Yield potential and salt tolerance of quinoa on salt‐degraded soils of Pakistan

Quinoa is recently introduced to Pakistan as a salt‐tolerant crop of high nutritional value. Open field trials were conducted to evaluate its performance on normal and salinity/sodicity‐degraded lands at two locations of different salinity/sodicity levels, S₁ (UAF Farm, Normal Soil), S₂ (Paroka Farm UAF, saline sodic), S₃ (SSRI Farm, normal) and S₄ (SSRI Farm, saline sodic) during 2013–2014. Two genotypes (Q‐2 and Q‐7) were grown in lines and were allowed to grow till maturity under RCBD split‐plot arrangement. Maximum seed yield (3,062 kg/ha) was achieved by Q‐7 at normal field (S₁) soil which was statistically similar with yield of same genotype obtained from salt‐affected field S₂ (2,870 kg/ha). Furthermore, low yield was seen from both genotypes from both S₃ and S₄ as compared to S₁ and S₂. Q‐7 was best under all four conditions. Minimum yield was recorded from Q‐2 (1,587 kg/ha) at S₄. Q‐7 had higher SOD, proline, phenolic and K⁺ contents, and lower Na⁺ content in leaves as compared to Q‐2. High levels of antioxidants and K⁺/Na⁺ of Q‐7 helped to withstand salt stress and might be the cause of higher yields under both normal and salt‐affected soils. Seed quality (mineral and protein) did not decrease considerably under salt‐affected soils even improved seed K⁺, Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺.     

Periodic vicissitudes of different concentrations of a developed prototype killed S. aureus mastitis vaccine on immune modulators,mediators and immunoglobulins in cows

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Mastitis is the inflammation of the mammary gland due to microbial infiltration causing a reduced mammary function. This study aims at developing a vaccine...     

Responses of testosterone hormone concentration,semen quality,and its related pro-inflammatory cytokines in bucks following Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis and its mycolic acid infection

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is the causative agent of caseous lymphadenitis, a debilitating chronic disease of sheep and goats. Little is known about...     

Active root distribution pattern of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hevea brasiliensis</Emphasis> determined by radioassay of latex serum

The active root distribution pattern of mature rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) up to a lateral distance of 250 cm from the tree and to a soil depth of 90 cm was studied in an oxisol by employing ³²P soil injection technique in Kerala, the state which accounts for 83% of rubber cultivation in India. The trees were aged 18 years and grown at a spacing of 4.9 × 4.9 m. The extent of absorption of applied ³²P by the tree from various placements was assessed by radio assay of leaf and latex serum. Latex serum registered higher counts and variability was less compared to leaf indicating the suitability of latex serum as a potential source for radio assay for ³²P studies in rubber. The results revealed that rubber is a surface feeder with 55% of the root activity confining to the top 10 cm of soil layer. Root activity declined with increasing depths and the concentration of physiologically active roots at 90 cm depth was only 6%. A more or less uniform distribution of root activity was noticed with respect to lateral distance indicating more extensive spread of lateral roots. Concentration of physiologically active roots in the surface layer suggests the possibility for competition under intercropped situation in mature plantations.     

Inter- and Intra-specific Differences in the Response of Chinese Leafy Vegetables to Ozone

The response to ozone (O₃) of a range of Chinese leafy vegetables was investigated with respect to both inter- and intra-specific differences in sensitivity. In the interspecific experiment local Chinese cultivars of pak choi, rape, leaf mustard, leaf lettuce and coriander were fumigated with 90?ppb O₃ for 9?h daily for 22?C30?days. A similar fumigation was carried out using four different cultivars of pak choi. Sequential measurements were made of leaf injury, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll fluorescence, together with dry weights at a final harvest. O₃ injury appeared as white or yellow blemishes on the leaf surface of all species. The first signs of injury were seen following only 3-days?? O₃ exposure (pak choi); the extent of injured leaf area increased over time for all species and cultivars, with 44.6% of the leaf area visibly injured for leaf mustard, the species with the greatest extent of injury, following 30-days?? exposure. Significant reductions in photosynthetic rate (22.7?C40.7%) and stomatal conductance (19.1?C33.1%) were found for all species and cultivars following O₃ exposure. Plant productivity was also reduced in O₃ compared to filtered air, with significant yield reductions for all species (11.1?C50.8% above-ground dry weight) as well as for all cultivars of pak choi (15.8?C28.1% above-ground dry weight). The mechanisms for observed impacts are discussed, together with the implications for current and future production of vegetables in the southern China province of Guangdong.     

Potential of zinc seed treatment in improving stand establishment,phenology, yield and grain biofortification of wheat

Abstract

One of the problems in obtaining high wheat yield is the unavailability of micronutrients in balanced quantities. Zinc is an essential micronutrient due to its involvement in many metabolic processes in plant. In this experiment, seeds of two wheat cultivars (Faisalabad-2008 and Lasani-2008) were subjected to soak in aerated Zn solution of 0.1 and 0.01?M for 12?hr. For the seed coating, Zn was adhered to the wheat seeds by using Arabic gum by using zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄·7H₂O) as a source. Untreated dry seeds were considered as a control. Results indicated that field emergence was improved by Zn seed treatments, maximum numbers of seedlings were observed in seed priming with 0.01?M Zn solution. Seed osmoprimed with 0.01?M Zn solution improved the grain yield, biological yield, and other yield related traits. Grain and straw Zn enrichment were also enhanced in seed osmoprimed with 0.01?M Zn solution.     

OsSUV3 transgenic rice maintains higher endogenous levels of plant hormones that mitigates adverse effects of salinity and sustains crop productivity

Background

The SUV3 (suppressor of Var 3) gene encodes a DNA and RNA helicase, which is localized in the mitochondria. Plant SUV3 has not yet been characterized in detail. However, the Arabidopsis ortholog of SUV3 (AT4G14790) has been shown to be involved in embryo sac development. Previously, we have reported that rice SUV3 functions as DNA and RNA helicase and provides salinity stress tolerance by maintaining photosynthesis and antioxidant machinery. Here, we report further analysis of the transgenic OsSUV3 rice plants under salt stress.

Findings

The transgenic OsSUV3 overexpressing rice T₁ lines showed significantly higher endogenous content of plant hormones viz., gibberellic acid (GA₃), zeatin (Z) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in leaf, stem and root as compared to wild-type (WT), vector control (VC) and antisense (AS) plants under salt (200 mM NaCl) stress condition. A similar trend of endogenous plant hormones profile was also reflected in the T₂ generation of OsSUV3 transgenic rice under defined parameters and stress condition.

Conclusions

In response to stress, OsSUV3 rice plants maintained plant hormone levels that regulate the expression of several stress-induced genes and reduce adverse effects of salt on plant growth and development and therefore sustains crop productivity.     

Physiological Role of Exogenously Applied Glycinebetaine to Improve Drought Tolerance in Fine Grain Aromatic Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice performance under drought stress is mainly impeded by oxidative damage and hampered plant water status, which may be improved by exogenous use of osmoprotectants. In this study, the role of glycinebetaine (GB) to improve drought tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar Super-basmati was evaluated. GB was used both as seed and foliar application. For priming, seeds were soaked in 50, 100 and 150 mg l⁻¹ aerated solution of GB for 48 h. At four-leaf stage, one set of plants was subjected to drought stress, while the other set kept at full field capacity. Drought was maintained at 50 % of field capacity by watering when needed. For exogenous application, 50, 100 and 150 mg l⁻¹ GB levels were applied at five-leaf stage. Drought stress greatly reduced the rice growth while GB application improved it both under well-watered and drought conditions. Drought tolerance in rice was strongly related to the maintenance of tissue water potential and antioxidant system, which improved the integrity of cellular membranes and enabled the plant to maintain high photosynthesis. Foliar treatments were more effective than the seed treatments, while among the GB treatment, foliar application with 100 mg l⁻¹ was the most effective.     

Sonoanatomy of female reproductive organ of Sunda porcupine (Hystrix javanica)

The conventional anatomical study of specimens requires cutting processes which destruct the limited specimens. A non-destructive method, namely an ultrasonography, can be used to assess the anatomical organ information of those specimens. The aim of this research is to analyse the macroanatomy of the female reproductive organ in the Sunda porcupine (Hystrix javanica), using ultrasonographical imaging. In this study, four formaldehyde-fixed reproductive organ specimens of the Sunda porcupine were used. A 10–12 MHz linear ultrasound transducer was utilized to provide an imaging format of both longitudinal and transversal views. Photographic images were then used as comparison with a sonographic image. The results show that the ultrasound image of the Sunda porcupine reproductive organ soft tissue was hypoechoic, the lumen and antrum follicles were anechoic, while atretic follicles and the mons pubis were hyperechoic. Generally, the size of the organ was not significantly different between photographical and ultrasonographical imaging (p > .05). In conclusion, ultrasound images can be utilized for anatomical studies of the Sunda porcupine reproductive organs without destructing the specimen.