Abstract Twisted structures are ubiquitous in plants and animals. Cellulose chitin natural polymers that form the structural skeleton of various twisted systems observed across different length scales, ranging from molecular to nano, micro, macro scale. In addition, cellulose helicoidal found be responsible for coloration, enhanced mechanical properties, motion. This review first addresses chit...

Each year, millions of tons of agricultural residues such as wheat straw are produced worldwide. In this paper, we describe ongoing efforts to solve technological, infrastructural, and economic challenges to using this straw for bioenergy and bioproducts. Among these challenges, silica in straw forms a low-melting point eutectic with potassium, causing excessive slagging deposits in boilers. Th...

Functional Structural Plant Models (FSPMs) that combine functional and architectural submodels within the framework of an organ-based plant model are typically rather complex. To successfully overcome this problem, FSPM development requires establishing strictly modular model structures. In particular, physiological submodels should be generic and universal for different plant species, solidly ...

We apply language theory to compare the expressive power of infinite-state models that extend Petri nets with features like colored tokens and/or whole place operations. Specifically, we consider extensions of Petri nets in which tokens carry pure names dynamically generated with special ν-transitions (νPN) and compare their expressiveness with transfer and reset nets with black indistinguishab...

Abstract Arid zones, where native rangelands are common, essentials for millions of people livelihood. These areas support 50% the world's livestock and 44% food is grown. In Central Argentina, Pappophorum vaginatum basically unique, warm-season perennial grass species palatable to grazing livestock. Our major objective was determine variability in reproductive characteristics among four sponta...

Awns, important domestication and agronomic traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.), are conferred by polygenes and the environment. Near isogenic line (NIL) pairs BM33 and BM38 were constructed from crosses between awnless japonica cv Nipponbare as recurrent parent, and lines SLG or Funingxiaohongmang (awned japonica accessions), respectively, as donors. In order to study the genetic and molecular me...

Seed shape and size are among the most important agronomic traits because they affect yield and market price. To obtain accurate seed size data, a large number of measurements are needed because there is little difference in size among seeds from one plant. To promote genetic analysis and selection for seed shape in plant breeding, efficient, reliable, high-throughput seed phenotyping methods a...

Radiant frost is a significant production constraint to wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare), particularly in regions where spring-habit cereals are grown through winter, maturing in spring. However, damage to winter-habit cereals in reproductive stages is also reported. Crops are particularly susceptible to frost once awns or spikes emerge from the protection of the flag leaf...

Barley is an important winter cereal crop in Jumla (2240-3000 masl), Nepal. It is grown in different cropping patterns in both Khet and Bari land conditions. A total of 207 accessions of barley landraces collected from various locations of Jumla were studied for agromorphological characteristics in Khumaltar and Jumla. Data on eight qualitative and five quantitative traits in 2-m row plot were ...

Selection of parents based on their combining ability is an effective approach in hybrid breeding. In this study, eight maintainer lines and nine restorer lines were used to obtain 72 crosses for analyzing the general combining ability (GCA) and special combining ability (SCA) for seven agronomic and yield characters including plant height (PH), spike length excluding awns (SL), inter-node leng...