Impact of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer on growth and yield of bambara groundnut

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) is an indigenous African crop which belongs to the family fabacea and sub-family of faboidea. It seeds contain 63% carbohydrate, 19% protein and 6.5% oil and good source of fibre, calcium, iron and potassium. Hence, this study aimed to determine the effect of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) on growth and yield bambara groundnut. A pot experiments was conducted in ladang 15 at the Faculty of Agriculture; Universiti Putra Malaysia. The experiment was performed Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The size of the pot was 65.94 cm2. The experiment was conducted in a factorial design with four levels of N (0, 10, 20, 30 kg/ha) and P (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg/ha). In this study, N and P fertilizer was played dominating role for vegetative growth of the plant. Plant height (20.65 cm), leaves number (262), leaf area (2140.54 cm2), number of pod (47.25) and pod weight (22.8 g) increased with the application of level of N and P. Vegetative growth and yield of the plant was better at N30P60 kg/ha than the all other treatments. It can be concluded that by using N30P60 kg/ha growth and yield of bambara groundnut is maximum

Physical quality, amino acid contents, and health risk assessment of straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) at different maturity stages

Volvariella volvacea, also known as straw mushroom, is an edible mushroom, and a highly nutritious food source. In Malaysia, tremendous increase in the consumption of this mushroom is due to its characteristics; short cropping duration, distinct flavour, and pleasant taste. During harvesting, the maturity of V. volvacea is vital to obtain high quality produce. As the mature stage quickly succeeds the immature stage, farmers usually collect both the immature and mature stages at harvest. Thus, the objective of the present work was to evaluate the physical quality, nutrients, and health risk assessment of V. volvacea at both maturity stages. The mushrooms were cultivated on composted empty fruit bunch (EFB), and harvested after a week at immature (button) and mature (veil opening) stages. The absence of spores at the button stage could lower the metabolic activity after harvest, thus decelerating the deterioration rate. Button stage mushrooms showed significantly higher firmness and higher content of glutamic acid. In term of safety, both stages were within the dietary intake limit for heavy metals. In conclusion, the button stage could be suitable and practical for consumption and commercialisation

Effects of calcium and chitosan treatments on controlling anthracnose and postharvest quality of papaya (Carica papaya L.)

This study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro fungicidal effects of calcium and chitosan on Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and to as well determine their effects on storage life and quality of papaya. Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) incorporated with calcium at different concentrations (1.5, 2.5 or 3.5%) or in combination with chitosan at 0.75% or chitosan alone were used as treatments for in vitro tests. Uncorporated treatments with PDA and untreated fruits as control used on papaya fruits for storage life and quality evolutions. Chitosan had the greatest effect against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in both in vitro and in disease incidence (%) on papaya fruits compared to calcium treatment and as well as control. Calcium reduced spores germination significantly as calcium concentrations increased from 2.5 to 3.5%, compared to the 1.5% and control treatments. However, it did not show any fungicidal effects on mycelial growth. The combination of 2.5% calcium with chitosan 0.75% completely inhibited spore germinations and significantly inhibited mycelia growth compared to calcium individual treatments and as well as control. Anthracnose disease incidence (%) was significantly controlled (5.6%) using calcium at 2.5% combined with chitosan compared with the other treatments. This demonstrated the best effect on controlling anthracnose disease incidence for papaya fruits. Moreover, this treatment proved able to extend the storage life of papaya fruits up to 33 days of storage life while maintaining valuable attributes of quality

Plant vegetative stages and drying methods affect flavonoid content of Clinacanthus nutans extracts

Background: Clinacanthus nutans, also known as ‘Sabah snake grass’ or ‘Belalai gajah’, is a herb well known locally for its medicinal values. The primary chemical constituents of the leaves are schaftoside, vitexin, isovitexin, orientin and isoorientin, and antiviral activity is shown by two glycoglycerolipids. Despite the importance of C. nutans, complete information with respect to commercial production and postharvest handling of the herb in the local herbal industry is still lacking. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the optimum postharvest handling processes that could retain the phytochemicals quality of C. nutans. Materials and Methods: The flavonoid compounds of C. nutans were analysed by using ultra fast liquid chromatography (UFLC). Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were determined using a spectrophotometer. Results: The total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in C. nutans were found to be higher in the young vegetative stage than in the mature vegetative stage. Flavonoid compounds (schaftoside, isovitexin, vitexin and orientin) were also found to be highest in the young vegetative plant compared to the mature vegetative plant. All of the assayed phytochemicals and flavonoid compounds levels were found to be highest in oven dried samples compared to the sun, air and solar dried samples. Conslusion: This study suggests that oven-drying young vegetative C. nutans plant material is the optimum method to retain postharvest quality

Pesticide free coating for papaya (Carica papaya 'Eksotika II')

Mature green stage (Index 2) papaya (Carica papaya L. ‘Eksotika II’) fruits were treated either with 2.5% calcium chloride infiltration, 0.75% chitosan coating, calcium infiltration at 2.5% then subsequently chitosan coating at 0.75% or with distilled water as the control. The fruits were then stored at 13±1°C for up to five weeks. Calcium infiltration was effective in maintaining the firmness and weight loss of the fruits. Firmness was 2.7 fold higher than the control and water loss was about 3% less. However, the chitosan coating had less effect on maintaining firmness (only 1.7 fold higher firmness) but had more effect in preventing weight loss resulting in 5.6% less weight loss. The chitosan coating treatment markedly slowed the ripening of papaya as shown by their reduced weight loss, delayed changes in their external colour (which is normally closely correlated with the internal colour) and other quality aspects. However, when calcium infiltration was combined with chitosan coating, this treatment further extended the storage life up to five weeks with better retention of fruits firmness and water loss control compared to the single treatments

Effects of different concentrations and applications of calcium on storage life and physicochemical characteristics of papaya (Carica papaya L.)

Papaya (Carica Papaya L.) fruits index 2 were treated with 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5% solutions of calcium chloride by dipping and vacuum infiltration (-33 Kpa) or untreated (0%) as control. Effects of these treatments were evaluated on storage life and postharvest quality characteristics of papaya. After 21 days of storage at 13±1°C, the fruits were removed from storage for physicochemical analysis. Following additional five days holding in the storage condition for fruits used for evaluation of the rate of disease incidence and storage life. Postharvest dip treatments at different concentrations of calcium prolonged storage life, slowed down the ripening processes and maintained the quality of papaya. Whereas, it was effectively greater with calcium infiltration treatments than that for dip treatments. Calcium infiltration extended the storage life and retained the quality as calcium concentrations increased up to 2.5% and then declined. The desired effect was obtained at 2.5% infiltration compared with other treatments. The least disease incidence was found in those fruits infiltrated with 2.5% calcium. Hence, it can be concluded that postharvest infiltration of calcium at 2.5% has the potential to control disease incidence, prolong the storage life and preserve valuable attributes of postharvest papaya, presumably because of its effects on inhibition of ripening and senescence process and loss of the fruit firmness of papaya

Growth and morphological responses of Andrographis paniculate to varying shade and nitrogen fertilization

Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees is a traditional medicinal plant with valuable phytochemical and pharmacological potential. Growth and morphological responses to light and N can be useful measurements to determine favorable growing conditions for A. paniculata. Despite numerous findings on other medicinal and aromatic plants, there is little information about how light and N affect growth and morphology A. paniculata. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of shade and N on growth and morphological responses of A. paniculata. Plants were grown under two shade levels, 0% and 40%, and fertilized with five N rates, 90, 135, 180, 225 and 270kg ha-¹ in a nested design. Shaded plants grew taller with greater total leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf area ratio and net assimilation rate than sun-grown plants. Fertilizing plants with increasing rate of N has increased their height, leaf area index, total leaf area, shoot and root dry mass, leaf mass ratio and root shoot ratio. There was a quadratic relationship between N rate and total dry mass of plants. The goal in commercial A. paniculata cultivation is to produce high yielding high quality plants. Results showed that A. paniculata could adapt to varying levels of shade and N by altering its growth and morphology. Shading at 40% and fertilizing with 225kg N ha-¹ can increase growth and yield of A. paniculata

Improvement of drought tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.): genetics, genomic tools, and the WRKY gene family

Drought tolerance is an important quantitative trait with multipart phenotypes that are often further complicated by plant phenology. Different types of environmental stresses, such as high irradiance, high temperatures, nutrient deficiencies, and toxicities, may challenge crops simultaneously; therefore, breeding for drought tolerance is very complicated. Interdisciplinary researchers have been attempting to dissect and comprehend the mechanisms of plant tolerance to drought stress using various methods; however, the limited success of molecular breeding and physiological approaches suggests that we rethink our strategies. Recent genetic techniques and genomics tools coupled with advances in breeding methodologies and precise phenotyping will likely reveal candidate genes and metabolic pathways underlying drought tolerance in crops. The WRKY transcription factors are involved in different biological processes in plant development. This zinc (Zn) finger protein family, particularly members that respond to and mediate stress responses, is exclusively found in plants. A total of 89 WRKY genes in japonica and 97 WRKY genes in O. nivara (OnWRKY) have been identified and mapped onto individual chromosomes. To increase the drought tolerance of rice ( Oryza sativa L.), research programs should address the problem using a multidisciplinary strategy, including the interaction of plant phenology and multiple stresses, and the combination of drought tolerance traits with different genetic and genomics approaches, such as microarrays, quantitative trait loci (QTLs), WRKY gene family members with roles in drought tolerance, and transgenic crops. This review discusses the newest advances in plant physiology for the exact phenotyping of plant responses to drought to update methods of analysing drought tolerance in rice. Finally, based on the physiological/morphological and molecular mechanisms found in resistant parent lines, a strategy is suggested to select a particular environment and adapt suitable germplasm to that environment

Effects of atmospheric carbon dioxide, oxygen and ethylene on the growth and quality of mungbean sprouts

A study was conducted to evaluate the Influence of different combinations of carbon dioxide, oxygen and ethylene on the growth of sprouts from four mungbean cu1tivars. Sprouts produced using CO2 and 02 at 5% to 10% and 10% to 15%. respectivelv, were shorter than those produced without any treatment. However, they were still undersirable because the root length was too long and the hypocotyl diameter too small. The different gas mixtures alone, or In combination wlth ethylene, still did not yield the desired sprouts. The desired hypocotyl diameter and length of sprouts were obtained when the ethylene level in the air system was increased to 5.0 u liter/lite

Antimicrobial compounds from leaf extracts of Jatropha curcas, Psidium guajava and Andrographis paniculata

The present research was conducted to discover antimicrobial compounds in methanolic leaf extracts of Jatropha curcas and Andrographis paniculata and ethanolic leaf extract of Psidium guajava and the effectiveness against microbes on flower preservative solution of cut Mokara Red orchid flowers was evaluated. The leaves were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of nine, 66, and 29 compounds were identified in J. curcas, P. guajava, and A. paniculata leaf extracts, with five (88.18%), four (34.66%), and three (50.47%) having unique antimicrobial compounds, respectively. The experimental design on vase life was conducted using a completely randomized design with 10 replications. The flower vase life was about 6 days in the solution containing the P. guajava and A. paniculata leaf extracts at 15mg/L. Moreover, solution with leaf extracts of A. paniculata had the lowest bacterial count compared to P. guajava and J. curcas. Thus, these leaf extracts revealed the presence of relevant antimicrobial compounds. The leaf extracts have the potential as a cut flower solution to minimize microbial populations and extend flower vase life. However, the activities of specific antimicrobial compounds and double or triple combination leaf extracts to enhance the effectiveness to extend the vase life need to be tested