In this study the application of α-ketol derivative of linolenic acid, KODA, was investigated in terms of root growth, plant development and crop production in response to CaCO 3-imposed high pH (8.5) and drought, two major abiotic stresses for wheat production in Afghanistan. Two spring wheat cultivars, the Japanese cultivar Yumeshiho and a cultivar from Kihara Afghan wheat landraces (KAWLR) with long root (LR-504; KU11202Bb), were used in a CaCO 3 experiment. Another set of spring wheat cultivars, a KAWLR with short root (SR-823; KU7533), a KAWLR with long root (LR-744; KU7453), and a non-Japanese modern cultivar Lalmi-2, were used in the drought experiment. KODA significantly enhanced root elongation in Yumeshiho under CaCO 3-imposed alkalinity conditions. For the drought experiment, KODA significantly increased seed germination in all cultivars. KODA-treated plants had increased root and shoot growth in normal culture conditions and greater recovery from drought, with the greatest root length in Lalmi-2 (43-51%). Interestingly, KODA-treated plants tends to increase production, in terms of an increase in productive tillers, number of grains per spike, and grain weight per plant. The recovery rates for plants that received KODA, in terms of grain weight per plant, were 2.5-3% in Lalmi-2, 13-15% in SR-823, and 11-13% in LR-744. In preliminary investigation, KODA-treated root showed moderate increasement and stability in wheat root expansisn genes under normal culture condition. These KODA-mediated physiological traits could be useful to efficiently uptake water and nutrients, and promote stable production in response to drought and high carbonate alkaline 3 soils worldwide.
To enhance a root trait-based selection program for rain-fed wheat breeding in Afghanistan, we simulated an efficient pre-breeding drought system. Plants were grown in 1 m pipes as control or 2 m pipes to simulate drought conditions soaking ground water up by capillary action supplemented by two different life supporting irrigations from top of the pipes (T1 and T2 droughts). T1 was used for studying genetic diversity in 360 Kihara Afghan wheat landraces (KAWLR). Both drought treatments were used to evaluate root traits in 30 selected genotypes. KAWLR showed large root length variations under T1, categorized as long root (>200 cm; LR), medium root (100–150 cm; MR) and short root (20–100 cm; SR) systems. LR genotypes were more drought resistant in terms of greater plant survivability under T1 and T2 compared with other groups and were capable of adjusting their root biomass partitioning at deepest part of the soil profile. Majority of the LR genotypes originated from predominantly rain-fed provinces, and most of their agronomic traits were strongly correlated with root biomass deep in the soil in response to drought. Three LR genotypes, including the longest root genotype LR-871 (KU7604), are recommended for rain-fed wheat breeding in Afghanistan.
There is a significant interest in cultivation of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) as nutritious food, with the rise in its consumption. Thus, there is a need to compare different low-cost available substrates for its productivity in Afghanistan. In the present study, two substrates wheat straw and tree leaves along with their combination (1:1) as a single substrate were tested based on 10, 20 and 30 grams of spawn (wheat seeds mycelium growth). And the growth rate of fruiting bodies (fresh weight) were used for statistical analysis. When the wheat straw with 30 gr of wheat seeds spawn was used, resulted the highest yield (348 gr/Kg substrate). While the growth of the mushroom showed better result (273 gr/Kg substrate) on mixed substrates with 30 gr of spawn as compared with the third substrates in which consist of tree leaves + 30 gr of wheat seeds growth spawn (111gr/Kg substrate) indicating the lowest yield for P. ostreatus. This study, concluded that the wheat straw substrate had affected significantly positive on fresh weight, and its yield was higher when maximum dose of spawn applied. For the best of our knowledge this is the first study evaluated local substrates for cultivation of the mushroom in Afghanistan.
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