Minimizing ammonia volatilization from urea,improving lowland rice (cv. MR219) seed germination,plant growth variables,nutrient uptake,and nutrient recovery using clinoptilolite zeolite

The anionic nature and high cation exchange capacity (CEC) of clinoptilolite zeolite can be exploited to reduce ammonia (NH₃) loss from urea and to improve soil chemical properties to increase nutrient utilization efficiency in lowland rice cultivation. A closed-dynamic airflow system was used to determine NH₃ loss from treatments (20, 40, and 60 g clinoptilolite zeolite pot^?1). Seed germination study was conducted to evaluate the effects of clinoptilolite zeolite on rice seed germination. A pot study was conducted to determine the effects of clinoptilolite zeolite on rice plant growth variables, nutrient uptake, nutrient recovery, and soil chemical properties. Standard procedures were used to determine NH₃ loss, rice plant height, number of leaves, number of tillers, dry matter production, nutrient uptake, nutrient recovery, and soil chemical properties. Application of clinoptilolite zeolite (15%) increased shoot elongation of seedlings and significantly reduced NH₃ loss (up to 26% with 60 g zeolite pot^?1), and increased number of leaves, total dry matter, nutrient uptake, nutrient recovery, soil pH, CEC, and exchangeable Na⁺. Amending acid soils with clinoptilolite zeolite can significantly minimize NH₃ loss and improve rice plant growth variables, nutrient uptake, nutrient recovery, and soil chemical properties. These findings are being validated in our ongoing field trials.     

Pantoea: a newly identified causative agent for leaf blight disease in rice

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Leaf blight is one of the most serious threats to rice agroecosystems worldwide, and the yield reduction due to this disease can be as high as 70%. For...     

Evaluation of potato clones for their adaptation to medium altitude conditions in the tropics

Potato is one of the most important crops in the world, including in the tropics. Potato requires low temperatures or cool climate for optimum tuber yield, which in the tropics, can be obtained mostly in high altitude growing areas. The limitation of land availability for potato production in highland areas of some tropical countries has steered the recent development of potato production to medium altitude areas. The objective of our study is to identify potato accessions with promising levels of heat resistance in laboratory and with good adaptation to medium altitude in the field. We used in vitro assay to screen a number of potato clones with possible resistance to heat stress on the basis literature and database of the International Potato Center, supplemented with the collection of Bogor Agricultural University. We then continued with verification of selected clones using field test in high altitude (1300 m above sea level) and medium altitude (700 m above sea level) areas. Our result showed that there is considerable variation of S. tuberosum for their adaptation to medium altitude areas in the tropics that can be exploited in breeding programs. We identified one genotype PKHT 2013-06 that was superior for its ability to produce tubers under extreme conditions. Thus, it might be very suitable to be used in a breeding program to develop tolerant varieties of potato to medium altitude areas in the tropics.     

Therapeutic Potential and Nutraceutical Profiling of North Bornean Seaweeds: A Review

Malaysia has a long coastline surrounded by various islands, including North Borneo, that provide a suitable environment for the growth of diverse species of seaweeds. Some of the important North Bornean seaweed species are Kappaphycus alvarezii, Eucheuma denticulatum, Halymenia durvillaei (Rhodophyta), Caulerpa lentillifera, Caulerpa racemosa (Chlorophyta), Dictyota dichotoma and Sargassum polycystum (Ochrophyta). This review aims to highlight the therapeutic potential of North Bornean seaweeds and their nutraceutical profiling. North Bornean seaweeds have demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, cardiovascular protective, neuroprotective, renal protective and hepatic protective potentials. The protective roles of the seaweeds might be due to the presence of a wide variety of nutraceuticals, including phthalic anhydride, 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene, 2-pentylthiophene, furoic acid (K. alvarezii), eicosapentaenoic acid, palmitoleic acid, fucoxanthin, β-carotene (E. denticulatum), eucalyptol, oleic acid, dodecanal, pentadecane (H. durvillaei), canthaxanthin, oleic acid, pentadecanoic acid, eicosane (C. lentillifera), pseudoephedrine, palmitic acid, monocaprin (C. racemosa), dictyohydroperoxide, squalene, fucosterol, saringosterol (D. dichotoma), and lutein, neophytadiene, cholest-4-en-3-one and cis-vaccenic acid (S. polycystum). Extensive studies on the seaweed isolates are highly recommended to understand their bioactivity and mechanisms of action, while highlighting their commercialization potential.     

风雪荷载作用下Venlo型温室结构整体性能研究

为研究风雪荷载作用下Venlo型温室结构的整体性能,利用ANSYS有限元分析软件,考虑温室结构的实际工作状态、材料非线性、几何大变形以及构件初始几何缺陷的影响,建立Venlo型温室结构的单榀骨架、整体骨架、整体骨架覆盖薄膜、整体骨架覆盖玻璃和整体骨架覆盖PC板5种计算模型,分别模拟5种风雪荷载工况下各结构的整体受力情况,给出了相应安全系数和空间作用系数,分析了Venlo型温室结构的空间整体性能。结果表明:檩条支撑作用使温室结构空间作用效应提高约0~33.7%;覆盖材料对提高整体骨架空间作用效应的影响不可忽略,约为28.1%~383.4%,且玻璃覆盖整体骨架时产生的影响最大,PC板次之,薄膜再次之;对Venlo型温室结构进行设计计算时,可适当考虑檩条、覆盖材料等对结构空间作用效应的提高作用。研究成果可为完善Venlo型温室结构设计理论提供参考。     

Toxicity and electrophysiological effects of Spilanthes amella Murr. extracts on Periplaneta americana L.

The potential insecticidal activity of Spilanthes acmella Murr. (Compositae) extracts was assessed in this study. The extracts were shown to be toxic against adults of American cockroach, Periplaneta americana L. The active component in S. acmella extract was isolated and identified as N-isobutyl-2,6,8-decatrienamide (spilanthol). The results from topical application of spilanthol show that it has a high acute toxicity and spilanthol was the most potent compound when compared to three conventional insecticides. The potency was found to be 1.3, 2.6 and 3.8 times more toxic than carbaryl, bioresmethrin and lindane, respectively. Electrophysiological studies indicated immediate hyperexcitation followed by complete inhibition of the cockroach cercal nerve activity.     

Toll-like receptor-mediated anti-inflammatory action of glaucine and oxoglaucine

Two isochinoline alkaloids, glaucine and oxoglaucine were investigated for their suggested anti-inflammatory influence concerning nitric oxide and cytokine production. Mouse peritoneal macrophages were stimulated with different Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands such as LPS for TLR4, zymosan for TLR2 and CpG for TLR9. The alkaloids inhibited TNF-α and IL-6 production induced by these ligands. In regard to IL-12 suppressive effect was registered in the case of CpG stimulation. Glaucine succeeded to enhance LPS and zymosan-induced IL-10 production. The reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increase of anti-inflammatory IL-10 are indicative for their use in different acute and chronic inflammatory diseases.     

喷钛对甜叶菊糖苷含量和积累量的影响

为探索喷钛对甜叶菊叶片中糖苷、甜菊苷(St)和莱鲍迪苷A(RA)的含量、积累量及其比例的影响,为中药材的施肥提供科学依据,应用盆钵培养方法,在甜叶菊生长前期和中期进行叶面喷钛。结果表明:菊隆5号的最佳喷施区间12.22~19.36 mg·kg-1,在喷钛浓度为19.36 mg·kg-1时含量达到最高;新品种2号的最佳喷施区间为12.10~16.71 mg·kg-1,在喷钛浓度为16.71 mg·kg-1时含量达到最高;喷钛后新品种2号St所占比例的最高增幅为156.71%,菊隆5号St的最高增幅为42.28%。喷钛可明显提高糖苷含量和积累总量,与对照相比,差异显著;经回归发现糖苷含量或积累量与喷钛浓度间存在二次曲线关系,相关极显著;喷钛可以增加2个品种糖苷中St的比例。