Plant Surface Area Research Articles

Новый подход к оценке площади поверхности хвои пихты сибирской

Новый подход к оценке площади поверхности хвои пихты сибирской

Glycoprotein Producing AM Fungi lifecycle and Potential Role in Agricultural Plant Lifespan and Global Environmental Changes for Sustainable Green Technology

The fungi forming arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi) are obligate symbionts microbe that predominates with inside the roots and soil of land flora. AM fungi are monophyletic group of phylum Glomeromycota. The AM fungi now no longer simplest arise in roots however additionally produce hung networks of extraradical mycelium (ERM) indeterminate length, spreading from host roots into the encompassing soil and establishing belowground interconnections amongst plants belonging to the identical or to unique taxa, in which they form a dense mycelial network (MNW). Reproduction in AM fungi takes place via asexual spores, which might be produced at the hyphae tips. These thick-walled spores stay with inside the soil for prolonged periods of time. AM fungi facilitate host plants to develop vigorously beneath stressful situations with the aid of using mediating a chain of complicated conversation occasions among the plant and the AM fungus leading to enhanced photosynthetic rate and other gas exchange in addition to improved water. AM fungi provide key nutrients to host plant lifespan. AM fungi transfer phosphorus (P), other macro and micro nutrients, along with water to the hosts of grassland and tropical forest plants in exchange for sugars. AM fungi form a network of filaments that associate with plant roots and draw nutrients from the soil that the root system would not be able to access otherwise. AM fungus plant alliance stimulates plant growth and accelerates root improvement in nearly all crops. The AM fungal extraradical hyphae (ERH) alongside glomalin connected soil protein (GCSP) extensively influence the soil carbon dynamics (SCD) and enhance soil and plant health. They additionally increase the resistance in plants against plant pathogens and surface area of root system for higher absorption of nutrients from soil. Therefore, they can be used as biofertilizer in addition to biocontrol agent. Present manuscript delineated the prospective of AM fungi as a biostimulants can potentially strengthen plants' adaptability to converting Agriculture system for green technology

ФОТОСИНТЕТИЧНА ДІЯЛЬНІСТЬ ПОСІВІВ СОРГО ЗЕРНОВОГО ЗАЛЕЖНО ВІД СПОСОБУ СІВБИ НАСІННЯ

Grain sorghum is a drought-resistant crop and forms a high grain productivity and biomass as a raw material for the production of bioethanol and solid fuel in difficult soil and climatic conditions. The aim of the research was to establish the influence of sowing seeds method of the grain sorghum varieties on the photosynthetic activity of crops in the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. Field, laboratory, mathematical and statistical. Results. It has been proved that the leaf surface area of grain sorghum plants reached its maximum during the period of "throwing out panicles - flowering". It was the largest when sowing with a row spacing of 45 cm and at a plant density of 150 thousand units/ha – 34.8 thousand m2/ha for the Dniprovsky 39 variety and 32.7 thousand m2/ha for the Vinets variety. With the standing density of 200 thousand pieces/ha, the Dniprovsky 39 variety has 37.8 thousand m2/ha, the Vinets variety – 35.6 thousand m2/ha and with the density of 250 thousand pieces/ha, respectively 38.2 and 36.9 thousand m2/ha. The photosynthetic potential also changed depending on the size of the assimilation surface during the growing season. It was the highest when sowing seeds with a row spacing of 45 cm and amounted to 1.13–1.29 million m2/ha for the Dniprovsky 39 variety and 1.10–1.22 million m2/ha for the Vinets variety. When sowing with the row spacing of 15 cm, this indicator was 0.86–1.07 million m2/ha for the Dniprovsky 39 variety and 0.84–1.09 million m2/ha for the Vinets variety. When sowing grain sorghum seeds with the row spacing of 70 cm, the photosynthetic potential was 0.83–1.03 million m2/ha and 0.78–0.95 million m2/ha, respectively. An increase in the plant density from 150 to 250 thousand pieces/ha of grain sorghum contributed to an increase not only in the assimilation leaf surface, but also in the photosynthetic potential. The high net productivity of photosynthesis was observed when sowing seeds with the row spacing of 45 cm and for the Dniprovsky 39 variety it was in the range of 3.36–3.94 g/m2 per day, for the Vinets variety — 3.32–3.81 g/m2 in day. Conclusions. It was found that with a change in the feeding area of grain sorghum plants, the assimilation surface of leaves, photosynthetic potential and net productivity of photosynthesis change.

THE SORPTION OF SULFUR DIOXIDE BY SOME SPECIES OF DRY PLANTS

Sulfur dioxide is one of the most dangerous pollutants in the air. The leaves of plants perform a filtering function and absorb SO2 from the atmosphere. As a result - spots appear on the leaves - necrosis. Dry vegetation has a porous structure, so it absorbs dust and toxic gases more intensively. Absorbed Sulfur dioxide re-enters the air during seasonal burning of dry leaves and grass, creating dangerous to human health local excess concentrations.Leaves of common in the Transcarpathian region and Ukraine field plants plantain, meadow fescue, nettle and burdock were used for the study. Sulfur dioxide, formed by the interaction of concentrated sulfuric acid and crystalline sodium sulfite, was pumped through series-connected absorption containers with dry leaves and a solution of potassium chlorate, which oxidized excess of sulfur dioxide to sulfate ions. The concentration of sulfate ions was determined titrimetrically.Gas transmission was carried out at temperatures of 22oC and 0oC. The obtained results have been shown decreasing of specific sorption with a temperature decreasing. Probably, this is due to the narrowing of pores and reducing of dry leaf fibers permeability.Measurement of the total and specific surface area of plants made it possible to estimate their total surface area, formed by smooth sections, protrusions and cracks. The specific surface area increases in a number of plantain-burdock-nettle-meadow fescue. At a temperature of 22oC, a direct relationship between the specific surface area and the sorption capacity has not been established. It indicates the participation in the process of gas absorption not only of the surface , but also internal pores. Therefore, to approximate the porosity of the studied samples of dry leaves, the bulk density of crushed and sifted through calibrated sieves of dry biomass was measured.The obtained results make it possible to conclude that at 22 ° C burdock leaves absorb the largest amount of sulfur dioxide among the studied plant species. At 0ºС the largest amount of SO2 is sorbed by meadow fescue. The mass of sorbed gas is from 18 to 34% of the mass of dry leaves (in terms of green biomass - from 4 to 9%).

ВПЛИВ АНТИГІБЕРЕЛІНОВИХ ПРЕПАРАТІВ НА АНАТОМО-МОРФОЛОГІЧНІ ПОКАЗНИКИ РОСЛИН СОЇ

The specificity of the action of antigibberelin drugs is that they can influence the processes and intensity that cannot be corrected by agronomic measures of cultivation. The purpose of the work was to scientifically substantiate the use of plant growth inhibitors with an antigibberelin type of action as an element of soybean cultivation technology, to identify their effect on growth, development and productivity. The research was carried out on a soybean plants of the Triada variety. At a height of shoots 10-15 cm plants were treated with aqueous solutions: 0.5% tebuconazole, 0.2% ethephon and 0.5% chlormequat chloride until complete wetting of the leaves. Control plants were treated with water. During the research, morphological parameters, leaf surface area, and organ mass were defined. It was established that the use of plant growth inhibitors with an antigibberelinic mechanism of action (the ethylene producer esfone (0,2 %), the triazole-derived retardant tebuconazole (0,5 %) and the onium preparation chlormequat chloride (0,5 %) on soybean plants led to morphological and anatomical changes: decreasing of the mass of leaves and stem, increasing the thickness of the stem and root collar. The preparations reduced the length of internodes of soybean plants,, that created the preconditions for plant resistance to lodging. Plant growth inhibitors had different effects on the leaf surface area of soybean plants: there was an increase in this indicator by 24% for the use of chlormequat chloride, and processing with esfon and tebuconazole led to a decrease of 26% and 23% accordingly. Different effects of retardants were found on the length of the main root. Under the action of esfon the length of the main root decreased by 20%; the application of both chlormequatchloride and tebuconazole, this indication increased accordingly by 43% and 37%. The question of studying the influence of modern plant growth regulators with a different mechanism of action on the productivity of different varieties of legumes remains relevant

Species-dependent responses of root growth of herbaceous plants to snow cover changes in a temperate desert, Northwest China

Changes in snow cover can influence root growth and distribution of herbaceous species in water limiting desert ecosystems. However, how the growth of root systems of herbaceous species responds to snow cover changes remains unclear. Thus, the present study was aimed to examine the influence of snow cover changes on root growth of herbaceous species in a temperate desert of central Asia. Plots with four snow cover depth treatments in winter were investigated in the Gurbantunggut Desert. The four treatments were snow removal (− S), ambient snow, double snow (+ S), and triple snow (+ 2S). We examined the root growth of two typical herbaceous species: one ephemeral species, Erodium oxyrhinchum, and one annual species, Ceratocarpus arenarius. The root length of the annual plant was significantly reduced by snow removal compared with the ambient treatment. The specific root length and specific surface area of the ephemeral plants increased with increasing snow depth, whereas the annual plants showed the opposite trends. Snow removal significantly increased the root–shoot ratio of the annual plants, with no effects found in the ephemeral plants. The individual root biomass and total underground biomass of the two species had similar responses to the snow depth treatments, with the highest values found with the ambient treatment. These results can contribute to explaining to changing winter snow cover depth can alter plant growth, community structure, and ecosystem function in the growing season in temperate desert ecosystems.

FEATURES OF GROWTH PROCESSES AND PRODUCTIVITY OF RADISH PLANTS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF RETARDANTS

The increase of the plants resistance to unfavorable environmental factors while increasing productivity plants is one of the perspective ways in vegetable growing. The purpose of our research was to highlight the results of studies of the regulation of growth processes and productivity of radish plants under the influence of drugs with retardant action - chlormequatchloride and ethephon. Our studies were performed on radishes of the Zorya variety. Radish plants were treated in the phase of formation of two leaves with 0.25% solution of ethephon and 0.25% solution of chlormequatchloride until complete wetting of the leaves. The control plants were treated with water. During the research the morphometric parameters of plants, leaf surface area, yield and chlorophyll content in plant leaves were determined. The use of retardants ethephon (0.25%) and chlormequatchloride (0.25%) on Zorya radish plants in the phase of 2-leaf formation caused the important changes in plant morphogenesis. It was established that plant height decreased, mass of the leaf and root enlarged, the area of leaf surface increased. Treatment of plants with ethyleneproducent ethephon (0.25%) inhibited growth of plant by 19% in height. The use of retardant chlormequatchloride (0.25%) inhibited growth by 4%. It was investigated that the use of retardants increased the number and weight of leaves in comparison with the control radish plants. Under the action of ethephon (0.25%) these indicators increased by 14% and 5%, accordingly, and under chlormequatchloride (0.25%) treatments - by 14% and 22%. It was found that the use of retardants increased the leaf surface area of radish plants. The leaf area increased by 22% when were treated with chlormequatchloride. The use of ethephon was less effective, because this parameter increased by only 11%. The use of growth regulators had a positive effect on the productivity of radish plants. The application of ethephon increased the weight of radish roots by 15%, the use of chlormequatchloride caused the enlarging weight of radish roots by 28%. Key words: morphogenesis, leaf surface area, productivity, retardants, radishes.

Composition of Macrocomponents and Trace Elements in Macrophytes from the Freshwater Part of the Volga Mouth Area

The concentrations of macrocomponents (Na, K, Mg, Ca, and P) and trace elements (Rb, Cs, Be, Sr, Ba, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ag, Sn, Sb, Al, Ga, rare earth elements, Ti, Zr, Hf, Th, U, Nb, Ta, B, V, Cr, Ge, As, Mo, and W) were measured in 12 macrophyte species selected in the freshwater part of the Volga mouth area. Close correlations between the average specific contents were established: (a) most of the studied trace elements, which confirms the phenomenon of group concentration found earlier for heavy metals and chromium; (b) magnesium, calcium, and trace elements capable of their isomorphic substitution; (c) the typically biogenic elements potassium and phosphorus. A regular increase in the concentrations of trace elements and, to a lesser extent, of magnesium and calcium was found in the series “helophytes → large-leaved hydrophytes → variegate-leaved hydrophytes → small-leaved hydrophytes, including hydrophytes completely immersed in water,” which corresponds to an increase in the effective surface area of plants in the aquatic environment.

Spatial Modeling of Maximum Capacity Values of Irrecoverable Rainfall Retention by Forests in a Small Watershed

When performing hydrologic calculations, the actual amount of rain precipitation falling under the tree canopies of the taiga zone is one of the most important factors in forming and estimating rainfall runoff. This is due to the fact that only a portion of rainfall reaching the soil through the forest canopy takes part in forming river runoff. At present, there is no unanimity on methods of estimating rainfall retention by the canopies of different tree species in various natural geographical zones. The existing estimation methods rely on empirical observations of net and gross rainfall rather than on the results of physical modeling of moisture on leaf surfaces in droplet form. The disadvantages of the existing methods mean that it is not possible to make a spatial estimation of rainfall captured by canopies. The purpose of this study was to map the maximum rainfall interception capacity for a small forest watershed. The authors were able to solve the following problems: (1) In situ modeling of specific water retention in droplet form on leaf surfaces of tree species of the experimental watershed in the middle taiga subzone was carried out and the specific water retention per unit leaf area was determined. Such experiments have never been conducted previously. (2) Indirect methods of estimating the leaf surface area of tree plants depending on the amount of phytomass, age and height of tree stands were developed. (3) Mapping of tree stand characteristics (such as species composition, height, canopy cover) were performed, and together with the specific rainfall interception capacity, which was determined during experiments, provided the basis for a map of maximum rainfall retention capacity by canopies, i.e., a spatial image of irrecoverable rainfall losses was obtained. Rainfall is retained on a canopy in droplet form (droplet size varies from 10.6 to 18.6 mg). Specific water retention (mass per unit leaf surface area) is determined by the leaf (needle) roughness. The overall droplet retention on canopies is determined by leaf surface area and precipitation intensity. The maximum mass of the rainfall retained on the canopies of individual deciduous trees reaches 77 kg, (3.0–4.0 mm per canopy projection area) and that of coniferous trees ranges from 24.8 to 58.0 kg (1.9 to 5.9 mm). Understanding rainfall loss values in hydrology is of key importance in distributed models of rainfall flooding. Taking into account rainfall losses due to canopy interception makes it possible to reduce the margin of error in calculations of maximum rainfall flood loss from 126% to 25%.

How Do Foliar Application of Melatonin and L-Tryptophan Affect Lettuce Growth Parameters Under Salt Stress?

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of exogenous Melatonin (100, 300 and 500 µM) and L-tryptophan (125, 250, 375 ppm) applications on some growth parameters of lettuce plants grown under salt stress. The study was carried out under semi-controlled greenhouse conditions in spring (March/April) season. The exogenous applications to lettuce plants were carried out two times as foliar spraying. Salt stress was generated by adding NaCl (0 mM, 100 mM, 200 mM) to irrigation water. The complete randomized design was used with three replications in this experiment. At the end of the study, it was found that the highest doses of exogenous applications had the highest effect on the parameters of the number of leaves, salinity necrosis, fresh leaf weight, fresh root weight, and total surface area of lettuce plants under 200 mM salinity condition. When the effects of the subtract on these values were compared, the effect of melatonin was found to be more pronounced. Leaf width, leaf length, and leaf surface temperature values were not affected by the external application. These values only changed depending on salt concentration. As a result of the study, it was concluded that the application of 500 µM melatonin significantly increased salt tolerance in lettuce plants. However, in order to reach a more general conclusion, the dose ranges and genotype/variety numbers should be increased.

Variation in Morphological and Physiological Characteristics of Wild Elymus nutans Ecotypes from Different Altitudes in the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau

The availability of suitable native plant species for local animal husbandry development and ecological restoration is limited on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Therefore, comparisons of the ecological adaptability of native species to alternative habitats and their introduction into new habitats are of high importance. This study is aimed at identifying the alteration in morphological and physiological characteristics by measuring photosynthetic physiology, nutrient content, and growth associated with adaptation of plants to conditions at different altitudes 2450, 2950, 3100, and 3300 m above sea level (a. s. l.) on the plateau. Seeds of the dominant grass, Elymus nutans, were collected from locations at these altitudes and grown at a test location of 2950 m a. s. l. Results indicated that altitude had no significant effect on plant height and root depth. However, the leaf area and total root surface area of plants derived from 2950 and 3300 m a. s. l. showed a parabolic response, being greater than those of plants derived from the lowest (2450 m) and highest (3300 m a. s. l.). Total (root plus shoot) dry matter reduced progressively from 2450 to 3300 m a. s. l, while root : shoot ratio increased progressively with altitude. Seed yield of plants originating from the test altitude (2950 m a. s. l) was significantly higher than at any other altitude, being 20% lower at 2450 m, and 38% and 58% less in populations originating from the higher altitudes (3100 and 3300 m a. s. l.). There was also a parabolic decline in response of Elymus nutans germplasm from 3100, 3300, and 2450 m, compared with plants from 2950 m a. s. l., to photosynthetic rate, total N, soluble sugar, and starch contents. Germplasm from 2450 m a. s. l. had significantly lower shoot and higher root carbon content, lower shoot nitrogen, and lower root carbon-to-nitrogen ratio compared with plants derived from the other three altitudes. It is suggested that the stable, genetically determined morphological and physiological features of ecotypes showed parabolic responses which means these ecotypes have become adapted to local habitats, whereas parameters such as dry matter, total root : shoot ratio, photosynthetic rate, and intercellular CO2 concentration of plants reflected phenotypic linear response to current abiotic conditions. It is postulated that introduced ecotypes from 2450, 3100, and 3300 m could adapt to the environment at 2950 m a. s. l. gradually. We conclude that the increased thermal regime experienced by plants introduced from high altitude to low altitude may facilitate the increased growth of Elymus nutans subtypes. It is important to preserve local strains of native species, or ecotypes, for reintroduction into degraded environments and to maintain the greatest ecosystem stability in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau.

Вплив способів зрошення на продуктивність кукурудзи

Modern methods of irrigation are considered as a key factor in the intensification of technologies for growing of grain corn. The productivity of the crop as a result of the optimization of water and nutrient regimes increases from 100 to 380% in comparison with non-irrigated conditions. The aim of the research was to study the effect of sprinkling, drip irrigation and subsurface drip irrigation on growth processes, the structure of the crop formation and the yield of grain corn. Field experimental studies were conducted on the lands of Kamyans'ko-Dnieprovs'ka research station IWPLM of NAAS during 2018-2020The obtained results confirm that the method of irrigation significantly affects the formation of basic biometric parameters, yield structure and productivity. It is established that the maximum parameters of growth processes (plant height, leaf surface area, as well as photosynthetic potential and net photosynthesis productivity) of corn are provided by drip irrigation. Significantly lower and similar values were determined for the conditions of subsurface drip irrigation and sprinkling, and the lowest parameters of corn productivity were obtained under natural moisture conditions. The highest yield of corn grain was obtained under drip irrigation – 20,69 t on ha, while under subsurface laying of irrigation pipelines it was significantly lower – 16,44 t on ha. In the variant with sprinkling, the decrease in grain yield by 0,62 t on ha compared to subsurface drip irrigation was within the least significant difference of the experiment (LSDА0,5 = 1,93). On the variant of conditional control (without irrigation), on average, for three years, a low yield level was obtained - only 3,85 t on ha, which confirms the significant risks and inexpediency of this crop in the Steppe conditions without irrigation. The results also confirm the existence of a close correlation between corn yield and leaf surface area of plants. The obtained dependence is described by a linear equation of the form y = 0,6227x – 14,133, and the coefficient of determination is R2 = 0,98.

Phosphate Uptake is Correlated with the Root Length of Celery Plants Following the Association between Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, Pseudomonas sp. and Biochar with Different Phosphate Fertilization Levels

The interaction between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi) and Pseudomonas sp. has received considerable attention. The presence of biochar may affect these microorganisms, with subsequent modification of the phosphorus uptake and root morphology, and plant biomass accumulation. This research sought to identify, in the presence or absence of biochar, the effects of the interactions of mycorrhizal fungi and Pseudomonas sp. on the responses of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) uptake and the root length, surface area, and volume of celery plants with low and high P fertilization under different substrate and soil conditions. The results indicate that strong growth responses of celery plants were observed due to the combination of AM fungi, Pseudomonas sp., and biochar with low P fertilization. A strong linear relationship was found between the plant root length and P accumulation in the shoot fraction in the present study. Increased P and N uptake occurred in treatments combining these microorganisms rather than alone, and this increase especially occurred in the presence of biochar. The low availability of P was substantially recovered by the association of these three aspects. The root morphology was greatly influenced by the biochar additives and in combination with AM fungi and Pseudomonas sp. The root colonization rate of AM fungi was increased by the combination of the inoculation of Pseudomonas sp. and biochar rather than AM fungi and/or Pseudomonas sp. These results indicate an accumulating effect of AM fungi, Pseudomonas sp., and biochar exists on the plant growth response and nutrient uptake because of the increasing root length, surface area, and volume, rather than root biomass.

Irrigation with magnetically treated saline water influences the growth and photosynthetic capability of Vitis vinifera L. seedlings

Salinity is one of the major environmental stresses that can inhibit plant growth and development and cause physiological and metabolic changes. In this study, a pot experiment was performed involving two-year-old grape seedlings. Three different concentrations of NaCl solutions composed of tap water were used to irrigate the potted grapevine in the presence and absence of a magnetic device. The growth parameters and photosynthesis characteristics were analyzed during the stress treatments under field conditions. The results were as follows: Compared with those of the plants irrigated with non-magnetized saline water (NMSW), the growth of the aboveground parts (growth quantity, internode length, basal diameter, leaf area and leaf number) and the root growth (total root length, surface area, mean diameter, volume and root tip number) of plants irrigated with magnetized saline water (MSW) increased in response to the different treatment solutions, and the biomass of the leaves, stems and roots increased by 2.0 %∼45.0 %. The proportion of material allocated to the leaves and roots increased, and the root/crown ratio increased when exposed to 6.0 g·L−1 NaCl solutions. Compared with those in the plants irrigated with NMSW, the chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid contents in the plants irrigated with MSW increased by 3.0 %∼13.0 %. Moreover, compared with NMSW, MSW led to increases in the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (Tr), limiting value of stomata (Ls) and water-use efficiency (WUE), while the intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) decreased. The ratio of specific activity parameters per unit area exhibited the largest increase (from 12.0 % to 26.0 %), and photosynthetic performance indexes increased by 18.0 %–56.0 %. Generally, the abovementioned results indicate alleviated inhibition of grape growth under irrigation with MSW. Moreover, treatment with MSW reduced the damage of saline water to the photosynthetic mechanism in grapevine, helped maintain the photosynthetic activity in the mesophyll cells, and promoted efficient electron transport between the photosystems, thus promoting the biomass production of the grapevine.

Productivity of different species of sainfoin depending on the elements of cultivation technology

Purpose. To determine the features of the leaf surface area formation and the dynamics of growth of the vege­tative mass of various sainfoin species depending on the influence of mineral fertilizers and inoculation. Methods. Field, laboratory, statistical. Results. In the course of experimental studies, the morphological features of plants in the process of growth and development of various sainfoin species were studied. As our studies showed, all sainfoin species had different plant densities, which accordingly affected the leaf surface area. In the budding phase, the leaf surface area of plants of the first year in continuous cultivation ranged from 17.01 to 24.3 thousand m2/ha on average over three years; in particular, from 18.06 to 24.3 – for common sainfoin; 17.6–20.5 – for transcaucasus sainfoin and 17.1–20.3 thousand m2/ha – for sand sainfoin. The maximum leaf surface area of the plants of the first year of cultivation, regardless of its species, was observed during flowering with the application of complete mineral fertilizer (N45P60K90). In areas without fertilizer this figure was much lower. In the experiments, an increase in the leaf surface on all three studied species and sainfoin varieties from the first to the third year of their cultivation was clearly observed. According to the results of gross productivity for 2 mowings, it was found that common sainfoin forms the maximum increase of top with complete mineral fertilizer and seed inoculation – 43.03 t/ha. Conclusions. The productivity of sainfoin crops depended mostly on the application of complete fertilizer at a dose of N45P60K90 + inoculation of seeds. To a much lesser extent, the species of sainfoin and the cutting height of the first mowing of the grass stand affected its productivity. It was revealed that the greatest dynamics of vegetative mass growth was observed in common sainfoin, and the smallest was recorded in sand sainfoin.

Linkage disequilibrium mapping of high-throughput image-derived descriptors of plant architecture traits under field conditions

Plant architectural traits are important factors in determining grain and biomass productivity of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench). However, collecting data on these architectural traits is labor-intensive and time-consuming, especially when using numerous lines in quantitative genetic studies or breeding programs. Therefore, we used the high-throughput field-based robotic platform PhenoBot 1.0 to collect whole canopy stereo images from a large association mapping panel under field conditions. These images were used to create a plot-based 3D reconstruction of the canopy from which phenotypic features were automatically extracted. These features included: plot-based plant height (PPH), plot-based plant width (PPW), plant surface area (PSA), and convex-hull volume (CHV). A small sub-set of sorghum lines were used to obtain ground-truth measurements to validate the image-derived descriptors, and determine their biological significance. PPH was highly correlated with manually measured plant height; PPW correlated with SinAL, defined as leaf length multiplied by the sine of its angle; PSA was associated with manually measured total plant surface area; and CHV was a function of both flag-leaf height and SinAL. Association mapping of PPH identified chromosomal regions containing known plant height genes, confirming the accuracy of the automatic feature extraction process. For the other phenotypic features, significant markers were identified within genomic regions that have been previously reported to control plant architectural characteristics in sorghum such as tiller number, shoot compactness, leaf length, surface area, and angle. The image processing method used in this study contributes new knowledge to the development of high-throughput phenotyping techniques and represents a novel tool for plant breeders.

The irrigation salinity and harvesting affect the growth, chemical profile and biological activities of Polygonum maritimum L.

Previously, our group identified the halophyte Polygonum maritimum L. (sea knotgrass) as a promising source of ingredients for the cosmetic, food, pharmaceutical and veterinarian industries. To further explore this species, and to guarantee the supply of biomass for commercial purposes, it is necessary to ensure its sustainable production while assuring the preservation of its chemical and biological properties. In this context, this work aimed to cultivate this species in greenhouse conditions and to determine the influence of specific agronomic conditions, namely irrigation salinity and harvest, on the plant’s growth performance and biological properties of obtained biomass. For that purpose, plants were grown in a greenhouse and irrigated with water with different salinities (0, 100, 200, 300 and 600 mM of sodium chloride - NaCl). After six weeks of irrigation, plants were cut 7 cm above soil level and submitted to an additional two harvests with a six-week interval. Plant growth performance was evaluated in terms of plant height, leaf number and surface area, moisture, and productivity. Acetone extracts were prepared from aboveground organs and evaluated for chemical composition (by spectrophotometric methods, and by ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry - UHRMS), and for in vitro antioxidant properties [radical-scavenging activity (RSA) on DPPH and ABTS, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and metal chelating activity on iron (ICA) and copper (CCA)]. Extracts were also appraised for in vitro anti-inflammatory activity on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Increased salinity and multiple harvests reduced plant growth and yields; the highest productivity was obtained in plants irrigated with freshwater at 2nd harvest (346 g/m2 of dried biomass). The extracts maintained the in vitro biological properties and interesting chemical profile, however, these depended on the irrigation salinity and harvest regime. The highest antioxidant activities were obtained in extracts from plants irrigated with freshwater at the 3rd harvest (DPPH: 96.2%; ABTS: 89.1%; CCA: 61.6%; FRAP: 136%). The extracts from biomass obtained in the 1st harvest of freshwater-irrigated plants, and from those treated with 100 and 200 mM of NaCl, had significant anti-inflammatory properties. The main compounds detected were mostly flavonols (myricetin and quercetin glycosides), which varied according to both irrigation salinity and harvest. Our results indicate that sea knotgrass can be cultivated in greenhouse conditions aiming industrial commercial applications, irrigated with freshwater or with irrigation solutions with moderate salinity. Moreover, produced biomass maintain the biological and chemical properties previously detected in plants collected from the wild.

Вплив норм висіву насіння та способів сівби на формування площі листя рослин нуту

The work is devoted to studying the influence of seeding rates and sowing methods on the formation of chickpea plant leaves area. Problem statement, literature analysis . Given the current climate change, the soil and market conditions, it becomes important to increase the area of leguminous crops with high adaptive potential. One of such crops is chickpea. The demand for this crop in Ukraine and around the world tends to grow. Further expansion of chickpea acreage is impossible without increasing the competitiveness of this crop production, especially seed yield. It is possible to increase the realization level of the genetic potential of chickpea productivity by optimizing its cultivation technology. However, in the chickpea cultivation technology the most controversial issue remains the choice of the optimal combination of seeding rate and sowing method. Therefore, it is important to study the cultivation technology elements (seeding rates, sowing methods) in order to select the best parameters, the combination of which makes it possible to more fully disclose the genetic potential of plant productivity. The purpose of research . The research aim was to establish the influence of seeding rates and sowing methods on the crop leaves area formation of different chickpea varieties during vegetation. Material s and methods of research. Studies on the effect of three sowing methods with row spacing of 15, 30 and 45 cm and five seeding rates of 0,5; 0,6; 0,7; 0,8 and 0,9 million units per hectare on the crop leaves area formation of chickpea varieties Budjak and Odyssey were carried out in 2016–2018 on the experimental field of the Kharkiv National Agrarian University n.a. V.V. Dokuchaev. The accounting plot area was 10 m 2 . Research results and discussion . It was found that the assimilation surface size of the chickpea crops of both varieties was significantly influenced by the studied technological factors, namely, the seeding rate and sowing methods. During the flowering phase, the leaf surface area of chickpea plants was the largest and ranged from 10,32 to 16,03 th. m 2 /ha in the Budjak variety and from 10,68 to 17,15 th. m 2 /ha in the Odyssey variety . Analysis of the studied factors, as sources of chickpea crops leaves area variability in the flowering phase, showed the dominant value of the seeding rate. The share of this factor on average over the research years was 88%. Among the main effects of the studied factors, the smallest impact on the leaf area general variability had the variety – 3,0 %. The seeding method share was 7,8 %. A similar pattern is also noted in the phase of branching and maturation. Conclusion s . The studied technological factors had a significant impact on the leaf area variability of the chickpea crops. It has been established that during the flowering phase the area of the chickpea plant assimilation surface reaches its maximum values. In particular, the leaf area of Budjak variety during the branching, flowering and ripening phases was in average – 2,40; 13,07 and 3,32 th. m 2 /ha, in the Odyssey variety – 2,58; 13,65 and 3,44 th. m 2 /ha. In both studied varieties, the leaf area of crops has a clearly pronounced tendency to increase with the seeding rate rising. At the same time, the gradual seeding rate increase per gradation step (0,1 million pcs / ha), the increment of leaf area index gradually decreases. Therefore, the leaf area increment with the seeding rate enlargement from 0,8 to 0,9 million pcs / ha was the smallest. Sowing methods also influenced the variability of chickpea leaf surface area, but their impact was significantly less than seeding rates effect. The extension of the row spacing from 15 to 30 cm led to a significantly smaller leaf surface area decrease during the studied phases of plant development than the row spacing expansion from 30 to 45 cm.

Terrestrial Laser Scanning to Predict Canopy Area Metrics, Water Storage Capacity, and Throughfall Redistribution in Small Trees

Urban trees deliver many ecological services to the urban environment, including reduced runoff generation in storms. Trees intercept rainfall and store part of the water on leaves and branches, reducing the volume and velocity of water that reaches the soil. Moreover, trees modify the spatial distribution of rainwater under the canopy. However, measuring interception parameters is a complex task because it depends on many factors, including environmental conditions (rainfall intensity, wind speed, etc.) and tree characteristics (plant surface area, leaf and branch inclination angle, etc.). In the few last decades, remotely sensed data have been tested for retrieving tree metrics, but the use of this derived data for predicting interception parameters are still being developed. In this study, we measured the minimum water storage capacity (Cmin) and throughfall under the canopies of 12 trees belonging to three different species. All trees had their plant surface metrics calculated: plant surface area (PSA), plant area index (PAI), and plant area density (PAD). Trees were scanned with a mobile terrestrial laser scan (TLS) to obtain their individual canopy point clouds. Point clouds were used to calculate canopy metrics (canopy projected area and volume) and TLS-derived surface metrics. Measured surface metrics were then correlated to derived TLS metrics, and the relationship between TLS data and interception parameters was tested. Additionally, TLS data was used in analyses of throughfall distribution on a sub-canopy scale. The significant correlation between the directly measured surface area and TLS-derived metrics validates the use of the remotely sensed data for predicting plant area metrics. Moreover, TLS-derived metrics showed a significant correlation with a water storage capacity parameter (Cmin). The present study supports the use of TLS data as a tool for measuring tree metrics and ecosystem services such as Cmin; however, more studies to understand how to apply remotely sensed data into ecological analyses in the urban environment must be encouraged.

Field‐based robotic phenotyping of sorghum plant architecture using stereo vision

AbstractSorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is known as a major feedstock for biofuel production. To improve its biomass yield through genetic research, manually measuring yield component traits (e.g. plant height, stem diameter, leaf angle, leaf area, leaf number, and panicle size) in the field is the current best practice. However, such laborious and time‐consuming tasks have become a bottleneck limiting experiment scale and data acquisition frequency. This paper presents a high‐throughput field‐based robotic phenotyping system which performed side‐view stereo imaging for dense sorghum plants with a wide range of plant heights throughout the growing season. Our study demonstrated the suitability of stereo vision for field‐based three‐dimensional plant phenotyping when recent advances in stereo matching algorithms were incorporated. A robust data processing pipeline was developed to quantify the variations or morphological traits in plant architecture, which included plot‐based plant height, plot‐based plant width, convex hull volume, plant surface area, and stem diameter (semiautomated). These image‐derived measurements were highly repeatable and showed high correlations with the in‐field manual measurements. Meanwhile, manually collecting the same traits required a large amount of manpower and time compared to the robotic system. The results demonstrated that the proposed system could be a promising tool for large‐scale field‐based high‐throughput plant phenotyping of bioenergy crops.