Comparison of Regular and Selenium-Enriched Tortillas Produced from Sprouted Corn Kernels

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Corn kernels were soaked with different selenium (Se) solutions (0, 12 or 24 mg Na2SeO3/L), sprouted for different times and then lime-cooked for the...     

Spontaneous tomato fruit size,shape, and weight mutations and traits evolution

The results of study of spontaneous fruit size and shape mutants and inheritance of these traits in tomato are given and genetic processes are explained. It is concluded that the diversity of tomato fruit shape and weight in the collection is due mainly to mutations of genes—diameter of fruit width and diameter of height joined into an ovate cluster.     

Developmental stability of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) after treatment with biostimulants of plants

The treatment of buckwheat with biostimulants Floravit E and Atonic Plus in dilutions 10^?2–10^?3 and 3 × 10^?2, accordingly, had no effect on the stability and development of plants, as one can judge by the fluctuating asymmetry of metrical and meristic traits. Treatment with Atonic Plus led to a reduction of fluctuating asymmetry when control plants had a high value of asymmetry. Floravit E in the dilution 10^?1 caused an increase of fluctuating asymmetry of half leaf width. The same effect was observed when growing buck-wheat in a lead-contaminated soil.     

Features of transition of perennial grasses with adaptive Triticum-type proteins into anabiosis

During 1–7-day stages of ontogenesis (for example, in winter rye), biochemical changes in the aerial part of perennial grasses with adaptive Triticum-type proteins in the process of entering into the state of anabiosis were studied. It was shown that, at this point, biomass of the aerial part of plant was much higher than of the root system, and it accumulated raffinose, sucrose, glucose, and half-cystine. Synthesis of raffinose and accumulation of half-cystine continued until the stabilization of negative temperatures; as for sucrose and glucose, it ceased upon reaching the average temperature of the physiological zero, then the content of half-cystine and raffinose increased sharply, and the content of sucrose and glucose decreased at the same time. In the aerial parts of plants, fructose and phenylalanine were found, and their content increased upon reaching freezing temperatures. It was concluded that the polymerization of water-soluble proteins occurred in perennial grasses in a state of anabiosis. These proteins, along with raffinose, serve as cryoprotectants; sucrose and glucose are substrates for respiration; fructose is a substrate for respiration and protective metabolite; and phenylalanine is a substrate for the future synthesis of antioxidants.     

Application of complex compost in the course of winter wheat cultivation

Influence of complex compost on the agronomical properties of soil, winter wheat development and productivity, and quality of production in the conditions of a farm located in the Leningrad area of Krasnodar territory was considered. The positive action of the complex compost on these indicators was noted.     

Therapeutic effects of anthelmintic agents with ribotan immunomodulation

It has been established that the therapeutic efficacy of anthelmintic agents (fenbendazole, Nilverm) in combination with Ribotan depends on the dose of the immunomodulator. Administration of Ribotan in a dose of 0.05 mL/kg of body weight increased nonspecific resistance to invasion and enhanced the anthelmintic action of fenbendazole and Nilverm. Ribotan in a dose of 0.5 mL/mg has a negative effect on the result of specific treatment of mice infected by Aspiculuris tetraptera.     

Leaf physiology and morphology of Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh., Castanea mollissima Blume,and three backcross breeding generations planted in the southern Appalachians,USA

Backcross breeding programs have been used to transfer disease resistance and other traits from one forest tree species to another in order to meet restoration objectives. Evaluating the field performance of such material is critical for determining the success of breeding programs. In eastern North America, The American Chestnut Foundation has a backcross breeding program that uses Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima Blume) to introduce resistance of the fungal pathogen chestnut blight [Cryphonectria parasitica (Murr.) Barr.] to the native American chestnut [Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh.]. We compared physiological and morphological characteristics among seedlings of American chestnut, Chinese chestnut, and BC₁F₃, BC₂F₃, and BC₃F₃ hybrid chestnuts during their fourth growing season after field-planting. American chestnut and the BC₃F₃ breeding generation displayed photosynthetic light-response curves that were similar to each other but different from Chinese chestnut. Rates of photosynthesis were higher for American chestnut and the BC₃F₃ breeding generation when compared to Chinese chestnut for light levels ≥800 μmol m^?2 s^?1 photosynthetic photon flux density and for maximum photosynthetic capacity. Leaf morphology variables were not different between American chestnut and any of the breeding generations, but leaf area (on a per leaf basis) of Chinese chestnut was lower than that of any other chestnut type. Our results suggest that backcross breeding can be used to transfer desirable traits for restoration of native species threatened by non-native pathogens.     

Evaluating changes in switchgrass physiology,biomass, and light-use efficiency under artificial shade to estimate yields if intercropped with Pinus taeda L.

There is growing interest in using switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) as a biofuel intercrop in forestry systems. However, there are limited data on the longevity of intercropped bioenergy crops, particularly with respect to light availability as the overstory tree canopy matures. Therefore, we conducted a greenhouse study to determine the effects of shading on switchgrass growth. Four treatments, each with different photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) levels, were investigated inside the greenhouse: control (no shade cloth, 49 % of full sunlight), low (under 36 % shade cloth), medium (under 52 % shade cloth), and heavy shade (under 78 % shade cloth). We determined the effect of shading from March to October 2011 on individually potted, multi-tillered switchgrass transplants cut to a stubble height of 10 cm. In the greenhouse, there was a reduction in tiller number, tiller height, gas exchange rates (photosynthesis and stomatal conductance), leaf area, above- and belowground biomass and light-use efficiency with increasing shade. Total (above- and belowground) biomass in the control measured 374 ± 22 compared to 9 ± 2 g pot^?1 under heavy shade (11 % of full sunlight). Corresponding light-use efficiencies were 3.7 ± 0.2 and 1.4 ± 0.2 g MJ^?1, respectively. We also compared PAR levels and associated aboveground switchgrass biomass from inside the greenhouse to PAR levels in the inter-row regions of a range of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands from across the southeastern United States (U.S.) to estimate when light may limit the growth of intercropped species under field conditions. Results from the light environment of loblolly pine plantations in the field suggest that switchgrass biomass will be significantly reduced at a loblolly pine leaf area index between 1.95 and 2.25, which occurs on average between ages 6 and 8 years across the U.S. Southeast in intensively managed pine plantations. These leaf area indices correspond to a 60–65 % reduction in PAR from open sky.     

On the magnitude and dynamics of eddy covariance system residual energy (energy balance closure error) in subsurface drip-irrigated maize field during growing and non-growing (dormant) seasons

We investigated the magnitude and dynamics of the eddy covariance system (ECS) residual energy (energy balance closure error) for a subsurface drip-irrigated maize (Zea mays L.) field in 2005 and 2006 growing and non-growing (dormant) seasons. The corrections for coordinate rotation, oxygen, frequency, and Webb–Pearman–Leuning corrections improved the slope of the total convective energy (latent heat + sensible heat) with respect to the net available energy (from 0.68 to 0.84), but the data filtering (for horizontal and frictional wind speeds higher than 2 m s^?1 and lower than 0.2 m s^?1) had little effect on the slope. Also, the number of data points available for the analyses was reduced by 53 % after filtering. Overall, the daytime residual energy varied between ?100 and 200 W m^?2 during the dormant seasons and between ?500 and 600 W m^?2 during the growing seasons. Most of the nighttime residual energy ranged within ±40 W m^?2 during the calendar year in 2005 and within ?60 and 20 W m^?2 in 2006. During nighttime, the total convective energy is vertically distributed with respect to (R _n ? G), indicating that the total convective energy is independent of the variations in (R _n ? G). Secondly, it was observed that nighttime residual energy did not show any seasonal variation patterns throughout the two consecutive years and confined mostly within a narrow range of ±40 W m^?2, showing no dependency on seasonal changes in surface conditions. The maximum variation in residual energy was usually around frictional wind speed of 0.3–0.5 m s^?1 (varying between ?150 and 300 W m^?2) and then decreasing to a range of ±100 W m^?2 at higher frictional wind speeds. On average, the residual energy decreased by about 33 W m^?2 (after the intercept) for every 1.0 m s^?1 increase in frictional wind speed, whereas the residual energy decreased by about 4 W m^?2 (after the intercept) for every 1.0 m s^?1 increase in horizontal wind speed. Similar diurnal residual energy distribution patterns, with different magnitudes, were observed during growing and dormant seasons. Even though a slight decrease in residual energy was observed with increase in leaf area index (LAI) in both growing seasons, LAI did not have considerable influence on the seasonal variation in the residual energy. The residual energy was also evaluated by separating the data into morning and afternoon hours. We observed that the root-mean-squared difference value is slightly greater for the morning data than the afternoon, indicating greater residual energy in the morning hours due to weaker turbulent mixing than the afternoon. Overall, significant reduction in the available evapotranspiration data after applying a series of corrections possess challenges in terms of utilization of ECS for in-season irrigation management and crop water requirement determinations that needs to be further researched and addressed.