Natural Growing Conditions Research Articles

Timing of Plant Extracts Application in the Management of Meloidogyne incognita on Tomato Plants

Meloidogyne incognita, a widespread and damaging plant parasite, reduces crop yields. Chemical treatments are common but pose health and environmental risks, leading to a search for safer alternatives. Plant extracts with secondary metabolites, like those from Maerua angolensis and Tabernaemontana elegans, show promise for nematode control, though their efficacies vary. This study aimed to investigate how the timing of applying T. elegans and M. angolensis extracts influenced the population densities of M. incognita and the growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) plants. The experiment was a factorial design with two plant extracts applied at 5 g per plant and three different timings of application relative to nematode inoculation. Additionally, the experiment included positive (chemical standard (Nemacur® 10 GR)) and negative (plants inoculated with nematodes only) controls, alongside naturally grown plants. The results indicate that applying plant extracts before the nematode inoculation or simultaneously with the inoculation reduced the total nematode populations as effectively as the Nemacur positive control. Plants treated with extracts showed improved growth variables compared with those treated with Nemacur® and the natural growing conditions. In conclusion, applying plant extracts before or simultaneously with nematode inoculation effectively suppressed the nematodes and enhanced the plant growth variables. These findings suggest that such plant extracts could be adopted as part of integrated nematode management strategies in agricultural settings.

Inorganic carbon utilization strategies of plateau aquatic plants in response to native habitats.

Aquatic plants are a crucial component of the aquatic ecosystem in the Tibetan Plateau region. Researching the adaptability of plateau aquatic plants in photosynthesis to the plateau environment can enhance understanding of the operational mechanisms of plateau ecosystems, thereby providing a scientific basis for the protection and management of plateau aquatic ecosystems. This study presents an investigation of photosynthetic inorganic carbon utilization strategies and photosynthetic efficiency of 17 aquatic plants under natural growing conditions in Niyang River basin on the Tibetan Plateau. In pH-drift experiments, 10 of 17 species were able to utilize HCO3-, and environmental factors like water pH were shown to have a significant effect on the ability of the tested species to utilize HCO3-. Titratable acidity in the leaves of Stuckenia filiformis, Zannichellia palustris, Batrachium bungei, and Myriophyllum spicatum showed significant diurnal fluctuations at certain sampling sites, indicating the presence of CAM. In B. bungei, water pH positively correlated with CAM activity, while CO2 concentration negatively correlated with CAM activity. The chlorophyll fluorescence analysis revealed that aquatic plants inhabiting the Tibetan Plateau exhibited photosynthetic adaptations. In conclusion, the aquatic plants on the Tibetan Plateau employ diverse strategies for utilizing inorganic carbon during photosynthesis, exhibiting their flexible adaptability to the native high-altitude habitats of the Tibetan Plateau.

Improvement of <i>in vitro</i> shoot regeneration and flowering from petal explants of <i>Begonia X hiemalis</i> fotsch

Begonias hold significant importance due to their use as culinary plants, medicinal remedies, decorative elements, and high-value crops. This research aims to find new explant materials for regeneration shoots and direct flowering with high frequency. In this study, high-frequency shoot regeneration and in vitro flowering from petal explants of Begonia x hiemalis Fotsch were achieved. Whole petal explants disinfected with an AgNPs solution at 0.5 g/L for 15 min achieved the highest survival rate. The highest shoot regeneration rate reached 86.66%, with 65.33 shoots/explant from ½-petal explants. Direct formation of the flower consists of two different structural forms, including single petal clusters and complete flower buds, with the corresponding flower formation rates of 19.66 petals/explant; 0.53 flower buds/explant, respectively, at the keel of the petals on the MS medium supplemented with 1000 mg/L myo-inositol, 1.0 mg/L BA, 1.0 mg/L NAA, 30 g/L sucrose and 9.0 g/L agar. Interestingly, increasing the concentration of myo-inositol in the culture medium led to the appearance of red-leaf shoots at the highest rate (12.66 shoots/explant), reaching a maximum shoot height of 1.40 cm after 8 weeks of culture. After each subculture, the red color on leaves tended to decrease gradually, and they were in vitro flowered after the second subculture at a rate of 15% and the third subculture at a rate of 10% on medium supplemented with 40 mg/L adenine, 1.0 mg/L NAA, 1.0 mg/L BA, 30 g/L sucrose, 9 g/L agar and 1 g/L activated charcoal. The plantlets regenerated from petal cultures bloomed with standard red pigments, similar to those grown in natural growing conditions.

Contribution of Antioxidant System Components to the Long-Term Physiological and Protective Effect of Salicylic Acid on Wheat under Salinity Conditions.

Salicylic acid (SA) plays a crucial role in regulating plant growth and development and mitigating the negative effects of various stresses, including salinity. In this study, the effect of 50 μM SA on the physiological and biochemical parameters of wheat plants under normal and stress conditions was investigated. The results showed that on the 28th day of the growing season, SA pretreatment continued to stimulate the growth of wheat plants. This was evident through an increase in shoot length and leaf area, with the regulation of leaf blade width playing a significant role in this effect. Additionally, SA improved photosynthesis by increasing the content of chlorophyll a (Chl a) and carotenoids (Car), resulting in an increased TAP (total amount of pigments) index in the leaves. Furthermore, SA treatment led to a balanced increase in the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in the leaves, accompanied by a slight but significant accumulation of ascorbic acid (ASA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), proline, and the activation of glutathione reductase (GR) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). Exposure to salt stress for 28 days resulted in a reduction in length and leaf area, photosynthetic pigments, and GSH and ASA content in wheat leaves. It also led to the accumulation of H2O2 and proline and significant activation of GR and APX. However, SA pretreatment exhibited a long-term growth-stimulating and protective effect under stress conditions. It significantly mitigated the negative impacts of salinity on leaf area, photosynthetic pigments, proline accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and H2O2. Furthermore, SA reduced the salinity-induced depletion of GSH and ASA levels, which was associated with the modulation of GR and APX activities. In small-scale field experiments conducted under natural growing conditions, pre-sowing seed treatment with 50 μM SA improved the main indicators of grain yield and increased the content of essential amino acids in wheat grains. Thus, SA pretreatment can be considered an effective approach for providing prolonged protection to wheat plants under salinity and improving grain yield and quality.

Agro-ecological aspects of soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivation in Ukraine

The article highlights the role and significance of soybeans in Ukraine as the main legume crop of today. The analysis of literature sources proves that soybean cultivation not only ensures food security of the state, but also acts as an environmental component while maintaining soil fertility. Soybean plants contribute to the nitrogen balance of soils, serving as a good precursor for many crops. They also have a positive impact on the physical, agronomic and physicochemical properties of soils, improving water and nutrient regimes. Soybeans can be grown in main crops, post-harvest crops and post-mowing crops. In addition, soybeans quickly adapt to organic production schemes. The authors characterise the soybean belt in Ukraine and describe the main three soybean growing zones. It is established that the most favourable for soybean cultivation are Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Khmelnytsky, Poltava, Kirovohrad, Ternopil, Zakarpattia, Chernivtsi and Kyiv regions. Here, soybeans consistently provide stable high productivity of this crop. The analysis of literature publications has confirmed that the problem of sufficient production of adequate vegetable protein can be solved by continuously increasing the production of food resources, primarily protein and oilseeds, the main source of which is soybeans, one of the world's leading crops. Soybean cultivation in Ukraine has undergone global changes over the past 30 years. It has rapidly moved from being a niche crop to a key agricultural commodity. Thanks to soybeans, Ukraine has rapidly increased its production of protein and oilseeds and significantly strengthened its position on the global market. Over the past few years, the area under soybean cultivation in Ukraine has been ranging from 1.5–2.0 million hectares, with the main growing areas being the Forest-Steppe and Polissya. Significantly smaller areas are located in the northern and central Steppe. In the southern Steppe, soybean cultivation is possible only under irrigated conditions. Soybeans are very versatile in their use, and stand out among other crops due to the large number of products made from their raw materials. Soybean seeds are used to make various analogues of meat and dairy products, egg powder substitutes, confectionery, cheeses, canned food, sauces, etc. Scientists have noted that the most favourable meteorological conditions for soybeans are characterised by an annual rainfall of 500–600 mm, of which 250–400 mm should be received during the growing season, and 180–200 mm during the most critical period of flowering — full bean filling. Organic farming is one of the most promising areas of soybean cultivation. Currently, around 80% of soybean seeds are produced using genetically modified material. Therefore, it is important to use the latest zoned varieties of local breeding to green soybean production, as this will help to build up our own organic seed base and improve the environmental component of soybean cultivation. Thus, soybeans and their products are extremely important for Ukraine's economy as they consistently provide a significant portion of foreign exchange earnings. However, further increase in soybean production requires a reduction in the use of chemical protection products, namely, their maximum possible approximation to natural growing conditions, i.e., organic cultivation.

Phytocoenotic Distribution of Hulthemia persica (Michaut ex Juss.) Bornm. (Rosaceae) under Different Ecological Conditions in Uzbekistan

The paper presents some of the results of the 2020–2022 studies of 7 communities with the participation of a poorly studied forage and melliferous species, Hulthemia persica, in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The research goal is to identify the phytocenotic confinement of the poorly studied forage and melliferous species H. persica in various environmental conditions in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Phytocoenotic studies in 7 communities have shown that the population numbers of H. persica in the Tashkent Region (Parkentsay) are satisfactory. However, in recent years the strong impact of anthropogenic factors, primarily livestock grazing under natural growing conditions, has affected this species’ abundance, which has gradually disappeared. Large-scale exploration and prospecting, with the development of the oil and gas industry and other technogenic factors, has harmed the state of H. persica; therefore, populations lack young individuals and the cover provided by this species is relatively low. Therefore, it is crucial to strengthen protection measures, which the authors also recommend using for degraded pastures in the desert and foothill regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan. A detailed survey of natural populations and monitoring their condition should be carried out. In particular, H. persica is a promising plant adapted to various environmental conditions and can be used in degraded pastures in desert and foothill regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Biochemical processes of Suaeda arcuate under in vitro conditions

This article presents data on the introduction of in vitro culture and microclonal propagation of plants identified in the group of hyperhalophytes belonging to the species Suaeda arcuata Bunge. Biochemical changes in plants (carbohydrates accumulation), in a comparative aspect, in clones-regenerates of perspective halophytes are grown in nutrient medium with different salt concentrations and under natural growing conditions in drained bottom of the Aral Sea, for identifying their adaptation strategies, and the level of evolutionary development. This study was carried out to optimize the composition of nutrient media for the main stages of reproduction in vitro, as well as studies on the rooting and adaptation of regenerates for species of the genus Suaeda obtained from axillary or apical buds, but more often from stem segments with a node. In this work, hormones of the cytokine and auxin series, or a combination of them, were added to the nutrient environment for growth activation. The analyzing of microplants for the content of soluble in water B vitamins was carried out. As a result of the research, it was found that intact Suaeda arcuata plants in their natural habitats produce a large amount of soluble in water vitamins: riboflavin-0.062% and thiamine up to 0.006%. And in regenerated plants obtained on media without hormones, the content of vitamins was: B2 0.053%, B1 0%, respectively, and with a combination of 1/2 MS + 1 mg/l 6-BAP + 0.3 mg/l IAA + 2, 4-D, the content of vitamins varied as follows: riboflavin-0.059%, folic acid-0.030%, and thiamine was not detected. The cultivation of regenerates on the environment 1/2 MS + 1 mg/l 6-BAP + 0.3 mg/l IAA + 2,4-D showed the best effect on the growth of regenerants, created the possibility of obtaining the maximum amount of biomass and accumulation of B vitamins.

Falcataria moluccana (Miq.) root distribution seedlings in response to nitrogen concentrations and tillage

Abstract Falcataria moluccana (Miq.) Barnaby & Grimes is an important species for forest plantation programmes in Malaysia and is widely used in the wood industry. However, its root interactions have not been widely investigated due to the limited methodologies and information about the root distribution of trees and crops in forest plantation and agroforestry systems. This study was conducted to determine the rhizotron-scale root interactions of F. moluccana at different tillage and nitrogen concentrations under four different treatments: control, tillage, fertiliser, and tillage with fertiliser. The rhizotron-scale experiment was conducted at a greenhouse where F. moluccana (Batai) seedlings were transplanted in transparent rhizotron tubes (onemetre-high transparent polycarbonate solid sheet) using topsoil and river sand to simulate natural growing conditions. Root Intensity (RI), Root Length Density (RLD), Specific Root Length (SRL), dried shoot bio-mass and root biomass were recorded. Root biomass and SRL were notably higher (25–50 cm depth) at 6 WAT (Weeks After Transplanting), and the shoot biomass (tillage + fertiliser) was significantly higher at 14 WAT. However, plants treated with different tillage and nitrogen concentrations showed no significant impact on the RI and RLD. Fertiliser treatment only, and tillage with fertiliser treatment, showed greater root distribution at the rhizotron scale. These findings contribute to forest plantation and natural forest rehabilitation efforts by helping optimise the soil resources within ecosystems for sustainable forest management.

Seed Treatment with Sodium Nitroprusside Ensures a Long-Term Physiological and Protective Effect on Wheat under Salinity.

Although salinity inhibits plant growth, the use of a nitric oxide (NO) gasotransmitter can reduce its negative effects. In this study, the influence of 200 μM sodium nitroprusside (SNP) (donor of NO) on wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Salavat Yulaev) in conditions of salinization (100 mM NaCl) was analyzed in pot experiments. Seed priming regulated the level of endogenous NO in normal and salinity conditions throughout the entire experiment (30 and 60 days). Salinity led to the strong accumulation of NO and H2O2, which is negative for plants, and significantly reduced leaf area and photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids). In addition, stress caused a drop in the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (ASA), an accumulation of oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and significantly activated glutathione reductase (GR), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in wheat leaves. SNP treatment significantly attenuated the negative effects of salinity on leaf area and photosynthetic pigments. An important indicator of reducing the damaging effect of salinity on treated plants is the stabilization of the content of GSH and ASA throughout the experiment (60 days). This condition has been associated with long-term modulation of GR and APX activity. Such an effect of 200 μM SNP may be related to its ability to reduce stress-induced accumulation of NO. Additional accumulation of proline also mitigated the negative effect of salinity on plants, and this also evidenced decreased LPO and H2O2 in them. For the first time, in natural growing conditions (small-scale field experiments), it was found that pre-sowing seed treatment with 200 μM SNP led to an improvement in the main yield indicators and an increase in the content of essential amino acids in wheat grains. Thus, SNP treatment can be used as an effective approach for prolonged protection of wheat plants under salinity and to improve grain yield and its quality.

Carnivory on demand: phosphorus deficiency induces glandular leaves in the African liana Triphyophyllum peltatum.

Triphyophyllum peltatum, a rare tropical African liana, is unique in its facultative carnivory. The trigger for carnivory is yet unknown, mainly because the plant is difficult to propagate and cultivate. This study aimed at identifying the conditions that result in the formation of carnivorous leaves. In vitro shoots were subjected to abiotic stressors in general and deficiencies of the major nutrients nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in particular, to trigger carnivorous leaves' development. Adventitious root formation was improved to allow verification of the trigger in glasshouse-grown plants. Among all the stressors tested, only under phosphorus deficiency, the formation of carnivorous leaves was observed. These glandular leaves fully resembled those found under natural growing conditions including the secretion of sticky liquid by mature capture organs. To generate plants for glasshouse experiments, a pulse of 55.4 μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid was essential to achieve 90% invitro rooting. This plant material facilitated the confirmation of phosphorus starvation to be essential and sufficient for carnivory induction, also under exvitro conditions. Having established the cultivation of T. peltatum and the induction of carnivory, future gene expression profiles from phosphorus starvation-induced leaves will provide important insight to the molecular mechanism of carnivory on demand.

Effect of Nanopriming with Selenium Nanocomposites on Potato Productivity in a Field Experiment, Soybean Germination and Viability of Pectobacterium carotovorum

In recent decades, the use of nanocomposites (NCs) in crop production has been actively studied. We have previously shown that chemically synthesized selenium nanocomposites (Se NCs) based on natural polymeric matrices of arabinogalactan (Se/AG NCs), carrageenan (Se/CAR NCs), and starch (Se/ST NCs) stimulated the growth and development of potatoes in vitro and had an antibacterial effect against the phytopathogen Clavibacter sepedonicus. It is important to confirm that the results obtained in the laboratory are also reproducible in the field conditions of crop cultivation. In addition, the applications of NCs can be expanded if a wider range of their biological activity is revealed, and the effect on other types of cultivated plants and phytopathogens is shown. In this regard, the purpose of this research was to study the effect of nanopriming with Se NCs on the productivity of potatoes in a field experiment, the germination of soybeans, and the viability of the phytopathogen Pectobacterium carotovorum under in vitro conditions. The study included the use of traditional methods of conducting a field experiment in natural growing conditions, also using microbiological cultures and studying the bacterial profile from the endosphere of potato tubers by the imprint method, germinating Glycine max L. soybean seeds after nanopriming in Petri dishes, followed by the measurement of morphometric and biochemical parameters such as the activity of antioxidant enzymes and content of diene conjugates. Based on the results of field experiments, it was found that the preplant treatment of tubers with Se/AG and Se/CAR NCs stimulated a significant increase in the number of stems in potato plants and tubers per plant, but for Se/AG NC, the increase was observed only in 2020 and 2022, and the stimulating effect of Se/AG and Se/CAR NCs on the weight of tubers was observed only in 2020. In the yield structure, the proportion of marketable seed tubers was increased under the influence of all Se NCs. Endosphere cultures from tubers showed that bacteria were present in only 56% of the tubers in the control, while 78% of the tubers obtained from plants grown from seed tubers treated with Se/AG NC and 100% of the tubers from plants grown from seed tubers treated with Se/ST and Se/CAR NCs contained bacteria. The bacteria were represented by both spore-forming Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria of various sizes. The results presented in this article and previously published data showed that the maximum diversity of bacteria was observed after treatment with Se/ST NC. Experiments on potatoes showed that Se/AG NC had the greatest biological effect. In addition, the growth-stimulating effect of these NCs on the biomass of the roots of soybean seedlings was shown. It activated the antioxidant enzymes and reduced the level of diene conjugates (DCs), the amount of which increased significantly after seed biopriming with the phytopathogen Pectobacterium carotovorum. The antibacterial effect of Se/AG NC in relation to the P. carotovorum was observed as a reduction in the growth of the bacterial culture, biofilm formation, and dehydrogenase activity of cells. Thus, it has been shown that Se/AG NC has a stimulating effect on such agriculturally important crops as potatoes and soybeans, as well as an antibacterial effect against Gram-negative and Gram-positive phytopathogenic bacteria.

Seed production of wild soybean (Glycine soja Sieb. et Zucc.) under favorable, ruderal, and natural growing conditions.

Field trials were conducted in Japan under different growing conditions to better understand seed production of wild soybean (Glycine soja Seib. et Zucc.). The objectives of these trials were to evaluate yield and yield components of wild soybean: (1) across 11 diverse populations grown under favorable conditions to assess seed production potential, (2) under different planting densities (112, 208, 416, and 832 plants/m2) to assess intra-specific competition, and (3) across growing conditions (favorable, ruderal, and natural) to assess the impacts of environmental stress and inter-specific competition. Significant differences in yield and seed number observed among the evaluated wild soybean populations were predominantly due to environmental effects and genetic by environmental interaction. Seed production was impacted by both intra- and inter-specific competition. Wild soybean grown without plant competition had 51-fold and 247-fold higher yield compared to when grown in ruderal and natural environments, respectively. Under favorable growing conditions, wild soybean had substantial yield potential due to the ability to produce a high number of seeds. In nature, yield potential is severely limited because of plant competition and other environmental stressors. The results of this research are useful to inform environmental risk assessment when considering the potential impact of soybean biotechnology traits that increase or protect yield. If such traits were to be inadvertently transferred from imported soybean into wild soybean, this research indicates that the effects would likely have little overall impact on wild soybean seed production.

Thermo-Sensitive Genic Male Sterile Lines of Neo-Tetraploid Rice Developed through Gene Editing Technology Revealed High Levels of Hybrid Vigor.

Neo-tetraploid rice, which developed from the progenies of autotetraploid hybrid by our research group, is a useful germplasm with high fertility and strong heterosis when they crossed with other autotetraploid rice lines. The CRISPR/Cas9-mediated TMS5 gene editing system has been widely used in diploid rice, but there are few reports in tetraploid rice. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to edit the TMS5 gene, which is a temperature sensitive gene controlling the fertility in diploid rice, in neo-tetraploid rice to develop male sterile lines. Two mutant lines, H2s and H3s, were developed from the gene editing and displayed characteristics of thermo-sensitive genic male sterility. The daily mean temperatures of 23 °C to 26 °C were found to be critical for sterility (restrictive temperature) in H2s and H3s under both controlled (growth chambers) and natural growing conditions (field). Cytological observation showed the anther dysplasia appeared later in H2s and H3s than that of the TMS5 mutant of diploid rice (E285s) under the same conditions. Then these mutant lines, H2s and H3s, were crossed with tetraploid rice to generate F1 hybrids, which exhibited obvious advantages for effective number of panicles, total grains and seed setting. The high levels of hybrids heterosis were maintained for several generations that can save seed cost. Our research provides an effective way of developing thermo-sensitive genic male sterility (TGMS) lines of tetraploid rice using gene editing, which will accelerate the utilization of polyploid heterosis.

Morphological and Biochemical Properties in Fruits of Naturally Grown Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas L.) Genotypes in Northwest Bosnia and Herzegovina

The cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) is considered to be one of those medicinal plants with important nutritional and therapeutic properties. The plant shows resistance against abiotic and biotic stressors in natural growing conditions and could be suitable to use in sustainable fruit production. This study was carried out on 22 local cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) genotypes, which were grown northwest of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fruits of these 22 genotypes were harvested and analyzed during the ripening period in 2018/2019. Fruit weight, length, and width ranged from 1.38 to 3.01 g, 13.84 to 19.43 mm, and 10.92 to 14.79 mm, respectively. Dry matter content was determined to be the lowest at 11.67% and the highest at 21.89%. The genotypes had vitamin C content between 25.85 and 58.75 mg/100 g. Total phenolic and anthocyanin content were found to be quite variable among genotypes and ranged from 1240 to 6958 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per 100 g fresh weight (FW) and 55.57 to 205.6 mg cyaniding-3-glucoside equivalents (CGE) per 100 g FW, respectively. The content of phosphorus and iron were between 155.52 to 263.06 mg per 100 g and 0.25 to 0.93 mg per 100 g, respectively. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that the first and second components accounted for 44.05% and 60.50% of the total variance, and the major proportion of the first and second components were the morphometric properties and chemical traits of the cornelian cherry fruits. The results revealed that the characterized genotypes could be important for cornelian cherry breeders as ready crossing materials to obtain new cornelian cherry varieties and shows the potential of certain genotypes as a valuable source of natural antioxidants. The results may have served as a guide towards the development of sustainable production programs for cornelian cherries as well.

Prospects for the introduction of Ferula tadshikorum Pimentov in the conditions of the Tashkent region

Background: Ferula species are used for a wide variety of purposes from the Middle East to the Himalayas. This paper provides information on the biological features and ontogenesis of the promising medicinal plant Ferula tadshikorum Pimenov during the introduction in the conditions of the Tashkent Botanical Garden. Methods: The features of morphological development of the studied ontogenetic states were recorded during similar periods of vegetation in 2019-2021 in two variants of treatment. Under the conditions of introduction, 2 growth periods (latent, virginal) and 4 age classes (seedlings, juvenile, immature and virginal plants) were documented in plant ontogenesis. Results: According to our study, a rapid transition from one to the next age state was found in introduced specimens. This is an important factor for the establishment of agrocenoses needed to obtain raw material in a significantly shorter time. The results of the study show the success of the introduction of Ferula tadshikorum in the conditions of the Tashkent Botanical Garden, although the new growth conditions differed from natural soil and climatic characteristics. The collection of this species in the Garden can now serve as a basis for plantations in natural growing conditions. Conclusion: The obtained experimental data can be used as a basis for the development of agricultural techniques and technologies for growing this plant in introduced conditions.

Особенности агротехники солодки уральской в условиях северо-востока Казахстана

The results of the introduction of Ural licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch) are presented. The article presents experimental data on the production of raw materials in the natural and climatic conditions of north-eastern Kazakhstan. The possibilities of seed and vegetative propagation of Ural licorice have been investigated in order to obtain plant raw materials. In the experiment, we used planting materials in the form of beans, seeds, and cuttings collected in the natural growing conditions of the Pavlodar region (floodplain and steppe landscapes). 10 variants of the experiment were laid, in which various planting materials and biochar were used as fertilizer. The results of the experiment allow us to conclude that the best results were obtained when propagating licorice from the Ural cuttings. The most productive way of obtaining raw materials was option 8, where cuttings of steppe samples were used and biochar was used as fertilizer. The technology of rejuvenation of old age natural massifs of licorice has been tested to stimulate vegetative propagation. Rejuvenation led to an increase in the number of clonal shoots at a distance of up to 2.5 m from the mother bush. The authors observed at a distance of more than 2.5 m from the mother bush, attenuation of the vegetative potential.

Genetic Transformation of Sugarcane, Current Status and Future Prospects.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is a tropical and sub-tropical, vegetative-propagated crop that contributes to approximately 80% of the sugar and 40% of the world’s biofuel production. Modern sugarcane cultivars are highly polyploid and aneuploid hybrids with extremely large genomes (>10 Gigabases), that have originated from artificial crosses between the two species, Saccharum officinarum and S. spontaneum. The genetic complexity and low fertility of sugarcane under natural growing conditions make traditional breeding improvement extremely laborious, costly and time-consuming. This, together with its vegetative propagation, which allows for stable transfer and multiplication of transgenes, make sugarcane a good candidate for crop improvement through genetic engineering. Genetic transformation has the potential to improve economically important properties in sugarcane as well as diversify sugarcane beyond traditional applications, such as sucrose production. Traits such as herbicide, disease and insect resistance, improved tolerance to cold, salt and drought and accumulation of sugar and biomass have been some of the areas of interest as far as the application of transgenic sugarcane is concerned. Although there have been much interest in developing transgenic sugarcane there are only three officially approved varieties for commercialization, all of them expressing insect-resistance and recently released in Brazil. Since the early 1990’s, different genetic transformation systems have been successfully developed in sugarcane, including electroporation, Agrobacterium tumefaciens and biobalistics. However, genetic transformation of sugarcane is a very laborious process, which relies heavily on intensive and sophisticated tissue culture and plant generation procedures that must be optimized for each new genotype to be transformed. Therefore, it remains a great technical challenge to develop an efficient transformation protocol for any sugarcane variety that has not been previously transformed. Additionally, once a transgenic event is obtained, molecular studies required for a commercial release by regulatory authorities, which include transgene insertion site, number of transgenes and gene expression levels, are all hindered by the genomic complexity and the lack of a complete sequenced reference genome for this crop. The objective of this review is to summarize current techniques and state of the art in sugarcane transformation and provide information on existing and future sugarcane improvement by genetic engineering.

Growth, yield and oil content of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) as influenced by sulphur levels under infertile soil

The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of sulphur (S) on growth, agricultural traits, seed yield and oil content in white, brown and black seed color of sesame grown under infertile soil. The experiment was conducted in RCBD arranged in factorial 3 × 4 with 3 reps under pot condition both dry and wet season; factor A was 3 cultivars of sesame and factor B was 4 levels of sulfur (S). The results showed that various cultivars of sesame responded differently to S levels. Some agronomic traits were not affected by S levels i.e. plant height, SCMR and 1000 seeds weight especially in wet season but these traits differed in various cultivars of sesame. Combined analysis of the two seasons was also done and the results showed that S levels did not affect to most traits except number of capsules, whereas interaction between cultivar and S level were found on number of branches, total dry weight and oil content, cv. KKU2 and KKU3 (black and brown seed). cv. KKU3 with application of S at 20 kg ha-1 showed highest total dry weight, whereas cv. KKU3 with application rate of S at 0 kg ha-1 showed highest oil content followed by cv. MK60 with 80 kg ha-1. Interestingly the black and brown seeded cultivars had a positive response to S levels as compared to the white seeded cultivar. From the result, we can conclude that the dry season is the optimal season for sesame production in low fertile soils and that black and brown seed color responds positive to S level than white. However, we strongly suggest that field study should be undertaken to correlate our results in natural growing conditions

Natural diversity provides a broad spectrum of cyanobacteriochrome-based diguanylate cyclases

Cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) are spectrally diverse photosensors from cyanobacteria distantly related to phytochromes that exploit photoisomerization of linear tetrapyrrole (bilin) chromophores to regulate associated signaling output domains. Unlike phytochromes, a single CBCR domain is sufficient for photoperception. CBCR domains that regulate the production or degradation of cyclic nucleotide second messengers are becoming increasingly well characterized. Cyclic di-guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) is a widespread small-molecule regulator of bacterial motility, developmental transitions, and biofilm formation whose biosynthesis is regulated by CBCRs coupled to GGDEF (diguanylate cyclase) output domains. In this study, we compare the properties of diverse CBCR-GGDEF proteins with those of synthetic CBCR-GGDEF chimeras. Our investigation shows that natural diversity generates promising candidates for robust, broad spectrum optogenetic applications in live cells. Since light quality is constantly changing during plant development as upper leaves begin to shade lower leaves-affecting elongation growth, initiation of flowering, and responses to pathogens, these studies presage application of CBCR-GGDEF sensors to regulate orthogonal, c-di-GMP-regulated circuits in agronomically important plants for robust mitigation of such deleterious responses under natural growing conditions in the field.

ИНДИВИДУАЛЬНАЯ ИЗМЕНЧИВОСТЬ МОРФОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ПРИЗНАКОВ ЛИСТВЕННИЦЫ ПОЛЬСКОЙ В УСЛОВИЯХ ИНТРОДУКЦИИ

Polish larch trees are among the most valuable among forest species both in natural growing conditions and in the conditions of introduction. However, its taxonomic status is not fully resolved due to the similarity in morphological features with European and Siberian larch. We conducted a comparative analysis of these species of larch on the morphological features of cones and needles. The studies were carried out in the conditions of introduction in the center of the European part of Russia. We present the average value of the trait (XSR ± Sx) and the degree of its variation (V %). The reliability of the difference between the samples according to these characteristics was determined based on the calculation of the student's criterion t. As a result, we found that the Polish larch has smaller cones and significantly differs from the European and Siberian larch in all studied features (length of cones, width of cones, number of scales in cones, length of needles). These results indicate the isolation of the Polish larch, but this pattern can be expressed not only when referring to the Polish larch in the rank of an independent species – Larix polonica Racib., but also as a subspecies of European larch (Larix decidua var. polonica (Racib. ex Wóycicki) Ostenf. & Syrach).