Fertilization management is a key issue in plant nutrition to produce plants with good quality and quantity. Deproteinized leaf juice or brown juice (BJ) is a by-product during the isolation of leaf protein from biomass crops such as alfalfa. The idea of using BJ as a biostimulant fits well in the aspect of circular economy since BJ is currently a problematic issue of the leaf protein production approach. Fractionation of one-kilogram fresh biomass results in approximately 500 cm³ BJ. Due to fast spoil of fresh BJ, if left on room temperature, it is found that fermentation of fresh BJ using lactic acid bacteria and reducing its pH increases its stability and storage on room temperature. In the present study, we examined the effect of fermented alfalfa BJ on vegetative, physiological, and anatomical properties of the versatile sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L. ‘Bíborfelhő’) plants. Sweet basil seedlings were sprayed at different doses of fermented alfalfa BJ (i.e., 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.5%) and tap water served as a control (0.0% BJ). The results revealed that foliar application of fermented alfalfa BJ significantly improved the biometrical features of sweet basil plants. Plants treated with fermented BJ showed significantly higher values of all the measured parameters compared to the control (0.0%), except for the number of leaves per plants where control plants (0.0%) had more leaves. However, the leaves of control plants (0.0%) were smaller than treated plants as data of leaf area showed. Fermented alfalfa BJ significantly increased the content of photosynthetic pigments (chl a and chl b), relative chlorophyll (SPAD value), lengths of stem and root, fresh masses of stem, root, and leaves, volumes of stem and root, and leaf area. Despite all rates of fermented BJ displayed higher values over control plants (0.0%), the rate of 0.5% was the best one supported by results. Application of fermented alfalfa BJ influenced the anatomical parameters as well. These findings demonstrate the possible use of fermented alfalfa BJ as a promising novel plant biostimulant.

Efficient nitrogen (N) nutrition has been reported to have the potential to alleviate the drought stress damages by maintaining metabolic activities even at low tissue water potential. The goal of our research was to find a correlation on the genotype level between the effect of different amounts of nitrogen nutrition and water supply at different growth stages. A small-plot experiment was established with three maize hybrids and three levels of nitrogen, and two different amounts of water supply were applied during the vegetation period of 2018 and 2019. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were detected, as well as potential and actual photochemical efficiency of PSII, at three growth stages: eight-leaf stage, tasseling, silking. At physiological maturity, the yield of hybrids was also measured. While only genotype differences were described among the investigated parameters in the V8 stage, treatment effects were also realized based on the measured chlorophyll fluorescence parameters during the tasseling and silking stages. Beyond the significant effect of irrigation, a similar impact was declared in the case of 80 kg ha⁻¹ N treatment at the later growth stages. Pronounced correlation was described between chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and yield mainly under irrigated conditions. Our result suggested that lower N nutrition may be sufficient mainly under irrigated conditions, and in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence parameters are appropriate for detecting the effect of environmental factors in different growth stages.

The concentration (in mg kg–1 fresh weight) of two main hydroxamates, 2,4-dihydroxy- 7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIMBOA) and 2,4-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIBOA), and their temporal changes were simultaneously investigated using HPLC analysis in the leaves and roots of five Pioneer® maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids to select hybrids with higher hydroxamate contents. Although significant differences were found among hybrids in leaves, youngest leaves and roots, none of them showed unambiguously higher hydroxamate contents. However, the age of the organs and the plants significantly affected hydroxamate content. DIMBOA content of leaves decreased with increasing organ and plant age. DIBOA content varied among the hybrids, but generally decreased in the initial phase and then increased. In the roots, DIMBOA content decreased during the 21-day study and although DIBOA content did not show a clear temporal tendency, differences among hybrids were detected. According to current results, hydroxamate content... Supporting InformationElectronic Supplementary Material (ESM)

Saponins are secondary metabolites produced by various plants. These compounds have important role in the defence system. The word saponin refers to a group of different chemical compounds. Basically, sugar conjugates of triterpenoids or steroids are called saponins. Triterpene-type saponins are more specific among dicotyledonous plants, while steroid-type saponins are more characteristic of plants belonging to the monocotyledonous taxonomic group. Alfalfa is a large-scale cultivated and foraged fodder plant in Hungary. In the defence mechanism of alfalfa, saponins also play an important role. However, large amount of saponins can be toxic in animal fodder, especially in the poultry farming and piggery. As a dicotyledonous plant, the alfalfa saponins are mainly triterpenoid type. In our study we measure the total triterpenoid saponin content and leaf stem ratio of field cultivated alfalfa cultivars. Samples were collected from a randomized block design experiment, planted in the Demonstration Garden and Arboretum of Institutes of Agricultural Research and Educational Farm, in Debrecen, in 2018. Three different cultivar were investigated, and the samples were collected three different times of the growing season at growing stage of early flowering, for three years (2018-2020.). There was no difference in the TSC of examined varieties on the average of all measured data, although the sampling time showed significant effect on TSC. Our results attract attention to the fact that ageing of alfalfa stands can cause increase in TSC.

Woolly cupgrass (Eriochloa villosa Thunb. Knuth) is a common weed which is native to East Asia. It also was introduced into North America and Europe. The problems related to controlling this annual weed are due to its germination characteristics, low susceptibility to certain herbicides and considerable competitiveness against other plant species. Several genera of the Panicoideae subfamily contain benzoxazinoids, therefore we hypothesized that woolly cupgrass also produces these chemicals. To test this hypothesis, the benzoxazinoid content of plants at the flowering stage was investigated. Our results demonstrate the presence of benzoxaziniods in woolly cupgrass and this represents the first report of these compounds in this species within the Poaceae family and the Panicoideae subfamily. Benzoxazinoids likely account for the rapid spread and ecological success of woolly cupgrass in its invasive range.