Plant Dry Mass Research Articles

Evaluation of tractor traffic on soil physical properties and their relationship with white oat yield in no-tillage

In a no-tillage system, the absence of soil disturbance combined with increased machine traffic has led to soil compaction in the top layer, negatively affecting its physical quality and hampering crop growth and production. This experiment aimed to assess the impact of tractor traffic, occurring under a no-tillage system, on soil physical properties and their relationship with the growth and yield of white oat crops. The research was conducted in an Oxisol, utilizing a randomized block design with five replications. The treatments consisted of ten consecutive years of no-tillage and additional traffic by 2, 4, 6, and 8 passes of a tractor wheel across the entire plot area. Various soil parameters were evaluated in two soil layers, including soil bulk density, total porosity, macroporosity, and soil resistance to penetration. Additionally, plant height, stem diameter, dry plant mass, mass of one thousand grains, and grain yield were determined. The collected data were analyzed using analysis of variance and linear regression. The results indicated that higher tractor traffic intensity led to increased soil bulk density and reduced macroporosity and soil resistance to penetration in the 0-0.10 m layer compared to the 0.10-0.20 m layer. In the 0-0.10 m layer, bulk density values exceeding 1.44 Mg m-3 were found to restrict the growth and yield of white oat crops, while in the 0.10-0.20 m layer, grain yield was limited when soil bulk density surpassed 1.35 Mg m-3. Our results show that farmers should be aware of the consequences of machine traffic on soil properties as it can have negative effects on crop yields, especially those of white oats grown in clayey soil similar to the one evaluated in this experiment.

Effect of varieties and applications of clove oil on growth, productivity, and pest and disease resilience of soybean

Efforts to increase soybean productivity are carried out in various ways, including improving cultivation technology and applying pest and disease control technologies for soybeans. In addition to chemical pesticides, pest and disease control can use botanical pesticides or biopesticides, including those made from clove oil. This study aimed to determine the effect of varieties and clove oil on the growth, production, and pest-disease resilience of soybean. The study was conducted at Majalengka Regency, West Java, Indonesia from April to July 2021. The research used a factorial randomized complete block design with four replications. The first factor was soybean genotypes: Dena 1, Dega 1, and Anjasmoro. The second factor was the concentration and interval of application of clove oil: control, 3 mL L-1 with an interval of 10 days, 3 mL L-1 with an interval of 15 days, 5 mL L-1 with an interval of 10 days, and 5 mL L-1 with an interval of 15 days. The results showed that the Dena 1 variety had the highest plant height, number of branches, number of pods per plant, and dry weight per plant. The Dega 1 variety produced the highest weight of plant dry mass, dry pod shell weight, and 100-grain. Anjasmoro variety had the highest root length and number of nodules per plant. The Anjasmoro was more resistant to leaf caterpillar attacks, while the Dena 1 was more resistant to leaf rust disease. Botanical pesticides derived from clove oil affected various aspects of soybean growth including plant height at 60 days after planting, weight of dry biomass, root length and number of root nodules per plant, dry pod shell weight, dry seed weight, and 100-grains weight.
 Keywords: botanical pesticide; clove oil; Glycine max; root nodulation; variety

Corn plant dry mass accumulation considering the previous crop by non-linear models

Corn is the most produced cereal in the world, used both in human and animal nutrition. This study aimed to compare the fit of the Logistic, Gompertz, and von Bertalanffy non-linear models to data on the accumulation of total dry mass, dry mass of stems, leaves, and ears in corn plants grown with straw mulch from common bean, millet, and Brachiaria brizantha in relation to the days after plant emergence. The assumptions of normality, homoscedasticity, and independence of residuals were checked by Shapiro-Wilk, Breusch-Pagan, and Durbin-Watson tests, respectively. The models were adjusted by the least squares method using the Gauss-Newton algorithm in the R software. The quality of the fit was evaluated based on the values of the coefficient of determination (R2), the residual standard deviation (RSD), the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), and Bates and Watts curvature measures. The Logistic model presented the best fit for the dry mass of stems and ears, and the Gompertz model for the dry mass of leaves and total dry mass, based on the quality evaluators used.

The effect of a microbiological product based on <i>Lactobacillus buchneri</i> on barley growth and productivity in the Vologda region

The purpose of the work was to study the effect of the experimental microbiological product ‘Naturost-Aktiv’, developed on the basis of live bacteria Lactobacillus buchneri, on barley growth and productivity in the Vologda region. The study was carried out during the vegetation periods of 2019, 2020 and 2022 on the experimental field of the FSBIS «Vologda Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences», as well as in production conditions on the fields of the APC Collective farm «Peredovoy» (Vologda Region). The product ‘Naturost-Aktiv’ was applied twice, when the seeds of the experimental group were soaked in the working solution (1 ml of the product per 1 liter of water) and the phyllosphere of the plants was sprayed in the tillering phase. Tap water was used as control. As a result, there has been identified an increase in the potential energy supply of barley. The area of an individual leaf of experimental plants exceeded the control by 16 %, and the content of the total chlorophylls (a+b) exceeded by 34–42 %, which contributed to a more active accumulation of dry mass of experimental plants in comparison with the control (duringthe action of the product there was an increase in the dry weight of the plant by 12–65 % relative to the control). The changes in the plant growth processes also affected the grain productivity, which increased by 8–26 % in the variants with the product compared to the control. The results of the production experiment, in general, turned out to be like the results of small-plot experiments. Thus, in the conditions of real management, grain productivity of the barley variety ‘Sonet’ increased by 14 % with the use of the product ‘Naturost-Aktiv’ relative to the control. Grain productivity improvement was associated both with an increase in the number of productive shoots and with an increase in the weight of an individual grain.

PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF BIODEGRADABLE CRYOGELS BASED ON POLYVINYL ALCOHOL AND POTATO STARCH FOR USE IN SOIL EROSION CONTROL

Compositions for the formation of three-component elastic cryogels based on the aqueous solutions of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and potato starch are proposed. It is shown that the viscosity of aqueous solutions depends both on the kind of polymer and on the total content of polymers in the system. The elasticity modulus of three-component cryogels depends on the concentration of starch in them and increases from 5 to 15 kPa with the addition of starch in the amount of 1-5 wt. %. By introducing a dispersed material (soil) into the matrix of two-and three-component cryogels, due to the high adhesion of the polymer to the filler, the filled cryogels were obtained, with the elasticity modulus 16 times higher than that of cryogels without the filler. The introduction of potato starch in the amount of 5 wt. % into PVA cryogel caused an increase in the time of its complete drying by 24 h, and an increase in its destruction during exposure in water by 5% within a week. Two-component cryogels exhibited sharply different types of behaviour during storage in water: PVA cryogel did not lose its mass, while mass loss by the cryogel of potato starch was 11% within a week. A decrease in the mass of three-component cryogels by 75-89% due to the loss of moisture and destruction was demonstrated in the soil test under the action of aboriginal soil microflora. The mass loss by the two-component cryogel based on PVA was 60%. Soil testing for phytotoxicity after the destruction of three-component cryogels revealed a decrease in the germination capacity of white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) by 2-10% with respect to the reference experiment, depending on starch content, while for the reference two-component PVA cryogel the corresponding decrease was by 18%. Cryostructuring of the upper soil layer by PVA cryogel caused an increase in the dry above-ground mass of plants by 3.2% in comparison with the reference, while the cryogel with potato starch caused an increase by 7.1%, and cryogel based on PVA and potato starch gave 9.4%.

The influence of organo-mineral fertilizers on the yield and quality of oilseed flax in northern Kazakhstan

The article shows that in the agro-industrial complex of Northern Kazakhstan, much attention is paid to the issues of progressive improvement of soil fertility, crop yields, increasing the production of grain, feed and other crops based on a scientifically based farming system. Currently, the acreage should be carried out in the crop rotation system and a special place is occupied by the problem of providing the population with high-protein and balanced fatty foods. The introduction of oilseed flax into diversified types of field crop rotations contributes not only to providing the national economy with oilseed products, but also to improving the agrophysical, biological and agrochemical properties of ordinary chernozems. In addition, flaxseed contains a large amount of balanced and easily digestible protein, vegetable oil, various sugars and carbon waters, as well as essential vitamins and trace elements needed in the diet. Field experimental studies were conducted to identify the effect of the effectiveness of mineral and organic fertilizers on improving soil fertility, the formation of the size and quality of flax crops, and to determine the most effective option in the northern region of Kazakhstan. The optimal use of mineral and organic fertilizers caused a positive effect of flax plant cenosis on the density, in particular, on the field germination of plants, plant growth dynamics, accumulation of raw and dry mass of flax plants. The optimal use of mineral and organic fertilizers contributed in addition to increasing soil fertility on plant yields and profitability of growing oilseed flax.

Fungicidal activity of slow-release formulations of tebuconazole and epoxiconazole to control root rot pathogens of cereal crops

This study attempts to develop a new way to deliver fungicides that will reduce the concentration of chemicals in the soil, while maintaining the effectiveness, provide a prolonged effect of the fungicide and reduce the number of treatments during the growing season. For this purpose, the systemic fungicides tebuconazole and epoxiconazole were embedded in biodegradable matrix consisting of homopolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and wood flour. Dry components were mixed and formed as granules, which were introduced into the soil with cereal seeds - spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The control groups included intact plants and plants treated with free forms of fungicides. The response of plants to the use of slow-release and free forms of fungicides was assessed by the morphometry of the aerial part and production of carbonylated proteins, malondialdehyde, and proline in plant root cells. The fungicidal activity of the preparations was evaluated by the effectiveness of plant pathogenic fungi suppressing in the soil and on plant roots during the growing season. The results showed that the effect of embedded and free fungicides on redox homeostasis in wheat and barley roots varied depending on the plant growth stage and differed significantly between plant species. The embedded fungicides were more effective in reducing root infection than the free analogues. The use of fungicides in granules led to a decrease in the incidence of root rot in both cereals by 1.5–1.9 times and an increase in the dry mass of plants by 20–28 % in wheat and by 15–18 % in barley. Fungicidal preparations embedded in a degradable base provide long-term protection of plants from soil pathogens and the root diseases control.

Influence of Phosphorus and Foliar Application of Iron and Zinc on Growth and yield of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)

In kharif 2022, a field experiment was conducted at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, SHUATS, Prayagraj (UP) to determine the “Effect of Phosphorus and foliar application of iron and zinc on growth and yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.).” The findings showed that treatment-9 (Phosphorus 75 kg/ha + Fe-0.5 % + Zn-0.5 %) significantly increased plant height (75.57 cm), plant dry mass (17.66 g/plant), crop growth rate (5.97 g/m2/day), higher number of pods/plant (14.76), higher number of seeds/pod (10.52), seed yield (1.25 t/ha), stover yield (2.81 kg/ha), gross return (79,219.00 ₹/ha), net return (54,092.46 ₹/ha) and also, the maximum B:C ratio (2.15) was taken captive in treatment-9 (Phosphorus 75 kg/ha + Fe-0.5 % + Zn-0.5 %) in comparison to different treatments.

Peróxido de hidrogênio (H2O2) melhora a homeostase iônica em plantas de coentro sob estresse salino

ABSTRACT Priming with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) contributes positively to the increase of salt tolerance in plants. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the effect of H2O2 as an attenuator of the negative effects induced by salinity on coriander plants grown in a hydroponic system. The coriander seeds were pretreated with different H2O2 concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, and 100 mM). The coriander plants were grown in nutrient solutions without presence of NaCl for control treatment (T1), while the other five treatments received 50 mM NaCl: T2 (absence of H2O2 in seed pretreatment), T3, T4, T5, and T6 corresponding to seed pretreatment with H2O2 at concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 mM, respectively, in a completely randomized design with four replicates. In general, salinity reduced the production of shoot fresh and dry mass of coriander plants. However, the pretreatment with H2O2 significantly increased the salt tolerance of plants. H2O2 acted as a metabolic signal, improving the ion homeostasis by decreasing Na+ and/or Cl- contents and increasing K+ content in leaves. The multivariate analysis revealed an opposite effect between the Na+ and K+ contents, in addition, to indicating that these results can directly affect the growth of coriander plants.

Métodos de inoculação de Azospirillum brasilense em alface e rúcula em sistema hidropônico

ABSTRACT: Lettuce and arugula are the most cultivated leafy vegetables in hydroponic systems in the world, and the little information about Azospirillum brasilense effects in research in this system makes it necessary to verify the best method of inoculation of these bacteria. Therefore, this study aimed to verify the beneficial effects of inoculation methods of A. brasilense on plant growth and nutrition of lettuce and arugula grown in the hydroponic system. The study was conducted in a greenhouse with 30% shading. A randomized block design with five replicates in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme was used. Four A. brasilense inoculation methods (non-inoculated, foliar application, nutrient solution, and nutrient solution + foliar application) and two leafy vegetable species - arugula and lettuce - were evaluated. All inoculation methods improved plant height, shoot fresh and dry mass, root fresh and dry mass, fresh leaf yield, leaf chlorophyll index, accumulation of nitrogen, potassium, calcium, sulfur, phosphorus, iron, manganese, and copper and reduced nitrate accumulation in shoot and root of arugula and lettuce. Inoculation via nutrient solution + foliar application of A. brasilense is the most suitable for hydroponic arugula cultivation because it provides greater fresh leaf yield. All inoculation methods increased leaf yield in hydroponic lettuce. Hydroponic arugula and lettuce plants showed greater accumulation of nutrients and plant growth with less nitrate accumulation in the shoot under inoculation with A. brasilense.

Growth responses of tomato plants to different wavelength ratios of amber, red, and blue light

The differential effects of light quality and quantity are under scrutiny so that energy-efficient plant production may be optimized. This study aimed to determine the combined effects of amber (595 nm), red (635 nm), and blue (445 nm) wavelengths at different light intensities on tomato plant growth. Plants were treated for 12 days with combined light-emitting diode (LED) wavelengths, at a photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) ranging from 232 to 1660 μmol m−2s−1 with a 16 h d−1 photoperiod. Mean fresh mass of tomato plants treated with amber-red light (AR) was 22% greater than plants treated with blue-amber (BA) light and 67% greater than blue-red (BR) light. Plants treated with BA exhibited 36% greater fresh mass than plants treated with BR light. Mean dry mass of plants treated with AR light was 30% greater compared to BR light, and the dry mass of plants treated with BA and BR was statistically similar. Plants grown under BR had 28% and 35% smaller leaf area compared with those grown under BA and AR, respectively. Mean height of the plants treated with AR increased by 24 and 52% compared to plants grown under BA and BR lights, respectively. Maximum stem diameter was observed at 1000 μmol m−2s−1 for AR and BA, and 1200 μmol m−2s−1 for BR. Specific leaf area (SLA) decreased with the increase of PPFD levels up to 1000 μmol m−2s−1 for all the light treatments. A PPFD above 1000 μmol m−2s−1 showed an increase in SLA for plants cultivated with AR and AB. SLA for plants treated with RB was stable above 1000 μmol m−2s−1 PPFD levels. Plants treated with BR light had 25 and 38% higher chlorophyll content compared to plants treated with BA and AR light, respectively. Maximum yield and chlorophyll content data indicate that using Chl content to correlate full plant photosynthetic and growth potential is inappropriate. Findings suggest that a high percentage of amber light (>75%) in a full-spectrum LED regimen may augment controlled environment crop production.

Reducing Herbicide Dependency: Impact of Murraya koenigii Leaf Extract on Weed Control and Growth of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and Chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of Murraya koenigii (curry leaf) aqueous extract on the seed germination and growth of two crops and their associated weeds (Anagallis arvensis, Poa annua, Lepidium didymum, and Vicia sativa). Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) seeds were soaked in solutions containing 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10% concentrations of aqueous extracts of M. koenigii leaves, while distilled water was used as a control. Higher concentrations of the extract significantly increased the percentage of germination inhibition and decreased the radicle length and plumule length of both crops compared to the control. It was interesting to find that the pot-based experiment had no influence on the shoot length, plant dry mass, chlorophyll, carotenoid, proline, or protein content, stomatal conductance, or photosynthetic and transpiration rate in either crop. Similarly, in comparison to the control, the activity of antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase (PER), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT)) had no significant influence. Soil physiochemical parameters and weed shoot growth were also investigated. In a Petri plate experiment, 6, 8, and 10% concentrations inhibited germination of both crops. In comparison, in the pot experiment, the growth of both crops was significant at lower concentrations, and 1% aqueous extract of M. koenigii was reported to be lethal to weeds without affecting the soil physiochemical properties. Based on the results of this study, it can be inferred that the reduced germination rate of the tested species after treatment with the extract could be attributed to damage caused by the extracts to the membrane system of the seed. This study concluded that an aqueous leaf extract of M. koenigii can inhibit the growth of weeds without affecting the germination, growth, photosynthetic, and biochemical properties of C. arietinum and T. aestivum or the physiochemical properties of soil; thus, it may be a potential candidate for the development of new bioherbicides.

Screening of Sugarcane Varieties for Tolerance to Water Deficiency Using Containers

The negative effects of water deficiency in sugarcane production caused by climate change on the productivity of sugarcane can be mitigated by drought tolerant varieties. A 14 × 2 factorial arrangement in completely randomised design replicated three times was used to screen 14 varieties for drought tolerance at the Zimbabwe Sugar Experiment Station (ZSAES). The first factor was the sugarcane varieties viz ZN1, ZN2, ZN3, ZN4, ZN5, ZN6, ZN7, ZN8, ZN9, ZN10, CP72–1312, NCo376, N14, and CP72–2086. The second factor comprised of two levels of irrigation, namely, well-watered (100% by volume) and water-deficit stressed (30% by volume). The parameters measured in this study which included tiller count, leaf SPAD index, total plant dry mass, photosynthetic rate, and leaf temperature were found not suitable for screening sugarcane for tolerance to water-deficit stress. Water-deficit stressed varieties ZN1, ZN8, ZN10, and N14 had the tallest stalks. Varieties CP72–2086, ZN2, ZN5, CP72–1312, ZN4, ZN6, and ZN9 were stunted, indicating that they were probably drought-sensitive. Leaf vapour pressure deficits of varieties ZN8, ZN10 and N14 were higher in water-stressed plants than in the well-watered ones. The vapour pressure deficit of well-watered NCo376 plants was higher than that of water-stressed plants. Furthermore, the stomatal conductance of water-stressed NCo376 plants was greater than that of the other varieties tested, showing more tolerance to drought. Based on stem height, stomatal conductance, vapour pressure deficit, transpiration rate and dry matter parameters measured in the present study, sugarcane varieties that are recommended to cane farmers in Zimbabwe when faced with drought are NCo376, ZN1, ZN8, ZN10 and ZN14.

Allelopathic effect of Callistemon viminalis’s leaves extract on weeds, soil features, and growth performance of wheat and chickpea plants

ABSTRACT The allelopathic effect of Callistemon viminalis’s leaf extracts on seed germination and growth of Triticum aestivum and Cicer arietinum, as well as associated weeds (Anagallis arvensis, Poa annua, Lepidium didymium, and Vicia sativa), was studied. Different concentrations (2–10%) of aqueous extracts were used, and physiological parameters were measured. Higher concentrations (6–10%) significantly inhibited the germination and growth of wheat and chickpea. In pot assay, the extract did not affect shoot length, dry plant mass, chlorophyll, carotenoid, proline, protein content, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic and transpiration rate, and antioxidant enzymes in crop and various parameters of soil properties in comparison to the control. Both crops grew significantly at lower concentrations. This study suggests that extract of C. viminalis can inhibit the growth of A. arvensis and V. sativa without affecting germination, photosynthetic and biochemical properties of C. arietinum and T. aestivum, and soil properties, making it a potential candidate for bioherbicide development.

Eruca sativa plants modulate growth and gas exchange when cultivated under salinity stress after leaching fractions

The physiology of rocket plants at different salinity levels through irrigation water and leaching fractions was assessed. Four salinity levels of irrigation water: 0.10, 1.60, 3.10 and 4.60 dS m-1 and three leaching fractions: 0, 10 and 20% were applied. The physiological variables analyzed were photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and photosynthetic pigment contents. The growth and biomass production were analyzed by: plant height, number of leaves, leaf area and partitioned and total plant fresh and dry mass, and root to aerial part ratio. The leaching fraction of 10% combined with irrigation with water salinity levels ranging from 0.10 to 0.88 dS m-1 resulted in greater plant height, leaf area and root, shoot and total dry mass. The leaching fraction of 20% with irrigation water with salinity levels from 0.10 to 2.7 dS m-1 generates higher leaf number, shoot fresh mass, root-to-shoot ratio, stomatal conductance, and photosynthetic rate. Irrigation water with a salinity level of 0.10 dS m-1 provides a higher transpiration rate for rocket plants. Irrigation water with a salinity level of 4.6 dS m-1 generates higher chlorophyll a, b and total (a + b) and carotenoid contents in rocket plants.

Unveiling Cacao Rootstock-Genotypes with Potential Use in the Mitigation of Cadmium Bioaccumulation.

The accumulation of high cadmium (Cd) levels in cacao beans (Theobroma cacao) generate several commercial and health issues. We hypothesized that cacao phenotypic and genotypic diversity could provide new insights to decrease Cd accumulation in cacao beans. Nine cacao rootstock genotypes were evaluated for up to 90 days under 0, 6, and 12 (mg·kg-1) of CdCl2 exposure and Cd content and plant growth dynamics were measured in leaves, stems, and roots. Data revealed that all cacao genotypes studied here were highly tolerant to Cd, since they presented tolerance index ≥ 60%. In shoots, EET61 and PA46 presented the higher (~270 mg·kg DW-1) and lower (~20 mg·kg DW-1) Cd concentration, respectively. Accordingly, only the EET61 showed an increase in the shoot cadmium translocation factor over the 90 days of exposure. However, when analyzing cadmium allocation to different organs based on total plant dry mass production, none of the genotypes maintained high Cd compartmentalization into roots, since P46, which was the genotype with the highest allocation of Cd to the roots, presented only 20% of total cadmium per plant in this plant organ and 80% allocated into the shoots, under Cd 12 (mg·kg-1) and after 90 days of exposure. Thus, genotypic/phenotypic variability in cacao rootstocks may provide valuable strategies for maximizing the reduction in Cd content in shoots. In this sense, IMC67 and PA46 were the ones that stood out in the present study.

Analysis of Principal Components for the Assessment of Silage Corn Hybrid Performance under Water Deficit

Corn is an important crop for animal production systems. Owing to climate change, it is important to understand the behavior of commercial corn hybrids under low soil water availability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphogenic characteristics and yields of silage corn hybrids subjected to different water conditions using univariate and multivariate analyses. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a 5 × 2 factorial scheme with four replications. Corn hybrids (AGRI104, AGRI320, AGRI330, AGRI340, and AGRI360) and water replacement levels (50% and 100% replacement of crop evapotranspiration—ETc) were considered as factors. A water replacement level of 50% ETc was defined as a severe water deficit that persisted for 46 days from V7 until harvesting (R3). Plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, chlorophyll index, water productivity, fresh and dry mass, and dry matter of the shoot and root systems were evaluated. An analysis of variance and a mean test of isolated variables were carried out, and a multivariate perspective, through principal components was performed. In general, the replacement of 50% ETc changed the morphophysiological characteristics of the plants; however, it was only possible to classify the hybrids through a principal components analysis. The best performing hybrids, regardless of the water replacement levels, were AGRI340 and AGRI360.

Influence of weather conditions on wintering of winter rape depending on intensification factors

Purpose and objectives of the study. The aim of the study was to investigate the peculiarities of wintering of winter rape depending on the factors of intensification in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. General scientific and special research methods were used in the course of the work. Results. Weather conditions have made their adjustments over the years of research, especially significant impact on wintering of winter rape had the amount of precipitation over the years of research and varied greatly. Pre-sowing treatment and foliar fertilization of plants were of great importance, these measures had a positive effect on the studied aspects. It also contributed to the accumulation of high sugar content in the root collar of plants, the formation of a greater accumulation of absolutely dry plant mass, which accordingly provided a higher percentage of winter hardiness of winter rape plants by 8.0-10.3%. Analyzing the research, we indicate that the use of growth regulators in foliar feeding of winter rape plants against the background of pre-sowing seed treatment had a significant effect on the wintering of rape. Treatment of winter rape seeds with Vitavax 200 FF, 34 % w.c.c., before sowing, with growth regulator Vympel-K significantly increased field germination, and their joint use provided a more positive effect. Conclusions. The use of the growth regulator Vympel-K (500 g/t) indicated that the wintering of plants was better compared to the control (untreated seeds) and almost 5.8% higher than in the variants with seed treatment with Vitavax 200 FF, 34% w.c.k. (2.5 l/t). The use of the growth regulator Vympel foliarly in the fall in the rosette phase of 5-6 leaves against the background of pre-sowing seed treatment with Vitavax 200 FF, 34 % w.c. + growth regulator Vympel-K provided better growth and development of plants.

Effect of B vitamins on lettuce plants subjected to saline stress

The use of water with a high concentration of salts has been increasingly frequent in vegetable production. This reduces the development and productivity of vegetables, raising the importance of the search for techniques to mitigate deleterious effects. In this sense, vitamins have the potential to improve conditions for plant development. The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the application of B vitamins in lettuce plants submitted to irrigation with saline water. The treatments consisted of Control: irrigated with water and without application of vitamins; NaCl: irrigated with saline solution (50 mM NaCl, equivalent 5.18 dS m-1) and without application of vitamins; NaCl+B1: irrigated with saline solution and application of vitamin thiamine (100 mg L-1); NaCl+B3: irrigated with saline solution and application of vitamin niacin (100 mg L-1). These treatments were applied to two lettuce cultivars, “Pira Roxa” and “Valentina”. Both vitamins increased net photosynthesis when compared to the NaCl treatment. However, only the application of thiamine resulted in a mitigating effect on the losses of plant dry mass accumulation. Thus, the exogenous application of these vitamins alleviates the effects caused by salinity in lettuce plants, reducing stress on photosynthetic mechanisms and increasing photosynthetic activity. In addition, thiamine helps to reduce the deleterious effects of salinity on the accumulation of biomass.

The combination of salt and drought benefits selective ion absorption and nutrient use efficiency of halophyte Panicum antidotale.

Soil salinity and water deficit often occur concurrently, but understanding their combined effects on plants' ion regulation is limited. With aim to identify if introducing drought with salinity alleviates salt stress's ionic effects, Panicum antidotale - a halophytic grass- was grown in the presence of single and combined stressors, i.e., drought and salt (low and high). Regulation of cations and anions along with the antioxidant capacity and modifications in leaf anatomy were investigated. Results showed a combination of low salt and drought minimally affected plant (dry) mass by improving the selective ions absorption and nutrient use efficiencies. The lowest ratio for efficiency of photosystem II and carbon assimilation (ΦPSII/ΦCO2) suggested less generation of reactive oxygen species, which were probably detoxified with constitutively performing antioxidant enzymes. In contrast, the combination of high salinity and drought escalated the adverse effects caused due to individual stressors. The selective ion absorption increased, but the non-selective ions transport caused an ionic imbalance indicating the highest ratio of Na+/K+. Although the area of mesophyll increased, a reduction in epidermis (cell number and area) predicted a mechanical injury prone to water loss in these plants. The compromised activity of antioxidant enzymes also suggested treatment-induced oxidative damage. Yet, the synergistic interaction between high salinity and drought was not detrimental to the survival of P. antidotale. Therefore, we suggest planting this grass in habitats with harsh environmental conditions to meet the increasing fodder demands without compromising agricultural lands' productivity.