Dry Weight Of Seedlings Research Articles

Effects of dynamised high dilutions and vegetal extract based on silicon on the growth and induction of resistance in tomato plants against Rhizoctonia solani

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to study the response of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) against Rhizoctonia solani using dynamised high dilutions and plant extract based on silicon. The treatments were Silicea terra (ST), Thuya occidentalis (TO), and Equisetum arvense (EA) at 30CH (Centesimal Hahnemannian dilution order), Equisetum arvense leaf extract (LE), and non-dynamised water as the control. Seeds of tomato cv Marmande were treated overnight. The in vitro bioassays involved assessment of R. solani mycelial growth, seed germination, and seedling development. In the greenhouse experiment, the emergence, root and aerial part development, and disease development were evaluated. Leaves were harvested to analyse concentrations of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, chlorophyll, carotenoids, and chitinase activity. In the in vitro bioassay, LE reduced mycelial growth and TO increased the seedling vigour index, dry weight, and length of seedlings. In the greenhouse experiment, TO and ST increased plant emergence. Tomato plants treated with ST improved the fresh weight and the length of the roots. The disease severity was decreased by ST, LE, and TO. The flavonoid concentration was higher in plants treated with TO and LE. Overall, the treatments of TO, EA, and ST improved the content of phenolic compounds. Moreover, endochitinase and chitobiosidase were activated by LE.

Germination responses of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) seeds to salinity and water stresses: Implications for the restoration of Mediterranean marginal lands

The iconic Mediterranean tree, Ceratonia siliqua L., holds substantial potential for restoring arid and semi-arid marginal lands. However, there is limited knowledge about the interaction of various abiotic factors and environmental stressors on seed germination of C. siliqua. Therefore, we examined the influence of salinity levels (0, 75, 150, 225 mM) and water stress using PEG6000 (−0.4, −0.8, −1.2 MPa) on C. siliqua seed germination under varying thermoperiods (15/25 °C and 25/35 °C) and photoperiods (12 hours of light and complete darkness). Our findings indicate that higher temperatures (25/35 °C) significantly reduced germination of seeds compared to lower temperatures (15/25 °C). However, the photoperiods showed no significant impact, especially under minimal salinity stress and low osmotic potentials (75 mM NaCl and −0.4 MPa PEG). In general, C. siliqua seeds exhibited enhanced performance in darkness at higher osmotic potentials, while increased stress prolonged the germination period. The dry weight of seedlings decreased with higher osmotic potential, although 75 mM NaCl promoted seedling biomass production. Our results confirm C. siliqua resilience to high salinity and moderate drought, offering practical applications for its successful reintroduction and cultivation in challenging Mediterranean environmental conditions.

Detection of Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Alkaline Tolerance Using Recombinant Inbred Line Population Derived from Longdao5 × Zhongyouzao8 at Seedling Stage.

Salt-alkaline stress is one of the most stressful occurrences, causing negative effects on plant development and agricultural yield. Identifying and utilizing genes that affect alkaline tolerance is an excellent approach to accelerate breeding processes and meet the needs for remediating saline-alkaline soil. Here, we employed a mapping population of 176 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) produced from a cross between alkali-tolerant Longdao5 and alkali-sensitive Zhongyouzao8 to identify the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) determining alkali tolerance at the seedling stage. For the evaluation of alkali tolerance, the recovered seedling's average alkali tolerance index (ATI), root number (RN), root length (RL), seedling dry weight (SW), root dry weight (RW), and seedling height (SH) were assessed, together with their relative alkaline damage rate. Under alkaline stress, the ATI was substantially negative connected with the root number, seedling height, seedling dry weight, and root dry weight; however, it was considerably positive correlated with the relative alkaline damage rate of the root number and root dry weight. A total of 13 QTLs for the root number, root length, seedling height, seedling dry weight, root dry weight, and alkali tolerance index under alkaline stress were identified, which were distributed across chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8. All of these QTLs formed two QTL clusters for alkali tolerance on chromosome 5 and chromosome 7, designated AT5 and AT7, respectively. Nine QTLs were identified for the relative alkaline damage rate of the root number, root length, seedling height, seedling dry weight, and root dry weight under alkali stress. These QTLs were located on chromosome 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12. In conclusion, these findings further strengthen our knowledge about rice's genetic mechanisms for alkaline tolerance. This research offers clues to accelerate breeding programs for new alkaline-tolerance rice varieties.

Low concentrations of methyl jasmonate promote plant growth and mitigate Cd toxicity in Cosmos bipinnatus

Cadmium (Cd) is a biologically non-essential heavy metal, a major soil pollutant, and extremely harmful to plants. The phytohormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA) plays an important role in plant heavy-metal resistance. However, the understanding of the effects of MeJA supply level on alleviating Cd toxicity in plants is limited. Here, we investigated how MeJA regulated the development of physiological processes and cell wall modification in Cosmos bipinnatus. We found that low concentrations of MeJA increased the dry weight of seedlings under 120 µM Cd stress by reducing the transport of Cd from roots to shoots. Moreover, a threshold concentration of exogenous MeJA increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) in plant roots, the concentration of Cd in the root cell wall, and the contents of pectin and hemicellulose 1 polysaccharides, through converting Cd into pectin-bound forms. These results suggested that MeJA mitigated Cd toxicity by modulating root cell wall polysaccharide and functional group composition, especially through pectin polysaccharides binding to Cd, with effects on Cd transport capacity, specific chemical forms of Cd, and homeostatic antioxidant systems in C. bipinnatus.

Response of seed vigor to experimental warming in a double rice cropping system

Climate warming affects rice seed vigor during ripening, which plays a crucial role in seed quality. However, the actual response of rice seed vigor to warming is still unclear. In this study, seeds after warming treatment in a double rice cropping system were used to determine seed vigor and related physiological traits during germination. Warming treatment significantly improved the germination index (GI), seed vigor index (VI), and seedling dry weight (SDW) for the late-season rice seeds but had no effect on hull thickness, grain weight, and starch and protein contents for both early- and late-season rice seeds, and these parameters were highly associated with germination rate, GI, VI, and SDW. Warming treatment increased gibberellin (GA) content and α-amylase and β-amylase activities in endosperm and coleoptile in both seasons during the later stage of germination, reaching a significant level on the 7th d. Moreover, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content was consistently increased in the coleoptile but decreased in the endosperm in response to warming, and warming did not affect zeatin content. These results suggest that future global warming will improve rice seed vigor by regulating the synthesis of endogenous hormones and amylases, especially in the late-season rice.

Microbial Biostimulants and Seaweed Extract Synergistically Influence Seedling Growth and Morphology of Three Onion Cultivars

Onion (Allium cepa L.), a globally cultivated vegetable crop, possesses a shallow root system, making it vulnerable to abiotic stresses. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events in recent years necessitates sustainable solutions to enhance onion growth. Biostimulants offer a promising and accessible approach to promote onion growth and quality in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. This study investigated the effects of nine commercial microbial biostimulants (LALRISE Mycorrhizae, LALRISE Bacillus, Mighty Mycorrhizae, MycoApply, Spectrum DS, Spectrum Myco, Spectrum, Tribus Original, and Tribus Continuum) and one non-microbial commercial biostimulant (Kelpak—seaweed extract) on the seedling growth of three onion cultivars: Carta Blanca (white), Don Victoro (yellow), and Sofire (red). The results indicated that biostimulants did not significantly affect onion seed germination, but germination rates did vary among the onion cultivars. These cultivars also exhibited significant morphological and biomass differences, with principal component analysis revealing a more obvious effect on root growth compared to shoot growth. Kelpak seaweed extract increased the plant height, leaf area, and shoot fresh weight and dry weight of onion seedlings but decreased the root-to-shoot dry-weight ratio. The effects of microbial biostimulants on onion seedling growth depended on both the onion cultivar and Kelpak seaweed extract. In general, LALRISE Mycorrhizae, Mighty Mycorrhizae, Spectrum Myco, Spectrum DS, and Tribus Continuum exhibited positive effects on seedling growth in certain onion cultivars. Furthermore, the benefits of microbial biostimulants were amplified when combined with Kelpak seaweed extract application. These findings suggest a synergistic interaction between microbial and non-microbial biostimulants, leading to enhanced onion seedling growth. Further research is required to evaluate the long-term effects of these biostimulants on onion plant growth after transplanting to fields.

The ability of biostimulants and copper-containing fungicide to protect cotton against chilling stress

BackgroundCotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), adapted to tropical and subtropical regions of the world, is highly sensitive to low temperatures throughout its life cycle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the mitigating effects of different doses of animal-derived (0.25%, 0.50%, and 1.00% Isabion® ), seaweed-based (0.165%, 0.330%, and 0.660% Proton®) biostimulants, as well as a copper (Cu)-containing fungicide application, on cotton cultivar Lazer seedlings at the four true leaves (V4) stage. The plants were exposed to a low temperature of 5 °C for 48 h, and the changes in morphological (seedling fresh and dry weight, plant height, and stem diameter) and physiological parameters (leaf temperature, chlorophyll content, relative water content, electrolyte leakage, and relative injury) were examined.ResultsThe results revealed that chilling stress reduced plant growth, while biostimulants helped protect the plants and overcome the adverse effects of chilling. Under chilling stress, there was a considerable reduction in seedling fresh weight (SFW), seedling dry weight (SDW), plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), leaf temperature (LT), and relative water content (RWC). Cotton seedlings treated with the animal-derived biostimulants showed significantly enhanced SFW, SDW, PH, SD, LT, chlorophyll content (Chl), electrolyte leakage (EL), and relative injury (RI), although there were no positive changes in RWC. No significant differences in the morphological traits were observed among the doses of seaweed biostimulants. For SDW, PH, EL, and RI, the best results were obtained with the application of a fungicide containing copper.ConclusionThese results show the efficiency of the biostimulant and fungicide treatments in mitigating low-temperature stress in cotton seedlings. Applying a copper-containing fungicide to cotton seedlings helped to counteract the negative effects of low-temperature stress and to protect the plants from damage by maintaining electrolyte balance. Among the biostimulant applications, all levels of animal-derived biostimulant applications, as well as the 0.660% level of the seaweed-derived biostimulant, led to increased tolerance of cotton plants to chilling stress.

Germination and early seedling growth of a medicinal plant giant milkweed (Calotropis gigantea) under salinity stress

Giant milkweed (Calotropis gigantea L.) is a salinity and drought-resistant xerophyte that is widespread around the world and serves significant ecological and medicinal purposes. The research aimed to evaluate the influence of saline stress on germination characteristics and prompt growth attributes of seedlings of C. gigantea. Seeds were germinated under five salinity levels viz. 0, 6, 8, 10 and 12 dS m-1 and allowed to grow for 30 days for traits assessment. Germination percentage (GP), germination rate index (GRI), co-efficient of the velocity of germination (CVG), mean germination time (MGT), Timson germination index (TGI), shoot length (SL), root length (RL), seedling dry weight (SDW) and healthy seedling number at 30 days were found lower in the salt solution compared to the control condition. Mean germination time was expanded with the increment of salinity levels. TGI of C. gigantea sustained a significant positive linear regression with GP (r = 0.9881), GRI (r = 0.9923) and CVG (r = 0.7887) at P < 0.001, but MGT (r = 0.7855) at P = 0.005. The correlation coefficient among the germination traits revealed insignificant between RL and other germination traits (GP, CVG, MGT, and TGI) except GRI (r = 0.499*) and SL (r = 0.541*). It is recommended that, as an emerging medicinal and fiber resource plant, C. gigantea can be cultured productively in coastal saline areas. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 14(1): 10-17, June 2024

ПРОРОСТАННЯ НАСІННЯ ПШЕНИЦІ ОЗИМОЇ ЗАЛЕЖНО ВІД ПЕРЕДПОСІВНОЇ ОБРОБКИ РЕГУЛЯТОРАМИ РОСТУ

Modern technologies for growing grain crops require the use of environmentally safe measures and methods. The pre-sowing treatment of wheat seeds necessitates the correct choice of drugs with a wide spectrum of influence on the morphological and physiological indicators of seedlings. From 2019 to 2022, the effectiveness of pre-sowing treatment of winter wheat seeds was studied using the growth regulators 1-naphthyl-acetic acid (25 ml/l), succinic acid (0.025 % solution), and the organo-mineral preparation Fulvohumin (1 % solution) both separately and in combination: 1-naphthyl-acetic acid + Fulvohumin, 1-naphthyl-acetic acid + succinic acid, succinic acid + Fulvohumin, and 1-naphthyl-acetic acid + succinic acid + Fulvohumin. The working solution consumption was 10 liters per ton of seeds. Treated winter wheat seeds were germinated for eight days at a temperature of +20°C. Laboratory seed germination, biometric parameters, and dry and wet weight of seedlings were determined and statistically analyzed. It was established that succinic acid significantly increases seed germination by 11 %, but seedlings treated with succinic acid showed slightly smaller seedling length and raw weight than the control. Pre-sowing treatment of winter wheat seeds with Fulvohumin significantly increases laboratory seed germination (up to 95 %), root length, and total seedling length. This treatment resulted in a 34.5 % increase in the dry weight of seedlings compared to the control. The highest content of dry matter was observed after seed treatment with a mixture of 1-naphthyl-acetic acid + Fulvohumin + succinic acid, reaching 17.4 %. The combination treatment with Fulvohumin + succinic acid produced the tallest seedlings (14.12 cm) and the greatest raw weight (131.39 mg). A significant increase in raw and dry mass of 8-day-old seedlings was noted after seed treatment with the mixture of 1-naphthyl-acetic acid + succinic acid. However, pre-sowing treatment of winter wheat seeds with only 1-naphthyl-acetic acid (0.025 % solution) was not effective, as it did not significantly increase germination (only by 1.3 %). Additionally, seedlings treated with 1-naphthyl-acetic acid had the shortest root length (4.99–5.78 cm). Therefore, the use of Fulvohumin enhances the effectiveness of growth regulators such as succinic acid and 1-naphthyl-acetic acid.

Production and Quality of Radish Seeds with Sulfur in Top Dressing and Organic Compost at Planting Fertilization

Aims: This study evaluates the effects of top dressing sulfur (S) fertilization, with and without organic compost before planting, on radish seed production and quality. Study Design: Eight treatments were studied in a factorial scheme (4 x 2): four S doses in top dressing fertilization (0, 60, 120, 180 kg ha-1 of S), with or without organic compost (50 t ha-1) in fertilization before seeding. Place and Duration of the Study: The experiment was carried out in the São Manuel Experimental Farm (22°46’ South, 48°34’ West, 740 m above sea level) in the School of Agriculture (FCA) of the Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) located in São Manuel, SP, Brazil. Radish sown happened in April, and harvest and seed analysis occurred in October 2017. Methodology: Radish seeds were manually harvested (188 days after being sown), cleaned, and dried. Evaluations of seed production per plant, weight of 1000 seeds, and seed quality (germination (%), germination first count, germination speed index, and dry weight of normal seedlings) were performed. Results: Applying organic compost increased radish seed production and the weight of 1000 seeds. Where no organic compost was applied, the higher the S dose, the greater the seed production per plant. With organic compost fertilization, the highest seed production and the weight of 1000 seeds were obtained with top dressing fertilization with 68 kg ha-1 of S. Germination and germination speed index were not affected by either factor, organic compost fertilization or S dose. Where no organic compost was applied, the higher the S dose, the lower the leachate level in the electrical conductivity test. Conclusion: The radish base fertilization with organic compost plus top dressing S fertilization (68 kg ha-1) is indicated for radish seed production.

INCREASING SOME FLAVONOIDS COMPOUNDS FOR ECHINACEA PURPUREA L. USING COPPER OXIDE NANOPARTICLES IN VITRO.

This study was aimed to increase some flavonoids active compounds production in Echinacea purpurea seedlings through plant seeds treatment with different concentrations of copper oxide nanoparticles that daignosed and characterized using AFM technique. This research was implemented at plant tissue culture labrotary of College of biotechnology - Al Nahrain University, during the period of 2021 and 2023. The experiment designed factorial within CRD using three factors and ten replicates (3X3). Sodium hypochlorite concentration (S1, S2, S3, S4) (0.0, 1, 2, 3%) represented the first factor, treatment duartion time (T1, T2, T3) (5, 10, 15min) represented the second factor and copper oxide nanoparticles concentrations (C1, C2, C3, C4) (0.0, 25, 50, 75mg/ml) represented the third factor. Results showed that the full reduction in the contamination rate of the selected E. purpurea explant recorded in 3% sodium hypochlorite at 10 and 15min. The results also showed that there were a significant increase in the shoots numbers in 50mg/ml CuNPs that recording the highest shoots numbers, the shoot length increased significantly within the 25mg/ml recording 13.5cm then decreased in 50 and 75 mg/ml and the seedlings dry weight increased significantly up to 50mg/ml CuNPs that recording the highest seddlings dry weight, then the seedlings dry weight also decreased significantly in 75mg/ml CuNPs. Also, all the analyzed flavonoids compounds using HPLC device as Echinolone, Humulene, Coumarin, Myricetin, Heperidin and Naringin concentrations were significantly increased in 50 and 75 mg/L-1 Cu ONPs, except the Humulene and Coumarin compound that significantly decreased in 75 mg/L-1 Cu ONPs in comparsion to the control.

Suppression of Root Rot Fungal Diseases in Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) through the Application of Biologically Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles.

The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using plant extracts has become a safe replacement for conventional chemical synthesis methods to fight plant pathogens. In this study, the antifungal activity of biosynthesized AgNPs was evaluated both in vitro and under greenhouse conditions against root rot fungi of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), including Macrophomina phaseolina, Pythium graminicola, Rhizoctonia solani, and Sclerotium rolfsii. Among the eleven biosynthesized AgNPs, those synthesized using Alhagi graecorum plant extract displayed the highest efficacy in suppressing those fungi. The findings showed that using AgNPs made with A. graecorum at a concentration of 100 μg/mL greatly slowed down the growth of mycelium for R. solani, P. graminicola, S. rolfsii, and M. phaseolina by 92.60%, 94.44%, 75.93%, and 79.63%, respectively. Additionally, the minimum inhibitory concentration (75 μg/mL) of AgNPs synthesized by A. graecorum was very effective against all of these fungi, lowering the pre-emergence damping-off, post-emergence damping-off, and disease percent and severity in vitro and greenhouse conditions. Additionally, the treatment with AgNPs led to increased root length, shoot length, fresh weight, dry weight, and vigor index of bean seedlings compared to the control group. The synthesis of nanoparticles using A. graecorum was confirmed using various physicochemical techniques, including UV spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Collectively, the findings of this study highlight the potential of AgNPs as an effective and environmentally sustainable approach for controlling root rot fungi in beans.

Exogenous Streptomyces spp. enhance the drought resistance of naked oat (Avena nuda) seedlings by augmenting both the osmoregulation mechanisms and antioxidant capacities.

Drought is a major obstacle to the development of naked oat industry. This work investigated mechanisms by which exogenous Streptomyces albidoflavus T4 and Streptomyces rochei D74 improved drought tolerance in naked oat (Avena nuda ) seedlings. Results showed that in the seed germination experiment, germination rate, radicle and hypocotyl length of naked oat seeds treated with the fermentation filtrate of T4 or D74 under PEG induced drought stress increased significantly. In the hydroponic experiment, the shoot and root dry weights of oat seedlings increased significantly when treated with the T4 or D74 fermentation filtrate under the 15% PEG induced drought stress (S15). Simultaneously, the T4 treatment also significantly increased the surface area, volume, the number of tips and the root activity of oat seedlings. Both T4 and D74 treatments elicited significant increases in proline and soluble sugar contents, as well as the catalase and peroxidase activities in oat seedlings. The results of comprehensive drought resistance capacity (CDRC) calculation of oat plants showed that the drought resistance of oat seedlings under the T4 treatment was better than that under the D74 treatment, and the effect was better under higher drought stress (S15). Findings of this study may provide a novel and effective approach for enhancing plant defenses against drought stress.

Effect of GA3 as a priming agent on the growth of shallot (Allium ascaloncium L.) seedling

This study aimed to evaluate and analyze the effect of priming using GA3 on the growth of various shallot varieties from seeds. This pot study was conducted at Exfarm, Faculty of Agriculture, Hasanuddin University from July to September 2022. The research was arranged in factorial with a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two treatment factors. The first factor was seed priming consisting of control or no priming (S0), priming with water (S1), 25 mg L-1 GA3 (S2), 50 mg L-1 GA3 (S3) and 75 mg L-1 GA3 (S4). The second factor is the variety consisting of Tuk-Tuk (v1), Sanren F1 (v2), Lokananta (v3), and Maserati (v4). Seed performance testing is carried out by planting prime seeds in pots. Meanwhile, parameters observed included six agronomic parameters and three chlorophyll parameters. The results show that priming with GA3 at concentration of 75 mg L-1 significantly influence the plant height, number of leaves, fresh weight, chlorophyll b content, and total chlorophyll. Variety treatments recorded different responses to various parameters. The Lokananta variety recorded the highest average plant height and dry seedling weight. The Maserati variety recorded the largest average diameter of pseudo stems. Meanwhile, the interaction between GA3 at 75 mg L-1 and the Maserati variety has a significant effect on the root length of shallot seedlings. Then, the interaction between Tuk-Tuk varieties and GA3 75 mg L-1 priming gave the best effect on chlorophyll content.

Exploring the potential of sustainable use of reclaimed water to improve crop production in response to contaminants in Vigna radiata

An efficient method of managing agricultural resources is to reuse wastewater for crop irrigation and fertilization. Irrigation using reclaimed water after treatment can have both beneficial and bad environmental effects. The national water strategy of Saudi Arabia considers reclaimed wastewater as an essential component of Saudi Arabia's water resource. It targets to decrease the load of desalination from the Red Sea and use it as a major source of agriculture and industrial use. In Vigna radiata, an experiment is carried out to determine the level of dilution for agricultural application in a seed germination experiment in response to contaminants. The physicochemical properties such as pH, ammonia, turbidity, and chloride values of reclaimed water were higher as compared to the standard guidelines of KSA for using irrigation water. Further, all the studied parameter concentrations decreased with the dilution of tap water. In the seed germination experiment,% germination, relative seed germination, seedling vigor index, etc. were calculated as compared to the control. The results infer that the application of 30 % reclaimed water (T2) enhanced the germination percentage, relative seed germination, and seedling vigor index of V. radiata. The growth of root, shoot, relative shoot growth, fresh weight, and dry weight of seedlings showed that T5 and T6 treatments are not suitable for Vigna cultivation as compared to the control. However, the results suggested that dilution of reclaimed water decreases the concentrations of potential contaminants of emerging concern, heavy metals, pesticides, etc., and makes the water suitable for irrigation.

Extracted Eucalyptus globulus Bark Fiber as a Potential Substrate for Pinus radiata and Quillaja saponaria Germination

This study aimed to explore alternative substrates for growing forest species using eucalyptus bark. It evaluated the potential of extracted Eucalyptus globulus fiber bark as a substitute for commercial growing media such as coconut fiber, moss, peat, and compost pine. We determined the physicochemical parameters of the growing media, the germination rate, and the mean fresh and dry weights of seedlings. We used the Munoo-Liisa Vitality Index (MLVI) test to evaluate the phytotoxicity of the bark alone and when mixed with commercial substrates. Generally, the best mixture for seed growth was 75% extracted eucalyptus bark fiber and 25% commercial substrates. In particular, the 75E-25P (peat) mixture is a promising substitute for seedling growth of Pinus radiata, achieving up to 3-times higher MLVI than the control peat alone. For Quillaja saponaria, the best growth substrate was the 50E-50C (coconut fiber) mixture, which had the most significant MLVI values (127%). We added chitosan and alginate-encapsulated fulvic acid phytostimulants to improve the performance of the substrate mixtures. The fulvic acid, encapsulated or not, significantly improved MLVI values in Q. saponaria species and P. radiata in concentrations between 0.05 and 0.1% w/v. This study suggests that mixtures with higher levels of extracted fiber are suitable for growing forest species, thus promoting the application of circular economy principles in forestry.

Integrated physiological, biochemical and transcriptomic analyses reveal the mechanism of salt tolerance induced by a halotolerant Serratia sp. NTN6 in maize

Salt stress is a serious environmental challenge that hinders crop growth and yield. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can successfully and environmentally friendly boost plant development in saline soils. In this study, a halotolerant Serratia sp. NTN6 was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of halophyte Puccinellia tenuiflora and its plant growth-promoting properties were determined. NTN6 inoculation significantly promoted seed germination and seedling growth in maize under salt stress. Shoot height, stem thickness, root fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, root dry weight, and shoot dry weight of salt-stressed seedlings increased by 36.3%, 32.5%, 146.4%, 193.6%, 25.0%, and 109.6%, respectively, after inoculation with NTN6. NTN6-mediated maize salt tolerance was revealed via transcriptomic, physiological, and biochemical analyses. Under salt stress, NTN6 regulated the transcript levels of genes related to chlorophyll synthesis, photosynthesis apparatus, and carbon assimilation pathways, and thus increasing chlorophyll content, Fv/Fm, and net photosynthetic rate; NTN6 reduced the content of O2•–, H2O2, and MDA by regulating the transcripts and activities of antioxidant enzymes; NTN6 affected the transcriptional response of genes involved in ABA synthesis and signaling to salt stress and reduced ABA level. Finally, NTN6 boosted photosynthetic capacity in salt-stressed maize by modulating photochemical activity, C4 pathway and Calvin cycle as well as mitigating reactive oxygen species damage to the photosystem reaction center. This study first investigated the mechanism of Serratia sp.-induced salt tolerance in maize and these findings demonstrate the valuable contribution of halotolerant PGPR strain from halophytes in improving salinity tolerance in non-halophytic crops.

Phytic Acid, Protein, and Oil Contents and Their Relationship With Seed Quality During Seed Maturation of Bambara Nut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Landraces

ABSTRACTPhytic acid, proteins, and oils are seed storage compounds that play a role in germination and seedling growth and may determine seed quality. The pattern of accumulation of these compounds and the relationship of their contents with the seed quality of the Bambara nut (BN) are poorly understood. Seeds of three BN landraces, AbiBam001 (black/cream), LocalBam (brown speckled), and TVSU544 (cream), were harvested from two field experiments at different maturation stages and tested for final germination percentage (FGP), germination velocity index (GVI), and seedling dry weight (SDW). Seed samples from the same experiments were analyzed for phytic acid and proximate composition. Kendall's ranked correlation was used to describe relationships between phytic acid, protein, and oil contents and the seed quality of the landraces. Results showed no differences in the phytate, protein, and oil contents of landraces during seed maturation (p > 0.05), except for the phytate content of AbiBam001 (p < 0.05), which increased in the first experiment. At mass maturity, AbiBam001 and LocalBam had higher phytate and less protein and oil contents than TVSU544, implying that seed coat color may influence the phytate, protein, and oil contents of BN landraces. Higher phytate content in landraces appeared to relate positively with FGP, GVI, and SDW and vice versa. Phytic acid may positively affect seed germinability in BN landraces with high phytate content but may affect it negatively in low‐phytate landraces. The oil content of all landraces had negative correlations with most seed quality characteristics, suggesting that BN oils either are not priority reserves or play a minimal role in germination and seedling growth.

The role of endophytic bacteria in increasing nitrogen concentration, root length, and dry weight of rice plants (Oryza sativa L.) in saline soil

Soil salinity can interfere with the absorption of water and plant nutrients, causing a decrease in growth and yield of rice plants in saline soil. This negative effect can be reduced by the application of endophytic bacteria biofertilizer. Endophytic bacteria live in plant tissues and play a role in increasing plant growth through nitrogen fixation or growth hormone production. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of endophytic bacterial biofertilizer application on N concentration, root length, and dry weight of rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.) in soils with different salinities. This research was conducted in the greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran. The experimental design used was a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 8 combinations. The treatments were with and without endophytic bacterial biofertilizers, and soils with different levels of salinity (non-saline soil and saline soil with salinities of 2, 4, and 6 mmhos cm-1) and repeated 4 times. The experimental results showed that the combination treatment of endophytic bacterial biofertilizer in saline soil of 2 mmhos cm-1 was able to increase the N concentration, root length, and dry weight of rice plants which were higher than the treatment of endophytic bacterial biofertilizer in soil with salinity of 4 and 6 mmhos cm-1. The application of endophytic bacteria biofertilizer has higher dry weight of rice plants than without endophytic bacteria at each different salinity level.

Effect of Growing Media and Cow Urine on Seedling Growth, Leaf Nutrient Status and Economics of Papaya (Carica papaya L.)

In recent decades, research attention is focusing on utilize animal wastes for the quality planting material production with the various growing media. In this study, a pot experiment was conducted on papaya cv. Arka Surya at the nursery unit of the Department of Horticulture, Agricultural University of Kota, Rajasthan to assessment the impact of growing media and organic liquid (cow urine) on seedling growth, leaf nutrient status and economic attributes. This experiment was laid out in a factorial complete randomized design with two factors consisting eleven growing media and two levels of cow urine (with or without). Among different treatments combination used the medium Soil + Sand + Vermiculite + Cocopeat + Perlite (1:1:1:1:1) with cow urine found significantly superior over other treatments and control with respect to maximum leaf area (51.85 cm2), vigour index-I (1550.27 cm), vigour index-II (59.55 g), fresh weight of seedling (2.86 g) and dry weight of seedling (0.42 g) at 75 days after sowing. The highest number of secondary roots (17.00) were also found in the same treatment as compared to rest of the treatments. Further, it was also found superior with relation to maximum nitrogen (1.87%), phosphorus (1.14%) and potassium (2.26%) content. The highest number of stout and healthy seedlings (9000) per 250 g seeds. Therefore, maximum total gross return (₹ 90000) obtained by selling of these seedlings with higher net income (₹ 17363) due to treatment T10-Soil + Sand + Vermiculite + Cocopeat + Perlite (1:1:1:1:1) with cow urine over control. However, it is recommended that Soil + Sand + Vermiculite + Cocopeat + Perlite (1:1:1:1:1) with cow urine should be used for healthier growth and higher nutrient quality with more net profitability.