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Isoflavones are phenolic compounds present in soybean and other legumes, which have attracted considerable attention because of various health effects associated with their bioactive properties. From twelve isoflavones known in soybean, nine are present in a glycoside form, whereas health effects are mainly attributed to the aglycones daidzein, genistein and glycitein. While most analytical methods focus either on total isoflavone content before hydrolysis or on isoflavone aglycones after hydrolysis, a two-step analytical procedure using HPLC separation and UV detection has been applied to detect both the isoflavone glycosides naturally present in soybean as well as their aglycones after acid hydrolysis. Five soybean genotypes of early maturity groups have been grown in the east of Austria in two climatically contrasting seasons, and seed samples were analysed for isoflavones. Total isoflavone concentrations of the soybean samples determined before and after hydrolysis ranged from 258–1137 μg/g and from 140–748 μg/g, respectively. For most isoflavones analysed, differences were statistically significant both for genotypes and growing seasons. The results suggest that the analytical procedure applied is useful both for selection of high isoflavone soybean genotypes as well as in quality control, particularly in view of isoflavone bioavailability.
In the European Community, a new variety of an agricultural crop must be submitted for official trials for DUS (Distinctness, Uniformity, Stability) and VCU (Value for Cultivation and Use) before commercialization. The guidelines for these tests are summarized in the European directive 70/457/EU (1970), revised in 2002 (2002/53/EU). At present each EU country has a separate system for VCU testing. The EU directive stipulates that the VCU value must be satisfactory. The term “satisfactory” can be interpreted in different ways, so the level for admission for the same varieties may differ greatly between countries. For the market this can lead to a different assortment of varieties, adapted for the same ecological regions, but distributed over several countries. The different steps, from acceptance of a variety for trials, through the organization, the evaluation of parameters during the growing season, harvest modalities and data processing to the criteria for registration in Belgium are presented in the paper, followed by an analysis of the registration procedure in Belgium in comparison with other countries Thereafter, a proposal is given for harmonization and international cooperation in the VCU testing of varieties adapted to comparable ecological regions of neighbouring countries and with the same crop exploitation and use of the final product. For these varieties it is important that nearly the same rules are used for the registration of VCU value. The basis for successful international cooperation is a good knowledge of the national systems, searching for similarities and finding a solution for differences.
One of the most important diseases of wheat in Turkey is yellow rust. The severe epidemic in the 1997–1998 growing season, which caused significant yield reductions, and the absence of infection at the Hamidiye Substation of the Anatolian Agricultural Research Institute made it possible to calculate the yield losses due to stripe rust. This calculation was based on yield differences between genotypes at infected and disease-free locations using various methods.Using the method suggested by Campbell et al. (1975) the calculated yield loss due to stripe rust varied among genotypes and locations with an overall range of 12.7 to 87.0%.By the second method, entries were divided into five groups according to their Average Coefficients of Infection (ACI) and the yield losses in each group were calculated. Yield reductions when ACI was over 70 reached up to 57.5 % in Regional Yield Trials.In the third method, regression analysis was applied to estimate the effect of ACI on grain yields. A highly significant linear relationship was found between the ACI values of the entries and their grain yields, with an estimate of 21.4 kg/ha yield reduction per unit increase in ACI.
Genetic variability and correlation analysis were studied in 20 accessions of ‘egusi’ melon during two growing seasons. The genotypic correlation coefficients with seed yield were partitioned into direct and indirect effect causes. Heritability in the broad sense ranged from 17% for fruit circumference to 90% for days to germination and flowering in the early season, while in the late season, heritability ranged from 7% for seed weight per fruit to 88% for days to germination. High phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation were recorded for seed yield while days to maturity had the lowest in both seasons. Fruit circumference and fruit weight had significant genotypic and phenotypic correlation with seed yield in the early season, while number of branches per plant, vine length per plant, number of fruits per plant and fruit circumference per plant showed significant genotypic and phenotypic correlation with seed yield in the late season. Environmental correlation coefficients were significant between seed yield and vine length per plant, number of fruits per plant and fruit size per plant. Vine length per plant and fruit circumference per plant had the largest positive direct effect on seed yield. Knowledge of the relationship of these characters with seed yield will aid in the selection of genotypes that have high seed yield, which will also be specific to the two major seasons in the year.
Water stress is one of the most important yield-limiting abiotic factors for dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). This study was conducted 1) to identify the effects of different irrigation scheduling on yield and yield components, 2) to define the number and intervals of irrigation water requirements in dry beans and 3) to compare the performances of two dry bean varieties in different irrigation schedules. The experiments were carried out in the fields of the Anatolian Agricultural Research Institute from 1992 to 1996. Two dry bean cultivars, Yunus90 and Karacasehir90, were used to study the effects of five irrigation schedules (S1: High, S2: Medium, S3: Low, S4: High-Low, S5: Low-High rates of irrigation). The results indicated that year (Y) × irrigation regime (IR) interactions were important for yield and yield components. Karacasehir90 was less affected by water stress than Yunus90 when rainfall was low in the growing season. Differences between irrigation schedules were more distinct when rainfall was low. The highest yield and yield component values were obtained from S1, while the lowest values were obtained from S3 and S4. These results showed that water stress after flowering had the most adverse effect on yield. Thus, it is recommended that farmers use supplemental water chiefly after flowering when water sources are limited.
The space available to plants affects the available resources and hence modifies the growth habits and yield potential of plants. The effect of four seeding densities (250, 500, 750 and 1000 viable seeds/m2) and three row spacings (12, 15 and 20 cm) were evaluated at Morfa Mawr field station at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK during the 1993 and 1994 growing seasons. Number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule, thousand-seed weight and seed yield were examined during the study. Capsule index (CI) and harvest index (HI) were calculated from the observed data. During the first year, capsules per plant, seeds per capsule and capsule index were increased by decreasing the seed density, while the maximum seed yield of 3.9 t/ha was recorded at the highest seed density of 1000 seeds/m2. An increase in row spacing led to an almost linear increase in most of the yield attributes of the crop. During the second year, the response of yield and yield attributes to seeding densities was similar to that recorded during the first year. Seed yield increased with decreasing row spacing, while the rest of the components did not show any consistent response. During the first year, the overall performance and production of the crop was higher than in the second year because of the better weather conditions, with mild temperature and high rainfall during the season.
The effect of irrigation water on the yield and on individual yield components was examined for 19 durum wheat varieties by continually recording weather data and carrying out measurements on the moisture content, temperature, electrical conductivity and tension of the soil. Dry (rain-fed) and irrigated treatments were included in the experiment, which was carried out in the framework of the EU FP7-244374 DROPS project.During the rainless spring of 2011 the soil moisture content of the non-irrigated area dropped to 21–22 vol% and the effect of drought stress was still felt at harvest. The quantity of irrigation water applied during the growing season ensured normal conditions for generative development and a significant difference could be detected between the yield components in the two treatments. The thousand-kernel weight of the varieties was identical in the dry and irrigated plots, but in response to irrigation there was an increase in the number of grains per ear and the grain weight, and an improvement in fertilisation, resulting in higher yields.
GGE biplot analysis is an effective method, based on principal component analysis (PCA), to fully explore multi-environment trials (METs). It allows visual examination of the relationships among the test environments, genotypes and the genotype-by-environment interactions (G×E interaction). The objective of this study was to explore the effect of genotype (G) and the genotype × environment interaction (GEI) on the grain yield of 20 chickpea genotypes under two different rainfed and irrigated environments for 4 consecutive growing seasons (2008–2011). The yield data were analysed using the GGE biplot method. The first mega-environment contained environments E1, E3, E4 and E6, with genotype G17 (X96TH41K4) being the winner; the second mega-environment contained environments E5, E7 and E8, with genotype G12 (X96TH46) being the winner. The E2 environment made up another mega-environment, with G19 (FLIP-82-115) the winner. The mean performance and stability of the genotypes indicated that genotypes G4, G16 and G20 were highly stable with high grain yield.
large-pot model experiments were conducted with maize under greenhouse conditions with the aim of studying the effect of different N fertiliser forms, water supplies and crop residues on the nitrogenous gas production in the rooting zone. Nitrogen fertiliser was applied in the form of KNO3 or NH4Cl. The experiment was done at two soil moisture levels, with or without the incorporation of maize crop residues into the soil, and with or without test plants. Gas traps were placed in the pots at a soil depth of 20 cm. During the growing season, the trapped soil air was analysed for NOx, N2O and N2. Practically the same N amounts evolved in the soil air with both chemical forms of N fertiliser at both soil moisture levels. expressed as a percentage of fertiliser N, the total amount of gaseous N evolved averaged 12.8% and 12.9% in the planted, and 23.8% and 24.3% in the unplanted pots with KNO3 and NH4Cl fertiliser, respectively. Higher soil moisture and the incorporation of crop residues resulted in higher NOx-N and N2O-N ratios within the total gaseous N evolved in the rooting zone.
Current concerns about soil and water quality deterioration, limited possibility of fossil fuels, loss of biodiversity, and in general the viability of rural communities urge to work out methods of sustainable agriculture in the Nyírség region of Hungary. Sustainable agriculture seeks solutions for environmental, economic and agricultural problems at the same time. The aim is to develop new production methods which provide the protection of nature. In sustainable agricultural systems the management of organic matters and, more widely, the whole nutrient management are based on the total self-sufficiency of the farm. The entire cycle of organic matter production and decomposition takes place within the farm boundaries and makes the farm an actual biological system. The rate of metabolism and the organic matter cycle are characteristic features of each farm and define their activity for a long time. Present investigation conducted in Westsik's crop rotation experiment has found a highly significant correlation between organic nitrogen extracted by 0.01 M CaCl 2 solution and potato yield. It has shown that soil organic nitrogen extracted by 0.01 M CaCl 2 solution is a reliable indicator of nitrogen available for mineralization during the growing season. When precise nitrogen fertilizer recommendations are required, the method can supply additional information for environmentally friendly, sustainable agriculture.
