Effect of Inorganic and Organic Fertilizers on Growth and Yield of Two Industrial Potato Varieties (Asterix and Courage) in Bangladesh

Potato is one of the most important vegetable crops, which contributes more than half of the total vegetable production in Bangladesh. Four field experiments were conducted in two different locations in Bangladesh to develop integrated nutrient management practices to produce quality potato seed in industrial processing varieties Asterix and Courage. For the inorganic trial, Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) including 2 potato varieties, 5 treatments with 4 replications, and in the organic fertilizer trial, Factorial RCBD including 2 potato varieties, 6 treatments with 4 replications were used. In the inorganic fertilizer trail, the highest yield was obtained in the variety Asterix due to Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Sulfur (NPKS) plus Magnesium treated plot in Domar BADC farm and due to NPKS plus Boron, Zinc, and Magnesium treated plots in Kashimpur Farm. In the case of variety Courage, the highest yield was found in the treatment of NPKS plus Zinc in Domar BADC farm while in Kashimpur farm, NPKS plus Mg treated plots had the highest yield of potato variety-Courage. In the organic fertilizer trail, the highest tuber yield per hill was obtained by applying the government-approved commercial brand Northern organic fertilizer in variety Asterix and by organic fertilizer brand Chook Chook in variety Courage. Parameters such as days to tuber initiation, number of stems per hill, plant height, and number of tubers per hill were found statistically different among the treatments and between the two varieties. Treatments namely Northern organic fertilizer and Cowdung combined with mustard oil cake performed better considering standard grade tuber yield (grade A and B) compared to other treatments. Hence, the combination of NPKS MgZn and either Northern organic or Chook Chook or Cowdung plus mustard oil cake could be used to grow the varieties Asterix and Courage.

Metabolic profiles and morphological characteristics of leaf tips among different sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas Lam.)varieties

Sweet potato leaf tips have high nutritional value,and exploring the differences in the metabolic profiles of leaf tips among different sweet potato varieties can provide information to improve their qualities.In this study,a UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/MS-based untargeted metabolomics method was used to evaluate the metabolites in leaf tips of 32 sweet potato varieties.Three varieties with distinct overall metabolic profiles(A01,A02,and A03),two varieties with distinct profiles of phenolic acids(A20 and A18),and three varieties with distinct profiles of flavonoids(A05,A12,and A16)were identified.In addition,a total of 163 and 29 differentially expressed metabolites correlated with the color and leaf shape of sweet potato leaf tips,respectively,were identified through morphological characterization.Group comparison analysis of the phenotypic traits and a metabolite-phenotypic trait correlation analysis indicated that the color differences of sweet potato leaf tips were markedly associated with flavonoids.Also,the level of polyphenols was correlated with the leaf shape of sweet potato leaf tips,with lobed leaf types having higher levels of polyphenols than the entire leaf types.The findings on the metabolic profiles and differentially expressed metabolites associated with the morphology of sweet potato leaf tips can provide useful information for breeding sweet potato varieties with higher nutritional value.

Highβ-sitosterol-D-glucoside content in sweet potato varieties and its anti-breast cancer potential through multiple metastasis-associated signals

β-Sitosterol-D-glucoside(β-SDG)is a phytosterol compound whose antitumor activity has been confirmed by previous studies.However,its suppression on breast cancer remains unclear.To that purpose,we isolatedβ-SDG from sweet potato and investigated the breast-cancer-inhibiting mechanism using proteomic analysis.The sweet potato species S6 with highβ-SDG content were chosen form 36 species andβ-SDG was isolated by HPLC.Afterwards,an in situ animal model of breast cancer was established,andβ-SDG significantly reduced the tumor volume of MCF-7 xenograft mice.Proteomic analysis of tumor tissues revealed that 127 of these proteins were upregulated and 80 were downregulated.Gene ontology and network analysis showed that regulatory proteins were mainly associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT),myogenesis,cholesterol homeostasis,oxidative phosphorylation and reactive oxygen pathways,while Vimentin,NDUF,VDAC1,PPP2CA and SNx9 were the most significant 5 node degree genes.Meanwhile,in vitro and in vivo results showed that the protein expression of PPP2CA and Vimentin,which are markers of EMT,were involved in breast cancer cell metastasis and could be reversed byβ-SDG.This work highlightsβ-SDG as a bioactive compound in sweet potato and the potential therapeutic effect ofβ-SDG for the treatment of breast cancer by inhibiting metastasis.

Effect of Size and Initial Water Content on the Effective Diffusion Coefficient during Convective Drying of Sweet Potato Cut into Cubic and Cylindrical Shapes

In this article, we investigated the influence of size and initial water content on the effective diffusion coefficient of sweet potatoes samples cut into cubic and cylindrical shapes. The sizes of the cubic samples are 0.5, 1, 1.5, 1.75, 2, 2.5 and 3 cm edge with a respective initial water content of 2.7, 3.76, 3.48, 2.68, 3.28, 2.17 and 2.29 kg/kgms. For cylindrical samples, the radius is set at 0.5 cm and sample heights are 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 and 4 cm with respective water contents of 2.2, 3.19, 2.85, 2.1, 2.17, 2.39 and 2.03 kg/kgms. The effective diffusion coefficients of cubic samples are of the order of 10−10 and 10−9 m2∙s−1 grew with sample edge. As for the cylindrical samples, the effective diffusion coefficients were of the order of 10−9 m2∙s−1 and there was no linear correlation between cylinder height and their effective diffusion coefficient. As for the examination of the initial water content on the effective diffusion coefficient, it turned out that the initial water content had no influence on the effective diffusion coefficient of the sweet potato samples.

Influence of Sanitization Process on Maintaining Sweet Potato Quality for Export

The whole cold-chain for exporting sweet potato(native variety“Abees”),to foreign market included immediate curing operation directly after harvest helped in healing skin texture,however,in order to reduce postharvest soft rot(Rhizopus stolonifer)incidence following trimming,and washing,ultraviolet light(UV-C)treatment was used as a main sanitizer for eliminating the soft rot.Exposure of the roots to UV-C(254 nm)was applied in a UV-C room on freshly harvested and cured sweet potato while rolling up on a movable line at 20 cm distance for 1,2,and 3 hr.As combining UV-C treatment with chlorine(200 ppm)on roots,marked and significant reduction of the total microbial load and Rhizopus potential was achieved on root surfaces respectively compared with chlorine alone.It also reduced soft rot percentage to almost 0%infection.After 3 months of cold-storage,quality assessment of sweet potato showed that root characteristics were markedly maintained.The ability of UV-C light to induce phenylalanine ammonia lyase(PAL)enzyme activity in root tissue and maintain the activities of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase,however with slight increase,was detected.UV-C caused an increase of phenol content in sweet potato tissue that made an activation of defense reaction against the rot causal pathogen.As the exposure time to UV-C light increased,a higher content of phenols occurred.Moreover,UV-C application caused decrease in sugar content of root tissue that is flavored by soft rot-causal pathogen.

Targeting Cancers: Uncovering the Potential Roles of Potato Tissue Culture as Anti-Cancer Agents - A Secondary Publication

Plant tissue culture is a technique that enhances the quality and quantity of potatoes. Potatoes are a significant crop and are primarily used in the world. It is a staple food in many countries, where millions of tonnes are produced annually. It is an essential source of many nutrients, such as proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and beta-carotene. In addition, potatoes are being used as therapeutic agents against cancer and other human diseases as well. Potatoes are on the third list after wheat and rice. To overcome food shortages and malnutrition, there are two methods used for producing potatoes: the first is sexual, which is seed propagation, and the second is asexual, which is plant tissue culture propagation. Conventional potato breeding is a uniform method, but it is unsafe because there is a risk of pathogen attack. In a laboratory setting, the tissue culture of potatoes produced millions of plants with nutrient-rich medium under controlled environmental conditions that prevent pest attacks. Some environmental stresses, such as salinity and water scarcity, affect potato yield and production;however, applying nanoparticles like organic, inorganic, and silicon dioxide enhances potato quality and combats stress. Biotechnology has proven to be helpful in addressing all these issues. This review discusses the significance of potatoes, their production through the tissue culture technique, and the application of nanoparticles to improve the growth, and impact of potatoes on human health.

The transcription factor IbNAC29 positively regulates the carotenoid accumulation in sweet potato

Carotenoid is a tetraterpene pigment beneficial for human health.Although the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway has been extensively studied in plants,relatively little is known about their regulation in sweet potato.Previously,we conducted the transcriptome database of differentially expressed genes between the sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas)cultivar‘Weiduoli’and its high-carotenoid mutant‘HVB-3’.In this study,we selected one of these candidate genes,IbNAC29,for subsequent analyses.IbNAC29 belongs to the plant-specific NAC(NAM,ATAF1/2,and CUC2)transcription factor family.Relative IbNAC29 mRNA level in the HVB-3 storage roots was∼1.71-fold higher than Weiduoli.Additional experiments showed that the contents ofα-carotene,lutein,β-carotene,zeaxanthin,and capsanthin are obviously increased in the storage roots of transgenic sweet potato plants overexpressing IbNAC29.Moreover,the levels of carotenoid biosynthesis genes in transgenic plants were also up-regulated.Nevertheless,yeast one-hybrid assays indicated that IbNAC29 could not directly bind to the promoters of these carotenoid biosynthesis genes.Furthermore,the level of IbSGR1 was down-regulated,whose homologous genes in tomato can negatively regulate carotene accumulation.Yeast three-hybrid analysis revealed that the IbNAC29-IbMYB1R1-IbAITR5 could form a regulatory module.Yeast one-hybrid,electrophoretic mobility shift assay,quantitative PCR analysis of chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that IbAITR5 directly binds to and inhibits the promoter activity of IbSGR1,up-regulating carotenoid biosynthesis gene IbPSY.Taken together,IbNAC29 is a potential candidate gene for the genetic improvement of nutritive value in sweet potato.

Allelopathic Effects of Water Extracts of Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) on Seed Germination of Ageratum conyzoides

Sustainable weed management strategies are essential to reduce chemical and labor inputs. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of water extracts from sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lamarck] on seed germination of Ageratum conyzoides L. under controlled conditions. The aqueous was produced from plant parts i.e., roots, stems, and leaves of sweet potato at concentrations of 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, and 0.100 g·mL-1. The results showed that the plant parts of sweet potato all contained allelopathic substances, which showed high-concentration inhibition and low-concentration promotion of seed germination of A. conyzoides. When the aqueous extract concentrations were 0.050, 0.075, and 0.100 g·mL-1, the germination of A. conyzoides seeds was inhibited, while the germination was promoted at a concentration of 0.025 g·mL-1. This shows that when the planting density of sweet potato is large, it can form an obvious prevention and control effect on A. conyzoides, and thus improve herbicide resistance management.

Physicochemical,rheological and antioxidant profiling of yogurt prepared from non-enzymatically and enzymatically hydrolyzed potato powder under refrigeration

Evidences show that the storage period greatly affects the quality of yogurt.In this study,three types of yogurt:control yogurt(CY),non-hydrolyzed potato powder yogurt(PPY)and enzymatically hydrolyzed potato powder yogurt(EHPPY)were prepared at 42℃ for 5 h and stored for 28 days at 4℃.The yogurts were evaluated for quality characteristics at different storage periods.Negligible differences in pH values,titratable acidities and viable counts were detected in all three types of yogurt during storage.However,compared to other yogurts,EHPPY exhibited desirable water holding capacity,throughout the storage period.Apart from this,sensory properties and antioxidant activities(2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl(DPPH)free radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power(FRAP))of EHPPY were also significantly improved during the storage period.Furthermore,the storage(G’)and loss(G”)modulus of PPY,EHPPY were lower than CY at 4℃ while a hysteresis loop was shown by all yogurts at the temperature range of 4-50℃ indicating higher G’(elasticity)than G”(viscosity).Based on our findings,EHPP could be an important functional ingredient in improving the quality and storage stability of yogurt for its production at an industrial level.

Evolutionary Fixed Potential Agronomic Traits in Polysomic Polyploidy Plants with Special Reference to Potato

It is commonly known that polyploidization has become one of major forces for a speciation and evolution, especially with evolutionary fixed potential agronomic traits in plants. Although several studies demonstrate that allopolyploid plants were successful in developing novel crops, autopolyploid ones are also more substantial and worth exploring. Obviously, autopolyploid development via sexual or asexual pathways can lead to advantages in biomass, changing process of development, and lots of benefits on coping with climate changes do not comprehend as a whole. This review shed light on 1) gaining gigantic effect and increasing phytochemical content;2) enhancing biotic and abiotic tolerance to adapt to climate change;3) changing in process of development;4) adapting ecology. Based on these benefits, this review provides breeders with several choices when they need in the breeding strategies. Also further review on prospects of polyploidy potato in food security is concerned.

StOFP20 regulates tuber shape and interacts with TONNEAU1 Recruiting Motif proteins in potato

The OVATE family proteins(OFPs) are plant-specific proteins that modulate diverse aspects of plant growth and development. In tomato, OFP20 has been shown to interact with TONNEAU1 Recruiting Motif(TRM) proteins to regulate fruit shape. In this study, we demonstrated that the mutation of StOFP20 caused a shift from round to oval shaped tubers in a diploid accession C151, supporting the role of StOFP20 in controlling tuber shape. Its expression reached a maximum in the tuber initiation stage and then decreased as the tuber develops. To help elucidate the mechanism of tuber shape regulation by StOFP20, 27 TONNEAU1 Recruiting Motif(TRM) proteins were identified and 23 of them were successfully amplified in C151. A yeast two-hybrid assay identified three TRM proteins that interacted with StOFP20, which was confirmed by firefly luciferase complementation in tobacco leaves. The OVATE domain was indispensable for the interactions, while the necessity of the M10 motif in TRM proteins varied among the interactions between StOFP20 and the three TRMs. In summary, both StOFP20 and SlOFP20 directed interactions with TRM proteins, but the corresponding interactants were not completely consistent, implying that they exert regulatory roles through mechanisms that are only partially overlapping.

Evaluation of Genetic Divergence in Various Potato Genotypes Grown in Bangladesh through Different Traits Assessment

The goal of the study was to quantify the genetic diversity of different potato varieties. Five groups were named to classify the 25 genres of potatoes as: Cluster I (Lalpakri, Diamond), Cluster II (Hagrai, Green Mountain, G.M.O., Elvera), Cluster III (Atlantic, Shepody, Raja, Fundy, Multa, Granulla, Shibilati, Japanese Red), Cluster IV (Atlas, Brondy, Yucon Gold, Monona, Petrones, Cheroki), and Cluster V (Calwhite, Prelude, Allblue, Russet, Burbank, TPS-67). The highest and lowest genotypes are found in Clusters III and I, respectively. The two groups’ maximum inter-cluster distance (the cluster’s distance between them) demonstrates the enormous diversity between Clusters II & III. Cluster III had the greatest intra-cluster distance (distance within a set), whereas Cluster V had the smallest. In most cases, the distance between gaps was more significant than the distance within the holes, showing greater genetic diversity between different groups’ genotypes. The highest, second highest, and third highest eigenvalues, accompanying the positive canonical values for Vectors I and II of three characteristics: average tuber weight in each plant, the tubers number in each plant, and the eyes number in each tuber, showed the most outstanding contribution to the complete difference between genotypes. Of the nine features, the smaller leaves number in each plant, the shorter plant height, the more minor genotypes, the fewer eyes per tube generated from Cluster I, the maximum height of the plants, the high-quality tubers in each plant, the tubers number in each plant, the fresh weight in each plant, and the leaf number in each plant from Cluster II could be chosen in the role of parents in this program for hybridization. Given the size of the genetic distance, the various characteristics that contribute to the overall difference, and the average population size, Hagrai, Green Mountain, O.M.G., Elvera Cluster II and Cluster I, Lalpakri, and Diamond genotypes can be regarded as parents of hybridization programs in the future. Thus, producers can get guidance to enhance genetic diversity by selecting materials from different relatives and reducing their vulnerability to diseases and climate change.

Potato protease inhibitors,a functional food material with antioxidant and anticancer potential

Potato protease inhibitors(PPIs),as the main component of potato protein isolate,have good safety,nutrition and great market potential.The antioxidant and anticancer properties of PPIs were evaluated with cellbased biological assays.The results showed that when the concentration of PPIs was 5 mg/mL,the peroxyl radical scavenging value was(2119±204)mg VCE/100 g,and the cellular antioxidant activity values were(45.83±3.5)(no PBS wash)and(33.25±4.4)μmol QE/100 g(PBS wash).Cells pretreated with PPIs could significantly prevent the oxidative damage induced by H_(2)O_(2),inhibit the morphological changes of cells and maintain the integrity.Furthermore,PPIs had selective anti-proliferative effects on GIST882 cells(IC50=(10.53±3.87)mg/mL)and demonstrated potent inhibition of the growth,migration and invasion of cancer cells.These findings provide a scientific basis for PPIs as promising candidates for functional foods to aid in the prevention of oxidative damage and cancer.

Molecular characterization of sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas[L.]Lam)germplasms for desirable traits by using simple sequence repeats markers

Every breeding program that aims to create new and improved cultivars with desired traits mostly relies on information related to genetic diversity.Therefore,molecular characterization of germplasms is important to obtain target cultivars with desirable traits.Sweet potato[Ipomoea batatas(L.)Lam]is widely considered the world’s most important crop,with great diversity in morphological and phenotypic traits.The genetic diversity of 20 sweet potato germplasms originating from Bangladesh,CIP,Philippines,Taiwan,and Malaysia were compared,which was accomplished by genetic diversity analysis by exploring 20 microsatellite DNA markers for germplasm characterization and utilization.This information was effective in differentiating or clustering the sweet potato genotypes.A total of 64 alleles were generated using the 20 primers throughout the 20 germplasm samples,with locus IBS97 having the highest number of alleles(5),whereas locus IbU33 had the fewest alleles(2).The alleles varied in size from 105(IbU31)to 213 base pairs(IBS34).The Polymorphism Information Content(PIC)values for the loci IbL46 and IBS97 varied from 0.445 to 0.730.IBS97 has the highest number of effective alleles(3.704),compared to an average of 2.520.The average Shannon’s diversity index(H)was 1.003,ranging from 0.673 in IbU3 to 1.432 in IBS97.The value of gene flow(Nm)varied between 0.000 and 0.005,with an average of 0.003,whereas genetic differentiation(FST-values)ranged between 0.901 and 1.000.The sweet potato germplasm included in this study had a broad genetic base.SP1 vs.SP9 and SP12 vs.SP18 germplasm pairings had the greatest genetic distance(GD=0.965),while SP1 vs.SP2 germplasm couples had the least genetic diversity(GD=0.093).Twenty genotypes were classified into two groups in the UPGMA dendrogram,with 16 genotypes classified as group“A”and the remaining four genotypes,SP10,SP18,SP19,and SP20,classified as group“B.”According to cluster analysis,the anticipated heterozygosity(gene diversity)of Nei(1973)was 0.591 on average.In summary,SSR markers successfully evaluated the genetic relationships among the sweet potato accessions used and generated a high level of polymorphism.The results of the present study will be useful for the management of germplasm,improvement of the current breeding strategies,and the release of new cultivars as varieties.

In Vitro Synthetic Seed Production of Potato under Different Fungicide Levels and Storage Intervals

Potato propagation through tubers and seed is an inefficient way of propagation thus we propose an alternative method in this study which is in vitro propagation.Plantlets were raised from True Potato Seeds(TPS)in test tubes containing 10 mL of Murashige Skoog(MS)medium.Subculturing was done after every 21 days and after four subsequent subculturing,when there was an adequate quantity of stock material,uninodal cuttings of about 3-4 mm in length were prepared from in vitro proliferated potato plants by excising leaves of 1-2 mm on each side of the node.Prepared uninodal cuttings were cultured on 1/2 strength MS medium for root primordia development.The selected uninodal cuttings with root primordia were encapsulated with sodium alginate solution(3.5%(w/v)),mixed with 1.25%charcoal and different concentration of fungicide(thiophanate methyl,sigma)to enhance the viability percentage of synthetic seed.Furthermore,these encapsulated uninodal cuttings were subjected to different storage intervals to check maximum storage.Results showed that optimum dose for fungicide is 150 mg/L as it resulted in good viability percentage,shoot number,shoot length,rooting percentage,root number,root length and ideal for bead formation with sodium alginate.Similarly,results revealed that encapsulated uninodal cuttings can be stored at a temperature of 4℃ up to 45 days with a survival rate of 63.33%.Encapsulated uninodal cutting stored for 60 days showed a poor viability percentage of about 43.03%.It can be concluded that optimum dose of 150 mg/L with storage time of 45 days should be used to get a better outcome for synthetic potato seed production.

Experimentation of a Forced Convection Solar Dryer for Drying Sweet Potatoes at the Higher Institute of Technology of Mamou-Guinea

This study was carried out at the Mamou Higher Institute of Technology during the period from March 10 to April 15, 2022, with the aim of designing and testing a solar dryer with forced convection by drying potatoes. The dryer was designed using local materials. Its main geometric parameters are: 1) height of the drying chamber (90 cm), 2) length of the drying chamber (50 cm), 3) width of the drying chamber (43 cm), 4) surface of the racks (0.1806 m2), 5) surface of the heat accumulator (0.2537 m2). The experiment focused on the vacuum test of the dryer for two days and that of the drying of the sweet potato for three days from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The average vacuum test temperature values of the three environments are respectively accumulator (43°C), dryer chamber (41°C) and ambient environment (34°C). Four kilograms (4 kg) of boiled sweet potato were dried. The average temperatures in the accumulator and in the drying chamber during the three days of drying are respectively 33°C and 39°C. The final mass of the dried product is 1.2 kg, with a quantity of water extracted of 2 liters or 63% of the initial mass of the product. The average drying rate is 0.074 kg/h. The drying kinetics showed a decreasing rate in the absence of the heating period and the constant rate period.

Diurnal emission of herbivore-induced(Z)-3-hexenyl acetate and allo-ocimene activates sweet potato defense responses to sweet potato weevils

The sweet potato weevil(Cylas formicarius(Fab.)(Coleoptera: Brentidae)) is a pest that feeds on sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas(L.) Lam.(Solanales: Convolvulaceae)), causing substantial economic losses annually. However, no safe and effective methods have been found to protect sweet potato from this pest. Herbivore-induced plant volatiles(HIPVs)promote various defensive bioactivities, but their formation and the defense mechanisms in sweet potato have not been investigated. To identify the defensive HIPVs in sweet potato, the release dynamics of volatiles was monitored.The biosynthetic pathways and regulatory factors of the candidate HIPVs were revealed via stable isotope tracing and analyses at the transcriptional and metabolic levels. Finally, the anti-insect activities and the defense mechanisms of the gaseous candidates were evaluated. The production of(Z)-3-hexenyl acetate(z3HAC) and allo-ocimene was induced by sweet potato weevil feeding, with a distinct circadian rhythm. Ipomoea batatas ocimene synthase(IbOS) is first reported here as a key gene in allo-ocimene synthesis. Insect-induced wounding promoted the production of the substrate,(Z)-3-hexenol, and upregulated the expression of IbOS, which resulted in higher contents of z3HAC and allo-ocimene,respectively. Gaseous z3HAC and allo-ocimene primed nearby plants to defend themselves against sweet potato weevils. These results provide important data regarding the formation, regulation, and signal transduction mechanisms of defensive volatiles in sweet potato, with potential implications for improving sweet potato weevil management strategies.

Effects of Sweet Potato Rotation and Intercropping on the Microbial Community of Rhizosphere Soil

To reveal the response mechanism of soil microbial community in different planting systems of sweet potato,the effects of rotation and intercropping on microbial community structure and carbon source utilization capacities of sweet potato rhizosphere soil were studied by using phospholipid fatty acid(PLFA)and ecological board(BIOLOG ECO)through field positioning experiments.In this study,three treatments were sweet potato continuous cropping,sweet potato-wheat rotation,and sweet potato-corn intercropping.The main results showed that compared with the sweet potato continuous cropping treatment,sweet potato rotation and intercropping changed the PLFA biomass of soil microorganisms;the contents of bacteria increased by 21.82%and 38.77%,respectively(P<0.05);the contents of actinomycetes increased by 6.98%and 12.77%,and the biomass of Gram-positive bacteria increased by 28.60%and 63.44%,respectively;and the biomass of Gram-negative bacteria increased by 18.21%and 22.29%,and the fungal contents decreased by 16.60%and 13.03%,respectively.With the extension of culture time,the average well color development(AWCD value)of sweet potato-corn intercropping was significantly higher than other two treatments.The utilization capacities of carboxylic acid compounds,polymers,carbohydrates,amino acids,and amines in the sweet potato-corn intercropping treatment were significantly increased by 17.28%,14.67%,54.17%,36.62%,and 20.00%,respectively,compared with the sweet potato continuous cropping treatment.The results of the multivariate analysis(RDA)showed that the changes of soil microbial community structure and functional diversity were controlled by many factors,and the soil available potassium and total nitrogen were the main driving factors.However,sweet potato-wheat rotation and sweet potato-corn intercropping could optimize the soil microbial community structure and enhance the microbial functional diversity,and the effect of sweet potato-corn intercropping treatment was better.

Characteristics and High-yield Cultivation Techniques of the Main Potato Variety Jinshu 16 in Shanxi Province

With NL94014 as the female parent and 9333-11 as the male parent,the potato research laboratory of High Latitude Crops Institute,Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences obtained true seeds through sexual hybridization,and systematically and directionally bred a new potato variety Jinshu 16 with high yield,good comprehensive resistance and middle and late maturity.This variety has been listed as one of the mainstay varieties in Shanxi Province for many times.In this paper,the characteristics and high-yield cultivation techniques of Jinshu 16 are introduced,in order to guide field production and get better returns.

Effects of Agro-Ecological Practices on the Productivity of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) and Soil Fertility in the Sudano-Sahelian Zone of Burkina Faso

This study consisted to evaluate the effects of ecological practices on the yield performance of the JEWEL of orange-fleshed sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam). The study was conducted in a Sudano-Sahelian cropping system (Lantargou, eastern region of Burkina Faso). Agro-ecological practices consisted of the inputs of 3.20 t/ha of compost + 2.45 t/ha of wood ash (CO + WA);4.90 t/ha of wood ash (WA);6.40 t/ha of compost (CO) were compared to control with no inputs (T0). Each treatment was repeated four times. The crop management consisted of plowing, harrowing, raising of ridges with 40 cm height, burying of treatments, transplanting of cuttings, two weeding’s, and using of biopesticide called PIOL for crop protection. Composite soil samples per treatment were also collected at tuber harvest and analyzed to determine the effects of treatments on residual soil fertility. Results showed that the plant heights and diameters under the CO were significantly (P < 0.001) improved by 16% and 12% compared to T0. The WA treatment significantly increased the number of large tubers by 43% (P ≤ 0.01) compared to T0. Total tuber numbers, large tuber numbers and tuber yields of sweet potato under CO + WA were significantly (P < 0.001) and respectively improved by 27%, 50% and 31% compared to T0. All treatments increased soil organic matter, N, P and K contents, and reduced soil acidity compared with those obtained under T0. Soil K content was improved by 39% under CO + WA, and soil N content by 34% under WA compared to T0. Soil C/N ratio under CO + WA was reduced by 20% compared others treatments. But, the CO + WA treatment outperformed by improving residual soil N content by 38%, and the WA treatment by increasing soil K content by 50% compared to T0. In addition, soil pHH2O increased by 1.2 units under WA treatment compared to T0. As conclusion, the application of 6.4 t/ha of compost performed well to improve the vegetative growth of orange-fleshed sweet potato while the inputs of 3.2 t/ha of compost + 2.45 t/ha of wood ash were efficacy to significantly increase the tuber yields and improve the residual fertility of soil.