approach is chosen from a set of possible integrated strategies using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). The forward-backward sweep iterative approach is used to run numerical simulations. We obtained the Hamiltonian, the adjoint variables, the characterization of the controls and the optimality system. The numerical results demonstrate that each integrated strategy can reduce the diseases within the specified period. However due to limited resources, an integrated strategy prevention and uprooting was found to be a best cost-effective strategy to combat CSD. Therefore, attention should be given for the integrated cost-effective and environmentally eco-friendly strategy by stake holders and policy makers to control CSD and disseminate the integrated intervention to the farmers in order to fight the spread of CSD in the Faba bean population and produce the expected yield from the field.

The influence of meteorological conditions of the Non-Chernozem zone on the phytosanitary condition of grain bean crops

There is a tendency to expand the area of bean cultivation in the northern direction, which is due to climatic changes and breeding achievements. There are 191 varieties of beans registered in the state register of breeding achievements approved for use, of which 31 varieties are recommended for cultivation in the belt between 50° and 60° latitude. The relevance of bean cultivation in the Non-Chernozem zone is increasing. This is due to the increased demand for beans, which are characterized by high nutritional value. Also, this crop is promising as an alternative in grain crop rotations. The study of the phytosanitary condition of bean plants in potentially new cultivation regions in order to develop a crop protection system is of interest. The promotion of crops to new territories is inevitably accompanied by phytosanitary risks, which have been little studied due to insufficient information about bean diseases. The literature provides an assessment of potential threats. However, their manifestation is closely related to the climatic and weather conditions of the growing season. The analysis of the interrelationships of the phytosanitary condition of crops with the temperature and humidity regimes of the bean growing period is relevant.

Predicting the role of β-GAL genes in bean under abiotic stress and genome-wide characterization of β-GAL gene family members.

Β-Gals are a subgroup of the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family of enzymes, which possess the Glyco_hydro_35 (GH35) domain. Although studies have been conducted on the β-Gal gene family in numerous plant species, no such research has been conducted on beans. The purpose of this study was to determine the gene expression levels of β-Gal genes in the leaf tissue of P. vulgaris under salt and drought stress using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and to perform a comprehensive analysis of β-Gal gene family members using bioinformatics tools. In the bean genome, 25 Pvul-βGAL proteins with amino acid numbers ranging from 291 to 1119, molecular weights from 32.94 to 126.56kDa, and isoelectric points from 5.46 to 9.08 were identified. Both segmental and tandem duplication have occurred in β-Gal genes in the bean genome, and Pvul-BGAL genes have been subject to negative selection in the evolutionary process. For a deeper comprehension of the evolutionary proximity of Pvul-BGAL genes, a phylogenetic tree and synteny map were drawn together with Arabidopsis thaliana and Glycine max β-Gal genes. The expression profiles of β-Gal genes in different tissues of the bean were determined in silico. In addition, the expression profiles of β-Gal genes in the leaves of bean plants subjected to drought and salt stress were analyzed, and the role of β-Gal genes in salt and drought stress was estimated. In this study, the role of β-Gal gene family in abiotic stress response and the characterization of β-Gal genes in beans were determined for the first time and will provide a basis for future functional genomics studies.

Chitosan, Methyl Jasmonate, and Silicon Induce Resistance to Angular Leaf Spot in Common Bean, Caused by Pseudocercospora griseola, with Expression of Defense-Related Genes and Enzyme Activities

This study assessed the efficacy of chitosan, methyl jasmonate, and silicon in the reduction of disease severity and the induction of defense responses in common bean plants against angular leaf spot caused by Pseudocercospora griseola. The expression level of several pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, PR1, PR2 (β-1,3-glucanase), and PR3 (chitinase), and defense-related enzymes, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, peroxidase, and lipoxygenase, was analyzed at different time points in common bean plants after different treatments. Elicitor treatments significantly reduced disease severity 21 days after inoculation, with silicon at a 2 mM concentration proving most effective with 38.93% disease control, followed by 1 mM MeJA and 2% chitosan, respectively. Treatments with chitosan, methyl jasmonate, and silicon, regardless of pathogen infection, significantly elevated PR1, PR2, and PR3 gene expressions at 48 h after inoculation (hpi). PAL and POD activities were similarly increased following elicitor treatments and pathogen infection, especially at 48 hpi. Chemical elicitors applied post-inoculation induced PR proteins, PAL, and POD enzyme activities at 48 hpi, while LOX activity exhibited a variable fluctuation with treatments. These findings suggested that chemical elicitors, especially silicon, were effective in reducing ALS disease severity in common beans, with improved resistance associated with the expression of pathogen-responsive genes. This study is the first to analyze the expression profiles of defense-related genes in common beans treated with chemical elicitors prior to P. griseola infection.

Toxicity and deterrence of pyroligneous extracts on Liriomyza sativae (Diptera: Agromyzidae)

Liriomyza sativa is a cosmopolitan and polyphagous insect, a key pest of crops such as tomato and melon. The inadequacy of insecticide application techniques has developed resistant populations. The objective of this research was to evaluate the toxicity, insecticidal activity and deterrence of pyroligneous extracts on the leafminer fly. The experiments were carried out under laboratory conditions of 25 ± 2°C and humidity of 60 ± 10%. For the toxicity test, solutions were prepared in different concentrations by diluting them in distilled water. Leaf discs containing L. sativae larvae were immersed in the solutions. For insecticidal activity and deterrence tests, jack bean plants were subjected to application of treatments using an airbrush, spraying 6 mL of the solutions on each plant. All extracts showed significant mortality for the larvae, with emphasis on the pyroligneous extract of coffee straw at 350ºC. The extracts did not interfere with the other developmental stages of the leafminer fly. The pyroligneous extract from the commercial company Agttec and the coffee straw extract at 600ºC were classified as attractive and the coffee straw extract at 350ºC as detergent. It is concluded that pyroligneous extracts can be used in the management of L. sativae.

Faba bean-wheat intercropping controls the occurrence of faba bean Fusarium wilt by improving the microecological environment of rhizosphere soil

BackgroundFusarium wilt is a severe soil-borne disease that affects faba bean production. Faba bean-wheat intercropping is often used to control the occurrence of Fusarium wilt in faba bean. AimsTo evaluate the effects of faba bean-wheat intercropping on the occurrence of faba bean Fusarium wilt and soil microecology. MethodsWe established two planting patterns, faba bean monocropping (M) and faba bean-wheat intercropping (I), to investigate Fusarium wilt occurrence and plant dry weight and assess changes in soil enzyme activities, microbial diversity, and community composition during different stages of disease onset. ResultsIntercropping effectively controlled faba bean Fusarium wilt at the three disease stages and increased the dry weight of faba bean plants. Intercropping promoted the activities of catalase (CAT), urease, sucrase, and acid phosphatase in the rhizosphere soil of faba bean at three disease stages. Bacterial and fungal diversity decreased with disease progression, and intercropping mitigated this trend. Compared with monocropping, intercropping increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Gemmatimonadota, Gemmatimonas, Conexibacter, and Sphingomonas, while reducing the abundance of pathogenic fungi such as Alternaria, Cladosporium, and Fusarium. Intercropping also increased the abundance of arbuscular mycorrhiza, soil saprophytes, and undefined saprophytes while decreasing the abundance of plant pathogens. ConclusionFaba bean-wheat intercropping enhanced soil enzyme activities, effective nutrient content, and alpha diversity indices of bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere soil of faba bean, while promoting the abundance of beneficial bacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, as well as both soil and undefined humus. Simultaneously, intercropping reduced the abundance of plant pathogens, facilitated nutrient cycling in the soil, provided sufficient nutrients for crop uptake, and mitigated the toxic effects of hydrogen peroxide on cells. Ultimately, this resulted in a reduced occurrence of Fusarium wilt.

Meloidogyne spp. Root-knot Nematode Distribution and Population Status in Autumn Pulses in Rajasthan's Zone IIIA

A survey was conducted to determine the distribution and occurrence of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne spp. and other plant parasitic nematodes associated with Autumn pulses in Zone IIIA of Rajasthan. A total of 387 soil and root samples were collected from 25 different localities of zone IIIA in Rajasthan. Among them Meloidogyne spp. was found highest in 354 samples with 91.47% absolute frequency, 40.16 absolute density and 3.84 prominence value. Helicotylenchus spp., Pratylenchus spp., Hoplolaimus spp. etc., were also reported in surveyed localities. During the survey mung bean plants were found diseased with Cercospora leaf spot and anthracnose.

Drilling liquid from plant based oil using carbon based nanoparticles

The risks of disposal associated with using mineral-based drilling liquids have prompted the search for alternatives. Despite their long-standing use in the industry, mineral-based liquids pose challenges due to their eco-toxicity, poor biodegradability, and low fire resistance. Recently, vegetable-based liquids have gained attention for their excellent environmental friendliness and high fire resistance. In this study, a green drilling liquid was developed from non-food grade vegetable oil. The base liquid was extracted and the oil underwent epoxidation to enhance the thermal stability. Two different carbon-based nanoparticles were synthesized from coconut shells and graphite. The graphene nanoparticles derived from graphite exhibited a higher surface area compared to those from coconut shells. The properties of the developed graphene nanomud, such as gel strength, thermal conductivity, specific gravity, mud viscosity, mud filtrate properties, cutting carrying index, electrical conductivity, and toxicity, were investigated and compared with diesel-based nanomud. Results showed that neem graphene nanomuds possess properties that are comparable to, and in some cases better than diesel-based oil mud. The addition of 0.25 wt% to 2.0 wt% of graphene nanoparticles increased the electrical conductivity of the fluid from 58.7 to 229.5 µS/cm at 25 °C, enabling the use of resistivity imaging techniques for wellhole geological studies. Additionally, the nanofluids demonstrated desirable thermal conductivity, ranging from 0.138 W/m·K to 0.267 W/m·K at 25 °C, making them suitable coolants. Furthermore, toxicity tests using bean plants demonstrated that graphene-based nanomuds are environmentally friendly and could offer a cleaner, more sustainable option for drilling operations.

Effect of Treatment with Humic Acid on Some Growth Characteristics and Protein Content in Different Varieties Vicia faba L. Plant

An experiment was carried out using plastic pots in the 2023-2024 season to evaluate the method of treatment with humic acid in the growth characteristics and protein percentage of different varieties of faba bean plants. The study included two factors, the method of adding humic acid (without acid, spraying acid on the plant, adding acid to the soil). The second factor included four varieties of beans (local Iraqi, Netherland, Spanish, and French). The results showed: superiority of the treatment of adding Humic acid to the soil in terms of plant height, total chlorophyll percentage, number of leaves, and protein percentage by 13.25% and 7.59 mg g-1 wet weight. 6.78% and 8.75%, respectively Compared to the control treatment, the local variety was superior in the characteristics of plant height and number of leaves by 31.72 and 7.26% compared to the French variety, which was superior in the characteristics of number of leaves and protein percentage by 12.27 and 24.0%, respectively. The interaction also outperformed adding acid to the local variety in plant height. By 53.13%, the French variety with added acid exceeded the characteristics of number of leaves and protein percentage by 26.40 and 30.50%, respectively.

Impacts of Rhizobium inoculation and Fe3O4 nanoparticles on common beans plants: a magnetic study of absorption, translocation, and accumulation processes

Impacts of Rhizobium inoculation and Fe3O4 nanoparticles on common beans plants: a magnetic study of absorption, translocation, and accumulation processes