Role of nano-SiO2 in germination of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum seeds Mill.)

AbstractAgricultural biotechnology is very familiar with the properties of nanomaterial and their potential uses. Therefore, the present experiment was conducted to test the beneficial effects of nanosilicon dioxide (nSiO2: size- 12nm) on the seed germination of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill. cv Super Strain B). Application of nSiO2 significantly enhanced the characteristics of seed germination. Among the treatments, 8gL−1 of nSiO2 improved percent seed germination, mean germination time, seed germination index, seed vigour index, seedling fresh weight and dry weight. Therefore, it is very clear that nSiO2 has a significant impact on the seed germination potential. These findings could provide that alternative source for fertilizer that may improve sustainable agriculture

The Efficacy of Organic Amendments on Maize Productivity, Soil Properties and Active Fractions of Soil Carbon in Organic-Matter Deficient Soil

The decline in soil productivity due to intensive cultivation, unbalanced fertilization and climate change are key challenges to future food security. There is no significant research conducted on the effect of organic amendments on soil properties and active carbon fractions in organic-matter deficient soils under changing climate. Biochar (BC) is a stabilized organic amendment produced from organic materials and is increasingly recognized as being able to improve soil health and crop productivity. The present study was conducted to determine the efficacy of compost (CM) (0.5%, 1%) (w/w) and animal manure (AM) (0.5%, 1%) (w/w) alone and combined with 3% (w/w) biochar, on soil carbon fractions, soil properties, and crop growth in a low-fertile soil. The results revealed significant increased 46% plant height, 106% and 114% fresh and dry shoot weight respectively, and 1,000-grain weight increased up to 40% when 3% BC with 1% CM was applied, compared to a control. Similarly, substantial increases in 69% soil organic matter, and 70% carbon pool index were observed at 3% BC, and under 3% BC with 1% CM increased 11% microbial biomass carbon compared to the control. Overall, the results suggest that 3% BC addition along with 1% CM and AM (1%) had greater potential to improve the soil carbon pool, microbial biomass, and soil health, all of which will ultimately enhance maize yield when grown in low-fertility soil. The application of BC, CM, and AM are a viable green approach, that not only boosts crop yields and improves soil properties and but also contributes to a circular economy

Enhancing crop resilience through thiamine: implications for sustainable agriculture in drought-stressed radish

During 21st century, abiotic stress has adversely affected the agriculture crop production around the globe. Keeping in view the food requirement under water shortage condition, a study was planned to investigate the effect of thiamine application on radish crop under drought stress conditions on plant. For study purpose, two varieties of locally available radish (‘Early-Milo’ and ‘Laal-Pari’) were grown with normal water application as well as thiamine (100 mg L-1) application while maintaining a stress condition (60% field capacity). Increasing water deficit stress linearly reduced plant growth, yield and biomass in both varieties by reducing water use efficiency, while significantly enhanced these attributes with thiamine application. Thiamine application under drought stress exerted significant impacts on physiological attributes in both varieties, including enhanced osmolytic attribute in drought conditions and improvements in superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), H2O2, and malondialdehyde (MDA) activities in plant leaves. Antioxidant and osmoprotectant upregulation positively linked to radish crop's drought tolerance. Moreover, PCA and heatmap analysis revealed a significant interdependence among various traits and interconnected in determining the crop's capacity to sustain growth under conditions of drought stress. In crux, thiamine application conclusively enhances radish growth, yield, biomass, physio-chemical and osmolytic attributes, ionic composition and enzymatic antioxidant potential. Therefore, it is recommended to consider the application of thiamine in commercial agriculture practices to mitigate the negative effects of drought stress on radish crop production

Hydrogen Sulfide and Silicon Together Alleviate Chromium (VI) Toxicity by Modulating Morpho-Physiological and Key Antioxidant Defense Systems in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Varieties

Extensive use of chromium (Cr) in anthropogenic activities leads to Cr toxicity in plants causing serious threat to the environment. Cr toxicity impairs plant growth, development, and metabolism. In the present study, we explored the effect of NaHS [a hydrogen sulfide; (H2S), donor] and silicon (Si), alone or in combination, on two chickpea (Cicer arietinum) varieties (Pusa 2085 and Pusa Green 112), in pot conditions under Cr stress. Cr stress increased accumulation of Cr reduction of the plasma membrane (PM) H+-ATPase activity and decreased in photosynthetic pigments, essential minerals, relative water contents (RWC), and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in both the varieties. Exogenous application of NaHS and Si on plants exposed to Cr stress mitigated the effect of Cr and enhanced the physiological and biochemical parameters by reducing Cr accumulation and oxidative stress in roots and leaves. The interactive effects of NaHS and Si showed a highly significant and positive correlation with PM H+-ATPase activity, photosynthetic pigments, essential minerals, RWC, proline content, and enzymatic antioxidant activities (catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, dehydroascorbate reductase, superoxide dismutase, and monodehydroascorbate reductase). A similar trend was observed for non-enzymatic antioxidant activities (ascorbic acid, glutathione, oxidized glutathione, and dehydroascorbic acid level) in leaves while oxidative damage in roots and leaves showed a negative correlation. Exogenous application of NaHS + Si could enhance Cr stress tolerance in chickpea and field studies are warranted for assessing crop yield under Cr-affected area

Scrutinize the integrated role of Azotobacter vinelandii in nitrogen assimilation, photosystem II functionality and aerenchyma formation of Zea mays under moisture stress environment

Moisture, salinity, heat, and drought are some of the main ecological extremities that recruit anomalous metabolic process which not only effect the plant growth and development but also lessen the crop production. Present eco-friendly approach was intended to explore the integrated role of soil bacteria (Azotobacter vinelandii) on aerenchyma formation, nitrogen assimilation, chlorophyll biosynthesis and photosystem II functionality in low moisture stress environment were studied. Azotobacter were isolated from the date palm around the harsh environment, later it was purified in lab and were used in plants with two different concentration P1= 2.312 CFU mL−1, P2 = 2.316 CFU mL−1. Two-week old treated (P1 and P2) and untreated (P0) plants were exposed to 20 ± 5 % and 45±5 % soil moisture content (SMC) while 75 ± 5 % moisture served as positive control using water holding capacity technique. In stress environment, Azotobacter with two concentrations (P1= 2.312 CFU mL−1, P2= 2.316 CFU mL−1) improved the plant length and biomass production demonstrates lesser declined (2 to 3.9 %) in seedling growth and (21.5 to 39.8 %) in biomass production as compared 31.5 to 49.8 % in control plants (P0). Relative water content (RWC) was greatly sustained in moisture stress due to bacterial applications showing 0.02 to 8.0 % declined as compared 34.9 % in control plants. Likewise lesser decreased (-16.5 to -39.2 %) in osmotic potential was noted in treated plant as compared to control plant (-37.1 to -60.6 %). The sub- optimal stress from moderate to severe instigated significant upsurge of energy loss in plants. The energy loss indicators like non-photochemical quenching coefficient (qN) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) were relatively high (4.1 to 12.9 % and 33.26 to 47.64 %) in Po as compared to P1 and P2 (0.9 to 1.9 % and 1.3 to 14.2 %) plants. Moreover, application of azotobacter (P1 and P2) also upregulated quantum yield of electron transport (jEo,), the efficiencies of light reaction (φPo / (1- φPo), and biochemical reaction (ψo /(1- ψo) in sub-optimal environment. The upregulation in light harvesting efficiency enhance nitrogen assimilation showing lesser declined in nitrite (21.1 to 9.3 %) and nitrate content (50.0 to 24.0%) in P1 and P2 plants compared to control plants (P0). It was noted that P2 treated plants showed lesser declined in protein content (22 %) corresponding with 8.0 % in nitrite reductase (NIR) and 5.1 % in nitrate reductase (NR) activities. The current finding suggested that the application of azotobacter improve growth and biomass production due sustained photosystem II functionality and nitrogen assimilation under moisture environment. Further, Azotobacter facilitates the aerenchyma formation in plants roots under stress condition enabling gaseous exchange in roots. Application of azotobacter in moisture environment seems to be a promising and eco-friendly solution for sustainable agriculture which not only provide an alternative beside chemical fertilizers but also protect plant against low moisture stress consequences

Nitrogen and potassium application effects on productivity, profitability and nutrient use efficiency of irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

The development of robust nutrient management strategies have played a crucial role in improving crop productivity, profitability and nutrient use efficiency. Therefore, the implementation of efficient nutrient management stratigies is important for food security and environmental safety. Amongst the essential plant nutrients, managing nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) based production systems is citically important to maximize profitable production with minimal negative environmental impacts. We investigated the effects of different fertilizer-N (viz. 0-240 kg N ha-1; N0-N240) and fertilizer-K (viz. 0-90 kg K ha-1; K0-K90) application rates on wheat productivity, nutrient (N and K) use efficiency viz. partial factor productivity (PFPN/K), agronomic efficiency (AEN/K), physiological efficiency (PEN/K), reciprocal internal use efficiency (RIUEN/K), and profitability in terms of benefit-cost (B-C) ratio, gross returns above fertilizer cost (GRAFC) and the returns on investment (ROI) on fertilizer application. These results revealed that wheat productivity, plant growth and yield attributes, nutrients uptake and use efficiency increased significantly (p<0.05)with fertilizer-N application, although the interaction effect of N x K application was statistically non-significant (p<0.05). Fertilizer-N application at 120 kg N ha-1 (N120) increased the number of effective tillers (8.7%), grain yield (17.3%), straw yield (15.1%), total N uptake (25.1%) and total K uptake (16.1%) than the N80. Fertilizer-N application significantly increased the SPAD reading by ~4.2-10.6% with fertilizer-N application (N80-N240), compared with N0. The PFPN and PFPK increased significantly with fertilizer-N and K application in wheat. The AEN varied between 12.3 and 22.2 kg kg-1 with significantly higher value of 20.8 kg kg-1 in N120. Fertilizer-N application at higher rate (N160) significantly decreased the AEN by ~16.3% over N120. The N120treatment increased the AEK by ~52.6% than N80 treatment. Similarly the RIUEN varied between 10.6 and 25.6 kg Mg-1 grain yield, and increased significantly by ~80.2% with N120 as compared to N0 treatment. The RIUEK varied between 109 and 15.1 kg Mg-1 grain yield, and was significantly higher in N120 treatment. The significant increase in mean gross returns (MGRs) by ~17.3% and mean net returns (MNRs) by ~24.1% increased the B-C ratio by ~15.1% with N120 than the N80 treatment. Fertilizer-N application in N120 treatment increased the economic efficiency of wheat by ~24.1% and GRAFC by ~16.9%. Grain yield was significantly correlated with total N uptake (r = 0.932**, p<0.01), K uptake (r = 0.851**), SPAD value (r = 0.945**), green seeker reading (r = 0.956**), and the RIUEN (r = 0.910**). The artificial neural networks (ANNs) showed highly satisfactory performance in training and simulation of testing data-set on wheat grain yield. The calculated mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and root mean square error (RMSE) for wheat were 0.0087, 0.834 and 0.052, respectively. The well trained ANNs model was capable of producing consistency for the training and testing correlation (R2 = 0.994**, p<0.01) between the predicted and actual values of wheat grain yield, which implies that ANN model succeeded in wheat grain yield prediction

Zinc Absorption through Leaves and Subsequent Translocation to the Grains of Bread Wheat after Foliar Spray

Agronomic biofortification could possibly be a promising strategy to overcome zinc (Zn) deficiency in wheat; however, the cultivar’s response to foliar applications is enigmatic when it comes to the relative efficiency of Zn absorption and accumulation. To decipher that enigmatic response, this study was designed with the objectives (i) to track the amount of Zn absorbed through leaves after foliar application, (ii) to calculate the amount of the absorbed Zn actually translocated and stored in the grains, and (iii) to calculate the relative efficiency of the high yielding cultivars in terms of their Zn absorption and translocation. The results reveal that 0.90% of the zinc sprayed was absorbed through leaves, and 43% of the absorbed Zn was translocated to the grains. The cultivars significantly varied for their Zn absorption (0.71–1.07%) and subsequent translocation of the absorbed Zn (23–66%). Foliar zinc treatment also improved growth attributes such as leaf area, height, spikelet per spike, number of grains per spike, grain yield, leaf and grain Zn content, and grain protein content. These findings suggest a need for cautious parent selection in devising the breeding strategies intended for biofortification

Effect of Calcium and Potassium on Antioxidant System of &lt;em&gt;Vicia faba&lt;/em&gt; L. Under Cadmium Stress

Cadmium (Cd) in soil poses a major threat to plant growth and productivity. In the present experiment, we studied the effect of calcium (Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;) and/or potassium (K&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;) on the antioxidant system, accumulation of proline (Pro), malondialdehyde (MDA), and content of photosynthetic pigments, cadmium (Cd) and nutrients, &lt;em&gt;i.e.&lt;/em&gt;, Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; and K&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; in leaf of &lt;em&gt;Vicia faba &lt;/em&gt;L. (cv. TARA) under Cd stress. Plants grown in the presence of Cd exhibited reduced growth traits [root length (RL) plant&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;, shoot length (SL) plant&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;, root fresh weight (RFW) plant&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;, shoot fresh weight (SFW) plant&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;, root dry weight (RDW) plant&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; and shoot dry weight (SDW) plant&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;] and concentration of Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;, K&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;, Chlorophyll (Chl) &lt;em&gt;a&lt;/em&gt; and Chl &lt;em&gt;b &lt;/em&gt;content, except content of MDA, Cd and (Pro). The antioxidant enzymes [peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)] slightly increased as compared to control under Cd stress. However, a significant improvement was observed in all growth traits and content of Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;, K&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;, Chl &lt;em&gt;a&lt;/em&gt;, Chl &lt;em&gt;b &lt;/em&gt;,Pro and activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), POD and SOD in plants subjected to Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; and/or K&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;. The maximum alleviating effect was recorded in the plants grown in medium containing Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; and K&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; together. This study indicates that the application of Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; and/or K&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; had a significant and synergistic effect on plant growth. Also, application of Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; and/or K&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; was highly effective against the toxicity of Cd by improving activity of antioxidant enzymes and solute that led to the enhanced plant growth of faba bean plants. &lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt

Potassium and Humic Acid Synergistically Increase Salt Tolerance and Nutrient Uptake in Contrasting Wheat Genotypes through Ionic Homeostasis and Activation of Antioxidant Enzymes

Salinity limits the growth and nutrient uptake in crop species. Studies show that both potassium (K) and humic acid (HA) improved plant tolerance to salinity. However, the interactive effect of K and HA on plant tolerance to salinity stress remains unknown. This pot study examined the effect of application of K (0, 5 or 10 mM) and HA (0 or 2 g kg&minus;1), alone or in combination, on the growth and physiology under salinity (100 mM NaCl) in two wheat genotypes (SARC 1, salt tolerant; and SARC 5, salt sensitive). The results revealed that salt stress reduced shoot biomass by 35% and 49% in SARC 1 and SARC 5, respectively. Salinity induced overproduction of H2O2 and lipid peroxidation in both genotypes, but the decline in pigments and stomatal conductance was more profound in SARC 5 than in SARC 1. Combined application of 10 mM K and HA was most effective in alleviating salt stress with improved plant biomass by 47% and 43% in SARC 1 and SARC 5, respectively. Combined application of 10 mM K and HA mitigated salt and induced oxidative stress with the activities of APX, CAT, POD and SOD increased by up to 2.8 folds in SARC 1, and by upto 2.5 folds in SARC 5, respectively. Root and shoot Na contents were increased, while K, Fe and Zn contents were decreased under saline conditions. HA combined with K decreased Na and increased K, Fe and Zn contents in both genotypes. Combined application of 10 mM K and HA was more promising for increasing wheat salt tolerance and nutrient uptake and genotype SARC 1 performed better than SARC 5 for cultivation on saline soils

Inoculation with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Alleviates the Adverse Effects of High Temperature in Soybean

High temperature is foremost abiotic stress and there are inadequate studies explicating its impact on soybean. In this study, a pot experiment was done in a greenhouse maintained at a day/night temperature of 42/28 °C with a mean temperature of 35 °C to examine the effects of high temperature in soybean plants inoculated with and without arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).Various parameters were taken in soybean plants treated with AMF (+) and AMF (−) such as growth analysis, chlorophyll content, canopy temperature, number of stomata, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, seed yield, and its attributes. It was observed that growth parameters like leaf area, stem height, root length, shoot and root dry biomass were increased in AMF (+) as compared to AMF (−) plants. Chlorophyll content, the number of stomata, photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and water use efficiency increased in AMF (+) as compared to AMF (−) plants. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters such as Fv/Fm, Fv/Fo, PhiPSII, fluorescence area, performance index, photochemical quenching, linear electron transport rate, and active reaction centres density of PSII were also found to be enhanced in AMF (+) plants. However, canopy temperature, intercellular CO2, Fo/Fm, and non-photochemical quenching were higher in AMF (−) as compared to inoculated plants. An increase in growth and photosynthesis ultimately enhanced the seed yield and its attributes in AMF (+) as compared to AMF (−). Thus, AMF (+) plants have shown much better plant growth, photosynthesis parameters, and seed yield as compared to AMF (−) plants under high temperature. Thus, it is concluded that heat stress-induced damage to the structure and function of the photosynthetic apparatus was alleviated by AMF inoculum. Therefore, AMF can be used as a biofertilizer in alleviating the adverse effects of heat stress in soybean