Mycorrhizal Inoculation Improves Plant Growth and Yield of Micropropagated Early Globe Artichoke under Field Conditions

The micropropagation appears to be a valid alternative method for the production of large-scale, phenotypically homogeneous, and disease-free plants, particularly for spring globe artichoke genotypes. Nevertheless, micropropagated plants have some problems during the acclimatization in field environments. The inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi appeared to overcome the transplanting stress. Therefore, a comparison was drawn between the field performances of different vegetative propagation techniques (micropropagated/mycorrhized and offshoots cultivation) of early globe artichoke clones over two growing seasons. The micropropagation/mycorrhization appeared to deliver a better field performance in terms of both plant growth and productivity traits as compared with offshoots cultivated. In particular, the micropopagated/mycorrhized plants exhibited the highest vegetative growth values than the offshoots of the cultivated ones, such as the plant height and the main floral stem length. The micropopagated/mycorrhized plants were also more productive, exceeding the head yield of offshoots cultivated ones by about 63%. However, the micropopagated/mycorrhized plants accumulated almost a month late on the first harvest respect to offshoots cultivated ones. Our data also showed that the effects of the new proposed propagation method were genotype- and season-dependent. Accordingly, some plant growth and productivity traits showed significant ‘propagation method × genotype’ and ‘propagation method × growing season’ interaction. This study revealed that the micropropagation, as well as the mycorrhization, could represent an efficient and sustainable cropping system to reintroduce and increase the productivity of autochthons landraces.

Nitrogen dose and sowing density in pea (Pisum sativum L.) crops, to obtain higher yields in Barranca [Dosis de nitrógeno y densidad de siembra del cultivo de arveja (Pisum sativum L.), para obtener mayor rendimiento en Barranca]

The research deals with nitrogen doses and sowing densities in peas. The objective was to determine which nitrogen dose and planting density obtained the highest yield. The methodology is based on applied research; Therefore, the statistical model of the Completely Random Block Design was used, which consisted of 3 blocks and 6 treatments. The doses were applied at 17 days 1/2 N, 100% P2O5 and 100% K2O and 62 days after sowing 1/2 N, it was evaluated from sowing to harvest and the data were processed by analysis of variance of two factors and Duncan, took leaf samples for foliar analysis and determined the total amount of nitrogen used. It was determined that T5 stood out in stem length with 128.42 cm, commercial yield with 12.53 tn/ha, T4 in weight of pods with 620 g, number of pods per plant with 48, T6 in nitrogen concentration with 6.60 g/ 100 g of dry matter and T5 in the amount of nitrogen used with 154.3 kg/ha that obtained the highest yield. It is concluded that the higher dose of nitrogen and less distance that is T5 obtained higher performance exceeding by 24.52% in relation to T1.

Effect of Up-Converting Luminescent Nanoparticles with Increased Quantum Yield Incorporated into the Fluoropolymer Matrix on Solanum lycopersicum Growth

The influence of light conversion induced by glasses coated with up-converting luminescent nanoparticles on Solanum lycopersicum cultivation was studied. Nanoparticles of Sr0.46Ba0.50Yb0.02Er0.02F2.04 solid solution were used as the up-converting luminophore. These nanoparticles were able to transform IR radiation into visible light (λem = 660 nm with minor peaks at 545 nm and 525 nm). By applying the “variable” chlorophyll fluorescence (ΔF), it was shown that the cultivation of tomatoes under the photoconversion glasses stimulated changes in the rate of plant adaptation to ultraviolet radiation. The restoration time of values of effective quantum yield of photosystem II photochemical reactions and photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence (reflecting disappearance of imbalance between photosynthetic electron transport and the utilization of NADPH) was reduced from three weeks to three days in the case of control and photoconversion films, respectively. As a result, plants grown under photoconversion glass had an increased leaf number (12.5%), total leaf area (33%), stem length (35%) and chlorophyll content in the leaves (two-fold). It is assumed that an increase in the proportion of red light in the growing spectrum has a positive effect on photosynthetic activity and plant growth.

Morphological characterization and response of red flower rag leaf (Crassocephalum crepidioides Benth S. Moore) to organic and inorganic fertilizers and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus

Red flower rag leaf (Crassocephalum crepidioides) is one of the underutilized vegetables consumed globally. Pot trials were conducted to characterize 15 morphologically distinct accessions of C. crepidioides and assess the effects of treatment combinations of eggshell, NPK 15:15:15, poultry manure and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus(Glomus mosseae) as soil amendments on growth and yield-related characters of C. crepidioides. Thereafter, 48 seedlings of the best performing accession were transplanted into perforated polythene bags filled with 7 kg of heat-sterilized soil. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with three replicates. Treatment combinations were incorporated into in the polythene bags 1 week after transplanting, while control plants received no amendments. The results showed that accession NH/GKB-15 had the highest plant height (29.83 cm), stem length (27.67 cm), number of leaves (15) and length of internode at node 3 (1.13 cm) and node 4 (1.17 cm). The growth and yield characters of this best performing accession (NH/GKB-15) in response to soil amendments showed that poultry manure produced the tallest plants (55.17 cm), longest and widest stems (48.35 and 0.66 cm), longest and widest leaves (16.39 and 6.26 cm, respectively), and higher number of inflorescence (2.13). With NPK 15:15:15 the seedlings did not survive. Poultry manure should therefore be utilized for better plant nutrition and faster growth of C. crepidioides seedlings as well as for safer consumption of the leafy vegetable.

Agronomic and sensory evaluation of lettuce in hydroponic system

Lettuce is the most important leafy vegetable in Brazil. Hydroponic lettuce cultivation has grown due to the viability of harvesting throughout the year. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the agronomic characteristics, color, and preference of curly lettuce in the NFT hydroponic system. Six lineages (6601-1A, 6601-2L, 7016-6A, 7119-1B, 7223-1A, and 7224-4A) and two commercial cultivars (Brida and Vanda) of lettuce were used, in a completely randomized blocks design with four replications. Shoot length, root length, stem length, number of leaves, stem diameter, plant diameter, shoot fresh mass, root fresh mass, chlorophyll content, instrumental color, and sensory characteristics were evaluated. As for agronomic evaluation, the bolting of 6601-2L lettuce was relevant in different attributes. The Vanda lettuce and the lineage 7016-6A presented best performances for shoot fresh mass (399.44 and 378.63 g, respectively), while the lineages 7119-1B and 6601-2L present the worst performance (279.50 and 273.13 g, respectively). There was variation in chlorophyll content and luminosity, however, the evaluators did not notice differences between lettuces for brightness or green color, as well as for crunchy texture. Lettuces 6601-2L, 7224-4A, 6601-1A, Brida, 7223-1A, and 7119-1B were preferred. The variation among plants may be due to different situations, such as harvesting times and bolting, and a direct relationship between agronomic properties and preference among lettuces has not been established yet.

Biotesting of polymeric waste excluded from solid waste waste

Introduction. Annually, the volume of accumulated polymers in landfills in Ukraine is growing by more than 1 million tons, but the volume of recycled polymer packaging over the past ten years has not exceeded 3%. The goal is to establish the degree of toxicological impact on biosphere objects of polymers extracted from solid waste, to assess the safety of using household polymer waste as a secondary raw material for further processing. The task is to establish the degree of biological and toxicological safety of polymer wastes extracted from solid waste. Methods and techniques: toxicological - determination of water toxicity on acute Daphnia magna according to DSTU 4173: 2003 (ISO 6341: 1996, MOD) and chronic according to DSTU 4166: 2003 (ISO 10706: 2000, MOD), and Paramecium caudatum ciliates, soil microflora reactions (saprotrophic soil bacteria CFU / g) according to MR 2609-82, the assessment of phytotoxic effects on higher plants was carried out by vegetation methods according to ISO 17402-2008, ISO 17126-2005a, ISO 22030: 2005b, ISO 11269 -1:2012a. Results. The research results show that aqueous extracts from waste polymers extracted from solid waste and their mixture do not have a pronounced toxic effect on aquatic organisms. There is no significant effect on soil bacteria. The study of the effect of polymer waste on seed germination did not reveal phytotoxic effects for any crop. A slight phytotoxic effect was observed during the study of PVC and PS waste. Wheat and mustard were the most sensitive. The level of phytotoxic effect was within acceptable limits and did not exceed 5.67%. Evaluation of phytotoxic effects on stem length showed the presence of effects from all processed products except PVC. The impact, characterized as weak, ranged from - 2.06% (PP) to - 13.27% (PS). The effect on root length was found for samples with PS waste (-7.23%), which was characterized as weak and PVC (-43.52%) - medium. Watercress and mustard were the most sensitive plants to the effects of polymer waste. Conclusions. The studied samples of polymer waste do not show hygienically significant toxic effects on water and soil test objects, even in concentrations of 1: 1, so the impact on the above test organisms polymer waste removed from solid waste is classified as hazard class 4. According to the assessment of phytotoxic effect, polymer waste removed from solid waste is classified as hazard class 4, except for PVC - hazard class 3.

Regulation of Growth and Main Health-Promoting Compounds of Chinese Kale Baby-Leaf by UV-A and FR Light

Chinese kale baby leaves were hydroponically cultured under the basal light (Red: white LEDs = 2:3 at PPFD of 250 μmol·m−2·s−1) with different supplemental lighting, including individual ultraviolet-A (UV-A, 380 ± 10 nm, 20 μmol·m−2·s−1), far-red (FR, 735 ± 10 nm, 30 μmol·m−2·s−1) light, and their combination (UF) radiation in an artificial light plant factory. Effects of supplemental light qualities on morphology and physiology as well as health-promoting compounds of Chinese kale baby leaves were investigated. Application of UV-A and FR presented a positive effect on biomass, with a pronounced increase in petiole length, stem diameter, main stem length, and leaf area. Notably, plants under UF grew more vigorously than under other treatments. Higher levels of FRAP, vitamin C, total phenolic, and flavonoid were observed in plants under UV-A, while no striking changes or a decreasing trend recorded under FR and UF. Moreover, UV-A enhanced the glucosinolates (GLs) accumulation in Chinese kale baby leaves by increasing the predominant GLs (glucoraphanin and glucobrassicin) contents. RT-qPCR results indicated that UV-A upregulated the gene expressions of transcription factors and core structure genes related to GLs biosynthesis. However, downregulated or unchanged gene expressions of GLs biosynthesis-related genes in Chinese kale baby leaves were observed in FR and UF. Therefore, UV-A was benefited for the production of functional substances, while FR was conducive to a significant increase in crop yield. The combination of UV-A and FR, as a balance between yield and production of secondary metabolite, provided a new perspective for the application of artificial light in horticultural crop production.

Development of novel robotic platforms for mechanical stress induction, and their effects on plant morphology, elements, and metabolism

This research evaluates the effect on herbal crops of mechanical stress induced by two specially developed robotic platforms. The changes in plant morphology, metabolite profiles, and element content are evaluated in a series of three empirical experiments, conducted in greenhouse and CNC growing bed conditions, for the case of basil plant growth. Results show significant changes in morphological features, including shortening of overall stem length by up to 40% and inter-node distances by up to 80%, for plants treated with a robotic mechanical stress-induction protocol, compared to control groups. Treated plants showed a significant increase in element absorption, by 20–250% compared to controls, and changes in the metabolite profiles suggested an improvement in plants’ nutritional profiles. These results suggest that repetitive, robotic, mechanical stimuli could be potentially beneficial for plants’ nutritional and taste properties, and could be performed with no human intervention (and therefore labor cost). The changes in morphological aspects of the plant could potentially replace practices involving chemical treatment of the plants, leading to more sustainable crop production.

Overexpression of PvWOX3a in switchgrass promotes stem development and increases plant height

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is an important perennial, noninvasive, tall ornamental grass that adds color and texture to gardens and landscapes. Moreover, switchgrass has been considered a forage and bioenergy crop because of its vigorous growth, low-input requirements, and broad geography. Here, we identified PvWOX3a from switchgrass, which encodes a WUSCHEL-related homeobox transcription factor. Transgenic overexpression of PvWOX3a in switchgrass increased stem length, internode diameter, and leaf blade length and width, all of which contributed to a 95% average increase in dry weight biomass compared with control plants. Yeast one-hybrid and transient dual-luciferase assays showed that PvWOX3a can repress the expression of gibberellin 2-oxidase and cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase through apparently direct interaction with their promoter sequences. These results suggested that overexpression of PvWOX3a could increase gibberellin and cytokinin levels in transgenic switchgrass plants, which promotes cell division, elongation, and vascular bundle development. We also overexpressed PvWOX3a in a transgenic miR156-overexpressing switchgrass line that characteristically exhibited more tillers, thinner internodes, and narrower leaf blades. Double transgenic switchgrass plants displayed significant increases in internode length and diameter, leaf blade width, and plant height but retained a tiller number comparable to that of plants expressing miR156 alone. Ultimately, the double transgenic switchgrass plants produced 174% more dry-weight biomass and 162% more solubilized sugars on average than control plants. These findings indicated that PvWOX3a is a viable potential genetic target for engineering improved shoot architecture and biomass yield of horticulture, fodder, and biofuel crops.

Effect of Milky Mushroom (Calocybe indica) in Different Agricultural Residues with Different Casing Materials

Present study entitled was carried out in field irrigation lab, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Aditya Engineering College, Surampalem. In the present experiment locally available agricultural substrate paddy straw, sugarcane bagasse and cocopeat were tested with black soil and farm yard manner as casing materials. For parameters such as days required for spawn run, pinhead formation, harvest days, total yield and biological efficiency were determined. Significant results were obtained for all the experimental parameters and also for the stem length and cap diameter. Best substrate found was the paddy straw in the recent experiment with days required for spawn run (14 days), pin head formation (11.2 days), days for first harvest(50 days), stem length (8.07 cm), capdiameter (8.67 cm), first harvest (489.45 gm), second harvest (453.68 gm), total yield (925.24 gm), biological efficiency (94.31%). The next best in the order was coco peat followed by sugarcane bagasse. Hence this study confirms the suitability of paddy straw for cultivation to mushroom growers and farmyard manure with 15 cm casing thickness as substrate for its cultivation for achieving higher yield. The benefit cost ratio was estimated as 1.57.