Number Of Buds Research Articles

Restoring Degraded Lands in Maroua I Municipality, Cameroon: Application of Veazcomutech Techniques

This study was carried out in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon. It aims to contribute to the restoration of degraded land in the localities of Maroua I; to set up a sustainable soil restoration technique based on Vetiveria zizanioide- Azadirachta indica-eggshell and Musa paradisiaca peel; to evaluate the restoration of this land through the crop set up and to assess the state of the art of the "VEACOMUTECH" technique on an area of 103.5 m2. The method envisaged in this research is based on the new modern technique "VEAZCOMUTECH): Technique of V. zizanioide, A. indica, Musa paradisiaca and eggshell" with a view to restoring the fertility of the land and diversifying the population's sources of income by using this technique. The study was carried out in the Maroua I municipality on experimental plots at the Technical School of Agriculture. A control plot and a main plot treated with VEAZCOMUTECH were selected. The most vigorous species were chosen to measure growth and yield parameters over a three-week period. The results of this study show that the application of "VEAZCOMUTECH" on the site increases plant growth. In the first week, leaf length ranged from six (06) to fifteen (15) centimetres on average in the control plot. In the main plot where "VEAZCOMUTECH" was applied, leaf length ranged from ten (10) to thirty-two (32) centimetres during the same week. By the third week, leaf length had increased from 15 to 20 centimetres, while in the main plot, leaf length had increased from 32 to 80 centimetres. There was also a clear difference in the number of leaves at week three, with 20 and 87 leaves for the control and main plots respectively. The largest number of flower buds (23 flower buds) was observed on the plant in the main plot, compared with 2 flower buds in the control plot. These results could serve as a reference for the strategy of restoration and fertilization of degraded land in the Far North Region in particular and in the Sudano-Sahelian zone in general.

Effects of green seaweed (<i>Ulva onhoi</i>) on the reproductive development of tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum)</i> plants

Algae-derived products have great potential as crop biostimulants due to their multiple beneficial effects at different stages of plant development. Green seaweeds of the genus <i>Ulva</i> are well suited for this purpose because they are widely distributed and grow rapidly in a wide range of conditions. In this study, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dry seaweed powder (DSP) and liquid seaweed extract (LSE) of <i>Ulva ohnoi</i> on the reproductive development of tomato plants. The experiment included three treatments: 1) plants treated with 5 g of DSP, 2) plants treated with 250 mL of LSE, and (3) control plants (without algae). The reproductive parameters, chlorophyll content, and mineral composition were measured during the flowering and early fruiting periods. The application of DSP was the most effective treatment in promoting early flowering and significantly increased the number of buds (103%), flower clusters (55%), flowers (61%), and fruits (45%) per plant. Furthermore, the DSP-treated plants exhibited an enhancement in the levels of chlorophyll and nutrients in the plants and fruits. The results of the current work show that the application of <i>U. ohnoi</i> in its natural form (dry powder) stimulates the reproductive development of crop tomato. This represents a sustainable and natural alternative to synthetic inputs that growers can incorporate into horticultural production to improve yield attributes.

Daily Light Integral and Far-Red Radiation Influence Morphology and Quality of Liners and Subsequent Flowering and Development of Petunia in Controlled Greenhouses

Petunia stands as the top-selling bedding plant in the U.S., and improved lighting control in greenhouses holds the potential to reduce crop production time and optimize crop quality. This study investigated the impact of four distinct daily light integral (DLI) conditions with and without supplemental far-red (FR) radiation on the growth of petunia liners and subsequent development of finish plants. Two experiments were conducted in spring (9 April to 18 June 2021) and winter (28 October 2021 to 6 January 2022). Petunia cuttings were rooted in a common environment and then transferred to four greenhouse sections with different DLI treatments: 6, 9, 12, and 15 mol·m−2·d−1 for four weeks. Within each DLI condition, half of the plants were exposed to 28 μmol·m−2·s−1 supplemental FR radiation for 16 h daily (equivalent to 1.61 mol·m−2·d−1 light integral). The number of flower buds and open flowers were tracked daily. Representative liners were destructively harvested and evaluated after four weeks of lighting treatments. The remaining plants were transplanted and moved to a common DLI condition of 15 mol·m−2·d−1 for an additional three weeks before being destructively harvested and evaluated as finish plants. The primary finding reveals the promoting effect of DLI on flowering, branching, morphology, and biomass accumulation of petunia liners, with many effects persisting into the finish stage. A threshold DLI of 9 mol·m−2·d−1 was identified, as lower DLI (6 mol·m−2·d−1) resulted in extensive stem elongation, rendering the plants unmarketable. Higher DLI levels were found to be optimal in terms of flowering and morphology. Supplemental FR accelerated flowering by up to three days in the summer experiment and up to 12 days in the winter experiment. However, FR had limited impact on the number of flower buds and open flowers, branching, and shoot and root weight of the finish plants. Interactions between DLI and FR were observed on some parameters, whereby FR effects were more pronounced under lower DLI. Overall, both higher DLI and supplemental FR exhibited beneficial effects, but DLI had a more pronounced effect. Thus, DLI during petunia liner production appears more important than adding FR. This study well simulated the commercial propagation and production of petunia plants, providing practical insights for decision-making regarding lighting strategies.

Performance of Black gram (Vigna mungo L. Hepper) under Different Levels of Phosphorus at Bardiya, Nepal

A field experiment was conducted during the spring season of 2023 in Badhaiyatal Rural Municipality-7, Bardiya district to evaluate the performance of black gram at various levels of phosphorus. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) consisting of four treatments and five replications were used for the study. The treatments consisted of different levels of phosphorous viz. 0 Kg ha-1 (control), 20 Kg ha-1, 40 Kg ha-1 and 60 Kg ha-1. Black gram var. BLG 0093-1 was sown at spacing of 40 cm x 5 cm in the plots sized 8 m2. All the growth parameters and yield obtained from each treatment were compared at 5% level of significance. The results showed significantly greater number of branches (13.84), flower buds (11.33), root length (16.27 cm) and secondary roots (16.05) at 60 Kg phosphorus per ha followed by 40 Kg ha-1. However, plant height, pods per plant, seeds per pod, weight of pods per plant, biomass and grain yield showed non-significant results at similar levels of phosphorus (60 Kg ha-1). Though non-significant, higher number of fruiting branch, number of nodules, effective nodules, 1000 grain weight and harvest index were observed at 40 Kg ha-1 phosphorus. The findings suggested a gradual increase in the yield with increasing levels of phosphorus with the highest gross return from 60 Kg ha-1 phosphorus. However, since the variation in grain yield among the treatments was not significant, the cost involved with the 60 Kg ha-1 was greater as compared to 40 Kg ha-1 phosphorus, greater benefit was observed with the latter. So, on grounds of greater net return and better BC ratio, 40 Kg ha-1 phosphorus seems to be more profitable for the farmers.

Effect of Organic Substrates on Macro-propagation of Banana under Island Conditions

Banana is an important tropical fruit crop grown globally and is the world’s most important agricultural food commodity. Plantation crops take a major share of cultivated area in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Banana is one of the important fruit crops that is highly suitable to grow as intercrop in plantation based cropping system. Local varieties of banana like Korangi, Mitta Champa, Khatta Champa and Cheenakela are cultivated by the farmers traditionally to meet the local demand. However, in recent past growing commercial varieties of banana has become popular in the Island due to consumer demand. Traditionally banana is propagated by suckers and wide variability was observed in sucker production among the commercial varieties. Due to this large scale multiplication of banana through suckers could not meet the planting material demand in the Island. Hence, a study was undertaken during 2020-2022 to standardize the macro-propagation technology using different organic substrates in the commercial variety ‘Poovan’. Nine different organic substrate combinations were used in the present study to enhance the efficacy of lateral bud development and plantlet production. Suckers weighing 1.0 to 1.5 kg were used as the propagule. Among all the organic media combinations tested, significant differences were observed in terms of plantlet production, root and shoot growth. The treatment T8 (Coircompost: sawdust: FYM: vermicompost (1:1:1:1) with Arka microbial consortia @10 kg) produced maximum number of primary (5.60) and secondary buds (12.07) during primary and secondary capitation of decorticated mother rhizome. Early bud emergence (11.5 days), maximum number of plantlets (12-13 per mother rhizome), maximum shoot length (46.43 cm), maximum shoot girth (3.03 cm) and maximum number of leaves (4.50) were also observed in the treatment T 8. Minimum number of days was taken (52.70 days) for plantlet separation during secondary capitation in the same treatment T 8 suggesting that the treatment combination (Coircompost: sawdust: FYM: vermicompost (1:1:1:1) with Arka microbial consortia @10 kg) was effective for macro-propagation of banana Cv. Poovan under Island ecosystem.

Effects of reflective material deployed at bloom for 1, 2 or 5 months on ‘WA 38’ apple fruit set, quality and yield

The self-thinning nature of the apple variety ‘WA 38’ was previously characterized in Washington State; the self-regulating abscission of early-stage fruitlets lasts up to 8 weeks after full bloom and can result in the natural drop of 80 to 90% of the original flowers. Several approaches can be pursued to increase the fruit set, but in the present study, the focus was centered on A) alleviating the competition between young fruitlets during the early weeks of fruit development to reduce the loss by natural abscission and B) increasing the number of flower buds the following year. The study was set up in a 2018 planting of ‘WA 38’/G.935 orchard without hail-nets trained to V-trellis-system (4,975 trees/ha) in Central Washington (USA). The treatment consisted of the deployment, at early king bloom, of 80% reflective white material (RM, Extenday®) in the orchard inter-rows. The hypothesis relied upon the fact that enhanced light (mainly diffuse) could increase leaf C assimilation to support and nourish a higher proportion of fruitlets and decrease the natural abscission. The RM treatments had three different durations: reflective cover removed one month after installation (“RM for 1 M”), two months after (“RM for 2 M”) and until harvest (“RM until harvest”). They were compared against untreated control (“No RM (CTRL)”) in a 2-year trial. RM treatments did not result in a significant positive impact on fruit retention, net photosynthetic rate, yield, or return bloom. Trees subjected to whole-season RM had altered canopy and soil microclimates with drier and warmer canopies and cooler soil with higher moisture compared to untreated control. In the second season, a greater proportion of large apples (264-339 g or 72-64 apples/40-lb-box) was graded in RM until harvest treatment, indicating a positive influence of the enhanced light treatment in C allocation to fruit.

Seasonal Climatic Variation and Flowering Intensity of Garcinia kola (Heckel) in a Humid Forest Plantation

Aim of study: The study designed to assess seasonal climatic variation and flowering intensity in G. kola in a humid forest plantation. Area of study: The study was conducted in the mono-plantation of Garcinia kola in the Swamp Forest Research station of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Onne, Rivers state, Nigeria. The plantation consists of 103 trees at 5×5m spacing. Material and methods: Climatic data were sourced from meteoblue.com. Flowering intensity was determined by the estimation of the total flower production per tree: total number of flower buds per inflorescence was determined by visual counting and then extrapolated for the total number of inflorescences per twig, total number of twigs per branch and total number of branches per tree to determine the average flowering intensity per tree. A total of 9 trees and twenty-five inflorescences per tree, were sampled. Data was analysed using covariance and analysis of variance. Main results: Rainfall, wind speed, and flowering intensity varied significantly (p ≤ 0.05) between seasons; seasonal rainfall variation influence on flowering intensity varied with tree gender. Research highlights: Rainfall is the flowering cue of the plantation; we recommend that farmers target low to moderate rainfall seasons for high fruit and seed yields.

Nutrition for commercial flower production of Longiflorum asiatica (LA) hybrid under northern plains

The study was conducted during the winter seasons, comprising the various combinations of inorganic fertilizers (N, P2O5, and K2O) and organic manure (FYM). Treatment T24 [(25 t FYM+160 kg N+120 kg P2O5+100 kg K2O)/ha] emerged as the statistically significant treatment, outperforming others in respect of tallest plant (122.43 cm), leaf count per plant (79.33), leaf length (7.90 cm), and early flower bud initiation (28.01 days), bud initiation to colour shown (47.11 days), and colour shown to flower opening (6.10 days). This treatment also tended to show the longest flower retention on plant (15.30 days), number of flower buds per plant (4.20), bud length (8.96 cm), stalk length (110.10 cm), stalk diameter (0.96 cm), flower diameter (22.98 cm), total chlorophyll content (6.50 mg/g), leaf nitrogen (4.70%), potassium (4.10%), and net assimilation ratio (NAR) (0.0065 mg/cm2/ day). Treatment T23 [(25 t FYM+120 kg N+90 kg P2O5+75 kg K2O)/ha] proved next best treatment. The lowest value was recorded in T25 (Control). Overall, treatment T24 proved to be the most effective treatment statistically for the commercial flower production of LA hybrid lilium for northern Indian plains.

Gene pyramiding improved cell membrane stability under heat stress in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Climate change has been drastically affecting cotton not only in Pakistan but also all over the world. Normally cotton is known as heat tolerant when compared with other crops, but if the high temperature occurs during flowering period the yield decreases significantly. Marker assisted gene pyramiding provides a sustainable solution to improve heat tolerance. A total of seven genotypes were developed by a series of crossing seven tolerant genotypes over the period of three years. Tolerant genotypes were selected by screening for important transcription factors (GHSP26, HSP3, HSFA2, DREB1A, HSP101, DREB2A, GhNAC2, HSPCB, GhWRKY41, TPS, GbMYB5, ANNAT8, GhMPK17, GhMKK1, GhMKK3, GhMPK2, HSC70, APX1 and GhPP2A1). The seven genotypes were evaluated under normal and heat stress in a multi-year trial. The traits related to heat tolerance, such as cell membrane stability, relative water content, excised leaf water loss, plant height, number of nodes, internodal length, number of buds, number of bolls and leaf area was observed under normal and heat stress conditions. The developed genotypes showed improvement in cell membrane stability and relative water content under heat stress. The genotypes [(VH-305×MNH-886)×MNH-1035)×NIAB-78)], [(MNH-1035×MNH-886)×MNH-886)×SM-431] and [(MNH-1035×MNH-886)×MNH-886)×SS-32] depicted heat tolerance and could be used as heat tolerant material for variety development in breeding programs.

Comparative analysis of manures and fertilizer on okra growth, yield and its economics in Baitadi, Nepal

Embracing organic techniques can minimize environmental impacts and promote practices that enhance soil and ecological health. A field experiment to study, “Comparative Analysis of Manures and Fertilizer on Okra Growth, Yield and its Economics in Baitadi, Nepal” was conducted at Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College in 2023. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 3 replications and 7 treatments. The variety used in this experiment was ‘Arka Anamika’. The treatments used in the experiment were FYM, Goat manure, Poultry manure, Vermicompost, Sesame cake, RDF, and Control (no fertilizer). The fertilizer provided the necessary nitrogen, while the insufficient phosphorus and potassium were supplemented with single super phosphate and muriate of potash, respectively. Results revealed that the application of different fertilizers significantly affected various vegetative and reproductive parameters such as germination days, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, number of branches, number of buds, number of open flowers, number of pods, pod’s length, girth of pods, weight of pods and yield. The results obtained were minimum germination days(4.64) for RDF. Maximum plant height(208.43cm), maximum stem diameter(9.4cm), and number of branches(24.27) were obtained by application of poultry manure at 60 DAS. A maximum number of buds, open flowers, and pods were recorded in poultry manure and RDF application at 75 DAS. The maximum length of the pod(12.52cm) in vermicompost and the maximum girth of the pod(1.59cm) in poultry manure were obtained while the maximum wt. of the pod(14.1gm) in sesame cake. The application of poultry manure obtained a maximum yield per hectare(15.51t/ha). Also in the B: C ratio, Poultry manure exhibited higher(2.65) as compared to other treatments. From this study, we can conclude that poultry manure could contribute to the higher yield and overall attributes of okra.

Impact of plant nutrients and organic substances on growth, yield, and quality attributes of Anna apple cultivar under semi-arid conditions

The unique challenges posed by semi-arid climates, including soil nutrient limitations and organic matter decline, underscore the importance of effective nutrient and organic substance management to ensure optimal yields, quality, and environmental sustainability. A field experiment was conducted at Horticulture Farm of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during two succeeding years, 2020–21 and 2021–22, to identify optimal nutrient management strategies of different plant nutrients and organic substances on growth, flowering, quality, and yield attributes of the “Anna” apple cultivar. The experiment consisted of nineteen treatments in an RBD system. The plant growth parameters [leaf area (33.64 cm2) and trunk girth (13.16 cm)] when applied 2.0% Urea (N) + 15% Cow urine-T12. Whereas, the number of flower buds (232.83/m2) and flowering duration (39.00 days) were found better with T6. Similarly, [fruit volume (158.95 cm3), number of fruit (63.33/tree) and fruit drop (70.54%)] and [TSS: acid ratio (22.60), reducing sugars (7.17%), non-reducing sugars (2.83%), total protein (0.97 g 100 g−1), starch index (3.59)] were superior with the application of treatment T6. Higher content of boron (80.09 ppm) was estimated in treatment T6, zinc (24.69 ppm) in T9, iron (134.67 ppm) in T1, and manganese (59.94 ppm) in T12 during the experimentation. Therefore, it was concluded that treatment T12 was most effective for enhancing plant growth while treatment T6 was found superior for flowering, high yield, and quality of apple cv. Anna fruit under semi-arid conditions.

Effects of different rootstocks on the growth and yield characteristics of Papazkarası (Vitis vinifera L.)

Rootstocks, which are becoming increasingly important in viticulture, influence the growth, yield, and grape quality of the grafted variety. Therefore, understanding the resistance characteristics of rootstocks to phylloxera, nematodes, environmental conditions, and abiotic and biotic stresses is crucial. Selecting a rootstock that is appropriate for the region where the vineyard will be established optimizes grape quality. The aim of this research is to determine the performance of the cv. Papazkarası on different rootstocks. For this purpose, an experiment was established at Irem Çamlica Viticulture and Winery Co. vineyard in Kırklareli province. Ten-year-old Papazkarası vines grafted onto 1103P, 110R, and 420A rootstocks were used as plant material. To determine the growth of the vines, parameters such as shoot elongation rate (cm/week), shoot length changings (cm), pruning wood weight (PW) (kg/vine), vigor (g), puissance, number of buds per square meter (number), balanced pruning buds number (number/vine), vegetative growth (VG), Ravaz Index (RI), Partridge Index (PI), and yield (kg/vine) were examined. Additionally, to determine cluster characteristics, cluster width and length (cm), weight (g), and the volume of gappy and spaceless clusters (cm³) were measured. The results of the research indicated that the 1103P rootstock had the lowest yield, puissance, RI, PI, and VG values; moderate values for PW, vigor, number of shoots, number of berries per cluster, and cluster length; and the highest values for cluster weight, the volume of gappy and spaceless clusters. The 110R rootstock was found to be more balanced compared to other rootstocks, with the highest values for vigor, RI, and PI; average values for yield, puissance, and VG; and the lowest values for PW, number of shoots, number of berries per cluster, cluster length, weight, and the volume of gappy and spaceless clusters. The 420A rootstock had the highest values for yield, PW, VG, number of shoots, number of berries per cluster, and cluster width and length; average values for RI, PI, cluster weight, and the volume of gappy and spaceless clusters; and the lowest value for one-year-old cane weight. In conclusion, based on the characteristics outlined, a selection can be made from these rootstocks according to cultivation purposes, but other rootstocks should also be investigated.

Biosolid as an alternative source of nutrients in chrysanthemum cultivation

The objective was to evaluate the biosolids as an alternative source of nutrients in the production of chrysanthemums by adding increasing doses to the cultivation substrate. The experimental design was in blocks with 6 treatments and 5 replications. The treatments consisted of the mixture (commercial substrate + biosolid) at the concentrations: 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% of biosolid + two controls (100% of biosolid and 100% of substrate). The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse for 90 days. Physiological parameters, number of flower buds, dry biomass and nutrient accumulation were evaluated. Physiological parameters were evaluated using the Infrared Gas Analyzer. The number of flower buds was evaluated by counting. Biomass was determined after drying the structures and then calculated the accumulation of nutrients. A total of 90 plants were evaluated. Concentrations of up to 40% of biosolid promoted a greater number of flower buds, dry biomass and nutrient accumulation. Concentrations above 60% lower number of buds, biomass increment and nutrient accumulation. It is concluded that the biosolid has potential as an alternative source of nutrients in the cultivation of chrysanthemums, indicating concentrations of up to 40% and the nutrient content of each batch generated must be verified.

Are the tumor microenvironment characteristics of pretreatment biopsy specimens of colorectal cancer really effectively predict the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy: A retrospective multicenter study.

More and more studies had pointed out that the tumor microenvironment characteristics based on colorectal cancer (CRC) pretreatment biopsy specimens could effectively predict the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy, but under hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, whether the tumor microenvironment characteristics observed by pathologists could predict the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy remains to be discussed. We collected 106 CRC patients who received neoadjuvant treatment and surgical resection from 3 hospitals. The number of mitosis, inflammation degree, desmoplastic reaction (DR), necrosis, tumor-stroma ratio (TSR) and tumor budding (TB) of CRC pretreatment biopsy specimens were observed under HE staining, and the degree of tumor pathological remission of CRC surgical specimens after neoadjuvant treatment was evaluated. According to the tumor regression grade (TRG), patients were divided into good-responders (TRG 0-1) and non-responders (TRG 2-3). All data were analyzed with SPSS software (version 23.0) to evaluate the correlation between the number of mitosis, inflammation degree, DR, necrosis, TSR and TB in pretreatment biopsy samples and the treatment effect. In univariate analysis, mitosis (P = .442), inflammation degree (P = .951), DR (P = .186), necrosis (P = .306), TSR (P = .672), and TB (P = .327) were not associated with the response to neoadjuvant therapy. However, we found that for colon cancer, rectal cancer was more likely to benefit from neoadjuvant therapy (P = .024). In addition, we further analyzed the impact of mitosis, inflammation degree, DR, necrosis, TSR and TB on neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancer, and found that there was no predictive effect. By analyzing the characteristics of tumor microenvironment of CRC pretreatment biopsy specimens under HE staining, such as mitosis, inflammation degree, DR, necrosis, TSR and TB, it was impossible to effectively predict the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy for CRC.

Effect of fertilization and flower bud dormancy breaker on yield and fruit quality of crystal guava (Psidium guajava L.)

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) crystal variety or often called crystal guava is a type of fruit that has recently become increasingly popular in the community and is highly favored by consumers. The advantages of this guava compared to other guavas are fast fruiting (8 months after planting has started production), small habitus so that the population per hectare is high, the fruit is large with thick pulp, tastes good, fresh, and crunchy, very few seeds only 4-6 per fruit, even many are seedless (seddless), and the appearance of the fruit is attractive. With its various advantages, the crystal guava population in Bali has grown very rapidly since the last 5 years, but farmers complain that although certified superior seeds are used, the production, quality and continuity of the fruit produced are not as expected. The continuity of fruit harvest is not sustainable because many naturally induced flower buds do not develop into flowers due to dormancy. The aim of this study was to increase the production and quality of crystal guava fruit through fertilization and the application of flower bud dormancy breakers. The research was conducted in Semanik Village, Petang District, Badung from January to July 2024. The experiment was arranged in a 2-factor factorial with 9 replications, using a group randomized design. The first factor was fertilization consisting of 3 levels; fertilization as the farmer's way/control (P1), fertilization with N, P, K, and Ca (P2), and fertilization with N, P, K, Ca and microfertilizers Zn, and Cu (P3), while the second factor was the application of flower bud dormancy breaker type consisting of 3 levels; without dormancy breaker/control (Dt), Ethreel dormancy breaker (De), and KNO3 dormancy breaker (Dk). The results showed that fertilization level P2, namely the provision of urea, TSP, KCl and calcium fertilizer in the form of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) at a dose of 250 g, 300 g, 300 g, and 1,250 g/plant respectively and fertilization level P3, namely the provision of urea, TSP, KCl and gypsum at a dose of 250 g, 300 g, 300 g, and 1,250 g/plant coupled with the provision of micro-fertilizers ZnSO4 and CuSO4 tend to increase the growth, production and quality of crystal guava fruit. Similarly, the application of Ethreel and KNO3 flower bud dormancy breakers tended to increase the number of new buds per plant, number of fruits per plant, weight of fruits per plant and percentage of grade A fruits.

Loss of tyrosine 211 phosphorylation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) enhances postnatal mammary gland development.

The intricately orchestrated progression of mammary tissue development involves the precise coordination of gland differentiation and cellular proliferation. Nevertheless, the understanding of the role and regulatory mechanisms governing the DNA replication machinery in mammary gland development remains limited. Given the essential role of DNA replication in the viability of living cells, any genetic disturbance to its replicative function, in any form, will impede organ development. This circumstance poses a technical challenge in elucidating the potential function of cell proliferation in mammary morphogenesis. PCNA is crucial in DNA replication, playing a pivotal role in the development of complete eukaryotic organisms. The phosphorylation of PCNA at tyrosine 211 (Y211) has been demonstrated to play a significant role in supporting replication forks and, consequently, cell proliferation. Therefore, the utilization of a knock-in mouse model, wherein the Y211 residue of PCNA is replaced with phenylalanine (211F), presents an opportunity to evaluate the impact of reduced cell proliferation potential on mammary gland development. Interestingly, the lack of Y211 phosphorylation did not significantly impact the rates of proliferation or cell death in the mammary gland. In contrast, the absence of Y211PCNA led to an increased, rather than reduced, growth of the mammary gland. This was evident in assessments of gland length and the number of terminal end buds (TEBs) in both postnatal and virgin mammary glands. Notably, this observation correlated with an elevation in tissue stemness within the 211F glands compared to the WT glands. Additionally, it was consistent with the greater body weight gains observed in 211F pups compared to WT pups during the weaning period. Our findings unveil an unexpected aspect that may carry significance for mammary development. This newfound is associated with the regulation of a central component within the DNA replication machinery, providing insights into the intricate interplay governing mammary tissue expansion.

Evaluation of prognostic factors for oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma: Significance of intratumoral tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, lymph node ratio, and depth of invasion.

132 Background: Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is an aggressive malignancy with a variable prognosis. Identifying reliable prognostic factors is crucial for developing personalized treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes. This study examined the prognostic significance of clinicopathological factors in oral tongue SCC. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 192 patients who underwent surgical resection at Asan Medical Center between 2010 and 2017. Clinicopathological data, including age at diagnosis, American Joint Committee of Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition stages, depth of invasion (DOI), extranodal extension (ENE), intratumoral and stromal (invasive front) tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), margin status, metastatic-to-examined lymph nodes ratio (LNR), number of metastatic lymph nodes, perineural invasion (PNI), sex, size, tumor budding, tumor differentiation, tumor-to-stromal ratio (TSR), and worst pattern of invasion (WPOI) were analyzed. The total cohort, early-stage group, and late-stage group were analyzed separately. Results: Most variables showed significant associations with the survival rate. The multivariate Cox proportional hazard models for the total cohort showed significant results for intratumoral TILs, DOI grade, and LNR. However, other factors failed to show statistical significance. Intratumoral TIL was the only consistently potent factor for survival in all study groups. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the need for increased focus on the prognostic significance of intratumoral TILs. The DOI grade and LNR were also powerful prognostic factors, especially in late-stage tongue SCCs. Our data suggest that the prognostic significance of certain variables, such as the WPOI, may have been overestimated in the literature, thereby warranting a reassessment of the currently utilized prognostic markers in oral tongue SCC.

Limosilactobacillus fermentum SLAM 216-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Promote Intestinal Maturation in Mouse Organoid Models.

Probiotics, when consumed in adequate amounts, can promote the health of the host and beneficially modulate the host's immunity. Particularly during the host's early life, the gut intestine undergoes a period of epithelial maturation in which epithelial cells organize into specific crypt and villus structures. This process can be mediated by the gut microbiota. Recent studies have reported that the administration of probiotics can further promote intestinal maturation in the neonatal intestine. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of extracellular vesicles derived from the Limosilactobacillus fermentum SLAM 216 strain, which is an established probiotic with known immune and anti-aging effects on intestinal epithelial maturation and homeostasis, using mouse small intestinal organoids. As per our findings, treatment with L. fermentum SLAM 216-derived LF216EV (LF216EV) has significantly increased the bud number and size of organoid buds. Furthermore, extracellular vesicle (EV) treatment upregulated the expression of maturation-related genes, including Ascl2, Ephb2, Lgr5, and Sox9. Tight junctions are known to have an important role in the intestinal immune barrier, and EV treatment has significantly increased the expression of genes associated with tight junctions, such as Claudin, Muc2, Occludin, and Zo-1, indicating that it can promote intestinal development. This was supported by RNA sequencing, which revealed the upregulation of genes associated with cAMP-mediated signaling, which is known to regulate cellular processes including cell differentiation. Additionally, organoids exposed to LF216EV exhibited upregulation of genes associated with maintaining brain memory and neurotransmission, suggesting possible future functional implications.

Application of combined GA3 and NAA treatments to improve yield and quality of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)

In Bangladesh, okra is an important popular summer vegetable. However, traditional farming practices often lead to suboptimal yields. Thus, the study was designed to determine the ideal GA3 and NAA doses for accelerating okra growth, yield, and quality characteristics. A three-replication, randomized complete block design was adopted. Foliar sprays with three concentrations of GA3 (0 ppm, 150 ppm, and 250 ppm) and NAA (0 ppm, 150 ppm, and 250 ppm) were applied in 2022 and 2023. In comparison to the control, the combined application of GA3 @ 150 ppm and NAA @ 150 ppm improved plant height, leaf number, leaf area, branch number, internode length, bud number, pod number, pod length, pod diameter, and 1000 seed weight average over the two years. Furthermore, GA3 @ 150 ppm with NAA 150 ppm increased yield by 35.08% and 27.01% in 2022 and 2023 respectively, above the control. Combining NAA @ 150 ppm with GA3 resulted in higher levels of vitamin C, TSS, magnesium, and zinc by 19.31%, 81.2%, 22.73% and 21.43% in 2022 and 22.83%, 50.57%, 18.07%, 33.33% in 2023 respectively, compared to the control. In contrast, GA3 and NAA decreased potassium and calcium in both year when compared to the control. Overall, the results of this experiment indicated that using GA3 @ 150 ppm with NAA @ 150 ppm could enhance okra growth, yield, and quality. These findings provide insightful information for improving okra cultivation techniques and improving Bangladesh’s productivity in agriculture and food security.

The effect of mycorrhiza on the growth of Ylang-Ylang seedlings

Abstract Ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata forma genuina Steenis) is a plant with high economic value and many benefits. Mycorrhizal application is necessary to obtain a quality mother plant. Therefore, a study on the mycorrhiza effect on ylang-ylang growth was needed, especially in the seedling stage. This study aimed to analyse the impact of mycorrhiza infection on the development of ylang-ylang seedlings. The method used in this study was the isolation of Claroideoglomus etunicatum spores. Ten of each spore was inoculated onto the sterilised roots (using 5% Natrium hypochlorite) of the three-month-old ylang-ylang seedlings and then planted on zeolite media and soil in a 6 x 10 cm pottery, which was then transferred to each pot 13 cm in diameter and 16 cm in height. For comparison, zeolite and soil media were used without the addition of mycorrhiza. The result of this study showed that the application of mycorrhizae using soil media had the highest increase in height (4.19 cm), diameter (0.72 mm), number of leaves (2.6 strands), and number of buds (0.8 leaf buds) compared to other treatments.