Traditional irrigation was practiced in Ethiopia since time immemorial. Despite this, water productivity in the sector remained low. A survey on the Godino irrigation scheme revealed that farmers used the same amount of water and intervals, regardless of crop species and growth stage. In an effort to improve the water productivity, two traditional irrigation scheduling methods were compared with two scientific methods, using furrow irrigation. The growth performance and tuber yield of potato (cv. Awash) revealed that irrigation scheduling using a neutron probe significantly outperformed the traditional methods, followed by the SWB model Irrigation Calendar. Since the NP method involves high initial cost and skills, the use of the SWB Calendar is suggested as replacement for the traditional methods. SWB is a generic crop growth model that requires parameters specific to each crop, to be determined experimentally before it could be used for irrigation scheduling. It also accurately describes deficit irrigation strategies where water supply is limited. Field trials to evaluate four potato cultivars for growth performance and assimilate partitioning, and onions' critical growth stages to water stress were conducted. Crop-specific parameters were also generated. Potato and onion crops are widely grown at the Godino scheme where water scarcity is a major constraint. These crop-specific parameters were used to calibrate and evaluate SWB model simulations. Results revealed that SWB model simulations for Top dry matter (TDM), Harvestable dry matter (HDM), Leaf area index (LAI), soil water deficit (SWD) and Fractional interception (FI) fitted well with measured data, with a high degree of statistical accuracy. The response of onions to water stress showed that bulb development (70-110 DATP) and bulb maturity (110-145) stages were most critical to water stress, which resulted in a significant reduction in onion growth and bulb yields. SWB also showed that onion yield was most sensitive to water stress during these two stages. An irrigation calendar, using the SWB model, was developed for five different schemes in Ethiopia, using long-term weather data and crop-specific parameters for potatoes and onions. The calendars revealed that water depth varied, depending on climate, crop type and growth stage. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

Morphological and anatomical studies demonstrated the root formation characteristics of sweet potato. The presence and importance of preformed root primordia is recorded for the first time. On the vines root primordia are present in sets of four to ten adjacent to the leaf bases. These roots originate from the procambium on both sides of the leaf gap. Macroscopically the root tips of preformed root primordia protruding through the cortex and epidermis of the stems are prominent. The preformed root primordia produce adventitious roots, with pentarch, hexarch or septarch steles. Storage roots will under normal circumstances only originate from undamaged root primordia on the nodes of cuttings, or on nodes of newly formed vines, or from wound roots originating from the cut ends of the stem or leaf cuttings. Lateral roots originating from damaged root primordia, or directly from the adventitious roots, exhibit tetrarch steles and develop into fibrous roots without the potential to develop into storage roots. This understanding of the origin, anatomy and morphology of sweet potato roots should improve production practices, which will contribute to improved crop establishment and increased yield. Differences in the contribution of individual subterranean nodes to storage root yield were studied. On average cuttings with three subterranean nodes produced 3.7 storage roots, with 33.2% on subterranean node 1, 30.0% on node 2 and 36.8% on node3. However, in terms of fresh mass of the storage roots node 1 contributed 45.4%, node 2 contributed 27.1% and node 3 contributed 27.4%. The effect of temperature (20, 24, 28 and 32oC constant), orientation of cuttings (vertical vs. horizontal) and size of cuttings (1 or 3 nodes) on the development of adventitious roots was observed in plant growth chambers. Twenty-one days after planting, the longest total root length of 4m per plant was recorded from the 24oC growth chamber. The effect of soil moisture content on early root development was investigated by wetting and equilibrating sandy soil to 100, 80, 60 and 40% of field capacity. Although the 80% of field capacity treatment resulted in the best root development, differences among treatments were small, demonstrating the capacity of cuttings to successfully establish under a range of soil moisture contents. Changes in dry mass of storage roots, stems, and leaves of three sweet potato cultivars (Awasa-83, Bareda and Falaha) were studied at Awasa and Melkassa. At the final sampling the early maturing cultivar Falaha had diverted a higher proportion of the total dry mass into storage roots at Melkassa because of the early initiation and growth of storage roots. The late maturing cultivar Awasa-83 had a smaller proportion of the total dry mass diverted into the storage roots at both locations because of late root initiation and growth. The high yielding cultivars Bareda at Melkassa, and Awasa-83 at Awasa, had higher crop growth rates and higher net assimilation rates than the other cultivars. The effects of cultivar (Kudadie, Bareda and Awasa-83), planting position (horizontal and vertical), type of planting material (terminal cuttings with and without leaves) and cutting length (20, 25 and 30 cm) on the number and yield of storage roots were quantified in field trials at Awasa and Melkassa. Cultivar Kudadie produced the highest storage root yield at both locations. Horizontal planting of cuttings resulted in the highest total storage root yield at both locations. Cutting length did not affect storage root number and yield. The effect of population density (50,000, 55,555, 75,000, and 100,000 cuttings per hectare) on the performance of the three Ethiopian sweet potato cultivars was studied at Awasa. The highest planting density consistently produced the best root yield, indicating the potential to increase yields with plant populations much higher than normally used. Early maturing cultivar Falaha produced more small and medium storage roots per plant, while the intermediate cultivar Bareda produced more large storage roots. Copyright 2003, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Belehu, T 2003, Agronomical and physiological factors affecting growth, development and yield of sweet potato in Ethiopia, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07262004-141704 / > / Thesis (PhD (Plant Production and Soil Science))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

The latter part of the reproductive growth phase in chickpea (<i>Cicer arietinum</i> L.) often coincides with declining temperature and wet conditions in western Canada, in sharp contrast to many other growing environments. This exacerbates the indeterminate nature of the crop, leading to excessive canopy development, and subsequently resulting in delayed maturity. The objectives of this study were to: i) determine the genetic relationships of short internode, double podding and early flowering traits with earliness of crop maturity; ii) determine the genetic control of major earliness traits in chickpea; iii) assess the patterns of post-flowering dry matter accumulation and partitioning to reproductive parts as related to earliness. <p>The results showed that double podding significantly reduced the number of days taken to maturity, under the conditions where this trait was sufficiently expressed. The best double podding genotypes, i.e. those with 1535% of the podded nodes bearing double pods, were about one week earlier than their single podding counterparts and standard checks. A physiological study revealed that the double podding parental genotype 272-2 partitioned a relatively greater proportion (about 58%) of the total dry matter to pods compared to 4254% in the single podding genotypes. Double podding increased the total number of pods set, and thus the increased demand for assimilates may have precluded further production of stems and leaves, resulting in an earlier transition of reproductive growth to physiological maturity. Days to flowering was positively associated with days to maturity, and partial path analysis revealed that days to flowering contributed to days to maturity indirectly via days to first pod maturity. Days to flowering explained 32% of the variation in days to first pod maturity. However, the short internode trait had an undesirable effect, in that all the short internode segregants were too late to mature. <p>Genetic studies revealed that days to flowering was determined by two major genes plus polygenes in chickpea in the short-season temperate environment of western Canada. The two major genes control over 65% of the phenotypic variation. Also, the additive component of genetic variance was significant for days to first podding, days to first pod maturity, reproductive period, and days to maturity; which is desirable for development of superior inbred cultivars of chickpea. These key phenological traits are interrelated but could be manipulated separately in the breeding process. Additional gain in earliness of crop maturity may be achieved through combined selection for these traits.

The latter part of the reproductive growth phase in chickpea (<i>Cicer arietinum</i> L.) often coincides with declining temperature and wet conditions in western Canada, in sharp contrast to many other growing environments. This exacerbates the indeterminate nature of the crop, leading to excessive canopy development, and subsequently resulting in delayed maturity. The objectives of this study were to: i) determine the genetic relationships of short internode, double podding and early flowering traits with earliness of crop maturity; ii) determine the genetic control of major earliness traits in chickpea; iii) assess the patterns of post-flowering dry matter accumulation and partitioning to reproductive parts as related to earliness. <p>The results showed that double podding significantly reduced the number of days taken to maturity, under the conditions where this trait was sufficiently expressed. The best double podding genotypes, i.e. those with 1535% of the podded nodes bearing double pods, were about one week earlier than their single podding counterparts and standard checks. A physiological study revealed that the double podding parental genotype 272-2 partitioned a relatively greater proportion (about 58%) of the total dry matter to pods compared to 4254% in the single podding genotypes. Double podding increased the total number of pods set, and thus the increased demand for assimilates may have precluded further production of stems and leaves, resulting in an earlier transition of reproductive growth to physiological maturity. Days to flowering was positively associated with days to maturity, and partial path analysis revealed that days to flowering contributed to days to maturity indirectly via days to first pod maturity. Days to flowering explained 32% of the variation in days to first pod maturity. However, the short internode trait had an undesirable effect, in that all the short internode segregants were too late to mature. <p>Genetic studies revealed that days to flowering was determined by two major genes plus polygenes in chickpea in the short-season temperate environment of western Canada. The two major genes control over 65% of the phenotypic variation. Also, the additive component of genetic variance was significant for days to first podding, days to first pod maturity, reproductive period, and days to maturity; which is desirable for development of superior inbred cultivars of chickpea. These key phenological traits are interrelated but could be manipulated separately in the breeding process. Additional gain in earliness of crop maturity may be achieved through combined selection for these traits.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T14:33:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_liana_viviam_ferreira.pdf: 1066029 bytes, checksum: b8436d77d50bb76efeddb4cb96df3326 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-03-04 / The cultivation of edible pod peas in greenhouse and hydroponic system can be a viable alternative for obtaining high pods yield in winter and early spring crop-seasons. In addition, this crop system optimizes productive resources and causes reduced environmental impact. Currently, little information is available about edible pods pea crop, especially in greenhouse and hydroponic cultivation conditions. The adoption of this system presupposes to adequate plant density, as well as to produce knowledge and information regarding growth (dry matter production and partitioning) and yield of different genotypes. In this sense, two experiments were conducted with edible pods pea crop grown in hydroponic and greenhouse in winter/spring crop-season at the Campus of the Universidade Federal de Pelotas , in Capão do Leão, RS. The first experiment aimed to evaluate the effect of plant density on dry matter production and partitioning and yield components of edible pods pea crop 'Luana Gigante®'. Five planti densities (3.9, 4.7; 5.9, 7.8 and 11.8 plants m-2) were evaluated from May to November 2011. The second experiment aimed to characterize the growth and production dynamics of two edible pea pods genotypes ('Luana Gigante®' and 'MK10®') in a bifactorial model from May to November 2012. Genotypes composed the plots and evaluation dates composed subplots (0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 95, 115 and 135 days after setting/DAS). In both experiments, biomass was quantified by dry weight of different above-ground plant organs and yield by pods fresh weight. The results obtained in the first experiment indicated that increasing of plant density in the range from 3.9 to 11.8 plants m-2 reduced linearly the growth of all organs and the individual plants pods yield. However, it increased linearly the absolute crop dry matter production and the pods yield per square meter. It did not affect the dry matter partitioning among different plant organs. The vegetative shoot plant organs were the major sinks for photoassimilates, comprising 61.5% of total plant dry matter, while the pods represented 31.7%. Among the yield components, only the number of harvested pods per plant was reduced and there were not negative effects on average pods fresh weight and the percentage of marketable pods. Therefore, we can recommend the plant density of 11.8 plants m-2 for pea crop 'Luana Gigante'. In the second experiment, it was observed that 'Luana Gigante' and 'MK10' presented a sigmoidal type plant growth curve as a function of time. MK10 presented higher vegetative shoot plant parts and crop growth than 'Luana Gigante'. 'MK10' also presented higher pods growth at 95 DAS, but both genotypes presented similar pods growth and yield at the end of the crop cycle. Pods comprised 36% and 43% of the total above-ground dry matter production, respectively, for 'MK10' and 'Luana Gigante' at the end of the crop cycle. Thus 'Luana Gigante' presents greater ability to assimilate distribution to pods growth than 'MK10'. The vegetative shoot organs are the strongest sinks for assimilates of the plant and stems are more beneficed in relation to the partition of dry matter than leaves. / A produção de ervilha torta em ambiente protegido e sistema hidropônico pode ser uma alternativa viável para a obtenção de alto rendimento de vagens no período de inverno e início de primavera, além de proporcionar melhor otimização dos recursos produtivos e reduzido impacto ambiental. Atualmente, existem poucas informações disponíveis sobre esta cultura, principalmente em condições de ambiente protegido e cultivo hidropônico. A adoção deste sistema pressupõe a adequação da densidade de plantio, assim como, produzir conhecimentos e informações referentes ao crescimento (produção e partição de massa seca) e comportamento produtivo de genótipos. Neste sentido, dois experimentos foram realizados com a cultura da ervilha torta em sistema hidropônico e ambiente protegido em ciclo de inverno/primavera no Campus da Universidade Federal de Pelotas, no município de Capão do Leão, RS. O primeiro experimento, realizado de maio a novembro de 2011, objetivou avaliar o efeito da densidade de plantio sobre a produção e a partição da massa seca e os componentes do rendimento de ervilha torta Luana Gigante® , em experimento unifatorial com cinco densidades de plantio (3,9; 4,7; 5,9; 7,8 e 11,8 plantas m-2). O segundo experimento objetivou caracterizar a dinâmica do crescimento e da produção de dois genótipos de ervilha torta ( Luana Gigante e MK10 ) em esquema bifatorial no período de maio a novembro de 2012. As parcelas foram constituídas pelos genótipos e as subparcelas pelas épocas de avaliação das plantas (aos 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 95, 115 e 135 dias após o transplante). Para ambos os experimentos, a biomassa foi quantificada através da massa seca dos diferentes órgãos aéreos da planta e o rendimento através da massa fresca de vagens. Em relação aos resultados obtidos no primeiro experimento, observou-se que o aumento da densidade de plantio no intervalo entre 3,9 a 11,8 plantas m-2 reduz o crescimento de todos os órgãos e a produtividade individual das plantas de forma linear. Porém, aumenta de forma linear a produção absoluta da massa seca da cultura bem como a produtividade por unidade de área e não afeta a partição proporcional de massa seca entre os diferentes órgãos da planta. Os órgãos vegetativos aéreos são os principais drenos de fotoassimilados, representando 61,5% da massa seca total das plantas, enquanto as vagens representam 31,7%. Entre os componentes do rendimento, somente o número de vagens colhidas por planta é reduzido, não havendo efeitos negativos sobre a massa fresca média das vagens e a porcentagem de vagens comerciais colhidas. Portanto, recomenda-se a densidade de 11,8 plantas m-2 para a ervilha torta Luana Gigante . No segundo experimento, observou-se que Luana Gigante e MK10 expressam crescimento da planta do tipo sigmoidal em relação ao acúmulo de MS ao longo do ciclo de cultivo. MK10 apresenta maior crescimento dos órgãos vegetativos aéreos e da cultura do que Luana Gigante . MK10 também apresenta maior crescimento de vagens aos 95 DAT, porém os genótipos se assemelham em relação ao crescimento e à produção de vagens ao final do ciclo de cultivo. As vagens representam 36% e 43% da massa seca aérea da planta, respectivamente de MK10 e Luana Gigante , ao final do ciclo de cultivo. Assim, Luana Gigante apresenta maior capacidade de destinar assimilados para o crescimento de vagens do que MK10 . O conjunto dos órgãos vegetativos aéreos são os principais drenos de assimilados da planta, sendo os caules priorizados na partição de MS em relação às folhas.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T13:59:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_tiago_zanatta_aumonde.pdf: 573942 bytes, checksum: 3c1ab4ac502409888cd80ead135d58f4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-03-02 / The work was carried in the field between 2008 and 2009 at the Federal University of Pelotas and aimed to evaluate the mini watermelon cultivar Smile ® grafted and ungrafted. In the seedling stage were evalueted the survival rates and lignification. The rootstocks that provided the best results were transplanted to the field with ungrafted plants and where analyzed the growth, dry matter partitioning, production and fruit quality. The access Irai and C314, in the seedling stage, provided the best results. In the field, plants ungrafted obtained more accumulation total of dry matter, produticon rate of dry matter, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, relative growth rate of leaf area, leaf area ratio and leaf weight. But, the specific leaf area was higher in grafted plants. Allied to this, the maximum plant height was 1.5 meters to 49 days after transplanting (DAT) in grafted plants and 42 DAT in ungrafted. The leaf dry matter (Wf) were increased. Regarding Wf, increased to 70 DAT in grafted plants (52.91 g m-2) and to 63 DAT in ungrafted (71.55 g m-2). Concomitantly, the number of leaves increased to 63 DAT. Regarding the dry matter of stem (Wc), the maximum was 6.56 g m-2 in grafted plants and 7.85 g m-2 in ungrafted, at 70 DAT. The dry matter of fruit (Wfr) started to compose the total dry matter from 42 DAT and was growing by the end of the cycle (70 DAT). For the grafted plant, Wfr maximum was 47.29 g m-2 and to ungrafted plants was 57.20 g m-2. The growth rate of leaf (Cf) increased until the end of the cycle with the Cf of 1.31 g m-2 d-1. Already, in ungrafted the Cf maximum was of 1.92 g m-2 d-1, at 49 DAT. The production rate of dry matter of stem (Cc) in the grafted watermelon was the maximum of 0.72 g m-2 d-1 (70 DAT), and grafted plants was 0.48 g m-2 d-1 (56 DAT). The growth rate maximum of fruit (Cf) was 3.66 g m-2 d-1 (70 DAT), in grafted plants. Already, the Cf in grafted plants was 2.97 g m-2d-1 (56 DAT). Grafted plants produced less than ungrafted, however, provided the best color of pulp and higher amount of phenols in the fruits did not differ in other variables when compared to ungrafted showing the potential of this material as a rootstock for hybrid mini watermelon Smile®. / O trabalho foi realizado a campo entre no período de 2008 a 2009 na Universidade Federal de Pelotas e objetivou avaliar a cultivar de mini melancia Smile® na condição enxertada e não enxertada (pé-franco). Na fase de muda foram avaliados os índices de pega e lignificação. O porta-enxerto que proporcionou os melhores resultados foi transplantado para o campo juntamente com pé-franco onde foram analisados o crescimento, a partição de matéria seca, a produção e a qualidade dos frutos. Na fase de muda, os acessos Irai e C314 proporcionaram os melhores resultados. Na fase de campo, pé-franco obteve maior acumulo de matéria seca total, taxa de produção de matéria seca, taxa de crescimento relativo, taxa assimilatória líquida, taxa de crescimento relativo de área foliar, razão de área foliar e razão de massa foliar. Entretanto, a área foliar específica foi superior em plantas enxertadas. Aliado a isso, altura a altura máxima foi de 1,5 metros aos 49 dias após o transplante (DAT) em plantas enxertadas e aos 42 DAT em pé-franco. A matéria seca foliar (Wf) sempre foi crescente. No que tange a Wf, foi crescente até os 70 DAT em plantas enxertadas (52,91 g m-2) e até os 63 DAT em pé-franco (71,55 g m-2). Concomitantemente, o número de folhas aumentou até os 63 DAT. No que concerne a matéria seca de caule (Wc), o máximo foi de 6,56 g m-2 em plantas enxertadas e de 7,85 g m-2 em pé-franco, aos 70 DAT . A matéria seca dos frutos (Wfr) iniciou a compor a matéria seca total a partir dos 42 DAT e foi crescente até o final do ciclo de cultivo (70 DAT). Para planta enxertada o Wfr máximo foi de 47,29 g m-2 e para pé-franco foi de 57,20 g m-2. A taxa de crescimento de folha (Cf) foi crescente durante todo o ciclo com o Cf máximo de 1,31 g m-2 d-1. Já, em pé-franco o Cf máximo foi de 2,16 g m-2 d-1, aproximadamente aos 42 DAT. Quanto a taxa de produção de matéria seca de caule (Cc), em melancia enxertada o Cc máximo foi de 0,72 g m-2 d-1 (70 DAT) e, em pé-franco o Cc máximo foi de 0,48 g m-2 d-1 (56 DAT). A taxa de crescimento máxima de fruto (Cfr) em planta enxertada foi de 3,66 g m-2 d-1 (70 DAT). Já, a Cfr pé-franco foi de 2,97 g m-2d-1 (56 DAT). Plantas enxertadas produziram menos do que pé-franco, entretanto, proporcionaram melhor coloração de polpa e maior quantidade de fenóis totais nos frutos, não diferindo nas demais variáveis analisadas quando comparadas ao pé-franco mostrando a potencialidade desse material como porta-enxerto para o híbrido de mini melancia Smile®.