Effect of night humidity on the vegetative growth and the mineral composition of tomato and strawberry plants

Conditions of low night humidity (50–55%) and high night humidity (90–95%) were imposed on tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Young-Kwang) for 30 days, and on strawberry plants (Fragaria grandiflora Ehrh. cv. Bogyo) for 40 days. Shoot dry weight and leaf area in tomato plants increased with high night humidity whereas the strawberry plants did not show any such increases. The concentrations of five major nutrients (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) were reduced in tomato plants under high night humidity, with the calcium content in younger leaves being the most severely affected. For the strawberry plants, however, high night humidity tended to increase the concentrations of major nutrients, including calcium in the younger leaves. Possible reasons for the differences in response of these two species to night humidity are discussed.     

Assessing PCV2 antibodies in field pigs vaccinated with different porcine circovirus 2 vaccines using two commercial ELISA systems

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the primary causative agent for post-weaning, multisystemic, wasting syndrome. Consequently, serologic detection of and vaccination against PCV2 are important for the swine industry. Among several serological tests, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is commonly used to measure anti-PCV2 antibody levels. In the present study, we used two commercial ELISA systems to comparatively evaluate anti-PCV2 antibodies in field pigs treated with three different PCV2 vaccines. Among a total of 517 serum samples, the results of the two ELISAs were fully concordant for 365 positive and 42 negative samples, indicating 78.7% agreement. In addition, the Pearson coefficient (0.636) indicated a moderate correlation between data from the two ELISAs. Results from the farms with pigs vaccinated with the three different PCV2 vaccines demonstrated that most of the vaccinated animals underwent seroconversion. However, the increase and duration of antibody titers varied depending on the vaccine, the presence of maternal antibodies, and the vaccination program. PCV2 serologic status and anti-PCV2 antibody levels of herds from this study could be utilized to determine the best timing for vaccination and assessing vaccination compliance.     

Characterizing yarn thickness variation by correlograms

The surface evenness and texture are closely related with the irregularity of yarn thickness. Besides, yarn thickness variation has an important role to influence the yarn performance and the textile process efficiency. Thus, the information not only on the yarn thickness, but also on the short- term irregular characteristics that have not been known before is required for enhancing the qualities of textile products. This paper reports the results of a study about the yarn thickness and its variation for various types of yarn on the basis of a new measurement system applying a laser slit beam as a light source. The new method delivers effective information on the irregularity. The analysis of the measured signal confirms that the visual shade created by the yarn doubling and twisting can be measured and the yarn thickness characteristics can be represented by correlograms. Depending on yarn types, correlograms have different shapes and can be approximated to an exponentially decaying function with or without fluctuating magnitude. In addition, the effective information on the yarn irregularity can be influenced by the sampling length interval of the measuring device used for tests.     

Effects of spinning processes on HVI fiber characteristics and spun yarn properties

The effects of opening, carding, and repeated drawings on single fiber and bundle cotton characteristics were studied by employing Mantis®, AFIS® and HVI Testers. Some of the significant changes in single fiber properties were found to be due to process parameters as well as the changes in the fiber crimps, parallelness of fibers within HVI beards, and the actual changes in the tensile properties of the fibers. The study showed that the HVI test data taken just prior to spinning had the highest correlation with the yarn tensile properties. Based on the study results, we point out the potential of HVI for future quality and process control in spinning by recommending a set of expanded HVI output that is more scientific and comprehensive for the future control needs.     

Optimum Nutrient Level on Growth,Flowering, and Rhizome Production in Curcuma

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effect of liquid fertilizer treatments on growth, flowering, leaf mineral content, and rhizome production during forcing of Curcuma alismatifolia ‘Chiang Mai Pink’ and C. thorelii ‘Chiang Mai Snow’. Plants were irrigated with 200 mL of 1.3 g L^?1 of 15 nitrogen (N) -7 phosphorus (P) -14 potassium (K) water soluble fertilizer at 0, 1.3, 2.7, 4.0, 5.3, or 6.6 g L^?1 weekly. Days to flower, flower stem length, and leaf length were recorded, the mineral contents in leaves were analyzed, and the number of rhizomes with tuberous roots were recorded at harvest. Flowering of the first inflorescence in both C. alismatifolia ‘Chiang Mai Pink’ and C. thorelii ‘Chiang Mai Snow’ was significantly delayed when plants received 6.6 g L^?1 fertilizer as compared to the control plants. The number of rhizomes with more than 4 tuberous roots was highest when plants received 2.7 g L^?1 fertilizer. No medium-sized rhizomes with more than seven tuberous roots were produced when ‘Chiang Mai Pink’ plants received 0, 4.0, 5.3, and 6.6 g L^?1 fertilizer. Based on the production of rhizomes with four to six tuberous roots, optimum concentration of 15N -7P -14K water soluble fertilizer is 2.7 g L^?1 for C. alismatifolia ‘Chiang Mai Pink’ and 1.3 to 4.0 g L^?1 for C. thorelii ‘Chiang Mai Snow’. Although high boron content occurred only in the outer part of the second leaf when fertilizer concentrations were increased, leaf-margin burn (LMB) symptoms were not observed in both species and this could not be related to the production of rhizomes.     

A hybrid swarm population of Pinus densiflora × P. sylvestris inferred from sequence analysis of chloroplast DNA and morphological characters

To confirm a hybrid swarm population of Pinus densiflora × P. sylvestris in Jilin, China, we used needles and seeds from P. densiflora, P. sylvestris, and P. densiflora × P. sylvestris collected from natural stands or experimental stations to study whether shoot apex morphology of 4- year old seedlings can be correlated with the sequence of a chloroplast DNA simple sequence repeat marker (cpDNA SSRs). Total genomic DNA was extracted and subjected to sequence analysis of the pine cpDNA SSR marker Pt15169. Results show that morphological characters from 4-year old seedlings did not correlate with sequence variants of this marker. Marker haplotypes from all P. sylvestris trees had a CTAT element that was absent from all sampled P. densiflora trees. However, both haplotype classes involving this insertion/deletion element were found in a P. densiflora × P. sylvestris population and its seedling progeny. It was concluded that the P. densiflora × P. sylvestris accessions sampled from Jilin, China resulted from bi-directional crosses, as evidenced by both species’ cpDNA haplotypes within the hybrid swarm population.     

Rice Defense Mechanisms Against Cochliobolus miyabeanus and Magnaporthe grisea Are Distinct

ABSTRACT Responses of rice to Magnaporthe grisea and Cochliobolus miyabeanus were compared. In Tetep, a rice cultivar resistant to both fungi, pathogen inoculation rapidly triggered the hypersensitive reaction (HR), resulting in microscopic cell death. In rice cv. Nakdong, susceptible to both pathogens, M. grisea did not cause HR, whereas C. miyabeanus caused rapid cell death similar to that associated with HR, which appeared similar to that observed in cv. Tetep, yet failed to block fungal ramification. Treatment with conidial germination fluid (CGF) from C. miyabeanus induced rapid cell death in both cultivars, suggesting the presence of phytotoxins in CGF. Pretreatment of cv. Nakdong with CGF significantly increased resistance to M. grisea, while the same treatment was ineffective against C. miyabeanus. Similarly, in cv. Nakdong, benzothiadiazole (BTH) significantly increased resistance to M. grisea, but was ineffective against C. miyabeanus. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment appeared to be ineffective against either fungus. Increased resistance of cv. Nakdong to M. grisea by BTH or CCF treatment was correlated with more rapid induction of three monitored PR genes. Application of MeJA resulted in the expression of JAmyb in cv. Nakdong being induced faster than in untreated plants in response to M. grisea infection. In contrast, the expression pattern of the PR and JAmyb genes in response to C. miyabeanus was nearly identical between cvs. Nakdong and Tetep, and neither BTH nor MeJA treatment significantly modified their expression patterns in response to C. miyabeanus infection. Our results suggest that rice employs distinct mechanisms for its defense against M. grisea versus C. miyabeanus.     

Interspecific variations in seed germination of Corylopsis

This study was initiated to investigate the differences in germination percentages and rates between Corylopsis coreana Uyeki and Corylopsis sinensis var. calvescens Rehder & E.H. Wilson following a warm stratification (WS) and cold stratification (CS), and to study the effect of different WS temperatures interacting with different durations of CS. Warm stratification at 10 °C, 15 °C, 20 °C, and 25 °C was given for 1 month (1 M 10 °C, 15 °C, 20 °C, and 25 °C WS) followed by 0 M, 1 M, 2 M, and 3 M of CS at 5 °C (0 M, 1 M, 2 M, 3 M CS) and seeds were germinated in an air conditioned greenhouse maintained at 18.5 °C/18 °C. On average, less than 1% of C. coreana seeds germinated when sown without any WS and CS or with 1 M 15 °C, 20 °C, and 25 °C WS without CS treatment. However, 26% C. coreana seeds germinated after 1 M 10 °C WS without any CS treatment. Germination was not affected by WS temperatures when followed by 2 M 5 °C CS. It is concluded that C. coreana exhibited low seed germination at 10 °C and that this temperature could be considered the upper limit of CS for C. coreana. Only 2 M CS was required for more than 90% seeds to germinate. However, C. sinensis var. calvescens required longer than 3 M CS for more than 29% seeds to germinate. This clearly shows that there is an interspecific variation in optimum dormancy-breaking requirements.