Studies on Apple Bruising: I. Estimation of Incidence and Susceptibility Differences in the Bruising of Three Apple Cultivars

Abstract

Bruising in “Aroma”, “Cox's Orange Pippin” and “Ingrid Marie” apples grown in a Swedish research orchard were studied during two seasons—1992, 1993. Incidence was recorded by dropping fruits from 0, 5, 10, 15, 25 and 30 cm. Bruising increased with increasing drop heights, and dropping from higher than 10 cm caused more large bruise areas. The diameter of some bruise areas increased during storage for 2 months. Aroma was the more sensitive cultivar and Cox's Orange Pippin was the more resistive against bruising.

In order to compare bruise quantifying methods, we studied number, diameter, weight and volume of bruise. We found that the bruise weight parameter ((bruise weight/fruit weight) × 100) was the most accurate method owing to the correspondence between this parameter and impact energy.     

WHEAT GENOTYPES DIFFERED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THEIR RESPONSE TO SILICON NUTRITION UNDER SALINITY STRESS

We studied the growth and ionic composition of five wheat genotypes (Inqlab-91, Uqab 2002, SARC-1, SARC-3, and SARC-5) grown under salinity stress to applied silicon. Plants were grown with three levels of salinity [0, 60, and 120 mM sodium chloride (NaCl)] in the presence of 0, 2, and 4 mM Si in nutrient solution for 40 days. Salinity stress significantly decreased shoot and root biomass in plants with varying degrees. Genotype SARC-3 exhibited higher salt tolerance than other genotypes. Silicon (Si) application significantly (P < 0.05) increased plant biomass at both control as well as under saline conditions. Genotypes differed significantly for their response to applied Si in terms of biomass production. Silicon application significantly (P < 0.01) increased potassium (K⁺) concentration in shoots. Enhanced salinity tolerance in wheat by Si application was attributed to increased K⁺ uptake thereby increasing K⁺/sodium (Na⁺) ratio and lower Na⁺ translocation towards shoot.     

EFFICIENCY OF RHIZOBIUM INOCULATION AND P FERTILIZATION IN ENHANCING NODULATION,SEED YIELD,AND PHOSPHORUS USE EFFICIENCY BY FIELD GROWN SOYBEAN UNDER HILLY REGION OF RAWALAKOT AZAD JAMMU AND KASHMIR,PAKISTAN

A field experiment was conducted in continuity of our previous study to assess the effect of Rhizobium inoculation (RI) and phosphorus fertilization (P) on growth, yield, nodulation, and P use efficiency of soybean. Different treatments were i) Rhizobium strains (0, S₃₇₇, S₃₇₉, and the mixture of S₃₇₇+S₃₇₉ i.e. S₀, S₁, S₂, S₃); ii) phosphorus fertilizer (0, 50, 100 kg ha^?1 i.e. P₀, P₁, P₂). Soybean variety NARC-1 was as used as a testing crop. Results indicated that root and shoot growth increased by RI treatments whether used alone or in combination with P. Rhizobium inoculation increased plant height up to 12% while P did not show significant effect. Increases in soot dry weight, root length and root dry weight due to RI and P was 57 and 22%, 42 and 7%, 55 and 25%, respectively, over the control treatment. Number of nodules increased from 73 in the control to a maximum of 151 in S₂ while the number increased from 90 in the control to 147 in P₂. Combine application of strains and P increased nodules number from 65 at S₀P₀ to a maximum of 183 at S₂P₂. Similar response was also observed for nodules mass. Soybean seed yields ranged between 1710 and 2335 kg ha^?1 against 1635 kg ha^?1 in the control indicating a maximum of 43% increase over control. Concentration of N and P in plants and their uptake was significantly increased by RI and P. RI also increased the N and protein content of soybean seed. Apparent recovery efficiency (ARE) of applied P was 10?12% and the agronomic, agrophysiological, recovery, utilization efficiencies, and harvest index of P decreased with increasing P rates. Nodule number significantly correlated with the DM yield (r² = 0.78) and seed yield (r² = 0.63) while P uptake significantly correlated with root length (r² = 0.48) and root mass i.e. dry weight (r² = 0.65). Also a significant correlation existed between N uptake and DM yield (r² = 0.98) and N uptake and seed yield (r² = 0.65), P uptake and DM yield (r² = 0.73), and P uptake and seed yield (r² = 0.83). The results of present study indicated a substantial growth and yield potential of soybean under the hilly region and increase in yield and N₂ fixing potential (nodulation) can be achieved by applying Rhizobium inoculation with P fertilization.     

Pharmacological characterization of the Haemonchus contortus GABA-gated chloride channel, Hco-UNC-49: modulation by macrocyclic lactone anthelmintics and a receptor for piperazine

Invertebrate ligand-gated chloride channels are well recognized as important targets for several insecticides and anthelmintics. Hco-UNC-49 is a GABA-gated chloride channel from the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus and is an orthologue to the neuromuscular receptor (Cel-UNC-49) from the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. While the receptors from the two nematodes are similar in sequence, they exhibit different sensitivities to GABA which may reflect differences in in vivo function. The aim of the current study was to further characterize the pharmacology of the Hco-UNC-49 receptor by examining its sensitivity to various insecticides and anthelmintics using two-electrode voltage clamp. Specifically, the insecticides fipronil and picrotoxin appear to inhibit the channel in a similar manner. The IC(50) of picrotoxin on the homomeric channel was 3.65 ± 0.64 μM and for the heteromeric channel was 134.56 ± 44.12 μM. On the other hand, dieldrin, a well-known insect GABA receptor blocker, had little effect on the UNC-49 channel. The anthelmintics ivermectin and moxidectin both moderately potentiated the activation of Hco-UNC-49 by GABA, while piperazine was able to directly activate both the Hco-UNC-49 homomeric and heteromeric channels with EC(50) values of 6.23 ± 0.45 mM and 5.09 ± 0.32 mM, respectively. This piperazine current was reversibly blocked by picrotoxin which demonstrates that the anthelmintic specifically targets Hco-UNC-49. These results demonstrate that Hco-UNC-49 exhibits binding sites for several molecules including piperazine and macrocyclic lactone anthelmintics. In addition, this is the first report of the heterologous expression and subsequent characterization of a receptor for piperazine.     

Synthetic and green vegetable isothiocyanates target red blood leukemia cancers

Isothiocyanates (ITCs), the breakdown products of glucosinolates found primarily in species of Brassicaceae (Cruciferae), are potential anti-cancer compounds. This review compiles data on how through different modes of action ITCs and their synthetic counterparts target leukemia.     

New flavane gallates isolated from the leaves of Plicosepalus curviflorus and their hypoglycemic activity

Two new flavane gallates were isolated from the leaves of Plicosepalus curviflorus. The structure of the new compounds was established as 2S,3R-3,3′,4′,5,7-pentahydroxyflavane-5-O-gallate (1) and 2S,3R-3,3′,4′,5,5′,7-hexahydroxyflavane-4′,5-di-O-gallate (2), respectively. In addition, seven known compounds (−)-catechin (3), quercetin (4), lupeol (5), β-sitosterol (6), pomolic acid (7), β-sitosterol 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (8) and 4-methoxycinnamic acid (9) were reported for the first time from the genus Plicosepalus. Compounds 1, 2 and 3 were investigated for their hypoglycemic activity and showed significant hypoglycemic activity in Swiss Albino mice.     

Metabolic changes in the snake head fish Channa punctatus chronically exposed to endosulfan

The chronic toxic effects of a commonly used pesticide endosulfan on the carbohydrate metabolism of the fresh water telcost fish Channa punctatus were investigated. The fish were exposed to a sub-lethal concentration (0.2 μg l^?1) for 15, 30, and 60 days. The levels of glucose, total plasma proteins, lactic acid and haemoglobin in the blood, glycogen and lactic acid contents of liver and muscles were also measured. Alterations in the activities of hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase in the glycolytic pathway, and succinate dehydrogenase in the citric acid cycle were examined in the liver, kidney, intestine, brain, gills and muscles. The results showed that 30 and 60 days of exposure produced more significant changes in different parameters in comparison to 15 days. There was a decrease in blood glucose and total plasma proteins but lactic acid and haemoglobin levels were higher in endosulfan exposed fish than in control fish. Glycogen and lactic acid contents of the liver and muscles were depleted. The activity of hexokinase in liver, kidney and intestine was inhibited after 60 days of exposure but in muscles the enzyme activity was elevated. Glucose-6-phosphatasc was inhibited in all the tissues. Lactate dehydrogenase, pyruvate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase activities decreased in the liver, kidney, brain and gills after 30 and 60 days of exposure. In the muscles, the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase were elevated while succinate dehydrogenase was inhibited. The study showed that formation of glycogen and its breakdown were impaired in the liver. In the muscles, the rate of glycolysis increased probably due to pesticide induced muscular excitment.     

Experimental contact transmission of contagious pleuropneumonia of goats (Abu Nini) in the Sudan

Pleuropneumonia was induced in goats by inoculation of mycoplasma strain ... SGP1 (F38 type) and spread readily from them to in-contact goats which in turn passed it to other in-contact goats. This emphasises the similarity between the experimentally produced disease and classical contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP) thus supporting the view that SGP1 has an aetiological role in CCPP in the field.     

Effects of soil inoculants on the growth,transpiration and wilt disease of chickpea

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Glasshouse experiments were conducted twice to assess the effects of soil inoculants (Rhizobium sp., Glomus fasciculatum and Trichoderma harzianum) and...