Effects Of Plant Characteristics Research Articles

The Effect of Plant Characteristics on CO2 Emission Factor Development: A Case Study of Coal-Fired Power Plants in Indonesia

The emission factor (EF) describes the relationship between pollutants released into the atmosphere and associated activities. Developing specific EFs is essential for accurate emission calculations in the industrial sector, particularly in coal-fired power plants (CFPPs), a major source of emissions in Indonesia. This study aims to develop specific CO2 EFs for CFPPs in Indonesia by analyzing the influence of power plant characteristics, such as technology type and age, on the EF values. The EFs, expressed in tons of CO2 per unit of energy produced (t TJ-¹), are based on data from 153 units across 66 CFPPs in Indonesia. Five technology types were included in the analysis: ultra-supercritical, super-critical, subcritical-pulverized coal combustion, subcritical-fluidized bed combustion and subcritical–stoker. The study compares the resulting CO2 EFs with the IPCC-2006 default value for sub-bituminous coal and Indonesia’s national EF for medium-quality coal. The average CO2 EF for Indonesian CFPPs was 100.16 t TJ-1, higher than the IPCC-2006 default value (96.1 t TJ-1) but slightly lower than Indonesia’s national EF (100.575 t TJ-¹). A statistical test revealed significant differences between technology and age groups, but post-hoc analysis showed no strong correlation was found between these characteristics and the EF values within specific groups. This indicates that the EF, based on fuel characteristics, is not directly influenced by these plant characteristics. It is hoped that the CO2 EF values obtained from this study will better represent actual conditions, provide a more accurate emission calculations and supporting the development of better emission inventories for cleaner energy generation.

Modeling phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils through machine learning

As an important subtopic within phytoremediation, hyperaccumulators have garnered significant attention due to their ability of super-enriching heavy metals. Identifying the factors that affecting phytoextraction efficiency has important application value in guiding the efficient remediation of heavy metal contaminated soil. However, it is challenging to identify the critical factors that affect the phytoextraction of heavy metals in soil–hyperaccumulator ecosystems because the current projections on phytoremediation extrapolations are rudimentary at best using simple linear models. Here, machine learning (ML) approaches were used to predict the important factors that affecting phytoextraction efficiency of hyperaccumulators. ML analysis was based on 173 data points with consideration of soil properties, experimental conditions, plant families, low-molecular-weight organic acids from plants, plant genes, and heavy metal properties. Heavy metal properties, especially the metal ion radius, were the most important factors that affect heavy metal accumulation in shoots, and the plant family was the most important factor that affect the bioconcentration factor, metal extraction ratio, and remediation time. Furthermore, the Crassulaceae family had the highest potential as hyperaccumulators for phytoremediation, which was related to the expression of genes encoding heavy metal transporting ATPase (HMA), Metallothioneins (MTL), and natural resistance associated macrophage protein (NRAMP), and also the secretion of malate and threonine. New insights into the effects of plant characteristics, experimental conditions, soil characteristics, and heavy metal properties on phytoextraction efficiency from ML model interpretation could guide the efficient phytoremediation by identifying the best hyperaccumulators and resolving its efficient remediation mechanisms.

Effects of plant characteristics and environmental factors on the dark diversity in a broadleaved Korean pine forest

Effects of plant characteristics and environmental factors on the dark diversity in a broadleaved Korean pine forest

A study on effects of leaf and root characteristics on plant root water uptake

Water uptake intensity (WUI), which depicts the relationship between the rate of plant root water uptake per unit soil volume and soil matric suction, has been commonly used to analyse the transpiration-induced soil hydrological changes in civil infrastructure. However, the effects of plant characteristics on WUI are not clear, causing difficulties when estimating the effects of vegetation on soil moisture/suction changes. The aim of this study is to examine any correlations between plant characteristics and WUIs. Changes in suction and volumetric water content due to transpiration of eight tree individuals (Schefflera heptaphylla) vegetated in compacted silty sand were monitored to estimate the distribution of WUI within the root zone. Results show that the WUI remains a maximum and constant when suction is less than a threshold value of suction, beyond which the WUI decreases approximately linearly. The threshold suction is similar within the root zone of each tree individual, but it has a negative correlation with the ratio of leaf area (LA) and root length (RL). The reduction rate of WUI is positively correlated with root length density (RLD). This suggests that plants with a lower LA/RL ratio and lower RLD may be more capable of maintaining their water uptake ability, as high suction is induced.

Infestation of sucking insect pests on five cotton cultivars and their impacts on varietal agronomic traits, biochemical contents, yield and quality

The five cotton cultivars viz., CB1, CB3, CB5, CB8, and C12 were evaluated under field conditions to compare their resistance levels against the aphid species Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and the jassid species Amrasca devastans (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). The effects of plant characteristics that could explain some of the varietal resistance levels were tested by measuring infestation levels, biochemical content, leaf trichome density, agronomic traits, yield, and quality of seed and fiber. In comparison with other varieties, CB1 and CB3 showed the least leaf and boll infestation, and possessed higher numbers of trichomes. CB12 had the lowest number of trichomes and exhibited the highest percentages of leaf and boll infestation. Biochemical analyses indicated that the highest percentage of starch occurred in CB8, and that of protein in CB5. Both starch and protein content were lowest in CB12. Aphid and jassid infestation reduced the starch and protein content of all cultivars. CB3 was the best performing variety in terms of size and weight of bolls; ginning out-turn (GOT); number of branches, leaves, and bolls per plant; and number of locules per boll. Seed cotton yields and lint indices were highest in CB1 and CB3 and lowest in CB12. CB12 was also the worst performing variety in terms of plant height, micronaire value, percentage of GOT and germination, number of leaves and bolls per plant, and boll length, width and weight. The findings of this study clearly demonstrate that, among the cultivars evaluated, CB12 is the most susceptible to aphid and jassid infestation.SAARC J. Agri., 14(1): 11-23 (2016)

Effect of plant characteristics of jute varieties on incidence of pests in West Bengal, India

This study was conducted with a view to understand the effect of plant characteristics on the incidence of pests on most popular jute varieties, viz. JRO-524, JRO-632, JRO-878, JRO-7835 of olitorius jute and JRC-212, JRC-321, JRC-4444, JRC-7447 of capsularis jute. Correlation studies of plant characteristics with pest incidence in jute (Corchorus spp.) revealed that the basal girth of plant exhibited a positive significant relationship with the incidence of Apion corchori Marshall but not with other pests such as jute semilooper (Anomis sabulifera Guen.), Bihar hairy caterpillar (Spilarctia obliqua Wlk.), grey weevil (Myllocerus discolor Bohemus) and yellow mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks). However, plant height showed positive correlation with the incidence of all the major pests of jute. Leaf characteristics (number of leaves/plant, leaf area, leaf thickness, moisture and chlorophyll content of leaves of all the varieties recorded at three different growth stages, i.e. at 50, 80 and 110 days after sowing), number of leaves/plant had positive and significant relationship with the incidence of all the pests except stem weevil. However, leaf area and moisture content of leaves showed significant positive relationship with the incidence of yellow mite. Leaf moisture also showed a positive role on the infestation of grey weevil. Leaf thickness and chlorophyll content of leaves and stem, fibre thickness and moisture content of stem did show any significant effect on pest's incidence. Upon comparing the plant characteristics between the two jute species, olitorius varieties had greater fibre thickness than that of capsularis varieties but fibre thickness had no significant impact on incidence of pests.

The discrepancy between goal expectation and goal achievement of ISO 9000 internal benefits: evidence from Egypt

This paper provides two reliable and valid constructs, 'human resources development' and 'cost reduction', for measuring ISO 9000 expected internal benefits. In a sample of 50 Egyptian certified plants, expected benefit, perceived achievement and the difference (gap) between them are presented. The study also investigates the effects of plant characteristics on these benefits and gaps. Findings support the existence of significant gaps between the level of expectation and the level of perceived achievement of all goals. Egyptian firms did not get what they asked for when applying for ISO 9000 certification. The findings also reveal that none of the plant's characteristics has any significant effect on its level of expectation and/or perceived achievement. Disappointment appears generally among all manufacturing units and among all types of certification. Finally, the use of goal expectation as predictor of goal achievement was confirmed for each of the two internal benefit groups.