• Energy Research

Nitrogen is a vital nutrient for agricultural, and a defieciency of it causes stagnate cotton growth and yield penalty. Farmers rely heavily on N over-application to boost cotton output, which can result in decreased lint yield, quality, and N use efficiency (NUE). Therefore, improving NUE in cotton is most crucial for reducing environmental nitrate pollution and increasing farm profitability. Well-defined management practices, such as the type of sources, N-rate, application time, application method, crop growth stages, and genotypes, have a notable impact on NUE. Different N formulations, such as slow and controlled released fertilizers, have been shown to improve N uptake and, NUE. Increasing N rates are said to boost cotton yield, although high rates may potentially impair the yield depending on the soil and environmental conditions. This study comprehensively reviews various factors including agronomic and environmental constraints that influence N uptake, transport, accumulation, and ultimately NUE in cotton. Furthermore, we explore several agronomic and molecular approaches to enhance efficiency for better N uptake and utilization in cotton. Finally, this objective of this review to highlight a comprehensive view on enhancement of NUE in cotton and could be useful for understanding the physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanism of N in cotton.

L'avoine est une culture à double usage utilisée à la fois pour l'alimentation humaine et animale. L'objectif de ce travail est de caractériser les variétés d'avoine pour leur diversité génétique en termes de rendement, de traits physiques et de composition nutritionnelle, dans le but d'identifier des variétés parentes potentielles pour des programmes de sélection visant à développer de nouvelles variétés d'avoine pour une alimentation améliorée du bétail et diverses applications industrielles. Effectuer des analyses chimiques pour les fractions de protéines et de glucides, l'énergie et les nutriments digestibles estimés, des analyses stastiques effectuées pour évaluer les variations génétiques des traits parmi les vaillants. Une variation génétique significative (p<0,05) du rendement en grains, de la densité des grains, du pourcentage de tamisage, des protéines brutes, de l'extrait d'éther, des fibres détergentes neutres et acides, de la cellulose, de la lignine, de l'azote insoluble détergent neutre et acide a été observée dans les grains de huit variétés d'avoine. Toutes les fractions protéiques présentaient des différences significatives (p<0,05). La teneur totale en glucides variait significativement (p<0,05) de 73 % à 79 %. Les grains contenaient des niveaux plus élevés d'amidon et de pectine moyennement dégradables (54,12-60,16 %) par rapport à la paroi cellulaire lentement dégradable (26-33 %), à la paroi cellulaire liée à la lignine (6-10 %) et aux sucres rapidement dégradables (2-8 %). Une variation significative (p<0,05) a été observée en termes d'énergie brute, d'énergie digestible, d'énergie métabolisable, d'énergie nette pour l'entretien et la lactation d'environ (2 Mcal/kg de matière sèche), de gain (1,6-1,8 Mcal/kg de matière sèche), de nutriments digestibles totaux, de matière sèche digestible, de protéines dégradables du rumen et de nutriments digestibles totaux liés aux protéines brutes, aux acides gras, aux fibres détergentes neutres et aux glucides non fibreux. La matière organique et l'extrait d'éther étaient positivement associés (p<0,01) aux nutriments digestibles totaux, à l'énergie digestible et métabolisable, à la matière sèche digestible et aux glucides non fibreux véritablement digestibles, tandis que les fibres détergentes neutres et acides et la cellulose présentaient une corrélation négative. La recherche montre que les variétés d'avoine varient considérablement en termes de rendement, de caractéristiques physiques et de contenu nutritionnel, offrant un potentiel de sélection de meilleures variétés pour l'alimentation animale et les utilisations industrielles. La avena es un cultivo de doble propósito utilizado tanto para alimentos como para piensos para animales. El objetivo de este trabajo es caracterizar las variedades de avena por su diversidad genética en rendimiento, rasgos físicos y composición nutricional, con el objetivo de identificar posibles variedades madre para programas de mejoramiento para desarrollar nuevas variedades de avena para mejorar la alimentación del ganado y diversas aplicaciones industriales. Para realizar el análisis químico de las fracciones de proteínas y carbohidros, la estimación de la energía y los nutrientes digeribles, se realizaron análisis estadísticos para evaluar las variaciones genéticas de los rasgos entre los restos. Se observó una variación genética significativa (p<0.05) para el rendimiento de grano, densidad de grano, porcentaje de tamizado, proteína cruda, extracto de éter, fibra detergente neutra y ácida, celulosa, lignina, nitrógeno insoluble en detergente neutro y ácido en granos de ocho variedades de avena. Todas las fracciones proteicas mostraron diferencias significativas (p<0.05). El contenido total de carbohidratos varió significativamente (p<0.05) del 73% al 79%. Los granos contenían niveles más altos de almidón y pectina degradables de forma intermedia (54.12-60.16%) en comparación con la pared celular degradable lentamente (26-33%), pared celular unida a lignina (6-10%) y azúcares rápidamente degradables (2-8%). Se observó una variación significativa (p<0.05) en términos de energía bruta, energía digerible, energía metabolizable, energía neta para mantenimiento y lactancia de aproximadamente (2 Mcal/kg de materia seca), ganancia (1.6-1.8 Mcal/kg de materia seca), nutrientes digeribles totales, materia seca digerible, proteína degradable del rumen y nutrientes digeribles totales relacionados con proteína bruta, ácido graso, fibra detergente neutra y carbohidratos sin fibra. La materia orgánica y el extracto de éter se asociaron positivamente (p<0,01) con los nutrientes digeribles totales, la energía digerible y metabolizable, la materia seca digerible y los cabohidratos no fibrosos verdaderamente digeribles, mientras que la fibra detergente neutra y ácida y la celulosa mostraron una correlación negativa. La investigación muestra que las variedades de avena varían ampliamente en su rendimiento, características físicas y contenido nutricional, lo que ofrece potencial para obtener mejores variedades tanto para alimentación animal como para usos industriales. Oat is a dual-purpose crop used for both food and feed for animals. The objective of this work is to characterize oat varieties for their genetic diversity in yield, physical traits, and nutritional composition, aiming to identify potential parent varieties for breeding programs to develop new oat varieties for improved livestock feed and diverse industrial applications. To conduct, chemical analysis for protein and carbohydare fractions, energy and digestible nutrient estimated, stastical analyses performed to assess genetic variations for traits among vaieties. Significant genetic variation (p<0.05) for grain yield, grain density, sieving percentage, crude protein, ether extract, neutral and acid detergent fiber, cellulose, lignin, neutral and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen were observed in grains of eight oat varieties. All protein fractions exhibited significant differences (p<0.05). Total carbohydrate content ranged significantly (p<0.05) from 73% to 79%. The grains contained higher levels of intermediately degradable starch and pectin (54.12-60.16%) compared to the slowly degradable cell wall (26-33%), lignin bounded cell wall (6-10%), and rapidly degradable sugars (2-8%). Significant variation (p<0.05) was observed in terms of gross energy, digestible energy, metabolizable energy, net energy for maintenance and lactation about (2 Mcal/kg dry matter), gain (1.6-1.8 Mcal/kg dry matter), total digestible nutrients, digestible dry matter, rumen degradable protein, and total digestible nutrients related to crude protein, fatty acid, neutral detergent fiber, and non-fiber carbohydrate. Organic matter and ether extract were positively associated (p<0.01) with total digestible nutrients, digestible and metabolizable energy, dry matter digestible and truly digestible non fibrous cabohydrates, while neutral and acid detergent fiber and cellulose showed negative correlation. The research shows that oat varieties vary widely in their yield, physical features, and nutritional content, offering potential for breeding better varieties for both animal feed and industrial uses. الشوفان هو محصول مزدوج الغرض يستخدم لكل من الغذاء والعلف للحيوانات. الهدف من هذا العمل هو توصيف أصناف الشوفان لتنوعها الجيني في الغلة والسمات الجسدية والتركيب الغذائي، بهدف تحديد الأصناف الأصلية المحتملة لبرامج التكاثر لتطوير أصناف جديدة من الشوفان لتحسين علف الماشية والتطبيقات الصناعية المتنوعة. إجراء تحليل كيميائي لأجزاء البروتين والكربوهيدرات والطاقة والمغذيات القابلة للهضم المقدرة، وإجراء تحليلات ثابتة لتقييم الاختلافات الجينية للسمات بين الأصناف. لوحظ تباين جيني كبير (p<0.05) لمحصول الحبوب، وكثافة الحبوب، ونسبة النخل، والبروتين الخام، ومستخلص الأثير، وألياف المنظفات المحايدة والحمضية، والسليلوز، واللجنين، والنيتروجين المحايد والمنظفات الحمضية غير القابلة للذوبان في الحبوب من ثمانية أنواع من الشوفان. أظهرت جميع أجزاء البروتين اختلافات كبيرة (p<0.05). تراوح إجمالي محتوى الكربوهيدرات بشكل كبير (p<0.05) من 73 ٪ إلى 79 ٪. تحتوي الحبوب على مستويات أعلى من النشا والبكتين القابلين للتحلل بشكل متوسط (54.12-60.16 ٪) مقارنة بجدار الخلية القابل للتحلل ببطء (26-33 ٪)، وجدار الخلية المحدود بالليغنين (6-10 ٪)، والسكريات سريعة التحلل (2-8 ٪). لوحظ تباين كبير (p<0.05) من حيث الطاقة الإجمالية، والطاقة القابلة للهضم، والطاقة القابلة للاستقلاب، والطاقة الصافية للصيانة والرضاعة حوالي (2 مكال/كجم من المادة الجافة)، والكسب (1.6-1.8 مكال/كجم من المادة الجافة)، ومجموع العناصر الغذائية القابلة للهضم، والمادة الجافة القابلة للهضم، والبروتين القابل للتحلل، ومجموع العناصر الغذائية القابلة للهضم المتعلقة بالبروتين الخام، والأحماض الدهنية، وألياف المنظفات المحايدة، والكربوهيدرات غير الألياف. ارتبطت المادة العضوية ومستخلص الأثير بشكل إيجابي (p<0.01) بالمغذيات الكلية القابلة للهضم، والطاقة القابلة للهضم والاستقلاب، والمادة الجافة القابلة للهضم والكابوهيدرات غير الليفية القابلة للهضم حقًا، في حين أظهرت الألياف المحايدة والمنظفات الحمضية والسليلوز ارتباطًا سلبيًا. يُظهر البحث أن أصناف الشوفان تختلف اختلافًا كبيرًا في إنتاجها وخصائصها الفيزيائية ومحتواها الغذائي، مما يوفر إمكانية لتربية أصناف أفضل لكل من الأعلاف الحيوانية والاستخدامات الصناعية.

The efficiency with which plants use nutrients to create biomass and/or grain is determined by the interaction of environmental and plant intrinsic factors. The major macronutrients, especially nitrogen (N), limit plant growth and development (1.5–2% of dry biomass) and have a direct impact on global food supply, fertilizer demand, and concern with environmental health. In the present time, the global consumption of N fertilizer is nearly 120 MT (million tons), and the N efficiency ranges from 25 to 50% of applied N. The dynamic range of ideal internal N concentrations is extremely large, necessitating stringent management to ensure that its requirements are met across various categories of developmental and environmental situations. Furthermore, approximately 60 percent of arable land is mineral deficient and/or mineral toxic around the world. The use of chemical fertilizers adds to the cost of production for the farmers and also increases environmental pollution. Therefore, the present study focused on the advancement in fertilizer approaches, comprising the use of biochar, zeolite, and customized nano and bio-fertilizers which had shown to be effective in improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) with lower soil degradation. Consequently, adopting precision farming, crop modeling, and the use of remote sensing technologies such as chlorophyll meters, leaf color charts, etc. assist in reducing the application of N fertilizer. This study also discussed the role of crucial plant attributes such as root structure architecture in improving the uptake and transport of N efficiency. The crosstalk of N with other soil nutrients plays a crucial role in nutrient homeostasis, which is also discussed thoroughly in this analysis. At the end, this review highlights the more efficient and accurate molecular strategies and techniques such as N transporters, transgenes, and omics, which are opening up intriguing possibilities for the detailed investigation of the molecular components that contribute to nitrogen utilization efficiency, thus expanding our knowledge of plant nutrition for future global food security.

Understanding the molecular and physiological mechanisms of trait diversity is crucial for crop improvement to achieve drought adaptation. Root traits such as high biomass and/or deep rootedness are undoubtedly important drought adaptive traits. The major aim of this investigation was to functionally characterize a set of ethyl methane sulfonate‐induced rice mutants for root traits. We report the identification of a high‐root biomass mutant through a novel screening strategy for yield and Δ13C measurements. The high‐root mutant (392‐9‐1) thus identified, had a 66% higher root biomass compared to wild‐type (Nagina‐22). Better maintenance of leaf turgor and carbon assimilation rates resulted in lower drought susceptibility index in 392‐9‐1. Targeted resequencing revealed three non‐synonymous single nucleotide variations in 392‐9‐1 for the genes HOX10, CITRATE SYNTHASE and ZEAXANTHIN EPOXIDASE. Segregation pattern of phenotype and mutant alleles in a single parent backcross F2 population revealed a typical 3:1 segregation for each of the mutant alleles. The number of F2 progeny with root biomass equal to or greater than that of 392‐9‐1 represented approximately one‐third of the population indicating a major role played by HOX10 gene in regulating root growth in rice. Allele‐specific Sanger sequencing in contrasting F2 progenies confirmed the co‐segregation of HOX10 allele with the root biomass. The non‐synonymous mutations in the other two genes did not reveal any specific pattern of co‐segregation with root phenotype, indicating a strong role of HOX10, an upstream transcription factor, in regulating root biomass in rice.

Wheat constitutes pivotal position for ensuring food and nutritional security; however, rapidly rising soil and water salinity pose a serious threat to its production globally. Salinity stress negatively affects the growth and development of wheat leading to diminished grain yield and quality. Wheat plants utilize a range of physiological biochemical and molecular mechanisms to adapt under salinity stress at the cell, tissue as well as whole plant levels to optimize the growth, and yield by off-setting the adverse effects of saline environment. Recently, various adaptation and management strategies have been developed to reduce the deleterious effects of salinity stress to maximize the production and nutritional quality of wheat. This review emphasizes and synthesizes the deleterious effects of salinity stress on wheat yield and quality along with highlighting the adaptation and mitigation strategies for sustainable wheat production to ensure food security of skyrocketing population under changing climate.

Plant growth regulators are naturally biosynthesized chemicals in plants that influence physiological processes. Their synthetic analogous trigger numerous biochemical and physiological processes involved in the growth and development of plants. Nowadays, due to changing climatic scenario, numerous biotic and abiotic stresses hamper seed germination, seedling growth, and plant development leading to a decline in biological and economic yields. However, plant growth regulators (PGRs) can potentially play a fundamental role in regulating plant responses to various abiotic stresses and hence, contribute to plant adaptation under adverse environments. The major effects of abiotic stresses are growth and yield disturbance, and both these effects are directly overseen by the PGRs. Different types of PGRs such as abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), ethylene (ET), and jasmonates (JAs) are connected to boosting the response of plants to multiple stresses. In contrast, PGRs including cytokinins (CKs), gibberellins (GAs), auxin, and relatively novel PGRs such as strigolactones (SLs), and brassinosteroids (BRs) are involved in plant growth and development under normal and stressful environmental conditions. Besides, polyamines and nitric oxide (NO), although not considered as phytohormones, have been included in the current review due to their involvement in the regulation of several plant processes and stress responses. These PGRs are crucial for regulating stress adaptation through the modulates physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes and activation of the defense system, upregulating of transcript levels, transcription factors, metabolism genes, and stress proteins at cellular levels. The current review presents an acumen of the recent progress made on different PGRs to improve plant tolerance to abiotic stress such as heat, drought, salinity, and flood. Moreover, it highlights the research gaps on underlying mechanisms of PGRs biosynthesis under stressed conditions and their potential roles in imparting tolerance against adverse effects of suboptimal growth conditions.

The impact of elevated temperature at the reproductive stage of a crop is one of the critical limitations that influence crop growth and productivity globally. This study was aimed to reveal how sowing time and changing field temperature influence on the regulation of oxidative stress indicators, antioxidant enzymes activity, soluble sugars (SS), and amino acids (AA) in Indian Mustard. The current study was carried out during therabi2017–2018 and 2018–2019 where, five varieties of mustardviz. Pusa Mustard 25 (PM-25) (V1), PM-26 (V2), BPR-541-4 (V3), RH-406 (V4), and Urvashi (V5) were grown under the field conditions on October 30 (normal sowing; S1), November 18 (late sowing; S2) and November 30 (very late sowing; S3) situations. The S1 and S3 plants, at mid-flowering stage, showed a significant variation in accumulation of SS (8.5 and 17.3%), free AA (235.4 and 224.6%), and proline content (118.1 and 133%), respectively, and played a crucial role in the osmotic adjustment under stress. The results showed that S3 sowing, exhibited a significant induction of the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (110.2 and 86.6%) and malondialdehyde (23.5 and 47.5%) concentrations, respectively, which indicated the sign of oxidative stress in plants. Interestingly, the polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase enzyme activities were also significantly increased in S3 plants compared to S1 plants, indicating their significant roles in ameliorating the oxidative stress. Furthermore, the concentration of fatty acid levels such as palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids level also significantly increased in S3 plants, which influenced the seed and oil quality. The study suggests that the late sowing significantly impaired the biochemical mechanisms in Indian mustard. Further, the mustard variety V4 (RH-406) was found to be effective for cultivation as well as environmental stress adoption in Indian soils, and it could be highly useful in breeding for developing heat-tolerant genotypes for ensuring the food security.