Physiological and biochemical changes induced by Qiangdi nano-863 biological assistant growth apparatus during rice seed priming under temperature stress

A huge amount of rice cultivation and consumption occur in Asia particularly in Pakistan and China. However, multiple abiotic stresses especially high and low-temperature proved to be a substantial threat for rice production ultimately risks for food security. To overcome various types of abiotic stress; seed priming is among the effective approaches to improve the rice seed germination and growth vigor. Therefore, the present study was planned to evaluate physiological and biochemical modifications in Chinese and Pakistani rice varieties by Qiangdi 863 biological assistant growth apparatus nano treated water (NTW), Osmopriming Calcium chloride (CaCl2), redox priming hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hormonal priming by Salicylic acid (SA) under temperature stress conditions. The experiment was performed with completely randomize design conditions. Five rice varieties, nomenclature as Zhongzoa 39, (Chinese rice variety) KSK 133, KS 282, Super basmati and PK 1121 aromatic (Pakistani rice variety) were sown under low temperature (LT) (17ºC), optimal temperature (OT) 27ºC and high temperature (HT) 37ºC conditions. The present study indicated that nanopriming were the most effective treatments increased Germination Energy Percentage (GEP) (96.1, 100, 100%), Speed of Germination (SG) (27.2, 35.45, 37.1), Final Germination Percentage (FGP) (98.2, 99.1, 99.4%), Seedling Dry Weight Biomass (DWB) (0.1, 0.137, 0.14g), Total Chlorophyll Content (0.502, 13.74, 15.21), antioxidant enzymes Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)(3145, 2559, 3345 µg-1FWh-1), Catalase (CAT) (300, 366, 3243 µg-1FWh-1) and decreased Malondialdehyde (MDA) (6.5, 12.2, 6.5 µmol g-1 FW) for Zhongzao 39 and KSK 133 rice varieties under low (LT+NTW), optimal temperature (OP+NTW) and high temperature (HT+NTW) stress., Therefore, nano-priming is recommended to cope with the high and low-temperature stress conditions along with improved productivity of rice.

The impact of uptake of selected agricultural technologies on rice farmers’ income distribution in Ghana

Background Government of Ghana’s effort to reduce income inequality consistently poses a major challenge to public policy formulation. The promotion and dissemination of agricultural technologies as a pathway out of income inequality in rural Ghana have received widespread support. Yet, knowledge about the impact of agricultural technologies on rural income inequality remains low. The objective of the study is to evaluate the link between the uptake of improved rice technologies and income distribution in the study area. Methods This paper uses a survey data from 917 smallholder rice producers in selected communities in Ghana. The study employs the Bourguignon, Fournier, and Gurgand (BFG) selection bias correction model, a two-stage model, to empirically analyse the role of agricultural technologies in rural income distribution. Results The empirical result shows that education, farm size, land ownership, participation in relevant extension training programmes enhance adoption, but gender (female) inhibits uptake of the selected technologies. The empirical result further shows that the uptake of the improved rice seed and fertilizer increases rice farmers’ net revenue significantly. The result further indicates that farmers’ choice of the selected agricultural technologies decreases the sample population income inequality, indicating the uptake of the technologies has an equalizing effect on rice farmers’ income distribution. Conclusion The study concludes that the use of the selected technologies has potential to fight rural poverty in Ghana. The findings have implications for National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) agenda of redistribution of wealth in Ghana.

An R2R3-MYB Transcription Factor OsMYBAS1 Promotes Seed Germination under Different Sowing Depths in Transgenic Rice

MYB-type transcription factors play essential regulatory roles in seed germination and the response to seedling establishment stress. This study isolated a rice R2R3-MYB gene, OsMYBAS1, and functionally characterized its role in seed germination by generating transgenic rice plants with the overexpression and knockout of OsMYBAS1. Gene expression analysis suggested that OsMYBAS1 was highly expressed in brown rice and root, respectively. Subcellular localization analysis determined that OsMYBAS1 was localized in the nucleus. No significant differences in seed germination rate were observed among wild-type (WT) and transgenic rice plants at the 0-cm sowing depth. However, when sown at a depth of 4 cm, higher germination rates, root lengths and seedling heights were obtained in OsMYBAS1-overexpressing plants than in WT. Furthermore, the opposite results were recorded between the osmybas1 mutants and WT. Moreover, OsMYBAS1-overexpressing plants significantly enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity and suppressed the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) content at the 4-cm sowing depth. These results indicate that the MYB transcription factor OsMYBAS1 may promote rice seed germination and subsequent seedling establishment under deep-sowing conditions. These findings can provide valuable insight into rice seed-quality breeding to facilitate the development of a dry, direct-seeding production system.

Automatic and Accurate Calculation of Rice Seed Setting Rate Based on Image Segmentation and Deep Learning

The rice seed setting rate (RSSR) is an important component in calculating rice yields and a key phenotype for its genetic analysis. Automatic calculations of RSSR through computer vision technology have great significance for rice yield predictions. The basic premise for calculating RSSR is having an accurate and high throughput identification of rice grains. In this study, we propose a method based on image segmentation and deep learning to automatically identify rice grains and calculate RSSR. By collecting information on the rice panicle, our proposed image automatic segmentation method can detect the full grain and empty grain, after which the RSSR can be calculated by our proposed rice seed setting rate optimization algorithm (RSSROA). Finally, the proposed method was used to predict the RSSR during which process, the average identification accuracy reached 99.43%. This method has therefore been proven as an effective, non-invasive method for high throughput identification and calculation of RSSR. It is also applicable to soybean yields, as well as wheat and other crops with similar characteristics.

Allelopathic Potential of Rice Straw Incorporation on Weed Emergence in Rice Cultivars

Laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of in corporation of rice straw on the germination of different rice cultivars viz: ADT 36,ADT 38,ADT49,CO43.Further the allelopathic impact of crop residues on weed count and weed biomass was also registered. Different rates of incorporation was tried and higher the rate of incorporation, higher the inhibitions on rice and weed observations. Reduction in the performance of rice seed germination and growth parameters was observed with increased rice straw incorporation in all the four rice cultivars tried. Perhaps the rice straw incorporation had an influence on the biomass of rice cultivars too. Supporting research evidences also reveals that allelopathic effect of rice straw on rice and weed performance can stand as a remarkable achievement for recycling rice straw in rice producing countries.

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY AND ETHANOL RELEASE TO ASSESS RED RICE SEED VIGOR1

ABSTRACT To evaluate seed vigor, electrical conductivity and ethanol tests are fast and efficient methodologies. They have the potential to be used in several species, such as red rice. However, there are no protocols or information about their efficiency. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the efficiency, and define parameters of execution for electrical conductivity and ethanol tests, to evaluate the vigor of red rice seeds. The study was conducted using four lots of ‘BRS 901’ red rice, which was subjected to a germination test, as well as first count, accelerated aging, and field seedling emergence tests. The electrical conductivity test was performed with 25, 50, and 100 seeds soaked in 50 mL and 75 mL of water, at 25 °C and 30 °C, for 3, 6, 20, and 24 hours, respectively. The ethanol test was performed with 50 and 100 seeds soaked in a volume of water equivalent to 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0× the mass of the seed sample. To assess the vigor of red rice seeds, the electrical conductivity test is an efficient method when conducted with 50 seeds soaked in 50 mL of water at 25 °C for 20 hours. Meanwhile, the ethanol test is most effective when performed with 50 seeds, in a volume of water that is 2.5× the mass of the sample, at 40 °C for 24 hours.

Evaluation of AV-5055 as Seed Dresser in Lowland Rice Production

This experiment was established in 2020 cropping season at National Cereals Research Institute experimental field at Badeggi in Guinea Savannah agro-ecological Zone, (Latitude 9 040 Longitude 6 070 E), to assess seed dressing effect of AV-5055 on rice seed. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Designs (RCBD), replicated three times. It consisted of four (4) treatments: application of AV-5055 rate at 0.7L, 1.2L, 1.7L per 100kg of rice seed and no application of chemical as (control). Data was taken on plant height, tiller count, days to 50% flowering, bird damage, rodent damage panicle per meter square and grain yield. The result shows that there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in plant height, tiller count, days to 50% flowering and bird damage. However, control plot had significantly (P < 0.05) lower rodent damage (0.00) and higher grain yield (2060.00kg/ha) compared to rodent damage and grain yield in treated plots (0.33-2.33) and (1789.00-1999.03) respectively. It was concluded from the result of analysis that AV-5055 offer protection to dressed seed against bird depredation from planted field as there was no significant difference on bird depredation among the various rates of AV-5055 application. However, various rates of AV-5055 application attract picking by rodents and subsequent reduction on yield. Thus it was recommended that AV-5055 should be applied in combination with rodenticides to give perfect seed protection against birds and rodents.

Prophylactic and Therapeutic Effects of Oral Immunotherapy on Birch Pollen-Induced Allergic Conjunctivitis in Mice with a Rice-Based Edible Vaccine Expressing a Hypoallergenic Birch Pollen Allergen

We investigated the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of the oral administration of transgenic rice seeds expressing a hypoallergenic Bet v 1 derivative of allergic birch pollen conjunctivitis in mice. Transgenic rice seed depositing a chimeric molecule called TPC7 (tree pollen chimera 7) created by DNA shuffling of Bet v 1 family sequences from birch, alder and hazel in protein bodies of endosperm was generated. BALB/c mice were sensitized to birch pollen in alum and challenged with pollen in eyedrops. They were fed TPC7 transgenic or non-transgenic (control) rice seeds for 14 d before sensitization (prophylactic protocol) or 17 d after sensitization (therapeutic protocol). The clinical score and number of conjunctival eosinophils were significantly lower in TPC7-fed mice than in the control mice based on both the prophylactic and therapeutic protocols. Serum concentration of allergen-specific IgE did not differ between TPC7-fed and control groups in either protocol. Prophylactic administration of TPC7 downregulated the production of IL-4 and IFN-γ, whereas therapeutic administration of TPC7 upregulated the production of IFN-γ by allergen-stimulated splenocytes. Prophylactic or therapeutic oral administration of transgenic rice expressing TPC7 suppressed birch pollen-induced allergic conjunctivitis in mice. Feeding transgenic rice is a potentially effective approach as an allergen-specific immunotherapy for allergic conjunctivitis.