32 research outputs found
Impact of fruit orientation and pelleting material on water uptake and germination performance in artificial substrate for sugar beet
No full text© 2020 Blunk et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Water uptake into seeds is a fundamental prerequisite of germination and commonly influenced by commercial seed enhancement technologies. The effect of fruit orientation and contrasting pelleting materials on germination and biological performance of sugar beet was assessed. The results indicated there was orientation dependent fruit shrinkage of 37% for the operculum side supplied by moisture compared to 4% for the basal pore side. The expansion rate of 5% compared to the original size, which was also observed for non-shrinking seeds, indicated this was a temporary effect. This behaviour has importance for the application pelleting materials to seeds. Pellets composed of materials exhibiting low levels of swelling act as a water distribution layer which increased germination rates. Careful selection of pelleting material is crucial as it has direct implications on germination speed and subsequent establishment rates
Imaging the germination behaviour of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) seed enhancement technologies using X-ray computed tomography
No full textBackground
Sustaining a growing population is one of the great challenges of humanity and a key part of several of the most recent sustainable development goals (Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, United Nations General Assembly 2015). With rising environmental challenges, improved application in agricultural engineering is growing more and more important. Seed enhancement techniques, such as the application of materials to alter their shape to improve ease of planting and protect against pests as well as pre-germination under limited water availability has been used for several decades to improve crop establishment and support yields especially under severe environmental conditions.
This study aims to understand the effect of the application of seed enhancement technologies on belowground interactions with the soil matrix using X-ray Computed Tomography (X-ray CT) as a tool for non-destructive 4D imaging. The successful application of X-ray CT enabled the in-situ comparison of different seed treatments and thereby indicating negative impacts of applying active ingredients directly on the fruit. However, this can be overcome by using pelleting materials which increase the distance of the active ingredients to the embryo. Pre-germination treatments showed advantages in the volume of soil exploration by the roots independent of physical seed enhancements allowing nutrient mining in a larger volume. The development of a method to image seed-soil contact for the first time has helped to gain new insights in how seeds initiate germination. A significant advantage of spherical shaped seeds (commercial product) compared to the untreated irregular shaped seed in terms of contact area was revealed, however, a high variability in the field across multiple soil textures and management techniques indicated low control by farmers over this factor. This was partly attributed to limited accuracy in seed placement to the intended depth in the seedbed. Ultimately, it was shown that the fruit orientation had significant effects on germination speed and also on the swelling behaviour of the individual fruits. Furthermore, the selection of pelleting materials has strong effects on germination speed under varying water conditions which correlates with the water holding capacity and conductivity of the material. It was also found that water relations of pelleting materials change during the pelleting process influencing ultimate water potential. The understanding of morphological features within the fruit was advanced using X-ray CT and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revealing a novel fruit internal water distribution pathway.
This work helped to advance the understanding of seed enhancement technologies for the seed industry in multiple regards: The selected active ingredient within the seed coat should exhibit a low water solubility to not penetrate the pellet material and thereby reducing germination speed. Pellet materials were found to be beneficial when exhibiting low swelling but high water dispersion capabilities. Finally, fruit rubbing for improved performance during the pelleting process and reduction of germination inhibitors should be limited to not disturb water distribution channels within the pericarp
Imaging the germination behaviour of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) seed enhancement technologies using X-ray computed tomography
No full textBackground
Sustaining a growing population is one of the great challenges of humanity and a key part of several of the most recent sustainable development goals (Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, United Nations General Assembly 2015). With rising environmental challenges, improved application in agricultural engineering is growing more and more important. Seed enhancement techniques, such as the application of materials to alter their shape to improve ease of planting and protect against pests as well as pre-germination under limited water availability has been used for several decades to improve crop establishment and support yields especially under severe environmental conditions.
This study aims to understand the effect of the application of seed enhancement technologies on belowground interactions with the soil matrix using X-ray Computed Tomography (X-ray CT) as a tool for non-destructive 4D imaging. The successful application of X-ray CT enabled the in-situ comparison of different seed treatments and thereby indicating negative impacts of applying active ingredients directly on the fruit. However, this can be overcome by using pelleting materials which increase the distance of the active ingredients to the embryo. Pre-germination treatments showed advantages in the volume of soil exploration by the roots independent of physical seed enhancements allowing nutrient mining in a larger volume. The development of a method to image seed-soil contact for the first time has helped to gain new insights in how seeds initiate germination. A significant advantage of spherical shaped seeds (commercial product) compared to the untreated irregular shaped seed in terms of contact area was revealed, however, a high variability in the field across multiple soil textures and management techniques indicated low control by farmers over this factor. This was partly attributed to limited accuracy in seed placement to the intended depth in the seedbed. Ultimately, it was shown that the fruit orientation had significant effects on germination speed and also on the swelling behaviour of the individual fruits. Furthermore, the selection of pelleting materials has strong effects on germination speed under varying water conditions which correlates with the water holding capacity and conductivity of the material. It was also found that water relations of pelleting materials change during the pelleting process influencing ultimate water potential. The understanding of morphological features within the fruit was advanced using X-ray CT and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revealing a novel fruit internal water distribution pathway.
This work helped to advance the understanding of seed enhancement technologies for the seed industry in multiple regards: The selected active ingredient within the seed coat should exhibit a low water solubility to not penetrate the pellet material and thereby reducing germination speed. Pellet materials were found to be beneficial when exhibiting low swelling but high water dispersion capabilities. Finally, fruit rubbing for improved performance during the pelleting process and reduction of germination inhibitors should be limited to not disturb water distribution channels within the pericarp
Germination percentage is dependent on sugar beet fruit orientation and pelleting material
No full textWater uptake into seeds is a fundamental prerequisite of germination and commonly
influenced by commercial seed enhancement technologies. The effect of fruit
orientation and contrasting pelleting materials on germination and biological
performance was assessed. The results indicated there was orientation dependent fruit
shrinkage of 37% for the operculum side supplied by moisture and 4% for the basal
pore side. The expansion rate of 5% of the original size, similar to non-shrinking seeds,
indicated this was a temporary effect. This behaviour can be translated to the applied
pelleting materials. Pellets with material exhibiting low levels of swelling act as a water
distribution layer which increased germination rates. Careful selection of pelleting
material has direct implications on germination speed and subsequent establishment
rates.
Repository submission is the full research data for the publication
Single molecule diffusion studies in nanoporous systems: From fundamental concepts to material science and nano-medicine
No full textResveratrol counteracts IL‐1β‐mediated impairment of extracellular matrix deposition in 3D articular chondrocyte constructs
No full textWhen aiming at cell‐based therapies in osteoarthritis (OA), proinflammatory conditions mediated by cytokines such as IL‐1β need to be considered. In recent studies, the phytoalexin resveratrol (RSV) has exhibited potent anti‐inflammatory properties. However, long‐term effects on 3D cartilaginous constructs under inflammatory conditions with regard to tissue quality, especially extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, have remained unexplored. Therefore, we employed long‐term model cultures for cell‐based therapies in an in vitro OA environment and evaluated effects of RSV. Pellet constructs made from expanded porcine articular chondrocytes were cultured with either IL‐1β (1–10 ng/ml) or RSV (50 μM) alone, or a cotreatment with both agents. Treatments were applied for 14 days, either directly after pellet formation or after a preculture period of 7 days. Culture with IL‐1β (10 ng/ml) decreased pellet size and DNA amount and severely compromised glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen content. Cotreatment with RSV distinctly counteracted the proinflammatory catabolism and led to partial rescue of the ECM composition in both culture systems, with especially strong effects on GAG. Marked MMP13 expression was detected in IL‐1β‐treated pellets, but none upon RSV cotreatment. Expression of collagen type I was increased upon IL‐1β treatment and still observed when adding RSV, whereas collagen type X, indicating hypertrophy, was detected exclusively in pellets treated with RSV alone. In conclusion, RSV can counteract IL‐1β‐mediated degradation and distinctly improve cartilaginous ECM deposition in 3D long‐term inflammatory cultures. Nevertheless, potential hypertrophic effects should be taken into account when considering RSV as cotreatment for articular cartilage repair techniques
Quantification of differences in germination behaviour of pelleted and coated sugar beet seeds using X-ray Computed Tomography (X-ray CT)
No full textSeed enhancement technologies i.e. priming, pelleting and coating have been extensively9 used throughout the last century to improve crop yield and to reduce losses associated with pest infestation. However, until recently, it has not been possible to non-destructively assess the effect of seed enhancement technologies belowground due to the opacity of soil. Using X- ray Computed Tomography (X-ray CT) we undertook a 4D visualisation of the germination process of four different sugar beet seed enhancement treatments (untreated / naked, coated, pelleted and pelleted + coated) in soil. The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of the germination process in the natural environment of the seed to inform future soil management and seed enhancement processes. Using X-ray CT we were able to quantify the germination and establishment process of different seed enhancement technologies in soil non-destructively for the first time. We observed a delay in seedling growth posed by the addition of a physical barrier, i.e. the seed coating. However, an enhanced radicle growth rate was observed in pelleted, as well as pelleted and coated seeds, after overcoming the physical barrier. The disadvantage posed by the addition of seed coating was overcome after four days of seedling growth. Further work should focus on refinements to the type and composition of the pelleting which we observed to have a retarded effect on seed germination
Soil seedbed engineering and its impact on germination and establishment in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) as affected by seed-soil contact
No full textSeed-soil contact plays an essential role in the process of germination as seeds absorb water through direct contact with the moist soil aggregates that surround them. Factors influencing seed-soil contact can be considered as those pertaining to soil physical properties (e.g. texture, bulk density, porosity, etc.) and those related to environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, rainfall, frost). Seed-soil contact is furthermore influenced by the specific field management processes that farmers apply, which have developed significantly over the last 30 years. However, the precise effect of cultivation on the actual contact area of the seed with the surrounding soil is based on a series of assumptions and still largely unknown. This review considers the influence of soil management and its direct impact on seed-soil contact and establishment. We review the state of the art in methodology for measuring seed-soil contact and assess the potential for soil amendments such as plant residues and waste materials to improve seed-soil contact. Engineering the ‘optimal’ seed-soil contact remains a challenge due to the localized variation between the interaction with field management techniques and soil texture, climatic conditions and crop type. The latest imaging approaches show great promise to assess the impact of management on germination. Combining the techniques with the latest network models offer great potential to improve our ability to accurately predict germination, emergence and establishment
The fungal predominance in stem collar necroses of Fraxinus excelsior: a study on Hymenoscyphus fraxineus multilocus genotypes
No full textOver the past decades, European ash trees in Germany have been affected by ash dieback, reducing their vigour and mechanical resistance. Those trees that also have stem collar necroses and the resulting stem rot are particularly affected. In this study, multilocus genotypes (MLGs) of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus and their interactions with other fungi from stem collar necroses were analysed. Ten ash trees from three different adjacent forest stands in central Germany were sampled. A total number of 716 isolates were obtained from stem collar necroses from these ten trees. Microsatellite analysis was successfully performed on 274 isolates identified as H. fraxineus and 26 MLGs were revealed. The number of MLGs varied from one to seven per tree and did not correspond to the number or severity of necroses. A striking result was that five of the MLGs occurred in two trees. All other MLGs occurred independently in only one tree, as expected. Our data show that when multiple MLGs were observed in a tree, one of the MLGs outnumbered the others, indicating that H. fraxineus is a primary coloniser of stem collar necroses. A total of 61 morphotypes, including H. fraxineus, were identified and discussed, comprising endophytic, saprotrophic and pathogenic fungi. Between five and 19 different fungi were found per stem collar necrosis. The majority of all isolated morphotypes were Ascomycota (82%), with the most common orders being Xylariales and Hypocreales. The most frequently isolated morphotypes, apart from H. fraxineus, were Armillaria sp. and Diplodia fraxini. Together they account for more than three quarters of all assigned isolations. Apart from H. fraxineus, only Diplodia fraxini was isolated from all ten trees
Seed priming enhances early growth and improves area of soil exploration by roots
No full textIntroduction: Seed priming has been conducted for centuries with growth advantages reported for a variety of different crops. Previous work has suggested priming does not offer a yield advantage despite an increased early growth if grown under ideal conditions. However, how these advantages unfold in regards to early root development is largely unknown.Results: We observed accelerated germination speed in primed seeds regardless of applied seed enhancement technology i.e. coating or pelleting. Additionally, we found significant differences in lateral root development in primed seeds vs non-primed seeds. Furthermore, we recorded an increase in volume and surface of embryo and perisperm indicating a distinct morphological change during the germination process of primed seeds compared to non-primed seeds.Conclusions: We attribute the enhanced early plant development in primed seeds to increased root development and thus enhanced volume of the soil resource mined for nutrients. This improvement can be detected four days after emergence within the root system throughout the early plant development despite an early transition from seed reserves to soil based growth. The understanding of below ground root architecture characteristics can improve the selection of appropriate seed enhancement technologies and seedbed management practices
