Baseline sensitivity and the population shifts of Didymella rabiei in chickpea to the QoI fungicide pyraclostrobin in Alberta,Canada

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Ascochyta blight, caused by Didymella rabiei, is one of the most important factors limiting chickpea production worldwide. In western Canada repeated...     

ROLE OF BORON IN LEAF ELONGATION AND TILLERING DYNAMICS IN FINE-GRAIN AROMATIC RICE

This study was conducted to explore the role of boron (B) in seedling emergence, leaf elongation, and tillering dynamics. Boron was applied as seed priming. For priming seeds of two rice cultivars (Super Basmati and Shaheen Basmati) were soaked in B solutions having 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 0.5% concentrations. Substantial improvement in seedling emergence was observed from hydropriming and seed priming in 0.001 and 0.01% solutions; beyond this B concentration, emergence potential was suppressed. Seeds primed in 0.5% B solution even did not emerge. A linear increase in plant height was recorded up to 30 days from seeds primed in 0.001% solution. Similarly rate of leaf emergence and elongation and rate of tiller appearance were substantially improved in seedlings raised from seeds primed in 0.001% B solution. Overall B plays a significant role in leaf appearance, elongation and tillering dynamics of rice when used in very low concentration.     

Exploitation of Marine-Derived Robust Biological Molecules to Manage Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Naturally occurring biological entities with extractable and tunable structural and functional characteristics, along with therapeutic attributes, are of supreme interest for strengthening the twenty-first-century biomedical settings. Irrespective of ongoing technological and clinical advancement, traditional medicinal practices to address and manage inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are inefficient and the effect of the administered therapeutic cues is limited. The reasonable immune response or invasion should also be circumvented for successful clinical translation of engineered cues as highly efficient and robust bioactive entities. In this context, research is underway worldwide, and researchers have redirected or regained their interests in valorizing the naturally occurring biological entities/resources, for example, algal biome so-called “treasure of untouched or underexploited sources”. Algal biome from the marine environment is an immense source of excellence that has also been demonstrated as a source of bioactive compounds with unique chemical, structural, and functional features. Moreover, the molecular modeling and synthesis of new drugs based on marine-derived therapeutic and biological cues can show greater efficacy and specificity for the therapeutics. Herein, an effort has been made to cover the existing literature gap on the exploitation of naturally occurring biological entities/resources to address and efficiently manage IBD. Following a brief background study, a focus was given to design characteristics, performance evaluation of engineered cues, and point-of-care IBD therapeutics of diverse bioactive compounds from the algal biome. Noteworthy potentialities of marine-derived biologically active compounds have also been spotlighted to underlying the impact role of bio-active elements with the related pathways. The current review is also focused on the applied standpoint and clinical translation of marine-derived bioactive compounds. Furthermore, a detailed overview of clinical applications and future perspectives are also given in this review.     

Predatory potential of three hunting spiders inhabiting the rice ecosystems

Present study was designed to assess the prey preference behaviour of three most dominant hunting spiders [Lycosa terrestris Butt, Anwar and Tahir 2006 (Araneae: Lycosidae), Pardosa birmanica Siman 1884 (Araneae: Lycosidae) and Oxyopes javanus (Thorell 1887) (Araneae: Oxyopidae)] of rice ecosystems both in the laboratory and in the field. Two types of laboratory experiments, i.e., choice and no choice feeding, were performed using only adult male and female specimens of the spiders. No choice test showed that each of the three hunting spiders readily consumed larvae and nymphs of rice pests offered. Female hunting spiders consumed more prey compared to male hunting spiders. Results of choice feeding test indicated that L. terrestris and P. birmanica preferred nymphs of rice insect pests while O. javanus preferred larvae of rice insect pests. Results of direct observations showed that in August, dipterous insects were the most numerous rice pests consumed by L. terrestris, P. birmanica and O. javanus, comprising over 56.3, 38 and 48% of their respective diets. In contrast, in September, the proportion of dipterous insects decreased dramatically and hoppers become the most numerous pests, comprising over 50, 51 and 41% of all prey and spiders consumed by L. terrestris, P. birmanica and O. javanus, respectively. In October, aquatic Heteroptera were frequently observed in their diets. Predatory potential of these hunting spiders differed statistically in the laboratory as well as in the field. It is concluded from the results of present project that studied species of spiders could successfully be used to control insect pests of rice ecosystems.     

Soil morphological and chemical properties in homegardens on sandy beach ridges along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia

The morphological and chemical properties of homegardens in the beach ridges with interspersed swales (BRIS) soils were evaluated in order to find a clue for developing sustainable agricultural management. Field survey and soil sampling were conducted at the homegardens and secondary forests in Sungai Ular Village and in the experimental farm of Malaysian Agriculture Research Institute (MARDI), Cherating Station. Chemical fertilizers including ash, charcoal waste and plant litter were applied to the homegardens in both the inland-ward area (HG-I) and in the shoreline area (HG-S). Manure was applied in HG-I and seafood waste from fish processing was buried in the soils in HG-S. High correlation was found between total carbon (T-C) and cation exchange capacity (CEC), indicating soil organic matter was the determinant factor for CEC in the very sandy BRIS soils. The levels of T-C, total nitrogen (T-N), and CEC at 0–10 cm in HG-I in parallel with increasing ages of homegardens. The soils in 0–10 cm and 20–30 cm showed higher levels of T-C and T-N with higher C/N ratios in HG-I than in HG-S and the MARDI farm. The high levels of exchangeable Ca, Mg, and K in HG-I compared with the MARDI farm, suggesting that improved CEC with increasing soil organic matter in HG-I heighten the retention of basic cations supplied as chemical fertilizer, ash, and manure. The level of available P was higher in HG-S than HG-I, attributed by the seafood waste application in the shoreline area. Thus, on the BRIS, the levels of soil organic matter and nutrients can be sustained by the homegarden management although it cannot be regarded as a closed system compared with those in the other tropical regions because chemical fertilizer was used and a certain amounts of nutrients seemed to leach down beyond plant rooting depth.     

Genetic population structure of red snapper (Lutjanus malabaricus) and orange‐spotted grouper (Epinephelus coiodes) in Brunei and Sabah

The genetic population structure of red snapper Lutjanus malabaricus and orange‐spotted grouper Epinephelus coiodes in Brunei and Sabah was investigated using allozyme electrophoresis. Samples were collected from three sites in Brunei for E. coiodes and from three sites in Brunei and Sabah for L. malabaricus. A total of 22 loci and 16 loci were scored, respectively. The index of fixation (F_ST) for the E. coiodes population was 0.176 but, in general, it lacked within‐population structuring. The F_ST was particularly high between Brunei Bay/Jerudong and Brunei Bay/ Kuala Belait, suggesting genetic subdivision on a small spatial scale. Isolation of Brunei Bay from the South China Sea may constrain the movement of adult fishes and larval dispersal, thereby reducing homogeneity among subpopulations. All variable loci for E. coiodes were in Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium except for MDH* and GTDHP* (P < 0.01), in which two subpopulations showed an excess of heterozygotes (P < 0.01). The study on the L. malabaricus population showed a heterozygote deficit of approximately 60% in variable loci (F_ST genetic variation within population = 0.45; P < 0.05); however, the mean observed heterozygosity for the population far exceeded L. malabaricus populations in Australia and Indonesia. A F_ST value of 0.076 revealed moderate genetic differentiation among subpopulations of L. malabaricus. The genotypes were likely to be drawn from the same distribution in Jerudong and Kuala Belait. This study infers that sustainable management of snapper and grouper resources in Brunei waters must take into account the presence of a single stock and two stocks, respectively.     

Influence of Drought Applied at Different Growth Stages on Kernel Yield and Quality in Maize (Zea Mays L.)

Drought severely affects yield and its quality in different plants. In a field experiment, maize was exposed to drought stress at vegetative, silking, and kernel-filling growth stages to determine the drought-induced changes in kernel yield and quality traits. The experiment was laid-out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Withholding water at the vegetative stage was very effective in increasing protein, total amino acids, total soluble sugars, glucose, and sucrose contents in maize kernels. In contrast, drought applied at the kernel-filling stage increased the total free amino acids, total phenolics, and activities of catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in maize kernels. Drought at the vegetative stage improved the kernel quality while at the silking stage severely affected kernel yield in maize. Taken together, the results suggested that incidence of drought should be avoided at the silking stage to minimize kernel yield losses and decrease in kernel quality in maize.     

Removal of Trichloroethylene by Activated Carbon in the Presence and Absence of TiO2 Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles (NPs) are emerging as a new type of contaminant in water and wastewater. The fate of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂NPs) in a granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorber and their impact on the removal of trichloroethylene (TCE) was investigated. Key parameters governing the TiO₂NP?CGAC interaction such as specific surface area (SSA), zeta potential, and the TiO₂NP particle size distribution (PSD) were determined. The impact of TiO₂NPs on TCE adsorption on GAC was tested by conducting TCE adsorption isotherm, kinetic, and column breakthrough studies in the presence and absence of TiO₂NPs. SSA and pore size distribution of the virgin and spent GAC were obtained. The fate and transport of the TiO₂NPs in the GAC fixed bed and their impact on TCE adsorption were found to be a function of their zeta potential, concentration, PSD, and the nature of their aggregation. The TiO₂NPs under investigation are not stable in water and rapidly form larger aggregates. Due to the fast adsorption kinetics of TCE, the isotherm and kinetic studies found no effect from TiO₂NPs. However, TiO₂NPs attached to GAC and led to a reduction in the amount of TCE adsorbed during the breakthrough experiments suggesting a preloading pore blockage phenomenon. The analysis of the used GAC confirmed the pore blockage and SSA reduction.     

Variation in vitamin E level and aflatoxins contamination in different rice varieties

In the present study, a total of 380 samples of 5 rice varieties were investigated for the presence of aflatoxins (AFs) and tocopherols (Vitamin E) using HPLC, equipped with a fluorescence detector. The data revealed that super basmati rice has the highest mean level of total AFs (12.45 μg/kg) followed by KS-282 (11.2 μg/kg), basmati PK-385 (9.8 μg/kg), Irri-6 (9.7 μg/kg) and the lowest mean level was found in Irri-9 (8.9 μg/kg). Furthermore, the results have shown that the variety with lowest level of AFs has the highest level of tocopherol content; i.e. Irri-9 (53.2 mg/100 g), basmati PK-385 (45.9 mg/100 g), Irri-6 (45.3 mg/100 g), KS-282 (40.4 mg/100 g) and super basmati rice (40.2 mg/100 g). The data has shown correlation (r = −0.62, p < 0.05) between vitamin E content and AFs concentration in different rice varieties. The results are interesting and need further study to investigate the mechanistic background of vitamin E content and its effect on aflatoxins contamination.