Open Field Crops Research Articles

Heteropteran Bugs Assemblage Associated to Organic Tomato Farms: Knowledge for Pest Management.

The suborder Heteroptera (Hemiptera) includes zoophagous and zoophytophagous species which conform diverse natural enemies' systems with potential to control several horticultural pests. In this study, we report the assemblage structure of heteropteran bugs species inhabiting open-field and greenhouse organic tomato crops and one common adjacent non-crop solanaceous plant, Solanum sisymbriifolium, in North Buenos Aires province, Argentina, aimed to select promissory biocontrol species. Biweekly direct inspection of selected plants was carried out during a 3-year period (2017-2019) to collect hemipteran nymphs and adults. As a result, nine species and morphospecies belonging to Berytidae (zoophytophagous), Lygaeidae (phytophagous), and Miridae (phytophagous and zoophytophagous) were found, with ≥ 75% of species belonging to the latter family. The zoophytophagous mirid Tupiocoris cucurbitaceus(Spinola) was the most frequent and dominant species in all sites studied. Among the phytophagous species, Nysius simulans Stålwas mostly present in greenhouse crops. The community found in greenhouse tomato crops was more diverse than that registered in open-field crops. The characterization of the heteropteran complex in organic tomato farms provides basic knowledge necessary to design pest control strategies in the region studied.

Evaluation of PhenoGlad model on phenological development of gladiolus varieties under subtropical conditions of Punjab

Gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus Hort.) is a commercially important open field crop, cultivated for elegant spikes. The development rate is dependent upon temperature so planting date is crucial factor to regulate flower production around the specific days. The present investigation was to validate the application of PhenoGlad model on different varieties grown in Punjab, India so that it could be used as a management tool for meeting market requirements. Five varieties of gladiolus with different developmental cycles were procured from Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, PAU, Ludhiana and planted at monthly interval from September to December at the research farm of Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, PAU, Ludhiana. Punjab Lemon Delight and Punjab Glance took minimum days to reach phenostages whereas Punjab Glad 3 and CPG took maximum days and White Prosperity took intermediate days under all planting dates. Observed days to reach a particular phenostage in our results was close to simulated days under October planting for Punjab Lemon Delight, Punjab Glance and White Prosperity and November planting for Punjab Glad 3 and CPG. Thus, these results validated the use of PhenoGlad model to simulate flowering time of different varieties to regulate the market demand.

Estimation of Water Productivity of Cucumber and Potato Crops for Water Management in Palestine

Aims: The aim of this study was to survey the agronomic practices that practiced by the farmers for potato and cucumber crops, and to estimate the water productivity of these crops.
 Study Design: A questionnaire was designed to collect data about the agronomic practices that practiced by the farmers during the growing period of cucumber cultivated in open field and potato crops.
 Place and Duration of Study: A field survey was carried out at Al-Bqaia’h and Kashda areas located at Tubas governorate of the West Bank, Palestine between December 2021 and July 2022.
 Methodology: The questionnaire includes several parts: soil characteristics, crop cultivation, crop development, crop fertilization, yield production, type of irrigation systems used, irrigation water management, and amount of applied irrigation water. Crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was estimated using AQWACROP program. Soil samples were collected from the selected field to evaluate the soil fertility status.
 Results: It is indicated that the crop evapotranspiration of potato (378 mm), higher than that of cucumber crop (343 mm). Huge amount of water (754 and 689 mm) were applied by the farmer during the growing period of potato and cucumber, respectively compared to calculated actual water requirement. The water productivity of cucumber crop varies among different farmers and varies from (3.56 – 6.82 kg/m3) in Al-Bqaia’h area, and (3.7 – 7.5 kg/m3) in Kashda area. The water productivity of potato crop varies from (4.29 – 8.10 kg/m3) in Al-Bqaia’h area, and (5.1 – 8.1 kg/m3) in Kashda area. It is found that the dripper discharge of 2 L/hr enhanced the water productivity compared to the dripper discharge of 4 and 8 L/hr.
 Conclusion: The field survey found that the water productivity of cucumber and potato crops was mainly affected by the performance of individual farmers, the amount of water applied, method of water application and the crop verity.

Predation Capacity of the Banded Thrips Aeolothrips intermedius for the Biological Control of the Onion Thrips Thrips tabaci.

Simple SummaryAeolothrips intermedius is a native predator of Thrips tabaci, one of the most harmful thrips for many open field crops. Our study evaluated the predatory efficiency of A. intermedius against T. tabaci adults. The results showed that A. intermedius can be considered a promising resource for the biological control of onion thrips.The onion thrips, Thrips tabaci, is a main insect pest for many field crops worldwide, with a particular preference for the species of the genus Allium. Aeolothrips intermedius is a banded thrips, whose larvae are considered the primary native predator of T. tabaci. Due of their predatory behaviour, A. intermedius larvae are considered a good candidate for biological control against thrips pests. However, limited information is available on the specific predation rate of A. intermedius against T. tabaci. The aim of our study was to evaluate the predatory efficiency of A. intermedius larvae against T. tabaci adults. Predation assays, performed under laboratory conditions, indicated that A. intermedius larvae begin to prey after an average of about 23 min, and the time taken by an A. intermedius larva to capture and subdue the prey until its death is about 26 min. Furthermore, the maximum number of prey that the A. intermedius larvae are able to kill in 12 h is up to eight adults of T. tabaci/A. intermedius larva.

Effect of open field crop management on the floral development of gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis)

Objective: To analyze the effect of open field crop management on gardenia flower development Design/Methodology/Approach: A randomized block design was used with a factorial arrangement of two factors conformed by field management (four levels: M1 = old plant in natural shade; M2 and M3 = old plant in full sun and M4 = mature plant in full sun) and the floral stages (eight levels: tender, lemony, striped, white, star, caracolled, open and yellow). Eight morphological descriptors were measured: flower weight, perianth length, perianth diameter, calyx length, calyx diameter, corolla width, number of sepals, and length of sepals. Results: The analysis of variance allowed to identify highly significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) in the variables weight, perianth length, calyx length and diameter, number of sepals, and length of sepals for the management-stage interaction. In handling M1 and M2, the caracolled flower reached a weight greater than 2.94 ± 0.08 g with a perianth diameter of 60.66 ± 1.23 mm. The open flower presented the largest corolla width of 37.39 ± 1.07 mm. The white button cataloged from the commercial point of view in the category of buttons, according to weight, perianth diameter, and width of the corolla, presented flower characteristics, thus classifying the floral development in three stages for buttons and five for flowers. Findings/Conclusions: Crop management with natural shade increases the size of the flowers in terms of weight, perianth diameter, and corolla width. These descriptors can be used as quality criteria when selecting the flower. In addition, the open and caracolled flower can contain the largest reserve of volatile components and, as they are not commercial qualities, it could be used in the extraction of compounds to produce cosmetics.

Understanding traditional agro-ecosystem dynamics in response to systematic transition processes and rainfall variability patterns at watershed-scale in Southern Ethiopia

Multi-temporal analysis of land cover dynamics using remote sensing can enable the determination of the spatial extent and average rate of land cover change. With the application of an appropriate change analysis method, it is also possible to distinguish whether a land cover change has occurred by the effect of a random or a systematic process. In connection with this, characterizing rainfall variability and historical meteorological drought events can allow understanding of their effects on agro-ecosystems and vegetation cover dynamics. Therefore, this study has evaluated multi-temporal land cover change in response to the possible impacts of population pressure and rainfall variability on agro-ecosystem dynamics. This was conducted on a traditional agroforestry-dominated landscape in Southern Ethiopia. Using Landsat images acquired in 1985, 2000, and 2018, a post-classification land cover change analysis approach was employed to distinguish between a systematic and random process of inter-category transitions. Assessment of drought events and rainfall variability dynamics were performed using standardized precipitation index (SPI) and rainfall coefficient of variation (CV), respectively. Mann–Kendall test was also applied for the detection of a monotonic rainfall trend. A bias-corrected Climate Hazards group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) over 1981–2017 was used to calculate the SPI, CV and Mann–Kendall trend test. The analysis showed that above 41% of the landscape has experienced land cover transitions between 1985 and 2018. This has primarily resulted by a systematic and rapid expansion of agriculture, urban areas, and eucalyptus plantations, at the expense of natural vegetation ecosystems. Consequently, over the last 33 years (1985–2018), natural forest, grassland, and wetland have declined by 74.8%, 83.3%, and 78.4%, respectively. Another major land cover change identified in this study was the replacement of open-field crops by agroforestry, mainly in the western part of the catchment. Such expansion of agroforestry has appeared to be spatially correlated with a lower amount of long-term average and more variable rainfall. Perhaps, this could indicate farmers’ response to rainfall variability by diversifying agricultural production options (i.e. agroforestry system), by replacing the more risk-prone mono-cropping culture. The observed persistence and further expansion of traditional agroforestry (a combination of perennial crops and scattered trees) have implications in terms of enhancing biodiversity conservation and environmental protection. Overall, the land cover transitions that occurred over the last three decades suggest future conservation priorities for improved landscape management, with more emphasis on the most exposed natural vegetation ecosystems.

Impact of Elevated CO2 and Temperature on Growth, Development and Nutrient Uptake of Tomato

Elevated carbon dioxide (EC) can increase the growth and development of different C3 fruit crops, which may further increase the nutrient demand by the accumulated biomass. In this context, the current investigation was conceptualized to evaluate the growth performance and nutrient uptake by tomato plants under elevated CO2 (EC700 and EC550 ppm) and temperature (+2 °C) in comparison to ambient conditions. Significant improvement in the growth indicating parameters like leaf area, leaf area index, leaf area duration and crop growth rate were measured at EC700 and EC550 at different stages of crop growth. Further, broader and thicker leaves of plants under EC700 and EC550 have intercepted higher radiation by almost 11% more than open field plants. Conversely, elevated temperature (+2 °C) had negative influence on crop growth and intercepted almost 7% lower radiation over plants under ambient conditions. Interestingly, earliness of phenophases viz., branch initiation (3.0 days), flower initiation (4.14 days), fruit initiation (4.07 days) and fruit maturation (7.60 days) were observed at EC700 + 2 °C, but it was statistically on par with EC700 and EC550 + 2 °C. Irrespective of the plant parts and growth stages, plants under EC700 and EC550 have showed significantly higher nutrient uptake due to higher root biomass. At EC700, the tune of increase in total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake was almost 134%, 126% and 135%, respectively compared to open field crop. This indicates higher nutrient demand by the crop under elevated CO2 levels because of higher dry matter accumulation and radiation interception. Thus, nutrient application is needed to be monitored at different growth stages as per the crop needs.

Impact of Phenophase Wise Climatic Parameters on Growth and Fruit Yield of Autumn Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season 2019to study and identify the impact of weather on growth and fruit yield of tomato under open field Crop was planted on eight different dates viz., 02 Jul, 12 Jul, 22 Jul, 02 Aug, 11 Aug, 23 Aug, 03 Sep and 13 Sep as main plots and two cultivars viz., US 440 and TO-3251 (Saaho) as sub-plots in split plot design and replicated thrice. Result revealed that, significantly more yield attributes and fruit yield of tomato was recorded with maximum temperature range of 30.7 to 32.8oC during vegetative phase, morning Relative humidity (RH) of 88 to 92% during fruit development phase, Vapour Pressure Defficient (VPD) of 0.6 to 0.7 kPa and 0.4 to 0.6kPa during fruit development and harvest phase. Further correlation studies revealed that the most critical weather parameter from fruit initiation to first picking stage was morning RH as this was negatively correlated with drymatter production at fruit development (-0.93**), harvest (-0.95**) and total fruit yield (-0.91**) of tomato, which accounted for 86%, 89% and 83% variation in drymatter production during fruit development, harvest phase and total fruit yield respectively.

Genetic and Usurpation Data Support High Incidence of Bumble Bee Nest Invasion by Socially Parasitic Bumble Bee, Bombus insularis.

Cuckoo bumble bees (Psithyrus) (Lepeletier, 1832) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) are a unique lineage of bees that depend exclusively on a host bumble bee species to provide nesting material, nutritional resources, and labor to rear offspring. In this study, we document usurpation incidence and population genetic data of Bombus insularis (Smith, 1861) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), a bumble bee species in the Psithyrus subgenus, on field-deployed B. huntii colonies in northern Utah, United States. Within 12 d of deploying B. huntii Greene, 1860 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies at two field sites, 13 of the 16 colonies contained at least one established B. insularis female. Although our results demonstrate that field-deployed bumble bee colonies are highly susceptible to B. insularis usurpation, applying a fabricated excluder to prevent the inquiline from invading a colony was 100% effective. Sibship analysis using microsatellite genotype data of 59 B. insularis females estimates that they originated from at least 49 unique colonies. Furthermore, sibship analysis found siblings distributed between the field sites that were 7.04 km apart. Our result suggests that B. insularis females have the capacity to disperse across the landscape in search of host colonies at distances of at least 3.52 km and up to 7.04 km. Our study underscores the detrimental impact B. insularis usurpation has on the host bumble bee colony. As B. insularis significantly impacts the success of bumble bee colonies, we briefly discuss how the utilization of excluders may be useful for commercial bumble bee colonies that are used to pollinate open field crops.

Assessing of reproductive performance of commercial Bombus terrestris dalmatinus colonies in different conditions and some practical ways to mitigation of its invasive risk

To better understand the potential establishment and spread of B. t. dalmatinus, we compared reproductive outputs of 45 commercially produced B. t. dalmatinus colonies, containing one queen and 50 workers in their natural habitat, greenhouse, and laboratory conditions. The total number of adult gynes and gyne pupae produced per colony was significantly higher in the laboratory colonies (100.90 ± 46.20) than in the field colonies (63.70 ± 44.70) and greenhouse colonies (28.47 ± 12.39), respectively. Although laboratory colonies significantly produced more gynes, reproductive abilities of greenhouse and field colonies show that commercial movement of bumblebee colonies for pollination could have serious impacts on natural ecosystems notably for pollination of open field crops. The nest entrance of all colonies was restricted by fitting with a queen excluder. All vents of the greenhouses were suitably covered with nets. Colonies were removed from the greenhouses about 6 weeks after initial placement. Following these measures, we prevented 266 gynes from escaping from 15 hives in 2.3 ha area of tomato greenhouse. To be 100% effective, we strongly recommend that these measures should be implemented together.

Studies on vegetative and reproductive growth of cucumber under insect proof net house

A study was carried out at CPCT, IARI, New Delhi during kharif 2013-14 to evaluate the vegetative growth and insect-pest incidence on cucumber under insect proof net house. Significantly higher vine length (94.94 and 178.67 respectively) and number of leaf nod (17.74 and 26.45 respectively) at 30 and 45 days after transplanting, were recorded in seed parent and pollen parent under insect proof net house in comparison to open field. Time taken to opening of first female and male flower in seed parent and pollen parent (39.0 and 34.90 respectively) was significantly lower under insect proof net house. Production of female and male flowers (36.57 and 25.42) was significantly higher under insect proof net house compared to open field crop. Fruit set and matured fruit (5.71 and 2.52) per plant was significantly higher under insect proof net house than open field (2.84 and 1.65 respectively). Incidence of cucumber mosaic virus was negligible under insect proof net house (0%) as compared to open field conditions (56.86%). Therefore, it can be concluded that for growing virus free seed crop and attaining better fruit growth, flowering, fruit setting and mature fruit per plant, hybrid seed production of cucumber should be undertaken in insect proof net house.

Toxicity of plant extracts for control of Trialeurodes vaporariorum W. (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) in laboratory and greenhouse tomatoes.

The constant search for natural insecticides in the form of extracts from many plants has received attention, and many of these extracts have been evaluated for their effectiveness as insecticides. To determine the toxic effect of six plant species Arundo donax L. (Poaceae), Brassica campestris L. (Brassicaceae), Cynodon dactylon L. (Poaceae), Hura polyandra Baill. (Euphorbiaceae), Phytollacca icosandra L. (Phytolaccaceae) and Sida acuta Burn. (Malvaceae) on Trialeurodes vaporariorum W. (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) (adult whitefly), we evaluated the mortality rate and the lethal concentration (LC50) of the methanolic and aqueous extracts under laboratory and greenhouse conditions in a culture of Lycopersicum esculentum Mill. (Solanaceae). Analysis of Variance ANOVA and a test of comparison of means (Tukey, a = 0.05) showed a tendency of the methanolic extract in the six species towards a higher mortality rate and LC50 compared to that of the aqueous extract, both under greenhouse and laboratory conditions. The methanolic and aqueous extracts of A. donax and P. icosandra showed a higher toxicity under laboratory conditions (39.5 y 40.5%, respectively) than under greenhouse conditions (23.3 and 26.3%, respectively). The Treatments did not interfere with the tomato yield; so we are able to confirm the effectiveness of A. donax and P. icosandra extracts in the control of T. vaporariorum, which represents an ecological alternative for pest control in open field crops.

Soilless Cultivation: Dynamically Changing Chemical Properties and Physical Conditions of Organic Substrates Influence the Plant Phenotype of Lettuce.

In agriculture, the increasing scarcity of arable land and the increase in extreme weather conditions has led to a large proportion of crops, especially vegetables, being cultivated in protected soilless cultivation methods to provide people with sufficient and high-quality food. Rockwool has been used for decades as a soil substitute in soilless cultivation. Since rockwool is not biodegradable, it is disposed in landfills after its use, which nowadays leads to ecological concerns and drives the search for alternative substrates, especially organic materials. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of organic materials (wood chips, sphagnum moss, and hemp fibers) in relation to rockwool substrate on plant growth and quality of lettuce as a result of physical and chemical properties of the mentioned substrates. We were able to show that sphagnum moss is a suitable substitute substrate for lettuce cultivation, contrary to hemp. All investigated substrates presented good physical properties, but differed in their decomposition stability. Within 8 weeks, 30% of the hemp and about 10% of both sphagnum and wood materials were degraded. It was concluded that the increased microbiological activity immobilized nitrogen and led to oxygen deficiency in the rhizosphere and resulted in increased phenolic acid contents in lettuce but poor yield on hemp. Sphagnum caused a pH decrease and accumulation of ammonium in the nutrient solution and allowed the highest yield for lettuce at moderate phenolic acid contents. Low yields were obtained on wood, which could possibly be increased by optimized nutrient solution, so that wood as an alternative to rockwool was not excluded. By applying used organic substrates as soil additives on arable land, the nutrients accumulated in it might fertilize the open field crops, thus saving mineral fertilizers. This, together with the avoidance of waste, would contribute to a greater sustainability.

Načela prihvata rizika i tehničke osnove osiguranja poljoprivrednih kultura

Open-field crops and fruit are permanently and directly connected with a number of natural factors or forces that are difficult or impossible to predict. For these reasons, fruit and crops are often unprotected and exposed to different natural hazards (risks) that occur every year, whereas their intensity may be lower or higher, and at times even disastrous. For insurance companies, crop insurance is one of the riskiest forms of underwriting, whereas for the insured persons it represents one of the most important insurance lines. Certain principles of insurance science and technology are applied to the insurance of crops and fruit. Technical bases of crop insurance are contained in the terms and conditions and premium tariffs for insurance of crops and fruit.

Malta-based agroforestry system: an emerging option for improving productivity, profitability and land use efficiency

The fruit tree-based agroforestry system (FAFS) is an important component of Bangladesh's highland cropping systems that provides multiple benefits, including offering solutions to declining agricultural land and countering the effects of climate change. The present research involved the transformation of an early stage of malta (Citrus sinensis) orchard into AFS, where the performance of winter vegetables (broccoli and pea) and year-round spices (ginger and turmeric) were investigated in a distant-dependent manner, and afterward compared with the corresponding crops grown in open-field condition (control). The results demonstrate that the growth and yield-related attributes of vegetables and spices were less impeded in AFS as contrasted with the performances of corresponding open-field crops. These findings strongly suggest that the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), which is indispensable for crop growth, was less interfered in FAFS by the less dense canopy of young malta trees. Nonetheless, spices and crops that were grown closer to the base of the malta tree and either from ginger or turmeric raised bed, respectively, often produce less yield, which could be attributable to the competition of below-ground resources between trees and crops. Among different combinations of agroforestry systems, the highest benefit–cost ratio (2.92) was noted in the malta-broccoli-turmeric combination, while the highest land equivalent ratio was reported in the malta-broccoli-ginger amalgamation (2.01), which coincided with judicious use of supplied inputs (fertilizers, irrigation) as well as augmented soil fertility. Concisely, the current study concluded that AFS focused on malta, spices and vegetables, could be an excellent alternative to the highland cropping system in Bangladesh to ensure higher economic returns, optimize land use and soil fertility, and promote food and nutrition security.

Spatial Distribution of Frankliniella schultzei (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Open-Field Yellow Melon, With Emphasis on the Role of Surrounding Vegetation as a Source of Initial Infestation.

Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom) is a serious pest of melon crops and is commonly found in the main producing areas of melon in Brazil (North and Northeast regions). This pest causes significant losses, damaging plants through feeding and tospovirus vectoring. Thus, the proper management of F. schultzei is crucial to prevent economic losses, and knowledge of the within-field distribution patterns of F. schultzei can be used to improve this pest management. This study aimed to determine the within-field distribution (through semivariogram modeling and kriging interpolation) and the factors associated with F. schultzei abundance in open-field yellow melon crops. We surveyed four yellow melon fields located in Formoso do Araguaia (Tocantins state, North Brazil) for thrips abundance in various crop stages (vegetative, flowering, and fruiting) in 2015 and 2016. Twelve models were fitted and it was determined that F. schultzei counts were strongly aggregated. The median spatial dependence was 4.79 m (range 3.55 to 8.02 m). The surface maps generated by kriging depicted an edge effect in fields 3 and 4. In addition, correlation analyses indicated that air temperature and presence of surrounding cucurbits are positively associated with F. schultzei abundance in yellow melon fields. Altogether, these insights can be combined for spatially based pest management, especially when the conditions (cucurbits in the surroundings and warmer periods) are favorable to F. schultzei.

Feasibility of water desalination for irrigation: the case of the coastal irrigated area of Dyiar-Al-Hujjej, Tunisia

AbstractIrrigation in Tunisia is threatened all over the country. The irrigated coastal area of Dyiar-Al-Hujjej has observed a drop in agricultural activity following a seawater intrusion. Thus, yields have become disrupted in direct relation to the quantities of fresh water supplied and transferred over a distance of 100 km. For the sustainability of this area, the feasibility of using desalinated water to stabilize the irrigation water supply was analyzed. When all crop water requirements are to be met with desalinated water, the net income is negative for crops currently grown, except strawberry. All the open-field crops remain unprofitable even in the case of agro-industrial development, except tomatoes. A blending between desalinated seawater and aquifer saltwater also leads to a negative income for the main crops. The introduction of greenhouses to replace the same open-season crops is beneficial when desalinated water is used. The use of desalinated water in irrigation faces the high cost of desalination (0.5 US $/m3) while the average price of irrigation water in Tunisia is 0.05 US $/m3. Desalination can be recommended only in the case of crops with low need for water and high added value.

Differential Response to Water Deficit in Chili Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Growing in Two Types of Soil Under Different Irrigation Regimes

Chili pepper (Capsicum spp.) is one of the most economically important horticultural crops in the world; its production for the food and pharmaceutical industries has been increasing worldwide. The economic importance of this crop is due, in part, to the nutraceutical properties derived from its secondary metabolism. Drought is the main environmental factor that affects crop production. Nevertheless, studies involving water deficit have considered short-term responses to sharp water deficit rather than long-term acclimation processes through moderate and gradually increasing water deficits, which omitted the dynamics and profile of the secondary metabolism that are part of the plant’s defence system against this stress factor. The present study aimed to identify the different mechanisms that chili pepper plants use to cope with drought stress using a progressive decrease and increase of water availability, conditions that commonly occur for crops in open fields. Four treatments were applied as follows: gradual water deficit (GWD), initial waterlogging with gradual water deficit (IWGD), sudden water deficit with gradual recovery (SWDR), and no deficit of water (NDW). These conditions should represent a more real situation similar to that faced by plants in the agricultural environment. In order to evaluate the response mechanisms associated with these water deficits, changes in phenological variables, proline accumulation, and the gene expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chalcone synthase (CHS), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in chili pepper plants growing on land under different irrigation regimes in two contrasting soil types in areas where chili pepper plants are cultivated in central Mexico. The variables evaluated showed a differentiated response of the mechanisms in plants growing under different levels of water deficit. Given the differential response observed for the gene expression and morphological and biochemical variables studied in chili pepper plants against different water regimes, in this work, this may have implications for more efficient use of water in crops with high nutraceutical content, in addition to prospects for using products derived from secondary metabolism in the pharmaceutical industry.

Effects of Moderately-Reduced Water Supply and Picking Time on the Chemical Composition of Pickling Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in Open Field Cultivation

As climate change evokes changing precipitation patterns, the cultivation of vegetable crops in open fields might become more difficult in the future. Nowadays, many vegetable growers are already facing relatively long unprecedented precipitation-free periods. In many growing regions, irrigation is only available to a limited extent or not at all, and the cultivated plants will suffer from moderate water stress more often. Therefore, we examined the effects of moderately-reduced water supply on the chemical composition of pickling cucumber, cultivated in an open field and in a separate greenhouse trial. In the field trial, the reduced water supply treatment (RWS) provided 85–90% of the total water amount of the well-watered control treatment (CTR), applying a randomized block design with six replications comprising two consecutive weekly harvest periods. In fruits obtained by cultivation with reduced irrigation, levels of malic acid, calcium, and magnesium significantly increased, while those of phosphate, phosphorous, nitrogen, and iron decreased based on dry matter. Fresh matter-related results additionally revealed a decrease of myo-inositol and zinc, while sugars and total phenols remained unchanged. In the greenhouse experiment, the RWS obtained 60% of the irrigation amount of the CTR. Here, single cucumber compartments (exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp) were examined. Chemical compositions changed in a similar, but more pronounced, manner as compared to the open field trial. The levels of individual, nutritionally relevant carotenoids in the peel of pickling cucumber, like lutein and β-carotene, were affected by RWS. Regarding the nutritional quality of fresh marketable cucumber fruits, malic acid, certain minerals and trace elements, as well as the carotenoids were shown to be sensitive to moderate water reduction.

Performance of rice crop in mango based Agri-horticulture system in Chhattisgarh plain

An agri-horticulture system experiment of mango + rice crop was carried out at Pikridih village, Raipur in Chhattisgarh for two tears of observations (2017-18 & 2018-19). Mango plantation at spacing of 28 x 28 m and were intercropped with rice and wheat in 2017-18 & 2018-19. The growth performance of oryza sativa L. var. Saran at different treatments site located between four clumps along with a separate open field plot were studies for various growth, yield attributes, yields of rice, the plant and soil nutrient status and economics of mango based AHS. Growth parameter and yield of rice crop was found significantly maximum in open field crop than agri-horticulture system. Economics of rice-wheat cropping under mango based agri-horticulture system showed meager gains as compared to mono-cropping but found economically viable and technically feasible by sharing the inputs of irrigation, manure and fertilizer, weeding etc. applied to agriculture crops. The result of this investigation showed that highest rice yield is found under open field as compared to other treatments under mango based agri-horticulture system.