INVESTIGATIONS ON FOLIAR SPRAY OF BORON AND MANGANESE ON OIL CONTENT AND CONCENTRATIONS OF FATTY ACIDS IN SEEDS OF SUNFLOWER PLANT RAISED THROUGH SALINE WATER IRRIGATION

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of foliar fertilization of some micronutrients [i.e., manganese (Mn) and boron (B)] on reproductive yield and fatty acid concentrations of a standard sunflower hybrid (‘NuSun 636') irrigated with different concentrations of saline water made by dissolving sea salt. Reproductive yield showed a significant decrease with the increase in salt in the rooting medium. However, foliar sprays of boric acid (H₃BO₃) and manganese chloride (MnCl₂) showed a significant increase in seed number, seed weight, and oil content of seeds in the nonsaline control, which persisted even under saline water irrigation. An increase under the MnCl₂ spray was more than with H₃BO₃ irrespective of non saline or saline water irrigation. Increasing levels of salinity appeared to be responsible for a decrease in oleic monounsaturated fatty acid concentration and an increase in the linoleic polyunsaturated, palmitic and stearic saturated fatty acid content whereas no significant change was found in linolenic polyunsaturated fatty acid content. Foliar applications of H₃BO₃ and MnCl₂ brought some beneficial alteration in fatty acid concentrations of sunflower. Foliar application of H₃BO₃ caused a significant increase in palmitic and stearic saturated fatty acids and linoleic polyunsaturated fatty acids in control as well as under saline conditions. Oleic monounsaturated fatty acid concentration showed a decline under H₃BO₃ treatment irrespective to nonsaline or saline conditions. Foliar applications of MnCl₂ increased the concentration of palmitic saturated fatty acid and oleic monounsaturated fatty acid irrespective to the plant growth under non saline or saline conditions. While stearic saturated fatty acid, linoleic and linolenic polyunsaturated fatty acid decreased with the application of manganese as compared to the non sprayed control.     

SCAR markers: A potential tool for authentication of herbal drugs

Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) is easy to develop and simple molecular marker, but lack of reproducibility makes it less reliable for authentication of herbal drugs. Besides RAPD, other popular PCR and non-PCR based markers like AFLP, ISSR, SSR and RFLP are also used for authentication. However, these also have disadvantages like use of radioactive isotopes, high cost and absolute requirement of sequence information. Therefore, it is a better option to improve the reproducibility of RAPD by converting RAPD amplicons into Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) markers. SCAR markers are easy, reliable and reproducible thus, have an advantage over RAPD markers for authentication of medicinal herbs used in the preparation of traditional medicines. These markers however, have been developed for only a few medicinal herbs. This review is an attempt to evaluate critically the role of SCAR markers in authentication of medicinal herbs used in traditional formulations.     

β-葡聚糖酵母对肉鸡生长性能的影响

1引言通常在肉鸡日粮中添加低浓度(亚治疗剂量)的抗生素以求能促进肉鸡的生长、提高其饲料效率、减少肉鸡个体间的差异、预防疾病和提高碳水化合物和脂肪的消化。它们的应用已使肉鸡养殖业能够大量生产价廉、味美的     

Land classification for choice of tree species on farm lands in the Attock District of Punjab,Pakistan

In Pakistan, particularly in Punjab Province, it is difficult for agrofarmers to combine their indigenous knowledge and modern scientific methods to evaluate existing traditional farming systems and forestry practices. This requires an evaluation of indigenous soil classification in simple terms along with knowledge of the local flora, especially trees. This study focuses on land suitability classification for trees in the Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan. A survey was conducted which included interviews of local agrofarmers as well as standard soil analyses including both chemical and physical determinations of local soil types. An evalu- ation of soil types for cultivation of various crops was carried out given its total extent, component soil series and their proportions, spotting characteristics of each soil series and their major limitations/hazards for trees/crops. These would lead to the identification of various tree species according to soil characteristics. Then, according to the soil types and species, a land suitability map was obtained for the choice of tree species by using geographic information system (GIS) software. Land suitability classification will help local agroforesters/agrofarmers in matching suitable agricultural trees/crops properly for different soils in the area.     

Food availability for blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) at Lal Suhanra Sanctuary,Pakistan

The Blackbuck has suffered rapid decline at the hand of Man during the last half-century, having been exterminated in many areas in which it was formerly plentiful. However, it is said to occur still fairly widely in small populations within its former range in India. In Cholistan Desert in Pakistan ot was indigenous but has disappeared during the last two decades. Where introduced in Texas it is flourishing. Ten Blackbuck were reintroduced from Texas to a small enclosure in the Lal Suhanra Sanctuary, Pakistan, in April 1970, and more stock is expected to be introduced into a near-by larger fenced enclosure of 518·4 ha. Food habits of Blackbuck were studied and the food was estimated in the latter area on 3–8 April 1971. Out of 22 commonly-occuring plant species in the habitat, 19 were eaten. Of these, four or five were favourite food plants of Blackbuck. The quantity of favourite food was estimated and an idea was formed of the order of magnitude of stocking that could be done in this enclosure.     

Exogenous Silicon Protects <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> Plants from Salinity-Induced Oxidative Stress Through the Modulation of AsA-GSH Pathway,Thiol-Dependent Antioxidant Enzymes and Glyoxalase Systems

Although silicon (Si) has showed its potential role in mitigating abiotic stress-induced damages in many plant species its role in coordinated induction of antioxidant defense is yet to be elucidated. Therefore, we studied rapeseed (Brassica napus) seedlings applied with exogenous Si for changes occurring in antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems. Seedlings (12-day-old) grown semi-hydroponically were exposed to Si (silicon dioxide, SiO₂; 1?mM) solely and in combination with NaCl (100 and 200?mM) for 48?h. Salinity created oxidative damage by increasing H₂O₂ and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents resulting in disruption of antioxidant defense system and in arousing methylglyoxal (MG) toxicity by the down-regulation of glyoxalase enzyme activities. Exogenous Si treatment showed reduction of both H₂O₂ and MDA contents and up-regulation of antioxidant components including the activities of related enzymes (APX, MDHAR, DHAR, GR, GST, GPX and CAT) and the contents of AsA and GSH. Enhanced activities of glyoxalase I (Gly I) and glyoxalase II (Gly II) detoxified the toxic MG. Thus, this study clearly indicates that Si improved plant tolerance to salinity stress through enhancement of both antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems that led to reduced oxidative damage and MG toxicity.     

Coordinate induction of antioxidant defense and glyoxalase system by exogenous proline and glycinebetaine is correlated with salt tolerance in mung bean

The purpose of this study was to assess the synergistic effects of exogenously applied proline and glycinebetaine (betaine) in antioxidant defense and methylglyoxal (MG) detoxification system in mung bean seedlings subjected to salt stress (200 mmol·L⁻¹ NaCl, 48 h). Seven-day-old mung bean seedlings were exposed to salt stress after pre-treatment with proline or betaine. Salt stress caused a sharp increase in reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) content in leaves, while the GSH/GSSG ratio and ascorbate (AsA) content decreased significantly. The glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glyoxalase II (Gly II) activities were increased in response to salt stress, while the monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), catalase (CAT) and glyoxalase I (Gly I) activities sharply decreased with an associated increase in hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and lipid peroxidation level (MDA). Proline or betaine pre-treatment had little influence on nonenzymatic and enzymatic components as compared to those of the untreated control. However, proline or betaine pre-treated salt-stressed seedlings showed an increase in AsA, GSH content, GSH/GSSG ratio and maintained higher activities of APX, DHAR, GR, GST, GPX, CAT, Gly I and Gly II involved in ROS and MG detoxification system as compared to those of the untreated control and mostly also salt-stressed plants with a simultaneous decrease in GSSG content, H₂O₂ and MDA level. These results together with our previous results suggest that coordinate induction of antioxidant defense and glyoxalase system by proline and betaine rendered the plants tolerant to salinity-induced oxidative stress in a synergistic fashion.     

Influence mechanism of climate change on paddy farming practices and irrigation water demand

Paddy and Water Environment - Technological and socioeconomic interventions accompanied by climate warming strongly dictate farming practices, lending a direct impact over future irrigation water...