Agricultural Research最新文献

“We present here the results of an in-depth analysis of the morphometric traits and germination capacity of the seeds of 19 Mahua (Madhuca indica) germplasm collected from diverse sources in India.” The study encompasses an exploration of seed morphometric traits, germination parameters, and growth characteristics. The investigated traits exhibited notable variability. Noteworthy variations were observed in the weight of 100 seeds, ranging from 346 to 800 g, seed length spanning 4–2.5 cm, and seed diameter varying between 1.92 and 1.41 cm. Germination percentages ranged from 73.6 to 46%, while survival percentages showed a range of 88.6–71%. Regarding growth parameters, the study documented seedling height and seedling basal diameter. Seedling height ranged from 12.25 to 12 cm, while seedling basal diameter varied from 5.12 to 2.3 cm. All evaluated characteristics exhibited significant heritability, with survival percentage demonstrating the highest heritability at 89.54%, and seed diameters displaying the lowest at 67.74%. Furthermore, substantial phenotypic coefficient of variability was observed, indicating substantial diversity within the studied germplasms. This variability underscores a valuable opportunities for meticulous screening and selection of optimal seed sources. The findings of this study contribute to comprehensive understanding of Mahua germplasms and their potential applications.

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is a medicinal plant, and its quality and quantity are notably affected by agricultural practices such as plant density and irrigation. A split-plot experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications for two crop years (2018–2020) at the Sistan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Iran. The irrigation methods included: I₁, which involved irrigation during vegetative, flowering, and seed-filling stages; I₂, which involved irrigation during vegetative and flowering stages; I₃, which involved irrigation during flowering and seed-filling stages; I₄, which involved irrigation only during flowering stage; and I₅, which involved no irrigation at all. The experiment also included testing plant density at 30, 50, and 100 plants per m². The study found that different irrigation regimes significantly impacted seed yield, relative water content, chlorophyll, proline, total carbohydrate, antioxidant activities, and essential oil content. The maximum seed yield was attained with I₁ (control) and a planting density of 100 plants per m², resulting in 651.9 kg ha⁻¹ and 672.4 kg ha⁻¹ in the first and second years, respectively. The irrigation during flowering and seed filling (I₃) with 50 and 100 plants per m² also showed a high seed yield in the first year. Non-irrigation and 30 plants per m² density resulted in the highest catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities. The essential oil content varied depending on irrigation and planting density, with the highest content achieved with I₄ irrigation and a planting density of 50 and 30 plants per m² in the first and second years (5.44 and 4.5%), respectively. The essential oil compounds with the highest mean values were β-pinene and safranal, while cuminaldehyde and sabinene had the lowest mean values. The research findings suggest that for optimal plant performances, it is advisable to use a planting density of 50 plants per m² and implement two irrigation stages during vegetative growth and flowering.

Investigations into the seed physiological maturity (PM) and achieving optimal seed quality (SQ) across varying plant densities are crucial. This is because harvesting seeds at the right time is critical to assure their viability and vigor. The use of nonlinear regression models could estimate the accurate time of PM and SQ in camelina at all plant densities based on days after flowering (DAF) and/or seed moisture content (SMC). To attain this goal, camelina seeds were sown manually at a 2–3 cm burial depth with four plant densities (150, 600, 1050, and 1500 m⁻² with ± 5% bias) in eight replicates. Seeds were sampled from 10 DAF at regular intervals every 5 or 10 days (depending on the weather conditions) for all plant densities. We examined the changes in fresh weight, dry weight, moisture content, oil content, and electrical conductivity of seeds. We also studied seed germination rate, normal seedling, and dry weight and length of seedlings about the flowering date across different plant densities. Our results were successful in accurately predicting the timing PM and SQ in camelina across all plant densities using DAF and/or SMC (R² ≥ 80) as a basis. Besides, no significant difference among all studied plant densities in terms of the studied traits was detected. These findings enable the fine-tuning of agronomic practices, such as determining the optimal harvest period. They also provide valuable support for developmental studies aiming to establish connections between physiological parameters and genetic or physiological factors.

Aiming to increase crop yield, it is crucial to establish a favorable plant stand using seeds that exhibit a high germination ratio and vigor. Various pre-sowing treatments are employed to achieve this objective. One such approach involves subjecting seeds to a low-to-medium level magnetic field. This study investigates the impact of frequency-dependent pre-sowing magneto-priming treatment on anise seed (Pimpinella anisum L) productivity. During the seasons of 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, anise seeds were exposed to DC, 5 Hz, and 10 Hz magnetic field treatments for different durations (20, 40, 60, and 80 min) prior to sowing. The growth parameters of the plants, fruit yield, and essential oil content were evaluated for both the magnetically treated and untreated seeds. The results indicate that the productivity of anise seeds is influenced by the frequency and duration of the magnetic field treatment. Among the different treatments, seeds treated with a 10 Hz frequency for 40 min exhibited the highest vegetative growth parameters, fruit yield, and oil yield compared to the untreated seeds. By adopting this method, there is great potential to improve crop yields and contribute to sustainable agricultural practices.

Water deficit is a critical abiotic stress that significantly affects the productivity of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) worldwide. It impacts various growth stages, including seed germination, vegetative growth, reproductive development and crop maturity. Among these stages, seed germination is particularly sensitive. In this study, we aimed to assess the effect of water deficit by manipulating the water potential of the germination medium [0, − 1, − 1.5 and − 2 MPa (Megapascal)]. Our results revealed that a decrease in the osmotic potential influenced all seedling parameters. Specifically, we observed variations in the activity of amylase, an enzyme involved in starch breakdown during germination. The timing of amylase activity depended on both the germination duration and the severity of water deficit. After 24 h, amylase activity increased due to reduced water potential, but it reached its peak after 48 h and subsequently decreased significantly under water stress. This enzymatic activity led to the accumulation of simple sugars in germinating seeds. Interestingly, our study also revealed intraspecific variability in the response to water stress. Specifically, seeds from the Chen’s and Simeto genotypes exhibited higher accumulation of soluble sugars compared to other genotypes, indicating their greater tolerance to water deficit. Considering this, integrating these tolerant genotypes into genetic improvement programs could enhance durum wheat resilience to water scarcity. Understanding the impact of water deficit on seed germination and seedling development is crucial for developing strategies to mitigate its effects and improve crop productivity in water-limited environments.

Drought is one of the main problems in the world affecting the yields of plants. Climate change has led to increased droughts affecting food security and sustainable development goals (SDGs) targets. Applying biochar and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can effectively increase soil fertility and crop yields under drought conditions. This study highlighted the impact of biochar and AMF on the growth of turmeric, nutrients and physiological properties under drought stress. Turmeric plants were grown under water stress in a net house. Four treatments used for the experiments included control (only soil), biochar, AMF, and combined treatment with biochar and AMF. For the pot experiments, 1% biochar was mixed with soil. AMF contained 100 spores/g and 1200 IP/g. Maximum improvement in rhizome biomass, rhizome number and availability of plant nutrients was observed after the co-application of biochar and AMF. Significant improvement in microbial biomass and AMF spore numbers was also observed in the soil exposed to biochar + AMF. Applying biochar and AMF in combination under water stress significantly enhanced fluorescein diacetate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activity in the soil compared to control. Results suggested that co-supplementation of biochar and AMF can promote soil nutrients along with turmeric's growth parameters and physiological properties in water stress.

Fipronil and imidacloprid are commonly used formulae in veterinary and agricultural sector. There are a few reports on their toxicological impact on the non-target life forms leading to serious respiratory and other health risks. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are linked with cellular toxicity or damage in number of disease anomalies. Though previous studies report their effects on lungs, information on the molecular mechanism of lung injury following exposure to mixture of fipronil and imidacloprid is limited. Hence, in this study the molecular mechanism behind fipronil and imidacloprid induced lung toxicity was explored. In the animal experimental work, Swiss albino mice aged (6–8 weeks) were orally administered with high (0.91 mg/kg i.e., 1/100th of LD₅₀) and low (0.60 mg/kg i.e., 1/150th of LD₅₀) doses of fipronil and imidacloprid (high-1.31 mg/kg and low- 0.87 mg/kg) individually and in combination for 90 consecutive days to identify the association of lung damage with mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) formation. Blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected for total leukocyte count (TLC) and differential leukocyte count (DLC) analysis. Lung samples were processed for histopathological examination and mtROS measurement. TLC, DLC scores and histopathological examination suggested lung inflammation. There was statistically significant increase (P < 0.05) in mtROS in lungs treated with imidacloprid and in combination with fipronil at low doses compared to the control group suggesting the induction of oxidative stress. The findings suggest that mtROS is associated with insecticide induced lung damage and necessitates in-depth studies on other host species exposed to such insecticides in field conditions.

Unavoidable biotic and abiotic stresses-led reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation has a profound negative impact on cellular intergradations. To impede the harmful effects of ROS, plant cells follow a multileveled complex network system of antioxidants, thus maintaining the cellular redox homeostasis. Report suggests plants having better antioxidative system show better performance under oxidative stress. Low molecular weight nucleoredoxin (NRX) is a nuclear thioredoxin (TRX) system with oxidoreductase capacity which can protect the cellular components like DNA, RNA or protein by protecting antioxidative enzymes like catalases. In response to the adverse environmental conditions, plant cells generate more ROS as a result of signal-led cellular defense mechanism. NRX plays a significant role in regulating the redox balance of the cell. Furthermore, for stress breeding during the process of developing stress-resistant varieties favorable alleles of NRX can be introgressed into elite breeding lines of different crops. This review describes the causes of oxidative stress, ROS production, major classes of ROS, role of ROS on plant growth and development, functional details of plant NRX and recent updates on plant NRX in different crops, especially in alleviating stress-incurred damages. NRX will be helpful in the progress toward developing varieties suitable for climate-resilient agriculture.

The positive effects of conservation agriculture (CA) (zero tillage with residue retention) on enhancing soil quality in rice–wheat system in the north-western Indo-Gangetic Plains of India are well appraised, but information is scanty for black soils (Vertisols) of central India. In the present study, soil organic carbon (SOC), soil aggregation, and biological properties of a vertisol in Jabalpur after imposing five treatments as: (i) transplanted rice-conventional tilled wheat (TPR-CTW), (ii) zero-tilled direct seeder rice-zero-tilled wheat-zero-tilled mungbean with residue (ZTDSR-S-ZTW-ZTMB + R), (iii) zero-tilled direct seeder rice-zero-tilled wheat-zero-tilled mungbean without residue (ZTDSR-S-ZTW-ZTMB), (iv) conventional tilled direct seeder rice-conventional tilled wheat-zero-tilled mungbean with residue (CTDSR-S-CTW-ZTMB + R), and (v) conventional-tilled direct seeder rice-conventional tilled wheat-zero-tilled mungbean without residue (CTDSR-S-CTW-ZTMB) were tested for four years in a fixed layout in each year. The macro-aggregate-associated C concentrations were by 13% and 17% higher (p < 0.05) in ZTDSR-S-ZTW-ZTMB + R than TPR-CTW in the 0–5 cm and 5–15 cm soil layers, respectively. However, ZTDSR-S-ZTW-ZTMB + R and PTR-CTW had similar micro-aggregated C concentrations and SOC stocks in both layers. Soil microbial biomass carbon, glomalin, and β-D-glucosidase activity were significantly higher under ZTDSR-S-ZTW-ZTMB + R than TPR-CTW and increased by ~ 24%, ~ 59% and ~ 56% compared to TPR-CTW treatment in the 0–5 cm, respectively (p < 0.05). Availability of substrate, protection from mechanical impedance, and development of congenial micro-environment under ZTDSR-S-ZTW-ZTMB + R benefited the SOC sequestration and microbial function over PTR-CTW. Thus, CA-based management (ZTDSR-S-ZTW-ZTMB + R) had profound impact on soil aggregation, SOC content, and microbial functions in black soils within a short-period of time; however, the full potential can only be achieved in the long run.