scholarly journals Yield and quality of inflorescences of 'Golden Torch' heliconia in different shaded environments

Author(s):  
Rafaela R. de Souza ◽  
Márkilla Z. Beckmann-Cavalcante ◽  
Alcilane A. Silva ◽  
Everaldo M. da Silva ◽  
Leonardo P. da S. Brito ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Light is one of the factors that most affect crop growth and yield. However, the control of light intensity is difficult, because, under certain environmental conditions, light energy may exceed or limit the capacity of plants to use it. In this sense, the productive behavior of plant species in shaded environments needs to be known. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different shaded environments with black shade nets [0 (full sun), 35 and 50%, and overlap 35 + 50% shading nets] on flowering, yield and quality of inflorescences of Heliconia psittacorum (cv. 'Golden Torch'). The shaded environments caused a reduction in the number of days for inflorescence emergence and in the cycle of H. psittacorum (cv. 'Golden Torch'). The yield and quality of inflorescences of plants grown under full-sun conditions (0% shading) were impaired. The results indicate that, for a better management of the crop environment, aiming yield and quality of inflorescences of H. psittacorum (cv. 'Golden Torch'), the use of black shade nets with 50% shading is recommended.

HortScience ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (10) ◽  
pp. 1298-1304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisha Otieno Gogo ◽  
Mwanarusi Saidi ◽  
Jacob Mugwa Ochieng ◽  
Thibaud Martin ◽  
Vance Baird ◽  
...  

French bean [Phaseolus vulgaris (L.)] is among the leading export vegetable in Africa, mostly produced by small-scale farmers. Unfavorable environmental conditions and heavy infestations by insect pests are among the major constraints limiting production of the crop. Most French bean producers grow their crop in open fields outdoors subject to harsh environmental conditions and repeatedly spray insecticides in a bid to realize high yield. This has led to rejection of some of the produce at the export market as a result of stringent limits on maximum residue levels. Two trials were conducted at the Horticulture Research and Teaching Field, Egerton University, Kenya, to evaluate the potential of using agricultural nets (herein referred to as agronets) to improve the microclimate, reduce pest infestation, and increase the yield and quality of French bean. A randomized complete block design with five replications was used. French bean seeds were direct-seeded, sprayed with an alpha-cypermethrin-based insecticide (control), covered with a treated agronet (0.9 mm × 0.7 mm average pore size made of 100 denier yarn knitted into a mesh impregnated with alpha-cypermethrin), or covered with an untreated-agronet (0.9 mm × 0.7 mm average pore size made of 100 denier yarn knitted into a mesh not impregnated with insecticide). Alpha-cypermethrin and agronets were manufactured by Tagros Chemicals (India) and A to Z Textile Mills (Tanzania), respectively. Covering French bean with the agronets modified the microclimate of the growing crop with air temperature increased by ≈10%, relative humidity by 4%, and soil moisture by 20%, whereas photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) and daily light integral (DLI) were decreased by ≈1% and 11.5%, respectively. Populations of silverleaf whitefly [Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius)] and black bean aphids [Aphis fabae (Scopoli)] were reduced under agronet covers as contrasted with control plots. Furthermore, populations of both pests were reduced on French bean grown under impregnated agronets compared with untreated agronets, but only on three of the five sampling dates [30, 44, and 72 days after planting (DAP)] for silver leaf whitefly or at only one of the five sampling dates (30 DAP) for black bean aphid. Covering French bean with agronets advanced seedling emergence by 2 days and increased seedling emergence over 90% compared with control plots. French bean plants covered with both agronet treatments had faster development, better pod yield, and quality compared with the uncovered plants. These findings demonstrate the potential of agronets in improving French bean performance while minimizing the number of insecticide sprays within the crop cycle, which could lead to less rejection of produce in the export market and improved environmental quality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stella Jerono Keter ◽  
Samuel Nyalala ◽  
Joshua Ogweno

Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) is a perennial summer flower grown by smallholders in Kenya for export. However, its production and export volumes have declined drastically due to nematodes infestation. This study evaluated the effect of Cleome gynandra accessions on nematode management on tuberose. Experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Research Field, Egerton University, Kenya using a randomized complete block design with four replications. The treatments were: five accessions of C. gynandra namely ‘Simlaw’, ‘Egerton’, ‘Taastrup’, ‘PS’ and ‘IP8’, applied at 6 kg/m2 and compared with Brassica napus, solarization and untreated control. Data was collected on growth and yield parameters, nematode infestation and quality of tuberose. Data collected was subjected to analysis of variance at p≤0.05 and means separated using Tukey’s test. Biofumigation with Cleome gynandra accessions helped to reduce nematode population by 34%, gall numbers by 83% and galling index by be 96% when compared with the control. Use of biofumigation helped to improve plant height and leaf number of tuberose by 16% and 87%, respectively, when compared with the control. Use of biofumigation helped to improve spike length by 32%, marketable spikes by 80%, and flower yield by 90% and reduced nonmarketable spikes by 95% when compared with the control. Based on the above results, use of Cleome gynandra accessions and other biofumigants such as rape seed can be used to manage nematodes and improve growth, yield and quality of tuberose. 


Author(s):  
Md. Shahjalal ◽  
H. Galbraith ◽  
J.H. Topps

There is increasing interest in the diversification of animal production systems to produce products which are not in surplus nationally. Fine fibre production from goats is one such subject area. Previous studies (e.g. Huston, 1980; Calhoun et al, 1988) in other countries have suggested that the yield and quality of mohair fibre may be influenced by nutritional factors such as protein and energy. The aim of the work reported here was to investigate the effects of differences in dietary protein and energy on body growth and yield and quality of mohair fibre produced by British Angora goats.Twenty four male castrate British Angora goats of Australasian origin with an initial liveweight of 23.5 kg were used in a 112 day study. The goats were housed in individual pens and introduced to pelleted diets over a period of three weeks. The animals were allocated to four dietary treatments by randomised block design according to liveweight. The animals received diets containing, per kg dry matter, concentrations of estimated metabolizable energy of 10.2 MJ (LE) or 11.9 MJ (HE) and crude protein concentrations of 108 g (LP) or 180 g (HP) in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment. The animals were offered high energy diets (30 g/kg liveweight) which were increased when live weight increased by 1.0 kg. The goats on the low energy rations were offered amounts equivalent to 0.85 of the ME intake from HE diets. The live weight gain and food intake were recorded weekly.


Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shumaila Khan ◽  
Hongjun Yu ◽  
Qiang Li ◽  
Yinan Gao ◽  
Basheer Noman Sallam ◽  
...  

As natural plant growth stimulators, amino acids are widely used to improve the yield and quality of crops. Several studies have illustrated the effects of different amino acids on lettuce plant parts. However, the effects of applying single amino acids on root growth remain elusive. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of root application of L-methionine on the growth of lettuce. In this study, two successive experiments on butterhead lettuce were conducted under hydroponic conditions. Three amino acids, L-methionine (20 mg/L), L-glycine (210 mg/L), and L-tryptophan (220 mg/L), were applied separately. L-methionine significantly increased the growth performance by 23.60%, whereas growth using L-tryptophan and L-glycine decreased by 98.78% and 27.45%, respectively. Considering the results of the first experiment, a second experiment was established with different concentrations of L-methionine (2200 mg/L, 220 mg/L, 22 mg/L, 2.2 mg/L, 0.2 mg/L, and 0.02 mg/L). The plants were allowed to grow for four weeks. Leaf width, plant area, leaf area, chlorophyll contents, etc., were evaluated. The results show that plant growth significantly improved by applying L-methionine at the lowest concentrations of 0.2 mg/L and 0.02 mg/L, which can, therefore, improve hydroponic production of lettuce and, accordingly, human nutrition.


2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jéssika Angelotti-Mendonça ◽  
Mara Fernandes Moura ◽  
João Alexio Scarpare Filho ◽  
Bruna Thaís Ferracioli Vedoato ◽  
Marco Antonio Tecchio

Abtract In Brazil, the producers have changed used rootstocks to get more vigor to scion. Rootstocks change the distribution of bud fruitfulness over grapevine shoots and the expression of the bud fruitfulness into fruit yield. Hence, these modification could alter ideal pruning length. In this way, it was evaluated bud fruitfulness, fruit yield and quality of ‘Niagara Rosada’ grapevine grafted onto rootstocks: ‘IAC 766’, ‘IAC 572’, ‘IAC 313’, ‘IAC 571-6’, and ‘Riparia do Traviu’, which ‘IAC 766’ is the most used rootstock in São Paulo State, nowadays. The evaluations were performed over three crop seasons, in a vineyard located in Louveira, SP. Two evaluations were performed in Brazilian traditional season, and one crop pruning was performed in Brazilian summer, called “off-season”. In traditional seasons, the bud fruitfulness was evaluated from the first to fourth bud in 2014 and to the fifth in 2015. In the off-season, bud fruitfulness was evaluated from the fifth to eighth bud. Fruit yield and quality were also evaluated over the three production cycles. Bud fruitfulness of ‘Niagara Rosada’ grafted onto the evaluated rootstocks showed that this characteristic was more affected by the environmental conditions, confirmed due to alteration of bud fruitfulness through production cycles. Additionally, no effect of rootstock was observed on fruit yield, and quality of ‘Niagara Rosada’. Only isolated variations were detected, and these are not enough to confirm the influence of rootstocks on scion of ‘Niagara Rosada’. Although no effect of rootstocks on bud fruitfulness, fruit yield and quality has been observed in the evaluated conditions, all rootstocks are recommended to be used in combination with ‘Niagara Rosada’.


2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 522-528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimin Li ◽  
Shenghua Li ◽  
Xianjin Wu ◽  
Hongmei Lu ◽  
Min Huang ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 281-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidia Sas-Paszt ◽  
Kris Pruski ◽  
Edward Żurawicz ◽  
Beata Sumorok ◽  
Edyta Derkowska ◽  
...  

Sas-Paszt, L., Pruski, K., Żurawicz, E., Sumorok, B., Derkowska, E. and Głuszek, S. 2014. The effect of organic mulches and mycorrhizal substrate on growth, yield and quality of Gold Milenium apples on M.9 rootstock. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 281–291. A 3-yr study was conducted to evaluate the effects of organic mulches and mycorrhizal substrate on growth and yield of apple cv. Gold Milenium grown on M.9 rootstock. Straw (rye), pine bark, conifer tree sawdust, compost (plant debris), cow manure, peat moss substrate (commercial), and mycorrhiza substrate (Mykoflor®, containing mycorrhizal fungi: Glomus intraradices, G. mosseae, G. etunicatum) were applied in spring of each year. All the applied treatments did not affect significantly the tree growth. Mulches did not have a positive effect on total soluble solids of the fruit and the number of fruits in different size categories. Only sawdust mulch significantly increased the number of fruit in size diameter class of 7.0–7.5 cm compared with the control. The use of mulches affected the concentration of macro- and microelements in leaves, particularly Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn. Mulches positively affected the pH and organic matter content of soil. The best results were observed with the use of the compost, cow manure and the mycorrhizal substrate, where the concentrations of P, K and Mg, most of microelements and soil organic matter were elevated.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-50
Author(s):  
Syed Nazrul Islam ◽  
Md. Lutfar Rahman ◽  
Md. Zablul Tareq ◽  
Bornali Mostofa ◽  
Md. Meftahul Karim ◽  
...  

Plants are naturally growing on the soil without hampering the eco-friendly environment. Intensive cultivation of crops with high yielding verities (HYV) hampering the soil health resulting unfertile soil. In addition, frequent uses of chemicals as well as overdose of synthetic fertilizer creating hazardous environment for the living things. However, to meet up the demand of foods as well as other basic requirements of increasing population of the world crop cultivation techniques need to be modernized. To overcome this situation, application of organic fertilizer need to apply regularly. Biochar can be a good source of organic fertilizer and it is currently using to improve the soil health globally. To examine the effect of biochar on jute growth and yield an experiment was set up in two different locations (Jute Agriculture Experimental Station (JAES), Manikganj, and Jute Research Sub Station (JRSS), Jashore of Bangladesh) during the period from August to December, 2019. Results revealed that location (JAES) had significant and positive effect on jute physiology and seed yield and as well as seed quality. Among fourteen treatments, treatment T2 (Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF)) showed the highest plant height (163.5 cm), base diameter (7.44 mm) and pod per plant (16.5) compare to the rest treatments. Treatment T6 (RDF 75% + 25%[email protected]) showed the best seed weight (2.13 g) and seed yield/ plant (3.98 g) among all treatments. Interaction among treatments and locations, T2 x L2 affected seed germination (99%) and field emergence (92.33%) positively. From this research it was cleared that biochar alone may not enough but combination is required for improving jute seed yield and quality.


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