Effects of Continuously Applied Vermicompost on Media Properties,Growth, Yield,and Fruit Quality of Two Tomato Varieties

In the first and second seasons, growth and yield of tomato were also influenced by different vermicompost (VC) rates and reused VC. Obviously, increasing VC proportion led to the augmentation of electrical conductivity (EC), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) in planting media in both seasons. However, in the first season, the nutrient absorbent ability of tomato was remarkably higher compared to those in the second season due to higher available nutrient in the media of the first season. This may influence the shoot dry weight as well as the yield of tomato in both seasons. In T4 treatment, the yield attained the highest value in the first season for both varieties with the values of 562.3 and 812.4 g/plant for small honey (V1) and graces (V2), respectively. In the second season, the N, P, K, Ca, and Mg in media significantly decreased compared to those in the first season (496.4 g/plant-V1 and 508.3 g/plant-V2). In comparison, the yields in the first season were higher those in second season by 13.2% and 59.8% for V1 and V2, respectively. However, in the second season, the maximum yield found in T5 (508.3 g/plant-V1 and 682.2 g/plant-V2) and declining by 10.6 and 19.1% compared to those in the first season for V1 and V2, respectively. This can be explained that amounts of nutrients from the media in the first season had supported the growth and development of tomato, resulting deficiency of nutrients in the media for the second season.     

Assays for hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacity (oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC(FL))) of plasma and other biological and food samples

Methods are described for the extraction and analysis of hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants, using modifications of the oxygen radical absorbing capacity (ORAC(FL)) procedure. These methods provide, for the first time, the ability to obtain a measure of "total antioxidant capacity" in the protein free plasma, using the same peroxyl radical generator for both lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidants. Separation of the lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant fractions from plasma was accomplished by extracting with hexane after adding water and ethanol to the plasma (hexane/plasma/ethanol/water, 4:1:2:1, v/v). Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidants were efficiently partitioned between hexane and aqueous solvents. Conditions for controlling temperature effects and decreasing assay variability using fluorescein as the fluorescent probe were validated in different laboratories. Incubation (37 degrees C for at least 30 min) of the buffer to which AAPH was dissolved was critical in decreasing assay variability. Lipophilic antioxidants represented 33.1 +/- 1.5 and 38.2 +/- 1.9% of the total antioxidant capacity of the protein free plasma in two independent studies of 6 and 10 subjects, respectively. Methods are described for application of the assay techniques to other types of biological and food samples.     

Hypolipidemic effect of soluble fiber isolated from seeds of Cassia tora Linn. in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet

Soluble fibers isolated from the seeds of Cassia tora Linn. (SFC) have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their phenomenal rheological behavior. In this study were investigated the effects of SFC on lipid metabolism. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed one of three experimental diets, a normal diet, a high-cholesterol diet, or a high-cholesterol diet with 5% SFC, for 5 weeks. The serum concentration of total cholesterol in rats fed SFC was 27% lower (p < 0.05) compared to that of the control group, but the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was increased in the SFC group. Liver total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were reduced significantly (p < 0.05) in rats fed the SFC diet. In addition, fecal bile acid and lipid excretion was significantly increased by SFC consumption. These results indicate that SFC enhances fecal lipid excretion and may cause a reduction in serum and hepatic lipid concentrations in rats.     

基于SI-Albedo特征空间的干旱区盐渍化土壤信息提取研究——以克里雅河流域绿洲为例

选取塔里木南缘克里雅河流域绿洲为研究靶区,利用Landsat-ETM+卫星图像数据和野外调查数据分析盐渍化土壤与地表反照率(Albedo)、土壤盐分指数(SI)之间的关系。回归分析发现,盐渍化土壤在SI-Albedo特征空间分布具有显著规律,即非盐渍化土壤呈团状分布;轻、中度盐渍化土壤具有线性分布特征;非盐渍化土壤与轻度盐渍化土壤分异明显。结合分异规律,编制分类算法模型,得到研究区盐渍化土壤信息提取结果,并与传统监督最大似然分类法结果进行对比分析。结果表明,在SI-Albedo特征空间中定量快速提取盐渍化土壤信息的总体效果较好,对准确且自动提取干旱区盐渍化土壤信息以及区域尺度盐渍化遥感监测研究具有重要意义。     

Compositional changes of selected amino acids,organic acids,and soluble sugars in the xylem sap of N,P, or K‐deficient tomato plants

Xylem sap plays a major role in long‐distance transport of water, nutrients, and metabolites. However, there is little information on the behavior of metabolites in mineral‐deficient xylem sap. For this reason, the time‐dependent changes in selected metabolites (amino acids, organic acids, and soluble sugars) from tomato xylem sap in response to nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), or potassium (K)‐deficient condition were investigated. Tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) were grown hydroponically in liquid culture under three different mineral regimes: N‐deficient [0.5 mM Ca(NO₃)₂ and 0.5 mM KNO₃], P‐deficient (0.05 mM KH₂PO₄), and K‐deficient (0.5 mM KNO₃), respectively. Xylem sap was collected at 10:00 am after 1, 5, 15, and 30 d, and the selected metabolites were analyzed with liquid chromatography. All N, P, or K deficiencies led to a substantial increase in metabolites in the xylem sap. The predominant amino acid in the xylem sap was glutamine and, interestingly, all mineral deficiencies resulted in a substantial amount of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA). Additionally, organic acids (citrate and malate) and soluble sugars were strongly increased in all mineral deficiencies, and, in particular, the level of shikimate was greatly affected by N deficiency. Based on these data, it is necessary to clearly elucidate an unknown event taking place in xylem loading in a variety of environmental impacts, and we are now studying to expand our knowledge on metabolic and proteomic responses using GC‐MS and LC‐MS.     

Interchange reaction kinetics and sequence distribution of liquid crystalline poly(ethylene terephthalate-co-2(3)-chloro-1,4-phenylene terephthalate)

Liquid crystalline (LC) poly(ethylene terephthalate-co-2(3)-chloro-1,4-phenylene terephthalate) [copoly(ET/CPT)] was prepared using poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) as a flexible spacer, terephthalic acid (TPA), and chlorohydroquinone diacetate (CHQDA). All reactions involved in the copolymerization were investigated using some model compounds: TPA was used for acidolysis, diphenylethyl terephthalate (DPET) for interchange reaction between PET chains, and di-o-chlorophenyl terephthalate (DOCT) and di-m-chlorophenyl terephthalate (DMCT) for interchange reaction between PET and rigid rodlike segments. Activation energies obtained for the acidolysis of PET with TPA and for interchange reaction of PET with DPET, DOCT, and DMCT were 19.8 kcal/mole, 26.5 kcal/mole, 60.2 kcal/mole, and 45.9 kcal/mole, respectively. This result supports that the copolymerization proceeds through the acidolysis of PET with TPA first and subsequent polycondensation between carboxyl end group and CHQDA or acetyl end group, which is formed from the reaction of CHQDA and TPA. Also, it was found that ester-interchange reaction can be influenced by the steric hindrance. Copoly(ET/CPT)s obtained had ethylene acetate end groups formed from acetic acid and hydroxy ethylene end groups and showed almost the random sequence distribution for all compositions.     

Effects of trees planted on levees on rice yields in rain-fed paddy fields of northeast Thailand

Trees are increasingly being planted on the levees of paddy fields of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in northeast Thailand. We investigated and compared the yields of rice grown in rain-fed paddies under and far from canopies of three different tree species: eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.), mango (Mangifera indica L.), and the indigenous neem tree (Azadirachta indica A. Juss). Rice yields tended to decrease near trees of all types at five sites, but there was no change in yields at the remaining 11 sites during the 3-year study. The reduced yields likely resulted from lower aboveground biomass, leading to fewer rice panicles and spikelets, particularly near trees with a dense canopy. Extremely low yields were observed near eucalyptus in paddy fields suffering from severe drought. These results, as well as information provided by farmers’, suggest that eucalyptus trees may have detrimental effects on rice and should not be planted on the levees of paddy fields with relatively low productivity.     

Apparent digestibility of selected feed ingredients in diets formulated for the sub-adult mud crab, Scylla paramamosain, in Vietnam

The present study was conducted to explore the potential to incorporate local plant-based feed ingredients into diets formulated for the mud crab species, Scylla paramamosain , commonly exploited for aquaculture in South-east Asia. Four test ingredients (defatted soybean meal, rice bran, cassava meal and corn flour) were incorporated at 30% or 45% inclusion levels in a fishmeal-based reference diet and used in digestibility trials where apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) for experimental diets and test ingredients were determined. Generally, high ADC values were obtained using diets containing 30% soybean meal or rice bran. By contrast, the lowest ADC values were obtained for the diet containing 45% cassava meal [70.9% for dry matter (ADMD); 77.1% for crude protein (ACPD) and 80.2% for gross energy (AGED)]. Similar trends were observed when ADC ingredient (I) digestibilities were compared. Specifically, the highest ADCI values were obtained for soybean meal when used at a 30% inclusion level (87.6% ADMDI; 98.4% ACPDI and 95.6% AGEDI) while the lowest ADCI values were obtained using cassava meal at a 45% inclusion level (53.8% ADMDI; 60.2% ACPDI and 67.3% AGEDI). Based on the current findings, we propose that soybean meal and rice bran could be considered for incorporation into formulated diets for S. paramamosain .     

Peptide profile of the sardine protein hydrolysate affects food utilization and intestinal microbiota of Nile tilapia

The present study evaluated effects of the degree of hydrolysis and peptide profile of sardine (Sardinella sp.) protein hydrolysates (SPH) from muscle tissue wastes on productive performance, body composition, hematological parameters, biochemical parameters of metabolism, antioxidant response, and intestinal microbiology tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Diets containing three SPH with different degrees of hydrolysis (low: 5.5%; intermediate: 27.9%, and high: 62.5%) were compared to a control diet with fish meal. The experimental design was completely randomized with four treatments and five repetitions. One hundred eighty tilapia juveniles (6.16?±?2.0 g) were distributed in 20 polyethylene tanks of 70 l of useful volume and were evaluated during 56 days. No direct relationship was observed between the degree of hydrolysis of SPH and fish productive performance. Feed consumption was reduced in all diets with SPH (means 53.03 g) compared to the control group (65.91 g), which impaired fish growth and metabolic reserves. Feed utilization was affected by the SPH peptide profile. SPH with a more diverse peptide profile (mean 1.40) had a feed efficiency similar to the control diet (1.22). Changes in biochemical and metabolic parameters in tissues, oxidative response, and microbial populations were observed but may be associated with the low consumption of diets containing SPH. Results suggest that it is necessary to properly characterize hydrolysates and understand their composition before applying fish feed.