Eukaryotic communities associated with the decomposition of rice straw compost in a Japanese rice paddy field estimated by DGGE analysis

To estimate the succession and phylogenetic composition of the eukaryotic communities responsible for the decomposition of rice straw compost under flooded conditions during the cultivation period of paddy rice, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis targeting 18S rDNA followed by sequencing was conducted in a Japanese paddy field. The eukaryotic communities in rice straw compost incorporated into the flooded paddy field were influenced by the mid-season drainage and mainly composed of fungi (Ascomycota, Zygomycota, and Chytridiomycota) and protozoa (Ciliophora, Euglyphida, and Dactylopodida), most of which existed continuously during the cultivation period of paddy rice. The results indicated that these eukaryotic members were associated with the decomposition of rice straw compost in paddy field soil directly or indirectly.     

Antioxidative compounds from the outer scales of onion

Antioxidative compounds were isolated from the methanol extract of dry outer scales of onion (Allium cepa L.). Nine phenolic compounds (1-9) were finally obtained by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, and their structures were elucidated by NMR and mass spectrometry analyses. They were the six known compounds, protocatechuic acid (1), 2-(3,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)-2,4,6-trihydroxy-3(2H)-benzofuranone (2), quercetin 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), quercetin (5), 4'-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside of quercetin dimer (7), and quercetin dimer (8), and three novel compounds, condensation products of quercetin with protocatechuic acid (4), adduct of quercetin with quercetin 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), and quercetin trimer (9). These phenolic compounds were tested for their antioxidant properties using autoxidation of methyl linoleate in bulk phase or free radical initiated peroxidation of soybean phosphatidylcholine in liposomes. The flavonoid compounds having o-dihydroxy substituent in the B-ring were shown to be effective antioxidants against nonenzymic lipid peroxidation.     

Mutation analysis of barley malt protein Z4 and protein Z7 on beer foam stability

Beer foam stability is an important characteristic. It has been suggested that isoforms of protein Z, that is, protein Z4 and protein Z7, contribute to beer foam stability. We investigated the relationship between beer foam stability and protein Z4 and protein Z7 using their deficient mutants. As a protein Z4-deficient mutant, cv. Pirkka was used. Protein Z7 deficiency was screened in 1564 barley accessions in the world collection of Okayama University, Japan. The barley samples from normal, protein Z4-deficient, protein Z7-deficient, and double-deficient were genotyped in F(2) populations and then pooled based on the DNA marker genotypes of protein Z4 and protein Z7. For a brewing trial, F(5) pooled subpopulations were used. After malting and brewing, the foam stability was determined, and the results showed that the levels of foam stability in the four samples were comparable. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used to investigate the proteome in these beer samples. The results showed that low molecular weight proteins, including lipid transfer protein (LTP2), in the deficient mutants were higher than those in the normal sample. Our results suggest that the contribution of protein Z4 and protein Z7 to beer foam stability was not greater than that of other beer proteins.     

A computerized soil information system for arable land in Japan

A computerized soil information system was compared to manual punch card methods for storage and retrieval of Japanese soil survey data. In spite of the high cost, a soil information system using computers is the most appropriate system for the future, because by this method more than three factors can be analyzed simultaneously, various kinds of soil map data can be stored, retrieved and updated and many kinds of interpretative maps can be constructed automatically. There are large amounts of valuable soil survey data available in Japan which previously were used only for drawing soil maps. These should be utilized to develop a computerized soil information system. At the end of this report, essential processes and the possible structure of a Japanese Soil Information System were discussed.     

Antioxidative properties of phenolic antioxidants isolated from corn steep liquor

With the immersion of corn into dilute sulfur oxide during starch-manufacturing processes, corn steep liquor (CSL) remains as leftover material. CSL is often used for fermentation, but its components are not fully understood. To determine the properties of CSL, 12 p-coumaric acid-related compounds were isolated from an ethyl acetate extract of CSL with the guidance of antioxidative activity on the rabbit erythrocyte membrane ghost system. The activity of these compounds was compared against oxidative damages, and it was elucidated that the activity of p-coumaric acid derivatives was mainly affected by their functional groups at the 3-position and less by the conjugated side chain. Moreover, p-coumaric acid derivatives exhibited inhibitory activity stronger than that of tocopherols and ascorbic acid on peroxynitrite-mediated lipoprotein nitration. These findings that p-coumaric acid derivatives, which might play a beneficial role against oxidative damage, exist in CSL suggest this byproduct might be a useful resource of phenolic antioxidants.     

Geographic distribution of Waxy gene SNPs and indels in foxtail millet, Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.

To elucidate diversity and evolution of the Waxy gene in foxtail millet, Setaria italica, we analyzed sequence polymorphism of Waxy gene in 83 foxtail millet landraces collected from various regions covering the entire geographical distribution of this millet in Europe and Asia. We found a unique geographic distribution pattern at the sequence level of gene haplotypes and also found a large diversity in East Asian landraces. We also found a higher degree of genetic polymorphism in a non-waxy phenotype than in other low amylose types, supporting the hypothesis that low amylose types recently originated from non-waxy type.     

Microbial mineralization of organic nitrogen into nitrate to allow the use of organic fertilizer in hydroponics

Hydroponics is an excellent technique for the cultivation of vegetable crops and other plants, but organic fertilizers cannot be used in conventional hydroponic systems, which generally use only inorganic fertilizers, because organic compounds in the hydroponic solutions generally have phytotoxic effects that lead to poor plant growth. Few microorganisms are present in hydroponic solutions to mineralize the organic compounds into inorganic nutrients. In this article a novel and practical hydroponic culture method that uses microorganisms to degrade organic fertilizer in the hydroponic solution has been developed. Soil microorganisms were cultured by regulating the amounts of organic fertilizer and inoculum, with moderate aeration. The microorganisms mineralized organic nitrogen via ammonification and nitrification into nitrate at an efficiency of 97.6%. The culture solution containing the microorganisms was usable as a hydroponic solution, and organic fertilizer could be directly added to it during vegetable cultivation. Vegetables grew well in the organic hydroponic system. Organic hydroponics based on this method is therefore a practical tool for the utilization of organic sources of fertilizer.