Effects of Irrigation Water in Different Salinity on Yield and Quality Parameters of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Plant

Salinity affects many areas in our country and around the world, resulting in dramatic reductions in plant yields. In this study, the plant yield, some plant quality parameters, and soil salinity in the plant root area were investigated by irrigating tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) with different salinity irrigation waters. The experiment was carried out in pots in 4 replicates according to the randomized plot design. Six different salinity of irrigation water applications were applied in the experiment (S0?=?0.38 dS m^?1, S1?=?2 dS m^?1, S2?=?5 dS m^?1, S3?=?8 dS m^?1, S4?=?11 dS m^?1, S5?=?15 dS m^?1). According to the data obtained at the end of the research, as the salinity of irrigation water increased, plant length, leaf width, leaf length, leaf dry weight and leaf number decreased. It was determined that there was a certain increase in nicotine content in the face of the decrease of all examined physical parameters in irrigation water increase. In addition, the salinity values in the plant root zone soils and the salinity values in the outlet (drainage) water have also increased. Salinity threshold value of the tobacco plant was determined to be 2.04 dS m^?1. With an increase in salinity by one unit, there was a 7.1% decrease in leaf dry weight. It was determined that the tobacco plant is vulnerable to salinity based on the data collected.

     

Structure of pressinoic acid: the cyclic moiety of vasopressin

Arginine vasopressin consists of a 20-membered, disulfide-linked macrocyclic ring system called pressinoic acid to which is attached a COOH-terminal tripeptide. The molecular conformation of pressinoic acid has been determined from single crystal x-ray diffraction data. The 20-membered macrocyclic ring, stabilized by two intramolecular hydrogen bonds, has a type I beta-bend centered on Gln4 and Asn5 and a highly distorted type II' bend centered on Phe3 and Gln4. In vasopressin the Asn5 side chain extends away from the macrocyclic ring system and hydrogen bonds to the terminal tripeptide, but in pressinoic acid the Asn5 side chain lies over the molecule and forms a strong hydrogen bond to the nitrogen of Tyr2. The absence of pressor activity in pressinoic acid may be a result of both the loss of the COOH-terminal tripeptide and the incorrect orientation of the Asn5 side chain. Whether this class of hormones has pressor or oxytocic activity is determined by the orientation of the Tyr2 side chain, that is, whether it is extended away from or over the ring system, respectively. In pressinoic acid, the Tyr2 side chain is in the expected "pressor conformation," that is, extended away from the ring system, and is stabilized through a hydrophobic interaction with the Phe3 side chain. Thus, the conformation of the pressinoic acid molecule partly explains the activity of vasopressin-like hormones.     

Protective effect of saponins from Argania spinosa against free radical-induced oxidative haemolysis

Saponins from Argania spinosa at a non-haemolytic concentration diminish by 53.2% erythrocyte haemolysis induced by free radicals. 2 mM aspirin and acetaminophen diminish by 75% and 68% , respectively, erythrocyte haemolysis induced by free radicals, while 0.3 muM vitamin E shows no significant antioxidant activity. Interestingly, a combination of 1 mg/l of A. spinosa saponins and vitamin E at 0.3 muM resulted in a 68% level of protection against free radical-induced erythrocyte haemolysis, which may suggest that A. spinosa saponins enhance the antioxidant effect of vitamin E. In contrast, no synergic effect was observed for acetaminophen (2 mM) when in combination with vitamin E (0.3 muM). These results demonstrate the antioxidant properties of saponins from A. spinosa and their ability to potentate the antioxidant effect of vitamin E.     

Effect of dietary synbiotic on growth performance,body composition,digestive enzyme activity and gut microbiota in Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham.) fingerlings

A feeding trial of 60 days was conducted to delineate the effect of dietary synbiotic on maximum growth, body composition, digestive enzyme activity and subsequently gut microbiota in Cirrhinus mrigala fingerlings. One hundred and eighty acclimatized fingerlings of mrigal with initial body weight ranging from 2.87 ± 0.01 g to 3.26 ± 0.05 g were randomly distributed in three replicates of each of four experimental groups including control (without probiotic and prebiotic), T₁ (high probiotic + low prebiotic), T₂ (low probiotic + high prebiotic) and T₃ (high probiotic + high prebiotic), using completely randomized design (CRD). Results showed that growth performance parameters, such as specific growth rate (SGR), per cent weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER), were reported to be higher in the T₂ group followed by the T₃ group. Maximum gut microbiota activity was found in the T₃ group which was significantly different from other treatment groups. Similarly, body composition and digestive enzyme activity varied significantly (p < .05) among the treatment groups. The study showed the possibility of improved nutrient utilization in terms of growth performance and digestive enzyme activity in the group following dietary synbiotic supplementation.     

Inheritance of resistance to Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae) in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., is a major constraint to cotton production in almost all countries where cotton is cultivated. Developing new cotton cultivars resistant to Verticillium wilt is the most effective and feasible way to combat the problem. Little is known about the inheritance of resistance to Verticillium wilt of cotton, especially that caused by the defoliating (D) and nondefoliating (ND) pathotypes of the soil‐borne fungus V. dahliae. The objective of this study was to determine the inheritance of resistance in cotton against both pathotypes of V. dahliae. Crosses were made between the susceptible parent ‘Cukurova 1518’ and each of four resistant parents PAUM 401, PAUM 403, PAUM 405 and PAUM 406 to produce F₂ generations in 2002 and F_2:3 families in 2003. Disease responses of parent and progeny populations to the D and ND pathotypes were scored based on a scale of 0‐4 (0, resistant; 4, susceptible). F₂ populations inoculated with the D pathotype showed a 3 : 1 (resistant : susceptible) plant segregation ratio. Tests of F_2:3 families confirmed that resistance was controlled by a single dominant gene. In contrast, analysis of data from F₂‐ and F₂‐derived F₃ families suggested that resistance to the ND pathotype is controlled by dominant alleles at two loci.     

Pathogenicity,vegetative compatibility and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium oxysporum</Emphasis> f. sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">radicis-cucumerinum</Emphasis> isolates from Turkish greenhouses

The objective of the current study was to characterize Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-cucumerinum isolates from cucumbers in Turkey in terms of pathogenicity, vegetative compatibility and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) variation. In the 2007 and 2008 greenhouse cucumber-growing seasons, surveys were conducted in Adana, Antalya, Hatay and Mersin provinces of the Mediterranean region of Turkey. Forty-seven fungal isolates of F. oxysporum were recovered from diseased cucumber plants. The pathogenicity of each isolate was tested on cucumber seedlings at the one-true-leaf stage. Forty of the 47 isolates of F. oxysporum were virulent on cucumber seedlings. Based on disease symptoms, the differential effect of temperatures of 17°C and 29°C on disease development, and the virulence on cucumber seedlings, these 40 isolates were identified as F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-cucumerinum. Nitrate non-utilizing mutants were generated on minimal medium containing 1.5% KClO₃ and their phenotypes were determined. Mutants in different phenotypic classes were paired on minimal medium; of 40 F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-cucumerinum isolates, thirty-eight were placed into VCG 0260. Remaining two strains were assigned to VCG 0261. The AFLP primers produced a total of 180 fragments between 200 and 500 bp in length for the 30 isolates tested. At a genetic similarity of 0.71, the UPGMA analysis separated the isolates into two distinct clusters. The first cluster, AFLP I, included 28 isolates, of which all belonged to VCG 0260. Two strains in the second AFLP cluster both belonged to VCG 0261.     

Secondary endosymbionts of Turkish Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) populations

Secondary endosymbionts of Turkish Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) populations were determined by PCR-based DNA analysis. Experiments were conducted with B. tabaci samples collected from various host plants between 2007 and 2012. Four secondary endosymbionts, namely, Rickettsia, Hamiltonella, Arsenophonus and Wolbachia, were detected from two different B. tabaci species (B and Q). While Arsenophonus and Wolbachia were determined only from the Q, Hamiltonella was found only on the B. Rickettsia was determined on both B and Q. Forty percent of individuals were infected with Arsenophonus, followed by Hamiltonella (32.4 %), and Wolbachia (8 %). Infection rate of Rickettsia was found to be higher on B (29.7 %) than on Q (21.6 %). This study is the first report of endosymbionts of B. tabaci populations collected from Turkey, and studies should be continued to cover larger areas, more host plants and B. tabaci populations.     

Myopathy and hepatic lipidosis in weaned lambs due to vitamin E deficiency

A sheep flock experienced losses in weaned lambs from myopathy and hepatic lipidosis. Investigation revealed painful ambulation, illthrift, and unexpected death in lambs with normal selenium levels, deficient vitamin E levels, and elevated muscle and liver enzyme levels. Vitamin E deficiency should be considered when investigating myopathy and illthrift in lambs.