Enriching Iodine and Regulating Grain Aroma,Appearance Quality,and Yield in Aromatic Rice by Foliar Application of Sodium Iodide

Applying iodine fertilizers to cultivate iodine-rich crops for daily intake is an effective approach for iodine supplementation,especially for aromatic rice.Field experiments were conducted during the early growing seasons of 2021 and 2022 to evaluate the impacts of foliar application of iodine fertilizer on aromatic rice and to explore the optimal iodine fertilizer concentration.At the full heading stage,six different concentrations of sodium iodide solutions of 0%(CK),0.010%(T1),0.025%(T2),0.050%(T3),0.075%(T4),and 0.100%(T5)were applied to indica aromatic rice cultivars Meixiangzhan 2 and Xiangyaxiangzhan.The results showed that sodium iodide treatments significantly increased the iodine and sodium contents in both leaves and grains.Compared with the CK,the T1 and T2 treatments increased the 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline(2-AP)content in mature grains by 8.41%-101.66%and 13.58%-74.60%,respectively.Improvements in the contents of 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid,proline,1-pyrroline,and methylglyoxal,as well as the activity of proline dehydrogenase were also detected.Additionally,sodium iodide treatments remarkably decreased the chalky grain rate,chalkiness area,and chalkiness degree of aromatic rice,with the T2 treatment exhibiting a 17.79%-47.42%decrease in chalkiness degree compared with the CK.Meanwhile,T1 and T2 treatments showed beneficial impacts on chlorophyll content,photosynthetic characteristics,and yield components,while T3,T4,and T5 treatments exhibited adverse effects on leaf and grain yields.The linear discriminant analysis revealed significant differences between treatments.The correlation analysis and piecewise structural equation modeling showed that the iodine and sodium influenced the photosynthetic characteristics and chlorophyll content of the leaves,thereby regulating the 2-AP biosynthesis and yield components,ultimately affecting the 2-AP content and yield.Overall,this study suggests that foliar application of 0.025%sodium iodide is an effective method to enrich the iodine content in rice grains,improve the grain aroma and appearance quality of aromatic rice,without detrimental effects on grain yield.

Quantifying foliar trait variation and covariation in sun and shade leaves using leaf spectroscopy in eastern North America

Characterizing foliar trait variation in sun and shade leaves can provide insights into inter-and intra-species resource use strategies and plant response to environmental change.However,datasets with records of multiple foliar traits from the same individual and including shade leaves are sparse,which limits our ability to investigate trait-trait,trait-environment relationships and trait coordination in both sun and shade leaves.We presented a comprehensive dataset of 15 foliar traits from sun and shade leaves sampled with leaf spectroscopy,including 424 individuals of 110 plant species from 19 sites across eastern North America.We investigated trait variation,covariation,scaling relationships with leaf mass,and the effects of environment,canopy position,and taxonomy on trait expression.Generally,sun leaves had higher leaf mass per area,nonstructural carbohydrates and total phenolics,lower mass-based chlorophyll a+b,carotenoids,phosphorus,and potassium,but exhibited species-specific characteristics.Covariation between sun and shade leaf traits,and trait-environment relationships were overall consistent across species.The main dimensions of foliar trait variation in seed plants were revealed including leaf economics traits,photosynthetic pigments,defense,and structural traits.Taxonomy and canopy position collectively explained most of the foliar trait variation.This study highlights the importance of including intra-individual and intra-specific trait variation to improve our understanding of ecosystem functions.Our findings have implications for efficient field sampling,and trait mapping with remote sensing.

The Impact of Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria, Iron, and Zinc Foliar Application on Dry Land Yellow Mustard (Brassica juncea) Grain and Oil Production

The study, conducted at the Research Farm of the College of Agriculture, University of Tabriz in 2021, focused on the effects of various nitrogen-fixing bacterial isolates, biofertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as iron and zinc foliar applications on mustard growth under rainfed conditions. The results indicated that biofertilizers, whether used alone or in combination with chemical fertilizers, produced comparable grain and oil outputs compared to chemical fertilizers alone. Additionally, the application of iron and zinc through foliar spraying significantly enhanced both grain and oil production. These findings suggest that integrating nitrogen-fixing bacteria and biofertilizers could reduce reliance on chemical nitrogenous fertilizers, leading to decreased production expenses, improved product quality, and minimized environmental impact. This study highlights the potential for sustainable agricultural practices in dry land farming as a viable alternative to traditional chemical-intensive methods. Substituting chemical nitrogenous fertilizers with nitrogen-fixing bacteria or biofertilizers could result in cost savings in mustard grain and oil production while promoting environmental sustainability.

Concentrations of foliar and surface soil in nutrients Pinus spp. plantations in relation to species and stand age in Zhanggutai sandy land, northeast China

The concentrations of the foliar and surface soil nutrients and the variation with species and stand age were studied inPinus spp. plantations in Zhanggutai area, northeast China. The results showed that the total N, total P and C: N ratio of the soil inP. sylvestris var.mongolica stands were significantly higher in comparison with those inP. tabulaeformis andP. densiflora stands. ForP. sylvestris var.mongolica, the foliar P concentration appeared to decrease with age, and the foliar N and K concentrations did not show a consistent change with age. As for the different tree species of the similar age, the foliar N and P concentrations were significantly different (p<0.05), being withP. sylvestris var.mongolica>P. densiflora>P. tabulaeformis. The foliar N: P ratio ofP. densiflora significantly was higher thanP. sylvestris var.mongolica andP. tabulaeformis, while the foliar K was no obvious difference between the three tree species. There were significant correlation (p<0.05) between soil total N and P, soil organic matter and total P, foliar N and P, but it did not show significant correlations between soil and foliar nutrient concentrations, which might attribute to the excessive litter raking, overgrazing and low soil moisture in this area. Based on the foliar N: P ratio, we introduced a combination threshold index of N: P ratio with their absolute foliar nutrient concentrations to determine the possible limiting nutrient. According to the critical N: P ratio and their absolute foliar N, P concentrations, theP. sylvestris var.mongolica stands showed a decreased N limitation degree with age, theP. densiflora stands showed unlimited by N and P in the whole, and theP. tabulaeformis stands showed co-limited by N and P. No significant difference in soil nutrient concentrations of the surface soils was found between 45, 29, 20-yr-oldPinus sylvestris var.mongolica plantation stands. Keywords coniferous trees - foliar nutrient concentration - limiting nutrients - N - P ratio - Zhanggutai sandy land CLC number S718.55 Document code A Article ID 1007-662X(2004)01-0011-08 Foundation item: This research was supported by Key Knowledge Innovation Project (KZCX3-SW-418) of Chinese Academy of Sciences.Biography: CHEN Guang-sheng (1978-), male, master candidate in Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, P. R. ChinaResponsible editor: Song Funan

Influence of Potassium Fertilization on Yield and Quality of Foliar Vegetable Crops

Over a period of two years , field experiments were conducted on four silty loam soils grown with foliar vegetable crops including Chinese cabbage (Brassica pekinensis Rupr., cv. Lu-Bai 3), autumn greens (B. chinensis L., cv. Piao-Geng-Bai), winter greens (B. var. rosularis Tsen et Lee, cv. You-Dong-Er), and summer greens (B. chinensis L., cv. Zao-Shu 5), respectively. Each experiment included one CK treatment without K, N and P fertilizers applied, and four treatments with from low to high doses, 0-300 kg hm-2 for Chinese cabbage, 0-150 kg hm-2 for autumn and winter greens and 0-180 kg hm-2 for summer greens, of K fertilizers in the form of sulfate of potash (SOP) applied together with N and P fertilizers. One treatment of K fertilizer in the form of muriate of potash (MOP) applied at high levels (150 or 180 kg hm-2) together with N and P fertilizers was included in the experiments of autumn, winter and summer greens , respectively, in order to compare the effects of SOP and MOP. The market yields of the tested crops increased significantly with the increasing rate of K application. The crops supplied with K fertilizers yielded more stably as the CV% of their yields decreased with the rate of K application. K fertilization increased not only K contents but also the amounts of N, P and K absorbed in shoots of autumn, winter and summer greens, which were statistically significantly correlated to their yields. It can also be found that potassium improved the quality of the foliar vegetable crops as their dry mater contents were generally increased and Vc contents obviously increased and nitrate contents markedly decreased. As compared to MOP, SOP was more effective on the yields and quality of autumn, winter and summer greens at the high levels of fertilization.

Contribution of soil fauna to the degradation of recalcitrant components in Cinnamomum camphora foliar litter in different-sized gaps in Pinus massoniana plantations

Forest gaps are important in forest dynamics and management, but little is known about how soil fauna influence the degradation of recalcitrant litter components in different-sized forest gaps. This investigation uses litterbags with two different mesh sizes (0.04 and 3 mm) to control the meso- and microfauna entering the bags to quantify the contribution of soil fauna to the degradation of recalcitrant components (including condensed tannins, total phenol, lignin and cellulose) during litter decomposition. The experiment was conducted in seven different forest gap sizes in Pinus massoniana plantations over 1 year. One closed-canopy site (CC) and forest gap sizes of 100, 225, 400, 625, 900, 1225 and 1600 m^2 were created in a P. massoniana plantation in the Sichuan basin of China;the CC was treated as the control. Cinnamomum camphora foliage from local native trees was used in all forest gap experiments. We found the following:(1) Gap size had significant effects on the degradation rates (E) of condensed tannins and lignin and on the contributions of soil fauna;medium-sized gaps also presented high degradation rates. Soil fauna obviously contributed to the degradation of recalcitrant foliar litter components in medium-sized gaps.(2) The highest contribution to degradation (40.98%) was recorded for lignin, and the lowest contribution (0.29%) was recorded for condensed tannins. The results indicate that medium-sized gaps (900 m^2) were conducive to the degradation of recalcitrant litter components by soil fauna.

Translocation and recovery of 15N-labeled N derived from the foliar uptake of 15NH3 by the greenhouse tomato（Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.）

In order to completely evaluate ammonia emission from greenhouse vegetable fields,crop canopy absorption should not be neglected.The foliar uptake of NH3 applied at two growth stages and the subsequent 15N-labeled N translocation to other plant components were investigated under greenhouse conditions using chambers covered with the soil of a tomato field.Treatments comprised three NH3-N application rates(70,140,and 210 mg/plot) using 15N-labeled ammonium sulfate.Plants were harvested immediately after exposure for 24 h,and the total N concentrations and 15N/14 N ratios were determined.With increased NH3 concentration,total 15NH3-N absorption increased considerably,whereas the applied 15NH3-N uptake decreased gradually.The tomato plants absorbed 33-38% and 24-31% of the 15NH3-N generated at the anthesis and fruit growth stages,respectively.A total of 71-80% of the recovered NH3 was observed in the leaves and 20-30% of the recovered NH3 was remobilized to other components.Among them,an average of 10% of the absorbed 15NH3-N was transferred into the tomato fruits.All these results indicated the potential of the tested tomatoes for the foliar uptake of atmospheric 15NH3 and the distribution of 15N-labeled vegetative N among different plant components.The results are of great importance for the complete evaluation of nitrogen use efficiency in the greenhouse tomato fields.

Changes in foliar carbon isotope composition and seasonal stomatal conductance reveal adaptive traits in Mediterranean coppices affected by drought

We estimated water-use efficiency and potential photosyn- thetic assimilation of Holm oak （Quercus ilex L.） on slopes of NW and SW aspects in a replicated field test examining the effects of intensifying drought in two Mediterranean coppice forests. We used standard tech- niques for quantifying gas exchange and carbon isotopes in leaves and analyzed total chlorophyll, carotenoids and nitrogen in leaves collected from Mediterranean forests managed under the coppice system. We pos- tulated that responses to drought of coppiced trees would lead to differ- ential responses in physiological traits and that these traits could be used by foresters to adapt to predicted warming and drying in the Mediterra- nean area. We observed physiological responses of the eoppiced trees that suggested acclimation in photosynthetic potential and water-use effi- ciency： （1） a significant reduction in stomatal conductance （p〈0.01） wasrecorded as the drought increased at the SW site; （2） foliar 813C increased as drought increased at the SW site （p〈0.01）; （3） variations in levels of carotenoids and foliar nitrogen, and differences in foliar morphology were recorded, and were tentatively attributed to variation in photosyn- thetic assimilation between sites. These findings increase knowledge of the capacity for acclimation of managed forests in the Mediterranean region of Europe.

Foliar modifications induced by inhibition of polar transport of auxin

The effects of auxin polar transport inhibitors, 9-hydroxy-fluorene-9-carboxylic acid (HFCA); 2, 3, 5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA) and trans-cinnamic acid (CA)on leaf pattern formation were investigated with shoots formed from cultured leaf explants of tobacco and cultured pedicel explants of Orychophragmus violaceus, and the seedlings of tobacco and Brassica chinensis. Although the effective concentration varies with the inhibitors used, all of the inhibitors induced the formation of trumpet-shaped and/or fused leaves. The frequency of trumpet-shaped leaf formation was related to the concentration of inhibitors in the medium.Histological observation of tobacco seedlings showed that there was only one main vascular bundle and several minor vascular bundles in normal leaves of the control, but there were several vascular bundles of more or less the same size in the trumpet-shaped leaves of treated ones.These results indicated that auxin polar transport played an important role on bilateral symmetry of leaf growth.

Distribution and accumulation of zinc and nitrogen in wheat grain pearling fractions in response to foliar zinc and soil nitrogen applications

Increasing zinc(Zn)concentration in wheat grain is important to minimize human dietary Zn deficiency.This study aimed to investigate the effect of foliar Zn and soil nitrogen(N)applications on the accumulation and distribution of N and Zn in grain pearling fractions,N remobilization,and the relationships between nutrient concentration in the vegetative tissues and grain or its fractions in two cropping years in the North China Plain.The results showed a progressive decrease in N and Zn concentrations from the outer to the inner parts of grain,with most of the accumulation in the core endosperm.Foliar Zn application significantly increased N concentration in the pericarp,and soil N application increased N concentration in each grain fraction.Both treatments significantly increased core endosperm Zn concentration.Foliar Zn had no effect on grain N and Zn distribution.Soil N application made N concentrated in the aleurone,promoted Zn translocation to the core endosperm and also increased N remobilization and its efficiency from the shoot to the grain,but no improved contribution to grain was found.N concentration in grain and its fractions were positively correlated with N in vegetative organs at anthesis and maturity,while positive correlations were obtained between N concentration in the pericarp and progressive central area of the endosperm and Zn concentration in the core endosperm.Thus,foliar Zn and soil N applications effectively increased yield and N and Zn concentrations in the wheat grain,particularly in the endosperm,and could be promising strategies to address Zn deficiency.

Foliar Application of Benzothiadiazole and Salicylic Acid to Combat Sheath Blight Disease of Rice

A field study was undertaken to ascertain the effects of elicitors viz. benzothiadiazole （BTH） and salicylic acid （SA） on defense related enzymes viz. peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, superoxide dismutase, chitinase and 13-1,3-glucanase, and phenols in rice （Pusa Basmati I） plants. First foliar spray of BTH （50 mg/kg） and SA （50 mg/kg） was done at the maximum tillering stage and inoculation with Rhizoctonia solani was carried 24 h after elicitor treatment. Elicitors were further sprayed at every growth stage. Time course analysis showed peak accumulation of defense related enzymes and phenols in the rice leaves treated with BTH and SA, and accumulation was the highest at the flowering stage. Higher enzymatic activity was observed in elicitor treated plants inoculated with R. solani. Compared to the untreated control plants, application of elicitors before R. solani inoculation significantly elicited the defense related enzymes and phenols. Moreover, application of elicitors had a positive effect on yield and disease reduction. It is suggested that pretreatment of rice leaves with BTH and SA could be used to enhance the level of protection against sheath blight and to improve rice yield in the fields.

Plant Nutrient Status during Boll Development and Seed Cotton Yield as Affected by Foliar Application of Different Sources of Potassium

Bt cotton hybrids require large supply of metabolites to support their greater boll load and commonly suffer from premature leaf senescence. A field experiment was conducted to study the nutritional status of Bt cotton leaves during boll development stage and to evaluate the most profitable source of foliar fertilizers. Treatments included basal application of 0 and 60 kg·K2O·ha-1 as muriate of potash (MOP) in main plots and foliar spray treatments viz: 4 & 6 sprays of 2% potassium nitrate (Multi-K, 13-00-45), 4 & 6 sprays of NPK Blend (Polyfed, 19-19-19), 4 sprays of MOP, 4 sprays of MOP + urea (to supply same amount of N & K as in potassium nitrate) and unsprayed control in sub plots. The results revealed that only N and K contents of premature senesced leaves were below the sufficiency range for cotton sufficient levels of P, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu were observed. Though the concentrations of N and K in both the petiole and leaf blade initially improved with foliar spray, N content declined below the unsprayed control at later stages. Basal application of MOP increased seed cotton yield by 19%. Four foliar sprays of KNO3, NPK, MOP and MOP + urea recorded yield increase in seed cotton yield of 22.8%, 22.4%, 18.5% and 24.5%, respectively over unsprayed control. Six sprays of KNO3 and NPK had no yield advantage over four sprays and rather proved economically less viable.

Effects of Foliar Fertilizer Application on Quality of Tea (<I>Camellia sinensis</I>) Grown in the Kenyan Highlands

In Kenya, foliar fertilizers have not found use in tea production despite their numerous advantages as exhibited in other crops. A fertilizer trial test was established in three sites of the major tea growing regions, with 36 plots per site to determine the effects of foliar fertilizer application on tea quality. Two foliar fertilizers were tested;foliar fertilizer 1 (FF1) and foliar fertilizer 2 (FF2), with a positive control of soil fertilizer (SF) and a blank. Two leaves and a bud tea samples were collected every two weeks after each foliar fertilizer application. These were then analyzed for tea quality (total polyphenols, TP), nutrient residues for the different clones and geographical locations. The TP contents for clone TRFK 31/8 were as follows: FF1 = 17.8%, FF2 = 17.9%, SF = 16.56% and Zero = 17.4%. Tukey-Kramer pair wise comparison test results between the foliar fertilizers and SF showed that the FF1 (HSD = 4.78) and FF2 (HSD = 5.27) fertilizers had significantly (P < 0.05) higher levels of TP content as compared to control SF fertilizer. Nutrients analyzed had average means as follows: N = 4% - 5%, P = 0.25% - 0.28%, K = 1.35% - 1.69%, Ca = 0.3 - 0.5 ppm, Mg = 0.19 - 0.27 ppm, Mn = 0.05 - 0.13 ppm, Zn = 25 - 40.5 ppm, Cu = 11 - 17 ppm and Fe = 72 - 122 ppm. The nutrient residue levels had non-significantly statistical differences at P < 0.05 level between pairs of zero applied plots and the FF1, FF2 and SF applied plots respectively. It was concluded that the foliar fertilizers increased the TP content in tested tea samples and the nutrients analyzed were all within the dietary reference intake (DRI) levels for SF, FF1 and FF2. Overall, the foliar fertilizer increased the quality of the tested tea samples.

Enhancing Drought Tolerance in Wheat through Improving Morpho- Physiological and Antioxidants Activities of Plants by the Supplementation of Foliar Silicon

The main objective of the research is to assess the role of foliar application of silicon(Si)for enhancing the survival ability of wheat under drought stress through improving its morphology,physicochemical and antioxidants activities.Treatments were five doses of Si at the rate of 2,4,6 and 8 mM and a control.After completion of seeds germination,pots were divided into four distinct groups at various field capacity(FC)levels,such as 100%FC(well-irrigated condition),75%FC(slight water deficit),50%FC(modest water deficit)and 25%FC(severe water deficit stress condition).Foliar application of Si at the rate of 2,4,6 and 8 mM and a control were given after 30 days of sowing at the tillering stage of wheat.Findings of the present investigation indicated that increasing the level of water deficit stress reduced the morphological parameters(such as root and shoot fresh and dry-biomass weight)and physico-biochemical events((such as chlorophyll contents by estimating SPAD value),total free amino acid(TFAA),total soluble sugar(TSS),total soluble protein(TSP),total proline(TP),CAT(catalase),POD(peroxidase),SOD(superoxide dismutase)and APX(ascorbate peroxidase))of wheat;while foliar application of Si at 6 mM at tillering stage enhanced the drought tolerance in wheat by increasing morphology and physiochemical characters under all levels of drought stress.Similarly,antioxidants activities in wheat also enhanced by the application of Si at 6 mM under normal as well as all drought stress levels.There-fore,it may be concluded that foliar application of Si at 6 mM at the tillering stage of wheat is an important indication for increasing the drought tolerance by improving the morphology,physico-biochemical and antioxidants activities in plants under deficit water(drought)conditions.

Improvement of three popular Indian groundnut varieties for foliar disease resistance and high oleic acid using SSR markers and SNP array in marker-assisted backcrossing

Foliar fungal diseases(rust and late leaf spot)incur large yield losses,in addition to the deterioration of fodder quality in groundnut worldwide.High oleic acid has emerged as a key market trait in groundnut,as it increases the shelf life of the produce/products in addition to providing health benefits to consumers.Marker-assisted backcrossing(MABC)is the most successful approach to introgressing or pyramiding one or more traits using traitlinked markers.We used MABC to improve three popular Indian cultivars(GJG 9,GG 20,and GJGHPS 1)for foliar disease resistance(FDR)and high oleic acid content.A total of 22 BC3F4 and 30 BC2F4 introgression lines(ILs)for FDR and 46 BC3F4 and 41 BC2F4 ILs for high oleic acid were developed.Recurrent parent genome analysis using the 58 K Axiom_Arachis array identified several lines showing upto 94%of genome recovery among second and third backcross progenies.Phenotyping of these ILs revealed FDR scores comparable to the resistant parent,GPBD 4,and ILs with high(~80%)oleic acid in addition to high genome recovery.These ILs provide further opportunities for pyramiding FDR and high oleic acid in all three genetic backgrounds as well as for conducting multi-location yield trials for further evaluation and release for cultivation in target regions of India.

Mass Foliar Damage at Subalpine-Timberline Ecotone in Western Himalaya Due to Extreme Climatic Events

Glimpses of unusual climatic conditions such as high summer temperature, heavy rainfall as well as snowfall and low winter temperature were noticed during 2010-2011 in subalpine-timberline (2700 - 3600 m) zones of Western Himalaya. Abundant winter injury to the current year (2010) foliage and shoot of Rhododendron arboretum and Quercus semecarpifolia became apparent in winters of 2010-2011. The foliar and bud mortality both increased with elevation beyond 2800 m and maximum along the edges of forest. Rhododendron campanulatum was another species which also got affected throughout the Western Himalaya. Such events were not reported earlier from the region and current observations indicate the high sensitivity of the plant species to the extreme inter-annual climatic variations.

Foliar Application of Phosphorus Enhances Photosynthesis and Biochemical Characteristics of Maize under Drought Stress

Water is essential for the growth period of crops;however,water unavailability badly affects the growth and physiological attributes of crops,which considerably reduced the yield and yield components in crops.Therefore,a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of foliar phosphorus(P)on morphological,gas exchange,biochemical traits,and phosphorus use efficiency(PUE)of maize(Zea mays L.)hybrids grown under normal as well as water deficit situations at the Department of Agronomy,University of Agriculture Faisalabad,Pakistan in 2014.Two different treatments(control and P@8 kg ha^(−1))and four hybrids(Hycorn,31P41,65625,and 32B33)of maize were tested by using a randomized complete block design(RCBD)with three replications.Results showed that the water stress caused a remarkable decline in total soluble protein(9.7%),photosynthetic rate(9.4%)and transpiration rate(13.4%),stomatal conductance(10.2%),and internal CO_(2)rate(20.4%)comparative to well-watered control.An increase of 37.1%,36.8%,and 24.5%were recorded for proline,total soluble sugar,and total free amino acid,respectively.However,foliar P application minimized the negative impact of drought by improving plant growth,physio-biochemical attributes,and PUE in maize plants under water stress conditions.Among the hybrids tested,the hybrid 6525 performed better both under stress and non-stress conditions.These outcomes confirmed that the exogenous application of P improved drought stress tolerance by modulating growth,physio-biochemical attributes,and PUE of maize hybrids.

Effects of Copper-based Nutritional Foliar Fertilizers on Photosynthetic Characteristics,Yield and Disease Control Efficiency of Cotton

[Objectives] The effects of copper-based nutrient foliar fertilizer on photosynthetic characteristics,yield,accumulation and distribution of trace elements in various organs,disease prevention effect and soil enzyme activity were studied,so as to provide a theoretical basis for the application of foliar fertilizers in cotton production. [Methods]Through two years of field experiments,six treatments were set in total,namely spraying water( CK),traditional Bordeaux mixture( BDM),Kocide 2000( KCD),copper-based nutrient foliar fertilizer( CF),iron-copper-based nutrient foliar fertilizer( CFFe),and zinc-boron-copper-based nutrient foliar fertilizer( CFZnB). Randomized block arrangement was adopted. Chlorophyll content in leaves was measured at each growth stage of the cotton. Photosynthetic characteristics of leaves were measured at the peak bolling stage. Plants were sampled at initial boll opening stage. The whole plant was divided into root,stem,leaf and cotton boll parts,in which the total copper,total zinc,total iron contents and accumulations were determined. Soil samples were collected from each plot,followed by the determination of soil enzyme activity. Disease index was investigated at bud,flowering and boll-forming and boll opening stage. [Results]( 1) Spraying CFFe,CFZnB,CF and KCD could significantly improve chlorophyll content of cotton leaves,and the CFFe treatment had the highest increase up to13. 30%,followed by the CFZnB treatment,which was 11. 40% higher than the CK; and photosynthetic rate,stomata conductance and transpiration rate could be improved significantly,and the CFFe treatment showed the highest photosynthetic rate,which increased by 26. 35% compared with the CK,followed by the CFZnB treatment,which increased by 17. 96% compared with CK; and intercellular CO2 concentration was significantly reduced.( 2) Spraying BDM,KCD,CF,CFFe and CFZnB can significantly increase total copper content and accumulation in various cotton organs( except the total copper content in the stem part of the CFZnB treatment; the CFZnB and CFFe treatments can significantly increase total zinc content and accumulation in various cotton organs; and spraying CFFe,CFZnB and CF can significantly increase total iron content and accumulation in various cotton organs( except the total iron content in the stem part of the CF treatment).( 3)Spraying CFFe,CFZnB,CF,KCD and BDM greatly reduced the disease index at flowering and boll-forming and boll opening stages.( 4) The CFZnB and CFFe treatments had the highest soil urease activity,which was 7. 14% higher than that of the CK,but the difference from the CK was not significant; the catalase activity of each treatment was significantly higher than that of the BDM treatment; and the sucrase activity of each treatment was significantly higher than that of the CK.( 5) Spraying CFFe,CFZnB,CF and KCD significantly improved lint yield of cotton,and the CFZnB treatment showed the highest yield increase up to 12. 34%,followed by the CFFe treatment,with an increase in the range of 8. 77%-10. 20%. [Conclusions]Copper-based nutrient foliar fertilizers have dual functions of disease control and prevention and plant nutrition and health care,and not only can significantly increase cotton yield,but also has certain disease prevention effect.It is recommended to use copper-based nutrient foliar fertilizers.

Zinc and Chromium Load in Road Dust, Suspended Particulate Matter and Foliar Dust Deposits of Anand City, Gujarat

Anand, the milk capital of India, is a developing city with increasing vehicles and developmental activities going on at a fast pace. This study attempts to investigate the zinc and chromium concentration in street dust, suspended particulate matter and in foliar dust deposits. Ten sampling locations were selected based on the traffic density on the roads and different anthropogenic activity. Sampling was carried out in the dry months of January to March 2011. The range of Zn and Cr was 16.82 - 108.29 ppm and 118 - 151.5 ppm in the street dust respectively. Zn concentration in Suspended particulate matter lies in the range of 12.41 to 86 ppm and Cr concentration between 75 to 130 ppm. The range of Cr in foliar deposited dust varied from 79.54 ppm to 31 ppm. Whereas, for Zn maximum concentration was in S10 which is 42.34 ppm and minimum was in site S9, 23.73 ppm. ANOVA single factor showed that at 0.05 level of significance site wise variation of zinc and chromium concentration in SPM, Street dust and foliar deposited dust was not significant signifying similar source of contamination. Which is further strengthened by the good positive correlation found between the Zn and Cr concentration of street dust, leaf deposited dust and SPM. The Contamination Factor in the sites where metal concentration was high was 1.24 in S10 and 1.06 in S5 for Zn. For chromium the value of CF was 1.77 in S10 and 1.67 in S5. These values indicate that street dust is moderately contaminated with respect to zinc and chromium.

Influence of Foliar Applied Nitrogen on Reproductive Growth of Sunflower (<i>Helianthus annuus</i>L.) under Water Stress

Nitrogen is a major nutrient involved in plant growth and yield. Plants cannot get the nutrients from the soil medium under water stress condition to testify foliar application in stress condition to fulfil plant need for better performance. In this regard, a field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of foliar-applied nitrogen (0, water and 1% urea) on sunflower (cv. Hysun-33) under normal and water stress at reproductive stage. Two soil applied nitrogen levels control (0 kg·ha-1) and recommended dose (115 kg·ha-1). Supplemental foliar application of nitrogen in the form of urea significantly increased the growth, yield and yield components of sunflower under water stress. The increase in yield with 1% urea spray was recorded up to 1.37 t·ha-1 in comparison to water spray (1.07 t·ha-1) and no spray (1.00 t·ha-1). While maximum values of all factors were obtained where 1% urea spray with soil applied nitrogen was used in both stresses as well as in non-stress condition. Therefore, reasonable yield can be achieved by applying foliar application of urea (1%) as a supplemental source to soil applied nitrogen under water stress.