Length Of Secondary Branches Research Articles

Melatonin differentially refines the metabolome to improve seed formation during grain developmental stages and enhances yield in two contrasting rice cultivars, grown in arsenic-contaminated soil

The manuscript revealed the ameliorative effects of exogenous melatonin in two distinct reproductive stages, i.e., developing grains (20 days after pollination) and matured grains (40 days after pollination) in two contrasting indica rice genotypes, viz., Khitish (arsenic-susceptible) and Muktashri (arsenic-tolerant), irrigated with arsenic-contaminated water throughout their life-cycle. Melatonin administration improved yield-related parameters like rachis length, primary and secondary branch length, number of grains per panicle, number of filled and empty grains per panicle, grain length and breadth and 1000-grain per weight. Expression of GW2, which negatively regulates grain development, was suppressed, along with concomitant induction of positive regulators like GIF1, DEP1 and SPL14 in both Khitish and Muktashri. Melatonin lowered arsenic bioaccumulation in grains and tissue biomass, more effectively in Khitish. Unregulated production of reactive oxygen species, leading to cellular necrosis caused by arsenic, was reversed in presence of melatonin. Endogenous melatonin level was stimulated due to up-regulation of the key biosynthetic genes, SNAT and ASMT. Melatonin enhanced the production of diverse antioxidants like anthocyanins, flavonoids, total phenolics and ascorbic acid and also heightened the production of thiol-metabolites (cysteine, reduced glutathione, non-protein thiols and phytochelatin), ensuring effective chelation and arsenic detoxification. Altogether, our observation, supported by principal component analysis, proved that melatonin re-programs the antioxidative metabolome to enhance plant resilience against arsenic stress to mitigate oxidative damages and reduce arsenic translocation from the soil to tissue biomass and edible grains.

Desenvolvimento e qualidade de frutos de melão amarelo sob estresse salino

ABSTRACT The need for studies that allow the use of brackish water in irrigated agriculture and the socioeconomic importance of melon cultivation in Brazil, especially for the Northeast region, which concentrates most of the national production and faces problems with the availability of good quality water for irrigation, motivated the present study. In this context, the objective of present study was to evaluate the growth, production and fruit quality of the ‘Goldex’ (yellow-type hybrid F1) melon under salt stress conditions. The experiment was performed in a completely randomized design, with two salinity levels of irrigation water (0.8 and 4.0 dS m-1) and eight evaluation times (52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, and 66 days after transplanting). Variables of plant growth and development, production and quality of melon fruits were evaluated throughout the cycle. Plants had delayed growth characteristics and less development with the increase in irrigation water salinity, showing reductions of more than 20% in shoot dry weight, leaf area, number of branches and length of secondary branches and 16.7% in length of the main branch. In addition, salinity caused a delay in fruit development and a 16% reduction in final fruit weight, without significantly modifying carbohydrate and total soluble solids contents. Along the development, there was an increase in the total soluble solids content of the fruits, especially due to the increment of sucrose at the final stages of development.

Branching responses to pruning in young cocoa trees

The branching pattern of a tree determines the efficiency of light interception and carbon assimilation. Pruning can modify the branching pattern, because of changes in physiological and environmental conditions, and ultimately pruning can have major effects on yield. For one of the major tropical tree crops, cocoa (Theobroma cacao), very little is known about branching response to pruning. To address this knowledge gap, we performed a pruning experiment on young cocoa trees in Côte d'Ivoire.We applied five treatments to two parcels planted with different genetic materials: two heading treatments (the removal of the terminal apex or 66% of a primary branch) and two thinning treatments (the removal of 1 or 2 primary branches) and one unpruned control. The secondary-branching pattern of the primary branches was described by the number, position, and length of secondary branches right after pruning, and the same observations were repeated after a cycle of leaf production. The probability of branching and the length of secondary branches along a primary branch, in pruned and unpruned conditions, was analyzed using generalized and linear mixed effect models, respectively.In unpruned conditions, the probability of secondary-branch presence was higher towards the middle of the primary branches and lower at the base and the tip. Secondary-branch length decreased from the base to the tip of a primary branch. After one cycle of leaf production, secondary branch emergence differed between the two parcels. In one parcel more branches emerged on the distal section of a primary branch, while in the other they emerged preferentially in the more proximal section. Pruning increased the probability of branch emergence mostly towards the tip of a primary branch, with heavy heading having the strongest effect. By contrast, heavy thinning increased branch emergence also toward the base of the primary branch.Our results can be applied to improve formation pruning, as this may trigger branching in different parts of the crown, depending on the form of pruning. Our study also assists the development of three-dimensional tree models that could further our understanding of the impact of pruning on cocoa growth and productivity.

Panicle branching of nutritious rice based on good agricultural practices

Panicle branching is one of the characters that can distinguish one rice cultivar from another. Agricultural practices determined the performance of panicle branching. The trial aimed to study the differences among ten rice lines based on panicle branching characters cultivated based on good farming practices. Seven pure lines and three varieties were planted as genetic material in 4 replications. The trial was conducted in Bandung in 2020 at an altitude was 460 m asl. The characters observed were panicle length, main axis length, number of total grain per panicle, number of primary branches, number of secondary branches, primary branch length, secondary branch length, and number of secondary branches primary branch. All the panicle branching characters showed different among genetical material planted. The longest panicle was found in IR 105730-B-79-1-4-SKI-1-8, but the longest main axis length was found in Inpari IR Nutrizinc, local variety and IR 105730-B-79-1-4-SKI-1-8. The genotype of IR 105734-B-64-1-1-SKI-1-SG-11 showed had the most grains number (223.28), and the genotype of IR 105730-B-79-1-4-SKI-1-8 was not different with IR 105734-B-64-1-1-SKI-1-SG-11. In the other characters, the genotype of IR 105730-B-79-1-4-SKI-1-8 was relatively showed a good performance, especially in primary branch length, secondary branch length, and number of secondary branches primary branch.

Studies on genetic variability, heritability, correlation and path coefficient analysis in curry leaf (Murraya koenigii Spreng.) genotypes

A study was conducted on thirty curry leaf genotypes to analyse the variability and correlation among different qualitative traits viz., plant height, number of secondary branches, secondary branch length, secondary branch weight, length at branching, compound leaves, leaflet length, number of leaflets and inter nodal length that influences the fresh leaf yield. Analysis of variance revealed that the genotypes significantly differed for all the traits studied. The results showed that PCV was higher than the GCV for all the characters and high genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation was recorded for the traits viz., plant height, number of secondary branches, secondary branch length, compound leaves and fresh leaf yield per plant. High heritability was observed for plant height, secondary branches, secondary branch length, length at branching, number of leaflets and inter nodal length. Correlation studies showed that fresh leaf yield per plant was significantly and positively correlated with almost all the traits studied. The highest and direct effect on fresh leaf yield per plant was observed for compound leaves (1.195) followed by leaflet length (0.093), number of leaflets (0.306), secondary branch length (0.300) and length at branching (0.142). Hence, compound leaves, leaflet length, number of leaflet, secondary branch length and length at branching traits will be useful for selection of superior genotypes in curry leaf . Keywords: Genotypes, variability, correlation, fresh leaf yield

Response of Seeds, Oil Yield and Fatty Acids Percentage of Jojoba Shrub Strain EAI to Mycorrhizal Fungi and Moringa Leaves Extract

Jojoba seeds have a unique storage lipid wax which is suitable as a basic feedstock in the chemical industry. For saving both human health and the environment, there is a continuous need to search for alternative safe natural sources of plant nutrients. Therefore, in this study the effect of mycorrhizal fungi and Moringa oleifera leaves extract on growth, flowering, fruits set, yield and the chemical composition of the jojoba shrub was studied. The application of a combination of treatments of 20 g L−1 mycorrhizal fungi plus 30 g L−1Moringa oleifera leaves extract recorded the maximum mean values of main branch length, length of secondary branches, number of branched nodes, number of secondary branches, flowering percentage, final fruit set percentage, seeds yield per shrub and per hectare, percentage of minerals, proteins as well as oil yield per shrub and per hectare, chlorophyll a and b, N, P, K percentage with a minimum mean value of the number of days until full bloom in both seasons. The maximum percentage of Gadoleic fatty acid was found with the combination treatment of uninoculation plus 10 g L−1Moringa oleifera leaves extract.

Influence of microheterogeneity destruction on microstructure and crystal structure of Fe-12% Mn-1%C alloy ingots

The results of comparative analysis of microstructure, crystal structure and mechanical properties in submicrovolumes of Fe-12%(wt.)Mn-1%(wt.)C alloys crystallized from the melt in different structural state: with destruction and without destruction of microheterogeneity are presented. Earlier, the authors found that overheating of the Fe-12%(wt.)Mn-1%(wt.)C melt to a temperature of 1700 °C leads to destruction of microheterogeneity, which changes the crystallization conditions of the ingot. Microheterogeneity means the presence in the melt of dispersed particles enriched in iron, which are suspended in an environment of a different composition and separated from it by a clear interfacial surface. The study of alloys was performed by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersion analysis (EDS), the method of backscattered electron diffraction (EBSD) and nanoindentation. It was found that the destruction of the microheterogeneity of Fe-12%(wt.)Mn-1%(wt.)C melts during cooling and subsequent crystallization led to an increase in the dendritic parameter from 85 to 120 μm with increasing length of secondary branches of dendrites, crystallite size and small angle borders. Regardless of the crystallization conditions, manganese-enriched liquation layers with a thickness of L ~ 70–120 μm with a manganese content of 20 % (wt.) are formed on the surface of austenite dendrites, which leads to deformation inhomogeneity of the ingot. Based on the nanoindentation data, it is calculated that the adhesion of the manganese-enriched segregation layer to the body of austenite dendrites (Kint) for the sample crystallized after destruction of the microheterogeneous state increased by 1.2 times. The fracture energy along the boundary layer and the austenite dendrite body (Gc) also increased by 1.4 times. Average hardness values of the Young’s modulus of austenite dendrites did not change after the destruction of microheterogeneity. The mechanical characteristics of the ingot crystallized after the destruction of the microheterogeneity of the Fe-12%(wt.)Mn-1%(wt.)C melt under impact load generally improved. The equipment of the Ural Center for Shared Use "Modern nanotechnology" UrFU was used. The study was performed with the financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research within the research project No. 19-33-90198.

Initial production of ora-pro-nóbis under influence of weeds

The ora-pro-nobis crop has agricultural potential but little information regarding cropping practices are available. More information about the interference of weeds on ora-pro-nobis is needed. The objective of this work was to study the initial growth and development of ora-pro-nobis under the interference of common weeds. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, with five treatments, composed of ora-pro-nobis in competition with four weed species: slender amaranth ( Amaranthus viridis ), hairy beggarticks ( Bidens pilosa L.), tropical spiderwort ( Commelina benghalensis ), purple nutsedge ( Cyperus rotundus L.), and a weed-free control, with six replicates. Number of leaves, number and length of secondary branches, chlorophyll a , b and total chlorophyll, dry weight of leaves, branches and roots, total nitrogen, crude protein, crude fiber, and total ash were evaluated. Weed competition led to a decrease in growth and development of ora-pro-nobis , reflected in reduction of up to 40% in yield and 23% in protein content

Tipos de condução do maracujazeiro amarelo e suas influências sobre as características produtivas

O maracujazeiro possui crescimento contínuo e indeterminado, necessitando de condução para melhor distribuição dos ramos nas estruturas de sustentação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a biometria e os parâmetros produtivos do maracujazeiro amarelo (Passiflora edulis Sims) enxertado em resposta a diferentes tipos de condução dos ramos secundários. O experimento foi instalado e conduzido no município de Pracinha, SP, no período de maio de 2016 a abril de 2017, utilizando-se o delineamento experimental em blocos ao acaso, com quatro tratamentos e seis repetições. Os tratamentos constituíram-se dos seguintes tipos de condução dos ramos secundários: T1 – poda do ramo principal conduzindo um ramo secundário lateral; T2 – poda do ramo principal conduzindo dois ramos secundários laterais; T3 – ramo principal dobrado conduzindo um ramo secundário lateral; T4 – ramo principal dobrado conduzindo dois ramos secundários laterais. Avaliaram-se o comprimento dos ramos secundários, o número de ramos terciários, o comprimento, diâmetro e massa dos frutos, o número de frutos por planta e a produtividade. Não houve diferenças significativas para número de ramos terciários, comprimento, diâmetro e massa de frutos. Verificou-se que o número de frutos por planta e a produtividade do maracujazeiro amarelo são influenciados pelo tipo de condução dos ramos secundários que não altera as características físicas dos frutos. Dobrar o ramo principal conduzindo dois ramos laterais favorecem o desenvolvimento e a produção do maracujazeiro-amarelo.

Interaksi Genotipe × Musim Karakter Percabangan Malai Tiga Genotipe Padi Sawah

Percabangan malai merupakan salah satu kunci penentu hasil padi, namun keragaannya antar musim belum banyak dipelajari hingga saat ini. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendapatkan informasi tentang interaksi genotipe × musim karakter percabangan malai padi. Percobaan dilaksanakan dari bulan April 2017 sampai dengan Maret 2018, di Kebun Percobaan IPB Babakan, Dramaga, Bogor. Lima belas genotipe padi sawah sebagai perlakuan ditanam pada musim kemarau dan musim hujan untuk mempelajari interaksi genotipe × musim. Percobaan ditata dalam rancangan acak kelompok lengkap dengan empat ulangan. Analisis yang dilakukan adalah analisis ragam per musim dan analisis ragam gabungan antar musim. Hasil percobaan menunjukkan bahwa genotipe, musim, dan interaksi genotipe × musim berpengaruh nyata pada karakter panjang malai, jumlah cabang primer, panjang cabang primer, dan panjang cabang sekunder. Informasi yang diperoleh dari hasil penelitian ini dapat bermanfaat bagi pemulia padi dalam melakukan seleksi pada karakter percabangan malai.
 Kata kunci: genotipe × musim, musim kemarau, musim hujan, pemuliaan padi

Response of Grafting Height on Growth Success of Acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) Saplings

A field experiment was conducted at Agriculture Research Institute Tarnab, Peshawar, to determine the best grafting height for the highest success of grafting and the maximum growth of Sapling during 1st January to 30th December 2017. Scions were collected from the mother plant ‘Kaghazi lime’ grown under screen house and grafted onto one-year-old trifoliate orange Sapling rootstocks by shoot-tip method at 4cm, 8cm, 12cm, 16cm and 20cm height from the collar region as the treatment. The grafts were planted inside the closed tunnel made from bamboo splits, jute and plastic sheet at 10×8cm spacing in 64×100cm experimental plots laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications containing 80 grafts per plot. Treatments were allotted on the experimental plots randomly. The success of grafting was not affected by the height of grafting however, growth of Sapling was found significantly affected by the height of grafting. Observation taken on Sapling after one year of grafting revealed that the maximum scion height (42.13cm), the highest number of leaves per Sapling (47.50), the highest growth of scion diameter (55.61%), maximum length of primary branches (31.19cm), maximum number of secondary branches per Sapling (3.24), the highest length of secondary branches (11.59cm), the highest canopy volume (15440cm3) and the highest graft spread (24.35cm) were found on the Sapling grafted at 16cm height of the trifoliate orange rootstock. Hence, from the study it is concluded that the most suitable height of grafting acid lime on trifoliate orange rootstock was 16cm.

English

The use of cattle manure and other organic compounds can be a profitable and efficient alternative in sustainable agriculture. The aim of this work was to evaluate the development and production of sesame ‘BRS Seda’ for organic fertilization at different doses, under the conditions of soil and climate found in Catolé do Rocha, in the State of Paraíba, Brazil. The following characteristics were evaluated: number of leaves and pods; plant height; stem diameter; number of flowers; dry weight of the leaves, stems, roots, pods and seeds; number and length of secondary branches; height of the first fruit; seeds per pod; pod length; and emergence percentage and speed of the produced seedlings. The different doses of cattle manure influenced pod length, number of seeds per pod, and emergence percentage and speed of the produced seedlings, with better results for the dose of 40 t ha-1.   Key words: Sesamum indicum L., fertilization, morpho-agronomic characterization, organic production.

The Role of Endogenous Strigolactones and Their Interaction with ABA during the Infection Process of the Parasitic Weed Phelipanche ramosa in Tomato Plants.

The root parasitic plant species Phelipanche ramosa, branched broomrape, causes severe damage to economically important crops such as tomato. Its seed germination is triggered by host-derived signals upon which it invades the host root. In tomato, strigolactones (SLs) are the main germination stimulants for P. ramosa. Therefore, the development of low SL-producing lines may be an approach to combat the parasitic weed problem. However, since SLs are also a plant hormone controlling many aspects of plant development, SL deficiency may also have an effect on post-germination stages of the infection process, during the parasite-host interaction. In this study, we show that SL-deficient tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum; SlCCD8 RNAi lines), infected with pre-germinated P. ramosa seeds, display an increased infection level and faster development of the parasite, which suggests a positive role for SLs in the host defense against parasitic plant invasion. Furthermore, we show that SL-deficient tomato plants lose their characteristic SL-deficient phenotype during an infection with P. ramosa through a reduction in the number of internodes and the number and length of secondary branches. Infection with P. ramosa resulted in increased levels of abscisic acid (ABA) in the leaves and roots of both wild type and SL-deficient lines. Upon parasite infection, the level of the conjugate ABA-glucose ester (ABA-GE) also increased in leaves of both wild type and SL-deficient lines and in roots of one SL-deficient line. The uninfected SL-deficient lines had a higher leaf ABA-GE level than the wild type. Despite the high levels of ABA, stomatal aperture and water loss rate were not affected by parasite infection in the SL-deficient line, while in wild type tomato stomatal aperture and water loss increased upon infection. Future studies are needed to further underpin the role that SLs play in the interaction of hosts with parasitic plants and which other plant hormones interact with the SLs during this process.

Effects of pruning intensity on jujube transpiration and soil moisture of plantation in the Loess Plateau

In order to ease soil desiccation and prevent ecological deterioration in the Loess Plateau, where jujube (Zizyphus jujube MIll) is widely cultivated as a drought tolerant plant, four pruning intensities (PI), from PI-1 (light) to PI-4 (heavy) were set up based on total length of secondary branches to study the effects of pruning on transpiration and soil moisture in jujube plantations. Furthermore, growth indexes were regularly monitored to estimate jujubes biomass. Sap flow, meteorological and soil moisture conditions were monitored using thermal dissipation probes (TDP), weather station (RR-9100) and the combination of time domain transmission (TDT) technology and neutron moisture gauges (CNC503B), respectively. The results showed that daily actual transpiration of jujube was positively correlated with leaf biomass. Compared with PI-1, jujube transpiration during growth period under PI-2, PI-3, and PI-4 dropped by 11.1%, 29.2%, and 47.9%, respectively. On the contrary, annual water storage under PI-2, PI-3, and PI-4 increased by 6.29 mm, 25.78 mm and 34.74 mm while water use efficiency increased by 5.1%, 15.7% and 24.2%, respectively. Overall, increase in pruning intensity could significantly reduce water consumption of jujube and improve soil moisture in jujube plantations.

Effect of Gamma radiation on growth of Vigna radiata (L.) Wilezek cv. Local and Indian

Seeds of Mungbean Vigna radiata (L.) Wilezek cv. Local and Indian were treated with different doses of gamma rays viz.;5.5R, 11.1R,16.6R, 22.2R, 27.7R & 33.2R. Observations were recorded on the effect of gamma rays on an important characters viz.; seedling length, root length, number of secondary branches, length of main branches, length of secondary branches, number of pods, length of pods and weight of dry 100 seeds. The significant effect on the growth of two cultivars, with best dosages of (33.2, 27.7 and 22.2 k/rad) respectively.

Phenotypic correlations and path analysis for plant architecture traits and grain production in three generations of cowpea

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to analyze the phenotypic correlation and path analysis of traits related to plant architecture, earliness and grain yield in F2, BC1 and BC2 generations, from crosses between cowpea cultivars BRS Carijó and BR14 Mulato. Most phenotypic correlations of the examined traits were concordant in statistical significance, with approximate values among the examined generations. For the trait seed weight, significant and positive phenotypic correlations were observed in the three generations only for the trait number of secondary branches. The values of the direct effects were in agreement with the values of the phenotypic correlations, which indicate true association by the phenotypic correlation among the traits of grain yield examined. Path analysis indicated that the selection of productive plants will result in early plants and an increased number of secondary branches. In F2, plants with shorter length of the main branch and shorter length of secondary branches can be obtained. The causal model explained 15 to 30% of the total variation in grain weight in relation to the traits examined. The analyses indicated the possibility of selecting plants with a higher and early grain yield, shorter length of primary branches and lower number of nodes, which are important variables for mechanical or semi-mechanical harvesting.

Field evidence from Namibia does not support the designation of Angolan and Namibian subspecies of Welwitschia mirabilis Hook

Welwitschia mirabilis is an ancient, endemic gymnosperm found in numerous disjunct populations in western Namibia north of the Namib Sand Sea to the Bentiaba River in southwestern Angola. Based on six plants grown in the Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden, Leuenberger [2001, Welwitschia mirabilis (Welwitschiaceae), male cone characters and a new subspecies. Willdenowia 31: 357–381] differentiated two groups of plants using eight male inflorescence characters. He concluded that the two groups represented geographical subspecies: W. mirabilis subsp. mirabilis in Angola and W. mirabilis subsp. namibiana in Namibia, based on putative location data of the seed sources for the plants. Leuenberger called for field data collection, especially in northern Namibia, to verify his results. However despite this lack of data, numerous authors have cited his work as definitive in scientific papers and online plant descriptions and keys. We analysed five distinguishing male cone characters from 13 Namibian plant populations and found significant variation that encompasses both descriptions of the Namibian and Angolan subspecies. Data collected from plants grown from Angolan and Namibian seed in the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden also fell within the range of the Namibian field populations. We found significant evidence of latitudinal gradients in cone and peduncle length, but cone colour, secondary branch length and bract shape were highly variable within and between the Namibian populations sampled. Our data do not support the designation of an Angolan and Namibian subspecies. W. mirabilis has probably been evolving in this landscape for more than 100 million years with unknown metapopulation dynamics predetermining current geographical populations. Our study calls for molecular characterisation in conjunction with a thorough investigation of both male and female plant characteristics throughout the current range of the plant to further clarify the phylogenetic relevance of the variation observed in male cone characters.

Effect of Grafting Height on Success and Subsequent Growth of Acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) Saplings

A field experiment was conducted at National Citrus Research Program (NCRP), Paripatle, Dhankuta to determine the best grafting height for the highest success of grafting and the maximum growth of saplings during 1st January to 30th December, 2010. Scions were collected from the mother plant ‘NCRP-49’ grown under screen house and grafted onto one-year-old trifoliate orange seedling rootstocks by shoot-tip method at 4 cm, 8 cm, 12 cm, 16 cm and 20 cm height from the collar region as the treatment. The grafts were planted inside the closed tunnel made from bamboo splits, jute and plastic sheet at 10×8 cm spacing in 64×100 cm experimental plots laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications containing 80 grafts per plot. Treatments were allotted on the experimental plots randomly. The success of grafting was not affected by the height of grafting, however, growth of sapling was found significantly affected by the height of grafting. Observation taken on saplings after one year of grafting revealed that the maximum scion height (42.13 cm), the highest number of leaves per sapling (47.50), the highest growth of scion diameter (55.61%), maximum length of primary branches (31.19 cm), maximum number of secondary branches per sapling ((3.24), the highest length of secondary branches (11.59 cm), the highest canopy volume (15440 cm3) and the highest graft spread (24.35 cm) were found on the sapling grafted at 16 cm height of the trifoliate orange rootstock. Hence, from the study it is concluded that the most suitable height of grafting acid lime on trifoliate orange rootstock was 16 cm. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njst.v14i2.10412 Nepal Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 14, No. 2 (2013) 25-32

FIG TREE ORCHARD FORMATION USING ORGANIC FERTILIZATION

The present work aimed at evaluating the effects of cattle manure fertilization on the growth and yield of fig trees. The cultivar 'Roxo de Valinhos' was used. One-, two-, three- and four-year-old trees were treated with cattle manure containing 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150% of the recommended nitrogen level per plant. The experiment was carried out using randomized blocks with 7 treatments, 5 replicates and 5 plants per experimental plot. The evaluated characteristics were: plant height, stem diameter, secondary branch length and diameter, yield per plant (kg plant -1 ), besides some quality characteristics of fruits such as pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids and texture. Manure application enhanced plant growth and fruit production. Significant differences were observed only for soluble solids content, pH and texture, which varied according to the crop cycle. After four crop cycles (2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06), the best results (about 5.0 kg of fruits per plant) were obtained with 100% of the recommended nitrogen dose, which corresponded to 14.3 kg of cattle manure per plant, in the last crop cycle (2005/2006).

Growth of Dendritic Copper Nanocrystals in Alkaline Solution

Cu dendritic nanostructure crystals have been synthesized from CuCl2⋅2H2O in an alkaline aqueous solution at temperature of 200 °C. The morphology and size can be tunable by changing the reaction temperature and time. It can be seen from the SEM images that the secondary branches are parallel and 60° angle deflection from the trunk with the length of secondary branches up to 10 μm, quite different from the Cu dendrites reported before. The XRD pattern of the Cu dendritic structure indicates a pure face-centered cubic phase with symmetrical group of \(Fm\bar{3}m(225)\) and lattice constant a=3.615 A. The formation mechanism of the Cu dendritic nanostructures has been discussed in details.