Apoptotic Activity of New Oxisterigmatocystin Derivatives from the Marine-Derived Fungus Aspergillus nomius NC06

Sponge-derived fungi have recently attracted attention as an important source of interesting bioactive compounds. Aspergillus nomius NC06 was isolated from the marine sponge Neopetrosia chaliniformis. This fungus was cultured on rice medium and yielded four compounds including three new oxisterigmatocystins, namely, J, K, and L (1, 2, and 3), and one known compound, aspergillicin A (4). Structures of the compounds were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The isolated compounds were tested for cytotoxic activity against HT 29 colon cancer cells, where compounds 1, 2, and 4 exhibited IC₅₀ values of 6.28, 15.14, and 1.63 µM, respectively. Under the fluorescence microscope by using a double staining method, HT 29 cells were observed to be viable, apoptotic, and necrotic after treatment with the cytotoxic compounds 1, 2, and 4. The result shows that compounds 1 and 2 were able to induce apoptosis and cell death in HT 29 cells.     

Effectiveness of Zinc and Gypsum Application Against Cadmium Toxicity and Accumulation in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Cadmium (Cd) is a nonessential and toxic element because it inhibits the growth and development of plants and is dangerous for end consumer. It enters in the human food chain through food crops. Application of plant nutrients such as zinc (Zn) and gypsum is a viable and cheap strategy to minimize its accumulation in edible plant portions. Therefore, this investigation was conducted to determine the effectiveness of Zn and gypsum against Cd accumulation in wheat. The results showed that Cd toxicity considerably decreased the plant growth, physiological activities, and yield attributes and increased the Cd accumulation in root, shoot, and grain, while application of Zn and gypsum remarkably increased the growth and yield and decreased the Cd accumulation in plant parts in Cd-contaminated soil. The results also depicted that application of Zn showed better results as compared to gypsum. In conclusion, we can say that application of Zn and gypsum remarkably ameliorated the Cd toxicity and decreased its accumulation in wheat, grown in Cd-contaminated soil.     

Growth,radiation use efficiency and grain yield of wheat as influenced by nitrogen,tillage, and crop residue management

Abstract

Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration is one of the major agronomic measures to mitigate green house gas emission, enhance food security, and improve agriculture sustainability. The study, therefore, aimed to evaluate crop growth (CG) and radiation use efficiency in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) treated soil with residue type (RT), that is, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) as legume (LR), maize (Zea mays L.) as cereal (CR) and no residue (NR) treatment applied (5 t ha^?1) on dry matter basis. The CR was subsequently incorporated with tillage depths (TD), that is, deep (DT?=?35?cm) and shallow (ST?=?15?cm) as main plot treatments. The N was applied in two splits starting from 0 to 160?kg ha^?1 as sub plot treatments. Experiment was conducted in two CG seasons 2009–11 at Agronomy Research Farm, the University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan. Results showed the highest CG and RUE with LR incorporated than CR and/or NR with DT. Increasing N-rate resulted an increase in CG, RUE and biomass of wheat. Residue of LR or CR deeply incorporate into the soil has resulted healthy traits (i.e., tillers- and spikes number), which resulted higher biomass. Nitrogen applied 120?kg ha^?1 resulted in higher CG, RUE and grain yield for treatment LR, followed by CR and the lowest for the NR. Crop of second year showed higher grain yield, which was due to healthy traits including better CG and RUE. The study suggests that CR of LR or CR nature incorporated deep into the soil can optimize crop N-fertilizer demand for optimum production, which protects environment from the excessive use of N application.     

Wheat Growth,Yield, and Quality Under Water Deficit and Reduced Nitrogen Supply. A Review

This review summarizes wheat crop growth, yield, and quality response to moisture stress and nitrogen availability in the rhizosphere. The high nitrogen demand of wheat crop enhances grain protein accumulation, which is a key factor for baking quality. Nitrogen is an important nutrient for increasing wheat production, but there is still a need to economize the optimum nitrogen rate under water-deficit conditions. Water stress is the most important abiotic stress adversely affecting crop productivity. Soil moisture significantly affects nitrogen nutrition through its effect on nitrogen uptake, mineralization, and losses through leaching, denitrification, and volatilization. This colimitation of nitrogen and water underpins an approach for improving water and nitrogen-use efficiency concurrently, thereby enhancing wheat productivity and quality.

     

Nutritional evaluation of some commercial wheat varieties grown in Pakistan

The nutritive value of some commercial wheat varieties grown in Pakistan was measured chemically, including amino acid analysis, and biologically in N-balance experiments with growing rats. The protein content ranged from 13.2% in Punjab-83 to 16% in Barani-83. Lysine per 100g protein varied between 2.46 and 2.75%. The available carbohydrate ranged from 67.3 to 74.7%. Iron content was highest in Sonalika while the concentration of zinc and manganese was highest in Sarhad-82. The protein digestibility (TD), biological value (BV) and net protein utilisation (NPU) varied between 92–95%, 56–68% and 53–65% respectively. Level of wheat protein was negatively correlated with available carbohydrate (r=–0.93), lysine per unit protein (r=–0.67) and BV (r=–0.76). The lysine content (g/16gN) of commercial wheat varieties showed a positive correlation (r=+0.95) with the BV. The protein quality was lowered in varieties having higher content of protein.     

Impacts of long-term application of buctril super (bromoxynil) herbicide on microbial population,enzymes activity,nitrate nitrogen,Olsen-P and total organic carbon in soil

Long-term impact of buctril super (bromoxynil) herbicide in the wheat fields on soil microbial population, nitrate-N, Olsen-P, total organic carbon (TOC) and enzyme activities was evaluated in 18 sites in Pakistan. Nine sites were randomly selected from those places where bromoxynil herbicide had been used for the last 10 years designated as soil ‘X’ and other nine where no herbicide was used in that period designated as soil ‘Y’. Very importantly, it was found that long-term application of this herbicide in wheat fields reduced the actinomycetes and fungi population up to 19.7 and 14.3%, respectively, urease and dehydrogenase activity by 17.5 and 28.2%, respectively, and reduced nitrate-N, Olsen-P and TOC up to 55, 17 and 28.57%, respectively. Presence of high clay and organic matter contents enhanced the detrimental effect of herbicide by prolonging its persistence as compared to light-textured soils with low organic matter. As in Pakistan this herbicide is being used most frequently in wheat fields, data are scarce on the long-term effect of this herbicide on soil microbial activities and soil health. These findings could give new insights about the use of alternate herbicide in wheat fields, particularly in clay-textured and high organic matter contained soils for maintaining soil health.     

Efficacy of koi herpesvirus DNA vaccine administration by immersion method on Cyprinus carpio field scale culture

Koi herpesvirus specifically infects and causes mass mortality on koi and carp, resulting in severe economic losses. In this study, we presented the efficacy of KHV DNA vaccine administration by immersion method on Cyprinus carpio. Two different immersion densities of fish were applied, namely 800 fish L^?1 and 1200 fish L^?1. Thirty‐day‐old common carp juveniles were immersed for 30 min in the water containing 1.3 × 10⁸ CFU mL^?1 of heat‐killed Escherichia coli carrying DNA vaccine encoding glycoprotein‐25, and without vaccination treatment as controls. The challenge test was performed at 30 days post vaccination by injecting 0.1 mL KHV filtrate (10^?3 of dilution rate). The result showed that higher relative per cent survival of KHV‐challenged fish was obtained in 800 fish L^?1 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, significant specific antibody anti‐KHV response (P < 0.05) was detected on 28 and 36 days post vaccination in 800 and 1200 fish L^?1, respectively, compared to the controls there was no specific antibody detected. In conclusion, the KHV DNA vaccine could provide good protection in common carp against KHV infection, which has practical applications in aquaculture practices.     

MAIZE RESPONSE TO YIELD AND YIELD TRAITS WITH DIFFERENT NITROGEN AND DENSITY UNDER CLIMATE VARIABILITY

To study yield and yield traits of maize, two experiments were conducted in 2006 as spring and summer crops and repeated in 2007. Three plant populations (43, 53, and 67 thousands ha^-1) and three nitrogen (N) rates (90, 120 and 150 kg N ha^-1) were compared in a completely randomized block design with split plot arrangement. The treatments plant population was assigned to the main and N to sub plots in three replications. Sowing of spring crop was done in March and harvested in July and likewise the summer crop in July and harvested in November. Each experimental unit comprised of 5 × 6 m area having eight rows spaced 0.75 m. Experimental results revealed that grain yield (GY) of summer was higher than spring season. Higher GY was associated with increases in the plant population and nitrogen rate. The treatment plant population of 53,000 and 67,000 ha^-1 did not differ. However, each increase in the N rate significantly increased GY. This increase in the GY by increasing N was due to increases in the ear length (EL), ear diameter (ED), grain number (GN) and thousand grain weight (TGW). Increasing plant population of maize did not show any remarkable changes in the yield traits. The study revealed that differences in GY due to seasonal climate cannot be rewarded with increase in either plant population or nitrogen rates. Moreover, spring and summer season maize crops can economically be planted with 150 and 120 kg N ha^?1 at 53,000 and 67,000 ha^?1 populations, respectively, to save environment and production cost.     

BIOMASS ALLOCATION AND NITROGEN DISTRIBUTION IN RYEGRASS UNDER WATER AND NITROGEN SUPPLIES

Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) in grassland is known to sustain with water and nitrogen (N). This study investigates biomass and N partitioning in plant organs (roots, main and the youngest tillers) under water-nitrogen interactions. Nitrogen was applied at the rates of 50 and 100 mg N kg^?1 as N₁ (low N) and N₂ (high N) treatments, respectively, with uniform irrigation until 440 growing degree-days (GDD). Thereafter, the water supply was restricted to 50 mL on a weekly basis (W₁) against 50 mL on a daily basis (W₂) and concurrently, N enriched with 1 atom% ¹⁵N isotopes. Cumulative tillers’ biomass increased linearly from 1st to 8th order, but thereafter reached a plateau with further increases in number of negligible weights. Initially tiller mass and number per plan did not differ (P < 0.05) with water and/or N applications but changed at 788 GDD with clear differences at 911 GDD with the highest under N₂W₂ and lowest under N₁W₁. Nitrogen concentration sharply decreased from 530 to 700 GDD and then levelled off with age. The decline was more pronounced in tillers than roots. The high N treatment showed elevated N-concentration under both water treatments. Watering on a daily basis promoted vegetative growth. High water and N levels significantly (P < 0.05) influenced concentration of N absorbed during ¹⁵N labeling (N_L) in all organs with relatively pronounced N_L under N₂. The additive positive effect of W₂ and N₂ was obvious on N_L as compared to N_T, which showed that plants discriminate N-uptake on mass basis. Nitrogen (mobile) was higher in young and ¹⁵N (heavier) was low in young tillers and vice versa. Accumulation of N absorbed during ¹⁵N labeling (¹⁵N_A) was significant knowing that water is a strong determining factor of N concentration in ryegrass organs.     

Land classification for choice of tree species on farm lands in the Attock District of Punjab,Pakistan

In Pakistan, particularly in Punjab Province, it is difficult for agrofarmers to combine their indigenous knowledge and modern scientific methods to evaluate existing traditional farming systems and forestry practices. This requires an evaluation of indigenous soil classification in simple terms along with knowledge of the local flora, especially trees. This study focuses on land suitability classification for trees in the Attock District of Punjab, Pakistan. A survey was conducted which included interviews of local agrofarmers as well as standard soil analyses including both chemical and physical determinations of local soil types. An evalu- ation of soil types for cultivation of various crops was carried out given its total extent, component soil series and their proportions, spotting characteristics of each soil series and their major limitations/hazards for trees/crops. These would lead to the identification of various tree species according to soil characteristics. Then, according to the soil types and species, a land suitability map was obtained for the choice of tree species by using geographic information system (GIS) software. Land suitability classification will help local agroforesters/agrofarmers in matching suitable agricultural trees/crops properly for different soils in the area.