Marine carotenoids: biological functions and commercial applications

Carotenoids are the most common pigments in nature and are synthesized by all photosynthetic organisms and fungi. Carotenoids are considered key molecules for life. Light capture, photosynthesis photoprotection, excess light dissipation and quenching of singlet oxygen are among key biological functions of carotenoids relevant for life on earth. Biological properties of carotenoids allow for a wide range of commercial applications. Indeed, recent interest in the carotenoids has been mainly for their nutraceutical properties. A large number of scientific studies have confirmed the benefits of carotenoids to health and their use for this purpose is growing rapidly. In addition, carotenoids have traditionally been used in food and animal feed for their color properties. Carotenoids are also known to improve consumer perception of quality; an example is the addition of carotenoids to fish feed to impart color to farmed salmon.     

Nutrient Removal,Fertilization Needs and Yields of Protea Plants Cultivated in Subtropical Conditions

A study of nutrient removal was carried out in commercial protea plantations of each of the cultivars ‘Scarlett Ribbon,’ ‘High Gold,’ ‘Veldfire,’ and ‘Sunrise’ of Leucospermum cordifolium, and of the species L. patersonii,located in a subtropical region (La Palma, Canarian Archipelago).

Flowering stems of optimal commercial quality were taken from each of the mentioned cultivars and species, once a year (2003 and 2004) at harvest time (January to April), and the different organs were analyzed separately. Flowering stems of the cultivars ‘High Gold’ and ‘Veldfire’ presented the highest contents of most studied nutrients, whereas the opposite was observed in ‘Scarlett Ribbon’ and L. patersonii. Mean yields of flowering stems varied very much among cultivars, and the highest ones were those of ‘High Gold’ and ‘Scarlett Ribbon’. The cultivar ‘High Gold’ removed the highest quantities of studied nutrients, and the contrary was observed in L. patersonii for most of them.

Suitable rates of nitrogen (N): phosphorus (P): potassium (K) fertilizers for nutrient restitution purposes were 1:0.08:0.40 for ‘Scarlett Ribbon,’ 1:0.08:0.66 for ‘High Gold,’ 1:0.08:0.38 for ‘Veldfire,’ 1:0.09:0.75 for L. patersonii;and 1:0.18:1.11 for ‘Sunrise’.     

Usefulness of Foliar Nitrogen-Sulfur Ratio in Spring Red Wheat

Sulfur (S) availability indicators are necessary for a rational use of fertilizers. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the sensitivity and stability of nitrogen (N):S ratio in spring red wheat. Yield responses were determined in three replications over five experimental sites. Sulfur application did not increase N concentration in plant, whereas the effect on total S concentration was varied. Results showed 25, 35, 80, and 85% correctly diagnosed samples at stages Z22, Z24, Z31, and Z39, respectively. In treatments without S limitations, a decrease in N:S ratio was observed as the crop cycle advanced. Nitrogen: S ratio differed according to the site; however, these variations tend to decrease as the crop cycle advance. In summary, for spring red wheat, N:S ratio in plant is a useful method for S deficiencies diagnostic from the end of tillering to flag leaf.     

Growth Responses of Micropropagated Cassava Clones as Affected by Glomus Intraradices Colonization

This study reports the effectiveness of an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus intraradices on three clones (SOM-1, 05 and 50) of cassava (Manihot esculenta). Arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation increased plant resistance to transplant stress from “in vitro” to “ex vitro” conditions and plant biomass (shoot and root) production was greatly enhanced by AM-colonization. The magnitude of AM growth stimulation over control clones was: 861% (SOM-1), 1042% (05) and 854% (50). Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonized cassava plants increased cassava water uptake in terms of percentage, 62% in clone SOM-1, 24% in clone 05, and 157% in clone 50. The highest effect of AM-colonization on water content in root of clone 50 was correlated with the greatest increment in leaf tissue production (1218% over control) and with the maximum shoot/root ratio determined. The biomass distribution between shoot and root was changed by AM symbiosis and such effect varied for each clone that may be caused by mycorrhizal changes in macro/micro-nutrients translocation/compartimentation. Cassava dependence on AM symbiosis was greatest in clone SOM-1 since AM-colonization provided the highest stem (weight, length, and diameters), leaf (weight and number), bud number, and root weight. These results lead to practical applications because AM inoculation is crucial for improving cassava yield (shoot and root) and nutrition irrespective of the clone involved. Thus, importance of AM symbiosis in micropropagated cassava clones is of great practical interest in agriculture and allows the selection of the most suitable clone for dry environments due to the particular effect on root water content that improves drought adaptation.     

MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY IN CHESTNUT GROVES: THE INFLUENCE OF SOIL MANGANESE

In northeastern Portugal, it has been difficult to identify the threshold value of exchangeable magnesium (Mg) below which Mg deficiency occurs in chestnuts (Castanea sativa Mill.), since discrepancies have been observed in some areas, apparently associated with parent material. A regional survey was carried out in chestnut groves established in soils derived from bedrock of several geological formations, some of them rich in manganese (Mn). Leaf sampling and soil analysis were performed in 38 groves. The lowest value of foliar Mg concentration under good growing conditions was 1.8 g kg^?1 and the highest value in trees with Mg deficiency symptoms was 1.5 g kg^?1. Under acidic soil conditions higher levels of extractable Mn propitiate Mg deficiency. The soils need to reach higher exchangeable Mg (≥0.34 cmolc kg^?1) in order to supply Mg. For lower values of extractable Mn, the deficiency appears when exchangeable Mg is <0.20 cmolc kg^?1 of soil.     

NITRATE UPTAKE KINETICS AND METABOLIC PARAMETERS IN TWO RICE VARIETIES GROWN IN HIGH AND LOW NITRATE

A study was conducted on the effect of nitrate (NO₃) levels on nitrate uptake kinetics and nitrogen (N) metabolism in two rice varieties, Piaui (landrace) and IAC-47 (improved). At 27 days after germination (DAG) N supply was suspended for 72 h, and then restored as 0.2 or 2 mM nitrate. The nitrate uptake kinetics was determined by the depletion method. Plants were harvested at 0, 6, and 24 h. Plants of the Piaui variety under 0.2 mM nitrate showed higher V_max and lower K_M, indicating higher efficiency of nitrate uptake at low supply. In the sheaths of both varieties, there was a greater accumulation of nitrate and lower activities of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase. The V-H⁺-ATPase activity increased between 0 and 6 h accompanying the nitrate influx, suggesting that the activity of this proton pump is necessary for the antiport activity (H⁺/2NO^? ₃) involved in the accumulation of nitrate into vacuoles.     

ALUMINUM TOXICITY IN CORN PLANTS CULTIVATED WITH LOW AND HIGH IONIC STRENGTH NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the phytotoxic effect of aluminum (Al) in corn plants in nutrient solution under high ionic strength (0.0094 uM) and low ionic strength (0.00001 uM). Regarding the low ionic strengths, nutrient solution was added daily until the end of the experimental period. The findings showed that the pH of the nutrient solution reduced with the increase in Al concentration, under both high and low ionic strengths solutions. Electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution increased with Al concentrations only in the solution with low ionic strength, demonstrating that the plant was more sensible to the element toxicity, thus reducing its growth and absorption of nutrients. The production of the total dry mass of corn was affected by the increase of Al concentration in the solution only under low ionic strengths, which reinforces the greater activity and absorption of the element under such condition.     

Macronutrient deficiency and anatomic modifications in crambe leaves

Abstract

This study had the objective of assessing growth, deficiency symptoms and leaf anatomy of crambe plants submitted to macronutrient availability. The experimental design was the complete randomized with four replications. The first treatment consisted of cultivating crambe plants in a nutrient solution completed with N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S. Using the diagnosis by subtraction, the other treatments consisted of the same solution with individual omission of each nutrient, totaling seven treatments. Supplement of different solutions took place two weeks after emergence. One week forward, visual symptoms of deficiency started to be evaluated. By the end of the experiment, the number of leaves, number of branches, shoot dry matter and leaf anatomic parameters were evaluated. Nutrient deficiency limited shoot dry matter in the following order: N?>?Ca?>?P>Mg?>?S?>?K. Subtracting Ca from the solution was most limiting to crambe growth once plants did not even reach reproductive stages. Individual subtractions of each macronutrient anatomically altered crambe leaves, especially omitting Ca, K, and S, which reduced tissue thickness.     

Mobility of copper and zinc fractions in fungicide-amended vineyard sandy soils

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mobility of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in the profile and distribution of sandy soil fractions from vineyards. Soil samples were collected from two vineyards of different ages (14 and 30 years) and a natural field area in the south of Brazil. The chemical characteristics, Cu levels and Zn levels, were analyzed in the soils by extraction with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) using the 3050B method of USEPA and by chemical fractionation. Cu and Zn were accumulated in the vineyard soils, especially in the uppermost soil layers and in the soil from the oldest vineyard. Approximately, 75% of the total Cu was extracted by EDTA, but only 30% of the total Zn was extracted by EDTA. Most of the Cu, especially in the oldest vineyard, was distributed in the mineral-associated fraction, which is characterized by low geochemical mobility, but another important part of the Cu was distributed in the soil organic matter. Most of the Zn in the soil was distributed in the residual and mineral-associated fractions, which are characterized by low mobility and have potential for causing toxicity to plants.     

Fulvic acid in foliar spray is more effective than humic acid via soil in improving coffee seedlings growth

ABSTRACT

Humic (HA) and fulvic (FA) acids improve the nutrient availability and uptake by plants but some aspects of their agronomic use still need to be clarified. The effects of HA soil application and FA foliar application on the growth, Zn and B uptake by coffee seedlings were evaluated. HA was added to an Oxisol at concentrations 0, 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg kg^?1 (C-HA), in both limed (pH 6.2) and overlimed (pH 7.2) conditions. FA (0, 0.2, 0.5 and 1 g L^?1 C-FA) was applied to coffee leaves in three different application modes (M): with 0.3% Zn and 0.6% B supplied via foliar (M₁), 0.6% B and 1.2% Zn supplied via foliar (M₂) and 1.2 mg kg^?1 B and 6 mg kg^?1 Zn supplied via soil (M₃). HA addition in soil significantly (p < 0.05) reduced leaf B and Zn accumulation and coffee growth in both pH conditions. In the M₁ and M₂, FA application significantly (p < 0.05) increased the shoot growth at 0.59 and 0.45 g L^?1 and B accumulation at 0.96 and 0.45 g L^?1 C-FA. Foliar application of C-FA, instead soil application of C-HA, is a suitable practice to improve coffee seedlings growth and nutrition on Oxisol.