Leaf Color Research Articles

Genetic diversity of rose apple (Syzygium samarangense) varieties based on ISSR molecular markers

Abstract. Hien PTT, Hang VTT, Cham LTT. 2024. Genetic diversity of Rose apple (Syzygium samarangense) varieties based on ISSR molecular markers. Biodiversitas 25: xxxx. Rose apple (Syzygium samarangense) exhibits a rich diversity in its varieties, metabolic compounds, and biological activities. Genetic diversity studies are crucial in understanding plant species taxonomy and evolutionary history. They provide a roadmap for researchers to trace the relationships between different varieties and offer insights into the evolutionary processes that have shaped the diversity within the species. Many traditional or indigenous varieties of plants may harbor unique traits adapted to specific local conditions. This study, therefore, holds immense value as it aims to evaluate the genetic relationship among rose apple varieties in Vietnam using morphological characteristics and ISSR markers. Sixteen local varieties of rose apple were collected from provinces in Vietnam for this purpose. The morphological characteristics of leaves and fruits were compared among samples, and the genetic diversity was evaluated using ISSR markers. The results revealed significant morphological diversity in the leaf base, blade shape, leaf color, and fruit shape and size. Based on the DNA profiles of 15 ISSR markers, 102 amplicons were produced, and the percentage of polymorphism ranged from 57 to 100%. The dendrogram constructed using the UPGMA method classified these varieties into two main clusters with a genetic diversity of 64%. Such comprehensive information underscores the genetic diversity among S. samarangense, thereby contributing to the germplasm resources for future plant breeding programs.

Digital Image-based Method of Leaf Color and Area Feature Recognition

Digital Image-based Method of Leaf Color and Area Feature Recognition

Influence of gamma radiation and EMS on chlorophyll and macro-mutation in mungbean (Vigna radiata)

Present study was carried during rainy (kharif) season of 2021 (M1 generation), summer 2022 (M2 generation) and rainy (kharif) seasons of 2022 (M3 generation) at College of Agriculture, Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner, Rajasthan for creating genetic variability in mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek]. The experiment was conducted with 26 treatments and 2 popular archaic varieties of mungbean (Ganga-1 and GM-4), solitary application of gamma radiation (200, 400 and 600 Gy), and ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) (0.1 and 0.2%) as well as their combinations. A wide spectrum of chlorophyll mutants (Chlorina, Xantha, Albina, Viridis and complex type) and morphological mutants (plant type, flower colour, pod type, leaf variation and maturity period) were identified at various crop growth stages. All mutagen treatments including solitary application of gamma radiation and EMS as well as their combinations were found effective for creating genetic variability. The lower concentration of EMS (0.1%) was found to be relatively more effective as compared to 0.2%. Similarly, the lower dose of gamma radiation (200 Gy) was also more effective than 400 and 600 Gy. Among all the treatment combinations, combined application of 200 Gy + 0.1% EMS was found most effective in generating chlorophyll and morphological mutants. Among two varieties of mungbean, Ganga-1 was found to be more sensitive to mutagens as compared to GM-4. Numerous mutants identified in the mutagenized population of both varieties exhibited stability and superiority in terms of agro- morphological traits over Ganga-1 and GM-4. A mutant (S-92 of GM-4) identified during M1 in mutagen treatment 0.1% EMS was very deep lobbed which altered the plant morphology and appearance. This novel unique mutant identified in M1 generation maintained its stability in M2 and M3 generations also. The leaf colour of this mutant was darker than the original leaf colour of GM-4 and found relatively more tolerant to soil moisture-deficit stress.

Estimation of Yield Loss Due to Striped Disease in Peanut Plants in Palopo City, South Sulawesi

Palopo City is one of the peanut production centres in South Sulawesi. However, from 2008 to 2020, groundnut production in Palopo City has decreased. Recently, in South Sulawesi, it was reported that peanut stripe virus infection has spread widely and evenly in peanut plants. Symptoms of stripe disease include dark green and light green leaf colour, chlorosis, and can cause stunting. This study aims to determine the estimation of yield loss caused by stripe disease in peanut plants in Polopo City, South Sulawesi. This research was conducted in a farmer-owned groundnut field located in Purangi Village, Sendana Subdistrict, Palopo City, South Sulawesi, from January to May 2023. Parameters observed were plant height, disease severity and incidence, and yield loss. Observations were made 6 times on plants aged 4 to 9 weeks after planting. The results showed that the symptoms of striped disease showed that the growth of peanut plant height was inhibited, and caused a decrease in the number of pods, pod weight, and pod number. Disease severity increased to 57.2% and disease incidence to 46.6%. Yield loss caused by stripe symptoms in peanut plants was 43.78%, indicating that high disease severity and incidence can reduce yield.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Green Leaf Plants and White-Green Leaf Mutants in Haworthia cooperi var. pilifera.

Haworthia cooperi var. pilifera is a succulent plant with ornamental value. The white-green leaf mutant (wl) showed a significant difference in leaf color from the wild-type plant (WT). In this study, we integrated the transcriptomes of wl and WT plants to screen differentially expressed genes related to leaf color variation. The results of transcriptome analysis showed that 84,163 unigenes were obtained after de novo assembly and the NR database annotated the largest number of unigenes, which accounted for 57.13%, followed by NT (43.02%), GO (39.84%), Swiss-Prot (39.25%), KEGG (36.06%), and COG (24.88%). Our finding showed that 2586 genes were differentially expressed in the two samples, including 1996 down-regulated genes and 590 up-regulated genes. GO analysis predicted that these differentially expressed genes (DEGs) participate in 12 cellular components, 20 biological processes, and 13 molecular function terms and KEGG analysis showed that metabolic pathways, plant-pathogen interaction, glycerophospholipid metabolism, endocytosis, plant hormone signal transduction, and ether lipid metabolism were enriched among all identified pathways. Through functional enrichment analysis of DEGs, we found that they were involved in chloroplast division and the biosynthesis of plant pigments, including chlorophyll, carotenoids, anthocyanin, and transcription factor families, which might be related to the formation mechanism of leaf color. Taken together, these results present insights into the difference in gene expression characteristics in leaves between WT and wl mutants and provide a new insight for breeding colorful leaf phenotypes in succulent plants.

For a Colorful Life: Recent Advances in Anthocyanin Biosynthesis during Leaf Senescence.

Leaf senescence is the last stage of leaf development, and it is accompanied by a leaf color change. In some species, anthocyanins are accumulated during leaf senescence, which are vital indicators for both ornamental and commercial value. Therefore, it is essential to understand the molecular mechanism of anthocyanin accumulation during leaf senescence, which would provide new insight into autumn coloration and molecular breeding for more colorful plants. Anthocyanin accumulation is a surprisingly complex process, and significant advances have been made in the past decades. In this review, we focused on leaf coloration during senescence. We emphatically discussed several networks linked to genetic, hormonal, environmental, and nutritional factors in regulating anthocyanin accumulation during leaf senescence. This paper aims to provide a regulatory model for leaf coloration and to put forward some prospects for future development.

Molecular Mechanisms of Chlorophyll Deficiency in Ilex × attenuata 'Sunny Foster' Mutant.

Ilex × attenuata 'Sunny Foster' represents a yellow leaf mutant originating from I. × attenuata 'Foster#2', a popular ornamental woody cultivar. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this leaf color mutation remain unclear. Using a comprehensive approach encompassing cytological, physiological, and transcriptomic methodologies, notable distinctions were discerned between the mutant specimen and its wild type. The mutant phenotype displayed aberrant chloroplast morphology, diminished chlorophyll content, heightened carotenoid/chlorophyll ratios, and a decelerated rate of plant development. Transcriptome analysis identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to chlorophyll metabolism, carotenoid biosynthesis and photosynthesis. The up-regulation of CHLD and CHLI subunits leads to decreased magnesium chelatase activity, while the up-regulation of COX10 increases heme biosynthesis-both impair chlorophyll synthesis. Conversely, the down-regulation of HEMD hindered chlorophyll synthesis, and the up-regulation of SGR enhanced chlorophyll degradation, resulting in reduced chlorophyll content. Additionally, genes linked to carotenoid biosynthesis, flavonoid metabolism, and photosynthesis were significantly down-regulated. We also identified 311 putative differentially expressed transcription factors, including bHLHs and GLKs. These findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying leaf color mutation in I. × attenuata 'Sunny Foster' and provide a substantial gene reservoir for enhancing leaf color through breeding techniques.

Phosphorylation of 399S at CsHsp70 of Cymbidium sinense is essential to maintain chlorophyll stability

The Chinese orchids symbolise nobility and gentility in China, and the variation of leaf color makes Cymbidium sinense more diversified and valuable. However, its color variations especially at the protein level still remain largely unexplored. In this study, the proteomics and phosphoproteomics of Cymbidium sinense leaf color variation mutants were studied. A total of 1059 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) and 1127 differentially abundant phosphorylation sites belonging to 644 phosphoproteins (DAPPs) were identified in the yellow section of leaf variegation mutant of Cymbidium sinense (MY) compared with the green section (MG). Moreover, 349 co-expressing proteins were found in both omics’ datasets, while only 26 proteins showed the same expression patterns in the two omics. The interaction network analysis of kinases and phosphatases showed that DAPs and DAPPs in photosynthesis, response to hormones, pigment metabolic process, phosphorylation, glucose metabolic process, and dephosphorylation might contribute to leaf color variation. The abundance of 28 Hsps and 28 phosphorylation sites belonging to 10 Hsps showed significant differences between MG and MY. CsHsp70 was selected to explore the function in Cymbidium sinense leaf variegation. The results showed CsHsp70 is essential for maintaining photosynthetic pigment content and the 399S phosphorylation site is crucial to the function of CsHsp70. Collectively, our findings construct a comprehensive coverage of protein and protein phosphorylation in leaf variegation of C. sinense, providing valuable insights into its formation mechanisms.

Characterization of olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars; colour properties, biochemical contents, antioxidant activity and nutrient contents

AbstractThe olive tree, scientifically known as Olea europaea L., is an evergreen xerophytic tree that defines the natural flora, historical background, and cultural essence of the Mediterranean Basin. This study aimed to establish relationships using multivariate analysis methods between the nutrient content of soil conditions in which olive cultivars grown in Türkiye are cultivated and the nutrient element content, phytochemical contents, antioxidant activity, total chlorophyll amount, and leaf colors of these cultivars. All data sets used in the study were analyzed in 2022 and 2023, and average values were used in the research. According to Tukey's comparison result, it was determined that the soil structure of the garden was homogeneous in terms of nutrients it contained. In nutrient analysis conducted on leaves, in the ‘Çelebi’ cultivar, Al (59.25 mg kg−1), B (6.53 mg kg−1), Cu (48.36 mg kg−1), Fe (69.34 mg kg−1), K (1438.11 mg kg−1), Na (197.12 mg kg−1) nutrients are the highest; in the ‘Gemlik-21’ cultivar, Ca (5485.03 mg kg−1) nutrient is the highest; in the ‘Sarı Haşebi’ cultivar, Mg (928.11 mg kg−1), Mn (19.71 mg kg−1), S (632.77 mg kg−1) nutrients are the highest; and in the ‘Tavşan Yüreği’ cultivar, Ni (1.71 mg kg−1), Zn (9.76 mg kg−1) nutrients are the highest. The L* (49.19), b* (29.43) color values are highest in the ‘Sarı Yaprak’ cultivar, while the a* (28.84) value is highest in the ‘Girit Zeytini’ cultivar. The highest leaf chlorophyll content was determined in the ‘Girit Zeytini’ cultivar (95.57). Total phenolics, total flavonoids, antioxidant capacity were determined to be highest in the ‘Manzanilla’ (151.49 mg GAE/100 g), ‘Edincik Su’ (39.01 mg QE/100 g), ‘Nizip Yağlık’ (91.18%) cultivars, respectively. According to the principal component analysis, the first three principal components accounted for 82% of the total variation. The correlation matrix analysis revealed that high levels of certain minerals in the soil led to an increase in the leaves, resulting in positive correlation, while the opposite was true for negative correlation. According to heat map analysis, mineral elements in the leaf were in the same group, while other data sets were in different groups. The data obtained will shed light on future research on similar topics.

Rekomendasi Kualitas Pupuk Terhadap Jenis Tanah Dengan Menggunakan Metode Fuzzy ANP

The world's need for palm oil (Crude Palm Oil/CPO) continues to increase every day. In one hectare of oil palm plants that are 8-10 years old with a production of 25 tons of FFB per year, the required nutrients are 193 kg Nitrogen, 26 kg Phosphorus, 251 kg Potassium and 61 kg Magnesium. To meet the needs of these nutrients, maintenance is carried out in applying fertilizer. Fertilizer determination is carried out by competent experts in the field. These expert recommendations provide accurate fertilizer choices, just that Sometimes it takes a long time to determine fertilizer recommendations, there are no experts on-site experts or high maintenance costs.To overcome the problem of determining palm oil fertilizer quickly and precisely to increase palm oil production through computerization, a system was built Determination of fertilizer on soil type using the Fuzzy ANP method. Criteria used are the amount of fertilizer, plant age, rainfall/year and nutrient deficiency (leaf color), input value Crips from each of these criteria will later be used to determine each suitability alternatives on each criterion. This system will be built on a web basis. The accuracy results carried out in this research obtained accuracy in the case study of coconut plants palm oil using the F-ANP Method is 82.6%

Loss-of-function of PGL10 impairs photosynthesis and tolerance to high-temperature stress in rice.

High temperature (HT) affects the production of chlorophyll (Chl) pigment and inhibits cellular processes that impair photosynthesis, and growth and development in plants. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying heat stress in rice are not fully understood yet. In this study, we identified two mutants varying in leaf color from the ethylmethanesulfonate mutant library of indica rice cv. Zhongjiazao-17, which showed pale-green leaf color and variegated leaf phenotype under HT conditions. Mut-map revealed that both mutants were allelic, and their phenotype was controlled by a single recessive gene PALE GREEN LEAF 10 (PGL10) that encodes NADPH:protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase B, which is required for the reduction of protochlorophyllide into chlorophyllide in light-dependent tetrapyrrole biosynthetic pathway-based Chl synthesis. Overexpression-based complementation and CRISPR/Cas9-based knockout analyses confirmed the results of Mut-map. Moreover, qRT-PCR-based expression analysis of PGL10 showed that it expresses in almost all plant parts with the lowest expression in root, followed by seed, third leaf, and then other green tissues in both mutants, pgl10a and pgl10b. Its protein localizes in chloroplasts, and the first 17 amino acids from N-terminus are responsible for signals in chloroplasts. Moreover, transcriptome analysis performed under HT conditions revealed that the genes involved in the Chl biosynthesis and degradation, photosynthesis, and reactive oxygen species detoxification were differentially expressed in mutants compared to WT. Thus, these results indicate that PGL10 is required for maintaining chloroplast function and plays an important role in rice adaptation to HT stress conditions by controlling photosynthetic activity.

Prevalence of African Mosaic and Morphological Characterization of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Cranz) Varieties in Two Agroecological Zones of Cameroon

The objective of this work is to conduct an epidemiological study of African cassava mosaic and to characterize the diversity of local cultivars in circulation in the monomodal and bimodal rainforest zones of Cameroon. Disease-related parameters (incidence and severity index) were studied as well as morphological parameters (plant height, leaflet color, petiole color, lobe length, number of lobes, number of branches, petiole length). The results show that 96 cassava varieties were identified with 89 local varieties and 07 improved varieties. Diseased plants showed a symptom severity index of 1 to 5, which could reduce production by half in the areas considered. The leaf color was dark green, the number of branches was 3, the lobe and petiole lengths were 16.46 and 22 cm respectively, while the number of lobes was 5 the disease incidence for the two agro-ecological zones as a whole is 57.58% for a symptom severity index of 3. The epidemiological study reveals that the desease incidence of both agro-ecological zones was 57.58 % for a symptom severity index of 2 corresponding to 40 %. In the humid forest zone with monomodal spray the average incidence was 49.74% and a leaf attack rate was 29.03 % in the locality of Njombé (Cameroon's littoral region). At Ekona in southwestern Cameroon, the average incidence was 63% and leaf attack index was 1 corresponding to 20 %. In the bimodal rainforest zone (central Cameroon region), the average incidence was 60 % for a leaf attack rate was 37.11%. The expected results highlight a relatively worrying situation. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) confirms the convergence of tolerance towards the mosaic and grouped the different varieties into more or less homogeneous groups according to the morphological and epidemiological cassava descriptors. The results of the present work show that the introduction of cassava local varieties tolerant to mosaic disease in middling could be an alternative for the control of the cassava mosaic disease.

Assessment of Genetic Variability for Nutrient Status in Grain and Leaves of Amaranthus Genotypes

In the present investigation 18 different genotypes of amaranthus were analyzed for nutrient status and noticeable range of major nutrients were reported in leaves and grains. The phenotypic coefficient of variation and genotypic coefficient of variation was maximum for leaf color constituent b* i.e., 63.76 and 63.76 while, minimum in case of leaf moisture i.e., 6.62 and 3.03, respectively. High heritability was observed for all the traits, maximum was recorded for leaf color constituent b* (100%) and minimum was observed for leaf moisture (70.09%). High heritability (h2 = 99.19%) with high genetic advance (GA=73.90%) as percentage of mean was observed for leaf vitamin C, which indicated that additive gene effects were more important for that trait. High genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed for leaf color constituent b* (131.34) however, lowest for days to leaf moisture (5.23) which indicates the preponderance of additive genes and selection will be effective for improvement of these traits having high heritability with genetic advance as percent of mean.

Pengolahan Lahan Pertanian Menggunakan Internet of Things di Desa Wukirsari, Sleman

Tri Sedyo Manunggal Farmer Group in Wukirsari Village, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta faces challenges in managing agricultural land. The irrigation system is still done manually, while the source of electricity to drive the water pump still depends on PLN electricity and fuel. As a solution, an internet of things is needed that can monitor soil pH, humidity, temperature, and leaf color and can be accessed remotely. The irrigation system is automatic, and the power source is obtained from solar panels to drive the water pump to lift water from the well to the output pipe. Four solar panels are used, each panel has a power of 230 watts peak, a solar charge controller with a capacity of 50 amperes, two soil pH sensors, two humidity sensors, two temperature sensors, and two color sensors. The battery used is a 12-volt Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) type with a capacity of 100 Ah. A water pump with a capacity of 300 watts with a water discharge of 47 liters per minute can meet the water needs of 1 ha of agricultural land in about 3-4 hours. The maximum electrical power generated by solar panels under maximum sunlight conditions is 920 watts peak, with a maximum current of 11.79 amperes and a maximum voltage (Vmp) of 19.5 volts. Then the solar panel will charge the battery in an empty condition for about 90 minutes in 80% sunlight efficiency conditions.

Genetic Characterization of Water Yam (Dioscorea alata L.) and Production Constraints of Yam in Pwani Region and Unguja Island, Tanzania

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a tuber crop cultivated in over 30% of all regions in Tanzania, contributing to the carbohydrate needs of many households. The morphological and genetic diversity of water yam (D. alata L.) local cultivars collected from Pwani region and Unguja Island were evaluated using 26 agro-morphological characters and 10 Short Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers. Cluster analysis using morphological characters classified nine water yam local cultivars into two main clusters with three subclusters. Tuber flesh and leaf colour were the main descriptors for clustering. The genetic diversity of 128 water yam genotypes using ten polymorphic SSR markers generated a total of 40 alleles that ranged from 2 to 7 per SSR marker. The mean polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.3 to 0.9, with a mean of 0.56. Cluster analysis separated 128 yam genotypes into two main clusters with five subclusters. The findings revealed relatively high genetic diversity of D. alata in the study areas. A structured questionnaire revealed drought (29.3%) and lack of planting materials (23.3%) as the major constraints to yam production in the study areas. Information reported in this study is useful in improving, reviving and promoting yam through breeding and conservation programs.

Response of spring rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties to different nitrogen application methods at Nawalparasi West, Nepal

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation necessitates an adequate supply of nitrogen to achieve optimal growth and yield. This study, conducted in Nawalparasi West from February to June 2023, aimed to assess the effects of nitrogen management through a foliar spray of nano urea, compared to need-based nitrogen management using the Leaf Color Chart (LCC) and the Recommended Dose of urea Fertilizer (RDF) application. The experiment followed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications, incorporating four nitrogen management levels (Control, RDF through urea fertilizer (120 kg/ha), 25% of RDF through basal urea (30 kg/ha) + nano urea, and 25% of RDF through basal urea (30 kg/ha) + (LCC) and two rice varieties (Chaite-5 and Hardinath-1). The results indicated that the LCC-based treatment produced the highest grain yield at 5.18 mt/ha, statistically similar to the yield of the nano urea-based treatment (5.04 mt/ha). The enhanced yields were attributed to more effective tillers per m² (260.17 tillers/m² and 253.17 tillers/m², respectively), longer panicle length (28.12 cm and 25.99 cm), more filled grains per panicle (210.03 and 215.73), and lower sterility percentage (24.93% and 26.95%). Despite comparable yields, nano urea application proved to be more cost-effective [97,926.10 Nepalese Rupees (NRs)] with a higher benefit-cost ratio (1.78) and greater ease of application for farmers compared to the LCC. Varietal responses varied, with Hardinath-1 exhibiting the highest yield with LCC-based nitrogen application (5.37 mt/ha), and Chaite-5 demonstrating the highest yield (4.778 mt/ha); with nano urea-based nitrogen application (5.31 mt/ha). Chaite-5 displayed a greater effective number of tillers per m² (241.42 tillers/m²) and filled grains per panicle (224.56). Consequently, it is suggested that nano urea-based nitrogen application, particularly in conjunction with a variety of Chaite-5, holds the potential for improved productivity.

Medicinal Plant Identification using Machine Learning

Medicinal plants play a crucial role in traditional and modern medicine due to their properties. In this study, we propose the identification of medicinal plants using machine learning. The proposed system comprises several key components: data collection, feature extraction, model training, and prediction. Initially, a comprehensive dataset of medicinal plant images is gathered from databases. Next, relevant features such as leaf shape, texture, and colour are extracted from images using image processing techniques. Subsequently, ML algorithms such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are employed to train a classification model on the extracted features. The trained model is then capable of accurately identifying medicinal plants from input images. To facilitate user interaction, a user-friendly interface may be developed, allowing users to upload images and receive instant identification results. Furthermore, the system's performance is evaluated in real-world scenarios to assess its practical utility and reliability. Overall, the proposed automated medicinal plant identification system represents a significant advancement in leveraging ML technology to streamline the identification process

Postharvest practices and loss determinants for interventions among smallholder potato farmers in Tiyo district, Arsi zone, Ethiopia

Postharvest loss reduction, which will contribute to several sustainable development goals (SDGs) including SDG 1, 2, 3, 9, 12 and 13, is an important strategy for food and nutrition security. It requires interventions designed based on timely and reliable statistical data. However, lack of produce-specific loss data and associated factors along the postharvest value chain stages remains a challenge to implement appropriate interventions. Therefore, a survey was conducted on socio-demographic characteristics, postharvest practices, extent and causes of losses, and factors influencing postharvest loss of potato crops in Tiyo district of Arsi Zone, Ethiopia in 2022. A multistage sampling method was used to select a total of 209 smallholder potato farming household heads through a combination of purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Quantitative data collection was carried out online using computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) by programming a semi-structured questionnaire in KoboCollect software for tablets. Descriptive statistics and ordinal probit regression model were used to analyze the collected data and determinant factors influencing postharvest loss of potatoes at various farm-level stages, respectively. An aggregate of 15-46% loss exists between harvesting and marketing. Losses during harvesting, sorting, cleaning, packaging, field-to-storage transport, storage, and storage-to-market transport were 58.9%, 6.2%, 2.9%, 2.4%, 3.8%, 20.1%, and 5.7%, respectively. Elevated loss during harvesting and storage in the area is likely to reflect poor handling and storage practices. The primary causes of losses were poor harvesting and handling techniques, poor storage facility, and insects and worms. Moreover, regression model estimations of categorical losses, as perceived by farmers, reveal that socio-demographic variables and postharvest factors influenced potato loss. During the harvest stage, working family members significantly (p<0.01) increased loss while years of schooling (p<0.05) significantly reduced loss. In addition, harvesting using leaf color change observation as a criterion had significantly (p<0.01) mitigated potato loss. In storage, female respondents (p<0.05), land size (p<0.05), and lack of training (p<0.1) had accentuated loss. During transport, the age of household reduced (p<0.1) loss whereas farming experience promoted (p<0.1) it. To reduce the existing losses, farmers’ awareness should be increased concerning each stage. The study recommends the need for stakeholders’ intervention focusing on postharvest knowledge and skill capacity building, demonstration of simple innovative ventilated storage construction using locally available materials, appropriate packaging (such as reusable plastic crates) and transport methods, and simple value addition methods (such as potato drying using indirect solar dryers and potato flour processing for fortifying local cereals). Key words: CAPI, Ethiopia, ordinal probit regression, postharvest practices, potato loss determinants

Phenotypic performance of Srikayang's shallot variety M1 by colchicine induction

Abstract. Rahmawati ADN, Nandariyah, Parjanto. 2024. Phenotypic performance of Srikayang's shallot variety M1 by colchicine induction. Biodiversitas 25: 1297-1303. Srikayang shallot is one of the shallot varieties from Kulonprogo Yogyakarta, and it has relatively small bulbs. Indonesian consumers prefer shallot, which has dense bulbs, is large (diameter ? 2.5 cm), has a spicy taste, and is fragrant. The efforts to increase shallot's diversity are important. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of Srikayang shallot M1 and evaluate Lethal Doses (LD50) of colchicine. This research was conducted from September to November 2023 at Balecatur Planting Garden, Yogyakarta. Srikayang shallot bulbs were used, and colchicine concentration consisted of 0%, 0.05%, 0.075%, and 0.1%, with a soaking period of 3, 6, and 12 hours. The study was conducted using a randomized block design (RBD). Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis and probit analysis. The colchicine concentration and soaking duration affected the morphological character of Srikayang plants in leaf color, bulb skin color, bulb shape, bulb neck shape, and root tip shape. This study showed that the interaction of colchicine concentration and soaking duration improved variability on plant height, number of leaves, number of saplings, bulb weight in the cluster, main bulb weight, and main bulb diameter. The LD50 of Srikayang shallots was obtained at a colchicine concentration of 0.065%.

Integrated Approach for Screening Groundnut Genotypes and Unveiling Morphological and Biochemical Factors Associated with Resistance to Thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood

Thrips is an important sucking insect pest and are the major problem in the groundnut. The pressure from thrips is higher in the summer. One species of thrips i.e., Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood was reported in the present investigation. To minimize crop losses, it is important to efficiently manage thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood. Finding the source of resistance is one strategy to reduce yield losses. In the summers of 2020 and 2021, forty-four groundnut varieties were screened in the field to determine their resistance to thrips occurrence. Nineteen genotypes were chosen for additional research, including host preference and oviposition preference tests in greenhouse conditions and host plant resistance studies, based on preliminary screening studies conducted at the field level in 2020 and 2021. None of the genotypes were totally free from thrips damage. Nonetheless, three genotypes (Dh-256, RST-1-2020-12, and INS-1-2020-11) were classified as resistant. Ten genotypes were very vulnerable, 14 were susceptible, and 17 were somewhat resistant. The biochemical and morphological examination results showed that resistance against thrips was conferred by increased levels of phenols, tannins, trichome density, and leaf colour.