The Yield and Diseases-Pest Performance of Breeding Materials for Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) Sourced from Different Exotic Sources

A study was conducted with 36 tomato germplasm [PGRC (19), The Netherlands (7), Japan (2), and Bangladesh (9)] with 3 check varieties in the research field of the Olericulture Division of Horticulture Research Centre (HRC), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur during the winter season of 2022-23 to identify promising tomato breeding germplasm. All the germplasm showed differences in most of the parameters studied. Considerable variation was observed for fruit yield per hectare varied from 39 to 144 tons, while the highest fruit yield per hectare was harvested from the germplasm viz., BD 7759B, BD 7757, BD 7751, BD 7301, QM, BD 7759A, BD 7762, QF, BD 7753, BD 8886, BD 10351, NL-1A, SLA-19. The number of locules, total soluble solids (TSS) and plant height at last harvest varied from 2 to 6.6, 2.6 to 5.9%, and 66 to 154cm, respectively. The TYLCV infection (%) and leaf-sucking pest infestation (%) were observed with a 1 to 20% range in the field condition in both cases. So, we can select that germplasm has zero per cent infestation. Considering the plant growth habit, earliness, different yield contributing horticultural traits, virus and pest infestation thirteen germplasm viz., BD 7759B, BD 7757, BD 7751, BD 7301, QM, BD 7759A, BD 7762, QF, BD 7753, BD 8886, BD 10351, NL-1A, SLA-19 were selected as breeding materials for further tomato improvement program.

Rational Design of Grain Size to Improve Rice Yield and Quality

Grain size, determined by grain length, grain width and grain thickness, is associated with grain yield and quality. Many genes controlling grain size were cloned and their related regulatory mechanisms were clearly clarified. However, whether these genes can be directly introduced into japonica rice for grain size improvement is unknown.

Characterization and mapping of QTLs on chromosome 2D for grain size and yield traits using a mutant line induced by EMS in wheat

Production of mutants with altered phenotypes is a powerful approach for determining the biological functions of genes in an organism. In this study, a high-grain-weight mutant line M8008 was identified from a library of mutants of the common wheat cultivar YN15 treated with ethylmethane sulfonate(EMS). F2 and F2:3generations produced from crosses of M8008 × YN15(MY) and M8008 × SJZ54(MS) were used for genetic analysis. There were significant differences between M8008 and YN15 in plant height(PH), spike length(SL),fertile spikelet number per spike(FSS), grain width(GW), grain length(GL), GL/GW ratio(GLW), and thousand-grain weight(TGW). Most simple correlation coefficients were significant for the investigated traits, suggesting that the correlative mutations occurred in M8008. Approximately 21% of simple sequence repeat(SSR) markers showed polymorphisms between M8008 and YN15, indicating that EMS can induce a large number of mutated loci. Twelve quantitative trait loci(QTLs) forming QTL clusters(one in MY and two in MS) were detected. The QTL clusters coinciding with(MY population) or near(MS population) the marker wmc41 were associated mainly with grain-size traits, among which the M8008 locus led to decreases in GW, factor form density(FFD), and TGW and to increases in GLW. The cluster in the wmc25–barc168 interval in the MS population was associated with yield traits, for which the M8008 locus led to decreased PH, spike number per plant(SN), and SL.

The Effect of Grain Size on the Viscosity and Yield Stress of Fine-Grained Sediments

In debris flow modelling,the viscosity and yield stress of fine-grained sediments should be determined in order to better characterize sediment flow.In particular,it is important to understand the effect of grain size on the rheology of fine-grained sediments associated with yielding.When looking at the relationship between shear stress and shear rate before yielding,a high-viscosity zone(called pseudoNewtonian viscosity) towards the apparent yield stress exists.After yielding,plastic viscosity(called Bingham viscosity) governs the flow.To examine the effect of grain size on the rheological characteristics of fine-grained sediments,clay-rich materials(from the Adriatic Sea,Italy; Cambridge Fjord,Canada; and the Mediterranean Sea,Spain),silt-rich debris flow materials(from La Valette,France) and silt-rich materials(iron tailings from Canada) were compared.Rheological characteristics were examined using a modified Bingham model.The materials examined,including the Canadian inorganic and sensitive clays,exhibit typical shear thinning behavior and strong thixotropy.In the relationships between the liquidity index and rheological values(viscosity and apparent yield stress),the effect of grain size on viscosity and yield stress is significant at a given liquidity index.The viscosity and yield stress of debris flow materials are higher than those of low-activity clays at the same liquid state.However the viscosity and yield stress of the tailings,which are mainly composed of silt-sized particles,are slightly lower than those of low-activity clays.

A new gain-of-function OsGS2/GRF4 allele generated by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing increases rice grain size and yield

Grain size is one of the most important factors affecting rice grain quality and yield,and attracts great attention from molecular biologists and breeders.In this study,we engineered a CRISPR/Cas9 system targeting the miR396 recognition site of the rice GS2 gene,which encodes growth-regulating factor 4(OsGRF4)and regulates multiple agronomic traits including grain size,grain quality,nitrogen use efficiency,abiotic stress response,and seed shattering.In contrast to most previous genome editing efforts in which indel mutations were chosen to obtain null mutants,a mutant named GS2^(E) carrying an in-frame 6-bp deletion and 1-bp substitution within the miR396-targeted sequence was identified.GS2^(E) plants showed increased expression of GS2 in consistent with impaired repression by miR396.As expected,the gain-of-function GS2^(E) mutant exhibited multiple beneficial traits including increased grain size and yield and bigger grain length/width ratio.Thousand grain weight and grain yield per plant of GS2^(E) plants were increased by 23.5%and 10.4%,respectively.These improved traits were passed to hybrids in a semidominant way,suggesting that the new GS2^(E) allele has great potential in rice improvement.Taken together,we report new GS2 germplasm and describe a novel gene-editing strategy that can be widely employed to improve grain size and yield in rice.This trait-improvement strategy could be applied to other genes containing miRNA target sites,in particular the conserved miR396-GRF/GIF module that governs plant growth,development and environmental response.

GRAIN SIZE AND ACTIVATION ENERGY OF SERRATED YIELDING

The apparent activation energy of serrated yielding was measured by two different methods for a commercial brass H68.The results showed that the apparent activation energy of serrat- ed yielding measured by a method involving(m+β)values increases with the grain size.In contrast,those measured by another method without involving(m+β)values are all the same for specimens with different grain sizes.Combining with the observation of the microstructures,the above phenomena have been explained.The method to measure the true activation energy of serrated yielding has also been proposed.

Effect of Variety and Size of Stem Cutting on Flesh Root Yield and Yield Components of Sweet Potato

Sweet potato is an important food crop which contributes to food security. Storage roots are stored in the ground and harvested when needed. In coastal Kenya, the production of the crop is limited by lack of adaptable varieties and shortage of planting materials at the onset of long rains. The prevailing prices of sweet potato vines for planting present a hindrance for sweet potato cultivation culminating to low acreages by farmers. This study was carried out during the long rains of 2011 to 2013 to determine the effect of variety and size of sweet potato cutting on root yield. Four sweet potato varieties were planted under four stem cutting sizes of four, six, eight and 10 nodes. The four varieties were K135, Bungoma, SPK004 and Mtwapa 8 （check）. The experimental design was a split plot with varieties assigned to main plots and cutting sizes to sub-plots. The number of roots per plant for Bungoma variety was significantly （P 〈 0.05） less than that for the check, and variety K135 showed significantly （P 〈 0.05） higher number of marketable root per plant than the check. The same trend was observed for root yield per hectare. The check variety had the highest percent of dry matter and was significantly higher than that of SPK004 and Bungoma varieties. There were no significant （P 〈 0.05） differences among the stem cutting sizes as regards to number of roots per plant, number of marketable root per plant and percent of dry matter. The cutting size of six nodes gave similar root yield as the recommended eight nodes, and therefore farmers can adopt shorter vines than the recommended, hence saving on the cost of planting materials.

Effects of Microbial Fertilizer and Compound Feritlizer Mixed Application on Yield and Fruit Quality and Flowering and Fruit Setting of Following Year of Apple

In order to study the application effect of microbial fertilizer and compound fertilizer mixed application on microirrigation apple, three types of fertilizers were applied in spring which were urea（CK, 15 kg/plant）, microbial fertilizer（5.0 kg/plant）,microbial fertilizer and compound fertilizer mixed（each 2.5 kg/plant） to study the effect of different fertilizer treatments on yield, fruit quality, flowering and fruit setting of Xinshijie apple. The results showed that application of microbial fertilizer could increase the yield, fruit weight and fruit shape index, significantly increase the flowering rates and inflorescence fruit setting rate of following year, while reduce the fruit hardness and soluble solids content, and the effect of microbial fertilizer and compound fertilizer mixed application on increasing fruit weight and yield was higher than that of microbial fertilizer separate application, the effect of the two was not obvious in other aspects. Therefore, microbial fertilizer could be used instead of some chemical fertilizer and organic fertilizer in apple production to reach the aim of increasing yield and efficiency, and the effect of microbial fertilizer and compound fertilizer mixed application was best.

Research Progress in Effect of Bagging,Reflective Film and Greenhouse Film on Fruit Size of Peach

Referring to a large number of literatures, the effects of bagging, reflective film and greenhouse film on fruit size of peach were reviewed in this paper so as to provide basis for conducting relevant researches and producing larger fruits. The effects of different types of bags on fruit size of peach were analyzed. The weight variation of single fruit after bagged was investigated, and the relevant reasons were analyzed. In addition, the complexity of effect of greenhouse film on fruit size was also discussed. It is proposed that further comprehensive study on effect of bagging on fruit size should be carried out.

Drip fertigation and plant hedgerows significantly reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses and maintain high fruit yields in intensive orchards

A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of drip fertigation combined with plant hedgerows on nitrogen and phosphorus runoff losses in intensive pear orchards in the Tai Lake Basin.Nitrogen and phosphorus runoff over a whole year were measured by using successional runoff water collection devices.The four experimental treatments were conventional fertilization(CK),drip fertigation(DF),conventional fertilization combined with plant hedgerows(C+H),and drip fertigation combined with plant hedgerows(D+H).The results from one year of continuous monitoring showed a significant positive correlation between precipitation and surface runoff discharge.Surface runoff discharge under the treatments without plant hedgerows totaled 15.86%of precipitation,while surface runoff discharge under the treatments with plant hedgerows totaled 12.82%of precipitation.Plant hedgerows reduced the number of runoff events and the amount of surface runoff.Precipitation is the main driving force for the loss of nitrogen and phosphorus in surface runoff,and fertilization is an important factor affecting the losses of nitrogen and phosphorus.In CK,approximately 7.36%of nitrogen and 2.63%of phosphorus from fertilization entered the surface water through runoff.Drip fertigation reduced the accumulation of nitrogen and phosphorus in the surface soil and lowered the runoff loss concentrations of total nitrogen(TN)and total phosphorus(TP).Drip fertigation combined with plant hedgerows significantly reduced the overall TN and TP losses by 45.38 and 36.81%,respectively,in comparison to the CK totals.Drip fertigation increased the vertical migration depth of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients and reduced the accumulation of nitrogen and phosphorus in the surface soil,which increased the pear yield.The promotion of drip fertigation combined with plant hedgerows will greatly reduce the losses of nitrogen and phosphorus to runoff and maintain the high fruit yields in the intensive orchards of the Tai Lake Basin.

Response of yield,quality,water and nitrogen use efficiency of tomato to different levels of water and nitrogen under drip irrigation in Northwestern China

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of applying different amounts of water and nitrogen on yield, fruit quality, water use efficiency （WUE）, irrigation water use efficiency （IWUE） and nitrogen use efficiency （NUE） of drip-irrigated greenhouse tomatoes in northwestern China. The plants were irrigated every seven days at various proportions of 20-cm pan evaporation （Ep）. The experiment consisted of three irrigation levels （11, 50% Ep; 12, 75% Ep; and 13, 100% Ep） and three N application levels （N1, 150 kg N ha^-1; N2, 250 kg N ha^-1;and N3, 350 kg N ha^-1）. Tomato yield increased with the amount of applied irrigation water in 12 and then decreased in 13. WUE and IWUE were the highest in Ii. WUE was 16.5% lower in 12 than that in I1, but yield was 26.6% higher in 12 than that in I1. Tomato yield, WUE, and IWUE were significantly higher in N2 than that in N1 and N3. NUIE decreased with increasing N levels but NUE increased with increase the amount of water applied. Increasing both water and N levels increased the foliar net photosynthetic rate. I1 and 12 treatments significantly increased the contents of total soluble solids （TSS）, vitamin C （VC）, lycopene, soluble sugars （SS）, and organic acids （OA） and the sugar：acid ratio in the fruit and decreased the nitrate content. TSS, VC, lycopene, and SS contents were the highest in N2. The harvest index （HI） was the highest in 12N2. 12N2 provided the optimal combination of tomato yield, fruit quality, and WUE. The irrigation and fertilisation regime of 75% Ep and 250 kg N ha^-1 was the best strategy of water and N management for the production of drip-irrigated greenhouse tomato.

Tomato Yield and Quality and Emitter Clogging as Affected by Chlorination Schemes of Drip Irrigation Systems Applying Sewage Effluent

Chlorination has been recognized as an efficient and economically favorable method for treating clogging in drip emitters caused by biological growth during sewage application. Further important criteria for determining an optimal chlorination scheme are the different responses of crops to the chloride added into the soil through chlorination. During two seasons in 2008 and 2009, field experiments were conducted in a solar-heated greenhouse with drip irrigation systems applying secondary sewage effluent to tomato plants to investigate the influences of chlorine injection intervals and levels on plant growth, yield, fruit quality, and emitter clogging. Injection intervals ranging from 2 to 8 wk and injection concentrations ranging 2-50 mg L-1 of free chlorine residual at the end of the laterals were used. For the 2008 experiments, the yield from the treatments of sewage application with chlorination was 7.5% lower than the yield from the treatment of sewage application without chlorination, while the yields for the treatments with and without chlorination were similar for the 2009 experiments. The statistical tests indicated that neither the chlorine injection intervals and concentrations nor the interactions between the two significantly influenced plant height, leaf area, or tomato yield for both years. The qualities of the fruit in response to chlorination were parameter-dependent. Chlorination did not significantly influence the quality of ascorbic acid, soluble sugar, or soluble acids, but the interaction between the chlorine injection interval and the chlorine concentration significantly influenced the levels of soluble solids. It was also confirmed that chlorination was an effective method for reducing biological clogging. These results suggested that chlorination is safe for a crop that has a moderate sensitivity to chlorine, like tomato, and can maintain a high level of performance in drip irrigation systems applying sewage effluent.

Water and nutrient management effects on water use and yield of drip irrigated citrus in vertisol under a sub-humid region

Scarcity of water and nutrients in orchards are the major causes of low productivity and decline of citrus in tropics. With a hypothesis that the optimal amount of water and nutrients application through drip irrigation （DI） could save substantial irrigation and fertilizers comparative to that under traditional basin irrigation （BI） with band placement of fertilizer （BPF）, this study was conducted in citrus in vertisol of central India. Three DI regimes： I1, I2 and I3 scheduled at 50% class-A pan evaporation rate （Ep）, 75% Ep, and 100% Ep atong with three fertilizer doses： F1, F2 and F3 at 50% recommended dose of fertilizer （RDF, N：P2Os：K20=600 g：200 g：100 g）, 75% of RDF and 100% of RDF were applied to mandai＇in plants respectively. BI with band placement of fertilizer （BPF） at 100% RDF was taken for comparison. All the drip-fertigation treatments （except I1F1） produced higher plant growth and fruit yield, with better quality fruits compared with BI＋BPF. The highest fruit yield （16.39t ha^-1）, water use efficiency （3.9 kg m^-3） and fertilizer use efficiency （87.3 kg kg^-1） were observed in I2F2. The concentrations of N, K and Fe in leaves were significantly higher in I2F2 compared to other treatments. The leaf photosynthesis, stomatal conductance （G） and transpiration were the highest in I3F3. However, leaf water use efficiency （LWUE, photosynthesis/transpiration） was the highest in I2F2. The overall results of this study demonstrated that the application of optimum quantity of water and fertilizers （I2F2） through DI could be a productive and water efficient option in citrus production in vertisol.

Growth simulation and yield prediction for perennial jujube fruit tree by integrating age into the WOFOST model

Mathematical models have been widely employed for the simulation of growth dynamics of annual crops,thereby performing yield prediction,but not for fruit tree species such as jujube tree(Zizyphus jujuba).The objectives of this study were to investigate the potential use of a modified WOFOST model for predicting jujube yield by introducing tree age as a key parameter.The model was established using data collected from dedicated field experiments performed in 2016-2018.Simulated growth dynamics of dry weights of leaves,stems,fruits,total biomass and leaf area index(LAI) agreed well with measured values,showing root mean square error(RMSE) values of 0.143,0.333,0.366,0.624 t ha^-1 and 0.19,and R2 values of 0.947,0.976,0.985,0.986 and 0.95,respectively.Simulated phenological development stages for emergence,anthesis and maturity were 2,3 and 3 days earlier than the observed values,respectively.In addition,in order to predict the yields of trees with different ages,the weight of new organs(initial buds and roots) in each growing season was introduced as the initial total dry weight(TDWI),which was calculated as averaged,fitted and optimized values of trees with the same age.The results showed the evolution of the simulated LAI and yields profiled in response to the changes in TDWI.The modelling performance was significantly improved when it considered TDWI integrated with tree age,showing good global(R2≥0.856,RMSE≤0.68 t ha^-1) and local accuracies(mean R2≥0.43,RMSE≤0.70 t ha^-1).Furthermore,the optimized TDWI exhibited the highest precision,with globally validated R2 of 0.891 and RMSE of 0.591 t ha^-1,and local mean R2 of 0.57 and RMSE of 0.66 t ha^-1,respectively.The proposed model was not only verified with the confidence to accurately predict yields of jujube,but it can also provide a fundamental strategy for simulating the growth of other fruit trees.

Effects of GS3 and GL3.1 for Grain Size Editing by CRISPR/Cas9 in Rice

Grain size is one of key agronomic traits associated with grain yield and grain quality. Both major quantitative trait loci GS3 and GL3.1 play a predominant role in negative regulation of grain size. In this study, a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplex genome editing system was used to simultaneously edit GS3 and GL3.1 in a typical japonica rice Nipponbare. In T1 generation, we found that gs3 formed slender grain with lower chalkiness percentage, while gs3gl3.1 produced larger grain with higher chalkiness percentage. In terms of other agronomic traits, flag leaf size, grain number and grain yield of both gs3 and gs3gl3.1 mutants were affected. It is noteworthy that gs3 and gs3gl3.1 mutants both led to dramatical reduction of grain number, thereby decreased grain yield. In conclusion, these results indicated that knockout of GS3 and GL3.1 could rapidly improve grain size, but probably have some negative influences on grain quality and grain yield.

Correlation of soil properties and fruit size of Callgonum mongolicum and related species

Correlations of soil properties and fruit size of Calligonum mongolicum Turcz. and related species were analyzed. The resullLs showed that the particle size characteristics of soils for growing Calligonum mongolicum and related species were similar, and the soils belonged to sandyones. The organic matter contents of soils were low （averaging 1.772 to 3.054 g/kg）, and the total salt content of soils was low too （averaging 0.471 g/kg）. The pH values indicated that the soils were alkaline, varying from pH 7.65 to 10.25. The results of Principal Component Analysis （PCA） and hierarchical cluster showed that 9 habitats could be divided into 6 types according to salt contents and pH values. Fruit sizes of different populations and the soil properties had significant linear correlations （P〈0.000）. It was concluded that the differences in fruit sizes among the populations of Calligonum mongolicum and related species werre related to soil variability, especially the nutrient contents of soils, and fruit size can not be considered as a taxonomic index of Calligonum mongofcum and related species.

Pre-Breeding Genetic Diversity Assessment of Tomato(Solanum lycopersicum L.)Cultivars Based on Molecular,Morphological and Physicochemical Parameters

Appropriate knowledge of the parental cultivars is a pre-requisite for a successful breeding program.This study characterized fruit yield,quality attributes,and molecular variations of ten tomato cultivars during three consecutive generations under greenhouse conditions.Peto 86,Castle Rock,and Red Star cultivars showed the highest fruit yield(kg/plant),total phenolic compounds(TPC),and sap acidity.Principal component analysis categorized the evaluated fruit yield into three groups based on their quality attributes.A robust positive correlation appeared among traits inside each group.A positive correlation was likewise noticed between the first and the second groups.However,a negative correlation was detected between the first,the second and the third group.Molecular profiling,using seven inter-simple sequence repeat(ISSR)primers,produced 60 loci,including 49 polymorphic loci.The molecular analysis also pinpointed the highest genetic similarity(0.92)between P73 and Moneymaker,while the lowest genetic similarity(0.46)was observed between Castle Rock and Moneymaker.The cultivars P73 and Moneymaker showed the lowest genetic distance(2.24),while the highest genetic distance(5.92)was observed between Super Marmand and Peto86,on the one hand,and between Castle Rock and Moneymaker,on the other hand.The chemical analysis of fruit sap indicated the highest levels of TPC,total flavonoids,anthocyanin,ascorbic acid and total soluble solids in Peto 86 and Castle Rock cultivars.Phylogeny analysis of tomato cultivars based on morphological and molecular attributes indicated four distinct clades.Peto 86,Castle Rock,and Red star cultivars can be recommended for the tomato hybridization breeding programs in the future,with other tomato cultivars as potentially high-yielding parents.

An Organic Solvent-Assisted Intercalation and Collection (OAIC) for Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) MXene with Controllable Sizes and Improved Yield

A good method of synthesizing Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)(MXene)is critical for ensuring its success in practical applications,e.g.,electromagnetic interference shielding,electrochemical energy storage,catalysis,sensors,and biomedicine.The main concerns focus on the moderation of the approach,yield,and product quality.Herein,a modified approach,organic solvent-assisted intercalation and collection,was developed to prepare Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) flakes.The new approach simultaneously solves all the concerns,featuring a low requirement for facility(centrifugation speed<4000 rpm in whole process),gram-level preparation with remarkable yield(46.3%),a good electrical conductivity(8672 S cm^(−1)),an outstanding capacitive performance(352 F g^(−1)),and easy control over the dimension of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) flakes(0.47–4.60μm^(2)).This approach not only gives a superb example for the synthesis of other MXene materials in laboratory,but sheds new light for the future mass production of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) MXene.

The Effects of Water and Fertilizer Coupling on Plant and Soil Nitrogen Characteristics and Fruit Growth of Rabbiteye Blueberry Plants in a Semi-Arid Region in China

To evaluate the effects of nitrogen(N)and irrigation coupling on the soil N distribution,plant N utilization,and fruit yield of rabbiteye blueberries(Vaccinium virgatum),a field experiment was designed using two factors(water and fertilizer application)with four levels of irrigation and three levels of fertilization,and a control.Under the different water and fertilizer combinations,N primarily accumulated in the leaves.Irrigation and N application within appropriate ranges(pure N≤29 g/plant and irrigation volume≤2.5 L/plant)significantly improved the blueberry fruit yield.Increases in water and N within these ranges promoted the effective accumulation of N in various organs and the absorption and utilization of N in the plants,which ultimately promoted blueberry yield.With increased N application rate,the nitrate N content of the 0–20 cm and 20–50 cm soil layers increased.With increased irrigation volume,the nitrate N content of the 0–20 cm soil layer decreased,while the nitrate content in the 20–50 cm soil layer increased.Low N and moderate water treatments resulted in high fruit yields and reduced nitrate N retention in the soil.Under these conditions,the economic input-output ratio was high and the soil N accumulation was low,and thus the economic and ecological benefits were maximized.

Influence of Jatropha Fruit Maturity on Seed Oil Yield, Composition and Heat of Combustion of Derived Biodiesel

Maturity of Jatropha fruits has influence on oil yield, chemical composition and physicochemical properties of derived biodiesel. Oil yield was determined using soxhlet extraction while biodiesel was prepared through the process of transesterification. Fatty acid profile was determined according to test method EN 14103 using Agilent Technologies GC System 7890. The calorific value of biodiesel was determined using Oxygen Bomb Calorimeter, IKA C200 according to test method ASTM D5865. Results showed that Yellow Jatropha fruit seeds have the highest oil yield and energy content, coupled with the best mix of fatty acid methyl esters.