Autumn Sowing Research Articles

Influence of soil conservation practices on legume crops growth

In a three-year experiment, three types of soil conservation techniques were tested in the legumes cultivation systems. Our treatment types were no-till, standard tillage to the depth of 8 cm and deep tillage to 20 cm. The study evaluated winter pea (cv. Enduro), spring pea (cv. Eso), white lupine (cv. Amiga), narrow-leaved lupine (cv. Boregine) and soybean (cv. Merlin) in two autumn terms (winter pea only) and in spring term (all legume species). In no-till technology, the average yield of all legumes was 2.24 t/ha. For standard tillage (2.58 t/ha) and deep tillage (2.62 t/ha), yields were significantly higher than in no-till technology. From the monitored parameters, deep tillage appeared as the best soil treatment. Although the yield was similar to standard tillage, the soil was less stiffened, resulting in a higher content of nitrogen in the seed and a better use of the pre-crop value of the legumes. In the experiment, winter pea spring sowing term (2.93 t/ha) was better than both autumn sowings (2.68 t/ha and 2.65 t/ha).

Reproductive features of <i>Festuca rubra</i> L. in different environmental conditions

The paper presents comparative results of Festuca rubra L. seed productivity study in Siberia and Kazakhstan. The authors consider the influence of ecological conditions on the organo-educational process of the species. The authors reveal specific features of plants growth and development at different terms of seeding in different ecological conditions. In the first year of vegetation, plants in all variants undergo two phenological phases shoots and tillering. Different planting dates make significant changes in the reproductive capacity of plants. In spring plants sowing apical meristem at the end of the growing season corresponds to the IV stage of organogenesis. The following year in spring, shoots of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th orders also become generative. An optimal method of Festuca rubra growing with maximum parameters of seed productivity was determined. It was found out that during spring sowing the maximum yield of seeds (up to 48 g/m) can be obtained for the 3rd year of life of the cereal. For the 4th year there is a slight decrease (45,4 g/m). With the early sowing date the maximum yield (up to 51 g/m) was obtained only for the 4th year of plant life and a further decrease is observed. During autumn sowing, the first fructification of cereals occurs only in the 3rd year of life and is expressed in the maximum number of shoots and the yield of seeds (68 g/m). Further sharp decrease in such indicators as generative shoots and yields indicates the inexpediency of further preservation of the testes.

Effects of seed moisture content, stratification and sowing date on the germination of Corylus avellana seeds

For Corylus avellana, pericarp permeability, seed desiccation tolerance, and the effect of warm and cold moist stratification combinations on germination and of outdoor sowing date on dormancy breaking and seedling emergence were investigated. Seeds with (intact fruit nut) and without the pericarp were subjected to an imbibition test, and water uptake was measured. After nuts had been stored for 5 months at 3–5 °C, seeds and desiccated seeds were cold-stratified at 3–5 °C (for 0, 1, 2 or 3 months), then tested for germination. Nuts were warm-stratified at 20–25 °C (for 0, 1 or 2 months), then cold-stratified (for 0, 1, 2 or 3 months) and tested for seed germination. The nuts were sown outdoors on three dates in the same year of their collection: 15 September (immediately after collection), 2 November, and 17 December, and emerged seedlings were counted the following spring. The pericarp was not a barrier to water uptake by the seed; however, the seeds imbibed water faster and had more mass when the pericarp was removed. Seeds tolerated desiccation; germination percentage was not reduced when seed moisture content was reduced to 8.71%. Germination of seeds without the pericarp (regardless of the moisture content) was the highest when the seeds were cold-stratified for 2 months. When seeds with the pericarp were tested for germination, 2 months of warm stratification before a 2-month cold stratification maximized seed germination. For outdoor sowing of nuts, sowing date affected percentage of seedling emergence the following spring; early autumn sowing (immediately after collection) resulted in the best emergence.

Yield components of lucerne were affected by sowing dates and inoculation treatments

Abstract This study analysed the effects of sowing dates and inoculation treatments on yield components of rainfed lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) crops grown at Lincoln University, New Zealand. Crops were sown in a split-plot design on 26 January, 21 February, 15 March and 3 April 2012, combined with five inoculation treatments (ALOSCA®, coated seed, Nodulator®, peat slurry and bare seed). Shoot biomass was 90% higher in the earliest spring sowing date (19.8 ± 0.14 t ha−1) compared with the latest (11.9 ± 0.15 t ha−1). Yield variability was explained by differences in light interception and its conversion efficiency (RUEshoot) in the first spring. A 40% reduction in RUEshoot was estimated for March and April (autumn) sowing (0.93 ± 0.05). This was probably caused by greater continued partitioning of biomass to roots. A longer phyllochron for autumn sowing reduced leaf area expansion rates. Root biomass was higher from early sowing dates, but by the end of the experiment all treatments had >3 t ha−1 of perennial biomass. Inoculation increased shoot yield by 40% compared with the uninoculated control (16.6 ± 0.1 vs. 13 ± 0.2) in the first year. Bare seed treatments fixed 50% less nitrogen during the winter and early spring of 2012. This was linked to less nodulation and reduced nitrogen nutrition index (NNI) in shoots of the uninoculated treatment. However, after late spring, nitrogen fixation was not different among treatments, which was consistent with effective colonisation by naturalized rhizobia strains in the bare seed treatment. A 20% decrease in RUEshoot was measured in uninoculated crops compared with inoculated ones. This was probably caused by reduced photosynthesis due to the lower NNI. Root biomass was unaffected by inoculation and all treatments reached >3. t ha−1 by the end of the experiment. Uninoculated lucerne crops appeared to have similar accumulation rates of perennial biomass despite lower N fixation and N content in shoots. These results explain the physiological response of lucerne crops to sowing date and inoculation and can be used to inform management decisions and crop simulation models.

CREATION OF AGROCENOSES OF FODDER CROPS FOR SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER USE IN THE FORESTSTEPPE ZONE OF THE TRANS-BAIKAL TERRITORY

Experimental data on the creation of fodder agrocenoses for the production of green feed in the spring and early summer period is presented. The research was conducted in 2014-2016 in the forest-steppe zone of the Trans-Baikal Territory. The study included winter and spring rye crops and cabbage. It was established that the promising crop that gives the earliest green feed is the winter rye of autumn sowing. It was characterized by a high regrow capacity and formed two yield cuttings in the tillering phase. The yield of green mass was 7.7 t/ha, dry matter – 1.36 t/ha, output of feed units was 1.34 t/ha, the amount of digestible protein – 279 kg/ha. In the phase of stem elongation, the figures were 10.0 t/ ha, 2.17 t/ha, 1.93 t/ha, 287 kg/ ha, respectively; in the earing phase (one cutting) – 9.3 t/ha, 3.30 t/ha, 2.65 t/ha, 287 kg/ha, respectively. Feed biomass was of higher quality when used in the period of tillering, where the content of digestible protein per one feed unit was 206-210 g. The spring sowings of winter rye were inferior to the autumn sowings in the amount of two cuttings in the tillering phase: green mass by 3.3 t/ha, dry matter 0.58 t/ha, feed units 0.58 t/ha, digestible protein 113 kg/ha; in the stem elongation phase: 5.5 t/ha, 1,27 t/ha, 1.15 t/ ha, 168 kg/ha, respectively. Crops of spring rape, oil radish and spring rye are also important, since they allow to obtain a sufficiently high yield in the early summer period. In the budding phase the yield of green mass of cabbage crops was 22.8 and 18.3 t/ ha, dry matter – 2.69 and 2.78 t/ha, feed units – 2.70 and 2.25 t/ha, digestible protein – 648 and 599 kg/ ha; in the flowering phase the figures for oil radish were 21.5 t/ha, 2.56 t/ha, 2.57 t/ha, 499 kg/ ha, respectively. In the tillering phase the figures for spring rye in the amount of two cuttings were 7.3 t/ ha, 1.31 t/ha, 1.11 t/ha, 210 kg/ ha, respectively; in the phase of stem prolongation – 3.8 t/ha, 0.82 t/ ha, 0,87 t/ha, 105 kg/ha, respectively.

Genetic variation for shoot elongation before winter and its correlation with vernalization requirement in winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.)

Changing climatic conditions in north-western Europe are accompanied by occasional extreme weather conditions. This requires breeding of winter oilseed rape cultivars which are resilient to diverse abiotic stress factors, e.g. frost, drought and heat. The degree of vernalization requirement of winter oilseed rape has been found to be related to frost tolerance and winter hardiness. Shoot elongation before winter in particular has been identified as one decisive factor for frost tolerance in winter oilseed rape. However, the relationship between vernalization requirement and shoot elongation before winter is not known. In the present study the genetic variation for shoot elongation before winter and vernalization requirement of 19 genetic diverse breeding lines and cultivars were analyzed. Autumn and spring sown field experiments in multiple environments were performed to determine shoot elongation before winter and vernalization requirement, respectively. In spring sown field experiments, genotypes with a low vernalization requirement were characterized by the occurrence of long bolting plants with flower buds. Large and significant genotypic variation was found for shoot length in the autumn sown and spring sown environment. Broad sense heritability was quite high for shoot length in the spring sown environment (h2 = 97%), whereas it was only of medium size for shoot length before winter (h2 = 62%). Although the correlation between shoot length before winter and shoot length in the spring sown environment was positive (Spearman’s rank rS = 0.48*), a number of genotypes with reduced shoot elongation before winter and low vernalization requirement were identified. Results indicate that genotypes with a reduced shoot elongation before winter independent of their vernalization requirement can be selected in breeding programs.

Fine Mapping of a Novel Heading Date Gene, TaHdm605, in Hexaploid Wheat.

The heading date is critical in determining the adaptability of plants to specific natural environments. Molecular characterization of the wheat genes that regulate heading not only enhances our understanding of the mechanisms underlying wheat heading regulation but also benefits wheat breeding programs by improving heading phenotypes. In this study, we characterized a late heading date mutant, m605, obtained by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutation. Compared with its wild-type parent, YZ4110, m605 was at least 7 days late in heading when sown in autumn. This late heading trait was controlled by a single recessive gene named TaHdm605. Genetic mapping located the TaHdm605 locus between the molecular markers cfd152 and barc42 on chromosome 3DL using publicly available markers and then further mapped this locus to a 1.86 Mb physical genomic region containing 26 predicted genes. This fine genetic and physical mapping will be helpful for the future map-based cloning of TaHdm605 and for breeders seeking to engineer changes in the wheat heading date trait.

Differences in the alternate varieties of soft wheat for Vrn-1 genes of development type

Purpose. To study the response to vernalization and to identify Vrn-1 genotypes of modern alternate soft wheat varieties of various origins. Methods. Temporal vernali­zation, hybridological analysis of the development type according to the Vrn-1 gene system, dispersion and correlation analyses, criterion c2 for assessing the correspondence of the actual splitting results to the theoretical hypothesis. Results. Alternate varieties vary considerably in the length of the period before earing under field conditions of autumn sowing and under plants cultivation after 10–40 days vernalization and without it on the growing area under the natural day. The varieties ‘Shestopalovka’ and ‘Demir 2000’ for the transition to generative deve­lopment (earing) require 30 and 40 days vernalization of green sprouts at +2 °С. The varieties ‘Solomiia’ and ‘Khutorianka’ did not react to a prior vernalization during both years of study. The control line ‘Mironovskaya 808 Vrn-B1a’ and the ‘Zimoiarka’ variety responded with a reliable reduction of the duration period before earing on the vernali­zation – 10, ‘Afina’, ‘Lastochka’, ‘Pallada’, ‘L897Y23’ – 10–20 and ‘Yara’ – 10–30 days. Comparison of split in spring and winter genotypes of the F2 populations of diallele and test-cross interbreeding allowed identifying of five groups of Vrn-1 genotypes with different genetic control type of development. The varieties ‘Shestopalovka’ and ‘Demir 2000’ are carriers of only the recessive alleles Vrn-A1b, Vrn-B1b, Vrn-D1b. In the genotype of the varieties ‘Zimoiarka’ and ‘Khutorianka’ there are two dominant genes Vrn-A1a and Vrn-B1a. Other varieties carriers of only one gene Vrn-1: ‘Solomiia’ – Vrn-A1a gene, ‘Pallada’ and ‘Yara’ – Vrn-B1a, ‘Afina’, ‘Lastochka’ and ‘L897Ya23’ – the Vrn-D1a gene. Conclusions. The varieties ‘Shestopalovka’ and ‘Demir 2000’ are of winter genotypes. Varieties ‘Afina’, ‘Lastochka’, ‘L897Ya23’, ‘Zimoiarka’, ‘Solomiia’, ‘Khutorianka’, ‘Pallada’, ‘Yara’ are spring and they achieve earing under spring sowing without vernalization. From the view point of genetic control of development type the varieties ‘Pallada’ and ‘Yara’ correspond to the “typical” alternate criteria, but the final conclusion can be made after studying the photoperiod reaction of these genotypes.

Improving WOFOST model to simulate winter wheat phenology in Europe: Evaluation and effects on yield

This study describes and evaluates improvements to the MARS crop yield forecasting system (MCYFS) for winter soft wheat (Triticum aestivum) in Europe, based on the WOFOST crop simulation model, by introducing autumn sowing dates, realistic soil moisture initialization, adding vernalization requirements and photoperiodicity, and phenology calibration. Dataset of phenological observations complemented with regional cropping calendars across Europe is used. The calibration of thermal requirements for anthesis and maturity is done by pooling all available observations within European agro-environmental zones and minimizing an objective function that combines the differences between observed and simulated anthesis, maturity and harvest dates. Calibrated phenology results in substantial improvement in simulated dates of anthesis with respect to the original MCYFS simulations. The combined improvements to the system result in a physically more plausible spatial distribution of crop model indicators across Europe. Crop yield indicators point to better agreement with recorded national winter wheat yields with respect to the original MCYFS simulations, most pronounced in central, eastern and southern Europe. However, model skill remains low in large parts of western Europe, which may possibly be attributed to the impacts of wet conditions.

Comparison of Safflower Cultivation in Two Seasons in the South of Brazil

The objective of this work was to evaluate the production components, grain yield and safflower character correlations as a function of two sowing seasons (autumn and winter). Safflower culture was implanted in 2014 in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The evaluation of safflower crop occurred in two seasons of the year, with the first growing season being characterized by sowing on April 30, 2014 (autumn), and the second growing season on July 30, 2014 (winter). The evaluations occur when the plants showed a 50% flowering and the following determination: plant height, number of branches per plant and chapters, stem diameter, dry weight of the stalk, dry mass of the branches dry mass of chapters and mass dry roots, grain yield, oil content and oil productivity. Growth stations were compared at 5% probability of error by the Student t test. For the study of correlations, Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient matrix (r) was estimated between the characters by means of the Student’s t-test, with a 5% probability of error. Except for the oil content and number of branches, safflower characters were benefited by early sowing in autumn. Safflower cultivated in autumn produced 3,820 kg ha-1 and in winter yielded 2,068 kg ha-1. For the early cultivation of autumn, the characters have greater correlation, favored by the climatic conditions. Grain and oil productivity obtained correlation higher than 97% in both seasons.

Creation of Fodder Agrophytocenoses for the Restoration of Degraded Native Pastures and Improvement of their Performance

This article presents the results of two years of development of technological methods to create fodder agrophytocenoses in natural environments under arid climatic conditions in order to restore the ecology and improve the productivity of degraded pasturable ecosystems. The dynamics of the phytopotential performance of agrophytocenoses have been studied in different variants according to plant species, sowing times, and sowing methods. The experiments have been conducted with methods developed by the All-Russia Research Institute of Fodder (2015) and Dospekhov (1985). Therefore, the experiments conducted with the different pasturable plants investigated that the winterfat (Eutoria ceratoides) was reputed to be the most productive of all of the sown species. Its annual average crop yield was three times higher than that for the native pasture in the first year and 3.6 times in the second year. The experiments conducted with wheatgrass (Agropyron) sown at different times have proved that the pasture was generally (71–76%) occupied by wheatgrass (Agropyron) sown in autumn in the first year of vegetation, while the spring-sown wheatgrass crop had a projective cover of only 49–54% up to the second year of vegetation. The experiments conducted with wheatgrass sown by different methods proved that the spring- and autumn-sown projective cover crops of agrophytocenoses with the use of the broadcasting method represented increases of 7% and 17%, respectively, as compared to the drilling method.

Yield Potential of Sugar Beet - Have We Hit the Ceiling?

The yield of sugar beet has continuously increased in the past decades. The question arises, whether this progress will continue in the future. A key factor for increasing yield potential of the crop is breeding progress. It was related to a shift in assimilate partitioning in the plant toward more storage carbohydrates (sucrose), whereas structural carbohydrates (leaves, cell wall compounds) unintendedly declined. The yield potential of sugar beet was estimated at 24 t sugar ha-1. For maximum yield, sufficient growth factors have to be available and the crop has to be able to fully utilize them. In sugar beet, limitations result from the lacking coincidence of maximum irradiation rates and full canopy cover, sink strength for carbon assimilation and high water demand, which cannot be met by rainfall alone. After harvest, sugar losses during storage occur. The paper discusses options for a further increase in yield potential, like autumn sowing of sugar beet, increasing sink strength and related constraints. It is prospected that yield increase by further widening the ratio of storage and structural carbohydrates will come to its natural limit as a certain cell wall stability is necessary. New challenges caused by climate change and by prolonged processing campaigns will occur. Thus breeding for improved pathogen resistance and storage properties will be even more important for successful sugar beet production than a further increase in yield potential itself.

Selection of the Elite Lines with High Adaptability to Autumn Sowing of South Korea in Faba Bean

Selection of the Elite Lines with High Adaptability to Autumn Sowing of South Korea in Faba Bean

A comparison of husked and naked oats under Irish conditions

AbstractDuring the harvesting of husked oats (Avena sativa L.), the kernel remains tightly enclosed by a lignified lemma and palea, collectively termed the husk or hull. In naked oats, which are the same species as husked oats, the lemma is much less lignified and the kernel threshes free during harvesting. The absence of the largely indigestible husk increases the nutritive value of naked oats compared to that of husked oats, particularly for non-ruminants and poultry. There is little information regarding the potential of naked oats as an arable crop in Ireland. The objective of this study was to determine the productivity of naked oats under Irish conditions. Field experiments were carried out in the south east of Ireland to compare the grain yield and grain quality of both autumn-sown and spring-sown naked and husked oat cultivars. Grain yield of naked oat cultivars was significantly lower than that of husked oat cultivars, irrespective of whether they were autumn sown or spring sown. However, when the kernel yield of husked oat cultivars was estimated, differences in yield between the two types were much smaller, and in some cases, kernel yield of naked oat cultivars exceeded that of husked oat cultivars. Grain quality, as indicated by hectolitre weight and grain N concentration, was generally greater for naked oat cultivars than for husked oat cultivars. It is concluded that under Irish conditions, naked oats have the potential to produce kernel yields equivalent to husked oats. The grain produced is of high quality and may be particularly suited for the nutrition of non-ruminants.

AGRO-BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF RADISH ACCESSIONS AT NOVOSIBIRSK AREA

The result of collaboration work between Siberian Research Institute of Plant Cultivation and Breeding, the branch of The Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICG SB RAS) and the company OOO Geterozisnaya Selectia on ecological trial and assessment of economically valuable traits were obtained in promising radish accessions. The data on influence of sowing terms on yielding ability, formation of flower bearing stalks was analyzed and morphological descriptions for radish accessions were given. It was shown that the development of marketable radish roots can be possible in condition of long lasting light period. When sowing in the second decade of June less number of flower stalks formed on the plants than on the control plants of ‘Raniy Krasniy’. The sowing in the first decade of August did not give any plants with flower stalks in accessions 17-12 and 17-13. The highest yield at first sowing term was observed in accession 17-12 at second sowing term in accession 17-13, 5.6 and 6.1 kg/m2 respectively. The accession 17-12 was distinguished by root weight, 19.2 g. The highest dry matter content (5.31%) was observed in accession 17-11; the highest total sugar content (2.18%) was in accession 17-12; the highest ascorbic acid content (25.1 mg %) was in accession 17-13. The comparative analysis of data on summer and autumn sowing terms showed that when sowing in summer time, at long lasting light period the radish accessions were characterized by the more number of plants with flower stalks; more developed leaf apparatus; larger roots and enriched biochemical composition as compared with the accessions sown in autumn time. All accessions tested belonged to early-maturing group, where the root formation takes for 22-25 days. For economically valuable traits the accessions 17-12 and 17-13 were selected out.

Effect of sowing date on seedling emergence of species with seeds enclosed in a stony endocarp

ABSTRACTThe aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the natural sequence of temperature conditions between the time of seed sowing and their germination on dormancy release of Prunus avium, P. mahaleb, P. divaricata, P. laurocerasus, P. spinosa, Cornus mas, C. sanguinea, and Celtis australis seeds which are enclosed in a hard stony endocarp. According to their collection date, the seeds (with the endocarp) of the above species were sown outdoor in summer, autumn, and winter and the number of emerged seedlings was counted during the following two springs. For all species, the first sowing date was immediately after seed collection and cleaning. In all species, seedling emergence occurred in early spring and dormancy was released only after the exposure of seeds to specific season conditions. The exposure of seeds of all studied species, except C. australis, to a period of warm temperatures prior to winter was necessary for dormancy breaking and germination. Autumn sowing of P. laurocerasus and C. sanguinea seeds, which were collected in summer, and the sowing immediately after seed collection of the rest species, resulted in a maximum percentage of seedling emergence in the following spring.

Sowing Date and Cultivar Effects on Assimilate Translocation in Spring Mediterranean Chickpea

Core Ideas March sowing resulted in higher dry matter, total N accumulation, and seed N content than April sowing. Seed yield up to 3320 kg ha−1 were obtained with March sowing. Seed yield was correlated negatively with dry matter translocation to the seeds. In cooler Mediterranean areas autumn sowing of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is avoided because of the increased frost risk. A 2‐yr field study was conducted to investigate the potential effects of spring sowing date and cultivar on assimilate dynamics (i.e., dry matter and N accumulation, partitioning and translocation) and productivity of Mediterranean chickpea, and to assess possible N losses from plant foliage. Three local cultivars (i.e., Andros, Kassos, and Serifos) and one foreign cultivar (i.e., Zehavit‐27) were evaluated under two sowing dates (i.e., March sowing and April sowing). March sowing resulted in higher dry matter, total N accumulation, and seed N content than April sowing. Seed yield up to 3320 kg ha−1 was obtained with March sowing. April sowing resulted in a yield penalty of 22 to 50 kg ha−1 d−1 of sowing delay compared with March sowing. Seed yield was correlated negatively with dry matter translocation to the seeds and positively with dry matter accumulation during the seed‐filling period. Dry matter and N translocation efficiency reached up to 77 and 96%, respectively. High N accumulation until the beginning of seed growth and low N accumulation thereafter enhanced N translocation to the seeds. However, when early aboveground N was high (>120 kg N ha−1) and the seed demands for N were low (<96 kg N ha−1), N losses were observed, reaching up to 40.4 kg N ha−1. Chickpea has potential as an alternative spring crop in cooler Mediterranean areas, provided that early spring sowing is applied.

Cereal leaf beetles (Oulema spp., Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) control following various dates of wheat sowing and insecticidal treatments

ABSTRACTIn this paper, we report the sowing date and intensity of chemical control on presence of the cereal leaf beetles (CLB) on spring wheat. The CLB monitoring (Oulema melanopus L. and Oulema gallaeciana Voet.) was conducted in May–June of each year, following the announcement of the IOR-PiB in Poznań (Institute of Plant Protection, National Research Institute), that economic threshold levels in Poland of this pest is observed. For the spring sowing dates between (20 March–20 April) and late autumn sowings (21 November–7 December) larger amounts of CLB adults (1.6–1.1) in comparison to early autumn sowings (25 October–02 November) were noticed (0.4). Following the insecticidal seed treatment with imidacloprid, the occurrence of adults was 0.2–0.7 individual per stem, while the use of fungicidal treatment with triadimenol–imazalil–fuberidazol resulted in average 1.1–2.2 individual per stem. The reduction in the number of larvae per stem was 7–10 fold larger following the foliar application (pirimicarb + dimethoate + cypermethrin) compared to the seed treatment with imidacloprid. The lowest grain yield (3.83 t ha−1) from the spring crop without any insecticide was obtained. Foliar application with blend of pirimicarb + dimethoate + cypermethrin increased the yield crop by 0.41 t ha−1 (10.7%) and additionally by 0.78 t ha−1 (20.4%) to compare to the fungicidal control when imidacloprid was used. Wheat seed treatment with imidacloprid and sowing date in autumn showed to be suitable and economically efficient preventive strategies for controlling the pest population.

English

The definition of the ideal plant population is important for good safflower agricultural management in Brazil, as they are gaining importance as oleaginous plant. Two experiments were conducted in an Rhodic Acrudox in 2014 in Cascavel, PR, Brazil, to evaluate the effect of plant density on growth, yield components and grain yield in safflower oil during autumn and winter seasons. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with three replications and four plant densities per meter (5, 10, 15 and 20 m). Densities of 14 and 16 plants per meter gave greater heights of plants during autumn and winter, accordingly. Increasing densities reduce the number of branches and chapters in autumn, but increase in the productivity of grains and oil. The oil content was improved by cultivating plants in winter, since the population of safflower in winter is higher as compared to fall. In safflower sown in autumn, between 15 and 16 plants per meter was sufficient for maximum grain yield and oil. The oil yield was 15% higher in autumn (992 kg ha-1) as compared to winter (858 kg ha-1). Key words: Carthamus tinctorius L., oil content, oilseed.

Proteomics Analysis of Photo-Thermo-Sensitive Male Sterility Wheat Line BNS during Its Thermosensitive Period

Photo-thermo sensitive male sterile (PTMS) line is one of the important materials in utilizing heterosis in crops. Wheat line BNS (Bainong sterility) is an important nuclear-controlling PTMS line and suitable for growing and seed production in Huang Huai wheat zone in China. It has genetic stability with male sterility when sowing in autumn and male fertility when sowing in spring. Their thermosensitive periods were between stamen and pistil differentiation stage and anther connective stage and they could be regarded key periods for fertility conversion in BNS. To determine the molecular mechanisms of fertility conversion at thermosensitive period, we investigated characters of seed setting, anther and pollen grain of fertile and sterile BNS plants and compared young spike proteome patterns at their thermosensitive periods between the two BNS plants. The results showed that sterile plants had lower seed setting rate and pollen number, small pollen grain and lower pollen vitality than fertile plants. Out of protein spots reproducibly detected and analyzed on two dimensional electrophoresis gels, 76 spots showed significant changes in at least one BNS plant and 36 spots were identified by MALDI-TOF MS. The results showed that proteins involved in multiple biochemical pathways were differentially expressed at thermosensitive period between the two plants, including energy metabolism, stress response, signal transduction and regulation, protein process, amino acid and fatty acid metabolism, nucleic acid metabolism etc. Some of these proteins are reported to be involved in the abortion of anther or pollen grains in MS plants, such as energy metabolism and anti oxidative stress, and some were found to be novel proteins involved in the fertility conversion, such as phytohormones regulation. These results indicated that proteins related with anther or pollen development had expressed differently between the two BNS plants before anther development and phytohormones and signal transduction might be involved in the regulation of fertility conversion at thermosensitive period. Our studies have provided new insight to reveal the molecular mechanisms of fertility conversion at thermosensitive period in PTMS wheat.