Determination of anthocyanidins in berries and red wine by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the determination of anthocyanidins from berries and red wine is described. Delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, and malvidin contents of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), black currant (Ribes nigrum), strawberry (Fragaria ananassa cv. Jonsok), and a Cabernet sauvignon (Vitis vinifera) red wine were determined. The aglycon forms of the anthocyanins present in the samples were revealed by acid hydrolysis. A reversed phase analytical column was employed to separate the anthocyanidins before identification by diode array detection. The suitability of the method was tested by determining the recovery (95-102% as aglycons and 69-104% from glycosides) for each anthocyanidin. Method repeatability was tested by charting the total aglycon content of two samples over a period of 14 analyses and determining the coefficients of variation (1.41% for bilberry and 2.56% for in-house reference material). The method developed proved thus to be effective for reliable determination of anthocyanidins from freeze-dried berry samples and red wine. The total anthocyanidin content of the tested samples was as follows: in-house reference material, 447 +/- 8 mg/100 g; strawberry, 23.8 +/- 0.4 mg/100 g; black currant, 135 +/- 3 mg/100 g; bilberry, 360 +/- 3 mg/100 g; and Cabernet sauvignon red wine, 26.1 +/- 0.1 mg/100 mL.     

Formation of Amadori compounds in dehydrated fruits.

The presence of Amadori compounds in commercial dehydrated fruits has been shown through HPLC analysis of the corresponding 2-furoylmethyl-amino acids obtained by acid hydrolysis. Furosine (2-furoylmethyl-lysine) was the main 2-furoylmethyl derivative observed in dried figs and apricot samples, whereas in prunes and dates similar amounts of furosine and 2-furoylmethyl-gamma-aminobutyric acid were detected. A considerable variation of 2-furoylmethyl-amino acid contents among commercial raisin samples was observed. 2-Furoylmethyl-gamma-aminobutyric acid and 2-furoylmethyl-arginine, the most abundant 2-furoylmethyl-amino acids, ranged between 9.9 and 75.8 mg/100 g sample and 10.0 and 62.5 mg/100 g sample, respectively. Most of the Amadori compounds present in raisins seem to have originated during the commercial shelf life period rather than during processing. Determination of 2-furoylmethyl-amino acids could be used as a method of controlling commercial dehydrated fruit and selecting storage conditions.     

Efficient In Vitro Shoot-regeneration Systems in Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

Two different protocols for in vitro regeneration of cassava using zygotic embryos and nodal axillary meristems have been developed. In both cases, buds were regenerated directly from excised explants without an intervening callus phase after a two-step culture procedure. In cotyledonary explants derived from zygotic embryos, prolific shoot formation occurred within 2—3 weeks on MS medium supplemented with 0.5—5 mg/1 BAP alone or in combination with 0.1 mg/1 NAA. Nodal explants with axillary meristems derived from aseptically grown seedlings or stem cuttings were used to initiate a round compact bulb-like structure on MS medium containing 10 mg/1 BAP. These latter structures, when cultured on MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg/1 NAA, 1 mg/1 BAP and 0.1 mg/1 GA₃, produced multiple shoots. Somatic embryos isolated at the globular/torpedo stage from zygotic embryo explants were also capable of multiple shoot production on medium with 1 mg/1 BAP. Rooting of regenerated shoots exceeded 95 % in phytohormone-free MS medium. No change in their ploidy levels was observed. Therefore, the protocols developed should be of use in the particle gun and Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of cassava.     

Evaluation of the Penman-Monteith model for estimating soybean evapotranspiration

The Penman-Monteith model with a variable surface canopy resistance (r_cv) was evaluated to estimate hourly and daily crop evapotranspiration (ET_c) over a soybean canopy for different soil water status and atmospheric conditions. The hourly values of r_cv were computed as a function of environmental variables (air temperature, vapor pressure deficit, net radiation) and a normalized soil water factor (F), which varies between 0 (wilting point, _WP) and 1 (field capacity, _FC). The performance of the Penman-Monteith model (ET_PM) was evaluated using hourly and daily values of ET_c obtained from the combined aerodynamic method (ET_R). On an hourly basis, the overall standard error of estimate (SEE) and the absolute relative error (ARE) were 0.06 mm h^–1 (41 W m^–2) and 4.2%, respectively. On a daily basis, the SEE was 0.47 mm day^–1 and the ARE was 2.5%. The largest disagreements between ET_PM and ET_R were observed, on the hourly scale, under the combined influence of windy and dry atmospheric conditions. However, this did not affect daily estimates, since nighttime underestimations cancelled out daytime overestimations. Thus, daily performances of the Penman-Monteith model were good under soil water contents ranging from 0.31 to 0.2 (_FC and _WP being 0.33 and 0.17, respectively) and LAI ranging from 0.3 to 4.0. For this validation period, calculated values of r_cv and F ranged between 44 s m^–1 and 551 s m^–1 and between 0.19 and 0.88, respectively.Communicated by R. Evans     

From on-farm solid-set sprinkler irrigation design to collective irrigation network design in windy areas

In this paper, a contribution to the design of collective pressurised irrigation networks in solid-set sprinkler-irrigated windy areas is presented. The methodology is based on guaranteeing minimum on-farm performance, using a historical hourly wind speed database and a ballistic solid-set irrigation simulation model. The proposed method was applied to the Montesnegros Irrigation District (central Ebro basin, Spain). The district irrigates an area of 3493 ha using an on-demand schedule. The average wind speed in the area is 2.8 m s⁻¹. An analysis of district water records showed that farmers often reduce water demand when the wind speed is high, but their irrigation decision making is limited by the capacity of the irrigation network and by the unpredictable character of local winds. Simulations were performed for 11 irrigation seasons, 2 triangular sprinkler spacings (18 m × 18 m and 18 m × 15 m), and 2 sprinkler models. The percentage of monthly suitable time for irrigation was determined for four management strategies. The first one was based on a wind speed threshold (3 m s⁻¹), while the other three were based on three levels (standard, relaxed and restrictive) of two irrigation performance parameters: the Christiansen Uniformity Coefficient (CU) and the Wind Drift and Evaporation Losses (WDEL). The standard strategy classified the time as suitable for irrigation when CU ≥ 84% and WDEL ≤ 20%. The thresholds limits of the irrigation parameters for the relaxed strategy were CU ≥ 80% and WDEL ≤ 25%. Finally, the restrictive strategy used thresholds of CU ≥ 90% and WDEL ≤ 15%. The suitable time for the first strategy (56%) was always lower than for the standard and the relaxed strategies (with respective average values of 75 and 86%), and higher than for the restrictive strategy (30%). In order to design the collective network, the hydrant operating time was equalled to the suitable time for irrigation. The differences in the cost of the collective network plus the on-farm equipment were particularly relevant between the restrictive strategy and the other three. Differences in suitable operating time were clear between sprinkler spacings, and less evident between sprinkler models. The application of the proposed methodology may be limited by the availability of historical wind speed records and CU estimates for different combinations of sprinkler models, sprinkler spacings and wind speed.     

Salinity and sodicity effects on respiration and microbial biomass of soil

An understanding of the effects of salinity and sodicity on soil carbon (C) stocks and fluxes is critical in environmental management, as the areal extents of salinity and sodicity are predicted to increase. The effects of salinity and sodicity on the soil microbial biomass (SMB) and soil respiration were assessed over 12weeks under controlled conditions by subjecting disturbed soil samples from a vegetated soil profile to leaching with one of six salt solutions; a combination of low-salinity (0.5dSm⁻¹), mid-salinity (10dSm⁻¹), or high-salinity (30dSm⁻¹), with either low-sodicity (sodium adsorption ratio, SAR, 1), or high-sodicity (SAR 30) to give six treatments: control (low-salinity low-sodicity); low-salinity high-sodicity; mid-salinity low-sodicity; mid-salinity high-sodicity; high-salinity low-sodicity; and high-salinity high-sodicity. Soil respiration rate was highest (56–80mg CO₂-C kg⁻¹ soil) in the low-salinity treatments and lowest (1–5mg CO₂-C kg⁻¹ soil) in the mid-salinity treatments, while the SMB was highest in the high-salinity treatments (459–565mg kg⁻¹ soil) and lowest in the low-salinity treatments (158–172mg kg⁻¹ soil). This was attributed to increased substrate availability with high salt concentrations through either increased dispersion of soil aggregates or dissolution or hydrolysis of soil organic matter, which may offset some of the stresses placed on the microbial population from high salt concentrations. The apparent disparity in trends in respiration and the SMB may be due to an induced shift in the microbial population, from one dominated by more active microorganisms to one dominated by less active microorganisms.     

Occurrence and Distribution of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate and Perfluorooctanoic Acid in the Rivers of Tokyo

Comprehensive survey of major rivers in the Tokyo metropolitan area was conducted for clarifying the emission sources of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in Tokyo. PFOS was found at all sampling sites at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 58 ng L^?1; in addition to this, it was also indicated that unknown PFOS emission sources are present in the midstream of the Tama River basin. The relationship between PFOS and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was constant at a ratio of 10:3 (PFOS/PFOA) throughout the Tama River basin. The sum of daily load amounts of PFOS from Tokyo’s major rivers to Tokyo Bay reached 215 g day^?1. This value corresponds to 12.8 μg day^?1 per person using the sum of wastewater treatment district populations. In contrast, an estimation of PFOS contribution of domestic wastewater was also attempted, and the contribution was 1.6 μg day^?1 per person. We took samples up trunk sewers in the Tama River and finally found at the highest PFOS concentration (58,000 ng L^?1) from one of the wastewater of the electronic parts manufacturing facilities.     

A comparison of the properties of manufactured soils produced from composting municipal green waste alone or with poultry manure or grease trap/septage waste

Manufactured soil for landscaping purposes was produced by composting for 6 weeks (1) municipal green waste alone, (2) green waste amended with 25% v/v poultry manure, or (3) green waste immersed in, and then removed from, a mixture of liquid grease trap waste/septage. Composting temperatures increased most rapidly and reached highest values (78oC) in the grease trap/septage-amended green waste. In comparison with green waste alone, addition of poultry manure prolonged the period of elevated temperatures and increased the maximum temperature attained from 52oC to 61oC. Following composting, each of the materials was split into (1) 100% compost, (2) 80% compost plus 20% v/v soil, and (3) 70% compost plus 20% soil plus 10% coal fly ash. Addition of poultry manure or grease trap/septage to green waste prior to composting increased bulk density and reduced total porosity of the composted product. Addition of soil, or soil and ash, to composts increased bulk density, reduced total porosity, decreased percentage macropores, and increased percentage mesopores and available water-holding capacity. Bicarbonate-extractable P, exchangeable NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻, electrical conductivity (EC), soluble C, soluble C as a percentage of organic C, basal respiration, and metabolic quotient were all markedly greater in the grease trap/septage-amended than poultry manure-amended or green waste alone treatments. Values for extractable P and EC were considered large enough to be damaging to plant growth and germination index (GI) of watercress was less than 60% for all grease trap/septage composts. Extractable P and EC were also high, and GI was <100%, in the green waste alone and poultry manure-amended green waste alone treatments. Addition of soil or soil and ash to these composts resulted in GI values >100%.     

Variation in baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) leaf morphology and its relation to drought tolerance

The baobab tree (Adansonia digitata L.) is a valued savannah tree. Although variation in fruit characteristics of this tree have been studied, no studies to our knowledge have been carried out on variation of leaf morphology which can be linked to drought adaptation mechanisms. Accessions of baobab from different ecosystems in Benin were characterised for leaf size and thickness, stomata size and density on the abaxial surface of leaves. Significant variation was found in leaf size and stomata characteristics. Trees from northern study sites had higher stomata density and smaller guard cell length than those from southern study sites. The results show that pruning has a significant effect on leaf size, but not on stomatal characteristics. Trees from northern study sites showed more xerophytic characteristics than those from the south. It seems that genetic and physiological effects may play a role in baobab drought adaptation.     

饲喂不同方法处理的高粱对绵羊瘤胃微生物蛋白生产的影响

25只绵羊分成5组，每组5只，每只羊每天喂给苜蓿二草420g，另加用下列方法处理的高粱子实280g：a.未处理的高粱；b.微波处理（1．5g高梁微波处理15min）；c。120℃蒸汽处理10min；d。0．5％洗涤剂浸泡30min；e．水浸泡30min。用嘌呤衍生物在尿中的排泄量估测瘤胃微生物蛋白的产量。瘤胃微生物蛋白产量及其生产效率均未受高粱处理方法的影响。