Battery Pot Plants with Magnets and Adjacent Balloon as Substitutes for Light

In a future of clean technologies and innovations, it is important with knowledge of new Power sources in terms of the impact on living plants and surrounding life. Organic battery plants with electric components are constructed and analysed. The purpose is to study how illumination i.e. light energy, can be replaced with electricity and matter. The novelty of the paper is the constructions; namely a Balloon capacitor next to a current amplifier in the lines of a pot battery with a plant that should prosper, and the related analysis. Also certain aspects of small magnetic fields alone are invoked. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2021-02-02-05 Full Text: PDF

Advances in soilless culture of ornamentals

In the production of cut flowers and pot plants there are slow developments towards closed growing systems with recirculation of the surplus nutrient solution. In some countries, such as in The Netherlands, legislation to reduce discharges is a steering factor, as well as the advantages of a disease free start, higher potential production and quality. Crops such as rose and gerbera with less than 10 plants per m2 are now grown in completely closed growing systems and are on their way towards zero liquid discharge. Crops such as freesia, amaryllis and chrysanthemum, are still experimenting with soilless culture systems. Phalaenopsis is the most important pot plant grown in The Netherlands and is on the way towards a closed growing system. This chapter discusses the progress made, key challenges and how they are being overcome.

Formation and survival of in vitro protocormos of Cerrado Orchid of Goiás

The Cerrado has wide plant diversity, including orchids. These plants need symbiosis with fungi for their germination to occur in the wild. In vitro or asbiotic cultivation is an alternative for the production of seedlings of this species. This diversity of orchids makes it much appreciated as pot plants, landscaping, with high commercial value. The objective of this work was to carry out the study for the development of a protocol for the germination and in vitro development of orchids. The experiment was carried out at the LABIOTEC Biotechnology Laboratory of the Federal Institute Goiano Campus Urutaí-GO. Catasetum sp native capsules from Goiás State, containing mature seeds were collected and disinfected in 50% sodium hypochlorite solution for 30 minutes and in laminar flow were washed four times in distilled and autoclaved water. They were then seeded in vitro in 258 mL glass vials containing 30 mL of MS medium enriched with vitamins and 0.0 Tryptone; 1.0; 2.0 and 3.0 g L-1. The pH of the medium was adjusted to 5.2 ± 0.1. The average time for germination and development of the protocorms varied from 3 to 7 days after sowing for the species under study. The dosage of 2.0 g L-1 is efficient for the development and maintenance of in vitro Catasetum protocorms up to 333 days. There was no development of shoot of Catasetum seedlings in any of the evaluated treatments. It was observed that the 3.0 g L-1 Tryptone dosage presented higher rates of fungal and bacterial contamination and oxidation

Effects of ABA on Physiological Characteristics of Tomato under Waterlogging

The effects of waterlogging on antioxidant enzyme activities responses in five different lines, i.e. ABA-deficient mutant (0673) and its control (0535), two ABA over-production transgenic rd29A:NCED1 lines (#2, #7) and Mill. L. cv. New Yorker (WT) were investigated. The waterlogging was mimicked by treating pot plants with flooding. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activity in the leaves were evaluated in all treatments. The results showed that after 7 days waterlogging treatment, the malondialdehyde (MDA) was increased in all plants, especially in LA0673. Compared with the LA0673, #2 and #7 significantly increase the activities of SOD, POD and CAT under waterlogging stress. Therefore, ABA could improve the waterlogging tolerance of tomato by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes under waterlogging stress.

Performance Evaluation of Ferns for Cut Green and Landscape Purpose

Ferns can be used as ground covers, specimen plants and for group, background and border planting in landscape. They can also be used as fillers in bouquets and flower arrangements. Hence, the objective of the study was to evaluate the performance of different fern species and to identify the suitable species for commercial cultivation. Eleven species of ferns belonging to different genera viz., Adiantum tenerum, Asplenium nidus, Asplenium longissimum, Asplenium scolopendrium, Diaplazium acrostichoides, Nephrolepis biserrata ‘furcans’, Nephrolepis exaltata ‘chidisii’, Nephrolepis exaltata, Bostoniensis compacta, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Nephrolepis biserrata miniata and Pteris ensiformis were evaluated for growth pattern and suitability for landscape and commercial uses. Vegetative characters like eplant height and spread were highest in Asplenium nidus and a maximum number of leaves were observed in Adiantum tenerum. Based on growth pattern they were classified under tall, medium and dwarf groups Asplenium nidus and Nephrolepis biserrata miniata were grouped under the tall category. The species which come under medium category are Asplenium longissimum, Diaplazium acrostichoides, Nephrolepis biserrata ‘Furcans’, Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Chidisii’, Nephrolepis exaltata, Bostoniensis compacta, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Pteris ensiformis and Asplenium scolopendrium where as Adiantum tenerum comes under dwarf category. All species evaluated were found to be suitable for pot plants. Nephrolepis biserrata miniata, Nephrolepis biserrata furcans, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Asplenium nidus and Diaplazium acrostichoides can be recommended as houseplants. Nephrolepis biserrata-Miniata, Nephrolepis biserrata furcans and Nephrolepis cordifolia can be used as border plants in landscapes. Nephrolepis exaltata, Bostoniensis compacta, Asplenium longissimum and Pteris ensiformis were observed to be attractive in hanging baskets. Nephrolepis biserrata-Miniata, Nephrolepis exaltata chidisii, Nephrolepis exaltata, Bostoniensis compacta and Diaplazium acrostichoides are suitable for bouquets and flower arrangements.