Dry Root Research Articles

Partial replacement of inorganic fertilizer with organic inputs for enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, grain yield, and decreased nitrogen losses under rice-based systems of mid-latitudes

In the rice-based system of mid-latitudes, mineral nitrogen (N) fertilizer serves as the largest source of the N cycle due to an insufficient supply of N from organic sources causing higher N losses due to varying soil and environmental factors. However, aiming to improve soil organic matter (OM) and nutrients availability using the best environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable cultural and agronomic management practices are necessary. This study aimed to enhance nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and grain yield in rice-based systems of mid-latitudes by partially replacing inorganic N fertilizer with organic inputs. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was employed to evaluate the effects of sole mineral N fertilizer (urea) and its combinations with organic sources—farmyard manure (FYM) and poultry compost—on different elite green super rice (GSR) genotypes and were named as NUYT-1, NUYT-2, NUYT-3, NUYT-4, NUYT-5, and NUYT-6. The study was conducted during the 2022 and 2023 rice growing seasons at the Rice Research Program, Crop Sciences Institute (CSI), National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad, one of the mid-latitudes of Pakistan. The key objective was to determine the most effective N management strategy for optimizing plant growth, N content in soil and plants, and overall crop productivity. The results revealed that the combined application of poultry compost and mineral urea significantly enhanced soil and leaf N content (1.36 g kg− 1 and 3.06 mg cm− 2, respectively) and plant morphophysiological traits compared to sole urea application. Maximum shoot dry weight (SDW) and root dry weight (RDW) were observed in compost-applied treatment with the values of 77.62 g hill− 1 and 8.36 g hill− 1, respectively. The two-year mean data indicated that applying 150 kg N ha⁻1, with half provided by organic sources (10 tons ha⁻1 FYM or poultry compost) and the remainder by mineral urea, resulted in the highest N uptake, utilization, and plant productivity. Thus, integrated management of organic carbon sources and inorganic fertilizers may sustain the productivity of rice-based systems more eco-efficiently. Further research is recommended to explore root and shoot morphophysiological, molecular, and biochemical responses under varying N regimes, aiming to develop N-efficient rice varieties through advanced breeding programs.

Genetic diversity, relationships among traits and selection of tropical maize inbred lines for low-P tolerance based on root and shoot traits at seedling stage.

The tropical maize breeding for low-P tolerance and good performance under low-P stress environments can be achieved through selection based on root morphology traits at seedling stage. Here, we assessed the genotypic variation and genetic diversity of a panel of 151 tropical maize inbred lines for root and shoot seedling traits, investigated the relationship among traits and selected a set of promising inbred lines for low-P tolerance and performance. We evaluated the inbred lines at seedling stage in a greenhouse experiment under two conditions: applied P (AP) and non-applied P (NAP). A mixed model approach was used to estimate variance components and predict the genotypic values of each inbred line. The genetic diversity among inbred lines based on root and shoot traits was assessed, and correlations were estimated between tested traits under AP and NAP. Our panel of inbred lines showed huge genetic variability for all traits and presented large genetic diversity under both P conditions. Variance components due to the inbred line × P condition interaction were also highly significant (P < 0.01) for all traits. Root dry weight (RDW) was positively associated with stalk dimeter (SD), shoot dry weight (SDW) and root length, volume, and area under both P conditions. Also, the SD and SDW were associated with most root traits under AP. Based on low-P tolerance and performance indices, we selected a set of top 20 inbred lines to be used in our maize breeding program. We therefore concluded that there is a significant genetic diversity in the tropical maize inbred lines which have the genetic potential to be use in association mapping studies and also to develop improved low-P tolerant and P-efficient hybrids and maize breeding populations for low-P stress environments.

Effect of Different Growing Media and Polybag Sizes on Seeds Germination &amp; Root System of Rough Lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.) in Nursery Condition

Aims: The study aimed to evaluate the different growing media &amp; polybag size for seedling growth of rough lemon rootstock. Study Design: The experiment used a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Place and Duration of Study: The study "Effect of Growing Media and Polybag Size on Rough Lemon Seedling Growth" took place in an insect-proof net house at CCS Haryana Agricultural University during the 2021-2022 academic year. Methodology: It comprising of 30 treatment combination i.e., ten different growing media: T1: garden soil; T2: soil: sand (1:1); T3: soil: sand: leafmold (1:1:1); T4: soil: cocopeat (1:1); T5: sand: cocopeat (1:1); T6: soil: sand: cocopeat (1:1:1); T7: soil: FYM (1:1); T8: sand: FYM (1:1); T9: soil: sand: FYM (1:1:1); T10: soil: sand: FYM: cocopeat (1:1:1:1), and the polybags S1: large (30 x 18 cm), S2: medium (21 x 18 cm) &amp; S3: small size (17 x 16 cm) bags. Results: The study found that adding cocopeat to growing media (T4, T5, T6) resulted in earlier germination and higher rates (87-89%) Whereas, T4 to T10 media consists of either FYM, cocopeat for both resulted into more germination 87-89% as compared to controls (T1, T2, T3). The most of the root growth parameters i.e., diameter of tap root(2.45mm), fresh root weight (4.63g) &amp; dry root weight (1.21g) &amp; root: shoot ratio (0.61) improved with the media sand: FYM, soil: FYM, sand: soil: FYM, sand: soil: FYM: cocopeat in equal proportion. However, when media supplemented with cocopeat (T4, T5 &amp; T6 ) also showed appreciable results as compared to soil, sand: soil &amp; soil: sand: leafmold. However, sand: FYM, sand: cocopeat treatments were best in respect of number of primary roots (61.22), root volume (6.44ml). Whereas, sand: soil showed very poor results in all growth aspects. Among polybags sizes, large size (30 x 18cm) bags performed best in most of the germination &amp; root growth parameters. Conclusion: Media enriched with organic matter outperformed sole media across all parameters, while larger polybags produced significantly better results than medium and small sizes.

Development of technology for pita bread with increased nutritional value

The majority of the population living in large cities and some regions of the Russian Federation show signs of decreased immunity, most often manifested in colds. One of the ways to strengthen the human body’s immune system is to eliminate the deficiency of vitamins that have immunomodulatory properties. While developing the technology for the pita bakery product, dough has been prepared from a mixture of high-grade rye and wheat flour in equal quantities. As a source of vitamins that have a beneficial effect on the human immune system, a solution of pine needles has been added instead of half the amount of water. As a source of vitamin C, black currant and cranberry puree are used in the ratio of 1 : 1. An additional source of nutrients with immunomodulatory properties is dry ginger root powder added to the stuffing in an amount of 2 % by weight of the stuffing. Apple pectin has been used to stabilize the stuffing. A solution of pine needles is prepared by mixing an alcoholic infusion of pine needles and an aqueous decoction of pine needles in a ratio of 1 : 4. The pine needle solution has been used to replace half the amount of water used to prepare the dough. The developed bakery product "Pita with berry stuffing" is prepared with a ratio of pita to stuffing of 1 : 2 by weight. The developed bakery product can be recommended for stimulating and strengthening the immune system due to the additional inclusion of vitamins (C, K, A, B2, B6, B12) in the diet with beneficial effect on the human immune system, including for residents of the northern regions of Russia.

Effect of Trichoderma Culture Filtrates of as Inducer on Growth Parameters of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) against Fusarium Wilt

Aims: The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of culture filtrates from different Trichoderma isolates at 10% concentration on the growth parameters of tomato plants over two growing seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23). Study Design: The experiment was performed both in vitro and in vivo condition, Completely Randomized Design (CRD) used for in vitro and Randomized Block Design (RBD) used for in vivo experiment Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was performed at Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur (India) during 2021-22 and 2022-23. Methodology: The soil sample collected from 12 different location of India and Trichoderma isolated and these different isolates used to produce their individual culture filtrate and these culture filtrates further use with 10% concentration as treatment for tomato plant. The effect of culture filtrates on plant height, root length, number of branches, fresh and dry shoot and root weight were observed under the experiment. Results: Results show significant improvements in plant height, root length, fresh and dry weights and number of branches in all culture filtrate treated plants involving T9 (seedling treatment + one foliar spray with culture filtrate of Trichoderma Nagaur), which consistently outperformed other isolates. Plant height increased to 43.06 cm in 2021-22 and 44.56 cm in 2022-23 at 40 days after transplanting with isolate T9 treatment followed by culture filtrate of Trichoderma Jabalpur (T7) and Trichoderma Banda (T6) showed 11.56, 22.96, 33.72, and 37.15 cm in 2021-22, and 11.38, 23.24, 34.46 and 36.08 cm for T6 in the same year. Among all the culture filtrates, the treatment T9 significantly enhances root length, fresh shoot and root weights and the number of branches. The plants treated with isolate T9 also exhibited an increase of 98.94% in root fresh weight and 42.31% in shoot weight. Conclusion: The findings confirm the growth-promoting potential of the T9 Trichoderma, attributed to mechanisms such as hormone production, enhanced nutrient uptake and improved root architecture. These results align with previous studies demonstrating the benefits of Trichoderma species in plant growth enhancement.

TiO2 NPs as a Promising Strategy for Crop Conservation Resulting from Deficit Irrigation in Fragaria × ananassa Cv. Camarosa

ABSTRACT Nanoparticle-based methods can compensate for yield and quality loss of crops affected by drought. The current study, performed in a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design, addressed to evaluate the effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) at 0, 10, 20, and 30 mg L−1 under three irrigation regimes (full irrigation, partial root drying (PRD), and sustained deficit irrigation (SDI)) on Fragaria × ananassa cv. Camarosa. Results revealed that the PRD stress had more adverse effects on F. ananassa cv. Camarosa than SDI stress. Assessment of the behavior of TiO2 NPs in this study elucidated that mean productivity, yield stability index, and fruit number in plants grown under full irrigation increased when treated with 10 mg L−1 TiO2 NPs. Under the deficit irrigation, including PRD and SDI, all levels of TiO2 NPs mitigated mean productivity and yield stability index by ameliorating the fruit number and water use efficiency (WUE) and decreasing transpiration. Flowering and fruit set times were reduced by TiO2 NPs and deficit irrigation while their periods were enhanced by ones. It seems that when the strawberry was exposed to TiO2 NPs exhibited approximately drought tolerance. These nanoparticles ameliorated photosynthesis and mineral uptake and allocated dry matter to the root. These alterations can contribute to crop production in deficit irrigation strategies.

The efficacy of some endophytic fungi against primary grapevine black foot disease pathogens

ABSTRACT Black foot disease (BFD), primarily attributed to taxa within the genera Dactylonectria and Ilyonectria, is a significant problem that causes serious damage worldwide in many grape and wine regions. This threat could especially be destructive in nurseries and early-stage vineyards, where it induces a decline in growth along with drying, leading to a reduction in the quality and lifespan of the grapevines. This research mainly focused on assessing the biocontrol capabilities of endophytic isolates derived from grapevine saplings, specifically Acremonium sclerotigenum and Clonostachys rosea. The study aimed to assess their effectiveness against the major pathogens responsible for BFD, including Dactylonectria macrodidyma, D. torresensis, and I. liriodendri, under laboratory and in vivo conditions. In the conducted paired culture assays, Trichoderma harzianum KRL-AG2 was employed for comparative purposes. On the 28th day of antagonistic tests, the inhibition response of A. sclerotigenum (≥94%) and C. rosea (>90%) isolates against the three species of BFD, D. macrodidyma, D. torresensis, and I. liriodendri, reached the maximum inhibition rate. Based on the in vivo analysis conducted with 1103 P rootstocks, T. harzianum, A. sclerotigenum, and C. rosea isolates significantly reduced the disease severity and supplied notable positive effects on plant growth parameters, including root dry weight, root length, and shoot dry weight. These results suggest that these biocontrol agents have potential for the biological management of BFD.

The Impact of Various Organic Manures on the Germination, Development, and Growth of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)

The Department of Horticulture at Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam conducted the pots experiment during the 2018-19 growing season to evaluate the germination, growth, and development of okra using different organic manures. The study involved two varieties, namely Sabzpuri and Resham. Various plant characteristics, such as leaf count, germination index, fresh root biomass, root length, days until first flowers, and plant height were measured. The results showed significant differences across all metrics when comparing treatments with different organic manures. For okra plants grown with M1 (canal sediment + soil), the results were 39.16% with a germination index of 1.74, 6.98 leaves per plant, plant height of 25.05 cm, 58.16 days to flowering, 0.62 g fresh root biomass, 0.19 g dry root biomass, and root length of 22.67 cm. For okra plants grown with M2 (canal sediment + soil + sheep manure), the results were 75.0% with a germination index of 3.22, 9.83 leaves per plant, plant height of 28.83 cm, 41.83 days to flowering, 1.96 g fresh root biomass, 0.36 g dry root biomass, and root length of 32.24 cm. Okra plants grown with M3 (canal sediment+ soil+ fish meal) yielded 1.49 g of fresh root biomass, 0.27 g of dry root biomass, 16.05 leaves per plant, and attained a height of 30.83 cm. In comparison, okra plants grown with M4 (canal sediment+ soil+ bone meal) had a seed germination rate of 59.16%, yielded 12.77 leaves per plant, attained a height of 30.39 cm, and began flowering in 52.83 days. To conclude, M2 (canal sediment + soil + sheep manure) resulted in the most robust growth of okra, outperforming the Resham variety in terms of growth and development.

4-hydroxyderricin from Angelica keiskei: Analysis, Preparation, and Multiple Skin Care Effects

Introduction: The content of the bioactive component 4-hydroxyderricin (4-HD) in the roots, stems, and leaves of Angelica keiskei (Umbelliferae), a well-known medicinal and edible plant, was analyzed by HPLC. The dry root contained the highest level (2. 69 ± 0.09 mg/g) of 4-HD, which was then prepared and spectroscopically identified by column chromatography. Method: The multiple skin care activities of 4-HD, including skin whitening, anti-allergy, and anti-inflammation, were evaluated on enzymatic and cellular models. 4-HD showed a significant inhibitory effect on mushroom tyrosinase, and it could also strongly suppress the activity of tyrosinase in B16F10 cells. A molecular docking study revealed that 4-HD could closely bind to tyrosinase through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Results: In the anti-allergic assay, 4-HD could effectively reduce the degranulation rate in the neutral red staining test and largely down-regulate the release level of β-HEX in RBL-2H3 cells at the concentration of 5 μM. 4-HD decreased the production of NO in RAW264.7 cells induced by Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), showing its anti-inflammatory effect. Conclusion: The skin whitening, anti-allergic, and anti-inflammatory effects of 4-HD have clearly demonstrated its potential usage in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Automated vs. Semi-Automated Hydroponics

The issue of hydroponic farming is the ongoing requirement to maintain and control the artificial growing environment to enable optimal plant growth. The quality of the plants growing on the farm can be significantly impacted by changes in the climate, natural light, and fertilizer solution at any time during the plant's growth cycle. According to studies, every 3°C increase in ambient temperature from the optimal range reduces crop productivity by 10 to 40%. Therefore, by automatically supplying ideal growth conditions throughout the growing cycle, IoT-based automation is crucial to achieving optimal plant growth. In this work, lettuce is grown simultaneously in two distinct hydroponic Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems, one of which is fully automated and the other semi-automated. In terms of plant growth metrics, such as plant elevation, maximum plant length, maximum plant breadth, and weight of both fresh and dry-farmed lettuce, this paper compared a fully automated farm and a semi-automated NFT farm for growing lettuce. The outcomes demonstrate that the ariel weight of fresh and dry lettuce and root weight of fresh and dry lettuce had average improvements of 10.4 gm, 0.7 gm, 0.11 gm, 0.7 gm, and 3, respectively in the fully automated setup. Findings also demonstrated that IoT-based automation enhances the growth of lettuce plants on farms when comparing a completely automatic hydroponic farm to a semi-automatic hydroponic farm, in terms of plant height, width, and total leaf count.

Effects of Vermicast and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) on the Establishment of Cacao (Theobroma cacao Linn.) Seedlings Grown in Degraded Soil

Declining soil fertility poses a significant challenge for cacao production, particularly for establishing seedlings. This study investigated the potential effects of vermicast and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to enhance cacao seedling establishment in degraded soil conditions. The study was conducted in a low-cost protective structure established at the Abaca Project Experimental Area of the University of Southeastern Philippines, Mampising, Mabini, Davao de Oro, from December 2018 to April 2019. Furthermore, a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was employed with eight (8) treatments and three (3) replications with eight (8) sample plants per replicate. The following are the treatment combinations: No Application (T1), Recommended Rate (T2), Vermicast (T3), AMF (T4), Vermicast + AMF (T5), Recommended Rate + AMF (T6), Recommended Rate + Vermicast (T7), and Recommended Rate + AMF + Vermicast (T8). The results of the study reveal that the application of vermicast and AMF combined with inorganic fertilizer based on the recommended rate increased the growth and development of cacao seedlings in degraded soil in terms of plant height (16.40%), length of leaves (14.59%), the width of leaves (12.11%), number of leaves (1.26%), leaf color (41%), stem diameter, shoot weight (60%), dry matter yield (116%) and root:shoot ratio (63.16%) compared to control or no application. Thus, the judicious use of inorganic fertilizer, vermicast, and AMF improves the establishment of cacao seedlings in soils with degraded conditions.

ISOLATION AND ANALYSIS OF NATIVE DNA AND RNA FROM ROOTS OF RUBBER-PRODUCING SPECIES SCORZONERA TAU-SAGHYZ LIPSCH. ET G.G. BOSSE

Scorzonera tau-saghyz Lipsch. et G.G.Bosse, is endemic species, growing in South Kazakhstan and alternative (to Hevea brasilians) source of natural rubber, related to the Asteraceae Family. Natural rubber (NR) is an indispensable raw material for the production of different products for medicine, automotive and aviation industries. The introduction of tau-saghyz into the culture will make it possible to obtain NC not only in Kazakhstan, but also on the territory of the countries of the Northern latitudes. At the growing phases of ontogenesis of tau-saghyz (April-June) latex is actively synthesized in the leaves and transported to the roots. In our experiments it was necessary to conduct molecular genetic studies of the selected forms of tau-saghyz with high rubber concentration. In this regard, it became necessary to isolate and analyze native DNA and RNA from dry roots. Samples with the highest rubber content were used for DNA extraction. The main problem in the isolation of DNA from the dry roots of tau-saghyz is the significant content of natural rubber. In this research the following commercial kits were used: 1) DNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagene); 2) GenElute Plant Genomic DNA Miniprep Kit (Sigma); 3) NucleoSpin® Plant II / Midi / Maxi kit (Macherey-Nagel). Further DNA isolation was carried out in accordance with the kit manufacturer's protocol. Quantitative DNA analysis was performed using both UV spectrophotometry (Nanodrop) and fluorometric analysis (Qubit) method. DNA extracted by the 2 kit (Sigma) was further purified by precipitation with ethanol and demonstrates satisfactory quality. Functional analysis of isolated DNA samples was performed both by restriction analysis and by DNA amplification. It is worth to mention that for reaction primers that are characteristic of gene AACT (ACETOACETYL-COA TRANSFERASE) Cucumis melo were used. This enzyme catalyzes the first reaction of biosynthesis in the mevalonate pathway, which the final product is IDP (isopentenyl diphosphate). The cis-prenyltransferase (CPT) enzyme catalyzes the biosynthesis of rubber by the sequential addition of IDP to the terminal group of the initiating allylic pyrophosphate (APP). As a result of PCR analysis a putative 1200 bp AAST gene for tau-saghyz was identified. In this study two methods of RNA isolation were chosen: 1. A method widely used for plants of the Cucurbitaceae family; 2. A method approved for plants with a high content of polyphenols. The RNA isolation was carried out as described in the relevant protocols with minor modifications (Verwoerd TC, Dekker BMM, Hoekema A (1989) A small-scale procedure for the rapid isolation of plant RNAs. Nucleic Acids Res 17:2362). The final precipitates were dissolved in 50 µl of water pretreated with diethylpyrocarbonate. Quantitative analysis of RNA was carried out using UV spectrophotometry (Nanodrop). Functional analysis of extracted RNA samples was conducted by cDNA synthesis with usage of reverse transcriptase Superscript IV with the following amplification in PCR. In this reaction the primers specific for CPT gene of Taraxacum kok-saghyz were used. The prospective CPT gene was excised from the gel, purified and cloned into the pJET vector. In the further research it is planned to perform its sequencing and comparison with the CPT gene of Taraxacum kok-saghyz and Hevea brasiliensis.

Bacillus cereus CGMCC 1.60196: a promising bacterial inoculant isolated from biological soil crusts for maize growth enhancement.

Soil microbial inoculants are widely recognized as an environmentally friendly strategy for promoting crop growth and increasing productivity. However, research on utilizing the microbial resources from desert biological soil crusts to enhance crop growth remains relatively unexplored. In the present work, a bacterial strain designated AC1-8 with high levels of amylase, protease, and cellulase activity was isolated from cyanobacterial crusts of the Tengger Desert and identified as Bacillus cereus (CGMCC 1.60196). The refinement of the fermentation parameters of B. cereus CGMCC 1.60196 determined that the most effective medium for biomass production was composed of 5 g/L glucose, 22 g/L yeast extract and 15 g/L MgSO4, and the optimal culture conditions were pH 6.0, temperature 37°C, inoculation quantity 3% and agitation speed 240 rpm. Furthermore, the utilization of B. cereus CGMCC 1.60196 has resulted in substantial improvements in various growth parameters of maize seedlings, including shoot length, shoot fresh and dry weights, root fresh and dry weights, and the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll. The most pronounced growth promotion was observed at an application concentration of 1 × 109 CFU/m2. These results suggest that the novel B. cereus strain, isolated from cyanobacterial crusts, can be regarded as an exemplary biological agent for soil improvement, capable of enhancing soil conditions, promoting crop cultivation and supporting food production.

Neodymium and zinc stimulate growth, biomass accumulation and nutrient uptake of lettuce plants in hydroponics

ABSTRACT We evaluated the effects of neodymium (0.000, 2.885, 5.770 and 8.655 mg · L−1) and zinc (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg · L−1), as well as their interaction on lettuce plants in hydroponics. Applications of 2.885 mg Nd · L−1 and 5.770 mg Nd · L−1 increased plant height, number of leaves and leaf area, as well as fresh and dry stem, root and total biomasses. Root volume was greater in plants treated with 2.885 mg Nd · L−1. With 0.1 mg Zn · L−1, plant height, leaf area and fresh stem, root and total biomass were greater, while applying 0.3 mg Zn · L−1 increased the ratio of dry biomass of stems and roots. Plants exposed to 5.770 mg Nd · L−1 + 0.3 mg Zn · L−1 exhibited greater leaf length. The ratios of fresh and dry biomass of stems and roots increased in plants treated with 8.655 mg · L−1 Nd + 0.3 mg Zn · L−1. Dry biomass weights of stems, roots and total were the highest in plants treated with 20 mg Nd · L−1 + 0.1 mg Zn · L−1. Nd significantly increased foliar concentration of N, P and K. Hence, Nd and Zn improve growth and nutrition.

Field assessment of Lake Erie dredged sediment for specialty crops cultivation

AbstractAnnually, approximately 1.5 million tonnes of sediment are dredged from federal navigational channels in Lake Erie. Recognizing the potential influence of Lake sediments on soil compaction, structure, water retention capacity, and aeration, this research assessed the agronomic performance of selected specialty crops under varying sediment ratios in an open‐field production system. The experimental design involved three sediment application rates: 0 tonne (100% farm soil), 0.7 tonne (90% farm soil and 10% sediment), and 7 tonnes per bed (100% sediment). Lettuces (Lactuca sativa L.) were harvested 35 days after planting, with assessments including fresh and dry weights of leaves root biomass and root length measurements. Radishes (Raphanus sativus L.) were evaluated for root length, leaf fresh weight, root fresh weight, and diameter. Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants were monitored for plant height and stem diameter. Fruit harvest occurred at days 70 and 75 post‐transplant. Metrics such as total number of marketable fruits, total fruit weight, number of US grade‐1 fruits, and polar and equatorial diameters were recorded. The results revealed significant positive effects of the 7‐tonne sediment treatment on lettuce, including increased dry leaf and root biomass, root lengths, and fresh weight. Similarly, radishes exhibited enhanced weight and length when grown in beds with 7 tonnes of sediment. Tomatoes from the 7‐tonne sediment treatment displayed higher values in plant measurements and harvested fruits. Overall, the findings indicate that soils treated with Lake Erie sediment positively influence the development and production of lettuce, radishes, and tomatoes compared to untreated soils.

Response of Soil, Growth, and Biomass Properties of Lupin (Lupinus albus L.) to Wood ash and Sawdust

Two organic carbon resources (wood ash and sawdust) were applied in the study site to assess their profound effects on soil properties and growth and biomass properties of lupin (Lupinus albus L.). Because of their contribution to improving soil structure, enhanced water-holding capacity, and increased carbon sequestration. The experiments were conducted in mid-November 2022 at Grdarasha Research Station, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Iraq. The experiment includes two organic amendments (wood ash and sawdust) as a treatment and Control. Results showed that the application of wood ash and sawdust improved and raised the number of essential elements and heavy metals in the soil, which in turn boosted the ability of the roots to absorb nutrients. The highest germination percentage, plant height, and leaf number were observed in the ash treatment (95.00 %, 22.00 cm, and 21.22) respectively. The great values of fresh and dry shoot weight were found in sawdust treatment 63.78 and 14 g/plant) respectively. The effects of treatments were not significant on root length and fresh and dry root weights. The final findings showed that adding various forms of organic carbon could alter the chemical characteristics of the soil. This, in turn, might have a good impact on microbes, which can subsequently help plants grow by converting, solubilizing, and mobilizing soil nutrients. Furthermore, lupin plants appeared to be a form of phytoremediation, or absorption, for certain heavy metals.

Bio-Efficacy of Seed Dressing Fungicide Carbendazim 12% + Mancozeb 63% WP against Important Fungal Diseases of Groundnut

Groundnut is an important legume and oil seed crop and oil seed crop in world, which is prone to many soil borne diseases viz., Collar rot (Aspergillus niger), Dry root rot (Macrophomina phaseolina) and foliar disease like tikka leaf spot (Cercospora arachidicola) causes major economic losses in yield. The field experiment was conducted on bio efficacy of carbendazim 12% + mancozeb 63% WP as a seed treatment against collar rot, dry root rot and tikka leaf spot in groundnut at college of Sericulture, Chintamani during Kharif 2019-20. The seed treatment of Carbendazim 12% + Mancozeb 63% WP @ 3.0 g/kg of seeds treated plot recorded 95.17% seed germination with minimum early leaf spot, (PDI 7.18) dry root rot incidence (2.20%) and collar rot incidence (1.98%) having highest pod yield of 27.23 q/ha and fodder yield of 41.72 q/ha with cost to benefit ratio of 1:4.05 which was on par with Carbendazim 12% + Mancozeb 63% WP @ 2.5 g /kg of seeds treated plot with 94.17% seed germination with least severity of early leaf spot (PDI 8.22), dry root rot (2.42%) and collar rot (2.18%) incidence having pod yield of 26.90 q/ha and fodder yield of 41.13 q/ha with cost to benefit ratio of 1:4.01.

Research on the influence of gas types on the pumping performance of dry Roots vacuum pump

With the advancement of technology, dry vacuum pumps are widely used in aerospace, semiconductor, chemical and pharmaceutical and scientific equipment due to their clean and oil-free advantages. Usually the pumped medium contains different types of gases, dry Roots vacuum pumps are prone to unstable performance, which can adversely affect process efficiency. To investigate the influence of gas types on the pumping performance of Roots vacuum pump, experimental research was conducted on self-designed dry vacuum pump theoretical verification platform and test pump. The gas mixture of 70 % nitrogen and 30 % helium was tested using 2-lobe, 3-lobe and 5-lobe Roots while numerical simulations were conducted on air, nitrogen, helium and hydrogen. The experimental results indicate that the gas type affects the pumping speed of the Roots pump. In addition, the numerical simulation results show that hydrogen has the greatest influence on the pumping performance of the Roots; the pumping speed shows ‘W’ type fluctuation in one cycle when the 3-lobe Roots pumps hydrogen. The pumping speed of the 5-lobe Roots is most affected by changes in gas types. This study is of guiding significance for the application and design of dry Roots vacuum pumps in different process environments.

Green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Lantana camara leaf extract for the enhancement of plant growth

Abstract Zinc is an important micronutrient for plants, involved in numerous physiological processes as well as numerous enzymatic and metabolic events. Zinc deficiency results in slowed plant development, higher chlorosis rates, smaller leaves, and fewer tillers, which lengthen the crop maturity period and lowers crop quality. In the present study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) were synthesized through co-precipitation approach by using Lantana camara plant leaf extract. The synthesized ZnONPs were hexagonal in shape with mean size of around 60 nm. The bactericidal activity of ZnONPs was assessed against three phytopathogenic bacterial strains namely Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomonas campestris and Erwinia carotovora through broth dilution method. The MIC50 of ZnONPs was 248.33 μg ml−1, 320 .27 μg ml−1 and 320.95 μg ml−1 against R. solanacearum, X. campestris and E. carotovora respectively. The fungiciadal activity of ZnONPs against three phytopathogenic fungal strains was studied by poison food technique. It was observed that 500 ppm ZnONPs could inhbit 86%, 85% and 55% growth of Alterneria solani, Fusarium oxysporum and Athelia rolfsii respectively. The efficacy of ZnONPs as nano fertilizer was evaluated in Solanum lycopersicum Linn. by foliar spray under laboratory condition and it was observed that in comparison with micron sized ZnO, ZnONP treatment could significantly boost up fresh and dry weight, root and shoot length, chlorophyll, lipid and carbohydrate content of the plants.

Effects of Trichoderma harzianum and Bacillus subtilis on the root and soil microbiomes of the soybean plant INTACTA RR2 PRO™.

Soybean is a significant export product for several countries, including the United States and Brazil. There are numerous varieties of soybean. Among them, a genetically modified type known as INTACTA RR2 PRO™ has been designed to demonstrate resistance to glyphosate and to produce toxins that are lethal to several species of caterpillars. Limited information is available on the use of Trichoderma harzianum and Bacillus subtilis to promote plant growth and their impact on the plant microbiome. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of these microorganisms on this soybean cultivar by analyzing parameters, such as root and shoot dry matter, nutritional status, and root and soil microbial diversity. The results indicated that treatments with B. subtilis alone or in combination with T. harzianum as seed or seed and soil applications significantly enhanced plant height and biomass compared to the other treatments and the control. No significant differences in phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations were detected across treatments, although some treatments showed close correlations with these nutrients. Microbial inoculations slightly influenced the soil and root microbiomes, with significant beta diversity differences between soil and root environments, but had a limited overall impact on community composition. The combined application of B. subtilis and T. harzianum particularly enhanced plant growth and promoted plant-associated microbial groups, such as Rhizobiaceae, optimizing plant-microbe interactions. Furthermore, the treatments resulted in a slight reduction in fungal richness and diversity.