Zinnia Elegans Research Articles

Bee flora of Khumaltar agro-ecosystem, Lalitpur, Nepal

This investigation was carried out in Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Khumaltar area, Lalitpur, Nepal to document the seasonal bee flora and diversity patterns. Bees get enough choices to forage in an agro-ecosystem study area. Flowering plants visited by honeybees were observed and documented as per their preferences of foraging, distance away from the bee-hive and seasons. Each plant enlisted as bee-flora if a honeybee visited any flower and rested at least for a while. A total of 168 vascular plant species documented as bee flora in this study. These flora were classified according to season, distance away from the bee-hive, family, genera, species. Simpson and Shannon diversity indices were found higher (0.004 and 3.45) for summer16. Asteraceae family was found to be the most preferred species. Distance of each bee flora was not found significant but season and herbaceous flower were found highly significant contribution. Maximum abundance of Solanum virginianum L. appeared towards the positive end of non-metric multidimensional scaling axis (NMDS2) which was closer to summer16. It signified closer affinity to the beehive and high preferences during summer15. Likewise, the maximum abundance of Vitis vinifera L. towards summer16 and higher positive end of NMDS1 signified favoring more wet loving early blooming species. Relatively higher abundance of species such as Parthenium hysterophorus L., Solanum tuberosum L., Zinnia elegans Jacq., and Solanum melongena L. in the middle of the NMDS axis and spring 16 signified moderate moist loving species. Pattern of bee flora selection, contribution in term of nectar and pollen grain coincided to moisture gradient. This study supports bee farmers for better selection of wild as well as cultivated bee flora for better preference by bees.

First report of sunflower chlorotic mottle virus infecting sunflower plants in Brazil

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) plants showing symptoms of chlorosis, mosaic, chlorotic ringspot, and necrosis on younger leaves were found in a small experimental plot in Piracicaba, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Preliminary examinations by transmission electron microscopy of symptomatic leaf tissue revealed flexuous filamentous particles 13-15 nm wide and 700-750 nm long, and cytoplasmatic cylindrical inclusions typical of those found in plant cells infected by members of the Potyvirus genus. Total RNA extracted from symptomatic leaves and subjected to RT-PCR followed by partial nucleotide sequencing confirmed the presence of a potyvirus in the affected plants, which was identified as sunflower chlorotic mottle virus (SuCMoV), a member of the Sunflower chlorotic mottle virus (genus Potyvirus, family Potyviridae) species. Mechanical transmission assays with extracts of symptomatic sunflower leaves reproduced the original symptoms in sunflowers, mosaic symptoms in Zinnia elegans, and chlorotic local lesions in Chenopodium amaranticolor and C. quinoa. Sunflower and zinnia plants became infected after aphid transmission experiments with Myzus persicae. RT-PCR tests using specific primers for SuCMoV confirmed the presence of this virus in experimentally infected plants, meeting the criteria of Koch’s postulate. This is the first report of SuCMoV infecting sunflower plants in Brazil.

Bitki Gelişimini Teşvik Eden Rizobakteri ve Mikoriza Uygulamalarının Zinnia elegans L. ve Dahlia variabilis L.’in Gelişimine Etkisi

This study was carried out to determine the effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and mycorrhiza treatments on the development of Zinnia elegans L. ‘Zesty’ and Dahlia variabilis L. ‘Figaro Violet’ cultivars. In the study, a suspension was first prepared from bacterial isolates developed at 25±2 °C for 24 hours. The prepared suspensions were adjusted to an absorbance value of 0,3 at 600 nanometers in a spectrophotometer. D. variabilis seedlings were immersed in suspensions prepared from ZE-12, ZE-13 and ZE-12+ZE-13, Z. elegans seedlings were immersed in suspensions prepared from ZE-2, ZE-7, ZE-12, ZE-13, ZE-12+ZE-13 for 30 minutes. In addition, Z. elegans seedlings were kept in mycorrhiza prepared at a concentration of 5000 ppm for 10 seconds. At the end of the period, flower seedlings were planted in pots with a mixture of peat and perlite. As the control group, seedlings without rhizobacteria and mycorrhiza treatment were used in both cultivars. The experiment was established with 3 replications and 10 plants per replication. The applications made in the D. variabilis experiment remained the same as the control in all other parameters except root dry weight. ZE-13 application was effective on root dry weight. It was determined that the applications made in Z. elegans seedlings increased the flower stem thickness and the number of leaves, especially the ZE-13 application was the most effective application. In conclusion, with this study, it was revealed that rhizobacteria and mycorrhiza applications, which are of natural origin and do not harm the environment, have the potential to be used in ornamental plants cultivation, and that these applications should be expanded.

Identification of the Pathogen Causing Leaf Spot in Zinnia elegans and Its Sensitivity to Five Fungicides.

Zinnia elegans Jacq. is an important, globally cultivated ornamental plant. In August 2021, a leaf spot disease was observed in zinnia in Shibing County, Guizhou, China, with an incidence of approximately 60%. Pathogens were isolated and purified from the infected leaves by tissue isolation, and pathogen strain BRJ2 was confirmed as the pathogen causing the leaf spot. Based on morphology and ITS, TEF-1α, and TUB2 sequence analyses, the pathogen was identified as Nigrospora musae (McLennan and Hoëtte). The mycelial growth rate method was used to determine the in vitro toxicity of five fungicides to the pathogen. The results showed that 10% difenoconazole provided the strongest inhibitory effect on N. musae, with a concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC50) of 0.0658 mg/L; 75% trifloxystrobin·tebuconazole had the second greatest effect, with an EC50 of 0.1802 mg/L. This study provides the first report that N. musae caused leaf spot disease in Z. elegans and provides important guidance for the effective prevention and control of this disease in Guizhou.

Gastroprotective effect of Zinnia elegans extracts against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage through downregulation of TLR4 and inflammatory cytokines

Background: One of the most common gastrointestinal diseases is gastric ulcer (GU). The ethanolic extract from the aerial part of Zinnia elegans was created to test its ability to protect the gastric mucosa from damage caused by ethanol in mice. Method: Zinnia elegans ethanolic extract was administrated intragastrically once daily for three days. After the final intragastric dose, gastric ulcer in mice was created on the third day using 70% ethanol. The stomach tissues were extracted to assess the severity of the gastric mucosal changes. Results: Orally administered Zinnia elegans ethanolic extract reduced the severity of stomach mucosal changes. In addition, the levels of tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin-1B (IL‐1β), and tool-like receptor (TLR4) activity in stomach tissues were all dramatically reduced after oral administration of the extract. These findings demonstrate that the anti-inflammatory properties of Zinnia elegans ethanolic extract protect against ethanol-induced stomach mucosal damage in mice. Conclusions: The results of this investigation offer some support for the creation of new treatments for stomach ulcers as an alternative to treating gastric damage brought on by alcohol consumption.

Carotenoid analysis and functional characterization of lycopene cyclases in Zinnia elegans L.

Carotenoids, a group of essential pigments for petal coloration in many species, could be generally categorized into linear and cyclic groups. The cyclization of the linear substrate lycopene at both end groups by β- and ε-cyclases (LCYBs and LCYEs, respectively) is a key branching point of the biosynthesis of cyclic carotenoids in flowers. Common zinnia (Zinnia elegans L.), an Asteraceae family plant that has been widely used in landscape greening, is best known for its brilliant flower colors. However, the mechanism of its petal coloration is not well studied, especially with respect to carotenoid pigmentation. In this study, total carotenoid content and carotenoid compositions of petals were analyzed in two common zinnia cultivars, 'Dreamland Red’ (DRE) and 'Dreamland Yellow’ (DY). Despite the lighter color of DY petals, the total carotenoid content in DY flowers was significantly higher than that in DRE. Metabolomic analysis revealed that the major carotenoids of both cultivars are cyclic carotenoids, with β-carotene being the most abundant. In addition, one LCYB, LCYE, and capsanthin/capsorubin synthase (CCS) gene were identified from Z. elegans by homology-based search in transcriptome. After cloning and sequencing, full-length open reading frame of each gene is exactly the same between two cultivars. Bacterial pigment complementation experiments revealed that ZeLCYB and ZeCCS can cyclize lycopene at both ends to produce β-carotene. Unlike most LCYEs characterized from higher plants, ZeLCYE produced predominantly ε-carotene in E. coli system. However, ZeLCYE is likely to have a lower affinity for lycopene or lower activity compared with ZeLCYB. Gene expression analysis showed that DY has higher expression levels of ZeLCYB and ZeCCS than DRE at specific developmental stages, consistent with its higher total carotenoid content. This work would lay a solid foundation for future studies on carotenoid accumulation in Z. elegans.

Pengaruh Lama Mekar Bunga Refugia Terhadap Keragaman Populasi Musuh Alami Dan Hama Pada Tanaman Padi (Oryza sativa)

Refugia is a collection of several flowering plants breeding grounds for natural enemies. This flowering plant can attract insects because it has a variety of colors, shapes, scents, nectar, pollen, and bloom periods. This study was conducted to determine the effect of flower blooming time on the diversity of natural enemies and pests on rice plants. This study used a Randomized Block Design with five treatments and five replications. Observational data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the Duncan Multiple Range (DMRT) 5% test. The variables observed were the number of arthropod pests, and natural enemies visited. The test results showed that the highest pest arthropods were found in the control treatment (P0) by 74%, and the lowest was in the Zinnia Elegans treatment (P2). The highest percentage of predators was 63% in the treatment of Zinnia Elegans (P2), while the lowest rate was in the control treatment (P0) at 24%. The highest percentage of parasitoids in the treatment Zinnia Elegans, Turnera subulata, and Mirabilis jalapa were the same at 9%, and the lowest was in the control treatment (P0) at 2%.

Karakteristik Komunitas Serangga Pengunjung Bunga Pada Beberapa Tanaman Refugia

This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of the insect community of flower visitors on several refugia plants. The research was carried out in the experimental field of the Faculty of Agriculture, Jambi University and the Laboratory of Plant Pests, Faculty of Agriculture, Jambi University. Samples of flower-visiting insects were taken using the yellow pan trap, pitfall trap, and sweep trap. The insects obtained were identified in the Laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture, Jambi University. Characteristics of insect communities in refugia plants were calculated using the formulas of diversity index, similarity index, dominance index, and similarity index. The results showed that the abundance of species and populations of insects was most commonly found in Zinnia elegans flowers. Most predatory insects were found in Z. elegans flowers, pollinator insects were most abundant in Helianthus annuus flowers, and pollinators were most abundant in Z. elegans flowers. The characteristics of the insect community in the most stable refugian plant were found in Tagetes erecta flowers. The highest similarity of insect communities was found in Cosmos caudatus flowers and Impatiens balsamina flowers.

ZeMYB9 regulates cyanidin synthesis by activating the expression of flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase gene in Zinnia elegans.

Petal color in Zinnia elegans is characterized mainly by anthocyanin accumulation. The difference in the content of anthocyanins, especially cyanidins, affects petal coloration in Z. elegans, but the underlying regulatory mechanism remains elusive. Here, we report one R2R3-MYB transcription factor from subgroup 6, ZeMYB9, acting as a positive regulator of anthocyanin accumulation in Z. elegans. Up-regulated expression of ZeMYB9 and flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase gene (ZeF3'H) was detected in the cultivar with higher cyanidin content. ZeMYB9 could specifically activate the promoter of ZeF3'H, and over-expression of ZeMYB9 induces much greater anthocyanin accumulation and higher expression level of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes in both petunia and tobacco. And then, ZeMYB9 was demonstrated to interact with ZeGL3, a bHLH transcription factor belonging to IIIf subgroup. Promoter activity of ZeF3'H was significantly promoted by co-expressing ZeMYB9 and ZeGL3 compared with expressing ZeMYB9 alone. Moreover, transient co-expression of ZeMYB9 and ZeGL3 induced anthocyanin accumulation in tobacco leaves. Our results suggest that ZeMYB9 could enhance cyanidin synthesis and regulate petal color in Z. elegans though activating the expression of ZeF3'H, by itself or interacting with ZeGL3.

First report of Tomato leaf curl Karnataka virus associated with leaf curl disease of Zinnia elegans in India

Tomato leaf curl Karnataka virus (ToLCKV) is a species of begomovirus which has a circular, ssDNA monopartite genome and is transmitted by the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). Zinnia elegans is a popular ornamental bedding plant which is grown worldwide for its beautiful flowers. A few begomovirus species have been reported to infect Z. elegans, including Ageratum yellow vein China virus in Vietnam (Li et al., 2013), and Ageratum enation virus and Zinnia leaf curl virus in India (Kumar et al., 2010; Pandey & Tiwari, 2012). In March 2019 symptoms of excessive leaf curling with mild mosaic were observed on Z. elegans plants growing in a nursery in Bhopal, central India (Fig. 1). To investigate the aetiology of the disease total DNA was extracted from leaf samples from two diseased and one asymptomatic Z. elegans plant using a plant genomic DNA purification kit (Promega, USA), following the manufacturer's instructions. A begomovirus was detected from both diseased samples (but not the asymptomatic sample) by PCR using begomovirus-specific primers: CPIT-I/CPIT-T (AM180920/AM180921) (Singh, 2005), PALIv 1978/ PARIc 496 and PALIv 722/ PALIc 1960 (Rojas et al., 1993). The expected amplicons (~800 bp, 1.2 Kb and 1.2 Kb, respectively) were purified using a PCR Clean-up System (Promega, USA) and Sanger sequenced in both directions by Bioinnovations Connecting Technologies to Life (Mumbai, India). The consensus sequence from both samples was identical and the complete viral DNA-A genome of 2761 nucleotides was deposited in GenBank (Accession No. MK965196). Sequence analysis was done by BLASTn and showed that the DNA-A genome had the highest identity (96-97%) with ToLCKV (KX219744, HM007094, LN878123, U38239); Sunflower leaf curl virus (JX678965) and 94–95% with Tomato leaf curl virus (JX524172, KX831454). Phylogenetic analysis using neighbour-joining in MEGA v.7.0 showed a close relationship with isolates of ToLCKV and relationships with other begomoviruses (Fig. 2). The disease was successfully transmitted by B. tabaci from naturally infected Z. elegans to healthy seedlings of Nicotiana tabacum, Solanum lycopersicum and Z. elegans (each 3/3), symptoms being observed 30 days post inoculation. The test plants all tested positive by PCR using the begomovirus-specific primer pairs above. Positive amplicons were sequenced and the nucleotide sequences were identical to each other and the original isolate (MK965196). The present study demonstrates that Z. elegans is a host of ToLCKV. ToLCKV is a serious threat to the production of several economically important crops in India and has been reported at an incidence of >80% on soybean, sunflower and tomato in India (Malathi et al., 2017). Recently, ToLCKV and satellite molecules have been found associated with enation leaf curl disease of another ornamental plant, Pseuderanthemum reticulatum, in India (Ashwathappa et al., 2021). The whitefly transmission study provides additional evidence that ToLCKV causes the observed disease in Z. elegans and it is possible that ornamental plants may act as a reservoir of the virus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the association of ToLCKV with leaf curl disease of Z. elegans. The authors are thankful to the Vice Chancellor of Barkatullah University, Bhopal, India, for use of the facilities and the UGC, New Delhi, India for financial support under the UGC-BSR Research Start-Up grant.

Induction of mutation by treatment with colchicine and spraying with progesterone for two cultivars of zinnia elegans by using DNA molecular

The study was carried out in the fields of the Department of Horticulture and Landscaping, College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Mosul, during the agricultural season spring 2021, to study the development of the mutation by treatment with colchicine and spraying with progesterone for two cultivars of zinnia, where two cultivars of zinnia (red and white), and three concentrations of colchicine at 0, 0.05 and 0.1%, and three concentrations of progesterone, which are 0.5, 10 mg / liter. And the study of genetic markers using RAPD technology, where four primers were used. The results obtained are summered up in the occurrence of chromosomal duplication for the two cultivars, and the stomata density was affected as a result of the interaction between cultivars and colchicine, the red cultivar was superior with 0.1% colchicine significantly. And progesterone at 5 mg/L had the highest value in the stomatal area, and the triple interaction treatment between the red variety and 0.1% colchicine and 5 mg/L of progesterone produced the highest value in the stomatal density, and the highest stomatal area resulted when the triple interaction between the white variety and 0% colchicine And 5 mg/L of progesterone.

Performance of Different Varieties/ Hybrids of Zinnia (Zinnia elegans l.) under Prayagraj Agro-climatic Conditions

An experiment entitled "Performance of different varieties/hybrids of Zinnia (Zinnia elegans L.) under Prayagraj agro-climatic conditions" was conducted at Horticultural Research Field, Department of Horticulture, Naini agricultural institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj in the year 2022 to identify the most suitable variety/hybrid or successful cultivation and the longest blooming period under Prayagraj agro-climatic conditions. Six varieties and one hybrid namely, Zinnia Orange, Zinnia Purple, Zinnia White, Zinnia Red, Zinnia Yellow, Zinnia Double Yellow (Hybrid), and Zinnia Illuminated Deep Rose were selected for their evaluation. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 3 replications. The highest plant height (53 cm) and plant spread (43.1 cm) in the variety Zinnia Illumination Deep Rose were observed. However, the number of primary branches (5.3) in the variety Zinnia White was observed. Whereas, minimum days to first bud initiation (14.2 days), first flowering (29.7 days), and 50% of flowering (32.3 days) in variety Zinnia White were recorded. The maximum number of flowers per plant (12.7), flower diameter (8.4 cm), and duration of blooming (34.8 days) in the variety Zinnia Illumination Deep Rose were recorded.

Salicylic acid mediated physiological and biochemical alterations to confer drought stress tolerance in Zinnia ( Z. elegans )

Background: Protective role of salicylic acid against drought has been widely reported, but its effects on Zinnia elegans remain unknown.
 Hypotheses: Foliar salicylic acid (SA) improves water status, pigments, and antioxidant systems of Zinnia plants under drought stress.
 Studied species: Z. elegans (cv. Dreamland) were purchased from Chanan Seeds Store Lahore, Pakistan.
 Study site and dates: MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan; March-May, 2018.
 Methods: After two weeks of transplanting, one set of seedlings was exposed to drought stress (60 % field capacity, FC) while other control set was maintained at 100 % FC. Foliar SA (100 mg L-1) was applied to plants at drought initiation.
 Results: Foliar SA treatment to water stressed plants (60 % FC) increased the leaf area (46.89 cm2), shoot and root lengths (25 cm and 26.67 cm, respectively), leaf relative water content (75.98 %); chlorophyll a (0.68 mg g-1), chlorophyll b (0.38 mg g-1) and carotenoid concentrations (1.10 mg g-1); and catalase (116.67 U min-1 mg-1 protein), guaiacol peroxide (72 U min-1 mg-1 protein) and superoxide dismutase (93 U min-1 mg-1 protein) activities.
 Conclusions: Foliar SA could be used to minimize impacts of water stress in Zinnia plants.

EFEKTIVITAS PENERAPAN SONIC BLOOM DAN TANAMAN REFUGIA DALAM MENINGKATKAN PERTUMBUHAN DAN HASIL SAWI HIJAU (Brassica juncea L.)

The study was to examine the application of sonic bloom and refugia plants to increase growth and yield of mustard greens (Brassica juncea L.). This study used a Factorial Time Series Randomized Block Design (FTSRBD) with 3 replications. The application factor of refugia plants (R) are 3 levels: R0 = control, R1 = Ocimum basilicum, and R2 = Zinnia elegans with different locations consisting of (S0) = no sound, (S1) = heavy metal music with a frequency of 21 -14000 Hz and (S2) = classical music sound with a frequency of 21-13500 Hz. Data analysis was continued according to Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at a 5% confidence level. The results showed that the application of sonic bloom with classical music influenced plant growth and yield through parameters of plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, number of chlorophyll and number of stomata. Refugia plants with the type of plant O. basilicum affect the growth and yield of plants through the number of leaves parameter. The application of sonic bloom with rock music affects the growth and yield of plants through parameters of pest attack intensity. The interaction of sonic bloom application and refugia plants did not have a significant effect on the observed parameters measured.

Copper Stress Enhances the Lignification of Axial Organs in Zinnia elegans

Zinnia elegans Jacq. is an ornamental plant, widely used in landscaping. Heavy-metal pollution in urban and rural areas is still increasing, which determines the actuality of studying plants’ reactions to pollutants. Zinnia was not sufficiently studied in this regard, so the aim of our research was to identify morphophysiological changes in this species under excess copper concentration in the soil. For this, we treated a growth substrate with 200 µM CuSO4 solution for 20 days. At the end of the treatment, several morphological, biochemical, and molecular genetic traits were evaluated: the root and the shoot size; the concentration of H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA), as indicators of stress; the amount of the phenolic compounds and lignin; and the level of the expression of genes, which encoded their biosynthesis. The Cu amount in the substrate and zinnia organs was quantified using atomic-absorption spectroscopy; hydrogen peroxide, MDA, and phenolic compounds were determined spectrophotometrically, while the amount of lignin was determined according to Klason. Real-time PCR was used for estimation of the gene-transcription level. Lignin in tissues was visualized by fluorescent microscopy. In experimental plants, Cu accumulation was higher in the root than in the stem. This caused an increase in stress markers and a decrease in the root and stem lengths. For the first time for zinnia, it was shown that for several genes—4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL), cinnamoyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), and class III peroxidase (PRX)—the level of expression increased under copper treatment. The rise of the transcripts’ amount of these genes was accompanied by a thickening and lignification of the cell walls in the metaxylem vessels. Thus, the adaptation of zinnia to the excess Cu in the growth medium was associated with the metabolic changes in the phenylpropanoid pathway. As a result, the lignification increased in the root, which led to the accumulation of Cu in this organ and limited its translocation through the xylem to the stem, which provided plant growth.

Study of phenolic compounds in Zinnia elegans raw materials by HPLC

Study of phenolic compounds in Zinnia elegans raw materials by HPLC

New approach of antioxidant properties of Zinnia elegans using bioremediation of Pb-contaminated soils

There is little information on the impact of soil amendments on lead absorption by ornamental plants as phytoremediation and the antioxidant system. The experiment was set up in a factorial based on completely block design with three replications on Zinnia elegans. [Pb (NO3) at (0, 40, 80, and 120 mg kg−1), soil amendment (control, diethylene trinitrilo pentaacetic acid (DTPA) 2.5 mM, DTPA 5 mM, humic acid 200 mg. L−1, and HA 400 mg. L−1)]. Increased Pb concentration resulted in a significant rise in antioxidant enzymes, as well as an increase in Pb absorption by Z. elegans. DTPA 5 mM and HA 400 mg. L−1 application lead to significantly higher shoot dry weight (49 and 56%), root dry weight (62 and 63%), catalase (CAT) (18 and 19%), peroxidase (POX) (63 and 67%), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (10 and 14%), and shoot Pb (36 and 33 mg.kg−1) in the contaminated soil, respectively. With the application of DTPA and HA, the residual Pb in soil fell in a negative association with the remediation factor. Z. elegans growing in polluted soils treated with DTPA 5 mM and HA 400 mg. kg−1 showed Pb tolerance by inducing an effective antioxidative response to Pb toxicity and enhancing Pb absorption for phytoremediation purposes.

Effect of Pinching and Spraying of Paclobutrazol and Ascorbic Acid in Flowering Growth Characters of zinnia elegans L.

The current study was conducted during the period from April 2021 to August 2021 on Zinnia elegans L. Its flowers are purple in color to study the effect of pinching of the growing tip of the plant or without, and spray twice the shoot system with paclobutrazol at concentrations (0, 15 and 30) mg. L-1 and ascorbic acid at concentrations (0, 150 and 300) mg. L-1, in the qualities of vegetable growth, The factorial experiment was implemented using Randomized Complete Block Design within Split Plot, with three replicates and seven plants for the experimental unit. The results indicated the following: The pinching of the growing top of the plant led to a delayed the date of flowering, increased inflorescences longevity and increased morally in the content of anthocynin in flowers40.58 mg.100g-1 wet weight. The spraying of paclobutrazol at a concentration of 30 mg. L-1 delayed the date of flowering and increased inflorescences longevity, while spraying in both concentrations 15 and 30 mg. L-1 increased the number of flowers to 2.09 and 2.32 flower. per plant, respectively. Ascorbic acid spraying delayed the date of the flowering and led to spraying at a concentration of 300 mg. L-1 and increased inflorescences longevity, and significantly increased the content of anthocynin in inflorescences to 51.23 mg.100g-1 wet weight.

Crescimento inicial de mudas de zínia em substrato com diferentes proporções de biossólido

Abstract Zinnia (Zinnia elegans Jacq.) is a widely cultivated species and used as an ornamental plant in the world flower market. Although it has great potential for phytoremediation and compounds with anti-infective and antioxidant activities there are few studies that address the process of production of its seedlings especially using substrates from organic waste. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of biosolid as a substrate component in the initial growth of Zinnia elegans seedlings. The seedlings were produced in nursery conditions with 50% light control. The experimental design was entirely randomized. There were six treatments, four repetitions and five plants per plot. The treatments consisted of substrates resulting from the mixture of subsoil (SS) and biosolid (BIO) in different proportions: 100% SS (control); 80% SS + 20% BIO; 60% SS + 40% BIO; 40% SS + 60% BIO; 20% SS + 80% BIO; T6 100% BIO. The morphological and quality characteristics of the seedlings were evaluated. Polynomial regression analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient were performed. Quadratic regression fitting was observed for plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, total chlorophyll, and shoot and root dry mass, as well as total dry mass. The shoot height/stem diameter ratio was the characteristic that correlated least with the others, being observed a positive correlation only with plant height. The use of biosolid in the proportion of 60% in the substrate composition proved to be efficient for the initial growth of seedlings as it showed the best responses for most morphological and quality characteristics of the seedlings.

Diversity of Ant Species (Hymenoptera: Formiciidae) in Flower Plants Combination on Ratoon Sugarcane

This research aims to examine the effects of several refugia plant treatments on the diversity and number of ants in the ratoon sugarcane system. The diversity and abundance of ants in the plantation's surrounding habitats can fluctuate. Three combinations of flowering plants were used in the study: Turnera subulata Sm (Malpighiales: Passifloraceae), Cosmos sulphureus (Asteraceae: Asteraceae), and Zinnia elegans Jaqc (Asterales: Asteraceae). Ant samples were collected using yellow sticky traps and traps and yellow pan traps. R. software was used to examine all of the data. 4 subfamilies, 14 genera, and 25 species: Diacamma sp., Technomyrmex sp., Camponotus sp.1., Iridiomyrmex sp., Delichoderus sp., Leptogenys sp.; Odontomachus sp., Polyrachis sp., Pheidole sp., Tetramorium sp., Monomorium sp., Crematogaster sp., Oecophylla smaragdina was identified from the report's results, this included 1-86 individuals. Tetramorium sp. and Odonthomachus sp. were the most common ants found at the study site. Even before compared to the other treatments, the combination of refugia and Z. elegans, C. sulphureus, T. subulata treatment used to have a significant impact on the presence of ants, increasing the population by 21%. This study discovered that combining refugia could increase ant diversity in ratoon sugarcane. The diversity index value for all treatments was almost the same, in the range of 2.-9-2.82, indicating that the main composition of refugia was moderately diverse.