Plant Chlorophyll Content Research Articles

Effects of bleeding of Actinidia arguta (Sieb. & Zucc) Planch. ex miq. on its plant growth, physiological characteristics and fruit quality

Bleeding is as particularly a serious phenomenon in Actinidia arguta and has important effects on this plant’s growth and development. Here we used A. arguta to study the effects of bleeding on the growth and development of leaves and fruits after a bleeding episode. We detect and analyze physiological indices of leaves and fruit after bleeding. The result revealed that the relative electrical conductivity and malondialdehyde (MDA) of leaves increased in treatment. Nitro blue tetrazolium chloride (NBT) and 3,3-diaminobenzidine (DAB) staining revealed the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in leaves after bleeding. The chlorophyll content and photosynthetic parameter of plants were also decreased. In fruits, pulp and seed water content decreased after the damage, as did fruit vitamin C (Vc), soluble sugar content, and soluble solids content (SSC); the titratable acid content did not change significantly. We therefore conclude that bleeding affects the physiological indices of A. arguta. Our study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the physiological changes of A. arguta after bleeding episodes and laying a timely foundation for advancing research on A. arguta bleeding and long-term field studies should be executed in order to gain insights into underlying mechanisms.

Plant growth regulators affecting canola (Brasica Napus L.) biochemistry including oil yield under drought stress.

The objective was to test the effects of PGR on canola (Brassica napus L.) biochemistry including oil yield under drought stress. A two-year (Y1 and Y2) split plot field experiment on the basis of a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted. The main factor was, drought stress levels, including irrigation after areduction of 40 (D1), 60 (D2) and 80% (D3) of field capacity (FC) moisture, and the sub-factor was PGR including control (S1), soil application of humic acid (S2), foliar applications of amino acid (S3), fulvic acid (S4) or seaweed extract (S5), and the combination of all PGR (S6). Although drought stress significantly decreased plant chlorophyll contents (a, b and total), oil percentage and oil yield, PGR significantly increased them. The D3 treatment, compared with control, decreased crop oil yield by 48.67 and 35.29% in the first and second year, respectively. However, treatment Y2D3S6 significantly increased oil percentage (43.10%) compared with control (40.97%). The PGR increased seed oil yield, in D3, by a maximum of 254kg ha-1. The PGR numerically (p ≤ 0.0886) increased proline to 6.14 mg g-1 LFW (Y1D3S6) compared with control (4.79 mg g-1 LFW). The PGR also significantly increased sugar content to 17.05 mg g-1 LFW, significantly different from thecontrol (12.95 mg g-1 LFW). In conclusion, the tested PGR can improve the biochemical properties (quality) including oil yield of canola in drought stress conditions, which is of economic and health significance.

Estimation of Chlorophyll Using SPAD meter

A chlorophyll meter measures the greenness of leaves and can indicate the chlorophyll content and N status. Therefore, by using a chlorophyll meter, proxy information related to the leaf N content could be obtained and this would avoid the need of laborious laboratory analysis. Keeping in this view a field experiment was conducted during winter (Rabi) 2019 growing season at the experimental field of JNKVV, Jabalpur to estimate crop nitrogen (N) and chlorophyll content in wheat using SPAD. The treatment comprised of 3 sources of nutrient M1- Inorganic sources (NPK fertilizers), M2- organic sources (FYM, vermicompost, biofertilizers Azotobacter and PSB) and M3- Integrated sources (50% Inorganic + 50% organic) as main treatments and 5 NPK levels S1- control, S2- 100% RDF, S3- 150% RDF, S4- 200% RDF, S5- Based on soil test value for target yield of 6t ha-1 as sub treatments were replicated thrice in a split plot design. The results showed that the correlation (r = 0.94, 0.90, 0.92 and 0.94, respectively) and coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.96, 0.94, 0.83 and 0.94, respectively) was significantly and positively correlated with SPAD and nitrogen concentration in leaf. Similarly significant and positive correlation (r = 0.84, 0.76, 0.78 and 0.71, respectively) found with SPAD and total chlorophyll values. Coefficient of determination (R2) SPAD with chlorophyll and leaf N concentration proved to be significant (R2 = 0.75, 0.76, 0.54 and 0.85, respectively) at different growth stages. It was concluded that SPAD meter are useful for the determination of proxy chlorophyll and total nitrogen content of wheat plant.

Effect of light intensity on growth and chlorophyll content of Horenso (Spinacia oleracea) plants

Horenso plant or Japanese spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a vegetable plant that is often used for consumption because it contains precursor, vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to health. Plant productivity can be increased by environmental engineering through the use of shade because sunlight influences directly through photosynthesis and indirectly in plant growth and development due to direct metabolic responses. This study aims to determine the effect of light intensity on plant growth and plant chlorophyll content and to see the correlation between chlorophyll content and plant growth of Spinacia oleracea. The research was conducted by experimental method with 3 differences in light intensity namely A = 6000 lux, B = 3000 lux, and C = 2000 lux and 3 differences in shade namely A = clear plastic shade, B = opaque plastic shade and C = white plastic shade. Chlorophyll measurement is used by using the spectrophotometer method. Horenso plant growth is measured by the increase in plant height and the width of the leaf diameter. Data analysis used the ANOVA test to identify significant differences in each treatment.The experimental results showed the value of P = 0.728 while the value of α= 0.05, that there is no effect of light intensity on the growth of Horenso plants and The results of the correlation test showed that the value of P>α. The value of P = 0.704 while the value of α = 0.05, there is no significant relationship between the growth of horenso plants and plant chlorophyll content.

Modeling of The Nitrogen Requirement of Winter Wheat for Protein Content Using Optical Sensor in Central Anatolia Region of Türkiye

Chlorophyll meters manage both the amount and duration of nitrogen fertilizer application based on the principle that the chlorophyll or nitrogen content of plants should be maintained throughout their development. For smallholders in developing countries, the use of a hand-held meter to manage nitrogen fertilizer in rice and wheat is the most popular method. The adoption of nitrogen management strategies based on close sensing using chlorophyll meters and optical sensors will largely depend on the inclusion of specific economic analysis in future research. The importance of using sensors and chlorophyll meters for nitrogen fertilizer management depends on how successful current practices have been. In this study, five different nitrogen rates (0, 80, 120, 160, 200 kg N ha-1) were applied to two different wheat varieties, and the effect of these different nitrogen rates on wheat protein content was investigated in a randomized block design. A quadratic polynomial model described the relationship between protein content and nitrogen rates.

Growth response of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) exposed to Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas stutzeri, and Pseudomonas gessardii in lead contaminated soil

Lead (Pb) is a major contaminant among heavy metals in the soil environment that has negative impacts on the growth of plants, which ultimately cause health risk via entering into the food chain. In this regard, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) might improve plant growth by counteracting the harmful effects of Pb stress. Therefore, the present pot study was conducted to evaluate the role of PGPR in improving the growth of cowpea in Pb-contaminated soil. Three different concentrations of Pb (250, 350, and 750 mg kg−1) were applied alone (control) and in combination with bacterial inoculums [S1 (Pseudomonas fluorescens), S2 (Pseudomonas stutzeri) and S3 (Pseudomonas gessardii)] using completely randomized design each with three replicates. Results showed that plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, shoot length, root length, and chlorophyll contents of cowpea plants were improved significantly (P ≤ 0.05) by applying bacterial isolates as compared to the un-inoculated contaminated control. Among bacterial isolates, S3 performed better as compared to other bacterial isolates. The maximum increase in plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, shoot length, root length, and chlorophyll content was observed under S3 bacterial strain. Bacterial inoculation also enhanced the Pb concentration in the plant and the maximum uptake was recorded under S3 bacterial strain at 750 mg kg−1. Consequently, it has been concluded that PGPR has the great potential to enhance the plant growth and physiological characteristics of cowpea in Pb-contaminated sites and can also be used for bioremediation purposes.

Effect of chronic and humped input of polystyrene microplastics on rice growth

The impact of microplastics (MPs) pollution on farmland is influenced by the type of rainfall and the hydrography of the site. However, it is not clear how the arrival of MPs to farmland through different input modes will affect plant growth. Here, we simulated the effects of polystyrene (PS) MPs chronic input (50 mg/L), humped input (0, 0, 0, 100, 250, 100, 0, 0, 0 mg/L) and without PS MPs input (control) on rice growth through hydroponic experiment. The results showed that the input mode of MPs had a significant effect on the growth of rice. Compared with the control, the chronic input reduced the fresh weight of rice roots, stems and leaves by 61 %, 60 % and 64 %, respectively. Humped input only had a significant effect on the fresh weight of rice roots and stems, which were reduced by 24 % and 17 %, respectively. Both PS MPs input modes significantly reduced the chlorophyll content of plants. However, the chronic input of PS MPs also stimulated the antioxidant system of rice, improved peroxidase (POD) activity, and changed the nutrient content in plant tissues. Overall, chronic input of PS MPs had a greater impact on rice growth. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the input modes of MPs when assessing their effects on plant growth. This study is the first to investigate the effects of different input modes of MPs on plant growth, providing new insights into the pathways through which MPs affect plants.

A Leaf-Patchable Reflectance Meter for In Situ Continuous Monitoring of Chlorophyll Content.

Plant wearable sensors facilitate the real-time monitoring of plant physiological status. In situ monitoring of the plant chlorophyll content over days can provide valuable information on the photosynthetic capacity, nitrogen content, and general plant health. However, it cannot be achieved by current chlorophyll measuring methods. Here, a miniaturized and plant-wearable chlorophyll meter for rapid, non-destructive, in situ, and long-term chlorophyll monitoring is developed. The reflectance-based chlorophyll sensor with 1.5mm thickness and 0.2g weight (1000 times lighter than the commercial chlorophyll meter), includes a light emitting diode (LED) and two symmetric photodetectors (PDs) on a flexible substrate, and is patched onto the leaf upper epidermis with a conformal light guiding layer. A chlorophyll content index (CCI) calculated based on the sensor shows a better linear relationship with the leaf chlorophyll content (r2 > 0.9) than the traditional chlorophyll meter. This meter can wirelessly communicate with a smartphone to monitor the leaf chlorophyll change under various stresses and indicate the unhealthy status of plants for long-term application of plants under various stresses earlier than chlorophyll meter and naked-eye observation. This wearable chlorophyll sensing patch is promising in smart and precision agriculture.

Evaluation of morpho-physiological and biochemical indicators of salinity stress in Argemone mexicana L., medicinal plant from Papaveraceae

Abstract Plant growth is significantly impacted by abiotic stress factors including soil salinity and plants do have different mechanism to nullify the effect of these stresses. The current study is to understand the various physio-biochemical characteristics of Mexican prickly poppy (Argemone mexicana L.), a medicinally valued species belongs to poppy family under different saline conditions (0 mM, 100 mM, 200 mM and 300 mM) to investigate the mechanisms underlying salinity tolerance. The results showed that salinity caused a negative impact on number of leaves, stomatal index and chlorophyll content in plants. Decreased chlorophyll content suggests a decline in photosynthetic rate. The concentrations of stress specific amino acid proline, soluble sugar sucrose, and secondary metabolite phenol were increased in plants treated with increasing concentrations of NaCl solution. Sucrose helps to protect the isolated chloroplast from damage caused by salinity stress. The degree of bleaching seen in the leaf disc assay was an indication of the damage caused by stress. These findings indicated that higher proline, sugar, and phenol content could be the key factors, which offer advantage to Argemone under saline conditions.

Comparison of physical and quality characteristics of silage maize and silage sorghum under deficit irrigation conditions

Silage sorghum has the feature of being an alternative to silage maize in many ways. Considering this feature, the nutritional contents and physical properties of silage maize and silage sorghum were examined. The aim of this study was to compare the physiological and quality characteristics of silage maize and silage sorghum under different irrigation treatments (M100-S100, M80-S80, M60-S60, M40-S40, and M20-S20). This study examined the physiological characteristics (chlorophyll content, plant height, stem diameter, and number of leaves) and quality characteristics (acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and protein content (HP)) of second-crop silage maize and silage sorghum. Chlorophyll contents were measured before and after irrigation. These measurements showed that irrigation had no effect on the chlorophyll content in both plants in the middle of the growth period, and chlorophyll contents decreased towards the harvest. There was no significant difference between silage maize and silage sorghum plant height values. In the mean values for both years in which the plants were examined, stem diameter values and numbers of leaves were higher in sorghum compared to maize (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between maize and sorghum in terms of their protein contents (8.47% and 8.25%, respectively), acid detergent fiber (ADF), or neutral detergent fiber (NDF) values. In this case, it was seen that sorghum can be an alternative to maize in terms of nutritional quality. The protein contents of both plants decreased from the 100% irrigated treatment to the 20% irrigated treatment (p<0.01). This study will provide valuable information to feed producers and researchers in terms of comparing the physiological and quality characteristics of silage maize and silage sorghum under deficit irrigation conditions.

Visible and near-infrared spectroscopic determination of sugarcane chlorophyll content using a modified wavelength selection method for multivariate calibration

Spectroscopy in the visible and near-infrared region (Vis-NIR) region has proven to be an effective technique for quantifying the chlorophyll contents of plants, which serves as an important indicator of their photosynthetic rate and health status. However, the Vis-NIR spectroscopy analysis confronts a significant challenge concerning the existence of spectral variations and interferences induced by diverse factors. Hence, the selection of characteristic wavelengths plays a crucial role in Vis-NIR spectroscopy analysis. In this study, a novel wavelength selection approach known as the modified regression coefficient (MRC) selection method was introduced to enhance the diagnostic accuracy of chlorophyll content in sugarcane leaves. Experimental data comprising spectral reflectance measurements (220–1400 nm) were collected from sugarcane leaf samples at different growth stages, including seedling, tillering, and jointing, and the corresponding chlorophyll contents were measured. The proposed MRC method was employed to select optimal wavelengths for analysis, and subsequent partial least squares regression (PLSR) and Gaussian process regression (GPR) models were developed to establish the relationship between the selected wavelengths and the measured chlorophyll contents. In comparison to full-spectrum modelling and other commonly employed wavelength selection techniques, the proposed simplified MRC-GPR model, utilizing a subset of 291 selected wavelengths, demonstrated superior performance. The MRC-GPR model achieved higher coefficient of determination of 0.9665 and 0.8659, and lower root mean squared error of 1.7624 and 3.2029, for calibration set and prediction set, respectively. Results showed that the GPR model, a nonlinear regression approach, outperformed the PLSR model.

Enhanced nitrogen removal driven by S/Fe2+ cycle in a novel hybrid constructed wetland

Insufficient carbon sources and oxygen limit the nitrogen removal efficiency of constructed wetlands. In this study, a novel hybrid constructed wetland (SS-HCW) was designed by combining sulfur-siderite filler and drop aeration to enhance nitrogen removal. The results showed that the TN removal rate increased by 37.74%. Further analysis of nitrogen removal pathways found that sulfur autotrophic denitrification was dominant. In addition, SO42− and Fe2+ generated during nitrogen removal can serve as trace elements to increase the growth rate and chlorophyll content of wetland plants by 50.0% and 34.2%, respectively. The microbial analysis results showed that the sulfur-siderite filler changed community structure, with Thiobacillus and Sulfurimonas as the dominant genera, and enriched some bacteria with sulfur and iron oxidation capabilities such as Thiomonas and Ferritrophicum.

Nanoparticles and biochar with adsorbed plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria alleviate Fusarium wilt damage on tomato and watermelon

The addition of biochars and nanoparticles with adsorbed Azotobacter vinelandii and Bacillus megaterium alleviated damage from Fusarium infection in both tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) plants. Tomato and watermelon plants were grown in greenhouse for 28 and 30 days (respectively) and were treated with either nanoparticles (chitosan-coated mesoporous silica or nanoclay) or varying biochars (biochar produced by pyrolysis, gasification and pyrogasification). Treatments with nanoparticles and biochars were applied in two variants – with or without adsorbed plant-growth promoting bacteria (PGPR). Chitosan-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles with adsorbed bacteria increased chlorophyll content in infected tomato and watermelon plants (1.12 times and 1.63 times, respectively) to a greater extent than nanoclay with adsorbed bacteria (1.10 times and 1.38 times, respectively). However, the impact on other endpoints (viability of plant cells, phosphorus and nitrogen content, as well antioxidative status) was species-specific. In all cases, plants treated with adsorbed bacteria responded better than plants without bacteria. For example, the content of antioxidative compounds in diseased watermelon plants increased nearly 46% upon addition of Aries biochar and by approximately 52% upon addition of Aries biochar with adsorbed bacteria. The overall effect on disease suppression was due to combination of the antifungal effects of both nanoparticles (and biochars) and plant-growth promoting bacteria. These findings suggest that nanoparticles or biochars with adsorbed PGPR could be viewed as a novel and sustainable solution for management of Fusarium wilt.

Cold-acclimation effect on cadmium absorption and biosynthesis of polyphenolics, and free proline and photosynthetic pigments in Spirogyra aequinoctialis

Abstract Herein, a link has been established between cold acclimation and Cd uptake in Spirogyra aequinoctialis. The water samples supplemented with cadmium (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/L) were used for plant growth at two different temperatures. Cold-acclimated plants accumulated high concentrations (0.40 ± 0.02 µg/dry biomass) of Cd as compared to non-acclimated plants (0.30 ± 0.08 µg/dry biomass). The negative effects of Cd on the biomass, carotenoids, and chlorophyll contents in non-acclimated plants were more pronounced in non-acclimated plants as compared to the cold-acclimated plants. High concentrations of free proline and total phenolics in cold-acclimated plants were observed as compared to the non-acclimated plants. About 13 different phenolic compounds were identified using high-pressure liquid chromatography. Cold acclimation as well as the presence of Cd in water highly increased the concentrations of polyphenolics, while synergistic increase was recorded with the combination of cold acclimation and Cd treatments. The highest increase in the concentration of polyphenolics was recorded for syringic acid. Significant positive correlations of total phenolics were noted with dry biomass (R 2 = 0.51) and Cd accumulation (R 2 = 0.59) in plant tissues. Free proline concentration also showed positive correlations with dry biomass, Cd accumulation, and chlorophyll contents (R 2 = 0.80).

Supplementation of potassium in aquaculture wastewater and its effect on growth performance of basil (Ocimum basilicum L) and pangasius (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) in NFT-based aquaponics

An experiment was conducted for 120 days to optimize the potassium dose and investigate its effects on the growth performance of basil and pangasius in a nutrient film technique-based aquaponics. Potassium was supplemented as four different dosages assigned as T1 (90 mg/L), T2 (120 mg/L), T3 (150 mg/L), and T4 (180 mg/L) were compared to an unsupplemented control (C). Basil and pangasius were stocked at 24 plants/m² and 3.00 kg/m³, respectively. The highest basil yield occurred during the 3rd harvest in T4 (390.50 ± 4.25 g), followed by T3, T2, T1, and control. No significant difference in plant yield was observed between T4 and T3. Similarly, highest plant height, leaf length, leaf width, SFW, SDW, RFW, and RDW was recorded in T4 and T3 compared to control and other treatments. Potassium supplementation resulted in increased uptake of macro-micro nutrients viz., phosphorous, nitrogen, sulfur, potassium, copper, iron, zinc, and manganese in basil. The physico-chemical parameters and nutrient profile of culture water were found to be within the permissible limits for aquaponics. The body weight of fish didn't show any significant difference in control, T1, T2 and T3 while significantly lower body weight was recorded in T4. Significantly higher serum cortisol and glucose levels were found in T4. Considering the basil yield, nutrient and chlorophyll content of basil plant, water quality, body weight of fish, and fish stress parameters, supplementation of 150 mg/L (T3) of potassium was found to be the optimum dose for basil and pangasius culture in NFT-based aquaponic system.

Biocontrol of Rhizoctonia Solani in Cucumber Plants Using Endobacteria: Effects On Disease Severity and Chlorophyll Content

This study aimed to investigate the potential of endobacteria isolated from different parts of cucumber plants (roots, stems, and leaves) to inhibit the growth of the pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani. Molecular identification confirmed the presence of R. solani in cucumber plants displaying symptoms of wilting and yellowing. Laboratory experiments revealed variations in citrate consumption and gram stain results among different endobacterial isolates. In field experiments, treatments involving Bacillus subtilis with Tricozone and Pseudomonas fluorescens with Tricozone demonstrated significant reductions in disease severity and increased chlorophyll content in cucumber plants compared to the pathogen control. Additionally, Acinetobacter baumannii with Hymazole at the first concentration showed superior effects on leaf area. These findings highlight the potential of endobacteria as biocontrol agents against R. solani, with implications for improving cucumber plant health and productivity.

Initial growth and chlorophyll indices of maize plants originating from seeds of different shapes and sizes

The objective of this work was to evaluate the initial growth and chlorophyll content of maize plants originated from seeds with different sizes and shapes, as well as to establish the relationship between growth traits, chlorophyll index and seed formats. The experimental design was a randomized complete blocks, and the treatments were composed by seeds of four sizes and shapes for each of the two genotype used, and four collection periods (21, 24, 27 and 30 DAE) and four replications. The root and shoot length, stem diameter, leaf area, dry mass of leaf, stem, roots and total, leaf mass ratio, leaf area ratio, specific leaf area and chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll were determined. It was verified that seedlings of genotype "A" originated from large round seeds, presented the highest stem diameter, leaf dry mass, stem dry mass, root dry mass and total dry mass. There is a distinct response in the growth of maize plants as a function of the genotype. Regardless of the genotype, the size and shape of seeds do not influence the indexes of chlorophyll a, b and total. There is a positive and strong correlation between seeds of different sizes and shapes with leaf area, leaf dry mass and specific leaf area.

Pseudomonas stutzeri improves the tolerance of Lemna minor to Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide by regulating the uptake of copper, antioxidant defense mechanisms, and the expression of metacaspase-1, chlorophyllase, and stress-responsive genes

This study investigated the effect of Pseudomonas stutzeri inoculation on Lemna minor treated with Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide (NP). The results showed that P. stutzeri inoculation increased the relative growth rate (RGR) in NP-treated plants. Although chlorophyll and carotenoid contents decreased significantly in NP-treated plants, P. stutzeri inoculation led to an increase in chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in NP-treated plants. Copper (Cu) content increased with increasing NP concentration, but it decreased significantly in the presence of P. stutzeri. NP treatment caused increased H2O2 and TBARS levels, as well as proline levels. However, P. stutzeri inoculation led to decreased H2O2 and TBARS levels and increased SOD, POX, GST, GR, GPX, and DHAR activities. The expression of genes encoding SOD, GST, metacaspase-1, and chlorophyllase was upregulated by NP treatment alone. Additionally, when plants were inoculated with P. stutzeri, the expression of these genes was further enhanced. In conclusion, P. stutzeri inoculation had a positive effect on the growth and antioxidant system of L. minor treated with NP as it enhanced RGR, increased chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, and decreased Cu content and oxidative stress. These findings suggested that P. stutzeri has the potential to promote aquatic plant growth and counteract the negative impacts of NP on these plants.

Effect of Sowing Date and Nitrogen on Quality of Beet Leaf (Beta vulgaris var. bengalensis)

The experiment entitled “Effect of sowing date and nitrogen on quality of beet leaf (Beta vulgaris var. bengalensis)” was conducted during summer, 2020 at Vegetable Research Farm, RHRS, ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, India. The experiment was laid out in Split plot design with five replications. The experiment was arranged with three levels of sowing date (D1:1st Fortnight of January D2:2nd Fortnight of January and D3:1st Fortnight of February) and four doses of nitrogen (N1:0 kg N ha-1, N2:50 kg N ha-1, N3: 75 kg N ha-1 and D4: 100 N kg ha-1). Total chlorophyll content (1.91 mg g-1), moisture content (88.51 %), ash content (7.37 %) and iron content (4.56 ppm) in plant from the 2nd cutting were recorded higher in 1st fortnight of January sowing (D1).
 Among the nitrogen doses, ascorbic acid (71.07 mg 100 g-1), total chlorophyll content (2.18 mg g-1), moisture content (89.22 %) and ash content (8.65 %) were obtained higher with application of nitrogen @ 100 kg ha-1 (N4). The iron, nitrogen and potassium content (4.71 ppm, 1.83% and 2.67 %, respectively) in plant and nitrogen (231.18 kg ha-1) in soil were higher under nitrogen at 100 kg ha-1 (N4).
 Beet leaf sown at 1st fortnight of January with 100 kg N ha-1 (D1N4) had given the best performance in the quality parameter i.e. total chlorophyll content (2.30 mg g-1).

The effect of free proline accumulation on the content of photosynthetic pigments in transgenic wheat plants

Aim. To analyze the effect of L-proline accumulation on chlorophyll content in transgenic wheat plants with a double-stranded RNA suppressor of the proline dehydrogenase gene under physiological and stress conditions. Methods. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in planta; biochemical determination of free proline content; spectrophotometric determination of photosynthetic pigments content; of mathematical statistics. Results. It was shown that the content of free proline in the leaves of transgenic plants under physiological conditions was 1.7-1.9 times higher compared to the original genotype. Under conditions of drought, the content of this aminoacid increased in non-transformed plants of the original genotypes by 2.9-3.1 times, and in transgenic plants – by 4.5-4.9 times. The amount of chlorophyll in the flag leaves of plants of the original genotypes and their transgenic lines under physiological conditions did not differ significantly, while under drought conditions in the first of them it was 1.1-1.2 times less than in the second. Drought reduced the total chlorophyll content in plants of the original genotype to 85-90 %, compared to physiological conditions, while no significant changes were found in transgenic plants. Conclusions. It was established that under conditions of soil drought, the increase in proline content in genetically modified wheat plants compared to non-transgenic ones is accompanied by an increase in the amount of total chlorophyll (by 10-15 %), which indicates a better efficiency of their pigment apparatus under stressful conditions.