Evaluation of Coal Fly Ash-Based Synthetic Aggregates as a Soil Ameliorant for the Low Productive Acidic Red Soil

A potential new way of producing coal fly ash-based granular synthetic aggregates (CSA) using waste coal fly ash (CFA), paper waste, lime, and gypsum and their utilization as a soil ameliorant to improve crop production in low productive acidic red soil in Okinawa, Japan were studied. The red soil was amended with CSA at three different mixing ratios (i.e., CSA/soil—1:1, 1:5, and 1:10) for the cultivation of Brassica rapa var. Pervidis commonly known as Komatsuna, and the physico-chemical parameters of CSA–soil mixtures and plant growth were analyzed. Incorporation of CSA to the red soil improved the physical and chemical properties of the soil such as water holding capacity, hydraulic conductivity, bulk density, pH, exchangeable cation concentration, cation exchange capacity, particle size distribution, soil pH, electrical conductivity, and carbon content. CSA amendment at ratios of 1:1, 1:5, and 1:10 decreased bulk density by 29.39%, 14.28% and 11.11%, respectively, compared to the original red soil. The acidic pH of the red soil (5.12) was increased to 7.13 and 6.37 by CSA/soil ratios of 1:5 and 1:10, respectively. CSA amendment in soil at 1:5 ratio increased water holding capacity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, carbon, potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) content by 0.06 kg kg^?1, ten times, 15.95 mS m^?1, 1.76 cmol_c kg^?1, 6.07 g kg^?1, 0.42 g kg^?1, 0.24 g kg^?1, and 3.38 g kg^?1, respectively, in comparison to the original red soil. Heavy metal contents of the CSA–soil mixtures were below the maximum pollutant concentrations suggested by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Moreover, Na, K, Mg, Ca, copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) contents in the CSA–soil mixtures increased in comparison with the original red soil. CSA amendment in soil at the ratio of 1:5 and 1:10 resulted in an increase in plant height and plant fresh weight by three and 12 times, respectively, and there was increase in N, K, Mg, Ca, Cu, and Zn contents of the shoots. The results suggest that utilization of eccentric CSA as soil amendment agent can be regarded as an effective waste management practice.     

Antimicrobial activity of some Sri Lankan Rubiaceae and Meliaceae

Ninety solvent extracts (n-hexane, dichloromethane and methanol) obtained from the leaves, bark and stem of 13 Sri Lankan Rubiaceae and two Sri Lankan Meliaceae plants have been screened for antibacterial and antifungal activities. Morinda tinctoria, Mussaenda frondosa, Psychotria gardneri and Psychotria stenophylla displayed the widest spectrum of antibacterial activity.     

Oleanane glycosides from the leaves of Diploclisia glaucescens

Complete 1H and 13C NMR assignments are described for two known oleanane glycosides, 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->3)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyloleanolic acid and 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid isolated from the methanol extract of the leaves of Diploclisia glaucescens.     

Utilization of Agricultural Waste Compost as an Alternative Potting Media Component with Coir Dust for Leafy Vegetable Ipomoea Acquatica

The aim of this research was to study the potential utilization of an alternative potting media developed from agricultural waste compost in combination with coir dust on the growth and development of leafy vegetable Ipomoea aquatica (L). Agricultural waste compost was prepared from poultry litter, sawdust, rice straw, gliricidia, and cow dung. Seven different potting media were prepared by mixing compost at the rates of 0%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% with coir dust at the rate of 100%, 90%, 75%, 50%, 25%, and 0%, respectively. Developed potting media showed adequate physical and chemical properties for Ipomea aquatica cultivation. Crop yield showed significant differences among all treatments and treatment with 100% compost gave the best growth and yield parameters. The highest plant height, shoot fresh weight and shoot dry weight obtained from the 100% compost were increased by 2.70, 18.07, and 18.02 times in comparison to the 100% coir with chemical fertilizer control.     

Four new prenylated flavonoids and xanthones from the root bark of Artocarpus nobilis

Chemical investigation of the n-butanol extract from the methanol extract of the root bark of Artocarpus nobilis furnished four new prenylated flavonoids together with artonin E 2'-methylether (4), isoartonin E 2'-methylether (5), dihydroisoartonin E 2'-methylether (6), artonin V 2'-methylether (7), artobiloxanthone (1), artonin E (2) and cycloartobiloxanthone (3). All these compounds showed strong radical scavenging properties towards DPPH radical.     

24-Methylenecycloartenone from Bhesa nitidissima.

Complete (1)H and (13)C-NMR assignments are reported for 24-methylenecycloartenone (1) isolated from the stem of Bhesa nitidissima.     

EVALUATION OF THE USE OF SYNTHETIC RED SOIL AGGREGATES (SRA) AND ZEOLITE AS SUBSTRATE FOR ORNAMENTAL PLANT PRODUCTION

This research was undertaken to evaluate the influence of zeolite and synthetic aggregates (SRA) produced with acidic red soil and paper waste, on the growth of French marigold (Tagetes patula), which is a popular ornamental plant in Japan. Five different media were studied: SRA only, SRA:Zeolite 3:1, SRA:zeolite 1:1, SRA: zeolite 1:3 and zeolite only. Mixing SRA with zeolite improved the physical and chemical properties of the media such as particle size distribution, bulk density, total porosity, water holding capacity, and pH compared to zeolite. SRA and zeolite at 1:1 gave the best maximum growth parameters of French marigold. Zeolite based mixtures increased the nitrogen (N), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) concentrations in plant tissues compared to SRA medium. Addition of zeolite led to reduce K leaching from the substrate compared to SRA. SRA and Zeolite at 1:1 can be recommended as a better substrate for French marigold cultivation.     

Screening of fungicides against Corynespora leaf fall disease of rubber under nursery conditions

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Quality planting material is a basic requirement for the increase in productivity levels and one of the key indicators of quality is the health of nursery...     

Fucoidan Isolated from Sargassum confusum Suppresses Inflammatory Responses and Oxidative Stress in TNF-α/IFN-γ- Stimulated HaCaT Keratinocytes by Activating Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway

Recent studies have revealed that marine brown seaweeds contain numerous bioactive compounds which exhibit various bioactivities. The present study investigated the effect of low molecular weight fucoidan (SCF) isolated from Sargassum confusum, a brown alga, on inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in HaCaT keratinocytes stimulated by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α/interferon (IFN)-γ. SCF significantly increased the cell viability while decreasing the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes. In addition, SCF effectively reduced inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, TNF-α, and IFN-γ) and chemokines (Eotaxin, macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC)) expression, by down-regulating the expression of epithelial and epidermal innate cytokines (IL-25, IL-33, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP)). Furthermore, SCF suppressed the activation of TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways, while activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway. The cytoprotective effect of SCF against TNF-α/IFN-γ stimulation was considerably reduced upon inhibition of HO-1 activity by ZnPP. Overall, these results suggest that SCF effectively suppressed inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes via activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.