Seedling Cultivation Research Articles

Efficient mitigation of arsenic accumulation in rice seedlings using in situ formed hydrous titanium oxide from aqueous titanyl amendment

The Arsenic (As) accumulation problem of plants has to be solved when exploring scattered As micro-polluted water as a new irrigation water source for food production. Herein, efficient As immobilization (1 mg-As/L) was realized by simply adding TiOSO4 (TOS) solution in the irrigation water during rice seedling cultivation. The free soluble As in the rice culture was reduced by 99.4%. Most of the As was enriched in hydrous titanium oxide (HTO) formed from in situ TOS hydrolysis (HTO-TOS), which possessed a very high specific surface area (347.6 m2/g) and the most abundant adsorption-active hydroxyl group. Adding TOS (100 mg/L) is tens of times better than adding TiO2 nanoparticles and is even better than commercial HTO at a dosage up to 1000 mg/L in As-immobilization ability. On the one hand, TOS treatment transformed soluble As to insoluble forms by the strong complexation between freshly formed active HTO and As. On the other hand, a barrier of titanium and iron plaque was formed on root surface. Benefiting from these two aspects, the As contents in rice roots and shoots were reduced by 74.6% and 95.6%, respectively. The TOS treatment strategy had no adverse influence on rice growth while promoted the root growth by 39.4% and alleviated the oxidative stress of rice seedlings. Considering its simple application manner and good As control performance, TOS treatment has great potential on in situ remediation of As-contaminated water and soil during cultivating diverse agricultural plants.

Анализ воздействия ветровой нагрузки на каркас теплицы для выращивания сеянцев с закрытой корневой системой

Reforestation is one of the priorities of the state policy of the Russian Federation. Artificial recreation of forests, including a closed root system seedling cultivation technology, has shown its high efficiency in the conditions where natural recovery didn’t develop at the proper extent, especially in the areas affected by large-scale clearcuts and crown fires. Despite the high cost of the closed root system seedling cultivation technology, it is economically viable due to the high survival rate of the plants and the possibility to carry out the planting process over a long period of time. The industrial greenhouses are used for this technology and their construction engineering must consider the influence of external stress, including wind load that depends on the territorial location of the structure. The purpose of the study is to justify the construction characteristics of a greenhouse frame with a sufficient strength for the cultivation of seedlings with the closed root system. The object of the study is a rigid frame model of the greenhouse. The study was performed in the climate conditions of the Krasnoyarsk Krai. The stress and strain analyss are made on the greenhouse construction elements under the conditions of their own weight and wind load using the method for solid modelling. The principal and the peak loads, the dimensions of the most stained areas, the influence of the wind load in these regions are calculated by applying the finite element algorithm for stress analysis simulated in a CAD software. The recommendations for the optimization of the structure are given. For citation: Chernik D.V., Avdeeva E.V., Chernik K.N., Rovnykh N.L. Analysis of Wind Load Effect on Greenhouse Frame for Cultivation Seedlings with Closed Root System. Lesnoy Zhurnal = Russian Forestry Journal, 2023, no. 2, pp. 195–201. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.37482/0536-1036-2023-2-195-201

Insights on the Impact of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis on Eucalyptus grandis Tolerance to Drought Stress.

Drought stress has a negative impact on plant growth and production. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, which establish symbioses with most terrestrial vascular plant species, play important roles in improving host plant mineral nutrient acquisition and resistance to drought. However, the physiological and molecular regulation mechanisms occurring in mycorrhizal Eucalyptus grandis coping with drought stress remain unclear. Here, we studied the physiological changes and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade gene expression profiles of E. grandis associated with AM fungi under drought stress. The results showed that colonization by AM fungi significantly enhanced plant growth, with higher plant biomass, shoot height, root length, and relative water content (RWC) under drought conditions. Mycorrhizal plants had lower levels of accumulation of proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), H2O2, and O2·- than seedlings not colonized with AM fungi. In addition, mycorrhizal E. grandis also had higher peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities under drought conditions, improving the antioxidant system response. Eighteen MAPK cascade genes were isolated from E. grandis, and the expression levels of the MAPK cascade genes were positively induced by symbiosis with AM fungi, which was correlated with changes in the proline, MDA, H2O2, and O2·- contents and POD, SOD, and CAT activities. In summary, our results showed that AM symbiosis enhances E. grandis drought tolerance by regulating plant antioxidation abilities and MAPK cascade gene expression. IMPORTANCE Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi play an important role in improving plant growth and development under drought stress. The MAPK cascade may regulate many physiological and biochemical processes in plants in response to drought stress. Previous studies have shown that there is a complex regulatory network between the plant MAPK cascade and drought stress. However, the relationship between the E. grandis MAPK cascade and AM symbiosis in coping with drought remains to be investigated. Our results suggest that AM fungi could improve plant drought tolerance mainly by improving the antioxidant ability to protect plants from reactive oxygen species (ROS) and alleviate oxidative stress damage. The expression of the MAPK cascade genes was induced in mycorrhizal E. grandis seedlings under drought stress. This study revealed that MAPK cascade regulation is of special significance for improving the drought tolerance of E. grandis. This study provides a reference for improving mycorrhizal seedling cultivation under stress.

Forming and Degradation Mechanism of Bowl Seedling Tray Based on Straw Lignin Conversion

In response to the problems of low straw utilization efficiency and poor returning effect in Northeast China, this paper takes rice straw containing cow dung as the experimental material, and according to the characteristics of lignin glass transformation of the material, proposes a new method to prepare biomass seedling trays. The seedling trays prepared by this method can meet the needs of corn seedling cultivation and transplantation. To study the molding mechanism, scanning electron microscopy and a universal testing machine were used to compare the changes in the internal structure and mechanical properties of the regularly- and hot-compressed seedling trays before and after seedling raising. The results show that the material with water content of 23% has the best hot-pressing effect. The forming mechanism is: that the strength of the molded seedling tray resulted from the mechanical setting force of the multilayered stem fibers with a mosaic structure within the seedling tray. The adhesion and wrapping by lignin prevented water penetration from damaging the multilayered stem fibers and slightly improved their strength. The seedling tray made of straw and manure was completely degraded over 40 days, and the straw degradation rate was improved. This method can increase the overall quality and benefits of straw, providing a foundational reference for high-quality and high-efficiency straw utilization.

Effect of growth regulators on cucumber seed fertility

This scientific article places its emphasis on investigating the impact of biostimulants and growth-enhancing preparations on the germination of cucumber seeds in the context of intensive cucumber seedling cultivation. Our study encompasses a series of experimental and practical trials meticulously designed to elucidate the effects of various growth substances on the rapid and robust germination of cucumber seeds. Throughout the course of our experiment, we conducted comprehensive assessments of the process of treating cucumber seeds with a diverse array of growth stimulants. Our goal was to unveil the precise mechanisms through which these stimulants influence and expedite the germination process. By harnessing innovative technologies and implementing the most cutting-edge methodologies available, our research seeks to delve into the intricate dynamics of cucumber seedling cultivation under intensified conditions. One of the pivotal objectives of our study was to develop a strategic framework that enables the consistent production of high-quality cucumber seedlings. This endeavor involves the integration of advanced techniques and methodologies, aligned with the overarching aim of bolstering germination rates and cultivating robust cucumber seedlings. In essence, this research endeavor amalgamates experimentation, practical application, and the utilization of modern advancements to decipher the intricate interplay between biostimulants, growth preparations, and the germination process of cucumber seeds. By providing insights into these crucial facets, our study contributes to the refinement of intensive cucumber seedling cultivation practices, ultimately enhancing agricultural productivity and the quality of cucumber yields.

First report of root rot on onion (Allium cepa) seedlings caused by Globisporangium irregulare in South Korea

Severe root rot was observed in onion seedlings growing in nursery seedbeds in Changnyeong, South Korea in September 2021. The diseased onion seedlings showed symptoms including water-soaking, browning and blight, followed by seedling collapse. Three isolates were obtained from diseased onion seedlings, and their morphological characteristics were found to be similar to previously described Pythium species. Artificial inoculation with isolates produced identical symptoms to those observed in the original infection. Based on morphological characteristics, sequencing of rRNA gene internal transcribed spacer, ribosomal large subunit gene region, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene region, and pathogenicity testing, the causative agent of root rot on the onion seedlings was identified as Globisporangium irregulare (formerly Pythium irregulare). This is the first report of root rot caused by G. irregulare on onion seedlings in Korea. The results of this study suggest that root rot may pose a severe threat to onion seedling cultivation.

Functionalized Cellulose Sheets with Fertilizers Applied as Multimodal Agricultural Supports for Seedling Cultivation

Agricultural products such as seedling tubes are often made of nondegradable petroleum-based polymers. Little progress has been made in developing sustainable and active supports for seedling cultivation that enable acclimatization time reduction of certain seedlings. Thus, the aim of this work was to manufacture multimodal sheet tubes functionalized with fertilizers and hydrophobized with carnauba emulsion for pineapple seedling cultivation. Energy dispersive spectroscopy and flame atomic absorption spectrometry demonstrated the fibers’ homogeneous distribution and efficient release of nutrients. As a proof-of-concept, these tubes provided better development of pineapple seedlings in comparison to the control, increasing the number, length, and width of the seedlings’ leaves by more than 15%, 40%, and 50%, respectively. The coating with carnauba emulsion guaranteed the physical integrity of sheet tubes in the greenhouse until their planting. These findings may pave the way for a new alternative of sustainable agricultural supports for seedling cultivation.

Comparison of Application Effects of Capillary Radiation Heat Pump and Electric Heating Wire in Greenhouse Seedling Cultivation

Heat pumps with water as heat exchange medium applied in greenhouse heating have not been used for vegetable seedling cultivation. In this work, a multi-connected direct expansion capillary radiation heat pump (MDCRHP) was designed for vegetable seedling cultivation, and a closed local temperature control (CLTC) method was proposed to accurately control air and substrate temperatures in seedling beds, enhance the heating effect and reduce the equipment cost. The results show that the CLTC method can achieve good heating effect and quickly raise air/substrate temperature at a speed of 1 °C/min from 8 °C to about 20 °C within 12 min. The air and substrate temperature fields in the seedling beds were evenly distributed. The temperature differences at different horizontal positions and different heights were less than 1 °C, and the relative humidity was 100%, which is conducive to vegetable grafting seedling. It can be concluded from test results that the MDCRHP had strong adaptability for greenhouse heating and was obviously superior to the electric heating wire (EWH). The output capacity of the compressor can be controlled by adjusting the operation frequency to meet the temperature requirements at different stages of seedling cultivation. Under the conditions of similar external ambient temperature and heating effect in the seedling beds, the energy saving rate of the MDCRHP was 47–50.7% compared with the EWH. The cost of the MDCRHP is about 7.2% lower than that of the conventional heat pump. It takes 3–3.5 years to recover the equipment investment.

Plant-Response-Based Control Strategy for Irrigation and Environmental Controls for Greenhouse Tomato Seedling Cultivation

Most existing greenhouse decision support systems only consider external environmental factors, such as soil and atmosphere, rather than plant response. A conceptual plant-response-based strategy for irrigation and environmental controls for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seedling cultivation in greenhouse operations was proposed. Because stomatal conductance (gsw) is a comprehensive indicator of plants, soil moisture, and atmospheric conditions, this study used gsw to design a conceptual system by employing factors affecting gsw as the key for decision-making. Logistic regression was performed with independent variables (i.e., temperature (Tair), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and leaf–air temperature difference) to predict the gsw status. When the gsw status was “low,” the system entered into the environmental control component, which examined whether the VPD and the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) were in the normal range. If the VPD and the PPFD were not in the normal range, the system would offer a suggestion for environmental control. Conversely, when both parameters were in the normal range, the system would determine that irrigation should be performed and the irrigation amount could be estimated by the evapotranspiration model. Thus, the strategy only considered leaf temperature, Tair, VPD, and PPFD, and the overall error rate to characterize gsw was below 13.36%.

Targeting Depth of Anesthesia to Prevent Delirium: Comment

Brown et al.1 nicely described their work comparing spinal anesthesia with targeted sedation based on Bispectral Index values compared with general anesthesia (masked Bispectral Index) and the outcome of delirium. Intraoperative hypotension has been associated with delirium.2,3 The adjusted hazard ratio associated with a 1-mmHg increase in time-weighted average of mean arterial pressure less than 65 mmHg was 1.11 (95% CI, 1.03 to 1.20).2 The study by Brown et al.1 found that the lowest mean arterial pressure was similar in both groups (general anesthesia, 59 [51 to 64] vs. spinal anesthesia, 60 [52 to 64]); however, the relationship between intraoperative hypotension and the subsequent development of delirium might be more of a cumulative exposure response than a single threshold. It would be of interest to know the hypotension exposure by time under the 65- or 60-mmHg threshold and to consider that in a treatment-by-covariate interactions analysis. In short, we appreciate Brown et al. for their great contributions to this important topic.Supported by grant No. (2018)5779-51 from the Academic New Seedling Cultivation and Innovation Exploration Special Project of Guizhou Medical University (Guiyang, China) in 2018 and grant No. gzwjkj2020-1-132 from the Science and Technology Foundation of Guizhou Provincial Health Commission (Guiyang, China).The authors declare no competing interests.

Land Consolidation with Seedling Cultivation Could Decrease Soil Microbial PLFA Diversity

The impact of land consolidation on the soil microbial PLFA diversity is of great importance for understanding the effective arable land usage, improving agricultural ecological conditions and environment. In this study, we collected the soil samples (0–20 cm) in experimental plots with 0 (Z0), 1 (Z1a) and 4 (Z4a) years of land consolidation in the forest station of Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, southeastern China. The results were analyzed using ANOVA for randomized block design. Compared with control (Z0), the soil pH value under Z1a treatment increased by 14.6%, soil organic carbon (SOC) content decreased by 65.4%, so did the PLFA contents and relative abundance of all the microbial PLFA diversity (P < 0.05), respectively. Meanwhile, for the Z1a treatment, the ratio of fungi to bacteria (F/B) significantly decreased by 35.9% (P < 0.05), while the ratio of Gram-positive bacteria to Gram-negative bacteria (G+/G−) signific antly increased by 56.1%. This was strongly related to the increased soil pH values and the decrease of SOC. The Shannon index (H) and evenness index (E) of soil microbial PLFA diversity were significantly decreased after land consolidation (P < 0.05). Compared to the Z1 treatment, the microbial PLFA diversity was improved slightly. Therefore, the land consolidation could significantly affect the composition of soil microbial PLFA diversity, and decrease the soil ecosystem stability.

Research on Following Suction and Discharging Motion Control Method of Vacuum-vibration Precision Seeding Manipulator

Highlights The following suction and discharging motion control model is established. The seeding efficiency is about 600 trays/h, and the seeding qualified rate is 94.70%. The following suction and discharging motion control method developed based on this model can be applied to the sowing link of the vacuum-vibration precision seeder. Abstract. With the promotion of super hybrid rice, the requirements for the working performance of rice seeding equipment in industrialized seedling cultivation are gradually improved. According to the circular motion characteristics of the suction plate, the following suction and discharging motion control method of the seeding manipulator was proposed. The control model between suction height and seed layer thickness was established by combining theory with practice. It was used to control the suction height to automatically change with the seed layer thickness and realize the following suction. The motion state of the seedling tray is obtained by image processing, and the suction plate is controlled to synchronize with the assembly line seedling tray to realize the following discharging. The vacuum-vibration precision seeding platform was set up to carry out the following suction and discharging experiment. The results show that when the vibration frequency of the vibration seed plate was 11 Hz, the vibration amplitude was 5mm, the suction negative pressure was 4.5 kPa, and the seed layer thickness was 12 ~ 20 mm, the following suction motion control model could maintain the suction rate above 96.5%. When the velocity of the assembly line was -0.12m/s and the time interval was 6 s, the seeding efficiency was about 600 trays/h, the seeding qualified rate was 94.70%, the reseeding rate and hole rate were 2.77% and 2.53%. Under the condition of satisfying the higher qualified rate of sowing, it can effectively improve the sowing efficiency of the vacuum-vibration precision seeder, and provide a reference for the factory and intelligent development of super rice seedling raising sowing technology. Keywords: Following suction and discharging, Motion control, Seeding manipulator, Vacuum-vibration.

Increasing Water Efficiency by Using Fuzzy Logic Control in Tomatoes Seedling Cultivation

The biggest problem in agriculture is the insufficient amount of water. Sowing cannot be done in the fields due to water scarcity. Some fields become barren land due to excessive irrigation. For these reasons, it is important to use water wisely. In the study, irrigation of tomatoes seed is controlled with fuzzy logic. The use of water is made automatically according to the humidity, temperature and soil moisture of the air. The study was carried out in two stages. First stage; The irrigation system is designed in the MATLAB program. For this, temperature, humidity and soil moisture were used as three inputs. Irrigation time was calculated as output. All inputs and outputs are set to low, medium and high. In the second stage; equal amounts of tomatoes seeds were planted in two separate containers. Normal irrigation was done in the first pot. The control of irrigation in the second bowl was made with fuzzy logic. All data are shown on the screen and recorded for 1 minute. As a result of the study, 22500 milliliters of water were used in normal irrigation, and 10410 milliliters of water were used in a fuzzy logic-controlled circuit. As a result, a water saving of 53.77% was achieved. Arduino microcontroller is used for control. The code was written for the fuzzy logic control circuit simulated in the Arduino microcontroller MATLAB program to work. At the same time, temperature and humidity sensors are connected to the Arduino microcontroller. Incoming data is remotely monitored and controlled by a modem connected to the microcontroller. When the records in the database are examined, 83% energy was saved with lighting algorithm and energy flow control algorithms.

Alternate Infiltration Irrigation Improves Photosynthetic Characteristics and Water Use Efficiency in Mango Seedlings

The growth status of mango (Mangifera indica L.) seedlings directly affects the yield and quality of mango, but there are few reports on water management at the growth stage of mango seedlings. The objective of this study was to identify an optimal water-saving irrigation method for mango seedlings. Taking surface drip irrigation as the control (CK), the effects of alternate infiltration irrigation (AII) on the photosynthetic characteristics, growth, and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) of mango seedlings were studied. The AII systems used three irrigation levels: 90% (AII90), 70% (AII70), and 50% (AII50) of the irrigation quota of CK. The results indicated that compared with CK, AII70 and AII50 increased the average leaf water use efficiency by 10.54% and 11.77%, respectively. However, compared with CK, AII50 decreased the average stomatal conductance and transpiration rate by 13.89% and 13.76%, respectively. There was a significant linear relationship between dry mass increment and net photosynthetic rate. The dynamic TOPSIS method indicated that AII70 provided optimal comprehensive photosynthetic benefits. The incremental dry mass and IWUE of AII70 were significantly higher than those of the other treatments. Therefore, we recommend applying a moderate water deficit through alternate infiltration irrigation (AII70) for water management in mango seedling cultivation.

Economic justification for growing walnut rootstocks (Juglans regia L.)

Purpose. To establish economic feasibility of growing walnut rootstocks. Methods. Walnut seedlings, promising as rootstocks in Ukraine, were studied in nurseries IE Zatokovyi V. Yu. (Sloboda Komarivtsi village, Storozhynets district, Chernivtsi region) during 2018–2020. Economic efficiency of growing rootstocks was determined according to the Method of economic and energy assessment of types of fruit and berry plantations, pomological varieties and the results of technological research in horticulture (2002). Results. To determine the economic efficiency of seedling cultivation, the technological map of walnut seedling cultivation was analyzed. The largest share in the structure of costs was accounted for by labor remuneration – 86.7%. The reason was the use of manual labor, which accounted for 96.5% of the total technology of growing seedlings. The level of mechanization of cultivation was only 3.5%. The total fuel consumption per 1 hectare was 120.7 liters, or UAH 2,957.20 in monetary terms. Thus, fuel consumption accounted for a small share – 0.4% of the cost of one seedling. One hectare of land provided an output of 65 thousand pcs of walnut seedlings, which amounted to 1,625 thousand UAH at a cost of 25 UAH/piece. Material costs amounted to 46.16 thousand UAH/ha (total costs – 712.43 thousand UAH). Therefore, the cost was extremely low and the level of profitability was extremely high. Conclusions. Growing walnut seedlings of the varieties ‘Slava Ukrainy’, ‘Pamiati Zatokovoho’, ‘Lysychanskyi’ is economically feasible. This is due to the relatively low cost of one seedling (UAH 10.82) and high profitability of production of the original breeding material for grafting and planting industrial crops.

Design of Plant Breeding System Based on one M2M Standard

With the continuous upgrading of the Internet of Things, cloud platform and intelligent control technology, the development of plant cultivation has become intelligent. Aiming at the problems of low intelligent degree of environmental monitoring, in this paper, combined with agricultural Internet of Things, a plant cultivation system based on one M2M platform was designed and developed. In addition, this paper takes succulent seedlings as the experimental object and designs a succulent seedling cultivation system to achieve the control expectation of this plant cultivation system.

Synthetic seed production using eastern bracken (Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum) gametophyte: Effect of gametophyte density and short-term storage conditions

This study proposed the production of gametophyte-derived synthetic seeds and a practical plug seedling method for eastern bracken. Synthetic seeds were produced by mixing fragmented gametophyte and alginate matrix. The gametophyte regenerated regardless of the syringe tip size and the injection molding type employed, to successfully form the sporophyte. The synthetic seeds were successfully stored short-term under cold storage (4 °C). The storage period influenced the percentage of sporophyte formation, which was 70.8% or more until day 7, but decreased to 56.9% or less after day 14 of storage. However, the storage period of 7 days is sufficient for short-distance transport. The development of gametophyte-derived synthetic seeds improves the logistics of transport and handling ferns, and it enables establishment of plug seedling cultivation.

Design of picking seedling device for plug seedling transplanter

Plug seedlings are the main way of modern seedling cultivation in China. Aiming at the problems of low efficiency, high labor intensity and poor work quality for manual transplanting or semi-automatic transplanting of plug seedlings, a stable and efficient seedling picking device is designed for the automatic transplanting machine. It is based on the gear-cam-link composite mechanism to realize the seedling trajectory in accordance with the agronomic requirements. The mathematical model of the seedling picking device is established, and the theoretical profile equation of the cam groove and the actual picking trajectory equation are deduced. The 3D model and the virtual prototype model of the picking seedling device are constructed, and the simulation trajectory is obtained, using SolidWorks and ADAMS software. The simulation results show that the simulation working trajectory has good consistency with the theoretical trajectory.

Effect of side-dressing of seedling box granules to control pests and diseases of rice on the high-density seedling cultivation

Effect of side-dressing of seedling box granules to control pests and diseases of rice on the high-density seedling cultivation

Effects of electrophysical processing on the development of vine root roots

The article discusses the possibilities of electrophysical methods to increase the efficiency of grape seedling cultivation and increase root development in seedlings by 95-97% when exposed to the electric field strength of 16.64 V / m and exposure for 12.24 hours. The possibility is explained in practical and theoretical terms. However, experimental data and various electrotechnologies aimed at increasing the efficiency of root formation and development by 15-20% in grape cuttings treated for 12 and 24 hours at 16 and 64 V / m of electric field strength are presented.