Studies on the influence of temperature,relative humidity and microenvironment on the natural fermentation of African oil bean seeds to ‘Ugba’

Studies on the enhancement of the traditional production of Ugba (a protein-rich fermented food) from African oil bean seeds were undertaken by fermenting the bean seeds at different temperatures, relative humidities (RH) and microenvironments. Fermentation was monitored by pH, texture, amino-nitrogen content and the viable cell count of the substrate. The 40 °C, 98% RH or the 130 m high density polyethylene (HDPE) treatment increased the fermentation microflora from ca. 106 CFU/g to ca. 108 CFU/g with high initial changes in pH (5.8–ca. 7.9) and texture (2.0 kg/cm2 to between 1.4 kg/cm2 and 0.9 kg/cm2) in 24 hours. Products with amino-nitrogen contents of between 12.00 mg N/100 g dry matter and 14.00 mg N/100 g dry matter were obtained in 3 days. The cell count of the 30 °C, 80% RH or 70 m treatment increased from 106 CFU/g to ca. 107 CFU/g and the pH increased from 5.8 to about 6.7 with a coincident decrease in the texture value from 2.0 kg/cm2 to about 1.7 kg/cm2 in 24 hours. Products with amino-nitrogen contents between 15.00 mg N/100 g dry matter and 19.2 mg N/100 g dry matter were obtained after 3 days. Changes in the fermentation indicators were not significant at p0.05 (pH and texture) and at p0.01 (amino-nitrogen) after 3 days for the 25 °C, 59.9% RH or 50 m low density polyethylene (LDPE) treatment. Products of fermentation at the combined optimal conditions (80% RH, 35 °C and 70 m HDPE) compared very well with the traditionally fermented products in terms of pH, texture and amino-nitrogen content.     

A DNA finger-print technique was established for the certification of seeds of the hybrid rice Shanyou 63

Cooperate with each other, scienstists from Institute of Genetics, Academia Scinica and CNRRI established a DNA finger-print technique. This is a rapid, simple and accurate technique for the detection of seed purity. Which can be used in the certification of seeds of the most important hybrid rice variety. Shanyou 63. variety in China.     

Utilization of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in the determination of water status on rice seeds

The relation between seed viability and waterstatus in seed was studied. The experimentwas carried out at Zhongshan University.Seeds of hybrid rice Shanyou 63 were collectedfrom Guangdong Academy of Agriculture Sci-ences in 1993 and then stored for one year inopen air or with silica gel. Before and afterstorage, the relative content of free water and     

Effect of alkaline treatment (‘akanwu’) and supplementary value of corn or crayfish on the protein quality of breadfruit (Treculia Africana)

The effect of treatment and supplementary value of corn (C) or crayfish (CR) on the protein quality of breadfruit (Treculia Africana) flours were studied in eighteen young rats. The 7030 or 701515 (Protein basis) combinations of breadfruit flours and corn or crayfish or both provided 1.6g N/100 g diet for the 35 day study. The addition of akanwu to the cooking water reduced cooking time and crude protein and saved fuel. The addition of akanwu and replacement of CR with C was not beneficial as judged by the parameters tested except for the wt. gain and PER. On the other hand, when crayfish was the only source of supplementary protein (30%) to breadfruit cooked without akanwu there were increases in all parameters tested over those with added akanwu except for the N intake, wt. gain, and PER.These results appear to suggest that addition of akanwu to TA was detrimental to its protein utilization and that TA appears to be an economic source of N in areas where it is a staple. Based on the results of this study, one would suggest that the use of akanwu as a tenderizer should be seriously looked into before further use.     

Co-Cultivation—A Powerful Emerging Tool for Enhancing the Chemical Diversity of Microorganisms

Marine-derived bacteria and fungi are promising sources of novel bioactive compounds that are important for drug discovery programs. However, as encountered in terrestrial microorganisms there is a high rate of redundancy that results in the frequent re-discovery of known compounds. Apparently only a part of the biosynthetic genes that are harbored by fungi and bacteria are transcribed under routine laboratory conditions which involve cultivation of axenic microbial strains. Many biosynthetic genes remain silent and are not expressed in vitro thereby seriously limiting the chemical diversity of microbial compounds that can be obtained through fermentation. In contrast to this, co-cultivation (also called mixed fermentation) of two or more different microorganisms tries to mimic the ecological situation where microorganisms always co-exist within complex microbial communities. The competition or antagonism experienced during co-cultivation is shown to lead to a significantly enhanced production of constitutively present compounds and/or to an accumulation of cryptic compounds that are not detected in axenic cultures of the producing strain. This review highlights the power of co-cultivation for increasing the chemical diversity of bacteria and fungi drawing on published studies from the marine and from the terrestrial habitat alike.     

Protein changes in rice seedlings during the enhancement of chilling resistance by different stress pretreatment

The changes of proteins in the rice (Oryza sativa L. ) Tesanai 2 seedling under salt ( NaCl ,4 g/L), heat shock (42℃, 3h), and cold(14℃, 3d) pretreatments were compared toexplore the mechanism of the cross adaptationto different environmental stresses.     

Somatic Mining for Phytonutrient Improvement of ‘Russet Burbank’ Potato

Screening of >800 somaclones of ‘Russet Burbank’, North America’s leading French fry cultivar, for improved yield and processing quality, led to the selection of 25 advanced lines. Three replicates of 3–5 tubers each from advanced lines were assessed after 5 months storage for antioxidant and polyphenol attributes; a subject receiving increased attention among plant breeders, nutritionists, and consumers. Phytonutrients affecting antioxidant components and total antioxidant capacity per serving (150 g fresh matter; one serving size) varied significantly among tubers of the 25 somaclones as well as between these somaclones and ‘Russet Burbank’ control plants (field tuber-derived and plantlet-derived). Several phenolics, including chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid derivatives, ferulic acid derivatives as well as the flavonoid rutin, ranged in concentration from 10- to 100-fold with some lines exceeding control tuber concentrations by >7-fold. Similarly, ascorbic acid ranged >3-fold (47.21 to 208.63 mg) on a per serving basis with some lines showing significantly greater concentrations than the control plantlet derived tubers (93.82 mg) by >2-fold. Antioxidant capacity, estimated using 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), ranged up to 5-fold for the advanced somaclones (2,121.34 to 11,163.07 μM trolox equivalent/serving). Less variation occurred with other antioxidant capacity tests (DPPH, Folin-Ciocalteu). Overall 17/25 lines had increased antioxidant components. HPLC assays were necessary to confirm lines with better phytonutrient profiles. Somaclonal selection offers clear benefits for phytonutrient improvement in potato and can follow selection for yield and processing attributes.     

Application of artificial neural network (ANN) for prediction of fabrics’ extensibility

In the field of clothing technology, prediction of the fabric properties is very important because the fabric is the basic element of every clothing item. Knowing the fabric properties it is possible to predict fabrics’ behaviour during process of clothing manufacturing (in phase of cutting, sewing and ironing) as well as clothing items’ behaviour during usage. According to the fabrics’ characteristics and model design it is possible to predict appearances of the clothing items and their draping which can be presented with many computer simulations. In this paper extensibility of the fabric which appears during a small forces loading on the fabrics are investigated. Loading of small forces on the fabric appears in each phases of clothing manufacturing processes and during usage of clothing items. Investigations are managed on 50 fabrics which are weaving in twill weave and 100 % wool. The basic characteristics of fabric (density of warp and weft, mass per unit area, thickness) are defined according appropriate standard methods and tensile properties in the warp and weft directions are measured using KES-FB1 measuring system. Using an artificial neural network (ANN) prediction of extensibility properties of the fabrics are done, results are compared with experimental values and deviations are determined. ANN is an adaptive system that changes its structure based on external or internal information that flows through the network during the learning phase. They can be used to model complex relationships between inputs and outputs or to find patterns in data. Based on the implemented investigations, minimal deviations between experimental and predicted values are obtained and can be concluded that ANN can be used for prediction of the fabrics properties.     

Insecticide-induced changes in the levels of resistance of rice cultivars to the whitebacked planthopper Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Homoptera: Delphacidae)

IR2035-117-3 (highly resistant), ARC 10239 (resistant), and TN1 (susceptible) rice plants received one application at 40 days after transplanting (DT) or three spray applications (20, 30, and 40DT) of monocrotophos, diazinon or deltamethrin. When these plants were exposed to S. furcifera adults, either 24 hours after the single application, or 15 days after the third of the spray applications, the deltamethrin-treated were most preferred. The percentage of S. furcifera that alighted on the three varieties decreased correspondingly with an increase in the level of varietal resistance. Differences in S. furcifera population growth, nymphal survival, nymphal duration, growth index and feeding rate between IR2035-117-3 and TN1 were significant. Foliar application of deltamethrin caused a significant increase in population growth on IR2035-117-3, ARC 10239, and TN1 and an increase in the nymphal survival and growth index on TN1.     

Identification and molecular characterization of phytoplasmas and rickettsia pathogens associated with ‘Bunchy Top Symptom’ (BTS) and ‘Papaya Bunchy Top’ (PBT) of papaya in Cuba

Two different papaya diseases have been previously reported in Cuba, Bunchy Top Symptom (BTS) associated with a phytoplasma of group 16SrII ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’ and Papaya Bunchy Top (PBT), associated with a rickettsia. Regarding the regional phytosanitary impact of both diseases for the papaya crop, the present study investigated the occurrence of BTS and PBT in papaya fields in Cuba, and the possible mixed infection of phytoplasma and rickettsia pathogens associated. Papaya plants showing symptoms of BTS or PBT or both, were collected in Las Tunas and Havana provinces from January 2009 to February 2010, and evaluated for phytoplasma and rickettsia by PCR with primers targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA and the rickettsial succinate deshydrogenase (sdhA) genes, respectively. Phytoplasmas and rickettsia were individually detected in 76/86 BTS-symptomatic and 22/22 PBT-symptomatic papaya plants, and simultaneously detected in 5/86 (5.81%) of the BTS-symptomatic and 17/22 (77.27%) of the PBT-symptomatic plants. Conventional and virtual RFLP analyses of the 16S rDNA sequences revealed the presence of phytoplasmas of group 16SrI ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’ and 16SrII in papaya plants affected by BTS and PBT, and identified two new phytoplasma subgroups, 16SrI-X and 16SrII-N in papayas fields of Las Tunas, which was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis. The partial rickettsia sdhA gene sequences were 100% identical to that of the rickettsia associated with PBT in Puerto Rico. Results confirm that phytoplasmas are consistently associated with both BTS and PBT symptoms, and that mixed infections of phytoplasma and rickettsia pathogens can occur in either BTS or PBT-affected papaya fields, which implies new epidemiological constraints for the disease control.     

Physiological and molecular responses of seedlings of an upland rice (‘Tung Lu 3’) to total submergence compared to those of a submergence-tolerant lowland rice (‘FR13A’)

Background

Understanding the responses of rice to environmental stresses such as unscheduled submergence is of pressing important owing to increasing severity of weather thought to arise from global climate change. When rice is completely submerged, different types adopt either a quiescence survival strategy (i.e., minimal shoot elongation) or an escape strategy (i.e., enhanced shoot elongation). Each strategy can prolong survival depending on the circumstances. While submergence responses have been studied in rice typical of lowland and flood-prone areas, few studies have explored the physiological and molecular properties of upland rice under submergence. Here, we use seedlings of the upland rice ‘Tung Lu 3’ (‘TL3’) to analyze physiological and molecular responses to submergence. We compare them with those of ‘FR13A’, a lowland rice that tolerates submergence by adopting the quiescence strategy.

Results

Plant height and distance between leaf sheaths, increased rapidly in ‘TL3’ under submergence. Although this indicated a strong escape strategy the seedlings remained totally underwater for the duration of the experiments. In contrast, ‘FR13A’ elongated much less. Consequently, after 4 days complete submergence followed by drainage, ‘TL3’ lodged much more severely than ‘FR13A’. After 10 d complete submergence, 55% of ‘TL3’ seedlings survived compared to 100% in ‘FR13A’. Chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll concentrations of the 2^nd oldest leaves of ‘TL3’ were also significantly above those of ‘FR13A’ (but were lower than ‘FR13A’ in the 3^rd oldest leaves) and less hydrogen peroxide accumulated in ‘TL3’. Peroxidase activity in submerged ‘TL3’ was also greater than in ‘FR13A’ 1 day after submergence. Quantitative RT–PCR showed increased expression of sucrose synthase 1 and alcohol dehydrogenases 1 after 2 days complete submergence with significantly higher levels in ‘TL3’ compared to ‘FR13A’. Expression was also higher in ‘TL3’ under non-submerged conditions.

Conclusions

The upland rice line ‘TL3’ gave a stronger elongation response than ‘FR13A’ to complete submergence. This escape strategy is widely considered to prejudice survival when the plant remains totally submerged. However, contrary to expectations, ‘TL3’ survival rates were substantial although below those for ‘FR13A’ while physiological, biochemical and molecular parameters linked to adaptation differed in detail but appeared to be broadly comparable. These findings highlight that submergence tolerance is determine not only by the adoption of quiescence or escape strategies but maybe by metabolic and physiological properties unrelated to the underwater elongation rate.

     

早茶品种‘龙井43’史话(下)

讲述无性系早茶品种‘龙井43’选育研究的经过,包括选题、选种、繁育、试种、示范推广,到‘龙井43’研究成果在杭州西湖龙井茶区转化为生产力,取得显著经济、社会和生态效益,乃至浙江全省、全国茶区推广应用的历史过程和故事,并简略交流育种心得。     

Three years’ comparisons of dusts and bordeaux spray for potato production in Central Jersey

American Journal of Potato Research -     

早茶品种‘龙井43’史话(上)

讲述无性系早茶品种‘龙井43’选育研究的经过,包括选题、选种、繁育、试种、示范推广,到‘龙井43’研究成果在西湖龙井茶区转化为生产力,取得显著经济效益、社会效益和生态效益,乃至浙江全省、全国茶区推广应用的历史过程和故事,并简略交流育种心得。     

早茶品种‘龙井43’史话(中)

讲述无性系早茶品种‘龙井43’选育研究的经过,包括选题、选种、繁育、试种、示范推广,到‘龙井43’研究成果在杭州西湖龙井茶区转化为生产力,取得显著经济、社会和生态效益,乃至浙江全省、全国茶区推广应用的历史过程和故事,并简略交流育种心得。     

Effect of chemical treatments on ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ infected pomelo (Citrus maxima)

Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, is one of the most destructive diseases affecting Rutaceae plants in many parts of the world. HLB is associated with three species of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter’ with ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ (Las), being the most widely distributed bacterium in Thailand and Asia. The effectiveness of chemical treatment via trunk injection was evaluated in Las-infected pomelo (Citrus maxima) trees using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Our results demonstrated that a mixture of streptomycin (250 mg/L), ampicillin (2.5 g/L), penicillin G (2 g/L), and Bacicure^® (2 g/L) provided the highest efficiency in reducing and suppressing the Las-bacterium population indicated by the mean cycle threshold (Ct) values from 20.8 (≈7.2 × 10⁷ cells/g of plant tissue) to 36.6 (≈2140 cells/g of plant tissue) in greenhouse experiments, and from 19.4 (≈1.8 × 10⁸ cells/g of plant tissue) to 37.8 (≈969 cells/g of plant tissue) in the field experiments. In addition, our strategies remained therapeutically effective for one year. Finally, response of Las-infected pomelo to chemical treatment was elucidated using transmission electron microscopy.     

Development of a PCR Assay for the Rapid Detection and Differentiation of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ Haplotypes and Their Spatiotemporal Distribution in the United States

Zebra chip, or zebra complex (ZC) has become an important invasive disease of potato in the United States and New Zealand and is caused by a phloem-limited bacterium, ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Lso). A PCR assay using a single pair of simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers was developed for simultaneous detection and genotype differentiation of Lso haplotypes associated with zebra chip disease of potato. The sensitivity of the SSR PCR was similar to a 16S PCR assay, with detection limit of 100 copies of the Lso genome in haplotype A infected potato and psyllid samples and 10 copies of Lso genome in haplotype B potato and psyllid samples. The Lso detection frequency of the SSR PCR assay was 79.1 % in potato and 26.4 % in psyllid samples, respectively; whereas the detection frequency of the 16S PCR assay 59.0 % in potato and 25.9 % in psyllid samples, respectively. Samples of Lso positive potato plants and psyllids from multiple states in the US were demonstrated to have either haplotype A or haplotype B Lso and occasionally both haplotypes were found in individual samples. This is the first report that co-infection of the two haplotypes of Lso exists in potato and potato-psyllid samples. Only haplotype A Lso was detected in North Dakota psyllid samples collected in 2010, in Idaho and Washington ZC potato samples sampled from storage in 2011, and in Idaho ZC potato samples in 2012. Haplotype A Lso was also detected in New Zealand ZC affected potato samples and psyllid samples collected in 2010 and 2011. The PCR assay developed is as sensitive as previously developed assays and has the advantage of simultaneously detecting and differentiating Lso haplotypes of the ZC bacterium, thus making it extremely useful for epidemiological studies.     

芥蓝新品种‘夏翠芥蓝’的选育(简报)

‘夏翠芥蓝’是利用自交不亲和系配制的杂交一代芥蓝新品种,表现早熟、优质、商品性好;叶片椭圆形,叶长18.5 cm,叶宽18.1 cm,菜薹长17～20 cm,薹粗2.0～2.5 cm,单薹重110～150 g;耐涝性和抗病性较强;适应性较广,广州地区适播期8～10月上旬。