Chemical composition of cultures and natural samples of N2-fixing blue-green algae from rice fields

Summary Laboratory cultures, soil cultures, and natural samples of N₂-fixing blue-green algae (BGA) from rice fields were analyzed for dry matter, ash, N, C, P, and a few other constituents.Results show a very large variability of the composition. Dry matter contents ranged from 0.28% to 13.6% (average 3.3%). Ash contents ranged from 15.6% to 71.3%. Nitrogen contents ranged from 1.9% to 11.8% on an ash-free basis (average 6%). Carbon content was less variable, ranging from 37% to 72% and averaging 43.7%.A decrease in N and pigment contents, and an increase in reducing sugars, was observed in aging laboratory cultures.Large differences in composition were observed between field samples and material grown in artificial medium. Soil-grown BGA and field samples were characterized by very high ash contents, N contents lower than those in laboratory cultures, and P deficiency.Extrapolation from (1) average dry matter, ash, and N contents and (2) records of BGA biomass in rice fields indicates that an algal bloom has a potentiality of about 15–25 kg N per hectare and that a BGA biomass of agronomic significance is visible to the naked eye.     

Effect of the long-term application of organic matter on soil carbon accumulation and GHG emissions from a rice paddy field in a cool-temperate region,Japan. -I. Comparison of rice straw and rice straw compost -

ABSTRACT

The influence of the long-term combination of rice straw removal and rice straw compost application on methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions and soil carbon accumulation in rice paddy fields was clarified. In each of the initial and continuous application fields (3 and 39?51 years, respectively), three plots with different applications of organic matter were established, namely, rice straw application (RS), rice straw compost application (SC) and no application (NA) plots, and soil carbon storage (0?15 cm), rice grain yield and CH₄ and N₂O fluxes were measured for three years. The soil carbon sequestration rate by the organic matter application was higher in the SC plot than in the RS plot for both the initial and continuous application fields, and it was lower in the continuous application field than in the initial application field. The rice grain yield in the SC plot was significantly higher than those in the other plots in both the initial and continuous application fields. Cumulative CH₄ emissions followed the order of the NA plot < the SC plot < the RS plot for both the initial and continuous application fields. The effect of the organic matter application on the N₂O emissions was not clear. In both the initial and continuous application fields, the increase in CH₄ emission by the rice straw application exceeded the soil carbon sequestration rate, and the change in the net greenhouse gas (GHG) balance calculated by the difference between them was a positive, indicating a net increase in the GHG emissions. However, the change in the GHG balance by the rice straw compost application showed negative (mitigating GHG emissions) for the initial application field, whereas it showed positive for the continuous application field. Although the mitigation effect on the GHG emissions by the combination of the rice straw removal and rice straw compost application was reduced by 21% after 39 years long-term application, it is suggested that the combination treatment is a sustainable management that can mitigate GHG emissions and improve crop productivity.     

Effects of structure on radical-scavenging abilities and antioxidative activities of tea polyphenols: NMR analytical approach using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals

Tea (Camellia sinensis) leaves contain various antioxidants such as ascorbic acid (1) and polyphenols. This study tries to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying the antioxidative and radical-scavenging activities of these antioxidants, and the reactivities of each antioxidant have been compared against that of the stable free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH, 2) using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. Catechol (3) and (+)-taxifolin (4) were oxidized to o-quinone by 2. However, ethyl protocatechuate (5) and quercetin (6) were not oxidized to o-quinone, even though they possess a catechol structure. The radical-scavenging ability of o-dihydroxyl phenolic compounds with a conjugated olefinic double bond (e.g., 6) was superior to that of compounds without this bond (e.g., 4), whereas the ability of o-dihydroxyl phenolic compounds possessing a conjugated carbonyl bond (5) was inferior to that of compounds lacking this bond (3). Vicinal trihydroxyl phenolic compounds with a conjugated olefinic double bond [e.g., myricetin (7)] had an inferior scavenging ability as compared with compounds lacking this bond [e.g., pyrogallol (8)], but 7 was a better scavenger than compounds with a conjugated carbonyl double bond [e.g., ethyl gallate (9)]. In addition, vicinal trihydroxyl phenolic compounds (e.g., 9) were superior to o-dihydroxyl phenolic compounds (e.g., 6). Finally, 1 scavenged radicals more quickly than 8.     

The fate of markerAzospirillum lipoferum inoculated into rice and its effect on growth,yield and N2 fixation of plants studied by acetylene reduction,15N2 feeding and15N dilution techniques

Summary A spontaneous mutant ofAzospirillum lipoferum, resistant to streptomycin and rifampicin, was inoculated into the soil immediately before and 10 days after transplanting of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Two rice varieties with high and low nitrogen-fixing supporting traits, Hua-chou-chi-mo-mor (Hua) and OS4, were used for the plant bacterial interaction study. The effect of inoculation on growth and grain and dry matter yields was evaluated in relation to nitrogen fixation, by in situ acetylene reduction assay,¹⁵N₂ feeding and¹⁵N dilution techniques. A survey of the population of marker bacteria at maximum tillering, booting and heading revealed poor effectivety. The population of nativeAzospirillum followed no definite pattern. Acetylene-reducing activity (ARA) did not differ due to inoculation at two early stages but decreased in the inoculated plants at heading. In contrast, inoculation increased tiller number, plant height of Hua and early reproductive growth of both varieties. Grain yield of both varieties significantly increased along with the dry matter. Total N also increased in inoculated plants, which was less compared with dry matter increase.¹⁵N₂ feeding of OS4 at heading showed more¹⁵N₂ incorporation in the control than in the inoculated plants. The ARA,¹⁵N and N balance studies did not provide clear evidence that the promotion of growth and nitrogen uptake was due to higher N₂ fixation.     

Inhibitory profile of nonapeptide derived from porcine troponin C against angiotensin I-converting enzyme

A novel angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide (RMLGQTPTK; 9mer) from porcine skeletal troponin C was investigated for its inhibitory profile. This peptide was noncompetitive and as hydrophobic as the known ACE inhibitory peptides. Aminopeptidase M quickly hydrolyzed 9mer, resulting in production of MLGQTPTK and LGQTPTK with inhibitory activities similar to those of 9mer. The main hydrolysis product of 9mer with carboxypeptidase A and B was RMLGQTPT showing very weak activity. Most products derived from 9mer hydrolysis by ACE, aminopeptidase, or carboxypeptidase showed weak but definite ACE inhibitory activities. Thus, 9mer was estimated to be a wholly efficient inhibitor with these fragment peptides.     

Desalination of sea water by akadama soil and akadama soil-inorganic adsorbents mixtures

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The effectiveness of drip fertigation, which is known to control fertilizer application, for reducing nitrate in spinach and for improving the other qualities of spinach was investigated. Fertilizer application can be controlled effectively by drip fertigation. In 2002 and 2003, two spinach cultivars were grown in a plastic greenhouse with 4, 8 or 12 g N m⁻² of fertilizer application by drip fertigation, and with 8, 12 or 16 g N m⁻² of fertilizer application as a basal application. Nitrate concentration of petiole sap extracted by a garlic squeezer was significantly correlated with the water-extractable nitrate concentration. Nitrate concentrations of petiole sap extracted from plants treated with 12, 8 and 4 g N m⁻² of fertilizer by drip fertigation were constant, gradually decreased and significantly decreased, respectively, during the last 2 weeks. When nitrate concentration decreased during the last week, nitrate concentration in spinach at harvest was less than 3,000 mg kg⁻¹ FW. Thus it was thought that the pattern of the time course of nitrate in petiole xylem sap is a good indicator for getting spinach with low nitrate. The sugar concentration was negatively correlated with applied nitrogen quantity and the nitrate concentration. The total oxalic acid concentration in spinach treated by drip fertigation was significantly lower than that in spinach treated by basal application, independent of the amount of applied nitrogen. Thus drip fertigation is advantageous for improving crop quality.     

Nitrate Decrease with Isotopic Fractionation In Riverside Sediment Column During Infiltration Experiment

This study determined isotopic fractionation of nitrate-nitrogen during denitrification in riparian aquifer sediments by sequential-column experiments at two different water flow rates. The purpose was to discuss the relationships of nitrogen isotopic enrichment factor of denitrification, denitrification rate, and infiltrating condition in sediment. Sandy sediment and groundwater were collected from floodplain in the middle reach of the Tama River where nitrogen isotopic enrichment factor for denitrification had been measured in a result of previous field observation. The denitrification rates and the isotopic enrichment factors of nitrate-nitrogen were estimated at 2.1 mgN dry-kg^?1 day^?1 and ?32.9‰ during the low water flow condition, and at 3.5 mgN dry-kg^?1 day^?1 and ?34.1‰ during the high water flow condition. The calculated water flow rates of the present column experiments were 300–400 times higher than that of the field observation. Because of the fast flow rate, nitrate was expected to continuously pass though active denitrifying sites in the small pore spaces of sediment, and nitrate supply to denitrifers by infiltration flow transport greatly exceeded the supply by diffusion. The observed denitrification rates was proportional to Peclet number as the ratio of solute nitrate transport to the diffusion, and apparent nitrogen isotopic enrichment factors during denitrification of our column experiments were lower than those obtained from the field observation. This study showed that denitrification rate and apparent nitrogen isotopic enrichment factor of denitrification in sediment depended on Peclet number.     

Biologically active secondary metabolites from Ginkgo biloba

Three new compounds, (7E)-2beta,3alpha-dihydroxy-megastigm-7-en-9-one (1), 3-[5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-oxo-4H-chromen-8-yl]-4-methoxybenzoic acid (2), and 4'-O-methyl myricetin 3-O-(6-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), were isolated from Ginkgo biloba, together with 27 known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were determined primarily from 1D- and 2D-NMR analysis. The 4-O-methylbenzoic acid structural feature at C-8 in 2 is encountered for the first time. The antioxidant activities of 29 compounds isolated from Ginkgo biloba were evaluated on intracellular reactive oxygen species in HL-60 cells. It was found that quercetin, kampferol, and tamarixetin had antioxidant activity that was approximately 3-fold greater than that of their respective glycosides and also approximately 3-fold greater than that of a standard ascorbic acid with an IC(50) at maximum effectiveness.