A simple type of wood in two Early Devonian plants

The advent of wood (secondary xylem) is a major event of the Paleozoic Era, facilitating the evolution of large perennial plants. The first steps of wood evolution are unknown. We describe two small Early Devonian (407 to 397 million years ago) plants with secondary xylem including simple rays. Their wood currently represents the earliest evidence of secondary growth in plants. The small size of the plants and the presence of thick-walled cortical cells confirm that wood early evolution was driven by hydraulic constraints rather than by the necessity of mechanical support for increasing height. The plants described here are most probably precursors of lignophytes.     

Fast X-ray tomography analysis of bubble growth and foam setting during breadmaking

The use of fast X-ray computed microtomography (CMT) shows that the development of gas cell structures during fermentation first depends on a critical time, t₁, determined by overall expansion and before which bubbles grow freely according to a simple exponential law. Afterwards, coalescence rapidly prevails and then leads to a heterogeneous structure, for t≥t₂, characterized by a continuous void phase likely to be stabilized by liquid film walls. This result confirms the involvement of minor components in addition to gluten protein for obtaining a desirable bread texture and suggests that their interfacial properties need to be investigated. The use of fast in situ CMT with careful 3D image analysis also provides data for the validation of numerical models of bubble growth. These small scale experiments could be extended to follow the rheological properties of expanding doughs and the temperature-state changes of wheat flour biopolymers which govern bread baking.     

Approaches to calculating P balance at the field‐scale in Europe

Policies for mitigating phosphorus (P) loss from agriculture are being developed in a number of European countries and calculation of P balance at farm‐gate or field‐scale is likely to be a part of such policies. The aim of the paper was to study P balance at the field‐scale in 18 countries that participated in the European Union's (EU) European Co‐operation in the Field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST) action on “Quantifying the Agricultural Contribution to Eutrophication (COST 832)”. A questionnaire related to P balance at the field‐scale was sent to representatives in the 18 countries and all replied. The field as a unit is defined differently in the various European agricultural systems. The identification of the inputs and outputs differ among the countries. For example, P losses may or may not be taken into account in balances. Phosphorus balance at the field‐scale is used in all countries in the context of soil analysis and P recommendations for crops and advisory and research purposes, while only a few countries use it for policy purposes (agri‐environmental). There is wide variation in P balances between countries in relation to soil fertility and vulnerability of water to eutrophication from nutrients from agricultural sources. In several eastern European countries, Hungary for example, fertilizer P use has dropped to about one tenth of the levels used in the 1980's. Many of these countries now have a negative P balance. In western European countries, by contrast, although fertilizer P use has decreased in recent years, the average input is higher than the average off take, and soil test phosphorus (STP) values remains high and continue to increase in some areas. Twelve different soil extractants for STP are used in Europe, and their interpretation can hinder direct comparisons. Calculating P balance at the field‐scale involves approximations in estimating inputs and outputs and spatial variations in fertility in individual fields. Accuracy of data and standardization of methods for calculating balances with inputs and outputs will be a challenge for the future development of a sustainable agriculture in Europe.     

Hormonal interactions in the rhizosphere of maize (Zea mays L.) and their effects on plant development

The phytohormones indole acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), isopentenyladenosine (iPA), dihydrozeatin riboside (DHZR), and zeatinriboside (ZR) were determined quantitatively using monoclonal antibodies by an enzyme immunoassay in the following samples: a) culture filtrates of known bacterial species, growing naturally in close, loose or without contact with higher plants; b) culture filtrates of heterogeneous populations of microorganisms, isolated from the rhizoplane and rhizosphere of maize as well as from root-free soil; c) sterile and nonsterile maize root exudates; d) in the rhizosphere of field-grown maize plants and in soil fractions distant from the roots (bulk soil). ABA was not detected in the culture filtrates of bacteria and ZR was not found in bulk soil and rhizosphere soil of field-grown maize. All phytohormones were present in the other samples analyzed. Bacterial cultures with cell concentrations roughly equal to those in the rhizosphere of field-grown maize may produce under optimal laboratory conditions phytohormone concentrations comparable to those measured in the rhizosphere of field-grown maize. During the whole vegetation period there was a steep phytohormone gradient in the first centimeter of soil around a maize root in the field. Inoculation of maize seedlings growing in nutrient solution with rhizosphere bacteria resulted in a synergistic increase in phytohormone concentration in comparison to the sum of hormone production by sterile plant roots and by bacteria cultures. Using regression analysis, the relationship between phytohormone concentration changes in the rhizosphere and different morphological characteristics of the maize plant were shown to be highly significant.     

Der Zucker-, Eiweiß- und Vitamingehalt des Beerenzapfensaftes von Juniperus drupacea Labill. („Andiz Pekmezi“)

Zusammenfassung Das von den anatolischen Bergbauern aus den Beerenzapfen vonJuniperus drupacea bereitete Mus (Andiz Pekmezi) enthält außer beträchtlichen Mengen an Zucker (hauptsächlich Glucose, Fructose und Saccharose) und einem ansehnlichen Eiweißgehalt beachtliche Konzentrationen an wasserlöslichen Vitaminen.Besonders hoch ist der (relative) Gehalt an Vitamin B₁, Vitamin C, Nikotinsäure und meso-Inosit, mittel an Vitamin B₂, Pantothensäure und Vitamin B₆, gering an Biotin und vor allem an Folsäure.Insgesamt ist das Andiz Pekmezi hinsichtlich seines Vitamingehaltes den vitaminreichsten Pflanzensäften vergleichbar.

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The jam, which is prepared from the strobiles ofJuniperus drupacea by the farmers in the mountains of Anatolia was analyzed. Besides considerable amounts of sugars (mainly glucose, fructose and sucrose) and protein it contains valuable concentrations of water soluble vitamins.Very high is the (relative) amount of thiamine, ascorbic acid, nicotinic acid and inositol, considerable the one of riboflavin, pantothenic acid and vitamin B₆, low of biotin and folic acid.All together, the vitamine content of Andiz pekmezi is comparable with that of the plant saps most rich in vitamins.

     

Equine anhidrosis.

The molecular basis of the pathophysiology of anhidrosis is still not well understood. Therefore, treatments are more often based on clinical impressions than on scientific fact. Treatment options for this condition will improve only when more is known about the molecular events that cause anhidrosis, especially as they relate to beta2-receptor dysfunction and stimulus-secretion coupling in the sweat glands of affected horses. Although this additional information is being attained, sound environmental management will continue to be a very important aspect of the treatment of horses affected with anhidrosis.     

U-HPLC-MS/MS to quantify liposoluble antioxidants in red-ripe tomatoes, grown under different salt stress levels

The growing interest of consumers in healthy food challenges growers to continuously improve the nutritional quality of their crops. In this research, the potential of a more saline growth environment for improved antioxidant concentration in tomato fruit was studied, and an U-HPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of lycopene, β-carotene, and α-tocopherol was optimized. Analytes were thereby separated on a 1.9 μm Hypersil GOLD C(18) column and quantified on a TSQ Vantage triple-quadropole mass spectrometer. The method displayed a short analysis time (6 min), a high specificity, and an excellent repeatability (≤6.39%). Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the electrical conductivity level of the applied nutrient solution did not unambiguously influence antioxidant concentration in tomato fruits. Future research should focus on moderate salt stress only and should aim at reducing natural variation by more closely controlling the growth environment and a more objective determination of the ripening degree.     

Kinetics of crust formation during conventional French bread baking

64 breads were baked in a deck oven under conventional French baking conditions. Their hearth and surface temperatures were measured at various baking times using thermocouples and Infra-red thermometer; their moisture content was determined after sampling of the external layer, termed the “crust”, and by weighing breads. In addition, an image analysis method, based on saturation and colors, allowed determination of a mask of crust and the kinetics of its mean thickness. Associated with hydrothermal kinetics, it showed that the development of crust was achieved at a final local temperature of 160 °C and moisture of 5% for an average final thickness of 1.7 mm. DSC analysis of crust samples also underlined the significance of non gelatinized starch in the crust. This result was interpreted by representing the hydrothermal history of crust in a starch melting diagram.     

The effect of tillage type and cropping system on earthworm communities, macroporosity and water infiltration

To test the assumption that changes to earthworm communities subsequently affect macroporosity and then soil water infiltration, we carried out a 3 year study of the earthworm communities in a experimental site having six experimental treatments: 2 tillage management systems and 3 cropping systems. The tillage management was either conventional (CT; annual mouldboard ploughing up to −30 cm depth) or reduced (RT; rotary harrow up to −7 cm depth). The 3 cropping systems were established to obtain a wide range of soil compaction intensities depending on the crop rotations and the rules of decision making. In the spring of 2005, the impact of these different treatments on earthworm induced macroporosity and water infiltration was studied. During the 3 years of observation, tillage management had a significant effect on bulk density (1.27 in CT and 1.49 mg m⁻³ in RT) whereas cropping system had a significant effect on bulk density in RT plots only. Tillage management did not significantly affect earthworm abundance but significantly influenced the ecological type of earthworms found in each plot (anecic were more abundant in RT). On the contrary cropping system did have a significant negative effect on earthworm abundance (104 and 129 ind. m⁻² in the less and most compacted plots, respectively). Significantly higher numbers of Aporrectodea giardi and lower numbers of Aporrectodea caliginosa were found in the most compacted plots. CT affected all classes of porosity leading to a significant decrease in the number of pores and their continuity. Only larger pores, with a diameter superior to 6 mm, however, were adversely affected by soil compaction. Tillage management did not change water infiltration, probably because the increase in macroporosity in RT plots was offset by a significant increase in soil bulk density. However, cropping system had a significant effect on water infiltration (119 vs 79 mm h⁻¹ in the less and most compacted plots, respectively). In RT plots, a significant correlation was observed between larger macropores (diameter > 6 mm) and water infiltration illustrating the potential positive effect of earthworms in these plots.