Higher Germination Research Articles

Biological features of seeds of a wild-growing species of Poterium polygamum

Relevance. Biological features (morphometric indicators, viability and germinating power) of Poterium polygamum seeds found in natural communites of the Stavropol Territory have been studied. The conservation of wild-growing plant species in the natural population and the rational use of their potential are relevant.Methods. Years of study — 2013–2021. The subject of the study is Poterium polygamum seeds. Seeds were collected in 2013. Studies were carried out according to the methods of studying seed material. Freshly harvested seeds and seeds of different shelf life were germinated in petri dishes at a temperature of 18–20 °C.Results. The collected seeds of Poterium polygamum are quite large. The length of the seeds is 4–5 mm, the width is about 2.5 mm. The mass of 1000 pieces of seeds on average was 10.59 grams. Complete absence of viability of freshly harvested Poterium polygamum seeds was revealed. After three months, seed viability was 97%. This is a shallow physiological rest associated with the post-harvest maturation period. During the storage of seeds, their high germination was established — from 70 to 100%. The duration of seed storage is 8 years. The largest number of germinated seeds and their germinating power were noted in the third year of their storage (100%). Seeds germinated on the third or fourth day. The differences between the viability of seeds and their germinating power are not great. In the eighth year of storage of Poterium polygamum seeds, viability and germinating power were slightly reduced. The storage period of seeds, in which they retain the ability to germinate and the germinating power, is long. It has been found that the wild species Poterium polygamum belongs to plants with a high (70 to 100%) viability. This species is regularly resumed in the natural population. The revealed biological features of Poterium polygamum seeds can become the scientific basis during the reconstruction of degraded natural grass stand and in selection work.

Halotolerant Rhizobacteria for Salinity-Stress Mitigation: Diversity, Mechanisms and Molecular Approaches

Agriculture is the best foundation for human livelihoods, and, in this respect, crop production has been forced to adopt sustainable farming practices. However, soil salinity severely affects crop growth, the degradation of soil quality, and fertility in many countries of the world. This results in the loss of profitability, the growth of agricultural yields, and the step-by-step decline of the soil nutrient content. Thus, researchers have focused on searching for halotolerant and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) to increase soil fertility and productivity. The beneficial bacteria are frequently connected with the plant rhizosphere and can alleviate plant growth under salinity stress through direct or indirect mechanisms. In this context, PGPB have attained a unique position. The responses include an increased rate of photosynthesis, high production of antioxidants, osmolyte accumulation, decreased Na+ ions, maintenance of the water balance, a high germination rate, and well-developed root and shoot elongation under salt-stress conditions. Therefore, the use of PGPB as bioformulations under salinity stress has been an emerging research avenue for the last few years, and applications of biopesticides and biofertilizers are being considered as alternative tools for sustainable agriculture, as they are ecofriendly and minimize all kinds of stresses. Halotolerant PGPB possess greater potential for use in salinity-affected soil as sustainable bioinoculants and for the bioremediation of salt-affected soil.

Seed’s morpho-anatomy and post-seminal development of Bromeliaceae from tropical dry forest

Abstract Drastic changes in dry tropical forest result in the loss of biological components and reveal the importance of studies on the biology of species living in it. The present study aimed to describe seed morphoanatomy, germination and post-seminal development of Bromeliaceae species in fragments of tropical dry forest in Sucre, Colombia. Seven species representing Bromelia and Tillandsia genera were evaluated. The results provide characteristics related to the habitat of each species and contribute to distinguish the genera evaluated: fruit and seed measurements, seed shape, plumose appendage, testa characteristics, and the aleurone layer, embryo endosperm ratio, types of reserves, constriction zone in the embryo and type of post-seminal development. Characteristics of plumose appendages and the presence of vascular bundles in the embryo also contribute to distinguish Tillandsia species. In T. elongata and T. flexuosa, high number of seeds per fruit (> 100), morphoanatomical aspects, high germination (> 92%) and plant formation (> 77%) percentages, and higher germination rate values (> 4.5) give them the potential capacity for establishment in this environment. Our results provide information with taxonomic and ecological relevance for bromeliads in dry tropical forest.

ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF THE OPTOELECTRONIC INSTALLATION FOR SORTING SEEDS OF VARIOUS AGRICULTURAL CROPS

It is possible to achieve the required quality indicators of seed material when sorting the grain mass both after harvesting and before sowing crops in the fields. The most effective method of grain purification from impurities is optoelectronic sorting due to the use of a wide range of selective features. One of the main indicators of the efficiency of an optoelectronic installation for sorting of seed material is the positive effect obtained as a result of an economic assessment. (Research purpose) The research purpose is assessing the damage caused by plant diseases to farms and calculation the economic effect of using modern optoelectronic technologies of machine vision to identify phytopathologies at an early stage of wheat seed development. (Materials and methods) The economic efficiency of the optoelectronic device for seed sorting developed at the Kuban State Agrarian University named after I.T. Trubilin was determined in accordance with GOST R 57330-2016 «Industrial automation systems and integration. Maintenance and repair systems. Key performance indicators» and taking into account reference data. It was shown that the reliability of the results is confirmed by the multiple repetition of studies and the reproducibility of the results obtained, the use of generally accepted methods, instruments and mathematical processing of experimental data. (Results and discussion) It was found that when used for sowing in the fields of a fraction of seeds sorted by an optoelectronic installation with high germination, it is possible to reduce the seeding rate of winter wheat from 192.1 to 182.2 kilograms per hectare, and the specific economic effect per hectare is 198 rubles. It was revealed that the net annual profit per 1200 hectares from the introduction of an optoelectronic installation for pre-sowing sorting of seeds will amount to 237,600 rubles; the payback period of the proposed installation is 1 year 3 months. (Conclusions) It was stated that an optoelectronic device for sorting seeds of various agricultural crops is effective from an economic point of view both at grain cleaning enterprises and in laboratories for analyzing the quality of grain products.

The seed vigour of spelt produced at the Maize Research Institute “Zemun Polje”

Spelt (Triticum spelta L.) has been increasingly attracting producers due to the biological properties and chemical composition of its seeds. As high-quality seeds are necessary for successful production, the vigour of organically and conventionally produced spelt seeds has been studied and results are presented in this paper. The seeds of the variety Nirvana produced by both methods at the Maize Research Institute ?Zemun Polje? in 2015 were observed. According to the results, the germination energy of conventionally and organically produced seeds amounted to 30% and 69%, respectively. The total germination of conventionally and organically produced spelt seeds amounted to 99% and 93%, respectively. The percentage of abnormal seedlings of spelt produced by both methods amounted to 1% on average. The participation of diseased and dead seeds was higher in organically produced seeds (6%) than in conventionally produced seeds (0%). After the seed accelerated ageing test, a higher germination was observed in conventionally produced seeds (75%) than in organically produced seeds (68%). The electric conductivity of conventionally produced seeds amounted to 189.4 ?S/cm and 195.2 ?S/cm in the first and the second replication, respectively, while the values of organically produced seeds amounted to 95.5 ?S/cm and 98.6 ?S/cm, in the first and the second replication, respectively. The results obtained by the electrical conductivity test indicated that the conventionally produced spelt seeds (32.33 ?S/cm g) were classified into the category of low vigour seeds in comparison to organically produced spelt seeds (27.65 ?S/cm g).

Ethanol and hormones in physiological conditioning on germination and seed dormancy of Urochloa humidicola cv. Llanero

Abstract: Seed conditioning improves germination uniformity, speed, and dormancy release. This work aimed the study the physiological conditioning of Urochloa humidicola cv. Llanero, using two lots of dormant seeds conditioned by imbibition with water, commercial bioregulator (auxin, gibberellin - 0.144 mM and cytokinin), gibberellin (0.144 and 1.44 mM) or 5% ethanol. Germination, dormancy, SOD activity, MDA and H2O2 content were evaluated. In both lots, germination percentage was positively influenced by the commercial bioregulator without affecting the viability. In the first, the germination, using a bioregulator or ethanol, was higher; in the second, the highest germination was from the treated seeds concerning the control and water treatment. The unconditioned seeds presented a higher H2O2 and protein content in both lots. The MDA content in the first lot was higher in the non-conditioned seeds and conditioned with ethanol. In the second lot, the water conditioned seeds had higher content. In both lots, the bioregulator conditioned seeds showed higher SOD activity. The H2O2 content was related to antioxidation activation. It was impossible to identify the oxidative window of germination in which H2O2 would be a signal, releasing germination. The conditioning of seeds with any product showed superior physiological quality than the unconditioned or conditioned with water.

Seed Germination Improvement, Emergence Uniformity and Seedling Health in Flue-Cured Tobacco by Dressing and Pelleting

To improve seed germination and seedling emergence of K326 flue-cured tobacco seedlings by disinfection and pelleting, this research was conducted at Tirtash Tobacco Research and Education Center, Behshahr, Iran. Tobacco seeds were pelleted with metalaxyl, thiophanate methyl, imidacloprid, thiomethoxam and thiodicarb and disinfected by heating the seeds in hot air at 60°C for one hour, with hot water at 50°C for 10 minutes and by 0.5% sodium hypochlorite for 4 minutes. The results showed that the lowest percentage of normal seedlings, seedling emergence immediately and one year after seed pelleting and rate of germination coefficient immediately after pelleting, was in case of pelleted seeds with 2 mm diameter. Non-pelleted seeds had the highest germination and seedling emergence did not decrease significantly one year after pelleting. The results of this study showed that all seed disinfection treatments improved germination and seedling emergence percentage in floating seedbed trays and transferable seedlings, also seedlings infected with collar rot, sciaridae fly and aphids were reduced. According to the results of this study, pelleted seeds with 1.5 mm diameter had better germination and seedling emergence.

The efficiency of prechilling and gibberellic acid (GA3) for breaking thermodormancy in lettuce

Abstract: The study focused on increasing the germination of lettuce cultivars under high-temperature conditions by seed treatments. The seeds of lettuce cultivars Yedikule, Iceberg, Iri Kıvırcık, and BT Iri Kıvırcık with different leaf morphology were primed by different doses of gibberellic acid (GA3) (0, 250, 500, and 1000 ppm) and preconditioned by chilling and heating. The seeds were germinated at optimal (20 °C) and high (35 °C) temperatures. The results showed that high temperature adversely influenced the germination percentage of lettuce cultivars. The mean germination percentage was 16.8% at 35 °C and 93.4% at 20 °C. Also, there was a significant difference among lettuce cultivars for germination at 35 °C. Iri Kıvırcık and BT Iri Kıvırcık showed a severe thermodormancy and hardly ever germinated at 35 °C. Prechilling and preheating promoted germination at 35 °C compared to unprimed seeds, but prechilling resulted in higher germination than preheating. GA3 was found to be the most useful treatment for improving germination compared to the others. The germination percentage of Iceberg, Yedikule, and Iri Kıvırcık primed with GA3 doses reached over 80%. The results suggested that the germination performance of lettuce cultivars suffering from thermodormancy or wherever climatic conditions with high temperatures should be promoted by the application of 500 ppm de GA3.

Effect of Certain Types and Doses of Organic Manures on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea L.) at Temperate Hill Ranges of Bharsar, Uttarakhand

In a study of response of foxglove (Digitalis purpurea L.) to different types and doses of organic manures namely, FYM, compost and vermicompost, it was seen that vermicompost @ 15 t ha-1 consistently witnessed to provide superior performances in all the traits under study like quickest germination (4 days), highest germination per cent (77.33%). Also, tallest plant height (8.63 cm), longest leaf length (6.64 cm), maximum leaf count per plant (9.26), widest plant spread (11.22 cm), total fresh and dry biomass (2.73 g plant-1 and 0.71 g plant-1, respectively), widest leaf area (15.36 cm2), longest root length (10.80 cm) and highest root diameter (1.67 mm) were being recorded in vermicompost @ 15 t ha-1 at 90 DAS and were found statistically significant.

Atmospheric plasma overcomes dormancy of Pityrocarpa moniliformis (Benth.) Luckow & R. W. Jobson seeds

Abstract: Atmospheric plasma application technology consists of a fast and practical method, which has the potential to modify the surface of seeds with integumentary hardness. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of applying atmospheric cold plasma on Pityrocarpa moniliformis seeds, assessing its implications on the seed coat impermeability, germination and vigor. Cells were subjected to plasma for 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 minutes, using seeds without any treatment as a control. After application, the seed coat wettability, imbibition curve and electrical conductivity of the soaking solution were determined. Seeds were also subjected to the germination test, and its results were used to determine viability, median, uniformity and asymmetry of germination. Seeds subjected to plasma for 5.0 and 4.0 minutes showed the lowest apparent contact angles, 64 and 61°, respectively, characterizing greater wettability of the seed coat among the treatments tested. Higher germination was observed in the treatments with plasma application when compared to the control. Atmospheric plasma application technology has the potential to be used as an accelerator of P. moniliformis seed germination.

Determination of Suitable Pre-sowing Seed Treatments and Fertilizer Doses for Mass Production of Quality Nursery Stock of Oroxylum indicum

Oroxylum indicum, commonly known as ‘Shyonak’, Shivnak’ or ‘Indian trumpet flower’, is an important medicinal tree found in India and South East Asia. Various parts of this tree possess immense medicinal properties, which are utilized to cure various diseases. Being highly valuable source of medicinal formulations, this tree is overexploited and is listed as vulnerable and endangered in saveral parts of India. So, there is an urgent need for conservation of this species through mass multiplication. With the objective to produce good quality nursery stock of Oroxylum indicum, the present study was conducted to test the effect of different pre-sowing seeds treatments on seed germination along with the effect of different fertilizer doses for production of good quality seedlings in the nursery. The study revealed that treatment of soaking seeds in water for twelve hours resulted in highest germination per cent (64.44%) and also exhibited better growth parameters of the seedlings than that in the control. Effect of different fertilizers viz. Neem coated urea, Potassium Nitrate, Calcium nitrate and Ammonium Sulphate was studied on the seedlings, where the highest growth (21.42% increase in height) was recorded in application of Neem coated urea at a dose of 3.5 g/l.

Germination behaviour of

Context Avena sterilis subsp. ludoviciana (wild oats) is one of the major winter weeds of the Northern Grains Region of Australia. The abundance of this weed increased dramatically after the adoption of no-tillage conservation agriculture (NTCA). However, information is lacking on the germination characteristics of the two types of seed (i.e. primary and secondary) that it produces. Aims We aimed to determine the light and temperature requirements for germination and the time to germination of primary and secondary seeds of A. ludoviciana, in order to find ways to manage this weed effectively under NTCA systems. Methods Primary and secondary seeds and caryopses from two southern and two northern biotypes were exposed to a range of temperature and light regimes in the glasshouse, and germination was assessed. Key results All biotypes had ∼25% higher germination from primary than secondary seeds. Removing the hull increased caryopsis germination by ∼70%. The use of a light/dark photoperiod stimulated germination of both types of seed and caryopses compared with continuous darkness. Based on data for caryopses, 7°C and 9°C were found to be optimal germination temperatures for southern and northern biotypes, respectively. At optimum germination temperature, primary caryopses germinated 7–20 days earlier than secondary caryopses. In addition, a light/dark environment resulted in germination 2–6 days earlier than continuous darkness. Conclusions In the Northern Grains Region, seeds retained on or close to the soil surface (i.e. in NTCA systems) can undergo maximum germination during May–June (late autumn–winter), when long-term average temperatures match optimum germination temperatures. This coincides with winter crop plantings. Implications The seasonal timing of germination and the difference in germination timing between primary and secondary seeds, which help to stagger emergence of this weed, are major issues that need to be addressed in NTCA systems.

ЕФЕКТИВНІСТЬ ДІЇ БІОДЕСТРУКТОРА НА РОЗКЛАДЕННЯ ПІСЛЯЖНИВНИХ РЕШТОК РИСУ В ТЕХНОЛОГІЇ ВИРОЩУВАННЯ СОЇ (Glicine max (L)

For the implementation of productive potential of soybeans, it was presented an effective method of post-harvest residue destruction with the biologics in rice crop rotation. The research was conducted at the Institute of Rice of NAAS during 2016–2018. In autumn, post-harvest rice residues were treated with the Biocomplex-BTU Ecostern biodestructor (1l/ha) in combination with carbamide (concentrated amide water-soluble fertilizer) (30 kg/ha). The variant with the carbamide application (30 kg/ha) in autumn was a control. The application of the Biocomplex-BTU Ecostern biodestructor (1 l/ha) in combination with car-bamide increased the total number of pathogenic and saprotrophic fungi in the soil from 65.5 to 80.5 thou-sand/g of soil, or 22.9 %. Thus, the pathogenic microflora content in the studied variant was lower than in the control (carbamide application at rate of 30 kg/ha) by 21.8 %, and the number of saprotrophs increased 3.3 times. When Ecostern biodestructor and carbamide were combined for application, the number of antagonistic fungi doubled, while the number of toxin-forming fungi reduced by 9.4 %. Soybean yield at the combined application of Ecostern biodestructor and carbamide increased by 0.6 t/ha, or 17.9 % compared to the control (carbamide – 30 kg/ha). In addition, in this variant, the content of post-harvest rice residues in the soil at the soybean sowing was lower by 1.25 g/kg of soil, or 20.3 % compared to the control, which created favorable conditions for seed germination. It was observed that the yield increased due to the higher plant density and the number of beans per plant. Before harvesting, the soybean plant density due to the high field germination of seeds in the studied variant was 45 pcs/m2, which is 9.7 % more than the control (41 pcs/m2). The number of beans was 24 and 28 pcs/plant, and exceeded the control by 16.7 %; the thousand grain weight was 156.2 and 157.5 g which is more than the control by 0.8 %. Key words: post-harvest residues, microorganisms, fertilizers, soil, rice, soybeans, grain yield, thou-sand grains weight.

Self-pollination of the orchid Cycnoches haagii from Brazilian Cerrado results in albino phenotype seedlings

Abstract Cycnoches haagii Barb. Rodr. is an epiphytic orchid very targeted by collectors, but no reference was found in the literature about its reproductive biology. Thus, the purpose of this study was to obtain initial information regarding pollination types and its influence on seed viability of this native orchid of the Brazilian Cerrado, in order to enable future propagation and preservation programs. Pollination among flowers of the same plant (geitonogamy) or different plants (xenogamy) were carried out. Seeds extracted from the capsules were sown in B&G medium, with full and half strength. Seeds from geitonogamic resulted in 25% of albino protocorms and consequently in albino seedlings. This phenomenon did not occur in seedlings derived from xenogamic pollination. Pigment analysis showed that even the albino seedlings presented chlorophylls and carotenoids, however, in significantly minor concentrations, 16% and 37% respectively, in relation to green seedlings. Geitonogamic and xenogamic pollinations resulted in C. haagii viable seeds with high germination percentage (90%) under in vitro conditions. The germination of seeds from xenogamic pollination resulted in chlorophyll or normal seedlings only, and can be recommended at conservation programs. On the other hand, although geitonogamic pollination should be avoided at conservation programs of this orchid species as it leads to albino seedlings, it showed a very interesting system to obtain seedlings with this phenotype, an interesting plant material to future investigation.

Seed germination of a myrmecochorous plant endemic to the Brazilian semiarid region: the wolf is not so bad

Studies about seed dispersal and germination are important to understand patterns of plant distribution and abundance, and help establish strategies for environmental conservation. We evaluated the role of two different dispersers, the ant Atta laevigata and the maned wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus, in the germination of Copaifera arenicola seeds, a characteristically myrmecochorous plant species. Germination was evaluated for seeds subjected to four treatments: (1) seeds manipulated by the ant, (2) seeds ingested by the maned wolf, (3) seeds that had the elaiosome removed manually, and (4) seeds with elaiosome (unmanipulated seeds). Seeds manipulated by the ant and seeds that had the elaiosome removed manually required less time to germinate and had higher germination percentages (98.6% and 95.8%, respectively) than the other treatments. However, seeds ingested by the maned wolf also had a high germination percentage (87.7%), above that of unmanipulated seeds (34.7%). Probably, elaiosomes of unmanipulated seeds and small remnants of this structure that resist digestion by maned wolf can decrease to some extent seed germination. We argue that dispersal of C. arenicola seeds by the ant and by the maned wolf result in different patterns of seed distribution in the environment and that they have complementary roles in structuring plant populations.

Overcoming germination barriers through in vitro culture of mature zygotic embryos of grapevine cultivars

Grape seeds have physical and physiological dormancy. Conventional germination methods are not very efficient. The in vitro culture of seeds and of mature zygotic embryos can be an alternative for overcoming germination barriers. The objective was to develop methodologies that increase seed germination and reduce the time to obtain seedlings. The following assays were developed: (1) conventional ex vitro germination, in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, of seeds with or without stratification for 90 days, from cultivars 'Niágara Rosada', 'Itália' and 'Red Globe'; (2) in vitro seed germination, in a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement, of the three cultivars and three explants (intact seeds, seeds sectioned in the micropyle region and seeds with a cross-section); and (3) in vitro germination of mature zygotic embryos, in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement represented by four concentrations of mineral salts (MS, ½MS, WPM and ½WPM) and two cultivars ('Niágara Rosada' and 'Itália'). The conventional ex vitro germination assay resulted in a low seed germination for the three cultivars. The two types of section associated with in vitro culture provided an increase in seed germination. However, the highest germination rate (over 90%) in the shortest time (17 days) was achieved by the embryos grown in vitro. This study defines an efficient methodology to obtain high germination in grape seeds— over 85%—with uniformity and in a short time, using mature zygotic embryos grown in ½WPM culture medium. This methodology can accelerate grapevine breeding programs. Index terms: Vitis vinifera; Vitis labrusca; dormancy; seed scarification.

Poređenje parametara kvaliteta nepiliranog i novostvorenog piliranog semena zelene salate

Lettuce is one of the most common types of leafy vegetables in human diet that is grown worldwide. Narrow and very small seeds make its sowing very difficult, requiring a lot of time and labour. Also, plants produced by manual sowing are often characterized by uneven germination. Those problems could be prevented by sowing pelleted seeds which require the development of adequate pelleting technology. Absence of quality lettuce seeds in the Serbian market results in large amounts of imported pelleted seeds every year. The aim of this study was to develop a domestic pelleting procedure and examine its effects on seeds quality parameters, in order to provide seeds to local farmers at a more affordable price compared to imported commercial pelleted seeds. Pelleted and non-pelleted seeds of the Panukia F1 hybrid were compared in several quality characteristics (1000 seed weight, germination energy, germination percentage, seedling length) in laboratory and greenhouse conditions. There was no loss in seed quality with the pelleting process, although the seed weight increased 12-19 times. Pelleted lettuce seeds had very high germination energy and seed germination (97-98%). In greenhouse conditions, non-pelleted seeds sprouted unevenly in relation to pelleted seeds. These results confirm the advantages of sowing pelleted seeds in terms of uniform germination and development of lettuce plants, primarily due to the precision of mechanical sowing. By offering domestic pelleting lettuce seeds to the growers, the production process would be significantly improved and accelerated with the reduction of manual labour, and therefore the overall production cost.

Soil Seed Bank Study and Propagation Methods of Selected Gums and Resin Producing Tree Species in Wachile District of Borana Zone

Gum and resin bearing tree species were one of the very important resources in Ethiopia. Particularly, Borana pastoralists were used these resources as a source of income generation for their livelihoods. However, the resource was declining over a time due to different natural and human made problems. Therefore, it is important to study for its future sustainability through soil seed bank, seed germinations, vegetative propagations and analyzing its natural regeneration status.<i> Commiphora myrrha, Boswelia neglecta, Boswellia microphylla</i> and<i> Acacia senegal</i> were gum and resin bearing tree species selected for this study. With this; soil seed bank samples were collected from under and outside the canopy of selected tree species. Five tree species of each tree were used to collect soil seed bank sample at two canopy cover and three different soil depth, and 120 soil seed bank samples were taken from all types of tree species and evaluated for its germination. Seeds of selected species were also collected and evaluated for their germination. Moreover, stems and branches of those species were cut, planted and evaluated for their sprout. As a result, the absence of seeds of those species both inside and outside the canopy of trees in all soil depth layers was confirmed. This may be due to seed losses through (fire, degradation and over grazing), improper settlement, over logging, debarking, human over use for food, improper tapping. The result of analysis of variance also showed that, seedling germination percentage, survival percentage, shoot height and root height were highly significant different at (p<0.001) among all the treatments. The observed mean value of germination percentage were 99%, 46%, 40% and 25% for <i>Acacia senegal</i>, <i>Boswellia microphylla, Boswelia neglecta </i>and<i> Commiphora myrrha </i>respectively. Thus, the seed of those species doesn’t have dormancy and all healthy and filled seeds had high germination rates. About 60% of<i> Boswellia microphylla </i>and <i>50% </i>of both<i> Commiphora myrrha</i> and<i> Boswelia neglecta</i> were sprouted in the fourth year of the studies. Hence, it is advisable to use stem propagations for any conservation purposes incase seeds of those species fail to germinate except for <i>Acacia senegal</i> as it is naturally not propagated by stem cutting. Therefore, it is recommended to increase the regenerations of those species by reducing overgrazing, avoiding burning of those species and reduce land degradations and also using seeds and vegetative propagations if any management aims for conservations.

Studying hybrids of sugar corn under the conditions of the foothill zone of the KBR

This work is devoted to the study of various hybrids of sweet corn of a new selection, recommended for cultivation in the conditions of the South of Russia. The objects of study were the first generation sweet corn hybrids: Spirit, Boston, Royalty, Vega and Overland, with maturation periods from 75 to 85 days. Sowing was carried out at the same time with reference to weather conditions and varied over the years of research. So in 2020, the sowing of all hybrids was carried out on April 25, and in 2021 it was possible to sow only on May 5. The productivity of sweet corn is highly dependent on the choice of grown hybrids, as well as growing conditions. Sweet corn seeds were purchased from trusted suppliers with a certificate of conformity. In all hybrids, under conditions of sufficient humidity, germination was high, which is explained by the simultaneity of seedlings and high germination energy. Later, getting into different growing conditions during the growing season, the shape of plants, the area of leaves, and the yield of cobs changed. The yield of commercial cobs of the studied sweet corn hybrids is closely related to their biometric parameters. The Vega and Overland hybrids showed the highest increments in the yield of commercial cobs and exceeded the control by 3.8 and 4.9 t/ha or by 18 and 23%. Hybrid Spirit, which was the control variant, showed the lowest yield. This is due to the fact that other studied hybrids are more adapted to the soil and climatic conditions of this zone.

Morphometric characterization and functional traits of fruits and seeds of Neoglaziovia variegata (Arruda) Mez.

Abstract: Global efforts to restore ecosystems have increased the demand for seeds of native species, both from tree-shrub and herbaceous strata. However, little is known about seed ecology or germination of many herbaceous species from the Brazilian Caatinga. Neoglaziovia variegata (caroá) is a bromeliad endemic to this biome and has great ornamental and fiber production potential. This study aimed to morphologically characterize N. variegata fruits and seeds and to evaluate its germination-related parameters. To do so, the morphometry of bunches, fruits, and seeds was investigated, and seeds were assessed for physiological quality at two maturation points and light response. The morphometric measurements showed normal distributions and a wide dispersion from the central values. Therefore, there is genetic variability among individuals of the same population. The seeds showed high germinability, and fruits had an average size of 8.5 x 9.4 cm, whose color (green or purple) did not influence their physiological quality. The seeds of N. variegata are positive photoblastic, and their germination reaches maximum values after two weeks in the presence of light.