Characterization of an Insoluble and Soluble Form of Melanin Produced by Streptomyces cavourensis SV 21, a Sea Cucumber Associated Bacterium

Melanin is a widely distributed and striking dark-colored pigment produced by countless living organisms. Although a wide range of bioactivities have been recognized, there are still major constraints in using melanin for biotechnological applications such as its fragmentary known chemical structure and its insolubility in inorganic and organic solvents. In this study, a bacterial culture of Streptomyces cavourensis SV 21 produced two distinct forms of melanin: (1) a particulate, insoluble form as well as (2) a rarely observed water-soluble form. The here presented novel, acid-free purification protocol of purified particulate melanin (PPM) and purified dissolved melanin (PDM) represents the basis for an in-depth comparison of their physicochemical and biological properties, which were compared to the traditional acid-based precipitation of melanin (AM) and to a synthetic melanin standard (SM). Our data show that the differences in solubility between PDM and PPM in aqueous solutions may be a result of different adjoining cation species, since the soluble PDM polymer is largely composed of Mg²⁺ ions and the insoluble PPM is dominated by Ca²⁺ ions. Furthermore, AM shared most properties with SM, which is likely attributed to a similar, acid-based production protocol. The here presented gentler approach of purifying melanin facilitates a new perspective of an intact form of soluble and insoluble melanin that is less chemical altered and thus closer to its original biological form.     

Establishment techniques affect productivity,nutritive value and atmospheric N2 fixation of two sunn hemp cultivars

Nitrogen fertilization is a common practice for sustaining forage production in forage systems in southeastern United States. Warm-season annual legumes may be an alternative forage to warm-season perennial grasses that do not require N fertilization. Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) is a fast-growing, warm-season annual legume native to India and Pakistan. The objective of this 2-year study was to assess the herbage accumulation (HA), atmospheric N₂ fixation (ANF) and nutritive value of sunn hemp. Treatments were the factorial arrangement of two sunn hemp cultivars (“Crescent Sun” and “Blue Leaf”), three seeding rates (17, 28 and 39 kg seed/ha) and seed inoculation (inoculated or non-inoculated seeds), distributed in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. Crescent sun had greater HA (3,218 vs. 1764 kg DM/ha) and ANF (41 vs. 25 kg N/ha). Blue leaf had greater crude protein (CP) (188 vs. 176 g/kg) and in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM) concentrations (564 vs. 531 g/kg) than crescent sun. Non-inoculated seed had greater CP than inoculated seed, 188 and 177 g/kg, respectively, and inoculation did not affect HA. Intermediate seeding rate (28 kg/ha) decreased HA (2002 kg DM/ha), while HA from high and low seeding rates (17 and 39 kg/ha, respectively) did not differ (2,863 and 2,615 kg DM/ha respectively). Planting non-inoculated crescent sun at 17 kg/ha seeding rate is a feasible management practice to produce sunn hemp in subtropical regions; however, inoculation should always be recommended for proper establishment.     

Effects of Different Factors on Concentration of Functional Components of Aronia and Saskatoon Berries

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Effects of different factors on the content of phenolics, anthocyanins, antioxidants and colour parameters in two varieties of Aronia and three varieties of...     

Artificial Diet Influences Population Growth of the Root Maggot Bradysia impatiens (Diptera: Sciaridae)

In order to investigate the effects of artificial diets on the population growth of root maggot Bradysia impatiens, its population growth parameters were assayed on eight artificial diets (Diet 1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, and D8). Results showed that developmental duration from egg to pupa was successfully completed on all eight artificial diets. However, the egg to pupal duration was shortest, while the survival rate of four insect stages was lowest when B. impatiens was reared on D1. When B. impatiens was reared on D7 and D8, the survival rate, female longevity, and female oviposition were higher than those reared on other diets. When B. impatiens was reared on D7, the intrinsic rate of increase (r_m = 0.19/d), net reproductive rate (R₀ = 39.88 offspring per individual), and finite rate of increase (λ = 1.21/d) were higher for its population growth with shorter generation time (T = 19.49 d) and doubling time (Dt = 3.67 d). The findings indicate that the D7 artificial diet is more appropriate for the biological parameters of B. impatiens and can be used an indoor breeding food for population expansion as well as further research. We propose that vitamin C supplement added to the D7 is critical for the improvement of the B. impatiens growth.     

Hybrid breeding for biomass yield in winter triticale: II. Combining ability and hybrid prediction

Accurate hybrid prediction and knowledge about the relative contribution of general (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) are of utmost importance for efficient hybrid breeding. We therefore evaluated 91 triticale single-cross hybrids in field trials at seven environments for plant height, heading time, fresh biomass, dry matter content and dry biomass. Fresh and dry biomass showed the highest proportion (23%) of variance due to SCA. Prediction accuracies based on GCA were slightly higher than based on mid-parent values. Utilizing parental kinship information yielded the highest prediction accuracies when both parental lines have been tested in other hybrid combinations, but still moderate-to-low prediction accuracies for two untested parents. Thus, hybrid prediction for biomass traits in triticale is currently promising based on mid-parent values as emphasized by our simulation study, but can be expected to shift to GCA-based prediction with an increasing importance of GCA due to selection in hybrid breeding. Moreover, the performance of potential hybrids between newly developed lines can be predicted with moderate accuracy using genomic relationship information.     

Breaching the black box: The role of ramps in Thai sustainable palm oil certification

Certification of sustainable palm oil as organised through the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil is based on a simplified understanding of the global palm oil value chain – according to which instructions about production practices can be directly translated from the palm oil mill to the primary producer. The reality of palm oil provision is much more complex than this as is shown in the case of Thailand. On the basis of qualitative field study in Southern Thailand this paper clarifies that intermediary stages, such as the collection of oil palm fruit bunches at the ramp, play a key role in the organisation of the chain. The fluidity and complexity of the palm oil flow at the local level complicates the promotion of sustainability through certification. Global and national stakeholders, such as processing and trading firms, non‐governmental organisations and national governments, should therefore open this black box of local dynamics to more effectively contribute to sustainability in palm oil supply.