We obtain a nontrivial upper bound for the multiplicative energy of any sufficiently large subset of a subvariety of a finite algebraic group. We also find some applications of our results to the growth of conjugates classes, estimates of exponential sums, and restriction phenomenon.

It is well known that classical varieties of $\Sigma$ -algebras correspond bijectively to finitary monads on $\mathsf{Set}$ . We present an analogous result for varieties of ordered $\Sigma$ -algebras, that is, categories of algebras presented by inequations between $\Sigma$ -terms. We prove that they correspond bijectively to strongly finitary monads on $\mathsf{Pos}$ . That is, those finitary monads which preserve reflexive coinserters. We deduce that strongly finitary monads have a coinserter presentation, analogous to the coequalizer presentation of finitary monads due to Kelly and Power. We also show that these monads are liftings of finitary monads on $\mathsf{Set}$ . Finally, varieties presented by equations are proved to correspond to extensions of finitary monads on $\mathsf{Set}$ to strongly finitary monads on $\mathsf{Pos}$ .

Seed priming is a pre-sown treatment and it is often used to improve the performance of plants in any environment, especially germination. In the current study, various concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) were used to evaluate its role for the induction of physiological variations within seven different wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes. Two experiments were conducted during 2013 and 2014 and the data were statistically analysed for significance. All these genotypes after treatment with sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as NO donor at 10−4 and 10−5 M concentrations were sown following randomized complete block design with triplicates in the fields of District Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. The concentration of NO at 10−4 M showed promising results and most of the studied characters were found improved compared to control. Wheat varieties primed with 10−4 M SNP showed highest germination speed and germination percentage. NARC-2011 and Uqab-2002 showed much improvement in physiological attributes at both concentrations of NO priming. However, Uqab-2002 and Punjab-2011 showed a significant increase in chlorophyll contents and leaf moisture content with 10−4 and 10−5 M SNP priming compared to control. Highest relative water content was observed within unprimed Lasani, whereas the relative injury was found to be decreased at 10−4 M SNP primed Faisalabad-2008. Wheat varieties Punjab-2011 and Faisalabad-2008 showed the highest increase in grain yield and biological yield by 10−4 M SNP. Hence, it is concluded that sowing of crops after priming at 10−4 M NO concentration can improve the germination, biochemistry and physiology that ultimately lead to an increase in crop yield.

Extensive field and greenhouse studies were done to characterize varietal response of three recently commercialized sulfonylurea corn herbicides: nicosulfuron, primisulfuron, and thifensulfuron. Most of the 94 varieties tested were highly tolerant to these herbicides. The 37 inbreds represented all major inbred families now used in hybrid seed production as well as several sensitive experimentals. Twenty-one defined hybrids from these inbreds as well as 36 commercially coded hybrids were also tested. Sensitive inbreds produced tolerant hybrids when crossed with tolerant inbreds. Sensitive hybrids occurred when both parents were sensitive. Genetic analysis of sensitive by tolerant crosses showed that sensitivity is controlled by a single recessive gene. Nicosulfuron had the widest corn safety margin and fewest sensitive varieties. Dose response analysis showed varieties can vary more than 40 000-fold in sensitivity. Only corn varieties with the AHAS-modified XA-17 gene showed any change in enzyme sensitivity. This gene overcame sensitivity to sulfonylureas, even when the organophosphate insecticide terbufos was present. Thus, breeders have three options to eliminate sulfonylurea sensitivity: backcross sensitive inbreds with tolerant, always use at least one tolerant hybrid parent, or use the XA-17 gene.

Nine corn inbreds were selected from a test on 250 inbreds based on distinctly different response to herbicides. These inbreds showed up to 50,000-fold differences, which varied by inbred and herbicide. Only the inbred GA209 was sensitive to bentazon and the four sulfonylurea herbicides. GA209 and B90 were the most sensitive inbreds to the sulfonylurea herbicides. F2R was generally the most tolerant inbred. The pattern of herbicide tolerance varied greatly. For example, the relative tolerance of F2 to thifensulfuron was 12-fold more than to rimsulfuron while Mo17 was 56-fold more tolerant to rimsulfuron than thifensulfuron. F2 was fivefold more tolerant of chlorsulfuron than chlorimuron, whereas B80 was 100-fold the reverse. These inbreds provide a small subset of varieties to evaluate the large and inherent differences in herbicide tolerance of corn.

Seed treatments with two acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides, the sulfonylurea herbicide nicosulfuron and the imidazolinone herbicide imazaquin, controlled the parasitic weed Striga hermonthica in corn. The XA-17 gene in ALS-modified P3180IR corn strongly reduced corn injury from herbicide seed treatments while another ALS modification was not effective. Combining seed treatment of ALS-inhibiting herbicides and ALS-modified corn with the XA-17 gene may offer a practical means for African growers to control Striga hermonthica.

Field experiments were conducted from 1974 to 1977 at Redfield and Centerville, South Dakota, to evaluate the tolerance of soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] at different growth stages and five varieties of soybeans to dicamba (3,6-dichloro-o-anisic acid) and to determine dicamba residue in the foliage. Yield reduction occurred from applications when soybeans were flowering. Furthermore, germination was reduced by dicamba application at pod-fill. Dicamba residue was detected in foliage 7 days but not 18 days after application. Extent of dicamba use and drift occurrence was determined by a telephone survey of 159 farmers. Thirty-one percent of the farmers surveyed used dicamba in 1976.

Field experiments were conducted in 2003 and 2004 to evaluate the effects of reduced rates of glufosinate on development and yield of three nonglufosinate-resistant cotton varieties. The varieties evaluated were selected on their relative maturity with PayMaster (PM) 1218, early maturity; FiberMax (FM) 960, medium maturity; and Delta and Pine Land (DP) 555, late maturity. Rates of 47, 23, and 4.7 g ai/ha were applied, representing 10, 5, and 1% of the typical use rate per application of 467 g ai/ha, respectively. As might be expected, when averaged over varieties, the 10% rate showed more injury than the 5%, and the 5% rate caused more visual injury than the 1% rate. Pooled over timing and rate, PM1218 showed more injury (18%) than FM960 (7%), which showed more injury than DP555 (1%) 7 days after application (DAA) at the 10% rate. However, although PM1218 showed the most visual injury, this did not translate into delay in maturity or loss of lint yield. DP555 showed 70 kg ai/ha and 50 kg ai/ha lint yield loss when glufosinate was applied at the 10% rate on the fifth and eighth node stage, respectively. DP555 was delayed in maturity when glufosinate was applied at the 10% rate on the eighth node stage. FM960 showed 30 kg/ha lint yield loss when glufosinate was applied at the 10 and 5% rates at the fifth node stage. Maturity of FM960 was delayed with the 10 and 5% rates applied at the fifth node stage.

Recent developments in the U.S. pecan industry appear to limit the utility of past research. The importance of pecan variety has emerged as an issue which could alter past results. The linear and double-log models previously fitted to all-pecans (averaged) data may be too restrictive and hence, are less useful for variety-specific analysis. Past research also analyzed price turning points using nominal data. This study investigated functional form and data-averaging problems by fitting separate flexible Box-Cox price-dependent models for all-pecans and each variety of pecans (1970/71-1988/89 deflated data). Results indicate: other nuts substitute for different pecan varieties, estimated all-pecans price flexibility is biased and clouds variety-specific flexibilities, and restrictive functional forms are inappropriate.

This is a short account of some of the work of L. G. (Laci) Kovács on varieties of groups.

Introduction. Chinese jujubeoriginated in China and has become a leading fruit tree in the northernpart of China with total production of 4,250,000 t in 2009 and totalplanting area of 1,500,000 ha. Among the reported 944 Chinese jujubecultivars or strains, ‘Zanhuangdazao’ is the unique natural triploid cultivar;it is characterized by big fruit, high yield and good adaptabilitycompared with the other diploid cultivars. Therefore, our groupbegan polyploid breeding through colchicine induction starting in2000. Cultivar origin. ‘Chenguang’ is a new Chinese jujubecultivar induced by colchicine on the stem apex of the diploid ‘Linyilizao’.Through three years of top-grafting and purification, its characteristicswere observed in grafted and top-grafted experimental orchards continually.In 2009, ‘Chenguang’ was released by the Hebei Forestry CultivarExamination and Approval Committee and became the unique tetraploid Chinesejujube cultivar in the world to date. Cultivar characteristics.The somatic chromosome number, botanical character, phenologicalphase, productivity and adaptability are given. ‘Chenguang’ is suitablefor growing in Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong Province, where the annual averagetemperature is 12–14 °C and rainfall is above 400 mm, or similar soiland climate conditions. Main cultural techniques. Propagation,the training system, fruit setting and disease control are explainedand recommended.

The following theorem is proved. Let m, k and n be positive integers. There exists a number η=η(m,k,n) depending only on m, k and n such that if G is any residually finite group satisfying the condition that the product of any η commutators of the form [xm,y1,…,yk ] is of order dividing n, then the verbal subgroup of G corresponding to the word w=[xm,y1,…,yk ] is locally finite.

Introduction. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of an electronic nose (e-nose) to predict the quality of nectarines and peaches, and, in particular, the aroma. Materials and methods. Four nectarine cultivars (‘María Dolce’, ‘Maillarlate’, ‘Nectaross’ and ‘Venus’) and one peach cultivar (‘Royal Glory’) were evaluated. The fruit was harvested ripe and the quality evaluations were carried out just one day after harvest. The intensity of the main descriptors of fruit quality was described, and fruits were subjected to an e-nose assessment. The sensory analysis and the e-nose results were presented through a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). A multiple linear regression (MLR) was also used to create a predictive model for the attribute ‘aroma’ compared with the other sensory parameters and the most informative e-nose sensor data. Results and discussion. ‘Royal Glory’ and ‘María Dolce’ were placed in a separate cluster far from ‘Venus’, ‘Nectaross’ and ‘Maillarlate’. The result of the MLR included the attributes ‘acidity’, ‘sweetness’ and ‘acceptability’ in the model, and the data registered by sensor 6 of the e-nose (SnO2-sensor, RGTO Mo, 45 Å thick layer), which were those factors that best related to the aroma, reached a R2 of 0.48 and a mean square error (MSE) of 3.85. It was concluded that the e-nose is an instrument able to discriminate peach varieties through their aromatic features, which are among the descriptors that mainly determine acceptability by the peach consumer.

Organic cotton is a new industrial crop product. Field experiments were conducted to determine the effects of cultural systems and varieties on the growth, fiber quality and yield components of cotton crop (Gossypium hirsutum L.). The experiments, conducted during 2006 and 2007, were laid out in a split plot design with four replicates, two main plots (organic and conventional system) and two sub-plots (cotton varieties: Athena and Campo). There were no significant differences between the organic and conventional system for cotton growth, yield and fiber quality. The results suggest that the soil N released from both the inorganic (80:40:40 kg ha−1 N:P2O5:K2O) and organic pool (green manure) were sufficient to maintain good growth. Inferior-quality fiber was produced in the variety. Campo, which had the lowest fiber fineness (micronaire), strength, length and reflection. In addition, this variety had the highest fiber elongation and yellowness. There were no significant differences between varieties as far as uniformity and leaf trash ratio are concerned. A positive correlation was observed between fiber strength and length. However, a negative correlation was found between lint yield and fiber strength.

A variety is said to be a Rees–Sushkevich variety if it is contained in a periodic variety generated by 0-simple semigroups. Recently, all combinatorial Rees–Sushkevich varieties have been shown to be finitely based. The present paper continues the investigation of these varieties by describing those that are Cross, finitely generated, or small. It is shown that within the lattice of combinatorial Rees–Sushkevich varieties, the set ℱ of finitely generated varieties constitutes an incomplete sublattice and the set 𝒮 of small varieties constitutes a strict incomplete sublattice of ℱ. Consequently, a combinatorial Rees–Sushkevich variety is small if and only if it is Cross. An algorithm is also presented that decides if an arbitrarily given finite set Σ of identities defines, within the largest combinatorial Rees–Sushkevich variety, a subvariety that is finitely generated or small. This algorithm has complexity 𝒪(nk) where n is the number of identities in Σ and k is the length of the longest word in Σ.

Introduction. The mango tree is of prime importance to the rural economy of central and northern Benin since it provides food and crucial nutriments at the end of the dry season. However, mango producers in Benin are confronted with two problems that are closely connected: deterioration of fruit quality by fruit flies and the inadequacy of postharvest methods. In the Sudanian zone of Benin, fruit flies (Diptera Tephritidae) are highly responsible for major production losses. Materials and methods. An inventory of all present cultivars and yields of main mango cvs. (Gouverneur, Eldon, Dabshar, Kent, Smith, Keitt and Brooks) was carried out in Benin on 7 000 fruits near Parakou (Borgou) during the years 2005 and 2006. Sampling of 3 000 young fruits (length range 13–26 mm) was carried out in 2006 in order to detect some very early tephritid attacks. A loss assessment of pre-ripening and ripening fruits was also carried out on 7 750 fruits in 2006. Results and discussion. We identified 29 cultivars in the district of Borgou where 75% of the mango orchards of Benin are situated. Most of these use the ‘gatherer’ production system. The early Gouverneur cultivar had the lowest yield (1.8 t·ha–1), and the late Brooks cultivar had the highest yield (10.4 t·ha–1). Small and immature young fruits allowed development of both C. cosyra and B. invadens in February and March, i.e., before the mango season itself: this result could be a useful result for pest control. For the pre-ripening and ripening stages, average losses due to tephritid varied from 0.34 t·ha–1 to 6.5 t·ha–1 depending on cultivar type, resulting in considerable loss of income for small planters. Taking all cultivars together, losses stood at 17% in early April and exceeded 70% at mid-June. By the middle of the crop year, over 50% losses were recorded. The seasonal cultivar Eldon and late cultivars (Keitt and Brooks) were the most infested. Conclusion. In the Sudanian zone of Benin, the two main species of Tephritidae that have a high economic impact on mango trees are B. invadens and C. cosyra. Our preliminary observations and calculations will be used in a forthcoming article to calculate the economic injury level of these fruit flies.

Recent unusual high damage of finger millet Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn. and wheat Triticum spp. by Busseola fusca (Fuller) in Ethiopia prompted the initiation of this study that has involved comparing the host status of these crops with the main host, maize Zea mays. One improved variety and one local land race each of wheat, finger millet and maize were grown with and without fertilizer in a randomized complete block design to evaluate the effect of nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizers and varietal differences on the suitability of these host plants for the development of borer larvae. The results indicated that B. fusca larvae managed to survive up to the adult stage in the stems of finger millet and maize, while wheat failed to support larval development to pupation. The stems of fertilizer-treated crops hosted more larvae than those of untreated ones and these were significantly longer and heavier. Improved varieties tended to be more suitable for B. fusca development. Furthermore, irrespective of the crop species, improved varieties grown with fertilizer were more suitable for the development of B. fusca. An improved finger millet variety, KNE No. 1098, grown with fertilizer was as suitable as the improved maize variety A-511, grown without fertilizer. For wheat, however, immature mortality was 100% irrespective of variety and fertilizer level.