Chemical Composition and Bile Acid Binding Activity of Products Obtained from Amaranth (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Amaranthus cruentus</Emphasis>) Seeds

Cardiovascular diseases are currently the greatest cause of mortality in the world, and dislipidemia is appearing as one of the most important risk factors. The binding of bile acids (BAs) has been hypothesized as a possible mechanism by which dietary fibers lower blood cholesterol levels. Besides the fibers, other components in the amaranth seeds may be related to this hypocholesterolemic effect. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the BA binding capacity of some products obtained from defatted amaranth flour (DAF) and from the amaranth protein concentrate (APC). The alkaline residue, rich in fibers (8.6%), presented the lowest binding activity for the BAs tested, with the exception of glycocholic acid. The DAF showed intermediary binding activity for all the BAs tested, although similar to that of the APC for deoxycholic acid, and to that of the amaranth protein hydrolysate (APH) for taurocholic acid. The DAF and APC showed binding activity for secondary bile acids toxic to the intestinal mucus. From the results, amaranth products were shown to have the ability to bind BAs, but it was not possible to affirm whether the main component responsible for this activity was the proteins, fibers or eventually some other non-evaluated component.     

Relevant spatial scales of chemical variation in Aplysina aerophoba

Understanding the scale at which natural products vary the most is critical because it sheds light on the type of factors that regulate their production. The sponge Aplysina aerophoba is a common Mediterranean sponge inhabiting shallow waters in the Mediterranean and its area of influence in Atlantic Ocean. This species contains large concentrations of brominated alkaloids (BAs) that play a number of ecological roles in nature. Our research investigates the ecological variation in BAs of A. aerophoba from a scale of hundred of meters to thousand kilometers. We used a nested design to sample sponges from two geographically distinct regions (Canary Islands and Mediterranean, over 2500 km), with two zones within each region (less than 50 km), two locations within each zone (less than 5 km), and two sites within each location (less than 500 m). We used high-performance liquid chromatography to quantify multiple BAs and a spectrophotometer to quantify chlorophyll a (Chl a). Our results show a striking degree of variation in both natural products and Chl a content. Significant variation in Chl a content occurred at the largest and smallest geographic scales. The variation patterns of BAs also occurred at the largest and smallest scales, but varied depending on which BA was analyzed. Concentrations of Chl a and isofistularin-3 were negatively correlated, suggesting that symbionts may impact the concentration of some of these compounds. Our results underline the complex control of the production of secondary metabolites, with factors acting at both small and large geographic scales affecting the production of multiple secondary metabolites.     

Volatile Organic Compounds,Indole, and Biogenic Amines Assessment in Two Mediterranean Irciniidae (Porifera,Demospongiae)

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed for the headspace determination of the volatile organic fraction emitted by two of the most common Mediterranean demosponges, Ircinia variabilis and Sarcotragus spinosulus, and of indole and some biogenic amines released by sponges in an aqueous medium. A total of 50/30 µm divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane and 75 µm carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fibers were used for the headspace extraction of low molecular weight sulfur compounds from a hermetically sealed vial containing sponge fragments, while the direct immersion determination of indole and biogenic amines was performed. The biogenic amines were extracted after in-solution derivatization with isobutyl chloroformate. All analytical parameters (linearity, limits of detection, and quantification, precision, and recovery) were evaluated for indole and biogenic amines. SPME-GC-MS proved to be a reliable means of highlighting the differences between molecules released by different sponges, principally responsible for their smell. The combined approaches allowed the identification of several volatile compounds in the headspace and other molecules released by the sponges in an aqueous medium, including indole and the BAs cadaverine, histamine, isobutylamine, isopentylamine, propylamine, 2-phenylethylamine, putrescine and tryptamine. The results obtained represent a further contribution to the picture of odoriferous molecules secreted by sponges.     

Yield and quality of winter and spring triticales for forage and grain

In field experiments conducted over 2 years in Mediterranean conditions, five winter and five spring triticales were evaluated for forage and grain production in the same cropping season. The experiments had two treatments, namely harvesting for grain only, and dual-purpose forage and grain production. In the latter treatment, forage was cut when the first node was detectable (Zadoks' stage 31), without removing the apical meristems. Grain was harvested when ripe (Zadoks' stage 92) in both cut and uncut plots.
Environmental conditions affected grain production and protein content more than forage yield and quality. Winter triticales yielded about 43% more forage than spring types, but after forage removal the spring types yielded about 36% more grain than winter triticales.
Reductions in grain yield after clipping were more pronounced in winter (32%) than in spring (19%) types. Forage crude protein content was significantly higher in the spring types studied (24.6%) than in the winter types (23.5%), the opposite being true for fibre content (20.7 and 21.6% respectively). Grain crude protein content did not differ between grain and dual-purpose treatments, but was higher in the spring triticales (12.8%) than in the winter types (11.9%). There was more variability for the measured traits within the winter triticales studied than within the spring types.     

Variations in herbage mass and digestibility, and the grazing behaviour and herbage intake of adult cattle and weaned calves

Two experiments are described in which groups of lactating cows, non-lactating cattle and weaned calves grazed a sequence of swards varying in maturity and herbage mass under strip grazing management at a daily herbage allowance of 60 g dry matter per kg live weight. Lactating cows ate 43% and 76% more herbage than non-lactating cattle of similar weight in the two experiments but herbage OM intakes per unit live weight by the calves and lactating cows were similar.
Variations in diet digestibility and herbage intake in the lactating and non-lactating cattle with changes in sward conditions were similar. In the first experiment the calves were experienced grazers; the variation in the digestibility of the herbage selected was less in the calves than the adult cattle, but the variation in herbage intake was greater. The calves in the second experiment were younger, and they were inexperienced grazers; their ability to increase herbage intake in response to changing sward conditions was poorer than that of adult cattle, though variations in diet digestibility were similar in all classes.
The practical implications of these results are discussed briefly.     

Sorghum and millet phenols and antioxidants

Sorghum is a good source of phenolic compounds with a variety of genetically dependent types and levels including phenolic acids, flavonoids, and condensed tannins. Most sorghums do not contain condensed tannins, but all contain phenolic acids. Pigmented sorghums contain unique anthocyanins that could be potential food colorants. Some sorghums have a prominent pigmented testa that contains condensed tannins composed of flavan-3-ols with variable length. Flavan-3-ols of up to 8–10 units have been separated and quantitatively analyzed. These tannin sorghums are excellent antioxidants, which slow hydrolysis in foods, produce naturally dark-colored products and increase the dietary fiber levels of food products. Sorghums have high concentration of 3-deoxyanthocyanins (i.e. luteolinidin and apigenidin) that give stable pigments at high pH. Pigmented and tannin sorghum varieties have high antioxidant levels that are comparable to fruits and vegetables. Finger millet has tannins in some varieties that contain a red testa. There are limited data on the phenolic compounds in millets; only phenolic acids and flavones have been identified.     

Sorghum and millet phenols and antioxidants

Sorghum is a good source of phenolic compounds with a variety of genetically dependent types and levels including phenolic acids, flavonoids, and condensed tannins. Most sorghums do not contain condensed tannins, but all contain phenolic acids. Pigmented sorghums contain unique anthocyanins that could be potential food colorants. Some sorghums have a prominent pigmented testa that contains condensed tannins composed of flavan-3-ols with variable length. Flavan-3-ols of up to 8–10 units have been separated and quantitatively analyzed. These tannin sorghums are excellent antioxidants, which slow hydrolysis in foods, produce naturally dark-colored products and increase the dietary fiber levels of food products. Sorghums have high concentration of 3-deoxyanthocyanins (i.e. luteolinidin and apigenidin) that give stable pigments at high pH. Pigmented and tannin sorghum varieties have high antioxidant levels that are comparable to fruits and vegetables. Finger millet has tannins in some varieties that contain a red testa. There are limited data on the phenolic compounds in millets; only phenolic acids and flavones have been identified.     

Tuber and starch quality of wild and cultivated potato species and cultivars

Summary Between 1993 and 1998 205 different potato cultivars and 1220 accessions/genotypes of wild and cultivated potato species from the IPK Genebank Gatersleben were evaluated. Parameters interesting for starch isolation and especially for the use of starch were determined. Altogether, there was a higher variability in wild potato species than in cultivated potatoes for all characteristics investigated: dry matter content, starch content, protein content, amylose content and mean particle diameter of starch granules.     

Effects of crop density and tillage system on grain yield and N uptake from soil and atmosphere of sole and intercropped pea and oat

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) and oat (Avena sativa L.) were grown as sole and mixed crops in various densities under two different tillage systems on a loess soil near Göttingen/Germany in a 2-year field experiment (2002/2003). In the conventional tillage system a mouldboard plough (CT) was used and in the minimum tillage system a rotary harrow (MT) was employed. The effect of crop density and tillage system on the grain dry matter and grain N yields, N₂ fixation and soil N uptake were determined to address the following questions: (i) which mixture compositions exhibit the highest grain yields compared to the sole crops, (ii) which mixture compositions also fix a high level of N₂ and leave low levels of residual inorganic soil N after harvest, and (iii) whether the intercrop advantage is influenced by the tillage system. For (i) the result in 2002 showed that the highest grain yields of both sole cropped pea and oat and intercropped pea and oat were achieved at the highest densities. In 2003, when the inorganic soil N content was higher and weather conditions were warmer and drier, grain yields were significantly higher than in 2002, but sole as well as intercropped pea and oat gave their highest grain yields at lower densities. For both years and tillage systems, the highest intercrop advantages were achieved in mixtures with densities above the optimal sole crop densities. The result for (ii) was that a distinctly higher proportion of nitrogen was derived from the atmosphere (Ndfa) by intercropped pea than by sole cropped pea. However, the uptake of soil N by intercropped pea and oat was not reduced in comparison with that of sole cropped oat as the decrease in the uptake of N from the soil by oat at lower oat densities in the mixture was compensated for by the soil N uptake of pea. Additionally, the N_min-N content of the soil following the mixtures and sole cropped oat did not differ, especially in the deeper soil layers because oat in mixture was forced to take up more soil N from deeper layers. Therefore, the risk of soil N losses through leaching after mixtures was lower compared to sole cropped pea. The tillage system (iii) had no significant influence on grain yield and soil N uptake, but N₂ fixation and the competitive ability of intercropped pea were higher under CT than with MT. An additional result was that intercropping led to a significantly increased grain N content of both pea and oat compared to the sole crops. The increase in grain N content from sole to intercrop was from 3.30 to 3.42% for pea and from 1.73 to 1.96% for oat as a mean for both years and tillage systems. The present study confirms that growing pea and oat as intercrops highlights potential economic and environmental benefits which still need to be understood in more detail in order to exploit intercropping to a greater extent.     

茶园土壤-茶树-茶叶-茶汤中镉转移规律及安全性评价

为论证镉污染土壤种植茶树的安全性与可行性,通过盆钵茶园试验研究了湖南9个主栽茶树品种在不同镉含量土壤中对镉的吸收积累特性和茶汤中镉元素的浸出率。结果表明,在pH值4.1的土壤中,通过根系吸收的镉元素从根系到主干,再到侧枝枝干和茶树叶片的转运过程中,各器官的镉含量依次递减,茶树嫩芽(叶)中镉的富集系数仅0.13~0.24;茶树种植在土壤镉含量低于3.0 mg/kg的土壤中,茶叶没有出现镉超标现象;镉元素在茶汤中的平均浸出率为9.87%,利用膳食暴露风险评估模型对茶叶和茶汤中的镉含量进行风险评估,表明供试茶叶样品中的镉不会对人体健康产生威胁。     

Distribution and composition of phytosterols and steryl ferulates in wheat grain and bran fractions

Phytosterols and steryl ferulates are bioactive compounds accumulating in the bran and germ of wheat. However, little is known regarding their localisation and composition in the bran layers of the kernel. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of phytosterols and steryl ferulates in the wheat grain and in the different layers of bran. The wheat fractions, produced by conventional debranning, aleurone separation and a novel electrostatic process, were analysed for phytosterol contents using GC–FID and for steryl ferulate contents using HPLC–UV. The compounds were identified by GC– and LC–MS. Phytosterols and steryl ferulates were concentrated in the bran layers. The steryl ferulates were accumulated in the intermediate layers, whereas the phytosterols were more evenly distributed in the intermediate layers and aleurone cell contents. The phytosterol composition varied within the wheat kernel, while the steryl ferulate composition was similar in different fractions. Sitosterol and campestanyl ferulate were the main compounds. The highest levels of phytosterols (up to 2117 μg/g) and steryl ferulates (up to 703 μg/g) were found in the pearling, aleurone and certain bran fractions. The phytosterol-rich fractions could be utilised in cereal foods to enhance the intake of health-promoting compounds from natural sources.     

萝卜根肿病抗感品种间侵染过程及生理生化差异分析

根肿病是十字花科作物的重要病害之一,严重影响十字花科作物（油菜、白菜和萝卜等）的产量和品质。为探究根肿病的抗病机理,为防治十字花科根肿病进行田间早期的诊断预报提供依据,以两个抗病性不同的萝卜品种为试验材料,观察了根肿菌侵染的差异,利用qPCR技术测定了不同时间点根内根肿菌含量,并采用紫外分光光度法测定了其接种根肿菌后根部防御酶活性和可溶性糖含量。结果表明：根肿菌在两个萝卜品种中均发生根毛（初级）侵染,但是仅能在感病萝卜根中完成侵染循环,抗病萝卜没有观察到皮层（次级）侵染。推测次级游动孢子不能分化成休眠孢子囊是抗病萝卜抗病的主要原因。在接种后第25~45 d,感病萝卜根内的菌含量显著增加,抗病萝卜则相反,提示此期间是根肿菌在感病萝卜体内快速繁殖的重要时期。同时,接菌后抗病萝卜根部SOD活性、POD活性和可溶性糖含量高于感病品种,而CAT活性低于感病萝卜,表明较高的SOD、POD活性和可溶性糖含量以及较低的CAT活性对于萝卜的根肿病抗性具有重要的作用。     

热区蔬菜质量安全分析与评价

对影响我国热区主要蔬菜产前、产中、产后的质量安全相关因素与现状进行调研,获取基础数据与有关信息。对比分析国内不同生产区质量安全存在的差异与差距,研究我国热区蔬菜从生产至市场各个环节的质量安全评价方法,提出建立我国热区蔬菜质量安全评价体系方案。     

Combined nitrogen and sulphur fertilisation and its effect on wheat quality and protein composition measured by SE-FPLC and proteomics

Soil sulphur deficiency, which is increasingly prevalent in Western Europe, lowers wheat yields, and also affects the gluten quality of the flour. Differences in S availability may change the proportion of S-poor to S-rich gliadins and glutenin subunits. This may cause unpredictable and unwanted variations in wheat quality. The combined effects of nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) fertilisers and split application of S and N on wheat gluten quality and composition were investigated. The results revealed effects of S fertilisation on dough quality. At high N fertilisation levels significant responses to S fertilisation were found which emphasised the need for precision application of S in intensive wheat production systems. Protein fractionation by SE-FPLC showed that quality differences were associated with changing proportions of high M_r polymeric proteins. Changes in protein composition of salt soluble proteins were also confirmed by proteomics. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and one of the serpin protein spots increased at high N, combined with the lower S level. The enzymes also increased in samples with increased S fertilisation combined with low N, but was not changed at higher N levels. Furthermore, at high N the serpin protein spot, and also a 27 K protein and one unidentified protein spot decreased with increasing S.     

Effects of Organic and Chemical Fertilizers and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inoculation on Growth and Quality of Cucumber and Lettuce

Summary

Arbuscular mycorrhizae were inoculated into phosphorus-deficient soil fertilized with either organic or chemical fertilizer with cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) as the first crop and lettuce (Lactu-ca sativa L.) as the second crop but without additional fertilization and AM inoculation. AM increased dry matter and fruit yield of cucumber significantly in the unfertilized, organic-fertilized and P-deficient plants compared with the fully chemical-fertilized plants. AM inoculation increased the available phosphorus in plant and soil by around 30% for all treatments except for those chemically-fertilized. The rate of AM infection did not differ significantly among the fertilization treatments, but the infection intensity was higher in unfertilized, organic-fertilized and phosphorus-deficient treatments than chemical-fertilized treatment. The residual effects of AM-inoculated to cucumber were evident for lettuce in all pre-treatments that were unfertilized and un-inoculated for the second cropping. Without P-fertilization, neither crop could grow optimally even when the soil was inoculated with AM, suggesting that AM could not serve as a substitute for phosphorus fertilizer. However, the other beneficial effects of AM on crop growth and yield could not be fulfilled with phosphorus fertilizer.     

云南咖啡主要病虫害及防治调查研究

对云南保山、德宏、普洱等地咖啡病虫害开展调查研究,结果表明：咖啡锈病(Hemileia vastatrix Berk et Br.)、炭疽病(Colletotrichum coffeanum Noack)、褐斑病(Cercospora coffeicola Berk. et Cooke)、幼苗立枯病(Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn.)、旋皮天牛(Acalolepta cervina Hope)、灭字虎天牛(Xylo     

芸薹属多倍体与二倍体作物 花柱及角果的发育差异

通过比较分析芸薹属多倍体复合种与其祖先二倍体基本种在花柱、柱头大小、角果长度、宽度、种子直径 及种子干重变化上的异同,发现多倍体复合种在这些发育性状上表现出处于两个祖先二倍体亲本之间,或只偏向 于其中一个祖先亲本。同一个多倍体品种在不同发育性状上具有不同的表现,即在某一发育性状上偏向于其祖先 亲本之一,而在另一发育性状上偏向其另一祖先亲本。     

Radiation interception and biomass and nitrogen accumulation in different cereal and grain legume species

The increasing interest in the sustainability of agricultural systems has emphasised the importance of incorporating legumes into cereal production, in spite of their lower and less reliable grain yields. The basis of the poor performance of legumes has been analyzed in a 2-year comparison between varieties of pea, faba bean, durum wheat and triticale, in terms of resource capture and use. The cereals developed a full canopy 350 °Cd earlier than did the grain legumes, and the triticale more rapidly than the durum wheat. This difference, and the 11-day longer duration of the growing cycle of cereals allowed them to intercept more photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) than grain legumes. This, combined with their higher radiation use efficiency (2.35 ± 0.07 vs 2.10 ± 0.05 g MJ⁻¹), resulted in a biomass greater, on average, by about 500 g m⁻². Within the cereals, triticale accumulated 34% more biomass than durum wheat. Radiation interception and nitrogen uptake are closely tied in both cereals and grain legumes. There was no difference between cereals and legumes in the relationship between the amount of nitrogen assimilated and the fraction of intercepted PAR (FIPAR), but there were differences in the form and in the parameters of the relationship between nitrogen assimilated and PAR intercepted. Below a FIPAR of 0.8, the relationship between FIPAR and N uptake is crop independent, underlining the influence of FIPAR on N uptake. The significance of this FIPAR level is that by the time it has been achieved, the plants will have accumulated most of the N present in their biomass at maturity.     

我国麻类标准现状与分析

介绍了我国麻类标准的现状。通过分析,指出了存在的问题,主要表现在标准体系不完善、标准更新不及时,协调性差及贯彻执行不力等。提出了我国麻类标准应采取的对策。     

Fibrinogen and ceruloplasmin in plasma and milk from dairy cows with subclinical and clinical mastitis

The potential using of Acute Phase Proteins (APPs) in the assessment of mammary gland health was studied by examining the levels of Fibrinogen (Fb) and Ceruloplasmin (Cp) in plasma and milk from dairy cows with different grades of mastitis. Plasma samples were taken from jugular vein and milk samples were collected from quarters of cows with subclinical and clinical mastitis, as well as healthy controls. California Mastitis Test (CMT) were performed on each udder quarter of cows for detection of CMT2+ and CMT3+ quarters. CMT (0) and culture negative cases were considered healthy cows. Clinical mastitis, was graded as mild (clots in milk) or moderate (clots in milk and visible signs of inflammation in the mammary gland/s). The concentrations of Fb in the plasma of the cows with subclinical and clinical mastitis were higher than in the plasma of the healthy cows (p<0.01). There was no significant difference in plasma concentration of Cp between healthy and subclinical groups (p>0.05), but differences between clinical and healthy groups were significant (p<0.05). The concentrations of Fb and Cp in the milk of the cows with subclinical and clinical mastitis were higher than in the milk of the healthy cows (p<0.01). The results indicated that measurement of Fb in plasma and milk and Cp only in milk might be suitable for early diagnosis of mastitis in dairy cows.