Significant Varietal Differences Research Articles

Identifying Controlling Factors of Bioaccumulation of Selected Metal(loid)s in Various Soil–Cereal Crop Systems within Cultivated Fluvisols

The paired Fluvisol and cereal samples in both the field screening and controlled experiments are reported to elucidate the soil–crop relationship for As, Cd, and Pb in relation to changing contamination levels. Significant varietal differences in plant uptake were observed for crop type (barley, triticale) and the harvested part of the crop (oat shoots and grain). When parametrizing the stepwise regression models, the inclusion of soil properties often improved the performance of soil–crop models but diverse critical soil parameters were retained in the model for individual metal(loid)s. The pH value was often a statistically significant variable for Cd uptake. For As and Pb, the more successful model fit was achieved using the indicators of quantity or quality of soil organic matter, but always with lower inherent model reliability compared to Cd. Further, a single correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationship between extractable metal concentrations in soil solution and their crop accumulation. For Cd, there were strong intercorrelations among single extractions, the NH4NO3 extraction stood out with perfect correlation with plant uptake in both experiments. For As and Pb, the CaCl2 and Na2EDTA solutions outperformed other single extractions and were the better choice for the assessment of depositional fluvial substrates.

Elemental composition of the stems of Beta vulgaris L. var. conditiva Alef. as an indicator of increasing the profitability of functional products

The features of the elemental composition of seeds (stems) of beet (Beta vulgaris L. var. conditiva Alef.) of three varieties of selection of ARRIVG – branch of FSBSI FSCVG. The largest share of mineral elements is potassium (more than 1% of dry matter), as well as calcium, sodium, magnesium, and phosphorus (more than 0.4-0.5% each element). The seeds of the Karina variety accumulate the maximum amount of potassium, calcium, chlorine, and sulfur. According to the content of sodium and phosphorus in the seeds, a variety of Zhukovchanka, magnesium and iron – Demetra is distinguished. Of the microelements, zinc and manganese predominate. A significant variability in the accumulation of elements by seeds of different beet varieties is shown. Significant varietal differences were observed in the accumulation of titanium, aluminum (variability of more than 70%), silicon, manganese, nickel, rubidium (more than 60%). The accumulation of sulfur, chromium, lead, zirconium, and zinc is more stable in varieties. It is noted that when seeds germinate in the seed skin, the content of sodium and chlorine increases sharply (by 3.4-7 times) in comparison with the original seeds.

Elemental composition of Apium graveolens L. seeds as an indicator of the nutritional value of competitive organic products

The elemental composition of Apium graveolens L seeds of root (Cupid and Root gribovsky) and leaf varieties (Samurai and Tender) was determined using x-ray fluorescence analysis. In quantitative terms, the macronutrients are dominated by Ca (1.59-2.24% dry matter) and K (0.8-1.28%), as well as Na, P, S, Mg, and microelements – iron, zinc and manganese. It is shown that there is a wide variability of indicators for macro-and microelements. Significant varietal differences in accumulation were noted for sodium, silicon, chlorine, strontium (variability of more than 70%), as well as aluminum, iron, titanium, nickel, copper, and bromine. Varieties Cupid is characterized by increased accumulation of iron, silicon, sulfur, potassium, titanium, zinc, zirconium; varieties Samurai – sodium, phosphorus, sulphur, chlorine, calcium; varieties Tender – potassium, manganese, copper, bromine, and barium; Root gribovskiy – manganese and bromine. A high level of variation in the elemental composition of celery seeds of root and leaf varieties makes it possible to select plants that differ in an increased content of deficient macro-and microelements.

Clonal micropropagation of bog cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos L.) in the Udmurt Republic

The paper presents the results of 2018-2019 research on improving the technology of growing planting material of bog cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos L.) of Krasa Severa, Severyanka, Virussaare varieties on the basis of in vitro. Studied was the effect of the concentrations of growth regulators in the composition of the nutrient medium according to Anderson's recipe on the reproduction and subsequent rooting of micro cuttings, as well as the duration of cultivation and adaptation of micro plants depending on partial pruning of shoots. It has been established that at the stage of introduction into in vitro culture, sterilization of explants with 33% hydrogen peroxide in an exposure of 5-8 minutes with washing in 5 portions of sterile distillate gives 60-80 % of viable shoots. The optimum phase of plant development for the successful introduction of in vitro culture is the swelling of buds. Cultivation of micro cuttings was carried out in a light room at a temperature of 25±2 °С, a photoperiod of 16 hours. The duration of each subculturing was 30-60 days. For the stage of actual micropropagation on Anderson's nutrient medium, an increase in the dose of cytokinin 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BAP) from 0.2 to 0.5 mg/l and an increase in the duration of cultivation from 30 to 60 days contributed to a significant increase in the multiplication factor on average for the tested cranberry varieties.According to the efficiency of micropropagation, the varieties Virussaare and Krasa Severa were distinguished – 9.3-12.0 pcs/stalk, respectively. At the rooting stage, the use of a root-forming reagent of indolyl-3-acetic acid (IUK) in doses of 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/l in the composition of Anderson's nutrient medium did not affect the quality of root formation and the length of shoots of Virussaare micro-plants. No significant varietal differences in the root-forming ability of microcuttings were found. The tendency of better rooting of micro cuttings was observed in the Virussaare variety (90.3 %) compared to the Severyanka (85.7 %) and Krasa Severa (79.3 %) varieties. Micro plants of the Krasa Severa cultivar were characterized by the longest shoots, the total number of roots was less, but their length was longer in comparison with other cultivars. For the adaptation stage, a substrate from a mixture of lowland peat and sphagnum moss was used (1:1). The efficiency of adaptation of micro plants of cranberry varieties when cutting the tip of the shoots was 100 %. Pruning of micro plants shoots contributed to the formation of more side shoots and better development of the aboveground part of the plants.

Performance and Phytochemical Content of 22 Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Varieties

Pomegranate is a drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant crop. Its fruits contain high levels of phytochemicals that have many health benefits. Pomegranate has the potential to be an alternative crop in areas where water availability is limited, such as west Texas. However, more than 500 pomegranate varieties are estimated to exist worldwide, and little is known about which varieties are suitable for growing in the west Texas region. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the field performance of 22 pomegranate varieties, specifically based on phenology, resistance to sunburn, fruit split, fruit rot (resistance was calculated by subtracting the percent incidence by 100), yield, fruit phytochemicals, and Brix over the course of 3 years from 2016 to 2018. Cold damage, caused by below-freezing temperatures encountered from Nov. 2018 to Feb. 2019, was also evaluated in Apr. 2019. Our results showed significant varietal differences in nearly all response variables measured, indicating that varietal selection is important for pomegranate production for specific regions, such as west Texas. Leaf budding ranged from 47 to 62 days in 2016, 41 to 54 days in 2017, and 49 to 60 days in 2018. Anthesis ranged from 87 to 119 days in 2016, 80 to 94 days in 2017, and 92 to 114 days in 2018. Fruit resistance to split was broad and ranged from 7.3% to 79.1% in 2017 and from 14.2% to 99.7% in 2018. Fruit sunburn resistance ranged from 14.0% to 64.6% in 2017 and from 28.3% to 90.0% in 2018. Fruit heart rot incidence was nominal for all varieties. Total phenolic compound contents of the pomegranate fruit juice ranged from 0.81 to 1.52 mg GAE/mL, and the total antioxidant capacity ranged from 3.44 to 6.81 mg TE/mL. The yield per tree ranged from 1.00 to 7.96 kg in 2017 and from 0.81 to 10.26 kg in 2018. Brix ranged from 12.5% to 17.4% in 2017 and from 13.9% to 18.4% in 2018. Early winter below-freezing temperatures caused different degrees of cold damage; however, 5 of 22 varieties that originated from Russia did not show any cold damage. Results of a hierarchical cluster analysis based on the means of the key response variables of yield and Brix indicated that four varieties (Al-Sirin-Nar, Russian 8, Ben Ivey, and Salavatski) were notable for having both high yield and high Brix.

English

Potatoes have attracted great interest as a feasible solution to food insecurity and climate change in Kenya. Many varieties have been developed but their nutritional value and suitability for domestic and industrial use are not sufficiently studied. A comparative study of physical attributes (tuber weight, size, shape, eye depth and number, specific gravity, colour) and nutrient composition (proximate, minerals, vitamins, and simple sugars) of three varieties (Unica, Shangi and Dutch robjin) were evaluated using standard methods. Shangi and Unica had lengths above 50 mm recommended for French fry processing, but had deep eyes (1.54-2.98 mm). Unica had a red skin colour while Shangi was yellow. Both varieties had yellow coloured flesh. The specific gravity of the varieties ranged from 1.08-1.12. Shangi and Unica were suitable for processing based on their physical attributes except for eye-depths. Dutch robjin had the highest content of protein (1.76%), carbohydrates (20.43%), total ash (1.10%), crude fibre (1.11%), iron (0.87 mg/100 g), thiamine (0.036 mg/100 g), niacin (0.93 mg/100 g), pyridoxine (1.92 mg/100 g) and folic acid (34.62 µg/100 g). Unica had the highest zinc (0.41 mg/100 g) and calcium (8.51 mg/100 g) contents. Reducing sugar content across the three varieties was within recommended range for processing (97.75-107.53 mg/100 g). There was a significant (p<0.05) varietal difference in most of the nutrient components. Dutch Robjin showed the best nutritional quality.   Key words: Potato quality, Solanum tuberosum L., physical characteristics, nutrient content, food composition.

Growth, Yield, and Sugar Content of Different Varieties of Sweet Corn and Harvest Time

The demand for sweet corn has increased largely because of its superior tastes compared with common corn. This research was conducted to analyze the growth and yield and sugar content of sweet corn seed on different varieties and harvest times. This research was conducted in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, from April to August 2018. The research was designed under a split-plot design. The main plot consisted of planting systems (single row and twin-row), whereas subplots consisted of three varieties (Bonanza, Talenta, and Master Sweet) and three harvest times (65, 70, and 75 days after planting). Variables measured consisted of plant height, cob length, cob weight, estimation of cob weight per hectare, and sugar content. Significant varietal differences were observed in plant height, cob length, cob weight, and sugar content. Master Sweet variety had the greatest plant height and cob length, whereas Bonanza variety produced the greatest cob weight, cob weight per hectare, and sugar content. Harvest time at 75 days after planting (DAP) produced the greatest plant height in the twin-row system, cob diameter, cob weight, and cob weight per hectare, whereas that at 65 DAP had the greatest plant height in control and sugar content. The twin-row system produced the greatest cob weight per hectare (22.33 ton/ha). This study recommends the use of Bonanza variety and harvest at 65 DAP to produce the greatest sweet corn cob per hectare.

Morphometry of leaf and shoot variables to assess aboveground biomass structure and carbon sequestration by different varieties of white mulberry (Morus alba L.)

Mulberry is economically important and can also play a pivotal role in mitigating greenhouse gases. Leaf and shoot traits were measured for Morus alba var. Kanmasi, M. alba var. Karyansuban, M. alba var. Latifolia, and M. alba var. PFI-1 to assess aboveground biomass (AGB) and carbon sequestration. Variety-specific and multivariety allometric AGB models were developed using the equivalent diameter at breast height (EDBH) and plant height (H). The complete-harvest method was used to measure leaf and shoot traits and biomass, and the ash method was used to measure organic carbon content. The results showed significant (p < 0.01) varietal differences in leaf and shoot traits, AGB and carbon sequestration. PFI-1 variety had the greatest leaf density (mean ± SE: 1828.3 ± 0.3 leaves tree−1), Karyansuban had the largest mean leaf area (185.94 ± 8.95 cm2). A diminishing return was found between leaf area and leaf density. Latifolia had the highest shoot density per tree (46.6 ± 1.83 shoots tree−1), total shoot length (264.1 ± 2.32 m), dry biomass (16.69 ± 0.58 kg tree−1), carbon sequestration (9.99 ± 0.32 kg tree−1) and CO2 mitigation (36.67 ± 1.16 kg). The variety-specific AGB models b(EDBH) and b(EDBH)2 showed good fit and reasonable accuracy with a coefficient of determination (R2) = 0.98–0.99, standard error of estimates (SEE) = 0.1125–0.3130 and root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.1084–0.3017. The multivariety models bln(EDBH) and (EDBH)0.756 showed good-fitness and accuracy with R2 = 0.85–0.86, SEE = 1.6231–1.6445 and RMSE = 1.609–1.630. On the basis of these findings, variety Latifolia has good potential for biomass production, and allometric equations based on EDBH can be used to estimate AGB with a reasonable accuracy.

Performance Evaluation of Tef Varieties for Yield and Yield Related Traits in Traditional and Non-traditional Growing Areas Under Irrigation Production in Ethiopia

Tef is a foremost staple cereal crop with substantial contribution in the GDP of Ethiopia. Tef grain is highly nutritious gluten-free as well as high quality forage. However, yield losses of tef due to erratic rainfall and drought are estimated to reach up to 77%. Lodging is also the major bottleneck limiting tef quality and yield losses estimated at 30% - 35%. Hence, the purpose of this research was design to evaluate, and recommend best performing tef varieties under irrigation farming system in both traditional and non-traditional tef growing areas in Ethiopia. The field experiment comprised 35 released tef varieties using randomized complete block design with three replications in 2m² plot size were evaluated at six locations (eight environments). The result revealed highly significant (p < 0.001) varietal difference for grain yield at all locations under irrigation. For non- traditional tef growing areas (Somali region), there was highly significant (p < 0.001) varietal difference for all recorded traits except panicle length. This finding indicates that the lodging index in tef is reduced when it is cultivated under irrigation production. The variety by location interaction effect in Somali region showed that there were highly significant (p < 0.001) varietal difference for plant height, days to maturity and harvest index. However, there was no interaction significant varietal difference for grain yield, above ground shoot biomass, lodging index, panicle length and days to head in the three locations of Somali region. There was no single variety demonstrating steady superiority for grain yield across all tested environments. However, variety Gamechis was the best varieties at five tested environments. Performance of tef variety in non-traditional tef growing area (Somali region) is encouraging both for small holder farmers and large-scale investors to grow tef in the area. Thus, cultivated tef in this region is crucial to ensure food security in region as well as in the country. Moreover, growing tef in non-traditional regions has vital role to get additional quality feed source for their animals where it is a major problem in the region. In addition to tef yield increment using irrigation production but may also reduce variability in production through improved control of the crop environment. Therefore, variety Gamechis, Boset, Kora and Quncho should be used under irrigation production both in non-traditional and traditional tef growing areas where the experiment was conducted and other similar agro ecological areas.

Agronomic response of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) to organic soil and foliar fertilisation in a forest savanna transitory location

Abstract Organic soybean is presently less than 0.1% of total world production partly because of inappropriate fertiliser regime on degraded tropical soils. Therefore, two field trials were carried out during the late cropping seasons (June – November) of 2017 and 2018 to evaluate the agronomic performance of three soybean varieties: TGx 1448-2E, TGx 1835-10E and TGx 1989-9F as affected by foliar organic fertilisers: Arati Baja, Arati Nawoz, DI Grow, and soil applied organic fertiliser (Aleshinloye Grade B), and the control. The experimental design was Randomised Complete Block Design in a 3 × 5 factorial arrangement with three replications. Data were collected on yield attributes and seed yield of soybeans. Significant varietal difference (P &lt; 0.05) in both years was recorded for number and weight of pods and seeds per plant, 100 seed weight, harvest index, and grain yield, except number of seeds per plant in 2018. Fertiliser × Variety interaction effect significantly (P &lt; 0.05) affected above-ground plant weight and pod weight per plant in both years. On average, application of organic fertilisers resulted in grain yield (1.30–2.28 t/ha) comparable with Nigeria’s (0.97 t/ha) and Africa’s (1.37 t/ha) but lower than the world’s (2.85 t/ha) average values. The three foliar fertilisers and soil applied organic fertiliser enhanced seed yield of soybeans and are therefore recommended for soybean cultivation in the tropics.

Adaptability and Performance Evaluation of Improved Large Pod Hot Pepper (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Capsicum annum&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; L.) Varieties in West and Kellem Wollega Zones

Large pod hot Pepper is solanaceae family widely grown in many parts of Ethiopia. It is grown as an annual crop and produced for its fruits. It is one of the most important vegetable crops for fresh consumption, for processing and as a spice (for making stew). A field experiment was conducted at Haro Sabu Agricultural Research Center on station, Sedi Canqa and Sayo (Meti) sub sites of Kellem Wollega zone, Western Ethiopia, throughout 2019 and 2020 Melka Awaze, Oda Haro and Mareko Fana majorrainy season. Six large pod hot pepper varieties collected from Melkasa and Bako Agricultural Research and one local check variety were used as planting materials. The combined analysis of variance (ANOVA) for total dry pod yield and other agronomic componentsof seven large pod hot pepper varieties grown at three location locations in 2019 and 2020 on days to flowering, days to maturity, plant height, plant canopy length, number of primary branches per plant, number of pod per plants, pod length, total dry pod yield revealed highly significant varietal difference. Likewise there was significant difference of variety on pod weight. The interaction effect of variety, location and year revealed highly significant effect days to maturity and total yield. In the present experiment, Melka Awaze and Oda Haro varieties were found superior in the case marketable yield (dry pod), tolerant to major disease and other important yield related components. ThereforeMelka Awaze and Oda Haro improved varieties are recommended for popularization and demonstration around the studied areasand similar agro-ecologies in the WestWollega and Kellem Wollega zones of hot pepper producing areas under main natural rain fed.

Impact of water availability on root growth of sugar beet varieties

AbstractOn average, sugar beet yield in the UK is reduced by 10% due to water limitation. The root system of a plant is responsible for water uptake and hence an extensive root system is crucial to mitigate drought stress. There might be varietal differences when it comes to plant root system architecture but so far none have been reported in sugar beet. This study shows the results of 2 years of field experiments, examining the rooting patterns and overall plant growth of sugar beet under both rainfed and irrigated conditions. In the first year, three varieties were assessed, and in the second year, five varieties. No significant yield differences were found between the rainfed and irrigated treatments, which is likely due to the applied drought stress only being mild in both years. There were, however, significant varietal differences in plant growth and rooting patterns in rainfed plants which were most distinct when plants were subjected to mild drought stress. Varietal differences observed might indicate the possibility of breeding for certain root traits to mitigate drought stress in sugar beet in the future.

Determination of nitrogen and chlorophyll content in two varieties of winter wheat plants means of ground and airborne spectrometry

Nitrogen in plants is part of the green pigment chlorophyll, as well as proteins, nucleic acids, phytohormones and alkaloids that indicates the key role of this element in plant life. Chlorophyll is the most important pigment of the photosynthetic process determining the life of all heterotrophic organisms on the planet. The facts mentioned above presuppose close relationships between nitrogen and chlorophyll in plants. The nitrogen content in plants serves as a basis for adjusting their nitrogen nutrition and calculating fertilization rates for high yields. This causes comstant importance of studying the content of nitrogen and chlorophyll in plants, especially by means of novel techniques with involving remote sensing. This study was focused on relationship between 19 vegetation indices (VI) and biochemical characteristics of vegetation, in particular nitrogen and chlorophyll content. Study areas were located within production fields of two varieties of winter wheat grown for harvest in 2016 by the grain company Baryshivska. The test plots varied by phytopathological situation in the phase of milk ripeness. Fungal infection of Bogdana variety caused significant varietal differences in biochemical parameters that were calculated by Kjeldahl makro-method for total nitrogen and by aerial survey with UAV (drone) for chlorophyll content. Among 19 VIs calculated by ground spectrometry the major part (16 VIs) were consistent with changes in nitrogen and chlorophyll content in the cultivars. In particular, CI rededge , CI green , MTCI, RVI, D731 / D700 and D735 / D700 were more than doubled, and NDRE1 and D718 / D700 were almost 1.5 times higher in the Skagen variety compared to the Bogdan variety. Only 3 indices: NDVI, Green NDVI and NI had limits of fluctuations of the values within the same limits, as varietal differences of biochemical indicators.

A method for evaluating cold tolerance in rice during reproductive growth stages under natural low-temperature conditions in tropical highlands in Kenya

ABSTRACT Cold tolerance of New Rice for Africa (NERICA) and their parent varieties was evaluated under natural air temperature conditions of Kenyan tropical highlands using the multiple-sown field evaluation method. Rice varieties were cultivated 10 times to expose them to a shift in temperature during 20-day periods before heading (critical period), measuring the average daily mean temperature during the critical period (Tmean) for each variety and filled grain ratio, which was used as an indicator of cold tolerance. Tmean of each variety was low in 6 out of 10 experiments. In the remaining four high-temperature experiments, there were no significant varietal differences in filled grain ratio. In the six low-temperature experiments, all varieties experienced 20.1−21.5°C Tmean. After comparison under virtually the same cold stress, NERICA 1, 3, 4, 7−10, 12, 17, 18, and WAB 56–104 were judged as cold-tolerant; NERICA 2, 5, 11, 13, and 14, and WAB 56–50 and 181–18 were moderately tolerant, and NERICA 6, 15, and 16 were cold-susceptible varieties. These evaluations generally corresponded with previous experimental results under temperature-controlled environments, showing the practicality of multiple-sown field cold tolerance evaluation in Kenya. It also indicated that NERICA varieties, which recorded different levels of cold tolerance and whose average number of days to heading in all experiments were 66−78, are suitable as a set of standard check varieties in this region to evaluate cold tolerance of rice varieties with this range of days to heading.

Nutritional Profile of Grains and Dhals of Certain Promising Varieties of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and Green Gram (Vigna radiata L.)

Grains of promising varieties of chickpea and green gram were analyzed to depict the relative nutritional status of their whole grains and dhal as affected by processing treatment. No single variety in both the groups was found to possess superior levels of all the nutritional characteristics, however, variety KGD 1168 of chickpea and T44 of green gram were found noticeable in certain characteristics having direct bearing on their nutritional status. Significant varietal differences were observed in oil, protein, methionine and tryptophan content in both chickpea and green gram. Compared to whole grains, dhal samples of both chickpea and green gram varieties possessed superior nutritional status in having considerably higher levels of oil, protein, methionine and tryptophan with significantly lower levels of polyphenols. With the exception of oil content, green gram varieties were found significantly superior to chickpea in all the nutritional characteristics.

Evaluation of glutathione content in white grape varieties

The aim of this work was to evaluate the content of glutathione in the grape, must and wine of nine white varieties authorized in the Qualified Designation of Origin Rioja (Spain): 'Chardonnay', 'Garnacha Blanca', 'Malvasia', 'Maturana Blanca', 'Tempranillo Blanco', 'Turruntes', 'Sauvignon Blanc', 'Verdejo' and 'Viura'. The results obtained showed important varietal differences in the concentration of GSH. 'Sauvignon' and 'Tempranillo Blanco' presented high levels of this compound in grape, must and wine. 'Verdejo' and 'Turruntes' registered high values in grape, which decreased notably in must and wine. In general, the GSH content decreased in musts due to oxidative processes. In 'Chardonnay', 'Garnacha Blanca', 'Maturana Blanca' and 'Viura' an increase was observed in wines, which could be caused by the inoculated yeast. The 'Malvasia' and 'Maturana Blanca' varieties registered the lowest level of this compound. The ratio of hydroxycinnamic acids to glutathione, indicator of the susceptibility of oxidation of musts, showed significant varietal differences, was lower in 'Sauvignon Blanc' and higher in 'Garnacha Blanca'.

Press Fractioning of Grape Juice: A First Step to Manage Potential Atypical Aging Development during Winemaking

The development in young white wines of 2-aminoacetophenone, commonly known as atypical aging defect (UTA), leads to unpleasant notes such as mothball, wet mop, sweaty, acacia blossom, or soap. Tryptophan and indole-3-acetic acid, the most abundant auxin in plants, are considered to be the primary precursors of this compound. Indole-3-acetonitrile; indole-3-lactic acid; skatole; tryptophol and the inactivated form of the auxin N-(3-indolylacetyl)-L-alanine; N-(3-indolylacetyl)-DL-aspartic acid; and methyl-indole-3-acetate can act as potential precursors of 2-aminoacetophenone and contribute directly to UTA scents in wines. This paper investigates the distribution of 2-aminoacetophenone precursors or intermediate metabolites (n = 9) in grape berry tissues (pulp, skin, and seeds) in 12 samples of four different varieties: Cabernet Cantor, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Solaris. Chardonnay (three lots) was analyzed in more depth by evaluating precursor extraction during industrial pressing at different stages. For quantification, this study developed and validated a method using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. It used a pre-concentration and purification solid-phase extraction-online system and had a detection limit between 0.25 and 2 µg/L, depending on the compound. Despite significant varietal differences, indole-3-acetic acid was more abundant in seeds and skin fractions. Only ~30% of the total berry amount was extracted with free-run pressing, but ~80% was extracted at 0.6 bar. This suggests a fundamental role of pressing in managing the development of UTA during winemaking.

Morphological fractions, chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of stover of four common vetch varieties grown on the Tibetan plateau.

This study evaluated the varietal variability and interrelationship of the grain and stover yields, and stover quality characteristics of four common vetch varieties (three improved varieties and one local variety) used on the Tibetan Plateau. Stover quality attributes determined included chemical composition, in vitro true digestibility of dry matter (IVTD) and neutral detergent fibre (dNDF). The improved varieties were superior to the local variety in grain yield, harvest index and potential utility index (PUI). The wide ranges in the proportions of leaf (24.3%-34.6%), pod (22.0%-45.6%) and stem (29.5%-44.7%) fractions were observed. Significant varietal differences (p<.001) were observed for the whole-stover content of crude protein [CP; 78.1-101g/kg dry matter (DM)], neutral detergent fibre (aNDF; 520-564g/kg DM), acid detergent fibre (ADF; 520-564g/kg DM), IVTD (597-658g/kg DM) and dNDF (305-384g/kg aNDF). The leaf fraction had the highest levels of CP, IVTD and dNDF, while the highest contents of aNDF and ADF were observed in the stem fraction. Canonical correlation analysis showed that significant (p<.001) correlations between the quality attributes of whole stover and proportions and quality attributes of stover morphological fractions. Pearson correlation between the grain and stover yield was negative and significant (r=-.295; p=.001), while the correlations between the grain/stover yield and stover quality traits were positive or non-significant. Ranking of the varieties differed when grain yield, PUI and stover quality scores were investigated. Of the varieties tested, Lanjian No.2 has the best potential for use as a ruminant feed, as indicated by PUI and stover quality.

Organic fertilizers improve the growth, seed quality and yield of newly released soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) varieties in the tropics

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) yield in tropical Africa remains below 1 t/ha partly because most growers rarely use beneficial organic soil amendments on degraded tropical soils. Therefore, field trials were conducted during the late cropping seasons (July–November) of 2015 and 2016 on the organic research plots of the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research, Nigeria (7° 13′ 51.17″ N and 7° 13′ 53.16″ N and longitudes 3° 23′ 49.12″ E and 3° 23′ 51.86″ E 131.5 m above sea level), the trials evaluated the agronomic response of five recently released soybean varieties (TGx 1448-2E, TGx 1440-1E, TGx 1740-2F, TGx 1987-62F, and TGx 1835-10E) to the application of three organic fertilizers (Aleshinloye grade B, Organo Farm, and Gateway) and a control. The trials were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a 5 × 4 factorial arrangement and replicated three times. Data were collected on growth parameters, yield and yield attributes, and seed quality. Significant (p < 0.05, F test) varietal difference was recorded for aboveground plant weight, grain filling period, height at physiological maturity, number and weight of pods, number of branches and seed yield, and quality in both years. Application of organic fertilizers significantly (p < 0.05, F test) increased aboveground plant weight, number of branches and pods per plant, weight of seeds per plant, seed yield, and quality in both years relative to the control treatment, except oil content and seed yield in 2016. It is recommended that the three organic fertilizers can be used for soybean cultivation since soybeans grown on treated plots produced seed yield above 1/ton in both contrasting years of experimentation.

Fine molecular structure and its effects on physicochemical properties of starches in potatoes grown in two locations

Seven potato cultivars were planted at two different locations, E1 (Yiwu) and E2 (Jinhua) to assess the starch molecular structures and physicochemical properties as affected by growing locations. Most of the potato cultivars in E2 presented significantly smaller average whole molecular size (Rh¯) whereas larger average chain length of amylopectin (X¯) along with lower proportion of fa chains (DP 6–12) than those in E1. Significant varietal difference in the physicochemical properties were observed within each location, but only the mean onset temperature in E1 was significantly lower than that in E2. The fine structures (chain-length distribution) of both amylose and amylopectin affected the pasting properties of potato starches based on the starch structure-property correlations. The amylopectin fine structure also determined the thermal and retrogradation properties. Potato starches with more short chains and less long chains of amylopectin displayed lower gelatinization temperature but higher retrogradation.