Shoot Fresh Biomass Research Articles

Effects of Irrigation with Treated Slaughterhouse Effluent and Bradyrhizobium spp. Inoculation on Soybean Development and Productivity: Strategies for Sustainable Management

Water scarcity challenges in agriculture are prompting the exploration of alternative irrigation sources, including treated effluents. This study investigates the effects of irrigation with treated slaughterhouse effluent on soybean productivity and development, with and without inoculation, over two cropping cycles. Plant performance was significantly influenced by environmental factors and the interaction between effluent and inoculation. Plant height and leaf area were greater in the second cycle, with effluent enhancing growth and foliar development. Fresh and dry shoot biomass showed significant interactions among cycle, inoculation, and effluent, with higher effluent concentrations combined with inoculation being most effective in the first cycle. Foliar nitrogen concentrations were higher in the first cycle, particularly at elevated effluent doses, while foliar sodium showed a positive correlation with nitrogen and a negative correlation with magnesium. Chlorophyll indices varied across developmental stages, with maximum chlorophyll b estimated at 85.35% effluent irrigation. Soybean yield did not vary significantly with effluent dilutions, suggesting environmental factors had a greater influence. In conclusion, treated effluent irrigation represents a sustainable strategy for soybean production, optimizing water and nutrient use while reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers.

Stem Cutting, Rooting, and Shoot Growth Potentials of Some Hedge Plant Species as Influenced by Number of Nodes

Root and shoot initiation, as well as seedling growth after planting a stem cutting, is critical for ensuring seedling establishment. This study was carried out at the Department of Horticulture Nursery, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nigeria, to examine early rooting and shoot development of landscape hedge plants during propagation with respect to the number of nodes per cutting. Species used were Duranta repense Linn., Duranta erecta Linn., Variegated Duranta erecta Linn., Ficus retusa Linn., Ixora coccinea Linn., Acalypha inferno Linn., Acalypha wilkesiana Mull. Arg. Hamelia patense Jacq., Boungainvillea glabra Wild. and Alternanthra dentata Scheygr. Stem cuttings of each of the ten species with 2, 3 and 5 nodes constituted the treatments arranged in Completely Randomized Design with three replicates. Time of root and shoot emergence, rooting percentage observed daily from one day after planting (DAP), number of leaves, seedling height, number of sprouted cuttings were measured weekly from 2 weeks after planting (WAP) and stem girth (at 15cm seedling height) 4 WAP. Fresh root and fresh shoot biomass were measured at 16 WAP. The result revealed that the number of nodes per cutting and the plant species had significant effects on the time to root, shoot initiation, cutting height, and number of leaves, stem girth, fresh root and shoot biomass. Duranta species performed best for all of these parameters while Bougainvillea glabra produced the lowest shoot biomass. Days to shoot initiation was not significantly different (p≤0.05) across the number of nodes for all species, ranging between 8 and 10 days after planting (DAP). Time to root was also similar regardless of the number of nodes across species with all species rooting at a range of 14-28 DAP. All the species used in this study, except Ficus retusa can be classified as easy to propagate because of their early root formation and relatively fast shoot initiation, indicating their potential suitability for use as hedge plants.

Organic substitution by pig manure combined with straw maintained reasonable content of soil available nutrients without productivity losses in autumn Chinese cabbage–spring pepper rotation system

Sustainable fertilization practices have been explored using both inorganic and organic nutrient sources. Replacing half of the inorganic nitrogen fertilizer with organic fertilizer still resulted in excess accumulation of available soil nutrients under continuous vegetable planting. In addition to substituting chemical fertilizer with pig manure (50 % pig manure+50 % chemical fertilizer, PMF) at a 50 % nitrogen rate, another treatment was added where pig manure was substituted with cereal straw (25 % straw+25 % pig manure+50 % chemical fertilizer, SMF) at a 25 % nitrogen rate. The agronomic and economic effects were compared with the fertilization solely with total chemical fertilizer (100 % chemical fertilizer, TCF) for a seven-year autumn Chinese cabbage-spring pepper rotation. Regardless of the crop, year, and key productivity parameters, the PMF treatment fully achieved half the fertilizer replacement values. In the spring pepper season, the marketable fresh yield, shoot biomass, gross output, and profits are significantly higher for the PMF treatment compared to the SMF and TCF treatments. Compared with the TCF treatment, the rapidly increasing NO3--N content was reduced under the PMF treatment, but the available phosphorus and potassium contents excessively accumulated to >300 mg kg-1 each in the soil. The available soil phosphorus and potassium increased and remained within a reasonable range without a loss of rotation productivity with the SMF treatment. The long-term study with optimized fertilization regimes revealed the basic laws of nutrient accumulation in soil and plants. The findings will be important in the use of combined fertilizer sources for vegetable production.

Deciphering Whether Illite, a Natural Clay Mineral, Alleviates Cadmium Stress in Glycine max Plants via Modulation of Phytohormones and Endogenous Antioxidant Defense System

Globally, cadmium (Cd) stress dramatically reduces agricultural yield. Illite, a natural clay mineral, is a low-cost, environmentally acceptable, new promising method of reducing the heavy metal (HM) stress of cereal crops. In research statistics, there is little research on stress tolerance behavior of Illite (IL) on an experimental soybean plant. In the present study, we took IL and examined it for tolerance to Cd, as well as for other plant-growth-promoting (PGP) characteristics in Glycine max (soybean). The results showed that applying clay minerals in different concentrations enhanced the level of SA (defense hormone) and reduced the level of ABA (stress hormone). Cd 1 mM significantly reduces plant growth by altering their morphological characteristics. However, the application of IL significantly enhanced the seedling characteristics, such as root length (RL), 29.6%, shoot length (SL), 14.5%, shoot fresh biomass (SFW), 10.8%, and root fresh biomass (RFB), 6.4%, in comparison with the negative control group. Interestingly, IL 1% also enhanced the chlorophyll content (C.C), 15.5%, and relative water content (RWC), 12.5%, in all treated plants. Moreover, it resulted in an increase in the amount of superoxide dismutase (SOD), phenolics, and flavonoids in soybean plants, while lowering the levels of peroxidase (POD) and H2O2. Furthermore, compared to control plants, soybean plants treated with the Illite exhibited increased Si absorption and lower Cd levels, according to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Thus, the IL can operate as an environmentally beneficial biofertilizer and sustainable approach under Cd stress by promoting plant development by activating signaling events.

Single or Blended Application of Non-Microbial Plant-Based Biostimulants and Trichoderma atroviride as a New Strategy to Enhance Greenhouse Cherry Tomato Performance.

The need to increase yield and enhance the sustainability of crop production systems has led to the development and employment of natural products, such as plant biostimulants. In recent years, a number of reports have researched the effects of biostimulants on plant performance; however, few studies have focused on the mutual application of microbial and/or non-microbial biostimulants. This research, conducted in the framework of the SO.MI.PR.O.N regional project, aimed to investigate the single or mutual application of three biostimulants, a tropical plant extract (PE), a vegetal protein hydrolysate (PH), and Trichoderma atroviride, on 'Creativo' F1 cherry tomato plants cultivated during two growing cycles (2022-2023 and 2023-2024). Our results showed that plants treated with the combination Tricho + PE + PH had statistically significant higher fresh shoot biomass (+64.2%, 1647.0 g plant-1), total fruit production (+37.9%, 1902.5 g plant-1), marketable fruit production (+52.9%, 1778.5 g plant-1), and average weight of marketable fruits (+53.1%, 17.0 g) compared to control plants (untreated plants). Furthermore, biostimulant treatments, especially T. atroviride, variably enhanced cherry tomato fruits' qualitative traits, such as firmness, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid, lycopene, and total polyphenols compared to control plants. Overall, the best combinations to increase tomato fruit qualitative features were PE + PH, Tricho + PE, and Tricho + PH. From an economic point of view, the best treatment for achieving the highest net return was PE. This study underlines that biostimulant features (yield, qualitative aspects, and economic profitability) can be supported through the application of specific biostimulant combinations.

Physio-biochemical mechanism of melatonin seed priming in stimulating growth and drought tolerance in bread wheat

Drought stress (DS) adversely affects a plant’s development and growth by negatively altering the plant’s physio-biochemical functions. Previous investigations have illustrated that seed priming with growth regulators is an accessible, affordable, and effective practice to elevate a plant’s tolerance to drought stress. Melatonin (MT) is derived from the precursor tryptophan and can improve germination, biomass, and photosynthesis under stress conditions. The current study examined the effect of melatonin seed priming on two wheat cultivars (Fakhar-e-Bhakkar and Akber-19) cultivated under severe drought conditions (35% FC). There were 6 levels of melatonin (i.e., M0 = control, M1 = 1 mg L− 1, M2 = 2 mg L− 1, M3 = 3 mg L− 1, M4 = 4 mg L− 1 and M5 = mg L− 1) which were used for seed priming. Our results confirmed that seed priming with M2 = 2 mgL− 1 concentration of MT alleviates the negative effects of DS by boosting the germination rate by 54.84% in Akber-19 and 33.33% in Fakhar-e-Bhakkar. Similarly, leaf-relative water contents were enhanced by 22.38% and 13.28% in Akber-19 and Fakhar-e-Bhakkar, respectively. Melatonin pre-treatment with 2 mgL− 1 significantly enhanced fresh and dry biomass of shoot and root, leaf area, photosynthetic pigments, osmoprotectants accumulation [total soluble proteins (TSP), total free amino acids (TFAA), proline, soluble sugars, glycine betaine (GB)] and lowered the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production by elevating antioxidants [Ascorbic acid, catalase (CAT), Phenolics, peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)] activity under drought stress (DS). Meanwhile, under control conditions (NoDS), the melatonin treatment M1 = 1 mgL− 1 effectively enhanced all the growth-related physio-biochemical attributes in both wheat cultivars. In the future, more investigations are suggested on different crops under variable agroclimatic conditions to declare 2 mgL− 1 melatonin as an efficacious amendment to alleviate drought stress.

Co-application of Parthenium biochar and urea effectively mitigate cadmium toxicity during wheat growth

Environmental contamination by cadmium (Cd), a highly toxic heavy metal, poses significant health risks to plants and humans. Biochar has been effectively used to promote plant growth and productivity under Cd stress. This study presents an innovative application of biochar derived from the invasive weed Parthenium hysterophorus to promote plant growth and productivity under Cd stress. Our study includes detailed soil and plant analyses, providing a holistic perspective on how biochar and urea amendments influence soil properties, nutrient availability, and plant physiological responses. To address these, we established seven treatments: the control, Cd alone (5 mg kg−1), biochar alone (5 %), urea alone (3 g kg−1), biochar with Cd, urea with Cd, and a combination of biochar and urea with Cd. Cd stress alone significantly reduced plant growth indicators such as shoot and root length, fresh and dry biomass, chlorophyll content, and grain yield. However, the supplementation of biochar, urea, or their combination significantly increased shoot length (by 48%, 34%, and 65%), root length (by 73%, 46%, and 70%), and fresh shoot biomass (by 4%, 31%, and 4%), respectively. This improvement is attributed to enhanced soil properties and improved nutrient absorption. The biochar–urea combination also enhanced Cd tolerance by improving total chlorophyll content by 14 %, 13 %, and 16 % compared to the control, respectively. Similaly, these treatments significantly (p < 0.05) boosted the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase by 51 %, 30 %, and 51 %, respectively, thereby mitigating oxidative stress as a defensive mechanism. The Cd tolerance was improved by biochar, urea, and their combinations, which reduced Cd content in the shoots (by 60.5 %, 38.9 %, and 51.3 %), roots (by 47.5 %, 23.9 %, and 57.6 %), and grains (by 58.1 %, 30.2 %, and 38.3 %) relative to Cd stress alone, respectively. The synergistic effects of biochar and urea are achieved through improved soil properties, nutrient availability, activating antioxidant defense mechanisms, and minimizing the accumulation of metal ions in plant tissues, thereby enhancing plant defenses against Cd stress. Conclusively, converting invasive Parthenium weed into biochar and combining it with urea offers an environmentally friendly solution to manage its spreading while effectively mitigating Cd stress in crops.

Bioinoculation Strategies for Enhanced Growth and Development of Economically Important Dalbergia latifolia Roxb

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the plant growth properties of the native rhizospheric microflora of Dalbergia latifolia, an important medicinal, timber and biofuel plant. A systemic isolation, characterization and identification of rhizospheric soil, collected indigenously, initially produced 45 numbers of fungi and 3 numbers of bacteria. Both groups of organisms were characterized for their extracellular useful activity, especially phosphate solubilisation potential, and presented in terms of solubilisation index and solubilisation efficiency. Two fungi and two bacteria with good phosphate solubilization activity, along with NPK and organic manure, were selected and used in a pot culture experiment to promote the growth and development of Dalbergia latifolia under nursery conditions. Data recorded on 90 Days of plant growth exhibited the growth promotion of inoculated plants over control uninoculated experimental set. Results obtained on morphological and physiological growth parameters exhibited that the application of Aspergillus flavus followed by Burkholderia territorii + org. manure showed maximum shoot height and inoculation of Burkholderia anthina + Aspergillus sp. + NPK was significantly higher leaf area. Significantly longer root has been observed in Burkholderia territorii. However, a difference was observed in the number of leaves in Aspergillus flavus. + Org. manure and higher numbers of branches were observed in Aspergillus flavus only as compared to uninoculated control. Coinoculation of Aspergillus flavus + Penicillium simplicissimum showed better performance in fresh and dry shoot biomass as compared to other treatments. Burkholderia territorii + Org.manure produced higher fresh biomass of roots and coinoculation of bacteria Burkholderia territorii + Burkholderia anthina helped in enhancing root dry biomass. Dual inoculation of Aspergillus flavus + Penicillium simplicissimum gives better result in both fresh biomass of leaves and dry biomass of leaves. Application of Aspergillus flavus + Penicillium simplicissimum enhanced the total fresh biomass of the seedlings whereas supplementation of Burkholderia anthina + Penicillium simplicissimum enhanced the total dry biomass. Coinoculation of Aspergillus flavus + Penicillium simplicissimum showed higher RGR and coinoculation of Burkholderia anthina + Aspergillus flavus + NPK showed quite higher Leaf area ratio (LAR cm2gm-1). Co inoculation of Burkholderia territorii + Burkholderia anthina + Organic Manure showed highest root-shoot ratio and Coinoculation of Penicillium simplicissimum + Org. manure showed higher Net assimilation rate (NAR). However, Bacterial and fungal inoculants were also used as potent bioinoculants for the growth and establishment of crops of forest tree species.

Effects of titanium oxide nanoparticles and 24-epibrassinosteroid to mitigate the toxicity of cadmium (Cd) and improve physio-morphological traits of soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivated under Cd-contaminated soil

Cadmium (Cd) toxicity is a serious environmental threat to living organisms. Nanoparticles (NPs) and plant growth regulators are able to mitigate Cd toxicity and restore crop growth in heavy metals-contaminated soils. However, the synergistic potential of combining 24-epibrassinosteroid (24-epiBRs) and titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) to alleviate Cd toxicity and restore soybean (Glycine max L.) production remains unexplored. Thus, a pot-based experimental trial was conducted to assess the effects of applying TiO2-NPs (15 mg L−1) and 24-epiBRs (10−7 M), individually and in combination, on soybean growth in soil cultivated with 30 ppm of Cd. The study revealed that Cd toxicity significantly inhibited soybean root length (11.0 %), root dry biomass (63.5 %), root fresh biomass (84.9 %), shoot length (11.7 %), shoot dry biomass (49.0 %), and shoot fresh biomass (27.3 %), compared to the control. Additionally, the toxicity of Cd enhanced the oxidative stress and lowered the photosynthetic efficiency, gas exchange characteristics, and antioxidant defense system of soybeans. Interestingly, the combined application of TiO2-NPs and 24-epiBRs ameliorated the Cd toxic effects and improved the agronomic traits, photosynthesis efficiency, and antioxidant activity in soybeans by lowering oxidative stress. Specifically, the dual application of 24-epiBRs and TiO2-NPs effectively lowered the Cd levels in roots, shoots, and leaves of soybean plants by 62.5, 162.7, and 87.1 %, respectively, relative to the control soybean plants grown under Cd stress. Overall, the combined treatment of TiO2-NPs and 24-epiBRs synergistically reduced Cd uptake and restored soybean physiology in Cd-contaminated soils. Moving forward, further research should include field trials to assess the effectiveness and economic viability of this novel method.

Water availability and accessions of Passiflora cincinnata Mast. can shape the communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Understanding how water availability affects different caatinga passionfruit accessions (Passiflora cincinnata Mast.) and their drought tolerance is crucial for successful cultivation in semi-arid environments. Additionally, assessing the impact of this stress on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities' structure and dynamics is also essential. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with the purpose of identifying tolerant and sensitive P. cincinnata accessions under drought stress and how the water availability would affect AMF communities, which were taxonomically identified based on morphological characters. Results show that water availability influenced height, stem diameter, total chlorophyll, dry and fresh shoot biomass, fresh root biomass, leaf area, number of leaves and tendrils, and root/shoot ratio of accessions of P. cincinnata. However, water availability did not influence root dry biomass, only the identity of P. cincinnata accessions differed from each other. In the PCA-based ranking, based on the morpho-descriptors traits, and on the indices of drought stress tolerance, accessions 01 and 48 were considered tolerant and sensitive to drought, respectively. The abundance of glomerospores and the AMF richness are not influenced by the factors studied, but water availability has increased the frequency of mycorrhizal colonization, diversity, and evenness of AMF species, in addition to reducing its dominance. AMF communities’ composition was modulated by P. cincinnata accessions and by water availability. Utilizing morpho-agronomic traits, it becomes feasible to differentiate P. cincinnata accessions exhibiting tolerance and sensitivity to drought stress. Particular emphasis is placed on fresh and dry shoot biomass, leaf area, and height, each contributing approximately 12% to these outcomes. Changes on the composition of AMF communities after imposition of water deficit suggest that some AMF species may show some drought tolerance and that preferences for P. cincinnata genotypes may exist.

Radiation-Tolerant Fibrivirga spp. from Rhizosphere Soil: Genome Insights and Potential in Agriculture.

The rhizosphere of plants contains a wide range of microorganisms that can be cultivated and used for the benefit of agricultural practices. From garden soil near the rhizosphere region, Strain ES10-3-2-2 was isolated, and the cells were Gram-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming rods that were 0.3-0.8 µm in diameter and 1.5-2.5 µm in length. The neighbor-joining method on 16S rDNA similarity revealed that the strain exhibited the highest sequence similarities with "Fibrivirga algicola JA-25" (99.2%) and Fibrella forsythia HMF5405T (97.3%). To further explore its biotechnological potentialities, we sequenced the complete genome of this strain employing the PacBio RSII sequencing platform. The genome of Strain ES10-3-2-2 comprises a 6,408,035 bp circular chromosome with a 52.8% GC content, including 5038 protein-coding genes and 52 RNA genes. The sequencing also identified three plasmids measuring 212,574 bp, 175,683 bp, and 81,564 bp. Intriguingly, annotations derived from the NCBI-PGAP, eggnog, and KEGG databases indicated the presence of genes affiliated with radiation-resistance pathway genes and plant-growth promotor key/biofertilization-related genes regarding Fe acquisition, K and P assimilation, CO2 fixation, and Fe solubilization, with essential roles in agroecosystems, as well as genes related to siderophore regulation. Additionally, T1SS, T6SS, and T9SS secretion systems are present in this species, like plant-associated bacteria. The inoculation of Strain ES10-3-2-2 to Arabidopsis significantly increases the fresh shoot and root biomass, thereby maintaining the plant quality compared to uninoculated controls. This work represents a link between radiation tolerance and the plant-growth mechanism of Strain ES10-3-2-2 based on in vitro experiments and bioinformatic approaches. Overall, the radiation-tolerant bacteria might enable the development of microbiological preparations that are extremely effective at increasing plant biomass and soil fertility, both of which are crucial for sustainable agriculture.

Salt stress mitigation and improvement in fruit nutritional characteristics of tomato plants: New opportunities from the exploitation of a halotorelant Agrobacterium strain

Soil salinity is considered one of the most limiting factors in large agricultural areas, and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is highly sensitive to this abiotic stress, which exacerbates under drought. The use of halotolerant PGPR is a promising strategy to enhance tomato tolerance and productivity in saline soils. The present study tested the capability of the recently discovered bacterial strain PVr_9 to increase tolerance to salinity in tomato plants in vitro, greenhouse and open field conditions. When inoculated with PVr_9, in vitro seedlings showed a significant increase in primary root length, number of secondary roots and fresh weight both in absence of stress and when exposed to 150 mM NaCl. In plants exposed to salt treatment, PVr_9 upregulated the salt tolerance genes SOS1 and NHX1, and the enzyme prolyl aminopeptidase involved in proline metabolism. Proteins associated with resistance against pathogens were also upregulated by PVr_9 in absence of salt stress. In greenhouse, PVr_9-inoculated tomato plants treated for 1-week with 150 mM NaCl showed a significant increase in shoot fresh biomass, chlorophyll, proline content, and APX activity. Tomato fruits from PVr_9 inoculated plants, exposed in the field to salt stress during the flowering stage, showed higher levels of carotenoids, lycopene, and l-ascorbic acid, as well as an increased antioxidant capacity compared to fruits of uninoculated plants. These results indicate PVr_9 as a potential biostimulant in tomato for better tackling soil salinization in a context of climate change and expansion of coastal salinity, while there is large scope for the improvement of the nutritional characteristics of tomato fruits.

Nitrogen transformation as affected by decomposition of 15N‐labeled cover crop shoots and roots

AbstractBackgroundIncorporation of cover crop (cc) shoot and root biomass can have different effects on nitrogen (N) dynamics and the transformation of soil‐derived N and cc N.AimsThe objective was to determine the effects of different ccs, cc compartments (roots and shoots), and pretreatment of cc biomass (fresh vs. dried) on mineralization processes and on the transformation of soil and cc N following incorporation into a silty loam soil.MethodsSoil columns with incorporated 15N‐labeled root and shoot biomass of two cc species (winter rye and oil radish) and different pretreatments (dried and fresh) were incubated for 70 days at a constant temperature and soil moisture (8°C, 40% water‐filled pore space). Carbon and N transformation dynamics were determined repeatedly, distinguishing between N originating from cc biomass and from soil.ResultsNet CO2 emission was related to the amount of soluble cell components added with ccs. Net N mineralization was negatively related to the C:N ratio of cc biomass. The incorporation of dried cc biomass caused higher initial soil respiration and N immobilization than fresh biomass. All treatments with cc incorporation showed increased N2O emission. Emitted N2O‐N consisted mainly of cc N (55%–57%) in treatments with fresh shoot biomass, whereas soil N was the main source of N2O (75%) in the treatment with fresh oil radish roots. Recovery of cc 15N was affected by crop compartment and pretreatment. At the end of the incubation, it was 17.5%–42.3% in soil NO3−, 0.1%–8.1% in microbial biomass N, and less than 0.23% of cc N was found in cumulative N2O emission.ConclusionThe incorporation of cc roots and shoots had different effects on N mobilization and immobilization processes and on the partitioning of cc N. These processes can be influenced significantly by pretreatment of the added plant biomass (dried vs. fresh).

Growing lettuce seedlings in different organic composts used as substrate

Lettuce is the most important vegetable in the world and the most consumed in Brazil. Seedling production with a good quality substrate is very important in the lettuce crop production process. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of organic compost substrates in the production of lettuce seedlings. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, using polyethylene trays containing 128 trapezoidal cells in a completely randomized design with a 5 × 2 factorial scheme consisting of 5 substrates (commercial substrate; compost I; compost II; compost III; compost IV) and P2O5 supplementation (absent and 0.525 kg m−3 P2O5) and 4 replications. Substrates were produced by composting agro-industrial waste: sawdust, wood shavings and residues from a restaurant, pig litter, cattle manure, residues from the shoot and tubers of sweet potato, soybean residue, and drained bovine ruminal residue. The emergence, plant height, number of leaves, fresh root and shoot biomass, and clod stability of the substrate were evaluated. The substrate formulated from pig litter, cattle manure, and sweet potato (compost II) and pig litter and drained bovine ruminal residue (compost IV) formed seedlings with a greater clod stability of the substrate, plant height, number of leaves, and fresh root and shoot biomass. Substrates based on composting pig litter, cattle manure, and sweet potato (composts II) and pig litter and drained bovine ruminal residue (compost IV) were most suitable for producing lettuce seedlings.

CaO-modified hydrochar reduces soil cadmium bioavailability by altering soil properties, shifting bacterial community, and promoting microbial metabolisms

The efficient remediation of cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soil is of great significance for reducing the threats to ecosystem and human health. At present, the carbon-rich hydrochar with abundant oxygen-containing functional groups as environmental remediation material gains numerous attention due to its cost-effectiveness and sustainability. A pot experiment was performed to investigate the Cd immobilization efficiency and microbial response in soil with the presence of pristine corn stalk hydrochar and CaO-modified hydrochars. Results showed that compared with pristine hydrochar, fresh biomass of plant shoot was promoted by 0.904–15.6% with CaO-modified hydrochar amendment, and the bioavailable Cd content and correspoding Cd uptake by shoot were decreased by 8.19–16.2% and 4.18–17.0%, respectively. Additionally, the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota benefiting Cd immobilization in soil was elevated from 30.3% to 34.4–44.6% after CaO-modified hydrochar amendment. The microbial metabolisms (e.g., carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and citrate cycle) were also enhanced by CaO-modified hydrochar, contributing to reduce Cd bioavailability. Redundancy analysis revealed that bacterial community structure in rhizosphere soil was significantly influenced by soil dissolved organic carbon and electric conductivity (p＜0.05). Overall, the cost-effective CaO-modified hydrochar with reduced phytotoxicity was a promising remediation material for Cd immobilization in metal-contaminated soil.

Investigating the Effects of Banana-Derived Biochar and Straw Residues on Growth and Yield of Maize (Zea Mays L.) Crop

Biochar application with straw residues can enhance their rate and increase the availability of nutrients for maize crop under field conditions. Therefore, this present study was primarily aimed at exploring the combined effect of banana derived biochar and straw residues application on the biomass production and the yield components of maize crop. The experimental study was consisting of six treatments: T-1 control, T-2 Biochar (40 ha-1), T-3 12.5 tons ha-1 straw residues, T-4 25 tons ha-1 straw residues, T-5 40 tons ha-1 biochar + 25 tons ha-1 straw residues, T-6 40 tons ha-1 biochar + 12.5 tons ha-1 straw residues. Results displayed that combine application of Biochar (40 tons ha-1) and straw residues (25 tons ha-1) enhanced the shoot fresh biomass (208%), Root fresh biomass (85%), Root length (85%), Number of grains per cob (262%), Seed index (68%), cob length (79%), grain yield (120%) and leaf area (80 %) as compared to control. While, 40 tons ha-1 biochar + 12.5 tons ha-1 straw residues increased shoot fresh biomass (197%), root fresh biomass (57%), root length (41%), number of grains per cob (220%), seed index (37%), cob length (69%), grains yield (103%) and leaf area (64%) in comparison to control. Most of the growth parameters were positively correlated with yield components. Similarly, correlation coefficient indicated significant association among different morphological characteristics when subjected to these combined applications of biochar and straw residues. Hence, this study concluded that combine application of banana biochar and straw residues promoted the grain growth and yield of the maize crop under field condition.

Performance Evaluation and Adaptability Study of Fodder Beet (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Beta vulgaris L&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;.) Cultivars in Highlands of Bale Zone South East Ethiopia

Shortage animal feed interims of quality and quantity is the major bottle neck in livestock production through the year in Ethiopia particularly in the highlands of Bale Zone. A study was conducted at Sinana Agricultural Research Center (SARC), South East Ethiopia for three consecutive cropping season (2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23) in two locations (Sinana on station and Agarfa subsite) to evaluate the adaptability of four Cultivars of Fodder beet (namely Bircks, Kulumsa, Magnum and Robbos). Experimental plots were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. All cultivars were performed well. However, there is significant variation among the Cultivars. The combined result over locations over years indicated that, Kulumsa cultivars gives the highest shoot fresh biomass yield (41.88 t ha&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;), root fresh biomass yield (86.49 t ha&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;) and shoot Dry biomass yield (4.52 t ha&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;-1&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;). The remaining cultivars have not statistically significant different. Based on the results of this study, it is concluded that the Fodder beet Kulumsa cultivars was found a promising in terms of grain and biomass yield, than others that could be demonstrated and popularized as an alternative feed resources under smallholder conditions in the study areas and with similar climatic and edaphic conditions.

Azospirilla and Nitrogen Fertilization to Promote Maize Seed Development and Yield

Aims: This study evaluated the interaction of Azospirillum brasilense (Ab) strains and nitrogen fertilizer doses on maize.&#x0D; Study Design: Laboratory experiment evaluated Ab strains (PCR and PTF) on maize seed germination and vigor (completely randomized design). Field experiment evaluated Ab strains and nitrogen fertilization on maize yield parameters (randomized block design).&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: The germination and vigor experiment (10 days in April 2019) was implemented in a controlled environment at the Seed Analysis Laboratory of the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Brazil. The field experiment (137 days in winter 2019) was implemented at the Fisioplant Research Station (Uberlândia, Brazil) under commercial maize crop management.&#x0D; Methodology: In controlled conditions (laboratory), 200 seeds of maize (K9105VIP3, Riber KWS Seeds) were incubated (25 °C) with the Ab strain solutions for germination and vigor evaluations. In the field, 60,000 plants ha-1 (0.5 m space between sowing lines) of maize were cropped under combinations of nitrogen fertilizer and volumes of Ab strains (treatments) for leaf nitrogen, SPAD index, leaf count, fresh and dry maize shoot biomass, one-thousand grains weight, grain rows per maize ear, productivity (kg ha-1).&#x0D; Results: Treatment with 100 mL ha-1 of Ab PFT strain increased maize seed germination and vigor more than Ab PCR strain and control (no-inoculation or fertilizer). The number of grain rows of the 100% N + 150 mL ha-1 of Ab PFT strain and the maize shoot dry mass of the 100% N (no-inoculation) were higher than the control. The treatments did not affect the SPAD index, weight of one thousand grains, fresh maize shoot biomass, or productivity.&#x0D; Conclusion: Using Ab with nitrogen fertilizer is a promising strategy to improve maize crop responses; however, more studies are needed to detail the ideal management of Ab strains for maize crops and yield construction.

COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF HYDRO AND HALOPRIMING ON SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF IPIL IPIL (Leucaena leucocephala)

An experiment was conducted during the year 2020 to investigate the comparative effect of hydro and halopriming on seed germination and seedling growth of Ipil Ipil. The seeds of Ipil Ipil were primed in various solutions for 30 hours. The seeds were soaked in priming solutions viz. distilled water, luke warm water, NaCl solution @ 1% and 2%. The unprimed seeds were taken as control. The data was recorded for seed germination percentage, mean germination time (MGT), germination index (GI), seedling vigor index (SVI), fresh biomass of shoot, fresh biomass of roots, dry biomass of shoot, dry biomass of roots, quality index of the seedlings, sturdiness quotient and leakage of the electrolytes. The results revealed that all the observed parameters studied in the present study were significantly (P&lt;0.05) influenced by various seed priming treatments. The results of seed priming depict that seed germination (90.00%), germination index (0.43), germination time (5.22 days) and seedling vigor index (1498.0) were observed better in response to the luke warm water. While the seeds primed with NaCl @ 1% had better results for fresh biomass of shoot (5.58 g), root (1.44 g), dry biomass of shoot (1.57 g) and root (0.29 g). Quality index of the seedlings and sturdiness quotient had better result from NaCl treatment. The quality of the seedlings was measured in terms of sturdiness quotient, quality index of the seedlings and leakage of the electrolytes. The sturdiness quotient (0.98), quality index of the seedling (24.85) was also better in response to the halo (NaCl) seed priming @ 1%. The only leakage of the electrolytes had no significant of seed priming. It is concluded from the present study that all seed germination related parameters are greatly affected by the lukewarm water treatment. However, parameters related with the seedling growth are affected by the NaCl treatment @ 1%.

Biofilm producing plant growth promoting bacteria in combination with glycine betaine uplift drought stress tolerance of maize plant.

The escalating threat of drought poses a significant challenge to sustainable food production and human health, as water scarcity adversely impacts various aspects of plant physiology. Maize, a cornerstone in staple cereal crops, faces the formidable challenge of drought stress that triggers a series of transformative responses in the plant. The present study was carried out in two sets of experiments. In first experiment, drought stress was applied after maintaining growth for 45 days and then irrigation was skipped, and plant samples were collected at 1st, 3rd and 6th day of drought interval for evaluation of changes in plant growth, water relation (relative water content) and antioxidants activity by inoculating indigenously isolated drought tolerant biofilm producing rhizobacterial isolates (Bacillus subtilis SRJ4, Curtobacterium citreum MJ1). In the second experiment, glycine betaine was applied as osmoregulator in addition to drought tolerant PGPR to perceive modulation in photosynthetic pigments (Chlorophyll a and b) and plant growth under varying moisture stress levels (100, 75 and 50% FC). Results of the study revealed upsurge in root and shoot length, fresh and dry biomass of root and shoot besides increasing chlorophyll contents in water stressed inoculated plants compared to uninoculated plants. Glycine betaine application resulted in an additional boost to plant growth and photosynthetic pigments, when applied in combination with bacterial inoculants. However, both bacterial inoculants behaved differently under drought stress as evident from their biochemical and physiological attributes. Isolate SRJ4 proved to be superior for its potential to express antioxidant activity, leaf water potential and relative water contents and drought responsive gene expression while isolate MJ1 showed exclusive increase in root dry biomass and plant P contents. Though it is quite difficult to isolate the bacterial isolates having both plant growth promoting traits and drought tolerance together yet, such biological resources could be an exceptional option to be applied for improving crop productivity and sustainable agriculture under abiotic stresses. By exploring the combined application of PGPR and glycine betaine, the study seeks to provide insights into potential strategies for developing sustainable agricultural practices aimed at improving crop resilience under challenging environmental conditions.