Antinociceptive activity of Malvastrum coromandelinum

The aerial parts of Malvastrum coromandelinum showed antinociceptive activity in the 0.6% acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice, the effects of acetone extract (200 mg/kg, p.o.) being comparable with acetylsalicylic acid (100 mg/kg, p.o.)     

Development of Melampsora ciliata rust on nursery‐grown poplars in north‐western Himalayas

Development of leaf rust (Melampsora ciliata) in different species, hybrids and cultivars of poplar (Populus spp.) was studied in nursery‐grown plants. Five different criteria were used to assess the disease development. The mean disease index on 10 August was 9.4% which increased to 70.0% on 10 October. The lowest disease index (5.5%) was recorded in P. yunnanensis whereas the maximum was recorded in P. × euramericana‘Rubra‐Poiret’ (59.5%). The apparent infection rate per unit per day was highest in P. nigra × P. trichocarpa (9.7 × 10^–2) whereas the minimum occurred in P. maximowiczii × P. berolinensis‘Oxford’ (3.3 × 10^–2). The area under the disease progress curve was a maximum in P. × euramericana‘Rubra‐Poiret’ (26.7) and a minimum in P. yunnanensis (1.6). Complete defoliation by the first half of October occurred in P. nigra × P. trichocarpa, which also had the maximum apparent infection rate and area under the disease progress curve. Inoculum production was highest in P. nigra × P. trichocarpa and lowest in P. maximowiczii × P. berolinensis‘Oxford’.     

Antioxidant activity, reducing power and total phenolic content of some lichen species

The total antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and reducing power of methanol and water extracts of four lichen species, Bryoria fuscescens, Dermatocarpon intestiniformis, Peltigera rufescens and Pseudevernia furfuracea, were determined in vitro. Water and methanol extracts of P. rufescens showed the highest antioxidant activity. However, there was no correlation between antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of the extracts. Although the methanol extract of P. furfuracea had the highest total phenolic contents, it exhibited low antioxidant activity. In contrast, there was a strong correlation between reducing power and total antioxidant activity of the extracts. The highest reducing power was determined for the methanol extract of P. rufescens.     

Hydraulic conductance and soil water potential at the soil-root interface of Pinus pinaster seedlings inoculated with different dikaryons of Pisolithus sp

Seedlings of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) were inoculated with different dikaryons of Pisolithus sp. from South Africa to determine the influence of extension of the extramatrical phase and diameter of the mycelial strands on water relations parameters including xylem water potential (Psi(x)), soil water potential at the soil-root interface (Psi(s)) and hydraulic conductance (L(p)) during and after a period of water stress. Seedlings inoculated with dikaryons having an extensive extramatrical phase and large diameter mycelial strands showed higher Psi(s) (-2 MPa) during severe water stress than seedlings inoculated with dikaryons producing fine hyphae and sparse extramatrical phases (-3.8 MPa). Seedlings inoculated with strand-forming dikaryons recovered faster from water stress than did non-inoculated seedlings or seedlings inoculated with non-strand-forming dikaryons. Architectural aspects of the extramatrical phase, including the presence of large diameter mycelial strands or fine hyphae, influenced the soil-root contact and the water relations of an inoculated host plant. When water stress was not limiting, the architecture of the extramatrical phase did not have a large effect on Psi(s). It is suggested that the architecture of the extramatrical phase influences the resistance to water flow through the soil-root interface and that large mycelial strands increase the water flow by bridging the gap between the soil and the root. These changes in physiology indicate that dikaryons can improve the survival of Pinus pinaster under dry conditions.     

Über die molluscizide Wirkung vonBacillus thuringiensis-Präparaten zur biologischen Bekämpfung vonBiomphalaria alexandrina-Schnecken,den Zwischenwirten des Bilharziose-SaugwurmsSchistosoma mansoni in Saudi Arabia

The comparative molluscicidal activity of different preparations ofBacillus thuringiensis as Thuricide, SAN 401, SAN 402 and SAN 415, onB. alexandrina snails was studied. The results showed that different preparations ofBac. thuring. have a remarkable molluscicidal activity onB. alexandrina snails. However, the obtained results proved thatBac. thuring. with its preparation SAN 415 was the most effective in killing the snails comparing with the other preparations at the same experimental condition. Prolonged exposure ofB. alexandrina to subletal concentration (250 ppm) of SAN 415 delayed its ovipositary activity. Increasing the dose to 500 ppm resulted in a complete loss of egg production. Comparatively exposure of snail groups to the same doses of Thuricide, SAN 401 and SAN 402 resulted only in decreasing its egg laying capacity. These results proved the high potentially effectiveness ofBac. thuring. in its preparation SAN 415 as a biological control agent forB. alexandrina snails. The wayes by which this biological agent acts on the reproductive system of the snails were discussed.     

Knot dinteraction in wood poles

Summary Superposition of the longitudinal stress distributions associated with neighboring knots was used to determine the interaction distances between different knot sizes. The interaction between two knots was considered significant when the superposition of the stress distribution caused an increase in the longitudinal stress level of ten percent or more. Out of 4,374 knots measured in 44 Douglas-fir poles only 55 knots showed significant interactions with adjacent knots. However, in more than half of the poles at least one interacting knot pairs existed. Therefore, it has been concluded that stress interaction between knots could play a major role in controlling the failure of poles in bending.     

Characterization of juvenile wood to mature wood transition age in black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) at different stand densities and sampling heights

The radial pattern of both maximum ring density and ring area of 36 black spruce trees were used to determine the transition age from juvenile wood to mature wood. The data were obtained by X-ray densitometry and both segmented linear and polynomial regressions were used to point out the age of the juvenile wood boundary. Three stand densities (1,790, 2,700 and 3,400 stems/ha) and three sampling heights (2.4, 5.1 and 7.8 m) were studied. Although maximum ring density and ring area presented similar radial patterns, they gave two significantly different results of transition ages. The maximum ring density over-estimated the transition age (17.6 years) in contrast to ring area (14 years). The results show that the transition from juvenile wood to mature wood occurred after 12 years at 7.8 m (versus 13.1 years at a height of 5.1 m, and 17.6 years at 2.4 m). Although transition age occurred later in the high stand density group (21 years), the difference was not significant between the three stand density groups. Nevertheless, transition age remains difficult to determine since no standard definition exists. The transition occurs over years, and most probably a transition wood exists between juvenile wood and mature wood. Estimation of the juvenile wood proportion in volume shows that it remains constant along the stem and it increases with stand density.     

Variation in needle longevity of Pinus tabulaeformis forests at different geographic scales

Needle longevity of conifer species is known to increase with latitude, but little is known about intraspecific variation and associated factors within a location. Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.) forests were investigated to identify patterns of needle longevity at seven sites with distinctive climatic conditions along a latitudinal gradient (33-38 degrees N) in Shaanxi province, northwest China. A demographic approach was used to quantify needle longevity as an index of entire foliage population adjusted to needle-age-specific mortality rates. There were significant differences in needle longevity of Chinese pine stands across sites and across sample plots within a site. Individual tree needle longevity ranged from 0.62 to 3.75 years for 276 samples across sites. Needle longevity increased with latitude (R2 = 0.40, P < 0.0001), but decreased with mean January temperature (R2 = 0.63, P < 0.0001). Foliage retention of Chinese pine stands at the regional level was generally associated with climatic variability, indicating that variation in needle longevity was primarily an environmental acclimation to low temperature in winter. Stand characteristics were closely associated with needle longevity at three sites located within the same climatic zone. Needle longevity was positively correlated with tree age (R2 = 0.48, P < 0.0001) and stand density (R2 = 0.26, P = 0.0015) at Huanglong and Huangling, respectively, whereas it was negatively associated with total tree height at Zhidan (R2 = 0.50, P < 0.0001). It is concluded that, at the stand and individual tree level, intraspecific variation in needle longevity is most likely a result of adaptation to patchy microsite environments.     

Photosynthetic responses of Scots pine to elevated CO(2) and nitrogen supply: results of a branch-in-bag experiment

Naturally seeded Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees, age 25-30 years, were subjected to two soil-nitrogen-supply regimes and to elevated atmospheric CO(2) concentrations by the branch-in-bag method from April 15 to September 15 for two or three years. Gas exchange in detached shoots was measured in a diffuse radiation field. Seven parameters associated with photosynthetic performance and two describing stomatal conductance were determined to assess the effects of treatments on photosynthetic components. An elevated concentration of CO(2) did not lead to a significant downward regulation in maximum carboxylation rate (V(cmax)) or maximum electron transport rate (J(max)), but it significantly decreased light-saturated stomatal conductance (g(sat)) and increased minimum stomatal conductance (g(min)). Light-saturated rates of CO(2) assimilation were higher (24-31%) in shoots grown and measured at elevated CO(2) concentration than in shoots grown and measured at ambient CO(2) concentration, regardless of treatment time or nitrogen-supply regime. High soil-nitrogen supply significantly increased photosynthetic capacity, corresponding to significant increases in V(cmax) and J(max). However, the combined elevated CO(2) + high nitrogen-supply treatment did not enhance the photosynthetic response above that observed in the elevated CO(2) treatment alone.