Effectiveness of biofertilizers foliar application on yield and quality traits of flax(Linum usitatissimum L.)

Flax is considered to be one of the most significant dual-purpose crops for oil and fiber production in Egypt and worldwide.Biofertilizers have a substantial impact on various metabolic processes,including increased photo-synthesis,endogenous hormone levels,ion absorption,nucleic acid synthesis,and protein synthesis.These factors collectively contribute to the growth and development of plants.Therefore,this study aims to investigate how three biofertilizers(Algae extract,CMS as a by-product of yeast,and Metalosate multi minerals as amino acids)can enhance both the quantity and quality of flax seed yield under sandy soil conditions.Two field experiments were conducted at the Experimental Station of National Research Centre in Nubaria District,Behira Governorate,Egypt during two seasons(2021/2022)using a randomized complete block design(RCBD).The results revealed significant differences among all tested biofertilizers in terms of various characteristics studied in flax.Foliar application of algae extract at a rate of 1.50 mL/L resulted in an increase in seed yield(ton/ha)by 26.69%&19.89%,straw yield(ton/ha)by 8.08%&17.12%,and oil yield(kg/ha)by 47.72%&33.69%compared to the control group during both seasons respectively.Foliar applications of algae extract at a rate of 1.50 mL/L along with CMS at a rate of 5 m L/L and amino acids at a rate of 1.50 mL/L demonstrated significantly higher macronutrient contents(N,P,K),micronutrient contents(Fe,Zn,Mn),seed oil content,and protein content in flax seeds during both seasons.The highest values for seed oil content and protein content%were obtained through foliar application of amino acids at a rate of 1.50 mL/L.It can be concluded that foliar sprays with these bio-fertilizers effectively improved flax performance by increasing seed straw and oil yields,nutrients oil,protein and fatty acids seeds contents.

Combining ability of Egyptian cotton(Gossypium barbadense L.)reveals genetic potential for improved yield and fiber quality

Background As the most widely cultivated fiber crop,cotton production depends on hybridization to unlock the yield potential of current varieties.A deep understanding of genetic dissection is crucial for the cultivation of enhanced hybrid plants with desired traits,such as high yield and fine fiber quality.In this study,the general combining ability(GCA)and specific combining ability(SCA)of yield and fiber quality of nine cotton parents(six lines and three testers)and eighteen F1 crosses produced using a line×tester mating design were analyzed.Results The results revealed significant effects of genotypes,parents,crosses,and interactions between parents and crosses for most of the studied traits.Moreover,the effects of both additive and non-additive gene actions played a notably significant role in the inheritance of most of the yield and fiber quality attributes.The F1 hybrids of(Giza 90×Aust)×Giza 86,Uzbekistan 1×Giza 97,and Giza 96×Giza 97 demonstrated superior performance due to their favorable integration of high yield attributes and premium fiber quality characteristics.Path analysis revealed that lint yield has the highest positive direct effect on seed cotton yield,while lint percentage showed the highest negative direct effect on seed cotton yield.Principal component analysis identified specific parents and hybrids associated with higher cotton yield,fiber quality,and other agronomic traits.Conclusion This study provides insights into identifying potential single-and three-way cross hybrids with superior cotton yield and fiber quality characteristics,laying a foundation for future research on improving fiber quality in cotton.

Growth, yield and fiber quality characteristics of Bt and non-Bt cotton cultivars in response to boron nutrition

Background Boron(B)deficiency is an important factor for poor seed cotton yield and fiber quality.However,it is often missing in the plant nutrition program,particularly in developing countries.The current study investigated B’s effect on growth,yield,and fiber quality of Bt(CIM-663)and non-Bt(Cyto-124)cotton cultivars.The experimental plan consisted of twelve treatments:Control(CK);B at 1 mg·kg^(−1) soil application(SB1);2 mg·kg^(−1) B(SB2);3 mg·kg^(−1) B(SB3);0.2%B foliar spray(FB1);0.4%B foliar spray(FB2);1 mg·kg^(−1) B+0.2%B foliar spray(SB1+FB1);1 mg·kg^(−1) B+0.4%B foliar spray(SB1+FB2);2 mg·kg^(−1) B+0.2%B foliar spray(SB2+FB1);2 mg·kg^(−1) B+0.4%B foliar spray(SB2+FB2);3 mg·kg^(−1) B+0.2%B foliar spray(SB3+FB1);3 mg·kg^(−1) B+0.4%B foliar spray(SB3+FB2).Each treat-ment has three replications,one pot having two plants per replication.Results B nutrition at all levels and methods of application significantly(P≤0.05)affected the growth,physiological,yield,and fiber quality characteristics of both cotton cultivars.However,SB2 either alone or in combination with foliar spray showed superiority over others,particularly in the non-Bt cultivar which responded better to B nutrition.Maxi-mum improvement in monopodial branches(345%),sympodial branches(143%),chlorophyll-a(177%),chlorophyll-b(194%),photosynthesis(169%),and ginning out turn(579%)in the non-Bt cultivar was found with SB2 compared with CK.In Bt cultivar,although no consistent trend was found but integrated use of SB3 with foliar spray performed relatively better for improving cotton growth compared with other treatments.Fiber quality characteristics in both cultivars were improved markedly but variably with different B treatments.Conclusion B nutrition with SB2 either alone or in combination with foliar spray was found optimum for improving cotton’s growth and yield characteristics.

Use of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Phenotyping to Predict Pod and Seed Yield in Organic Peanuts

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a highly nutritious food that is an excellent source of protein and is associated with increased coronary health, lower risk of type-2 diabetes, lower risk of breast cancer and a healthy profile of inflammatory biomarkers. The domestic demand for organic peanuts has significantly increased, requiring new breeding efforts to develop peanut varieties adapted to the organic farming system. The use of unmanned aerial system (UAS) has gained scientific attention because of the ability to generate high-throughput phenotypic data. However, it has not been fully investigated for phenotyping agronomic traits of organic peanuts. Peanuts are beneficial for cardio system protection and are widely used. Within the U.S., peanuts are grown in 11 states on roughly 600,000 hectares and averaging 4500 kg/ha. This study’s objective was to test the accuracy of UAS data in the phenotyping pod and seed yield of organic peanuts. UAS data was collected from a field plot with 20 Spanish peanut breeding lines on July 07, 2021 and September 27, 2021. The study was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 blocks. Twenty-five vegetation indices (VIs) were calculated. The analysis of variance showed significant genotypic effects on all 25 vegetation indices for both flights (p < 0.05). The vegetation index Red edge (RE) from the first flight was the most significantly correlated with both pod (r = 0.44) and seed yield (r = 0.64). These results can be used to further advance organic peanut breeding efforts with high-throughput data collection.

Nutrient deficiency limits population development,yield formation,and nutrient uptake of direct sown winter oilseed rape

Direct-sowing establishment method has great significance in improving winter oilseed rape（Brassica napus L.） production and guaranteeing edible oil security in China. However, nutrient responses on direct sown winter oilseed rape（DOR） performance and population development dynamic are still not well understood. Therefore, five on-farm experiments were conducted in the reaches of the Yangtze River（RYR） to determine the effects of nitrogen（N）, phosphorus（P）, and potassium（K） deficiencies on population density, dry matter production, nutrient uptake, seed yield, and yield components of DOR plants. Four fertilization treatments included the balanced NPK application treatment（NPK, 180 kg N, 39.3 kg P, 100 kg K, and 1.8 kg borax ha–1） and three nutrient deficiency treatments based on the NPK treatment, i.e., –N, –P, and –K. The results indicated that DOR population density declined gradually throughout the growing season, especially at over-wintering and pod-development stages. Nutrient deficiency decreased nutrient concentration in DOR plants, limited dry matter production and nutrient uptake, and thereby exacerbated density reduction during plants growth. The poor individual growth and reduced population density together decreased seed yield in the nutrient deficiency treatment. Averaged across all the experiments, seed yield reduced 61% by N deficiency, 38.3% by P deficiency, and 14.4% by K deficiency. The negative effects of nutrient deficiency on DOR performances followed the order of –N–P–K, and the effects were various among different nutrient deficiencies. Although N deficiency improved DOR emergence, but it seriously limited dry matter production and nutrient uptake, which in turn led to substantial plants death and therefore resulted in a very low harvested density. The P deficiency significantly reduced initial density, limited plants growth, and exacerbated density reduction. The K deficiency mainly decreased individual growth and yield, but did not affect density dynamic. Our results highlighted the importance of balanced NPK application in DOR production, suggesting that management strategy of these nutrients should be comprehensively considered with an aim to build an appropriate population structure with balanced plant density and individual growth.

Effects of B, Mo, Zn, and Their Interactions on Seed Yield of Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of boron (B), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn) and their interactions on seed yield and yield formation of rapeseed (Brassica napus L. var. Huashuang 4). Application of B fertilizer to a sandy soil increased the seed yield by 46.1% compared to the control and also created a considerably higher seed yield than the two treatments solely applying Mo and Zn fertilizers, which suggested that B was a main constraint for the seed yield of Huashuang 4 in this experiment. The effect of B fertilizer on the seed yield was attributed to an increase in the number of seeds per silique and siliques per plant. The combined application of B with Mo or Zn resulted in higher seed yield than the application of B, Mo or Zn alone, and the seed yield of the B+Mo+Zn treatment was the highest in all treatments, 68.1% above the control. Dry matter accumulation of seed followed a typical S-shaped curve and it was higher in plants supplied with B than in plants without B. A small but significant increase in the seed oil content and an improvement in the oil quality were also observed in all treatments compared with the control. These results suggested that optimal micronutrient application could provide both yield and quality advantages for rapeseed in poor soil.

Relations Between Photosynthetic Parameters and Seed Yields of Adzuki Bean Cultivars (Vigna angularis)

The study comparatively examined the leaf photosynthetic capacities of different adzuki bean cultivars, high-yield 2000-75 and Jihong 9218, and low-yield Hongbao 1 and Wanxuan 1 from flowering to ripening. It showed that after flowering, the leaves of the cultivars gradually aged, the leaf chlorophyll （Chl.）, soluble protein （SP） contents, net photosynthetic rates （Pn）, transpiration rates （Tr） and stomatal conductance （G） of the cultivars tended to decline, but the leaf intercellular CO2 concentration （Ci） of the cultivars tended to rise. The leaf photosynthetic capacities of the cultivars decreased gradually from the lower to the upper nodes. The dry seed yields of the cultivars were positively correlated with their leaf Chl., SP, Pn, and Tr and Gs, and negatively associated with their leaf Ci. At the late growth stages, the high-yield cultivars maintained higher leaf Chl. contents, SP contents, Pn, Tr, and Gs than the low-yield cultivars, indicating that leaf photosynthetic capacity was one of important yield-affecting factors of adzuki bean. Therefore, it was important for a crop at the crucial stage of yield formation to maintain a high leaf chlorophyll content and a high leaf photosynthetic capacity and delay leaf aging.

Effects of plant density and nitrogen rate on cotton yield and nitrogen use in cotton stubble retaining fields

Increasing nitrogen(N)rate could accelerate the decomposition of crop residues,and then improve crop yield by increasing N availability of soil and N uptake of crops.However,it is not clear whether N rate and plant density should be modified after a long period of cotton stubble return with high N rate.This study seeks to assess the effects of N rate and plant density on cotton yield,N use efficiency,leaf senescence,soil inorganic N,and apparent N balance in cotton stubble return fields in Liaocheng,China,in 2016 and 2017.Three plant densities 5.25(D_(5.25)),6.75(D_(6.75))and 8.25(D_(8.25))plants m^(-2) and five N rates 0(N_(0)),105(N_(105)),210(N_(210)),315(N315),and 420(N420)kg ha^(-1) were investigated.Compared to the combination used by local farmers(D_(5.25)N_(315)),a 33.3%N reduction and a 28.6%increase in plant density(D_(6.75)N_(210))can maintain high cotton yield,while a 66.7%N reduction at 6.75 plants m^(-2)(D_(6.75)N_(105))can only achieve high yield in the first year.Biological yield increased with the increase of N rate and plant density,and the highest yield was obtained under 420 kg N ha^(-1) at 8.25 plants m^(-2)(D_(8.25)N_(420))across the two years under investigation.Compared to D5.25N315,N agronomic efficiency(NAE)and N recovery efficiency(NRE)in D_(6.75)N_(210) increased by 30.2 and 54.1%,respectively,and NAE and NRE in D6.75N105 increased by 104.8 and 88.1%,respectively.Soil inorganic N decreased sharply under 105 kg N ha^(-1),but no change was found under 210 kg N ha^(-1) at 6.75 plants m^(-2).N deficit occurred under 105 kg N ha^(-1),but it did not occurr under 210 kg N ha^(-1) at 6.75 plants m^(-2).Net photosynthetic rate and N concentration of leaves under N rate ranging from 210 to 420 kg ha^(-1) were higher than those under N rate of 0 or 105 kg N ha^(-1) at all three densities.The findings suggest that D6.75N210 is a superior combination in cotton stubble retaining fields in the Yellow River Valley and other areas with similar ecologies.

Ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting with supplemental irrigation to improve seed yield and water use efficiency of winter oilseed rape(Brassica napus L.)

Ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting （RFRH） planting pattern can lessen the effect of water deficits throughout all crop growth stages, but water shortage would remain unavoidable during some stages of crop growth in arid and semiarid areas. Supplemental irrigation would still be needed to achieve a higher production. Field experiments were conducted for two growing seasons （2012-2013 and 2013-2014）to determine an appropriate amount of supplemental irrigation to be applied to winter oilseed rape at the stem-elongation stage with RFRH planting pattern. Four treatments, including supplemental irrigation amount of 0 （I1）, 60 mm （I2） and 120 mm （I3） with RFRH planting pattern and a control （CK） irrigated with 120 mm with flat planting pattern, were set up to evaluate the effects of supplemental irrigation on aboveground dry matter （ADM）, nitrogen nutrition index （NNI）, radiation use efficiency （RUE）, water use efficiency （WUE）, and seed yield and oil content of the oilseed rape. Results showed that supplemental irrigation improved NNI, RUE, seed yield and oil content, and WUE. However, the NNI, RUE, seed yield and oil content, and WUE did not increase significantly or even showed a downward trend with excessive irrigation. Seed yield was the highest in 13 for both growing seasons. Seed yield and WUE in 13 averaged 3235 kg ha^-1 and 8.85 kg ha^-1 mm-1, respectively. The highest WUE was occurred in 12 for both growing seasons. Seed yield and WUE in 12 averaged 3089 kg ha^-1 and 9.63 kg ha^-1 mm^-1, respectively. Compared to 13, 12 used 60 mm less irrigation amount, had an 8.9% higher WUE, but only 4.5 and 0.4% lower seed yield and oil content, respectively. 12 saved water without substantially sacrificing yield or oil content, so it is recommended as an appropriate cultivation and irrigation schedule for winter oilseed rape at the stem-elongation stage.

Architecture of stem and branch affects yield formation in short season cotton

The cotton direct seeding after wheat(rape) harvested is under trial and would be the future direction at the Yangtze River Valley region of China.The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of branch and stem architecture on cotton yield and identify the optimal cotton architecture to compensate the yield loss due to the reduction of individual production capacity under high planting density in the direst seeding after wheat harvested cropping system.The characteristics of the stem and branch architecture and the relationships between architecture of the stem and branch with yield formation were studied on eight short season cotton cultivars during 2015 and 2016 cotton growth seasons.Based on the two years results,three cultivars with different architectures of stem and branch were selected to investigate the effect of mepiquat chloride(MC) application on the architecture of the stem and branch,boll retention,and the yield in 2017.Significant differences were observed on plant height,all fruiting nodes to branches ratio(NBR) in the cotton plant,and the curvature of the fruiting branch(CFB) among the studied cultivars.There were three types of stem and fruiting branch structures: Zhong425 with stable and suitable plant height and NBR(about 90 cm and 2.5,respectively),high CFB(more than 10.0),and high boll retention speed and seed cotton yield;Siyang 822 with excessive plant height and NBR,low CFB,and low boll retention speed and seed cotton yield;and other studied cultivars with unstable structure of stem and branch,boll retention speed,and seed cotton yield across years.And MC application could promote the appropriate plant height and NBR and high CFB and thus resulted in high boll retention speed and the yield.The results suggested that the suitable plant height and NBR(about 90 cm and 2.5 respectively),and high CFB(more than 10.0),which was related to both genotype and cultural practice,could promote the higher boll retention speed and seed cotton yield.

Responses of Seed Yield and Economic Benefit of Winter Oilseed Rape(Brassica napus L.) to Different NPK Ratio and Dose

Field experiments were conducted during 2008-2010 to investigate the ef- fects of NPK fertilization on seed yield and economic benefit of a new hybrid cultivar of winter oilseed rape （Brassica napus L.） - Xiangzayou763, and to determine the optimum NPK ratio and dose in Hunan, China. The results showed that NPK ratio （1：0.50：0.50） with 180 kg/hm2 N, 90 kg/hm2 P2O5 and 90 kg/hm2 K20 was the optimum combination for the highest seed yield （2 231.13 kg/hm2） and economic benefit （9 816.97 Yuan/hm2）, of which 1 641.23 Yuan/hm2 being set for fertilizer in- vestment （VCR=4.11）. Besides, the effects of N, P and K fertilizers on seed yield and oil production of winter oilseed rape were not identical. N had the greatest ef- fect on plant growth of winter oilseed rape, followed by P and K. Total leaf number, green leaf number, leaf length and width, rhizome diameter, branch number, dry weight per plant and other agronomic characters in high N treatments were higher than those in low N treatments. By correlation and path analysis of yield components, the contribution rate to seed yield was found： effective silique number per plant〉seed number per silique〉l 000-seed weight.

Effect of Boron Foliar Application on Yield and Quality of Some Sunflower （Helianthus annuus L.） Cultivars

This study was carried out in the greenhouse of the National Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt, in order to investigate the effect of foliar application of boron （0, 300 and 600 ppm B） as boric acid （H3BO3, 17% B） on the yield and yield components and also the seed quality of two sunflower cultivars （Sakha-53 and Giza-102）. B application at a rate of 600 ppm produced the highest values of seed yield/plant （g）, head diameter （cm）, number of seeds/head, weight of 1,000 seed （g）, percentage of oil （%） and oil yield/plant （g） of both cultivars. Seed yield/plant increased by 26.85% and 34.81% with increasing B concentration from 300 ppm and 600 ppm as compared to control plants, respectively. The results indicated that application of 300 ppm B resulted in an increase of palmitic, stearic and oleic acids as compared to the treatment with 600 ppm B and control plants. However, the linoleic acid increased gradually with increasing B up to 600 ppm. Such increases were estimated by 8.72% and 7.19% over the control plants or the treatment sprayed with 300 ppm B, respectively. The highest oleic and linoleic acids percentages （52.71% and 36.05%, respectively） were obtained from Sakha-53 cultivar with 300 ppm B foliar application, while the lowest lenolenic acid percentage （2.01%） was obtained at 600 ppm B. The highest content of gluatmine, isoleucine and arginine （9.61, 3.97 and 3.97 mg/100 g dry weight） was obtained from Sakha-53 cultivar, followed by Giza-102 at a rate of 600 ppm foliar application of B. It can be concluded that B plays a vital role for increasing the productivity and quality of sunflower plants, especially when grown under B deficient soil.

Impact of Tillage and Herbicides on Weed Density, Yield and Quality of Cotton in Wheat Based Cropping System

Conservation tillage may improve yield of cotton in addition to improvement in soil quality if practiced for longer period. However, the practice may not be productive in short-term particularly when severe weeds are infesting the crops such as Cynodon dactylon, Conyza canadensis, Tribulus terrestris, and Cyperus rotundus, etc. Recent studies indicate that conventional tillage （CT） is more productive than zero tillage （ZT）/reduced tillage （RT）. Performance of cotton under three tillage systems, viz., ZT, RT and CT; and five herbicides, i.e., haloxyfop-R-methyl 10.8 EC （108 g a.i. ha^-1）, lactofen 24 EC （168 g a.i. ha^-1）, haloxyfop 10.8 EC ＋ lactofen 24 EC, hand weeding, and weedy check were evaluated during 2010-2011 at Gomal University, D.I.Khan, Pakistan, to explore the best management option for effective weed control, enhanced yield and quality of cotton grown after wheat. The results revealed that hand weeding and Haloxyfop as post emergence alone or in combination with Lactofen reduced weed density to the minimum irrespective of the tillage systems. Excessive rainfall and cooler temperature limited cotton growth and yield in 2010. The adverse weather conditions had more adverse effect on boll weight under ZT and RT than CT. Haloxyfop ＋ lactofen produced higher seed cotton yield in RT than ZT, however, it could not exceed CT. Broad-spectrum herbicides x CT produced the highest number of bolls/plant, boll weight and seed cotton yield. Fiber quality and net returns were also the highest in broad-spectrum herbicides x CT. In conclusion, broad-spectrum herbicides under CT were more productive in wheat based cropping system on silty clay soil of D.I.Khan.

Genome-wide markers for seed yield and disease resistance in perennial ryegrass

The market success of perennial ryegrass(Lolium perenne L.) cultivars depends on sufficient seed production, as they are propagated by seed. However, breeding for high quality forage production reduces seed yield, and breaking the negative correlation would help to overcome the problem. The foliar disease crown rust is another factor affecting reproductive capacity and thereby seed yield. We evaluated seed yield-related traits and resistance to crown rust in a collection of commercial cultivars and ecotypes of perennial ryegrass and identified genome-wide markers associated with the traits. The study revealed high variation between the ecotype and cultivar groups as well as between years. A genome-wide association study identified 17 DNA single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) of which eight were associated with crown rust and nine with flag-leaf length. The SNP markers were located within or near predicted genes functioning in defense against pathogens. The identified genes are strong candidates for a further in-depth functional study to continue unravel determination of leaf architecture and crown rust resistance in perennial ryegrass.

Effects of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Seed Yields and Yield Components of Zoysia japonica Established by Seeding and Transplant

The study was conducted to determine the optimum fertilizer-N application rate formaximum seed yields of Zoysiagrass stands from seeding and transplant respectively, atJiaozhou, Shandong Province, China from 2001 to 2003. In the third year after establishment,seed yields and yield components for both stands showed a similar response to fertilizer-N. Maximum fertile tiller numbers (3342 heads m-2 and 2941 heads m-2 from stands seeded inrows and transplanted, respectively) and the highest seed yields (844.50kgha-1 and 874.65kg ha-1 from stands seeded in rows and transplanted, respectively) were obtained at a Nfertilizer rate of 20kgha-1 in autumn and 10kgha-1 in spring (30kgha-1 N in total). Thefertile tillers and seed yields decreased with further increasing of N fertilizer rate.Fertilizer-N application could increase the length of spike, spikelets per fertiletiller, seed number per spike, setting percentage and thousand seed weight. The 1000-seed weight and the length of spike from transplant plots were higher than that fromseeding plots. The optimal harvest time of zoysiagrass at Jiaozhou was on the 36th dayafter peak anthesis, near June 15th, when the seed moisture content was 26-28%.

Effect of Phosphorus and Potassium Foliar Treatment on Seed Yield and Yield Components of Red Clover （ Trifolium pratense L.） Cultivars

Proper mineral nutrition of red clover especially on the acid soils is a prerequisite for the realization of maximum potential for seed yield. The field experiment with four cultivars of red clover were established on soil having a pH （in H2O） of 4.8, in order to in conditions of dense planting （20 cm inter row） analyzes the effect of foliar application of phosphorus and potassium （PK） on yield and yield components （number of stems/m2, number of inflorescences/m2, number of inflorescences/stem, number of flowers/inflorescence, number of seeds/inflorescence and one thousand grain weight）. Regardless of foliar treatment with PK, varieties differed in the number of inflorescences/m2, number of flowers/inflorescence, number of seeds/inflorescence and seed yield. Foliar application of PK in the phase of intensive growth of red clover had a positive impact on number of stem/m2, number of inflorescences/m2 and seed yield in all varieties, as well as on the number of flowers/inflorescence, number of seeds/inflorescence in cultivar Viola.

Effects of Intercropping Systems of Castor Bean, Maize and Common Bean on Their Growth and Seed Yield in the Soudano Guinea Zone of Cameroon

Field trial was carried out in the Soudano-Guinean zone of Cameroon to investigate the effect of intercropping systems of castor bean with common bean and maize on their growth and yield. Randomized complete block design with three replications was used and five treatments： castor bean in monoculture or in association with common beans or maize, common bean in monoculture and in association with castor bean, maize in monoculture and in association with castor bean. The growth parameters and seed yield were evaluated. Castor beans associated with either maize or common bean grew faster compared to the monoculture system. In addition common bean exhibited fast growth and high seed yield when associated to castor bean, while, no significant difference was observed for maize. In conclusion, the culture of castor bean in association with common bean or maize is advantageous for the peasants in the Adamawa Cameroon region.

Relationship between Seed Yield and Yield Chracteristics in Faba Bean （Vicia faba L.） by GGE-Biplot Analysis

Viciafaba L. was domesticated around 8000 BC in the Near East; the crop spread to Central Europe and Russia through Anatolia, the Danube Valley and the Caucasus; to Eastern Mediterranean regions through the Mediterranean coast and the Isles; from Egypt and Arabian Coast （the Arabia Felix） to Abyssinia; through Mesopotamia to India and China probably during the first millennium AD （only land races of major type, the latest in being produced, were known in China until recently）. Faba bean （Vicia faba L.） is grown world-wide as a protein source for food and feed. The importance of nutzients （micro and macro） for human growth is universally recognized. An investigation was camed out to select the most successful faba bean genotypes to estimate for seed yield and some of agro-morphological traits. Effective interpretation of the dataon breeding programes is important at all stages of plant improvment. The GT （genotype by trait） was used for two-way faba bean genotypes with multiple traits. For this purpose, six faba bean genotypes with specific components were tested and the GT biplot for genotype data explained 83% of total variation of the standardized data. The polygon view of GT presented for five traits of faba bean genotypes showed three vertex genotypes as Goryaka, Karcacaoglan and Seher. Genotype G0ryaka had the highest values for most of the traits. It was demonstzaited that the selection of high seed yield will be via hundred seed weight and planth height. These traits should be considered meanwhile as effective selection criteria developing high yielding faba bean genotypes because of their large contibution to grain yield. The genotypes Goryaka and Karacaoglan could be well-considered for improving of desirable candidate in selection of improvement studies.

The BnTFL1–BnGF14nu–BnFD module regulates flower development and plant architecture in Brassica napus

Flower development and plant architecture determine the efficiency of mechanized harvest and seed yield in Brassica napus.Although TERMINAL FLOWER 1(AtTFL1)is a regulator of flower development in Arabidopsis thaliana,the function and regulatory mechanism of TFL1 orthologs in B.napus remains unclear.Six BnTFL1 paralogs in the genome of the B.napus inbred line‘K407’showed steadily increasing expression during vernalization.CRISPR/Cas-induced mutagenesis of up to four BnTFL1 paralogs resulted in early flowering and alteration of plant architecture,whereas seed yield was not altered in BnTFL1 single,double,or triple mutants.Six BnTFL1 paralogs,but not BnaA02.TFL1,showed an additive and conserved effect on regulating flowering time,total and terminal flower number,and plant architecture.BnaA10.TFL1 regulates flower development by interacting with BnaA08.FD through the protein BnaA05.GF14nu,resulting in the transcriptional repression of floral integrator and floral meristem identity genes.These findings about the regulatory network controlling flower development and plant architecture present a promising route to modifying these traits in B.napus.

Optimizing N fertilizer use for sesame under rain fed and irrigation conditions in Northern Ethiopia

Inappropriate use of fertilizers is one of the major production constraints in sesame. Studies on N fertilizer optimization on sesame were conducted at Humera Agricultural Research Center(Hu ARC) under rain fed and irrigation conditions. Thirteen(13) N doses were evaluated in a Randomized Complete Block Design(RCBD)during 2016–2018 for rainfed conditions and 2017 to 2019 for irrigation conditions. The study was conducted with objective to optimize N fertilizer use for sesame. In the rainfed condition, the results demonstrated a prolonged duration to reach 50% flowering with higher nitrogen(N) application rates. The application of 52.5–110kg N ha^(-1) resulted in significantly higher seed yield, while lower(18 kg N ha^(-1)) and higher(156 kg N ha^(-1)) doses of N led to reduced seed yield. Under irrigation conditions, superior seed weights and maximum seed yield were observed at 64 and 75 kg N ha^(-1), whereas lower N doses resulted in diminished seed yield. The agronomic efficiency of N fertilizer(N-AE) was found to be highest at the rate of 64 kg N ha^(-1) under both growing conditions.The partial budget analysis revealed that applying 64 kg N ha^(-1) for rainfed cultivation and between 64 and 75 kg N ha^(-1) for irrigated sesame production yielded greater net profit, MRR, and residual ranking. Therefore, it is recommended to apply a rate of 64 kg N ha^(-1) for rainfed sesame cultivation and between 64 up to 75 kg N ha^(-1) for the irrigated sesame inorder to increase the productivity of this crop.