Influences of Potassium Chloride Fertilization on Mycorrhizal Formation in a Tropical Alfisol

This study examines the influence of different amounts of potassium chloride (KCl) fertilization on plant growth, nutrient accumulation and content, nutrient ratios, and root colonization by indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in maize (Zea mays L.). KCl was applied at the rate of 0, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 1.50, and 1.75 mg/kg of soil. Effect of KCl on indigenous AM formation and function was evaluated in terms of the extent of root length colonization, plant growth, and nutrient uptake. Increasing concentration of KCl fertilization proportionately limited the total root length colonized by AM fungi as well as the root length with different AM fungal structures. Maize plants raised on soils amended with different concentrations of KCl were significantly taller than those raised on unamended soils. KCl application also significantly increased the total root length and root dry weight. Nevertheless, KCl fertilization did not significantly alter the root/shoot ratios. Higher concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) were evident in shoot and root tissues of maize (except shoot N) raised on KCl-amended soils. Phosphorus concentrations in shoots and roots significantly influenced mycorrhization and root length colonized by different AM fungal structures, and such an effect was evident for root N. KCl fertilization increased the efficiency of N and P accumulation. No significant change was evident in the K:N ratios of shoots or roots, whereas the K:P ratios were significantly altered in shoots or roots in response to KCl application.     

Sugar metabolism by Brucellae

The metabolic capabilities of the species of Brucella were originally of interest as a means of distinguishing them from each other and from other genera. Certain unusual characteristics, especially erythritol utilization, were studied in the hopes they would shed light on the pathogenicity. With the advent of modern genetic methods and genomic sequencing, it is now possible to get a good idea of the total capabilities of the organism and to do tests to confirm these deductions. Brucella appears to be a fairly normal member of the -proteobacteria, but with some differences. A few questions remain, such as whether Brucella uses the Entner–Doudoroff pathway. Some of the genes in carbohydrate utilization have been shown to be important in virulence.     

No apoptotic cell death of erythroid cells of erythroblastic islands in bone marrow of healthy rats

A possibility of apoptotic cell death in erythropoietic regulation was examined by means of detailed light microscopical histoplanimetry, electron microscopy, the in situ nick-end labeling method, and an immunohistological method in the rat bone marrow. Serum erythropoietin concentrations were shown at normal levels. The erythroid series on a mature process presented several morphological features of apoptosis, i.e. the shrinkage of both nuclei and cytoplasm and the chromatin condensation. In the light microscopical histoplanimetry, however, morphological signs of final apoptotic cell death were never found in any erythroid cell within the erythroblastic islands. This finding was also supported by detailed ultrastructural observation: No erythroid cell bodies were trapped and degraded by the central macrophages of the erythroblastic islands, while the denucleated nuclei with small amount of cytoplasm of late erythroblasts were often trapped and degraded in the macrophages. Nuclear DNA fragmentation was not detected in any erythroblasts, but was detected in the lysosomes of the central macrophages. These findings suggest that erythropoiesis is regulated by other regulatory mechanisms than apoptotic cell death. An additional ultrastructural finding shows that the reticulocytes anchored to the central macrophages are transported into the peripheral blood circulation.     

Cost-effective tissue culture media for large-scale propagation of three commercial banana (Musa spp.) varieties

Cost-effective tissue culture protocols have been established for the commercial multiplication of three banana varieties, ‘Rasthali’ (AAB – Silk), ‘Grand Naine’ (AAA – Cavendish), and ‘Udhayam’ (ABB – Pisang Awak). Reverse osmosis water and 3% (w/v) table sugar were used as the low-cost water and carbon source, respectively. Six different gelling agent treatments were tested: sago alone (T1), Isabgol alone (T2), sago + agar (T3), Isabgol + agar (T4), sago + Isabgol (T5), and agar alone as a control (T6). Full-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 3 mg l^–1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 1 mg l^–1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were used for culture initiation and subculturing. Rooting was accomplished on low-cost MS medium containing 1.0 mg l^–1 α-napthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 1.0 mg l^–1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), and 250 mg l^–1 activated charcoal. Statistical analysis indicated that sago + Isabgol (T5) produced the maximum number of shoots (10 per explant) in ‘Udhayam’ and ‘Rasthali’, while sago alone (T1) produced the maximum number of shoots (6 per explant) in ‘Grand Naine’. The genetic stability of tissue-cultured banana plantlets produced using these low-cost substitutes was assessed using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. The results indicated that the ISSR profiles of the five treatments and the control (T6) were similar, indicating genetic stability using these cost-effective tissue culture protocols. Reductions in cost over the control (l^–1 of MS medium) ranged from 65% to 86%, while the per plant production cost was reduced by 12.5%–20.0%. Adoption of these treatments (T1–T5) as low-cost tissue culture protocols for in vitro propagation would reduce production costs significantly, leading to an expansion of the area planted with tissue-cultured banana, thereby increasing productivity.     

Investigating water availability for introducing an additional crop yield in dry season on hill land at Rubirizi, Rwanda

The study explores the potential of introducing an additional crop during dry season in Rwanda, comparing the efficiency of in situ soil moisture conservation techniques to sustain rain-fed agriculture. Comparative study of in situ soil moisture conservation techniques in bench terraces and unterraced field with maize crop had been conducted from June 2007 to October 2007. Bench terrace increased the average soil moisture content in 90 cm soil depth by more than 50% than that of unterraced land. Within the bench terraced field compartment bund and ridges and furrows increased soil moisture by 19.5% and 27.9% higher than plain bed. In terms of efficiency of moisture conservation, ridges and furrows performed well with 85.8% followed by compartment bund with 75.9% in terraced field. Unterraced field conserved moisture very poorly with 13.9% efficiency inferring importance of bench terraces for soil moisture conservation. No maize grain yield was recorded in all the techniques because soil water depleted to 60% and above from the beginning of the cropping period inferring the need of supplementary irrigation. Analysis of rainfall, crop water demand and in situ moisture conservation reveals exciting opportunities for water productivity enhancements by integrating components of water management within the context of rain-fed farming through water harvesting and supplemental or microirrigation for dry spell mitigation. Detailed analysis is needed for feasibility of lift irrigation with different crops under different altitudes to derive suitable policy for hill land irrigation.     

Studies on Zn uptake and influence of Zn and Fe on chlorophyll development in young maize cultivars

Maize (Zea mays L.) seeds of hybrid Ganga‐2 and its parent cultivars were germinated and allowed to absorb Zn labelled ZnCl₂ ^, ZnEDTA or ZnEDDHA for 24 hours. The translocation of Zn in seedlings raised from them was followed on 5, 7 and 10 days. It was found that while the endosperm Zn content decreased rapidly, there was no significant increase in Zn transported to scutellum, root and shoot. There was no difference between Zn treatments as well as between the cultivars. The results demonstrated the poor mobility of Zn in maize during early growth. Further studies showed that the pretreatment of seeds with ZnEDTA and low amount of Fe enhanced chlorophyll content in 10 day old seedlings. No hybrid vigor was observed either in Zn translocation, or effects of Zn and Fe on chlorophyll synthesis.     

Fe‐deficiency stress tolerance and pH reduction: Some contrasts in the cultivars of sesame and lentil

Fe‐deficiency chlorosis was induced in 4 lentil (Lens esculenta Moench) and 7 sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) cultivars by growing them in full nutrient solution for 20 days and then in the nutrient medium without Fe. In lentil cv. VL‐1, a mild chlorosis appeared but turned green after 14 days of stress. However, this recovery was not paralleled by a decrease in pH of the medium. In sesame, there were differences in the degree of tolerance. The cv. T‐13 did not develop any chlorosis, and the pH was found to steadily decrease to 4.5. The cv. SP‐1181 lowered the pH to only 5.6, and did not recover from the chlorosis. A second pattern was noted in VS‐2, TS‐25, TMV‐3 and TMV‐4; these cultivars reduced the pH to between 4.1 and 4.5; these showed a mild chlorosis which disappeared later.

The results show that the pH reduction is not a requisite for chlorosis recovery, at least in some crop cultivars. There are obviously some other mechanism which makes Fe available to the chlorotic leaves. It is suggested that a retranslocatlon of Fe from the older leaves may take place under the stress condition through some physiological process.     

Potential role of the CD38/cADPR signaling pathway as an underlying mechanism of the effects of medetomidine on insulin and glucose homeostasis

ObjectiveTo investigate the CD38/cADPR signaling pathway as possible underlying mechanism of the effects of medetomidine on insulin and glucose homeostasis.AnimalsThirty–two C57BL/6 mice of both sexes.MethodsWild–type (WT) and CD38–knockout (CD38^?/?) mice received medetomidine (50 μg kg^?1) or a similar volume of 0.9% NaCl (control) by intraperitoneal (IP) injection (each group n = 8). The mice were euthanized 45 minutes later with sodium pentobarbital IP and blood was sampled via cardiac puncture. Insulin and glucose concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay and by the oxygen rate method, respectively. Data were analyzed with anova and Bonferroni post hoc (5% significance) and are shown as mean ± SD.ResultsPlasma insulin and glucose concentrations were similar between WT and CD38^?/? mice under control conditions. As compared to controls, medetomidine administration produced a statistically significant decrease in plasma insulin concentrations in the WT mice whereas the decrease in the CD38^?/? mice was not statistically significant. Correspondingly, medetomidine caused a significantly greater increase in plasma glucose concentrations in the WT than in the CD38^?/? mice.ConclusionThe CD38/cADPR signaling pathway may be one underlying mechanism of the glucose and insulin effects of the alpha–2 adrenergic receptor agonist medetomidine and likely other drugs of its’ class.     

Interactions between a plant growth‐promoting rhizobacterium and smoke‐derived compounds and their effect on okra growth

Plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are used in agriculture to improve crop yield. Crude smoke–water (made by bubbling plant‐derived smoke through water) stimulates germination and improves seedling growth. Some active compounds have been isolated from smoke with karrikinolide (KAR₁) stimulating plant growth and trimethylbutenolide (TMB) being inhibitory. These smoke compounds have great potential in agriculture but their interaction with PGPR is unknown. In the present study, a two‐factorial pot trial with three replicates per treatment was designed to investigate the interactions between Bacillus licheniformis and two concentrations each of smoke–water, KAR₁, and TMB on okra (Abelmoschus esculentus). Growth and physiological parameters (chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein, sugar and α‐amylase) of okra as well as bacterial abundance in the rhizosphere were measured after 5 weeks. Application of B. licheniformis and 10^?7 M KAR₁ significantly improved the shoot biomass and 10^?7 M KAR₁ also significantly improved leaf area of okra. However, when 10^?7 M KAR₁ was applied in combination with B. licheniformis, there was an antagonistic effect on plant growth. While TMB had a negative effect on plant growth, a combination treatment of TMB and B. licheniformis overcame the inhibitory effect of TMB resulting in plant growth similar to the control plants. All treatments had no effect on chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein and sugar concentrations, while α‐amylase activity was significantly elevated in okra root treated with 1:500 (v/v) smoke–water. Determining the rhizobacteria populations at harvest showed that all treatments had no significant effect on the rhizosphere microbial abundance. The modes of interaction between PGPR and smoke‐derived compounds need to be further elucidated.