Selection of fecund and chemically valuable clones of thyme (Thymus) species growing wild in Lithuania

The high infraspecific chemical and morphological polymorphism is characteristic for species of genus thyme (Thymus L.). This characteristic can be subservient to the selection of valuable clones from natural habitats. The objective of the present study was to select valuable Thyme clones from native flora of Lithuania according to the productivity of biomass and chemical composition of essential oils for the cultivation. Two Thymus species, namely large thyme (T. pulegioides L.) and wild thyme (T. serpyllum L.), grow wild in Lithuania and other Baltic States (Latvia and Estonia). Was established that T. pulegioides is more suitable for the cultivation than T. serpyllum, because can grow more dried total biomass (up to 3 times), are higher (2.8 times) and synthesize higher amount of essential oils with significant amounts of such biologically active compounds as the thymol, carvacrol, geraniol or linalool. Four most fecund clones of T. pulegioides (the total biomass of dried plant 29–45 g, the amount of essential oil in whole plant 0.5–0.7%) were selected which accumulate the highest amounts of thymol (up to 26.1%), carvacrol (up to 31.0%), geraniol (up to 45.0%) and linalool (up to 80.3%). The cultivation of these clones enables to get the high yield of biomass and chemically homogeneous herbal raw material of desirable chemical composition for the phytomedicines and phytocosmetics.     

Efficacy of different concentrations of Rotstop® and Rotstop®S and imperfect coverage of Rotstop®S against Heterobasidion spp. spore infections on Norway spruce stumps

Two Rotstop^® preparations, one containing a Phlebiopsis gigantea strain from Finland (Rotstop F) and the other one from Sweden (Rotstop S), were used in different concentrations to treat thinning stumps of Picea abies against spore infections by Heterobasidion spp. in southern Sweden. Trees were cut on three sites during the summer of 2004, and 285 stumps were treated manually ensuring 100% coverage. Spore concentrations in the treatment suspensions were ca 5 × 10⁶ and 10 × 10⁶ spores/l, and approximately 10 ml of suspension was applied per 100 cm² of stump surface. An additional 31 stumps on one of the sites were treated mechanically with Rotstop S; in this treatment the spore concentration was high, about 20 × 10⁶ spores/l, but the coverage was incomplete. Three months later there was a significant reduction in frequency and relative areas of Heterobasidion spp. infections on stumps with manual treatment compared with the untreated stumps. However, there was no significant difference between the preparations or the concentration of active ingredient in terms of their reduction of Heterobasidion infection. Mechanical treatment with incomplete coverage failed to control infection. Therefore, in conditions of moderate Heterobasidion spore load in the environment there seems to be no reason to use higher concentrations of P. gigantea in the treatment of spruce stumps.     

Comparison of postharvest practices used for cereal straw decomposition in a clay loam soil

ABSTRACT

During 2008–2011, model field experiments were carried out at the Joni?k?lis Experimental Station of Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry on a clay loam Endocalcaric Endogleyic Cambisol. The study was aimed to establish the comparison of various postharvest practices (mineral nitrogen fertiliser alone or together with a bioactivator Penergetic k, livestock slurry, red clover biomass and straw incorporation in the soil by a stubble cultivator at a 10 cm depth) on the acceleration of the initial (nine-month period) decomposition of winter wheat straw. During this period, straw mass decomposition intensity was 20.7–29.1%, carbon (C) concentration decreased by 6.5–22.8%, while an increase in nitrogen (N) by 1.1–2.2 times was observed. The highest straw decomposition rate was recorded when after straw incorporation autumn was warm and humid. That year straw mass C to N ratio (C/N) was 38–46. Under less-favourable autumn conditions, the highest decomposition of straw was achieved, having applied mineral N (with and without Penergetic) and livestock slurry and having incorporated the straw in the soil (C/N = 40–55). A slower decomposition rate was observed for the straw spread on the soil surface with mineral N addition or on undersown red clover.     

An architectural framework that may lie at the core of the postsynaptic density

The postsynaptic density (PSD) is a complex assembly of proteins associated with the postsynaptic membrane that organizes neurotransmitter receptors, signaling pathways, and regulatory elements within a cytoskeletal matrix. Here we show that the sterile alpha motif domain of rat Shank3/ProSAP2, a master scaffolding protein located deep within the PSD, can form large sheets composed of helical fibers stacked side by side. Zn2+, which is found in high concentrations in the PSD, binds tightly to Shank3 and may regulate assembly. Sheets of the Shank protein could form a platform for the construction of the PSD complex.     

Lithuanian forests and climate change: possible effects on tree species composition

Outputs from the HadCM3 Global Climate Circulation Model according to scenarios A2 and B1 were used for climate change predictions in Lithuania. According to scenario A2, the annual temperature will increase by approximately 4.0 °C from 2061 to 2090, while scenario B1 predicts an increase of 2.0 °C. In contrast to scenario B1, scenario A2 predicts an annual increase in precipitation of 15–20 % at the end of the century. Based on the predicted climatic data for the two scenarios and climate maps by European Food Safety Authority for the EU, we created climate analogues for Lithuania for 2031–2060 and 2061–2090. These areas were overlain by the digital map of native tree species distributions in Europe, which was created from the European Forest Genetic Resources Programme database. If climate changes occur according to scenario B1, in 2031–2060, Lithuania’s climate will become suitable for approximately five to six alien species, such as Acer campestre, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Populus nigra, and Prunus avium. In 2061–2090, these species will be joined by Sorbus domestica and Tilia platyphyllos. If climate changes occur according to scenario A2, at the end of the twenty-first century, Castanea sativa, Quercus pubescens, and Sorbus torminalis could expand this list. With respect to species dispersal rates, there is a high probability that the species A. campestre, A. pseudoplatanus, P. nigra, and P. avium will become immigrants to Lithuanian forests at the end of the twenty-first century. Approximately 20 new species native to Europe will be suitable for cultivation (scenario A2). Climate change will affect the distributions of native species too. An increase in the proportion of deciduous tree species (except Alnus incana) and some reduction in the proportion of conifers, Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), are expected in Lithuanian forests.     

Phytochemical Properties and Antioxidant Activities of Extracts from Wild Blueberries and Lingonberries

Among Vaccinium species, blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) are popular in the human diet. In this study, total phenolic, total flavonoid and total monomeric anthocyanin contents in the ethanol-water extracts of blueberry and lingonberry fruits grown wild in the forests in the central region of Poland were assayed. Antioxidant activities of the extracts from each plant were also evaluated for scavenging ability on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and reducing power by cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) method. Total phenolics in the blueberry extracts ranged from 4.58 to 5.28 mg GAE CE/g fw. The extracts from lingonberry fruits contained higher total contents of phenolic compounds (5.82–7.60 mg GAE/g fw) as well as total flavonoids (5.22–6.47 μmol CE/g fw) than those from blueberries (3.74–4.18 μmol CE/g fw). For the total monomeric anthocyanin contents, the blueberry extracts presented significantly higher values (3.01–3.93 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) equivalent/g fw) in comparison to the lingonberry extracts (0.32–0.47). Blueberry extracts exhibited higher antioxidant activity measured by both assays in comparison to lingonberry extracts. Water extracts from fresh and dried fruits also exhibited significant antioxidant activities for both types of berries. Considering the health benefits that have been associated with polyphenolic consumption, these fruits could appear as a good source of this group of phytochemical compounds for their direct consumption or their use as ingredients for the design of new food products or food supplements.     

The peculiarities of new textile hand evaluation method

The paper presents information concerning metrological and technical characteristics of KTU-Griff-Tester device, the optimization of its parameters and the cases of its application. It was defined that the behaviour of textile material during its extraction through a rounded hole depends upon its structure. Variations of geometrical shape of woven and knitted specimens can be described by mathematical expressions of shortened epicycloids and Cassini ovals. It is shown that waving process of disc shaped specimen can be predicted on the basis of the law of sine curve. The examples of textiles treatment with different types of commercial softeners are presented, herewith showing the suitability (sensitiveness) of the new device to detect the changes of textile hand. Meantime it is shown that the level of materials anisotropy can be decided on the basis of transformations of specimen’s geometrical shape.     

Early fungal community succession following crown fire in Pinus mugo stands and surface fire in Pinus sylvestris stands

The early post-fire development of mycobiota following a crown fire in mountain pine plantations and a surface fire in Scots pine plantations, and in the corresponding unburnt stands in the coastal sand dunes of the Curonian Spit in western Lithuania was investigated. Species numbers in unburnt Pinus mugo and Pinus sylvestris stands showed annual fluctuation, but in the burnt sites, the numbers of fungi increased yearly, especially in the crown fire plots. Both burnt stand types—P. mugo and P. sylvestris—showed strongly significant (two-way ANOSIM; R = 1, p < 0.05) differences in species composition; the differences between unburnt sites were clearly expressed but less significant (R = 0.86, p < 0.05). Fungal species composition of burnt P. mugo and P. sylvestris sites was qualitatively different from that of corresponding unburnt sites (two-way ANOSIM; R ≥ 0.75, p < 0.05). The chronosequence of mycobiota in surface fire burns was less clearly defined than in crown fire sites, reflecting the greater patchiness of impacts of the surface fire. Although both fire types were detrimental or at least damaging to all functional groups of fungi (saprobic on soil and forest litter, wood-inhabiting, biotrophic, and mycorrhizal and lichenized fungi), their recovery and appearance (fructification) patterns varied between the groups and among the burn types. The end of the early post-fire fungal succession (cessation of sporocarp production of pyrophilous fungi) was recorded 3 years after the fire for both crown and surface fire types, which is earlier than reported by other authors. Rare or threatened fungal species that are dependent on fire regime were not recorded during the study.     

Switchgrass from North Dakota – an adaptable and promising energy crop for northern regions of Europe

Searching for novel energy crops, an interest in C4-type plant switchgrass (SWG) has increased worldwide. The present research was aimed to study SWG genetic resources for most important agrobiological traits with a view of extending the range of energy plants in the Nemoral zone of Europe. SWG was studied for the peculiarities of developmental stages, winter hardiness, and dry matter (DM) yield. SWG regrowth in spring started one month later compared to the reed canary grass (variety ‘Chiefton’). All investigated genotypes matured seeds in the second half of September. The most winter-hardy SWG accessions (0–20% winter damage) were the majority of wild ecotypes and the variety ‘Dacotah’ from North Dakota (2–4 hardiness zone) as well as the variety ‘Summer’ from South Nebraska (4, 5 hardiness zone). Ecotypes from North Dakota exhibited a high breeding potential and prospects in Northern regions of Europe due to genotypic variation of winter hardiness trait. The varieties ‘Alamo’, ‘Falcon’, ‘Grenville’, ‘Shawnee’, and ‘Trailblazer’ that originated from warmer climate zones (6–9 hardiness zone) were heavily damaged or completely killed. The worst overwinter survival of plants was recorded after the first winter. DM yield was estimated at two regimens of cutting. When grass was cut once at seed maturity stage, DM yield in the first harvest year was 249 g per plant, in the second harvest year 349 g per plant, and in the third harvest year 493 g per plant. When grass was cut twice per season (at the beginning of anthesis and after regrowth of aftermath), DM yield was significantly lower: in the first harvest year the DM yield was 203 g per plant (18.4% less), in the second harvest year 182 g per plant (47.9% less), and in the third harvest year 272 g per plant (44.7% less).     

A method for mobility estimation of textile-polymeric systems

Laminated or coated fabrics are technical textile products and are defined as materials composed of two or more layers; at least one of them is a textile fabric and one or more polymer film. The presence of film layer changes all fabric’s properties and behaviour during its deformation. The goal of this research is to propose a new method for evaluation the influence of structural stability of coated fabrics and laminates on their shear stiffness. Seven commercial coated fabrics and laminates with woven or knitted base layer are used in this test. The shear behaviors of coated and laminated fabrics are analyzed during the uniaxial tension of parallelepiped shape specimens whose top and bottom edges are cut with pitch of 16 degrees. The extension test of such type specimens is carried out using a Zwick tension machine. The behaviour of the coated fabrics and laminates during shearing are evaluated from strain-stress curves and the results are presented.