The effect of heavy metals and thidiazuron on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings

Abstract We studied the influence of a synthetic cytokinin-like growth regulator thidiazuron (TDZ) and ions of heavy metals (HMs) -Pb , and Ni 2+ on the growth, generation of superoxide anion, concentration of total peroxides, lipid peroxidation, and catalase activity in the leaves of 7-day-old winter wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L. cv. 'Mironovskaya 808'). It was found that 1 mM solution of HMs inhibited the growth of roots in the following sequence: Zn . HMs inhibited the growth of aboveground parts of young wheat plants, too. HMs stimulated superoxide production by a factor of 1.3-4.9. The content of total peroxides in wheat leaves increased in the presence of HMs in the growth medium. Our analyses showed that malonic dialdehyde (MDA) content in leaves increased with increasing Cu 2+ or Ni 2+ concentra tions in the medium and hardly changed with increasing Pb 2+ or Zn 2+ concentrations. HMs enhanced catalase activity in wheat plants 1.1-2.8-fold at all concentrations studied. All these regularities are indications of HMs-induced oxidative stress in wheat plants. In most treatments, TDZ alleviated the HMs-induced oxidative stress and promoted an increase in Wilkinson tolerance index (WTI). This suggests that the wheat seedlings treated with TDZ were more HMs-resistant than the untreated ones

Effects of peat and peat-zeolite substrates on quality, growth indices of cucumber seedlings and crop productivity

The objective of this study was to evaluate the peat and zeolite mixtures substrates performance on cucumber seedling quality and crop yield. The research was carried out in a greenhouse covered with double polymeric film at the Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry. Cucumber seedlings were grown in different substrates: peat, peat + zeolite 1 : 1, peat + zeolite 2 : 1, peat + zeolite 3 : 1 and peat + zeolite 4 : 1. Cucumber seedlings grown in peat and zeolite substrates are shorter; the leaf area is smaller than that of the seedlings grown in peat alone. The dry mass of the aboveground part of these seedlings is lower (insignificant difference), however, the root mass is higher than those grown in peat alone. The addition of zeolite to peat substrate does not have any positive effect on the photosynthesis pigment content in cucumber seedling leaves. The physiological growth indices of the seedlings grown in peat-zeolite substrates were lower compared to those grown in peat. When zeolite is added to peat substrate, net assimilation rate is higher compared to those grown in peat. Higher yields (significant difference) were demonstrated by cucumbers, the seedlings of which had been grown in peat-zeolite substrates

Wpływ poziomu rozwoju rozsady pomidora na późniejszy wzrost i formowanie plonu

Transplant quality of tomato depend on such factors as microclimate parameter, substrate, plant nutrition and other. The growth stage is very important indices of their quality. The objective of research was to determine the effect of the growth stage of tomato transplants on their quality and yield. Research was carried out in a greenhouse of the Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry in the period of 2008–2010. The investigated transplant growth stage of tomato cv. Cunero F1 5–6 leaves, 7–8 leaves and 9–10 leaves. Tomato transplants with 9–10 leaves were elongated and their leaves area were the highest. Plants with 7–8 leaves according to stem and leaves ratio were qualitative, accumulated in leaves the highest content of photosynthetic pigments and had the highest SLA. Tomato transplanted with older transplant started to flower the fastest compared to 5–6 leaves transplant. Higher total yield was produced by 7–8 leaves transplants. The least early yield was produced by 5–6 leaves transplant. The growth stage of tomato transplants had no effect on the average tomato fruit weight.Celem badań było określenie wpływu fazy wrostu rozsady pomidorów na jej jakość i plon. Badania prowadzono w latach 2008–2010, w szklarni Instytu Ogrodnictwa Litewskiego Centrum Badań Rolniczych i Leśnych. Badano rozsadę pomidora odmiany ‘Cunero F1’ w fazie 5–6, 7–8 i 9–10 liści. Rozsada pomidora sadzona w fazie 9–10 liści posiadała wysokie pędy i największą powierzchnię liści. Rozsada z 7–8 liśćmi na pędzie, oceniając stosunek masy pędu z liśćmi do masy korzeni oraz masy liści do masy pędu, miała lepszą jakość, zawierała w liściach najwięcej barwników fotosyntetycznych i posiadała największą specyficzną powierzchnię liści. Pomidory sadzone z 9–10 liśćmi zakwitały najszybciej. Większy plon ogółem formowały rośliny z rozsady z 7–8 liśćmi niż z 5–6 liśćmi. Najmniejszy plon wczesny wytworzyła rozsada sadzona w fazie 5–6 liści. Faza wrostu rozsady pomidora nie miała wpływu na średnią masę owocu

Efektyvumo indeksas kaip Triticum aestivum reakcijos į augimo reguliatorius integralus rodiklis

e-ISSN 2335-8947Siekiant pagerinti augalų sunkiųjų metalų toleranciją, tirtas sintetinių Thidiazurono (TDZ), Cytodefo (CTD) bei Epin-Extra® (24-EB) ir natūralaus Ribav-Extra® (RE) augalų augimo reguliatorių efektyvumas. Tikslui pasiekti buvo parinkti tokie parametrai: ašinis augimas kaip augalų reakcijos į aplinką integralus rodiklis), superoksido pokyčiai (oksidacinio streso rodiklis), malono dialdehido kiekis (oksidacinio pažeidimo laipsnio augaluose rodiklis), katalazės aktyvumas (antioksidacinės apsaugos sistemos aktyvumo rodiklis) ir augimo reguliatorių geba pakeisti sunkiųjų metalų absorbciją bei translokaciją augaluose. Efektyvumo indeksas apskaičiuotas remiantis žieminių kviečių daigų, paveiktų 10 μM arba 1 mM Zn2+, Cu2+ ir Ni2+ ar Pb2+ sunkiaisiais metalais, tyrimo rezultatais. Taip pat buvo sukurta empirinė augalų augimo reguliatorių efektyvumo skalė. Nustatyta, kad tirtų augimo reguliatorių efektyvumas, atsižvelgiant į toleranciją sunkiesiems metalams, didėjo taip: TDZ < CTD < RE < 24-EBIn the current study we investigated the effectiveness of synthetic Thidiazuron (TDZ), Cytodef (CTD), Epin- Extra® (24-EB) and natural Ribav-Extra® (RE) plant growth regulators (PGR) with a view to improving the heavy metal-tolerance in intact plants. To evaluate the effectiveness of PGR we chose the following parameters: the axial growth (as an integral indicator of the plant response to the environment), the superoxide generation (as an indicator of oxidative stress), the malondialdehyde (MDA) content (as an indicator of oxidative damage degree in plants), catalase (CAT) activity (as an indicator of the antioxidant defence systems activity) and the PGR capacity to change absorption and translocation of heavy metals in plants. The efficiency index was estimated on the basis of the results of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings affected by 10 μM or 1 mM Zn2+, Cu2+ and Ni2+ or Pb2+ heavy metals. An empirical scale of the efficiency of PGR was developed. The study found that the efficiency of the PGR investigated with respect to tolerance of heavy metals increased as follows: TDZ <CTD <RE <24-EBLietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro Sodininkystės ir daržininkystės institutasVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Uprawa rozsady papryki słodkiej pod światłem lamp HPS i LED

In greenhouses, artificial lighting is applied in winter and early spring as sup-plementary light source to increase photosynthesis and plant growth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cultivation of sweet pepper transplants under LED lamps that were developed to supplement HPS lamps used in greenhouses. The experiments were carried out in the greenhouses at the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and For-estry Institute of Horticulture. Sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum) L. cultivar ‘Reda’ and the hybrid ‘Figaro’ F1 were used for investigation. Four types of solid-state lamps were used with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with peak emissions at blue 455 nm and 470 nm, cyan 505 nm, and green 530 nm. PPFD of each type of LED lamp was 15 μmol m-2 s-1, and the PPFD of HPS lamps was 90 μmol m-2 s-1. The reference transplants were grown under the illumination of HPS lamps (110 μmol m-2 s-1). The photoperiod of artificial lighting was maintained at 18 hours. Our experiments revealed different responses to sup-plemental LED lightings between the cultivar and the hybrid. The supplemental 470 nm illumination with HPS lamps mostly resulted in increases in the following areas: leaf area, fresh and dry weight, and the photosynthetic pigment content of the sweet pepper ‘Reda’ transplants. A similar positive effect was determined using supplemental 455 and 505 nm LED lights. However, the supplemental green 530 nm LED lights had no effect on growth, and they inhibited the development of the sweet pepper ‘Reda’ transplants. The HPS light had a positive effect on the growth parameters of the ‘Figaro’ F1 transplants, but all of the supplemental LED lights suppressed their growth and developmentW szklarniach sztuczne oświetlenie stosowane jest zimą i wczesną wiosną jako dodatkowe źródło światła, aby zwiększyć fotosyntezę i wzrost roślin. Celem pracy była ocena możliwości uprawy rozsady papryki słodkiej w szklarni pod lampami HPS z dodatkiem LED. Badania przeprowadzono w Instytucie Ogrodnictwa Litewskiego Centrum Nauk Rolniczych i Leśnych. Przebadano dwie odmiany papryki słodkiej (Capsicum annuum L.): ‘Reda’ i ‘Figaro F1’. Jako dodatkowe światło, oprócz lamp HPS, zastosowano cztery rodzaje lamp LED o długościach fal: niebieskie 455 i 470 nm, zielono-niebieskie 505 nm oraz zielone 530 nm. PPFD LED wynosiło 15 μmol m-2 s-1, a lamp HPS – 90 μmol m-2 s-1. Długość dnia – 18 godzin. Na podstawie wyników stwierdzono, że dodatkowe światło LED miało różny wpływ na wzrost odmian papryki. Po dodaniu do światła lamp HPS LED-470 w rozsadzie papryki słodkiej odmiany ‘Reda’ stwierdzono największą powierzchnię liści, najwięcej świeżej i suchej masy roślin oraz największą zawartość barwników foto syntetycznych. Podobny wpływ wywierało dodatkowe światło LED 455 i 505 nm. Natomiast dodatkowe zielone światło LED-530 nie miało wpływu na wzrost, a hamowało rozwój rozsady odmiany ‘Reda’. Światło HPS miało korzystny wpływ na parametry wzrostu siewek ‘Figaro F1’, zaś dodatek światła LED hamował ich wzrost i rozwój

Changes of Physiological and Genetic Indices of Different Plants under Effect of Pollutants

Vytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Effect of flashing amber light on the nutritional quality of green sprouts

We report on the application of flashing amber (596 nm) light-emitting diodes (LEDs), supplemental to high pressure sodium lamps, for the cultivation of green sprouts, such as wheatgrass, barley grass, and leafy radish. The flashing light was found to significantly affect metabolism, thus conditioning the nutritional quality of the sprouts. In particular, it causes stressful conditions for the plants and within a short growth period can promote the synthesis of antioxidative compounds, such as vitamin C, phenolic compounds and carotenoids. However, the flashing amber light effect is dependent on the plant speciesVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij