Response Of Sunflower Research Articles

Response of Sunflower to B5A (foliar fertilizer) at Gezira, Rahad and New Halfa, Sudan

A field experiment was conducted in season 2018/2019 across the Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC) at three experimental sites: Gezira, New Halfa and Rahad to investigate the effect of B5A liquid on the yield and yield components of sunflower. Seven treatments were adopted: 1 – Control or check (Zero fertilizer), 2 – Application of the recommended fertilizer dozes (RFD) of 2N1P, 3 - RFD + soil application of the liquid fertilizer (SB5A) which equivalent to 2 liter of B5A/200 liter water/ha, 4 - RFD + 1B5A (foliar), which equivalent to 6 liters of B5A/200 liter water/ha as spited three times (2 liter each) at 2nd , 4th and 6th irrigation, 5 - RFD + 2B5A (foliar), which equivalent to 12 liters of B5A/200 liter water/ha as spited three times (4 liters each) at 2nd , 4th and 6th irrigation (foliar), 6 - RFD + SB5A + 1B5A (foliar) and 7 - RFD + SB5A + 2B5A (foliar). The treatments were arranged in RCBD with four replications. Application of B5A has significantly increased the seed yield at the three sites. The highest seed yield was obtained with the application of RFD + SB5A + 2B5A (foliar) which was 1744 kg/ha followed by the application of RFD +1B5A foliar (1741 kg/ha) at Gezira site. At both Rahad and New Halfa the highest seed yield obtained by addition of RFD + SB5A + 1B5A foliar (1750 kg/ha and 2877, respectively).

Response of Sunflowers to Compost, Mineral and Bio- Fertilization Under Conditions of Soil Affected by Salinity

Response of Sunflowers to Compost, Mineral and Bio- Fertilization Under Conditions of Soil Affected by Salinity

Genome-wide characterization of the sunflower kinome: classification, evolutionary analysis and expression patterns under different stresses.

Protein kinases play a significant role in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, as well as in growth and development. While the kinome has been extensively investigated in crops such as Arabidopsis thaliana, soybean, common bean, and cotton, studies on protein kinases in sunflower remain limited. Our objective is to explore protein kinases in sunflower to bridge the research gap and enhance the understanding of their functions. We identified a total of 2,583 protein kinases from sunflower, which were classified into 22 families and 121 subfamilies. By comparing the subfamily members between sunflower and other species, we found that three subfamilies in sunflower-RLK-Pelle_CrRLK1L-1, RLK-Pelle_SD-2b, and RLK-Pelle_WAK-had undergone significant expansion. We then investigated the chromosomal distribution, molecular weight, isoelectric point, transmembrane domain, signal peptide, and structural and evolutionary diversity of the protein kinases. Through these studies, we have obtained a basic understanding of protein kinases in sunflower. To investigate the role of protein kinases in sunflower's response to biotic and abiotic stresses, we obtained 534 transcriptome datasets from various research groups, covering eight types of abiotic stress and two types of biotic stress. For the first time, we overcame the batch effects in the data and utilized a gene scoring system developed by our lab to perform a comprehensive analysis of multiple transcriptome datasets from different research groups. Ultimately, 73 key protein kinases were identified from numerous candidates, and functional annotation revealed that they are key members of signaling pathways such as ABA, MAPK, and SOS, actively participating in sunflower's response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In summary, through the exploration of protein kinases in sunflower, we have filled the gap in protein kinase research and provided a substantial amount of foundational data. By using the new scoring method to eliminate batch effects between transcriptome datasets, we achieved the first comprehensive analysis of large-scale transcriptome data. This method allows for a more thorough and detailed identification of key protein kinases that are widely regulated under various stress conditions, providing numerous candidate genes for sunflower stress resistance research.

HaVTE1 confers ABA insensitivity by blocking the ABA signaling pathway in sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.)

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is the fourth major oilseed crop in the world, with remarkable tolerance in saline-alkali soils. The VTE1 gene encodes tocopherol cyclase (TC), an enzyme pivotal in the biosynthesis of both vitamin E and vitamin K1. Despite its integral role in the synthesis of these crucial vitamins, the functional analysis of VTE1 under abiotic stress in sunflowers remains scant. In the present investigation, a structural analysis of the VTE1 protein across 155 diverse species revealed a highly conserved evolutionary trace. The expression profiling of HaVTE1 depicted that the HaVTE1 was responsive to the ABA pathway. Transgenic results confirmed that overexpression of HaVTE1 in Arabidopsis and sunflower showed decreased sensitivity to ABA while knocking-down in sunflower exhibited the opposite phenotype. Furthermore, biochemical experiments displayed that HaVTE1 decreases ABA sensitivity by scavenging superoxide contents. Concurrently, the transcriptome analysis revealed that HaVTE1 blocked the upstream of the ABA signaling cascade, which was further confirmed by luciferase assay, resulting in reduced sensitivity to ABA of HaVTE1 overexpression plants. The findings shed light on a theoretical basis for the sunflower responses to ABA signaling and abiotic stresses.

Growth and yield response of sunflower to varied nitrogen levels and foliar nano urea and zinc applications

Growth and yield response of sunflower to varied nitrogen levels and foliar nano urea and zinc applications

Physiological and transcriptomic profiles reveal key regulatory pathways involved in cold resistance in sunflower seedlings

During sunflower growth, cold waves often occur and impede plant growth. Therefore, it is crucial to study the underlying mechanism of cold resistance in sunflowers. In this study, physiological analysis revealed that as cold stress increased, the levels of ROS, malondialdehyde, ascorbic acid, and dehydroascorbic acid and the activities of antioxidant enzymes increased. Transcriptomics further identified 10,903 DEGs between any two treatments. Clustering analysis demonstrated that the expression of MYB44a, MYB44b, MYB12, bZIP2 and bZIP4 continuously upregulated under cold stress. Cold stress can induce ROS accumulation, which interacts with hormone signals to activate cold-responsive transcription factors regulating target genes involved in antioxidant defense, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism enhancement for improved cold resistance in sunflowers. Additionally, the response of sunflowers to cold stress may be independent of the CBF pathway. These findings enhance our understanding of cold stress resistance in sunflowers and provide a foundation for genetic breeding.

Mitigating the detrimental impacts of low- and high-density polyethylene microplastics using a novel microbial consortium on a soil-plant system: Insights and interactions

The accumulation of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) in soil has raised considerable concerns; however, the effects of their persistence and mitigation on agroecosystems have not been explored. This study aimed to assess the detrimental effects of PE-MPs on a soil-plant system and evaluate their mitigation using a novel microbial consortium (MC). We incorporated low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) at two different concentrations, along with a control (0 %, 1 %, and 2 % w/w) into the sandy loam soil for a duration of 135 days. The samples were also treated with a novel MC and incubated for 135 days. The MC comprised three bacterial strains (Ralstonia pickettii (MW290933) strain SHAn2, Pseudomonas putida strain ShA, and Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus XDB9 (T) strain S7–10F), and a fungal strain (Aspergillus niger strain F1–16S). Sunflowers were subsequently cultivated, and physiological growth parameters were measured. The results showed that adding 2 % LDPE significantly decreased soil pH by 1.06 units compared to the control. Moreover, adding 2 % HDPE resulted in a more significant decrease in soil electrical conductivity (EC) relative to LDPE and the control. A dose-dependent increase in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was observed, with the highest DOC found in 2 % LDPE. The addition of higher dosages of LDPE reduced soil bulk density (BD) more than HDPE. The addition of 2 % HDPE increased the water drop penetration time (WDPT) but decreased the mean weight diameter of soil aggregates (MWD) and water-stable aggregates (WSA) compared to LDPE. The results also revealed that higher levels of LDPE enhanced soil basal respiration (BR) and microbial carbon biomass (MBC). The interaction of MC and higher MP percentages considerably reduced soil pH, EC, BD, and WDPT but significantly increased soil DOC, MWD, WSA, BR, and MBC. Regarding plant growth, incorporating 2 % PE-MPs significantly reduced physiological responses of sunflower: chlorophyll content (Chl; −15.2 %), Fv/Fm ratio (-25.3 %), shoot dry weight (ShD; −31.3 %), root dry weight (RD; −40 %), leaf area (LA; −38.4 %), and stem diameter (StemD; −25 %) compared to the control; however, the addition of novel MC considerably reduced and ameliorated the harmful effects of 2 % PE-MPs on the investigated plant growth responses.

Response of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. cv Shumoos) to foliar spray of ethephon and plant densities

A field experiment was carried out during the spring season of 2023 in Al-Muthanna Governorate, located at longitude 31.586 and latitude 45.131, to determine the study of different plant densities and ethephon spraying with their interaction on the yield and size of sunflower seeds (Shamus variety). The experiment was implemented using a randomized complete block design (R.C.B.D) according to a split plot design and with three replications. The main plots included four levels of ethephon (0, 600, 1200, and 1800) ppm, which has the symbols E0, E1, E2 and E3 respectively. The Sub Plot included four planting distances (20, 30, 40, and 50) cm among plants, which were symbolized as D1, D2, D3, and D4, respectively. The results showed a significant effect among plant densities among plants, the low density D4 was the highest mean in seeds number per disk (1632.26 seeds disk-1), the individual yield (131.30 tons ha 1 ), 1000 seeds weight (79.10 gm), and seed length (16.64 mm). The levels of ethephon differed significantly in different traits, The E3 level gave the highest mean for the individual yield (102.04 tons ha-1) and 1000 seeds weight (68.48 grams), while E1 level gave the lowest mean for the individual yield (93.67 tons ha-1), and 1000 seeds weight (61.49 gm), while there was no significant effect of the interaction between the two study factors for all traits.

Hydrogen sulfide-mitigated salinity stress impact in sunflower seedlings was associated with improved photosynthesis performance and osmoregulation

BackgroundSalinity is one major abiotic stress affecting photosynthesis, plant growth, and development, resulting in low-input crops. Although photosynthesis underlies the substantial productivity and biomass storage of crop yield, the response of the sunflower photosynthetic machinery to salinity imposition and how H2S mitigates the salinity-induced photosynthetic injury remains largely unclear. Seed priming with 0.5 mM NaHS, as a donor of H2S, was adopted to analyze this issue under NaCl stress. Primed and nonprime seeds were established in nonsaline soil irrigated with tape water for 14 d, and then the seedlings were exposed to 150 mM NaCl for 7 d under controlled growth conditions.ResultsSalinity stress significantly harmed plant growth, photosynthetic parameters, the structural integrity of chloroplasts, and mesophyll cells. H2S priming improved the growth parameters, relative water content, stomatal density and aperture, photosynthetic pigments, photochemical efficiency of PSII, photosynthetic performance, soluble sugar as well as soluble protein contents while reducing proline and ABA under salinity. H2S also boosted the transcriptional level of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase small subunit gene (HaRBCS). Further, the transmission electron microscope showed that under H2S priming and salinity stress, mesophyll cells maintained their cell membrane integrity and integrated chloroplasts with well-developed thylakoid membranes.ConclusionThe results underscore the importance of H2S priming in maintaining photochemical efficiency, Rubisco activity, and preserving the chloroplast structure which participates in salinity stress adaptation, and possibly sunflower productivity under salinity imposition. This underpins retaining and minimizing the injury to the photosynthetic machinery to be a crucial trait in response of sunflower to salinity stress.

Computing the effects of temperature and osmotic stress on the seed germination of Helianthus annuus L. by using a mathematical model

An extremely important oil crop in the world, Helianthus annuus L. is one of the world's most significant members of the Asteraceae family. The rate and extent of seed germination and agronomic features are consistently affecting by temperature (T) and changes in water potential (ψ). A broad hydrothermal time model with T and ψ components could explain sunflower responses over suboptimal T and ψ. A lab experiment was performed using the HTT model to discover both T and ψ and their interactive effects on sunflower germination and also to figure out the cardinal Ts values. The sunflower seeds were germinated at temperatures (15 °C, 20 °C, 25 °C and 30 °C); each Ts had five constant ψs of 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 MPa via PEG 6000 as osmotic stress inducer. The results revealed that highest germination index was found in seed grown at 20 °C in distilled water (0 MPa) and the lowest at 30 °C with osmotic stress of (− 1.2 MPa). The highest value of germination rate index was found in seed grown at 20 °C in distilled water (0 MPa) and the lowest at 15 °C with an osmotic stress of (− 1.2 MPa). In conclusion, water potential, temperature, and their interactions have a considerable impact on seed germination rate, and other metrics (GI, SVI-I, GRI, GE, SVI-II, and MGT). Seeds sown at 20 °C with zero water potential showed high germination metrics such as GE, GP, GRI, and T50%. The maximum value to TTsub noted at 30 °C in − 0.9 MPa osmotic stress and the minimum value was calculated at 15 °C in − 1.2 MPa osmotic stress. The result of TTsupra recorded highest at 15 °C in controlled group (0 MPa). Moreover, θH was highest at 30 °C in controlled condition (0 MPa) and minimum value was observed at 20 °C under − 1.2 MPa osmotic stress. The value of θHTT were maximum at 30 °C in controlled group (0 MPa) and minimum value was recorded at 15 °C under − 1.2 MPa osmotic potential. The base, optimum and ceiling temperatures for sunflower germination metrics in this experiment were noted 6.8, 20 and 30 °C respectively.

Integrated Soil Applied Fertilizers (Nitrogen, Zinc, and Boron) Effects on Growth and Yield of Sunflower

In the case of sunflower production, precision agriculture can be used to determine the optimal fertilizer application rates and timings based on the specific soil and climatic conditions of a particular field. The response of sunflower to macro- and micronutrient applications has been observed. Field conditions were used to assess the effectiveness of applying nitrogen, zinc, and boron alone or in a mixture to improve the growth and production of sunflower HO-1. The experiment followed an RCBD design with a net plot size of 4x5 (20 m2). The study examined the impact of different applied soil fertilizers, including NPK. The suggested doses of T1 (control) and T2 (soil) of applied fertilizer Nitrogen 1000g ha-1, T3 soil applied fertilizer Zinc 1000g ha-1, T4 soil applied fertilizer Boron 1000g ha-1, T5 soil applied fertilizers Nitrogen 1000g ha-1 + Zinc 1000g ha-1; T6 Nitrogen 1000g ha-1 + Boron 1000g ha-1; T7 soil applied fertilizers Zinc 1000g ha-1 + Boron 1000g ha-1, T8 soil applied fertilizers Nitrogen 1000g ha-1 and boron 1000g ha-1, T8 were examined. The result indicated that the application of soil-applied fertilizers Nitrogen 1000g ha-1 zinc 1000g ha-1 and boron 1000g ha-1 in combination, yielded the most significant improvements in Maximum plant height: 181.0 cm; number of leaves per plant: 36.80; stem girth: 12.35; head diameter: 26.30; number of seeds: 652.0; seed weight: 40.74; seed index: 62.66; and seed yield (kg-1): 2230.

Response of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) to Application of Bioactive Humic Substances

Response of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) to Application of Bioactive Humic Substances

Comparative transcriptome and coexpression network analysis reveals key pathways and hub candidate genes associated with sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) drought tolerance

BackgroundDrought severely limits sunflower production especially at the seedling stage. To investigate the response mechanism of sunflowers to drought stress, we utilized two genotypes of sunflower materials with different drought resistances as test materials. The physiological responses were investigated under well-watered (0 h) and drought-stressed conditions (24 h, 48 h, and 72 h).ResultsANOVA revealed the greatest differences in physiological indices between 72 h of drought stress and 0 h of drought stress. Transcriptome analysis was performed after 72 h of drought stress. At 0 h, there were 7482 and 5627 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the leaves of K55 and K58, respectively, and 2150 and 2527 DEGs in the roots of K55 and K58, respectively. A total of 870 transcription factors (TFs) were identified among theDEGs, among which the high-abundance TF families included AP2/ERF, MYB, bHLH,and WRKY. Five modules were screened using weighted gene coexpressionnetwork analysis (WGCNA), three and two of which were positively and negatively, respectively, related to physiological traits. KEGG analysis revealedthat under drought stress, “photosynthesis”, “carotenoid biosynthesis”, “starch and sucrose metabolism”, “ribosome”, “carotenoid biosynthesis”, “starch and sucrose metabolism”, “protein phosphorylation” and “phytohormone signaling” are six important metabolic pathways involved in the response of sunflower to drought stress. Cytoscape software was used to visualize the three key modules, and the hub genes were screened. Finally, a total of 99 important candidate genes that may be associated with the drought response in sunflower plants were obtained, and the homology of these genes was compared with that in Arabidopsis thaliana.ConclusionsTaken together, our findings could lead to a better understanding of drought tolerance in sunflowers and facilitate the selection of drought-tolerant sunflower varieties.

Response of sunflower-weed ecosystem to herbicide oxadiagryl and integrated weed management options

Field experiment was conducted during summer, 2021 at Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar to study the response of sunflower as a part of Integrated weed management with suboptimal, optimal and super optimal doses of oxadiargyl as pre-emergence spray with or without quizalofop ethyl 5 EC @ 37.5 g/ha at 15 - 20 DAS in sunflower hybrid "KBSH-44" revealed that weed free control has recorded the highest seed yield (2064 kg/ha), which remained at par with oxadiargyl @ 125 g/ha as pre-emergence spray fb one HW at 30 DAS with a seed yield of 1962 kg/ha with a WCE of 92.6% at harvest.

Biochemical Studies on Evaluation of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Genotypes for Heat Stress

Crops are facing heat stress because of rapid climate change caused by global warming. We examined these issues in sunflower by exposing the plants growing with mean maximum temperature of 32.2oC (sowing to flowering) and 36.1oC (flowering to harvest) at normal temperature (S1) and 35.3oC (sowing to flowering) and 38.3 oC (flowering to harvest) at high temperatures (S2) by staggered sowings. Antioxidative responses of sunflower were also explored by studying the Superoxide dismutase, Catalase, Peroxidises and Ascorbate peroxidise activities. A significant increase was observed in antioxidant enzyme activities under high temperature stress. The final oil composition proved to be sensitive to the timing of heat stress and reduced (13%) by high temperatures. Some innovative steps should be taken on an emergency basis to prepare plants for such stressful conditions.

Effect of different land configurations and crop geometry with levels of fertilizer on sunflower productivity under rainfed condition

A field experiment with the objective to determine the response of sunflower to varying planting geometry and fertilizer levels under different land configurations was conducted under rainfed condition. The experiment was laid out in split plot design consisting of twelve treatments (Four main and three sub treatments) and replicated thrice. The entire period of cropping period received the adequate rainfall for the growth and development. The economics revealed that the land configuration ridges and furrow sowing with 100 % RDF recorded higher net return (Rs. 8,517/ha) and BCR (1.25). Hence, it concluded that under red loamy soil, sowing of sunflower with a spacing of 60 cm x 30 cm in ridges and furrow land configuration with application of 100 % RDF is highly suitable under rain fed condition to attain maximum yield with more profit.

Effect of phosphorus and sulphur levels on soil nutreint status in sunflower(Helianthus annuus L.)

A field experiment was conducted to study the response of Sunflower to Phosphorus and Sulphur levels at Agricultural College Farm, Bapatla, during rabi, 2018. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with factorial concept replicated thrice with ten treatments. The Phosphorus and Sulphur status in soil increased with increasing levels of phosphorus from 0 to 135 kg P2O5 ha-1 but significant upto 90 kg P2O5 ha-1 whereas, the highest level of sulphur i.e., 30 kg S ha-1 recorded significantly higher uptake of Phosphorus and Sulphur soil at all growth stages of Sunflower.

Photosynthetic characteristics, yield and quality of sunflower response to deficit irrigation in a cold and arid environment.

In arid regions, deficit irrigation stands as an efficacious strategy for augmenting agricultural water conservation and fostering sustainable crop production. The Hexi Oasis, an irrigation zone situated in Northwest China, serves as a pivotal area to produce grain and cash crops. Nonetheless, due to the predominant conditions of low rainfall and high evaporation, the scarcity of irrigation water has emerged as a critical constraint affecting crop growth and yield in the area. In order to evaluate the effects of deficit irrigation on photosynthetic characteristics, yield, quality, and water use efficiency of sunflower, a two-year field experiment with under-mulched drip irrigation was conducted in the cold and arid environment of the Hexi Oasis region. Water deficits were implemented at sunflower seedling and maturity and consisted of three deficit levels: mild deficit (65-75% field capacity, FC), moderate deficit (55-65% FC), and severe deficit (45-55% FC). A total of six combined water deficit treatments were applied, using full irrigation (75-85% FC) throughout the entire crop-growing season as the control (CK). The results illustrated that water deficit engendered a decrease in leaf net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance of sunflower compared to CK, with the decrease becoming significant with the water deficit increasing. A mild water deficit, both at the seedling and maturity phases, precipitated a significant enhancement (p< 0.05) in leaf water use efficiency. Under mild water deficit, stomatal limitation emerged as the predominant factor inducing a reduction in the photosynthetic capacity of sunflower leaves, while as the water deficit escalated, non-stomatal limitation progressively assumed dominance. Moreover, a mild/moderate water deficit at seedling and a mild water deficit at maturity (WD1 and WD3) significantly improved sunflower seed quality under consistent yield conditions and significantly increased irrigation water use efficiency, with an average increase of 15.3% and 18.5% over the two years, respectively. Evaluations utilizing principal component analysis and membership function methods revealed that WD1 attained the highest comprehensive score. Consequently, a mild water deficit at both seedling and maturity (WD1) is advocated as the optimal deficit irrigation strategy for sunflower production within the cold and arid environment of Northwest China.

Genome-wide analysis of the SPL transcription factor family and its response to water stress in sunflower (Helianthus annuus).

SPL (SQUAMOSA promoter binding proteins-like) are plant-specific transcription factors that play essential roles in a variety of developmental processes as well as the ability to withstand biotic and abiotic stresses. To date, numerous species have been investigated for the SPL gene family, but so far, no SPL family genes have been thoroughly identified and characterized in the sunflower (Helianthus annuus). In this study, 25 SPL genes were identified in the sunflower genome and were unevenly distributed on 11 chromosomes. According to phylogeny analysis, 59 SPL genes from H. annuus, O. sativa, and A. thaliana were clustered into seven groups. Furthermore, the SPL genes in groups-I and II were demonstrated to be potential targets of miR156. Synteny analysis showed that 7 paralogous gene pairs exist in HaSPL genes and 26 orthologous gene pairs exist between sunflower and rice, whereas 21 orthologous gene pairs were found between sunflower and Arabidopsis. Segmental duplication appears to have played a vital role in the expansion processes of sunflower SPL genes, and because of selection pressure, all duplicated genes have undergone purifying selection. Tissue-specific gene expression analysis of the HaSBP genes proved their diverse spatiotemporal expression patterns, which were predominantly expressed in floral organs and differentially expressed in stem, axil, and root tissues. The expression pattern of HaSPL genes under water stress showed broad involvement of HaSPLs in the response to flood and drought stresses. This genome-wide identification investigation provides detailed information on the sunflower SPL transcription factor gene family and establishes a strong platform for future research on sunflower responses to abiotic stress tolerance.

Анализ взаимодействий между внекорневыми удобрениями и химическим составом листового аппарата подсолнечника

The purpose of the work is to use the analysis of sunflower foliage as a diagnostic tool for the accumulation of trace elements from the use of foliar top dressing "Revitaplant Sunflower". These studies were conducted in 2021-2022 at the experimental field of I. A. Bunin YSU in the Lipetsk region. Sowing was carried out on plots with three repetitions and two variants:control (without micro-fertilization treatment) and Revitaplant Sunflower 2 l/ha. The treatment was carried out in the vegetation phase of 6-8 leaves of the culture. The use of "Revitaplant Sunflower" on sunflower culture positively affected the chemical composition in the leaves of sunflower plants. The analysis showed a high response of sunflower to the assimilation of iron and manganese and optimal for copper and zinc. Keywords: SUNFLOWER, MICRONUTRIENTS; THE CONTENT OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN SUNFLOWER LEAVES