Highest Values Of Plant Height Research Articles

RESPONSE OF TWO SOYBEAN CULTIVARS TO DIFFERENT LEVELS ORGANIC FERTILIZER (COMPOST)

Two field experiments were conducted to study the response of two soybean cultivars to different levels of organic fertilizer (compost) on nodulation, nitrogen fixation, growth, yield and yield characters during two successive summer seasons of 2005 and 2006 at the experimental farm of Mallawi Agriculture Research Station, Minia Governerate, Egypt. The soybean cultivars used were Giza 111 and Crawford. Treatments were five different levels of compost, zero, 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 kg compost/fed compared with the Bradyrhizobium inoculated soybean plus starter dose of nitrogen fertilizer (20 kg N/fed) or uninoculated soybean fertilized with the recommended dose of nitrogen fertilizer (70 kg N/fed). A split plot layout with four replications was used. Results showed that the inoculation with Bradyrhizobium in combination with compost gave significant increases in nodule number and dry weight as well as dry weight of shoots and nitrogen content compared with the inoculated plants without compost in Giza 111 and Crawford cultivars. Also, results showed the superiority of Giza 111 cultivar for increasing nodulation, growth, yield and its components (nodule number and dry weight, shoot dry weight, seed and straw yields/fed, plant height, branches number and pods number per plant, seed weight/plant and 100- seed weight,). As well as results revealed that all different levels of compost increased significantly growth, seed yield and its components as compared with the control. The highest increase was recorded with 2000 kg rate of compost /fed. followed by 1500 kg/fed. The highest values of plant height, branch number, pods number, seed yield/plant, 100-seed weight, seed and straw yields were obtained from the interaction between Giza 111x 2000 kg compost/fed. It can be stated that applying different compost levels to soybean plants was the recommended for raising soybean productivity and reducing the environmental pollution under condition of the present study.

EFFECT OF SOWING METHOD AND CUTTING SYSTEM ON FORAGE AND SEED PRODUCTION OF SOME EGYPTIAN CLOVER CULTIVARS (TRIFOLUM ALEXANDRINUM, L.).

Two field experiments were conducted at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University in Al-Ismailia, during 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 winter seasons. The present investigation aimed to study the effect of two sowing methods (in rows and broadcasting) and three cutting systems ( system (A): the three growth periods were 60, 35 and 30 days before the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cuts respectively. While, these periods were prolonged by 5 and 10 days in the second (B) and the third (C) systems, respectively. on forage and seed production of three Egyptian clover multicuts Meskawi cultivars namely Helaly, Sakha 4 and Giza 15 under sandy soil conditions. A split-split plot design with three replicates was used in both seasons. The results revealed that broadcasting method gave higher values in plant height, fresh, dry yields and seed yield and its attributes than sowing in rows one. Whereas, forage quality (CP, DCP, TDN and SV percentages) were not significantly affected by sowing methods. At the three cuts, prolonging the cutting intervals by 5 and 10 days in B and C systems caused a continuous and significant increase in each of plant height, fresh, dry forage and seed yields/fad.. The number of heads/plant was not significantly affected in both seasons. While, TDN and SV percentages were gradually increased by prolonging the cutting intervals but the CP and DCP percentages took an opposite trend in the first two cuts. Helaly cv. recorded the highest values of plant height, fresh, dry forage yields and seed yield and its components in the two seasons and their combined while, Giza 15 and Sakha 4 cvs, recorded the highest values of CP% and DCP% in the 2nd and 3rd cuts of the combined data followed by Helaly cv. in respective order. The results did not show significant interaction effects between sowing methods and cutting systems in all studied traits except, pant height. There was a positive and significant correlation between each of plant height, total forage yield, TDN% and SV% on one hand and total dry forage yield per fad. on the other. However, the correlation between total dry forage yield and both CP% and DCP% negative and significant. Conclusively ,Results indicated that Helaly Egyptian clover cv. when broadcasted and cut as in C system can produced the highest forage and seed yields under sandy soil conditions of Ismailia Governorate..

INFLUENCE OF THE PHOTOPERIOD AND GROWTH RETARDANT ON THE GROWTH AND FLOWERING OF NEW ENGLAND ASTER

The goals of this study were to define the possibilities of growing New England aster, cv. September Ruby, as a flowering pot plant in the late summer period, determine the influence of day length and the cultivar response to a single application of daminozide in 0.2% and 0.4% concentrations upon its growth and flowering during a period of three years. The higher values of plant height were recorded with natural day length compared to the short day conditions. Plant diameter increases in the first two years in the natural day length conditions. Number of buds was larger in plants grown under natural day length than in plants grown under short day conditions. Application of daminozide resulted in an increased number of buds and was also efficient in reducing the internode length.

Expression of the Vitreoscilla Hemoglobin (VHb)-Encoding Gene in Transgenic White Poplar: Plant Growth and Biomass Production, Biochemical Characterization and Cell Survival under Submergence, Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress Conditions

Expression of the vhb gene, encoding the hemoglobin protein from Vitreoscilla spp. (VHb), has been shown to increase cell growth and protein synthesis, modify the oxygen-dependent product biosynthesis and the susceptibility to oxidative and nitrosative stresses in several host microrganisms, and to improve plant tolerance to flooding-submergence. A chimeric construct consisting of the CaMV35S promoter fused to the vhb gene and nopaline synthase terminator was transferred into white poplar (Populus alba L.) via Agrobacterium tumefaciens in order to test the generality of these phenomena. The presence of the vhb gene was demonstrated by Southern blot analysis. Accumulation of the vhb transcript and protein was detected in all the selected transgenic poplar lines. In vitro growth bioassays revealed that the vhb gene expression in transgenic poplar plants did not significantly affect their growth pattern. One out of the six selected transgenic lines showed significantly higher values for plant height and stem biomass in greenhouse conditions and exhibited enhancement of root biomass production and stem diameter when compared to the wild-type plants. However, no significant differences in chlorophyll a, b, total carotenoid and protein contents were observed. Two selected transgenic lines were characterized in more detail for tolerance to submergence, oxidative and nitrosative stresses. Under in vitro and in vivo submergence conditions, growth parameters and total protein content of transgenic VHb poplars were similar to those observed in the wild-type plants. In addition, leaf discs from the transgenic plants maintained in standard growth conditions did not reveal increased tolerance to oxidative stress by hydrogen peroxide compared to wild-type plants. In a parallel study, cell suspension cultures obtained from both wild-type and VHb transgenic lines were evaluated for growth and survival in the presence of oxidative and nitrosative stresses. No significant differences were observed between the tested VHb and wild-type poplar lines. Our results show that VHb expression in plants can have erratic effects since the enhancement of plant growth and biomass production and the tolerance to submergence, oxidative and nitrosative stresses are not consistently dependent on the presence of this specific function. Consequently, the genetic manipulation of plant oxygen metabolism must be carefully evaluated and extensive biochemical, molecular and cellular investigations are required to assess the real value of the final products.

Composition of Irrigation Water Salinity Affects Growth Characteristics and Uptake of Selenium and Salt Ions by Soybean

A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the effects of irrigation waters differing in salt composition on growth characteristics, salt ion and selenium (Se) accumulation, and distribution in plant components of the soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) cultivar “Manokin.” Plants were grown in sand cultures and irrigated with isoosmotic solutions containing (1) Cl− as the dominant anion, or (2) a mixture of salts containing equal molar amounts of SO4 2 − and Cl−. Six treatments of each salinity type were imposed. Electrical conductivities of the irrigation waters ranged from 2.1 to 13.0 dSm− 1. Selenium (1 mg · L− 1, 12.7 μ M) was added to all irrigation waters as Na2SeO4. Regardless of salinity type, soybean plants were generally taller under the low-salinity treatments in early vegetative stages of growth. Towards the end of vegetative stages and until final harvest, higher values of plant height, leaf area, and shoot dry weight were found at the intermediate salinity levels (5.0 and 9.2 dS m− 1), and higher salinity in general led to increased soybean leaf chlorophyll on a unit-area basis. Shoot-to-root ratios decreased with increasing chloride salinity, while the ratios remained nearly constant under the sulfate salinity treatment. Plant uptake and accumulation of salt ions (Ca2 +, Mg2 +, Na+, Cl−), K+, total phosphorus (p), and total sulfur (s) were generally not related to the type of salinity, except total S, where higher concentrations were found in leaves, stems, and roots in the sulfate than under the chloride salinity treatment. Selenium concentration in leaves and seeds was about 4 mg kg− 1 at final harvest when irrigated with the sulfate-based saline waters. Under the chloride salinity treatment, Se level was found to be about three times higher in leaves and five times higher in seeds. In conclusion, different solution concentrations of SO4 2 − and Cl− had no significant effect on soybean biophysical growth parameters or ion distribution. Whereas shoot-to-root ratios decreased with increasing chloride salinity, high-sulfate salinity reduced Se uptake by “Manokin” soybean.

Agrobotanical traits and chemical composition of Cassia obtusifolia L.: a lesser-known legume of the Western Ghats region of South India.

Four accessions of the lesser-known legume, Cassia obtusifolia L. (Sickle pod), collected from four different agroclimatic regions of Western Ghats, were evaluated for agrobotanical traits and chemical composition. Among the four accessions, the Keriparai accession had the highest values for plant height (cm), number of flowers per cluster, number of pods per cluster, pod length (cm), seeds per pod, seed weight (g) per pod and seed recovery percentage. Crude protein ranged from 18.56-22.93%, crude lipid was between 5.35-7.40%, crude fiber ranged from 6.83-9.45%, ash content ranged from 5.14-5.83% and carbohydrate varied from 57.00-60.69%. Globulins constituted the bulk of the seed protein as in most legumes. Mineral profiles, viz., sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc and manganese ranged from 42.92-84.83, 758.05-1555.79, 559.92-791.72, 456.36-709.47, 629.13-947.79, 8.42-12.35, 0.93-2.06, 10.60-30.04 and 2.12-4.12 mg/100 g seeds flour, respectively. Seed proteins of all accessions exhibited relatively high levels of non-essential and essential amino acids, with the exception of threonine. The in vitro protein digestibility of the legume ranged from 74.66 to 81.44%. Antinutritional substances such as total free phenolics ranged from 0.34-0.66%; tannins were between 0.47-0.60%; L-DOPA content ranged from 0.98-1.34%; trypsin inhibitor activity varied from 11.4-13.5 TIU/mg protein and chymotrypsin inhibitor activity ranged from 10.8-12.3 CIU/mg protein. Phytohemagglutinating activity also was assayed. In conclusion, the accessions of C. obtusifolia, collected from Western Ghats, South India, could serve as a low-cost source of some important nutrients for humans. The antinutritional factors might have little nutritional significance, if the seeds are processed properly.

Effect of sowing date and nitrogen fertilizer on growth, yield and nitrogen uptake of forage turnip (Brassica rapa)

A field experiment was conducted at the ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, during the winter season of 201213 on clay loam soils, to evaluate the effect of different sowing dates and nitrogen fertilizer on forage yield and nitrogen uptake in turnip [Brassica rapa (L.)]. The crop sown on 26 September recorded sig- nificantly higher plant height, number of leaves, forage yield, and nitrogen uptake than that sown on 26 October and 11 November. Higher values of plant height and forage yield were the reflection of higher accumulation of growing degree-days, which gradually reduced with delay in sowing from 26 September to 11 November respec- tively. Forage yield was significantly improved by application of nitrogen at 160 kg N/ha compared to lower nitro- gen levels. Response of nitrogen to forage yield of turnip was linear. Net returns ( 62,411/ha) and ( 56,534/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (2.57) and (2.34) were the highest with 26 September sowing and 160 kg N/ha respectively.