MATE-Type Proteins Are Responsible for Isoflavone Transportation and Accumulation in Soybean Seeds

Soybeans are nutritionally important as human food and animal feed. Apart from the macronutrients such as proteins and oils, soybeans are also high in health-beneficial secondary metabolites and are uniquely enriched in isoflavones among food crops. Isoflavone biosynthesis has been relatively well characterized, but the mechanism of their transportation in soybean cells is largely unknown. Using the yeast model, we showed that GmMATE1 and GmMATE2 promoted the accumulation of isoflavones, mainly in the aglycone forms. Using the tobacco BrightYellow-2 (BY-2) cell model, GmMATE1 and GmMATE2 were found to be localized in the vacuolar membrane. Such subcellular localization supports the notion that GmMATE1 and GmMATE2 function by compartmentalizing isoflavones in the vacuole. Expression analyses showed that GmMATE1 was mainly expressed in the developing soybean pod. Soybean mutants defective in GmMATE1 had significantly reduced total seed isoflavone contents, whereas the overexpression of GmMATE1 in transgenic soybean promoted the accumulation of seed isoflavones. Our results showed that GmMATE1, and possibly also GmMATE2, are bona fide isoflavone transporters that promote the accumulation of isoflavones in soybean seeds.

Differences in the Seed Germination of Leymus chinensis (Poaceae) Ecotypes Reveal Distinct Strategies for Coping With Salinity Stress: A Common Garden Experiment

Soil salinity is important abiotic stress affecting various ecosystems worldwide such as grassland. Distinct ecotypes often evolve within species by natural selection to facilitate adaptation to different types of environmental stress. Leymus chinensis is a perennial rhizomatous grass that is widely distributed in the eastern Eurasian steppe; it has two main ecotypes, namely, yellow-green (YG) and gray-green (GG), which differ in their strategy for coping with salinity stress. Few studies have examined the seed germination of the two ecotypes under salinity stress. In this study, the seed germination and seedling growth of two ecotypes of L. chinensis in response to different levels of salinity (NaCl) stress [0 (control), 20, 50, 100, and 200 mM] were examined. Then, ungerminated seeds were placed under normal conditions to evaluate seedling growth following exposure to salt stress (i.e., regermination). The germination percentage was significantly higher, and the mean germination time was significantly shorter in the GG ecotype than in the YG ecotype at all NaCl concentrations. As the salinity level increased, the radicle length of the two ecotypes decreased; however, GG had longer radicles and a higher number of radicles, even at 200 mM NaCl when no radicle protruding from the seed coat was detected in YG. The shoot length of GG was significantly longer than that of YG at all NaCl levels. After salinity stress was removed, the seed germination percentage increased as the original concentration of NaCl applied increased, but the total germination percentage did not significantly differ among NaCl concentrations. The total seed germination percentage of GG was approximately 80%, whereas that of the YG was approximately 20%. The seedling length of regerminated seeds for both GG and YG was similar. The thousand-grain weight of GG was significantly higher than that of YG. GG was more salt-tolerant than YG and might be better capable of surviving in harsher environments, suggesting that GG might be particularly useful for saline grassland restoration.

Plant diversity with species drilled in the same or alternate rows enhanced pasture yield and quality over 4 years

This paper reports on the effects of plant species diversity and sowing method on pasture yield and quality. Nineteen seed mixtures of perennial ryegrass (PR), plantain (Pl), white clover (WC) and red clover (RC) were sown on 26 March 2015 at Lincoln University. Four mixtures of PR, Pl and WC were repeated with species separated in alternate drill rows. Plots were grazed by sheep and irrigated. After 4 years, a mixture with 25% of each species based on seed count – equivalent to 7.5 kg PR, 5.6 kg Pl, 1.9 kg WC and 4.4 kg RC (19.4 kg total seed)/ha – produced an optimal balance of increased total yield (17.44 t DM/ha/yr), weed suppression (0% of total yield), metabolisable energy (11.4 MJ/kg DM) and crude protein (19% of DM). Sowing method had no effect. Plant diversity enhanced pasture production through positive interactions and identity effects among the legumes (WC and RC) and non-legumes (PR and Pl). The strength of interactions between species depended on the identity and relative abundances of the species involved. The diversity effects occurred alongside shifts in species relative abundances over time. This study demonstrated an experimental basis for the evaluation of multi-species pasture mixtures.

Consequences of the high abundance of Bombus terrestris on the pollination of Vicia faba

One of the main visitors to Fabia bean crops (Vicia faba) in South America is the invasive bumblebee species Bombus terrestris. This is particularly true in Chile, where B. terrestris was first introduced in 1997 and is now common over much of the country. In this study, we evaluated the activity of the principal pollinators of V. faba over two cropping seasons by assessing their visitation rates while distinguishing between legitimate visits, likely to lead to pollination, and nectar robbery. We then determined the net contribution of insect visitation on pod and seed set. We recorded seven species of floral visitors. Most visits (legitimate visits and robbery) were from the honeybee (Apis mellifera), with B. terrestris being the next most common visitor. In the case of B. terrestris, 87.19% of visits were nectar robbery. On average, the same flower perforation was visited 23 times by B. terrestris during the flower's lifespan. In general, the frequency of legitimate visits varied with pollinator identity and year. For B. terrestris, each flower received an average of 0.95 legitimate visits during its entire lifespan. The time spent by B. terrestris visiting flowers for both nectar robbery or pollen collection decreased after the first day of flowering suggesting resource depletion. The number of pods, total seed number, and seed weight were lower where self rather than open pollination. This suggests that open pollination increased reproductive success. We conclude that B. terrestris was likely to contribute relatively little to pollination while at the same time depleting floral resources throughout the flowers’ lifespan.

Study of the Genetic Architecture in Radish

The studied was to investigate for studying the genetic architecture in seven genotypes of radish during growing season autumn 2019/2020, at the area of the vegetable research, Department of Horticulture and landscape Designs, agriculture and forestry College, University of Mosul. The results indicated that highly significant variation among all the fifteen traits, vegetative, root and seeds parameters. The genotype Istanbul was superior than all genotypes for whole plant weight, root diameter and root length, number of leaves for each plant, while genotype, while Radish Shahry gave a higher value in fruit length (siliqua), genotype Black radish was superior than all genotypes for root total yield per area and total seed yields for each plant. In addition, the highest phenotypic, genotypic coefficient related to variation has been identified for the characteristics of whole plant gram weight, total chlorophyll content SPAD, root weight, total seed yield for each unit area and the number of fruits (siliqua) for each one of the plants. Almost all the characteristics showed high heritability broad sense ranging between 66.507 and 97.109%, high genetic advance as mean’s percent was indicated regarding all the traits excepted for the leaf’s number plant and seeds weight/plant. Which were 13.846, 8.769% respectively.

Study of the Genetic Architecture in Radish

The studied was to investigate for studying the genetic architecture in seven genotypes of radish during growing season autumn 2019/2020, at the area of the vegetable research, Department of Horticulture and landscape Designs, agriculture and forestry College, University of Mosul. The results indicated that highly significant variation among all the fifteen traits, vegetative, root and seeds parameters. The genotype Istanbul was superior than all genotypes for whole plant weight, root diameter and root length, number of leaves for each plant, while genotype, while Radish Shahry gave a higher value in fruit length (siliqua), genotype Black radish was superior than all genotypes for root total yield per area and total seed yields for each plant. In addition, the highest phenotypic, genotypic coefficient related to variation has been identified for the characteristics of whole plant gram weight, total chlorophyll content SPAD, root weight, total seed yield for each unit area and the number of fruits (siliqua) for each one of the plants. Almost all the characteristics showed high heritability broad sense ranging between 66.507 and 97.109%, high genetic advance as mean’s percent was indicated regarding all the traits excepted for the leaf’s number plant and seeds weight/plant. Which were 13.846, 8.769% respectively.

Study of the Genetic Architecture in Radish

The studied was to investigate for studying the genetic architecture in seven genotypes of radish during growing season autumn 2019/2020, at the area of the vegetable research, Department of Horticulture and landscape Designs, agriculture and forestry College, University of Mosul. The results indicated that highly significant variation among all the fifteen traits, vegetative, root and seeds parameters. The genotype Istanbul was superior than all genotypes for whole plant weight, root diameter and root length, number of leaves for each plant, while genotype, while Radish Shahry gave a higher value in fruit length (siliqua), genotype Black radish was superior than all genotypes for root total yield per area and total seed yields for each plant. In addition, the highest phenotypic, genotypic coefficient related to variation has been identified for the characteristics of whole plant gram weight, total chlorophyll content SPAD, root weight, total seed yield for each unit area and the number of fruits (siliqua) for each one of the plants. Almost all the characteristics showed high heritability broad sense ranging between 66.507 and 97.109%, high genetic advance as mean’s percent was indicated regarding all the traits excepted for the leaf’s number plant and seeds weight/plant. Which were 13.846, 8.769% respectively.

Drought Tolerance Responses in Vegetable-Type Soybean Involve a Network of Biochemical Mechanisms at Flowering and Pod-Filling Stages

Severe drought stress affects the production of vegetable-type soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill), which is in infancy for Africa despite its huge nutritional benefits. This study was conducted under controlled environmental conditions to establish the effects of severe drought stress on ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities as well as proline, total soluble sugars (TSS), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) contents of five vegetable-type soybean cultivars (UVE8, UVE14, UVE17, AGS354, AGS429) at flowering and pod-filling stages. Drought induced significant increases in the contents of proline (selectively at pod filling for AGS429), TSS (at both stages for AGS429, and only at pod filling for UVE14), and malondialdehyde (AGS354 at flowering; UVE17 at pod filling). UVE8 and AGS354 had the highest H2O2 levels at flowering under drought stress, while AGS429 had the lowest. However, AGS429 was the only cultivar with significantly increased H2O2 under drought stress. Furthermore, drought stress induced significant increases in APX, GPX, and GR activities at flowering for AGS429. AGS354 recorded the highest decline for all antioxidative enzymes, while UVE17 decreased for GPX only. All biochemical parameters, except H2O2, were significantly higher at pod filling than at the flowering stage. The relationship between H2O2 and total seed mass (TSMP) or total seed per plant (TSP) was significantly positive for both stages, while that of TSS (at flowering) and proline (at pod filling) were significantly related to total pods per plant (TPP). The study suggests that during drought, the tolerance responses of vegetable-type soybean, APX, GPX, and GR (especially at the flowering stage), function in concert to minimize H2O2 production and lipid peroxidation, thereby allowing H2O2 to function in the signaling events leading to the induction of drought tolerance. The induction of TSS at flowering and proline at pod filling is important in the drought tolerance response of this crop.

Increasing Carthamus Tinctorius L. Yield by Managed Bees

Carthamus tinctorius L. (safflower) is a drought-tolerant plant that has been cultivated for its oil, carthamin pigment, and edible parts. Seed production by safflower is related to its pollination success. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Apis mellifera L. (honey bee) and Bombus terrestris L. (bumble bee) pollination on safflower seed quality. Experiments with five treatments were prepared, four of which consisted of cages with either honey bees, bumble bees, or honey bees and bumble bees together in them, or without any insects, plus one open-pollinated plot treatment. To determine seed quality in the different treatments, the total seed yield, 1000 grain weight of seeds, number of seeds per capitulum, total oil content, fatty acid composition, and total oil yield in each treatment was determined. Total seed and oil yield was increased with bee pollination, whereas no significant difference was found in the total oil content and 1000 grain weight of seeds among treatments. Significant differences were observed among treatments in their seeds’ fatty acid compositions, specifically in their content of oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid. As a result, it was found that pollination by bees can positively affect the seed characteristics of safflower, while also increasing the total seed yield. We thus recommend using commercial bees in the cultivation of safflower.

Effect of potassium and boron spraying in yield and quality characteristics for sunflower crop Helianthus annuus L. var luleo

"A field experiment was carried out during the autumn season of 2016 in one of the Agricultural fields in the area of Abu- Guelana ,which is 13 km from the center of Muthanna province , To find out the effect of potassium and boron spraying in the yield and quality characteristics , for sunflower crop - variety Luleo.Used in this study completely randomized block design Arrangement factorial experiment , The study included two factors : The first factors of four concentrations of potassium spray (0, 2500, 5000, 7500) mg K L-1 , and the second factor four concentrations of boron spray (0, 50, 100, 150) mg B L-1 . The mean of the treatments was compared with the least significant difference (L.S.D) at a probability level of 0.05% . Results showed that the potassium spray treatment 7500 mg k L-1 was significantly higher in all studied traits ,(number of seeds/head , weight of thousand seed , fertility percentage ,seed yield , total seed yield and total oil yield) , The results showed that the treatment of boron spray with 100 mg B L-1 concentration was significantly higher in all studied traits. The overlap treatment showed significant superiority in all the traits"