Spatial variability of soil microbial indices in common alder COMMON ALDER(Alnus glutinosa) stands using a geostatistical approach in northern Iran

Microbial indices and their spatial patterns are strongly affected by environmental factors. Spatial variability of soil properties is one of the most important causes of variability in soil microbial indices. This research was conducted in the Caspian forest to assess spatial variabilities and frequency distributions of microbial properties.Ninety soil samples were taken using a grid sampling design 40 9 40 m. Microbial indices, organic carbon,nitrogen and pH were determined. Soil variable distributions showed that microbial indices had abnormal distributions. Logarithmic transformation produced normal distribution. Spatial continuity using geostatistical(variogram) was studied and maps obtained by point kriging.The variograms revealed the presence of spatial autocorrelation. The results indicate that spatial dependence of soil microbial indices was affected by non-intrinsic factors and forest management procedures. The maps show that soil microbial indices and soil properties have spatial variability. The spatial pattern of microbial indices was correlated to organic carbon and nitrogen.     

Farmer’s Perception of and Factors Influencing Agroforestry Practices in the Indus River Basin,Pakistan

Agroforestry practices of farming communities are investigated in southern Punjab province, Pakistan. It is hypothesized that rural people of this areas are more inclined than elsewhere in the province to practice agroforestry due to greater profitability than cropping. A landholder survey revealed that the majority of farmers are inclined to plant trees on their land. Low accessibility of institutional credit is a constraint for both agroforestry farmers (AF) and non-agroforestry farmers. However, among AF respondents only 24% were found to need credit for agroforestry practice, as against nearly 76% for crop production. Mostly farmers were found to have positive perceptions regarding agroforestry practice, because they understand the multiple benefits from growing trees, compared with cropping where farmers face various constraints, including poor access to credit, natural hazards, and little support from local authorities. Further, effort to sensitize farmers that growing trees has multiple benefits compared to only cultivation of field crops can bring about change in farmer’s perceptions and attitudes in the Indus River basin, resulting in motivation for agroforestry adoption.     

Anti-inflammatory activities of cucurbitacin E isolated from Citrullus lanatus var. citroides: role of reactive nitrogen species and cyclooxygenase enzyme inhibition

The in vivo and in vitro mechanistic anti-inflammatory actions of cucurbitacin E (CE) (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) were examined. The results showed that LPS/INF-γ increased NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages, whereas L-NAME and CE curtailed it. CE did not reveal any cytotoxicity on RAW264.7 and WRL-68 cells. CE inhibited both COX enzymes with more selectivity toward COX-2. Intraperitoneal injection of CE significantly suppressed carrageenan-induced rat's paw edema. ORAC and FRAP assays showed that CE is not a potent ROS scavenger. It could be concluded that CE is potentially useful in treating inflammation through the inhibition of COX and RNS but not ROS.     

Polymer coated DAP helps in enhancing growth,yield and phosphorus use efficiency of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Low phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) is one of the major reasons of poor wheat production worldwide. Among the various approaches used to enhance PUE, polymer coated fertilizers are relatively a new concept. Keeping this in view, a field study was conducted to evaluate polymer coated di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) to enhance growth, yield and PUE of wheat. Commercial DAP and polymer coated DAP (50%, 75% and 100% of recommended dose) were tested in wheat. Results revealed that application of 50% polymer coated DAP produced the same results or higher than 100% commercial DAP. However, the maximum increase in growth (plant height, root length, number of tillers m^?2, inter-nodal distance), yield (number of grains per spike, 1000 grain weight, grain yield and biological yield) and phosphorus acquisition by wheat was observed with 100% polymer coated DAP. Moreover, 100% polymer coated DAP increased phosphorus recovery and agronomic efficiency compared to other treatments.     

The Tolerance Index and Translocation Factor were Used to Identify the Barley Genotypes with High Arsenic Stress Tolerance

Ninety-four barley genotypes were used to investigate the genotypic differences in arsenic (As) uptake and translocation and their relationships with As tolerance index (TI) and translocation factor (TF). Two As treatments (300 µM and 500 µM) were applied in the initial screening and the confirmatory experiments, respectively. The results showed significant (p < 0.05) differences in tissue biomass, shoot height, root length, As TI and TF among genotypes. Based on As TI, 11 barley genotypes were selected and divided into 3 groups, i.e. tolerant, mildly tolerant and sensitive. There was more As uptake in the roots of the As tolerant genotypes, while the As sensitive genotypes contained more As in shoots, which was further proved by the greater TF. Significantly negative correlation was observed between shoot and root As concentration. The results showed that As tolerant genotypes are able to restrict the upward movement of As, thus developing their tolerance.     

A New Probability Model for Hydrologic Events: Properties and Applications

Upon the motivation of unstable climatic conditions of the world like excess of rains, drought and huge floods, we introduce a versatile hydrologic probability model with two scale parameters. The proposed model contains Lindley and exponentiated exponential (Lindley in J R Stat Soc Ser B 20:102–107, 1958; Gupta and Kundu in Biom J 43(1):117–130, 2001) distributions as special cases. Various properties of the distribution are obtained, such as shapes of the density and hazard functions, moments, mean deviation, information-generating function, conditional moments, Shannon entropy, L-moments, order statistics, information matrix and characterization via hazard function. Parameters are estimated via maximum likelihood estimation method. A simulation scheme is provided for generating the random data from the proposed distribution. Four data sets are used for comparing the proposed model with a set of well-known hydrologic models, such as generalized Pareto, log normal (3), log Pearson type III, Kappa(3), Gumbel, generalized logistic and generalized Lindley distributions, using some goodness-of-fit tests. These comparisons render the proposed model suitable and representative for hydrologic data sets with least loss of information attitude and a realistic return period, which render it as an appropriate alternate of the existing hydrologic models. Supplementary materials for this paper are available online.     

Halophyte root powder: an alternative biofertilizer and carrier for saline land

ABSTRACT

The present investigation was based on the hypothesis that the endophytes residing in the roots of halophytes have better adaptation to saline conditions. Six halophytic herbs were collected from Khewra salt range (EC = 4.7 dS m^?1 and SAR = 25.7). From these herbs, root pieces of Cenchrus ciliaris were shade dried; finely ground to powder and three plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonad moraviensis, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, were isolated. Root powder in sterilized and unsterilized forms was added in the saline-sodic field on wheat and mixed with soil in pot experiment with induced NaCl (150 mM). Sterilized root powder increased organic matter NO₃-N and P contents of soil and leaves, fresh weight, sugar content, and yield attributes. The root powder application in unsterilized form significantly decreased EC, SAR, and Na content of field soil with concomitant increase in soil and leaves K, P, and NO₃-N. The farmer’s benefit was increased by 33% at yield. Root powder-induced salt tolerance was mediated by the PGPR (residing inside the root) through increased growth and better physiological adaptations. It is inferred that root powder harboring the PGPR may be an alternative to biofertilizer with longer shelf life and may also serve as carrier for the preparation of effective biofertilizer for saline land using other PGPR bio-inoculants.     

Biological control of red rot in sugarcane by native pyoluteorin‐producing Pseudomonas putida strain NH‐50 under field conditions and its potential modes of action

BACKGROUND: Rhizobacteria have a good potential to suppress soilborne diseases, but their efficacy against sugarcane pests is rarely reported. Bacterial strains isolated from the rhizosphere of sugarcane were evaluated for their potential to suppress red rot disease on two susceptible varieties, Co‐1148 and SPF‐234, under field conditions. The strains were also characterised for the production of secondary metabolites associated with their antagonistic activity. RESULTS: One out of four strains, the Pseudomonas putida strain NH‐50 (EU627168), reduced disease severity by 44–60% in different field trials. This potent antagonistic strain produced pyoluteorin antibiotic, as confirmed by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The PltB gene involved in pyoluteorin synthesis was amplified from the P. putida strain NH‐50 and sequenced. The extracellular metabolites and volatile and diffusible antibiotics secreted by the tested strains inhibited mycelial growth of Glomerella tucumensis (Speg.) Arx & E Mull in vitro by 7–55%. CONCLUSION: The pyoluteorin‐producing bacteria P. putida strain NH‐50 significantly reduced disease severity on both sugarcane varieties, irrespective of fungal inoculation, i.e. either inoculated through stem or through soil. This strain also possesses other plant growth characteristics and can be used as a biopesticide for sugarcane crop. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Screening for Differential Gene Expression in Atropa belladonna Leafy Gall Induced Following Rhodococcus fascians Infection

To better characterise at the molecular level the nature of plant responses to infection by Rhodococcus fascians PCR-based differential display patterns of Atropa belladonna leafy gall (LG) and non-infected plant tissues were compared. Six differentially expressed genes were identified and their altered expression was confirmed by RT-PCR. Three of them corresponded to up-regulated genes which encode proteins involved in plant defence. The three remaining cDNA fragments which correspond to down-regulated genes in LG, encoded proteins with similarity to a multicystatin, a miraculin and a methallothionein-like protein, respectively. Upon elimination of the bacteria from infected plant tissue, the expression of up-regulated genes was maintained, whereas expression of down-regulated genes resumed suggesting a potential role of these up-regulated genes in plant growth and development.