Plant Life Cycle Research Articles

Seed treatment with magnesium nanoparticles alters phenology and increases grain yield and mineral content in maize

Magnesium is an essential macronutrient for maize crop and its efficiency of absorption and utilization by plants can be improved when used in the form of nanoparticles. The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of different sources of magnesium oxide via seed treatment in the agronomic performance of maize. The experiments were carried out under field conditions in three locations in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. In all experiments, the P4285HYR-hybrid maize seeds were used, with three sources of magnesium: MgO-NPs, MgO@C-NPs and Mg(NO3)2; and six concentrations: 0 (control); 37.5, 75, 150, 300 and 600 mg L-1. The following variables were analyzed: SPAD reading, NDVI, plant height, ear insertion height, number of grains per ear, grain moisture, thousand grain weight, yield and quantification of Mg, Ca, P and K in the grains. The results showed that the seed treatment with magnesium oxide alters the V4 and V5 phenological stages (fourth and fifth developed leaves), shortening the plant life cycle by four to five days (P<0.05). All applied concentrations increased maize grain yield, with greater improvement in the order of 38% with 150 mg L-1 of MgO-NPs and 57% with 300 of MgO@C-NPs in comparison to control, respectively. The use of 75 and 150 mg L-1 of magnesium nitrate increased grain yield by only 2.3% and 6.6%, respectively, when compared to the control. The P>K>Mg>Ca levels in the harvested grains were increased by seeds treated with Mg. The results were significantly influenced by the nanoparticles, when comparing with conventional Mg nitrate or with the control. Therefore, it was concluded that the use of magnesium nanoparticles via seed treatment is a viable strategy to increase maize grain yield.

Barrier-Free Science Education for Visually Impaired Students: An Activity for Life Cycle in Plants

This research aims to design and apply a lesson plan to satisfy 3rd-grade inclusive education students’ individual learning needs on the subject of plant life cycle, and to develop three instruction materials based on this lesson plan. In the first stage of this three-staged research, visually impaired students’ individual learning needs were determined by conducting workshops with science teachers, elementary school teachers, and special education teachers. Then, the learning outcomes of science education programs were determined. In the second stage, teaching materials suitable for students’ personal characteristics were designed by the teachers after assessing the students’ needs. Visually impaired students also participated in the process of developing the educational material. In the last stage, students were taught according to the lesson plan with the materials prepared according to the 5E learning model. After the lessons, data were collected through semi-structured interview forms to determine the students’ opinions on the lessons and materials. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data obtained. The research results showed that the teaching material responded to the needs of the students and contributed positively to their conceptual learning.

Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Leaf N: P: K Stoichiometry in Agroecosystem

Leaf nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) stoichiometry can reflect plant strategies of nutrient allocation, which play key roles in ensuring food security and maintaining nutrient balance in the agroecosystem. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation is an effective and green management measure affecting nutrient uptake and utilization strategies, especially in the agroecosystem. However, the interplay between AMF and leaf nutrient stoichiometry that is important for sustainable agriculture remain underexplored. Therefore, the efficacy of AMF in improving leaf nutrients of host plants in agricultural ecosystems were tested with meta-analysis by 1932 pairs of observations in research publications from 1995 to 2022. Overall analysis showed that AMF inoculation increases leaf N, P, and K by 8.75%, 24.61%, and 13.54%, respectively. Moreover, leaf P: K increased by 11.74% by AMF inocula, but leaf N: P and N: K of host plants decreased by 15.38% and 5.52%, respectively. Furthermore, the AMF effect on leaf nutrient stoichiometry was significantly regulated by species, life cycle, and growth habits of host plants. The prominent efficacy of AMF was higher for leaf P in fruit (30.06%), perennial (30.19%), and woody plants (31.6%) than other groups. Moreover, AMF effects on leaf N: P: K stoichiometry of inoculated crops varied depending on the identity of AMF. The Glomeraceae (especially Rhizophagus genera) increased more leaf P content than other AMF families. Thus, the leaf nutrient of host plants significantly increased by AMF inocula, especially leaf P content in the agroecosystem. The effect of AMF on leaf N: P: K stoichiometry was related to plant species, plant life cycle, plant growth habits, and the identity of AMF. These findings highlight the response of AMF to the strategies of nutrient in host plants and provide a theoretical and applicable way for better crop yield and sustainable agriculture.

DOF transcription factors: Specific regulators of plant biological processes.

Plant biological processes, such as growth and metabolism, hormone signal transduction, and stress responses, are affected by gene transcriptional regulation. As gene expression regulators, transcription factors activate or inhibit target gene transcription by directly binding to downstream promoter elements. DOF (DNA binding with One Finger) is a classic transcription factor family exclusive to plants that is characterized by its single zinc finger structure. With breakthroughs in taxonomic studies of different species in recent years, many DOF members have been reported to play vital roles throughout the plant life cycle. They are not only involved in regulating hormone signals and various biotic or abiotic stress responses but are also reported to regulate many plant biological processes, such as dormancy, tissue differentiation, carbon and nitrogen assimilation, and carbohydrate metabolism. Nevertheless, some outstanding issues remain. This article mainly reviews the origin and evolution, protein structure, and functions of DOF members reported in studies published in many fields to clarify the direction for future research on DOF transcription factors.

Impact of mechanical stimulation on the life cycle of horticultural plant

Mechanical stimulation technology is critical in agricultural crop production because it is constantly regarded as a developing green technology to regulate plants to meet people's need for green and healthy agricultural products. Various environmental mechanical stimulation impacts seed germination, seedling growth, flowering date, fruit quantity, and fruit quality throughout the life cycle of a horticultural plant. This study first outlines the basic characteristics of six types of common mechanical stimulation in nature: precipitation, wind, gravity, touch, sound, and vibration. The effects of various mechanical stimulation types on the seed, seedling, flowering, and fruit of horticultural plants throughout their whole life cycle are then presented, as reviewed in the recent 100 years of existing literature. Finally, potential future study directions are discussed. The main challenge in mechanical stimulation technology is to uncover its potential capabilities for regulating and controlling plant development and fruit quality in green agriculture instead of agricultural chemicals.

Life Cycle Analysis of Steam and Gas Turbine CHP Plants

Introduction. When choosing the optimal heat and electric power generating technology, the most promising in terms of ensuring maximum credibility of obtained results is the method of assessing the environmental and economic efficiency of various objects, which implies the application of the studied object life cycle assessment method to be the initial main stage. The authors tackle the problem of assessing the life cycle of steam and gas turbine CHP plants for selecting the optimal heat and electric power generating technology. The aim of the study is to define the main stages and their corresponding specifications of steam and gas CHP plants’ life cycle as facilities generating heat and electric power within the structure of various purpose urban complexes.Materials and methods. The authors' research is based on the object life cycle assessment method as well as on the quality management system and the theory of selecting and evaluating the various objects’ environmental and economic efficiency. Results. Based on the research, it was found that: -CHP plants are of particular interest in terms of selecting the optimal cogeneration technology because many technological types of this energy are implemented there; - the life cycle assessment method may well be implemented at CHP plants; - the authors have taken a steam and gas turbine CHP plant as an object for the life cycle analysis because it has significant advantage over other similar technologies; - the life cycle of a steam and gas turbine CHP plant includes three main stages: construction (erecting, setting-up and commissioning), operation and disposal, which have the largest share in the overall life cycle; - the most significant processes have been identified for each of the distinguished life cycle stages of a steam and gas turbine CHP plant.Discussion and conclusion. The performed life cycle analysis led to the conclusion that the life cycle of a steam and gas turbine CHP plant, the one commonly used in real life and representing particular interest in terms of choosing the optimal technology, has three main stages occupying the largest share in the overall life cycle: construction, operation and disposal. Besides, the most significant processes were identified and described for each of the distinguished life cycle stages of a steam and gas turbine CHP plant.

PEBP Signaling Network in Tubers and Tuberous Root Crops.

Tubers and tuberous root crops are essential carbohydrate sources and staple foods for humans, second only to cereals. The developmental phase transition, including floral initiation and underground storage organ formation, is controlled by complex signaling processes involving the integration of environmental and endogenous cues. FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and TERMINAL FLOWER 1/CENTRORADIALIS (TFL1/CEN), members of the phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP) gene family, play a central role in this developmental phase transition process. FT and FT-like proteins have a function to promote developmental phase transition, while TFL1/CEN act oppositely. The balance between FT and TFL1/CEN is critical to ensure a successful plant life cycle. Here, we present a summarized review of the role and signaling network of PEBP in floral initiation and underground storage organ formation, specifically in tubers and tuberous root crops. Lastly, we point out several questions that need to be answered in order to have a more complete understanding of the PEBP signaling network, which is crucial for the agronomical improvement of tubers and tuberous crops.

Assessment of Climate Change Impact on Maize Production in Serbia

Climate factors have an impact on plant life cycle, yield, productivity, economy and profitability of agricultural production. There are not a lot of studies on understanding of influence of climate factors variation on maize yield in agro-ecological conditions of Serbia. The aim of this paper is analysis of variation of climatic factors over a long-time period, as well as assessment of impact of the examined climate parameters on maize yield in two localities in the Republic of Serbia. For the analysis of climatic factors (temperature, precipitation, sunshine, humidity) in the region of Central Serbia and Vojvodina, the data of meteorological stations Kragujevac and Sombor during two thirty-year periods (1961–1990 and 1991–2020) were used. In order to determine the existence and strength of the relationship between the observed climatic factors and maize yield, a correlation analysis of these indicators for the period 2005–2020 years, was performed. In the period 1991–2020, the average values of temperature were annually increased for 0.046 °C in Kragujevac and for 0.05 °C in Sombor, and in the same period the average value of sunshine on an annual level was increased for 1.3 h in Kragujevac and for 5.01 h in Sombor, 2020 in comparison to average values in period of 1961–1990. The humidity was decline annually for 1.3 in Kragujevac and for 3.4 in Sombor in period 1991–2020 in comparison to average humidity in period of 1961–1990. The results of the correlation analysis showed that the maize yield was significantly lower in the years with expressed high temperatures and precipitation deficit. Based on these studies, established effect of climate change on maize yield and that this demand developing adaptation agricultural practice through creating maize hybrids and varieties with greater adaptability and improvement of agrotechnic measure.

Juvenile phase: an important phase of the life cycle in plants

Juvenile phase: an important phase of the life cycle in plants

AI-Driven Pheno-Parenting: A Deep Learning Based Plant Phenotyping Trait Analysis Model on a Novel Soilless Farming Dataset

Agriculture 4.0 will be data-driven and utilize modern technology in order to monitor plant life cycles and traits resulting in better yield. Pheno-parenting, a new concept derives certain methodologies adopted in plant phenotyping which monitors plants at various stages of their life cycle and supports their growth by deploying modern tools and technologies. In this work, a small-scale Hydroponic system was set up for plant life cycle image data collection and analysis, which consists of thirty plants of three species (i.e., Petunia, Pansy, Calendula) with ten plants from each species grown. A Deep Neural Network (DNN) based approach has been adopted to analyse the key tasks such as plant species recognition, growth analysis, health analysis, and yield stage identification. Calendula plants have been correctly recognised with above 95% detection accuracy in all test cases The result thus obtained indicates, side-view images are more effective at identifying species and tracking growth. On the other hand, top-view photographs do a better job of capturing the texture and colour characteristics of leaves and budding flowers. The Growth Development Index (GDI) metric, which first rises with an increase in nutrient input up to 31 ml and then saturates, has been proposed to provide a better understanding of plant growth, health, and productivity.

Quantification of pollen viability in Lantana camara by digital holographic microscopy.

Pollen grains represent the male gametes of seed plants and their viability is critical for sexual reproduction in the plant life cycle. Palynology and viability studies have traditionally been used to address a range of botanical, ecological and geological questions, but recent work has revealed the importance of pollen viability in invasion biology as well. Here, we report an efficient visual method for assessing the viability of pollen using digital holographic microscopy (DHM). Imaging data reveal that quantitative phase information provided by the technique can be correlated with viability as indicated by the outcome of the colorimetric test. We successfully test this method on pollen grains of Lantana camara, a well-known alien invasive plant in the tropical world. Our results show that pollen viability may be assessed accurately without the usual staining procedure and suggest potential applications of the DHM methodology to a number of emerging areas in plant science.

The Efficacy of Seed Pre-treatments with Exogenous Jasmonic Acid and Salicyclic Acid-T Tpathogen induced Stress in Mungbean Selected Genotypes in India

Our agriculture is threatened by resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and climate change. To increase crop productivity and sustainably to ensure food quality and safety, a new agricultural revolution is necessary. SA and JA were used to prime seeds can assist assure the long-term viability of agriculture. Seed elicitor priming is a potent method for altering the metabolic and signalling pathways in seeds, which has an impact on the whole plant life cycle, not only germination and seedling establishment. A few advantages include higher food nutritional quality, greater output, and improved plant growth and development. The effects of elicitor priming on metabolic pathways, the balance of reactive oxygen species, and plant growth hormones increase stress and disease tolerance while lowering the need for pesticides and fertilisers. To evaluate seed vigour, shoot weight, shoot height, and germination % were employed. Indicating that presowing treatments can have either positive or negative effects on seed vigour depending on the treatment dose, the use of SA and JA in combination as an elicitor had a marginally advantageous effect on seed vigour. To determine their effects and the ideal seed priming dosage, more study is required.

Enhanced expression of OsNAC5 leads to up-regulation of OsNAC6 and changes rice (Oryza sativa L.) ionome.

NAC transcription factors are plant-specific proteins involved in many processes during the plant life cycle and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Previous studies have shown that stress-induced OsNAC5 from rice (Oryza sativa L.) is up-regulated by senescence and might be involved in control of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) concentrations in rice seeds. Aiming a better understanding of the role of OsNAC5 in rice plants, we investigated a mutant line carrying a T-DNA insertion in the promoter of OsNAC5, which resulted in enhanced expression of the transcription factor. Plants with OsNAC5 enhanced expression were shorter at the seedling stage and had reduced yield at maturity. In addition, we evaluated the expression level of OsNAC6, which is co-expressed with OsNAC5, and found that enhanced expression of OsNAC5 leads to increased expression of OsNAC6, suggesting that OsNAC5 might regulate OsNAC6 expression. Ionomic analysis of leaves and seeds from the OsNAC5 enhanced expression line revealed lower Fe and Zn concentrations in leaves and higher Fe concentrations in seeds than in WT plants, further suggesting that OsNAC5 may be involved in regulating the ionome in rice plants. Our work shows that fine-tuning of transcription factors is key when aiming at crop improvement.

Integrating seed microbiome knowledge into restoration and ex situ conservation of native Australian plants

Context Seeds harbour a diversity of microbes, which in some plants aid with germination and establishment. Seeds form a critical part in the lifecycle of plants and a role in many conservation and restoration activities. Aims Because this is an emerging field in seed biology, we aim to highlight the key research gaps of interest to seed on the basis of restoration and ex situ conservation. Methods We identify knowledge gaps associated with the seed endophytic microbiome of native Australian plants through undertaking a literature review. Additionally, culturing methods were used to identify the fungal seed endophytes of five native Australian species. Key results We identified a diversity of taxa within the native seed and show three taxa that are common to all study hosts. Sampling seed from additional hosts at a site and additional sites of a host species showed new fungal diversity. Our literature review showed that little information is available on native seed microbiomes and we identified four key areas where research gaps exist, linking with seed-based restoration practices. Conclusions We provide evidence that there is a complex and diverse seed microbiome within some Australian native plants and suggest ways that it could be integrated into restoration and conservation practices. Implications We propose that by taking into consideration the presence of a seed microbiome and its potential impacts on plant health, seed microbiomes could be used as one method to restore microbial diversity into an ecosystem and to contribute to the seedling microbiome and plant health at restored sites.

Application of a first-order method to estimate the failure probability of component subjected to thermal transients for optimization of design parameters

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been developing “Advanced Reactor Knowledge- and AI-aided Design Integration Approach through the whole plant lifecycle (ARKADIA)” to offer the best solutions for challenges in the design and operation of nuclear plants. A part of ARKADIA for design study, which included design optimization of components, is named as ARKADIA-Design. In the development of ARKADIA-Design, we have been developing a process to automatically optimize design parameters of structural components subjected to various kinds of loads, including thermal transients. In this paper, we propose a simplified procedure to estimate the failure probability of components subjected to thermal transients for design optimization. An objective function of this optimization is defined on the basis of failure probability of the components, because failure probability can be commonly used as an indicator of component integrity for various mechanisms, and it helps future introductions of a risk-informed performance-based approach to component design. To enable the necessary number of estimations for design optimization with practical calculation time, we aimed to reduce the number of analyses required for one estimation. For this purpose, we adopted the first-order second-moment (FOSM) method as the estimation method for failure probability in the process of optimization. An orthogonal table in the experiment design method is utilized to define the conditions of the analyses for evaluation of the mean and variance of thermal transient stress, which are used as inputs in the FOSM method. The superposition of ramp responses is also utilized to evaluate the time history of thermal transient stress instead of finite element analysis. The proposed procedure was applied in a demonstration study to optimize the thickness of a cylindrical vessel subjected to thermal transients derived from shutdown. We confirmed that the procedure can evaluate the failure probability depending on the cylinder thickness with practical calculation time.

Risk management at the stages of the life cycle of NPP projects

The article discusses the issues of risk management at all stages of the life cycle of nuclear power plants. The definition and classification by types of risks that arise during the stages of the life cycle and operation of difficult objects such as nuclear power plants. Risk is anything that has the potential to affect each stage of a facility’s life cycle, performance, longevity, safety, or project budget. Thus, risk management is the process of identifying, classifying, prioritizing and planning risks. This article not only discusses the identification and classification by types of risks that arise during the construction and operation of such complex facilities as nuclear power plants, but also describes the methods for assessing and managing risks, taking into account the specifics of the construction of nuclear power facilities. There are two methods of risk assessment: quantitative and qualitative. The article describes such Quantitative methods as “Scenario Technology”, “Method - Sensitivity Analysis”, “Diagramming Technique - Tree Analysis”, as well as such Qualitative risk assessment methods as “Assessment of the probability of risk and its impact”, “Evaluation Matrix probability/risk of impact”, “Probability and impact”, “Risk classification and assessment of risk urgency. As a result of the analysis of existing risk management methods at all stages of the life cycle, the following conclusions were drawn: Risk identification can occur at any stage of the life cycle of a nuclear power plant, even after completion of construction work and delivery of the project. The maximum number of risks for all stages of the NPP life cycle should be identified at the stage of Sitting and design. The article proposes the format of the risk register table, provides a risk classification scheme, and develops a risk management flow chart at the stages of the NPP life cycle.

Effect of nitrogen deposition on seed germination of ephemeral species in the cold desert

Seed germination is the key initial stage in the plant life cycle and strongly regulated by the external environment. Nitrogen deposition is an important environmental change factor that is increasing and affecting the structure and function of many ecosystems. This research aimed to investigate the effect of nitrogen deposition on the seed germination of nine ephemeral plants, including seed germination percentage, germination index and seed viability under four levels of nitrogen deposition. The germination percentage of the studied species differed significantly in response to nitrogen deposition, but nitrogen deposition has almost no significant effect on germination index. This study can provide information on the germination strategy of ephemeral plants in response to increasing nitrogen deposition in future, and the results can guide ecological conservation in arid areas.

Wound Healing of Quinic Acid in Human Dermal Fibroblasts by Regulating Expression of FN1 and COL1A1 Gene

Quinic acid (QA) is an alicyclic organic acid widely found in plants. It accumulates in varying concentrations of plant species and is actively metabolized throughout the plant's life cycle. Wound healing after skin injury involves a complex interaction of many cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and regenerated immune cells and their interrelating extracellular matrix. In our study, the healing effect of QA on scar tissue was studied. For this aim, oxidative stress, and changes in FN1 and Collogen1α gene levels were examined. For this purpose, fibroblast cells were seeded in 24, 96 and well plates for wound healing, MTT analysis and Real-Time PCR testing (respectively). Wells were drawn with a 100 µL pipette tip for wound line. As a conclusion of our study, it was determined that cell viability increased significantly, especially in the QA 20 µg-ml group at the end of 48 hours. Increased cell viability and antioxidant capacity resulted in increased cell proliferation. Both FN1 and COL1A1 gene expression levels were up regulated in the QA groups compared to the control group. Our findings show for the first time that quinic acid promotes migration and/or proliferation of fibroblasts by regulating oxidative stress and the FN1A and COL1A1 genes. This activity may be related to the production of FN1A and COL1A1, which are considered important targets for modulation of the tissue repair process.

Bacteria Associated with the Roots of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) at Different Development Stages: Diversity and Plant Growth Promotion.

Current agricultural methodologies are vulnerable to erratic climate and are dependent on cost-intensive fertilization to ensure high yields. Sustainable practices should be pursued to ensure food security. Phaseolus vulgaris L. is one of the most produced legumes worldwide and may be an alternative to reduce the environmental impact of meat production as a reliable source of high-quality protein. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are emerging as a sustainable option to increase agricultural production. To understand the dynamics between plants and microorganisms, the culturable microbiota of bean roots was isolated and identified at distinct stages of plant development (early and late vegetative growth, flowering, and pod) and root compartments (rhizoplane, endosphere, and nodules). Diversity and abundance of bacteria associated with root compartments differed throughout the plant life cycle. Bacterial plant growth promotion (PGP) and protection abilities (indole-3-acetic acid production, siderophore synthesis, and antifungal activity) were assessed and associated with plant phenology, demonstrating that among the bacteria associated with plant roots, several strains had an active role in the response to plant biological needs at each stage. Several strains stood out for their ability to display one or more PGP traits, being excellent candidates for efficient stage-specific biostimulants for application in precision agriculture.

Qualitative Assessment of MWCNT- Treated Grains of Some Food Cereals

Abstract: The advancement in nanotechnology and its utilisation in agriculture increases agricultural output. To protect crops from numerous plant diseases and pests, excessive chemical, pesticide, and fungicide use can be replaced with nanoparticles. The first step of plant growth, seed germination, is thought to be the most delicate time in a plant's life cycle. The effects of carbon nanotubes on seed quality and seed content both before and after treatment are discussed in this study. Rice, wheat, and oat grains were compared with the seeds harvested from MWCNT (multiwalled carbon nanotubes) treated plants at three different concentrations (70, 80, and 90μg/ml) and indicated no significant changes in various components such as carbohydrates, protein, crude fat, crude fibre, moisture and ash contents when compared to untreated grains. Grain primed with MWCNT before sowing resulted in no change in the above components, but an increase in mineral accumulation was found. Here, we noticed a significant increase in grain yield. The treatment of MWCNT enhanced the growth of grains count by two folds compared to the control plant. The wheat grain had a moisture content: 9.3-9.38%, ash content: 1.31-1.35%, crude fat: 0.9-0.93%, crude fibre: 1.1-1.13%, protein content: 9.2-9.38%, carbohydrate content: 77.96-78.04%. The rice grain had a moisture content: 9.98-10.25%, ash content: 0.42-0.45%, crude fat: 1.00-1.02%, crude fibre: 0.9-0.93%, protein content: 4.42-4.49%, carbohydrate content: 82.92-83.03%. The oat grain had a moisture content: 8.95-9.3%, ash content: 1.74-1.8%, crude fat: 2.1-2.3%, crude fibre: 5.1-5.27%, protein content: 9.5-9.59%, carbohydrate content: 71.78-72.23%. The study revealed that the examined MWCNT concentrations might efficiently enhance the grain yield without altering the grain quality.