Effect of amending materials on growth of radish plant in salinized soil

The critical Na levels in soil which restricted seed germination and growth of radish, and effect of the amending materials on reducing the salinity hazard were determined by performing petri dish and pot experiments. The plants were grown in amended salinized soil in a phytotron for 21 days. Excess accumulation of Na in cells suppressed seed germination and plant growth. The critical Na level in control soil which restricted germination and growth was 12.5mg Na/g soil. At the same salinity level, amending materials promoted seed germination and plant growth mainly by inhibiting the excess flow of Na into the cell through ion holding mechanism. Among the materials used, the commercial manure of 4 months old held greater amount of Na(3.7mg/g) and thus more efficiently reduced the ion damage. Plants grown under such treatment had the highest dry matter yield (28.Gmg/plant), water content was normal(84%), and the ratio for Na in root to Na in plant's shoot was 2.4. As for the case of plant grown in control soil the respective data were 8. 5mg, 54%, and 4.8.     

Stable carbon isotope ratios of water-extractable organic carbon affected by application of rice straw and rice straw compost during a long-term rice experiment in Yamagata,Japan

ABSTRACT

Hot-water- and water-extractable organic matter were obtained from soil samples collected from a rice paddy 31 years after the start of a long-term rice experiment in Yamagata, Japan. Specifically, hot-water-extractable organic carbon and nitrogen (HWEOC and HWEON) were obtained by extraction at 80°C for 16 h, and water-extractable organic carbon and nitrogen (WEOC and WEON) were obtained by extraction at room temperature. The soil samples were collected from surface (0–15 cm) and subsurface (15–25 cm) layers of five plots that had been treated with inorganic fertilizers alone or with inorganic fertilizers plus organic matter, as follows: PK, NPK, NPK plus rice straw (RS), NPK plus rice straw compost (CM1), and NPK plus a high dose of rice straw compost (CM3). The soil/water ratio was 1:10 for both extraction temperatures. We found that the organic carbon and total nitrogen contents of the bulk soils were highly correlated with the extractable organic carbon and nitrogen contents regardless of extraction temperature, and the extractable organic carbon and nitrogen contents were higher in the plots that were treated with inorganic fertilizers plus organic matter than in the PK and NPK plots. The HWEOC and WEOC δ¹³C values ranged from ?28.2% to ?26.4% and were similar to the values for the applied rice straw and rice straw compost. There were no correlations between the HWEOC or WEOC δ¹³C values and the amounts of HWEOC or WEOC. The δ¹³C values of the bulk soils ranged from ?25.7% to ?23.2% and were lower for the RS and CM plots than for the PK and NPK plots. These results indicate that HWEOC and WEOC originated mainly from rice plants and the applied organic matter rather than from the indigenous soil organic matter. The significant positive correlations between the amounts of HWEOC and HWEON and the amount of available nitrogen (P < 0.001) imply that extractable organic matter can be used as an index for soil fertility in this long-term experiment. We concluded that the applied organic matter decomposed more rapidly than the indigenous soil organic matter and affected WEOC δ¹³C values and amounts.     

The effects of long-term conservation tillage, crop residues and P fertilizer on soil conditions and responses of summer and winter crops on an Andosol in Japan

A field experiment was conducted from 1983 to 1992 in Tsukuba, Japan to investigate the effects of tillage on soil conditions and crop growth in a light-colored Andosol. Three tillage methods (NT: no-tillage, RT: no-tillage for summer cropping and moldboard plowing for winter cropping, and CT: conventional rotary tillage to a depth of 15 cm) were employed in combination with crop residue application (+R, −R) and fused magnesium phosphate (FMP) fertilization (+P, −P). Under the combination of NT and +R, diurnal variation of soil temperature at a depth of 5 cm was smaller during the summer cropping season and soil temperature in the daytime was lower during the winter cropping season than under CT. Soil inorganic N concentration at a depth of 0–30 cm was +R > −R and NT > RT > CT. The early growth of summer crops was accelerated under NT in comparison with CT, and yields were higher under NT and RT in comparison with CT. On the other hand, winter crop yields were significantly reduced under NT, while they were still higher under RT in comparison with CT. Yields were higher with +R and +P application, respectively, and these effects were more pronounced in winter cropping. The positive effect of FMP fertilization was greater in combination with NT, and that of residue treatment was greater in combination with RT and NT than with CT. In conclusion, the best tillage practice for Andosols on the Kanto Plain is RT, i.e. a combination of NT for summer cropping and CT for winter cropping. The application of NT for winter cropping is not recommended, although the application of phosphate and crop residues could reduce the risk of yield reduction, because of improved soil nutrient status and moderation of diurnal soil temperature.     

Influences of indigenous phototrophs on methane emissions from a straw-amended paddy soil

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the influences of indigenous phototrophs on methane (CH₄) emissions from a paddy soil where rice straw was incorporated or was surface-applied. During the cultivation, half of the pots were covered with aluminum foil, except for the minimum space for rice plants, to prevent ambient light reaching the floodwater or the soil surface. Growth of oxygen-producing phototrophs was hardly observed in the unilluminated plots, whereas intensive growth of algae, duckweed and hydrophytes was found in the illuminated ones. Plant growth was not affected by the different treatments. Seasonal changes in CH₄ emission determined by a closed chamber method indicated that illumination had no or only minor effects on CH₄ emissions when rice straw was incorporated or was not applied, but significantly reduced CH₄ emissions when rice straw was surface-applied. Methanogenesis occurring in the soil-floodwater interface was further investigated in two lab-scale model experiments measuring methanogenic activity. As a result, more activated methanogenesis was found in the surface-applied rice straw and the soil around the straw compared with the soil incubated without rice straw. The magnitude of the methanogenic activity in the rice straw incubated under illuminated conditions was significantly lower than that incubated in the dark. Consequently, this study demonstrates that methanogenesis in paddy soil occurs even in the soil-floodwater interface if plant residues like rice straw exist, and such methanogenesis is likely to be suppressed by growth of indigenous phototrophs under illumination.     

Boron-Calcium Synergically Alleviates Aluminum Toxicity in Wheat Plants (Triticum aestivum L.)

The effects of B and Ca treatments on root growth, nutrient localization and cell wall properties in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) plants with and without Al stress were investigated. Seedlings were grown hydroponically in a complete nutrient solution for 7 d and then treated with B (0, 40 μM), Ca (0, 2,500 μM), and Al (0, 100 μM) in a 500 μM CaCl₂ solution for 8 d. The cell wall materials (CWM) were extracted with a phenol: acetic acid: water (2:1:1 w/v/v) solution and used for subsequent pectin extraction with trans -1,2-diami-nocyclohexane- N,N,N,N -tetraacetic acid (CDTA) and Na₂CO₃ solutions. Boron, Ca, and B + Ca treatments enhanced root growth by 19.5, 15.2, and 27.2%, respectively, compared to the control (pH 4.5). Calcium and B+Ca treatments enhanced root growth with Al stress by 43 and 54%, respectively, while B did not exert any effect. The amounts of CWM and pectin per unit of root fresh weight increased by Al treatment, whereas the Ca and B+Ca treatments slightly reduced the contents of these components. Seventy-four percent of total B, 69% of total Ca, and 85% of total Al were located in the cell wall in the B, Ca, and Al treatments, respectively and 32% of total B, 33% of total Ca, and 33% of total Al were located in the CDTA-soluble and Na₂CO₃-soluble pectin fractions. A more conspicuous localization of B was observed in the presence of Al. Aluminum treatment markedly decreased the Ca content in the cell wall as well as pectin fractions, mainly in the case of the CDTA-soluble pectin fraction. Boron + Ca treatment decreased the Al content in the cell wall and pectin fractions compared to the Ca treatment alone in the presence of Al. It is concluded that the B+Ca treatment enhanced root growth and, B and Ca uptake, and helped to maintain a normal B and Ca metabolism in the cell walls even in the presence of Al.     

Biological and chemical stability of garlic-derived allicin

This study verifies the instability of garlic ( Allium sativum L.)-derived allyl 2-propenylthiosulfinate (allicin) in various aqueous and ethanolic solutions as well as in vegetable oil through chemical and biological analyses performed simultaneously. Crushed fresh garlic cloves generated antibacterial activity and chemically detectable allicin, a major antibacterial principle, and both declined on a daily basis in aqueous and ethanolic solutions at room temperature, showing biological and chemical half-lives of about 6 and 11 days, respectively. Allicin was more stable in 20% alcohol than in water, but surprisingly unstable in vegetable oil, with an activity half-life 0.8 h, as estimated from its antibacterial activity toward Escherichia coli, and a chemical half-life of 3.1 h, based on chromatographic quantification. In alcoholic and aqueous extracts, the biological half-life of allicin tended to be longer than the chemical one, suggesting the occurrence of bioactive compounds other than allicin in the extracts.     

The flammability of shrubs and trees in anAcacia mangium plantation based on silica-free ash content

Preliminary research to understand the flammability of 14 species of shrubs and 8 species of trees based on silica-free ash content was done in order to recognize which shrubs or trees are more flammable. The results show that the silica-free ash content of shrubs and trees leaves was greater than the stems ranging between 1.7% and 11.4% for leaf and 0.4% and 7.8% for the stems. The shrubsDicranopteris linearis, Imperata cylindrica, Eupatorium pubescens, Lantana camara, Eugenia sp.,Cliforia laurifolia, Pterospermum sp.,Hibiscus similis, Clidemia hirta andTrema orientalis must be considered when fire invades the plantation as well as the treeParaserianthes falcataria, Eucalyptus urophylla, Calliandra callothyrsus, andPeronema canescens.     

Targeted Knock-in of a Fluorescent Protein Gene into the Chicken Vasa Homolog Locus of Chicken Primordial Germ Cells using CRIS-PITCh Method

In chickens, primordial germ cells (PGCs) are effective targets for advanced genome editing, including gene knock-in. Although a long-term culture system has been established for chicken PGCs, it is necessary to select a gene-editing tool that is efficient and precise for editing the PGC genome while maintaining its ability to contribute to the reproductive system. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) and CRISPR-mediated precise integration into the target chromosome (CRIS-PITCh) methods are superior as the donor vector is easier to construct, has high genome editing efficiency, and does not select target cells, compared to the homologous recombination method, which has been conventionally used to generate knock-in chickens. In this study, we engineered knock-in chicken PGCs by integrating a fluorescent protein gene cassette as a fusion protein into the chicken vasa homolog (CVH) locus of chicken PGCs using the CRIS-PITCh method. The knock-in PGCs expressed the fluorescent protein in vitro and in vivo, facilitating the tracking of PGCs. Furthermore, we characterized the efficiency of engineering double knock-in cell lines. Knock-in cell clones were obtained by limiting dilution, and the efficiency of engineering double knock-in cell lines was confirmed by genotyping. We found that 82% of the analyzed clones were successfully knocked-in into both alleles. We suggest that the production of model chicken from the knock-in PGCs can contribute to various studies, such as the elucidation of the fate of germ cells and sex determination in chicken.     

Histological and immunohistochemical features of cutaneous mast cell tumor in six captive four-toed hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris)

This report described the histopathological and immunohistochemical features of cutaneous mast cell tumor (MCT) in six hedgehogs. The hedgehogs presented single cutaneous mass with ulcer and crusting. Histologically, the neoplastic lesions were characterized by the proliferation of well-differentiated mast cells (3 cases), and atypical mast cells (3 cases) with one atypical histiocytic morphology. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for KIT and mast cell tryptase, and were negative for Iba-1. In well-differentiated MCT, all patients were clinically improved and survived more than 365 days after surgical excision, whereas an atypical histiocytic MCT showed aggressive behavior with re-recurrence, and the animal died 115 days after surgery. These findings suggest that, compatible with other animals, well-differentiated MCT has a better prognosis in hedgehogs.     

Effects of estrous cycle on the mouse kidney morphology

Although mice kidney morphology shows various sexual dimorphisms, the effect of the estrous cycle has not previously been discussed. In this study, we investigated the effects of the estrous cycle on kidney morphology, including renin-positive areas, of female DBA/2 mice. No effects were confirmed in most of the histometrical parameters, however, the percentage of the renal corpuscles in which cuboidal epithelium covered under 50% of the parietal layer was significantly higher during estrus compared to that during anestrus.