ABSTRACT
The reduction of herbicide use and herbicide-resistant weeds through allelopathy can be a sustainable strategy to combat the concerns of environmental degradation. Allelopathic crop residues carry great potential both as weed suppressers and soil quality enhancers. The influence of sorghum crop residues and water extracts on the weed population, soil enzyme activities, the microbial community, and mung bean crop productivity was investigated in a two-year experiment at the Student Research Farm, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. The experimental treatments comprised two levels of sorghum water extract (10 and 20 L ha-1) and two residue application rates (4 and 6 t ha-1), and no sorghum water extract and residues were used as the control. The results indicated that the incorporation of sorghum water extract and residue resulted in significant changes in weed dynamics and the soil quality indices. Significant reduction in weed density (62%) and in the dry weight of weeds (65%) was observed in T5. After the harvest, better soil quality indices in terms of the microbial population (72-90%) and microbial activity (32-50%) were observed in the rhizosphere (0-15 cm) by the same treatment. After cropping, improved soil properties in terms of available potassium, available phosphorus soil organic matter, and total nitrogen were higher after the treatment of residue was incorporated, i.e., 52-65%, 29-45%, 62-84%, and 59-91%, respectively. In the case of soil enzymes, alkaline phosphatase and dehydrogenase levels in the soil were 35-41% and 52-77% higher, respectively. However, residue incorporation at 6 t ha-1 had the greatest effect in improving the soil quality indices, mung bean productivity, and reduction of weed density. In conclusion, the incorporation of 6 t ha-1 sorghum residues may be opted to improve soil quality indices, suppress weeds, harvest a better seed yield (37%), and achieve higher profitability (306 $ ha-1) by weed suppression, yield, and rhizospheric properties of spring-planted mung beans. This strategy can provide a probable substitute for instigating sustainable weed control and significant improvement of soil properties in the mung bean crop, which can be a part of eco-friendly and sustainable agriculture.
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to rigorously investigate and integrate the underlying hypothesis that an enhancing effect of gibberellic acid (GA3, 3 µM) with increased growth actually leads to a modification of the physiological role of polyamines during salinity stress (NaCl, 100 mM) in fennel. These analyses concern both reserve tissues (cotyledons) and embryonic axes in growth. Physiological results indicate a restriction of germination, growth, mineral nutrition and damages to membranes of salt-treated seedlings. This was partially attenuated in seedlings treated with an interaction effect of GA3 and NaCl. Peroxidase and catalase activities showed a reduction or an augmentation according to the treatments and organs. The three main polyamines (PA): putrescine, spermidine and spermine were elevated in the salt-treated seedlings. Meanwhile, GA3 seed priming was extremely efficient in reducing PA levels in salt-stressed seedlings compared to the control. Response of PA genes to salinity was variable. Up-regulation was noted for SPMS1, ODC1, and ADC1 in hypocotyls and cotyledons (H + C) and down-regulation for SAMDC1 in the radicle. Interaction of salt/GA3 treatment showed different responses, only ODC1 in (H + C) and ADC1 in both radicle and (H + C) were overexpressed. Concerning other genes, no change in mRNA abundance was observed in both organs compared to the salt-treated seedlings. From these results, it could be inferred that the fennel seedlings were NaCl sensitive. This sensitivity was mitigated when GA3 applied for seed priming and applied in combination with NaCl, which resulted in a reduction of the PA content. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-022-01140-4.
ABSTRACT
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s12298-022-01140-4.].
