Role of soil organic matter in stabilization of water-stable aggregates in Soils under different types of land use

Three Andosols (used as grassland, upland field, and paddy field) and two Gray Lowland soils (used as upland field and paddy field) were examined to study the role of organic matter in the stabilization of soil aggregates. It was found that prolonged use of Andosols as grassland or as upland field enabled to maintain a higher level of soil organic carbon than use as paddy field. However, paddy soil exhibited a greater aggregate stability (determined by wet-sieving procedure) than soil under upland field or grassland management. Comparison between two Gray Lowland soils also showed that aggregates in the paddy soil were more stable than in the upland field soil. Among organic constituents examined (such as sodium pyrophosphate (SPP)-extractable organic matter and carbohydrates), only the contents of hot water (HW)-extractable carbohydrates of the soils were significantly correlated with aggregate stability. Paddy soils which showed a greater aggregate stability contained a larger amount of HW -extractable carbohydrates in the soils, and a larger amount of HW -extractable carbohydrates regardless of the size of their aggregates compared with other soils. These findings suggest that HW -extractable carbohydrates which represents easily decomposable organic materials may be of special importance for the stabilization of aggregates in the soils.     

Preliminary evaluation of antinephritis and radical scavenging activities of glabridin from Glycyrrhiza glabra

Antinephritis activity of glabridin, a pyranoisoflavan isolated from Glycyrrhiza glabra, was evaluated after its oral administration to mice with glomerular disease (Masugi-nephritis) by measuring the urinary protein excretion, total cholesterol, serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels. Administration of glabridin for 10 days (30 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) reduced the amount of urinary protein excretion from control level (100+/-23 mg/day) to a significantly lower level (47+/-4 mg/day). ESR spectroscopy demonstrated that glabridin neither produced radical, nor affected the radical intensity of sodium ascorbate, suggesting the lack of correlation between the antinephritis activity and radical scavenging activity.     

Peptidal Sex Hormones Inducing Conjugation Tube Formation in Compatible Mating-Type Cells of Tremella mesenterica

The pair of peptidal sex hormones (tremerogen A-10 and tremerogen a-13) that induce conjugation tube formation in compatible type cells (A and a types) of Tremella mesenterica were isolated. Tremerogen A-10 is a dodecapeptide and tremerogen a-13, a tridecapeptide. In both peptides, the sulfiydryl group of the cysteines at the carboxyl terminus was blocked by farnesyl moieties.     

The Effect of Different Timing of Top Dressing of Nitrogen Application under Low Light Intensity on the Yield of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Three levels of shade (0, 45 and 70 %) on rice was studied by changing the time of nitrogen top dressing application. The shade was given for the respective plots from heading up to harvesting and the top dressing was applied 20 days (standard) and 5 days (late) before heading. Significant yield reduction was not observed under the given conditions but ripening percentage and thousand-grain weight was significantly affected. Ripening rate was found as the key factor that determined the rice yield under low light intensities. The adverse effects of shade on the yield and yield components were not able to significantly minimize by the change of the timing of application of nitrogen top dressing.     

Characterization of a Phytophthora mating hormone

Water molds of the genus Phytophthora include many plant pathogens responsible for epidemics such as potato blight and sudden oak death, causing global economic damages. Sexual reproduction is of biological importance in Phytophthora and has been believed to be stimulated by unknown endogenous factors named a hormones. We describe here the chemical characterization of a Phytophthora mating hormone, a1, which was obtained from approximately 2 tons of culture fluid of one mating type of a species and which induced sexual spores on the counter-mating type at a nanogram level.     

Arabidopsis CLV3 peptide directly binds CLV1 ectodomain

CLV1, which encodes a leucine-rich repeat receptor kinase, and CLV3, which encodes a secreted peptide, function in the same genetic pathway to maintain stem cell populations in Arabidopsis shoot apical meristem. Here, we show biochemical evidence, by ligand binding assay and photoaffinity labeling, that the CLV3 peptide directly binds the CLV1 ectodomain with a dissociation constant of 17.5 nM. The CLV1 ectodomain also interacts with the structurally related CLE peptides, with distinct affinities depending on the specific amino acid sequence. Our results provide direct evidence that CLV3 and CLV1 function as a ligand-receptor pair involved in stem cell maintenance.     

A plant peptide encoded by CLV3 identified by in situ MALDI-TOF MS analysis

The Arabidopsis CLAVATA3 (CLV3) gene encodes a stem cell-specific protein presumed to be a precursor of a secreted peptide hormone. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) applied to in situ Arabidopsis tissues determined the structure of a modified 12-amino acid peptide (MCLV3), which was derived from a conserved motif in the CLV3 sequence. Synthetic MCLV3 induced shoot and root meristem consumption as cells differentiated into other organs, displaying the typical phenotype of transgenic plants overexpressing CLV3. These results suggest that the functional peptide of CLV3 is MCLV3.     

Morpho-Physiological Response of Oryza glaberrima to Gradual Soil Drying

Soil drought occurrence during dry season has been the main constraint, besides prolonged flooding during rainy season, in increasing cropping intensity and rice productivity in tropical riparian wetland. Use of drought tolerant rice genotype might be a suitable option for overcoming such problem. This study focused on the effects of gradual soil drying during early vegetative growth stage on morphological and physiological traits of five Oryza glaberrima genotypes, namely RAM12, RAM14, RAM59, RAM97 and RAM101, and two Oryza sativa subsp japonica genotypes, i.e. Koshihikari and Minamihatamochi. The plants were subjected to 6 d of gradual soil drying condition from 15 days after transplanting (DAT) to 20 DAT, and were allowed to recover until 22 DAT. Gradual soil drying reduced plant growth as indicated by dry mass accumulation. Drought reduced stomatal conductance and increased leaf rolling score of all the genotypes. All the genotypes showed comparable response on stomatal conductance, but O. glaberrima genotypes performed higher in leaf rolling recovery. Meanwhile, O. sativa genotypes decreased total leaf area and specific leaf area, but increased specific leaf weight in order to avoid further damages due to drought stress. Drought tolerance mechanisms in RAM101, RAM12, RAM59 and RAM14 were associated with leaf morpho-physiological responses, root traits and dry biomass accumulation.