Total chemically available (free and intrachain) lysine and furosine in pea, bean, and lentil sprouts

The effect of the germination of peas, beans, and lentils under differing conditions of illumination for different times on parameters linked to the Maillard reaction (chemically available free and intrachain lysine, lysine availability, and furosine) was evaluated. The chemically available free lysine content in the raw seeds of the three legumes was quite small compared to the chemically available intrachain lysine content, and furosine was detectable only in the beans and the lentils. The effect of germination was to increase lysine availability compared with levels in the raw seeds in all of the germinated samples, the smallest increase taking place in the lentils. In addition, furosine became detectable in all of the germinated samples. Quantities varied depending on the germination conditions but in all cases were higher than the quantities observed in the raw seeds. Linear correlations were observed to exist between some of the parameters considered in the three legumes tested.     

Beta-carotene isomer composition of sub- and supercritical carbon dioxide extracts. Antioxidant activity measurement

In the present work sub- and supercritical extraction conditions using carbon dioxide were studied in order to obtain extracts with different compositions from the green microalgae Dunaliella salina. Different compositions of beta-carotene isomers were identified in the extracts by using HPLC-DAD. Also, antioxidant activity of the extracts was measured using a TEAC assay. An experimental design was applied considering two factors, extraction pressure and temperature, in a wide range of values, trying to maximize the extraction yield. Higher yields were obtained at high pressures and low temperatures, that is, at higher CO2 densities. Attempts were made to correlate the antioxidant activity of the extracts with their chemical composition by means of principal component analysis. A certain relationship was found between their antioxidant activity and the isomeric composition of beta-carotenes. As a result, an original equation is proposed to predict the antioxidant activity of extracts from D. salina in terms of the ratio 9-cis-beta-carotene/all-trans-beta-carotene, the concentration of alpha-carotene, and, especially, the concentration of 9-cis-beta-carotene.     

Deriving river networks and catchments at the European scale from medium resolution digital elevation data

The extraction of drainage networks and catchment boundaries from digital elevation models (DEMs) has received considerable attention in recent years and is recognized as a viable alternative to traditional surveys and the manual evaluation of topographic maps. However, most studies have covered limited areas due to the lack of detailed information and/or the lack of highly efficient algorithms. In this paper we present an application that delineates river networks and catchment boundaries across the European continent from a medium resolution (250 m) DEM. We exploit novel algorithms based on the concepts of mathematical morphology and implement a landscape stratification for drainage density.A flow direction grid is computed using an efficient algorithm for the removal of spurious pits. River networks are then derived by imposing a variable threshold for the minimum contributing area needed to form and maintain a channel. This is achieved through a landscape stratification that reflects the ability of the terrain to develop different drainage densities. It is shown that the analysis of environmental characteristics coupled with the analysis of local slope versus contributing area enables river network mapping with a spatially varying drainage density. The result has been validated by comparing the derived data to digital river and catchment data from other sources and with varying scales of observation.     

Nitrogen conservation in soil and crop residues as affected by crop rotation and soil disturbance under Mediterranean conditions

We investigated conservation and cycling of N under oat–oat and lupine–oat rotations in disturbed and undisturbed soil, when roots or roots plus aboveground residues were retained. Crop residues were labelled with ¹⁵N in Year 1, and differential soil disturbance was imposed after harvest. In Year 2, plant growth, N transfer from residue into the various sinks of the second crop (plant, soil, and residual residues), and changes in microbial activity and numbers were determined. Oat biomass was greater after lupine than after oat due to differences in supply of N from these residues. Buried residues of both crops appeared to decompose faster than when left on the soil surface. Lupine residues decomposed faster than oat residues. Oat biomass was not affected by soil disturbance if grown after lupine but decreased when oat straw was buried in the soil. More residue N was recovered from soil than from the crop. Most ¹⁵N was recovered from disturbed soil, which also had greater dehydrogenase activity and more culturable fungi. At the end of the oat–oat rotation, 20 and 5 kg N ha⁻¹ were derived from the roots of the first crop in undisturbed or disturbed soil, respectively. Equivalent values for the lupine–oat rotation were 18 and 44 kg N ha⁻¹. Returning aboveground residues provided an extra 52–80 kg N ha⁻¹ for oat and 61–63 kg N ha⁻¹ for lupine relative to treatments where they were removed. Over a year, lupine contributed 9 to 20 kg N ha⁻¹ more to the agroecosystem than did oat.     

Yield and nitrogen use efficiency of bell pepper grown in SLAB fertigated with different nitrogen rates

Abstract

Adequate plant nutrition is important to reduce costs and increase the crop yield. This study tried to verify the influence of Nitrogen (N) on plant biomass production and the yield of bell pepper grown in SLAB; quantify the N use efficiency (NUE), and to quantify the residual N concentration in the substrate after the end of the crop cycle. The experiment was carried out in a protected environment. Pepper seedlings were transplanted to SLAB bags containing 40?dm³ of substrate. The treatments consisted of six N rates (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, 6.0, and 7.5?g plant^?1) split into 10 fortnightly applications, in a randomized block design with four replications. The fruit yield was evaluated throughout the experiment and after the final harvest, the dry mass of leaves, stem, and root of the plant, the N content and accumulated, the residual nitrate and ammonium in the substrate, and the NUE were evaluated. The rate of 5.51?g plant^?1 of N, corresponding to 355.5?kg ha^?1, provided the maximum yield of commercial fruits of 1.57?kg plant^?1 or 101.2 t ha^?1. With increasing N rate, the residual nitrate concentration in the substrate increased and the NUE decreased.     

The agronomic benefit of phosphate rock application with elemental sulfur depends on the reactivity and fertilizer placement

Abstract

A possible way to improve phosphate rock (PR) agronomic performance is through the addition of elemental sulfur (S⁰). We used ³²P isotope dilution method to assess the P taken up by crops treated with PR. Two experiments, one with common bean and other with upland rice, were carried out, to evaluate the effect of S⁰ on the agronomic performance of two contrasting PR, applied in different methods. Gafsa (GPR) and Patos de Minas (PPR) were used as the high and low reactivity PR, respectively. The experiments were arranged in completely randomized design on factorial structure 2?×?2 × 2?+?2; which means 2 PR (GPR and PPR) versus 2?S⁰ condition (with or without-S⁰) versus 2 application methods (band and broadcast) plus 2 additional treatments (control and triple superphosphate). In band application the S⁰ increased the amount of P uptake by plants from fertilizer of GPR from 2.57 to 9.86?mg pot^?1 for common bean and of 2.26 to 7.05?mg pot^?1 to rice. Regardless the management adopted, less than 2% of P applied as PPR has been taken up by crops. The addition of S⁰ as a strategy to increase the agronomic performance of PR is PR characteristics dependent and fertilizers placement.     

Korea’s importance in the East Asiatic gene center

New evidence from archeology and human genetics provides strong support for the introduction of rice agriculture to Japan by Korean farmers. This sheds new light on the formation and further evolution of the East Asiatic gene center and stresses the importance of Korean agri- and horticulturists in Eastern Asia.     

Fumonisin B-glucose reaction products are less toxic when fed to swine

The effects of fumonisin B-glucose reaction products in swine diets was examined. Pigs were fed diets containing 528 micromol of total fumonisin B/kg (FB), 528 micromol of total FB-glucose adducts/kg (FB-G, 122 micromol of unreacted FB/kg), or 0 micromol of total FB/kg for 15 days to test the efficacy of the FB-G reaction products in detoxifying FB. Weight gain in FB pigs was lower than in FB-G or controls, which was correlated with feed intake reduction in FB pigs. Serum aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and total bilirubin in FB pigs were higher than in FB-G or control pigs. Serum sphinganine/shingosine ratios in FB pigs were higher than in FB-G or control pigs. Microscopic examination of tissues from FB pigs showed generalized liver necrosis and apoptosis with marked cellular pleomorphism and disorganized hepatic cords. The liver and kidneys in the FB-G group appeared to be normal. Tissues of controls were free of lesions. Results suggest that dietary FB-G products are less toxic to swine and may provide an detoxification approach in instances of widespread FB grain contamination (p < 0.05).     

Diterpenes from Salvia broussonetii transformed roots and their insecticidal activity

The new diterpenes brussonol (1) and iguestol (6alpha,11-dihydroxy-12-methoxy-abieta-8,11,13-triene) (2) with an icetexane and a dehydroabietane skeleton, respectively, have been isolated from hairy root cultures of Salvia broussonetii. Other previously known diterpenes, 7-oxodehydroabietane, 11-hydroxy-12-methoxyabietatriene, taxodione, inuroyleanol, ferruginol, deoxocarnosol 12-methyl ether, cryptojaponol, pisiferal, sugiol, isomanool, 14-deoxycoleon U, 6alpha-hydroxydemethylcryptojaponol, demethylsalvicanol, and demethylcryptojaponol, were also obtained from these roots. The insect antifeedant and toxic effects of several of these compounds were investigated against the insect pests Spodoptera littoralis and Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Additionally, their comparative cytotoxic effects were tested on insect Sf9 and mammalian CHO cells. Demethylsalvicanol (4) was a moderate antifeedant to L. decemlineata, whereas brussonol (1) was inactive. 14-Deoxycoleon U (15) was the strongest antifeedant, whereas demethylcryptojaponol (11) was toxic to this insect. None of these compounds had antifeedant or negative effects on S. littoralis ingestion or weight gains after oral administration. Demethylcryptojaponol (11) was cytotoxic to mammalian CHO and insect Sf9 cell lines, followed by the icetexane derivative brussonol (1), with moderate cytotoxicity in both cases. The remainder of the test compounds showed a strong selective cytotoxicty to insect Sf9 cells, with demethylsalvicanol (4) being the most active.