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Planting Geometry May Be Used to Optimize Plant Density and Yields without Changing Yield Potential per Plant in Sweet Corn
Planting geometry is one of the most important management practices that determine plant growth and yield of corn. The effects of eight planting geometries (35 × 23 cm, 40 × 21 cm, 45 × 19 cm, 50 × 18 cm, 55 × 17 cm, 60 × 16 cm, 65 × 15 cm, 70 × 15 cm) on plant growth and yields of three sweet corn hybrids (Argos F1, Challenger F1, Khan F1) were investigated under Erzurum, Türkiye conditions in 2022 and 2023 years. Variance analysis of the main factors shows a highly significant effect on whole traits but in two-way interactions some of the traits were significant and in the three-way interactions, it was insignificant. As an average of years, the number of plants per hectare at the harvest varied between 92,307 (35 × 23 cm) and 120,444 (70 × 15 cm) according to the planting geometries. The highest marketable ear number per hectare (107,456), marketable ear yield (24,887 kg ha−1), and fresh kernel yield (19,493 kg ha−1) were obtained from the 40 × 21 cm planting geometry. The results showed that the variety Khan F1 grown at 40 × 21 cm planting geometry obtained the highest marketable ear number (112,472), marketable ear yield (29,788 kg ha−1), and fresh kernel yield (22,432 kg ha−1). The plant density was positively correlated with marketable ear number (r = 0.904 **), marketable ear yield (r = 0.853 **), and fresh kernel yield (r = 0.801 **). The differences among the varieties were significant for the studied traits, except for plant density and kernel number per ear. In conclusion, the variety Khan F1 should be grown at the 40 × 21 cm planting geometry to maximize yields under study area conditions without water and nutrient limitations.
GT Biplot and Cluster Analysis of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Germplasm from Various Geographical Regions Based on Agro-Morphological Traits
Barley, an ancient crop, was vital for early civilizations and has historically been served as food and beverage. Today, it plays a major role as feed for livestock. Breeding modern barley varieties for high yield and quality has created significant genetic erosion. This highlights the importance of tapping into genetic and genomic resources to develop new improved varieties that can overcome agricultural bottlenecks and increase barley yield. In the current study, 75 barley genotypes were evaluated for agro-morphological traits. The relationships among these traits were determined based on genotype by trait (GT) biplot analysis for two cropping years (2021 and 2022). This study was designed as a randomized complete block experiment with four replications. The variation among genotypes was found to be significant for all traits. The correlation coefficient and GT biplot revealed that grain yield (GY) was positively correlated with the number of grains per spike (NGS), the grain weight per spike (GW), and the thousand kernel weight (1000 KW). However, the test weight (TW) was negatively correlated with the heading date (HD). Hierarchical analysis produced five groups in the first year, four groups in the second year, and four groups over the average of two years. Genotypes by trait biplot analysis highlighted G25, G28, G61, G73, and G74 as promising high-yielding barley genotypes. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of the GT biplot as a valuable approach for identifying superior genotypes with contrasting traits. It is considered that this approach could be used to evaluate the barley genetic material in breeding programs.
Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: An Influential Element in Alleviating Salt Stress in Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa L. Cv Atlas)
Climate change has intensified abiotic stresses, notably salinity, detrimentally affecting crop yield. To counter these effects, nanomaterials have emerged as a promising tool to mitigate the adverse impacts on plant growth and development. Specifically, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have demonstrated efficacy in facilitating a gradual release of zinc, thus enhancing its bioavailability to plants. With the goal of ensuring sustainable plant production, our aim was to examine how green-synthesized ZnO-NPs influence the seedling growth of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa L. Cv Atlas) under conditions of salinity stress. To induce salt stress, solutions with three different NaCl concentrations (0, 100, and 200 mM) were prepared. Additionally, Zn and ZnO-NPs were administered at four different concentrations (0, 50, 100, and 200 ppm). In this study, plant height (cm), plant weight (g), plant diameter (mm), chlorophyll content (SPAD), K/Na value, Ca/Na value, antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD: EU g−1 leaf; CAT: EU g−1 leaf; POD: EU g−1 leaf), H2O2 (mmol kg−1), MDA (nmol g−1 DW), proline (µg g−1 FW), and sucrose (g L−1), content parameters were measured. XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline structure of ZnO nanoparticles with identified planes. Salinity stress significantly reduced plant metrics and altered ion ratios, while increasing oxidative stress indicators and osmolytes. Conversely, Zn and ZnO-NPs mitigated these effects, reducing oxidative damage and enhancing enzyme activities. This supports Zn’s role in limiting salinity uptake and improving physiological responses in quinoa seedlings, suggesting a promising strategy for enhancing crop resilience. Overall, this study underscores nanomaterials’ potential in sustainable agriculture and stress management.