Liquid Nitrogen as promotor of seeds germination and seedling growth in tropical legumes

Introduction: The hard seed is the main cause of dormancy in most of the Leguminoseae species. Seed scarification methods, where physical damage is sought to break hard seed coat without diminishing quality, have been modified over time to make them more effective. The most commonly used seed scarification methods include heat, mechanical scarification, and freeze-thaw. Some methods for freeze-thaw scarification include ultra-low temperature immersion in liquid nitrogen (LN, -196 ° C). Objective: Determine the effectiveness use of Liquid nitrogen (LN) as a scarification method to overcome dormancy in seeds of species of the Leguminoseae family. Methodology: The physiological quality of all freshly harvested seeds was determined and scarified by direct immersion in LN for 30 minutes. Total germination was determined under laboratory conditions, as well as the time required for the seeds to reach 50% germination (T50) and the total number of seeds that remained hard at the end of the experiment. The percentage of emerged seedlings and their vegetative growth was evaluated for 21 days after sowing. Results: The seeds of all species evaluated showed a high physiological quality at the time of harvest. Scarification with LN improved germination, emergence and vegetative growth in the species Desmodium scorpiorus, Teramnus labialis, Neonotonia wigthii and Phueraria phaseoloides. Conclusions: Dormancy was effectively overcome in the seeds of the species D. scorpiorus, T. labialis, N. wigthii and P. phaseoloides. It was possible to increase the percentage and speed of germination and emergence, managing to obtain plants with greater vegetative growth during the first 21 days after sowing.Introduction: The hard seed is the main cause of dormancy in most of the Leguminoseae species. Seed scarification methods, where physical damage is sought to break hard seed coat without diminishing quality, have been modified over time to make them more effective. The most commonly used seed scarification methods include heat, mechanical scarification, and freeze-thaw. Some methods for freeze-thaw scarification include ultra-low temperature immersion in liquid nitrogen (LN, -196 ° C). Objective: Determine the effectiveness use of Liquid nitrogen (LN) as a scarification method to overcome dormancy in seeds of species of the Leguminoseae family. Methodology: The physiological quality of all freshly harvested seeds was determined and scarified by direct immersion in LN for 30 minutes. Total germination was determined under laboratory conditions, as well as the time required for the seeds to reach 50% germination (T50) and the total number of seeds that remained hard at the end of the experiment. The percentage of emerged seedlings and their vegetative growth was evaluated for 21 days after sowing. Results: The seeds of all species evaluated showed a high physiological quality at the time of harvest. Scarification with LN improved germination, emergence and vegetative growth in the species Desmodium scorpiorus, Teramnus labialis, Neonotonia wigthii and Phueraria phaseoloides. Conclusions: Dormancy was effectively overcome in the seeds of the species D. scorpiorus, T. labialis, N. wigthii and P. phaseoloides. It was possible to increase the percentage and speed of germination and emergence, managing to obtain plants with greater vegetative growth during the first 21 days after sowing

EFECTO DEL NaCl EN LA GERMINACIÓN DE CULTIVARES DE FRIJOL (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS L) / EFFECT OF NaCl ON THE GERMINATION OF BEAN CULTIVARS (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS L)

La salinidad de los suelos, es una de las principales causas de desplazamiento de la producción de cultivo. El cultivo del frijol es poco tolerante a la salinidad por Cloruro de sodio (NaCl). La selección de cultivos de frijol tolerante a la salinidad es una alternativa para recuperar la producción del grano en las áreas afectadas. El presente trabajo se realizó con el objetivo de determinar el efecto del NaCl en la germinación de cultivares de frijol rojo. Se utilizaron las semillas 12 cultivares, los cuales fueron establecidos en placas de Petri, con las concentraciones de 0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 y 600 µmol L-1 de NaCl, en H2O y en suelo. A las semillas se les determinó la imbibición, pérdida de electrolitos, germinación y la emergencia. En los resultados se muestra afectación en la germinación y en la emergencia con el incremento de la concentración de NaCl en H2O y en suelo. La línea 40.3, línea 40.4, línea 40.8, línea 64.1, línea 64.7, línea 84.4, línea 84.6 y línea 84.9, tuvieron la menor pérdida de agua y de electrolitos, con los mayores porcentajes de germinación y emergencia en las condiciones salinas. Los cultivares V- 53, V-50, I-39 y V-9, presentaron la mayor pérdida de agua y de electrolitos, con la menor germinación y emergencia en las condiciones salinas, lo que denotó poca tolerancia a la salinidad por H2O y en suelo

Histology of maize seeds and young germinating embryos after liquid nitrogen exposure

[EN] Maize represents a staple food crop and is the second most important agricultural commodity globally. Considering the important role of maize for food security, the long-term conservation of valuable germplasm is critical to ensure that high levels of genetic diversity are available for breeding superior cultivars to face future challenges. Cryopreservation is regarded as the most appropriate tool for long-term germplasm preservation and has been investigated in different crops. This short communication adds to the existing knowledge on maize cryopreservation by describing histological changes observed in maize seeds and young germinating embryos after liquid nitrogen (LN) exposure. Plants were examined immediately after recovery from LN (day zero) and following 3 days of germination. At day 3, seeds exposed to LN showed lower germination rates than non-cryostored seeds, i.e., 60.7% vs. 83.3%. Histological evaluation at day 3 revealed that the thickness of the conical endosperm and the scutellum did not show any statistically significant differences between control and cryopreserved seeds. In contrast, for the other histological evaluations made, mostly regarding the thickness of mesocarp, mealy endosperm, plumule, radicle and the epidermis, significant differences were observed between control and cryostored seeds with the former consistently displaying higher average values than the latter.Villalobos-Olivera, A.; Pereira, R.; Gómez, D.; Martínez, J.; Escalante, D.; Martínez-Montero, ME.; Hajari, E.... (2021). Histology of maize seeds and young germinating embryos after liquid nitrogen exposure. Romanian Biotechnological Letters. 26(4):2855-2861. https://doi.org/10.25083/rbl/26.4/2855.28612855286126

COMPORTAMIENTO AGROPRODUCTIVO DE DIFERENTES VARIEDADES DE FRÍJOL NEGRO (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS. L) EN LA FINCA «LAS MARÍA» DEL MUNICIPIO PRIMERO DE ENERO

El fríjol común es uno de los granos más importantes para el consumo humano. Para los cubanos este grano se ha convertido en un plato esencial en la mesa. En la producción, el uso de las prácticas agrícolas ha demostrado que el productor debe contar con más de una variedad del cultivo, siendo importante la introducción de nuevas variedades para aumentar el espectro de variabilidad de los cultivos en producción. La investigación se realizó en la finca «La Maria» con el objetivo de determinar el comportamiento agroproductivo de diferentes variedades de fríjol negro. En los resultados se pudo apreciar que el cultivo presenta alta plasticidad genética, porque   se adapta a las condiciones climáticas de la finca, con porcentajes de emergencia por encima del 94 %. Las variedades Selección la Palma, Cabaiguan y Tomeguín-93 alcanzaron los mayores resultados en cuanto a la mayoría de variables morfo-agronómicas. Todas las variedades se caracterizan como promisorios bajos las condiciones climáticas de estudio, destacando la variedad Selección la Palma, Cabaiguan y Tomeguín-93 con rendimientos superiores a la media nacional

COMPORTAMIENTO AGROPRODUCTIVO DE UN SISTEMA DE PRODUCCIÓN DE FRIJOL (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS. L) CON ENFOQUE AGROECOLÓGICO EN EL MUNICIPIO PRIMERO DE ENERO

La presente investigación se realizó con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento agroproductivo de un sistema de producción de frijol con enfoque agroecológico en el municipio Primero Enero, en el periodo comprendido entre diciembre 2013 y marzo de 2014. En los resultados se pudo constatar que el tratamiento de semillas es importante para mantenerlas sanas y con alto porcentaje de germinación, aunque los tratadores inorgánicos encarecen el paquete de producción porque son importados. Las plantas del sistema de producción agroecológico alcanzaron los mayores valores en cuanto la altura, número de hojas, vaina por plantas, granos por vaina, masa de 100 semillas y masa de la planta. Aunque tuvieron mayor afectación de plagas con respecto al sistema convencional, no se afectaron los rendimientos, porque el grado de afectación nunca sobrepasó el umbral económico. El sistema agroecológico alcanzó mayor  beneficio económico neto, tanto en la producción de frijoles negros, como rojos

Exposure of pineapple shoot tips to liquid nitrogen and cryostorage do not affect the histological status of regenerated plantlets

[EN] Conservation of pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr.) genetic resources - including cryopreservation in liquid N-2 at -196 degrees C - is essential for future breeding programmes to develop new varieties with improved agronomic performance. However, the potentially deleterious effects of cryopreservation on subsequent plant regrowth should be evaluated before large-scale development of cryobanks is implemented. This paper describes the histological analysis of pineapple plantlets regenerated from cryopreserved shoot tips. Two controls were included in the study: i) conventional micropropagation-derived plantlets, and ii) plants from shoot tips subjected to pre-cryostorage conditioning treatments but never exposed to liquid N-2. Histological studies of roots, leaves and stems were conducted after 45 days of hardening. No statistically significant differences with the controls were observed in any of the histological parameters evaluated, which supports the practical value of cryopreservation of pineapple germplasm.This research was supported by the Bioplant Centre (Cuba), the Escuela Superior Politecnica Agropecuaria de Manabi Manuel Felix Lopez (Ecuador), the IRD Representation in Benin, and the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain).Villalobos-Olivera, A.; Nápoles, L.; Mendoza, JR.; Escalante, D.; Martínez, J.; Concepción, O.; Zevallos, BE.... (2019). Exposure of pineapple shoot tips to liquid nitrogen and cryostorage do not affect the histological status of regenerated plantlets. Romanian Biotechnological Letters. 24(6):1061-1066. https://doi.org/10.25083/rbl/24.6/1061.1066S1061106624

Heteromorphic seed germination and seedling emergence in the legume Teramnus labialis (L.f.) Spreng (Fabacaeae)

Seed heteromorphism can influence germination and ultimately seedling establishment, particularly in disturbed habitats. This study compared seed and seedling traits across three distinctly colored seed morphs (viz. light-brown, brown, and dark-brown) of the forage legume, Teramnus labialis (L.f.) Spreng. The best quality seeds (i.e., un-parasitized, filled and un-cracked) were brown: 389.3 quality seeds per 1000 units compared with <270/1000 units for the other two morphs. Length, width, volume, and water content were lowest in the light-brown and highest in the dark-brown seeds. Seed thickness and mass were lower in the light-brown seeds. Dark-brown seeds imbibed fastest from 2 h onwards. Germination was comparable across the morphs after 7 days but was lowest in the light-brown (17% at 21 days) and highest in the dark-brown seeds (36% at 21 days) at 14 and 21 days. At 7 days, seedling emergence in the dark-brown seeds (15.0%) was higher than in the other two morphs (4%–6%); this remained so at 14 and 21 days. Seedling growth (number of leaves, stem height and diameter, and root length) was superior in the dark-brown seeds. Seed heteromorphism in T. labialis may allow its persistence in disturbed habitats, and the dark-brown seeds are best suited for seeding in revegetation projects, given their superior germination capacity and seedling vigor.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Data on antioxidant activity in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) following cryopreservation by vitrification

Cryopreservation is used for the long-term conservation of plant genetic resources. This technique very often induces lethal injury or tissue damage. In this study, we measured indicators of viability and cell damage following cryopreservation and vitrification-cryopreservation in Vitis vinifera L. axillary buds cv. “Flame seedless” stored in liquid nitrogen (LN) for: three seconds, one hour, one day, one week and one month; after LN thawed at 38 °C for three minutes. The enzymatic activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), as well as the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA), total protein and viability were assayed

Exposure of Calophyllum antillanum seeds to liquid nitrogen delays seedling emergence and decreases leaf anthraquinones

[EN] BACKGROUND: Trees within the Calophyllum genus are multi-use trees that produce valuable wood, phytochemicals with a range of biological activities, and seed oil as a source of biodiesel. As a consequence of climate change, there is a need to develop strategies to preserve valuable plant genetic resources. Cryopreservation represents the most suitable option for the long-term storage of germplasm with minimal space and maintenance requirements. OBJECTIVE: To determine appropriate methods to cryopreserve seeds of Calophyllum antillanum and maintain secondary compound production. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seeds at a moisture content of 6% were used to evaluate two treatments: seeds immersed in liquid nitrogen and control seeds. Biosynthetic pathway efficiency was assessed post-cryo by determining anthraquinone contents in roots, stems and leaves following 30 and 75 d of seedling growth. RESULTS: The results indicated that exposure to liquid nitrogen delayed germination and seedling emergence for a period of up to 45 d after seed sowing. By 60 d of cultivation, no significant differences in plant growth were observed for cryostored and control seeds. The levels of anthraquinones, which were also measured in seeds and seedlings, were lower in plants regenerated from cryostored seeds following 30 d of growth, but there were no differences in roots and stems by 75 d of growth. Furthermore, the difference in leaf anthraquinone levels for cryopreserved and control seeds at 75 d was much smaller than at 30 d. CONCLUSION: The low initial anthraquinone levels in emerging seedlings correlated with the initial slow growth of cryopreserved seedsThis research was supported by the Bioplant Centre, University of Ciego de Avila (Cuba); Universidad Estatal del Sur de Manabi (UNESUM, Ecuador); the Agricultural Research Council (South Africa); and the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain).Entensa, Y.; González-Morales, A.; Linares, C.; Vázquez, JG.; Martínez-Montero, ME.; Zevallos-Bravo, BE.; Hajari, E.... (2022). Exposure of Calophyllum antillanum seeds to liquid nitrogen delays seedling emergence and decreases leaf anthraquinones. CRYO-LETTERS. 43(1):58-65. https://doi.org/10.54680/fr22110110812586543