Utilizing the γ-Irradiated Sodium Alginate as a Plant Growth Promoter for Enhancing the Growth, Physiological Activities, and Alkaloids Production in Catharanthus roseus L.

Sodium alginate is a polysaccharide that is largely obtained from the brown algae (Sargassum sp.).It has been used as a wonderful growth promoting substance in its depolymerized form for various plants.The aim of this study was to find out the effects of various concentrations of γ-irradiated sodium alginate (ISA),viz.,deionized water (control,T0),20 (T1),40 (T2),60 (T3),80 (T4),and 100 ppm (T5) on the agricultural performance of Catharanthus roseus L.(Rosea) in terms of growth attributes,photosynthesis,physiological activities,and alkaloid production.The present work revealed that ISA applied as leaf-sprays at concentrations from 20 to 100 ppm might improve growth,photosynthesis,physiological activities,and alkaloid production in C.roseus L.significantly.Of the various ISA concentrations,80 ppm proved to be the best one compared to other concentrations applied.     

High density cotton population in late sowing improves productivity and tolerance to cotton leaf curl virus under semi-arid subtropical conditions

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV) is a menace to cotton productivity in Africa and Asia, especially in Pakistan. Early cotton planting is one of the options...     

Breeding approaches for bacterial leaf blight resistance in rice (Oryza sativa L.), current status and future directions

Bacterial leaf blight (BLB) is one of the most serious threats to the rice crop in irrigated and rainfed areas of the world. It is caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae and has been known for more than a century. Through rigorous screening and selection, a number of resistant cultivars have been produced and utilized, but resistance was overcome by the development of mutant strains of pathogen and by the dynamic change in Xoo populations. About 38 resistance genes have been reported in rice against the disease and a few have been cloned. The pyramiding of several resistance genes through marker assisted selection has been a quite effective strategy for combating the disease. However, new powerful tools such as transgenics have been introduced to make a significant impact. The purpose of this mini-review is to consolidate the existing knowledge about bacterial leaf blight in rice and the progress made both in conventional as well as in molecular dimensions of breeding together with potential findings and constraints.     

Potato minituber production from nodal cuttings compared to wholein vitro plantlets using low volume media in a greenhouse

Summary A greenhouse minituber production system involving low inputs of in vitro potato plantlets and propagation media is described, in vitro plantlets of six potato cultivars were sectioned into nodal cuttings and separately planted into moist peat based growing medium in shallow plastic trays. Cultivar differences were evident with respect to node viability, shoot regrowth and minituber yields. Nodal viability for shoot regrowth varied between 80–100%. Maximum shoot heights were recorded with whole in vitro plantlets (WIP) and the terminal Node-5 cluster. All cuttings produced minitubers. The terminal Node-5 cutting and WIP produced significantly larger minitubers >3.0 g as compared to single node cuttings. Greater numbers of minitubers were produced by the cvs Norchip, Red Pontiac and Conestoga as compared to cvs Eramosa. G8610-4PY and Shepody. Total numbers of minitubers were 3 to 5 times higher from each in vitro plantlet that was sectioned into nodal cuttings as compared with intact WIP: the yield ratios depended on cultivar.     

Effects of water-soluble and fat-soluble choline sources on the performances of juvenile kuruma shrimp, Marsupenaeus japonicus Bate

The present study was undertaken to clarify the effect and interaction of choline chloride (CC) and phosphatidylcholine (PC), the water‐ and fat‐soluble sources of choline, on the performances of kuruma shrimp, Marsupenaeus japonicus juveniles using as response variables such as percent weight gain (%WG), specific growth rate (SGR), survival (SR%), feed efficiency ratio (FER), protein efficiency ratio (PER), proximate composition, fatty acids profile and free choline and PC contents in the whole body of kuruma shrimp. A 40‐day feeding trial was conducted as a 2 × 3 factorial experiment with six test diets containing three levels of CC (0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 g kg^?1) and two levels of soybean PC (SPC; 2 and 4 g kg^?1). Both of the choline sources (CC and SPC) showed a significant interaction (P<0.05) regarding all the evaluated response variables except for the proximate and fatty acid contents. Interestingly, there was a positive effect (P<0.05) of CC observed with increasing its level at the low level of SPC and vice versa. However, the magnitudes of the beneficial effect of CC in terms of the evaluated parameters were changed with the different dietary levels of SPC. Also, the inclusion of higher levels of SPC (4 g kg^?1) or CC (0.6 and 1.2 g kg^?1) diminished the effect of the other source.     

Heavy metal pollution of soil from industrial and municipal wastes in Chittagong,Bangladesh

Heavy metal pollution was assessed in soils collected from 0–15, 15–30 and 30–45-cm depths of three industrial (FMC, PMC and CMC), and two municipal (BSD and MLF) waste disposal sites around Chittagong city in 2008. Soils were analysed for pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available P, exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and Na, and total Cd, Pb, Cu, Mn and Zn. The pH, organic C, total N, available P, total Cd, Pb, Cu and Mn, and contamination indices for Cd and Pb varied significantly among sites. Mean Cd, Pb, Cu, Mn and Zn were in the range 0.5–1.9, 54–86, 25–50, 261–624 and 204–330 mg kg^?1, respectively. Contamination indinces for Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu were estimated by comparison with respective threshold values. Contamination indices showed that the sites MLF and FMC had low Cu contamination. Other sites were not contaminated with thisheavy metal. All sites except PMC were highly contaminated with Cd, FMC was moderately contaminated and the others had low Pb contamination. FMC was highly contaminated, but the others were moderately contaminated with Zn. The integrated contamination index revealed that PMC had low contamination and the other sites were highly contaminated with heavy metals.     

Effects of solution pH on the growth and chemical composition of rice plants

Rice plants were grown in solution culture for a period of five weeks at pH's ranging from 3.5 to 8.5. Maximum dry matter was obtained at pH 5.5, but substantial reductions in the growth of tops and roots were observed at pH's of 3.5 and 8.5. At pH 3.5, both leaves and roots were short and unhealthy. The roots were thickened with lateral root growth severely inhibited. At pH 8.5, the youngest leaves developed chlorotic symptoms with roots being coarse and discoloured.

Plant concentrations of essential elements were adequate for normal plant growth at pH 5.5. Iron concentration in plant tops substantially decreased with increase in solution pH, but a reverse trend was observed for roots. The concentrations of other elements progressively increased in plant tops and roots with increasing pH.     

Biocontrol efficiency of Fusarium wilt diseases by a root-colonizing fungus Penicillium sp.

Soil-inhabiting fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum often causes severe yield losses in many crops. We investigated the effect of a plant growth-promoting fungus, Penicillium sp. EU0013 on Fusarium wilt disease. In dual culture experiments, EU0013 inhibited the growth of Fusarium wilt pathogens by producing an inhibition zone. In experiments using sterile potting medium under controlled conditions, EU0013 significantly reduced the severity of Fusarium wilt on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata). In non-sterile soil, benomyl-resistant mutants of EU0013 were selected by exposing the conidial solution of EU0013 to ultraviolet light. The selected mutant EU0013_90S isolate did not show any distinct differences from EU0013 in colony characteristics, growth rate or antifungal activity against Fusarium wilt pathogens in dual culture. The effect of EU0013_90S on tomato wilt was studied under greenhouse conditions using non-sterile soil. Two-weeks old tomato seedlings were dipped in four different concentrations of EU0013_90S conidial suspension (1?×?10³, 1?×?10⁴, 1?×?10⁵, and 1?×?10⁶ conidia mL^–1). Seedlings were then planted in soil inoculated with either F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici race 1 CU1 or race 2 JCM 12575 (1?×?10⁶ bud-cells g^–1). We found the greatest disease suppression occurred when seedlings were dipped in the highest concentration of EU0013_90S conidia. This same inoculum concentration of EU0013_90S also resulted in the highest disease reduction in soil infested with JCM 12575. Higher root colonization with EU0013_90S showed a significant reduction in Fusarium wilt disease, suggesting that colonization by Penicillium sp. EU0013_90S is important for efficient biocontrol of these diseases.     

Optimum Dietary Level of L-ascorbic Acid for Japanese Eel, Anguilla japonica

A feeding experiment was conducted to determine the optimum dietary level of ascorbic acid (AsA) for Japanese eel juveniles using L-ascorbic acid Ca based on growth, AsA content in tissues, hematology, and bactericidal activity of serum with Escherichia coli . Test diets with six levels of AsA (3, 10, 27,126, 645, and 3,135-mg/kg diet) as Ca ascorbate were fed to juvenile Japanese eels (11.0 ± 0.2 g) once a day for 8 wk. High survival rates (> 80%) were observed among all dietary treatment groups. The specific growth rates of the fish fed diets containing 3 and 10-mg AsA/kg were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those of other groups. Liver and brain AsA contents of the fish fed diets containing 3, 10, and 27-mg AsA/kg were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those of the fish fed diets containing 645 and 3,135-mg AsA/kg. Hemoglobin content tended to be higher in the fish fed diets containing 645 and 3,135-mg AsA/kg than those of the fish fed other diets. Hematocrit value and total serum protein content of the fish fed diets containing 645 and 3135 mg AsA/kg were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those of the other groups. The fish fed diets containing more than 27-mg AsAlkg showed a higher bactericidal activity of serum than the fish fed the diets containing 3-mg and 10-mg AsA/kg. The optimum dietary level of AsA for the Japanese eel juveniles growth was estimated to be more than 27-mg AsA/kg. Furthermore, the inclusion of 645-mg AsA/kg or more also increased the hematocrit, hemoglobin, total serum protein value, and liver and brain vitamin C concentrations.