Effects of Dormex (Hydrogen Cyanamide) on the performance of three seedless table grape cultivars grown under greenhouse or open - field conditions

ArticleGreenhouse cultivation of table grapes is still limited to some experimental trials at Lebanese coast. One major constraint facing this type of cultivation is the lack of enough chilling hours causing irregular bud - break and yield reductions. Dormex, with Hydrogen Cyanamide as active ingredient, is an effective mean for dormancy release adopted in warm winter regions. The work investigated separate and combined effects of two factors: greenhouse cultivation and Dormex application on vine buds (following win ter pruning) on three - year old seedless cultivars (ARRA15, ARRA18, and ARRA19). Control consisted of non - treated plants grown in open - field. Results showed that Dormex application under greenhouse induced budburst uniformity, increased budburst percent (by 60%), number of flowers and fruits per shoot (by 83%) and vine productivity (by 90%) in all cultivars compared to control. Bud formation was increased under greenhouse and was reduced by Dormex treatment. Under greenhouse, elongation of current season sho ots was delayed and shoot length was reduced in treated plants, harvest was earlier by 7, 14, and 30 days in non - treated plants of ARRA18, ARRA19 and ARRA15 respectively and full fruit set (100%) occurred for all plants. Dry weight of shoots was improved b y Dormex application in both cultivation systems. All ARRA cultivars responded similarly to experimental factors except ARRA 19 under greenhouse where shoot length was enhanced in all plants while bud formation only in treated plants. Finally, treating vin e by Dormex under greenhouse was found as efficient tool to improve bud break and advance harvest under the specific Lebanese coastal conditions

Effects of Monopotassium-phosphate, Nano-calcium fertilizer, Acetyl salicylic acid and Glycinebetaine application on growth and production of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) crop under salt stress

ArticleSalinity problem is increasingly affecting tomato production in Lebanon leading to economic losses. The study investigated the potential effects of nano - Calcium (LITHOVIT®), monopotassium - phosphate (MKP: 0 - 52 - 34) fertilizers, Acetyl salicylic aci d (Aspirin) and the osmoregulator glycinebetaine (GB) on salt tolerance of potted determinate tomato (variety Sila) plants in open - field. Salt stress was induced by irrigation solutions of EC = 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 mS cm - 1 and MKP (2, 3 and 3.5 g L - 1 ), Aspirin (50, 75 and 100 mg L - 1 ), LITHOVIT® (0.5, 0.75 and 1 g L - 1 ) and GB (4.5, 6 and 7.5 g L - 1 ) were applied through foliar application or fertigation. Comparisons between treated and non - treated plants at each salinity level (control) showed that LITHOVI T® decreased the salinity - induced reductions in stem diameter, leaf area and chlorophyll content. Medium concentrations of LITHOVIT® and Aspirin improved stem diameter and all products except Glycinebetaine improved flower number compared to control. Root dry weight and Root Mass Fraction were mostly enhanced in MKP and Aspirin - treated plants. Best improvement in plant yield (76%) was obtained with low concentrations of MKP and LITHOVIT® at EC = 8 mS cm - 1 due to improvement in fruit number rather than fruit weight. Consequently, LITHOVIT® and MKP showed superior effects under salt stress compared to Aspirin and Glycinebtaine

Sorbitol and lithovit-guano25 mitigates the adverse effects of salinity on eggplant grown in pot experiment

This trial aimed to study the separate effects of nano-fertilizers and sugar alcohols in mitigating salt-stress on eggplant (Solanum melongena L) crop. For this purpose, two different concentrations of lithovit®-guano25 (A1:0.5 g L -1 and A2:1 g L -1 ) and sorbitol (B1:5 g L -1 and B2:10 g L -1 ) were sprayed on eggplant irrigated by three NaCl solutions (EC1:1.5 dS m-1 , EC2:3 dS m-1 and EC3 6 dS m-1 ). Control plants were salt-stressed without any product. Results revealed an inhibitory effect of increasing in salt-stress on vegetative traits (plant height, leaf number, weights of plant parts and root mass fraction), reproductive traits (fruit number, fruit weight, yield plant-1 , fruit diameter) and photosynthetic pigments. Control plants at EC6 had the highest cell electrolyte leakage (51.26%). Plant height and fruit number were maximized by A1 at all salinity levels. Additionally, A2 increased fruit weight by 89.98g, 85g and 92.3g compared to control respectively at 1.5, 3 and 6 dS m-1 . Yield plant-1 increased by this treatment at all EC levels. At 3 and 6 dS m-1 , A2-treated plants had the highest chlorophyll a (respectively 1.67 and 1.4mg g-1 fresh weight), total chlorophyll (respectively 2.38 and 1.9mg g-1 fresh weight) and carotenoids (respectively 193 and 172µg g-1 fresh weight) contents. A2-treated plants had the lowest cell electrolyte leakage at 1.5 dS m-1 (14.27%), 3 dS m-1 (25.31%) and 6 dS m-1 (37.78%). Treating plants with B1 and B2 maximized respectively fruit diameter at 1.5 dS m -1 and water content in all plant parts at 3 dS m-1 . Both products helped plants reducing the adverse effects caused by salinity

Adaptation of Syrah wine grape cultivar to changing climatic conditions of the Bekaa valley, Lebanon

Received: February 7th, 2023 ; Accepted: October 25th, 2023 ; Published: November 6th, 2023 ; Correspondence: [email protected] factors play a key role in determining the suitability of a given region for specific cultivars and wine types and the responses of individual grapevine cultivars to climate are of utmost importance for activity planning and decision making in viticulture. The study investigated the effect of climate conditions from 2006 till 2018 on the performance of cv. Syrah cultivated in two vineyards in Lebanon; Kanafar (at 1,020 m.a.s.l) and Mansoura (at 850 m.a.s.l). Cluster analysis based on climate indicators divided years into two clusters; in Kanafar (cluster 1: 2006–2015, cluster 2: 2016–2018) and in Mansoura (cluster 1: 2006 to 2008, cluster 2: 2009 to 2018). Solar radiation (May-June) and average wind speed (July-August-September) were the most influential predictors in Kanafar and Mansoura, respectively. In Kanafar, average yield and weight of 200 berries decreased by 21% and 22.7 g respectively in cluster 2, but in Mansoura only average yield increased by 3.7% in cluster 2. Total soluble solids and titratable acidity were not significantly affected by the shift in climate conditions at both vineyards, however total anthocyanin potential was significantly lower in Kanafar (by 114.2 mg kg-1 ) and higher in Mansoura (by 353.4 mg kg-1 ) in cluster 2. Total polyphenolic richness was only affected in Kanafar (reduction by 42 mg GAE g-1 in cluster 2). Syrah performance was more negatively affected by the changing climate conditions at Kanafar rather than Mansoura vineyards and it seems to better adapt to climate conditions of Mansoura overcoming the shift in climate that occurred after 2008 there

Integrative effects of biostimulants and salinity on vegetables: Contribution of bioumik and Lithovit®-urea50 to improve salt-tolerance of tomato

Received: June 1st, 2021 ; Accepted: July 5th, 2021 ; Published: November 3rd, 2022 ; Correspondence: [email protected] separate and combined effect of lithovit-urea50 and bioumik was tested on salt-stressed tomato crops. Salinity was induced using three different NaCl solutions (2, 4 and 8 dS m-1 ). Under the salinity effect, all aspects of plant growth were inhibited. Total chlorophyll and carotenoids reduced from mg g-1 FW and 1.1 mg g-1 FW at 2 dS m-1 to reach 1.01 mg g-1 FW and 0.66 mg g-1 FW at 8 dS m-1 in control plants. Plants treated by the combination of both products had the highest chlorophyll and carotenoids content with 2.24 mg g-1 FW and 1.34 mg g-1 FW, 1.88 mg g-1 FW and 1.05 mg g-1 FW, and 1.39 mg g-1 FW and 0.86 mg g-1 FW respectively at 2, 4 and 8 dS m-1 . Treating plants by this combination maximized flower number, fruit weight, yield and fruit diameter at 2 dS m-1 (17 flowers, 47.93 g, 431.1 g plant-1 and 3.23 cm respectively) and 4 dS m-1 (15flowers, 36.45 g, 291.85 g plant-1 and 2.8 cm respectively). The separate application of bioumik minimized cell electrolyte leakage at 2 dS m-1 (8.82%) compared to control (11.43%). Additionally, plants treated by lithovit-urea and bioumik had the highest relative water content with 107.3%, 96.5% and 91.2% respectively at 2, 4 and 8 dS m-1 . N, Ca and Mg in roots were significantly the highest at 2 dS m-1 (4.5%, 2.6% and 0.5% respectively), at 4 dS m-1 (3.74%, 2.49% and 0.48% respectively) and at 8 dS m-1 (3.21%, 2.61% and 0.32% respectively). K content in roots was maximized following the separate application of bioumik with 3.21% at 2 dS m-1 and 2.55% at 8 dS m-1 . Conclusively, lithovit-urea and bioumik helped plants in tolerating salt-stress with an optimal effect obtained after their combination

Sustratos de cobertura y suplementación del compost en cultivo de champiñón

El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir el comportamiento de la corteza de pino, de la fibra de coco y del sustrato postcultivo, como capas de cobertura, en el cultivo del champiñón (Agaricus bisporus). Tras la caracterización física, química y biológica de las capas de cobertura, se evaluaron los parámetros de producción cualitativos y cuantitativos, en un ciclo de cultivo de champiñón con cuatro floradas. La menor porosidad y capacidad de retención de agua del suelo mineral, sin aditivos, y la alta conductividad eléctrica del sustrato postcultivo del champiñón utilizado, asociado a la suplementación nutritiva, son los factores determinantes en el diferente comportamiento agronómico observado. Las mezclas de cobertura influenciaron el rendimiento y el número de champiñones, la eficiencia biológica, la tasa de producción y la precocidad. El mejor rendimiento total se obtuvo con la mezcla de suelo mineral y fibra de coco suplementado. Las capas de coberturas evaluadas pueden ser utilizadas comercialmente para la producción de champiñón