Longest Root Length Research Articles

Overexpression of rice High-affinity Potassium Transporter gene OsHKT1;5 improves salinity and drought tolerance in Arabidopsis.

Rice is subjected to various environmental stresses, resulting in significant production losses. Abiotic stresses, particularly drought and salinity, are the leading causes of plant damage worldwide. The High-affinity Potassium Transporter (HKT) gene family plays an important role in enhancing crop stress tolerance by regulating physiological and enzymatic functions. This study investigates the effect of overexpressing the rice HKT1;5 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana on its tolerance to salinity and drought. The OsHKT1;5 gene was introduced into Arabidopsis under the control of 35S promoter of CaMV via floral dip transformation method. PCR confirmed the integration of the transgene into the Arabidopsis genome, while qPCR analysis showed its expression. Three transgenic lines of OsHKT1;5 were used for stress treatment and phenotypic studies. The overexpressed lines showed considerably higher germination rates, increased leaf counts, greater fresh and dry weights of the roots and shoots, higher chlorophyll contents, longer root lengths, and reduced Na+ levels together with increased K+ ions levels after salt and drought treatments, in comparison to wild-type plants. Furthermore, overexpressed lines exhibited higher antioxidant levels than wild-type plants under salinity and drought conditions. In addition, transgenic lines showed higher expression levels of the OsHKT1;5 gene in both roots and shoots compared to wild-type plants. In conclusion, this study revealed OsHKT1;5 as a promising candidate for enhancing tolerance to salinity and drought stresses in rice, marking a significant step toward developing a new rice variety with improved abiotic stress tolerance.

Development Of Mutant From Lemon Leaves By Using Gamma Radiation And Leaf Cut Method Under Glass House And Field Condition

An experiment was conducted at the Horticulture division of Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), Mymensingh during the period from March 2024 to September 2024 to develop mutants from lemon leaves by using gamma radiation and leaf cut method under glasshouse and field conditions to find out the appropriate combination of irradiation dose and suitable environment on success, survivability, and growth of lemon. The experiment was consisted of two factors such as Environmental condition: (i) glass house and field condition and (ii) Nine gamma radiation levels (0 GY, 60 GY,80Gy,100Gy, 120 GY,140 GY,160 GY,180 GY and 200 GY).Mature leaves were collected from BINA Lebu-1 mother plants.Collected leaves were exposed by different doses of gamma radiation separately with 60 GY, 80GY, 100 GY, 120 GY, 140 GY, 160 GY,180 GY, 200 GY, and also a control at BINA from 60Co gamma radiation sources. The experiment was laid out in RCBD with three replications. Total 18 treatment combinations of the environmental condition and radiation levels. Irradiated leaves of lemon were planted in the unit plots on 8 March 2023 in the afternoon with spacing of 15cmx15cm (row to row and leaf to leaf distance). Different environmental condition showed significantly influenced on almost all the mentioned parameters studied concerned with growth and growth contributing characteristics. The highest percentage of success and survivability was found in glass house condition and the lowest % success and %survivability was found in field condition.The glasshouse condition producedhigher number of roots(4.77), longer root length(9.24cm), diameter of shoot( 4.95mm), higher number of leaves per plant(50.66) and field condition produced lower number of roots(3.55), smallest longer root length(7.14cm), lower diameter of shoot(2.26mm), lower number of leaves(43.00) per plant compared to the field condition. The application of 120GY irradiation level produced the highest number of roots (8.50), longest root length (16.1cm),the highest diameter of shoot (5.65mm), andthe highest number of leaves per plant (70.00) as compared to control. The combined effect of environmental condition and gamma radiations was statistically significant on the success, survivability and growth.120GY irradiation level in glasshouse condition produced the maximum roots (7.00), the longest root length (17.5.cm), the largest diameter of shoot (4.80mm), highest canopy volume (0.12m3 ) and the maximum leaves per plant (73.00). Similarly, the lowest values were in respect of almost all the mentioned parameters were found at field condition with control treatment. Therefore, the overall results indicate that glasshouse condition with 120 GY might be an efficient and eligible practice for developing mutant from leaves

Effect of IBA on Rooting and Growth of (Ixora chinensis L.) Terminal Cutting

The experiment was conducted at College of Horticulture, Dapoli under Dr. Balasaheb Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, in 2023. It comes under tropical location with an average well distributed rainfall 3500-4000 mm during June to October. The soil is come under lateritic textural class varied with loam, clay, sandy loam. Ixora is popular ornamental but difficult to root plant was used for the experiment. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with eight treatments and three replications. Mature terminal cuttings of size 10-15 cm length with 4-5 leaves are dip for 5 min in the solution consisting different Indole Butryic Acid concentrations i.e. (control) 250, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000 ppm solutions. The cuttings under study recorded significant variation with respect to all the parameters, The results showed that among all treatments survival percentage (60%) maximum plant height (18.17cm), maximum number of leaves (14.08), stem girth (3.91 mm), longest root length (9.03cm), number of secondary roots (17.93), fresh and dry weight of shoot ( 3.55, 1.03g), fresh and dry weight of root (1.40, 1.18g) was recoded in T4 treatment consisting 1000 ppm IBA solution. However, for maximum number of primary roots (7.27) was observed in T3 (500 ppm) treatment.

The potential use of Epilobium hirsutum L. in phytoremediation of zinc and an efficient method for in vitro propagation

This study aimed to evaluate the capacity of Epilobium hirsutum L, a wetland plant, to accumulate and tolerate zinc and its in vitro propagation potential. Root-shoot length, fresh weight, pigment, and protein content were analyzed in the plants grown in different Zn concentrations, including 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 75, 100,150, and 200 mg Zn/L. In the seedlings grown at 50 and 75 mg Zn/L concentrations, a reduction in the relative root length, shoot length, and fresh weight was detected. It was found that there was a negative correlation between pigment and protein contents of E. hirsutum and increased zinc concentrations of solutions. On the other hand, it was determined that a considerable amount of zinc was accumulated by E. hirsutum in its roots (10 598 mg Zn/kg DW). In tissue culture experiments, it was found that MS medium was effective for the germination of the plant (97%). When the growth parameters of plants grown in different concentrations of Gibberellic acid were evaluated, the highest growth parameters were obtained at 50 mg/L. It has been concluded that the most successful mediums on shoot development were 1.0BAP/1.0NAA and 1.0BAP/1.0IBA. The highest number of shoots per explant was 1.0BAP/1.0NAA (3.96). The longest root length was also determined on medium with 1.0BAP/1.0IBA (0.28 cm). Regenerated shoots were transferred to different concentrations of root mediums. It was concluded that MS medium with 1.0IBA has been superior for root formation compared to other hormone concentrations.

Response of Types of Cuttings and IBA Concentration from First Sprout to Highest Sprouting and Rooting in Crossandra (Crossandra infundibuliformis L.)

The present investigation was conducted under Konkan Agro-climatic conditions at College of Horticulture, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri (India) during the kharif season (2023-2024). The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) with twelve treatment combinations and three replications. Present investigation found that in types of stem cuttings treatment C1 :Softwood cuttings was found best with respect to minimum days to first sprout, days to highest sprouting , maximum number of new sprouts/cuttings, girth of sprout, length of new sprout, number of leaves, leaf area, survival(%), fresh weight of shoot, dry weight of shoot, absolute growth rate, relative growth rate, number of roots, length of longest root, fresh weight of root, dry weight of root, shoot to root ratio. In different IBA concentration treatment H4 : IBA@2000ppm was found best with respect to minimum days to first sprout, days to highest sprouting , maximum number of new sprouts/cuttings, girth of sprout, length of new sprout, number of leaves, leaf area, survival(%), fresh weight of shoot, dry weight of shoot, absolute growth rate, relative growth rate, number of roots, length of longest root, fresh weight of root, dry weight of root. In interaction effect treatment C1H4 (Softwood cuttings treated with IBA@2000 ppm) is found to be most effective among all other treatment combinations in terms of most of the parameters such as Sprouting percentage, Number of new sprouts/cuttings, Length of sprout/cuttings, Girth of new sprout, Number of leaves/cuttings, Leaf area, Survival percentage, Fresh weight of shoot, Relative Growth Rate, Fresh weight to dry weight of shoot ratio, Number of roots.

Standardization of Various Chemical Seed Priming on Seed Quality Parameters in Black Gram (Vigna mungo)

Black gram is an important pulse crop in India. It is a major source of dietary protein for the poor people and provides nutritional security. It is mostly grown by the small and marginal farmers under resource constraints situation particularly in rainfed and rice fallow conditions. Seed priming is one such effective technology to achieve high growth, vigor, better stand establishment. The current study aimed to study the standardization of various chemical on crop growth in black gram. A laboratory experiment was conducted in Factorial Completely Randomized Design (FCRD) with three replications using various concentrations (1%, 2%, 3% and 4 %) as first factor and different durations (4 and 6 h) of priming as second factor and different chemicals such as ZnSO4, MnCl2, MgSO4, CaCl2, KCl and KNO3 as third factor. Seeds were primed with different chemicals in different concentrations and in different duration evaluated for its quality parameters to find out suitable seed priming technique. Among all treatments seed priming with ZnSO4 1% for 6 hours recorded higher germination (98%), longest root length (22.17 cm), shoot length (19.15 cm), higher seedling dry matter production (0.93 g seedlings-10), fresh weight (8.93 g seedlings-10) and vigor index (4004) than control under laboratory experiment. The results indicate that use of ZnSO4 1% for 6 hours enhances the seed performance regarding seed quality characters.

Improved morphological and yield responses of green lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown with seaweed extract as a hydroponic nutrient solution

Sargassum polycystum is among the seaweed species in the Philippines that are considered coastal waste after drifting on the shorelines. Although there has been a report on the potential of S. polycystum as a biostimulant for certain crops, its utilization as a hydroponic nutrient solution is not yet thoroughly analyzed. Thus, a study utilizes various ratios of S. polycystum seaweed extract (SE) mixed with commercial hydroponic nutrient solution (CHNS) to the growth and yield of green leaf lettuce grown under the Kratky method of hydroponic system. Treatments are 100% CHNS and percentage replacements of CHNS with SE (25%, 50%, and 75%, respectively). The result shows a 10.53% increase in lettuce plant height grown under 25% and 50% SE compared to 100% CHNS. A similar result is also observed in the lettuce leaf width (14.29%), leaf length (7.14%), and plant weight (22.41%). Regarding root length, replacing 50% SE resulted in longer root length (44.83%) and more leaves (10%) compared to lettuce plants grown under 100% CHNS. However, replacement of SE beyond 50% is detrimental to leaf length and comparable to all growth and yield parameters with 100% CHNS. Regarding the return on investment, 50% SE replacement has the highest return of 98.62% compared to 100% CHNS, with 49.87% only for a projected six cropping cycles. Hence, a 50% replacement of CHNS with SE from its recommended rate can be suggested for more profitable production of green leaf lettuce under a hydroponic system.

Growth and Yield Performance of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.) Swayed by Mulching and Organic Fertilizers

The utilization of organic fertilizers is currently on the rise to sustain higher food quality while minimizing environmental pollution. Mulching with organic materials maintains soil physical conditions, crucial for realizing a crop’s genetic yield potential even when all other requirements are met. Hence, a field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of mustard oil cake (MOC), poultry manure (PM) and vermicompost (V) alone and in combination with mulching (Mu) on growth and yield parameters of Tomato. Significant increases were (p ≤ 0.05) observed in plant height, leaf number, leaf area, stem girth, root length and root girth of tomato plants compared to the control (T1), where no fertilizers were applied. At 90 days after transplantation (DAT), the T9 (V8Mu0) treatment resulted in the highest plant height (142 cm) and the longest root length (25 cm) while the maximum quantity of fresh weight (154.63 g plant-1) for tomato plant was obtained from the treatment T6, which received vermicompost at 4 t ha-1 with mulching. Application of poultry manure at the rate of 8 t ha-1 without mulching (T8) resulted in a significant higher number (14 fruits plant-1) of green tomatoes. Fresh weight of green tomatoes were varied significantly (p ≤ 0.05) among the treatments with the maximum fresh weight obtained from the T₉ (128.97 g plant-1) and the minimum from T₁ (12.73 g plant-1) treatments. Nitrogen, P, K, Ca, Mg and S of green tomatoes varied significantly among the treatments. The utmost P, K, S, Ca and Mg contents (0.72, 6.26, 0.23, 0.54 and 0.31 g kg-1, respectively) of green tomatoes were recorded in the treatment T₆ (V₄Mu). Hence, the utilization of organic fertilizers, either alone or in conjunction with mulching, markedly enhanced the growth and yield of the tested vegetable, offering viable strategies for enhancing the yield potential. Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 33(2): 53-65, 2024 (July)

The transcription factor TabZIP156 acts as a positive regulator in response to drought tolerance in Arabidopsis and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Drought stress strongly restricts the growth, development, and yield of wheat worldwide. Among the various transcription factors (TFs) involved in the wheat drought response, the specific functions of many basic leucine zipper (bZIP) TFs related to drought tolerance are still not well understood. In this study, we focused on the bZIP TF TabZIP156 in wheat. Our analysis showed that TabZIP156 was highly expressed in both roots and leaves, and it responded to drought and abscisic acid (ABA) stress. Through subcellular localization and transactivation assays, we confirmed that TabZIP156 was located to the nucleus and functioned as a transcriptional activator. Overexpression of TabZIP156 in Arabidopsis enhanced drought tolerance, as evidenced by higher germination rate, longer root length, lower water loss rate, reduced ion leakage, increased proline accumulation, decreased levels of H2O2, O2− and MDA, and improved activities of POD, SOD, and CAT enzymes. Additionally, the expression of drought- and antioxidant-related genes were significantly upregulated in TabZIP156 transgenic Arabidopsis under drought stress. However, silencing TabZIP156 in wheat led to decreased proline content, increased accumulation of H2O2, O2− and MDA, reduced activities of antioxidant enzymes, and downregulation of many drought- and antioxidant-related genes under drought stress. Furthermore, the dual-luciferase assay demonstrated that TabZIP156 could activate the expression of TaP5CS, TaDREB1A, and TaPOD by binding to their promoters. Taken together, this study highlights the significant role of TabZIP156 in drought stress and provides valuable insights for its potential application in breeding drought-resistant wheat.

Research on the rapid tissue breeding technology of the endangered plant Cibotium barometz (L.) J. Sm.

Cibotium barometz (L.) J. Sm., a fern, holds significant value in traditional Chinese medicine. This research aimed to establish a rapid tissue breeding technology for Cibotium barometz (L.) and provide a theoretical basis for its artificial breeding and industrial planting. The optimum conditions for spores germination were selected, including both the best sterilization time and the ideal spore germination medium. Subsequently, the optimal medium for proliferation and differentiation were chosen, and the optimal concentration of plant hormones was screened to determine the optimal medium. The rooting experiment was performed in two single-factor experiments by using differentiated sporophytes as materials. These experiments showed that the optimal sterilization time was 11 min and the best medium for germination was 1/8MS + 0.02 mg/L IAA. MS medium was suitable for proliferation, while WPM medium was suitable for sporophyte differentiation. The best medium for growth was MS + 1.0 mg/L IAA + 0.5 mg/L 6-BA. In the absence of sucrose, the seedlings barely grew and failed to differentiate into sporophytes. They showed optimal growth and differentiation at a sucrose concentration of 20 g/L. The plant growth regulators plant growth regulators used, including IAA, NAA, 6-BA, and GA3, showed more effective differentiation, wherease KT had a slightly weaker effect. The rooting rate reached the maximum when the concentrations of ABT and IBA were at 1.5 mg•L− 1 and IAA was at 1.0 mg•L− 1. The IBA had a significant effect on the average and the longest root length, while the three PGRs had no obvious effect on the average or maximum diameter. Plant tissue culture seedlings still have good genetic stability after subsequent generation. In this study, the optimal cultivation conditions for rapid breeding technology in tissue culture, covering stages from germination and growth to differentiation and rooting, were obtained. Moreover, sporophytes were successfully transplanted to the external environment. This study provided a theoretical reference for the industrial planting of C. barometz.

Genome-Wide Identification of the WRKY Gene Family in Four Cotton Varieties and the Positive Role of GhWRKY31 in Response to Salt and Drought Stress.

The WRKY gene family is ubiquitously distributed in plants, serving crucial functions in stress responses. Nevertheless, the structural organization and evolutionary dynamics of WRKY genes in cotton have not been fully elucidated. In this study, a total of 112, 119, 217, and 222 WRKY genes were identified in Gossypium arboreum, Gossypium raimondii, Gossypium hirsutum, and Gossypium barbadense, respectively. These 670 WRKY genes were categorized into seven distinct subgroups and unequally distributed across chromosomes. Examination of conserved motifs, domains, cis-acting elements, and gene architecture collectively highlighted the evolutionary conservation and divergence within the WRKY gene family in cotton. Analysis of synteny and collinearity further confirmed instances of expansion, duplication, and loss events among WRKY genes during cotton evolution. Furthermore, GhWRKY31 transgenic Arabidopsis exhibited heightened germination rates and longer root lengths under drought and salt stress. Silencing GhWRKY31 in cotton led to reduced levels of ABA, proline, POD, and SOD, along with downregulated expression of stress-responsive genes. Yeast one-hybrid and molecular docking assays confirmed the binding capacity of GhWRKY31 to the W box of GhABF1, GhDREB2, and GhRD29. The findings collectively offer a systematic and comprehensive insight into the evolutionary patterns of cotton WRKYs, proposing a suitable regulatory framework for developing cotton cultivars with enhanced resilience to drought and salinity stress.

HcLEA113, a late embryogenesis abundant protein gene, positively regulates drought-stress responses in kenaf.

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins have been widely recognized for their role in various abiotic stress responses in higher plants. Nevertheless, the specific mechanism responsible for the function of LEA proteins in plants has not yet been explored. This research involved the isolation and characterization of HcLEA113 from kenaf, revealing a significant increase in its expression in response to drought stress. When HcLEA113 was introduced into yeast, it resulted in an improved survival rate under drought conditions. Furthermore, the overexpression of HcLEA113 in tobacco plants led to enhanced tolerance to drought stress. Specifically, HcLEA113-OE plants exhibited higher germination rates, longer root lengths, greater chlorophyll content, and higher relative water content under drought stress compared to wild-type (WT) plants, while their relative conductivity was significantly lower than that of WT plants. Further physiological measurements revealed that the proline content, soluble sugars, and antioxidant activities of WT and HcLEA113-OE tobacco leaves increased significantly under drought stress, with greater changes in HcLEA113-OE plants than WT. The increase in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anions (O2 -), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content was significantly lower in HcLEA113-OE lines than in WT plants. Additionally, HcLEA113-OE plants can activate reactive oxygen species (ROS)- and osmotic-related genes in response to drought stress. On the other hand, silencing the HcLEA113 gene through virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in kenaf plants led to notable growth suppression when exposed to drought conditions, manifesting as decreased plant height and dry weight. Meanwhile, antioxidant enzymes' activity significantly decreased and the ROS content increased. This study offers valuable insights for future research on the genetic engineering of drought resistance in plants.

Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Mass Propagation of Strawberry (Fragaria sp.)

Efficient in vitro regeneration protocols for strawberries are crucial for accelerating the propagation of superior cultivars and improving overall productivity through controlled manipulation of plant growth regulators. This study investigated the influence of different concentrations and combinations of plant growth regulators on in vitro regeneration process of strawberries. BARI Strawberry-1 runner tips were sterilized and placed on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with various combinations of cytokinins, including 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and kinetin (KIN), to initiate shoot growth. Notably, the combination of 1.5 mg/L BAP + 1.0 mg/L KIN led to the shortest duration for shoot initiation (9 days), resulting in the highest number of shoots per explants (6.33), longest shoot length (2.87 cm), and maximum number of leaves per shoot (4.00). Additionally, this combination also exhibited the highest rate of shoot regeneration (70.33%). Subsequently, the proliferated shoots were transferred to MS medium supplemented with various concentrations and combinations of auxins, specifically 3-indolebutyric acid (IBA) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), for root induction. The in vitro regenerated shoots cultured in MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/L IBA + 1.0 mg/L NAA showed the shortest duration for root formation (8 days), the highest number of roots per explants (4.00), and the longest root length (2.77 cm). Furthermore, this combination also resulted in the highest rate of root regeneration (40%). These findings contribute valuable insights for the mass production of healthy strawberry plantlets using in vitro culture techniques. J Bangladesh Agril Univ 22(2):178-184, 2024

Генотипни различия в растежната активност на семената от сортове зимен ечемик

At the Institute of Agriculture - Karnobat, Bulgaria, laboratory research was conducted on 5 varieties of two-row and 5 varieties of multi-row winter barley. The aim of the research is to determine the genotypic differences in the initial growth of winter barley varieties. The varieties were studied in a laboratory experiment using the roll method. Number of indicators number of roots (number), length of roots (cm), length of the first leaf (cm) were recorded. 20 seeds of each variety were placed on filter paper in 3 replicates. The rolls are immersed in water and after 10 days the length of the first leaf, the number of roots and their length are counted. The results of the analysis show that Zahir and Alexan varieties form the largest number of roots. The Lardeya and Bozhin varieties form the smallest number of roots. The Kuber and Siela varieties have the longest root length and the first leaf. The varieties Zahir and Achinora have the smallest root length, and Lardea and Zemela have the smallest length of the first leaf. To improve the length of the first leaf, good combinations are expected when crossing the varieties Daria, Bozhin with Alexan, Achinora. Siela, Zemela, Alexan and Achinora varieties are genetically the most distant from Lardea, Kuber and Zahir in terms of length and number of roots. It is recommended to use them for crosses in order to create a better root system.

Comprehensive identification of maize ZmE2F transcription factors and the positive role of ZmE2F6 in response to drought stress

BackgroundThe early 2 factor (E2F) family is characterized as a kind of transcription factor that plays an important role in cell division, DNA damage repair, and cell size regulation. However, its stress response has not been well revealed.ResultsIn this study, ZmE2F members were comprehensively identified in the maize genome, and 21 ZmE2F genes were identified, including eight E2F subclade members, seven DEL subfamily genes, and six DP genes. All ZmE2F proteins possessed the DNA-binding domain (DBD) characterized by conserved motif 1 with the RRIYD sequence. The ZmE2F genes were unevenly distributed on eight maize chromosomes, showed diversity in gene structure, expanded by gene duplication, and contained abundant stress-responsive elements in their promoter regions. Subsequently, the ZmE2F6 gene was cloned and functionally verified in drought response. The results showed that the ZmE2F6 protein interacted with ZmPP2C26, localized in the nucleus, and responded to drought treatment. The overexpression of ZmE2F6 enhanced drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis with longer root length, higher survival rate, and biomass by upregulating stress-related gene transcription.ConclusionsThis study provides novel insights into a greater understanding and functional study of the E2F family in the stress response.

GhMAPK3, a mitogen-activated protein kinase, enhance salt and drought tolerance in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)

Multiple abiotic stresses, such as drought and high salinity, seriously limit cotton production. However, the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) could play a critical role in responding to multiple environmental abiotic stresses. In this study, one of the MAPKs in cotton, GhMAPK3 (GH_D03G1517), was cloned and its role in drought and salt stress tolerance was investigated. The qRT-PCR assays demonstrated that GhMAPK3 predominantly expressed in leaf and root parts and showed higher expression under salt and drought stress. Subcellular localization assays revealed that GhMAPK3 was distributed in the nucleus and cytoplasm. The silenced of GhMAPK3 could decrease the tolerance of cotton plants under salt and drought stress via virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) experiments. In GhMAPK3-slienced plants, the expression of stress-responsive genes has been revealed to be down-regulated levels, while the oxidants and antioxidant enzymes showed relatively higher levels and relatively lower levels, respectively. We further acquired three GhMAPK3 overexpression Arabidopsis lines, and they showed higher drought and salt tolerance than the wild-type (WT) plants, the chlorophyll content and relative leaf water content were found to be relatively stable through GhMAPK3 overexpressed plants under the abiotic stress. Further investigation revealed that GhMAPK3 showed a higher germination rate and longer root length under salt and drought stress. Overall, our findings revealed that the GhMAPK3 gene plays a prominent role in drought and salt tolerance and offers knowledge on crop genetic improvements.

Studies on the production of tigernut (Cyperus esculentus L.) in Southeastern Nigeria, I: Effect of seven complementary fertilizer treatments on growth and yield of tigernut in pot

Tigernuts have so many food and medicinal potentials as it contains some amount of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Despite the food and health benefits associated with this tuber, its production in southern Nigeria is at an abysmal level probably due to lack of knowledge for its production or utility. This experiment was conducted at the University of Nigeria Teaching and Research Farm to evaluate the effect of seven complementary fertilizer treatments on the growth and yield of tigernut. The experiment is an attempt to develop appropriate agronomic practice that will assure regular cultivation culture. The experimental design was a completely randomized design with seven fertilizer treatments and replicated 10 times. Treatments were NPK 15:15:15 (300 kg/ha), NPK 20:10:10 (300 kg/ha), poultry manure, PM, (5 t/ha), NPK 15:15:15 (150 kg/ha) + 3 t/ha PM, NPK 20:10:10 (150 kg/ha) + 3 t/ha PM, K-nitrate (100 kg/ha) + Ca-nitrate (100 kg/ha) + 2.5 t/ha PM and control (No fertilizer application). Fertilizer treatments significantly (p < 0.05) influenced growth and yield parameters except fresh weight of leaves, length of longest root and weight of seed planted. Significantly (p < 0.05) superior values of growth and yield parameters were obtained in plants grown with NPK 15:15:15 (300 kg/ha), followed closely by the application of NPK 20:10:10 at 150 kg/ha plus 3 t/ha PM. This study recommends application of NPK 15:15:15 (300 kg/ha) or the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizer (NPK 20:10:10 at 150 kg/ha plus 3 t/ha PM) to boost the yield and growth of tigernut.

Comparative effects of humic acid and charcoal on soil, growth, and biomass properties of lupine (Lupinus albus L.)

Recently, charcoal and humic acid application in soils is a burgeoning area of research due to its profound impact on soil properties and crop yields. Charcoal contributes to improved soil structure, enhanced water-holding capacity, and increased carbon sequestration while humic acid, a component of organic matter, enhances nutrient retention and availability, fostering healthier plant growth and long-term soil health. The experiments were conducted on November 20, 2022, at Grdarasha Research Station, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Iraq. Two organic sources (humic acid and charcoal) were used to improve soil chemical properties, growth, and biomass characteristics of white lupines. Humic acid at the levels of (0, 10, and 15 g m-2), respectively along with 1 kg m-2 of charcoal. Results showed that essential elements and heavy metals in soil were increased and improved with adding humic acid and charcoal, and then well-affected root ability to uptake nutrients. The great values of germination rate, leaf number (LN), and fresh and dry shoot weights were found when charcoal was stirred to the soil (83.33%, 15.67 LN plant-1, 10.91, and 2.24 t ha-1), respectively. While the longest root length was recorded when humic acid applied at rate of 10 g m-2 (24.22 cm), it was true about the enhancement of cluster roots. Despite that, humic acid at the rate of 15 g m-2 caused to improve fresh and dry root and shoot weights, which were compared to control treatment. The final results indicated that by adding humic acid (H), and charcoal (CH) could improve soil chemical properties, and then may affect positively microorganisms, which can promote plant growth by transforming, solubilizing, and mobilizing soil nutrients. As well, lupinus seemed as phytoremediation (uptake) in case of some heavy metals.

Effect of different soil media on rooting of dragon fruit cuttings

The present study was carried out at the Fruit Nursery, Department of Fruit Science, Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidypeeth, Akola.With the aim to investigate the effect of various compositions of soil media and to find the proper composition for better rooting of dragon fruit cuttings. The design of experiment was CRD with five replications consisting of seven treatment combinations viz., T1-Soil:Sand:FYM, T2-Soil:Red Soil:FYM, T3-Soil:Silt:FYM, T4-Soil:Sand:Vermicompost, T5-Soil:Red Soil:Vermicompost, T6-Soil:Silt:Vermicompost with ratio of 2:1:1 and T7 was control (100% Soil). All the data were recorded on different growth parameters of selected representative cuttings which were selected at random from each replication. Treatment T5 i.e. Soil:Red Soil:Vermicompost in ratio 2:1:1 displayed superior performance articulated in terms of root growth parameters viz., number of root per cutting (58.2), root length (21.54 cm), root diameter (2.36 mm), length of longest root (23.66 cm), average number of roots (53.62), average length of root (20.96 cm), root volume (1.82 cc), fresh weight of root (5.18 g), dry weight of root (0.86 g) and survival percentage (97.59%) among different treatments for successful propagation of dragon fruit cuttings.

A small heat shock protein (SlHSP17.3) in tomato plays a positive role in salt stress.

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are molecular chaperones that are widely present in plants and play a vital role in the response of plants to various environmental stimuli. This study employed transgenic Arabidopsis to investigate the impact of the new tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) sHSP protein (SlHSP17.3) on salt stress tolerance. Transient conversion analysis of Arabidopsis protoplasts revealed that SlHSP17.3 localized to the cytoplasm. Furthermore, as suggested by expression analysis, salt stress stimulated SlHSP17.3 expression, suggesting that SlHSP17.3 is involved in the salt stress response of plants. SlHSP17.3-overexpressing plants presented greater germination rates, fresh weights, chlorophyll contents, and Fv/Fm ratios, as well as longer root lengths, lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and lighter cell membrane injury under salt stress. Furthermore, certain stress-related genes (AtCOR15, AtDREB1B, and AtHSFA2) were up-regulated in salt-stressed transgenic plants. Overall, SlHSP17.3 overexpression improved the salt stress resistance of transgenic plants, mainly through increasing AtCOR15, AtDREB1B, and AtHSFA2 expression.