Biological activity of extracts fromCupressus lusitanica cell culture

Ethyl acetate extracts ofCupressus lusitanica suspension cell cultures were examined for their biological activities (viz., tyrosinase inhibitory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities). The extract from elicitor-treated cells showed all of the biological activities, whereas the extract from cultures without elicitor was not bioactive to a discernible extent. The biological activities shown by the cell culture extracts were almost solely accounted for by-thuj aplicin contained in the extracts. These results suggest that the ethyl acetate extract ofC. lusitanica cells treated with the elicitor is a valuable bioactive source without isolation or purification of-thujaplicin.     

Screening of fungal strains responsible for strong fungistasis against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici in a coffee compost-amended soil

(pp. 817–824)
Disease incidence of crown and root rot of tomato, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici J3 (FOL J3) was significantly lower in a soil (CC-soil) amended with coffee compost and chemical fertilizers (CF) than in a soil (CF-soil) amended with only CF. Germination of microconidia of various plant-pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum strains was consistently lower in the CC-soil than in the CF-soil, suggesting that the CC-soil possessed a higher degree of fungistasis. When the CC-soil was supplemented with rifampicin and kanamycin, germination of FOL J3 didn't increase, suggesting that the higher degree of fungistasis in the CC-soil may not be of bacterial origin. The substrate-induced respiration inhibition method demonstrated that the CC-soil possessed higher microbial activity and was dominated by fungi. PCR-DGGE analysis showed that the microbial community structure of the two soils was different. Fungal mycelia were isolated from the soils and the effect of the isolates on soil fungistasis was examined. Three isolates, all belonging to F. oxysporum out of 49 showed strongest suppressive effect on the germination of FOL J3 and two isolates suppressed Fusarium crown and root rot disease when they were inoculated into autoclaved CC-soil. These results might suggest that the isolates close to F. oxysporum were responsible for highly fungistatic capability in the CC-soil and were a possible source for disease suppression.     

Ammonia Emissions from Anaerobically-digested Slurry and Chemical Fertilizer Applied to Flooded Forage Rice

Ammonia fluxes from application of anaerobically-digested slurry (ADS) and chemical fertilizer (CF) to flooded forage rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Japan were measured using a dynamic flow-through chamber method in lysimeters. The CF was applied at a rate of 300 N ha^?1 (three times) as ammoniacal-N fertilizer, and the ADS was applied to the lysimeters at total rates equivalent to 75, 100 and 150 kg N ha^?1, by broadcasting uniformly into the floodwater at three or six times (equal splits) between 17th June and 17th November, 2005. The emission fluxes for the first 2 days after application were very high from ADS, the highest values being 679 compared with a maximum of 156 mg N m^?2 d^?1 from CF. Most (61–93%) of the ammonia loss occurred during the first 5 days after each application of fertilizer. The total N loss as ammonia from ADS (29.6–51.7%) was much higher than from CF (12.2%). The highest fluxes were observed in August (2005) when air temperature was highest. More ammonia was lost from the ADS applied at the early stages (i.e. root taking, tiller stages) than at later stages (i.e. elongation, fruiting stages) of rice growth.     

Repeated applications of farmyard manure enhance resistance and resilience of soil biological functions against soil disinfection

The effect of repeated application of farmyard manure (FYM) on resistance and resilience of some of soil biological functions was compared between two soils [chemically fertilized soil (CF soil) and chemically and organically amended soil (CF+FYM-soil)]. The impact of chloropicrin and metam sodium disinfection on organic matter (glucose and chitin) decomposition activity and number of ammonia oxidizing bacteria in the soils was measured periodically from just after disinfection to evaluate stability of soil biological functions to soil disinfection. Glucose and chitin decomposition activity and number of ammonia oxidizing bacteria was suppressed by soil disinfection more seriously in the CF soil than in the CF+FYM soil. The decomposition rates recovered in the disinfected CF+FYM soil 2 to 12 weeks after disinfection, but not in the CF soil during 12 weeks incubation. These results demonstrated that soil resistance and resilience of the selected biological functions may be higher in the CF+ FYM soil than in the CF soil. The ratios of fungal and bacterial contribution to glucose decomposition activity were evaluated by the substrate-induced respiration method. Chloropicrin and metam sodium disinfection decreased fungal contribution throughout the incubation period (12 weeks) in the CF soil. A similar tendency was observed in the CF+FYM soil, but the fungal contribution tended to recover more rapidly in the CF+FYM soil than in the CF soil. Repeated applications of FYM may be an effective way to enhance soil functional stability.     

Operators' physical strain in operating the high proficient forestry machines

This study was undertaken to assess physical strain during work in forestry workers operating high quality forestry machines. The types of machine used in this study consisted of harvesters, processors, tower yarders, forwarders and excavators. Characterization of labor load in operation of these five types of machine and fatigue sensation in operators was attempted mainly from the physical burden inflicted on them. The results showed that though the heart rate, an indicator of physical strain, stayed low in all types of work, assessment of labor stress on the basis of heart rate was difficult and that local pain, a manifestation of physical strain, developed in operators. The results suggested the necessity of improving labor conditions in operators of these machines.     

Community structure of the microbiota associated with nodal roots of rice plants along with the growth stages: estimation by PCR-RFLP analysis

Community structure of the microbiota in rice roots that developed from different nodes and at different growth stages were compared by using PCR (polymerase chain reaction)-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) analysis of 16S rDNA. This was the first study to have applied a molecular microbial technique for elucidating the rhizospheric microbial succession of rice roots. Rice plants were grown in submerged soil pots, and nodal roots were collected 5 times during the growing period of rice plants. The RFLP fragments digested by four restriction enzymes (Hinf I, Hae III, Sau3A I, and EcoR I) tended to increase along with the growth stage. A marked increase in the RFLP fragments coincided with the development of reduction in the rhizosphere soil. RFLP fragments that were associated with every nodal root irrespective to the sampling date and those specific to the early and late growth stages were identified. Systematic changes in RFLP patterns from higher (younger) nodal roots to lower (older) nodal roots were also observed at each sampling date, which indicated the succession of the microbial community from higher to lower nodal roots. Cluster analysis divided the RFLP patterns of the microbial community associated with nodal roots into four clusters depending on the growth stages of rice plants. The cluster of the early growth stage was further divided into two subclusters of higher and lower nodal roots. The specific RFLP fragments that contributed to the seasonal variation of the microbial community associated with nodal roots as well as those that characterized the aging of nodal roots were clarified by principal component analysis.     

Epibiotic bacteria associated with microcrustaceans in the overlying water of paddy fields

The surface of micro crustaceans collected from the overlying water of a submerged paddy soil was observed in detail by scanning electron microscopy. Epibiotic bacteria were less diverse compared to free-living bacteria in the overlying water. Specific bacteria appeared to preferentially colonize certain parts of microcrustaceans. The epibiotic bacteria, the sites they colonized and their density depended on the kinds of microcrustaceans (Moina macrocopa, Cyclopidae, Cypretta sp., and Tanycypris sp.). These results suggested the presence of significant associations in the overlying water between specific groups of bacteria and microcrustaceans.     

Effects of successive soil freeze-thaw cycles on soil microbial biomass and organic matter decomposition potential of soils

Abstract

Effects of soil freeze-thaw cycles on soil microbial biomass were examined using 8 soil samples collected from various locations, including 4 arable land sites and 2 forest sites in temperate regions and 2 arable land sites in tropical regions. The amounts of soil microbial biomass C and N, determined by the chloroform fumigation and extraction method, significantly decreased by 6 to 40% following four successive soil freeze-thaw cycles (- 13 and 4°C at 12 h-intervals) compared with the unfrozen control (kept at 4°C during the same period of time as that of the freeze-thaw cycles). In other words, it was suggested that 60 to 94% of the soil microorganisms might survive following the successive freeze-thaw cycles. Canonical correlation analysis revealed a significantly positive correlation between the rate of microbial survival and organic matter content of soil (r = 0.948*). Correlation analysis showed that the microbial survival rate was also positively correlated with the pore-space whose size ranged from 9.5 to 6.0 μm (capillary-equivalent-diameter; r = 0.995**), pH(KCI) values (r = 0.925**), EC values (r = 0.855*), and pH (H₂O) values (r = 0.778*), respectively. These results suggested that the soil physicochemical properties regulating the amount of unfrozen water in soil may affect the rate of microbial survival following the soil freeze-thaw cycles. The potential of organic matter decomposition of the soils was examined to estimate the effects of the soil freeze-thaw cycles on the soil processes associated with the soil microbial communities. The soil freeze-thaw cycles led to significant 6% increase in chitin decomposition and 7% decrease in rice straw decomposition (p < 0.05), suggesting that the partial sterilization associated with the soil freeze-thaw cycles might disturb the soil microbial functions.     

Effects of Freshness and Heating Temperature on the Discoloration of Squid Meat Products

ABSTRACT

Squid processed products such as dried-seasoned squid turn brown during storage, causing a change in quality. The main cause of this browning is melanoidin produced by the Maillard reaction. In this study, four types of squid were processed at different heating temperatures between 50 and 90°C and examined for suppression of the production of D-ribose, the main component of melanoidin. Furthermore, the color change of the squid meat with each heat treatment during storage of 32 days at 30°C was investigated. Bigfin reef squid and cuttlefish with a relatively high freshness decreased D-ribose generation as the heating temperature increased, and the browning during storage also decreased accordingly. In contrast, Humboldt squid with a low freshness did not generate new D-ribose at any heating temperature during storage. Nevertheless, the browning was reduced as the heating temperature increased. It is thought that the Maillard reaction was also reduced by the heat denaturation of muscular proteins. These results suggest that browning due to the Maillard reaction of squid meat is greatly affected by initial freshness and heating temperature.     

Effects of butyrate supplementation in antibiotic‐free milk replacer and starter on growth performance in suckling calves

The aim of this study was to evaluate butyrate supplementation of antibiotic‐free milk replacer and starter on growth performance in male Holstein calves. Twenty‐nine calves were divided into two groups. Group C (n = 13) was fed antibiotic‐free milk replacer without supplementation, and Group B (n = 16) was fed antibiotic‐free milk replacer supplemented with butyrate (1.6 % DM of Gustor BP70^®). Starter in Group B contained 0.3 % DM of Gustor BP70^®. The intake of milk replacer was lower in group B than in C (p = 0.07 for the treatment x week interaction). Body weight (BW) and heart girth (HG) in group B was higher than in C during the experimental period (p = 0.07 and 0.01 for the treatment × week interaction, respectively). The duration of the weaning period in group B was shorter than in group C (p = 0.02). β‐hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) was higher in group B than in C (p = 0.04). Insulin like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) concentrations tended to be higher in group B than in C (p = 0.07 for treatment × week interaction). Our results show that butyrate supplementation in antibiotic‐free milk replacer and starter exerted positive effects on growth performance in suckling calves.