Plant Height Research Articles

Coordination of miR319-TaPCF8 with TaSPL14 orchestrates auxin signaling and biosynthesis to regulate plant height in common wheat.

Wheat culms, comprising four to six internodes, are critically involved in determining plant height and lodging resistance, essential factors for field performance and regional adaptability. This study revealed the regulatory function of miR319 in common wheat plant height. Repression of tae-miR319 through short tandem target mimics (STTM) caused an increased plant height, while overexpression (OE) of tae-miR319 had the opposite effect. Overexpressing a miR319-resistant target gene TaPCF8 (rTaPCF8), increased plant height. TaPCF8 acted as a transcription repressor of downstream genes TaIAAs, which interact physically with TaSPL14. The significant differences of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) contents indicate the involvement of auxin pathway in miR319-mediated plant height regulation. Finally, we identified two TaPCF8 haplotypes in global wheat collections. TaPCF8-5A-Hap2, as per association and evolution examinations, was subjected to strong substantial selection throughout wheat breeding. This haplotype, associated with shorter plant height, aligns with global breeding requirements. Consequently, in high-yield wheat breeding, we proposed a potential molecular marker for marker-assisted selection (MAS). Our findings offer fresh perspectives into the molecular mechanisms that underlie the miR319-TaPCF8 module's regulation of plant height by orchestrating auxin signaling and biosynthesis in wheat.

Flooding tolerance, biomass production, and leaf nitrogen assimilatory efficiency in 29 diverse willows (Salix spp.) genotypes during early growth

ABSTRACT Willows are frequently planted as unrooted cuttings in flood-prone areas. The occurrence of a flooding episode during the early stages of the plantation causes diverse morphological and physiological changes in willows. Thus, it is important to identify traits correlating to flooding tolerance to be used to breed genotypes with enhanced tolerance to this stress. In addition, flooding can change nitrogen absorption in plants, altering leaf nitrogen concentration. These changes could influence the photosynthetic activity, and ultimately, the growth of plantations. The aims of this work were: (i) to identify traits that increase flooding tolerance in willows during early growth and (ii) to analyze the effects of flooding on Assimilatory Nitrogen Use Efficiency (ANUE, measured as foliar biomass: foliar nitrogen concentration ratio). Two-month-old plants growing in pots of 29 willow genotypes were flooded with water covering 80% of the stem, for 43 days. At the end of this period, the flooding tolerance index (ratio between the flooded plant biomass to the non-flooded plant biomass) ranged between 39% and 103%. Flooding tolerance had a significant and positive correlation to plant height, diameter, total biomass, growth rate, leaf area, leaf number, and basic wood density. ANUE decreased in flooded plants in most genotypes, despite the increase in leaf nitrogen concentration. This implies that flooded plants were less efficient in the use of nitrogen to produce leaf biomass than the non-flooded treatment. These results are relevant for the selection of flooding tolerance in young willow plants obtained from rootless cuttings.

Increased nitrogen accumulation in mulberry trees due to the secretion of glomalin-related soil protein induced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

In the initial stages of restoring areas affected by rocky desertification, plant survival is strongly influenced by nitrogen nutrition. Mycorrhization is a unique type of inter-root engineering that improves nitrogen acquisition efficiency by plant roots. We selected potted mulberry trees inoculated, two dominant arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) with Funneliformis mosseae (Fm) and Rhizophagus intraradices (Ri), to clarify the effects of AMF on the root nitrogen content of mulberry trees. Meanwhile, the key factors of soil nitrogen changes caused by AMF were analyzed, based on the primary role of soil nitrogen as the source of root nitrogen. Simultaneously, the potential of AMF to promote the acquisition of different forms of nitrogen by mulberry roots was investigated. Our findings indicate that the inoculation of mulberry plants with Fm and Ri, improved plant height and increased nitrogen accumulation in the roots and shoots. Additionally, AMF regulates nitrogen transformation, significantly increasing soil nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) levels. The results indicated that soil NH4+-N, NO3−-N, and DON contributed to the observed changes in root nitrogen accumulation. The largest contribution (22.0 %) to the overall effect size was made by NO3−-N. AMF stimulated soil microbial activity and significantly increased soil glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), enzyme activity, and soil microbial biomass (SMB). Urease activity and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) both increased exponentially by 118.7 % and 115.2 %, respectively. Higher GRSP, enzyme activity, and SMB were positively correlated with changes in soil nitrogen patterns, and GRSP had the most significant effect on changes in the soil nitrogen dynamics. Our study confirmed that inoculation with AMF not only regulates soil nitrogen dynamics but also diversifies plant nitrogen sources. This is achieved by increasing plant growth and enhancing soil microbial activity. Ultimately, this enhances plant root nitrogen nutrition. Therefore, AMF promote root nitrogen accumulation and enhance root nitrogen uptake through GRSP-regulated soil nitrogen, providing a theoretical basis for the management of rocky desertification.

A novel AP2/ERF transcription factor, NtERF10, positively regulates plant height in tobacco.

Ethylene response factors have been shown to be involved in the effects of plant developmental processes and to regulate stress tolerance. The aim of this study was to recognize the regulatory mechanisms of ethylene response factors on tobacco plant height. In this study, a gene-edited mutant (ERF10-KO) and wild type (WT) were utilized as experimental materials. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses were used to investigate the regulatory mechanism of NtERF10 gene editing on plant height in tobacco. Here, through the analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 2051 genes were upregulated and 1965 genes were downregulated. We characterized the different ERF10-KO and WT plant heights and identified key genes for photosynthesis, the plant hormone signal transduction pathway and the terpene biosynthesis pathway. NtERF10 was found to affect the growth and development of tobacco by regulating the expression levels of the PSAA, PSBA, GLY17 and GGP3 genes. Amino acid metabolism was analyzed by combining analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs). In addition, we found that members of the bHLH, NAC, MYB, and WRKY transcription factor families have vital roles in regulating plant height. This study not only provides important insights into the positive regulation of the ethylene response factor NtERF10 on plant height during plant growth and development but also provides new research ideas for tobacco molecular breeding.

Constructing and Validating Estimation Models for Individual-Tree Aboveground Biomass of Salix suchowensis in China

Biomass serves as a crucial indicator of plant productivity, and the development of biomass models has become an efficient way for estimating tree biomass production rapidly and accurately. This study aimed to develop a rapid and accurate model to estimate the individual aboveground biomass of Salix suchowensis. Growth parameters, including plant height (PH), ground diameter (GD), number of first branches (NFB), number of second branches (NSB) and aboveground fresh biomass weight (FW), were measured from 892 destructive sample trees. Correlation analysis indicated that GD had higher positive correlations with FW than PH, NFB and NSB. According to the biological features and field observations of S. suchowensis, the samples were classified into three categories: single-stemmed type, first-branched type and second-branched type. Based on the field measurement data, regression models were constructed separately between FW and each growth trait (PH, GD, NFB and NSB) using linear and nonlinear regression functions (linear, exponential and power). Then, multiple power regression and multiple linear regression were conducted to estimate the fresh biomass of three types of S. suchowensis. For the single-stemmed plant type, model M1 with GD as the single parameter had the highest adj R2, outperforming the other models. Among the 16 constructed biomass-estimating equations for the first-branched plant type, model M32 FW = 0.010371 × PH1.15862 × GD1.250581 × NFB0.190707 was found to have the best fit, with the highest coefficient of determination (adj R2 = 0.6627) and lowest Akaike Information Criterion (AIC = 5997.3081). When it comes to the second-branched plant type, the best-fitting equation was proved to be the multiple power model M43 with PH, GD, NFB and NSB as parameters, which had the highest adj R2 value and best-fitting effect. The stability and reliability of the models were confirmed by the F-test, repeated k-fold cross-validation and paired-sample t-tests. The models developed in this study could provide efficient tools for accurately estimating the total aboveground biomass for S. suchowensis at individual tree levels. The results of this study could also be useful for optimizing the economic productivity of shrub willow plantations.

Identifying dryland-resilient chickpea genotypes for autumn sowing, with a focus on multi-trait stability parameters and biochemical enzyme activity

BackgroundChickpea is a key pulse crop grown in the spring in dryland regions. The cold resistance potential of chickpeas allows for the development of genotypes with varying sowing dates to take advantage of autumn and winter rainfall, particularly in dryland regions. In this study, we assessed grain yield, plant height, 100-seed weight, days to maturity, and days to flowering of 17 chickpea genotypes in five autumn-sown dryland regions from 2019 to 2021. Additionally, the response of selected chickpea genotypes to cold stress was examined at temperatures of -4 °C, 4 °C, and 22 °C by analyzing biochemical enzymes.ResultsMixed linear model of ANOVA revealed a significant genotype × environment interaction for all traits measured, indicating varying reactions of genotypes across test environments. This study reported low estimates of broad-sense heritability for days to flowering (0.34), days to maturity (0.13), and grain yield (0.08). Plant height and seed weight exhibited the highest heritability, with genotypic selection accuracies of 0.73 and 0.92, respectively. Moreover, partial least square regression highlighted the impactful role of rainfall during all months except of October, November, and February on grain yield and its interaction with environments in autumn-planted chickpeas. Among the genotypes studied, G9, G10, and G17 emerged as superior based on stability parameters and grain yield. In particular, genotype G9 stood out as a promising genotype for dryland regions, considering both MTSI and genotype by yield*trait aproaches. The cold assay indicated that − 4 °C is crucial for distinguishing between susceptible and resistant genotypes. The results showed the important role of the enzymes CAT and GPX in contributing to the cold tolerance of genotype G9 in autumn-sown chickpeas.ConclusionsSignificant G×E for agro-morphological traits of chickpea shows prerequisite for multi-trial analysis. Chickpea`s direct root system cause that monthly rainfall during plant establishment has no critical role in its yield interaction with dryland environment. Considering the importance of agro-morphological traits and their direct and indirect effects on grain yield, the utilization of multiple-trait stability approches is propose. Evaluation of chickpea germplasm reaction against cold stress is necessary for autumn-sowing. Finally, autumn sowing of genotype FLIP 10–128 C in dryland conditions can led to significant crop performance.

Influence of Colored Shade Nets and Media Types on the Development of Rhoeo discolor (Boat Lily)

Study was carried out Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, College of Agriculture, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha during 2018-19. The experiment was designed to determine the optimal conditions for enhancing plant growth, focusing on the effects of different colored shade nets (green, white, red and black) with open light and various media mixture combinations (soil, coco peat, and FYM). Key growth parameters such as plant height, plant spread, leaf number, leaf area, chlorophyll content, and number of suckers were measured over a specified growth period. Results indicated that boat lily grown under red shade net and pots filled with soil, FYM and cocopeat media mixture in 1:1:1 (v/v) proportion performed best in all the characters. It has significantly enhanced plant height (22.11 cm), number of leaves per plant (15.89) and leaf area (110.42 cm2), plant spread in E-W direction (28.78 cm), plant spread in N-S direction (28.78 cm) and leaf thickness (1.32 mm).

Study of Metroglyph Analysis in Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Genotypes for Different Quantitative Characters

The study conducted at the Research Farm of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences during the rabi/winter season of 2022-23 aimed to estimate the genetic diversity and morphological variations among 20 Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) genotypes using Anderson’s metroglyph analysis for different quantitative traits. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences for all the characters studied indicating the presence of considerable amount of variability among the genotypes. The genotypes viz, IVT HB19-14 I, IVT HB 19-11, ABSPS-2-1, AVT I HB16-15, IVT HB18-15, VIKRANT (CHECK), ABSPS-1-5, ABSPS-1-2 recorded significantly superior seed yield and yield contributing traits respectively. Six distinct morphological complexes were identified as a result of the analysis, which showed significant variation among the genotypes for the majority of traits. Complex I included eight genotypes with high seed yield and a high number of seeds per plant, while Complex II comprised five genotypes with low seed yield and a low number of seeds per plant. Complex III: High seed yield with a lower number of seeds per plant including three genotypes. Complex IV: Moderate seed yield with a higher number of seeds per plant, represented by two genotypes, Complex V: Very low seed yield and a very low number of seeds per plant, represented by one genotype and Complex VI: Low plant height with a very low number of spikelet’s per panicle, represented by one genotype. The genotypes IVT HB18-15, IVT HB19-13, IVT HB19-14 I, IVT HB19-11, ABSPS-1-1, ABSPS-1-2, ABSPS-1-4, and VIKRANT were identified as superior due to their high index scores and were suggested for use in breeding programs to enhance yield and other desirable traits. The study concluded that metroglyph analysis is an effective method for assessing genetic diversity and morphologicalvariations, providing valuable insights for breeders to improve Faba bean yield and adaptability through targeted cross-breeding of superior genotypes.

Application of combined GA3 and NAA treatments to improve yield and quality of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)

In Bangladesh, okra is an important popular summer vegetable. However, traditional farming practices often lead to suboptimal yields. Thus, the study was designed to determine the ideal GA3 and NAA doses for accelerating okra growth, yield, and quality characteristics. A three-replication, randomized complete block design was adopted. Foliar sprays with three concentrations of GA3 (0 ppm, 150 ppm, and 250 ppm) and NAA (0 ppm, 150 ppm, and 250 ppm) were applied in 2022 and 2023. In comparison to the control, the combined application of GA3 @ 150 ppm and NAA @ 150 ppm improved plant height, leaf number, leaf area, branch number, internode length, bud number, pod number, pod length, pod diameter, and 1000 seed weight average over the two years. Furthermore, GA3 @ 150 ppm with NAA 150 ppm increased yield by 35.08% and 27.01% in 2022 and 2023 respectively, above the control. Combining NAA @ 150 ppm with GA3 resulted in higher levels of vitamin C, TSS, magnesium, and zinc by 19.31%, 81.2%, 22.73% and 21.43% in 2022 and 22.83%, 50.57%, 18.07%, 33.33% in 2023 respectively, compared to the control. In contrast, GA3 and NAA decreased potassium and calcium in both year when compared to the control. Overall, the results of this experiment indicated that using GA3 @ 150 ppm with NAA @ 150 ppm could enhance okra growth, yield, and quality. These findings provide insightful information for improving okra cultivation techniques and improving Bangladesh’s productivity in agriculture and food security.

Epistatic interaction has the reverse effects with its constitutive quantitative trait loci

Epistasis is one of important genetic components for a quantitative trait in plant. Eshed and Zamir found negative epistatic interactions of quantitative trait loci in Tomato first. We detected that positive (negative) QTLs generated mostly negative (positive) epistatic interactions on heading date in rice, and then proposed the hypothese that QTL epistasis plays a role of homeostasis in one of our recent papers. In order to further provide additional evidence, the effects of QTLs and their epistatic effects on two quantitative traits of plant height (ph) and thousand kernel weight (tkw) were analyzed in this study. The same regularity was verified again. We detected that positive ph QTLs and negative tkw QTLs always generated reverse epistatic effects, respectively. Moreover, high-order epistatic effects were estimated on these two traits. The sum of all epistatic effects would partially neutralize the additive of constitutive QTL effects. This feature of epistsis would be the mechanism for bionts to maintain homeostasis while the obstacle for human to achieve the pyramiding breeding objectives. More evidences are still being collected to support our assumption.

Assessment of growth, and ion uptake of plant species, Conocarpus erectus and Dodonaea viscosa, on industrial solid waste

Present study assessed the growth of two plant species and ion uptake by them grown on different proportion of industrial solid waste and garden soil. The industrial waste having high concentration of chemicals were used with garden soil at different proportion i.e. 0% (T0), 5% (T1), 10% (T2), 15% (T3) and 20% (T4). Two species namely Conocarpus erectus (alien plant) and Dodonaea viscosa (indigenous) were used as test plants in pot study. Different parameters including growth, physiology, and anatomy of plants and concentration of cations (Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+) in the plant shoot and root were measured at different time duration (initial, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th month). The key objective of the study was to use these plants to establish their plantations on the barren lands where industrial solid wastes were being disposed of. C. erectus showed better growth than D. viscosa, as well as more uptake of ions. A significant increase in plant growth was observed in fourth month in T1, where plant height reached 24.5% and 46% for C. erectus and D. viscosa, respectively. At harvest, in C. erectus, no significant difference in the fresh (65–78 g) and dry weight (24–30 g) of the shoot was observed across treatments compared to the control. In D. viscosa, at the time of harvest, the fresh and dry weights of the root and shoot showed a strong, significantly decreasing pattern across T1, T2, and T3, leading to the death of the plant at T3 and T4. Further, optimum ratio of waste soil to garden soil was found as 10:90 and 20:80 to establish the plantations of D. viscosa and C. erectus, respectively in areas where such solid waste from industries are disposed. Findings can be used for the restoration of such solid waste for the sustainable management of industrial areas and their associated ecosystems.

Plant height bridges hierarchical community responses to nitrogen enrichment

Abstract Nitrogen enrichment impacts ecosystems productivity by altering different hierarchical community processes, ranging from responses of individual species traits to species reordering and ultimately species turnover. Most previous studies have focussed on examining the responses of these processes separately, but little has been done to examine how hierarchical community responses are linked and contribute to the changes in productivity. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted a 4‐year nitrogen addition field experiment to investigate the hierarchical community responses of above‐ground net primary productivity (ANPP) in an alpine meadow ecosystem. We found that the individual species response contributed more to ANPP changes under nitrogen addition, while species reordering and species turnover contributed little over the 4‐year experiment. In particular, plant height was a key trait to ultimately explain and bridge nitrogen addition effects on ANPP across different community levels. Nitrogen addition promoted plant height and growth of individual species, and reordered functional groups by increasing taller grasses and sedges and decreasing shorter forbs and legumes. Species turnover had a weak effect on ANPP changes due to low biomass of both lost and gained species. Finally, taller persistent plants promoted ANPP more with nitrogen addition. Synthesis. This study provides a new perspective on how ecosystem productivity responds to nitrogen enrichment in a hierarchical manner linked to plant height, which is helpful for elucidating complex community processes and establishing direct links between plant traits and ecosystem function.

Impact of Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria and Microbial Consortia on Growth and Yield of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food for over half the world's population, particularly in Asia. This study explores the potential of Zn-solubilizing microbes to enhance micronutrient content in rice, aiming to address these deficiencies sustainably. Beneficial free-living soil bacteria, specifically plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), were investigated for their role in improving plant health and yield. Twenty-two bacterial isolates were screened for Zn solubilization, with Enterobacter hormaechei identified as the most promising. Field experiments with rice varieties PD 26 and NDR 359 involved treatmentssuch asT1 (Control), T2 (ZnSB1: Enterobacter hormaechei MT507226.1), T3 (Consortium1: Pantoearodasii MZ397586 + Seratiamarcesecens MW843567), and T4 (Consortium2: Enterobacter hormaechei MT507226.1 + Pantoearodasii MZ397586 + Seratiamarcesecens MW843567). with individual and consortia of Zn-solubilizing bacteria. Significant improvements were shown in plant height, leaf area index (LAI), total chlorophyll, total dry matter (TDM), and grain yield. Results showed that Consortium1 (T3) significantly increased plant height by 7.94% for PD26 and 10.16% for NDR 359. Leaf Area Index (LAI) also improved notably under Consortium1, with increases of 15.56% for PD26 and 24.39% for NDR 359. Total chlorophyll content was highest under Consortium1 for PD26 (36.63% increase) and under Consortium2 for NDR 359 (31.41% increase). Total dry matter (TDM) showed substantial gains, especially in NDR 359 with Consortium2 treatment, achieving a 36.51% increase. Grain yield increased significantly across all treatments, with Consortium1 showing the highest yields: 12.26% for PD26 and 23.01% for NDR 359.Correlation analysis indicated strong positive relationships between plant height, TDM, and grain yield, underscoring the importance of these parameters in determining crop productivity. The findings suggest that microbial consortia, particularly Consortium1, can effectively replace traditional zinc fertilizers, enhancing sustainable agriculture by promoting plant growth and yield. These results are consistent with recent studies on the role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in improving nutrient uptake and crop performance.

Maize plant height automatic reading of measurement scale based on improved YOLOv5 lightweight model

Background Plant height is a significant indicator of maize phenotypic morphology, and is closely related to crop growth, biomass, and lodging resistance. Obtaining the maize plant height accurately is of great significance for cultivating high-yielding maize varieties. Traditional measurement methods are labor-intensive and not conducive to data recording and storage. Therefore, it is very essential to implement the automated reading of maize plant height from measurement scales using object detection algorithms. Method This study proposed a lightweight detection model based on the improved YOLOv5. The MobileNetv3 network replaced the YOLOv5 backbone network, and the Normalization-based Attention Module attention mechanism module was introduced into the neck network. The CioU loss function was replaced with the EioU loss function. Finally, a combined algorithm was used to achieve the automatic reading of maize plant height from measurement scales. Results The improved model achieved an average precision of 98.6%, a computational complexity of 1.2 GFLOPs, and occupied 1.8 MB of memory. The detection frame rate on the computer was 54.1 fps. Through comparisons with models such as YOLOv5s, YOLOv7 and YOLOv8s, it was evident that the comprehensive performance of the improved model in this study was superior. Finally, a comparison between the algorithm’s 160 plant height data obtained from the test set and manual readings demonstrated that the relative error between the algorithm’s results and manual readings was within 0.2 cm, meeting the requirements of automatic reading of maize height measuring scale.

Correlation and Clustering for Yield and Its Attributing Traits in Maize (Zea mays L.) Hybrids

Present investigation was conducted in 144 maize hybrids of CIMMYT, Hyderabad along with 6 checks at ICRISAT, Hyderabad. The genotypes were evaluated for six quantitative traits: plant height, ear height, anthesis days, silking days, ear per plant and grain yield. Correlation among the traits came to a conclusion that anthesis days and silking are positively correlated with grain yield genotypically and plant height, ear height and ear per plant are positively correlated with grain yield phenotypically. Hence selection on five traits plays a vital role in increasing the grain yield. Clustering of genotypes based on the six traits divide the germplasm into two clusters. Each cluster has 85 and 65 genotypes respectively. Clustering the genotypes based the quantitative traits helps in understanding the relatedness between the genotypes.

Genome-wide association studies from spoken phenotypic descriptions: a proof of concept from maize field studies.

We present a novel approach to genome-wide association studies (GWAS) by leveraging unstructured, spoken phenotypic descriptions to identify genomic regions associated with maize traits. Utilizing the Wisconsin Diversity panel, we collected spoken descriptions of Zea mays ssp. mays traits, converting these qualitative observations into quantitative data amenable to GWAS analysis. First, we determined that visually striking phenotypes could be detected from unstructured spoken phenotypic descriptions. Next, we developed two methods to process the same descriptions to derive the trait plant height, a well-characterized phenotypic feature in maize: (1) a semantic similarity metric that assigns a score based on the resemblance of each observation to the concept of 'tallness' and (2) a manual scoring system that categorizes and assigns values to phrases related to plant height. Our analysis successfully corroborated known genomic associations and uncovered novel candidate genes potentially linked to plant height. Some of these genes are associated with gene ontology terms that suggest a plausible involvement in determining plant stature. This proof-of-concept demonstrates the viability of spoken phenotypic descriptions in GWAS and introduces a scalable framework for incorporating unstructured language data into genetic association studies. This methodology has the potential not only to enrich the phenotypic data used in GWAS and to enhance the discovery of genetic elements linked to complex traits but also to expand the repertoire of phenotype data collection methods available for use in the field environment.

Morphological Characterization and Diversity Analysis of Maize Inbred Lines (Zea mays L.)

To characterize Maize inbred lines in respect to morphological and physiological traits for its diversity and final utilization in the breeding programs, a study was conducted with twenty-five inbred lines at Tirhut college of Agriculture, Dholi Muzaffarpur Bihar. Genetic diversity among inbred lines may be used for promising hybrid combinations development in maize breeding programme. In the present investigation, these twenty-five inbred lines were sown in randomized block design with standard agronomical practices during Kharif, 2022. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among the genotypes for all the parameters viz., Days to 50 percent Tasseling and Silking, 75% Brown husk, Plant Height (cn), Ear height (cm), Ear length (cm), Ear girth (cm), No. of Kernels per row, No. of kernel rows per ear, Iron and Zinc content (ppm), 100 grain weight (g), Harvest index and Grain yield (kg/ha.) showed presence of considerable variability among all the genotypes. Narrow deviation from genotypic and phenotypic variance evidenced that very less environmental influence on expression of almost all studied characters. According to the D2 analysis, the 25 maize inbred lines were divided into eight clusters, with cluster I having the largest number of inbred lines, while clusters II, V, VI, VII, and VIII have only one inbred line. Cluster VI (21-213-CML-401) and cluster VIII (HKI-1105) was the most distant cluster among inbred lines within the clusters, indicating the greatest genetic diversity.

Determination of Genetic Diversity in Greengram (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek)

The experiment was conducted in a Randomized Block Design with three replications during the Zaid season 2023 at field experimentation centre, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Naini Agriculture Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Naini, Prayagraj, U.P. The aim of experimentation was to analyse genetic diversity present among green gram germplasms. Plant to plant distance was 10 cm and row to row distance was 30 cm. the data were recorded from randomly selected five plants for each genotypes for each replications for thirteen characters viz. days to 50% flowering, days to 50% pod setting, days to maturity, plant height (cm), number of primary branches, number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, pod length (cm), number of seeds per pod, seed index (g), biological yield (g), harvest index and seed yield per plant (g). From the present investigation it was concluded that among 31 genotypes of greengram on the basis of mean performance 3 genotypes were found to be superior for seed yield per plant over check variety Samrat viz., IC-76569, IC-121220 and IC-119006. On the basis of Mahalanobis’ D2 statistics 31 genotypes of greengram were grouped into five clusters. Maximum numbers of 13 genotypes were included in cluster 1 followed by cluster 2 with 7 genotypes, cluster 3 with 5 genotypes, cluster 4 with only single genotypes in each cluster. The highest intra cluster D2 value was recorded for cluster 5 (43.09) with 5 genotypes followed by cluster 2 (30.45) with 7 genotypes. The maximum inter cluster value of 153.82 was recorded between cluster 3 and cluster 5. It was also reported that the characters like seed yield per plant, biological yield, number of pods per plant, number of clusters per plant, number of seeds per pod, pod length and harvest index contributed about 71.13% towards total divergence alone. Therefore, selection should be done based on these characters considering the diversity and genetic variability present in greengram.

Impact of microplastic residues from polyurethane films on crop growth: Unraveling insights through transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis

The utilisation of coated controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) leads to the persistence of residual plastic films in agricultural soils, posing a potential threat to crop health. This study investigates the impacts of four residual films (0.39 %, w/w) derived from CRFs in soil, including petrochemical polyether, bio-based polyether, castor oil polyester, and wheat straw polyester polyurethane on wheat growth. This study found that PecPEUR significantly reduced wheat plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, and aboveground fresh weight by 24.8 %, 20.2 %, and 25.7 %. Through an in-depth exploration of transcriptomics and metabolomics, it has been discovered that all residual films disrupted glycolysis-related metabolic pathways in wheat roots, affecting seedling growth. Among them, PecPEUR significantly reduced the fresh weight of aboveground parts by 20.5 %. In contrast, polyester polyurethane residue had no discernible impact on aboveground wheat growth. This was attributed to the enrichment of wheat root genes in jasmonic acid and γ-aminobutyric acid metabolic pathways, thus mitigating oxidative stress, enhancing stress resistance, and ensuring normal plant growth. This study, for the first time, provides comprehensive insights into the effects of polyurethane film residue on wheat seedling growth, underscoring its potential as a promising alternative to conventional plastics in soil.

Morphological, Physiological, and Photosynthetic Differences of Tartary Buckwheat Induced by Post-Anthesis Drought

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn) is a crop of significant interest due to its nutritional value and resilience to drought conditions. However, drought, particularly following flowering, is a major factor contributing to yield reduction. This research employed two distinct Tartary buckwheat genotypes to investigate the effects of post-anthesis drought on growth and physicochemical characteristics. The study aimed to elucidate the response of Tartary buckwheat to drought stress. The findings indicated that post-anthesis drought adversely impacted the growth, morphology, and biomass accumulation of Tartary buckwheat. Drought stress enhanced the maximum photosynthetic capacity (Fv/Fm) and light protection ability (NPQ) of the ‘Xiqiao-2’ genotype. In response to drought stress, ‘Dingku-1’ and ‘Xiqiao-2’ maintained osmotic balance by accumulating soluble sugars and proline, respectively. Notably, ‘Xiqiao-2’ exhibited elevated levels of flavonoids and polyphenols in its leaves, which helped mitigate oxidative damage caused by drought. Furthermore, rewatering after a brief drought period significantly improved plant height, stem diameter, and biomass accumulation in ‘Dingku-1’. Overall, ‘Xiqiao-2’ demonstrated greater long-term tolerance to post-anthesis drought, while ‘Dingku-1’ was less adversely affected by short-term post-anthesis drought.