Impact of Seawater Irrigation on seed germination and seedling growth of Ten Bread Wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)Genotypes

Objective:Seawater leakage in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar East Libya's coastal areas is one of the most biggest obstacles to farmers obtaining a highly productive crop.As a result,the experiment was conducted in a laboratory to find out the impact of irrigation with seawater on the salt tolerance of Acsad Bread wheat genotypes.Method:Ten genotypes(1398,1492,1514,1522,1524,1536,1538,1544,1550,and 1562),obtained from the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands Acsad,were used in the study,10 seeds of each genotype with three repetitions were germinated under four seawater concentrations(10,20,30 and 40%).Results:The results showed that there were highly significant(P≤0.05)differences in the genotypes’response to all salinity concentrations,Which led to decreasing germination percentage,delaying the average germination time,and decreasing radical/plumule length and seedling fresh/dry weight compared with a control.As noted genotypes(1524,1522 and 1514)were able to germinate in all concentrations of seawater,and gave the best average for all the studied traits.Also,the study indicated that a concentration of seawater of 40%was the most toxic for all wheat genotypes.The results of this study categorize the wheat genotypes into tolerant genotypes(1524,1522 and 1514),moderate tolerant(1492,1536),and sensitive(1398,1538,1544,1550 and 1562).Conclusion:The results concluded that the possibility of wheat crops agriculture into tolerant in Libyan coastal locations in which seawater concentration did not exceed 30%.

Effects of Ultrasonic Seed Treatment on Rice Performances under the Seawater Irrigation

Irrigation with desalinated seawater is an effective way to use ocean resources and save freshwater resources.However,seawater irrigation would cause yield loss of rice.In order to explore the effects of ultrasonic seed treatment on rice performances under seawater irrigation,the present study was conducted with three irrigation treatments(fresh water(SW0),ten times diluted seawater(SW1%,0.34%salinity),and five times diluted seawater(SW2%,0.68%salinity))and two seed treatments(ultrasonic treated seeds(UT)and untreated seeds(CK)).Compared with SW0+CK treatment,SW1+CK and SW2+CK treatments significantly decreased grain yield by 56.19%and 66.69%,spikelets per panicle by 30.11%and 55.80%,seed-setting rate by 23.05%and 18.87%,and 1000-grain weight by 4.55%and 14.50%,respectively.Seawater irrigation also significantly increased malonaldehyde(MDA)and proline contents and the activities of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and peroxidase(POD).Ultrasonic seed treatment significantly increased the grain number per panicle,seed-setting rate,and grain yield of rice under seawater irrigation.Compared with CK,UT treatment substantially reduced MDA content,SOD activity,and POD activity in SW1 and SW2 conditions.Furthermore,UT treatment significantly increased proline content and down-regulated proline dehydrogenase activity under seawater irrigation.We deduced that ultrasonic seed treatment enhanced the salinity tolerance of rice by inducing the proline accmulation.Our findings indicated that ultrasonic seed treatment could an effective strategy to promote rice productivity under seawater irrigation.

Soil Properties and Yield of Jerusalem Artichoke(Helianthus tuberosus L.)with Seawater Irrigation in North China Plain

Irrigation with various dilutions of seawater can act as an alternate water resource and thus plays an important role in saving freshwater resources as well as promoting agriculture in the coastal semi-arid areas of the North China Plain. Jerusalem artichoke （Helianthus tuberosus L.） grown in a field experiment was irrigated with seawater diluted with freshwater from 2001 to 2003 to determine the feasibility of seawater irrigation in the Laizhou area. For treatments of CK （non-irrigation） along with seawater concentrations of 25%, 50%, and 75%, total dissolved solid （TDS） in the non-irrigated soil significantly increased （P ≤ 0.05） in both 2002 and 2003 and was 1.3 times higher in 2003 than in 2001. In the 25% and 50% seawater concentration treatments, TDS in 2001 was significantly greater （P ≤ 0.05） than CK; however, TDS in these two treatments decreased by 34.9% and 40.1%, respectively, in 2003 compared with 2001. The sodium adsorption ratio （SAR） remained below 10 mmol^1/2 L^-1/2, indicating that alkalization was low with seawater irrigation. In 2001 and 2002, compared to CK and the irrigation treatment with 75% seawater, irrigation with 25% and 50% seawater increased the yields of Jerusalem .artichoke. This meant that Jerusalem artichoke could be safely grown in salt-affected land of Laizhou area with 25% and 50% seawater irrigation.

Efficacy of physiological seawater nasal irrigation for the treatment of children with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 variant infection:a randomized controlled trial

Background Saline nasal irrigation is an effective therapy for relieving common cold symptoms.This study aimed to investigate and explore the efficacy of physiological seawater nasal irrigation(PSNI)on children with mild and asymptomatic infection with Omicron.Methods This randomized controlled trial was conducted in Shanghai,China,and 403 children with mild and asymptomatic infection with Omicron were included.These children were allocated into the PSNI group and the control group.The primary outcome was the duration of viral shedding(DVS),and the secondary outcome was the change in clinical symptoms.Results The median age of all participants was 5.59(6.26)years old.The DVS was significantly shorter in the PSNI group[2.40(1.13)]than in the control group[3.09(2.14)](P=0.014).The multivariable Cox regression model also showed that patients in the PSNI group had an increased probability of shorter DVS compared with patients in the control group[hazard ratio(HR),1.27;95%confidence interval(CI),1.04–1.55;P=0.017].Subgroup analysis suggested that the DVS of patients without full vaccination was significantly reduced in the PSNI group.The proportions of runny nose and stuffy nose were apparently reduced in the first three days in the PSNI group or the control group,but there was no evidence showing that PSNI contributes to the benefit compared with the control group.Conclusion PSNI can reduce the DVS of patients with mild and asymptomatic infection with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 variant.

Alkaloid Accumulation in Catharanthus roseus Increases with Addition of Seawater Salts to the Nutrient Solution

A sand culture experiment was conducted to determine the effects of different seawater (5% and 10%) treatments on plant growth,inorganic ions,indole alkaloid concentrations and yields of Catharanthus roseus,in an effort to increase the alkaloid yield by artificial cultivation.The total fresh and dry weights and tissue K + concentrations decreased,but Na + concentrations increased in the plant roots,stems and leaves of C.roseus under seawater stress as compared to the control.The concentrations and yields of vindoline,catharanthine,vinblastine and vincristine increased under seawater stress.The concentrations and yields of these alkaloids were higher in 5% seawater-treated plants than those in the 10% seawater-treated plants.Considering the industrial production,5% seawater treatments could reduce the cost of producing alkaloid.In the control plants,the highest alkaloid concentrations reached a peak at 100 days after planting,suggesting that plant harvest must be optimized in terms of growth duration.

Distribution of Mineral Nutrients and Active Ingredients in Aloe vera Irrigated with Diluted Seawater

With increasing demand for irrigation water, agricultural scientists and planners pay more attention to the utilization of diluted seawater as an alternative source for irrigation of crops. A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to study how seawater stress(SS) affects growth, water content, cationic accumulation, and active ingredients in leaves of Aloe vera after 30 d of growth in nutrient media with 0%(control), 22%(22% SS), and 42%(42% SS) seawater stress. Results indicated the SS did not change dry biomass of leaves and stems, but gradually decreased biomass allocation to roots with increasing seawater stress. Na+and Cl-in A. vera plant did not increase obviously with a big increase in seawater percentage due to low transpiration of Aloe vera. 42% SS decreased N concentration in most plant organs, but did not change or increased P concentration. Seawater stress tended to decrease concentrations of K+and Ca2+in A. vera. However, seawater salinity tended to increase the concentrations of aloin concentration in top(young) and middle leaves, and there was no significant effect of both stresses on aloin concentration in base(old) leaves. The 42% SS treatment decreased polysaccharide concentrations only in the base leaves, but not in top and middle leaves. In summary, supplying suitably diluted seawater for 30 d could increase the qualities and value of A. vera, without substantial effects on shoot dry biomass production.