Effect of Salinity Stress and Surfactant Treatment on Physiological Traits and Nutrient Absorption of Fenugreek Plant

Salinity is considered as a major abiotic stress affecting crop production in arid and semi-arid regions in the world. Surfactants can improve water-use efficiency in saline soils and improve crop yield. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of salinity stress and surfactant treatments on photosynthetic pigments and nutrition elements of fenugreek in the Crop and Soil Science greenhouse at the Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA, USA) in 2013. The experiment was conducted using a 5 × 3 factorial randomized complete block design with three replications. Factor A consisted of five salinity levels [0, 4, 6, 8, and 10 ds m^–1 sodium chloride (NaCl)] while factor B consisted of three nonionic surfactant levels (0, 1, and 3 ppm). The results indicated a stepwise reduction in photosynthetic pigments of fenugreek as salt stress increased, however, Peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activity increased in fenugreek leaves as salinity stress increased. Levels of surfactant application had different effects on nutrient uptake. Some nutrient elements such as sodium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, and zinc content increased while others decreased at high salinity conditions. Surfactant application rate of 3 ppm at moderate and high salinity levels and 1 ppm at lower salinity levels had a good performance in enhancing the total photosynthetic and carotenoid activities in fenugreek.     

Leaf chlorophyll content as a possible diagnostic mean for the evaluation of plant nitrogen uptake from the soil

The influence of temperature, irradiance, and soil humidity on the nitrogen (N) concentration in some organs, chlorophyll in the leaves, N uptake and accumulation of dry matter in plants of winter wheat was investigated. In the plants grown under equal initial N supplement but in contrasting conditions of the evironment, the correlation between concentration of total N and chlorophyll in the leaves was absent. No interrelationship was found between concentration of total N in the leaves and accumulation of N and dry matter in the whole plants. There is a close correlation between chlorophyll in the leaves, accumulation of total N, and dry matter of the whole plant. It was concluded that chlorophyll is a more stable informative parameter for the estimation of the N uptake from the soil under different growth conditions than leaf N concentration.     

Discrimination between Japanese and Chinese Products using trace elements concentration of kernel in pickled Japanese apricot

pp. 875–880

The trace-element composition of kernel in pickled Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) was determined using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer in order to distinguish between Japanese products and Chinese products.

Strontium and barium concentrations in the kernels of Chinese products were 10 or more times those of the Japanese ones. When based on 8.0 mg kg^?1 of strontium concentration in kernel, 93.2% of sample was distinguished as Japanese products or Chinese ones.

Applying principal component analysis using 9 elements (Mn, Zn, Fe, Ni, Ba, Sr, Cu, Co, Cr), the pickled Japanese apricots tend to separate into two countries. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) using 9 elements allowed a reasonable classification of pickled Japanese apricots according to the country of production.

The result of the analysis of K-nearest neighbors (KNN) was better than that of LDA.     

Examination of thermal and acid hydrolysis procedures in characterization of soil organic matter

Abstract

Differential thermogravimetry (DTG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and stepwise thermogravimetry (STG), together with two acid hydrolysis methods (hydrolysis with hydrochloric acid in a single step, and hydrolysis with sulfuric acid in two steps), were evaluated to determine the quality of four plant materials (Medicago sativa, Eucalyptus globulus, Quercus ilex, and Pinus halepensis) before and after mixing with a red earth. These quality indices were then compared with the same materials in the field, whether their decomposition could be predicted. All the thermal methods gave poor results. In both DTG and DSC, the presence of the mineral matrix gave rise to strong distortions in the spectra. Since the spectrum of any mixture is not simply the sum of the spectra of the two components (organic matter + mineral matter), these distortions could not be corrected by simply subtracting the spectrum of the red earth alone. STG trials also gave poor results, because the presence of the mineral matrix greatly increased the quality indices, and reduced the ability of the method to distinguish between organic matter qualities. In view of our results, the usefulness of thermal methods in the characterization of soil organic matter would seem to be restricted to certain organic horizons (L, F, and perhaps H). In contrast, methods based on acid hydrolysis were comparatively more satisfactory. Their resolution (ability to distinguish organic matter qualities) was much higher than that of thermal methods. However, they were able to distinguish carbon more accurately than nitrogen. The sulfuric acid method, unlike the hydrochloric acid method, was affected by the presence of a mineral matrix. While both methods could be improved, in their present form they seem to operate as good predictors of carbon and nitrogen mineralization.     

广西农产品物流企业WLC品牌元素的选择研究

针对广西农产品物流企业的特点,从众多影响企业品牌建设与发展的因素中,采用AHP-TOPSIS模型选择确定品牌全生命周期阶段对品牌竞争力影响力度最大的品牌元素,以实现品牌的可持续发展。     

Does returning sites of historic peri‐urban waste disposal to vegetable production pose a risk to human health? – A case study near Manchester,UK

Urban waste disposal occurred on fenland to the west of Manchester, England, between 1900 and 1964. The reclaimed fenland, Chat Moss, is now used for mixed arable farming. A total of 1.92 Mt of waste including privy midden, street sweepings, clinkers and slaughterhouse refuse was incorporated into the moss resulting in a modified topsoil with raised pH and reduced organic matter content compared with the subsoil. Elevated levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are observed in the topsoil beyond the typical depth of atmospheric contamination; Cd and As concentrations exceed soil guideline values (SGVs) at 1.8 and 43 mg/kg, respectively. Sequential extraction indicates that waste‐derived Pb, Zn and Ni remain predominantly in the residual fraction, whereas Cu was mainly organically bound. Arsenic was predominately found in oxide and organic matter fractions with Cd in carbonate, oxide, organic matter and residual fractions. Pot trials indicated limited uptake of PTEs by vegetables grown on the waste‐amended soil, with the exception of Cd uptake by lettuce (0.22 mg/kg FW) and Pb uptake by radish (0.16 mg/kg FW), which exceeded current EU limits of 0.2 and 0.1 mg/kg FW, respectively. Hazard quotients (HQs) identified no risks to adults from consumption of vegetables grown in these soils with the exception of lettuce consumption with a HQ of 1.4. Risks to children were slightly greater with HQs >1 for Cd in lettuce, spinach, carrots and onion, As in lettuce, parsley and onion and for Zn in spinach.     

Concentrations of macro- and micro-elements in the milk of pasture-fed thoroughbred mares

OBJECTIVE: To determine the changes in Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, S, Cu, Fe and Zn concentrations of milk during the lactation in pasture-fed Thoroughbred mares and then calculate the dietary mineral requirements of the sucking foal and the lactating mare. PROCEDURE: Milk was sampled on days 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28 and at various times between 55 to 65, 85 to 95 and 135 to 150 days after parturition from 21 pasture-fed mares. The concentrations of macro- and micro-elements in the milk were determined by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry. RESULTS: Concentrations (mg/L) of these elements were highest in colostrum (Mg 302, Na 561, K 955, S 1035, Cu 0.76, Fe 0.79 and Zn 5.5) except for Ca (1245) and P (895), which where highest on day 7. The mean milk mineral element concentrations (mg/L) over days 55 to 150 were Ca 843, P 543, Mg 47, Na 120, K 590, S 219, Cu 0.19, Fe 0.34 and Zn 2.1. The mean plasma element concentrations (mg/L) over the same period were Ca 120, P 77.1, Mg 17.0, Na 3110, K 168, S 983, Cu 1.1, Fe 1.5 and Zn 0.49. Concentration gradients between plasma and milk were observed and, in the case of Ca, P, Mg, K and Zn, their concentrations in milk were greater than those in plasma, while a reverse situation was observed for Na, S, Cu and Fe. CONCLUSION: With the exception of Ca and P, the highest concentrations of mineral elements were observed in the colostrum. The nursing foal should have access to good pasture or creep feed, because the intakes of Ca, P and Cu from milk may be less than optimum to meet the daily mineral element requirements.     

日粮不同锌水平对法国鹌鹑生长发育及组织中微量元素含量的影响

用2周龄健康法国鹌鹑324只,按体重随机分为9组,每组设3个重复,试验采用玉米-豆饼型基础日粮(含锌26.7ppm),在此基础上,添加9个梯度水平(ppm)的锌(0,25,50,75,100,500,1000,1500,2000),进行为期3周的饲养试验.试验期末,进行血液生化指标测定和组织器官微量元素含量分析.试验结果表明,法国鹌鹑日粮中以添加50ppm和75ppm锌为宜,对增重、采食量和饲料效率均有一定作用.1000ppm锌为最大耐受量,1500ppm锌为其中毒量;在一定锌水平范围内,血清总蛋白和球蛋白含量、碱性磷酸酶(SAP)活性均随日粮锌水平的提高而显著提高(P<0.05),当锌添加量为500ppm时,其达最大值,随后呈降低趋势.血清白蛋白含量不受日粮锌水平的影响.锌与其它微量元素之间的关系依不同组织器官而异,缺乏规律性.日粮补饲锌能显著降低肝脏中铁、铜、锰和肾脏中铁的含量,提高骨骼.血清中锰及肾脏中铜的含量.