Effect of Nephthyl Acetic Acid Foliar Spray on Amelioration of Drought Stress Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.)

The present study aimed to determine the effect of nephthyl acetic acid (NAA) on the physiological mechanism of drought tolerance in selected maize (Zea mays L.) varieties under induced drought stress at the vegetative stage. Maize seeds were sown in plastic pots (14 cm lower inside diameter, 18.5 cm upper inner diameter, 15.6 cm height, and 0.5 cm thickness) filled with 3 kg of air-dried soil and sand (3:1) in triplicate in the greenhouse of the Botany Department, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda in 2014. Results showed that the activities of antioxidant enzymes and proline accumulation were associated with the dry mass production and consequently with the drought tolerance of the maize varieties. It has been concluded that the inhibitory effects of water stress were ameliorated by exogenous application of NAA and were found to be significant for antioxidant enzymes at the vegetative stage in both varieties.     

Tree age influences nutritional,pectin, and anatomical changes in developing ‘Kinnow’ mandarin (Citrus nobilis Lour × Citrus deliciosa Tenora) fruit

An understanding of variation in fruit quality in relation to tree age can help understand the issue of poor fruit quality in young orchards; however, limited information is available on the citrus fruit. In this study, the endogenous nutritional status in rind, rag, and leaves; pectin status in rind and rag; and anatomical fruit growth parameter in rind tissues were studied in ‘Kinnow’ mandarins fruit during their development on trees from three age (6-, 18-, and 35-year-old) groups. In older (35-year-old) trees, rind, rag, and leaf nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) concentrations were superior. In fruit from all tree age groups, total pectin and protopectin reduced; however water-soluble pectin (WSP) improved. In rind tissues harvested from young (6-year-old) trees, cell density was more while cell size was less. In all tree age groups, cell density in rind tissues correlated negatively with rind WSP.     

国外农业航空静电喷雾技术研究进展与借鉴

农业航空静电喷雾技术作为中国发展精准农业航空应用技术的内容之一,对农药的有效利用和减少环境污染有积极意义。农业航空静电喷雾技术在国外发展较早也相对成熟,美国已有应用于有人机的商业化产品,并在美国、巴西等国各类粮食作物、经济作物和杂草防治作业中开展了大规模田间应用。该研究首先从基础研究、田间应用和优化工作等方面梳理了国外农业航空静电喷雾技术的研究进展,分析了农业航空静电喷雾技术在增加雾滴沉积、减少飘移和具备低施药液量等方面的优势。在此基础上结合中国植保无人机快速发展的实际对研究和应用适合中国国情的农业航空静电喷雾技术进行思考,提出了农业航空静电喷雾技术的研究路线,最后从采用接触式等非感应式充电方式、开发农业航空静电喷雾的测量技术,以及思考荷质比作为衡量指标的意义等方面探讨了可进行深入研究的方向。中国农业航空静电喷雾技术研究特别在植保无人机静电喷雾技术方面的研究与应用有很大的发展空间,可参考国外经验,围绕航空静电喷雾技术的基础性研究、田间试验、成果转化、示范推广和服务指导全方面制定发展规划,把单一强调对雾滴带电的实现转向对技术系统的整体研究。     

Phenotypic variations of wheat cultivars from the North China Plain in response to cadmium stress and associated single nucleotide polymorphisms identified by a genome-wide association study

Understanding the genetic mechanisms for cadmium(Cd) uptake and translocation in common wheat(Triticum aestivum) is of significance in food Cd contamination control. In this study, a diverse panel of 132 wheat cultivars was collected from the North China Plain. The cultivars were evaluated in terms of their phenotypic variations in response to Cd stress and subjected to a genome-wide association study(GWAS) to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) associated with the phenotypic variatio...     

Bound water characteristics and microstructure evolution during uniaxial compression of mucky silty clay

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Compression studies can provide insights into evaluating the engineering potential and environmental impact of clay. The objective of this study was to...     

Cool Season C3-Grasses (Wheat,Rye, Barley,and Oats) Differ in Shoot: Root Ratio When Applied With Different NPK Sources

Shoot:root (S:R) response in four winter C₃-grasses (cereals) viz. wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and oats (Avena sativa L.) was investigated under eight different NPK sources (S₁ = 20-20-20, S₂ = 20-27-5, S₃ = 7-22-8, S₄ = 10-10-10-20S, S₅ = 11-15-11, S₆ = 31-11-11, S₇ = 24-8-16, and S₈ = 19-6-12) in pot experiment at Dryland Agriculture Institute, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas, USA during winter 2009–2010. The experiment was performed in completely randomized design (CRD) with three repeats. The objective of this experiment was to investigate whether the S:R of winter cereals differ or not when applied with different NPK sources. Considerable variations in the shoot: root was noticed in the four grasses at different growth stages, i.e., 30, 60 and 90 days after emergence (DAE) when applied with different NPK fertilizers sources. Wheat had the highest S:R of 3.4 at 30 days after emergence (DAE), barley at 60 DAE (6.5), while oats at 90 DAE (3.9). Among the NPK sources, crops had the highest S:R of 3.6, 6.2 and 3.7 when applied with S₃, S₂, and S₆ at 30, 60 and 90 DAE, respectively. Shoot to root ratio showed positive relationship with increase in shoot weight and negative relationship with increase in root weight. The NPK fertilizer S₆ (31: 11: 11), an acid loving fertilizer had negative effects on the shoot and root development of cool season cereals, but among these cereals under study, barley and oats roots were affected more than wheat and rye. It was concluded from this present study, that the four cool season cereals responded differently in terms of shoot: root to different NPK fertilizers at different growth stages.     

Effect of biochar-amended urea on nitrogen economy of soil for improving the growth and yield of wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) under field condition

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate effect of biochar-amended urea on nitrogen economy of soil for improving the growth and yield of wheat under field condition. Experiment plan was comprised of twelve treatments with four replications including treatments without application of urea and biochar (control) and urea only. Biochar was applied at 1–10% of the weight of urea fertilizer applied each treatment. Results showed that application of biochar at 10% with recommended dose of urea significantly improved plant height, spike length, number of tillers, number of spikelet per spike, 1000 grain weight, grain yields, biomass yield, harvesting index, nitrogen (N) concentration and uptake in grain and straw, and agronomic efficiency of nitrogen by 6.0%, 11.1%, 32.0%, 55.3%, 5.4%, 38.0%, 19.0%, 9.0%, 19.0%, 26.0%, 65.0%, 50.0%, and 63.0%, respectively, as compared to treatment comprised of recommended rate of nitrogen without biochar.     

Genetic variability and estimates of heritability in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) genotypes grown in a semiarid zone of Sudan

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate nine genotypes of sorghum grown for two consecutive cropping seasons in 2006 and 2007 under rain-fed conditions in a semiarid zone at the Research Farm of El Fasher Research Station, Sudan. The objective of the study was to assess genetic variability and heritability among sorghum genotypes using phenotypic morphological traits. A randomized complete block design with four replications was used for the experiment. The grain yield (kg ha^?1), the number of heads/plant, followed by straw yield (kg ha^?1) had the highest genotypic coefficients of variation in both seasons. High heritability (above 95%) was shown for plant height in both seasons. High genetic advance was reported in straw yield, 1000-grain weight and days to flowering in both seasons. Highly significant differences among genotypes were found for all characters. The high-yielding genotype was Adv-Edo-CWS (E-9) with grain yields of 2780.6 kg ha^?1. Grain yield was significantly and positively correlated with straw yield (r = 0.91), number of heads/plant (r = 0.69), plant height (r = 0.53) and 1000-grain weight (r = 0.36). However, it was significantly and negatively correlated with days to 50% flowering (r = ?0.21). Based on their positive association with grain yield, the character’s straw weight, number of heads/plant, plant height and 1000-grain weight would be the preferable selection criteria for sorghum improvement program in the country.     

Effectiveness of Zinc and Gypsum Application Against Cadmium Toxicity and Accumulation in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Cadmium (Cd) is a nonessential and toxic element because it inhibits the growth and development of plants and is dangerous for end consumer. It enters in the human food chain through food crops. Application of plant nutrients such as zinc (Zn) and gypsum is a viable and cheap strategy to minimize its accumulation in edible plant portions. Therefore, this investigation was conducted to determine the effectiveness of Zn and gypsum against Cd accumulation in wheat. The results showed that Cd toxicity considerably decreased the plant growth, physiological activities, and yield attributes and increased the Cd accumulation in root, shoot, and grain, while application of Zn and gypsum remarkably increased the growth and yield and decreased the Cd accumulation in plant parts in Cd-contaminated soil. The results also depicted that application of Zn showed better results as compared to gypsum. In conclusion, we can say that application of Zn and gypsum remarkably ameliorated the Cd toxicity and decreased its accumulation in wheat, grown in Cd-contaminated soil.     

Root system response of selected lowland Thai rice varieties as affected by cultivation method and potassium rate under alternate wetting and drying irrigation

ABSTRACT

Root system is an important factor for crop productivity under water- and nutrient-limited environments. A pot study was conducted to evaluate root system response of three Thai rice varieties (Pathumthani 1, RD57, RD41) under three cultivation methods (dry direct seeding [DDS], wet direct seeding [WDS], transplanting [TP]) and three levels of alternate wetting and drying irrigation (–5, –15, –30 kPa). A second pot experiment examined the effect of potassium (K) rates (0, 80, 120, 160 kg ha^–1) on root system response of the same varieties under DDS and TP subjected to alternate wetting and drying at –5 kPa. Pathumthani 1 was more tolerant to moisture stress; RD57 and RD41 showed an inconsistent response to moisture-deficit conditions. Rice plant under TP was more sensitive to moisture stress; rice plant performed better under DDS even at the highest soil moisture stress of –30 kPa. K application at the rate of 120 kg ha^–1 as basal under DDS was optimum for root system development of Pathumthani 1, while RD57 and RD41 had higher actual root length at the same K rate regardless of cultivation methods. Alternate wetting and drying up to –30 kPa could be safely applied for the three tested varieties. The performance of root system of Pathumthani 1 was better under DDS method of cultivation. K fertilization at 120 kg ha^–1 can be recommended as optimum rate under water-saving cultivation techniques for the three tested varieties.