Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Association for Growth and Nutrients Assimilation of Pharagmites japonica and Polygonum cuspidatum Plants Growing on River Bank Soil

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the growth, nutrient absorption, and inoculation effectiveness of AMF on pioneer plants Pharagmites japonica (C4) and Polygonum cuspidatum (C3) were evaluated by performing a pot experiment in a greenhouse at Saitama University, Japan. AMF spores were collected from the commercial product, Serakinkon. The average colonization levels of P. japonica and P. cuspidatum were 24–33% and 0.2–0.5% respectively and no colonization was found in sterilized soil treatment. AMF colonization increased the plant dry mass, phosphorus (P), and nitrogen (N) concentrations of P. japonica’s roots, stems, and leaves when AMF applied with natural and sterilized soil compared with only sterilized and natural soil. This was a significant effect for N-loss minimization from soil. Maximum value showed when P. japonica was grown with natural soil in combination with AMF whereas P. cuspidatum showed very less or a negative response to AMF colonization in all cases.     

Optimizing crop geometry for processing-grade tuber yield,quality and economics of potato in Grey Terrace Soil

Crop geometry has great influence on economically important characteristics such as total yield, processing-grade yield, tuber size distribution and tuber quality in Grey Terrace Soil. An experiment was conducted to develop a suitable crop geometry for the production of higher processing-grade yield and quality of potato tubers. The treatment consisted of three levels of inter-row spacing (60, 67.5 and 75 cm) and four levels of intra-row spacing (20, 25, 30 and 35 cm). Crop geometry significantly influenced growth, yield contributing characters, tuber size distribution and yield of potato. The highest chips, French fry grade tubers and total potato tuber yield were found in 67.5 cm × 25 cm crop geometry without affecting processing quality but all were in the highly acceptable range. Intra-row spacing of 25 cm produced the maximum processing quality tubers, closely followed by 30 cm. The highest gross and net returns with a benefit–cost ratio of 1.75 were recorded in 67.5 cm × 25 cm crop geometry. Therefore, the 67.5 cm × 25 cm crop geometry can be recommended for higher potato tuber yield and processing-grade tubers as well as higher economic return.     

New sources of resistance to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucumber mosaic virus</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Capsicum annuum</Emphasis>

Background

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is the most serious virus disease affecting chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) worldwide and the absence of natural resistance makes management of CMV outbreaks difficult. The characterization of improved sources of resistance to CMV in chilli would facilitate the development of commercially acceptable chilli varieties with adequate levels of CMV resistance. A total of 30 chilli genotypes were evaluated for their reaction to CMV in field and artificial inoculated conditions during 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. Large differences were observed among genotypes for disease incidence, severity indexes, and yield losses. Based on observed data, genotype CA23 (Noakhali) was identified as resistant, while CA12 (Comilla-2) was categorized as moderately resistant to CMV both in natural and inoculated conditions. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay absorbance values of samples taken from CMV-infected leaves corresponded well with visible viral symptoms for these genotypes. The identified C. annuum CA23 and CA12 genotypes represent previously undescribed and potentially useful sources of CMV resistance.

     

利用孟加拉巴苦竹和龙竹生产竹质集成材

在孟加拉,由于木材资源持续下降,引发了对木材的替代原料的研究兴趣。竹子是一种生长快、可更新、经济实用的材料,是一种极有希望的木材代替品。选择两个当地竹种(巴苦竹和龙竹)研究生产竹质集成材的可行性。分别从巴苦竹和龙竹基部向上的5.4 m和3.6m截取一段竹秆,加工成方形竹块,以加工层积材。采用硼酸,漂白和碳化等防腐处理来处理竹片,以延长集成材的使用寿命。用处理过的竹片分别制成两种不同纹理方向(顺纹和交错纹理)的3层竹板材,其厚度为12 mm。以脲醛胶和聚醋酸乙烯酯作为胶粘剂。与交错纹理相比,用脲醛胶和聚醋酸乙烯酯胶合的顺纹层积材的机械强度(如断裂模数和弹性模数)较高。但用聚醋酸乙烯酯胶合的顺纹层积材的尺寸稳定性较弱。在这2个竹种中,龙竹制成的顺纹层积材性能较好。竹质集成材是一种中高强度的材料,可用作结构单板、组合家具构件、地板和墙板等。然而,需要进一步研究产品在使用期的稳定性和蠕变行为。     

Coordinate induction of antioxidant defense and glyoxalase system by exogenous proline and glycinebetaine is correlated with salt tolerance in mung bean

The purpose of this study was to assess the synergistic effects of exogenously applied proline and glycinebetaine (betaine) in antioxidant defense and methylglyoxal (MG) detoxification system in mung bean seedlings subjected to salt stress (200 mmol·L⁻¹ NaCl, 48 h). Seven-day-old mung bean seedlings were exposed to salt stress after pre-treatment with proline or betaine. Salt stress caused a sharp increase in reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) content in leaves, while the GSH/GSSG ratio and ascorbate (AsA) content decreased significantly. The glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glyoxalase II (Gly II) activities were increased in response to salt stress, while the monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), catalase (CAT) and glyoxalase I (Gly I) activities sharply decreased with an associated increase in hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and lipid peroxidation level (MDA). Proline or betaine pre-treatment had little influence on nonenzymatic and enzymatic components as compared to those of the untreated control. However, proline or betaine pre-treated salt-stressed seedlings showed an increase in AsA, GSH content, GSH/GSSG ratio and maintained higher activities of APX, DHAR, GR, GST, GPX, CAT, Gly I and Gly II involved in ROS and MG detoxification system as compared to those of the untreated control and mostly also salt-stressed plants with a simultaneous decrease in GSSG content, H₂O₂ and MDA level. These results together with our previous results suggest that coordinate induction of antioxidant defense and glyoxalase system by proline and betaine rendered the plants tolerant to salinity-induced oxidative stress in a synergistic fashion.     

Household and homegarden characteristics in southwestern Bangladesh

Homegardens around the world often exhibit remarkable variation in composition and structure depending on the physiographic and climatic conditions of the area and a wide variety of household characteristics. This research investigated whether households’ contextual attributes have a quantitative and predictable relationship with homegarden vegetation structure from a total of 402 randomly selected households in southwestern Bangladesh. The central analytical tool to test the relationship between household characteristics and the homegarden vegetation structure was multiple regression. The moderate to low regression R ² values revealed that most household characteristics were not strong predictors of homegarden vegetation structure. Despite the weak explanatory power of the majority household characteristics, time spent and homestead size had the strongest relationship with species richness and income in a homegarden. Households being the main source of labor for a majority of households suggest that outside labor shortage would not influence homegarden vegetation structure. We suggest that women’s active participation in homegardening activities to reduce gender inequality in the family which will perhaps result in more diverse and economically viable homegarden. However, increasing population density and the concomitant fragmentation of landholdings to homesteads may create opportunity for homegarden promotion in Bangladesh. Our results of decreased species richness in the homegarden with improved roads and proximity to market support the general hypothesis of subsistence homegardens and did not reinforce the general fears of gradual decline in species richness due to a market economy. Household characteristics had no influence on the presence of IUCN Red Listed species in the homegarden, except for gender and education of the household head. However, most homegardeners were unaware about the status of red listed species, suggesting that occurrence of red listed species in homegardens was by chance. Thus, efforts to improve awareness and to save and conserve rare species from extirpation are needed.     

Aphidicidal activity of some indigenous plant extracts against bean aphid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aphis </Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">craccivora</Emphasis> Koch (Homoptera: Aphididae)

Aphidicidal activity of hot and cold water extracts of some indigenous plants, Azadirachta indica A. Juss (neem), Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton (akanda), Polygonum hydropiper L. (biskatali) and Ipomoea sepiaria J. Koenig ex Roxb. (bankalmi), were tested against the bean aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch. Hot water extract of P. hydropiper and A. indica was found to be the most effective (87.6–94.5 and 80.47–89.6% mortality respectively, P < 0.01) among all the extracts. Other hot and cold water extracts also appeared to be useful (59.5–87.5% mortality) as pesticides for A. craccivora. The highest yield (3.25 kg per plant) was obtained using hot water extract of P. hydropiper followed by hot water extract of A. indica (3.15 kg per plant). The lowest yield (0.32 kg per plant) was recorded from the control block. All the phytoproduct treatments had significantly (P < 0.01) better yield than the control block.     

A review on the use of non-timber forest products in beauty-care in Bangladesh

This review describes the non-timber forest products （NTFPs） used for different aspects of beauty-care in Bangladesh on the basis of extensive literature survey. The diverse plant species, including used parts and using patterns for hair care, facial treatments and body care, were summarized in 13 tables. This paper accumulate the scattered knowledge regarding the use of plants in beauty-care in Bangladesh, to draw the extent of use of NTFPs in health care and to record the knowledge for assessing the possibilities of further implementation in herbal cosmetics industries. The structured knowledge can be used in policy making process for sustainable management of these valuable NTFPs leading to the conservation of the country＇s biological diversity. It is suggested that intensive field level research is necessary for securing sustainability of NTFPs.