Industrial-scale plantlet production by seed priming and nursery tray seeding method in Sida hermaphrodita L. Rushby

Virginia mallow (Sida hermephrodita Rushby), Malvaceae family, is a perspective perennial herb able to yield a biomass crop through the last two decades. In our previous studies, we examined two factors relating to seed germination percent and seed germination power during our research: the influence of hot water treatment and the effect of exogenous or endogenous infection of seed. Following these recognition we modifi ed our technique, in such a way that we fractionated the seeds based on their fresh weight / or relative density before we carried out the treatment. When we fi ltered the fl oating seeds on the surface of water, the hot water treatment was performed considerably better on the sink seeds after separation. Therefore, by this special priming process we were able to reach 80% germination capacity of Virgina mallow seeds under laboratory conditions (26 oC without illumination). From all nurseries tray methods preliminary results, it is clear that, Sida seeds, which were treated with these methods, gave the best growing rate for industrial uses

Industrial-scale plantlet production by seed priming and nursery tray seeding method in Sida hermaphrodita L. Rushby

Virginia mallow (Sida hermephrodita Rushby), Malvaceae family, is a perspective perennial herb able to yield a biomass cropthrough the last two decades. In our previous studies, we examined two factors relating to seed germination percent and seed germinationpower during our research: the infl uence of hot water treatment and the effect of exogenous or endogenous infection of seed. Following theserecognition we modifi ed our technique, in such a way that we fractionated the seeds based on their fresh weight / or relative density beforewe carried out the treatment. When we fi ltered the fl oating seeds on the surface of water, the hot water treatment was performed considerablybetter on the sink seeds after separation. Therefore, by this special priming process we were able to reach 80% germination capacity of Virginamallow seeds under laboratory conditions (26 oC without illumination). From all nurseries tray methods preliminary results, it is clear that,Sida seeds, which were treated with these methods, gave the best growing rate for industrial uses

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM LEVELS AND FOLIAR APPLICATION OF BORON ON WHEAT YIELD

From the present study, it could be concluded that the highest concentration of nitrogen in wheat grains was obtained at 90 kg N fed-1 in the presence of potassium and spraying with boron. Increasing nitrogen levels increased the amount of nitrogen uptake by grains of wheat. Also the crude protein (%) in grains increased gradually with increasing nitrogen level in the presence of potassium and spraying with boron. The highest concentration of K in grains of wheat was obtained at the high levels of nitrogen in the presence of potassium and spraying with boron. Also the highest amounts of K uptake by the grains of wheat were recorded by the high levels of nitrogen in the presence of potassium and spraying of boron

Selenium enriched vegetables as biofortification alternative for alleviating micronutrient malnutrition

There is a very difficult equation for malnutrition and over-consumption. That means malnutrition even of vitamins and/or minerals (Ca, Cu, Fe, I, Mg, Se and Zn, vitamin A) affects more than two billion people worldwide, largely due to low concentrations or poor bioavailability of the nutrients in the diet. In some developed countries in contrast, over-consumption, particularly of over-refined cerealbased foods, has contributed to the development of an epidemic of metabolic diseases. So, producing nutritious and safe foods sufficiently and sustainably is important target at the same time challenge of modern agriculture. In the past, great efforts have focused only on increasing crop yields, but enhancing the concentrations of mineral micronutrients has become an urgent task. The main daily food source is the staple crops specially in developing countries of the world, i.e., wheat, rice, cassava, beans, sweet potato or maize. These kind of plants are often deficient in some of mineral elements. Thus, the increasing of bioavailable concentration of micronutrients in edible crop tissues (via biofortification) has become a promising strategy in modern agriculture, providing more nutritious foods, to more people, with the use of fewer lands. Biofortification of these trace elements can be achieved application with agronomic process such as soil or foliar fertilization or crop breeding even conventional technic and/or genetic engineering. This review highlight progress to date and identify challenges faced in delivering biofortified vegetable crops as well as the agronomic approaches and tools to improve crop yield and micronutrient content of food crops

Selenium enriched vegetables as biofortification alternative for alleviating micronutrient malnutrition

There is a very difficult equation for malnutrition and over-consumption. That means malnutrition even of vitamins and/orminerals (Ca, Cu, Fe, I, Mg, Se and Zn, vitamin A) affects more than two billion people worldwide, largely due to low concentrations or poorbioavailability of the nutrients in the diet. In some developed countries in contrast, over-consumption, particularly of over-refined cerealbasedfoods, has contributed to the development of an epidemic of metabolic diseases. So, producing nutritious and safe foods sufficientlyand sustainably is important target at the same time challenge of modern agriculture. In the past, great efforts have focused only on increasingcrop yields, but enhancing the concentrations of mineral micronutrients has become an urgent task. The main daily food source is thestaple crops specially in developing countries of the world, i.e., wheat, rice, cassava, beans, sweet potato or maize. These kind of plants areoften deficient in some of mineral elements. Thus, the increasing of bioavailable concentration of micronutrients in edible crop tissues (viabiofortification) has become a promising strategy in modern agriculture, providing more nutritious foods, to more people, with the use offewer lands. Biofortification of these trace elements can be achieved application with agronomic process such as soil or foliar fertilizationor crop breeding even conventional technic and/or genetic engineering. This review highlight progress to date and identify challenges facedin delivering biofortified vegetable crops as well as the agronomic approaches and tools to improve crop yield and micronutrient content offood crops

Effect of Foliar Nutrition on Post-Harvest of Onion Seed under Sandy Soil and Saline Irrigation Water Conditions

Foliar application has been determined to be an effective nutrients delivery strategy in vegetable and fruits. The enhancement of vegetable and fruit yields affected by foliar nutrients application has been recognized in previously conducted studies with perennial tree crops. The efficiency of foliar nutrition is dependent on soil, climate, fertilizer and the amount of nitrogen used. There is no sufficient information concerning cooperation of foliar nutrition with all nutrients form as well as the rates of these nutrients fertilization in vegetableand fruit crops. Two successive winter seasons of 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 were conducted under sandy soil conditions to study the effect of spraying with 12 commercial compounds on inflorescences diameter, flower stalk length, number of seed stem /plant, weight of 1000 seed, germination percentage, seed yield, moisture content, catalase , peroxidase activity and malondialdehyde content of onion seeds. The plantssprayed with union Zn, union Mn, union feer, shams k, elga 600, boron, and amino x had the highest vegetative growth parameter, germination percent and enzyme activity. The plants sprayed with union Zn, union feer, shams K, magnesium, caboron, hummer and amino X had the highest seed yield ha-1. The seeds were stored for one year to study the effect of different commercial compounds and storage temperatures on germination, moisture content and change in antioxidant enzymes activities of onion seeds during the storage period. Storage at cold temperature showed higher germination percent, moisture content and lower malondialdehyde content than storage at room temperature. The treatment with union Zn, union feer, union Mn, boron, elga 600, caboron, amica, hummer and amino x had the highest germination percent

Ecotoxicology of Copper in Horticultural Soils: A Review

Nowadays, the world is facing the problem of environmental pollution because of the increase of man’s needs requires developmentin life activities, progress industrialization, transportation tools, enhancement of agriculture and exploitation of natural resources. Soil andwater resources are extremely exposed to pollution from different aspects. Agrochemicals in particular, have created severe problems, sincethey release thousands of chemicals to the environment. Several studies on the effect of environmental pollutants on agroecosystem have beencarried out. On the other hand, the importance of trace elements as environmental pollutants is well known and well documented in literature.Cu contamination to agricultural soils has been accelerated due to its wide and repeated use in agriculture and horticulture as fertilizers orfungicides to protect vines, citrus trees, and other fruit crops against fungus diseases. Applied Cu from different agrochemical sources to agroenvironment may be adsorbed and are transported to the groundwater table and pollute it besides polluting the soils. The use of Cu-basedfungicides in vineyard soils is widely documented worldwide. It has been found that many countries contain concentrations in excess of 100mg kg−1. Importance of study of transport of Cu arises due to the fact that Cu is absorbed in soils and also reaches the groundwater table,thus polluting both soil and ground water. It is often more important to be able to estimate the mobile fraction, the readily soluble fraction,the exchangeable fraction, or the plant available fraction of Cu content of a soil as a more direct indication of the likelihood of deleteriousor toxic effects on soils and groundwater. Therefore, the aim of present work was to highlight the behavior and ecotoxicological effects ofcopper on horticultural soils

Effects of Foliar Nutrition on Onion Seed Storage under Controlled Atmosphere

Storage of fresh fruits and vegetables prolongs their usefulness. The principal goal of storage is to preserve the commodity inits most useable form for the consumer. The extension of storage life and the improvement of quality of fresh fruits and vegetables canbe supplied by harvesting at proper maturity, control of post-harvest diseases, chemical treatments, refrigeration, controlled and modifiedatmospheres. Two successive winter seasons of 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 were conducted under sandy soil conditions to study the effectof spraying with 12 commercial compounds on onion seeds and storage under controlled atmosphere. The germination percentages were85.50, 86.85, 83.75 and 82.15 for CA1, CA2, CA3 and CA4, respectively. Water content of onion seeds was significantly increased withdecreasing storage temperature in all controlled atmospheres. Water content values were 4.48, 4.40, 4.55 and 4.54 for CA1, CA2, CA3 andCA4, respectively. There were significant decreases in water content with increasing exposure periods. The lowest water content was recordedfor the exposure periods of 120 and 240 days. Catalase and peroxidase activities were decreased with the decreasing of storage temperature,whereas malondialdehyde content was increased. The exposure for 120 days recorded the highest catalase activity. The highest value ofperoxidase (11.72) was recorded for CA2. Peroxidase activity increased as exposure period increased until 120 days and then decreased.Cold storage temperature (5°C) showed the highest malondialdehyde content followed by room temperature. The CA2 showed the lowestmalondialdehyde content compared with other controlled atmospheres. The exposure period of 120 days had the lowest malondialdehydecontent

Effect of Foliar Nutrition on Post-Harvest of Onion Seed under Sandy Soil and Saline Irrigation Water Conditions

Foliar application has been determined to be an effective nutrients delivery strategy in vegetable and fruits. The enhancement of vegetable and fruit yields affected by foliar nutrients application has been recognized in previously conducted studies with perennial tree crops. The efficiency of foliar nutrition is dependent on soil, climate, fertilizer and the amount of nitrogen used. There is no sufficient information concerning cooperation of foliar nutrition with all nutrients form as well as the rates of these nutrients fertilization in vegetableand fruit crops. Two successive winter seasons of 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 were conducted under sandy soil conditions to study the effect of spraying with 12 commercial compounds on inflorescences diameter, flower stalk length, number of seed stem /plant, weight of 1000 seed, germination percentage, seed yield, moisture content, catalase , peroxidase activity and malondialdehyde content of onion seeds. The plantssprayed with union Zn, union Mn, union feer, shams k, elga 600, boron, and amino x had the highest vegetative growth parameter, germination percent and enzyme activity. The plants sprayed with union Zn, union feer, shams K, magnesium, caboron, hummer and amino X had the highest seed yield ha-1. The seeds were stored for one year to study the effect of different commercial compounds and storage temperatures on germination, moisture content and change in antioxidant enzymes activities of onion seeds during the storage period. Storage at cold temperature showed higher germination percent, moisture content and lower malondialdehyde content than storage at room temperature. The treatment with union Zn, union feer, union Mn, boron, elga 600, caboron, amica, hummer and amino x had the highest germination percent

Ecotoxicology of Copper in Horticultural Soils: A Review

Nowadays, the world is facing the problem of environmental pollution because of the increase of man’s needs requires development in life activities, progress industrialization, transportation tools, enhancement of agriculture and exploitation of natural resources. Soil and water resources are extremely exposed to pollution from different aspects. Agrochemicals in particular, have created severe problems, since they release thousands of chemicals to the environment. Several studies on the effect of environmental pollutants on agroecosystem have been carried out. On the other hand, the importance of trace elements as environmental pollutants is well known and well documented in literature. Cu contamination to agricultural soils has been accelerated due to its wide and repeated use in agriculture and horticulture as fertilizers or fungicides to protect vines, citrus trees, and other fruit crops against fungus diseases. Applied Cu from different agrochemical sources to agroenvironment may be adsorbed and are transported to the groundwater table and pollute it besides polluting the soils. The use of Cu-based fungicides in vineyard soils is widely documented worldwide. It has been found that many countries contain concentrations in excess of 100 mg kg−1. Importance of study of transport of Cu arises due to the fact that Cu is absorbed in soils and also reaches the groundwater table, thus polluting both soil and ground water. It is often more important to be able to estimate the mobile fraction, the readily soluble fraction, the exchangeable fraction, or the plant available fraction of Cu content of a soil as a more direct indication of the likelihood of deleterious or toxic effects on soils and groundwater. Therefore, the aim of present work was to highlight the behavior and ecotoxicological effects of copper on horticultural soils