Plant Seedlings Research Articles

Improvement of Environmental Uniformity in a Seedling Plant Factory with Porous Panels Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

A seedling plant factory requires precise environmental control to ensure uniform growth within a limited cultivation period. A porous panel exhaust system was installed to maintain a stable and uniform internal environment. To provide optimal temperature, humidity, and airflow, it is necessary to interpret the internal aerodynamics. However, field monitoring has limitations in analyzing the invisible flow patterns. To overcome this limitation, CFD simulations can be utilized to understand internal environmental conditions and uniformity. The objective of this paper is to develop and validate a CFD model of a seedling plant factory with a porous panel for improving the uniformity of the internal environment. Multiple data loggers were evenly installed at various locations inside the seedling plant factory, and 24 h field monitoring was conducted. The average temperature and humidity during the 16 h light period and 8 h dark period were maintained within 1% of the set values, while the regional temperature deviation had an average of 1.65 °C and a maximum of 2.63 °C. The regional humidity deviation had an average of 14.1% and a maximum of 23.8%. The CFD model was designed to analyze the internal environmental uniformity after validation by comparing it with the field monitoring data. The Realizable k-ε turbulence model, which exhibited an error of 4.0% in comparison with the field data, was selected through a validation test among four different turbulence models with the same configuration of the seedling plant factory. The CFD simulation results were interpreted quantitatively and qualitatively, focusing on the airflow, temperature, and humidity distributions caused by the air conditioner and humidifier. Variations in the average temperature of up to 0.5 degrees and velocity differences of 0.28 m/s were observed depending on the location of the cultivation shelves. The locations and causes of stagnant regions resulting from the airflow patterns were identified through the simulations.

Seedling and adult plant resistance to leaf rust in some Bulgarian common wheat lines.

The response of 250 common winter wheat breeding lines was investigated for resistance to the causative agent of Puccinia triticina under conditions of an infected field on the territory of Dobrudzha Agricultural Institute - General Toshevo, Bulgaria, during three successive seasons. Twenty lines with different degrees of resistance under field conditions were selected. Multi-pathotype testing was used to study the response of these lines at seedling stage under greenhouse conditions to individual pathotypes of P. triticina. Based on the response of the lines at seedling and adult stages, we found out that 20 % of them carried race-specific resistance. One of the lines (99/08-52) reacted with full resistance to the pathotypes used under greenhouse conditions. The reaction demonstrated by this line coincided with the response of isogenic lines carrying the genes Lr9, Lr19, Lr22a, Lr22b and Lr25. The other three lines (19/06- 108, 82/08-43 and 82/08-35) showed a resistant reaction to 6 or 5 of the pathotypes used in the study. Their response partially coincided with the reaction of 5 isogenic lines, and the presence of some of these genes in the above lines is quite possible. Lines carrying this type of resistance are to be subjected to further genetic and breeding investigations to prove the presence of a race-specific gene. Twenty-five percent of the lines combined partial race-specific resistance at seedling stage with the resistance of race non-specific nature at adult stage. Forty percent of all studied lines carried race non-specific resistance, and 15 % of the lines possessed resistance of the "slow rusting" type. As a result of the study we carried out, the lines that demonstrated stable resistance to leaf rust can provide sufficient protection of the host and can be included in the breeding programs for developing varieties resistant to P. triticina.

Kelompok Usaha Kecil Pembibitan Tanaman Bunga di Banyuurip Gresik

The purpose of this Partnership Program for People is to provide Appropriate Technology for Small Businesses engaged in flower plant nursery. The target of this partnership program for the community is business owners in the field of flower plant nursery. The problem faced by flower plant nursery SMEs is the absence of appropriate equipment or technology in supporting flower plant nursery activities, besides that business management practices have not been touched in doing business, for example simple financial painting and promotion through social media. The proposer of the partnership program in the community agreed with partners to procure appropriate technology in the form of water reservoirs in the implementation of flower plant nurseries, in addition to providing training and assistance in business management and promotion. The operation of the water reservoir will facilitate watering of flower plant seedlings, so that productivity increases. The provision of business management training and assistance has also increased its sales turnover, so that the welfare of flower plant nursery SMEs can be better.

Identification and Molecular Mapping of the Gene YrFL in Wheat Cultivar Flanders with Durable Resistance to Stripe Rust.

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is one of the most severe diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) worldwide. Identification and characterization of resistance genes is advantageous to cultivating wheat varieties with durable resistance, which is the most economic and effective strategy to control stripe rust. Flanders, a common wheat cultivar released in France in 1986, confers effective resistance to stripe rust both at the seedling and adult plant stages. To elucidate the genetic basis of resistance in Flanders, F1, F2, and F2:3 generations derived from the cross Mingxian169 × Flanders were evaluated with the most prevalent Chinese Pst race CYR33 at the seedling stage. Inheritance analysis showed that the stripe rust resistance of Flanders was controlled by a single dominant gene, temporarily designated as YrFL. Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) combined with a wheat 660K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array indicated that polymorphic SNP markers were mainly located in the 0 to 150 Mb on wheat chromosome 5A. One hundred and eleven kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) and 39 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers on chromosome 5A were used to locate the YrFL. Linkage analysis mapped YrFL with 19 KASP and three SSR markers on wheat chromosome 5AS, and the genetic distances of the closest flanking markers AX108925494 and Xbarc56 to YrFL were 0.6 and 2.0 cM, respectively. Chromosome location, resistance characterization, and molecular marker positions indicated that YrFL is likely a novel stripe rust resistance gene on wheat chromosome 5AS and could be pyramided with other resistance genes to improve resistance in wheat breeding programs.

The proteome of the imbibition spillage in Cicer arietinum L.

Being a preparative step for germination, seed imbibition is a hydration process that involves the release of seed molecules into the environment, an essential ecological aspect of this phase. On one side this leakage leads to unlocking the seed dormancy by removing abscisic acid and other pro-dormancy molecules, on the other side, it releases small molecules such as vitamins, amino acids, flavonoids, and proteins contributing to supporting germination by attracting symbionts, contrasting pathogens, and facilitating nutrients uptake. Here the proteome associated with the imbibition spillage of chickpea seeds emerges as a probe to understand the early events during germination and (pre-) symbiosis, providing a proxy to disclose the influence that the seed applies to the environment for optimal achievement of its eco-physiological needs. This proteome is clustered into two main groups that differ in chemical-physical properties and function. Most proteome entries belong to biochemical pathways that directly influence germination by enhancing nutrient uptake, protecting against stresses of various origins, and promoting symbiosis. A fraction of this proteome was found to be associated with accidental pathways due to the loss of proteins from teguments and fractured tissues. Here, germination, protection, and symbiosis emerge as a balanced proteomic triad aimed at enhancing and sustaining seedling emergence and plant growth.

Multi-Omics Revealed Peanut Root Metabolism Regulated by Exogenous Calcium under Salt Stress.

High salinity severely inhibits plant seedling root development and metabolism. Although plant salt tolerance can be improved by exogenous calcium supplementation, the metabolism molecular mechanisms involved remain unclear. In this study, we integrated three types of omics data (transcriptome, metabolome, and phytohormone absolute quantification) to analyze the metabolic profiles of peanut seedling roots as regulated by exogenous calcium under salt stress. (1) exogenous calcium supplementation enhanced the allocation of carbohydrates to the TCA cycle and plant cell wall biosynthesis rather than the shikimate pathway influenced by up-regulating the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes under salt stress; (2) exogenous calcium induced further ABA accumulation under salt stress by up-regulating the gene expression of ABA biosynthesis key enzymes AAO2 and AAO3 while down-regulating ABA glycosylation enzyme UGT71C5 expression; (3) exogenous calcium supplementation under salt stress restored the trans-zeatin absolute content to unstressed levels while inhibiting the root cis-zeatin biosynthesis.

Active permanent greening - a new slope greening technology based on mineral solubilizing microorganisms.

With social and economic development and the associated large-scale exploitation of natural resources, the number of slopes has significantly increased. As slope instability can lead to serious geological disasters, the ecological protection and reconstruction of slopes has become a hot topic of common global concern. In order to achieve scientific slope management and overcome the difficulty of maintaining slope greening in the long term, this study explored eight strategies (A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, ABC, CK), involving different patented mineral solubilizing microorganisms (MSMs), and analyzed the field application of active permanent greening (APG) based on MSMs. The results revealed that MSMs significantly increased the content of effective metal ions and available nutrients in soil and enhanced soil enzyme activity. Among all strategies, strategy A showed significant superiority, with soil effective calcium, magnesium, potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter contents increasing by 51.62%, 55.41%, 30.42%, 39.77%, 181.69% and 76.92%, respectively, while urease, sucrase and peroxidase activities increased by 89.59%, 74.68% and 85.30%. MSMs strongly promoted the growth of Amorpha. Strategy A showed the best performance, with plant seedling height, ground diameter, leaf area, root length, and root volume increasing by 95.75%, 47.78%, 124.14%, 108.83%, and 139. 86%, respectively. According to a comprehensive evaluation using the entropy-analysis hierarchy process, strategy A has great potential for application. The field test results verified that APG has significantly better greening performance than the traditional greening method, with high vegetation cover and stable soil layer. The results of this study provide a reliable practical basis and technical reference for the development, promotion, and application of APG.

Pengaruh Akar Tuba (Derris elliptica) Terhadap Mortalitas Dan Intensitas Serangan Keong Mas (Pomacea canaliculata L.) Pada Padi

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a rice-producing plant that is one of the staple foods for the world's population, especially Indonesia. One of the factors causing a decrease in rice production is pests, the main pest of rice plants is the golden snail. The golden snail pest attack occurs on rice plant seedlings, namely in the vegetative phase. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of giving plant-based pesticides tuba root extract (Derris elliptica) on the mortality and pest intensity of the golden snail (Pomacea canaliculata L.) on rice plants (Oryza sativa L.) Inpari 32 variety. The method used was experimental (trial) using a single factor Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 6 treatments with 5 replications so there were 30 experimental units. Treatment of D. elliptica tuba root extract concentration on rice (Oryza sativa L.) treatment A (Control), B (5g/L), C (7g/L), D (9g/L), E ( 11g/L), and F (13g/L). Tuba root extract at a concentration of 13g/L is the best concentration which gives the highest mortality of 81.60% with the lowest attack intensity value of 29.84%. The LC50 value of the tuba root extract on the golden snail was 2.64g/L, the minimum value was 0.37g/L and the maximum was 4.164 g/L. LT50 takes a minimum of 1 day and a maximum of 9 days with an average time of 6-5 days. The results of calculating the correlation between mortality and the intensity of golden snail attacks on tall rice plants are -0.60. Administration of tuba root extract of D. eliptica was effective against the mortality of the golden snail P. canaliculata and the intensity of the attack by the golden snail P. canaliculata on rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Evaluasi Pertumbuhan Anakan Mangrove Hasil Restorasi di Suaka Margasatwa Pulau Rambut, Kepulauan Seribu

Pulau Rambut Wildlife Reserve (SMPR) is a conservation area located in the Thousand Islands. The status of a conservation area makes Pulau Rambut an area that must be preserved so its ecosystem functions can run optimally. One of the efforts to restore the function of the mangrove ecosystem in SMPR is to carry out the restoration. This study aims to determine the success rate of mangrove planting in the Pulau Rambut Wildlife Reserve (SMPR) and measure the growth and health condition of the planted seedlings. The data taken in this study were the number of seedlings, the height of the shoots of the seedlings, the diameter of the seedlings' stems, and the seedlings' health conditions. Mangrove planting at SMPR showed a low survival rate of 27,19% at Station I the northwestern part of the island) and 13% at Station II (northern part of the island). Station, I had an average height of seedlings of 31,08 cm, lower than the average height at Station II, which was 43.48 cm. The average diameter of seedlings at Station I (0,76 cm) is relatively the same as the average of seedlings at Station II (0,75 cm). In contrast, the proportion of healthy mangrove seedlings at both stations is relatively low (<11%).
 Keywords: Evaluation of planting, mangrove, Pulau Rambut Wildlife Reserve, restoration

Antagonistic Regulation of ABA Responses by Duplicated Tandemly Repeated DUF538 Protein Genes in Arabidopsis.

The plant hormone ABA (abscisic acid) regulates plant responses to abiotic stresses by regulating the expression of ABA response genes. However, the functions of a large portion of ABA response genes have remained unclear. We report in this study the identification of ASDs (ABA-inducible signal peptide-containing DUF538 proteins), a subgroup of DUF538 proteins with a signal peptide, as the regulators of plant responses to ABA in Arabidopsis. ASDs are encoded by four closely related DUF538 genes, with ASD1/ASD2 and ASD3/ASD4 being two pairs of duplicated tandemly repeated genes. The quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) results showed that the expression levels of ASDs increased significantly in response to ABA as well as NaCl and mannitol treatments, with the exception that the expression level of ASD2 remained largely unchanged in response to NaCl treatment. The results of Arabidopsis protoplast transient transfection assays showed that ASDs were localized on the plasma membrane and in the cytosol and nucleus. When recruited to the promoter of the reporter gene via a fused GD domain, ASDs were able to slightly repress the expression of the co-transfected reporter gene. Seed germination and cotyledon greening assays showed that ABA sensitivity was increased in the transgenic plants that were over-expressing ASD1 or ASD3 but decreased in the transgenic plants that were over-expressing ASD2 or ASD4. On the other hand, ABA sensitivity was increased in the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited asd2 single mutants but decreased in the asd3 single mutants. A transcriptome analysis showed that differentially expressed genes in the 35S:ASD2 transgenic plant seedlings were enriched in several different processes, including in plant growth and development, the secondary metabolism, and plant hormone signaling. In summary, our results show that ASDs are ABA response genes and that ASDs are involved in the regulation of plant responses to ABA in Arabidopsis; however, ASD1/ASD3 and ASD2/ASD4 have opposite functions.

Responses of Plant Species Diversity and Biomass to Forest Management Practices after Pine Wilt Disease

Pine wilt disease (PWD), which is caused by the Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is one of the most serious biological invasions in East Asia. Removal of infected pine trees is generally used to prevent the spread of PWD. However, how this strategy affects plant species diversity and ecosystem functions needs to be clarified. We compared alpha diversity, species composition, and biomass for all woody plant species, adults, saplings, and seedlings in infected Masson pine forests where removal of infected trees occurred (CTD) and where infected trees were retained (UTD), uninfected Masson pine forests (PMF), and evergreen broad-leaved forests (EBF). UTD had the highest alpha diversity of all species and saplings, and UTD and PMF had the lowest alpha diversity of seedlings. CTD and EBF had a similar composition of seedlings, and CTD and UTD had similar species composition of all plant species and saplings. UTD had the lowest biomass for all species and adults but had the highest saplings biomass. Soil properties were significantly related to plant biomass. The retention of infected trees likely maintained soil fertility which increased species alpha diversity and the biomass of saplings, and unchanged species composition compared to the removal of infected trees, indicating that the retention strategy could help to maintain ecosystem functions.

Overexpression of BnNAC19 in Brassica napus enhances resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans, the blackleg pathogen of canola

AbstractLeptosphaeria maculans is a fungal pathogen that causes blackleg disease in canola (Brassica napus), resulting in significant yield and economic losses in Canada and many parts of the world. Plant NAC transcription factors play critical roles in plant development and response to biotic or abiotic stress. In this study, we identified and characterized a BnNAC19 gene from Brassica napus. The overexpression of BnNAC19 in transgenic canola plants contributed to the improvement of seedling resistance against L. maculans. The mycelial growth of a green fluorescent protein‐tagged strain of L. maculans and production of pycnidiospores were shown to be inhibited in the transgenic canola plants overexpressing BnNAC19. In addition, the canola transgenic line overexpressing BnNAC19 showed increased disease resistance in the adult plant, which was determined by quantitative resistance. Both increased seedling and adult plant resistance in transgenic canola plants overexpressing BnNAC19 indicate that the BnNAC19 gene plays a positive role against L. maculans. The expression pattern of genes BnNAC19 upstream and downstream of BnNAC19 that participate in plant defence pathways were investigated to elucidate the B. napus resistance mechanisms to L. maculans infection, and hence to aid the long‐term blackleg disease‐resistant breeding programmes.

Testing the response of northern white-cedar to simulated browsing: Evidence of apparent compensatory growth

The impacts of ungulate browsing on forested ecosystems largely stem from events happening at the plant scale, and plant-level responses to browsing vary according to factors including light environment and browsing intensity, frequency, and timing. Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis), a slow-growing, shade tolerant, and highly browse-selected species, is experiencing regeneration problems in large part due to heavy browsing pressure by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Although survival and recovery following browsing are essential for cedar recruitment, we know little about the reactions of individual cedar plants to browsing. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of browsing, as emulated by clipping, on cedar height, diameter, and branch growth. We applied combinations of shading (full sun or 50% sun) and clipping timing (early growth or dormancy), intensity (apex or 50% previous year’s growth), and frequency (one or two years) to planted cedar seedlings. Partially shaded trees had systematically faster height, diameter and branch growth than trees in full sun. Clipping timing had no effect on height or branch growth but growing season clipping negatively affected diameter growth. Clipping frequency had no detectable effect on cedar growth. We observed aboveground growth compensation except under high clipping intensity. We confirm the expected browse tolerance of cedar and its high recovery potential following low to moderate browsing pressure. We underline that higher clipping intensities or longer-term browsing pressure than those we tested, which can be expected in areas with heavy, sustained browsing pressure, could negatively impact cedar’s recovery potential.

Seedling growth and photosynthetic response of Pterocarpus indicus L. to shading stress

ABSTRACT In tropical forests, the shade provided by tree canopies and extreme climate causes inhibition of plant seedling growth due to the lack of light. However, the plants can acclimate to such environmental stress by generating specific responses. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of shading conditions on ecophysiological performance of Narra seedlings (Pterocarpus indicus L.) via a mesocosm experiment. A pot experiment was conducted for 20 weeks in a greenhouse with different shading treatments, 75% (control), 25%, and 4% of full sunlight (FS). As a result, the photosynthetic rate (P N), Rubisco enzyme activity, maximum carboxylation rate (V Cmax), and maximum electron transport rate (J max) in 25% FS treatment were higher or similar to those in control after three weeks of the beginning of shade treatment, whereas the highest values after ten weeks were observed in control. In contrast, the photosynthetic pigments were highest in control after three weeks, while the values were highest in 25% FS treatment after ten weeks. The growth parameters, such as biomass and leaf area, were highest in 75% FS treatment. The expression of Rubisco, phosphoglycerate kinase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase were up-regulated in 4% FS treatment compared to control after ten weeks, contributing to tolerating the shade stress. Our findings indicated the capacity of P. indicus seedlings to tolerate and acclimate low light conditions causing shade stress by generating specific physiological and morphological responses, especially Rubisco enzyme activity as well as gene expression related to photosynthetic activity. The present study will improve our understanding of the tolerance mechanism of Narra plant under light-deficient conditions, thereby providing a better strategy for efficiently growing seedlings of this species in tropical rainforests.

Limited effects of biochar application and periodic irrigation on jack pine (Pinus banksiana) seedling growth in northern Minnesota, USA

We tested the effect of biochar application on growth of planted jack pine on a sandy soil in northern Minnesota. Biochar was applied in combination with compost and with or without manual irrigation in a factorial design to isolate possible effects associated with nutrient or water availability. There were no differences among treatments in seedling annual diameter or height growth after 4 years. Watering increased mean needle mass, indicating the treatment was somewhat effective at increasing water availability and seedling performance. Watering increased foliage Mg and K concentrations and content, possibly indicating that these elements are limiting to jack pine growth on sandy soils. Biochar-only application decreased foliage Ca concentration relative to controls, likely due to increased nutrient immobilization when biochar is applied without a nutrient source. These findings and others from the region highlight that biochar does not increase planted jack pine seedling survival or growth on sandy soils.

Monitoring and control of forest seedling quality in Europe

The relationship between the quality of forest seedlings and their outplanting survival and growth has long been recognized. Various attributes have been proposed to measure the quality of planted seedlings in forest regeneration projects, ranging from simple morphological traits to more complex physiological and performance attributes, or a combination thereof. However, the utility and meaning of seedling quality attributes can differ significantly among regions, nursery practices, site planting conditions, species and the establishment purpose. Here, forest scientists compiled information using a common agreed questionnaire to provide a review of current practices, experiences, legislation and standards for seedling quality across 23 European countries.Large differences exist in measuring seedling quality across countries. The control of the origin of seed and vegetative material (genetic component of plant quality), and control of pests and diseases are common practices in all countries. Morphological attributes are widely used and mandatory in most cases. However, physiological attributes are hardly used at the operative level and mainly concentrated to Fennoscandia. Quality control legislation and seedling quality standards are less strict in northern European countries where seedling production is high, and quality control relies more on the agreements between producers and local plant material users. In contrast, quality standards are stricter in Southern Europe, especially in the Mediterranean countries.The control of seedling quality based on plantation and reforestation success is uncommon and depends on the conditions of the planting site, the traditional practices and the financial support provided by each country. Overall, European countries do not apply the “target seedling concept” for seedling production except for seed origin. Seedling production in many countries is still driven by traditional “know-how” and much less by scientific knowledge progress, which is not adequately disseminated and transferred to the end-users.Our review highlights the need for greater harmonization of seedling quality practices across Europe and the increased dissemination of scientific knowledge to improve seedling quality in forest regeneration activities.

Drought-induced Changes in the Antioxidant System in Pisum sativum L.

Background: This study was carried out for an understanding of the antioxidant mechanisms of field pea varieties under osmotic stress conditions caused by a lack of water. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APx) and glutathione reductase (GR) were examined and analyzed. The gene expression levels of Cu/Zn SOD, cAPx and GR genes were also examined. Methods: Osmotic stress was stimulated using PEG 6000 with the osmotic potential of -0.1 MPa in 10 days old plant seedlings. The activity of the antioxidant enzymes was measured in the shoots and roots of pea seedlings. The gene expression levels of genes coding antioxidative enzymes were examined by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. Arabidopsis 18S rRNA was used as endogenous control. Result: Osmotic stress changed the activities of antioxidant enzymes in the shoots and roots of pea seedlings. Varieties more tolerant to osmotic stress showed a significant increase in antioxidant activities in shoots and roots, while sensitive varieties showed a significant decrease. The results of the analysis of the expression of genes, coding for antioxidant enzymes, showed that the reaction of the tested cultivars to ROS was the result of increased expression of the tested genes in tolerant cultivars, i.e. decreased expression in sensitive cultivars.

Encouraging ecological landscape designs on underutilized urban lands: Homeowner preferences for verge conversion programs

Increasing native vegetation cover on verges, which are underutilized urban lands, can help build resilient cities under urban densification and climate change. As these areas are sizeable, many cities have programs aimed at encouraging ecologically beneficial landscape designs on verges, which are publicly owned but privately managed lands located on the edge of private properties. However, adoption rates of these programs remain low. Using choice experiments, we assess preferences for a range of financial, labour, and technical attributes of verge conversion programs. Overall, we find that offering financial assistance and free or discounted native plant seedlings are likely to be the most effective means of encouraging native garden adoption on verges. We also show that homeowners are influenced by their neighbours’ decisions to adopt ecological landscape designs. Through latent class analysis, we find that different program components have different impacts on adoption rates for different segments of the population. Together, our results suggest governments can increase adoption of native gardens in urban areas through a variety of processes, including financial and non-financial supports, as well as efforts focused on enhancing early adoption to harness effects of social norms. Using a variety of programs or strategies is likely to be most effective, since different segments of the population will respond to different programs.

Chemical composition and herbicidal activity of Oregano (Origanum onites) essential oil on weeds and wheat

ABSTRACT Oregano essential oil (EO) is known as one of the EOs with the highest biological activity on target plant species. In this study, the inhibitory effects of different doses of oregano (Origanum onites L.) EO on the germination and seedling growth of some wheat cultivars and some problem weed species in wheat fields was investigated. For this purpose, both laboratory and pot experiments were carried out. Oregano EO obtained by steam distillation method and component analysis was made via GS/MS. Germination tests and pot experiments were carried out under controlled laboratory and greenhouse conditions. In the study, five wheat varieties, four for bread and one for durum, and five different weed species were used. The effects of different doses of oregano EO on the germination rate, viable plant rate, seedling length, and biomass of test plants were analyzed. According to the results, it was observed that oregano EO showed bioactivity on all species and cultivars included in the experiment. In terms of all parameters, it was concluded that wheat varieties showed higher resistance to oregano EO than weed species. These results show that oregano EO can be used to control some weed species that are a problem in wheat.

Correlation of Germination, Seedling Vigour Indices and Enzyme Activities in Response to Liquid Organic Kunapajala to Predict Field Emergence in Late Sown Wheat

A laboratory experiment was conducted to correlate the germination test with seed vigour parameters and enzyme activities to predict seedling vigour and planting value on late sown wheat variety UP-2526. The experiment was conducted at GBPUA and T, Pantnagar during rabi season of 2020-2. The experiment consisted of five treatments viz; no priming (control), hydropriming, 10%, 25% and 50% kunapajala priming for 16 hrs. Results revealed that germination percentage was positively and significantly correlated with speed of germination (0.914*), seedling vigour index-II (0.890*), α-amylase activity at 12 and 16 hrs of priming (0.942* and 0.947*, respectively), seed reserve mobilization efficiency on 4th day (0.954*) after incubation and imbibition rate after 16 and 24 hrs of soaking duration (0.933* and 0.894*, respectively). Heat stress both low and high temperature are major reason of declining yield in wheat when sown delayed. Prediction of seedling vigour and field emergence of seed before sowing is prime important for assured yield in late sown condition.