The molecular properties of biochar carbon released in dilute acidic solution and its effects on maize seed germination.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Jingling; Drosos, Marios; Mazzei, Pierluigi; Savy, Davide; Todisco, Daniele; Vinci, Giovanni; Pan, Genxing; Piccolo, Alessandro

2017-01-15

It is not yet clear whether the carbon released from biochar in the soil solution stimulates biological activities. Soluble fractions (AQU) from wheat and maize biochars, whose molecular content was thoroughly characterized by FTIR, 13 C and 1 H NMR, and high-resolution ESI-IT-TOF-MS, were separated in dilute acidic solution to simulate soil rhizospheric conditions and their effects evaluated on maize seeds germination activity. Elongation of maize-seeds coleoptile was significantly promoted by maize biochar AQU, whereas it was inhibited by wheat biochar AQU. Both AQU fractions contained relatively small heterocyclic nitrogen compounds, whose structures were accounted by their spectroscopic properties. Point-of-Zero-Charge (PZC) values and van Krevelen plots of identified masses of soluble components suggested that the dissolved carbon from maize biochar behaved as humic-like supramolecular material capable to adhere to seedlings and deliver bioactive molecules. These findings contribute to understand the biostimulation potential of biochars from crop biomasses when applied in agricultural production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation during germination of white, yellow and purple maize seeds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, B.; Zhang, Y.; Yang, K.

2016-01-01

In this study, the changes in non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation during the germination process of purple, yellow and white maize seeds were compared, under favorable conditions. Results showed that germination can increase non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity (evaluated with ferric reducing power and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate radical scavenging capacity) and lipid peroxidation levels for all these seeds. In addition, non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity observed in the germinating seeds were in the order of purple > yellow > white. However, the highest and lowest levels of lipid peroxidation could be seen during the germination processes of the white and purple seeds, respectively. In addition, the germination rates of the seeds followed the order of white > yellow > purple. Further studies showed that H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ treatment can significantly promote seed germination, especially for purple seeds. In addition, DMTU (dimethylthiourea), a specific scavenger for H/sub 2/O/sub 2/, could slightly but significantly arrest dormancy release. Data analysis showed that a high negative correlation (R/sup 2/ = -0.955) existed between non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity and germination rates. However, a high positive correlation (R/sup 2/ = 0.860) could be detected between lipid peroxidation and germination rates. Finally, lipid peroxidation as a possible novel signaling mechanism for seed germination has been discussed under stress-free conditions. (author)

Amelioration of Adverse Effects of Salt Stress on Maize (Zea Mays L.) Cultivars by Exogenous Application of Sulfur at Seedling Stage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riffat, A.; Ahmad, M. S. A.

2016-01-01

Sulfur is an important plant nutrient involved in seed germination and seedling establishment. It also plays an important role in response of plants to tolerate abiotic stresses such as salinity. A study was conducted to assess the role of sulfur on salinity tolerance of maize (Zea mays L.) at seed germination stage. Six varieties (Sadaf, MMRI, Pearl Basic, Agaitti 2003, Saiwal 2002 and Pak Afgoi 2003) and two hybrids (Yusafwala Hybrid and Hybrid 1898) of maize were used to assess the modulation of salt stress by exogenously applied sulfur. Three NaCl (25, 50 and 75 mM) and five potassium sulfate (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mM) levels were applied to plants as sand amendment at sowing time along with a control. The experiment was laid down in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replicates. The data for various germination attributes were recorded. The results revealed that sulfur application significantly modulated all germination parameters i-e. germination percentage germination index, coefficient of velocity of emergence, mean emergence time, vigour index, germination energy, germination speed, mean daily germination and germination value and thus reduced the toxic effect of salinity. It was found that sulfur at 60 and 80 mM had more pronounced effect in enhancing seed germination. Application of sulfur at 60 to 80 mM improved all germination parameters and reduced time needed for 50 percent seed to germinate. The phylogenetic tree constructed by NTSysPC clearly clustered all genotypes the two distinct clusters. The tolerant cluster mainly contained 4 varieties (Sadaf, MMRI, Pearl Basic and Agati 2003) while the sensitive cluster included two varieties (Sahiwal 2002, Pak Afgoi 2003) and two hybrids (Hybrid 1898 and Yusaf wala hybrid). Based on the distance matrixes generated by software, Agati 2003 proved to be the most tolerant genotype. In comparison, a maize variety (Pak Afgoi-2003) and a Hybrid-1898 showed the least improvement by exogenously applied

Storage of Maize in Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) Bags.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Scott B; Murdock, Larry L; Baributsa, Dieudonne

2017-01-01

Interest in using hermetic technologies as a pest management solution for stored grain has risen in recent years. One hermetic approach, Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags, has proven successful in controlling the postharvest pests of cowpea. This success encouraged farmers to use of PICS bags for storing other crops including maize. To assess whether maize can be safely stored in PICS bags without loss of quality, we carried out laboratory studies of maize grain infested with Sitophilus zeamais (Motshulsky) and stored in PICS triple bags or in woven polypropylene bags. Over an eight month observation period, temperatures in the bags correlated with ambient temperature for all treatments. Relative humidity inside PICS bags remained constant over this period despite the large changes that occurred in the surrounding environment. Relative humidity in the woven bags followed ambient humidity closely. PICS bags containing S. zeamais-infested grain saw a significant decline in oxygen compared to the other treatments. Grain moisture content declined in woven bags, but remained high in PICS bags. Seed germination was not significantly affected over the first six months in all treatments, but declined after eight months of storage when infested grain was held in woven bags. Relative damage was low across treatments and not significantly different between treatments. Overall, maize showed no signs of deterioration in PICS bags versus the woven bags and PICS bags were superior to woven bags in terms of specific metrics of grain quality.

Biochemical Changes Associated with Germinating Rice Grains and Germination Improvement

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Subajiny VELUPPILLAI

2009-09-01

Full Text Available To determine biochemical changes during the germination of rice grains (Oryza sativa L. subsp. indica var. Mottaikaruppan and to improve germination rate using gibberellic acid and surfactants [sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS (1.0 g/L and Triton-X−100 (1.0 mL/L], whole rice grains soaked in distilled water for 12 h at 30°C were germinated in the dark at 30°C for five days. The highest germination rate (77.1% was obtained on the 5th day. An increase in the content of reducing sugars from 7.3 to 58.1 mg/g DM (dry matter was observed from the 1st day of germination. Free amino acids and soluble protein contents increased to 3.69 and 5.29 mg/g DM, respectively on the 5th day of germination. Total protein content decreased from 100.5 to 91.0 g/kg DM during germination. Increases in amylolytic (1.1 to 190.0 U/g DM and proteolytic (0 to 0.12 U/g DM activities were observed during germination. Effects of different concentrations of gibberellic acid on the germination of rice grains were evaluated and 0.1 g/L was found to promote germination. When effects of gibberellic acid (0.1 g/L and surfactants were evaluated individually and together, higher germination rate was observed in the control experiment (grains germinated in distilled water, whereas giberellic acid and surfactants decreased the germination rate. Therefore, the flour obtained from the grains germinated for four days using distilled water to obtain high content of soluble materials and enzyme activities can be used in preparation of bakery items.

COMPARATIVE GERMINATION RESPONSES OF COWPEA AND ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

iya beji

inadequate soil moisture (25%) in both cowpea and maize with greater effect on ... Of all factors controlling productivity, seed germination and vigour are pre- .... depth and date of first irrigation on seed cane germination of two commercial.

Can heavy metal pollution defend seed germination against heat stress? Effect of heavy metals (Cu(2+), Cd(2+) and Hg(2+)) on maize seed germination under high temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Benliang; Yang, Kejun; Zhang, Yifei; Li, Zuotong

2016-09-01

Heavy metal pollution, as well as greenhouse effect, has become a serious threat today. Both heavy metal and heat stresses can arrest seed germination. What response can be expected for seed germination under both stress conditions? Here, the effects of heavy metals (Cu(2+), Cd(2+) and Hg(2+)) on maize seed germination were investigated at 20 °C and 40 °C. Compared with 20 °C, heat stress induced thermodormancy. However, this thermodormancy could be significantly alleviated by the addition of a low concentration of heavy metals. Heavy metals, as well as heat stress induced H2O2 accumulation in germinating seeds. Interestingly, this low concentration of heavy metal that promoted seed germination could be partly blocked by DMTU (a specific ROS scavenger), irrespective of temperature. Accordingly, H2O2 addition reinforced this promoting effect on seed germination, which was induced by a low concentration of heavy metal. Furthermore, we found that the NADPH oxidase derived ROS was required for seed germination promoted by the heavy metals. Subsequently, treatment of seeds with fluridone (a specific inhibitor of ABA) or ABA significantly alleviated or aggravated thermodormancy, respectively. However, this alleviation or aggravation could be partly attenuated by a low concentration of heavy metals. In addition, germination that was inhibited by high concentrations of heavy metals was also partly reversed by fluridone. The obtained results support the idea that heavy metal-mediated ROS and hormone interaction can finally affect the thermodormancy release or not. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Screening of promising maize genotypes against maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motschulky) in storage condition

OpenAIRE

Ram B Paneru; Resham B Thapa

2017-01-01

The maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky) is a serious pest of economic importance in stored grains. It causes major damage to stored maize grain thereby reducing its weight, quality and germination. An experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications to screen 32 maize genotypes against maize weevil in no-choice and free-choice conditions at Entomology Division, Khumaltar, Lalitpur (Room temperature: Maximum 24-32°C and Minimum 18-27°C). The fin...

Nutritional value and acceptability of homemade maize/sorghum-based weaning mixtures supplemented with rojo bean flour, ground sardines and peanut paste.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosha, Theobald C E; Vicent, Mary M

2004-06-01

Low nutrient density in weaning foods is the major cause of under-nutrition among infants and young children in developing countries. Ten types of composite weaning diets (namely, maize-rojo beans-peanut, maize-peanut-sardines, maize-peanut-sardine-rojo beans, maize-peanut-soaked rojo beans, maize-peanut-germinated rojo beans, sorghum-rojo beans-peanut, sorghum-peanut-sardines, sorghum-peanut-sardine-rojo beans, sorghum-peanut-soaked rojo beans, and sorghum-peanut-germinated rojo beans) were formulated and assayed for proximate composition, energy, mineral density, tannin content and residual urease activity. The diets were also evaluated for storage stability under ambient conditions, sensory quality and overall acceptability. Results of the study indicated that, concentrations of protein, fat, ash, calcium, iron, zinc and copper were significantly (Pfoods. Both maize and sorghum-based composite gruels had a short shelf-life under ambient conditions (26.4 degrees C) ranging between 4 and 6 h, with gruels containing ground sardines showing a tendency to spoil faster. All composite gruels except those containing germinated rojo beans were highly liked and accepted by consumers (Pfoods for older infants and young children. Further investigations are suggested to extend the shelf-life of the composite products and improve the organoleptic quality of the diets containing germinated rojo beans.

Nanoscale Zinc Oxide Particles for Improving the Physiological and Sanitary Quality of a Mexican Landrace of Red Maize

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Juan Estrada-Urbina

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In this research, quasi-spherical-shaped zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs were synthesized by a simple cost-competitive aqueous precipitation method. The engineered NPs were characterized using several validation methodologies: UV–Vis spectroscopy, diffuse reflection UV–Vis, spectrofluorometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection (ATR. A procedure was established to coat a landrace of red maize using gelatinized maize starch. Each maize seed was treated with 0.16 mg ZnO NPs (~7.7 × 109 particles. The standard germination (SG and accelerated aging (AA tests indicated that ZnO NP-treated maize seeds presented better physiological quality (higher percentage of normal seedlings and sanitary quality (lower percentage of seeds contaminated by microorganisms as compared to controls. The application of ZnO NPs also improved seedling vigor, correlated to shoot length, shoot diameter, root length, and number of secondary roots. Furthermore, shoots and roots of the ZnO NP-treated maize seeds showed a marked increment in the main active FTIR band areas, most notably for the vibrations associated with peptide-protein, lipid, lignin, polysaccharide, hemicellulose, cellulose, and carbohydrate. From these results, it is concluded that ZnO NPs have potential for applications in peasant agriculture to improve the quality of small-scale farmers’ seeds and, as a result, preserve germplasm resources.

Aberrant Meiotic Modulation Partially Contributes to the Lower Germination Rate of Pollen Grains in Maize (Zea mays L.) Under Low Nitrogen Supply.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Hongyan; Wu, Huamao; Pan, Xiaoying; Jin, Weiwei; Li, Xuexian

2017-02-01

Pollen germination is an essential step towards successful pollination during maize reproduction. How low niutrogen (N) affects pollen germination remains an interesting biological question to be addressed. We found that only low N resulted in a significantly lower germination rate of pollen grains after 4 weeks of low N, phosphorus or potassium treatment in maize production. Importantly, cytological analysis showed 7-fold more micronuclei in male meiocytes under the low N treatment than in the control, indicating that the lower germination rate of pollen grains was partially due to numerous chromosome loss events resulting from preceding meiosis. The appearance of 10 bivalents in the control and low N cells at diakinesis suggested that chromosome pairing and recombination in meiosis I was not affected by low N. Further gene expression analysis revealed dramatic down-regulation of Nuclear Division Cycle 80 (Ndc80) and Regulator of Chromosome Condensation 1 (Rcc1-1) expression and up-regulation of Cell Division Cycle 20 (Cdc20-1) expression, although no significant difference in the expression level of kinetochore foundation proteins Centromeric Histone H3 (Cenh3) and Centromere Protein C (Cenpc) and cohesion regulators Recombination 8 (Rec8) and Shugoshin (Sgo1) was observed. Aberrant modulation of three key meiotic regulators presumably resulted in a high likelihood of erroneous chromosome segregation, as testified by pronounced lagging chromosomes at anaphase I or cell cycle disruption at meiosis II. Thus, we proposed a cytogenetic mechanism whereby low N affects male meiosis and causes a higher chromosome loss frequency and eventually a lower germination rate of pollen grains in a staple crop plant. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium verticillioides infection on maize seeds

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Dayana Portes Ramos

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The previous knowledge of the infection process and pathogens behavior, for evaluating the physiological potential of maize seeds, is essential for decision making on the final destination of lots that can endanger sowing. This research was carried out in order to study the minimum period required for maize seeds contamination by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe and Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc. Nirenberg, as well as these pathogens influence on seed germination and vigor, by using the cold test. Three maize seeds hybrids, kept in contact with the pathogens for different periods, were evaluated with and without surface disinfection. After determining the most suitable period, new samples were contaminated by F. graminearum and F. verticillioides, under different infection levels, and subjected to germination tests in sand. The cold test was conducted with healthy and contaminated seeds, at different periods, in a cold chamber. The contact of maize seeds with F. graminearum and F. verticillioides for 16 hours was enough to cause infection. F. graminearum and F. verticillioides did not affect the maize seeds germination, however, F. graminearum reduced the vigor of seeds lots.

Comparative Germination Responses of Cowpea and Maize ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Germination, emergence and establishment phase are critical to the growth cycle of plant as it determines the density of the stand obtained. However, a number of factors including soil available moisture decrease seed germination and the rate of decline is found to vary with crop species. Pot experiment was therefore ...

Genomic-based-breeding tools for tropical maize improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakradhar, Thammineni; Hindu, Vemuri; Reddy, Palakolanu Sudhakar

2017-12-01

Maize has traditionally been the main staple diet in the Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa and widely grown by millions of resource poor small scale farmers. Approximately, 35.4 million hectares are sown to tropical maize, constituting around 59% of the developing worlds. Tropical maize encounters tremendous challenges besides poor agro-climatic situations with average yields recorded <3 tones/hectare that is far less than the average of developed countries. On the contrary to poor yields, the demand for maize as food, feed, and fuel is continuously increasing in these regions. Heterosis breeding introduced in early 90 s improved maize yields significantly, but genetic gains is still a mirage, particularly for crop growing under marginal environments. Application of molecular markers has accelerated the pace of maize breeding to some extent. The availability of array of sequencing and genotyping technologies offers unrivalled service to improve precision in maize-breeding programs through modern approaches such as genomic selection, genome-wide association studies, bulk segregant analysis-based sequencing approaches, etc. Superior alleles underlying complex traits can easily be identified and introgressed efficiently using these sequence-based approaches. Integration of genomic tools and techniques with advanced genetic resources such as nested association mapping and backcross nested association mapping could certainly address the genetic issues in maize improvement programs in developing countries. Huge diversity in tropical maize and its inherent capacity for doubled haploid technology offers advantage to apply the next generation genomic tools for accelerating production in marginal environments of tropical and subtropical world. Precision in phenotyping is the key for success of any molecular-breeding approach. This article reviews genomic technologies and their application to improve agronomic traits in tropical maize breeding has been reviewed in

Carbon nanofibers suppress fungal inhibition of seed germination of maize (Zea mays) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) crop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joshi, Anjali; Sharma, Arti; Nayyar, Harsh; Verma, Gaurav; Dharamvir, Keya

2015-01-01

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are one of allotropes of carbon, consists of graphene layers arrangement in the form of stacked cones or like a cup diameter in nanometer and several millimeters in length. Their extraordinary mechanical, chemical and electronic properties are due to their small size. CNFs have been successfully applied in field of medicine in variety of diagnostic methods. They proven to be an excellent system for drug delivery, tissue regeneration, biosensor etc. This research focuses the applications of CNFs in all fields of Agriculture. In the we treated some fungal disease seed of maize and barley using functionalised CNFs. We find that the tested seeds grow just as well as the healthy seeds whereas the untreated fungal disease seeds, by themselves show very poor germination and seedling growth. This simple experiment shows the extraordinary ability of Carbon nanofibers in carrying effectively inside the germinated seeds

Carbon nanofibers suppress fungal inhibition of seed germination of maize (Zea mays) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) crop

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Anjali; Sharma, Arti; Nayyar, Harsh; Verma, Gaurav; Dharamvir, Keya

2015-08-01

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are one of allotropes of carbon, consists of graphene layers arrangement in the form of stacked cones or like a cup diameter in nanometer and several millimeters in length. Their extraordinary mechanical, chemical and electronic properties are due to their small size. CNFs have been successfully applied in field of medicine in variety of diagnostic methods. They proven to be an excellent system for drug delivery, tissue regeneration, biosensor etc. This research focuses the applications of CNFs in all fields of Agriculture. In the we treated some fungal disease seed of maize and barley using functionalised CNFs. We find that the tested seeds grow just as well as the healthy seeds whereas the untreated fungal disease seeds, by themselves show very poor germination and seedling growth. This simple experiment shows the extraordinary ability of Carbon nanofibers in carrying effectively inside the germinated seeds.

Carbon nanofibers suppress fungal inhibition of seed germination of maize (Zea mays) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) crop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joshi, Anjali, E-mail: joshianjali1982@gmail.com; Sharma, Arti [Centre For Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Panjab University, Chandigarh (India); Nayyar, Harsh [Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh (India); Verma, Gaurav [Dr. SS Bhatnagar University Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh (India); Dharamvir, Keya [Department of Physics, Panjab University, Chandigarh (India)

2015-08-28

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are one of allotropes of carbon, consists of graphene layers arrangement in the form of stacked cones or like a cup diameter in nanometer and several millimeters in length. Their extraordinary mechanical, chemical and electronic properties are due to their small size. CNFs have been successfully applied in field of medicine in variety of diagnostic methods. They proven to be an excellent system for drug delivery, tissue regeneration, biosensor etc. This research focuses the applications of CNFs in all fields of Agriculture. In the we treated some fungal disease seed of maize and barley using functionalised CNFs. We find that the tested seeds grow just as well as the healthy seeds whereas the untreated fungal disease seeds, by themselves show very poor germination and seedling growth. This simple experiment shows the extraordinary ability of Carbon nanofibers in carrying effectively inside the germinated seeds.

(SSR) markers for drought tolerance in maize

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Maize is moderately sensitive to drought. Drought affects virtually all aspects of maize growth in varying degrees at all stages, from germination to maturity. Tolerance to drought is genetically and physiologically complicated and inherited quantitatively. Application of molecular-marker aided selection technique for ...

Risk Adjusted Production Efficiency of Maize Farmers in Ethiopia: Implication for Improved Maize Varieties Adoption

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Sisay Diriba Lemessa

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This study analyzes the technical efficiency and production risk of 862 maize farmers in major maize producing regions of Ethiopia. It employs the stochastic frontier approach (SFA to estimate the level of technical efficiencies of stallholder farmers. The stochastic frontier approach (SFA uses flexible risk properties to account for production risk. Thus, maize production variability is assessed from two perspectives, the production risk and the technical efficiency. The study also attempts to determine the socio-economic and farm characteristics that influence technical efficiency of maize production in the study area. The findings of the study showed the existence of both production risk and technical inefficiency in maize production process. Input variables (amounts per hectare such as fertilizer and labor positively influence maize output. The findings also show that farms in the study area exhibit decreasing returns to scale. Fertilizer and ox plough days reduce output risk while labor and improved seed increase output risk. The mean technical efficiency for maize farms is 48 percent. This study concludes that production risk and technical inefficiency prevents the maize farmers from realizing their frontier output. The best factors that improve the efficiency of the maize farmers in the study area include: frequency of extension contact, access to credit and use of intercropping. It was also realized that altitude and terracing in maize farms had influence on farmer efficiency.

Comparative impact of genetically modified and non modified maize (Zea mays L.) on succeeding crop and associated weed.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Muhammad; Ahmed, Naseer; Ullah, Faizan; Shinwari, Zabta Khan; Bano, Asghari

2016-04-01

This research work documents the comparative impact of genetically modified (GM) (insect resistance) and non modified maize (Zea mays L.) on growth and germination of succeeding crop wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and associated weed (Avena fatua L.). The aqueous extracts of both the GM and non-GM maize exhibited higher phenolic content than that of methanolic extracts. Germination percentage and germination index of wheat was significantly decreased by GM methanolic extract (10%) as well as that of non-GM maize at 3% aqueous extract. Similarly germination percentage of weed (Avena fatua L.) was significantly reduced by application of 3% and 5% methanolic GM extracts. All extracts of GM maize showed non-significant effect on the number of roots, root length and shoot length per plant but 5% and 10% methanolic extracts of non-GM maize significantly increased the number of roots per plant of wheat seedling. Similarly, 10% methanolic extract of GM maize significantly increased the number of roots per plant of weed seedling. Methanolic extracts of GM and non-GM maize (3% and 5%) significantly decreased the protease activity in wheat as compared to untreated control. © The Author(s) 2013.

The Response Strategy of Maize, Pea and Broad Bean Plants to Different Osmotic Potential Stress

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Hamdia M. Abd El-Samad

2013-08-01

Full Text Available This investigation was conducted to study the tolerance strategy of maize, broad bean and pea plants to salinity stress with exogenous applications of proline or phenylalanine on seed germination and seedlings growth. From the results obtained, it can be observed that osmotic stress affected adversely the rate of germination in maize, broad bean and pea plants. The excessive inhibition was more prominent at higher concentration of NaCl. The seeds and grains tested were exhibited some differential responses to salinity, in a manner that the inhibitory effect of salinity on seed germination ran in the order, maize higher than broad bean and the later was higher than pea plant. Treatment with proline or phenylalanine (100 ppm significantly increased these seed germination and seedlings growth characteristics even at lowest salinity level tested.

A germination test: an easy approach to know the irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khawar, A.; Bhatti, I.A.; Bhatti, H.N.

2010-01-01

Food irradiation is an evolving preserving technique that provides a shield against the spoilage and might have a potential to ensure the food safety and security world wide. In the present study, feasibility to apply germination test to distinguish an un-irradiated and irradiated samples of wheat, maize, chickpea and black eye beans was checked. Samples were irradiated to the absorbed doses ranging from 0-10 kGy using Co-60 gamma irradiator and were germinated in plant growth chamber. Root and shoot lengths were measured at 7th day after gamma radiation treatment. In all the irradiated samples root and shoot lengths were decreased with the increase in radiation absorbed doses. The seeds irradiated to the absorbed doses more than 2 kGy were not germinated. Germination test proved as an easy and simple method to detect irradiation in wheat, maize, chickpea and black eye beans irradiated even at low absorbed doses. (author)

The effect of germination and metallic salts on the stability of enzymes of three high yielding varieties of maize (Zea mays L. in respect of Bangladesh

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Rupa, A.Z.,

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The study was conducted with a view to determine the effect of germination and metallic salts on nutritional quality, enzymes activity and their stability of three high yielding varieties of maize (Zea mays L.. The protein content of BHM-3, BHM-5 and BHM-6 were increased 22.37%, 26.48%, and 20.34% respectively at 48 hours then decreased drastically from 72-96 hours of germination. Starch content was increased maximum 29.19% in BHM-6 at 0 hours (non-germinating seeds among the three varieties and then decreased gradually from 48-96 hours of germination. Total sugar and reducing sugar contents of BHM-3, BHM-5 and BHM-6 seeds were maximum at 96 hours than 24-72 hours of germination while BHM-3 showed boosting increase of total sugar (336.97% due to 96 hours of germination. BHM-5 showed a tremendous increase of α-amylase (189.83% and protease (144.44% activity whereas BHM-6 showed maximum invertase activity (175.27% at 48 hours then decreased gradually from 72-96 hours of germination. The activities of enzymes were increased in presence of metallic salts such as Ca2+, Mg2+, and Mn2+ while Fe2+, Zn2+ and Cu2+ inhibited the activities moderately.

Variability of Pathogenicity of Fusarium spp. Originating from Maize and Wheat Grains

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Sonja Tančić

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Differences in the pathogenicity of 93 isolates of seven species belonging to the genus Fusarium (F. graminearum, F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum, F. subglutinans, F. sporotrichioides, F. semitectum and F. equiseti, originating from maize kernels (61 and wheat grains (32, were examined based on the germination percentage of inoculated seeds. The studied species demonstrated inter- and intraspecies variability regarding the effects on maize seed germination. On the average, the greatest germination reduction was found in seeds inoculated with the spore suspensions of F. sporotrichioides and F. graminearum. A similar reduction was detected in seeds inoculated with F. proliferatum and F. subglutinans. The effect of F. subglutinans on seed germination reduction was higher compared to the two latter species, while the effects of F. semitectum and F. equiseti were smallest. The majority of isolates were of moderate pathogenicity, while the lowest number of isolates was either very pathogenic (7 or apathogenic (10. Pathogenicity of the isolates originating from wheat grains was generally lower than the pathogenicity of isolates originating from maize kernels, with the exception of F. sporotrichioides.

The role of seed priming in improving seed germination and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Salinity is considered as a major abiotic stress affecting germination, seedling growth and crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Many techniques are used to improve tolerance to salinity. Priming is believed to be an effective technique that increases germination, plant growth and improve yield of several ...

Improving the seed germination of little bluestem with selection

Science.gov (United States)

Rapid seed germination is an important characteristic when it comes to plant stand establishment under variable environmental conditions. This research was designed to improve the seed germination of six experimental Syn-0 lines of little bluestem [Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash]. Two cycle...

Allelopathic effects of aqueous extracts of sunflower on wheat (triticum aestivum l.) and maize (zea mays l.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muhammad, Z.; Mujeed, A.

2014-01-01

Sunflower is a potent allelopathic plant which possesses important allelochemicals with known allelopathic activity on other plants. In this study, allelopathic effects of fresh aqueous extracts (FAE) and air dried aqueous extracts (DAE) of root, shoot and leaves of sunflower (Halianthus annuus L.) were investigated on germination and seedling growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) in seed bioassay experiments carried out at Botany Department of Peshawar University during 2010. Results showed significantly inhibitory effects of aqueous extracts on seed germination, growth and dry biomass of seedlings of wheat and maize. In wheat seedlings, significant germination inhibition (15.21%), increased mean germination time (MGT) (57.76%), reduced plumule and radical growth (21.66 and 28.44%) and lowered seedlings dry biomass (31.05%) were recorded under dry aqueous extracts of leaf when compared to control. Germination percentage of maize was inhibited by dry aqueous extracts of leaf by 7.81%, germination index by 16.51%, increased MGT by 25.53%, decreased plumule and radical lengths by 29.00 and 36.12% respectively, and lowered maize seedling dry biomass by 34.02 %. In both experiments, dry aqueous extracts (DAE) were more phytotoxic than fresh aqueous extracts (FAE). Similarly, inhibitory effects of aqueous extracts of different parts of sunflower were recorded in the order leaf > shoot > root for both tested plants. (author)

The mechanisms of root exudates of maize in improvement of iron nutrition of peanut in peanut/maize intercropping system by 14C tracer technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuo Yuanmei; Chen Qing; Zhang Fusuo

2004-01-01

The related mechanisms of root exudates of maize in improvement iron nutrition of peanut intercropped with maize was investigated by 14 C tracer technique. Neighboring roots between maize and peanut were separated by a 30 μm nylon net, the iron nutrition of peanut was also improved just like normal intercropping of maize and peanut. The results proved that root exudates of maize played an important role in improvement iron nutrition of peanut. The photosynthesis carbohydrate of maize could exuded into the rhizosphere of peanut and transfer into shoot and root of peanut in intercropping system. Root exudates of maize could increased efficiency of iron in soil and improved iron utilization of peanut

Sporophytic control of pollen tube growth and guidance in maize

Science.gov (United States)

Lausser, Andreas; Kliwer, Irina; Srilunchang, Kanok-orn; Dresselhaus, Thomas

2010-01-01

Pollen tube germination, growth, and guidance (progamic phase) culminating in sperm discharge is a multi-stage process including complex interactions between the male gametophyte as well as sporophytic tissues and the female gametophyte (embryo sac), respectively. Inter- and intra-specific crossing barriers in maize and Tripsacum have been studied and a precise description of progamic pollen tube development in maize is reported here. It was found that pollen germination and initial tube growth are rather unspecific, but an early, first crossing barrier was detected before arrival at the transmitting tract. Pollination of maize silks with Tripsacum pollen and incompatible pollination of Ga1s/Ga1s-maize silks with ga1-maize pollen revealed another two incompatibility barriers, namely transmitting tract mistargeting and insufficient growth support. Attraction and growth support by the transmitting tract seem to play key roles for progamic pollen tube growth. After leaving transmitting tracts, pollen tubes have to navigate across the ovule in the ovular cavity. Pollination of an embryo sac-less maize RNAi-line allowed the role of the female gametophyte for pollen tube guidance to be determined in maize. It was found that female gametophyte controlled guidance is restricted to a small region around the micropyle, approximately 50–100 μm in diameter. This area is comparable to the area of influence of previously described ZmEA1-based short-range female gametophyte signalling. In conclusion, the progamic phase is almost completely under sporophytic control in maize. PMID:19926683

QTLs for seed vigor-related traits identified in maize seeds germinated under artificial aging conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Zanping; Ku, Lixia; Zhang, Zhenzhen; Zhang, Jun; Guo, Shulei; Liu, Haiying; Zhao, Ruifang; Ren, Zhenzhen; Zhang, Liangkun; Su, Huihui; Dong, Lei; Chen, Yanhui

2014-01-01

High seed vigor is important for agricultural production due to the associated potential for increased growth and productivity. However, a better understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms is required because the genetic basis for seed vigor remains unknown. We used single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for four seed vigor traits in two connected recombinant inbred line (RIL) maize populations under four treatment conditions during seed germination. Sixty-five QTLs distributed between the two populations were identified and a meta-analysis was used to integrate genetic maps. Sixty-one initially identified QTLs were integrated into 18 meta-QTLs (mQTLs). Initial QTLs with contribution to phenotypic variation values of R(2)>10% were integrated into mQTLs. Twenty-three candidate genes for association with seed vigor traits coincided with 13 mQTLs. The candidate genes had functions in the glycolytic pathway and in protein metabolism. QTLs with major effects (R(2)>10%) were identified under at least one treatment condition for mQTL2, mQTL3-2, and mQTL3-4. Candidate genes included a calcium-dependent protein kinase gene (302810918) involved in signal transduction that mapped in the mQTL3-2 interval associated with germination energy (GE) and germination percentage (GP), and an hsp20/alpha crystallin family protein gene (At5g51440) that mapped in the mQTL3-4 interval associated with GE and GP. Two initial QTLs with a major effect under at least two treatment conditions were identified for mQTL5-2. A cucumisin-like Ser protease gene (At5g67360) mapped in the mQTL5-2 interval associated with GP. The chromosome regions for mQTL2, mQTL3-2, mQTL3-4, and mQTL5-2 may be hot spots for QTLs related to seed vigor traits. The mQTLs and candidate genes identified in this study provide valuable information for the identification of additional quantitative trait genes.

QTLs for seed vigor-related traits identified in maize seeds germinated under artificial aging conditions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zanping Han

Full Text Available High seed vigor is important for agricultural production due to the associated potential for increased growth and productivity. However, a better understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms is required because the genetic basis for seed vigor remains unknown. We used single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP markers to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs for four seed vigor traits in two connected recombinant inbred line (RIL maize populations under four treatment conditions during seed germination. Sixty-five QTLs distributed between the two populations were identified and a meta-analysis was used to integrate genetic maps. Sixty-one initially identified QTLs were integrated into 18 meta-QTLs (mQTLs. Initial QTLs with contribution to phenotypic variation values of R(2>10% were integrated into mQTLs. Twenty-three candidate genes for association with seed vigor traits coincided with 13 mQTLs. The candidate genes had functions in the glycolytic pathway and in protein metabolism. QTLs with major effects (R(2>10% were identified under at least one treatment condition for mQTL2, mQTL3-2, and mQTL3-4. Candidate genes included a calcium-dependent protein kinase gene (302810918 involved in signal transduction that mapped in the mQTL3-2 interval associated with germination energy (GE and germination percentage (GP, and an hsp20/alpha crystallin family protein gene (At5g51440 that mapped in the mQTL3-4 interval associated with GE and GP. Two initial QTLs with a major effect under at least two treatment conditions were identified for mQTL5-2. A cucumisin-like Ser protease gene (At5g67360 mapped in the mQTL5-2 interval associated with GP. The chromosome regions for mQTL2, mQTL3-2, mQTL3-4, and mQTL5-2 may be hot spots for QTLs related to seed vigor traits. The mQTLs and candidate genes identified in this study provide valuable information for the identification of additional quantitative trait genes.

Importance of amylases for physiological quality in maize seeds

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Camila Aparecida Lopes

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Seed quality is the result of the sum of genetic, physical, physiological and sanitary attributes that affect seed ability to perform vital functions related to germination, vigor, and longevity. The expression of genes associated with physiological quality can be assessed by means of germination and vigor analyses, as well as by transcript and protein analyses. The objective in this work was to review the relevance of amylase group enzymes to the physiological quality of maize seeds. Within this group, α-amylase (1,4-α-D-glucan glucanohydrolase E.C 3.2.1.1 plays an important role in starch hydrolysis, and is responsible for 90% of the amylolytic activity in maize seeds. It is responsible for starch conversion into sugars (e.g., destrin, which is used for embryo growth. β-amylase (1,4-α-D-glucan maltohydrolase E.C 3.2.1.2 catalyzes the release of maltose and dextrins from the non-reducing ends of starch. Research has shown that amylase enzymes are directly linked to physiological quality of maize seeds. Alpha- and beta-amylases are mainly involved in the germination process and seed heterosis, and can also be used as molecular markers associated with seed tolerance for drying.

Evaluation of Conservation Tillage Techniques for Maize Production ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

conservation tillage techniques and evaluate the impacts of the system on ... biological soil manipulation to optimize conditions for seed germination, emergence and ..... planting and weeding operations as total expense and sales from maize ...

Effects of salt stress levels on five maize ( Zea mays L.) cultivars at ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effects of salt stress levels on five maize ( Zea mays L.) cultivars at germination stage. ... To investigation the effects of salt stress levels (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 mM NaCl) on five maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars at ... from 32 Countries:.

An improved method for chromosome counting in maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, A

1997-09-01

An improved method for counting chromosomes in maize (Zea mays L.) is presented. Application of cold treatment (5C, 24 hr), heat treatment (42 C, 5 min) and a second cold treatment (5C, 24 hr) to root tips before fixation increased the number of condensed and dispersed countable metaphase chromosome figures. Fixed root tips were prepared by the enzymatic maceration-air drying method and preparations were stained with acetic orcein. Under favorable conditions, one preparation with 50-100 countable chromosome figures could be obtained in diploid maize using this method. Conditions affecting the dispersion of the chromosomes are described. This technique is especially useful for determining the somatic chromosome number in triploid and tetraploid maize lines.

Effects of storage structures and moisture contents on seed quality attributes of quality protein maize

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Gopal Bhandari

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The study was aimed to examine the effects of various storage structures and moisture contents on seed quality attributes of quality protein maize seed. The quality protein maize (QPM-1 seed was tested in conventional seed storage containers (Fertilizer sack and earthen pot and the improved hermetic ones (Metal bin, Super grain bag, and Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS bag at Seed Science and Technology Division, Khumaltar, Nepal during February, 2015 to January 2016. Ten treatments comprising 5 storage devices in two moisture regimes (11% and 9% replicated thrice and laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD. Data on temperature, relative humidity (RH, germination, electrical conductivity (EC, seed moisture content (MC were collected bimonthly. The conventional containers were found liable to the external environmental condition whereas the hermetic structures observed with controlled RH level below 40% in all combinations. Electrical conductivity (EC for seed vigor showed that hermetic containers provide higher seed vigor than the conventional ones. Up to 4 months all treatments were found statistically at par for germination. A significant difference was observed in each treatment after 4 months where PICS bag & Super grain bag showed best germination followed by metal bin while fertilizer bag & earthen-pot showed poorer and poorest germination respectively till one year. Almost all treatments with lower MC showed better results than the treatments with higher MC. A negative correlation (R2=69.7% was found between EC and Germination. All six figures from 2 to 12 months on MC showed statistically different where hermetic plastic bags were found maintaining MC as initial whereas MC of fertilizer bags and earthen pot was spiked than the basal figure. The finding evidenced that the hermetic containers and low MC are the seed storage approaches for retaining the quality of seed even in an ambient environmental condition for more than a year.

Input subsidies and demand for improved maize : relative prices and household heterogeneity matter!

OpenAIRE

Holden, Stein Terje

2013-01-01

This study uses simple non-separable farm household models calibrated to household, market, farming and policy context conditions in Central and Southern Malawi. The models are used to simulate how household characteristics, design and access to input subsidies affect the demand for improved maize seeds; how increasing land scarcity affects the cropping system and demand for improved maize; and how access to improved maize seeds affects household welfare with varying access to input subsidies...

Constant temperatures and the rate of seed germination in maize ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The rate of germination of the NEM cultivar was faster than that of the QPM cultivar at all temperatures. The thermal times for median germination were 46 for QPM and 40.7 oCd for the NEM cultivar. The cardinal temperatures (base, Tb, optimum, To and ceiling, Tc) for the NEM cultivar were Tb: 7, To: 30 and Tc: 48.2 oC.

Field establishment and grain yield of maize affected by hydro-priming of differentially aged seeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazem Ghassemi-Golezani

2017-02-01

Full Text Available A sub-sample of maize seeds (cv. SC-AR68 with a 100% germination was kept as control, and two other sub-samples were artificially deteriorated at 40 °C for 2 and 3 days, reducing normal germination to 98% and 93%, respectively. Consequently, three seed lots of maize with different levels of vigor were provided. Each seed lot was then divided into four sub-samples, one unprimed and the other three lots were primed in distilled water at 15 °C for 7, 14 and 21 hours, and then dried back to initial moisture content (about 20% at a room temperature of 20–22 °C for 24 hours. The field experiment was arranged as factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Although germination percentage of seed lots was not significantly affected by hydro-priming, germination rate and seedling dry weight were considerably enhanced as a result of seed priming. Hydro-priming for 21 hours enhanced seedling emergence rate of all seed lots with different levels of vigor. This hydro-priming duration also increased grain yield of maize by about 32%, although this superiority was not statistically significant. This advantage in grain yield of plants from primed seeds was related with rapid germination and seedling growth and early emergence in the field.

Seed germination bioassay using maize seeds for phytoxicity evaluation of different composted materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haq, T.; Begum, R.; Ali, T.A.

2014-01-01

In this paper we evaluated the phytotoxicity of different composts obtained by two different composting methods using seed germination bioassay. Seeds of Zea mays were sown in 1:5 extract of composts and these were compared with the control (100% distilled water) for each type of material. Composting of herbal pharmaceutical solid waste (HPSW) was carried out using both conventional bin and pit method. HPSW was mixed separately with poultry manure, cow-manure and goat manure in three different ratios. Uncomposted and composted HPSW were tested to study the Phytotoxicity on Zea mays seed germination, after composting increase in percent germination as well as germination index (GI) values were observed in all combinations regardless, composted by pit or bin method. The results clearly showed that composting reduced Phytotoxicity. The results showed that use of completely composted organic waste reduces the phytotoxicity and is better than the use of uncomposted waste. It was found that pit method was more suitable than bin method. Herbal waste with goat manure in 1:1 ratio was found to be the most effective combination as compared to other combinations here. Germination was 100% and the germination index was 1.4 whereas uncomposted HPSW showed the lowest percent germination i.e., 77% and germination index 52.31 respectively. (author)

Compatible bacterial mixture, tolerant to desiccation, improves maize plant growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Molina-Romero, Dalia; Baez, Antonino; Quintero-Hernández, Verónica; Castañeda-Lucio, Miguel; Fuentes-Ramírez, Luis Ernesto; Bustillos-Cristales, María Del Rocío; Rodríguez-Andrade, Osvaldo; Morales-García, Yolanda Elizabeth; Munive, Antonio; Muñoz-Rojas, Jesús

2017-01-01

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) increase plant growth and crop productivity. The inoculation of plants with a bacterial mixture (consortium) apparently provides greater benefits to plant growth than inoculation with a single bacterial strain. In the present work, a bacterial consortium was formulated containing four compatible and desiccation-tolerant strains with potential as PGPR. The formulation had one moderately (Pseudomonas putida KT2440) and three highly desiccation-tolerant (Sphingomonas sp. OF178, Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 and Acinetobacter sp. EMM02) strains. The four bacterial strains were able to adhere to seeds and colonize the rhizosphere of plants when applied in both mono-inoculation and multi-inoculation treatments, showing that they can also coexist without antagonistic effects in association with plants. The effects of the bacterial consortium on the growth of blue maize were evaluated. Seeds inoculated with either individual bacterial strains or the bacterial consortium were subjected to two experimental conditions before sowing: normal hydration or desiccation. In general, inoculation with the bacterial consortium increased the shoot and root dry weight, plant height and plant diameter compared to the non-inoculated control or mono-inoculation treatments. The bacterial consortium formulated in this work had greater benefits for blue maize plants even when the inoculated seeds underwent desiccation stress before germination, making this formulation attractive for future field applications.

Compatible bacterial mixture, tolerant to desiccation, improves maize plant growth.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dalia Molina-Romero

Full Text Available Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR increase plant growth and crop productivity. The inoculation of plants with a bacterial mixture (consortium apparently provides greater benefits to plant growth than inoculation with a single bacterial strain. In the present work, a bacterial consortium was formulated containing four compatible and desiccation-tolerant strains with potential as PGPR. The formulation had one moderately (Pseudomonas putida KT2440 and three highly desiccation-tolerant (Sphingomonas sp. OF178, Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 and Acinetobacter sp. EMM02 strains. The four bacterial strains were able to adhere to seeds and colonize the rhizosphere of plants when applied in both mono-inoculation and multi-inoculation treatments, showing that they can also coexist without antagonistic effects in association with plants. The effects of the bacterial consortium on the growth of blue maize were evaluated. Seeds inoculated with either individual bacterial strains or the bacterial consortium were subjected to two experimental conditions before sowing: normal hydration or desiccation. In general, inoculation with the bacterial consortium increased the shoot and root dry weight, plant height and plant diameter compared to the non-inoculated control or mono-inoculation treatments. The bacterial consortium formulated in this work had greater benefits for blue maize plants even when the inoculated seeds underwent desiccation stress before germination, making this formulation attractive for future field applications.

Cloning and Characterization of Purple Acid Phosphatase Phytases from Wheat, Barley, Maize and Rice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dionisio, Giuseppe; Madsen, Claus Krogh; Holm, Preben Bach

2011-01-01

development and germination. In wheat, it was demonstrated that a and b isogene expression is driven by different promoters (approximately 31% identity). TaPAPhy_a/b promoter reporter gene expression in transgenic grains and peptide mapping of TaPAPhy purified from wheat bran and germinating grains confirmed......Barley (Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) possess significant phytase activity in the mature grains. Maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa) possess little or virtually no preformed phytase activity in the mature grain and depend fully on de novo synthesis during germination. Here......, it is demonstrated that wheat, barley, maize, and rice all possess purple acid phosphatase (PAP) genes that, expressed in Pichia pastoris, give fully functional phytases (PAPhys) with very similar enzyme kinetics. Preformed wheat PAPhy was localized to the protein crystalloid of the aleurone vacuole. Phylogenetic...

An improved ternary vector system for Agrobacterium-mediated rapid maize transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Anand, Ajith; Bass, Steven H; Wu, Emily; Wang, Ning; McBride, Kevin E; Annaluru, Narayana; Miller, Michael; Hua, Mo; Jones, Todd J

2018-05-01

A simple and versatile ternary vector system that utilizes improved accessory plasmids for rapid maize transformation is described. This system facilitates high-throughput vector construction and plant transformation. The super binary plasmid pSB1 is a mainstay of maize transformation. However, the large size of the base vector makes it challenging to clone, the process of co-integration is cumbersome and inefficient, and some Agrobacterium strains are known to give rise to spontaneous mutants resistant to tetracycline. These limitations present substantial barriers to high throughput vector construction. Here we describe a smaller, simpler and versatile ternary vector system for maize transformation that utilizes improved accessory plasmids requiring no co-integration step. In addition, the newly described accessory plasmids have restored virulence genes found to be defective in pSB1, as well as added virulence genes. Testing of different configurations of the accessory plasmids in combination with T-DNA binary vector as ternary vectors nearly doubles both the raw transformation frequency and the number of transformation events of usable quality in difficult-to-transform maize inbreds. The newly described ternary vectors enabled the development of a rapid maize transformation method for elite inbreds. This vector system facilitated screening different origins of replication on the accessory plasmid and T-DNA vector, and four combinations were identified that have high (86-103%) raw transformation frequency in an elite maize inbred.

Root Exudate Effect on Germination and Mycelial Growth of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of some root exudates on the germination and mycelial growth of sclerotia of Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. was studied. Root exudates of 5 – 10 days old seedlings from five plants viz: - tomato (Lycopersicum esculenta) maize (Zea mays), garden egg (Solanum melongena), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), and pepper ...

Socio-economic assessment on maize production and adoption of open pollinated improved varieties in Dang, Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjiv Subedi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Research was conducted from February to May, 2017 for socioeconomic assessment on maize production and adoption of open pollinated improved maize varieties in Dang district of Nepal. Altogether, 100 samples were taken by simple random sampling from the major maize growing areas and relevant publications were reviewed. Focal Group Discussion and Key Informant Survey were also done. Descriptive statistics, unpaired t-test, probit regression and indexing were used for data analysis using statistical tools- SPSS, STATA and MS-Excel. Probit econometric model revealed that ethnicity (1% level, gender (5% level, area under open pollinated improved maize (1% level, seed source dummy (1 % level and number of visits by farmers to agrovet (5% level significantly determined the adoption of open pollinated improved maize varieties. In addition, unpaired t-test revealed that the productivity of open pollinated improved maize varieties was significantly higher (at 1% level than local; also, the multinational companies' hybrids showed significantly higher productivity (at 1% level when compared to open pollinated improved varieties. Furthermore, indexing identified- lack of availability of quality seeds and fertilizers (I= 0.86 as the major problem associated with the maize production. Giving aggressive subsidy on open pollinated improved seeds and dealership to registered agrovets for selling the subsidy seeds could enhance the adoption. Moreover, government organizations working in the areas of agricultural extension and research must focus on adoption of open pollinated improved maize varieties among the farmers, substituting the local and developing the high yielding hybrid varieties in Nepal to increase the maize productivity.

Klebsiella oxytoca '10mkr7\\' stimulates Striga suicidal germination in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Striga species are obligate root parasitic plants. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria could enhance Striga suicidal germination. In screen-house studies we quantified the effect of bacterial inoculation with increasing maize plant density on the parasitic weed Striga hermonthica. The design used was a randomized ...

Potasssium chloride as a nutrient seed primer to enhance salt‑tolerance in maize

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Badar‑uz‑Zaman

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to determine if KCl could be a useful nutrient primer for safe seed germination in maize crop under salt stress conditions. Seed priming was done using 50 mmol L‑1 of muriate of potash, and germination and seedling growth were evaluated after salt stress with NaCl up to 50 mmol L‑1. Another set of seeds was tested under the same salt stress conditions without priming. Under salinity stress, germination percentage, germination rate index, germination coefficient, and seedling vigor indexes were higher in primed seeds. In unprimed seeds, mean germination time increased, while the germination rate index and the fresh and dry matter mass decreased more sharply with salinity stress. The Na/K ratio was higher in unprimed seeds.

Effect of brewery wastewater obtained from different phases of treatment plant on seed germination of chickpea (Cicer arietinum), maize (Zea mays), and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan).

Science.gov (United States)

Salian, Rupa; Wani, Suhas; Reddy, Ramamohan; Patil, Mukund

2018-03-01

Brewing industry releases large quantities of wastewater after product generation. Brewery wastewater contains organic compounds which are biodegradable in nature. These biodegradable wastes can be recycled and reused and hence considered as suitable products for agriculture. But before using wastewater for agriculture, it is better to evaluate the phytotoxic effects of wastewater on crops. Hence, the main objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of brewery effluent on seed germination and growth parameters of selected crop species like chickpea (Cicer arietinum), maize (Zea mays), and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan). Study comprised seven types of water treatments-tap water as control, diluted UASBR effluent (50% effluent + 50% distilled water): UASBR50, undiluted UASBR effluent: UASBR100, diluted TC effluent (50% effluent + 50% distilled water): ETP50,TC effluent without dilution: ETP100, 10% diluted reverse osmosis (RO10) reject (10% RO reject + 90% distilled water), and 25% diluted reverse osmosis(RO25) reject (25% RO reject + 75% distilled water) with three replications in completely randomized design. Germination test was performed in petri plates for 5 days. Parameters like germination percentage, germination rate index, seedling length, phytotoxicity index, seed vigor index, and biomass were calculated. All parameters decreased with increase in respective effluent concentration. Among all treatments, RO25 showed highest inhibitory effect on all three crops. Even though undiluted effluent of UASBR and ETP effluent showed positive effect on germination, seedling growth of three crops was promoted to the maximum by UASBR50 and ETP50. Hence, from the study, it was concluded that dilution of brewery effluent can be recommended before using it for irrigational purpose.

The allelopathic effects of three crop residues on the germination ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... maize inflorescences showed significant differences when compared to the control. No growth was recorded in the radicle until 96 hrs of the experiment in all the extract – treated seeds from the three crop residues while the control germinated at 72 hours. Keywords: Allelopathy, allelochemical, biomolecules, Sphenostylis ...

Is Drought Tolerance in Maize (Zea Mays L.) Cultivars at the Juvenile Stage Maintained at the Reproductive Stage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bashir, N.; Mahmood, S.; Zafar, Z. U.; Athar, H. R.; Manzoor, H.; Rasul, S.

2016-01-01

Among several abiotic stresses, drought or water scarcity is a major constraint for crop production in many parts of the world. Six maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars; DTC, EV-77, EV-78, EV-79, Faisalabad mays, and 6621 were evaluated for drought tolerance at germination and seedling stages. Distilled deionized water was used as control but uniform drought stress was induced using 3, 6 and 9 percent of polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG-6000) which correspond to osmotic potential of -0.0466, -0.0759 and -0.0876 MPa, respectively. PEG influenced the germination and growth of the cultivars in a concentration dependent manner but the highest level of PEG induced more drastic decline for the various attributes studied. The cultivars showed significantly variable responses to different levels of PEG. The result of study clearly suggested variability of characters for drought tolerance among maize cultivars. Based on the pattern of variability for various attributes, 3 groups of cultivars can be classified. The cultivar 6621 had a consistent degree of sensitivity to drought in terms the reduction of various attributes studied. The second group includes DTC which showed a steady tolerance ((germination percentage (GP), energy of emergence (EG), germination rate (GR), root fresh and dry weight (RFW and RDW), shoot fresh and dry weight (SFW and SDW), dry biomass tolerance index (DBTI) and seedling vigor index (SVI)) thus seemed to provide some manifestation of drought tolerance. For the third group of cultivars, pattern of drought tolerance was independent for germination, growth and physiological indices as an incoherent variability of attributes was observed. A similar pattern of variability for a number of characters to simulated water stress in the cultivar DTC served as reliable determinants for drought tolerance in maize. To assess maintenance of degree of drought tolerance selected maize cultivars, a field experiment was also conducted. Kernel yield, 1000- kernel weight (g

The strigolactone germination stimulants of the plant-parasitic Striga and Orobanche spp. are derived from the carotenoid pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Matusova, Radoslava; Rani, Kumkum; Verstappen, Francel W A; Franssen, Maurice C R; Beale, Michael H; Bouwmeester, Harro J

2005-10-01

The seeds of parasitic plants of the genera Striga and Orobanche will only germinate after induction by a chemical signal exuded from the roots of their host. Up to now, several of these germination stimulants have been isolated and identified in the root exudates of a series of host plants of both Orobanche and Striga spp. In most cases, the compounds were shown to be isoprenoid and belong to one chemical class, collectively called the strigolactones, and suggested by many authors to be sesquiterpene lactones. However, this classification was never proven; hence, the biosynthetic pathways of the germination stimulants are unknown. We have used carotenoid mutants of maize (Zea mays) and inhibitors of isoprenoid pathways on maize, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and assessed the effects on the root exudate-induced germination of Striga hermonthica and Orobanche crenata. Here, we show that for these three host and two parasitic plant species, the strigolactone germination stimulants are derived from the carotenoid pathway. Furthermore, we hypothesize how the germination stimulants are formed. We also discuss this finding as an explanation for some phenomena that have been observed for the host-parasitic plant interaction, such as the effect of mycorrhiza on S. hermonthica infestation.

Evaluation of drought and salinity stress effects on germination and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

To study the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and NaCl stress on germination and early seedling stages on two cultivars of maize, two separated experiment were laid out at seed laboratory in Iran in 2011. This investigation was performed as factorial experiment under completely randomized design (CRD) with three ...

The effect of gamma irradiation on the germination and growth of certain Nigerian agricultural crops

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mokobia, C E; Anomohanran, O

2005-01-01

Gamma irradiation has been found to be very useful both for sterilisation in medicine and the preservation of food and cereals in nutrition and agriculture. This investigation was carried out to determine the effect of gamma irradiation on the subsequent germination and growth of irradiated seeds. Thirty seeds each of maize, okra and groundnut were irradiated to varying doses of 150, 300, 500, 700, 900, 1000 Gy using the 60 Co gamma cell irradiator facility at the Centre for Energy Research and Development, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. These, as well as the controls (unirradiated seeds), were planted on the same day in an already prepared area of farmland during the rainy season to ensure a constant moisture flow. The times of germination and subsequent growth were monitored. Results show that maize, okra and groundnut seeds needed for planting can be safely stored using gamma irradiation. However, the study reveals that the number of germinated seeds and the growth rate for the crops decrease with increase in the radiation dose the seeds were exposed to. Third-degree polynomial equations were derived which describe the percentage germination of the crops at various levels of exposure. A chart of percentage germination of seeds versus exposure dose is also presented as a quick guide to farmers, policy makers and agricultural institutions. (note)

The effect of gamma irradiation on the germination and growth of certain Nigerian agricultural crops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mokobia, C E; Anomohanran, O [Department of Physics, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State (Nigeria)

2005-06-01

Gamma irradiation has been found to be very useful both for sterilisation in medicine and the preservation of food and cereals in nutrition and agriculture. This investigation was carried out to determine the effect of gamma irradiation on the subsequent germination and growth of irradiated seeds. Thirty seeds each of maize, okra and groundnut were irradiated to varying doses of 150, 300, 500, 700, 900, 1000 Gy using the {sup 60}Co gamma cell irradiator facility at the Centre for Energy Research and Development, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. These, as well as the controls (unirradiated seeds), were planted on the same day in an already prepared area of farmland during the rainy season to ensure a constant moisture flow. The times of germination and subsequent growth were monitored. Results show that maize, okra and groundnut seeds needed for planting can be safely stored using gamma irradiation. However, the study reveals that the number of germinated seeds and the growth rate for the crops decrease with increase in the radiation dose the seeds were exposed to. Third-degree polynomial equations were derived which describe the percentage germination of the crops at various levels of exposure. A chart of percentage germination of seeds versus exposure dose is also presented as a quick guide to farmers, policy makers and agricultural institutions. (note)

Preliminary study on mutagenic effects of heavy ions irradiation on maize inbred lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Lixia; Li Wenjian; Xie Hongmei; Chen Xuejun; Chen Jing

2010-01-01

In order to study mutagenic effects of different heavy ions irradiation on maize inbred lines,corn seeds of Zheng58, Lu9801, Jinxiang4C-1, CSR24001, 308 and 478 were irradiated with 12 C 6+ and 36 Ar 18+ ions. The experimental results showed that the germination rate and planting percent were different after irradiation. The wettish seeds had higher sensibility to heavy ion irradiation. The leaf type of the plant appeared visible changes in M 1 generation. In M 2 generation, great changes had taken place in economic traits, many of which are beneficial mutation. Some beneficia1 mutation could be stably inherited in M 3 generation. From the above, it can be predicted that heavy ions irradiation is an effective means of genetic improvement of maize. (authors)

Essential oils on the control of stem and ear rot in maize

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glauco Antonio Teixeira

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Stem and ear rot caused by Stenocarpella maydis are responsible for severe losses in maize production. Treatment of seeds with fungicides may induce environmental damage. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of essential oils extracted from Cymbopogon winterianus, Thymus vulgaris, Cymbopogon citratus, Corymbia citriodora, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, and Syzygium aromaticum on the development of in vitro S. maydis. In addition, maize seeds were treated with these essential oils to determine their possible mode of action and effects. The oils from S. aromaticum, C. zeylanicum, and T. vulgaris inhibited fungal development at concentrations higher than 0.025%. The oils from S. aromaticum and C. zeylanicum showed seed germination rates of 89.0% and 84.5%, which were higher than that of the control. The oils from S. aromaticum and C. zeylanicum reduced the pathogen incidence in the seeds to 39.0% and 28.0%, respectively. Further, these oils as well as that from T. vulgaris produced lower reduction of maize stand. Scanning electron microscopy examination revealed that essential oils from S. aromaticum and T. vulgaris acted directly on the conidia, impeding germination. The findings suggest that the oils from S. aromaticum, C. zeylanicum, and T. vulgaris are potential alternatives for maize seed treatment in the control of S. maydis.

The Strigolactone Germination Stimulants of the Plant-Parasitic Striga and Orobanche spp. Are Derived from the Carotenoid Pathway1

Science.gov (United States)

Matusova, Radoslava; Rani, Kumkum; Verstappen, Francel W.A.; Franssen, Maurice C.R.; Beale, Michael H.; Bouwmeester, Harro J.

2005-01-01

The seeds of parasitic plants of the genera Striga and Orobanche will only germinate after induction by a chemical signal exuded from the roots of their host. Up to now, several of these germination stimulants have been isolated and identified in the root exudates of a series of host plants of both Orobanche and Striga spp. In most cases, the compounds were shown to be isoprenoid and belong to one chemical class, collectively called the strigolactones, and suggested by many authors to be sesquiterpene lactones. However, this classification was never proven; hence, the biosynthetic pathways of the germination stimulants are unknown. We have used carotenoid mutants of maize (Zea mays) and inhibitors of isoprenoid pathways on maize, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and assessed the effects on the root exudate-induced germination of Striga hermonthica and Orobanche crenata. Here, we show that for these three host and two parasitic plant species, the strigolactone germination stimulants are derived from the carotenoid pathway. Furthermore, we hypothesize how the germination stimulants are formed. We also discuss this finding as an explanation for some phenomena that have been observed for the host-parasitic plant interaction, such as the effect of mycorrhiza on S. hermonthica infestation. PMID:16183851

Technology adoption analysis of improved maize technology in western hills of Nepal

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Jeevan Lamichhane

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The survey was carried out in two districts namely Palpa and Baglung to determine the current level of adoption of improved maize production practices. This study identifies the technology adoption extent and pattern of improved maize technologies in Western Hills of Nepal. In each of these districts, two village development committees (V.D.Cs were surveyed. Deurali and Khasyouli V.D.C from Palpa and Kudule and Malika V.D.C from Baglung Districts were selected. Structured Questionnaire were administered to 30 randomly selected households in each VDC. Altogether 120 Households were surveyed. The degree of adoption was measured on the seed rate, adoption of improved varieties, application of Nitrogenous, Phosphatic and Potassium fertilizer, Weeding and method of planting. The adoption index was used to determine the adoption level of the respondents. There seems to be a gap between the recommended practice and current level of practice at the farmers level in some of the factors like Nitrogenous, Phosphorus and Potassium fertilizers, method of planting .The study revealed that majority farmers belonged to high adoption category (57% followed by medium adoption category (54% and low adoption category (9%. The Technology Adoption Index (TAI was found 63%. In nutshell there is still large scope for yield improvement of the maize in the study area by adopting improved maize varieties.

Effects of magnetized water application on soil and maize growth indices under different amounts of salt in the water

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Meysam Abedinpour

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Application of low quality water for irrigation is compulsive in facing water scarcity. Use of a magnetic field is an approach to overcome this challenge. This study examined the impact of magnetic field technology on improving germination under water of different salinity levels. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of saline water levels, i.e. (S1:0.5, (S2:2, (S3:4 and (S4:6 dS/m combined with magnetized technology (with or without on maize growth. Thus, magnetic treatment was applied by passing the irrigation water through a 1,500 mT magnetic field at 3 litres per minute (lpm flow rate. Some emergence indices, such as emergence index, emergence rate index (ERI and mean emergence time, were used to evaluate the germination of maize seed. As for soil properties after plant harvest, the use of magnetically treated irrigation water reduced soil pH but increased soil electrical conductivity and available N and P. ERI increased from 7.6 to 10.2, 9.1 to 11.1, 10.3 to 13.3, and 11.8 to 13.3 when applying the magnetized field for S1, S2, S3 and S4, respectively. Overall, the growth parameters of maize were improved by using magnetic technology with saline water, while the opposite trend was shown for increasing salinity without magnetic treatment.

Econometric analysis of improved maize varieties and sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) in Eastern Zambia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Manda, J.

2016-01-01

Maize is the principle food staple in Zambia, providing both food and income for most of the rural populace. It is estimated that over 50% of the daily caloric intake is derived from maize; with an average consumption of over 85kg per year. Because of the importance of maize, a number of improved

Comparison of fluoride effects on germination and growth of Zea mays, Glycine max and Sorghum vulgare.

Science.gov (United States)

Fina, Brenda L; Lupo, Maela; Dri, Nicolas; Lombarte, Mercedes; Rigalli, Alfredo

2016-08-01

Fluorosis is a disease caused by over-exposure to fluoride (F). Argentina's rural lands have higher fluorine content than urban lands. Evidence confirms that plants grown in fluoridated areas could have higher F content. We compared F uptake and growth of crops grown in different F concentrations. The effect of 0-8 ppm F concentrations on maize, soybeans and sorghum germination and growth was compared. After 6 days seeding, the germination was determined, the roots and aerial parts lengths were measured, and vigor index was calculated. F content was measured in each part of the plants. Controls with equal concentrations of NaCl were carried out. Significant decrease in roots and aerial parts lengths, and in vigor index of maize and soybeans plants was observed with F concentrations greater than 2 ppm. This was not observed in sorghum seedlings. Also, the amount of F in all crops augmented as F increases, being higher in roots and ungerminated seeds. Sorghum was the crop with the highest F content. Fluoride decreased the germination and growth of maize and soybeans and therefore could influence on their production. Conversely, sorghum seems to be resistant to the action of F. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Advances in Maize Transformation Technologies and Development of Transgenic Maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Yadava, Pranjal; Abhishek, Alok; Singh, Reeva; Singh, Ishwar; Kaul, Tanushri; Pattanayak, Arunava; Agrawal, Pawan K

2016-01-01

Maize is the principal grain crop of the world. It is also the crop where genetic engineering has been employed to a great extent to improve its various traits. The ability to transform maize is a crucial step for application of gene technology in maize improvement. There have been constant improvements in the maize transformation technologies over past several years. The choice of genotype and the explant material to initiate transformation and the different types of media to be used in various stages of tissue culture can have significant impact on the outcomes of the transformation efforts. Various methods of gene transfer, like the particle bombardment, protoplast transformation, Agrobacterium -mediated, in planta transformation, etc., have been tried and improved over years. Similarly, various selection systems for retrieval of the transformants have been attempted. The commercial success of maize transformation and transgenic development is unmatched by any other crop so far. Maize transformation with newer gene editing technologies is opening up a fresh dimension in transformation protocols and work-flows. This review captures the various past and recent facets in improvement in maize transformation technologies and attempts to present a comprehensive updated picture of the current state of the art in this area.

Image-based thresholds for weeds in maize fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Asif, Ali; Streibig, Jens Carl; Christensen, Svend

2015-01-01

in some parts of the field and if late germinating weeds do not affect yield, it may not be necessary the spray such places from an economic point of view. Consequently, it makes sense to develop weed control thresholds for patch spraying, based on weed cover early in the growing season. In Danish maize...

Maize seed coatings and seedling sprayings with chitosan and hydrogen peroxide:their influence on some phenological and biochemical behaviors

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Eva-Guadalupe LIZ(A)RRAGA-PAUL(I)N; Susana-Patricia MIRANDA-CASTRO; Ernesto MORENO-MART(I)NEZ; Alma-Virginia LARA-SAGAH(O)N; Irineo TORRES-PACHECO

2013-01-01

Objective:To evaluate the effect of chitosan(CH)and hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)seed coatings and seedling sprinklings on two different maize varieties by measuring their phenology,the H2O2 presence,the catalase (CAT)activity,and the protein quantity.Methods:Seven groups of ten seeds for each maize variety were treated with CH(2％(20 g/L)and 0.2％(2 g/L))or H2O2(8 mmol/L)by coating,sprinkling,or both.Germination and seedling growth were measured.One month after germination,the presence of H2O2 in seedlings in the coated seed treatments was evaluated.Protein content and CAT activity were determined under all treatments.Results:H2O2 seed coating enhanced the germination rate and increased seedling and stem length in the quality protein maize(QPM)variety.Seedlings had a higher emergence velocity under this treatment in both varieties.CH and H2O2 sprinklings did not have an effect on seedling phenology.Exogenous application of H2O2 promoted an increase of endogenous H2O2.CH and H2O2 seedling sprinkling increased the protein content in both maize varieties,while there was no significant effect on the CAT activity of treated seeds and seedlings.Conclusions:CH and H2O2 enhance some phenological and biochemical features of maize depending on their method of application.

Deficiency of maize starch-branching enzyme i results in altered starch fine structure, decreased digestibility and reduced coleoptile growth during germination

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Yandeau-Nelson Marna

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Two distinct starch branching enzyme (SBE isoforms predate the divergence of monocots and dicots and have been conserved in plants since then. This strongly suggests that both SBEI and SBEII provide unique selective advantages to plants. However, no phenotype for the SBEI mutation, sbe1a, had been previously observed. To explore this incongruity the objective of the present work was to characterize functional and molecular phenotypes of both sbe1a and wild-type (Wt in the W64A maize inbred line. Results Endosperm starch granules from the sbe1a mutant were more resistant to digestion by pancreatic α-amylase, and the sbe1a mutant starch had an altered branching pattern for amylopectin and amylose. When kernels were germinated, the sbe1a mutant was associated with shorter coleoptile length and higher residual starch content, suggesting that less efficient starch utilization may have impaired growth during germination. Conclusions The present report documents for the first time a molecular phenotype due to the absence of SBEI, and suggests strongly that it is associated with altered physiological function of the starch in vivo. We believe that these results provide a plausible rationale for the conservation of SBEI in plants in both monocots and dicots, as greater seedling vigor would provide an important survival advantage when resources are limited.

Resistance of maize varieties to the maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study aimed at evaluating commonly used maize varieties, collected from Melkasa and Bako Agricultural Research Centers and Haramaya University, Ethiopia, against the maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais Motsch., one of the most important cosmopolitan stored product pests in maize. A total of 13 improved maize ...

Up-regulating the abscisic acid inactivation gene ZmABA8ox1b contributes to seed germination heterosis by promoting cell expansion.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yangyang; Wang, Cheng; Liu, Xinye; Song, Jian; Li, Hongjian; Sui, Zhipeng; Zhang, Ming; Fang, Shuang; Chu, Jinfang; Xin, Mingming; Xie, Chaojie; Zhang, Yirong; Sun, Qixin; Ni, Zhongfu

2016-04-01

Heterosis has been widely used in agriculture, but the underlying molecular principles are still largely unknown. During seed germination, we observed that maize (Zea mays) hybrid B73/Mo17 was less sensitive than its parental inbred lines to exogenous abscisic acid (ABA), and endogenous ABA content in hybrid embryos decreased more rapidly than in the parental inbred lines. ZmABA8ox1b, an ABA inactivation gene, was consistently more highly up-regulated in hybrid B73/Mo17 than in its parental inbred lines at early stages of seed germination. Moreover, ectopic expression of ZmABA8ox1b obviously promoted seed germination in Arabidopsis Remarkably, microscopic observation revealed that cell expansion played a major role in the ABA-mediated maize seed germination heterosis, which could be attributed to the altered expression of cell wall-related genes. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Effect of harvest stage and drying methods on germination and seed ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Germination of seed and infection by seed-borne fungi of two maize varieties DMRLSR-W and DMRLSRY as affected by stage of harvest and method of drying were studied in the growing seasons of year 2002 and 2003 at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Nigeria. The experiment ...

Biofortification of maize flour with grain amaranth for improved nutrition

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Biofortification of maize flour with grain amaranth for improved nutrition. ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH. AFRICAN JOURNALS ONLINE ... African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development. Journal Home ...

Physiologic quality of sweet maize seeds according to thickness and width

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Claudemir Zucareli

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Sweet maize seeds present lower physiologic quality, when compared to regular maize seeds, due to the influence of several features, such as the seed size and shape. Thus, this study aimed at evaluating the seed physiologic quality of two sweet maize cultivars (BR-401 and BR-402, separately classified according to thickness, by using slotted screen sieves (8/64" x 3/4, 9/64" x 3/4, 10/64" x 3/4, 11/64" x 3/4, 12/64" x 3/4 and 13/64" x 3/4, and width, with round screen sieves (17/64", 18/64", 19/64", 20/64", 21/64" and 22/64". For each cultivar, sorted lots were compared with the unrated batch, following a completely randomized design, in a 2x7 factorial scheme, with four replications. The biometric parameters evaluated were sieve retention, 100 seeds weight and water content. The physiologic quality was determined according to the first counting, germination, cold test, accelerated aging, electric conductivity and seedling emergence in the field. The classification with sieves improved the physiologic quality of sweet maize seeds. Seeds with intermediate thickness, for both cultivars, generally presented greater vigor. Concerning width, larger seeds, for the BR-401 cultivar, and intermediate seeds, for the BR-402 cultivar, showed better physiologic quality.

Effect of gamma radiation on storage moulds of wheat and maize

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lal, S.P.; Kapoor, J.N.; Chatrath, M.S.

1977-01-01

The effect of different dosages of gamma radiation on the development of moulds on grains of wheat and maize and on the germination of the spores of these fungi was studied. There was marked reduction in storage moulds with increase in the dose and at a dose of 300 Krad, their development on grains was completely inhibited. The results on germination of spores of these fungi when treated with various radiation dosages show that several species of Aspergillus and Penicillium differed remarkably in their sensitivity to radiation. (author)

Advances in Improving Ukiriguru Composite B Maize ( Zea mays L ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

S1 recurrent selection was carried out to improve grain yield, plant height, ear placement, resistance to lodging and other desirable agronomic traits in Ukiriguru composite B (UCB) maize variety. This paper presents the genetic gain and progress made in improving these traits through two cycles of selection. Three hundred ...

Expression of ZmLEC1 and ZmWRI1 increases seed oil production in maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Bo; Allen, William B; Zheng, Peizhong; Li, Changjiang; Glassman, Kimberly; Ranch, Jerry; Nubel, Douglas; Tarczynski, Mitchell C

2010-07-01

Increasing seed oil production is a major goal for global agriculture to meet the strong demand for oil consumption by humans and for biodiesel production. Previous studies to increase oil synthesis in plants have focused mainly on manipulation of oil pathway genes. As an alternative to single-enzyme approaches, transcription factors provide an attractive solution for altering complex traits, with the caveat that transcription factors may face the challenge of undesirable pleiotropic effects. Here, we report that overexpression of maize (Zea mays) LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (ZmLEC1) increases seed oil by as much as 48% but reduces seed germination and leaf growth in maize. To uncouple oil increase from the undesirable agronomic traits, we identified a LEC1 downstream transcription factor, maize WRINKLED1 (ZmWRI1). Overexpression of ZmWRI1 results in an oil increase similar to overexpression of ZmLEC1 without affecting germination, seedling growth, or grain yield. These results emphasize the importance of field testing for developing a commercial high-oil product and highlight ZmWRI1 as a promising target for increasing oil production in crops.

Development, applications and distribution of DNA markers for genetic information for sorghum and maize improvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, M.

2001-01-01

This final report summarizes the progress made towards the enhancement and distribution of genetic resources (e.g. genetic stocks, seed and DNA clones) used for basic and applied aspects of the genetic improvement of maize and sorghum. The genetic maps of maize and sorghum were improved through comparative mapping of RFLP loci detected by 124 maize cDNA clones and through the development of a new mapping population of maize. Comparative mapping between maize and sorghum and maize and rice, using the set of 124 maize cDNA clones (and other clones) in each study, substantiated previous observations of extensive conservation of locus order but it also provided strong evidence of numerous large-scale chromosomal rearrangements. The new mapping population for maize (intermated B73xMo17, 'IBM') was created by random intermating during the first segregating generation. Intermating for four generations prior to the derivation of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) increased the frequency of recombinants at many regions of the maize genome and provided better genetic resolution of locus order. Expansion of the maize genetic map was not uniform along the length of a linkage group and was less than the theoretical expectation. The 350 IBM RILs were genotyped at 512 loci detected by DNA clones, including 76 of the 124 supported by this contract. The production of the sorghum mapping population of RILs from the cross CK60xPI229828 has been delayed by weather conditions that were not conducive to plant growth and seed development. Seed of the IBM RILs have been distributed (approximately 5000 RILs in total) to 16 research organizations in the public and private sector. The DNA clones have been distributed (1,206 in total) to nine research labs. Further distribution of the seed and clones will be managed by curators at stock centers in the public domain. (author)

Allelopathic effects of barley straw on germination and seedling growth of corn, sugar beet and sunflower

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mohamad taghi naseri poor yazdi

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Allelopathic effects of barley straw and root on germination and growth of maize, sugar beet, and sunflower were investigated under glasshouse and laboratory experiments in Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2006. The glasshouse experiment was designed based on randomized complete block design with three replications, treatments included: 0, 200, 400, 600 g/m² of grounded barley straw and also 0 and 50 g/m2 barley root. A laboratory experiment was carried out in order to study the effect of different concentrations of barley water extracts on germination and seedling characteristics of corn, sugar beet and sunflower. Treatments in laboratory trial included 0, 33, 50 and 100 percent of barley extracts. Results showed that leaf area of corn was significantly affected by barley straw treatments. Shoot dry matter and seed weight per plant in corn , leaf and tuber weight in sugar beet and leaf , stem weights , plant per plant in corn , leaf and tuber weight in sugar beet and leaf, stem weights, plant height, head diameter, head weight and seed weight in sunflower were significantly higher in treatment of 50g/m² barley roots. Crop seed germination decreased with increasing the amount of barley straw. The best germination response to barley extract was observed in corn. Maize radicle weight was significantly decreased with increasing concentration of barley water extract.

Zinc distribution and localization in primed maize seeds and its translocation during early seedling development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Imran, Muhammad; Garbe-Schönberg, Dieter; Neumann, Günter

2017-01-01

Zinc (Zn) priming is a technique used to increase seed Zn reserves for improving seed quality, crop growth, and enhancing stress tolerance in crop plants. The present study demonstrated the effect of water and Zn priming on the distribution and accumulation of endogenous and primed Zn in maize...... seeds (Zea mays L.). Zn concentration in unprimed, water and Zn primed seeds and germinated seedlings were analyzed by ICP-MS (Inductivity Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy). DTZ (Diphenyle Thio-Carbazone) staining method and LA-ICP-MS (Laser Ablation Inductivity Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy...

Control of Fusarium verticillioides, cause of ear rot of maize, by Pseudomonas fluorescens.

Science.gov (United States)

Nayaka, Siddaiah Chandra; Shankar, Arakere C Udaya; Reddy, Munagala S; Niranjana, Siddapura R; Prakash, Harishchandra S; Shetty, Hunthrike S; Mortensen, Carmen N

2009-07-01

Maize is one of the staple food crops grown in India. Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc.) Nirenberg is the most important fungal pathogen of maize, associated with diseases such as ear rot and kernel rot. Apart from the disease, it is capable of producing fumonisins, which have elicited considerable attention over the past decade owing to their association with animal disease syndromes. Hence, the present study was conducted to evaluate ecofriendly approaches by using a maize rhizosphere isolate of Pseudomonas fluorescens (Trev.) Mig. and its formulation to control ear rot disease and fumonisin accumulation, and also to study the capacity to promote growth and yield of maize. In vitro assays were conducted to test the efficacy of P. fluorescens as a seed treatment on seed germination, seedling vigour and also the incidence of F. verticillioides in different maize cultivars. The field trials included both seed treatment and foliar spray. For all the experiments, P. fluorescens was formulated using corn starch, wheat bran and talc powder. In each case there were three different treatments of P. fluorescens, a non-treated control and chemical control. Pure culture and the formulations, in comparison with the control, increased plant growth and vigour as measured by seed germination, seedling vigour, plant height, 1000 seed weight and yield. P. fluorescens pure culture used as seed treatment and as spray treatment enhanced the growth parameters and reduced the incidence of F. verticillioides and the level of fumonisins to a maximum extent compared with the other treatments. The study demonstrates the potential role of P. fluorescens and its formulations in ear rot disease management. The biocontrol potential of this isolate is more suited for fumonisin reduction in maize kernels intended for human and animal feed. (c) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry.

Water-Soluble Lignins from Different Bioenergy Crops Stimulate the Early Development of Maize (Zea mays, L.

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Davide Savy

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The molecular composition of water-soluble lignins isolated from four non-food bioenergy crops (cardoon CAR, eucalyptus EUC, and two black poplars RIP and LIM was characterized in detail, and their potential bioactivity towards maize germination and early growth evaluated. Lignins were found to not affect seed germination rates, but stimulated the maize seedling development, though to a different extent. RIP promoted root elongation, while CAR only stimulated the length of lateral seminal roots and coleoptile, and LIM improved only the coleoptile development. The most significant bioactivity of CAR was related to its large content of aliphatic OH groups, C-O carbons and lowest hydrophobicity, as assessed by 31P-NMR and 13C-CPMAS-NMR spectroscopies. Less bioactive RIP and LIM lignins were similar in composition, but their stimulation of maize seedling was different. This was accounted to their diverse content of aliphatic OH groups and S- and G-type molecules. The poorest bioactivity of the EUC lignin was attributed to its smallest content of aliphatic OH groups and largest hydrophobicity. Both these features may be conducive of a EUC conformational structure tight enough to prevent its alteration by organic acids exuded from vegetal tissues. Conversely the more labile conformational arrangements of the other more hydrophilic lignin extracts promoted their bioactivity by releasing biologically active molecules upon the action of exuded organic acids. Our findings indicate that water-soluble lignins from non-food crops may be effectively used as plant biostimulants, thus contributing to increase the economic and ecological liability of bio-based industries.

Physiological response of wheat, maize and cotton to gamma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharabash, M.T.M.; Gaweesh, S.S.M.; Orabi, I.O.A.; Hammad, A.H.A.

1988-01-01

Grains of wheat triticum aestivum vulgare cv. Giza 155, maize Zea mays cv. double hybrid strain 17 S and cotton seeds Gossypium barbadence cv. Giza 67 were irradiated with successive doses of gamma rays from 0 to 64 Krad. Irradiating wheat grains with 1 Krad, maize grains with 0.5 Krad and cotton seeds with 4 Krad stimulated their germination and enhanced the growth of seedlings and their chlorophyll content. Also, these doses activated Alpha- and Beta-Amylase in the seeds. Higher doses had suppression effects. Peroxidase value in the seedlings of the three species was accelerated progressively in concomitant with the increase in the dosage

Transcriptome Analysis of Maize Immature Embryos Reveals the Roles of Cysteine in Improving Agrobacterium Infection Efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yan; Zhang, Zhiqiang; Fu, Junjie; Wang, Guoying; Wang, Jianhua; Liu, Yunjun

2017-01-01

Maize Agrobacterium-mediated transformation efficiency has been greatly improved in recent years. Antioxidants, such as, cysteine, can significantly improve maize transformation frequency through improving the Agrobacterium infection efficiency. However, the mechanism underlying the transformation improvement after cysteine exposure has not been elucidated. In this study, we showed that the addition of cysteine to the co-cultivation medium significantly increased the Agrobacterium infection efficiency of hybrid HiII and inbred line Z31 maize embryos. Reactive oxygen species contents were higher in embryos treated with cysteine than that without cysteine. We further investigated the mechanism behind cysteine-related infection efficiency increase using transcriptome analysis. The results showed that the cysteine treatment up-regulated 939 genes and down-regulated 549 genes in both Z31 and HiII. Additionally, more differentially expressed genes were found in HiII embryos than those in Z31 embryos, suggesting that HiII was more sensitive to the cysteine treatment than Z31. GO analysis showed that the up-regulated genes were mainly involved in the oxidation reduction process. The up-regulation of these genes could help maize embryos to cope with the oxidative stress stimulated by Agrobacterium infection. The down-regulated genes were mainly involved in the cell wall and membrane metabolism, such as, aquaporin and expansin genes. Decreased expression of these cell wall integrity genes could loosen the cell wall, thereby improving the entry of Agrobacterium into plant cells. This study offers insight into the role of cysteine in improving Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of maize immature embryos. PMID:29089955

Effects of Different Treatments on Seed Germination Improvement of Calotropis persica

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Asghar Farajollahi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different treatments on seed germination in the desert plant species Calotropis persica (Gand.. This species is known to have long time for seed germination considering arid region condition and short time of access moist. An experiment was performed with 13 treatments and 4 replications in a completely randomized design. Treatments included KNO3 with concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 percent, immersion in hot water for five min, acetylsalicylic acid 100, 200, and 300 mg L−1, ethereal sulfuric acid (60% for 5 and 10 min, thiourea with concentrations of 0.1% and 0.3%, and prechilling for 10 days. Tap water was used as the control. Our findings indicate that KNO3 0.1% and 100 mg L−1 acetylsalicylic acid were the most effective treatments for improvement of seed germination properties in this species. In a comparison of the two mentioned treatment, KNO3 0.1% treatments is the best.

Effect of lead on imbibition, germination, and growth of Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Zea mays L.

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Gustavo Isaza Guzmán Isaza Guzmán

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Lead is highly reactive and it can be consequently toxic to living cells to both plants and humans. This heavy metal is a source of contamination to the environment and it disrupts natural cycles. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of lead on the imbibition process, germination and growth in the bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. and maize (Zea mays L.. It was developed a system consisting of receptacles to expose flooded plants at different concentrations of the metal. Results showed that at concentrations of 5 g l-1 lead imbibition process was affected, but was more evident in bean. Germination percentage was not affected in maize seeds, while viability was affected in bean seeds. We observed statistically that there is an effect on organ growth of root, stem and leaf in both species in the presence of solution whose effect is most noticeable in bean plants. Key words: heavy metals,phytoremediation, stress, toxic substances

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND SANITARY QUALITIES OF MAIZE LANDRACE SEEDS STORED UNDER TWO CONDITIONS

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Raquel Stefanello

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The preservation of seed quality during the storage period depends not only on the conditions during production and harvesting but also on the storage and maintenance of appropriate storage product conditions. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological and sanitary qualities of maize landrace seeds stored under two conditions. The maize seed batch varieties Oito carreiras, Cabo roxo and Lombo baio were used. Tests included germination, first count, cold test, accelerated aging and sanity. Based on the results it was concluded that the physiological quality of these seed varieties decreased with the storage period. The major fungi identified in the maize seeds during storage were from the genera Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium, which caused deterioration and reduction of the physiological quality. Storage using a paper bag at a temperature of 10 °C did not prevent the deterioration of maize seeds but was more effective at preserving the quality of the seed compared with a plastic bag at room temperature.

Socio-economic assessment on maize production and adoption of open pollinated improved varieties in Dang, Nepal

OpenAIRE

Sanjiv Subedi; Yuga Nath Ghimire; Deepa Devkota

2017-01-01

Research was conducted from February to May, 2017 for socioeconomic assessment on maize production and adoption of open pollinated improved maize varieties in Dang district of Nepal. Altogether, 100 samples were taken by simple random sampling from the major maize growing areas and relevant publications were reviewed. Focal Group Discussion and Key Informant Survey were also done. Descriptive statistics, unpaired t-test, probit regression and indexing were used for data analysis using statist...

Decomposition and fertilizing effects of maize stover and chromolaena odorata on maize yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tetteh, F.M.; Safo, E.Y.; Quansah, C.

2008-01-01

The quality, rates of decomposition and the fertilizing effect of chromolaena odorata, and maize stover were determined in field experiments as surface application or buried in litter bags. Studies on the effect of plant materials of contrasting qualities (maize stover and C. odorata) applied sole (10 Mg ha -1 ) and mixed, on maize grain and biomass yield were also conducted on the Asuansi (Ferric Acrisol) soil series. Total nitrogen content of the residues ranged from 0.85% in maize stover to 3.50% in C. odorata. Organic carbon ranged from 34.90% in C. odorata to 48.50% in maize stover. Phosphorus ranged from 0.10% in maize stover to 0.76% in C. odorata. In the wet season, the decomposition rate constants (k) were 0.0319 day -1 for C. odorata, and 0.0081 for maize stover. In the dry season, the k values were 0.0083 for C. odorata, and 0.0072 day -1 for maize stover. Burying of the plant materials reduced the half-life (t 50 ) periods from 18 to 10 days for C. odorata, and 45 to 20 days for maize stover. Maize grain yield of 2556 kg ha -1 was obtained in sole C. odorata (10 Mg ha -1 ) compared with 2167 kg ha -1 for maize stover. Mixing of maize stover and C. odorata residues improved the nutrient content as well as nutrient release by the mixtures resulting in greater maize grain yields in the mixtures than the sole maize stover treatment. It is recommended that C. odorata be used as green manure, mulching or composting material to improve fertility. (au)

Distribution of azotobacter in rhizosphere of maize

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tahir, M.B.; Baig, M.B.

1998-01-01

Azotobacter distribution and species composition were studied under maize rhizosphere at four growth stages and in the uncropped soil (control). The study was conducted in the glazed pots with 10 kg soil in each pot. Soil in the pots was enriched with 20 mg N/kg and 15 mg/P/kg in the form of urea and single super phosphate, respectively. Six plants of maize variety Akbar were grown in 32 pots. Four pots were used as control (check). Sampling was done at four growth stages of 20, 40, 60 and 80 days after the germination of the crop. Results indicated that Azotobacter population increased as the plant growth progressed, reached maximum (1320) cells g/sup -1/ of soil at flowering stage and then declined. A chroococcum was found to be the dominant species in the main rhizosphere. (author)

Use of Maize (Zea mays L.) for phytomanagement of Cd-contaminated soils: a critical review.

Science.gov (United States)

Rizwan, Muhammad; Ali, Shafaqat; Qayyum, Muhammad Farooq; Ok, Yong Sik; Zia-Ur-Rehman, Muhammad; Abbas, Zaheer; Hannan, Fakhir

2017-04-01

Maize (Zea mays L.) has been widely adopted for phytomanagement of cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soils due to its high biomass production and Cd accumulation capacity. This paper reviewed the toxic effects of Cd and its management by maize plants. Maize could tolerate a certain level of Cd in soil while higher Cd stress can decrease seed germination, mineral nutrition, photosynthesis and growth/yields. Toxicity response of maize to Cd varies with cultivar/varieties, growth medium and stress duration/extent. Exogenous application of organic and inorganic amendments has been used for enhancing Cd tolerance of maize. The selection of Cd-tolerant maize cultivar, crop rotation, soil type, and exogenous application of microbes is a representative agronomic practice to enhance Cd tolerance in maize. Proper selection of cultivar and agronomic practices combined with amendments might be successful for the remediation of Cd-contaminated soils with maize. However, there might be the risk of food chain contamination by maize grains obtained from the Cd-contaminated soils. Thus, maize cultivation could be an option for the management of low- and medium-grade Cd-contaminated soils if grain yield is required. On the other hand, maize can be grown on Cd-polluted soils only if biomass is required for energy production purposes. Long-term field trials are required, including risks and benefit analysis for various management strategies aiming Cd phytomanagement with maize.

Control of Fusarium verticillioides, cause of ear rot of maize, by Pseudomonas fluorescens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nayaka, Siddaiah Chandra; Shankar, Akarere C. Udaya; Reddy, Munagala S.

2009-01-01

Abstract BACKGROUND: Maize is one of the staple food crops grown in India. Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc.) Nirenberg is the most important fungal pathogen of maize, associated with diseases such as ear rot and kernel rot. Apart from the disease, it is capable of producing fumonisins, which have...... disease and fumonisin accumulation, and also to study the capacity to promote growth and yield of maize. In vitro assays were conducted to test the efficacy of P. fluorescens as a seed treatment on seed germination, seedling vigour and also the incidence of F. verticillioides in different maize cultivars....... verticillioides and the level of fumonisins to a maximum extent compared with the other treatments. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates the potential role of P. fluorescens and its formulations in ear rot disease management. The biocontrol potential of this isolate is more suited for fumonisin reduction in maize...

Effects of magnetized water application on soil and maize growth indices under different amounts of salt in the water

OpenAIRE

Meysam Abedinpour; Ebrahim Rohani

2017-01-01

Application of low quality water for irrigation is compulsive in facing water scarcity. Use of a magnetic field is an approach to overcome this challenge. This study examined the impact of magnetic field technology on improving germination under water of different salinity levels. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of saline water levels, i.e. (S1):0.5, (S2):2, (S3):4 and (S4):6 dS/m combined with magnetized technology (with or without) on maize growth. Thus, magnetic treatm...

Allelopathic potential of Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium L. on the early growth of maize (Zea mays L. and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zvonko Pacanoski

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Laboratory and glasshouse experiments were carried out to investigate the allelopathic potential of different plant parts of D. stramonium on maize and sunflower on early growth stages. The aqueous leachates of D. stramonium roots and shoot did not produc a significant effect on germination and shoot length of maize, but root length of maize was significantly reduced at the highest (1/1 D. stramonium roots leachate compared to control. From the other side, germination of sunflower was significantly reduced at the highest (1/1 D. stramonium shoot leachate concentration, but lower (1/5 and 1/2 D. stramonium roots leachate concentrations significantly increased root and shoot length of sunflower compared to control. In glasshouse experiment, no one treatment with different D. stramonium plant residues significantly affected density, height and fresh weight of maize plants compared to control. Contrary, D. stramonium mixtures with 1/1 root and shoot residues significantly reduced plants density and fresh weight of sunflower plants compared to control. Lower (1/2 and 1/5 mixtures of D. stramonium roots residues and mixture with 1/5 D. stramonium shoot residues significantly increased the height of the sunflower plants.

The effects of improved maize technology on household welfare in Buruku, Benue State, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria I. Audu

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to determine the welfare effects of improved maize technology in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. The study also examined the determinants of the adoption of improved maize technology. Structured questionnaires were used in collecting the primary data for the study. A multi-stage random technique was used in selecting 125 farm households for the study. The Logit and ordinary least square (OLS models were used in analyzing the data. The OLS results show that adoption of improved maize varieties is positively and significantly related to household welfare and thus has contributed to moving farm households out of poverty. Other variables found to be statistically significant in explaining household welfare are education, household size, and landholding. The Logit results show that age, household size, off-farm income, and education were found to be significant in influencing farmers’ adoption decisions. Some robustness checks were performed with different specifications of the Logit and OLS models as well as re-estimation with propensity matching score approach. Overall, the results are robust to different specifications.

Response of maize ( Zea mays L.) to varied moisture levels under ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Laboratory and glasshouse trials were used to determine the response of maize plants to varied moisture levels under Striga lutea infestation. Six moisture levels (1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 ml) were applied to striga seed for germination count in the laboratory, while five moisture levels (300, 600, 900, 1200 and 1500 ml) ...

Zinnia Germination and Lunar Soil Amendment

Science.gov (United States)

Reese, Laura

2017-01-01

Germination testing was performed to determine the best method for germinating zinnias. This method will be used to attempt to germinate the zinnia seeds produced in space. It was found that seed shape may be critically important in determining whether a seed will germinate or not. The ability of compost and worm castings to remediate lunar regolith simulant for plant growth was tested. It was found that neither treatment effectively improves plant growth in lunar regolith simulant. A potential method of improving lunar regolith simulant by mixing it with arcillite was discovered.

Improved tolerance of maize (Zea mays L.) to heavy metals by colonization of a dark septate endophyte (DSE) Exophiala pisciphila

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, T.; Liu, M.J.; Zhang, X.T.; Zhang, H.B.; Sha, T.; Zhao, Z.W.

2011-01-01

Dark septate endophytes (DSE) are ubiquitous and abundant in stressful environments including heavy metal (HM) stress. However, our knowledge about the roles of DSE in improving HM tolerance of their host plants is poor. In this study, maize (Zea mays L.) was inoculated with a HM tolerant DSE strain Exophiala pisciphila H93 in lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) contaminated soils. E. pisciphila H93 successfully colonized and formed typical DSE structures in the inoculated maize roots. Colonization of E. pisciphila H93 alleviated the deleterious effects of excessive HM supplements and promoted the growth of maize (roots and shoots) under HM stress conditions, though it significantly decreased the biomass of inoculated maize under no HM stress. Further analysis showed that the colonization of E. pisciphila H93 improved the tolerance of maize to HM by restricting the translocation of HM ions from roots to shoots. This study demonstrated that under higher HM stress, such a mutual symbiosis between E. pisciphila and its host (maize) may be an efficient strategy to survive in the stressful environments. - Research Highlights: →Effect of DSE (E. pisciphila) on heavy metal tolerance of maize host was studied. →DSE alleviated the deleterious effect of excessive heavy metals on maize. →DSE restricted the transfer of heavy metals from the roots to shoots in maize. →DSE colonization improved the tolerance of their host plants to heavy metals.

Improved tolerance of maize (Zea mays L.) to heavy metals by colonization of a dark septate endophyte (DSE) Exophiala pisciphila

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, T.; Liu, M.J.; Zhang, X.T. [Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization for Bioresources, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091 Yunnan (China); Zhang, H.B. [Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization for Bioresources, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091 Yunnan (China); Department of Biology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091 Yunnan (China); Sha, T. [Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization for Bioresources, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091 Yunnan (China); Zhao, Z.W., E-mail: zhaozhw@ynu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization for Bioresources, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091 Yunnan (China)

2011-02-15

Dark septate endophytes (DSE) are ubiquitous and abundant in stressful environments including heavy metal (HM) stress. However, our knowledge about the roles of DSE in improving HM tolerance of their host plants is poor. In this study, maize (Zea mays L.) was inoculated with a HM tolerant DSE strain Exophiala pisciphila H93 in lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) contaminated soils. E. pisciphila H93 successfully colonized and formed typical DSE structures in the inoculated maize roots. Colonization of E. pisciphila H93 alleviated the deleterious effects of excessive HM supplements and promoted the growth of maize (roots and shoots) under HM stress conditions, though it significantly decreased the biomass of inoculated maize under no HM stress. Further analysis showed that the colonization of E. pisciphila H93 improved the tolerance of maize to HM by restricting the translocation of HM ions from roots to shoots. This study demonstrated that under higher HM stress, such a mutual symbiosis between E. pisciphila and its host (maize) may be an efficient strategy to survive in the stressful environments. - Research Highlights: {yields}Effect of DSE (E. pisciphila) on heavy metal tolerance of maize host was studied. {yields}DSE alleviated the deleterious effect of excessive heavy metals on maize. {yields}DSE restricted the transfer of heavy metals from the roots to shoots in maize. {yields}DSE colonization improved the tolerance of their host plants to heavy metals.

Spreading and germination of yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.) in Hungary.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Z P; Buzsáki, K; Béres, I

2006-01-01

Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) is a cosmopolitan, tropical, subtropical plant. On the basis of Ujvarosi life-form it is a G2 perennial plant, overwintering with tubers in the soil. It occurs in all continents: along Eastern and Western coastlines of Africa and even in South-Africa, North and South America, Japan, India, Near-Eastern countries, Western, Southern and Eastern Europe. It has been spread since the 70's in Europe, but its remarkable occurrence was between 1980 and 1995 years. Nowadays it occurs in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Portugal, Austria, Croatia, Switzerland, Italy and Hungary among the European countries. The first occurrence of C. esculentus was observed in Hungary in 1993, at the surroundings of Keszthely and H&viz towns in a maize-ecosystem (Dancza 1994). It can be presumed, that its import happened with Gladiolus tubers and seed-grain of maize. At present C. esculentus occurs in four regions and surroundings of 20 habitations of Hungary. Somogy county is the most infected area, where it occurs on 10,000 hectares. C. esculentus took the 16th place in the important order of weeds of the world in the 70's. On the basis of EPPO IAS Panel at present this weed specics is considered as one of the most harmful invasive species of the world, due to its severe economic injury. Most harmful effect of C. esculentus is expressed in spring-sown hoed cultures, mainly in maize. Beside this it also occurs in sunflower, potato and sugarbeet cultures. C. esculentus has a good competitive ability by reducing crop quality and quantity. Vegetative reproduction is dominant in spreading but its propagation by seeds is also presumed in Hungary. Cool, rainy weather favours for the vegetative reproduction, while warm, dry one for the flowering. It has a 1-1.5 mm long fruit with one seed. One clustering can contain 600 seeds. According to Lapham (1985) there are areas in Zimbabwe where one can find 100 million C. esculentus seeds in a hectare. At a 1

Enhanced stresses tolerance of soybean during seed germination by maize / soybean intercropping system%玉米/大豆间作增强大豆种子在萌发期间的抗逆能力

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

陈锋; 舒凯; 刘鑫; 孟永杰; 帅海威; 周文冠; 杨峰; 刘卫国; 雍太文; 杨文钰

2017-01-01

In maize - soybean intercropping system,soybean was shaded by the taller crop maize,and conse-quently,soybean seeds were under shade stress conditions during their entire developmental stages. The objectives of this study were to find out whether and how the shade stress influence the abiotic stresses tolerance of soybean seeds during germination. Soybean cultivar "Hedou 19"and maize cultivar "Jundan 26"were employed as the ex-perimental materials. The maize - soybean intercropping (IC)system was two rows of maize and soybean crossed planting (1: 1),and the soybean monocropping (MC)was as control. After soybean was harvested,the quality traits including 100 - seed weight,protein content and fat content were measured and the ability of resisting adver-sity (high temperature,mannitol,glucose,PEG,NaCl and abscisic acid)during germination was analyzed. The expression of genes related to signal transduction of ABA was further analyzed by qRT - PCR assay. Results showed that there was no significant difference in 100 - seed weight,fat content and protein content between monocropping and intercropping soybean seeds. Intercropping soybean seeds germinated faster than monocropping soybean seeds under abiotic stresses conditions (high temperature,mannitol,glucose,PEG,NaCl and ABA)and showed strong resistance to abiotic stresses. qRT - PCR demonstrated that the transcription levels of GmABI4 and GmABI5,posi-tive regulators in abscisic acid (ABA)signaling pathway,in the intercropping soybean seeds were lower than that in monocropping soybean seeds. Therefore soybean quality did not change in maize - soybean intercropping system, it could enhance the abiotic stresses tolerance during germination processes,maybe primarily through weakening ABA signaling strength

The proteome and phosphoproteome of maize pollen uncovers fertility candidate proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Qing; Gao, Zhi-Fang; Wang, Yue-Feng; Li, Zhe; Huang, Xia-He; Wang, Ying-Chun; Mei, Ying-Chang; Zhao, Biligen-Gaowa; Li, Liang; Jiang, Yu-Bo; Wang, Bai-Chen

2016-06-01

Maize is unique since it is both monoecious and diclinous (separate male and female flowers on the same plant). We investigated the proteome and phosphoproteome of maize pollen containing modified proteins and here we provide a comprehensive pollen proteome and phosphoproteome which contain 100,990 peptides from 6750 proteins and 5292 phosphorylated sites corresponding to 2257 maize phosphoproteins, respectively. Interestingly, among the total 27 overrepresented phosphosite motifs we identified here, 11 were novel motifs, which suggested different modification mechanisms in plants compared to those of animals. Enrichment analysis of pollen phosphoproteins showed that pathways including DNA synthesis/chromatin structure, regulation of RNA transcription, protein modification, cell organization, signal transduction, cell cycle, vesicle transport, transport of ions and metabolisms, which were involved in pollen development, the following germination and pollen tube growth, were regulated by phosphorylation. In this study, we also found 430 kinases and 105 phosphatases in the maize pollen phosphoproteome, among which calcium dependent protein kinases (CDPKs), leucine rich repeat kinase, SNF1 related protein kinases and MAPK family proteins were heavily enriched and further analyzed. From our research, we also uncovered hundreds of male sterility-associated proteins and phosphoproteins that might influence maize productivity and serve as targets for hybrid maize seed production. At last, a putative complex signaling pathway involving CDPKs, MAPKs, ubiquitin ligases and multiple fertility proteins was constructed. Overall, our data provides new insight for further investigation of protein phosphorylation status in mature maize pollen and construction of maize male sterile mutants in the future.

Over-expression of zmarg encoding an arginase improves grain production in maize

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, D.; Tian, Y.; Meng, X.; Zhang, P.

2016-01-01

Arginase, as one of the three key enzymes in nitrogen catabolism, the physiological role of Arg catabolism in cereal crops has not been fully clarified. Studies have shown that arginase-encoding genes play a key role in providing nitrogen to developing seedlings in many plant species.Yield is a primary trait in many crop breeding programs, which can be increased by modification of genes related to photosynthesis, nitrogen assimilation, carbon distribution, plant architecture, and transcriptional networks controlling plant development. In the present study, a maize arginase gene ZmARG was cloned and introduced into maize inbred lines by Agrobacterium tumefaciens- mediated transformation. Putative transgenic plants were confirmed by PCR, Southern blotting RT-PCR analysis. The expression of the ZmARG gene increased arginase activity in several tissues in transgenic lines. Transgenic maize plants had significantly higher ear weight and 100-seed weight as compared with wild-type control. Our results suggested that ZmARG was a potential target gene for crop yield improvement. (author)

The effect of different treatments on improving seed germination ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Creating optimal conditions for germination of medicinal plants seed is essential for their cultivation. Therefore, to evaluate the effect of different treatments on seed germination of two medicinal species, Descurainia sophia and Plantago ovata collected in 2009 from Tehran Province, an experiment with a factorial ...

Conservation agriculture practices in rainfed uplands of India improve maize-based system productivity and profitability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aliza Pradhan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Traditional agriculture in rainfed uplands of India has been experiencing low agricultural productivity as the lands suffer from poor soil fertility, susceptibility to water erosion and other external pressures of development and climate change. A shift towards more sustainable cropping systems such as conservation agriculture production systems (CAPS may help in maintaining soil quality as well as improving crop production and farmer’s net economic benefit. This research assessed the effects over three years (2011-2014 of reduced tillage, intercropping, and cover cropping practices customized for maize-based production systems in upland areas of Odisha, India. The study focused on crop yield, system productivity and profitability through maize equivalent yield and dominance analysis. Results showed that maize grain yield did not differ significantly over time or among CAPS treatments while cowpea yield was considered as an additional yield in intercropping systems. Mustard and horsegram grown in plots after maize cowpea intercropping recorded higher grain yields of 25 and 37%, respectively, as compared to those without intercropping. Overall, the full CAPS implementation i.e. minimum tillage, maize-cowpea intercropping and mustard residue retention had significantly higher system productivity and net benefits than traditional farmer practices, i.e. conventional tillage, sole maize cropping, and no mustard residue retention. The dominance analysis demonstrated increasing benefits of combining conservation practices that exceeded thresholds for farmer adoption. Given the use of familiar crops and technologies and the magnitude of yield and income improvements, these types of CAPS should be acceptable and attractive for smallholder farmers in the area. This in turn should support a move toward sustainable intensification of crop production to meet future household income and nutritional needs.

Conservation Agriculture Practices in Rainfed Uplands of India Improve Maize-Based System Productivity and Profitability.

Science.gov (United States)

Pradhan, Aliza; Idol, Travis; Roul, Pravat K

2016-01-01

Traditional agriculture in rainfed uplands of India has been experiencing low agricultural productivity as the lands suffer from poor soil fertility, susceptibility to water erosion and other external pressures of development and climate change. A shift toward more sustainable cropping systems such as conservation agriculture production systems (CAPSs) may help in maintaining soil quality as well as improving crop production and farmer's net economic benefit. This research assessed the effects over 3 years (2011-2014) of reduced tillage, intercropping, and cover cropping practices customized for maize-based production systems in upland areas of Odisha, India. The study focused on crop yield, system productivity and profitability through maize equivalent yield and dominance analysis. Results showed that maize grain yield did not differ significantly over time or among CAPS treatments while cowpea yield was considered as an additional yield in intercropping systems. Mustard and horsegram grown in plots after maize cowpea intercropping recorded higher grain yields of 25 and 37%, respectively, as compared to those without intercropping. Overall, the full CAPS implementation, i.e., minimum tillage, maize-cowpea intercropping and mustard residue retention had significantly higher system productivity and net benefits than traditional farmer practices, i.e., conventional tillage, sole maize cropping, and no mustard residue retention. The dominance analysis demonstrated increasing benefits of combining conservation practices that exceeded thresholds for farmer adoption. Given the use of familiar crops and technologies and the magnitude of yield and income improvements, these types of CAPS should be acceptable and attractive for smallholder farmers in the area. This in turn should support a move toward sustainable intensification of crop production to meet future household income and nutritional needs.

Maize EMBRYO SAC family peptides interact differentially with pollen tubes and fungal cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Woriedh, Mayada; Merkl, Rainer; Dresselhaus, Thomas

2015-08-01

EMBRYO SAC1-4 (ES1-4) peptides belong to the defensin subgroup of cysteine-rich peptides known to mediate pollen tube burst in Zea mays (maize). ES1-4 are reported here to also be capable of inhibiting germination and growth of the maize fungal pathogens Fusarium graminearum and Ustilago maydis at higher concentrations. Dividing the peptides into smaller pieces showed that a 15-amino-acid peptide located in a highly variable loop region lacking similarity to other defensins or defensin-like peptides binds to maize pollen tube surfaces, causing swelling prior to burst. This peptide fragment and a second conserved neighbouring fragment showed suppression of fungal germination and growth. The two peptides caused swelling of fungal cells, production of reactive oxygen species, and finally the formation of big vacuoles prior to burst at high peptide concentration. Furthermore, peptide fragments were found to bind differently to fungal cells. In necrotrophic F. graminearum, a peptide fragment named ES-d bound only at cell surfaces whereas the peptide ES-c bound at cell surfaces and also accumulated inside cells. Conversely, in biotrophic U. maydis, both peptide fragments accumulated inside cells, but, if applied at higher concentration, ES-c but not ES-d accumulated mainly in vacuoles. Mapping of peptide interaction sites identified amino acids differing in pollen tube burst and fungal response reactions. In summary, these findings indicate that residues targeting pollen tube burst in maize are specific to the ES family, while residues targeting fungal growth are conserved within defensins and defensin-like peptides. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Managing dry spell risks to improve rainfed maize productivity in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This empirical research was conducted on-station during June to September main growing season over two years (2000 and 2001) to substantiate that, managing dry spell risks through development of compatible technologies can improve rainfed maize productivity in the semi-arid zones of Ethiopia. Firstly, two soil water ...

Silicon induced improvement in morpho-physiological traits of maize (zea mays l.) under water deficit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amin, M.; Ahmad, R.; Basra, S.M.A.; Murtaza, G.

2014-01-01

Current water scarcity is an emerging issue in semi-arid regions like Pakistan and cause of deterioration in productivity of crops to reduce crop yield all over the world. Silicon is known to be better against the deleterious effects of drought on plant growth and development. A pot study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Si nutrition (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) on the growth of a relatively drought tolerant (P-33H25) and sensitive (FH-810) maize hybrids. Two levels of soil water content were used viz. 100 and 60% of field capacity. Water deficit condition in soil significantly reduced morphological and physiological attributes of maize plants. Silicon application significantly improved the plant height, leaf area per plant, primary root length, dry matter of shoot and roots and plant dry matter, water relation and gas exchange characteristics of both maize cultivars under water deficit condition. Poor growth of drought stressed plants was significantly improved with Si application. The silicon fertilized (100 mg/kg) drought stressed plants of hybrid P-33H25 produced maximum (21.68% more) plant dry matter as compared to plants that were not provided with silicon nutrition. Nonetheless, silicon application (150 mg/kg) resulted in maximum increase (26.03%) in plant dry weight of hybrid FH-810 plants that were grown under limited moisture supply i.e., 60% FC. In conclusion silicon application to drought stressed maize plants was better to improve the growth and dry matter could be attributed to improved osmotic adjustment, photosynthetic rate and lowered transpiration. (author)

Seed priming with KNO3 mediates biochemical processes to inhibit lead toxicity in maize (Zea mays L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Nawaz, Fahim; Naeem, Muhammad; Akram, Asim; Ashraf, Muhammad Y; Ahmad, Khawaja S; Zulfiqar, Bilal; Sardar, Hasan; Shabbir, Rana N; Majeed, Sadia; Shehzad, Muhammad A; Anwar, Irfan

2017-11-01

Accumulation of lead (Pb) in agricultural soils has become a major factor for reduced crop yields and poses serious threats to humans consuming agricultural products. The present study investigated the effects of KNO 3 seed priming (0 and 0.5% KNO 3 ) on growth of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings exposed to Pb toxicity (0, 1300 and 2550 mg kg -1 Pb). Pb exposure markedly reduced the growth of maize seedlings and resulted in higher Pb accumulation in roots than shoots. Pretreatment of seeds with KNO 3 significantly improved the germination percentage and increased physiological indices. A stimulating effect of KNO 3 seed priming was also observed on pigments (chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents) of Pb-stressed plants. Low translocation of Pb from roots to shoots caused an increased accumulation of total free amino acids and higher activities of catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase in roots as compared to shoot, which were further enhanced by exogenous KNO 3 supply to prevent Pb toxicity. Maize accumulates more Pb in roots than shoot at early growth stages. Priming of seeds with KNO 3 prevents Pb toxicity, which may be exploited to improve seedling establishment in crop species grown under Pb contaminated soils. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Improvement in maize (zea mays l) growth and quality through integrated use of biochar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, K.; Shah, F.; Shehzad, A.; Munsif, F.; Mian, A.A.

2017-01-01

To evaluate the potential use of biochar in crop production, two years experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014. The experiment consisted of three factors namely: (1) Biochar (0, 25 and 50 ton ha-1), (2) FYM (5 and 10 ton ha-1) and (3) nitrogen (75 and 150 kg ha-1). A control treatment (no application of either treatment) was included in the experiment for comparison. All the treatments were replicated three time in RCB design at New Developmental Farm of the University of Agriculture Peshawar Pakistan. Experimental evidence indicated that BC, FYM and N significantly delayed all growth stages of maize such as days to taseling, silking and maturity. Biochar application significantly improved maize oil content by 12 and 29% over no BC plots (plots receiving other treatments) and control plots respectively. An increase of 27% and decrease of 11% was observed in maize protein and starch content in BC treated plots over control. FYM application of 10 ton ha-1 improved maize protein content by 12% but reduced oil content by 15% over 5 ton FYM ha-1. Likewise, N application resulted in higher protein content and starch content but reduced oil content significantly. Overall, application of BC showed convincing results as sole application of N and FYM, however, problems associated with BC production in Pakistan are needed to be addressed in future research. (author)

Weed Competition and its Effects on Pwani Hybrid 1 Maize Grain Yields in Coastal Kenya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamau, G.M.; Saha, H.M.

1999-01-01

Weed competition is a serious constraint to maize production in coastal Kenya. A trial to asses the effects of weed competition on performance of maize was planted at Regional Research Centre-Mtwapa and Msabaha Research Sub-centre-Malindi in 1992. Pwani hybrid 1 maize was used in the trials. Weeding was done at weekly intervals from germination up to the sixth week in an additive weed removal system and plots maintained weed free afterwards. A weedy and a weed free plot were used as checks. Data on plant counts plant heights, weed biomass, weed identification and maize grain yield at 15 % MC were all recorded. There was a significant difference between weed and weedy free plots for grain yield, plant height and weed biomass for both sites. A 53% maize grain yield reduction due to weed competition was recorded. A 3% grain yield reduction equivalent to 1.03 bags for every week's delay in weeding after the first to weeks was realised for both sites. There was a corresponding grain yield loss as delay in weeding increased

Improvement of sheep welfare and milk production fed on diet containing hydroponically germinating seeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonia Zarrilli

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Plasma cortisol and milk production responses of 45 lactating Comisana sheeps (4th- 5th parity, divided into three homogeneous groups of 15 subject each, were used to evaluate the effects of two different levels of partial substitution of a complete feed with hydroponically germinating seeds. Germinated oat was employed after 7 days of hydroponic growth. The three groups received the following diets: Control group (T received only complete feed. The other 2 groups were fed on diet containing different levels of hydroponically germinating oat (1,5 kg – group A; 3 kg – group B. All the subjects have shown to accept the diets because the per capita ration was always completely consumed. In the second month, the A and B groups showed lower average values of cortisol (P<0.01 and a statistically significant increase in milk production as compared to T (P<0.05 and P<0.001. The obtained data induced to conclude that integration with hydroponically germinating oat in partial substitution of the complete feed does not modify biochemical and hematological parameters and seems to produce an improvement in animal welfare and production of milk.

Seed priming with antioxidants improves sunflower seed germination and seedling growth under unfavorable germination conditions

OpenAIRE

DRAGANIC, Ivana; LEKIC, Slavoljub

2012-01-01

The results of studying the effects of sunflower seed priming with an aqueous solution of ascorbic acid (A), tocopherol (T), and glutathione (G) performed prior to accelerated ageing and a cold test are presented in this paper. Germination, the percentage of abnormal seedlings, and the lengths of both roots and shoots were monitored. The results showed that the cold test caused a drastic drop in germination, an adverse effect on the shoot length, an increase in the percentage of abnormal seed...

The Effect of Ascorbic Acid Treatment on Viability and Vigor Maize (Zea mays L. Seedling under Drought Stress

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HAMIDAH HAMAMA

2010-09-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted in the laboratory and the field to examine the effects of ascorbic acid treatment on germination and seedling growth under drought stress. The laboratory works consisted of two experiments and were designed to determine the critical osmotic potential of maize and to determine the optimum ascorbic acid concentration. The field study was designed to examine the effects of soaking seed in ascorbic acid on seedling growth under drought stress. Drought condition was simulated by PEG-6000 and regulation of water treatment. During the first experiment, interactions of both osmotic potential and varieties were significant at all variables. Germination percentage and speed of germination were significantly decreased by increasing of osmotic potential. The second experiment showed that interactions of both factors were significant at all variables except vigor index, the length of shoot, primary, and seminal root. The results showed that the ascorbic acid treatment improved the germination percentage, the speed of germination and the vigor index compared with the control, besides the increase in length of shoot, primary and seminal root and number of seminal root. However, the best result was showed by 55 mM ascobic acid. The result of field experiment showed that interactions were not always significant and 55 mM ascorbic acid treatment increased the seedling height, the number of leaves and leaf area but it had no effect on the water deficit and the root length.

Auxins differentially regulate root system architecture and cell cycle protein levels in maize seedlings.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-de la Cruz, Enrique; García-Ramírez, Elpidio; Vázquez-Ramos, Jorge M; Reyes de la Cruz, Homero; López-Bucio, José

2015-03-15

Maize (Zea mays) root system architecture has a complex organization, with adventitious and lateral roots determining its overall absorptive capacity. To generate basic information about the earlier stages of root development, we compared the post-embryonic growth of maize seedlings germinated in water-embedded cotton beds with that of plants obtained from embryonic axes cultivated in liquid medium. In addition, the effect of four different auxins, namely indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on root architecture and levels of the heat shock protein HSP101 and the cell cycle proteins CKS1, CYCA1 and CDKA1 were analyzed. Our data show that during the first days after germination, maize seedlings develop several root types with a simultaneous and/or continuous growth. The post-embryonic root development started with the formation of the primary root (PR) and seminal scutellar roots (SSR) and then continued with the formation of adventitious crown roots (CR), brace roots (BR) and lateral roots (LR). Auxins affected root architecture in a dose-response fashion; whereas NAA and IBA mostly stimulated crown root formation, 2,4-D showed a strong repressing effect on growth. The levels of HSP101, CKS1, CYCA1 and CDKA in root and leaf tissues were differentially affected by auxins and interestingly, HSP101 registered an auxin-inducible and root specific expression pattern. Taken together, our results show the timing of early branching patterns of maize and indicate that auxins regulate root development likely through modulation of the HSP101 and cell cycle proteins. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Breeding of speciality maize for industrial purposes

OpenAIRE

Pajić Zorica; Radosavljević Milica; Filipović Milomir; Todorović Goran; Srdić Jelena; Pavlov Milovan

2010-01-01

The breeding programme on speciality maize with specific traits was established at the Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje, several decades ago. The initial material was collected, new methods applying to breeding of speciality maize, i.e. popping maize, sweet maize and white-seeded maize, were introduced. The aim was to enhance and improve variability of the initial material for breeding these three types of maize. Then, inbred lines of good combining abilities were developed and used as c...

Measuring Maize Seedling Drought Response in Search of Tolerant Germplasm

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Dirk Hays

2013-02-01

Full Text Available To identify and develop drought tolerant maize (Zea mays L., high-throughput and cost-effective screening methods are needed. In dicot crops, measuring survival and recovery of seedlings has been successful in predicting drought tolerance but has not been reported in C4 grasses such as maize. Seedlings of sixty-two diverse maize inbred lines and their hybrid testcross progeny were evaluated for germination, survival and recovery after a series of drought cycles. Genotypic differences among inbred lines and hybrid testcrosses were best explained approximately 13 and 18 days after planting, respectively. Genotypic effects were significant and explained over 6% of experimental variance. Specifically three inbred lines had significant survival, and 14 hybrids had significant recovery. However, no significant correlation was observed between hybrids and inbreds (R2 = 0.03, indicating seedling stress response is more useful as a secondary screening parameter in hybrids than in inbred lines per se. Field yield data under full and limited irrigation indicated that seedling drought mechanisms were independent of drought responses at flowering in this study.

Amendment of Tephrosia Improved Fallows with Inorganic Fertilizers Improves Soil Chemical Properties, N Uptake, and Maize Yield in Malawi

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Maggie G. Munthali

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Maize production in Malawi is limited mainly by low soil N and P. Improved fallows of N-fixing legumes such as Tephrosia and Sesbania offer options for improving soil fertility particularly N supply. The interactions of Tephrosia fallows and inorganic fertilizers on soil properties, N uptake, and maize yields were evaluated at Chitedze Research Station in Malawi. The results indicated that the level of organic matter and pH increased in all the treatments except for the control. Total N remained almost unchanged while available P decreased in all plots amended with T. vogelii but increased in T. candida plots where inorganic P was applied. Exchangeable K increased in all the plots irrespective of the type of amendment. The interaction of N and P fertilizers with T. vogelii fallows significantly increased the grain yield. The treatment that received 45 kg N ha−1 and 20 kg P ha−1 produced significantly higher grain yields (6.8 t ha−1 than all the other treatments except where 68 kg N ha−1 and 30 kg P ha−1 were applied which gave 6.5 t ha−1 of maize grain. T. candida fallows alone or in combination with N and P fertilizers did not significantly affect grain yield. However, T. candida fallows alone can raise maize grain yield by 300% over the no-input control. Based on these results we conclude that high quality residues such as T. candida and T. vogelii can be used as sources of nutrients to improve crop yields and soil fertility in N-limited soils. However, inorganic P fertilizer is needed due to the low soil available P levels.

Conservation Agriculture Practices in Rainfed Uplands of India Improve Maize-Based System Productivity and Profitability

Science.gov (United States)

Pradhan, Aliza; Idol, Travis; Roul, Pravat K.

2016-01-01

Traditional agriculture in rainfed uplands of India has been experiencing low agricultural productivity as the lands suffer from poor soil fertility, susceptibility to water erosion and other external pressures of development and climate change. A shift toward more sustainable cropping systems such as conservation agriculture production systems (CAPSs) may help in maintaining soil quality as well as improving crop production and farmer’s net economic benefit. This research assessed the effects over 3 years (2011–2014) of reduced tillage, intercropping, and cover cropping practices customized for maize-based production systems in upland areas of Odisha, India. The study focused on crop yield, system productivity and profitability through maize equivalent yield and dominance analysis. Results showed that maize grain yield did not differ significantly over time or among CAPS treatments while cowpea yield was considered as an additional yield in intercropping systems. Mustard and horsegram grown in plots after maize cowpea intercropping recorded higher grain yields of 25 and 37%, respectively, as compared to those without intercropping. Overall, the full CAPS implementation, i.e., minimum tillage, maize–cowpea intercropping and mustard residue retention had significantly higher system productivity and net benefits than traditional farmer practices, i.e., conventional tillage, sole maize cropping, and no mustard residue retention. The dominance analysis demonstrated increasing benefits of combining conservation practices that exceeded thresholds for farmer adoption. Given the use of familiar crops and technologies and the magnitude of yield and income improvements, these types of CAPS should be acceptable and attractive for smallholder farmers in the area. This in turn should support a move toward sustainable intensification of crop production to meet future household income and nutritional needs. PMID:27471508

Dynamics of seed germination, seedling growth and physiological responses of sweet corn under peg-induced water stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, W.; Zhang, X.; Li, G.; Suo, H.; Ashraf, U.; Mo, Z.

2017-01-01

Stress induced variations in seed germination of various crops has been well reported but germination potential of sweet corn seeds under osmotic stress with relation to time dynamics is still elusive. Present study explored the water absorption, germination potential and physiological indices and of sweet corn seeds exposed to five different levels of PEG-induced water stress i.e., 0, -0.3, -0.6, -0.9 and -1.2 M Pa water potential (Psi /sub w/) with respect to time dynamics. Results showed that enhanced water stress for prolonged time period (96 h) led to substantial reduction in water absorption and seed moisture contents, seed germination and vigor index as well as seedlings growth and fresh and dry biomass. Osmotic stress triggered antioxidant defense system like super-oxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) and accumulation of soluble sugars, proline and protein contents considerably. Initially, activities of SOD and CAT were higher but then reduced as stress persisted, however, POD showed a linear increase with respect to stress exposure time. Water stress also increased MDA contents up to 36 h then declined. Further, alpha-amylase activity and soluble protein showed significant correlations with maize seed germination. Overall, germination potential decreased with increase in osmotic stress in sweet corn seeds. (author)

Germination and storage of pollen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser, T.

1955-01-01

Germination of pear pollen markedly improved when boric acid was added to the medium. The pollen was more sensitive to boron in water than in 10 % sugar solution. Supplying weak solutions of boron to pear branches before flowering resulted in a good germination of the pollen in sugar solution

Impact of Addition of FGDB as a Soil Amendment on Physical and Chemical Properties of an Alkali Soil and Crop Yield of Maize in Northern China Coastal Plain

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H.-L. Yu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the effect of Flue gas desulfurization byproduct( FGDB as a soil amendment on growth and yield of maize (Zea mays and to determine the impact of FGDB additions on soil fertility characteristics in alkaline clayey soils, a 2-year field experiment was conducted in Huanghua, in Northern China Coastal Plain. The experiment included five treatments in which the soil was amended with FGDB at 15 cm depth at the rates of 0 t·hm−2, 4.50 t·hm−2, 9.00 t·hm−2, 13.5 t·hm−2, and 18.00 t·hm−2, respectively, before maize was planted. The values of soil pH, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP, and bulk density (BD of the soil decreased; however, values of electrical conductivity (EC, water holding capacity (WHC, and plant nutrients increased with FGDB application in the soil. Crop plants grow more readily in FGDB amended soils because of improved soil properties. The best ameliorative effect was obtained at the rate of 13.5 t·hm−2. The germination percentage, plant height, and crop yield successively increased in both years. The results indicated FGDB was an effective soil amendment for improving the physicochemical properties and nutrient balance, and enhancing crop germination, growth, and yield, particularly when applied at a suitable application rate.

Improve germination of caper (Capparis Spinosa l. seeds by different induction treatments of seed dormancy breaking

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M. R. Labbafi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Seed dormancy is a common phase of the plant life cycle; different treatments can be used for breaking dormancy. The aim of this study was to find the best treatment for breaking dormancy and improve germination of caper (Capparis spinosa L.. This study based on the completely randomized design (CRD with 3 replications was done at research Laboratory of Medicinal Plants Institute, ACECR, Karaj, Iran. After different induction treatments containing different levels of potassium nitrate (KNO3, GA3, soaking and soaking with runner water, sulfuric acid, thidiazuron, and benzyl amino-purine, seeds were placed in Petri-dishes and incubated in two temperature regimes, first at fixed 20 ͦC, and second, alternate between 20 and 30 ͦC. The result showed that the germination percentage and germination rate of caper increased up to 75% and 1.35 respectively when the seeds treated with sulfuric acid for 15 min, and 2000 ppm GA3 under alternate 20-30 ͦC temperatures. Caper seed dormancy is mainly due to the inhibitors and hard seed coat that it prevents seed germination.

Relationships Between Seed Weight, Germination Potential and Biochemical Reserves of Maritime Pine in Morocco: Elements for Tree Seedlings Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Wahid, Nadya; Bounoua, Lahouari

2011-01-01

Selection of quality seeds in breeding programs can significantly improve seedling productivity. Germination and biochemical analyses on seeds from ten natural populations of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) in Morocco reveals significant differences among populations in seed weight, germination characters and protein content in both dry seeds and megagametophytes. During germination, the mobilization of protein content in megagametophyte is significantly different among populations than sugar content. A strong positive correlation between the germination capacity and the protein content in both dry seeds and megagametophytes indicates that the best populations in term of germination capacity may also be the richest in protein content. The present study finds that seed weight is not a good indicator for quality seed selection, nor is it recommended to increase the degree of germinability. Our results suggest that the pine population in southern Morocco might have adapted to drought conditions as it is characterized by heavy seed weight and lower speed of protein content mobilization in megagametophyte compared to northern populations growing in temperate climate.

INFLUENCE OF TREATMENT ON MAIZE SEED QUALITY

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Ivica Beraković

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Due to the increasing occurrence of major pests ON corn, hybrid seed is necessary to be protected against pests and seed corn should be treated with appropriately insecticides. Choosing better technological solutions and choosing and appropriate insecticide seed treatment for corn can significantly reduce pest attack and thus enhance the production of corn. The aim of this research was to obtain based upon result information on the impact of treatment on quality of maize seed as well as the means to improve the conditions of storage and preservation of semen quality. Investigation and checking if insecticide treated seed adverse phytotoxic effect on plant growth and development in field conditions. The results indicate a significant effect of insecticide seed treatments on germination energy and non standard germination. A very significant influence of treated seed storage was also found on quality seeds. Looking at the impact of the treated hybrid on germination vigor and standard germination, a very significant hybrid impact was found out. The highest quality of the seed semen during the study was noticed with the seed of hybrid “H2”, followed by hybrid “H1”, while the hybrids “H3” and “H4” possessed less. The research shows that hybrids “H2” and “H1” are more suitable for seed treatment with insecticides than “H3” and “H4” hybrids. The field observations and research results obtained indicate a very significant impact of the treated seed on the above ground parts of plants, above ground mass, stem thickness and a very significant impact on plant spacing. The positive effect of treatment with “T1” and “T3” insecticides is visible in all conducted field researches. Plants treated with common fungicides and insecticides “T1” and “T3” had a greater height of the above ground plant parts, a larger mass of the above ground stems, greater stem thickness and better plant density treatments, compared to

Overexpression of Thellungiella halophila H+-pyrophosphatase Gene Improves Low Phosphate Tolerance in Maize

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Laming; Wang, Jiemin; Li, Kunpeng; Li, Yongjun; Li, Bei; Gao, Feng; Yang, Aifang

2012-01-01

Low phosphate availability is a major constraint on plant growth and agricultural productivity. Engineering a crop with enhanced low phosphate tolerance by transgenic technique could be one way of alleviating agricultural losses due to phosphate deficiency. In this study, we reported that transgenic maize plants that overexpressed the Thellungiella halophila vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase gene (TsVP) were more tolerant to phosphate deficit stress than the wild type. Under phosphate sufficient conditions, transgenic plants showed more vigorous root growth than the wild type. When phosphate deficit stress was imposed, they also developed more robust root systems than the wild type, this advantage facilitated phosphate uptake, which meant that transgenic plants accumulated more phosphorus. So the growth and development in the transgenic maize plants were not damaged as much as in the wild type plants under phosphate limitation. Overexpression of TsVP increased the expression of genes involved in auxin transport, which indicated that the development of larger root systems in transgenic plants might be due in part to enhanced auxin transport which controls developmental events in plants. Moreover, transgenic plants showed less reproductive development retardation and a higher grain yield per plant than the wild type plants when grown in a low phosphate soil. The phenotypes of transgenic maize plants suggested that the overexpression of TsVP led to larger root systems that allowed transgenic maize plants to take up more phosphate, which led to less injury and better performance than the wild type under phosphate deficiency conditions. This study describes a feasible strategy for improving low phosphate tolerance in maize and reducing agricultural losses caused by phosphate deficit stress. PMID:22952696

Impact of chelator-induced phytoextraction of cadmium on yield and ionic uptake of maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Anwar, Sumera; Khan, Shahbaz; Ashraf, M Yasin; Noman, Ali; Zafar, Sara; Liu, Lijun; Ullah, Sana; Fahad, Shah

2017-06-03

Enhanced phytoextraction uses soil chelators to increase the bioavailability of heavy metals. This study tested the effectiveness of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and citric acid in enhancing cadmium (Cd) phytoextraction and their effects on the growth, yield, and ionic uptake of maize (Zea mays). Maize seeds of two cultivars were sown in pots treated with 15 (Cd 15 ) or 30 mg Cd kg -1 soil (Cd 30 ). EDTA and citric acid at 0.5 g kg -1 each were applied 2 weeks after germination. Results demonstrated that the growth, yield per plant, and total grain weight were reduced by exposure to Cd. EDTA increased the uptake of Cd in shoots, roots, and grains of both maize varieties. Citric acid did not enhance the uptake of Cd, rather it ameliorated the toxicity of Cd, as shown by increased shoot and root length and biomass. Cadmium toxicity reduced the number of grains, rather than the grain size. The maize cultivar Sahiwal-2002 extracted 1.6% and 3.6% of Cd from soil in both Cd+ EDTA treatments. Hence, our study implies that maize can be used to successfully phytoremediate Cd from soil using EDTA, without reducing plant biomass or yield.

Growth promotion of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) plants by single and mixed cultures of efficient phosphate solubilizing bacteria that are tolerant to abiotic stress and pesticides.

Science.gov (United States)

Anzuay, María Soledad; Ciancio, María Gabriela Ruiz; Ludueña, Liliana Mercedes; Angelini, Jorge Guillermo; Barros, Germán; Pastor, Nicolás; Taurian, Tania

2017-06-01

The aims of this study were, to analyze in vitro phosphate solubilization activity of six native peanut bacteria and to determine the effect of single and mixed inoculation of these bacteria on peanut and maize plants. Ability to produce organic acids and cofactor PQQ, to solubilize FePO 4 and AlPO 4 and phosphatase activity were analyzed. Also, the ability to solubilize phosphate under abiotic stress and in the presence of pesticides of the selected bacteria was determined. The effect of single and mixed bacterial inocula was analyzed on seed germination, maize plant growth and in a crop rotation plant assay with peanut and maize. The six strains produced gluconic acid and five released cofactor PQQ into the medium. All bacteria showed ability to solubilize phosphate from FePO 4 and AlPO 4 and phosphatase activity. The ability of the bacteria to solubilize tricalcium phosphate under abiotic stress and in presence of pesticides indicated encouraging results. Bacterial inoculation on peanut and maize increased seed germination, plant́s growth and P content. Phosphate solubilizing bacteria used in this study showed efficient phosphate mineralizing and solubilization ability and would be potential P-biofertilizers for peanut and maize. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Overcoming hybridization barriers by the secretion of the maize pollen tube attractant ZmEA1 from Arabidopsis ovules.

Science.gov (United States)

Márton, Mihaela L; Fastner, Astrid; Uebler, Susanne; Dresselhaus, Thomas

2012-07-10

A major goal of plant reproduction research is to understand and overcome hybridization barriers so that the gene pool of crop plants can be increased and improved upon. After successful pollen germination on a receptive stigma, the nonmotile sperm cells of flowering plants are transported via the pollen tube (PT) to the egg apparatus for the achievement of double fertilization. The PT path is controlled by various hybridization mechanisms probably involving a larger number of species-specific molecular interactions. The egg-apparatus-secreted polymorphic peptides ZmEA1 in maize and LURE1 and LURE2 in Torenia fournieri as well as TcCRP1 in T. concolor were shown to be required for micropylar PT guidance, the last step of the PT journey. We report here that ZmEA1 attracts maize PTs in vitro and arrests their growth at higher concentrations. Furthermore, it binds to the subapical region of maize PT tips in a species-preferential manner. To overcome hybridization barriers at the level of gametophytic PT guidance, we expressed ZmEA1 in Arabidopsis synergid cells. Secreted ZmEA1 enabled Arabidopsis ovules to guide maize PT in vitro in a species-preferential manner to the micropylar opening of the ovule. These results demonstrate that the egg-apparatus-controlled reproductive-isolation barrier of PT guidance can be overcome even between unrelated plant families. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving the AEATRI-motorized maize sheller to meet the market ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mo

which have low productivity and result into maize grain of low market value. Earlier studies ... The old model of the sheller has a feeding hopper, which rests on a .... the sheller, two people supply maize cobs to the person feeding and remove ...

Potential of Using Manure to Improve Soil Fertility in A Maize/Bean Intercrop in the Drylands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buigutt, J.C.

2002-01-01

Low soil fertility as a limiting factor in maize and bean production in ASALS areas is a pertinent topic for investigation, owing to the importance of the crops as staple foods as well as sources of income and employment for the increasing population occasioned by high fertility rates and immigration from the congested high potential highlands. The use of readily available and cheaper sources of plant nutrients such as farm yard manure (FYM), under the common practice of intercropping is one way of sustaining agricultural production in the drylands. The objective of the study conducted in LM5 (under irrigation) and LM5 (under rainfed) Agro-ecological zones of Baringo district was to determine the potential of use FYM and bean intercropping to improve soil fertility for higher maize yields. The result showed that under maize pure stand the highest yields of 3.2 tons/ha were obtained under DAP though this was not significantly different with FYM, FYM+CAN and No Fertilizer treatments. Under intercrop the highest maize yields of 2.8 t/ha were obtained under FYM+CAN. Economic analysis showed that bean pure stand system gave the highest result net benefits followed by intercrop and lastly maize pure stand. The result further showed that the generally low crop yield coupled by low prices renders Katumani maize variety uneconomical to be grown under irrigation and that the higher yielding hybrids (eg H513 using FYM+CAN could be more profitable to farmers in both zones)

Seed Hydropriming and Smoke Water Significantly Improve Low-Temperature Germination of Lupinus angustifolius L.

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Agnieszka Płażek

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Seed imbibition under cold temperature is dangerous when dry seeds have relatively low water content. The aim of this study was to investigate germination of 20 lines/cultivars of narrow-leaf lupine at 7 °C (cold and 13 °C (control under the influence of smoke water and following seed hydropriming for 3 h at 20 °C. The efficacy of individual treatments was examined with regard to seed protection during low-temperature germination. Based on seed germination, vigour at cold was evaluated four days after sowing by means of hypocotyl length, the studied lines/cultivars were divided into three groups with low, high and very high germination rates. Germination vigour correlated with cell membrane permeability, dehydrogenase activity and abscisic acid (ABA content and was analysed in the seeds one day after sowing. Gibberellin content did not correlate with germination vigour. The seeds of weakly germinating lines/cultivars had the highest cell permeability and ABA content as well as the lowest amylolytic activity at both studied temperatures. Additionally, the vigour of weakly germinating seeds at 7 °C correlated with dehydrogenase activity. Three-hour hydropriming was the most effective for seed germination under cold due to reduced cell membrane permeability and ABA level. Stimulating effects of smoke water on germination under cold could be explained by enhanced dehydrogenase activity.

Design and Development of Maize Dehusker cum Sheller: A Technology for Northern Transition Zone of Karnataka, India

Science.gov (United States)

Chilur, Rudragouda; Kumar, Sushilendra

2018-06-01

The Maize ( Zea mays L.) crop is one of the most important cereal in agricultural production systems of Northern Transition Zone (Hyderabad-Karnataka region) in India. These Hyderabad Karnataka farmers (small-medium) are lack of economic technologies with maize dehusking and shelling, which fulfils the two major needs as crops and as livestock in farming. The portable medium size (600 kg/h capacity) electric motor (2.23 kW) operated Maize Dehusker cum Sheller (MDS) was designed to resolve the issue by considering engineering properties of maize. The developed trapezium shaped MDS machine having overall dimensions (length × (top and bottom) × height) of 1200 × (500 and 610) × 810 mm. The selected operational parameters viz, cylinder peripheral speed (7.1 m/s), concave clearance (25 mm) and feed rate (600 kg/h) were studied for machine-performance and seed-quality parameters. The performance of machine under these parameters showed the dehusking efficiency of 99.56%, shelling efficiency of 98.01%, cleaning efficiency of 99.11%, total loss of 3.63% machine capacity of 527.11 kg/kW-h and germination percentage of 98.93%. Overall machine performance was found satisfactory for maize dehusking cum shelling operation as well as to produce the maize grains for seeding purpose.

Design and Development of Maize Dehusker cum Sheller: A Technology for Northern Transition Zone of Karnataka, India

Science.gov (United States)

Chilur, Rudragouda; Kumar, Sushilendra

2018-02-01

The Maize (Zea mays L.) crop is one of the most important cereal in agricultural production systems of Northern Transition Zone (Hyderabad-Karnataka region) in India. These Hyderabad Karnataka farmers (small-medium) are lack of economic technologies with maize dehusking and shelling, which fulfils the two major needs as crops and as livestock in farming. The portable medium size (600 kg/h capacity) electric motor (2.23 kW) operated Maize Dehusker cum Sheller (MDS) was designed to resolve the issue by considering engineering properties of maize. The developed trapezium shaped MDS machine having overall dimensions (length × (top and bottom) × height) of 1200 × (500 and 610) × 810 mm. The selected operational parameters viz, cylinder peripheral speed (7.1 m/s), concave clearance (25 mm) and feed rate (600 kg/h) were studied for machine-performance and seed-quality parameters. The performance of machine under these parameters showed the dehusking efficiency of 99.56%, shelling efficiency of 98.01%, cleaning efficiency of 99.11%, total loss of 3.63% machine capacity of 527.11 kg/kW-h and germination percentage of 98.93%. Overall machine performance was found satisfactory for maize dehusking cum shelling operation as well as to produce the maize grains for seeding purpose.

Chloroform-assisted phenol extraction improving proteome profiling of maize embryos through selective depletion of high-abundance storage proteins.

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Erhui Xiong

Full Text Available The presence of abundant storage proteins in plant embryos greatly impedes seed proteomics analysis. Vicilin (or globulin-1 is the most abundant storage protein in maize embryo. There is a need to deplete the vicilins from maize embryo extracts for enhanced proteomics analysis. We here reported a chloroform-assisted phenol extraction (CAPE method for vicilin depletion. By CAPE, maize embryo proteins were first extracted in an aqueous buffer, denatured by chloroform and then subjected to phenol extraction. We found that CAPE can effectively deplete the vicilins from maize embryo extract, allowing the detection of low-abundance proteins that were masked by vicilins in 2-DE gel. The novelty of CAPE is that it selectively depletes abundant storage proteins from embryo extracts of both monocot (maize and dicot (soybean and pea seeds, whereas other embryo proteins were not depleted. CAPE can significantly improve proteome profiling of embryos and extends the application of chloroform and phenol extraction in plant proteomics. In addition, the rationale behind CAPE depletion of abundant storage proteins was explored.

Genetic Dissection of Maize Embryonic Callus Regenerative Capacity Using Multi-Locus Genome-Wide Association Studies

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Langlang Ma

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The regenerative capacity of the embryonic callus, a complex quantitative trait, is one of the main limiting factors for maize transformation. This trait was decomposed into five traits, namely, green callus rate (GCR, callus differentiating rate (CDR, callus plantlet number (CPN, callus rooting rate (CRR, and callus browning rate (CBR. To dissect the genetic foundation of maize transformation, in this study multi-locus genome-wide association studies (GWAS for the five traits were performed in a population of 144 inbred lines genotyped with 43,427 SNPs. Using the phenotypic values in three environments and best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP values, as a result, a total of 127, 56, 160, and 130 significant quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs were identified by mrMLM, FASTmrEMMA, ISIS EM-BLASSO, and pLARmEB, respectively. Of these QTNs, 63 QTNs were commonly detected, including 15 across multiple environments and 58 across multiple methods. Allele distribution analysis showed that the proportion of superior alleles for 36 QTNs was <50% in 31 elite inbred lines. Meanwhile, these superior alleles had obviously additive effect on the regenerative capacity. This indicates that the regenerative capacity-related traits can be improved by proper integration of the superior alleles using marker-assisted selection. Moreover, a total of 40 candidate genes were found based on these common QTNs. Some annotated genes were previously reported to relate with auxin transport, cell fate, seed germination, or embryo development, especially, GRMZM2G108933 (WOX2 was found to promote maize transgenic embryonic callus regeneration. These identified candidate genes will contribute to a further understanding of the genetic foundation of maize embryonic callus regeneration.

Influence of 24-epibrassinolide on seedling growth and distribution of mineral elements in two maize hybrids

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Waisi Hadi K.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, influence of wide range of 24-epibrassinolide (24-EBL on early growth potential of two maize hybrids (ZP 434 and ZP 704 was examined. Paper concerns germination, seedling biomass, important chlorophylls content, and redistribution of elements (heavy metals and microelements, in a seedlings of the maize hybrids, as influenced by different 24-EBL concentrations. It was found that hybrids react differently to exogenously applied hormone. The biggest differences between two examined maize hybrids considering the germination level were reached with the lowest values at 86% for ZP 704 and 72% for ZP 434, gained at the highest applied concentration of 24-EBL. Seedlings of hybrid ZP 434 reacted positively moderately in the case of shoot length and biomass under the influence of 24-EBL, but seedlings of hybrid ZP 704 had lower values of these parameters under the influence of the phytohormone. Chlorophyll a/b ratios showed that photosynthetic apparatus of seedlings of the hybrids is not active in this stage of development. It was established that 24-EBL affects seedling growth and re-allocation of naturally present mineral elements in early growth stages and that could be one of the reason for poorer growth of ZP 704 treated with various concentrations of 24-EBL, comparing to control. When applied in lower concentrations, 24-EBL is blocking toxic elements such as chromium and nickel to relocate to vital parts of plant, what was case in hybrid ZP704. In case of ZP 434, lower concentrations of 24-EBL are affecting re-allocation of Cu and Cr and these findings suggest that maize hybrid seedlings treated with lower concentrations of 24-EBL could survive and be successful in polluted areas. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR31080

Use of improved inputs and its effect on maize yield and profit in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Maize is an important crop, produced by nearly all households in Uganda. Yet, the yield of the crop is low, mainly blamed on low use of improved technologies. In a bid to understand why farmers are reluctant to adopt modern agricultural technologies, which are hailed for enhancing productivity, this study assessed the ...

Image analysis in the evaluation of the physiological potential of maize seeds1

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Crislaine Aparecida Gomes Pinto

Full Text Available The Seed Analysis System (SAS is used in the image analysis of seeds and seedlings, and has the potential for use in the control of seed quality. The aim of this research was to adapt the methodology of image analysis of maize seedlings by SAS, and to verify the potential use of this equipment in the evaluation of the physiological potential of maize seeds. Nine batches of two maize hybrids were characterised by means of the following tests and determinations: germination, first count, accelerated ageing, cold test, seedling emergence at 25 and 30ºC, and speed of emergence index. The image analysis experiment was carried out in a factorial scheme of 9 batches x 4 methods of analysis of the seedling images (with and without the use of NWF as substrate, and with and without manual correction of the images. Images of the seedlings were evaluated using the average lengths of the coleoptile, roots and seedlings; and by the automatic and manual indices of vigour, uniformity and growth produced by the SAS. Use of blue NWF afffects the initial development of maize seedlings. The physiological potential of maize seeds can be evaluated in seedlings which are seeded on white paper towels at a temperature of 25 °C and evaluated on the third day. Image analysis should be carried out with the SAS software using automatic calibration and with no correction of the seedling images. Use of SAS equipment for the analysis of seedling images is a potential tool in evaluating the physiological quality of maize seeds.

Improvement of Chia Seeds with Antioxidant Activity, GABA, Essential Amino Acids, and Dietary Fiber by Controlled Germination Bioprocess.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Favela, Mario Armando; Gutiérrez-Dorado, Roberto; Cuevas-Rodríguez, Edith Oliva; Canizalez-Román, Vicente Adrián; Del Rosario León-Sicairos, Claudia; Milán-Carrillo, Jorge; Reyes-Moreno, Cuauhtémoc

2017-12-01

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) plant is native from southern Mexico and northern Guatemala. Their seeds are a rich source of bioactive compounds which protect consumers against chronic diseases. Germination improves functionality of the seeds due to the increase in the bioactive compounds and associated antioxidant activity. The purpose of this study was to obtain functional flour from germinated chia seeds under optimized conditions with increased antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, GABA, essential amino acids, and dietary fiber with respect to un-germinated chia seeds. The effect of germination temperature and time (GT = 20-35 °C, Gt = 10-300 h) on protein, lipid, and total phenolic contents (PC, LC, TPC, respectively), and antioxidant activity (AoxA) was analyzed by response surface methodology as optimization tool. Chia seeds were germinated inside plastic trays with absorbent paper moisturized with 50 mL of 100 ppm sodium hypochlorite dissolution. The sprouts were dried (50 °C/8 h) and ground to obtain germinated chia flours (GCF). The prediction models developed for PC, LC, TPC, and AoxA showed high coefficients of determination, demonstrating their adequacy to explain the variations in experimental data. The highest values of PC, LC, TPC, and AoxA were obtained at two different optimal conditions (GT = 21 °C/Gt = 157 h; GT = 33 °C/Gt = 126 h). Optimized germinated chia flours (OGCF) had higher PC, TPC, AoxA, GABA, essential amino acids, calculated protein efficiency ratio (C-PER), and total dietary fiber (TDF) than un-germinated chia seed flour. The OGCF could be utilized as a natural source of proteins, dietary fiber, GABA, and antioxidants in the development of new functional beverages and foods.

The role of gibberellins in improving the resistance of tebuconazole-coated maize seeds to chilling stress by microencapsulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Lijuan; Yang, Daibin; Yan, Xiaojing; Cui, Li; Wang, Zhenying; Yuan, Huizhu

2016-11-07

Chilling stress during germination often causes severe injury. In the present study, maize seed germination and shoot growth under chilling stress were negatively correlated with the dose of tebuconazole in an exponential manner as predicted by the model Y = A + B × e (-x/k) . Microencapsulation was an effective means of eliminating potential phytotoxic risk. The gibberellins (GAs) contents were higher after microencapsulation treatment than after conventional treatment when the dose of tebuconazole was higher than 0.12 g AI (active ingredient) kg -1 seed. Further analysis indicated that microencapsulation can stimulate ent-kaurene oxidase (KO) activity to some extent, whereas GA 3-oxidase (GA3ox) and GA 2-oxidase (GA2ox) activities remained similar to those in the control. Genes encoding GA metabolic enzymes exhibited different expression patterns. Transcript levels of ZmKO1 increased in the microcapsule treatments compared to the control. Even when incorporated into microcapsules, tebuconazole led to the upregulation of ZmGA3ox1 at doses of less than 0.12 g AI kg -1 seed and to the upregulation of ZmGA3ox2 when the dose was higher than 0.12 g AI kg -1 seed. With increasing doses of microencapsulated tebuconazole, the transcript levels of ZmGA2ox4, ZmGA2ox5 and ZmGA2ox6 exhibited upward trends, whereas the transcript levels of ZmGA2ox7 exhibited a downward trend.

Barley germination

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daneri-Castro, Sergio N.; Svensson, Birte; Roberts, Thomas H.

2016-01-01

germination. Lastly, the application of metabolomics to barley grain germination provides essential data on biochemical processes, including insights into the formation of compounds that contribute to malt quality. To maximize the benefits of the 'omics' revolution to the malting industry, there is a need......Germination of barley grain is central to the malting industry and is a valuable model for cereal grain germination. Our current understanding of the complexity of germination at the molecular level is facilitated by access to genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic data. Here we review...... of germination in the context of industrial malting. For transcriptomics, recent advances in sequencing the barley genome allow next-generation sequencing approaches to reveal novel effects of variety and environment on germination. For proteomics, selection of the source tissue(s) and the protein extraction...

Effect of Salicylic Acid on the Growth and Physiological Characteristics of Maize under Stress Conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manzoor, K.; Ilyas, N.; Batool, N.; Arshad, M.; Ahmad, B.

2015-01-01

Salicylic acid (SA) is a naturally occurring signaling molecule and growth regulator that enhances plant growth particularly in stress conditions. The present study was planned to evaluate the effects of different levels of SA on maize growth under drought and salt stress conditions. An experiment was conducted to test the morphological, physiological and biochemical changes in two cultivar of maize D-1184 and TG-8250. Varying levels of salicylic acid, i.e. 5mM, 10mM and 15mM were applied through foliar method. Exogenous applications of salicylic acid were done after 20 days of germination of the maize plants. Salicylic acid significantly affects root and shoot dry matter under drought and salt stress. Foliar application of SA significantly increased proline concentration (11 percentage and 12 percentage), amino acid accumulation (25 percentage and 18 percentage), relative water (17 percentage and 14 percentage) and Chlorophyll content. Overall, it can be concluded that SA at lower concentration is effective to minimize the effect of stress conditions. Maize cultivar TG-8250 showed better tolerance under drought and salt stress condition as compared to D-1184 cultivar. (author)

Selection for drought tolerance in two tropical maize populations ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Drought is a major factor limiting maize (Zea mays L.) yield in much of the world. The need to breed maize cultivars with improved drought tolerance is apparent. This study compared two maize populations, ZM601 and ZM607 for drought tolerance during flowering, the most drought-vulnerable period for the maize plant.

Maize Stem Response to Long-Term Attack by Sesamia nonagrioides

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Victor M. Rodriguez

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Plants defend themselves against herbivores by activating a plethora of genetic and biochemical mechanisms aimed at reducing plant damage and insect survival. The short-term plant response to insect attack is well understood, but less is known about the maintenance of this response over time. We performed transcriptomic and metabolomics analyses in order to identify genes and metabolites involved in the long-term response of maize to attack by the corn borer Sesamina nonagrioides. To determine the role of elicitors present in caterpillar secretions, we also evaluated the response of maize stem challenged with insect regurgitates. The integrative analysis of the omics results revealed that the long-term response in maize is characterized by repression of the primary metabolism and a strong redox response, mainly mediated by germin-like proteins to produce anti-nutritive and toxic compounds that reduce insect viability, and with the glutathione–ascorbate cycle being crucial to minimize the adverse effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS on the plant. Our results suggest that different defense mechanisms are involved in the long-term response compared to those reported during the early response. We also observed a marginal effect of the caterpillar regurgitates on the long-term defensive response.

A bioplastic-based seed coating improves seedling growth and reduces production of coated seed dust. Journal of Crop Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Although recently introduced, film-coating of agronomic seeds is now widely accepted in modern agriculture as an effective technology for protecting germinating seeds and seedlings. These experiments explored the possibility of using a bioplastic-based formulation to film-coat corn (maize) and cano...

Effect of the habitat on the mass and germinative capacity of poison hemlock (Conium maculatum L. achenes

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Jan Winkler

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum L. is a overwintering annual or biennial herb, which propagates only generatively. We estimated the germinative capacity and weight of its achenes harvested on different habitats. The territory where achenes were picked up is situated in the municipality Holice near Olomouc, Czech Republic (altitude of 220–235 m. Material was collected in the years 2002 and 2003 on two different habitats. The first one was on a field after sugar beet and maize as preceding crops, the second one was an adjacent balk. The mass of seeds was estimated in ten replications (100 achenes each. Thereafter the achenes were weighed on an analytical scales. The germinative capacity was assessed under different conditions of germination. Altogether there were 8 variants of germination conditions in 10 replications (20 achenes each. The first and the last evaluation were performed on the 9th and 30th day of the experiment, respectively. The total average mass of 100 achenes originating from all habitats and both experimental years was 0.23 g. The total average germinative capacity of poison hemlock achenes was 53%. The mass of achenes from the balk site was significantly higher than those from the field but the difference in their germinative capacity was statistically insignificant. It was concluded that the hemlock can be considered as a negatively photoblastic plant. Its achenes which become ripe in the proximity of fields can show an important effect on their weed infestation.

Maize, switchgrass, and ponderosa pine biochar added to soil increased herbicide sorption and decreased herbicide efficacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Clay, Sharon A; Krack, Kaitlynn K; Bruggeman, Stephanie A; Papiernik, Sharon; Schumacher, Thomas E

2016-08-02

Biochar, a by-product of pyrolysis made from a wide array of plant biomass when producing biofuels, is a proposed soil amendment to improve soil health. This study measured herbicide sorption and efficacy when soils were treated with low (1% w/w) or high (10% w/w) amounts of biochar manufactured from different feedstocks [maize (Zea mays) stover, switchgrass (Panicum vigatum), and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)], and treated with different post-processing techniques. Twenty-four hour batch equilibration measured sorption of (14)C-labelled atrazine or 2,4-D to two soil types with and without biochar amendments. Herbicide efficacy was measured with and without biochar using speed of seed germination tests of sensitive species. Biochar amended soils sorbed more herbicide than untreated soils, with major differences due to biochar application rate but minor differences due to biochar type or post-process handling technique. Biochar presence increased the speed of seed germination compared with herbicide alone addition. These data indicate that biochar addition to soil can increase herbicide sorption and reduce efficacy. Evaluation for site-specific biochar applications may be warranted to obtain maximal benefits without compromising other agronomic practices.

Tumors of germinal cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plazas, Ricardo; Avila, Andres

2002-01-01

The tumors of germinal cells (TGC) are derived neoplasia of the primordial germinal cells that in the life embryonic migrant from the primitive central nervous system until being located in the gonads. Their cause is even unknown and they represent 95% of the testicular tumors. In them, the intention of the treatment is always healing and the diagnostic has improved thanks to the results of the handling multidisciplinary. The paper includes topics like their incidence and prevalence, epidemiology and pathology, clinic and diagnoses among other topics

Sub-Saharan African maize-based foods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ekpa, Onu; Palacios-Rojas, Natalia; Kruseman, Gideon; Fogliano, Vincenzo; Linnemann, Anita R.

2018-01-01

The demand for maize in Sub-Saharan Africa will triple by 2050 due to rapid population growth, while challenges from climate change will threaten agricultural productivity. Most maize breeding programmes have focused on improving agronomic properties and have paid relatively little attention to

VIGOR TESTS ASSOCIATION AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR PRECISE AND EFFICIENT ASSESSMENT OF MAIZE SEED QUALITY

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MARCOS ALTOMANI NEVES DIAS

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to associate two concepts of seed vigor testing, the aging and seedling growth using image analysis, providing a feasible and time-saving way to evaluate maize seed vigor in large scale. For this purpose, five seed lots with different vigor levels from two single hybrids were used. The seeds were characterized by moisture content, germination, seedling emergence, seedling emergence speed index, accelerated aging and cold tests. The treatments were composed by varying the accelerated aging periods (0, 24, 48, 72 and 96h and seedling growth periods (48 and 72h, before submitting the seedlings to image analysis for seedling root length measurement. Considering the results obtained, the adaptation of accelerated aging test by reducing the aging duration from 96h to 48h, and the replacement of the germination test by seedling root length measurement using image analysis could be considered a potential tool for maize seed vigor assessment. The treatments composed of 48h of seed aging followed by seedlings root length measurements using image analysis provided reliable data, compared to traditional vigor tests and it could be considered an efficient and timesaving approach, associating two different concepts of seed vigor analysis.

Response of maize (Zea mays L. saccharata Sturt) to different concentration treatments of deltamethrin.

Science.gov (United States)

Duran, Ragbet Ezgi; Kilic, Semra; Coskun, Yasemin

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the deltamethrin pesticide on the biological properties of maize (Zea mays L. saccharata Sturt). Maize seeds were exposed to environmentally relevant dosages (0.01, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.5 ppm) of deltamethrin. On the 7th day of germination, morphological, anatomical and physiological responses were determined. All seedling growth characters were decreased with increasing deltamethrin levels. The most negative effect on the radicle length of maize was observed by the highest deltamethrin concentration with a 61% decrease (P <0.05). Both stomatal density and stomatal dimension reduction were caused by increasing concentrations of deltamethrin. Moreover, the pigments like chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and caretonoids decreased with the increase in deltamethrin concentration. Conversely, anthocyanin and proline content increased in parallel with deltamethrin concentration. As a result, all morphological traits and pigments except for proline and anthocyanin were significantly reduced with an increase in pesticide concentration, compared to control (P <0.05). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhanced water stress tolerance of transgenic maize plants over-expressing LEA Rab28 gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Amara, Imen; Capellades, Montserrat; Ludevid, M Dolors; Pagès, Montserrat; Goday, Adela

2013-06-15

Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins participate in plant stress responses and contribute to the acquisition of desiccation tolerance. In this report Rab28 LEA gene has been over-expressed in maize plants under a constitutive maize promoter. The expression of Rab28 transcripts led to the accumulation and stability of Rab28 protein in the transgenic plants. Native Rab28 protein is localized to nucleoli in wild type maize embryo cells; here we find by whole-mount immunocytochemistry that in root cells of Rab28 transgenic and wild-type plants the protein is also associated to nucleolar structures. Transgenic plants were tested for stress tolerance and resulted in sustained growth under polyethyleneglycol (PEG)-mediated dehydration compared to wild-type controls. Under osmotic stress transgenic seedlings showed increased leaf and root areas, higher relative water content (RWC), reduced chlorophyll loss and lower Malondialdehyde (MDA) production in relation to wild-type plants. Moreover, transgenic seeds exhibited higher germination rates than wild-type seeds under water deficit. Overall, our results highlight the presence of transgenic Rab28 protein in nucleolar structures and point to the potential of group 5 LEA Rab28 gene as candidate to enhance stress tolerance in maize plants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Studies on food preferences of maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Mots. to different crops in Chitwan, Nepal

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Sheela Devi Sharma

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Food preference by the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky was studied on seven different crops and varieties including maize, wheat and rice. They were maize cultivars namely Arun-2, Manakamana-4, Deuti, buckwheat local cultivar, wheat cultivar namely Annapurna-1, polished rice-Radha 4 and unshelled rice cultivar Mansuli under storage condition at Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal from June 2013 to February 2014 . The hosts were tested using completely randomized design with three replications and were laid in free-choice and no-choice conditions. The maximum number of grain loss was recorded in wheat followed by polished rice respectively. Similarly, the highest weight loss was recorded in polished rice followed by Wheat in both conditions. F1 progeny emergence of weevil was highest in wheat followed by polished rice in free-choice and in no choice conditions, the highest progeny were emerged from polished rice followed by wheat. The lowest numbers of weevils emerged from rice in both conditions. Maximum germination losses were recorded in wheat (24.33% and lowest in Arun-2 (9.67. The rice showed a relatively higher preference to maize weevil under storage condition.

Spatial analysis of the distribution of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and losses in maize crop productivity using geo statistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farias, Paulo R.S.; Miranda, Vicente S.; Ribeiro, Susane M.; Barbosa, Jose C.; Busoli, Antonio C.; Overal, William L.

2008-01-01

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), is one of the chief pests of maize in the Americas. The study of its spatial distribution is fundamental for designing correct control strategies, improving sampling methods, determining actual and potential crop losses, and adopting precise agricultural techniques. In Sao Paulo state, Brazil, a maize field was sampled at weekly intervals, from germination through harvest, for caterpillar densities, using quadrates. In each of 200 quadrates, 10 plants were sampled per week. Harvest weights were obtained in the field for each quadrate, and ear diameters and lengths were also sampled (15 ears per quadrate) and used to estimate potential productivity of the quadrate. Geostatistical analyses of caterpillar densities showed greatest ranges for small caterpillars when semivariograms were adjusted for a spherical model that showed greatest fit. As the caterpillars developed in the field, their spatial distribution became increasingly random, as shown by a model adjusted to a straight line, indicating a lack of spatial dependence among samples. Harvest weight and ear length followed the spherical model, indicating the existence of spatial variability of the production parameters in the maize field. Geostatistics shows promise for the application of precise methods in the integrated control of pests. (author)

Spatial analysis of the distribution of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and losses in maize crop productivity using geo statistics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farias, Paulo R.S.; Miranda, Vicente S.; Ribeiro, Susane M. [Universidade Federal Rural da Amazonia (UFRA), Belem, PA (Brazil). Inst. de Ciencias Agrarias]. E-mail: paulo.farias@ufra.edu.br; Barbosa, Jose C. [UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Ciencias Agrarias e Veterinarias. Dept. de Ciencias Exatas; Busoli, Antonio C. [UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Ciencias Agrarias e Veterinarias. Dept. de Fitossanidade; Overal, William L. [Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi (MPEG), Belem, PA (Brazil). Coordenacao de Zoologia

2008-05-15

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), is one of the chief pests of maize in the Americas. The study of its spatial distribution is fundamental for designing correct control strategies, improving sampling methods, determining actual and potential crop losses, and adopting precise agricultural techniques. In Sao Paulo state, Brazil, a maize field was sampled at weekly intervals, from germination through harvest, for caterpillar densities, using quadrates. In each of 200 quadrates, 10 plants were sampled per week. Harvest weights were obtained in the field for each quadrate, and ear diameters and lengths were also sampled (15 ears per quadrate) and used to estimate potential productivity of the quadrate. Geostatistical analyses of caterpillar densities showed greatest ranges for small caterpillars when semivariograms were adjusted for a spherical model that showed greatest fit. As the caterpillars developed in the field, their spatial distribution became increasingly random, as shown by a model adjusted to a straight line, indicating a lack of spatial dependence among samples. Harvest weight and ear length followed the spherical model, indicating the existence of spatial variability of the production parameters in the maize field. Geostatistics shows promise for the application of precise methods in the integrated control of pests. (author)

Improved evidence-based genome-scale metabolic models for maize leaf, embryo, and endosperm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seaver, Samuel M. D.; Bradbury, Louis M. T.; Frelin, Océane; Zarecki, Raphy; Ruppin, Eytan; Hanson, Andrew D.; Henry, Christopher S.

2015-03-10

There is a growing demand for genome-scale metabolic reconstructions for plants, fueled by the need to understand the metabolic basis of crop yield and by progress in genome and transcriptome sequencing. Methods are also required to enable the interpretation of plant transcriptome data to study how cellular metabolic activity varies under different growth conditions or even within different organs, tissues, and developmental stages. Such methods depend extensively on the accuracy with which genes have been mapped to the biochemical reactions in the plant metabolic pathways. Errors in these mappings lead to metabolic reconstructions with an inflated number of reactions and possible generation of unreliable metabolic phenotype predictions. Here we introduce a new evidence-based genome-scale metabolic reconstruction of maize, with significant improvements in the quality of the gene-reaction associations included within our model. We also present a new approach for applying our model to predict active metabolic genes based on transcriptome data. This method includes a minimal set of reactions associated with low expression genes to enable activity of a maximum number of reactions associated with high expression genes. We apply this method to construct an organ-specific model for the maize leaf, and tissue specific models for maize embryo and endosperm cells. We validate our models using fluxomics data for the endosperm and embryo, demonstrating an improved capacity of our models to fit the available fluxomics data. All models are publicly available via the DOE Systems Biology Knowledgebase and PlantSEED, and our new method is generally applicable for analysis transcript profiles from any plant, paving the way for further in silico studies with a wide variety of plant genomes.

Exploring karyotype diversity of Argentinian Guaraní maize landraces: Relationship among South American maize.

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María Florencia Realini

Full Text Available In Argentina there are two different centers of maize diversity, the Northeastern (NEA and the Northwestern (NWA regions of the country. In NEA, morphological studies identified 15 landraces cultivated by the Guaraní communities in Misiones Province. In the present study we analyzed the karyotype diversity of 20 populations of Guaraní maize landraces through classical and molecular cytogenetic analyses. Our results demonstrate significant intra and inter-populational variation in the percentage, number, size, chromosome position and frequencies of the heterochromatic blocks, which are called knobs. Knob sequence analysis (180-bp and TR-1 did not show significant differences among Guaraní populations. B chromosomes were not detected, and abnormal 10 (AB10 chromosomes were found with low frequency (0.1≥f ≤0.40 in six populations. Our results allowed karyotypic characterization of each analyzed population, defining for the first time the chromosomal constitution of maize germplasm from NEA. The multivariate analysis (PCoA and UPGMA of karyotype parameters allowed the distinction between two populations groups: the Popcorn and the Floury maize populations. These results are in agreement with previously published microsatellite and morphological/phenological studies. Finally, we compared our karyotype results with those previously reported for NWA and Central Region of South America maize. Our data suggest that there are important differences between maize from NEA and NWA at the karyotype level, supporting the hypothesis that there are two pathways of input of South America maize. Our results also confirm the existence of two centers of diversification of Argentinian native maize, NWA and NEA. This work contributes new knowledge about maize diversity, which is relevant for future plans to improve commercial maize, and for conservation of agrobiodiversity.

Pollen viability, physiology, and production of maize plants exposed to pyraclostrobin+epoxiconazole.

Science.gov (United States)

Junqueira, Verônica Barbosa; Costa, Alan Carlos; Boff, Tatiana; Müller, Caroline; Mendonça, Maria Andréia Corrêa; Batista, Priscila Ferreira

2017-04-01

The use of fungicides in maize has been more frequent due to an increase in the incidence of diseases and also the possible physiological benefits that some of these products may cause. However, some of these products (e.g., strobilurins and triazoles) may interfere with physiological processes and the formation of reproductive organs. Therefore, the effect of these products on plants at different developmental stages needs to be better understood to reduce losses and maximize production. The effect of the fungicide pyraclostrobin+epoxiconazole (P+E) was evaluated at different growth stages in meiosis, pollen grain viability and germination, physiology, and production of maize plants in the absence of disease. An experiment was carried out with the hybrid DKB390 PROII and the application of pyraclostrobin+epoxiconazole at the recommended dose and an untreated control at 3 different timings (S1 - V10; S2 - V14; S3 - R1) with 5 replications. Gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, pollen viability and germination, as well as the hundred-grain weight were evaluated. Anthers were collected from plants of S1 for cytogenetic analysis. The fungicide pyraclostrobin+epoxiconazole reduced the viability of pollen grains (1.4%), but this was not enough to reduce production. Moreover, no differences were observed in any of the other parameters analyzed, suggesting that P+E at the recommended dose and the tested stages does not cause toxic effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR and cover crops on seed germination and early establishment of field dodder (Cuscuta campestris Yunk.

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Sarić-Krsmanović Marija

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Several bacterial cultures: Bacillus licheniformis (MO1, B. pumilus (MO2, and B. amyloliquefaciens (MO3, isolated from manure; B. megatherium ZP6 (MO4 isolated from maize rhizosphere; Azotobacter chroococcum Ps1 (MO5 and Pseudomonas fluorescens (MO6, were used to test the influence of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR on seed germination and germination rate of field dodder (Cuscuta campestris Yunk.. Also, to examine the effect of host seeds on germination and initial growth of seedlings of field dodder plants in the dark and under white light, the seeds of four host plants were used (watermelon, red clover, alfalfa and sugar beet. Germinated seeds were counted daily over a ten-day period and the length of seedlings was measured on the final day. The results show that treatments MO3, MO4 and MO6 had inhibitory effects (15%, 65% and 52%, respectively, while treatments MO1, MO2 and MO5 had stimulating effects (3%, 3% and 19%, respectively on seed germination of field dodder. The data for host seeds show that light was a significant initial factor (83-95%, control 95% for stimulating seed germination of field dodder plants, apart from host presence (73-79%, control 80%.

Use of the crop maize to reduce yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L. pressure in highly infested fields in Switzerland

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Keller, Martina

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Cyperus esculentus L. causes high yield losses in many crops worldwide. In Switzerland it was observed for the first time about 30 years ago. Since then it has become a serious weed in several regions - especially where vegetables are produced. Growing vegetables in heavily infested fields should be abandoned due to their low competitiveness and the lack of available, effective herbicides. Contrarily, in maize several herbicides with a partial effect on C. esculentus are registered. Thus, continuous cultivation of maize including the use of the most effective herbicides against C. esculentus could help reducing infestation levels in heavily infested fields. Field trials were carried out at two sites in maize during 2011 and 2012. Different herbicide combinations, hoeing and herbicide applications combined with hoeing were the applied treatments. Split application was compared with one single application of the same amount of product. The effect of an additional, late under leaf herbicide application was determined as well. Cyperus esculentus coverage was estimated in the fields in 2011. Plots were sampled in spring 2011, autumn 2011 and autumn 2012. The Number of C. esculentus sprouts germinated from the soil samples was determined under greenhouse conditions. The most effective herbicide combination of registered active ingredients was rimsulfuron and mesotrione. Smetolachlor was effective as well, especially if combined with mechanical weed control. Halosulfuron-methyl applied twice provided the best C. esculentus control. Split application tended to be more effective than a single application. Control of C. esculentus could be improved considerably with an additional herbicide application in late June (under leaf. The treatments with highest C. esculentus control determined in the field trials and combinations thereof are effective treatment options for C. esculentus control in maize. These findings indicate and confirm that maize cropped for

Germination and storage of caranda seeds (Copernicia alba

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Tathiana Elisa Masetto

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Caranda is a Brazilian native palm tree, belonging to Arecaceae family and occurring, predominan,t in the Brazilian Swampland. This work studied the germination and the caranda seeds storage behavior. The germination study was carried out in the temperatures of 25ºC and 30ºC in constant white light and the alternate temperature of 20/30ºC with 10 hours of darkness for the lowest temperature and 14 hours of light for the highest temperature, using paper and paper roll as substratum. At the end of test, the germination percentage, germination speed index, germination medium time and the primary root length were evaluated. After the seeds improvement, it was obtained two sub-samples destined for 30 days storage in two invironments: cold and dry chamber (16ºC/55% UR and freezer (-18ºC. The following tests, water content, germination, germination medium time and primary root length were evaluated. The caranda seeds germination in paper roll and on paper is favored by the temperature of 20/30ºC in paper roll and on paper and paper roll on 30ºC. The freezing and cold camera storage during 30 days are efficient to reduce the germination medium time of caranda seeds and to keep the germination percentage.

Silicon improves seed germination and alleviates drought stress in lentil crops by regulating osmolytes, hydrolytic enzymes and antioxidant defense system.

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Biju, Sajitha; Fuentes, Sigfredo; Gupta, Dorin

2017-10-01

Silicon (Si) has been widely reported to have beneficial effect on mitigating drought stress in plants. However, the effect of Si on seed germination under drought conditions is still poorly understood. This research was carried out to ascertain the role of Si to abate polyethylene glycol-6000 mediated drought stress on seed germination and seedling growth of lentil. Results showed that drought stress significantly decreased the seed germination traits and increased the concentration of osmolytes (proline, glycine betaine and soluble sugars), reactive oxygen species (hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion) and lipid peroxides in lentil seedlings. The activities of hydrolytic enzymes and antioxidant enzymes increased significantly under osmotic stress. The application of Si significantly enhanced the plants ability to withstand drought stress conditions through increased Si content, improved antioxidants, hydrolytic enzymes activity, decreased concentration of osmolytes and reactive oxygen species. Multivariate data analysis showed statistically significant correlations among the drought-tolerance traits, whereas cluster analysis categorised the genotypes into distinct groups based on their drought-tolerance levels and improvements in expression of traits due to Si application. Thus, these results showed that Si supplementation of lentil was effective in alleviating the detrimental effects of drought stress on seed germination and increased seedling vigour. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Silicon improves seed germination and alleviates oxidative stress of bud seedlings in tomato under water deficit stress.

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Shi, Yu; Zhang, Yi; Yao, Hejin; Wu, Jiawen; Sun, Hao; Gong, Haijun

2014-05-01

The beneficial effects of silicon on plant growth and development under drought have been widely reported. However, little information is available on the effects of silicon on seed germination under drought. In this work, the effects of exogenous silicon (0.5 mM) on the seed germination and tolerance performance of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) bud seedlings under water deficit stress simulated by 10% (w/v) polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) were investigated in four cultivars ('Jinpengchaoguan', 'Zhongza No.9', 'Houpi L402' and 'Oubao318'). The results showed that the seed germination percentage was notably decreased in the four cultivars under water stress, and it was significantly improved by added silicon. Compared with the non-silicon treatment, silicon addition increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and decreased the production of superoxide anion (O2·) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the radicles of bud seedlings under water stress. Addition of silicon decreased the total phenol concentrations in radicles under water stress, which might contribute to the decrease of peroxidase (POD) activity, as observed in the in vivo and in vitro experiments. The decrease of POD activity might contribute to a less accumulation of hydroxyl radical (·OH) under water stress. Silicon addition also decreased the concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the radicles under stress, indicating decreased lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that exogenous silicon could improve seed germination and alleviate oxidative stress to bud seedling of tomato by enhancing antioxidant defense. The positive effects of silicon observed in a silicon-excluder also suggest the active involvement of silicon in biochemical processes in plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Contributions of Zea mays subspecies mexicana haplotypes to modern maize.

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Yang, Ning; Xu, Xi-Wen; Wang, Rui-Ru; Peng, Wen-Lei; Cai, Lichun; Song, Jia-Ming; Li, Wenqiang; Luo, Xin; Niu, Luyao; Wang, Yuebin; Jin, Min; Chen, Lu; Luo, Jingyun; Deng, Min; Wang, Long; Pan, Qingchun; Liu, Feng; Jackson, David; Yang, Xiaohong; Chen, Ling-Ling; Yan, Jianbing

2017-11-30

Maize was domesticated from lowland teosinte (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis), but the contribution of highland teosinte (Zea mays ssp. mexicana, hereafter mexicana) to modern maize is not clear. Here, two genomes for Mo17 (a modern maize inbred) and mexicana are assembled using a meta-assembly strategy after sequencing of 10 lines derived from a maize-teosinte cross. Comparative analyses reveal a high level of diversity between Mo17, B73, and mexicana, including three Mb-size structural rearrangements. The maize spontaneous mutation rate is estimated to be 2.17 × 10 -8 ~3.87 × 10 -8 per site per generation with a nonrandom distribution across the genome. A higher deleterious mutation rate is observed in the pericentromeric regions, and might be caused by differences in recombination frequency. Over 10% of the maize genome shows evidence of introgression from the mexicana genome, suggesting that mexicana contributed to maize adaptation and improvement. Our data offer a rich resource for constructing the pan-genome of Zea mays and genetic improvement of modern maize varieties.

Comparing different maize supplementation strategies to improve resilience and resistance against gastrointestinal nematode infections in browsing goats.

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Gárate-Gallardo, Leslie; Torres-Acosta, Juan Felipe de Jesús; Aguilar-Caballero, Armando Jacinto; Sandoval-Castro, Carlos Alfredo; Cámara-Sarmiento, Ramón; Canul-Ku, Hilda Lorena

2015-01-01

The effect of maize grain supplementation on the resilience and resistance of browsing Criollo goat kids against gastrointestinal nematodes was evaluated. Five-month-old kids (n = 42), raised worm-free, were allocated to five groups: infected + not supplemented (I-NS; n = 10), infected + maize supplement at 108 g/d (I-S108; n = 8), maize supplement at 1% of body weight (BW) (I-S1%; n = 8), maize supplement at 1.5% BW (I-S1.5%; n = 8), or infected + supplemented (maize supplement 1.5% BW) + moxidectin (0.2 mg/kg BW subcutaneously every 28 d) (T-S1.5%; n = 8). Kids browsed daily (7 h) in a tropical forest for 112 days during the rainy season. Kids were weighed weekly to adjust supplementary feeding. Hematocrit (Ht), hemoglobin (Hb), and eggs per gram of feces were determined fortnightly. On day 112, five goat kids were slaughtered per group to determine worm burdens. Kids of the I-S1.5% group showed similar body-weight change, Ht and Hb, compared to kids without gastrointestinal nematodes (T-S1.5%), as well as lower eggs per gram of feces and Trichostrongylus colubriformis worm burden compared to the I-NS group (P > 0.05). Thus, among the supplement levels tested, increasing maize supplementation at 1.5% BW of kids was the best strategy to improve their resilience and resistance against natural gastrointestinal nematode infections under the conditions of forage from the tropical forest. © L. Gárate-Gallardo et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2015.

Combining Ability for Germination Traits in Jatropha curcas L.

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A. K. M. Aminul Islam

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Six parents of Jatropha curcas were crossed in half diallel fashion, and the F1s were evaluated to determine the combining ability for nine germination parameters. The ratio between general combining ability (GCA and specific combining ability (SCA variances indicated preponderance of additive gene action for all the characters except germination percentage, time of 50% germination, seedling length, and seedling vigor index. The parents P1 and P2 were the best general combiner for most of the characters studied. The cross P1×P5 was the best specific combiner for speed of emergence, germination percentage, germination energy, germination index, and seedling vigor index, the cross P2×P5 for mean germination time, time of 50% germination, and seedling length, and the cross P4×P5 for number of days to first germination. The germination percentage varied from 58.06 to 92.76% among the parents and 53.43 to 98.96% among the hybrids. The highest germination (98.96% was observed in hybrid P2×P4, and none of the hybrids or parents showed 100% germination. The highest germination index (GI and seedling vigor index (SVI were found in hybrid P1×P5 and P2×P5, respectively. The results of this study provide clue for the improvement of Jatropha variety through breeding program.

Genetic resources in maize breeding

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Anđelković Violeta

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Maize, wheat and rice are the most important cereals grown in the world. It is predicted that by 2025 maize is likely to become the crop with the greatest production globally. Conservation of maize germplasm provides the main resources for increased food and feed production. Conservation in gene banks (ex-situ is dominant strategy for maize conservation. More than 130 000 maize accessions, e.g. about 40% of total number, are stored in ten largest gene banks worldwide and Maize Research Institute Zemun Polje (MRIZP gene bank, with about 6000 accessions, is among them. Organized collecting missions started in 1961. in the former Yugoslavian territory, and up today, more than 2000 local maize landraces were stored. Pre-breeding activities that refer to identification of desirable traits from unadapted germplasm within genebank, result in materials expected to be included in breeding programs. Successful examples are LAMP, GEM and GENRES projects. At the end of XX century, at MRIZP genebank two pre-breeding activities were undertaken: eco-core and elite-core collections were created and landraces fulfilled particular criteria were chosen. In the last decade, MRIZP genebank collection was used for identification of sources for drought tolerance and improved grain quality. According to agronomic traits and general combining ability, two mini-core collections were created and included in commercial breeding programs.

The effect of low dose gamma irradiation on maize production (1985-1988)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Oudat, M.; Khalifa, K.

1990-06-01

Presowing seed irradiation has been reported as a useful application of radiation in agriculture to stimulate growth and increase the yield of certain field crops. To the best of our knowledge the feasibility of this treatment has not yet been tested on maize in Syria. Our experiments were carried out in controlled, in field conditions, and in a large scale application. Samples of air dried seeds of maize (Var. Gota-82 and LG-11) of previous season were irradiated by gamma-rays from a 137 Cs sourse using doses of 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 and 50 Gy. at dose rate of 9.8 - 9.2 Gy/min. Then were planted after 2 days from irradiation with unirradiated control, in complete randomized block design and replicated 4 times for four seasons (1985-1988). The date revealed that gamma irradiation, at interval doses of 5 - 10 Gy led to, first: Acceleration of seed germination, faster development, intensive development of root system, increase plant hieght (12 - 19%) and significant increase in ear size and number, and second: Increase both green mass (15 - 35%) and seed yield (10 - 31%), and percentage of seed protein (2 - 17%). Large scale applications were performed in 1987 and 1988 using a transportable irradiation unit POC-1 137 Cs and dose of 7.5 Gy. A significant yield increase was obtained from all fields. The average percentage increment varied from 13 - 30% which is approximately 382-765 Kg/h. Therefore, presowing seed irradiation with low doses gamma irradiation ranging from 5 to 10 Gy, was found to be feasible for application in qualitative and quantitative improvement of maize yield. (author). 38 refs., 12 figs., 44 tabs

Improved health-relevant functionality in dark germinated Mucuna pruriens sprouts by elicitation with peptide and phytochemical elicitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Randhir, Reena; Kwon, Young-In; Shetty, Kalidas

2009-10-01

The health-relevant functionality of Mucuna pruriens was improved by priming the seeds with elicitors of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) such as fish protein hydrolysates (FPHs), lactoferrin (LF) and oregano extract (OE) followed by dark germination. FPH elicited the highest phenolic content of 19 mg/g FW on day 1, which was 38% higher than control sprouts. OE enhanced Parkinson's disease-relevant L-DOPA content by 33% on day 1 compared to control sprouts. Anti-diabetes-relevant alpha-amylase inhibition percent (AIP) and alpha-glucosidase inhibition percent (GIP) were high in the cotyledons and decreased following elicitation and sprouting. For potential anti-diabetic applications, low AIP and high GIP with moderate L-DOPA content on day 4 of dark germination could be optimal. Improved L-DOPA concentrations in a soluble phenolic and antioxidant-rich M. pruriens background on day 1 sprouts have potential for Parkinson's disease management.

Microorganisms control during processing of germinated brown rice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, K.; Maekawa, T.

1999-01-01

In order to limit the growth of microorganisms during processing of germinated brown rice (GBR), three kinds of operations for sanitation control were investigated. For a surface-disinfection treatment of brown rice, soaking in 1% of sodium hypochlorite for 10min. and 0.1% of calcium preparation solutions for 10min. at 30°C, resulted in 2log decrease by aerobic plate count in culture water after 1h of the germination processing. Soaking in 10% of sodium hypochlorite for 10min. and 1% of calcium preparation solutions for 10min at 30°C were found to inhibit germination, respectively. During the germination processing, including aeration stage and non-aeration stage, continuous ultraviolet irradiation on the culture water in the water tank resulted in limited bacterial growth in culture water below 102CFU/ml by aerobic plate count. Moreover, the turbidity of the culture water was improved by filtration of the stored water using activated carbon-hollow fiber filter. The filtration by activated carbon-hollow fiber filter during the germination processing was an effective method to eliminate microorganisms and contamination factor during GBR production. It also improved the efficiency of ultraviolet irradiation effect on the culture water

Aflatoxins and fumonisin contamination of marketed maize, maize ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aflatoxins and fumonisin contamination of marketed maize, maize bran and maize used as animal feed in northern ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH ... African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development.

Genetic Engineering of Maize (Zea mays L.) with Improved Grain Nutrients.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiaotong; Duan, Xiaoguang; Wu, Yongzhen; Cheng, Jieshan; Zhang, Juan; Zhang, Hongxia; Li, Bei

2018-02-21

Cell-wall invertase plays important roles in the grain filling of crop plants. However, its functions in the improvement of grain nutrients have not been investigated. In this work, the stable expression of cell-wall-invertase-encoding genes from different plant species and the contents of total starch, protein, amino acid, nitrogen, lipid, and phosphorus were examined in transgenic maize plants. High expressions of the cell-wall-invertase gene conferred enhanced invertase activity and sugar content in transgenic plants, leading to increased grain yield and improved grain nutrients. Transgenic plants with high expressions of the transgene produced more total starch, protein, nitrogen, and essential amino acids in the seeds. Overall, the results indicate that the cell-wall-invertase gene can be used as a potential candidate for the genetic breeding of grain crops with both improved grain yield and quality.

Physiological quality and gene expression related to heat-resistant proteins at different stages of development of maize seeds.

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Andrade, T; Von Pinho, E V R; Von Pinho, R G; Oliveira, G E; Andrade, V; Fernandes, J S

2013-09-13

We quantified and characterized the expression of heat-resistant proteins during seed development of maize lines with distinct levels of tolerance to high drying temperature. A corn field was planted for multiplication of seeds of different lines, two tolerant and two non-tolerant to high drying temperatures. Harvest of the seeds was carried out at various stages of development and they were then subjected to tests of moisture content, germination, first count of germination, accelerated aging, and cold test. The seeds were stored in a freezer for later analysis of expression of heat-resistant proteins by means of real-time PCR, electrophoresis, and spectrophotometry. We observed that heat-resistant proteins are expressed in a differential manner in seeds from different lines and at different stages of development. The expression of heat-resistant proteins was earlier in lines tolerant to high drying temperatures. Greater germination and vigor values was found for seeds collected at the last stage of development.

Review: Maize research and production in Nigeria | Iken | African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Maize (Zea mays) is a major important cereal being cultivated in the rainforest and the derived Savannah zones of Nigeria. Land races, improved high yielding and pest and diseases resistant varieties of maize have been developed. Key words: Maize, Zea mays, Nigeria. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.3(6) 2004: 302- ...

Early colonization pattern of maize (Zea mays L. Poales, Poaceae roots by Herbaspirillum seropedicae (Burkholderiales, Oxalobacteraceae

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Rose A. Monteiro

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae is an endophytic diazotroph found in several plants, including economically important poaceous species. However, the mechanisms involved in the interaction between H. seropedicae and these plants are not completely characterized. We investigated the attachment of Herbaspirillum to maize roots and the invasion of the roots by this bacterium using H. seropedicae strain SMR1 transformed with the suicide plasmid pUTKandsRed, which carries a mini-Tn5 transposon containing the gene for the Discosoma red fluorescent protein (Dsred constitutively expressed together with the kanamycin resistance gene. Integration of the mini-Tn5 into the bacterial chromosome yielded the mutant H. seropedicae strain RAM4 which was capable of expressing Dsred and could be observed on and inside fresh maize root samples. Confocal microscopy of maize roots inoculated with H. seropedicae three days after germination showed that H. seropedicae cell were attached to the root surface 30 min after inoculation, were visible in the internal tissues after twenty-four hours and in the endodermis, the central cylinder and xylem after three days.

Efficiency of mineral fertilizers and mucuna on the improvement of the yield of maize in zimbabwe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pieterse, P.J.; Agenbag, G.A.

2014-01-01

In Zimbabwe farmers use sub-optimal amounts of fertilizers due to cash limitations and poor access to fertilizer markets, hence the need to integrate legumes like mucuna (Mucuna pruriens) into their cropping systems. In this study, the effect of P and N along with different mucuna management options was investigated on the yield and yield components of maize. The experimental design was a split - split- plot with two P rates (0 and 40 kg P ha/sup -1/) applied to a preceding mucuna crop, four mucuna management options 1) fallow (F), 2) mucuna ploughed in at flowering (MF), 3) all mucuna above ground biomass removed at maturity and only roots were ploughed in (MAR) and 4) mucuna pods removed and the residues ploughed in (MPR 3 and four N treatments (N0 = 0, N1 =40, N2 = 80 and N3 = 120 kg N ha/sup -1/ respectively) applied to a subsequent maize crop. The various crop parameters like grain yield, cob length, number of grains per cob, cob diameter, 1000 dry grain weight, stalk weight and harvest index of maize were determined. Phosphorous application improved mean maize grain yield from 2.29 t ha/sup -1/ to 2.34 t ha/sup -1/. The MF and N3 treatment combination resulted in the highest maize grain yield. The MF and MPR and N0 treatment combinations resulted in similar grain yields when compared with F and MAR management options and N3. Other parameters followed similar trends. The MF and MPR management options could, therefore, save 80 and 120 kg N ha/sup -1/for smallholder farmers without sacrificing yield. (author)

Whole transcriptome profiling of maize during early somatic embryogenesis reveals altered expression of stress factors and embryogenesis-related genes.

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Stella A G D Salvo

Full Text Available Embryogenic tissue culture systems are utilized in propagation and genetic engineering of crop plants, but applications are limited by genotype-dependent culture response. To date, few genes necessary for embryogenic callus formation have been identified or characterized. The goal of this research was to enhance our understanding of gene expression during maize embryogenic tissue culture initiation. In this study, we highlight the expression of candidate genes that have been previously regarded in the literature as having important roles in somatic embryogenesis. We utilized RNA based sequencing (RNA-seq to characterize the transcriptome of immature embryo explants of the highly embryogenic and regenerable maize genotype A188 at 0, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours after placement of explants on tissue culture initiation medium. Genes annotated as functioning in stress response, such as glutathione-S-transferases and germin-like proteins, and genes involved with hormone transport, such as PINFORMED, increased in expression over 8-fold in the study. Maize genes with high sequence similarity to genes previously described in the initiation of embryogenic cultures, such as transcription factors BABY BOOM, LEAFY COTYLEDON, and AGAMOUS, and important receptor-like kinases such as SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR LIKE KINASES and CLAVATA, were also expressed in this time course study. By combining results from whole genome transcriptome analysis with an in depth review of key genes that play a role in the onset of embryogenesis, we propose a model of coordinated expression of somatic embryogenesis-related genes, providing an improved understanding of genomic factors involved in the early steps of embryogenic culture initiation in maize and other plant species.

Chemical and nutritional values of maize and maize products ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Maize and maize products in selected grain markets within Kaduna, Nigeria, were obtained and investigated for proximate and mineral composition analysis using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) and flame photometer. Proximate composition of maize and maize products were in the range of 11.6- 20 .0% ...

PERFORMANCE OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS) CULTIVARS AS ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

IBUKUN

reported to have low remobilisation efficiency and reduced plasticity of seed weight to assimilate availability ... have indicated that the use of organo-mineral fertiliser in maize and melon gave high relative .... The soil physical and chemical characteristics of ..... yield in maize by examining genetic improvement and heterosis.

Effects of norflurazon, an inhibitor of carotenogenesis, on abscisic acid and xanthoxin in the caps of gravistimulated maize roots

Science.gov (United States)

Feldman, L. J.; Sun, P. S.

1986-01-01

Maize seeds were germinated in the dark in the presence of the carotenoid synthesis inhibitor norflurazon and the levels of abscisic acid, xanthoxin and total carotenoids were measured in the root cap and in the adjacent 1.5 mm segment. In norflurazon-treated roots abscisic acid levels were markedly reduced, but an increase occurred in the levels of xanthoxin, a compound structurally and physiologically similar to abscisic acid. In the cultivar of maize (Zea mays L. cv. Merit) used for this work, brief illumination of the root is required for gravitropic curving. Following illumination both control and norflurazon-treated roots showed normal gravitropic curvature; however, the rate of curvature was delayed in norflurazon-treated roots. Our data from norflurazon-treated roots are consistent with a role for xanthoxin in maize root gravitropism. The increase in xanthoxin in the presence of an inhibitor of carotenoid synthesis suggests that xanthoxin and abscisic acid originate, at least in part, via different metabolic pathways.

Sequence-indexed mutations in maize using the UniformMu transposon-tagging population

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Baier John

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gene knockouts are a critical resource for functional genomics. In Arabidopsis, comprehensive knockout collections were generated by amplifying and sequencing genomic DNA flanking insertion mutants. These Flanking Sequence Tags (FSTs map each mutant to a specific locus within the genome. In maize, FSTs have been generated using DNA transposons. Transposable elements can generate unstable insertions that are difficult to analyze for simple knockout phenotypes. Transposons can also generate somatic insertions that fail to segregate in subsequent generations. Results Transposon insertion sites from 106 UniformMu FSTs were tested for inheritance by locus-specific PCR. We confirmed 89% of the FSTs to be germinal transposon insertions. We found no evidence for somatic insertions within the 11% of insertion sites that were not confirmed. Instead, this subset of insertion sites had errors in locus-specific primer design due to incomplete or low-quality genomic sequences. The locus-specific PCR assays identified a knockout of a 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase gene that co-segregates with a seed mutant phenotype. The mutant phenotype linked to this knockout generates novel hypotheses about the role for the plastid-localized oxidative pentose phosphate pathway during grain-fill. Conclusion We show that FSTs from the UniformMu population identify stable, germinal insertion sites in maize. Moreover, we show that these sequence-indexed mutations can be readily used for reverse genetic analysis. We conclude from these data that the current collection of 1,882 non-redundant insertion sites from UniformMu provide a genome-wide resource for reverse genetics.

Iron and zinc absorption from weaning foods prepared from germinated cereals and legumes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuizon, M.D.

1992-01-01

Iron deficiency anaemia is a public health problem in the Philippines especially in infants, children and pregnant women. The immediate cause is inadequate intake of available iron to meet increased iron requirements. Iron supplementation studies on pregnant women showed improvement in haemoglobin level and reduction of prevalence of anaemia. A project on iron fortification of rice with ferrous sulphate is going on. It is proposed to study iron and zinc absorption from weaning food prepared from germinated rice: mungbean, germinated rice: cowpea, and germinated corn:mungbean to support the finding that these formulations will alleviate not only protein-energy malnutrition but contribute to improvement of iron status as well since iron contents are higher and anti-nutritional factors (phytates and tannin) are either reduced or eliminated. This study aims to measure the iron and zinc absorption from weaning foods prepared from germinated rice-mungbean, germinated rice-cowpea, and germinated corn-mungbean and to indicate usefullness of modifying local foods to improve iron absorption. 24 refs, 4 figs

Developing a database for maize variety in Nigeria | Daniel | Moor ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Performance data of maize varieties at different locations needs to be accurate and accessible to stimulate the improvement of the Nigerian maize seed system. This paper describes a database model to implement a simple computerized information system for maize varieties and their performance at various locations in ...

Improving phenolic bioactive-linked anti-hyperglycemic functions of dark germinated barley sprouts (Hordeum vulgare L.) using seed elicitation strategy.

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Ramakrishna, Ramnarain; Sarkar, Dipayan; Manduri, Avani; Iyer, Shreyas Ganesan; Shetty, Kalidas

2017-10-01

Sprouts of cereal grains, such as barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.), are a good source of beneficial phenolic bioactives. Such health relevant phenolic bioactives of cereal sprouts can be targeted to manage chronic hyperglycemia and oxidative stress commonly associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Therefore improving phenolic bioactives by stimulating plant endogenous defense responses such as protective pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) during sprouting has significant merit. Based on this metabolic rationale, this study aimed to enhance phenolic bioactives and associated antioxidant and anti-hyperglycemic functions in dark germinated barley sprouts using exogenous elicitor treatments. Dark-germinated sprouts of two malting barley cultivars (Pinnacle and Celebration), treated with chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) and marine protein hydrolysate (GP), were evaluated. Total soluble phenolic content (TSP), phenolic acid profiles, total antioxidant activity (TA) and in vitro inhibitory activities of hyperglycemia relevant α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes of the dark germinated barley sprouts were evaluated at day 2, 4, and 6 post elicitor treatments. Overall, TSP content, TA, and α-amylase inhibitory activity of dark germinated barley sprouts decreased, while α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and gallic acid content increased from day 2 to day 6. Among barley cultivars, high phenolic antioxidant-linked anti-hyperglycemic bioactives were observed in Celebration. Furthermore, GP and COS seed elicitor treatments in selective doses improved T2D relevant phenolic-linked anti-hyperglycemic bioactives of barley spouts at day 6. Therefore, such seed elicitation approach can be strategically used to develop bioactive enriched functional food ingredients from cereal sprouts targeting chronic hyperglycemia and oxidative stress linked to T2D.

Effect of organic fertilizers on maize production in Eastern Georgia

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Jolokhava, Tamar; Kenchiashvili, Naira; Tarkhnishvili, Maia; Ghambashidze, Giorgi

2016-04-01

Maize remains to be the most important cereal crop in Georgia. Total area of arable land under cereal crops production equals to 184 thousands hectares (FAO statistical yearbook, 2014), from which maize takes the biggest share. Leading position of maize among other cereal crops is caused by its dual purpose as food and feed product. In Spite of a relatively high production of maize to other cereals there is still a high demand on it, especially as feed for animal husbandry. The same tendency is seen in organic production, where producers of livestock and poultry products require organically grown maize, the average yield of which is much less than those produced conventionally. Therefore, it is important to increase productivity of maize in organic farms. Current study aimed to improve maize yield using locally produced organic fertilizers and to compare them to the effect of mineral fertilizers. The study was carried out in Eastern Georgia under dry subtropical climate conditions on local hybrid of maize. This is the first attempt to use hybrid maize (developed with organic plant breeding method) in organic field trials in Georgia. The results shown, that grain yield from two different types of organic fertilizers reached 70% of the yields achieved with industrial mineral fertilizers. As on farm level differences between organic and conventional maize production are much severe, the results from the field trials seems to be promising for future improvement of organic cereal crop production.

Controlling aflatoxins in maize in Africa: strategies, challenges and opportunities for improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Maize (Zea mays) is the most important food staple in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), accounting for up to 70% of the total human calorific intake (Byerlee and Hiesey, 1996; Martin et al., 2000). In southern Africa, per capita annual consumption of maize remains well over 100 kg, with countries such as Ma...

Farmers' preferences and the factors affecting their decision to improve maize crops in Mexico

OpenAIRE

Sánchez Toledano, Blanca Isabel

2017-01-01

Mexico is one of the countries with the highest corn production in the world (24.6 million tons) (FAOSTAT, 2016). However, in some regions, the yields are very low (2.0 Tn.ha-1) compared to the national average (9.39 Tn.ha-1). Among the different strategies to improve productivity, the adoption of improved maize seeds can play an important role. However, the adoption of this type of seed in Mexico is still limited. The development of a seed sector that meets the needs of farmers is an opportu...

Using manure as fertilizer for maize could improve sustainability of milk production

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José D. Jiménez-Calderón

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the effect of organic or chemical fertilization of maize on cow performance, economic outcomes, and greenhouse gas emission. Each type of maize silage according its different fertilization was used in two rations offered to two different groups of nine Friesian-Holstein cows throughout 4 months. The production cost of the maize silage was 8.8% lower for organic than for chemical fertilization. Both silages had similar nutritive value, except a higher concentration of starch in maize with organic fertilization, which allowed a reduction in the proportion of concentrate in the ration, saving 25.3 eurocents per cow in the daily ration, generating a positive balance of 21.8 eurocents per cow and day. The milk yield and composition were unaffected depending on the type of fertilization, whereas the estimation of CH4 and N2O emissions with chemical fertilization was higher than emissions with organic fertilization. As a result, it is possible to increase the sustainability and profitability of dairy production with reuse and recycling of manure.

Using manure as fertilizer for maize could improve sustainability of milk production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiménez-Calderón, J.M.; Martínez-Fernández, A.; Prospero-Bernal, F.; Velarde-Guillén, J.; Arriaga-Jordán, C.M.; Vicente, F.

2018-01-01

This study evaluated the effect of organic or chemical fertilization of maize on cow performance, economic outcomes, and greenhouse gas emission. Each type of maize silage according its different fertilization was used in two rations offered to two different groups of nine Friesian-Holstein cows throughout 4 months. The production cost of the maize silage was 8.8% lower for organic than for chemical fertilization. Both silages had similar nutritive value, except a higher concentration of starch in maize with organic fertilization, which allowed a reduction in the proportion of concentrate in the ration, saving 25.3 eurocents per cow in the daily ration, generating a positive balance of 21.8 eurocents per cow and day. The milk yield and composition were unaffected depending on the type of fertilization, whereas the estimation of CH4 and N2O emissions with chemical fertilization was higher than emissions with organic fertilization. As a result, it is possible to increase the sustainability and profitability of dairy production with reuse and recycling of manure.

Phenotypic, genetic and molecular characterization of a maize low phytic acid mutant (lpa241)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pilu, R.; Panzeri, D.; Gavazzi, G.

2003-01-01

-nutritional factor for animals, and isolation of maize low phytic acid (lpa) mutants provides a novel approach to study its biochemical pathway and to tackle the nutritional problems associated with it. Following chemical mutagenesis of pollen, we have isolated a viable recessive mutant named lpa 241 showing about...... 90% reduction of phytic acid and about a tenfold increase in seed-free phosphate content. Although germination rate was decreased by about 30% compared to wild-type, developement of mutant plants was apparentely unaffected. The results of the genetic, biochemical and molecular characterization...

Improvement of the soil nitrogen content and maize growth by earthworms and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soils polluted by oxytetracycline.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Jia; Wang, Chong; Ji, Dingge

2016-11-15

Interactions between earthworms (Eisenia fetida) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Rhizophagus intraradices, AM fungi) have been suggested to improve the maize nitrogen (N) content and biomass and were studied in soils polluted by oxytetracycline (OTC). Maize was planted and amended with AMF and/or earthworms (E) in the soil with low (1mgkg(-1) soil DM) or high (100mgkg(-1) soil DM) amounts of OTC pollution in comparison to soil without OTC. The root colonization, shoot and root biomass, shoot and root N contents, soil nitrogen forms, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) were measured at harvest. The results indicated that OTC decreased maize shoot and root biomass (psoil urease activity and AOB and AOA abundance, which resulted in a lower N availability for maize roots and shoots. There was a significant interaction between earthworms and AM fungi on the urease activity in soil polluted by OTC (ppolluted soil by increasing the urease activity and relieving the stress from OTC on the soil N cycle. AM fungi and earthworms interactively increased maize shoot and root biomass (ppolluted soils through their regulation of the urease activity and the abundance of ammonia oxidizers, resulting in different soil NH4(+)-N and NO3(-)-N contents, which may contribute to the N content of maize shoots and roots. Earthworms and AM fungi could be used as an efficient method to relieve the OTC stress in agro-ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Study on influence factors of seed germination and seeding growth of Lonicera macranthoides].

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jin; Zhang, Ying; Cui, Guang-Lin; She, Yue-Hui; Li, Long-Yun

2016-01-01

In order to improve reproductive efficiency and quality standard, the influence factors of seed germination and seeding growth of Lonicera macranthoides werew studied. The fruit and seed morphological characteristics of L. macranthoides were observed, the seed water absorbing capacity was determined, and different wet sand stratification time, temperature and germination bed treatment were set up. The effects of the parameters on seed germination and seedling growth were analysed. There was no obstacles of water absorption on L. macranthoides seed, quantity for 22 h water absorption was close to saturation. In the first 80 d, with the increase of the stratification time, seed initial germination time was shortened, germination rate and germination potential was improved. Stratification for 100 d, germination rate decreased. At 15 ℃, seed germination and seedling growth indicators were the best. The seedling cotyledon width in light was significantly higher than that in dark. Seeds on the top of paper and top of sand germination rate, germination potential, and germination index was significantly higher than that of other germination bed and mildew rate is low. The optimal conditions of seeds germination test was stratified in 4 ℃ wet sand for 80 d, 15 ℃ illuminate culture on the top of paper or top of sand. The first seeding counting time was the 4th day after beginning the test, the final time was the 23th day. The germination potential statistical time was the 13th day after beginning the test. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Intercropping Maize With Legumes for Sustainable Highland Maize Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adirek Punyalue

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Residue burning to prepare soil for maize growing deprives the soil of both protective cover and organic matter, and it exacerbates environmental issues such as Southeast Asia's haze problem. This paper reports on a study that evaluated the effectiveness of maize/legume intercropping as an alternative to maize cultivation with residue burning. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata, mung bean (V. radiata, rice bean (V. umbellata, and lablab (Lablab purpureus were sown into a standing maize crop 30 days before harvest, and the results were compared with a maize crop grown using residue burning as the method for land preparation at Pang Da Agricultural Station in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in a replicated trial conducted over 3 growing seasons from 2012 to 2014. Intercropping increased maize grain yield by 31–53% and left 70–170% more residue containing 113–230% more nitrogen than the maize sown after residue burning, depending on the legume, and decreased weed dry weight by two-thirds after 2 seasons. Soil biodiversity was enriched by the intercrops, with a doubling in the spore density of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the root-zone soil and increased abundance, diversity (Shannon index, and richness of the soil macrofauna. The abundance of soil animals increased with crop residue dry weight (r = 0.90, P < 0.05 and nitrogen content (r = 0.98, P < 0.01. The effect of intercropping on maize grain yield and accumulation of residue and nitrogen were then confirmed in a participatory experiment involving farmers in 2 highland villages in the Phrao and Chiang Dao districts of Chiang Mai Province with maize and rice bean in 2015. The effects of maize/legume intercropping—increased nitrogen accumulation and crop residue, enhanced soil biodiversity, suppression of weeds, and protection of the soil surface, which enabled the maize to be sown without land clearing with fire—should all contribute to sustainable highland maize production.

Comparative evaluation of organic wastes for improving maize ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The potential of three agricultural waste composts, farmyard manure (FYM), banana waste (BW) and pressmud (PM) was tested in a pot experiment growing maize. The results of the experiment showed highly significant increase in plant height, dry matter yields and NPK contents with the application of fertilizers, particularly ...

Farmers Participatory Research in the Evaluation of Maize Crop Residues for Improved Dairy Cattle Production in Eastern Kenya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiruiro, E.M.; Kariuki, I.W.; Kang'ara, J.; Ouma, O.

1999-01-01

Informal and formal surveys, and participatory rural appraisal conducted within the coffee land-use system of Embu District in Eastern Kenya identified feed shortage as a major constraint to increased dairy production on small holder farms. To address this constraint, a two-year (1996-1998) on-farm research project involving 20 farms in Manyatta division, Embu District was initiated with broad objectives of developing components technologies that would use maize crop residues. This was due to the recognition of the fact that the greatest potential for improving field availability would be in the exploitation of crop residues, especially those derived from maize, the main staple crop in the region. Based on these reality appropriate technologies that would offer viable offers for the use of crop residues were identified and discussed during workshops and meetings with farmers. Component technologies considered included drying of maize leaves after defoliation and post-harvest storage methods for dry maize stover. this paper discussed the results of the participatory research in context of farmers' involvement in the technology development, testing, evaluation and promotion. The study demonstrated that involving farmers in all stages of the research process, enhanced their interest and participation in the testing and subsequent adoption of appropriate technologies

Caracterização da atividade amilásica do malte de milho (Zea mays L. = Characterization of amylase activity from maize (Zea mays L. malt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joana Paula Menezes Biazus

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho objetivou estudar o processo de germinação e a caracterização da atividade bioquímica das amilases do malte de milho (Zea mays L. para gerar uma fonte de amilase de baixo custo e boa atividade enzimática. A atividade enzimática foi monitorada todos os dias durante a germinação das sementes para se obter a melhor condição de produção do malte. Os resultados mostraram que a atividade enzimática nas sementes foi maior no 4º. dia de germinação. A caracterização bioquímica mostrou que as amilases do malte apresentam faixa ótima de pH entre 4,3 e 6, com temperaturas ótimas a 50°C e 80ºC e os valores de Km e Vmax para hidrólise do amido foram de 7,69.10-2 g/L e 7,69.102g/L.min, respectivamente.This work aimed to study the germination process and characterization of the amylolytic activity of the maize (Zea mays L. malt aiming to obtain source amylases at lower cost. Enzymatic activity was monitored all days during the seed germination, for obtaining thebest condition of malt production. Results showed that the enzymatic activity from maize seeds was larger in 4° germination day. Enzymes characterization showed that the maize malt amylases have optimal zone of pH between 4.3 and 6, with optimal temperatures of 50°C and 80ºC. The Km and Vmax values for starch hydrolysis were 7.69.10-2 g/L and 7.69.102g/L.min, respectively.

Utilization of maize cob biochar and rice husk charcoal as soil amendments for improving acid soil fertility and productivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurhidayati

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The decline in soil fertility in agricultural land is a major problem that causes a decrease in the production of food crops. One of the causes of the decline in soil fertility is declining soil pH that caused the decline in the availability of nutrients in the soil. This study aimed to assess the influence of alternative liming materials derived from maize cob biochar and rice husk charcoal compared to conventional lime to improve soil pH, soil nutrient availability and maize production. The experiment used a factorial complete randomized design which consisting of two factors. The first factor is the type of soil amendment which consists of three levels (calcite lime, rice husk charcoal and cob maize biochar. The second factor is the application rates of the soil amendment consisted of three levels (3, 6 and 9 t/ha and one control treatment (without soil amendment. The results of this study showed that the application of various soil amendment increased soil pH, which the pH increase of the lime application was relatively more stable over time compared to biochar and husk charcoal. The average of the soil pH increased for each soil amendment by 23% (lime, 20% (rice husk charcoal and 23% (biochar as compared with control. The increase in soil pH can increase the availability of soil N, P and K. The greatest influence of soil pH on nutrient availability was shown by the relationship between soil pH and K nutrient availability with R2 = 0.712, while for the N by R2 = 0.462 and for the P by R2 = 0.245. The relationship between the availability of N and maize yield showed a linear equation. While the relationship between the availability of P and K with the maize yield showed a quadratic equation. The highest maize yield was found in the application of biochar and rice husk charcoal with a dose of 6-9 t/ha. The results of this study suggested that biochar and husk charcoal could be used as an alternative liming material in improving acid soil

Proteomic Analysis of Lettuce Seed Germination and Thermoinhibition by Sampling of Individual Seeds at Germination and Removal of Storage Proteins by Polyethylene Glycol Fractionation1

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Bin-Yan; Deng, Zhi-Jun; Wang, Yue; Liu, Shu-Jun; Møller, Ian Max; Song, Song-Quan

2015-01-01

Germination and thermoinhibition in lettuce (Lactuca sativa ‘Jianyexianfeng No. 1’) seeds were investigated by a proteomic comparison among dry seeds, germinated seeds at 15°C, at 15°C after imbibition at 25°C for 48 h, or at 25°C in KNO3 (all sampled individually at germination), and ungerminated seeds at 25°C, a thermoinhibitory temperature. Before two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analysis, storage proteins (greater than 50% of total extractable protein) were removed by polyethylene glycol precipitation, which significantly improved the detection of less abundant proteins on two-dimensional gels. A total of 108 protein spots were identified to change more than 2-fold (P lettuce seed germination and thermoinhibition. Accumulation of three proteins and expression of five genes participating in the mevalonate (MVA) pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis correlated positively with seed germinability. Inhibition of this pathway by lovastatin delayed seed germination and increased the sensitivity of germination to abscisic acid. MVA pathway-derived products, cytokinins, partially reversed the lovastatin inhibition of germination and released seed thermoinhibition at 25°C. We conclude that the MVA pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis is involved in lettuce seed germination and thermoinhibition. PMID:25736209

Associative bacteria influence maize (Zea mays L.) growth, physiology and root anatomy under different nitrogen levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Calzavara, Anderson Kikuchi; Paiva, Pedro Henrique Godoy; Gabriel, Lorrant Cavanha; de Oliveira, André Luiz Martinez; Milani, Karina; Oliveira, Halley Caixeta; Bianchini, Edmilson; Pimenta, José Antonio; de Oliveira, Maria Cristina Neves; Dias-Pereira, Jaqueline; Stolf-Moreira, Renata

2018-05-15

Despite the great diversity of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) with potential to partially replace the use of N-fertilizers in agriculture, few PGPB are explored for the production of commercial inoculants, reinforcing the importance of identifying positive plant-bacteria interactions. Aiming to better understand the influence of PGPB inoculation in plant development, two PGPB species with distant phylogenetic relationship were inoculated in maize. Maize seeds were inoculated with Bacillus sp. or Azospirillum brasilense. After germinating, the plants were subjected to two nitrogen treatments: full (N+) and limiting (N-) nitrogen supply. Then, anatomical, biometric and physiological analyses were performed. Both PGPB species modified the anatomical pattern of roots, as verified by the higher metaxylem vessel elements (MVE) number. Bacillus sp. also increased the MVE area in maize roots. Under N+ condition, both PGPB decreased the leaf protein content and led to the development of shorter roots; however, Bacillus sp. increased root and shoot dry weight, whereas A. brasilense increased photosynthesis rate and leaf nitrate content. In plants subjected to N limitation (N-), photosynthesis rate and photosystem II efficiency increased in those inoculated with Bacillus sp., whilst A. brasilense led to higher ammonium, amino acids and total soluble sugars contents in the leaves, compared to control. Plant developmental and metabolical patterns were switched by the inoculation, regardless the inoculant bacteria used, producing similar as well as distinct modifications on the parameters studied. These results indicatie that even non-diazotrophic inoculant strains can improve the plant N-status as result of the morpho-anatomical and physiological modifications produced by the PGPB. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Milk and Maize Based Diets in Kwashiorkor ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Permeability ratios (95% confidence interval) on the milk diet improved by a mean of 6.4 (1.7 to 11.1) compared with - 6.8 (-16.8 to 5.0) in the maize group. The improved permeability on milk occurred despite more diarrhoea, which constituted 34.8% of hospital days compared to 24.3% in the maize group. Case fatality rates ...

Combining Maize Base Germplasm for Cold Tolerance Breeding

OpenAIRE

Rodríguez Graña, Víctor Manuel; Butrón Gómez, Ana María; Sandoya Miranda, Germán; Ordás Pérez, Amando; Revilla Temiño, Pedro

2007-01-01

Early planting can contribute to increased grain yield of maize (Zea mays L.), but it requires cold tolerance. A limited number of cold-tolerant maize genotypes have been reported. The objectives of this study were to test a new strategy to improve cold tolerance in maize searching for broad x narrow genetic combinations that may be useful as base populations for breeding programs, to compare genotype performance under cold-controlled and field conditions, and to establish the major genetic e...

[Effects of illumination and seed-soaking reagent on seed germination of Solanum nigrum].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chuan-Jie; Wei, Shu-He; Zhou, Qi-Xing; Hu, Ya-Hu; Niu, Rong-Cheng

2009-05-01

To explore a rapid seed germination method for hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum, a germination experiment with different illumination and seed-soaking treatments was conducted in constant temperature box and greenhouse, with filter as burgeon base. Under illumination, the germination rate was about 5 times high of that without illumination (P seed germination of S. nigrum. All test seed-soaking reagents could significantly improve the germination rate of S. nigrum (P seeds treated with H2O2 had the shortest germination time. The germination rate of seeds soaked but without cleaning was 2-3 times as high as that of seeds soaked and cleaned with water.

Breeding of maize types with specific traits at the Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pajić Zorica

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Maize is primarily grown as an energy crop, but the use of different specific versions, such as high-oil maize, high-lysine maize, waxy maize, white-seeded maize, popping maize and sweet maize, is quite extensive. Speciality maize, due to its traits and genetic control of these traits, requires a particular attention in handling breeding material during the processes of breeding. It is especially related to prevention of uncontrolled pollination. In order to provide successful selection for a certain trait, the following specific procedures in evaluation of the trait are necessary: the estimation of a popping volume and flake quality in popping maize; the determination of sugars and harvest maturity in sweet maize; the determination of oil in selected samples of high-oil maize types, and so forth. Breeding programmes for speciality maize, except high-amylose maize, have been implemented at the Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje, Belgrade, for the last 45 years. A great number of high-yielding sweet maize hybrids, popping maize, high-oil and high-lysine, flint and white-seeded maize hybrids were developed during this 45-year period. Auspicious selection and breeding for these traits is facilitated by the abundant genetic variability and technical and technological possibilities necessary for successful selection.

Germination of some important weeds influenced by red light and nitrogenous compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanfg, Dong-Seng; Hamayun, M.; Khan, A.L.; Shinwari, Z.K.; Kim, H.A.; Yoon-Ha; Kang, Sang-Mo; Lee, Joon-Hee; Chae-In; Nawaz, Y.; Kang, Kee-Kyung; Lee, In-Jung

2010-01-01

Seed dormancy is a major constraint in the eradication of weeds from agriculture fields. Seeds of Amaranthus retroflexus, Echinocloa crus-galli and Digitaria adscendens were collected from cultivated fields, dried and then treated with different nitrogen containing compounds i.e., potassium nitrate, ammonium chloride, ammonium nitrate and sodium nitrite. Some seeds were kept under dark while others were irradiated with red light for 10 min., after 12 hr of inhibition. The N-compounds were applied at the rate of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 mM, while the strength of red light pulse was maintained at 80 mu mols/sup -2/m/sup -1/. It was observed that red light significantly improved germination rates of A. retroflexus, E. crus-galli and D. adscendens. Nitrogenous compounds significantly improved germination of weeds and maximum germination was induced by ammonium nitrate. However, exposure of seeds to both red light and N-compounds provided significantly higher germination as compared to singular application of either of them. E. crusgalli recorded highest germination rates in response to red light and N-compounds, while D. adscendens provided least values for the same treatments. Application of N-compounds in conjunction with red light significantly improves germination rates of selected weed species by breaking their dormancy. (author)

Development by extrusion of soyabari snack sticks: a nutritionally improved soya-maize product based on the Nigerian snack (kokoro).

Science.gov (United States)

Omueti, O; Morton, I D

1996-01-01

A nutritionally improved local snack compared to existing kokoro has been developed by extrusion cooking of different formulations of maize, soybean and condiments such as pepper, onion, salt, palm oil, plantain and banana. The improved snack was named as the 'soyabari snack stick'. The chemical composition of representative extruded products indicates a high level of crude protein, fat, energy, available lysine and improved in vitro digestibility compared to the usual maize-based products. The level of stachyose and raffinose were greatly reduced in the extruded products compared to raw soya. Formulations using various additives yielded products suitable for different consumers' preferences such as hot, sweet, bland, gritty or crispy and acceptable to taste assessors. Soyabari snack sticks were equally acceptable as Bombay mix, a product on the market in London. Sensory analysis showed no significant differences in the two products but the crude fibre content of Bombay mix was higher while the protein was slightly lower than for soyabari sticks. Local ingredients can produce acceptable extrudates.

Proteomic Comparison between Maturation Drying and Prematurely Imposed Drying of Zea mays Seeds Reveals a Potential Role of Maturation Drying in Preparing Proteins for Seed Germination, Seedling Vigor, and Pathogen Resistance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Wei-Qing; Ye, Jian-Qing; Rogowska-Wrzesinska, Adelina

2014-01-01

We have studied the role(s) of maturation drying in the acquisition of germinability, seedling vigor and pathogen resistance by comparing the proteome changes in maize embryo and endosperm during mature and prematurely imposed drying. Prematurely imposed dried seeds at 40 days after pollination...... (DAP) germinated almost as well as mature seeds (at 65 DAP), but their seedling growth was slower and they were seriously infected by fungi. A total of 80 and 114 proteins were identified to change at least two-fold (p ... abundant in this group and may contribute to the acquisition of seed germinability. However, a relatively large number of proteins changed in the embryo (47 spots) and endosperm (76 spots) specifically during maturation drying. Among these proteins, storage proteins in the embryo and defense proteins...

Pre-treating Seed to Enhance Germination of Desert Shrubs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

W. K. Ostler; D. C. Anderson; D. J. Hansen

2002-06-01

Creosotebush [Larrea tridentata (D.C.) Cav.] and white bursage [Ambrosia dumosa (A. Gray) W.W. Payne] seeds were subjected to pre-treatments of rinsing and soaking in water and thiourea to enhance germination in laboratory experiments. The effects of darkness, temperature, seed source, and soil moisture were also evaluated in the laboratory. The best pre-treatment from the laboratory experiments, rinsing with water for 36 hours followed by drying, was field-tested at Fort Irwin, California. Two sites and two seeding dates (early March and mid April) were determined for each site. Five mulch treatments (no mulch, straw, gravel, chemical stabilizer, and plastic) were evaluated in combination with the seed pre-treatments. Field emergence was greatly enhanced with the seed pre-treatment for white bursage during the March (18-42% increase in germination) and April seedings (16-23% increase in germination). Creosotebush showed poor germination during March (2-5%) when soil temperatures averaged 15 C, but germination increased during the April trials (6-43%) when soil temperatures averaged 23 C. The seed pre-treatment during the April trials increased germination from 16-23%. The plastic mulch treatment increased germination dramatically during both the March and April trials. The plastic mulch increased soil temperatures (8-10 C)and maintained high humidity during germination. Both the chemical stabilizer and the gravel mulches improved germination over the control while the straw mulch decreased germination. These results suggest that seed pre-treatments combined with irrigation and mulch are effective techniques to establish these two dominant Mojave Desert species from seed.

Applying CSM-CERES-Maize to define a sowing window for irrigated maize crop - The Riacho´s Farm case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denise Freitas Silva

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Irrigation use constitutes an alternative to improve maize production in Central Minas Gerais State, Brazil. However, even under adequate water supply conditions, other environmental factors may influence maize crop growth and development and may, ultimately, affect grain yield. This study aimed to establish a sowing window for irrigated maize crop, based on simulation results obtained with the decision support model CSM-CERES-Maize. Simulations were made for crop management conditions of Riacho´s Farm, located in Matozinhos, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. It was employed the model´s seasonal tool, along with a data set containing 46 years of weather data records, to simulate maize yield for weekly sowing scenarios, starting on August 1st and ending on July 24th of each year. One defined an irrigated maize sowing window, taking into account the yield break risk that a farmer would be willing to take. The model proved to be an interesting tool to assist in decision making, regarding crop and irrigation management, for an irrigated maize production system. Assuming a 10% yield break in the expected average maximum maize yield, it was defined as sowing window, the period from January 23rd to March 6th, with February 20th as the best sowing date. Other sowing windows may be established according to the risk that the farmer would be willing to take.

Improving germination of Chionanthus virginicus L. seed by using gibberellic acid (GAZ

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grbić Mihailo

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this experiment was to explore effects of gibberellic acid on Chionanthus virginicus L. seed germination. The species has great horticultural values but due to problem in propagation it is rarely used. The seed possesses double dormancy: egzo and endo dormancy. Gibberellin has shown helpful in overcoming endo dormancy which is confirmed with this species. Different concentrations of GA3 had different influence. The lower one has shown stimulative effects while the higher one has shown the inhibitor effects. It is also confirmed that endocarp prevents germination.

Genetic diversity of Pakistani maize genotypes using chromosome ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

For improvement of maize crop presence of genetic diversity in the germplasm is very important. This study was conducted to determine genetic diversity among 17 Pakistani maize genotypes using 10 simple sequence repeat (SSR) primer sets. All the amplification products were in the range of <250-750 bp. To estimate the ...

Breeding of maize types with specific traits at the Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje

OpenAIRE

Pajić Zorica

2007-01-01

Maize is primarily grown as an energy crop, but the use of different specific versions, such as high-oil maize, high-lysine maize, waxy maize, white-seeded maize, popping maize and sweet maize, is quite extensive. Speciality maize, due to its traits and genetic control of these traits, requires a particular attention in handling breeding material during the processes of breeding. It is especially related to prevention of uncontrolled pollination. In order to provide successful selection for a...

Farmers’ desired traits and selection criteria for maize varieties and their implications for maize breeding: A case study from KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia Sibiya

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Adoption of hybrids and improved varieties has remained low in the smallholder farming sector of South Africa, despite maize being the staple food crop for the majority of households. The objective of this study was to establish preferred maize characteristics by farmers which can be used as selection criteria by maize breeders in crop improvement. Data were collected from three villages of a selected smallholder farming area in South Africa using a survey covering 300 households and participatory rural appraisal methodology. Results indicated a limited selection of maize varieties grown by farmers in the area compared to other communities in Africa. More than 97% of the farmers grew a local landrace called Natal-8-row or IsiZulu. Hybrids and improved open pollinated varieties were planted by less than 40% of the farmers. The Natal-8-row landrace had characteristics similar to landraces from eastern and southern Africa and closely resembled Hickory King, a landrace still popular in Southern Africa. The local landrace was preferred for its taste, recycled seed, tolerance to abiotic stresses and yield stability. Preferred characteristics of maize varieties were high yield and prolificacy, disease resistance, early maturity, white grain colour, and drying and shelling qualities. Farmers were willing to grow hybrids if the cost of seed and other inputs were affordable and their preferences were considered. Our results show that breeding opportunities exist for improving the farmers’ local varieties and maize breeders can take advantage of these preferred traits and incorporate them into existing high yielding varieties.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)/Maize (Zea mays L.) Intercropping Provides a Feasible Way to Improve Yield and Economic Incomes in Farming and Pastoral Areas of Northeast China

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Baoru; Peng, Yi; Yang, Hongyu; Li, Zhijian; Gao, Yingzhi; Wang, Chao; Yan, Yuli; Liu, Yanmei

2014-01-01

Given the growing challenges to food and eco-environmental security as well as sustainable development of animal husbandry in the farming and pastoral areas of northeast China, it is crucial to identify advantageous intercropping modes and some constraints limiting its popularization. In order to assess the performance of various intercropping modes of maize and alfalfa, a field experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design with five treatments: maize monoculture in even rows, maize monoculture in alternating wide and narrow rows, alfalfa monoculture, maize intercropped with one row of alfalfa in wide rows and maize intercropped with two rows of alfalfa in wide rows. Results demonstrate that maize monoculture in alternating wide and narrow rows performed best for light transmission, grain yield and output value, compared to in even rows. When intercropped, maize intercropped with one row of alfalfa in wide rows was identified as the optimal strategy and the largely complementary ecological niches of alfalfa and maize were shown to account for the intercropping advantages, optimizing resource utilization and improving yield and economic incomes. These findings suggest that alfalfa/maize intercropping has obvious advantages over monoculture and is applicable to the farming and pastoral areas of northeast China. PMID:25329376

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L./maize (Zea mays L. intercropping provides a feasible way to improve yield and economic incomes in farming and pastoral areas of northeast China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baoru Sun

Full Text Available Given the growing challenges to food and eco-environmental security as well as sustainable development of animal husbandry in the farming and pastoral areas of northeast China, it is crucial to identify advantageous intercropping modes and some constraints limiting its popularization. In order to assess the performance of various intercropping modes of maize and alfalfa, a field experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design with five treatments: maize monoculture in even rows, maize monoculture in alternating wide and narrow rows, alfalfa monoculture, maize intercropped with one row of alfalfa in wide rows and maize intercropped with two rows of alfalfa in wide rows. Results demonstrate that maize monoculture in alternating wide and narrow rows performed best for light transmission, grain yield and output value, compared to in even rows. When intercropped, maize intercropped with one row of alfalfa in wide rows was identified as the optimal strategy and the largely complementary ecological niches of alfalfa and maize were shown to account for the intercropping advantages, optimizing resource utilization and improving yield and economic incomes. These findings suggest that alfalfa/maize intercropping has obvious advantages over monoculture and is applicable to the farming and pastoral areas of northeast China.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)/maize (Zea mays L.) intercropping provides a feasible way to improve yield and economic incomes in farming and pastoral areas of northeast China.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Baoru; Peng, Yi; Yang, Hongyu; Li, Zhijian; Gao, Yingzhi; Wang, Chao; Yan, Yuli; Liu, Yanmei

2014-01-01

Given the growing challenges to food and eco-environmental security as well as sustainable development of animal husbandry in the farming and pastoral areas of northeast China, it is crucial to identify advantageous intercropping modes and some constraints limiting its popularization. In order to assess the performance of various intercropping modes of maize and alfalfa, a field experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design with five treatments: maize monoculture in even rows, maize monoculture in alternating wide and narrow rows, alfalfa monoculture, maize intercropped with one row of alfalfa in wide rows and maize intercropped with two rows of alfalfa in wide rows. Results demonstrate that maize monoculture in alternating wide and narrow rows performed best for light transmission, grain yield and output value, compared to in even rows. When intercropped, maize intercropped with one row of alfalfa in wide rows was identified as the optimal strategy and the largely complementary ecological niches of alfalfa and maize were shown to account for the intercropping advantages, optimizing resource utilization and improving yield and economic incomes. These findings suggest that alfalfa/maize intercropping has obvious advantages over monoculture and is applicable to the farming and pastoral areas of northeast China.

Biological Control of Fusarium Stalk Rot of Maize Using Bacillus spp

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Joon-Hee Han

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Maize (Zea mays L. is an economically important crop in worldwide. While the consumption of the maize is steadily increasing, the yield is decreasing due to continuous mono-cultivation and infection of soil-borne fungal pathogens such as Fusarium species. Recently, stalk rot disease in maize, caused by F. subglutinans and F. temperatum has been reported in Korea. In this study, we isolated bacterial isolates in rhizosphere soil of maize and subsequently tested for antagonistic activities against F. subglutinans and F. temperatum. A total of 1,357 bacterial strains were isolated from rhizosphere. Among them three bacterial isolates (GC02, GC07, GC08 were selected, based on antagonistic effects against Fusarium species. The isolates GC02 and GC07 were most efficient in inhibiting the mycelium growth of the pathogens. The three isolates GC02, GC07 and GC08 were identified as Bacillus methylotrophicus, B. amyloliquefaciens and B. thuringiensis using 16S rRNA sequence analysis, respectively. GC02 and GC07 bacterial suspensions were able to suppress over 80% conidial germination of the pathogens. GC02, GC07 and GC08 were capable of producing large quantities of protease enzymes, whereas the isolates GC07 and GC08 produced cellulase enzymes. The isolates GC02 and GC07 were more efficient in phosphate solubilization and siderophore production than GC08. Analysis of disease suppression revealed that GC07 was most effective in suppressing the disease development of stalk rot. It was also found that B. methylotrophicus GC02 and B. amyloliquefaciens GC07 have an ability to inhibit the growth of other plant pathogenic fungi. This study indicated B. methylotrophicus GC02 and B. amyloliquefaciens GC07 has potential for being used for the development of a biological control agent.

Mutagenic effects of gamma rays on soybean (Glycine max L.) germination and seedlings

Science.gov (United States)

Kusmiyati, F.; Sutarno; Sas, M. G. A.; Herwibawa, B.

2018-01-01

Narrow genetic diversity is a main problem restricting the progress of soybean breeding. One way to improve genetic diversity of plant is through mutation. The purpose of this study was to investigate effect of different dose of gamma rays as induced mutagen on physiological, morphological, and anatomical markers during seed germination and seedling growth of soybean. Seeds of soybean cultivars Dering-1 were irradiated with 11 doses of gamma rays (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, 1280, and 2560 Gy [Gray]. The research design was arranged in a completely randomized block design in three replicates. Results showed that soybean seed exposed at high doses (640, 1280, and 2560 Gy) did not survive more than 20 days, the doses were then removed from anatomical evaluation. Higher doses of gamma rays siginificantly reduced germination percentage at the first count and final count, coefficient of germination velocity, germination rate index, germination index, seedling height and seedling root length, and significantly increased mean germination time, first day of germination, last day of germination, and time spread of germination. However, the effects of gamma rays were varies for density, width, and length of stomata. The LD50 obtained based on survival percentage was 314.78 Gy. It can be concluded that very low and low doses of gamma rays (5-320 Gy) might be used to study the improvement of soybean diversity.

The Efficiency of Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) Essential Oil on the Control of Leaf Spot Caused by Exserohilum turcicum in Maize Culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Janaina Costa E; Mourão, Dalmarcia de Sousa Carlos; Lima, Fabia Silva de Oliveira; Sarmento, Renato de Almeida; Dalcin, Mateus Sunti; Aguiar, Raimundo Wagner de Souza; Santos, Gil Rodrigues Dos

2017-08-14

The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of noni essential oil on the control of Exserohilum turcicum , a causative agent of Exserohilum spot in maize culture. In the sanitary test 400 seeds were incubated using the blotter test method. For the transmissibility test, the fragments of damaged leaves of seedlings were removed and put into a potato, dextrose and agar (PDA) culture environment. To verify the pathogenicity, Koch´s postulates were performed. In the phytotoxicity test different concentrations of noni oil were applied in maize seedlings. E. turcicum conidia were submitted to different concentrations of noni oil. In the preventive and curative tests noni essential oils were applied before and after the conidia inoculation, respectively. The results revealed the presence of fungi of the genres Aspergillus , Penicillium , Rhizopus , Fusarium , and Exserohilum in the maize seeds. The pathogenicity of E. turcicum and also the transmission of this fungus from the seeds to the maize seedlings was confirmed. The inhibition of conidia germination was proportional to the concentration increase. The preventive application of noni essential oil was the most efficient on the control of Exserohilum spot.

Vigor-S, a new system for evaluating the physiological potential of maize seeds

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Danielle Otte Carrara Castan

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: The refinement of vigor tests and the possibility of utilizing computer resources for the effective evaluation of the seed physiological potential have attracted considerable interest from research and seed technologists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological potential of maize seeds using the newly-created Automated Analysis of Seed Vigor System (Vigor-S compared with other recommended seed vigor tests; two maize hybrids were used, each represented by seven seed lots. Germination and vigor (cold test, saturated salt accelerated aging, and field seedling emergence evaluations were conducted. For the evaluation of seed vigor with the use of seedling image analysis resources, two systems were compared: the Seed Vigor Imaging System (SVIS®, developed by Ohio State University, USA and the Vigor-S, resulting from collaboration between USP/ESALQ and EMBRAPA (Embrapa Instrumentation. Using these two systems, three day old seedlings were scanned and the images were analyzed. Similar results for the vigor index, uniformity of development, and seedling length were obtained. The computerized image analysis of seedlings using Vigor-S has advantages with respect to accuracy, speed, and the possibility of automatic application to a worksheet. It is a consistent alternative for the evaluation of maize seed vigor, and produces information compatible with that obtained by the accelerated aging test and SVIS®.

Effects of hydropriming on seed germination and seedling growth in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The germination of Salvia officinalis L. (sage) seeds is a problem of great concern that may be overcome by employing seed priming techniques. Seed priming is an efficient technique for improvement of seed vigor, increasing germination and seedling growth. Little information has been reported on seedling development ...

Efficiency of phosphate fertilization to maize crop in high phosphorus content soil, evaluated by 32P tracer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trevizam, Anderson R.; Alvarez Villanueva, Felipe C.; Silva, Maria Ligia de S.; Muraoka, Takashi

2007-01-01

Application of high dosis of phosphorus (P) in agricultural soils is justified by its intense fixation by the soil clays, which reduce availability to crops. The objective of this research was to evaluate the response of maize crops to five rates of triple superphosphate in a soil with high available phosphorus content. Portions of 2 dm 3 of soil (Typic Quartzipisamment) with 75 mg kg -1 of available phosphorus and pH 7.00, collected from the upper 0-20 cm layer, were placed in plastic pots, received solution containing 5.55 MBq (150 μCi) of 32 P and incubated for 7 days. Then 0, 250, 500, 1000 and 4000 mg P kg -1 as triple superphosphate was added to soil in the respective pots and incubated for 15 days keeping the soil moisture to 60 % of the field capacity. Maize (Zea mays L.) plants, single hybrid P30F80, were grown for 50 days (after germination), collected, oven dried, weighed and ground in a Wiley mill for analysis of total P content and 32 P radioactivity. The maize dry matter increased with triple superphosphate rates. The phosphorus content and accumulation in the maize plants increased with triple superphosphate rate up to 4000 mg kg -1 . The percentage of phosphorus derived from the fertilizer ranged from 79 to 97% and consequently the phosphorus derived from soil decreased with increasing application of triple superphosphate. In spite of soil high P available content, maize plants responded to applied phosphorus rates. (author)

Hydrothermal germination models: Improving experimental efficiency by limiting data collection to the relevant hydrothermal range

Science.gov (United States)

Hydrothermal models used to predict germination response in the field are usually parameterized with data from laboratory experiments that examine the full range of germination response to temperature and water potential. Inclusion of low water potential and high and low-temperature treatments, how...

Using maize as a model to study pollen tube growth and guidance, cross-incompatibility and sperm delivery in grasses.

Science.gov (United States)

Dresselhaus, Thomas; Lausser, Andreas; Márton, Mihaela L

2011-09-01

In contrast to animals and lower plants such as mosses and ferns, sperm cells of flowering plants (angiosperms) are immobile and require transportation to the female gametes via the vegetative pollen tube cell to achieve double fertilization. The path of the pollen tube towards the female gametophyte (embryo sac) has been intensively studied in many intra- and interspecific crossing experiments with the aim of increasing the gene pool of crop plants for greater yield, improved biotic and abiotic stress resistance, and for introducing new agronomic traits. Many attempts to hybridize different species or genotypes failed due to the difficulty for the pollen tubes in reaching the female gametophyte. Detailed studies showed that these processes are controlled by various self-incompatible (intraspecific) and cross-incompatible (interspecific) hybridization mechanisms. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of crossing barriers is therefore of great interest in plant reproduction, evolution and breeding research. In particular, pre-zygotic hybridization barriers related to pollen tube germination, growth, guidance and sperm delivery, which are considered the major hybridization controls in nature and thus also contribute to species isolation and speciation, have been intensively investigated. Despite this general interest, surprisingly little is known about these processes in the most important agronomic plant family, the Gramineae, Poaceae or grasses. Small polymorphic proteins and their receptors, degradation of sterility locus proteins and general compounds such as calcium, γ-aminobutyric acid or nitric oxide have been shown to be involved in progamic pollen germination, adhesion, tube growth and guidance, as well as sperm release. Most advances have been made in the Brassicaceae, Papaveraceae, Linderniaceae and Solanaceae families including their well-understood self-incompatibility (SI) systems. Grass species evolved similar mechanisms to control the penetration

Sensitivity studies of the common bean (Vigna unguiculata) and maize (Zea mays) to different soil types from the crude oil drilling site at Kutchalli, Nigeria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anoliefo, G.O. [Dept. of Botany, Univ. of Benin, Benin City (Nigeria); Isikhuemhen, O.S. [Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Design, NC Agricultural and Technical State Univ., Greensboro, NC (United States); Ohimain, E.I. [Rohi Biotechnologies Ltd., Port Harcourt (Nigeria)

2006-02-15

Background, aims and scope. The economic growth that Nigeria has enjoyed as a result of oil revenue has its drawback through exposure of people in the oil producing areas to environmental contamination, due largely to the increase in the movement of oil. Activities associated with oil well drilling on agricultural lands have led to serious economic losses on the communities affected. The local people in most of these communities are peasants who do not know how to react to drilling wastes or polluted fields where they have their crops. A case under study is the Kutchalli oil drilling area. Methods. Waste pit soil from drilling waste dumps in Kutchalli oil drilling area was tested whole and in combinations with 'clean' soil for their abilities to support plant growth and development in common bean (Vigna unguiculata) and maize (Zea mays). Seed germination, plant height, leaf area, biomass accumulation, respiratory activity as well as soil chemical analysis were used to access the ability of waste pit soil to support plant growth and development in the test plants. Results, discussion and conclusions. Waste pit soil completely inhibited the germination of bean and maize seeds. Waste pit soil in combinations with different proportions of Kutchalli soil gave growth (germination, height of plants, number of leaves, leaf area, etc.) values that were inferior to the control soil (Kutchalli) and the independent control soil (Monguno). Seeds planted in the test soil combinations containing waste pit soil showed significantly low respiratory activity. Waste pit soil seems to be toxic to plant growth and development. Drilling mud in combination with native Kutchalli soil significantly enhanced plant growth and development. Recommendations and outlook. The seed germination, growth and development inhibition by waste pit soil suggests its toxicity. We want to suggest the need for strict control and monitoring of waste pit soil in oil drilling sites. (orig.)

Influence de différents traitements de prégermination des graines de Vigna unguiculata (L. Walp. sur les performances germinatives et la tolérance au stress hydrique

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Boucelha, L.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Influence of different pre-germination treatments of Vigna unguiculata (L. Walp. seeds on germination performance and water stress tolerance. Description of the subject. Priming or hardening is a pregermination treatment. This treatment consists of incorporating an osmotic seed treatment (osmopriming or a hormonal (hormopriming and/or a redehydration (hydropriming treatment. The approach allows the elimination of dormancy, homogenization (synchronization of germination, better growth, earlier flowering and a tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. In this kind of treatment, the seed is soaked and then dehydrated before radicle breakthrough, i.e. during the reversible phase of germination. Thus, the seed can return to its initial stage without any damage. Objectives. In this paper, we aimed to study the consequences of hydropriming and osmopriming (by PEG6000 at 10 and 30% on cowpea seeds (Vigna unguiculata, on germination performance and on the water stress tolerance of plants from these seeds. Method. Vigna unguiculata seeds were hydroprimed, hydroprimed twice or osmoprimed (with PEG6000 10 and 30%. For each treatment, germination performance (germination capacity, speed and the water stress tolerance of the plants were studied. Results. Results showed that increased hardness of the seed allowed a faster, more uniform germination and better growth of both the radicle and aerial parts. We also demonstrated that a double redehydration was more effective in improving these parameters. Conclusions. Application of these pretreatments, adapted according to the plant species, will has the capacity to improve seed germination and crop yield, as well as tolerance to water deficit.

Recurrent selection increases the seed germination of little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

Science.gov (United States)

Rainfall is often inadequate for satisfactory seed germination and emergence under field conditions. This research was designed to improve the seed germination of six experimental lines of little bluestem [Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash]. Two cycle of recurrent selection were used to develo...

Study of improvement of indices maize line to establish their position in hybrids

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Oxana DIRZU-COCOS

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Corn (Zea mays L. crop that is grown on large areas - over 140 million hectares worldwide, and 400-500 thousand ha in Moldova due to production potential broad diversity of use as food for humans, animals, birds raw material for industrial processing. The upward trend in average yields achieved is largely attributed to the improvement of scientific programs. Select the line with the characters and traits that are transmitted hereditary hybrids and contribute to their performance, ensure progress in improvement. Therefore, the process of creating inbred lines associated with combining ability testing as a measure of productivity conferred hybrids, is significant research programs. Orientation purpose of improved maize hybrids to formulas and simple change to a superior capitalization heterosis effect and perfect uniformity of plant requires changes in methodology for the creation, evaluation and classification of inbred lines.

Zealactones. Novel natural strigolactones from maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Charnikhova, Tatsiana V; Gaus, Katharina; Lumbroso, Alexandre; Sanders, Mark; Vincken, Jean-Paul; De Mesmaeker, Alain; Ruyter-Spira, Carolien P; Screpanti, Claudio; Bouwmeester, Harro J

2017-05-01

In the root exudate and root extracts of maize hybrid cv NK Falkone seven putative strigolactones were detected using UPLC-TQ-MS-MS. All seven compounds displayed MS-MS-fragmentation common for strigolactones and particularly the presence of a fragment of m/z 97 Da, which may indicate the presence of the so-called D-ring, suggests they are strigolactones. The levels of all these putative strigolactones increased upon phosphate starvation and decreased upon fluridone (carotenoid biosynthesis inhibitor) treatment, both of which are a common response for strigolactones. All seven compounds were subsequently isolated with prep-HPLC-MS. They all exhibited Striga hermonthica seed germination inducing activity just as the synthetic strigolactone analog GR24. The structure of two of the seven compounds was elucidated by NMR spectroscopy as: methyl (2E,3E)-4-(3,3-dimethyl-5-oxo-2-(prop-1-en-2-yl)tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)-2-(((4-methyl-5-oxo-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-yl)oxy)methylene)but-3-enoate (two diastereomers 1a and 1b). Strigolactones (1a/b) are closely related to the methyl ester of carlactonoic acid (MeCLA) and heliolactone. However, they contain a unique 4,4-dimethyltetrahydrofuran-2-one motif as the "A-ring" instead of the classical (di)methylcyclohexene. Because these compounds were isolated from maize (Zea mays) we called them "zealactone 1a and 1b". The implications of this discovery for our view on strigolactones and their biosynthesis are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proteomic analysis of lettuce seed germination and thermoinhibition by sampling of individual seeds at germination and removal of storage proteins by polyethylene glycol fractionation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei-Qing; Song, Bin-Yan; Deng, Zhi-Jun; Wang, Yue; Liu, Shu-Jun; Møller, Ian Max; Song, Song-Quan

2015-04-01

Germination and thermoinhibition in lettuce (Lactuca sativa 'Jianyexianfeng No. 1') seeds were investigated by a proteomic comparison among dry seeds, germinated seeds at 15°C, at 15°C after imbibition at 25°C for 48 h, or at 25°C in KNO3 (all sampled individually at germination), and ungerminated seeds at 25°C, a thermoinhibitory temperature. Before two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analysis, storage proteins (greater than 50% of total extractable protein) were removed by polyethylene glycol precipitation, which significantly improved the detection of less abundant proteins on two-dimensional gels. A total of 108 protein spots were identified to change more than 2-fold (Pseeds than in ungerminated 25°C seeds. Gene expression of 12 of those proteins correlated well with the protein accumulation. Methionine metabolism, ethylene production, lipid mobilization, cell elongation, and detoxification of aldehydes were revealed to be potentially related to lettuce seed germination and thermoinhibition. Accumulation of three proteins and expression of five genes participating in the mevalonate (MVA) pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis correlated positively with seed germinability. Inhibition of this pathway by lovastatin delayed seed germination and increased the sensitivity of germination to abscisic acid. MVA pathway-derived products, cytokinins, partially reversed the lovastatin inhibition of germination and released seed thermoinhibition at 25°C. We conclude that the MVA pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis is involved in lettuce seed germination and thermoinhibition. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

ATP Production by Respiration and Fermentation, and Energy Charge during Aerobiosis and Anaerobiosis in Twelve Fatty and Starchy Germinating Seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Raymond, P; Al-Ani, A; Pradet, A

1985-11-01

The respiration and fermentation rates were compared in germinating seeds of 12 different cultivated species from five families. In air, fermentation contributes significantly to the energy metabolism only in some species (pea, maize), but is generally negligible when compared to respiration. The fermentation rate under anoxia was related either to the metabolic activity under air or to the adenine nucleotide content of the seeds: it was generally higher in seeds which contain starchy reserves (rice, maize, sorghum, pea), than in seeds which do not contain starch (lettuce, sunflower, radish, turnip, cabbage, flax); however, it was similar in wheat, sorghum (starchy seeds), and soya (nonstarchy seeds). The value of the energy charge of all the seeds was lower under anoxia than in air: after 24 hours under anoxia, it was higher than 0.5 in the starchy seeds and in soya and it was around 0.25 in the other fatty seeds.

Effect of different doses of gamma rays on seed germination of Carthamus L

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malik, Anjali; Srivastava, A.K.

2010-01-01

Genetic variability is essential for any crop improvement programme. Experimentally induced mutation provides an important source of variability. The ionizing radiation treatment would be useful on account of the total randomness of action of radiation on genetic material as also the fact that an optimal dose radiation produces effect both through gene mutation and chromosomal mutations. The most commonly used ionizing radiation in plant improvement program are γ-rays. The control sets of different accessions/species showed significant variability in the germination pattern. γ-ray alteration in the mean total seed germination frequency of Carthamus accessions/species presently explored, was genotype dependent. However, these could also modify substantially the temporal patterns of the germination as compared to corresponding control sets. The seed lots of different accessions could be supposed to be a mixture of seeds showing differences in the time of induction of germination. That is, seed lots differed in their temporal seed germination pattern. On the basis of the present study it can be inferred that the temporal seed germination could be decided at genotypic and/or biochemical levels. (author)

Seed biopriming with novel strain of Trichoderma harzianum for the control of toxigenic Fusarium verticillioides and fumonisins in maize

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nayaka, S.Chandra; Niranjana, S.R.; Shankar, A.C. Uday

2010-01-01

Fusarium verticillioides is one of the most important fungal pathogens in maize causing both pre- and post-harvest losses and also capable of producing Fumonisins. In the present study attempts have been made for screening potential T. harzianum from native rhizosphere and to study its effect...... on Fusarium ear rot disease, fumonisin accumulation in different maize cultivars grown in India. Eight isolates of T. harzianum were isolated and T. harzianum isolate Th-8 exhibited better antifungal activity than carbendizim. Th-8 was formulated in different solid substrates like wheat bran, paddy husk...... of 10 g/kg. Treated seeds were subjected to evaluate F. verticillioides incidence, seed germination, seedling vigour and field emergence, yield, thousand seed weight and fumonisin production. It was found that the pure culture of T. harzianum was more effective in reducing the F. verticillioides...

Can biochar be used as a seed coating to improve native plant germination and growth in arid conditions?

Science.gov (United States)

Mary I. Williams; R. Kasten Dumroese; Deborah S. Page-Dumroese; Stuart P. Hardegree

2016-01-01

Direct seeding is a common large-scale restoration practice for revegetating arid and semi-arid lands, but success can be limited by moisture and temperature. Seed coating technologies that use biochar may have the potential to overcome moisture and temperature limitations on native plant germination and growth. Biochar is a popular agronomic tool for improving soil...

Optimizing soaking and germination conditions to improve gamma-aminobutyric acid content in japonica and indica germinated brown rice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhang, Q.; Xiang, J.; Zhang, L.; Zhu, X.; Evers, J.B.; Werf, van der W.; Duan, L.

2014-01-01

Germinated brown rice is a well-known functional food due to its high content of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This study was designed to test the difference of producing GABA in two domesticated rice genotypes (indica and japonica rice), and the effects of adding exogenous glutamic acid or

Mean germination time and germination rate of oat seeds subjected to stationary magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez Ramirez, Elvira; Florez Garcia, Mercedes; Carbonell, Maria Victoria; Amaya Garcia de la Escosura, Jose Manuel

2007-01-01

The objective of the present study is to determine and quantify the effect produced by stationary magnetic fields on oat seed germination (Avena sativa, L. var. c obena ) . For this purpose, seeds were exposed to a magnetic field 125 mT of 250 mT during different periods of time: 20 minutes (E1, E5), 1 hour (E2, E6), 24 hours (E3, E7), or in a conic form (E4, E8) during the whole germination process. Germination tests were carried out under laboratory conditions with cylindrical magnets to obtain the magnetic field. For magnetic treatment seed on Petri dishes were placed on magnets during time necessary for each treatment. Seeds without exposition to the magnetic field were used as control group. Parameters used for germination speed analysis were: number of germinated seeds (G), mean germination time (MGT) and necessary time for germination of 1, 10, 25, 50 and 75% of N number of speeds used for each treatment (T1, T10, T25, T50, and T75). These parameters were supplied through the software Seed calculator, as well as the corresponding germination curves. In general, from the results obtained it can be said that the time required to obtain different germination percentages was lower for seeds exposed to the magnetic field (treatments E1 and E8). Reduction in time for E1 treatment stands up with 20 a minutes-exposition-time to 125 mT. MGT obtained for seeds with magnetic treatment E1 was significantly lower (11.48%) than the control group. Parameters T1, T10, T25 were also lower for seeds submitted to treatment, obtaining reductions of 46.62 %, 24.02 % and 13.46 % respectively. Reduction in germination parameters indicates that germination speed is higher. Because parameters T1 and T10 are related to the beginning of germination, this study represents a progress in germination and a reduction in the induction phase in most of the magnetic treatments applied. Previous studies done by authors about the influence of stationary magnetic fields have shown increases in

The effect of cytokinins on flax seed germination at low temperature

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Irena Niedźwiedź-Siegień

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Germination of flax seeds (Linum usitatissimum L., cv. Szafir at 5oC was enhanced by continuous white light, gibberellin A3 (GA3, kinetin and benzylaminopurine. GA3 and kinetin at physiological concentrations (10-8-10-6 M improved significantly germination in darkness. Stimulatory effect of benzylaminopurine was visible only in the light. Almost no effect of zeatin and isopentenyladenine (2iP on germination was observed. Possible causes of this differences were suggested.

Biotechnology in maize breeding

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Mladenović-Drinić Snežana

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Maize is one of the most important economic crops and the best studied and most tractable genetic system among monocots. The development of biotechnology has led to a great increase in our knowledge of maize genetics and understanding of the structure and behaviour of maize genomes. Conventional breeding practices can now be complemented by a number of new and powerful techniques. Some of these often referred to as molecular methods, enable scientists to see the layout of the entire genome of any organism and to select plants with preferred characteristics by "reading" at the molecular level, saving precious time and resources. DNA markers have provided valuable tools in various analyses ranging from phylogenetic analysis to the positional cloning of genes. Application of molecular markers for genetic studies of maize include: assessment of genetic variability and characterization of germ plasm, identification and fingerprinting of genotypes, estimation of genetic distance, detection of monogamic and quantitative trait loci, marker assisted selection, identification of sequence of useful candidate genes, etc. The development of high-density molecular maps which has been facilitated by PCR-based markers, have made the mapping and tagging of almost any trait possible and serve as bases for marker assisted selection. Sequencing of maize genomes would help to elucidate gene function, gene regulation and their expression. Modern biotechnology also includes an array of tools for introducing or deieting a particular gene or genes to produce plants with novel traits. Development of informatics and biotechnology are resulted in bioinformatic as well as in expansion of microarrey technique. Modern biotechnologies could complement and improve the efficiency of traditional selection and breeding techniques to enhance agricultural productivity.

Efficiency of phosphate fertilization to maize crop in high phosphorus content soil, evaluated by {sup 32}P tracer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trevizam, Anderson R.; Alvarez Villanueva, Felipe C.; Silva, Maria Ligia de S.; Muraoka, Takashi [Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil). Lab. de Fertilidade do Solo]. E-mails: trevizam@cena.usp.br; falvarez@cena.usp.br; mlsousi@hotmail.com; muraoka@cena.usp.br

2007-07-01

Application of high dosis of phosphorus (P) in agricultural soils is justified by its intense fixation by the soil clays, which reduce availability to crops. The objective of this research was to evaluate the response of maize crops to five rates of triple superphosphate in a soil with high available phosphorus content. Portions of 2 dm{sup 3} of soil (Typic Quartzipisamment) with 75 mg kg{sup -1} of available phosphorus and pH 7.00, collected from the upper 0-20 cm layer, were placed in plastic pots, received solution containing 5.55 MBq (150 {mu}Ci) of {sup 32}P and incubated for 7 days. Then 0, 250, 500, 1000 and 4000 mg P kg{sup -1} as triple superphosphate was added to soil in the respective pots and incubated for 15 days keeping the soil moisture to 60 % of the field capacity. Maize (Zea mays L.) plants, single hybrid P30F80, were grown for 50 days (after germination), collected, oven dried, weighed and ground in a Wiley mill for analysis of total P content and {sup 32}P radioactivity. The maize dry matter increased with triple superphosphate rates. The phosphorus content and accumulation in the maize plants increased with triple superphosphate rate up to 4000 mg kg{sup -1}. The percentage of phosphorus derived from the fertilizer ranged from 79 to 97% and consequently the phosphorus derived from soil decreased with increasing application of triple superphosphate. In spite of soil high P available content, maize plants responded to applied phosphorus rates. (author)

A Germination Simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hershey, David R.

1995-01-01

Presents an activity that involves using sponge seedlings to demonstrate the germination process without the usual waiting period. Discusses epigeous versus hypogeous germination, and cotyledon number and biodiversity. (JRH)

High-Throughput Scoring of Seed Germination.

Science.gov (United States)

Ligterink, Wilco; Hilhorst, Henk W M

2017-01-01

High-throughput analysis of seed germination for phenotyping large genetic populations or mutant collections is very labor intensive and would highly benefit from an automated setup. Although very often used, the total germination percentage after a nominated period of time is not very informative as it lacks information about start, rate, and uniformity of germination, which are highly indicative of such traits as dormancy, stress tolerance, and seed longevity. The calculation of cumulative germination curves requires information about germination percentage at various time points. We developed the GERMINATOR package: a simple, highly cost-efficient, and flexible procedure for high-throughput automatic scoring and evaluation of germination that can be implemented without the use of complex robotics. The GERMINATOR package contains three modules: (I) design of experimental setup with various options to replicate and randomize samples; (II) automatic scoring of germination based on the color contrast between the protruding radicle and seed coat on a single image; and (III) curve fitting of cumulative germination data and the extraction, recap, and visualization of the various germination parameters. GERMINATOR is a freely available package that allows the monitoring and analysis of several thousands of germination tests, several times a day by a single person.

Making better maize plants for sustainable grain production in a changing climate.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Fangping; Wu, Xiaolin; Zhang, Huiyong; Chen, Yanhui; Wang, Wei

2015-01-01

Achieving grain supply security with limited arable land is a major challenge in the twenty-first century, owing to the changing climate and increasing global population. Maize plays an increasingly vital role in global grain production. As a C4 plant, maize has a high yield potential. Maize is predicted to become the number one cereal in the world by 2020. However, maize production has plateaued in many countries, and hybrid and production technologies have been fully exploited. Thus, there is an urgent need to shape maize traits and architectures for increased stress tolerance and higher yield in a changing climate. Recent achievements in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics have provided an unprecedented opportunity to make better maize. In this paper, we discuss the current challenges and potential of maize production, particularly in China. We also highlight the need for enhancing maize tolerance to drought and heat waves, summarize the elite shoot and root traits and phenotypes, and propose an ideotype for sustainable maize production in a changing climate. This will facilitate targeted maize improvement through a conventional breeding program combined with molecular techniques.

7 CFR 201.63 - Germination.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Germination. 201.63 Section 201.63 Agriculture... REGULATIONS Tolerances § 201.63 Germination. The following tolerances are applicable to the percentage of germination and also to the sum of the germination plus the hard seed when 400 or more seeds are tested. Mean...

GERMINATOR: a software package for high-throughput scoring and curve fitting of Arabidopsis seed germination.

Science.gov (United States)

Joosen, Ronny V L; Kodde, Jan; Willems, Leo A J; Ligterink, Wilco; van der Plas, Linus H W; Hilhorst, Henk W M

2010-04-01

Over the past few decades seed physiology research has contributed to many important scientific discoveries and has provided valuable tools for the production of high quality seeds. An important instrument for this type of research is the accurate quantification of germination; however gathering cumulative germination data is a very laborious task that is often prohibitive to the execution of large experiments. In this paper we present the germinator package: a simple, highly cost-efficient and flexible procedure for high-throughput automatic scoring and evaluation of germination that can be implemented without the use of complex robotics. The germinator package contains three modules: (i) design of experimental setup with various options to replicate and randomize samples; (ii) automatic scoring of germination based on the color contrast between the protruding radicle and seed coat on a single image; and (iii) curve fitting of cumulative germination data and the extraction, recap and visualization of the various germination parameters. The curve-fitting module enables analysis of general cumulative germination data and can be used for all plant species. We show that the automatic scoring system works for Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica spp. seeds, but is likely to be applicable to other species, as well. In this paper we show the accuracy, reproducibility and flexibility of the germinator package. We have successfully applied it to evaluate natural variation for salt tolerance in a large population of recombinant inbred lines and were able to identify several quantitative trait loci for salt tolerance. Germinator is a low-cost package that allows the monitoring of several thousands of germination tests, several times a day by a single person.

"Omics" of maize stress response for sustainable food production: opportunities and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Fangping; Yang, Le; Tai, Fuju; Hu, Xiuli; Wang, Wei

2014-12-01

Maize originated in the highlands of Mexico approximately 8700 years ago and is one of the most commonly grown cereal crops worldwide, followed by wheat and rice. Abiotic stresses (primarily drought, salinity, and high and low temperatures), together with biotic stresses (primarily fungi, viruses, and pests), negatively affect maize growth, development, and eventually production. To understand the response of maize to abiotic and biotic stresses and its mechanism of stress tolerance, high-throughput omics approaches have been used in maize stress studies. Integrated omics approaches are crucial for dissecting the temporal and spatial system-level changes that occur in maize under various stresses. In this comprehensive analysis, we review the primary types of stresses that threaten sustainable maize production; underscore the recent advances in maize stress omics, especially proteomics; and discuss the opportunities, challenges, and future directions of maize stress omics, with a view to sustainable food production. The knowledge gained from studying maize stress omics is instrumental for improving maize to cope with various stresses and to meet the food demands of the exponentially growing global population. Omics systems science offers actionable potential solutions for sustainable food production, and we present maize as a notable case study.

MaizeGDB: The Maize Genetics and Genomics Database.

Science.gov (United States)

Harper, Lisa; Gardiner, Jack; Andorf, Carson; Lawrence, Carolyn J

2016-01-01

MaizeGDB is the community database for biological information about the crop plant Zea mays. Genomic, genetic, sequence, gene product, functional characterization, literature reference, and person/organization contact information are among the datatypes stored at MaizeGDB. At the project's website ( http://www.maizegdb.org ) are custom interfaces enabling researchers to browse data and to seek out specific information matching explicit search criteria. In addition, pre-compiled reports are made available for particular types of data and bulletin boards are provided to facilitate communication and coordination among members of the community of maize geneticists.

[Study on physiological and germination characteristics of Tulipa edulis seed].

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zhengjun; Zhu, Zaibiao; Guo, Qiaosheng; Ma, Hongliang; Xu, Hongjian; Miao, Yuanyuan

2012-03-01

Current study was conducted to investigate the seed physiological characteristics of Tulipa edulis and improve germination rate. Anatomical characteristics was observed. Seed water absorption curve was tested by soaking method. Dynamic of embryo development and germination rate as well as germination index under different conditions were recorded. And the biological test of cabbage seed was used for detecting the germination inhibitors. The embryo rate of newly matured seeds was about 10%, and there was no obstacle of water absorption on testa of T. edulis. The optimum method for embryo development was exposure to 300 mg x L(-1) gibberellin solution for 24 hours, and stratification at 25 degrees C for 70 days followed by stratification at 5 degrees C for 40 days. The germintion rate and germination index of dormancy-broken seeds under the dark environment at 10 degrees C and 15 degrees C were significantly higher than those under other conditions. Additionally, there were some germination inhibitory substances in dry seeds. The seed of T. edulis can be classified as having complex morphophysiological dormancy, and the morphological embryo dormancy played a leading role. Warm and cold stratification resulted in a fast dormancy breaking effect, and a high germination rate more than 90% could be obtained under the optimum conditions.

Genome-wide recombination dynamics are associated with phenotypic variation in maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Qingchun; Li, Lin; Yang, Xiaohong; Tong, Hao; Xu, Shutu; Li, Zhigang; Li, Weiya; Muehlbauer, Gary J; Li, Jiansheng; Yan, Jianbing

2016-05-01

Meiotic recombination is a major driver of genetic diversity, species evolution, and agricultural improvement. Thus, an understanding of the genetic recombination landscape across the maize (Zea mays) genome will provide insight and tools for further study of maize evolution and improvement. Here, we used c. 50 000 single nucleotide polymorphisms to precisely map recombination events in 12 artificial maize segregating populations. We observed substantial variation in the recombination frequency and distribution along the ten maize chromosomes among the 12 populations and identified 143 recombination hot regions. Recombination breakpoints were partitioned into intragenic and intergenic events. Interestingly, an increase in the number of genes containing recombination events was accompanied by a decrease in the number of recombination events per gene. This kept the overall number of intragenic recombination events nearly invariable in a given population, suggesting that the recombination variation observed among populations was largely attributed to intergenic recombination. However, significant associations between intragenic recombination events and variation in gene expression and agronomic traits were observed, suggesting potential roles for intragenic recombination in plant phenotypic diversity. Our results provide a comprehensive view of the maize recombination landscape, and show an association between recombination, gene expression and phenotypic variation, which may enhance crop genetic improvement. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Detennination Qf Optimuni on-fann Seed Pri~ing Time for Maize ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

maize seed to on-far111 priming is an important development which can be used to improve ... Key words: semi-arid: crop establishment; sorghum; maize: on-farm seed priming; Zimbapwe. ... faster growth and higher yield after seed prim-, ing.

Seed dormancy and germination.

Science.gov (United States)

Penfield, Steven

2017-09-11

Reproduction is a critical time in plant life history. Therefore, genes affecting seed dormancy and germination are among those under strongest selection in natural plant populations. Germination terminates seed dispersal and thus influences the location and timing of plant growth. After seed shedding, germination can be prevented by a property known as seed dormancy. In practise, seeds are rarely either dormant or non-dormant, but seeds whose dormancy-inducing pathways are activated to higher levels will germinate in an ever-narrower range of environments. Thus, measurements of dormancy must always be accompanied by analysis of environmental contexts in which phenotypes or behaviours are described. At its simplest, dormancy can be imposed by the formation of a simple physical barrier around the seed through which gas exchange and the passage of water are prevented. Seeds featuring this so-called 'physical dormancy' often require either scarification or passage through an animal gut (replete with its associated digestive enzymes) to disrupt the barrier and permit germination. In other types of seeds with 'morphological dormancy' the embryo remains under-developed at maturity and a dormant phase exists as the embryo continues its growth post-shedding, eventually breaking through the surrounding tissues. By far, the majority of seeds exhibit 'physiological dormancy' - a quiescence program initiated by either the embryo or the surrounding endosperm tissues. Physiological dormancy uses germination-inhibiting hormones to prevent germination in the absence of the specific environmental triggers that promote germination. During and after germination, early seedling growth is supported by catabolism of stored reserves of protein, oil or starch accumulated during seed maturation. These reserves support cell expansion, chloroplast development and root growth until photoauxotrophic growth can be resumed. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ion beam biotechnology and its application to maize breeding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Lixia; Li Wenjian; Dong Xicun; Zhou Libin; Ma Shuang

2008-01-01

Since the mid of 1980's, ion beam had been widely used in mutagenic breeding of various crops. Ion beam biotechnology had provided a new way for improving corn variety and creating new germplasm resources, and had promoted the development of maize breeding. The ion beam characteristics, the mutagenic mechanism and its application in maize breeding were described. (authors)

Effect of Spatial Arrangement on Growth and Yield of Cowpea in a Cowpea-maize Intercrop

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ocaya, CP.

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Cowpea growth and yield performance when intercropped with maize was studied for 3 consecutive seasons under three spatial arrangements, i. e., maize planted at 90 x 30, 100 x 27, and 120 x 22.5 cm, with 2 rows of cowpea between the maize rows. Growth and yield of cowpea was improved significantly by widening maize intra-row distances as compared to the 90 x 30 cm spacing. Hence, intercropped cowpea needs to be sown where maize rows are wide apart, but the maize rows should not be too wide as this would lower the grain yield of maize.

Germination and development of pecan cultivar seedlings by seed stratification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor Poletto

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of seed stratification on germination rate, germination speed, and initial development of seedlings of six pecan (Carya illinoinensis cultivars under subtropical climatic conditions in southern Brazil. For stratification, the seeds were placed in boxes with moist sand, in a cold chamber at 4°C, for 90 days. In the fourteenth week after sowing, the emergence speed index, total emergence, plant height, stem diameter, and number of leaves were evaluated. Seed stratification significantly improves the germination potential and morphological traits of the evaluated cultivars.

Effect of plant-derived smoke solutions on physiological and biochemical attributes of maize (Zea mays L.) under salt stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waheed, M.A.; Shakir, S.K.; Rehman, S.U.; Khan, M.D.

2016-01-01

Among abiotic stresses, salinity is an important factor reducing crop yield. Plant-derived smoke solutions have been used as growth promoters since last two decades. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of Cymbopogon jwaracusa smoke extracts (1:100 and 1:400) on physiological and biochemical aspects of maize (Zea mays L.) under salt stress (100, 150, 200 and 250 mM). Results showed that seed germination percentage was improved up to 93% with smoke as compared to control (70%), while seedling vigor in term of root and shoot fresh weights and dry weights were also significantly increased in seeds primed with smoke extracts. Similarly, in case of alleviating solutions, there occurred a significant alleviation in the adverse effects of salt solutions when mixed smoke in all studied end points. Application of smoke solution has also increased the level of K+ and Ca+2 while reduced the level of Na+ content in maize. In addition, the levels of photosynthetic pigments, total nitrogen and protein contents were also alleviated with the application of smoke as compared to salt. There occurred an increase in the activities of Anti-oxidant in response of salt stress but overcome with the smoke application. It can be concluded that plant-derived smoke solution has the potential to alleviate the phytotoxic effects of saline condition and can increased the productivity in plants. (author)

Maize kernel evolution:From teosinte to maize

Science.gov (United States)

Maize is the most productive and highest value commodity in the US and around the world: over 1 billion tons were produced each year in 2013 and 2014. Together, maize, rice and wheat comprise over 60% of the world’s caloric intake, with wide regional variability in the importance of each crop. The i...

Overexpression of ARGOS Genes Modifies Plant Sensitivity to Ethylene, Leading to Improved Drought Tolerance in Both Arabidopsis and Maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Jinrui; Habben, Jeffrey E; Archibald, Rayeann L; Drummond, Bruce J; Chamberlin, Mark A; Williams, Robert W; Lafitte, H Renee; Weers, Ben P

2015-09-01

Lack of sufficient water is a major limiting factor to crop production worldwide, and the development of drought-tolerant germplasm is needed to improve crop productivity. The phytohormone ethylene modulates plant growth and development as well as plant response to abiotic stress. Recent research has shown that modifying ethylene biosynthesis and signaling can enhance plant drought tolerance. Here, we report novel negative regulators of ethylene signal transduction in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and maize (Zea mays). These regulators are encoded by the ARGOS gene family. In Arabidopsis, overexpression of maize ARGOS1 (ZmARGOS1), ZmARGOS8, Arabidopsis ARGOS homolog ORGAN SIZE RELATED1 (AtOSR1), and AtOSR2 reduced plant sensitivity to ethylene, leading to enhanced drought tolerance. RNA profiling and genetic analysis suggested that the ZmARGOS1 transgene acts between an ethylene receptor and CONSTITUTIVE TRIPLE RESPONSE1 in the ethylene signaling pathway, affecting ethylene perception or the early stages of ethylene signaling. Overexpressed ZmARGOS1 is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi membrane, where the ethylene receptors and the ethylene signaling protein ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE2 and REVERSION-TO-ETHYLENE SENSITIVITY1 reside. In transgenic maize plants, overexpression of ARGOS genes also reduces ethylene sensitivity. Moreover, field testing showed that UBIQUITIN1:ZmARGOS8 maize events had a greater grain yield than nontransgenic controls under both drought stress and well-watered conditions. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Harnessing maize biodiversity

Science.gov (United States)

Maize is a remarkably diverse species, adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions and farming practices. The latitudinal range of maize is immense, ranging from 54°N in Alberta, Canada, to 45°S in the province of Chubut, Argentina. In terms of altitude, maize is cultivated from sea level to 4000...

Germination Response of MR 219 Rice Variety to Different Exposure Times and Periods of 2450 MHz Microwave Frequency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daryush Talei

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Germination is a key process in plants' phenological cycles. Accelerating this process could lead to improvment of the seedling growth as well as the cultivation efficiency. To achieve this, the effect of microwave frequency on the germination of rice seeds was examined. The physiological feedbacks of the MR 219 rice variety in terms of seed germination rate (GR, germination percentage (GP, and mean germination time (MGT were analyzed by exposing its seeds to 2450 MHz of microwave frequency for one, four, seven, and ten hours. It was revealed that exposing the seeds to the microwave frequency for 10 hours resulted in the highest GP. This treatment led to 100% of germination after three days with a mean germination time of 2.1 days. Although the other exposure times of microwave frequency caused the moderate effects on germination with a GPa3 ranged from 93% to 98%, they failed to reduce the MGTa3. The results showed that ten-hour exposure times of microwave frequency for six days significantly facilitated and improved the germination indices (primary shoot and root length. Therefore, the technique is expected to benefit the improvement of rice seed germination considering its simplicity and efficacy in increasing the germination percentage and rate as well as the primary shoot and root length without causing any environmental toxicity.

Treatments for improving seed germination in eggplant and related species

OpenAIRE

Gisbert, Carmina; Prohens, J.; Nuez, Fernando

2011-01-01

7 pages, 2 figures, 1 table, 19 references. Trabajo incluido en el Capítulo: Seed Genetics and Biotechnology, an Seed Germination and Vigour, presentado al Fith International Symposium on Seed, Transplant and Stand Establishment of Horticultural Crops, celebrado del 27/09 al 1/10 de 2009, en Murcia y Almería, España.

Effect of Spatial Arrangement on Growth and Yield of Cowpea in a Cowpea-maize Intercrop

OpenAIRE

Ocaya, CP.; Adipala, E.; Osiru, DSO.

2001-01-01

Cowpea growth and yield performance when intercropped with maize was studied for 3 consecutive seasons under three spatial arrangements, i. e., maize planted at 90 x 30, 100 x 27, and 120 x 22.5 cm, with 2 rows of cowpea between the maize rows. Growth and yield of cowpea was improved significantly by widening maize intra-row distances as compared to the 90 x 30 cm spacing. Hence, intercropped cowpea needs to be sown where maize rows are wide apart, but the maize rows should not be too wide as...

High Pressure Germination of Bacillus subtilis Spores with Alterations in Levels and Types of Germination Proteins

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

1ITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a CONTRACTNUMBER High pressure germination of Bacillus subtilis spores with W911NF-09-l-0286 alterations in levels and types of...A moderate high pressure (mHP) of 150 megaPascals (MPa) triggers germination of Bacillus subtilis spores via germinant receptors (GRs), while...germination by a very high pressure (vHP) of550 MPa is GR-independent. The mHP and vHP germination of Bacillus subtilis spores with different levels ofGRs

The impact of germination on the characteristics of brown rice flour and starch.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jie; Zhang, Hui; Guo, Xiaona; Qian, Haifeng

2012-01-30

In recent years, germinated brown rice as a functional food has received great attention with its improved sensory and nutritional properties. Particularly of interest are the high levels of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) which can be obtained during germination. However, more studies are needed to fully understand the effect of germination on the physicochemical properties of brown rice. Germination altered the chemical composition of brown rice, resulting in an increase in reducing sugar and ash content, and a reduction in amylose. Solubility, paste viscosity, transition temperatures (T(o) , T(p) and T(c) ) and percentage of retrogradation (%Retrogradation) were decreased, while swelling power and turbidity were significantly increased. Scanning electron micrographs indicated that starch granules from germinated brown rice became smaller and less homogeneous. Moreover, germination shortened the chain length of amylopectin and amylose molecules. This investigation provides information on changes in the characteristics of rice flour and rice starch during germination, leading to a better understanding on the chemistry of brown rice germination. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and phosphate solubilizing bacteria in the presence of rock phosphate improves phosphorus uptake and growth of maize

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wahid, F.; Sharif, M.; Khan, M. A.; Khan, S. A.

2016-01-01

The beneficial microbes like arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are known to play an important role in phosphorous (P) supply to plants in a sustainable manner in P deficient soils. In this scenario, a pot experiment was conducted under greenhouse condition to assess the synergistic effect of AMF and PSB strains (Coccus DIM7 Streptococcus PIM6 and Bacillus sp. PIS7) on P solubility from RP and their successive uptake by maize (Zea-mays L. Azam) crop at alkaline soil. The experiment was completely randomized design with three replications having calcareous silty clay loam soil, low in organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus contents. RP was used as a crude phosphate alone and/or in combination with the native AMF and PSB inoculum. The Results indicated that the rhizosphere interactions between AMF and PSB significantly promote RP mineralization in soil and improved all growth parameters including shoot (56 percent), root yield (52 percent), height (41 percent), N (80 percent) and P (91 percent) uptake by the maize plants as compared to control and single inoculation. A remarkable increase in soil spore density, PSB population and percent root colonization in maize plants were also recorded by the combined inoculation of AMF and PSB with RP. From this study, it is concluded that the combined application of AMF and PSB with RP has the potential to improve maize growth and nutrients uptake. Moreover, AMF and PSB inoculants are recommended as useful biofertilizers for enhancing P solubility and bioavailability in P deficient agricultural soils. (author)

Efeito do tratamento com fontes de zinco e boro na germinação e vigor de sementes de milho Effects of maize seed treated with zinc and boron sources on germination and vigour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.D. Ribeiro

1994-12-01

Full Text Available Foi conduzido um experimento no Departamento de Fitotecnia da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, no período de março a novembro de 1992, com o objetivo de verificar o efeito da aplicação de fontes de zinco e boro em sementes de milho tratadas ou não com defensivos agrícolas. Adotou-se o esquema fatorial 3x2x6, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos constaram de avaliações em três épocas (logo após o tratamento, quatro e oito meses depois, utilização de sementes de milho com e sem tratamento fítossanitário, combinados com seis fontes de zinco e boro (testemunha, Zn-Biocrop, B-Biocrop, E-Orgânico, Zn-Biocrop + B-Biocrop e Zn-Biocrop + B-Orgânico, nas doses únicas de 2,50g Zn e de 0,15g B/kg de sementes. Os resultados obtidos mostram que a aplicação da fonte Zn-Biocrop não prejudica a germinação e o vigor, pelo período de oito meses de armazenamento. O tratamento de sementes com boro (B-Biocrop e B-Orgânico diminui a germinação e o vigor.The experiment was carried during the period of march 1992 to november 1992, to study the effects of maize seed treatment with zinc, boron and pesticides, on the germination and vigour during storage. The experimental design was a complete randomized 3x2x6 fatorial with four replicátions. The treatments were three storage periods (zero, four and eight month, pesticides treatments with or without, and six sources of zinc and boron (control, Zn-Biocrop, B-Biocrop, Organic-B, Zn-Biocrop -I- B-Biocrop and Zn-Biocrop + Organic-B, in the dose 2.50g of the Zn and 0.l5g of the B/kg of seeds. The results show that Zn-Biocrop maintain high germination and vigour for eight month of storage. The boron treatment (B-Biocrop and Organic-B showed a low germination and vigour.

Development of maizeSNP3072, a high-throughput compatible SNP array, for DNA fingerprinting identification of Chinese maize varieties.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Hong-Li; Wang, Feng-Ge; Zhao, Jiu-Ran; Yi, Hong-Mei; Wang, Lu; Wang, Rui; Yang, Yang; Song, Wei

2015-01-01

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are abundant and evenly distributed throughout the maize ( Zea mays L.) genome. SNPs have several advantages over simple sequence repeats, such as ease of data comparison and integration, high-throughput processing of loci, and identification of associated phenotypes. SNPs are thus ideal for DNA fingerprinting, genetic diversity analysis, and marker-assisted breeding. Here, we developed a high-throughput and compatible SNP array, maizeSNP3072, containing 3072 SNPs developed from the maizeSNP50 array. To improve genotyping efficiency, a high-quality cluster file, maizeSNP3072_GT.egt, was constructed. All 3072 SNP loci were localized within different genes, where they were distributed in exons (43 %), promoters (21 %), 3' untranslated regions (UTRs; 22 %), 5' UTRs (9 %), and introns (5 %). The average genotyping failure rate using these SNPs was only 6 %, or 3 % using the cluster file to call genotypes. The genotype consistency of repeat sample analysis on Illumina GoldenGate versus Infinium platforms exceeded 96.4 %. The minor allele frequency (MAF) of the SNPs averaged 0.37 based on data from 309 inbred lines. The 3072 SNPs were highly effective for distinguishing among 276 examined hybrids. Comparative analysis using Chinese varieties revealed that the 3072SNP array showed a better marker success rate and higher average MAF values, evaluation scores, and variety-distinguishing efficiency than the maizeSNP50K array. The maizeSNP3072 array thus can be successfully used in DNA fingerprinting identification of Chinese maize varieties and shows potential as a useful tool for germplasm resource evaluation and molecular marker-assisted breeding.

[Effects of sowing depth on seedling traits and root characteristics of summer maize].

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Hui-ying; Wang, Ding-bo; Shi, Jian-guo; Zhu, Kun-lun; Dong, Shu-ting; Liu, Peng; Zhao, Bin; Zhang, Ji-wang

2015-08-01

Two summer maize hybrids, Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) and Xianyu 335 (XY335), were used as experimental materials. 4 sowing depths (3, 5, 7 and 9 cm) and uneven sowing depth (CK) were designed under sand culture and field experiments to investigate the effects of sowing depth on seedling traits and root characteristics of summer maize. The results showed that the seedling emergence rate gradually decreased and seedling emergence time gradually lengthened as the sowing depth increased. Compared with the sowing depth of 3 cm, the seedling emergence rates of ZD958 and XY335 sown at the depth of 9 cm were reduced by 9.4% and 11.8%, respectively, and the seedling emergence duration was prolonged 1.5 d. With the increasing sowing depth, the seedling length and uniformity decreased significantly, the mesocotyl length increased significantly, while the coleoptile length had no significant difference; the primary radicle length gradually decreased, the total length of secondary radicle gradually increased, and the total root length had no significant difference; the total dry mass of seedling and mesocotyl increased significantly, and the total root dry mass had no significant difference. With the increasing sowing depth, the soluble sugar content in each part of seedling increased and the amount of nutritional consumption of germinating seeds increased, the seedling root growth rate increased, but the root activity decreased, and the number of total nodal root and nodal layers increased. With the increasing sowing depth, harvested ears per unit area were reduced by decreased seedling emergence rate and seedling vigor, thus influenced the yield. In addition, uniform sowing depth could improve the canopy uniformity and relative characteristics, then increase the yield.

The Optical Absorption Coefficient of Maize Grains Investigated by Photoacoustic Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Páez, C. L.; Carballo-Carballo, A.; Rico-Molina, R.; Hernández-Aguilar, C.; Domínguez-Pacheco, A.; Cruz-Orea, A.; Moreno-Martínez, E.

2017-01-01

In the maize and tortilla industry, it is important to characterize the color of maize ( Zea mays L.) grain, as it is one of the attributes that directly affect the quality of the tortillas consumed by the population. For this reason, the availability of alternative techniques for assessing and improving the quality of grain is valued. Photoacoustic spectroscopy has proven to be a useful tool for characterizing maize grain. So, the objective of the present study was to determine the optical absorption coefficient β of the maize grain used to make tortillas from two regions of Mexico: (a) Valles Altos, 2012-2013 production cycle and (b) Guasave, Sinaloa, 2013-2014 production cycle. Traditional reflectance measurements, physical characteristics of the grain and nutrient content were also calculated. The experimental results show different characteristics for maize grains.

Studies on performance of some open-pollinated maize cultivars in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Plant density and nitrogen (N) fertilizer responses of one local and three improved open-pollinated cultivars of maize (Zea mays L.) developed in different eras of maize breeding were studied on sandy-loam Alfisols in the Guinea savanna zone of Ghana in 1992 and 1993. A split-plot design was used in which plant ...

Potential of Using Maize Cobs in Pig Diets — A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. T. Kanengoni

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The quest to broaden the narrow range of feed ingredients available to pig producers has prompted research on the use of low cost, unconventional feedstuffs, which are typically fibrous and abundant. Maize cobs, a by-product of a major cereal grown worldwide, have potential to be used as a pig feed ingredient. Presently, maize cobs are either dumped or burnt for fuel. The major challenge in using maize cobs in pig diets is their lignocellulosic nature (45% to 55% cellulose, 25% to 35% hemicellulose, and 20% to 30% lignin which is resistant to pigs’ digestive enzymes. The high fiber in maize cobs (930 g neutral detergent fiber/kg dry matter [DM]; 573 g acid detergent fiber/kg DM increases rate of passage and sequestration of nutrients in the fiber reducing their digestion. However, grinding, heating and fermentation can modify the structure of the fibrous components in the maize cobs and improve their utilization. Pigs can also extract up to 25% of energy maintenance requirements from fermentation products. In addition, dietary fiber improves pig intestinal health by promoting the growth of lactic acid bacteria, which suppress proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines. This paper reviews maize cob composition and the effect on digestibility of nutrients, intestinal microflora and growth performance and proposes the use of ensiling using exogenous enzymes to enhance utilization in diets of pigs.

Phosphorylation of ribosomal proteins induced by auxins in maize embryonic tissues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, L.; Aguilar, R.; Mendez, A.P.; de Jimenez, E.S.

1990-01-01

The effect of auxin on ribosomal protein phosphorylation of germinating maize (Zea mays) tissues was investigated. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and autoradiography of [ 32 P] ribosomal protein patterns for natural and synthetic auxin-treated tissues were performed. Both the rate of 32 P incorporation and the electrophoretic patterns were dependent on 32 P pulse length, suggesting that active protein phosphorylation-dephosphorylation occurred in small and large subunit proteins, in control as well as in auxin-treated tissues. The effect of ribosomal protein phosphorylation on in vitro translation was tested. Measurements of poly(U) translation rates as a function of ribosome concentration provided apparent K m values significantly different for auxin-treated and nontreated tissues. These findings suggest that auxin might exert some kind of translational control by regulating the phosphorylated status of ribosomal proteins

A selfish gene governing pollen-pistil compatibility confers reproductive isolation between maize relatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Kermicle, Jerry L

2006-01-01

Some populations of maize's closest relatives, the annual teosintes of Mexico, are unreceptive to maize pollen. When present in the pistil (silk and ovary) a number of maize genes discriminate against or exclude pollen not carrying the same allele. An analogous gene Tcb1-s was found in some teosinte populations but not in sympatric or parapatric maize. It was polymorphic among populations of teosinte growing wild, but regularly present in populations growing in intimate association with maize as a weed. Introduction of Tcb1-s into maize substantially to fully restored compatibility with Tcb1-s carrying teosintes. Although Tcb1-s pollen can fertilize tcb1 tcb1 maize, it is at a competitive disadvantage relative to tcb1 pollen. Hence, the influence of Tcb1-s on crossability is bidirectional. In the absence of maize, Tcb1-s can increase in teosinte populations without improving their fitness. In the presence of maize, Tcb1-s appears to have been co-opted to provide reproductive isolation for adaptation to a cultivated habitat.

Effects of fluorine on the germination of some species of seeds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Navara, J; Holub, Z; Bedatsova, L

1966-01-01

The various degrees of tolerance of the seeds of some species of plants towards fluorine and their ability to accumulate fluorine under experimental conditions are presented. The effects of fluorine on the germination of seeds manifests itself in various ways. The studied species have been divided into four groups according to their natural tolerance: (1) very sensitive: pea, soya, vetch and cabbage; (2) sensitive: radish, barley, cole; (3) less sensitive: maize, cauliflower, alfalfa, mustard, oats, clover kohlrabi; and (4) tolerant: poppy, carrot, tomato. Highly tolerant species are capable of accumulating considerable amounts of fluorine when compared with the more sensitive species. A more intensive accumulation of fluorine has been noticed in the oleaginous species, viz. mustard and poppy. A correlation was found to exist between the ash contents (especially of calcium) and the ability of a greater accumulation of fluorine. 23 references, 6 figures, 2 tables.

Salt Stress Represses Soybean Seed Germination by Negatively Regulating GA Biosynthesis While Positively Mediating ABA Biosynthesis

OpenAIRE

Kai Shu; Ying Qi; Feng Chen; Yongjie Meng; Xiaofeng Luo; Haiwei Shuai; Wenguan Zhou; Jun Ding; Junbo Du; Jiang Liu; Feng Yang; Qiang Wang; Weiguo Liu; Taiwen Yong; Xiaochun Wang

2017-01-01

Soybean is an important and staple oilseed crop worldwide. Salinity stress has adverse effects on soybean development periods, especially on seed germination and post-germinative growth. Improving seed germination and emergence will have positive effects under salt stress conditions on agricultural production. Here we report that NaCl delays soybean seed germination by negatively regulating gibberellin (GA) while positively mediating abscisic acid (ABA) biogenesis, which leads to a decrease i...

Effect of atmospheric plasma treatment on seed germination of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Science.gov (United States)

Penado, Keith Nealson M.; Mahinay, Christian Lorenz S.; Culaba, Ivan B.

2018-01-01

Multiple methods of improving plant development have been utilized over the past decades. Despite these improvements, there still exists a need for better planting methods due to the increasing population of a global community. Studies have reported that plasma treatment affects the growth and germination of a variety of plant species, including a multitude of grains which often takes the bulk in the diet of the average human being. This study explores the effect of atmospheric air plasma jet treatment on the seed germination of rice (Oryza sativa L.). The seeds were treated using an atmospheric air plasma jet for 1, 2, and 3 s. The effect of plasma exposure shows a reduction of trichomes on the surface of the seed. This caused a possible increase in wettability which significantly affected the seed germ length but did not affect the seed germination count after the germination period of 72 h.

Seed germination of Phillyrea angustifolia L., a species of difficult propagation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mira, Sara; Arnal, Alberto; Pérez-García, Félix

2017-11-01

Aim of study: The purpose was to determine the type of dormancy and the optimal germination conditions of Phillyrea angustifolia (Oleaceae) seeds. Area of study: Germination requirements of P. angustifolia seeds collected from wild plants growing in the province of Ávila (Central Spain) were studied. Materials and methods: Seed water uptake was measured. Seeds with and without an endocarp were germinated at different temperatures, and several treatments were tested. Main results: The lignified endocarp interferes mechanically with the emergence of the radicle, and the treatments that achieved the highest germination percentages were the total removal of the endocarp with pliers (84%) or the immersion in liquid nitrogen for 1 min (97%). Scarification with concentrated sulphuric acid did not significantly increase germination compared to the control seeds, and treatments with dry heat or wet heat were detrimental to seed germination. The optimum temperature for germination was 15 ºC. A pre-sowing treatment of soaking in distilled water for 24 h slightly increased germination speed. Neither cold stratification at 5 ºC nor soaking in a gibberellic acid solution improved seed germination. Research highlights: Phillyrea angustifolia seeds have physiological dormancy – that is, the embryo does not have enough growth potential to overcome the mechanical restriction of the lignified endocarp. The seeds do not exhibit physical dormancy, given their water-permeable lignified endocarp. Our results suggest that the optimum germination protocol for P. angustifolia would be the total removal of the endocarp or immersion in liquid nitrogen for 1 min, followed by immersion in distilled water for 24 h and then seed incubation at 15 ºC in light or darkness.

Changes of the phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities in germinated adlay seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Lei; Wang, Pei; Ali, Barkat; Yang, Na; Chen, Yisheng; Wu, Fengfeng; Xu, Xueming

2017-09-01

Over the years, germinated adlay products have been used as both food source and folk medicine. This study investigated the changes of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activities, and phenolic acid profiles of adlay seed during germination. Results revealed that phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities varied with the germination stages. Germination significantly increased the free form phenolic and flavonoid contents by 112.5% and 168.3%, respectively. However, both of the bound form phenolic and flavonoid contents significantly decreased after germination. Phenolic acid compositions were quantified via HPLC analysis, and the levels of vanillic, p-coumaric, caffeic, hydroxybenzoic and protocatechuic acids in the free phenolic extracts were found to be significantly increased. The improvement of the free and total phenolic and flavonoid contents by the germination process led to a significant enhancement of the antioxidant activities (evaluated by the ABTS, FRAP and ORAC assays). The TPC showed the highest correlation with ORAC values (r = 0.9979). Germinated adlay had higher free and total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activities than ungerminated adlay. This study indicates that germinated adlay could be a promising functional food, more suitable for human consumption. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Metabolic robustness in young roots underpins a predictive model of maize hybrid performance in the field.

Science.gov (United States)

de Abreu E Lima, Francisco; Westhues, Matthias; Cuadros-Inostroza, Álvaro; Willmitzer, Lothar; Melchinger, Albrecht E; Nikoloski, Zoran

2017-04-01

Heterosis has been extensively exploited for yield gain in maize (Zea mays L.). Here we conducted a comparative metabolomics-based analysis of young roots from in vitro germinating seedlings and from leaves of field-grown plants in a panel of inbred lines from the Dent and Flint heterotic patterns as well as selected F 1 hybrids. We found that metabolite levels in hybrids were more robust than in inbred lines. Using state-of-the-art modeling techniques, the most robust metabolites from roots and leaves explained up to 37 and 44% of the variance in the biomass from plants grown in two distinct field trials. In addition, a correlation-based analysis highlighted the trade-off between defense-related metabolites and hybrid performance. Therefore, our findings demonstrated the potential of metabolic profiles from young maize roots grown under tightly controlled conditions to predict hybrid performance in multiple field trials, thus bridging the greenhouse-field gap. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Woody legume fallow productivity, biological N2-fixation and residual benefits to two successive maize crops in Zimbabwe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chikowo, R.; Mapfumo, P.; Nyamugafata, P.; Giller, K.E.

2004-01-01

Three woody legumes were planted as two-year 'improved fallows' to evaluate their residual nitrogen (N) effects on two subsequent maize crops under minimum and conventional tillage management. Maize monoculture and cowpea-maize-maize sequence treatments were included as controls. N-2-fixation was

Cytokinins and urea derivatives stimulate seed germination in Lotus corniculatus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolić Radomirka

2007-01-01

Full Text Available We studied the effects of various cytokinins and urea derivatives on germination of aged seeds of in Lotus corniculatus L. The following substances were applied: N6-isoprenoid cytokinins (isopentenyl adenine and zeatin, adenine sulfate, N6-aromatic cytokinins (kinetin, benzyladenine and their N9-ribosides, N-benzyl-9-(2- tetrahydropyranyladenine, and urea derivatives (diphenylurea, thidiazuron, and chloro-pyridyl phenylurea. With the exception of adenine sulfate, all cytokinins increased the percentage of seed germination up to twofold, depending on their kind and concentration. It is concluded that cytokinins may be among the missing factors in aged seeds of L. corniculatus contributing to the implementation of their full germination potential. They could be used to improve germination of both freshly harvested and aged seed samples, if necessary. .

Assessment of the Phytotoxicity of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles on Two Crop Plants, Maize (Zea mays L.) and Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhongzhou; Chen, Jing; Dou, Runzhi; Gao, Xiang; Mao, Chuanbin; Wang, Li

2015-11-30

In this study, the phytotoxicity of seven metal oxide nanoparticles(NPs)-titanium dioxide (nTiO₂), silicon dioxide (nSiO₂), cerium dioxide (nCeO₂), magnetite (nFe₃O₄), aluminum oxide (nAl₂O₃), zinc oxide (nZnO) and copper oxide (nCuO)-was assessed on two agriculturally significant crop plants (maize and rice). The results showed that seed germination was not affected by any of the seven metal oxide NPs. However, at the concentration of 2000 mg·L(-1), the root elongation was significantly inhibited by nCuO (95.73% for maize and 97.28% for rice), nZnO (50.45% for maize and 66.75% for rice). On the contrary, minor phytotoxicity of nAl₂O₃ was only observed in maize, and no obvious toxic effects were found in the other four metal oxide NPs. By further study we found that the phytotoxic effects of nZnO, nAl₂O₃ and nCuO (25 to 2000 mg·L(-)¹) were concentration dependent, and were not caused by the corresponding Cu(2+), Zn(2+) and Al(3+) ions (0.11 mg·L(-)¹, 1.27 mg·L(-)¹ and 0.74 mg·L(-)¹, respectively). Furthermore, ZnO NPs (<50 nm) showed greater toxicity than ZnO microparticles(MPs)(<5 μm) to root elongation of both maize and rice. Overall, this study provided valuable information for the application of engineered NPs in agriculture and the assessment of the potential environmental risks.

Overexpression of ARGOS Genes Modifies Plant Sensitivity to Ethylene, Leading to Improved Drought Tolerance in Both Arabidopsis and Maize[OPEN

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Jinrui; Habben, Jeffrey E.; Archibald, Rayeann L.; Drummond, Bruce J.; Chamberlin, Mark A.; Williams, Robert W.; Lafitte, H. Renee; Weers, Ben P.

2015-01-01

Lack of sufficient water is a major limiting factor to crop production worldwide, and the development of drought-tolerant germplasm is needed to improve crop productivity. The phytohormone ethylene modulates plant growth and development as well as plant response to abiotic stress. Recent research has shown that modifying ethylene biosynthesis and signaling can enhance plant drought tolerance. Here, we report novel negative regulators of ethylene signal transduction in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and maize (Zea mays). These regulators are encoded by the ARGOS gene family. In Arabidopsis, overexpression of maize ARGOS1 (ZmARGOS1), ZmARGOS8, Arabidopsis ARGOS homolog ORGAN SIZE RELATED1 (AtOSR1), and AtOSR2 reduced plant sensitivity to ethylene, leading to enhanced drought tolerance. RNA profiling and genetic analysis suggested that the ZmARGOS1 transgene acts between an ethylene receptor and CONSTITUTIVE TRIPLE RESPONSE1 in the ethylene signaling pathway, affecting ethylene perception or the early stages of ethylene signaling. Overexpressed ZmARGOS1 is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi membrane, where the ethylene receptors and the ethylene signaling protein ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE2 and REVERSION-TO-ETHYLENE SENSITIVITY1 reside. In transgenic maize plants, overexpression of ARGOS genes also reduces ethylene sensitivity. Moreover, field testing showed that UBIQUITIN1:ZmARGOS8 maize events had a greater grain yield than nontransgenic controls under both drought stress and well-watered conditions. PMID:26220950

Stratification requirements for germination of western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) seed.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank C. Sorenson

1990-01-01

A northeast Washington collection of western larch seeds was stratified for 0,10, 20, 40, and 80 days and incubated at 55, 64, and 73 °F. The germination percentage of filled seeds and speed and uniformity of germination were improved by long stratification, particularly at the lowest incubation temperature. Stratified seeds were also nursery sown in early April and...

Seed reserve utilization and hydrolytic enzyme activities in germinating seeds of sweet corn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, X.; Xiong, F.; Wang, C.; He, S.; Zhou, Y.

2018-01-01

In this study, two sh2 sweet corn cultivars (i.e., the initial seed dry weight for FT018 and TB010 was 0.16+-0.02 g/grain and 0.09+-0.01 g/grain, respectively) were used to determine the physiological characteristics of seed reserve utilization in germination. The data implied that the weight of mobilized seed reserve (WMSR) and seed reserve utilization efficiency (SRUE) increased with seed germination. FT018 exhibited higher SRUE than TB010 due to its sufficient energy production for growth. Sugar (sucrose and fructose) contents were at different levels in the germinating seed of sh2 sweet corn. The protein content and number of protein species were highest in the early stage of germination. Enzyme activity in the germinating seed indicated that enzymes for starch and sugar hydrolysis were important and that enzyme activities significantly differed at each germination stage and between the cultivars under dark conditions. Succinate dehydrogenase, sucrose synthase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase accumulated in the late germination stage. Thus, appropriate efforts should be focused on improving the seed reserve utilization in sweet corn by identifying the physiological mechanism of germinating seed. (author)

Endophytic bacterial effects on seed germination and mobilization of reserves in ammodendron biofolium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Y.; She, X.P.

2017-01-01

The main aim of this study was to analyze the mobilization of storage reserves during seed germination of Ammodendron bifolium by host plant-endophytic bacteria interaction and to determine the contribution of endophytic bacteria in plant establishment. The seeds were inoculated with three different endophytic bacteria from A. bifolium, Staphylococcus sp. AY3, Kocuria sp. AY9 and Bacillus sp. AG18, and they were germinated in the dark. Fresh weight changes and early seedling growth were assessed, and the content of storage compounds was quantified using biochemical assays in all germinated and non-germinated seeds. To understand the mechanism promoting seed germination, the activities of extracellular enzymes of bacterial isolates were also analyzed by the plate assay method. The results showed that treatment with endophytic bacteria accelerated seed germination; promoted further water absorption and radicle growth; and also promoted degradation of sucrose, protein and lipids during the germination process. At the same time, our results also showed that strain AG18 was able to produce protease and amylase, strain AY9 had only amylase activity, and strain AY3 had no extracellular enzyme activity. In summary, our current study showed that (i) endophytic bacteria improved seed germination and post-germination seedling growth of A. bifolium; (ii) inoculation with endophytic bacteria could promote storage reserve mobilization during or following germination; (iii) the degradation of protein, lipids and sucrose could provide essential energy for post-germination growth; and (iv) three bacterial isolates might have different action mechanisms on seed germination. (author)

yield and yield componemts of extra early maize (zea mays l.)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SHARIFAI

maize crop and improve the soil structures and chemical nutrients of the soil. The significant interaction between intra-row spacing and poultry manure on cob diameter, 100 grain weight and grain yield showed the importance of poultry manure on yield and yield components of maize crop. Poultry manure increases both ...

7 CFR 201.20 - Germination.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Germination. 201.20 Section 201.20 Agriculture... REGULATIONS Labeling Agricultural Seeds § 201.20 Germination. The label shall show the percentage of germination each kind, or kind and variety, or kind and type, or kind and hybrid of agricultural seed present...

Improvised Media for In Vitro Pollen Germination of some Species of Apocynaceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reshmi Chatterjee

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Pollen germination forms one of the most important stage post pollination prior to fertilization. This is essential for proper seed setting and seed development. In vitro pollen germination test is the most reliable way of assessing the pollen viability. In the present study pollen grains of seven genera under Apocynaceae family namely, Allamanda, Alstonia, Catharanthus, Nerium, Plumeria, Thevetia and Tabernaemontana were tested in some basic cultural media, such as Brewbaker’s media, 6% Glucose solution, 4% Calcium Nitrate solution and 3% Boron solution. Alstonia pollen grains exhibited highest percentage of germination rate in all the cultural media. Glucose and Brewbaker’s media is found to be highly suitable for efficient pollen germination in all the genera. Boron solution is effective for germination of pollen grains of tree species. In vitro pollen germination can be easily carried out in laboratories. These results can be utilised in plant breeding programmes to improve cultivar and varieties. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i3.11074 International Journal of Environment Vol.3(3 2014: 146-153

Portable Diagnostics and Rapid Germination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dunn, Zachary Spencer [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-12-01

In the Bioenergy and Defense Department of Sandia National Laboratories, characterization of the BaDx (Bacillus anthracis diagnostic cartridge) was performed and rapid germination chemistry was investigated. BaDx was tested with complex sample matrixes inoculated with Bacillus anthracis, and the trials proved that BaDx will detect Bacillus anthracis in a variety of the medium, such as dirt, serum, blood, milk, and horse fluids. The dimensions of the device were altered to accommodate an E. coli or Listeria lateral flow immunoassay, and using a laser printer, BaDx devices were manufactured to identify E. coli and Listeria. Initial testing with E. coli versions of BaDx indicate that the device will be viable as a portable diagnostic cartridge. The device would be more effective with faster bacteria germination; hence studies were performed the use of rapid germination chemistry. Trials with calcium dipicolinic acid displayed increased cell germination, as shown by control studies using a microplate reader. Upon lyophilization the rapid germination chemistry failed to change growth patterns, indicating that the calcium dipicolinic acid was not solubilized under the conditions tested. Although incompatible with the portable diagnostic device, the experiments proved that the rapid germination chemistry was effective in increasing cell germination.

Assessment of maize stem borer damage on hybrid maize varieties in Chitwan, Nepal

OpenAIRE

Buddhi Bahadur Achhami; Santa Bahadur BK; Ghana Shyam Bhandari

2015-01-01

Maize is the second most important cereal crop in Nepal. However, national figure of grain production still remains below than the world's average grain production per unit area. Thus, this experiment was designed to determine the suitable time of maize planting, and to assess the peak period of one of the major insects, maize stem borer, in Chitwan condition. The results showed that plant damage percentage as per the maize planting month varies significantly, and the average plant damage per...

Maize Diversity, Market Access, and Poverty Reduction in the Western Highlands of Guatemala

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jon Hellin

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The western highlands of Guatemala lie within the area where maize was first domesticated, and maize remains central to farmers' livelihood security. Over 50% of the population in the region are in poverty, and over 48% suffer from chronic malnutrition. Development efforts have focused on improved land management, crop diversification, and improved access to markets, especially for high-value vegetable crops such as snow peas. As a result of successful initiatives worldwide, more attention is being directed at the extent to which farmers can benefit from market opportunities for indigenous crops by receiving a price premium for providing the environmental service of conserving agricultural biodiversity. Such an approach bridges the gap between poverty alleviation and in situ conservation. We explored this potential development pathway through both qualitative and quantitative research. Focus groups were conducted in 5 communities in the maize-growing highlands of Guatemala, followed by a survey of 989 farm households in 59 locations. Our results show that most farmers in the western highlands of Guatemala are severely maize deficient; on average, farm households produce enough maize for only 6.9 months of consumption a year and are forced to purchase maize to meet basic consumption needs. The results are in sharp contrast to research conducted in highland communities in neighboring Mexico, where many farmers are able to sell their maize in relatively lucrative specialty maize markets. In the context of renewed interest in reducing poverty in Central America, our research suggests that rather than focus on market development for local maize varieties, development efforts should target other types of interventions.

The Effect of Seed Priming and Accelerated Aging on Germination and Physiochemical Changes in Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum

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Ghasem PARMOON

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Effects of seed priming and aging on some physiological characteristics of Milk thistle was studied in a factoral experiment based on Complete Randomized Design (CRD. Tratments were included hydro priming (using distilled water, halo priming (0, 1.5, 3, 4.5 and 6% KNO3 and accelerated aging (0, 2, 4 and 6 days under 45°C and 95% humidity in three replications. Determined parameters were germination charactristics including germination percentage, daily germination speed, mean time of germination, seed vigor index, hypocutile length and hypocutile dry weight. Activity of catalase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase were determined at 12 hours after imbibition and seedling stage. According to results of this experiment, germination percentage, seed vigor and seedling growth of seeds were increased under all priming treatments. Improving the catalase and peroxidase activity led to decrease the aging damages. Germination characteristics were improved under both priming treatments at the beginning of germination as well as seedling growth. Polyphenol oxidase activity was increased in the pre-treated seeds but decreased in seedling growth stage. Aging treatments led to reduce the germination percentage, daily germination speed, seed vigor and seedling growth while the germination time was increased. Accelerated aging caused to reduce the germination rate and seedling growth of milk thistle that is probably due to increasing the lipid peroxidation, free radical increment and decreasing the antioxidants activity. The greatest and lowest antioxidants activity, the germination percentage, germination speed and seed vigor were respectively observed under priming using 3% KNO3 concentration and control seeds.

Smoke-induced seed germination in California chaparral

Science.gov (United States)

Keeley, J.E.; Fotheringham, C.J.

1998-01-01

The California chaparral community has a rich flora of species with different mechanisms for cuing germination to postfire conditions. Heat shock triggers germination of certain species but has no stimulatory effect on a great many other postfire species that are chemically stimulated by combustion products. Previous reports have shown that charred wood will induce germination, and here we report that smoke also induces germination in these same species. Smoke is highly effective, often inducing 100% germination in deeply dormant seed populations with 0% control germination. Smoke induces germination both directly and indirectly by aqueous or gaseous transfer from soil to seeds. Neither nitrate nor ammonium ions were effective in stimulating germination of smoke-stimulated species, nor were most of the quantitatively important gases generated by biomass smoke. Nitrogen dioxide, however, was very effective at inducing germination in Caulanthus heterophyllus (Brassicaceae), Emmenanthe penduliflora (Hydrophyllaceae), Phacelia grandiflora (Hydrophyllaceae), and Silene multinervia (Caryophyllaceae). Three species, Dendromecon rigida (Papaveraceae), Dicentra chrysantha, and Trichostema lanatum (Lamiaceae), failed to germinate unless smoke treatment was coupled with prior treatment of 1 yr soil storage. Smoke-stimulated germination was found in 25 chaparral species, representing 11 families, none of which were families known for heat-shock-stimulated germination. Seeds of smoke-stimulated species have many analogous characteristics that separate them from most heat-shock-stimulated seeds, including: (1) outer seed coats that are highly textured, (2) a poorly developed outer cuticle, (3) absence of a dense palisade tissue in the seed coat, and (4) a subdermal membrane that is semipermeable, allowing water passage but blocking entry of large (molecular mass > 500) solutes. Tentative evidence suggests that permeability characteristics of this subdermal layer are altered by

Germination of Afrocarpus usambarensis and Podocarpus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ACSS

farm planting. Seed germination of .... 235. Germination of Afrocarpus usambarensis and Podocarpus milanjianus seeds. Table 2. Mean seed germination of A. usambarensis and P. milanjianus. Species .... National Forestry Authority and District.

Comparative seed germination traits in alpine and subalpine grasslands: higher elevations are associated with warmer germination temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Pascual, E; Jiménez-Alfaro, B; Bueno, Á

2017-01-01

Seed germination traits in alpine grasslands are poorly understood, despite the sensitivity of these communities to climate change. We hypothesise that germination traits predict species occurrence along the alpine-subalpine elevation gradient. Phylogenetic comparative analyses were performed using fresh seeds of 22 species from alpine and subalpine grasslands (1600-2400 m) of the Cantabrian Mountains, Spain (43° N, 5° W). Laboratory experiments were conducted to characterise germinability, optimum germination temperature and effect of cold and warm stratification on dormancy breaking. Variability in these traits was reduced by phylogenetic principal component analysis (phyl.PCA). Phylogenetic generalised least squares regression (PGLS) was used to fit a model in which species average elevation was predicted from their position on the PCA axes. Most subalpine species germinated in snow-like conditions, whereas most alpine species needed accumulation of warm temperatures. Phylogenetic signal was low. PCA1 ordered species according to overall germinability, whilst PCA2 ordered them according to preference for warm or cold germination. PCA2 significantly predicted species occurrence in the alpine-subalpine gradient, as higher elevation species tended to have warmer germination preferences. Our results show that germination traits in high-mountain grasslands are closely linked to the alpine-subalpine gradient. Alpine species, especially those from stripped and wind-edge communities, prefer warmer germination niches, suggesting that summer emergence prevents frost damage during seedling establishment. In contrast, alpine snowfield and subalpine grassland plants have cold germination niches, indicating that winter emergence may occur under snow to avoid drought stress. © 2016 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Selenium Supplementation Affects Physiological and Biochemical Processes to Improve Fodder Yield and Quality of Maize (Zea mays L. under Water Deficit Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fahim Nawaz

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Climate change is one of the most complex challenges that pose serious threats to livelihoods of poor people who rely heavily on agriculture and livestock particularly in climate-sensitive developing countries of the world. The negative effects of water scarcity, due to climate change, are not limited to productivity food crops but have far-reaching consequences on livestock feed production systems. Selenium (Se is considered essential for animal health and has also been reported to counteract various abiotic stresses in plants however, understanding of Se regulated mechanisms for improving nutritional status of fodder crops remains elusive. We report the effects of exogenous selenium (Se supply on physiological and biochemical processes that may influence green fodder yield and quality of maize (Zea mays L. under drought stress conditions. The plants were grown in lysimeter tanks under natural conditions and were subjected to normal (100% field capacity and water stress (60% field capacity conditions. Foliar spray of Se was carried out before the start of tasseling stage (65 days after sowing and was repeated after one week, whereas water spray was used as a control. Drought stress markedly reduced the water status, pigments and green fodder yield and resulted in low forage quality in water stressed maize plants. Nevertheless, exogenous Se application at 40 mg L-1 resulted in less negative leaf water potential (41% and enhanced relative water contents (30%, total chlorophyll (53%, carotenoid contents (60%, accumulation of total free amino acids (40% and activities of superoxide dismutase (53%, catalase (30%, peroxidase (27% and ascorbate peroxidase (27% with respect to control under water deficit conditions. Consequently, Se regulated processes improved fodder yield (15% and increased crude protein (47%, fibre (10%, nitrogen free extract (10% and Se content (36% but did not affect crude ash content in water stressed maize plants. We propose

Selenium Supplementation Affects Physiological and Biochemical Processes to Improve Fodder Yield and Quality of Maize (Zea mays L.) under Water Deficit Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Nawaz, Fahim; Naeem, Muhammad; Ashraf, Muhammad Y.; Tahir, Muhammad N.; Zulfiqar, Bilal; Salahuddin, Muhammad; Shabbir, Rana N.; Aslam, Muhammad

2016-01-01

Climate change is one of the most complex challenges that pose serious threats to livelihoods of poor people who rely heavily on agriculture and livestock particularly in climate-sensitive developing countries of the world. The negative effects of water scarcity, due to climate change, are not limited to productivity food crops but have far-reaching consequences on livestock feed production systems. Selenium (Se) is considered essential for animal health and has also been reported to counteract various abiotic stresses in plants, however, understanding of Se regulated mechanisms for improving nutritional status of fodder crops remains elusive. We report the effects of exogenous selenium supply on physiological and biochemical processes that may influence green fodder yield and quality of maize (Zea mays L.) under drought stress conditions. The plants were grown in lysimeter tanks under natural conditions and were subjected to normal (100% field capacity) and water stress (60% field capacity) conditions. Foliar spray of Se was carried out before the start of tasseling stage (65 days after sowing) and was repeated after 1 week, whereas, water spray was used as a control. Drought stress markedly reduced the water status, pigments and green fodder yield and resulted in low forage quality in water stressed maize plants. Nevertheless, exogenous Se application at 40 mg L-1 resulted in less negative leaf water potential (41%) and enhanced relative water contents (30%), total chlorophyll (53%), carotenoid contents (60%), accumulation of total free amino acids (40%) and activities of superoxide dismutase (53%), catalase (30%), peroxidase (27%), and ascorbate peroxidase (27%) with respect to control under water deficit conditions. Consequently, Se regulated processes improved fodder yield (15%) and increased crude protein (47%), fiber (10%), nitrogen free extract (10%) and Se content (36%) but did not affect crude ash content in water stressed maize plants. We propose that Se

Selenium Supplementation Affects Physiological and Biochemical Processes to Improve Fodder Yield and Quality of Maize (Zea mays L.) under Water Deficit Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nawaz, Fahim; Naeem, Muhammad; Ashraf, Muhammad Y; Tahir, Muhammad N; Zulfiqar, Bilal; Salahuddin, Muhammad; Shabbir, Rana N; Aslam, Muhammad

2016-01-01

Climate change is one of the most complex challenges that pose serious threats to livelihoods of poor people who rely heavily on agriculture and livestock particularly in climate-sensitive developing countries of the world. The negative effects of water scarcity, due to climate change, are not limited to productivity food crops but have far-reaching consequences on livestock feed production systems. Selenium (Se) is considered essential for animal health and has also been reported to counteract various abiotic stresses in plants, however, understanding of Se regulated mechanisms for improving nutritional status of fodder crops remains elusive. We report the effects of exogenous selenium supply on physiological and biochemical processes that may influence green fodder yield and quality of maize ( Zea mays L.) under drought stress conditions. The plants were grown in lysimeter tanks under natural conditions and were subjected to normal (100% field capacity) and water stress (60% field capacity) conditions. Foliar spray of Se was carried out before the start of tasseling stage (65 days after sowing) and was repeated after 1 week, whereas, water spray was used as a control. Drought stress markedly reduced the water status, pigments and green fodder yield and resulted in low forage quality in water stressed maize plants. Nevertheless, exogenous Se application at 40 mg L -1 resulted in less negative leaf water potential (41%) and enhanced relative water contents (30%), total chlorophyll (53%), carotenoid contents (60%), accumulation of total free amino acids (40%) and activities of superoxide dismutase (53%), catalase (30%), peroxidase (27%), and ascorbate peroxidase (27%) with respect to control under water deficit conditions. Consequently, Se regulated processes improved fodder yield (15%) and increased crude protein (47%), fiber (10%), nitrogen free extract (10%) and Se content (36%) but did not affect crude ash content in water stressed maize plants. We propose that

Flavone-rich maize: An opportunity to improve the nutritional value of an important commodity crop

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Isabel Casas

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Agricultural outputs have resulted in food production continuously expanding. Satisfying the needs of a fast growing human population, higher yields, more efficient food processing, and food esthetic value, resulted in crop varieties with higher caloric intake but lacking many phytochemicals important for plant protection and adequate human nutrition. The increasing incidence of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, combined with social disparity worldwide prompted the interest in developing enhanced crops that can simultaneously address the two sides of the current malnutrition sword, increasing yield while providing added nutritional value. Flavones, phytochemicals associated with the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet, have potent anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic activities. However, many Mediterranean diet-associated vegetables are inaccessible, or lowly consumed, in many parts of the world. Maize is the most widely grown cereal crop, yet most lines used for hybrid maize production lack flavones. As a first step towards a sustainable strategy to increasing the nutritional value of maize-based diets, we investigated the accumulation and chemical properties of flavones in maize seeds of defined genotypes. We show that the pericarps of the P1-rr genotype accumulate flavones at levels comparable to those present in some flavone-rich vegetables, and are mostly present in their C- and O-glycosylated forms. Some of these glycosides can be readily converted into the corresponding more active health beneficial aglycones during food processing. Our results provide evidence that nutritionally beneficial flavones could be re-introduced into elite lines to increase the dietary benefits of maize.

Improving weed management and crop productivity in maize systems in Zimbabwe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mashingaidze, A.B.

2004-01-01

Keywords: Intercropping, narrow planting, precise fertilizer placement, radiation interception, leaf stripping, detasselling, Land Equivalent Ratio, maize, pumpkin, dry beans, reduced herbicide dosagesIn the tropics, weeds cause more

Effect of industrial pollution on seed germination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iqbal, M.Z.; Qadir, S.A.

1973-01-01

The germination behavior of seeds in polluted waters and polluted soil extracts was found to be identical, only a few species behaved differently. Prosopis juliflora, Haloxylon recurvum, Acacia senegal showed best germination in the two conditions but Prosopis juliflora was the most resistant to pollution. In Suaeda fruticosa no germination took place in the control treatment whereas highest germination (70%) was seen in treatment with polluted soil extract of EPLA. Blepharis sindica showed a stimulating effect of polluted water on germination, whereas low germination was observed when their seeds were treated with the soil extract of the same site. 40% germination of Suaeda monoica was seen in polluted water of Carbon and Ribbon Mfg. Co., whereas 30% germination was found in a control treatment. Low percentage of germination was found when the seeds of Cassia holosericea were treated with polluted waters of different industries as compared to soil extract treatments of the same industries. Datura alba showed 50, 30 and 10% seed germination in polluted soil extract of Carbon and Ribbon Mfg. Co., in control and in polluted water of Darbar Soap Works, respectively. 5 references, 1 table.

Genetic diversity among yellow maize with pro-vitamin A content

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mercy Oluremi Olowolafe

2016-06-01

Full Text Available An improvement in the concentration of vitamin A in adapted yellow maize varieties grown in Africa can have a positive impact on the dietary intakes in regions where maize is a staple food. The present study was designed to identify heterotic groups and divergent parents for developing new pro-vitamin A enriched maize lines. Ten Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR markers were used to generate DNA profiles among thirteen commonly grown yellow maize lines across south western Nigeria and three high pro-vitamin A lines from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA, Ibadan. The result obtained estimated 100% polymorphism among the ten SSR markers with polymorphic information content that ranged from 0.28 to 0.71 on an average of 0.50. Genetic similarity coefficients among the 16 maize lines varied from 0.28 to 0.92 GS with an average of 0.63 GS. Four well defined groups were identified at 0.65 GS with an IITA line, PVA8, solely, formed a group. The study identified PVA8 and its most three distant relatives as potential divergent parents that could serve as important genetic resources for broadening the genetic base of the presently assessed IAR&T maize collections and also to develop new maize lines with higher level of pro-vitamin A content.

The Responses of Mulch Closure on the Germination of Mindi (Melia azedarach Linn.

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Nurmawati Siregar

2017-08-01

Full Text Available One of the factors that determine the successful of the development of mindi is the availability of seedling. The seedlings can be propagated generatively by using seeds, however there is a problem related to the hardness of the testa that make it difficult to germinate, so it needs environment condition treatments to get optimal germination, one of this is mulching. The use mulch possibly get the improvement of temperature, humidity, infiltration and evapotranspiration. The study is aimed to determine the effect of mulch and to find out the best mulch type on the germination of mindi (Melia azedarach Linn. seed. Randomized completely design was employed that arranged factorially, consisted of (A mulch types factor and mulch thicknesses factor (B. There were 5 (five types of mulch treatment i.e rice straws, transparent plastics, dark plastics, zeolite and without mulch. The thicknesses of mulch consisted of one layer and two layers of mulch. Germination capacity, germination speed and growth simultaneously were observed. The results showed, mulching effect on germination mindi the best type of mulch is black or transparent plastic mulch while the thickness of the mulch does not affect the germination. Mindi seed capable of germination in the dark and light conditions on the conditions of temperature and humidity high temperatures.

From many, one: genetic control of prolificacy during maize domestication.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David M Wills

2013-06-01

Full Text Available A reduction in number and an increase in size of inflorescences is a common aspect of plant domestication. When maize was domesticated from teosinte, the number and arrangement of ears changed dramatically. Teosinte has long lateral branches that bear multiple small ears at their nodes and tassels at their tips. Maize has much shorter lateral branches that are tipped by a single large ear with no additional ears at the branch nodes. To investigate the genetic basis of this difference in prolificacy (the number of ears on a plant, we performed a genome-wide QTL scan. A large effect QTL for prolificacy (prol1.1 was detected on the short arm of chromosome 1 in a location that has previously been shown to influence multiple domestication traits. We fine-mapped prol1.1 to a 2.7 kb "causative region" upstream of the grassy tillers1 (gt1 gene, which encodes a homeodomain leucine zipper transcription factor. Tissue in situ hybridizations reveal that the maize allele of prol1.1 is associated with up-regulation of gt1 expression in the nodal plexus. Given that maize does not initiate secondary ear buds, the expression of gt1 in the nodal plexus in maize may suppress their initiation. Population genetic analyses indicate positive selection on the maize allele of prol1.1, causing a partial sweep that fixed the maize allele throughout most of domesticated maize. This work shows how a subtle cis-regulatory change in tissue specific gene expression altered plant architecture in a way that improved the harvestability of maize.

[The research of Valeriana amurensis seed germination characteristics].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Juan; Yang, Chun-Rong; Jiang, Bo; Fang, Min; Du, Juan

2011-10-01

To study the effect of different treatments on the Valeriana amurensis seed germination rate. Used different chemical reagents and seed soakings on the routine germination test and the orthogonal test of the Valeriana amurensis seed, calculated the germination rate under different germination condition. Valeriana amurensis treated with different chemical reagends had different germination rate. The suitable immersion time could enhance Valeriana amurensis seed germination rate. Different treatment time, different disposal temperature, different germination temperature would have an impact on the Valeriana amurensis seed germination rate. In order to raise the Valeriana amurensis seed germination rate, use appropriate treatment on the seed before plant seeds; The seed growing must under suitable time and temperature.

Influence of biostimulants-seed-priming on Ceratotheca triloba germination and seedling growth under low temperatures, low osmotic potential and salinity stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Masondo, Nqobile A; Kulkarni, Manoj G; Finnie, Jeffrey F; Van Staden, Johannes

2018-01-01

Extreme temperatures, drought and salinity stress adversely affect seed germination and seedling growth in crop species. Seed priming has been recognized as an indispensable technique in the production of stress-tolerant plants. Seed priming increases seed water content, improves protein synthesis using mRNA and DNA and repair mitochondria in seeds prior to germination. The current study aimed to determine the role of biostimulants-seed-priming during germination and seedling growth of Ceratotheca triloba (Bernh.) Hook.f. (an indigenous African leafy vegetable) under low temperature, low osmotic potential and salinity stress conditions. Ceratotheca triloba seeds were primed with biostimulants [smoke-water (SW), synthesized smoke-compound karrikinolide (KAR 1 ), Kelpak ® (commercial seaweed extract), phloroglucinol (PG) and distilled water (control)] for 48h at 25°C. Thereafter, primed seeds were germinated at low temperatures, low osmotic potential and high NaCl concentrations. Low temperature (10°C) completely inhibited seed germination. However, temperature shift to 15°C improved germination. Smoke-water and KAR 1 enhanced seed germination with SW improving seedling growth under different stress conditions. Furthermore, priming seeds with Kelpak ® stimulated percentage germination, while PG and the control treatment improved seedling growth at different PEG and NaCl concentrations. Generally, high concentrations of PEG and NaCl brought about detrimental effects on seed germination and seedling growth. Findings from this study show the potential role of seed priming with biostimulants in the alleviation of abiotic stress conditions during seed germination and seedling growth in C. triloba plants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strategies for narrowing the maize yield gap of household farms through precision fertigation under irrigated conditions using CERES-Maize model.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jiangang; Wang, Guangyao; Chu, Qingquan; Chen, Fu

2017-07-01

Nitrogen (N) application significantly increases maize yield; however, the unreasonable use of N fertilizer is common in China. The analysis of crop yield gaps can reveal the limiting factors for yield improvement, but there is a lack of practical strategies for narrowing yield gaps of household farms. The objectives of this study were to assess the yield gap of summer maize using an integrative method and to develop strategies for narrowing the maize yield gap through precise N fertilization. The results indicated that there was a significant difference in maize yield among fields, with a low level of variation. Additionally, significant differences in N application rate were observed among fields, with high variability. Based on long-term simulation results, the optimal N application rate was 193 kg ha -1 , with a corresponding maximum attainable yield (AY max ) of 10 318 kg ha -1 . A considerable difference between farmers' yields and AY max was observed. Low agronomic efficiency of applied N fertilizer (AE N ) in farmers' fields was exhibited. The integrative method lays a foundation for exploring the specific factors constraining crop yield gaps at the field scale and for developing strategies for rapid site-specific N management. Optimization strategies to narrow the maize yield gap include increasing N application rates and adjusting the N application schedule. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Oxygen requirement of germinating flax seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Kuznetsov, Oleg A.; Hasenstein, K. H.

2003-05-01

Plant experiments in earth orbit are typically prepared on the ground and germinated in orbit to study gravity effects on the developing seedlings. Germination requires the breakdown of storage compounds, and this metabolism depends upon respiration, making oxygen one of the limiting factors in seed germination. In microgravity lack of run-off of excess water requires careful testing of water dispensation and oxygen availability. In preparation for a shuttle experiment (MICRO on STS-107) we studied germination and growth of flax ( Linum usitatissimum L.) seedlings in the developed hardware (Magnetic Field Chamber, MFC). We tested between four to 32 seeds per chamber (air volume = 14 mL) and after 36 h measured the root length. At 90 μl O 2 per seed (32 seeds/chamber), the germination decreased from 94 to 69%, and the root length was reduced by 20%, compared to 8 seeds per chamber. Based on the percent germination and root length obtained in controlled gas mixtures between 3.6 and 21.6% O 2 we determined the lower limit of reliable germination to be 10 vol. % O 2 at atmospheric pressure. Although the oxygen available in the MFC's can support the intended number of seeds, the data show that seed storage and microgravity-related limitations may reduce germination.

Seed germination behavior of swallow wort

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

amir hosein pahlavani

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The exotic plant, Swallow- wort, a twining perennial of the Milkweed family, has become increasingly invasive in some place of Iran, especially orchards. Increased knowledge of wort germination biology would facilitate development of an optimum control program. Germination of Swallow wort seeds as affected by environmental factors was studied under controlled-environment growth chamber conditions. The following studies were conducted in plant Pests & Diseases Research Institute during the years 2003-4: 1- Effect of constant temperature on germination that including 10, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40˚C; 2- Effect of light on constant germination; 3- Effect of temperature fluctuations on seed germination: 15/7, 20/12, 25/17 and 30/22˚C. All experiments were conducted with 8 replications. Swallow wort seeds showed no dormancy when detachment from mother plant. Seed germination was strongly influenced by temperature. Light did not play a crucial role on seed germination of this weed. Therefore Swallow wort seeds were not photoblastic and temperature fluctuations did not increase seed germination of Swallow wort. The above characteristics are very important in making swallowwort an invasive weed. Having precise information of these traits enables us to a better management and control of this troublesome weed.

Early phosphorus nutrition, mycorrhizae development, dry matter partitioning and yield of maize

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gavito, M.E.; Miller, M.H.

1998-01-01

to a mycorrhizal mycelium network (no-tillage treatments). Maize yield and harvest index were lower after cropping With canola. The yield for conventional tillage was higher than that for no-tillage but the harvest index was lower. The hypothesis was supported at early stages of maize growth by the effect...... was used with previous crop (Zea mays L.-maize and Brassica napus L.-canola), tillage practices (no-tillage or conventional tillage) and P fertilization (5 levels) as factors chosen to modify mycorrhizae development at early developmental stages of maize. Previous cropping with canola resulted in decreased......We conducted a field experiment to test the hypothesis that improved phosphorus nutrition occurs in maize plants with rapid arbuscular (AM) mycorrhizae development at early developmental stages and that this also is reflected in dry matter allocation and final yield. A split-split plot design...

Occurrence of toxigenic fungi in maize and maize-gluten meal from Pakistan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Kashif SALEEMI

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The present study was designed to isolate and identify toxigenic mycoflora of maize and maize-gluten meal. A total of 82 samples of maize and 8 samples of maize-gluten meal were collected from Faisalabad district of Pakistan over a period of two years. These samples were inoculated on different culture media. Fungal contamination of maize and maize-gluten was 56% and 75% of samples, respectively. Isolation frequencies of different genera isolated from maize were Aspergillus 33%; Penicillium 28%; Fusarium 10%; and Alternaria 1%. Isolation frequency among species was maximum for P. verrucosum, followed by A. niger aggregates, A. ochraceous, A. flavus, P. chrysogenum, A. parasiticus, A. carbonarius, Fusarium spp. and Alternaria spp. Relative density of Aspergillus isolates was maximum for A. niger aggregates and A. ochraceous (30% each followed by A. flavus (26%, A. parasiticus (11% and A. carbonarius (3%. Percentage of toxigenic fungi among Aspergillus isolates was 52%. Aflatoxigenic isolates of A. flavus and A. parasiticus were 43 and 67% and ochratoxigenic isolates of A. carbonarius, A. ochraceous and A. niger aggregates were 100, 63 and 38%, respectively. Aspergillus parasiticus produced higher concentrations of AFB1 (maximum 1374.23 ng g-1 than A. flavus (maximum 635.50 ng g-1. Ochratoxin A production potential of A. ochraceous ranged from 1.81 to 9523.1 ng g-1, while in A. niger aggregates it was 1.30 to 1758.6 ng g-1. Isolation frequencies of fungal genera from maize-gluten meal were Aspergillus (63% and Penicillium (50%. A. flavus was the most frequently isolated species. Percentage of toxigenic fungi among Aspergillus isolates was 40%. Aflatoxigenic isolates of A. flavus were 33% and ochratoxigenic isolates of A. ochraceous were 100%.

Factors influencing seed germination in Cerrado grasses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosana Marta Kolb

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Few studies address the ecology of herbs of Cerrado grasslands, which are ecosystems where the long dry season, high temperatures, insolation, fire and invasive grasses greatly influencing germination and the establishment of plants. We assessed germination of 13 species of Poaceae from Cerrado grasslands under nursery conditions or in germination chambers, the latter with i recently collected seeds and seeds after six months storage, ii under constant and alternating temperatures, and iii in the presence and absence of light. Germinability, mean germination time (MGT and required light were quantified to elucidate factors involved in successful germination. Germinability was low for most grasses, probably because of low seed viability. For most species, germinability and MGT were not altered by seed storage. Germination percentages were higher at alternating temperatures and in the presence of light, factors that are more similar to natural environmental situations compared with constant temperature or the absence of light. Our findings indicate that alternating temperatures and light incidence are key factors for germination of species of Poaceae. The maintenance of these environmental factors, which are crucial for the conservation of Cerrado grasslands, depends on appropriate management interventions, such as fire management and the control of biological invasion.

Phytotoxicity of glyphosate in the germination of and its effect on germinated seedlings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Subinoy Mondal

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The present study evaluated the effects of glyphosate on Pisum sativum germination as well as its effect on the physiology and biochemistry of germinated seedlings. Different physico-chemical biomarkers, viz., chlorophyll, root and shoot length, total protein and soluble sugar, along with sodium and potassium concentration, were investigated in germinated seedlings at different glyphosate concentrations. This study reports the influence of different concentrations of glyphosate on pea seeds and seedlings. Physicochemical biomarkers were significantly changed by glyphosate exposure after 15 days. The germination of seedlings under control conditions (0 mg/L was 100% after 3 days of treatment but at 3 and 4 mg/L glyphosate, germination was reduced to 55 and 40%, respectively. Physiological parameters like root and shoot length decreased monotonically with increasing glyphosate concentration, at 14 days of observation. Average root and shoot length (n=30 in three replicates were reduced to 14.7 and 17.6%, respectively, at 4 mg/L glyphosate. Leaf chlorophyll content also decreased, with a similar trend to root and shoot length, but the protein content initially decreased and then increased with an increase in glyphosate concentration to 3 mg/L. The study suggests that glyphosate reduces the soluble sugar content significantly, by 21.6% (v/v. But internal sodium and potassium tissue concentrations were significantly altered by glyphosate exposure with increasing concentrations of glyphosate. Biochemical and physiological analysis also supports the inhibitory effect of glyphosate on seed germination and biochemical effects on seedlings.

Describing phytotoxic effects on cumulative germination

OpenAIRE

Dias, L.S.

2001-01-01

Phytotoxic studies strongly depend on evaluation of germination responses, which implies the need for adequate procedures to account for distinct aspects of the germinative process. For this, indices, comparisons among treatments at various times, and model fitting have been proposed. The objective of this work is to compare the three approaches and select the one providing greater insight and precision. Speed of germination, speed of accumulated germination, the coefficient of the rate of ge...

Global maize production, utilization, and consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranum, Peter; Peña-Rosas, Juan Pablo; Garcia-Casal, Maria Nieves

2014-04-01

Maize (Zea mays), also called corn, is believed to have originated in central Mexico 7000 years ago from a wild grass, and Native Americans transformed maize into a better source of food. Maize contains approximately 72% starch, 10% protein, and 4% fat, supplying an energy density of 365 Kcal/100 g and is grown throughout the world, with the United States, China, and Brazil being the top three maize-producing countries in the world, producing approximately 563 of the 717 million metric tons/year. Maize can be processed into a variety of food and industrial products, including starch, sweeteners, oil, beverages, glue, industrial alcohol, and fuel ethanol. In the last 10 years, the use of maize for fuel production significantly increased, accounting for approximately 40% of the maize production in the United States. As the ethanol industry absorbs a larger share of the maize crop, higher prices for maize will intensify demand competition and could affect maize prices for animal and human consumption. Low production costs, along with the high consumption of maize flour and cornmeal, especially where micronutrient deficiencies are common public health problems, make this food staple an ideal food vehicle for fortification. © 2014 New York Academy of Sciences. The World Health Organization retains copyright and all other rights in the manuscript of this article as submitted for publication.

Ameliorating influence of sulfur on germination attributes of canola (brassica napus l.) under chromium stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jahan, S.; Iqbal, S.; Jabeen, K.; Sadaf, S.

2015-01-01

An experiment was performed to evaluate the role of sulfur to induce tolerance in Brassica napus L. against chromium stress by estimating the changes in germination parameters. Petriplates were assembled in Randomized Complete Block Design. A total 9 sets of treatments viz., control, chromium treated (40 and 160ppm), sulfur treated (50 and 150ppm) and sulfur (50 and 150ppm) combined with chromium (40 and 160ppm) with three replicates was used. Chromium under both concentrations was responsible for significant decline in germination parameters i.e. germination percentage, germination rate, seedling vigor index, shoot and root length, fresh weight and dry weight of seedlings. Sulfur application under chromium stress resulted in improvement of germination parameters such as germination percentage, germination rate, seedling vigor index, shoot and root length, fresh weight and dry weight of seedlings in contrast to chromium treatment. So, it can be concluded that sulfur in appropriate dose can be used to ameliorate the negative effects of chromium by increasing the germination potential of canola. (author)

(CultiAF) Reducing maize-based aflatoxin contamination

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

In Zimbabwe, testing of harvested maize has revealed high levels of contamination by aflatoxins, ... and other private sector partners will increase the availability of improved grain storage containers. Researchers will work with the Ministry of ...

Aflatoxin levels in maize and maize products during the 2004 food ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aflatoxin levels in maize and maize products during the 2004 food poisoning ... district were received at the National Public Health Laboratory Services (NPHLS). On analysis, they were found to be highly contaminated with aflatoxin B1.

Novel Effects of Nanoparticulate Delivery of Zinc on Growth, Productivity, and Zinc Biofortification in Maize (Zea mays L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Subbaiah, Layam Venkata; Prasad, Tollamadugu Naga Venkata Krishna Vara; Krishna, Thimmavajjula Giridhara; Sudhakar, Palagiri; Reddy, Balam Ravindra; Pradeep, Thalappil

2016-05-18

In the present investigation, nanoscale zinc oxide particulates (ZnO-nanoparticulates) were prepared using a modified oxalate decomposition method. Prepared ZnO-nanoparticulates (mean size = 25 nm) were characterized using techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and zeta potential analyzer. Different concentrations (50, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, and 2000 ppm) of ZnO-nanoparticulates were examined to reveal their effects on maize crop on overall growth and translocation of zinc along with bulk ZnSO4 and control. Highest germination percentage (80%) and seedling vigor index (1923.20) were observed at 1500 ppm of ZnO-nanoparticulates. The yield was 42% more compared to control and 15% higher compared to 2000 ppm of ZnSO4. Higher accumulation of zinc (35.96 ppm) in grains was recorded with application of 100 ppm followed by 400 ppm (31.05 ppm) of ZnO-nanoparticulates. These results indicate that ZnO-nanoparticulates have significant effects on growth, yield, and zinc content of maize grains, which is an important feature in terms of human health.

Effect of germination on chemical, functional and nutritional characteristics of wheat, brown rice and triticale: a comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sibian, Mandeep S; Saxena, Dharmesh C; Riar, Charanjit S

2017-10-01

Germination is accompanied by various metabolic reactions in the seed, which lead to alteration of its chemical composition as compared to raw seed. Among the micromolecules, amino acids play an important role in various growth and metabolic activities in seeds. Results indicated that germination altered seeds' chemical composition, which improved/changed the functional properties investigated such as bulk density, foaming capacity, water holding capacity, oil binding capacity and emulsification properties. Essential amino acids were increased during germination, which contributed in enhancing the nutritional quality of protein in seeds. Germination also improved protein-based quality parameters such as essential amino acid index, biological value, protein efficiency ratio and nutritional index in seeds of brown rice, wheat and triticale. Among the grains, the essential amino acid index of brown rice was reported to be highest after germination. Indispensable/essential amino acids such as lysine, methionine, leucine, isoleucine, threonine, phenylalanine and valine showed a significant increase during germination. As a result, amino acid scoring based on the reference pattern of an FAO Expert Consultation Report (2013) for infants and adults was appreciably improved after germination along with an increase in the essential amino acid indices for brown rice (78.78), wheat (76.55) and triticale (73.99). © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Oxygen requirement of germinating flax seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Kuznetsov, Oleg A.; Hasenstein, K. H.; Hasentein, K. H. (Principal Investigator)

2003-01-01

Plant experiments in earth orbit are typically prepared on the ground and germinated in orbit to study gravity effects on the developing seedlings. Germination requires the breakdown of storage compounds, and this metabolism depends upon respiration, making oxygen one of the limiting factors in seed germination. In microgravity lack of run-off of excess water requires careful testing of water dispensation and oxygen availability. In preparation for a shuttle experiment (MICRO on STS-107) we studied germination and growth of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) seedlings in the developed hardware (Magnetic Field Chamber, MFC). We tested between four to 32 seeds per chamber (air volume=14 mL) and after 36 h measured the root length. At 90 microliters O2 per seed (32 seeds/chamber), the germination decreased from 94 to 69%, and the root length was reduced by 20%, compared to 8 seeds per chamber. Based on the percent germination and root length obtained in controlled gas mixtures between 3.6 and 21.6% O2 we determined the lower limit of reliable germination to be 10 vol. % O2 at atmospheric pressure. Although the oxygen available in the MFC's can support the intended number of seeds, the data show that seed storage and microgravity-related limitations may reduce germination. c2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.

Field-Evolved Resistance to Bt Maize by Western Corn Rootworm

Science.gov (United States)

Gassmann, Aaron J.; Petzold-Maxwell, Jennifer L.; Keweshan, Ryan S.; Dunbar, Mike W.

2011-01-01

Background Crops engineered to produce insecticidal toxins derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are planted on millions of hectares annually, reducing the use of conventional insecticides and suppressing pests. However, the evolution of resistance could cut short these benefits. A primary pest targeted by Bt maize in the United States is the western corn rootworm Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Methodology/Principal Findings We report that fields identified by farmers as having severe rootworm feeding injury to Bt maize contained populations of western corn rootworm that displayed significantly higher survival on Cry3Bb1 maize in laboratory bioassays than did western corn rootworm from fields not associated with such feeding injury. In all cases, fields experiencing severe rootworm feeding contained Cry3Bb1 maize. Interviews with farmers indicated that Cry3Bb1 maize had been grown in those fields for at least three consecutive years. There was a significant positive correlation between the number of years Cry3Bb1 maize had been grown in a field and the survival of rootworm populations on Cry3Bb1 maize in bioassays. However, there was no significant correlation among populations for survival on Cry34/35Ab1 maize and Cry3Bb1 maize, suggesting a lack of cross resistance between these Bt toxins. Conclusions/Significance This is the first report of field-evolved resistance to a Bt toxin by the western corn rootworm and by any species of Coleoptera. Insufficient planting of refuges and non-recessive inheritance of resistance may have contributed to resistance. These results suggest that improvements in resistance management and a more integrated approach to the use of Bt crops may be necessary. PMID:21829470

Germination of Avena fatua under different gaseous environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hart, J.W.; Berrie, A.M.M.

1966-01-01

The atmosphere in which seeds germinate can profoundly affect the level of germination and dormancy. Seeds were germinated in atmospheres containing various concentrations of carbon dioxide and oxygen. At the same time the effect of light on these systems was examined. The germination of partially dormant populations of wild oat seed is inhibited by white light. This response to light is most apparent when the caryopsis is enclosed in the pales. Investigations into the effect of the ambient atmosphere on germination have indicated that, while oxygen is a necessary factor in the germination of this species, carbon dioxide also has an effect. A lack of carbon dioxide increases the degree of light inhibition of germination; 3% carbon dioxide (by volume) allows germination in light; 20% carbon dioxide inhibits germination in light and darkness at all tested oxygen concentrations.

DOES JASMONIC ACID PREVENT THE GERMINATION

OpenAIRE

ÇAVUŞOĞLU, Kürşat

2009-01-01

Abstract: Effect of jasmonic acid on seed germination and seedling growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Bülbül 89) was investigated in the present study. Jasmonic acid concentrations less than 1500 µM have not inhibited the seed germination, while 1500 and 2000 µM jasmonic acid levels caused atypical germination. The germination was completely inhibited at 3000 µM level of jasmonic acid. However, the seedling growth clearly slowed down with increasing concentrations of jasmonic acid. Furt...

The effect of osmopriming on germination, seedling growth and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Jane

2011-10-24

Oct 24, 2011 ... affecting the oxidative metabolism such as increasing superoxide dismutase ... the adverse effect of salinity by improving germination and seedling growth .... osmoregulation by the accumulation of proline. A positive effect of ...

Phylogeny and source climate impact seed dormancy and germination of restoration-relevant forb species.

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Seglias, Alexandra E; Williams, Evelyn; Bilge, Arman; Kramer, Andrea T

2018-01-01

For many species and seed sources used in restoration activities, specific seed germination requirements are often unknown. Because seed dormancy and germination traits can be constrained by phylogenetic history, related species are often assumed to have similar traits. However, significant variation in these traits is also present within species as a result of adaptation to local climatic conditions. A growing number of studies have attempted to disentangle how phylogeny and climate influence seed dormancy and germination traits, but they have focused primarily on species-level effects, ignoring potential population-level variation. We examined the relationships between phylogeny, climate, and seed dormancy and germination traits for 24 populations of eight native, restoration-relevant forb species found in a wide range of climatic conditions in the Southwest United States. The seeds were exposed to eight temperature and stratification length regimes designed to mimic regional climatic conditions. Phylogenetic relatedness, overall climatic conditions, and temperature conditions at the site were all significantly correlated with final germination response, with significant among-population variation in germination response across incubation treatments for seven of our eight study species. Notably, germination during stratification was significantly predicted by precipitation seasonality and differed significantly among populations for seven species. While previous studies have not examined germination during stratification as a potential trait influencing overall germination response, our results suggest that this trait should be included in germination studies as well as seed sourcing decisions. Results of this study deepen our understanding of the relationships between source climate, species identity, and germination, leading to improved seed sourcing decisions for restorations.

Phytotoxicity of glyphosate in the germination of Pisum sativum and its effect on germinated seedlings

OpenAIRE

Mondal, Subinoy; Kumar, Mousumi; Haque, Smaranya; Kundu, Debajyoti

2017-01-01

The present study evaluated the effects of glyphosate on Pisum sativum germination as well as its effect on the physiology and biochemistry of germinated seedlings. Different physico-chemical biomarkers, viz., chlorophyll, root and shoot length, total protein and soluble sugar, along with sodium and potassium concentration, were investigated in germinated seedlings at different glyphosate concentrations. This study reports the influence of different concentrations of glyphosate on pea seeds a...

Utility of RNA Sequencing for Analysis of Maize Reproductive Transcriptomes

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Rebecca M. Davidson

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Transcriptome sequencing is a powerful method for studying global expression patterns in large, complex genomes. Evaluation of sequence-based expression profiles during reproductive development would provide functional annotation to genes underlying agronomic traits. We generated transcriptome profiles for 12 diverse maize ( L. reproductive tissues representing male, female, developing seed, and leaf tissues using high throughput transcriptome sequencing. Overall, ∼80% of annotated genes were expressed. Comparative analysis between sequence and hybridization-based methods demonstrated the utility of ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNA-seq for expression determination and differentiation of paralagous genes (∼85% of maize genes. Analysis of 4975 gene families across reproductive tissues revealed expression divergence is proportional to family size. In all pairwise comparisons between tissues, 7 (pre- vs. postemergence cobs to 48% (pollen vs. ovule of genes were differentially expressed. Genes with expression restricted to a single tissue within this study were identified with the highest numbers observed in leaves, endosperm, and pollen. Coexpression network analysis identified 17 gene modules with complex and shared expression patterns containing many previously described maize genes. The data and analyses in this study provide valuable tools through improved gene annotation, gene family characterization, and a core set of candidate genes to further characterize maize reproductive development and improve grain yield potential.

Towards improved nitrogen management in silage maize production on sandy soils

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schroeder, J.

1998-01-01

Maize has become a highly appreciated crop in Dutch dairy farming during the last 25 years. The current cropping technique, however, is associated with a low recovery of soil mineral nitrogen (N) and serious losses of N to the environment. This gave rise to the research described in this

FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION DECISIONS OF MAIZE FARMERS IN NIGERIA

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Olusegun Ayodeji Fadare

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The needs to develop improved varieties of maize have been in the heart of various researchers and institutions in Nigeria because of its strategic role in tackling food insecurity and poverty. Despite substantial efforts to improve maize varieties, the level of adoption of improved maize varieties (IMV in Nigeria in still very low. Although previous adoption studies have indicated a number of socioeconomic and institutional/organizational variables as important factors influencing adoption of improved maize (crop varieties in the country, whether these factors are the main issues of concern, and whether the inclusion of regional/agro-ecological variables in adoption model are also important in explaining what could drive farmers’ adoption behaviour requires investigation. This study therefore examined factors influencing adoption of IMV among farmers in Nigeria using a selected portion of the Nigeria Living Standard Measurement Survey data collected by the National Bureau of Statistics and the World Bank for 2010/2011 cropping season with descriptive statistics and probit model as tools for data analysis. The results suggest, in line with some previous studies, that farm size, education level of farmers and access to extension services would significantly influence adoption of IMV. The results also indicate that farmers across the entire agro-ecological regions of country share some negative sentiments regarding adoption of IMV. Renewed emphasis on interventions that would enable farmers gain more access to farmland, and promote formal education and extension service are advocated. An attempt to incorporate variables that capture farmers’ perception/experience on agroclimatic/ ecologically related concerns in adoption study could aid better understand of what drives farmers’ adoption decisions across the country especially in the light of the emerging climate change issues and its implication on food production.

GERMINATION STUDIES ON Tabebuia impetiginosa Mart. SEEDS

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Edvaldo Aparecido Amaral da Silva

2004-06-01

Full Text Available Seed germination and seedling production of native forest tree species are an important step in ex situ conservation programs and in the reforestation with ecological purposes. Therefore, understanding seed germination and its regulation is mandatory for the complete success of the conservation programs and revegetation techniques. Thus, morphological studies, temperature requirements for seed germination and its control by gibberellins (GAs were studied in Tabebuia impetiginosa (“ipê-roxo” seeds. The best temperature for germination under constant light was 30oC. The imbibition of T. impetiginosa seeds followed the common triphasic pattern, with most of the seeds attaining phase II at 24 hours and phase III at 72 hours of imbibition. Visible germination, as radicle elongation, started at 30 hours in water-imbibed seeds and at 24 hours in GA-imbibed seeds. Seeds imbibed in Paclobutrazol, an inhibitor of GA biosynthesis, failed to germinate. However, application of exogenous gibberellins overcame inhibition and allowed germination, suggesting that GAs are regulators of Tabebuia impetiginosa seed germination. The results suggested that germination in Tabebuia impetiginosa seeds is controlled by elongation of the radicle and gibberellins may play an important role in regulating it. The possible role of gibberellins is discussed.

Multiple paths to similar germination behavior in Arabidopsis thaliana.

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Burghardt, Liana T; Edwards, Brianne R; Donohue, Kathleen

2016-02-01

Germination timing influences plant fitness, and its sensitivity to temperature may cause it to change as climate shifts. These changes are likely to be complex because temperatures that occur during seed maturation and temperatures that occur post-dispersal interact to define germination timing. We used the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana to determine how flowering time (which defines seed-maturation temperature) and post-dispersal temperature influence germination and the expression of genetic variation for germination. Germination responses to temperature (germination envelopes) changed as seeds aged, or after-ripened, and these germination trajectories depended on seed-maturation temperature and genotype. Different combinations of genotype, seed-maturation temperature, and after-ripening produced similar germination envelopes. Likewise, different genotypes and seed-maturation temperatures combined to produce similar germination trajectories. Differences between genotypes were most likely to be observed at high and low germination temperatures. The germination behavior of some genotypes responds weakly to maternal temperature but others are highly plastic. We hypothesize that weak dormancy induction could synchronize germination of seeds dispersed at different times. By contrast, we hypothesize that strongly responsive genotypes may spread offspring germination over several possible germination windows. Considering germination responses to temperature is important for predicting phenology expression and evolution in future climates. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Effect of Temperature Regimes on Seed Germination Asafoetida (Ferula Assafoetida L.

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Zangoie M.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Asafoetida is a medicinal plant belonging to the Apiaceae family. Gum obtained from the lower part of the stem and roots of this plant has many industrial and pharmaceutical applications. This plant is subject to extinction in its natural habitats due to over-utilization. Understanding the biology of seed germination can help to restore such degradation by implementing agricultural development programs. The present study is an attempt to determine the germination responses to two temperature regimes (constant and fluctuating during the course of the study. The experiment was planned based on a factorial-completely randomized design with two factors (constant and fluctuating temperature regimes at 3 levels each (15, 20 and 25°C with 4 replications. The results showed that the characteristics of germination in asafoetida were significantly improved under the fluctuating temperature as compared with the constant regime. It showed a mean germination time of 1.88 days for the fluctuating regime, while it was 4.88 days for the constant regime. The same results were found on germination rates in favor of fluctuating (0.62 per day in comparison with constant regime (0.33 per day. Under the fluctuating regime, the lowest level of imposed temperature (daily application of 10 and 20 degree during the first and the second 12 hours, respectively was the best for seed germination in this experiment.

Maize Diversity, Market Access, and Poverty Reduction in the Western Highlands of Guatemala

OpenAIRE

Jon Hellin; Rachael Cox; Santiago López-Ridaura

2017-01-01

The western highlands of Guatemala lie within the area where maize was first domesticated, and maize remains central to farmers' livelihood security. Over 50% of the population in the region are in poverty, and over 48% suffer from chronic malnutrition. Development efforts have focused on improved land management, crop diversification, and improved access to markets, especially for high-value vegetable crops such as snow peas. As a result of successful initiatives worldwide, more attention is...

Improvement of antioxidant activities and yield of spring maize through seed priming and foliar application of plant growth regulators under heat stress conditions

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Ijaz Ahmad

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Heat stress during reproductive and grain filling phases adversely affects the growth of cereals through reduction in grain’s number and size. However, exogenous application of antioxidants, plant growth regulators and osmoprotectants may be helpful to minimize these heat induced yield losses in cereals. This two year study was conducted to evaluate the role of exogenous application of ascorbic acid (AsA, salicylic acid (SA and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 applied through seed priming or foliar spray on biochemical, physiological, morphological and yield related traits, grain yield and quality of late spring sown hybrid maize. The experiment was conducted in the spring season of 2007 and 2008. We observed that application of AsA, SA and H2O2 applied through seed priming or foliar spray improved the physiological, biochemical, morphological and yield related traits, grain yield and grain quality of late spring sown maize in both years. In both years, we observed higher superoxide dismutase (SOD, catalase (CAT and peroxidase (POD activity in the plants where AsA, SA and H2O2were applied through seed priming or foliar spray than control. Membrane stability index (MSI, relative water contents (RWC, chlorophyll contents, grain yield and grain oil contents were also improved by exogenous application of AsA, SA and H2O2 in both years. Seed priming of AsA, SA and H2O2was equally effective as the foliar application. In conclusion, seed priming with AsA, SA and H2O2 may be opted to lessen the heat induced yield losses in late sown spring hybrid maize. Heat tolerance induced by ASA, SA and H2O2 may be attributed to increase in antioxidant activities and MSI which maintained RWC and chlorophyll contents in maize resulting in better grain yield in heat stress conditions.

Molecular breeding for developing drought tolerant and disease resistant maize in sub Saharan Africa

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The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), in collaboration with public and private partners, is working on developing and disseminating drought tolerant maize for sub Saharan Africa (SSA) using pedigree selection and molecular breeding. In this paper, we provide an overview of ...

Seed quality and water use characteristics of maize landraces compared with selected commercial hybrids

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Farai Mazvimbakupa

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Understanding seed quality and water use characteristics of maize (Zea mays L. landraces will improve food security among subsistence farmers who still cultivate them. The objective of this study was to evaluate seed quality and water use characteristics of two maize landraces (GQ1 and GQ2 compared with two commercial hybrids (SC701 and PAN53. Seed quality was determined by the standard germination, electrical conductivity, and tetrazolium tests. A controlled environment study was conducted in which the landraces were compared with hybrids across three water treatments (30% ETc; 50% ETc, and 80% ETc. Although landrace GQ2 performed at par with the hybrids, overall, seed quality tests showed that hybrids had superior seed quality than landraces. This was also confirmed by highly significant emergence results (P < 0.001 from pot trials where SC701 and PAN53 had higher emergence (100% and 94.44%, respectively compared with GQ2 (86.11% and GQ1 (61.11%. Subjecting landraces and hybrids to water stress (50% and 30% ETc resulted in shorter plants with fewer leaves and earlier tasselling compared with non-stressed plants (80% ETc. Plant height for the 30% ETc water treatment was 156.1 cm compared with 175.8 cm for the 80% ETc water treatment, while plants under the 30% ETc water treatment tasseled at 105.4 d compared with 129.5 d for the 80% ETc water treatment. The GQ2 landrace continued to perform similar to, and often better, than the hybrid varieties, especially under stress conditions. Yield was poor under controlled conditions. Performance of the GQ2 landrace for both seed quality tests and under controlled conditions shows that landraces remain an important germplasm resource.

Environmental and genetic effects on tomato seed metabolic balance and its association with germination vigor.

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Rosental, Leah; Perelman, Adi; Nevo, Noa; Toubiana, David; Samani, Talya; Batushansky, Albert; Sikron, Noga; Saranga, Yehoshua; Fait, Aaron

2016-12-19

The metabolite content of a seed and its ability to germinate are determined by genetic makeup and environmental effects during development. The interaction between genetics, environment and seed metabolism and germination was studied in 72 tomato homozygous introgression lines (IL) derived from Solanum pennelli and S. esculentum M82 cultivar. Plants were grown in the field under saline and fresh water irrigation during two consecutive seasons, and collected seeds were subjected to morphological analysis, gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolic profiling and germination tests. Seed weight was under tight genetic regulation, but it was not related to germination vigor. Salinity significantly reduced seed number but had little influence on seed metabolites, affecting only 1% of the statistical comparisons. The metabolites negatively correlated to germination were simple sugars and most amino acids, while positive correlations were found for several organic acids and the N metabolites urea and dopamine. Germination tests identified putative loci for improved germination as compared to M82 and in response to salinity, which were also characterized by defined metabolic changes in the seed. An integrative analysis of the metabolite and germination data revealed metabolite levels unambiguously associated with germination percentage and rate, mostly conserved in the different tested seed development environments. Such consistent relations suggest the potential for developing a method of germination vigor prediction by metabolic profiling, as well as add to our understanding of the importance of primary metabolic processes in germination.

Exploration of agro-ecological options for improving maize-based farming systems in Costa Chica, Guerrero, Mexico

OpenAIRE

Flores Sanchez, D.

2013-01-01

Keywords: farm diagnosis, farming systems, soil degradation, intercropping, maize, roselle, legumes, nutrient management, vermicompost, crop residues, decomposition, explorations. In the Costa Chica, a region of Southwest Mexico, farming systems are organized in smallholder units. The dominant cropping systems are based on maize (Zea mays L.), either as monocrop or intercropped with roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.). Continuous cropping, and unbalanced fertilizer management systems with an...

ABA, GA(3), and nitrate may control seed germination of Crithmum maritimum (Apiaceae) under saline conditions.

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Atia, Abdallah; Debez, Ahmed; Barhoumi, Zouhaier; Smaoui, Abderrazak; Abdelly, Chedly

2009-08-01

Impaired germination is common among halophyte seeds exposed to salt stress, partly resulting from the salt-induced reduction of the growth regulator contents in seeds. Thus, the understanding of hormonal regulation during the germination process is a main key: (i) to overcome the mechanisms by which NaCl-salinity inhibit germination; and (ii) to improve the germination of these species when challenged with NaCl. In the present investigation, the effects of ABA, GA(3), NO(-)(3), and NH(+)(4) on the germination of the oilseed halophyte Crithmum maritimum (Apiaceae) were assessed under NaCl-salinity (up to 200 mM NaCl). Seeds were collected from Tabarka rocky coasts (N-W of Tunisia). The exogenous application of GA(3), nitrate (either as NaNO(3) or KNO(3)), and NH(4)Cl enhanced germination under NaCl salinity. The beneficial impact of KNO(3) on germination upon seed exposure to NaCl salinity was rather due to NO(-)(3) than to K(+), since KCl failed to significantly stimulate germination. Under optimal conditions for germination (0 mM NaCl), ABA inhibited germination over time in a dose dependent manner, but KNO(3) completely restored the germination parameters. Under NaCl salinity, the application of fluridone (FLU) an inhibitor of ABA biosynthesis, stimulated substantially seed germination. Taken together, our results point out that NO(-)(3) and GA(3) mitigate the NaCl-induced reduction of seed germination, and that NO(-)(3) counteracts the inhibitory effect of ABA on germination of C. maritimum.

C4 photosynthetic machinery: insights from maize chloroplast proteomics

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Qi eZhao

2013-04-01

Full Text Available C4 plants exhibit much higher CO2 assimilation rates than C3 plants. The specialized differentiation of mesophyll cell (M and bundle sheath cell (BS type chloroplasts is unique to C4 plants and improves photosynthesis efficiency. Maize (Zea mays is an important crop and model with C4 photosynthetic machinery. Current high-throughput quantitative proteomics approaches (e.g., 2DE, iTRAQ, and shotgun proteomics have been employed to investigate maize chloroplast structure and function. These proteomic studies have provided valuable information on C4 chloroplast protein components, photosynthesis, and other metabolic mechanisms underlying chloroplast biogenesis, stromal and membrane differentiation, as well as response to salinity, high/low temperature, and light stress. This review presents an overview of proteomics advances in maize chloroplast biology.

Priming effects on seed germination in Tecoma stans (Bignoniaceae) and Cordia megalantha (Boraginaceae), two tropical deciduous tree species

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Alvarado-López, Sandra; Soriano, Diana; Velázquez, Noé; Orozco-Segovia, Alma; Gamboa-deBuen, Alicia

2014-11-01

Successful revegetation necessarily requires the establishment of a vegetation cover and one of the challenges for this is the scarce knowledge about germination and seedling establishment of wild tree species. Priming treatments (seed hydration during a specific time followed by seed dehydration) could be an alternative germination pre-treatment to improve plant establishment. Natural priming (via seed burial) promotes rapid and synchronous germination as well as the mobilisation of storage reserves; consequently, it increases seedling vigour. These metabolic and physiological responses are similar to those occurring as a result of the laboratory seed priming treatments (osmopriming and matrix priming) applied successfully to agricultural species. In order to know if natural priming had a positive effect on germination of tropical species we tested the effects of natural priming on imbibition kinetics, germination parameters (mean germination time, lag time and germination rate and percentage) and reserve mobilisation in the seeds of two tree species from a tropical deciduous forest in south-eastern México: Tecoma stans (L Juss. Ex Kunth) and Cordia megalantha (S.F Blake). The wood of both trees are useful for furniture and T. stans is a pioneer tree that promotes soil retention in disturbed areas. We also compared the effect of natural priming with that of laboratory matrix priming (both in soil). Matrix priming improved germination of both studied species. Natural priming promoted the mobilisation of proteins and increased the amount of free amino acids and of lipid degradation in T. stans but not in C. megalantha. Our results suggest that the application of priming via the burial of seeds is an easy and inexpensive technique that can improve seed germination and seedling establishment of tropical trees with potential use in reforestation and restoration practices.

Germination and seedling frost tolerance differ between the native and invasive range in common ragweed.

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Leiblein-Wild, Marion Carmen; Kaviani, Rana; Tackenberg, Oliver

2014-03-01

Germination characteristics and frost tolerance of seedlings are crucial parameters for establishment and invasion success of plants. The characterization of differences between populations in native and invasive ranges may improve our understanding of range expansion and adaptation. Here, we investigated germination characteristics of Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., a successful invader in Europe, under a temperature gradient between 5 and 25 °C. Besides rate and speed of germination we determined optimal, minimal and maximal temperature for germination of ten North American and 17 European populations that were sampled along major latitudinal and longitudinal gradients. We furthermore investigated the frost tolerance of seedlings. Germination rate was highest at 15 °C and germination speed was highest at 25 °C. Germination rate, germination speed, frost tolerance of seedlings, and the temperature niche width for germination were significantly higher and broader, respectively, for European populations. This was partly due to a higher seed mass of these populations. Germination traits lacked evidence for adaptation to climatic variables at the point of origin for both provenances. Instead, in the native range, seedling frost tolerance was positively correlated with the risk of frosts which supports the assumption of local adaptation. The increased frost tolerance of European populations may allow germination earlier in the year which may subsequently lead to higher biomass allocation--due to a longer growing period--and result in higher pollen and seed production. The increase in germination rates, germination speed and seedling frost tolerance might result in a higher fitness of the European populations which may facilitate further successful invasion and enhance the existing public health problems associated with this species.

Different modes of hydrogen peroxide action during seed germination

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Łukasz eWojtyla

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Hydrogen peroxide was initially recognized as a toxic molecule that causes damage at different levels of cell organization and thus losses in cell viability. From the 1990s, the role of hydrogen peroxide as a signaling molecule in plants has also been discussed. The beneficial role of H2O2 as a central hub integrating signaling network in response to biotic and abiotic stress and during developmental processes is now well established. Seed germination is the most pivotal phase of the plant life cycle, affecting plant growth and productivity. The function of hydrogen peroxide in seed germination and seed aging has been illustrated in numerous studies; however, the exact role of this molecule remains unknown. This review evaluates evidence that shows that H2O2 functions as a signaling molecule in seed physiology in accordance with the known biology and biochemistry of H2O2. The importance of crosstalk between hydrogen peroxide and a number of signaling molecules, including plant phytohormones such as abscisic acid, gibberellins and ethylene and reactive molecules such as nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide acting on cell communication and signaling during seed germination, is highlighted. The current study also focuses on the detrimental effects of H2O2 on seed biology, i.e., seed aging that leads to a loss of germination efficiency. The dual nature of hydrogen peroxide as a toxic molecule on one hand and as a signal molecule on the other is made possible through the precise spatial and temporal control of its production and degradation. Levels of hydrogen peroxide in germinating seeds and young seedlings can be modulated via pre-sowing seed priming/conditioning. This rather simple method is shown to be a valuable tool for improving seed quality and for enhancing seed stress tolerance during post-priming germination. In this review, we outline how seed priming/conditioning affects the integrative role of hydrogen peroxide in seed germination and

Consumer preferences for maize products in urban Kenya.

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De Groote, Hugo; Kimenju, Simon Chege

2012-06-01

New maize varieties have been biofortified with provitamin A, mainly a-carotene, which renders the grain yellow or orange. Unfortunately, many African consumers prefer white maize. The maize consumption patterns in Africa are, however, not known. To determine which maize products African consumers prefer to purchase and which maize preparations they prefer to eat. A survey of 600 consumers was conducted in Nairobi, Kenya, at three types of maize outlets: posho mills (small hammer mills), kiosks, and supermarkets. Clients of posho mills had lower incomes and less education than those of kiosks and supermarkets. The preferred maize product of the posho-mill clients was artisanal maize meal; the preferred product of the others was industrial maize meal. Maize is the preferred staple for lunch and dinner, eaten as a stiff porridge (ugali), followed by boiled maize and beans (githeri), regardless of socioeconomic background. For breakfast, only half the consumers prefer maize, mostly as a soft porridge (uji). This proportion is higher in low-income groups. Consumers show a strong preference for white maize over yellow, mostly for its organoleptic characteristics, and show less interest in biofortified maize. Maize is the major food staple in Nairobi, mostly eaten in a few distinct preparations. For biofortified yellow maize to be accepted, a strong public awareness campaign to inform consumers is needed, based on a sensory evaluation and the mass media, in particular on radio in the local language.

Maize variety and method of production

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Pauly, Markus; Hake, Sarah; Kraemer, Florian J

2014-05-27

The disclosure relates to a maize plant, seed, variety, and hybrid. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a maize plant containing a Cal-1 allele, whose expression results in increased cell wall-derived glucan content in the maize plant. The disclosure also relates to crossing inbreds, varieties, and hybrids containing the Cal-1 allele to produce novel types and varieties of maize plants.

Effect of anatase nanoparticles (TiO2) on parsley seed germination (Petroselinum crispum) in vitro.

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Dehkourdi, Elahe Hashemi; Mosavi, Mousa

2013-11-01

Nano priming is a new method for the increase of seedling vigor and improvement of germination percentage and seedling growth. The experiments to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of nano-anatase on germination parameters of parsley as a completely randomized design with five replications were performed in a tissue culture laboratory of the Department of Horticulture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. In addition, nano-anatase at four concentrations (10, 20, 30, and 40 mg/ml) was added to the Murashige and Skoog medium. At the end of the experiment, the percentage of germination, germination rate index, root and shoot length, fresh weight of seedlings, vigor index, and chlorophyll content were evaluated. The results showed that an increase in the concentration of nano-anatase caused a significant increase in the percentage of germination, germination rate index, root and shoot length, fresh weight, vigor index, and chlorophyll content of seedlings. The best concentration of nano-anatase was 30 mg/ml.

Pulse seed germination improves antioxidative activity of phenolic compounds in stripped soybean oil-in-water emulsions.

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Xu, Minwei; Jin, Zhao; Peckrul, Allen; Chen, Bingcan

2018-06-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate antioxidative activity of phenolic compounds extracted from germinated pulse seed including chickpeas, lentils and yellow peas. Phenolic compounds were extracted at different germination time and total phenolic content was examined by Folin Ciocalteu's reaction. Antioxidative activity of extracts was characterized by in vitro assay including 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity (DPPH), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), iron-binding assay, and in stripped soybean oil-in-water emulsions. The results suggested that germination time is critical for phenolic compounds production. The form variation of phenolic compounds influenced the antioxidative activity of phenolic compounds both in vitro assay and in emulsion systems. Soluble bound phenolic compounds showed higher antioxidative ability in emulsion system with the order of chickpea > yellow pea > lentil. On the basis of these results, soluble bound phenolic compounds may be considered as a promising natural antioxidant to prevent lipid oxidation in foods. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spore Heat Activation Requirements and Germination Responses Correlate with Sequences of Germinant Receptors and with the Presence of a Specific spoVA2mob Operon in Foodborne Strains of Bacillus subtilis.

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Krawczyk, Antonina O; de Jong, Anne; Omony, Jimmy; Holsappel, Siger; Wells-Bennik, Marjon H J; Kuipers, Oscar P; Eijlander, Robyn T

2017-04-01

Spore heat resistance, germination, and outgrowth are problematic bacterial properties compromising food safety and quality. Large interstrain variation in these properties makes prediction and control of spore behavior challenging. High-level heat resistance and slow germination of spores of some natural Bacillus subtilis isolates, encountered in foods, have been attributed to the occurrence of the spoVA 2mob operon carried on the Tn 1546 transposon. In this study, we further investigate the correlation between the presence of this operon in high-level-heat-resistant spores and their germination efficiencies before and after exposure to various sublethal heat treatments (heat activation, or HA), which are known to significantly improve spore responses to nutrient germinants. We show that high-level-heat-resistant spores harboring spoVA 2mob required higher HA temperatures for efficient germination than spores lacking spoVA 2mob The optimal spore HA requirements additionally depended on the nutrients used to trigger germination, l-alanine (l-Ala), or a mixture of l-asparagine, d-glucose, d-fructose, and K + (AGFK). The distinct HA requirements of these two spore germination pathways are likely related to differences in properties of specific germinant receptors. Moreover, spores that germinated inefficiently in AGFK contained specific changes in sequences of the GerB and GerK germinant receptors, which are involved in this germination response. In contrast, no relation was found between transcription levels of main germination genes and spore germination phenotypes. The findings presented in this study have great implications for practices in the food industry, where heat treatments are commonly used to inactivate pathogenic and spoilage microbes, including bacterial spore formers. IMPORTANCE This study describes a strong variation in spore germination capacities and requirements for a heat activation treatment, i.e., an exposure to sublethal heat that increases

EFFECTS OF PRE-GERMINATION TREATMENTS AND STORAGE ON GERMINATION OF Astronium fraxinifolium SCHOTT (ANACARDIACEAE DIASPORES

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Lílian de Lima Braga

2014-06-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509814577The goal of this study was to evaluate the germination and the storage capacity of Astronium fraxinifolium diaspores. Six pre-germination treatments were used in the experiment: control treatment (intact diaspores; diaspores immersed in water at room temperature (25º C for 5 min; diaspores immersed in water at 70° C for 5 min; diaspores immersed in water at 100° C for 5 min; diaspores immersed in sodium hypochlorite solution (1:1000 for 2 min; and diaspores mechanically scarified with sandpaper #80. To evaluate storage conditions, we tested two different types of packaging (permeable paper bag and transparent glass jar and two environmental conditions (cold chamber and room conditions, resulting in four treatments. The germination tests were performed for zero (control and 60, 120, 180, 240, 300 and 360 days after storage. The effects of different treatments on germination and storage of diaspores were evaluated by ANOVA, followed by Tukey test. Regarding to pre-germination treatments, high germination rates were observed in the hypochlorite (98.0 ± 4.22%, control (97.0 ± 4.83%, water at room temperature (96.0 ± 6.99% and water at 70º C (83.0 ± 29.08% treatments. Thus, Astronium fraxinifolium diaspores do not present dormancy. During storage, the diaspores remained viable throughout the study period with high germination rates, except for the treatment in paper bags placed in the cold chamber, in which the diaspores lost their viability in the eighth month of storage. Therefore, this is not a recommended storage method for this species.

Genetic diversity of improved salt tolerant calli of maize (Zea mays L.) using RAPD

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Saputro, Triono Bagus; Dianawati, Siti; Sholihah, Nur Fadlillatus; Ermavitalini, Dini

2017-06-01

Maize is one of important cultivated plants in the world, in terms of production rates, utilization rates and demands. Unfortunately, the increment of demands were not followed by the increase of production rates since the cultivation area were significantly decrease. Coastal area is the marginal land that have a good potential to extend the cultivation area. The main challenge of this area is the high content of salt. The aims of this research were try to induce a new varian of local maize through in vitro culture and observe its genetic variation using RAPD. Bluto variety from Madura island was used as an explant in callus induction. Induction of callus were conducted using MS basal medium supplemented with 3 mg/L of 2,4 D under dark condition. While the selection stage was conducted using MS basal medium supplemented with 3 mg/L of 2,4 D with the addition of various concentration of NaCl (0 mg/L; 2500 mg/L; 5000 mg/L; and 7500 mg/L). The research were arranged in a completely randomized design with three replications. The exposion of NaCl were significantly decrease the mass of maize callus. The highest addition of callus weight was 210 mgs in control treatment, while the lowest is in 7500 mg/L with 3 mgs. The RAPD technique was utilized to characterize the genotype of maize callus. Out of five primers, only three primers can produce polymorphic bands named OPA10, OPB07 and OPC02. Taken together, the surviving callus of Bluto varians can be further developed as potential somaclone that has high tolerance to salt stress.

Changes in germination characteristics and seedling growth ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Changes in germination characteristics and seedling growth between storage ... for up to 1 year and the second group was used for un-stored germination test. ... seed germination performance without loss of longevity of tall fescue species, ...

[Study on germination characteristics of Disporum cantoniense].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Nan; Wang, Hua-Lei; Zhao, Zhi; Liu, Hong-Chang; Luo, Chun-Li; Li, Jin-Ling; Luo, Fu-Lai; Huang, Ming-Jin

2012-11-01

To study the seed germination characteristic and optimal germination condition of wild Disporum cantoniense. Used wild Disporum cantoniense seed as the test materials, the rate of water absorption of the seed was determined. The germination rates under different conditions, along a temperature gradient (15, 20, 25 and 30 degres C), in light or dark, on top or between wet filter papers, and keeping or removing the seed coat, were determined respectively using petri dish method. At the same time germination trends were observed. The thousand seed weight was 33.24 g, and the seed water-absorbing reached saturation pot after soaking for 30 h. Higher germination rates were respectively recorded at 25 degrees C, between filter papers, and in dark after 24 h soaking in the pretreatment solution. The optimal condition for the germination of the seed of wild Disporum cantoniense is as follow: keeping testa, seed soaking for 24 h in seed germination agent and being incubated between wet filter papers in dark at 25 degrees C.

Assessment of maize stem borer damage on hybrid maize varieties in Chitwan, Nepal

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Buddhi Bahadur Achhami

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Maize is the second most important cereal crop in Nepal. However, national figure of grain production still remains below than the world's average grain production per unit area. Thus, this experiment was designed to determine the suitable time of maize planting, and to assess the peak period of one of the major insects, maize stem borer, in Chitwan condition. The results showed that plant damage percentage as per the maize planting month varies significantly, and the average plant damage percentage by stem borer was up to 18.11%. Length of the feeding tunnel in maize stem was significantly higher in January than July. In case of exit holes made by borer counted more than four holes per plant that were planted in the month of January. All in all, except the tunnel length measurement per plant, we observed similar pattern in other borer damage parameters such as exit whole counts and plant damage percentage within the tested varieties. Stem borer damage was not significantly affect on grain yield.

Oxygen dependency of germinating Brassica seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Myoung Ryoul; Hasenstein, Karl H.

2016-02-01

Establishing plants in space, Moon or Mars requires adaptation to altered conditions, including reduced pressure and composition of atmospheres. To determine the oxygen requirements for seed germination, we imbibed Brassica rapa seeds under varying oxygen concentrations and profiled the transcription patterns of genes related to early metabolism such as starch degradation, glycolysis, and fermentation. We also analyzed the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and measured starch degradation. Partial oxygen pressure (pO2) greater than 10% resulted in normal germination (i.e., protrusion of radicle about 18 hours after imbibition) but lower pO2 delayed and reduced germination. Imbibition in an oxygen-free atmosphere for three days resulted in no germination but subsequent transfer to air initiated germination in 75% of the seeds and the root growth rate was transiently greater than in roots germinated under ambient pO2. In hypoxic seeds soluble sugars degraded faster but the content of starch after 24 h was higher than at ambient oxygen. Transcription of genes related to starch degradation, α-amylase (AMY) and Sucrose Synthase (SUS), was higher under ambient O2 than under hypoxia. Glycolysis and fermentation pathway-related genes, glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI), 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK), fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (ALD), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), LDH, and ADH, were induced by low pO2. The activity of LDH and ADH was the highest in anoxic seeds. Germination under low O2 conditions initiated ethanolic fermentation. Therefore, sufficient oxygen availability is important for germination before photosynthesis provides necessary oxygen and the determination of an oxygen carrying capacity is important for uniform growth in space conditions.

Maize cob losses and their effects on the poverty status of maize

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study analysed fresh maize cob losses and its effect on the poverty status of maize farmers in Edo State,. Nigeria. The specific .... is the poverty gap for ... Total cost. 162,367.48. 100.00. Returns. Total expected yield (N). 327,966.63. _.

Nicotinamidase activity is important for germination.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, Lee; Holdsworth, Michael J; Gray, Julie E

2007-08-01

It has been suggested that nicotinamide must be degraded during germination; however, the enzyme responsible and its physiological role have not been previously studied. We have identified an Arabidopsis gene, NIC2, that is expressed at relatively high levels in mature seed, and encodes a nicotinamidase enzyme with homology to yeast and bacterial nicotinamidases. Seed of a knockout mutant, nic2-1, had reduced nicotinamidase activity, retarded germination and impaired germination potential. nic2-1 germination was restored by after-ripening or moist chilling, but remained hypersensitive to application of nicotinamide or ABA. Nicotinamide is a known inhibitor of NAD-degrading poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARP enzymes) that are implicated in DNA repair. We found reduced poly(ADP)ribosylation levels in nic2-1 seed, which were restored by moist chilling. Furthermore, nic2-1 seed had elevated levels of NAD, and germination was hypersensitive to methyl methanesulphonate (MMS), suggesting that PARP activity and DNA repair responses were impaired. We suggest that nicotinamide is normally metabolized by NIC2 during moist chilling or after-ripening, which relieves inhibition of PARP activity and allows DNA repair to occur prior to germination.

Phytotoxicity of brominated diphenyl ether-47 (BDE-47) and its hydroxylated and methoxylated analogues (6-OH-BDE-47 and 6-MeO-BDE-47) to maize (Zea mays L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xuehui; Huang, Honglin; Wen, Bei; Wang, Sen; Zhang, Shuzhen

2015-03-16

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-PBDEs), and hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs) are widely found in various environmental media, which is of concern given their biological toxicity. In this study, the phytotoxicities of BDE-47, 6-MeO-BDE-47, and 6-OH-BDE-47 to maize (Zea mays L.) were investigated by an in vivo exposure experiment. Results showed that BDE-47, 6-MeO-BDE-47, and 6-OH-BDE-47 inhibited seed germination and seedling development, and elevated malondialdehyde (MDA), carbonyl groups, and phosphorylated histone H2AX levels in maize roots, suggesting the inducement of lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, and DNA damage to maize. Exposure to BDE-47, 6-MeO-BDE-47, and 6-OH-BDE-47 caused the overproduction of H2O2, O2(•-), and •OH, and elevated the activities of antioxidant enzymes in the roots. In addition, 6-OH-BDE-47 caused more severe damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in maize than did BDE-47 and 6-MeO-BDE-47. These results demonstrated the phytotoxicities of BDE-47, 6-OH-BDE-47, and 6-MeO-BDE-47 to maize, and clarified that overproduction of ROS was the key mechanism leading to toxicity. This study offers useful information for a more comprehensive understanding of the environmental behaviors and toxicities of PBDEs, MeO-PBDEs, and OH-PBDEs.

MaizeGDB: The Maize Model Organism Database for Basic, Translational, and Applied Research

OpenAIRE

Lawrence, Carolyn J.; Harper, Lisa C.; Schaeffer, Mary L.; Sen, Taner Z.; Seigfried, Trent E.; Campbell, Darwin A.

2008-01-01

In 2001 maize became the number one production crop in the world with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reporting over 614 million tonnes produced. Its success is due to the high productivity per acre in tandem with a wide variety of commercial uses. Not only is maize an excellent source of food, feed, and fuel, but also its by-products are used in the production of various commercial products. Maize's unparalleled success in agriculture stems from basic research, th...

Practical aspects of temperature intervention in germination and post-germination development of bacterial spores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stastna, J.; Vinter, V.; Babicka, J.

1974-01-01

Temperature dependence of germination and post-germination growth was studied in the spores of B a c i l l u s c e r e u s NCIB 8122. It was found that a temperature of 5 0 C slowed down germination, with the cells showing the capacity of synthetizing only a limited amount of proteins. The synthesis of the cellular wall, however, went on for another few hours. Thick-walled, less permeable and less metabolically active cells formed having an altered ultrastructure. A prolonged cultivation at 30 0 C resulted in the reduction of living cells while the low cultivation temperature (5 0 C) was found to have a protective effect. Pre-irradiation with 30g krad of gamma radiation increased the sensitivity of surviving cells to the cultivation conditions. Spores in the post-germination period were found to be much more resistent and alternating use of low and higher temperatures had little effect on growth

Effects of hormonal priming on seed germination of pigeon pea under cadmium stress

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LARISSA C. SNEIDERIS

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In this work we investigated whether priming with auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, abscisic acid and ethylene, alters the physiological responses of seeds of pigeon pea germinated under water and cadmium stress. Seeds treated with water or non-treated seeds were used as control. Although compared to non-treated seeds we found that the hormone treatments improve the germination of pigeon pea under cadmium stress, however, these treatments did not differ from water. However, we also observed a trend of tolerance to the effects of cadmium in the presence of ethylene, suggesting that the use of this hormone may be an efficient method to overcome seed germination under metal stress.

Effects of salinity, temperature, light and dormancy regulating chemicals on seed germination of salsola drummondii ulbr

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rasheed, A.; Hameed, A.; Khan, M.A.; Gul, B.

2015-01-01

Salsola drummondii Ulbr. is a perennial halophyte found in salt deserts of southern Balochistan, Pakistan. Experiments were conducted to study the effects of salinity (0, 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 mM NaCl), thermoperiod (10/20, 15/25, 20/30 and 25/35 degree C), light (12-h photoperiod and dark) and dormancy regulating chemicals (DRCs) on germination, recovery and viability of the seeds of S. drummondii. Seeds of S. drummondii germinated quickly in distilled water at different temperature regimes and increases in salinity decreased seed germination. Interestingly, few seeds could even germinate in 1000 mM NaCl treatment, which is about twice as high as seawater salinity. Seeds were partially photoblastic and showed relatively higher germination under 12-h photoperiod than in dark. Seeds showed poor recovery of germination from salinity and particularly when germinated in dark. Germination inhibition at high salinity (800 mM NaCl) under 12-h photoperiod was partially alleviated by the exogenous application of different DRCs, particularly fusicoccin. Moreover, all the DRCs, except GA4+7, ameliorated germination of salt stressed seeds under complete darkness and GA4 and fusicoccin were most effective. Our study shows that seeds of S. drummondii are highly tolerant to salinity and variation in temperature but partially photoblastic nature indicate that seeds will not germinate if buried under the soil. Seed germination under saline conditions can be improved by the use of DRCs particularly by application of fusicoccin. (author)

Effect of Germination and Fermentation Process on the Antioxidant Compounds of Quinoa Seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Carciochi, Ramiro Ariel; Galván-D'Alessandro, Leandro; Vandendriessche, Pierre; Chollet, Sylvie

2016-12-01

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) seed has gained a great interest in the last years, mainly due to its nutritional properties and its content of antioxidant substances with health-promoting properties in humans. In this work, the effect of germination time and fermentation on the levels of antioxidant compounds (ascorbic acid, tocopherol isomers and phenolic compounds) and antioxidant activity of quinoa seeds was evaluated. Fermentation was carried out naturally by the microorganisms present in the seeds or by inoculation with two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (used for baking and brewing). Ascorbic acid and total tocopherols were significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05) after 72 h of germination process in comparison with raw quinoa seeds, whilst fermentation caused a decrease in both types of compounds. Phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity were improved using both bioprocesses, being this effect more noticeable for germination process (101 % of increase after three days of germination). Germination and fermentation proved to be desirable procedures for producing enriched ingredients with health-promoting antioxidant compounds in a natural way.

seed germination and seedlings growth

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2007-12-17

Dec 17, 2007 ... The role of 20E in plant physiology including seed germination is not studied. ..... GA3, ABA and CKs on lettuce Lactuca sativa seed germination are ..... Practical uses for ecdysteroids in mammals and humans: an update. J.

Etude des potentialites germinatives pour une regeneration ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... taux de germination a été obtenu avec des graines de petites tailles à la température ambiante (32°C). Le traitement préalable à l'eau de javel à 8% accroît le taux de germination (40% de réponse). La lumière et l'obscurité n'ont aucun effet sur la germination. Mots clés : Neocarya macrophylla, germination, régénération.

Maize lethal necrosis (MLN), an emerging threat to maize-based food security in sub-Saharan Africa

Science.gov (United States)

In sub-Saharan Africa, maize is a staple food and key determinant of food security for smallholder farming communities. Pest and disease outbreaks are key constraints to maize productivity. In September 2011, a serious disease outbreak, later diagnosed as maize lethal necrosis (MLN), was reported on...

Putting the Function in Maize Genomics

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Stephen P. Moose

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The 51st Maize Genetics Conference was held March 12–15, 2009 at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois. Nearly 500 attendees participated in a scientific program (available at covering a wide range of topics which integrate the rich biology of maize with recent discoveries in our understanding of the highly dynamic maize genome. Among the many research themes highlighted at the conference, the historical emphasis on studying the tremendous phenotypic diversity of maize now serves as the foundation for maize as a leading experimental system to characterize the mechanisms that generate variation in complex plant genomes and associate evolutionary change with phenotypes of interest.

The effect of Sprouting on the In vitro Digestibility of Maize and Cowpea

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Olu Malomo

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Despite the high protein content of cowpeas, their maximum contribution to nutrition has not been fully exploited in many parts of the world because of the following problems: the presence of anti-nutritional factors, such as trypsin inhibitor, which are common with legumes; flatulence factors; low level of sulphur amino acids, particularly methionine; and, in many instances, the inconvenience involved in their long preparation into local dishes. Moreover, there is the problem of the beany off-flavour. Grinding treatments that break most of the cells and release the cell contents of raw legumes prevent the subsequent development of the characteristic beany flavor on cooking. An off-flavour develops when ground raw legumes are suspended in water probably because of mixing of the cell contents enzyme lipoxygenase and could be controlled by adjusting the pH of the slurry towards the acid side. Germination is widely claimed as a means of correcting nutrient deficiencies of particular seeds, especially through alterations in the amino-acid balance of the proteins and enhancement of the content of vitamins. This wide belief is emphasized and investigated in this research. In maize, however, the various food enzymes exited during germination had already played vital roles in breaking down the higher molecular components to simple molecules especially protein, which eases the digestibility as depicted in this investigation.

7 CFR 201.53 - Source of seeds for germination.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... REGULATIONS Germination Tests in the Administration of the Act § 201.53 Source of seeds for germination. (a) When both purity and germination tests are required, seeds for germination shall be taken from the... to size or appearance. (b) When only a germination test is required and the pure seed is estimated or...

Effects of storage temperature on the fungal and chemical spoilage of maize grains and flour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhter, T.; Sattar, A.; Khan, I.; Ahmed, A.

1989-01-01

The chemical and fungal spoilage of maize grains and flour of Sarhad White and Sarhad Yellow varieties in relation to time temperature (10 C, 15 C, 20 C and room (30-56 C) storage period at 8-12 months was studied. The results showed that total fungal counts and percent infestation markedly increased with advanced storage and increased temperature. Percentage germination generally decreased during extended storage. Peroxide values of both the grain and flour increased with increasing temperature and storage time. At the end of one year storage the total fungal counts in the grain and flour of Sarhad White and Sarhad Yellow ranged 13.6x10/sup 12/ - 20.0x10/sup 13/ and Yellow ranged 17.1x10/sup 13/ - 22.1x10/sup 14/ respectively. germination and infestation percentage of the grains of Sarhad White and Sarhad Yellow ranged 76-78% and 96-99%. The peroxide value ranged 6.6-7.0 and 6.4-6.8 meg/Kg in the grain and flour of Sarhad White respectively after one year storage. There was more fungal infestation, fungal counts and peroxidation in the grain and flour Sarhad Yellow than that of Sarhad White. (author)

Cytokinins and Expression of SWEET, SUT, CWINV and AAP Genes Increase as Pea Seeds Germinate

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Paula E. Jameson

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Transporter genes and cytokinins are key targets for crop improvement. These genes are active during the development of the seed and its establishment as a strong sink. However, during germination, the seed transitions to being a source for the developing root and shoot. To determine if the sucrose transporter (SUT, amino acid permease (AAP, Sugar Will Eventually be Exported Transporter (SWEET, cell wall invertase (CWINV, cytokinin biosynthesis (IPT, activation (LOG and degradation (CKX gene family members are involved in both the sink and source activities of seeds, we used RT-qPCR to determine the expression of multiple gene family members, and LC-MS/MS to ascertain endogenous cytokinin levels in germinating Pisum sativum L. We show that genes that are actively expressed when the seed is a strong sink during its development, are also expressed when the seed is in the reverse role of being an active source during germination and early seedling growth. Cytokinins were detected in the imbibing seeds and were actively biosynthesised during germination. We conclude that, when the above gene family members are targeted for seed yield improvement, a downstream effect on subsequent seed germination or seedling vigour must be taken into consideration.

Influence of diesel fuel on seed germination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adam, Gillian; Duncan, Harry

2002-01-01

The volatile fraction of diesel fuel played a major role in delaying seed emergence and reducing percentage germination. - The use of plant-based systems to remediate contaminated soils has become an area of intense scientific study in recent years and it is apparent that plants which grow well in contaminated soils need to be identified and screened for use in phytoremediation technologies. This study investigated the effect of diesel fuel on germination of selected plant species. Germination response varied greatly with plant species and was species specific, as members of the same plant family showed differential sensitivity to diesel fuel contamination. Differences were also seen within plant subspecies. At relatively low levels of diesel fuel contamination, delayed seed emergence and reduced percentage germination was observed for the majority of plant species investigated. Results suggest the volatile fraction of diesel fuel played an influential role in delaying seed emergence and reducing percentage germination. In addition, the remaining diesel fuel in the soil added to this inhibitory effect on germination by physically impeding water and oxygen transfer between the seed and the surrounding soil environment, thus hindering the germination response

Solid matrix priming with chitosan enhances seed germination and seedling invigoration in mung bean under salinity stress

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Sujoy SEN

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The objective of present study was to evaluate the response of the mung bean seeds of ‘Sonali B1’ variety primed with chitosan in four different concentrations (0, 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.5% under salinity stress of five different concentrations (i.e., 0, 4, 6, 8 and 12 dS*mm-1 and halotolerance pattern by applying Celite as matrix at three different moisture levels (5%, 10% and 20%. Improved germination percentage, germination index, mean germination time, coefficient of velocity of germination along with root and shoot length was observed comparing with control. Germination stress tolerance index (GSI, plant height stress tolerance index (PHSI and root length stress tolerance index (RLSI were used to evaluate the tolerance of the mung bean seeds against salinity stress induced by chitosan. Results of GSI, PHSI, RLSI showing noteworthy inhibitory effect of salinity stress in control set was significantly less pronounced in chitosan treated seedlings. Chitosan can remarkably alleviate the detrimental effect of salinity up to the level of 6 dS*m-1, beyond which no improvement was noticed. In conclusion present investigation revealed that chitosan is an ideal elicitor for enhancing the speed of germination and seedling invigoration that synchronize with emergence of radicle and salinity stress tolerance.

IAA production during germination of Orobanche spp. seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Slavov, Slavtcho; van Onckelen, Henry; Batchvarova, Rossitza; Atanassov, Atanas; Prinsen, Els

2004-07-01

Broomrapes (Orobanche spp.) are parasitic plants, whose growth and development fully depend on the nutritional connection established between the parasite and the roots of the respective host plant. Phytohormones are known to play a role in establishing the specific Orobanche-host plant interaction. The first step in the interaction is seed germination triggered by a germination stimulant secreted by the host-plant roots. We quantified indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) during the seed germination of tobacco broomrape (Orobanche ramosa) and sunflower broomrape (O. cumana). IAA was mainly released from Orobanche seeds in host-parasite interactions as compared to non-host-parasite interactions. Moreover, germinating seeds of O. ramosa released IAA as early as 24 h after the seeds were exposed to the germination stimulant, even before development of the germ tube. ABA levels remained unchanged during the germination of the parasites' seeds. The results presented here show that IAA production is probably part of a mechanism triggering germination upon the induction by the host factor, thus resulting in seed germination.

EFFECT OF DROUGHT STRESS INDUCED BY MANNITOL ON PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L. SEEDLINGS AND PLANTS

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Katarzyna Możdżeń

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Plants are exposed to various stress factors which might lead to structural damage and physiological function abnormalities. Drought is one of the environmental stress factors that reduce the productivity of plants. The aim of our study was to determine the influence of drought stress induced by mannitol (-0.5 and -1.5MPa on selected physiological processes in Z. mays L. In the first stage we studied the effect of mannitol on the germination. In the second stage the effect of mannitol on the growth of plants germinated on distilled water and watered with mannitol in growth phase were measured. Mannitol, which decreased the water content in a concentration-dependent manner, had an inhibitory effect on germination and growth of seedlings and adult plants. Electrolyte leakage of cell membranes of the Z. mays seedlings showed high disturbances in the functioning of the membrane structures in the osmotic drought conditions. Similar results were obtained for maize roots, shoots and leaves in both treatment studies. Chlorophyll content showed only significant differences in plants from treated during the growth phase. Drought stress caused a decrease in chlorophyll content by almost a half compared to the control plants. Measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence of plant leaves from the second stage of experiments showed changes in fluorescence activity parameters Fv/Fm, NPQ, Rfd, qP, ect.; gas exchange measurements also showed changes in activity in each of the two phases.

The physical and genetic framework of the maize B73 genome.

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Fusheng Wei

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Maize is a major cereal crop and an important model system for basic biological research. Knowledge gained from maize research can also be used to genetically improve its grass relatives such as sorghum, wheat, and rice. The primary objective of the Maize Genome Sequencing Consortium (MGSC was to generate a reference genome sequence that was integrated with both the physical and genetic maps. Using a previously published integrated genetic and physical map, combined with in-coming maize genomic sequence, new sequence-based genetic markers, and an optical map, we dynamically picked a minimum tiling path (MTP of 16,910 bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC and fosmid clones that were used by the MGSC to sequence the maize genome. The final MTP resulted in a significantly improved physical map that reduced the number of contigs from 721 to 435, incorporated a total of 8,315 mapped markers, and ordered and oriented the majority of FPC contigs. The new integrated physical and genetic map covered 2,120 Mb (93% of the 2,300-Mb genome, of which 405 contigs were anchored to the genetic map, totaling 2,103.4 Mb (99.2% of the 2,120 Mb physical map. More importantly, 336 contigs, comprising 94.0% of the physical map ( approximately 1,993 Mb, were ordered and oriented. Finally we used all available physical, sequence, genetic, and optical data to generate a golden path (AGP of chromosome-based pseudomolecules, herein referred to as the B73 Reference Genome Sequence version 1 (B73 RefGen_v1.

DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 mediates a conserved coat-dormancy mechanism for the temperature- and gibberellin-dependent control of seed germination

OpenAIRE

Graeber, K.; Linkies, A.; Steinbrecher, T.; Tarkowská, D. (Danuše); Turečková, V. (Veronika); Ignatz, M.; Voegele, A.; Urbanová, T. (Terezie); Strnad, M. (Miroslav); Leubner-Metzger, G. (Gerhard)

2014-01-01

Seed germination is an important life-cycle transition because it determines subsequent plant survival and reproductive success. To detect optimal spatiotemporal conditions for germination, seeds act as sophisticated environmental sensors integrating information such as ambient temperature. Here we show that the DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 (DOG1) gene, known for providing dormancy adaptation to distinct environments, determines the optimal temperature for seed germination. By reciprocal gene-swapp...

Studies on the effect of brown rice and maize flour on the quality of bread

OpenAIRE

Islam, M.Z; Shams, M.

2011-01-01

Breads were prepared with various combinations of maize, brown rice and wheat flours in the basic formulation of bread. The baking properties and chemical composition of bread were evaluated and analysed, respectively. The bread volume decreased, where as bread weight and moisture content increased with the increasing level of maize and brown rice flour. The crumb and crust colour of breads were improved with addition of 8% maize and 8% brown rice flour in bread formulation. The protein conte...

Methods for assessing Phytophthora ramorum chlamydospore germination

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce Eberhart; Elilzabeth Stamm; Jennifer Parke

2013-01-01

Germination of chlamydospores is difficult to accurately assess when chlamydospores are attached to remnants of supporting hyphae. We developed two approaches for closely observing and rigorously quantifying the frequency of chlamydospore germination in vitro. The plate marking and scanning method was useful for quantifying germination of large...

The B73 maize genome: complexity, diversity, and dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Schnable, Patrick S; Ware, Doreen; Fulton, Robert S; Stein, Joshua C; Wei, Fusheng; Pasternak, Shiran; Liang, Chengzhi; Zhang, Jianwei; Fulton, Lucinda; Graves, Tina A; Minx, Patrick; Reily, Amy Denise; Courtney, Laura; Kruchowski, Scott S; Tomlinson, Chad; Strong, Cindy; Delehaunty, Kim; Fronick, Catrina; Courtney, Bill; Rock, Susan M; Belter, Eddie; Du, Feiyu; Kim, Kyung; Abbott, Rachel M; Cotton, Marc; Levy, Andy; Marchetto, Pamela; Ochoa, Kerri; Jackson, Stephanie M; Gillam, Barbara; Chen, Weizu; Yan, Le; Higginbotham, Jamey; Cardenas, Marco; Waligorski, Jason; Applebaum, Elizabeth; Phelps, Lindsey; Falcone, Jason; Kanchi, Krishna; Thane, Thynn; Scimone, Adam; Thane, Nay; Henke, Jessica; Wang, Tom; Ruppert, Jessica; Shah, Neha; Rotter, Kelsi; Hodges, Jennifer; Ingenthron, Elizabeth; Cordes, Matt; Kohlberg, Sara; Sgro, Jennifer; Delgado, Brandon; Mead, Kelly; Chinwalla, Asif; Leonard, Shawn; Crouse, Kevin; Collura, Kristi; Kudrna, Dave; Currie, Jennifer; He, Ruifeng; Angelova, Angelina; Rajasekar, Shanmugam; Mueller, Teri; Lomeli, Rene; Scara, Gabriel; Ko, Ara; Delaney, Krista; Wissotski, Marina; Lopez, Georgina; Campos, David; Braidotti, Michele; Ashley, Elizabeth; Golser, Wolfgang; Kim, HyeRan; Lee, Seunghee; Lin, Jinke; Dujmic, Zeljko; Kim, Woojin; Talag, Jayson; Zuccolo, Andrea; Fan, Chuanzhu; Sebastian, Aswathy; Kramer, Melissa; Spiegel, Lori; Nascimento, Lidia; Zutavern, Theresa; Miller, Beth; Ambroise, Claude; Muller, Stephanie; Spooner, Will; Narechania, Apurva; Ren, Liya; Wei, Sharon; Kumari, Sunita; Faga, Ben; Levy, Michael J; McMahan, Linda; Van Buren, Peter; Vaughn, Matthew W; Ying, Kai; Yeh, Cheng-Ting; Emrich, Scott J; Jia, Yi; Kalyanaraman, Ananth; Hsia, An-Ping; Barbazuk, W Brad; Baucom, Regina S; Brutnell, Thomas P; Carpita, Nicholas C; Chaparro, Cristian; Chia, Jer-Ming; Deragon, Jean-Marc; Estill, James C; Fu, Yan; Jeddeloh, Jeffrey A; Han, Yujun; Lee, Hyeran; Li, Pinghua; Lisch, Damon R; Liu, Sanzhen; Liu, Zhijie; Nagel, Dawn Holligan; McCann, Maureen C; SanMiguel, Phillip; Myers, Alan M; Nettleton, Dan; Nguyen, John; Penning, Bryan W; Ponnala, Lalit; Schneider, Kevin L; Schwartz, David C; Sharma, Anupma; Soderlund, Carol; Springer, Nathan M; Sun, Qi; Wang, Hao; Waterman, Michael; Westerman, Richard; Wolfgruber, Thomas K; Yang, Lixing; Yu, Yeisoo; Zhang, Lifang; Zhou, Shiguo; Zhu, Qihui; Bennetzen, Jeffrey L; Dawe, R Kelly; Jiang, Jiming; Jiang, Ning; Presting, Gernot G; Wessler, Susan R; Aluru, Srinivas; Martienssen, Robert A; Clifton, Sandra W; McCombie, W Richard; Wing, Rod A; Wilson, Richard K

2009-11-20

We report an improved draft nucleotide sequence of the 2.3-gigabase genome of maize, an important crop plant and model for biological research. Over 32,000 genes were predicted, of which 99.8% were placed on reference chromosomes. Nearly 85% of the genome is composed of hundreds of families of transposable elements, dispersed nonuniformly across the genome. These were responsible for the capture and amplification of numerous gene fragments and affect the composition, sizes, and positions of centromeres. We also report on the correlation of methylation-poor regions with Mu transposon insertions and recombination, and copy number variants with insertions and/or deletions, as well as how uneven gene losses between duplicated regions were involved in returning an ancient allotetraploid to a genetically diploid state. These analyses inform and set the stage for further investigations to improve our understanding of the domestication and agricultural improvements of maize.

An influence of abiotic factors on the germinability of Agrostis species and Poa species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavel Knot

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this contribution is to interpret the impact of some abiotic factors on the germinability. Primarily was observed the stress that they cause on germinability and also on the energy of other perennial grass caryopsis' germinability. Withal there were considered differences in germinability of some perennial grass species, variances of strains and the influence of today`s seeds dressing technologies, which are used to improve the germination. The light factor has the biggest influence of all factors on germination of Agrostis stolonifera (Penn G-2, Providence, Poa supina (Supranova and Poa pratensis (Julius, Julius PreGerm. All these species had germination evidential higher in the light, than in the dark. With species Poa pratensis (Coctail, Coctail Headstart and Poa annua were not observed any essential variations between the dark and the light variants. Only with Poa annua there were reached noticeably lower values with variant in the light, where was used polyethyleneglycol, than in the dark. The analysis of variance demonstrated, that the biggest influence had the factor of stratification together with the light factor with Agrostis capilaris (Bardot and Agrostis stolonifera Providence. With Poa annua there was established the biggest influence of the light factor together with the factor of the used medium. The factor of stratification noticeably affected only the germination of Agrostis capillaris Bardot. The germination of Agrostis stolonifera Providence, Poa pratensis Cocktail, Cocktail Headstart, Julius and Poa annua was not noticeably affected by stratification. The reaction on the factor of stratification was with Agrostis capillaris Bardot in the dark adverse and in the light minimal. Poa pratensis Julius PreGerm germination was negative in the dark as well as in the light. With Poa supina Supranova it was not the most important factor, but still affected the germination significiantly. The nitrogen nutrition, as the

Transcriptome analysis of cadmium-treated roots in maize (Zea mays L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Runqing Yue

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Cadmium (Cd is a heavy metal and is highly toxic to all plant species. However, the underlying molecular mechanism controlling the effects of auxin on the Cd stress response in maize is largely unknown. In this study, the transcriptome produced by maize ‘Zheng 58’ root responses to Cd stress was sequenced using Illumina sequencing technology. In our study, six RNA-seq libraries yielded a total of 244 million clean short reads and 30.37 Gb of sequence data. A total of 6342 differentially expressed genes (DEGs were grouped into 908 Gene Ontology (GO categories and 198 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes terms. GO term enrichment analysis indicated that various auxin signaling pathway-related GO terms were significantly enriched in DEGs. Comparison of the transcript abundances for auxin biosynthesis, transport, and downstream response genes revealed a universal expression response under Cd treatment. Furthermore, our data showed that free indole-3-acetic acid (IAA levels were significantly reduced; but IAA oxidase activity was up-regulated after Cd treatment in maize roots. The analysis of Cd activity in maize roots under different Cd and auxin conditions confirmed that auxin affected Cd accumulation in maize seedlings. These results will improve our understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms underlying the response to Cd stress in maize roots.

Germination of red alder seed.

Science.gov (United States)

M.A. Radwan; D.S. DeBell

1981-01-01

Red alder seeds were collected from six locations throughout the natural range of the species. Each seed lot was obtained from a single tree, and the seeds were used to determine germination with and without stratification treatment. Irrespective of treatment, germination varied significantly (P

The Effect of Method and Germination Paper Substrate on Viability of Eucalyptus Pellita F. Mull Seed

OpenAIRE

Yuniarti, Naning; Megawati, Megawati; Leksono, Budi

2017-01-01

Improper seed handling of Eucalyptus pellita will reduce seed quality, so as to improve the viability of the seed proper handling techniques are needed. To investigate the seed germination potency as a result of seed handling germination seed tests are needed. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of germination method and paper substrate on the viability of E. pellita seeds. Seeds used in this study were from seedling seed orchard in South Sumatra, South Kalimantan, and Riau. ...

Identification of resistance to Maize rayado fino virus in maize inbred lines

Science.gov (United States)

Maize rayado fino virus (MRFV) is one of the most important virus diseases of maize in America. Severe yield losses, ranging from 10 to 50% in landraces to nearly 100% in contemporary cultivars, have been reported. Resistance has been reported in populations, but few inbred lines have been identifie...

Germination and elongation of flax in microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Howard G.; Anderson, Ken; Boody, April; Cox, Dave; Kuznetsov, Oleg A.; Hasenstein, Karl H.

2003-05-01

This experiment was conducted as part of a risk mitigation payload aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on STS-101. The objectives were to test a newly developed water delivery system, and to determine the optimal combination of water volume and substrate for the imbibition and germination of flax ( Linum usitatissimum) seeds in space. Two different combinations of germination paper were tested for their ability to absorb, distribute, and retain water in microgravity. A single layer of thick germination paper was compared with one layer of thin germination paper under a layer of thick paper. Paper strips were cut to fit snugly into seed cassettes, and seeds were glued to them with the micropyle ends pointing outward. Water was delivered in small increments that traveled through the paper via capillary action. Three water delivery volumes were tested, with the largest (480 μL) outperforming the 400 μL, and 320 μL volumes for percent germination (90.6%) and root growth (mean = 4.1 mm) during the 34-hour spaceflight experiment. The ground control experiment yielded similar results, but with lower rates of germination (84.4%) and shorter root lengths (mean = 2.8 mm). It is not clear if the roots emerged more quickly in microgravity and/or grew faster than the ground controls. The single layer of thick germination paper generally exhibited better overall growth than the two layered option. Significant seed position effects were observed in both the flight and ground control experiments. Overall, the design of the water delivery system, seed cassettes and the germination paper strip concept was validated as an effective method for promoting seed germination and root growth under microgravity conditions.

The oxygen requirement of germinating flax seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Kuznetsov, O.; Hasenstein, K.

Experiments for earth orbit are typically prepared on the ground and often germinated in orbit in order to study gravity effects on developing seedlings. Germination requires the breakdown of storage compounds and respiration. In orbit the formation of a water layer around the seed may further limit oxygen availability. Therefore, the oxygen content of the available gas volume is one of the limiting factors for seed germination. In preparation for an upcoming shuttle experiment (MICRO on STS-107) we studied germination and growth of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) seedlings in the developed hardware. We tested per seed chamber (gas volume = 14 mL, O2 = 2.9 mL) between 4 to 32 seeds glued to germination paper by 1% (w/v) gum guar. A lexan cover and a gasket hermetically sealed each of the eight chambers. For imbibition of the seeds a previously optimized amount of distilled water was dispensed through sealed inlets. The seedlings were allowed to grow for either 32 to 48 h on a clinostat or without microgravity simulation. Then their root length was measured. With 32 seeds per chamber, four times the intended number of seeds for the flight, the germination rate decreased from 94 to 69%, and the root length was reduced by 20%. Experiments on the germination and root length in controlled atmospheres (5, 10, 15 and 21% O2 ) suggest that germination and growth for two days requires about 200 :l of O (1 mL air) per seed. Our2 experiments correlate oxygen dependency from seed mass and germination temperature, and analyze accumulation of gaseous metabolites (supported by NASA grant NAG10-0190).

Agronomic potentials of quality protein maize hybrids developed in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Agronomic potentials of quality protein maize hybrids developed in Ghana. ... Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science ... and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT) were evaluated on research stations and in farmers\\' fields in Ghana from 1995 to 1996.

COMPETITIVENESS OF NIGERIAN RICE AND MAIZE PRODUCTION ECOLOGIES: A POLICY ANALYSIS APPROACH

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Victor Olusegun Okoruwa

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The Nigerian rice and maize sectors are faced with decreasing supply and increasing demand as rice and maize have taken a strategic place of other staples leading to excessive importation and increasing government intervention. This study therefore assesses the competitiveness of Nigerian rice and maize production ecologies using the policy analysis matrix (PAM on a sample of 122 farmers. Results of the PAM revealed that outputs from the production ecologies are taxed. This is further confirmed by the Effective protection coefficient (EPC and Subsidy ratio to producers (SRP values, however, the production ecologies are subsidized on the use of tradable inputs. The production ecologies show a strong competitiveness at the farm level (under irrigated rice, upland rice and upland maize and a strong comparative advantage. Sensitivity analysis indicated that a 50 percent increase in output and a 13.3 percent depreciation of the domestic currency will increase competitiveness and comparative advantage of rice and maize production in all ecologies. The study recommends that government should ensure a level of policy stability in the rice and maize sectors, assist farmers with irrigated water scheme to ensure constant water supply, and increase the level of output through provision of improved seed varieties.

Is seed conditioning essential for Orobanche germination?

Science.gov (United States)

Plakhine, Dina; Ziadna, Hammam; Joel, Daniel M

2009-05-01

Parasitic Orobanchaceae germinate only after receiving a chemical stimulus from roots of potential host plants. A preparatory phase of several days that follows seed imbibition, termed conditioning, is known to be required; thereafter the seeds can respond to germination stimulants. The aim of this study was to examine whether conditioning is essential for stimulant receptivity. Non-conditioned seeds of both Orobanche cumana Wallr. and O. aegyptiaca Pers. [syn. Phelipanche aegyptiaca (Pers.) Pomel] were able to germinate in response to chemical stimulation by GR24 even without prior conditioning. Stimulated seeds reached maximal germination rates about 2 weeks after the onset of imbibition, no matter whether the seeds had or had not been conditioned before stimulation. Whereas the lag time between stimulation and germination response of non-conditioned seeds was longer than for conditioned seeds, the total time between imbibition and germination was shorter for the non-conditioned seeds. Unlike the above two species, O. crenata Forsk. was found to require conditioning prior to stimulation. Seeds of O. cumana and O. aegyptiaca are already receptive before conditioning. Thus, conditioning is not involved in stimulant receptivity. A hypothesis is put forward, suggesting that conditioning includes (a) a parasite-specific early phase that allows the imbibed seeds to overcome the stress caused by failing to receive an immediate germination stimulus, and (b) a non-specific later phase that is identical to the pregermination phase between seed imbibition and actual germination that is typical for all higher plants.

EFFECTS OF COLD STRATIFICATION AND GA3 ON GERMINATION OF ARBUTUS UNEDO SEEDS OF THREE PROVENANCES.

Science.gov (United States)

Pipinis, Elias; Stampoulidis, Athanasios; Milios, Elias; Kitikidou, Kyriaki; Radoglou, Kalliopi

2017-01-01

Arbutus unedo is a valuable Mediterranean shrub as an ornamental plant as well as fruit tree. Fresh fruits of A. unedo are a good source of antioxidants, of vitamins C, E and carotenoids and also are characterized by the high content of mineral elements. The effects of gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) and cold stratification (CS) on seed germination performance were investigated in A. unedo seeds collected from three provenances in the Northern part of Greece. Seeds of each provenance were soaked in solutions of GA 3 (500, 1000 or 2000 ppm) for 24 h and subsequently were subjected to CS at 3 - 5°C for 0, 1, 2, and 3 months. Non-stratified seeds of the three A. unedo provenances which were not treated with GA 3 solutions exhibited very low germination. However, seed germination was significantly improved after a one-month period of CS. Similarly, the non-stratified seeds of all three provenances became non-dormant after the treatment with 2000 ppm GA 3 and they germinated at high percentages. However, in untreated seeds with GA3, after a one-month CS period the seeds of the Pieria provenance exhibited higher germination percentage than that of Rodopi provenance seeds. Furthermore, in non-stratified seeds, the Pieria provenance seeds treated with GA3 germinated at higher percentages and more rapidly than those of the other two provenances. The results indicated that untreated seeds exhibited very low germination at 20/25°C. However, in all three provenances seed germinability was significantly improved by a one-month period of CS or treatment of seeds with 2000 ppm GA3. Furthermore, there was a considerable variability among seed provenances in response to the treatments which were applied.

Improving the efficiency of use of small amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer on smallholders maize in Central Malawi

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kamanga, B.C.G.; Waddington, S.R.; Almekinders, C.J.M.; Giller, K.E.

2014-01-01

Mineral fertiliser is a scarce input for smallholder maize farmers in Malawi. A recent provision of small amounts of subsidised fertilisers by government programmes to farmers throughout Malawi has increased fertiliser access and raised maize production, but fertiliser management and yield responses

Comparative diversity of arthropods on Bt maize and non-Bt maize in two different cropping systems in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Truter, J; Van Hamburg, H; Van Den Berg, J

2014-02-01

The biodiversity of an agroecosystem is not only important for its intrinsic value but also because it influences ecological functions that are vital for crop production in sustainable agricultural systems and the surrounding environment. A concern about genetically modified (GM) crops is the potential negative impact that such crops could have on diversity and abundance of nontarget organisms, and subsequently on ecosystem functions. Therefore, it is essential to assess the potential environmental risk of the release of a GM crop and to study its effect on species assemblages within that ecosystem. Assessment of the impact of Bt maize on the environment is hampered by the lack of basic checklists of species present in maize agroecosystems. The aims of the study were to compile a checklist of arthropods that occur on maize in South Africa and to compare the diversity and abundance of arthropods and functional groups on Bt maize and non-Bt maize. Collections of arthropods were carried out during two growing seasons on Bt maize and non-Bt maize plants at two localities. Three maize fields were sampled per locality during each season. Twenty plants, each of Bt maize and non-Bt maize, were randomly selected from the fields at each site. The arthropods collected during this study were classified to morphospecies level and grouped into the following functional groups: detritivores, herbivores, predators, and parasitoids. Based on feeding strategy, herbivores and predators were further divided into sucking herbivores or predators (piercing-sucking mouthparts) and chewing herbivores or predators (chewing mouthparts). A total of 8,771 arthropod individuals, comprising 288 morphospecies and presenting 20 orders, were collected. Results from this short-term study indicated that abundance and diversity of arthropods in maize and the different functional guilds were not significantly affected by Bt maize, either in terms of diversity or abundance.

Effects of maize maturity at harvest and dietary proportion of maize silage on intake and performance of growing/finishing bulls

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zaralis, K.; Nørgaard, P.; Helander, C.

2014-01-01

Whole-crop maize silage as forage in diets of finishing cattle can promote high intakes and thus, enhances animal performance. In the present study we evaluated the effect of whole-crop maize maturity at harvest and the proportion of maize-silage in diets of finishing bulls, on feed intake...... of treatments, involving two maturity stages of maize at harvest (i.e. dough stage or dent stage) and two maize silage proportions (i.e. 100% maize silage or 50% maize and 50% grass silage). The diets were offered ad libitum as total mixed rations (TMRs) with inclusion of concentrates (i.e. rolled barley; dried...... distillers’ grain plus soluble; cold-pressed rapeseed cake) in a 40% proportion on DM basis. All animals were slaughtered at a target body weight of 630 kg. Bulls fed on diets containing maize silage as sole forage achieved higher live-weight gain (P

Germination of beans and snap beans seed

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Zdravković Milan

2000-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate germination of good bean seed of the variety Galeb and the bad bean seed of the same variety. We were also interested in germination of bean and snap bean seed damaged by grain weevil, and in germination of the seed treated by freezing which was aimed at controlling grain weevil by cold. We also recorded the differences between bean and snap bean seed, which was or was not treated by freezing in laboratory conditions. This investigation was carried out by applying the two factorial block system. The obtained results were evaluated by the variance analysis and x2 test These results suggest that the bean seed of a bad fraction had low levels of germination, but still it was present. Although the seed of good appearance was carefully selected, germination was slightly lower than it should have been. The seed with the large amount of grain weevils performed a high level germination in laboratory conditions. There were no differences in germination between the seed injured by grain weevil either in beans or in snap beans. As for the seed treated or untreated by freezing, there also were no differences between beans and snap beans. .

Bacterial endophytes from wild maize suppress Fusarium graminearum in modern maize and inhibit mycotoxin accumulation

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Walaa Kamel Mousa

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Wild maize (teosinte has been reported to be less susceptible to pests than their modern maize (corn relatives. Endophytes, defined as microbes that inhabit plants without causing disease, are known for their ability to antagonize plant pests and pathogens. We hypothesized that the wild relatives of modern maize may host endophytes that combat pathogens. Fusarium graminearum is the fungus that causes Gibberella Ear Rot (GER in modern maize and produces the mycotoxin, deoxynivalenol (DON. In this study, 215 bacterial endophytes, previously isolated from diverse maize genotypes including wild teosintes, traditional landraces and modern varieties, were tested for their ability to antagonize F. graminearum in vitro. Candidate endophytes were then tested for their ability to suppress GER in modern maize in independent greenhouse trials. The results revealed that three candidate endophytes derived from wild teosintes were most potent in suppressing F. graminearum in vitro and GER in a modern maize hybrid. These wild teosinte endophytes could suppress a broad spectrum of fungal pathogens of modern crops in vitro. The teosinte endophytes also suppressed DON mycotoxin during storage to below acceptable safety threshold levels. A fourth, less robust anti-fungal strain was isolated from a modern maize hybrid. Three of the anti-fungal endophytes were predicted to be Paenibacillus polymyxa, along with one strain of Citrobacter. Microscopy studies suggested a fungicidal mode of action by all four strains. Molecular and biochemical studies showed that the P. polymyxa strains produced the previously characterized anti-Fusarium compound, fusaricidin. Our results suggest that the wild relatives of modern crops may serve as a valuable reservoir for endophytes in the ongoing fight against serious threats to modern agriculture. We discuss the possible impact of crop evolution and domestication on endophytes in the context of plant defense.

Factors Defining Field Germination of Oilseed Radish Seeds

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N.V. Dorofeev

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Influence of temperature, depth of crops and granulometric of soil structure on germination speed, laboratory and field germination of oilseed radish seeds were studied. It was established that the period of seed-germination is defined both by temperature and granulometric structure of soil. The highest field germination was marked on sandy loam at depth of crops' seeds at 3 cm and 20°С.

iTRAQ and RNA-Seq Analyses Provide New Insights into Regulation Mechanism of Symbiotic Germination of Dendrobium officinale Seeds (Orchidaceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Juan; Liu, Si Si; Kohler, Annegret; Yan, Bo; Luo, Hong Mei; Chen, Xiao Mei; Guo, Shun Xing

2017-06-02

Mycorrhizal fungi colonize orchid seeds and induce germination. This so-called symbiotic germination is a critical developmental process in the lifecycle of all orchid species. However, the molecular changes that occur during orchid seed symbiotic germination remain largely unknown. To better understand the molecular mechanism of orchid seed germination, we performed a comparative transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of the Chinese traditional medicinal orchid Dendrobium officinale to explore the change in protein expression at the different developmental stages during asymbiotic and symbiotic germination and identify the key proteins that regulate the symbiotic germination of orchid seeds. Among 2256 identified plant proteins, 308 were differentially expressed across three developmental stages during asymbiotic and symbiotic germination, and 229 were differentially expressed during symbiotic germination compared to asymbiotic development. Of these, 32 proteins were coup-regulated at both the proteomic and transcriptomic levels during symbiotic germination compared to asymbiotic germination. Our results suggest that symbiotic germination of D. officinale seeds shares a common signaling pathway with asymbiotic germination during the early germination stage. However, compared to asymbiotic germination, fungal colonization of orchid seeds appears to induce higher and earlier expression of some key proteins involved in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and thus improves the efficiency of utilization of stored substances present in the embryo. This study provides new insight into the molecular basis of orchid seed germination.

Exogenous application of urea and a urease inhibitor improves drought stress tolerance in maize (Zea mays L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Gou, Wei; Zheng, Pufan; Tian, Li; Gao, Mei; Zhang, Lixin; Akram, Nudrat Aisha; Ashraf, Muhammad

2017-05-01

Drought is believed to cause many metabolic changes which affect plant growth and development. However, it might be mitigated by various inorganic substances, such as nitrogen. Thus, the study was carried out to investigate the effect of foliar-applied urea with or without urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) on a maize cultivar under drought stress simulated by 15% (w/v) polyethylene glycol 6000. Foliar-applied urea resulted in a significant increase in plant dry weight, relative water content, and photosynthetic pigments under water stress condition. Furthermore, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and hydrogen peroxidase (CAT), were enhanced with all spraying treatments under drought stress, which led to decreases in accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), superoxide anion ([Formula: see text]) and malondialdehyde (MDA). The contents of soluble protein and soluble sugar accumulated remarkably with urea-applied under drought stress condition. Moreover, a further enhancement in above metabolites was observed by spraying a mixture of urea and urease inhibitor as compared to urea sprayed only. Taken together, our findings show that foliar application of urea and a urease inhibitor could significantly enhance drought tolerance of maize through protecting photosynthetic apparatus, activating antioxidant defense system and improving osmoregulation.

Germination and elongation of flax in microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Howard G.; Anderson, Ken; Boody, April; Cox, Dave; Kuznetsov, Oleg A.; Hasenstein, Karl H.

2003-01-01

This experiment was conducted as part of a risk mitigation payload aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on STS-101. The objectives were to test a newly developed water delivery system, and to determine the optimal combination of water volume and substrate for the imbibition and germination of flax (Linum usitatissimum) seeds in space. Two different combinations of germination paper were tested for their ability to absorb, distribute, and retain water in microgravity. A single layer of thick germination paper was compared with one layer of thin germination paper under a layer of thick paper. Paper strips were cut to fit snugly into seed cassettes, and seeds were glued to them with the micropyle ends pointing outward. Water was delivered in small increments that traveled through the paper via capillary action. Three water delivery volumes were tested, with the largest (480 microliters) outperforming the 400 microliters and 320 microliters volumes for percent germination (90.6%) and root growth (mean=4.1 mm) during the 34-hour spaceflight experiment. The ground control experiment yielded similar results, but with lower rates of germination (84.4%) and shorter root lengths (mean=2.8 mm). It is not clear if the roots emerged more quickly in microgravity and/or grew faster than the ground controls. The single layer of thick germination paper generally exhibited better overall growth than the two layered option. Significant seed position effects were observed in both the flight and ground control experiments. Overall, the design of the water delivery system, seed cassettes and the germination paper strip concept was validated as an effective method for promoting seed germination and root growth under microgravity conditions. c2003 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Beneficial Influence of Short-Term Germination on Decreasing Allergenicity of Peanut Proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yingchao; Sun, Xiulan; Ma, Zhezhe; Cui, Yan; Du, Chao; Xia, Xiuhua; Qian, He

2016-01-01

Most allergenic storage proteins in peanuts are degraded during seed germination. By altering this natural physiological process, it might be possible to reduce peanut protein allergenicity. However, little is known about the change in allergenic proteins and their corresponding immunocreactivity, and the effects of major environmental conditions on their allergenicity during germination. In this study, the influence of different germination conditions (temperature and light) on the degradation of Ara h1 and allergenicity changes of peanut seeds was evaluated by ELISA and Western blotting. The results showed that the 40- and 65-kDa proteins in peanut seeds degraded rapidly during the time course, beginning at 60 (at 25 °C) and 108 h (at 20 °C), and the corresponding immunocreactivity of Ara h1 decreased approximately one-third after 5 to 7 d of germination. Compared with the cotyledons, the embryonic axes had a higher proportion of Ara h1, which was then degraded relatively faster during germination, resulting in a significant reduction in its allergenicity. Although a higher temperature improved the seed germination rate, it affected sprout quality (as did light); therefore, 25 °C and dark surroundings were suitable conditions under which peanut sprouts were processed; neither factor significantly affected the allergenicity of Ara h1. These results provided a theoretical basis for studies using biological methods to reduce peanut allergenicity. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Sonication of seeds increase germination performance of sesame under low temperature stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fariborz SHEKARI

2015-11-01

Full Text Available A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the effect of ultrasound (US exposure time on germination behavior of sesame seeds. All tests were carried out at 20 kHz in a water bath ultrasonic device varying two factors, treatment duration (10, 20 and 30 min and germination temperature (15, 20 and 25 ºC. Parallel tests were run in which seeds were soaked in water without sonication in order to eliminate the effect of water from US test results. US treatments enhanced seeds water uptake. At mild exposure time it improved sesame seed germination performance and seedling growth at suboptimal temperatures as indicated by higher germination percentage and germination rate. US applying for 20 min had relatively high superoxide dismutase activity; however, had not significant differences with control and US duration for 10 min. The catalase activity was strongly increased by applying the US for a 10 and 20 min. Among the treatments, application of US vibration for 10 and 20 min reduced both of malondialdehyde and H2O2 contents, however high US duration (30 min increased both of the traits. In general, ultrasonic priming technique can be useful for early planting the sesame seeds, and lead to higher yields.

ABA crosstalk with ethylene and nitric oxide in seed dormancy and germination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erwann eArc

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Dormancy is an adaptive trait that enables seed germination to coincide with favorable environmental conditions. It has been clearly demonstrated that dormancy is induced by abscisic acid (ABA during seed development on the mother plant. After seed dispersal, germination is preceded by a decline in ABA in imbibed seeds, which results from ABA catabolism through 8’-hydroxylation. The hormonal balance between ABA and gibberellins (GAs has been shown to act as an integrator of environmental cues to maintain dormancy or activate germination. The interplay of ABA with other endogenous signals is however less documented. In numerous species, ethylene counteracts ABA signaling pathways and induces germination. In Brassicaceae seeds, ethylene prevents the inhibitory effects of ABA on endosperm cap weakening, thereby facilitating endosperm rupture and radicle emergence. Moreover, enhanced seed dormancy in Arabidopsis ethylene-insensitive mutants results from greater ABA sensitivity. Conversely, ABA limits ethylene action by down-regulating its biosynthesis. Nitric oxide (NO has been proposed as a common actor in the ABA and ethylene crosstalk in seed. Indeed, convergent evidence indicates that NO is produced rapidly after seed imbibition and promotes germination by inducing the expression of the ABA 8’-hydroxylase gene, CYP707A2, and stimulating ethylene production. The role of NO and other nitrogen-containing compounds, such as nitrate, in seed dormancy breakage and germination stimulation has been reported in several species. This review will describe our current knowledge of ABA crosstalk with ethylene and NO, both volatile compounds that have been shown to counteract ABA action in seeds and to improve dormancy release and germination.

Preparation and mechanism analysis of an environment-friendly maize seed coating agent.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Defang; Fan, Zhao; Tian, Xu; Wang, Wenjin; Zhou, Mingchun; Li, Haochuan

2018-06-01

Traditional seed coating agents often contain toxic ingredients, which contaminate the environment and threaten human health. This paper expounds a method of preparing a novel environment-friendly seed coating agent for maize and researches its mechanism of action. The natural polysaccharide polymer, which is the main active ingredient of this environment-friendly seed coating agent, has the characteristics of innocuity and harmlessness, and it can replace the toxic ingredients used in traditional seed coating agents. This environment-friendly seed coating agent for maize was mainly made up of the natural polysaccharide polymer and other additives. The field trials results showed that the control efficacy of Helminthosporium maydis came to 93.72%, the anti-feeding rate of cutworms came to 81.29%, and the maize yield was increased by 17.75%. Besides, the LD 50 value (half the lethal dose in rats) of this seed coating agent was 10 times higher than that of the traditional seed coating agents. This seed coating agent could improve the activity of plant protective enzymes (peroxidase, catalase and superoxidase dismutase) and increase the chlorophyll content. This seed coating agent has four characteristics of disease prevention, desinsectization, increasing yield and safety. Results of mechanism analyses showed that this seed coating agent could enhance disease control effectiveness by improving plant protective enzymes activity and increase maize yield by improving chlorophyll content. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of crop sequence and crop residues on soil C, soil N and yield of maize

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shafi, M.; Bakht, J.; Attaullah; Khan, M.A.

2010-01-01

Improved management of nitrogen (N) in low N soils is critical for increased soil productivity and crop sustainability. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of residues incorporation, residues retention on soil surface as mulch, fertilizer N and legumes in crop rotation on soil fertility and yield of maize (Zea may L.). Fertilizer N was applied to maize at the rate of 160 kg ha/sup -1/, and to wheat at the rate of 120 kg ha/sup -1/ or no fertilizer N application. Crop rotation with the sequence of maize after wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize after lentil (Lens culinaris Medic) or wheat after mash bean (Vigna mungo L.) arranged in a split plot design was followed. Post-harvest incorporation of crop residues and residues retention on soil surface as mulch had significantly (p=0.05) affected grain and stover yield during 2004 and 2005. Two years average data revealed that grain yield was increased by 3.31 and 6.72% due to mulch and residues incorporation. Similarly, stover yield was also enhanced by 5.39 and 10.27% due to the same treatment respectively. Mulch and residues incorporation also improved stover N uptake by 2.23 and 6.58%, respectively. Total soil N and organic matter was non significantly (p=0.05) increased by 5.63 and 2.38% due to mulch and 4.13, 7.75% because of crop residues incorporation in the soil. Maize grain and stover yield responded significantly (p=0.05) to the previous legume (lentil) crop when compared with the previous cereal crop (wheat). The treatment of lentil - maize(+N), on the average, increased grain yield of maize by 15.35%, stover yield by 16.84%, total soil N by 10.31% and organic matter by 10.17%. Similarly, fertilizer N applied to the previous wheat showed carry over effect on grain yield (6.82%) and stover yield (11.37%) of the following maize crop. The present study suggested that retention of residues on soil surface as mulch, incorporation of residues in soil and legume (lentil - maize) rotation

The development of meat pate with increased the food and biological values with germinated grains lentils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. V. Antipova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available One of the important technological trends in food production, balanced on the chemical and amino acid composition is the development of methods for enrichment product protein, vitamins and minerals. The solution to this problem has long been used a method of enrichment of vegetable raw materials to create a nutrient and healthy products available to different social groups. In theory justified the choice of research object – lentils, which have a number of advantages in food systems. Analyzed method of increasing the biological value of the object in the process of germination grains and marked improvement the balance of amino acid composition. Designed meat pate with using germination grains and investigated its main functional-technological (FTC, organoleptic properties and digestibility. In determining, the functional-technological characteristics revealed an increase in FTC-indicators, such as water binding, water holding, fat holding, and emulsifying ability when you add germination lentils. According to the results of organoleptic evaluation revealed improvement in the consistency of meat pate, when replacing 50% of raw meat, germination lentils, and in appearance, color, smell and taste, control and test products are almost identical. The digestibility of the paste was 97%. Proposed different options of using germination grains of lentils to create a products for public and preventive nutrition.

"Achieving Mexico’s Maize Potential"

OpenAIRE

Antonio Turrent Fernández; Timothy A. Wise; Elise Garvey

2012-01-01

Rising agricultural prices, combined with growing import dependence, have driven Mexico’s food import bill over $20 billion per year and increased its agricultural trade deficit. Mexico imports one-third of its maize, overwhelmingly from the United States, but three million producers grow most of the country’s white maize, which is used primarily for tortillas and many other pluricultural products for human consumption. Yield gaps are large among the country’s small to medium-scale maize farm...

Differential Effects of Carbohydrates on Arabidopsis Pollen Germination.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirsche, Jörg; García Fernández, José M; Stabentheiner, Edith; Großkinsky, Dominik K; Roitsch, Thomas

2017-04-01

Pollen germination as a crucial process in plant development strongly depends on the accessibility of carbon as energy source. Carbohydrates, however, function not only as a primary energy source, but also as important signaling components. In a comprehensive study, we analyzed various aspects of the impact of 32 different sugars on in vitro germination of Arabidopsis pollen comprising about 150 variations of individual sugars and combinations. Twenty-six structurally different mono-, di- and oligosaccharides, and sugar analogs were initially tested for their ability to support pollen germination. Whereas several di- and oligosaccharides supported pollen germination, hexoses such as glucose, fructose and mannose did not support and even considerably inhibited pollen germination when added to germination-supporting medium. Complementary experiments using glucose analogs with varying functional features, the hexokinase inhibitor mannoheptulose and the glucose-insensitive hexokinase-deficient Arabidopsis mutant gin2-1 suggested that mannose- and glucose-mediated inhibition of sucrose-supported pollen germination depends partially on hexokinase signaling. The results suggest that, in addition to their role as energy source, sugars act as signaling molecules differentially regulating the complex process of pollen germination depending on their structural properties. Thus, a sugar-dependent multilayer regulation of Arabidopsis pollen germination is supported, which makes this approach a valuable experimental system for future studies addressing sugar sensing and signaling. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

on seed germination and growth of Garcinia kola

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SARAH

2016-07-31

Jul 31, 2016 ... Seed germination tests: After 72 h of fermentation in plastic bags, seeds were ... Models (GLM) procedure of the R statistical version 9.1 was used to identify traits .... L-1) had accelerated seed germination. Germination rates.

Freezing tolerance of conifer seeds and germinants.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkins, B J; Guest, H J; Kolotelo, D

2003-12-01

Survival after freezing was measured for seeds and germinants of four seedlots each of interior spruce (Picea glauca x engelmannii complex), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud.), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and western red cedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Donn). Effects of eight seed treatments on post-freezing survival of seeds and germinants were tested: dry, imbibed and stratified seed, and seed placed in a growth chamber for 2, 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 days in a 16-h photoperiod and a 22/17 degrees C thermoperiod. Survival was related to the water content of seeds and germinants, germination rate and seedlot origin. After freezing for 3 h at -196 degrees C, dry seed of most seedlots of interior spruce, Douglas-fir and western red cedar had 84-96% germination, whereas lodgepole pine seedlots had 53-82% germination. Freezing tolerance declined significantly after imbibition in lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir and interior spruce seed (western red cedar was not tested), and mean LT50 of imbibed seed of these species was -30, -24.5 and -20 degrees C, respectively. Freezing tolerance continued to decline to a minimum LT50 of -4 to -7 degrees C after 10 days in a growth chamber for interior spruce, Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine, or after 15 days for western red cedar. Minimum freezing tolerance was reached at the stage of rapid hypocotyl elongation. In all species, a slight increase in freezing tolerance of germinants was observed once cotyledons emerged from the seed coat. The decrease in freezing tolerance during the transition from dry to germinating seed correlated with increases in seed water content. Changes in freezing tolerance between 10 and 30 days in the growth chamber were not correlated with seedling water content. Within a species, seedlots differed significantly in freezing tolerance after 2 or 5 days in the growth chamber. Because all seedlots of interior spruce and lodgepole pine germinated quickly, there was no correlation

Effects of Hydro and Hormonal Seed Priming on Seed Germination of Milk Thistle under Saline Stress Condition