Attacks by Termites (Blattoptera: Insecta) in cassava crops (Manioth esculenta Crantz.) in Daloa (Center-West, Côte d’Ivoire)

A study was carried out on the attack of termites in three cassava plots located in the zone of Daloa (town in the center-west of the Côte d’Ivoire). The main objective of this study was to ensure a sustainable productivity of cassava in the Daloa region by controlling termite’s pests of cassava crops according to the phenological stage, namely: the plot of cassava at the small stalk stage, the plot at the tuber production stage and the plot at the harvest stage. To this end, systematic excavations were carried out in the sections along the transects and plant-by-plant sampling in order to inventory the different species of termites on the plots and to highlight the damage they cause. This made it possible to identify 4 species of termites: Odontotermes sp., Macrotermes bellicosus, Pseudacanthotermes militaris and Nasutitermes latifrons, of which 1 species is common to all three environments. The comparative analysis of the different study environments showed that the plots at the production stage and at the harvest stage are the most colonized by termites. Odontotermes sp. observed only in plots at the small stage, as well as Nasutitermes latifrons which are only present on the plot at the production stage. Pseudacanthotermes militaris are best represented on all three plots.

Interactions of Growth Environmental and Application of GA3 Concentration On Shallot Productivity

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the combination of technology using GA3 and agro-climate-based growing environment to increase shallot production in the lowlands. The study was designed with a nested factorial design, where the replicates were nested in an agro-climatic environment. The growing environment used consists of three conditions, namely open nature (e1), screen house (e2), UV plastic (e3). Meanwhile, the GA3 concentration (g) factor used consists of 4 levels, namely 0 ppm (g0), 100 ppm (g1), 200 ppm (g2) and 300 ppm (g3). This research design will be repeated 3 times for each treatment, so that the total experimental plot is 36 experimental units. The characters observed consisted of six characters, namely the number of leaves, absorption, reflection, tuber fresh weight, tuber diameter and tuber production. The results of this study indicate that GA3 treatment and UV application are very influential in increasing the productivity of shallots. The combination of 200 ppm GA3 concentration with the use of UV is the recommended technology in shallot cultivation. The fresh weight character of the tuber is a recommended secondary character in evaluating the potential of shallot cultivation technology. Hasanuddin University, Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan No. KM.10, Tamalanrea Indah, Kec. Tamalanrea, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan 90245.

Effects of nano and ionized silicon on physiological and biochemical characteristics of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

The role of protecting and structure stabilizing effects of silicon (Si) has been demonstrated on different plant species. Still it has not been used in potato seed production under a soilless culture system. Furthermore, particle size is very important in particle adhesion and interactions with biological reactions. Therefore, the use of nano-Si particles may be more efficient than ionized -Si. For this purpose, a greenhouse experiment under a soilless culture system was performed as a randomized complete block design (RCBD) arranged in a factorial with three replications. In this study, Si concentration (distilled water (Control), 0.8, 1.6, 2.4, and 3.2 mmol Si L− 1) and Si type at two levels (nano and ionized Si-based in sodium silicate) were tested. The results revealed that foliar application of Si significantly improved the net photosynthesis rate, water use efficiency, mesophyll conductance, Chl a, Chl b, carotenoids, Chl a/b ratio, DPPH radical scavenging, total phenol, mean weight mini-tuber, and yield, whereas transpiration rate in Si-treated plants decreased. Moreover, the greatest positive influence of Si was observed at 3.2 mmol L− 1. The effect of Nano-Si was greater than ionized-Si at all Si concentrations. The results revealed that improved biochemical and photosynthetic characteristics of potato plantlet under Nano-Si treatments compared to ionized-Si treatments. However, these relations were not significant under ionized treatment. This study indicated that the application of Si (nano and ionized) for potato growing and mini-tuber production has positive effects. Generally, under soilless culture system, Nano-Si have higher efficiency than ionized-Si in mini-tuber production.

Genetic variation among biofortified and late blight tolerant potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) (mini tuber) production in Bangladesh

Biofortified potato could contribute a major role in food security for millions of people. It could help to alleviate worldwide micronutrient malnutrition. An experiment was carried out during 2019-2020 growing season with 49 accessions following randomized complete block design with three replications in order to evaluate and classify agro-morphological traits in Breeder seed production centre (BSPC), Debiganj, Panchagarh. Eight quantitative characters i.e. germination percent, foliage coverage, stem number per hill, plant height, plant vigor, tuber number per plant, tuber weight per plant, yield per plant were measured. Principal components (PC) analysis showed three components explained 72.16 % of the total variation among traits. The first PC assigned 35.22 % and the second PC assigned 58.47 % of total variation between traits. The first PC was more related to yield per plant and weight of tuber. Forty-nine germplasm was placed on three cluster based on cluster analysis using a hierarchical classification (HCA). All accessions were discriminated and high morphological variation was observed. Thus, the outcomes of principal component analysis used in the study have revealed the high level of genetic variation and the traits contributing to the variation were identified. CIP403, CIP404, CIP405, CIP413 and CIP445 accessions identified as superior based on cluster relationship and PCA bi-plot.

Effect of Organo-nitrogen Fertilization on N-uptake and Growth Yield of Potatoes using 15N

Fertilization is an important and limiting factor for growth and tuber production of potatoes crop because plants non adsorption amounts of nutrients from the soil. Data obtained the tea compost spray or tea compost fertigation single or mixed with mineral-N. Resulted in grand mean the highest tuber yield of potatoes tea compost methods, the value of tuber yield value (42.34 tan ha -1) which relatively increased by about 15.68%, 11.31% over the untreated addition compost to soil and tea compost fertigation.Also data show that grand mean the highest shoot dry weight of potatoes foliar compost tea methods, the value of tuber yield value (4.79 tan ha -1) which relatively increased by about 41.54%,24.43% over the untreated addition compost to soil and tea compost fertigation. Also data show under methods, fertigaion compost tea, with treatment 50% compost tea+ 50% mineral –N seems to be the best ones in nitrogen uptake by tuber potato plant (131.24 kg ha-1). the compost tea fertigation, % Ndff, Ndfcompost in tuber was much higher for tea compost fertigation (57.74 kg ha-1) ,(56.62 kg ha -1 )than for compost tea foliar methods (50.21 kg ha-1),(51.84 kg ha-1) and compost addition to soil (33.02 kg ha-1) , (27.82 kg ha-1) respectively . The percentage nitrogen use efficiency (%NUE) by tuber ranged from %9.17 to %16.27 due to (MA1)+R2 and 100 % MF , respectively.

The Improvement of Mini Tuber Production of Granola Potato Cultivar in Aeroponics System

Potato is an important food crop in both developed and developing countries and it is the fourth most important food crop after wheat, maize, and rice. Potato production in Indonesia has decreased in recent years, mainly due to the use of low quality tuber seed. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of plant materials, types of nutrients, and planting density on mini tuber formation, as well as to determine the best aeroponics conditions for mini tuber formation of Granola cultivar of potato. This research has been carried out experimentally using a Split-split Plot Design. The main plot was planting materials which consisted of plantlet and knol. The subplot was the type of nutrition media which consisted of Farran nutrition, Otazu nutrition, and AB-commercial mix. The sub-sub-plot was planting density which consisted of 50, 75, and 100 plants/m2. The research results showed that knol planted in aeroponics system on AB-commercial mix at a planting density of 75 plants/m2 resulted in the best mini-tuber production. In this study, for the first time three important factors for potato mini-tuber production have thoroughly been investigated in Indonesia. This finding will be used by Kledung Horticultural Seed Garden, Temanggung, for mass production of high-quality mini-tuber seed, which in turn will provide sufficient tuber seed for the farmer in its surrounding areas. By increasing the production of high-quality tuber seed, it is expected that it will contribute to the improvement of potato productivity and increase Indonesian potato production.

University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: ‘Fabula’

‘Fabula’ is a potato variety that is commonly grown for the fresh potato market. The variety was selected from progeny of a cross between ‘Monalisa’ and ‘Hudson’. It was released in 2005 by D. Biedmond B.V. of the HZPC in the Netherlands. In Florida, ‘Fabula’ demonstrates good tuber characteristics and high yield superior to its commercial standard ‘LaChipper’. Tuber production and quality results are summarized from various trials conducted by the UF/IFAS Hastings Agricultural and Extension Center from 2001 to 2016.This is a minor revision with a new author added. Originally published 5/2017.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1294

University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: ‘LaChipper’

‘LaChipper’ is a potato variety that is commonly grown for the fresh potato market in Florida. Under different growing conditions ‘LaChipper’ is suited for chip processing. It was selected from progeny of a cross between ‘Green Mountain’ and ‘Cayuga’ and tested under the pedigree L91-78. It was released by the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Baton Rouge, LA in October of 1962. ‘LaChipper’ demonstrates high yield and good tuber characteristics compared to the commercial standard ‘Atlantic’. Tuber production and quality results provided in this spotlight are from Florida Potato Variety Trials conducted at the UF/IFAS Hastings Agricultural Extension Center between 1998 and 2016.