The ability of biostimulants and copper-containing fungicide to protect cotton against chilling stress

Background Cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.),adapted to tropical and subtropical regions of the world,is highly sensitive to low temperatures throughout its life cycle.The objective of this study was to evaluate the mitigating effects of different doses of animal-derived(0.25%,0.50%,and 1.00% Isabion■),seaweed-based(0.165%,0.330%,and 0.660% Proton■)biostimulants,as well as a copper(Cu)-containing fungicide application,on cotton cultivar Lazer seedlings at the four true leaves(V4)stage.The plants were exposed to a low temperature of 5℃for 48 h,and the changes in morphological(seedling fresh and dry weight,plant height,and stem diameter)and physiological parameters(leaf temperature,chlorophyll content,relative water content,electrolyte leakage,and relative injury)were examined.Results The results revealed that chilling stress reduced plant growth,while biostimulants helped protect the plants and overcome the adverse effects of chilling.Under chilling stress,there was a considerable reduction in seedling fresh weight(SFW),seedling dry weight(SDW),plant height(PH),stem diameter(SD),leaf temperature(LT),and relative water content(RWC).Cotton seedlings treated with the animal-derived biostimulants showed significantly enhanced SFW,SDW,PH,SD,LT,chlorophyll content(Chl),electrolyte leakage(EL),and relative injury(RI),although there were no positive changes in RWC.No significant differences in the morphological traits were observed among the doses of seaweed biostimulants.For SDW,PH,EL,and RI,the best results were obtained with the application of a fungicide containing copper.Conclusion These results show the efficiency of the biostimulant and fungicide treatments in mitigating low-temperature stress in cotton seedlings.Applying a copper-containing fungicide to cotton seedlings helped to counteract the negative effects of low-temperature stress and to protect the plants from damage by maintaining electrolyte balance.Among the biostimulant applications,all levels of animal-derived biostimulant applications,as well as the 0.660% level of the seaweed-derived biostimulant,led to increased tolerance of cotton plants to chilling stress.

Seed Priming and Foliar Supplementation withβ-aminobutyric Acid Alleviates Drought Stress through Mitigation of Oxidative Stress and Enhancement of Antioxidant Defense in Linseed(Linum usitatissimum L.)

Drought is one of the critical limitations to agricultural soils and crop plants.Scarcity of water is increasing due to climate change that lead to increasing threats to global food security.Therefore,ecofriendly and cost effective strategies are highly desirable for mitigating drought stress along with sustainable and smart agricultural production.The aim of the study was to mitigate DS using seed priming and exogenous supplementation ofβ-aminobutyric acid(BABA)in linseed(Linum usitatissimum L.).Different doses(0,50,100 and 150μM)of BABA were used for seed priming agent and foliar spraying under three soil moisture levels viz.,25%(SM25),45%(SM45)and 65%(SM65).The response variables of both experiments included different agro-botanical traits and oxidative stress indicators such as melondialdehyde content,free proline accumulation,and antioxidant defense in plants.The linseed plants showed water stress at SM25 that reduced plant height,number of branches per plant,time taken to flower initiation and heading,and root and shoot dry weights.Additionally,the number of capsules and seeds per capsule showed a significant decline at SM25,which led to a drastic reduction in 100-seed weight yield in linseed plants in both experiments.However,seed priming and foliar supplementation with of BABA(50–100μM)significantly improved these morpho-agronomical attributes in linseed plants under DS.The results revealed that the BABA was fully active in linseed plants at SM25.Interestingly,the combination of SM25 with BABA significantly improved the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),ascorbate peroxidase(APX),and peroxidase(POD)activity,which significantly enhanced DS tolerance in linseed plants.These findings might be useful to oil seed breeders and farmers linseed for breeding program in linseed plants as well as sustainable agricultural production of oil seed crop plants.

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterisation of Abiotic Stress Responsive mTERF Gene Family in Amaranthus hypochondriacus

Abiotic stresses at different growth stages in the life of plants negatively affect yield productivity.Therefore,plants,including Amaranthus hypochondriacus,develop adaptive strategies to face the stresses and expand functional diversification.In plants,the mitochondrial transcription termination factors(mTERF)are essential functions in regulation,and organelles(mitochondria and chloroplasts)control gene expression(OGE)under several stress conditions.Based on the in-silico-wide genome and transcriptome analysis,twenty-four mTERF genes were detected in the main targeted mitochondria organelles clustered into three different main groups.The chromosomal location and gene duplication analysis indicated one segmental and one tandem duplication in the genome.The promoter region cis-elements assessment showed that there wasa high correlation between the growth and development process,stress,and hormone responses of these genes.Expression profiling of mTERF genes under salt stress revealed a total number of 24 gene families with seven upregulated and 6 down-regulated genes in drought and salt stress.However,Ah-mTERF-8 and 14 indicated up-regulation under drought stress.Ah-mTERF-4,6,14,15,17,and 20 were up-regulated under salt stress.Molecular characterization and identification through the in-silico study of the specific genes and their differential expression profiling demonstrated the role of mTERF proteins throughout their reaction to growth and development,during stress in A.hypochondriacus.These results demonstrated that mTERF genes were significantly related to the abiotic stress responses.

Seed Priming with MgCl_(2),CaCl_(2),and ZnCl_(2) as a Biofortification Based-Approach Induces Changes in Anise Seedlings Emergence

Aromatic and medicinal plant species having small seeds havefield emergence problems due to low nutrient supply.Therefore,Pimpinella anisum seeds were hydro and osmoprimed with 100 mM MgCl_(2),CaCl_(2),and ZnCl_(2),for 2,4,and 8 h each to compare their growth attributes during germination and seedling establishment stages.Nontreated seeds were used as control.Both hydro and osmo primed seeds were dried for 48 h before,they were sown in plastic trays in growth room conditions to see the impact of treatments on seedling emergence and growth.The maximum root length(12.90 cm),fresh weight(256.30 mg plant^(-1)),and mean emergence time(MET)were recorded from 8 h MgCl_(2) primed seeds.Similarly,the maximum(97.50,and 98.00%)emergence percentage was observed using 8 h MgCl_(2) primed seeds and nontreated seeds(control treatment).The evaluation of parameters like chlorophyll contents and electrical conductivity showed the 8 h MgCl_(2) priming as the optimum treatment.The evaluation of parameters like chlorophyll contents and electrical conductivity showed the 8 h MgCl_(2) priming as the optimum treatment.The result suggests MgCl_(2) priming worked synergistically and improved seed-ling growth attributes under greenhouse conditions.The chlorophyll content ranged 25.94–35.69 SPAD unit.The highest chlorophyll content was obtained from the seedlings obtained from 4 h CaCl_(2) treatment,which were statistically similar to the chlorophyll contents of the seedlings obtained after 8 h MgCl_(2) treatment and nontreated seeds(control treatment).All other treatments showed inhibition in the chlorophyll contents and growth attributes of the seedlings.In conclusion,MgCl_(2) osmopriming treatments were significantly promotive and better compared to hydro-priming and osmopriming treatments including control treatment in terms of anise seeds germination and emergence.

Enhancing Canola Yield and Photosynthesis under Water Stress with Hydrogel Polymers

While Egypt’s canola production per unit area has recently grown,productivity remains low,necessitating increased productivity.Hydrogels are water-absorbent polymer compounds that can optimize irrigation schedules by increasing the soil’s ability to retain water.Accordingly,twofield experiments were conducted to examine hydrogel application to sandy soil on canola growth,biochemical aspects,yield,yield traits,and nutritional quality of yielded seeds grown under water deficit stress conditions.The experiments were conducted by arranging a split-plot layout in a randomized complete block design(RCBD)with three times replications of each treatment.While water stress at 75%or 50%of crop evapotranspiration(ETc)lowered chlorophyll a,chlorophyll b,caro-tenoids,and total pigments content,indole-3-acetic acid,plant development,seed yield,and oil and total carbo-hydrates of seed yield,hydrogel treatment enhanced all of the traits mentioned above.Furthermore,hydrogel enhanced to gather compatible solutes(proline,amino acids,total soluble sugars),phenolics content in leaves,seed protein,and crop water productivity,which increased while the plants were under water stress.The results revealed that the full irrigation(100%ETc)along with hydrogel compared to water-stressed(50%ETc)led to enhanced seed yield(kg ha^(-1)),Oil(%),and Total carbohydrates(%)of rapeseed by 57.1%,11.1%and 15.7%,respectively.Likewise,under water-stressed plots with hydrogel exhibited enhancement by 10.0%,3.2%and 5.1%in seed yield(kg ha^(-1)),oil(%),and total carbohydrates(%)of rapeseed by 57.1%,11.1%and 15.7%,respec-tively compared to control.As a result,the use of hydrogel polymer will be a viable and practical solution for increasing agricultural output under water deficit stress situations.

Interaction between seed size and NaCl on germination and early seedling growth of some Turkish cultivars of chickpea(Cicer arietinum L.)

Chickpea is an important food legume crop of Turkey and is largely grown for human consumption on low moisture or salt-affected soils. The objective of the study was to find the effects of NaCl stress at electrical conductivities of 4.5, 8.6, 12.7 and 16.3 dS/m and seed sizes （7, 8 and 9 mm） on germination and early seedling growth of three popular chickpea cultivars （AKN-97, Gokce and Uzunlu-99）. Mean frequency of germination, germination time, germination index, root length, shoot length and seedling fresh weight showed seed size-dependent responses ofcultivars to salt stress. In general, small seeds germinated and grew more rapidly compared to medium and large seeds of the same cultivars against all levels of salt stress, with the best results in cultivar Uzunlu-99. No effect of NaCl treatments was observed on frequency of germination; however, a drastic decrease in early seedling growth was recorded at increased NaC1 concentrations. Regression analysis results showed a significantly positive relationship （P〈0.01） between seed size and mean germination time, whereas a significantly negative relationship was recorded between seed size and germination index, root length, shoot length. Moreover, linear regression values apparently confirmed that increased seed size in each cultivar affected decreased germination index, root and shoot lengths with enhanced mean germination time. Thus, it was concluded that the use of small seeds could considerably reduce the production costs of chickpea in salt-affected soils.

Enhancing Drought Tolerance in Wheat through Improving Morpho- Physiological and Antioxidants Activities of Plants by the Supplementation of Foliar Silicon

The main objective of the research is to assess the role of foliar application of silicon(Si)for enhancing the survival ability of wheat under drought stress through improving its morphology,physicochemical and antioxidants activities.Treatments were five doses of Si at the rate of 2,4,6 and 8 mM and a control.After completion of seeds germination,pots were divided into four distinct groups at various field capacity(FC)levels,such as 100%FC(well-irrigated condition),75%FC(slight water deficit),50%FC(modest water deficit)and 25%FC(severe water deficit stress condition).Foliar application of Si at the rate of 2,4,6 and 8 mM and a control were given after 30 days of sowing at the tillering stage of wheat.Findings of the present investigation indicated that increasing the level of water deficit stress reduced the morphological parameters(such as root and shoot fresh and dry-biomass weight)and physico-biochemical events((such as chlorophyll contents by estimating SPAD value),total free amino acid(TFAA),total soluble sugar(TSS),total soluble protein(TSP),total proline(TP),CAT(catalase),POD(peroxidase),SOD(superoxide dismutase)and APX(ascorbate peroxidase))of wheat;while foliar application of Si at 6 mM at tillering stage enhanced the drought tolerance in wheat by increasing morphology and physiochemical characters under all levels of drought stress.Similarly,antioxidants activities in wheat also enhanced by the application of Si at 6 mM under normal as well as all drought stress levels.There-fore,it may be concluded that foliar application of Si at 6 mM at the tillering stage of wheat is an important indication for increasing the drought tolerance by improving the morphology,physico-biochemical and antioxidants activities in plants under deficit water(drought)conditions.

Estimate of Genetic Parameters of Grain Yield and Some Agronomic Traits in Durum Wheat Using Diallel Crosses

Five varieties of durum wheat were crossed in full diallel fashion through 2010/2011 growing season. The five parents and their 20 F1 progenies were grown in 2011/2012 at the farm of faculty of agricultural and forestry, Duhok university, Iraq, using randomize complete block design with three replications to estimate heterosis, heritability and some genetic parameters for yield and its components. The results showed highly significant difference among genotypes for all studied traits. The parent Um Raby-5 had a positive general combining ability effect for most traits including grain yield. The crosses （Kokorete71× LD - 357E）, （Crezo × Um Rahy-5）, （Cimeto×Um Raby-5）, （Cimeto×crezo） and （Cimeto × Kokorete 71） exhibited significant desirable specific combining ability effect for most traits. The dominance was greater than additive almost traits. Heritability inbroad sense was high but heritability in narrow sense was low. The expected genetic advance as percent of traits mean was low for all traits. Most crosses showed significant positive heterosis for most traits and two crosses, （Crezo Cimeto） and （Cimeto Urn Raby-5） had the highest positive heterosis for the most studied traits including grain yield.

Alterations in Growth and Yield of Camelina Induced by Different Planting Densities under Water Deficit Stress

Camelina(Camelina sativa L.)is famous for its oil quality and unique fatty acid pattern.Growth and yield of crops reduced under water deficit conditions.Environmental threat such as drought or water deficit condition is the emerging problem which creates the negative impact on the growth of plants.Based upon the current situation a pot study was performed in rain out-shelter to explore the effect of different plant densities(15,10 and 5 plants per pot)on growth and seed yield of two camelina genotypes under normal(100%WHC)and water deficit(60%WHC)conditions by using completely randomized design with factorial arrangement having three replicates.Results indicated that individual effects of plant densities and water deficit stress levels considerably influenced the growth and seed yield of camelina but interaction effects did not indicate any significant variation.Maximum values of leaf area index(LAI)and crop growth rate(CGR)were recorded in P_(3) treatment(15 plants per pot).However,maximum values of leaf area duration(LAD),net assimilation rate(NAR),yield and yield components were observed in the treatment P_(1)(5 plants per pot).Water deficit condition(60%WHC)significantly minimized the growth,seed yield(0.82 g/m^(2))and yield components of camelina genotypes.Both camelina genotypes(611 and 618)did not differ significantly under water deficit conditions.

Foliar Application of Phosphorus Enhances Photosynthesis and Biochemical Characteristics of Maize under Drought Stress

Water is essential for the growth period of crops;however,water unavailability badly affects the growth and physiological attributes of crops,which considerably reduced the yield and yield components in crops.Therefore,a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of foliar phosphorus(P)on morphological,gas exchange,biochemical traits,and phosphorus use efficiency(PUE)of maize(Zea mays L.)hybrids grown under normal as well as water deficit situations at the Department of Agronomy,University of Agriculture Faisalabad,Pakistan in 2014.Two different treatments(control and P@8 kg ha^(−1))and four hybrids(Hycorn,31P41,65625,and 32B33)of maize were tested by using a randomized complete block design(RCBD)with three replications.Results showed that the water stress caused a remarkable decline in total soluble protein(9.7%),photosynthetic rate(9.4%)and transpiration rate(13.4%),stomatal conductance(10.2%),and internal CO_(2)rate(20.4%)comparative to well-watered control.An increase of 37.1%,36.8%,and 24.5%were recorded for proline,total soluble sugar,and total free amino acid,respectively.However,foliar P application minimized the negative impact of drought by improving plant growth,physio-biochemical attributes,and PUE in maize plants under water stress conditions.Among the hybrids tested,the hybrid 6525 performed better both under stress and non-stress conditions.These outcomes confirmed that the exogenous application of P improved drought stress tolerance by modulating growth,physio-biochemical attributes,and PUE of maize hybrids.

Characterization of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) collection using quantitative and qualitative traits in the Mediterranean Basin

This study was conducted to determine the genetic diversity and relationship among 256 groundnut genotypes of which 132 belong to subsp, hypogaea （Arachis hypogaea L.） and 124 to subsp, fastigiata （Arachis fastigiata L.）. The collection was evaluated for eight quantitative and five qualitative traits during three consecutive years under Mediterranean climate conditions. Coefficient of variation （CV） significantly differed among the genotypes for all the studied quantitative traits ranged from 9.10 to 33.98%, while the highest CV was recorded for seed yield. The subspecies of hypogaea and fastigiata displayed significant differences for quantitative traits except for numbers of pods per plant and seed yield. Principal com- ponent analyses showed that the first three principal components accounted for 68.14% variation for quantitative traits. Major traits that accounted for the variation by the three principal components （PCs） include days to the first flowering, days to 50% flowering, number of pods per plant and shelling percentage. The groundnut collection also offers wide seed coat color diversity which affects the crop marketability. The information on variations in quantitative and qualitative traits identified in the present investigation provided useful genotypes which would be serving parents. These parental genotypes can be used in groundnut breeding programs to develop desirable cultivars in Mediterranean Basin and globally.

Comparison of Spectral and Molecular Analyses for Classification of Long Term Stored Wheat Samples

This study aimed to determine whether NIR spectroscopy and protein band analysis can differentiate the grain samples of 15 wheat genotypes stored for different periods:Group Ⅰ(91weeks),Group Ⅱ(143weeks),Group Ⅲ(194weeks),and GroupⅣ(246weeks).Samples were harvested from previously-conducted field trials,and stored at+4 ℃.A-PAGE and SDS-PAGE methods were utilized to separate gliadin and glutenin fractions,respectively.A qualitative calibration model based on the Support Vector Machine(SVM)method was generated and validated using NIR spectra taken from samples.Results indicated storage length did not have an effect on molecular band fractions.Use of this method would not be considered an effective tool for discrimination of samples stored for different lengths of time.Spectral techniques may have potential in sorting samples based on their storage time.The SVM calibration model generated here had an acceptable true classification rate(over 80%)for separating all groups,while only GroupsⅡ andⅣ were precisely separated(100%true classification rate)in the validation step.

Sub-Surface Drip Irrigation in Associated with H_(2)O_(2) Improved the Productivity of Maize under Clay-Rich Soil of Adana, Turkey

Maize being sub-tropical crop is sensitive to water deficit during the early growth stages;particularly clay-rich soil,due to the compaction of the soil.It is well-documented that potential sub-surface drip irrigation(SDI)(Full irrigation;SDIFull(100%field capacity(FC)),Deficit irrigation;SDIDeficit(70%FC))improves water use efficiency,which leads to increased crop productivity;since it has a constraint that SDI excludes soil air around the root-zone during irrigation events,which alter the root function and crop performance.Additionally,in clay-rich soils,the root system of plants generally suffers the limitation of oxygen,particularly the temporal hypoxia,and occasionally from root anoxia;while SDI system accomplishes with the aerating stream of irrigation in the rhizosphere could provide oxygen root environment.The oxygen can be introduced into the irrigation stream of SDI through two ways:the venturi principle,or by using solutions of hydrogen peroxide through the air injection system.Therefore,the application of hydrogen peroxide(H_(2)O_(2);HP)can mitigate the adverse effect of soil compactness and also lead to improving the growth,yield and yield attributes of maize in clay-rich soil.Considering the burning issue,a field study was conducted in consecutive two seasons of 2017 and 2018;where hybrid maize was cultivated as a second crop,to evaluate the effect of liquid-injection of H_(2)O_(2)(HP)into the irrigation stream of SDI on the performance of maize in a clay-rich soil field of Adana,Turkey.When soil water content decreased in 50%of avail-able water,irrigation was performed.The amount of water applied to reach the soil water content to the field capacity is SDIFull(100%FC)and 70%FC of this water is SDIDeficit(70%FC).In the irrigation program,hydrogen peroxide(HP)was applied at intervals of 7 days on average according to available water with and without HP:SDIFull(100%FC)+0 ppm HP with full SDI irrigation;SDIFull(100%FC)+250 ppm HP with deficit SDI irrigation;SDIDeficit(70%FC)+0 ppm HP,SDIDeficit(70%FC)+250 ppm HP and SDIDeficit(70%FC)+500 ppm HP.Deficit irrigation(SDIDeficit(70%FC))program was started from tasseling stage and continued up to the physiological maturity stage with sub-soil drip irrigation.H_(2)O_(2) was applied 3 times during the growing season.Two years’results revealed that the liquid-injection of H_(2)O_(2) into the irrigation stream of SDI improved the growth and yield-related attributes and grain yield of maize.Based on the obtained results,during the extreme climatic condition in the year 2017,SDIFull(100%FC)+250 ppm HP was more effective than SDIFull(100%FC)+0 ppm HP on all traits for relative to full irrigation.While,during the favourable climatic condition in the 2018 season,SDIFull(100%FC)+250 ppm HP was more effective than full irrigation with SDIFull(100%FC)+0 ppm HP for the grain yield,grains,and SPAD value.Accordingly,the most effective treatment was SDIFull(100%FC)+250 ppm HP,as it gave the highest growth and yield-related attributes and grain yield of maize followed by SDIDeficit(70%FC)+250 ppm HP.Therefore,SDIFull with 250 ppm H_(2)O_(2) using as liquid-injection may be recommended to mitigate the adverse effect of soil compactness particularly water-deficit stress in clay-rich soil for the sustainability of maize production.

Distribution,Etiology,Molecular Genetics and Management Perspectives of Northern Corn Leaf Blight of Maize(Zea mays L.)

Maize is cultivated extensively throughout the world and has the highest production among cereals.However,Northern corn leaf blight(NCLB)disease caused by Exherohilum turcicum,is the most devastating limiting factor of maize production.The disease causes immense losses to corn yield if it develops prior or during the tasseling and silking stages of crop development.It has a worldwide distribution and its development is favoured by cool to moderate temperatures with high relative humidity.The prevalence of the disease has increased in recent years and new races of the pathogen have been reported worldwide.The fungus E.turcicum is highly variable in nature.Though different management strategies have proved effective to reduce economic losses from NCLB,the development of varieties with resistance to E.turcicum is the most efficient and inexpensive way for disease management.Qualitative resistance for NCLB governed by Ht genes is a race-specific resistance which leads to a higher level of resistance.However,some Ht genes can easily become ineffective under the high pressure of virulent strains of the pathogen.Hence,it is imperative to understand and examine the consistency of the genomic locations of quantitative trait loci for resistance to NCLB in diverse maize populations.The breeding approaches for pyramiding resistant genes against E.turcicum in maize can impart NCLB resistance under high disease pressure environments.Furthermore,the genome editing approaches like CRISPR-cas9 and RNAi can also prove vital for developing NCLB resistant maize cultivars.As such this review delivers emphasis on the importance and current status of the disease,racial spectrum of the pathogen,genetic nature and breeding approaches for resistance and management strategies of the disease in a sustainable manner.

Influence of Intercropping Maize with Cowpea and Fertilization with Clinoptilolite on Forage Yield and Quality

Maize forage is poor in protein content which leads to low quality and nutritive value.Regarding the high feed costs of protein supplementations,legumes can be used in livestock nutrition for their high protein content,and thus,provide cost savings.In this study,maize(Zea mays L.)and cowpea(Vigna unguiculata L.)were intercropped in different sowing densities and fertilization with clinoptilolite and their monocropping equivalents were tested to determine the best intercropping system on forage yield and quality.Maize was cultivated alone(75,000 plants·ha^-1)and intercropped with cowpea as follows:75,000 plants·ha-1 of maize and 37,500 plants·ha^-1 of cowpea(MC1),75,000 plants·ha^-1 of maize and 50,000 plants·ha-1 of cowpea(MC2)and 75,000 plants·ha^-1 of maize and 75,000 plants·ha^-1 of cowpea(MC3),in rows alternating with maize.The highest dry matter yield was produced by MC3(23.8 t·ha^-1),and the lowest by SM(20.7 t·ha^-1)in fertilization with clinoptilolite.All intercropped systems had higher crude protein contents,MC1(101 g·kg^-1 DM),MC2(108 g·kg^-1 DM)and MC3(117 g·kg^-1 DM),than the monocrop maize(84 g·kg^-1 DM)in fertilization with clinoptilolite.Intercropping of maize with cowpea and fertilization with clinoptilolite reduced neutral detergent fiber,resulting in increased forage digestibility.Therefore,maize intercropping with cowpea and fertilization with clinoptilolite could substantially increase forage quantity and quality,and decrease requirements for protein supplements as compared with maize monocrop.

GGE Biplot Analyses for Grain Quality and Yield of Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum Desf.) Landraces Populations

The aim of this study was to determine the GY (grain yield) and some quality characters of durum wheat landraces under Thrace Region ecological conditions. This study was carried out in randomized complete blocks design with three replications in the locations of Tekirdag, Edirne, Klrklareli and Lüleburgaz during the growing years of 2009 and 2010. In the research, 20 durum wheat landraces obtained from different regions of Turkey and 5 obsolete durum wheat cultivars were used as the experimental material. It was determined that the GY, TW (test weight) and PC (protein content) in the first year were higher than the second year in this study. The highest values for GY, TGW (thousand grain weight), and TW and GVR (grain vitreousness rate) were determined in Tekirdag location, while the highest PC was determined in Edirne location. The results of the research showed that GY varied between 321.17-470.33 kg da^-1 in Tekirdag, 301.33-404.00 kg da^-1 in Edirne;197.50-334.67 kg da^-1 in K?rklareli and 280.00-501.33 kg da^-1 in Lüleburgaz. TGWs were determined between 38.17-44.50 g of Tekirdag, 36.00-43.00 g of Edirne, 38.43-43.67 g of Karklareli and 35.33-45.67 g of Lüleburgaz. TW of Tekirdag, Edirne, Karklareli and Lüleburgaz locations changed between 74.67-79.33 kg hl^-1, 69.33-76.83 kg hl^-1, 70.00-75.17 kg hl^-1 and 71.00-77.50 kg hl^-1, respectively. The GVR was determined among 85.00-96.83% in Tekirdag, 68.33-93.33% in Edirne, 67.83-93.83% in Klrklareli, and 85.17-98.17% in Lüleburgaz. The PC of grains was measured among 13.32-14.95% in Tekirdag, 14.90-16.25% in Edirne, 14.27-16.17% in K?rklareli, and 13.40-16.53% in Lüleburgaz. It was determined that Dicle and Dicle-13 landraces for GY and TW, Adlyaman landrace for TGW,Canakkale and Akbugday landraces for the GVR, and Iskenderun, Akbu?day, Erzincan landraces for PC have the highest values.

The Effect of Zinc （Zn） Fertilization on Alleviating Cd Accumulation in Durum Wheat Grain

Cadmium （Cd） contamination of agricultural soils may pose severe risks and hazards for humans through food chain, as crop plants accumulate Cd in their edible tissues. Cd translocation from soil to plant is largely dependent on soil and plant type. Cd accumulation occurs much more in crop plants grown in soils with severe zinc （Zn） deficiency and durum wheat tends to accumulate more Cd in grain than the other cereals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the alleviating effect of Zn fertilization on Cd accumulation in durum wheat grain. A pot experiment including foliar Zn application of 0.3% w/v ZnSO4 and soil Cd applications of 0, 0.2 and 1.0 mg/kg was carried out in a completely randomized design using a Zn-deficient soil. Grain Cd concentration of plants receiving 0 mg/kg Cd was 31 μg/kg, whereas with 0.2 mg/kg and 1.0 mg/kg Cd applications it increased to the levels of 215 μg/kg and 1,489 μg/kg, respectively. Along with 0.3% ZnSO4 leaf applications, grain Cd concentrations decreased to 171 μg/kg and 754 μg/kg, by a reduction of 20.5% and 49.3%, respectively. In conclusion, it was determined that leaf applied Zn fertilizer might alleviate Cd accumulation in durum wheat grain in Zn deficiency conditions.

Multi-environmental Evaluation of Triticale, Wheat and Barley Genotypes by GGE Biplot Analysis

The research was carried out with 9 triticale, 3 bread wheat, 3 durum wheat and 3 barley varieties and advanced lines in Tekirdag, Edime and Silivri locations during three years. In the study, the data obtained from combined variance analysis were performed and the significance of the differences between the averages was determined by LSD multiple comparison test. GGE biplot analysis and graphics were made by using the statistical package program. The genotypes G2 and G3 for thousand kernel weight, genotype G1 for the heading time and test weight, genotypes G14 and G15 for the maturation time, number of spikelets per spike and grain weight per spike and G13 for the plant height, spike length and grain yield per hectare decare revealed the highest values. The genotypes G6, GS, G4, G14, G9, G8 and G7 gave lower values than the average in terms of grain yield, whereas the other genotypes gave higher values than the general average. According to biplot graphical results, while locations 1 and 8 were closely related, locations 9, 2 and 7 were positively related to these environments. Although the location 7 is slightly different from the other 4 locations, these 5 locations can be seen as a mega environment. Genotypes G12, G2, G3 and G10 for this mega-environment showed the best performances. According to the results of grain yields obtained from 9 different locations, the location 5 was the most discriminating area while the location 1 was the least discriminating. Location 2 was the best representative location, while locations 4 and 7 were with the lowest representation capability. The locations that are both descriptive and representative are good test locations for the selection of adapted genotypes. Test environments, such as location 8, with low ability to represent are useful for selecting genotypes that perform well in specific regions if the target environments can be subdivided into sub-environments.

The Primacy of Moringa(Moringa oleifera Lam.)in Boosting Nutrition Status and Immunity Defence Amidst the COVID-19 Catastrophe:A Perspective

A severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2)led novel coronavirus disease(COVID-19)outbreak spread through China has become the biggest global public health challenge today.The virus upon several mutations has led to the resurgence of more infectious and lethal variants infecting over 298 million people with more than 5.46 million deaths worldwide by the end of December,2021.Though vaccines are available,various preventive measures particularly a high body immunity is still extremely important which determines the likelihood of disease severity and subsequent recovery in the current and future pandemics.This review acknowledges the potentiality of miraculous Moringa oleifera Lam.against recently evolved novel coronavirus and accompanying health complications.Moringa a well-proven super-food,densely packed with an abundant quantity of 92 minerals,several vitamins,46 antioxidants,and numerous bioactive compounds,thus own a massive therapeutic potential for healing all levels of nutritional deficiencies and poor immunities and cure above 300 diseases.Moringa acts as anti-asthmatic,anti-cancerous,anti-diabetic,anti-inflammatory,hypotensive,hepatic,renal and cardio-protective,and anti-viral in nature.Thus it may reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections and associated serious medical emergencies.In addition,self-isolation at home or the workplace has put people at increased risk of physical and mental sicknesses,which could be simply addressed by integrating this wonderful plant into everyday diet.Furthermore,the immune-modulatory properties and viral inhibiting nature of moringa contribute to reduced risk of COVID-19 infection and quicker recovery from its symptoms.As per the existing pieces of literature,it is a great time to harness the esteemed moringa for safeguarding people from the terrible ongoing COVID-19 situation and other future pandemics.

Exploration of Genetic Pattern of Phenological Traits in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under Drought Stress

Drought is the major detrimental environmental factor for wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)production.The exploration of genetic patterns underlying drought tolerance is of great significance.Here we report the gene actions controlling the phenological traits using the line×tester model studying 27 crosses and 12 parents under normal irrigation and drought conditions.The results interpreted via multiple analysis(mean performance,correlations,principal component,genetic analysis,heterotic and heterobeltiotic potential)disclosed highly significant differences among germplasm.The phenological waxiness traits(glume,boom,and sheath)were strongly interlinked.Flag leaf area exhibits a positive association with peduncle and spike length under drought.The growing degree days(heat-units)greatly influence spikelets and grains per spike,however,the grain yield/plant was significantly reduced(17.44 g to 13.25 g)under drought.The principal components based on eigenvalue indicated significant PCs(first-seven)accounted for 79.9%and 73.9%of total variability under normal irrigation and drought,respectively.The investigated yield traits showed complex genetic behaviour.The genetic advance confronted a moderate to high heritability for spikelets/spike and grain yield/plant.The traits conditioned by dominant genetic effects in normal irrigation were inversely controlled by additive genetic effects under drought and vice versa.The magnitude of dominance effects for phenological and yield traits,i.e.,leaf twist,auricle hairiness,grain yield/plant,spikelets,and grains/spike suggests that selection by the pedigree method is appropriate for improving these traits under normal irrigation conditions and could serve as an indirect selection index for improving yield-oriented traits in wheat populations for drought tolerance.However,the phenotypic selection could be more than effective for traits conditioned by additive genetic effects under drought.We suggest five significant cross combinations based on heterotic and heterobeltiotic potential of wheat genotypes for improved yield and enhanced biological production of wheat in advanced generations under drought.