The effects of defaunation on plants’ capacity to track climate change

Seed dispersal in decline Most plant species depend on animals to disperse their seeds, but this vital function is threatened by the declines in animal populations, limiting the potential for plants to adapt to climate change by shifting their ranges. Using data from more than 400 networks of seed dispersal interactions, Fricke et al . quantified the changes in seed disposal function brought about globally by defaunation. Their analyses indicate that past defaunation has severely reduced long-distance seed dispersal, cutting by more than half the number of seeds dispersed far enough to track climate change. In addition, their approach enables the prediction of seed dispersal interactions using species traits and an estimation of how these interactions translate into ecosystem functioning, thus informing ecological forecasting and the consequences of animal declines. —AMS

Influence of lead acetate on seed germination and growth of young alfalfa plants

This study presents the results of testing the effect of different concentrations of lead-acetate on seed germination and young Seedlings of alfalfa. Тhe experiment was organized so that in the first variant, only lead-acetate of different concentrations (10-5, 10-4, 10-3, 10-2 and 2 x 10-2 M) was used, and in the second, next to the lead acetate EDTA concentration of 0.012 % was added. The results of this study in which natural conditions are imitated showed that the percentage of alfalfa seed germination decreases with increasing lead-acetate concentrations. In a medium of high concentration of lead acetate 10-2 and 2 x 10-2, a small number of seeds (39% and 32 (32%) germinated. In the same treatments with EDTA, the toxic effects of lead acetate were reduced, and seed germination was better (59% and 43% seeds germinated). It has been noticed that lead has toxic effects on the growth of alfalfa roots and stems. In the variant in which EDTA was used, the negative influence of lead on and growth of alfalfa seedlings was significantly mitigated.

Influence of lead acetate on seed germination and growth of young alfalfa plants

This study presents the results of testing the effect of different concentrations of lead-acetate on seed germination and young Seedlings of alfalfa. Тhe experiment was organized so that in the first variant, only lead-acetate of different concentrations (10-5, 10-4, 10-3, 10-2 and 2 x 10-2 M) was used, and in the second, next to the lead acetate EDTA concentration of 0.012 % was added. The results of this study in which natural conditions are imitated showed that the percentage of alfalfa seed germination decreases with increasing lead-acetate concentrations. In a medium of high concentration of lead acetate 10-2 and 2 x 10-2, a small number of seeds (39% and 32 (32%) germinated. In the same treatments with EDTA, the toxic effects of lead acetate were reduced, and seed germination was better (59% and 43% seeds germinated). It has been noticed that lead has toxic effects on the growth of alfalfa roots and stems. In the variant in which EDTA was used, the negative influence of lead on and growth of alfalfa seedlings was significantly mitigated.

Estimation of Gene Action for Seed Yield and Component Traits using Generation Mean Analysis in Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh]

Background: For improvement of quantitative traits the information on nature of gene action is an important asset for plant breeders. However, the information on gene action for yield and its attributes is scanty in pigeonpea crop. Methods: The present experiment was carried out during kharif 2018-2020 at GBPUAT, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. The experimental material consisted of six generations of three crosses viz., PADT-16 × PUSA 992, PADT-16 × UPAS 120 and PADT-16 × PAU 881. The observations were recorded on nine morphological characters. The gene action was estimated by three parameters model of Jinks and Jones if scaling tests were non significant and six parameters model of Hayman if scaling tests were significant. Result: For majority of traits in all three crosses, epistatic gene action was present as scaling tests were found to be significant. However, for traits number of primary branches, number of secondary branches and number of seeds per pod in cross PADT-16 × UPAS 120 a simple additive/dominance model was found to be adequate. In general, magnitude of dominance was found to be higher as compared to corresponding additive gene action. The high magnitude of dominance indicated that heterosis breeding is rewarding in these characters.

Effect of sowing methods and weeding regimes on the yield of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University to observe the effect of sowing methods and weeding regimes on the yield of sesame. The experiment comprised of two factors. Two methods of sowing i.e., broadcasting and line sowing (S2), and six weeding regimes- control (T0), weed free (T1), one hand weeding at 15 DAS (T2), two hand weedings at 15 and 30 DAS (T3), three hand weedings at 15, 30 and 45 DAS (T4) and application of Panida (Pendimethalin) herbicide (T5) at 3 DAS. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Almost all the yield characters of sesame were affected significantly due to sowing methods, weeding regime and their interaction. Result showed that the l ine sowing showed better performance regarding plant height (100.40 cm), number of branches (4.983) plant–1, number of capsules plant–1 (47.82), number of seeds capsule–1 (69.66), 1000–seed weight (2.96 g), seed yield (956.90 kg ha–1), stover yield (2167.0 kg ha–1), biological yield (3123.00 kg ha–1) and harvest index (31.45%) than that of broadcasting method. Also weed free treatment had the highest plant height (101.90 cm), highest number of branches (5.00) plant-1, highest capsule (47.08) plant–1, heaviest 1000–seed weight (3.28 g), highest number of seeds capsule–1 (76.22), highest seed yield (974.30 kg ha–1), stover yield (2947.0 kg ha–1) and biological yield (3922.0 kg ha–1) as compared to other treatments while unweeded plot had least significant effect among the whole yield and yield attributes of sesame. In case of interactions, both weed free treatment and herbicidal effect with line sowing methods produced the highest plant height, number of branches and capsules plant–1, seeds capsule–1, seed yield, stover yield and biological yield (109.80 cm, 5.967, 56.57, 81.53, 1054.0 kg ha–1, 3139.0 kg ha–1 and 4193.0 kg ha–1, respectively) as compared to other interaction combinations. The results of the study reveal that the weed free treatment along with line sowing would be the proper technique for higher production of sesame. But line sowing along with application of Panida herbicide would be the best combination for obtaining higher yield of sesame since it is not feasible for the farmers to keep their field weed free throughout all the growing periods. Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.8(3): 291-299, December 2021

Effect of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization on the Growth and Yield of Mustard Under Irrigated Conditions in Agra District

The present field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Farm of RBS College, Bichpuri Agra, during Rabi season of 2018-19. The soil of the experimental site is Gangetic alluvial. The experimental was laid out in RBD factorial having 3 main treatment (N level) and 4 sub treatments (P2O5 level) with 3 replications. All growth and yield attributing character increase with application of N @ 120 Kg-1 and P2O5 @ 60 kg-1. All the yield components i.e., number of siliquae plant-1, length of siliqua and number of seeds siliqua-1 improved with the increase in the level of nitrogen. Higher value of harvest index was associated with the application of 60 kg P2O5 ha-1. Seed yield increased appreciably with every additional increase in the level of nitrogen. Respectively 26.85 and 40.05 per cent higher seed yield ha-1 was obtained with the application of 80 and 120 kg ha-1 nitrogen as compared to 40 kg ha-1 .

Growth and development of Carthamus tinctorius L. in the conditions of Transnistria

Carthamus tinctorius L. is a plant, that is used for oil production and dyeing, and also used for medical purposes and cosmetology. A distinctive biological feature of this plant is its high drought resistance. In the process of global warming the increase in air temperature in Transnistria over the past 70 years amounted to 1,2…1,3 °C, the increase in soil temperature over the past 20 years in the observed soil layer 0,2…3,2 m amounted 0,8…1,2 °C. In this regard the intercalation of drought resistant crops, such as Carthamus tinctorius L., into agricultural production is relevant. The dura- tion of the growing season of a Carthamus tinctorius L. collection specimen of unknown origin in the Republican Botanical Garden (in the town of Tiraspol) when sown in middle of April for the period from the year of 2008 to the year of 2017 ranged from 103 to 113 days. In the conditions of Transnistria in the year of 2020 for the first time the influence of sowing time of Carthamus tinctorius L. on the development of a complex of features was studied. Sowing of Carthamus tinctorius was carried out five times: the 20th and the 27th of March, the 3rd and the 14th of April, the 2nd of May. The study of the influence of the sowing time showed decreasing values of the complex of features with later sowing time of Carthamus tinctorius L. The mostly significant decreased with a later sowing time were such features as the number of branches of the first and the second level, the number of seeds in the inflorescence, the number of seeds per plant. The best sowing date in the conditions of an acute drought in the year of 2020 was the first sowing time on the 20th of March. The value of the features in this sowing period was: plants’ height — 55 cm, the number of branches of the first level — 8,7 pieces, the number of branches of the second level — 4,6 pieces, the number of inflorescences per plant — 14,1 pieces, the number of seeds in the inflorescence — 7,0 pieces, the number of seeds per plant — 64,8 pieces.

Agro-Morphological Characterization and Some Seed Characteristics of Wild Crambe (Brassicaceae) Species in Turkey

The seeds of wild Crambe species have potential to be used as a source of industrial oil and animal feed. In this study, 48 genotypes of three Crambe species collected from the flora of Turkey were grown under field conditions in Ankara/Turkey in 2014–2016. The seed protein ratio, plant height, number of branches per plant, number of seeds per plant, seed yield per plant, thousand seed weight and hulless/hulled seed ratio (H/H) were determined. The highest protein ratio was determined as 26.02% in the t18 accession of Crambe tataria species. Variations in the characteristics were analyzed using principal component analysis. In the factor analysis of Crambe maritima, Crambe orientalis, Crambe tataria and the mean of these three species, the first two principal components accounted for 100%, 58.06%, 59.93% and 100% of the total variations, respectively. There were positive correlations between the plant height and number of seeds per plant, seed yield per plant for C. orientalis, and number of branches per plant for C. tataria. Although seed yield per plant was high in C. tataria and C. orientalis, they are not suitable for conventional agriculture due to shell thickness, inhomogeneous plant emergence and shooting. Conventional cultivation of wild Crambe species can be made possible by eliminating these negative features with breeding and agronomic studies.

Fruit and seed morphology in some representatives of the genus Malus Mill.

Aim. The study of morphological characteristics of fruits and seeds of the genus Malus is the key to the effective use of the apple genetic diversity in landscape-gardening, fruit growing, introductory and breeding. Methods. Morphological features of fruits and seeds of nine species and three varieties of apple (M. baccata, M. coronaria ‘Red Tip’, M. floribunda, M. fusca, M. halliana, M. niedzwetzkyana, M. × purpurea, M. × purpurea ‘Ola’, M. × purpurea ‘Royalty’, M. × purpurea ‘Selkirk’, M. trilobata, M. tschonoskii, M. toringoides) were studied. Generally accepted tech- niques of research was used. Results. The fruit weight of apple species and varieties varied from 0.30 g (M. fusca) to 61.20 g (M. coronaria ‘Red Tip’), the weight of 1000 seeds — from 5.00 g (M. fusca) to 62.77 g (M. coronaria ‘Red Tip’). The largest number of seeds in the fruit was characteristic of M. toringoides (6.64), the smallest — M. tschonoskii (0.25); developed seeds were not detected in the fruits of M. trilobata for 2019–2020 years. The lowest level of variability among biometric indicators of the studied representatives of the genus Malus was in terms of fruit height, fruit diameter and seed height, the highest — in terms fruit weight and number of seeds in the fruit. Conclusions. Detailed characteristics of fruits and seeds of the genus Malus, growing in the National Dendrological Park “Sofiyivka”, were compiled as a result of research. The obtained data can be used as a supplement to the botanical characteristic, and as a comparative material for taxonomy and phylogeny.

The manifestation of the main quantitative characteristics in the populations of second-generation beans and their parent forms

The aim of the research was to study the nature of variability of the main quantitative traits in hybrid populations of the second generation Phaseolus vulgaris L. within the framework of the task 13.00.01.28. F “To study the nature of the inheritance of quantitative traits in hybrids of create a starting material with improved flavoring properties.As a result of the studies carried out, it was found that regardless of the duration of the growing season of the parent components of the crossing, in the hybrid populations of the second generation, the limits of variability for this indicator went beyond the limits of the variability of the parent forms. The average values of the duration of the growing season in hybrids were intermediate between the indicators of the corresponding parent forms. The coefficients of variation in the parent forms were insignificant (1.1 – 1.4%); in hybrid populations they were low – from 4.9% (Line 744-14 / Ukrainka) to 9.2% (Line 741-14 / Suita).In terms of plant height, the limits of variability of hybrid offspring F2 went beyond the limits of variability of the parent components. The average values of the trait in hybrid populations significantly exceeded the corresponding indicators of the parent forms. The degree of variability in plant height of hybrid populations was significant in the combination Line 872-14 / Podolyanka-1 (the parent components differ in the type of plant growth) and was equal to 20.6% versus 3.5% and 4.9% for the corresponding parent forms. In other hybrid populations, the coefficient of variation was average (Ukrainka / Suita-16.5%; Line 741-14 / Suita – 13.5%; Line 744-14 / Ukrainka -10.1%) The degree of variability of the corresponding parental forms was in the range from 2.8% to 3.1%.The widest range of variability was observed according to the characteristics of the mass of seeds from the plant, the number of seeds from the plant, the number of beans from the plant. The degree of variability of the seed mass from the plant in hybrid populations ranged from 30.3% to 39.1% (in the parent forms from 9.1% to 21.7%); the number of seeds from the plant from 22.3% to 40.7% (in the parent forms from 9.8% to 20.1%); the number of beans from the plant from 28.1% to 38.3% (in the parent forms from 4.7% to 16.2%). The degree of variation of the studied traits in hybrid populations was 2–3 times higher than in the parent forms.By the weight of 100 seeds in the offspring of the second generation, the range of variation was much wider than this indicator in the parent forms. The degree of variability on this trait was average for hybrid populations (from 10.6% to 13.4%), and insignificant for parental forms (from 3.7% to 6.6%).It is possible that the most valuable in terms of breeding may be the hybrid combination Line 872-14/Podolyanka, from the widest range of variability in the studied traits in the second generation population.