Selection of Elite dura-Type Parents to Produce Dwarf Progenies of Elaeis guineensis Using Genetic Parameters

The low annual growth rate of the stipe in oil palm progenies is desirable to increase these crops’ productive and economic life. Recurrent reciprocal selection (R.R.S.) has allowed the development of oil palm populations through several breeding cycles with an increased frequency of favorable alleles associated with traits of interest. The present study evaluated families derived from Deli dura × African dura crosses. For 12 years, the yield, vegetative characteristics, and the amount of oil in seven dura progenies were assessed to estimate, from the information collected, the genetic parameters, heritability, and phenotypic correlations among quantitative genetic traits of high-yielding dwarf progenies. The analysis was carried out using analysis of variance, followed by a comparison of means for all estimated traits. The effect of the progenies was highly significant (p ≤ 0.01) for most traits. The yield values, expressed in fresh fruit bunches (FFB) for the progenies, ranged from 165 to 208 kg per palm per year. The oil-to-bunch ratio (O/B) ranged from 17% to 19%, with an overall average of 18%. One of the essential characteristics in this study was the vertical growth of the stipe. Progenies P6 and P7 were identified as those with the lowest annual increase in height, with values of 0.29 and 0.33 m year−1. The values indicate that these are slow-growing cultivars with a high FFB yield and O/B. The highest heritabilities were found for the vegetative trait height (71.62%) and the number of leaflets (46.64%). The development of dura parents with slow growth characteristics in combination with a high bunch and oil production allows extending the productive life of the crop to more than 35 years, providing added value to obtaining differentiated cultivars of oil palm.

Photophysical, photostability, and ROS generation properties of new trifluoromethylated quinoline-phenol Schiff bases

A new series of ten examples of Schiff bases, namely (E)-2-(((2-alkyl(aryl/heteroaryl)-4-(trifluoromethyl)quinolin-6-yl)imino)methyl)phenols 3, was easily synthesized with yields of up to 91% from the reactions involving a series of 2-(R-substituted) 6-amino-4-(trifluoromethyl)quinolines 1 and 4(5)-R1-substituted salicylaldehydes 2 – in which alkyl/aryl/heteroaryl for 2-R-substituents are Me, Ph, 4-MeC6H4, 4-FC6H4, 4-NO2C6H4, and 2-furyl, and R1-substituents are 5-NEt2, 5-OCH3, 4-Br, and 4-NO2. Complementarily, the Schiff bases showed low to good quantum fluorescence yield values in CHCl3 (Φf = 0.12–0.80), DMSO (Φf = 0.20–0.75) and MeOH (Φf = 0.13–0.85). Higher values of Stokes shifts (SS) were observed in more polar solvents (DMSO; 65–150 nm and MeOH; 65–130 nm) than in CHCl3 (59–85 nm). Compounds 3 presented good stability under white-LED irradiation conditions and moderate ROS generation properties were observed.

Increasing crop richness and reducing field sizes provides higher yields

Working landscapes represent >60% of terrestrial landscapes and thus represent opportunities for biodiversity conservation outside of traditional protected areas. For long, biodiversity conservation and crop productivity have been seen as mutually exclusive options. Here, we use a unique dataset that includes annual monitoring of 12,300 permanent 25 ha-plots over two decades across Spain to assess how working landscapes are changing over time and how these changes affect their ability to ensure high yields. We find that win-win strategies that are good for biodiversity conservation can also lead to increasing crop yields. Specifically, we find that management practices that favor increasing biodiversity values such as maintaining small field sizes and high crop richness values at the landscape scale actually lead to the greatest yield values across 54 crops considered. Win-win scenarios for biodiversity conservation and crop productivity are thus possible, yet not as widespread as they could be.

VARIETIES OF PEAS (PISUM SATIVUM L.) WITH SELECTIONALLY VALUABLE CHARACTERISTICS FOR USE IN BREEDING TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND PROTEIN CONTENT IN SEEDS

In order to highlight the sources of economically valuable traits in 2017-2018 years, 131 varieties of pea collection (Pisum sativum L.) were clustered using a hierarchical agglomerative algoritm based on the minimum of Euclidean distanced. Under conditions with sufficient moisture (2017, GTC=1.35) and moisture deficit (2018, GTC=0.76) in two morphological groups different in leaf type, the varieties were combined into clasters according to similar yield values (g/m2), the protein content in seeds (%) and the duration of the growing season (day) from full germinition to economic maturation. In 2017, in groups with a leafless and a common type leaf, eight clusters were distinguished in each of them, in arid conditions (2018), their number was, respectively, nine and seven. For use in breeding to increase the gross yield of protein, clusters with high yields and protein content are proposed, mainly in the leafless group, which have a higher resistance to lodging. In this morphological group, under conditions with suficient moisture varieties of the sixth cluster Yamalsky, Yamal-2, Aksaysky 55, Stepnyak, Krasnoufimskiy 11, Berkut, Terno with a yield of 380-492 g/m2 and a protein content of 23.23...27.81%, in arid conditions (2018) the varieties of the fifth cluster Faraon, Fokor, L-1599, Pamjat Khangildina, Samarius with indicators, respectively, 268...312 g/m2) and 22.61...22.93% were distinguished. In 2017 among the leaf varieties of the fourth cluster Kudesnik, Argon, L-2516 with the combination of high values of productivity (400...428 g/m2) and protein content in seeds (23.67...25.32%), UG-95888-2, in 2018 varieties of the fifth cluster Intensive 92, Janus, Chishminsky 229 with indicators of 268...320 g/m2 and 22.51...25.42% were distinguished. Varieties Veles and Kazanets with consistently high yields (304-328 g/m2, CV = 0.6 ... 1.3%) are of breeding value as sources of drought resistance

CdSe and CsPbBr3 Quantum Dots Co-doped Monolithic Glasses as Tunable Wavelength Convertors

CdSe and CsPbBr3 quantum dots are well studied photoluminescent materials due to their extraordinary emission properties. However, their vulnerability against environmental conditions limits their integration into further applications. At this point, glass encapsulation offers promising durability features due to its robust and dense structure. In this study, CdSe and CsPbBr3 QDs are successfully synthesized in the same glass host through melt-quenching technique followed by a single heat-treatment process. Excitation wavelength dependent photoluminescence properties are investigated and emission color tunability of monolithic glasses from yellow-green to red is demonstrated. Favorable quantum yield values are obtained as 21.78% and 16.63% under 345 and 365 nm excitation wavelengths, respectively. Prepared glasses demonstrate high potential to be used as tunable wavelength convertors for state-of-the-art photonic and opto-electronic applications.

Water Erosion and Sediment Transport in an Ungauged Semiarid Area: The Case of Hodna Basin in Algeria

This study aims to estimate the eroded and transported sediment yields from the The Hodna basin (26,000 km2) situated in central Algeria by two approaches. In the first model, the data of the gauged subbasins are extrapolated to the ungauged areas based on the homogeneity of factors that influence the water erosion-sediment transport process. In this approach, the specific eroded and transported sediment yield in the Hodna basin is estimated to be 425 t/km2/yr. In an alternative approach, the eroded yield is estimated by mapping erosion using the (RUSLE) in a GIS environment. The obtained results show a high eroded sediment yield of approximately 610 t/km2/yr.The observed difference between the results of the two approaches can be explained by the amount of sediment that is eroded but is not transported by runoff.These two methods show high eroded and transported sediment yield values in the Hodna basin region; these high yields may seriously threaten the central flat zone with progressive deposition.

Effect of legume type and nitrogen source on milk yield among dairy cows fed maize (Zea mays) stover treated with groundnut (Arachis hypogea) and soybean (Glycine max) stover

The main objective of the study was to develop technology for improving utilization of abundant quantities of under- utilized crop residues and leguminous plants during the dry season to mitigate effects of dry season on milk yield. The study was set up to test practical ways of upgrading low quality roughage and their effect on milk yield. A 22 factorial experiment within a Completely Randomised Design (CRD) was used. The study involved improving the quality of maize stover using urea fertilizer (UF), chopped groundnut (cGS) and soybean (cSS) stover, mineralized groundnut (mGS) and mineralized soybean (mSS) solution as sources of nitrogen. Research findings revealed superiority of UET over both groundnut and soybean stover in improving the quality of maize stover. Across legume types, groundnut stover had a higher positive effect on improving the quality of maize stover in terms of milk yield. Within legume stover type mGS showed superior milk yield values than cGS. The reverse was true for soybean stover. The study indicated the effect of improving maize stover with cSS on milk yield was higher than that of mSS in improving the quality of maize stover. It was generally observed that the use of mineralization of legume stover in improving the quality of maize stover is more effective than chopping. Pooled result of effect of mineralised groundnut and soybean stover on milk yield was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of the chopped forms for the same legume stover. When evaluated across legume type the effect of legume type on milk yield did not differ significantly (p>0.05) for both processing methods.

A Grain Yield Sensor for Yield Mapping with Local Rice Combine Harvester

Rice grain yield was estimated from a locally made Thai combine harvester using a specially developed sensing and monitoring system. The yield monitoring and sensing system, mounted on the rice combine harvester, collected and logged grain mass flow rate and moisture content, as well as pertinent information related to field, position and navigation. The developed system comprised a yield meter, GNSS receiver and a computer installed with customized software, which, when assembled on a local rice combine, mapped real-time rice yield along with grain moisture content. The performance of the developed system was evaluated at three neighboring (identically managed) rice fields. ArcGIS® software was used to create grain yield map with geographical information of the fields. The average grain yield values recorded were 3.63, 3.84 and 3.60 t ha−1, and grain moisture contents (w.b.) were 22.42%, 23.50% and 24.71% from the three fields, respectively. Overall average grain yield was 3.84 t ha−1 (CV = 63.68%) with 578.10 and 7761.58 kg ha−1 as the minimum and maximum values, respectively. The coefficients of variation in grain yield of the three fields were 57.44%, 63.68% and 60.41%, respectively. The system performance was evaluated at four different cutter bar heights (0.18, 0.25, 0.35 and 0.40 m) during the test. As expected, the tallest cutter bar height (0.40 m) offered the least error of 12.50% in yield estimation. The results confirmed that the developed grain yield sensor could be successfully used with the local rice combine harvester; hence, offers and ‘up-gradation’ potential in Thai agricultural mechanization.

Yield of Spring Grown Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under Different Doses of Soil Applied Phosphorus in An Agroecology of Semi-arid Highlands with Mediterranean Climate

Background: This study was carried out to determine the effects of different phosphorus doses on the flowering, yield and yield components of spring grown chickpea crop under the ecological conditions of Siirt province in the experimental field of Siirt University, Faculty of Agriculture, Field Crops Department during two seasons in 2018 and 2019. Methods: The study was carried out in randomized complete blocks design with three replications. Before planting, 140 kg ha-1 of DAP fertilizer (18.46.0) was spreaded and incorporated into the soil with a rake. Following emergence of plants, TSP fertilizer (0.42.0) was spreaded to the plots at doses of 0, 30, 60, 90 kg ha-1 P2O5 into the mellow humid soil. Result: All observed parameters were effected from phosphorus application doses. Based on different P doses, two years’ average plant height, first pod height; main branch number, flower number per plant, pod number per plant, grain number per plant, 100 grain weight and grain yield values were determined as 51,25-55,91 cm; 29,17-35,98 cm; 2,10-2,97 piece plant-1; 39,00-57,86 piece plant-1; 18,87-27,92 piece plant-1; 18,00-27,33 piece plant-1; 29,92-33,41 g and 969-1565 kg ha-1, respectively. Highest values for all parameters were obtained from 60 kg ha-1 P2O5 but further dose (60 kg ha-1 P2O5) resulted with reduction from top values for all parameters.

A Surfactant Concentration Model for the Systematic Determination of the Critical Micellar Concentration and the Transition Width

The critical micellar concentration (cmc) is a fundamental property of surfactant solutions. Many proposed methods for the definition and determination of the cmc from property-concentration plots yield values, which depend on the studied property, on the specific technique used for its analysis and in many cases on the subjective choice of the chosen type of plot and concentration interval. In this focus review, we revise the application of a surfactant concentration model we proposed earlier that defines the cmc directly based on the surfactant concentration. Known equations for the concentration-dependence of different surfactant properties can then be combined with this concentration model and fitted to experimental data. This modular concept makes it possible to determine the cmc and the transition width in a systematic and unambiguous way. We revise its use in the literature in different contexts: the determination of the cmc of surfactants and their mixtures from different properties (electrical conductivity, NMR chemical shift, self-diffusion, surface tension, UV-Vis absorption, fluorescence intensity and fluorescence correlation). We also revise the dependence of the width of the transition region on composition, detailed studies of the properties of fluorescent probes and the aggregation of non-surfactant systems, namely amyloid peptides.