Photosynthetic characteristics and nitrogen distribution of large-spike wheat in Northwest China

The leaf photosynthesis and nitrogen（N） translocation in three large-spike lines and control cultivar（Xi＇nong 979） of winter wheat（Triticum aestivum L.） were studied in 2010–2011 and 2011–2012. The objectives of this study were to investigate the differences in the physiological characteristics of large-spike lines and control cultivar and identify the limiting factors that play a role in improving the yield of breeding materials. The average yield, grain number per spike, kernel weight per spike, and 1 000-kernel weight of the large-spike lines were 16.0, 26.8, 42.6, and 15.4%, respectively, significantly higher than those of control. The average photosynthetic rates（Pn） were not significant between the large-spike lines and control cultivar during the active growth period. The average PSII maximum energy conversion efficiency（Fv/Fm）, PSII actual quantum efficiency（Ф（PSII））, photochemical quenching coefficient（qP）, PSII reaction center activity（Fv′/Fm′） and water-use efficiency（WUE） of the large-spike lines were 1.0, 5.1, 3.6, 0.8, and 43.4%, respectively, higher than those of the control during the active growth stages. The N distribution proportions in different tissues were ranked in the order of grains〉culms＋sheathes〉rachis＋glumes〉flag leaves〉penultimate leaves〉remain leaves. This study suggested that utilization of the large-spike wheat might be a promising approach to obtain higher grain yield in Northwest China.

Boehmeria nivea var. strigosa (Urticaceae), a new variety from Southwest China

Boehmeria nivea var.strigosa Zeng Y.Wu&Y.Zhao,a new variety of B.nivea(Urticaceae)from Southwest China,is here described based on evidence from morphology and molecular phylogeny.This new variety is mainly characterized by its green abaxial leaf blade,partly connate stipules,and densely patent strigose hairs on stems and potioles.The phylogenetic analysis based on rbc L,nrDNA and rbc L+nrDNA datasets,revealed that all individuals of B.nivea var.strigosa formed a monophyletic group.The conservation status of B.nivea var.strigosa is assessed as“Near Threatened”(NT)according to IUCN evaluation criteria.The discovery of this new variety is not only crucial for the taxonomy of ramie,but also provides reference for the exploration and utilization of ramie.

LociScan,a tool for screening genetic marker combinations for plant variety discrimination

To reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of plant genetic marker fingerprinting for variety discrimination,it is desirable to identify the optimal marker combinations.We describe a marker combination screening model based on the genetic algorithm(GA)and implemented in a software tool,Loci Scan.Ratio-based variety discrimination power provided the largest optimization space among multiple fitness functions.Among GA parameters,an increase in population size and generation number enlarged optimization depth but also calculation workload.Exhaustive algorithm afforded the same optimization depth as GA but vastly increased calculation time.In comparison with two other software tools,Loci Scan accommodated missing data,reduced calculation time,and offered more fitness functions.In large datasets,the sample size of training data exerted the strongest influence on calculation time,whereas the marker size of training data showed no effect,and target marker number had limited effect on analysis speed.

Determination and Quantification of Proximate and Mineral Composition for 20 Improved Sorghum Varieties Grown in Machache, Lesotho

Twenty varieties of improved sorghum were grown in Machache at the Department of Agricultural Research station, located (29˚22'60"S and 27˚52'0"E) in the central foothills of Lesotho in Maseru district. The varieties were planted in a randomized complete block design. At maturity, they were harvested, dried, threshed, milled and analyzed in the crop science laboratory at the National University of Lesotho. The proximate and mineral contents were analyzed from samples in a completely randomized design with three replicates. The proximate composition parameters measured were crude proteins, crude fiber, crude fat, moisture content, and carbohydrates. The minerals analyzed were, phosphorus, sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc, iron, and magnesium. The results showed the nutritional contents ranging from (4.7% - 16.16%), (0.35% - 2.10%), (1.25% - 4.00%), (71.60% - 84.06%), (5.53% - 10.18%), for protein, fat, fiber and carbohydrate, and moisture content, respectively. Mineral content ranged from (1342.96 - 3500.34 mg/kg), (25.97 - 185.25 mg/kg), (50.71 - 511.71 mg/kg), (29.35 - 4542.13 mg/kg), (577.19 - 3041.52 mg/kg), (0.25 - 4.07 mg/kg), (1.96 - 18.61 mg/kg), (67.14 - 122.96 mg/kg), (4.73 - 11.39 mg/kg) for phosphorus, sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc, iron, and manganese respectively. The following varieties were found to have the highest and appreciable amounts of nutrients and minerals that are crucial in the country diet;protein content was KARI Mtama 1, zinc, IESX 16 2533-SB-SSI-19, and iron IESX 16 2535-SB-SSI-34.

Effect of Variety and Plant Spacing on Growth and Yield of Groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea L.)

A field experiment was carried out to determine the effect of variety and plant spacing on yield and growth of groundnuts. The field experiment was laid in a 3 × 3 factorial experiment in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three (3) replications. The factor A included three (3) groundnut varieties (Nkatie Sari, Sum Nutt 22 and Yenyawoso) and Factor B was the three (3) spacing of 30 cm × 15 cm, 30 cm × 30 cm and 30 cm × 40 cm. All recommended agronomic practices were followed. Data was collected from eight (8) tagged plants. Growth data were recorded on plant height, number of branches, number of leaves, and the number of flowers while yield data were collected on the number of flowers, number of pods per plant, 100 seeds weight and the pod yield (kg/ha). The plant spacing significantly influenced (P < 0.05) the growth and yield parameters. Groundnut grown at a spacing of 30 cm × 15 cm produced the maximum plant height, whereas the maximum number of leaves, number of branches and number of flowers were produced from 30 cm × 40 cm. Yenyawoso variety with a wider plant spacing performed better vegetatively among all the varieties. The Yenyawoso variety produced the highest number of pods, 100 seeds weight and pod yield as compared to the other varieties. Also, Yenyawoso at 30 cm × 40 cm spacing and Nkatie Sari at 30 cm × 15 cm spacing produced the maximum pod yield.

The Influence of Gratering, Fermentation and Variety on the Physio-Chemical Quality of Cassava Starch

The study was conducted to determine the influence of gratering and fermentation parameters on the physicochemical quality of starch obtained from two cassava varieties in Sierra Leone (i.e., SLICASS 11 and SLICASS 6). Fresh cassava roots harvested from the Department of Agricultural Engineering were peeled, washed and grated before fermentation and starch extraction. Fermentation was carried out under separate aerobic and anaerobic conditions for a period of Seven days. Physicochemical analyses were conducted at the Postharvest Food and Bioprocess Engineering Laboratory of the Department of Agricultural and Bio-System Engineering, Njala University to determine the solubility, water absorption capacity and swelling power of starch extracts obtained from various experimental treatments. Fermentation method and duration had significant effects on the solubility, water absorption capacity (WAC) and swelling power (SP) of starch extracts. Maximum solubility and WAC were recorded on the fifth day, for both cassava varieties tested, with apparent significant difference resulting from the two gratering bands (i.e., with 1.5-inch nail hole and 4-inch nail hole sizes, respectively). While swelling power increased consistently with temperature for starch obtained from SLICASS-11 variety, an irregular pattern was observed for SLICASS-6 variety. A multiple correlation analysis proposes a significant and weak correlation between temperature, WAC (+0.150) and swelling power (+0.048). Also multiple correlation analyses suggest a significant correlation between fermentation period, the functional properties of starch extracts obtained from both fermentation methods and cassava varieties (i.e., solubility (−0.226), water absorption capacity (+0.301) and swelling power (+0.329)).

Subplanes of PG(2,qr), Ruled Varieties V2r-12 in PG( 2r,q), and Related Codes

In this note we consider ruled varieties V22r−1of PG(2r,q), generalizing some results shown for r=2,3in previous papers. By choosing appropriately two directrix curves, a V22r−1represents a non-affine subplane of order qof the projective plane PG(2,qr)represented in PG(2r,q)by a spread of a hyperplane. That proves the conjecture assumed in [1]. Finally, a large family of linear codes dependent on r≥2is associated with projective systems defined both by V22r−1and by a maximal bundle of such varieties with only an r-directrix in common, then are shown their basic parameters.

Subplanes of PG( 2, q 3 ) and the Ruled Varieties V 2 5 of PG( 6,q )

In this note we study subplanes of order q of the projective plane Π=PG( 2, q 3 ) and the ruled varieties V 2 5 of Σ=PG( 6,q ) using the spatial representation of Π in Σ, by fixing a hyperplane Σ ′ with a regular spread of planes. First are shown some configurations of the affine q-subplanes. Then to prove that a variety V 2 5 of Σ represents a non-affine subplane of order q of Π, after having shown basic incidence properties of it, such a variety V 2 5 is constructed by choosing appropriately the two directrix curves in two complementary subspaces of Σ. The result can be translated into further incidence properties of the affine points of V 2 5 . Then a maximal bundle of varieties V 2 5 having in common one directrix cubic curve is constructed.

Construction of apricot variety search engine based on deep learning

Apricot has a long history of cultivation and has many varieties and types. The traditional variety identification methods are timeconsuming and labor-consuming, posing grand challenges to apricot resource management. Tool development in this regard will help researchers quickly identify variety information. This study photographed apricot fruits outdoors and indoors and constructed a dataset that can precisely classify the fruits using a U-net model (F-score:99%), which helps to obtain the fruit's size, shape, and color features. Meanwhile, a variety search engine was constructed, which can search and identify variety from the database according to the above features. Besides, a mobile and web application (ApricotView) was developed, and the construction mode can be also applied to other varieties of fruit trees.Additionally, we have collected four difficult-to-identify seed datasets and used the VGG16 model for training, with an accuracy of 97%, which provided an important basis for ApricotView. To address the difficulties in data collection bottlenecking apricot phenomics research, we developed the first apricot database platform of its kind (ApricotDIAP, http://apricotdiap.com/) to accumulate, manage, and publicize scientific data of apricot.

Screening and identification of salt tolerance soybean varieties and germplasms

Soil salinization is a globally prevalent abiotic environmental stress.The imbalance of ions caused by high concentrations of sodium chloride results in a 40%reduction in soybean yield.Soybean,as an important crop for soil quality improvement,necessitates the identification of salt-tolerant varieties and germplasms to effectively utilize and enhance saline-alkali land.In this study,we assessed the salt tolerance of 435 soybean varieties and germplasms during the seedling stage.Among them,Qihuang34,You2104,Hongzhudou,Pamanheidou,and Osage exhibited grade 1 salt tolerance rates surpassing other tested materials.Furthermore,Hongzhudou and Qihuang34 demonstrated higher salt tolerance during germination and emergence stages based on their elevated rates of emergence,salt tolerance index,chlorophyll content,and shoot fresh weights.Overall findings provide valuable resources for molecular breeding efforts aimed at developing salt-tolerant soybean varieties suitable for cultivation in saline-alkali soils.

Screening of Long Cowpea[Vigna unguiculata(L.)Walp.ssp.sesquipedialis]Varieties in Autumn in Hunan and Comparison of Various Comprehensive Evaluation Methods

[Objectives]The paper was to screen new varieties of long cowpea that are suitable for autumn cultivation in Hunan,as well as to develop a comprehensive evaluation method to assess their adaptability and performance.[Methods]A total of 48 long cowpea varieties were introduced,and a range of comprehensive evaluation methods was employed to assess these varieties through the collection and analysis of field data.[Results]The square Euclidean distance of 14 allowed for the classification of all varieties into eight distinct groups.Groups II,III,and V belong to the autumn dominant group within this region,while groups I and VIII belong to the intermediate group.Additionally,groups IV,VI,and VII belong to the autumn inferior group in this area.Through a comparative analysis of various comprehensive evaluation methods,it was determined that the common factor comprehensive evaluation,grey correlation method,and fuzzy evaluation method were appropriate for application in the selection of long cowpea varieties.Furthermore,the evaluation outcomes were largely consistent with the cluster pedigree diagram.[Conclusions]Through comprehensive index method,ten varieties demonstrating superior performance in autumn cultivation have been identified,including C20,C42,C29,C40,C3,C14,C18,C25,C15,and C47.The selected varieties exhibit several advantageous traits,such as a reduced growth duration,a lower position of initial flower nodes,a decreased number of branches,predominantly green young pods,elongated pod strips,thicker pod structures,an increased number of pods per plant,and higher overall yields.These characteristics render them particularly valuable for extensive cultivation.

Variety Selection and Green Cultivation Technology of Courtyard Ornamental and Edible Peppers

In order to comply with the development trend of the multifunctional use of peppers,we conducted an investigation into the characteristics and features of varieties,potting management techniques,and the methods of extending the fruit ornamental period and other aspects of courtyard ornamental and edible peppers.A set of cultivation techniques suitable for courtyard ornamental and edible peppers has been developed,including timely sowing and seedling,nutrient soil preparation,water and fertilizer management,trimming and pruning,preservation of flowers and fruits,green prevention and control of diseases and pests,harvesting,and so on.

An Application of Machine Learning Methods to Detect Mango Varieties

The mango, a fruit of immense economic and dietary significance in numerous tropical and subtropical regions, plays a pivotal role in our agricultural landscape. Accurate identification is not just a necessity, but a crucial step for effective classification, sorting, and marketing. This study delves into the potential of machine learning for this task, comparing the performance of four models: MobileNetV2, Xception, VGG16, and ResNet50V2. These models were trained on a dataset of annotated mango images, and their performance was evaluated using precision, accuracy, F1 score, and recall, which are standard metrics for image classification. The Xception model, with its exceptional performance, outshone the other models on all performance indicators. It achieved a staggering accuracy of 99.47%, an F1 score of 99.43%, and a recall of 99.43%, showcasing its remarkable ability to accurately identify mango varieties. MobileNetV2 followed closely with performances of 98.95% accuracy, 98.85% F1 score, and 98.86% recall. ResNet50V2 also delivered satisfactory results with 97.39% accuracy, 97.08% F1 score, and 97.17% recall. VGG16, however, was the least effective, with a precision rate of 83.25%, an F1 score of 83.25%, and a recall of 85.47%. These results confirm the superiority of the Xception model in detecting mango varieties. Its advanced architecture allows it to capture more distinguishing features of mango images, leading to greater precision and reliability. Xception’s robustness in identifying true positives is another advantage, minimizing false positives and contributing to more accurate classification. This study highlights the promising potential of machine learning, particularly the Xception model, for accurately identifying mango varieties.

RAPD Analysis of 33 Varieties of Banana

RAPD assessment of genetic variations in 33 varieties of banana (Musa nana Lour.) was carried out. Eighteen primers were screened from 249 10 bp arbitrary primers, and a total of 192 DNA bands were amplified, among which 183 (95.31%) were polymorphic. The average number of DNA bands amplified by each primer was 10.67, and the average genetic distance among 33 varieties was 0.3412. Based on UPGMA cluster analysis of 192 DNA bands amplified by 18 primers a DNA molecular dendrogram was established for 33 varieties of banana in China, which divided the 33 varieties into four groups: group A, B, C and D. Group A included 20 varieties, group B included 5 varieties, group C included 2 varieties and group D included 6 varieties. Group A could be divided into 3 sub-groups: A1, A2 and A3. The molecular foundation of genetic diversity of banana was also explored.

Breeding of a New Silkworm Variety "Yesanyuan" with Healthiness and Hypersilk

[Objective] The study aimed to breed eminent mulbery wild silb with hypersilk.[Method] Eminent mulberry wild silkworm basic materials Ye A and Ye B were bred by distant complex crossing of wild mulberry silkworm with strong stress resistance and hypersilkgeneous silkworm,then hybridized with Japanese silkworm strain,the new silkworm variety "Yesanyuan" with healthiness and hypersilkgene was bred.[Ressult]The results of laboratory identification and rural productive test in Jiangsu Province showed that it has excellent feeding habit,strong stress resistance,high yield,excellent silk quality and excellent fecundity.The new silkworm variety "Yesanyuan" had been approved by Silkworm Variety Evaluation Commission of Jiangsu Province in 2008,it is suitable to rear in Yangtze River catchment for Spring and Autumn,North sericultural area for all-year.[Conclusion] The study is helpful for the development of silkworm industry.

Analysis of Yield and Disease Resistance Traits of New Winter Rapeseed Varieties over the Past Twenty Years in China

Based on the results of the national regional trail for winter rapeseed in four groups,including the upper reaches,middle reaches and lower reaches of Yangtze River and Huang-Huai region in the past twenty years,new varieties of winter rapeseed showed upward trend in average yield,the yield level in Huang-huai group was higher than other groups.The changes of average effective pods per plant were not significant in any group,but the number of grain per pod and 1 000-grain weight showed increase trend.However,the increment of grains per pod in three Yangtze River groups was higher than that in Huang-Huai River group,while the increment of 1 000-grain weight was just opposite.The incidence rate of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and viral disease in new varieties of winter rapeseed obviously decreased,and the incidence rate of S.sclerotiorum decreased lower than 5%.Genetic improvement for winter rapeseed should be focus on the number of grain per pod and 1 000-grain weight in the future,and yield level of new varieties in all four groups is expected to increase.

Traits Analysis and Evaluation on Several Alfalfa Varieties

The agronomic and qualitative traits of 17 alfalfa varieties were analyzed in field and lab from 2006 to 2008, and these traits were evaluated by principal component analysis and cluster analysis. A total of 10 main traits were classified as five factors： growth factor, quality factor, stem and leaf factors, plant factor and yield factor. These five factors and their correlation were selected for breeding. These 17 varieties can be divided into five clusters. The domestic varieties have better agronomic traits, while the introduced ones have better qualitative traits.

Effect of Paclobutrazol plus Ethephon Treatment on Endogenous Hormones and Carbon and Nitrogen Nutrients in Litchi Variety ‘Feizixiao'

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the effect of spraying the mixture of paclobutrazol and ethephon on the endogenous hormones and carbon and nitrogen nutrients in litchi variety ＇Feizixiao＇.[Method] [Result] The results showed that foliar spraying of the mixture of paclobutrazol and ethephon could effectively inhibit litchi variety ＇Feizixiao＇ to produce winter shoots,promote the flower bud differentiation and improve flower formation rate; meanwhile,this treatment could also increase the contents of ABA and ZR,and the ratios of ABA/IAA,ABA/GA3,ZR/IAA,ZR/GA3,and decrease the contents of IAA and GA3; additionally,it could increase the contents of soluble sugar,starch and total nitrogen,and raise C/N ratio,thus improving the flower formation rate.[Conclusion] Foliar spraying of the mixture of paclobutrazol and ethephon is an effective pathway for solving warmth damage to litchi.

Selection of New Sugarcane Variety Guitang 42 with High Yield and High Sugar Content and Suitable for Mechanized Production

[Objective] This study was conducted to provide and promote high-yield,high-sugar, high-lodging resistance cane varieties and change the situation of singleness of sugarcane variety in Guangxi. [Method] The variety, Guitang 04-1001（Guitang 42）, a progeny of the cross ROC22 ×Guitang 92-66, was bred and evaluated in the aspects of morphological characteristics and production characteristics through the breeding program of a five-nursery-system protocol by both regional and production trials. [Results] Under many years of experiments, Guitang 42 was shown with high stalk, medium to large stalk diameter, easy stripping, good germination, medium tillering ability, and more population of millable stalks; and high resistance to mosaic and pokkah boeng, medium resistance to smut, high drought tolerance, and good ratooning ability. During the five-nursery-system procedure, the average of cane and sugar yield was 95.06-108.87 t/hm^2 and 15.11-16.85 t/hm^2, which were higher than CK by 11.3%-14.1% and 16.0%-18.9%, respectively. In the regional trial in 2011 and 2012, the achieved cane yield of 101.7 t/hm^2, sugar yield of 15.03 t/hm^2 and sucrose contents of 14.46% were higher than CK by 9.26%, 14.45% and0.66%, respectively. In the production trial in 2012, the average cane yield was88.62 t/hm^2, which was higher than ROC22 by 7.9%. Guitang 42 was approved by Guangxi Crop Variety Approval Committee in 2013 and elected to Guangxi Top 10 sugarcane commercial variety in 2014. [Conclusion] Guitang 42 has the characteristics of early maturity, high yield, high sugar content, good ratooning ability, and high resistance to lodging（i.e., good comprehensive traits）, and could be popularized in south sugarcane regions in China.

Analysis of Mineral Elements in 13 Famous Tea Varieties in Sichuan Province

This study was to analyze the mineral elements in famous tea varieties in Sichuan Province. Eighteen mineral elements in the samples of 13 famous tea varieties in Sichuan Province were measured via related instruments. The results showed, of all the 18 measured samples, that the contents of K, P, S, Ca and Mg were relatively higher（ 〉1 500 mg/kg） in famous tea varieties in Sichuan Province, while those of Ba, Cr, V, Co and Se were relatively lower（ 〈 10 mg/kg） ; compared to common green tea, the famous tea varieties in Sichuan Province contained higher contents of K, Zn, P, Na, Ni, Cu, S, Se and Co（0.38% -115.65% higher than that in common green tea）, and lower contents of Mg, Mn, AI, Ca, V, Rb, Fe and Cr（7.20% -46.67% lower than that in common green tea）; of the 13 tested tea varieties, Hongyanyingchun, Yongchuanxiuya and Qingchengxueya were rich in mineral elements, while Yuchengyunwu and Yuqiancha lacked in mineral elements. The re- suits show that Hongyanyingchun, Yongchuanxiuya and Qingchengxueya are the elites in the famous tea varieties in Sichuan Province.