Use of Lentinan and Fluopimomide to Control Cotton Seedling Damping-Off Disease Caused by Rhizoctonia solani

Lentinan (LNT) is a natural and functional polysaccharide isolated from Lentinus edodes fruiting bodies, which functions in stimulating the plant immune response, improving plant disease resistance and regulating plant growth. This study explores the use of LNT as a plant growth regulator and attractant in cotton production. After treatment with LNT, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in cotton seeds decreased, whereas the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in leaves increased significantly. LNT also promoted the growth and development of cotton plants and significantly reduced the incidence of cotton damping-off disease. The relative expression of salicylic acid pathway-related genes in cotton also increased significantly. The prevention mechanism of fluopimomide was also evaluated, and the result showed lower EC50 values and was effective in controlling cotton seedling disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani in both greenhouse experiments and field trials. The use of LNT and fluopimomide in controlling cotton seedling damping-off disease showed a synergistic effect in field trials. These results will provide a new insight into the agricultural application of LNT as a biological fungicide in the field of biological controls.

Physicochemical features, functional characteristics, and health benefits of cottonseed oil: a review

Vegetable oils have their specific physicochemical properties due to which they are playing vital role in human nutritional diet for health benefits. Cottonseed oil is obtained from various species of cotton seeds that are famous to be grown mainly for their fiber quality. The most prominently used specie is Gossypium hirsutum. It is obvious that the seeds of different variety of cotton vary as grown in diverse agroclimatic conditions with respect to oil, fats and protein contents. Cottonseed oil is routinely used for cooking and food manufacturing products. Cottonseed oil obtained after proper extraction/processing steps from crude state to refined oil in a variety of ways. Cotton crop is considered for their dual-use purpose, for fiber quality and oil production to promote health benefits in the world. Keeping in view the above facts, this review clearly demonstrated an overview about physicochemical and functional properties of cottonseed oil to promote health benefits associated with the use of this oil. The overall characteristics and all concerned health benefits of CSO will further improve their usefulness is a compact way. We have summarized a brief multi-dimensional features of CSO in all aspects up to the best of our knowledge for the end researchers who can further research in the respective aspect.

Design and analysis of a performance monitoring system for a seed metering device based on pulse width recognition

To realize real-time and accurate performance monitoring of large- and medium-sized seed metering devices, a performance monitoring system was designed for seed metering devices based on LED visible photoelectric sensing technology and a pulse width recognition algorithm. Through an analysis of the of sensing component pointing characteristics and seed motion characteristics, the layout of the sensing components and critical photoelectric sensing system components was optimized. Single-grain seed metering devices were employed as monitoring objects, and the pulse width thresholds for Ekangmian-10 cotton seeds and Zhengdan-958 corn seeds were determined through pulse width threshold calibration experiments employed at different seed metering plate rotational speeds. According to the seeding quantity monitoring experiments, when the seed metering plate rotational speed ranged from 28.31~35.71 rev/min, the accuracy reached 98.41% for Ekangmian-10 cotton seeds. When the seed metering plate rotational speed ranged from 13.78~19.39 rev/min, the seeding quantity monitoring accuracy reached 98.19% for Zhengdan-958 corn seeds. Performance monitoring experiments revealed that the qualified seeding quantity monitoring accuracy of cotton precision seed metering devices, missed seeding quantity monitoring accuracy, and reseeding quantity monitoring accuracy could reach 98.75%, 94.06%, and 91.30%, respectively, within a seeding speed range of 8~9 km/h. This system meets the requirements of real-time performance monitoring of large- and medium-sized precision seed metering devices, which helps to improve the operational performance of seeding machines.

Study on microwave moisture measurement of grain crops

This article discusses the possibility of implementing the microwave method for controlling the moisture content of agro-industrial products, which allows it to be used to control technological processes in grain processing industries and to control materials in free space, converting the parameters of waves passed through the material’s wave into an electrical signal. A functional diagram of the developed moisture meter is proposed, on the basis of the method, its electrodynamics’ characteristics are determined. Experimental data was obtained for samples of cotton seeds with specified moisture values. A method for measuring grain moisture in continuous production have been proposed, which gives a possibility to reduce the components of the measurement error caused by the uneven distribution of moisture in the grain, the inhomogeneity of the material in terms of density and temperature.

Mathematical model for calculating the temperature field of a direct-flow drying drum

In this paper, one parabolic-type boundary value problem is solved for determining the temperature field of the raw cotton and air components in drum dryers. In the proposed model, convective heat transfer is used according to Newton’s law, the terms describing the evaporation of moisture from the components of raw cotton (seeds, fiber) and the influence of air velocity are taken into account. The resulting system of Galerkin’s differential equations is solved by the finite-difference method in time. It is shown that the approximate solution is estimated according to Galerkin in Sobolev space.The numerical results of the considered problem are obtained by the Bubnov–Galerkin method. A comparative analysis is carried out with experimental data. It is shown that the proposed mathematical model and its numerical algorithm adequately describe the drying process of raw cotton.

Influence of physicochemical factors on water exchange in cotton leaves under the moisture deficit conditions

Presowing treatment of cotton seeds with a physical factor (low-frequency electromagnetic field - LF EMF) and a chemical compound (glycyrrhizic acid - GzA) and sowing them under conditions of optimal and limited water supply showed that different varieties of cotton, depending on their biological peculiarities and the method of seed treatment, had different parameters of water exchange in plants. The experiments were carried out in laboratory, greenhouse, lysimetric and field conditions, the indicators of the electrical resistance of leaf tissues (ERLT) of cotton plants depended on the conditions of water supply. According to this indicator, the varieties Ishonch, Gulbahor-2 and Navbahor-2 showed greater resistance to soil moisture deficiency, in comparison with the variety Tashkent-6. The plant varieties from seeds, treated with LF EMF and GzA, to a greater or lesser extent, are in the range with the lowest ERLT values, in comparison with the varieties from untreated seeds.

Research of the reasons of increased drop in cotton seeds after generation with reduced density of raw roller

Results of researches on definition of influence of density of the raw roller on pubescence of cotton seeds are given in article. The received mathematical model for calculation of contact pressure and movement of the raw roller in the form of a system from six equations with six unknown. The numerical results calculated on the computer. Sizes of shift and contact pressure for the set physic-mechanical and geometrical parameters of a system are determined. It is established that contact pressure significantly depends on elasticity (density) and angular speed of the raw roller. On the basis of the graphic data of contact pressure and contact movement of the raw roller received results of calculations the conclusion that with reduction of density of the raw roller conditions of capture of a short cotton slice worsen. The fact that the contact pressure and movement fluctuate during time is the reason of it, i.e. in the beginning the short cotton slice contacts to a saw, but during fractions of a second this contact is lost, also contact pressure similarly changes. Results of theoretical researches proved increase in a full pubescence of seeds after gin with reduction of density of the raw roller, i.e. one of the reasons of it is deterioration in conditions of capture of short cotton slices a saw - fluctuations of contact pressure and contact movement of the raw roller.

Plant Gravitropism and Signal Conversion under a Stress Environment of Altered Gravity

Humans have been committed to space exploration and to find the next planet suitable for human survival. The construction of an ecosystem that adapts to the long-term survival of human beings in space stations or other planets would be the first step. The space plant cultivation system is the key component of an ecosystem, which will produce food, fiber, edible oil and oxygen for future space inhabitants. Many plant experiments have been carried out under a stimulated or real environment of altered gravity, including at microgravity (0 g), Moon gravity (0.17 g) and Mars gravity (0.38 g). How plants sense gravity and change under stress environment of altered gravity were summarized in this review. However, many challenges remain regarding human missions to the Moon or Mars. Our group conducted the first plant experiment under real Moon gravity (0.17 g) in 2019. One of the cotton seeds successfully germinated and produced a green seedling, which represents the first green leaf produced by mankind on the Moon.

Updates on the Functions and Molecular Mechanisms of the Genes Involved in Aspergillus flavus Development and Biosynthesis of Aflatoxins

Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) is a ubiquitous and opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes invasive and non-invasive aspergillosis in humans and animals. This fungus is also capable of infecting a large number of agriculture crops (e.g., peanuts, maze, cotton seeds, rice, etc.), causing economic losses and posing serious food-safety concerns when these crops are contaminated with aflatoxins, the most potent naturally occurring carcinogens. In particular, A. flavus and aflatoxins are intensely studied, and they continue to receive considerable attention due to their detrimental effects on humans, animals, and crops. Although several studies have been published focusing on the biosynthesis of the aforementioned secondary metabolites, some of the molecular mechanisms (e.g., posttranslational modifications, transcription factors, transcriptome, proteomics, metabolomics and transcriptome, etc.) involved in the fungal development and aflatoxin biosynthesis in A. flavus are still not fully understood. In this study, a review of the recently published studies on the function of the genes and the molecular mechanisms involved in development of A. flavus and the production of its secondary metabolites is presented. It is hoped that the information provided in this review will help readers to develop effective strategies to reduce A. flavus infection and aflatoxin production.

Biocontrol of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum With Bacillus spp. Strains

The wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum in cotton is one of the main diseases of this crop. The pathogen is difficult to control because it produces chlamydospores, which allows it to survive in the soil for long periods without the presence of its main host. The control of this disease is based on varieties with some resistance, certified seeds, and fungicides used to treat seeds. Thus, the development of control alternatives is needed to increase the number of resources to manage this disease in the field. Bacillus are bioregulators and antagonists of several important phytopathogens. Therefore, the objective of this work was to select strains of Bacillus (Paenibacillus alvei, Bacillus thuringiensis, B. megaterium, and B. lentus), whose metabolites are toxic to F. oxysporum in laboratory and greenhouse conditions, in addition to adjusting in vitro methodologies to perform and evaluate selection tests. This work determined the best culture medium for the direct confrontation assays, proposed a grading scale to facilitate decisions about selection with the dual tests, identified among the strains selected in the confrontation assays those that produce volatile and non-volatile metabolites toxic to F. oxysporum, and tested these selected strains for disease control during seed germination in greenhouse trials. In last test, some strains of Bacillus had a potential protective effect during the germination of cotton seeds.