Early Pod Research Articles

Effect of Irrigation and Foliar Nutrition on Yield and Economics of Rice Fallow Blackgram

The present investigation, entitled “Effect of Irrigation and Foliar Nutrition on Yield and Economics of rice fallow blackgram” was carried out at the Agricultural College Farm, Naira, during the rabi season of 2023-24. The experiment was laid out in Strip-plot design with 3 main plots viz., M1- No Irrigation; M2-Irrigation at flower initiation and M3-Two irrigations one at flower initiation one at early pod development and 4 Sub Plots viz., S1- water spray; S2- 1%19:19:19(NPK); S3-2% Urea; S4-2% DAP; S5-4 ml Nano urea; S6-3ml Nano DAP with two replications for each treatment. The results showed that irrigation at flower initiation and early pod development stage and foliar spray of 2% DAP at flower initiation and early pod development stage recorded maximum seed yield, haulm yield and economics.

Impact of Soil Moisture Depletion on Various Yield Components and Water Usage to Trigger Pods in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Desi Genotypes

ABSTRACTChickpeas are well adapted to rainfed conditions, but a lack of moisture during the reproductive phase can result in lower pod setting and ultimately reduced grain yield. The exact reasons for this reduction are not fully understood, partly because of the lack of information on soil moisture content (SMC) and water use during podding. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap by quantifying the impact of gradual drought on various yield components of desi‐type genotypes using the fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW) method. Two water treatments were applied at the start of anthesis: well‐watered (WW) and drought‐stressed (DS). The WW was maintained at 24% SMC, whereas the DS was dried to 3% SMC. The results showed that DS caused early podding (3.3 days less), with reductions in plant height (11.4 cm), leaf area (1249.5 cm2), flowers (18.6), pods (27.4), seeds (37.0), grain yield (0.2 g), aboveground dry biomass (11.4 g) and harvest index (0.2 g), while increasing flower abortion (14.6) and seed biomass (1.5 g). However, diverse genotypic responses were observed to treatments, as well as water usage, FTSW and SMC that triggered pods which ranged from 1.12 to 1.89 L, 0.05 to 0.43 and 4.0% to 12.2%, respectively. A positive association between days taken and the amount of water used to terminate pods indicated that quicker‐triggering genotypes, such as Rupali and Genesis 836, consumed less water to develop pods than Flipper, ICCV_06109 and PBA Slasher did. Conversely, the negative association between the amount of water used and the number of pods triggered, seeds and grain yield explained the superior performance of Rupali and Genesis 836. These genotypes extracted less water (FTSW = 0.36 and 0.43; SMC = 10.3% and 12.2%, respectively) to develop pods and maintained favourable photosynthesis at lower transpiration rates for longer periods, allowing them to use residual moisture more efficiently. Our research offers crucial insights that can be beneficial to breeders and physiologists, paving the way for future studies aimed at developing drought‐tolerant genotypes.

Molecular selection of soybean towards adaptation to Central European agroclimatic conditions.

Europe is highly dependent on soybean meal imports and anticipates an increase of domestic plant protein production. Ongoing climate change resulted in northward shift of plant hardiness zones, enabling spring-sowing of freezing-sensitive crops, including soybean. However, it requires efficient reselection of germplasm adapted to relatively short growing season and long-day photoperiod. In the present study, a PCR array has been implemented, targeting early maturity (E1-E4, E7, E9, and E10), pod shattering (qPHD1), and growth determination (Dt1) genes. This array was optimized for routine screening of soybean diversity panel (204 accessions), subjected to the 2018-2020 survey of phenology, morphology, and yield-related traits in a potential cultivation region in Poland. High broad-sense heritability (0.84-0.88) was observed for plant height, thousand grain weight, maturity date, and the first pod height. Significant positive correlations were identified between the number of seeds and pods per plant, between these two traits and seed yield per plant as well as between flowering, maturity, plant height, and first pod height. PCR array genotyping revealed high genetic diversity, yielding 98 allelic combinations. The most remarkable correlations were identified between flowering and E7 or E1, between maturity and E4 or E7 and between plant height and Dt1 or E4. The study demonstrated high applicability of this PCR array for molecular selection of soybean towards adaptation to Central Europe, designating recessive qPHD1 and dominant Dt1, E3, and E4 alleles as major targets to align soybean growth season requirements with the length of the frost-free period, improve plant performance, and increase yield.

Heat shock protein 70 is associated with duration of cell proliferation in early pod development of soybean

Pod is an important organ for seed production in soybean. Pod size varies among soybean cultivars, but the mechanism is largely unknown. Here we reveal one of the factors for pod size regulation. We investigate pod size differences between two cultivars. The longer pod of ‘Tachinagaha’ is due to more cell number than in the short pod of ‘Iyodaizu’. POD SIZE OF SOYBEAN 8 (GmPSS8), a member of the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) family, is identified as a candidate gene for determining pod length in a major QTL for pod length. Expression of GmPSS8 in pods is higher in ‘Tachinagaha’ than ‘Iyodaizu’ and is highest in early pod development. The difference in expression is the result of an in/del polymorphism which includes an enhancer motif. Treatment with an HSP70 inhibitor reduces pod length and cell number in the pod. Additionally, shorter pods in Arabidopsis hsp70-1/-4 double mutant are rescued by overexpression of GmPSS8. Our results identify GmPSS8 as a target gene for pod length, which regulates cell number during early pod development through regulation of transcription in soybean. Our findings provide the mechanisms of pod development and suggest possible strategies enhancing yield potential in soybean.

Drought-Tolerant Bacteria and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Mitigate the Detrimental Effects of Drought Stress Induced by Withholding Irrigation at Critical Growth Stages of Soybean (Glycine max, L.).

Considering current global climate change, drought stress is regarded as a major problem negatively impacting the growth of soybeans, particularly at the critical stages R3 (early pod) and R5 (seed development). Microbial inoculation is regarded as an ecologically friendly and low-cost-effective strategy for helping soybean plants withstand drought stress. The present study aimed to isolate newly drought-tolerant bacteria from native soil and evaluated their potential for producing growth-promoting substances as well as understanding how these isolated bacteria along with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) could mitigate drought stress in soybean plants at critical growth stages in a field experiment. In this study, 30 Bradyrhizobium isolates and 30 rhizobacterial isolates were isolated from the soybean nodules and rhizosphere, respectively. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 was used for evaluating their tolerance to drought, and then the production of growth promotion substances was evaluated under both without/with PEG. The most effective isolates (DTB4 and DTR30) were identified genetically using 16S rRNA gene. A field experiment was conducted to study the impact of inoculation with DTB4 and DTR30 along with AMF (Glomus clarum, Funneliformis mosseae, and Gigaspora margarita) on the growth and yield of drought-stressed soybeans. Our results showed that the bioinoculant applications improved the growth traits (shoot length, root length, leaf area, and dry weight), chlorophyll content, nutrient content (N, P, and K), nodulation, and yield components (pods number, seeds weight, and grain yield) of soybean plants under drought stress (p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, proline contents were decreased due to the bioinoculant applications under drought when compared to uninoculated treatments. As well as the count of bacteria, mycorrhizal colonization indices, and the activity of soil enzymes (dehydrogenase and phosphatase) were enhanced in the soybean rhizosphere under drought stress. This study's findings imply that using a mixture of bioinoculants may help soybean plants withstand drought stress, particularly during critical growth stages, and that soybean growth, productivity, and soil microbial activity were improved under drought stress.

Single-nucleus RNA and ATAC sequencing analyses provide molecular insights into early pod development of peanut fruit

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important leguminous oil and economic crop that produces flowers aboveground and fruits belowground. Subterranean fruit-pod development, which significantly affects peanut production, involves complex molecular mechanisms that likely require the coordinated regulation of multiple genes in different tissues. To investigate the molecular mechanisms that underlie peanut fruit-pod development, we characterized the anatomical features of early fruit-pod development and integrated single-nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) and single-nucleus assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing (snATAC-seq) data at the single-cell level. We identified distinct cell types, such as meristem, embryo, vascular tissue, cuticular layer, and stele cells within the shell wall. These specific cell types were used to examine potential molecular changes unique to each cell type during pivotal stages of fruit-pod development. snRNA-seq analyses of differentially expressed genes revealed cell-type-specific insights that were not previously obtainable from transcriptome analyses of bulk RNA. For instance, we identified MADS-box genes that contributes to the formation of parenchyma cells and gravity-related genes that are present in the vascular cells, indicating an essential role for the vascular cells in peg gravitropism. Overall, our single-nucleus analysis provides comprehensive and novel information on specific cell types, gene expression, and chromatin accessibility during the early stages of fruit-pod development. This information will enhance our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie fruit-pod development in peanut and contribute to efforts aimed at improving peanut production.

Impact of Foliar Fungicide Application on the Culturable Fungal Endophyte Community of Soybean Seed in the Midwest United States.

The purpose of our study was to determine whether the application of quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) and pyrazole-carboxamide fungicides as a tank mix would impact the endophyte community of soybean seed. Field trials during 2018 in Iowa, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, U.S.A., investigated the impact of a single combination fungicide spray at early pod set in soybeans. The composition of culturable endophytic fungi in mature soybean seed was assessed on three cultivars per state, with maturity groups (MGs) ranging from 1.1 to 4.7. An unusually wet 2018 season delayed harvest, which led to a high level of fungal growth in grain. The survey included 1,080 asymptomatic seeds that were disinfested and individually placed on 5-cm-diameter Petri plates of acidified water agar. The survey yielded 721 fungal isolates belonging to 24 putative species in seven genera; taxa were grouped into genera based on a combination of morphological and molecular evidence. The dominant genera encountered in the survey were Alternaria, Diaporthe, and Fusarium. The study showed that the fungicide treatment reduced the incidence of Fusarium in Wisconsin seed, increased the incidence of Diaporthe in seed from all states, and had no impact on the incidence of Alternaria. This is one of the first attempts to characterize the diversity of seed endophytes in soybean and the first to characterize the impacts of fungicide spraying on these endophyte communities across three states. Our study provides evidence that the impact of a fungicide spray on soybean seed endophyte communities may be influenced by site, weather, and cultivar maturity group.

Optimizing speed breeding and seed/pod chip based genotyping techniques in pigeonpea: A way forward for high throughput line development

BackgroundThe challenge of pigeonpea breeding lies in its photosensitivity and seasonal specificity. This poses a problem to the breeder, as it restricts to single generation advancement in a year. Currently, the cross to cultivar gap is twelve to thirteen years resulting in a limited number of varietal releases over the past six decades. Shortening the breeding cycle was need of the hour, unlikely achieved by conventional breeding. To overcome these hindrances speed breeding was a necessary leap. An experiment was planned to optimize the speed breeding coupled with single seed descent and seed or pod chip-based genotyping to shorten the breeding cycle in pigeonpea at ICRISAT, Hyderabad. Monitored photoperiod, light wavelength, temperature and crop management regime were the indicators attributing to the success of speed breeding.ResultA photoperiod of 13 h: 8 h: 13 h at vegetative: flowering and pod filling stages is ideal for shortening the breeding cycle. Broad spectrum light (5700 K LED) hastened early vegetative growth and pod formation. Whereas far-red (735 nm) light favoured early flowering. A significant difference between the photoperiods, genotypes as well as photoperiod x genotype interaction for both days to flowering and plant height was noted.ConclusionThe optimized protocol serves as a road map for rapid generation advancement in pigeonpea. Deploying this protocol, it is possible to advance 2–4 generations per year. The breeding cycle can be reduced to 2–4 years which otherwise takes 7 years under conventional breeding. Single Seed Descent and seed or pod chip-based genotyping for early generation marker assisted selection, strengthened the precision of this technique aiding in high throughput line development.

Effect of drought at different reproductive stages on yield and yield components of some cowpea (<i>Vigna unguiculata l. Walp</i>) varieties in Lapai, Niger State, Nigeria

Drought is one of the most unfavorable abiotic factors that can affect the growth and yield of cowpea. Drought at different reproductive stages can interfere with the morphological processes of plants. Therefore this research aim to determine the effect of drought at different reproductive stages on yield and yield components of some cowpea varieties. A screen house experiment was conducted at the Botanical Garden of Biological Science Department, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, University during the 2022 cropping season The three cowpea varieties used were; FUAMPEA 1, FUAMPEA 2 and ITK89KD-288 which were planted and subjected to water stress at three different reproductive stages which included; early flowering stage, early pod set stage, early seed filling stage and a well-watered treatment to serve as control. The treatments were arranged in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) in three replications. Cowpea yield attributes evaluated were; number of pods per plant, pod length, pod weight per pot, number of seeds per pod, 100 seed weight, total grain yield per pot and estimated grain yield per hectare. Results revealed that variety was highly significant (p≤0.01) for pod length, total grain yield per pot and estimated grain yield per hectare. On the other hand, drought was significant (p≤0.05) for pod weight per pot. Variety however was not significant for number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and 100 seed weight. Drought showed a highly significant effect (p≤0.01) on number of pods per plant, pod length, pod weight per pot, number of seeds per pod, 100 seed weight, total grain yield per pot and estimated grain yield per hectare. Water stress at early seed filling stage significantly reduced total grain yield per plot and total grain yield per hectare. Drought at different reproductive stages affects the morphological and physiological processes of cowpea as a crop. This is an indication that water is very crucial during the growth and yield of cowpea.

Insights into chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotype adaptations to terminal drought stress: Evaluating water-use patterns, root growth, and stress-responsive proteins

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), a rainfed crop in semi-arid regions, experiences frequent intermittent drought stress, hindering growth. This study explored morpho-physiological and molecular responses of six chickpea genotypes (ICC 4958, BG 4005, Pusa 362, BGM 10218, RSG 888, ICC 1882) under terminal drought to enhance yield and adaptability. Drought stress was imposed during early podding in a controlled glasshouse experiment. Various physiological, root growth, fertility, and yield parameters were measured. Proteomics analysis was conducted on leaf, pod, and root tissue samples, collected at ∼0.3 fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW). Significant differences occurred for various traits, including phenologies, water relations, pollen viability and germination, flower and pod numbers, abortion rates, photosynthetic apparatus and pigments, osmotic adjustments, canopy temperatures, root length, and densities, and overall yield and biomass. FTSW dynamics can aid genotype screening during early drought. Characterizing stress-responsive proteins can provide insights into cellular processes and adaptations. Terminal drought affected leaf central shoot metabolism, reducing photosynthetic capacity, while roots and pods reconfigured enzyme abundances to promote root growth and pod development. The extensive genotypic variation in proteome data, morpho-physiological traits, and water-use patterns presents opportunities for developing drought-adapted cultivars.

A Predictive Model Based on Machine Learning for Early Progression/Relapse of Follicular Lymphoma

Introduction:Management of follicular lymphoma (FL) improved dramatically in the last decade, and progression/relapse of disease within 24 months (POD24) is now established as a predictor for poor survival. Risk prediction of early POD (E-POD) prior to the start of therapy may enhance clinical management and research strategies. We aimed to establish a comprehensive model based on machine learning (ML) that could predict the E-POD of FL patients for earlier identify such patients earlier. Methods: In this study, patients with a diagnosis of FL at the Shandong Provincial Hospital between January 1, 2010, to May 1, 2023, were identified retrospectively. All patients met the following criteria: pathologically confirmed with grades 1-3A FL and no previous treatment for FL. Model building was performed on a 70% split sample based on ML algorithms, and with 30% held for internal testing. Model performance was evaluated using the ROC curve, accuracy, precision, and f1-score. Furthermore, we compared the features of FL patients with early (<2 years) and late POD (relapsing after 5 years of starting treatment, L-POD). This study was in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and it was approved by the Medical Ethical Committee of the Shandong Provincial Hospital. All patients were obtained for the collection of informed consent at their first visit. Results: Of the included 224 patients, 45 (20.1%) had at least one POD. E-POD occurred in of the 29 (64.4%) evaluable patients and 6 (13.3%) had late POD (relapsing after 5 years of starting treatment, L-POD), In our center, the median age at the time of the FL diagnosis was 49 years (range 19-82), and the median length of follow-up was 28 months (range 3-120). Most patients were diagnosed with advanced disease (80.8%) and had grade 1-2 disease (75.9%). 75 cases (33.9%) had bone marrow participation and 63 cases (28.1%) with Ki-67≥30%. To establish a scoring system for predicting E-POD, we selected 34 variables for served as the input candidate features, including sociodemographic, clinical, and immunohistochemistry data, and used lymphoma E-POD (yes or no) as the output variable. In 14 models based on ML algorithms, the best models were RF Classifier (AUC: 0.83, Accuracy: 89.5%). To improve the performance, it was optimized after the complete construction of the model. Finally, the RF Classifier demonstrated AUC and accuracy as follows: 0.96, and 92.3% and we calculated the recall, precision, and F1 scores based on the confusion matrix as follows: 84.1%, 97.4%, and 90.3%, respectively. We evaluated the performance of prediction models built with data in a validation cohort and found the performance of the model was similar in both cohorts. Based on this RF Classifier, we selected relative variables important out of the multiple clinical and laboratory blood markers to predict E-POD ( Fig. 1A). Meanwhile, we analyzed the Pearson correlation coefficients (r) between 20 statistically meaningful biomarkers to reduce the complexity of the model ( Fig. 1B). To further screen for prognostic biomarkers, the top ten risk factors from the three best-performing models were integrated. The five biomarkers were completely involved in these three modules, including adenosine deaminase (ADA), β2-macroglobulin (β2-MG), C-reactive protein (CRP), aspartate transaminase (AST), and D-dimer. Additionally, we also found a significant difference in OS between the clusters among FL patients (p<0.05). Among 224 patients with FL, 45 (20.1%) patients experienced recurrence and progression. Besides 23 (60.5%) cases with E-POD, there are 6 (15.8%) patients who had L-POD. In comparison with those who experienced E-POD, L-POD patients showed a trend toward a better outcome, and a more favorable risk profile at presentation: lower pathological grade (1-2), anemia, and no mutation of the CARD11. Conclusion: We established a prognostic model to identify a subgroup of patients at high risk of E-POD based on AI analysis. This model utilizes objective variables easily and reliably measured at diagnosis which makes it easier for clinicians to predict the E-POD risk of FL and dynamically monitor changes during treatment. Further validation will hopefully facilitate the incorporation of these simple biomarkers into clinical decision-making tools to prevent adverse outcomes and promote personalized treatment options.

Progression of Disease within 2 Years Predicts Poor Survival in Patients with Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma

Background: Early progression within 24 months (POD24) of initial immunochemotherapy was repeatedly confirmed to be associated with poor survival in follicular, diffuse large B-cell and mantle-cell lymphomas, identifying its high-risk subgroup with different disease biology (Casulo C, JCO 2015; Maurer JM, JCO 2015; Bond DA, Blood Adv 2021). Little is known about the POD24 incidence and clinical impact in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients, and current prognostic schemes have been designed with longer survival endpoints (Rodday AM, JCO 2022). Methods: This single-center study comprised patients (pts) with classic HL (cHL) treated with frontline chemotherapy prospectively enrolled in the Czech Hodgkin Lymphoma Study Group database in 1993-2020 (database lock was done on 15. June 2023). Early event was defined as progression, relapse, or death related to progressive HL within 24 months after the date of diagnosis. Overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated from the date of diagnosis. To evaluate the association between early POD and OS from a risk-defining event, that is, survival from the time of POD for early progressors (POD24 group) or from 2 years after diagnosis for the reference group (noPOD24 group), was calculated. In total, we have identified 417 pts with cHL diagnosed from 1993 to the end of 2020. Ten pts have been excluded from the analysis because of early death (<24 months) with no recorded disease progression. Results: The analyzed cohort consisted of 407 pts: 205 females and 202 males with a median age of 35 years (min 16, max 78) with limited disease (stage I-II) in 58% and advanced disease (stage III-IV) in 42%. Histological subtypes were as follows: nodular sclerosis in 53.1%, mixed cellularity in 35.6%, lymphocyte-rich in 3.7%, and lymphocyte-depleted in 0.3%. Subtype was not available in 7.3% of the pts. Extranodal disease and B symptoms were present in 25% and 49%, respectively. 42% of patients had high-risk IPS of 3 or more points. Patients received BEACOPP in 55.5%, Stanford V in 23%, ABVD in 12%, and COPP in 7%. Other treatments were used in 2,5% of the cases. The complete and partial remission rates after frontline treatment were 88.7% and 8.6%, respectively, and only 3% of the pts did not respond to therapy. After a median follow-up of 12.1 years, a cumulative incidence of progression/relapse is 0.14 (95%CI 0,10-0.18). The POD24-event occurred in 36 pts (8.8%) and 38 (9.3%) patients relapsed after 2 years. The entire group's 5-y PFS and 5-y OS reached 81.0% (95% CI 0.77-0.85) and 91.4% (95% CI 88.6-0.94), respectively. The 5-y OS since the risk-defining event was 48.1% (95% CI 31.4-64.8) and 94.2% (95% CI 0.92-96.7) in the POD24 vs noPOD24 group (p<0.001, HR=5.35), Fig 1. When comparing 12 baseline clinical and laboratory characteristics between POD24 (n=35) with noPOD24 controls (n=371), we have found no major differences (Tab 1). There was a trend in more frequent POD24 in the patients with massive mediastinal tumor (p=0.07) and those with advanced clinical stage (p=0.047). The spectrum of the induction regimes was distributed equally (p=0.26). Conclusions: Early progression of the disease is rare; however, a catastrophic event in HL resulting in more than five times higher risk of death. Baseline disease characteristics - besides the clinical stage - do not predict the risk of later POD24 events. Large independent validation may enhance the validity of these data and help create a prognostic tool for POD24 prediction. This event should be considered an important endpoint in Hodgkin lymphoma clinical trials in the future. Acknowledgements: Supported by MH CZ - DRO (FNOL, 00098892), IGA_LF_2023_005 and AZV NU22-03-00182.

Revising economic injury levels for Lygus spp. in canola: The value of historical yield and insect data to improve decision making

Canola is one of the most important cash crops in Canada, but yields can be reduced by several insect pests including Lygus spp. (Hemiptera: Miridae). Canola cultivars have been improved substantially since economic thresholds were developed for Lygus in the 1990's. Thus, the objective of this study was to integrate a large data set collected over 23 years (1999–2021) from plots and commercial fields to update economic thresholds. Regression analysis of the data from the studied years from across distinct ecoregions yielded an overall Economic Injury Level (=action threshold) around 9–23 Lygus per 10 sweeps using the current (high) canola prices. However, insecticide trials at farmer's commercial fields, showed that yield was protected from Lygus feeding by spraying a foliar insecticide at the early pod stage only when catches exceeded 30 Lygus per 10 sweeps. Further analysis of Precision Yield Data (PYD) from combine yield monitors from southern Alberta, revealed that at low abundances, under 17 Lygus per 10 sweeps, Lygus may potentially stimulate canola yield and do not require a control action, unless there are more than 30 Lygus per 10 sweeps. Developing a long term data repository for PYD across multiple sites and spatial scales in the Prairies of Canada would allow future generations of researchers to improve decision making tools such as pest action thresholds, to develop a more resilient and sustainable agriculture.

Impact of metribuzin dose and water stress on chickpea plant health

Chickpea is an important rotational pulse crop for Saskatchewan field crops. Since 2019, Saskatchewan chickpea production has suffered from a plant health issue following rainfall events around flowering to early podding resulting in apical wilting and eventual branch death. Post-emergence broadleaf weed management in chickpea relies on metribuzin, which can result in variable injury in chickpea. The study objective was to evaluate the effect of metribuzin dose and water stress on chickpea health in the greenhouse. At two weeks after treatment (WAT), chickpea mortality reached 25% for 206 g ai ha−1 (label rate) metribuzin dose and 56% for 413 g ha−1 dose, respectively. Maximum chickpea vegetative chlorosis and necrosis was 81% for the 413 g ha−1 metribuzin treatment and 65% for the 206 g ha−1 treatment. Chickpea longest branch length was reduced from 34 to 26 cm at 8 WAT with the 206 g ha−1 metribuzin treatment. Three weeks of permitting the soil to reach the wilting point and induce symptoms reduced chickpea longest branch length from 38 to 24 cm by 8 WAT. Chickpea pod production was reduced by 75% with the 206 g ha−1 metribuzin treatment and 90% with the water stress regime. Metribuzin at labeled dosing in Saskatchewan induced plant death and considerable vegetative necrosis when evaluated in the greenhouse.

Effect of different depths of irrigation water on yield and water use pattern of summer groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Field experiment was conducted during summer season of 2013 and 2014 to evaluate the effect of different depths of irrigation water on yield and water use pattern of summer groundnut. Plant height increased with increasing the quantity and uniform depth (50 mm) of irrigation water during all through growth period. Towards maturity presence of moisture had no greater influence to plant growth but had significant role to developmentalprocesses. Depth ofirrigation had greatly influenced on drymatter production rather than total quantity of irrigation water applied. Increasing irrigation depth to higher (40 mm) from lower (20 mm) depth did not influence the crop growth rate significantly. Irrigation water applied either uniform or different depth during various growth stages significantly influenced the yield attributes viz., number of pods per plant, shelling percentage etc. and skipping of irrigation water at any stage did not influence the yield attributes. Yield of groundnut also increased with lesserquantity of irrigation water when irrigation water was applied in judicious manner with different depths during different growth stages. Skipping of any depth of irrigation water from 30 DAE to 65 DAE the pod yield wasreduced significantly about 20-26 per cent and moisture stress at early growth stage to early pod development stage was detrimental. Total water use or water expense was higher under T7 (379.0 mm) where 160 mm irrigation water was applied under various depths during different growth stages followed by skipping of 20 mm irrigation water at 30 DAE but water expense efficiency was higher under T5 where, 180 mmofirrigation water was applied in different depth of combinations during different growth stages of the crop followed by higher pod yield. So it may be concluded that moisture stress at early growth stage to early pod development stage was detrimental and to meet the physiological demand of the crop judicious management of irrigation water viz., shallow depth of irrigation waterat early part of the growth along with medium depth of irrigation water towards later growth stages (T5) is recommended for good harvest of the crop.

Comparison of the effects of remimazolam tosylate and propofol on postoperative delirium among older adults undergoing major non-cardiac surgery: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionPostoperative delirium (POD) is a common cognitive disturbance in elderly individuals that is characterised by acute and fluctuating impairments in attention and awareness. Remimazolam tosylate is a novel, ultrashort-acting benzodiazepine,...

The Impact of Foliar Fertilization on the Physiological Parameters, Yield, and Quality Indices of the Soybean Crop

Presented research was carried out in 2021 and 2022 on the Felix soybean variety at the Agricultural Research and Development Station Turda, located in the Transylvanian Plain, Romania. In this experiment, complex fertilizer NPK 20:20:0 was applied as a basic fertilizer in a dose of 200 kg ha−1 at the sowing stage, to which foliar fertilizer Agro Argentum Forte treatment was added in different doses and at different application stages. The main purpose of the study was to identify the suitable stages of foliar application in soybean cultivation for effective vegetative development, yield, and quality purposes. The impacts of the fertilization system and the climatic conditions on the physiological parameters, assimilation, yield, and quality were evaluated. Technology showed that the physiological parameters were positively influenced, following the foliar fertilization with Agro Argentum Forte, with average assimilation values recorded above 23.0 μmol CO2 m−2s−1 in the year 2021 and 22.4 μmol CO2 m−2s−1 in the year 2022. Soybean crop was influenced by climatic conditions and the application of foliar fertilizers in different phases of growth and development, obtaining higher yields, as well as higher protein and oil content. The soybean yield and quality indices (protein, oil, and mass of a thousand seeds) were higher in 2021 than in 2022 for the variants treated with foliar fertilizers compared to the control, resulting in an improvement in seed quality in 2021 with a yield of 3560 kg ha−1, while 2022 saw a lower yield of 1805 kg ha−1. The application of basic mineral fertilizers in combination with foliar fertilization had a significantly positive impact on the quality indicators of soybean seeds. The highest yields were achieved when the foliar treatment was applied in the early pod formation stage.

Split applications of molybdenum fertilizer on common bean increase molybdenum in seed

AbstractCommon bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plants sprayed with molybdenum (Mo) fertilizer produce Mo‐enriched seeds, which may increase yield in Mo‐poor soils. The challenge has been to produce Mo‐enriched seeds with less fertilizer. Split applications of Mo increase seed Mo content (SMoC), but the number of splits that maximize SMoC has not been studied sufficiently. In three sprinkler‐irrigated field trials, we evaluated the effects of split‐applied Mo fertilizer on SMoC and seed physiological quality. All treatments received NPK fertilizer at sowing. In two treatments, 69 kg ha−1 of urea‐N was top‐dressed or not applied. In six treatments, Na2MoO4·2H2O was foliar‐sprayed once at either 90 or 600 g ha−1 of Mo at the 4th trifoliolate leaf (V4) growth stage, or 600 g ha−1 was split equally at V4 and bud initiation (R5); V4, R5, and full flowering (R6); V4, R5, R6, and early pod formation (R7); or V4, R5, R6, and early and late R7 growth stages. Seed yield for each trial ranged from 3723 to 4621 kg ha−1. Site‐treatment interaction was significant for SMoC and seed germination (p < 0.001). SMoC ranged from 0.11 to 0.23 (only NPK‐fertilized), 1.81 to 3.31 (600 g ha−1, no split), and 5.22 to 6.29 μg (four splits). Four and five splits did not differ significantly for any variable. In two trials, seeds from 600 g ha−1 of Mo had a 3.9% higher germination than seeds from 90 g ha−1. In conclusion, SMoC increases as the number of splits increase up to four times. Additionally, Mo applied at 600 g ha−1 may improve seed germination rate.

Study of the Relationship between Biomass and Fractional Green Canopy Cover of Two Forage Crops Using Canopeo®

Rapid and accurate estimation of biomass is crucial for the assessment of the crop nutrition status and the improvement of crop management strategies. The study was conducted in Setif province (Northeast of Algeria). Canopy cover was calculated using Canopeo® application, at stem elongation, booting, and heading stages for triticale, and V5, R1, and R3 for lentil. The results indicate a high correlation between canopy cover and triticale biomass, at the stem elongation stage with R2 = 0.98 and 0.89 under no till and conventional till, respectively. The RMSE was 0.1 and 0.06t/ha, under the two modes. The lowest correlation is seen at heading stage with a value of 0.21 and RMSE of 0.65t/ha, under no till mode. For lentil, the high correlations between are observed at R3 (early pod), and R1 (early bloom) stages, with a coefficients of 0.85 and 0.98, under zero till and conventional respectively. The RMSE was 0.17t/ha. This smartphone application is suitable for assessing triticale and lentil biomass; it is rapid, easy, and could replace the destructive sampling method.

Effect of foliar nutrition on growth and yield of green gram (Vigna radiata L.) in red and lateritic soils of West Bengal

The influence of different foliar nutrition (Urea, DAP, NPK-19:19:19, NPK 10:26:26, ZnSO4 .7H2 O, Mo and Borax) along with recommended dose of chemical fertilizer (RDF) were evaluated with one control (RDF only) on summer season mungbean cv. Samrat during 2022 at Instructional Farm under Seacom Skills University, Birbhum, West Bengal. The experiment was laid down in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with eight treatment combinations replicated thrice. The results showed that tallest plants (58.5 cm) with more number of leaves (23.9) were observed in RDF + Urea at 2% (sprayed twice at 20 and 40 DAS) treated plots. The same treatment showed the highest number of branches per plant (17.5) with maximum DMA (284.6 g m-2) but in case of underground portion like root length recorded highest in DAP foliar spray plot. Earliest 50% flowering, early pod emergence and early picking was recorded where combined application of RDF + borax at 0.2% (sprayed twice at 20 and 40 DAS). The treatment RDF + DAP at 2% (sprayed twice at 20 and 40 DAS) augmented highest number of pods plant-1 (18.8), pod length (6.80 cm), number of seeds pod-1 (10.75), seed index (21.2 g), seed yield (845 kg/ha) and stover yield (2020 kg/ha); followed by RDF + NPK (19-19-19) at 1% and RDF + Urea at 2% (sprayed twice at 20 and 40 DAS). Yield increase was to the tune of 3.54% to 10.74%. The gross returns, net returns and benefit: cost ratio were maximum when the crop received RDF + DAP at 2% (sprayed twice at 20 and 40 DAS). Hence, combined use of RDF + DAP at 2% and urea at 2% (sprayed 20 and 40 DAS) is beneficial for green gram production programme during summer season in the Red and Lateritic soils of West Bengal.