Phenotypic variation within a Hungarian landrace of runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.)

Summary A landrace seed lot of runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.), obtained from the Budapest region, Hungary, was separated into five seed groups according to seed coat colour. 131 plants were grown randomly, and observed for 27 morphological and physiological characters. The collected data were analysed by ANOVA.Numerical taxonomy of the data employed Principal Components Analysis to generate scatter diagrams and Cluster Analysis to generate dendrograms, both before and after removing data on the four anthocyanin colour characters (seed coat, calyx, stem and flower colour) as these characters are probably controlled by a single major gene. The progenies from the five distinct parental seed groups showed much overlap in characteristics, indicating that they were not distinct lines but comprised a largely panmictic population.Some character associations were detected: plants from white seeds matured significantly later than those from black seeds, plants from white seeds with a few dark spots produced seeds significantly heavier than average, whereas those from white or black seeds produced significantly lighter seeds, although the average seed yield per plant did not differ significatly.     

Evaluation of several selection procedures for predicting yield performance of progenies in two populations of cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.)

Average, combined and specific indices involving lint yield and its components “seeds per boll” and “lint per seed” were computed for two populations of cotton (Gossypium barbadense) evaluated in two seasons. All indices were constructed to maximize advance in “lint yield”. Indices were evaluated as to their usefulness in identifying high yielding genotypes. Within the limits of this experiment it was shown that:

1. 1.
   Specific indices were superior to yield as criteria for selection in both predicted and actual gains.     

Genetics of resistance to 3 isolates of Ascochyta fabae on Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) in controlled conditions

Summary Genetics of resistance to Ascochyta fabae Speg. in Vicia faba L. was studied with a final objective to develop resistant faba bean varieties to Ascochyta blight. The study was conducted separately on 3 single spore isolates (AF10-2 and AF13-2 from Tunisia and AF4-3 from France) and belonging to different groups of virulence (GV1 and GV2). Important general combining ability (GCA) effects were found especially with isolates AF10-2 and AF4-3. Specific combining ability (SCA), although significant for the 3 isolates, was important only with AF13 -2, but less important than GCA. Additive gene effects were predominant to non-additive effects. Lines 29H and A8817 transmitted to their progenies resistance to the 3 isolates, whereas 14–12 and 19TB conferred resistance to their progenies only with isolates AF13-2 and AF4-3, respectively. In the material studied, resistance was generally controlled by dominant genes but also could be attributed to recessive genes although less frequent. Analysis of segregation in the F2 of 2 crosses between the resistant lines (A8817 and 29H) and the susceptible line (14–12) with isolate AF4-3 revealed dominant monogenic control at the level of leaves in the 2 resistant lines and, in addition, a recessive gene controlling resistance of stems. Non-allelic interactions were occasionally manifested and their origin appeared to be due to line 19TB. A recurrent selection scheme was proposed with the objective to develop improved open-pollination populations and synthetic varieties responding to the objective of the national Tunisian research programme on faba bean.     

Field compaction at different soil-water status: effects on pore size distribution and soil water characteristics of a Rhodic Ferralsol in Western Cuba

The level of compaction induced on cultivated fields through trafficking is strongly influenced by the prevailing soil-water status and, depending on the attendant soil degradation, vital soil hydraulic processes could be affected. Therefore, understanding the relationship between field soil-water status and the corresponding level of induced compaction for a given load is considered an imperative step toward a better control of the occurrence of traffic-induced field soil compaction. Pore size distribution, a fundamental and highly degradable soil property, was measured in a Rhodic Ferralsol, the most productive and extensively distributed soil in Western Cuba, to study the effects of three levels of soil compaction on soil water characteristic parameters. Soil bulk density and cone penetration index were used to measure compaction levels established by seven passes of a 10 Mg tractor at three soil-water statuses corresponding to the plastic (Fs), friable (Fc) and relatively dry soil (Ds) consistency states. Pore size distribution calculated from soil water characteristic curves was classified into three pore size categories on the basis of their hydraulic functioning: >50 μm (f_>50 μm), 50–0.5 μm (f_{50–0.5 μm}) and <0.5 μm (f_<0.5 μm). The greatest compaction levels were attained in the Fs and Fc soil water treatments, and a significant contribution to compaction was attributed to the existing soil water states under which the soil compaction was accomplished. Average cone index (CI) values in the range of 2.93–3.70 MPa reflected the accumulation of f_<0.5 μm pores, and incurred severe reductions in the volume of f_>50 μm pores in the Fs and Fc treatments, while an average CI value of 1.69 MPa indicated increments in the volume of f_{50–0.5 μm} in the Ds treatment. Despite the differential effects of soil compaction on the distribution of the different pore size categories, soil total porosity (f_Total) was not effective in reflecting treatment effects. Soil water desorption at the soil water potentials evaluated (0.0 to −15,000 cm H₂O) was adversely affected in the f_<0.5 μm dominated treatments; strong soil water retention was observed with the predominance of f_<0.5 μm, as was confirmed by the high water content at plant wilting point. Based on these findings, the use of field capacity water content as the upper limit of plant available soil water was therefore considered inappropriate for compacted soils.     

Anti-inflammatory activities of cucurbitacin E isolated from Citrullus lanatus var. citroides: role of reactive nitrogen species and cyclooxygenase enzyme inhibition

The in vivo and in vitro mechanistic anti-inflammatory actions of cucurbitacin E (CE) (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) were examined. The results showed that LPS/INF-γ increased NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages, whereas L-NAME and CE curtailed it. CE did not reveal any cytotoxicity on RAW264.7 and WRL-68 cells. CE inhibited both COX enzymes with more selectivity toward COX-2. Intraperitoneal injection of CE significantly suppressed carrageenan-induced rat's paw edema. ORAC and FRAP assays showed that CE is not a potent ROS scavenger. It could be concluded that CE is potentially useful in treating inflammation through the inhibition of COX and RNS but not ROS.     

In vitro anti-uveal melanoma activity of phenolic compounds from the Egyptian medicinal plant Acacia nilotica

Anti-uveal melanoma activity-guided fractionation of the MeOH extract of Acacia nilotica pods resulted in the isolation of the new compound gallocatechin 5-O-gallate (5) in addition to methyl gallate (1), gallic acid (2), catechin (3), catechin 5-O-gallate (4), 1-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose (6), 1,6-di-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose (7) and digallic acid (8). The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of HRESIMS, NMR spectroscopy and CD data. In addition to uveal melanoma, the antiproliferative activities of the isolated compounds and the related compound epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate (EGCG) were evaluated against cutaneous melanoma, ovarian cancer, glioblastoma and normal retinal pigmented cells.     

Structure-physicochemical function relationships of soybean beta-conglycinin heterotrimers

We purified four single molecular species of beta-conglycinin heterotrimers consisting of the alpha and beta subunits or the alpha' and beta subunits from mutant soybean cultivars lacking the alpha or alpha' subunit, respectively, and examined their structural features and physicochemical functions. The extent of the hydrophobicities of the heterotrimers was related to the number of the alpha or alpha' subunit. The thermal stabilities of the heterotrimers were mainly conferred by the subunit which had lower thermal stability. Solubilities at low ionic strength (mu = 0.08) of the heterotrimers containing the alpha or alpha' subunit were very similar to those of the alpha and alpha' homotrimers, respectively. Emulsifying abilities and heat-induced associations of the heterotrimers containing one beta subunit were similar to those of the alpha or alpha' homotrimer, whereas those of the heterotrimers containing two beta subunits were similar to those of the beta homotrimer.     

Denitrification and nitrogen immobilization as affected by organic matter and different forms of nitrogen added to an anaerobic water-sediment system

The effects of wheat straw and different forms of N on denitrification and N immobilization were studied in an anaerobic water-sediment system. The water-sediment system was supplemented with various combinations of wheat straw and ¹⁵N-labelled and unlabelled (NH₄)₂SO₄ or KNO₃, and incubated anaerobically at 30°C for 10 days. ¹⁵N-labelled and unlabelled NO _inf3 ^sup- , NO _inf2 ^sup- , NH _inf4 ^sup+ , and organic N were determined in the water-sediment system. The gases evolved (N₂, CO₂, N₂O, and CH₄) were analyzed by gas chromatography at regular intervals. Larger quantities of ¹⁵N₂–N and organic ¹⁵N were formed in wheat straw-amended systems than in non-amended systems. Trends in CO₂ production were similar to those of N₂–N evolution. The evolution of N₂O and CH₄ was negligible. Denitrification processes accounted for about 22 and 71% of the added ¹⁵NO _inf3 ^sup- –N in the absence and presence of wheat straw, respectively. The corresponding denitrification rates were 3.4 and 12.4 g ¹⁵Ng^-1 dry sediment day^-1. In systems amended with ¹⁵NO _inf3 ^sup- –N and ¹⁵NO _inf3 ^sup- +NH _inf4 ^sup+ –N without wheat straw, 1.82 and 1.58%, respectively, of the added ¹⁵NH _inf3 ^sup- –N was immobilized. The corresponding figures for the same systems supplemented with wheat straw were 5.08 and 4.10%, respectively. Immobilization of ¹⁵NO _inf4 ^sup+ –N was higher than that of ¹⁵NO _inf3 ^sup- –N. The presence of NO _inf3 ^sup- –N did not stimulate NH _inf4 ^sup+ –N immobilization.     

Effect of cadmium,copper and chromium (VI) on the growth of nile water algae

The Algal Assay Procedure Bottle Test was used to investigate the effect of Cd, Cu, and Cr (VI) on the growth of Nile water algae. The results of this investigation indicated that Cd has slight inhibitory effects on algal growth at low concentration (0.05 mg L^?1), while it was inhibiting algal growth at higher concentration (> 1.0 mg L^?1). In contrast, Cu and Cr did not affect algal growth in all investigated concentrations. Combinations of Cd with Cu and Cr seemed to interact synergistically. The synergism between Cd and Cu was more pronounced than between Cd and Cr. Clear changes in the diversity and redundancy of algal structure took place after metal addition. The inhibitory effect of the studied metals was in the following order: Cd-Cu > Cd - Cr > Cd > Cu > Cr.