Physicochemical,including spectroscopic,and biological analyses during composting of green tea waste and rice bran

The aims of this study were to monitor the changes in physicochemical, including spectroscopic, and biological characteristics during composting of green tea waste–rice bran compost (GRC) and to define parameters suitable for evaluating the stability of GRC. Compost pile temperature reflected the initiation and stabilization of the composting process. The pH, electrical conductivity, NO₃ ⁻-N content, and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio were measured as chemical properties of the compost. The color (CIELAB variables), humification index (the absorption ratio Q _4/6 = A ₄₇₂ / A ₆₆₄ of 0.5 M NaOH extracts), absorption at 665 nm of acetone extracts, and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra were measured to evaluate the organic matter transformation; germination of komatsuna or tomato seeds was measured to assess the potential phytotoxicity of composting materials during composting. No single parameter was capable of giving substantial information on the composting process, the nutrient balance, phytotoxicity, and organic matter decomposition. The FT-IR spectra at 3,300, 2,930, 2,852, and 1,065 cm⁻¹ provided information on the molecular transformation of GRC during composting and they decreased over the composting. Most of the assayed parameters showed no further change after about 90 days of composting suggesting that GRC can be used for agricultural purposes after this period.     

Benefit-cost analysis of raising Pinus wallichiana seedlings in different capacities/sizes of root trainers in the nursery

Modern nursery methods of seedling production in different sized root trainers,were compared by raising seedlings of Pinus wallichiana involving costs incurred and benefits received. In order to provide a common basis for the comparisons,the study involved the raising of 1000 seedlings annually on a continuous basis for seven years. A relative economic analysis of raising P. wallichiana seedlings in 300,150 and 100 cm3 root trainers was carried out and we estimated that the root trainers of 300 cm3 capacity...     

银鲳形态特征与DNA条形码研究

鲳属鱼类广泛分布于中国沿海,为重要经济鱼种,鲳属鱼类因外部形态存在较大的相似性,分类一直存在分歧。本研究于2010年10月—2012年9月采集科威特(科威特北部海域)、巴基斯坦(松米亚尼湾、奥尔马拉和伯斯尼)、北部湾和台湾近海的银鲳样品,对其形态特征进行重新描述,并对其DNA条形码开展了研究。银鲳的主要形态特征为背鳍Ⅶ-Ⅷ-39～43;胸鳍21～29;臀鳍Ⅴ-Ⅵ-35～41;尾鳍26～28。鳃耙细弱、稀疏,2～3 8～9=10～12。头部后上方侧线管的横枕管丛和背分支丛后缘呈浅弧形,腹分支丛较背分支丛略长,向后延伸未达背鳍起点,呈峨眉状。脊椎骨数37～38。结合GenBank中所有拉丁学名为Pampus argenteus的COⅠ基因进行同源序列比较发现,所有个体单倍型明显分为4个组群,而从氨基酸遗传差异和组群间遗传距离可以看出,4个组群应为不同的有效种;GenBank中只有FJ384702与本研究序列结果相近。本研究描述了银鲳形态特征,并给出其正确的COⅠ基因DNA条形码序列,为深入开展鲳属鱼类的分类研究奠定了基础。     

Range extension of four highland agamid lizards in Shimshal Pamir, Pakistan

As part of the Sino-Pak trans-boundary cooperation for conservation and sustainable development in Pamir border region,World Wild Fund (WWF)-Pakistan conducted a preliminary social,economic and ecological survey in the Shimshal-Pamir Lakes area in July 2009.The purpose of the study was to explore potentials and opportunities for future collaborative conservation of some species,habitats and high altitude ecosystems in the border region between China and Pakistan.The two-week herpetological study in the Shimshal Pamir area of Khunjerab National Park (KNP) along Pakistan-China border was an integral part of the survey,conducted exclu-sively to document reptilian fauna with a special emphasis on investigating their occurrence,distribution and status in the study area.Field investigations were performed during daytime when it was hot enough and reptiles were active,basking or feeding.A total of 15 specimens belonging to four species of the Agamidae family were captured by striking stones and beating bushes with sticks.Collected specimens were preserved using 10% formalin solution,tagged with field information and stored in Zoological Survey Department,Karachi for future reference.Laboratory investigations were carried out for pholidosic counts and morphometric measurements.A detailed review of relevant literature,habitat characteristics and laboratory investigations revealed the occurrence of Laudakia himalayana,L.pakistanica,L.tuberculata and L.badakhshana at 4,082 m,4,172 m,4,005 m and 4,240 m asl,respectively,which are much higher altitudes as compared to the previously reported heights of 3,353 m,3,200 m,2,500 m and 2,400 m asl.The terrain offers a variety of ecological barriers,in the form of fast and freezing running waters and massive glaciers with peculiar harsh climatic conditions prevailing for nine months of the year,which restricts species migration and thus increases endemism.Although one of the four species recorded from the study area,i.e.L.pakistanica is endemic to Pakistan,L.tuberculata and L.badakhshana are new records from Shimshal,Pakistan,so a detailed investigation is suggested for further herpetological records from the study area.     

Genetic model analysis on seedling and maturity traits in wheat under rainfed conditions

An experiment was conducted to access the genetic variability among early vigour and quantitative traits under limited moisture in F₂ generation of a 5 × 5 diallel cross of bread wheat. The results indicated that there was significant genotypic variation among the genotypes. Additive dominance model revealed full fitness of the data for RL, DSW, FRW, DRW, spike length, and 1000-grain weight but was partially fit for SL, FSW, R/S, tillers per seedling, plant height, tillers per plant, spikelets per spike, and grain yield per plant. The partially adequate models for these plant characters might be due to the presence of non-allelic interaction, linkage, and non-independent distribution of the genes in the parents. Additive genes coupled with moderate to high narrow sense heritability were involved in the heritage of all the traits, which indicated a higher scope of selection in early generations.     

Anti-Oxidant Activities,Chemical Attributes and Fruit Yield of Peach Cultivars as Influenced by Foliar Application of Ascorbic Acid

Peach fruit is enriched with natural antioxidants but oxidation caused by biotic and abiotic stresses, reduce these antioxidants and consequently effect the quality and yield of the fruit. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to investigate the role of ascorbic acid to sustain the natural antioxidant activity, improve the fruit quality and yield of peach cultivars (Early Grand and Florida King). The peach cultivars, Early Grand and Florida King were tested against four levels of ascorbic acid (200, 400, 600 and 800?ppm) and compared with control as water spray. The foliar application of ascorbic acid significantly influenced anti-oxidant activity and physico-chemical attributes of peach cultivars. However, the foliar application of ascorbic acid @ 800?ppm significantly increased the fruit weight, fruit yield, fruit firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, antioxidant activity of fruit peel, with least percent infected fruits and fruit juice pH as compared to the rest of the treatments. Similarly, significant variation was recorded for peach cultivars regarding anti-oxidant activity and various physico-chemical attributes. The maximum fruit weight, fruit yield, fruit firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity and TSS/TA ratio were noted in fruit of cultivar Florida King. On other side the foliar treated fruit of peach cultivar Early Grand had the highest percent infected fruits, fruit juice pH and antioxidant activity of fruit peel. It is concluded from the significant findings of present research that the peach cultivar Florida King performed better in terms of maximum fruit yield, whereas the cultivar Early Grand produced better quality fruits with high anti-oxidant activity when treated with 800?ppm of ascorbic acid as foliar spray.     

Induced Degradation of Anthraquinone-Based Dye by Laccase Produced from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pycnoporus sanguineus</Emphasis> (CS43)

In this study, in-house isolated laccase isoforms, i.e., Lac-I and Lac-II of the basidiomycete Pycnoporus sanguineus (CS43), were evaluated in relation to their Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) dye degradation capacity. A modified Dhouib medium additionally supplemented with 3% ethanol as a secondary inducer was used to propagate P. sanguineus CS43 for enhanced production of laccase under liquid state fermentation. The crude laccase extract was purified by passing through ion exchange diethylaminoethanol (DEAE)-Sepharose and gel filtration-based Sephadex G-200 column chromatography. The purified laccase fractions were subjected to the electrophoresis, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis revealed two laccase isoforms Lac-I and Lac-II with 66 and 68 kDa, respectively. To explore the industrial applicability, for RBBR dye, degradation efficiencies ranged from 82 to 88% after 3 h of incubation for both; Lac-I and Lac-II at both concentrations were recorded. However, with 8 U/mL, the degradation ranged between 70 to 80% during the first 5 min of incubation. Enhanced degradation of RBBR dye was obtained in the presence of violuric acid and N-hydroxypthalamide as laccase mediators. Finally, using RBBR as a substrate kinetic characterization of both Lac-I and Lac-II isoforms was performed that revealed K _m (0.243 and 0.117 mM for Lac-I and Lac-II) and V _max (1.233 and 1.012 mM/Sec for Lac-I and Lac-II) values, respectively.     

Root zone selenium reduces cadmium toxicity by modulating tissue-specific growth and metabolism in maize (Zea mays L.)

The effects of selenium (Se) cadmium (Cd) interactions on plant growth and metabolism are not fully clear. In the present study, we assessed whether Se could alleviate the toxic effects of Cd on growth and metabolism of maize. Seeds of maize variety FH-985 were sown in pots filled with sand treated with CdCl₂ (0, 50 and 100 µM) and Se (0, 2 and 4 mg L^?1) through Hoagland’s nutrient solution. Low Se (2 mg L^?1) increased germination percentage and rate, while high Se (4 mg L^?1) increased fresh and dry biomass under Cd stress. Interestingly, all Se concentrations were effective in alleviating the toxic effects of Cd on photosynthetic pigments, whereas higher Se mitigated the Cd-induced oxidative stress and increased flavonoids both in the shoots and roots while phenolics in the roots. The results demonstrated that root zone Se altered tissue-specific primary metabolism in maize. Furthermore, low Se mitigated the Cd-induced decrease in total proteins in the root. Overall, Se-mediated decrease in the oxidative stress in the shoots while increase of secondary metabolites in the roots helped the plants to grow faster at early growth stage and caused increase in the biomass under different Cd regimes.     

Resistance of beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to endosulfan,organophosphorus and pyrethroid insecticides in Pakistan

Field populations of beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), from Pakistan were assessed for their resistance to the chlorinated hydrocarbon endosulfan, the organophosphates chlorpyrifos and quinalphos, and the pyrethroids cypermethrin, deltamethrin, bifenthrin and fenpropathrin. Using a leaf-dip bioassay, resistance to endosulfan was high during 1998–2000 but declined to very low, to low levels during 2001–2007, following a reduced use of the insecticide. Organophosphates and pyrethroids were consistently used over the past three decades, and the resistance had been increasing to these insecticide classes. Generally, the resistance to chlorpyrifos and pyrethroids remained low from 1998 to 2002–2003, but resistance increased to moderate to high levels from 2003–2004 to 2006–2007. For deltamethrin, resistance was very high during 2004–2007. Quinalphos resistance remained low during 1998–2006. Correlation analysis of LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values showed a positive correlation between organophosphates and pyrethroids, but no correlation between endosulfan and organophosphates or pyrethroids tested herein. These results suggest that the conventional chemistries should be replaced with new chemistries for the successful management of S. exigua.