Fusarium solani Upregulated Sesquiterpene Synthase Expression,Sesquiterpene Production and Allelopathic Activity in Piper betle L.

Activators of sesquiterpene synthase (STS) gene expression and sesquiterpene production in Piper betle L. were examined using quantitative real time PCR and gas chromatography mass spectrometry methods, and the allelopathic activity of untreated and Fusarium solani-treated betel extracts was tested on seed germination and on the shoot and root growth of Thai rice variety PSL2 (Oryza sativa cv. Phitsanulok 2) and three dominant paddy weeds (Eclipta prostrata, Echinochloa crus-galli and Chloris barbata). The results demonstrated that F. solani dramatically upregulated STS expression and productions of β-cubebene, β-caryophyllene and germacrene D sesquiterpene when compared with the untreated control, and that betel extracts had a greater inhibitory effect on weeds than on rice. The effects were more clearly detected on seed germination and root growth than on shoot growth, and they were found to be dose-dependent. It is also noted that F. solani-treated extract had stronger effects than the untreated extract. The species most sensitive to the allelopathic effects was C. barbata, germination of which was completely inhibited even at a dose of 0.1 mg/mL untreated extract. With regards to rice, although betel extract at 1.0 mg/mL showed no inhibition on germination, it affected the elongation of rice roots, in addition to those of the tested weeds. The obtained data suggested that F. solani has potential as an activator of sesquiterpene allelochemical production via STS expression, the latter leading to the treated betel extract having a stronger phytotoxic effect. These results were beneficial in the promotion of natural herbicide production using biotechnology.     

Constructive Approaches to Intellectual Property Complexity in Today＇s Agricultural Technology World

Essential to progress in plant biotechnology for deliverable applications, patent and patent application data must be transparent in order to determine where there is whitespace for innovation.     

Identification of Stable Quantitative Trait Loci for Sheath Blight Resistance Using Recombinant Inbred Line

To identify stable quantitative trait loci(QTLs) responsible for sheath blight resistance, a recombinant inbred line mapping population consisting of 219 lines was developed by crossing Lemont and Yangdao 4. Average disease rating, average lesion length, maximum disease rating and maximum lesion length were assayed in six different environments. A total of 128 minor effect QTLs were detected by multiple interval mapping. These QTLs explained less than 11.2% of the phenotypic variations individually, and 106 QTLs were clustered in 20 QTL-rich regions/putative loci. Significant QTL × environment interactions were detected at three putative loci(q SBR11.1, q SBR11.2 and q SBR11.3), indicating that these three loci were not stable. The other 17 stable loci(qSBR1.1, qS BR1.2, qS BR2.1, qS BR2.3, qS BR3.1, qS BR3.2, qS BR3.5, qS BR3.6, qS BR5.1, qS BR7.1, qSBR8.1, qS BR9.1, qS BR9.2, qSBR9.3, qSBR12.1, qS BR12.2 and qS BR12.4) provided a foundation for marker-assisted selection in breeding. Analysis of allelic effect on the 20 putative loci identified 7 highly stable loci, including qS BR3.2, qS BR7.1, qS BR8.1, qSBR9.2, qSBR9.3, qSBR12.1 and qSBR12.2.     

Quinclorac Resistance in Echinochloa crus-galli from China

Echinochloa crus-galli is a major weed in rice fields in China, and quinclorac has been long used for its control. Over-reliance of quinclorac has resulted in quinclorac resistance in E. crus-galli. Two resistant(R) E. crus-galli populations from Hunan, China were confirmed to be at least 78-fold more resistant to quinclorac than the susceptible(S) population. No difference in foliar uptake of 14 C-labelled quinclorac was detected between the R and S plants. However, a higher level of 14 C translocation and a lower level of quinclorac metabolism were found in the R plants. Basal and induced expression levels of β-cyanoalanine synthase(β-CAS) gene and β-CAS activity were not significantly different between the R and S plants. However, the induction expression of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase(ACO1) gene by quinclorac treatment was evident in the S plants but not in the R plants. Quinclorac resistance in the two resistant E. crus-galli populations was not likely to be related to foliar uptake, translocation or metabolism of quinclorac, nor to cyanide detoxification via β-CAS. Thus, target-site based quinclorac signal reception and transduction and regulation of the ethylene synthesis pathway should be the focus for further research.     

Strategies for Fermentable Sugar Production by Using Pressurized Acid Hydrolysis for Rice Husks

This study investigated the use of leftover biomass(rice husks) as the raw material for the biotechnological production of platform chemicals and biopolymers. Following the biorefinery concept, different acid hydrolysates were studied and resulted into a wide range of treatment strategies. Chemometrics were applied throughout the procedures in multivariate experimental conditions. By using the best hydrolytic conditions of 6.0% H_3PO_4, 135 oC(45 MPa) and reaction time of 62 min, 21.0 g/L sugar hydrolysates were produced; by using the best hydrolytic condition of 4.5% HNO_3, 135 oC/35 min, 16.1 g/L sugar hydrolysates were produced; and with the hydrolysates use of 1.5% H_2SO_4 and 1.5% HCl, 135 oC/62 min, 18.2 and 17.8 g/L sugar hydrolysates were produced, respectively. The highest productivity, in terms of fermentable sugars, reached 68% of integral cellulose/hemicellulose fraction and surpassed those found in the literature, with regard to the processing of rice husks, by considering just one step process. Sulfuric hydrolysate, detoxified with active carbon, was used to prove this proposal viability, resulting in a fermentation substrate for A. terreus(ATCC10020) and R. radiobacter(LMG196) strains(natural producers of bioproducts), which certified the feasibility of the proposal. The production of fermentable sugars from leftover biomass should encourage a search for new bioconversion routes, which can result in economic and environmental benefits and a spread of knowledge.