Seed quality is crucial for the success of crop production, as it affects germination capacity, emergence potential, and seedling growth. This study investigated the impact of extended stor-age on the germination capacity, oleoresin and essential oil contents of black cumin seeds from three black cumin varieties in Ethiopia: "Aden", "Dershaye", and "Darbera". Seeds were stored for up to three years, and germination studies were conducted using a Completely Randomized De-sign. Results showed that storage period significantly affected various germination parameters, with a decrease in germination percentage observed with increasing storage period. However, variety and the interaction between storage period and variety had no statistically significant effect on germination percentage. The study also provides valuable insights into the correlations between different germination indices. Additionally, as black cumin seeds age, their oleoresin and essential oil contents decrease across all three varieties. Proper seed storage practices are essential in maintaining the germination potential of black cumin seeds, particularly over ex-tended storage periods. Overall, this study provides insights into the impact of extended seed storage on black cumin seed quality and germination potential, highlighting the importance of proper seed management practices to support sustainable crop production.

Knowledge about pharmacological benefits of different seeds is an important factor for cultivation and application of medicinal herbs and plants. The seeds of medicinal plants are stores of valuable and active secondary metabolites that have been commercially and economically beneficial and helpful for medicine and pharmacy. The major parameter of reproduction and preservation of plants are also seeds which have a functional role in the distribution and establishment of plant in different regions. Five important seeds which have tremendous medicinal and pharmacological benefits are anise, basil, borage, cilantro and chamomile. Anise seed is used as a spice, either whole or ground, and its essential oil and extract are also obtained from the seeds. Basil seeds have a long history of usage in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, which are the good source of minerals, high in fiber including pectin, rich is flavonoids and other polyphenols. Borage seed oil is used for skin disorders such as seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, and neurodermatitis. Cilantro is an annual herb that is part of the Apiaceae family. The seeds are rich in iron, zinc, copper and essential minerals which can decrease bad cholesterol and improves good cholesterol in the body. Chamomile can be considered for treatment of insomnia, hemorrhoids, anxiety, diarrhea and may help with wound healing and skin irritation. The keyword searches for Anise, Seed, Basil, Borage, Cilantro, Chamomile, Seed biology, Traditional medicinal science and seed anatomy were performed by using Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed and Google scholar. The aim of this article review is to survey the pharmacological and health benefits of seeds of five important medicinal plants.

The manuscript presents the review of the impact of dormancy, seed storage, and pathogens on seed quality of perennial grasses and forage legumes. The outcomes of earlier studies to enhance the germination of seeds from these species are listed. Numerous studies around the world show that seed dormancy, environmental conditions, storage time after seed harvest, and the presence of pathogens on seeds, affecting the reduction of seed quality of these two groups of plants. This article discusses the possibility to partially or fully controlling impact of different factors on seed quality. Tests and experience of the presence of pathogens (especially Fusarium spp.) indicates a small percentage of infected seed of perennial grasses and legumes, which would not justify the cost of fungicides during seed processing. By applying the optimal concentration of acid in the seed, in combination with the time of exposure, it is possible to improve seed germination for more than 25% in forage grasses and legumes. Similar effects on the increase seed germination of both groups of plants can be achieving by optimal temperature treatments. Mechanical damage to the seed coat on the seeds of these crops can potentially increase germination, but new approaches are also being investigated.

Seed viability is routinely measured on seeds that fail to germinate at the end of an experiment. Together with the number of germinants, this is used to estimate viability of the seeds at start of the experiment (i.e., initial viability) and provides the comparative basis on which germination success is determined. Perusal of the literature shows that sometimes (perhaps often, as the problem has yet to be recognized or reported) prolonged duration in the treatment, especially the control where little germination occurs, can lead to loss of viability. This results in underestimation of initial viability if that treatment is used. I caution against the routine use of end-of-trial germination and viability of ungerminated seeds as an estimate of initial viability in determining germination success of various treatments. I explore ways to deal with the problem but the preference is for estimates of initial viability to be undertaken on a separate sample of seeds concurrently with the experiment as this avoids the risk of seed death during the trial.

The DOF (DNA binding with one finger) family of plant-specific transcription factors (TF) was first identified in maize in 1995. Since then, DOF proteins have been shown to be present in the whole plant kingdom including the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The DOF TF family is characterised by a highly conserved DNA binding domain (DOF domain), consisting of a CX2C-X21-CX2C motif which is able to form a zinc finger structure. Early in the study of DOF proteins it became clear their relevance for seed biology. Indeed, the Prolamine Binding Factor (PBF), one of the first DOF proteins characterised, controls the endosperm-specific expression of the zein genes in maize. Subsequently, several DOF proteins from both monocots and dicots have been shown to be primarily involved in seed development, dormancy and germination, as well as in seedling development and other light-mediated processes. In the last two decades the molecular network underlying these processes have been outlined, and the main molecular players and their interactions have been identified. In this review, we will focus on the DOF TFs involved in these molecular networs, and on their interaction with other proteins.

Breeding early-maturing cultivars is one of the most important objectives for pear breeding. Very early-maturing pear provides an excellent parental material for crossing, while the immature embryo and low seed germination of its hybrid progenies often limit the selection and breeding of new early-maturing pear cultivars. In this study, we choose a very early maturing pear cultivar ‘Pearl Pear’ as study object, and investigate the effects of cold stratification, culture medium and seed coat on the germination and growth of early maturing pear seeds. Our results show that cold stratification (4℃) treatment could significantly improve the germination rates of early maturing pear seeds. A 100 days of low temperature pre-treatment and germination on White medium could increase the germination rate up to 84.54%. We also observe that seed coat removal could improve the germination activity of early maturing pear seeds, and middle seed coat removal (MSR) represents an optimal method with its high germination rate and low contamination. The results of our study established an improved protocol for seed germination of early-maturing pear seeds, which will greatly facilitate the breeding of new very early-maturing pear cultivars.

In order to further clarify the growth-promoting effect of non-core Metarhizium spp. M. marquandii on plants, M. marquandii SGSF043, which was obtained from the pre-screening in the laboratory, was selected as a test strain, and the effects of the fungus fermentation broth during the stabilization period of the growth of this strain on the growth and growth of maize seeds were investigated by using fermentation broth as a submerged seed. germination, seedling growth, and inter-root soil enzyme activity of seedlings. The results are as follows: In the seed germination test, M. marquandii SGSF043 fermentation liquid had a certain inhibitory effect on the germination of maize seeds, and the 10-times dilution of the fermentation liquid significantly promoted the seed germination, and the effect was the best; After the germination test, the growth of maize germ was promoted by the treatment groups of 10 times and 1,000 times diluent; In the field plot experiment, the 100-fold dilution had the best growth promotion effect, which could promote the growth of cabbage seedlings and increase the seedling biomass. The results show that M. marquandii SGSF043 has the potential to promote the growth of maize and improve the soil environment, which provides a theoretical basis for the research and application of M. marquandii in farmland.

Medicinal and aromatic plants are gaining more importance because of their potential application in food, pharmaceutical and fragrance industry. Medicinal and aromatic plants have been used in cosmetics, perfumery, pharmaceuticals and food flavoring since ancient times, because of the presence of essential oils and different components. Seeds are of immense economic and biological importance, and they contain high oil, protein and starch reserves. The seeds of medicinal and aromatic plants are stores of important and active secondary metabolites that have been economically and commercially beneficial and helpful for medicine and pharmacy. The seeds of fennel are highly nutritious, and the seeds contain different minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. The seeds are helpful in weight loss and cancer prevention. They can also improve digestive health, regulate blood pressure, improve skin appearance, and promotes lactation. The main chemical components of lavender are linalool, linalyl acetate, 1,8-cineole, β-ocimene, camphor and terpinen-4-ol. The lavender essential oil has anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant and antinociceptive activities.The main components of thyme are p-cymene, γ-terpinene and thymol. Thyme can help to improve eyesight, and it has high anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. The main compounds of Echinacea species are chlorogenic acid, caftaric acid, cynarin, echinacoside and cichoric acid. The keyword searches for Fennel, Lavender, Thyme, Echinacea, Seed biology, Traditional medicinal science and seed anatomy were performed by using Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed and Google scholar. The aim of this article review is to survey the pharmacological and health benefits of seeds of important medicinal plants.

Plant community assembly is the central issue in community ecology. As plant traits differ in different life history stages, the form, intensity and mechanism of interspecific interactions may change with the ontogenetic process of plants. However, our understanding of interspecific interaction mechanisms during germination is still limited. Here, we conducted a laboratory germination experiment using 5 dominant species in Chongming Dongtan (Spartina alterniflora, Scirpus mariqueter, Phragmites australis, Suaeda glauca and Tripolium vulgare) to assess their germination performance in control (monoculture), allelopathy and mixture treatments. The results indicated that seeds could affect germination performance of neighbours through both allelopathy and microenvironment modification. Salinity of the solution in petri dishes after germination decreased in all treatments, and was negatively correlated with the number of total germinated seeds. Seed leachate of invasive Spartina alterniflora inhibited the germination of native Scirpus mariqueter and Phragmites australis, but not the two halophytes Suaeda glauca and Tripolium vulgare. The salt absorption by Spartina alterniflora seeds had the opposite effects compared with that of its seed leachate. On the other hand, seed leachate of native species promoted the germination of invasive Spartina alterniflora. The effect of microenvironment modification of Scirpus mariqueter and Phragmites australis was positive, whereas that of Suaeda glauca and Tripolium vulgare was neutral or negative. Considering seed-to-seed interactions is an important perspective to understand the underlying mechanisms of community dynamics, species diversity maintenance and invasion of alien species, and can improve the effectiveness in the management of invaded coastal wetlands.

Phytochromobilin (PΦB) participates in the regulation of plant growth and development as an important synthetase of photoreceptor phytochromes (phy). And Arabidopsis Long Hy-pocotyl 2 (HY2) appropriately works as a key PΦB synthetase. However, whether HY2 takes part in plant stress response signal network remains unknown. Here, we described the func-tion of the HY2 in NaCl signaling. The hy2 mutant was NaCl-insensitive, whereas HY2-overexpressing lines showed NaCl-hypersensitive phenotypes during seed germination. The exogenous NaCl induced the transcription and the protein level of HY2 which positively mediated the expression of downstream stress-related genes of RD29A, RD29B and DREB2A. Further quantitative proteomics showed the patterns of 7,391 proteins under salt stress. HY2 was then found to specifically regulate 215 differentially regulated proteins (DRPs) which, according to GO enrichment analysis, were mainly involved in ion homeostasis, flavonoid biosynthetic & metabolic, hormone response (SA, JA, ABA, ethylene), reactive oxygen spe-cies (ROS) metabolic, photosynthesis and detoxification pathway to respond to salt stress. More importantly, ANNAT1-ANNAT2-ANNAT3-ANNAT4 and GSTU19-GSTF10-RPL5A-RPL5B-AT2G32060, two protein interaction networks specifi-cally-regulated by HY2, jointly participated in the salt stress response. These results direct the pathway of HY2 participating in salt stress, and provide new insights for the plant to re-sist salt stress.

The effect of salinity on seed germination/emergence in narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) was studied both under field and laboratory conditions, in order to detect critical values to NaCl exposure. Research Highlights: Novel statistical methods in germination ecology has been applied (i) to determine the effects of chilling length and salinity (up to 150 mM NaCl) on Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa seed emergence, and (ii) to estimate threshold limits treating germination response to salinity as a biomarker. Background and Objectives: Salinity cut values at germination stage had relevant interest for conservation and restoration aims of Mediterranean floodplain forests in coastal areas subjected to salt spray exposure and/or saline water introgression. Results: Salinity linearly decreased germination/emergence both in the field and laboratory tests. Absence of germination was observed at 70 mM NaCl in the field and at 150 mM NaCl for 4-week (but not for 24-week) chilling. At 50 mM NaCl germination percentage was 50% (or 80%) of control for 4-week (or 24- week) chilling. Critical values for salinity were estimated between freshwater and 50 (75) mM NaCl for 4-week (24-week) chilling by Bayesian analysis. After 7-week freshwater recovery, critical cut-off values included all tested salinity levels up to 150 mM NaCl, indicating a marked resumption of seedling emergence. Conclusions: Fraxinus angustifolia is able to germinate at low salinity and to tolerate temporarily moderate salinity conditions for about two months. Prolonged chilling widened salinity tolerance.

Tomato is considered moderately sensitive to salinity, which detracts from the quality and yield of its fruit; therefore, wild populations have been used as a genetic resource. The aim of this research was to identify lines derived from wild tomato populations with tolerance to salinity during the germination and seedling stages. During germination, 52 wild lines and 2 commercial hybrids (Imperial®, Reserva®) were subjected to 150 mM and 0 mM NaCl and evaluated. The test was carried out for 20 days in a germination chamber with constant darkness, temperature of 25±2 °C and relative humidity of 80±4%. At the seedling stage, 22 wild tomato lines with the best performance in the germination test and 2 commercial hybrids (Imperial®, Topanga®) were evaluated for 12 days in a floating raft system. Concentrations of 175 mM and 0 mM NaCl were used. During germination, the saline condition decreased germination percentage (65.2%), speed of germination (88.2%), steam length (72.5%), root length (46.56%), normal plants number (59.5%), stem dry matter (68.78%), root dry matter (61.99%), and total dry matter (67.1%). At the seedling stage, this condition decreased (P<0.05) the aerial part dry matter (46.37%), leaf area (59.35%), root length (42.43%), final plant height (40.24%), and growth rate (71.42%). Seventeen tolerant genotypes were identified at one of both developmental stages, while one genotype showed tolerance at both stages. These results indicate that there are different response mechanisms in each developmental stage. Native tomatoes play an important role in the identification of tolerant genotypes since they can be used as genetic resources for obtaining commercial genotypes with salt tolerance.

Compact solar-powered plasma water generator: enhanced on-site aged seed germination with the corona dielectric barrier discharger

Little is known about the effect of nitrogen nutrition on seedling susceptibility to seed-borne pathogens. We have previously shown that seedlings grown under high nitrate (5 mM) conditions are less susceptible than those grown under low nitrate (0.1 mM) and ammonium (5 mM) in the Arabidopsis-Alternaria brassicicola pathosystem. However, it is not known how seedling metabolism is modulated by nitrogen nutrition, nor what is its response to pathogen infection. Here, we addressed this question using the same pathosystem and nutritive conditions, examining germination kinetics, seedling development, but also shoot ion contents, metabolome and selected gene expression. Nitrogen nutrition clearly altered the seedling metabolome. A similar metabolomic profile was observed in inoculated seedlings grown at high nitrate levels and in not inoculated-seedlings. High nitrate levels also led to specific gene expression patterns (e.g. polyamine metabolism), while other genes responded to inoculation regardless of nitrogen supply conditions. Furthermore, the metabolites best correlated with high disease symptoms were coumarate, tyrosine, hemicellulose sugars and polyamines, and those associated with low symptoms were organic acids (tricarboxylic acid pathway, glycerate, shikimate), sugars derivatives and β-alanine. Overall, our results suggest that the beneficial effect of high nitrate nutrition on seedling susceptibility is likely due to nutritive and signaling mechanisms affecting developmental plant processes detrimental to the pathogen. In particular, it may be due to a constitutively high tryptophan metabolism, as well as down regulation of oxidative stress caused by polyamine catabolism.

Seeds stored for a prolonged period are subject to aging and reduction in germination potential (GP), which will negatively affect seed sales. Rare-earth elements have a synergistic effect on the improvement of seed GP. In this study, we examined the effects of neodymium on biochemical components, the antioxidant protective system, and metabolism-related enzymes during germination of naturally and artificially aged seeds of three wheat cultivars. Seed germination indices, biochemical substance contents, and enzyme activities decreased after seed aging. Soaking seeds in neodymium nitrate solution revived aged wheat seeds at an optimal concentration of 20 µmol/L for 8 h. Soaking in neodymium nitrate solution increased the GP (by 2.25%–60.9%), germination index (by 1.69%–29.2%), and vigor index (by 3.36%–18.7%) of aged seeds. Compared with non-soaked seeds, soaking significantly changed the contents of biochemical substances, and the activities of antioxidant protective enzymes and metabolic enzymes in seedlings were increased. Soaking with neodymium may revive aged seeds by regulating the synthesis of soluble sugars, soluble proteins, chlorophyll, and carotenoids, and decomposing malondialdehyde, in the germinating seed. Root dehydrogenase and amylase showed different responses to the aging modes. The differential responses of root dehydrogenase and amylase may reflect differences in the resistance of enzymes to long-term mild seed aging and short-term severe environmental aging.

The venturi-type UFB-generating system was used to generate air and O2 UFBs in distilled water. The number concentrations of air UFBs were roughly controlled by adjusting the generation time and UFB waters ranging from 1.4 x 108 mL-1 to 1.0 x 109 mL-1 were prepared. Barley seeds were submerged in beakers filled with distilled water and UFB water in a ratio of 10 mL of water per seed. The experimental observation of seed germination clarified the role of UFB number concentration, that is, a higher number concentration induced earlier seed germination. In addition, the excessively high UFB number concentration caused the suppression of seed germination. A possible reason for the positive or negative effect of UFBs on seed germination is thought to be ROS generation (hydroxyl radicals and ∙OH, OH radicals) in UFB water. This was supported by the detection of ESR spectra of the CYPMPO-OH adduct in O2 UFB water. However, the question still remains: how can OH radicals be generated in O2 UFB water?

Canistel (Pouteria campechiana (Kunth) Baehni) (yellow sapote, canistel). Originally from Mexico, the fruit is edible, and the tree is used as an ornamental and medicinal plant. Descriptive studies were carried out with the objective of morphologically characterizing the fruits and leaves of trees located in different regions of Mexico to select outstanding specimens and propose their massive reproduction. The trees were selected in three zones. In zone 2 from flower anthesis to harvest 11 months, fruits with 3 seeds, greater weight (180 to 330 g) and quantity of pulp (198.88 g), subglobose shape, total soluble solids 33 %. The fruits of zone 1 at harvest 8 months and zone 3 took 9 months to be harvested, in the rest of the characteristics evaluated were exceeded by the fruits of zone 2. To characterize the canistel (P. campechiana) leaf and identify accessions or cultivars, the three main variables, according to the principal component analysis were: leaf area, perimeter, and minor diameter. The three zones where canistel fruits and leaves were characterized are important and can be recommended for propagation in zones with favorable climatic conditions for fruiting in tropical and subtropical regions of Mexico.

Berberis koreana Palibin is an endemic plant native to Korea. In this study, we aimed to study seed germination in this species using a water imbibition experiment, gibberellic acid (GA3) treat-ment (0, 10, 100, or 1000 mg·L−1), cold stratification (0, 2, 4, 8, or 12 weeks at 4 °C), a move-along experiment, and phenology studies. In the water imbibition experiment, the weight of the seeds increased by more than 120% in 24 h. Analysis of the internal and external morphological char-acteristics of the seed revealed that the embryo was already fully grown from the fruit and did not grow thereafter. The final germination percentages for cold stratification at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks at 4 °C were 12, 32, 59, 59, and 71%, respectively. In the move-along experiment and phe-nology studies, a longer low-temperature treatment period resulted in a higher germination percentage. However, the GA3 treatment had little effect on seed germination. Our results indi-cate that B. koreana exhibits intermediate physiological seed dormancy.

The production of plants and crops is influenced by environmental stress, which is a serious scientific issue. Cotton is an essential crop for producing natural fibers that are used to make biofuel and edible oils. Salinity is the main element that influences cotton growth during the beginning of germination. The type of salt and the growth stage affects how sensitive a plant is to salt stress. Developing ways to enhance cotton performance in salty circumstances can be aided by an understanding of the response of cotton to salt, its mechanism of resistance, and its management methods. Osmotic and ionic imbalances originate due to the deposition of soluble salts under salinity stress in the plant's root zone. Soil salinity significantly reduces plant growth due to several factors, such as nutritional ion imbalance, which reduces K+, PO4-, and NO- absorption, excessive salt chloride concentrations, and osmotic stress, which hinders water availability. Research has revealed that compared to subsequent stages, the germination, emergence, and seedling phases are more vulnerable to salinity stress, which ultimately affects the seed cotton yield by delaying blooming, reducing fruiting positions, shedding fewer fruits, and reducing boll weight. The morphology, growth of cotton roots, shoots, yield, and fiber quality are all strongly impacted by salinity stress. It slows down plant feeding, cellular metabolism, and photosynthesis. The soil, water, and climate all affect how the plant responds to salinity stress. During salt stress, excessive exclusion of sodium or its compartmentalization is the key adaptation process in cotton. A major adaptive potential to create cotton types that can withstand salt is provided by the up-regulation of both physicochemical and non-enzymatic antioxidant genes. A successful strategy to increase cotton germination in saline soils is seed priming. Moreover, the transgenic strategy might be a viable choice for improving cotton yield in saline environments. Our review focuses on the impacts of salinity on cotton productivity as well as how plants react to salt stress. It also clarifies recent genetic advancements and molecular breeding for cotton's resistance to soil salt. To create salt-tolerant cultivars, a combination of traditional breeding and novel molecular approaches will be useful.

Cover crops as living plant or mulch can suppress weeds by reducing weed germination, emergence and growth, either through direct competition for resources, allelopathy, or by providing a physical barrier to emergence. Farmers implementing conservation agriculture, organic farming or agroecological principles are increasingly adopting cover crop as part of their farming strategy. However, cover crop adoption remains limited by poor and/or unstable establishment in dry conditions, weediness of cover crop volunteers is subsequent cash crops, and seed cost. This study is the first one to review the literature on seed traits of cover crops, their germination response to different biotic and abiotic factors aiming to improve seed germination and seedling establishment. Knowledge on seed traits would be helpful in choosing suitable cover crop species and/or mixture adapted to specific environments. Such information is crucial to improve cover crops establishment, growth, provision of ecosystem services, while allowing farmers to save seeds and therefore money. We discuss how to improve cover crop establishment by seed priming and coating, and appropriate seed sowing depth. Here, three cover crop families namely Poaceae, Brassicaceae, and Fabaceae, were examined in terms of seed traits and response to environmental conditions. The review showed that seed traits related to germination are crucial as they affect the germination timing and establishment of the cover crop, consequently soil coverage uniformity, factors that directly related to their suppressive effect on weeds. Poaceae and Brassicaceae exhibit higher germination percentage than Fabaceae under water deficit conditions. Seed dormancy of some Fabaceae species/cultivars limits their agricultural use of as cover crops because the domestication of some wild ecotypes is not complete. Understanding genetic and environmental regulating seed dormancy is necessary. Appropriate selection of cover crop cultivars is crucial to improve cover crop establishment and provide multiple ecosystem services including weed suppression, particularly in a climate change context.

The seeds of red clover are heteromorphic and two color morphs can be visually recognized, light purple and yellow, resulting from heterozygosity and recessive homozygosity at two loci. Here, we report the responses of seed imbibition, seed germination, and early seedling growth of the two morphs to distilled water, sodium chloride, and complete nutrient solution. The sensitivity of red clover seeds to treatments increased with the stage of development in what seems to be a cumulative process. No differences were found in seed imbibition between morphs or between treatments. In seedling growth, on the contrary, treatments were always effective, but differences between morphs were only observed in seeds that were treated with nutrient solution, whereas in the intermediate stage of seed germination, the effects by treatments were observed together with the appearance of differences between morphs in distilled water and in the treatment by sodium chloride solution. Simultaneously, the superior performance of the yellow morph that was found in germination, which appears to be a trait stable across cultivars of red clover seeds, turned into a superior performance of the light purple morph in seedling growth.

The effects of different priming techniques were evaluated to improve the dormancy and germination of wild seeds of “Piquín” chili pepper. Three experiments were designed for pre-sowing treatment of seeds: a) chemical seeds digestion; b) halopriming (with K⁺ or NH₄⁺ of NO₃^-, SO₄^2- or Cl^-) at different priming times (24, 48 or 72 h) and osmotic potential (-5, -10 or -15 atm) and c) previously selected halopriming (KNO₃ and NH₄NO₃) + Gibberellic acid (GA₃, at 100 or 200 ppm) were tested. Digestion treatments did show a negative effect on seed germination. Recommended values of osmotic potential (Ψ_s), to improve Piquín chili seed germination, must be between -10 and -15 atm (-1.0 and -1.5 MPa) and the priming time must be between 48 and 72 hours. Priming techniques can considerably reduce Capsaicinoids content on seeds, improve dormancy, seed germination performance, and increase the rate and uniformity of seedling establishment. KNO₃ and secondly GA₃ treatments may improve rapid and uniform germination and seedling emergence. The results provide basic information to develop guidelines for commercial establishment of Piquín pepper crops.

A new quinazolinone alkaloid, named peniquinazolinone A (1), as well as eleven known compounds, 2-(2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionamido)-N-methylbenzamide (2), viridicatin (3), viridicatol (4), (±)-cyclopeptin (5a/5b), dehydrocyclopeptin (6), cyclopenin (7), cyclopenol (8), methyl-indole-3-carboxylate (9), 2,5-dihydroxyphenyl acetate (10), methyl m-hydroxyphenylacetate (11), conidiogenone B (12), was isolated from the endophytic Penicillium sp. HJT-A-6 derived from the stem of Rhodiola tibetica. The chemical structures of all compounds were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS. The absolute configuration at C-13 of peniquinazolinone A (1) was established by applying the modified Mosher’s method. Compounds 2, 3, and 7 exhibited an optimal promoting effect on the seed germination of Rhodiola tibetica at a concentration of 0.01 mg/mL, while the optimal concentration for compounds 4 and 9 to promote Rhodiola tibetica seed germination is 0.001 mg/mL. Compound 12 showed optimal seed-germination-promoting activity at a concentration of 0.01 mg/mL. Compared with the positive drug 6-benzyladenine (6-BA), compounds 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, and 12 could extend the seed-germination period of Rhodiola tibetica up to the 11th day.

Chenopodium quinoa Willd (quinoa), a member of the Amaranthaceae family, is an allotetraploid annual plant, endemic to South America. The plant of C. quinoa presents significant ecological plasticity with exceptional adaptability to several environmental stresses, including salinity. The resilience of quinoa to several abiotic stresses, as well as its nutritional attributes have led to significant shifts in quinoa cultivation worldwide over the past century. This work first defines germination sensu stricto in quinoa where the breakage of the pericarp and the testa is followed by endosperm rupture (ER). Transcriptomic changes in early seed germination stages lead to unstable expression levels in commonly used reference genes that are typically stable in vegetative tissues. Noteworthy, no suitable reference genes have been previously identified specifically for quinoa seed germination under salt stress conditions. This work aims to identify these genes as a prerequisite step for normalizing qPCR data. To this end, germinating seeds from UDEC2 and UDEC4 accessions, with different tolerance to salt, have been analyzed under conditions of absence (0 mM NaCl) and in the presence (250 mM NaCl) of sodium chloride. Based on relevant literature, six candidate reference genes: Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), Monensin sensitivity1 (MON1), Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTBP), Actin-7 (ACT7), Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (UBC), and 18S ribosomal RNA (18S), were selected and assessed for stability using the RefFinder Tool encompassing the statistical algorithms geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and ΔCt in the evaluation. The data presented supports the suitability of CqACT7 and CqUBC as reference genes for normalizing gene expression during seed germination under salinity stress. These recommended reference genes can be valuable tools for consistent qPCR studies in quinoa seeds.

The transition from a dormant to a germinating seed represents a crucial developmental switch in the life cycle of a plant. Subsequent transition from a germinating seed to an autotrophic organism also requires a robust and multi-layered control. Seed germination and seedling growth are multistep processes, involving both internal and external signals, which lead to a fine-tuning control network.

Plants are immobile, and, to overcome harsh environmental conditions, such as drought, salt, and cold, they have evolved complex signaling pathways. Abscisic acid (ABA), an isoprenoid phytohormone, is a critical signaling mediator that regulates diverse biological processes in various organisms. Significant progress has been made in the determination and characterization of key ABA-mediated molecular factors involved in different stress responses, including stomatal closure and developmental processes, such as seed germination and bud dormancy. Since ABA-signaling is a complex signaling network that integrates with other signaling pathways, the dissection of its intricate regulatory network is necessary to understand the function of essential regulatory genes involved in ABA signaling. In the present review, we focus on two aspects of ABA signaling. First, the perception of the stress signal (abiotic and biotic) and the response network of ABA-signaling components that transduce the signal to the downstream pathway to respond to stress tolerance, regulation of stomata, and ABA signaling component ubiquitination. Second, ABA-signaling in plant development processes, such as lateral root growth regulation, seed germination, and flowering time regulation. Examining such diverse signal integration dynamics could enhance our understanding of the underlying genetic, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of ABA signaling networks in plants.

Fire-related cues could alter vegetation community composition by promoting or excluding different types of plants. Smoke-derived compounds have been a hot topic in plant and crop physiology. There are some fire-prone areas in Australia, both Americas, some Mediterranean countries and regions with extensive prescribed or illegal burning like central European, which are subjected to a direct impact of fire (heat, minerals accumulation from the burning matter) and/or the indirect one (smoke) and undergo compositional and structural changes. This review first updates information about the effect of the compounds on plants' kingdoms and focuses on the research advances in the field of smoke compounds and attempts to gather and summarize the recent state of research and opinions on the role of smoke-derived compounds in plants' lives. We finish our review by discussing major research gaps, which include: Why plants respond to smoke chemicals? Is the response of seeds to smoke and smoke compounds an evolutionary-driven trait allowing plants to adapt to local environment?

The coffee plant is highly susceptible to drought, and different genotypes exhibit varying degrees of tolerance to low soil moisture. The current study aims to investigate the connection between drought tolerance and sensitivity in terms of seed traits, germination, and post-germination events, and their influence on the growth and physiology of young coffee plants. Two consecutive experiments were conducted to examine the impact of these factors. In the first experiment, germination performance was examined for three groups of coffee genotypes: relatively tolerant (Ca74140, Ca74112, and Ca74110), moderately sensitive (Ca74158, Ca74165, and CaJ-21), and sensitive (Ca754, CaJ-19, and CaGeisha). The subsequent experiment focused on the growth and physiological responses of two relatively tolerant (Ca74110 and Ca74112) and two sensitive (CaJ-19 and Ca754) genotypes under drought stress condition. The relatively tolerant genotypes showed quicker and more complete germination compared to other groups. This was associated with higher moisture content, higher seed surface area to volume ratio, and higher coefficient of velocity of germination, coefficient of variation of germination time, and germination index. Additionally, the relatively tolerant genotypes showed higher seedling vigor. The results of the second experiment demonstrated superior growth performance in relative tolerant genotypes compared to the sensitive groups. Young plants of coffee belonging to relatively tolerant genotypes exhibited higher growth performance than the sensitive genotypes, with a net assimilation rate strongly correlated to relative water content, leaf number, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll-a. In addition, a strong correlation was exhibited between the growth of young coffee plants and the surface area to volume ratio of the seeds, as well as the germination percentage. The seedling vigor index showed a strong correlation with net assimilation rate, chlorophyll content, seedling growth, and cell membrane stability. Furthermore, principal component analysis illustrated distinct clustering of genotypes based on their germination and growth-physiological performance. Overall, the findings of this study suggest the importance of seed traits, germination, and post-germination events are integral factors in determining drought tolerance and sensitivity, as well as the growth and physiological responses of adult coffee plants.

It is well-established that plants are sessile and photoautotrophic organisms that rely on light throughout their entire life cycle. Light quality (spectral composition) is especially important as it provides energy for photosynthesis and influences signaling pathways that regulate plant devel-opment in the complex process of photomorphogenesis. During past years, significant progress has been made in the physiological and biochemical effects of light quality on crops. However, understanding how light quality modulates plant growth and development remains a complex challenge. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of light quality in regulating early development of plants, encompassing processes such as seed germination, seedling de-etiolation, and seedling establishment. These insights can be harnessed to improve production planning and crop quality by producing high-quality seedlings in plant factories and improving the theoretical framework for modern agriculture.

To follow the growth and development of each tree (N = 1200) Pinus sylvestris L., var. Negorelskaya starting from the seed and continuing at the juvenile (or even generative) stage is the goal of an ambitious project to create a plant passport if possible. Five datasets of replenished empirical (tab-ular and file) and systematic data reflect the early results of a unique ongoing experiment conducted with families moved along a climatic gradient from the collection area (1731 degree days, 722 mm) to the experimental area (2326 degree days; 786 mm). Datasets of morphometric, VIS-spectrometric, and germination seed data, combined with the first results of biometric data (including the Dickson quality index) of seedlings produced from these seeds, will allow scientists in the future to conduct correlation and other statistical analysis, or train a neural network to determine the presence of connections between a seed and a plant. These data contribute to the early non-destructive diag-nosis and grading of seeds according to VIS-spectrometric properties. This dataset structure can complement the FLR-Library. In the future, by tracing seedlings in their early growth (for example, over three growing seasons at the site being restored), it will be possible to determine the degree of intensification of FRM production depending on the initial properties of the seed.

A fundamental question in biology is how cell shapes are genetically encoded and enzymatically generated. Prevalent shapes among walled bacteria include spheres and rods. These shapes are chiefly determined by the peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall. Bacterial division results in two daughter cells, whose shapes are predetermined by the mother. This makes it difficult to explore the origin of cell shapes in healthy bacteria. In this review, we argue that the Gram-negative bacterium Myxococcus xanthus is an ideal model for understanding PG assembly and bacterial morphogenesis because it forms rods and spheres at different life stages. Rod-shaped vegetative cells of M. xanthus can thoroughly degrade their PG and form spherical spores. As these spores germinate, cells rebuild their PG and reestablish rod shape without preexisting templates. Such a unique sphere-to-rod transition provides a rare opportunity to visualize de novo PG assembly and rod-like morphogenesis in a well-established model organism.

Understanding morphological and genetic diversity of forest trees is essential to facilitate their conservation, sustainable management and genetic improvement for addressing the economic and environmental demands and challenges. We have examined variation in morphometric seed and pod traits and seed germination of multipurpose and widely distributed forest tree Albizia lebbek (Indian siris) from 12 provenances covering the species’ range in northern India and its relationships with bioclimatic factors. Highly significant inter-provenance variation was observed in seed size (seed length (SL), seed width (SW), SW/SL, SL×SW), seed mass (1000 seed weight), pod size (pod length (PL), pod width (PW), PW/PL), seed germination, number of seeds per pod, and insect infected seeds (IIS). The provenance effect contributed a major portion to the total phenotypic variance. Morphometric variation in all traits except for IIS was not clinal related to longitude, latitude, altitude or rainfall. There was an indication of the presence of ecotypic variation. IIS showed clinal variation with significant negative correlation with latitude. Most seed size and pod size traits showed positive correlations with several temperature bioclimatic factors and negative correlations with several precipitation bioclimatic factors. Our results have significance for genetic improvement, population genetics and genomics studies and conservation and sustainable management of A. lebbek genetic resources.

The seed industry plays a crucial role in the global food production, but it faces a persistent challenge in ensuring the health and quality of seeds, particularly those of tomato and pepper, which represent key seed commodities on the global market. Seeds can serve as potential pathways for the introduction and dissemination of seed-borne bacteria, which may have devastating effects on crop yield, farmers’ remunerability, and food security. Therefore, fungicides and other anti-microbial compounds are extensively used to disinfect the seeds, thus increasing the input of chemicals in the agri-enviroment. In this review, we address aspects that connect disease epide-miology with seed infection and health, including seed contamination, endophytic colonization, and seed-borne infections. We focused on the main bacterial diseases affecting tomato and pepper by discussing their official seed testing methods as requirements supporting a smooth seed trade. Moreover, we present a survey on the past and recent innovations for seed treatments, focusing on sustainable disinfection methods. Therefore, this review will be a short, but indispensable guide for seed technologists and pathologists involved in the production of high-quality seeds, providing indications and suggestions to contrast seed-borne pathogens dissemination, avoid international controversies and complaints by phytosanitary authorities, extension services and farmers.

Plants have evolved a variety of dispersal units whereby the embryo is enclosed by various dead protective layers derived from maternal organs of the reproductive system including seed coats (integuments), pericarps (ovary wall, e.g., indehiscent dry fruits) as well as floral bracts (e.g. glumes) in grasses. Commonly, dead organs enclosing embryos (DOEEs) are assumed to provide a physical shield for embryo protection and means for dispersal in the ecosystem. In this review article, we will highlight recent studies showing that DOEEs of various species across families also have the capability for long-term storage of various substances including active proteins (hydrolases, ROS detoxifying enzymes), nutrients and metabolites that have the potential to support the embryo during storage in the soil and assist in germination and seedling establishment. We discuss a possible role for DOEEs as natural coatings capable of ‘engineering’ the seed microenvironment for the benefit of the embryo, the seedling and the growing plant.

Weed competitive ability (WCA) is a desirable key trait for the improvement of grain yield under direct-seeded rice (DSR) and the aerobic rice ecosystem. The present study targeted screening of 167 introgression lines (ILs) of a Green Super Rice (GSR) IR2-6 population derived from a cross between Weed Tolerant Rice 1 (WTR1) as the recipient parent and Y134 as the donor parent developed at IRRI for weed competitiveness in screen house conditions (SHC). The ILs were phenotyped for WCA traits such as early seed germination (ESG) and early seedling vigor (ESV) in Petri dishes and pot experiment conditions. The results of phenotypic variance revealed ESG-related traits, especially first germination count (1st GC) that positively correlated with second germination count (2nd GC), germination percentage (GP), total dry weight (TDW), total fresh weight (TFW), and vigor index (VI-1), whereas, in ESV, all the traits were positively correlated with each other except for three traits: root dry weight (RDW), 1st GC, and GP-2. The ESG and ESV traits are vital for weed competitiveness. A 6K SNP array was used to study the genetic association for the WCA traits. Forty-four QTLs for WCA traits were mapped on all chromosomes (except on chromosomes 4 and 8) through single marker analysis (SMA). Out of 44 QTLs, 29 were associated with ESG traits and 15 with ESV traits, with LOD scores of 2.93 to 8.03 and 2.93 to 5.04 and explained phenotypic variance ranging from 7.85% to 19.9% and from 7.85% to 13.2%, respectively. However, 31 QTLs were contributed by a negative additive allele from Y134, whereas a positive additive allele was contributed by WTR1 in 13 QTLs. Among them, two QTL hotspot regions were mapped on chromosome 11 (24.7-27.9 Mb) and chromosome 12 (14.8-17.4 Mb). The majority of the QTLs related to WCA traits were grouped into two QTL hotspots: QTL hotspot-I (qAFW11.1, qFC11.1, qFC11.2, qSC11.1, qGP-111.1, qGP-111.2, qTFGS11.1, qVI-111.1, and qVI-111.2) and QTL hotspot-II (qFC12.1, qFC12.2, qSC12.1, qFC12.2, qGP-112.1, qGP-112.2, qTFGS12.1, qTFGS12.2, qVI-112.1, qIV12.2, qFC12.1, and qGC12.2), and a few of them were co-localized on chromosomes 11 and 12. Further, we fine-tuned in the genomic regions of QTL hotspots and identified a total of 13 putative candidate genes on chromosomes 11 and 12 collectively. The present study is the first report on the genetic basis of WCA-related traits and the co-localized QTLs, which could be highly valuable in future breeding programs aiming to improve WCA in rice.

Seed germination and seedling growth represent two vulnerable stages in a plant life cycle and it is important to determine how they will be affected by environmental changes associated with climate change. This study examines the impact of salinity levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM) at each of three temperatures (15, 25, and 35˚C) on seed germination and radicle growth for three dormant and three non-dormant varieties of conventional, glyphosate resistant, or reduced lignin alfalfa. The genetic basis and phenotypic plasticity for seed germination and seedling growth in response to salinity and temperature were determined. Both traits were phenotypically plastic with respect to temperature and salinity. Seed germination was 87.0% ± 1.7 at 25˚C, 0mM (no salinity), but decreased to 33.9% ± 3.9 germination at 35˚C and 150mM. Radicle length went from 36.7 ± 1.5 mm after four days at 25˚C, 0mM, to 10.5 ± 0.7 mm at 35˚C, 150mM. The phenotypic response brought seed germination and radicle length away from their optimum, but we detected standing genetic variation for both seed germination and radicle length. Selection to increase both traits at high temperature and salinity would facilitate alfalfa establishment under climate change.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) ranks fifth as the most crucial cereal crop globally, yet its seed morphology remains relatively unexplored. This study investigated seed morphology in sorghum based on 115 mini core and 130 Senegalese germplasms. Eight seed morphology traits encompassing size, shape, and color parameters were assessed. Statistical analyses explored potential associations between these traits and resistance to three major sorghum diseases: anthracnose, head smut, and downy mildew. Furthermore, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were conducted using phenotypic data from over 24,000 seeds and over 290,000 publicly available single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) through the Genome Association and Prediction Integrated Tool (GAPIT) R package. Significant SNPs associated with various seed morphology traits were identified and mapped onto the reference sorghum genome to identify novel candidate defense genes.

Sesame (Sesamum indicum), a highly valued oilseed, faces challenges in cultivation, especially in regions susceptible to environmental stressors. This study investigates the interactive effects of salinity and temperature on sesame seed germination. Two cultivars, Darab 1 and Oltan, were subjected to various salinity levels (-3 to -12 bars) and temperatures (15°C, 20°C, and 25°C). Results revealed that at 15°C, salinity levels beyond -3 bars significantly reduced germination, while at 25°C, 40% and 62% germination rates were recorded even at -12 bars for Darab 1 and Oltan, respectively. The study highlights the importance of temperature in mitigating the inhibitory effects of salinity on germination. Germination speed exhibited a decline with increasing salinity, particularly at lower temperatures. Shoot and root lengths and dry weights decreased with rising salinity, but Oltan demonstrated greater tolerance than Darab 1. The research emphasises the species-specific nature of temperature-salinity interactions and the intraspecific variability among sesame cultivars. Notably, Oltan, adapted to arid regions with elevated temperatures, displayed increased tolerance to salinity stress. The findings contribute to understanding sesame's resilience to environmental stressors, aiding in developing resilient cultivars for challenging agricultural landscapes. Overall, temperature is pivotal in influencing sesame seed germination and early seedling growth under salinity stress, offering insights for optimised cultivation practices.

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) is an annual herb that belongs to family Fabaceae, it is one of the most ancient food crops that has been grown in the world, and originated from southwestern Asia as early as 7000 BC. In Spain lentil acreage raised 42,200 ha in 2022, two authonomous regions Castilla-León and Castilla-La Mancha are traditionally the large producers. Lentils have the capacity to fix atmospheric N2 in symbiosis with rhizobia and, additionally it is considered moderately tolerant to drought which in turn makes this pulse a low water and carbon fingerprint crop. The aim of this study was to assess the symbiotic responsiveness to rhizobia strains of several lentil accessions from the Spanish germplasm bank, to determine the nutritional value and mineral seed composition and, to evaluate the agronomic performance of six selected accessions in two regions under rainfed conditions and different management systems. The protein content of all genotypes was higher than 25%, with two outstanding seeds from accessions: BGE025596 and BGE026702 which account for >30% of protein and <2% of fat. Accessions BGE016362 and, BGE026702 had an exceptional Fe content, > 1 g/100 g of seed flour. The agronomic performance varied depending upon the cropping región.

Ryegrass is one such cereal that has been underutilized in human nutrition despite its high nutritional and functional value due to the presence of phytochemicals and dietary fibers It is a viable option, especially for countries that do not produce wheat, as it is easily adaptable and overgrows, making it economically viable. This study evaluated the nutritional impact, bioactive compounds, and physicochemical and technological properties of partially substituting maize flour (MF) with sprouted whole ryegrass flour (SR) in developing extrusion-cooked breakfast cereals. A completely randomized design with substitutions ranging from 0 to 20 % of MF with SR was employed as the experimental strategy (P < 0.05). Partial incorporation of SR increased the bioavailability of γ-aminobutyric acid and total soluble phenolic compounds. Using sprouted grains can adversely affect the technological quality of extruded foods, but ryegrass, with its high dietary fiber and low lipid content, mitigates these negative effects. Consequently, breakfast cereals containing 4 and 8 % SR exhibited better physicochemical properties, such as reduced hardness and increased crispness. These results are promising for ryegrass and suggest combining the age-old germination process with extrusion can enhance cereal-based breakfast products' nutritional quality and bioactive compound content.

Scarification involves the partial removal of the seed coat on the side of the hilum, opposite the radicle, to speed up germination in acorns. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of scarification on the germination capacity of pedunculate oak acorns, selected and prepared for sowing. The diameter, length and mass of acorns were measured before and after scarification in four batches of acorns harvested from uneven-aged trees (76, 91, 131 and 161 years). The measured parameters were used to determine the correlations between acorn dimensions and mass, and to calculate the dimensional scarification index and the mass scarification index in acorns. Scarified and non-scarified acorns from every batch were germinated on sand and peat substrate for 28 days. The analyzed acorns were characterized by average size and mass. Scarification decreased acorn mass by around 22% and acorn length by around 31% on average. Scarification and the elimination of infected acorns increased germination capacity from around 64% to around 81% on average. Acorns can be divided into size groups before scarification to obtain seed material with varied germination capacity. Larger acorns with higher germination capacity can be used for sowing in container nurseries, whereas smaller acorns with lower germination capacity can be sown in open-field nurseries.

Image analysis is widely applied in plant science for phenotyping and monitoring botanic and agricultural species. Although a lot of software is available, tools integrating image analysis and statistical assessment of seedling growth in large groups of plants are limited or absent, and do not cover the needs of the researchers. In this study, we developed Morley, a free, open-source graphical user interface written in Python. Morley automates the following workflow: (1) group-wise analysis of a few thousand seedlings from multiple images; (2) recognition of seeds, shoots and roots in seedling images; (3) calculation of shoot and root lengths and surface areas, (4) evaluation of statistically significant differences between plant groups, (5) calculation of germination rates, (6) visualization and interpretation. Morley is designed for laboratory studies of biotic effects on seedling growth, when molecular mechanisms underlying morphometric changes are analyzed. Performance was tested using cultivars of T. aestivum, P. sativum on seedlings of up to 1 week old. Accuracy of the measured morphometric parameters was comparable with the ones obtained using ImageJ and manual measurements. Dose-dependent laboratory tests for germination affected by new bioactive compounds and fertilizers, assuming extraction of seedlings from a substrate and/or dissection are among the suggested applications.

Togo is one of the countries characterized by the highest deforestation rate in the world, caused mainly by the overexploitation of domestic biomass energy. Uapaca togoensis being one of the species appreciated for its strong calorific power, is increasingly overexploited, and its rarefaction in the Togolese forest landscapes becomes worrying hence the need to conduct this study to evaluate the possibilities of its vegetative reproduction. This study contributes to the sustainable development of natural resources by determining the optimal conditions for assisted regeneration of Uapaca togoensis. The approach consisted in conducting a series of nursery trials to determine the impact of the substrate, size of cuttings, sunlight, and apical tip coverage of the plastic film on its germination and budburst capacity. The lower calorific value is determined from samples in dry wood slices of 350g to 500g in five diameter classes. After 33 days, only one unscarred seed germinated in the compost. Substrate type, diameter of cuttings, sunlight, and plastic film significantly influenced the budburst rate and delay. More than 70% of the medium-diameter segments budded compared to 60% and 50% for small and large-diameter segments. More than 80% of the segments exposed to sunlight budded compared to 60% for the shaded segments. The average lower calorific value of dry wood of Uapaca togoensis varies between 7.35 Mj/Kg and 12.12 Mj/Kg depending on the humidity rate and the diameter.

Brazil is the number-one country in pesticide consumption, and corn is the second most cultivated crop in the country. Chemical control of weeds associated with corn cultivation is performed by application of herbicides with pre- and postemergence action, such as S-metolachlor. Currently, the toxicity of herbicides is a task of great concern. In this regard, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of an S-metolachlor-based herbicide through bioassays with the plant model Lactuca sativa L. (lettuce) and Zea mays L. (maize). The herbicidal test solutions containing 7.5, 15, 30, 60, 120, 240, 360, 480, 600, and 720 mg L-1 of the active ingredient S-metolachlor were prepared from commercial products. Distilled water was used as a negative control, and aluminum was used as a positive control. Macroscopic analyses (germination and growth) were performed for the two species, and microscopic analyses (chromosomal and nuclear changes) were performed for L. sativa. Negative interference of the S-metolachlor-based herbicide on lettuce was observed for all macroscopic and microscopic parameters tested. In maize, there was no significant interference in germination; however, the herbicide interferes negatively in seedling development. In brief, the herbicide based on S-metolachlor has phytotoxic potential, just as discussed.

Previous studies investigated the effects of seed rates and seed recycling practices on the yield and yield related variables. However, higher yield does not always guarantee cost-efficiency. This study aimed at investigating the yield effects of plot-level seed rate along with the cost-benefit analysis of seed recycling practices. This study has introduced the dose-response model to the existing analytical methods used in analyzing the effect of different agrochemicals on crop yield. A multi-stage stratified sampling technique was used to select a total of 450 sample respondents. Data was gathered using a mix of data collection tools. Descriptive statistics along with the dose-response model have been applied for data analysis. Farmers of the study were found to be dissimilar in terms of their seed rate application. The dose-response analysis indicated that the highest average wheat yield has been associated with a seed rate of 50 kg ha-1 above what is recommended. The yield effect of seed recycling has also been assessed and a one-time seed recycling has caused a yield decline of 665 kg ha-1 as compared to the non-recycled seeds. The cost reduced by using recycled seed is by far lower than the economic gains associated with using unrecycled and fresh seeds. The cost-benefit analysis made clear that farmers can reduce their seed costs through seed recycling but their yields and net income can be best improved by using unrecycled CBWS. Thus, farmers must be encouraged to make use of unrecycled seed by establishing agricultural credit schemes geared towards seed procurement and seed price subsidy as key strategies to reduce economically wasteful seed recycling practices.

Climate change-induced temperature fluctuations pose a significant threat to crop production, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere. This study investigates the transcriptome and physiological responses of rapeseed to post-flowering temperature increases, providing valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying rapeseed tolerance to heat stress. Two rapeseed genotypes, Lumen and Solar, were assessed under control and heat stress conditions in field experiments conducted in Valdivia, Chile. Results showed that seed yield and seed number were negatively affected by heat stress, with genotype-specific responses. Lumen exhibited a 9.3% average seed yield reduction, while Solar showed a 28.7% reduction. RNA-seq analysis of siliques and seeds revealed tissue-specific responses to heat stress, with siliques being more sensitive to temperature stress. Hierarchical clustering analysis identified distinct gene clusters reflecting different aspects of heat stress adaptation in siliques, with a role for protein folding in maintaining silique development and seed quality under high temperature conditions. In seeds, three distinct patterns of heat-responsive gene expression were observed, with genes involved in protein folding and response to heat showing genotype-specific expression. Gene coexpression network analysis revealed major modules for rapeseed yield and quality, as well as the trade-off between seed number and seed weight. Overall, this study contributes to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying rapeseed tolerance to heat stress and can inform crop improvement strategies targeting yield optimization under changing environmental conditions.

Melatonin is an important hormone with a methoxy-indole structure. It is secreted regularly by the pineal gland of mammals. It takes part in many chemical, biological, and physiological activities of the body. Melatonin, acts as a basic hormone, and is responsible for circadian rhythm regulation and sleep control. It has been shown to occur in the highest concentration in organisms during the night times. In living organisms, many activities that have physiological, biological, hormonal, and psychological characteristics follows a certain rhythm. Body temperature, hormone levels, sleep-wakefulness, and some other cognitive functions in humans also change with the circadian rhythm. Its synthesis and release begin with darkness and end with light. This review aims to explore the functions of melatonin such as its stimulating effects on antioxidant enzymes, reducing lipid peroxidation, and protecting brain tissue from oxidative damage. It also has properties that stop the proliferation of cancer cells and prevent tumor growth. Melatonin, which was previously known only as an animal hormone, has been found to also exist in plants. Research has shown that melatonin is present in almost all plant species analyzed to date and that it performs functions similar to those in animals. In plants, it plays a vital role in dealing with various abiotic and biotic stresses. Melatonin acts as an important antioxidant in post-harvest technology and extends the post-harvest life of fruits and vegetables. It also takes part in the regulation of stress-specific genes and the activation of pathogenesis-related proteins and antioxidant enzymes. The most prominent roles of melatonin in plants include regulating circadian rhythm, growth, and development, and increasing tolerance to a wide range of environmental stress factors. The review reveals the effects of melatonin as an extremely important secondary metabolite, on human, animal, and plant metabolism. The use of PRISMA guidelines was used for reporting, search, selection, and synthesis. Information up to 2024 was searched from search engines for the occurrence, nature and function of melatonin. Key words such as structural function, hormonal function, secretion and metabolism were used in the search of publications.

New flaxseed cultivars differing in seed mucilage content (MC) with low hull content (HC) represent an attractive option to simultaneously target the food and feed markets. Here, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted for MC and HC in 200 diverse flaxseed accessions genotyped with 1.7 million SNP markers. The data obtained for MC and HC indicated a broad phenotypic variation and high (~70%) and a moderate (~49%) narrow sense heritability, respectively. MC and HC did not differ statistically between fiber and oil morphotypes, but yellow-seeded accessions had 2.7% less HC than brown-seeded ones. The genome wide linkage disequilibrium (LD) decayed to r2 = 0.1 at a physical distance of ~100 Kb. Seven and four QTL were identified for MC and HC, respectively. Promising candidate genes included Linum usitatissimum orthologs of the Arabidopsis thaliana genes TRANSPARENT TESTA 8, SUBTILISIN-LIKE SERINE PROTEASE, GALACTUROSYL TRANSFERASE-LIKE 5, MUCILAGE-MODIFIED 4, AGAMOUS-LIKE MADS-BOX PROTEIN AGL62, GLYCOSYL HYDROLASE FAMILY 17 and UDP-GLUCOSE FLAVONOL 3-O-GLUCOSYLTRANSFERASE that have been shown to play a role in mucilage synthesis and release, seed coat development and anthocyanin biosynthesis in A. thaliana were identified. The favorable alleles will be useful in flaxseed breeding towards the goal of achieving the ideal flaxseed cultivars for food and feed by genomic-based breeding.

The effect of varying concentrations of crude oil pollution on the germination and growth parameters of Mucuna pruriens (Var. cochinchinenesis) was investigated. The following treatments were used; 0ml, 100ml, 200ml, 400ml, 800ml 1600ml respectively. The germination of velvet bean was 100% but growth was found to be inhibited by a wide range of treatments (800ml and 1600ml). the lag phase of proceeding growth is also reduced at this treatment. Growth inhibition is attributed primarily to the characteristics of oil, which acts as a physical barrier to water and oxygen uptake. Reduction in the growth and development of plants was observed in the polluted treatments as against the control (non–polluted treatment) because of the deleterious effect of the petroleum products on the morphological parameters (plant height, number of leaves and leaf area) tested for. Velvet beans treated with lower treatment (100ml and 200ml) were observed to be more productive when compared to the control experiment. Consequently, as the crude oil exceeds the plant absorbing capacity at 800ml and 1600ml respectively, the growth retards, chlorosis, presence of tough apical meristem, and defoliation from the base of the plant.

Legume seed protein is an important source of nutrition, but it is less digestible than animal protein. Poor protein digestibility in legume seeds and seedlings may partly reflect defences against herbivores. Protein changes during germination typically increase proteolysis and digestibility, by lowering the levels of anti-nutrient protease inhibitors, activating proteases, and breaking down storage proteins (including allergens). Germinating legume sprouts also show striking increases in free amino acids (especially asparagine), but their roles in host defence or other processes are not known. While the net effect of germination is generally to increase the digestibility of legume seed proteins, the extent of improvement in digestibility is species and strain dependent. Further research is needed to highlight which changes contribute the most to improved digestibility of sprouted seeds. Such knowledge could guide the selection of varieties that are more digestible, and also guide the development of food preparations that are more digestible, potentially combining germination with other factors altering digestibility, such as heating and fermentation. Techniques to characterize the shifts in protein make-up, activity and degradation during germination need to draw on traditional analytical approaches, complemented by proteomic and peptidomic analysis of mass spectrometry identified peptide breakdown products.

Acacia nubica is well-adapted to harsh conditions and offers valued socio-economic and environmental benefits. This research studied seed germination and seedling growth of A. nubica in vitro in response to the application of different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite, sucrose, and Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. The synchrony, percentage, and rate of germination of A. nubica seed were studied. Seedling development was assessed by measuring the shoot, root, and number of nodes. Sodium hypochlorite at 10% produced the maximum germination percentage, while 5% induced a faster and more uniform emergence. Sucrose has various effects on seed emergence and germination depending on the concentrations; 30 g/L elicited the highest germination, while 10 g/L improved seed emergence rate with higher uniformity. The highest seed germination was achieved on ¼-MS medium, although 0-MS strength recorded faster and more synchronized germination. The development of A. nubica seedlings was influenced by MS medium strengths and sucrose concentrations. Full MS medium produced the highest shoot length and the highest vigor index with the addition of 20 g/L sucrose and the maximum root length with 50 g/L sucrose. Also, 30 g/L sucrose gave the maximum number of nodes and the maximum root/shoot ratio. However, ½-MS strength yields the highest seedling biomass with 30 g/L sucrose. This is the first successful report on the seed germination and seedling growth of A. nubica in vitro.

Mining wastes generate a high environmental impact, and population exposure to metals and metalloids. Phytoremediation is a technology that uses plants to remediate polluted sites, one of its limitations is seed germination in soil with high content of metals and metalloids. B. dactyloides is a native specie from semiarid regions, while C. dactylon is an introduced specie, both are tolerant to drought and low temperatures. Owing, the objective of this research was to evaluate the germination of both species, exposed to a multi-polluted soil with As, Cd, Pb and Zn of a mining site, pondering different pH conditions (from 5.0 to 9.0). The study considered 4 repetitions by type of seed and soil pH. B. dactyloides showed higher germination percentage (83%) with pH 7.8; while the greater germination of C. dactylon was 34 % at pH 6.0. In the soil at pH 5, the germination in both species was not reached, owing that metals are more bioavailable in an acid environment. C. dactylon is less tolerant to As, Cd, Pb and Zn, so it is considered not effective for phytoremediation process. B. dactyloides has a high phytoremediation potential for multi-polluted sites, but further experiments are needed.

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for degrading and recycling different cellular components in both normal development and stress conditions. Our recent research demonstrated that autophagy-mediated compartmental cytoplasmic deletion is essential for pollen germination. However, how autophagy regulates pollen germination to ensure its fertility remains largely unknown. Here, we applied multi-omic analyses to investigate the downstream pathways of autophagy in the process of pollen germination. Although ATG2 and ATG5 play similar roles in regulating pollen germination, high-throughput transcriptomic analysis reveals that silencing ATG5 has greater impact on the transcriptome than silencing ATG2. Cross-comparisons of transcriptome and proteome analysis reveal that gene expression at mRNA level and protein level are differentially affected by autophagy. Furthermore, high-throughput metabolomics analysis demonstrates that pathways related amino acid metabolism and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis can be affected by both ATG2 and ATG5 silencing. Collectively, our multi-omic analyses reveal a central role of autophagy in cellular metabolism, which is critical for the initiation of pollen germination and the guarantee of pollen fertility.

A self-propelled electric tea seed-planter is designed to address the lack of tea seed seeding equipment, low seeding efficiency, and poor seeding uniformity. Based on the physical characteristics of the tea seeds and the agronomic requirements of tea planting, the key structure of the planter is designed, and the structural parameters are determined. The motor and battery configurations are determined by calculating the power consumption of the entire machine. In a field experiment, the driving gear (A), ditching depth (B), and planting gear position (C) are used as test factors, and the acceptance index (AI), replay index (RI) and leakage index (LI) are used as test indexes. The test results showed that the driving speed and planting gear position significantly affect the acceptance index, replay, and leakage index, whereas the ditching depth has little effect on the performance indexes. When the driving speed was medium, ditching depth was 30 mm, and planting gear position was in the third gear, the corresponding acceptance index was 87.22%, the replay index was 8.89%, and the leakage index was 3.89%. The test prototype has a good working quality and can provide theoretical guidance for production practices.

The growing demand for nutritious foods has spurred investigations into alternative sources of nutrition beyond traditional options. For this reason, the present study approaches the amaranth, which is a plant with high potential, highlighting the morphological growth, grain biomass pro-duction, and quantitative traits of seven varieties of amaranth cultivated in the pedoclimatic con-ditions of Somes meadow in Transylvania. A bifactorial trial was implemented with factors ama-ranth species and amaranth varieties. Two amaranth species and seven varieties were studied. Differences are reported between morpho-productive and quantitative traits of the seven amaranth varieties studied in this research. The interrelationships between amaranth morphological traits quantified by using Pearson simple correlations show that morphological traits moderately con-tribute to grain fresh biomass yield, while morphological traits and fresh biomass strongly con-tributed to grains dry biomass yield. Our study shows that morpho-productive, and nutritional characteristics of the seven amaranth varieties comprised by our study recommend the plans to be used in various nutritional aims, being a valuable replacer of traditional raw materials in specific food and feed industry sectors.

Exploiting the relationship between the nutritional properties of seeds and the genetic background, constitutes an essential analysis which contributes to broadening our knowledge regarding the control of the nutritional quality of seeds or any other edible plant structure. This constitutes an important aspect when aiming at improving the nutritional characteristics properties of crops, including those of Chenopodium quinoa Willd (quinoa) which is intended to be one of the main nutrient sources ensuring food security worldwide. Changes in the nutritional properties of quinoa seeds due to the influence exerted by the environment, the genotype, or their interaction, have been already described in previous works, but there is an important limitation in the analyses carried out, including the outcomes that can be translated into agronomical practices by which quality can be improved selecting the most adequate genotype. In the present study, several seed nutritional-related parameters from fifteen quinoa cultivars grown in a particular environmental context were analyzed aiming at targeting compounds that can be determinants of seed quality. Important agronomical and nutritional differences were found among cultivars such as distinct mineral or protein contents and seed viability. More importantly, our analyses revealed key correlations between seed quality-related traits in some cultivars, including those that relate yield and antioxidants or the germination rate. These results highlight the importance of considering the genotypic variation in quinoa when selecting improved quinoa varieties with the best nutritional characteristics for new cultivation environments.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is widely consumed around the world is mostly affected by stresses and diseases that reduce yield and production. Research on sustainable technologies like the use of beneficial microorganismsis crucial to development sustainable management strategies. Endophytic bacteria might increase production as well as plant health.. In this work we studied the endobiome of tomato seeds of different cultivars since the plant genotype might affect the microbial community structure in terms of plant growth promoters as well as organisms for biocontrol. The conditions prevailing within seeds along the maturation period might have affected bacterial survival. This is such that seed endophytes share features, which are different from those of bacteria from other plant tissues. The community associated with different cultivars reflects the different resources available in the seed and its potential to prevent the attack of pathogens and to promote plant growth.

For centuries, crop plants have represented the basis of the daily human diet. Among them, cereals and legumes, accumulating oils, proteins and carbohydrates in their seeds, distinctly dominate modern agronomic practice. Indeed, these plants play an essential role in the food industry and fuel production. Therefore, the seeds of crop plants are intensively studied by food chemists, biologists, biochemists, and nutritional physiologists. Accordingly, not only seed development and germination, but also age- and stress-related alterations in seed vigor, longevity, nutritional value and safety can be addressed by a broad panel of analytical, biochemical and physiological methods. Currently, functional genomics is one of the most powerful tools, giving direct access to characteristic metabolic changes, accompanying plant development, senescence and response to biotic or environmental stress. Among individual methodological platforms, proteomics represents one of the most effective ones, giving access to cellular metabolism at the level of proteins. Here we discuss the main methodological approaches employed by seed proteomics in the context of physiological changes related to seed development, ageing and response to environmental stress.

Poultry litter was converted to biochar by torrefaction and to hydrochar by hydrothermal carbonisation. Many parameters were measured for the resulting chars, to investigate the effect of production method and production temperature. SEM showed the presence of large quantities of crystalline material on the surface of the biochars. The elemental composition of some crystals was determined as 35% K and 31% Cl. This was confirmed as sylvite (KCl) crystals, which explains the high levels of water extractable potassium in the biochar and may also be important in germination inhibition. Biochars almost totally inhibited germination, whilst hydrochars decreased germination. Although germination occurred on hydrochar, root growth was severely inhibited. Consequently, germination index may be better to determine total phytotoxicity as it measures both effects and could be used as a bioassay for chars used as soil amendments. Washing removed germination inhibition in a low temperature char (3500C), possibly by removing KCl, however root toxicity remained. There were very low levels of heavy metals, suggesting they are not the source of toxicity. In biochars, pore mean size decreased with temperature from 3500C to 6000C, due to changes in pore size distribution. Mean pore size was measured directly using SEM. The merits of this method are discussed. Low temperature biochars seem best suited for fuel as they have high calorific value, high hydrophobicity, low ash content and high yield. Higher temperatures are better for soil amendment and sequestration applications with a smaller mean pore size, higher surface area, and higher pH.

Seed bank survival underpins plant population persistence but studies on seed bank trait-environment interactions are few. Changes in environmental conditions relevant to seed banks occur in desert ecosystems owing to solar energy development. We developed a conceptual model of seed bank survival to complement methodologies using in-situ seed bank packets. Using this framework, we quantified the seed bank survival of two closely related annual desert plant species, one rare (Eriophyllum mohavense) and one common (Eriophyllum wallacei) and the seed bank-environment interactions of these two species in the Mojave Desert within a system that emulates microhabitat variation associated with solar energy development. We tracked 4,860 seeds buried across 540 seed packets and found, averaged across both species, that seed bank survival was 21% and 6% for the first and second growing seasons, respectively. After two growing seasons, the rare annual had a significantly greater seed bank survival (10%) than the common annual (2%). Seed bank survival, across both species, was significantly greater in Shade (10%) microhabitats compared to Runoff (5%) microhabitats and Control microhabitats (3%). Our study confers insight into this early life-stage across rare and common congeners and their environmental interactions using a novel conceptual framework for seed bank survival.

Peas are among the most widely consumed legumes and are of great benefit for human nutrition. Sowing and cultivation techniques are known to affect the yield and the quality of the seeds. Existing studies investigating the nutritional properties of the seeds from plants cultivated using different methods are continue to be of significant value. However, changes in the climate in recent years are presumed to have affected the optimum sowing dates for grain yield and quality. This study in-vestigates the effects of sowing peas at different sowing dates on the yield of the seed and on its nutrient content, as determined by certain quality traits (parameters). The experiment was con-ducted at the Aydin Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Agriculture in Turkey during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 pea production seasons. Specifically, it examined the yield of the seed (fresh/dry), its saponin and phenolic matter content and its amino acid composition in the case of five pea cultivars (Deren, Misya, Irmak, Karina, Local) sown at three different sowing times (November 15, November 30, December 15). The study found that the effects of sowing date on grain yield and quality characteristics were significant. However, the varieties' reactions to sowing dates were found to be different. The highest fresh seed yield (3.27 t ha-1) was obtained from samples sown at the second sowing date, while the highest dry yield (1.85 t ha-1) came from samples sown at the third sowing date. The cultivars also had a statistically significant effect on the yields. The highest fresh seed yields were obtained from the Misya (2.88 t ha-1) and Local (2.81 t ha-1) varieties, while the highest dry yields were obtained from samples of Local (1.76 t ha-1) and Irmak (1.73 t ha-1). In terms of sowing dates, the highest protein (27.75%) was obtained from the first sowing date, and the protein content decreased in the following dates. Misya was the cultivar from which the highest protein content (28.77%) was obtained. In the study, higher yields were obtained from the second and third sowing dates, while the first sowing time resulted in higher protein and amino acid composition. Similar to the protein content, the composition of almost all amino acids increased on the first sowing date. In addition, it was established that the saponin and phenolic substance contents of seeds varied with the sowing date.

Agricultural crops productivity is heavily influenced by the strength of their seeds. Current methods for testing seed vigor, such as the germination rate and tetrazolium test, rely on time-consuming human visual inspections. Computer Vision, a crucial technology in smart production processes, offers an automated alternative and is increasingly applied in digital agriculture processes. Here we propose a method that combines YOLOv8 and morphological analysis of seeds using X-ray images to aid seed quality analysts in classifying seed lots based on their physiological potential. We examined the internal morphology of three seed lots and generated X-ray images to train a YOLOv8-based model with a post-segmentation module. This model assessed various parameters such as the total seed area, area filled by the embryo and endosperm, length, width, and calculated the percentage occupied by the embryo and endosperm in relation to the total seed area. Subsequently, seeds were classified into four categories based on the internal area occupied by the endosperm and embryo. Our findings reveal the robust performance of the YOLOv8 model in segmenting and classifying despite the challenges posed by a relatively small dataset. Notably, the proposed model achieved an impressive accuracy of up to 95.6% in identifying and segmenting the endosperm over 1,500 epochs with just 15 training images. The endosperm/seed area ratio, particularly within the 50-60% range covering over 50% of the samples, emerged as a significant metric for evaluating the viability of seed batches.

Mee (Madhuca longifolia) is an important economic tree growing throughout the subtropical region of the Indo-Pak subcontinent. Mee seed constituents have distinctive chemical properties and thus provide nutritional and functional characteristics to the mee fat. The mee seed fat is an edible fat which can provide fat requirement of human diet in an economical way. Research on potential utilizations, understanding on the chemical composition, nutritional value and industrial applications of mee fat is important for efficient use mee seed fat. There were some reports available on potential applications of mee fat in food processing industry. But presently mee fat can be considered as an underutilized seed fat. In India mee fat used for edible purposes for a certain extent with compare to Sri Lanka. Therefore, more scientific researches should conduct on Sri Lankan mee varieties on edible purposes and popularized edible uses of Mee fat in Sri Lanka. Scientific knowledge and agricultural tools should effectively apply to make mee fat beneficial for its commercial applications. This chapter summarizes recent research work and studies available on botany, phytochemistry, functional properties, processing as well as food and non-food industrial applications of mee fat and other valuable parts of mee tree.

In order to reduce negative effects of application of chemical agents, biological control is becoming increasingly important. This paper therefore focused on research of effects of certain types of seed beetles on control of invasive plant species in Serbia. Numerous sources suggest that for legumes and seed beetles Bruhinae: Chrysomelidae the rule of coexistence in pairs applies in all ecozones. The species rely on one another, primarily in terms of geographical origin or association, thus one plant species is frequently attacked by only one type of seed beetle. Being confirmed to be expressly monophagous, bruchins have proven to be excellent potential agents of control of invasive and harmful host plants (to date, false indigo-bush in Serbia), as is the case of the seed beetle of Persian silk tree, which has been registered as monophagous in Serbia for the first time, making it the number one potential agent in control of the host plant – Persian silk tree in Greece. Standard entomological methods were used, from sample collections, to experiments in photo-eclectors, during dissection counting and placing the seed for development inside by the method 1 flacon – 1 seed, to maintain precise records of the origin of the emerged insects and their numbers, within standard laboratory conditions. The conditions favoring the expansion of the plant have already developed due to climatic circumstances (changes in terms of heat extremes – global warming and precipitation), and it is now gradually becoming invasive. Parasitoid accumulation of roughly one-third (30%) of the total number of false indigo-bush pods makes the false indigo-tree seed beetle a viable candidate for the status of a bioagent. The species has the extreme potential for the application of biological measures which is now quickly gaining importance, all for the purposes of developing the integral control of the plants. Species Acanthoscelides pallidipennis and Bruchidius terrenus have been recorded in this research for the first time in Serbia, while calendars of development have been made for the researched bruchin species, which represents a significant scientific contribution.

Vigina radiata (Mung bean) is an important legume species belongs to the family Fabaceae, cultivated in varies region of Ethiopia for its nutritional values. The nutritional composition of the crop affected by different biotic and environmental stress which depends on growth environment. The aim of the present study was to determine the concentrations of selected heavy metals (Pb, Cu and Cr) in seed of mung bean collected from Shewarobit, Northcentral Ethiopia using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Acid digestion with HCl, HNO3 and HClO4 for 1hr at temperature of 90oC to 95oC by hot plate digester. The level of the heavy metals in the samples were 2.51 mg/L, Pb; 6.53 mg/L, Cu; and 0.38 mg/L, Cr respectively. The concentration of copper (Cu) in the seed of mung bean was higher than the other target metals (Pb and Cr) whereas, Cr occurred in least concentration. The overall accuracy of the method obtained from spiking experiment (recovery) was within the range 80 to 120%, which accounts 115.75%, 97.5%, 101.17% for Pb Cr and Cu respectively. Notably, these results indicating the reliability and applicability of the procedure for extraction of studied metals. The concentration of heavy metals in edible seed of mungbean is low as compared to WHO/FAO recommendation and absolutely safe for consumption in the study area. Thus, producer should follow similar agroecological managements of the crop production to maintain heavy metal concentration of such in the crop.

Inappropriate use of fertilizers is one of the major production constraints in sesame. Studies to optimize the use of N fertilizer on sesame were conducted at Humera Agricultural Research Center (HuARC) under rain fed and irrigation conditions. Thirteen (13) N doses were evaluated in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) during 2016, 2017 and 2018. In the rain fed condition; results showed higher number of days to 50% flowering on the higher N application. The 31-121.5 kg N ha-1 have scored higher seed yield, where the lower (18 kg N ha-1) and higher (156 kg N ha-1) N doses scored lower seed yield. In the irrigation condition; higher N application rate prolonged the flowering time to some extent and days to 90% maturity was reduced as N rate increased. Heavier seed weights and maximum seed yield were recorded on 64 and 75 kg N ha-1 and the lower N doses scored low seed yield. Agronomic efficiency of N fertilizer (N-AE) was higher on 64 kg N ha-1 under both growing conditions. The partial budget analysis revealed that 64 kg N ha-1 (rain fed) and 75 kg N ha-1 (irrigation) had the higher net profit, MRR and residual ranking. Therefore, for the greater sesame productivity 64 kg N ha-1 has to be recommended for rain fed and 64 to 75 kg N ha-1 for the irrigated sesame.

The presence of heavy metals in cocoa crops is currently a serious problem for farmers and producers in various regions of Peru. Exports of cocoa and its derivatives to European markets are threatened by possible indications of contamination of heavy metals such as Cadmium (Cd) in cocoa beans for export, some at levels higher than those allowed by food regulations established by European Community, which are oriented to consumer protection. The possible sources of cadmium contamination in cocoa crops can be due to natural activities, such as volcanic activities, erosion processes and sedimentation in rocks that contain minerals with a high content of heavy metals (Greenockite, Burnsite, Hawleite, among others), and by anthropogenic activities such as: mining of associated deposits, agriculture (use of fertilizers), smelting of minerals and burning of fossil fuels. Currently, there is no information about contents of heavy metals in areas located in The Campo Verde-Honoria-Tournavista corridor (Ucayali Region and Huanuco Region), due to this, in this work we make a study of this region. A methodology will be used to take cocoa samples from the seed and soil in these areas, and then through chemical analysis, determine the concentrations of heavy metals, using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. As a consequence of this study, we determined and concluded that the concentrations of cadmium obtained in soils are slightly higher than European standards allowed. Therefore, with this information we prepare a geochemical cadmium map in soils for the study area, which will help cocoa producers to identify areas that exceed the allowed cadmium values, in order to comply with standards that European Community demands in relation of concentration levels of heavy metals (Cadmium) in chocolate. In this way, we can carry out in the future a mitigation plan for areas with cadmium problems, which allows to reduce their content in order to export the product without any problem. .

Hymenaea courbaril is an endangered species, promising to reforestation programs and mainly explored as a wood source. The available information concerning long-term storage methods, seed recalcitrance, parental, and substrate influence is scarce. This study focused on the seed behavior according to population origin and during one-year storage, also testing the efficiency of the low-temperature conservation. Variations between the uncertainty indexes were found to the studied populations after long-term storage. There was no significant loss of the germination potential in consequence of the prolonged storage period. Although, older seeds promoted gradually greater delayed germination. Germination speed, synchrony, and uncertainty indexes were substantially different between the -20° conservation and control. H. courbaril seeds are capable of long-term storage without losing their germination potential, indicating an orthodox behavior.

Wheat pollen, characterized by its short lifespan, exhibits rapid germination after anthesis. The preservation of wheat pollen is contingent upon environmental factors, including temperature, relative humidity, light, and wind. The objective is to develop a method for preserving wheat pollen effectively, specifically for the purpose of breeding. The short longevity of wheat pollen grains renders it impractical to conduct tests for pollen viability and in vitro germination on a large scale. Herein, the impact of storage temperatures and duration was assessed on pollen viability and in vitro germination to optimize storage conditions for preserving pollen viability. Pollen grains from 50 diverse spring wheat genotypes, each with three replicates, were harvested and stored at temperatures of 22°C, -20°C, and 4°C. Subsequently, pollen viability and in vitro germination rates were determined after storage of 1, 3, and 6 days. The results revealed that storage temperatures, durations, genotypes, and their interactions had a statistically significant impact on both pollen viability and in vitro germination. Notably, when pollen was kept at 22°C, almost all genotypes exhibited a loss of pollen viability and in vitro germination after 1, 3, and 6 days of storage. Likewise, storage at -20°C failed to extend pollen germination. However, at a storage temperature of 4°C, the pollen of 36 wheat genotypes exhibited a range of 6-14% in vitro pollen germination and remained viable even for 6 days. Simple linear regression analysis further revealed a significant negative correlation between pollen viability, in vitro germination, and storage time and temperature. In conclusion, our findings underscore 4°C as the optimal temperature for preserving pollen viability and in vitro pollen germination in spring wheat for up to 6 days. The results of the present study suggests that pollen viability of wheat is genotype de-pendent, storage temperature and storage duration. Thus, the 36 wheat genotypes identified during the present work could be efficiently maintained at 4◦C for short-term storage (6 days) and could be further used for genetics and breeding purposes.

The efficacy of weed management depends on the correct control timing according to the seedling emergence dynamics. Since soil temperature and soil moisture are two main factors that determine weed germination, the hydrothermal time model can be used to predict their emergence. The aim of this study was to estimate the base temperature (Tb) and base water potential (Ψb) for germination of Chenopodium album, Amaranthus retroflexus, Setaria pumila and Panicum capillare collected from fields in continental Croatia and then to compare these values with those of Italian populations embedded in the AlertInf model. Germination tests were performed at seven constant temperatures (ranging from 4 to 27°C) and eight water potentials (0.00 to - 1.00 MPa). Estimated Tb and Ψb were 3.4°C, -1.38 MPa for C. album, 13.9°C, -0.36 MPa for A. retroflexus, 6.6°C, -0.71 MPa for S. pumila and 11.0°C, -0.87 MPa for P. capillare, respectively. According to the criterion of overlap of the 95% confidence intervals, only Tb of C. album, and Ψb of A. retroflexus were similar between Croatian and Italian populations. Further field experiments should be conducted in the Croatian field to monitor weed emergence patterns of C. album and to calibrate the AlerInf equation parameters.

The major auxin, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), is associated with a plethora of growth and developmental processes including embryo development, expansion growth, cambial activity, and the induction of lateral root growth. Accumulation of the auxin precursor indole-3-acetamide (IAM) induces stress related processes by stimulating abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis. How IAM signaling is controlled is, at present, unclear. Here, we characterize an ami1/rooty double mutant, that we initially generated to study the metabolic and phenotypic consequences of a genetic blockade of the indole glucosinolate and IAM pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana. Our mass spectrometric analyses of the mutant revealed that the combination of the two mutations is not sufficient to fully prevent the conversion of IAM to IAA. The detected strong accumulation of IAM was, however, recognized to substantially impair seed development. We further show by genome-wide expression studies that the double mutant is broadly affected in its translational capacity, and that a small number of cell proliferation and plant growth regulating transcriptional circuits are repressed by the high IAM content in the seed. In accordance with the previously described growth reduction in response to elevated IAM levels, our data support the hypothesis that IAM is a growth repressing counterpart to IAA.

Seeds play a vital role in the perpetuation of plant species, both in natural environments and agriculture. However, they often face challenges from biotic stresses, such as seedborne pathogenic fungi. The transgenerational transmission of these seedborne fungi, along with their dissemination during seed commercialization, can contribute to the emergence of global epidemic diseases, resulting in substantial economic losses. One such pathogenic fungus is Alternaria brassicicola, responsible for causing black spot disease in Brassicaceae. This necrotrophic seedborne fungus negatively impacts plant development, consequently affecting crop production and seed quality. To gain a deeper understanding of the interaction between seeds and necrotrophic fungi, the Arabidopsis thaliana/Alternaria brassicicola model pathosystem has been extensively studied. Recent transcriptomic and genetic studies revealed a distinctive immune response of seeds against this pathogen, divergent from the immune response described in the plant vegetative phase. In germinating seeds and seedlings, the necrotrophic fungus seems to induce susceptible response [1]. It was observed at the RNA level that to the detriment of jasmonic acid pathway, Alternaria induced the salicylic acid and glucosinolate (GSL) pathways. Genetic evidence identified that seedling necrosis, potentially beneficial to the growth of the necrotrophic agent, is hypersensitive response mediated by GSL pathway. Transmission of necrotrophic fungal from seed to seedling unveils novel regulations of the immune response, that would illustrate a trade-off between seedling establishment and fungal infection. This knowledge is promising to sustainably ensure the sanitary quality of crops.

This study aimed to evaluate if the change of vehicle for CTZ (chloramphenicol, tetracycline, zinc oxide, and eugenol) paste improves the inhibition of Enterococcus faecalis in vitro. The vehicles evaluated alone and mixed with CTZ were eugenol, propylene glycol (PG), chitosan, su-per-oxidized solution (SOS), grapefruit-seed extract (GSE), and as a negative control, 0.9% saline solution. A clinical isolated of E. faecalis was morphological and biochemical characterized, in-cluding antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using 20 antimicrobial agents. Once character-ized, the clinical isolated was cultivated to performed Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method with paper discs embedded with the different vehicles mixed or used alone, incubating at 37 ºC for 24 h. Data were analyzed by One-way ANOVA and the means were compared using Tukey test with a significance level of p<0.05. For vehicles used alone, GSE presented the greatest inhibition showing a statistically significant difference with the rest of the vehicles. When vehicles were mixed with the CTZ paste, PG showed a greater inhibition with a statistically significant differ-ence from the rest of the vehicles. In conclusion, the vehicle used to mix the CTZ paste plays an im-portant role in the inhibition of E. faecalis in vitro, therefore we consider that this can be an im-portant factor to achieve success in the use of this technique.

Globally, open-pit coal mining is associated with severe land use impact and contamination of soil and water resources with heavy metals. Thus, in growing economies like India, where coal is a significant energy source, the heavy metals contamination of soil and water become ubiquitous. Remediation of such a large stretch of mined-out land is a major challenge and a costly process for the mining industry. In recent years, the application of biochar for the remediation of such heavy metals-contaminated soil has been widely practiced. However, applying biochar and cultivating plants in field conditions becomes challenging. This study uses a unique remediation approach by developing biochar-bentonite-based seed balls encapsulating Shorgham grass seeds at their core for application in the contaminated soil. The seed ball was developed by using the bentonite biochar composite in varying weight fractions of 0.5 – 5 % with respect to the kaolinite, whose fractions in the seed ball also varied at one, three, and five parts. The seed balls were applied to the pots containing 3 kg of heavy metals contaminated soil for a pot-culture study in a polyhouse for a period of four months. Initial soil analysis results indicated that the mine soil samples showed poor nutrient and organic matter content and were contaminated with heavy metals such as Ni, Zn, Cr, and Cd. Post-pot-culture soil analysis results indicated that the application of seed balls containing five fractions of biochar composite with its combination with three and five-weight fractions of kaolinite showed substantial improvement in the pH, available nutrients, organic matter content, soil enzymes, and overall soil fertility index compared to the controlled study and other cases. The same combination of seed balls also significantly reduced the plant-available fractions of Ni, Zn, Cr, and Cd in the soil and the translocation of these heavy metals from the rhizosphere zone to the grass’s aerial parts, indicating stabilization of heavy metals within the soil matrix. Moreover, the application of seed balls also substantially improved the plant physiology and reduced the release of stress hormones such as proline and glutathione within the plant cells indicating improvement in the plant’s biotic and abiotic stress factors. Thus, the application of seed balls in heavy metals contaminated soils, particularly over a large stretch of land, could be a low-cost and viable remediation technique.

Three soybean field trials were conducted in Indiana to evaluate the integration of seed treatment, cultivar selection, and seeding rate on sudden death syndrome (SDS) root infection, foliar symptoms, yield and net return. Two soybean cultivars, one moderately resistant and one susceptible to SDS were planted at three seeding rates (272,277 seeds/ha, 346,535 seeds/ha, and 420,792 seeds/ha). Fluopyram and pydiflumetofen seed treatments were applied to both cultivars and were compared to a control. Low foliar SDS disease pressure was observed in our study. Seed treatment of either fluopyram or pydiflumetofen, and use of a moderately resistant cultivar decreased root infection relative to the control and the use of a susceptible cultivar. Fluopyram significantly reduced root rot severity by 8.8% and increased yield by 105 kg/ha relative to the control, but was not different from pydiflumetofen. However, pydiflumetofen performed the same as the control with respect to root rot severity and yield. Findings from this study support the use of a seed treatment to protect roots from infection and the use of a moderately resistant cultivar planted at a seeding rate of 346,535 seeds/ha to protect yield and maximize on net returns when a field has low foliar SDS pressure.

In terms of obtaining fuels as well as chemicals with or without catalysts at different conditions, the plum seed stands out as an alternative biomass source. Under varying heating rates (10, 50, and 100ºC min-1) and pyrolysis temperatures (400, 450, 500, 550 and 600 °C), the plum seed was pyrolysed at constant sweep gas flow at a constant rate (100 cm3min-1) in a tubular fixed bed reactor. According to the results, an oil yield reaching to a maximum of %45 was procured at the heating rate of 100 ºCmin-1 and the pyrolysis temperature of 550ºC in non-catalytic procedure. The catalytic pyrolysis was carried out in optimum conditions with two selected commercial catalysts, namely ZSM-5 and PURMOL-CTX and clinoptilolite (natural zeolite, NZ) with catalyst ratio of 10 % of raw material. Along with the catalyst addition, the quantity and the quality of bio-oil increased including the calorific value, removal of oxygenated groups, and hydrocarbon distribution. An increase related to the desirable products like phenols, alkene, and alkane and a decrease in undesirable products like acids were observed in the presence of catalysts. When all the results are considered and evaluated, using zeolite materials in the pyrolysis as catalysts is a recommendable option to achieve enhanced chemicals and fuels.

Antibiotics are among the most critical environmental pollutant drug groups. One of the methods used to remove this pollution is adsorption. In this study, activated carbon was produced from the pumpkin seed shell and then modified with KOH. This adsorbent obtained was used in the re-moval of ciprofloxacin from aqueous systems. Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), elemental, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Zeta analyzes were used for the characterization of the ad-sorbent. In particular, the surface area was found to be a very remarkable value of 2730 m2/g. The conditions of the adsorption experiments were optimized based on interaction time, adsorbent amount, pH and temperature. Over 99% success has been achieved in removal works carried out under the most optimized conditions. In addition, it was determined that the Langmuir isotherm is the most suitable model for the adsorption interaction.

Chilling injury (CI), which causes seed browning in pepper, may arise following long-term cold storage, and is a major cause of postharvest losses. To explore potential strategies of minimizing the associated postharvest losses, the present study investigated the optimal pepper harvest time that could reduce levels of seed browning, in addition to the relationship between fruit maturity and seed browning. Fruit harvested 15 days after flowering (DAF) were sensitive to cold storage at 4°C and exhibited 100% seed browning (CI index, 4.0); in contrast, the seed browning rate of fruit harvested 35 DAF was 10% (CI index, 0.4) within 7 d of cold storage. Seed antioxidant activity was higher in seeds harvested at early stages (15 DAF to 20 DAF) than in seeds harvested at later stages (40 DAF to 50 DAF) at the beginning of storage. Pericarps of fruit harvested at 50 DAF exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. Lipoxygenase, catalase, and peroxidase activity, and the expression levels of cell wall-related genes, pectin methylesterase-like protein, and endo-β-1,4-glucanase were higher in seeds of immature fruit harvested 15 DAF than in seeds of mature fruit harvested 35 DAF. The endosperm separated from the seed coat in fruit harvested 35 DAF and the seeds did not brown under low-temperature storage. The lack of seed browning observed in mature fruit under low-temperature storage could be attributed to physical protection provided by the seed coat rather than cold stress resistance conferred by antioxidants.

The precise information regarding the date of sowing, seed rate and row spacing is critical for achieving yield targets and better economic returns of barley. Therefore here, we determined the information regarding the optimum date of sowing, seed rate, spacing and economic aspects for barley production. This study was conducted for three years, in north Indian plains. Early sowing date of barley (last week of October) recorded higher yield in comparison to late sown crop (3^rd week of November). Moreover, the higher barley production proved more remunerative when sown early in the last week of October to the first week of November as compared to late sown the late sown crop. Furthermore, the enhanced seed rate of 10% then recommended did not affect the grain yield of barley. But, the closer spacing of 20 cm (row to row) produced higher grain yield (5.45 Mg ha^-1 ) than the recommended spacing of 22.5 cm (5.30 Mg ha^-1). Likewise, the economical parameters (net returns) were higher with 20 cm row spacing. Overall, this study determines the optimum date of sowing, seed rate and spacing for scoring better returns of barley crop under north Indian conditions.

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is one of the popular pulse crops grown for traditional consumption, not only in Oman but also in Arabian Peninsula and other countries. In Oman, the famers living in and around high altitude mountain areas mostly grow it. This paper highlights features of variation in seed color and diversity in seed traits found in collected accessions from the joint collecting missions of 2008-2010 between the staff of College of Agriculture, Sultan Qaboos University and the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries throughout all the governorates of the Sultanate of Oman. 41 seed samples/accessions were collected from 38 sites. Of these, the highest number of accessions was collected from Batinah South governorate (38) represented mostly by the mountains of Rustaq, followed by the mountains of Interior/Al-Dakhliyah (8), and Dhahira & Buraimi (4). Only one accession was collected from mountains of the Eastern/ Al-Sharqiyah governorates. The seed accessions were found diverse with respect to all seed characters studied, i.e. seed length (cm) and width (cm) and 1000-seed weight (g) besides seed color. The faba bean accessions were classified into 9 genetically diverse clusters based on the Principal Component Analysis, which indicated that the contribution of seed width and 100-seed weight to the total variation existing in indigenous germplasm collected from all the governorates of Oman. It was found from the critical analysis of seed colors that 38 accessions were homogenous (pure) with one color and three were heterogeneous with combinations of colors.

Aflatoxins, which have been classified as a group-1 carcinogen are the well-known mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus flavus. Aflatoxins have been linked to liver diseases, acute hepatic necrosis, resulting in cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinomas due to which it incurs a loss of value in international trade for peanuts contaminated with it. The four main aflatoxins are B1, B2, G1, and G2 of which B1 is predominant. In plants, the cell wall is the primary barrier against pathogen invasion. Cell wall fortifications such as deposition of callose, cellulose, lignin, phenolic compounds and structural proteins help to prevent the pathogen infection. Further, the host cell’s ability to rapidly repair and reinforce its cell walls will result in a reduction of the penetration efficiency of the pathogen. Peanut seed coat acts as a physical and biochemical cell wall barrier against both pre and post-harvest pathogen infection. The structure of seed coat and the presence of polyphenol compounds have been reported to inhibit the growth of A. flavus, however, not successfully employed to develop A. flavus resistance in peanut. A comprehensive understanding of peanut seed coat development and biochemistry will provide information to design efficient strategies for the seed coat mediated A. flavus resistance and Aflatoxin contamination.

A simple, efficient and stand-alone method for purification of river water using moringa seed powder and copper is discussed. Coagulant property of the seed powder clears turbid raw water and the oligodynamic activity of copper completely destroys E.coli bacteria. Both raw and treated water samples were tested for contaminants to verify the efficacy of the system. Treated water has turbidity in the range 3 NTU - 5 NTU and non-detected (< 1 MPN/100 mL) E.coli count making it suitable for drinking. The technique is very cost effective and can be practiced anywhere using locally available materials. It does not require a power source or any technical assistance. Being a stand-alone system the technique exceptionally useful in providing drinking water as an immediate solution in disaster areas affected by cyclone or floods.

Shock waves, as used in medicine, can induce cell permeabilization, genetically transforming filamentous fungi; however, little is known on the interaction of shock waves with the cell wall. Because of this, the selection of parameters has been empirical. We studied the influence of shock waves on the germination of Aspergillus niger, to understand their effect on the modulation of four genes related to the growth of conidia. Parameters were varied in the range reported in protocols for genetic transformation. Vials containing conidia in suspension were exposed to either 50, 100 or 200 single-pulse or tandem shock waves, with different peak pressures (approximately 42, 66 and 83 MPa). In the tandem mode, three delays were tested. To equalize the total energy, the number of tandem “events” was halved compared to the number of single-pulse shock waves. Our results demonstrate that shock waves do not generate severe cellular effects on the viability and germination of A. niger conidia. Nevertheless, increase in the aggressiveness of the treatment induced a modification in the four genes tested. Scanning electron microscopy revealed significant changes to the cell wall of the conidia. Under optimized conditions, shock waves could be used for several biotechnological applications, surpassing conventional techniques.

Desiccation tolerance appeared as the key adaptation feature of photoautotrophic organisms for survival in terrestrial habitats. During the further evolution, vascular plants developed complex anatomy structures and molecular mechanisms to maintain the hydrated state of cell environment, which essentially increased their ability to sustain water deficit and dehydration. However, the role of the genes encoding the mechanisms behind this adaptive feature in the higher vascular plants is restricted to the dehydration protection of spores, seeds and pollen, whereas the mature vegetative stages became sensitive to desiccation. During maturation, orthodox seeds lose up to 95% of their water and successfully enter dormancy. This feature allows seeds maintaining their viability even under strongly fluctuating environmental conditions. The mechanisms behind the desiccation tolerance are activated at the late seed maturation stage and are associated with the accumulation of late embryogenesis abundant proteins (LEA proteins), small heat shock proteins (sHSP), non-reducing oligosaccharides, and antioxidants of different chemical nature. The main regulators of maturation and desiccation tolerance onset are abscisic acid and protein DOG1, which control the network of transcription factors, among which are LEC1, LEC2, FUS3, ABI3, ABI5, AGL67, PLATZ1, PLATZ2. This network is complemented by epigenetic regulation of gene expression by methylation of DNA, post-translational modifications of histones and chromatin remodeling impact on seed desiccation tolerance and longevity. Moreover, orthodox seeds are able to maintain desiccation tolerance during germination up to the stage of radicle protrusion. This time point is critical in the process of seed development, as the seeds lose desiccation tolerance at this moment.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of seed and fertilizer rates on biomass yield and other agronomic treats of two oat varieties (Bona-bas and Bate) at the Kuyu sub-site of Fitche Agricultural Research Center in 2022. Four levels of Nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 23, 46, and 69 kg ha-1) and three levels of seed rates (60, 80, and 100 kg ha-1) with two oat varieties (Bona-bas and Bate) were using randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement with three replications. Soil samples before and after were collected and analyzed. The analysis of soil samples before planting indicated that the soil pH was strongly acidic (5.16) and after harvest, it raised to a strongly acidic level (5.29). The interaction effect of varieties, seed rates, and fertilizer rates showed highly significant (p<0.001) variation on the number of tillers per plant, leaf area per plant, leaf-to-stem ratio, fresh biomass yield, dry matter yield, days to maturity, and seed yield. The treatment combination of Bona-bas: FR46:SR100 has produced the highest dry matter yield (5.1 t/ha), followed by Bona-bas: FR46:SR60 and Bona-bas: FR69:SR80 which produced the same value of 4.9 t/ha dry matter yield. This study recommends that for the better agronomic performance of oat varieties, 46 kgha-1 N of fertilizer with 60 kgha-1 of seed rate is preferable to use by farmers in the study area and other areas having similar agroecologies and soil types. In addition, it is essential to conduct the year-over location to confirm the present findings and the result needs to be supported with animal evaluation trials.

The moisture content of maize seed is an important indicator for evaluating seed quality and a fundamental item in grain testing. The experiment used direct drying method to measure the moisture content of 80 different varieties of maize samples, and captured their images using a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) system in the spectral range of 1100~2498nm. By comparing seven spectral preprocessing methods, the PLSR model established after Normalize pretreatment had the best effect. The characteristic wavelengths were selected by Successive Projections Algorithm (SPA), Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (CARS) and Uninformative Variable Elimination (UVE). Twelve prediction models were established for full band spectra and characteristic wavelengths based on PLSR, PCR and SVM. By comparing the performance of the prediction models, it was found the Normalize-SPA-PLSR algorithm was optimized. The values of RC2 and RP2 in the model were higher, which were 0.9936 and 0.9933, respectively, while the values of RMSEP and RMSECV were lower, which were 0.0357 and 0.0380, respectively. The Normalize-SPA-PLSR model was used as a visual prediction model for moisture content of maize seed, the 20 maize varieties in the prediction set were visualized to obtain visualized color images of moisture content. The color differences between different moisture content images were significant. The result indicated that hyperspectral imaging could accurately, rapidly, and non-destructive predict moisture content of maize seed, which provided technical support for moisture content detection in the process of maize harvest, storage and processing.

The objective of this study is to investigate the viability of employing waste derived from Syzygium cumini seeds as an environmentally sustainable antioxidant adjunct within the framework of PLA-PCL-Nanochitosan active packaging for food preservation. The method involves the manufacturing of a food packaging film by combining a PLA/PCL polymer blend with chloroform, followed by an evaporation process. This polymer blend is subsequently mixed with an extract derived from Syzygium cumini seed waste and nano chitosan. The mechanical mixing process takes 45 minutes and is carried out at a temperature of 160°C. The results of this study show that the active film has excellent mechanical properties, and an even surface texture, and was able to significantly reduce S. aureus colony counts by up to 98%. Active packaging film is also able to maintain pH and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) in chicken breast.

Onion is not just an edible food but its seeds can also be an important source of valuable oil with various sensitive applications mainly in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food fields. This has encouraged the use of a supercritical fluid extraction in the present study to obtain oil from local onion seeds, hence avoiding even traces of organic solvents. For several advantages carbon dioxide at supercritical conditions was used as the fluid. The effects of four key operating parameters like pressure, temperature, particle size and CO2 mass flowrate were investigated in ranges of [150, 250 bars], [35, 65°C], [0.25, 0.85mm] and [50, 100g/min], respectively, using a Box-Behnken experimental design, for a constant extraction time of 3 hours. This led to optimal operating conditions of 250 bar, 57°C, 0.25mm and 50g CO2/min for the highest oil extraction yield value of 24.36%. Furthermore, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to identify qualitatively and quantitatively the chemical composition of the onion seed oils. About ten components were identified in the extracts, but with four major ones, namely 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid ,methyl ester, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-,methyl ester, 9-Octadecadienoic acid (Z)-,methyl ester and Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester, present with significant percentages, depending on the operating parameters values. These fatty acids are well known for their benefits for human health. Finally the study shows the importance and the merits of fluids when used under particular conditions of pressure and temperature, in very sensitive industrial fields.

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is a causal agent of severe emergent diseases in Solanaceae hosts with agronomic relevance, such as tomato and pepper. Herein, we analyzed the seed transmission rate and efficacy of different seed disinfection treatments and performed a comparison of molecular biology techniques seeking rapid and sensitive detection in seed lots. We evaluated several total RNA extraction and RT-PCR protocols using a distinct combination of PCR primers to test for the presence of the ToBRFV Mexican strain in tobacco host. Our results showed that the percentage of seed and seedlings transmission was less than 1% and that a 3% sodium hypochlorite solution was effective as a seed disinfection treatment. Finally, the most sensitive molecular method identified for virus detection consisted of a CTAB-Trizol RNA extraction followed by nested PCR using primers reported by Dovas et al. (2004). Additionally, we tested potential natural hosts in selected Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae species. Our results showed that the ToBRFV Mexican strain is capable of experimentally infecting eggplant (Solanum melongena), tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa), and tobacco (Nicotiana rustica).

Lack of water and salinity are common problems in many parts of the world. Therefore, some types of cacti can represent as promising crops. Therefore, the ability of cactus species to survive and adapt under natural stress conditions should be evaluated. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the effect of salt stress on germination and emergence of pitaya seeds obtained from different fruit flesh colors, priming with plant growth regulators, namely salicylic acid (SA), oxalic acid (OA) and mepiquat chloride (MC). The experiment had a completely randomized design with a 2×4×3 factorial scheme corresponding to two pitaya cultivars (white and red fleshed), four NaCl concentrations (0, 2500, 5000 and 10000 ppm), and three PGRs (150 ppm/MC, SA, OC). The following variables were analyzed; germination percentage, mean germination time (MGT), germination stress tolerance ındex (GSTI), shoot length, seedling fresh weight and seedling dry weight ratio. According to the results, it was determined that the growing environment of the seed was important in salt stress resistance, while seeds matured in the environment with red fruit flesh were more tolerant to salt stress than white. Although Pitaya species are relatively salt tolerant, growth (about 30%) was significantly reduced above 2500 ppm and germination (about 45%) above 5000 ppm. MC was found promising as a priming agent in seeds obtained from fruits with white fruit flesh, and OA was found promising as a priming agent in seeds obtained from fruits with red fruit flesh in reducing NaCl-induced stress. Germination percentage stood out as the most important trait determining seed quality and was found to have positive effects on germination stress tolerance index (r: 0.63), seedling length (r: 0.74) and fresh seedling weight (r: 0.56). It is thought that the results obtained may contribute to pitaya cultivation and breeding.

Alginate films (2% w·v-1) were prepared with varying concentrations (5-20% w/w) of citric acid and aqueous grape seed extract (GSE) filtrate (11.66 ± 1.32 g GAE/L) by the solvent-evaporation method. Crosslinking alginate via ester bonds (FTIR analysis) with citric acid up to 10% (w/w) led to a 33% increase in tensile strength, a 34% reduction in water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), and had no impact on elongation at break. Crosslinking alginate with citric acid in presence of GSE increased the tensile strength by 17%, decreased WVTR by 21%, and significantly improved DPPH scavenging activity. Moreover, after incubation for 24 h at 37°C, the film-forming solutions exhibited increased antimicrobial activity, resulting in 0.5 and 2.5-log reductions for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively, compared to the values obtained without the addition of GSE. The stronger inhibitory effect observed against Gram-positive bacteria can be attributed to the unique composition and structure of their cell walls, which create a barrier that restricts the penetration of polyphenols into the cells. pH adjustment of the GSE film-forming solution from 2.0 to 10.0 shifted the UV/VIS absorption spectra, resulting in a colour change from yellow to red. The findings of this study have showcased the potential of combining GSE and citric acid to enhance the functionality and bioactivity of alginate films for applications in smart food packaging.

Crop genetic diversity is most for the long-term sustainable production system. The breeding and production strategies of developing and growing uniform and homogenous varieties have created many different problems. Such populations are static and very sensitive to unpredictable stresses. In Nepal, more than 80% of seed system is informal s which has contributed greatly to creating and maintaining genetic diversity within the field particularly contributing to landrace diversity. This paper aims to assess and present the approaches and advantages of increased crop genetic diversity in the fields. The paper is developed based on experiences of implementing on-farm conservation activities carried out in Nepal since last two decades. Some of the evidences have been derived from on-going evolutionary plant breeding project being implemented in Nepal. The information is supplemented with field assessment, focus group discussion, and literature review. The major approaches to increase crop genetic diversity are evolutionary plant breeding, cultivar mixture, landrace enhancement, informal seed system, bulk method, diversifying the sources, participatory plant breeding, open pollination, etc. EPB and cultivar mixture are very simple and effective approaches to increase crop genetic diversity at field level. The involvement of farmers in these approaches helps to accelerate the population improvement particularly for landraces. The major advantages of increased crop genetic diversity are: seed maintenance by farmers themselves, minimal risk of crop failure, resilience to unpredictable stresses, increased amount of diversified nutrition, production increment each year, ease to produce organically, etc. However, there are some issues and problems associated with mixtures and diverse varieties, for example, not being able to harvest by machine, mature at a different date, difficulty in maintaining seeds and registration, etc. Crop genetic diversity should be considered for a climate-resilient and self-dependent production system. The higher the genetic diversity in farming land, the more chance of getting the multiple benefits in the agriculture system (Vernooy 2022).

The effect of biotic (e.g., growth characteristics) and a-biotic (e.g., crown closure) factors on cone production, fertility variation and gene diversity was evaluated in two consecutive years in 130 year old natural populations of Taurus cedar also called cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani A. Rich.). The a-biotic factors viz., altitude, temperature, aspect and rainfall varied; while some of them can be managed by cultural operations like management of crown and stand density. Impact of crown closure on cone production, fertility variation and related parameters were observed in Taurus cedar’s natural populations sampled from southern Turkey. Maximum cone production of 29 and 40/tree was recorded with full crown closure in two consecutive years by large differences among individuals within crown closure class. For instance, cone productions were between 10 and 67 in full crown closure of first year. The sibling coefficient, which is a measure of the fertility variation in a stand, was the highest (1.16) for full crown closure in the first (meaning 86% fertile trees) and the second year (1.55, 65%), while it was the lowest for medium crown closure (1.09, 92%) in both years. Gene diversity decreased from a degraded patch (0.987) to that with full crown closure (0.984). Results of variance analysis showed significant (p≤0.05) difference between crown closure classes for cone production within second year, and between years. Significant positive (p0.05) correlations were noted between years for cone production (r=0.22), and between cone production and crown closure in first and second years (r=0.29). However, growth characteristics had no effective on cone productions in individual crown closure classes, while there were significant (p0.05) correlations between diameter at breast height and cone production for both years (r= 0.15 and 0.17) in pooled populations.

A Weyl semimetal is a novel crystal with low-energy electronic excitations that behave as Weyl fermions. It has received worldwide interest and was believed to have opened the next era of condensed matter physics after graphene and three-dimensional topological insulators. Howev-er, it is not easy to obtain a single large-size crystal because there are many nucleations in the preparation process. Here, a bottom-seed CVT growth method is proposed in this paper, and we acquired the large-size, high-quality NbAs single crystals up to 5x4x4 mm3 finally. X-ray diffrac-tion and STEM confirmed that they are tetragonal NbAs, which the key is to use seed crystal in vertical growth furnace. Notably, the photoelectric properties of the crystal are obtained under the existing conditions, which paves the way for the follow-up work.

Farmer’s right and their sovereignty is an important issue related with intellectual property rights and agrobiodiversity management. To boost farmer’s right, a conceptual hypothesis is proposed where they choose either a new high yielding variety or the existing one and apply conventional breeding approaches to select the seed for next years in their own fields. Although farmers produce seeds traditionally from several years, they have not been guided with scientific discipline to produce sufficient amount of quality seeds. This new concept suggests trained farmers can use breeding approaches to produce quality seed for their own use.

Heat requirements play an important role in plant flowering, and control the flowering period of woody ornamental plants to a certain extent. In this study, the perennial potted seedlings of four typical Prunus mume cultivars 'Xiaolve', 'Baixuzhusha', 'Fenghou' and 'Danfenghou' were used as materials. The way of regulating the cultivation temperature is adopted to achieve the purpose of relieving the natural dormancy and forcing the blooming of P. mume. Its content includes the research on the heat requirements of P. mume cultivars widely planted in Beijing, and the analysis of the influence of different facility cultivation temperatures on the flowering characteristics of P. mume, providing a theoretical basis for further exploring the cultivation techniques of P. mume bonsai flowering regulation. The results showed that, according to the Growing degree-hour model, the HR of 'Xiaolve', 'Baixuzhusha', 'Fenghou' and 'Danfenghou' flower buds were 3583.70 GDH℃, 3217.30 GDH ℃, 3996.50 GDH ℃, 4732.20 GDH ℃, respectively. According to the effective accumulated temperature model, the HRs of above cultivars were 350.65 ℃, 319.30 ℃, 510.30 ℃, 558.50 ℃, respectively. In addition, the temperature of different cultivation facilities did not significantly change the flowering quality such as flower diameter and fragrance. Temperature also affects the growth and development speed, affecting the flowering time. Under the facility environment with higher temperatures, the flowering process is faster and the flowering period is shorter.

Seeds represent the major source of food protein, impacting on both human nutrition and animal feeding. Therefore, seed quality needs to be appropriately addressed in the context of viability and food safety. Indeed, long-term and inappropriate storage of seeds might result in enhancement of protein glycation, which might affect their quality and longevity. Glycation of seed proteins can be probed by exhaustive acid hydrolysis and quantification of the glycation adduct N^ɛ-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). This approach, however, does not allow analysis of thermally and chemically labile glycation adducts, like glyoxal-, methylglyoxal- and 3-deoxyglucosone-derived hydroimidazolones. Although enzymatic hydrolysis might be a good solution in this context, it requires aqueous conditions, which cannot ensure reconstitution of seed protein isolates. Because of this, the complete profiles of seed AGEs are not characterized so far. Therefore, here we propose the approach, giving access to quantitative solubilization of seed proteins in presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and their quantitative enzymatic hydrolysis prior to removal of SDS by reversed phase solid phase extraction (RP-SPE). Using MG-H1 as a case example, we demonstrate the applicability of this method for reliable and sensitive LC-MS-based quantification of chemically labile AGEs and its compatibility with bioassays.

Soybean is one of the world’s most economically significant crops and is widely utilized as an essential source of vegetable protein and edible oil. Cultivated soybean is domesticated from its annual counterpart, wild soybean, which is considered valuable germplasm for soybean breeding. However, wild soybean accessions generally produce seeds with impermeable coats, a trait known as hard seededness (HS), which is beneficial for long-term seed survival but is undesirable for the uniform water absorption and germination of seeds, thus limiting the utilization of wild soybeans in breeding. However, moderate HS can isolate the embryo from the surrounding environment and is thus beneficial for long-term seed storage and germplasm preservation. The HS trait is primarily associated with the structure and chemical composition of the seed coat. However, its development is also influenced by various environmental conditions, such as water and temperature. Genetic analysis has revealed that HS of soybean is a complex quantitative trait controlled by multiple genes or minor quantitative trait loci (QTL), with many QTLs and several causal genes currently identified. Investigating the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying this trait is crucial for soybean breeding, production, and food processing. For this article, the literature was reviewed and condensed to create a well-rounded picture of the current understanding of internal and external factors, QTLs, causal genes, and the regulatory mechanisms related to the HS of soybean, with the aim of providing reference for future research and utilization of this trait.

In a completely randomized design (CRD), 400 day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly allotted to 5 diets with 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% MSC, each with 8 replicates of 10. Weekly feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) were calculated whilst haemato-biochemistry was measured at d42. Overall, FI was linearly (P &lt; 0.05) and quadratically (P &lt; 0.01) decreased by MSC, of which the optimum inclusion was 15%, as BWG was linearly (P &lt; 0.001) and quadratically (P &lt; 0.05) decreased and FCE linearly decreased (P &lt; 0.01) by MSC, of which the optimum dietary inclusion was 10%. Also, MSC linearly and quadratically decreased slaughter weight (P &lt; 0.001 and P &lt; 0.05, respectively), hot carcass weight (P &lt; 0.001 and P &lt; 0.05, respectively) and cold carcass weight (P &lt; 0.001 and P &lt; 0.05, respectively). Similarly, it linearly decreased white blood cells (P &lt; 0.01) and lymphocytes (P &lt; 0.05) as it linearly (P &lt; 0.001) and quadratically (P &lt; 0.01) decreased symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and linearly (P &lt; 0.001) increased serum cholesterol. In conclusion, up to 10% MSC can be incorporated into broiler diets in replacement of SBM without adverse effects.

The modeling and prediction of crop seed yield can be a vital improvement in the precision agriculture industry as it provides reliable assessments of the effectiveness of agro-traits. Here, multiple machine learning (ML) techniques are established for predicting sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seed yield (SSY) and incorporating agro-morphological features. Models utilized for coupled PCA-ML (Principal component analysis-Machine Learning) methods were compared with original ML models to evaluate predicted efficiency. The Gaussian process regression (GPR) and Radial basis function neural network (RBF-NN) models exhibited the most accurate SSY predictions with determination coefficients or R2 values of 0.99 and 0.91, respectively. The root-mean-square error (RMSE) for the ML models fluctuated between 0 to 0.30 t/ha (metric tons/hectare) for the varied modeling process phases. Estimation of sesame seed yield with coupled PCA-ML models improved performance accuracy. The K-fold process suggested the utilization of datasets with the lowest error rates to ensure the continued accuracy of GPR and RBF models. Sensitivity analysis revealed the capsule number per plant (CPP), seed number per capsule (SPC), and 1000-seed weight (TSW) were the most significant seed yield determinants.