Magnetic Field Treatments Improves Sunflower Yield by Inducing Physiological and Biochemical Modulations in Seeds.

Magnetic seed enhancement has been practicing as a promising tool to improve germination and seedling growth of low vigor seeds stored under suboptimal conditions, but there is still ambiguity regarding the prospects for magnetism in oilseeds. Present study elucidates the potential of magnetic seed stimulation to improve sunflower germination, growth and yield. Germination and emergence tests were performed to optimize the strength of the magnetic field to sunflower seed enhancement. The seeds were directly exposed to magnetic field strengths of 50, 100 and 150 millitesla (mT) for 5, 10 and 15 min (min) and then standard germination tests were performed. Secondly, the emergence potential of untreated seeds was compared with seed exposed to hydropriming, priming with 3% moringa leaf extract (MLE), priming with magnetically treated water (MTW) for 10 min and priming with 3% MLE solution prepared in magnetically treated water (MTW + MLE). Germination, emergence, seedling growth and seed biochemical properties were used to select the best treatment for field evaluation. The results of the study revealed that magnetic seed treatment with 100 mT for 10 min and seed priming with 3% MLE solution in magnetically treated water (MTW + MLE) significantly improved emergence, crop growth rate and sunflower yield.

Hermetic storage of okra seed maintains seed longevity under changing environment.

Okra seed is vulnerable to loss of germination and vigor in variable storage conditions. High seed moisture contents (SMC) accelerate seed deterioration during storage thus keeping low seed moisture contents by storing seed in hermetic bags may help to retain seed longevity. Okra seed was equilibrated to four initial moisture levels including 8,10, 12 and 14% SMC. Seed was then packed and stored in traditional storage bags (Paper, cloth, polypropylene and jute bag) and hermetic Super Bag for 12 months under ambient conditions. Seed stored in hermetic Super Bag at 8 and 10% moisture contents maintained higher germination due to low seed moisture contents. Moreover, activities of α-amylases and total soluble sugars were higher while electrical conductivity of seed leachates, malondialdehyde (MDA) and reducing sugar contents were less in the seeds stored in hermetic Super Bag at 8 and 10% SMC as compared to seed stored in traditional storage bags. Hermetic storage at 14% moisture negatively influenced the seed quality. Moisture adsorption isotherms of okra seeds were developed at constant temperature of 25°C and varying levels of relative humidity from 60 to 90%. Moisture isotherms indicated no significant increase in seed moisture contents at 60 and 70% relative humidity (RH) in hermetic bags whereas a minor increase in seed moisture at 80 and 90% RH has been observed for the seeds incubated in hermetic bags. SMC significantly increased in traditional storage bags particularly in jute bag at high RH. In conclusion, storage in hermetic bags, maintain low seed moisture and high seed quality. Okra seed storage in hermetic bags at 8 and 10% SMC maintains seed longevity under ambient storage conditions.

Genome-Wide Characterization and Sequence Polymorphism Analyses of Glycine max Fibrillin (FBN) Revealed Its Role in Response to Drought Condition.

The fibrillin (FBN) gene family is widely distributed in all photosynthetic organisms. Members of this gene family are involved in plant growth and development and their response to various biotic and abiotic stress factors. In this study, 16 members of FBN were identified in Glycine max and characterized by using different bioinformatics tools. Phylogenetic analysis classified FBN genes into seven groups. The presence of stress-related cis-elements in the upstream region of GmFBN highlighted their role in tolerance against abiotic stresses. To further decipher the function, physiochemical properties, conserved motifs, chromosomal localization, subcellular localization, and cis-acting regulatory elements were also analyzed. Gene expression analysis based on FPKM values revealed that GmFBNs greatly enhanced soybean drought tolerance and controlled the expression of several genes involved in drought response, except for GmFBN-4, GmFBN-5, GmFBN-6, GmFBN-7 and GmFBN-9. For high throughput genotyping, an SNP-based CAPS marker was also developed for the GmFBN-15 gene. The CAPS marker differentiated soybean genotypes based on the presence of either the GmFBN-15-G or GmFBN-15-A alleles in the CDS region. Association analysis showed that G. max accessions containing the GmFBN-15-A allele at the respective locus showed higher thousand seed weight compared to accessions containing the GmFBN-15-G allele. This research has provided the basic information to further decipher the function of FBN in soybean.

Climate smart Dry Chain Technology for safe storage of quinoa seeds.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is a climate resilient crop having superior nutritional profile compared to other cereal grains and may help to ensure future food security. Commercial cultivation of quinoa is dependent upon availability of quality seed. Adoption of Dry Chain Technology: drying before storage and maintaining seed dryness through hermetic packaging, may prevent quinoa seed deterioration. Quinoa seeds were dried to 8, 10, 12 and 14% initial seed moisture content (SMC) and stored in conventional (Paper, polypropylene, cloth and jute) and hermetic Super Bags for 6, 12 and 18 months. Seed stored in Super Bag at 8% initial SMC maintained low seed moisture and higher germination. Total soluble sugars and α-amylase activity were higher while EC, reducing sugars and MDA contents were low for the seeds stored in hermetic bag at 8% initial SMC. Seed stored in traditional packaging materials irrespective of initial seed moisture contents, gained moisture due to ambient high relative humidity which resulted in seed deterioration as indicated by increased reducing sugars, MDA contents and seed leachates conductivity and reduced vigor, viability, soluble sugars. The Dry Chain Technology preserves seed quality by maintaining low seed moisture and reducing deteriorative physiological and biochemical changes in the quinoa seed.

Preserving wheat grain quality and preventing aflatoxin accumulation during storage without pesticides using dry chain technology.

Storage of wheat in conventional packaging materials is not safe as seeds gain moisture from surrounding air of high relative humidity which promotes growth of fungal and insect pests and loss of quality during storage. Implementing the dry chain, initial drying to low moisture content followed by storage in hermetic bags to maintain low moisture may prevent these losses without using fumigants or chemicals. Different levels of initial moisture contents (SMC), i.e., 8, 10, 12, and 14% and packaging materials, including hermetic super bags along with paper, woven polypropylene (PP), jute, and cloth bags were used as two factors for this experiment. After 4 months of storage, small variation in SMC of seed was observed in super bags while SMC increased significantly in conventional packaging materials. Higher storage losses (≈9%), grain quality losses and aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, and G2 contamination (1-2 ppb) in conventional packaging materials were linked to high seed moisture contents. Storage in hermetic bags at 8 and 10% SMC ideally preserved seed quality. In conclusion, hermetic storage of wheat at low seed moisture maintains a dry chain and prevents aflatoxin contamination and grain quality losses and offers an organic approach to avoid contamination of food grains.

Moisture adsorption isotherms and quality of seeds stored in conventional packaging materials and hermetic Super Bag.

Seed moisture content (SMC) is an important attribute to seed quality. Maintaining seed dryness throughout supply chain (The Dry Chain) prevents seed germination and quality losses. Ambient relative humidity (RH) and temperature affect seed moisture and thereof seed moisture isotherm. Present study was conducted to compare the moisture adsorption isotherms of wheat, maize, cotton and quinoa seeds packed in hermetic Super Bag and traditional packaging materials including paper, polypropylene (PP), jute and cloth bags. Seeds were incubated at 60, 70, 80 and 90% static RH. Nearly straight line moisture isotherms for all crop seeds were obtained in Super Bag. Seed moisture contents increased in traditional packaging materials with increasing RH. At higher level of RH, moisture contents increased slightly (1-2%) in Super Bag, whereas this increase was much higher in traditional packaging materials (≈9% higher than original SMC at 90% RH). In second study, seeds were dried to 8 and 14% initial seed moisture contents using zeolite drying beads and were stored in hermetic and conventional packaging materials for a period of 18 months. For all crop seeds, germination was severely affected in all packaging materials both at 8 and 14% initial SMC except storage in Super Bag at 8% SMC. Wheat seed stored in Super Bag at 8% SMC almost maintained initial germination while germination of cotton, maize and quinoa seeds declined 7%, 14% and 30% respectively in Super Bag at 8% SMC. Seed storage in Super Bag can help to prevent the significant increase in seed moisture at higher RH as is evident from moisture isotherm study, thus helps to preserve quality of maize, wheat, cotton and quinoa seeds by maintaining The Dry Chain throughout the storage period.

Physiological Strategies to Improve the Performance of Spring Maize (Zea mays L.) Planted under Early and Optimum Sowing Conditions.

Low temperature at stand establishment and high temperature at reproductive stage are involved in reduction of grain yield of spring maize. A field study was therefore conducted to evaluate different physiological strategies for improving performance of spring maize under temperature extremes. Seed priming and foliar spray with 3% moringa leaf extract (MLE) and 100 mg L-1 kinetin solution alone or in all possible combinations with each other at three growth stages (knee height, tasseling and grain filling stage) and hydropriming was compared with control. Seed priming plus foliar spray of MLE and kinetin significantly improved stand establishment especially under early sown crop as indicated by reduced mean emergence time (MET), improved emergence index (EI) and final emergence percentage (FEP). Similarly increased chlorophyll contents, crop growth rate, leaf area index, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, relative water content and decreased membrane permeability were recorded in both early and optimum sowing conditions in MLE priming plus foliar spray treatment. All these improvements were harvested in the form of increased yield and harvest index compared with control treatment. Overall crop sown at optimum time performed best but exogenous application of MLE through seed priming and foliar spray maximally improved the performance of early sown maize crop which is attributed more likely due to improved stand establishment, chlorophyll and phenolic contents, increased leaf area duration and grain filling period. It can be concluded that seed priming with MLE along with its foliar spray could increase production of maize under temperature extremes.