Communications in agricultural and applied biological sciences最新文献

The objective of this study was to develop an alternative strategy for the control of Spodoptera litura larvae by using botanical insecticides. Rhizomes of Alpinia galanga were extracted with hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol, respectively. Each crude extract was examined for toxicity against the second instars of S. litura according to a topical application method. The dichloromethane extract was found to show the highest toxicity of all the extracts, with LD50 = 3177 and 2099 ppm at 24 and 48 h post-treatment, respectively.

The promotion of renewable energy represents a target of the European 2020 strategy for economical growth and sustainable competitiveness. Cereals are considered a promising biomass producing crop in temperate regions of Europe to be used for both fuel alcohol and biogas production. Among cereals, triticale represents a good candidate for this kind of application, showing a number of advantages such as high grain yield even in marginal environments, tolerance to drought, tolerance to more acid soils, lower production costs and lower susceptibility to biotic stresses. The aim of this study was to compare yield and quality of eight triticale lines grown in marginal areas in a two-year experiment. Italian variety, Magistral, and a bread wheat variety (EW9) were selected for comparison. Data from fields, chemical analyses and preliminary results from fermentation are reported.

Triticale is grown in Romania, mainly, in the hilly regions on the acid poor fertile soils and covers, yearly, around 100-130 thousands ha or 1.5% from the arable land. Since 1971, when the breeding program has been started, up to present, it has been developed an adapted triticale germplasm for the Romanian environmental conditions and 12 new varieties have been registered. Genetic progress for yield, estimated over a 27 years, is by 46 kg ha(1) year(1) or 0.80% year(1), similarly with those realized in the most dynamic triticale breeding programs of the world. The improving of yields has been achieved by an increased number of kernels per spikes, plumpness of kernels, test weight and reduction of the plant height by introduction in the Romanian triticale germplasm of RhtB1b (Rht1) and Ddw1 (Hl) genes. The genetic gain for reduction of plant height, in this period, was estimated at 1.16 cm yr(1). Further progress regarding yield stability under conditions of global climatic changes, a broader genetic diversity for preharvest sprouting (PHS), drought tolerance, earliness, high canopy albedo, diseases resistance, especially for fusarium head blight (low DON content in kernels), leaf rust and BYDV, is required.

Intensive use of pesticides, especially insecticides, in agriculture during the past several decades has already led to contamination of surface and underground waters and sediments in some regions, thus presents a serious problem for the environment. Lindane was one of frequently applied insecticides for soil treatment. In Serbia, it has been in use since 1944, but in the period 2001-2007 its use was restricted only to timber treatments. In 2009 an international ban on the use of lindane in agriculture was implemented under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. However, due to a long-term use and persistence, its residues can be present in underground water and sediment, thus present a potential risk for incorporation in food chains. According to Directive 2008/105/EC it is listed as one of the priority water pollutants, whose presence is mainly detected by chemical methods. However, biological tests are gaining in importance in the last few years and since some plant species are highly sensitive to certain pollutants. This work aimed to assess potential of white mustard (Sinapis alba L.), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) as phyto-indicators of water contamination with lindane. The effect of lindane (rates 0.1 μg a.i./L--maximal allowable concentration (MAC) in water; 0.2; 0.5; 1 and 2 μg a.i./L) was assessed on physiological (germination energy and germination- %) and morphological parameters (root and shoot lengths, fresh and dry weights) of tested species. Assay was carried out using slightly modified filter paper method recommended by ISTA Regulations book (2011). The experiment was set in four replicates. Data were processed using Duncan's multiple range test for determining the differences between treatments for confidence interval 95%. Results of bioassay indicate that germination energy (70.75%) and germination (79.00%) of white mustard were significantly inhibited by lindane applied at MAC rate compared to the control (79.75, 82.00%, respectively). Physiological parameters of other test species were not affected by this insecticide. Lindane inhibited root elongation of barley seedlings at 2 μg a.i./L (20-fold MAC) and of cucumber at 0.5 μg a.i./L (5-fold MAC). Only fresh root weight of barley was inhibited by lindane at MAC quantities. Based on presented results, valid and reliable indicators of lindane presence in water can be considered germination energy and germination of white mustard and fresh root weight of barley seedlings.