Search results for: gregarious flowering
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 123

Search results for: gregarious flowering

93 The Study of Genetic Diversity in Canola Cultivars of Kashmar-Iran Region

Authors: Seyed Habib Shojaei, Reza Eivazi, Mir Sajad Shojaei, Alireza Akbari, Pooria Mazloom, Seyede Mitra Sadati, Mir Zeinalabedin Shojaei, Farnaz Farbakhsh

Abstract:

To study the genetic diversity in rapeseeds and agronomic traits, an experiment was conducted using multivariate statistical methods at Agricultural Research Station of Kashmar in 2012-2013.In this experiment, ten genotypes of rapeseed in a Randomized Complete Block designs with three replications were evaluated. The following traits were studied: seed yield, number of days to the fifty percent of flowering, plant height, number of pods on main stem, length of the pod, seed yield per plant, number of seed in pod, harvest index, weight of 100 seeds, number of pods on lateral branch, number of lateral branches. In analyzing the variance, differences between cultivars were significant. The average comparative revealed that the most valuable variety was Licord regarding to the traits while the least valuable variety was Opera. In stepwise regression, harvest index, grain yield per plant and number of pods per lateral branches were entering to model. Correlation analysis showed that the grain yield with the number of pods per lateral branches and seed yield per plant have positive and significant correlation. In the factor analysis, the first five components explained more than 83% of the variance in the data. In the first factor, seed yield and the number of pods per lateral branches were of the highest importance. The traits, seed yield per plant, and pod per main stem were of a great significance in the second factor. Moreover, in the third factor, plant height and the number of lateral branches were more important. In the fourth factor, plant height and one hundred seeds weight were of the highest variance. Finally, days to fifty percent of flowering and one hundred seeds weight were more important in fifth factor.

Keywords: rapeseed, variance analysis, regression, factor analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 232
92 Impact of Organic Fertilizer, Inorganic Fertilizer and Soil Conditioner on Growth and Yield of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) in Sudan Savannah, Nigeria

Authors: Mohammed Bello Sokoto, Adewumi Babatunde Adebayo, Ajit Singh

Abstract:

The field experiment was conducted at the dry land Teaching and Research Farm of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, during the 2023 rainy season to determine the effects of organic, inorganic, soil conditioner and integrated use of soil conditioners (Agzyme) with organic (super gro) and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and yield of cowpea varieties. The research consisted of two cowpea varieties (SAMPEA-20-T and ex-GidanYunfa) and six combinations of organic and inorganic fertilizers and soil conditioners factorially combined and laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) replicated three times. Data were collected on plant height, leaf area index, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, days to 50% flowering, grain yield, and 100 seed weight. Results indicated that the 100% inorganic fertilizer had a significantly increased growth parameter such as plant height and number of leaves, while combined application of the organic fertilizer and soil conditioner resulted in a significant increase in yield parameters such as number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, 100 seed weight and grain yield. The study observed that the use of soil conditioner in combination with fertilizers supports sustainable cowpea production. Application of 50% recommended inorganic + 50% soil conditioner or 50% liquid organic + 50% soil conditioner was better in increasing the number of pods/plant, seeds/pod, 100 seed weight and grain yield. The ex-Gidan Yunfa cowpea variety generally performed better in most parameters measured, such as plant height, days to 50% flowering, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, 100 seed weight and grain yield. Therefore, the combined application of 50% recommended inorganic + 50% soil conditioner or 50% liquid organic + 50% soil conditioner is effective for the sustainable production of cowpeas.

Keywords: integrated, fertilizers, growth, yield, cowpea, Sudan Savannah

Procedia PDF Downloads 20
91 Cotton Transplantation as a Practice to Escape Infection with Some Soil-Borne Pathogens

Authors: E. M. H. Maggie, M. N. A. Nazmey, M. A. Abdel-Sattar, S. A. Saied

Abstract:

A successful trial of transplanting cotton is reported. Seeds grown in trays for 4-5 weeks in an easily prepared supporting medium such as peat moss or similar plant waste are tried. Careful transplanting of seedlings, with root system as intact as possible, is being made in the permanent field. The practice reduced damping-off incidence rate and allowed full winter crop revenues. Further work is needed to evaluate certain parameters such as growth curve, flowering curve, and yield at economic bases.

Keywords: cotton, transplanting cotton, damping-off diseases, environment sciences

Procedia PDF Downloads 342
90 Physicochemical Profile of Essential Oil of Daucus carota

Authors: Nassima Behidj-Benyounes, Thoraya Dahmene

Abstract:

Essential oils have a significant antimicrobial activity. These oils can successfully replace the antibiotics. So, the microorganisms show their inefficiencies resistant for the antibiotics. For this reason, we study the physic-chemical analysis and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Daucus carota. The extraction is done by steam distillation of water which brought us a very significant return of 4.65%. The analysis of the essential oil is performed by GC/MS and has allowed us to identify 32 compounds in the oil of D. carota flowering tops of Bouira. Three of which are in the majority are the α-pinene (22.3%), the carotol (21.7%) and the limonene (15.8%).

Keywords: daucus carota, essential oil, α-pinene, carotol, limonene

Procedia PDF Downloads 367
89 Determination of Genotypic Relationship among 12 Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) Varieties

Authors: Faith Eweluegim Enahoro-Ofagbe, Alika Eke Joseph

Abstract:

Information on genetic variation within a population is crucial for utilizing heterozygosity for breeding programs that aim to improve crop species. The study was conducted to ascertain the genotypic similarities among twelve sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) varieties to group them for purposes of hybridizations for cane yield improvement. The experiment was conducted at the University of Benin, Faculty of Agriculture Teaching and Research Farm, Benin City. Twelve sugarcane varieties obtained from National Cereals Research Institute, Badeggi, Niger State, Nigeria, were planted in three replications in a randomized complete block design. Each variety was planted on a five-row plot of 5.0 m in length. Data were collected on 12 agronomic traits, including; the number of millable cane, cane girth, internode length, number of male and female flowers (fuss), days to flag leaf, days to flowering, brix%, cane yield, and others. There were significant differences, according to the findings among the twelve genotypes for the number of days to flag leaf, number of male and female flowers (fuss), and cane yield. The relationship between the twelve sugarcane varieties was expressed using hierarchical cluster analysis. The twelve genotypes were grouped into three major clusters based on hierarchical classification. Cluster I had five genotypes, cluster II had four, and cluster III had three. Cluster III was dominated by varieties characterized by higher cane yield, number of leaves, internode length, brix%, number of millable stalks, stalk/stool, cane girth, and cane length. Cluster II contained genotypes with early maturity characteristics, such as early flowering, early flag leaf development, growth rate, and the number of female and male flowers (fuss). The maximum inter-cluster distance between clusters III and I indicated higher genetic diversity between the two groups. Hybridization between the two groups could result in transgressive recombinants for agronomically important traits.

Keywords: sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum, genotype, cluster analysis, principal components analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 64
88 Regional Response of Crop Productivity to Global Warming - A Case Study of the Heat Stress and Cold Stress on UK Rapeseed Crop Over 1961-2020

Authors: Biao Hu, Mark E. J. Cutler, Alexandra C. Morel

Abstract:

Global climate change introduces both opportunities and challenges for crop productivity, with differences in temperature stress across latitudes and crop types, one of the most important meteorological factors impacting crop productivity. The development and productivity of crops are particularly impacted when temperatures occur outwith their preferred ranges, which has implications for global agri-food sector. This study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of heat stress and cold stress on UK arable lands for rapeseed cropping between 1961 and 2020, using a 1 km spatial resolution temperature dataset. Stress indices, including heat stress index (fHS) defined as the ratio of “Tmax - Tcrit_h” to “Tlimit_h - Tcrit_h” where Tmax, Tcrit_h and Tlimit_h represent the daily maximum temperature (°C), critical high temperature threshold (°C) and limiting high temperature threshold (°C) of rapeseed crop respectively; cold degree days (CDD) as the difference between daily Tmin (minimum temperature) and Tcrit_l (critical low temperature threshold); and a normalized rapeseed production loss index (fRPL) as the product of fHS and attainable rapeseed yield in the same land pixel were established. The values of fHS and CDD, percentages of days experiencing each stress and fRPL were investigated. Results found increasing fHS and the areas impacted by heat stress during flowering (from April to May) and reproductive (from April to July) stages over time, with the mean fHS being negatively correlated with latitude. This pattern of increased heat stress agrees with previous research on rapeseed cropping, which have been noted at global scale in response to changes in climate. The decreasing number of CDD and frequency of cold stress suggest cold stress decreased during flowering, vegetative (from September to March next year) and reproductive stages, and the magnitude of cold stress in the south of the UK was smaller to that compared to northern regions over the studied periods. The decreasing CDD matches observed declining cold stress of global rapeseed and of other crops such as rice in the northern hemisphere. Notably, compared with previous studies which mainly tracked the trends of heat stress and cold stress individually, this study conducted a comparative analysis of the rate of their changes and found heat stress of rapeseed crops in the UK was increasing at a faster rate than cold stress, which was seen to decrease during flowering. The increasing values of fRPL, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between regions of the UK, suggested an increasing loss in rapeseed due to heat stress in the studied period. The largest increasing trend in heat stress was observed in South-eastern England, where a decreasing cold stress was taking place. While the present study observed a relatively slowly increasing heat stress, there is a worrying trend of increasing heat stress for rapeseed cropping into the future, as the cases of other main rapeseed cropping systems in the northern hemisphere including China, European counties, the US, and Canada. This study demonstrates the negative impact of global warming on rapeseed cropping, highlighting the adaptation and mitigations strategies for sustainable rapeseed cultivation across the globe.

Keywords: rapeseed, UK, heat stress, cold stress, global climate change, spatiotemporal analysis, production loss index

Procedia PDF Downloads 35
87 Physico-Chemical Characterization of the Essential Oil of Daucus carota

Authors: Nassima Behidj-Benyounes, Thoraya Dahmene, Khaled Benyounes Nadjiba Chebouti1and F/Zohra Bissaad

Abstract:

Essential oils have a significant antimicrobial activity. These oils can successfully replace the antibiotics. So, the microorganisms show their inefficiencies resistant for the antibiotics. For this reason, we study the physicochemical analysis and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Daucus carota. The extraction is done by steam distillation of water which brought us a very significant return of 4.65%. The analysis of the essential oil is performed by GC/MS and has allowed us to identify 32 compounds in the oil of D. carota flowering tops of Bouira. Three of which are in the majority are the α-pinene (22.3%), the carotol (21.7%) and the limonene (15.8%).

Keywords: Daucus carota, essential oil, α-pinene, carotol, limonene

Procedia PDF Downloads 376
86 A Remotely Piloted Aerial Application System to Control Rangeland Grasshoppers

Authors: Daniel Martin, Roberto Rodriguez, Derek Woller, Chris Reuter, Lonnie Black, Mohamed Latheef

Abstract:

The grasshoppers comprised of heterogeneous assemblages of Acrididae (Family: Orthoptera) species periodically reach outbreak levels by their gregarious behavior and voracious feeding habits, devouring stems and leaves of food crops and rangeland pasture. Cattle consume about 1.5-2.5% of their body weight in forage per day, so pound for pound, a grasshopper will eat 12-20 times as much plant material as a steer and cause serious economic damage to the cattle industry, especially during a drought when forage is already scarce. Grasshoppers annually consume more than 20% of rangeland forages in the western United States at an estimated loss of $1.25 billion per year in forage. A remotely piloted aerial application system with both a spreader and spray application system was used to apply granular insect bait and a liquid formulation of Carbaryl for control of grasshopper infestations on rangeland in New Mexico, United States. Pattern testing and calibration of both the granular and liquid application systems were conducted to determine proper application rate set up and distribution pattern. From these tests, an effective swath was calculated. Results showed that 14 days after application, granular baits were only effective on those grasshopper species that accepted the baits. The liquid formulation at 16 ounces per acre was highly successful at controlling all grasshopper species. Results of this study indicated that a remotely piloted aerial application system can be used to effectively deliver grasshopper control products in both granular and liquid form. However, the spray application treatment proved to be most effective and efficient for all grasshopper species present.

Keywords: Carbaryl, Grasshopper, Insecticidal Efficacy, Remotely Piloted Aerial Application System

Procedia PDF Downloads 198
85 Sri Aurobindo's Views on Heraclitus' Philosophy: A Synthesis

Authors: Kamaladevi Kunkolienker

Abstract:

This paper appreciates the stimulating and thought-provoking synthesis of Heraclitus’ philosophy offered by Sri Aurobindo. The deep philosophical insights of Heraclitus expressed in aphoristic and cryptic form inspired him and supported his system of Integral Yoga. An attempt is made to reconstruct and synthesize Eastern and Western philosophical insights through hermeneutical treatment of many concepts. Aurobindo points out the sameness and kinship between Heraclitus’ thought and concepts from Vedic and upanishadic texts with illustrations and thus undertakes the task of synthesizing them. This fruitful synthesis also brings out the scientific perspective of Heraclitus’ thought and showcases it as a rare flowering of philosophy. It also enables the thinkers to reflect, reinterpret and synthesize such philosophies to bring out their significance in post-modern philosophy and science.

Keywords: all, change, fire, one

Procedia PDF Downloads 345
84 Global Climate Change and Insect Pollinators

Authors: Asim Abbasi, Muhammad Sufyan, Iqra, Muhammad Ibrahim Shahid, Muhammad Ashfaq

Abstract:

The foundation of human life on earth relies on many ecosystem services provided by insects of which pollination owes a vital role. The pollination service offered by insects has annual worth of approximately €153 billion. The majority of the flowering plants depends on entomophiles pollination for their reproduction and formation of seeds and fruits. The quantity and quality of insect pollination have multiple implications for stable ecosystem, diverse species level, food security and climate change resilience. The rapidly mounting human population, depletion of natural resources and the global climate change forced us to enter an era of pollination crisis. Climate change not only alters the phenology, population abundance and geographic ranges of different pollinators but also hinders their pollination activities. The successful pollination process relies heavily on the synchronization of biological events of pollinators with the phenological stages of the flowering plants. However, there are possibilities that impending climatic changes may result in asynchrony between plant-pollinators interactions and also mitigate the extent of pollination. The trophic mismatch mostly occurs when pollinators and plants inhabiting the same environment use different environmental cues to regulate their biological events, as these cues are not equally affected by climate change. Synchrony has also been disrupted when one of the interacting species has migratory nature and depend on cues for migration. Moreover, irregular rainfalls and up-surging temperature also disrupts the foraging behaviour of pollinators resulting in reduced flowers visits by insect. Climate change has a direct impact on the behavior and physiology of honey bees, the best known pollinators owing to their extreme floral fidelity. Rising temperature not only alleviates the quantity and quality of floral environment but also alters the bee’s colony harvesting and development ability. Furthermore, a possible earlier decline of flowers is expected in a growing season due to this rising temperature. This may also lead to disrupt the efficiency bumblebee queen that require a constant and adequate nectar and pollen supply throughout the entire growing season for healthy colony production. Considering the role of insect pollination in our ecosystem, their associated risks regarding climate change should be addressed properly for devising a well-focused research needed for their conservation.

Keywords: climate change, phenological, pollination, synchronization

Procedia PDF Downloads 202
83 Essential Oil Analysis of the Aerial Parts of Sideritis incana and Calamitha hispidula

Authors: Smain Amiraa, Hocine Laouerb, Fatima Benchikh-Amiraa, Guido Flaminic

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The aerial parts of Sideritis incana and Calamintha hispidula at the flowering stage were submitted to hydrodistillation in a Clevenger–type apparatus for 3 hours and the chemical composition of the essential oil was analyzed by GC coupled to GC-MS. The essential oil contained a total of 99 constituents for S. incana and 31 for C. hispidula representing 95.7% and 99.6 of the total oils, rerspectively. The mains components of S. incana oil were linalool (25.2), cedrol (13.7%), geraniol (7%) and α-terpineol (5.4%). The chemical constituents of the oil from C. hispidula were predominated by pulegone (43.2%), isomenthone (36%), piperitone (3.2%), limonene (2.6%) and 4-terpineol (2.5%). The results revealed that the oil of the plants is characterized by the presence of many important components which could be applied in food, pharmaceutical and perfume industry.

Keywords: essential oils, Calamintha hispidula, Sideritis incana, chemical and molecular engineering

Procedia PDF Downloads 227
82 Ethylene Sensitivity in Orchids and Its Control Using 1-MCP: A Review

Authors: Parviz Almasi

Abstract:

Ethylene is produced as a gaseous growth regulator in all plants and their constructive parts such as roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits. It is considered a multifunctional phytohormone that regulates both growths including flowering, fruit ripening, inhibition of root growth, and senescence such as senescence of leaves and flowers and etc. In addition, exposure to external ethylene is caused some changes that are often undesirable and harmful. Some flowers are more sensitive to others and when exposed to ethylene; their aging process is hastened. 1-MCP is an exogenous and endogenous ethylene action inhibitor, which binds to the ethylene receptors in the plants and prevents ethylene-dependent reactions. The binding affinity of 1- MCP for the receptors is about 10 times more than ethylene. Hence, 1-MCP can be a potential candidate for controlling of ethylene injury in horticultural crops. This review integrates knowledge of ethylene biosynthesis in the plants and also a mode of action of 1-MCP in preventing of ethylene injury.

Keywords: ethylene injury, biosynthesis, ethylene sensitivity, 1-MCP

Procedia PDF Downloads 80
81 Butterfly Diversity along Urban-Rural Gradient in Kolkata, India

Authors: Sushmita Chaudhuri, Parthiba Basu

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Urbanization leads to habitat degradation and is responsible for the fast disappearance of native butterfly species. Random sampling of rural, suburban and urban sites in an around Kolkata metropolis revealed the presence of 28 species of butterfly belonging to 5 different families in winter (February-March). Butterfly diversity, species richness and abundance decreased with increase in urbanization. Psyche (Leptosia nina of family Pieridae) was the most predominant butterfly species found everywhere in Kolkata during the winter period. The most dominant family was Nymphalidae (11species), followed by Pieridae (6 species), Lycaenidae (5 species), Papilionidae (4 species) and Hesperiidae (2 species). The rural and suburban sites had butterfly species that were unique to those sites. Vegetation cover and flowering shrub density were significantly related to butterfly diversity.

Keywords: butterfly, Kolkata metropolis, Shannon-Weiner diversity index, species diversity

Procedia PDF Downloads 271
80 Morphological Characteristics and Pollination Requirement in Red Pitaya (Hylocereus Spp.)

Authors: Dinh Ha, Tran, Chung-Ruey Yen

Abstract:

This study explored the morphological characteristics and effects of pollination methods on fruit set and characteristics in four red pitaya (Hylocereus spp.) clones. The distinctive morphological recognition and classification among pitaya clones were confirmed by the stem, flower and fruit features. The fruit production season was indicated from the beginning of May to the end of August, the beginning of September with 6-7 flowering cycles per year. The floral stage took from 15-19 days and fruit duration spent 30–32 days. VN White, fully self-compatible, obtained high fruit set rates (80.0-90.5 %) in all pollination treatments and the maximum fruit weight (402.6 g) in hand self- and (403.4 g) in open-pollination. Chaozhou 5 was partially self-compatible while Orejona and F11 were completely self-incompatible. Hand cross-pollination increased significantly fruit set (95.8; 88.4 and 90.2 %) and fruit weight (374.2; 281.8 and 416.3 g) in Chaozhou 5, Orejona, and F11, respectively. TSS contents were not much influenced by pollination methods.

Keywords: Hylocereus spp., morphology, floral phenology, pollination requirement

Procedia PDF Downloads 286
79 Biodiversity of Aphid Species (Homoptera: Aphididae) in Hyderabad District, Sindh, Pakistan

Authors: Mahpara Pirzada, Mansoor Ali Shah, Saima Pthan, Kamal Khan, Faiza

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Present study based on biodiversity of aphid in different crops of Hyderabad district and its, surrounding area to observe the biodiversity of aphids, host plant range of the aphids in Hyderabad and their population also infestation and yield loss aphid on different crops. We have surveyed different fields of Hyderabad, Jamshoro, and collected the aphids from various parts of plants, grasses, and herb with the help of camel brush. They have been brought to the laboratory into plastic jars and preserved in Glycerin (Glycerol). As a result, 383 individuals belonging to 3 species were identified. These identified species were Aphis fabae, Myzus persicae, and Brevicoryne brassicae. Out of the 3 habitats the maximum richness, evenness, and diversity were recorded in agriculture crops followed by flowering vegetables and minimum in fodder crops. The most abundant specie is Myzus persicae.

Keywords: aphid species, biodiversity, Homoptera:Aphididae, Pakistan

Procedia PDF Downloads 307
78 In Silico Study of the Biological and Pharmacological Activity of Nigella sativa

Authors: Ammar Ouahab, Meriem Houichi , Sanna Mihoubi

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Background: Nigella sativa is an annual flowering plant, belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. It has many pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory; anti-bacterial; anti-hepatotoxic activities etc. Materials: In order to predict the pharmacological activity of Nigella Sativa’s compounds, some web based servers were used, namely, PubChem, Molinspiration, ADMET-SAR, PASS online and PharMapper. In addition to that, AutoDOCK was used to investigate the different molecular interactions between the selected compounds and their target proteins. Results: All compounds displayed a stable interaction with their targets and satisfactory binding energies, which means that they are active on their targets. Conclusion: Nigella sativa is an effective medicinal plant that has several ethno-medical uses; the latter uses are proven herein via an in-silico study of their pharmacological activities.

Keywords: Nigella sativa, AutoDOCK, PubChem, Molinspiration, ADMET-SAR, PharMapper, PASS online server, docking

Procedia PDF Downloads 117
77 Analysis of the Volatile Organic Compounds of Tillandsia Flowers by HS-SPME/GC-MS

Authors: Alexandre Gonzalez, Zohra Benfodda, David Bénimélis, Jean-Xavier Fontaine, Roland Molinié, Patrick Meffre

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Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by flowers play an important role in plant ecology. However, the Tillandsia genus has been scarcely studied according to the VOCs emitted by flowers. Tillandsia are epiphytic flowering plants belonging to the Bromeliaceae family. The VOCs composition of twelve unscented and two faint-scented Tillandsia species was studied. The headspace solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry method was used to explore the chemical diversity of the VOCs. This study allowed the identification of 65 VOCs among the fourteen species, and between six to twenty-five compounds were identified in each of the species.

Keywords: tillandsia, headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), scentless flowers, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PCA analysis, heatmap

Procedia PDF Downloads 99
76 Inventory and Pollinating Role of Bees (Hymenoptera: apoidea) on Turnip (Brassica rapa L.) and Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) (Brassicaceae) in Constantine Area (Algeria)

Authors: Benachour Karima

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Pollination is a key factor in crop production and the presence of insect pollinators, mainly wild bees, is essential for improving yields. In this work, visiting apoids of two vegetable crops, the turnip (Brassica rapa L.) and the radish (Raphanus sativus L.) (Brassicaceae) were recorded during flowering times of 2003 and 2004 in Constantine area (36°22’N 06°37’E, 660 m). The observations were conducted in a plot of approximately 308 m2 of the Institute of Nutrition, Food and Food Technology (University of Mentouri Brothers). To estimate the density of bees (per 100 flowers or m2), 07 plots (01m2 for each one) are defined from the edge of the culture and in the first two rows. From flowering and every two days, foraging insects are recorded from 09 am until 17 pm (Gmt+1).The purpose of visit (collecting nectar, pollen or both) and pollinating efficiency (estimated by the number of flowers visited per minute and the number of positive visits) were noted for the most abundant bees on flowers. The action of pollinating insects is measured by comparing seed yields of 07 plots covered with tulle with 07 other accessible to pollinators. 04 families of Apoidea: Apidae, Halictidae, Andrenidae and Megachilidae were observed on the two plants. On turnip, the honeybee is the most common visitor (on average 214visites/ m2), it is followed by the Halictidae Lasioglossum mediterraneum whose visits are less intense (20 individuals/m2). Visits by Andrenidae, represented by several species such as Andrena lagopus, A.flavipes, A.agilissima and A.rhypara were episodic. The honeybee collected mainly nectar, its visits were all potentially fertilizing (contact with stigma) and more frequent (on average 14 flowers/min. L.mediterraneum visited only 05 flrs/min, it collected mostly the two products together and all its visits were also positive. On radish, the wild bee Ceratina cucurbitina recorded the highest number of visits (on average 06 individuals/100flo wers), the Halictidae represented mainly by L.mediterraneum, and L.malachurum, L.pauxillum were less abundant. C.cucurbitina visited on average 10 flowers /min and all its visits are positive. Visits of Halictidae were less frequent (05-06 flowers/min) and not all fertilizing. Seed yield of Brassica rapa (average number of pods /plant, seeds/ pods and average weight of 1000 seeds) was significantly higher in the presence of pollinators. Similarly, the pods of caged plants gave a percentage of aborted seeds (10.3%) significantly higher than that obtained on free plants (4.12%), the pods of caged plants also gave a percentage of malformed seeds (1.9%) significantly higher than that of the free plants (0.9%). For radish, the seed yield in the presence and absence of insects are almost similar. Only the percentage of malformed seeds (3.8%) obtained from the pods of caged plants was significantly higher in comparison with pods of free plants (1.9%). Following these results, it is clear that pollinators especially bees are essential for the production and improvement of crop yields and therefore it is necessary to protect this fauna increasingly threatened.

Keywords: foraging behavior, honey bee, radish, seed yield, turnip, wild bee

Procedia PDF Downloads 194
75 Specialized Phytochemical Properties of Stachys inflata Eco-Types in Different Ecological Circumstances of Southern Iran

Authors: Ghasem Khodahami, Vahid Rowshan, Mojtaba Pakparvar

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Stachys forms one of the largest genera in the flowering plant family Lamiaceae. The number of species in the genus is estimated from about 300 to about 450 and comprises some 34 species in Iran. This genus is one of the richest sources of diterpenes which are particularly interesting because of their ecological role as antifeedants against different species of insects and for their role as the medicinal properties of the plants. The ecological distribution of Stachys inflata was studied and the resulted eco-types were sampled from four regions ranging 230-340 mm of rainfall and 1690-2125 m a.s.l of height In Fars Province Southern Iran. The essential oils of air-dried samples were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The number of secondary metabolites varied from 25 to 50 depending to ecological conditions. The main compounds in these areas were: Germacrene D, Bicyclogermacrene, spathulenol, δ-cadinene. Statistical analysis of photochemical resulted in recognizing 3 distinct groups that show internal variety in these herbs.

Keywords: eco-type, phytochemistry, secondary metabolites, Stachys inflata

Procedia PDF Downloads 206
74 Comparison of Chlorophyll Contents in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and Runner Bean (P. coccineous L.) Genotypes

Authors: Huseyin Canci

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Chlorophylls are green photosynthetic pigment in plants. Therefore, photosynthesis in plants occurs in the leaves. Roles of chlorophylls help plants to get energy from light. The aim of the present study is to compare of chlorophyll contents in some bean species including common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and runner bean (P. coccineous L.) and genotypes. This research was carried out in fields of Faculty of Agriculture, Akdeniz University in Antalya. Species and genotypes were grown in 2 m single row and 50 cm row spacing. A randomized blocks design was used with two replications. Totally, 124 beans species and genotypes which 122 common beans and 2 runner beans were sown on February, 17th 2014 by hand. Chlorophyll a + b (SPAD values) were determined seedling stage, days to flowering 50% and pod setting stage on bean genotypes. Results showed that there were significant differences for genotypes, stages and interaction of genotypes X stages. There was statistically significant relationships between yield and chlorophyll content of bean species and genotypes.

Keywords: bean, chlorophyll, Phaseolus, SPAD values

Procedia PDF Downloads 219
73 The Importance of Fruit Trees for Prescribed Burning in a South American Savanna

Authors: Rodrigo M. Falleiro, Joaquim P. L. Parime, Luciano C. Santos, Rodrigo D. Silva

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The Cerrado biome is the most biodiverse savanna on the planet. Located in central Brazil, its preservation is seriously threatened by the advance of intensive agriculture and livestock. Conservation Units and Indigenous Lands are increasingly isolated and subject to mega wildfires. Among the characteristics of this savanna, we highlight the high rate of primary biomass production and the reduced occurrence of large grazing animals. In this biome, the predominant fauna is more dependent on the fruits produced by the dicotyledonous species in relation to other tropical savannas. Fire is a key element in the balance between mono and dicotyledons or between the arboreal and herbaceous strata. Therefore, applying fire regimes that maintain the balance between these strata without harming fruit production is essential in the conservation strategies of Cerrado's biodiversity. Recently, Integrated Fire Management has started to be implemented in Brazilian protected areas. As a result, management with prescribed burns has increasingly replaced strategies based on fire exclusion, which in practice have resulted in large wildfires, with highly negative impacts on fruit and fauna production. In the Indigenous Lands, these fires were carried out respecting traditional knowledge. The indigenous people showed great concern about the effects of fire on fruit plants and important animals. They recommended that the burns be carried out between April and May, as it would result in a greater production of edible fruits ("fruiting burning"). In other tropical savannas in the southern hemisphere, the preferential period tends to be later, in the middle of the dry season, when the grasses are dormant (June to August). However, in the Cerrado, this late period coincides with the flowering and sprouting of several important fruit species. To verify the best burning season, the present work evaluated the effects of fire on flowering and fruit production of theByrsonima sp., Mouriri pusa, Caryocar brasiliense, Anacardium occidentale, Pouteria ramiflora, Hancornia speciosa, Byrsonima verbascifolia, Anacardium humille and Talisia subalbens. The evaluations were carried out in the field, covering 31 Indigenous Lands that cover 104,241.18 Km², where 3,386 prescribed burns were carried out between 2015 and 2018. The burning periods were divided into early (carried out during the rainy season), modal or “fruiting” (carried out during the transition between seasons) and late (carried out in the middle of the dry season, when the grasses are dormant). The results corroborate the traditional knowledge, demonstrating that the modal burns result in higher rates of reproduction and fruit production. Late burns showed intermediate results, followed by early burns. We conclude that management strategies based mainly on forage production, which are usually applied in savannas populated by grazing ungulates, may not be the best management strategy for South American savannas. The effects of fire on fruit plants, which have a particular phenologicalsynchronization with the fauna cycle, also need to be observed during the prescription of burns.

Keywords: cerrado biome, fire regimes, native fruits, prescribed burns

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72 Study on Butterfly Visitation Patterns of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis as a Beneficial Plant for Butterfly Conservation

Authors: P. U. S. Peiris

Abstract:

The butterflies are ecologically very important insects. The adults generally feed on nectar and are important as pollinators of flowering plants. However, these pollinators are under threat with their habitat loss. One reason for habitat loss is spread of invasive plants. However, there are even beneficial exotic plants which can directly support for Butterfly Conservation Action Plan of Sri Lanka by attracting butterflies for nectar. Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) is an important nectar plant which attracts a diverse set of butterflies in higher number. It comprises a violet color inflorescence which last for about 37 hours where it attracted a peak of butterflies around 9.00am having around average of 15 butterflies. There were no butterflies in early and late hours where the number goes to very low values as 2 at 1.00pm. it was found that a diverse group of butterflies were attracted from around 15 species including 01 endemic species, 02 endemic subspecies and 02 vulnerable species. Therefore, this is a beneficial exotic plant that could be used in butterfly attraction and conservation however with adequate monitoring of the plant population.

Keywords: butterflies, exotic plants, pollinators, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.)

Procedia PDF Downloads 224
71 Determination of Optimum Water Consumptive Using Deficit Irrigation Model for Barely: A Case Study in Arak, Iran

Authors: Mohsen Najarchi

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This research was carried out in five fields (5-15 hectares) in Arak located in center of Iran, to determine optimum level of water consumed for Barely in four stages growth (vegetative, yield formation, flowering, and ripening). Actual evapotranspiration was calculated using measured water requirement in the fields. Five levels of water requirement equal to 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 percents formed the treatments. To determine the optimum level of water requirement linear programming was used. The study showed 60 percent water requirement (40 percent deficit irrigation) has been the optimum level of irrigation for winter wheat in four stages of growth. Comparison between all of the treatments indicated above with normal condition (100% water requirement) shows increasing in water use efficiency. Although 40% deficit irrigation treatment lead to decrease of 38% in yield, net benefit was increasing in 11.37%. Furthermore, in comparison with normal condition, 70% of water requirement increased water use efficiency as 30%.

Keywords: optimum, deficit irrigation, water use efficiency, evapotranspiration

Procedia PDF Downloads 379
70 How Does Vicia faba-rhizobia Symbiosis Improve Its Performance under Low Phosphorus Availability?

Authors: B. Makoudi, R. Ghanimi, M. Mouradi, A. Kabbadj, M. Farissi, J. J. Drevon, C. Ghoulam

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This work focuses on the responses of Vicia fabarhizobia symbiosis to phosphorus deficiency and their contribution to tolerate this constraint. The study was carried out on four faba bean varieties, Aguadulce, Alfia, Luz Otono, and Reina Mora submitted to two phosphorus treatments, deficient and sufficient and cultivated under field and greenhouse hydroaeroponic culture. Plants were harvested at flowering stage for growth, nodulation and phosphorus content assessment. Phosphatases in nodules and rhizospheric soil were analyzed. The impact of phosphorus deficiency on yield component was assessed at maturity stage. Under field conditions, phosphorus deficiency affected negatively nodule biomass and nodule phosphorus content with Alfia and Reina Mora showing the highest biomass reduction. The phosphatase activities in nodules and rhizospheric soil were increased under phosphorus deficiency. At maturity stage, under soil low available phosphorus, the pods number and 100 seeds weight were reduced. The genotypic variation was evident for almost all tested parameters.

Keywords: faba bean, phosphorus, rhizobia, yield

Procedia PDF Downloads 432
69 Growth Analysis in Wheat as Influenced by Water Stress and Variety in Sokoto, Sudan Savannah, Nigeria

Authors: M. B. Sokoto, I. U. Abubakar

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The study was carried out on effect of water stress and variety on growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), during 2009/10 and 2010/11 dry seasons. The treatments consisted of factorial combination of water stress at three critical growth stage which was imposed by withholding water at (Tillering, Flowering, Grain filling) and Control (No stress) and two varieties (Star 11 TR 77173/SLM and Kauze/Weaver) laid out in a split-plot design with three replications. Water stress was assigned to the main-plot while variety was assigned to the sub-plots. Result revealed significant (P<0.05) effect of water stress, water stress at tillering significantly (P<0.05) reduced plant height, LAI, CGR, and NAR. Variety had a significant effect on plant height, LAI, CGR and NAR. In conclusion water stress at tillering was observed to be most critical growth stage in wheat, and water stress at this period should be avoided because it results to decrease in growth components in wheat. Wheat should be sown in November or at least first week of December in this area and other area with similar climate. Star II TR 77173/LM is recommended variety for the area.

Keywords: wheat, growth, water stress, variety, Sudan savannah

Procedia PDF Downloads 318
68 Appropriate Nutrient Management for Wheat Production in Afghanistan

Authors: Azizurahman Sakhizadah, Tsugiyuki Masunaga

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The use of sulfur fertilizer by Afghanistan farmers for wheat production has never been practiced, although sulfur deficiency has been expected for wheat production. A field experiment was conducted at Poza e Ishan Research Station Farm, Baghlan province, Afghanistan to examine the effect of sulfur fertilizer on growth and yield components of wheat. The experiment was laid out in randomize complete block design (RCBD), having three replications and eight treatments. The initial soil of experiment was alkaline (pH8.4), with textural class of sandy clay loam, available sulfur (40.8) mg kg-1, and Olsen-P (28.8) mg kg-1. Wheat variety, Kabul 013 was cultivated from November 2015 to June 2016. The recommended doses of nitrogen and Phosphors (Urea and DAP at 250 and 125 kg ha-1) were applied by broadcasting except control plot. Sulfur was applied by foliar spray (K2 SO4) at the rate of 10, 20, and 30 kg ha-1, split at tillering and flowering stages. The results demonstrated that sulfur application positively influenced on growth and yield of wheat crop with combination of nitrogen. Plant did not respond to sole sulfur application. Plant height, spike length, spikelet's number spike-1, were increased and yield g m-2 was also increased by 1.2, 19.1 and 25.1 % for 10, 20 and 30 kg sulfur ha-1 application.

Keywords: sulfur, nitrogen, wheat, foliar

Procedia PDF Downloads 128
67 The Role of Flowering Pesticidal Plants for Sustainable Pest Management

Authors: Baltazar Ndakidemi

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The resource-constrained farmers, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, encounter significant challenges related to agriculture, notably diseases and pests. The sustainable means of pest management are not well known to farmers. As a result, some farmers use synthetic pesticides whose environmental impacts, ill health, and other negative impacts of synthetic pesticides on natural enemies have posed a great need for more sustainable means of pest management. Pesticidal plant resources can replace synthetic pesticides because their secondary metabolites can exhibit insecticidal activities such as deterrence, repellence, and pests' mortality. Additionally, the volatiles from these plants can have positive effects of attracting populations of natural enemies. Pesticidal plants can be grown as field margin plants or in strips for supporting natural enemies' populations. However, this is practically undetermined. Hence, there is a need to investigate the roles played by pesticidal plants in supporting natural enemies of pests and their applications in different cropping systems such as legumes. This study investigates different pesticidal plants with a high potential for pest control in agricultural fields. The information sheds light on potential plants that can be used for different crop pests.

Keywords: natural enemies, biological control, synthetic pesticides, pesticidal plants, predators, parasitoids

Procedia PDF Downloads 49
66 Differentially Response of Superoxide Dismutase in Wheat Susceptible and Resistant Cultivars against FHB

Authors: M. Sorahi Nobar, V. Niknam, H. Ebrahimzadeh, H. Soltanloo

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Fusarium graminearum is one of the most destructive crop diseases in the world. Infection occurs during the flowering period in warm and humid conditions. It causes reduction in yield. Moreover, harvested grain is often contaminated with mycotoxins and its acetylated derivatives. Fusarium mycotoxines are potent inhibitor of protein synthesis, and thereby presents hazards for both human and animal health. A rapid production of reactive oxygen intermediates, primarily superoxide and hydrogen peroxide at the site of attempted infection considered as key feature underlying successful pathogen recognition. Here, we compared the time course activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) as a first line of defenses against ROS- induced oxidative burst between FHB- resistant Sumai3 and susceptible Falat at 48, 96 and 144 hours after infection. Our results showed that Sumai3 SOD activity increased with time and reached the highest-level 4 days after infection while in susceptible cultivar Falat, SOD activity decreased during the first 96 h. after infection. Decreased was followed by an increased at 6 days after infection. According to our results rapid induction of SOD activity in resistant cultivar may play an important role in resistance against FHB in wheat.

Keywords: Fusarium graminearum, mycotoxins, resistant cultivar, superoxide dismutase

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65 Sustainable Harvesting, Conservation and Analysis of Genetic Diversity in Polygonatum Verticillatum Linn.

Authors: Anchal Rana

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Indian Himalayas with their diverse climatic conditions are home to many rare and endangered medicinal flora. One such species is Polygonatum verticillatum Linn., popularly known as King Solomon’s Seal or Solomon’s Seal. Its mention as an incredible medicinal herb comes from 5000 years ago in Indian Materia Medica as a component of Ashtavarga, a poly-herbal formulation comprising of eight herbs illustrated as world’s first ever revitalizing and rejuvenating nutraceutical food, which is now commercialised in the name ‘Chaywanprash’. It is an erect tall (60 to 120 cm) perennial herb with sessile, linear leaves and white pendulous flowers. The species grows well in an altitude range of 1600 to 3600 m amsl, and propagates mostly through rhizomes. The rhizomes are potential source for significant phytochemicals like flavonoids, phenolics, lectins, terpenoids, allantoin, diosgenin, β-Sitosterol and quinine. The presence of such phytochemicals makes the species an asset for antioxidant, cardiotonic, demulcent, diuretic, energizer, emollient, aphrodisiac, appetizer, glactagogue, etc. properties. Having profound concentrations of macro and micronutrients, species has fine prospects of being used as a diet supplement. However, due to unscientific and gregarious uprooting, it has been assigned a status of ‘vulnerable’ and ‘endangered’ in the Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP) process conducted by Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) during 2010, according to IUCN Red-List Criteria. Further, destructive harvesting, land use disturbances, heavy livestock grazing, climatic changes and habitat fragmentation have substantially contributed towards anomaly of the species. It, therefore, became imperative to conserve the diversity of the species and make judicious use in future research and commercial programme and schemes. A Gene Bank was therefore established at High Altitude Herbal Garden of the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, India situated at Chakarata (30042’52.99’’N, 77051’36.77’’E, 2205 m amsl) consisting 149 accessions collected from thirty-one geographical locations spread over three Himalayan States of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The present investigations purport towards sampling and collection of divergent germplasm followed by planting and cultivation techniques. The ultimate aim is thereby focussed on analysing genetic diversity of the species and capturing promising genotypes for carrying out further genetic improvement programme so to contribute towards sustainable development and healthcare.

Keywords: Polygonatum verticillatum Linn., phytochemicals, genetic diversity, conservation, gene bank

Procedia PDF Downloads 145
64 Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oil of Thymus lanceolatus Desf. an Endemic Thyme from Algeria

Authors: Ahmed Nouasri, Tahar Dob, Toumi Mohamed, Dahmane Dahmane, Soumioa Krimat, Lynda Lamari, Chabane Chelghom

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The aim of this study is to investigate the chemical composition for the first time, and antimicrobial activities of essential oil (EO) of Thymus lanceolatus Desf., an endemic thyme from Tiaret province of Algeria. The chemical composition of hydrodistilled essential oil from flowering aerial parts has been analyzed by GC and GC/MS techniques, the antimicrobial activity was realised by agar disc diffusion method and MIC was determined in solid medium by direct contact. Essential oil of T. lanceolataus has been yielded of 2.336 (w/w) based on dry weight, the analyses cited above, led to the identification of 29 components, which accounted for 97.34% of the total oil. Oxygenated monoterpenes was the main fraction (88.31%) dominated by thymol (80.2%) as major component of this oil, followed by carvacrol (6.25%). The oil was found effective against all tested strains especially fungus, except Pseudomonas aeruginosa were low activity observed, in addition Gram (+) bacteria found to be more sensitive to the EO than Gram (-) bacteria. This activity was ranging from12±2.65mm to 60.00±0.00mm Ø, with the lowest MIC value of under 0.06mg/ml to 12.53mg/ml. This results provided the evidence that the studied plant might indeed be potential sources of natural antimicrobial agents

Keywords: Thymus lanceolatus Desf., essential oil, chemical composition, antimicrobial activities

Procedia PDF Downloads 456