Gibbosporina cyanea (Pannariaceae), a new bipartite cyanolichen from Sri Lanka with comparisons to related palaeotropical cyanogenera

Gibbosporina cyanea is described here as new to science, based on its holotype collected in Sri Lanka in the 1860s. The species is a bipartite cyanolichen in contrast to all other known Gibbosporina species, which are tripartites. The species appears to have evolved through cephalodia emancipation followed by divergence. Phyllidia indicate a cephalodiate evolutionary origin with a continued function similar to vegetative propagules. The species is considered to represent a relatively young speciation within an evolutionary old genus and G. sphaerospora is discussed as a possible candidate for being its closest known relative based on spore morphology. As the species appears to be so different from the remaining Gibbosporina species, it is compared here to representatives of other related palaeotropical cyanogenera, such as Leightoniella, Lepidocollema, Pannaria and Physma. Perispore structure is shown to be a useful character in separating these genera, including distinct clades of the non-monophyletic genera Physma and Lepidocollema. Leightoniella zeylanensis is reported here as new to Japan, and it is concluded that Pannaria lurida needs to be restudied in India and Sri Lanka.

Gender Roles in Sourcing and Sharing of Banana Planting Material in Communities with and without Banana Bunchy Top Disease in Nigeria

Banana bunchy top disease (BBTD) is the most devasting disease of banana and plantain (Musa spp.). The disease spreads through the use of infected vegetative propagules and the banana aphid (Pentalonia nigronervosa) is the virus vector. This study seeks to understand the gender dimensions and sociocultural aspects of banana seed (vegetative propagule) sourcing and sharing practices among men and women farmers, and its influence on BBTD spread and disease control efforts. Data were collected from 300 banana farmers (187 men and 113 women) in BBTD and non-BBTD areas in southwest Nigeria. The results revealed that seed sharing within the communities is a social responsibility with members expected to share banana seed with the needy mainly as gifts rather than sold for cash. Men farmers mostly sourced seed from old fields, while women sourced seed from relatives. Harvesting of banana seed was predominantly the responsibility of men with women as helpers. Both men and women farmers in the non-BBTD area cultivated larger farm sizes and harvested more banana planting material than farmers in the BBTD area. The existing seed sourcing practices among men and women farmers heighten the risk of BBTD spread. Awareness raising on disease spread through infected seeds should consider gender-differentiated roles and social practices to reduce its spread within communities.

Vegetative propagation of mate from shoot cuttings induced by coppicing of selected plants

Mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil) is an arboreal species of great economic and socio-environmental importance, which presents difficulties in the adventitious rooting process. The rhizogenic competence of vegetative propagules of mate can be attained by coppicing, but the factors that influence the success of this technique have not yet been elucidated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the stock plant, time of shoot collection, treatment with indolebutyric acid (IBA) and diameter of vegetative propagules in the adventitious rooting of cuttings from shoots induced by coppicing of selected adult plants of mate. Shoots produced from coppiced 13SM01 and 13SM05 stock plants were collected at different times of the year to prepare single-bud cuttings. The cuttings were measured as their diameter in the central portion and treated with 0 and 3000 mg L-1 of IBA. After 60 days, cuttings were evaluated to determine survival and rooting percentages, number of roots, and length of the three largest roots. A completely randomized design was used in a 4 × 2 × 2 × 13 (collection times x stock plants x IBA treatment x diameter classes) factorial scheme with 15 replications. Competence for adventitious rooting was highest for stock plant 13SM05. Cuttings collected in November and February had the highest rooting percentages, without the need of IBA treatment. Cuttings from 13SM01 and 13SM05 with diameters smaller than 0.636 cm (classes 1 to 6) and smaller than 0.712 cm (classes 1 to 7), respectively, had the highest rooting percentages and differed significantly from cuttings with larger diameters. Thus, the results of the present study indicate that stock plants, time of shoot collection, and diameter of vegetative propagules influence adventitious rooting competence of mate cuttings from coppicing adult plants. Rooting of mate cuttings with lower rhizogenic competence is influenced by the application of 3000 mg L-1 of IBA.

Cloning of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. Using Juvenile Cuttings

Azadirachta indica A. Juss. of the Meliácea family originates from India. It is considered important in Brazil due to its multiple uses. The plant is usually propagated by sexual reproduction (seeds), however, after harvest the seeds have to be sown as soon as possible because they lose germination viability very quickly. The use of juvenile propagules for A. indica seedlings propagation is a viable option, since there is a high demand in the semi arid regions due to wide use in urban afforestation. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of fertilization regimens and environments on obtaining Apical cuttings of juvenile origin and on the quality of cloned seedlings of Azadirachta indica. The research was carried out at the Forest Nursery of UFCG/Patos-PB, Brazil, with vegetative propagules (cuttings) obtained from three environments and two fertilization regimes: Biweekly and monthly, in addition to the control (without fertilization). The experiment was arranged in completely randomized design, factorial 3 x 3 (environments of origin of cuttings x fertilization regimes), with six replications, where each plot consisted of a cutting, totaling 54 experimental plots. Results indicated that propagation of Azadirachta indica through cuttings of juvenile origin is feasible, with an average rooting of 95.2%. It is recommended to use the monthly fertilization regimen, since in general it did not differ significantly from the biweekly regime. Fertilization provided better development and quality of the root system and aerial parts.

Productivity of Rhizomes and Starch Quantification in Cultures of Different Vegetative Propagules of Arrowroot

Arrowroot rhizomes are rich in carbohydrate and are commonly grown by family farmers who have an important source of income in this activity and play a prominent role in the conservation of the species. There are few studies on the phytotechnical aspects of culture. The objective of this work was to evaluate the productive capacity of the ‘common’ arrowroot using different sizes and forms of propagation, aiming at the production of rhizomes and arrowroot starch, in different agricultural crops. The experimental design was the randomized block in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme, with 6 replicates. Four types of rhizome propagation (rhizomes-seeds of small size with a weight of 20 to 30 g; rhizomes-seeds of average weight between 30.01 to 45 g; rhizomes-seeds of large size weighing between 45.01 a 60 g, and seedlings produced in tissue culture), in two agricultural years (2015/2016 and 2016/2017). The variables total production, number of rhizomes, extraction yield and total starch production were evaluated. The type of propagule used interfered in the yield of rhizomes (9.85 to 34.75 t ha-1) and in the production of arrowroot starch (1.76 to 7.68 t ha-1). The vegetative propagation with pieces of rhizomes-seeds between 20 and 60 g was more viable than the micropropagation technique. Although the soil and climate conditions showed differences between the agricultural crops studied, they did not significantly influence the yield of rhizomes and arrowroot starch, by the type of propagule used.

Peculiarities of the growth of virgin blueberry plants on the developed peat deposit with the application of mineral and microbial fertilizers

The results of comparative study of current increment of vegetative sphere yearling and biennial of plants of a half-highbush blueberry Northland and Denise Blue at fertilizer application NPK-compound (N16P16K16) and of some microbial specimen – a liquid product of MaKloR in concentration of 10 and 50 % in test crop on recultivated cutover peatlands in article are resulted. It is positioned that tested agricultural methods have rendered the expressed promoting effect on formation of a current increment of vegetative sphere of plants of a blueberry. In the first year of fertilization the least efficacy is positioned for a variant with N16P16K16 which conceded to a drug of MaKloR in 1.1–1.5 times. Its productivity increased with concentration augmentation in 1.2–1.4 times, depending on a varietal accessory of plants and phylum of shoots. In the absence of varietal differences in degree of positive influence of microbial fertilizing of MaKloR on development of vegetative propagules, efficacy of its action, as well as N16P16K16, on development of generative propagules, in variety Denise Blue exceeded for kind Northland in 4.2–4.8 times.Positive influence of mineral and microbial fertilizing’s on a current increment of vegetative sphere of biennial plants of both variety of a blueberry essentially conceded to that annotinous, against conservation of its progressing magnification in process of strengthening of microbial fertilising of MaKloR. Thus productivity of action N16P16K16 on development of propagules in variety Northland, depending on their phylum, exceeded that microbial fertilising of MaKloR in 1.2–1.9 times, at variety Denise Blue – in 1.3–2.6 times. It is shown that against absence of the expressed varietal distinctions in degree of stimulating influence of fertilizings on development of vegetative shoots, efficacy of their action on development of generative shoots, unlike annual plants, at kind Denise Blue conceded that for kind Northland in 1.7–2.3 times.