A considerable demand for domestically produced vegetable oil prevails, which can be met by expanding cultivation areas and increasing the productivity of oilseed crops in Uzbekistan. The country's demand for vegetable oil is about 450,000-500,000, with only 40% covered locally and the rest imported from Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. The drive for breeding work on safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) and flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) crops results from rapidly growing global demand for vegetable oil. Safflower is one of the most promising oil crops, with a high-yield potential and adaptability to extreme environmental conditions under the rainfed farming system. Flax is also a valuable oilseed and technical crop, and its seeds contain up to 50% of high-quality oil. The subsequent research comprised breeding efforts and morphophysiological assessments of safflower and flax under rainfed conditions in Uzbekistan. The key research includes genotype evaluation based on ecological and geographical origins and varietal forms by agro-biological traits, parental genotype selection for hybridization considering ecological and geographical distances, and adaptation to regional cultivation requirements. As a result of the research, the selection of new high-yielding, oil-rich, and stress-resistant genotypes of the safflower and flax was successful.
The application of entomophages and entomopathogens for biological control of harmful insect pests was the focus of this study, carried out from 2020 to 2024 through field experiments, laboratory analyses, and review of scientific literature in Uzbekistan. In total, four key biological control agents underwent assessment, such as Trichogramma chilonis, Coccinella septempunctata, Beauveria bassiana, and Metarhizium anisopliae, for controlling three major insect pest species (Helicoverpa armigera, Aphis gossypii, and Bemisia tabaci) across Uzbekistan's multiple agroecological zones. The study comprised diverse environmental and cropping systems, including irrigated farmlands, semi-desert regions, and mountain foothills. Field observations revealed the combined application of entomophages and entomopathogens effectively reduced pest populations (by 65%-80%) compared with untreated control. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) confirmed these reductions were significant at the P < 0.05 level. The highest efficacy was notable during spring and early summer, corresponding with peak pest activity in cotton and vegetable crops. In addition to classical biological control methods, the study integrated precision monitoring and environmentally safe pest regulation techniques to enhance sustainability. The results contribute to the understanding of biological pest control ecology and support the development of modern and eco-friendly plant protection strategies in Uzbekistan and other similar agroecosystems.
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is among the most economically important crops worldwide, yet its productivity acquires severe constraints from viral infections, especially the Potato virus X (PVX). This study aimed to develop an optimized double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) for the rapid and reliable diagnosis of PVX in seed and field materials. Virus propagation in Datura stramonium and D. tatula enabled the preparation of purified antigen and polyclonal antiserum in rabbits. Optimization trials established the most effective dilutions for primary (1:2000) and secondary (1:5000) antibodies, achieving approximately 96% sensitivity and 94%-95% specificity. The improved ELISA demonstrated a strong diagnostic performance, ensuring early detection of PVX in potato cultivars grown under Uzbekistan conditions. The application of the test revealed high infection rates (80%-100%) in certain cultivars, whereas others, including Folva, Piskom, and Aureta, showed no infection, indicating their suitability for virus-free breeding. The developed DAS-ELISA provides a cost-effective, rapid, and reproducible diagnostic platform suitable for seed certification, monitoring, and phytosanitary programs. Its integration with RT-PCR and ecosafe vector management can further enhance potato yield stability and strengthen regional plant health protection systems.
Rocambole (Allium scorodoprasum L.), a perennial bulbous vegetable belonging to the family Alliaceae, succeeded in its first-time introduction and examination under Uzbekistan's agro-ecological conditions. The presented study sought to determine the morphological yield and economic efficiency of rocambole line K-24 by comparing it with the local garlic cultivar 'Chidamli.' Field trials conducted from 2016 to 2020 followed standard methods for varietal testing and statistical analysis. Rocambole line K-24 exhibited a longer growth duration (242 days) than garlic (221 days) and showed characteristics of a taller pseudostem (106 cm) and broader leaves (5.0 cm). The average bulb weight of rocambole line K-24 was 106 g with 5-6 cloves, while garlic bulbs averaged 62 g with 13-14 cloves. The rocambole line K-24 yield reached 44.0 t ha(-1), which was 63% higher than the garlic cultivar Chidamli (27.0 t ha(-1)). Rocambole bulbs exhibited excellent marketability (100%) and maintained good storability until February-March. Economic evaluation indicated a net income of USD 2,240 ha(-1) and a profitability rate of 158.7%, highlighting its robust economic viability. Overall, rocambole can be a very promising vegetable crop for Uzbekistan, with significant value for crop diversification and as a genetic resource in breeding programs.
Nerium oleander L. (Apocynaceae), commonly known as oleander and rosebay, is a shrub cultivated worldwide in temperate and subtropical areas as an ornamental and landscaping plant. Oleander has a wide range of both internal and external medicinal uses. In the epidermis section, the stomata scattering on the lower surface is the type called unifacial, wherein the stomatal type is sunken. Distinguishing it is difficult in the surface view because of the epidermis and cuticle layer thickness. However, one can distinguish it in the cross-section of the leaf, which is an important taxonomic characteristic that separates this species from other species in the genus. The oleander plants varied in the cross-sectional shapes of their stems. Wild oleander plants showed higher contents of phenols, tannins, cardiac glycosides, and saponins than cultivated plants. Leaf extract evaluation serves as inhibitory agents for selected Gram-negative (Acinetobacter baumannii and Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis) pathogenic bacteria isolates. In N. oleander, the antibacterial efficacy of ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts differed among bacterial genera. Both aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts were effective against E. coli; however, they did not show any inhibitory activity against other bacterial strains, such as A. baumannii, S. aureus, and St. faecalis.
The study, conducted in a lath house in the autumn of 2022-2023 at the College of Agriculture, Al-Qasim Green University, Al-Qasim, Iraq, determined the humic acid effect on the vegetative growth of the rosemary plant (Rosmarinus officinalis L.). The experiment included two factors: the first factor was pinching, where half of the plants received pinching and the other half was without pinching. The second factor was adding humic acid at concentrations of 0, 4, and 8 ml/L and spraying with kinetin at concentrations of 0.50 and 100 mg/L. The experiment layout was in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with factorial arrangement (2 x 3 x 3) and three replications. The triple interaction treatment of pinching, humic acid at 0 concentration, and kinetin at 0 concentration gave significant highest values for plant sprouting (29.67 cm). Meanwhile, for the concentration of 50 mg/L, the number of vegetative branches is 5.33 branches plant-1, and the treatments (P1), humic (8 ml/L), and kinetin (50 mg/L) gave the topmost values, significantly affecting the traits, stem diameter (5.98 mm), and the number of leaves (696.00 leaves plant(-1)).
The Prune dwarf virus (PDV), belonging to the family Bromoviridae, represents a significant pathogen affecting sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) production globally. This study aimed to genetically identify PDV in Uzbekistan and determine its influence on sweet cherry fruit's biochemical composition. Leaf and fruit samples collected from symptomatic cherry trees occurred in the Piskent and Chirchik districts, Tashkent Region. Molecular identification employed the use of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with coat protein gene-specific primers. Biochemical analysis of water-soluble vitamins and flavonoids proceeded by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RT-PCR successfully detected PDV in infected samples, amplifying a 381 bp specific fragment. Chlorosis, leaf deformation, and fruit shrinkage were predominant symptoms. HPLC analysis revealed substantial reductions in biologically active compounds: vitamin B2 decreased by 64%, vitamin B12 by 57%, rutin by 82.3%, and gallic acid by 47%. Overall, water-soluble vitamins and flavonoids declined by 64%, respectively. These results demonstrate that PDV severely compromises sweet cherry fruits' nutritional quality and antioxidant properties. The findings underscore the necessity for implementation of virus diagnostic measures and certification of virus-free planting material to sustain cherry production in Uzbekistan.
A factorial experiment succeeded in its conduct on maize (Zea mays L.) using a completely randomized block design with split-plot arrangement in sandy loam. The different organic fertilizers (control treatment, poultry manure at 10 & micro;g ha(-1), and Agri M40 fertilizer at 80 L ha(-1)) received the symbols M0, M1, and M2, respectively. The results showed a significant decrease in sodium and chloride concentrations once adding mycorrhizas for treatments F1 and F2. It has reached 16.56 mmol L-1 and 15.71 mmol L-1, respectively. For chloride concentration, it was 11.68 mmol L-1 and 10.80 mmol L-1, respectively, compared with the control treatment (F0), which achieved 17.12 for sodium and 12.40 mmol L-1. The maize grain yield and nitrogen concentration also increased for the F2 treatment (10.57 & micro;g ha(-1), 1.68%, 0.48%, and 32.22%). The M2 treatment reached 10.92 & micro;g ha(-1 )grain yield, 1.81% N, 0.57% sodium, and 44.07% chloride, compared with the control treatment (10.25 & micro;g ha(-1), 1.58%, 0.41%, and 27.78%, respectively). The M2 treatment was superior to treatment M1 in all previous characteristics. The percentage of root infection with mycorrhizae in treatment M1 was 10.57 & micro;g h(-1), 1.68%, 0.48%, and 32.22%, respectively, and in treatment M2, it was 10.92 & micro;g h(-1), 1.81%, 0.57%, and 44.07%, respectively, versus the control treatment (10.25 & micro;g h(-1), 1.58%, 0.41%, and 27.78%, respectively).
The following study comprised identifying the genes associated with oleic acid through phylogeny tree and correspondence analysis in five cultivars of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L., the number of chromosomes, 2n = 34), carried out at the University of Kerbala, Kerbala, Iraq. Five sunflower cultivars (Argensun, Awess xxxxl, Coban, Agway XL-10, and Royal 2), as selected, had their seeds grown during the first 10 days of October 2024. The genomic DNA extraction from younger plant leaves used test kits, while measuring the concentration and purity of DNA used the NanoDrop ND-1000. The calculation of ratios of genetic dimensions and similarities among the sunflower cultivars also transpired, with the phylogeny tree and correspondence analysis performed using the PAST3 program. The sunflower cultivars exhibited successful DNA extraction, with notable variations in DNA concentration and purity, reflecting the main genetic differences among these genotypes. Since the sunflower genotypes had the highest concentration of DNA, the cultivars Royal-2 and Argensun were ideal for gene amplification and genetic diversity analysis. The Coban cultivar had the highest content of oleic acid, while the Argensun cultivar had the lowest amount of oleic acid.
Medicinal plants utilization as traditional medicines has undergone transfer from generation to generation by the ancestors. The following study aimed to collect information on traditional medicinal plants for maternity care by the Madurese tribe in Mekar Sari Village, Kubu Raya Regency, Indonesia. This research used a descriptive qualitative method with interviews, observation, and documentation to obtain information. Plant samples collection used a purposive sampling technique and informants based on specific criteria with a local traditional healer who uses medicinal plants for maternity care. The study recorded 13 different plant species of medicinal plants belonging to six plant families utilized for maternity care and better health. The medicinal plants, particularly of the family Zingiberaceae, commonly served for healing maternity care wounds, colostrum production, increasing body stamina, and improving appetite. The Madurese community in Mekar Sari Village still utilizes traditional medicines obtained from different plants for maternity care treatment. The application of medicinal plants for maternity care by the community also needs preservation as local knowledge.
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an important oilseed crop, valued for its high-quality edible oil and protein-rich byproducts. Its economic and agricultural significance continues to grow due to increasing demand for vegetable oil and renewable resources worldwide. The following research provides a comprehensive analysis of sunflower biology, agronomy, and genetics, emphasizing traits crucial for its sustainable crop production. The description of sunflower taxonomy, classification, and morpho-biological features succeeded in highlighting its structural diversity and adaptability to diverse agroecological zones. Physiological and agronomic traits, such as growth dynamics, yield potential, and oil composition, attained examination in interaction with environmental factors and cultivation practices. Special attention focused on the sunflower's resistance to major pests and diseases influencing global production. Furthermore, the study reviewed the genetic resources and molecular seed production tools, including marker-assisted selection and genomic mapping, which accelerate the development of improved cultivars with higher yield, better oil quality, and enhanced stress tolerance. The summary of data from national and international genetic collections resulted in tabular form. The findings underline the importance of integrating classical selection with molecular approaches to meet the challenges based on climate change and sustainable agricultural development.
Drought stress is a major constraint in maize (Zea mays L.) production that significantly affects grain yield. Maize hybrids with broad adaptation and environment-specific potential related to water stress will ensure sustainable maize production. The presented study aimed to evaluate the grain yield performance of eight hybrids and two commercial check cultivars of maize under irrigated and drought-stress conditions and the correlation among tolerance indices and identify the stable and high-yielding hybrids. The study was conducted in four different environments, with two each under irrigated and drought-stress conditions, using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Maize genotypes, environments, and genotype-by-environment interactions (GEI) significantly (P < 0.01) affected grain yield. Hybrids experienced a 42.4% yield reduction under drought compared with irrigated conditions. The tolerance indices mean productivity (MP), harmonic mean (HM), geometric mean productivity (GMP), stress tolerance index (STI), yield index (YI), and modified stress tolerance index (K1STI and K2STI) showed significant correlations with grain yield under both environments. Based on the tolerance indices, the drought-tolerant hybrids that included G05 (R0641), G03 (R0211), and G08 (R0020) performed better. GGE biplot analysis identified two mega-environments, where the G06 emerged superior under irrigated conditions and G03 under drought stress, while G05 was stable under both environments.
This study explored the benefits of organo-mineral fertilization to unlock the full potential of 'Golden chestnut soils. The research focused on assessing its effects on tree growth, fruit productivity, and the rhizosphere microbial activity. Field experiments conducted between 2021 and 2025 investigated the effects of various fertilization strategies on 3-4-year-old apple trees grafted on both MM106 and M9 rootstocks. The experimental design included an unfertilized control group, a mineral fertilization treatment (N90P90K90), and several organo-mineral combinations incorporating Agroflorin, Al-Karal, BioSok Energy Plus, and vermicompost. Findings revealed organo-mineral fertilization significantly improved both the yield and quality of apple fruits, alongside enhanced storage performance. Specifically, the apple fruit yield saw a substantial increase of 39%-64% over the control group. Furthermore, soluble sugar and dry matter content rose by up to 1.9% and 1.5%, respectively. In light chestnut soils, a combination of vermicompost and BioSok Energy Plus fertilization delivered exceptional results for apple production. This treatment achieved the highest fruit yield, reaching 29.5 t per hectare, and remarkably extended shelf life to a full six months. Beyond these direct benefits, the fertilization also fostered a healthier soil environment by considerably increasing Azotobacter and Pseudomonas populations in the rhizosphere. This indicates a more robust nutrient cycle and heightened soil biological activity, confirming organo-mineral fertilization as a highly effective and sustainable strategy.
The Indonesian garlic (Allium sativum L.), with small bulbs and cloves, requires improvement. Mutation breeding offers a valuable approach for inducing variability in vegetatively propagated crops. This study aimed to determine the LD(50)and assess the morphological responses of two garlic cultivars, Sangga Sembalun and Lumbu Putih, to gamma rays, ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), and colchicine for identifying effective mutagens for bulbs and cloves' improvement. Gamma rays applied were 0, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 Gy, while EMS and colchicine rates were at 0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6%. Both cultivars differed in germination and growth under mutagenic treatments, with LD(50)values of 9.54 and 11.35 Gy (gamma), 1.19% and 0.67% (EMS), and 1.25% and 3.58% (colchicine) for Sangga Sembalun and Lumbu Putih, respectively. Foliage color was the most responsive trait. Gamma irradiation caused the greatest growth suppression, whereas EMS and colchicine treatments enhanced bulb and clove size by 8.35% and 36.4%, respectively. Putative mutants predominantly appeared at the LD(50)level and served as key genetic resources for developing superior Indonesian garlic cultivars.
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of moringa leaf extract and mineral fertilizer on the growth and yield traits of cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.), carried out during the growing season of 2024 at the University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq. The experiment layout was in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two factors: a) foliar application of moringa leaf extract (M) (0, 5, and 10 ml L-1) and urea fertilizer (U) (0, 4, and 6 g L-1) and three replications, resulting in 27 treatments. The study used hybrid cauliflower seeds (Green Stream). The foliar application of moringa leaf extract and urea fertilization significantly improved the growth parameters, such as head circumference, plant height, the number of leaves, petiole thickness, chlorophyll content, and stem length. Likewise, the treatments enhanced productivity indicators (head weight and total yield) compared with the control treatment. The most effective integrated treatment was the foliar application of moringa extract (10 ml L-1) combined with urea fertilizer (6 g L-1), which resulted in the highest productivity of cabbage.
Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is a tropical plant that originated in South America and later spread to Africa and Asia, including Indonesia. Sulawesi Island in Indonesia is one of the primary production centers of cashew nuts. The insufficient superior planting material is one of the major hindrances in developing cashew nut production in Indonesia. Therefore, the presented research aimed to explore and identify the diversity and kinship of cashew nuts on Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. For cashew characterization and identification, the morphological traits and molecular analysis employed the inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) method. Data analysis on morphological traits phenetically also used the unweighted pair group method (UPGMA) in the multivariate statistical package (MVSP) programs. Polymorphic allele data obtained from ISSRs incurred assessment using the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) with the GenAlEx ver. 6.5 program. The results revealed genetic diversity among cashew populations, and some populations exhibited higher heterozygosity and diversity indices. The clustering pattern disclosed the considerable relationship between specific populations, while others appear isolated, demonstrating genetic divergence resulting from geographical isolation and environmental adaptation. This discovery underscores the importance of conserving populations with high genetic diversity as a potential resource for future breeding.
Lahat Regency, South Sumatra, Indonesia, is home to diverse Durio populations, including the durian Kebau, which has received acclaim as a superior local cultivar. However, molecular data on this cultivar remain limited. This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of durian Kebau compared with other Indonesian durian cultivars using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region analysis. The analyzed ITS sequences totaled 13, comprising newly generated sequences from Kebau and sequences retrieved from the NCBI database, including accessions of Durio zibethinus and Durio sp. Kura-Kura from West Kalimantan. Conducting multiple sequence alignment used ClustalW, with genetic diversity parameters calculated using DnaSP. A haplotype network construction resulted in using PopART, while phylogenetic relationships inferred utilized the maximum likelihood (ML) and neighbor-joining (NJ) methods implemented in MEGA X with 1,000 bootstrap replicates. The analysis revealed high genetic diversity, with pairwise distances ranging from 0.000 to 0.227, yielding 11 distinct haplotypes and 49 parsimony-informative sites. Phylogenetic trees showed the durian Kebau exhibited a close genetic relationship with the D. zibethinus cultivar Monthong and clustered with durians from West Kalimantan. These findings highlight the genetic richness of local durian germplasm and provide data for breeding programs and genetic resource conservation
This study aimed to determine the genetic behavior of three parental cultivars and their six F1 hybrids obtained through full-diallel crosses in cucumber. Variance components, broad-sense heritability, and genotypic, phenotypic, and environmental correlation coefficients underwent estimations for yield-related traits. The results revealed genotypic and phenotypic variances exceeded environmental variance for the studied traits. Broad-sense heritability estimates were high for most traits, indicating a significant genetic influence in trait expression. In the correlation analysis, total yield revealed significant positive genotypic association with early yield per plant (r = 0.642) and branches per plant (r = 0.432). In contrast, the total yield enunciated a notable negative correlation with fruit diameter (r = -0.393) and crust thickness (r = -0.404). Phenotypic correlation mirrored genotypic trends, especially between the total yield and early yield per plant (r = 0.642). In environmental correlation, the number of branches displayed a remarkable positive relationship with dry weight (r = 0.459) and harvest date (r = 0.422). Dry weight also showed a considerable positive correlation with crust thickness (r = 0.575). Additionally, the fruit diameter expressed a positive correlation with total yield (r = 0.551), and peel thickness had a highly significant positive correlation with early yield (r = 0.795).
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) serves as an alternative food crop to rice in addressing food shortages and malnutrition. Breeding programs aimed at increasing yield and biofortification in sorghum require accessions with superior agronomic traits, as well as high iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) contents. This study sought to assess the variation in agronomic characteristics and Fe and Zn contents among Indonesian sorghum germplasm. The genetic materials evaluated consisted of 20 IPB breeding lines, six introduced accessions, five local varieties, and seven national varieties arranged in an augmented design. The observed traits included agronomic characters and grain micronutrient contents (Fe and Zn). Leaf number, green leaf index, days to flowering and maturity, panicle weight, and thousandseed weight exhibited high heritability. Fe content showed the highest broad-sense heritability, whereas Zn content displayed relatively low variation and heritability. All observed traits, except green leaf index and panicle length, revealed a positive correlation with seed weight per panicle. Fe and Zn contents indicated nonsignificant correlations with panicle weight and seed weight per panicle. Based on mean values and heritability estimates, promising germplasm for further development includes national varieties for yield improvement and local varieties for biofortification purposes.
