Formation of the productivity of a legume-grass mixture under conditions of agrolandscapes in the central region of the non-Chernozem Zone of the Russian federation

The landscape approach to developing perennial grass cultivation practices made it possible to reveal ecologically homogeneous sections and to create the basis for organizing sustainable fodder production under the complex landscape conditions of the region. The adaptation characteristics of perennial grasses and their productivity are different in agromicrolandscapes characterized by the same geochemical association of relief features but on different hill slopes (southern and northern).     

Development of a new initial breeding material in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) using direct organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis

Summary Immature zygotic embryos from three inbred lines of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) were used as donor material for the induction of direct organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis. The scope of the spontaneously appearing somaclonal variation has been studied among the regenerants produced according to the method of Freyssinet & Freyssinet (1988), and was compared to the results obtained after gamma ray mutagenesis (7 and 10 Gy). Freshly excised immature zygotic embryos were used for irradiation treatment. Genetic changes occurring spontaneously during the regeneration procedure were observed for date of flowering, vegetation period, plant height, head diameter, 1000 seed weight, kernel oil content, and fatty acid composition. The mutagenic treatment had a marked stimulatory effect on the frequency of the regenerants produced and the degree of the observed changes. The 7 Gy treatment was most efficient for the majority of the characters studied. The type of changes was correlated with the genotype. The degree and type of somaclonal variation, with or without mutagenic treatment, should be sufficient for an application in the production of new breeding material.     

Antioxidant and Antihypertensive Activity of Extract from Thymus serpyllum L. in Experimental Hypertension

The low incidence of cardiovascular disease in Mediterranean countries leads to an increased interest of the scientific community for the Mediterranean diet. Our aim was to evaluate total phenol and flavonoid contents, antioxidant capacity, free radical scavenging activity and potential antihypertensive effect of aqueous extract obtained from Thymus serpyllum L. (wild thyme, TE), an aromatic herb from the Lamiaceae family (highly present in Mediterranean diet), in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and in normotensive Wistar rats. Total phenol content of TE was 2008.33?±?10.6 mg/L GAE, and rosmarinic and caffeic acids were predominant phenolic compounds. The ferric reducing/antioxidant power and antioxidant capacity analysis revealed strong antioxidative properties of TE. In vitro nitric oxide-scavenging activity of 1 mg/l TE was 63.43 % with the IC₅₀ value of 122.36 μg/ml. Bolus injection of TE (100 mg/kg body weight i.v.) induced significant decrease of systolic and diastolic blood pressure and total peripheral resistance in SHR, without effects on these parameters in normotensive Wistar rats. Cardiac index remained unchanged after TE treatment in all experimental rats. Given dose of TE did not show significant nitric oxide-scavenging activity in vivo. Our results indicate that TE may protect against hypertension in experimental model of essential hypertension.     

Peculiar properties of the composition of the organic matter of the original forest Phaeozems soils of the northeast of Kostroma oblast

The composition of the organic matter of the forest Phaeozem soil of Kostroma oblast, which is unusual in its genesis, was investigated by the method of physical fractionation. The Phaeozems were formed in an automorphic position on loamy sediments of Triasic age. The carbon distribution in fractions of organic substance (OS) is the evidence of the hydromorphic nature of the OS origin. A hypothesis about the cause of the formation of the modern organic profile of the soil during evolution is discussed.     

Martian meteorite launch: high-speed ejecta from small craters

We performed high-resolution computer simulations of impacts into homogeneous and layered martian terrain analogs to try to account for the ages and characteristics of the martian meteorite collection found on Earth. We found that craters as small as approximately 3 kilometers can eject approximately 10(7) decimeter-sized fragments from Mars, which is enough to expect those fragments to appear in the terrestrial collection. This minimum crater diameter is at least four times smaller than previous estimates and depends on the physical composition of the target material. Terrain covered by a weak layer such as an impact-generated regolith requires larger, therefore rarer, impacts to eject meteorites. Because older terrain is more likely to be mantled with such material, we estimate that the martian meteorites will be biased toward younger ages, which is consistent with the meteorite collection.     

Esterase spectra and adaptive plasticity in rice varieties

Analysis of the esterase spectra was performed on 27 rice varieties which differ in the duration of the vegetation period (early, medium-, and late-ripening varieties) and in the roots, stem, and leaf blades. Organ-and variety-specific differences were found in 5 esterase loci. Late-ripening rice varieties were characterized by lower resistance to salinization and thickening of crops, but not to higher temperatures. A definite correlation was revealed between these differences and those observed in the tissue-specific esterase spectra. Typical for early and medium-ripening varieties were genotypes with nonzero activity by esterase locus 1 (isoferment with the highest electrophoretic mobility), as well as its expression in various tissues simultaneously.     

Monitoring data on ameliorative status of agrolandscape

Long-term monitoring data on the ameliorative status of soils in the agrolandscape of a terminal moraine ridge are given. The effect of agroclimatic factors and specific features of the agrolandscape of the experimental station on groundwater level and moisture content in soil horizons are shown. The differentiation of agroameliorative measures for optimizing water–physical soil properties in different parts of the agrolandscape is substantiated.