Number Of Buds Research Articles

Effects of Spring Freeze Damage and Training Systems on the Viticulture Performance of Young ‘Marquette’ Grapevines

‘Marquette’ is a cold-hardy hybrid grape cultivar that has received increased attention for its use in wine production in the upper midwestern and northeastern United States since it was released in 2006. However, ‘Marquette’ is an early budburst cultivar susceptible to spring freeze damage. We examined the influence of high wire bilateral flat cane (HWC) and four-arm Kniffin (4AK) training systems on young ‘Marquette’ performance during a year with spring freeze damage (2017) and the subsequent season without frost events (2018). In 2017, there were two consecutive spring frost events at the experimental site approximately 2 weeks after the vines reached 50% budburst, which damaged more than 70% of the shoots. The percentage of freeze-damaged shoots and the severity of freeze damage to green tissues did not differ between training systems, but 4AK vines had higher yield at harvest (5.16 kg/vine or 3.12 tons/acre) than HWC vines (3.45 kg/vine or 2.10 tons/acre) because of the greater number of buds retained at winter pruning. There was no freeze damage close to budburst in 2018, and the yield of 4AK vines was still higher (11.74 kg/vine or 7.08 tons/acre) than that of HWC vines (8.20 kg/vine or 4.98 tons/acre). In 2018, the Ravaz index (yield-to-pruning weight) values were lower for HWC vines (3.41) than for 4AK vines (5.39), but the training system did not consistently affect fruit composition in either vintage. Within the 4AK system, shoots that emerged from the lower cane had more freeze damage than those of the upper cane and produced lower crop yield and fruit with lower soluble sugars in both vintages. Our results suggest that ‘Marquette’ vines can be grown on a training system with high cropping potential, such as a divided canopy system or a single canopy, with a higher number of buds and shoots than that of our study. Among divided canopy systems, 4AK might not be the best option for vigorous ‘Marquette’ vines because, in addition to greater susceptibility to freeze damage, the lower cane of 4AK was highly shaded by the upper highly vegetative canopy, which might have caused its lower productivity and soluble sugars at harvest compared with those of the upper cane.

Remote estimation of leaf nitrogen content, leaf area, and berry yield in wild blueberries

Nitrogen (N) fertilization is a major management requirement for wild blueberry fields. Its presence and estimation can be difficult given the perennial and heterogeneous nature of the plant, low N requirement, and residual N effects, resulting in the frequent over-application of N, excessive canopy growth, and resulting reduction in berry yields. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate nitrogen content and growth parameters using remote sensing approaches. Three trials were established in three commercial fields in Nova Scotia, Canada. An RCBD with 5 replicates and a plot size of 6 × 8 m with a 2 m buffer was used. Treatments consisted of 0, 20, 40, 60, and 100 kg N ha-1 of fertilizer. Using a DJI Matrice 300 UAV mounted with an RGB and a multispectral camera, aerial measurements were collected at 30 m altitude. Several field measurements including leaf nitrogen content (LNC), leaf area, floral bud numbers, stem height, and yield were conducted. Several vegetation indices (VIs) were computed for each plot, and correlation and regression analyses were conducted. Results indicated that treatments with high nitrogen rates had correspondingly high LAI measurements with the 60 kg ha-1 rate achieving the best growth parameters compared to the other treatments. LNC, LAI, and berry yield estimations using VIs [green leaf index (GLI), green red vegetation index (GRVI), and visible atmospheric red index (VARI)] produced significantly positive R2 values of 0.43, 0.48, and 0.30 respectively. Results from this study illustrated the potential of using VIs to estimate LNC, LAI, and berry yield parameters. It was established that the near-infrared VIs are the most effective in estimating differences in nitrogen rates, making them suitable for use in prescription maps for N fertilization applications.

Scanning Electron Microscopy of the Oropharyngeal Floor of Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus, Linnaeus, 1758) Focusing on the Numerical and Regional Distribution of the Taste Buds

ABSTRACTThe architecture of the avian oropharynx corresponds to the feeding pattern. The present study aims to provide data on morphology, morphometry, and spatial distribution of taste buds in the oropharyngeal floor of the northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) using gross anatomy, morphometric, and scanning electron microscopy. The lower beak tip and tomia revealed the presence of variably‐sized dermal papillae. The prefrenular part of the oral floor had an interrupted median groove. Numerous taste buds and rostral submandibular salivary gland openings were detected alongside this groove. The tongue partially filled the oral floor. Its rostral end formed a median pointed process, the lingual nail. The dorsolateral aspects of the lingual apex and body showed hair‐like and rosette‐shaped filiform papillae of variable densities and sizes. However, these parts were devoid of taste buds. On the other hand, the surface mucosa of the lingual root presented numerous scale‐like cellular elevations and a large number of taste buds. Examination of cross sections in the lingual root suggested the presence of two groups of caudal lingual salivary glands, central and lateral. The laryngeal mound contained taste buds that protruded from the surface epithelium into the lumen. The mucosa of the pharyngeal floor contained many taste buds that appeared similar to those detected on the laryngeal mound, except for the large taste pores, excessive cellular porosity, and denser microvilli. The total proportions of the taste buds in the oral and pharyngeal floors were 34.1% and 65.81%, respectively. The proportions of taste buds were 34.1%, 57.26%, 4.27%, and 4.27% in the sublingual floor, lingual root, laryngeal mound, and pharyngeal wall, respectively. In conclusion, this study provides comprehensive data on the oropharynx of northern bobwhite and will help to understand mechanisms governing food gustation in the studied bird and other related birds.

Alternative substrates for the production of container-grown Mexican marigold

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate substrate mixtures for the production of Mexican marigolds grown in containers in the community of Santa Cruz Itundujia, Oaxaca. Methods: Four soil mixtures were tested: 1) 70% ocote pine needles + 30% soil, 2) 70% leaf mold + 30% soil, 3) 70% river sand + 30% soil, and 4) 70% sawdust + 30% soil. Mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta) var. Inca II Deep Orange plants were established in pots under open field conditions. Height, number of leaves, plant width, branching, leaf area, and number of buds were evaluated in the different phenological stages of the plant; the last measurement was made at the flowering stage. Soil fertility parameters were analyzed, and physical analysis of the substrates was performed. Results: The treatments produced differential results; ocote pine needles + soil and leaf mold + soil were the best for producing container-grown marigolds. The lowest results in yield variables were found with the river sand + soil mixture. Implications: Using local and inexpensive substrates will impact production costs for marigold farmers. Currently, a variety of commercial mixes and substrates of foreign origin are available and used for the production of container-grown plants. Conclusions: The best results were obtained with organic substrates, specifically with ocote pine needles and leaf mold. The mixture with sawdust did not show good results in the tested variables, possibly due to this material’s high carbon/nitrogen ratio. The lowest results were obtained with the sand + soil treatment. Keywords: Asteraceae, yield, sawdust, needle, Tagetes erecta

Effect of Altitude and Dose of Nitrogen Fertilizer on the Growth of Ruskus Plants (Ruscus hypophyllum L.)

Ruscus hypophyllum is an ornamental plant leaves that serve as cut foliage and herbal medicine. It is growth very slow, only two rods per month, so that is necessary to optimization cultivation, one of them with treatment of altitude (environment) and fertilization This research aimed to determine the effect of nitrogen fertilizer dose altitude for growth of ruskus. The study was compiled using a factorial design nested prepared using RAK and repeated 3 times. The first factor is altitude of 500 m asl (T1), 800 m asl (T2) and 1500 m asl (T3). The second factor is nitrogen fertilization: 0 g/plant (N0), 2 g/plant (N1), 4 g/plant (N2) and 6 g/plant (N3). Based of the research, there was a very real interaction between altitude and dose of nitrogen fertilization on some parameters of observations include: shoot length, number of buds, young leaf chlorophyll, number of roots and root length. The best treatment was a combination of T3N1 (altitude 1500 m asl and nitrogen fertilizer 2 g / plant), separately treatment of altitude very significant effect on the parameters of the number of leaves and shoots appear, and the best treatment is T3 (altitude 1500 m asl). There is a very real correlation between treatment of observations include: the number of long shoots with leaves (0.75), long shoots with the number of shoots (0.64), long shoots with a number of roots (0.79), long shoots with long roots (0, 84), number of leaves with the number of shoots (0.76), young leaf chlorophyll with long roots (0.75) and the number of roots with root length (0.65). The results of path analysis, there are two parameters that have a direct influence on the observation that young leaf chlorophyll (0.094) and the old leaf chlorophyll (0.335).

Gas exchange in yellow passion fruit hybrids in the Semiarid region

Agronomic characterization and exploitation of the genetic variability in plants of the Passiflora can reveal important genetic resources because the Passiflora species grown under semiarid conditions make important contributions to breeding. The aim of this work was to evaluate the vegetative and physiological characteristics of fifteen yellow passion fruit hybrids in semiarid conditions. The experiment was conducted at IF Baiano – campus Guanambi, Bahia, Brazil. The 15 treatments were 10 genotypes: H09-10; GP09-02; H09-02; H09-14; H09-07; H09-09; FOP09; GP09-03; H09-30; FOP08 from the Active Germplasm Bank of the Genetic Breeding Program of Embrapa Cassava and Fruits, and five commercial hybrids: FB200; FB300; BRS SC; BRGA; BRS Rubi. The treatments were arranged in a randomized block design, with three replications and five observational units per plot. Vegetative characteristics (main branch length, number of functional leaves, number of nodes, and number of flower buds) were measured at full vegetative development, 90 days after transplanting (DAT). Hybrid H09-10 is the earliest in flowering, physiologically more efficient in the morning, closes stomata in the afternoon, regulates transpiration, and has lower leaf temperature, higher photosynthesis rate, and more efficient water use. Gas exchanges and photosynthesis rates, at 300 DAT, vary between hybrids and reading times: photosynthesis is higher in the morning while transpiration is greater in the afternoon. The reduction in carboxylation efficiency is related to non-stomatal factors. Gas exchange variables of the genotypes tend to be directly correlated with the photosynthetically active radiation incident on the leaf

Evaluating the Efficacy of Macropropagation Techniques for Red Banana (Musa acuminata) Using Biocontrol Agents

The corm propagation is an simple, alternative and cheap technique for Banana multiplication. The study on the effect of biocontrol agents on macropropagation of Banana cv.Red Banana was carried out at SRM College of Agricultural Sciences, Chengalpattu. The decapitated and decorticated corms were exposed to various treatments with combination of sawdust and cocopeat media supplemented with different biofertilizers and biocontrol agents comprising 13 treatments in 3 replication adopting Completely Randomized Design and the data recorded underwent analysis of variance (ANOVA). Among the 13 treatments adopted, Cocopeat + Sawdust (1:1) + VAM (30 g/corm) + Pochonia chlamydosporia (60g/corm) showed significantly best result in terms of number of days taken for primary bud emergence (22.7 days), days taken for secondary bud emergence (46.34 days), days taken for tertiary bud emergence (67.35 days), number of primary buds per corm (1.53), number of secondary buds per corm (3.67), number of tertiary buds per corm (4.33), total number of plantlets per corm (9.54), plant height (73.56 cm) and pseudostem girth (12.34 cm). The next better performance was observed in the treatment Saw dust + VAM (30 g/corm) + Pochonia chlamydosporia (60 g/corm) which recorded early emergence of buds and production of more buds. The cormpropagation approach refined in this work is accessible, necessitating less skill and knowledge, making it appropriate for implementation by farmers at the farm level.

Restoring Degraded Lands in Maroua I Municipality, Cameroon: Application of Veazcomutech Techniques

This study was carried out in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon. It aims to contribute to the restoration of degraded land in the localities of Maroua I; to set up a sustainable soil restoration technique based on Vetiveria zizanioide- Azadirachta indica-eggshell and Musa paradisiaca peel; to evaluate the restoration of this land through the crop set up and to assess the state of the art of the "VEACOMUTECH" technique on an area of 103.5 m2. The method envisaged in this research is based on the new modern technique "VEAZCOMUTECH): Technique of V. zizanioide, A. indica, Musa paradisiaca and eggshell" with a view to restoring the fertility of the land and diversifying the population's sources of income by using this technique. The study was carried out in the Maroua I municipality on experimental plots at the Technical School of Agriculture. A control plot and a main plot treated with VEAZCOMUTECH were selected. The most vigorous species were chosen to measure growth and yield parameters over a three-week period. The results of this study show that the application of "VEAZCOMUTECH" on the site increases plant growth. In the first week, leaf length ranged from six (06) to fifteen (15) centimetres on average in the control plot. In the main plot where "VEAZCOMUTECH" was applied, leaf length ranged from ten (10) to thirty-two (32) centimetres during the same week. By the third week, leaf length had increased from 15 to 20 centimetres, while in the main plot, leaf length had increased from 32 to 80 centimetres. There was also a clear difference in the number of leaves at week three, with 20 and 87 leaves for the control and main plots respectively. The largest number of flower buds (23 flower buds) was observed on the plant in the main plot, compared with 2 flower buds in the control plot. These results could serve as a reference for the strategy of restoration and fertilization of degraded land in the Far North Region in particular and in the Sudano-Sahelian zone in general.

Effects of green seaweed (<i>Ulva onhoi</i>) on the reproductive development of tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum)</i> plants

Algae-derived products have great potential as crop biostimulants due to their multiple beneficial effects at different stages of plant development. Green seaweeds of the genus <i>Ulva</i> are well suited for this purpose because they are widely distributed and grow rapidly in a wide range of conditions. In this study, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dry seaweed powder (DSP) and liquid seaweed extract (LSE) of <i>Ulva ohnoi</i> on the reproductive development of tomato plants. The experiment included three treatments: 1) plants treated with 5 g of DSP, 2) plants treated with 250 mL of LSE, and (3) control plants (without algae). The reproductive parameters, chlorophyll content, and mineral composition were measured during the flowering and early fruiting periods. The application of DSP was the most effective treatment in promoting early flowering and significantly increased the number of buds (103%), flower clusters (55%), flowers (61%), and fruits (45%) per plant. Furthermore, the DSP-treated plants exhibited an enhancement in the levels of chlorophyll and nutrients in the plants and fruits. The results of the current work show that the application of <i>U. ohnoi</i> in its natural form (dry powder) stimulates the reproductive development of crop tomato. This represents a sustainable and natural alternative to synthetic inputs that growers can incorporate into horticultural production to improve yield attributes.

Daily Light Integral and Far-Red Radiation Influence Morphology and Quality of Liners and Subsequent Flowering and Development of Petunia in Controlled Greenhouses

Petunia stands as the top-selling bedding plant in the U.S., and improved lighting control in greenhouses holds the potential to reduce crop production time and optimize crop quality. This study investigated the impact of four distinct daily light integral (DLI) conditions with and without supplemental far-red (FR) radiation on the growth of petunia liners and subsequent development of finish plants. Two experiments were conducted in spring (9 April to 18 June 2021) and winter (28 October 2021 to 6 January 2022). Petunia cuttings were rooted in a common environment and then transferred to four greenhouse sections with different DLI treatments: 6, 9, 12, and 15 mol·m−2·d−1 for four weeks. Within each DLI condition, half of the plants were exposed to 28 μmol·m−2·s−1 supplemental FR radiation for 16 h daily (equivalent to 1.61 mol·m−2·d−1 light integral). The number of flower buds and open flowers were tracked daily. Representative liners were destructively harvested and evaluated after four weeks of lighting treatments. The remaining plants were transplanted and moved to a common DLI condition of 15 mol·m−2·d−1 for an additional three weeks before being destructively harvested and evaluated as finish plants. The primary finding reveals the promoting effect of DLI on flowering, branching, morphology, and biomass accumulation of petunia liners, with many effects persisting into the finish stage. A threshold DLI of 9 mol·m−2·d−1 was identified, as lower DLI (6 mol·m−2·d−1) resulted in extensive stem elongation, rendering the plants unmarketable. Higher DLI levels were found to be optimal in terms of flowering and morphology. Supplemental FR accelerated flowering by up to three days in the summer experiment and up to 12 days in the winter experiment. However, FR had limited impact on the number of flower buds and open flowers, branching, and shoot and root weight of the finish plants. Interactions between DLI and FR were observed on some parameters, whereby FR effects were more pronounced under lower DLI. Overall, both higher DLI and supplemental FR exhibited beneficial effects, but DLI had a more pronounced effect. Thus, DLI during petunia liner production appears more important than adding FR. This study well simulated the commercial propagation and production of petunia plants, providing practical insights for decision-making regarding lighting strategies.

Performance of Black gram (Vigna mungo L. Hepper) under Different Levels of Phosphorus at Bardiya, Nepal

A field experiment was conducted during the spring season of 2023 in Badhaiyatal Rural Municipality-7, Bardiya district to evaluate the performance of black gram at various levels of phosphorus. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) consisting of four treatments and five replications were used for the study. The treatments consisted of different levels of phosphorous viz. 0 Kg ha-1 (control), 20 Kg ha-1, 40 Kg ha-1 and 60 Kg ha-1. Black gram var. BLG 0093-1 was sown at spacing of 40 cm x 5 cm in the plots sized 8 m2. All the growth parameters and yield obtained from each treatment were compared at 5% level of significance. The results showed significantly greater number of branches (13.84), flower buds (11.33), root length (16.27 cm) and secondary roots (16.05) at 60 Kg phosphorus per ha followed by 40 Kg ha-1. However, plant height, pods per plant, seeds per pod, weight of pods per plant, biomass and grain yield showed non-significant results at similar levels of phosphorus (60 Kg ha-1). Though non-significant, higher number of fruiting branch, number of nodules, effective nodules, 1000 grain weight and harvest index were observed at 40 Kg ha-1 phosphorus. The findings suggested a gradual increase in the yield with increasing levels of phosphorus with the highest gross return from 60 Kg ha-1 phosphorus. However, since the variation in grain yield among the treatments was not significant, the cost involved with the 60 Kg ha-1 was greater as compared to 40 Kg ha-1 phosphorus, greater benefit was observed with the latter. So, on grounds of greater net return and better BC ratio, 40 Kg ha-1 phosphorus seems to be more profitable for the farmers.

Effect of Organic Substrates on Macro-propagation of Banana under Island Conditions

Banana is an important tropical fruit crop grown globally and is the world’s most important agricultural food commodity. Plantation crops take a major share of cultivated area in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Banana is one of the important fruit crops that is highly suitable to grow as intercrop in plantation based cropping system. Local varieties of banana like Korangi, Mitta Champa, Khatta Champa and Cheenakela are cultivated by the farmers traditionally to meet the local demand. However, in recent past growing commercial varieties of banana has become popular in the Island due to consumer demand. Traditionally banana is propagated by suckers and wide variability was observed in sucker production among the commercial varieties. Due to this large scale multiplication of banana through suckers could not meet the planting material demand in the Island. Hence, a study was undertaken during 2020-2022 to standardize the macro-propagation technology using different organic substrates in the commercial variety ‘Poovan’. Nine different organic substrate combinations were used in the present study to enhance the efficacy of lateral bud development and plantlet production. Suckers weighing 1.0 to 1.5 kg were used as the propagule. Among all the organic media combinations tested, significant differences were observed in terms of plantlet production, root and shoot growth. The treatment T8 (Coircompost: sawdust: FYM: vermicompost (1:1:1:1) with Arka microbial consortia @10 kg) produced maximum number of primary (5.60) and secondary buds (12.07) during primary and secondary capitation of decorticated mother rhizome. Early bud emergence (11.5 days), maximum number of plantlets (12-13 per mother rhizome), maximum shoot length (46.43 cm), maximum shoot girth (3.03 cm) and maximum number of leaves (4.50) were also observed in the treatment T 8. Minimum number of days was taken (52.70 days) for plantlet separation during secondary capitation in the same treatment T 8 suggesting that the treatment combination (Coircompost: sawdust: FYM: vermicompost (1:1:1:1) with Arka microbial consortia @10 kg) was effective for macro-propagation of banana Cv. Poovan under Island ecosystem.

Effects of reflective material deployed at bloom for 1, 2 or 5 months on ‘WA 38’ apple fruit set, quality and yield

The self-thinning nature of the apple variety ‘WA 38’ was previously characterized in Washington State; the self-regulating abscission of early-stage fruitlets lasts up to 8 weeks after full bloom and can result in the natural drop of 80 to 90% of the original flowers. Several approaches can be pursued to increase the fruit set, but in the present study, the focus was centered on A) alleviating the competition between young fruitlets during the early weeks of fruit development to reduce the loss by natural abscission and B) increasing the number of flower buds the following year. The study was set up in a 2018 planting of ‘WA 38’/G.935 orchard without hail-nets trained to V-trellis-system (4,975 trees/ha) in Central Washington (USA). The treatment consisted of the deployment, at early king bloom, of 80% reflective white material (RM, Extenday®) in the orchard inter-rows. The hypothesis relied upon the fact that enhanced light (mainly diffuse) could increase leaf C assimilation to support and nourish a higher proportion of fruitlets and decrease the natural abscission. The RM treatments had three different durations: reflective cover removed one month after installation (“RM for 1 M”), two months after (“RM for 2 M”) and until harvest (“RM until harvest”). They were compared against untreated control (“No RM (CTRL)”) in a 2-year trial. RM treatments did not result in a significant positive impact on fruit retention, net photosynthetic rate, yield, or return bloom. Trees subjected to whole-season RM had altered canopy and soil microclimates with drier and warmer canopies and cooler soil with higher moisture compared to untreated control. In the second season, a greater proportion of large apples (264-339 g or 72-64 apples/40-lb-box) was graded in RM until harvest treatment, indicating a positive influence of the enhanced light treatment in C allocation to fruit.

Seasonal Climatic Variation and Flowering Intensity of Garcinia kola (Heckel) in a Humid Forest Plantation

Aim of study: The study designed to assess seasonal climatic variation and flowering intensity in G. kola in a humid forest plantation. Area of study: The study was conducted in the mono-plantation of Garcinia kola in the Swamp Forest Research station of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Onne, Rivers state, Nigeria. The plantation consists of 103 trees at 5×5m spacing. Material and methods: Climatic data were sourced from meteoblue.com. Flowering intensity was determined by the estimation of the total flower production per tree: total number of flower buds per inflorescence was determined by visual counting and then extrapolated for the total number of inflorescences per twig, total number of twigs per branch and total number of branches per tree to determine the average flowering intensity per tree. A total of 9 trees and twenty-five inflorescences per tree, were sampled. Data was analysed using covariance and analysis of variance. Main results: Rainfall, wind speed, and flowering intensity varied significantly (p ≤ 0.05) between seasons; seasonal rainfall variation influence on flowering intensity varied with tree gender. Research highlights: Rainfall is the flowering cue of the plantation; we recommend that farmers target low to moderate rainfall seasons for high fruit and seed yields.

Nutrition for commercial flower production of Longiflorum asiatica (LA) hybrid under northern plains

The study was conducted during the winter seasons, comprising the various combinations of inorganic fertilizers (N, P2O5, and K2O) and organic manure (FYM). Treatment T24 [(25 t FYM+160 kg N+120 kg P2O5+100 kg K2O)/ha] emerged as the statistically significant treatment, outperforming others in respect of tallest plant (122.43 cm), leaf count per plant (79.33), leaf length (7.90 cm), and early flower bud initiation (28.01 days), bud initiation to colour shown (47.11 days), and colour shown to flower opening (6.10 days). This treatment also tended to show the longest flower retention on plant (15.30 days), number of flower buds per plant (4.20), bud length (8.96 cm), stalk length (110.10 cm), stalk diameter (0.96 cm), flower diameter (22.98 cm), total chlorophyll content (6.50 mg/g), leaf nitrogen (4.70%), potassium (4.10%), and net assimilation ratio (NAR) (0.0065 mg/cm2/ day). Treatment T23 [(25 t FYM+120 kg N+90 kg P2O5+75 kg K2O)/ha] proved next best treatment. The lowest value was recorded in T25 (Control). Overall, treatment T24 proved to be the most effective treatment statistically for the commercial flower production of LA hybrid lilium for northern Indian plains.

Gene pyramiding improved cell membrane stability under heat stress in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Climate change has been drastically affecting cotton not only in Pakistan but also all over the world. Normally cotton is known as heat tolerant when compared with other crops, but if the high temperature occurs during flowering period the yield decreases significantly. Marker assisted gene pyramiding provides a sustainable solution to improve heat tolerance. A total of seven genotypes were developed by a series of crossing seven tolerant genotypes over the period of three years. Tolerant genotypes were selected by screening for important transcription factors (GHSP26, HSP3, HSFA2, DREB1A, HSP101, DREB2A, GhNAC2, HSPCB, GhWRKY41, TPS, GbMYB5, ANNAT8, GhMPK17, GhMKK1, GhMKK3, GhMPK2, HSC70, APX1 and GhPP2A1). The seven genotypes were evaluated under normal and heat stress in a multi-year trial. The traits related to heat tolerance, such as cell membrane stability, relative water content, excised leaf water loss, plant height, number of nodes, internodal length, number of buds, number of bolls and leaf area was observed under normal and heat stress conditions. The developed genotypes showed improvement in cell membrane stability and relative water content under heat stress. The genotypes [(VH-305×MNH-886)×MNH-1035)×NIAB-78)], [(MNH-1035×MNH-886)×MNH-886)×SM-431] and [(MNH-1035×MNH-886)×MNH-886)×SS-32] depicted heat tolerance and could be used as heat tolerant material for variety development in breeding programs.

Comparative analysis of manures and fertilizer on okra growth, yield and its economics in Baitadi, Nepal

Embracing organic techniques can minimize environmental impacts and promote practices that enhance soil and ecological health. A field experiment to study, “Comparative Analysis of Manures and Fertilizer on Okra Growth, Yield and its Economics in Baitadi, Nepal” was conducted at Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College in 2023. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 3 replications and 7 treatments. The variety used in this experiment was ‘Arka Anamika’. The treatments used in the experiment were FYM, Goat manure, Poultry manure, Vermicompost, Sesame cake, RDF, and Control (no fertilizer). The fertilizer provided the necessary nitrogen, while the insufficient phosphorus and potassium were supplemented with single super phosphate and muriate of potash, respectively. Results revealed that the application of different fertilizers significantly affected various vegetative and reproductive parameters such as germination days, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, number of branches, number of buds, number of open flowers, number of pods, pod’s length, girth of pods, weight of pods and yield. The results obtained were minimum germination days(4.64) for RDF. Maximum plant height(208.43cm), maximum stem diameter(9.4cm), and number of branches(24.27) were obtained by application of poultry manure at 60 DAS. A maximum number of buds, open flowers, and pods were recorded in poultry manure and RDF application at 75 DAS. The maximum length of the pod(12.52cm) in vermicompost and the maximum girth of the pod(1.59cm) in poultry manure were obtained while the maximum wt. of the pod(14.1gm) in sesame cake. The application of poultry manure obtained a maximum yield per hectare(15.51t/ha). Also in the B: C ratio, Poultry manure exhibited higher(2.65) as compared to other treatments. From this study, we can conclude that poultry manure could contribute to the higher yield and overall attributes of okra.

Impact of plant nutrients and organic substances on growth, yield, and quality attributes of Anna apple cultivar under semi-arid conditions

The unique challenges posed by semi-arid climates, including soil nutrient limitations and organic matter decline, underscore the importance of effective nutrient and organic substance management to ensure optimal yields, quality, and environmental sustainability. A field experiment was conducted at Horticulture Farm of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during two succeeding years, 2020–21 and 2021–22, to identify optimal nutrient management strategies of different plant nutrients and organic substances on growth, flowering, quality, and yield attributes of the “Anna” apple cultivar. The experiment consisted of nineteen treatments in an RBD system. The plant growth parameters [leaf area (33.64 cm2) and trunk girth (13.16 cm)] when applied 2.0% Urea (N) + 15% Cow urine-T12. Whereas, the number of flower buds (232.83/m2) and flowering duration (39.00 days) were found better with T6. Similarly, [fruit volume (158.95 cm3), number of fruit (63.33/tree) and fruit drop (70.54%)] and [TSS: acid ratio (22.60), reducing sugars (7.17%), non-reducing sugars (2.83%), total protein (0.97 g 100 g−1), starch index (3.59)] were superior with the application of treatment T6. Higher content of boron (80.09 ppm) was estimated in treatment T6, zinc (24.69 ppm) in T9, iron (134.67 ppm) in T1, and manganese (59.94 ppm) in T12 during the experimentation. Therefore, it was concluded that treatment T12 was most effective for enhancing plant growth while treatment T6 was found superior for flowering, high yield, and quality of apple cv. Anna fruit under semi-arid conditions.

Effects of different rootstocks on the growth and yield characteristics of Papazkarası (Vitis vinifera L.)

Rootstocks, which are becoming increasingly important in viticulture, influence the growth, yield, and grape quality of the grafted variety. Therefore, understanding the resistance characteristics of rootstocks to phylloxera, nematodes, environmental conditions, and abiotic and biotic stresses is crucial. Selecting a rootstock that is appropriate for the region where the vineyard will be established optimizes grape quality. The aim of this research is to determine the performance of the cv. Papazkarası on different rootstocks. For this purpose, an experiment was established at Irem Çamlica Viticulture and Winery Co. vineyard in Kırklareli province. Ten-year-old Papazkarası vines grafted onto 1103P, 110R, and 420A rootstocks were used as plant material. To determine the growth of the vines, parameters such as shoot elongation rate (cm/week), shoot length changings (cm), pruning wood weight (PW) (kg/vine), vigor (g), puissance, number of buds per square meter (number), balanced pruning buds number (number/vine), vegetative growth (VG), Ravaz Index (RI), Partridge Index (PI), and yield (kg/vine) were examined. Additionally, to determine cluster characteristics, cluster width and length (cm), weight (g), and the volume of gappy and spaceless clusters (cm³) were measured. The results of the research indicated that the 1103P rootstock had the lowest yield, puissance, RI, PI, and VG values; moderate values for PW, vigor, number of shoots, number of berries per cluster, and cluster length; and the highest values for cluster weight, the volume of gappy and spaceless clusters. The 110R rootstock was found to be more balanced compared to other rootstocks, with the highest values for vigor, RI, and PI; average values for yield, puissance, and VG; and the lowest values for PW, number of shoots, number of berries per cluster, cluster length, weight, and the volume of gappy and spaceless clusters. The 420A rootstock had the highest values for yield, PW, VG, number of shoots, number of berries per cluster, and cluster width and length; average values for RI, PI, cluster weight, and the volume of gappy and spaceless clusters; and the lowest value for one-year-old cane weight. In conclusion, based on the characteristics outlined, a selection can be made from these rootstocks according to cultivation purposes, but other rootstocks should also be investigated.

Biosolid as an alternative source of nutrients in chrysanthemum cultivation

The objective was to evaluate the biosolids as an alternative source of nutrients in the production of chrysanthemums by adding increasing doses to the cultivation substrate. The experimental design was in blocks with 6 treatments and 5 replications. The treatments consisted of the mixture (commercial substrate + biosolid) at the concentrations: 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% of biosolid + two controls (100% of biosolid and 100% of substrate). The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse for 90 days. Physiological parameters, number of flower buds, dry biomass and nutrient accumulation were evaluated. Physiological parameters were evaluated using the Infrared Gas Analyzer. The number of flower buds was evaluated by counting. Biomass was determined after drying the structures and then calculated the accumulation of nutrients. A total of 90 plants were evaluated. Concentrations of up to 40% of biosolid promoted a greater number of flower buds, dry biomass and nutrient accumulation. Concentrations above 60% lower number of buds, biomass increment and nutrient accumulation. It is concluded that the biosolid has potential as an alternative source of nutrients in the cultivation of chrysanthemums, indicating concentrations of up to 40% and the nutrient content of each batch generated must be verified.