text:
Influence of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi, rice-husk-drived biochar and compost on dry matter yield, nutrients uptake and secondary metabolites responses of Iranian borage Echium amoenum Fisch & C. A. Mey
Einfluss vesikulär-arbuskulärer Mykorrhiza, Biochar aus Resisspreu und Biokompost auf Ertrag, Nährstoffaufnahme und sekundäre Inhaltstoffe von iranischem Gurkenkraut (Echium amoneum; Fisch & C. A. Mey)
Journal für Kulturpflanzen, 70 (12). S. 329–341, 2018, ISSN 1867-0911, DOI: 10.1399/JfK.2018.12.01, Verlag Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart
This study was carried out to investigate the effect of bio-fertilizers including mycorrhiza (MY), rice husk compost (RHC), and biochar (RHB) on dry matter yield, nutrients uptake and some secondary metabolites of the medicinal plant Echium amoenum Fisch & C. A. Mey. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design and executed with six treatments and six replications. Treatments comprised of T1: control, T2: MY, T3: RHC, T4: RHB, T5: RHC+MY and T6: RHB+MY. The following parameters were studied: leaf dry weight, macro and micro nutrient uptake, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, proline, anthocyanin, flavonoid, mucilage and carbohydrate content. The results show that application of RHC, RHB and MY individually or in combination significantly affected the studied parameters in comparison with the control treatment. In all cases, combined application of bio-fertilizers together with mycorrhiza application (T5 and T6) had a more positive impact on the studied parameters compared to the application of each treatment alone.
Key words: Bio-fertilizers, Nutrient uptake, Dry matter yield, Secondary metabolites
In einem Gewächshausversuch wurde der Einfluss von Bio-Düngern wie vesikulär-arbuskulärer Mykorrhiza, Biochar aus Reisspreu und Biokompost auf Ertrag, Nährstoffaufnahme und sekundäre Inhaltstoffe der Medizinalpflanze Echium amoneum; Fisch & C. A. Mey (iranisches Gurkenkraut) geprüft. Die Varianten waren komplett randomisiert. Alle Behandlungen zeigten signifikante Effekte auf Trockenmasse, Nährstoffaufnahme und Gehalte an Chlorophyll, Carotinoiden, Prolin, Anthocyanen, Flavonoiden, Schleimstoffen und Kohlenhydraten.
Stichwörter: Bio-Dünger, Nährstoffaufnahme, Sekundärstoffwechsel, Biochar, Gurkenkraut
Nowadays, one third of human demands for medicines is obtained from plants (Agatonovic-Kustrin et al., 2015). Medicinal plants are used for different purposes. In general, products derived from secondary metabolites are responsible for the impact of medicinal plants. (Cabello et al., 2005). Medicinal plants cultivation has been increased during the last two decades across the world (Salehi et al., 2016) because of their great importance in modern and traditional medicine. They are also used as raw materials for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and fragrance industries (Karthikeyan et al., 2009). The amount of effective ingredients and chemical characteristics of medicinal plants is highly depended on the yield of these plants and is also affected by the nutritional status and fertility of the soils (Raei and Alami-Milani, 2014). A fertile soil must contain the required amounts and an optimal combination of minerals, organic, macro and micro elements needed for these plants (Karlen et al., 1997). Environmental impacts of chemical fertilizers and also expenses of their production lead to increase in tendering toward application of bio-fertilizers (Kannayan, 2002). The use of bio-fertilizers has long been recognized as an effective measure of improving the structure and fertility of the soils (Follet et al., 1981). The content of soil organic matter is generally one of the most important criteria of soil quality and is influencing the processes occurring in the soil and many soil properties (Cercioglu et al., 2014). Adding compost to agricultural soils, as a soil conditioner and an organic fertilizer has beneficial effects on crop development and yield by improving soil physicochemical and biological properties (Agegnehu et al., 2016; Cercioglu et al., 2014). There are numerous studies illustrating that using organic matter has a positive effect in cultivation of medicinal plants (Raei and Alami-Milani, 2014). The conducted research showed a significant improvement in yield and chemical composition of medicinal plants grown on soils treated with compost (Hendawy and Khalid, 2011). Also, biochar as an organic substrate has drawn a lot of international attention as a useful organic material, which can improve the status of soil fertility (Lehmann et al., 2006). It can enhance and improve the physical and chemical properties of soils, increase microbial activity, reduce nutrient leaching, and alter nutrient availability, thus contributing to improve plant growth conditions (Egamberdieva et al., 2016). Studies on medicinal plants indicate that application of biochar not only promotes growth of these plants but also significantly affects plant chemical compositions via an enhancement in plant nutritional status (Amei et al., 2016). One further method in organic cultivation of medicinal plants is mycorrhization. Mycorrhizal fungi are beneficial microorganisms and hence, have been considered as bio-fertilizer (Raei and Alami-Milani, 2014). The improved productivity of inoculated plants was attributed to enhanced uptake of immobile nutrients such as phosphorus, zinc and copper (Karthikeyan et al., 2009). Results of different studies have documented that mycorrhizal inoculation caused an increase in yield of chemical compositions value of medicinal plants in comparison with non-inoculated plants. In fact, also observed improvements of secondary metabolites may be due to an enhancement of nutrients uptake caused by mycorrhization (Zolfaghari et al., 2013; Kumar et al., 2015). Iranian borage (Echium amoenum Fisch & C. A. Mey.) from the plant family Boraginaceae is a wild annual herb and known as a valuable medicinal plant native to Iran and Syria and was therefore selected for this experiment (Mehrbani et al., 2005). The usable parts of borage (as medicinal plant) are petals and leaves which have been advocated for a variety of effects such as demulcent, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, especially for common cold, anxiolytic, sedative and other psychiatric symptoms (Morteza-Semnani and Saeedi, 2013). The leaves are glazed and contain a lot of vitamin C. The brewed leaves are useful for respiratory tract discomforts. The leaves can be used either raw in the salad or cooked like spinach (MIRAJ and KIANI, 2016). To increase knowledge on the impact of mycorrhization and organic substrates on medicinal plants this study was aimed to determine the effect of rice husk compost, rice husk biochar and mycorrhization on nutrients status and chemical composition including some secondary metabolites of Iranian borage of E. amoenum.
A completely randomized experimental design was carried out with six treatments and six replications in order to investigate the effect of rice husk compost (RHC), rice husk biochar (RHB) and mycorrhiza (MY) on dry matter yield, nutritional status and some secondary metabolites of E. amoenum. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse located at the college of agriculture, Shiraz University, Iran from January to August 2017. The daily temperature was 25–27°C and 16–17°C during the night. A silty loam soil was collected from the top layer (0–30 cm) of a field located at the experimental station of the college of agriculture. RHB was prepared from the rice husk provided from the experimental station using a laboratory furnace under limited oxygen supply at 600°C for 4 h. Previous studies indicated that a procedure at higher temperatures resulted in a higher C content (Liang et al., 2016). In addition, with increasing temperature the ash and fixed C contents increased but a reduction in the content of volatile materials was observed (TAG et al., 2016). To provide RHC, rice husk was composted under aerobic conditions in the greenhouse for 2 months. Claroideoglomus etunicatum* was used to create a mycorrhizal system. Treatments comprised of T1: control, T2: MY, T3: RHC, T4: RHB, T5: RHC + MY and T6: RHB + MY. Five kg pots were used and filled by treated soil. 1% organic matter (OM) was applied for both RHC and RHB (50 g OM per 5 kg soil).
Mycorrhizal infection was done by adding 100 g of C. etunicatum inoculum (800 spores, root colonization of 75%) into the top layer of soil (3–5 cm) before sowing. Two seeds were planted into the pots. Plants were irrigated by distilled water daily and the required nutrients were added based on the soil testing results (150 mg/kg N derived by urea, 5 mg/kg Fe derived by sequoestrine, 5 mg/kg Zn derived by Zn2So4 and 2.5 mg/kg Cu derived by Cu2So4). Some of the soil and organic substrates properties are given in Table 1 and 2. Plants were harvested 7 months after emergence and shoots and roots were separated and were cleaned by dipping them in water 2 to 3 times till the adhering soil particles were removed. To perform plant analysis, the leaf samples were transported into the laboratory and were dried in an oven at 65°C for 48 h. To measure mucilage and flavonoid content in leaf material, the powdered samples were needed. The investigated plant parameters comprised of the dry matter yield of plant leaves, plant nutrition analysis and some secondary metabolites. Also a chinese mountaineer was used to grind the fresh sample for measuring chlorophyll pigments, proline, anthocyanin and carbohydrate.
Table 1. Some physicochemical properties of the examined soil (0–30 cm)
T: Total value, A: Available value, EC: Electrical Conductivity, OM: Organic Matter and CCE: Calcium Carbonate Equivalent
Table 2. Some properties of the applied organic fertilizers
RHC: rice husk compost, RHB: rice husk biochar and T: Total value.
The biomass of leaves was washed thoroughly to remove all the adhering soil particles in running tap water and gently pressed in folds of filter paper to remove excess moisture. The samples were wrapped in paper and placed in hot air oven at 65°C for 48 h. After 48 h, the plant parts were removed, cooled in desiccators and weighed to record dry weight.
To measure P, K, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn, the powdered samples were needed to be ashed so they were combusted in a muffle furnace at 550°C over 2 h. EC and pH of compost and biochar were determined in a 1:10 ratio of water and organic matter (Gillman and Sumpter, 1986). Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn contents of the plant samples, RHC and RHB were estimated by dry ashing and dissolving the ashed samples in 2N HCl and using atomic absorption (Chapman and Pratt, 1961). Total concentration of N in plant samples, RHC and RHB were measured by Kjeldahl (Bremner, 1996). Total P in plant samples, RHC and RHB were determined by Vanadate-Molybdate yellow method, where phosphate ions react with vanadate-molybdate reagent to form a yellow dye. The measurement wavelength was 435 nm using a spectrophotometer (Chapman and Pratt, 1961). Total K was determined by the flame photometer in the extraction of the dry ash method (Chapman and Pratt, 1961). Ash content of RHB and RHC was measured by standard ASTMD-2866 method on weight basis, where 1.0 g of oven-dried RHB and RHC was briefly heated at 600°C overnight, cooled and weighed again (Rajkovich et al., 2012).
One gram of fresh leaf sample was finely cut and gently mixed with a clean pestle and mortar. To this homogenized leaf material, 20 ml of 80% acetone and 0.5 g MgCO3 powder was added. The materials were further grind gently. The sample was then put into a refrigerator at 4°C for 4 hours. Thereafter, the sample was centrifuged at 500 rpm**for 5 min. The supernatant was transferred to 100 ml volumetric flak. The final volume was made up to 100 ml with addition of 80% acetone. The color absorbance of the solution was estimated by a spectrophotometer using 645, 663 and 470 nm wavelength against the solvent. Acetone (80%) was used as a blank. The solution mixture was analyzed for chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoids content in the spectrophotometer. The pigments were expressed as mg per g fresh leaf (Porra et al., 1989). The equation used for the quantification of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids are:
Chl a = (11.75×A 662.6) – (2.35×A 645.6)
Chl b = (18.61×A 645.6) – (3.96× A 662.6)
Carotenoids = (1000 A 470 – 1.82 Chl a –85.02 Chl b)/198
“A” is absorbance by spectrophotometer.
Proline accumulation was determined by extracting fresh samples in 3% sulfosalicylic acid. The extract was heated in a water bath for 10 min and then filtered through filter paper. Two ml of the extract was mixed into 6 ml assay media containing 2 ml ninhydrin solution and 2 ml acetic acid. After that, all samples were incubated at 100°C for 30 min and cooled at room temperature. The colored product was extracted by adding 4 ml toluene. Finally, absorbance of organic layer was measured at 520 nm. Toluene was used as blank. Amount of proline was reported as micromole per g fresh weight (μmol g–1 fw) (Bates et al., 1973).
Where M is proline content obtained from the standard curve, T is 4 ml of the added toluene, and W is weight of fresh leaf (0.5 g).
Wanger method (1979) was used to measure the amount of anthocyanin in leaves. 0.5 g of fresh leaf was weighted and completely ground in porcelain mortar with some amount of acidic methanol (methanol and hydrochloric acid in a ratio of 99:1%) and the extract was poured into test tubes and put in the dark for 24 h at 25°C. Then the extract was centrifuged for 10 min at 4000 g and the supernatant absorbance was read using a spectrophotometer at 550 nm wavelength. The anthocyanin content was calculated using the following formula:
A = ε b c
Where A is absorbance, ε is molar absorptivity, b is width of the measurement cell and equals to one centimeter and c is concentration in units of molarity.
The aluminum chloride colorimetric method was used to estimate the flavonoids. Dried leaf samples of the plant (10 mg) was extracted by 80% ethanol then a definite volume of solution (0.5 ml) was mixed with 1.5 ml of 95% ethanol, 0.1 ml of 10% aluminum chloride, 0.1 ml of 1 M potassium acetate and 2.8 ml of distilled water. After incubation at room temperature for 30 minutes, the absorbance of the reaction mixture was measured at 415 nm with a UV–VIS spectrophotometer. The amount of 10% aluminum chloride was substituted by the same amount of distilled water in blank. Quercetin was used to make the calibration curve, the reacted flavonoids of the extracts with aluminum chloride was used for the determination of flavonoids content as mg g–1 dry weight of plant leaves (CHANG et al., 2002).
Mucilage extraction was performed by hot extraction method. Briefly, 2 g of dry samples mixed with 10 ml of acidified distilled water (pH = 3.7). Then, 200 ml of distilled water (the same pH as above) was added and blended for 20 min. After separating the waste products using a Buchner funnel, the remaining solution was centrifuged and ethanol 96% was added (4 times the solution volume). The final solution kept at 4°C for 24 h to mucilage precipitation. The precipitate was separated by vacuum filtration using a Buchner funnel and then weighted after drying. The content of mucilage was reported in percent (%) (Hirst and Jones, 1955).
To measure soluble carbohydrate 0.2 g of the leaf fresh tissue with 10 ml of 95% ethanol were put in hot water bath at 80°C for 60 min. One ml of extract was reacted with 1 ml of 0.5% phenol and 5 ml of 98% sulfuric acid. The absorption of each sample was measured at 483 nm with a UV–VIS spectrophotometer. The concentration was determined from a standard table and calculated on a fresh weight basis (μg glucose g–1 fw) (Dubois et al., 1956).
The statistical analysis was performed by the SPSS software and comparison between applied means was done using Duncan’s multiple range tests (DMRT) at the 5% significant level. The figures were drawn by the MS Ecxel software.
Combined or individual application of RHC, RHB and MY significantly increased dry matter yield of Echium leaves compared to the control (P ≤ 0.05). The highest value of leaf dry matter belonged to the RHB + MY treatment (33.2 g pot–1) but was not significantly different from RHC + MY treatment (Fig. 1). Improvement in crop performances are consistent with other findings, which may be attributed to improved availability of nutrients and soil moisture content (Zhang et al., 2016). Based on the data given in Table 3., there was a positive correlation between macro and micronutrient uptake and plant dry matter yield. In addition another experiment showed that organic fertilizers significantly influenced leaf dry matter content, which might be due to the high concentration of nutrients in organic fertilizers (Hosseini Vakili et al., 2015). Further results proved that due to high levels of nutrients, especially nitrogen in organic amendments, vegetative growth and dry matter yield of medicinal plant Plantago psyllium increased (Yadav et al., 2003). Compost treatment significantly increased herb dry matter yield via beneficial effects on soil physicochemical and biological properties and improving nutrients availability (Abdullah et al., 2012). Furthermore, it was described that increased in plant growth and dry matter yield as a result of biochar additions can be attributed to optimization of the availability of plant nutrients (Agegnehu et al., 2016). Based on the results of the present research mycorrhization increased dry matter which is in agreement with those results obtained by other researchers. For example, mycorrhization had a significant effect on dry mass production of Plantago japonica in comparison with non-mycorrhizal treatments (Higo et al., 2010). Similarly, Selvakumar and Thamizhiniyan (2011) illustrated that mycorrhization significantly improved dry matter of Capsicum annuum L., which may be reasoned by the important efficacy of mycorrhization on nutrients availability enhancing growth and biomass. In conformity of our findings Swamy et al. (2016) stated that there was an increase in plant growth and dry matter of medicinal plants inoculated with mycorrhiza compared to non-inoculated plants due to improvement of nutrient uptake.
Fig. 1. Effect of bio fertilizers on leaf dry matter yield content of Echium; Different letters indicate statistical differences between groups according to DMRT at P ≤ 0.05. T1: Control, T2: MY, T3: RHC, T4: RHB, T5: RHC + MY and T6: RHB + MY.
Table 3. Correlation among nutrients uptake, dry matter and secondary metabolites of Echium
. 521 *
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level, *. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level, ns. Correlation is not significant, Mcy: Mucilage, Antcy: Anthocyanin, Chl a: Chlorophyll a, Chl b: Chlorophyll b, Crts: Carotenoids, Pro: Prolin Flvo: Flavonoid, Rdw: Root dry weight, Ldw: Leaf dry weight.
Plant uptake of N, P, and K was significantly affected by separate or combined application of bio-fertilizers (P ≤ 0.05). The highest values were observed in co-application of RHB + MY. Maximum N, P and K uptake in plant were 591.8 58.1 and 620.5 mg pot–1, respectively (Table 4). These findings are in agreement with others reported that bio-fertilizers are able to enhance plant macronutrient uptake (Markus et al., 2008). Zhang et al. (2016), documented that separate or combined application of biochar and compost had a significant influence on plant N, P and K uptake in comparison with inorganic amendments due to the impact of biochar on increasing fertilizer use efficiency and also due to a temporary change in pH which is useful for uptake of lower available nutrients (Amei et al., 2016). It was revealed by Heitkotter and Marschner (2015), that the chemistry of biochar can lead to the retention of K by cation exchange capacity associated with acidic functional groups formed during oxidation process on biochar surfaces, hence, K can be more available for plant. Following organic matter application in soil, more availability of N, P and K was observed for plants in comparison with mineral fertilizer treated plants, which was due to the fact that compost and biochar supplied these nutrients into soil and also improved their availability for plants uptake by reducing the sorption and leaching potential of nutrients (Agegnehu et al., 2015). Additionally, Subramanium et al. (2018) stated that improved status of N uptake in soil induced by organic matter application may be because of more reduction of organic matter compared to the NH3 loss, which usually enhances N uptake. They also reported that the improvement of P and K uptake in plants following compost application was due to the mineralization. Our results are in agreement with other research reports which described that the positive effect of mycorrhization on plant macronutrients uptake is due to the ability of mycorrhiza to translocate nutrients via extending hyphae and increasing root absorbing surface (Zhang et al., 2016). The same results were obtained for micronutrient uptake in plants. Micronutrient uptake in plants was affected by separate or combined application of treatments (P ≤ 0.05). The maximum amounts of micronutrient uptake resulted from co-application of RHB + MY or RHC + MY. The highest values of Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn uptake in plant were 6.90, 0.85, 0.24 and 1.02 mg pot–1, respectively (Table 4). Similar to the other studies` results, through the present experiment there was an enhanced plant essential elements uptake as a result of bio-fertilizers application in soil (Allah Wadhayo et al., 2015). More plant nutrient uptake, particularly microelements, may be due to the organic acids provided as a decomposition product of organic matters (Conversa et al., 2015). With respect to the influence of mycorrhization, our findings are in agreement with that observed by other researchers who reported improved plant nutrient uptake following mycorrhization (Neumann et al., 2009). One reason for high nutrient uptake resulted by mycorrhization might be due to the ability of mycorrhiza to colonize roots completely, which enhances nutrients content by the extraradical mycelium (Kumar et al., 2015). The same conclusion was reported by Briccoli et al. (2015), who studied the effect of mycorrhization and documented an increase in the percentage of Mn translocation to the leaves, from 14 to 22%, which also led to increase photosynthetic activity in the mycorrhizal plants, since Mn is a constitutive element of photosystem II (Enami et al., 2008). Since biochar and compost are derived from biomass, they have high amounts of macronutrients (N, P, and K), and micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn) and enhance nutrient uptake by plants (Agegnehu et al., 2015). Considering this and the results of chemical analysis of compost and biochar in the present study, an enhanced nutrient uptake of plants could be expected.
Table 4. Effect of bio fertilizers on uptake of nutritional elements of the leaf
Micronutrients (mg pot–1)
Macronutrients (mg pot–1)
Means within the same column followed by the same letter indicate non-significant difference according to DMRT (P ≤ 0.05). MY: mycorrhization, RHC: rice husk compost and RHB: rice husk biochar
As expected, addition of organic bio-fertilizers had a positive and significant effect on chlorophyll pigments content including chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b) and carotenoids in comparison with the control (P ≤ 0.01). In case of these parameters the highest values were related to the combination treatments, too. The maximum amount of Chl a, Chl b and carotenoids was observed in combined treatments RHB + MY and were 7.75, 5.85 and 4.90 mg g–1 fw, respectively (Table 5). It has been found that the higher biomass resulted from organic fertilizer addition is because of the positive effects of bio-fertilizer application on chlorophyll pigments content (Agegnehu et al., 2015). As the results of present study showed, there was a positive correlation between N uptake and chlorophyll pigment content; besides N, uptake of other nutrients including K, Fe, Cu, and Mn had a positive correlation with chlorophyll pigments content, too (Table 3). A study conducted by Karanatsidis and Berova (2009) showed that organic N fertilizers significantly influenced the content of Chl a, Chl b and carotenoids because of the fact that nitrogen is a structural element of chlorophyll and affects its formation and accumulation. Furthermore chlorophyll pigments in Matricaria chamomilla L. were found to be significantly increased after vermicompost application in soil in the study of Salehi et al. (2016). According to previous findings, there is a significant correlation between leaf N content and chlorophyll concentration. Leaf chlorophyll content is a good indicator to determine the N status in plants. In general, it can be supposed that vermicompost as an organic fertilizer can increase chlorophyll and carotenoid contents by increasing the amount of N availability for plants. By this, more sunlight can be absorbed, more assimilates can be produced and plant growth and yields can finally be enhanced (Feng et al., 2015). As a result of a carried out experiment, it was documented that inoculating plants with Gigaspora margarita*** led to higher leaf chlorophyll concentrations in non-inoculated plants and chlorophyll pigments concentration significantly increased (Zuccarini, 2007). The reason may be due to the increase in photosynthesis or presence of larger bundle sheath chloroplasts present in inoculated leaves (Devi and Reddy, 2004).
Table 5. The effect of bio fertilizers on the content of chlorophylls and carotenoids (mg g–1 fw)
RHC + MY
RHB + MY
Means within the same column followed by the same letter indicate non-significant difference according to DMRT (P ≤ 0.05). MY: mycorrhization, RHC: rice husk compost and RHB: rice husk biochar.
Data in Fig. 2 show that application of bio-fertilizers separate or combined with mycorrhiza significantly decreased the concentration of proline in comparison with control (P ≤ 0.05). The highest value observed in control was 5.21 μmol g–1 fw, while the lowest proline content belonged to the combined treatment of RHB + MY and was 3.11 μmol g–1 fw. Proline, an amino acid, plays an important role in plants and is essential for plants metabolism (Xue et al., 2009). Numerous studies have shown that the proline content in plants increases under different environmental conditions such as drought, high salinity, heavy metals and oxidative stress (Zahed Chkovari et al., 2015). Proline protects plants from various stresses and helps plants to recover from stress more rapidly via different strategies like affecting plant-water relations followed by maintaining turgidity of cells under stress or increasing the rate of photosynthesis (Shamsul et al., 2012). Regarding to the described results of this experiment with respect to the plant dry matter yield and chlorophyll pigments content, it is clear that bio fertilizers application improved soil physicochemical and biological conditions, enhanced water and nutrient uptake rate and generally decreased in stress conditions. Data shown in Table 3 also revealed that there was a negative correlation among nutrients uptake and chlorophyll pigments with leaf proline concentration. So as expected, the plant proline content decreased by improving soil conditions in terms of both physicochemical and biological properties. With regard to the effect of compost application on proline contents, it was concluded that proline content in Jatropha curcas was reduced by compost addition, which is attributed to the ability of applied compost into the soil to retain plant nutrients that are otherwise washed out (Mazhar et al., 2011). Moreover, Maie Mohsen et al. (2016) illustrated that plants fertilized with vermicompost as an organic matter, had the lowest values of proline content (4.99 and 4.48 mg g–1 fw) compared to unfertilized control plants giving the highest values (9.60 and 8.73 mg g–1 fw). In conformity to our results, it also was documented that mycorrhization led to a decrease in proline content in C. annuum L. (Ruscitti et al., 2011). Our findings are consistent with other studies observing that proline concentrations decreased under non-stress conditions followed by organic and bio-fertilizer application into the soil (Yang et al., 2000; Nanjo et al., 2003).
Fig. 2. Effect of bio-fertilizers on leaf proline content. Different letters indicate statistical differences between groups according to DMRT at P ≤ 0.05. T1: Control, T2: MY, T3: RHC, T4: RHB, T5: RHC + MY and T6; RHB + MY.
Separate or combined application of different bio-fertilizers show a significant effect on the anthocyanin content of plant leaves (P ≤ 0.05). The lowest (4.64%) and the highest (6.39%) values of anthocyanin were observed in control and combined treatment of RHB + MY, respectively (Fig. 3). Application of MY, RHC and RHB individually increased leaf anthocyanin content compared to the control with the percentage of 29.9, 20.0% and 23.0% respectively. However, combined application of bio-fertilizers was more effective and increased the anthocyanin content by 47.0% and 47.1% in RHC + MY and RHB + MY, respectively. Anthocyanins are plant pigments which play relevant roles in plant propagation, plant defense mechanisms, color of fruits and vegetables and there are also evidences proving their benefits in human health (Santos-Buelga et al., 2014). Enhanced nutrient uptake following bio-fertilizer application affect anthocyanin concentration in plant (Shaalan, 2005). The results of the present study demonstrated that the increase in nutrient uptake following bio-fertilizer application had a positive correlation with anthocyanin content in plant (Table 3). It was reported that treated plants with organic fertilizers led to a significant increase in anthocyanin content compared with untreated plants (Elham and Rania, 2015). N-fertilizer application cause to an increase in N uptake by plants and also enhance in expression of the responsible gene for anthocyanin synthesis, hence, it can be expected that anthocyanin content of plant is affected by N-fertilizer application (Yamuangmorn et al., 2018). Considering RHC and RHB as organic-N resources and the role of mycorrhiza in nitrogen availability for plant, it can be concluded that the increased anthocyanin concentration followed by bio-fertilizer application in the present study may be caused by an enhancement in nitrogen uptake rate. Moreover, plant nutritional status especially nitrogen has an important effect on the control of anthocyanin concentrations (Dorais, et al., 2008). In conformity with our results, Lingua et al. (2013) reported that any inoculation with mycorrhiza increases the concentration of anthocyanin in plant. LU et al. (2015) illustrated that mycorrhization significantly boosted anthocyanin accumulation in Dioscorea spp, compared with the control. Indeed, mycorrhization is considered as a kind of microbial stress for plants like pathogens and insects, which lead to increased the concentration of anthocyanins via a defense mechanisms in plants (Hargreaves et al., 2008). Similarly, the results of a study carried out by Hemashenpagam and Selvaraj (2011) demonstrated that mycorrhization may influence the metabolic pathway of anthocyanin in plants by activating the biosynthesis of anthocyanin, thereby influencing the accumulation of anthocyanin.
Fig. 3. Effect of bio fertilizers on leaf anthocyanin content. Different letters indicate statistical differences between groups according to DMRT at P ≤ 0.05. T1: Control, T2: MY, T3: RHC, T4: RHB, T5: RHC + MY and T6; RHB + MY.
Flavonoid content was significantly influenced by organic fertilizers application into the soil (P ≤ 0.05). The lowest (0.51%) and the highest (0.71%) concentrations of leaf flavonoid content was measured in the control and combined treatment of RHB + MY respectively. Combined application of RHC and RHB along with MY were more effective in comparison with separate application and leaf flavonoid concentrations were increased by 37.96% and 39.92% compared to control, respectively (Fig. 4). As bio-fertilizer application can improve soil physicochemical and biological conditions, secondary metabolite concentrations can be affected via an enhanced water and nutrient uptake rate of plants. There was a positive correlation between nutrient uptake, especially N uptake, and flavonoid content (Table 3). These improvements in crop performance are consistent with other studies describing flavonoids as practical indicators of both potential photosynthetic productivity and plant vigor. These are related to the N concentration and serve as a response of crop to N fertilizer application and soil nutrient status (Bozzolo et al., 2017). This clearly demonstrates that flavonoid content is influenced by bio-fertilizer. (Veberic et al., 2005). Similarly, the results of a study showed that application of organic fertilizer (10% N: 10% P2O5: 10% K2O) increased the production of flavonoids in Pumila Benth. (Ibrahim et al., 2013). The examination carried out by Tabaldi et al. (2016) described that, flavonoid contents were significantly affected by addition of poultry manure in the cultivation of Pink Pepper, which was traced back to the high concentration of nitrogen in poultry manure (Jones and Hartely, 1999). In another research the total flavonoid content increased by 26% in leaves of Manihot esculenta in response to vermicompost compared to inorganics fertilizer sources (Nur et al., 2013). Based on the other researchers` results, it was concluded that the concentration of flavonoids increased in all of the inoculated plants with mycorrhiza. In fact, flavonoids play a significant role in how plants interact with organisms and serve as signaling molecules between plants and soil microorganisms. (Francineyde et al., 2014; Hemashenpagam and Selvaraj, 2011). Similarly to our results, it was documented that colonization with mycorrhizal fungi influenced total flavonoid content in plants (Mollavi et al., 2015), which might be due to the efficacy of mycorrhization on production of flavonoids during symbiosis and also by changing the expression of genes involved in biosynthesis of flavonoids (Devi and Reddy, 2002). The results of a study that investigated the impact of mycorrhization on flavonoid concentration demonstrated a significant increase in flavonoid content in Viola tricolor L., which may be because of an improvement in nutrient status induced by mycorrhiza or due to the plant’s systemic defense reaction to inoculation (Zubek et al., 2015). According to what was reported by Zhang et al. (2013), improved formation of flavonoids caused by mycorrhizal inoculation in Ferrea, can be explained by the activity of key-enzymes responsible for flavonoid synthesis. Accumulation of plant secondary metabolites like flavonoids in response to mycorrhization may be attributed to the enhancement in mechanisms such as activation of metabolic routes, production of signaling molecules and alterations in the activity of key-enzymes for the production of these compounds (Riter Netto et al., 2014). Furthermore the increased level of total flavonoids in plants as a results of mycorrhization can be due to the reaction of the plant against mycorrhizal colonization induced by phenolic compound accumulation in plant cells as a plant defense response against microorganisms (Lu et al., 2015).
Fig. 4. Effect of bio fertilizers on plant flavonoid content. Different letters indicate statistical differences between groups according to DMRT at P ≤ 0.05. T1: Control, T2: MY, T3: RHC, T4: RHB, T5: RHC + MY and T6; RHB + MY.
Accumulation of mucilage was significantly (p ≤ 0.01) affected by the studied treatments. Results revealed that combined application of bio-fertilizers was more effective than separate application. The lowest (8.0%) and the highest (11.1%) accumulation of mucilage in plant leaves were related to the control and combination treatment of RHB + MY, respectively. All treatments significantly influenced mucilage content in plant leaves ranging from 12.3% to 39.1% in comparison with the control (Fig. 5). Regarding to the previous results of this experiment and with respect to the effect of bio-fertilizers application, it can be stated that application of bio-fertilizers improved plant nutrient availability which affects secondary metabolite formation. The positive correlation between nutrient uptake, chlorophyll pigments, and mucilage accumulation in plants indicated an effective influence of organic matter application on plant growth and secondary metabolite quantities (Table 3). The most important role of mucilage is to facilitate freezing tolerance and protect plant against water stress via absorbing water from the atmosphere and storing it, hence, the amount of mucilage is considered as a plant healthy factor (Patten et al., 2010). In conformity to our findings, there are numerous studies reporting that mucilage accumulation, as a production of many various plant species will be affected by organic matter application (Raei and Alami-Milani, 2014; Ebrahimi et al., 2010). Moreover, according to the results of an experiment, a significant difference was observed in terms of mucilage concentration between treatments in which the highest mucilage content belonged to the organic fertilizer application (19%) and the lowest content was related to the control (8%) (Mirshekari and Forouzandeh, 2015). Generally, the increased percentage of mucilage followed by organic matter application may be due to different factors such as increased absorption content of nutrients in plant (Bajiya, 1994). On the other hand, a positive effect of mycorrhiza on mucilage percentage in medicinal plants has been reported, which refers to enhanced nutritional status in mycorrhizal plants. (Raei and Weria, 2013). Significant increase in mucilage content following bio-fertilizers application and mycorrhization is in agreement with other studies describing that enhancement in nutrients availability induced by bio-fertilizer addition significantly increased mucilage content. (Hendawy, 2008; Abedini et al., 2015; Khalid and Khalid, 2012).
Fig. 5. Effect of bio fertilizers on plant mucilage accumulation. Different letters indicate statistical differences between groups according to DMRT at P ≤ 0.05. T1: Control, T2: MY, T3: RHC, T4: RHB, T5: RHC + MY and T6; RHB + MY.
Application of bio-fertilizers significantly increased total carbohydrate content compared to the control (P ≤ 0.01). Combined application of bio-fertilizers was more effective than separate application and showed that the highest concentrations of carbohydrate which were 12.3 and 12.0 mg g–1 fw, was measured in the RHB + My and RHC + MY treatments, respectively. The lowest content of total carbohydrate was measured in the control, which was 8 mg g–1 fw (Fig. 6). Our results are in agreement with those of researchers who reported that compost application at different rates improved carbohydrate content (Aminifard et al., 2013; Winter and Davis, 2006). Moreover, it was concluded that carbohydrate percentage increased by using compost, which may be attributed to the positive effect of compost as a source of essential nutrients besides improving their availability (Mazhar et al., 2011). Based on the data presented in Table 3, it can be concluded that there is a positive correlation between chlorophyll pigments and total carbohydrate concentration in plants. El-Quesni et al. (2013) observed a significantly increased total carbohydrates content in leaves of Jatropha followed by bio-fertilizer application, which was due to efficiency of photosynthesis of the plants. In general, the enhanced carbohydrate status of leaves might be due to an increased in chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate coupled with enhanced synthesis of carbohydrate (Elham and Rania, 2015). Following compost application, Abd El-Sabour et al. (1997) reported an improvement in plant efficiency for carbohydrate production via an increase in total chlorophyll formation. In agreement with our findings, there are numerous studies describing the effectiveness of mycorrhization on total carbohydrate content (Raei and Weria, 2013). According to the results of an experiment it was indicated that the measured amount of total carbohydrate in mycorrhizal plants was higher in comparison with non-mycorrhizal plants (Shinde and Manjusha, 2014),which could be due to the mechanisms causing rapid uptake and movement of carbohydrate from fungus to host (Lenin et al., 2010). Furthermore the positive correlation between mycorrhizal association and carbohydrates content in plant can be due to the enhancement of nutrient availability for plants, which positively affect plant secondary metabolite synthesis such as chlorophyll, hormones, vitamins and carbohydrate (Ocampo and Azcon, 1985). Additionally Wu et al. (2011) illustrated that mycorrhization increased plant photosynthetic rate relative to non-mycorrhizal plants, which may have led to higher carbohydrate concentrations in mycorrhizal plants.
Fig. 6. Effect of bio fertilizers on total carbohydrate content. Different letters indicate statistical differences between groups according to DMRT at P ≤ 0.05. T1: Control, T2: MY, T3: RHC, T4: RHB, T5: RHC + MY and T6; RHB + MY.
The findings of the present research revealed that all studied treatments in Echium cultivation significantly affected the amount of leaf dry matter yield, chlorophyll pigment content, proline, anthocyanin, flavonoid, mucilage and carbohydrate concentrations. Bio-fertilizer application significantly influenced the studied parameters via an increase in the levels of NPK and an enhancement in nutrient availability in soil. An important result of this research was the considerable effect of enriched RHC and RHB with mycorrhiza on the studied traits. Combined application of bio-fertilizers with mycorrhiza was superior to separate applications in increasing leaf dry matter yield and all measured parameters. The role of mycorrhization on nutrient uptake rate by plants via creating an elaborate web of hyphae that confines and absorbs nutrients was significant compared to the control. Enhancement of nutrient availability for plants positively affected plant secondary metabolite synthesis. Furthermore mycorrhization may influence the metabolic pathway of anthocyanin in plants and activates the key-enzymes, which are responsible for biosynthesis of secondary metabolite. Our results suggest that RHC, RHB application in combination with MY application improved plant nutrient uptake rate and enhanced growth/yield and plant secondary metabolites status. Further research is needed to determine long-term impacts of these soil conditioners on the secondary metabolite status of medicinal plants.
Abd El-Sabour, M.F., M.A. Abo El-Seoud, M. Rizk, 1997: Physiological and chemical responses of sunflower to the application of previous organic waste composts to sandy soil. Environmental Management and Health 8 (4), 128-132.
Abdullah, A.T., M.S. Hanafy, E.O. El-ghawwas, Z.H. Ali, 2012: Effect of compost and some biofertilizers on growth, yield, essential oil productivity and chemical composition of Rosmarinus officinalis, L. plants. Journal of Horticultural Science and Ornamental Plants 4 (2), 201-214, DOI: 10.5829/idosi.jhsop.2012.4.2.248.
Abedini, T., P. Moradi, A. Hani, 2015: Effect of organic fertilizer and foliar application of humic acid on some quantitative and qualitative yield of Pot marigold. Journal of Novel Applied Sciences 4 (10), 1100-1103.
Agatonovic-Kustrin, S., D. Babazadeh Ortakand, D.W. Morton, A.P. Yusof, 2015: Rapid evaluation andcomparison of natural products and antioxidant activity in calendula, feverfew, and German chamomile extracts. Journal of Chromatography A 13 (1385), 103-10, DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.
Agegnehu, G., A.M. Bass, P.N. Nelson, M.I. Bird, 2016: Benefits of biochar, compost and biochar–compost for soil quality, maize yield and greenhouse gas emissions in a tropical agricultural soil. Science of the Total Environment 543, 295-306.
Agegnehu, G., M.I. Bird, P.N. Nelson, A.M. Bass, 2015: The ameliorating effects of biochar and compost on soil quality and plant growth on a Ferralsol. Soil Research 53 (1), 1–12, DOI: 10.1071/SR14118.
Allah Wadhayo, G., B. Shah faisal, S. Mohammad saleem, G. Rabail, L. Muhammad Siddique, 2015: Impact of rice husk biochar and macronutrient fertilizer on fodder maize and soil properties. International Journal of Biosciences 7 (4), 12-21.
Amei, L., T. Daike, X. Yanci, M. Haibo, 2016: Biochar improved growth of an important medicinal plant (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge) and inhibited its cadmium uptake. Journal of Plant Biology and Soil Health (2), 6.
Aminifard, M., H. Aroiee, M. Azizi, H. Nemati, J. Hawa, 2013: Effect of compost on antioxidant componentsa nd fruit quality of sweet pepper (capsicum annuum L.). Journal of Central European Agriculture 14 (2), 47-56, DOI: /10.5513/JCEA01/14.2.1232.
Bajiya, H.S, 1994: Response of fenugreek to phosphorous and sulfur. M.Sc. Thesis, Rajasthan Agricultural university, Bikaner.
Bates, L.S., R.P. Waldren, I.D. Tear, 1973: Rapid determination of free proline for water-stress studies. Plant and soil 39 (1), 205-207, DOI: 10.1007/BF00018060.
Bozzolo, A., D. Pizzeghello, A. Cardinali, O. Francioso, S. Nardi, 2017: Effects of moderate and high rates of biochar and compost on grapevine growth in a greenhouse experiment. AIMS Agriculture and Food 2 (1), 113-128, DOI: 10.3934/agrfood.2017.1.113.
Bremner, J.M, 1996: Nitrogen total. In: Methods of soil analysis, part 3. Chemical Methods. D. L. SPARKS et al. (Ed.), 085–1122. 3rd ed. Madison, WI: American Society of Agronomy, Inc.
Briccoli, B.C., E. Santilli, L. Lombardo, 2015: Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on growth and on micronutrient and macronutrient uptake and allocation in olive plantlets growing under high total Mn levels. Mycorrhiza 25 (2), 97-108, DOI: 10.1007/s00572-014-0589-0.
Cabello, M., G. Irrazabal, A.M. Bucsinszky, M. Saparrat, S. Schalamuk, 2005: Effect of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Glomus mosseae, and a rock-phosphate-solubilizing fungus, Penicillium thomii, on Mentha piperita growth in a soilless medium. Journal of Basic Microbiology 45 (3), 182-189, DOI: 10.1002/jobm.200410409.
Cercioglu, M., B. Okur, S. Delibacak, A.R. Ongun, 2014: Changes in physical conditions of a coarse textured soil by addition of organic wastes. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 3 (1), 7-12. Doi: 10.18393/ejss.47968.
Chang, C.C., M.H. Yang, H.M. Wen, J.C. Chern, 2002: Estimation of total flavonoid content in propolis by two complementary colorimetric methods. Journal of Food and Drug analysis 10 (3), 178-182.
Chapman, H.D., P.F. Pratt, 1961: In Methods of analysis for soils, plants and waters. Berkeley, California, USA: The University of California’s Division of Agricultural Science.
Conversa, G., A. Bonasia, C. Lazzizera, A. Elia, 2015: Influence of biochar, mycorrhizal inoculation, and fertilizer rate on growth and flowering of Pelargonium (Pelargonium zonale L.) plants. Original Research, DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00429.
Devi, M.C., M.N. Reddy, 2004: Effect of arbuscular mycrrhizal fungi and rhizobium association on chlorophyll content of ground nut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Mycorrhiza news 6 (1), 15-17.
Devi, M.C., M.N. Reddy, 2002: Phenolic acid metabolism of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) plants inoculated with VAM fungus and rhizobium. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation 37 (2), 151-156.
Dorais, M., D.L. Ehre, A.P. Papadopoulos, 2008: Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) health components: from the seed to the consumer. Phytochemistry Reviews 7, 231-250.
Dubois, M., K.A. Gilles, J.K. Hamilton, P.A. Rebers, F. Smith, 1956: Colometric method for determination of sugar and related substances. Analytical Chemistry 28, 350-356.
Ebrahimi, A., P. Moaveni, H. Aliabadi farahani, 2010: Effects of planting dates and compost on mucilage variations in borage (Borago officinalis L.) under different chemical fertilization systems. International Journal for Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Research 1 (5), 58-61.
Egamberdieva, D., S. Wirth, U. Behrendt, E.F. Abd allah, G. Berg, 2016: Biochar treatment resulted in a combined effect on soybean growth promotion and a shift in plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. Frontiers in Microbiology 25 (7), 209, DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00209.
Elham, M.A., M.K. Rania, 2015: Effect of different planting dates and organic fertilizers treatments on growth and yield of Hibiscus Sabaariffa L. plants. Egyptian Journal of Desert Research 65 (1), 153-170.
El-Quesni, F.E.M., Kh. I. Hashish, m. M kandil, A.A.M. Mazher, 2013: Impact of some bio-fertilizers and compost on growth and chemical composition of Jatropha curcas. World Applied Sciences Journal 21 (6), 927-932, DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wasj.2013.21.6.2907.
El-Quesni, F.E.M., S.M. Zaghloul, S.S. Hanan, 2010: Effect of microbien and compost on growth and chemical composition of Schefflera arboricola L. under salt stress. Journal of American Science 6 (10), 1073-1080.
Enami, I., A. Okumura, R. Nagao, 2008: Structures and functions of the extrinsic proteins of photosystem II from different species. Photosynthesis Research 98 (1-3), 349-363, DOI: 10.1007/s11120-008-9343-9.
Feng, W., L. He, H.Y. Zhang, B.B. Guo, Y.J. Zhu, C.Y. Wang, T.C. Gua, 2015: Assessment of plant nitrogen status using chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of the upper leaves in winter wheat. European Journal of Agronomy 64, 78-87, DOI.org/10.1016/j.eja.2014.12.013.
Follet, R., R. Donahue, L. Murphy, 1981: Soil and soil amendments. Prentice-Hall, Inc., New Jersey.
Francineyde, A.S., S.B.S. Fabio, C.M. Leonor, 2014: Biotechnical application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi used in the production of foliar biomolecules in ironwood seedlings Libidibia ferrea (Mart. ex Tul.) L. P. Queiroz var. ferrea. Journal of Medicinal Plant Research 8 (20), 814-819, DOI: 10.5897/JMPR2014.5358.
Gillman, G.P., E.A. Sumpter, 1986: Modification to the compulsive exchange method for measuring exchange characteristics of soils. Australian Journal Soil Researcher 24 (1), 61-66, DOI: 10.1071/SR9860061.
Hargreaves, J.C., M.S. Adl, P.R. Warman, H.P.V. Rupasinghe, 2008: The effects of organic and conventional nutrient amendments on strawberry cultivation: Fruit yield and quality. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 88 (15), 2669-2675.
Heitkotter, J., B. Marschner, 2015: Interactive effects of biochar ageing in soils related to feedstock, pyrolysis temperature, and historic charcoal production. Geoderma 245, 56-64, DOI: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2015.01.012.
Hemashenpagam, N., T. Selvaraj, 2011: Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus and plant growth promoting rhizomicroorganisms (PGPR’s) on medicinal plant Solanum viarum seedlings. Journal of Environment Biology 32 (5), 579-583.
Hendawy, S., A. Khalid, 2011: Effect of chemical and organic fertilizers on yield and essential oil of chamomile flower heads. Medicinal and Aromatic plant science and biology 5(1), 43- 48.
Hendawy, S.F, 2008: Comparative study of organic and mineral fertilization on Plantago arenaria plant. Journal of Applied Sciences Research 4 (5), 500-506.
Higo, M., K. Isobe, D.J. Kang, K. Ujie, R.A. Drijber, R. Ishii, 2010: Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi or crop rotation with mycorrhizal plants improves the growth of maize in limed acid sulfate soil. Plant Production Science 13(1),74-79.
Hirst, E.L., J.K.N. Jones, 1955: The Analysis of Plant Gums and Mucilages: Part of the Modern Methods of Plant Analysis. In H. F. Linskens, K. Paech, B. D. Sanwal and M. V. Tracy (Eds), Pflanzenanal, volume 2 Springer (pp. 275-294).
Hosseni vakili, R., S. Ghanbari, 2015: Comparative examination of the effect of manure and chemical fertilizers on yield and yield components of rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis L.). International Journal of Agronomy and Agricultural Research 6 (2), 29-37.
Hosseini Vakili, R., S. Ghanbari, M. Akbarzadeh, M. Ghasempour, alamdari, S. Golmohammadzadeh, 2015: Effect of organic and chemical fertilizers on dry yield, essential oil and compounds on rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis L.). Biological Forum – An International Journal 7 (1), 773-782.
Ibrahim, M.H., Z.E.J. Hawa, E. Karimi, A. Ghasemzadeh, 2013: Impact of organic and inorganic fertilizers application on the phytochemical and antioxidant activity of Kacip Fatimah (Labisia pumila Benth). Molecules 18 (9), 10973-10988, DOI: 10.3390/molecules180910973.
Jones, C.G., S.E.A. Hartely, 1999: Protein competition model of phenolic allocation. Journal article, Oikos, Rio de Janeiro 86 (1), 27-44.
Kannayan, S., 2002: Biofertilizer for sustainable crop production: Biotechnology of biofertilizers. In S. KANNAYAN (Ed), Narosa Publishing House (pp. 9-49). New Delhi, India.
Karanatsidis, G., M. Berova, 2009: Effect of organic-N fertilizer on growth and some physiological parameters in Pepper plants (Capsicum Annum L.). Journal of Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment 23 (1), 254-257.
Karlen, D.L., M.J. Mausbach, J.W. Doran, R.G. Cline, R.F. Harrise, G.E. Schuman, 1997: Soil quality: A concept, definition and framework for evaluation. Soil Science Society of American Journal 61 (1), 4-10, DOI: 10.2136/sssaj1997.03615995006100010001x.
Karthikeyan, b., m. M. Joe, c. A. Jaleel, 2009: Response of some medicinal plants to vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculations. Journal of scientific research 1 (1), 381-189.
Khalid, A., A. Khalid, 2012: Biological fertilization and its effect on medicinal and aromatic plants. Nusantar a Bioscience 4 (3), 124-133.
Kumar, A., C. Mangla, A. Aggarwal, 2015: Significant effect of mycorrhization on some physiological parameters of Salvia officinalis Linn. plant. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences 4 (5), 90-96.
Lehmann, J., J. Gaunt, M. Rondon, 2006: Bio-char sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. A review. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 11 (2), 403-427, DOI: 10.1007/s11027-005-9006-5.
Lenin, M., G. Selvakumar, P. Thamizhiniyan, R. Rajendiran, 2010: Growth and biochemical changes of vegetable seedlings induced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. Journal of Experimental Sciences 1 (4), 27-31.
Liang, C., G. Gasco, S. Fu, A. Mendez, J. Paz-ferreiro, 2016: Biochar from pruning residues as a soil amendment: effects of pyrolysis temperature and particle size. Soil and Tillage Research 164, 3-10, DOI: 10.1016/j.still.2015.10.002.
Lingua, G., E, Bona, P. Manassero, F. Marsano, V. Todeshini, S. Cantamessa, A. Copetta, G. D’agostino, E. Gamalero, G. Berta, 2013: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth-promoting pseudomonads increases anthocyanin concentration in strawberry fruits (Fragaria × ananassa var. Selva) in conditions of reduced fertilization. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 14 (8), 16207-16225, DOI: 10.3390/ijms140816207.
Lu, F.C., C.Y. Lee, C.L. Wang, 2015: The influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation on yam (Dioscorea spp.) tuber weights and secondary metabolite content. PeerJ 3: e1266, DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1266.
Maie Mohsen, M., A. Hanna, A. Abo-kora, H.M. Abeer kassem, 2016: Effect of vermicompost and calcium silicate to reduce the soil salinity on srowth and oil determinations of marjoram plant. International Journal of ChemTech Research 9 (5), 235-262.
Markus, A.S., R. Syed omar, J. Shamshuddin, C.I. Fauziah, 2008: Changes in properties of composting rice husk and their effects on soil and cocoa growth. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 39 (15-16), 2221-2249, DOI: 10.1080/00103620802289117.
Mazhar, A.A.M., N.G. Abdel-aziz, I. Sh. Shaymaa, S.M. Zaghloul, 2011: Effect of nile compost application on growth and chemical constituents of Jatropha curcas grown under different salinity levels of diluted sea water. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences 5 (9), 967-974.
Mehrbani, M., N. Ghasemi, E. Sajjadi, A. Ghannadi, M. Shams-ardakani, 2005: Main compounds of petals of Echium amoenum Fisch. and C.A. Mey., a famous medicinal plant of Iran. DARU 13(2), 65-69.
Miraj, S., S, kiani, 2016: A review study of therapeutic effects of Iranian borage (Echium amoenum Fisch). Scholars Research Library 8 (6), 102-109.
Mirshekari, S., M. Forouzandeh, 2015: Analysis of effect of organic fertilizer on yield and active substance of psyllium herbal plant (Plantago ovata L.). Biological Forum – An International Journal 7 (1), 436-440.
Mollavi, M., S. Bolandnazar, H. Nazemieh, N. Aliasgharzad, 2015: The effect of mycorrhizal fungi on antioxidant activity of various cultivars of onion (Allium cepa L). International Journal of Biosciences 6 (1), 66-79, DOI: 10.12692/ijb/6.1.66-79.
Morteza-Semnani, K., M. Saeedi, 2013: Essential oil composition of Echium amoenum Fisch. & C.A. Mey. Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants 8 (1), 61-64, DOI: 10.1080/0972060X.2005.10643422.
Nanjo, T., M. Fujita, M. Seki, T. Kato, S. Tabata, K. Shinozaki, 2003:Toxicity of free proline revealed in an arabidopsis T-DNA-tagged mutant deficient in proline dehydrogenase. Plant and Cell Physiology 44 (5), 541-8.
Neumann, E., E. George, J. Emir, 2009: The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal root colonization on growth and nutrient uptake of two different cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) genotypes exposed to drought stress. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 21 (2), 01-17, DOI: 10.9755/ejfa.v21i2.5160.
Nur, F.O., A.H. Siti, K.Y. Umi, 2013: Comparative evaluation of organic and inorganic fertilizers on total phenolic, total flavonoid, antioxidant activity and cyanogenic glycosides in cassava (Manihot esculenta). African Journal of Biotechnology 12(18), 2414-2421.
Ocampo, J.A., R. Azcon, 1985: Relationship between the concentration of sugars in the roots and VA mycorrhizal infection. Plant and Soil 86 (1), 95-100.
Patten, A.M., D.G. Vassao, M.P. Wolcott, L.B. Davin, N.G. Lewis, 2010: Trees: a remarkable biochemical bounty. Comprehensive natural products II. Chemistry and biology. L. MANDER, L. H. WEN (Ed.), 1st edition, Elsevier Science Published (pp. 1173-12963).
Porra, R., J. Thompson, W.A.P.E. Kriedmann, 1989: Determination of accurate extinction coefficients and simultaneous equations for assaying chlorophylls a and b extracted with four different solvents: verification of the concentration of chlorophyll standards by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 975, 384-394.
Raei, Y., M. Alami-Milani, 2014: Organic cultivation of medicinal plants. Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences 4 (4), 6-18.
Raei, Y., W. Weria, 2013: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with some aromatic and medicinal plants. Bulletin of Environment, Pharmacology and Life Sciences 2 (11), 129-138.
Rajkovich, S., A. Enders, K. Hanley, C. Hyland, A.R. Zimmerman, 2012: Corn growth and nitrogen nutrition after addition of biochars with varying properties to a temperate soil. Biology and Fertility of Soils, Cooperating Journal of International Society of Soil Science 48 (3), 271-284, DOI: 10.1007/s00374-011-0624-7.
Riter netto, A.F., M.S. Freitas, M.A. Martins, A.J. Carvalho, J.A. Vitorazi filh, 2014: Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the bioproduction of total phenols and the growth of Passiflora alata Curtis. Brazilian Journal of Medicinal Plants 16 (1), 1-9, DOI: org/10.1590/S1516-05722014000100001.
Ruscitti, M., M. Arango, M. Ronco, J. Beltrano, 2011: Inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi modifies proline metabolism and increases chromium tolerance in pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.). Brazilian Journal of Plant Physiology 23 (1), 15-25, DOI: org/10.1590/S1677-04202011000100004.
Salehi, A., H. Tasdighi, M. Gholamhosseini, 2016: Evaluation of proline, chlorophyll, soluble sugar content and uptake of nutrients in the German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) under drought stress and organic fertilizer treatments. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 6 (10), 886–891, DOI: org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2016.08.009.
Santos-Buelga, C., N. Mateus, V. De freitas, 2014: Anthocyanins, plant pigments and beyond. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 62(29), 6879-84, DOI: 10.1021/jf501950 s.
Selvakumar, G., P. Thamizhiniyan, 2011: The effect of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus glomus intraradices on the growth and yield of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) under salinity stress. World Applied Sciences Journal 14 (8), 1209-1214.
Shaalan, M.N, 2005: Effect of compost and different sources of biofertilizers on borage plants (Borage officinalis L.). Egyptian Journal of Agricultural Research 83 (1), 271- 284.
Shamsul, H., H. Qaiser, M.N. Alyemeni, A.S. Wani, J. Pichtel, A. Ahmad, 2012: Role of proline under changing environments. Plant Signaling and Behavior 7 (11): 1456-1466, DOI: 10.4161/psb.21949.
Shinde, B.P., K. Manjusha, 2014: Impact of AM fungi on biochemical changes in potato plants. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences 3 (7), 1018-1027.
Subramanium, T., G. Pandurangan, K. Ramasamy, A. Rangasamy, P. Diby, 2018: Exploration of rice husk compost as an alternate organic manure to enhance the productivity of blackgram in typic haplustalf and typic rhodustalf. International Journal of Environmental Research and public health 15 (2), 358, DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15020358.
Swamy, M.K., M.S. Akhtar, U.R. Sinniah, 2016: Response of PGPR and AM fungi toward growth and secondary metabolite production in medicinal and aromatic plants: plant, soil and microbes. In: K. R. HAKEEM, M. S. AKHTAR (Eds, Springer International Publishing Switzerland (pp. 145-168), DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-29573-2_7.
Tabaldi, L.A., M.C. Vieira, N.A.H. Zarate, A.S.N. Formagio, M. Pilecco, L.R. Silva, K.P. Santos, L.A.C. Santos, C.A.L. Cardoso, 2016: Biomass yield and flavonoid and phenol content of Schinus terebinthifolius cultivated in single or double row with poultry litter. Ciencia Florestal 26 (3), 787-796, DOI: org/10.5902/1980509824207.
Tag, A.T., G. Duman, S. Ucar, J. Yanik, 2016: Effect of feedstock type and pyrolysis temperature on potential applications of biochar. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 120, 200-206, DOI: 10.1016/j.jaap.2016.05.006.
Veberic, R., M. Trobec, K. Herbinger, M. Hofer, D. Grill, F. Stampar, 2005: Phenolic compounds in some apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) cultivars of organic and integrated production. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 85 (10), 1687-1694, DOI: org/10.1002/jsfa.2113.
Wanger, G.J, 1979: Content and vacuole/extravacuole distribution of neutral sugars, free amino acids, andanthocyanin in protoplasts. Plant Physilogy 64 (1), 88-93.
Winter, C.K., S.F. Davis, 2006: Organic foods. Journal of Food Science 71 (9), 117-124, DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2006.00196.x.
Wu, J., B. Sun, Y. Wang, G. Xin, S. Ye, S. Peng, 2011: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization improves regrowth of Bermudagrass (Cynodon Dactylon L.) after cutting. Pakistan Journal of Botany 43 (1), 85-93, DOI: 10.1090/mbk/079/06.
Xue, X., A. Liu, X. Hua, 2009: Proline accumulation andtranscriptional regulation of proline biosynthesis and degradation in Brassica napus. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health 31 (42), 28- 34.
Yadav, R.L., G.L. Keshwa, S.S. Yadwa, 2003: Effect of integrated use of FYM and sulphure on growth and yield of isabgol. Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Sciences 25, 668-671.
Yamuangmorn, S., B. Dell, B. Rerkasem, C. Prom-u-thai, 2018: Applying nitrogen fertilizer increased anthocyanin in vegetative shoots but not in grain of purple rice genotypes. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, First published, DOI: org/10.1002/jsfa.8978.
Yang, C.W., C.C. Lin, C.H. Kao, 2000: Proline, ornithine, arginine and glutamic acid contents in detached rice leaves. Biologia Plantarum 43 (2), 305-307.
Zahed Chkovari, S., S. Enteshari, N. Qasimov, 2015: Effect of salinity stress on biochemical parameters and growth of borage (Borago officinalis L.). Iranian Journal of Plant Physiology 6 (2), 1673-1685.
Zhang, R.Q., H.H. Zhu, H.Q. Zhao, Q. Yao, 2013: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculation increases phenolic synthesis in clover roots via hydrogen peroxide, salicylic acid and nitric oxide signaling pathways. Journal of Plant Physiology 170 (1), 74-79, DOI: org/10.1016/j.jplph.2012.08.022.
Zhang, D., G. Pan, G. Wu, G.W. Kibue, L, li, X. Zhang, J. Zheng, K. Cheng, S. Joseph, 2016: Biochar helps enhance maize productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions under balanced fertilization in a rainfed low fertility inceptisol. Chemosphere 142, 106-113, DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.04.088.
Zolfaghari, M., V. Nazeri, F. Sefidkon, F. Rejali, 2013: Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on plant growth and essential oil content and composition of Ocimum basilicum L. Iranian Journal of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 3 (2), 643-650.
Zubek, S., K. Rola, A. Szewszyk, M.L. Majewska, K. Turnau, 2015: Enhanced concentrations of elements and secondary metabolites in Viola tricolor L. induced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Plant and Soil 390 (1-2), 129-142.
Zuccarini, P, 2007: Mycorrhizal infection ameliorates chlorophyll content and nutrient uptake of lettuce exposed to saline irrigation. Plant Soil and Environment 53 (7), 283-289.
Classification: Fungi, Mucoromyceta, Glomeromycota, Glomeromycotina, Glomeromycetes, Glomerales, Claroideoglomeraceae, Claroideoglomus
Revolutions per minute
Classification: Fungi, Mucoromyceta, Glomeromycota, Glomeromycotina, Glomeromycetes, Diversisporales, Gigasporaceae, Gigaspora.

domain: agronomy


Experimental investigation and process simulation of the compression molding process of Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) with local reinforcements
In this book, a new three-dimensional approach for the process simulation of SMC is developed. This approach takes into account both, the core layer that is dominated by the extensional viscosity and the thin lubrication layer. In order to transfer the information from the process to the structure simulation, a CAE chain is further developed. In addition, a new rheological tool is developed to analyze flow behavior experimentally and to provide the required material parameters.
KeywordsProzesssimulation; virtuelle Prozesskette; Materialcharakterisierung; SMC; process simulation; virtual process chain; material characterization
PublisherKIT Scientific Publishing
Publication date and place2022
SeriesKarlsruher Schriftenreihe Fahrzeugsystemtechnik,
Mechanical engineering & materials


text:
Maharashtra, being one of the most attractive tourist places in India, offers a number of sightseeing options to all its visitors. The state is not only rich in culture and traditions but also houses a number of historical places that have the charm to take you back in time. The stateΓΆ€™s capital, Mumbai, also known as the dream city, has a number of attractions that would transpose you into a magical world.
At Snow White Tours & Travels, we are known for offering the best Maharashtra tour to all our clients without charging a fortune. Our tour services cover all the major areas of Mumbai that, as a traveler, you would love to visit. Get in touch with us now or visit us at or office in Naigaon, Maharashtra, to avail our commendable services.

domain: geography


Tailorable & Adaptive Connected Digital Additive Manufacturing (TACDAM)
TACDAM is a 2 year EPSRC and Innovate UK co-funded project that will remove the final hurdles for the adoption of additive manufacturing in automotive applications in a staged low-mid-high volume approach.
The project will be led by Dr George Panoutsos and Professor Visakan Kadirkamanathan from the Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering (ACSE) at The University of Sheffield (TUoS). There will be cross-faculty support from Professor Todd, Materials and Science Engineering and cross-university support from Dr Katzman Mathematics and Statistics. External partners include HiETA, McLaren Automotive, InnovateUK and EPSRC.
The TACDAM project will perform targeted Additive Manufacturing pre and post-process value chain technology developments, develop an adaptive quality assurance model, introduce parametric design as a key process variable and demonstrate the capability to deliver cost and quality outcomes to the automotive industry.
Key enabling technologies, that will be developed by ACSE, include the creation of model-based approaches, that are used to optimise the part life-cycle in the manufacturing environment. This includes the identification of key factors in the value-chain, and data-driven methodologies that will 'learn' from data towards the better fundamental understanding of the process.
Dr Panoutsos comments:
"It's good to work with high profile partners in the additive manufacturing sector (HiETA, Renishaw) on a very exciting case study offered by McLaren Automotive for the design and optimisation of 3D printed automotive parts. This is a project that needs a truly multidisciplinary approach from The University of Sheffield, from maths for algebraic geometry to build voxel-based printability maps, to materials science and model-based process-part optimisation."
The essential requisite for this, besides having the right portfolio of products, is meeting low cost and high quality automotive expectations, the delivery of which is the primary objective of the project.


text:
A former police officer suspected of being the elusive “Golden State Killer” is expected to plead guilty Monday to a series of linked assaults and murders that terrorized suburban California in the 1970s and 1980s.
The deal will spare 74-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. the death penalty for 13 murders and 13 kidnapping-related charges spanning six counties. In partial return, survivors of the assaults expect him to admit to up to 62 rapes for which he could not be criminally charged because too much time has passed.
"I've been on pins and needles because I just don't like that our lives are tied to him, again," said Jennifer Carole, the daughter of Lyman Smith, a lawyer who was killed in 1980 at age 43 in Ventura County. His wife, 33-year-old Charlene Smith, was raped and also killed.
Investigators early on connected certain crimes to an armed and masked rapist who would break into sleeping couples' suburban homes at night, binding the man and piling dishes on his back. They said he would threaten to kill both victims if he heard the plates fall while he raped the woman.
A guilty plea and life sentence would avoid a trial or even the planned weekslong preliminary hearing. Relatives of the dead are expected to confront him at his sentencing in August, where it may take several days to tell DeAngelo and Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Bowman what they have suffered.
It took years for investigators to connect a series of assaults in central and Northern California to later slayings in Southern California; they eventually settled on the so-called Golden State Killer whose crimes spanned 11 counties from 1974 through mid-1986.
The pioneering use of new DNA techniques led investigators to DeAngelo, whom the Auburn Police Department, northeast of Sacramento, had fired in 1979 after he was caught shoplifting dog repellent and a hammer. He previously had worked as a police officer in the Central Valley city of Exeter from 1973 to 1976.
Investigators painstakingly built a family tree by linking decades-old crime scene DNA to a distant relative through an online DNA database. They eventually narrowed in on DeAngelo with a process that detectives have since used in other cases nationwide.
His defense attorneys have lobbied since then for a deal that would spare him the death penalty. Prosecutors who had sought the death penalty cited the massively complicated case and the advancing age of many of the victims and witnesses in agreeing to consider the plea bargain.
“Death doesn't solve anything. But, him having to sit through a trial or preliminary hearing, that would have helped,” said Carole, who added that neither her murdered father nor she believed in capital punishment.
But, she said it “absolutely” made sense for prosecutors to agree to a life sentence without parole, both to spare older victims and witnesses most vulnerable to the coronavirus from having to appear in court, and to save taxpayers the projected $20 million cost of a trial.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

domain: news


text:
- This event has passed.
Lady Day – Mothers Union
March 25 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Lady Day will be celebrated at the cathedral this year.
Bishop Garry will preside and preach at the service.
This will be followed by a luncheon. Members are requested to bring a plate of lunch to share.

domain: sociology


text:
Ningxia Yellow River Rural Commercial Bank Overview
Latest Deal Type
2ndary - Private
Ningxia Yellow River Rural Commercial Bank General Information
Provider of commercial banking services. The company's commercial banking services include term deposits, credit facilities and granting loans, enabling the commercial sectors to access a wide range of services to increase their capital and overcome their financial crisis.

domain: finance


text: A number of airways within the U.S. are threatening to ban passengers who refuse to put on face masks whereas touring. Alaska Airways, American Airways, Delta Air Traces, Hawaiian Airways, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airways and United Airways shall be implementing new face masks insurance policies, the Airways for America commerce group mentioned Monday. Airways will clearly articulate the principles to passengers earlier than flying and flight crews will reiterate the principles as soon as on board, together with the results passengers may face for violating the coverage. Every service will decide the correct penalty for passengers who do not comply – which may embody suspension of flying privileges. Every airline can even supply sure exemptions, together with when persons are consuming or consuming. The masks coverage works along with different security measures like intensive cleansing protocols to sluggish the unfold of coronavirus, which most airways have adopted. The Affiliation of Flight Attendant-CWA, which represents almost 50,000 flight attendants at 19 airways, additionally launched an announcement in regards to the face protecting coverage, saying it is vital – nevertheless it’s as much as the federal authorities to do extra. “Masks are important to maintain passengers, flight attendants, and frontline aviation staff protected in the course of the Coronavirus pandemic. Additionally it is important to rebuild confidence in air journey,” Sara Nelson, president of the Affiliation of Flight Attendant-CWA, mentioned in an announcement to CBS Information. “The federal authorities has utterly abdicated its duty to maintain the flying public and aviation staff protected throughout COVID-19.””Right now’s motion by Airways for America members is necessary, however the business alone can’t repair this. We as soon as once more name on the federal authorities to mandate masks for passengers and frontline staff and implement broader motion on COVID-19 security measures in aviation,” Nelson’s assertion continued. The CDC not too long ago beneficial that every one Individuals put on face coverings in public when social distancing is tough. Some cities, like New York, require residents to put on masks once they can’t social distance, and shops and different companies have been advised they will flip away individuals who don’t put on face coverings.

domain: travel


text:
The most contentious issue in the management of os odontoideum surrounds the decision to attempt atlantoaxial fusion in patients with asymptomatic lesions. The authors examined the clinical presentation and outcome in patients with os odontoideum who underwent surgical stabilization, with an emphasis on 3 patients who initially received conservative treatment and suffered delayed neurological injury.
Seventy-eight patients (mean age 20.5 years; median 15 years) were identified in a 17-year retrospective review. The median follow-up period was 14 months (range 1–115 months). Neck pain was the most common symptom (64%), and 56% of patients presented after traumatic injury. Eighteen patients had neurological signs or symptoms at presentation, and an additional 15 had a history of intermittent or prior neurological symptoms. Fifteen patients had undergone ≥ 1 attempt at atlantoaxial fusion elsewhere.
Seventy-seven patients underwent posterior fusion and rigid screw fixation combined with a graft/wire construct: 75 had C1–2 fusion and 2 had occipitocervical fusion. One patient had an odontoid screw placed. Fusion was achieved in all patients at a median of 4.8 months (range 2–17 months). Approximately 90% of patients had resolution or improvement of their neck pain or neurological symptoms.
The authors believe that patients with os odontoideum are at risk for future spinal cord compromise. Forty-four percent of our patients had myelopathic symptoms at referral, and 3 had significant neurological deterioration when a known os odontoideum was left untreated. This risk of late neurological deterioration should be considered when counseling patients. Stabilization using internal screw fixation techniques resulted in 100% fusion, whereas 15% of patients had previously undergone unsuccessful wire and external bracing attempts.

domain: medical


The president of Alliance for Progressives (AP), Ndaba Gaolathe has said that through the implementation of a robust Local Economic Development (LED) framework, the City of Francistown can be turned into a self-sustaining city with its own local government playing a central role in its economic development. Gaolathe made these remarks in Francistown recently where he was launching their council candidate for the upcoming Moselewapula Ward bye-election.
Gaolathe argued that a realistic LED strategy when properly implemented, should aim at localising sustainable development goals at district level to build self-sustaining local governments benefiting from available economic resources in various localities. Gaolathe who is regarded a guru of economics and finance, steered clear of freedom square politics unlike speakers before him who focused on attacking their opponents in other political parties.
He chose instead to focus on explaining an economic path that his party wishes for Batswana, thereby canvassing a line of thinking that their council candidate, Odireleng Ditshotlo is expected to take to council. He pointed out that his party advocates for a shift in economic development model to adopt an approach that will promote and strengthen local governments to be in control of the local economy in their various districts. Gaolathe said that LED is a useful approach for investment where partnerships can be forged with different investors across different sectors to unlock economic value from the available resources in different regions.
Gaolathe likened Francistown to Bloemfontein, the capital city of the Province of Free State in South Africa. Bloemfontein is also the judicial capital of South Africa. The AP president suggested that the City of Francistown can also be allocated important services in a similar fashion and so with other places. He pointed out that Botswana needs strategies that will support decentralisation of services from central government while at the same time strengthening service distribution at local government. He emphasised that it was time local authorities shifted focus from just provision of services and delivery to taking a central role in economic development.
He stressed that service delivery must be rendered with a developmental focus in mind as local authorities are supposed to create and facilitate enabling environments to attract investors who will set up businesses to boost the local economy. Because of this role, Gaolathe emphasised the importance of taking seriously the work of local government. He noted further that for councils to be able to facilitate robust local economies, they first formulate and implement interventions that will make them attractive places not only to do business but also as safe places to live in.
He remarked that understanding the LED approach can bring about enterprise development interventions as well as interventions that can help alleviate poverty. Gaolathe explained that this new direction will help local authorities to be able to conduct assessments to establish the state of the economy in their respective localities and develop problem-solving strategies to address the identified weaknesses within each local economy.
“We must embrace the Local Economic Development approach to diversifying our local economies, as this type of approach can help local authorities to realise the full economic potential of different regions,” said Ndaba. The AP leader emphasised the need to institutionalise LED in local authorities as a fundamental factor in the creation of sustainable economies. He said councils must be supported to develop implementable and enabling policies, adding that LED is being recognised in other governments in the region as a strategic enabler for socio-economic development. Gaolathe explained that it is the mandate of the local government to promote social and economic development in their respective areas.
He noted however that to achieve the LED objectives, there is need for transformative leadership that takes seriously the plight of the plight, a leadership with policy makers with a different mind-set to champion the shift from service delivery to being enablers of economic development. He pleaded with the people of Moselewapula Ward and the vast Francistown West constituency to rally behind Alliance for Progressives as it the only party with the calibre of leaders that can bring to the table, transformational interventions that the economy of their city needs.
He further pleaded with residents of the ward to ensure that their candidate, Ditshotlo emerges the victor on the day of the election. Moselewapula Ward vacancy was created by the death of Lechedzani Modenga of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) who won the ward in the 2014 General Election. Ditshotlo also contested the 2014 elections as a Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).
Reuben Ketlhoilwe of Botswana Congress Party (BCP) who also lost to the late Modenga in 2014 will represent UDC while BDP will be represented by Gilbert Boikhutso who won party primaries amidst accusations of voter trafficking. Gilbert was launched on the same day as the AP candidate last Saturday, with their base adjacent to each other.
In a classic and shocking case of disgrace and dishonour to this country, the law enforcement agencies are currently struggling to cover up a damaging and humiliating scandal of having conspired to forge the signature of a Palapye Chief Magistrate, Rebecca Motsamai in an unlawful acquisition of the much-publicised 2019 warrant of arrest against Isaac Kgosi, the former director of the Directorate of Intelligence Services (DIS).
The cloak-and-dagger arrest was led by the DIS director, Brigadier Peter Magosi supported by the Botswana Police, Botswana Defence Force (BDF), with the Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS) which accused Kgosi of tax evasion, in the backseat.
Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) constituent members are struggling to reach an agreement over the allocation of wards for the imminent ward by-elections across the country.
Despite a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) and Alliance for Progressives (AP) are said to be active, but the nitty-gritties are far from being settled.
The eight bye-elections will be a precursor of a somewhat delayed finalisation of the brittle MoU. The three parties want to draw a plan on how and who will contest in each of the available wards.
This publication has gathered that the negotiations will not be a run off the mill because there is already an impasse between the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) which is a UDC constituent and AP (currently negotiating to join umbrella).
The by-elections joint committee met last week at Cresta President Hotel in a bid to finalise allocation but nothing tangible came out of the gathering, sources say.
The cause of the stalemate according to those close to events, is the Metsimotlhabe Ward which the two parties have set their eyes on.
In 2019, he ward was won by Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) Andrew Sebobi who unfortunately died in a tragic accident in February last year.
Sebobi had convincingly won by 1 109 votes in the last elections; and was trailed by Sephuthi Thelo of the UDC trailed him with 631 votes; while Alliance for Progressives’ Innocent Moamogwe got 371 votes.
Thelo is a BCP candidate and as per UDC norm, incumbency prevails meaning that the BCP will contest since they were runners up. On the other hand, AP has also raised its hand for the same.
“AP asked for it on the basis that they have a good candidate but BCP did not agree to that request also arguing they have a better contestant,” one UDC member confided to this publication.
Notwithstanding Metsimotlhabe Ward squabble, it is said the by-election talks are almost a done deal, with Botswana National Front (BNF) tipped to take Boseja South ward in Mochudi East constituency. Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) will be awarded Tamasane Ward in Lerala/Maunatlala constituency, sources say.
“But the agreement has to be closed by National Executive Committee (NEC),” emphasized the informant.
The NEC is said to have been cautioned not to back the wrong horse but rather rate with reason and facts.
UDC President, Duma Boko has told this publication that, “allocation is complete with two wards already awarded but with only one yet to be finalized,” he could not dwell into much details as to which party got what and the reasons for the delay in finalisation.
Chairperson of the by-elections committee, Dr. Phenyo Butale responded to this publication regarding the matter: “As AP we contested and as you may be aware we signed the MoU with UDC and BPF to collaborate on bye-elections. The opposition candidate for all bye-elections will be agreed by these parties and that process is still ongoing,” he said when asked if AP is interested on the ward and how far with the talks on bye-elections.
Butale, a former Gaborone Central Member of Parliament, who is also AP Secretary General continued to say, “As the chairperson of the bye-elections committee we are still seized with that matter. We should also do some consultations with the local structures. Once the process is complete we will issue a notice for now we cannot talk about the other two while the other is still pending the other one”.
Butale further clarified: “There is no such thing as AP and BCP not in agreement. It is an issue of signatories discussing and determining the opposition candidates across the three wards.”
Apart from the three wards, there are five more council wards that UDC is yet to allocate to cooperating partners.
FROM PALAPYE MEET: BPP CAUTION NEC MEMBERS
With the UDC cheerful from last weekend’s meeting in Palapye, the meeting however was very tense on the side of both BCP and BNF, with only BPP flexing its muscle and even lashing out.
BCP going into the meeting, had promised to ask difficult questions to the UDC NEC.
BCP VP and also acting Secretary General, Dr. Kesitegile Gobotswang, presented their qualms which were addressed by UDC Chairperson Motlatsi Molapisi, informants say.
It is said Molapisi is fed up and concerned by some UDC members especially those in the NEC who ‘wash party’s dirty linen in public’.
Insiders say the veteran politician cautioned the NEC members that they “will not expel any party but individuals who tarnish the image of the UDC.”
It is not the first time BPP play a paternalistic role as it once expressed its discontent with BCP in 2020, saying it should never wash UDC linen in public.
At first it is said, BPP, the oldest political formation in Botswana, claims disappointment on BCP stance that UDC should be democratised especially by sharing their stand with the media. Again, BPP was not happy with BCP leader Dumelang Saleshando’s decision to air his personal views on social media regarding the merger of UDC party.
Botswana Police Service (BPS) Commissioner, Keabetswe Makgophe, has of late been dousing raging fires from various quarters of society following the infiltration of the police fingerprint system by the Directorate on Intelligence and Security (DIS), WeekendPost has learnt.
Fresh information gleaned from a number of impeccable sources, points to a pitiable working relationship between the two state organs. Cause of concern is the DIS continuous big brother role to an extent that it is now interfering with other institutions’ established mandates.
BPS which works closely with the DIS has been left exasperated by the works of the institution formed in 2008. It is said, the DIS through its Information Technology (IT) experts in collusion with some at BPS forensics department managed to infiltrate the Fingerprint system.
The infiltration, according to those in the know, was for the DIS to “teach a lesson” to some who are on their radar. It is said the DIS is playing and fighting dirty to win the fights they have lost before.
By managing to hack the police finger print system, a number of renowned businessmen and other politically exposed persons found their fingers in the system. What surprised the victims is the fact that they have never been charged of any wrongdoing by the police and they were left reeling in shock to learn that their fingers are on the data-base of criminals.
In fact, some of those who their fingerprints were falsely included in the records of those on the wrong side of law learnt later when other errands demanded their fingerprints.
“We learnt later when we had to submit and buy some documents and we were very shocked,” one politician who is also a businessman confided to this publication this week.
“We then learn that there are some fabricated criminality recorded for us, as to when did we commit those remained secret to the police, but then we had to engage our lawyers on the matter and that is when we were cleared,” said the politician-cum- tenderpreneur.
The lawyers have confirmed engaging the police and that the matters were settled in a gentlemen’s agreement and concluded.
All these happened behind the scenes with the police top brass oblivious only to be confronted by the irked lot, police sources also add. The victimized group who most of them have been fighting lengthy battles with the DIS read malice and did not blink when it was revealed that these were done by the DIS.
“And it was clear that they (DIS) are the ones in this dirty war which we don’t understand. Remember when we sue, it will be the Police at the courts not the DIS and that is why we agreed to a ceasefire more so they also requested that be kept under carpet,” said the victim.
Nonetheless, the Police through its spokesperson Assistant Commissioner, Dipheko Motube, briefly said: “we do not have any system that has been hacked.” On the other hand DIS mouthpiece Edward Robert was not in office this week to comment on the matter.
Reports however say DIS boss, Peter Magosi, who most of the victims accuse of the job, is said to have met his police counterpart Makgophe to put the matter to bed.
COVID-19 RAVAGES POLICE
As frontline workers, Police have not escaped the wrath of Covid-19. Already the numbers of those infected has reached the highest of high and they suggest that they be priorities on vaccine rollout.
“Our job is complicated, firstly we arrest including those who are non-compliant to Covid protocols and we go to accidents and many more. These put us at risk and it seems our superiors are not bothered,” said one police officer this week.
The cops further complain about that working spaces are small, as such expose them to contact the virus.
“Some tests positive and go for quarantine while the rest of the unit will be left without even test carried out. If at all the bosses are serious all the police officers should every now and then be subjected to testing or else we will be no more because of the virus,” added another officer based in Gaborone.
The government has since placed teachers on the priority list for the vaccines, it remains to be seen whether the police, who also man road blocks, will be considered.
“But our bosses should convince the country leadership about this, if not then we are doomed,” concluded a more senior officer.


text:
The second season of The Family Man has been a source of a hilarious meme fest since its release. After the premiere of the series, not just Chellam Sir but Srikant Tiwari has swept the Internet with hundreds of memes and jokes dedicated to him. He has become an Internet darling with those magical words 'Don't be a minimum guy.' From Twitteratis to the various government departments, it seems everyone wants to join this 'Family man' trend.
The Government of India Twitter handle for Covid-19 updates has found a hilarious way to get the social distancing message across nation, thanks to Manoj Bajpayee’s Srikant role. In their latest post, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s Covid-19 news handle tweeted a meme from the series. It advised people to continue wearing masks and following physical distancing protocols post-vaccination.
"Even after getting both the doses, Srikant wears a mask & maintains physical distance. Follow #COVIDAppropriateBehaviour even after getting #vaccinated. Wear a #Mask... Wash/Sanitize hands... Maintain physical distancing," read the caption of the post. The image featured Srikant wearing a face mask. The scene has Srikant responding to his boss in the office, who was coming close to scold him.
Take a look:
Netizens are loving this creativity and Here's how they reacted:


text:
For those of us who didn’t inherit a green thumb, the benefits of having a professional garden service for your property are endless. A professional gardener will take the hassle out of planting and maintaining a beautiful garden. Often the gardens in our neighborhoods that we envy are the work of a professional gardening service.
Many companies offer services that go beyond everyday gardening, and Guaranteed Garden Services is no exception. We can do everything from new turf through to installing a new irrigation service for your home. Our professional staff are equipped with the know-how to get the most out of your landscape.
Benefits Of Using a Gardening Service:
- Professional gardeners will have all of the necessary tools needed to get your garden and lawn in fantastic shape. No longer will you have to worry about filling your mower up with petrol or if the hedge trimmer is broken.
- Gardeners are knowledgeable in what care is needed for your plants. This means knowing which fertilizer to use, what species of plants will thrive in your garden and how to control pests and plant diseases.
- A set lawn maintenance service can be developed through a professional gardening service. No more worries about you trying to schedule mowing into your already busy days.
- And last but not least a gardening service provides you with convenience. Gardening can be hard work, and the majority of homeowners who hire a professional gardener say it is well worth the money spent.
- While the benefits of hiring a professional gardening service are easy to see, when it comes to choosing the right gardener can be a difficult choice. At Guaranteed Garden Services you can rest assured that we will work with you to develop a gardening maintenance plan perfect for your property.
When looking for a professional gardening service, consider the following:
- Ask around. Be sure to get recommendations from family and friends as well as local nurseries and garden supply stores. This way you’ll be able to have a look at the type of work the company does beforehand.
- Make sure you ask about the price. Gather a few quotes. At Guaranteed Garden Services we offer a free quotation service. This way you’ll get an idea of the exact costs for the job at hand. We also provide a maintenance plan service so you can have a manicured garden all year round.
- Request to know the background and qualifications of garden service companies. Some areas might require specific licenses and permits for certain jobs.
At Guaranteed Garden Services we can provide you with a gardening service that is second to none. Give us a call today!