This study investigated the germination of three threatened Australian plant species (Acacia gordonii, Allocasuarina distyla, and Olearia flocktoniae) stored for 9-10 years at two low temperatures (2.5°C and -20°C). Seeds were originally collected and stored in an ex situ seedbank. The study found no significant difference in germination between the two temperature regimes. Germination was highest for A. gordonii (96-97%), followed by A. distyla (80-95%) and O. flocktoniae (66-80%). Overall, storage at low temperatures for extended periods did not negatively impact germination for the three species.
This study investigated the effects of drought stress on yield and other agronomic traits in 17 spring wheat lines. The lines were grown under three stress conditions: normal irrigation, drought stress after anthesis, and no irrigation. Several traits were measured, including grain yield, 1000 grain weight, biomass, harvest index, plant height, spike length, and awn length. Analysis of variance showed significant differences among lines for all traits and between stress levels. Certain lines, such as Zarrin, performed best in terms of grain yield, biomass, and harvest index across conditions. Correlations between stress tolerance and traits varied by condition. Under normal irrigation, grain yield, biomass, and harvest index had highest heritability.
This study investigated the allelopathic effects of plant residues from three invasive weeds (Eupatorium adenophorum, Ageratum conyzoides, and Lantana camara) on the germination and growth of three cereal crops (wheat, rice, and maize). The weed residues were incorporated into soil at two concentrations and their effects were compared to a control. Exposure to weed residues generally inhibited seed germination and shoot growth of the cereal crops, but stimulated root and shoot weight, with effects varying by crop and residue concentration. Maize was least sensitive while wheat and rice were more susceptible. The results indicate that decaying weed residues release allelochemicals that can both stimulate and inhibit the physiology
The effect of seed coat removal on seed germination of terminalia superba eng...Innspub Net
The influence of four constant temperatures: 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C and three germination media: 1% water agar, heat sterilized river sand and seed testing paper (STP) on the germination of decoated seeds of Terminalia superba Engl. & Diels. were investigated. The germination media were placed in 90 mm diameter plastic Petri dishes with seventy five decoated seeds in 3 replicates of 25 seeds. The statistical design used in the investigation was a completely randomized design in a 3 x 4 factorial (germination media × incubation temperatures). Decoated seeds of T. superba germinated at all the four temperatures investigated. The optimum temperatures were determined as 25°C, 30°C and 35°C. All the three media can be considered ideal for the reason that these temperatures interacted with the germination media to record germination percentages ranging from 73 to 89% in the study. Mean germination time (MGT) was significantly (p < 0.001) shorter when agar was used as germination media compared to when germination was carried out on STP and soil. The shapes of germination curves describing the cumulative germination of decoated seeds of T. superba at all temperatures and on all the germination media investigated are S-shaped.
Response of commercial rice germplasm on agronomic traitAlexander Decker
This document analyzes the response of five commercial rice varieties to seed contaminants. Purity tests found the Basmati Super variety had the highest germination rate of 96% and least contaminants, while KSK-133 and KS-282 had higher levels of impurities and lower germination rates. Most varieties showed similar shoot growth, while IR-06 was more stunted. KSK-133 exhibited the longest roots. Analysis found the presence of fungi like Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium associated with the seeds, indicating potential risks to food safety if not properly stored.
Poster87: Breeding for drought resistance improves yield potential in both me...CIAT
Selection for drought resistance in common beans has improved yields under both drought stress and favorable conditions for both Mesoamerican and Andean beans. Drought-selected lines of Mesoamerican beans significantly outyielded commercial checks under drought stress and also yielded significantly higher than checks under irrigated conditions. Similarly, drought-selected lines of Andean beans yielded significantly more than checks under drought stress in multiple environments and also yielded well under irrigation with no stress. Selection for drought resistance has provided genetic gains for improved yield potential and stress tolerance in common beans.
Seed Setting Efficiency, Leaf Relative Water Content and Yield Traits of some...Premier Publishers
A potted experiment was conducted in the screen house between February and April, 2017. Seeds of five cowpea varieties were obtained and placed in plastic buckets of 7-liter capacity, perforated at the bottom and filled with top soil. Three soil moisture level treatments of Severe Stress (SS), Mild Stress (MS) and Non-Stress (NS) conditions were imposed. Pots were weighed in the morning of each day for the period of eight weeks to obtain daily cumulative water transpired. The experiment was a 5 x 3 factorial combination arranged using completely Randomized Design with six replications. Some of the Growth and Yield indices measured were, Leaf Relative Water Content (%), Seed Setting Efficiency (Ef), Crop Growth Rate (CGR), Pod Growth Rate (PGR), Water use efficiency (WUE), and Seed Yield (kg/ha). From the study, water stress negatively affects leaf relative water content, seed setting efficiency and cowpea yield by inducing reproductive organ abortion during reproductive development of cowpea. Consequently, the crop seed setting efficiency is lowered. Poor seed yield of cowpea under the severe water stress condition occurred as a result of reduced rate of assimilates production caused by water stress which reduced water potential in cowpea leaf and pods. Varieties exhibiting higher (WUE) were recorded more at non stress level and this was recorded for all the varieties except for Oloyin Brown which had higher (WUE) under mild-stress condition. At severe water stress conditions, most of the varieties recorded lower (WUE) except in varieties IT98K-503-1. Water stress reduced leaf relative water content and grain yield of cowpea. Among the varieties evaluated, IT98K-503-1 performed better at Non stress condition with higher seed setting efficiency (1.94), leaf relative water content (86.9%), and seed yield (14.8kg/ha).
This document summarizes a study that evaluated the relative resistance of 10 soybean cultivars against sucking insect pests in Pakistan. Researchers recorded populations of whiteflies, jassids, and thrips on the cultivars over the growing season. They found that thrips populations were highest overall, followed by jassids then whiteflies. The cultivars E-91-270 and AGS-109 were most susceptible, with the highest recorded populations of thrips and jassids, respectively. PR-142 and AGS-9 were most resistant. Climate factors like temperature and humidity correlated with whitefly and thrips populations but not jassids.
This study investigated the effects of drought stress on yield and other agronomic traits in 17 spring wheat lines. The lines were grown under three stress conditions: normal irrigation, drought stress after anthesis, and no irrigation. Several traits were measured, including grain yield, 1000 grain weight, biomass, harvest index, plant height, spike length, and awn length. Analysis of variance showed significant differences among lines for all traits and between stress levels. Certain lines, such as Zarrin, performed best in terms of grain yield, biomass, and harvest index across conditions. Correlations between stress tolerance and traits varied by condition. Under normal irrigation, grain yield, biomass, and harvest index had highest heritability.
This study investigated the allelopathic effects of plant residues from three invasive weeds (Eupatorium adenophorum, Ageratum conyzoides, and Lantana camara) on the germination and growth of three cereal crops (wheat, rice, and maize). The weed residues were incorporated into soil at two concentrations and their effects were compared to a control. Exposure to weed residues generally inhibited seed germination and shoot growth of the cereal crops, but stimulated root and shoot weight, with effects varying by crop and residue concentration. Maize was least sensitive while wheat and rice were more susceptible. The results indicate that decaying weed residues release allelochemicals that can both stimulate and inhibit the physiology
The effect of seed coat removal on seed germination of terminalia superba eng...Innspub Net
The influence of four constant temperatures: 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C and three germination media: 1% water agar, heat sterilized river sand and seed testing paper (STP) on the germination of decoated seeds of Terminalia superba Engl. & Diels. were investigated. The germination media were placed in 90 mm diameter plastic Petri dishes with seventy five decoated seeds in 3 replicates of 25 seeds. The statistical design used in the investigation was a completely randomized design in a 3 x 4 factorial (germination media × incubation temperatures). Decoated seeds of T. superba germinated at all the four temperatures investigated. The optimum temperatures were determined as 25°C, 30°C and 35°C. All the three media can be considered ideal for the reason that these temperatures interacted with the germination media to record germination percentages ranging from 73 to 89% in the study. Mean germination time (MGT) was significantly (p < 0.001) shorter when agar was used as germination media compared to when germination was carried out on STP and soil. The shapes of germination curves describing the cumulative germination of decoated seeds of T. superba at all temperatures and on all the germination media investigated are S-shaped.
Response of commercial rice germplasm on agronomic traitAlexander Decker
This document analyzes the response of five commercial rice varieties to seed contaminants. Purity tests found the Basmati Super variety had the highest germination rate of 96% and least contaminants, while KSK-133 and KS-282 had higher levels of impurities and lower germination rates. Most varieties showed similar shoot growth, while IR-06 was more stunted. KSK-133 exhibited the longest roots. Analysis found the presence of fungi like Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium associated with the seeds, indicating potential risks to food safety if not properly stored.
Poster87: Breeding for drought resistance improves yield potential in both me...CIAT
Selection for drought resistance in common beans has improved yields under both drought stress and favorable conditions for both Mesoamerican and Andean beans. Drought-selected lines of Mesoamerican beans significantly outyielded commercial checks under drought stress and also yielded significantly higher than checks under irrigated conditions. Similarly, drought-selected lines of Andean beans yielded significantly more than checks under drought stress in multiple environments and also yielded well under irrigation with no stress. Selection for drought resistance has provided genetic gains for improved yield potential and stress tolerance in common beans.
Seed Setting Efficiency, Leaf Relative Water Content and Yield Traits of some...Premier Publishers
A potted experiment was conducted in the screen house between February and April, 2017. Seeds of five cowpea varieties were obtained and placed in plastic buckets of 7-liter capacity, perforated at the bottom and filled with top soil. Three soil moisture level treatments of Severe Stress (SS), Mild Stress (MS) and Non-Stress (NS) conditions were imposed. Pots were weighed in the morning of each day for the period of eight weeks to obtain daily cumulative water transpired. The experiment was a 5 x 3 factorial combination arranged using completely Randomized Design with six replications. Some of the Growth and Yield indices measured were, Leaf Relative Water Content (%), Seed Setting Efficiency (Ef), Crop Growth Rate (CGR), Pod Growth Rate (PGR), Water use efficiency (WUE), and Seed Yield (kg/ha). From the study, water stress negatively affects leaf relative water content, seed setting efficiency and cowpea yield by inducing reproductive organ abortion during reproductive development of cowpea. Consequently, the crop seed setting efficiency is lowered. Poor seed yield of cowpea under the severe water stress condition occurred as a result of reduced rate of assimilates production caused by water stress which reduced water potential in cowpea leaf and pods. Varieties exhibiting higher (WUE) were recorded more at non stress level and this was recorded for all the varieties except for Oloyin Brown which had higher (WUE) under mild-stress condition. At severe water stress conditions, most of the varieties recorded lower (WUE) except in varieties IT98K-503-1. Water stress reduced leaf relative water content and grain yield of cowpea. Among the varieties evaluated, IT98K-503-1 performed better at Non stress condition with higher seed setting efficiency (1.94), leaf relative water content (86.9%), and seed yield (14.8kg/ha).
This document summarizes a study that evaluated the relative resistance of 10 soybean cultivars against sucking insect pests in Pakistan. Researchers recorded populations of whiteflies, jassids, and thrips on the cultivars over the growing season. They found that thrips populations were highest overall, followed by jassids then whiteflies. The cultivars E-91-270 and AGS-109 were most susceptible, with the highest recorded populations of thrips and jassids, respectively. PR-142 and AGS-9 were most resistant. Climate factors like temperature and humidity correlated with whitefly and thrips populations but not jassids.
Evaluation of four cowpea lines for bruchid (callosobruchus maculatus) toleranceAlexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that evaluated the tolerance of four cowpea lines to infestation by the bruchid beetle (Callosobruchus maculatus). The lines were exposed to bruchids for three days, and data on seed damage, weight loss, and emerged insects was collected over 37 days. Results showed the most susceptible line was TVx 3236, with the highest seed damage, weight loss, and emerged insects. IT81D-994 showed moderate tolerance. Though reported as resistant in previous studies, IT99K-494-6 and IT84S-2246-4 were susceptible in this study. Periodic re-evaluation is needed to assess stability of resistance in released
Efficacy of trichoderma harzianum, poultry manure and yeast on the growth and...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that evaluated the effects of Trichoderma harzianum fungus, poultry manure, and palm wine yeast, individually and combined, on the growth and yield of soybeans grown in nematode-infested soil. Field experiments were conducted over two growing seasons. Application of the biological agents significantly increased soybean growth and yield while reducing nematode populations compared to the untreated control. Combining Trichoderma harzianum with poultry manure or palm wine yeast had the best effects on soybean plant height, leaf number, and soil nematode suppression.
Drought stress is one of the major abiotic factors affecting seed germination and plant growth especially in arid and semi-arid regions. In this study, we investigated the effects of drought stress on seed germination and seedling growth of five varieties of rapeseed. Seven drought stress levels of zero (control), -3, -5, -7, -9, -11 and -13 bars were performed using polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG-6000). A completely randomized design with three replications was used for this experiment. Germination percentage (GP), germination rate (GR), mean germination time (MGT), root length (RL) and shoot length (SL) were measured to evaluate the varieties response to PEG-induced drought stress. Drought stress, variety and the interaction drought × variety had a significant effect on all studied parameters. GP and GR decreased with the increase in stress level, while MGT increased. There were no seeds germinated for all varieties at -11 bars and -13 bars. Shoot length decreased with increasing drought stress but different varieties show different performance under stress environment. Root length decreased with increasing level of severe drought stress. However, the presence of moderate drought stress could even improve the root growth of the investigated varieties. The varieties ‘INRA-CZH2’ and ‘INRA-CZH3’ exhibited the highest germination percentage and the best early seedling growth. Thus, they could be recommended for environments with early cropping cycle drought.
Effect of bari wheat varieties on seed germination, growth and yield underMoniruzzaman Shohag
The study evaluated the performance of four BARI wheat varieties (BARI ghom-23, BARI ghom-24, BARI ghom-25, BARI ghom-26) under coastal conditions in Patuakhali, Bangladesh. BARI ghom-26 showed superior performance for all parameters measured except total dry matter content and yield reduction percentage. It had the highest seed germination percentage, plant height, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, leaf area index, spike length, grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, and number of effective tillers. BARI ghom-26 was identified as the most suitable variety for cultivation under coastal conditions in Patuakhali based on its overall superior performance
This document summarizes a study that evaluated 20 potato varieties for resistance to black scurf disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani under field conditions. The varieties showed a range of responses, with FD 76-78 found to be resistant, 9 varieties moderately resistant, 7 varieties moderately susceptible, 2 varieties susceptible, and 1 variety highly susceptible. The disease reduces potato yield and quality. Managing the disease primarily involves using resistant varieties.
Leaf Area IndexValues of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Stored For Different P...iosrjce
A study was carried out at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Potato programme (NRCRI)
Kuru, Jos Plateau State, Nigeria (Longitude 08OE 47I
, Latitude 09O N 44I
and altitude 1,239 metres above sea
level (msl)during the 2012- 2013 to investigate the leaf area index values of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)
Stored for different periods in different kinds of stores. Five potato varieties: Nicola, Bertita, Diamant, BR63-18
and Roslin Ruaka were stored for three periods: 12, 24 and 32 weeks in three types of stores, the Room
temperature Store, Diffused light store (DLS) and Air conditioned store. During storage, the experimental
design was completely randomized design in factorial combination of 5 potato varieties, 3 storage conditions
and 3 storage durations. There were 45 treatment combinations replicated 3 times. During field evaluation, a
split-split plot in Randomized complete block design was used with the potato varieties as the main plots, store
type as the sub plots and storage duration as the sub- sub plots. A fourth replication was added for growth
analysis study. Weekly temperatures and Relative humidity were recorded in each type of store. Leaf area index
measurement was done weekly from six weeks after planting (WAP) using the disc method. The result showed
that in all the varieties, storage durations and store types, LAI increased from 6WAP. Optimum LAI varied with
variety with Roslin Ruaka having the highest (3.45) while BR62-18 had the lowest (2.16) with other varieties
were in between. Leaf area index also varied with storage period with tubers stored for 32 weeks having the
highest LAI, followed by storage for 12 weeks while storage for 24 weeks resulted in lowest LAI. Leaf area
index also varied with store typewith seed tubers stored under Air condition having the highest followed by the
Diffused light store while the Room temperature store had the lowest. Leaf area duration (LAD) varied with
variety, storage period and store type. Roslin Ruaka had the highest LAD of 14.22 weeks while BR63-18 had the
lowest LAD of 10.28 weeks while the other varieties were in between. Seed tuber storage under Air condition
resulted in the highest LAD of 14.93 weeks followed by storage in Diffused light store with12.88 weeks while
Room temperature storage had the lowest LAD of 11.13 weeks. The differences in leaf area index and leaf area
duration between varieties, storage period and store type may be as a result of genotype, physiological age or environmental factors during subsequent crop growth in the field. Variety, storage period and store type with higher LAI values are expected to result in ahigher yield of crop compared to those with lower LAI values. LAI
values gives information about crop growth and subsequent yield of the crop.
Assessment of the curative potency of some plant materials on cowpea seeds wi...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that assessed the ability of various plant materials to control an established infestation of Callosobruchus maculatus (cowpea beetle) in stored cowpeas. Cowpeas were infested for 5 weeks before applying plant powders or the pesticide Actellic. Data was collected over 10 weeks on adult emergence, mortality, and seed damage. The most effective plant materials in reducing adult emergence were Moringa oleifera, Piper guineense, and Ocimum gratissimum. Actellic caused the highest insect mortality. At week 10, M. oleifera, P. guineense and O. gratissimum had weevil perforation indexes
Micro-propagation of Alstroemeria Hybrida Cv. PlutoIJEAB
The experiment entitled micropropagation of Alstroemeria hybrida cv. Pluto was conducted to standardize protocol for aseptic establishment, callus induction, proliferation, and rooting from rhizome tips, rhizome sections, shoot tips, shoot nodal segments and inflorescence buds. Highest culture asepsis of 79.20 per cent at 2 weeks of culture and 68.08 per cent at 4 weeks of culture was recorded in rhizome tips following sterilization treatment with Carbendazim 200 ppm for 30 minutes + HgCl2 (0.1 %) dip for 10 minutes and final treatment with ethyl alcohol (70 %) for 1 minute. Rhizome tips and rhizome section explants survived sterilant treatment better than other explants. MS-liquid medium supplemented with BAP + IBA: 1.5 + 0.2 mg l-l proved best for culture establishment (89.42 %) in case of rhizome tips and (56.13 %) in case of rhizome sections. MS-solid medium with plant growth regulator combinations BAP + IBA: 1.0 + 0.2 mg l-1 fortified with activated charcoal resulted in an establishment of (78.25 %) in rhizome tips and (40.24 %) in case of rhizome sections. Callus induction was highest in MS-solid medium fortified with BAP + NAA: 0.5 + 4.5 mg l-l. Rhizome tips cultured on MS-medium BAP + IBA + GA3 + Activated charcoal: 2.0 + 0.4 + 0.5 + 1000 mg l-l gave highest proliferation (88.85 %) along with highest number of erect shoots (5.75) , number of new rhizome buds ( 3.75), rhizome fresh weight/shoot complex (6.05), and multiplication index (2.76). Highest Rooting (54.81 %) along with lowest days to appearance of root (10.87), highest number of roots (3.12) and highest root length (16.42 mm) was recorded in MS-liquid medium fortified with NAA 1.5 mg l-1. Abbreviations used— AC; Activated charcoal, BAP; 6-Benzyl amino purine, BA; 6-Benzyladenine, 2, 4-D; 2, 4dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid,GA3; Gibberelic acid, IAA; Indole-3-acetic acid, IBA; Indole-3-butyric acid, MS; Murashige and Skoog’s (1962) medium, NAA; Naphthalene acetic acid and µm; Micro molar.
The influence of pre and post-emergence herbicides on theAlexander Decker
The study evaluated 15 pre- and post-emergence herbicides for weed control in wheat in Nigeria. Oxadiazon at 1.0 kg/ha, propanil plus bentazon at 2.0 + 1.0 kg/ha, and metolachlor plus prometryne at 1.25 + 1.25 kg/ha provided the best weed control and highest wheat yields, comparable to hand weeding. These herbicides effectively controlled various weed species while demonstrating good crop safety. Untreated weedy plots resulted in 43% lower yields than the best herbicide treatments. Some herbicides like atrazine caused phytotoxicity and yield reductions in wheat. Overall, certain herbic
Genetic control and heterosis depend directly on genetic divergence among the parents in generating promising hybrids
required by plant breeders. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of heterosis, combining
abilities, regression and correlation estimates in order to develop hybrid cultivars in maize. The 28 F1 hybrids obtained by
partial diallel cross of 8 inbreds in a randomized complete block design were evaluated at the Lower Niger River Basin
Authority, Oke-Oyi, Nigeria in three years. General (GCA) and specific combining abilities (SCA) produced significant (P
< 0.01) effects for all the characters, while non-additive genetic effects were predominant. The levels of heterosis for grain
yield varied widely among crosses, ranging from -16.83 to 9.76%. Positive and significant genotypic and phenotypic
correlations among grain yield and some related characters (days to anthesis and silking; plant and ear heights; number of
ears plant-1 and 1000 seed weight) showed that each character could be used indirectly to selection of grain yield. These
results also indicated that SCA was more effective than heterosis for describing hybrid performance. The regression of
actual hybrid characters on the expected hybrid characters, based on parental GCA values, was highly significant.
Regression analysis also showed that all the agronomic characters jointly contributed 19.4% to grain yield of maize. The
inbreds (Pop 66 SR and 2000 EV DT-Y STRC4) and crosses (Pop 66 SR x, 2000 EV DT-Y STRC4, Pop 66 SR x KU1409
and 9006 x KU1409) featured prominently with respect to better GCA × Year and SCA × Year effects with high heterotic
values for maize grain yield and associated characters. These inbreds could serve as donors to obtain early and short
statured hybrids with higher yield, while the crosses may be exploited and adapted to the Nigerian Savannas. This study
also affirmed that genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficients as well as combining abilities, heterosis and regression
analyses were found to be suitable models for yield improvement in maize breeding.
This study reports on the vascular plant flora inventory of the Nowata County portion of the Oologah Wildlife Management Area in northeastern Oklahoma. A total of 470 species across 305 genera and 95 families were collected. The most species-rich families were Poaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae. 364 species documented in this study had not previously been reported in Nowata County. The inventory provides valuable information on the plant diversity in the area for research, conservation, and management purposes.
This document describes a new grafting method for propagating seedless watermelon plants. The method involves grafting cuttings from seedless watermelon scions onto rootstocks of different gourd varieties, including bottle gourd, pumpkin, and squash. The grafted plants showed increased growth, yields, fruit characteristics, and sugar content compared to seedless watermelon grown without grafting. The new grafting technique could help reduce the high costs of producing seedless watermelon in Egypt by providing a means of asexual propagation to minimize the need for expensive hybrid seeds.
Activity of callosobruchus maculatus (f.) (coleoptera bruchidae) on selected ...Alexander Decker
This study evaluated the susceptibility of 3 bambara groundnut breeding lines (SSD5, SSD8, SSD9) and 3 landraces (Uniswa red, ASI7, OM1) to the cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus). The breeding lines had significantly larger and heavier seeds than the landraces. When infested with C. maculatus, SSD8 and OM1 had significantly more eggs laid and SSD8 suffered significantly higher damage. The landraces had a higher susceptibility index on average. Germination success of damaged seeds was significantly higher in the landraces (48.333%) than the breeding lines. The results indicate variability in
This document compares seven methods for assessing stored cereal losses to insects. It conducted experiments infesting wheat and barley grains with rice weevils (Sitophilus oryzae) under controlled conditions. It then applied seven assessment methods to the infested grains: 1) visual inspection, 2) uncorrected weight loss, 3) modified standard volume/weight ratio, 4) grain count and weight, 5) percentage of damaged grains converted to weight loss, 6) one thousand grain mass, and 7) one thousand grain mass including dust. The results showed wide variation in estimated grain mass losses depending on the method used, from 9.3-25.8% for barley and 2.2-12.5
Evaluation of rice genotypes for resistance to the stalk-eyed fly (Diopsis lo...Innspub Net
Globally, rice production is limited by abiotic and biotic factors. Of the insect pests attacking rice, the stalk-eyed fly is the most abundant. Major rice growing districts in Uganda are affected, and varieties grown by farmers are susceptible. The objective of this study was to identify sources of resistance to stalk-eyed flies among improved rice genotypes in Uganda. Fifty genotypes from the Africa Rice Centre, IRRI, South Korea and the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in Uganda were screened under cage and field conditions at NaCRRI. Trials were laid out in an alpha lattice design, with 3 replications, for both experiments. Natural infestation (D. longicornis or D. apicalis) was used in the field while cage trials utilized artificial infestation with D. longicornis. Data on deadhearts were collected from seedling to tillering stages, at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Analyses of variance were performed using restricted maximum likelihood. Infestation levels for 31 (62%) rice genotypes were the same under both field and cage conditions, 4 (8%) genotypes showed higher susceptibility in the cage than in the field and 15 (30%) were more resistant in the cage than in the field. Genotypes NERICA 4, TXD306, NM7-22-11-B-P-1-1 and K85 were identified as the most resistant varieties. F3 genotypes (GSR IR1- 5-S14-S2-Y1 x K85, Gigante x NERICA4, NERICA4 x Gigante, NERICA1x NERICA4, NERICA4 x NERICA6, and NERICA4 x SUPA) were also found resistant. These genotypes were recommended for release and further advancement, respectively.
This document discusses terminal heat stress in barley. It provides background on barley, noting that it is the fourth most important cereal crop. It then covers how heat stress can damage barley production by reducing grain filling stages and lowering yields. The document examines morphological, phenological, and physiological impacts of heat stress on barley as well as tolerance mechanisms. It proposes agronomic strategies to manage terminal heat stress such as early planting and fertilization during critical growth stages.
Field experiments were conducted to investigate the variations in sixteen maize genotypes in relation to drought tolerance. The experimental set up was subjected to drought stress after five weeks of planting for three weeks before data on morphological and yield characters of maize genotypes were obtained for three cropping years. Plant height and grain yield of Bodija yellow maize were the highest overall. There was a significant difference among genotypes for drought stress resistance and Bodija yellow maize showed the most tolerance, while TZBR Comp 1 – C1 S2 510 genotype was the least. First principal component axis (Prin 1) had the highest contribution to the variation of the morphological, yield and drought tolerance traits. Prin 1 was highly related to the morphological and yield characters more than to the drought resistance. Plant height was negatively and strongly correlated (p<0.01) with stem height, number of leaves, stem girth, leaf length, leaf width and week after planting, but negatively correlated with the drought resistance. Therefore, Bodija yellow maize should be considered as parent material in breeding for the development of drought tolerant traits in maize.
- An experiment was conducted in Bangladesh to evaluate the performance of two exotic fig cultivars (Indian and Egyptian) under local climatic conditions.
- Both cultivars grew well, with the Egyptian fig producing more fruits per plant (68.3 vs 103 for Indian) but smaller individual fruits.
- The Indian fig produced more fruits per plant (103 vs 68.3 for Egyptian) but smaller individual fruits.
- The results indicate that fig cultivation is viable in Bangladesh and Egyptian figs may be slightly preferable due to larger fruit size and yield.
Narrative used in AS and A2 portfolios.Emma Willcox
This document discusses the use of narrative devices in the author's AS and A2 work portfolios. For the AS portfolio, flashbacks were used to initially confuse the audience by showing a character receiving a text, and then providing context through revealing past events. This allowed the audience to understand the full story. In the A2 portfolio, voiceovers were used during expert interviews, such as playing volleyball footage during an interview with a player. The voiceovers provided background on experts or footage relevant to what they were discussing. This allowed the audience to link visuals to what was being said.
Evaluation of four cowpea lines for bruchid (callosobruchus maculatus) toleranceAlexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that evaluated the tolerance of four cowpea lines to infestation by the bruchid beetle (Callosobruchus maculatus). The lines were exposed to bruchids for three days, and data on seed damage, weight loss, and emerged insects was collected over 37 days. Results showed the most susceptible line was TVx 3236, with the highest seed damage, weight loss, and emerged insects. IT81D-994 showed moderate tolerance. Though reported as resistant in previous studies, IT99K-494-6 and IT84S-2246-4 were susceptible in this study. Periodic re-evaluation is needed to assess stability of resistance in released
Efficacy of trichoderma harzianum, poultry manure and yeast on the growth and...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that evaluated the effects of Trichoderma harzianum fungus, poultry manure, and palm wine yeast, individually and combined, on the growth and yield of soybeans grown in nematode-infested soil. Field experiments were conducted over two growing seasons. Application of the biological agents significantly increased soybean growth and yield while reducing nematode populations compared to the untreated control. Combining Trichoderma harzianum with poultry manure or palm wine yeast had the best effects on soybean plant height, leaf number, and soil nematode suppression.
Drought stress is one of the major abiotic factors affecting seed germination and plant growth especially in arid and semi-arid regions. In this study, we investigated the effects of drought stress on seed germination and seedling growth of five varieties of rapeseed. Seven drought stress levels of zero (control), -3, -5, -7, -9, -11 and -13 bars were performed using polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG-6000). A completely randomized design with three replications was used for this experiment. Germination percentage (GP), germination rate (GR), mean germination time (MGT), root length (RL) and shoot length (SL) were measured to evaluate the varieties response to PEG-induced drought stress. Drought stress, variety and the interaction drought × variety had a significant effect on all studied parameters. GP and GR decreased with the increase in stress level, while MGT increased. There were no seeds germinated for all varieties at -11 bars and -13 bars. Shoot length decreased with increasing drought stress but different varieties show different performance under stress environment. Root length decreased with increasing level of severe drought stress. However, the presence of moderate drought stress could even improve the root growth of the investigated varieties. The varieties ‘INRA-CZH2’ and ‘INRA-CZH3’ exhibited the highest germination percentage and the best early seedling growth. Thus, they could be recommended for environments with early cropping cycle drought.
Effect of bari wheat varieties on seed germination, growth and yield underMoniruzzaman Shohag
The study evaluated the performance of four BARI wheat varieties (BARI ghom-23, BARI ghom-24, BARI ghom-25, BARI ghom-26) under coastal conditions in Patuakhali, Bangladesh. BARI ghom-26 showed superior performance for all parameters measured except total dry matter content and yield reduction percentage. It had the highest seed germination percentage, plant height, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, leaf area index, spike length, grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, and number of effective tillers. BARI ghom-26 was identified as the most suitable variety for cultivation under coastal conditions in Patuakhali based on its overall superior performance
This document summarizes a study that evaluated 20 potato varieties for resistance to black scurf disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani under field conditions. The varieties showed a range of responses, with FD 76-78 found to be resistant, 9 varieties moderately resistant, 7 varieties moderately susceptible, 2 varieties susceptible, and 1 variety highly susceptible. The disease reduces potato yield and quality. Managing the disease primarily involves using resistant varieties.
Leaf Area IndexValues of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Stored For Different P...iosrjce
A study was carried out at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Potato programme (NRCRI)
Kuru, Jos Plateau State, Nigeria (Longitude 08OE 47I
, Latitude 09O N 44I
and altitude 1,239 metres above sea
level (msl)during the 2012- 2013 to investigate the leaf area index values of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)
Stored for different periods in different kinds of stores. Five potato varieties: Nicola, Bertita, Diamant, BR63-18
and Roslin Ruaka were stored for three periods: 12, 24 and 32 weeks in three types of stores, the Room
temperature Store, Diffused light store (DLS) and Air conditioned store. During storage, the experimental
design was completely randomized design in factorial combination of 5 potato varieties, 3 storage conditions
and 3 storage durations. There were 45 treatment combinations replicated 3 times. During field evaluation, a
split-split plot in Randomized complete block design was used with the potato varieties as the main plots, store
type as the sub plots and storage duration as the sub- sub plots. A fourth replication was added for growth
analysis study. Weekly temperatures and Relative humidity were recorded in each type of store. Leaf area index
measurement was done weekly from six weeks after planting (WAP) using the disc method. The result showed
that in all the varieties, storage durations and store types, LAI increased from 6WAP. Optimum LAI varied with
variety with Roslin Ruaka having the highest (3.45) while BR62-18 had the lowest (2.16) with other varieties
were in between. Leaf area index also varied with storage period with tubers stored for 32 weeks having the
highest LAI, followed by storage for 12 weeks while storage for 24 weeks resulted in lowest LAI. Leaf area
index also varied with store typewith seed tubers stored under Air condition having the highest followed by the
Diffused light store while the Room temperature store had the lowest. Leaf area duration (LAD) varied with
variety, storage period and store type. Roslin Ruaka had the highest LAD of 14.22 weeks while BR63-18 had the
lowest LAD of 10.28 weeks while the other varieties were in between. Seed tuber storage under Air condition
resulted in the highest LAD of 14.93 weeks followed by storage in Diffused light store with12.88 weeks while
Room temperature storage had the lowest LAD of 11.13 weeks. The differences in leaf area index and leaf area
duration between varieties, storage period and store type may be as a result of genotype, physiological age or environmental factors during subsequent crop growth in the field. Variety, storage period and store type with higher LAI values are expected to result in ahigher yield of crop compared to those with lower LAI values. LAI
values gives information about crop growth and subsequent yield of the crop.
Assessment of the curative potency of some plant materials on cowpea seeds wi...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that assessed the ability of various plant materials to control an established infestation of Callosobruchus maculatus (cowpea beetle) in stored cowpeas. Cowpeas were infested for 5 weeks before applying plant powders or the pesticide Actellic. Data was collected over 10 weeks on adult emergence, mortality, and seed damage. The most effective plant materials in reducing adult emergence were Moringa oleifera, Piper guineense, and Ocimum gratissimum. Actellic caused the highest insect mortality. At week 10, M. oleifera, P. guineense and O. gratissimum had weevil perforation indexes
Micro-propagation of Alstroemeria Hybrida Cv. PlutoIJEAB
The experiment entitled micropropagation of Alstroemeria hybrida cv. Pluto was conducted to standardize protocol for aseptic establishment, callus induction, proliferation, and rooting from rhizome tips, rhizome sections, shoot tips, shoot nodal segments and inflorescence buds. Highest culture asepsis of 79.20 per cent at 2 weeks of culture and 68.08 per cent at 4 weeks of culture was recorded in rhizome tips following sterilization treatment with Carbendazim 200 ppm for 30 minutes + HgCl2 (0.1 %) dip for 10 minutes and final treatment with ethyl alcohol (70 %) for 1 minute. Rhizome tips and rhizome section explants survived sterilant treatment better than other explants. MS-liquid medium supplemented with BAP + IBA: 1.5 + 0.2 mg l-l proved best for culture establishment (89.42 %) in case of rhizome tips and (56.13 %) in case of rhizome sections. MS-solid medium with plant growth regulator combinations BAP + IBA: 1.0 + 0.2 mg l-1 fortified with activated charcoal resulted in an establishment of (78.25 %) in rhizome tips and (40.24 %) in case of rhizome sections. Callus induction was highest in MS-solid medium fortified with BAP + NAA: 0.5 + 4.5 mg l-l. Rhizome tips cultured on MS-medium BAP + IBA + GA3 + Activated charcoal: 2.0 + 0.4 + 0.5 + 1000 mg l-l gave highest proliferation (88.85 %) along with highest number of erect shoots (5.75) , number of new rhizome buds ( 3.75), rhizome fresh weight/shoot complex (6.05), and multiplication index (2.76). Highest Rooting (54.81 %) along with lowest days to appearance of root (10.87), highest number of roots (3.12) and highest root length (16.42 mm) was recorded in MS-liquid medium fortified with NAA 1.5 mg l-1. Abbreviations used— AC; Activated charcoal, BAP; 6-Benzyl amino purine, BA; 6-Benzyladenine, 2, 4-D; 2, 4dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid,GA3; Gibberelic acid, IAA; Indole-3-acetic acid, IBA; Indole-3-butyric acid, MS; Murashige and Skoog’s (1962) medium, NAA; Naphthalene acetic acid and µm; Micro molar.
The influence of pre and post-emergence herbicides on theAlexander Decker
The study evaluated 15 pre- and post-emergence herbicides for weed control in wheat in Nigeria. Oxadiazon at 1.0 kg/ha, propanil plus bentazon at 2.0 + 1.0 kg/ha, and metolachlor plus prometryne at 1.25 + 1.25 kg/ha provided the best weed control and highest wheat yields, comparable to hand weeding. These herbicides effectively controlled various weed species while demonstrating good crop safety. Untreated weedy plots resulted in 43% lower yields than the best herbicide treatments. Some herbicides like atrazine caused phytotoxicity and yield reductions in wheat. Overall, certain herbic
Genetic control and heterosis depend directly on genetic divergence among the parents in generating promising hybrids
required by plant breeders. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of heterosis, combining
abilities, regression and correlation estimates in order to develop hybrid cultivars in maize. The 28 F1 hybrids obtained by
partial diallel cross of 8 inbreds in a randomized complete block design were evaluated at the Lower Niger River Basin
Authority, Oke-Oyi, Nigeria in three years. General (GCA) and specific combining abilities (SCA) produced significant (P
< 0.01) effects for all the characters, while non-additive genetic effects were predominant. The levels of heterosis for grain
yield varied widely among crosses, ranging from -16.83 to 9.76%. Positive and significant genotypic and phenotypic
correlations among grain yield and some related characters (days to anthesis and silking; plant and ear heights; number of
ears plant-1 and 1000 seed weight) showed that each character could be used indirectly to selection of grain yield. These
results also indicated that SCA was more effective than heterosis for describing hybrid performance. The regression of
actual hybrid characters on the expected hybrid characters, based on parental GCA values, was highly significant.
Regression analysis also showed that all the agronomic characters jointly contributed 19.4% to grain yield of maize. The
inbreds (Pop 66 SR and 2000 EV DT-Y STRC4) and crosses (Pop 66 SR x, 2000 EV DT-Y STRC4, Pop 66 SR x KU1409
and 9006 x KU1409) featured prominently with respect to better GCA × Year and SCA × Year effects with high heterotic
values for maize grain yield and associated characters. These inbreds could serve as donors to obtain early and short
statured hybrids with higher yield, while the crosses may be exploited and adapted to the Nigerian Savannas. This study
also affirmed that genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficients as well as combining abilities, heterosis and regression
analyses were found to be suitable models for yield improvement in maize breeding.
This study reports on the vascular plant flora inventory of the Nowata County portion of the Oologah Wildlife Management Area in northeastern Oklahoma. A total of 470 species across 305 genera and 95 families were collected. The most species-rich families were Poaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae. 364 species documented in this study had not previously been reported in Nowata County. The inventory provides valuable information on the plant diversity in the area for research, conservation, and management purposes.
This document describes a new grafting method for propagating seedless watermelon plants. The method involves grafting cuttings from seedless watermelon scions onto rootstocks of different gourd varieties, including bottle gourd, pumpkin, and squash. The grafted plants showed increased growth, yields, fruit characteristics, and sugar content compared to seedless watermelon grown without grafting. The new grafting technique could help reduce the high costs of producing seedless watermelon in Egypt by providing a means of asexual propagation to minimize the need for expensive hybrid seeds.
Activity of callosobruchus maculatus (f.) (coleoptera bruchidae) on selected ...Alexander Decker
This study evaluated the susceptibility of 3 bambara groundnut breeding lines (SSD5, SSD8, SSD9) and 3 landraces (Uniswa red, ASI7, OM1) to the cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus). The breeding lines had significantly larger and heavier seeds than the landraces. When infested with C. maculatus, SSD8 and OM1 had significantly more eggs laid and SSD8 suffered significantly higher damage. The landraces had a higher susceptibility index on average. Germination success of damaged seeds was significantly higher in the landraces (48.333%) than the breeding lines. The results indicate variability in
This document compares seven methods for assessing stored cereal losses to insects. It conducted experiments infesting wheat and barley grains with rice weevils (Sitophilus oryzae) under controlled conditions. It then applied seven assessment methods to the infested grains: 1) visual inspection, 2) uncorrected weight loss, 3) modified standard volume/weight ratio, 4) grain count and weight, 5) percentage of damaged grains converted to weight loss, 6) one thousand grain mass, and 7) one thousand grain mass including dust. The results showed wide variation in estimated grain mass losses depending on the method used, from 9.3-25.8% for barley and 2.2-12.5
Evaluation of rice genotypes for resistance to the stalk-eyed fly (Diopsis lo...Innspub Net
Globally, rice production is limited by abiotic and biotic factors. Of the insect pests attacking rice, the stalk-eyed fly is the most abundant. Major rice growing districts in Uganda are affected, and varieties grown by farmers are susceptible. The objective of this study was to identify sources of resistance to stalk-eyed flies among improved rice genotypes in Uganda. Fifty genotypes from the Africa Rice Centre, IRRI, South Korea and the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in Uganda were screened under cage and field conditions at NaCRRI. Trials were laid out in an alpha lattice design, with 3 replications, for both experiments. Natural infestation (D. longicornis or D. apicalis) was used in the field while cage trials utilized artificial infestation with D. longicornis. Data on deadhearts were collected from seedling to tillering stages, at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Analyses of variance were performed using restricted maximum likelihood. Infestation levels for 31 (62%) rice genotypes were the same under both field and cage conditions, 4 (8%) genotypes showed higher susceptibility in the cage than in the field and 15 (30%) were more resistant in the cage than in the field. Genotypes NERICA 4, TXD306, NM7-22-11-B-P-1-1 and K85 were identified as the most resistant varieties. F3 genotypes (GSR IR1- 5-S14-S2-Y1 x K85, Gigante x NERICA4, NERICA4 x Gigante, NERICA1x NERICA4, NERICA4 x NERICA6, and NERICA4 x SUPA) were also found resistant. These genotypes were recommended for release and further advancement, respectively.
This document discusses terminal heat stress in barley. It provides background on barley, noting that it is the fourth most important cereal crop. It then covers how heat stress can damage barley production by reducing grain filling stages and lowering yields. The document examines morphological, phenological, and physiological impacts of heat stress on barley as well as tolerance mechanisms. It proposes agronomic strategies to manage terminal heat stress such as early planting and fertilization during critical growth stages.
Field experiments were conducted to investigate the variations in sixteen maize genotypes in relation to drought tolerance. The experimental set up was subjected to drought stress after five weeks of planting for three weeks before data on morphological and yield characters of maize genotypes were obtained for three cropping years. Plant height and grain yield of Bodija yellow maize were the highest overall. There was a significant difference among genotypes for drought stress resistance and Bodija yellow maize showed the most tolerance, while TZBR Comp 1 – C1 S2 510 genotype was the least. First principal component axis (Prin 1) had the highest contribution to the variation of the morphological, yield and drought tolerance traits. Prin 1 was highly related to the morphological and yield characters more than to the drought resistance. Plant height was negatively and strongly correlated (p<0.01) with stem height, number of leaves, stem girth, leaf length, leaf width and week after planting, but negatively correlated with the drought resistance. Therefore, Bodija yellow maize should be considered as parent material in breeding for the development of drought tolerant traits in maize.
- An experiment was conducted in Bangladesh to evaluate the performance of two exotic fig cultivars (Indian and Egyptian) under local climatic conditions.
- Both cultivars grew well, with the Egyptian fig producing more fruits per plant (68.3 vs 103 for Indian) but smaller individual fruits.
- The Indian fig produced more fruits per plant (103 vs 68.3 for Egyptian) but smaller individual fruits.
- The results indicate that fig cultivation is viable in Bangladesh and Egyptian figs may be slightly preferable due to larger fruit size and yield.
Narrative used in AS and A2 portfolios.Emma Willcox
This document discusses the use of narrative devices in the author's AS and A2 work portfolios. For the AS portfolio, flashbacks were used to initially confuse the audience by showing a character receiving a text, and then providing context through revealing past events. This allowed the audience to understand the full story. In the A2 portfolio, voiceovers were used during expert interviews, such as playing volleyball footage during an interview with a player. The voiceovers provided background on experts or footage relevant to what they were discussing. This allowed the audience to link visuals to what was being said.
Consider how documentaries have evolved?Emma Willcox
Documentaries have evolved from early films in the 1920s that captured singular moments, to the development of propaganda films in the 1930s like Leni Riefenstahl's "Triumph of the Will." Direct cinema in the late 1950s and cinema verite in the 1960s strived for a naturalistic style. John Grierson in the 1920s believed documentaries could build morale. While Robert Flaherty's 1922 film "Nanook of the North" was pioneering, it was criticized for staging some scenes. Audiences have become dependent on media like documentaries which they view as truthful sources of information.
How did I use media technologies in the construction and research, planning a...Emma Willcox
Emma Willcox used various media technologies at each stage of her documentary project: YouTube to upload research videos, Google Drive to share documents, SlideShare for presentations, Final Cut Express for editing footage, a Sony camera for filming, and a MacBook Pro for editing and creating content. She also used social media like Facebook and Twitter to promote the documentary, as well as SurveyMonkey to gather audience feedback for evaluation.
How did I use media technologies in the construction and research, planning a...Emma Willcox
Emma used various media technologies throughout the research, planning, construction, and evaluation stages of her project. For research, she used Google to search for documentaries and YouTube to upload a questionnaire. In planning, she used Google Drive to store documents and Slideshare to present. Tumblr was used as a central blog to showcase all stages of work. Final Cut Express and a MacBook Pro were used for video editing and construction. Surveys and social media were used to promote and evaluate the documentary.
This document summarizes a study that screened 12 cultivars from three ornamental Tagetes species (T. patula, T. tenuifolia, and T. erecta) for drought tolerance. Plants were subjected to a 3-week drought stress treatment by stopping watering. Various plant growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes, oxidative stress markers, and antioxidants were then measured and compared between stressed and unstressed plants. On average, T. erecta proved more drought tolerant than the other two species, though tolerance varied within each species. Principal component analysis identified the traits most associated with drought tolerance and the most tolerant cultivars. The results indicate drought tolerant Tagetes
Research Paper | Effectiveness of two diatomaceous earths (FossilShield® and ...InternationalNetwork
Influence of maize varieties CLH103 and SHABA on the effectiveness of FossilShield® and SilicoSec® against Sitophilus zeamais was evaluated in laboratory. Each product was used at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 g/kg and four exposure periods (1, 3, 7 and 14 days) for adult mortality and F1 progeny production. Damaged and germinated seeds were also assessed. Malathion (positive control) was used at the recommended dosage (0.5 g/kg). Probit analysis showed that FossilShield® and SilicoSec® were more toxic to weevils on CLH103 than SHABA from 3 days post-infestation, while within 1 day post-infestation, the two products were rather more toxic on SHABA than CLH103. Student t-test showed significant difference between the two maize varieties treated with FossilShield® in the reduction of adult emergence at 1 g/kg while with SilicoSec® this difference was observed for all concentrations. Malathion as positive control completely inhibited the development of insects on the two maize varieties. Like Malathion at the single dosage (0.5 g/kg), the number of emerged insects was completely reduced by each diatomaceous earth (DE) at 2 g/kg. FossilShield® (from 1.5 g/kg) reduced completely grain damages in the CLH103 variety, while FossilShield® (2 g/kg) almost reduced grain damages (1.0%). SilicoSec® achieved complete reduction on CLH103 variety, while, on SHABA variety, the reduction of grain damage was significantly different (7.4%). Seed germination was not affect by the DEs. In this study, the results showed that utilization of FossilShield® and SilicoSec® could be favorably considered as alternative solution to Malathion against Sitophilus zeamais.
Survival of Groundnut Seeds under Different Storage ConditionsSeeds
The document examines the effect of seed moisture content, storage temperature, and storage method (air vs vacuum) on the viability of stored groundnut seeds. It finds that reducing seed moisture content to 1.7-3.4% through drying, storing at 35C or below, and vacuum sealing can maintain seed viability for over 2 years. Ultra-dry storage through lowering moisture content improves seed longevity, allowing valuable germplasm to be stored longer without refrigeration.
Effect of incubation temperature on lesion diameter of Penicillium expansum o...Innspub Net
Current research work was conducted to determine impact of various genotypes and heat on shelf life of apple. Study was carried out in vitro. Effect of temperature on lesion diameter of fungal growth in most prominent apple fruit varieties growing in Pakistan was assessed. Four temperature (5, 15, 25 and 35°C) treatments were provided to fruits of each variety after inoculation with spore suspension adjusted at 106spores/ml and growth of P. expansum was measured for 12 days at 3 days interval. Pathogen showed maximum growth (23mm) at 25°C while minimum (11mm) at 5°C in all varieties and moderate growth was observed at 15°C and 35°C. Golden delicious apple which have thin cuticle and prone to injuries more frequently as compared to other varieties was found most susceptible at all temperatures while Red delicious proved to be the most resistant against growth of pathogen at all temperature sets comparatively. It was concluded that Red delicious is most resistant against pathogen studied consequently can be saved for longer time without providing extraordinary conditions while Golden delicious apple should be kept in special environment to reduce damage of product after harvesting due to its most susceptibility against blue most disease.
Dormancy breaking and the influence of gibberellic acid on the early growth o...Innspub Net
This study evaluated different methods for breaking seed dormancy and enhancing early growth of Tamarindus indica seedlings in Mubi, Nigeria. Treatment of seeds with concentrated sulfuric acid for 10 minutes resulted in the highest germination rate (100%) and water uptake (80.41%), making it the most effective dormancy breaking method. Application of gibberellic acid increased seedling height, number of leaves, and stem girth compared to untreated seedlings, demonstrating that it promotes early and rapid growth. The findings indicate that dormancy can be overcome through scarification treatments and that gibberellic acid application optimizes T. indica seedling production.
The document summarizes a study on enhancing seed germination of Balanites aegyptiaca, an important tree crop in Africa. Various chemical and physical treatments were tested for breaking dormancy, including dry heat, gibberellic acid, sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and mechanical scarification. The highest germination percentage of 73.5% was achieved with dry heat treatment at 60°C for 15 minutes. Hot water and mechanical scarification also improved germination rates. The study aims to develop methods to increase seed viability and support conservation of Balanites aegyptiaca in Egyptian gene banks.
seeds potentialities of medicks in sub humid area to be used in steppe zoneIJEAB
New pulse crops varieties more productive as medics should be made available to breeders located in semi-arid region of Algeria. So, and through two years of testing, pods yield and seeds production of twenty populations belonging to species M.intertexta , M.ciliaris, M.polymorpha , M.Truncatula and an introduced population M.muricoleptis is an Australian cultivar (Jemalong) are appreciated.Pods’ yields of year 2013 vary between 78,66g/m² with poly27 and 3637,33g/m² with I107. Values of the second essay (2015) are different, they vary between 40,89g /m² with Poly236 and 464,36 g/m² with I11.The cultivar Jemalong offers a yield of 172,4 g/m². The corresponding seed yields also show a low production in year 2015. The ratio leaf / stem varies between 1,03 and 5. The average of yields in dry matter of 27 populations in 2013 was of 457,79g/m2 against 127,41 g/m² in 18 populations in 2015. Jemalong cultivar records a yield of 12,8g/m². For the same dose of seed, number of plants by square meter varies between 44 and 112. Number of stems by square meter varies between 136 in C204 and 420 in I52..The average width of population’s ramifications varies between 13cm in Tr334 and 44 cm in I52, The Jemalong cultivar offers an average of 17cm. So, production results of medicks depend of weather conditions in littoral zone of lower altitude than 600-700m. In steppe zones, we recommend to make tests in situ with these same populations.
Resistance/tolerance to root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and ...Premier Publishers
This experiment was carried out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (40 X 10m plot) to evaluate cacao clones for resistance and tolerance against Meloidogyne incognita in infested field. The ten cocoa clones evaluated are MXC67, T86/2, PA150, LCTEEN, T12/11, T53/5, T101/15, T65/7, ICS1 and AMAZ 15-15. Pre-planting survey revealed ten genera of phytonematodes, these were; Meloidogyne spp., Pratylenchus spp., Helicotylenchus spp. Paralongidorus spp., Eutylenchus spp., Scutellonema spp., Hemicyclophora spp., Xiphinema spp., Longidorus spp., Anguillulina spp., Psilenchus spp., and Tetylenchus spp. Meloidogyne spp. had the highest frequency of occurrence and highest population in 250g soil (40 and 28,234 respectively), Paralongidorus spp. was next in population. Based on gall index, nematode reproduction factor and growth parameters, MXC67, T86/2, PA150, T101/15 and T53/5 were susceptible to the nematode. Two other clones, T65/7 and ICS1 were tolerant. A high degree of resistance was exhibited by LCTEEN, T12/11 and AMAZ 15-15. Compared with F3 Amazon and Amelonado varieties, the two most famous cocoa varieties in Nigeria, four clones (LCTEEN, T65/7, ICSI and AMAZ 15-15) were superior to F3 Amazon and Amelonado. This study showed that planting of resistance/tolerant cacao clones in nematode infested soil will drastically reduce seedling failure experienced by farmers. This tolerant and resistant clones identified should be included in breeding programme for resistance.
Activity of callosobruchus maculatus (f.) (coleopteraAlexander Decker
This study evaluated the susceptibility of 3 bambara groundnut landraces and 3 breeding lines to infestation by the cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus). Seeds were exposed to C. maculatus adults and the number of eggs laid, adult emergence, damage levels, and germination success were measured. The breeding lines tended to have larger seeds than the landraces. SSD5 and SSD9 had the lowest egg counts and adult emergence, indicating greater resistance. Germination of damaged seeds was significantly lower than undamaged seeds and was higher for landraces than breeding lines. The study identified varietal resistance that could help reduce post-harvest losses from C. mac
Spanish moss is not actually a moss, but is a flowering bromeliad epiphyte that grows on trees and structures in warm, humid climates. It provides shelter and nesting areas for various animal species like bats, birds, snakes and squirrels. Some bats and snakes even use Spanish moss both as shelter and a source of food and water. Its widespread growth can sometimes trap and endanger young bats and birds.
6_Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of Sorghum vulgare in presence of root ...Aline Bruna Martins Vaz
This document summarizes a study that investigated the effects of root endophytic fungi isolated from Myrtus communis on sorghum plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. 150 endophytic fungi isolates were obtained from M. communis roots, including 7 taxa belonging to Ascomycota. None of the endophytic fungi, except Drechslera sp., were able to colonize sorghum roots. Some endophytic fungi increased sorghum shoot dry weight or AM colonization. The population of most endophytic fungi in the sorghum rhizosphere remained similar over time, except for one fungus that increased.
The leaf miner, Coelaenomenodera elaeidis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is a high priority insect pest of the oil palm. The study examined the influence of temperature and rainfall on C. elaeidis abundance in the Okomu oil palm plantation between 2007 and 2009. Climatological data were obtained from the Okomu meteorological station. Pest and weather data were analyzed using multiple linear regressions. Highest mean temperature (33.13 0C ± 1.29) and rainfall (233.73mm ± 176.01) were recorded in 2007. There were significant relationships between adult (0.045) and pupa (0.02). C. elaeidis stages with rainfall and minimum temperature in 2007. Leaf miner predictions were evaluated for the different leaf miner stages using their corresponding model equations. The mathematical relationship between the insect stages (larva, pupa and adult) and weather factors (rainfall and temperature) implies that pest prediction can be made for the different leaf miner stages using their corresponding model equations giving specific values for rainfall and temperature. The variations in the seasonal patterns of temperature and rainfall are of major significance as a cue to timing leaf miner abundance and ensuring effective control. This study recommends control of the C. elaeidis before the onset of the dry season and temperature build up. This improves management of the leaf miner by controlling it more effectively.
White fly control in fruit crops under protected STRUCTUREiari
White flies are a major pest in greenhouse fruit crops. The warm, humid conditions in greenhouses allow whitefly populations to grow rapidly. Several whitefly species can infest fruit crops, with the greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) being most common. Integrated pest management for whiteflies in greenhouses includes prevention through exclusion barriers and sanitation, monitoring with yellow sticky cards, and control using biological controls like parasitoids and predators, entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes, and selective use of biopesticides or chemical pesticides.
— This study summarizes the results of 30 years of our experiments with Vicia faba L seeds. Our long-term practical observations of different Vicia faba L. cultivars points out the method useful for the higher yield of seeds in terms of their viability and thus higher crop production. Our experiments led to the following important findings regarding of seed viability: 1. Individual and group variability of seeds; 2. Storage condition before germination; and 3. The condition of their germination. All these three influential conditions is possible to optimalize by method of storage effect described in this our report resulting in the improvement of crop production. This is especially important in case of seeds that are rare and/or expensive, i.e. seeds that are genetically modified or with rearranged karyotypes. Keywords— seed color, higher germination, improvement of viability, higher crop production.
This document summarizes a study on variations in abdominal pigmentation in Drosophila immigrans populations across different altitudes. Six populations of D. immigrans were collected from different altitudes ranging from 600-2200 meters. The populations were analyzed for traits related to ecophysiology (abdominal pigmentation, desiccation resistance, cuticular water loss) and reproductive fitness (copulation duration, fecundity rate). Populations from higher altitudes showed darker abdominal pigmentation which correlated with better desiccation resistance. Darker individuals also had longer copulation durations and higher fecundity, indicating reproductive advantages in colder environments. The results suggest abdominal pigmentation plays a role in thermal balance and reproductive success
Development of drought tolerant maize cultivars is prerequisite to achieving stable grain yield in
drought–prone ecologies of Nigeria’s Guinea savanna. However, success has been limited mainly due
to lack of maize genotypes that show clear differences in response to well defined moisture deficit
condition. Two sets of drought tolerant (DT) maize germplasm were evaluated under screenhouse and
field conditions between 1999 and 2002. In the screenhouse study, performances of the genotypes
were compared under well-watered condition and moisture deficit imposed at different growth stages.
Under field conditions, the first set comprising 11 accessions along with a check were evaluated for 4
growing seasons while the second set which comprised 3 DT varieties were evaluated along with 2
check varieties using monthly plantings between April and August of 2001 and 2002, respectively. In
the first set, post anthesis moisture deficit significantly reduced grain yield by 25 to 73.5% in the open
pollinated varieties (OPVs) and by 20 to 64% in the hybrids. Grain yield under field conditions ranged
from 2.48 to 3.49, 2.82 to 3.73 and 3.58 to 4.76 tons/ha-1 for 1999, 2000 and 2001 full growing seasons,
respectively, and 2.03 to 2.50 tons/ha-1 for 2000 late growing season. In the second set, pre and post
anthesis moisture deficits reduced grain yield by 77.6 and 95.8%, respectively, of well watered
condition while in the field, grain yields in the genotypes were highest for plantings made in April and
July (1.90 - 2.5 t/ha), lowest for August (0.7 -1.8 t/ha) when moisture deficit coincided with
reproductive phase. Yield stability exhibited under moisture deficit and on the field by 8522-2, Oba
super 2 and AK9943-DMRSR in the first set as well as DT-SR-Y C0 and DT-SR-W C0 in the second set,
indicates their suitability either as cultivars per se or as potential source of DT alleles for
development of DT maize varieties for Nigeria’s savanna ecologies.
The effect of seed coat removal on seed germination of Terminalia superba Eng...Innspub Net
The influence of four constant temperatures: 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C and three germination media: 1% water agar, heat sterilized river sand and seed testing paper (STP) on the germination of decoated seeds of Terminalia superba Engl. & Diels. were investigated. The germination media were placed in 90 mm diameter plastic Petri dishes with seventy five decoated seeds in 3 replicates of 25 seeds. The statistical design used in the investigation was a completely randomized design in a 3 x 4 factorial (germination media × incubation temperatures). Decoated seeds of T. superba germinated at all the four temperatures investigated. The optimum temperatures were determined as 25°C, 30°C and 35°C. All the three media can be considered ideal for the reason that these temperatures interacted with the germination media to record germination percentages ranging from 73 to 89% in the study. Mean germination time (MGT) was significantly (p < 0.001) shorter when agar was used as germination media compared to when germination was carried out on STP and soil. The shapes of germination curves describing the cumulative germination of decoated seeds of T. superba at all temperatures and on all the germination media investigated are S-shaped.
Mandarin, also known as tangerines, originated in China and Southeast Asia. There are several varieties grown worldwide but only a few varieties like 'Dancy' and 'Fallglo' are economically important in the United States. Mandarins have high quality if they have deep orange peel with few blemishes and are juicy with few seeds. They are stored at temperatures between 5-8°C for up to 4 weeks and treated with fungicides to control postharvest diseases. Common diseases include stem-end rot, anthracnose, and green/blue mold which develop from wounds during harvesting and handling.
Similar to The Effect Of Storage Temperature On The Germinability Of Nsw Native Seeds (20)
The Effect Of Storage Temperature On The Germinability Of Nsw Native Seeds
1. The effect of storage temperature on the germinability of NSW native seeds
Thomas Suri Taisa
Abstract: There are more than 13 million floral species distributed worldwide, but only 1.8 million is known.
The floral diversity supports our economy, maintains environment and provides nutritional requirement to
humans and animals. However, world plant diversity is threatened by changing environment due to climate
change and increasing human activities, prompting collection and conservation of most endangered species in ex
situ repository collections. In Australia, A. gordonii, A. distyla and O. flocktoniae, are threatened by natural
calamities such as fire, and are warned of extinction due to rapid urban and agricultural developments. Thus,
collection and conservation of these species in ex situ seedbanks is one of the priorities of Australia’s
conservation program. Seed storage in seedbanks requires prior knowledge of seed’s moisture retention, ambient
storage temperature and drying facilities to maintain viability of the seed. This study investigated the
germinability of three native plant species stored for 9-10 years at low optimal temperatures (2.5⁰C and -20⁰C).
It was found that there was no effect of the two temperature regimes on the germination while differences in
germination were highly significant between and within the species. A high proportion of germination was
observed in A. gordonii (96-97%), followed by A. distyla (80-95%) and O. flocktoniae (66-80%).
Additional keywords: A. gordonii, A.distyla, germination, O. flocktoniae, seedbank, temperature, viability.
Introduction
There are more than 13 million flora species distributed throughout the world, which includes plants,
fungi, fern and mosses (Australia Flora Statistics 2009). It is estimated that 1.8 million is known
worldwide (Offord and Makinson 2009). In Australia, the total number of floral species is difficult to
estimate as many of them are unidentified and lost in the ecosystems including forests, grasslands,
deserts and tundra. In 2009, it was estimated around 20 000 (93.5%) native flowering plants occur
across bioregions, and many demonstrate good adaptability to different environments (Offord and
Makinson 2009). Other than the known species, there are many bryophytes (~2 200), algae (~3 000),
ferns/allies (~525) and gymnosperms (~120, Australian Flora Statistics 2009). These species form the
megadiverse system and contributes to the biodiversity of Australia (Offord and Makinson, 2009).
The floral diversity supports our economy, maintains the environment, and above all it
provides food, shelter, fuel, fibre and medicine (Nderitu et al. 2008; Turpie et al. 2003). However,
many of these species are exposed to changing environment, facing a multitude of anthropogenic
treats, especially habitat fragmentation and degradation (Offord and Makinson 2009; Reed and
Sarasan 2011). Consequently, many plant species are threatened with extinction because of the
gradual disappearance of the terrestrial natural ecosystems for various human activities (Reed et al.
2011). It is estimated that more than 50% of the world’s plant species are endemic to 34 global
biodiversity hotspots, which once covered 15.7% of the earth’s land surface but reduced to 2.3%
(Reed et al. 2011). In Australia, it is estimated that at least 10% of the plant species are under treat of
extinction (Offord and Makinson 2009). The treats are associated with rapid human activities,
particularly large exploration and mining, logging, land clearing for urbanization and agricultural
activities (Hamilton et al. 2011; Offord and Makinson 2009; Woinarski 2010).
The floral biodiversity is also threatened by climate change, which affects the future
distribution of native species and ecosystems (Crossman et al. 2012). The combination of these
changes affects food security, the economy and the environment (Tscharntke et al. 2012). While a
number of species and ecosystems have demonstrated some capacity to adapt to climate change
(Harder and Aizen 2010), many are suffering negative consequences (Crossman et al. 2012).
Reducing the vulnerability of the native species and ecosystems to the climate change and human
activities is an increasingly important conservation objective (Crossman et al. 2012; Tscharntke et al.
2. 2012). Identifying areas that are likely to become important for vulnerable species is necessary to
assist their adaptation to the changes and conserve the biological diversity for future use. This can be
achieved by ex situ and in situ conservation practices (Offord et al. 2004; Offord and Tyler 2009).
The ex situ approach of seed banking is cost-effective (Offord et al., 2004), and captures a
diverse genetic seed bearing plant species for later use (Martyn et al. 2009; Offord et al. 2004). It is
economically easy to maintain, requires small space, easy to handle and can hold a large number of
genetic diversity (Martyn et al. 2009). However, longevity of the storage is strongly influenced by the
dormancy of the species (Turner and Merritt 2009), moisture content (Offord et al. 2004) and storage
condition (Martyn et al. 2009). Germinability in this instance is very crucial to determine the recovery
potential of the seed after long period in the seedbank. The germinability of three threatened
Australian native species; Acacia gordonii, Allocasuarina distyla and Olearia flocktoniae remain
elusive, although some authors reported (Offord et al. 2004) a specific temperature and storage
condition. A review by Offord et al. (2004) indicated that these species require 10% moisture
retention at 5⁰C storage temperature for up to 10 years without the loss of viability. However,
reducing the current storage temperature might increase longevity of the seeds, considering the need
for these seeds to be stored for more than 10 years (Hamilton et al. 2009; Martyn et al. 2009).
Germination test was conducted on the three species (A. gordonii, A. distyla and O. flocktoniae) to
identify their germinability and longevity after 9-10 years of storage at lower storage temperatures.
Materials and Methods
Seed materials
The seeds of A. gordonii, A. distyla and O. flocktoniae were collected and kept in ex situ seedbank
conservation at Mt Annan Botanical Gardens since 2002. Seeds were divided between two lower
temperatures of 2.5⁰C and -20⁰C, and were stored for 9-10 years. Germinability of the seeds was pre-
tested (80-100%) before keeping them in the repository seedbank. These seeds were used in this
experiment to determine their germinability.
Treatment and incubation
Nine petri dishes, filled with solid water agar, were sown with seeds of A. gordonii, A. distyla and O.
flocktoniae at a rate of 25 seeds per dish. The seeds of A. gordonii were scarified to remove the
impermeable testa before sowing. Seed-containing petri dishes were labelled and kept in the
incubation room at a constant temperature of 20⁰C with 12/12 h light/dark. Germination of the seeds
was monitored periodically for two weeks.
Experimental design
The seeds of A. gordonii, A. distyla and O. flocktoniae were completely randomised in a split plot
design. Each species containing two accessions were splitted between two temperature treatments
(2.5⁰C and -20⁰C) in four replicates. Of the two accessions of each species, one was stored in both
temperature treatments, while the other accession was stored alone at low temperature (-20⁰C,
Freeze). Thus, a total of 36 treatments, comprising 3 species x 6 accessions x 2 temperatures, were
tested for germinability.
Germination assessment and viability testing
Germination census was done periodically at Day7, Day11 and Day14, for two weeks. Data was
collected from number of seeds germinated during germination census. The seed viability assessment
was done by carrying out cut test under microscope. Data from the germination counts and cut tests
were entered in the Microsoft Excel Windows 2010 and summarized prior to statistical analysis.
Statistical analysis
A Two-way Anova was used to determine the effect of storage temperature, species, accession and
their interaction on the germination of the seeds. The analysis was done using the Genstat program
(14th Edition) at the University of Sydney, Australian Technology Park, New South Wales. Least of
3. significance differences at 5% level were used to differentiate the means in factors that did not show
any significance in the germination.
Results
Seed quality assessment
The quality of the seeds was assessed at the time of the final germination count, whilst the proportion
of the healthy seeds was compared with damage (unhealthy seeds), which is represented by ‘Healthy
seed’ (Table 1). Based on this category, proportion of healthy seeds were significantly higher
(P<0.001) in the two accessions of A. gordonii, where the germination was ranged between 93 and
100% in both storage conditions. In the Olearia accessions, high proportion of healthy seeds were
significantly higher under 2.5⁰C and -20⁰C storage conditions for accession number 900610 and
20080208, respectively (Table 1). Comparatively, 76-85% of the seeds were healthy for the
Allocasuarina accessions under the two temperature regimes (Table 1).
Table 1. Proportion (%) of seed-quality assessment.
A. gordonii A. distyla O. flocktoniae
Accession 842963 970299 877412 20050491 900610 20080208
t-test
Storage 2.5⁰ probability
-20⁰C 2.5⁰C -20⁰C 2.5⁰C -20⁰C 2.5⁰C -20⁰C 2.5⁰C -20⁰C 2.5⁰C -20⁰C
temp. C
Viable 1.3 - 1.0 - 1.0 - 5.0 20.0 9.0 7.0 0.026*
Mushy 1.3 5.2 - 2.0 7.0 3.0 - 7.0 13.0 8.0 7.0 0.053*
Discolor - 4.0 - 4.0 - 2.0 - 1.0 0.375NS
Empty - - - - - 12.0 - 6.0 0.024*
Predated - - - 10.0 - - 0.53NS
Healthy 98. 93.0 - 100 85.3 76.0 - 85.0 96.0 88.0 - 96.0 0.001***
seeds1 9
* Significant (P<0.05). ***highly significant (P<0.001). NS, not significant (P>0.05).
1, proportion of healthy seeds determined in the final count after germination.
Effect of storage temperature on germination
The effect of two temperatures was tested in 2012 to determine the viability of the seeds after 9-10
years of storage (Table 2). The mean germination at 2.5⁰C was 83%, which was 3% lower than 86% at
20⁰C (LSD, 5% = 1.8). However, the storage temperatures had no effect on the germination of the
seeds (Table 3).
Table 2. Proportion (%) of germination in accessions at two storage temperatures
Germination (%)
Species*** Accession***
2.5⁰C -20⁰C Difference
Acacia gordonii 842963 97.3 95.0 2.3
970299 - 97.0 -
Allocasuarina distyla 877412 89.0 93.0 4.0
20050491 - 84.0 -
Olearia flocktoniae 900610 63.0 69.0 6.0
20080208 - 80.0 -
3.2
83.1 86.3
*** Highly significant (P<0.001). LSD (5%) = 1.8
4. Table 3. Tests of significance effect of species, accessions, storage and their interaction on the seed
germination.
Average germination (%) t-test probability and significance
Storage 84.0 0.387NS
Species 85.2 0.001***
Accession 72.3 0.001***
Species x Access x Storage Interaction 84.8 0.001***
***highly significant (P<0.001). NS, not significant (P>0.05)
Effect of accession on germination
The effect of accessions on the seed germination was tested, where germination was highly (P<0.001)
affected by accessions (see above Table 3). Under fridge condition of 2.5⁰C at storage, seed
germination was higher in 842963 (97.3%) of A. gordonii, than it was observed for 877412 (89%) and
900610 (63%) of the A. distyla and O. flocktoniae species, respectively (see previous Table 2). At
freezing condition of -20⁰C, high germination percentage was observed for the same accession,
842963 (95%) of A. gordonii, followed by 877412 (93%) of A. distyla and 900610 (69%) of O.
flocktoniae. Under the same storage, the accession 970299 of A.gordonii had high proportion (97%)
of seeds germinated compared to the 20050491 (84%) of A. distyla and 20080208 (69%) of the O.
flocktoniae.
Effect of species on germination
The native plant species had high significant effect (P<0.001) on the seed germination from both
storage temperatures (see above Table 3). At 2.5⁰C storage (fridge condition), a high number of seeds
were germinated in the A. gordonii species, with 97% and 96% at each temperature regimes
respectively (Table 4). The germination in A. distyla was 89% and about 88% at 2.5⁰C and -20⁰C,
respectively. Comparatively, O. flocktoniae species had the lowest germination percentage at both
temperatures (Table 4). Further, the germination difference of this species was relatively higher
(9.5%), compared to A. gordonii and A. distyla.
Table 4. Proportion (%) of germination in species at two storage temperatures
Species*** Germination (%)
2.5⁰C -20⁰C Difference
Acacia gordonii 97.3 96.0 1.3
Allocasuarina distyla 89.0 88.5 1.5
Olearia floctoniae 63.0 74.5 9.5
*** highly significant (P<0.001)
Interaction effect on germination
The interaction effect of species, accession and the storage was tested (see previous Table 3). The
effect of the combination of these factors had high significant effect (P<0.001) on the germination of
all seeds. Over all, the three native plant species and the six accessions had high significant effect on
the germination of the seeds than the effect of the two storage temperatures.
Stability of seed viability
5. The germination of the seeds in the recent test is compared with the earlier experiment results using
the six accessions of the three species (Table 5). Generally, germination of the seeds in A. gordonii
species remains relatively high compared to the first test result. Comparatively, germination in
900610 of the O. flocktoniae species was dropped by 24%, while the decline in the accession
20080208 was 14% after ten years of storage. Seed germination in the 877412 of A. distyla was
reduced by 9%.
Table 5. Current germination test is compared to the previous germination result.
Germination (%)
Species Family Accession No. First test Second test
Difference
(year) (2012)
Accacia gordonii Fabaceae 842963 82 (2002) 96 4
970299 100 (2002) 97 3
Allocasuaina distyla Casuarinaceae 877412 100 (2002) 91 9
20050491 80 (2005) 84 4
Olearia flocktoniae Asteraceae 900610 80 (2002) 66 24
20080208 94 (2009) 80 14
Discussion
Storing seeds in a seed bank is a cost-effective method of conserving a wide range of seed bearing
plant diversity in a repository collection (Offord et al. 2004). However, the extent of a seed to be kept
in storage depends on the longevity potential of the species. Longevity is an important trait of all seed
bearing species to determine whether they could survive and viable after long period of storage
(Walters et al. 2004). The survival of the seeds in an ex situ collection is influenced by other factors
including the past history of the seed during collection, moisture retention, storage condition and
importantly the dormancy of the species (Martyn et al. 2009). Little is known about the longevity of
many seeds in Australia (Offord et al. 2004). Collection and testing of a large number of species is
important to rescue threatened species including A. gordonii, A. distyla and O. flocktoniae.
The main finding of this study is that all species retained viability between 80-97% at an
optimal storage condition, with variation among the plant species and accessions. High proportion,
between 96-97%, of viable seed was observed in Acacia gordonii and its accessions (Table 2). The
maximum viability of the seeds in the A. gordonii was attributed to the dormancy traits that
characterize the species, as it was indicated in the viability assessment (Table 1). The Acacia species
are belong to the Fabaceae family and seeds are characterised by hard seedcoat and impermeable testa
that prevents uptake of water and hence ensuring seed dormancy (Auld 1996). Consequently, the
seeds of this species remain viable, although they were kept at an optimum temperature during
storage. Increasing the optimum temperature in storing A. gordonii species did not show any
difference in germination compared to the earlier test result, while seed viability narrowly dropped by
average of 3% in the second test (Table 5). This suggests two possibilities, where the first possible
approach is to increase the storage time at the current storage condition, if needed to maintain the
viability above 90%. And the second possibility is to increase optimum storage condition to determine
the optimum temperature until germination is seen to be reduced, exceeding the recommended
minimal viability level. Generally, most species of the Acacieae and Mirbelieae genera showed high
90-100% dormancy levels at moisture retention between 10-15% (Auld 1996). More of the seeds of
Acacia species in this study were viable as indicated by high proportion (over 95%) of seeds
germinated with minimal seed damage whilst suggesting a further extension of the storage time.
Extreme, low temperatures at storage are believed to stop biological activity of the plant
organs including seeds, which varies among plant species (Walters et al. 2004). Some traits of seed
morphology, such as seed size and seed coat, are the important characteristics that determine tolerance
to extreme temperatures (Baskin and Baskin 2004). Compared to A. gordonii, the low germination in
seeds of A. distyla and O. flocktoniae were low between 80-90% (Table 5). Low germination in these
species might be due to factors associated with seed morphology traits, as it was represented by high
proportion (range 3-7%). According to NSW National Park & Wildlife (2000), there is no empirical
6. information about seed longevity and viability of A. gordonii. However, it is believed that either the
optimum storage temperature badly affected the seeds or possibly some biological activity might have
occurred, exhausting storage carbohydrate, and consequently resulted in low germination. Some
information of this species confer that seeds do not have an effective dormancy, whilst seeds
germinate when sufficient moisture is available and temperature is suitable (NSW National Parks and
Wildlife Services 2000). In this instance, 4-7% of mushy seeds at 2.5⁰C storage temperature for A.
distyla (Table 1), suggested either seed had undergone biological activity or contained excess
moisture during storage that affected the germinability.
The O. flocktoniae species had the low germination percentage, which ranged 66-80%.
However, the germination was reduced by 14-24% in 10 years (Table 5). The seed of this species is
characterized by small size, and vulnerable to extreme conditions (National Parks and Wildlife
Services 2004). Many seeds of O. flocktoniae were relatively affected, where more than 7% of the
seeds were found mushy. In addition, because of the seeds were smaller in size, compared to the
Acacia and Allocasuarina species, large proportion of seeds were found 12% empty, particularly at
2.5⁰C. Empty seeds can be a source of contamination, as they could become the breeding ground of
pathogens that could affect seed longevity and germinability (Martyn et al., 2009; Offord and
Makinson 2009). Generally, seed viability of O. flocktoniae species did not change much from 10
years in storage and the germination remained at 80% (Table 5). A similar result was reported in 2004
by National Parks and Wildlife Services (2004), where the germination of the seeds conserved from
1990 was found to be 80% when tested in 2003. The compelling result suggests an extension of time
in storage for O. flocktoniae at current storage condition, while continue to monitor the viability
periodically. And also further option is suggested increasing the optimum temperatures to limit
biological activity to increase longevity and improve viability since high proportion of seeds damaged
during storage.
Conclusion and recommendation
This study found that germination was ranged between 80-97% across plant species, but variation
exists between and within species. Temperature had no effect on the germination of the seed accept
changes that occurred due to species and accessions. The insignificance effect of storage temperature
on germination could suggest further storage options, or otherwise to maintain seeds at current
optimal condition. However, longevity and viability of the seeds are crucially important, which are
voluntarily hampered by fluctuation in storage conditions, particularly temperature, and foreign
contaminants such as empty seeds or pathogens.
Generally, all seeds maintained viability after 10 years in low optimal storage temperatures.
Longevity of these species in storage can be sustained by proper storage conditions, unless needed to
increase optimal temperature for further investigation on germinability. Further monitoring and
evaluation of the viability of the seeds is crucial. However, 10-years interval might be too long
considering aging of the seeds while in seedbank. To date, specific information on germination
remains elusive as a wide range of Australian native seeds are not tested for longevity and viability.
Future efforts in germination studies are crucial to cover as many species as possible to understand
their storage requirement.
Acknowledgement
Finally, the study of plant biodiversity with particular focus on seed collection, purification, testing,
storing and plant recovery has been a great challenge, and quite difficult to digest everything in a
minute. Nevertheless, this study has been a stepping stone in understanding what the nature holds for
human kind. I am pleased to thank Catherine A. Offord and Amelia J. Martyn for the effort in getting
the principles of the conservation across to us, the students of Horticultural Science. With my due
respect, I wish you both a good luck in your future endeavour.
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