Germination and seedling growth of Sesbania species as influenced by seed size

An experiment was carried out at Plant Systematics Laboratory of the Department of Crop Botany, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to find out the effect of seed size on germination and seedling growth of three Sesbania species. Seed size was graded as small (3.1–3.5 mm), medium (3.6–4.0 mm) and large (4.1–4.5 mm); and three Sesbania species viz. S. bispinosa, S. cannabina and S. sesban, were used as experimental materials. The treatments were arranged in factorial experiment laid in completely randomized design having four replications. Though the effect of seed size on germination and seedling growth parameters followed similar trend, significant differences were observed among these three Sesbania species. Medium-sized seed produced the highest percentage of emergence and germination, and large-sized seed produced the highest seedling length, vigour index, and total biomass; although the numerical values did not differ statistically. The small-sized seeds were poor performer in all aspect of germination and seedling growth descriptors. The correlation matrix analyses showed that seed size, both length and/or width, highly correlated with root and seedling length, base diameter, vigour index and biomass yield of Sesbania spp. The medium to large-sized seed sown at relatively higher seed rate could be helpful for higher biomass yield of Sesbania spp. especially at the early growth stages.Progressive Agriculture 28 (4): 316-322, 2017

Characterization of dhaincha accessions based on morphological descriptors and biomass production

Forty five accessions of dhaincha germplasms were collected from different parts of Bangladesh and characterized on the basis of morphological descriptors and biomass production ability. Thirty eight accessions were identified as Sesbania bispinosa, four as S. cannabina and two as unidentified Sesbania spp. One accession as S. rostrata was included for comparison. Both at seedling and maturity stages, wide and significant differences were observed among the accessions of different dhaincha germplasms for their biomass production capability and other morphological descriptors. At the seedling stage, total dry mass (TDM) production varied from 10.2 to 41.6g 30-plants–1. At the maturity stage, plant height, total number of branches and base diameter of dhaincha germplasms varied from 347.5–474.7cm, 10.4–23.7, and 1.9–4.9cm, respectively. The highest amount (4.10kg 10-plants–1) of above-ground TDM was produced in one accession of unidentified Sesbania sp. followed by S. rostrata and one accession of S. cannabina (3.85kg 10-plants–1), and the lowest TDM (0.9kg 10-plants–1) was measured in two accessions of S. bispinosa. It may be concluded that the biomass production capability of at least two accessions of local Sesbania germplasms were higher/comparable to that of exotic S. rostrata. It will be too early to make a conclusive remark based on only a few dhaincha germplasms. A detailed study with a large number of germplasms collected from whole Bangladesh is obviously needed to reach in a precise conclusion.J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 13(1): 55-60, June 2015

Characteristics of a Potyvirus of the Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus Subgroup in Sesbania speciosa Germ Plasm

A plant of Sesbania speciosa with leaf mosaic and distortion symptoms was identified in a germ plasm regeneration plot at Griffin, Georgia. The Sesbania virus produced mild or moderate mosaic symptoms on Glycine max cvs. Bragg and Tracy M, Lupinus albus, Nicotiana benthamiana, Pisum sativum cv. Perfected Wales, Phaseolus vulgaris cvs. Black Turtle, Bountiful, and Pinto, and did not infect N. tabacum. Bean yellow mosaic potyvirus (BYMV) and pea mosaic potyvirus (PMV) do not infect Perfected Wales pea and they produce mosaic, distortion, and necrosis on white lupine. The PMV strain tested produced much more severe symptoms on the three green beans, with top necrosis on Pinto. BYMV produced local latent infection of N. tabacum and BYMV and PMV produced mosaic with distortion on N. benthamiana. The Sesbania virus was seed-transmitted at a low rate in S. speciosa. Indirect-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests with a general potyvirus monoclonal antibody and BYMV and white lupine mosaic virus (WLMV) polyclonal antisera were strongly positive. Tests of the Sesbania virus against a monoclonal antibody panel suggests that it is not BYMV or any of the previously described subgroup members, but is a member of the BYMV subgroup. This is the first report of a seedborne BYMV-like virus of Sesbania spp.