Response of Jatropha curcas to summer and winter manual pruning under southern African weather conditions. Pollen viability, pollen germination and pollen tube growth in Jatropha curcas - a potential oilseed crop for biodiesel.
JATROPHA CURCAS – A POTENTIAL SEED OIL CROP FOR BIODIESEL
- Common names, taxonomy and botanical description
- Distribution
- Ecology
- Soils and soil fertility
- Rainfall and humidity
- Light and photoperiod
- Water use efficiency
- General uses
- The whole plant
- The fruits and seeds
- The pressed cake
- Medicinal uses
- Plant protection and insecticides
- Oil
- Cultivation and cultural practices
- Propagation, sowing method and spacing
- Fertilization
- Irrigation
- Pruning
- Harvesting
- Post-harvest processes
- Pests and diseases
- Diseases
- Pests
- Yield and economics
- Research and development programmes for Jatropha curcas yield improvement
The key structural events associated with pollen development are: i) The formation of a syncytium of microspore mother cells (MMCs), also called pollen mother cells (PMCs) or meiocytes, in each anther locule, followed by the isolation of each MMC and the resulting microspores encapsulated in a callus wall; . ii) Cytoplasmic reorganization resulting in the degradation of most of the RNA and ribosomes of MMCs, and differentiation of plastids and mitochondria; iii) Release of microspores by the activation of callase; iv) Development of microspores through the synthesis and assembly of RNA, ribosomes and proteins, and redifferentiation of plastids and mitochondria; v) Asymmetric distribution of the microspore; and (vi) Dehydration and dispersal of pollen grains. Pollen tube growth is one of the most essential phenomena in the life cycle of flowering plants (HEPLER et al., 2001).
BIOFUEL AND BIODIESEL
Introduction
The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is increasing as a result of human activity. The transesterification reaction requires a catalyst, usually a strong base such as sodium or potassium hydroxide (SARIN et al., 2007, HANHA et al., 2009).
Biodiesel sources and main biodiesel crops
The most significant difference to algae oil is in the yield and thus its biodiesel yield. According to some estimates, the yield (per ha) of oil from algae is over 200 times the yield from the best performing plant/vegetable (Table 2.2).
Advantages and disadvantages of biodiesel
- Advantages of biodiesel
- Disadvantages of biodiesel as diesel fuel
The specific fuel consumption values for biodiesel are greater than for commercial diesel. The effective efficiency and effective pressure values for commercial diesel fuel are greater than for biodiesel.
Biodiesel vs. petroleum diesel
The reason is that the power produced at low speeds is low and most of the fuel is consumed to overcome engine friction.
Oil properties of Jatropha curcas
Jatropha curcas oil contains more than 75% unsaturated fatty acids, which is reflected in the dark solidity and cloudiness of the oil. The degree of maturity of the fruits at the time of harvesting is said to influence the composition of fatty acids in the oil (ACHTEN, 2008).
Oil extraction
Biodiesel production process from Jatropha curcas
THE STUDY SITE
- Location, planting dates, and plant density
- Meteorological data during the study period
- Irrigation, weeding and mulching
- Pests and diseases
The trial had an irrigation system installed to ensure the survival of the trees during the early establishment period. The first indications of the problem were loss of condition in the trees due to wilting and defoliation.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Weekly follow-up spraying is recommended until there is no sign of the insects (EVERSON AND EVERSON, 2006).
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
GENERAL OVERVIEW
The results showed that a single foliar application of PGRs under field conditions could be an alternative method to MP for increasing the number of lateral branches. The results showed that the pollen of hermaphrodite flowers was less viable compared to that of male flowers.
POLLINATION
- Introduction
- Types of pollen transfer
- Breeding system
- Pollen:ovule ratio
- Mode of pollination
- Anemophily
- Zoophily
- Floral attractants and rewards
- Pollination postulates
- Pollen limitation and supplemental hand pollination
- Pollination efficiency and pollinator effectiveness
- Inbreeding depression
- Honey bees as pollinators
- The potential role of pollination in crop improvement
- Habitat management
- Use of commercially managed pollinators
- Spraying pollinator attractants on target crop
- Introduction of pollinators
- Supplementary pollination
The number of pollen grains produced per ovule of a flower has been reported to reflect the breeding system of the species (CRUDEN, 1977). This approach includes detailed studies on the biology of the pollinator and monitoring its establishment in the new area (SHIVANNA, 2003).
POLLEN BIOLOGY
- Pollen development
- Structure of the pistil
- The stigma
- The style
- Ovary and ovule
- Pollen-pistil interaction
- Pollen viability
- Tests for viability
- Pollen vigour
- Tests for vigour
- In vitro pollen germination and pollen tube growth
- Germination requirements
- Phases of germination and tube growth
- Lag phase
- Pollen tube emergence
- Pollen tube growth
- The role of pollen biotechnology in crop improvement
The FDA evaluates two properties of the pollen: (i) integrity of the plasma membrane of the vegetative cell and (ii) presence of active esterases in the pollen cytoplasm. Simultaneously with the production of this secretion, the growth of the pollen tubes on the obturator resumes.
PLANT HORMONES
- Introduction
- Auxin
- Nature, site of biosynthesis and transport
- Effects of auxins
- Commercial uses of auxins in agriculture
- Cytokinins (CKs)
- Nature, site of biosynthesis and transport
- Effects of cytokinins
- Commercial uses of cytokinins in agriculture
- Growth retardants
- Nature and effects of growth retardants
- Commercial uses of growth retardants
One of the first recorded effects of auxins was the stimulation of fruit set in unpollinated ovaries of Solanaceous plants. Compounds that block the transport of auxin from the ovary to the flower stalk also promote fruit formation.
SMOKE TECHNOLOGY
The role of smoke in horticulture
The growth of woody landscape plants can also be effectively controlled by using the triazole, paclobutrazol and uniconazole (KEEVER et al., 1990). However, many of these species responded well to smoke treatments and are now more readily available for horticultural use (BROWN et al. 1994).
The role of smoke in agriculture
Retention of the germination signal, once the seeds have been exposed to smoke, allows the pretreatment and subsequent storage of seeds before sowing (BAXTER and VAN, STADEN 1994; BROWN and VAN STADEN, 1999). Enhancement of germination by smoke in Australian species has been reported in more than 170 species from 37 families (ROCHE et al., 1997a).
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study site
The experiments
In this study, manual pruning was performed on two-year-old J. curcas plants under summer and winter conditions. The diameter of the crown was determined by measuring the width of the plant shoot using a metal ruler; and. ii) Number of fruits per plant, which was determined by counting the number of harvested fruits from each plant.
Statistical analysis
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
The interpretation of these results is that the yield reduction in both pruning methods may be due to changes in tree size and structure after pruning. These results are also in agreement with KÜDEN and SON (2000), who found that unpruned control apricot plants had higher carbohydrate content compared to pruned plants in the first year.
INTRODUCTION
This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of these proven and widely used PGRs on branching of J.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Shade house experiment
Field experiment
Data analysis
RESULTS
Shade house experiment
Spraying plants with DK (6 mmol l-1) and MH (2 mmol l-1) resulted in a significantly higher number of branches (4.7 and 2.8 respectively) after four months compared to control plants (Figure 4.1E and Figure 4.3C ). A high concentration of DK (8 mmol l-1) and MH (4 mmol l-1) significantly reduced plant height, shoot length and number of leaves after four months compared to the untreated plants (Table 4.3 and Table 4.4, respectively).
Field experiment
Standard error bars (±) with different letter(s) are significantly different from each other according to Tukey's test (P < 0.05). Standard error bars (±) with different letter(s) are significantly different from each other according to Tukey's test (P < 0.05).
DISCUSSION
This positive effect of a low concentration of DK in the field may be associated with the age and maturity of J. Increasing concentrations of DK decreased plant height, shoot length and number of leaves when compared to untreated plants in the shade after four months . In the shade house after four months, MH (4 mmol l-1) suppressed plant height and number of leaves with some growth abnormalities.
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
- Study area
- Study species
- Breeding system
- Pollen limitation
- Pollinator effectiveness
- Inbreeding depression
Flowers in the latter two groups were bagged immediately after handling to prevent pollen contamination by insects. The host insects observed at the study site were honey bees (Apis mellifera), wasps (Bembecinus tridens) and house flies (Musca domestica).
RESULTS
Breeding system
Open-pollinated flowers produced significantly larger and heavier fruits, more seeds per fruit, and heavier seeds compared to bagged flowers (Figure 5.2B-E). There were no significant differences in fruit size, fruit weight, number of seeds per fruit and seed weight between cross- and self-pollinated flowers (Figure 5.2B-E).
Pollinator effectiveness
Inbreeding depression
Inbreeding depression values (δ) were 1 – [ws/wo] when self-crossed offspring had lower trait values than outcrossed offspring, and [wo/ws] – 1 when trait values of self-crossed plants were higher than those of outcrossed individuals.
DISCUSSION
However, there were no significant differences between inbred and outbred offspring in other traits assessed for evidence of inbreeding depression. The survival advantage of outcross offspring is probably related to the fact that self-fertilized offspring have less viable embryos than outcross offspring due to inbreeding depression (DEGANI et al., 2003).
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
- Study species
- Study site and plant materials
- Pollen viability tests
- In vitro pollen germination
- In vivo pollen germination and pollen tube growth
Pollen grains were considered germinated when the length of the pollen tube was greater than the diameter of the pollen grain (TUINSTRA and WEDEL, 2000). Percent germination was determined by dividing the number of germinated pollen grains per field of view by the total number of pollen grains per field of view and expressed as a percentage and normalized using an angular transformation (KEARNS and INOUYE, 1993).
RESULTS
Pollen viability test
In vitro pollen germination and pollen tube growth
- Pollen germination
- Pollen tube growth
Means ± S.E followed by the same letters are not significantly different from each other at P <. Pollen from hermaphrodite flowers had shorter pollen tubes compared to that from male flowers.
In vivo pollen germination and pollen tube growth
In both A and B (Stage 1-5) there are developmental stages within 0─8 hours after pollination (HAP), (Stage 1) germination of pollen on the stigma, (Stage 2─3) a large number of pollen germinated on the stigma papillae and produced a pollen tube that grew into the stylar canal (arrows), (Stage 4) the pollen tube had entered the ovary, (Stage 5) the pollen tube had entered the embryo, (Stage 6) developing embryo 72 HAP.
DISCUSSION
The average number of pollen tubes in the style was only slightly higher in the cross than in the self pollination treatments, indicating that there was no defect in the elongation of the pollen tube in the style (Figure 6.6C). However, at 6 HAP, the mean pollen tube length and growth rate were higher in the cross- compared to the self-pollinated flowers (Figures 6.6A and 6.6B).
INTRODUCTION
7 Influence of plant growth regulators on flower, fruit, seed oil content and oil quality of Jatropha curcas. This study reports on the subsequent effects, after one year, of foliar application of these PGRs and MP on flower, fruit set, fruit characteristics, seed total oil content and FFA (free fatty acid content) in two-year-old plants of J.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study site and the experiment design
It has been suggested that application of PGR is often more consistently successful in promoting flowering than treatment with culture (PHILIPSON, 1990).
Extraction of oil
Oil analysis
RESULTS
- Benzyladenine
- Triiodobenzoic acid
- Dikegulac
- Maleic hydrazide
- Oil analysis
DK at lower concentration (4 mmol l-1) produced significantly higher seed oil content compared to control and MP treatment (Figure 7.8E). Table, 7.4 Effect of MH (maleic hydrazide), one year after foliar application, and MP (manual pruning), on number of flowers/plant, percentage of fruit set and number of fruits per bunch in biennial plants of Jatropha curcas.
DISCUSSION
Also, no significant differences were found between treatments in number of seeds per fruit and seed weight (Figure 7.4C and D). The results showed that the number of flowers per plant was significantly increased by 1 mmol l-1 MH compared to the control treatment and MP (Table 7.4).
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
- Seed source
- Viability test
- Moisture content
- Imbibition
- Germination tests
- Aerosol smoke
- Smoke solution, nitrogen salts and plant growth regulators
- Seedling growth
- Data analysis
After three months, seedling growth parameters such as mass, the number of leaves, stem width, stem length, root length, leaf area (LA) and vigor index (VI) were measured. However, the number of roots was not taken into account for the growth characteristic measurements because the plant has a constant number of roots (one taproot with four lateral roots) (HELLER, 1996).
RESULTS
Seed viability, moisture content and imbibition
Germination
Seedling growth and vigour
- Smoke water (SW)
- Potassium nitrate
- Indole-3-butyric acid
- Naphthalene acetic acid
Potassium nitrate at a concentration of 10-5 M produced significantly heavier seedlings with wider stems, longer roots and a higher vigor index compared to untreated controls of intact and dehulled seeds, respectively (Figure 8.5A, D, E and G). . Indole-3-butyric acid produced significantly thicker stems than the untreated control treatments of intact and dehulled seeds, respectively, at all concentrations used (Figure 8.6D).
DISCUSSION
The results show that KNO3 at a concentration of 10-5 M produced significantly heavier seedlings with wider stems, longer roots and a higher vigor index (Figure 8.5A, D, E and G). NAA at 10-5 and 10-6 M resulted in significantly heavier seedlings with longer stems, wider stems, longer roots and a higher vigor index compared to the control treatments (Figure 8.7A, B, D, E and G).
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS
Some of these improvements should be in the area of shortening the harvest season to reduce harvest costs; The importance of the obturator in controlling the entry of pollen tubes into the fruiting body in peach (Prunus persica).
