In this study, plant growth-promoting potential isolates from rhizosphere of 10 weed species grown in heavy metal-contaminated areas were identified and their effect on growth, antioxidant enzymes, and cadmium (Cd) uptake in Arundo donax L. was explored. Plant growth-promoting traits of isolates were also analyzed. These isolates were found to produce siderophores and enzymes such as 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase, and aid in solubilization of mineral nutrients and modulate plant growth and development. Based on the presence of multiple plant growth-promoting traits, isolates were selected for molecular characterization and inoculation studies. Altogether, 58 isolates were obtained and 20% of them were able to tolerate Cd up to 400 ppm. The sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA genes indicates that the isolates belong to the phylum Firmicutes. Bacillus sp. along with mycorrhizae inoculation significantly improves the growth, the activity of antioxidants enzymes, and the Cd uptake in A. donax than Bacillus alone. Highly significant correlations were observed between Cd uptake, enzymatic activities, and plant growth characteristics at 1% level of significance. The synergistic interaction effect between these organisms helps to alleviate Cd effects on soil. Heavy metal-tolerant isolate along with arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) could be used to improve the phytoremedial potential of plants.
Unit level linear mixed models are often used in small area estimation (SAE), and the empirical best linear unbiased prediction (EBLUP) is widely used for the estimation of small area means under such models. However, EBLUP requires population level auxiliary data, atleast area specific aggregated values. Sometimes population level auxiliary data is either not available or not consistent with the survey data. We describe a SAE method that uses estimated population auxiliary information. Empirical results show that proposed method for SAE produces an efficient set of small area estimates.
Smallflower umbrella sedge is one of the problematic weeds in direct-seeded rice in India. Bispyribac-sodium (acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicide) is a commonly used in rice, but recently growers have reported lack of smallflower umbrella sedge control with this herbicide. An extensive survey was carried out in two rice growing states, Chhattisgarh and Kerala, where 53 putative bispyribac-sodium resistant (BR) biotypes were collected. Studies were conducted to confirm resistance to bispyribac-sodium and to test the efficacy of newly developed synthetic auxin herbicide florpyrauxifen-benzyl on putative BR biotypes. Whole-plant bioassay revealed that bispyribac-sodium is no longer effective. Of 53 putative BR biotypes, 17 biotypes survived recommended label rate of 25 g ai ha−1. Effective bispyribac-sodium rate required to control 50% of the plants in most of the BR biotypes (ED50) ranged from 19 to 96 g ha−1 whereas it was 10 g ha−1 in susceptible biotype. In two highly resistant biotypes, ED50 was beyond the maximum tested rate, 200 g ha−1. This suggests 2 to >20-fold resistance in BR biotypes. Acetolactate synthase (ALS) enzyme activity assay suggests altered target site as mechanism of resistance to bispyribac-sodium. This study confirms the first case of evolved resistance in smallflower umbrella sedge for bispyribac-sodium in India. However, the newly developed synthetic auxin, florpyrauxifen-benzyl effectively controlled all BR biotypes at the field use rate 31.25 g ae ha−1.
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