Cultivar Differences Research Articles

Cultivar differences in the hormonal crosstalk regulating apple fruit development and ripening: Relationship with flavour components and postharvest susceptibility to Penicillium expansum

The hormonal interplay during the on-tree development and ripening of three apple cultivars with known differences in their postharvest ripening patterns was studied, at the biochemical and targeted gene expression level, along with characterizing the changes in main sugars, acids, phenylpropanoids and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Our findings suggest that in ‘Royal Gala’ and ‘Opal®’ apples, a peak in indole 3-acetic acid (IAA) seems necessary to activate ethylene metabolism, being its intensity proportional to the ethylene production. The interplay between IAA and ethylene appears to be mediated by MdARF5, responsible for activating the expression of MdACS3 and triggering ethylene metabolism. On the other hand, the lack of ethylene production observed in ‘Granny Smith’ apples was likely related to the absence of an IAA peak and possibly caused by the over activation of IAA conjugation mechanisms leading to a greater accumulation of IAA inactive conjugates such as indole-3-acetyl-aspartate (IAAsp). Abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation was only observed in cultivars with the ability to accumulate sucrose and produce ethylene, suggesting a possible crosstalk among those hormones and sucrose in orchestrating apple on-tree ripening. While differences in hormone levels among cultivars led to noticeable differences in some specific VOCs, no evident associations were found between hormone changes and the accumulation or degradation of monosaccharides, organic acids or phenolic compounds during fruit development and ripening. Likewise, no clear relationship was found between the fruit susceptibility to blue mould and hormonal levels yet certain specific biochemical compounds (i.e., procyanidins and sucrose) could be acting as a source of resistance or susceptibility, respectively, to blue mould development. Overall, understanding the cultivar specific hormonal regulation of apple on-tree ripening provides valuable insights to optimize fruit quality at the time of harvest as well as to develop strategies for improved postharvest management.

The Key Physiological and Biochemical Traits Underlying Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Response to Iron Deficiency, and Related Interrelationships

Iron deficiency is a worldwide nutritional problem affecting crop production. In Tunisia, this mineral disorder hampers the growth and yield of the major crops due to the abundance of calcareous soils that limit iron availability. The common bean is one of these crops suffering from lime-induced iron chlorosis. The exploration of the variability of common bean responses to iron deficiency allows us to screen tolerant cultivars and identify useful traits and indicators for further screening programs. To this end, two common bean cultivars (coco blanc, CB, and coco nain, CN) were cultivated hydroponically in standard nutrient solution (control) or nutrient solution deprived of iron (stressed). Analyses were reported on plant growth, photosynthetic pigments, photosynthesis, iron distribution, H-ATPase, and Fe-chelate reductase (Fe-CR) activities; important indicators were calculated; and convenient correlations were established. Current results demonstrated that iron deficiency stimulated specific symptoms of iron chlorosis on young leaves that were more precocious and severe in CB than CN. Spad index and chlorophyll pigments measurement confirmed these morphological changes and cultivar differences. Net photosynthesis (Pn) showed the same scheme of variation, with a significant decrease in Pn while respecting the previous cultivar’s variability. Plant growth is no exception to this general trend. The biomass decrease was two times higher in CB than CN. Otherwise, this mineral disorder significantly decreased Fe concentration in all plant organs. However, CN accumulated 40% more Fe than CB, resulting from its higher Fe Fe-CR and H-ATPase activities. Our results also demonstrated the close dependence of these metabolic functions on Fe availability in shoots and the strict relationship between Fe-CR and H-ATPase, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll content. Otherwise, CN demonstrated higher efficiency of Fe’s use (FeUE) for the key metabolic functions (photosynthesis, chlorophyll biosynthesis, and plant growth). The relative tolerance of CN as compared to CB was explained by its ability to establish a functional system less vulnerable to iron deficiency that operates effectively under problematic conditions. This system involves metabolic functions in shoots (photosynthesis, chlorophyll biosynthesis, Fe repartition, etc.) and others in roots (H-ATPase, Fe-CR), which are strictly interdependent.

Yield components and yield quality of old and modern wheat cultivars as affected by cultivar release date, N fertilization and environment in Germany

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the main staple crop worldwide. Understanding the genotype × management × environment (G × M × E) interaction is critical for breeding, yield, grain quality estimation and to develop sustainable production systems that meet food and feed demand. Many studies have explored grain yield changes and yield stability over time, as well as G × M × E (i.e., the effect of breeding progress), but limited studies have looked at these effects on yield components and grain quality parameters. A field experiment was conducted to understand the G × M × E interactions for yield components of winter wheat cultivars. The study was carried out for three seasons (2015–2018) using a split plot design with four replications, with nitrogen (N) fertilizer levels (0, 120 and 240 kg N ha-1), in the main plot and cultivars in the subplot. Three old cultivars (released before 1960), Heines II, Heines Rot, Heines VII and three modern cultivars (released after 1960), Jubilar, Sperber and Tommi, were selected. Total aboveground biomass (TAGB), grain yield, harvest index (HI), thousand kernel weight (TKW), grains m-2, grain protein and hectoliter weight (HLW) were collected at harvest. The three-way interaction was significant for most variables except for grain protein, but after applying the AIC method, the three-way interaction was just relevant for HI. The 0 N level always resulted in lowest TAGB, grain yield, grains m-2, grain protein and HLW for all cultivars. All cultivars showed a positive response in grain yield when applying 120 kg ha-1 of N but no significant further yield increase was observed with higher N levels. With regards to HI, cultivar differences were more apparent during the wettest year 2016. The HI tends to decrease with increasing N levels and was the highest in modern cultivars with Tommi and Sperber, though in 2017, also Heines VII showed one of the highest HI across treatments. Grain protein content progressively increased with N level, but newer cultivars like Tommi and Sperber, showed some of the lowest protein contents. Yield component contribution to grain yield has changed over time with grain number, grain size and HI, becoming more important for yield realization. Modern cultivars, especially Tommi, performed better than the rest of the cultivars under sufficient N supply. Optimal N-rates among cultivars differ for grain yield and grain protein, posing a challenge to maintain wheat supply to the increasing wheat demand in the future but also to meeting sustainability targets to reduce and optimize resource use.

Best Procedures for Leaf and Stem Water Potential Measurements in Grapevine: Cultivar and Water Status Matter.

The pressure chamber is the most used tool for plant water status monitoring. However, species/cultivar and seasonal effects on protocols for reliable water potential determination have not been properly tested. In four grapevine cultivars and two times of the season (early season, Es; late season, Ls, under moderate drought), we assessed the maximum sample storage time before leaf water potential (Ψleaf) measurements and the minimum equilibration time for stem water potential (Ψstem) determination, taking 24 h leaf cover as control. In 'Pinot gris', Ψleaf already decreased after 1 h leaf storage in both campaigns, dropping by 0.4/0.5 MPa after 3 h, while in 'Refosk', it decreased by 0.1 MPa after 1 and 2 h in Es and Ls, respectively. In 'Merlot' and 'Merlot Kanthus', even 3 h storage did not affect Ψleaf. In Es, the minimum Ψstem equilibration was 1 h for 'Refošk' and 10 min for 'Pinot gris' and 'Merlot'. In Ls, 'Merlot Kanthus' required more than 2 h equilibration, while 1 h to 10 min was sufficient for the other cultivars. The observed cultivar and seasonal differences indicate that the proposed tests should be routinely performed prior to experiments to define ad hoc procedures for water status determination.

Jujube Fruit Metabolomic Profiles Reveal Cultivar Differences and Function as Cultivar Fingerprints.

Jujube is a nutritious fruit, and is high in vitamin C, fiber, phenolics, flavonoids, nucleotides, and organic acids. It is both an important food and a source of traditional medicine. Metabolomics can reveal metabolic differences between Ziziphus jujuba fruits from different jujube cultivars and growth sites. In the fall of 2022, mature fresh fruit of eleven cultivars from replicated trials at three sites in New Mexico-Leyendecker, Los Lunas, and Alcalde-were sampled from September to October for an untargeted metabolomics study. The 11 cultivars were Alcalde 1, Dongzao, Jinsi (JS), Jinkuiwang (JKW), Jixin, Kongfucui (KFC), Lang, Li, Maya, Shanxi Li, and Zaocuiwang (ZCW). Based on the LC-MS/MS analysis, there were 1315 compounds detected with amino acids and derivatives (20.15%) and flavonoids (15.44%) as dominant categories. The results reveal that the cultivar was the dominant factor in metabolite profiles, while the location was secondary. A pairwise comparison of cultivar metabolomes revealed that two pairs had fewer differential metabolites (i.e., Li/Shanxi Li and JS/JKW) than all the other pairs, highlighting that pairwise metabolic comparison can be applied for cultivar fingerprinting. Differential metabolite analysis also showed that half of drying cultivars have up-regulated lipid metabolites compared to fresh or multi-purpose fruit cultivars and that specialized metabolites vary significantly between cultivars from 35.3% (Dongzao/ZCW) to 56.7% (Jixin/KFC). An exemplary analyte matching sedative cyclopeptide alkaloid sanjoinine A was only detected in the Jinsi and Jinkuiwang cultivars. Overall, our metabolic analysis of the jujube cultivar's mature fruits provides the largest resource of jujube fruit metabolomes to date and will inform cultivar selection for nutritional and medicinal research and for fruit metabolic breeding.

Foliar spray of La2O3 nanoparticles regulates the growth, antioxidant parameters, and nitrogen metabolism of fragrant rice seedlings in wet and dry nurseries.

Nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in agriculture, and lanthanum oxidenanoparticles (La2O3) NPs can regulate plant growth. La2O3 NPs treatment was hypothesized to affect the accumulation and distribution of substances in rice seedlings under wet and dry nursery conditions. The objective of the present study was to ascertain the effects of La2O3 NPs foliar spray on the morphology and physiology of fragrant rice seedlings under wet and dry nursery conditions. Seedlings of two fragrant rice cultivars, namely 'Xiangyaxiangzhan' and 'Yuxiangyouzhan,' were grown under wet and dry nursery conditions with La2O3 NPs treatments at three concentrations (CK, La2O3 NPs 0mg L-1; T1, La2O3 NPs 20mg L-1; and T2, La2O3 NPs 40mg L-1). The results showed that the seedling-raising method was significantly associated with La2O3 NPs application (P < 0.05), affecting the leaf area of both cultivars. Changes in plant morphological parameters, such as dry weight and root-shoot ratio, were the reasons for the differences in cultivars in response to La2O3 NPs application. Changes were also observed in the plant morphological and physiological parameters of leaf area, specific leaf area, chlorophyll contents, antioxidant properties, and activities of nitrogen metabolism enzymes. The relationship between morphological and physiological processes in fragrant rice was investigated to test the hypothesis. In both wet and dry nursery methods, the T2 concentration of La2O3 NPs was beneficial for rice seedlings and significantly increased their leaf area due to changes in morphological and physiological parameters. Therefore, the results of this study provide a theoretical basis for expanding the research on La2O3 NPs application in rice, as well as relevant references for strengthening rice seedlings in the nursery, which has a positive effect on the grain yield improvement in fragrant rice.

Cultivar-dependent differences in tuber growth cause increased soil resistance in potato fields.

Since soil compaction of potato fields delays shoot emergence and decreases total yield, the causes and effects of this compaction need to be better understood. In a controlled environment trial with young (before tuber initiation) plants, roots of cv. Inca Bella (a phureja group cultivar) were more sensitive to increased soil resistance (3.0 MPa) than cv. Maris Piper (a tuberosum group cultivar). Such variation was hypothesized to cause yield differences in two field trials, in which compaction treatments were applied after tuber planting. Trial 1 increased initial soil resistance from 0.15 MPa to 0.3 MPa. By the end of the growing season, soil resistance increased three-fold in the upper 20cm of the soil, but resistance in Maris Piper plots was up to twice that of Inca Bella plots. Maris Piper yield was 60% higher than Inca Bella and independent of soil compaction treatment, whilst compacted soil reduced Inca Bella yield by 30%. Trial 2 increased initial soil resistance from 0.2 MPa to 1.0 MPa. Soil resistance in the compacted treatments increased to similar, cultivar-dependent resistances as trial 1. Maris Piper yield was 12% higher than Inca Bella, but cultivar variation in yield response to compacted soil did not occur. Soil water content, root growth and tuber growth were measured to determine whether these factors could explain cultivar differences in soil resistance. Soil water content was similar between cultivars, thus did not cause soil resistance to vary between cultivars. Root density was insufficient to cause observed increases soil resistance. Finally, differences in soil resistance between cultivars became significant during tuber initiation, and became more pronounced until harvest. Increased tuber biomass volume (yield) of Maris Piper increased estimated mean soil density (and thus soil resistance) more than Inca Bella. This increase seems to depend on initial compaction, as soil resistance did not significantly increase in uncompacted soil. While increased soil resistance caused cultivar-dependent restriction of root density of young plants that was consistent with cultivar variation in yield, tuber growth likely caused cultivar-dependent increases in soil resistance in field trials, which may have further limited Inca Bella yield.

Sandy silt loam soil may hamper the inoculation effect on lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) growth

ABSTRACT Despite newly approved lucerne cultivars, this has not led to increased use of this legume in high-latitude agriculture. Challenges with inoculation by Rhizobium meliloti have been identified as a bottleneck to adaptation. Here we tested inoculation sources (ISs) with soil types and cultivars in pot and field experiments. During a one-year outdoor pot experiment, we tested the impact of IS (wet peat slurry and Nitragin Gold dry inoculation) and three soil types (sand, sandy silt and /peat soil) on nodule development, shoot and root growth and winter survival of one hybrid lucerne cultivar (‘Ludvig’). The pot experiment revealed that dry inoculation led to significant better plant growth, flower and nodule development as well as plant regrowth after winter survival. Peat soil appeared as the best growth medium and silty soil limited inoculation efficiencies. In field trials at two locations differing in soil characteristics using similar ISs, and three hybrid lucerne cultivars (‘Lavo’, ‘Live’ and ‘Lotte’) biomass yield during two ley years showed site as well as cultivar differences. Such environmental interactions in the field trials justify the use of adapted cultivars, and dry inoculation should be recommended for practical use replacing peat slurry inoculation.

Cultivar difference characterization of kiwifruit wines on phenolic profiles, volatiles and antioxidant activity.

Antioxidant activity and volatiles of kiwifruit wine with different flesh colors were investigated in this study. Green (Guichang and Xuxiang), red (Donghong and Hongyang), and yellow (Jinyan) kiwifruits were analyzed to determine their alcohol content, phenolic profiles, antioxidant activity, and aroma composition. The results showed that Hongyang and Donghong wines had higher antioxidant activity and content of antioxidant substances. Hongyang wine possessed the most abundance of polyphenolic compounds, chlorogenic acid and catechins were the main polyphenols of kiwi wines. The 101 aromatic components were detected, Xuxiang wine possessed 64 aromatic compounds, Donghong and Hongyang wines had the higher esters compositions, 79.87%, and 78.0% respectively. From PCA (Principal Component Analysis), the volatile substances of kiwi wine with the same flesh color were similar. Five kinds of kiwi wines shared 32 kinds of volatile compounds, these compounds may be the core volatiles in kiwi wine. Therefore, the color of kiwi flesh can impact wine flavor, with Hongyang and Donghong kiwis owning red flesh being the most suitable for producing kiwi wine which would be a new milestone to the wine manufactures.

118 Nutrient Cycling Potential from Manure from Heifers Fed Four Bermudagrass Cultivars

Abstract Maintenance of pastures for grazing accounts for $132.50/animal in the United States (23% of operating costs), and pasture nutrient input represents the single greatest influence in productivity per unit area. Cultivar differences in the forage offered to cattle have the potential to manifest differences in digestive efficiency, resulting in different nutrient excretion profiles. The objective of this study was to assess the growth potential and incorporation of N, P, and K into forage material from manure from cattle fed one of four bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers.) cultivars. Ruminally fistulated heifers (n = 4) were assigned randomly to one of four bermudagrass cultivars (Coastal, Russell, Tifton 44, or Tifton 85) for four 30-d in vivo periods (21-d adaptation and 9-d collection). On d 23, total fecal collections were subsampled from each heifer. As a hierarchical addition, a controlled greenhouse experiment was conducted for each period [15 pots per period; 5 manure treatments (four bermudagrass diets plus a negative control) × 3 replications]. Manure was added to 4.58 L pots based on stocking rate estimates for Central Alabama (1,110 kg/ha). The pots were seeded with bermudagrass (cv. Giant) as an indicator for forage nutrient uptake. At harvest (d 70), herbage, root, and soil samples were collected. Herbage and root samples were assayed for CP. Soil samples were assayed for pH, N, P, K, Mg, and Ca. Data were analyzed using SAS v. 9.4. There was no effect of manure treatment on herbage (P = 0.88) or root DM yield (P =.00;.54 and.73 g/pot, respectively). Similarly, there was no effect of manure treatment on soil pH (P = 0.18; 5.5), P (P = 0.78; 24.2 kg/ha), or K (P = 0.42;56.7 kg/ha). Results are interpreted to mean that, regardless of the cultivar effects on ruminal digestive dynamics, there is little to no effect of the resulting manure on subsequent forage production and nutrient uptake.

Effects of far-red light and photoperiod during early growth stages on flower bud development of seed-propagated strawberry seedlings

The effects of far-red (FR) light and photoperiod on flower bud development in seed-propagated strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) ‘Elan’ and ‘Yotsuboshi’ cultivars seedlings were investigated to determine lighting conditions that would ensure high-quality strawberry plugs in a controlled environment. The strawberry seedlings were grown for 25 days in a growth chamber under LED illumination with or without FR light. Photoperiod was set at 16 h or 24 h After the light treatment, the seedlings were transplanted into the greenhouse to determine the emergence of their flower buds. In ‘Elan’, FR light and longer photoperiod both promoted flower bud development. However, in ‘Yotsuboshi’, the effect of the light treatment was weaker than in ‘Elan’: only FR light plus a longer photoperiod promoted flower bud development. This difference may be due to cultivar differences in the juvenile period. The percentage of seedlings that had developed flower buds at the end of the light treatment was similar to that of seedlings that emerged flower buds after transplanting in most treatment groups. However, in ‘Yotsuboshi’ seedlings transplanted during the relatively high-temperature season, the percentage of seedlings with an emerged bud after transplanting was much smaller than that of seedlings that developed flower buds by the end of the light treatment. This may be because exposure to high temperatures after transplanting suppressed the development of immature flower buds, which in turn suppressed bud emergence.

Deep sowing of dry direct-seeded rice: cultivar differences in seedling establishment and grain yield

ABSTRACT Dry direct seeding of rice (DDSR) is being increasingly used in water-scarce areas across Asia. When drought occurs, deep sowing may enable germinating seeds to utilize the residual moisture below the surface. Our objective was to examine the effects of different sowing depths on DDSR crop growth. Two yield experiments, one in the Philippines and the other in Japan, were established in rainfed lowlands, but drought did not occur. Across the experiments, sowing at a depth of 6 to 7 cm reduced the percentage of emergence compared with sowing at a depth of 1 to 2 cm (25% vs. 73%), which resulted in lower yield (3.5 vs. 4.4 t ha−1). The relative yield (deep-sowing/shallow-sowing) was positively correlated with the percentage emergence under deep sowing. Cultivars with no significant yield reduction under deep sowing maintained high emergence (>30%) under deep sowing. Seedling’s ability to emerge after deep sowing greatly differed among cultivars: the percentage emergence ranging from 0% to 18% from a depth of 8 to 10 cm, and from 11% to 44% from a depth of 6 to 7 cm. An ancillary field experiment was conducted under drought during the dry season in the Philippines: deep sowing increased the percentage emergence compared with shallow sowing (41% vs. 5%), when the soil surface was severely dry. Our results suggest that choosing cultivars that can tolerate deep sowing is a prerequisite for using deep sowing in DDSR, and that future breeding of DDSR should focus on this tolerance.

The Use of Silver Nitrate as an Elicitor to Increase Bioactive Compounds in Artichoke [Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus (L.) Fiori] Callus Culture

The globe artichoke belongs to the Asteraceae family and has become more and more popular among other vegetables due to its beneficial health-promoting features that are related to bioactive compounds present in leaves. The plant materials have inadequate proportions of valuable bioactive compounds in nature, so researchers are emphasizing on how to enhance their amounts. In vitro techniques with integrated novel practices can be employed to enhance phytochemicals from any plant. The current study aimed to determine and assess valuable bioactive components in 3 artichoke cultivars via callus cultures which were subjected to a treatment of 4 different concentrations (2.5, 5.0, 10.0, and 15.0 mg L-1) of silver nitrate. Results indicated that well-balanced levels of plant growth regulators were necessary for stimulating the callus formation of globe artichoke. The findings of the current study also revealed the importance of cultivar differences regarding callus formation. Experimental results revealed that variation in silver nitrate concentrations had a significant effect on biomass, total phenolic content and total antioxidant activities. The results of the current, study may offer a good strategy by promoting bioactive compounds of globe artichoke leaves for utilizing in large-scale industries, pharmacology, and food supplements.

Effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid on resistance against stripe rust (caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) in wheat cultivars

Aim: The present study was undertaken to screen wheat cultivars for resistance against stripe rust and the improvement of resistance by exogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) under field conditions and studying two contrasting cultivars for antioxidant related defense activities at 1, 2 and 4 d of GABA, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) and GABA+Pst treatments given to one-month-old seedlings. Methodology: Wheat cultivars (PBW723, PBW725, PBW677, PBW550, PBW343, PBW621, HD2967) were grown and exposed to Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) and GABA+Pst in fields and studied for yield parameters. Subsequently, two cultivars found varying in resistance (PBW725 and HD2967) were analyzed for antioxidant enzymes in leaves and roots at 1, 2, and 4 day of GABA, Pst, and GABA+Pst and water as control given to 30 days old seedlings in the greenhouse. Results: Field analysis found that the most resistant cultivar PBW725 reduced vegetative growth but not yield compared to other resistant cultivars (PBW723 and PBW677) under Pst and improved both growth and yield under GABA+Pst. GABA+Pst improved yield parameters in other cultivars also. In defense analysis, superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) increased in the leaves of PBW725 while only APX increased in HD2967 at 1 d of Pst. In roots also, SOD and GST increased 2-fold in PBW725 while only GST increased 1.3-fold in HD2967 at 1 d of Pst. There was persistence of catalase (CAT), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) during Pst in the leaves of PBW 725 while CAT decreased at 4 d in HD2967. In roots also, CAT and MDHAR increased at 4 days of Pstin PBW725 while DHAR decreased in HD2967. Under GABA, cultivar differences were not significant. GABA+Pst improved deficient antioxidant enzymes in HD2967. Interpretation: Energy conservation and timely regulation of antioxidant enzymes during infection was utilized by PBW725 against stripe rust. GABA deficiency can be a reason for poor regulation of antioxidants in HD2967 under Pst. GABA application improved resistance against stripe rust in wheat. Key words: Antioxidant, Ascorbate, Gamma-aminobutyric acid, Glutathione, Stripe rust, Triticum aestivum

Rhizosphere Microbiomes of Amaranthus spp. Grown in Soils with Anthropogenic Polyelemental Anomalies

Study of rhizospheric microbial communities of plants growing under different environmental conditions is important for understanding the habitat-dependent formation of rhizosphere microbiomes. The rhizosphere bacterial communities of four amaranth cultivars were investigated in a laboratory pot experiment. Amaranthus tricolor cv. Valentina, A. cruentus cv. Dyuimovochka, and A. caudatus cvs. Bulava and Zelenaya Sosulka were grown for six months in three soils with different anthropogenic polyelemental anomalies and in a background control soil. After the plant cultivation, the rhizosphere soils were sampled and subjected to metagenomic analysis for the 16S rRNA gene. The results showed that the taxonomic structure of the amaranth rhizosphere microbiomes was represented by the dominant bacterial phyla Actinobacteriota and Proteobacteria. A feature of the taxonomic profile of the rhizobiomes of A. tricolor cv. Valentina and A. cruentus cv. Dyuimovochka was a large abundance of sequences related to Cyanobacteria. The formation of the amaranth rhizosphere microbiomes was largely unaffected by soils, but cultivar differences in the formation of the amaranth rhizosphere microbial structure were revealed. Bacterial taxa were identified that are possibly selected by amaranths and that may be important for plant adaptation to various habitat conditions. The targeted enrichment of the amaranth rhizosphere with members of these taxa could be useful for improving the efficacy of amaranth use for agricultural and remediation purposes.

Genetic Diversity and Pathogenic Variation of the Rice False Smut Pathogen Ustilaginoidea virens from Different Rice Cultivars.

Rice false smut, caused by Ustilaginoidea virens, has become one of the most devastating grain diseases of rice worldwide. Understanding the genetic diversity of U. virens is essential for efficient disease control and breeding for disease resistance. However, little is known about the genetic variation of U. virens from different rice cultivars. We investigated the genetic diversity and pathogenic variation of U. virens isolates from ten rice cultivars in Zhejiang, China. A total of 260 polymorphic loci and 27 haplotypes were identified based on the 2137-bp combined DNA fragments of all individuals; hap_4 was the most common haplotype, represented by 41 isolates. Phylogeny indicated that all isolates were divided into four genetic groups. Group I was the largest, with 98 isolates, distributed mainly in eight cultivar populations, whereas 90% of the isolates collected from a Changxiang cultivar were clustered in Group Ⅳ. Furthermore, the pairwise FST values exhibited significant genetic differentiation in 27 of the pairwise comparisons between populations, accounting for 23.21% of the total genetic variation. The genetic composition of the isolates of the CX population was distinguishable from that of the other nine populations, and genetic recombination was found in a few isolates. Finally, 27 haplotype representative isolates showed high variation in pathogenicity, and the isolates from the genetic subpopulation Ⅰ were likely to be more virulent than those from genetic subpopulations Ⅱ and Ⅲ. Collectively, these findings suggest that differences in rice cultivars play an important role in the genetic variation of U. virens.

Response of dark red kidney beans to nitrogen on irrigated, sandy soil

AbstractThere is a lack of nitrogen response research on dark red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). This is of particular importance as most cultivars form nodules and are commonly grown on sandy soil. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of nitrogen rates and irrigation amounts on leaf area index, white mold occurrence, yield, and N uptake of dark red kidney beans. The study occurred at the University of Wisconsin Hancock Agricultural Research Station over two growing seasons (2020 and 2021), across four N rates, three irrigation levels, and five cultivars. Preceding crop for each study year was potato and field corn, respectively. More heavy rainfall events that may lead to leaching were observed in 2021. Neither irrigation effect nor general cultivar difference was observed on bean yield, disease resistance, and nitrogen use across the 2 years. Bean yield was significantly influenced by N rates across the five cultivars in 2020 but not in 2021, with 56 kg ha−1 more total N uptake at the lowest N rate in 2021. This highlights large site‐year influences on N supply from fixation. Furthermore, although greater N application did lead to greater yield in 1 year, it was also associated with greater white mold disease pressure and lower partial factor productivity (PFP). Thus, there is economic risk in N application to dark red kidney beans on irrigated sandy soil from reduced quality (mold damage) and lower N use efficiency (indicated by lower PFP), although site‐year effects remain unknown.

Different responses of two maize cultivars to Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae infestation provide insights into their differences in resistance.

Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a pest with an amazing appetite, damages many crops and causes great losses, especially maize. Understanding the differences in different maize cultivars' responses to S. frugiperda infestation is very important for revealing the mechanisms involved in the resistance of maize plants to S. frugiperda. In this study, a comparative analysis of two maize cultivars, the common cultivar 'ZD958' and the sweet cultivar 'JG218', was used to investigate their physico-biochemical responses to S. frugiperda infestation by a pot experiment. The results showed that the enzymatic and non-enzymatic defense responses of maize seedlings were rapidly induced by S. frugiperda. Frist, the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of infested maize leaves were significantly increased and then decreased to the level of the control. Furthermore, compared with the control leaves, the puncture force values and the total phenolics, total flavonoids, and 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one contents of infested leaves were significantly increased within a certain time. The superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities of infested leaves were significantly increased in a certain period of time, while the catalase activities decreased significantly and then increased to the control level. The jasmonic acid (JA) levels of infested leaves were significantly improved, whereas the salicylic acid and abscisic acid levels changed less. Signaling genes associated with phytohormones and defensive substances including PAL4, CHS6, BX12, LOX1, and NCED9 were significantly induced at certain time points, especially LOX1. Most of these parameters changed greater in JG218 than in ZD958. Moreover, the larvae bioassay showed that S. frugiperda larvae weighed more on JG218 leaves than those on ZD958 leaves. These results suggested that JG218 was more susceptible to S. frugiperda than ZD958. Our findings will make it easier to develop strategies for controlling S. frugiperda for sustainable maize production and breeding of new maize cultivars with increased resistance to herbivores.

Characteristics qualities of banana peel flour on three balinese banana cultivars (Musa spp.) with different fruit maturity levels

The province of Bali is among the top banana producers in Indonesia. It has high diversity of different varieties of banana. Banana peel waste produced can be transformed into banana flour that has the same nutrition and function with the wheat flour that can become alternative usage aside from wheat flour. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics quality of banana peel flour due to the influence of cultivar differences and the level of ripeness of the fruit at harvest. The study used a randomized block design with 2 factors and 3 replications. The first factor was the local Balinese banana cultivar (Ambon Kuning, Kepok and Ketip banana). The second factor was level maturity of fruit (Uunripe, Physiologically ripe and Overripe). The results showed that the interaction between local Bali banana cultivar and maturity level of fruit at harvest had a significant effect on all variables observed, except for color and content of the heavy metal lead. Characteristics quality of banana peel flour in the combination of cultivar types and fruit ripeness levels were weak to very strong banana aroma, faded brown to dark brown color. Based on the analysis, it was found that Kepok banana level of maturity Overripe peel flour almost meet the Indonesian National Standard 3751:2009 with moisture content of 11.33%, ash of 13.32, protein content of 88.48%, mineral of Fe, K, Zn respectively of 53.78 mg/kg, 3.18%, 36.20 mg/kg, vitamin B2 of 14,83 mg/kg, total soluble solid of 3.07 °Brix and pH of 6.27.

Detection of metabolites in rhizosphere of soybean under different status of soil potassium

ABSTRACT Nutrient status of plant affects root exudates of plant. Little is known about effect of potassium status on root exudation. Objective of this study was to identify metabolites in rhizosphere soil of soybean under different potassium conditions. Two soybean cultivars (Satonohohoemi (SAT) and Tachinagaha (TAC)) were grown in soil culture under low (K0, without potassium fertilizer) and normal (K2, 0.42 g K kg−1) soil potassium status. Soil solutions were collected at 15 and 25 DAS. Metabolites in soil solution were detected by CE-TOF MS. Low potassium tolerance was higher in SAT than TAC. Shoot and root K concentration in SAT was lower in K0 than that in K2. Forty-seven metabolites were detected in rhizosphere soil solution of SAT, TAC and without plant. Low K condition increased 6 and 3 metabolites concentration in soil solution without plant and 2 and 4 metabolites concentration with SAT and 2 and 1 metabolites concentration with TAC, at 15 and 25 DAS, respectively. Low K condition decreased 1 and 1 metabolites concentration in soil solution without plant and 6 and 6 metabolites concentration with SAT and 0 and 2 metabolites concentration with TAC, at 15 and 25 DAS, respectively. Increased and decreased metabolites were different between SAT and TAC. These results suggest that K status affect metabolites in root exudate and rhizosphere microbes of soybean and there is cultivar difference in these metabolites.