Changes in starch and soluble sugar concentrations in winter squash mesocarp during storage at different temperatures

The effects of storage at 5, 10 or 15 °C for 6 months on the concentrations of starch and soluble sugar in winter squash (Cucurbita maxima Duch.) cultivar ‘TC2A’ fruits were examined. Starch contents were significantly lower at 15 °C than at the other temperatures, although concentrations decreased throughout the storage period at all temperatures. Total soluble sugar contents increased during the first 3 months of storage regardless of temperature, and decreased at 5 °C or 15 °C, but not at 10 °C after 6 months. Myo-inositol and raffinose concentration patterns were more complex, and may reflect some role in regulating fruit metabolism during storage that may be important in maintaining overall squash fruit quality.     

Partial sequence of Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) immunoglobulin gamma heavy chain constant region

We determined the sequence of the immunoglobulin gamma heavy‐chain constant (IGHC) region of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). To isolate a part of the IGHC complementary DNA, we designed primers on the basis of highly conserved sequences in mouse, rat and hamster. The deduced IGHC is structurally similar to counterparts in other mammalian species and shows 84.6% identity to the IGHC of hamster IgG, 76.6% to rat IgG1, 83.3% to rat IgG2a, 78.1% to mouse IgG1, 81.8% to mouse IgG2a, 79.1% to mouse IgG2b and 79.2% to mouse IgG3 at the nucleotide level. The results suggest that gerbil IgG is closely related to hamster IgG and rat IgG2a.     

Development of discrimination markers between Japanese domestic and imported beef

In the meat industry, correct labeling of beef origins or breed is required to assure quality and safety. This paper describes the development of discrimination markers between Japanese domestic and imported beef from the United States (US) and Australia (AUS) based on a bovine 50K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array using a total of 110 samples: Japanese Black (n = 50), Japanese Holstein (n = 50) and US cattle (n = 10). Genotyping information revealed 1081 SNPs as candidate markers that were polymorphic only in US cattle. The genotyping results by PCR – restriction length polymorphism in Japanese Black (n = 300) and Holstein cattle (n = 146) revealed that 11 SNPs had alleles specific to US cattle. Their allelic frequencies in US cattle (n = 108) ranged from 0.097 to 0.250 with an average of 0.178 and the combined identification probability of US cattle was 0.987. In addition, we also verified the applicability of these US‐specific markers to AUS cattle. Their allelic frequencies in AUS cattle (n = 280) ranged from 0.063 to 0.224 with an average of 0.137 and the combined identification probability of AUS cattle was 0.963. In conclusion, a set of these markers could be useful for discriminating between Japanese domestic and imported beef and would contribute to identify origins and prevent falsified labeling of beef.     

Investigation into the durability of washed rice straw for equine bedding and the repetitive use of washing water

The present experiment investigated durability during the repetitive use of washed rice straw, as bedding material, and washing water as a model study. Residual nitrogen levels, elasticity, and water suction rates for washed rice straw‐adhered urea were measured. In addition, outflow levels of nitrogen and mineral ions (Na⁺, NO₂^‐ + NO₃^‐, SO₄^2?, PO₄^3?, Cl^‐) for washing water were measured to determine durability. Nitrogen levels of rice straw significantly (P < 0.05) decreased after two washings. There was no significant change in elasticity of repetitively used rice straw. Suction rates of rice straw after the second and third washings increased significantly (P < 0.05) compared to the first time. With regard to the number of washings, the mineral ion outflow level in the washing water for nitrogen, Na⁺, NO₂^‐ + NO₃^‐ and PO₄^3? after each washing was not significant. However, nitrogen outflow level tended to decrease after the third washing. SO₄^‐ and Cl^‐ did significantly decrease (P < 0.05) with the number of washings. In this study, it was considered that rice straw and washing water could be used repetitively three times. Furthermore, in order to maintain effluent standards, washing water from the first washing needs to be processed in a septic tank.     

Analysis of expressed sequence tags in developing secondary xylem and shoot of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia mangium</Emphasis>

Acacia mangium is a fast-growing tree widely planted in tropical countries because of its rapid growth, high wood density, high fiber quality, and good adaptability. Despite its importance as a fiber source in the pulp and paper industry, a large-scale analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) has not been performed in A. mangium. In this study, we sequenced 10 752 clones of a normalized complementary DNA (cDNA) library prepared from A. mangium developing secondary xylem and shoot, and obtained a total of 8963 ESTs. The ESTs were assembled into 6220 unigenes comprising 1614 contigs and 4606 singletons. The unigene set was then subjected to various bioinformatic analyses. BlastN searches of the unigene set against the Gene Index Databases of soybean, Medicago truncatula, Lotus japonicus, grape, poplar, spruce, and pine demonstrated that the largest number of unigenes shared homologies with the soybean Gene Indices. BlastX searches against the TAIR9 peptide database enabled us to annotate the unigenes. Based on the annotation, we discussed whether the unigenes involved in the cell cycle, cell growth, shoot apical meristem development, and cell wall biosynthesis were present. This new genomic resource will accelerate the functional genomics of wood formation and molecular breeding to improve the wood properties of A. mangium.     

Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) analysis of intergeneric hybrids in Colchicaceae

Some intergeneric hybrids produced by the crosses among several colchicaceous ornamentals, Gloriosa superba ??Lutea?? (2n = 2x = 22), G. ??Marron Gold?? (2n = 4x = 44), G. ??Verschild?? (2n = 7x = 77), Littonia modesta Hook. (2n = 2x = 22), and Sandersonia aurantiaca Hook. (2n = 2x = 24), were subjected to genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) analysis in order to clarify their genome constitutions. Chromosome preparation was made from root tip cells of L. modesta × G. superba ??Lutea??, L. modesta × S. aurantiaca, S. aurantiaca × G. superba ??Lutea??, L. modesta × G. ??Marron Gold??, S. aurantiaca × G. ??Marron Gold?? and G. ??Verschild?? × S. aurantiaca. Total DNA of one parent was labeled with digoxigenin or biotin and used as probe, and chromosomes were counterstained with 4??-6-diamidono-2-phenylindole (DAPI). For all the nine intergeneric hybrids, chromosomes from each parent could be clearly distinguished by GISH analysis. Thus GISH analysis is a powerful tool for identifying the genome constitution of intergeneric hybrids in colchicaceous ornamentals. The results obtained by GISH analysis study may be important for further progress in breeding of colchicaceous ornamentals.     

Fractionation of foliar absorbed phosphorus by paper electro-phoresis

Fractional analysis of phosphorus compounds in plant tissue has been carried out by many workers, and reported on tobacco plant by Holden (1) and Komatsu (2). The fractional distribution of foliar absorbed phosphorus was investigated by Yatazawa (3) who indicated that the phosphorus was first converted into the phosphate-ester as an intermediate substance on the phosphorus metabolism. The methods of fractional analysis used by these authors were based on the method proposed by Page and Umbereit (4) in which they used trichloroacetic acid as the first extracting reagent. Recently, in order to separate the protein bound phosphorus, Wildmann, Campell and Bonner (5) adopted the salting-out method without using trichloroacetic acid. They reported that the protein-bound phosphorus plays an important role and is in the dynamic state. Fujiwara and Kadowaki (6) paid attention to the phosphorus bound to cytoplasmic protein as energy-rich phosphate compounds, and adopted the method so as to separate such compounds. In order to reveal the utilization of foliar absorbed phosphorus by the tobacco plant, the fractional distribution of phosphorus was examined. In this paper, the degree of change to organic phosphorus was taken as an index of phosphorus utilization. Paper electrophoresis was used for this purpose because the inorganic and the protein-bound phosphorus could be separated easily.     

Effect of nutrient deficiencies on the activities of glutamic acid decarboxylase in tobacco plant

It has been well known that the glutamic acid decarboxylase occured¹ and γ-aminobutylic acid was contained₂ in the higher plant. In the tobacco plant, the property of this enzyme was investigated in detail by Tomita ³, and Noguchi ⁴ showed. the comparatively higher concentration of γ-aminobutylic acid in tobacco leaves.     

Effects of forms of nitrogen supplied on the distribution of nutrients in the tobacco plant

It has been reported that the form of nitrogen supplied has a great influence on the absorption of other nutrients by the tobacco plant (1). Absorption of cations such as potassium, calcium and magnesium is decreased and that of anions such as phosphate, chloride and sulfate is increased by the supply of ammonium-nitrogen compared with that of nitrate-nitrogen. Although the responsible mechanism is probably related to antagonisms in absorption among the ions, physiological injury caused by the absorption of ammonium-nitrogen may also develop on the tobacco plant. Translocation of nutrients absorbed by the plant may be also influenced by such physiological injury. In the present paper, effects of nitrate- and ammonium- nitrogen supplied on the translocation of nutrients in tobacco plants were investigated.     

Soil degradation during the period 1967–1995 in Bangladesh

Long-term changes in carbon and nitrogen storage in the top 100 em layers of soils from different physiographic units in Bangladesh were evaluated using 460 soil samples from 43 profiles collected in 1967 and 1994/95. The study area consisted of ten physiographic units, viz.: Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain (OHP), Tista Floodplain (TF), Barind Tract (BT), Ganges Floodplain (GF), Madhupur Tract (MT), Brahmaputra Floodplain (BF), Meghna River and Estuarine Floodplain (MF), Surma-Kushiyara Floodplain (SKF), Northern and Eastern Piedmont Plain (NEP), and Chittagong Coastal Plain (CCP).

During the period 1967–1995, mean values of soil carbon and nitrogen declined by 16.2 t C ha^-1 and 1.38 t N ha^-1 in Bangladesh. The total carbon and nitrogen budgets showed a fall of 42.8 × 10⁶ t C and 3.36 × 10⁶ t N within the 27 y period in Bangladesh. All the physiographic units showed a decline in carbon and nitrogen contents except for BT which showed an increase of 3.76 t C ha^-1 and 0.77 t N ha^-1 for these elements. MT showed the highest decline in carbon (30.5 t C ha^-1) and nitrogen (3.25 t N ha^-1). The lowest decline in carbon was observed in SKF (7.18 t C ha^-1) while the same applied to nitrogen in GF (0.50 t N ha^-1). The other physiographic units showed a moderate decline in the contents of these elements.

Based on the land area occupied by the sampled soil series of each physiographic unit, GF showed the highest decline of 13.7×10⁶ t C and a moderate decline of 0.52 × 10⁶ t N. Decrease in the carbon level for BF was moderate (9.31 × 10⁶ t C) but the decline in the nitrogen level was the highest (0.95 × 10⁶ t N). Decrease in the amount of carbon and nitrogen stored for the other physiographic units was: OHP (0.67 × 10⁶ t C, 0.03 × 10⁶ t N), TF (2.54 × 10⁶ t C, 0.25 × 10⁶ t N), MT (4.28 × 10⁶ t C, 0.45 × 10⁶ t N), MF (6.06 × 10⁶ t C, 0.61 × 10⁶ t N), SKF (2.87×10⁶ t C, 0.24×10⁶ t N), NEP (2.68×10⁶ t C, 0.22×10⁶ t N), and CCP (0.81 × 10⁶ t C, 0.11 × 10⁶ t N). Increase in carbon and nitrogen contents was only observed in BT (0.08 × 10⁶ t C, 0.02 × 10⁶ t N).