Application of urease inhibitor improves protein composition and bread‐baking quality of urea fertilized winter wheat

Background: Nitrogen losses is an economic problem for wheat production and a high risk to the environment. Therefore, improved N fertilizer management is a key to increasing the N efficiency and minimizing N losses. To increase N efficiency, enhanced fertilizers such as urea combined with urease inhibitor can be used. Aims: The aim of present study was to evaluate the effects of different N forms on grain storage protein subunits in winter wheat and to examine whether the observed changes correlate with parameters of baking quality. Methods: The investigation was performed over two consecutive years at two locations in Germany. Protein subunits were analyzed by SDS‐PAGE. Results: Protein concentrations were similarly increased after fertilization with ammonium nitrate and urea + urease inhibitor. Analysis of the individual storage protein fractions indicated that both fertilizers specifically enhanced ω‐gliadins and HMW glutenins, but the effect was more pronounced in the ammonium nitrate treatment. Application of urea + urease inhibitor had greater influence on the protein composition and resulted in higher specific baking volume as well as the best fresh keeping ability, in comparison with urea treatment. Conclusion: Considering that the urea + urease inhibitor treatment resulted in almost comparable improvements of NUE and baking quality, with the additional benefit of reduced N losses in combination with easy handling, urea + urease inhibitor can be recommended as a viable alternative to both urea alone and ammonium nitrate treatments. This opens up an opportunity for the reduction of N loss in wheat production when use of urea is preferred.     

Pharmacokinetics of xylazine after 2-, 4-, and 6-hr durations of continuous rate infusions in horses

Intravenous (i.v.) bolus administration of xylazine (XYL) (0.5 mg/kg) immediately followed by a continuous rate infusion (CRI) of 1 mg kg⁻¹ hr⁻¹ for 2, 4, and 6 hr produced immediate sedation, which lasted throughout the duration of the CRI. Heart rate decreased and blood pressure increased significantly (p > .05) in all horses during the first 15 min of infusion, both returned to and then remained at baseline during the duration of the infusion. Compartmental models were used to investigate the pharmacokinetics of XYL administration. Plasma concentration–time curves following bolus and CRI were best described by a one-compartment model. No differences were found between pharmacokinetic estimates of the CRIs for the fractional elimination rate constant (K_e), half-life (t_1/2e), volume of distribution (V_d), and clearance (Cl). Median and range were 0.42 (0.15–0.97)/hr, 1.68 (0.87–4.52) hr, 5.85 (2.10–19.34) L/kg, and 28.7 (19.6–39.5) ml min⁻¹ kg⁻¹, respectively. Significant differences were seen for area under the curve ( ) (p < .0002) and maximum concentration (C_max) (p < .04). This indicates that with increasing duration of infusion, XYL may not accumulate in a clinically relevant way and hence no adjustments are required in a longer XYL CRI to maintain a constant level of sedation and a rapid recovery.     

Concept and feasibility study for the integrated evaluation of environmental monitoring data in forests

In the 1970s unexpected forest damages, called “new type of forest damage” or “forest decline”, were observed in Germany and other European countries. The Federal Republic of Germany and the German Federal States implemented a forest monitoring system in the early 1980s, in order to monitor and assess the forest condition. Due to the growing public awareness of possible adverse effects of air pollution on forests, in 1985 the ICP Forests was launched under the convention on long-range transboundary air pollution (CLRTAP) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE). The German experience in forest monitoring was a base for the implementation of the European monitoring system. In 2001 the interdisciplinary case study “concept and feasibility study for the integrated evaluation of environmental monitoring data in forests”, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, concentrated on in-depths evaluations of the German data of forest monitoring. The objectives of the study were: (a) a reliable assessment of the vitality and functioning of forest ecosystems, (b) the identification and quantification of factors influencing forest vitality, and (c) the clarification of cause-effect-relationships leading to leaf/needle loss. For these purposes additional data from external sources were acquired: climate and deposition, for selected level I plots tree growth data, as well as data on groundwater quality. The results show that in particular time series analysis (crown condition, tree growth, and tree ring analysis), in combination with climate and deposition are valuable and informative, as well as integrated evaluation of soil, tree nutrition and crown condition data. Methods to combine information from the extensive and the intensive monitoring, and to transfer process information to the large scale should be elaborated in future.

塔里木河下游阿拉干断面胡杨林空间分布特征及其影响因素

通过小尺度生态监测与遥感数据分析获取塔里木河下游荒漠河岸林现状信息,集中对阿拉干断面设立的100hm2长期监测样方内的胡杨树进行了详细的调查,对该断面胡杨林空间分布特征及其影响因素进行了分析。研究结果表明：塔里木河下游的胡杨具有伴河生长的特性;随着离河距离的增加,胡杨株数呈递减趋势;大部分胡杨主要分布在离河道200m范...     

Improving the design of long-term monitoring experiments in forests: a new method for the assessment of local soil variability by combining infrared spectroscopy and dendrometric data

Key message

Near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy allows for the detection of local patterns of forest soil properties. In combination with dendrometric data, it may be used as a prospective tool for determining soil heterogeneity before setting up long-term forest monitoring experiments.

Context

Forest soils and stands generally exhibit higher spatial heterogeneity than other terrestrial ecosystems. This variability needs be taken into account before setting up long-term forest monitoring experiments to avoid multiple interactions between local heterogeneity and the factors tested in the experiment.

Aims

We hypothesized that raw near- and mid-infrared spectra can be used as an integrated proxy of a large set of soil properties. The use of this method, in combination with dendrometric data, should provide a quick and cost-effective tool for optimizing the design of experimental forest sites.

Methods

We assessed the local soil heterogeneity at 11 experimental sites in oak and beech stands, which belong to a new forest long-term ecological research (LTER) network. We used near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy in soil and litter samples. The spectra were subjected to principal components analyses (PCA) to determine the intra-site variability of the soil and litter layers.

Results

Based on mapped PCA coordinates and basic dendrometric data, it was possible to design the experiment and minimize the interactions between the treatment layout and the tested variables. The method was validated with chemical analyses of the soil. No interaction was detected at the set-up of the experiment between the treatment layout and chemical soil properties (C, N, C/N ratio, pH, CEC, Al, Mg, P₂O₅, Fe, Mn, Na, and K).

Conclusion

Near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy is a useful tool for characterizing the overall heterogeneity of soil chemical properties. It can be used without any preliminary calibration. In combination with dendrometric data, it provides a reliable method for optimizing LTER plots in different types of ecosystems.

     

Chlorogenic acid,a metabolite identified by untargeted metabolome analysis in resistant tomatoes,inhibits the colonization by Alternaria alternata by inhibiting alternariol biosynthesis

Tomato fruits can be contaminated by saprophytic strains of Alternaria alternata which is the reason for the frequent occurrence of Alternaria toxins like alternariol, alternariol monomethylether or tenuazonic acid in these types of products. It was shown earlier that alternariol is a colonization factor for tomatoes. In the current analysis two different tomato genotypes were analysed by untargeted comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS). This analysis revealed clear differences in the metabolic profiles which were paralleled by differences in resistance towards Alternaria colonization. One of the genotypes was more resistant against A. alternata infection and contained high amounts of chlorogenic acid in contrast to the other genotype which was sensitive against infection. In in vitro analysis, chlorogenic acid reduced alternariol biosynthesis during the first days of growth of A. alternata. Expression analysis of the alternariol polyketide synthase gene, a key gene in the biosynthesis of alternariol, also revealed a temporal reduction in its expression in the first phases of growth. However by chromatographic analysis it could be demonstrated that chlorogenic acid was degraded over time. This degradation leads to a relief of inhibition resulting in an only temporal inhibition of alternariol biosynthesis. In vivo colonization experiments revealed that chlorogenic acid reduces colonization of tomatoes by A. alternata in a concentration dependent manner, which however is partly counteracted by the addition of alterariol.     

Isoflucypram,the first representative of a new succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicide subclass: Its chemical discovery and unusual binding mode

Succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) have played a crucial role in disease control to protect cereals as well as fruit and vegetables for more than a decade. Isoflucypram, the first representative of a newly installed subclass of SDHIs inside the Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) family of complex II inhibitors, offers unparalleled long‐lasting efficacy against major foliar diseases in cereals. Herein we report the chemical optimization from early discovery towards isoflucypram and the first hypothesis of its altered binding mode in the ubiquinone binding site of succinate dehydrogenase. © 2020 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Effects of processing and of storage on the stability of pantothenic acid in sea buckthorn products (Hippophaë rhamnoides L. ssp. rhamnoides) assessed by stable isotope dilution assay

A stable isotope dilution assay for quantification of pantothenic acid in sea buckthorn berries, juice, and concentrate using a four-fold labeled isotopologue of vitamin B5 as the internal standard was adopted using reversed phase liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization. Because of a rapid sample clean up procedure without the necessity of external calibration, this methodology permits the accurate analysis of a high number of samples within a short time. Sea buckthorn juice was stored at 25 and 40 degrees C for up to 7 days to determine the effects of storage temperature on the stability of pantothenic acid. Analysis of kinetic data suggested that the degradation follows a first-order model. The results of the experiments showed that storage of sea buckthorn juice for 7 days at ambient temperature (25 degrees C) already resulted in a significant degradation of pantothenic acid of about 18%. The processing effects of juice production and subsequent concentration revealed a decrease of about 6-7% in the juice and of 23% in the juice concentrate.