Stem Dry Weight Research Articles

Agronomic performance of common bean crops fertigated with treated sewage and mineral fertilizer

ABSTRACT The water deficit in arid and semiarid regions and the high cost of fertilizers are factors for the study of application of sewage on agricultural crops. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of application of different doses of treated sewage from the tertiary treatment (TS-3), and mineral fertilizer on the yield and production components of common bean plants. The experiment was conducted in Janaúba, MG, Brazil, using a randomized block design, with four repetitions, in a split-plot scheme, with five treatments in the plots consisting of potassium (K2O) applications at the dose required by common bean plants via clear water + 40 kg ha-1 of K2O mineral (Control), and TS-3 applications supplying 20, 40, 60 and 80 kg ha-1 of K2O, and two cultivars in the subplots, BRS-MG-Madreperola and Ouro Negro. The cultivar Ouro Negro was more responsive than the cultivar BRS-MG-Madreperola to the different TS-3 doses and mineral fertilizer regarding their leaf, stem, and shoot dry weights, and their ratios. However, the highest doses of K2O via TS-3 affected negatively the grain yield in common bean plants. The dose of 20 kg ha-1 of K2O via TS-3 is the best dose for common bean plants.

PENGARUH JARAK TANAM TERHADAP PRODUKTIVITAS INDIGOFERA (Indigofera zolingeriana) DI AREAL TERBUKA

The Effect of Planting Space On Productivity of Indigofera (Indigofera zollingeriana) in Full Sun Area. The purpose of this research was determines the productivity of Indigofera zollingeriana with three different planting space. This experiment was conducted using Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The treatment consisted of three planting space, (1) 1.0 m x 0.5 m, (2) 1.0 m x 1.0 m, and (3) 1.0 m x 1.5 m, each treatment had six replications. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and HSD test. The variables measured were fresh and dried stem weight, fresh and dried leaf weight. The results showed that planting space were significant different (P<0.01) on fresh and dried stem weight, fresh and dried leaf weight. HSD test showed that planting space 1.0 m x 1.5 m were significant (P<0.01) have higher stem fresh weight, stem dry matter weight, fresh leaf weight and leaf dry matter weight than planting space 1.0 m x 1.0 m and 1.0 m x 0.5 m. It can be concluded that planting space 1.0 m x 1.5 m have the highest productivity that were highest stem freshweight, stem dry matter weight, leaf freshweight and leaf dry matter weight.Key words: Indigofera zollingeriana, planting space, productivity

PRODUKSI RUMPUT BENGGALA (Panicum maximum cv. Jacq) YANG DIBERIKAN PUPUK BIO-SLURRY BABI

THE PRODUCTION OF BENGAL GRASS (Panicum maximum cv. Jacq) GIVEN BIO-SLURRY FERTILIZER OF PIG. This research aimed the role of bio-slurry fertilizer on the production of Bengal grass (Panicum Maximum Cv. Jacq). The study was conducted for 3 months in the greenhouse of the Sam Ratulangi University Manado Faculty of Animal Husbandry. North Sulawesi. The experimental design used in this study was a completely randomized dsign (CRD) with four treatments, that: without fertilizer (B0), 10 tons / ha (B1), 20 tons / ha (B2), and 30 tons / ha (B3). Each treatment replicated 4 times and gave 16 experimental units. The variables were the production of fresh weight of leaves, the production of fresh stem weight, the production of leaf dry weight, production stem dry weight. The results of this study concluded that 30 tons/ha (B3) bio-slurry had highest fresh weight of leaves, fresh weight of stems and the dry weight of leaves, and dry weight of stems. Keywords: production, bengal grass, bio-slurry

KARAKTER MORFOLOGI DAN FISIOLOGI TAPAK DARA (Vinca rosea L.) PADA BEBERAPA CEKAMAN AIR

<p><strong>Morphological and physiological characteristics of Vinca at di fferent water stress levels</strong></p><p>Vinca (Vinca rosea L.) is one of the important medicinal crops as the sources of raw materials for traditional medicines. Its alkaloid is believed can reduce the risk of cancer, blood tension and diabetes diseases. Recently, vinca is only grown as ornamental plant in the garden, therefore, its cultivation methods is limited, especially its water stress tolerance, lite purpose of this experiment was to study the effect of water stess on the morphological and physiological characteristics of vinca. A pot experiment was conducted in the plastics house of the Research Institute for Spice and Medicinal Crops from November 1997 to March 1998. Factorial experiment consisted two factors and three replications was arranged in a randomized block design. Ihe irst factor consisted of two vinca varieties, those wee white flowers (WFV) and red flowers of vinca (RFV). While 4 different levels of water stress i.e., (I) 100% ield capacity (FC), (2) 80% FC, (3) 60% FC, and (4) 40% FC were used as the second factor. Parameters used for evaluating the effect of teatment consisted of morphological characteristics such as (I) plant height, (2) number of primary branches, (3) number of leaves, (4) leaf area (5) dry weight of stem, (6) dry weight of leaf, (7) dry weight of flowers and (8) dry weight of roots, and physiological characteristics observed including: (I) percentages of opened stomata and (2) free proline content of leaf. Results showed that interaction between varieties and water stress did not significantly affect the morphological nor physiological characteristics. Varieties significantly affected the morphological characteristics (except plant height), however they did not signiicantly affect physiological characteristics. Water stress significantly affected the morphological (except dry weight of roots) and free proline contents. Under 80% FC, vinca produced the highest growth and dry weight of plant however, the plant growth and dry weight wee inhibited under 60 and 40% FC. Under 40% FC, percentages of opened stomata deceased signiicantly. Moeover, proline content in the leaves signiicantly increased by water stess treatments.</p>

Post-wildfire straw mulching and salvage logging affects initial pine seedling density and growth in two Mediterranean contrasting climatic areas in Spain

Mulching application and salvage logging are often performed in forests after wildfire to avoid soil erosion and recover timber values, respectively. Mulch may increase soil moisture and decrease contrasted temperatures, which thus promotes seedling recruitment, whereas logging operations may destroy seedlings or generate soil compaction, which may enhance soil erosion and to cause plant seedling damage. We investigated whether and to what extent postfire mulching application and logging initially altered some mineral soil properties and pine seedling density and growth in contrasting Mediterranean climate sites (Liétor, in SE. Spain, in semiarid climate and A Gudiña in NW Spain, in subhumid climate). Twelve plots were set up among four different experimental conditions (mulching + salvage logging, mulching + no salvage logging, no mulching + salvage logging, and no mulching + no salvage logging) in the two sites (semiarid and. subhumid climates). The subhumid site was affected by fire in autumn and the semiarid site was affected by fire in summer. Mulching was applied one and three months after wildfire in A Gudiña and Liétor, respectively, whereas logging was applied three months after mulching in Liétor and immediately after mulching in A Gudiña. One year after wildfire in A Gudiña (Pinus pinaster Ait. stands) and two years after wildfire in Liétor (Pinus halepensis M. stands), all surviving seedlings in each plot were counted. Our results suggest that soil organic matter content and total nitrogen were significantly affected by treatments at Liétor (semiarid climate), whereas no differences were detected at the A Gudiña site (subhumid climate). Results confirmed that regardless of whether tree felling took place, mulch treatment improved seedling density (over 40% higher when mulching was applied) and seedling height in the short term in a semiarid climate. The limited water availability and the light demands of pine species could be decisive for understanding the effect of mulching and logging operations for initial seedling recruitment in Liétor. The mulching + logging combination showed the highest seedling density at A Gudiña (subhumid climate), which could be related to increased light availability after tree felling. Seedling height, stem dry weight, root length, leave-covered shoot length and leave-covered shoot dry weight were always higher in mulching + salvage logging plots at A Gudiña. Our results generally suggest the compatibility between mulching and logging, which enhance initial seeding recruitment in burned semiarid and subhumid Mediterranean pine forests.

Expression of Antioxidant Enzymes and Changes in Some Physiological Parameters Following the Short-term Heavy Metal Application in Wheat

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of some biochemical parameters during the amelioration after period o short term treatment of wheat with arsenic, cadmium and lead. A decrease was observed in the experimental groups, in which 15 μM, 30 μM, and 60 μM (arsenic, lead, and cadmium) metal ion mixture was applied, in terms of the germination rate depending on the increased concentration, and a decrease was observed in the root and stem dry weights of the plants in all groups. MDA levels were determined to increase at all doses. It was determined that heavy metals accumulated by increasing in the tissues due to the increased concentration of heavy metals in the heavy metal ion-applied groups. There were significant changes in the expression levels of antioxidant enzymes. As a result, it was determined in the study that there were significant changes in some biochemical and physiological parameter�s which are the primary response to oxidative stress in plants exposed to heavy metals, depending on the stress. This reason it can be concluded that arsenic, lead and cadmium contents in media can be the responsible for growth inhibition.

Pertumbuhan Batang Pada Beberapa Varietas Kedelai (Glycine max (L.) Merr) Terhadap Jenis Tanah Aluvial, Regosol Dan Latosol

This study aims to determine the growth of 10 superior soybean varieties planted in 3 different types of soil (alluvial, regosol and latosol) and to find out whether the 3 types of soil give an effect to the growth of 10 superior soybean varieties viewed from 4 parameters (hypocotyl length, length epicotiles, stem length and stem dry weight).This study used a Randomized Block Design (RBD) consisting of 10 varieties of soybean plants (anjasmoro, argomulyo, detam 1, detam 3 prida, detam 4 prida, detap 1, devon 1, devon 2, yellow gepak and deja 1) and 3 types of soil (alluvial, regosol, and latosol) was repeated 2 times. Data were analyzed using the two-way ANAVA 5% test and the 5% DMRT test. The results showed a significant difference in soybean growth. The best soybean varieties in hypocotyl length are Devon 2, in epicotile length are Anjasmoro, Devon 1 and Devon 2, the stem length and dry weight of the stem are Detap 1. The DMRT test results state that all three soil types (alluvial, regosol and latosol) have influence on the parameters of hypocotyl length and epicotyl length, whereas the parameters of stem length and plant dry weight have no effect.
 
 Keywords: Soybean, Variety, Growing test

Indole-3-acetic acid improves drought tolerance of white clover via activating auxin, abscisic acid and jasmonic acid related genes and inhibiting senescence genes

BackgroundAuxin may have a positive effect on plants under drought stress. White clover is widely cultivated and often prone to water shortages. In the present study, we investigated the effects of exogenous indole − 3-acetic acid (IAA) on growth and physiological changes of white clover under drought stress condition. The contents of endogenous IAA and other hormones including ABA, CTK, JA, GA, IAA, and SA were assayed. Moreover, expressions of auxin-responsive genes, drought-responsive genes and leaf senescence-associated genes were detected in response to exogenous IAA.ResultsCompared to control, drought stress alone significantly diminished stem dry weigh, relative water content (RWC) and total chlorophyll content (Chl). Exogenous IAA treatment significantly increased RWC and Chl, whereas L-AOPP treatment drastically decreased stem dry weight, RWC and Chl under drought stress condition. Additionally, exogenous IAA treatment significantly increased ABA content and JA content, up-regulated expression of auxin responsive genes (GH3.1, GH3.9, IAA8), drought stress responsive genes (bZIP11, DREB2, MYB14, MYB48, WRKY2, WRKY56, WRKY108715 and RD22), and down-regulated expressions of auxin-responding genes (GH3.3, GH3.6, IAA27) and leaf senescence genes (SAG101 and SAG102) in the presence of PEG. Contrarily, L-AOPP treatment significantly reduced contents of ABA, GA3 and JA, down-regulated expressions of GH3.1, GH3.9, IAA8, bZIP11, DREB2, MYB14, MYB48, WRKY2, WRKY56, WRKY108715, ERD and RD22, and up-regulated SAG101 and SAG102.ConclusionsExogenous IAA improved drought tolerance of white clover possibly due to endogenous plant hormone concentration changes and modulation of genes involving in drought stress response and leaf senescence. These results provided useful information to understand mechanisms of IAA improved drought tolerance in white clover.

Biostimulants Derived from Moroccan Seaweeds: Seed Germination Metabolomics and Growth Promotion of Tomato Plant

Polysaccharides extracted from seaweeds can function as plant biostimulants. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of Polysaccharide Enriched Extracts (PEEs) obtained from 17 Moroccan seaweeds, on tomato seed germination and plant growth. Three concentrations (0.02, 0.05 and 0.1 mg mL−1) of PEEs were applied to tomato seeds to evaluate their effect on 3 germination parameters: germination percentage (GP), germination speed (GS) and mean germination time (MGT). Metabolomic analysis by GC–MS was subsequently performed on seedlings. In the second experiment, four PEEs concentrations (0.02, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 mg mL−1) were used as foliar spray or as soil application to tomato plants. Their growth parameters (number of leaves, shoot length, fresh and dry weight of stem and roots) and biochemical parameters (chlorophyll a and b) were measured. Results indicated a significant increase of GP and GS associated with a significant reduction of MGT of tomato seeds treated with 0.02 mg mL−1 of PEEs obtained from Gigartina sp., Gigartina pistillata, Chondracanthus acicularis, Gelidium crinale, Schizymenia dubyi, Cystoseira. foeniculacea and Fucus spiralis. Similar results were also obtained by application of higher PEEs concentration (0.1 mg mL−1) extracted from Ulva rigida, Codium tomentosum, Codium decorticatum and Bifurcaria bifurcata. Metabolomic analysis on seedlings detected the presence of some metabolites which could possibly be involved in seed germination enhancement or inhibition. The results of the second experiment showed that the same PEEs cited above at the same concentrations enhanced plant dry weight and chlorophyll a content except Gigartina sp., C. foeniculacea and C. decorticatum. Furthermore, soil application of PEEs was more effective in improving plant growth parameters than foliar application. The study shows the potential of PEEs from Moroccan seaweed to be used as biostimulants for a sustainable agriculture.

Increasing viability of cinnamon [Cinnamomum burmanii L.] seed by soaking in rabbit urine

Cinnamon is the main commodity of West Sumatra and Indonesia is the largest exporter of world markets. Cinnamon seeds are recalcitrant, so the fruit that has fallen out and is not fresh has experienced a decline in germination power. To improve the viability of cinnamon seeds, it is necessary to soak with rabbit urine. For this reason, a study was conducted to improve the quality of cinnamon seed viability through soaking in rabbit urine. This research was conducted at Balittro Laing Solok Experimental Garden from October 2017 to February 2018. The study used a completely randomized design [CRD] with 5 treatments namely rabbit urine dose: [1] without urine/water, [2] dose of 10 ml/l, [3] dose of 15 ml/l [4] dose of 20 ml/l [5] Dose of 25 ml/l, 30 seeds per box/plot and repeated 7 times. Seeds were used 7 days after harvest. Variables measured included: germination, vegetative growth of seeds [seed height, leaf number, leaf length, leaf width, stem diameter, number of roots, root length and biomass], chlorophyll analysis. The results showed that the seed germination was 60% while the vegetative growth of seed height, number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width, and stem diameter were found the best at doses 25 ml/l as well as for the variable root length, number of roots, whole wet weight, stem wet weight + leaves, root wet weight, whole dry weight, dry weight of stem + leaves, and dry weight of the root

GROWTH AND MINRAL STATUS OF COTTON PLANTS AS AFFECTED BY ABSICISIC ACID AND SALT STRESS

Application of antioxidant materials like absicisic acid to alleviate salinity stress and promote cotton growth is high effectiveness target, whereas cotton plant is an attractive industrial crop. Pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of salinity stress and absicisic acid (antioxidant materials to alleviate salinity stress) on cotton growth and macro nutrients status in shoots of cotton plants. Plants subjected to two salinity levels (2500 and 5000 ppm as diluted sea water), and tap water (250ppm) as control, sprayed absicisic acid (ABA) with two concentrations (20 and 40 ppm of ABA) and distilled water as a control. Salinity decreased stem and leaves dry weight compare to the control treatment. The lower concentrations of ABA (20 and 40 ppm as a foliar spray) improve dry weight of stem and leaves. Reversely, leaves/stem ratio decreased with both concentrations of the absicisic acid. The increment in dry weight of leaves and stem or their sum showed its higher values by application 40 ppm from ABA under the 5000 ppm salinity level and also under fresh water treatment but under the 2500 ppm treatment the highest values were by 20 ppm of growth regulator. Nevertheless, L/S ratio decreased by ABA treatment, whereas, the high concentration of ABA (40ppm) was super than lower concentration (20ppm) under both salinity levels. Generally, it can be used diluted seawater in irrigation of cotton plant with spraying abscisic acid to alleviate the harmful effect of salinity.

The impact of high plant density on dry matter remobilization and stalk lodging in maize genotypes with a different stay-green degree

ABSTRACT To test the hypothesis that stay-green genotypes help to increase stalk lodging resistance under high planting density by reducing dry matter remobilization from stalk, a two-year field study with three planting densities (60,000, 75,000, and 90,000 plants per ha) and six hybrids was conducted. When planting density changed from 75,000 to 90,000, stalk dry matter remobilization efficiency increased by 4.1–191%. Stem dry weight per length, rind penetration strength, average crushing strength for the first to fifth internode, and average bending strength for the third to fifth internode decreased by 25.4–47.2%, 5.1–24.6%, 1.4–29.9%, and 14.0–36.0%, respectively. Stalk lodging rate increased by 17–275%. Stalk dry matter remobilization efficiency was negatively correlated to either stem dry weight per length (r = 0.23, p < 0.05), rind penetration strength (r = 0.75, p < 0.01), crushing strength (r = 0.61, p < 0.01), or bending strength (r = 0.32, p < 0.01). Cultivars with higher stay-green degree (SR999, LY99, and NH101) had lower stalk lodging rate compared to the senescent cultivars XY335 and LY918. It is concluded that stay-green genotypes with low dry matter remobilization help to strengthen stem and reduce stalk lodging risk.

Influence of foliar application of nutrients on growth, yield and quality of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) under hill zone of Karnataka

A field experiment was conducted to know the “Influence of foliar application of nutrients on growth, yield and quality of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)” at College of Horticulture, Mudigere during 2017-18. The results revealed that foliar applications of micronutrient mixture @ 5g/lit recorded significantly higher plant height (38.67 cm), number of leaves (108.20), number of stem (5.27), plant spread (47.57 cm), Leaf area index (3.34), fresh weight of leaf (30.99 g), fresh weight of stem (73.47 g), dry weight of leaf (7.06 g), dry weight of stem (11.54 g), dry weight of root (4.87 g), total dry matter production (23.47 g/plant) with respect to growth parameters. Yield and quality parameters viz. similar treatment recorded maximum number of tubers per plant (2.89), number of tubers per plot (86.70), yield per hectare (20.80 t/ha), tuber volume (124.98 cc), tuber weight (98.65 g),tuber circumference (14.90 cm) and total sugars (2.41%) as compared to control.

Growth and Development of Stevia Cuttings During Propagation with Hormones in Different Months of the Year.

Stevia is an important non-caloric sweetener that has health-beneficial properties. The objective is to evaluate growth, development, and rooting of stevia plants during different seasons of the year using growth hormones. Eight experiments were set up in Ciudad Guzman, Jalisco, Mexico, with three treatments (T): T1, indol-3 butyric acid (IBA) 7.4 mM; T2, alphanaphthylacetamide (ANA) 6.4 mM + IBA 0.3 mM; and T3, control. The variables evaluated were rooted plantlets, plant height, root length, number of leaves, stem diameter, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, root dry weight, leaf area, shoot biomass, total biomass, as well as development and growth indexes. Four samplings were conducted in each experiment. The results show that the most appropriate months for propagating stevia cuttings are February, March, April, May, and July, when 96% to 99% of the cuttings rooted. The hormones had the best results related to production of root development. The control was outstanding only in variables related to production of shoot biomass and not to root development. It is concluded that stevia can be propagated vegetatively using cuttings treated with IBA 7.4 mM or ANA 6.4 mM + IBA 0.3 mM, preferable in the period from February to July, with the exception of June.

Morphological Features and Biomass Partitioning of Lucerne Plants (Medicago sativa L.) Subjected to Water Stress

Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting the morphological, physiological, and metabolic processes of plants, and hence their growth and production on a global scale. Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) is one of the most popular pasture species in semi-arid regions and plays a critical role in sustaining agricultural systems in many areas of the world. In order to evaluate the effect of water deficits on the growth and biomass distribution in different tissues of lucerne, plant height, leaf dry weight, leaf number and area, root dry weight, taproot length and lateral root number, and stem dry weight were measured at four stages from the seedling to flowering stages under three water regimes: (i) adequate water supply (minimum soil water content 85% pot capacity (PC)), (ii) moderate water stress (65% PC), and (iii) severe water stress (45% PC), imposed under a rainout shelter. With limited water supply, plant height, leaf number, leaf area and dry weight, taproot length, and total biomass were reduced, while lateral root numbers increased. The number of smaller leaves and root dry weight increased under moderate water stress, whereas severe water stress reduced them. Leaf, stem, and total dry weight were all reduced by the water deficits, but leaf dry weight was reduced the most and root dry weight the least, so there was a redistribution of biomass towards the roots, increasing the root–shoot ratio. These results help us to understand the response of lucerce to water stress and assist in developing a foundation for the sustainable use of lucerne in semi-arid agricultural systems.

Influence of Soil Amendment on the Relative Growth Rate and Net Assimilation Rate of Phaseolus vulgaris and Vigna aconitifolia

Background: Soil pH is one of the most important factors that contribute to crop growth and productivity. The present research was designed to assess the influence of soil amendment using organic manure and agricultural lime on the relative growth rate (RGR) and net assimilation rate (NAR) of Phaseolus vulgaris and Vigna aconitifolia grown on soils from different locations.&#x0D; Methodology: The three locations were: Akamkpa, Calabar Municipality and Odukpani. The pH for the three soil locations were 4.0, 7.0 and 9.0, respectively. The treatments were; control (0 g), OM1 (100 g organic manure), OM2 (200 g organic manure), AL1 (100 g agricultural lime), AL2 (200 g agricultural lime), OM1 + AL1 (50 g organic manure + 50 g agricultural lime) and OM2 +AL2 (100 g organic manure and 100 g agricultural lime).&#x0D; Results: Results obtained on the RGR of the leaf dry weight of P. vulgaris treated with OM2 was the highest (0.50 g/wk) followed by OM1 (0.41 g/wk). OM1 + AL1 had the highest RGR of the stem dry weight of P. vulgaris grown on soil from Calabar Municipality. In the RGR of the root dry weight, OM2 had the highest mean value in both plants grown on Akamkpa soil. Results obtained at 4 weeks after planting (WAP) revealed that there was significant (P&lt;0.05) increase in NAR of plants grown on soil from Akamkpa. The highest NAR was obtained for V. aconitifolia treated with OM2 (0.0447 g/wk) followed by OM2 + AL2 (0.0057 g/wk) for both V. aconitifolia and P. vulgaris. P. vulgaris grown on Akamkpa and Odukpani soils treated with AL2 (0.0032 g/wk), OM1 + AL1 (0.0041 g/wk) and OM2+ AL2 (0.0062 g/wk) had the highest NAR at 8 WAP.&#x0D; Conclusion: The RGR and NAR of the two bean varieties were improved following treatments with organic manure and agricultural lime.

Effects of Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer and farmyard manure on the growth and yield of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

A pot experiment was carried out to assess the comparative effects of Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer and farmyard manure on the growth and yield components of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.). The treatments were T0 (control), T1 (Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer 5 t/ha), T2 (Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer 10 t/ha), T3 (Trichoderma- enriched biofertilizer 15 t/ha), T4 (Farmyard manure 5 t/ha), T5 (Farmyard manure 10 t/ha) and T6 (Farmyard manure 15 t/ha). The experiments were laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications of each treatment. Among the different treatments T3 showed best as much as twice more effective than farmyard manure in increasing growth and yield parameters (plant height, fruit length, fresh weight and dry weight of stem, leaf and fruit) of brinjal plants. Overall, all the treatments increased macronutrients and micronutrients content and uptake by brinjal plants over control. Analysis of post-harvest soil samples also revealed that all the parameters except pH were increased due to different treatments.&#x0D; Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 29(1): 1-8, 2020 (January)

Study on screening of canola varieties with high light use efficiency and evaluation of selecting indices

High light use efficiency is an important factor for yield improvement during the growing season for winter canola. This study explored the evaluation method of high light use efficiency during the whole growth period in order to screen high light use coefficient of crop genotypes in canola producing areas of Southwest China. The pot experiment was conducted with sixty canola cultivars which had already been planted in the crops planting areas of the middle and upper reaches of Yangtze River. The plant height, root neck diameter, number of pods per main inflorescence, pods per plant, dry weight of shoots, seed weight per plant, pericarp weight per plant, ratio of pericarps to seeds weight per plant, seeds number per pod and 1000-grain weight were investigated under the shading treatment of reducing the incoming solar light by 20%. The high light use coefficient of canola cultivars was evaluated comprehensively by principal component analysis, membership function, cluster analysis and stepwise regression analysis. With these analyses, the original twelve indices related to light use efficiency could be synthesized into the four independent indices which represented 86.4% of all the investigated information of canola with high photosynthetic efficiency. Sixty varieties were classified into three groups by cluster analysis, and ZS12, GYZ6, FY792, RHY6, CZY3 and ZYZ19 displayed higher light use efficiency; such 18 varieties as XDZY9, XY1, YY50 and so on, were medium light efficient ones; and the rest 36 varieties such as LY9, ZYZ781, SG127 and so on, fell to the relatively lower light use efficiency categories. The comprehensive evaluation in this study had screened such four indicators as the stem dry weight per plant, the pod number per plant, the seed number per pod and the 1000-seed weight, which could be regarded as identification indicators for high light use efficiency of canola.

Response of Sweet Wormwood (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Artemisia annua&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; L.) to Different Rates of Inorganic Nitrogen Fertilizer in Semi-Arid Zimbabwe

Sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua L.) is a highly valued crop, native to China, whose active ingredient “artemisinin” and its derivatives: artemether and artesunate, are used to prepare anti-malaria drugs. In Zimbabwe, very little has been done on improving agronomic practices that can enhance the yield of this crop. As a result, herbal gardens in Zimbabwe producing this sweet aromatic herb are realizing low leaf biomass. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of varying nitrogen fertilizer levels on growth and yield of Artemisia annua. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used and replicated four times. The fertilizer treatments consisted of 0, 40 kg N/ha, 80 kg N/ha, 120 kg N/ha, 160 kg N/ha and were applied as a top dress four weeks after planting. Applying 80 kg N/ha, 120 kg N/ha or 160 kg N/ha resulted in the best performance of Artemisia annua with respect to the plant height, root dry weight, stem dry weight and leaf biomass. Low N level (40 kg N/ha) recorded significantly low means in plant height, root weight, stem weight and leaf biomass. The results suggest that 80 kg N/ha should be recommended for use by Artemisia annua farmers, since there was no significant different among the three higher fertilizer levels. However there is need for further research to determine different fertilizer use efficient to come up with accurate agronomic data package for Zimbabwean farmers.

EFFECT OF SELENIUM ON SALT TOLERANCE IN MAIZE PLANTS

ABSTRACT Two pot experiments during the seasons of 2017 and 2018 were conducted to investigate the effect of Se as Na2SeO4 (2.5 and 5 µM) as foliar applications on growth, photosynthetic pigments, Na/K homeostasis and eventually the yield of maize plants grown under three different levels of salinity (0, 50 and 100 mM NaCl). The results indicated that Se at 2.5 µM recorded the highest significant values in leaves and stem dry weights, total grain yield plant-1 and grain filling as indicated by the weight of 100 kernels; As well as, Chl a, Chl b and K concentrations. On contrary, there was a significant decrease in Na concentration and Na/K ratio. Additionally, carotenoids did not reveal any significant changes between Se-treated plants and the untreated ones.