Genetic and environmental variability in total and soluble β-glucan in European oat genotypes

A growing interest in oat (Avena ssp.) soluble fibre (β-glucan) is related to its role in the promotion of human health, and to its utilization in the production of functional foods with increased health benefits. Genetic variability and environmental conditions can exert significant effects on the grain β-glucan content. In this study 658 European oat genotypes grown in different environments in 2008 or 2009 within the European Project “Avena genetic resources for quality in human consumption” were analysed for total β-glucan content; the soluble fraction of β-glucan was also determined in a sub-set of 165 samples. Total β-glucan content ranged from 2.85 to 6.77% d.m. and the soluble fraction from 2.05 to 5.29% d.m. The estimated percentage of the soluble fraction ranged from 50.7 to 87.0%. β-glucan content and solubility were significantly influenced by both genotype and growing environment. Hierarchical cluster analysis allowed accessions with similar β-glucan compositions to be grouped. The accessions with the highest contents of both fractions included Avena sativa varieties from several countries and wild species. Finally, the data obtained were used to develop a NIRS calibration equation to predict the contents of total and soluble β-glucan in both naked and husked genotypes.     

α and β-galactosidase activities and oligosaccharide content in peanuts

Thirty-three peanut cultivars were examined for their alpha-1,6 and beta-1,4 galactosidase activities and oligosaccharide contents along with proximate compositions. The average moisture, protein, fat, ash, and carbohydrate contents were: 4.9%, 26.6%, 43.1%, 2.3% and 23.1%, respectively. The corresponding coefficients of variation were: 5.2%, 10.1%, 7.2%, 7.8% and 15.7%, respectively. Raffinose and stachyose contents (%) ranged from 0.05 to 0.12 and 0.31 to 0.61, respectively. The specific activity (micromol product/min/mg protein) of crude preparation of alpha-galactosidase for the 33 cultivars ranged from 1.096 to 2.784 for the non-germinated seeds and from not being detected in some samples up to 2.432 for the germinated seeds; the mean values for non-germinated and germinated seeds were: 1.781 and 1.410, respectively. The specific activity of beta-galactosidase ranged from 0.101 to 1.727 in the non-germinated seeds and from not being detected in some samples up to 0.898 in the germinated seeds. Germination decreased the activity of both galactosidases significantly (p < or = 0.05).     

Synergistic and antagonistic interactions between potassium and magnesium in higher plants

Magnesium(Mg)affects various critical physiological and biochemical processes in higher plants,and its deficiency impedes plant growth and development.Although potassium(K)-induced Mg deficiency in agricultural production is widespread,the specific relationship of K with Mg and especially its competitive nature is poorly understood.This review summarizes current knowledge on the interactions between K and Mg with respect to their root uptake,root-to-shoot translocation and distribution in plants.Their synergistic effects on certain physiological functions are also described.The antagonistic effect of K on Mg is stronger than that of Mg on K in root absorption and transport within plants,indicating that the balanced use of K and Mg fertilizers is necessary for sustaining high plant-available Mg and alleviating K-induced Mg deficiency,especially in plant species with high K demand or in highavailable-K soil.The relationship between Mg and K in plant tissues may be antagonistic or synergistic depending on plant species,cell type,leaf age,source-and sink organs.There are synergistic effects of K and Mg on photosynthesis,carbohydrate transport and allocation,nitrogen metabolism,and turgor regulation.Definition of optimal K/Mg ratios for soils and plant tissues is desirable for maintaining proper nutritional status in plants,leading to a physiological state supporting crop production.Future research should concentrate on identifying the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the interactions between K and Mg in a given physiological function.     

Rice Varieties and Their Genealogy in China

Editors-in-chief Profs, LiN Shicheng, MIN Shaokai The book has summarized the achievements and experiences of rice breeding in China in the past several decades through analysing rice varieties developed in China, their parentage, breeding methods, selected years and genealogy, and recorded about 1600 conventional varieties, hybrid combinations and related maintainers and restorers, and their main economic characteris     

Food Production and High-Yielding Practices in Zhejiang

Editor-in-chief(?) Prof DINa yuanshu In Chinese.     

Correlations between ultrastructure and photosynthesis in leaves of rice and barnyard-grass

The ultrastructure of the leaves of rice(Oryza sativa)and barnyardgrass(Echinochloa crus-galli)in their milking stage were studied withelectron microscopy.The content of chloro-     

Cotton germplasm improvement and progress in Pakistan

Cotton(Gossypium spp.)contributes significantly to the economy of cotton-producing countries.Pakistan is the fourth-largest producer of cotton after China,the USA and India.The average yield of cotton is about 570.99 kg.hm^?2 in Pakistan.Climate change and different biotic stresses are causing reduction in cotton production.Transgenic approaches have unique advantage to tackle all these problems.However,how to confer permanent resistance in cotton against insects through genetic modification,is still a big challenge to address.Development of transgenic cotton has been proven to be effective.But its effectiveness depends upon several factors,including heterogeneity,seed purity,diffusion of varieties,backcrossing and ethical concerns.Cotton biotechnology was initiated in Pakistan in 1992–1993 with a focus on acquiring cotton leaf curl virus(CLCuV)-resistant insect-resistant,and improving fiber quality.This review summarizes the use of molecular markers,QTLs,GWAS,and gene cloning for cotton germplasm improvement,particularly in Pakistan.     

Content of starch and sugars and in vitro digestion of starch by α-amylase in five minor millets

Five varieties of minor millets were studied for their amylose, soluble amylose, amylopectin, soluble amylopectin, reducing sugar, total sugar and starch contents. Pure starch was isolated from each variety and the enzymic degradation of starch by porcine pancreatic -amylase were examined with and without gelatinisation. Gelatinised sample ofEchinochloa frumentacea (var. K2) showed minimal hydrolysis and gelatinised sample ofPanicum miliaceum (var. CO3) showed maximum hydrolysis of starch by porcine pancreatic -amylase. Gelatinised starch was highly susceptible to enzymic digestion when compared to ungelatinised starch. The extent of starch degradation varied from 71 to 85 percent in gelatinised samples and starch degradation in ungelatinised sample varied from 10 to 18 percent.     

Difference in Grain Yield and Quality among Tillers in Rice Genotypes Differing in Tillering Capacity

A japonica variety and its iso-allelic mutant with high tillering ability were used to investigate the differences in grain yield and quality among different tillers. There was a distinct difference in panicle weight among tillers during grain filling for both genotypes, with Xiushui 11 having a greater increase rate in panicle weight, and being earlier in reaching the maximum panicle weight than the mutant. There was a great significant difference between the two genotypes in grain yield and its components, with Xiushui 11 having higher grain yield, more grains per panicle, higher filled grain percentage and grain weight than the mutant for each type of tiller. Moreover, a significant difference was found in grain yield and yield components among different tillers for both genotypes, with grain number per panicle showing the greatest variation over tillers among all yield components. Compared with Xiushui 11, the mutant had higher brown rice rate and greater ratio of length to width of brown rice, and lower chalky rice rate, amylose content, and protein content of rice. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in grain quality among tillers within a plant for both genotypes, with later initiated tillers being lower in chalky rice rate, amylose and protein contents than early initiated ones. The variation of most quality parameters among tillers within a plant was markedly larger for the mutant than for Xiushui 11.     

Combined pollution of Cd and Zn in soil-rice systems and its indexes

Due to the mining, smelting, sewage irrigation, agricultural runoff, and development of rural enterprises, combined pollution of Cd and Zn in soil-rice systems has frequently oceurred. This problem was studied by using the pot-culture imitative method combined with heroical analysis and mathematical models. Tested soil was brunisolic paddy soil and the tested concentrations of Cd and Zn were selected as follows: Cd (mg/kg) 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 3.0 Zn (mg/kg) 0.0 100 200 400 The results showed that the Cd-Zn combined pollution was more complicated than the single-factor pollution of Cd or Zn in soil-rice system: Influences of the Cd-Zn combined pollution on biological yield of rice, accumulation and distribution on Cd and Zn in tissues of rice were not only dependent on the concentration of Cd and Zn added into the tested paddy soil, but also related to their ratio. Under the condition of the Cd-Zn combined pollution, interrelationship between biological yield (Y) of rice and exponential logarithmic value     

Origin and cultivation history of rice in China

According to the documental accounts, the distribution of wild rice (O.perennis), the ancestor species of cultivated rice in ancient China is possibly more northward than in the modern times. The earliest rice grains unearthed from the Neolithic sites existed along the lower and middle reaches of the Yangtze River.     

QTLs for stem thickness and strength in rice

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Temporal and spatial change in phosphate–phosphorus concentration and modeling with land-use variation in Sengari reservoir basin,Japan

Paddy and Water Environment - Severe degradation of water quality from nutrient pollutants has increased eutrophication that affects aquatic ecosystems and increases the cost of water treatment....     

Marine-Sourced Anti-Cancer and Cancer Pain Control Agents in Clinical and Late Preclinical Development ?

The marine habitat has produced a significant number of very potent marine-derived agents that have the potential to inhibit the growth of human tumor cells in vitro and, in a number of cases, in both in vivo murine models and in humans. Although many agents have entered clinical trials in cancer, to date, only Cytarabine, Yondelis^® (ET743), Eribulin (a synthetic derivative based on the structure of halichondrin B), and the dolastatin 10 derivative, monomethylauristatin E (MMAE or vedotin) as a warhead, have been approved for use in humans (Adcetris^®). In this review, we show the compounds derived from marine sources that are currently in clinical trials against cancer. We have included brief discussions of the approved agents, where they are in trials to extend their initial approved activity (a common practice once an agent is approved), and have also included an extensive discussion of the use of auristatin derivatives as warheads, plus an area that has rarely been covered, the use of marine-derived agents to ameliorate the pain from cancers in humans, and to act as an adjuvant in immunological therapies.     

Changes in Methamidophos Resistance and Fitness of Hybrids in Different Strains of Nilaparvata lugens

A resistant strain selected successively in the laboratory for 17 generations had 198.63-fold resistance to methamidophos. The resistant levels and fitness of progenies from the resistant strain and susceptible strain or field population were closer to those of the resistant strain than those of the susceptible strain or field population. The changes in the resistant levels of the hybrid were propitious to the resistance development, however, the changes of the fitness went to the contrary. The effects of the migration on the development of methamidophos resistance in Nilaparvata lugens were discussed in the aspects of the migration of Nilaparvata lugens, the resistant levels of progenies and the changes of the fitness.     

Review on contaminants in edible oil and analytical technologies

Edible oil is an important part of the human daily diet,which is popular in the food industry.People are paying increasing attention to the safety of edible oil as flawed oils have caused enormous international losses and posed a huge threat to consumer health issues.Therefore,it is necessary and important to analyze the quality and safety of oil product.In the present study,we particularly reviewed recent literature on analysis of emerging pollutants in edible oil including mycotoxins,pesticide residues and heavy metals.In addition,a series of emerging analytical technologies(HPLC,LC-MS/MS and GC-MS)for these contaminants were also summarized in this paper.     

Relationships between ultra-drying tolerance and heat-stable proteins in riceseeds

Ｇｅｎｏｔｙｐｅｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｃｅｓｏｎｔｈｅｕｌ ｔｒａ ｄｒｙｉｎｇｔｏｌｅｒａｎｃｅｓｉｎｒｉｃｅｈａｖｅｂｅｅｎｒｅｐｏｒｔｅｄ，ｂｕｔｔｈｅｍｅｃｈａｎｉｓｍｉｓｓｔｉｌｌｕｎｋｎｏｗｎ．Ｈｅｒｅｔｈｅｒｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐｂｅ ｔｗｅｅｎｕｌｔｒａ ｄｒｙｉｎｇｔｏｌｅｒａｎｃｅａｎｄｈｅａｔ ｓｔａｂｌｅｐｒｏｔｅｉｎｓｗａｓｓｔｕｄｉｅｄｉｎｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｔｒｉｃｅｃｕｒｒｅｄｕｎｄｅｒｎｏｒｍａｌｔｅｍｐｅｒａｔｕｒｅａｎｄｓｔｒｏｎｇｌｉｇｈｔ．Ｔｈｅｐｈｏｔｏｉｎｈｉｂｉ…     

The ENSO event and rice planthopper occurrence in China

The rice planthopper,including brown planthopper(Nilaparvata hugens Stal)and white—backed planthopper(Sogata furcifera Hor-vath),is one kind of tropical pests.They im-migrate with the southeast monsoon from low—latitude area into China at March of April.The global climatic anomaly especially the ElNi (?)o event and the Southern Oscillation(theENSO event)directly influence the rice plan-     

Fertilizer rate and β-galactosidase and peroxidase activity in pepper fruit at different stages and years of harvest

Beta-galactosidase and peroxidase are enzymes reported to have roles in pepper maturation. Fertilizer rate may affect activity of these enzymes in fruit maturing on the plant. Nine pepper cultivars, five non-pungent and four pungent, were fertilized at two rates in field plots in 1997 and 1998 at Lane, OK, USA. Fruit were harvested at mature green, turning, and red color developmental stages, and assayed for beta-galactosidase and peroxidase activity. Overall fruit beta-galactosidase activity increased as fertilizer rate increased, and was highest in red fruit. Fertilizer rate and fruit developmental stage did not affect peroxidase activity in 1997, but peroxidase activity was highest in red fruit in 1998. Enzyme activity appeared to be cultivar dependent, and patterns differed in both years. Activities of both enzymes were higher at the red stage in many of the non-pungent peppers than in pungent peppers. These data suggest that increased fertilizer affects the activity of at least one enzyme in fruit maturing on the plant. Cultural practices affecting enzyme activity may be used to modify concentrations of components in plants that are important for human consumption.