Nutrients transport through variably structured soils

Abstract

Contribution of sesbania green manure, rice straw, and FYM (farm yard manure) was studied along with that of urea and A/SO₄ (ammonium sulphate) for the cultivation of lowland rice and for the residual soil fertility. The results revealed that A/SO₄ application resulted in a larger number of productive tillers, higher straw production, and higher grain yield compared to urea. Among the organic manures, sesbania green manure and FYM exerted almost similar effects on the number of productive tillers and paddy yield while the yield increase compared to the incorporation of rice straw. A similar affect of these organic manures on nitrogen uptake by rice straw, grain, and straw + grain was observed. Additional uptake of N due to the application of sesbania green manure, FYM and rice straw amounted to 15, 13, and 2.85 kg ha^?1, respectively. Residual N fertility was the highest when of sesbania green manure was applied followed by FYM and rice straw. Residual P fertility was higher in the case of FYM than other treatments whereas the residual K fertility was the highest in the case of rice straw incorporation.     

Sucrose transporter NtSUT1 confers aluminum tolerance on cultured cells of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.)

The role of plasma membrane-localized sucrose transporter (NtSUT1) was investigated using cultured tobacco cell (Nicotiana tabacum L.) line BY-2. The wild type (WT) cells were first transformed with the NtSUT1 gene or its fragments cloned from tobacco cell line SL to form the over-expression (OX) and suppression (RNAi) cell lines, respectively. Using OX and RNAi transgenics, the role of NtSUT1 in growth capacity of actively growing cells and in aluminum (Al)-treated cells was examined. During the logarithmic phase of growth in nutrient medium containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), both the rate of sucrose uptake measured with radio-tracer and the content of soluble sugars were higher in OX and lower in RNAi cell lines compared to WT. Overall, the content of soluble sugars negatively correlated with the time necessary for doubling mass (fresh weight). When cells were treated without (control) or with Al in a simple medium containing calcium, sucrose and 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES; pH 5.0) for up to 18 h, the expression of NtSUT1 under its native promoter, or under the control of strong constitutive cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter, was strongly dependent on the presence of 2,4-D. Thereafter, the cells were preferentially treated in the presence of 2,4-D. During 6 h after a start of the control treatment, sucrose uptake rates were, compared to WT, slightly higher and lower in OX and RNAi lines respectively. The addition of Al reduced the sucrose uptake rates of OX and WT to the level of RNAi line, indicating that Al inhibits sucrose uptake via NtSUT1. During the post-Al culture of control and Al-treated cells in a nutrient medium, sucrose uptake rates were much higher in OX compared to WT and RNAi lines, which closely and positively correlated with the growth capacity of the cells. Judging from the growth capacity of Al-treated cells relative to that of control cells, OX cells were more tolerant to Al than WT and RNAi. In summary, we conclude that over-expression of NtSUT1 confers higher growth capacity in actively growing cells as well as in Al-treated cells.     

Farmers’ Perspectives on Animal Husbandry Information Services in India

In an emerging knowledge economy, an efficient transfer of quality information to farming communities for better decision making is critical. This article analyzes the effectiveness of livestock information delivery services in Uttar Pradesh, India, based on primary and secondary data sources. Findings of the study indicate that public sector initiatives to deliver information on livestock practices are seriously lacking and farmers are primarily dependent on progressive farmers for livestock-related solutions. In addition, there is limited availability of information on critical aspects of livestock decision making, as about 70% of farmers are using only animal-health-related information. Results from a primary survey indicate that the information used by farmers is of average quality due to the paucity of information emanating from organized extension services and suggest improvement in the quality, reliability, and timeliness of information delivery.     

Effect of Targeted Agricultural Information Delivery Approach on Farmers’ Access to Agricultural Information in Nigeria

Access to information by rural farmers in Nigeria is inefficient due to a variety of factors which include insufficient extension staff and dearth of information in the right format. In order to ensure delivery of timely and relevant information to rural farmers, Information Resource Centers (IRCs) were established in Adopted Villages across the country by the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), an agricultural extension research institute based in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Farmers’ access to information was enhanced through this approach and it was cost effective as both NAERLS and the farmers contributed to running the IRCs.     

Phosphorus and Micronutrient Nutrition of Chickpea Genotypes in a Multi-Nutrient-Deficient Typic Ustochrept

ABSTRACT

The chickpea breeding program in India has not yet considered the genotypic variation in phosphorus (P) efficiency, despite the fact that the largest proportion of chickpea-growing soils are P deficient. Since general P application to chickpea is at sub-optimum levels, efficient P-utilizing genotypes will perform better than others under P-deficient conditions. High levels of P application may induce zinc (Zn) deficiency in plants grown on Zn-deficient soils. Twenty chickpea genotypes were evaluated for their P efficiency at varied levels of added P, and the effect of P levels on Zn, iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) nutrition was studied in pot-culture experiments. Three criteria were used for evaluating P efficiency; shoot dry-matter yield without P, P-uptake efficiency (PUPE), and P-utilization efficiency (PUSE). Under P-deficiency conditions (control), the genotypes BG-256, HK-94-134, Phule-G-5, and Vikash produced the highest shoot biomass. However, genotypes that were found to be superior in the absence of P did not perform in a similar way under optimum P supply. Root dry weight showed a highly significant correlation with P uptake at all P levels. In the case of PUPE, genotypes KPG-59 and Pusa-209 were found to be superior to others. With increasing P levels, PUSE declined in all the genotypes. Increasing P up to 13.5 mg kg^?1 soil increased Zn concentration, while further increase led to decreased concentration. Genotypes KPG-59, BG-256, RSG-888, and JG-315 showed Zn concentrations below the critical limit of 20 μg Zn g^?1 dry weight (DW) at the high level of P application (27.0 mg kg^?1). Iron concentration decreased with increasing P levels. Up to 13.5 mg kg^?1 P application, Cu concentration increased and thereafter decreased. Manganese concentration gradually increased with the increasing P levels studied. Based on three criteria, BG-256 can be recommended for use in P-deficient conditions and can be good germplasm source material for chickpea-breeding programs for evolving P-efficient genotypes. Results also suggest that when selecting P-efficient genotypes of chickpea, it is essential to apply deficient micronutrients.     

Evaluation of copper desorption characteristics using DTPA and citric acid for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rhizosphere of soils amended with sewage sludge

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to determine copper (Cu) desorption characteristics in ten bulk and rhizosphere soils (Typic Calcixerepts) amended with sewage sludge (1% w/w) using rhizoboxes. The kinetics of Cu desorption in the bulk and the rhizosphere soils were determined after successive extraction with DTPA‐TEA and 10 mM citric acid in a period of 1 to 504 h at (25 ± 1)°C. The results show that Cu extracted after 504 h using DTPA‐TEA were significantly (P < 1%) lower in the rhizosphere than the bulk soils. However, Cu extracted after 504 h using citric was significantly (P < 1%) higher in the rhizosphere than in the bulk soils. The results illustrated that, on average, citric acid extracted 56% more Cu from the bulk soils than DTPA‐TEA, and citric acid extracted 85% more Cu from the rhizosphere soils than DTPA‐TEA. Desorption kinetics of Cu in the two extractants was well described by power‐function, parabolic diffusion, and first‐order equations. The results show that a 10 mM citric acid extractant may be recommended to determine the kinetics of Cu desorption in calcareous soils amended with sewage sludge.     

Protecting potato plants against PVX and PVY viral infections by the application of native and chemically modified legume proteins

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Methylated soy and chickpea proteins (MSP and MCP, respectively), and 11S globulin (a soy protein fraction), are characterized by net positive charges and...     

一株绿针假单胞菌桔黄亚种在防治番茄匍柄霉叶斑病中的应用

为筛选对番茄匍柄霉叶斑病具有良好拮抗效果的生防细菌,本研究采用稀释涂布法,从四川番茄根际土壤分离筛选到一株对番茄匍柄霉Stemphylium lycopersici（Enjoji）Yamamoto具有显著抑制效果的生防菌株YS05。经过形态学特征观察、生理生化特征、Biolog测定和多基因系统发育树分析,鉴定其为绿针假单胞菌桔黄亚种Pseudomonas chlororaphis subsp.aurantiaca。生防机理初步研究发现,菌株YS05在代谢过程中可产生蛋白酶、氢氰酸、吩嗪-1-羧酸（phenazine-1-carboxilic acid）和硝吡咯菌素（pyrrolnitrin）,具有广谱拮抗作用,能够有效抑制9种病原真菌和3种病原细菌的生长。采用二分皿法测定其挥发性物质对7种病原菌均有抑制效果。离体叶片和活体盆栽条件下,接种菌株YS05的番茄发病率和病情指数均显著降低,离体叶片防效可达71.52%,活体盆栽防效可达61.27%。综上所述,菌株YS05具有良好的生防潜力和应用前景。     

Wheat Gluten Polymer Structures: The Impact of Genotype,Environment, and Processing on Their Functionality in Various Applications

For a number of applications, gluten protein polymer structures are of the highest importance in determining end‐use properties. The present article focuses on gluten protein structures in the wheat grain, genotype‐ and environment‐related changes, protein structures in various applications, and their impact on quality. Protein structures in mature wheat grain or flour are strongly related to end‐use properties, although influenced by genetic and environment interactions. Nitrogen availability during wheat development and genetically determined plant development rhythm are the most important parameters determining the gluten protein polymer structure, although temperature during plant development interacts with the impact of the mentioned parameters. Glutenin subunits are the main proteins incorporated in the gluten protein polymer in extracted wheat flour. During dough mixing, gliadins are also incorporated through disulfide‐sulfhydryl exchange reactions. Gluten protein polymer size and complexity in the mature grain and changes during dough formation are important for breadmaking quality. When using the gluten proteins to produce plastics, additional proteins are incorporated in the polymer through disulfide‐sulfhydryl exchange, sulfhydryl oxidation, β‐eliminations with lanthionine formation, and isopeptide formation. In promising materials, the protein polymer structure is changed toward β‐sheet structures of both intermolecular and extended type and a hexagonal close‐packed structure is found. Increased understanding of gluten protein polymer structures is extremely important to improve functionality and end‐use quality of wheat‐ and gluten‐based products.