An efficient potato pollen extractor for bulk pollen collection

Commercial quantities of hybrid TPS production require bulk collection of pollen from male lines. Current usage of a buzzer system by the potato workers has proved inefficient needing frequent repairs with continuous usage. Described is a modified device utilizing battery operated portable stirrer that allows more efficient extraction of potato pollen in large quantities without the disadvantages of a buzzer system.     

Constituents from fruits of Cupressus sempervirens

Two new phenolic glycosides (1, 2), along with fourteen known compounds (3–16) have been isolated from the fruit of Cupressus sempervirens. The structures of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic analysis and were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against glycogen phosphorylase and glucose-6-phosphatase enzymes. Compounds 14 showed a moderate inhibition against glucose-6-phosphatase and 15 against glycogen phosphorylase enzymes.     

Nano-sized albumin-copolymer micelles for efficient doxorubicin delivery

We present the discovery of a nano-sized protein-derived micellar drug delivery system based on the polycationic albumin precursor protein cBSA-147. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was efficiently encapsulated into nanosized micelles based on hydrophobic interactions with the polypeptide scaffold. These micelles revealed attractive stabilities in various physiological buffers and a wide pH range as well as very efficient uptake into A549 cells after 1 h incubation time only. In vitro cytotoxicity was five-times increased compared to free DOX also indicating efficient intracellular drug release. In addition, multiple functional groups are available for further chemical modifications. Based on the hydrophobic loading mechanism, various classical anti-cancer drugs, in principle, could be delivered even synergistically in a single micelle. Considering these aspects, this denatured albumin-based drug delivery system represents a highly attractive platform for nanomedicine approaches towards cancer therapy.     

Effect of zinc application methods on apparent utilization efficiency of zinc and potassium fertilizers under rice-wheat rotation

Apparent utilization of zinc (Zn) and potassium (K) fertilizers was examined in rice (Oryza sativa L.)-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using combinations of no K; soil applied K levels and no Zn; soil and foliar applied Zn. Application of 33.2 kg K ha^?1 in rice and 24.9 kg K ha^?1 in wheat along with foliar spray of 2 kg Zn ha^?1 at 30 and 60 days gave the highest mean grain yields. Foliar application of zinc increased Zn concentration in flag leaves, grain, and straw of rice and wheat and K concentration in flag leaves of rice and straw of wheat significantly. Potassium application increased Zn concentration in rice grain and straw and K concentration in wheat straw significantly. Zinc and K increased the uptake of each other in grain; straw and total uptake by both crops significantly. Zinc fertilizer enhanced the utilization of soil K. Potassium fertilizer enhanced the utilization of applied Zn.     

Evaluation of morpho-physiological traits of MRQ74 pyramided lines with drought yield QTLs

Drought regularly affects rainfed lowland and upland rice ecosystems in Malaysia. Three drought yield QTLs, viz qDTY _2.2 , qDTY _3.1 and qDTY _12.1 successfully pyramided into MRQ74 to increase its yield under reproductive stage drought stress (RS). Forty-eight genotypes comprising 39 pyramided lines (PLs) with different qDTYs combinations, four parents including MRQ74 (recipient) and five checks were evaluated for morpho-physiological traits under RS and non-stress (NS). This study aims to determine which traits influenced by individual qDTY and qDTY combinations and to gain better understanding of QTL interactions in enhancing grain yield (GY) under RS. Results showed plant height, number of panicles, root length, root weight, relative water content and 100-grain weight increased while chlorophyll content and GY decreased under RS compared to NS. No significant difference was observed in days to flowering, leaf rolling and grain length between selected PLs and MRQ74 under RS. Six PLs with yield advantage (YA) of 208.17–1751.63 kg ha^?1 compared to MRQ74 in RS but yielded similar to MRQ74 under NS were further selected. Under RS, qDTY class analysis showed qDTY _12.1 individually and combination qDTY _12.1  + ?qDTY _2.2 produced the highest yield of 1521.77 and 1092.30 kg ha^?1 respectively. qDTY _12.1 as single or combination with other qDTY is the best qDTY in stabilizing GY under RS. PL-77 with qDTY _12.1 is the best PL with YA of more than 1100 kg ha^?1 compared to MRQ74 in both RS and NS conditions can be recommended for cultivation in normal and drought-prone areas.     

Soil properties,crop productivity and energetics under different tillage practices in fodder sorghum + cowpea – wheat cropping system

Tillage is an important agricultural operation which influences soil properties, crop yield and environment. Nine combinations of three tillage practices including conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT) and zero tillage (ZT) were evaluated in fodder sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) + cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) – wheat (Triticum durum) cropping system for 5 years (2009–2014) on clay loam soil under limited irrigation. Continuous ZT practices significantly improved surface soil organic carbon, bulk density, infiltration rate and maximum water holding capacity. Carbon sequestration rate, soil organic carbon stock and soil enzymatic activities were relatively more under ZT than CT-CT practice. Higher fodder yield of sorghum + cowpea was recorded with CT (kharif) while wheat grain yield with ZT (rabi). However, the system productivity was statistically similar in all the tillage treatments on pooled data basis. The economic benefits were also maximum under ZT-ZT practice. The ZT-ZT practice recorded significantly lowest energy input (17.1 GJ ha^?1) which resulted in highest energy use efficiency (13.6) and energy productivity (518 kg GJ^?1). Thus, adoption of ZT significantly improved soil health, stabilized crop yield, increased profitability and energy use efficiency in the semi-arid agro-ecosystem.     

Simple methods for measurement of bovine mucosal antibody responses in vivo

The mucosal immune response serves as the first line of defence against many bacterial and viral diseases. Therefore, measurement of mucosal immune responses is important in evaluating mucosal immunisation protocols and understanding initial host/pathogen interactions. In this study we compare two methods for repeated sampling of bovine rectal mucosal secretions, namely rectal swabbing and rectal biopsies, and evaluate a simple swabbing method for sampling bovine nasal secretions. Both rectal swabs and rectal biopsies yielded similar quantities of total IgA (TIgA)/ml. However, rectal biopsies yielded five times more total IgG (TIgG)/ml than rectal swabs. Blood contamination was estimated to contribute approximately 7% of TIgG and <0.05% TIgA in rectal swab samples compared to 40% of TIgG and 4.5% of TIgA in rectal biopsy samples, indicating that rectal swabbing was more effective at sampling rectal mucosal secretions. Nasal swabs were effective at obtaining nasal secretion samples with only 1% of TIgG and <0.05% TIgA estimated to be blood derived. Furthermore, H7 flagellin-specific antibodies were detected in both nasal and rectal swab samples following either rectal immunisation with purified H7 flagellin or oral challenge with live E. coli O157:H7, indicating that both techniques are effective methods for monitoring mucosal antibody responses in cattle.     

福氏志贺菌基因mdoD对细菌生长、耐热击及酸碱能力的影响

本试验以福氏志贺菌和印护突变体（敲除基因,mdoD的福氏志贺菌）为出发菌株,研究了福氏志贺菌基因叩护在低渗和正常渗透压条件下,在标准培养基和洗菜水中对细菌生长、耐热击及耐酸碱能力的影响。试验结果表明：在标准培养基中,opgD突变体生长效率比福氏志贺菌低,提高渗透压后突变体与福氏志贺菌生长曲线相似;在不同的洗菜水中,opgD突变体生长曲线不同,其生长速率明显比福氏志贺菌慢,加盐提高渗透压之后,福氏志贺菌和opgD突变体对数生长期均提前;福氏志贺菌和opgD突变体的抗性试验结果表明：opgD突变体抗热击的能力比福氏志贺菌显著降低,而opgD突变体的耐碱能力却比福氏志贺菌更强。     

Inter-population variabilities in seed mass and germination of Panicum turgidum and Pennisetum divisum in the desert of Kuwait

Understanding variability in seed germination among populations is essential for planning an effective germplasm collection for restoration and conservation purposes.The knowledge of germination and dormancy patterns among populations of desert grasses is crucial for determining the potential of the species and populations to be used for restoration and conservation as well as forage production.Variability in seed germination of Panicum turgidum Forssk and Pennisetum divisum(Gmel.)Henr.in the desert of Kuwait was evaluated in different populations in May 2017.Experiment of seed germination(25 seeds and 4 replicates)was conducted for each population at night/day temperatures of 15℃/20℃and 20℃/30℃under the following light condition:continuous darkness or 12 h/12 h light/dark.Results showed that seed masses of both species strongly varied according to their seed provenances,and both species produced heavier seeds in population with a higher soil electrical conductivity.Seed germination percentage considerably varied between two species,and the variation in P.turgidum was greater(17%–49%)than that of P.divisum(72%–93%).Germination percentage in P.turgidum was greater at high temperature(20℃/30℃)than at low temperature(15℃/20℃).However,temperature regimes had no effect on germination percentage of P.divisum seeds.Mean germination time of both species exhibited significant inter-population variability.This result is especially relevant to assure the selection of the best population of each species and the regeneration success of the species.Besides this,inter-population variability also provides valuable information for enhancing our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate seed germination and how they might be related to seed provenance.