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.     

种子加工、检验理论与技术现状及思考

种子加工及检验是种子向市场流通的关键，是商业化育种中赋予种子商品属性不可或缺的环节。种子加工、检验理论与技术的研究是完善种业产业链、实现规模化商业育种、夯实“育繁推一体化”种业科学的重要一环。中国的种业科学技术体系正在形成与完善之中，受制于行业发展水平，种子加工及检验理论与技术相对薄弱。本文回顾了种子加工及检验理论与技术研究发展历程，提出了完善中国种业科学发展的策略与建议。围绕种业发展的需要，在做好品种优质化繁育的基础上，分析种子加工及检验理论与技术的新方向和新需求，加强种业应用性研究，建立先进的种子质量检验体系，研制适合现代种业发展需求的种子加工设备，打造种子加工产业标准化生产体系，完善种业科学技术学科建设，促进种业产业持续健康发展。     

种子加工、检验理论与技术现状及思考

种子加工及检验是种子向市场流通的关键,是商业化育种中赋予种子商品属性不可或缺的环节。种子加工、检验理论与技术的研究是完善种业产业链、实现规模化商业育种、夯实"育繁推一体化"种业科学的重要一环。中国的种业科学技术体系正在形成与完善之中,受制于行业发展水平,种子加工及检验理论与技术相对薄弱。本文回顾了种子加工及检验理论与技术研究发展历程,提出了完善中国种业科学发展的策略与建议。围绕种业发展的需要,在做好品种优质化繁育的基础上,分析种子加工及检验理论与技术的新方向和新需求,加强种业应用性研究,建立先进的种子质量检验体系,研制适合现代种业发展需求的种子加工设备,打造种子加工产业标准化生产体系,完善种业科学技术学科建设,促进种业产业持续健康发展。     

Present Situation and Consideration of Seed Processing and Testing Theory and Technology

Seed processing and testing hold the key to the market circulation of seeds, and are an indispensable link in commercial breeding to endow seeds with commodity attributes. The research of seed processing and testing theory and technology is an important link in improving the seed industry chain, realizing large-scale commercial breeding and consolidating the seed industry science of ‘integration of breeding, propagation and promotion’. The scientific and technological system of seed industry in China is being formed and perfected, which is subject to the development level of the industry. The theory and technology of seed processing and testing are relatively weak. We reviewed the development of seed processing and testing theory and technology, and put forward strategies and suggestions to improve the sound development of China’s seed industry. In order to meet the needs of seed industry development and on the basis of high quality breeding of varieties, the new directions and demands of seed processing and testing theory and technology were analyzed. We will work to strengthen the applied research of seed industry, establish advanced seed quality inspection system, improve seed processing equipment suitable for the development needs of modern seed industry, establish standardized production system of seed processing industry, develop the scientific and technological disciplines of seed industry, and promote the sustainable and healthy development of seed industry.     

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.     

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.     

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。     

辽藁本常见病虫害及综合防控技术

该文总结了辽藁本白粉病、根腐病及红蜘蛛、蚜虫等病虫害的发病症状及发生流行规律,并提出综合防治措施,以供参考.     

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     

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。     

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 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.     

关于琼台休闲农业合作发展的思考与建议

分析琼台农业合作现状和琼台休闲农业发展现状,以及琼台休闲农业合作的意义,提出促进琼台休闲农业合作的建议。     

Thiazole and oxazole alkaloids: isolation and synthesis

Thiazoles, oxazole and their corresponding reduced derivatives, thiazolines and oxazolines, are found in marine sources exhibiting significant biological activities. The isolation, synthetic, and biological studies of these natural products, covering literature from January 2007 to June 2010, are summarized.     

Herbicide application and direct drilling improves establishment and yield of chicory and plantain

The herbs chicory ( C ichorium intybus L.) and plantain ( P lantago lanceolata L.) are increasingly popular summer forage cropping options for dairy producers. However, the impact of different establishment methods on their productivity is largely unknown. Four establishment methods for chicory and plantain crops sown into non‐cultivated ryegrass pastures in spring were compared. Establishment methods included direct‐drilling or broadcasting seed into existing pastures, with or without herbicide application before sowing in a 2 × 2 factorial design. It was hypothesized that plant establishment and growth would be enhanced by spraying to kill existing ryegrass pasture and direct‐drilling herbs (Spray and Drill, SD) compared with broadcasting seed with no herbicide application (Unsprayed and Broadcast, UB). This hypothesis was supported with an additional 2·1–2·3 t DM ha^?1 grown over 201 d from swards established by SD, compared with swards established by UB. The SD method also increased the plant density of the herbs and reduced the proportion of weed species. Spraying and direct drilling is more expensive than broadcasting seed with no herbicide application, but the increase in yield means that extra feed can be supplied at less than half the cost of purchasing the equivalent amount of feed. Therefore, for optimal economic outcomes, chicory and plantain swards should be established by applying herbicide to existing pasture and direct‐drilling seed.     

Algal and Cyanobacterial Lectins and Their Antimicrobial Properties

Lectins are proteins with a remarkably high affinity and specificity for carbohydrates. Many organisms naturally produce them, including animals, plants, fungi, protists, bacteria, archaea, and viruses. The present report focuses on lectins produced by marine or freshwater organisms, in particular algae and cyanobacteria. We explore their structure, function, classification, and antimicrobial properties. Furthermore, we look at the expression of lectins in heterologous systems and the current research on the preclinical and clinical evaluation of these fascinating molecules. The further development of these molecules might positively impact human health, particularly the prevention or treatment of diseases caused by pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus, influenza, and severe acute respiratory coronaviruses, among others.     

Response of weeds and soil microorganisms to imazaquin and pendimethalin in cowpea and soybean

Herbicides applied to combat weeds and increase crop yields may also have undesired effects on beneficial soil microorganisms. Field studies were conducted in 2005 and 2006 in Zaria, Nigeria, to evaluate the response of weeds and soil microorganisms to imazaquin applied at 0.05, 0.10, 0.20 and 0.40 kg a.i./ha and pendimethalin applied at 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 kg a.i./ha in cowpea and soybean. Hoe-weeded and unweeded (no herbicide) plots were controls. Both herbicides significantly reduced weed biomass in both crops, when compared to the unweeded control, which had the highest weed biomass at all sampling dates. Treatments with 0.40 kg a.i./ha of imazaquin, 2.0 and 4.0 kg a.i./ha of pendimethalin, and the hoe-weeded control, had the highest cowpea grain yield. The unweeded control had the lowest grain yield which was comparable to that in all other herbicide treatments. All treatments except 4.0 and 8.0 kg a.i./ha of pendimethalin had higher soybean grain yield than the unweeded control. Soybean yield was lowest in the unweeded control, and treatments that received 4.0 and 8.0 kg a.i./ha of pendimethalin. All rates of imazaquin gave similar soybean grain yields that were 29–41% higher than that from pendimethalin. The hoe-weeded control had the highest yield, which was 79% more than that in the unweeded control. Higher rates of imazaquin and pendimethalin reduced nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi colonisation in both crops. VAM fungi species diversity and species richness in cowpea rhizosphere soil and species diversity in soybean rhizosphere soil were reduced relative to the controls due to application of both herbicides with the rates of 0.10, 0.20, and 0.40 kg a.i./ha of imazaquin and 8.0 kg a.i./ha of pendimethalin being significantly effective.     

Sulfated and Sulfur-Containing Steroids and Their Pharmacological Profile

The review focuses on sulfated steroids that have been isolated from seaweeds, marine sponges, soft corals, ascidians, starfish, and other marine invertebrates. Sulfur-containing steroids and triterpenoids are sourced from sedentary marine coelenterates, plants, marine sediments, crude oil, and other geological deposits. The review presents the pharmacological profile of sulfated steroids, sulfur-containing steroids, and triterpenoids, which is based on data obtained using the PASS program. In addition, several semi-synthetic and synthetic epithio steroids, which represent a rare group of bioactive lipids that have not yet been found in nature, but possess a high level of antitumor activity, were included in this review for the comparative pharmacological characterization of this class of compounds. About 140 steroids and triterpenoids are presented in this review, which demonstrate a wide range of biological activities. Therefore, out of 71 sulfated steroids, thirteen show strong antitumor activity with a confidence level of more than 90%, out of 50 sulfur-containing steroids, only four show strong antitumor activity with a confidence level of more than 93%, and out of eighteen epithio steroids, thirteen steroids show strong antitumor activity with a confidence level of 91% to 97.4%.