Partial Fertility Research Articles

Variability of new self-pollinated maize lines’ response to CMS depending on the sterility source and weather conditions of the year

The wide introduction of new maize hybrids into production is possible only if they are transferred to a sterile basis. This requires data on the lines’ response to cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS). The purpose of the current study was to classify new self-pollinated maize lines according to their ability to fix and restore based on various sources of sterility and contrasting weather conditions during the conducted estimation. The study was carried out at the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” in 2022–2024. The conditions during the study were contrasting (HTC = 0.49 – 2022, HTC = 0.83 – 2023, HTC = 0.22 – 2024). As the sterility sources there were used the forms М1 and М2 with different sterilizing capacity of the Moldavian (‘M’) type, and the forms С1, С2 with different sterilizing capacity of the Bolivian (‘C’) type of CMS. The objects of the study were 15 new constant (I6) self-pollinated maize lines and 60 test-cross hybrids obtained from analyzed crossings. The response of the self-pollinated lines depended on the source of sterility and the weather conditions of the year of study. The fertility level of testers with the participation of the sources M2 and C2 was higher than that of testers of the sources C1 and M1. In the arid year of 2024, the selfpollinated lines SK 7, SK 9 and SK 11 reduced the fertility level according to the ‘C’ type from partial fertility (class 2) to complete sterility (class 0), or from complete fertility (class 5) to partial fertility (class 3). According to the ‘M’ type, there was a fertility decrease in the lines SK 11 and SK 12. There have been identified such new self-pollinated maize lines as SK 1, SK 6, SK 7, SK 8, SK 14 and SK 15, which are sterility fixers of the ‘M’ type of CMS. These lines are valuable as maternal forms when transferring maize hybrids developed with their participation to a sterile basis. There have been identified the lines SK 5 and SK 9 as the natural fertility restorers of the ‘M’ type, which are valuable for use as paternal forms of hybrids. According to the ‘C’ type of CMS, the sterility fixers SK 5, SK 12, SK 14 and the constant fertility restorers SK 2, SK 3, SK 6, SK 10 and SK 13 are of the greatest interest.

The Cytological Mechanism of the Peach Haploid Producing Triploid Offspring

Abstract Peach is one of the most economically valuable fruit trees. Haploid peach trees occur spontaneously at very low frequencies and they are usually highly sterile. Therefore, the haploid with partial fertility is extremely rare germplasm, which is highly valuable to genetic research and breeding programmes. In this study, we investigated the cytological mechanism underlying the fertility of a peach haploid mutant ‘9-D’ derived from a spontaneous mutation. Cytologic evaluation and flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that ‘9-D’ is a pure haploid. Scanning electron microscope analysis revealed a considerable proportion of abnormal pollen grains in ‘9-D’. Pollen viability assay by Alexander staining showed that 50.4% of pollen grains from ‘9-D’ were viable. However, the pollen germination assay showed that only 7.6% of the pollen grains could germinate normally. Investigation of the chromosomal behavior of pollen mother cells at different stages of meiosis showed that pollen mother cells of ‘9-D’ lacked the process between anaphase I and prophase II of meiosis. Various types of sporophyte morphology were observed in haploid pollen mother cells at the tetrad stage. Measurement of the diameter of pollen grains indicated the presence of pollen with 2x ploidy in ‘9-D’. The offspring of ‘9-D’ were predominantly triploid or triploid aneuploid. The triploid offspring were more likely derived from the 2x male gametophyte combined with the haploid female gametophyte, which may explain the reason why ‘9-D’ has fertility. This study not only expands our understanding of haploid fertility mechanisms, but is also useful for ploid breeding programs in peach.

Różnice w pomiarze płodności kobiet zależnie od szacunku liczby ludności

The primary objective of the article was to present the differences in women’s fertility measurements in Poland depending on the method of estimating the population number. An additional aim was to determine the variability of fertility rates by age and geographical region as a consequence of the adopted definitions of population. The study used data from Statistics Poland, Eurostat and the Human Fertility Database for 2021, taking into account changes in women’s fertility starting from the 1945 generation. Demographic, period and cohort analysis methods were employed in the study. The longitudinal approach was used to additionally identify changes in fertility patterns across generations of women. In accordance with the principle of constructing demographic coefficients, the number of events was related to the population that could actually experience them, i.e. the resident population. All partial fertility rates were recalculated based on the estimated resident population according to the Population and Housing Census 2021. The results of the analysis indicate that total fertility rate (TFR) of women in Poland in 2021 calculated for the population according to the national definition was lower by 4.3% than the rate calculated for the resident population. The most significant underestimation was observed for the 35–39 age group (by 6.3%), and in terms of geographical regions, for Podkarpacie (by 11.0%). The discrepancies are larger for age groups and regions with greater mobility, showing the need to take into account the resident population when measuring the intensity of demographic processes.

Effects of Nutrient Solution Application Rates on Yield, Quality, and Water-Fertilizer Use Efficiency on Greenhouse Tomatoes Using Grown-in Coir.

The yield, quality, and water-fertilizer use efficiency of crops are important parameters for assessing rational water and fertilizer management. For an optimal water and fertilizer system with respect to the nutrient solution irrigation of greenhouse tomatoes using cultivation substrates, a two-year greenhouse cultivation experiment was conducted from 2022 to 2023. Three drip fertigation treatments (T1, T2, and T3) were implemented in the experiment, where nutrient solutions were supplied when the substrate's water content reached 60%, 70%, and 80%. The frequency of nutrient solution applications is based on weighing coconut coir strips in the morning and evening at 7:00 to determine the daily water consumption of plants. Nutrient solutions were supplied when the substrate's water content reached the lower limit, and the upper limit for nutrient supply was set at 100% of the substrate water content. The nutrient solution application was carried out multiple times throughout the day, avoiding the midday heat. The nutrient solution formula used was the soilless tomato cultivation formula from South China Agricultural University. The results show that plant height and the leaf area index rapidly increased in the early and middle stages, and later growth tended to stabilize; the daily transpiration of tomatoes increased with an increase in nutrient solution supply, and it was the greatest in the T3 treatment. Between the amount of nutrient solution application and the number of years, the yield increased with the increase of the amount of nutrient solution, showing T3 > T2 > T1. Although the average yield of the T2 treatment was slightly lower than that of the T3 treatment by 3.65%, the average irrigation water use efficiency, water use efficiency, and partial fertilizer productivity of the T2 treatment were significantly higher than those of the T3 treatment by 29.10%, 19.99%, and 28.89%, respectively (p < 0.05). Additionally, soluble solid, vitamin C, and soluble sugar contents and the sugar-acid ratio of tomatoes in the T2 treatment were greater than those in the other two treatments (p < 0.05). Using the TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) method, it was concluded that the nutrient solution application rate of 70% can significantly increase water and fertilizer use efficiency and markedly improve the nutritional and flavor quality of the fruit without a significant reduction in yield. This finding provides significant guidance for the high-yield, high-quality, and efficient production of coconut coir-based cultivated tomatoes in greenhouses.

Water-Retaining Agent as a Sustainable Agricultural Technique to Enhance Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Productivity in Tropical Soils

Reducing fertilizer doses under sustainable agricultural management is possible by increasing nutrient utilization efficiency, which will decrease crop production costs and boost economic return. Soil amendments known as water retention agents (WRAs) are added to the soil to enhance crop growth conditions. We hypothesize that the addition of WRAs may support the soil-retaining nutrients given through fertilization and prevent them from leaching into tropical soils characterized by severe rainfall due to WRAs’ exceptional capacities to absorb and store water. Mango trees (Mangifera indica L. cv Tainong No. 1) aged 18 years were fertilized with 100% or 80% of the recommended doses of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). The experimental design included three treatments, i.e., complete recommended doses of N, P, and K (CRF), 80% of the complete recommended doses (RRF), and water-retaining agent (40 kg ha−1) + 80% of the complete recommended doses (WRARRF). Reducing the fertilization doses by 20% for mango trees in the studied tropical soil significantly (p &lt; 0.05) minimized the nutrient availability in the soil compared to the complete fertilization doses. WRARRF compensated for the nutrient reduction by increasing the availability of N, P, and K. The addition of WRARR increased N, P, and K in mango leaf by 11%, 4%, and 7% in the first year and by 11%, 6%, and 7% in the second year, respectively, compared to CRF. The addition of WRARR increased the partial fertilizer productivity (PFP) value by 36% and 41% in the first and second years, respectively. The highest mango fruit output was achieved by the addition of WRARRF, which resulted in increases in mango fruit yield of 11.9% and 16.5% in the first and second years, respectively, compared to RRF. Fruit quality traits showed the descending order: WRARRF &gt; RRF &gt; CRF. WRARRF produced the maximum economic benefit (USD 7372 per hectare) compared to CRF and RRF. The polyacrylamide/attapulgite water-retaining agent exhibited remarkable improvement in mango fruit yield and economic profit by regulating the release of nutrients in tropical soils. Water-retaining agents are an effective strategy for overcoming the extensive fertilization used in mango orchards, which has resulted in numerous environmental contaminations and the inefficient use of fertilizers.

Deletion of ACTRT1 is associated with male infertility as sperm acrosomal ultrastructural defects and fertilization failure in human.

Could actin-related protein T1 (ACTRT1) deficiency be a potential pathogenic factor of human male infertility? A 110-kb microdeletion of the X chromosome, only including the ACTRT1 gene, was identified as responsible for infertility in two Chinese males with sperm showing acrosomal ultrastructural defects and fertilization failure. The actin-related proteins (e.g. ACTRT1, ACTRT2, ACTL7A, and ACTL9) interact with each other to form a multimeric complex in the subacrosomal region of spermatids, which is crucial for the acrosome-nucleus junction. Actrt1-knockout (KO) mice are severely subfertile owing to malformed sperm heads with detached acrosomes and partial fertilization failure. There are currently no reports on the association between ACTRT1 deletion and male infertility in humans. We recruited a cohort of 120 infertile males with sperm head deformations at a large tertiary hospital from August 2019 to August 2023. Genomic DNA extracted from the affected individuals underwent whole exome sequencing (WES), and in silico analyses were performed to identify genetic variants. Morphological analysis, functional assays, and ART were performed in 2022 and 2023. The ACTRT1 deficiency was identified by WES and confirmed by whole genome sequencing, PCR, and quantitative PCR. Genomic DNA of all family members was collected to define the hereditary mode. Papanicolaou staining and electronic microscopy were performed to reveal sperm morphological changes. Western blotting and immunostaining were performed to explore the pathological mechanism of ACTRT1 deficiency. ICSI combined with artificial oocyte activation (AOA) was applied for one proband. We identified a whole-gene deletion variant of ACTRT1 in two infertile males, which was inherited from their mothers, respectively. The probands exhibited sperm head deformations owing to acrosomal detachment, which is consistent with our previous observations on Actrt1-KO mice. Decreased expression and ectopic distribution of ACTL7A and phospholipase C zeta were observed in sperm samples from the probands. ICSI combined with AOA effectively solved the fertilization problem in Actrt1-KO mice and in one of the two probands. Additional cases are needed to further confirm the genetic contribution of ACTRT1 variants to male infertility. Our results reveal a gene-disease relation between the ACTRT1 deletion described here and human male infertility owing to acrosomal detachment and fertilization failure. This report also describes a good reproductive outcome of ART with ICSI-AOA for a proband. This work was supported by the Chongqing medical scientific research project (Joint project of Chongqing Health Commission and Science and Technology Bureau, 2023MSXM008 and 2023MSXM054). There are no competing interests to declare. N/A.

Indications affect neonatal outcomes following early rescue ICSI: a retrospective study.

To investigate the impact of heterogeneity in patient indications or insemination protocols on neonatal outcomes of singletons following early rescue ICSI (rICSI) treatments. A retrospective study was conducted. Propensity score matching and multivariable logistic regression were used to adjust for confounders and biases. A total of 9095 IVF patients, 2063 ICSI patients, and 642 early rICSI patients were included in the study. No differences were detected in neonatal outcomes except small for gestational age (SGA) which increased in early rICSI patients compared with both unmatched and matched IVF groups with the risk ratio (RR) of 1.31 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.64) and 1.49 (95% CI: 1.05, 2.12). Further analysis showed that SGA increased significantly in partial fertilization failure (PFF) cycles with RRs of 1.56 (95% CI: 1.08, 2.27) and 1.78 (95% CI: 1.22, 2.59) compared with both unmatched and matched IVF patients but not in TFF patients. A positive association between fertilization rate via IVF and birth weight z-score was revealed in the PFF patients. Early rICSI in patients with total fertilization failure (TFF) appeared to be safe in terms of neonatal outcomes. However, when expanding the indications of rICSI to PFF patients, the SGA in the offspring increased, suggesting a potential effect on long-term health. Since other treatment options, such as using only the IVF-origin embryos still exist for these patients, further studies were needed to confirm the optimal decision for these patients.

Partial substitution of chemical fertilizer by green manure increases succeeding maize yield and annual economic benefit in low‐yield cropland in the Yellow River Delta

AbstractGreen manures (GM) combined with fertilizer reduction is an efficient measure to alleviate the environmental issues caused by the overapplication of chemical fertilizer. However, both the environmental and economic benefits remain unclear in coastal regions that are affected by both soil salinization and climate change. A field experiment was conducted in low‐yield cropland in the Yellow River Delta to explore the effects of green manure rotation combined with fertilizer reduction on the soil environment and economic sustainability. Two GM species, Vicia villosa (HV) and Orychophragmus violaceus (OV), a traditional winter wheat (Wheat), were grown in winter, with a fallow control (Fallow). In the subsequent maize season, three fertilizer rate treatments, a full rate of 600 kg ha−1 compound fertilizer (F100), 85% of the full rate (F85), and 70% of the full rate (F70), were applied in each former treatment. The results indicated that GM return markedly increased soil total N (TN) and P (TP) before the V6 stage of maize (when maize had 6 leaves). The average TN contents of HV and OV increased by 56.9% and 38.5%, respectively, compared with that of Wheat, while the values for TP were 13.6% and 16.9%. Compared with Fallow, the maize yields of HV and OV increased by 25.6% and 13.8%, respectively, while that of Wheat decreased by 9.1%. The average partial fertilizer productivities (PFPs) for HV and OV increased by 25.3% and 14.0% compared with Fallow, while Wheat decreased by 8.9%. The PFPs for F85 and F70 increased by 19.4% and 37.7%, respectively, compared with F100. Reducing the fertilizer rate to 70% in the HV–maize rotation pattern did not reduce but increased the total net profit and rate of return. Thus, HV–maize rotation combined with 30% fertilizer reduction is suggested for sustainable agriculture in this region.

Water management, planting slope indicators, and economic benefit analysis for Panax notoginseng production decision under shaded and rain-shelter cultivation: A three-year sloping fields experiment

Panax notoginseng cultivation planting conditions are harsh and require high soil moisture and slope of cultivated land, plus it takes 3–7 years from planting to harvesting. At present, the continuous crop barrier of Panax notoginseng has not been solved, which makes the arable land suitable for planting significantly reduced. And yet, there is almost no report on the impact of coupling water and slope on the growth of Panax notoginseng. Therefore, this study aims to explore the effects of different irrigation levels and slopes on soil water content (SWC) in the root zone, soil nutrient content, root characteristics, yield, water use efficiency (WUE), partial fertilizer productivity (PFP) and economic benefits of Panax notoginseng. During 2018–2020, a field experiment was conducted in the Panax notoginseng growing seasons with three irrigation levels (I1: 70–75% θFC, I2: 75–80% θFC, I3: 80–85% θFC) and three slopes (S1: 2.43°, S2: 6.38°, S3: 16.38°). The results evidenced that soil water and nutrient content increased with increasing irrigation and decreased with increasing slope. The yield of Panax notoginseng, root morphological characteristics, WUE, PFP, and economic benefits showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing with the increase of irrigation amount and slope, which increased with the increase of planting years. These parameters reached their maximum at the irrigation I2 (75–80% θFC) and slope S2 (6.38°) treatments. Thus, based on the results of this study, medium irrigation I2 (75–80% θFC) and slope S2 (6.38°) should be considered as the best slope and water management strategy to obtain both high Panax notoginseng yield and economic benefits. Through establishing a multi-objective optimization model with binary quadratic regression analysis. It was indicated that Panax notoginseng yield, WUE, PFP, and economic benefits simultaneously reached ≥ 98% of their maximum values when irrigation interval was 152–193 mm and slope interval was 5.4–9°. In summary, the results obtained in this study have important practical significance for the water management of Panax notoginseng cultivation in slope farmland in Yunnan Province, China.

Soil Moisture, Nutrients, Root Distribution, and Crop Combination Benefits at Different Water and Fertilizer Levels during the Crop Replacement Period in an Apple Intercropping System

Uneven soil moisture and nutrient distribution before and after intercropping limits apple cropping system productivity in the western Shanxi–Loess Plateau area. To address this issue, a field trial was conducted between 2020 and 2021 to study the effects of different water and fertilizer management practices on soil moisture, nutrients, and root distribution, as well as the overall effectiveness of the apple–maize and apple–soybean intercropping systems during crop replacement. The experiment involved two irrigation methods: drip (D) and flood (M) irrigation. Three irrigation levels included rain-fed without irrigation (W0), and 50% (W1) and 80% (W2) of field capacity (Fc). Three fertilizer treatments included no additional fertilizer application (F0), 375 kg∙hm−2 (F1), and 750 kg∙hm−2 (F2), in addition to a control (CK) without irrigation or fertilization. The soil water content (SWC) decreased after the crop replacement. Additionally, nitrate nitrogen (NN), ammonium nitrogen (AN), and organic matter (OM) content levels in all treatments increased, whereas total phosphorus (TP) content decreased. The soil layer with crop roots moved downward after crop replacement, and partial fertilizer productivity (PFP), irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), and water use efficiency (WUE) were decreased under both irrigation treatments. Principal component analysis showed that the W2F2 treatment had the highest benefit from crop combination across both irrigation treatments during the crop replacement period. According to our results, to optimize the benefits of apple-crop intercropping, drip irrigation with complete water supply and flood irrigation with incomplete water supply are recommended during crop replacement. In addition, an upper irrigation limit of 80% Fc with 750 kg∙hm−2 fertilization is recommended for optimal water and fertilizer regulation.

Strategies for improving crop comprehensive benefits via a decision-making system based on machine learning in the rice-rape, rice-wheat and rice-garlic rotation systems in Southwest China

Rice-rape, rice-wheat and rice-garlic rotations are common cropping systems in Southwest China, and they have played a significant role in ensuring ecological and economic benefits (EB) and addressing the challenges of China's food security in the region. However, the crop yields in these rotation systems are 1.25-14.73% lower in this region than the national averages. Intelligent decision-making with machine learning can analyze the key factors for obtaining better benefits, but it has rarely been used to enhance the probability of obtaining such benefits from rotations in Southwest China. Thus, we used a data-intensive approach to construct an intelligent decision-making system with machine learning to provide strategies for improving the benefits of rice–rape, rice–wheat, and rice–garlic rotations in Southwest China. The results show that raising the yield and partial fertilizer productivity (PFP) by increasing seed input under high fertilizer application provided the optimal benefits with a 10% probability in the rice–garlic system. Obtaining high yields and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by increasing the N application and reducing the K application provided suboptimal benefits with an 8% probability in the rice–rape system. Reducing N and P to enhance PFP and yield provided optimal benefits with the lowest probability (8%) in the rice-wheat system. Based on the predictive analysis of a random forest model, the optimal benefits were obtained with fertilization regimes by reducing N by 25% and increasing P and K by 8 and 74%, respectively, in the rice–garlic system, reducing N and K by 54 and by 36%, respectively, and increasing P by 38% in rice–rape system, and reducing N by 4% and increasing P and K by 65 and 23% in rice–wheat system. These strategies could be further optimized by 17-34% for different benefits, and all of these measures can improve the effectiveness of the crop rotation systems to varying degrees. Overall, these findings provide insights into optimal agricultural inputs for higher benefits through an intelligent decision-making system with machine learning analysis in the rice–rape, rice-wheat, and rice–garlic systems.

Partial fertility recuperation in Spain two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

Partial fertility recuperation in Spain two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

Characterization of a cotton interspecific hybrid of American cotton with wild species G. armourianum

Wild species constitute a source of valuable genes for many adverse climatic conditions, disease and pests. To match up the level of quick depleting insect pest and disease resistance and fast evolving pests, it is the urge of the hour to broaden the resistance base. In order to achieve this goal in cotton, wide hybridization was performed between G. hirsutum (AADD) cv. MCU5, CO14 and CO17, and G. armourianum and interspecific hybrids developed were characterized for several morphological characters for obtaining an idea about the status of the various traits. Interspecific hybrid developed with all three G. hirsutum varieties are potential lines for future introgression programs of insect and disease resistance along with other useful traits. The F1 hybrid displayed intermediate expression for most of the traits. Traits like colour of the stem, leaf colour, position of stigma, nectarines of hybrid completely resembled wild parent-and are considered as dominant in expression. The petal spot was present in the hybrid similar to that wild parent, unlike the cultivated parent; this appeared with different levels of intensity in F1 along with other characters like colour of the anther, and filament colour. Hybrids had profuse flowering throughout the year with low pollen load and pollen of variable shape and size expressing sterility to partial fertility. Noteworthy differentiation was seen between the leaf size and size of other plant parts of the hybrid.

Response of Soil Aggregate Stability to Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Organic Fertilizer Addition: A Meta-Analysis

Soil is a highly significant resource for human survival, and agglomerates, as the basic unit of the soil structure, not only enhance the soil fertility and control the biological validity of nutrients but also strengthen the soil’s erosion resistance. The mass application of fertilizers may significantly affect crop growth and the soil structure, and the rational application and dispensing of fertilizers will be an urgent issue to be addressed. Therefore, the effect of fertilizer application on the stability of water-stable soil aggregates needs to be studied under different meteorological and soil conditions to draw more general and feasible conclusions. Our meta-analysis of data from 220 independent observations from 56 published studies found that fertilizer application increased the mean weight diameter (MWD) by an average of 18% compared to the no-fertilizer treatment. Among the nitrogen (N), phosphate (P), and organic (OM) fertilizer treatments, the organic fertilizer treatment had a more significant stimulatory effect on the MWD (26%). Among the different fertilizer levels, a low level of phosphorus (&lt;40 kg·ha−1 yr−1), a high level of N (&gt;120 kg·ha−1·yr−1), and a low level of organic fertilizer (&lt;5000 kg·ha−1·yr−1) increased the MWD by 19%, 14%, and 41%, respectively. Across the soil types and land use types, the response to the MWD was positive for red soils and paddy fields, and the organic fertilizer’s stimulatory effect was more significant than that of the chemical fertilizer. The correlation analysis showed that the response rate of the MWD was negatively correlated with the response rate of the soil pH and bulk density (BD) and positively correlated with the response rate of the soil organic carbon (SOC) and microbial mass carbon (MBC). Meanwhile, the partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) showed that the meteorological factors were the main factors affecting the stability of the soil aggregates, while the secondary factors were the soil’s physical and chemical properties. Therefore, this study found that the long-term use of organic fertilizer instead of partial fertilizer is better than the use of chemical fertilizer alone, while more attention should be paid to the influence of temperature and rainfall on the stability of fertilizer in aggregate soil in the future.

A bifunctional selectable marker for wheat transformation contributes to the characterization of male-sterile phenotype induced by a synthetic Ms2 gene.

An engineered selectable marker combining herbicide resistance and yellow fluorescence contributes to the characterization of male-sterile phenotype in wheat, the severity of which correlates with expression levels of a synthetic Ms2 gene. Genetic transformation of wheat is conducted using selectable markers, such as herbicide and antibiotic resistance genes. Despite their proven effectiveness, they do not provide visual control of the transformation process and transgene status in progeny, which creates uncertainty and prolongs screening procedures. To overcome this limitation, this study developed a fusion protein by combining gene sequences encoding phosphinothricin acetyltransferase and mCitrine fluorescent protein. The fusion gene, introduced into wheat cells by particle bombardment, enabled herbicide selection, and visual identification of primary transformants along with their progeny. This marker was then used to select transgenic plants containing a synthetic Ms2 gene. Ms2 is a dominant gene whose activation in wheat anthers leads to male sterility, but the relationship between the expression levels and the male-sterile phenotype is unknown. The Ms2 gene was driven either by a truncated Ms2 promoter containing a TRIM element or a rice promoter OsLTP6. The expression of these synthetic genes resulted in complete male sterility or partial fertility, respectively. The low-fertility phenotype was characterized by smaller anthers than the wild type, many defective pollen grains, and low seed sets. The reduction in the size of anthers was observed at earlier and later stages of their development. Consistently, Ms2 transcripts were detected in these organs, but their levels were significantly lower than those in completely sterile Ms2TRIM::Ms2 plants. These results suggested that the severity of the male-sterile phenotype was modulated by Ms2 expression levels and that higher levels may be key to activating total male sterility.

Alternate micro-sprinkler irrigation synergized with organic fertilizer: A sustainable water-fertilizer management technology of improving quality and increasing efficiency in Panax notoginseng production

The yield of Panax notoginseng (BurK.) F. H. Chen in Yunnan Province accounted for more than 90% of China's total yield, but extensive water and fertilizer management restricted improvement of yield, quality, and economic benefits of Panax notoginseng. Therefore, this study tried to propose an adaptive irrigation and fertilizer management strategy for Panax notoginseng production. A two-year (2017 and 2018) rain-shelter cultivation study in Yunnan Province of southwest China was conducted to analyze the influences of irrigation and organic fertilizer application on soil water distribution, root growth, water-fertilizer productivity, quality, and economic benefits of Panax notoginseng in four organic fertilizer application rates [500 (F1), 1000 (F2), 1500 (F3), and 2000 (F4) kg ha−1] combined with three micro-sprinkler irrigation schedules [I1: moderate deficit micro-sprinkler irrigation, (70–75%) θFC; I2: alternate micro-sprinkler irrigation, (70–75%) θFC / (80–85%) θFC; I3: slight deficit micro-sprinkler irrigation, (80–85%) θFC]. The results indicated that the increasing micro-sprinkler irrigation levels enhanced soil water content in 0–40 cm soil layer, but resulted in a reduction irrigation water productivity (IWP). Moreover, the increasing organic fertilizer application significantly led to reduced partial fertilizer productivity (PFP). Under the interaction of micro-sprinkler irrigation schedules and organic fertilizer application in 2017 and 2018, the I2F3 significantly obtained the highest soil water storage (SWS), root hydraulic conductivity, root morphological characteristics, root-shoot ratio, lowest root rot rate (4.68% in 2017 and 6.59% in 2018), largest yield (3614.5 kg ha−1 in 2017 and 3981.5 kg ha−1 in 2018), total saponin content (20.23% in 2017 and 23.28% in 2018), and economic benefits (25.28 × 104 $ ha−1 in 2017 and 32.6 × 104 $ ha−1 in 2018) of Panax notoginseng. Based on the above results, the comprehensive evaluation of five saponin contents and the comprehensive evaluation of the yield, IWP, PFP, economic benefits, and total saponin content of Panax notoginseng were analyzed by using a TOPSIS model in 2017 and 2018. We found that synergistic of alternate micro-sprinkler irrigation [I2, (70–75%) θFC / (80–85%) θFC] and organic fertilizer application (F3, 1500 kg ha−1) could decrease root rot, improve root growth, water-fertilizer productivity, quality, and economic benefits of Panax notoginseng.

Coupling of regulated deficit irrigation at maturity stage and moderate fertilization to improve soil quality, mango yield and water-fertilizer use efficiency

• Underground continuous fertigation was applied to mango cultivation in the dry-hot region. • Regulated deficit irrigation could increase soil nutrient content, but reduce soil enzyme activity and microbial quantity. • Regulated deficit irrigation at maturity stage and medium fertilization increased mango yield by improving soil quality. Reasonable irrigation and fertilization practices can not only improve soil quality, but also increase crop yield, and water-fertilizer use efficiency. However, it is still unclear that the micro-irrigation and fertilization mode is conducive to improving the soil comprehensive environment, the mango yield and water-fertilizer use efficiency in the dry-hot region. The effects of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) and fertilization levels on soil enzyme activity, soil microbial quantity, soil nutrient content, yield, water use efficiency (WUE) and partial fertilizer productivity (PFP) of mango in dry-hot region were studied. A randomized block design study with four irrigation levels [full irrigation throughout the growth period (FI), RDI during flowering (RDI FS ), RDI during fruit expansion (RDI ES ), and RDI at maturity (RDI MS )] and three fertilization levels [F H , a water-soluble compound fertilizer (N:P 2 O 5 :K 2 O = 12:8:40) applied at 129.0 kg ha −1 ; F M , 103.2 kg ha −1 ; and F L , 77.4 kg ha −1 ] was implemented in 2018 and 2019. The results showed that RDI reduced soil enzyme and microbial quantity, but increased nutrient content. With the decrease of fertilizer application rate, soil nitrate nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium content, urease, fungi and actinomycetes quantity decreased, while soil catalase, phosphatase activity and bacteria quantity increased first and then decreased. RDI reduced soil quality comprehensive index (SQI), and SQI decreased with the reduction of fertilization. Compared with FI, RDI FS and RDI ES reduced mango yield and PFP, RDI FS reduced WUE, while RDI MS increased WUE and PFP. Compared with F H , F M increased mango yield, WUE and PFP, F L increased PFP. The yield, single fruit weight and PFP increased first and then decreased with the increase of SQI at different growth stages. RDI MS F M obtained the maximum mango yield and WUE. Thus, the treatment of regulated deficit irrigation at maturity stage and moderate fertilization (103.2 kg ha −1 ) was the suitable mode of water and fertilizer management for mango, which could realize water-saving and high yield of mango simultaneously in the dry-hot region of Southwest China.

Seed productivity of alloplasmic lines of Beta patula and B. maritima with sterile cytoplasm under the conditions of apozygotic reproduction

Purpose. Revealing the effect of the cytoplasmic genome of replaced lines with the plasma of wild species Beta patula and B. maritima L., and apozygotic lines A4–A8 with the cytoplasm of S vulgaris Owen on the main factors of apozygotic reproduction, seed productivity, germination, monogermity and sterility as affected by the genetic origin of breeding material.&#x0D; Methods. The research was carried out in the Cytogenetics Laboratory (IBCSB), the Laboratory for Apomixis and Polyploidy of the Yaltushkiv EBS, and the Laboratory for Adaptive Breeding (Veselyi Podil EBS). Apozygotic seeds were obtained under a pollen-free regime according to the IBCSB’s Methods for Spatial Isolation and Parchment Insulators. Each seed bearer plant phenotype was determined during the flowering period by pollen sterility and partial flowering. Classification of plants was performed according to Owen (1945), with identifying plants of CMS-0, Type CMS-1, and CMS-2 types. The Monogermity of seed plants was assessed visually by the presence of separate fruits on the central shoots. In 2021, the roots of the replaced lines of the Veselyi Podil EBS were planted under the conditions of a pollen-free regime in the experimental field of the IBCSB. Seed production under apozygositic conditions was studied, taking into account the number of set fruits per 10-cm segment with 5 replications for each seed bearer. Germination was determined on the 10th day and germination vigour on the 5th day.&#x0D; Results. New sources of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) were obtained in the cytogenetics laboratory based on a genetic model of crossbreeding analysis, using differentiation and tools according to the marker-linked genes of hypocotyl color R+r-, and one / two-year development cycle B+b-. The analyzers for the nature of sugar beet sterility were sterility maintainers, dominant homozygotes for recessive genes of anthocyanin color, development cycle, partial fertility and sterility (NBeta vulgaris Sxxzz rr bb). Monogerm pollen-sterile lines with an apomictic way of seed reproduction (Yaltushkiv EBS) (A4–A8 Beta vulgaris Sxxzz rr), selected for the dominant color of the hypocotyl R+r-, stabilized for the trait of monogermity, 100% sterility and 2x gene ploidy, were characterized by low seed productivity. High rates of apozygotic seed development (80 to 96.4% of the number of set flowers) were observed against the background of the sterile cytoplasm of Beta maritima (Turkey). In the CMS BC4S patula line, the number of set apozygotic seeds ranges from 34 ± 0.3 to 39 ± 0.42, and the indicators of degenerated flowers under apozygotic regime varied from 31.2 to 54.3%. Isolated were seed plants with high self-reproduction, such as BC4S maritima Turkey, k.2/1, k.6/2, k.6/3 and k.3/4, k.9/4 on the background of new plasma of wild species of B. patula. The phenomenon of high self-reproduction of seeds (up to 98.5−96.4% of set flowers) was detected in line 21-011 CHS BC5S patula, which was comparable with hybrids and sterility maintainers (97.5−93.1%), which is determined by a special interaction of the beet nuclear genome of sugar beet and new plasma of wild species of the genus Beta L.&#x0D; Conclusions. The apomictic way of seed reproduction ensures the shortening of the breeding scheme for sugar beet due to high seed reproduction of mother parent in substituted lines with new plasma and differentiation by gametophytic reduction of parthenogenesis using morphological marker traits.

Rational biochar application rate for cotton nutrient content, growth, yields, productivity, and economic benefits under film-mulched trickle irrigation

Biochar application to soils has been proven to be an efficient way for yield enhancement in agricultural systems. However, what is the most economical biochar application rate (BCAR) for cotton in saline-alkali soils in arid and semi-arid zones remains unclear. To narrow the gap, this study aims to investigate how biochar application affected the nutrient content, growth, yield, quality, and productivity of cotton, and to find the rational BCAR. The three-year field experiments of biochar application combined with plastic film mulched drip irrigation were conducted for cotton in Xinjiang, China. The biochar was continuously applied to the farmland at 0 (in 2018)+ 0 (in 2019)+ 0 (in 2020), 10 + 10 + 10, NT (no test)+ 25 + 25, 50 + 50 + 30, and 100 + 100 +NT t ha−1 during cotton growth period of 2018–2020. The cotton growth, yield, and quality indicators were observed and used for computing water-fertilizer productivity. The cost-benefit analysis was referred to recommend a rational BCAR. All four biochar application treatments increased the leaf/stem/root nutrient (N, P, and K) content than control during different cotton growth stages. The daily relative content of chlorophyll increased with the increasing BCAR and were larger at biochar treatments of 50 and 100 t ha−1 than 0, 10, and 25 t ha−1. The growth and yield-related indicators (plant height, stem diameter, leaf area index and seed yield), irrigation water productivity, and partial fertilizer (N, P, and K) productivity consistently increased than control under biochar application conditions, and the BCAR of 10 t ha−1 showed the greatest advantages in enhancing germination rates, cotton yields, water-fertilizer productivities, and financial income than biochar treatments of 0, 25, 50 and 100 t ha−1. However, neither cotton fiber quality indices (length, Micronaire, strength or uniformity index) were significantly affected by biochar applications. Based on the economic analysis, the rational BCAR was 10 t ha−1 each year (continued for three years) for cotton planting, which was a best dose that could be applied to arid zones and have not been reported before.

Impact of single biochar application on maize growth and water-fertilizer productivity under different irrigation regimes.

The improvement of soil water and nutrient availability through soil management practices are crucial in promoting crop growth and obtaining high water-fertilizer productivity under limited irrigation. In this study, a 2×4 fully randomized factorial design with two drip-irrigation regimes and four biochar rates was performed during maize crop growing seasons for a semiarid region of China in 2015 and 2016. Irrigation regimes was applied on the basis of the water lower limit of -15 kPa soil matric potential as W15 and -35 kPa as W35. Maize straw-derived biochar application rate of 0 (B0), 15 (B15), 30 (B30), and 45 (B45) t ha-1 was once applied to sandy loam soil in the first growing season. Our results showed that the W15 and W35 regimes generally increased soil nutrient availability and organic matter content under all biochar treatment rates for the entire growth period. In comparison, the B45-induced increase in available P and K was higher in the W15 regime than in the W35 regime during the second growing season. Furthermore, biochar treatment improved the comprehensive fertility index (CFI), leaf area index, and yield of maize. Within the same biochar treatment, the CFI value was higher in the W15 regime than in the W35 regime during the first growing season. However, the opposite was observed in the second growing season. The average irrigation water productivity (IWP) increased by 11.6%, 8.8%, and 7.8% in the W35 regime and by 15.2%, 12.9%, and 10.2% in the W15 regime for the B15, B30, and B45 treatments, respectively. Moreover, biochar treatment enhanced maize grain yield and partial fertilizer productivity (PFP) of synthetic N, P, and K fertilizers under both irrigation regimes. The highest PFP values were observed in the B15 treatment under W15. In general, a one-time application of biochar treatment at a rate of 15 t ha-1 in the first growing season is recommended in terms of increasing the availability of N, P, K, and organic matter in sandy loam and also improve water-fertilizer productivity under irrigation water lower limit of -15 kPa soil matric potential.