Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences [JAMS]

Wild olive in Oman and its Conservation A Review

Thuraiya Al Jabri — Wed, 08 May 2024 00:00:00 +0400

The wild olive, Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata (Wall. & G.Don) Cif is one of the three dominant species of the common tree exits in the ecosystem of the mountains of northern and southern Oman. There are insufficient studies about the use, ecology and preservation of this species in Oman. The mountain ecosystem habitation is highly sensitive to disturbances and not easy to rehabilitate. These disturbances are caused by range of anthropogenic effects, such as urbanisation, climate change, overgrazing, introducing non-native species, as well as naturally occurring insects pests and diseases. Introduction of cultivated olive orchards (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea) in Oman was introduced in 2001 for oil production and its consumption in western Hajar Mountains has added a genetic threat where wild olives are grown. This paper highlights the importance of this subspecies in Oman and the threats that Oman is currently facing. The question is rising here “do we need to be concerned about wild olive in Oman?” This paper gives a clear picture of the wild olive in Oman including its description, distribution, ecology and current conservation status.

Fruit Flies Fauna, Bio-ecology, Economic Importance and Management with an Overview of the Current State of Knowledge in the Sultanate of Oman and the Arabian Peninsula

Ali K. AlWahaibi — Wed, 08 May 2024 00:00:00 +0400

Fruit fly species are important pests of fruit trees and vegetables.They cause significant economic losses due to the damage they cause to fruit and quarantine regulations preventing fruit export. This review was divided into two sections: a general world summary of the currently available literature on fruit flies and a more focused summary of fruit flies in Oman and neighboring countries of the Arabian Peninsula. The world summary covered the latest available information about fruit flies in terms of their general taxonomy, feeding patterns, life cycle, host plants, natural enemies, economic importance, and management tactics. Information was presented about the most recent management techniques, such as augmentoriums, chemosterilants, Wolbachia caused sterility, and auto-dissemination devices. This review also examined the available information about fruit flies in Oman and the Arabian Peninsula in terms of the fauna, economic species, bioecology, and pest management. Twenty tephritid species are known from Oman, and total number of described species from the Arabian Peninsula is 115, with most of the species belonging to the less economic subfamily Tephritinae. Most of the research works about bioecology and pest management of fruit flies comes from Oman, with only three articles from the rest of Arabia. The available regional literature examined are fruit fly surveys based on sampling of fruits and lure traps, and identifications of fruit fly species, their host plants, and parasitoids. It also included population dynamics of the common peach fruit fly in AlBatinah using lure traps, difference in infestations among fruit types, and a comparison of the effectiveness of different lures and trap designs. Finally, we present a summary of research from Oman and the Arabian Peninsula about insecticide trials and physical barriers (fruit bagging and row covers). Researchers in this region should focus on the less touched aspects alluded to in the general review such as biological control using natural enemies, sterile insect methods including the promising use of chemosterilants, and area-wide integrated pest management.

Enhancing Soil Properties and Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) Growth through Biochar and Ash Derived from Indigenous Plants Maerua crassifolia and Saccharum kajkaiense

M. Mumtaz Khan — Sun, 05 May 2024 00:00:00 +0400

Locally produced soil amendments can play a vital role in sustainable agriculture, enhancing soil quality and crop plant growth. This study investigated the impact of locally sourced biochar (BC) and ash, obtained from Maerua crassifolia Forssk. (wood), and Saccharum kajkaiense, Melderis (grass) on soil properties and okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) biomass. We assessed different application rates (10% and 20%), either separately or combined with the potting soil/peat (Biomix). Biomix application reduced soil pH (7.9),and increased soil organic mater (OM) (51.9%), NO3-1 (17.5%) levels, water holding capacity (WHC) (22.9%), and dry biomass (37.7%) of okra compared no Biomix application. Among BC and ash amendments, grass ash excelled, increasing okra biomass by 132.7%, followed by wood BC and grass BC. However, wood ash had a slight negative effect on okra dry weight and also increased the soil EC (6.12 dS m-1). Wood ash had higher K levels (758 mg kg-1) but lower Na (159 mg kg-1) compared to control (51 mg kg-1 K and 235 mg kg-1 Na). Both BC amendments raised soil organic matter (OM) by 7.63-8.69%, while wood and grass ash slightly increased soil P (57.7-64.6 mg kg-1). However, wood and grass BC reduced soil P to 44 mg kg-1. Grass ash raised NO3 levels (25.5%) compared to the control. The interaction of Biomix with wood and grass amendments decreased soil EC, increased soil OM, NO3 level and plant dry weight of okra. Wood and grass BC (20%) with Biomix enhanced the soil OM by 11%. The combination of 10% grass ash and Biomix resulted in the highest NO3 levels at 170 mg kg-1. Furthermore, the combination of Biomix and 10% grass ash produced the most significant increase (204.3%) in plant dry weight compared to the control. In conclusion, locally sourced biochar and ash amendments, particularly grass ash in combination with potting soil/peat (Biomix), demonstrated significant potential to enhance soil quality and crop biomass, offering valuable insights for sustainable agricultural practices.

Occurrence of an Old World Begomovirus Complex Infecting Radish in South of Nepal

Muhammad Shafiq Shahid — Sun, 05 May 2024 00:00:00 +0400

Radish (Raphanus sativus) leaf curl disease (RLCD) characterized by yellowing, color breaking, and mosaic symptoms were observed in a garden at Chitwan, Southern Nepal. Polymerase chain reaction using Taq DNA polymerase followed by rolling circle amplification using φ29 polymerase identified an Old World begomovirus complex linked with the RLCD. Pairwise sequence identity with SDT (Sequence Demarcation Tool) analysis coupled with phylogenetic analysis confirmed an Ageratum yellow vein virus (AYVV) and Tomato leaf curl Java betasatellite (ToLCJaB) was responsible to cause RLCD. This study provided initial evidence that radish plants were naturally infected with AYVV and ToLCuJaB in southern Nepal.

Taxonomic knowledge on the biodiversity of bivalve mollusks on the Algerian west coast

Mohammed Salah Eddine Boukli Hacene — Wed, 08 May 2024 00:00:00 +0400

Given the limited understanding of benthic fauna along the Algerian coast, this study was conducted to explore the diversity of bivalve mollusks specifically on the Algerian west coast. The primary objectives of this study were to create a comprehensive but not exhaustive inventory of bivalve species in this region and to analyze the distribution of these species within the study areas and neighboring regions. The research involved the investigation of numerous sandy beaches across four sectors of the Algerian west coast: Tlemcen, Béni-Saf, Ain-Temouchent, and Oran. Between June 2019 and April 2020, a random collection of empty bivalve shells was carried out in the foreshore zones of 16 beaches within these sectors. This extensive collection of 10,076 shells resulted in the identification of 56 bivalve mollusk species, categorized into 22 families. Among these families, the most prominent were Cardiidae, Donacidae, Glycymerididae, and Veneridae, serving as the most representative families across all four sectors. Notably, the Glycymerididae family was the most abundant along the Oran coast, with nearly 2,000 individuals, although they were less prevalent on the beaches of the Béni Saf sector. In contrast, the Veneridae family was prevalent on the beaches of the Tlemcen, Béni Saf, and Aïn-Témouchent sectors. Within the Veneridae family, there was remarkable diversity, featuring 11 species, followed by the Cardiidae family with 6 species, and the Limidae and Pectinidae families with 5 species each. Finally, among the identified species, the most abundant ones included Acanthocardia tuberculata (Linnaeus, 1758), Chamelea gallina (Linnaeus, 1758), Glycymeris nummaria (Linnaeus, 1758), and Donax trunculus (Linnaeus, 1758), each belonging to the Cardiidae, Veneridae, Glycymerididae, and Donacidae families, respectively.

Combined Use of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculants and Potassium Silicate for Improving Drought Tolerance in Cucumber

Ali Al-Hinai — Wed, 08 May 2024 00:00:00 +0400

Drought stress is one of the most serious abiotic stresses that cause significant reductions in plant growth and yield in many areas around the world. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) improve plant drought tolerance by extending the root zone through extraradical hyphae exploration of soil micropores. This study evaluated the combined application of AMF and potassium silicate (PS) to improve the drought tolerance of cucumber plants. Cucumber plants were grown under two watering regimes: drought-stressed 60% water holding capacity (WHC) and unstressed 80%WHC, and three mycorrhizal inoculation treatments (control, native AMF: quick root colonizer species, and commercial AMF) with or without potassium silicate application (100 mL/pot, con. 40 mL/L). Drought stress significantly reduced plant height, biomass, and photosystem II efficiency, while it increased the content of leaf glycine betaine and catalase activity. Generally, AMF inoculation significantly improved plant growth, SPAD, photosystem II efficiency, concentration of proline, glycine betaine, and catalase activity, and the native species exhibited comparable effects to commercial species for most variables studied. Contrary to our expectations, PS application alone did not improve plant growth, except for increased photosystem II efficiency, but root fresh and dry weights were reduced. Under drought stress, combination of PS and AMF significantly improved plant height, shoot fresh weight, SPAD value, glycine betaine, and catalase activity compared to PS alone. Our results highlight that the combined application of PS and AMF inoculants can protect cucumber seedlings from drought stress; however, further research is needed to optimize the PS application method and dosage and to investigate their long-term effects on plant growth and yield under field conditions.