Male Flowers Research Articles

Litsea vagamonica (Lauraceae): a new species from southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India

A new species in the family Lauraceae, Litsea vagamonica is described and illustrated from the Vagamon Hills, Kerala, India. The new species is similar to Litsea wightiana, from which it differs by its glabrous branchlets, thinly coriaceous leaves, glabrous on both surfaces, with acute to acuminate apex, glabrous petioles, densely puberulent brachyblasts, fulvous-tomentose involucral bracts, the inner ones with 6-nerves, stamens with stipitate glands, presence of a pistillode in male flowers, an ellipsoid, sparsely pubescent ovary in female flowers, and an ellipsoid fruit with puberulent fruit cupule on a glabrous, 0.9–1.2 cm long pedicel.

The transcription factor CpMYB62 controls the genetic network that leads to the determination of female flowers in Cucurbita pepo.

In monoecious species, female flowering constitutes the developmental process that determines the onset and production of fruit and is therefore closely related to crop yield. This article presents the identification and phenotypic and molecular characterization of myb62, an ethylmethane sulfonate loss-of-function mutation that completely blocks the female floral transition, converting all female flowers into male flowers. BSA-seq analysis coupled with WGS showed that myb62 corresponds to a C>T transition in the coding region of the gene CpMYB62, generating a premature stop codon and a truncated transcription factor without its N-terminal effector domain. The myb62 phenotype was partially rescued by exogenous ethylene application, indicating that the function of CpMYB62 is mediated by ethylene. Different evidence supports this conclusion: first, the reduced ethylene production of the mutant, and second, the male flower productive phenotype of the double mutant between myb62 and the ethylene-insensitive mutant etr2b, which demonstrated that myb62 is epistatic over etr2b. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis of WT and myb62 apical shoots confirmed that CpMYB62 regulates master sex-determining genes, upregulating those encoding the ethylene biosynthesis enzymes CpACO2B and CpACS27A and those encoding for transcription factors that promote the development of carpels(CpCRC), but downregulating those involved in the arrest of carpels (CpWIP1), In the gene network controlling sex determination in cucurbits, CpMYB62 occupies the most upstream position, activating ethylene and other sex determining genes involved in female flower determination in Cucurbita pepo.

Comparative proteomic analysis of papaya bud flowers reveals metabolic signatures and pathways driving hermaphrodite development

Papaya (Carica papaya) is a trioecious species with female, male, and hermaphrodite plants. Given the sex segregation, selecting hermaphroditic plants is vital for orchard establishment due to their greater commercial value. However, selecting hermaphrodite plants through sexing is laborious and costly. Moreover, environmental stressors can exacerbate the issue by potentially inducing abnormal flower development, thus affecting fruit quality. Despite these challenges, the molecular mechanisms governing sex development in papaya remain poorly understood. Thus, this study aimed to identify proteins associated with sex development in female and hermaphrodite flowers of papaya through comparative proteomic analysis. Proteins from flower buds at the early and late developmental stages of three papaya genotypes (UENF-CALIMAN 01, JS12, and Sunrise Solo 72/12) were studied via proteomic analysis via the combination of the shotgun method and nanoESI-HDMSE technology. In buds at an early stage of development, 496 (35.9%) proteins exhibited significantly different abundances between sexes for the SS72/12 genotype, 139 (10%) for the JS12 genotype, and 165 (11.9%) for the UC-01 genotype. At the final stage of development, there were 181 (13.5%) for SS72/12, 113 (8.4%) for JS12, and 125 (9.1%) for UC-01. The large group of differentially accumulated proteins (DAPs) between the sexes was related to metabolism, as shown by the observation of only the proteins that exhibited the same pattern of accumulation in the three genotypes. Specifically, carbohydrate metabolism proteins were up-regulated in hermaphrodite flower buds early in development, while those linked to monosaccharide and amino acid metabolism increased during late development. Enrichment of sporopollenin and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways characterizes hermaphrodite samples across developmental stages, with predicted protein interactions highlighting the crucial role of phenylpropanoids in sporopollenin biosynthesis for pollen wall formation. Most of the DAPs played key roles in pectin, cellulose, and lignin synthesis and were essential for cell wall formation and male flower structure development, notably in the pollen coat. These findings suggest that hermaphrodite flowers require more energy for development, likely due to complex pollen wall formation. Overall, these insights illuminate the molecular mechanisms of papaya floral development, revealing complex regulatory networks and energetic demands in the formation of male reproductive structures.

Description of Phenological Events of Persian Walnut (Juglans regia L.) according to the Extended BBCH Scale and Historical Scales

Walnut trees are grown worldwide for their edible fruits, which have high nutritional value. To address climate change, researchers have studied walnut phenology to create cultivars adapted to warmer climates. The objective of this study is to propose a scale for phenological Persian walnut observations using the Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt, und CHemische Industrie (BBCH) codification and alignment with historical alphameric scales. Here, the principal growth stages (PGSs) of Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.) are described using stages from a previously available alphanumeric scale. This standardised phenological scale describes Persian walnut growth from the dormant vegetative state through reproductive budding and senescence. This phenological scale is expected to increase the efficiency of walnut phenological monitoring. Fifty-seven stages are used to describe the life cycle of Persian walnut in this BBCH scale. Of these 57 stages, 3 stages are dedicated to seed germination (PGS-0), 4 stages are dedicated to bud development (PGS-0), 7 stages are dedicated to leaf development (PGS-1), 4 stages are dedicated to stem elongation (PGS-3), 8 stages are dedicated to inflorescence emergence (PGS-5), 5 stages are dedicated to male flowering (PGS-6), 5 stages are dedicated to female flowering (PGS-6), 5 stages are dedicated to fruit development (PGS-7), 12 stages are dedicated to fruit ripening (PGS-8), and 4 stages are dedicated to leaf senescence (PGS-9).

Effect of Irrigation Cuttings at Different Growth Stages and Spraying with Citrullus Colocynthis Extract on the Leaf Water Balance of two Cultivars of Zea Mays L.

A study in the real world with a Randomised Complete Block Design (R.C.B.D.) utilising a split-split diagrams layout with three separate replicates was carried out at the research facility of the college's water resources and soil sciences department at the Agriculture faculty / University of Diyala in the autumn season 2022. The experiment included three stages of cutting off irrigation: male flowering, milky stage, and three concentration levels of Citrullus Colocoynthis extract. Two cultivars of Zea mays L. were used: AGN720 and JAMESON. The concentration levels were 50 ml L-1 and 100 ml L-1, respectively, and two cultivars were used: AGN720 and JAMESON Citrullus Colocoynthis extract has an anti-transpiration effect on the water balance of leaves and water use efficacy of Zea mays L. grown under water stress conditions. The most important results are as follows: the AGN720 variety recorded the best water use efficiency, with an increase of 9.04% compared to the JAMESON variety. Spraying the extract of Citrullus Colocoynthis as anti-transpiration at a concentrate level of 100 ml L-1 increased the capability of water retention, relative water content, and water use efficiency. The irrigation cut-off treatment in the milky phase stage had the best water use efficiency, saving 2.559 kg of grain m-3 water compared to the no-cut irrigation treatment.

Production and verification of novel Osmanthus hybrids

Osmanthus fragrans Lour. is prized for its fragrant, cool-season blooms, smooth leaves, and compact tree form; however, the species is limited in production and use to USDA Hardiness Zones 7 and higher. Increasing the total amount of genetic variability available for evaluation, selection, and breeding is foundational to the development of novel Osmanthus cultivars with increased cold-hardiness and improved ornamental characteristics such as high rooting rates, faster growth, fragrant flowers, and an evergreen or semi-evergreen habit. Hybridization among Osmanthus species should generate novel phenotypes and allow trait introgression among populations and breeding lines. The objectives of this study were to produce, verify, and evaluate Osmanthus hybrids by making controlled and open-pollinated crosses among Osmanthus species, using SSR markers to determine parentage of cross progeny, and comparing flowering, leaf shape, and form of hybrids offspring with parents. Fifty-eight of 66 progenies (88%) were assigned paternity at the 95% confidence level or above and 47 progenies (71%) were assigned paternity at the 99% confidence level. Novel Osmanthus hybrids were produced including O. armatus × O. fortunei, O. armatus × O. heterophyllus, and O. armatus × O. fragrans. Open-pollinated families increased in height an average of 204% and 159% per year in the first and second growing seasons, respectively. Male flower type was significantly associated with progeny flower type (χ2 = 17.5, p < 0.0001) while leaf margin was not associated with cross family (χ2 = 0.83, p = 0.84). Evaluation of more Osmanthus accessions and subsequent hybridizations will be necessary to introgress favorable genes and generate the variation necessary to expand the genus into new markets.

Revisit and explore the ethylene-independent mechanism of sex expression in cucumber (Cucumis sativus).

This review provides a thorough and comprehensive perspective on the topic of cucumber sexual expression. Specifically, insights into sex expression mediated by pathways other than ethylene are highlighted. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is a common and important commercial crop that is cultivated and consumed worldwide. Additionally, this species is commonly used as a model for investigating plant sex expression. Cucumbers exhibit a variety of floral arrangements, comprising male, female, and hermaphroditic (bisexual) flowers. Generally, cucumber plants that produce female flowers are typically preferred due to their significant impact on the overall output. Various environmental conditions, such as temperature, light quality, and photoperiod, have been also shown to influence the sex expression in this species. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that ethylene and its biosynthesis genes are crucial in regulating cucumber sex expression. Gibberellins, another well-known phytohormone, can similarly influence cucumber sex expression via an ethylene-independent route. Further studies employing the next-generation sequencing technology also visualized a deeper slice of the molecular mechanism such as the role of the cell cycle program in the cucumber sex expression. This review aims to provide an overview of the sex expression of cucumber including its underlying molecular mechanism and regulatory aspects based on recent investigations.

Genetic Variability, Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis in Bottle Gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] Genotypes

The present investigation was carried out at the Experimental field of Urban Technological Park Habbak, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir during kharif-2022. The experiment was laid out in Augmented Randomized Block Design with three blocks and plant spacing of 2×1 m for seventy- seven genotypes including two checks, Pusa Naveen and Pusa Santushti. Observations were recorded for growth and yield traits, seed traits and quality parameters. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among genotypes for all the traits. The estimates of phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were slightly higher than the corresponding genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the characters studied indicating little influence of environment in the expression of these traits. The highest phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation were observed for seed weight fruit-1 (45.15 and 45.13). High heritability coupled with high genetic gain was recorded for seed weight fruit-1 (0.99 and 93.01), indicating that the heritability is most likely due to additive gene effects and thus the chances of fixing this trait by selection are more. The estimates of heritability in broad sense were high for all the traits. Correlation studies indicated that fruit yield plant-1 followed by fruit weight, vine length, number of primary branches and number of fruits plant-1 had significant and positive correlation with fruit yield ha-1. Path coefficient analysis showed that fruit yield plant-1 followed by fruit weight, number of primary branches, node number at which 1st male flower appeared and fruit diameter had highest direct effects on the yield per ha-1.

OFF-SEASON AGRONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF THREE EXOTIC WATERMELON VARIETIES IN THE SOUTH-WESTERN REGION OF BANGLADESH

The watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.)] - a herbaceous, annual, and monoecious fruit - belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae and is usually cultivated in Bangladesh during the period from February to April. However, they may be grown year-round, and off-season watermelon cultivation is more profitable than seasonal farming. The research was conducted at the Field Laboratory of Khulna University from August to December, 2021 to evaluate the off-season agronomic performance of the selected three watermelon varieties viz. Kanya, Black Super, and Tripti. The experiment investigated both the vegetative and reproductive growth of watermelon following a Randomized Complete Block Design with five replications. Kanya had the longest vines with the most leaves, and nodes followed by Black Super and Tripti. All the watermelon cultivars were found to be similar in producing male flowers, while Black Super and Kanya produced more female flowers, and Black Super also produced the highest fruit yield (6.37 t ha-1), which was statistically similar to Kanya (5.84 t ha-1) and the lowest yield was obtained from Tripti (3.69 t ha-1). Kanya performed better regarding fruit length (22.47 cm), fruit width (30.89 cm), and fruit weight (1.03 kg). Black Super scored the highest TSS (8.43) (Brix0) value, followed by Kanya (7.63) and Tripti (6.39). The amount of weight loss after the harvesting of fruits was less in Black Super, followed by Kanya and Tripti. Black Super had a longer recorded shelf life (28 days) than the other two varieties. The results of this study suggest that Black Super and Kanya can be grown during the off-season in the south-western region of Bangladesh.

Use of irradiated pollen technique to recover haploids in bitter gourd

Haploids play a crucial role in plant breeding as they contain only one set of chromosomes, facilitating the rapid development of homozygous lines. Parthenogenetic haploids have been successfully produced using the irradiated pollen technique. Embryo rescue facilitates the development of an underdeveloped or lethal embryo into a viable plant. Inbred development through embryo culture has yet to be utilized in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.). An investigation was undertaken in a bitter gourd to recover haploids through the 60Co gamma-irradiated pollen technique, and an efficient protocol for embryo culture was standardized. Male flowers of bitter gourd genotype MC-139 irradiated at different gamma-ray doses were used for artificially pollinating female flowers. Intact seeds and excised embryos were cultured in E20A medium supplemented with 0.01 mg l-1 IAA, which was found as the most suitable medium for embryo induction and subsequent culture. The use of intact seeds extracted 15 days after pollinating with 60Co gamma irradiated (90 Gy) pollen resulted in a mutant plant. A significant difference was observed in the size of the guard cell, pollen grain diameter and chloroplast number per guard cell for the plant under T9 (90 Gy) compared to the plants under other treatments. The plant (T9) produced only sterile pollen, and the seed set was not observed when self-pollinated

Comparative Genomic Analysis of PEBP Genes in Cucurbits Explores the Interactors of Cucumber CsPEBPs Related to Flowering Time.

The family of phosphatidylethanolamine-binding proteins (PEBPs) participates in various plant biological processes, mainly flowering regulation and seed germination. In cucurbit crops, several PEBP genes have been recognized to be responsible for flowering time. However, the investigation of PEBP family members across the genomes of cucurbit species has not been reported, and their conservation and divergence in structure and function remain largely unclear. Herein, PEBP genes were identified from seven cucurbit crops and were used to perform a comparative genomics analysis. The cucurbit PEBP proteins could be classified into MFT, FT, TFL, and PEBP clades, and further, the TFL clade was divided into BFT-like, CEN-like, and TFL1-like subclades. The MFT-like, FT-like, and TFL-like proteins were clearly distinguished by a critical amino acid residue at the 85th position of the Arabidopsis FT protein. In gene expression analysis, CsaPEBP1 was highly expressed in flowers, and its expression levels in females and males were 70.5 and 89.2 times higher, respectively, than those in leaves. CsaPEBP5, CsaPEBP6, and CsaPEBP7 were specifically expressed in male flowers, with expression levels 58.1, 17.3, and 15.7 times higher, respectively, than those of leaves. At least five CsaPEBP genes exhibited the highest expression during the later stages of corolla opening. Through clustering of time-series-based RNA-seq data, several potential transcription factors (TFs) interacting with four CsaPEBPs were identified during cucumber corolla opening. Because of the tandem repeats of binding sites in promoters, NF-YB (Csa4G037610) and GATA (Csa7G64580) TFs appeared to be better able to regulate the CsaPEBP2 and CsaPEBP5 genes, respectively. This study would provide helpful information for further investigating the roles of PEBP genes and their interacting TFs in growth and development processes, such as flowering time regulation in cucurbit crops.

BnAP2-12 overexpression delays ramie flowering: evidence from AP2/ERF gene expression.

The APETALA2/ethylene response factor (AP2/ERF) superfamily plays a significant role in regulating plant gene expression in response to growth and development. To date, there have been no studies into whether the ramie AP2/ERF genes are involved in the regulation of flower development. Here, 84 BnAP2/ERF members were identified from the ramie genome database, and various bioinformatics data on the AP2/ERF gene family, structure, replication, promoters and regulatory networks were analysed. BnAP2-12 was transferred into Arabidopsis through the flower-dipping method. Phylogenetic analysis classified the 84 BnAP2/ERF members into four subfamilies: AP2 (18), RAV (3), ERF (42), and DREB (21). The functional domain analysis of genes revealed 10 conserved motifs. Genetic mapping localised the 84 members on 14 chromosomes, among which chromosomes 1, 3, 5, and 8 had more members. Collinearity analysis revealed that 43.37% possibly resulted from replication events during the evolution of the ramie genome. Promoter sequence analysis identified classified cis-acting elements associated with plant growth and development, and responses to stress, hormones, and light. Transcriptomic comparison identified 3,635 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between male and female flowers (1,803 and 1,832 upregulated and downregulated genes, respectively). Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis categorised DEGs involved in metabolic pathways and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis further identified enriched genes associated with pollen and female gamete formations. Of the 84 BnAP2/ERFs genes, 22 and 8 upregulated and downregulated genes, respectively, were present in female flowers. Co-expression network analysis identified AP2/ERF members associated with flower development, including BnAP2-12. Subcellular localisation analysis showed that the BnAP2-12 protein is localised in the nucleus and cell membrane. Overexpression BnAP2-12 delayed the flowering time of Arabidopsis thaliana. These findings provide insights into the mechanism of ramie flower development.

QUALITY CONTROL OF HYBRID CORN SEED PRODUCTION USING SIX SIGMA METHODE

Advanta Seeds is a company engaged in sustainable agriculture with a production focus on hybrid corn seeds. In the processing of corn seeds, PT. Advanta seeds Indonesia experiences a high average product defect 10% of the total production. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to analyze the quality control od hybrid corn seeds using the six sigma method and seek continuous improvement actions. In this research using step define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. Data collection in April – May 2023 and September – November 2023 by production recapitulation. The results showed that the company’s sigma level was 3,40, meaning that in the production process improvement was still. There are three types of defect in corn seeds production : non-conforming corn cobs, seeds that do not match the size and damage seed. Non-conforming cobs are the most dominant type of defect caused by human, environment, and raw material factor. The continuous improvement action such as conducting stricter supervision during male flower detaseling activities, providing training when there are new hybrid of varieties. After taking corrective action there is an increase in the capability of the production process (Cpk > 1,00) so that it can be said to be capable

Establishment of morphological markers to differentiate male and female plants in Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. using multiple logistic regression

Ailanthus excelsa Roxb., belongs to the family Simaroubaceae, is a fast-growing multipurpose tree, and used mainly as a source of fodder and shade. It bears male, female, and hermaphrodite flowers on separate plants. It has been observed that male plant has more leaf biomass during April-May in semi-arid regions of India (Jaipur). In its vegetative state, the sex of the tree cannot be identified. The present study has therefore been designed to investigate if there is any difference in male and female plants based on morphological descriptors namely stomata number, stomata length, stomata diameter, trichome number, trichome length, and trichome diameter. 20 plants with male flowers and 20 plants with female flowers have been studied. The data revealed that male plants have lower trichome diameter (11.91 µm) than female (14.18 µm) plants. Other parameters do not show any statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). The Omnibus Tests of the Model Coefficient obtained for trichome diameter (0.042) is reliable in improving the model, implying that the model is the best fit. To test the validity of this model, the Hosmer and Lemeshow test was performed, and the p-value of chi-square (0.405 > 0.05) indicates that the logistic model obtained above is the best-fit model. Further studies of trichome diameter at the seedling stage and then confirmation of plant sex at maturity level will help in establishing morphological markers in A. excelsa for identification of sex.

Zygotic quiescence prolongs the reproductive cycle in Berchemia sinica (Rhamnaceae)

More than two-thirds of the species in Berchemia exhibit remarkable reproductive phenology, characterized by prolonged fruit ripening and the occurrence of overlapping fruit ripening and flowering. However, the underlying reasons for these phenomena remain unknown. Therefore, this study employed routine paraffin section technology, histochemical technique and scanning electron microscopy to investigate embryo sac development, differences between male and hermaphroditic flowers, as well as the overwintering strategy in Berchemia sinica. The findings of this study revealed a significant reduction in pollen viability and the number of pollen grains per flower in hermaphroditic compared to male flowers. Following fertilization, the ovary of hermaphroditic flowers does not undergo significant enlargement but gradually enters the state of zygotic quiescence. Zygotic quiescence prolongation is the main reason for the long reproductive cycle of B. sinica, and it takes approximately 14 months for the entire cycle from flower bud differentiation to fruit ripening to complete. Long reproductive cycle and complex overwintering mechanism exhibited by B. sinica resemble those seen in species belonging to Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Tapisciaceae, and Theaceae, suggesting convergent evolution during Earth's glacial period resulted in similar adaptive structures among these groups delayed fruit ripening leads to overlap between current year's flowers with previous year's fruits. The trade-off between flower and fruit for reproductive resources may have driven evolutionary transition from ancestral hermaphroditism towards androdioecy in Berchemia.

Biological Study with Morphological Characterization of Flower Phenology in Garcinia indica (Choisy)

Characterization flowering patten in Garcinia indica was studied using different age groups planted in a field gene bank. Flowering commenced in five-year-old trees (5YP) in all age groups targeted to study. followed by four-year-old trees. The first flowering was recorded during 3-4th week of November and continued for ten weeks among the plants. G. indica accessions with mixed sexuality were recorded where, the majority of bisexual flowers with female and male flower were there in the same plant. However, flower appearance started in 3rd week of November and extended up to December 3rd week and the maximum number of trees flowered in 1st week of December. Most of the accessions recorded 50 per cent flowering on 2nd and 3rd week of January. The duration of flowering varied from 8 to 10 weeks. Majority of the flowers were observed to be auxiliary and some of them were terminal. Traits such as petal length, sepal length, stamen length and style length did not exhibit significant differences among the accessions studied. However, pollen viability varied among the accessions. Maximum per cent (88.33%) of viable pollen were recorded in 5YP-1 and minimum (82%) in 5YP-3 & 15 with the mean value of 45.68%.

Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles from Cocos nucifera L. male flowers: An investigation into their potent antibacterial and anticancer efficacy

The current research focused on the production of silver nanoparticles using dichloro methane-mediated Cocos nucifera male flower extract and their minimum inhibitory concentration against ten different bacterial pathogens. C. nucifera male flowers were extracted by 100% DCM, and the phytochemicals present in this extract were studied. These plant phytochemicals act as reducing agents to reduce the silver nitrate (AgNO3) to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) which was confirmed by UV/Vis spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infra-red spectrum, X-ray diffraction analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The 15 µL of silver nanoparticles was the minimum inhibitory concentration for Klebsiella pneumonia and Bacillus subtilis. The 20 µL of silver nanoparticles is the MIC for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio harveyi, and Plesiomonas shigelloides. 30 µL of plant flower extract concentration highly inhibits the E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella paratyphi, Vibrio mimicus, and Vibrio alginolyticus bacterial pathogens. C. nucifera male flowers extract derived silver nanoparticles are highly stable and have high potential activity against MCF-7 Cell line.
 KEY WORDS: Cocos nucifera, Nanoparticles, Phytochemicals, Antimicrobials, Bacterial pathogens, MCF 7 Cell line
 Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2024, 38(3), 715-724. 
 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v38i3.13

Cell wall invertase 3 plays critical roles in providing sugars during pollination and fertilization in cucumber.

In plants, pollen-pistil interactions during pollination and fertilization mediate pollen hydration and germination, pollen tube growth, and seed set and development. Cell wall invertases (CWINs) help provide the carbohydrates for pollen development; however, their roles in pollination and fertilization have not been well established. In cucumber (Cucumis sativus), CsCWIN3 showed the highest expression in flowers, and we further examined CsCWIN3 for functions during pollination to seed set. Both CsCWIN3 transcript and CsCWIN3 protein exhibited similar expression patterns in the sepals, petals, stamen filaments, anther tapetum, and pollen of male flowers, as well as in the stigma, style, transmitting tract, and ovule funiculus of female flowers. Notably, repression of CsCWIN3 in cucumber did not affect the formation of parthenocarpic fruit but resulted in an arrested growth of stigma integuments in female flowers and a partially delayed dehiscence of anthers with decreased pollen viability in male flowers. Consequently, the pollen tube grew poorly in the gynoecia after pollination. In addition, CsCWIN3-RNA interference plants also showed affected seed development. Considering that sugar transporters could function in cucumber fecundity, we highlight the role of CsCWIN3 and a potential close collaboration between CWIN and sugar transporters in these processes. Overall, we used molecular and physiological analyses to determine the CsCWIN3-mediated metabolism during pollen formation, pollen tube growth, and plant fecundity. CsCWIN3 has essential roles from pollination and fertilization to seed set but not parthenocarpic fruit development in cucumber.

Effects of Addition of Humic and Fulvic Acids on Soil Properties and Germination Percentage of Cucurbit Plants (Zucchini and Cucumber)

This research was conducted to study the effect of adding humic and fulvic acids to the irrigation water on soil properties and germination percentage of two cucurbit plants: zucchini and cucumber. The study was conducted in an open field in Sokhna District in the governorate of Zarqa (Jordan). The field soil was transported to calcareous sandy soil. In the beginning, the weeds and stones were removed, and the land was smoothed and plowed. Effort was made to control weeds and insects at all stages of plant growth. Then, an irrigation network was installed. The fulvic acid-humic acid (FA-HA) biostimulant mixture was incorporated with the irrigation water, and irrigation was practiced three days per week for four weeks. During this period, every irrigation round lasted for two to three hours. A mixture of humic acid (8.0%) and fulvic acid (8.0%) was added to the irrigation water. Three treatments were considered, corresponding to three acid mixture concentrations: 0.50 mL.L-1, 1.00 mL.L-1, and 1.50 mL.L-1. The acid mixtures were added continuously at all stages of plant growth until plant maturity and harvest. Four replicates of the experiment were made. The plant growth variables of interest were germination percentage, number of leaves, date of fruition, size of fruit, and overall mass of fruits. Meanwhile, the soil parameters of interest were soil pH and soil salinity (electric conductivity (EC)) before and after adding the FA-HA mixture. The study found that the 0.5 mL.L-1 acid mixture treatment led to the early growth of the zucchini plant seeds and that fruition took place 12 days after planting. In addition, the results showed an increase in plant germination under the 0.5 mL.L-1 acid mixture treatment in light of the increase in the number of male and female plant flowers, with fruiting taking place on time. In conclusion, the relationship between zucchini growth and yield with FA-HA mixture concentration is non-linear. It is also concluded that the optimum acid mixture concentration and application rate are crop-specific. Hence, for each crop, the most appropriate acid mixture concentration should be determined first before the broad-scale application of amendments to the soil to ensure the contribution of this environmentally friendly practice to sustainable agriculture.

Study on Rachis Characters of Different Cultivars of Banana

Banana is one of the most important staple food around tropics. Bananas can be eaten as green when it is starchy. These crops are the most important components for food security around world by providing income to the farming community through local trade. This experiment was conducted to study the rachis behaviour and male bud characteristics of ABB genomic group and AAB genomic group banana cultivars. Here 5 cultivars under ABB genomic group (Behula, Bara Beglo, Bluggoe, Green Bombay, Pantharaj) and 5 cultivars of AAB genomic group (Dudhsagar, Martaman, Manohar, Desi Malbhog, Kalibhog) were observed. All of these 10 cultivars showed different characteristics in case of male bud, like male bud shape, male bud size, colour of the bract (external face), male bract lifting, wax on the bract, male flower behaviour, compound tepal basic colour, anther colour, stigma colour, ovary shape and dominant colour of male flower, all these were explained in details in this study.