Diagnosis of dehydratase inhibitors in melanin biosynthesis inhibitor (MBI-D) resistance by primer-introduced restriction enzyme analysis in scytalone dehydratase gene of Magnaporthe grisea

We have established a simple diagnosis method for rice blast fungus resistant to MBI-D. This involves the preparation of PCR templates directly from the lesions in combination with primer-introduced restriction enzyme analysis PCR (PIRA-PCR).     

Effects of ages of plug transplants and planting depths on the growth and yield of sweetpotato

Sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. cv. Beniazuma] plug transplants produced from single node leafy cuttings under artificial light in a closed-type growth chamber were planted with roots and substrate of 11- and 15-day old (ca. two to three unfolded leaves with 0.08 m shoot length and three to four unfolded leaves with 0.11 m shoot length, respectively). The plug transplants of both the 11- and 15-day old were planted with one and three nodes depth (ca. 4 and 25 mm deep, respectively) inside the soil ridges (called one- and three-node depth, respectively, hereafter). The conventional vine cuttings (ca. 0.3 m long with seven to eight unfolded leaves) without roots were planted as Control treatment to compare the growth and yield of sweetpotato with each of the treatments of plug transplant. The main objectives of the study were to see the effects of ages of plug transplants and depths of planting for greater growth and yield of sweetpotato in the field. The yield of storage roots 115 days after planting in the field was 33 t ha⁻¹ when using 15-day old plug transplants planted with three-node depth and was 10 t ha⁻¹ greater than that in the Control. The mean storage root length was about 259 mm when using 11-day old plug transplants planted with three-node depth and was 33 mm greater than that in the Control. The mean diameter of storage roots was 70 mm when using 11- and 15-day old plug transplants planted with one-node depth and was 21 mm greater than that in the Control. The plug transplants planted either 11- or 15-day old showed greater overall performances than those of the conventional cuttings. The plug transplants planted with three-node depth showed greater performances than did the plug transplants planted with one-node depth.     

Novel galactolipids from the leaves of Ipomoea batatas L.: characterization by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry

Sixteen novel and ten known galactolipids have been isolated and characterized from the leaves of Ipomoea batatas L. (sweet potato) using an analytical method based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry. Using this technique, the structures and regiochemistries of the fatty acyl groups and the positions of the double bonds on the acyl chains were determined. Sugar moieties were identified by analysis of one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. The positions of the double bonds of polyunsaturated fatty acids were confirmed, and in some cases their geometries determined, by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This is the first report of galactolipids in the leaves of sweet potato.     

Seed germination and seedling establishment of the monocarpic dwarf bamboo Sasa veitchii var. hirsuta

In order to determine the influences of environmental factors on seed germination and to identify the effects of germination characteristics on seedling establishment for Sasa veitchii var. hirsuta, germination experiments and a survey on current seedling dynamics were conducted in a natural habitat after mass flowering. The results of the germination experiments revealed that the seeds require a low-temperature environment for germination; those exposed to low-temperature conditions for a time similar to the length of winter (4 months of low-temperature conditions) germinated gradually, while those exposed for longer (>4 months of low-temperature conditions) germinated rapidly. These results were compatible with field observations indicating that seedlings emerged from June to October in the year after mass flowering, and they suggested this germination characteristic (i.e., variation of germination timing due to seed dormancy) may play an ecological function in spreading risk (although it may also increase the potential for seed predation). The results also revealed that stronger light and alternating temperature conditions had no effect on germination, whereas high temperatures and drying had negative effects. The outcomes of the survey on current seedling dynamics revealed that the seedling establishment ratio was high in a forest understory compared to that seen at a site where solar radiation was strong and soil water content was low. This implies that germination characteristics may promote seedling establishment in forest understory.     

Why invest in minor projects in sub-Saharan Africa? An exploration of the scale economy and diseconomy of irrigation projects

It is well-known that major irrigation projects have a strong scale economy, handicapping irrigation development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) because of the difficulty in formulating large-scale projects. Using project-level investment cost and performance data of major and minor irrigation projects, this paper examines the causes of the economy of scale phenomenon. We find that strong scale economy exists not only for major but also for minor projects, i.e., small- and micro-scale, projects. This is largely because of the existence of indivisible overhead costs such as high-opportunity-cost human resources for planning, designing and engineering management and supervision. We also find that large differences between major and minor projects in the absolute level of overhead as well as construction costs creates a strong scale diseconomy and results in better performance of minor projects. The advantage of minor projects holds even when their higher risk associated with the water source is taken into consideration. We argue that there is an urgent need to promote irrigation development in SSA through developing minor projects, and to reduce the heavy burden of overhead costs by developing the capacity of human resources at the national, local and farmer levels in the fields of irrigation engineering, irrigation agronomy, institutional development, and micro water management technologies.     

Regulation of mammalian tooth cusp patterning by ectodin

Mammalian tooth crowns have precise functional requirements but cannot be substantially remodeled after eruption. In developing teeth, epithelial signaling centers, the enamel knots, form at future cusp positions and are the first signs of cusp patterns that distinguish species. We report that ectodin, a secreted bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) inhibitor, is expressed as a "negative" image of mouse enamel knots. Furthermore, we show that ectodin-deficient mice have enlarged enamel knots, highly altered cusp patterns, and extra teeth. Unlike in normal teeth, excess BMP accelerates patterning in ectodin-deficient teeth. We propose that ectodin is critical for robust spatial delineation of enamel knots and cusps.     

Primary erythrocytosis in a Japanese black calf: a case report

An 8-month-old Japanese Black heifer with severe erythropoietic symptoms was subjected to clinical, histological and cytological examinations. During the 1 month clinical observation period, severe increases in RBC count, packed cell volume and haemoglobin concentration were observed. The plasma erythropoietin (Epo) concentration of the heifer (20.7 mIU/ml) was similar to that observed in normal control heifers. Blood gas examinations of the arterial and venous blood revealed low levels of partial pressure O(2) (PaO(2)), partial pressure CO(2) (PaCO(2)) and O(2) saturation (SaO(2)), while the blood pH was within the normal range. Gross lesions could not be detected. However, microscopic observation revealed severe proliferation of erythroblasts in the bone marrow and in the spleen without evidence of neoplastic changes. Based on these clinical and pathological examinations, we diagnosed the heifer as being the first case of primary erythrocytosis in Japanese Black cattle.     

Reactivity of green tea catechins with formaldehyde

In the reaction of green tea catechins with formaldehyde at room temperature (25°C), tea catechins were found to have reactivity. In particular, (-)-epicatechin gallate and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, which have a galloyl moiety at the C-3 position, showed higher reactivity than (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, or (-)-epigallocatechin. Reactivity of various kinds of simple phenolic compounds and flavonoids with formaldehyde was also examined. Among these compounds, only phloroglucinol showed reactivity to the same degree as that of nongalloylated catechins. These results suggest that factors for reactivity with formaldehyde at room temperature may be the presence of a phloroglucinolic A-ring structure and the absence of the electron-attractive group such as a carbonyl group in Cring. The comparison of the reactivity of 3-O-acylated catechins with that of 3-O-galloylated catechins indicated that only a galloyl group effectively enhanced reactivity with formaldehyde.