Number Of Seedlings Research Articles

Germination Percentage and Seed Quality of different Forest Tree Species of Rajpipla Forest Range

Rapid growth in human population last few decades has immensely increased pressure on natural resources like, land, forest, wildlife and other natural resources for their basic need and livelihood. It has also resulted into elevation of pollution due to increased use of the motor vehicles, mining activities, factories, pesticides, fossil fuel and forest fire. Increased pollution has played significant role in climate change. Effects of global climate change suggest the future need for restoration of forest will increase (Stanturf et al., 2014). For the remedy to reduce this increasing pollution, forest vegetation can play vital role by their ability to store atmospheric carbon and to accumulate suspended particulate matter over their leaves. Therefore, tree plantation is the one of the best option to mitigate pollution problem. Mainly tree plantation can be done as road side, river or canals side, railway track, degraded or wasteland, reforestation and afforestation programme and also in agricultural fields as farmer now-a-days preferring fast growing tree plantation for economic purpose. For tree plantation, sufficient number of seedlings of different tree species is the fundamental requirement. Generally, tree seedlings are prepared by collecting seeds from different seed sources and sowing them in nurseries. But, in nursery, forest staff does not have idea about the how much seed quantity to be taken or to be distributed to prepare required number of seedlings. Thus, without sufficient knowledge about seeds of particular tree species, they face problems like produced insufficient seedlings material or sometimes produced more than required seedling materials which become waste. To overcome this problem, nursery staffs should have sufficient knowledge about the seeds germination percentage, seed rate, seed purity and other seed parameters of each species planned to be incorporated in future plantation programme. Study on variability in seed characters and germination behaviour of species will help in identifying own seed lots for a planting programme (Kertadikara and Prat, 1995). Objective of seed testing is to get accurate and reproducible results regarding the purity, composition and the percentage of seeds that can be expected to produce good seedling under favourable conditions. Investigation on germination of forest seed is of a great interest among scientist as it is directly related to ecology of particular area (Nakar and Jadeja, 2014). Therefore, keeping above mentioned issues regarding seedling production, present study was carried out to help the forest staff to resolve such problem.

PERFORMANCE STUDY OF A WALKING TYPE 4-ROW MECHANICAL RICE TRANSPLANTER

A study was carried out at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Regional Station, Rangpur along with laboratory test and farmers field in Fulgachi, Lalmonirhat for field test during Aman season with BRRI dhan52 to identify the effect of plant spacing of transplanter on grain yield. Three levels of plant spacing (30 cm×13 cm, 30 cm×15 cm, 30 cm×17 cm), seedling density setting (Middle, Middle+1 and Middle+2) and RCBD with 9 plots were used for the purpose. In field experiment, three plant spacing and Middle+2 seedling density setting was used. In this walking type self-propelled rice transplanter, the field capacity, field efficiency and fuel consumption of the transplanter were 0.134 ha hr-1 , 68 % and 3.71 L ha-1 , respectively. Labor requirement for mechanical and manual transplanting were 6.75 man ha/hr and 223 men hour per hectare respectively. Cost of mechanical transplanting was Tk. 3291 per hectare as compared to Tk.13000 per hectare in case of manual transplanting. If the usage of this machine per year decreases, the operating cost per hectare will increase. From breakeven analysis with mechanical and manual operating cost, it was found that transplanter should use at least 11 hectares per year to minimize the operation cost per hectare. For 17 cm, 15 cm and 13 cm plant spacing, number of tray requirement were 218, 270 and 277 per hectare, respectively. Number of seedling tray saved for 17 cm and 15 cm spacing were 21 % and 2.53 % compared with 13 cm spacing. In 30 cm×17 cm spacing, minimum number of seedlings required maximum no. of tray saved. Grain yield in different spacing (30 cm×13 cm, 30 cm ×15 cm, 30 cm ×17 cm) and manual transplanting were 4.43, 4.97, 5.23, 4.13 t ha-1 , respectively. Results showed that, highest grain yield among plant spacing was found 5.23 t ha-1 from 30 cm×17 cm.

Impact of newly introduced liquid fertilizer as fertilizer for raising oil palm seedlings

Impact of newly introduced liquid fertilizers on growth and development on oil palm seedlings was investigated at the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research Main Nursery, Benin City for two cropping seasons 2013 and 2014 respectively. The fertilizers investigated are Operon 22:0:0, Advantage 20:20:10, Boost Xtra 20:20:20 and conventional fertilizer NPKMg 12:12:17:2. The trial consists of 9 treatments laid down in Randomized Complete Blocks Design (RCBD) in three replicates at zero application (control), 28 g, and 56g per seedling respectively. Treatments were applied at 3, 5 and 8 months after planting and data were collected on seedling height, girth, number of frond production, dry matter yield and percentage of transplantable seedlings at 3, 6 and 12 months after planting. Data collected were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and their mean compared with Turkey’s Honest Significance Difference (THSD) at 5% level of probability. At 3 and 6 months after planting, seedlings treatments had no significant effects on palm height, girth and number of frond production. However, at 9 and 12 months after planting, applied treatments had significant effects on palm height, girth, dry matter yield and the number of transplantable seedlings. The highest palm height (138.5 cm), girth (23.5cm), number of frond production (12), transplantable percentage (97.7%) and dry matter yield (198.5.7 g) were obtained in seedlings that received application of 28 g NPKMg 12:12:17:2, while the least palm height (75.5 cm), number of frond production (11), transplantable percentage (68%) and dry matter yield (105.8 g) was obtained from the control. The performance of seedlings that received fertilizers were all significantly different from the control, this is an indication that the liquid fertilizers Operon 22:0:0, Advantage 20:20:10 and Boost Xtra 20:20:20 could be used as an alternate fertilizer for raising oil palm seedlings when the conventional NPKMg is not readily available.

Effects of Different Magnetically Treated Waters on Emergence and Growth of Snail Medic

The present study concerns the effects of different magnetically treated waters (distilled water (as control), domestic water, saline water (-3 MPa), waste water and purified water of Arak city) on emergence and growth of Medicago scutellata (Var. Rabinson) seedlings under greenhouse conditions. The various waters were treated by passing it through 250 mT magnetic fields at flow rate of 2 lit/min. One hundred seeds per treatment were soaked in magnetically-treated waters for 12 hours and cultivated in pots with sand bed. The number of seedlings emerged was counted on daily basis, whereas growth data was measured on the 20th day after planting. Seedlings from exposed seeds to magnetically treated waters showed an improvement of 5-10 percent in the emergence and a 5-14 and 2-16 percent increase in root length and weight, respectively. Dry weight of emerged seedlings in pots by magnetically-treated waters, in comparison with those in untreated pots (control) increased for distilled water (14.4%), domestic water (16.3%), saline water (9.18%), and purified water (2.92%). The results of seedling lengths in the pots of magnetically-treated waters showed that, 5.54, 14.82, 14.67, 13.75, and 14.04 percent increased, respectively. From a practical point of view, it was concluded that could be a promising technique for agricultural improvements.

Plant Functional Trait Responses to Dolomite and Limestone Karst Forests in Southwest China

Southwest China is distributed with the largest area of limestone and dolomite karst landscapes in the world, and its ecological environment is very fragile; the problem of rock desertification is particularly prominent. Karst lithological differences make habitats and soil heterogeneity more complex, and vegetation has developed certain morphological and physiological structural characteristics to adapt to these special environments, which will most likely lead to differentiation in vegetation functional characteristics, such as seed size, wood density, life type and flowering time, thus affecting the number and growth of seedlings and young trees and the future succession potential of forest stands in karst-vegetation restoration. Therefore, it is important to understand the differences in species composition and the functional characteristics of dolomite and limestone karst forests. Over a 2-year period, we investigated a total of 3170 individuals from 123 species and analyzed the relationship between the species compositions and the functional characteristics of two karst-forest areas with different lithology (i.e., limestone and dolomite karst). It was found that the average number of species with medium-diameter seeds and medium wood density in dolomite plots was obviously greater than the average number of species in limestone plots, but this reached no significant difference. However, with the gradual restoration of each forest, the height and carbon sequestration capacity of the trees began to diverge, with the relative abundance of species with tall trees and high wood density being significantly higher in limestone plots than in dolomite plots. The species richness of evergreen trees was significantly higher in the limestone plots than in the dolomite plots. There was no significant difference in the relative species richness of flowering plants in the two karst-forest areas during spring–summer and winter–spring seasons; however, the species richness of flowering plants in the limestone karst forests was significantly higher than that of flowering plants in the dolomite karst forests during summer and autumn seasons. These significant traits were very closely related to the species richness of the understory plants. Further insight into the temporal aspects of karst-forest succession is needed to grasp how functional traits affect the restorations of different lithological karst forests to their primary states.

ROLE OF MYCORRHIZA HELPER BACTERIA ON MYCORRHIZAL COLONIZATION AND NEMATODE Pratylenchus coffeae INFECTION

The coffee nursery is susceptible to endoparasitic Pratylenchus coffeae. Application of biological method in the nursery is suggested to control the nematode population and maintain the seedling health. The objectives of this study were to observe the ability of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Fungi (AMF) Glomus spp. and liquid inoculant of Mycorrhiza Helper Bacteria (MHB) consortium Pseudomonas diminuta and Bacillus subtilis for increasing AMF colonization and reducing the infection P. coffeae in Arabica coffee seedling and their growth. A pot experiment was conducted using a Completely Randomized Block Design with four treatments and five replications. The treatments were Glomus spp. spore inoculation without and with two concentrations of MHB. The control treatment did not receive Glomus spp. and MHB. The seedlings were growing in the greenhouse for three months. The results indicated that Glomus spp. and MHB consortium significantly reduced the nematode total number in soil and roots by approximately 30%; and infection degree of P. coffeae by 50%. The application of Glomus spp. significantly increased root colonization by mycorrhizal fungi, but MHB inoculation did not affect the mycorrhizal colonization. Seedlings treated with MHB had higher shoot length compared to the plant without MHB and control; but the leaves number and shoot dry weight of seedlings were not affected by all treatments. Even though the root fresh weight was reduced after MHB treatment, the lateral roots growth of MHB-treated seedling visually was improved. The experiment demonstrated that MHB was efficient to reduce P. coffeae infection of Arabica seedling.

System of Crop Intensification in Ragi for Sustained Productivity to Meet the Challenges in Climate Change

System of crop intensification is one of the important concept to improve the productivity and to sustain the income of the farmers in long run. The doubling of farmers’ income is the talk of the day to help them in their livelihood in spite of various constraints face in the field. Climate change is another challenge in the years to come for the farming sectors. Field experiments were conducted from 2016 to 2019 to evaluate the establishment technique in ragi (SRgI) wherein the experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design, replicated thrice. The treatment consists of three establishment techniques viz., Spacing: S1 (22.5 X 22.5 cm), S2 (25 X 25 cm) and S3 (30 X 30 cm), Number of seedling: N1 (one seedling per hill) and N2 (two seedlings per hill) and Age of seedling: A1 (12 days old seedling), A2 (15 days old seedling) and A3 (18 days old seedling) and control (22.5 X 10 cm, two seedlings per hill and 18 days old seedlings). The results revealed that single seedling with 12 days’ age under wider spacing (30 X 30cm) was the suitable establishment technique to meet the challenges of increased production in millets. It was found that SRgI technique could result in single stroke harvest of ragi, avoiding multiple harvests. The results from the previous research of SRgI was considered, as a tool for mitigating climate change strategies viz., high temperature and low rainfall. The experiments were taken up (2019-21) under Factorial Randomized Block Design, replicated thrice. The treatments consist of two factors viz., Date of sowing: S1 (Sowing on June 1st week), S2 (Sowing on June 2nd week), S3 (Sowing on June 3rd week) and S4 (Sowing on June 4th week); and Variety: V1(TRY1), V2 (CO14), and V3 (CO 15). SRgI method of planting was adopted i.e., single seedling with wider spacing. From the reference of the pertaining data, it can be deduced that early sowing of variety TRY 1 and CO 15 on 1st and 2nd week of June respectively could increase the production of ragi, minimize the risk of pest incidence and reduce the cost of production thereby support as a resistant crop to mitigate the climate change concepts projected in near future keeping in view of the System of Crop Intensification and its benefits.

EFFECT OF γ-IRADIATION ON SEED GERMINATION AND GROWTH OF GYPSOPHILA THYRAICA KRASNOVA (CARYOPHYLLACEAE) SEEDLINGS

Analysis of laboratory germination and germination energy of Gypsophila thyraica Krasnova s. str. - a rare, relict, Podil endemic species. The seeds were irradiated with small doses (5, 15, 30 Gy) of gamma radiation (60Co) and germinated in laboratory conditions for 14 days in two repetitions. It was established that the seeds of G. thyraica irradiated with γ-rays prevailed in terms of the rate of germination and further growth and the number of seedlings. A stimulatory effect on germination, seed germination energy and seedling development was established with γ-irradiation at doses of 15 and 30 Gy. The energy of germination in all irradiated samples is low, in the control non-irradiated version it was not determined due to the absence of germinated seeds. The analysis of morphometric indicators also showed positive dynamics: in irradiated samples, the total size of seedlings increased (by 5-6 times compared to the control sample), depressed individuals were practically absent, while in control samples growth slowed down, seeds often did not develop, even after the start of germination. In general, the results of samples 1 and 2 are similar and confirm the conclusion about the stimulating effect of low doses of γ-irradiation on seeds.

Hybrid brachiariagrass (Urochloa spp.) establishment with annual sorghum sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) mixtures at half and full recommended seeding rates

AbstractThe slow initial growth of hybrid brachiariagrass (Urochloa spp.) can require some months to achieve complete ground cover of a newly seeded area, leading to decreased forage production and increased weed infestation in the establishment year. To solve these problems, we attempted to sow seeds by mixing warm‐season annual forages with brachiariagrass at a brachiariagrass pasture establishment (University of Florida, USA, 2017 and 2018). Treatments were single seeding of ‘Cayman’ brachiariagrass solo (BR), sorghum sudangrass solo (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench; SD), and sunn hemp solo (Crotalaria juncea L.; SH) and two mixtures of these three forages at half (HSR) or full (FSR) of the recommended seeding rate. The seeding rates of FSR were, respectively, 10, 20, and 25 kg/ha for brachiariagrass, sudangrass, and sunn hemp. The treatments were distributed in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. Plots were harvested at 6, 12, 18, and 24 weeks after seeding. The number of brachiariagrass seedlings in the HSR and FSR treatments was less than half that in the BR (P < .05). The BR treatment had greater brachiariagrass herbage accumulation (HA) at all harvests than HSR (4%–75% of BR) or FSR (7%–66% of BR). This difference between the BR and mixture treatments became narrower in later harvests. In addition to the decreased number of brachiariagrass seedlings, light and nutrient competition between annual forages are considered to be the causes of lower brachiariagrass HA in the mixture treatments. Sunn hemp increased forage HA and crude protein concentrations at 6 weeks. Sudangrass provided overyielding forage until 18 weeks after seeding, with a similar nutritive value as brachiariagrass. Mixing warm‐season annual forages with brachiariagrass at the establishment, especially half of the seeding rates of sunn hemp and sudangrass, is a feasible management practice to increase HA during the first 12 weeks after seeding.

Site-specific plant number control in precision sunflower (Helianthus annuus l.) production

We consider sunflower as a plant that uses the soil moisture extremely. Hybrids utilize soil water resources with varying degrees of efficiency, which is also greatly influenced by the planted number of plants. In our study, we examined the applicability of the applied precision sowing technique as a function of the number of seedlings resulting different distance between seedlings, and attempted to determine the sunflower crop density range that best fits the heterogeneous productivity zones of the given crop area. The productivity zones were created using GIS methods. For both sample areas, three well-separable zones in terms of productivity (high, medium, low) were identified. Considering the feasibility aspects of the experiment, three seedling steps were used in each fertility zone in four replicates. Based on the results of the control of the number of plants and the distance between the plants, the accuracy and applicability of the sowing technology decreases inversely with the increase of the number of seedlings. In areas with high and medium productivity, moderately increased number of seedlings resulted higher yields, while in low productivity zones, moderately reduced density did not result lower yields than base planting. The thousand grain weight decreased significantly with increasing the number of seedlings, while the oil content increased significantly with increasing the number of seedlings in each productivity zones.

Germination and Micropropagation ofCrataegus monogynaJacq. Seeds by Tissue Culture Method

AbstractThe propagation of Crataegus monogyna Jacq. using seeds is important for the creation of new cultivars, but it can be fraught with difficulty. Therefore, the effects of optimal cytokinin doses and culture media on the germination inhibition and micropropagation of seeds in C. Monogyna were investigated. The germination, shoot formation, and propagation in mature seed embryos were compared in Murashige ve Skoog (MS) and Linsmaier ve Skoog (L&S) nutrient media containing 3 mg/L BA(6-benzyladenine) and 0.5–1–2 mg/L kinetin. It was observed that the culture media influenced germination. The germination rate was higher in the MS medium (100%). Shoot proliferation was higher in MS (4.4 shoots per explant). The highest mean results were obtained in both media containing 3 mg/L BA + 1 mg/L kinetin. Root formation and shoot proliferation occurred in 56% of the explants cultured on the germination medium, and 68% rooting was achieved in the medium supplemented with 1 mg/L indoleacetic acid using the two-stage rooting procedure. Regenerated shoots were successfully rooted and transferred to ex vitro conditions. The results provide a solid basis for testing clonal propagation and efficient generative propagation of selected hawthorn genotypes with fruits of superior quality.Study Implications: In this study, the germination barrier of seeds of Crateagus monogyna was removed by the tissue culture method. The seeds germinated within 1 week. In addition, direct material was obtained for clonal production without the need for rejuvenation studies in micropropagation, and a large number of seedlings were obtained. As a result, it has been determined that this species and similar forest trees can be used in mass production owing to their brief microproduction for the protection of species in forestry and reforestation applications.

The current state of forest ecosystems in the Khosta Yew-Boxwood Grove

In this study, we aimed to assess the current state of forest ecosystems on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus after the mass mortality of boxwoods. Soil and geobotanical studies were carried out in the Khosta Yew-Boxwood Grove, a convenient proving ground for assessment of the consequences of Cydalima perspectalis expansion. Hierarchical cluster analysis (nearest-neighbour and Euclidean distance methods), One-way ANOVA, and correlation analysis (Euclidean distance matrices for standardised data) were applied to process the soil and vegetation data. An increase in the illumination of the lower forest tiers due to the Buxus colchica destruction resulted in an intensive growth of vegetation cover and the formation of a soddy horizon in soils. These processes contributed to the accumulation of organic matter and high biological activity of the soils. The number of Buxus colchica seedlings was negatively correlated with the vegetation coverage and the number of grass and shrub species, as well as with some biological parameters of the soils. The most intensive seed regeneration of Buxus colchica was observed in forest plots with high crown density in the upper tier, undeveloped vegetation cover, and soddy soil horizon.

Seed Meals from Allelopathic Crops as a Potential Bio-Based Herbicide on Herbicide-Susceptible and -Resistant Biotypes of Wild Oat (Avena fatua L.)

Wild oat is a nuisance monocot weed mainly in cereal canopies. The increasing problem of herbicide resistance and the implementation of integrated pest management includes the use of seed meals from species with allelopathic potential. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of seed meals as an environmentally friendly alternative for the control of herbicide-susceptible (S) and -resistant (R) wild oat biotypes. A pot experiment was carried out under greenhouse conditions at the Swojczyce Research and Training Station in Wrocław (Poland) to determine the impact of seed meals from Fagopyrum esculentum, Lupinus luteus, Ornithopus sativus, Phacelia tanacetifolia, Raphanus sativus var. oleiformis and Sinapis alba at two concentrations—1 and 3%. The lowest percentage of seedling emergence was recorded after the application of S. alba seed meal. Seed meals from S. alba reduced the emergence of both S and R biotypes by approximately 82 and 61 percentage points, respectively, and limited the initial growth of both biotypes. F. esculentum, O. sativus and R. sativus seed meals generally did not decrease the number of seedlings. Almost all the seed meals inhibited the growth of the aboveground parts of the susceptible biotype of wild oat to a greater extent than the herbicide treatment.

A comparative study on mangrove community structure at Karimunjawa, Indonesia: Kemujan Island and Jati Kerep aquaculture area

Mangrove forest habitats of great variety can be found in the Karimunjawa Islands, which is located in Indonesia. The Karimunjawa Islands, located in Jepara Regency, is a group of 27 islands in the Java Sea. Mangrove is a type of vegetation that protects coastal habitat. The ecosystem’s long-term sustainability will be determined by its regeneration condition. This study aimed to examine mangrove community structure and mangrove regeneration at Karimunjawa. The study area was determined by purposive sampling technique with plot at size of 10 x 10m for tree, 5 x 5m for sapling, and 1 x 1m for seedling. This study revealed 11 mangrove species with the highest IVI value of 63.60% for R. stylosa at Kemujan Island, and L. racemosa with an IVI value of 109.71% at Jati Kerep Aquaculture Area. The diversity index (H’) was ranging between 1.55 to 2.00 and both study areas shared high similarity (SI = 70.59%). It was revealed that mangrove species grow at a slightly slower pace in Karimunjawa, as indicated by the number of individual number of seedlings (179 ind/ha) < sapling (234 ind/ha) < tree (239 ind/ha). Further test using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that there was a non-statistically significant difference in mean between Kemujan Island and Jati Kerep Aquaculture Area (F(1,4) = [3.136], p = 0.151).

Influence of light parameters on the cultivation of oil radish microgreens

Relevance. The technology of growing microgreens of individual vegetables had been previously studied in literature. However, the issues of the influence of light parameters on the cultivation of oil radish microgreens have not been studied enough.Methods. The model crop was oil radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. oleifera Metzg., variety Tambovchanka). Water was used as a substrate. With the use of LED lamps in the cultivation of oil radish microgreens, 4 series of experiments were carried out in March and October. All experiments were carried out in 4 replications. Seed weight — 5g per container with an area of 144 cm2. Weight of 1000 seeds — 14 g, seed germination — 96%. The average daily temperature for growing oilradish was 25 °C. Phytolamps of the laboratory "Intellect" ( Tula) include 72 pairs of LEDs in 2 versions: 1) 3 red, 1 blue (54 pairs of red, 18 pairs of blue); 2) 7 red, 1 blue (63 pairs of red, 9 pairs of blue). Phytolamps were turned on for 12 hours. The average level of illumination is 2700–2800 lux, the level of PAR is 42 µmol/(m2·s).Results. In spring, with an increase in the length of daylight hours, the indicators of the number and mass of seedlings of oil radish microgreens increase. In autumn, the number and weight of seedlings grown in daylight (with and without additional lighting by phytolamps) is affected by the number of sunny days. Additional lighting with phytolamps increases the mass of seedlings if the values of the parameters of the leading environmental factors are in the optimum zone. The ratio of red and blue LEDs 3:1 (54 pairs of red LEDs and 18 pairs of blue LEDs) was optimal for the development oil radish seedlings in spring and autumn. Additional lighting with phytolamps of 7:1 ratio practically did not affect the growth of seedlings in both terms of the experiment in 2020. This is due to the fact that in the early stages of development plants require more blue light.

Understanding the Impacts of Forest Management in Sal (Shorea robusta) Dominant Forest Stands in the Western Lowlands of Nepal

Sal (Shorea robusta) is an economically and ecologically important tree species found in Nepal. Since 2003, Nepal's government has been managing the Sal forest under the Scientific Forest Management (SciFM) scheme. Due to newly implemented approaches, the information regarding the Sal forest condition under regeneration felling and thinning is low. This study aimed to understand the regeneration status after regeneration felling and compare crop stands between thinned and unthinned plots. We selected three years of harvested, thinned, and unthinned blocks in the Tilaurakot collaborative forest. Vegetation sampling was carried out in 63 concentric circular plots. The results show that the number of seedlings and saplings in the harvested blocks was 14,000 and 3368 per hectare, respectively. The growing stock and basal area per hectare in the thinned blocks were lower than in the unthinned blocks. The numbers of trees and poles per hectare were lower in the thinned block than in the unthinned block. Sal's importance valve index (IVI) was higher than other species in all three block types. The study suggests that the regeneration condition was better after the canopy's opening, and thinning promotes the growth of trees and undergrowth vegetation.

The SIFT-MS fingerprint of &lt;i&gt;Vitis vinifera&lt;/i&gt; L. cv. Syrah berries is stable over the second part of maturation under warm conditions of climate

Wine grape breeding for fungal resistance has been very dynamic worldwide over the last decade. The quick phenotyping of genotype quality traits, including aroma composition, remains challenging. Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) could be particularly valuable for this usage. Due to the high number of seedlings to phenotype and the low availability of berries, the sampling strategy can hardly rely on time-consuming destructive methods such as the measurement of classical maturity parameters (i.e., sugar concentration). To investigate the impact of the sampling time on the SIFT-MS fingerprint, berries from Vitis vinifera L. Syrah were collected in 2020, a season characterised by warm climatic conditions, at seven times during maturation and analysed by SIFT-MS using O2+ as reagent ion. This fingerprint has proved to be stable from 28 days after mid-veraison. This finding greatly simplifies the sampling procedure for future berry phenotyping, which can only rely on non-destructive data (lapse of time after mid-veraison date). For most m/z, a decrease in abundance was observed during the maturation, which could be the consequence of volatile emission or an increase in non-detectable bound compounds. Further studies would be necessary to assess the full grape aroma potential, to better understand the mechanisms involved, and to evaluate our approach over more than one season.

Assessment of Variability: Chloroplast Microsatellite DNA, Defoliation, and Regeneration Potential of Old Pine Stands of Different Origins in the Context of Assisted Genotype Migration

The development of transportation in the 19th century allowed for the transfer of large quantities of pine seeds between significant areas in Europe. This artificial migration usually had negative breeding consequences, so regulations were introduced to protect local gene pools. The current dynamically changing climate contributes to a reconsideration of the assisted migration of genotypes as a factor in the mitigation of breeding risks. However, the assisted migration of genotypes requires extensive research into safe geographic and genetic distances over which we can move gene pools. The analyses presented here demonstrate the differences in chloroplast microsatellite DNA variation (cpSSR) and the implications for the health and regeneration potential of old stands from introduced seeds and local seeds. Analyses of the genetic variation in chloroplast DNA, crown defoliation, and regeneration potential (number of cones and number of seedlings) were performed. The stand grown from introduced seeds (from France) had higher genetic variability than the local populations and differed genetically from the local genotypes (Fst from 4% to 12%). The high genetic variability in the studied period did not affect the lower defoliation of the stand. On the other hand, the stand grown from introduced seeds had a significantly lower yield, and there was no natural regeneration (seedlings) to ensure the transfer of genetic information to the progeny generation. The obtained results confirmed the mechanisms of natural selection acting on pine genotypes that are alien to local ecological conditions.

Current status of the invasive shrub Berberis julianae C.K. Schneid. (Berberidaceae) in Golden Gate Highlands National Park (Free State Province, South Africa)

• Berberis julianae is an alien invasive evergreen shrub in South Africa. • Surveys were conducted to determine effectiveness of previous control interventions. • Cut-stump and chemical treatment were effective for controlling adult plants. • Seedling numbers increased significantly over 6 years after initial control. • Follow-up control should be implemented immediately to stop spread. Berberis julianae commonly known as Wintergreen barberry or Chinese barberry, is an evergreen shrub species native to China which has been introduced into South Africa and has become invasive in a few locations. In 2015, management measures were taken in an attempt a control a population in Golden Gate Highlands National Park (GGHNP) in the Free State Province. After assessing the plant demographics within the park, the following management options were implemented: cut stump treatments of larger shrubs, foliar spray herbicide applications and hand pulling of seedlings. It was recommended that follow-up research be conducted to check if control measures were successful or not. This study aimed to map and determine the current distribution of B. julianae in GGHNP and to investigate the change in B. julianae population demographics to that recorded previously. The study showed that the number of seedlings had multiplied from 6 seedlings in 2014 to 588 in 2020, whereas the number of mature shrubs had decreased in the same time period. In conclusion, the control measures conducted have been successful in reducing the adult population, however, additional follow-up control of seedlings is urgently required to stop further spread.

Isolation and identification of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria from tall fescue rhizosphere and their functions under salt stress.

Soil salinity has become one of the major factors that threaten tall fescue growth and turf quality. Plants recruit diverse microorganisms in the rhizosphere to cope with salinity stress. In this study, 15 plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) were isolated from the salt-treated rhizosphere of tall fescue and were annotated to 10 genera, including Agrobacterium, Fictibacillus, Rhizobium, Bhargavaea, Microbacterium, Paenarthrobacter, Pseudarthrobacter, Bacillus, Halomonas, and Paracoccus. All strains could produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Additionally, eight strains exhibited the ability to solubilize phosphate and potassium. Most strains could grow on the medium containing 600 mM NaCl, such as Bacillus zanthoxyli and Bacillus altitudinis. Furthermore, Bacillus zanthoxyli and Bacillus altitudinis were inoculated with tall fescue seeds and seedlings to determine their growth-promoting effect. The results showed that Bacillus altitudinis and mixed culture significantly increased the germination rate of tall fescue seeds. Bacillus zanthoxyli can significantly increase the tillers number and leaf width of seedlings under salt conditions. Through the synergistic effect of FaSOS1, FaHKT1, and FaHAK1 genes, Bacillus zanthoxyli helps to expel the excess Na+ from aboveground parts and absorb more K+ in roots to maintain ion homeostasis in tall fescue. Unexpectedly, we found that Bacillus altitudinis displayed an inapparent growth-promoting effect on seedlings under salt stress. Interestingly, the mixed culture of the two strains was also able to alleviate, to some extent, the effects of salt stress on tall fescue. This study provides a preliminary understanding of tall fescue rhizobacteria and highlights the role of Bacillus zanthoxyli in tall fescue growth and salt tolerance.