Improve Anthocyanin and Zinc Concentration in Purple Rice by Nitrogen and Zinc Fertilizer Application

Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for plant growth and development, and anthocyanin is a secondary metabolite compound generally produced under stress conditions; both have benefits to human health. Rice is a staple food crop for most of the world’s population, and purple rice is well known as a natural source of Zn and anthocyanins, but their stability depends upon many factors. This review focuses on the opportunity to increase Zn and anthocyanin compounds in purple rice grains via Zn and nitrogen (N) management during cultivation. Variation in grain Zn concentration and anthocyanin compounds is found among purple rice varieties, thus presenting a challenge for breeding programs aiming at high grain Zn and anthocyanin contents. Genetic engineering has successfully achieved a high-efficiency vector system comprising two regulatory genes and six structural anthocyanin-related genes driven by endosperm-specific promoters to engineer purple endosperm rice that can provide new high-anthocyanin varieties. Grain Zn and anthocyanin concentrations in rice can also be affected by environmental factors during cultivation, e.g., light, temperature, soil salinity and nutrient (fertilizer) management. Applying N and Zn fertilizer is found to influence the physiological mechanisms of Zn absorption, uptake, transport and remobilization to promote grain Zn accumulation in rice, while N application can improve anthocyanin synthesis by promoting its biosynthesis pathway via the use of phenylalanine as a precursor. In summary, there is an opportunity to improve both grain Zn and anthocyanin in purple rice by appropriate management of Zn and N fertilizers during cultivation for specific varieties.     

Variation of grain iron content in a local upland rice germplasm from the village of Huai Tee Cha in northern Thailand

Crown rust caused by Puccinia coronata Cda. f. sp. avenae Eriks., is a major fungal disease of cultivated oats (Avena sativa L.) in Tunisia. Six landrace oats (M_tK₂, JT₅, BJ₃₅, GT₁, ZN₃ and JT₀) locally collected and previously screened for their relative oat crown rust resistance were used in this experiment. These accessions were evaluated during a two cropping season in field plots under heavy natural oat crown rust infection. Assessment criteria to crown rust reactions were AUDPC, latent period, uredinia size and number of uredinia per cm² of infected leaf area. Principal components analysis showed that the variables were grouped in two components. These two principal components explained 83.56% of the total variance. The projection of the point-cloud representing the populations on the plan formed by the principal components ‘Fact 1’ (63.83%), in abscissa, and ‘Fact 2’ (19.73%) in ordinate, permitted to distribute the accessions in several groups. Three landrace oats (M_tK₂, JT₅, and JT₀) showed the lowest value of all the components used. These landrace oats might be good sources of effective and durable resistance to crown rust.     

In vitro antifungal activities of longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) seed extract

Longan, Dimocarpus longan Lour., contains polyphenolic compounds which exhibit several pharmacological properties. This study aims to evaluate antifungal activities of longan fruit extract in comparison to its active compounds. The results showed that longan seed exhibited antifungal activity against the opportunistic yeasts (Candida species and Cryptococcus neoformans). In contrast, longan pulp and whole fruit did not demonstrate any inhibitory effects. Ellagic acid showed the most potent antifungal activity followed by corilagin and gallic acid, respectively. Ellagic acid inhibited Candida parapsilosis and C. neoformans more effectively than Candida krusei and also some Candida albicans clinical strains. Baidam cultivar possessed higher antifungal activity (MIC=500-4000 μg/ml) as it contained higher contents of ellagic acid and gallic acid than Edor (MIC=1000-8000 μg/ml). For antibacterial activity, only corilagin and gallic acid possessed weak to moderate inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans, respectively. Longan seed was then applied in the oral care products. Longan effervescent granule (5% extract) significantly reduced adhesion of C. albicans to acrylic strips. Mouthwash containing 0.5% extract exhibited good antifungal activity compared to a commercial product. These findings indicated that longan seed extract and its polyphenolic compounds can be used as an antifungal agent in oral care products for the treatment of opportunistic yeast infection.     

Antioxidant Activities and Characterization of Polyphenols from Selected Northern Thai Rice Husks: Relation with Seed Attributes

Rice production generates a significant amount of agricultural waste. This study aimed to give results related to the existence of antioxidant phenols in agricultural waste of selected Northern Thai rice varieties. The antioxidant activities, contents of total flavonoids and phenolic compounds in the ethanolic rice husk extract were evaluated. The highest antioxidant activities were found in the variety PES1CMU, with 2,2?-azinobis-3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl as 679.66 and 4.16 mmol/(L·g) trolox equivalent, respectively, ferric reducing antioxidant power as 0.87 mmol/(L·g) Fe²⁺, total phenolic content as 29.90 mmol/(L·g) gallic acid and total flavonoid content as 12.16 mg/g catechin equivalent. Polyphenol compounds were identified mainly by standard polyphenols using the liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, with the highest contents of phytic acid, o-coumaric acid, naringin and kaempferol. The non-glutenous and wetland ecotypes of rice husk samples were the richest in antioxidant activities and polyphenol contents characterized by using principal component analysis. The glutenous rice husk contained higher antioxidant activities than the rest. Interestingly, quercetin is a significant phenolic compound that positively correlated with the overall antioxidant activities of rice husk. This finding will be relevant for future application of rice husk antioxidant components in the production of functional ingredients as well as for the food and pharmaceutical industries.     

Genetic control of boron efficiency in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The genetic control of boron (B) efficiencyin wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) wasstudied for three genotypes representing Binefficient (I, Bonza), moderately Binefficient (MI, SW 41) and B efficient (E,Fang 60) categories. Boron efficiency wasexpressed as a partially dominant characterbut the phenotypes of F₁ hybrids,relative to parents, indicated geneticcontrol varying from recessive to additiveto completely dominant with different crosscombinations and B levels. Major geneswere identified from the evaluation ofF₂-derived F₃ populations derivedfrom intercrosses between the threeparents. Monogenic segregation was foundin Bonza × SW 41 and SW 41 × Fang 60crosses and digenic segregation resultedin Bonza × Fang 60. Among thethree wheat genotypes with widely differentB efficiency, genetic variation forresponse to B could be accounted for by twogenes, Bo _d 1 and Bo _d 2.     

Boron deficiency induced male sterility in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and implications for plant breeding

Boron (B) deficiency causes grain set in wheat to fail. A wide range of genotypic variation in the response to low B has been observed. Genotypes were screened in low B in soil and sand culture, and classified into five groups, namely, very sensitive, sensitive, moderately sensitive, moderately tolerant and tolerant. At very low levels of B, the very sensitive to sensitive genotypes were completely male sterile and set only a few or no grain, while the tolerant genotypes set grain normally. Natural outcrossing was detected in these male sterile plants when a tolerant genotype was growing nearby. Grain set by cross fertilisation was markedly enhanced by a B application directly on the ear of the male sterile plants. Three practical implications are suggested. Firstly, genotypes that are tolerant to low B can provide a solution for grain set failure caused by B deficiency. Secondly, the potential for outcrossing in male sterile B deficient wheat has to be taken into account in the maintenance of pure lines in low B soils even though wheat is normally self pollinated. Thirdly, a simple and novel method for hybridization is suggested, in which B deficiency is used as fertility selective medium and male sterile female parents and fertile male parents are provided by genotypic variation in the response to low B. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Population structure of the primary gene pool of Oryza sativa in Thailand

The gene pool of cultivated Asian rice consists of wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.), cultivated rice (O. sativa L.) and a weedy form (O. sativa f. spontanea). All three components are widespread in Thailand, frequently co-occurring within fields and providing the opportunity for gene flow and introgression. The purpose to this study is to understand the on-going evolutionary processes that affect the gene pool of rice by analysis of microsatellite variation. Results indicate that O. rufipogon, the wild ancestor of rice, has high levels of genetic variation both within and among populations. Moreover, the variation is structured predominantly by annual and perennial life history. High levels of variation are detected among cultivars indicating Thai cultivated rice has a broad genetic base with only a 20 % reduction in diversity from its wild ancestor. The weedy rice populations reveal varying levels of genetic variation, from nearly as high as wild rice to near zero. Weedy rice is genetically structured into 2 groups. Some populations of invasive weedy rice are the result of hybridization and gene flow between local wild rice and local cultivated rice in the regions of co-occurrence. Other populations of weedy rice are genetically nearly identical to the local cultivated rice. The diversity analysis indicates that the rice gene pool in Thailand is a dynamic genetic system. Gene flow is ongoing among its three main components, first between cultivated and wild rice resulting in weedy rice. Weedy rice in turn crosses with both cultivated varieties and wild rice.     

Effect of Grain Morphology on Degree of Milling and Iron Loss in Rice

Grain morphological characteristics were thought to play a significant role in genotypic variation in Fe concentration in white rice. Comparing 17 rice cultivars representing six major grain morphological categories, the present study systematically investigated the relationship between grain morphology, the degree of milling (DOM), and the loss of Fe during the polishing process. The relative importance of key morphological parameters in this relationship was also investigated. The grain morphological characteristics of different rice cultivars significantly affected the degree of Fe loss during polishing to produce white rice. This variation in Fe loss from polishing among the six categories of rice cultivars is mainly due to their difference in DOM (r = 0.73**) and this loss in Fe was the primary factor determining the level of Fe concentration in the white rice. Among the morphological parameters investigated, grain length and length-to-width ratios played the most significant role in determining the DOM, which suggests that these two grain attributes may serve as the initial screening parameters when selecting cultivars for high Fe white rice production. Degree of Fe loss was lowest in short-bold grain shape category compared with the other grain shapes.     

Inheritance of resistance to fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl in sprangletop (Leptochloa chinensis L. Nees)

Sprangletop (Leptochloa chinensis L. Nees) is a serious grass weed in direct‐seeded rice cropping systems in Thailand. One population of sprangletop, BLC1, was found to be resistant to fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl at 62‐fold the concentration of a susceptible biotype, SLC1. This study elucidated the inheritance of resistance to fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl in this sprangletop BLC1 genotype. The reaction to the herbicide at 0.12–2.4 mg ai L^?1 was determined in the seedlings of self‐pollinated resistant BLC1, susceptible SLC1 and SLC1 that had been allowed to cross‐pollinate with BLC1. At 0.24 mg ai L^?1, all the seedlings of SLC1 were killed, while 99% of BLC1 survived, along with 5% of the cross‐pollinated SLC1 seedlings, which were considered to be putative F₁ hybrids. The root and shoot lengths of the F₁ hybrids in 0.24 mg ai L^?1 of fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl, relative to those in the absence of the herbicide, were close to or the same as the resistant parent, indicating that the resistance is a nearly complete to complete dominant trait. One‐hundred‐and‐forty‐one of the F₂‐derived F₃ families were classified by their response to the herbicide at 0.24 and 0.48 mg ai L^?1 into 39 homozygous susceptible : 72 segregating : 30 homozygous resistant, fitted with a 1:2:1 ratio at χ² = 1.21 and P = 0.56, indicating that the resistance to fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl in the sprangletop BLC1 genotype is controlled by a single gene.     

Complexity and adaptability of a traditional agricultural system: case study of a gall midge resistant rice landrace from northern Thailand

Adaptability of traditional agricultural systems is suggested by their success over time, but documentation of how this happens is rare. This paper shows how genetic diversity in a rice landrace enables rice farming system of northern Thailand to adapt to a constraint of an insect pest, microenvironments of mountainous landscape and people’s different tastes in rice. Resistance to laboratory-reared gall midge varied among accessions the rice landrace Muey Nawng and gall midge populations. Higher rice yield in farmers’ fields reflected adaptation to local environment as well as resistance to gall midge. Microsatellite variation of the accessions correlated negatively with their gall midge resistance, but there was also variation in heading time and endosperm starch. Presence of non-waxy endosperm in glutinous rice provides opportunity to select for rice that is cooked into non-glutinous rice preferred by minority groups who live at higher elevations, where the gall midge is emerging as a new threat, possibly because of climate change. These data show how genetic diversity of a rice landrace coupled with seed management by farmers enabled a rice farming system to adapt to the varied microenvironment of a mountainous landscape under the constraint of an insect pest and people’s different tastes in rice.