Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: T. Milošević Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Fruit Growing and Viticulture, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Kragujevac, Cacak, Serbia Author-Name: N. Milošević Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Pomology and Fruit Breeding, Fruit Research Institute, Cacak, Serbia Title: Diagnose apricot nutritional status according to foliar analysis Abstract: This experiment was conducted in Cacak (Western Serbia) during 2004 and 2005 to determine the influence of Belosljiva, Dragacevka, Stanley, Kolenstockzwetsche, Wangenheim, Pozegaca, and Kapavac interstocks budded on Myrobalan seedlings on the seasonal changes, leaf macronutrient contents at 120 days after full bloom (DAFB) and deviation from optimum percentage (DOP) of Vera apricot cultivars. The macronutrients analyzed were N, P, K, Ca, and Mg. Nitrogen was consistently decreased during the vegetative cycle on all interstocks, while leaf P, Ca, and Mg had a tendency of increasing, except P on Kapavac. Potassium had a tendency to increase from 60 to 150 AFB, and decreased through 180 DAFB. Leaf N at 120 DAFB was higher in 2005, and P, K, Ca, and Mg in 2004 on all interstocks. Leaf macronutrients were significantly influenced by interstocks, except K. On the basis of DOP index, leaf N, Ca, and Mg were lower than optimum on all interstocks in both years. Leaf P and K were higher than optimum. Stanley and Wangenheim showed the weakest balanced nutritional values than the rest of interstocks. Keywords: DOP index, interstocks, leaf mineral analysis, Prunus armeniaca L Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 301-306 Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/171/2010-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/171/2010-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201107-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:7:id:171-2010-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Matula Author-Workplace-Name: Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Relationship between phosphorus concentration in soil solution and phosphorus in shoots of barley Abstract: Phosphorus concentration in the soil solution of agricultural soils should be a consensus of the agronomic and environmental aspect. Data from literary sources are inconsistent if the method of soil solution extraction from the soil and the method of phosphorus detection are not indicated. In the present paper a simplified procedure of soil solution extraction is used that is derived from the need of water to attain saturated soil paste. Based on barley cultivation in a plant growth chamber on 72 different soils the relationship between P concentration in simulated soil solution and the response of test plant (spring barley) was evaluated. Three approaches were used to derive an adequate P concentration in soil solution. Based on the diagnostics of P content in barley the following adequate P concentrations in soil solution were derived: 0.23-0.86 ppm P for colorimetry and 0.9-1.75 ppm P for ICP-AES. Using the concept of the boundary line of yield the critical P concentration in soil solutions was 0.8 ppm P for colorimetry and 1.3 ppm P for ICP-AES. The concept of the boundary line of P efficiency index enabled to define P concentrations in soil solution that can be considered as the lower limits of suitability from the agronomic aspect:0.15 ppm P in simulated soil solution for colorimetry and 0.7 ppm P for ICP-AES. Keywords: soil testing, plant growth chamber, colorimetric detection, ICP-AES detection Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 307-314 Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/149/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/149/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201107-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:7:id:149-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: P. Ježek Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Hlušek Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: T. Lošák Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Jůzl Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: P. Elzner Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: S. Kráčmar Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Technology, Tomas Bata University in Zlín, Zlín, Czech Republic Author-Name: F. Buňka Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Technology, Tomas Bata University in Zlín, Zlín, Czech Republic Author-Name: A. Martensson Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Title: Effect of foliar application of selenium on the content of selected amino acids in potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum L.) Abstract: Selenium (Se) is an important element associated with the enhancement of antioxidant activity in organisms. Potato is very suitable for fertilisation with Se (biofortification). The experiment was performed to examine the effect of foliar application of Se as sodium selenite (200 or 400 g Se/ha) at the tuberisation stage on a spectrum of amino acids in tubers of varieties. The trends of amino acids were consistent in both years of the study. Application of Se increased the relative content of total essential (EAA) and non-essential (NEAA) amino acids relative to the controls (Karin: EAA 16.81-21.73% and NEAA 14.18-18.63%; Ditta: EAA 4.71-13.00% and NEAA 5.78-6.49%). The increase in the content of phenylalanine (Phe) was particularly significant (up to 48.9%) when also the contents of aspartic acid (Asp), glutamic acid (Glu), threonine (Thr), and tyrosine (Tyr) increased significantly compared with the controls. The results of changes in the content of isoleucine (Ile), leucine (Leu), lysine (Lys), methionine (Met), valine (Val), alanine (Ala), arginine (Arg), proline (Pro), cysteine (Cys), glycine (Gly), histidine (His), and serine (Ser) were also discussed. The highest dose of selenium is shown as a stress factor. Its toxic effects resulted in a change of amino acid contents. Keywords: functional foods, human health, glutathion-peroxidase Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 315-320 Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/57/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/57/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201107-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:7:id:57-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A. Rehman Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan Author-Name: R. Ahmad Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan Author-Name: M. Safdar Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan Title: Effect of hydrogel on the performance of aerobic rice sown under different techniques Abstract: Declining water is a great concern in production of rice, because rice is more sensitive to water deficiency which restricts normal rice growth resulting in enormous economic loss. A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of hydrogel in different sowing techniques of aerobic rice viz. flat, ridge, and bed sowing. Observations on soil moisture percentage before every irrigation, yield, and yield components of rice were recorded. Application of hydrogel improved soil moisture contents in all the three sowing techniques as compared to soil without hydrogel. More soil moisture contents met the crop water needs and increased the number of germinated seeds. As a consequence of more emergence and better stand establishment, the yield components were also improved increasing the yield of rice in hydrogel amended soil in all sowing techniques. However, sowing of rice on beds with hydrogel amendment was found the most effective; it not only improved the performance of aerobic rice but also enhanced growth and yield of aerobic rice more than other sowing techniques. Keywords: soil moisture, seed emergence, yield, yield components, water absorbent Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 321-325 Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/81/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/81/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201107-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:7:id:81-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: S.A. Anjum Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China Author-Name: M. Farooq Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan Author-Name: L.C. Wang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China Author-Name: L.L. Xue Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China Author-Name: S.G. Wang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China Author-Name: L. Wang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China Author-Name: S. Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China Author-Name: M. Chen Author-Workplace-Name: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing, P.R. China Title: Gas exchange and chlorophyll synthesis of maize cultivars are enhanced by exogenously-applied glycinebetaine under drought conditions Abstract: Glycinebetaine acts as an osmoprotectant and is closely related with drought resistance. In the present study, glycinebetaine (GB) was exogenously-applied to two contrasting maize cultivars, Dongdan-60 and ND-95, to see whether GB improves drought resistance. Maize cultivars were grown with normal water supply till the heading stage and then exposed to two levels of soil moisture, well-watered control and drought-stressed, and then GB solution of 100 mmol was foliar applied five days after moisture treatments were imposed. The gas exchange and chlorophyll concentration were substantially declined in both maize cultivars under water stressed conditions. However, this reduction was less in Dongdan-60 than ND-95. Nonetheless, GB-treated plants considerably maintained higher gas exchange rate and chlorophyll concentration during drought stress than non-GB treated plants. The GB-induced improvement in gas exchange and chlorophyll synthesis under water stress ultimately resulted in improved growth and yield in both maize cultivars. Furthermore, the positive responses to exogenous GB application were more pronounced in Dongdan-60 as compared to ND-95 in all traits examined under water-deficit conditions. In conclusion, exogenously applied GB to maize crops could improve gas exchange, chlorophyll synthesis, growth and yield of maize. Keywords: water-stressed conditions, photosynthesis, chlorophyll, yield, maize Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 326-331 Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/41/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/41/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201107-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:7:id:41-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Sarangthem Author-Workplace-Name: School of Biochemistry, Devi Ahilya University, Takshashila Campus, Indore, India Author-Name: M. Jain Author-Workplace-Name: School of Biochemistry, Devi Ahilya University, Takshashila Campus, Indore, India Author-Name: R. Gadre Author-Workplace-Name: School of Biochemistry, Devi Ahilya University, Takshashila Campus, Indore, India Title: Inhibition of δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity by cadmium in excised etiolated maize leaf segments during greening Abstract: Supply of 0.1-0.5 mmol CdCl2 inhibited δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.24, ALAD) activity and total chlorophylls in excised etiolated segments of maize leaves during greening. Due to cadmium supply δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) content was reduced significantly at 0.5 mmol Cd only. Also the Cd treatment decreased the protein content and accumulated significantly the Cd in the tissue. Significant correlation between Cd accumulation in the leaves and various parameters measured is observed, with the R-squared values being 0.727 with ALAD activity, 0.885 with ALA content, 0.902 with total chlorophylls and 1.00 with proteins. The % inhibition of ALAD activity by Cd was decreased in the presence of nitrogenous compounds, glutamine and NH4NO3 and the observed inhibition was 25% and 16%, respectively. More substantial reduction in % inhibition of enzyme activity by Cd was observed during treatment with glutathione, a ubiquitous thiol and levulinic acid, a competitive inhibitor of ALAD, with the inhibition being only 2% and 4%, respectively. Supply of some essential metal ions, such as Mg, Zn, and Mn, also reduced the % inhibition of enzyme activity by Cd. Inclusion of varying concentrations of ALA during assay also affected the % inhibition of enzyme activity by Cd showing an increased inhibition from 17% to 53% with increasing ALA concentration. It is suggested that Cd inhibits ALAD activity by affecting the ALA binding to the enzyme and/or disrupting thiol interaction. Keywords: pigment biosynthesis, plant tetrapyrrole metabolism, Zea mays, toxic elements, metallic stress Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 332-337 Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/45/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/45/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201107-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:7:id:45-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: V. Gloser Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Baláž Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: P. Svoboda Author-Workplace-Name: Hop Research Institute Ltd., Žatec, Czech Republic Title: Analysis of anatomical and functional traits of xylem in Humulus lupulus L. stems Abstract: Hop plants have unusually low values of the ratio between internal area of xylem conducts and leaf area, indicating that their xylem conducts solutes very efficiently. In the present study we analyzed the structure and function of xylem in stems of field-grown hop plants. Vessels of secondary xylem (SX) were more potent to conduct solutes compared to primary xylem (PRX) as they were wider (maximal/mean diameter of SX vessels in basal stem segments was on average 209/73 μm compared to 82/40 μm in PRX) and longer (up to 75 cm, compared up to 30 cm in PRX). The contribution of PRX to total Kh of the segment was on average 45.0 ± 29.9% in apical, but only 1.8 ± 0.4% in basal stem segments with well differentiated SX. We discuss differences and non-linear relationship between measured hydraulic conductivity (Kh) and Kh calculated from vessel diameters and suggest a simplified approach suitable for routine evaluation of theoretical Kh of hop cultivars. Keywords: Hagen-Poiseuille equation, Huber value, hydraulic conductivity, vessel diameter, vessel length Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 338-343 Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/63/2011-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/63/2011-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201107-0007.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:7:id:63-2011-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: S.T. Forczek Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Experimental Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: O. Benada Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: O. Kofroňová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: K. Sigler Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Matucha Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Experimental Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Influence of road salting on the adjacent Norway spruce (Picea abies) forest Abstract: Winter deicing and traffic spreads salt to road-adjacent Norway spruce trees in the form of spraying and salt slops. Our use of Na36Cl revealed roots as the main pathway of salt uptake. One-shot application of a concentrated Na36Cl solution to spruce saplings by both irrigation and spraying causes macroscopic damage to the needles and affects the needle phyllosphere. Irrigation affects the trees more than spraying because Cl- uptake through roots is faster and eventually leads to higher chloride content in the plant. Along with the root-needle route, spray-deposited chloride from the needles is re-transported back into the soil and again taken up by roots to needles. Keywords: deicing, radiotracer methods, salinity, plant damage, chlorine cycle Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 344-350 Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.17221/356/2010-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/356/2010-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-201107-0008.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:57:y:2011:i:7:id:356-2010-PSE