The aim of this study was to investigate tolerance of various maize inbreds from the gene bank of the Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, to herbicides with different active ingredients. The investigation involved 20 maize inbreds, two pre-emergence herbicides – H1 (isoxaflutole), H2 (mesotrione, S–metolachlor, terbutilazine) and three post emergence herbicides – H3 (foramsulfuron, iodosulfuron-methy Na), H4 (nicosulfuron) and H5 (bentazon, dicamba). The phytotoxicity assessment was based on visual estimation of plant injuries and also involved certain metric parameters of maize plants (tasseling and silking date, uppermost ear height, plant height, ear length and ear weight), all according to EPPO guidelines. For non-parametric traits, Kruskal-Wallis one way analysis of variance was used and simple chart with columns for the modes. The differences between treatments were analysed in order to find statistically significant impact of herbicides on a particular maize inbreds. The metric traits were tested by split-plot analyse of variance. The inbreds responded differently to herbicide treatments, and also individual inbreds exhibited different levels of tolerance and types of plant injuries. The differences were also expressed in other quantitative traits such as yield, silking and tasseling time.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 8193657Within the framework of the National Program of the Slovenian Plant Gene Bank, an important part of the gene bank is kept by the Department of Agronomy at the Biotechnical Faculty of the University in Ljubljana. Genetic resources of agricultural plants are stored there: buckwheat, wheat (to a minor extent also barley, rye, oats and millet), maize, forage species (perennial and Italian ryegrasses, cocksfoot, red and white clover, meadow soft grass, alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil), fruit plants (apple trees and pears), as well medicinal and aromatic plants, especially those that are most endangered. The main aim of the gene bank is to preserve genetic variability in interesting populations, landraces and wild plants that have never been raised and cultivated. The main reason that the majority of populations and local varieties (landraces) that were grown 40 and more years ago, are no longer grown, is that they have been displaced by newer, commercially interesting varieties. The seeds of the aforementioned genetic resources are kept at 4 °C and about 8 % moisture. The results of germination tests have shown that they retain appropriate germination up to 20, 30, even 40 years, depending on the species. On the basis of laboratory germination tests, we decided to give priority to restoration or generation in the coming years. We will also maintain and update the collection of grasses and clovers, as well medicinal and aromatic plants and apple and pear plantations. In the future, where it is possible, we will supplement the gene bank with new genetic resources from the field. Because of adaptation to Slovenian environmental conditions, some of these are interesting for organic farming and alternative medicine, needs for which are growing in the modern world. The existing gene bank is also a rich, untapped source of genes for genetic research and breeding of new cultivars.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 8260985Results of testing old local apricot cultivars for presence of phytoplasma using molecular diagnostic methods are presented. ‘Ca. P. prunorum’ was confirmed in 26 out of 27 apricot trees tested. Some of them are older than 50 years and although they are infected, none of the trees show symptoms of the disease. To study the tolerance of these cultivars buds were taken from four infected trees of varities Debeli Flokarji and Catarji and grafted onto Myrobalan 29C rootstock in the spring 2013. All 12 grafted plants developed well in the first year as well in the second year after buding, although four plants showed premature leaf development in the spring 2014. At the end of the second growth year the molecular analyses confirmed the presence of ‘Ca. P. prunorum’ in 10 out of 12 plants.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 4672872