The effect of plant density in nickel-phytomining field experiments with Alyssum murale in Albania

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aida Bani ◽  
Guillaume Echevarria ◽  
Xin Zhang ◽  
Emile Benizri ◽  
Baptiste Laubie ◽  
...  

Ultramafic vertisols cover large areas in Albania and offer opportunities for phytomining. We undertook a field experiment with native Alyssum murale on two representative Vertisols at a distance of 20 km from each other (Pojskë and Domosdovë, Albania), to test the effect of planting density (transplanted seedlings) on a phytomining cropping system. Both areas were cleared in late summer 2012 and then ploughed and the soils were characterised. At Domosdovë, an area of 0.5 ha was planted with local native seedlings at a density of six plants per square metre in September 2012. Spontaneous plants that had germinated in Spring 2012 were left to grow without any competition from other plants on a second 0.1-ha plot at Domosdovë. All plots were weeded manually in the autumn of 2012 and spring of 2013. Individual plants occupied ~1 m2 at maturity. At Pojskë, an area of 0.3 ha was also planted in September 2012 with local native seedlings of A. murale at a density of four plants per square metre. Plants grown at initial densities of four and six plants per square metre did not fully cover the ground; gaps were filled in naturally by a second spontaneous generation of A. murale seedlings (recruits) that had germinated in Autumn 2012. Other weeds were eliminated with herbicides. At Domosdovë, at densities of one and six plants and at Pojskë of four plants per square metre, the biomass yield was 10, 5 and 10 t ha–1, respectively. Concentration of phytoextracted nickel was 77, 41 and 112 kg ha–1. We suggest that a density of four plants per square metre is suitable for phytoextraction with native populations of A. murale. A. murale can be a weed itself and lower the nickel phytoextraction yield. Plants responded differently in their native environment than in previous field trials in North America.

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aziz Khan ◽  
Xiangjun Kong ◽  
Ullah Najeeb ◽  
Jie Zheng ◽  
Daniel Kean Yuen Tan ◽  
...  

High input costs combined with multiple management and material inputs have threatened cotton productivity. We hypothesize that this problem can be addressed by a single fertilization at flowering with late sowing in a moderately populated plant stand. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the cotton biomass accumulation, phosphorus dynamics, and fiber quality under three planting densities (low, 3 × 104; moderate, 6 × 104; and dense, 9 × 104 ha−1) and two cultivars (Zhongmian-16 and J-4B). High planting density had 6.2 and 12.6% larger stems and fruiting nodes m−2, while low density produced a 37.5 and 59.4% maximum height node ratio. Moderate density produced 26.4–15.5%, 24.7–12.6%, and 10.5–13.6% higher biomass accumulation rate at the peak bloom, boll set, and plant removal stages over low and high density in both years, respectively. J-4B produced a higher reproductive organs biomass yield when compared with Zhongmian-16 in both years. This higher biomass formation was due to both the higher average (0.8 VT kg·ha−1·d−1) and maximum (1.0 VM kg·ha−1·d−1) reproductive organ phosphorus uptake, respectively. Plants with low density had 5.3–18.5%, 9.5–15%, and 7.8–12.8% greater length, strength, and micronaire values over moderate and dense plants, respectively. Conclusively, moderate density with J-4B is a promising option for improved biomass, phosphorus acquisition, and fiber quality under a short season.


HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 816-818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haim Nerson

Two field experiments were conducted in Bet Hashita (1992) and Newe Ya'ar (1993), Israel, in order to examine the possibility of using plant growth habit, chlorflurenol, and plant population density to concentrate yield of pickling cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under a simulated once-over mechanical harvest system. Two near-isogenic cucumber lines, WI 1983G normal and WI 1983G little leaf, were grown under three plant densities, 5, 10, and 20 plants/m2, and at flowering half of the plants were treated with 50 mg·L-1 chlorflurenol solution. The little leaf line produced a smaller canopy than the normal line under five plants/m2 but a larger canopy under 20 plants/m2. The average commercial yield of the little leaf line was higher than that of the normal leaf line by 28% and 55% in Bet Hashita and in Newe Ya'ar, respectively. The highest yield of each line was achieved under the highest plant density. The average commercial yields under 20 plants/m2 were 1.13 and 0.91 kg·m-2 in Bet Hashita and 1.86 and 0.92 kg·m-2 in Newe Ya'ar for little leaf and normal leaf, respectively. Chlorflurenol increased fruit number per unit area but did not increase yield. Nevertheless, it increased the proportion of small fruits, which are more valuable. The present study shows that the little leaf growth habit can increase the yield concentration in pickling cucumber and make this crop more suitable for a once-over mechanical harvest. Chemical name used: methyl-2-chloro-9-hydroxyfluorene-9-carboxylate (chlorflurenol).


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anestis C. KARKANIS ◽  
Charis-Konstantina KONTOPOULOU ◽  
Christos LYKAS ◽  
Ioanna KAKABOUKI ◽  
Spyridon A. PETROPOULOS ◽  
...  

In the present study, the selectivity and efficacy of several post and pre-emergence herbicides in chia (Salvia hispanica L.) were examined. Field experiments were conducted at two locations with different soil types and environmental conditions. Our results showed that the pre-emergence application of pendimethalin, oxyfluorfen and linuron reduced total weed density by 71-74%, 74-82% and 53-55%, respectively. Despite their high effectiveness, the above-mentioned herbicides had a negative effect on plant density and biomass yield. In addition, herbicides bentazon and fluazifop-p-butyl which applied post-emergence did not affect significantly plant height and biomass yield. In conclusion, the herbicides linuron, pendimethalin and oyxfluorfen do not seem to be a viable option for weed control in chia crop, whereas the post-emergence applied herbicides did not affect significantly plants’ growth. Further evaluation of chia tolerance to herbicides is needed under different application rates in order to make safe suggestions for chemical control of weeds.


HortScience ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (7) ◽  
pp. 1838-1841 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Victoria Huitrón-Ramírez ◽  
Marcia Ricárdez-Salinas ◽  
Francisco Camacho-Ferre

One of the major problems of watermelon production is the decrease of fruit yield and quality caused by soil diseases. Soil disinfection with methyl bromide (MB) has been used to prevent fungus attacks; however, its use is being restricted because this substance damages the ozone layer. Searching for new MB alternatives, field experiments were carried out in open field in soils infested with Olpidium bornovanus and melon necrotic spot virus in Colima, Mexico, where watermelons had only been grown previously using soil fumigation with MB. Yield and quality of watermelon cultivar triploid Tri-X 313 grafted on two rootstocks of Cucurbita maxima × Cucurbita moschata (‘RS841’ and ‘Shintosa Camelforce’) were evaluated during 2 consecutive years. Each experiment had five treatments, two of them with nongrafted plants at a density of 3472 plants/ha with and without MB fumigation. The remaining three treatments had grafted plants in nonfumigated soil with plant densities of 2778, 2083, and 1740 plants/ha. The use of watermelon grafted on ‘RS841’ and ‘Shintosa Camelforce’ rootstocks significantly increased the average fruit weight and the total yield of watermelon in soil without the need for MB. Grafting may be considered as an alternative MB fumigation. With the use of grafted watermelon plants, planting density may be reduced by 50%, obtaining higher yields than those obtained from nongrafted plants grown on fumigated soil except for ‘Tri-X 313’ grafted on ‘Shintosa Camelforce’ in 2006–2007. Fruits harvested from grafted plants had higher firmness than those harvested from nongrafted plants without affecting the content of soluble solids.


2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-304
Author(s):  
C Sharmila Rahale

Six field experiments were conducted at Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, Aduthurai to evolve suitable zinc fertilization method for rice - rice (Oryza sativa L.) cropping system in Cauvery delta zone. The treatment includes: T1 : Control, T2 : 100 g zinc sulphate (ZnSO4)/cent in nursery alone., T3 : root dipping alone in 2 % zinc oxide (ZnO) solution, T4 : 25 kg ZnSO4 ha-1, T5 : 37.5 kg ZnSO4 ha-1, T6 : 25 kg ZnSO4 ha-1+ Farm Yard Manure (FYM) 12.5 t ha-1, T7 : 25 kg ZnSO4 ha-1 + Green Leaf Manure (GLM) 6.5 t ha-1, T8 : Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Micro Nutrient (TNAU MN) mixture 25 kg ha-1 as Enriched Farm Yard Manure (EFYM), T9 : TNAU MN mixture 37.5 kg ha-1 as EFYM, T10 : Foliar spray of 0.5% ZnSO4 + 1 % urea at tillering and panicle initiation stage, T11 : 100g ZnSO4 /cent in nursery alone + Foliar spray of 0.5 % ZnSO4 + 1 % urea at tillering and panicle initiation stage (T2+ T10), T12 : root dipping alone in 2 % ZnO solution + Foliar spray of 0.5 % ZnSO4 + 1 % urea at tillering and panicle initiation stage (T3 + T10), T13: 100 g ZnSO4 /cent in nursery alone + root dipping alone in 2 % ZnO solution + Foliar spray of 0.5 % ZnSO4 + 1 % urea at tillering and panicle initiation stage (T2 + T3 + T10). The treatments T5, T6, T7 and T9 were skipped in rabi season to know the residual effect of these treatments in the subsequent season. Among the treatment combinations, application of 25 kg ZnSO4 ha-1 + FYM 12.5 t ha-1 recorded higher grain yield in both kharif (6232 kg ha-1) and rabi (6236 kg ha-1) seasons. The same treatment combination recorded higher Zn content and Zn uptake as well. Regarding soil nutrient content, the same treatment recorded higher N, P and K content. This treatment was followed by application of 25 kg ZnSO4 ha-1 + green leaf manure 6.5 t ha-1. The experimental findings suggested that combination of organic and inorganic sources not only increased the yield but also improves soil health in Cauvery delta zone.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 4995
Author(s):  
Marco Custódio ◽  
Paulo Cartaxana ◽  
Sebastián Villasante ◽  
Ricardo Calado ◽  
Ana Isabel Lillebø

Halophytes are salt-tolerant plants that can be used to extract dissolved inorganic nutrients from saline aquaculture effluents under a production framework commonly known as Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA). Halimione portulacoides (L.) Aellen (common name: sea purslane) is an edible saltmarsh halophyte traditionally consumed by humans living near coastal wetlands and is considered a promising extractive species for IMTA. To better understand its potential for IMTA applications, the present study investigates how artificial lighting and plant density affect its productivity and capacity to extract nitrogen and phosphorous in hydroponic conditions that mimic aquaculture effluents. Plant growth was unaffected by the type of artificial lighting employed—white fluorescent lights vs. blue-white LEDs—but LED systems were more energy-efficient, with a 17% reduction in light energy costs. Considering planting density, high-density units of 220 plants m−2 produced more biomass per unit of area (54.0–56.6 g m−2 day−1) than did low-density units (110 plants m−2; 34.4–37.1 g m−2 day−1) and extracted more dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus. Overall, H. portulacoides can be easily cultivated hydroponically using nutrient-rich saline effluents, where LEDs can be employed as an alternative to fluorescent lighting and high-density planting can promote higher yields and extraction efficiencies.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 789
Author(s):  
Klára Kosová ◽  
Miroslav Klíma ◽  
Ilja Tom Prášil ◽  
Pavel Vítámvás

Low temperatures in the autumn induce enhanced expression/relative accumulation of several cold-inducible transcripts/proteins with protective functions from Late-embryogenesis-abundant (LEA) superfamily including dehydrins. Several studies dealing with plants grown under controlled conditions revealed a correlation (significant quantitative relationship) between dehydrin transcript/protein relative accumulation and plant frost tolerance. However, to apply these results in breeding, field experiments are necessary. The aim of the review is to provide a summary of the studies dealing with the relationships between plant acquired frost tolerance and COR/LEA transcripts/proteins relative accumulation in cereals grown in controlled and field conditions. The impacts of cold acclimation and vernalisation processes on the ability of winter-type Triticeae to accumulate COR/LEA proteins are discussed. The factors determining dehydrin relative accumulation under controlled cold acclimation treatments versus field trials during winter seasons are discussed. In conclusion, it can be stated that dehydrins could be used as suitable indicators of winter survival in field-grown winter cereals but only in plant prior to the fulfilment of vernalisation requirement.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1269
Author(s):  
David K. Mfuti ◽  
Amanuel Tamiru ◽  
William D. J. Kirk ◽  
Adeyemi O. Akinyemi ◽  
Heather Campbell ◽  
...  

The potential of semiochemicals to lure insect pests to a trap where they can be killed with biopesticides has been demonstrated as an eco-friendly pest management alternative. In this study, we tested two recently characterized male-produced aggregation pheromones of the bean flower thrips Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom), namely (R)-lavandulyl 3-methylbutanoate (major) and (R)-lavandulol (minor), for their field efficacy. Moreover, compatibility of these pheromones and two other thrips attractants, Lurem-TR and neryl (S)-2-methylbutanoate, with the entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 69 has been determined. Our study revealed that the M. sjostedti aggregation pheromones have dose-dependent antifungal effects on the EPF viability, but showed no fungistatic effect at a field-realistic dose for attraction of thrips. (R)-lavandulyl 3-methylbutanoate had similar antifungal effects as neryl (S)-2-methylbutanoate 8 days after exposure; whereas, Lurem-TR had a stronger antifungal effect than other thrips attractants. In the semi-field experiments, all autoinoculation devices maintained at least 86% viability of M. anisopliae conidia after 12 days of exposure. Field trials demonstrated for the first time that (R)-lavandulyl 3-methylbutanoate increases trap catches. Our findings pave a way for designing a lure-and-kill thrips management strategy to control bean flower thrips using autoinoculation devices or spot spray application.


Author(s):  
Guotao Yang ◽  
Xuechun Wang ◽  
Farhan Nabi ◽  
Hongni Wang ◽  
Changkun Zhao ◽  
...  

AbstractThe architecture of rice plant represents important and complex agronomic traits, such as panicles morphology, which directly influence the microclimate of rice population and consequently grain yield. To enhance yield, modification of plant architecture to create new hybrid cultivars is considered a sustainable approach. The current study includes an investigation of yield and microclimate response index under low to high plant density of two indica hybrid rice R498 (curved panicles) and R499 (erect panicles), from 2017 to 2018. The split-plot design included planting densities of 11.9–36.2 plant/m2. The results showed that compared with R498, R499 produced a higher grain yield of 8.02–8.83 t/ha at a higher planting density of 26.5–36.2 plant/m2. The response index of light intensity and relative humidity to the planting density of R499 was higher than that of R498 at the lower position of the rice population. However, the response index of temperature to the planting density of R499 was higher at the upper position (0.2–1.4%) than at the lower position. Compared with R498, R499 at a high planting density developed lower relative humidity (78–88%) and higher light intensity (9900–15,916 lx) at the lower position of the rice population. Our finding suggests that erect panicles are highly related to grain yield microclimatic contributors under a highly dense rice population, such as light intensity utilization, humidity, and temperature. The application of erect panicle rice type provides a potential strategy for yield improvement by increasing microclimatic conditions in rice.


Author(s):  
L. S. Sampaio ◽  
R. Battisti ◽  
M. A. Lana ◽  
K. J. Boote

Abstract Crop models can be used to explain yield variations associated with management practices, environment and genotype. This study aimed to assess the effect of plant densities using CSM-CROPGRO-Soybean for low latitudes. The crop model was calibrated and evaluated using data from field experiments, including plant densities (10, 20, 30 and 40 plants per m2), maturity groups (MG 7.7 and 8.8) and sowing dates (calibration: 06 Jan., 19 Jan., 16 Feb. 2018; and evaluation: 19 Jan. 2019). The model simulated phenology with a bias lower than 2 days for calibration and 7 days for evaluation. Relative root mean square error for the maximum leaf area index varied from 12.2 to 31.3%; while that for grain yield varied between 3 and 32%. The calibrated model was used to simulate different management scenarios across six sites located in the low latitude, considering 33 growing seasons. Simulations showed a higher yield for 40 pl per m2, as expected, but with greater yield gain increments occurring at low plant density going from 10 to 20 pl per m2. In Santarém, Brazil, MG 8.8 sown on 21 Feb. had a median yield of 2658, 3197, 3442 and 3583 kg/ha, respectively, for 10, 20, 30 and 40 pl per m2, resulting in a relative increase of 20, 8 and 4% for each additional 10 pl per m2. Overall, the crop model had adequate performance, indicating a minimum recommended plant density of 20 pl per m2, while sowing dates and maturity groups showed different yield level and pattern across sites in function of the local climate.


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