1,721,094 research outputs found
Radiation and water use efficiencies of greenhouse zucchini squash in relation to different climate parameters
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Growth, yield, fruit quality and nutrient uptake of hydroponically cultivated zucchini squash as affected by irrigation systems and growing seasons
No full textModelling the transpiration of a greenhouse zucchini crop grown under a Mediterranean climate using the Penman-Monteith equation and its simplified version
No full textSynergistic biostimulatory action: Designing the next generation of plant biostimulants for sustainable agriculture
Full text linkOver the past 10 years, interest in plant biostimulants (PBs) has been on the rise compelled by the growing interest of scientists, extension specialists, private industry, and growers in integrating these products in the array of environmentally friendly tools that secure improved crop performance and yield stability. Based on the new EU regulation PBs are defined through claimed agronomic effects, such as improvement of nutrient use efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stressors and crop quality. This definition entails diverse organic and inorganic substances and/or microorganisms such as humic acids, protein hydrolysates, seaweed extracts, mycorrhizal fungi, and N-fixing bacteria. The current mini-review provides an overview of the direct (stimulatory on C and N metabolism) and indirect (enhancing nutrient uptake and modulating root morphology) mechanisms by which microbial and non-microbial PBs improve nutrient efficiency, plant performance, and physiological status, resilience to environmental stressors and stimulate plant microbiomes. The scientific advances underlying synergistic and additive effects of microbial and non-microbial PBs are compiled and discussed for the first time. The review identifies several perspectives for future research between the scientific community and private industry to design and develop a second generation of PBs products (biostimulant 2.0) with specific biostimulatory action to render agriculture more sustainable and resilient
Role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in alleviating the adverse effects of acidity and aluminium toxicity in zucchini squash
No full textThe aim of the current research was to assess whether arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculation would
give an advantage to overcome acidity and aluminium (Al) toxicity problems and to study the changes
induced by AM at agronomical and physiological level. A greenhouse experiment was carried out, to
determine yield, growth, fruit quality, SPAD index, electrolyte leakage, and mineral composition of zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) inoculated (+AM) and noninoculated (−AM) with arbuscular mycorrhizal
and cultured in pots filled with quartziferous sand. Plants were supplied with nutrient solutions having
different pH and aluminium concentration (pH 6.0, pH 3.5 or pH 3.5 + Al). The low pH treatment had
the same nutrient composition plus HCl, whereas the aluminium treatment (pH 3.5 + Al) was induced
by adding 1.0 mM of AlCl3·6H2O. The AM root colonization was higher in the control treatment (pH 6.0;
48.5%), followed by pH 3.5 (23.4%), and finally in pH 3.5 + Al treatment (17.1%). Significant depression
of yield, biomass, SPAD index, leaf area, N, P, Mg, Fe, and Zn concentration in leaf tissue was observed
in response to low pH level with more detrimental effects with pH 3.5 + Al. The inoculated plants under
acidity and Al conditions had higher total, marketable yield, and total biomass than noninoculated plants.
Zucchini-fruit quality, in particular fruit dry matter, total soluble-solids content, P, and Fe concentration,
was improved by mycorrhizal colonization. Mycorrhized zucchini plants grown under acidity and Al conditions had a higher macronutrient concentration in leaf tissue compared to noninoculated plants. The
better crop performance in inoculated plants were related to the capacity of maintaining higher SPAD
index, lower electrolyte leakage, and better nutritional status (high N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, and B and low
Al accumulation) in response to Al stress with respect to −AM plants
The influence of drip irrigation or subirrigation on zucchini squash grown in closed-loop substrate culture with high and low nutrient solution concentrations
No full textEffect of nickel and grafting combination on yield, fruit quality, antioxidative enzyme activities, lipid peroxidation and mineral composition of tomato
No full textSoil contamination by heavy metals negatively affects crop productivity, besides representing serious threat to human health. Grafting tomato onto appropriate rootstocks may raise Ni tolerance through limiting heavy metal uptake by roots and/or its translocation to the shoot and by detoxification. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the influence of long-term Ni exposure (0, 25, or 50mM) on crop productivity, fruit quality, leaf chlorophyll content, fluorescence, electrolyte leakage, catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activities in leaf, proline content, membrane lipid peroxidation, and mineral composition of tomato plants cv. Ikram, either self-grafted or grafted onto three rootstocks: Black Beauty, Unifort, and Maxifort. Significant reduction in yield was observed in response to an increase in Ni concentration with more detrimental effects at 50mM Ni. The fruit dry matter and total soluble solids content increased under severe Ni stress. The depression of crop performance under Ni toxicity was attributed to a decrease in leaf pigments (SPAD index), efficiency of PSII, macro and microelements, and increase in lipid peroxidation and membrane damage. Plants grafted onto tomato rootstocks Maxifort and Unifort exhibited higher chlorophyll content, photochemical activity of PSII, antioxidant activity of APX and GPX, lower accumulation of MDA, and a better
nutritional status (higher Ca and Fe, and lower Ni) in the leaf tissues in comparison with selfgrafted plants and those grafted onto Black Beauty. Plants grafted onto tomato rootstocks Unifort and especially Maxifort could minimize the nickel toxicity by improving nutritional status and detoxification processes
Evaluation of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) production in Italy: Effects of the age of saffron fields and plant density
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