Effects of different organic materials on forage yield and nutrient uptake of silage maize (Zea mays L.)

The use of organic materials as a source of nutrients on agricultural lands ameliorates soil physical properties as well as being an environmentally friendly way of disposing of their wastes. This study was conducted to determine effects of three organic materials (poultry litter, cattle manure, leonardite) on yield and nutrient uptake of silage maize. Poultry litter and cattle manure were applied based on phosphorus (P) or nitrogen (N) requirements of the crop whereas leonardite was applied only one dose (500 kg ha^?1) and also combined with three inorganic fertilizer doses (100%, 75%, 50% of recommended inorganic fertilizer dose). According to the results, the highest green herbage yield and nutrient uptake values were observed in LEO-100 whereas N-based treatments significantly decreased yield and nutrient uptake of silage maize. The use of organic materials as a combination with inorganic fertilizer in silage maize cultivation is highly beneficial for sustainable forage production.     

Equilibrium,kinetics and artificial intelligence characteristic analysis for Zn (II) ion adsorption on rice husks digested with nitric acid

Paddy and Water Environment - The use of low-cost adsorbents produced from rice husks that can selectively remove zinc (II) ion from wastewater effluent has been investigated. The disorder and...     

Post-translational modifications in effectors and plant proteins involved in host–pathogen conflicts

Molecular interplay between two species is largely driven by protein–protein interactions and protein modifications that set the pace of co-evolution in these species. During host–pathogen interactions, proteins involved in virulence and defence impart tempospatial dynamic post-translational modifications (PTMs) to gain advantage for the causative species. Pathogens mainly cause disease in plant hosts by secreting elicitors (peptides and small molecules) or proteins in the inter- and intracellular space of host cells. These pathogen proteins have evolved a wide array of sophisticated mechanisms to manipulate host responses, including resistance. Through a set of diverse events ranging from PTMs to post-translational oligomerization, these proteins are able to enhance virulence and suppress the otherwise elaborate plant immune system. Similarly, PTMs adapted by host proteins often lead to the activation of a robust defence response. Insights into the PTMs of pathogen and host proteins are therefore germane to the understanding of the co-evolutionary arms race. This review summarizes the characterization of PTMs in pathogen effectors and their target host proteins. Based on this, a metaphorical view of host–pathogen conflicts is proposed, where PTMs act as molecular pivots in a 3D combinatorial game model – a novel abstraction of the arms race, where these molecular pivots restore the balance of competition between the two organisms.     

Intraspecific differentiation and geographical distribution of Wx alleles for low amylose content in endosperm of foxtail millet, Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.

To clarify the genetic mechanism which controls the variation in amylose content among nonwaxy landraces of foxtail millet, the inheritance of different starch types in endosperm was examined by I₂-KI staining. The level of starch granule bound protein in foxtail millet endosperm was also analyzed using SDS-PAGE. The segregation for starch types in F₂ and F₃ seeds determined by I₂-KI staining showed that there are three different alleles at the waxy (wx) locus. A major protein bound to starch granules was detected in nonwaxy endosperm but it was absent in most of the waxy endosperm, suggesting that the protein is the Wx gene product which is responsible for the synthesis of amylose in endosperm. The level of Wx protein proportionally corresponded to the amylose content among nonwaxy landraces. This implies that two different Wx alleles regulate quantitative levels of Wx protein. Landraces with the allele for low amylose content are from Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Seed Priming with Ascorbic Acid Improves Drought Resistance of Wheat

The study, consisting of two independent experiments, was conducted to evaluate the role of seed priming with ascorbic acid (AsA) in drought resistance of wheat. In the first experiment, seeds of wheat cultivars Mairaj‐2008 and Lasani‐2008 were either soaked in aerated water (hydropriming) for 10 h or not soaked (control). In the second experiment, seeds of same wheat cultivars were soaked in aerated (2 mm ) AsA solution (osmopriming) or water (hydropriming) for 10 h. In both experiments, seeds were sown in plastic pots (10 kg) maintained at 70 % and 35 % of water‐holding capacity designated as well watered and drought stressed, respectively. Both experiments were laid out in a completely randomized design with six replications. Drought caused delayed and erratic emergence and disturbed the plant water relations, chlorophyll contents and membranes because of oxidative damage; however, root length in cultivar Lasani‐2008 was increased under drought. Hydropriming significantly improved the seedling emergence and early growth under drought and well‐watered conditions; however, improvement was substantially higher from osmopriming with AsA. Similarly, osmopriming with AsA significantly improved the leaf emergence and elongation, leaf area, specific leaf area, chlorophyll contents, root length and seedling dry weight. Owing to increase in proline accumulation, phenolics and AsA, by seed priming with AsA, plant water status was improved with simultaneous decrease in oxidative damages. These improved the leaf emergence and elongation, and shoot and root growth under drought. However, there was no difference between the cultivars in this regard. In conclusion, osmopriming with AsA improved the drought resistance of wheat owing to proline accumulation and antioxidant action of AsA and phenolics, leading to tissue water maintenance, membrane stability, and better and uniform seedling stand and growth.     

Feeding value of urea molasses-treated wheat straw ensiled with fresh cattle manure for growing crossbred cattle calves

The study was carried out to evaluate the influence of urea plus molasses-treated wheat straw (WS) ensiled with cattle manure (CM) on nutrients intake, their digestibilities, and growth performance of crossbred (Sahiwal × Holstein Friesian) cattle calves. The CM was mixed with ground WS in a ratio of 30:70 on dry matter (DM) basis. The WS–CM mixture treated with urea (4% DM) and molasses (4% DM) was allowed to ferment for 40 days in a cemented pit. Four iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic fermented wheat straw (FWS)-based experimental diets were formulated. The FWS0, FWS20, FWS30, and FWS40 diets contained 0%, 20%, 30%, and 40% FWS, respectively. Twenty calves (9–10 months of age) were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design, five in each group. Increasing trends for DM, organic matter, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber intakes by calves were observed with increasing dietary FWS level. Weight gain was significantly different among calves fed different levels of FWS. The highest weight gain (491.8 g/day) was observed in calves fed FWS40 diet, while calves fed FWS0 and FWS20 diets gained 350.0 and 449.6 g/day, respectively. The results from this study imply that the FWS can be added up to 30% in the diet of growing crossbred calves without any detrimental effect on their performance.     

Gibberellin producing Neosartorya sp. CC8 reprograms Chinese cabbage to higher growth

Gibberellins production by soil fungi received little attention, although substantial work has been carried out on other growth promoting aspects of soil borne fungi. We investigated gibberellins production and growth promoting capacity of a novel fungal strain of Neosartorya, which was isolated from the roots of Chinese cabbage (Bassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis). Fungal culture filtrates (CF) obtained from pure cultures of 16 endophytic fungi were bioassayed on Waito-C, in order to investigate plant growth promoting capacity of these fungi. The fungal isolate CC-8 induced maximum shoot length of Waito-C (13.0 cm) as compared to control treatments. In a separate experiment, the CF of fungus CC-8 significantly promoted plant length and biomass of Chinese cabbage. The fungal CF also increased endogenous bioactive GA₁ and GA₄ contents of Chinese cabbage. Gibberellin analysis of CF of CC-8 showed presence of both physiologically active and non active gibberellins in higher concentrations (GA₁, 1.42 ng/ml; GA₃, 5.93 ng/ml; GA₄, 11.36 ng/ml; GA₇, 3.25 ng/ml; GA₉, 0.79 ng/ml; GA₁₅, 1.18 ng/ml). The culture filtrate of CC-8 produced higher amounts of GA₃, GA₄, GA₇ and GA₉ than wild type Fusarium fujikuroi, a well known gibberellins producing fungus. The fungal isolate CC-8 was later identified as a new strain of Neosartorya species on the basis of traditional and advance molecular techniques.     

Dietary supplementation of milk thistle (Silybum marianum): growth performance,oxidative stress,and immune response in natural summer stressed broilers

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of dietary supplementation of various levels of milk thistle (MT) on growth performance, oxidative...