Genetic variability among Turkish pop, flint and dent corn (Zea mays L. spp. mays) races: Morphological and agronomic traits

32 Turkish corn accessions representing different climatic, geographic and topographic areas in Turkey were identified. Genetic variation and its pattern in three corn races (pop, flint and dent) included 32 accessions were investigated using 25 morphological and agronomic traits. Vegetative, ear and kernel related traits were significantly varied both among races and accessions within races. Variance component due to races and accessions within race were statistically significant, but the variance components due to accessions were generally made up large component of total variance and ranged from 17.17% in kernel length to 82.75% in tassel length. There were also strong and mostly positive correlations between studied agronomic traits as well as between agronomic traits and isoenzyme loci. These correlations were explained by the traditional farming practices and enzyme specificity with flint accessions since the enzyme systems such as Alcohol dehydrogenase (locus 1), Malate dehydrogenase enzyme (loci 2–3) and 6-phospho-gluconate dehydrogenase (locus-1) are generally considered to be the characteristics of flint corn race. Canonical discriminant function analysis with twenty-five morphological and agronomic traits revealed that first two canonical discriminant variables explained 68% of total variation among accessions. Two Canonical variables, in which kernel related traits were heavily weighted, correctly classify the three corn races – indicating that Turkish corn accessions maintained their racial characteristics with agronomic and morphological traits. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Lingual arch bar application for treatment of rostral mandibular body fractures in cats

Objective: To describe a lingual arch bar technique for fixation of rostral mandibular body fractures and report outcome in 16 cats. Study Design: Original study. Animals: Cats (n=16) with rostral mandibular body fracture (10 bilateral, 6 unilateral) just caudal to the canine teeth. Methods: Orthodontic wire (Dentaurum^®; 0.9 mm) was used as a lingual arch bar by contouring it to the shape of the lingual side of the alveolar margin, and secured by circum‐mandibular wires passed interproximal to teeth. Stability of fixation, occlusion, tolerance to the lingual arch bar, degree of secondary gingivitis/periodontitis, and ability to eat were evaluated clinically, and fracture union was assessed radiographically. Results: The lingual arch bar was well tolerated. Eleven cats without a feeding tube were able to eat within 24 hours. Time to fracture union and appliance removal ranged from 28 to 64 days (mean, 42.5 days). Malocclusion of the rostral part of the fracture occurred in 5 cats; however only 1 required correction. Conclusions: Intraoral stabilization of rostral mandibular fractures using a lingual arch bar is a simple and effective method for the treatment of rostral mandibular fractures just caudal to the canine teeth.     

Calcium Sulfate Improves Salinity Tolerance in Rootstocks of Plum

ABSTRACT

Three vegetative rootstocks of plum (Prunus domestica), Marianna GF 8-1 (Prunus cerasifera × munsoniana), Myrobolan B (P. Cerasifera) and Pixy (P. Insititia) were grown in pots containing sand and irrigated with complete nutrient solution to investigate the effect of calcium sulfate supplied to the nutrient solution on plants grown under salt stress. Treatments were (1) control (C): nutrient solution alone; (2) S (salinity stress): 40 mM NaCl; (3) S+Ca1: 40 mM NaCl +2.5 mM calcium (Ca) and (4) S+Ca₂: 40 mM NaCl + 5 mM Ca. Calcium was supplied as CaSO₄. The plants grown under 40 mol L^?1 NaCl produced less dry matter and had lower chlorophyll content than those without NaCl. Supplementary CaSO₄ at both 2.5 and 5 mM concentrations ameliorated the negative effects of salinity on plant dry matter and chlorophyll content. Salt treatment impaired membrane permeability by increasing electrolyte leakage. The addition of calcium sulfate partially maintained membrane permeability. Sodium (Na) concentration in plant tissues increased in both leaves and roots of plants under the high NaCl treatment. Pixy had much lower Na. The CaSO₄ treatments lowered significantly the concentrations of Na in both leaves and roots. Pixy was more tolerant to salinity than the other two rootstocks. The accumulation of Na in leaves and roots indicates a possible mechanism whereby Pixy copes with salinity in the rooting medium, and/or may indicate the existence of an inhibition mechanism of Na transport to leaves. Concentrations of Ca and K were lower in the plants grown at high NaCl than in those under the control treatment, and these two element concentrations were increased by calcium sulfate treatments in both leaves and roots, but remained lower than control values in most cases.     

Mitigation Effects of Silicon on Maize Plants Grown at High Zinc

The effects of exogenous silicon (Si) on key growth parameters and mineral nutrients were investigated in maize grown at high zinc (Zn). Four treatments with three replicates were investigated consisting of a control (basal nutrients with 0.05 mM Zn with or without 1.0 mM Si added), 0.5 mM Zn, and 0.5 mM Zn plus 1.0 mM Si. Plants growing with high Zn alone had a lower chlorophyll (Chl.) content, leaf relative water content (RWC) and produced less biomass than the control plants. Proline content and membrane permeability was higher in zinc-treated plants than in untreated controls. Compared with the plants treated with high Zn alone, added Si significantly increased plant growth, chlorophyll content, and RWC and significantly reduced the membrane permeability and proline content. As expected, added high Zn increased leaf and root Zn, but reduced leaf phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe). Added Si reduced Zn concentration and increased Fe in leaves of maize. It can be concluded that improvement in the key growth parameters tested and mineral nutrition status in maize plants grown at high Zn induced by Si addition may protect membrane permeability under high zinc, thus mitigating Zn toxicity and improving the growth of maize plants. The results of the present experiment support the conclusion that Si may be involved in physiological and nutritional changes in plants grown at high Zn.     

RESPONSES OF SOME ENZYMES AND KEY GROWTH PARAMETERS OF SALT-STRESSED MAIZE PLANTS TO FOLIAR AND SEED APPLICATIONS OF KINETIN AND INDOLE ACETIC ACID

The study examined the effects of kinetin (KIN) and indoleacetic acid (IAA) applied as seed treatment or sprayed on leaves of salinity stressed plants. Five -week old maize (Zea mays L. cv. ‘DK 647 F1’) plants were grown in pots containing peat and perlite in 1:1 (v/v) mixture. Different treatments used were: 1) control (nutrient solution alone), 2) salt stress [100 mM sodium chloride (NaCl)], 3) 100 mM NaCl and 1 mM kinetin (KIN), 4) 100 mM NaCl and 2 mM KIN, 5) 100 mM NaCl and 1 mM indole acetic acid (IAA), 6) 100 mM NaCl and 2 mM IAA, 7) 100 mM NaCl and 25 mg L^?1 KIN and 8) 100 mM NaCl and 25 mg L^?1 IAA. In treatments 7 and 8 application was to the seeds, for treatments 3-6 it was applied to foliage. The seeds were soaked in KIN or IAA solution for 12 h. Salt stress reduced the total dry matter, chlorophyll content, and relative water content (RWC), but increased proline accumulation, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC 1.15.1.1), peroxidase (POD; EC. 1.11.1.7), catalase (CAT; EC. 1.11.1.6) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO; 1.10.3.1) and electrolyte leakage. Both foliar applications of KIN and IAA treatments overcame to variable extents the adverse effects of NaCl stress on the above mentioned physiological parameters. However, seed treatments with KIN or IAA did not improve salinity tolerance in maize plants. Furthermore, foliar application or seed treatments with KIN and IAA reduced the activities of antioxidant enzymes in the salt stressed-plants. Salt stress lowered some macronutrient concentrations [calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) in leaves and roots, phosphorus (P) in roots] but foliar application of both KIN and IAA increased Ca in both leaves and roots and P in leaves. Foliar application of IAA increased K concentrations in leaves of the salt-stressed plants. Foliar application of KIN and IAA, especially at 2 mM concentration, counteracted some of the adverse effects of NaCl salinity by causing the accumulation of proline and essential inorganic nutrients as well as by maintaining membrane permeability.     

Synthesis,characterization of poly(E)-3-amino-4-((3-bromophenyl)diazenyl)-1H-pyrazol-5-ol: Investigation of antibacterial activity,fluorescence, and optical properties

The oxidative polycondensation reaction conditions of (E)-3-amino-4-((3-bromophenyl)diazenyl)-1H-pyrazol-5-ol (Schiff base monomer) has been accomplished using NaOCl, and air O₂ oxidants in an aqueous alkaline medium. The optical conductivity, dielectric and optical properties of synthesized poly(Schiff base) were examined. The magnitude of the refractive index decreases with increasing of photon energy up to about 2.5 eV, then refractive index of the poly(Schiff base) increases with increasing of photon energy. The E₀ and E_d values of the poly(Schiff base) were found to be 5.34 and 9.22 eV, respectively. An indirect energy-gap value of the poly(Schiff base) was found to be 0.94±0.009 eV. A direct energy-gap value of the poly(Schiff base) was found to be 1.38±0.01 eV and 1.96±0.009 eV at first region and second region, respectively. Absorption coefficient K changes from 11.87 to 18.25 cm^?1. In addition to fluorescence property of poly(Schiff base) was investigated. Finally, poly(Schiff base) and Schiff base monomer were tested for antibacterial activities against some bacteria.     

In-plane shear properties of multistitched nano composites by bias tensile test

In this study, multistitched woven nano composites were developed and their in-plane shear properties were characterized. The in-plane shear strength of unstitched structure was low compared to that of the unstitched/nano structures. However, the in-plane shear strength of unstitched structure was high compared to the machine stitched structures because of stitching and stitching yarn-matrix interfacial region. Additionally, the in-plane shear strength of machine stitched/nano composite structure was slightly high compared to the unstitched structure. The multistitched and multistitched/nano structures had limited delamination in their cross-sections. Their delamination regions were confined at a narrow area due to multistitching. This was considered that the developed multistitched/nano composites has better demage tolerance compared to unstitched composites.