Sugar yield,nitrogen uptake by sugar beet and optimal nitrogen fertilization in relation to nitrogen soil analyses and several additional factors

To test the relative usefulness of different methods of chemical analysis for soil nitrogen fractions in the assessment of the fertilizer nitrogen needs of sugar beet, different doses of nitrogen were applied in field experiments laid out during the years 1985–1991. The chemical methods used were N mineral (NO _– ³ +NH ₊ ⁴ ) analyses on soil samples taken in late winter, and extraction with 0.01 M CaCl₂ from soil samples taken the preceding autumn and in late winter. The results of the chemical methods were evaluated in models using estimated optimum nitrogen fertilization, nitrogen present in beets or beets+leaves at leaf maximum and sugar yield as variables. In addition, parameters such as estimates of possible rooting depth and mineralization capacity of the soil were also included in the model. All models for estimating nitrogen fertilization need showed low R ² values. The two methods of soil chemical analysis yielded similar R ² values for nitrogen uptake in plots both with and without nitrogen fertilization. The N mineral method was least useful in predicting sugar yield. Addition of the covariables rooting depth and mineralization capacity appreciably improved the explanatory value of the models with 0.01 M CaCl₂, especially when the analytical results of soil samples taken in autumn were used. For the N mineral method the addition of covariates was found to have far less influence.     

Structural characterization of potato protease inhibitor I (Cv. Bintje) after expression in Pichia pastoris

In the present study the structural properties of potato protease inhibitor 1 (PI-1) were studied as a function of temperature to elucidate its precipitation mechanism upon heating. A cDNA coding for PI-1 from cv. Bintje was cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris. Using the recombinant PI-1 it was suggested that PI-1 behaves as a hexameric protein rather than as a pentamer, as previously proposed in the literature. The recombinant protein seems either to have a predominantly unordered structure or to belong to the beta-II proteins. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis of PI-1 revealed that its thermal unfolding occurs via one endothermic transition in which the hexameric PI-1 probably unfolds, having a dimer instead of a monomer as cooperative unit. The transition temperature for the recombinant PI-1 was 88 degrees C. Similar results were obtained for a partially purified pool of native PI-1 from cv. Bintje.     

Formation and stability of foams made with sunflower (Helianthus annuus) proteins

Foam properties of a sunflower isolate (SI), as well as those of helianthinin and sunflower albumins (SFAs), were studied at various pH values and ionic strengths and after heat treatment. Less foam could be formed from helianthinin than from SFAs, but foam prepared with helianthinin was more stable against Ostwald ripening and drainage than foam prepared with SFAs. Foams made with SFAs suffered from extensive coalescence. The formation and stability of foams made from reconstituted mixtures of both proteins and from SI showed the deteriorating effect of SFAs on foam stability. Foam stability against Ostwald ripening increased after acid and heat treatment of helianthinin. Partial unfolding of sunflower proteins, resulting in increased structural flexibility, improved protein performance at the air/water interface. Furthermore, it was observed that the protein available is used inefficiently and that typically only approximately 20% of the protein present is incorporated in the foam.     

Structure and stability of the potato cysteine protease inhibitor group (cv. Elkana)

The conformational stability of potato cysteine protease inhibitor (PCPI), the second most abundant protease inhibitor group in potato tuber, was investigated at ambient temperature and upon heating using far- and near-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The PCPI isoforms investigated have a highly similar structure at both the secondary and the tertiary level. PCPI isoforms show structural properties similar to those of the potato serine protease inhibitor group and the Kunitz type soybean trypsin inhibitor, a known beta-II protein. Therefore, PCPI isoforms are also classified as members of the beta-II protein subclass. Results show that the thermal unfolding of PCPI isoforms does not follow a two-state mechanism and that at least one intermediate is present. The occurrence of this intermediate is most apparent in the thermal unfolding of PCPI 8.3 as indicated by the presence of two peaks in the DSC thermogram. Additionally, the formation of aggregates (>100 kDa), especially at low scan rates, increases the apparent cooperativity of the unfolding.     

Conformational stability of the potato serine protease inhibitor group

The thermal unfolding of potato serine protease inhibitor (PSPI), the most abundant protease inhibitor group in potato tuber, was measured using far UV CD spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and DSC. The results indicate that the thermal as well as the guanidinium-induced unfolding of PSPI occurs via a non-two-state mechanism in which at least one stable intermediate is present. Additionally, the occurrence of aggregation, especially at low scan rates, increases the apparent cooperativity of the unfolding and makes the system kinetically rather than thermodynamically controlled. Aggregate formation seems to occur via a specific mechanism of which PSPI in a tetrameric form is the end product and which may involve disulfide interchanges.     

Effect of emulsion properties on release of esters under static headspace, in vivo, and artificial throat conditions in relation to sensory intensity

The effects of oil content and droplet size distributions of dilute oil-in-water emulsions on release of four esters with different hydrophobicities were studied under in vivo, static headspace, and artificial throat conditions. The effect of oil content on orthonasal and retronasal perceived intensity of ethyl hexanoate was studied using a seven-person panel. With increasing oil content and with a higher hydrophobicity of the aroma compound, a stronger decrease in aroma release was found. This effect was stronger under static headspace conditions than under in vivo and artificial throat conditions, and the sensory intensity of ethyl hexanoate was perceived stronger orthonasally than retronasally. The lowest effective oil content was determined for all systems. Of the compounds tested, droplet size distribution only influenced the in vivo release of geranyl acetate. The artificial throat results correlated well with in vivo release, giving support to the assumption that a thin layer of liquid remaining in the throat after swallowing determines aroma release.     

Overestimation of soybean crop transpiration by sap flow measurements under field conditions in Central Portugal

Direct measurements of the xylem sap flow by the stem heat balance technique can be a valuable aid for determining the irrigation demand of field crops. In the present study, soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) sap flow was evaluated under well-watered and water-stressed conditions using Dynamax SGA10 sap flow gauges. Solar radiation was measured continuously throughout the growing season. Soil water content was measured before and after each irrigation. There was a close relationship between solar radiation and xylem sap flow. The water flux in the soybean stems responded realistically to changes in the soil water content. However, the absolute values of sap flow were highly questionable. Calculating crop transpiration from sap flow measurements, the results were up to 4 times as high as calculated transpiration from soil moisture data and simulated transpiration using the locally calibrated soybean crop growth model SOYGRO. A sensitivity analysis of the stem heat balance technique gave no indications of technique or input errors. The gauge design was possibly not appropriate for the outdoor installation on soybeans.     

Mental accounting and consumption of self-produced food

This is an exploratory study on mental accounting and food budgeting of agricultural households, in which we assumed that agricultural households may have a mental account for consumption of their self-produced food. Accordingly, they may reserve a certain quantity of self-produced food as a set budget for own consumption, implying that they may keep on consuming their own produce until they have consumed the quantity set for the mental budget. By making the mental accounting assumption, we hypothesized that the consumption of self-produced food is independent of market price. Also, we hypothesized that the consumption of self-produced food is increasing in the quantity of production if production is lower than the set budget, and independent of the quantity of production if production exceeds the set budget. By applying a double-log demand model and using survey data from six poor rural counties in China, we tested these hypotheses for five food items, which are rice, flour, potatoes, pork, and eggs. We found that the hypothesis of no significant effect of price holds for flour, potatoes, and pork if production is lower than the set budget, and for rice, pork, and eggs if production is higher than the set budget. Production has a significant positive effect on consumption of selfproduced food but with a much greater influence when production is lower than the set budget for all five food items. These findings partly support our assumption of mental accounting of self-produced food. Limitations, policy implications, and possible future studies are discussed.     

Triterpenoid saponins from corms of Crocus sativus: Localization, extraction and characterization

A mixture of highly glycosilated triterpenoid saponins (CS5) isolated from the corm of Crocus sativus or saffron showed cytotoxic activity against HeLa tumoral cells. The main reverse phase HPLC fraction of this mixture (CS5-1) contains two new oleanane-type saponins, denominated Azafrine 1 (1) and Azafrine 2 (2). The bidesmosidic saponins were respectively characterized as (1) 3-O-β-d-glucopyranosiduronic acid echinocystic acid 28-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-[β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)]-α-d-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-[4-O-di-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-3,16-dihydroxy-10-oxo-hexadecanoyl]-α-D-fucopyranoside and (2) 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosiduronic acid echinocystic acid 28-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-[4-O-di-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-3,16-dihydroxy-10-oxo-hexadecanoyl]-β-D-fucopyranoside. The surfactant properties of saponins, probably involved in the cytotoxic activity of CS5 and their exclusive localization in the external part or the corm, indicate their possible role as phytoprotectans. The similarity of their structural compositions to that of other triterpenoid saponins which are of special use in the pharmaceutical industry suggest a new application for C. sativus crops through the exploitation of corm for saponin extraction.