Germination Ratio Research Articles

Effect of Irrigation with Magnetized Water and Foliar Spraying with Humic Acid on Seedling Growth of Squash Plant (Cucurbita pepo L.) Under Salinity Stress

The experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of magnetic water (MW 14500 Gauss) and humic acid (HA 30 ppm) on the germination and growth of squash plants (Cucurbita pepo L.) exposed to salinity stress. Salinity stress was imposed by irrigation with saline water at concentrations of 1700, 2700, and 3700 ppm in addition to a control (tap water). The results showed that with increasing salinity stress, all vegetative growth parameters, seed germination ratio, and photosynthetic pigments decreased. On the other hand, foliar application of HA and irrigation with MW had a favorable impact on increasing vegetative traits and photosynthetic pigments. These results give a positive indication of the use of HA and MW to ameliorate the negative effects of salinity on squash plants.

Chemical composition of city wastewater and its effect on germination of some vegetable seeds

Due to increasing shortage of fresh water, the use of city wastewater in agricultural purpose has become more popular day by day. This experiment was conducted to analyze the physico-chemical parameters of the city wastewater and its effect on seed germination and seedling growth of Abelmoschus esculentus (Lady’s Finger), Vigna unguiculata (Yard Long Bean) and Cucumis sativus (Cucumber) plants during the period of January, March and May, 2023 with the application of five treatments i.e. T0 (control), T1 (3ml), T2 (5ml), T3 (7ml) and T4 (10ml). The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Analyses included pH, EC, hardness, cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Mn2+ and Fe3+), anions (CO32-, HCO3-, SO42-, PO43- and Cl-) and TDS (total dissolved solids), SAR (sodium adsorption ratio). The pH (6.9 ~ 7.23) was neutral to alkaline and could be suitable for agricultural uses. According to TDS and SAR values, all samples of wastewater were classified as ‘Freshwater’ and ‘excellent’ categories. T0 (control) and T3 (7ml) were showed the highest germination percentage (100%) for every month and T4 (10ml) was showed the lowest germination percentage (80%). The speed of germination, relative germination ratio and germination index were also highest at T0 (control) and lowest was in T1 (3ml) condition and again the shoot and root length of the vegetables were gradually enhanced with increasing concentration and highest shoot and root length found in T4 (10 ml) treatment and lowest shoot and root length observed in T0 (control) treatment. Thus, the city wastewater, after proper dilutions can be used as a promising source of water in agricultural practice.

Optimizing pollen germination and subcellular dynamics in pollen tube of Torreya grandis

Torreya grandis, a dioecious Taxaceae species of significant economic value in southeast China, presents challenges for natural pollination due to asynchronous maturation of its sex organs and low pollen vitality. In order to enhance fertilization success through artificial pollination of T. grandis, this study investigated the optimal conditions for in vitro pollen germination and pollen tube growth of T. grandis. The optimal in vitro growth medium was found to contain 29 mM sucrose, 0.8 mM H3BO3, 0.72 mM CaCl2, and 0.32 mM MgSO4, supplemented with 4 μM NAA, 2 μM GA3, and 5 μM 2,4-D at pH=5.6. Under these conditions, we achieved a maximum pollen germination ratio of 69.99 ± 5.17 % and a pollen tube length of 34.38 ± 6.04 µm after 6 days germination at 28°C. FM4–64 dye and Mitotracker Red staining revealed highly dynamics of vesicles and mitochondria during germination, which were accumulated at the tip of pollen tube and exhibited biphasic movement patterns. The total number, motion rate, and movement velocity of vesicles as well as mitochondria showed an initially increase followed by a gradual decrease pattern. The presence of sucrose in the medium significantly increased the dynamics and metabolic activity of both vesicles and mitochondria, which may relate with higher pollen germination ratio and faster pollen tube growth compared to sucrose-depleted conditions. Thus, these findings shed light on the physiological characteristics of Torreya pollen germination and provide scientific information for improving Torreya fruit yield through artificial pollination.

Growth boundary of Fusarium graminearum spores as a function of temperature, pH, and H2S based on neural network

Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum) poses a substantial threat to global food security, with its impact closely linked to environmental conditions. This study aims to anticipate F. graminearum spore growth across diverse environments and assess alterations in the fungistatic capacity of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas in response to environmental variations. The experimental data, namely spore germination ratios, are monitored and recorded at hourly intervals across 100 permutations comprising four distinct temperature levels, five varying pH values, and five diverse concentrations of H2S. The investigation integrates three environmental factors as input variables, utilizing a feedforward neural network to establish growth boundaries based on spore germination ratios. The accuracy of models at various stages–training, validation, and testing–is evaluated using a confusion matrix. Logistic regression models are employed for effectiveness comparison with neural networks. Results indicate that neural networks successfully predict F. graminearum spore germination events. Notably, H2S does not influence the temperature preferences of spores. Temperature has a more substantial impact on the fungistatic ability of H2S compared to pH. The study reveals the adaptability of F. graminearum spores to adverse conditions over time. This research delves into temperature, pH, and H2S synergistic effects on spore germination, contributing to predictive models for F. graminearum and enhancing our understanding of how environmental factors regulate its growth.

Functional analysis of the CaPIPLC5 gene in the regulation of the fertility restoration in pepper.

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a very important factor to produce hybrid seeds, and the restoration of fertility involves the expression of many fertility-related genes. Our previous study showed that the expression of CaPIPLC5 was significantly up-regulated in pepper restorer accessions and minimally expressed in sterile accessions, speculating that CaPIPLC5 is related to the restoration of fertility. In this study, we further validated the function of CaPIPLC5 in the restoration of fertility. The results showed that CaPIPLC5 was specifically expressed in the anthers of the restorer accessions with the subcellular localization in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, the expression of CaPIPLC5 was significantly higher in restorer lines and restorer combinations than that in CMS lines and their maintainer lines. Silencing CaPIPLC5 led to the number of pollen decreased, pollen grains wrinkled, and the ratio of pollen germination reduced. In addition, the joint analysis of Yeast One-Hybrid (Y1H) and Dual-Luciferase (dual-LUC) assays suggested that transcription factors such as CaARF5, CabZIP24 and CaMYB-like1, interacted with the promoter regions of CaPIPLC5, which regulated the expression of CaPIPLC5. The present results provide new insights into the study of CaPIPLC5 involved in the restoration of fertility in pepper.

Physiological, Biochemical, and Ultrastructural Changes in Naturally Aged Sweet Corn Seeds

Due to low starch content and poor seed vigor, sweet corn seeds exhibit poor storage stability. Therefore, understanding the physiological and biochemical changes in seeds after natural aging is crucial for assessing seed status and extending the storage period. This study aims to investigate the physiological, biochemical, and ultrastructural changes in aged seeds of different genotypes. An eight-month natural aging experiment was conducted on 10 sweet corn inbred lines. The results showed an obvious decrease in germination potential, germination ratio, germination index, and vigor index after natural aging, and two inbred lines with stronger tolerance to natural aging were identified from the 10 inbred lines studied. In aged seeds, levels of gibberellin, abscisic acid, total protein, total starch, as well as activities of antioxidant enzymes, lipoxygenase, and amylase, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, exhibited significant differences among inbred lines. Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation among four seed vigor indices and a highly negative correlation between seed vigor indices and MDA content. Germination ratio, germination index, and vigor index displayed a highly negative correlation with lipoxygenase activity. Furthermore, starch granule decomposition was observed in the endosperm of low-vigor inbred lines, contrary to amylase activity. Thus, this study indicates variations in seed vigor, biochemical indicators, and the ultrastructure of aged sweet corn seeds among different genotypes. Both lower lipoxygenase activity and reduced MDA accumulation contribute to seed resistance to aging.

Peanut LEAFY COTYLEDON1-type genes participate in regulating the embryo development and the accumulation of storage lipids.

Two peanut LEC1-type genes exhibit partial functional redundancy. AhNFYB10 could complement almost all the defective phenotypes of lec1-2 in terms of embryonic morphology, while AhNF-YB1 could partially affect these phenotypes. LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1) is a member of the nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) family of transcription factors and has been identified as a key regulator of embryonic development. In the present study, two LEC1-type genes from Arachis hypogeae were identified and designated as AhNF-YB1 and AhNF-YB10; these genes belong to subgenome A and subgenome B, respectively. The functions of AhNF-YB1 and AhNF-YB10 were investigated by complementation analysis of their defective phenotypes of the Arabidopsis lec1-2 mutant and by ectopic expression in wild-type Arabidopsis. The results indicated that both AhNF-YB1 and AhNF-YB10 participate in regulating embryogenesis, embryo development, and reserve deposition in cotyledons and that they have partial functional redundancy. In contrast, AhNF-YB10 complemented almost all the defective phenotypes of lec1-2 in terms of embryonic morphology and hypocotyl length, while AhNF-YB1 had only a partial effect. In addition, 30-40% of the seeds of the AhNF-YB1 transformants exhibited a decreasing germination ratio and longevity. Therefore, appropriate spatiotemporal expression of these genes is necessary for embryo morphogenesis at the early development stage and is responsible for seed maturation at the mid-late development stage. On the other hand, overexpression of AhNF-YB1 or AhNF-YB10 at the middle to late stages of Arabidopsis seed development improved the weight, oil content, and fatty acid composition of the transgenic seeds. Moreover, the expression levels of several genes associated with fatty acid synthesis and embryogenesis were significantly greater in developing AhNF-YB10-overexpressing seeds than in control seeds. This study provides a theoretical basis for breeding oilseed crops with high yields and high oil content.

Maize ZmLAZ1-3 gene negatively regulates drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis

BackgroundMolecular mechanisms in response to drought stress are important for the genetic improvement of maize. In our previous study, nine ZmLAZ1 members were identified in the maize genome, but the function of ZmLAZ1 was largely unknown.ResultsThe ZmLAZ1-3 gene was cloned from B73, and its drought-tolerant function was elucidated by expression analysis in transgenic Arabidopsis. The expression of ZmLAZ1-3 was upregulated by drought stress in different maize inbred lines. The driving activity of the ZmLAZ1-3 promoter was induced by drought stress and related to the abiotic stress-responsive elements such as MYB, MBS, and MYC. The results of subcellular localization indicated that the ZmLAZ1-3 protein localized on the plasma membrane and chloroplast. The ectopic expression of the ZmLAZ1-3 gene in Arabidopsis significantly reduced germination ratio and root length, decreased biomass, and relative water content, but increased relative electrical conductivity and malondialdehyde content under drought stress. Moreover, transcriptomics analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes between the transgenic lines and wild-type were mainly associated with response to abiotic stress and biotic stimulus, and related to pathways of hormone signal transduction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, and plant-pathogen interaction.ConclusionThe study suggests that the ZmLAZ1-3 gene is a negative regulator in regulating drought tolerance and can be used to improve maize drought tolerance via its silencing or knockout.

Coating seeds with biopolymers extracted from waste-activated sludge

Seeds can be coated with biopolymers extracted from waste-activated sludge, and the seeds of lettuce and spinach can be coated. When coated with the biopolymers, these seeds exhibited largely improved resistance to high temperature and humidity. The seeds coated or not coated with the biopolymers were aged, and the germination potential, germination ratio, and antioxidant enzyme activity of the coated seeds exhibited markedly greater differences than did those of the uncoated seeds. Moreover, the CAT, POD, and APX activities in the coated lettuce and spinach seeds increased by 56%, 2%, and 17%, respectively (lettuce), as did the activity of 8%, 3%, and 31%, respectively (spinach). In the pot trials, the contents of soluble protein and soluble sugar and the activities of antioxidant enzymes were also enhanced—42% and 56% (lettuce) as well as 34% and 23% (spinach). Thus, biopolymers can contribute to protecting against the aging of some rare seeds.

Generation of enhanced endospores for microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICCP) via thermal shock for concrete self-healing

Endospores are desirable phenotypes in Microbially-Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICCP) for their durability in challenging environments. This study investigates the impact of various endosporulation methods on endospore morphology and their subsequent performance under harsh conditions. Results revealed that the Thermal Shock (TS) method produced larger endospores, possibly due to multi-layer encasement. Notably, endosporulation and germination ratios, besides MICCP effectiveness, achieved via TS-produced endospores surpass that of the Carbon Starvation method, both in vitro and within a cement-paste setting under freeze and thaw cycling. This outcome underscores the pivotal role of utilizing TS-produced endospores for concrete self-healing, particularly in cold areas.

Comprehensive analysis of Dendrobium catenatum HSP20 family genes and functional characterization of DcHSP20–12 in response to temperature stress

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a class of protective proteins in response to abiotic stress in plants, and HSP20 plays an essential role in response to temperature stress. However, there are few studies on HSP20 in Dendrobium catenatum. In this study, 18 DcHSP20 genes were identified from the D. catenatum genome. Phylogenetic analysis showed that DcHSP20s could be classified into six subgroups, each member of which has similar conserved motifs and gene structures. Gene expression analysis of 18 DcHSP20 genes revealed that they exhibited variable expression patterns in different plant tissues. Meanwhile, all 18 DcHSP20 genes were induced to be up-regulated under high temperature, while six genes (DcHSP20–2/9/10/12/16/17) were significantly up-regulated under low temperature. Moreover, combining gene expression under high and low temperature stress, the DcHSP20–12 gene was cloned for functional analysis. The germination ratios, fresh weights, root lengths of two DcHSP20–12-overexpressing transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines were significantly higher, but MDA contents were lower than that of wild-type (WT) plants under heat and cold stresses, displayed enhanced thermotolerance and cold-resistance. These results lay a foundation for the functional characterization of DcHSP20s and provide a candidate gene, DcHSP20–12, for improving the tolerance of D. catenatum to temperature stress in the future.

Gene-flow investigation between garden and wild roses planted in close distance.

Rose is a major ornamental plant, and a lot of cultivars with attractive morphology, color and scent have been generated by classical breeding. Recent progress of genetic modification produces a novel cultivar with attractive features. In both cases, a major problem is the gene-flow from cultivated or genetically modified (GM) plants to wild species, causing reduction of natural population. To investigate whether gene-flow occurs in wild species, molecular analysis with DNA markers with higher efficient technique is useful. Here we investigated the gene-flow from cultivated roses (Rosa×hybrida) to wild rose species planted in close distance in the field. The overlapping flowering periods and visiting insects suggest that pollens were transported by insects between wild and cultivated roses. We examined the germination ratio of seeds from wild species, and extracted DNA and checked with KSN and APETALA2 (AP2) DNA markers to detect transposon insertions. Using two markers, we successfully detected the outcross between wild and cultivated roses. For higher efficiency, we established a bulking method, where DNA, leaves or embryos were pooled, enabling us to that check the outcross of many plants. Our results suggest that wild species and garden cultivars can cross in close distance, so that they should be planted in distance, and checked the outcross with multiple DNA markers.

Impact of Phenamacril on the Growth and Development of Fusarium pseudograminearum and Control of Crown Rot of Wheat.

Fusarium pseudograminearum is the dominant pathogen causing Fusarium crown rot (FCR) of wheat. Phenamacril is a 2-cyanoacrylate fungicide, having a control effect on diseases caused by Fusarium spp. The objective of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of phenamacril on F. pseudograminearum and its control efficacy against FCR. The results showed that phenamacril had a strong inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth of F. pseudograminearum, EC50 values of phenamacril to 63 tested strains were in the range of 0.0998 to 0.5672 μg/ml, and the average EC50 value was 0.3403 ± 0.0872 μg/ml and could be used as the baseline sensitivity of F. pseudograminearum to phenamacril. Phenamacril reduced the germination rate of conidia of F. pseudograminearum, and the EC50 value was 5.0273 to 26.4814 μg/ml. In addition, we found that phenamacril had a teratogenic effect on conidia and blastotubules, which increased the ratio of conidial germination from the middle cells and showed high efficacy on the sporulation quantity of F. pseudograminearum with an EC50 value in the range of 0.0770 to 0.1064 μg/ml. There was no significant correlation between the sensitivity of F. pseudograminearum to phenamacril and its sensitivity to fludioxonil, carbendazim, tebuconazole, and kresoxim-methyl. In vitro and greenhouse assays showed that the treatment with 0.125 μl of active ingredient per gram recorded the best control effect on wheat crown rot, reaching 87.8 and 77.3%, respectively. In two experimental sites in Luoyang, phenamacril also had great control effect against FCR, reaching 83.9%. It was proven that phenamacril has a superior control effect against FCR. This study has laid a foundation for the study of the mechanism of action of phenamacril against F. pseudograminearum and provided a theoretical basis for the application of phenamacril to control FCR.

The Arabidopsis GPI-anchored protein COBL11 is necessary for regulating pollen tube integrity

Pollen tube integrity is required for achieving double fertilization in angiosperms. The rapid alkalinization factor4/19-ANXUR1/2-Buddha's paper seal 1/2 (RALF4/19-ANX1/2-BUPS1/2)-complex-mediated signaling pathway is critical to maintain pollen tube integrity, but the underlying mechanisms regulating the polar localization and distribution of these complex members at the pollen tube tip remain unclear. Here, we find that COBRA-like protein 11 (COBL11) loss-of-function mutants display a low pollen germination ratio, premature pollen tube burst, and seed abortion in Arabidopsis. COBL11 could interact with RALF4/19, ANX1/2, and BUPS1/2, and COBL11 functional deficiency could result in the disrupted distribution of RALF4 and ANX1, altered cell wall composition, and decreased levels of reactive oxygen species in pollen tubes. In conclusion, COBL11 is a regulator of pollen tube integrity during polar growth, which is conducted by a direct interaction that ensures the correct localization and polar distribution of RALF4 and ANX1 at the pollen tube tip.

Screening For Salt Tolerance of 12 Turkish Triticale Cultivars during Germination and Early Seedling Stage

This investigation was carried out to determine the response of 12 Turkish cultivars to different salt stress levels during the germination and early seedling stages at Hatay Mustafa Kemal University in 2022. In present research, four different sodium chloride treatments (60, 120, 180 and 240 mM) and a control (0 mM) treatment were used. Germination ratio, germination index, mean germination time, root and shoot length, root and shoot fresh weight, root and shoot dry weight and biomass weight parameters were investigated to determine the salt tolerance of triticale cultivars. Cultivars, salt doses and their interactions had significant effects on all examined characteristics. In general, germination parameters and early seedling stage characteristics of the cultivars were adversely affected by increasing salt doses. Yet, it was determined that the responses to increasing salt doses were different among the cultivars. Although Mehmetbey cultivar was undesirably affected by increased salt doses, it was found to be more resistant than the other cultivars. On the other hand, Umranhanim was determined as the most sensitive cultivar to salt stress. After investigating the resistance of Mehmetbey cultivar to salt stress under field conditions, this cultivar can be included into breeding programs or cultivated in fields with salinity problems.

Construction and evaluation of environment-friendly POSS multi-crosslinked mulch film based on bone gelatin

The non-degradable traditional polyethylene (PE) mulch film has caused great harm to both the ecological environment as well as human health. Therefore, the biodegradable bone gelatin (B-Gel) was innovatively selected to build the mulch film. To further enhance the toughness of the B-Gel mulch films, a POSS star-shaped polymer/bone gelatin (P(POSS-AGE-HEA)/B-Gel) composite was prepared by introducing POSS star-shaped polymer into B-Gel via in situ polymerization using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), allyl glycidyl ether (AGE) and hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) as raw material, and then was cast to obtain the P(POSS-AGE-HEA)/B-Gel mulch film. The epoxy group of POSS star-shaped polymer with the -COOH and -NH2 of B-Gel forms a covalent bond, and the hydroxyl group with the active groups of B-Gel forms hydrogen bonds. Meanwhile, the multiple side chains of POSS star-shaped polymer are intertwined with B-Gel. These covalent and hydrogen bonds as sacrificial bonds for effective energy dissipation giving the bone gelatin-based film excellent mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 7.56 ± 0.64 MPa and elongation at break of 197.49 ± 17.63 %. Additionally, it also demonstrated sound water vapor barrier, surface hydrophobicity, light transmittance and the effect of facilitating the growth and germination ratio (93.75 %) of wheat.

The Effect of the Electric Current Intensity and its Exposure Duration on the Germination Ratio and some Morphological Qualities of the Albizia Seedlings Albizia lebbek L. Benth

The results of exposing Albizia lebbeck seeds to Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth to the intensity of electric current and for a different period of exposure to a significant superiority when exposing the seeds to the intensity of an electric current 9A in the percentage of germination % Recipe for the height of seedlings, the diameter of the stem, the number of leaves and the wet and dry weight of the vegetative total compared to the comparison treatment, while the duration of exposure exceeded 9 minutes in the characteristic of the height of seedlings, as for the effect of bilateral overlap, the exposure of the seeds to the intensity of the electric current 9A for 9 minutes led to a significant superiority in the percentage of germination % Compared to the comparison treatment, the same treatment also gave a strong 9 for 9 minutes the highest increase in the trait of the rate of rise of seedlings, the diameter of the seedlings, the number of leaves, the wet and dry weight of the vegetative total compared to the comparison treatment that gave the lowest values. From the evidence of the results, we infer that the treatment with electric current led to an increase in the seed germination percentage and improved some of the vegetative growth qualities of the Albizia lebbek.

Effect of Stimulate of Sorghum Seeds with Banana Peel Extract and Citric Acid on Seeds Viability and Vigour

Sorghum seeds suffer from a low germination ratio, so a factorial experiment was carried out in the Seed Technology Laboratory, Department of Field Crops, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad during 2022 according to a Completely Randomized Design with four replications to study the effect of stimulating seeds with aqueous extract of banana peels with a concentration of (0, 15, 25 and 35%) and citric acid at concentrations (0, 50, 100 and 200 mg L-1) on viability and vigour of seed properties. Seeds that soaked with banana peel extract at a concentration of 25% outperformed in first count (79.8%), final count (85.0%), radicle length (13.2 cm), plumule length (11.6 cm), and seedling vigour index (2109), noting that they didn’t differ significantly with a concentration of 35%. Concentration of 35% outperformed in seedling dry weight (0.015 mg), cold test (46.2%) and accelerated aging (65.0%). Citric acid at a concentration of 200 mg L-1 was superior at the first count (84.3%), final count (87.5%), radicle length (13.9 cm), plumule length (11.5 cm), seedling dry weight (0.014 mg), and seedling vigour index (2227). Concentration of 35% + 100 mg L-1 of banana peel extract and citric acid was significantly superior at final count (94.0%), radicle length (15.8 cm), plumule length (13.6 cm), seedling dry weight (0.017 mg), seedling vigour index (2761), accelerated ageing (75.0%), It can be concluded that banana peel extract is rich with nutrients and mineral elements that stimulate germination and seedling growth, and that citric acid provides an appropriate pH that increases the activity of the enzymes responsible for germination process, so it can be recommended that using a concentration of 35% + 100 mg L-1 of the aqueous extract of banana peels and citric acid together to enhance germination in sorghum.

Effect Biosynthesis of fenugreek leaves nanomaterial on some plant's germination using saline water

The synthesis of new, low-cost nanomaterials that do not cause harm to the environment is of great importance in modern Science. In addition to the importance of plant use in medical purposes and the active substances they contain, this research includes the synthesis of nanomaterials from medical plant (fenugreek) Trigonella foenum extract for tolerating irrigation with saline water. The extract of the dried and ground leaves of the T. foenum plant was taken, centrifuged, filtered, and then dried. The resulting material was tested by the X-ray Diffract meter (XRD) and the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) examining to ensure it was on the nanoscale. Aqueous dilution at a ratio of 1: 1 used to irrigation seeds of the aromatic plants (Apium graveolens and Lepidium sativum) with saline water 0.05 g / l. The germination ratios, the extreme length and the plumular were calculated after 3, 5, 7 and 10 days of germination. The germination rates were superior to the treatment with a nanomaterial and saline water mixture for 98.5% in A. graveolens and 97.2% in L. sativum. Saline water treatment showed 75% for A. graveolens and 78% for L. sativum. The extreme length reached 14.5 cm for the A. graveolens and 11.3 cm for the L. sativum in the mixture treatment after 10 days. Saline water treatment gave 6.3 cm and 8.5 cm, respectively. The plumular measurements were similar to the radical results. These results proved the synthesis of a natural bio-nanomaterial that is easy to prepare, low in cost and have a stimulating effect on germination, growth and tolerance irrigation with saline water. This improves our ability to utilize water resources and propagation methods for aromatic and medical plants. Keywords: medical plant, aromatic plants, nanoparticle, Apium graveolens and Lepidium sativum

New seed coating containing Trichoderma viride with anti-pathogenic properties.

To ensure food security in the face of climate change and the growing world population, multi-pronged measures should be taken. One promising approach uses plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF), such as Trichoderma, to reduce the usage of agrochemicals and increase plant yield, stress tolerance, and nutritional value. However, large-scale applications of PGPF have been hampered by several constraints, and, consequently, usage on a large scale is still limited. Seed coating, a process that consists of covering seeds with low quantities of exogenous materials, is gaining attention as an efficient and feasible delivery system for PGPF. We have designed a new seed coating composed of chitin, methylcellulose, and Trichoderma viride spores and assessed its effect on canola (Brassica napus L.) growth and development. For this purpose, we analyzed the antifungal activity of T. viride against common canola pathogenic fungi (Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium culmorum, and Colletotrichum sp.). Moreover, the effect of seed coating on germination ratio and seedling growth was evaluated. To verify the effect of seed coating on plant metabolism, we determined superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and expression of the stress-related RSH (RelA/SpoT homologs). Our results showed that the T. viride strains used for seed coating significantly restricted the growth of all three pathogens, especially F. culmorum, for which the growth was inhibited by over 40%. Additionally, the new seed coating did not negatively affect the ability of the seeds to complete germination, increased seedling growth, and did not induce the plant stress response. To summarize, we have successfully developed a cost-effective and environmentally responsible seed coating, which will also be easy to exploit on an industrial scale.