Measurement of coupled nitrification-denitrification in paddy fields affected by Terrazole,a nitrification inhibitor

Coupled nitrification-denitrification and potential denitrification were measured as ¹⁵N₂O and ¹⁵N₂ evolution rates in ammonium sulphate-treated rice soils with or without Terrazole [5-ethoxy-3 (trichloromethyl) 1,2,3 Thiadizole] under laboratory and field conditions. The greatest coupled nitrification-denitrification activity was found after drying and rewetting the soil, with maximum values of 322 ng N cm^–2 h^–1 in the laboratory and 90.8 ng N cm^–2 h^–1 in the field. These ¹⁵N₂O + ¹⁵N₂ evolution rates were about 10 times lower than potential denitrification in these soils. These results and the observed decrease in ¹⁵N₂O + ¹⁵N₂ evolution rate in soils treated with Terrazole (60% under laboratory conditions and 52% under field conditions) indicate that denitrification was limited by coupled nitrification-denitrification activity. Oxygen and previous addition of ammonium sulphate appear to control the rate of ¹⁵N₂O + ¹⁵N₂ evolution in ammonium sulphate-fertilised soils.     

Volatile compounds in Spanish, French, and American oak woods after natural seasoning and toasting

The volatile composition (volatile phenols, phenolic aldehydes, furanic compounds, lactones, phenyl ketones, and other related compounds) of Spanish oak heartwood of Quercus robur, Quercus petraea,Quercus pyrenaica, and Quercus faginea was studied by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, in relation to the processing in barrels cooperage and in relation to the French oak of Quercus robur (Limousin) and Quercus petraea (Allier) and American oak of Quercus alba (Missouri), which are habitually used in cooperage. The volatile composition of seasoned oak woods varied according to individual trees, species, and origins, and the differences were more significant in Spanish species with respect to American species than with respect to French species. The toasting process influenced the volatile composition of wood. It led to high increases in the concentration of volatile phenols, furanic aldehydes, phenyl ketones, and other related structures, but the effect on w-lactones levels depended on species and origin. The volatile composition in Spanish oak species evolved during toasting like in French and American oak, but quantitative differences were found, especially important in American species with respect to European species.     

Volatile compounds in a spanish red wine aged in barrels made of Spanish, French, and American oak wood

A red Rioja wine was aged in barrels made of Spanish oak wood (Quercus robur, Quercus petraea,Quercus pyrenaica, and Quercus faginea) during 21 months. The concentrations of some volatile compounds [syringaldehyde, vanillin, eugenol, maltol, guaiacol, 4-ethylphenol, cis and trans isomers of beta-methyl-gamma-octalactone, 2-furfuraldehyde, 5-methyl-2-furfuraldehyde, 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfuraldehyde, and furfuryl alcohol] were studied in these wines and compared with those of the same wine aged in barrels made from French oak of Q. robur (Limousin, France) and Q. petraea (Allier, France) and American oak of Quercus alba (Missouri). Similar concentrations of these compounds were found in wines aged in Spanish and French oak wood barrels, and significantly different concentrations were found with respect to wines aged in barrels made of American oak wood, indicating a different behavior. Thus, wines with different characteristics were obtained, depending on the kind of wood. Also, the kind of wood had an important influence on sensory characteristics of wine during the aging process. Spanish oak wood from Q. robur, Q. petraea, and Q. pyrenaica can be considered to be suitable for barrel production for quality wines, because a wine aged in barrels made of these Spanish oak woods showed similar and intermediate characteristics to those of the same wine aged in French and American oak woods usually used in cooperage.     

PCR-SSCP: a simple method for the authentication of grouper (Epinephelus guaza), wreck fish (Polyprion americanus), and Nile perch (Lates niloticus) fillets

A method of DNA analysis has been developed to verify the authenticity of grouper (Epinephelus guaza), wreck fish (Polyprion americanus), and Nile perch (Lates niloticus) fillets. A short fragment (208 bp) of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and analyzed by single-strand conformation polymorphism to get species-specific patterns of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). DNA strands were separated by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and visualized by silver staining. Discrimination among the three fish species studied was possible, because each one expressed a specific ssDNA pattern.     

Purification and partial characterization of three turnip (Brassicanapus L. var. esculenta D.C.) peroxidases

Three turnip peroxidases (fractions C1, C2, and C3) were partially purified and characterized, to permit study of their feasibility for use in clinical and enzyme immunoassays. These fractions represented 20% of the initial activity, and fractions C1 and C2 were purified to homogeneity. The optimum pH was between 5.0 and 5.5, while optimum temperature ranged from 40 to 55 degrees C. The ABTS K(m) values for the two acidic fractions (C2 and C3) were 0.70 and 0.42 mM, respectively; about 5 times lower than that reported for the acidic commercial horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Fraction C3 had 4 times higher K(m) value than commercial cationic HRP. The molecular weights determined by SDS-PAGE ranged from 39.2 to 42.5 kDa. Activation energies for inactivation were 113 (C1), 130 (C2), and 172 kJ/mol (C3) which are higher or comparable to other peroxidase isoenzymes reported. Fractions C1 and C3 represent an alternative source of peroxidase because of their higher purification yield and specific activity, when compared to fraction C2.     

Enantioselective analysis of methyl-branched alcohols and acids in rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum L.) stalks

The enantiomeric compositions of 2-methylbutanol (1), 4-methylhexanol (2), 2-methylbutanoic acid (3), and 4-methylhexanoic acid (4) present in rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum L.) stalks were determined. Enantiodifferentiation was achieved via multidimensional gas chromatography using heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-ethyl)-beta-cyclodextrin as a chiral stationary phase. For all compounds the enantiomeric ratios were in favor of the (R)-enantiomers. The alcohols (1 and 2) exhibited generally high excesses of the (R)-enantiomers, the ratios varying slightly from batch to batch. For the acid (3) a rather narrow range averaging 65% (R):35% (S) was observed. The procedure applied to isolate the volatiles (vacuum headspace technique, simultaneous distillation--extraction, liquid--liquid extraction) had no significant impact on the enantiomeric ratios. The study describes for the first time a plant used as food material in which 2-methyl-branched volatiles are not nearly exclusively present as (S)-enantiomers. This information enlarges the current regulatory knowledge regarding the classification of these important flavor compounds as "natural" on the basis of their enantiomeric ratios.     

Allele mining and haplotype discovery in barley candidate genes for drought tolerance

In the present study, allele mining was conducted on a panel of drought related candidate genes in a set of 96 barley genotypes using EcoTILLING, which is a variant of the targeting induced local lesions in genomes (TILLING) technology. Analyzing approximately 1.5 million basepairs in barley a total number of 94 verified unique haplotypes were identified in 18 amplicons designed for 9 genes. Overall, 185 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 46 insertions/deletions (INDELs) were detected with a mean of 1SNP/92 bp and 1INDEL/372 bp genomic sequence. Based on overlapping haplotype sequences, markers were developed for four candidate genes (HvARH1, HvSRG6, HvDRF1, HVA1), which allows distinguishing between the main haplotypes showing either differences in amino acid sequence or which have larger INDELs in the promoter region. As “proof of concept”, the HvARH1 and HvSRG6 haplotypes were tested for the level of abscisic acid-induced gene expression in subsets of genotypes belonging to different haplotype categories. An integrated database was developed to contain information about the genes, genotypes, and haplotypes analyzed in this study. The database supplies profound information about the natural variation in the tested drought related candidate genes providing a significant asset for further mapping studies dealing with this highly polygenic trait.     

Occurrence of 1BL.1RS wheat-rye chromosome translocation and of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sr36/Pm6</Emphasis> resistance gene cluster in wheat cultivars registered in Hungary

The 1BL.1RS wheat-rye translocation and a wheat-Triticum timopheevii chromosomal introgression carry the Sr31, Lr26, Yr9 and Pm8 genes and the Sr36/Pm6 gene cluster, respectively. The objective of this study was to determine the distribution and impact of these two translocations in 220 wheat varieties registered in Hungary in the last 35 years until 2005. The 1BL.1RS translocation was introduced into Hungary via wheat cultivars ‘Avrora’ and ‘Kavkaz’, which were registered in 1970. New 1BL.1RS cultivars developed in Hungary first appeared in 1982. After reaching a maximum frequency of 50.0% among cultivars registered in Hungary in 1994, their presence declined steadily to 13.3% by 2005. The Sr36/Pm6 cultivars first appeared in 1980. Their frequency quickly reached 31.8% (1983–1984), but then dropped to between 9.6 and 18.5% (1990–2005). The two main Hungarian breeding programs showed opposing trends in the exploitation of these two translocations. In Martonvásár, 1BL.1RS played a dominant role, being present from 1993 to 1997 in ca. 95% of the released cultivars, while at the same time the use of Sr36/Pm6 was marginal. Conversely, among the Szeged cultivars, Sr36/Pm6 was present at high frequency (44.7% in 2002) with a low share of 1BL.1RS. In artificial field inoculation tests (1985–2003) both of the stem rust resistance genes provided significant resistance in all the years, though Sr36 proved more effective than Sr31. While Pm8 was not effective, except for the last 2 years, Pm6 exhibited significant resistance against powdery mildew in most of the 18 years tested. These data may help breeders to assess the usefulness of wheat-rye 1BL.1RS chromosome translocations and the Sr36/Pm6 resistance gene clusters in their future wheat improvement programs.     

Global status of wheat leaf rust caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Puccinia triticina</Emphasis>

Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina is the most common and widely distributed of the three wheat rusts. Losses from leaf rust are usually less damaging than those from stem rust and stripe rust, but leaf rust causes greater annual losses due to its more frequent and widespread occurrence. Yield losses from leaf rust are mostly due to reductions in kernel weight. Many laboratories worldwide conduct leaf rust surveys and virulence analyses. Most currently important races (pathotypes) have either evolved through mutations in existing populations or migrated from other, often unknown, areas. Several leaf rust resistance genes are cataloged, and high levels of slow rusting adult plant resistance are available in high yielding CIMMYT wheats. This paper summarizes the importance of leaf rust in the main wheat production areas as reflected by yield losses, the complexity of virulence variation in pathogen populations, the role cultivars with race-specific resistance play in pathogen evolution, and the control measures currently practiced in various regions of the world.