Search Results (39)

Lettuce is the most widely consumed leafy vegetable in the world. Its quality and yield depend highly on the growing conditions, including the growing substrate. Peat is commonly used as a growing substrate, but there is an increasing interest in finding alternatives to reduce peat usage. One potential alternative is vermicompost, and this study aims to investigate the impact of vermicompost as an additive to a peat substrate on the quality of lettuce seedlings and yield. This research was carried out in a greenhouse covered with a polymer film at the Institute of Horticulture of the Lithuanian Agricultural and Forestry Research Center. Lettuce seedlings were grown in peat with varying amounts of vermicompost (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50% vermicompost). Various parameters such as lettuce growth, biometric data, the content of pigments in the leaves, and the accumulation of elements (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) were evaluated. The addition of vermicompost, regardless of its amount, significantly increased plant height (from 7.5 cm in control up to 10.9–11.3 cm with vermicompost), the number of leaves (up to 4.2–4.6), the leaf area (up to 107–131 cm²), and the percentage of dry matter accumulation (up to 6.4–7.5%). Vermicompost also had a positive effect on photosynthesis, resulting in higher yields and a better quality of lettuce. The summarized research results demonstrate the potential of using vermicompost in the production of high-quality lettuce. Full article

Soil salinity is a major constraint on crop cultivation, affecting millions of hectares of land and increasing drastically worldwide. Identifying sources of tolerance within the crops and their wild relatives is imperative. Recently, Solanum dasyphyllum L. has been identified as source of tolerance to drought for eggplant (S. melongena L.). In this article, the potential use of S. dasyphyllum as a source of tolerance to salinity is investigated through the characterization of young plants’ performance under three salt stress treatments, well water (control), as well as 200 mM and 400 mM NaCl. Biometric parameters such as leaf and radicular biomass, plant height, root length, and biochemical parameters—such as photosynthetic pigments, main ions accumulation, proline, total soluble sugars, malondialdehyde, total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant enzymes’ activity—were quantified. The results showed a certain reduction in leaf and stem plant growth up to 60% in response to extreme salinity, while root biomass was maintained under mid-salt stress. Salt stress caused toxic ions to accumulate in plant organs, up to 1600 mmol g⁻¹ dry weight Na⁺ and a 2250 mmol g⁻¹ dry weight Cl⁻ in leaves under extreme salinity exposure. However, S. dasyphyllum maintained K⁺ levels at around 450 mmol g⁻¹ in leaves and roots and 750 mmol g⁻¹ in stems, indicating a mechanism related to ion transport to cope with ion toxicity. The biochemical response indicated osmotic adjustments and antioxidant activity without the need of activating antioxidant enzymes. S. dasyphyllum has proved to be a valuable genetic tool for new eggplant breeding programs regarding salt stress, with somewhat improved performance regarding biometric parameters and ion transport. Full article

Biometric parameters of hop plants were studied over a three-year period on the Czech variety Premiant grown in the Žatec (Saaz) hop-growing region under an organic farming regime. Initially, only bine leaves developed, with lateral leaves emerging during the third growing month (June). Their leaf area at the time of harvest was larger than the bine leaves. The moment when the area size of both leaf categories was the same, designated as the breaking point (BP), was determined in the interval 181–195 DOY (day of year). The leaf area (LA) measured using infrared imaging and gravimetric methods yielded comparable results, with correlation coefficients of 0.93 and 0.96, respectively. The total leaf area of one hop plant (LA) with four trained bines, which developed dynamically during ontogeny, was 10.45 m² (2019), 6.65 m² (2020), and 12.04 m² (2021) in the harvest period. With a spacing of 3 m × 1 m, the corresponding Leaf Area Index (LAI) values were 3.5, 2.2 and 4.0 in the harvest season. Therefore, they are comparable to other crops such as maize or sorghum. Regression equations were calculated to determine the dry biomass of bine and lateral leaves depending on DOY. Correlations between the dry mass of leaves and the size of the leaf area for both bine and lateral leaves were also evaluated. This work also contains data on the mass proportions of the main plant organs (bine, leaves, cones). Full article

Boron (B) is an essential and widely studied element in plants. Due to B dynamics in highly weathered soils, its concentration is generally low. Among other benefits, B interacts with calcium pectate, promotes stability on cellular membrane, and influences directly on plant nutrients uptake and non-structural metabolites synthesis. In sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) crop, adequate B supply has been associated with juice quality and yield of stalks and sugar and its response on adequate B concentration on commercial fields can differ greatly even into a group of varieties recommended for the same production environment. In this context, the authors aimed to assess the effects of B availability on sugarcane root and shoot development, nutrient status, and carbohydrate synthesis and allocation in two sugarcane varieties recommended for the same production environment using hydroponic solution. The experimental design was completely randomized and consisted of four treatments and four replicates. The treatments comprised two sugarcane varieties (RB867515 and RB92579) and two B concentrations (0.05 and 0.5 mg L⁻¹) considered deficient and adequate, respectively, for plant development. Carbohydrate partitioning, nutrient concentrations in various plant parts, and growth and morphological parameters were evaluated. Under adequate B supply, the total concentrations of reducing sugars and sucrose increased 67 and 20% in RB867515 and 30 and 20% in RB92579, respectively, whereas starch decreased by 27% for both varieties. Adequate B supply increased the concentrations of all elements in all plant organs, except for N and K in leaves, and improved most yield and morphological parameters. Principal component analysis correlated the higher carbohydrates concentration and yield parameters with the variety RB92579, whereas the highest concentration of most nutrients was mainly associated with the variety RB867515, especially under adequate B supply. The main influence of adequate B supply was on carbohydrate synthesis. Although the sugarcane varieties responded differently to B availability, their biometric parameters were enhanced by adequate B supply. These results emphasize the need for B fertilization, regardless of the sugarcane variety’s susceptibility to B deficiency. Full article

In light of the demographic shift towards an aging population, there is an increasing prevalence of dementia among the elderly. The negative impact on mental health is preventing individuals from taking proper care of themselves. For individuals requiring hospital care, those receiving home care, or as a precaution for a specific individual, it is advantageous to utilize monitoring equipment to track their biological parameters on an ongoing basis. This equipment can minimize the risk of serious accidents or severe health hazards. The objective of the present research project is to design an armband with an accurate location tracking system. This is of particular importance for individuals with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, who frequently leave their homes and are unable to find their way back. The proposed armband also includes a fingerprint identification system that allows only authorized personnel to use it. Furthermore, in hospitals and healthcare facilities the biometric identification system can be used to trace periodic medical or nursing visits. This process improves the reliability and transparency of healthcare. The test results indicate that the armband functions in accordance with the desired design specifications, with performance evaluation of the main features including fall detection, where a hit rate of 100% was obtained, a fingerprint recognition test demonstrating accuracy from 88% to 100% on high-quality samples, and a GPS tracking test determining position with a difference of between 1.8 and 2.1 m. The proposed solution may be of benefit to healthcare professionals, supported housing providers, elderly people as target users, or their family members. Full article

The circular economy with compost fertilization is included in the sustainable orchard paradigm, creating a holistic production ecosystem. Modern orchards are mostly intensive and super-intensive, requiring different rootstocks. This research presents the response to compost fertilization of two specific pear rootstocks (quince ‘CTS 212’ and ‘Farold^® 40’) and own-rooted trees, analyzing six resistant cultivars in a circular production system. The dynamic of nitrogen and carbon concentration in leaves, soil respiration coefficient, the evolution of the fruit maturity stage in the field, and some biometric parameters such as trunk cross-section area, the annual vegetative growth, and fruiting shoots annual number were analyzed. The results highlighted that compost fertilization led to increased leaf nitrogen concentration over the first two years while carbon concentration remained relatively stable. Rootstock and compost fertilization influenced the fruit maturity dynamic, but a single pattern was not identified. Quince, as pear rootstock, expressed a higher sensitivity to compost application; the biometric parameters, such as trunk cross-section area, and almost all cultivars’ annual vegetative growth were higher than the controls’. Positive output can lead to future model upscaling in farms and households. Full article

Wheat can tolerate a mild water deficit, but prolonged drought causes a number of detrimental physiological changes resulting in a substantial decrease in productivity. The present study evaluates the potential of the natural plant growth regulator melatonin to alleviate the negative effects of moderate drought in two Bulgarian winter wheat cultivars at the early vegetative stage. Melatonin doses of 75 µM were root-supplemented 24 h before or after the stress period. The levels of several biometric parameters, osmolyte content and stress indicators as well as the expression of genes coding for key enzymes of the proline biosynthesis pathway were analyzed in leaves at the end of the drought stress and after two and four days of recovery. Applied alone, melatonin did not exert significant effects on most of the monitored parameters. Water deprivation negatively affected seedlings’ fresh weight and water content and increased the stress markers and osmolyte levels. These were accompanied by a high accumulation of TaP5CS and TaP5CR transcripts coding for the enzymes Δ-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase and Δ-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase, respectively. The effect of melatonin in reducing drought stress was similar whether applied before or after exposure, though slightly more effective when used as a pre-treatment. Full article

Microgreens are young plants grown from vegetables, grain, or herb seeds in a controlled environment with artificial lighting. LED modules are the preferred option for indoor and vertical farming. Light intensity (LI) is crucial for plant growth and the synthesis of phytochemicals. The study aimed to assess whether growing microgreens under low light intensity but with the addition of algae would produce plants with similar parameters (biometric, active compound content) to those grown under higher light intensity. The experiment evaluated LED white light at two intensity levels: 115 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ (low light, LL) and 230 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ (high light, HL). Pea seeds were soaked in a 10% solution of Chlorella vulgaris algae or water before sowing, and the plants were watered or sprayed during growth with the same solutions. The results showed no positive effect of algae on plant biometric traits. However, plants treated with algae had a significantly higher chlorophyll and carotenoid content index. Light significantly influenced pea growth, with plants grown under high light (HL) showing greater weight, height, and plant area. Additionally, changes in the photosynthetic apparatus and light stress were observed in microgreens watered with water (AW and WW) under high light during the vegetative phase. Raman spectra also indicated changes in the chemical composition of microgreens’ leaves based on light intensity and treatment. Microgreens treated with algae solution during seed soaking and water during the vegetative phase produced much more carotenoids compared to other variants. Full article

Mint is one of the most valuable herbs, and has multiple benefits and uses. The effect of cultivation methods on the biometric parameters of mint plants was determined by comparing a hydroponic system involving moveable flood tables with plastic covers and a raised-bed growing system in an open field. The morphometric parameters of mint plants may vary depending on species and cultivation method. An interaction between both factors was observed for plant height, leaf length, leaf width, and the number of leaves. Spearmint and apple mint grown under field conditions were characterized by higher average values of plant height and width and a higher number of branches than hydroponically grown plants. In the hydroponic system, the number of branched stems decreased by up to 80% with increased plant height. Leaf width was correlated with the total number of leaves. An increase in the number of leaves per plant induced a decrease in leaf width (up to 61%). Field-grown mint is usually characterized by higher marketable and total yields than hydroponically grown mint. However, the marketable yield of apple mint was approximately 50% higher in the hydroponic system than in the field. Full article

Abiotic stresses, such as water limitation, are significant limiting factors in basil production. One alternative to mitigate the harmful effects of this stress on plants is using plant growth regulators. This study’s objective is to evaluate different doses of plant regulators in basil under water deficiency conditions. A randomized block experimental design in a factorial scheme with two factors was used: the first factor referred to the water regimes of 50% and 100% stomatal conductance, the second to different doses of the plant regulator mixture: 0 mL L⁻¹ (control), 3 mL L⁻¹, 6 mL L⁻¹, 9 mL L⁻¹, and 12 mL L⁻¹. Each treatment consisted of 12 pots per repetition. Biometric parameters, chlorophyll a fluorescence, and gas exchange were analyzed. The plant regulator positively influenced basil plants under water deficiency, with the most pronounced effects observed at the 12 mL L⁻¹ dose: a 17% increase in the number of leaves, a fourfold increase in CO₂ assimilation and carboxylation efficiency, and a sevenfold increase in water use efficiency. Therefore, the application of plant regulators on basil is recommended to mitigate the negative effects of water stress, with the most significant results observed at a dose of 12 mL L⁻¹. Full article

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of plant extracts from hemp inflorescences (H10—10% and H20—20%), as well as a mixture of extracts from hemp inflorescences, sage, and tansy leaves (M10—10% and M20—20%) on phytotoxicity and selected physiological and biometric parameters of wheat seedlings, as well as the biological activity of soil in a growth chamber experiment. In all experimental combinations, a low phytotoxicity of the extracts was observed in the form of leaf tip yellowing, classified as first-degree damage or its complete absence. The plant extracts and their mixtures, except for the H20 extract, had an inhibitory effect on the development of fungal pathogens, especially Fusarium spp. The H20 extract increased the fresh and dry weight of root seedlings. The tested extracts also had a positive effect on the chlorophyll content in seedlings. The highest chlorophyll concentrations were recorded for the seedlings sprayed with the M20 extract mixture. The applied plant extracts influenced the activity of soil enzymes. The highest activity of catalase and dehydrogenases was observed after spraying seedlings with M20, while the lowest was recorded after applying H10. Of all the tested groups of soil environment compounds included in the Biolog EcoPlates test, carbohydrates and carboxylic acids were most actively utilized. Conversely, amines and amides constituted the group of compounds utilized the least frequently. The present study demonstrated the high effectiveness of plant extracts on wheat seedlings due to their biocidal action against phytopathogenic fungi and increased biological activity of the soil. This research serves as an initial phase of work, which will aim to verify the results obtained under field conditions, as well as assess the biological stability of the extracts. Full article

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of plant spacing on the growth, yield and chemical composition of stevia grown in Poland. The variable factor was spacings of 50 cm × 30 cm, 45 cm × 25 cm and 30 cm × 30 cm. Seedlings were planted during the first ten days of June, and the plant material was harvested between the 10th and 20th of September. In July and September, seedlings were subjected to biometric measurements, and plant samples were taken for chemical analyses. Plants grown at 50 cm × 30 cm spacing were characterised by an increased content of reducing sugars, nitrates, phosphorous, potassium and magnesium, but the yield of the herb and leaves was smallest. The greatest yield of the herb and leaves was found for the 30 cm × 30 and 45 cm × 25 cm spacings with the lowest mass of single plants. Leaves from plants grown in the 30 cm × 30 cm spacing were also characterised as having the greatest concentration of dry mass and phenolic compounds and the lowest concentration of phosphorus and magnesium. Spacing did not significantly affect the biometric parameters of the plants in July, but in September, a difference was observed in the lateral width and total number of shoots. Spacing did not affect the plant pigment contents in the leaves of stevia. Full article

Soil affects plant growth and development, and it is one of the factors that determine crop yields and quality. Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica Plenck) plants cv. Cezar were grown in an experiment conducted in 2021–2022 on a horticultural farm. The biometric parameters of broccoli plants were determined in the first stage. The chemical composition of the edible parts of broccoli was determined in the second stage, which involved two experimental factors. The first factor was the edible parts of broccoli: florets, leaves, and stalks. The second factor was the effect of soil type on the chemical composition of the edible parts of broccoli. Albic Luvisol (II) had a significant positive effect on floret height and the number of florets. Leaf yield was significantly lower when broccoli plants were grown in Eutric Cambisol (I) compared with Albic Luvisol (II) and degraded chernozem (III). Soil type had no significant influence on the macronutrient content of broccoli florets, leaves, and stalks, but the accumulation of macronutrients varied across the edible plant parts. The content of iron, zinc and manganese in broccoli plants was not significantly affected by soil type, but soil type exerted a significant effect on copper content. Full article

The Ipomoea batatas ornamental variety of the edible sweet potato is a decorative sweet potato with exquisite leaves, available in different varieties. Due to its numerous characteristics related to resistance, adaptability to environmental conditions, rapid growth, and aesthetic traits, it has attracted the interest of researchers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the growth and development behaviour of two varieties of I. batatas, namely ‘Margarita’ and ‘Blackie’, cultivated in vertical systems, to provide guidelines for their usage in green façade design. The physiological growth processes throughout the growing season were analysed by monitoring three biometric parameters (diameter, height, and leaf count), transpiration (dehydration rate), and the photosynthesis process (photosynthetic pigment content) for treated and control variants and four cardinal orientations (N, E, S, and W). Compared to the control and western orientation, which proved to be less advantageous, the northern orientation and treatment appeared to be the most suitable options for both varieties analysed. Also, the content of organic substances was more intense in the Cropmax-treated ‘Blackie’, especially on the northern façade, with the highest quantities of chlorophyll a (17.1%), chlorophyll b (9.1%), and carotenoid pigments (7.5%). In addition, the leaf dehydration rate, as well as the amount of free water loss, were reduced on the northern façade of ‘Blackie’. Therefore, ‘Blackie’ can be recommended as a variety distinguished by its improved resistance to challenging environmental conditions, particularly drought. Full article

The application of organic amendments, biochar, and wood distillate (WD), as well as the exposure to UV-B radiation, are two sustainable ways to enhance soil fertility and increase plant nutraceutical quality, respectively. However, they have always been studied separately, without testing the eventual synergistic or antagonistic effect when applied together. The present study investigated the effects of biochar (2% w/w), WD (1:100), and their combination (BWD) on some biometric and biochemical parameters of basil plants (Ocimum basilicum L.) exposed to different doses of UV-B radiation (0, 1, 2 h d⁻¹; UV-B irradiance of 1.36 W m⁻²) in controlled conditions. Root and stem length and weight were not affected by soil amendments, while 1 h d⁻¹ UV-B increased the length (+28%) and weight (+62%) of the aerial part. When combining the above- and below-ground factors, a decrease in root length was observed in the 2 h d⁻¹ UV-B-treated plants in both WD (−36%) and BWD (−39%) treatments. The co-application of below- and above-ground treatments generally decreased phenolic and flavonoid concentration in both fully expanded leaves and vegetative shoot apices. This preliminary study highlights an antagonistic action of the combination of the investigated factors, at these doses, on the plant growth and metabolism that should be considered. Full article