Effects of High Water Table and Short-Term Flooding on Growth,Yield, and Seed Quality of Sunflower

Abstract

Sunflower, a major edible oil crop producing a high-quality and healthful oil for human consumption and also recycled for use as feedstock to produce biodiesel fuel, is recently being cultivated in rotation with rice in the paddy field. The oil of cultivars with a high oleic acid content has higher oxidation stability and better nutritional properties than the standard cultivars, which have a high linoleic acid content. In this study, we evaluated the effects of excess water on plant growth, seed yield, and oil quality. Seed yield, the major yield components, the oleic acid content and the total oil content were negatively affected by a shallow water table. In particular, waterlogging at the establishment stage decreased the growth and seed yield severely. In addition, waterlogging during the flowering and maturation stages tended to decrease the oleic acid content and to increase the linoleic acid content. These results will be useful for improving management practices to increase the seed yield and improve the oil quality of sunflower in rotation with upland paddy rice.     

Stabilization of Tarom and Domesiah cultivars rice bran: Physicochemical,functional and nutritional properties

Extrusion is a multi-step thermal process which has been extensively utilized in food preparations. Effects of temperature, moisture content and speed screw on the stabilization of rice bran were optimized using response surface methodology. Furthermore, the effect of extrusion processing on the physicochemical, nutritional and functional properties of Tarom and Domesiah cultivars stabilized rice bran (SRB) were studied. The colour of rice bran was improved by extrusion processing, but the protein content was reduced, which can be related to the denaturation of protein. Extrusion had also a reduction significant effect on the phyitic acid and vitamin E in stabilized rice bran. However, the content of vitamins B₂, B₃, B₅ and folic acid were remained unchanged, but the dietary fibre was enhanced which has beneficial health effect. In comparison with raw rice bran, water holding capacity was enhanced, but the oil absorption capacity was reduced. Foaming capacity and foaming stability of SRB was more than that of untreated rice bran. Although, they were less than that of rice bran protein concentrate/isolate. As a result, extrusion process improves some functional and nutritional properties of rice bran which are valuable for industrial applications and have potential as food ingredient to improve consumer health.     

Variation in Grain Quality of Upland Rice from Luang Prabang Province,Lao PDR

Luang Prabang Province is located within the area recognized as the center of rice(Oryza sativa L.) diversity in Lao PDR. This study reported on grain quality characteristics of 60 upland rice seed samples sharing 49 variety names collected from 6 villages in Luang Prabang in 2015. Most of the samples has non-pigmented pericarp, while red pericarp was found in four samples and purple in five samples. Almost all of the samples were of large grain type, with glutinous endosperm in 70% and non-glutinous endosperm in 30%. The brown(unpolished) rice was found with a wide range of grain nutritional quality, including protein(9.2% ± 0.9%), Fe(15.9 ± 6.9 mg/kg), Zn(19.6 ± 2.1 mg/kg), anthocyanin(0.774 ± 0.880 mg/g), and anti-oxidative capacity(2.071 ± 1.373 mg/g). The varieties sharing similar names had similar morphological characteristics but varied in nutritional concentration, with required confirmation in genetic variation analysis. This study found that some rice varieties with high grain quality may benefit the farmers directly or could be used in varietal improvement programs.     

Toposequential Variation in Soil Fertility and Rice Productivity of Rainfed Lowland Paddy Fields in Mini-Watershed (Nong)in Northeast Thailand

Abstract

Mini-watersheds called Nongin Thai are geographical components of rainfed lowland rice culture in Northeast Thailand, and constitute distinct units in understanding environmental constraints for low and unstable rainfed rice production there. The toposequential variation of soil fertility and its relation to rice productivity within mini-watersheds, was examined by phytometry of sampled soils and field measurements of rice growth and yield. The phytometry experiment with irrigated potted rice using soils sampled from various rice fields within each mini-watershed, revealed that soil fertility as evaluated by rice dry matter production showed a 5 times difference among the fields at most. The difference in the soil fertility was ascribed primarily to that in nitrogen (N) supply capacity, which itself had a strong correlation with soil organic carbon (SOC) content. Accordingly, the biomass production of pot-grown rice was proportional to SOC. content, which suggested the usefulness of SOC as an index for soil fertility evaluation. The effect of clay on the soil fertility was much less than that of SOC. The actual rice yield in each field also showed quite large field-to-field variation, most of which was explained by the SOC content, rice growth duration and fertilizer application rate even though water availability also affected the yield. The yield positively correlated with growth duration and hence with earlier transplanting. Both SOC and clay contents of fields showed steep gradients with ascending field elevation within mini-watersheds, resulting in a marked toposequential distribution of rice yield. The toposequential distributions of SOC and clay contents imply that rice culture after deforestation accelerated soil erosion from upper to lower fields. The large toposequential gradient in soil fertility requires different resource and crop management for each toposequential position, in order to improve rice productivity of the mini-watershed as a whole.     

A benefit incidence analysis on the far-reaching effects of paddy-field consolidation projects

A paddy-field consolidation (PC) project was carried out with large subsidies as a public investment by prefectural governments in order to improve agricultural productivity in Japan. The purpose of this study is to analyze the quantitative benefits and costs of the PC projects. A benefit incidence (BI) analysis was used in view of the far-reaching effects on farmers to consumers. The results were as follows. First, with the recent decline in rice price, certain farmer benefits primarily derived from the projects have been transferred to consumers through rice price. The transfer ratio was more than half of the total improvement effect of rice productivity which occurred on the farmers’ side, and all economic sectors including farmers and consumers received net benefit even though all sectors paid construction costs or taxes. Therefore, maintaining flexibility in rice price plays an important role to secure net benefits and obtain an agreement of all people involved in the project. Second, some benefits with regard to effects on the rural environment that was not expected at the time of planning were revealed on many project sites. Evaluating these intangible effects will be more important for the tax payers in order to evaluate how the environment friendly planning of the project achieved benefits.

Challenges and opportunities for improving N use efficiency for rice production in sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), rice production from smallholder farms is challenged because of a lack of fertilizer inputs and nutrient-poor soils. Therefore, improving nutrient efficiency is particularly important for increasing both fertilizer use and rice yield. This review discusses how to improve the return from fertilizer input in terms of agronomic N use efficiency (AE_N), that is, the increase in grain yield per kg of applied N, for rice production in SSA. The AE_N values we summarized here revealed large spatial variations even within small areas and a certain gap between researcher-led trials and smallholder-managed farms. Experimental results suggest AE_N can be improved by addressing spatial variations in soil-related factors such as P, S, Zn, and Si deficiencies and Fe toxicity in both irrigated and rainfed production systems. In rainfed production systems, differences in small-scale topography are also important which affects AE_N through dynamic changes in hydrology and variations in the contents of soil organic carbon and clay. Although empirical evidence is further needed regarding the relationship between soil properties and responses to fertilizer inputs, recent agricultural advances have generated opportunities for integrating these micro-topographical and soil-related variables into field-specific fertilizer management. These opportunities include UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) technology to capture microtopography at low cost, database on soil nutrient characteristics at high resolution and more numbers of fertilizer blending facilities across SSA, and interactive decision support tools by use of smartphones on site. Small-dose nursery fertilization can be also alternative approach for improving AE_N in adverse field conditions in SSA.

ABBREVIATIONS: AE_N: agronomic nitrogen use efficiency; FISP: farm input subsidy program; VCR: value cost ratio; SOC: soil organic carbon; SSA: sub-Saharan Africa; UAV: unmanned aerial vehicle     

Genetic Transformation of a High Molecular Weight Glutenin (Glu-1Dx5) to Rice cv. Fatmawati

Abstract

In order to improve rice dough functionality, we co-transformed the Glu-1Dx5 gene encoding a high molecular weight (HMW) glutenin subunit Dx5 from bread wheat, Triticum aestivum L. and either bar gene conferring resistance to herbicide bialaphos or hpt gene conferring resistance to hygromycin B to rice callus cells of cv. Fatmawati. We molecularly characterized 9 plants regenerated from bialaphos-containing medium and 63 plants from hygromycin-containing medium. The Glu-1Dx5 gene was detected by PCR analysis in 15 transgenic T₀ plants. Further analysis of T₁ and T₂ plants revealed that some transgenic plants carried the Glu-1Dx5 gene. Analysis of the endosperm extracts of T₂ plants by SDS-PAGE revealed the existence of a protein similar in size to the wheat Glu-1Dx5 gene product, suggesting successful expression of the transgene. These plants will be incorporated into breeding program for further assessment of their benefits.     

Improvement of Rice Seedling Establishment in Sulfate-Applied Submerged Soil by Application of Molybdate

Abstract

Sulfide ion generation in strictly reduced soil might be a factor impairing rice seedling establishment. The molybdate ion is known to suppress the microbial transformation of sulfide ions from sulfate ions. I investigated the effect of molybdate on rice establishment in sulfate-applied submerged soil. The establishment of rice seeds sown in sulfate-applied submerged soil was markedly improved by application of potassium molybdate at a rate of 1.5?15 mmol kg-¹ dried soil. The application of potassium molybdate delayed the decline of the sulfur concentration in the soil solution near the seeds and the appearance of circular black stains, or insoluble iron sulfide indicating the generation of sulfide ion, around seeds in the soil. Irrespective of the application of molybdate, the redox potential near the seeds was low enough to allow generation of sulfide ions, implying that molybdate suppresses the generation of sulfide ions with no effect on redox potential. These results suggest that the application of molybdate could improve rice seedling establishment in sulfur-rich submerged soil by suppressing the generation of sulfide ions, that is a possible factor suppressing the establishment of rice seeds sown in sulfur-rich submerged soil.     

A Simple and Low-Cost Method to Classify Amylose Content of Rice Using a Standard Color Chart

Abstract

An alternative method to classify amylose content in rice was developed. In this method, based on amylose-iodine colorimetry, a standard color chart was used instead of a spectrophotometer to successfully classify a wide range of cultivars with known and unknown amylose content. This is a rapid low-cost method that may be useful for prediction of amylose content in rice for breeding purposes.     

Phosphorus Balance and Soil Phosphorus Status in Paddy Rice Fields with Various Fertilizer Practices

Abstract

Excess phosphorus (P) has accumulated in Japanese paddy soils, due to fertilizer P inputs over crop requirement for several decades, and improvement of the excess of P is necessary in view of environmental conservation. This study aimed to evaluate the input/output balance of P related to soil P status in paddy rice systems, and to obtain a practical indication. Irrigated rice (Oryza sative L.) was cultivated on a gley soil from 1997 to 2006. Six field plots fertilized with commercial fertilizer, animal waste composts, green manure and none were included. Phosphorus input varied among plots from 0 to 73 kg ha-¹ yr-¹. Rice P uptake was approximately 20 kg ha-¹, indicating no response to the P input. This was attributed to a large amount of plant-available Bray- and Truog-P in our soils. In our fields, paddy rice could be cultivated with no P-containing fertilizer or amendment. As a result, increase in the P input led to an increase in partial P balance (PPB). Cumulative increase in PPB resulted in the increase in soil total P, whereas cumulative decrease of PPB tended to decrease it. Excess accumulation of the soil P results in a loss of P into the environment. We concluded that P fertilization should be restricted to 20 kg ha-¹ yr-¹ (corresponding to 46 kg ha-¹ yr-¹ as P₂O₅), based on evenly balanced P input with the rice P uptake. It is also important to include all of the P-containing fertilizers and amendments when determining the amount of application.     

Milling characteristics and distribution of phytic acid and zinc in long-, medium- and short-grain rice

Milling and polishing are important operations during the production of white rice. The degree of milling and polishing has a significant effect on the nutritional aspects of white rice, especially on minerals, due to a non-uniform distribution of nutrients in the kernel. Information on the distribution of nutrients in rice will greatly help in understanding the effect of milling and aid in designing procedures that improve technological and sensory properties of rice while retaining its essential nutrients as much as possible. In this study, three kernel shapes (short-, medium- and long-grain) of rice were selected for the study of milling characteristics and distribution of zinc (Zn) and phytic acid using abrasive milling and X-ray fluorescent microscope imaging approaches.Milling characteristics differed with kernel shapes and cultivars. Mass loss (y, %) correlated well with milling duration (x, s) and was fitted using a polynomial equation of y=ax²+bx+c (R²=0.99). Different kernel shapes of rice resulted in different patterns. Breakage in milling increased with longer duration of milling. The relation between breakage (y, %) and milling duration (x, s) fitted the exponential equation y=ae^bx. Levels of phytic acid, as well as Zn, decreased with prolonged milling. Phytic acid decreased at a higher rate than Zn. The analysis of different milling runs showed that the concentration of phytic acid decreased from the surface region inward, whereas X-ray fluorescent images indicated that the highest concentration of phosphorus was at the interface of the embryo and perisperm.Our results help in understanding the milling characteristics of different rice cultivars. Understanding these characteristics offers opportunities to optimize milling procedures for maximum phytate removal at minimum mineral losses and yield loss.     

QTL mapping for crude protein and protein fraction contents in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Improvement of rice storage proteins is important in rice breeding for high nutritional quality. Seventy-one recombinant inbred lines (RIL) derived from a cross between japonica variety Asominori and indica variety IR24 were used to study the inheritance of crude protein and protein fraction contents in rice. A total of 16 QTL were identified and mapped on eight chromosomes. Several QTL affecting contents of different protein fractions were mapped in the same chromosomal region. In particular, two QTL with a significant contribution were identified to simultaneously affect prolamin and glutelin contents. One QTL denoted as qCP-12 affecting crude protein content (CP) was located in the same region as QTL qGLT-12 affecting glutelin content, in agreement with the positive correlation between glutelin level and protein content. QTL with larger genetic effects were further confirmed using two sets of chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSL), where Asominori and IR24 were used as the recurrent parents. By QTL comparative analysis, two QTL for CP, three for globulin content and one for prolamin content were located in the vicinity of CP QTL previously identified in polished rice. Application of these results in rice breeding is discussed.     

Transient Expression of Green Fluorescent Protein in Rice Calluses : Optimization of Parameters for Helios Gene Gun Device

Abstract

An optimized condition for particle bombardment is necessary for efficient genetic transformation. Parameters for Helios gene gun, the new system for nucleic acid delivery which is mainly consists of hand-held device sold by Bio-Rad Laboratories (California USA), were examined based on transient expression of synthetic green fluorescent protein (sgfp) in rice calluses of indica cv. Fatmawati and japonica cv. Nipponbare. In the experimental conditions that we examined, parameters found to be the most favorable conditions for transient expression of sgfp in rice callus cells were as follows: 200?250 psi helium pressure, 0.6 μm gold particle size, 0.25 mg gold particles per shot, and 1.5 μg plasmid-DNA per shot. Desiccation of callus cells for eight min was also found appropriate. The level of transient sgfp expression was not significantly influenced by the pre-culture for 4 to 12 d before bombardment or by callus age between 10 and 33 wk old in Fatmawati. These parameters for this particular device should improve the transient expression, thus enabling stable expression of introduced genes via Helios gene gun using callus as a target tissue.     

Comparison of Five Nitrogen Dressing Methods to Optimize Rice Growth

Abstract

The applicability of five nitrogen (N) dressing methods to rice cultivation was examined using the canopy spectrum-based nitrogen optimization algorithm (CSNOA), leaf area index (LAI), site-specific N management (SSNM), N nutrition index (NNI), and N fertilizer optimization algorithm (NFOA). After base-tiller N dressing (basal dressing and top dressing at the tillering stage) at low and normal levels, rice plants were grown by the above five N dressing methods. The effects of different N dressing methods on plant dry weight, plant N accumulation, grain yield, N use efficiency, and economic benefit were analyzed. Compared with the standard method, under the low base-tiller N dressing level, the optimum N dressing rate was decreased, and the economic benefit was increased by adapting the N dressing methods of CSNOA and SSNM, whereas the optimum N dressing rate was increased, and the economic benefit was decreased by the other three N dressing methods. Under the general base-tiller N dressing level, the optimum N rate, N-use efficiency and economic benefit were increased by all N dressing methods except the NFOA. These results indicated that the CSNOA and SSNM were two good techniques for quantifying N dressing in rice, with higher economic benefit, less N input, and better applicability under different base-tiller N dressing levels.     

Comparative analysis of the proteomic and nutritional composition of transgenic rice seeds with Cry1ab/ac genes and their non-transgenic counterparts

Nutritional assessment of transgenic crops used for human food and animal feed is an important component of safety evaluations. Profiling techniques, such as proteomics, are currently used as complementary analytical tools to detect the unintended effects of transgenic. We analyzed the proteomic profiles and nutritional composition of transgenic rice seeds containing the Cry1Ab/Ac protein to assess the safety of these transgenic seeds. We focused primarily on the effects of genetic modification and growth environment. By comparing proteomic profiles, we found that 21 proteins were up- or down-regulated as a consequence of environmental influence (WT01 vs. WT02). Similarly, 20 to 22 protein levels were differentially modulated in transgenic rice seeds in comparison to their non-transgenic counterparts (T01 vs. WT01; T02 vs. WT02). These latter changes may be due to the influence of growth environment and the insertion of a single gene into the rice genome. Based on the nutrient composition analysis (proximates, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins and anti-nutritive components), we conclude that the nutritional quality of the rice from the transgenic lines was equivalent to that of its non-transgenic counterparts and that the effect of growth environment on the rice was no less than that of the single gene insertion.     

Making Rice a Perfect Food

Abstract

Despite a significant increase in food production during the last century, world production will need to be doubled or tripled by the year 2050 to meet the needs of an expected 10 billion global population. Fortunately, a second revolution in agriculture appears to be taking place from advances in biotechnology. Worldwide in 1999, about 40 million hectares of transgenic plants were grown, and this area is expected to increase significantly for years to come. Rice (Oryza sauva L.) is the staple food of the majority of 3.5 billion people in Asia. Increases in population in the rice growing regions of Asia will require 70% more rice in 2025 than is consumed today. In addition, rice, in its milled form, is poor in essential amino acids and a range of vitamins and micronutri-ents, which creates malnutrition. With the increasing number of genes discovered in plants and other organisms, transgenic research is being utilized to improve agronomic traits of rice, such as resistance to biotic and abiotic stress, and to increase photosynthetic efficiency which collectively increase yield. Research is also moving toward improvement of grain quality traits, including amino acids, micronutrients, and vitamins. Genome sequencing and the techniques for rice transformation have been developed. Thus, collaborative efforts in genomics, transformation, and molecular breeding of rice are expected to lead to a significant contribution to global food security. In this article, we review the current status of genetic improvement of rice. Improved methods for transgene expression in rice and potential modifications that will significantly improve yield and grain quality of rice are also discussed.     

Path Analysis of Tiller Density of Winter Wheat Demonstrates the Importance of Practices that Manipulate Clod Size Based on Soil Moisture at Seeding in the Rice–Wheat Cropping System

Abstract

The moisture of paddy soil after rice cropping is a major impediment to the establishment, tillering and yield of winter wheat in the rice?wheat (R?W) cropping system. We examined the seedling establishment ratio, based on soilmoisture at seeding by path analysis of nine soil/plant traits in the farmer's fields in Western Japan where the R?W cropping system was being used, to establish a strategy for improving tiller density by optimizing the seedling establishment ratio. The clod size of surface soil, which showed a significant positive correlation with soil moisture at seeding, had a significant negative direct effect on the seedling establishment ratio. The reduction in seedling establishment ratio, together with fewer tillers per plant, resulted in a significant decrease in tiller density. The sum total of contribution of soil moisture contents to tiller density via clod size was smaller than that of seeding rate, and similar to that of the amount of nitrogen (N) basal dressing. This indicates that manipulating clod size based on soil moisture at seedingprovides an opportunity for maintaining tiller density, as well as changing the amount of N basal dressing with the soil moisture conditions after rice cropping.     

Identification of Chromosomal Regions Controlling the Leaf Photosynthetic Rate in Rice by Using a Progeny from Japonica and High-yielding Indica Varieties

Abstract

The whole-leaf photosynthetic rate in rice plants is controlled by various physiological processes. In a high-yielding indica rice variety, Habataki, the leaf photosynthetic rate (LPR) of the uppermost fully expanded leaves was approximately 130 to 140% of that in a japonica variety, Sasanishiki, from booting to the early ripening stage. We characterized the difference in the LPR between Habataki and Sasanishiki. Leaves of Habataki contained higher levels of nitrogen and, as a consequence, of Rubisco, and had higher stomatal conductance that was associated with higher hydraulic conductance from roots to leaves than those of Sasanishiki. These features were responsible for the higher LPR of Habataki. An analysis of chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) in which chromosome segments from Habataki were substituted into the genetic background of Sasanishiki showed that three genetic regions on chromosomes 4, 5 and 11 were responsible for the increase in the LPR. Each of these regions was estimated to increase the LPR by 15 to 30%, and we showed that they were associated with higher activity of mesophyll photosynthesis due to higher leaf nitrogen content and greater stomatal conductance. Leaf nitrogen content and stomatal conductance may be useful parameters for further quantitative trait locus analysis of efficient photosynthesis in leaves.     

Physical,Predictive Glycaemic Response and Antioxidative Properties of Black Ear Mushroom (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Auricularia auricula</Emphasis>) Extrudates

Black ear mushroom (Auricularia auricula) is an important genus of cultivated mushroom, which contains health benefits. Incorporating black ear (BE) mushroom into brown rice by extrusion changed the physicochemical, and more importantly, the nutritional characteristics of the extrudates. With increased incorporation of BE mushroom in the extrudates in vitro starch digestion of the different extrudates revealed significantly reduced starch digestion, suggesting a lower glycaemic index. In addition, incorporation of BE in brown rice extrudates increased the total phenolic concentration of the samples, which led to higher % scavenging effect against free-radicals in DPPH assay. In the ORAC assay for anti-oxidant activity, BE powder exhibited the highest anti-oxidant activity, followed by 10% BE and 15% BE, and 5% BE extruded products. The extruded brown rice control exhibited the lowest antioxidant activity. Inclusion of black ear mushroom was shown to improve the nutritional qualities of the food product illustrating the connection between plant bioactive ingredients and human health.     

Geostatistical Analysis of Yield,Soil Properties and Crop Management Practices in Paddy Rice Fields

Abstract

We examined the possible benefit of rational site-specific crop management practices in 17 paddy fields located in an area of 2.0 ha for the prevalence of precision agriculture methods on a cooperatively managed large-scale farm in Sakurai, Nara Japan. Data on grain yield, soil physicochemical properties and farmer's crop management practices were collected in each paddy field. Unhulled rice yield was estimated at a resolution of 5m ? 5m in an area of 1.2 ha using a yield-monitoring combine. The spatial distribution of the variations for the collected data was characterized using geostatistical procedures. The kriged map of the unhulled rice yield drawn from the results of geostatistical analysis indicated the potential value of rational site-specific crop management using the yield-monitoring combine. The ratio of spatially structured variation to the total variation of brown rice yield, that is, the controllable proportion to total variation, was 75.4%. Each yield component i.e., the number of spikelets per square meter, filled-spikelet percentage and 1000-grain weight contributed 33.7%, 54.7% and 11.6%, respectively, to brown rice yield. These three yield components combined contributed to 96.5% of the brown rice yield variation. The agronomic factors (soil fertility factor, early growth factor, N dressing and uptake factor) contributed 79.7%, 52.1% and 41.8%, respectively, to the variation of these three yield components. Therefore these agronomic factors accounted for 58.1% of the total variation of the brown rice yield and 77.1% (i.e. 58.1% out of 75.4%) of the spatially structured variation of the brown rice yield. This controllable proportion may be a criterion for the prevalence of site-specific crop management in large-scale farm management in general, although only one case study was conducted.