Genome-wide characterization of microRNA in foxtail millet (Setaria italica).

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Yi, Fei; Xie, Shaojun; Liu, Yuwei; Qi, Xin; Yu, Jingjuan

2013-12-13

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short non-coding, endogenous RNAs that play key roles in many biological processes in both animals and plants. Although many miRNAs have been identified in a large number of organisms, the miRNAs in foxtail millet (Setaria italica) have, until now, been poorly understood. In this study, two replicate small RNA libraries from foxtail millet shoots were sequenced, and 40 million reads representing over 10 million unique sequences were generated. We identified 43 known miRNAs, 172 novel miRNAs and 2 mirtron precursor candidates in foxtail millet. Some miRNA*s of the known and novel miRNAs were detected as well. Further, eight novel miRNAs were validated by stem-loop RT-PCR. Potential targets of the foxtail millet miRNAs were predicted based on our strict criteria. Of the predicted target genes, 79% (351) had functional annotations in InterPro and GO analyses, indicating the targets of the miRNAs were involved in a wide range of regulatory functions and some specific biological processes. A total of 69 pairs of syntenic miRNA precursors that were conserved between foxtail millet and sorghum were found. Additionally, stem-loop RT-PCR was conducted to confirm the tissue-specific expression of some miRNAs in the four tissues identified by deep-sequencing. We predicted, for the first time, 215 miRNAs and 447 miRNA targets in foxtail millet at a genome-wide level. The precursors, expression levels, miRNA* sequences, target functions, conservation, and evolution of miRNAs we identified were investigated. Some of the novel foxtail millet miRNAs and miRNA targets were validated experimentally.

A Foxtail mosaic virus Vector for Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Maize.

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Mei, Yu; Zhang, Chunquan; Kernodle, Bliss M; Hill, John H; Whitham, Steven A

2016-06-01

Plant viruses have been widely used as vectors for foreign gene expression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). A limited number of viruses have been developed into viral vectors for the purposes of gene expression or VIGS in monocotyledonous plants, and among these, the tripartite viruses Brome mosaic virus and Cucumber mosaic virus have been shown to induce VIGS in maize (Zea mays). We describe here a new DNA-based VIGS system derived from Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV), a monopartite virus that is able to establish systemic infection and silencing of endogenous maize genes homologous to gene fragments inserted into the FoMV genome. To demonstrate VIGS applications of this FoMV vector system, four genes, phytoene desaturase (functions in carotenoid biosynthesis), lesion mimic22 (encodes a key enzyme of the porphyrin pathway), iojap (functions in plastid development), and brown midrib3 (caffeic acid O-methyltransferase), were silenced and characterized in the sweet corn line Golden × Bantam. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the FoMV infectious clone establishes systemic infection in maize inbred lines, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and green foxtail (Setaria viridis), indicating the potential wide applications of this viral vector system for functional genomics studies in maize and other monocots. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Effect of different seeding methods on green manure biomass, soil ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effect of different seeding methods on green manure biomass, soil properties and rice yield in rice-based cropping systems. ... The effects of treatments on rice yield and its components were also investigated. ... Based on the results, BBRH and PTS are good practices for production of green manure in paddy soil. Chemical ...

Genome sequence of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) provides insights into grass evolution and biofuel potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Gengyun; Liu, Xin; Quan, Zhiwu; Cheng, Shifeng; Xu, Xun; Pan, Shengkai; Xie, Min; Zeng, Peng; Yue, Zhen; Wang, Wenliang; Tao, Ye; Bian, Chao; Han, Changlei; Xia, Qiuju; Peng, Xiaohua; Cao, Rui; Yang, Xinhua; Zhan, Dongliang; Hu, Jingchu; Zhang, Yinxin; Li, Henan; Li, Hua; Li, Ning; Wang, Junyi; Wang, Chanchan; Wang, Renyi; Guo, Tao; Cai, Yanjie; Liu, Chengzhang; Xiang, Haitao; Shi, Qiuxiang; Huang, Ping; Chen, Qingchun; Li, Yingrui; Wang, Jun; Zhao, Zhihai; Wang, Jian

2012-05-13

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica), a member of the Poaceae grass family, is an important food and fodder crop in arid regions and has potential for use as a C(4) biofuel. It is a model system for other biofuel grasses, including switchgrass and pearl millet. We produced a draft genome (∼423 Mb) anchored onto nine chromosomes and annotated 38,801 genes. Key chromosome reshuffling events were detected through collinearity identification between foxtail millet, rice and sorghum including two reshuffling events fusing rice chromosomes 7 and 9, 3 and 10 to foxtail millet chromosomes 2 and 9, respectively, that occurred after the divergence of foxtail millet and rice, and a single reshuffling event fusing rice chromosome 5 and 12 to foxtail millet chromosome 3 that occurred after the divergence of millet and sorghum. Rearrangements in the C(4) photosynthesis pathway were also identified.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Chinese foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.] landraces.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chunfang; Jia, Guanqing; Zhi, Hui; Niu, Zhengang; Chai, Yang; Li, Wei; Wang, Yongfang; Li, Haiquan; Lu, Ping; Zhao, Baohua; Diao, Xianmin

2012-07-01

As an ancient cereal of great importance for dryland agriculture even today, foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is fast becoming a new plant genomic model crop. A genotypic analysis of 250 foxtail millet landraces, which represent 1% of foxtail millet germplasm kept in the Chinese National Gene Bank (CNGB), was conducted with 77 SSRs covering the foxtail millet genome. A high degree of molecular diversity among the landraces was found, with an average of 20.9 alleles per locus detected. STRUCTURE, neighbor-jointing, and principal components analyses classify the accessions into three clusters (topmost hierarchy) and, ultimately, four conservative subgroups (substructuring within the topmost clusters) in total, which are in good accordance with eco-geographical distribution in China. The highest subpopulation diversity was identified in the accessions of Pop3 from the middle regions of the Yellow River, followed by accessions in Pop1 from the downstream regions of the Yellow River, suggesting that foxtail millet was domesticated in the Yellow River drainage area first and then spread to other parts of the country. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) decay of less than 20 cM of genetic distance in the foxtail millet landrace genome was observed, which suggests that it could be possible to achieve resolution down to the 20 cM level for association mapping.

Differential gene expression in foxtail millet during incompatible interaction with Uromyces setariae-italicae.

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Zhi Yong Li

Full Text Available Foxtail millet (Setaria italica is an important food and fodder grain crop that is grown for human consumption. Production of this species is affected by several plant diseases, such as rust. The cultivar Shilixiang has been identified as resistant to the foxtail millet rust pathogen, Uromyces setariae-italicae. In order to identify signaling pathways and genes related to the plant's defense mechanisms against rust, the Shilixiang cultivar was used to construct a digital gene expression (DGE library during the interaction of foxtail millet with U. setariae-italicae. In this study, we determined the most abundant differentially expressed signaling pathways of up-regulated genes in foxtail millet and identified significantly up-regulated genes. Finally, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR analysis was used to analyze the expression of nine selected genes, and the patterns observed agreed well with DGE analysis. Expression levels of the genes were also compared between a resistant cultivar Shilixiang and a susceptible cultivar Yugu-1, and the result indicated that expression level of Shilixiang is higher than that of Yugu-1. This study reveals the relatively comprehensive mechanisms of rust-responsive transcription in foxtail millet.

Utilization of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica from Papua as an Alternative Feedstuff to Substitute Corn

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Siska Tirajoh

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Papua foxtail millet (Setaria italica is a plant which has been used as a source of carbohydrate, but it has not been used optimally. High demand in consuming corn as a poultry feeds provides an opportunity for Papua foxtail millet to be used as a substitute for corn in feed. Evaluation of nutritive values and antinutrient shows that Papua foxtail millet potential to be used as feed stuff. Studies on cultivation technology, evaluation of the nutritive values and antinutrient and its benefits as an alternative feed are relatively limited. The results shows that the Papua foxtail millet contains dry matter (88.37%, ash (0.86%, protein (12.07%, fat (2.76%, crude fiber (1.93%, metabolizable energy (3,139 kcal/kg and anti-nutritional factors (3.07% of phytate and 0.01% of tannins. Several studies reported that the use of Papua foxtail millet at various levels (25-100% in feed, can substitute corn and give a positive response on consumption, daily weight gain, feed conversion, carcass composition and percentages and egg production. It can be concluded that the Papua foxtail millet can be used as a corn substitution in poultry feed.

Evaluation of the Efficiency of the Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion in Skin Cancer Radiation Treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Shin; Cheol; Lee, Kyung Jae; Jung, Sung Min; Oh, Tae Seong; Park, Jong Il; Shin, Hyun Kye [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2012-09-15

The sufficiency of skin dose and the reemergence of patient set-up position to the success of skin cancer radiation treatment is a very important element. But the conventional methods to increase the skin dose were used to vacuum cushion, bolus and water tank have several weak points. For this reason, we produced Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion and evaluated the efficiency of the Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion in skin cancer Radiation treatment. We measured absolute dose for 3 materials (Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion, bolus and solid water phantom) and compared each dose distribution. We irradiated 6 MV 100 MU photon radiation to every material of 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm thickness at three times. We measured absolute dose and compared dose distribution. Finally we inspected the CT simulation and radiation therapy planing using the Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion. Absolute dose of Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion was similar to absolute dose of bolus and solid water phantom's result in each thickness. it Showed only the difference of 0.1-0.2% between each material. Also the same result in dose distribution comparison. About 97% of the dose distribution was within the margin of error in the prescribed ranges (100{+-}3%), and achieved the enough skin dose (Gross Tumor Volume dose : 100{+-}5%) in radiation therapy planing. We evaluated important fact that Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion is no shortage of time to replace the soft tissue equivalent material and normal vacuum cushion at the low energy radiation transmittance. Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion can simultaneously achieve the enough skin dose in radiation therapy planing with maintaining normal vacuum cushion' function. Therefore as above We think that Foxtail Millet Vacuum Cushion is very useful in skin cancer radiation treatment.

Foxtail millet: a model crop for genetic and genomic studies in bioenergy grasses.

Science.gov (United States)

Lata, Charu; Gupta, Sarika; Prasad, Manoj

2013-09-01

Foxtail millet is one of the oldest domesticated diploid C4 Panicoid crops having a comparatively small genome size of approximately 515 Mb, short life cycle, and inbreeding nature. Its two species, Setaria italica (domesticated) and Setaria viridis (wild progenitor), have characteristics that classify them as excellent model systems to examine several aspects of architectural, evolutionary, and physiological importance in Panicoid grasses especially the biofuel crops such as switchgrass and napiergrass. Foxtail millet is a staple crop used extensively for food and fodder in parts of Asia and Africa. In its long history of cultivation, it has been adapted to arid and semi-arid areas of Asia, North Africa, South and North America. Foxtail millet has one of the largest collections of cultivated as well as wild-type germplasm rich with phenotypic variations and hence provides prospects for association mapping and allele-mining of elite and novel variants to be incorporated in crop improvement programs. Most of the foxtail millet accessions can be primarily abiotic stress tolerant particularly to drought and salinity, and therefore exploiting these agronomic traits can enhance its efficacy in marker-aided breeding as well as in genetic engineering for abiotic stress tolerance. In addition, the release of draft genome sequence of foxtail millet would be useful to the researchers worldwide in not only discerning the molecular basis of biomass production in biofuel crops and the methods to improve it, but also for the introgression of beneficial agronomically important characteristics in foxtail millet as well as in related Panicoid bioenergy grasses.

A Foxtail mosaic virus Vector for Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Maize1[OPEN

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Yu; Kernodle, Bliss M.; Hill, John H.

2016-01-01

Plant viruses have been widely used as vectors for foreign gene expression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). A limited number of viruses have been developed into viral vectors for the purposes of gene expression or VIGS in monocotyledonous plants, and among these, the tripartite viruses Brome mosaic virus and Cucumber mosaic virus have been shown to induce VIGS in maize (Zea mays). We describe here a new DNA-based VIGS system derived from Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV), a monopartite virus that is able to establish systemic infection and silencing of endogenous maize genes homologous to gene fragments inserted into the FoMV genome. To demonstrate VIGS applications of this FoMV vector system, four genes, phytoene desaturase (functions in carotenoid biosynthesis), lesion mimic22 (encodes a key enzyme of the porphyrin pathway), iojap (functions in plastid development), and brown midrib3 (caffeic acid O-methyltransferase), were silenced and characterized in the sweet corn line Golden × Bantam. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the FoMV infectious clone establishes systemic infection in maize inbred lines, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and green foxtail (Setaria viridis), indicating the potential wide applications of this viral vector system for functional genomics studies in maize and other monocots. PMID:27208311

Comparative study on nutritional and sensory quality of barnyard and foxtail millet food products with traditional rice products.

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Suman; Srivastava, Sarita; Tiwari, Neha

2015-08-01

Millets have the potential to contribute to food security and nutrition, but still these are underutilized crops. The present study was undertaken with a view to analyse the physico-chemical, functional and nutritional composition of foxtail millet, barnyard millet and rice and to compare the sensory quality and nutritive value of food products from foxtail and barnyard millet with rice. Analysis of physico- chemical and functional characteristics revealed that the thousand kernel weight of foxtail millet, barnyard millet and rice was 2.5, 3.0 and 18.3 g, respectively and thousand kernel volume was 1.6, 13 2.0 and 7.1 ml, respectively. The water absorption capacity of foxtail millet, barnyard millet and rice was 1.90, 1.96 and 1.98 ml/g, respectively and water solubility index was 2.8, 1.2 and 1.0 %, respectively. Viscosity was measured for foxtail millet (1650.6 cps), barnyard millet (1581 cps) and rice (1668.3 cps). Analysis of nutritional composition showed that the moisture content of foxtail millet, barnyard millet and rice was 9.35, 11.93 and 11.91 %, respectively. The total ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre and carbohydrate of foxtail millet were 3.10, 10.29, 3.06, 4.25 and 69.95 %, respectively, for barnyard millet were 4.27, 6.93, 2.02, 2.98 and 71.87 %, respectively and the corresponding values for rice were 0.59, 6.19, 0.53, 0.21 and 80.58 %, respectively. The energy value for foxtail millet, barnyard millet and rice was 349, 407 and 352 Kcal, respectively. The foxtail millet contained 30.10 mg/100 g calcium and 3.73 mg/100 g iron whereas barnyard millet contained 23.16 mg/100 g calcium and 6.91 mg/100 g iron. Values of 10 mg/100 g calcium and 0.10 mg/100 g iron were observed for rice. The formulated products viz. laddu, halwa and biryani from foxtail millet, barnyard millet and rice (control) were analysed for their sensory qualities. Among the products prepared, there was non significant difference with regard to the

Effect of genotype and environment on branching in weedy green millet (Setaria viridis) and domesticated foxtail millet (Setaria italica) (Poaceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Doust, Andrew N; Kellogg, Elizabeth A

2006-04-01

Many domesticated crops are derived from species whose life history includes weedy characteristics, such as the ability to vary branching patterns in response to environmental conditions. However, domesticated crop plants are characterized by less variable plant architecture, as well as by a general reduction in vegetative branching compared to their progenitor species. Here we examine weedy green millet and its domesticate foxtail millet that differ in the number of tillers (basal branches) and axillary branches along each tiller. Branch number in F(2:3) progeny of a cross between the two species varies with genotype, planting density, and other environmental variables, with significant genotype-environment interactions (GEI). This is shown by a complex pattern of reaction norms and by variation in the pattern of significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) amongst trials. Individual and joint analyses of high and low density trials indicate that most QTL have significant GEI. Dominance and epistasis also explain some variation in branching. Likely candidate genes underlying the QTL (based on map position and phenotypic effect) include teosinte branched1 and barren stalk1. Phytochrome B, which has been found to affect response to shading in other plants, explains little or no variation. Much variation in branching is explained by QTL that do not have obvious candidate genes from maize or rice.

Gene expression profiling of the green seed problem in Soybean

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nogueira Teixeira, Renake; Ligterink, Wilco; B. França-Neto, de José; Hilhorst, H.W.M.; Silva, da E.A.A.

2016-01-01

Background: Due to the climate change of the past few decades, some agricultural areas in the world are now experiencing new climatic extremes. For soybean, high temperatures and drought stress can potentially lead to the "green seed problem", which is characterized by chlorophyll retention in

A haplotype map of genomic variations and genome-wide association studies of agronomic traits in foxtail millet (Setaria italica).

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Guanqing; Huang, Xuehui; Zhi, Hui; Zhao, Yan; Zhao, Qiang; Li, Wenjun; Chai, Yang; Yang, Lifang; Liu, Kunyan; Lu, Hengyun; Zhu, Chuanrang; Lu, Yiqi; Zhou, Congcong; Fan, Danlin; Weng, Qijun; Guo, Yunli; Huang, Tao; Zhang, Lei; Lu, Tingting; Feng, Qi; Hao, Hangfei; Liu, Hongkuan; Lu, Ping; Zhang, Ning; Li, Yuhui; Guo, Erhu; Wang, Shujun; Wang, Suying; Liu, Jinrong; Zhang, Wenfei; Chen, Guoqiu; Zhang, Baojin; Li, Wei; Wang, Yongfang; Li, Haiquan; Zhao, Baohua; Li, Jiayang; Diao, Xianmin; Han, Bin

2013-08-01

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is an important grain crop that is grown in arid regions. Here we sequenced 916 diverse foxtail millet varieties, identified 2.58 million SNPs and used 0.8 million common SNPs to construct a haplotype map of the foxtail millet genome. We classified the foxtail millet varieties into two divergent groups that are strongly correlated with early and late flowering times. We phenotyped the 916 varieties under five different environments and identified 512 loci associated with 47 agronomic traits by genome-wide association studies. We performed a de novo assembly of deeply sequenced genomes of a Setaria viridis accession (the wild progenitor of S. italica) and an S. italica variety and identified complex interspecies and intraspecies variants. We also identified 36 selective sweeps that seem to have occurred during modern breeding. This study provides fundamental resources for genetics research and genetic improvement in foxtail millet.

Antioxidant activity, total phenolics, flavonoids and antinutritional characteristics of germinated foxtail millet (Setaria italica

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Seema Sharma

2015-12-01

Full Text Available A central composite rotatable design was applied to analyse the effects of independent variables [soaking time (ST, germination time (Gt and temperature (GT] on responses [antioxidant activity (AoxA, total phenolic contents (TPC and flavonoid contents (TFC]. The results indicated that with increase in ST, Gt and GT, AoxA, TPC (free/bound and TFC (free/bound of foxtail millet increased significantly. The best combination of germination bioprocess variables for producing optimized germinated foxtail millet flour with the highest AoxA (90.5%, TPC (45.67 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE/100 g sample and TFC (30.52–43.96 mg RU/g sample were found with soaking time of 15.84 min having germination temperature of 25°C. The optimized germinated foxtail millet flour was nutritionally rich as it produced higher protein (14.32 g/100 g, dietary fibre (27.42 g/100 g, calcium (25.62 mg/kg, iron (54.23 mg/kg, magnesium (107.16 mg/kg and sodium (69.45 mg/kg per kg as compared to un-germinated foxtail millet flour.

FmMDb: a versatile database of foxtail millet markers for millets and bioenergy grasses research.

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Venkata Suresh B

Full Text Available The prominent attributes of foxtail millet (Setaria italica L. including its small genome size, short life cycle, inbreeding nature, and phylogenetic proximity to various biofuel crops have made this crop an excellent model system to investigate various aspects of architectural, evolutionary and physiological significances in Panicoid bioenergy grasses. After release of its whole genome sequence, large-scale genomic resources in terms of molecular markers were generated for the improvement of both foxtail millet and its related species. Hence it is now essential to congregate, curate and make available these genomic resources for the benefit of researchers and breeders working towards crop improvement. In view of this, we have constructed the Foxtail millet Marker Database (FmMDb; http://www.nipgr.res.in/foxtail.html, a comprehensive online database for information retrieval, visualization and management of large-scale marker datasets with unrestricted public access. FmMDb is the first database which provides complete marker information to the plant science community attempting to produce elite cultivars of millet and bioenergy grass species, thus addressing global food insecurity.

The C-terminal motif of SiAGO1b is required for the regulation of growth, development and stress responses in foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv).

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaotong; Tang, Sha; Jia, Guanqing; Schnable, James C; Su, Haixia; Tang, Chanjuan; Zhi, Hui; Diao, Xianmin

2016-05-01

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv), which belongs to the Panicoideae tribe of the Poaceae, is an important grain crop widely grown in Northern China and India. It is currently developing into a novel model species for functional genomics of the Panicoideae as a result of its fully available reference genome sequence, small diploid genome (2n=18, ~510Mb), short life cycle, small stature and prolific seed production. Argonaute 1 (AGO1), belonging to the argonaute (AGO) protein family, recruits small RNAs and regulates plant growth and development. Here, we characterized an AGO1 mutant (siago1b) in foxtail millet, which was induced by ethyl methanesulfonate treatment. The mutant exhibited pleiotropic developmental defects, including dwarfing stem, narrow and rolled leaves, smaller panicles and lower rates of seed setting. Map-based cloning analysis demonstrated that these phenotypic variations were attributed to a C-A transversion, and a 7-bp deletion in the C-terminus of the SiAGO1b gene in siago1b Yeast two-hybrid assays and BiFC experiments revealed that the mutated region was an essential functional motif for the interaction between SiAGO1b and SiHYL1. Furthermore, 1598 differentially expressed genes were detected via RNA-seq-based comparison of SiAGO1b and wild-type plants, which revealed that SiAGO1b mutation influenced multiple biological processes, including energy metabolism, cell growth, programmed death and abiotic stress responses in foxtail millet. This study may provide a better understanding of the mechanisms by which SiAGO1b regulates the growth and development of crops. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Phytoliths analysis for the discrimination of Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and Common millet (Panicum miliaceum).

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Houyuan; Zhang, Jianping; Wu, Naiqin; Liu, Kam-Biu; Xu, Deke; Li, Quan

2009-01-01

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and Common millet (Panicum miliaceum) are the oldest domesticated dry farming crops in Eurasia. Identifying these two millets in the archaeobotanical remains are still problematic, especially because the millet grains preserve only when charred. Phytoliths analysis provides a viable method for identifying this important crop. However, to date, the identification of millet phytoliths has been questionable, because very little study has been done on their morphometry and taxonomy. Particularly, no clear diagnostic feature has been used to distinguish between Foxtail millet and Common millet. Here we examined the anatomy and silicon structure patterns in the glumes, lemmas, and paleas from the inflorescence bracts in 27 modern plants of Foxtail millet, Common millet, and closely related grasses, using light microscopy with phase-contrast and microscopic interferometer. Our research shows that five key diagnostic characteristics in phytolith morphology can be used to distinguish Foxtail millet from Common millet based on the presence of cross-shaped type, regularly arranged papillae, Omega-undulated type, endings structures of epidermal long cell, and surface ridgy line sculpture in the former species. We have established identification criteria that, when used together, give the only reliable way of distinguishing between Foxtail millet and Common millet species based on their phytoliths characteristics, thus making a methodological contribution to phytolith research. Our findings also have important implications in the fields of plant taxonomy, agricultural archaeology, and the culture history of ancient civilizations.

Phytoliths analysis for the discrimination of Foxtail millet (Setaria italica and Common millet (Panicum miliaceum.

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Houyuan Lu

Full Text Available Foxtail millet (Setaria italica and Common millet (Panicum miliaceum are the oldest domesticated dry farming crops in Eurasia. Identifying these two millets in the archaeobotanical remains are still problematic, especially because the millet grains preserve only when charred. Phytoliths analysis provides a viable method for identifying this important crop. However, to date, the identification of millet phytoliths has been questionable, because very little study has been done on their morphometry and taxonomy. Particularly, no clear diagnostic feature has been used to distinguish between Foxtail millet and Common millet. Here we examined the anatomy and silicon structure patterns in the glumes, lemmas, and paleas from the inflorescence bracts in 27 modern plants of Foxtail millet, Common millet, and closely related grasses, using light microscopy with phase-contrast and microscopic interferometer. Our research shows that five key diagnostic characteristics in phytolith morphology can be used to distinguish Foxtail millet from Common millet based on the presence of cross-shaped type, regularly arranged papillae, Omega-undulated type, endings structures of epidermal long cell, and surface ridgy line sculpture in the former species. We have established identification criteria that, when used together, give the only reliable way of distinguishing between Foxtail millet and Common millet species based on their phytoliths characteristics, thus making a methodological contribution to phytolith research. Our findings also have important implications in the fields of plant taxonomy, agricultural archaeology, and the culture history of ancient civilizations.

Genetic diversity and population structure of elite foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.] germplasm in China

Science.gov (United States)

China is among the countries that have the most severe water deficiency. Due to its excellent drought tolerance, foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.] has become one of the important cereal crops in China. Information on genetic diversity and population structure of foxtail millet may faci...

Genome-wide development and use of microsatellite markers for large-scale genotyping applications in foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.)].

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, Garima; Misra, Gopal; Kumari, Kajal; Gupta, Sarika; Parida, Swarup Kumar; Chattopadhyay, Debasis; Prasad, Manoj

2013-04-01

The availability of well-validated informative co-dominant microsatellite markers and saturated genetic linkage map has been limited in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.). In view of this, we conducted a genome-wide analysis and identified 28 342 microsatellite repeat-motifs spanning 405.3 Mb of foxtail millet genome. The trinucleotide repeats (∼48%) was prevalent when compared with dinucleotide repeats (∼46%). Of the 28 342 microsatellites, 21 294 (∼75%) primer pairs were successfully designed, and a total of 15 573 markers were physically mapped on 9 chromosomes of foxtail millet. About 159 markers were validated successfully in 8 accessions of Setaria sp. with ∼67% polymorphic potential. The high percentage (89.3%) of cross-genera transferability across millet and non-millet species with higher transferability percentage in bioenergy grasses (∼79%, Switchgrass and ∼93%, Pearl millet) signifies their importance in studying the bioenergy grasses. In silico comparative mapping of 15 573 foxtail millet microsatellite markers against the mapping data of sorghum (16.9%), maize (14.5%) and rice (6.4%) indicated syntenic relationships among the chromosomes of foxtail millet and target species. The results, thus, demonstrate the immense applicability of developed microsatellite markers in germplasm characterization, phylogenetics, construction of genetic linkage map for gene/quantitative trait loci discovery, comparative mapping in foxtail millet, including other millets and bioenergy grass species.

Characteristics and expression patterns of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH gene superfamily of foxtail millet (Setaria italica L..

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Zhu Chen

Full Text Available Recent genomic sequencing of the foxtail millet, an abiotic, stress-tolerant crop, has provided a great opportunity for novel gene discovery and functional analysis of this popularly-grown grass. However, few stress-mediated gene families have been studied. Aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs comprise a gene superfamily encoding NAD (P +-dependent enzymes that play the role of "aldehyde scavengers", which indirectly detoxify cellular ROS and reduce the effect of lipid peroxidation meditated cellular toxicity under various environmental stresses. In the current paper, we identified a total of 20 ALDH genes in the foxtail millet genome using a homology search and a phylogenetic analysis and grouped them into ten distinct families based on their amino acid sequence identity. Furthermore, evolutionary analysis of foxtail millet reveals that both tandem and segmental duplication contributed significantly to the expansion of its ALDH genes. The exon-intron structures of members of the same family in foxtail millet or the orthologous genes in rice display highly diverse distributions of their exonic and intronic regions. Also, synteny analysis shows that the majority of foxtail millet and rice ALDH gene homologs exist in the syntenic blocks between the two, implying that these ALDH genes arose before the divergence of cereals. Semi-quantitative and real-time quantitative PCR data reveals that a few SiALDH genes are expressed in an organ-specific manner and that the expression of a number of foxtail millet ALDH genes, such as, SiALDH7B1, SiALDH12A1 and SiALDH18B2 are up-regulated by osmotic stress, cold, H2O2, and phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA. Furthermore, the transformation of SiALDH2B2, SiALDH10A2, SiALDH5F1, SiALDH22A1, and SiALDH3E2 into Escherichia coli (E.coli was able to improve their salt tolerance. Taken together, our results show that genome-wide identification characteristics and expression analyses provide unique opportunities for assessing

Characteristics and expression patterns of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) gene superfamily of foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.).

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Chen, Zhu; Chen, Ming; Xu, Zhao-shi; Li, Lian-cheng; Chen, Xue-ping; Ma, You-zhi

2014-01-01

Recent genomic sequencing of the foxtail millet, an abiotic, stress-tolerant crop, has provided a great opportunity for novel gene discovery and functional analysis of this popularly-grown grass. However, few stress-mediated gene families have been studied. Aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) comprise a gene superfamily encoding NAD (P) +-dependent enzymes that play the role of "aldehyde scavengers", which indirectly detoxify cellular ROS and reduce the effect of lipid peroxidation meditated cellular toxicity under various environmental stresses. In the current paper, we identified a total of 20 ALDH genes in the foxtail millet genome using a homology search and a phylogenetic analysis and grouped them into ten distinct families based on their amino acid sequence identity. Furthermore, evolutionary analysis of foxtail millet reveals that both tandem and segmental duplication contributed significantly to the expansion of its ALDH genes. The exon-intron structures of members of the same family in foxtail millet or the orthologous genes in rice display highly diverse distributions of their exonic and intronic regions. Also, synteny analysis shows that the majority of foxtail millet and rice ALDH gene homologs exist in the syntenic blocks between the two, implying that these ALDH genes arose before the divergence of cereals. Semi-quantitative and real-time quantitative PCR data reveals that a few SiALDH genes are expressed in an organ-specific manner and that the expression of a number of foxtail millet ALDH genes, such as, SiALDH7B1, SiALDH12A1 and SiALDH18B2 are up-regulated by osmotic stress, cold, H2O2, and phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA). Furthermore, the transformation of SiALDH2B2, SiALDH10A2, SiALDH5F1, SiALDH22A1, and SiALDH3E2 into Escherichia coli (E.coli) was able to improve their salt tolerance. Taken together, our results show that genome-wide identification characteristics and expression analyses provide unique opportunities for assessing the functional

Drought-Tolerant Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Associated with Foxtail Millet in a Semi-arid Agroecosystem and Their Potential in Alleviating Drought Stress

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Xuguang Niu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR to agro-ecosystems is considered to have the potential for improving plant growth in extreme environments featured by water shortage. Herein, we isolated bacterial strains from foxtail millet (Setaria italica L., a drought-tolerant crop cultivated in semiarid regions in the northeast of China. Four isolates were initially selected for their ability to produce ACC deaminase as well as drought tolerance. The isolates were identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens, Enterobacter hormaechei, and Pseudomonas migulae on the basis of 16S rRNA sequence analysis. All of these drought-tolerant isolates were able to produce EPS (exopolysaccharide. Inoculation with these strains stimulated seed germination and seedling growth under drought stress. Pseudomonas fluorescens DR7 showed the highest level of ACC deaminase and EPS-producing activity. DR7 could efficiently colonize the root adhering soil, increased soil moisture, and enhance the root adhering soil/root tissue ratio. These results suggest drought tolerant PGPR from foxtail millet could enhance plant growth under drought stress conditions and serve as effective bioinoculants to sustain agricultural production in arid regions.

Detection of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus-infected watermelon seeds using short wave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral imaging system

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The cucurbit diseases caused by cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) have led to a serious problem to growers and seed producers because it is difficult to prevent spreading through causal agent of seeds. Conventional detection methods for infected seed such as a biological, serological, and m...

Identification and molecular characterization of MYB Transcription Factor Superfamily in C4 model plant foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.).

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Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Khandelwal, Rohit; Yadav, Chandra Bhan; Bonthala, Venkata Suresh; Khan, Yusuf; Prasad, Manoj

2014-01-01

MYB proteins represent one of the largest transcription factor families in plants, playing important roles in diverse developmental and stress-responsive processes. Considering its significance, several genome-wide analyses have been conducted in almost all land plants except foxtail millet. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) is a model crop for investigating systems biology of millets and bioenergy grasses. Further, the crop is also known for its potential abiotic stress-tolerance. In this context, a comprehensive genome-wide survey was conducted and 209 MYB protein-encoding genes were identified in foxtail millet. All 209 S. italica MYB (SiMYB) genes were physically mapped onto nine chromosomes of foxtail millet. Gene duplication study showed that segmental- and tandem-duplication have occurred in genome resulting in expansion of this gene family. The protein domain investigation classified SiMYB proteins into three classes according to number of MYB repeats present. The phylogenetic analysis categorized SiMYBs into ten groups (I-X). SiMYB-based comparative mapping revealed a maximum orthology between foxtail millet and sorghum, followed by maize, rice and Brachypodium. Heat map analysis showed tissue-specific expression pattern of predominant SiMYB genes. Expression profiling of candidate MYB genes against abiotic stresses and hormone treatments using qRT-PCR revealed specific and/or overlapping expression patterns of SiMYBs. Taken together, the present study provides a foundation for evolutionary and functional characterization of MYB TFs in foxtail millet to dissect their functions in response to environmental stimuli.

Identification and molecular characterization of MYB Transcription Factor Superfamily in C4 model plant foxtail millet (Setaria italica L..

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Mehanathan Muthamilarasan

Full Text Available MYB proteins represent one of the largest transcription factor families in plants, playing important roles in diverse developmental and stress-responsive processes. Considering its significance, several genome-wide analyses have been conducted in almost all land plants except foxtail millet. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L. is a model crop for investigating systems biology of millets and bioenergy grasses. Further, the crop is also known for its potential abiotic stress-tolerance. In this context, a comprehensive genome-wide survey was conducted and 209 MYB protein-encoding genes were identified in foxtail millet. All 209 S. italica MYB (SiMYB genes were physically mapped onto nine chromosomes of foxtail millet. Gene duplication study showed that segmental- and tandem-duplication have occurred in genome resulting in expansion of this gene family. The protein domain investigation classified SiMYB proteins into three classes according to number of MYB repeats present. The phylogenetic analysis categorized SiMYBs into ten groups (I-X. SiMYB-based comparative mapping revealed a maximum orthology between foxtail millet and sorghum, followed by maize, rice and Brachypodium. Heat map analysis showed tissue-specific expression pattern of predominant SiMYB genes. Expression profiling of candidate MYB genes against abiotic stresses and hormone treatments using qRT-PCR revealed specific and/or overlapping expression patterns of SiMYBs. Taken together, the present study provides a foundation for evolutionary and functional characterization of MYB TFs in foxtail millet to dissect their functions in response to environmental stimuli.

Genome-wide analysis and identification of cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX gene family in foxtail millet (Setaria italica

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Yuange Wang

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX; EC.1.5.99.12 regulates cytokinin (CK level in plants and plays an essential role in CK regulatory processes. CKX proteins are encoded by a small gene family with a varying number of members in different plants. In spite of their physiological importance, systematic analyses of SiCKX genes in foxtail millet have not yet been examined. In this paper, we report the genome wide isolation and characterization of SiCKXs using bioinformatic methods. A total of 11 members of the family were identified in the foxtail millet genome. SiCKX genes were distributed in seven chromosomes (chromosome 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 11. The coding sequences of all the SiCKX genes were disrupted by introns, with numbers varying from one to four. These genes expanded in the genome mainly due to segmental duplication events. Multiple alignment and motif display results showed that all SiCKX proteins share FAD- and CK-binding domains. Putative cis-elements involved in Ca2 +-response, abiotic stress response, light and circadian rhythm regulation, disease resistance and seed development were present in the promoters of SiCKX genes. Expression data mining suggested that SiCKX genes have diverse expression patterns. Real-time PCR analysis indicated that all 11 SiCKX genes were up-regulated in embryos under 6-BA treatment, and some were NaCl or PEG inducible. Collectively, these results provide molecular insights into CKX research in plants.

Classification of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) infected watermelon seeds using Raman spectroscopy

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Lee, Hoonsoo; Lim, Hyoun-Sub; Cho, Byoung-Kwan

2016-05-01

The Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV) is a globally distributed plant virus. CGMMV-infected plants exhibit severe mosaic symptoms, discoloration, and deformation. Therefore, rapid and early detection of CGMMV infected seeds is very important for preventing disease damage and yield losses. Raman spectroscopy was investigated in this study as a potential tool for rapid, accurate, and nondestructive detection of infected seeds. Raman spectra of healthy and infected seeds were acquired in the 400 cm-1 to 1800 cm-1 wavenumber range and an algorithm based on partial least-squares discriminant analysis was developed to classify infected and healthy seeds. The classification model's accuracies for calibration and prediction data sets were 100% and 86%, respectively. Results showed that the Raman spectroscopic technique has good potential for nondestructive detection of virus-infected seeds.

Salinity induced differential methylation patterns in contrasting cultivars of foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.).

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Pandey, Garima; Yadav, Chandra Bhan; Sahu, Pranav Pankaj; Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Prasad, Manoj

2017-05-01

Genome-wide methylation analysis of foxtail millet cultivars contrastingly differing in salinity tolerance revealed DNA demethylation events occurring in tolerant cultivar under salinity stress, eventually modulating the expression of stress-responsive genes. Reduced productivity and significant yield loss are the adverse effects of environmental conditions on physiological and biochemical pathways in crop plants. In this context, understanding the epigenetic machinery underlying the tolerance traits in a naturally stress tolerant crop is imperative. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is known for its better tolerance to abiotic stresses compared to other cereal crops. In the present study, methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) technique was used to quantify the salt-induced methylation changes in two foxtail millet cultivars contrastingly differing in their tolerance levels to salt stress. The study highlighted that the DNA methylation level was significantly reduced in tolerant cultivar compared to sensitive cultivar. A total of 86 polymorphic MSAP fragments were identified, sequenced and functionally annotated. These fragments showed sequence similarity to several genes including ABC transporter, WRKY transcription factor, serine threonine-protein phosphatase, disease resistance, oxidoreductases, cell wall-related enzymes and retrotransposon and transposase like proteins, suggesting salt stress-induced methylation in these genes. Among these, four genes were chosen for expression profiling which showed differential expression pattern between both cultivars of foxtail millet. Altogether, the study infers that salinity stress induces genome-wide DNA demethylation, which in turn, modulates expression of corresponding genes.

Development and genetic mapping of SSR markers in foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.].

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Jia, Xiaoping; Zhang, Zhongbao; Liu, Yinghui; Zhang, Chengwei; Shi, Yunsu; Song, Yanchun; Wang, Tianyu; Li, Yu

2009-02-01

SSR markers are desirable markers in analysis of genetic diversity, quantitative trait loci mapping and gene locating. In this study, SSR markers were developed from two genomic libraries enriched for (GA)n and (CA)n of foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.], a crop of historical importance in China. A total of 100 SSR markers among the 193 primer pairs detected polymorphism between two mapping parents of an F(2) population, i.e. "B100" of cultivated S. italica and "A10" of wild S. viridis. Excluding 14 markers with unclear amplifications, and five markers unlinked with any linkage group, a foxtail millet SSR linkage map was constructed by integrating 81 new developed SSR markers with 20 RFLP anchored markers. The 81 SSRs covered nine chromosomes of foxtail millet. The length of the map was 1,654 cM, with an average interval distance between markers of 16.4 cM. The 81 SSR markers were not evenly distributed throughout the nine chromosomes, with Ch.8 harbouring the least (3 markers) and Ch.9 harbouring the most (18 markers). To verify the usefulness of the SSR markers developed, 37 SSR markers were randomly chosen to analyze genetic diversity of 40 foxtail millet accessions. Totally 228 alleles were detected, with an average 6.16 alleles per locus. Polymorphism information content (PIC) value for each locus ranged from 0.413 to 0.847, with an average of 0.697. A positive correlation between PIC and number of alleles and between PIC and number of repeat unit were found [0.802 and 0.429, respectively (P < 0.01)]. UPGMA analysis revealed that the 40 foxtail millet cultivars could be grouped into five clusters in which the landraces' grouping was largely consistent with ecotypes while the breeding varieties from different provinces in China tended to be grouped together.

The Antibacterial and Antioxidant Effect of Grape Seed and Green Tea Extracts on Durability of Tilapia

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Rozita Golvardzadeh

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background: The current study tried to investigate the antioxidant and anti-bacterial effects of green tea and grape seed extract (with a volume of 2% on durability of Tilapia packed inpolyethylene bags, which were kept in cool temperature of 4 ± 1 °C. Methods: Prepared fish were divided into 3 batches: 2 batches were treated by dipping for 30 min in ethanolic of green tea extract (2% v/v and grape seed (2% v/v, respectively, while the third batch was dipped in distilled water as a control sample. The control and treated fish samples were analyzed for microbiological such as total volatile count and psychrotrophic count, and chemical such as thiobarbituric acid (TBA, and free fatty acid (FFA values. The sensory characteristic was over a period of 20 days. Results: The results indicated that the two extracts' treatments delayed significantly (P < 0.05. Lipid oxidation and process of spoilage in comparison with the psychrotrophic bacteria and total viable count control also remained lower than the proposed acceptable limit (7 log CFU/g. According to sensory, chemical, and microbiological analyses results, the treatment of grape seed extract had high quality and enhanced the beneficial effects on sensory characteristics in comparison with other treatments. Conclusions: the present study showed that the grape seed extract and green tea were very effective in extending the shelf life of Tilapia during refrigerated storage.

Removal of Malachite Green Dye by Mangifera indica Seed Kernel Powder

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Singh, Dilbagh; Sowmya, V.; Abinandan, S.; Shanthakumar, S.

2017-11-01

In this study, batch experiments were carried out to study the adsorption of Malachite green dye from aqueous solution by Mangifera indica (mango) seed kernel powder. The mango seed kernel powder was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Effect of various parameters including pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration and temperature on adsorption capacity of the adsorbent was observed and the optimized condition for maximum dye removal was identified. Maximum percentage removal of 96% was achieved with an adsorption capacity of 22.8 mg/g at pH 6 with an initial concentration of 100 mg/l. The equilibrium data were examined to fit the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Thermodynamic parameters for the adsorption process were also calculated.

C2H2 type of zinc finger transcription factors in foxtail millet define response to abiotic stresses.

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Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Bonthala, Venkata Suresh; Mishra, Awdhesh Kumar; Khandelwal, Rohit; Khan, Yusuf; Roy, Riti; Prasad, Manoj

2014-09-01

C2H2 type of zinc finger transcription factors (TFs) play crucial roles in plant stress response and hormone signal transduction. Hence considering its importance, genome-wide investigation and characterization of C2H2 zinc finger proteins were performed in Arabidopsis, rice and poplar but no such study was conducted in foxtail millet which is a C4 Panicoid model crop well known for its abiotic stress tolerance. The present study identified 124 C2H2-type zinc finger TFs in foxtail millet (SiC2H2) and physically mapped them onto the genome. The gene duplication analysis revealed that SiC2H2s primarily expanded in the genome through tandem duplication. The phylogenetic tree classified these TFs into five groups (I-V). Further, miRNAs targeting SiC2H2 transcripts in foxtail millet were identified. Heat map demonstrated differential and tissue-specific expression patterns of these SiC2H2 genes. Comparative physical mapping between foxtail millet SiC2H2 genes and its orthologs of sorghum, maize and rice revealed the evolutionary relationships of C2H2 type of zinc finger TFs. The duplication and divergence data provided novel insight into the evolutionary aspects of these TFs in foxtail millet and related grass species. Expression profiling of candidate SiC2H2 genes in response to salinity, dehydration and cold stress showed differential expression pattern of these genes at different time points of stresses.

Development and utilization of novel intron length polymorphic markers in foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.).

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Gupta, Sarika; Kumari, Kajal; Das, Jyotirmoy; Lata, Charu; Puranik, Swati; Prasad, Manoj

2011-07-01

Introns are noncoding sequences in a gene that are transcribed to precursor mRNA but spliced out during mRNA maturation and are abundant in eukaryotic genomes. The availability of codominant molecular markers and saturated genetic linkage maps have been limited in foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.). Here, we describe the development of 98 novel intron length polymorphic (ILP) markers in foxtail millet using sequence information of the model plant rice. A total of 575 nonredundant expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences were obtained, of which 327 and 248 unique sequences were from dehydration- and salinity-stressed suppression subtractive hybridization libraries, respectively. The BLAST analysis of 98 EST sequences suggests a nearly defined function for about 64% of them, and they were grouped into 11 different functional categories. All 98 ILP primer pairs showed a high level of cross-species amplification in two millets and two nonmillets species ranging from 90% to 100%, with a mean of ∼97%. The mean observed heterozygosity and Nei's average gene diversity 0.016 and 0.171, respectively, established the efficiency of the ILP markers for distinguishing the foxtail millet accessions. Based on 26 ILP markers, a reasonable dendrogram of 45 foxtail millet accessions was constructed, demonstrating the utility of ILP markers in germplasm characterizations and genomic relationships in millets and nonmillets species.

Bioinformatic identification and experimental validation of miRNAs from foxtail millet (Setaria italica).

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Han, Jun; Xie, Hao; Sun, Qingpeng; Wang, Jun; Lu, Min; Wang, Weixiang; Guo, Erhu; Pan, Jinbao

2014-08-10

MiRNAs are a novel group of non-coding small RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression. Many miRNAs have been identified and investigated extensively in plant species with sequenced genomes. However, few miRNAs have been identified in foxtail millet (Setaria italica), which is an ancient cereal crop of great importance for dry land agriculture. In this study, 271 foxtail millet miRNAs belonging to 44 families were identified using a bioinformatics approach. Twenty-three pairs of sense/antisense miRNAs belonging to 13 families, and 18 miRNA clusters containing members of 8 families were discovered in foxtail millet. We identified 432 potential targets for 38 miRNA families, most of which were predicted to be involved in plant development, signal transduction, metabolic pathways, disease resistance, and environmental stress responses. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that 101, 56, and 23 target genes were involved in molecular functions, biological processes, and cellular components, respectively. We investigated the expression patterns of 43 selected miRNAs using qRT-PCR analysis. All of the miRNAs were expressed ubiquitously with many exhibiting different expression levels in different tissues. We validated five predicted targets of four miRNAs using the RNA ligase mediated rapid amplification of cDNA end (5'-RLM-RACE) method. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic and Hormonal Regulation of Chlorophyll Degradation during Maturation of Seeds with Green Embryos.

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Smolikova, Galina; Dolgikh, Elena; Vikhnina, Maria; Frolov, Andrej; Medvedev, Sergei

2017-09-16

The embryos of some angiosperms (usually referred to as chloroembryos) contain chlorophylls during the whole period of embryogenesis. Developing embryos have photochemically active chloroplasts and are able to produce assimilates, further converted in reserve biopolymers, whereas at the late steps of embryogenesis, seeds undergo dehydration, degradation of chlorophylls, transformation of chloroplast in storage plastids, and enter the dormancy period. However, in some seeds, the process of chlorophyll degradation remains incomplete. These residual chlorophylls compromise the quality of seed material in terms of viability, nutritional value, and shelf life, and represent a serious challenge for breeders and farmers. The mechanisms of chlorophyll degradation during seed maturation are still not completely understood, and only during the recent decades the main pathways and corresponding enzymes could be characterized. Among the identified players, the enzymes of pheophorbide a oxygenase pathway and the proteins encoded by STAY GREEN ( SGR ) genes are the principle ones. On the biochemical level, abscisic acid (ABA) is the main regulator of seed chlorophyll degradation, mediating activity of corresponding catabolic enzymes on the transcriptional level. In general, a deep insight in the mechanisms of chlorophyll degradation is required to develop the approaches for production of chlorophyll-free high quality seeds.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from seed extract of Brassica nigra and its antibacterial activity

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RAKSHA PANDIT

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Pandit R. 2015. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from seed extract of Brassica nigra and its antibacterial activity. Nusantara Bioscience 7: 15-19. We report the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using seed extract of Brassica nigra. UV-visible spectroscopic analysis showed the absorbance peak at 432 nm which indicated the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. Nanoparticles Tracking and Analysis (NTA was used to determine the size of synthesized silver nanoparticles. Zeta potential analysis was carried out to study the stability of nanoparticles while FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of proteins as capping agents that provided stability to nanoparticles in colloid. Antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles was evaluated against Propionibacterium acnes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The activity of Vancomycin was significantly increased in combination with silver nanoparticles showing synergistic activity against all bacteria while the maximum activity was noted against P. acnes.

Determination of ploidy level and isolation of genes encoding acetyl-CoA carboxylase in Japanese Foxtail (Alopecurus japonicus.

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Hongle Xu

Full Text Available Ploidy level is important in biodiversity studies and in developing strategies for isolating important plant genes. Many herbicide-resistant weed species are polyploids, but our understanding of these polyploid weeds is limited. Japanese foxtail, a noxious agricultural grass weed, has evolved herbicide resistance. However, most studies on this weed have ignored the fact that there are multiple copies of target genes. This may complicate the study of resistance mechanisms. Japanese foxtail was found to be a tetraploid by flow cytometer and chromosome counting, two commonly used methods in the determination of ploidy levels. We found that there are two copies of the gene encoding plastidic acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase in Japanese foxtail and all the homologous genes are expressed. Additionally, no difference in ploidy levels or ACCase gene copy numbers was observed between an ACCase-inhibiting herbicide-resistant and a herbicide-sensitive population in this study.

Rend Lake, Illinois (Operation and Maintenance).

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1976-12-01

Lippia lanc6Tahta Foxtail, Bristly Setaria Faberfi Foxtail, Green Setaria viridis Foxtail, Yellow Setaria lutescens Galingale C Verus strigosus Garlic...Stickseed, Virginian Hackelia virginiana Stink-Grass Lraqrostis cilialensis Strawberry Fragaria virginiana Sunflower, Common Helianthus annuus Swamp

Initiation of Setaria as a model plant

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Xianmin DIAO,James SCHNABLE,Jeffrey L. BENNETZEN,Jiayang LI

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Model organisms such as Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa have proven essential for efficient scientific discovery and development of new methods. With the diversity of plant lineages, some important processes such as C4 photosynthesis are not found in either Arabidopsis or rice, so new model species are needed. Due to their small diploid genomes, short life cycles, self-pollination, small adult statures and prolific seed production, domesticated foxtail millet (Setaria italica and its wild ancestor, green foxtail (S. viridis, have recently been proposed as novel model species for functional genomics of the Panicoideae, especially for study of C4 photosynthesis. This review outlines the development of these species as model organisms, and discusses current challenges and future potential of a Setaria model.

Genetic and Hormonal Regulation of Chlorophyll Degradation during Maturation of Seeds with Green Embryos

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Galina Smolikova

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The embryos of some angiosperms (usually referred to as chloroembryos contain chlorophylls during the whole period of embryogenesis. Developing embryos have photochemically active chloroplasts and are able to produce assimilates, further converted in reserve biopolymers, whereas at the late steps of embryogenesis, seeds undergo dehydration, degradation of chlorophylls, transformation of chloroplast in storage plastids, and enter the dormancy period. However, in some seeds, the process of chlorophyll degradation remains incomplete. These residual chlorophylls compromise the quality of seed material in terms of viability, nutritional value, and shelf life, and represent a serious challenge for breeders and farmers. The mechanisms of chlorophyll degradation during seed maturation are still not completely understood, and only during the recent decades the main pathways and corresponding enzymes could be characterized. Among the identified players, the enzymes of pheophorbide a oxygenase pathway and the proteins encoded by STAY GREEN (SGR genes are the principle ones. On the biochemical level, abscisic acid (ABA is the main regulator of seed chlorophyll degradation, mediating activity of corresponding catabolic enzymes on the transcriptional level. In general, a deep insight in the mechanisms of chlorophyll degradation is required to develop the approaches for production of chlorophyll-free high quality seeds.

Increasing Selenium and Yellow Pigment Concentrations in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.) Grain with Foliar Application of Selenite.

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Ning, Na; Yuan, Xiang-Yang; Dong, Shu-Qi; Wen, Yin-Yuan; Gao, Zhen-Pan; Guo, Mei-Jun; Guo, Ping-Yi

2016-03-01

Although addition of selenium (Se) is known to increase Se in crops, it is unclear whether exogenous Se is linked to nutritional and functional components in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.). In this study, we examined the potential of increasing Se and yellow pigment (YP) in foxtail millet grain by foliar application of Se. Field experiments were conducted during the growing season of foxtail millet in 2013 and 2014 to assess the effects of foliar spray of sodium selenite (10-210 g Se ha(-1)) on the yield, Se uptake and accumulation, total YP, and microminerals in the grain. Average grain yields with Se application were 5.60 and 4.53 t ha(-1) in the 2 years, showing no significant differences from the unfertilized control. However, grain Se concentration increased linearly with Se application rate, by 8.92 and 6.09 μg kg(-1) in the 2 years with application of 1 g Se ha(-1) (maximum grain recovery rates of Se fertilizer, 52 and 28 %). Likewise, total grain YP concentration markedly increased by 0.038 and 0.031 mg kg(-1) in the 2 years with application of 1 g Se ha(-1). Grain Mn, Cu, Fe, and Zn concentrations were not significantly affected by Se application. This study indicated that foliar application of Se effectively and reliably increased the concentrations of Se and YP in foxtail millet grain without affecting the yield or mineral micronutrient concentrations. Thus, foliar-applied selenite has a significant potential to increase the concentrations of selenium and YP (putative lutein (Shen, J Cereal Sci 61:86-93, 2015; Abdel-Aal, Cereal Chem 79:455-457, 2002; Abdel-Aal, J Agric Food Chem 55:787-794, 2007)) of foxtail millet and, thus, the health benefits of this crop.

cDNA-AFLP analysis reveals differential gene expression in response to salt stress in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.).

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Jayaraman, Ananthi; Puranik, Swati; Rai, Neeraj Kumar; Vidapu, Sudhakar; Sahu, Pranav Pankaj; Lata, Charu; Prasad, Manoj

2008-11-01

Plant growth and productivity are affected by various abiotic stresses such as heat, drought, cold, salinity, etc. The mechanism of salt tolerance is one of the most important subjects in plant science as salt stress decreases worldwide agricultural production. In our present study we used cDNA-AFLP technique to compare gene expression profiles of a salt tolerant and a salt-sensitive cultivar of foxtail millet (Seteria italica) in response to salt stress to identify early responsive differentially expressed transcripts accumulated upon salt stress and validate the obtained result through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The expression profile was compared between a salt tolerant (Prasad) and susceptible variety (Lepakshi) of foxtail millet in both control condition (L0 and P0) and after 1 h (L1 and P1) of salt stress. We identified 90 transcript-derived fragments (TDFs) that are differentially expressed, out of which 86 TDFs were classified on the basis of their either complete presence or absence (qualitative variants) and 4 on differential expression pattern levels (quantitative variants) in the two varieties. Finally, we identified 27 non-redundant differentially expressed cDNAs that are unique to salt tolerant variety which represent different groups of genes involved in metabolism, cellular transport, cell signaling, transcriptional regulation, mRNA splicing, seed development and storage, etc. The expression patterns of seven out of nine such genes showed a significant increase of differential expression in tolerant variety after 1 h of salt stress in comparison to salt-sensitive variety as analyzed by qRT-PCR. The direct and indirect relationship of identified TDFs with salinity tolerance mechanism is discussed.

Sequence-based novel genomic microsatellite markers for robust genotyping purposes in foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv].

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Gupta, Sarika; Kumari, Kajal; Sahu, Pranav Pankaj; Vidapu, Sudhakar; Prasad, Manoj

2012-02-01

The unavailability of microsatellite markers and saturated genetic linkage map has restricted the genetic improvement of foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.], despite the fact that in recent times it has been documented as a new model species for biofuel grasses. With the objective to generate a good number of microsatellite markers in foxtail millet cultivar 'Prasad', 690 clones were sequenced which generated 112.95 kb high quality sequences obtained from three genomic libraries each enriched with different microsatellite repeat motifs. Microsatellites were identified in 512 (74.2%) of the 690 positive clones and 172 primer pairs (pp) were successfully designed from 249 (48.6%) unique SSR-containing clones. The efficacies of the microsatellite containing genomic sequences were established by superior primer designing ability (69%), PCR amplification efficiency (85.5%) and polymorphic potential (52%) in the parents of F(2) mapping population. Out of 172 pp, functional 147 markers showed high level of cross-species amplification (~74%) in six grass species. Higher polymorphism rate and broad range of genetic diversity (0.30-0.69 averaging 0.58) obtained in constructed phylogenetic tree using 52 microsatellite markers, demonstrated the utility of markers in germplasm characterizations. In silico comparative mapping of 147 foxtail millet microsatellite containing sequences against the mapping data of sorghum (~18%), maize (~16%) and rice (~5%) indicated the presence of orthologous sequences of the foxtail millet in the respective species. The result thus demonstrates the applicability of microsatellite markers in various genotyping applications, determining phylogenetic relationships and comparative mapping in several important grass species.

Effects of Corn Canopy on Seedling Emergence of Seven Weed Species

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F Kordbacheh

2012-02-01

Full Text Available In this research corn were planted in 3 densities (8, 12, 16 plant/m2 in two planting patterns (single and double-row with seven summer weed species, including redroot pigweed, green foxtail, annual bluegrass, common lambsquarter, jimsonweed, black nightshade and johnsongrass were planted. Temperature, quality and quantity of light reaching to soil surface were measured and the number of emerged seedlings for each weed species was countered in three sampling dates. Temperature fluctuation wasn't affected by density and planting patterns and was reduced with canopy formation. In all weed species 3 seedling emergence patterns were observed. In small seed species, redroot pigweed had one germination flush, so it was not respond to crop canopy. The number of emerged weed seedlings of annual bluegrass, common lambsquarter and green foxtail were significantly higher in bareground than under corn canopy. In double-row planting pattern was higher compared to the single-row and had three germination flushes. The number of emerged seedlings in the species with relatively large seeds had no significant difference between bareground and under corn canopy in jimsonweed and black nightshade. But it increased in johnsongrass under corn canopy compare to the bare ground. In all three species it was higher in double-row compare to single-row pattern. Jimsonweed had three germination flushes but blacknightshade and johnsongrass had 1 germination flush.

Foxtail millet NF-Y families: genome-wide survey and evolution analyses identified two functional genes important in abiotic stresses

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Zhi-Juan eFeng

2015-12-01

Full Text Available It was reported that Nuclear Factor Y (NF-Y genes were involved in abiotic stress in plants. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica, an elite stress tolerant crop, provided an impetus for the investigation of the NF-Y families in abiotic responses. In the present study, a total of 39 NF-Y genes were identified in foxtail millet. Synteny analyses suggested that foxtail millet NF-Y genes had experienced rapid expansion and strong purifying selection during the process of plant evolution. De novo transcriptome assembly of foxtail millet revealed 11 drought up-regulated NF-Y genes. SiNF-YA1 and SiNF-YB8 were highly activated in leaves and/or roots by drought and salt stresses. Abscisic acid (ABA and H2O2 played positive roles in the induction of SiNF-YA1 and SiNF-YB8 under stress treatments. Transient luciferase (LUC expression assays revealed that SiNF-YA1 and SiNF-YB8 could activate the LUC gene driven by the tobacco (Nicotiana tobacam NtERD10, NtLEA5, NtCAT, NtSOD or NtPOD promoter under normal or stress conditions. Overexpression of SiNF-YA1 enhanced drought and salt tolerance by activating stress-related genes NtERD10 and NtCAT1 and by maintaining relatively stable relative water content (RWC and contents of chlorophyll, superoxide dismutase (SOD, peroxidase (POD, catalase (CAT and malondialdehyde (MDA in transgenic lines under stresses. SiNF-YB8 regulated expression of NtSOD, NtPOD, NtLEA5 and NtERD10 and conferred relatively high RWC and chlorophyll contents and low MDA content, resulting in drought and osmotic tolerance in transgenic lines under stresses. Therefore, SiNF-YA1 and SiNF-YB8 could activate stress-related genes and improve physiological traits, resulting in tolerance to abiotic stresses in plants. All these results will facilitate functional characterization of foxtail millet NF-Ys in future studies.

Use of multispectral images and chemometrics in tomato seed studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shrestha, Santosh; Deleuran, Lise Christina; Gislum, René

During the production of tomato seeds, green tomatoes are normally discarded before seed extraction irrespective of their maturity stage. Studies indicate that seeds from green tomatoes may reach be able to reach full germination capacity. Thus the potential of multispectral imaging for non......-destructive discrimination of seeds based on their germination capacity was investigated. A total of 840 seeds extracted from green and red tomatoes were divided into two sets; a training set and a test set consisting of 648 and 192 seeds respectively. Each set consisted of 96 seeds from green tomatoes. The multispectral...... images of the seeds were captured and normalized canonical discriminant analysis was used to analyse the images. Germination tests were performed and seeds that subsequently germinated were recorded as viable. The viable seeds were classified with 99% and 98% accuracy for the training and test set...

A herbicide-resistant ACCase 1781 Setaria mutant shows higher fitness than wild type.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, T; Picard, J C; Tian, X; Darmency, H

2010-10-01

It is often alleged that mutations conferring herbicide resistance have a negative impact on plant fitness. A mutant ACCase1781 allele endowing resistance to the sethoxydim herbicide was introgressed from a resistant green foxtail (Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv) population into foxtail millet (S. italica (L.) Beauv.). (1) Better and earlier growth of resistant plants was observed in a greenhouse cabinet. (2) Resistant plants of the advanced BC7 backcross generation showed more vigorous juvenile growth in the field, earlier flowering, more tillers and higher numbers of grains than susceptible plants did, especially when both genotypes were grown in mixture, but their seeds were lighter than susceptible seeds. (3) Field populations originating from segregating hybrids had the expected allele frequencies under normal growth conditions, but showed a genotype shift toward an excess of homozygous resistant plants within 3 years in stressful conditions. Lower seed size, lower germination rate and perhaps unexplored differences in seed longevity and predation could explain how the resistant plants have the same field fitness over the whole life cycle as the susceptible ones although they produce more seeds. More rapid growth kinetics probably accounted for higher fitness of the resistant plants in adverse conditions. The likelihood of a linkage with a beneficial gene is discussed versus the hypothesis of a pleiotropic effect of the ACCase resistance allele. It is suggested that autogamous species like Setaria could not develop a resistant population without the help of a linkage with a gene producing a higher fitness.

Bio-inspired green synthesis of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} spherical magnetic nanoparticles using Syzygium cumini seed extract

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Venkateswarlu, Sada; Natesh Kumar, B.; Prasad, C.H.; Venkateswarlu, P.; Jyothi, N.V.V., E-mail: nvvjyothi01@gmail.com

2014-09-15

A novel and bio-inspired Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} spherical magnetic nanoparticles (SMNPs) were synthesized using Syzygium cumini (S. cumini) seed extract, which is a non-toxic ecofriendly fruit waste material. S. cumini seed extract acts as a green solvent, reducing and capping agent in which sodium acetate acts as electrostatic stabilizing agent. The green synthesized nanoparticles were characterized with the help of various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), FTIR spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption and desorption analysis techniques. The XRD study divulged that the synthesized SMNPs have inverse spinel cubic structure. The hysteresis loop of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles shows an excellent ferromagnetic behavior with saturation magnetization value of 13.6 emu/g.

Nucleotide Sequence Diversity and Linkage Disequilibrium of Four Nuclear Loci in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica.

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Shui-Lian He

Full Text Available Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L. Beauv is one of the earliest domesticated grains, which has been cultivated in northern China by 8,700 years before present (YBP and across Eurasia by 4,000 YBP. Owing to a small genome and diploid nature, foxtail millet is a tractable model crop for studying functional genomics of millets and bioenergy grasses. In this study, we examined nucleotide sequence diversity, geographic structure, and levels of linkage disequilibrium at four nuclear loci (ADH1, G3PDH, IGS1 and TPI1 in representative samples of 311 landrace accessions across its cultivated range. Higher levels of nucleotide sequence and haplotype diversity were observed in samples from China relative to other sampled regions. Genetic assignment analysis classified the accessions into seven clusters based on nucleotide sequence polymorphisms. Intralocus LD decayed rapidly to half the initial value within ~1.2 kb or less.

Nucleotide Sequence Diversity and Linkage Disequilibrium of Four Nuclear Loci in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica).

Science.gov (United States)

He, Shui-Lian; Yang, Yang; Morrell, Peter L; Yi, Ting-Shuang

2015-01-01

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) Beauv) is one of the earliest domesticated grains, which has been cultivated in northern China by 8,700 years before present (YBP) and across Eurasia by 4,000 YBP. Owing to a small genome and diploid nature, foxtail millet is a tractable model crop for studying functional genomics of millets and bioenergy grasses. In this study, we examined nucleotide sequence diversity, geographic structure, and levels of linkage disequilibrium at four nuclear loci (ADH1, G3PDH, IGS1 and TPI1) in representative samples of 311 landrace accessions across its cultivated range. Higher levels of nucleotide sequence and haplotype diversity were observed in samples from China relative to other sampled regions. Genetic assignment analysis classified the accessions into seven clusters based on nucleotide sequence polymorphisms. Intralocus LD decayed rapidly to half the initial value within ~1.2 kb or less.

The complete chloroplast genome of an irreplaceable dietary and model crop, foxtail millet (Setaria italica).

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shuo; Gao, Li-Zhi

2016-11-01

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of foxtail millet (Setaria italica), an important food and fodder crop in the family Poaceae, is first reported in this study. The genome consists of 1 35 516 bp containing a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 21 804 bp separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 79 896 bp and 12 012 bp, respectively. Coding sequences constitute 58.8% of the genome harboring 111 unique genes, 71 of which are protein-coding genes, 4 are rRNA genes, and 36 are tRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated foxtail millet clustered with Panicum virgatum and Echinochloa crus-galli belonging to the tribe Paniceae of the subfamily Panicoideae. This newly determined chloroplast genome will provide valuable information for the future breeding programs of valuable cereal crops in the family Poaceae.

Effect of electron beam irradiation on seed germination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Seunghee; Bae, Youngmin [Changwon Univ., Changwon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-07-01

Effect of electron beam irradiation on seed germination was investigated in this research. Electron beam of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 kGy was irradiated to the seeds of lettuce, green onion and cucumber, and the irradiated seeds were incubated at 25 .deg. Cn Nitsch medium solidified with 0.2% Phytagel. Germination percentage and the length of the sprouts were determined after 72 hours. Germination percentage of lettuce seeds was greatly reduced by the irradiation, and that of the green onion and cucumber were moderately reduced or unchanged by the irradiation. Although average length of the lettuce sprouts was reduced severely, that of the green onion and cucumber was unchanged or moderately reduced. Conclusively, electron beam irradiation might be a useful way of disinfecting some plant seeds including green onion and cucumber.

Effect of electron beam irradiation on seed germination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Seunghee; Bae, Youngmin

2013-01-01

Effect of electron beam irradiation on seed germination was investigated in this research. Electron beam of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 kGy was irradiated to the seeds of lettuce, green onion and cucumber, and the irradiated seeds were incubated at 25 .deg. Cn Nitsch medium solidified with 0.2% Phytagel. Germination percentage and the length of the sprouts were determined after 72 hours. Germination percentage of lettuce seeds was greatly reduced by the irradiation, and that of the green onion and cucumber were moderately reduced or unchanged by the irradiation. Although average length of the lettuce sprouts was reduced severely, that of the green onion and cucumber was unchanged or moderately reduced. Conclusively, electron beam irradiation might be a useful way of disinfecting some plant seeds including green onion and cucumber

Electron beam irradiation: a technology for quarantine disinfestation of green gram seeds against Callsobruchus maculatus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhalla, Shashi; Srinivasan, K.; Singh, Subadas; Thakur, Manju; Sharma, S.K.; Pramod, R.; Dwivedi, J.; Bapna, S.C.

2010-01-01

Green gram (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilkzec) an important legume crop in India is grown in 33.4 lakh hectares. India accounts for ∼ 60% of the world's green gram area but contributes only 47% of its production. Major constraint in storage is the pulse beetle Callosobruchus maculatus Fab. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), which may cause damage upto 100%. It is widespread throughout tropics and sub-tropics with wide host range and also has different strains. Fumigation with methyl bromide (MB) has been the most widely applied management practice for its control. However, the ozone depleting effect of MB has led to restrictions in its use. Therefore, there is a need for an alternative strategy for controlling the pests. Irradiation, an approved technology by International Plant Protection Convention, seems to be a viable non-chemical, residue-free strategy. Therefore, present studies were conducted to see the efficacy of electron beam (EB) irradiation as quarantine disinfestation treatment against green gram seeds infested with different stages of the target pest, C. maculatus

Preparation and characterization of green graphene using grape seed extract for bioapplications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yaragalla, Srinivasarao [Center for Advanced Materials, Qatar University, Doha (Qatar); International and Inter University Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, 686560, Kerala (India); Rajendran, Rajakumari; Jose, Jiya [International and Inter University Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, 686560, Kerala (India); AlMaadeed, Mariam A., E-mail: m.alali@qu.edu.qa [Center for Advanced Materials, Qatar University, Doha (Qatar); Kalarikkal, Nandakumar, E-mail: nkkalarikkal@mgu.ac.in [International and Inter University Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, 686560, Kerala (India); School of Pure and Applied Physics, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, 686560, Kerala (India); Thomas, Sabu, E-mail: sabupolymer@yahoo.com [International and Inter University Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, 686560, Kerala (India); School of Chemical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, 686560, Kerala (India)

2016-08-01

The development of functionalized graphene materials concerning health and environmental aspects via green approaches is currently the most recent topic in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Herein, we report the green reduction of graphene oxide (GO) to reduced graphene oxide (RGO) using grape seed extract (GSE). Structural properties of the prepared RGO were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV–Visible spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. These all characterization techniques clearly revealed that the RGO has been successfully prepared. Moreover, the average thickness (4.2 nm) of RGO layers was also confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Optical properties such as band gap and photoluminescence of the synthesized RGO were evaluated. The band gap of RGO was found to be 3.84 eV and it showed emission in the visible region. Efficient antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was observed with 4 μg ml{sup −1} & 5 μg ml{sup −1} of RGO and also the cell wall damage of these strains has been proved by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The in vitro study of RGO (500 μg) disclosed the effective anti-proliferative activity (88%) against HCT-116 cell lines. - Highlights: • Grape seed extract was used for the reduction of graphene oxide. • Detailed structural analysis of RGO was done. • Excellent antimicrobial activity with 4 and 5 μg ml{sup −1} was reported. • Anti-inflammatory activity of RGO was reported. • Excellent anti-cancer activity was reported with just 500 μg of RGO.

Spraying Brassinolide improves Sigma Broad tolerance in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) through modulation of antioxidant activity and photosynthetic capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Xiang-Yang; Zhang, Li-Guang; Huang, Lei; Yang, Hui-Jie; Zhong, Yan-Ting; Ning, Na; Wen, Yin-Yuan; Dong, Shu-Qi; Song, Xi-E; Wang, Hong-Fu; Guo, Ping-Yi

2017-09-11

To explore the role of Brassinolide (BR) in improving the tolerance of Sigma Broad in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.), effects of 0.1 mg/L of BR foliar application 24 h before 3.37 g/ha of Sigma Broad treatment at five-leaf stage of foxtail millet on growth parameters, antioxidant enzymes, malondialdehyde (MDA), chlorophyll, net photosynthetic rate (P N ), chlorophyll fluorescence and P 700 parameters were studied 7 and 15 d after herbicide treatment, respectively. Results showed that Sigma Broad significantly decreased plant height, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), chlorophyll content, P N , PS II effective quantum yield (Y (II)), PS II electron transport rate (ETR (II)), photochemical quantum yield of PSI(Y (I)) and PS I electron transport rate ETR (I), but significantly increased MDA. Compared to herbicide treatment, BR dramatically increased plant height, activities of SOD, Y (II), ETR (II), Y (I) and ETR (I). This study showed BR pretreatment could improve the tolerance of Sigma Broad in foxtail millet through improving the activity of antioxidant enzymes, keeping electron transport smooth, and enhancing actual photochemical efficiency of PS II and PSI.

Dehydration-responsive miRNAs in foxtail millet: genome-wide identification, characterization and expression profiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Amita; Khan, Yusuf; Prasad, Manoj

2016-03-01

A set of novel and known dehydration-responsive miRNAs have been identified in foxtail millet. These findings provide new insights into understanding the functional role of miRNAs and their respective targets in regulating plant response to dehydration stress. MicroRNAs perform significant regulatory roles in growth, development and stress response of plants. Though the miRNA-mediated gene regulatory networks under dehydration stress remain largely unexplored in plant including foxtail millet (Setaria italica), which is a natural abiotic stress tolerant crop. To find out the dehydration-responsive miRNAs at the global level, four small RNA libraries were constructed from control and dehydration stress treated seedlings of two foxtail millet cultivars showing contrasting tolerance behavior towards dehydration stress. Using Illumina sequencing technology, 55 known and 136 novel miRNAs were identified, representing 22 and 48 miRNA families, respectively. Eighteen known and 33 novel miRNAs were differentially expressed during dehydration stress. After the stress treatment, 32 dehydration-responsive miRNAs were up-regulated in tolerant cultivar and 22 miRNAs were down-regulated in sensitive cultivar, suggesting that miRNA-mediated molecular regulation might play important roles in providing contrasting characteristics to these cultivars. Predicted targets of identified miRNAs were found to encode various transcription factors and functional enzymes, indicating their involvement in broad spectrum regulatory functions and biological processes. Further, differential expression patterns of seven known miRNAs were validated by northern blot and expression of ten novel dehydration-responsive miRNAs were confirmed by SL-qRT PCR. Differential expression behavior of five miRNA-target genes was verified under dehydration stress treatment and two of them also validated by RLM RACE. Overall, the present study highlights the importance of dehydration stress-associated post

Grain Yield and Quality of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L. in Response to Tribenuron-Methyl.

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Na Ning

Full Text Available Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L. is cultivated around the world for human and animal consumption. There is no suitable herbicide available for weed control in foxtail millet fields during the post-emergence stage. In this study, we investigated the effect and safety of the post-emergence herbicide tribenuron-methyl (TBM on foxtail millet in terms of grain yield and quality using a split-plot field design. Field experiments were conducted using two varieties in 2013 and 2014, i.e., high-yielding hybrid Zhangzagu 10 and high-quality conventional Jingu 21. TBM treatments at 11.25 to 90 g ai ha(-1 reduced root and shoot biomass and grain yield to varying degrees. In each of the two years, grain yield declined by 50.2% in Zhangzagu 10 with a herbicide dosage of 45 g ai ha(-1 and by 45.2% in Jingu 21 with a herbicide dosage of 22.5 g ai ha(-1 (recommended dosage. Yield reduction was due to lower grains per panicle, 1000-grain weight, panicle length, and panicle diameter. Grain yield was positively correlated with grains per panicle and 1000-grain weight, but not with panicles ha(-1. With respect to grain protein content at 22.5 g ai ha(-1, Zhangzagu 10 was similar to the control, whereas Jingu 21 was markedly lower. An increase in TBM dosage led to a decrease in grain Mn, Cu, Fe, and Zn concentrations. In conclusion, the recommended dosage of TBM was relatively safe for Zhangzagu 10, but not for Jingu 21. Additionally, the hybrid variety Zhangzagu 10 had a greater tolerance to TBM than the conventional variety Jingu 21.

Grain Yield and Quality of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.) in Response to Tribenuron-Methyl.

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, Na; Yuan, Xiangyang; Dong, Shuqi; Wen, Yinyuan; Gao, Zhenpan; Guo, Meijun; Guo, Pingyi

2015-01-01

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) is cultivated around the world for human and animal consumption. There is no suitable herbicide available for weed control in foxtail millet fields during the post-emergence stage. In this study, we investigated the effect and safety of the post-emergence herbicide tribenuron-methyl (TBM) on foxtail millet in terms of grain yield and quality using a split-plot field design. Field experiments were conducted using two varieties in 2013 and 2014, i.e., high-yielding hybrid Zhangzagu 10 and high-quality conventional Jingu 21. TBM treatments at 11.25 to 90 g ai ha(-1) reduced root and shoot biomass and grain yield to varying degrees. In each of the two years, grain yield declined by 50.2% in Zhangzagu 10 with a herbicide dosage of 45 g ai ha(-1) and by 45.2% in Jingu 21 with a herbicide dosage of 22.5 g ai ha(-1) (recommended dosage). Yield reduction was due to lower grains per panicle, 1000-grain weight, panicle length, and panicle diameter. Grain yield was positively correlated with grains per panicle and 1000-grain weight, but not with panicles ha(-1). With respect to grain protein content at 22.5 g ai ha(-1,) Zhangzagu 10 was similar to the control, whereas Jingu 21 was markedly lower. An increase in TBM dosage led to a decrease in grain Mn, Cu, Fe, and Zn concentrations. In conclusion, the recommended dosage of TBM was relatively safe for Zhangzagu 10, but not for Jingu 21. Additionally, the hybrid variety Zhangzagu 10 had a greater tolerance to TBM than the conventional variety Jingu 21.

Genome-wide analysis of autophagy-associated genes in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) and characterization of the function of SiATG8a in conferring tolerance to nitrogen starvation in rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Weiwei; Chen, Ming; Wang, Erhui; Hu, Liqin; Hawkesford, Malcolm J; Zhong, Li; Chen, Zhu; Xu, Zhaoshi; Li, Liancheng; Zhou, Yongbin; Guo, Changhong; Ma, Youzhi

2016-10-12

Autophagy is a cellular degradation process that is highly evolutionarily-conserved in yeast, plants, and animals. In plants, autophagy plays important roles in regulating intracellular degradation and recycling of amino acids in response to nutrient starvation, senescence, and other environmental stresses. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) has strong resistance to stresses and has been proposed as an ideal material for use in the study of the physiological mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance in plants. Although the genome sequence of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is available, the characteristics and functions of abiotic stress-related genes remain largely unknown for this species. A total of 37 putative ATG (autophagy-associated genes) genes in the foxtail millet genome were identified. Gene duplication analysis revealed that both segmental and tandem duplication events have played significant roles in the expansion of the ATG gene family in foxtail millet. Comparative synteny mapping between the genomes of foxtail millet and rice suggested that the ATG genes in both species have common ancestors, as their ATG genes were primarily located in similar syntenic regions. Gene expression analysis revealed the induced expression of 31 SiATG genes by one or more phytohormone treatments, 26 SiATG genes by drought, salt and cold, 24 SiATG genes by darkness and 25 SiATG genes by nitrogen starvation. Results of qRT-PCR showing that among 37 SiATG genes, the expression level of SiATG8a was the highest after nitrogen starvation treatment 24 h, suggesting its potential role in tolerance to nutrient starvation. Moreover, the heterologous expression of SiATG8a in rice improved nitrogen starvation tolerance. Compared to wild type rice, the transgenic rice performed better and had higher aboveground total nitrogen content when the plants were grown under nitrogen starvation conditions. Our results deepen understanding about the characteristics and functions of ATG genes in

A Regional Guidebook for Applying the Hydrogeomorphic Approach to Assessing Wetland Functions of Prairie Potholes

Science.gov (United States)

2006-05-01

glyptosperma ribseed sandmat 0 Euphorbia maculata Spotted Spurge 0 Euthamia graminifolia Flat-top Goldentop 6 Fragaria virginiana Wild Strawberry 4...Foxtail UK Setaria viridis Pennisetum viridis Green Foxtail 0 Silene sp. Catchfly UK Sisyrinchium campestre White-eyed Grass 10 Sium suave

Development of micronutrients rich homemade extruded food products with the incorporation of processed foxtail millet, wheat and chickpea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L Gautam

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Food based approaches are recognized as an essential part of an urgently needed more comprehensive strategy for improving nutrition by increasing the availability and consumption to combat iron and other micronutrient deficiencies. Aims & Objective: The specific objective of the study was utilization of Foxtail millet (Setariaitalica along with other flour for production of micronutrients rich ready-to-eat snack products using homemade extrusion cooking. Material and methods: Methods Composite flour were prepared using processed Foxtail millet flour (FMF and other processed flours namely; wheat flour (WF, and chick pea flour (CPF. Nutritional properties of the blends were analyzed by using standard procedure. Two homemade extruded products namely; namkeensev, seviyan were prepared with four treatments T0, T1, T2, & T3. The commonly consumed recipes were developed by incorporating 50%, 75% and 100% of best result malted composite flour (FMF+CPF+WF. Results: The organoleptic qualities of these extruded samples were analyzed by panelists on a 9 point hedonic scale. The result indicate that the processed composite flour (FMF+CPF+WF based products were significantly accepted at the level of p<0.05 50% incorporation followed by 75% and 100% respectively. Conclusions: The present study conclude that, processed composite flour (Foxtail millet; wheat; chickpea in the ratios of (50:50 could be used to produce nutritive quality of homemade extrudates with acceptable sensory properties as they deliver vehicles for malnourished children.

Development of micronutrients rich homemade extruded food products with the incorporation of processed foxtail millet, wheat and chickpea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L Gautam

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Food based approaches are recognized as an essential part of an urgently needed more comprehensive strategy for improving nutrition by increasing the availability and consumption to combat iron and other micronutrient deficiencies. Aims & Objective: The specific objective of the study was utilization of Foxtail millet (Setariaitalica along with other flour for production of micronutrients rich ready-to-eat snack products using homemade extrusion cooking. Material and methods: Methods Composite flour were prepared using processed Foxtail millet flour (FMF and other processed flours namely; wheat flour (WF, and chick pea flour (CPF. Nutritional properties of the blends were analyzed by using standard procedure. Two homemade extruded products namely; namkeensev, seviyan were prepared with four treatments T0, T1, T2, & T3. The commonly consumed recipes were developed by incorporating 50%, 75% and 100% of best result malted composite flour (FMF+CPF+WF. Results: The organoleptic qualities of these extruded samples were analyzed by panelists on a 9 point hedonic scale. The result indicate that the processed composite flour (FMF+CPF+WF based products were significantly accepted at the level of p<0.05 50% incorporation followed by 75% and 100% respectively. Conclusions: The present study conclude that, processed composite flour (Foxtail millet; wheat; chickpea in the ratios of (50:50 could be used to produce nutritive quality of homemade extrudates with acceptable sensory properties as they deliver vehicles for malnourished children.

Is there any association between renal failure and hepatotoxic photosensitization caused by feeding foxtail millet (Setaria italica in sheep and goats?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arash Omidi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Photosensitivity is an abnormal skin reaction to direct sunlight exposure. Photosen sitivity occurred because of failure to excrete phylloerythrin due to hepatic dysfunction. Foxtail millet feeding can induce hepatotoxic photosensitization and influence on different organs. This study attempts to evaluate renal function and serum electrolyte status in sheep and goats experimentally feeding foxtail millet. Twelve male goats and sheep were kept in the sunlight. The animals were fed foxtail millet diet freely in a eight-week experimental period. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN, creatinine, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, hematocrit and hemoglobin were measured until last day of experiment in a weekly manner. On the last day, the animals were euthanized and kidneys were removed for pathologic examination. Data were analyzed using repeated measurement analysis by SPSS software (version 20. Three sheep showed clinical signs of photosensitivity. BUN showed a decreasing trend from the second week of the experiment. Creatinine was increased in the six and second weeks. An increase in sodium concentration in goats from fourth week was significant. Sodium levels in sheep showed a fluctuational change. Potassium and phosphorus of sheep and phosphorus in the blood of goats were increased from the second week. Potassium in goats was constant during the time. Magnesium in the blood of sheep and goats was increased from the third and fourth weeks, respectively. The hematocrit and hemoglobin increased significantly over time. Moderate to severe hyperemia with abundant deposits of blue-violet material in the collecting ducts and mild degenerative changes in the convoluted tubules in sheep kidneys and congestion in the center of the goats’ kidney were seen. In conclusion, feeding the foxtail millet can cause renal dysfunction, and changes in the balance of some serum electrolytes.

A high-density genetic map and QTL analysis of agronomic traits in foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.] using RAD-seq.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun; Wang, Zhilan; Du, Xiaofen; Yang, Huiqing; Han, Fang; Han, Yuanhuai; Yuan, Feng; Zhang, Linyi; Peng, Shuzhong; Guo, Erhu

2017-01-01

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica), a very important grain crop in China, has become a new model plant for cereal crops and biofuel grasses. Although its reference genome sequence was released recently, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling complex agronomic traits remains limited. The development of massively parallel genotyping methods and next-generation sequencing technologies provides an excellent opportunity for developing single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for linkage map construction and QTL analysis of complex quantitative traits. In this study, a high-throughput and cost-effective RAD-seq approach was employed to generate a high-density genetic map for foxtail millet. A total of 2,668,587 SNP loci were detected according to the reference genome sequence; meanwhile, 9,968 SNP markers were used to genotype 124 F2 progenies derived from the cross between Hongmiaozhangu and Changnong35; a high-density genetic map spanning 1648.8 cM, with an average distance of 0.17 cM between adjacent markers was constructed; 11 major QTLs for eight agronomic traits were identified; five co-dominant DNA markers were developed. These findings will be of value for the identification of candidate genes and marker-assisted selection in foxtail millet.

Environmental Impact Study of the Northern Section of the Upper Mississippi River, St. Croix River Pool.

Science.gov (United States)

1973-11-01

Poa palustris Fowl meadow-grass P Poa pratensis Blue grass Setaria viridis Green foxtail P P P P D Setaria sp. Bristly foxtail P Spartina pectinata...Juneberry) Crataegus spp. (Thorn-Apple) Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) Geum canadense (White Avens) Geum laciniatum (Avens) Geum triflorum (Three

Germination and health quality of mucuna white and black seeds used as a green manure in Quevedo, Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felipe Garcés Fiallos

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The objective was to evaluate the germination and sanitary quality of mucuna (Stizolobium spp. white and black used as green manure in Quevedo, Ecuador. The experiment was conducted at the Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Plant, Universidade Técnica Estatal de Quevedo-UTEQ. The seeds of mucuna white and black were from the experimental field in La María 2010 harvest. The work consisted of two treatments for each type of seed of mucuna (white and black, totaling four. In each Petri plates were plated five (5 seeds, ten (10 plates per treatment, totaling 50 in each. Transferred to a growth chamber (incubator control temperature of 25°C ± 2 without photoperiod. We evaluated the physiological quality (germination for six days and rate (r of growth of the radicle and health (incidence of pathogens its seeds. The germination was between 68 (BDA medium and 40% (filter paper for white velvet, among both black velvet, half were between 70 (BDA medium and 34 (paper. The pathogens found in seeds of white and black velvet, were the fungi Fusarium sp., Aspergillus sp., Penicillum sp., as well as an unidentified bacterium, with averages for each of 10, 29, 30 and 33% incidence, respectively.

Effect of salicylhydroxamic acid on endosperm strength and embryo growth of Lactuca sativa L. cv Waldmann's Green seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Brooks, C. A.; Mitchell, C. A.

1988-01-01

Salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) stimulated germination of photosensitive lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv Waldmann's Green) seeds in darkness. To determine whether SHAM acts on the embryo or the endosperm, we investigated separately effects of SHAM on growth potential of isolated embryos as well as on endosperm strength. Embryo growth potential was quantified by incubating decoated embryos in various concentrations of osmoticum and measuring subsequent radicle elongation. Growth potential of embryos isolated from seeds pretreated with 4 millimolar SHAM was equal to that of untreated controls. Rupture strength of endosperm tissue excised from seeds pretreated with SHAM was 33% less than that of controls in the micropylar region. To determine if the embryo must be in contact with the endosperm of SHAM to weaken the endosperm, some endosperms were incubated with SHAM only after dissection from seeds. Rupture strength of SHAM-treated, isolated endosperms in the micropylar region was 25% less than that of untreated controls. There was no difference in rupture strength in the cotyledonary region of endosperm isolated from seeds treated with SHAM in buffer or buffer alone. SHAM therefore stimulates germination not by enhancing embryo growth potential, but by weakening the micropylar region of the endosperm enclosing the embryo.

[Determination of flavor compounds in foxtail millet wine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled with headspace solid phase microextraction].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jingke; Zhang, Aixia; Li, Shaohui; Zhao, Wei; Zhang, Yuzong; Xing, Guosheng

2017-11-08

To comprehensively understand flavor compounds and aroma characteristics of foxtail millet wine, extraction conditions were optimized with 85 μm polyacrylate (PA), 100 μm polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), 75 μm carboxen (CAR)/PDMS and 50/30 μm divinylbenzene (DVB)/CAR/PDMS fibers. The flavor compounds in foxtail millet wine were investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) coupled with headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME), and the odor characteristics and intensity were analyzed by odor active values (OAVs). The samples of 8 mL were placed in headspace vials with 1.5 g NaCl, then the headspace vials were heated at 60℃ for 40 min. Using HS-SPME with different fibers, a total of 55 flavor compounds were identified from the samples, including alcohols, esters, benzene derivatives, hydrocarbons, acids, aldehydes, ketones, terpenes, phenols and heterocycle compounds. The main flavor compounds were alcohols compounds. According to their OAVs, phenylethyl alcohol, styrene, 1-methyl-naphthalene, 2-methyl-naphthalene, benzaldehyde, benzeneacetaldehyde and 2-methoxy-phenol were established to be odor-active compounds. Phenylethyl alcohol and benzeneacetaldehyde were the most prominent odor-active compounds. PA and PDMS fibers had good extraction effect for polar and nonpolar compounds, respectively. CAR/PDMS and DVB/CAR/PDMS provided a similar compounds profile for moderate polar compounds. This research comprehensively determined flavor compounds of foxtail millet wine, and provided theoretical basis for product development and quality control.

Differential antioxidative responses to dehydration-induced oxidative stress in core set of foxtail millet cultivars [Setaria italica (L.)].

Science.gov (United States)

Lata, Charu; Jha, Sarita; Dixit, Vivek; Sreenivasulu, Nese; Prasad, Manoj

2011-10-01

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) known as a relatively drought-tolerant crop across the world is grown in arid and semi-arid regions. To the best of our knowledge, no systematic study on drought tolerance screening of foxtail millet germplasm being a drought-tolerant crop has been reported so far. To explore genetic diversity of drought-induced oxidative stress tolerance in foxtail millet, we employed lipid peroxidation measure to assess membrane integrity under stress as biochemical marker to screen 107 cultivars and classified the genotypes as highly tolerant, tolerant, sensitive, and highly sensitive. From this comprehensive screening, four cultivars showing differential response to dehydration tolerance were selected to understand the physiological and biochemical basis of tolerance mechanisms. The dehydration-tolerant cultivars (IC-403579 and Prasad) showed considerably lower levels of lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage as compared with dehydration-sensitive cultivars (IC-480117 and Lepakshi), indicating better cell membrane integrity in tolerant cultivars. Correspondingly, tolerant genotypes maintained higher activity of catalase (EC 1.11.1.6), ascorbate peroxidase (APX; EC 1.11.1.11), and glutathione reductase (GR; EC 1.6.4.2) across different time-course period of polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatments in comparison to sensitive ones. The above biochemical results were further validated through quantitative real-time PCR analysis of APX and GR, whose transcripts were substantially induced by PEG treatments in tolerant cultivars. These results suggest that tolerant cultivars possess wider array of antioxidant machinery with efficient ascorbate-glutathione pathway to cope with drought-induced oxidative stress.

Genetic Diversity of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.) From Main Asian Habitats Based on the NRDNA ITS Region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Y. L.; Zheng, S. L.; Lee, J. K.

2016-01-01

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.) is a crop of historical importance in some Asian and European countries. In this study, we selected the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) as the DNA marker to analyze genetic diversity and relationships of 20 foxtail millet strains collected from three representative Asian countries, including China, Korea, and Pakistan. Due to the length limitation of the nrDNA ITS region, 17 typical variable nucleotide sites were only found, of which 4 sites belonged to insertion, 3 sites deletion, and 10 sites substitution. According to the result of sequence alignment, strains were grouped clearly with the relevant of collected geographical region. Based on the sequence similarity and nucleotide variation, one Main China Group (MCG) and one Main Korea Group (MKG) occurred, and the strains from Pakistan were found to be close to MKG, considered to be originally transmitted from Korea and spread to Pakistan. Certain genetic diversity between strains from Pakistan and Korea were recognized as long-time environment evolution and adaptation. Among strains from Korea, K2, K3, K4, and K5 showed nearer phylogenetic relationship to MCG, considered as Chinese populations. All strains from China showed relatively near phylogenetic relationship with each other, supporting the statement that China is one of origin areas. The result also suggested that there was no introduced strain found in the Chinese strains investigated in this study. This work would provide more sequence sources and help clearer strain distinguishing, genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship of foxtail millet. (author)

Safety evaluation of green synthesized Cola nitida pod, seed and seed shell extract-mediated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs using an Allium cepa assay

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Taofeek A. Yekeen

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The increase in the use of nanoparticles in various fields of human endeavours calls for the need to understand the toxic potential of green synthesized nanoparticles. Cytogenotoxic potentials of green synthesized Cola pod (Cp-AgNPs, seed (Cs-AgNPs and seed shell (Css-AgNPs silver nanoparticles and silver nitrate salts (Ags were evaluated using an A. cepa assay. Twenty onion bulbs were exposed to 0.01, 0.10, 1.0, 10.0, and 100.0 μg/ml AgNPs and Ags solutions. Microscopic evaluation was performed at 24, 48 and 72 h with 5000 cells per concentration scored for chromosomal aberrations, while the effects on the root growth were evaluated at 72 h. The observed dividing cells and mitotic inhibition were dose-dependent for the three AgNPs and Ags at 24, 48 and 72 h. Mitotic index obtained for 1.0, 10 and 100 μg/mL at all times of evaluation were less than half the value of the negative control, while cell arrest was only observed at 72 h at a concentration of 100 μg/mL for the three AgNPs. The chromosomal aberrations observed were c-mitosis, a chromosome bridge, a vagrant chromosome, and a sticky chromosome, which indicate the potential of AgNPs for genotoxicity. The mean root length of A. cepa treated with AgNPs showed a dose-dependent significant decrease compared to the control, indicating their inhibitory potential, but the mean root lengths were found to be lower at all concentrations compared to those treated with Ags, thus showing the attenuation of growth inhibition. The EC50 values revealed the order of growth inhibition as Ags>Cp-AgNPs>Css-AgNPs>Cs-AgNPs. The cytogenotoxic potential of the AgNPs suggests that caution should be exercised in their usage to prevent environmental pollution. Keywords: Green synthesis, Nanoparticles, Silver, Aberration, Allium cepa, Cola nitida

Tea seed upgrading facilities and economic assessment of biodiesel production from tea seed oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Demirbas, Ayhan [Sirnak University, Engineering Faculty, Sirnak (Turkey); Sila Science, Trabzon (Turkey)

2010-12-15

Green tea seed (Camellia sinensis L. Kuntze) oil was used in this work. The tea seed oil contains more than 84% unsaturated fatty acid, such as oleic acid (62.5% by weight), linoleic acid (18.1% by weight) and linolenic acid. The biodiesel from tea seed oil in itself is not significantly different from biodiesel produced from vegetable oils. However, tea seed oil has lower pour point and lower viscosity as different common vegetable oils. Crude tea seed oil is one of the cheapest vegetable oil feedstocks with average price, 514 (US$/ton). (author)

Tea seed upgrading facilities and economic assessment of biodiesel production from tea seed oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demirbas, Ayhan

2010-01-01

Green tea seed (Camellia sinensisL. Kuntze) oil was used in this work. The tea seed oil contains more than 84% unsaturated fatty acid, such as oleic acid (62.5% by weight), linoleic acid (18.1% by weight) and linolenic acid. The biodiesel from tea seed oil in itself is not significantly different from biodiesel produced from vegetable oils. However, tea seed oil has lower pour point and lower viscosity as different common vegetable oils. Crude tea seed oil is one of the cheapest vegetable oil feedstocks with average price, 514 (US$/ton).

Environmental Impact Study of the Northern Section of the Upper Mississippi River. Pool 1.

Science.gov (United States)

1973-11-01

grass P Poa pratensis Blue grass Setaria viridis Green foxtail P P P P D Setaria sp. Bristly foxtail P Spartina pectinata Prairie cord grass P...Agrimonia pubescens Cocklebur Alchemilla sp. Lady’s mantle P Fragaria vesca Wild strawberry Oewn canadense White avens Gewn laciniatun Avens Geum

Genome-wide investigation and expression profiling of AP2/ERF transcription factor superfamily in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Lata, Charu; Mishra, Awdhesh Kumar; Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Bonthala, Venkata Suresh; Khan, Yusuf; Prasad, Manoj

2014-01-01

The APETALA2/ethylene-responsive element binding factor (AP2/ERF) family is one of the largest transcription factor (TF) families in plants that includes four major sub-families, namely AP2, DREB (dehydration responsive element binding), ERF (ethylene responsive factors) and RAV (Related to ABI3/VP). AP2/ERFs are known to play significant roles in various plant processes including growth and development and biotic and abiotic stress responses. Considering this, a comprehensive genome-wide study was conducted in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.). A total of 171 AP2/ERF genes were identified by systematic sequence analysis and were physically mapped onto nine chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis grouped AP2/ERF genes into six classes (I to VI). Duplication analysis revealed that 12 (∼7%) SiAP2/ERF genes were tandem repeated and 22 (∼13%) were segmentally duplicated. Comparative physical mapping between foxtail millet AP2/ERF genes and its orthologs of sorghum (18 genes), maize (14 genes), rice (9 genes) and Brachypodium (6 genes) showed the evolutionary insights of AP2/ERF gene family and also the decrease in orthology with increase in phylogenetic distance. The evolutionary significance in terms of gene-duplication and divergence was analyzed by estimating synonymous and non-synonymous substitution rates. Expression profiling of candidate AP2/ERF genes against drought, salt and phytohormones revealed insights into their precise and/or overlapping expression patterns which could be responsible for their functional divergence in foxtail millet. The study showed that the genes SiAP2/ERF-069, SiAP2/ERF-103 and SiAP2/ERF-120 may be considered as potential candidate genes for further functional validation as well for utilization in crop improvement programs for stress resistance since these genes were up-regulated under drought and salinity stresses in ABA dependent manner. Altogether the present study provides new insights into evolution, divergence and systematic

Genome-wide investigation and expression profiling of AP2/ERF transcription factor superfamily in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L..

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charu Lata

Full Text Available The APETALA2/ethylene-responsive element binding factor (AP2/ERF family is one of the largest transcription factor (TF families in plants that includes four major sub-families, namely AP2, DREB (dehydration responsive element binding, ERF (ethylene responsive factors and RAV (Related to ABI3/VP. AP2/ERFs are known to play significant roles in various plant processes including growth and development and biotic and abiotic stress responses. Considering this, a comprehensive genome-wide study was conducted in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.. A total of 171 AP2/ERF genes were identified by systematic sequence analysis and were physically mapped onto nine chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis grouped AP2/ERF genes into six classes (I to VI. Duplication analysis revealed that 12 (∼7% SiAP2/ERF genes were tandem repeated and 22 (∼13% were segmentally duplicated. Comparative physical mapping between foxtail millet AP2/ERF genes and its orthologs of sorghum (18 genes, maize (14 genes, rice (9 genes and Brachypodium (6 genes showed the evolutionary insights of AP2/ERF gene family and also the decrease in orthology with increase in phylogenetic distance. The evolutionary significance in terms of gene-duplication and divergence was analyzed by estimating synonymous and non-synonymous substitution rates. Expression profiling of candidate AP2/ERF genes against drought, salt and phytohormones revealed insights into their precise and/or overlapping expression patterns which could be responsible for their functional divergence in foxtail millet. The study showed that the genes SiAP2/ERF-069, SiAP2/ERF-103 and SiAP2/ERF-120 may be considered as potential candidate genes for further functional validation as well for utilization in crop improvement programs for stress resistance since these genes were up-regulated under drought and salinity stresses in ABA dependent manner. Altogether the present study provides new insights into evolution, divergence and

‘Candidatus Phytoplasma wodyetiae’, a new taxon associated with yellow decline disease of foxtail palm (Wodyetia bifurcata) in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Landscape grown foxtail palm (Wodyetia bifurcata A.K. Irvine) trees displaying symptoms of severe foliar chlorosis, stunting, general decline and mortality reminiscent of coconut yellow decline disease were observed in Bangi, Malaysia during 2012. DNA samples from foliage tissues of 15 symptomatic ...

A high density genetic map and QTL for agronomic and yield traits in Foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv].

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Xiaomei; Dong, Kongjun; Wang, Xiaoqin; Liu, Tianpeng; He, Jihong; Ren, Ruiyu; Zhang, Lei; Liu, Rui; Liu, Xueying; Li, Man; Huang, Mengzhu; Zhang, Zhengsheng; Yang, Tianyu

2016-05-04

Foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.], a crop of historical importance in China, has been adopted as a model crop for studying C-4 photosynthesis, stress biology and biofuel traits. Construction of a high density genetic map and identification of stable quantitative trait loci (QTL) lay the foundation for marker-assisted selection for agronomic traits and yield improvement. A total of 10598 SSR markers were developed according to the reference genome sequence of foxtail millet cultivar 'Yugu1'. A total of 1013 SSR markers showing polymorphism between Yugu1 and Longgu7 were used to genotype 167 individuals from a Yugu1 × Longgu7 F2 population, and a high density genetic map was constructed. The genetic map contained 1035 loci and spanned 1318.8 cM with an average distance of 1.27 cM between adjacent markers. Based on agronomic and yield traits identified in 2 years, 29 QTL were identified for 11 traits with combined analysis and single environment analysis. These QTL explained from 7.0 to 14.3 % of phenotypic variation. Favorable QTL alleles for peduncle length originated from Longgu7 whereas favorable alleles for the other traits originated from Yugu1 except for qLMS6.1. New SSR markers, a high density genetic map and QTL identified for agronomic and yield traits lay the ground work for functional gene mapping, map-based cloning and marker-assisted selection in foxtail millet.

Genome sequence of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) provides insights into grass evolution and biofuel potential

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Gengyun; Liu, Xin; Quan, Zhiwu

2012-01-01

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica), a member of the Poaceae grass family, is an important food and fodder crop in arid regions and has potential for use as a C(4) biofuel. It is a model system for other biofuel grasses, including switchgrass and pearl millet. We produced a draft genome (∼423 Mb) an...

Environmental Impact Study of the Northern Section of the Upper Mississippi River. Pool 2.

Science.gov (United States)

1973-11-01

Setaria viridis Green foxtail P P P P D Setaria sp. Bristly foxtail P Spartina pectinata Prairie cord grass P Unidentified sp. D P P 1YDROCHARITACEAE...americanus New Jersey tea ROSACEAE Agrimonia pubescens Cocklebur Alchemilla sp. Lady’s mantle P Fragaria oesca Wild strawberry Cewn canadense White avens

Environmental Impact Study of The Northern Section of the Upper Mississippi River, Minnesota River Pool.

Science.gov (United States)

1973-11-01

Setaria viridis I Green foxtail P P P P D Setaria sp. I Bristly foxtail P Spartina pectinata Prairie cord grass P Unidentified sp. D P P...Thalictrn sp. Meadow-rue P P RPAMNACEAE Ceanothus omericanus New Jersey tea ROSACEAE Agrimonia pubescens Cocklebur AZchemilla sp. Lady’s mantle P Fragaria

The effects of 60Co γ-ray irradiation on legumes germination and grain qualities of cereal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Hongyue; Lin Yin; Li Xiangling

2004-01-01

The effects of 60 Co γ-ray irradiation on seed germination, bud length and living index of legumes, and food qualities including color and taste of cereals were studied. The results showed that when irradiation dosages were at 0.1 and 0.3 kGy bud living index and length of pea and green gram were affected respectively, but no changes were found in color of cereals. Irradiation changed the viscosity of fine broken corn, foxtail millet, sorghum grains and oat flakes greatly at the dose of 0.8 kGy, and altered taste of the two formers at the dose of 1.0 kGy significantly

Postprandial glycaemic response of foxtail millet dosa in comparison to a rice dosa in patients with type 2 diabetes

Science.gov (United States)

Narayanan, Janani; Sanjeevi, Vimala; Rohini, U.; Trueman, Patricia; Viswanathan, Vijay

2016-01-01

Background & objectives: Millets are rich source of dietary fibre and non-starchy polysaccharides with low glycaemic index (GI), hence can be used as a therapeutic diet. This study was conducted to estimate the effects of a millet-based dosa (foxtail dosa) compared to a rice dosa for breakfast on postprandial glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: The GI of rice dosa and foxtail millet dosa was estimated. A total of 105 T2DM participants were randomly selected for the study. The participants were on oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHA) and not on insulin. In this study, each individual served as their own control and experimental group. The postprandial increase in blood glucose was compared after a breakfast of rice dosa and millet dosa. Single and paired t test was used to note the change in blood glucose levels and the level of the significance. Results: The GI of foxtail millet dosa was 59.25 and rice dosa was 77.96. There was a significant reduction (P<0.001) in the postprandial glucose level of patients who consumed a millet-based dosa when compared to those who consumed a rice-based dosa. No significant reduction was observed in the fasting glucose levels. Interpretation & conclusions: The results suggested that replacing a rice-based breakfast item with a millet-based breakfast item lowers the postprandial blood glucose levels in T2DM patients. Thus, millets may have a protective role in the management of hyperglycaemia. Further studies need to be done in a systematic manner to confirm these findings. PMID:28361824

Weed Control in White Bean with Various Halosulfuron Tankmixes

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Nader Soltani

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Four field trials were conducted over a three-year period (2011–2013 in southwestern Ontario to evaluate the level of weed control provided by various halosulfuron tankmixes applied preplant incorporated (PPI in white bean. Trifluralin, s-metolachlor, halosulfuron, and imazethapyr applied alone or in combination caused 4% or less visible injury 1 and 4 weeks after emergence (WAE in white bean. Trifluralin, s-metolachlor, halosulfuron, and imazethapyr applied PPI provided 80–96%, 84–95%, 83–100%, and 75–92% control of redroot pigweed; 19–28%, 30–40%, 97–99%, and 73–84% control of common ragweed; 94–96%, 63–82%, 96–100%, and 96–100% control of common lambsquarters; 14-15%, 12–35%, 100%, and 96–97% control of wild mustard; and 96–97%, 95–97%, 53–56%, and 80–82% control of green foxtail, respectively. The two- and three-way tankmixes of halosulfuron with trifluralin, s-metolachlor, or imazethapyr provided 85–100% control of redroot pigweed, 90–98% control of common ragweed, 97–100% control of common lambsquarters, 100% control of wild mustard, and 93–98% control of green foxtail. Weed density, weed biomass and white bean seed yields reflected the level of visible weed control.

Biodiesel Production from Kapok (Ceiba pentandra Seed Oil using Naturally Alkaline Catalyst as an Effort of Green Energy and Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.A. Handayani

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, energy that used to serve all the needs of community, mainly generated from fossil (conventional energy. Terrace in energy consumption is not balanced with adequate fossil fuel reserves and will be totally depleted in the near future. Indonesian Government through a Presidential Decree No. 5 year 2006 mandates an increased capacity in renewable energy production from 5 percent to 15 percent in 2025. C. pentandra seed oil has feasibility as a sustainable biodiesel feedstock in Indonesia. The aim of this paper was to investigate biodiesel production from ceiba petandra seed oil using naturally potassium hydroxide catalyst. Research designs are based on factorial design with 2 levels and 3 independent variables (temperature, reaction time and molar ratio of methanol to oil. According to data calculation, the most influential single variable is molar ratio of methanol to oil. Characterization of biodiesel products meet all the qualifications standardized by SNI 04-7182-2006. Keywords: biodiesel, kapok seed oil, c. pentandra, green technology

Development of Genomic and Genetic Tools for Foxtail Millet, and Use of These Tools in the Improvement of Biomass Production for Bioenergy Crops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doust, Andrew, N.

2011-11-11

The overall aim of this research was to develop genomic and genetic tools in foxtail millet that will be useful in improving biomass production in bioenergy crops such as switchgrass, napier grass, and pearl millet. A variety of approaches have been implemented, and our lab has been primarily involved in genome analysis and quantitative genetic analysis. Our progress in these activities has been substantially helped by the genomic sequence of foxtail millet produced by the Joint Genome Institute (Bennetzen et al., in prep). In particular, the annotation and analysis of candidate genes for architecture, biomass production and flowering has led to new insights into the control of branching and flowering time, and has shown how closely related flowering time is to vegetative architectural development and biomass accumulation. The differences in genetic control identified at high and low density plantings have direct relevance to the breeding of bioenergy grasses that are tolerant of high planting densities. The developmental analyses have shown how plant architecture changes over time and may indicate which genes may best be manipulated at various times during development to obtain required biomass characteristics. This data contributes to the overall aim of significantly improving genetic and genomic tools in foxtail millet that can be directed to improvement of bioenergy grasses such as switchgrass, where it is important to maximize vegetative growth for greatest biomass production.

The development of low glycemic index cookie bars from foxtail millet (Setaria italica), arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) flour, and kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris).

Science.gov (United States)

Lestari, Lily Arsanti; Huriyati, Emy; Marsono, Yustinus

2017-05-01

Wholegrain foods are becoming increasingly popular as a high fiber dietary supplement recommended for people with diabetes. In Indonesia, the incidence of diabetes mellitus has almost doubled recently and poses a significant health risk with the high prevalence of obesity and cardiovascular diseases. The present research aimed to develop cookie bars from foxtail millet, arrowroot flour, and kidney beans. The physical, chemical, and sensory properties were evaluated by selecting the best formula to test the glycemic index. Three formulae of cookie bars, which had different percentages of foxtail millet, kidney beans, and arrowroot flour were evaluated. The results showed that the three formulae (F1, F2, F3) had °Hue values of 53.77, 58.46, and 58.31, and breaking force of 8.37, 10.12, and 5.87 N, respectively. While all other nutritional content were significantly different between formulae, the total crude fat was not. The F2 cookie bar was selected and evaluated for the glycemic index because it has the best sensory properties, lowest total sugar and available carbohydrate content. F2 cookie bars that contain 15% foxtail millet, 15% arrowroot flour, and 30% of kidney beans have a glycemic index of 37.6 hence it could be classified as a low glycemic index cookie bar. In conclusion, our findings indicated that F2 cookie bars can be further developed as a suitable diabetic food since it has the best physico-chemical properties, sensory properties, and low glycemic index.

Effect of Irrigation with Wastewater and Foliar Application of Complete Fertilizer on Forage Yield and Yield Components of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Ahmadi Aghtape

2013-08-01

Full Text Available In order to study effect of irrigation with wastewater and foliar application of complete fertilizer on forage yield and seed yield and yield components of foxtail millet (Setaria italica. A split plot experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted at the Agriculture Institute of Zabol University in year 2009. Treatments included three levels of irrigation: Irrigation with well water at all stages of grows (control, Irrigation with wastewater and tap water alternately, Irrigation with wastewater for all growing stages, as the main plot and sprayed with three levels of complete fertilizer (NATBA-LIB: Non spraying (control, sprayed with 600 and 1200 gram of complete fertilizer in each hectare, as were the subplots. Results showed that irrigation with wastewater and complete fertilizer sprayed had significant effect on all traits except leaf to stem ratio. Furthermore, among the irrigation treatments, irrigation with wastewater in total growing period, and wastewater and tap water alternately lead to significant increase in grain yield, forage yield and yield components. Among the sprayed treatments, sprayed with 1200 gram of complete fertilizer had highest forage yield and grain.

In Silico and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Mapping Reveals Collinearity between the Pennisetum squamulatum Apomixis Carrier-Chromosome and Chromosome 2 of Sorghum and Foxtail Millet.

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Sirjan Sapkota

Full Text Available Apomixis, or clonal propagation through seed, is a trait identified within multiple species of the grass family (Poaceae. The genetic locus controlling apomixis in Pennisetum squamulatum (syn Cenchrus squamulatus and Cenchrus ciliaris (syn Pennisetum ciliare, buffelgrass is the apospory-specific genomic region (ASGR. Previously, the ASGR was shown to be highly conserved but inverted in marker order between P. squamulatum and C. ciliaris based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH and varied in both karyotype and position of the ASGR on the ASGR-carrier chromosome among other apomictic Cenchrus/Pennisetum species. Using in silico transcript mapping and verification of physical positions of some of the transcripts via FISH, we discovered that the ASGR-carrier chromosome from P. squamulatum is collinear with chromosome 2 of foxtail millet and sorghum outside of the ASGR. The in silico ordering of the ASGR-carrier chromosome markers, previously unmapped in P. squamulatum, allowed for the identification of a backcross line with structural changes to the P. squamulatum ASGR-carrier chromosome derived from gamma irradiated pollen.

In Silico and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Mapping Reveals Collinearity between the Pennisetum squamulatum Apomixis Carrier-Chromosome and Chromosome 2 of Sorghum and Foxtail Millet.

Science.gov (United States)

Sapkota, Sirjan; Conner, Joann A; Hanna, Wayne W; Simon, Bindu; Fengler, Kevin; Deschamps, Stéphane; Cigan, Mark; Ozias-Akins, Peggy

2016-01-01

Apomixis, or clonal propagation through seed, is a trait identified within multiple species of the grass family (Poaceae). The genetic locus controlling apomixis in Pennisetum squamulatum (syn Cenchrus squamulatus) and Cenchrus ciliaris (syn Pennisetum ciliare, buffelgrass) is the apospory-specific genomic region (ASGR). Previously, the ASGR was shown to be highly conserved but inverted in marker order between P. squamulatum and C. ciliaris based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and varied in both karyotype and position of the ASGR on the ASGR-carrier chromosome among other apomictic Cenchrus/Pennisetum species. Using in silico transcript mapping and verification of physical positions of some of the transcripts via FISH, we discovered that the ASGR-carrier chromosome from P. squamulatum is collinear with chromosome 2 of foxtail millet and sorghum outside of the ASGR. The in silico ordering of the ASGR-carrier chromosome markers, previously unmapped in P. squamulatum, allowed for the identification of a backcross line with structural changes to the P. squamulatum ASGR-carrier chromosome derived from gamma irradiated pollen.

Effects of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seed oil press-cake and decaffeinated green tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) on functional characteristics of gluten-free crackers.

Science.gov (United States)

Radočaj, Olga; Dimić, Etelka; Tsao, Rong

2014-03-01

A mixture, simplex centroid, 2 components experimental design was used to evaluate the addition of hemp seed oil press-cake and decaffeinated green tea leaves, as functional ingredients to assess nutritional characteristics and antioxidant properties of gluten-free crackers. All samples with added hemp flour had much better nutritional qualities than the brown rice flour crackers in terms of higher protein, crude fibers, minerals, and essential fatty acids content. Likewise, all samples with added decaffeinated green tea leaves had much better antioxidant properties than crackers with no added green tea leaves. All crackers with added hemp flour had a significantly increased fiber content (39% to 249%) and decreased carbohydrate content (8.4% to 42.3%), compared to the brown rice flour crackers. All samples had antioxidant properties, even without the addition of green tea leaves. Optimization of the responses was conducted based on the maximized values for protein, fibers, omega-3 fatty acids content, as well as for the antioxidant activity and overall score. The suggested values for the addition of the hemp oil press-cake was 20% (total flour weight) with 4 g of decaffeinated green tea leaves that would provide protein content of 14.1 g/100 g; fibers content of 8.4 g/100 g; omega-3 fatty acids content of 3.2 g/100 g; antioxidant activity measured via 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl value of 30.3 μmol TE/g d.w.; and an overall score of 8.9. This formulation has demonstrated potential application in the baking industry and marketing of these gluten-free crackers as a value-added functional product. Hemp seed oil press-cake as a by-product of cold-pressed oil processing and brown rice flour were used to design a functional gluten-free snack-type product-savory crackers. All crackers were high in minerals, fibers, and omega-3 fatty acids with a desirable omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids ratio. Green tea leaves were added to improve antioxidant activity, which greatly

Overexpression of the autophagy-related gene SiATG8a from foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) confers tolerance to both nitrogen starvation and drought stress in Arabidopsis.

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Li, Wei-wei; Chen, Ming; Zhong, Li; Liu, Jia-ming; Xu, Zhao-shi; Li, Lian-cheng; Zhou, Yong-Bin; Guo, Chang-Hong; Ma, You-Zhi

2015-12-25

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved biological process in all eukaryotes for the degradation of intracellular components for nutrient recycling. Autophagy is known to be involved in responses to low nitrogen stress in Arabidopsis. Foxtail millet has strong abiotic stress resistance to both low nutrient and drought stress. However, to date, there have only been a few genes reported to be related with abiotic stress resistance in foxtail millet. In this study, we identified an autophagy-related gene, SiATG8a, from foxtail millet. SiATG8a is mainly expressed in stems and its expression was dramatically induced by drought stress and nitrogen starvation treatments. SiATG8a was localized in the membrane and cytoplasm of foxtail millet. Overexpression of SiATG8a in Arabidopsis conferred tolerance to both nitrogen starvation and to drought stress. Under nitrogen starvation conditions, the SiATG8a transgenic plants had larger root and leaf areas and accumulated more total nitrogen than wild-type plants. The transgenic plants had lower total protein concentrations than did the WT plants. Under drought stress, the SiATG8a transgenic plants had higher survival rates, chlorophyll content, and proline content, but had lower MDA content than wild type plants. Taken together, our results represent the first identified case where overexpression of autophagy related gene can simultaneously improve plant resistance to low nitrogen and drought stresses. These findings implicate plant autophagy in plant stress responses to low nitrogen and drought and should be helpful in efforts to improve stresses resistance to nitrogen starvation and drought of crops by genetic transformation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Green Quantification Strategy Combined with Chemometric Analysis for Triglycerides in Seeds Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Jin-Jun; Guo, Ji-Ling; Cao, Chun-Mei; Yao, Shuai; Long, Hua-Li; Cai, Lu-Ying; Da, Juan; Wu, Wan-Ying; Guo, De-An

2018-04-01

Triglycerides are the primary constituents of some seed kernels used in traditional Chinese medicine. Quality control of seed kernels containing multiple components with an environmentally friendly method is indispensable for establishing their quality standards (called monographs) in pharmacopeia. Using coix seeds (Semen Coicis) as an example, a green quantification strategy was proposed by combining C 8 core-shell particles with single standard to determine multicomponent technologies to quantify seven triglycerides simultaneously. A core-shell column, namely, Halo C 8 (3.0 × 100 mm, 2.7 µm), was used. Methanol was used as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min, enabling UV detection of the elutes. Seven triglycerides were well separated in 20 min, and simultaneously quantified using triolein as a single standard. The conversion factor for each standard was set as 1.0 on ELSD, while for the conversion factors at 203 nm, the values increased with the reduction of linoleate. The recovery values were all in the range of 97 - 107% (RSD < 3.0%). The RSD values of precision, including intraday and intermediate precision, were < 3.0% when the total content of triglycerides was calculated. The linearity reached r ≥ 0.9990, and the limit of quantitation reached 40 - 70 ng. Forty-nine batches of coix seeds from four different places of origins and eight batches of adulterants were evaluated and differentiated using principal component analysis. In addition, the validated method was used successfully to quantity seven triglycerides in Semen Persicae, Semen Armeniacae Amarum, and Semen Pruni. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

[MYB-like transcription factor SiMYB42 from foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) enhances Arabidopsis tolerance to low-nitrogen stress].

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Qing Qian; Wang, Xiao Ting; Hu, Li Qin; Qi, Xin; Ge, Lin Hao; Xu, Wei Ya; Xu, Zhao Shi; Zhou, Yong Bin; Jia, Guan Qing; Diao, Xian Min; Min, Dong Hong; Ma, You Zhi; Chen, Ming

2018-04-20

Myeloblastosis (MYB) transcription factors are one of the largest families of transcription factors in higher plants. They play an important role in plant development, defense response processes, and non-biological stresses, i.e., drought stress. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.), originated in China, is resistant to drought and low nutrition stresses and has been regarded as an ideal material for studying abiotic stress resistance in monocotyledon. In this study, we ran a transcription profile analysis of zheng 204 under low-nitrogen conditions and identified a MYB-like transcription factor SiMYB42, which was up-regulated under low-nitrogen stress. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that SiMYB42 belongs to R2R3-MYB subfamily and has two MYB conserved domains. Expression pattern analysis showed that SiMYB42 was significantly up-regulated under various stress conditions, including low-nitrogen stress, high salt, drought and ABA conditions. The results of subcellular localization, quantitative real-time PCR and transcriptional activation analysis indicated that SiMYB42 protein localizes to the nucleus and cell membrane of plant cells, mainly expressed in the leaf or root of foxtail millet, and has transcription activation activity. Functional analysis showed that there was no significant difference between transgenic SiMYB42 Arabidopsis and wild-type (WT) Arabidopsis under normal conditions; however, under low-nitrogen condition, the root length, surface area and seedling fresh weight in transgenic SiMYB42 Arabidopsis, were significantly higher than their counterparts in WT. These results suggest that SiMYB42 transgenic plants exhibit higher tolerance to low-nitrogen stress. Expression levels of nitrate transporters genes NRT2.1, NRT2.4 and NRT2.5, which are the transcriptional targets of SiMYB42, were higher in transgenic SiMYB42 Arabidopsis plants than those in WT; the promoter regions of NRT2.1, NRT2.4 and NRT2.5 all have MYB binding sites. These results indicate

Characterization of green seed, an enchancer of abi3-1 in Arabidopsis that affects seed longevity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Clerkx, E.J.M.; Vries, de M.H.C.; Ruijs, G.J.; Groot, S.P.C.; Koornneef, M.

2003-01-01

Seeds are usually stored in physiological conditions in which they gradually lose their viability and vigor depending on storage conditions, storage time, and genotype. Very little is known about the underlying genetics of seed storability and seed deterioration. We analyzed a mutant in Arabidopsis

The novel approach to enhance seed security: dual anti-counterfeiting methods applied on tobacco pelleted seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Yajing; Wang, Jianchen; Tian, Yixin; Hu, Weimin; Zhu, Liwei; Zhu, Shuijin; Hu, Jin

2013-01-01

Seed security is of prime importance for agriculture. To protect true seeds from being faked, more secure dual anti-counterfeiting technologies for tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) pelleted seed were developed in this paper. Fluorescein (FR), rhodamine B (RB), and magnetic powder (MP) were used as anti-counterfeiting labels. According to their different properties and the special seed pelleting process, four dual-labeling treatments were conducted for two tobacco varieties, MS Yunyan85 (MSYY85) and Honghua Dajinyuan (HHDJY). Then the seed germination and seedling growth status were investigated, and the fluorescence in cracked pellets and developing seedlings was observed under different excitation lights. The results showed that FR, RB, and MP had no negative effects on the germination, seedling growth, and MDA content of the pelleted seeds, and even some treatments significantly enhanced seedling dry weight, vigor index, and shoot height in MS YY85, and increased SOD activity and chlorophyll content in HHDJY as compared to the control. In addition, the cotyledon tip of seedlings treated with FR and MP together represented bright green fluorescence under illumination of blue light (478 nm). And the seedling cotyledon vein treated with RB and MP together showed red fluorescence under green light (546 nm). All seeds pelleted with magnetic powder of proper concentration could be attracted by a magnet. Thus, it indicated that those new dual-labeling methods that fluorescent compound and magnetic powder simultaneously applied in the same seed pellets definitely improved anti-counterfeiting technology and enhanced the seed security. This technology will ensure that high quality seed will be used in the crop production.

The novel approach to enhance seed security: dual anti-counterfeiting methods applied on tobacco pelleted seeds.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yajing Guan

Full Text Available Seed security is of prime importance for agriculture. To protect true seeds from being faked, more secure dual anti-counterfeiting technologies for tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. pelleted seed were developed in this paper. Fluorescein (FR, rhodamine B (RB, and magnetic powder (MP were used as anti-counterfeiting labels. According to their different properties and the special seed pelleting process, four dual-labeling treatments were conducted for two tobacco varieties, MS Yunyan85 (MSYY85 and Honghua Dajinyuan (HHDJY. Then the seed germination and seedling growth status were investigated, and the fluorescence in cracked pellets and developing seedlings was observed under different excitation lights. The results showed that FR, RB, and MP had no negative effects on the germination, seedling growth, and MDA content of the pelleted seeds, and even some treatments significantly enhanced seedling dry weight, vigor index, and shoot height in MS YY85, and increased SOD activity and chlorophyll content in HHDJY as compared to the control. In addition, the cotyledon tip of seedlings treated with FR and MP together represented bright green fluorescence under illumination of blue light (478 nm. And the seedling cotyledon vein treated with RB and MP together showed red fluorescence under green light (546 nm. All seeds pelleted with magnetic powder of proper concentration could be attracted by a magnet. Thus, it indicated that those new dual-labeling methods that fluorescent compound and magnetic powder simultaneously applied in the same seed pellets definitely improved anti-counterfeiting technology and enhanced the seed security. This technology will ensure that high quality seed will be used in the crop production.

Effect of seed collection times and pretreatment methods on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-08-18

Aug 18, 2008 ... Seeds were subjected to four treatment methods each at four ... were deep-green to brown while second collection was done when all .... discarded and the intact plump seeds were surface sterilized with .... Analysis of variance table for cumulative germination of Terminalia sericea for first seed collection.

Development of highly polymorphic simple sequence repeat markers using genome-wide microsatellite variant analysis in Foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shuo; Tang, Chanjuan; Zhao, Qiang; Li, Jing; Yang, Lifang; Qie, Lufeng; Fan, Xingke; Li, Lin; Zhang, Ning; Zhao, Meicheng; Liu, Xiaotong; Chai, Yang; Zhang, Xue; Wang, Hailong; Li, Yingtao; Li, Wen; Zhi, Hui; Jia, Guanqing; Diao, Xianmin

2014-01-28

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.) is an important gramineous grain-food and forage crop. It is grown worldwide for human and livestock consumption. Its small genome and diploid nature have led to foxtail millet fast becoming a novel model for investigating plant architecture, drought tolerance and C4 photosynthesis of grain and bioenergy crops. Therefore, cost-effective, reliable and highly polymorphic molecular markers covering the entire genome are required for diversity, mapping and functional genomics studies in this model species. A total of 5,020 highly repetitive microsatellite motifs were isolated from the released genome of the genotype 'Yugu1' by sequence scanning. Based on sequence comparison between S. italica and S. viridis, a set of 788 SSR primer pairs were designed. Of these primers, 733 produced reproducible amplicons and were polymorphic among 28 Setaria genotypes selected from diverse geographical locations. The number of alleles detected by these SSR markers ranged from 2 to 16, with an average polymorphism information content of 0.67. The result obtained by neighbor-joining cluster analysis of 28 Setaria genotypes, based on Nei's genetic distance of the SSR data, showed that these SSR markers are highly polymorphic and effective. A large set of highly polymorphic SSR markers were successfully and efficiently developed based on genomic sequence comparison between different genotypes of the genus Setaria. The large number of new SSR markers and their placement on the physical map represent a valuable resource for studying diversity, constructing genetic maps, functional gene mapping, QTL exploration and molecular breeding in foxtail millet and its closely related species.

Comprehensive genome-wide survey, genomic constitution and expression profiling of the NAC transcription factor family in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L..

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Swati Puranik

Full Text Available The NAC proteins represent a major plant-specific transcription factor family that has established enormously diverse roles in various plant processes. Aided by the availability of complete genomes, several members of this family have been identified in Arabidopsis, rice, soybean and poplar. However, no comprehensive investigation has been presented for the recently sequenced, naturally stress tolerant crop, Setaria italica (foxtail millet that is famed as a model crop for bioenergy research. In this study, we identified 147 putative NAC domain-encoding genes from foxtail millet by systematic sequence analysis and physically mapped them onto nine chromosomes. Genomic organization suggested that inter-chromosomal duplications may have been responsible for expansion of this gene family in foxtail millet. Phylogenetically, they were arranged into 11 distinct sub-families (I-XI, with duplicated genes fitting into one cluster and possessing conserved motif compositions. Comparative mapping with other grass species revealed some orthologous relationships and chromosomal rearrangements including duplication, inversion and deletion of genes. The evolutionary significance as duplication and divergence of NAC genes based on their amino acid substitution rates was understood. Expression profiling against various stresses and phytohormones provides novel insights into specific and/or overlapping expression patterns of SiNAC genes, which may be responsible for functional divergence among individual members in this crop. Further, we performed structure modeling and molecular simulation of a stress-responsive protein, SiNAC128, proffering an initial framework for understanding its molecular function. Taken together, this genome-wide identification and expression profiling unlocks new avenues for systematic functional analysis of novel NAC gene family candidates which may be applied for improvising stress adaption in plants.

Comprehensive genome-wide survey, genomic constitution and expression profiling of the NAC transcription factor family in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Puranik, Swati; Sahu, Pranav Pankaj; Mandal, Sambhu Nath; B, Venkata Suresh; Parida, Swarup Kumar; Prasad, Manoj

2013-01-01

The NAC proteins represent a major plant-specific transcription factor family that has established enormously diverse roles in various plant processes. Aided by the availability of complete genomes, several members of this family have been identified in Arabidopsis, rice, soybean and poplar. However, no comprehensive investigation has been presented for the recently sequenced, naturally stress tolerant crop, Setaria italica (foxtail millet) that is famed as a model crop for bioenergy research. In this study, we identified 147 putative NAC domain-encoding genes from foxtail millet by systematic sequence analysis and physically mapped them onto nine chromosomes. Genomic organization suggested that inter-chromosomal duplications may have been responsible for expansion of this gene family in foxtail millet. Phylogenetically, they were arranged into 11 distinct sub-families (I-XI), with duplicated genes fitting into one cluster and possessing conserved motif compositions. Comparative mapping with other grass species revealed some orthologous relationships and chromosomal rearrangements including duplication, inversion and deletion of genes. The evolutionary significance as duplication and divergence of NAC genes based on their amino acid substitution rates was understood. Expression profiling against various stresses and phytohormones provides novel insights into specific and/or overlapping expression patterns of SiNAC genes, which may be responsible for functional divergence among individual members in this crop. Further, we performed structure modeling and molecular simulation of a stress-responsive protein, SiNAC128, proffering an initial framework for understanding its molecular function. Taken together, this genome-wide identification and expression profiling unlocks new avenues for systematic functional analysis of novel NAC gene family candidates which may be applied for improvising stress adaption in plants.

The SEED Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Teich, Carolyn R.

2011-01-01

Committed to fulfilling the promise of the green economy, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) launched the Sustainability Education and Economic Development (SEED) initiative (www.theseedcenter.org) in October 2010. The project advances sustainability and clean energy workforce development practices at community colleges by…

Association of an SNP in a novel DREB2-like gene SiDREB2 with stress tolerance in foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.)].

Science.gov (United States)

Lata, Charu; Bhutty, Sarita; Bahadur, Ranjit Prasad; Majee, Manoj; Prasad, Manoj

2011-06-01

The DREB genes code for important plant transcription factors involved in the abiotic stress response and signal transduction. Characterization of DREB genes and development of functional markers for effective alleles is important for marker-assisted selection in foxtail millet. Here the characterization of a cDNA (SiDREB2) encoding a putative dehydration-responsive element-binding protein 2 from foxtail millet and the development of an allele-specific marker (ASM) for dehydration tolerance is reported. A cDNA clone (GenBank accession no. GT090998) coding for a putative DREB2 protein was isolated as a differentially expressed gene from a 6 h dehydration stress SSH library. A 5' RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) was carried out to obtain the full-length cDNA, and sequence analysis showed that SiDREB2 encoded a polypeptide of 234 amino acids with a predicted mol. wt of 25.72 kDa and a theoretical pI of 5.14. A theoretical model of the tertiary structure shows that it has a highly conserved GCC-box-binding N-terminal domain, and an acidic C-terminus that acts as an activation domain for transcription. Based on its similarity to AP2 domains, SiDREB2 was classified into the A-2 subgroup of the DREB subfamily. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed significant up-regulation of SiDREB2 by dehydration (polyethylene glycol) and salinity (NaCl), while its expression was less affected by other stresses. A synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with dehydration tolerance was detected at the 558th base pair (an A/G transition) in the SiDREB2 gene in a core set of 45 foxtail millet accessions used. Based on the identified SNP, three primers were designed to develop an ASM for dehydration tolerance. The ASM produced a 261 bp fragment in all the tolerant accessions and produced no amplification in the sensitive accessions. The use of this ASM might be faster, cheaper, and more reproducible than other SNP genotyping methods, and thus will enable

Removal of malachite green from aqueous solution by activated carbon prepared from the Annona squmosa seed by adsorption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Santhi

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The use of low -cost, locally available, highly efficient and eco-friendly adsorbents has been investigated as an ideal alternative to the current expensive methods of removing dyes from wastewater. This study investigates the potential use of activated carbon prepared from the Annona squmosa seed for the removal of malachite green (MG dye from simulated wastewater. The effects of different system variables, adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, pH and contact time were investigated and optimal experimental conditions were ascertained. The results showed that as the amount of the adsorbent is increased, the percentage of dye removal increase accordingly. Optimum pH value for dye adsorption was 7.0. Maximum dye was sequestered within 50 min from the start of every experiment. The adsorption of malachite green followed the pseudo-second –order rate equation and fits the Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushekevich (D-R and Tempkin equations well. The maximum removal of MG was obtained at pH 7 as 86.11% for adsorbent dose of 0.2 g/ 50 mL and 25 mg L -1 initial dye concentration at room temperature. Furthermore, adsorption kinetics of MG was studied and the rate of adsorption was found to conform to pseudo-second –order kinetics with a good correlation (R2 > 0.99 with intraparticle diffusion as one of the rate determining steps. Activated carbon developed from the Annona squmosa seed can be an attractive option for dye removal from diluted industrial effluents since test reaction made on simulated dyeing wastewater showed better removal percentage of MG.

Mapping of quantitative trait locus (QTLs that contribute to germination and early seedling drought tolerance in the interspecific cross Setaria italica×Setaria viridis.

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Lufeng Qie

Full Text Available Drought tolerance is an important breeding target for enhancing the yields of grain crop species in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Two species of Setaria, domesticated foxtail millet (S. italica and its wild ancestor green foxtail (S. viridis are becoming widely adopted as models for functional genomics studies in the Panicoid grasses. In this study, the genomic regions controlling germination and early seedling drought tolerance in Setaria were identified using 190 F7 lines derived from a cross between Yugu1, a S. italica cultivar developed in China, and a wild S. viridis genotype collected from Uzbekistan. Quantitative trait loci were identified which contribute to a number of traits including promptness index, radical root length, coleoptile length and lateral root number at germinating stage and seedling survival rate was characterized by the ability of desiccated seedlings to revive after rehydration. A genetic map with 128 SSR markers which spans 1293.9 cM with an average of 14 markers per linkage group of the 9 linkage groups was constructed. A total of eighteen QTLs were detected which included nine that explained over 10% of the phenotypic variance for a given trait. Both the wild green foxtail genotype and the foxtail millet cultivar contributed the favorite alleles for traits detected in this trial, indicating that wild Setaria viridis populations may serve as a reservoir for novel stress tolerance alleles which could be employed in foxtail millet breeding.

Mapping of quantitative trait locus (QTLs) that contribute to germination and early seedling drought tolerance in the interspecific cross Setaria italica×Setaria viridis.

Science.gov (United States)

Qie, Lufeng; Jia, Guanqing; Zhang, Wenying; Schnable, James; Shang, Zhonglin; Li, Wei; Liu, Binhui; Li, Mingzhe; Chai, Yang; Zhi, Hui; Diao, Xianmin

2014-01-01

Drought tolerance is an important breeding target for enhancing the yields of grain crop species in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Two species of Setaria, domesticated foxtail millet (S. italica) and its wild ancestor green foxtail (S. viridis) are becoming widely adopted as models for functional genomics studies in the Panicoid grasses. In this study, the genomic regions controlling germination and early seedling drought tolerance in Setaria were identified using 190 F7 lines derived from a cross between Yugu1, a S. italica cultivar developed in China, and a wild S. viridis genotype collected from Uzbekistan. Quantitative trait loci were identified which contribute to a number of traits including promptness index, radical root length, coleoptile length and lateral root number at germinating stage and seedling survival rate was characterized by the ability of desiccated seedlings to revive after rehydration. A genetic map with 128 SSR markers which spans 1293.9 cM with an average of 14 markers per linkage group of the 9 linkage groups was constructed. A total of eighteen QTLs were detected which included nine that explained over 10% of the phenotypic variance for a given trait. Both the wild green foxtail genotype and the foxtail millet cultivar contributed the favorite alleles for traits detected in this trial, indicating that wild Setaria viridis populations may serve as a reservoir for novel stress tolerance alleles which could be employed in foxtail millet breeding.

Maturation, temperature and breaking dormancy of Comanthera seeds

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Andréa Santos Oliveira

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Given the importance of “everlasting” plants for their ornamental value and vulnerability to extractive practices, studies to ensure the propagation of the species are indispensable. The aim of this study was to assess whether there is an association between seed coat color and the quality of everlasting seeds, in the presence or absence of dormancy. Four species (Comanthera elegans, C. nitida, C. bisculata, and Comanthera sp. were separated with respect to seed coat color and underwent germination first count, germination, and germination speed index testing in a substrate moistened with water or 0.1% fluridone solution, in alternating temperatures of 10/25°C and 15/25°C. A completely randomized experimental design was used in a 4 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement [seed coat color (green, beige, red, brown × temperature (10/25°C and 15/25°C × dormancy breaking (with or without]. In general, the alternating 15/25°C temperature is favorable for germination of everlasting plants. The use of fluridone is favorable to germination and seed vigor, especially when using the alternating temperature of 10/25°C. The effect of seed coat color varies among species; higher germination and vigor values are seen in green seeds for Comanthera sp. and lower values in C. bisculata. For C. nitida and C. elegans, seed coat color does not influence seed quality. Direct relationships between fluoridone efficiency in breaking dormancy of seeds of different species of everlasting plants and classification in different colors are not observed.

Changes in the GABA and polyphenols contents of foxtail millet on germination and their relationship with in vitro antioxidant activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Seema; Saxena, Dharmesh C; Riar, Charanjit S

2018-04-15

Germination along with ultrasonic assisted extraction induced a significant beneficial effect on the characteristics of polyphenolic components profile, GABA contents and in vitro antioxidant capacity of the foxtail millet flour extracts. The total antioxidant activity (29.0-45.23 mgAAE/g) and reducing power (0.53-0.76 µg/ml) increase during germination were due to quantitative increase in phthalicacid; hex-3yl-ester; hexadecanoicacid methylester etc. whereas, increase in DPPH (48.32-59.62%) and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activities (35.44-63.07 mM-Trolox/g) were attributed to increase in hexadecanoic acid methylester; 9,12-Octadecadienoicacid ethylester and synthesis of new compounds like pentadecanoicacid; 14-methyl-methylester etc. The metal chelating abilities (34.92-57.38 mgEDTA/g) and in vitro antioxidant activity increase due to overall increase in phenolics, flavonoids along with GABA contents. Synthesis of additional polyphenolic components viz. astaxanthin, propanoicacid, 1-monolinoleoylglycerol trimethylsilylether, 9,12,15-octadecatrienoicacid etc. as a result of germinated explored the possible potential utilization of germinated foxtail millet grains in various functional and convenience food formulations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Profiling the Phenolic Compounds of the Four Major Seed Coat Types and Their Relation to Color Genes in Lentil.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirali, Mahla; Purves, Randy W; Vandenberg, Albert

2017-05-26

Phenolic compounds can provide antioxidant health benefits for humans, and foods such as lentils can be valuable dietary sources of different subclasses of these secondary metabolites. This study used LC-MS analyses to compare the phenolic profiles of lentil genotypes with four seed coat background colors (green, gray, tan, and brown) and two cotyledon colors (red and yellow) grown at two locations. The mean area ratio per mg sample (MARS) values of various phenolic compounds in lentil seeds varied with the different seed coat colors conferred by specific genotypes. Seed coats of lentil genotypes with the homozygous recessive tgc allele (green and gray seed coats) had higher MARS values of flavan-3-ols, proanthocyanidins, and some flavonols. This suggests lentils featuring green and gray seed coats might be more promising as health-promoting foods.

Selected aspects of tiny vetch [Vicia hirsuta (L. Gray S.F.] seed ecology: generative reproduction and effects of seed maturity and seed storage on seed germination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalena Kucewicz

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Vicia hirsuta (L. Gray S.F. (tiny vetch is a common and persistent segetal weed. Tiny vetch seeds and pods reach different stages of maturity during the crop harvest season. Some seeds that mature before cereal harvest are shed in the field and deposited in the soil seed bank, while others become incorporated into seed material. The objective of this study was to describe selected aspects of tiny vetch seed ecology: to determine the rate of individual reproduction of vetch plants growing in winter and spring grain crops and to evaluate the germination of seeds at different stages of maturity, subject to storage conditions. The seeds and pods of V. hirsuta were sorted according to their development stages at harvest and divided into two groups. The first group was stored under laboratory conditions for two months. In the autumn of the same year, the seeds were subjected to germination tests. The remaining seeds were stored in a storeroom, and were planted in soil in the spring. The germination rate was evaluated after 8 months of storage. Potential productivity (developed pods and flowers, fruit buds was higher in plants fruiting in winter wheat than in spring barley. Vetch plants produced around 17-26% more pods (including cracked, mature, greenish-brown and green pods and around 25% less buds in winter wheat than in spring barley. Immature seeds were characterized by the highest germination capacity. Following storage under laboratory conditions and stratification in soil, mature seeds germinated at a rate of several percent. After storage in a storeroom, seeds at all three development stages broke dormancy at a rate of 72- 75%. The high germination power of tiny vetch seeds stored in a storeroom indicates that this plant can be classified as an obligatory speirochoric weed species.

Seed colour affects light and temperature requirements during germination in two Lotus species (Fabaceae) of the Arabian subtropical deserts.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhatt, Arvind; Gairola, Sanjay; El-Keblawy, Ali A

2016-06-01

Heterogeneity in seeds mostly occurs due to physiological, environmental and genetic factors, and these could affect seed dormancy and germination. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess the effect of seed colour on germination behavior. For this, both light and temperature requirements were assessed in Lotus glinoides and Lotus halophilus (Fabaceae) from the hyper-arid deserts of the United Arab Emirates. Germination was assessed in terms of both final germination level (percentage) and germination rate, as expressed by Timson’s germination velocity index. Lotus glinoides produces black and yellow-colored seeds, and L. halophilus produces green and yellow seeds. Different seed lots were germinated in both light and darkness at different temperatures. Yellow seeds of the two species attained significantly lower germination, compared to black and green seeds. There was no specific light or temperature requirements for the germination of the two coloured seeds of L. glinoides; the effect of interactions between seed colour and both light and incubation temperature, were not significant on the final germination percentage. In L. halophilus, green seeds germinated significantly more in both light and darkness at lower temperatures (15/25 °C) and in light at higher temperatures (25/35 °C), compared to yellow seeds. Yellow seeds germinated faster, compared to black at 15/25 °C in L. glinoides and compared to green seeds at 15/25 °C and 25/35 °C in L. halophilus. Seed colour variation, at least in L. halophilus, could be a survival strategy that would determine the time of germination throughout the year in the unpredictable desert environment.

Combined Effects of Radiation and Nitrogen Limitations on Competition of Two C4 Plants Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L. and Pigweed (Amaranthus albus L.

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sara parande

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Light is a vital component for photosynthesis and plays a significant role in the competitive ability of plants. The nitrogen response of competing plants may be affected by radiation availability and maximum potential growth rate, which determine N requirements. Shading reduces the light intensity, which leads to changes in the morphology, physiology, biomass, grain yield and quality of crops. Finally, shading stress delays flowering and decreases biomass and grain yield. Because photosynthesis is associated with dry matter accumulation, and light is known to limit carbon accumulation and nitrogen content, understanding these processes in weeds may provide insight as to their effects on crop production, help to predict their occurrence, and ultimately provide the needed information for their management. Materials and Methods: In order to evaluate foxtail millet competition with pigweed at different levels of radiation and nitrogen, two separate experiments in split plot arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications were conducted in 2015 at the Research Farm of Birjand University. Texturally, the soil was loam, with 8.16 pH, 0.03% total N, 12 ppm available P and 250 ppm available K. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications having three shade levels (0, 41 and 75% shade in main plot and three pigweed density (0, 12 and 24 plant per meter square in subplots in two separate experiments, one under nitrogen application and the other without it. In 0% shade treatment, sunlight was allowed to fall over the millet and pigweed without any barrier. In 41% and 75% treatments, the light levels in the form of PAR were reduced using sheds nets. At the end of growth stage millet traits including plant height, spike length, peduncle length, stem diameter, number of leaf, lodging, grain yield and biomass and pigweed traits such as plant height, number of Lateral branches, number of seed per

Alterations in polyunsaturated fatty acid composition of Voandzeia subterranea seeds upon gamma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrianarison, R.H.; Rakotoarisoa, Z.; Tixier, M.; Beneytout, J.L.

1992-01-01

Exposure of V. subterranea seeds, a herbaceous plant from Madagascar belonging to the family of legumes, to gamma irradiation resulted in a polyunsaturated fatty acids decrease associated with the formation of UV-absorbing substances. The finding that products containing conjugated diene structure are formed during lipid extract irradiation indicates that hydroperoxy fatty acids may arise not only by enzymatic reactions but also by nonenzymatic oxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids promoted by ionizing radiation. Dehulled green seeds, flour made from dehulled green seeds, and lipid extract were studied for irradiation dose dependent changes in fatty acids compositions and hydroperoxydiene synthesis. The irradiation dose is more efficient in lipid extract than in dehulled green seeds or in flour made from these seeds, suggesting that the formation of UV-absorbing products is not a reliable clue for enzyme activity owing to the absence of protein in lipid extract. A homolytic pathway for the biogenesis of hydroperoxy fatty acids from polyunsaturated fatty acids is proposed. This involves an initiating radical which promotes a chain mechanism in which the O2 adsorbed is converted to hydroperoxide. Conclusively, preservation of fatty acid oxygenation should be a primary goal in the ionizing radiation processes of V. subterranea seeds and generally in the preservation of food of plant origin by ionizing radiation

Nutrient value of leaf versus seed

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Marvin Edelman

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Major differences stand out between edible leaves and seeds in protein quality, vitamin and mineral concentrations and omega 6 / omega 3 fatty acid ratios. Data for seeds (wheat, rice, corn, soy, lentil, chick pea are compared with corresponding data for edible green leaves (kale, spinach, broccoli, duckweed. An x/y representation of data for lysine and methionine content highlights the group differences between grains, pulses, leafy vegetables and animal foods. Leaves come out with flying colors in all these comparisons. The perspective ends with a discussion on So why do we eat mainly seeds?

Solvent optimization extraction of antioxidants from foxtail millet species' insoluble fibers and their free radical scavenging properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Bangoura, Mohamed Lamine; Nsor-Atindana, John; Ming, Zhou Hui

2013-11-15

In this study, water and 80% of four organic solvents were employed to optimize the extraction of antioxidants from two species of foxtail millet's insoluble fibers under the same temperature, time, and solid/solvent ratio. The results showed that the acetone was able to extract the maximum amount of antioxidants (2.32 mg/g fiber for white specie and 3.86 mg/g fiber for yellow specie) followed by methanol and propanol from both samples. The neutral and the ethanol on the other hand extracted small amount of the antioxidants from the two fiber materials. While considerable level of Total Polyphenols Content (TPC) was recorded in both the water and the organic solvents' extracts, only traces of Total Flavonoid content (TFC) were observed in water, methanol and ethanol extracts. Propanol and acetone extracts was negative to the TFC test. The potency of both white and yellow foxtail millets' insoluble fibers antioxidant extracts was investigated using five different in vitro tests. It was realized that there was a variation in their capacities to quench DPPH and ABTS(+) radicals for the time running of 0-60 min. The samples from the yellow cereal exhibited high inhibition capacity against ABTS(+). No correlation was observed between TPC and radical scavenging capacities for DPPH and ABTS(+). In general, the yellow species contained more antioxidants in comparison with the white one and this accounted for its high antioxidant activity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation on the Fate of Some Pesticides and Their Effects on the Microbial Environment in Cultivation of Green gram (Vigna radiata), Mustard green (Brassica rapa) and Kale (Brassica oleracea)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theingi Nwe; Khin Maung Saing

2010-12-01

The main aim of the present work was to find out the persistence of some pesticide residues in some vegetable crops and to investigate the effect of pesticide on soil count. Edible parts of green gram, Mustard green and Kale were extracted and analyzed for the presence and degradation of applied pesticide residuse in relation to time. The pesticide residue concentration in plant samples were analyzed by UV spectrometry. According to UV result data, Acephate pesticide in stored green gram seeds was rapidly declined from 2.91mg/kg (two weeks after application) to 0.96mg/kg (three weeks after application). But, four weeks after application, Acephate residues were not detected in the seeds of green gram. In the seeds of green gram, Dimethoate pesticide residues were detected from 1.26mg/kg (one week after application) to 0.89mg/kg (four weeks after treatment). In Mustard green and Kale, Malathion pesticide residues were detected at day seven after application. But Chlorpyrifos pesticide residues were detected in both mustard green and kale at day three after application. Beyond day three, chlorpyrifos pesticide residues were not detected. The respective chemical residues have been partially identified by IR Spectrometry. These can be confirmed with IR absorption peaks that the residues are the utilized chemicals. According to IR data, it can be predicted whether pesticide residues remained or not in the samples.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Pimpinella anisum seeds: antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity on human neonatal skin stromal cells and colon cancer cells

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AlSalhi MS

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Mohamad S AlSalhi,1,2 Sandhanasamy Devanesan,1,2 Akram A Alfuraydi,3 Radhakrishnan Vishnubalaji,4 Murugan A Munusamy,3 Kadarkarai Murugan,5 Marcello Nicoletti,6 Giovanni Benelli7 1Research Chair in Laser Diagnosis of Cancers, 2Department of Physics and Astronomy, 3Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, 4Stem Cell Unit, Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 5Division of Entomology, Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India; 6Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 7Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy Background: The present study focused on a simple and eco-friendly method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs with multipurpose anticancer and antimicrobial activities. Materials and methods: We studied a green synthesis route to produce AgNPs by using an aqueous extract of Pimpinella anisum seeds (3 mM. Their antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity on human neonatal skin stromal cells (hSSCs and colon cancer cells (HT115 were assessed. Results: A biophysical characterization of the synthesized AgNPs was realized: the morphology of AgNPs was determined by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and ultraviolet-vis absorption spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy showed spherical shapes of AgNPs of P. anisum seed extracts with a 3.2 nm minimum diameter and average diameter ranging from 3.2 to 16 nm. X-ray powder diffraction highlighted the crystalline nature of the nanoparticles, ultraviolet-vis absorption spectroscopy was used to monitor their synthesis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed the main reducing groups from the seed extract. Energy dispersive spectroscopy was used to confirm the presence of elemental silver. We evaluated the antimicrobial potential

Optimization of Phenotyping Assays for the Model Monocot Setaria viridis.

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, Biswa R; Roy Choudhury, Swarup; Estelle, Aiden B; Vijayakumar, Anitha; Zhu, Chuanmei; Hovis, Laryssa; Pandey, Sona

2017-01-01

Setaria viridis (green foxtail) is an important model plant for the study of C4 photosynthesis in panicoid grasses, and is fast emerging as a system of choice for the study of plant development, domestication, abiotic stress responses and evolution. Basic research findings in Setaria are expected to advance research not only in this species and its close relative S. italica (foxtail millet), but also in other panicoid grasses, many of which are important food or bioenergy crops. Here we report on the standardization of multiple growth and development assays for S. viridis under controlled conditions, and in response to several phytohormones and abiotic stresses. We optimized these assays at three different stages of the plant's life: seed germination and post-germination growth using agar plate-based assays, early seedling growth and development using germination pouch-based assays, and adult plant growth and development under environmentally controlled growth chambers and greenhouses. These assays will be useful for the community to perform large scale phenotyping analyses, mutant screens, comparative physiological analysis, and functional characterization of novel genes of Setaria or other related agricultural crops. Precise description of various growth conditions, effective treatment conditions and description of the resultant phenotypes will help expand the use of S. viridis as an effective model system.

Optimization of Phenotyping Assays for the Model Monocot Setaria viridis

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Biswa R. Acharya

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Setaria viridis (green foxtail is an important model plant for the study of C4 photosynthesis in panicoid grasses, and is fast emerging as a system of choice for the study of plant development, domestication, abiotic stress responses and evolution. Basic research findings in Setaria are expected to advance research not only in this species and its close relative S. italica (foxtail millet, but also in other panicoid grasses, many of which are important food or bioenergy crops. Here we report on the standardization of multiple growth and development assays for S. viridis under controlled conditions, and in response to several phytohormones and abiotic stresses. We optimized these assays at three different stages of the plant’s life: seed germination and post-germination growth using agar plate-based assays, early seedling growth and development using germination pouch-based assays, and adult plant growth and development under environmentally controlled growth chambers and greenhouses. These assays will be useful for the community to perform large scale phenotyping analyses, mutant screens, comparative physiological analysis, and functional characterization of novel genes of Setaria or other related agricultural crops. Precise description of various growth conditions, effective treatment conditions and description of the resultant phenotypes will help expand the use of S. viridis as an effective model system.

Seed yield response to N fertilization and potential of proximal sensing in Italian ryegrass seed crops

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vleugels, Tim; Rijckaert, Georges; Gislum, René

2017-01-01

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) seed crops are often routinely fertilized with a predetermined amount of nitrogen (N) fertilizer in spring. However, nitrate leaching and increasing N fertilizer prices require rationalized fertilizer applications without compromises in seed yield....... The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the seed yield response to N fertilization, and (2) to evaluate if NDVI values can reliably predict the N status in Italian ryegrass seed crops. During eight years, field trials were conducted with two cultivars ‘Melclips’ and ‘Melquatro’, and seven N strategies...... applied after the forage cut as single or split application: 0, 60, 60 + 30, 90, 90 + 30, 120 and 150 kg N ha−1. NDVI values were obtained with a ‘GreenSeeker’ optical sensor. Maximum seed yield was attained at 141 kg N ha−1 total available N (92 kg N ha−1 fertilized). Higher fertilizations only increased...

Coffee seeds isotopic composition as a potential proxy to evaluate Minas Gerais, Brazil seasonal variations during seed maturation

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Carla; Maia, Rodrigo; Brunner, Marion; Carvalho, Eduardo; Prohaska, Thomas; Máguas, Cristina

2010-05-01

Plant seeds incorporate the prevailing climate conditions and the physiological response to those conditions (Rodrigues et al., 2009; Rodrigues et al., submitted). During coffee seed maturation the biochemical compounds may either result from accumulated material in other organs such as leafs and/or from new synthesis. Accordingly, plant seeds develop in different stages along a particular part of the year, integrating the plant physiology and seasonal climatic conditions. Coffee bean is an extremely complex matrix, rich in many products derived from both primary and secondary metabolism during bean maturation. Other studies (De Castro and Marraccini, 2006) have revealed the importance of different coffee plant organs during coffee bean development as transfer tissues able to provide compounds (i.e. sugars, organic acids, etc) to the endosperm where several enzymatic activities and expressed genes have been reported. Moreover, it has been proved earlier on that green coffee bean is a particularly suitable case-study (Rodrigues et al., 2009; Rodrigues et al., submitted), not only due to the large southern hemispheric distribution but also because of this product high economic interest. The aim of our work was to evaluate the potential use of green coffee seeds as a proxy to seasonal climatic conditions during coffee bean maturation, through an array of isotopic composition determinations. We have determined carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur isotopic composition (by IRMS - Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry) as well as strontium isotope abundance (by MC-ICP-MS; Multicollector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry), of green coffee beans harvested at different times at Minas Gerais, Brazil. The isotopic composition data were combined with air temperature and relative humidity data registered during the coffee bean developmental period, and with the parent rock strontium isotopic composition. Results indicate that coffee seeds indeed integrate the interactions

A nucleotide substitution at the 5′ splice site of intron 1 of rice HEADING DATE 1 (HD1 gene homolog in foxtail millet, broadly found in landraces from Europe and Asia

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Kenji Fukunaga

2015-12-01

Full Text Available We investigated genetic variation of a rice HEADING DATE 1(HD1 homolog in foxtail millet. First, we searched for a rice HD1 homolog in a foxtail millet genome sequence and designed primers to amplify the entire coding sequence of the gene. We compared full HD1 gene sequences of 11 accessions (including Yugu 1, a Chinese cultivar used for genome sequencing from various regions in Europe and Asia, found a nucleotide substitution at a putative splice site of intron 1, and designated the accessions with the nucleotide substitution as carrying a splicing variant. We verified by RT-PCR that this single nucleotide substitution causes aberrant splicing of intron 1. We investigated the geographical distribution of the splicing variant in 480 accessions of foxtail millet from various regions of Europe and Asia and part of Africa by dCAPS and found that the splicing variant is broadly distributed in Europe and Asia. Differences of heading times between accessions with wild type allele of the HD1 gene and those with the splicing variant allele were unclear. We also investigated variation in 13 accessions of ssp. viridis, the wild ancestor, and the results suggested that the wild type is predominant in the wild ancestor.

Effect of Estrogen and Progeterone on seed germination

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Nirmala

Full Text Available Early pregnancy detection in dairy cattle is an integral part of a successful animal husbandry practice. A simple seed germination technique (Punyakoti test comprises observation of differential seed germination response of wheat seeds to diluted fresh urine samples as reflected by significant inhibition of germination percentage in pregnant cow urine when compared to non pregnant cow urine. Hormone metabolites excreted through urine might affect the seed germination in pregnant cow urine. In the present study an attempt was made to test the effect of hormones (in their natural forms at different concentrations of estrogen (17-ß estradiol and progesterone on wheat and green gram germination. Stock solutions of estrogen and progesterone were prepared in alcohol (1mg/ml and serial dilutions made using distilled water to get the concentrations of T1=10, T2=1, T3=0.1 and T4=0.01 μg/ml respectively in treatment groups. About 15 seeds each of wheat and green gram were taken in sterile Petri dishes into which 15ml of each test preparation was poured. The treatments were compared with distilled water and alcohol controls. The study was conducted for a period of five days during which seed germination was observed after 48 hrs and shoot lengths were also measured by the end of study. The average seed germination and shoot length in treatment groups did not vary significantly (P>0.05 when compared with that of control groups. Thus from the present study, it can be concluded that estrogen and progesterone in their natural form will not affect seed germination and shoot length. [Veterinary World 2008; 1(8.000: 241-242

Distribution of 15N fertilizer in field-lysimeters sown with garlic (Allium sativum) and foxtail millet (Setaria italica)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazzari, M.A.

1982-01-01

We examined the distribution of residual 15 N and its uptake by a foxtail millet crop grown in field lysimeters following a previous garlic crop fertilized with either 15 N-urea or 15 N-ammonium sulphate. Garlic apparently removed more N from the lysimeters treated with urea-N than from those treated with (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 . Fertilizer-N in the lysimeters was similar (ca. 32% of original) following millet harvest. About 16 per cent of both fertilizers in the lysimeters was removed by the millet. (orig.)

Effect of elevated [CO2] on growth and attack of Asian corn borers (Ostrinia furnacalis) in foxtail millet (Setaria italica)%大气CO2浓度升高对谷子生长发育及玉米螟发生的影响

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

刘紫娟; 李萍; 宗毓铮; 董琦; 郝兴宇

2017-01-01

not significant. Elevated [CO2] increased foxtail millet plant height, stem diameter and spikelet number by 3.41%, 13.28% and 13.11%, respectively. Elevated [CO2] did not significantly affect leaf mass, stem mass, thousand-seed weight or the number of grain per plant at harvest, but the mass of panicle and aboveground per m2 significantly decreased by 12.8% and 7.44%, respectively. Furthermore, Asian corn borer damage aggravated at filling-stage and harvest under elevated [CO2]. However, yield did not significantly change under elevated [CO2]. In conclusion, elevated atmospheric [CO2] promoted the growth and development of foxtail millet, but increased the risk of insect damage.%人类活动导致全球大气 CO2浓度持续升高，研究大气 CO2浓度升高对 C4作物谷子(Setaria italica)生长发育及虫害发生的影响，可以为谷子等C4作物制订应对气候变化栽培措施提供理论依据。本研究利用OTC (Open Top Chamber)系统，设两个CO2浓度梯度(正常大气CO2浓度、正常CO2浓度+200μmol·mol-1)模拟CO2浓度升高对谷子生长发育的影响。结果表明：大气 CO2浓度升高后，谷子净光合速率(Pn)、气孔导度(gs)、叶片蒸腾速率(Tr)和水分利用率(WUE)分别增加38.73%、27.53%、6.93%和40.56%；谷子叶片光系统Ⅱ最大光化学量子产量(Fv/Fm)和非光化学淬灭系数(NPQ)显著下降，光系统Ⅱ实际光化学量子产量(ΦPSII)和表观电子传递效率(ETR)显著增加，而对光化学淬灭系数(qP)无显著影响；此外，谷子株高、茎粗和小穗数分别增加3.41%、13.28%和13.11%；而叶重、茎重、千粒重、单株粒数和产量无显著变化，穗重和地上部分生物量分别显著下降12.8%和7.44%；大气CO2浓度升高后，谷子灌浆期和收获期玉米螟(Ostrinia furnacalis)发生数量显著增加。大气CO2浓度升高将有利于谷子的生长发育，但会增加玉米螟危害。

Paper (essay on seed

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Mirić Mladen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Based on detailed studies of the past of the agrarian thought of the world (evolution of agro-innovation, and within it, the relationship of man and seed, the author has selected key data for Table 1. In addition, more or less known folk sayings, proverbs, curses and allegories in which the seed is the key word have been collected. Then, religious books, folk art and literature works (sayings of prominent individuals and experts and observations of the author himself have been studied. According to the collected opus, it can be concluded that the vast importance of seed meaningfully entwined into all spheres of folk life and cultural heritage. Seed is directly tied to the following eight key (revolutionary milestones in the food and economic life of mankind: 1. the first and for the longest time, the seed used to be the main food of the people and the first food reserve; 2. Neolithic Revolution was simply caused by the sowing of seeds; 3. for the sake of sowing man began to develop more complex processing techniques; 4. everywhere and forever, especially since the late 15th century, the seed has been a carrier of (rescuing plants between Europe and the New World, that is, between continents; 5. seed was the first product that has been chemically treated since the mid-18th century; 6. standard operation procedures and quality are promoted on seed by which it became the first product to have prescribed (compulsory methods, but it also became a good whose quality has to be tested before sale; 7. hybrid seed is a 'perpetrator' of the green revolution in the mid-20th century and at last there is disputable seed of genetically modified organisms that are spreading with certain reactions. The author proposes that the United Nations Standard International Trade Classification includes a special section (division which would classify the seed for sowing, while beyond this Classification terms such as seed, plant seed should be replaced with non-seed

Technique and effects of pre-sowing laser biostimulation of cucumber seeds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gładyszewska, B.; Koper, R.; Kornarzyński, K.

1998-01-01

Laser treatment of seeds before sowing at selected irradiation doses was described. Particular attention was paid to determining energy doses for biostimulation. Results obtained at experimental irradiation of short green-house cucumber seeds, Pasandra and Picobello cultivars, were presented. Considerable increase in yields was observed as a result of applied method

Modification of foxtail millet starch by combining physical, chemical and enzymatic methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Dey, Ashim; Sit, Nandan

2017-02-01

Modification of foxtail millet starch was carried out by heat moisture treatment (HT), acid hydrolysis (AH), enzymatic treatment (EH), Ultrasound treatment (UT) and their combinations. A total of 15 modified starches were prepared by combining the various methods and properties were compared with native starch. The solubilities of the starches modified by HT were found to decrease whereas for other single modifications it increased. It also increased with number of modifications applied. The swelling power decreased for all the modified starches and a decrease in swelling power was observed with increase in number of modifications. Freeze-thaw stability improved for starches modified by single physical modifications i.e. HT and UT. Decrease in viscosities was observed for the modified starches and was particularly affected by AH. The pasting temperature was found to increase for those modified starches where HT was carried out. The modified starches gave softer gels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PHO1 Exports Phosphate from the Chalazal Seed Coat to the Embryo in Developing Arabidopsis Seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogiatzaki, Evangelia; Baroux, Célia; Jung, Ji-Yul; Poirier, Yves

2017-10-09

Seed production requires the transfer of nutrients from the maternal seed coat to the filial endosperm and embryo. Because seed coat and filial tissues are symplasmically isolated, nutrients arriving in the seed coat via the phloem must be exported to the apoplast before reaching the embryo. Proteins implicated in the transfer of inorganic phosphate (Pi) from the seed coat to the embryo are unknown despite seed P content being an important agronomic trait. Here we show that the Arabidopsis Pi exporters PHO1 and PHOH1 are expressed in the chalazal seed coat (CZSC) of developing seeds. PHO1 is additionally expressed in developing ovules. Phosphorus (P) content and Pi flux between the seed coat and embryo were analyzed in seeds from grafts between WT roots and scions from either pho1, phoh1, or the pho1 phoh1 double mutant. Whereas P content and distribution between the seed coat and embryo in fully mature dry seeds of these mutants are similar to the WT, at the mature green stage of seed development the seed coat of the pho1 and pho1 phoh1 mutants, but not of the phoh1 mutant, retains approximately 2-fold more P than its WT control. Expression of PHO1 under a CZSC-specific promoter complemented the seed P distribution phenotype of the pho1 phoh1 double mutant. CZSC-specific down-expression of PHO1 also recapitulated the seed P distribution phenotype of pho1. Together, these experiments show that PHO1 expression in the CZSC is important for the transfer of P from the seed coat to the embryo in developing seeds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uptake pathways of fluorescent indicators by pea seed and seedlings and their potential as anti-counterfeiting labeling for plant seeds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, C.; Guan, Y. J.; Fu, H.; Hu, J.; Tian, Y. X.

2015-01-01

The present study investigates the effects of seed soaking in varying concentration of rhodamine B (RB) or safranine T (ST) solutions on germination and seedling growth of pea seeds. The fluorescence in pea seedling at different developmental stages was observed. The results indicate that there were no adverse effects of seed soaking in RB (0.1mg/ml) and ST (0.5, 0.3, 0.1mg/ml) solutions on germination, seedling growth, antioxidant enzyme activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) and chlorophyll contents. The seeds treated with RB showed bright red and orange fluorescence under green (546 nm) and blue (495 nm) light excitation, respectively while no red or orange color was observed in the control seeds. In addition, the vascular bundles of stem, seedling roots and aerial parts of seedlings treated with RB all emitted brilliant fluorescence for a longer time as compared with that treated with ST. It can be concluded that pea seed labeled with RB by seed soaking at appropriate concentration could be used as a potential anti-counterfeiting technique in pea seeds. (author)

Genome-wide analysis of heat shock proteins in C4 model, foxtail millet identifies potential candidates for crop improvement under abiotic stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Roshan Kumar; Jaishankar, Jananee; Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Shweta, Shweta; Dangi, Anand; Prasad, Manoj

2016-09-02

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) perform significant roles in conferring abiotic stress tolerance to crop plants. In view of this, HSPs and their encoding genes were extensively characterized in several plant species; however, understanding their structure, organization, evolution and expression profiling in a naturally stress tolerant crop is necessary to delineate their precise roles in stress-responsive molecular machinery. In this context, the present study has been performed in C4 panicoid model, foxtail millet, which resulted in identification of 20, 9, 27, 20 and 37 genes belonging to SiHSP100, SiHSP90, SiHSP70, SiHSP60 and SisHSP families, respectively. Comprehensive in silico characterization of these genes followed by their expression profiling in response to dehydration, heat, salinity and cold stresses in foxtail millet cultivars contrastingly differing in stress tolerance revealed significant upregulation of several genes in tolerant cultivar. SisHSP-27 showed substantial higher expression in response to heat stress in tolerant cultivar, and its over-expression in yeast system conferred tolerance to several abiotic stresses. Methylation analysis of SiHSP genes suggested that, in susceptible cultivar, higher levels of methylation might be the reason for reduced expression of these genes during stress. Altogether, the study provides novel clues on the role of HSPs in conferring stress tolerance.

Distribution of /sup 15/N fertilizer in field-lysimeters sown with garlic (Allium sativum) and foxtail millet (Setaria italica)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lazzari, M.A. (Universidad Nacional del Sur, Bahia Blanca (Argentina). Dept. de Ciencas Agrarias)

1982-01-01

We examined the distribution of residual /sup 15/N and its uptake by a foxtail millet crop grown in field lysimeters following a previous garlic crop fertilized with either /sup 15/N-urea or /sup 15/N-ammonium sulphate. Garlic apparently removed more N from the lysimeters treated with urea-N than from those treated with (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/SO/sub 4/. Fertilizer-N in the lysimeters was similar (ca. 32% of original) following millet harvest. About 16 per cent of both fertilizers in the lysimeters was removed by the millet.

Protective effect of pumpkin seed oil against genotoxicity induced by azathioprine

OpenAIRE

Elfiky, S.A.; Elelaimy, I.A.; Hassan, A.M.; Ibrahim, H.M.; Elsayad, R.I.

2012-01-01

Pumpkin is a leafy green vegetable; it belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. Pumpkin seed oil supplementation can prevent changes in plasma lipids and blood pressure. The present study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of pumpkin seed oil against cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of azathioprine. Oral administration of pumpkin seed oil either before or after treatment of azathioprine was effective in the reduction of the frequencies of Mn-PCEs, decreased the DNA fragmentation, total ...

Alternative oil extraction methods from Echium plantagineum L. seeds using advanced techniques and green solvents.

Science.gov (United States)

Castejón, Natalia; Luna, Pilar; Señoráns, Francisco J

2018-04-01

The edible oil processing industry involves large losses of organic solvent into the atmosphere and long extraction times. In this work, fast and environmentally friendly alternatives for the production of echium oil using green solvents are proposed. Advanced extraction techniques such as Pressurized Liquid Extraction (PLE), Microwave Assisted Extraction (MAE) and Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE) were evaluated to efficiently extract omega-3 rich oil from Echium plantagineum seeds. Extractions were performed with ethyl acetate, ethanol, water and ethanol:water to develop a hexane-free processing method. Optimal PLE conditions with ethanol at 150 °C during 10 min produced a very similar oil yield (31.2%) to Soxhlet using hexane for 8 h (31.3%). UAE optimized method with ethanol at mild conditions (55 °C) produced a high oil yield (29.1%). Consequently, advanced extraction techniques showed good lipid yields and furthermore, the produced echium oil had the same omega-3 fatty acid composition than traditionally extracted oil. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Total, Soluble and Insoluble Oxalate Contents of Ripe Green and Golden Kiwifruit.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyễn, Hà Vũ Hồng; Savage, Geoffrey P

2013-03-05

Three bulk samples of two different cultivars of kiwifruit, green ( Actinidia deliciosa L . ) and golden ( Actinidia chinensis L . ) were bought ripe, ready to eat from a local market. The aim of the study was to determine the oxalate composition of each of the three fractions of kiwifruit, namely skin, pulp and seeds. The pulp consisted of 90.4% of the edible portion of the two cultivars while the skin and seeds made up a mean of 8.0% and 1.6% respectively. Total oxalate was extracted with 2.0 M HCL at 21 °C for 15 min and soluble oxalates extracted at 21 °C in water for 15 min from each fraction. The total and soluble oxalate compositions of each fraction were determined using ion exchange HPLC chromatography. The pulp of golden kiwifruit contained lower amounts of total oxalates (15.7 vs. 19.3 mg/100 g FW) and higher amounts of soluble oxalates (8.5 vs. 7.6 mg/100 g FW) when compared to the green cultivar. The skin of the green cultivar contained lower levels of insoluble oxalates (36.9 vs. 43.6 mg/100 g FW), while the seeds of the green cultivar contained higher levels of insoluble oxalates 106.7 vs. 84.7 mg/100 g FW.

Efficacy of Some Essential Oils Against Aspergillus flavus with Special Reference to Lippia alba Oil an Inhibitor of Fungal Proliferation and Aflatoxin B1 Production in Green Gram Seeds during Storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, Abhay K; Sonker, Nivedita; Singh, Pooja

2016-04-01

During mycofloral analysis of green gram (Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek) seed samples taken from different grocery stores by agar and standard blotter paper methods, 5 fungal species were identified, of which Aspergillus flavus exhibited higher relative frequency (75.20% to 80.60%) and was found to produce aflatoxin B1 . On screening of 11 plant essential oils against this mycotoxigenic fungi, Lippia alba essential oil was found to be most effective and showed absolute inhibition of mycelia growth at 0.28 μL/mL. The oil of L. alba was fungistatic and fungicidal at 0.14 and 0.28 μL/mL, respectively. Oil had broad range of fungitoxicity at its MIC value and was absolutely inhibited the AFB1 production level at 2.0 μL/mL. Chemical analysis of this oil revealed geranial (36.9%) and neral (29.3%) as major components followed by myrcene (18.6%). Application of a dose of 80 μL/0.25 L air of Lippia oil in the storage system significantly inhibited the fungal proliferation and aflatoxin production without affecting the seed germination rate. By the virtue of fungicidal, antiaflatoxigenic nature and potent efficacy in storage food system, L. alba oil can be commercialized as botanical fungicide for the protection of green gram seeds during storage. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Increased genetic variability for symbiotic nitrogen fixation in green gram (Vigna radiata L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosaiah, G.; Kumari, D.S.; Satyanarayana, A.; Seenaiah, P.

1989-01-01

Full text: When green gram is planted after rice in Andhra Pradesh, its nitrogen fixation relies upon local rhizobia that have been able to survive the stress of 5-6 months submergence. No rhizobia strain isolated elsewhere was found superior to native rhizobia. Thus improvement of the host may be the only practicable way to improve nitrogen fixation. 15 mutants obtained from gamma irradiated green gram variety 'LGG 127' were tested along with the parent and the cultivar 'Pant Mung 2'. Nodule no. per plant was higher in the mutants. There was also considerable variation in dry weight of nodules per plant and in seed yield. However the number of nodules per plant showed no correlation with seed yield, nodule size may be more relevant. The N content of the shoots at anthesis was positively correlated with dry weight of nodules, seed protein % and seed yield per plant. (author)

7 CFR 361.5 - Sampling of seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 100 Millet, browntop 80 25 100 Millet, foxtail 50 25 100 Millet, Japanese 90 25 100 Millet, pearl 150 25 100 Millet, proso 150 25 100 Molassesgrass 5 25 100 Mustard, black 20 25 100 Mustard, India 50 25... shall be inserted in an open position with the fingers held closely together while the hand is being...

Effects of gamma radiation in tomato seeds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiendl, Toni A.; Wiendl, Fritz W.; Franco, Suely S.H.; Franco, Jose G.; Althur, Valter; Arthur, Paula B.

2013-01-01

Tomato dry seeds of the hybrid 'Gladiador' F1 were exposed to low doses of gamma radiation from Co-60 source at 0,509 kGy tax rate in order to study stimulation effects of radiation on germination and plant growth. Eight treatments radiation doses were applied as follows: 0 (control); 2,5; 5,0; 7,5; 10,0; 12,5; 15,0; 20,0 Gy. Seed germination as well as green fruits number, harvested fruit number, fruit weight and total production were assessed to identify occurrence of stimulation. Tomato seeds and plants were handled as for usual tomato production in Brazil. Low doses of gamma radiation treatment in the seeds stimulate germination and substantially increase fruit number and total production up to 86% at 10 Gy dose. There are evidences that the use of low doses of gamma radiation can stimulate germination and plant production thus, showing hormetic effects. (author)

A remorin gene SiREM6, the target gene of SiARDP, from foxtail millet (Setaria italica) promotes high salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Jing; Li, Cong; Liu, Yuwei; Yu, Jingjuan

2014-01-01

Remorin proteins (REMs) form a plant-specific protein family, with some REMs being responsive to abiotic stress. However, the precise functions of REMs in abiotic stress tolerance are not clear. In this study, we identified 11 remorin genes from foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and cloned a remorin gene, SiREM6, for further investigation. The transcript level of SiREM6 was increased by high salt stress, low temperature stress and abscisic acid (ABA) treatment, but not by drought stress. The potential oligomerization of SiREM6 was examined by negative staining electron microscopy. The overexpression of SiREM6 improved high salt stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis at the germination and seedling stages as revealed by germination rate, survival rate, relative electrolyte leakage and proline content. The SiREM6 promoter contains two dehydration responsive elements (DRE) and one ABA responsive element (ABRE). An ABA responsive DRE-binding transcription factor, SiARDP, and an ABRE-binding transcription factor, SiAREB1, were cloned from foxtail millet. SiARDP could physically bind to the DREs, but SiAREB1 could not. These results revealed that SiREM6 is a target gene of SiARDP and plays a critical role in high salt stress tolerance.

A remorin gene SiREM6, the target gene of SiARDP, from foxtail millet (Setaria italica promotes high salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Yue

Full Text Available Remorin proteins (REMs form a plant-specific protein family, with some REMs being responsive to abiotic stress. However, the precise functions of REMs in abiotic stress tolerance are not clear. In this study, we identified 11 remorin genes from foxtail millet (Setaria italica and cloned a remorin gene, SiREM6, for further investigation. The transcript level of SiREM6 was increased by high salt stress, low temperature stress and abscisic acid (ABA treatment, but not by drought stress. The potential oligomerization of SiREM6 was examined by negative staining electron microscopy. The overexpression of SiREM6 improved high salt stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis at the germination and seedling stages as revealed by germination rate, survival rate, relative electrolyte leakage and proline content. The SiREM6 promoter contains two dehydration responsive elements (DRE and one ABA responsive element (ABRE. An ABA responsive DRE-binding transcription factor, SiARDP, and an ABRE-binding transcription factor, SiAREB1, were cloned from foxtail millet. SiARDP could physically bind to the DREs, but SiAREB1 could not. These results revealed that SiREM6 is a target gene of SiARDP and plays a critical role in high salt stress tolerance.

Life cycle inventory for the production of germinated oil palm seeds at a selected seed production unit in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Khairuddin, Nik Sasha Khatrina; Ismail, B. S.; Muhamad, Halimah; May, Choo Yuen

2013-11-01

The increasing global demand for edible oil has encouraged Malaysia to increase the areas under oil palm cultivation. The total demand for germinated oil palm seeds in the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 were 86.4, 76.5, 72.6 and 75.2 million, respectively. Production of germinated oil palm seeds is the first link in the palm oil supply chain. Therefore, good management practices at seed production stage is required to ensure only high quality germinated oil palm seeds are produced before sale to customers. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used as a tool to assess environmental impact of the processes throughout a product's lifespan and this approach is an important tool for assessing green house gas (GHG) emission. For this study, a gate-to-gate life cycle inventory (LCI) of a single germinated oil palm seed production unit was carried out. The functional unit used for this LCI was one germinated oil palm seed. To determine the environmental impact for the production of germinated oil palm seeds, information on the inputs were obtained. The inputs for the production of germinated oil palm seeds involved materials such as polyethylene bags, electricity, water, chemicals and fungicides. For this study, the system boundary involved seed germination process and management of germinated oil palm seeds. It was found that the amount of input such as materials and energy used in the production of germinated oil palm seeds was very minimal.

Non-Destructive Quality Evaluation of Pepper (Capsicum annuum L. Seeds Using LED-Induced Hyperspectral Reflectance Imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Changyeun Mo

2014-04-01

Full Text Available In this study, we developed a viability evaluation method for pepper (Capsicum annuum L. seeds based on hyperspectral reflectance imaging. The reflectance spectra of pepper seeds in the 400–700 nm range are collected from hyperspectral reflectance images obtained using blue, green, and red LED illumination. A partial least squares–discriminant analysis (PLS-DA model is developed to classify viable and non-viable seeds. Four spectral ranges generated with four types of LEDs (blue, green, red, and RGB, which were pretreated using various methods, are investigated to develop the classification models. The optimal PLS-DA model based on the standard normal variate for RGB LED illumination (400–700 nm yields discrimination accuracies of 96.7% and 99.4% for viable seeds and nonviable seeds, respectively. The use of images based on the PLS-DA model with the first-order derivative of a 31.5-nm gap for red LED illumination (600–700 nm yields 100% discrimination accuracy for both viable and nonviable seeds. The results indicate that a hyperspectral imaging technique based on LED light can be potentially applied to high-quality pepper seed sorting.

Total, Soluble and Insoluble Oxalate Contents of Ripe Green and Golden Kiwifruit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hà Vũ Hồng Nguyễn

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Three bulk samples of two different cultivars of kiwifruit, green (Actinidia deliciosa L. and golden (Actinidia chinensis L. were bought ripe, ready to eat from a local market. The aim of the study was to determine the oxalate composition of each of the three fractions of kiwifruit, namely skin, pulp and seeds. The pulp consisted of 90.4% of the edible portion of the two cultivars while the skin and seeds made up a mean of 8.0% and 1.6% respectively. Total oxalate was extracted with 2.0 M HCL at 21 °C for 15 min and soluble oxalates extracted at 21 °C in water for 15 min from each fraction. The total and soluble oxalate compositions of each fraction were determined using ion exchange HPLC chromatography. The pulp of golden kiwifruit contained lower amounts of total oxalates (15.7 vs. 19.3 mg/100 g FW and higher amounts of soluble oxalates (8.5 vs. 7.6 mg/100 g FW when compared to the green cultivar. The skin of the green cultivar contained lower levels of insoluble oxalates (36.9 vs. 43.6 mg/100 g FW, while the seeds of the green cultivar contained higher levels of insoluble oxalates 106.7 vs. 84.7 mg/100 g FW.

Why institutional environments for agroforestry seed system matters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lillesø, Jens-Peter Barnekow; Harwood, C.; Derero, Abayneh

2018-01-01

Rethinking the logic of institutional environments aiming to facilitate agroforestry smallholders in economic development, this paper compares smallholder input supply systems for crop and tree seeds in Sub-Saharan Africa and reflects on two basic challenges: (i) how to develop a large number...... of relevant tree crops for different agroecologies; (ii) how to reach smallholders in rural areas. Policy options for improving agroforestry input supply systems are discussed, whereby our article concludes with suggestions how sectoral approaches for crop seed systems can be modified to agroforestry seed......-seedling systems. Biophysical differences have practical implications for how the logic of the ‘African green revolution’ would be translated into a corresponding revolution for agroforestry....

Comparative profitability of onions harvested as green and dry (mature in Botswana

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S.P. Baliyan

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This study was an attempt to calculate and compare the profitability of onions harvested as green and dry (mature in Botswana. Half of the planted onions were harvested and sold as green and half were harvested and sold as dry onions. The cost of production of green onions was 32.78% higher than the cost of production of dry onions. The irrigation and marketing expenses contributed the highest difference in the cost of production of green and dry onions. The major cost item contributing to the cost of green onions production was marketing cost (32.86% followed by irrigation cost (23.77% and harvesting cost (18.53% whereas the highest cost of production for dry onions was contributed by irrigation (38.58% followed by marketing (19.45% and planting (11.96%. The marketing cost for green onions was almost double (35.6% as compare to the dry onions (18.2%. The total return from green onions was 50.90% higher than the returns from dry onions. Gross margin of onions harvested as green was 63% higher than the gross margin from dry onions, which indicated that the production of green onions is more profitable as compare to production of dry onions. The farmers preferred onion harvested as green because it generates regular and higher returns than onions harvested as mature. Government should support farmers through some policies such as Minimum Support Price (MSP for dry onions, distribution of Mini Ferti–Seed Kit (Seeds of improved varieties and fertilizer package, construction of storages and formation of cooperatives.

Seed quality and optimal spatial arrangement of fodder radish

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Andréa dos Santos Oliveira

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Besides the use of fodder radish (Raphanus sativus var. oleiferus Metzg. as green manure plant cover crops and animal feed, the seeds have high oil content and low viscosity, ideal characteristics for the production of biodiesel. Studies related to the technology of seed production for this species are insufficient to define the best spatial arrangement of plants in the field that provides higher yields associated with high-quality seeds. Thus, we investigated the space and density between plants that would be ideal for the production of high quality fodder radish seeds. We evaluated the agronomic characteristics and physical, physiological and seed health quality in recently harvested fodder radish in row spacings of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 m and densities of 10, 30, 50 and 70 seeds m-2. The quality and productivity of the fodder radish's seeds were affected by the spatial arrangement of plants in the field. Seeds harvested under the spacing of 0.2 m and density of 30 seeds m-2 had better performance and physical, physiological and health quality. Alternaria sp. incidence increased with greater spacing, while Fusarium sp. incidence decreased.

Effect of postirradiation storage of seeds on the structural chromosomal mutations in chlorophyll mutants of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sizova, L.I.

1976-01-01

The paper comprises the results of the investigation of the storage effect in irradiated seeds on the frequency and the spectrum of structural mutations of chromosomes in normal green plants and in spontaneous chlorophyll mutants of sunflower. The seeds of chlorophyll mutants lutescens and xantha and those of green plants stored for 3 years have been 60 Co gamma-irradiated with doses of 0.5; 1.0; 2.0; 3.0; 5.0 and 10 kr. After the irradiation the seeds have been stored for a year under conventional laboratory conditions. As a result of the post-irradiation storage of seeds for a year the decrease in the proportion of aberrant cells by 3 to 6% at the expense of cells with paired fragments has been observed in green plants. In chlorophyll mutants the storage of seeds after the irradiation results in the 9 to 37% increase of the proportion of aberrant cells at the expense of cells with single and paired bridges and with paired fragments. This gives evidence in favour of the assumption that in spontaneous chlorophyll mutants the processes of the post-irradiation recovery either fail altogether, or proceed at a very low level

Colour preferences of UK garden birds at supplementary seed feeders.

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Luke Rothery

Full Text Available Supplementary feeding of garden birds generally has benefits for both bird populations and human wellbeing. Birds have excellent colour vision, and show preferences for food items of particular colours, but research into colour preferences associated with artificial feeders is limited to hummingbirds. Here, we investigated the colour preferences of common UK garden birds foraging at seed-dispensing artificial feeders containing identical food. We presented birds simultaneously with an array of eight differently coloured feeders, and recorded the number of visits made to each colour over 370 30-minute observation periods in the winter of 2014/15. In addition, we surveyed visitors to a garden centre and science festival to determine the colour preferences of likely purchasers of seed feeders. Our results suggest that silver and green feeders were visited by higher numbers of individuals of several common garden bird species, while red and yellow feeders received fewer visits. In contrast, people preferred red, yellow, blue and green feeders. We suggest that green feeders may be simultaneously marketable and attractive to foraging birds.

Effects of gamma radiation in tomato seeds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiendl, Toni A.; Wiendl, Fritz W.; Franco, Suely S.H.; Franco, Jose G.; Althur, Valter, E-mail: tawiendl@hotmail.com, E-mail: gilmita@uol.com.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Arthur, Paula B., E-mail: arthur@cena.usp.br [Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA/USP), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil)

2013-07-01

Tomato dry seeds of the hybrid 'Gladiador' F1 were exposed to low doses of gamma radiation from Co-60 source at 0,509 kGy tax rate in order to study stimulation effects of radiation on germination and plant growth. Eight treatments radiation doses were applied as follows: 0 (control); 2,5; 5,0; 7,5; 10,0; 12,5; 15,0; 20,0 Gy. Seed germination as well as green fruits number, harvested fruit number, fruit weight and total production were assessed to identify occurrence of stimulation. Tomato seeds and plants were handled as for usual tomato production in Brazil. Low doses of gamma radiation treatment in the seeds stimulate germination and substantially increase fruit number and total production up to 86% at 10 Gy dose. There are evidences that the use of low doses of gamma radiation can stimulate germination and plant production thus, showing hormetic effects. (author)

One-step Multiplex RT-PCR Method for Simultaneous Detection of Seed Transmissible Bacteria and Viruses in Pepper and Tomato Seeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyusik Jeong

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to develop specific and sensitive PCR-based procedures for simultaneous detection of economically important plant seed infection pathogenic bacteria and virus, Xanthomonns campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm, Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (Ecc, Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV and Tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV in pepper and tomato seeds. Most of pepper and tomato bacterial and virus diseases are responsible for germination and growth obstruction. PCR with arbitral primers: selection of specific primers, performance of PCR with specific primers and determination of the threshold level for pathogens detection. To detect simultaneously the Xcv, Cmm, Ecc, PMMoV and TMGMV in pepper and tomato seeds, five pairs (Cmm-F/R, Ecc-F/R, Xcv-F/R, PMMoV-F/R, TMGMV-F/R of specific primer were synthesized by primer-blast program. The multiplex PCR for the five pathogens in pepper and tomato seeds could detect specially without interference among primers and/or cDNA of plant seeds and other plant pathogens. The PCR result for pathogen detection using 20 commercial pepper and 10 tomato seed samples, Ecc was detected from 4 pepper and 2 tomato seed samples, PMMoV was detected from 1 pepper seed sample, and PMMoV and TMGMV were simultaneously detected from 1 pepper seed sample.

CHANGES IN HARDSEEDEDNESS AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF TRIFOLIUM RESUPINATUM VAR. TYPICUM FIORI ET PAOL. (FABACEAE SEEDS STORED IN UNCONTROLLED CONDITIONS

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Ali Servet Tekeli

2008-07-01

Full Text Available This research was carried out at Analyses Laboratory of field Crops Department in Agricultural Faculty, Namik Kemal University, Tekirdag, Turkey. The germination experiments, which were set up as completely randomized blocks with three replicates, were performed from seed harvest to end in 15 day intervals. In the experiment, the hardseededness (%, dead seed (%, germination speed (% and vigor (% ratios in Trifolium resupinatum var. typicum Fiori et Paol. which has different seed color such as yellow, red, green and mixed were determined and their variations in a year were examined. It was determined that seed color and time after harvest could affect all characteristics found out. While the highest hardseededness was determining green seeds (68.4%, the highest dead seed ratio was 2.4% in red seeds. The germination speed was 31.0% in yellow seed and their vigor was found high (38.9%. While the highest hard seed ratio was found in 10th (94.3% germination period, the highest dead seed ratio was 3.1% in 18th germination period. The highest germination speed and vigor were counted in 21st – 26th period and the lowest values were obtained from 10th period.

Use of endotrophic mycorhiza and soil microorganisms and vegetation establishment on mineral green roof substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, J. [GeoVerde Inc., Schaffhausen (Switzerland)

2004-07-01

Green roofs have the potential to introduce colour and nature into urban and industrial areas. This paper showed how the addition of soil microorganisms into a green roof substrate can help establish vegetation. Microorganisms help the roots exploit essential nutrient and water reserves in the substrate by making them more readily available to the plant. Microorganisms facilitate uniform germination, plant development at the young stage, and prolonged vegetation development on the roof. Soil microorganisms and mycorrhizal fungi can be added directly in to the seed blends. As the products are blended with the seed, they also fulfill the function of a seeding aid. Mycorrhizal and other soil fungi were examined on mineral roof substrates by means of dry and hydroseeding in greenhouse and field tests. Results of this developmental work and experiences from practical applications were presented. It was noted that vegetation on green roof areas must be able to withstand harsh environmental conditions. As such, the challenges include drought that causes water stress, warm and cold temperatures, wind, acid rain and air pollution. This paper also presented details of the following categories of green roof systems. Intensive green roofs are usually referred to as roof gardens. They are constructed over reinforced concrete decks and usually are accessible. Simple intensive green roofs are vegetated with lawns or ground covering plants. Regular maintenance including irrigation, fertilization and mowing is also required. Extensive green roofs are low maintenance and low weight. Growing media is usually composed of purely mineral material or a blend of mineral with a low proportion of organic matter. Substrate is low in nutrient content and the depth . Vegetation usually consists of succulents that require minimal maintenance. The requirements to install each of these types of green roof systems were also presented. 7 refs., 3 tabs.

Plant-mediated green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Garcinia gummi-gutta seed extract: Photoluminescence, screening of their catalytic activity in antioxidant, formylation and biodiesel production

Science.gov (United States)

Raghavendra, M.; Yatish, K. V.; Lalithamba, H. S.

2017-08-01

The green synthesis of multifunctional ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) was prepared by treatment of zinc nitrate with an extract of Garcinia gummi-gutta seed by the combustion method. The ZnO NPs were characterized by XRD, scanning electron microscopy, UV-visible, FTIR spectroscopic techniques. The prepared ZnO NPs were evaluated for photoluminescence (PL), antioxidant properties and also utilized as a catalyst for the formylation of aromatic amines and biodiesel production. The study reveals that the reaction is simple, mild and environmental friendly. Furthermore, the reaction results in excellent yield of products.

Non-destructive quality evaluation of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds using LED-induced hyperspectral reflectance imaging

Science.gov (United States)

In this study, we develop a viability evaluation method for pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seed based on hyperspectral reflectance imaging. The reflectance spectra of pepper seeds in the 400–700 nm range are collected from hyperspectral reflectance images obtained using blue, green, and red LED illumin...

On-the-fly green generation and dispersion of AgI nanoparticles for cloud seeding nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Xiuli; Zhou, Wenbo; Wang, Xizheng; Wu, Tao; Delisio, Jeffery B.; Zachariah, Michael R., E-mail: mrz@umd.edu [University of Maryland, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (United States)

2016-07-15

This study reports on an on-the-fly green synthesis/dispersion of silver iodide (AgI) nanoparticles from the combustion of AgIO{sub 3}/carbon black (CB)/nitrocellulose (NC) composites, which could be used as a candidate for a cloud-seeding pyrotechnic. Films were formed by direct electrospray deposition of a mixture of synthesized silver iodate with CB and NC. The decomposition pathways of AgIO{sub 3}/CB and AgIO{sub 3}/CB/NC were evaluated by temperature jump time of flight mass spectrometry (T-jump TOFMS) and XRD, showing that AgI particles and CO{sub 2} are released from the reaction between AgIO{sub 3} and CB without other toxic residuals. The flame propagation velocity of AgIO{sub 3}/CB/NC films increases with the increasing of particle mass loading of AgIO{sub 3} and CB and peaks at 40 wt%, which is much higher than that of an AgI/AP/NC film. The mean diameter of the resultant AgI nanoparticles is from 51 to 97 nm. The mass loading of AgIO{sub 3} and CB was found to play a major role in size control of the AgI nanoparticles.

Evaluation of fox tail millet (Setaria italica forage quality in different growth stages

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F. Izadi Yazdanabadi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In order to evaluate the quantitative factors in fox tail millet (Setaria italica L. under three stages of growth, an experiment was conducted in Birjand during spring and summer of 2010. The preliminary objective was evaluation of fox tail physiological characteristics on animals that feed them. Planting of Foxtail millet was performed according to local practices and endemic acknowledge. Sampling was carried out at Vegetative, flowering and seeding stages, then samples transported to laboratory of animal nutrition. After Drying of sampling, dry matter, dry matter digestibility, crude protein, metabolically energy, Acid Detergent Fiber and Nitrogen Detergent Fiber, Ash and some mineral nutrients were measured. The results showed significant differences in measured characteristics in various phonological stages. Forage quality was higher in flowering and seeding stages than in vegetative stage. Dry matter digestibility and metabolically energy were high and NDF and ADF were less in vegetative stage. Because fox tail millet is leafy and palatable by animal at this stage, it’s optimum yield is important. Ability to produce Green fodder by this plant and the possibility of cultivation in different regions and its ability to produce forage for livestocks, its planting is recommended.

Dependence of the legume seeds vigour on their maturity and method of harvest

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Stanisław Grzesiuk

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Several methods were used to study 'the vigour and viability of legume seeds (Pisum sativum L. cv. Hamil, Piston arvense L. cv. Mazurska and Lupinus luteus L. cv. Tomik harvested at three main stages of seed repening (green, wax and full. The seeds were tested immediately after harvest (series A and after two weeks of storage in pods (series B. It was found that: 1 the vigour of ripening legume seeds increases with maturation; 2 post-harvest storage in pods increases the degree of ripeness and. consequently. vigour; 3 seeds attain full vigour later than full viability; 4 seed leachate conductivity method gives erroneous results in assessing the vigour of immature seeds: 5 full vigour of maturing seeds of various degrees of ripeness can be determined by simultaneous application of both biological (eg. seedling growth analysis, VI and biochemical (e.g. total dehydrogenase activity methods.

Phosphorus Response and Amino Acid Composition of Different Green Gram (Vigna radiata L. Genotypes from Myanmar

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M. Kywe

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Mungbean or green gram (Vigna radiata L. is an important component of rice-based cropping systems in Myanmar, where grain yields of around 800 kg ha^(-1 are much below its yield potential of 3000 kg ha^(-1. The reasons for this shortfall are as under-investigated as is the genotype-specific response of this crop to phosphorus (P application, which is critically low in many Myanmar soils, and the genetic variation in grain quality. For green gram quality, the concentration of lysine, an essential amino acid is particularly important given its scarcity in many cereal-based diets of Southeast Asia. The purpose of this study therefore was to investigate the effects of P application on the root and shoot growth, yield and its components for a range of green gram varieties, and to analyse the protein concentration and amino acid composition in green gram seed of different origins. To this end from 2001 to 2003, field experiments were conducted under rain-fed conditions in Yezin and Nyaung Oo. Fifteen landraces and five introduced green gram cultivars were grown at two levels of P (0 and 15 kg ha^(-1. There were large genotypic differences in P effects and a significant interaction between green gram genotypes and P for shoot and root growth. An unexpected benefit of P application was a reduction of pest and plant virus infestation in the field. Significant genotypic differences in the amino acid profile of seeds were also observed. The results indicate the potential for breeding efforts to increase seed yield and protein quality in green gram.

ABI4 regulates primary seed dormancy by regulating the biogenesis of abscisic acid and gibberellins in arabidopsis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kai Shu

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Seed dormancy is an important economic trait for agricultural production. Abscisic acid (ABA and Gibberellins (GA are the primary factors that regulate the transition from dormancy to germination, and they regulate this process antagonistically. The detailed regulatory mechanism involving crosstalk between ABA and GA, which underlies seed dormancy, requires further elucidation. Here, we report that ABI4 positively regulates primary seed dormancy, while negatively regulating cotyledon greening, by mediating the biogenesis of ABA and GA. Seeds of the Arabidopsis abi4 mutant that were subjected to short-term storage (one or two weeks germinated significantly more quickly than Wild-Type (WT, and abi4 cotyledons greened markedly more quickly than WT, while the rates of germination and greening were comparable when the seeds were subjected to longer-term storage (six months. The ABA content of dry abi4 seeds was remarkably lower than that of WT, but the amounts were comparable after stratification. Consistently, the GA level of abi4 seeds was increased compared to WT. Further analysis showed that abi4 was resistant to treatment with paclobutrazol (PAC, a GA biosynthesis inhibitor, during germination, while OE-ABI4 was sensitive to PAC, and exogenous GA rescued the delayed germination phenotype of OE-ABI4. Analysis by qRT-PCR showed that the expression of genes involved in ABA and GA metabolism in dry and germinating seeds corresponded to hormonal measurements. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation qPCR (ChIP-qPCR and transient expression analysis showed that ABI4 repressed CYP707A1 and CYP707A2 expression by directly binding to those promoters, and the ABI4 binding elements are essential for this repression. Accordingly, further genetic analysis showed that abi4 recovered the delayed germination phenotype of cyp707a1 and cyp707a2 and further, rescued the non-germinating phenotype of ga1-t. Taken together, this study suggests that ABI4 is a key

Multiple origins of the phenol reaction negative phenotype in foxtail millet, Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv., were caused by independent loss-of-function mutations of the polyphenol oxidase (Si7PPO) gene during domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Takahiko; Yuo, Takahisa; Ohta, Takeshi; Hitomi, Eriko; Ichitani, Katsuyuki; Kawase, Makoto; Taketa, Shin; Fukunaga, Kenji

2015-08-01

Foxtail millet shows variation in positive phenol color reaction (Phr) and negative Phr in grains, but predominant accessions of this crop are negative reaction type, and the molecular genetic basis of the Phr reaction remains unresolved. In this article, we isolated polyphenol oxidase (PPO) gene responsible for Phr using genome sequence information and investigated molecular genetic basis of negative Phr and crop evolution of foxtail millet. First of all, we searched for PPO gene homologs in a foxtail millet genome database using a rice PPO gene as a query and successfully found three copies of the PPO gene. One of the PPO gene homologs on chromosome 7 showed the highest similarity with PPO genes expressed in hulls (grains) of other cereal species including rice, wheat, and barley and was designated as Si7PPO. Phr phenotypes and Si7PPO genotypes completely co-segregated in a segregating population. We also analyzed the genetic variation conferring negative Phr reaction. Of 480 accessions of the landraces investigated, 87 (18.1 %) showed positive Phr and 393 (81.9 %) showed negative Phr. In the 393 Phr negative accessions, three types of loss-of-function Si7PPO gene were predominant and independently found in various locations. One of them has an SNP in exon 1 resulting in a premature stop codon and was designated as stop codon type, another has an insertion of a transposon (Si7PPO-TE1) in intron 2 and was designated as TE1-insertion type, and the other has a 6-bp duplication in exon 3 resulting in the duplication of 2 amino acids and was designated as 6-bp duplication type. As a rare variant of the stop codon type, one accession additionally has an insertion of a transposon, Si7PPO-TE2, in intron 2 and was designated as "stop codon +TE2 insertion type". The geographical distribution of accessions with positive Phr and those with three major types of negative Phr was also investigated. Accessions with positive Phr were found in subtropical and tropical regions at

Protective effect of pumpkin seed oil against genotoxicity induced by azathioprine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.A. Elfiky

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Pumpkin is a leafy green vegetable; it belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. Pumpkin seed oil supplementation can prevent changes in plasma lipids and blood pressure. The present study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of pumpkin seed oil against cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of azathioprine. Oral administration of pumpkin seed oil either before or after treatment of azathioprine was effective in the reduction of the frequencies of Mn-PCEs, decreased the DNA fragmentation, total sperm abnormalities and significantly increased sperm count, percentage of PCEs, and enhanced the ratio of PCEs to NCEs. However, random amplified polymorphism of DNA (RAPD showed distinct differences in animal groups intoxicated with azathioprine before and after pumpkin seed oil treatment, which reflected a DNA protective effect of pumpkin seed oil. Depletion of glutathione content in the testis was also observed in azathioprine treated mice, which was improved by an oral administration of pumpkin seed oil either before or after treatment with azathioprine.

Tomato seeds maturity detection system based on chlorophyll fluorescence

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Cuiling; Wang, Xiu; Meng, Zhijun

2016-10-01

Chlorophyll fluorescence intensity can be used as seed maturity and quality evaluation indicator. Chlorophyll fluorescence intensity of seed coats is tested to judge the level of chlorophyll content in seeds, and further to judge the maturity and quality of seeds. This research developed a detection system of tomato seeds maturity based on chlorophyll fluorescence spectrum technology, the system included an excitation light source unit, a fluorescent signal acquisition unit and a data processing unit. The excitation light source unit consisted of two high power LEDs, two radiators and two constant current power supplies, and it was designed to excite chlorophyll fluorescence of tomato seeds. The fluorescent signal acquisition unit was made up of a fluorescence spectrometer, an optical fiber, an optical fiber scaffolds and a narrowband filter. The data processing unit mainly included a computer. Tomato fruits of green ripe stage, discoloration stage, firm ripe stage and full ripe stage were harvested, and their seeds were collected directly. In this research, the developed tomato seeds maturity testing system was used to collect fluorescence spectrums of tomato seeds of different maturities. Principal component analysis (PCA) method was utilized to reduce the dimension of spectral data and extract principal components, and PCA was combined with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to establish discriminant model of tomato seeds maturity, the discriminant accuracy was greater than 90%. Research results show that using chlorophyll fluorescence spectrum technology is feasible for seeds maturity detection, and the developed tomato seeds maturity testing system has high detection accuracy.

Genome-wide investigation and expression analyses of WD40 protein family in the model plant foxtail millet (Setaria italica L..

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Awdhesh Kumar Mishra

Full Text Available WD40 proteins play a crucial role in diverse protein-protein interactions by acting as scaffolding molecules and thus assisting in the proper activity of proteins. Hence, systematic characterization and expression profiling of these WD40 genes in foxtail millet would enable us to understand the networks of WD40 proteins and their biological processes and gene functions. In the present study, a genome-wide survey was conducted and 225 potential WD40 genes were identified. Phylogenetic analysis categorized the WD40 proteins into 5 distinct sub-families (I-V. Gene Ontology annotation revealed the biological roles of the WD40 proteins along with its cellular components and molecular functions. In silico comparative mapping with sorghum, maize and rice demonstrated the orthologous relationships and chromosomal rearrangements including duplication, inversion and deletion of WD40 genes. Estimation of synonymous and non-synonymous substitution rates revealed its evolutionary significance in terms of gene-duplication and divergence. Expression profiling against abiotic stresses provided novel insights into specific and/or overlapping expression patterns of SiWD40 genes. Homology modeling enabled three-dimensional structure prediction was performed to understand the molecular functions of WD40 proteins. Although, recent findings had shown the importance of WD40 domains in acting as hubs for cellular networks during many biological processes, it has invited a lesser research attention unlike other common domains. Being a most promiscuous interactors, WD40 domains are versatile in mediating critical cellular functions and hence this genome-wide study especially in the model crop foxtail millet would serve as a blue-print for functional characterization of WD40s in millets and bioenergy grass species. In addition, the present analyses would also assist the research community in choosing the candidate WD40s for comprehensive studies towards crop improvement

Genome-wide investigation and expression analyses of WD40 protein family in the model plant foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Awdhesh Kumar; Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Khan, Yusuf; Parida, Swarup Kumar; Prasad, Manoj

2014-01-01

WD40 proteins play a crucial role in diverse protein-protein interactions by acting as scaffolding molecules and thus assisting in the proper activity of proteins. Hence, systematic characterization and expression profiling of these WD40 genes in foxtail millet would enable us to understand the networks of WD40 proteins and their biological processes and gene functions. In the present study, a genome-wide survey was conducted and 225 potential WD40 genes were identified. Phylogenetic analysis categorized the WD40 proteins into 5 distinct sub-families (I-V). Gene Ontology annotation revealed the biological roles of the WD40 proteins along with its cellular components and molecular functions. In silico comparative mapping with sorghum, maize and rice demonstrated the orthologous relationships and chromosomal rearrangements including duplication, inversion and deletion of WD40 genes. Estimation of synonymous and non-synonymous substitution rates revealed its evolutionary significance in terms of gene-duplication and divergence. Expression profiling against abiotic stresses provided novel insights into specific and/or overlapping expression patterns of SiWD40 genes. Homology modeling enabled three-dimensional structure prediction was performed to understand the molecular functions of WD40 proteins. Although, recent findings had shown the importance of WD40 domains in acting as hubs for cellular networks during many biological processes, it has invited a lesser research attention unlike other common domains. Being a most promiscuous interactors, WD40 domains are versatile in mediating critical cellular functions and hence this genome-wide study especially in the model crop foxtail millet would serve as a blue-print for functional characterization of WD40s in millets and bioenergy grass species. In addition, the present analyses would also assist the research community in choosing the candidate WD40s for comprehensive studies towards crop improvement of millets and

Experimental dosimetry of Ho-166 bioglass seed polymer-protected

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nogueira, Luciana B.; Campos, Tarcisio P.R. [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Nuclear. Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Ciencias e Tecnicas Nucleares

2011-07-01

This study aims to develop experimental dosimetry of Ho-166 bio glass seed for brachytherapy studies using GAFCHROMIC EBT2 radio chromium films. The methodology consists of placement of radio chromium films in a compressed breast phantom, along with bio glass polymer-protected seeds of [Si: Ca: Ho] and [Si: Ca: Ho: Zr]. The bio glass seeds were encapsulated with polyvinyl alcohol, before being activated and used in the study. The bio glass seeds were introduced into the breast phantom, along with radio chromium films for a period of 2 hours. After the exposure time, radio chromium films were removed from phantom and digitized for analysis in ImageDIG 2.0 program, which quantifies the intensity of RGB (Red, Green, Blue). The dose calculation was evaluated by Monte Carlo technique. Experimental and theoretical data were used to calibrate the dose distribution. The results were plotted on graphs and dose iso curves were obtained. As conclusion it is possible to perform dosimetry in Ho-166 seed brachytherapy using radio chromium films, limited to a short exposure time and small activity. (author)

Experimental dosimetry of Ho-166 bioglass seed polymer-protected

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nogueira, Luciana B.; Campos, Tarcisio P.R.

2011-01-01

This study aims to develop experimental dosimetry of Ho-166 bio glass seed for brachytherapy studies using GAFCHROMIC EBT2 radio chromium films. The methodology consists of placement of radio chromium films in a compressed breast phantom, along with bio glass polymer-protected seeds of [Si: Ca: Ho] and [Si: Ca: Ho: Zr]. The bio glass seeds were encapsulated with polyvinyl alcohol, before being activated and used in the study. The bio glass seeds were introduced into the breast phantom, along with radio chromium films for a period of 2 hours. After the exposure time, radio chromium films were removed from phantom and digitized for analysis in ImageDIG 2.0 program, which quantifies the intensity of RGB (Red, Green, Blue). The dose calculation was evaluated by Monte Carlo technique. Experimental and theoretical data were used to calibrate the dose distribution. The results were plotted on graphs and dose iso curves were obtained. As conclusion it is possible to perform dosimetry in Ho-166 seed brachytherapy using radio chromium films, limited to a short exposure time and small activity. (author)

Genome-wide characterization of the SiDof gene family in foxtail millet (Setaria italica).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Li; Liu, Baoling; Zheng, Gewen; Zhang, Aiying; Li, Runzhi

2017-01-01

Dof (DNA binding with one finger) proteins, which constitute a class of transcription factors found exclusively in plants, are involved in numerous physiological and biochemical reactions affecting growth and development. A genome-wide analysis of SiDof genes was performed in this study. Thirty five SiDof genes were identified and those genes were unevenly distributed across nine chromosomes in the Seteria italica genome. Protein lengths, molecular weights, and theoretical isoelectric points of SiDofs all vary greatly. Gene structure analysis demonstrated that most SiDof genes lack introns. Phylogenetic analysis of SiDof proteins and Dof proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana, rice, sorghum, and Setaria viridis revealed six major groups. Analysis of RNA-Seq data indicated that SiDof gene expression levels varied across roots, stems, leaves, and spike. In addition, expression profiling of SiDof genes in response to stress suggested that SiDof 7 and SiDof 15 are involved in drought stress signalling. Overall, this study could provide novel information on SiDofs for further investigation in foxtail millet. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of laser radiation on the growth and development of seeds of agricultural plants

Science.gov (United States)

Grishkanich, Alexander; Zhevlakov, Alexander; Polyakov, Vadim; Kascheev, Sergey; Sidorov, Igor; Ruzankina, Julia; Yakovlev, Alexey; Mak, Andrey

2016-04-01

The experimental results presented in this study focused on the study of biological processes caused by exposure to the coating layers of the laser green light seed (λ = 532 nm) range for the larch, violet (λ = 405 nm) and red (λ = 640 nm) for spruce. Spend a series of experiments to study the dependence of crop seed quality (spruce and larch from the pine family) from exposure to laser radiation under different conditions. In all the analyzed groups studied seed germination and growth of seedlings exposed to laser exposure, compared with the control group. The results showed that the higher percentage of germination than seeds of the control group.

Arabidopsis CPR5 independently regulates seed germination and postgermination arrest of development through LOX pathway and ABA signaling.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guilan Gao

Full Text Available The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA and the lipoxygenases (LOXs pathway play important roles in seed germination and seedling growth and development. Here, we reported on the functional characterization of Arabidopsis CPR5 in the ABA signaling and LOX pathways. The cpr5 mutant was hypersensitive to ABA in the seed germination, cotyledon greening and root growth, whereas transgenic plants overexpressing CPR5 were insensitive. Genetic analysis demonstrated that CPR5 gene may be located downstream of the ABI1 in the ABA signaling pathway. However, the cpr5 mutant showed an ABA independent drought-resistant phenotype. It was also found that the cpr5 mutant was hypersensitive to NDGA and NDGA treatment aggravated the ABA-induced delay in the seed germination and cotyledon greening. Taken together, these results suggest that the CPR5 plays a regulatory role in the regulation of seed germination and early seedling growth through ABA and LOX pathways independently.

In Vitro Regeneration of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica (L. Beauv. cv. Buru Hotong

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Iriawati

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In vitro regeneration of foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L. Beauv. was done using basal shoot explants of 10-day old seedlings. Explants were cultured in MS basal medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D, kinetin, 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP and 1.5 ppm NiSO4. Shoot multiplication and root induction were done in Murashige and Skoog (MS basal media. Plantlets were then acclimatized in rice husk charcoal, cocopeat, or mixed media. Results showed that MS basal medium containing 0.5 ppm kinetin, 2 ppm BAP, and 0.1 ppm 2,4-D was the optimal medium for shoot induction, in which 60% of explants developed direct shoot organogenesis. In addition, callus was optimally formed in MS medium supplemented by 1 ppm kinetin, 1 ppm BAP, and 0.5 ppm 2,4-D. Regenerated shoots spontaneously developed roots after being transferred into MS basal media without growth regulator. During acclimatization, the highest survival rate of plantlets (47% was obtained in rice husk charcoal. The developed method could be useful towards improvement of this species using in vitro tissue culture techniques.

An investigation into the potential use and sustainability of surfactant coated turfgrass seed for the green industry

Science.gov (United States)

Fidanza, Michael; McMillan, Mica; Kostka, Stan; Madsen, Matthew D.

2014-05-01

Turfgrass seed germination and emergence is influenced mostly by water and oxygen availability, temperature, nutrition and biological activity in the rootzone. In many areas globally, seed germination and subsequent turfgrass establishment is greatly diminished due to inadequate irrigation water amount and quality, and the problem is further compound due to water repellent soils. Successful turfgrass seed germination is critical when attempting to establish a more sustainable turfgrass species in place of an existing, high-input required turf stand. Greenhouse research investigations were conducted in 2013 in Pennsylvania (USA), to evaluate surfactant coated perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) seed for germination and emergence, seedling vigor and overall turfgrass quality. Both turfgrasses tested are cool-season or C3 grasses, and perennial ryegrass has a bunch-type growth habit while Kentucky bluegrass is rhizomatous. Perennial ryegrass is used world-wide as a principal component in sports turf mixes and in overseeding programs, and typically germinates rapidly in 3 to 10 days after seeding. Kentucky bluegrass also is used world-wide for sports turf as well as lawns and landscapes, and germinates slowly in 7 to 28 days. Research results indicate that surfactant coated seed of both species germinated one to three days faster compared to uncoated seed, and that seedling vigor and overall turfgrass quality was better with surfactant coated seed compared to uncoated seed. In a study with only perennial ryegrass, surfactant-coated seed without fertilizer (i.e., N and Ca) applied at time of sowing resulted in seedling vigor and quality considered to be similar or better than uncoated seed with fertilizer applied at time of sowing. Therefore, the potential benefits with seed germination and emergence, and seedling vigor and turfgrass quality also may be attributed to the surfactant coating and not only a fertilizer response. The

Legume Logic & Green Manuring

OpenAIRE

Basavanagowda Nagabhushana, Nandeesh

2014-01-01

Brown plant hopper showed me the way into organic farming. In 2001, I started my practice with logic of legumes just to cut down the 45 percent expenses of my paddy on fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Later as I realized each and every plant carries it’s own nutrients, medicinal values and characters. Plants like millets, oil seeds, spices, di-cots, monocots and weeds all being used as a green manure. For all my agriculture problems and crop demands, I look for the answers only thro...

Novel Insights into the Influence of Seed Sarcotesta Photosynthesis on Accumulation of Seed Dry Matter and Oil Content in Torreya grandis cv. “Merrillii”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuanyuan Hu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Seed oil content is an important trait of nut seeds, and it is affected by the import of carbon from photosynthetic sources. Although green leaves are the main photosynthetic organs, seed sarcotesta photosynthesis also supplies assimilates to seed development. Understanding the relationship between seed photosynthesis and seed development has theoretical and practical significance in the cultivation of Torreya grandis cv. “Merrillii.” To assess the role of seed sarcotesta photosynthesis on the seed development, anatomical and physiological traits of sarcotesta were measured during two growing seasons in the field. Compared with the attached current-year leaves, the sarcotesta had higher gross photosynthetic rate at the first stage of seed development. At the late second stage of seed development, sarcotesta showed down-regulation of PSII activity, as indicated by significant decrease in the following chlorophyll fluorescence parameters: the maximum PSII efficiency (Fv/Fm, the PSII quantum yield (ΦPSII, and the photosynthetic quenching coefficient (qP. The ribulose 1, 5—bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco activity, the total chlorophyll content (Chl(a+b and nitrogen content in the sarcotesta were also significantly decreased during that period. Treatment with DCMU [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl-1,1-dimethylurea] preventing seed photosynthesis decreased the seed dry weight and the oil content by 25.4 and 25.5%, respectively. We conclude that seed photosynthesis plays an important role in the dry matter accumulation at the first growth stage. Our results also suggest that down-regulation of seed photosynthesis is a plant response to re-balance the source-sink ratio at the second growth stage. These results suggest that seed photosynthesis is important for biomass accumulation and oil synthesis of the Torreya seeds. The results will facilitate achieving higher yields and oil contents in nut trees by selection for higher seed photosynthesis cultivars.

Novel Insights into the Influence of Seed Sarcotesta Photosynthesis on Accumulation of Seed Dry Matter and Oil Content in Torreya grandis cv. “Merrillii”

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Yongling; Yu, Weiwu; Hänninen, Heikki; Song, Lili; Du, Xuhua; Zhang, Rui; Wu, Jiasheng

2018-01-01

Seed oil content is an important trait of nut seeds, and it is affected by the import of carbon from photosynthetic sources. Although green leaves are the main photosynthetic organs, seed sarcotesta photosynthesis also supplies assimilates to seed development. Understanding the relationship between seed photosynthesis and seed development has theoretical and practical significance in the cultivation of Torreya grandis cv. “Merrillii.” To assess the role of seed sarcotesta photosynthesis on the seed development, anatomical and physiological traits of sarcotesta were measured during two growing seasons in the field. Compared with the attached current-year leaves, the sarcotesta had higher gross photosynthetic rate at the first stage of seed development. At the late second stage of seed development, sarcotesta showed down-regulation of PSII activity, as indicated by significant decrease in the following chlorophyll fluorescence parameters: the maximum PSII efficiency (Fv/Fm), the PSII quantum yield (ΦPSII), and the photosynthetic quenching coefficient (qP). The ribulose 1, 5—bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco) activity, the total chlorophyll content (Chl(a+b)) and nitrogen content in the sarcotesta were also significantly decreased during that period. Treatment with DCMU [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea] preventing seed photosynthesis decreased the seed dry weight and the oil content by 25.4 and 25.5%, respectively. We conclude that seed photosynthesis plays an important role in the dry matter accumulation at the first growth stage. Our results also suggest that down-regulation of seed photosynthesis is a plant response to re-balance the source-sink ratio at the second growth stage. These results suggest that seed photosynthesis is important for biomass accumulation and oil synthesis of the Torreya seeds. The results will facilitate achieving higher yields and oil contents in nut trees by selection for higher seed photosynthesis cultivars. PMID:29375592

Feeding ecology of northern pintails and green-winged teal wintering in California

Science.gov (United States)

Euliss, Ned H.; Harris, Stanley W.

1987-01-01

The feeding ecology of northern pintails (Anas acuta) and green-winged teal (A. crecca) was examined from October through February 1979-81 in 4 major seasonal marsh types in the Central Valley, California. The esophagi of 262 pintails contained 72.3% plant seeds and 27.7% animal matter. The esophagi of 173 green-winged teal contained 62.3% plant seeds and 37.6% animal matter. Swamp timothy (Heleochloa schoenoides) caryopses, chironomid midge larvae, and common barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crusgalli) caryopses formed >50% of the diet of both species. Both species were highly opportunistic and generally shifted their food habits seasonally to the most available foods. Animal matter increased seasonally in the diets of both and formed about 60% of the foods eaten during January and February compared to only about 8% in October and 17% in December. Both species used open water marsh habitats almost exclusively in daytime but they used densely vegetated marshes almost exclusively at night. Management recommendations based on the food habits and habitat use patterns of pintails and green-winged teal are offered.

The long-term persistence of phytoplankton resting stages in aquatic "seed banks"

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ellegaard, Marianne; Ribeiro, Sofia

2018-01-01

to terrestrial seed beds of vascular plants, but are much less studied. It is therefore timely to review the phenomenon of long-term persistence of aquatic resting stages in sediment seed banks. Herein we compare function, morphology and physiology of phytoplankton resting stages to factors central...... for persistence of terrestrial seeds. We review the types of resting stages found in different groups of phytoplankton and focus on the groups for which long-term (multi-decadal) persistence has been shown: dinoflagellates, diatoms, green algae and cyanobacteria. We discuss the metabolism of long-term dormancy......In the past decade, research on long-term persistence of phytoplankton resting stages has intensified. Simultaneously, insight into life-cycle variability in the diverse groups of phytoplankton has also increased. Aquatic 'seed banks' have tremendous significance and show many interesting parallels...

[Soil seed bank research of China mining areas: necessity and challenges].

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Qing; Zhang, Da-Wei; Li, Xue; Peng, Jian; Guan, Ai-Nong; Liu, Xiao-Si

2011-05-01

Soil seed bank consists of all living seeds existed in soil and its surface litter, especially in topsoil, and can reflect the characteristics of regional biodiversity. As the base of vegetation restoration and potential greening material, topsoil and its seed bank are the limited and non-renewable resources in mining areas. The study of soil seed bank has become one of the hotspots in the research field of vegetation restoration and land reclamation in China mining areas. Owing to the special characteristics of mining industry, the soil seed bank study of mining areas should not only concern with the seed species, quantities, and their relations with ground surface vegetation, but also make use of the research results on the soil seed bank of other fragile habitats. Besides, a breakthrough should be sought in the thinking ways and research approach. This paper analyzed the particularity of mining area's soil seek bank research, summarized the research progress in the soil seed bank of mining areas and other fragile habitats, and put forward the challenges we are facing with. It was expected that this paper could help to reinforce the soil seed bank research of China mining areas, and provide scientific guidelines for taking great advantage of the significant roles of soil seed bank in land reclamation and vegetation restoration in the future.

Biopolymer coated gold nanocrystals prepared using the green chemistry approach and their shape-dependent catalytic and surface-enhanced Raman scattering properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Chih-Wei; Hsieh, Hui-Hsuan; Hseu, You-Cheng; Chen, Ko-Shao; Wang, Gou-Jen; Chang, Hsien-Chang; Pan, Yong-Li; Wei, Yi-Syuan; Chang, Ko Hsin; Harn, Yeu-Wei

2013-07-21

This study deals with the preparation of multi-shaped nanoscale gold crystals under synthetically simple, green, and efficient conditions using a seed-mediated growth approach in the presence of hyaluronic acid (HA). These highly biocompatible multi-shaped gold nanocrystals were examined to evaluate their catalytic and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) properties. The results show that the size and shape of the nanocrystals are mainly correlated to the amount of seed, seed size, HA concentration, and reaction temperature. Gold seeds accelerate the reduction of the gold precursor to form gold nanocrystals using HA. The HA serves as a reducing agent and a growth template for the reduction of Au(III) and nanocrystal stabilization. The multi-shaped gold nanocrystals showed superior catalytic properties and higher SERS performance. The simple, green approach efficiently controls the nanocrystals and creates many opportunities for future applications.

A new seed-based assay for meiotic recombination in Arabidopsis thaliana.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Melamed-Bessudo, C.; Yehuda, E.; Stuitje, A.R.; Levy, A.A.

2005-01-01

Meiotic recombination is a fundamental biological process that plays a central role in the evolution and breeding of plants. We have developed a new seed-based assay for meiotic recombination in Arabidopsis. The assay is based on the transformation of green and red fluorescent markers expressed

Setaria viridis as a model system to advance millet genetics and genomics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pu Huang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Millet is a common name for a group of polyphyletic, small-seeded cereal crops that include pearl, finger and foxtail millet. Millet species are an important source of calories for many societies, often in developing countries. Compared to major cereal crops such as rice and maize, millets are generally better adapted to dry and hot environments. Despite their food security value, the genetic architecture of agronomically important traits in millets, including both morphological traits and climate resilience remains poorly studied. These complex traits have been challenging to dissect in large part because of the lack of sufficient genetic tools and resources. In this article, we review the phylogenetic relationship among various millet species and discuss the value of a genetic model system for millet research. We propose that a broader adoption of green foxtail (Setaria viridis as a model system for millets could greatly accelerate the pace of gene discovery in the millets, and summarize available and emerging resources in S. viridis and its domesticated relative S. italica. These resources have value in forward genetics, reverse genetics and high throughput phenotyping. We describe methods and strategies to best utilize these resources to facilitate the genetic dissection of complex traits. We envision that coupling cutting-edge technologies and the use of S. viridis for gene discovery will accelerate genetic research in millets in general. This will enable strategies and provide opportunities to increase productivity, especially in the semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa where millets are staple food crop.

Setaria viridis as a Model System to Advance Millet Genetics and Genomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Pu; Shyu, Christine; Coelho, Carla P; Cao, Yingying; Brutnell, Thomas P

2016-01-01

Millet is a common name for a group of polyphyletic, small-seeded cereal crops that include pearl, finger and foxtail millet. Millet species are an important source of calories for many societies, often in developing countries. Compared to major cereal crops such as rice and maize, millets are generally better adapted to dry and hot environments. Despite their food security value, the genetic architecture of agronomically important traits in millets, including both morphological traits and climate resilience remains poorly studied. These complex traits have been challenging to dissect in large part because of the lack of sufficient genetic tools and resources. In this article, we review the phylogenetic relationship among various millet species and discuss the value of a genetic model system for millet research. We propose that a broader adoption of green foxtail ( Setaria viridis ) as a model system for millets could greatly accelerate the pace of gene discovery in the millets, and summarize available and emerging resources in S. viridis and its domesticated relative S. italica . These resources have value in forward genetics, reverse genetics and high throughput phenotyping. We describe methods and strategies to best utilize these resources to facilitate the genetic dissection of complex traits. We envision that coupling cutting-edge technologies and the use of S. viridis for gene discovery will accelerate genetic research in millets in general. This will enable strategies and provide opportunities to increase productivity, especially in the semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa where millets are staple food crops.

Setaria viridis as a Model System to Advance Millet Genetics and Genomics

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Pu; Shyu, Christine; Coelho, Carla P.; Cao, Yingying; Brutnell, Thomas P.

2016-01-01

Millet is a common name for a group of polyphyletic, small-seeded cereal crops that include pearl, finger and foxtail millet. Millet species are an important source of calories for many societies, often in developing countries. Compared to major cereal crops such as rice and maize, millets are generally better adapted to dry and hot environments. Despite their food security value, the genetic architecture of agronomically important traits in millets, including both morphological traits and climate resilience remains poorly studied. These complex traits have been challenging to dissect in large part because of the lack of sufficient genetic tools and resources. In this article, we review the phylogenetic relationship among various millet species and discuss the value of a genetic model system for millet research. We propose that a broader adoption of green foxtail (Setaria viridis) as a model system for millets could greatly accelerate the pace of gene discovery in the millets, and summarize available and emerging resources in S. viridis and its domesticated relative S. italica. These resources have value in forward genetics, reverse genetics and high throughput phenotyping. We describe methods and strategies to best utilize these resources to facilitate the genetic dissection of complex traits. We envision that coupling cutting-edge technologies and the use of S. viridis for gene discovery will accelerate genetic research in millets in general. This will enable strategies and provide opportunities to increase productivity, especially in the semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa where millets are staple food crops. PMID:27965689

Population genetics of Setaria viridis, a new model system.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Pu; Feldman, Maximilian; Schroder, Stephan; Bahri, Bochra A; Diao, Xianmin; Zhi, Hui; Estep, Matt; Baxter, Ivan; Devos, Katrien M; Kellogg, Elizabeth A

2014-10-01

An extensive survey of the standing genetic variation in natural populations is among the priority steps in developing a species into a model system. In recent years, green foxtail (Setaria viridis), along with its domesticated form foxtail millet (S. italica), has rapidly become a promising new model system for C4 grasses and bioenergy crops, due to its rapid life cycle, large amount of seed production and small diploid genome, among other characters. However, remarkably little is known about the genetic diversity in natural populations of this species. In this study, we survey the genetic diversity of a worldwide sample of more than 200 S. viridis accessions, using the genotyping-by-sequencing technique. Two distinct genetic groups in S. viridis and a third group resembling S. italica were identified, with considerable admixture among the three groups. We find the genetic variation of North American S. viridis correlates with both geography and climate and is representative of the total genetic diversity in this species. This pattern may reflect several introduction/dispersal events of S. viridis into North America. We also modelled demographic history and show signal of recent population decline in one subgroup. Finally, we show linkage disequilibrium decay is rapid (<45 kb) in our total sample and slow in genetic subgroups. These results together provide an in-depth understanding of the pattern of genetic diversity of this new model species on a broad geographic scale. They also provide key guidelines for on-going and future work including germplasm preservation, local adaptation, crossing designs and genomewide association studies. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The stem and leaf super green mutant induced by 60Co γ-rays irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Yubo; Liang Naiting; Buhaliqiem; Zhang Yinbao

2003-01-01

Super green gene mutant was developed from population of M 2 generation after the dry seeds of rice Huazhiwu from Japan with good quality and resistance to cold had been irradiated with 50 Gy 60 Co γ-ray. The leaf, sheath, panicle axis and petiole of mutant was characterized by deeply green, and did not turn yellow after maturing date. The chlorophyll content in straw is 2.2 times higher than that in common straw. The results of raising livestock showed that horse, donkey and sheep had evident selectivity to the green straw

Purification and characterization of a novel trypsin-like protease from green-seeded chickpea (Cicer arientum).

Science.gov (United States)

Shamsi, Tooba Naz; Parveen, Romana; Sen, Priyankar; Fatima, Sadaf

2017-05-28

The present study describes the purification and physicochemical and biochemical characterization of trypsin-like protease from green-seeded chickpea (Cicer arientum). The crude extract of chickpea trypsin (CpT) was obtained by homogenization followed by differential ammonium sulfate precipitation. The CpT was purified by ion-exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) column, pre-equilibrated with 20 mM tris-CaCl 2 buffer (pH 8.2) with a flow rate of 0.5 mL min -1 . The molecular weight and purity of ∼23 kDa of CpT were determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Activity of protease was determined using Nα-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide as chromogenic substrate and CpT purified showed a specific inhibitor activity of 26978.7697 U mg -1 , fold purity of 9.8, and the yield of 70.2%. The characterization was performed for thermal stability, pH profile, and effect of various inhibitors on enzymatic activity. The protein isolated showed stability in the neutral to mild alkaline pH range and thermostability up to 50°C. CpT confirmed its serine nature as it was appreciably inhibited by serine protease inhibitors (maximum 6%), whereas metalloprotease inhibitors barely affected the activity of the enzyme (85%). To the best of our knowledge, it is first reported on purification of protease with trypsin-like properties, from this source.

Advances in Setaria genomics for genetic improvement of cereals and bioenergy grasses.

Science.gov (United States)

Muthamilarasan, Mehanathan; Prasad, Manoj

2015-01-01

Recent advances in Setaria genomics appear promising for genetic improvement of cereals and biofuel crops towards providing multiple securities to the steadily increasing global population. The prominent attributes of foxtail millet (Setaria italica, cultivated) and green foxtail (S. viridis, wild) including small genome size, short life-cycle, in-breeding nature, genetic close-relatedness to several cereals, millets and bioenergy grasses, and potential abiotic stress tolerance have accentuated these two Setaria species as novel model system for studying C4 photosynthesis, stress biology and biofuel traits. Considering this, studies have been performed on structural and functional genomics of these plants to develop genetic and genomic resources, and to delineate the physiology and molecular biology of stress tolerance, for the improvement of millets, cereals and bioenergy grasses. The release of foxtail millet genome sequence has provided a new dimension to Setaria genomics, resulting in large-scale development of genetic and genomic tools, construction of informative databases, and genome-wide association and functional genomic studies. In this context, this review discusses the advancements made in Setaria genomics, which have generated a considerable knowledge that could be used for the improvement of millets, cereals and biofuel crops. Further, this review also shows the nutritional potential of foxtail millet in providing health benefits to global population and provides a preliminary information on introgressing the nutritional properties in graminaceous species through molecular breeding and transgene-based approaches.

10 Years of Native Seed Certification in Germany - a Summary.

Science.gov (United States)

Mainz, Ann Kareen; Wieden, Markus

2018-06-21

Many renaturation projects and compensation areas are based on the use of seeds from regional indigenous wild plants, in the following: native or regional seeds. Despite this, such seeds make up only a small proportion of the total number of seeds used for greening projects - in Germany, for example, it is only around 1% (= 200 t/yr). Although the market for regional seeds is small, it is highly competitive. High-priced native seeds compete with flower mixes of unspecified origin and can only be differentiated from them by reliable quality seals. A quality assurance system based on seed legislation (EU Directive 2010/60, preservation mixtures) has been developed in a few European countries. However, quality assurance ends with the sale of the seeds. Thus, seed use remains unmonitored and often unsuitable material, or material foreign to the region, is planted in restoration areas. Unfortunately, nature conservation has not made seed-based restoration one of its key issues, neither at the European, nor at the national level. Currently there are many different local and regional standards, methods and private certificates that are confusing for users and which provide little continuity and predictability for producers. We recommend the establishment of an EU directive or a broadly agreed recommendation to the EU member states, spearheaded by nature conservation, which would define the standards for producing and using native seeds (e.g. harmonized regions that cross national borders, quality regulations). At the same time, wild plant interest groups should combine existing structures in order to strengthen seed-based restoration through international cooperation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Towards green loyalty: the influences of green perceived risk, green image, green trust and green satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Chrisjatmiko, K.

2018-01-01

The paper aims to present a comprehensive framework for the influences of green perceived risk, green image, green trust and green satisfaction to green loyalty. The paper also seeks to account explicitly for the differences in green perceived risk, green image, green trust, green satisfaction and green loyalty found among green products customers. Data were obtained from 155 green products customers. Structural equation modeling was used in order to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings show that green image, green trust and green satisfaction has positive effects to green loyalty. But green perceived risk has negative effects to green image, green trust and green satisfaction. However, green perceived risk, green image, green trust and green satisfaction also seems to be a good device to gain green products customers from competitors. The contributions of the paper are, firstly, a more complete framework of the influences of green perceived risk, green image, green trust and green satisfaction to green loyalty analyses simultaneously. Secondly, the study allows a direct comparison of the difference in green perceived risk, green image, green trust, green satisfaction and green loyalty between green products customers.

The Use of Maleic Hydrazide for Effective Hybridization of Setaria viridis.

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Govinda Rizal

Full Text Available An efficient method for crossing green foxtail (Setaria viridis is currently lacking. S. viridis is considered to be the new model plant for the study of C4 system in monocots and so an effective crossing protocol is urgently needed. S. viridis is a small grass with C4-NADP (ME type of photosynthesis and has the advantage of having small genome of about 515 Mb, small plant stature, short life cycle, multiple tillers, and profuse seed set, and hence is an ideal model species for research. The objectives of this project were to develop efficient methods of emasculation and pollination, and to speed up generation advancement. We assessed the response of S. viridis flowers to hot water treatment (48°C and to different concentrations of gibberellic acid, abscisic acid, maleic hydrazide (MH, and kinetin. We found that 500 μM of MH was effective in the emasculation of S. viridis, whilst still retaining the receptivity of the stigma to pollination. We also report effective ways to accelerate the breeding cycle of S. viridis for research through the germination of mature as well as immature seeds in optimized culture media. We believe these findings will be of great interest to researchers using Setaria.

Seeded quantum FEL at 478 keV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guenther, Marc [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Quantenoptik, Garching (Germany); Thirolf, Peter; Seggebrock, Thorben [Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Garching (Germany); Habs, Dietrich [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Quantenoptik, Garching (Germany); Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Garching (Germany)

2012-07-01

We present for the first time a concept for a seeded {gamma} quantum Free Electron Laser (QFEL) at 478 keV (transition in {sup 7}Li). To produce a highly intense and coherent {gamma} beam, we intend to use a seeded FEL scheme. Important for the production of a highly brilliant and coherent {gamma} beam are novel refractive {gamma} lenses for focusing and an efficient monochromator, allowing to generate a very intense and coherent seed beam. To realize such a coherent {gamma} beam at 478 keV (1/38 A), it is suitable to use a quantum FEL design based on a new ''asymmetric'' laser-electron Compton back scattering scheme as pursued for the MeGaRay and ELI-NP facilities. Here the pulse length of the laser is much longer than the electron bunch length, equivalent to a {gamma}-FEL with laser wiggler. The coherence of a seeded QFEL can open up totally new areas of fundamental physics and applications. Especially, 478 keV can be attractive for ''green energy'' and life-science research, such as the detection of Li deposition in the brain for manic-depressive psychosis treatment with high spatial resolution or isotope-specific nuclear waste management and treatment.

Maturação e qualidade de sementes de repolho de verão sob condições tropicais Maturation and seed quality of summer cabbage seeds under tropical conditions

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Raquel Alves de Freitas

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Avaliou-se o efeito do estádio de maturação dos frutos (síliquas e da época de trilhagem sobre o potencial fisiológico de sementes de repolho, cultivar União. Em setembro de 2005 (200 dias após o transplantio, foi efetuada uma única colheita dos rácemos com síliquas em diferentes estádios de maturação, identificadas pelas colorações verde-escuro, verde-claro, arroxeada e bege. Estes estádios de maturação originaram sementes com coloração predominantemente verdes, castanho-claras, castanho-escuras e negras, respectivamente. Parte dos rácemos colhidos foi trilhada logo após a colheita e parte foi deixada em condições de laboratório, por uma semana, antes da trilhagem. O experimento foi conduzido no delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 4 x 2 (estádio de maturação das síliquas e época de trilhagem. As sementes foram submetidas a testes de grau de umidade, massa de 100 sementes, germinação, primeira contagem do teste de germinação, emergência de plântulas em casa de vegetação e envelhecimento acelerado. O potencial fisiológico das sementes variou entre os diferentes estádios de maturação das síliquas. Os resultados indicaram que os rácemos com síliquas de coloração verde-clara podem ser colhidos, desde que as sementes permaneçam no interior das síliquas por uma semana antes da trilhagem.The effect of maturation stages under tropical conditions, of summer cabbage cv. União fruits (seedpods, was studied on the seed physiological quality. On September, 2005 (200 days after transplanting, seedpods were harvested from racemes in the maturation (color stages of intensive green, green, purple and beige, resulting in seeds with the predominant colors of green, brown, intensive brown and black, respectively. Part of the harvested racemes was threshed immediately after harvesting and part was stored at laboratory conditions for a week before being threshed. The experiment was conducted in

Break-through in seed fertility of autotetraploid Trigonella foenum graecum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raghuvanshi, S S; Agrawal, Poonam; Singh, Jaya; Singh, Anil K [Plant Genetics Unit, Botany Department, Lucknow University, Lucknow (India)

1990-01-01

Full text: Fenugreek is an important legume crop in tropical and subtropical zones of India, used as green vegetable, cattle fodder, food flavourant and for pharmaceutical purposes. The seeds are a source of diosgenin, a steroid sapogenin used for synthesis of steroidal drugs like corticosteroide sex hormone and oral contraceptives. Seeds valuing 15-20 million rupees are exported annually. Polyploids are vegetatively superior but have poorer seed fertility. Cross breeding among locally collected germplasm and autopolyploidisation did not give satisfactory results. Mutation induction using gamma rays or EMS alone and in combination was undertaken to broaden the variability for increased grain yield. In M{sub 3}, mutants were selected with up to 143 pods per plant, compared to 80 in the diploid progenitors and up to 123 In advanced hybrids. 11 promising high yielding lines will be further evaluated. (author)

Break-through in seed fertility of autotetraploid Trigonella foenum graecum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raghuvanshi, S.S.; Agrawal, Poonam; Singh, Jaya; Singh, Anil K.

1990-01-01

Full text: Fenugreek is an important legume crop in tropical and subtropical zones of India, used as green vegetable, cattle fodder, food flavourant and for pharmaceutical purposes. The seeds are a source of diosgenin, a steroid sapogenin used for synthesis of steroidal drugs like corticosteroide sex hormone and oral contraceptives. Seeds valuing 15-20 million rupees are exported annually. Polyploids are vegetatively superior but have poorer seed fertility. Cross breeding among locally collected germplasm and autopolyploidisation did not give satisfactory results. Mutation induction using gamma rays or EMS alone and in combination was undertaken to broaden the variability for increased grain yield. In M 3 , mutants were selected with up to 143 pods per plant, compared to 80 in the diploid progenitors and up to 123 In advanced hybrids. 11 promising high yielding lines will be further evaluated. (author)

One-dimensional Analytical Modelling of Floating Seed Dispersal in Tidal Channels

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, W.; Purnama, A.; Shao, D.; Cui, B.; Gao, W.

2017-12-01

Seed dispersal is a primary factor influencing plant community development, and thus plays a critical role in maintaining wetland ecosystem functioning. However, compared with fluvial seed dispersal of riparian plants, dispersal of saltmarsh plant seeds in tidal channels is much less studied due to its complex behavior, and relevant mathematical modelling is particularly lacking. In this study, we developed a one-dimensional advection-dispersion model to explore the patterns of tidal seed dispersal. Oscillatory tidal current and water depth were assumed to represent the tidal effects. An exponential decay coefficient λ was introduced to account for seed deposition and retention. Analytical solution in integral form was derived using Green's function and further evaluated using numerical integration. The developed model was applied to simulate Spartina densiflora seed dispersal in a tidal channel located at the Mad River Slough in North Humboldt Bay, California, USA, to demonstrate its practical applicability. Model predictions agree satisfactorily with field observation and simulation results from Delft3D numerical model. Sensitivity analyses were also conducted to evaluate the effects of varying calibrated parameters on model predictions. The range of the seed dispersion as well as the distribution of the seed concentration were further analyzed through statistical parameters such as centroid displacement and variance of the seed cloud together with seed concentration contours. Implications of the modelling results on tidal marsh restoration and protection, e.g., revegetation through seed addition, were also discussed through scenario analysis. The developed analytical model provides a useful tool for ecological management of tidal marshes.

Phosphate concentration and arbuscular mycorrhizal colonisation influence the growth, yield and expression of twelve PHT1 family phosphate transporters in foxtail millet (Setaria italica.

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S Antony Ceasar

Full Text Available Phosphorus (P is an essential element which plays several key roles in all living organisms. Setaria italica (foxtail millet is a model species for panacoid grasses including several millet species widely grown in arid regions of Asia and Africa, and for the bioenergy crop switchgrass. The growth responses of S. italica to different levels of inorganic phosphate (Pi and to colonisation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae (syn. Glomus mosseae were studied. Phosphate is taken up from the environment by the PHT1 family of plant phosphate transporters, which have been well characterized in several plant species. Bioinformatic analysis identified 12 members of the PHT1 gene family (SiPHT1;1-1;12 in S. italica, and RT and qPCR analysis showed that most of these transporters displayed specific expression patterns with respect to tissue, phosphate status and arbuscular mycorrhizal colonisation. SiPHT1;2 was found to be expressed in all tissues and in all growth conditions tested. In contrast, expression of SiPHT1;4 was induced in roots after 15 days growth in hydroponic medium of low Pi concentration. Expression of SiPHT1;8 and SiPHT1;9 in roots was selectively induced by colonisation with F. mosseae. SiPHT1;3 and SiPHT1;4 were found to be predominantly expressed in leaf and root tissues respectively. Several other transporters were expressed in shoots and leaves during growth in low Pi concentrations. This study will form the basis for the further characterization of these transporters, with the long term goal of improving the phosphate use efficiency of foxtail millet.

Phosphate concentration and arbuscular mycorrhizal colonisation influence the growth, yield and expression of twelve PHT1 family phosphate transporters in foxtail millet (Setaria italica).

Science.gov (United States)

Ceasar, S Antony; Hodge, Angela; Baker, Alison; Baldwin, Stephen A

2014-01-01

Phosphorus (P) is an essential element which plays several key roles in all living organisms. Setaria italica (foxtail millet) is a model species for panacoid grasses including several millet species widely grown in arid regions of Asia and Africa, and for the bioenergy crop switchgrass. The growth responses of S. italica to different levels of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and to colonisation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae (syn. Glomus mosseae) were studied. Phosphate is taken up from the environment by the PHT1 family of plant phosphate transporters, which have been well characterized in several plant species. Bioinformatic analysis identified 12 members of the PHT1 gene family (SiPHT1;1-1;12) in S. italica, and RT and qPCR analysis showed that most of these transporters displayed specific expression patterns with respect to tissue, phosphate status and arbuscular mycorrhizal colonisation. SiPHT1;2 was found to be expressed in all tissues and in all growth conditions tested. In contrast, expression of SiPHT1;4 was induced in roots after 15 days growth in hydroponic medium of low Pi concentration. Expression of SiPHT1;8 and SiPHT1;9 in roots was selectively induced by colonisation with F. mosseae. SiPHT1;3 and SiPHT1;4 were found to be predominantly expressed in leaf and root tissues respectively. Several other transporters were expressed in shoots and leaves during growth in low Pi concentrations. This study will form the basis for the further characterization of these transporters, with the long term goal of improving the phosphate use efficiency of foxtail millet.

Seed quality in informal seed systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Biemond, P.C.

2013-01-01

Keywords: informal seed systems, seed recycling, seed quality, germination, seed pathology, seed health, seed-borne diseases, mycotoxigenic fungi, Fusarium verticillioides, mycotoxins, Vigna unguiculata, Zea mays, Nigeria.

Seed is a crucial input for agricultural production.

Phisyological quality of Pinus elliotti Engelm. seeds subjected to differents storage methods

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Adriano Geraldo Fonseca

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Due to the growing demand for forest products, it is necessary to increase knowledge about the tree species of economic importance, especially in relation to seed storage. One method to study forest species is the storage of seeds. Cryopreservation is the cheapest and the most efficient method of seed preservation. The objective of this study was to test the behavior of Pinus elliottii Engelm. seeds storaged on liquid nitrogen; laboratory environment and refrigerator. The experiment was conducted in the seed Laboratory of the Federal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valley. The seeds were donated by Rigesa Ltda on June 2007. Three types of storage were tested: 1 liquid nitrogen temperature of -196 º C, 2 laboratory environment, 3 refrigerator. All treatments were evaluated at 0, 40, 80 and 120 days of storage. The vigor, germination and germination rate tests were mounted on gerbox with blotters and moistened with distilled water and kept in BOD incubator chamber at 25 º C. Seeds length, green mass and dry mass were also evaluated. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and means compared by Tukey test at 5% significance level. It was found that there was loss of quality of the Pinus elliottii seeds in all treatments. Cryopreservation of P. elliotii seeds can be used as an alternative of storage in genebanks.

The effects of liquid-coating mulch spray on growth, yield and undersoil temperature in komatsuna greens (Brassica rapa L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, T.; Shiobara, Y.; Omori, A.; Yoshino, M.; Kuba, K.; Takada, K.; Ikeda, Y.; Motoki, S.; Ogura, S.; Kudo, M.

2009-01-01

This experiment was intended to examine the effects of a black liquid-coating mulch on the growth and yield of komatsuna greens. Four treatments (1, 0.5, 0.25 and 0 L/square m) of spray amount were tested in combination with seeding date (Sep. 21sup(st), Oct. 5sup(th), Oct. 20sup(th) in an open field and the Jan. 22sup(nd) in a plastic film house). As a result, we found this liquid-coating mulch increased yields of komatsuna greens, unrelated to the spray amount. Generally, the daily highest soil temperature (-5 cm) under the mulching exceeded the control in every treatment however the daily lowest temperature was less than control except in the case of seeding at Sep. 21sup(st). These phenomena were remarkable in the early stage of growing and the differences in temperature between the control and mulch treatments were reduced during the growth. There was no significant difference in the hourly-integrated temperature during the first 10 days between the 4 treatments on same seeding date. These findings suggest that the expansion of the daily soil temperature range contributed the increased yields of komatsuna greens

Tracking the spring migration of a bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) across the Himalaya with satellite telemetry

Science.gov (United States)

Javed, Sàlim; Takekawa, John Y.; Douglas, David C.; Rahmani, Asad R.; Kanai, Yutaka; Nagendran, Meenakshi; Choudhury, Binod C.; Sharma, Shruti

2000-01-01

Soil-food-chain-pesticide wildlife relationships were investigated to learn the concentration of pesticide residues present in soils, macro-invertebrates, vertebrates, and seeds as a result of annual applications of aldrin at recommended rates for pest control. Two central Missouri cornfields treated witb aldrin at 1 lb/acre, for 16 and 15 of the past 17 years, were selected for study during 1965-67. Primary samples collected for residue analyses included soils, earthworms (Lumbricidae), crickets (GryIlidae), and two kinds of ground beetles (Carabidae) obtained during early April, June, August, and October. Vertebrates and plant seeds collected during 1967 included white-footed mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), toads (Bufo americanus), snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis and Pituophis sayi), corn (Zea Mays), foxtail (Setaria Faberii), and annual sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Pesticide residues consisted primarily of dieldrin, the degradation product of aldrin. Combined aldrin and dieldrin residues, as two field all-season averages, wet weight basis, were: soils, 0.31 ppm; earthworms, 1.49 ppm; crickets, 0.23 ppm; Harpalus ground beetles, 1.10 ppm; Poecilus ground beetles, 9.67 ppm; white-footed mice, 0.98 ppm; toads, 3.53 ppm; garter snakes, 12.35 ppm; and corn, foxtail, and sunflower seeds less than 0.02 ppm each. Unusually high average residues (37.48 ppm) in Poecilus beetles during June, 1967, were attributed to abnormally high soil moisture and predacious feeding habits of these insects.

Soil-food chain-pesticide wildlife relationships in aldrin-treated fields

Science.gov (United States)

Korschgen, L.J.

1970-01-01

Soil-food-chain-pesticide wildlife relationships were investigated to learn the concentration of pesticide residues present in soils, macro-invertebrates, vertebrates, and seeds as a result of annual applications of aldrin at recommended rates for pest control. Two central Missouri cornfields treated witb aldrin at 1 lb/acre, for 16 and 15 of the past 17 years, were selected for study during 1965-67. Primary samples collected for residue analyses included soils, earthworms (Lumbricidae), crickets (GryIlidae), and two kinds of ground beetles (Carabidae) obtained during early April, June, August, and October. Vertebrates and plant seeds collected during 1967 included white-footed mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), toads (Bufo americanus), snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis and Pituophis sayi), corn (Zea Mays), foxtail (Setaria Faberii), and annual sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Pesticide residues consisted primarily of dieldrin, the degradation product of aldrin. Combined aldrin and dieldrin residues, as two field all-season averages, wet weight basis, were: soils, 0.31 ppm; earthworms, 1.49 ppm; crickets, 0.23 ppm; Harpalus ground beetles, 1.10 ppm; Poecilus ground beetles, 9.67 ppm; white-footed mice, 0.98 ppm; toads, 3.53 ppm; garter snakes, 12.35 ppm; and corn, foxtail, and sunflower seeds less than 0.02 ppm each. Unusually high average residues (37.48 ppm) in Poecilus beetles during June, 1967, were attributed to abnormally high soil moisture and predacious feeding habits of these insects.

Preventing thermoinhibition in a thermosensitive lettuce genotype by seed imbibition at low temperature

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Nascimento Warley Marcos

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. seed germination is strongly temperature dependent and under high temperatures, germination of most of genotypes can be erratic or completely inhibited. Lettuce seeds of 'Dark Green Boston' (DGB were incubated at temperatures ranging from 15degrees to 35degreesC at light and dark conditions. Other seeds were imbibed in dark at 20degrees; 25degrees; 30degrees; and 35degreesC for 8 and 16 hours and then transferred to 20 or 35degreesC, in dark. Seeds were also incubated at constant temperature of 20degrees and 35 degreesC, in the dark, as control. In another treatment, seeds were primed for 3 days at 15degreesC with constant light. DGB lettuce seeds required light to germinate adequately at temperatures above 25degreesC. Seeds incubated at 20degreesC had 97% germination, whereas seeds incubated at 35degreesC did not germinate. Seeds imbibed at 20degreesC for 8 and 16 hours had germination. At 35degreesC, seeds imbibed initially at 20degreesC for 8 and 16 hours, had 89 and 97% germination, respectively. Seeds imbibed at 25degreesC for 16 hours, germinated satisfactory at 35degreesC. High temperatures of imbibition led to no germination. Primed and non-primed seeds had 100% germination at 20degreesC. Primed seeds had 100% germination at 35degreesC, whereas non-primed seeds germinate only 4%. The first hours of imbibition are very critical for lettuce seed germination at high temperatures.

Effect of Drought Stress on Water Use Efficiency and Its Components in Several Genotypes and Cultivars of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.

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M Khazaei

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction According to NASA reports about atmospheric earth conditions, in the 30 years later, 45 countries will face with severe droughts and Iran is in the fourth place in this list. Water shortage is one of the most important limiting factors of production that affects plants growth by changing physiological conditions. Using adapted plants is a proper strategy to deal with the effects of water shortage on the status of water restrictions. Foxtail millet is a C4 plant with good compatibility to dry areas and it has high water use efficiency. In medium stress partial stomata closure reduces transpiration more than photosynthesis in this plant and as a result, increase water use efficiency. Materials and Methods This experiment was carried out as split-plot layout based on randomized complete blocks design with four replications at the Agricultural Research Station, University of Birjand in 2014-2015. The main factor was drought stress in three levels including 100, 75 and 50 percent of plant water requirement (no stress as control, moderate stress and severe stress, respectively and the sub-factor was millet genotype in three levels (including Bastan, KFM5 and KFM20. At four leaf stage, 75 plants per square meter were maintained and applied stress. Water use efficiency, evapotranspiration efficiency, harvest index for seed and ear, economic and biological yield were measured at maturity. . Data were analyzed with the SAS software ver 9.1 and the means were compared with Tukey’s test. Results and Discussion The results showed that water use efficiency (WUE was significantly decreased with increasing the intensity of drought stress in all three genotypes but not evapotranspiration efficiency (ETE, ratio of total dry matter to water used. Bastan cultivar had higher water use efficiency in all stress levels and was more affected under moderate stress while it was less affected under severe stress (33 and 31 percent compared to the control

EASTERN DODDER (CUSCUTA MONOGYNA VAHL.) SEED GERMINATION AFFECTED BY SOME HERBACEOUS DISTILLATES.

Science.gov (United States)

Movassaghi, M; Hassannejad, S

2015-01-01

Eastern dodder (Cuscuta monogyna Vahl.) is one of the noxious parasitic weeds that infected many ornamental trees in green spaces and gardens. Our purpose is to find natural inhibitors for prevention of its seed germination. In order to reach this aim, laboratory studies were conducted by using of herbaceous distillates of Dracocephalum moldavica, Nasturtium officinalis, Malva neglecta, Mentha piperita, Mentha pulegium, Rosa damascene, Ziziphora tenuior, and Urtica dioica on seed germination of C. monogyna. Z. tenuior distillate stimulated C. monogyna seed germination, whereas others reduced this parasitic weed's seed germination. D. moldavica caused maximum inhibition on weed seed germination. Seedling growth of C. monogyna was more affected than its seed germination. All of these herbaceous distillates reduced C. monogyna seedling length so that the latter decreased from 28.2 mm in distilled water to 4.5, 3.97, 3.85, 3.67, 3.1, 2.87, 2.57, 1.9, and 1.17 in M. pulegium, M. piperita, F. officinalis, Z. tenuior, N. officinalis, M. neglecta, R. damascene, U. dioica and D. moldavica, respectively. By using these medicinal plants distillates instead of herbicides, the parasitic weed seedling length and host plant infection will reduce.

Emergence of controversy in technology transitions: Green revolution and Bt cotton in India

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ramani, S.V.; Thutupalli, A.

2015-01-01

Technology transitions following radical technological breakthroughs are often marked by controversies and the transitions to Green Revolution (GR) and Genetically Modified (GM) seeds in India were no exceptions to this rule. Controversies can trigger social dilemmas, but in economics we do not yet

Seed ecology and regeneration in dry Afromontane forests of Ethiopia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teketay, D. [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Umeaa (Sweden). Dept. of Forest Vegetation Ecology

1996-12-31

Various aspects of seed and regeneration ecology: germination requirements of seeds, seed longevity in the soil, soil seed banks in forests, gaps and arable land as well as density, survival and growth of seedlings were investigated within the dry Afromontane region in Ethiopia. In laboratory germination tests, 60% of the species studied exhibited some degree of initial dormancy and the optimum constant temperature for germination was between 20 and 25 deg C in the majority of the species. A few species showed a requirement for fluctuating temperatures and germination was suppressed or completely inhibited in several, mainly small-seeded, species when they were incubated in darkness or in light filtered through green leaves. Hard-seeded species required scarification treatments to improve germination, indicating seed-coat imposed dormancy. Dry storage reduced the germinability of seeds in a few species, suggesting a recalcitrant behaviour, while seeds of many species remained unaffected. During four years of storage in forest soils, seeds of 2 out of 8 species germinated in the soil almost completely within a year, 2 of the species maintained nearly full viability, while 4 were intermediate. The generally high levels of dormancy and somewhat extended viability of seeds in the soil may have been selected for under a climate of seasonal drought and unreliable rainfall that characterizes the dry Afromontane region. Dry Afromontane forests have a potential to recover in relatively short time after natural and man-made disturbances, e.g. after carefully managed selective cutting. However, the common practice of clearing forests and converting them into permanent arable land destroys the sources of regrowth thereby preventing regeneration of the forest vegetation. Therefore, the fate of dry Afromontane forests depends on the protection, careful management and conservation of the remaining patches. 102 refs, 4 figs, 1 tab

Composition of the volatile fraction of a sample of Brazilian green propolic and its phytotoxic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes-Silva, Caroline C; Lima, Carolina A; Negri, Giuseppina; Salatino, Maria L F; Salatino, Antonio; Mayworm, Marco A S

2015-12-01

Propolis is a resinous material produced by honeybees, containing mainly beeswax and plant material. Despite the wide spectrum of biological activity of propolis, to our knowledge no studies have been carried out about phytotoxic properties of Brazilian propolis and its constituents. The aims of this study were to analyze the chemical composition and to evaluate the phytotoxic activity of the volatile fraction of a sample of Brazilian green propolis. Main constituents are the phenylpropanoid 3-prenylcinnamic acid allyl ester (26.3%) and the sesquiterpene spathulenol (23.4%). Several other sesquiterpenes and phenylpropanoids, in addition to linalool and α-terpineol (monoterpenes), were also detected. The activity of solutions of the volatile fraction at 1.0, 0.5 and 0.1% was tested on lettuce seeds and seedlings. The solution at 1% inhibited completely the seed germination and solutions at 0.1 and 0.5% reduced the germination rate index. The solution at 0.5% reduced the growth of the hypocotyl-radicle axis and the development of the cotyledon leaf. The chemical composition of the volatile fraction of this Brazilian green propolis is different from those previously described, and these results may contribute to a better understanding about the chemical variations in propolis. The volatile fraction of Brazilian green propolis influences both germination of seed lettuce and the growth of its seedlings, showing an phytotoxic potential. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Seed regulations and local seed systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Louwaars, N.

2000-01-01

Seed regulations have been introduced in most countries based on the development of formal seed production. Concerns about seed quality and about the varietal identity of the seeds have commonly led to seed laws. However, formal regulations are often inappropriate for informal seed systems, which

LAMURU CORN SEED QUALITY IN DIFFERENT STORE PERIOD WITH SOME STUDIES METHOD

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Rahmawati

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Research quality of seed executed at green house and laboratory of seed, Hall of Research of Crop of Serealia Maros in May 2013. Maize used is Lamuru coming from warehouse of UPBS Balitsereal with period keep 12 and 23 month. Research conducted by using RCD four replicated. Result: test by using sand media show percentage germinate, speed growth, length root, amount root of secondary, long of shoot and seed of sprout do not differ significant. Examinatied by piercing paper test to show percentage germinated, speed growth and dry wight of sprout differ significant, while length root, amount secondary root and seed shoot not significant. Use of Brick gravel test to show same result by is piercing paper test except dry weight of sprout at brick gravel test to show result which do not significant. Seed with period keep 12 month have percentage germinate, dry weight sprout, long root primary, sum up root secondary and same seed length at all method test, while speed growth to differ significant at piercing paper test. Seed with period keep 23 month show different result by 12 month. Dry weight sprout, long root primary, sum up root secondary and seed length shoot show same result, while speed growth show different result at third test method. Percentage germinate obtained by piercing paper test to differ significant by brick is gravel test and sand media.

Effect of polyethylene glycol 6000 and storage period on seed quality of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.

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Astiti Rahayu

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Increased productivity of cocoa needs high quality of cocoa seeds which are generally provided by certified seed gardens located far from smallholders farm, where seed delivery takes long time and may reduce physiological quality of seeds. One effort to maintain the seed quality is by treatment the seeds with polyethylene glycol6000 (PEG 6000. This study was aimed to study the interaction of PEG 6000 concentration and storage period on cocoa seed quality, and to determine the best concentration of PEG 6000 and storage period to maintain cocoa seed quality. The research was conducted in seed storage room, seed laboratory and green houseof PPPPTK, Cianjur. The experimental design used was a factorial completely randomized design and each combination treatment repeated three times. The first factor was concentration of PEG 6000 of 0%, 20%, 40%, and 60%, and the second factor was the storage period of 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 9 weeks, and 12 weeks. The results showed that concentration of PEG 60% with three weeks storage period was able to minimize the number of moldy seeds. The concentration of PEG 20%, 40%, and 60% were able to prevent seed germination in storage until six weeks. Concentration of PEG 6000 20% was able to maintain moisture content, seed germination, and germination rate.Key words:cocoa seed, storage, recalcitrant, PEG

Soft computing modelling of moisture sorption isotherms of milk-foxtail millet powder and determination of thermodynamic properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Simha, H V Vikram; Pushpadass, Heartwin A; Franklin, Magdaline Eljeeva Emerald; Kumar, P Arun; Manimala, K

2016-06-01

Moisture sorption isotherms of spray-dried milk-foxtail millet powder were determined at 10, 25 and 40 °C. Sorption data was fitted using classical and soft-computing approaches. The isotherms were of type II, and equilibrium moisture content (EMC) was temperature dependent. The BET monolayer moisture content decreased from 3.30 to 2.67 % as temperature increased from 10 to 40 °C. Amongst the classical models, Ferro-Fontan gave the best fit of EMC-aw data. However, the Sugeno-type adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with generalized bell-shaped membership function performed better than artificial neural network and classical models with RMSE as low as 0.0099. The isosteric heat of sorption decreased from 150.32 kJ mol(-1) at 1 % moisture content to 44.11 kJ mol(-1) at 15 % moisture. The enthalpy-entropy compensation theory was validated, and the isokinetic and harmonic mean temperatures were determined as 333.1 and 297.5 K, respectively.

Sensitivity of salad greens (Lactuca sativa L. and Eruca sativa Mill. exposed to crude extracts of toxic and non-toxic cyanobacteria

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MC. Bittencourt-Oliveira

Full Text Available We evaluated the effect of crude extracts of the microcystin-producing (MC+ cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa on seed germination and initial development of lettuce and arugula, at concentrations between 0.5 μg.L–1 and 100 μg.L–1 of MC-LR equivalent, and compared it to crude extracts of the same species without the toxin (MC–. Crude extracts of the cyanobacteria with MC (+ and without MC (– caused different effects on seed germination and initial development of the salad green seedlings, lettuce being more sensitive to both extracts when compared to arugula. Crude extracts of M. aeruginosa (MC+ caused more evident effects on seed germination and initial development of both species of salad greens than MC–. Concentrations of 75 μg.L–1 and 100 μg.L–1 of MC–LR equivalent induced a greater occurrence of abnormal seedlings in lettuce, due to necrosis of the radicle and shortening of this organ in normal seedlings, as well as the reduction in total chlorophyll content and increase in the activity of the antioxidant enzyme peroxidase (POD. The MC– extract caused no harmful effects to seed germination and initial development of seedlings of arugula. However, in lettuce, it caused elevation of POD enzyme activity, decrease in seed germination at concentrations of 75 μg.L–1 (MC-75 and 100 μg.L–1 (MC-100, and shortening of the radicle length, suggesting that other compounds present in the cyanobacteria extracts contributed to this result. Crude extracts of M. aeruginosa (MC– may contain other compounds, besides the cyanotoxins, capable of causing inhibitory or stimulatory effects on seed germination and initial development of salad green seedlings. Arugula was more sensitive to the crude extracts of M. aeruginosa (MC+ and (MC– and to other possible compounds produced by the cyanobacteria.

Seed dispersal and predation of Buchenavia tomentosa Eichler (Combretaceae in a Cerrado sensu stricto, midwest Brazil

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J. Farias

Full Text Available Abstract The ecology of seed dispersal is critical to understand the patterns of distribution and abundance of plant species. We investigated seed dispersal aspects associated with the high abundance of Buchenavia tomentosa in the Serra Azul State Park (PESA. We estimated fruit production and conducted fruit removal experiments. We carried out diurnal and nocturnal observations on frugivory as well as germination tests. Fruiting occurred in the dry season and totaled 1,365,015 ± 762,670 fruits.ha–1. B. tomentosa fruits were utilized by eight animal species. The lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris was considered the main seed disperser. Leafcutter ants (Atta laevigata and Atta sexdens participated in the seed cleaning and occasionally dispersed seeds. The beetle Amblycerus insuturatus, blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna and red-and-green macaw (Ara chloropterus were considered pre-dispersal seed predators. The seeds manually cleaned presented higher germination rate (100% and speed index (4.2 seeds.d–1 than that of seeds with pulp. Germination of seeds found in tapirs’feces was 40%, while for the seeds without pulp it was 25%. The high abundance of B. tomentosa in the cerrado of PESA may be due to massive fruit production, low rates of seed predation, and efficient seed dispersal by tapirs, occurring before the rains which promote germination and recruitment of this species.

An ABA-responsive DRE-binding protein gene from Setaria italica, SiARDP, the target gene of SiAREB, plays a critical role under drought stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Cong; Yue, Jing; Wu, Xiaowei; Xu, Cong; Yu, Jingjuan

2014-10-01

The DREB (dehydration-responsive element binding)-type transcription factors regulate the expression of stress-inducible genes by binding the DRE/CRT cis-elements in promoter regions. The upstream transcription factors that regulate the transcription of DREB transcription factors have not been clearly defined, although the function of DREB transcription factors in abiotic stress is known. In this study, an abscisic acid (ABA)-responsive DREB-binding protein gene (SiARDP) was cloned from foxtail millet (Setaria italica). The transcript level of SiARDP increased not only after drought, high salt, and low temperature stresses, but also after an ABA treatment in foxtail millet seedlings. Two ABA-responsive elements (ABRE1: ACGTGTC; ABRE2: ACGTGGC) exist in the promoter of SiARDP. Further analyses showed that two ABA-responsive element binding (AREB)-type transcription factors, SiAREB1 and SiAREB2, could physically bind to the ABRE core element in vitro and in vivo. The constitutive expression of SiARDP in Arabidopsis thaliana enhanced drought and salt tolerance during seed germination and seedling development, and overexpression of SiARDP in foxtail millet improved drought tolerance. The expression levels of target genes of SiARDP were upregulated in transgenic Arabidopsis and foxtail millet. These results reveal that SiARDP, one of the target genes of SiAREB, is involved in ABA-dependent signal pathways and plays a critical role in the abiotic stress response in plants. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Preliminary survey of `Green Recycling System`; Jigyo jizen chosa `green recycle system`

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

This report describes the construction of `Green Recycling System` which aims to change deserts to lush lands and to stabilize food supply. A cross-linked polymer produced by irradiating the gooey threads of natto (fermented soybeans) with gamma rays can absorb and hold up to 5,000 times its own weight of water. This biodegradable polymer may be used to develop seed gels and pellets to grow soybean, rice and wheat to improve the productivity of deserts and to protect threatened lands from desertification. This technology will be of great value in establishing stable supply of food resources, especially for the Middle East where deserts are expanding as well as for Africa where serious food shortage is already in place. To undertake the Green Recycling System Project, it is indispensable to develop technologies for producing PGA polymer in large quantity, mass production process of bridged PGA through radiation, chemical cross-linkers, new technologies for growing plants using water retainers, water-retaining materials for arid areas, general systems for growing plants in arid areas, and environmentally benign industrial infrastructures. 76 refs., 59 figs., 29 tabs.

Selection of Green Manure Species for Efficient Absorbtion of Poorly-Available Forms of Soil Phosphorus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Franzini, V. I.; Mendes, F. L. [Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, EMBRAPA-Amazonia Oriental, Belem, PA, (Brazil); Muraoka, T.; Da Silva, E. C. [Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of Sao Paulo, Piracicaba, SP (Brazil); Adu-Gyamfi, J. J. [Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

2013-11-15

Green manuring is an agronomic practice in which plants or their residues are added to the soil, improving of the soil physical, chemical and biological attributes, and increasing organic matter and fertility levels through nutrient cycling. It is estimated that green manures can increase P bioavailability. The integration of plant species in crop rotations to immobilize P is one of the most promising agronomic measures to improve the availability of P for the main crop. This study aimed to assess 21 species of green manure and a standard plant species (Lupinus albus) on their ability to absorb the available forms of P by the {sup 32}P isotopic dilution technique. It also aimed to determine if the isotopically exchangeable P, the L-values, differed when calculated with or without taking seed N into account. The results were statistically correlated and analyzed by hierarchical clustering (HCA) in order to group similar plant species. Jack bean was the most efficient species in P utilization while the Stylosanthes spp. were the most efficient in P uptake. The seed-derived P affected the P uptake efficiency evaluated by L-value technique. (author)

Effect of drought stress on growth, yield and seed quality of tomato (lycopersicon esculentum L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pervez, M.A.; Ayub, C.M.

2009-01-01

Plant growth is seriously affected by abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity or temperature. Drought is one of the most important limiting factors for agricultural crops and vegetable production in particular all around the world. Drought stress during vegetative or early reproductive growth usually reduces yield by reducing the number of seeds, seed size and seed quality. To assess the effect of drought stress on seed yield, seed quality and growth of tomato, the experiment was conducted in green house in plastic pots at Pen-y-Fridd field station, University of Wales, Bangor, U.K. during 2003-2004. Tomato cv. Moneymaker was used as a test crop. There were four treatments i.e. early stress (when first truss has set the fruits), middle stress (when fruits in first truss were fully matured and started changing their colour), late stress (when fruits on first truss were ripened fully), whereas in control no stress was imposed. Analysis of data regarding various attributes (fruit weight and shoot dry weight per plant, number of seeds per fruit, total number of seeds and seed weight per plant and vigour of seed) showed that drought stress had non-significant effect on vigour, quality and yield of tomato seed. Plant height, number of leaves and number of fruits per plant showed significant results toward drought stress signifying drought effects on growth of tomato. (author)

Green Transformational Leadership and Green Performance: The Mediation Effects of Green Mindfulness and Green Self-Efficacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Shan Chen

2014-09-01

Full Text Available No prior literature explores the influence of green transformational leadership on green performance, thus, this study develops a novel research framework to fill the research gap. This study investigates the influence of green transformational leadership on green performance and discusses the mediation effects of green mindfulness and green self-efficacy by means of structural equation modeling (SEM. The results indicate that green transformational leadership positively influences green mindfulness, green self-efficacy, and green performance. Moreover, this study demonstrates that the positive relationship between green transformational leadership and green performance is partially mediated by the two mediators: green mindfulness and green self-efficacy. It means that green transformational leadership can not only directly affect green performance positively but also indirectly affect it positively through green mindfulness and green self-efficacy. Therefore, firms need to raise their green transformational leadership, green mindfulness, and green self-efficacy to increase their green performance.

Green-synthesised nanoparticles from Melia azedarach seeds and the cyclopoid crustacean Cyclops vernalis: an eco-friendly route to control the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi?

Science.gov (United States)

Anbu, Priya; Murugan, Kadarkarai; Madhiyazhagan, Pari; Dinesh, Devakumar; Subramaniam, Jayapal; Panneerselvam, Chellasamy; Suresh, Udaiyan; Alarfaj, Abdullah A; Munusamy, Murugan A; Higuchi, Akon; Hwang, Jiang-Shiou; Kumar, Suresh; Nicoletti, Marcello; Benelli, Giovanni

2016-09-01

The impact of green-synthesised mosquitocidal nanoparticles on non-target aquatic predators is poorly studied. In this research, we proposed a single-step method to synthesise silver nanoparticles (Ag NP) using the seed extract of Melia azedarach. Ag NP were characterised using a variety of biophysical methods, including UV-vis spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In laboratory assays on Anopheles stephensi, Ag NP showed LC50 ranging from 2.897 (I instar larvae) to 14.548 ppm (pupae). In the field, the application of Ag NP (10 × LC50) lead to complete elimination of larval populations after 72 h. The application of Ag NP in the aquatic environment did not show negative adverse effects on predatory efficiency of the mosquito natural enemy Cyclops vernalis. Overall, this study highlights the concrete possibility to employ M. azedarach-synthesised Ag NP on young instars of malaria vectors.

Relationship between color (instrumental and visual) and chlorophyll contents in soybean seeds during ripening.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinnecker, Patrícia; Gomes, M Salete O; Arêas, José A G; Lanfer-Marquez, Ursula M

2002-07-03

The correlation between chlorophyll content and quantitative color parameters was investigated in order to find an indirect method for predicting green pigment in ripening soybean seeds. Five Brazilian soybean varieties harvested at different maturity stages (R(6) to R(8) according to the scale of Fehr & Caviness) and dried under two conditions (in oven at 40 degrees C with circulating air and at ambient temperature around 25 degrees C) were analyzed in two consecutive years. The slow-dried seeds at 25 degrees C lost chlorophyll faster, whereas drying at 40 degrees C did not result in yellowing of seeds. High and significant linear correlations between a value and total chlorophyll were obtained over the whole maturation period and on both conditions of drying. From an industrial point of view it appears that a value, obtained by the CIE-L*a*b* method, seems to be a good tool to be applied for quality control and classifying soybean seeds for different purposes.

Bio-Derived Hierarchical 3D Architecture from Seeds for Supercapacitor Application

Science.gov (United States)

Intawin, Pratthana; Sayed, Farheen N.; Pengpat, Kamonpan; Joyner, Jarin; Tiwary, Chandra Sekhar; Ajayan, Pulickel M.

2017-09-01

The generation and storage of green energy (energy from abundant and nonfossil) is important for a sustainable and clean future. The electrode material in a supercapacitor is a major component. The properties of these materials depend on its inherent architecture and composition. Here, we have chosen sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds with a completely different structure to obtain a carbonaceous product. The product obtained from sunflower seed carbon is a three-dimensional hierarchical macroporous carbon (SSC) composed of many granular nanocrystals of potassium magnesium phosphate dispersed in a matrix. Contrary to this, carbon from pumpkin seeds (PSC) is revealed to be a more rigid structure, with no porous or ordered morphology. The electrochemical supercapacitive behavior was assessed by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge tests. Electrochemical measurements showed that the SSC shows a high specific capacitance of 24.9 Fg-1 as compared with that obtained (2.46 Fg-1) for PSC with a cycling efficiency of 87% and 89%, respectively. On high-temperature cycling for 500 charge-discharge cycles at 0.1 Ag-1, an improved cycling efficiency of 100% and 98% for SSC and PSC, respectively, is observed.

Gene expression in the lignin biosynthesis pathway during soybean seed development.

Science.gov (United States)

Baldoni, A; Von Pinho, E V R; Fernandes, J S; Abreu, V M; Carvalho, M L M

2013-02-28

The study of gene expression in plants is fundamental, and understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in important biological processes, such as biochemical pathways or signaling that are used or manipulated in improvement programs, are key for the production of high-quality soybean seeds. Reports related to gene expression of lignin in seeds are scarce in the literature. We studied the expression of the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, 4-hydroxycinnamate 3-hydroxylase, and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase genes involved in lignin biosynthesis during the development of soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) seeds. As the endogenous control, the eukaryotic elongation factor 1-beta gene was used in two biological replicates performed in triplicate. Relative quantitative expression of these genes during the R4, R5, R6, and R7 development stages was analyzed. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used for the gene expression study. The analyses were carried out in an ABI PRISM 7500 thermocycler using the comparative Ct method and SYBR Green to detect amplification. The seed samples at the R4 stage were chosen as calibrators. Increased expression of the cinnamate-4-hydroxylase and PAL genes occurred in soybean seeds at the R5 and R6 development stages. The cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase gene was expressed during the final development phases of soybean seeds. In low-lignin soybean cultivars, the higher expression of the PAL gene occurs at development stages R6 and R7. Activation of the genes involved in the lignin biosynthesis pathway occurs at the beginning of soybean seed development.

The effect of frequency-specific sound signals on the germination of maize seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Vicient, Carlos M

2017-07-25

The effects of sound treatments on the germination of maize seeds were determined. White noise and bass sounds (300 Hz) had a positive effect on the germination rate. Only 3 h treatment produced an increase of about 8%, and 5 h increased germination in about 10%. Fast-green staining shows that at least part of the effects of sound are due to a physical alteration in the integrity of the pericarp, increasing the porosity of the pericarp and facilitating oxygen availability and water and oxygen uptake. Accordingly, by removing the pericarp from the seeds the positive effect of the sound on the germination disappeared.

The influence of light spectra, UV-A, and growth regulators on the in vitro seed germination of Senecio cineraria DC.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristiane Pimentel Victório

2010-10-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to investigate the effects of light spectra, additional UV-A, and different growth regulators on the in vitro germination of Senecio cineraria DC. Seeds were surface-sterilized and inoculated in MS medium to evaluate the following light spectra: white, white plus UV-A, blue, green, red or darkness. The maximum germinability was obtained using MS0 medium under white light (30% and MS + 0.3 mg L-1 GA3 in the absence of light (30.5%. S. cineraria seeds were indifferent to light. Blue and green lights inhibited germination. Different concentrations of gibberellic acid (GA3 (0.1; 0.4; 0.6; 0.8; 1.0 and 2.0 mg L-1 and indole-3-acetic acid IAA (0.1; 0.3 and 1.0 mg L-1 were evaluated under white light and darkness. No concentration of GA3 enhanced seed germination percentage under white light. However, when the seeds were maintained in darkness, GA3 improved germination responses in all tested concentrations, except at 1.0 mg L-1. Under white light, these concentrations also increased the germination time and reduced germination rate. Germination rate, under light or darkness, was lower using IAA compared with GA3.

Irradiation effect on the seed vigor, SOD activity and MDA content in germinating seeds of yellow-seeded and black-seeded rape seed (Brassica napus L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Jixiang; Hu Danhong; Liu Houli

1993-01-01

Seeds of a set of near-isogenic lines (Brassica napus L.) with different seed coat color from yellow to black were irradiated by 60 Co γ-rays of 150 krad. Seed vigor, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in germinating seeds were analysed. In these characters, no significant difference between yellow-seeded lines (YLs) and black-seeded lines (BLs) showed before irradiation. But after irradiation, SOD activity in YLs was lower than that in BLs. While MDA content in YLs was obviously higher that that in DLs. As a result of irradiation, seed vigor of YLs was lower than that in BLs. these results indicated that the irradiation resistance of rape seed was related to the level of SOD as well as protective structure or substances in seed coat and that the radiosensitivity of YLs was higher than that of DLs

Use of Se-enriched mustard and canola seed meals as potential bioherbicides and green fertilizers in strawberry production

Science.gov (United States)

New plant-based products can be produced from seed harvested from Brassica species used for phytomanaging selenium (Se) in the westside of central California. We tested Se-enriched seed meals produced from canola (Brassica napus) and mustard (Sinapis alba) plants as potential bio-herbicides and as g...

Organic leek seed production - securing seed quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deleuran, Lise Christina; Boelt, Birte

2011-01-01

To maintain integrity in organic farming, availability of organically produced GM-free seed of varieties adapted to organic production systems is of vital impor-tance. Despite recent achievements, organic seed supply for a number of vegetable species is insufficient. Still, in many countries...... seeds. Tunnel production is a means of securing seed of high genetic purity and quality, and organic leek (Allium porrum L.) seed production was tested in tunnels in Denmark. The present trial focused on steckling size and in all years large stecklings had a positive effect on both seed yield...

Organic Leek Seed Production - Securing Seed Quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deleuran, L C; Boelt, B

2011-01-01

To maintain integrity in organic farming, availability of organically produced GM-free seed of varieties adapted to organic production systems is of vital impor-tance. Despite recent achievements, organic seed supply for a number of vegetable species is insufficient. Still, in many countries...... seeds. Tunnel production is a means of securing seed of high genetic purity and quality, and organic leek (Allium porrum L.) seed production was tested in tunnels in Denmark. The present trial focused on steckling size and in all years large stecklings had a positive effect on both seed yield...

Use of Extracted Green Inhibitors as a Friendly Choice in Corrosion Protection of Low Alloy Carbon Steel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jano, A.

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Mitigation of corrosion impact on environment is an important step in environmental protection. Use of environmentally friendly corrosion protection methods is very important. It is smart to choose cheap and safe to handle compounds as corrosion inhibitors. The use of green inhibitors (extracted inexpensively, from the seed endosperm of some Leguminosae plants, and investigation of their efficiency in corrosion protection is the aim of this study. As green inhibitor one kind of polysaccharides (galactomannan from locust bean gum (also known as carob gum, carob bean gum extracted from the seed of carob tree is used. Corrosion protection efficiency of these extracted green inhibitors was tested for carbon steel marked as: steel 39, steel 44, and iron B 500 (usually applied as reinforcing bars to concrete. Sulfuric acid solution in the presence of chloride ions was used as corrosion media. The composition of corrosion acid media used was 1 mol L-1 H2SO4 and 10-3 mol L-1 Cl- (in the form of NaCl. Electrochemical techniques such as potentiodynamic polarization methods were used for inhibitor efficiency testing.

Empty seeds are not always bad: simultaneous effect of seed emptiness and masting on animal seed predation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramón Perea

Full Text Available Seed masting and production of empty seeds have often been considered independently as different strategies to reduce seed predation by animals. Here, we integrate both phenomena within the whole assemblage of seed predators (both pre and post-dispersal and in two contrasting microsites (open vs. sheltered to improve our understanding of the factors controlling seed predation in a wind-dispersed tree (Ulmus laevis. In years with larger crop sizes more avian seed predators were attracted with an increase in the proportion of full seeds predated on the ground. However, for abundant crops, the presence of empty seeds decreased the proportion of full seeds predated. Empty seeds remained for a very long period in the tree, making location of full seeds more difficult for pre-dispersal predators and expanding the overall seed drop period at a very low cost (in dry biomass and allocation of C, N and P. Parthenocarpy (non-fertilized seeds was the main cause of seed emptiness whereas seed abortion was produced in low quantity. These aborted seeds fell prematurely and, thus, could not work as deceptive seeds. A proportion of 50% empty seeds significantly reduced ground seed predation by 26%. However, a high rate of parthenocarpy (beyond 50% empty seeds did not significantly reduce seed predation in comparison to 50% empty seeds. We also found a high variability and unpredictability in the production of empty seeds, both at tree and population level, making predator deception more effective. Open areas were especially important to facilitate seed survival since rodents (the main post-dispersal predators consumed seeds mostly under shrub cover. In elm trees parthenocarpy is a common event that might work as an adaptive strategy to reduce seed predation. Masting per se did not apparently reduce the overall proportion of seeds predated in this wind-dispersed tree, but kept great numbers of seeds unconsumed.

Establishing a green lights revolving fund

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-07-01

The report details the experiences of the City of Houston in establishing a Green Lights Revolving Fund. It provides examples of key documents and guidelines which can be used in other jurisdictions to establish an internal revolving fund to provide continuing monies through recapture of cost savings for an ongoing program of energy improvements in governmental facilities. It provides guidelines on how to establish a continuing source of funds for governmental facility energy improvements. The report provides background information on the ongoing energy improvement programs in the City of Houston, including its participation in the Environmental Protection Agency`s Green Lights Program. It reviews the steps required to establish a Green Lights Revolving Fund, including the administrative, legal, budgetary, accounting, interdepartmental, mayoral, and governing body approvals and actions needed to create a self-sustaining revolving fund devoted to energy improvements. The report also describes two funding sources in addition to the grant seed funds which were used to increase the initial funds available in the Green Lights Revolving Fund. It provides sample documents for modification and use in other jurisdictions that want to use similar funding sources. It reports the initial project submission and selection procedure and criteria, and provides a transferable project application kit based on the criteria specified. It also details a sample repayment memorandum of understanding between departments, which can be used in other governments. Other transferable products provided in the report are sample energy audit summaries which were conducted by qualified, independent staff to determine the accuracy of the departmental project costs and savings payback calculations.

Green Transformational Leadership and Green Performance: The Mediation Effects of Green Mindfulness and Green Self-Efficacy

OpenAIRE

Yu-Shan Chen; Ching-Hsun Chang; Yu-Hsien Lin

2014-01-01

No prior literature explores the influence of green transformational leadership on green performance, thus, this study develops a novel research framework to fill the research gap. This study investigates the influence of green transformational leadership on green performance and discusses the mediation effects of green mindfulness and green self-efficacy by means of structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicate that green transformational leadership positively influences green min...

Selenoamino Acid-Enriched Green Pea as a Value-Added Plant Protein Source for Humans and Livestock.

Science.gov (United States)

Garousi, Farzaneh; Domokos-Szabolcsy, Éva; Jánószky, Mihály; Kovács, Andrea Balláné; Veres, Szilvia; Soós, Áron; Kovács, Béla

2017-06-01

Selenium deficiency in various degrees affects around 15% of the world's population, contributing to a variety of health problems. In this study, we examined the accumulation and biotransformation of soil applied Se-supplementation (sodium selenite and sodium selenate forms) at different concentrations, along with growth and yield formation of green pea, in a greenhouse experiment. Biotransformation of inorganic Se was evaluated using HPLC-ICP-MS for Se-species separation in the above ground parts of green pea. Results showed 3 mg kg -1 Se IV increased green pea growth biomarkers and also caused an increase in protein content in leaves by 17%. Selenomethionine represented 65% of the total selenium content in shoots, but was lower in pods and seeds (54 and 38%, respectively). Selenomethionine was the major species in all plant parts and the only organic selenium form in the lower Se IV concentration range. Elevating the dose of Se IV (≥30 mg kg -1 ) triggered detrimental effects on growth and protein content and caused higher accumulation of inorganic Se in forms of Se VI and Se IV . Selenocysteine, another organic form of proteinogenic amino acid, was determined when Se IV (≥10 mg kg -1 ) was applied in higher concentrations. Thus, agronomic biofortification using the appropriate chemical form and concentration of Se will have positive effects on green pea growth and its enriched shoots and seeds provide a value-added protein source for livestock and humans with significant increased selenomethionine.

Green lights program in China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dadi, Zhuo; Hong, Liu [Beijing Energy Efficiency Center (China)

1996-12-31

In China`s 9th 5-year plan (1996-2000), the Chinese government has placed high priority on energy conservation. The China Green Lights Program (CGLP) is listed as one of the key projects of energy conservation. The basic strategy of the CGLP is to mobilise all of the potential contributors to participate in the program, and to use market signals and supplementary non-market instruments to facilitate its implementation. Governmental funds and loans will be used as seed money to attract private participation in the program. The program contains the following elements: (1) Information dissemination to educate the public on the economic and other values of the program and to provide CGLP information to increase consumer awareness and, as a result, increase the demand for energy-efficient lighting systems. (2) Development of standards and codes for lighting systems, establishment of product specifications, and enforcement of product standards. (3) Development of quality certification and labelling system to provide assurances to consumers that the products they are purchasing will meet their performance and cost saving expectations. (4) Highlighted support and financing for production technology development and production capacity expansion. (5) Demonstration and pilot projects to boost consumer confidence in green lighting systems and to demonstrate new production technologies and processes. (6) International co-operation to expand the international exchange and absorb advanced technology and experience for implementation of the China Green Lights Program.

Seed-borne pathogens and electrical conductivity of soybean seeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Luiza Wain-Tassi

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Adequate procedures to evaluate seed vigor are important. Regarding the electrical conductivity test (EC, the interference in the test results caused by seed-borne pathogens has not been clarified. This research was carried out to study the influence of Phomopsis sojae (Leh. and Colletotrichum dematium (Pers. ex Fr. Grove var. truncata (Schw. Arx. fungi on EC results. Soybean seeds (Glycine max L. were inoculated with those fungi using potato, agar and dextrose (PDA medium with manitol (-1.0 MPa and incubated for 20 h at 25 °C. The colony diameter, index of mycelial growth, seed water content, occurrence of seed-borne pathogens, physiological potential of the seeds, measured by germination and vigor tests (seed germination index, cold test, accelerated aging and electrical conductivity, and seedling field emergence were determined. The contents of K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ in the seed and in the soaking solution were also determined. A complete 2 × 4 factorial design with two seed sizes (5.5 and 6.5 mm and four treatments (control, seeds incubated without fungi, seeds incubated with Phomopsis and seeds incubated with Colletotrichum were used with eight (5.5 mm large seeds and six (6.5 mm large seeds replications. All seeds submitted to PDA medium had their germination reduced in comparison to the control seeds. This reduction was also observed when seed vigor and leached ions were considered. The presence of Phomopsis sojae fungus in soybean seed samples submitted to the EC test may be the cause of misleading results.

GREEN PACKAGING, GREEN PRODUCT, GREEN ADVERTISING, PERSEPSI, DAN MINAT BELI KONSUMEN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imam Santoso

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Environmental problems become one of the strategic issues in achieving global competitiveness. One of the issues is products that are made from environmental friendly materials or known as green product. Furthermore, in green products marketing, the company also uses green packaging and green advertising concept. This study aimed to analyze the effect of green packaging, green products, and green advertising on consumer perception and purchasing intention. The study was conducted in Ketawanggede Village, Lowokwaru Sub-district, Malang City. The sampling method used nonprobability accidential sampling techniques. The numbers of respondents were 113 consumers in study site. Data were collected by interview using questionnaires. The method of analysis used Generalized Structured Component Analysis (GSCA. The analysis showed that the green packaging, green products, and green advertising had positive significant influence on consumer perceptions. Meanwhile, green product and consumer perception had positive significant influence on purchasing interest, but the green packaging and green advertising has not found sufficient evidence in influencing purchasing intention.

Ecotoxicological impact of two soil remediation treatments in Lactuca sativa seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Rede, Diana; Santos, Lúcia H M L M; Ramos, Sandra; Oliva-Teles, Filipe; Antão, Cristina; Sousa, Susana R; Delerue-Matos, Cristina

2016-09-01

Pharmaceuticals have been identified as environmental emerging pollutants and are present in different compartments, including soils. Chemical remediation showed to be a good and suitable approach for soil remediation, though the knowledge in their impact for terrestrial organisms is still limited. Therefore, in this work, two different chemical remediation treatments (Fenton oxidation and nanoremediation) were applied to a soil contaminated with an environmental representative concentration of ibuprofen (3 ng g(-1)). The phytotoxic impact of a traditional soil remediation treatment (Fenton oxidation) and of a new and more sustainable approach for soil remediation (nanoremediation using green nano-scale zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVIs)) was evaluated in Lactuca sativa seeds. Percentage of seed germination, root elongation, shoot length and leaf length were considered as endpoints to assess the possible acute phytotoxicity of the soil remediation treatments as well as of the ibuprofen contaminated soil. Both chemical remediation treatments showed to have a negative impact in the germination and development of lettuce seeds, exhibiting a reduction up to 45% in the percentage of seed germination and a decrease around 80% in root elongation comparatively to the contaminated soil. These results indicate that chemical soil remediation treatments could be more prejudicial for terrestrial organisms than contaminated soils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Successful disinfection protocol for orchid seeds and influence of gelling agent on germination and growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomaž JEVŠNIK

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Artificial propagation of endangered orchid species is one of the most important actions of conservationists often jeopardized by low numbers of acquired seed, its contamination and viability. Disinfection and chemical composition of media are two of the most important factors contributing to better germination in temperate orchid species. The article deals with three world genera (Epidendrum nocturnum, Prosthechea garciana, Maxillaria rufescens and one commercial hybrid (Zygopetalum and describes an effective method of orchid seed disinfection carried out in a centrifuge. Germination percentages of all three genera and one hybrid were between 60 and 90 % from which we concluded that the risk of physical damage to the seeds by centrifugation is not significant. The time needed for disinfected seeds (E. nocturnum, P. garciana, M. rufescens to swell-form protocorms was 10 days shorter compared to undisinfected seeds (Zygopetalum hybrid - green capsule method and some other studies. Adequate wetting and stratification of the seed is very important for successful germination, which resembles processes in natural environment. Additionally, this method solves the problems of collecting and transferring the seeds after disinfection. It is also important that the time needed for disinfection is shorter, which is desirable for some sensitive species. Our study also focuses on importance of gelling agent, namely Gellan gum and agar, since we noticed an obvious superiority of the former in all phases of in vitro development.

Microwave-Assisted Extraction and Physicochemical Evaluation of Oil from Hevea brasiliensis Seeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evelyn C. Creencia

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis is exploited mainly for latex in view of its economic importance. However, one of its auxiliary products, the rubber seed, does not find any major applications, and hence, even the natural production of seeds itself remains underutilized. In this study, microwave-assisted Soxhlet extraction is used as a green alternative to extract the oil from seeds at a reaction time of 90 min and microwave power of 300 W. The objective of the study is to evaluate the effects of the processing conditions, including drying time, temperature, solid–solvent ratio, and extraction solvent, on the yield of rubber seed oil. Moreover, the microwave-assisted aqueous extraction (MAAE under acidic conditions is also investigated. Based on the results, n-hexane gave the best yield at an optimized 1:20 seed–hexane ratio at 72 °C compared with the conventional Soxhlet method and the acidic MAAE. Furthermore, the chemical characteristics of the oil showed a high value of free fatty acids (% FFA (1.15–7.61% and an iodine value (IV that ranges from 100–150. As a semi-drying oil, rubber seed oil (RSO can be used as an ingredient for surface coating and in the formulation of products where the presence of unsaturation is important.

VERMICOMPOST APPLICATION IMPROVING SEMIARID-GROWN CORN GREEN EAR AND GRAIN YIELDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PAULO SÉRGIO LIMA E SILVA

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Intensive corn farming quickly depletes soil organic matter in the nutrient-poor soils of the Brazilian semiarid region. Application of vermicompost, an excellent organic fertilizer, could help solve that problem. This study evaluated the effect of applying Eisenia fetida vermicompost in the seeding furrows, at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 Mg.ha-1 application rates, on the green ear yield and grain yield of two corn cultivars. Treatments were replicated five times with split-plots (vermicompost application rates within plots in a completely randomized block design. The number of mature ears, number of kernels per ear (cultivar BR 106, and 100-kernel weight (cultivar AG 1051 were not affected by vermicompost application rate. However, vermicompost application increased total number and weight of unhusked and husked marketable green ears as well as grain yield. Total number of green ears was higher in cultivar BR 106 than in cultivar AG 1051. Conversely, grain yield and total ear weight and marketable weight of unhusked and husked green ears was higher in cultivar AG 1051, but responses in the latter two traits were dose-dependent.

GREEN PACKAGING, GREEN PRODUCT, GREEN ADVERTISING, PERSEPSI, DAN MINAT BELI KONSUMEN

OpenAIRE

Imam Santoso; Rengganis Fitriani

2016-01-01

Environmental problems become one of the strategic issues in achieving global competitiveness. One of the issues is products that are made from environmental friendly materials or known as green product. Furthermore, in green products marketing, the company also uses green packaging and green advertising concept. This study aimed to analyze the effect of green packaging, green products, and green advertising on consumer perception and purchasing intention. The study was conducted in Ketawangg...

Tomato fruit and seed colonization by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis through external and internal routes.

Science.gov (United States)

Tancos, Matthew A; Chalupowicz, Laura; Barash, Isaac; Manulis-Sasson, Shulamit; Smart, Christine D

2013-11-01

The Gram-positive bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, causal agent of bacterial wilt and canker of tomato, is an economically devastating pathogen that inflicts considerable damage throughout all major tomato-producing regions. Annual outbreaks continue to occur in New York, where C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis spreads via infected transplants, trellising stakes, tools, and/or soil. Globally, new outbreaks can be accompanied by the introduction of contaminated seed stock; however, the route of seed infection, especially the role of fruit lesions, remains undefined. In order to investigate the modes of seed infection, New York C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis field strains were stably transformed with a gene encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP). A constitutively eGFP-expressing virulent C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis isolate, GCMM-22, was used to demonstrate that C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis could not only access seeds systemically through the xylem but also externally through tomato fruit lesions, which harbored high intra- and intercellular populations. Active movement and expansion of bacteria into the fruit mesocarp and nearby xylem vessels followed, once the fruits began to ripen. These results highlight the ability of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis to invade tomato fruits and seeds through multiple entry routes.

Green Gram Rotation Effects on Maize Growth Parameters and Soil Quality in Myanmar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myo Kywe

2008-10-01

Full Text Available At present maize–green gram crop rotations are not widely practiced among farmers in Myanmar. However, this cropping system might become more popular in the future given raising prices for green gram and maize grain and scarcity of mineral nitrogen (N fertilizers in this Asian country. The results of a cropping systems experiment with continuous maize versus a green gram-maize rotation, manure application (0 and 2 t ha−1 and phosphorus (P fertilization (0 and 15 kg P ha−1 in each of five consecutive seasons revealed a strong decline in total dry matter and grains yields for both crops irrespective of the treatment. Treatment effects on yield components, nutrient concentrations, mycorrhizal infection and nematode infestation were small or negligible. The data show that in addition to manure used at 2 t ha−1, application of mineral N fertilizers is essential to maintain particularly maize yields. A comparison of different green gram cultivars did not indicate genotype specific effects on maize growth. The incorporation of legume residues, unless they are used as animal feed, is recommended to increase the recycling of N and to balance N fluxes when green gram is cultivated for seed.

78 FR 63369 - Citrus Canker, Citrus Greening, and Asian Citrus Psyllid; Interstate Movement of Regulated...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-24

... that seed transmission may occur. The pathogen can also be transmitted by two insect vectors in the... by the Secretary prior to movement. Citrus canker is a plant disease that is caused by a complex of....75-6. Citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing disease of citrus, is considered to be one of the...

Purification of free arginine from chickpea (Cicer arietinum) seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Cortés-Giraldo, Isabel; Megías, Cristina; Alaiz, Manuel; Girón-Calle, Julio; Vioque, Javier

2016-02-01

Chickpea is a grain legume widely consumed in the Mediterranean region and other parts of the world. Chickpea seeds are rich in proteins but they also contain a substantial amount of free amino acids, especially arginine. Hence chickpea may represent a useful source of free amino acids for nutritional or pharmaceutical purposes. Arginine is receiving great attention in recent years because it is the substrate for the synthesis of nitric oxide, an important signaling molecule involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes in mammals. In this work we describe a simple procedure for the purification of arginine from chickpea seeds, using nanofiltration technology and an ion-exchange resin, Amberlite IR-120. Arginine was finally purified by precipitation or crystallization, yielding preparations with purities of 91% and 100%, respectively. Chickpea may represent an affordable green source of arginine, and a useful alternative to production by fermentation or protein hydrolysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production of Basella plants resistant to rust by irradiation of seeds and vegetative tissue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makambila, C.

1997-01-01

Basella is classified in the family Chenopodiaceae or Basellaceae. Also known as African spinach, this plant is consumed in Central Africa and several other African countries. There are two types of varieties grown in Congo: i. a local variety characterized by red leaves and stalks in which the principal way of propagation is from cuttings; ii. a group of varieties which have green or purple leaves and stalks. These varieties are called Basella alba and Basella rubra. These varieties have sexual reproduction. Among the two groups of varieties, the local variety is propagated vegetatively but is resistant to rust, while varieties with green leaves or with purple leaves (B. alba and B. rubra) that are propagated from seed are susceptible to rust. Since hybrid cannot be made by conventional crossing, the following procedures have been adopted to produce plants with disease tolerance: 1. production of resistant variants by irradiation of Basella alba seeds with Cesium 137; 2. production of resistant variants by irradiation of vegetative tissues obtained by culture of meristematic cells of B alba; and 3. obtaining resistant plants through somaclonal variation. 1 tab

Production of Basella plants resistant to rust by irradiation of seeds and vegetative tissue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Makambila, C [Laboratory of Phytopathology, Faculty of Sciences, Univ. of Brazzaville, Brazzaville (Congo)

1997-12-01

Basella is classified in the family Chenopodiaceae or Basellaceae. Also known as African spinach, this plant is consumed in Central Africa and several other African countries. There are two types of varieties grown in Congo: i. a local variety characterized by red leaves and stalks in which the principal way of propagation is from cuttings; ii. a group of varieties which have green or purple leaves and stalks. These varieties are called Basella alba and Basella rubra. These varieties have sexual reproduction. Among the two groups of varieties, the local variety is propagated vegetatively but is resistant to rust, while varieties with green leaves or with purple leaves (B. alba and B. rubra) that are propagated from seed are susceptible to rust. Since hybrid cannot be made by conventional crossing, the following procedures have been adopted to produce plants with disease tolerance: 1. production of resistant variants by irradiation of Basella alba seeds with Cesium 137; 2. production of resistant variants by irradiation of vegetative tissues obtained by culture of meristematic cells of B alba; and 3. obtaining resistant plants through somaclonal variation. 1 tab.

Soybean seeds expressing feedback-insensitive cystathionine γ-synthase exhibit a higher content of methionine.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Shikui; Hou, Wensheng; Godo, Itamar; Wu, Cunxiang; Yu, Yang; Matityahu, Ifat; Hacham, Yael; Sun, Shi; Han, Tianfu; Amir, Rachel

2013-04-01

Soybean seeds provide an excellent source of protein for human and livestock nutrition. However, their nutritional quality is hampered by a low concentration of the essential sulfur amino acid, methionine (Met). In order to study factors that regulate Met synthesis in soybean seeds, this study used the Met-insensitive form of Arabidopsis cystathionine γ-synthase (AtD-CGS), which is the first committed enzyme of Met biosynthesis. This gene was expressed under the control of a seed-specific promoter, legumin B4, and used to transform the soybean cultivar Zigongdongdou (ZD). In three transgenic lines that exhibited the highest expression level of AtD-CGS, the level of soluble Met increased significantly in developing green seeds (3.8-7-fold). These seeds also showed high levels of other amino acids. This phenomenon was more prominent in two transgenic lines, ZD24 and ZD91. The total Met content, which including Met incorporated into proteins, significantly increased in the mature dry seeds of these two transgenic lines by 1.8- and 2.3-fold, respectively. This elevation was accompanied by a higher content of other protein-incorporated amino acids, which led to significantly higher total protein content in the seeds of these two lines. However, in a third transgenic line, ZD01, the level of total Met and the level of other amino acids did not increase significantly in the mature dry seeds. This line also showed no significant change in protein levels. This suggests a positive connection between high Met content and the synthesis of other amino acids that enable the synthesis of more seed proteins.

Bioavailability and activity of phytosome complexes from botanical polyphenols: the silymarin, curcumin, green tea, and grape seed extracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Kidd, Parris M

2009-09-01

Plant-derived polyphenols are increasingly receiving attention as dietary supplements for the homeostatic management of inflammation, to support detoxication, and for anticancer, weight loss, and other benefits. Their pro-homeostatic effects on genes, transcription factors, enzymes, and cell signaling pathways are being intensively explored, but the poor bioavailability of some polyphenols likely contributes to poor clinical trial outcomes. This review covers four polyphenol preparations with poor bioavailability and their complexation into phytosomes to bypass this problem. Silybin and the other silymarin flavonolignans from milk thistle conserve tissue glutathione, are liver-protective, and have anticancer potential. Curcumin and its related diphenolic curcuminoids have potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties. The green tea flavan-3-ol catechins have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardio- and neuro-protective effects, and anti-carcinogenic benefits, with fat oxidation effects coupled to weight loss. The complex grape seed proanthocyanidin mix (including catechin and epicatechin monomers and oligomers) counters oxidative stress and protects the circulatory system. For each of these preparations, conversion into phytosomes has improved efficacy without compromising safety. The phytosome technology creates intermolecular bonding between individual polyphenol molecules and one or more molecules of the phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine (PC). Molecular imaging suggests that PC molecule(s) enwrap each polyphenol; upon oral intake the amphipathic PC molecules likely usher the polyphenol through the intestinal epithelial cell outer membrane, subsequently accessing the bloodstream. PC itself has proven clinical efficacy that contributes to phytosome in vivo actions. As a molecular delivery vehicle, phytosome technology substantially improves the clinical applicabilities of polyphenols and other poorly absorbed plant medicinals.

Greens of the European Green Capitals

Science.gov (United States)

Cömertler, Seval

2017-10-01

Well established and maintained green areas have a key role on reaching the high quality of life and sustainability in urban environments. Therefore, green areas must be carefully accounted and evaluated in the urban planning affairs. In this context, the European Green Capitals, which attach a great importance to the green areas, have a great potential to act as a role model for both small and big cities in all around the world. These leading cities (chronologically, Stockholm, Hamburg, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Nantes, Copenhagen, Bristol, Ljubljana, Essen and Nijmegen) are inspiring for the other cities which seek to achieve more sustainable and environmentally friendly places through green areas. From this point of view, the aim of this paper was to investigate the green areas of the European Green Capitals. The paper covered whole European Green Capitals, and the application form of each Green Capital was used as a primary data source. Consequently, the paper put forwarded that the European Green Capitals have considerably large amount and high proportion of green areas. Further, these cities provide an excellent access to the public green areas. As a result of abundant provision and proper distribution, the almost all citizens in most of the Green Capitals live within a distance of 300 meters to a green area. For further researches, the paper suggested that these green capitals should be investigated in terms of their efforts, measures, goals and plans, policies and implications to administer, to protect, to enhance and to expand the green areas.

Does the informal seed system threaten cowpea seed health?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Biemond, P.C.; Oguntade, O.; Lava Kumar, P.; Stomph, T.J.; Termorshuizen, A.J.; Struik, P.C.

2013-01-01

Most smallholder farmers in developing countries depend on an informal Seed System (SS) for their seed. The informal SS is often criticized because farmer-produced seed samples are not tested for seed health, thus accepting the risk of planting infected seeds. Here we aimed at assessing the quality

Hsp104 Overexpression Cures Saccharomyces cerevisiae [PSI+] by Causing Dissolution of the Prion Seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Yang-Nim; Zhao, Xiaohong; Yim, Yang-In; Todor, Horia; Ellerbrock, Robyn; Reidy, Michael; Eisenberg, Evan; Masison, Daniel C.

2014-01-01

The [PSI+] yeast prion is formed when Sup35 misfolds into amyloid aggregates. [PSI+], like other yeast prions, is dependent on the molecular chaperone Hsp104, which severs the prion seeds so that they pass on as the yeast cells divide. Surprisingly, however, overexpression of Hsp104 also cures [PSI+]. Several models have been proposed to explain this effect: inhibition of severing, asymmetric segregation of the seeds between mother and daughter cells, and dissolution of the prion seeds. First, we found that neither the kinetics of curing nor the heterogeneity in the distribution of the green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled Sup35 foci in partially cured yeast cells is compatible with Hsp104 overexpression curing [PSI+] by inhibiting severing. Second, we ruled out the asymmetric segregation model by showing that the extent of curing was essentially the same in mother and daughter cells and that the fluorescent foci did not distribute asymmetrically, but rather, there was marked loss of foci in both mother and daughter cells. These results suggest that Hsp104 overexpression cures [PSI+] by dissolution of the prion seeds in a two-step process. First, trimming of the prion seeds by Hsp104 reduces their size, and second, their amyloid core is eliminated, most likely by proteolysis. PMID:24632242

Hsp104 overexpression cures Saccharomyces cerevisiae [PSI+] by causing dissolution of the prion seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Yang-Nim; Zhao, Xiaohong; Yim, Yang-In; Todor, Horia; Ellerbrock, Robyn; Reidy, Michael; Eisenberg, Evan; Masison, Daniel C; Greene, Lois E

2014-05-01

The [PSI(+)] yeast prion is formed when Sup35 misfolds into amyloid aggregates. [PSI(+)], like other yeast prions, is dependent on the molecular chaperone Hsp104, which severs the prion seeds so that they pass on as the yeast cells divide. Surprisingly, however, overexpression of Hsp104 also cures [PSI(+)]. Several models have been proposed to explain this effect: inhibition of severing, asymmetric segregation of the seeds between mother and daughter cells, and dissolution of the prion seeds. First, we found that neither the kinetics of curing nor the heterogeneity in the distribution of the green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled Sup35 foci in partially cured yeast cells is compatible with Hsp104 overexpression curing [PSI(+)] by inhibiting severing. Second, we ruled out the asymmetric segregation model by showing that the extent of curing was essentially the same in mother and daughter cells and that the fluorescent foci did not distribute asymmetrically, but rather, there was marked loss of foci in both mother and daughter cells. These results suggest that Hsp104 overexpression cures [PSI(+)] by dissolution of the prion seeds in a two-step process. First, trimming of the prion seeds by Hsp104 reduces their size, and second, their amyloid core is eliminated, most likely by proteolysis.

Complete nucleotide sequences and construction of full-length infectious cDNA clones of Cucumber green mottle virus (CGMMV) in a versatile newly developed binary vector including both 35S and T7 promoters

Science.gov (United States)

Seed-transmitted viruses have caused significant damage to watermelon crops in Korea in recent years, with Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) infection widespread as a result of infected seed lots. To determine the likely origin of CGMMV infection, we collected CGMMV isolates from watermelon...

Effects of γ-irradiation of garden rose seeds on yield growth anddevelopment of plants. Stufy of relationship between radiation variability of survival rate, growth and developement of plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zykov, K.I.; Klimenko, Z.K.

1994-01-01

Correlations between the yield of seedings in green house, survival rate, growth and development in an outdoor plot with rigid agroecological conditions were studied, when variability of these indices was due to γ-irradiation of seeds in different modes. The results obtained allow us to suppose that when a heterogeneous population of garden roses exposed to high doses significantly reduced their germination ability, a selection of ecologically stable, well growing and developing genotypes can take place. It is accounted for direct relation between radioresistance of the seeds and their genetically conditioned ecological stability and ability of seedings to good growth and development

From green architecture to architectural green

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Earon, Ofri

2011-01-01

that describes the architectural exclusivity of this particular architecture genre. The adjective green expresses architectural qualities differentiating green architecture from none-green architecture. Currently, adding trees and vegetation to the building’s facade is the main architectural characteristics...... they have overshadowed the architectural potential of green architecture. The paper questions how a green space should perform, look like and function. Two examples are chosen to demonstrate thorough integrations between green and space. The examples are public buildings categorized as pavilions. One......The paper investigates the topic of green architecture from an architectural point of view and not an energy point of view. The purpose of the paper is to establish a debate about the architectural language and spatial characteristics of green architecture. In this light, green becomes an adjective...

Efficiency of alfalfa seed processing with different seed purity

OpenAIRE

Đokić, Dragoslav; Stanisavljević, Rade; Terzić, Dragan; Milenković, Jasmina; Radivojević, Gordana; Koprivica, Ranko; Štrbanović, Ratibor

2015-01-01

The work was carried out analysis of the impact of the initial purity of raw alfalfa seed on the resulting amount of processed seed in the processing. Alfalfa is very important perennial forage legume which is used for fodder and seed production. Alfalfa seed is possible to achieve high yields and very good financial effects. To obtain the seed material with good characteristics complex machines for cleaning and sorting seeds are used. In the processing center of the Institute for forage crop...

Influences of Air, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Carbon Dioxide Nanobubbles on Seed Germination and Plant Growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Ahmed Khaled Abdella; Shi, Xiaonan; Hua, Likun; Manzueta, Leidy; Qing, Weihua; Marhaba, Taha; Zhang, Wen

2018-05-23

Nanobubbles (NBs) hold promise in green and sustainable engineering applications in diverse fields (e.g., water/wastewater treatment, food processing, medical applications, and agriculture). This study investigated the effects of four types of NBs on seed germination and plant growth. Air, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide NBs were generated and dispersed in tap water. Different plants, including lettuce, carrot, fava bean, and tomato, were used in germination and growth tests. The seeds in water-containing NBs exhibited 6-25% higher germination rates. Especially, nitrogen NBs exhibited considerable effects in the seed germination, whereas air and carbon dioxide NBs did not significantly promote germination. The growth of stem length and diameter, leave number, and leave width were promoted by NBs (except air). Furthermore, the promotion effect was primarily ascribed to the generation of exogenous reactive oxygen species by NBs and higher efficiency of nutrient fixation or utilization.

Identification and antioxidant properties of polyphenols in lotus seed epicarp at different ripening stages.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ying; Ma, Shuang-shuang; Ibrahim, S A; Li, Er-hu; Yang, Hong; Huang, Wen

2015-10-15

In this study, polyphenols from lotus seed epicarp (PLSE) at three different ripening stages were purified by column chromatography and identified by RP-HPLC and HPLC-ESI-MS(2). The antioxidant activities of PLSE were also investigated. We found that the contents of PLSE at the green ripening stage, half ripening stage and full ripening stage are 13.08%, 10.95% and 6.73% respectively. The levels of catechin, epicatechin, hyperoside, and isoquercitrin in PLSE at the three different ripening stages were different. Moreover, the amounts of catechin and epicatechin decreased, while the contents of hyperoside and isoquercitrin increased as the seed ripened. We found that PLSE at three different ripening stages had good scavenging abilities on DPPH and ABTS(+) radicals. However, the scavenging ability decreased with maturation. Our results may be valuable with regard to the utilization of lotus seed epicarp as a functional food material. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forage Yield and Quality Performance of Rabi Cereals Sown Alone and In Blended Population of Variable Seed Ratios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tahir, M.; Zafar, N.

2016-01-01

Fodder crops are the main source of animal feed in Pakistan. However, the yield per acre is still far below than optimum production level of the livestock. From this perspective, a field trial was conducted using seeds of three cereal crops wheat, oat and barley sown alone and blended together at different seed proportions (100 percent: 0 percent, 75 percent + 25 percent, 50 percent + 50 percent and 25 percent + 75 percent) at the Agronomic Research Area, Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, during 2013-14. The results showed that the crop mixtures and their variable seed ratios showed significant effects on fodder yield and quality traits. The maximum number of tillers, number of leaves plant/sup -1/, leaf area, crop growth rate, fresh weight plant/sup -1/, dry weight plant/sup -1/, green forage yield and dry matter yield were obtained in plots where barley was sown alone at 100 percent seed ratio. The highest crude fiber and total ash percentage was observed in plots where oat was sown alone at 100 percent seed ratio and crude protein percentage was highest when oat was blended together with barley at 75 percent + 25 percent seed ratios. (author)

The Influence of Proactive Green Innovation and Reactive Green Innovation on Green Product Development Performance: The Mediation Role of Green Creativity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Shan Chen

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This study fills the research gap in the exploration of the relationships between both proactive and reactive green innovations and green product development performance, and examines the mediating effect of green creativity. Structural equation modeling (SEM is utilized to test the hypotheses. From the sample of 146 valid respondents, the results show that proactive green innovation positively affects green creativity and green product development performance, and green creativity positively affects green product development performance. In addition, our findings also indicate that the relationship between proactive green innovation and green product development performance is partially mediated by green creativity. Accordingly, green creativity plays a critical role for companies to achieve a great green product development performance. However, reactive green innovation does not significantly influence green creativity and green product development performance. Companies should develop proactive green innovation rather than reactive green innovation in order to enhance their green creativity and increase their product development performance.

Pengaruh Green Marketing Hotel Terhadap Green Consumer Behavior

OpenAIRE

Yo Fernandez, Eunike Christe; Tjoanda, Evelyn

2017-01-01

Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui pengaruh dari green marketing hotel terhadap green consumer behavior. Green marketing memiliki 3 dimensi, yaitu green product, green price, dan green promotion. Penelitian ini melibatkan 272 responden masyarakat Surabaya dan menggunakan metode regresi linear berganda. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa green product dan green price berpengaruh secara positif dan signifikan sedangkan green promotion berpengaruh namun tidak signifikan terhadap green con...

Physiological quality and seed respiration of primed Jatropha curcas seeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Micheli Angelica Horbach

2017-11-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Seed deterioration is a natural and irreversible process. Nevertheless, seed priming with water and antioxidants can minimize oxidative damage in oilseeds, resulting in attenuation of seed deterioration. The objective of this assay was to evaluate seed priming on respiratory activity of Jatropha curcas submitted to accelerated aging. Seeds from two provenances (Janauba and Pedro J. Caballero were submitted to three priming treatments (control, immersion in deionized water, and with 750 µmol L-1 of ascorbic acid and treated for accelerated aging at 41 °C for 72 h. The results showed that the priming of J. curcas seeds promoted tolerance to accelerated aging. Primed seeds, with ascorbic acid from Janauba and deionized water from Pedro J. Caballero, resulted in a higher percentage of normal seedlings, and increased germination speed index and seed respiration. The decline of physiological quality of J. curcas seeds after accelerated aging is directly associated with a reduction in respiratory activity that is related to seed moisture content.

The development and adaption of early agriculture in Huanghe River Valley, China

Science.gov (United States)

Li, X.

2017-12-01

The expanding and developing of agriculture are the basic of population growth, the expansions of material cultures and civilization. The Huanghe River valley, as the origin center of millet agriculture, lies between the heartlands of wheat and rice, which gestates the flourishing Neolithic culture based on agriculture. Recent work using botanical remains has greatly expanded the knowledge concerning early agriculture. Here, we report the new progress on the development and adaption of early agriculture in Huanghe River valley and the surrounding areas. Based on the analysis of phytolith from 13 sites in middle reaches of Huanghe River and the survey of crop seeds from 5 sites in Guanzhong Basin, the rice have been cultivated around 7600 cal BP in semi-humid regions dominated by rain-fed agriculture. The mixed agriculture of common millet, foxtail millet, and rice continued to exist between 7600-3500 BP. In semi-arid region of Huanghe River valley, the agriculture was dominated by the production of common and foxtail millet and 3 major changes have taken place around 6500 BP, 5500 BP, and 4000 BP during Neolithic. The cultivating ratio of common and foxtail millet was adjusted by farmer for adapting the climate changes during Holocene. Approximately 5000 yr BP, the rain-fed agriculture continues to break geographical boundaries to expand to west and southwest from Huanghe River valley. Millet agriculture appeared in southern Ganshu and north eastern Tibetan Plateau. The common and foxtail millet spread to the arid-area of Hexi corridor, a major crossroad of the famous Silk Road, around 4500 yr BP. Wheat was added as a new crop to the existing millet based agricultural systems around 4100-4000 cal yr BP in Hexi corridor. Between 3800 and 3400 cal yr BP, the proportion of wheat and barley in agriculture was up to 90%,which have replaced the local millet and become the main crops. And now, some new evidences of wheat agriculture from NW Xijiang have been obtained and

TOR-inhibitor insensitive-1 (TRIN1) regulates cotyledons greening in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Linxuan; Song, Yun; Wang, Kai; Dong, Pan; Zhang, Xueyan; Li, Fuguang; Li, Zhengguo; Ren, Maozhi

2015-01-01

Target of Rapamycin (TOR) is an eukaryotic protein kinase and evolutionally conserved from the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA) to humans. The growing evidences have shown that TOR signaling acts as a central controller of cell growth and development. The downstream effectors of TOR have been well-identified in yeast and animals by using the immunosuppression agent rapamycin. However, less is known about TOR in plants. This is largely due to the fact that plants are insensitive to rapamycin. In this study, AZD8055 (AZD), the novel ATP-competitive inhibitor of TOR, was employed to decipher the downstream effectors of TOR in Arabidopsis. One AZD insensitive mutant, T O R - i nhibitor i n sensitive- 1 (trin1), was screened from 10,000 EMS-induced mutation seeds. The cotyledons of trin1 can turn green when its seeds were germinated on ½ MS medium supplemented with 2 μM AZD, whereas the cotyledons greening of wild-type (WT) can be completely blocked at this concentration. Through genetic mapping, TRIN1 was mapped onto the long arm of chromosome 2, between markers SGCSNP26 and MI277. Positional cloning revealed that TRIN1 was an allele of ABI4, which encoded an ABA-regulated AP2 domain transcription factor. Plants containing P35S::TRIN1 or P35S::TRIN1-GUS were hypersensitive to AZD treatment and displayed the opposite phenotype observed in trin1. Importantly, GUS signaling was significantly enhanced in P35S::TRIN1-GUS transgenic plants in response to AZD treatment, indicating that suppression of TOR resulted in the accumulation of TRIN1. These observations revealed that TOR controlled seed-to-seedling transition by negatively regulating the stability of TRIN1 in Arabidopsis. For the first time, TRIN1, the downstream effector of TOR signaling, was identified through a chemical genetics approach.

Faba Greens, Globe Artichoke’s Offshoots, Crenate Broomrape and Summer Squash Greens: Unconventional Vegetables of Puglia (Southern Italy With Good Quality Traits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massimiliano Renna

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. [L.] scolymus Hayek, summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L. and faba bean (Vicia faba L. are widely cultivated for their immature inflorescences, fruits and seeds, respectively. Nevertheless, in some areas of Puglia (Southern Italy, other organs of these species are traditionally used as vegetables, instead of being considered as by-products. Offshoots (so-called cardoni or carducci of globe artichoke, produced during the vegetative growing cycle and removed by common cultural procedures, are used like to the cultivated cardoons (C. cardunculus L. var. altilis DC. The stems, petioles, flowers and smaller leaves of summer squash are used as greens (so-called cime di zucchini, like other leafy vegetables such as chicory (Cichorium intybus L. and Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L.. Also the plant apex of faba bean, about 5–10 cm long, obtained from the green pruning, are used as greens (so-called cime di fava like spinach leaves. Moreover, crenate broomrape (Orobanche crenata Forssk., a root parasite plant that produces devastating effects on many crops (mostly legumes, is used like asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L. to prepare several traditional dishes. In this study ethnobotanical surveys and quality assessment of these unconventional vegetables were performed. For their content of fiber, offshoots of globe artichokes can be considered a useful food to bowel. Summer squash greens could be recommended as a vegetable to use especially in the case of hypoglycemic diets considering both content and composition of their carbohydrates. For their low content of nitrate, faba greens could be recommended as a substitute of nitrate-rich leafy vegetables. Crenate broomrape shows a high antioxidant activity and may be considered as a very nutritious agri-food product. Overall, the results of the present study indicate that offshoots of globe artichoke, summer squash greens, faba greens and crenate broomrape have good

Evaluation of Wheat (Triticum aestivum, L. Seed Quality of Certified Seed and Farm-Saved Seed in Three Provinces of Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khazaei Fardin

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to study the seed quality aspects of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and the extent of weed seed contamination present in wheat seeds produced in different regions of Iran. Four districts (cities, each including 12 fields (six certified seed fields and six farm-saved seed fields, were selected in each regions (provinces. One kilogram of the wheat seed sample was collected from each field for analysis in the laboratory. Wheat seeding was commonly done by farm-saved seed sourced from within the farm due to the high costs of certified seeds purchased from outside sources, followed by the low seed quality. The use of a farm-saved seed resulted in a higher germination rate and a lower mean time to germination compared with another system. The more positive temperatures experienced by mother plants could decrease the number of normal seedling and seedling length vigor index. Generally there was virtually no difference about physiological quality between certified seed and farm-saved seed sector that is related to lower quality of certified seed. The certified produced seeds had the lower number of weed seed, species and genus before and after cleaning. The highest seed purity and 1000 seed weight was obtained from the certified seed production system. The need for cleaning the farm-saved seed samples before sowing is one of the important findings of this survey.

Green(ing) infrastructure

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Van Wyk, Llewellyn V

2014-03-01

Full Text Available the generation of electricity from renewable sources such as wind, water and solar. Grey infrastructure – In the context of storm water management, grey infrastructure can be thought of as the hard, engineered systems to capture and convey runoff..., pumps, and treatment plants.  Green infrastructure reduces energy demand by reducing the need to collect and transport storm water to a suitable discharge location. In addition, green infrastructure such as green roofs, street trees and increased...

Seed dormancy and seed longevity: from genetic variation to gene identification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nguyen, T.P.

2014-01-01

Seed dormancy and seed longevity are the most important survival traits in the soil seed bank. Both traits are induced during seed maturation and evolved to assure seed survival during environmental conditions that cannot support the regular course of life. Seed dormancy is related to the timing of

Influence of Fungicides Application and Seed Processing on Sunflower Seed Quality

OpenAIRE

Šimić, Branimir; Svitlica, Brankica; Ćosić, Jasenka; Andrić, Luka; Rozman, Vlatka; Postić, Jelena; Liović, Ivica

2009-01-01

The aim of the research was to determine influence of methods of seed processing and application of fungicides on mass of 1000 seeds, intergrowth energy and seed germination of sunflower hybrids ‘Favorit’ and ‘Apolon’ in 2005 and 2006. Selected untreated seeds of both sunflower hybrids (control) had a minimal mass of 1000 seeds (55-59 g), intergrowth energy (18-37 %) and seed germination (39-52 %). In both years of research maximal seed quality, mass of 1000 seeds (67-69 g), intergrowth energ...

Genetic diversity and genomic resources available for the small millet crops to accelerate a New Green Revolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Goron, Travis L; Raizada, Manish N

2015-01-01

Small millets are nutrient-rich food sources traditionally grown and consumed by subsistence farmers in Asia and Africa. They include finger millet (Eleusine coracana), foxtail millet (Setaria italica), kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum), proso millet (Panicum miliaceum), barnyard millet (Echinochloa spp.), and little millet (Panicum sumatrense). Local farmers value the small millets for their nutritional and health benefits, tolerance to extreme stress including drought, and ability to grow under low nutrient input conditions, ideal in an era of climate change and steadily depleting natural resources. Little scientific attention has been paid to these crops, hence they have been termed "orphan cereals." Despite this challenge, an advantageous quality of the small millets is that they continue to be grown in remote regions of the world which has preserved their biodiversity, providing breeders with unique alleles for crop improvement. The purpose of this review, first, is to highlight the diverse traits of each small millet species that are valued by farmers and consumers which hold potential for selection, improvement or mechanistic study. For each species, the germplasm, genetic and genomic resources available will then be described as potential tools to exploit this biodiversity. The review will conclude with noting current trends and gaps in the literature and make recommendations on how to better preserve and utilize diversity within these species to accelerate a New Green Revolution for subsistence farmers in Asia and Africa.

Farmer’s seed sources and seed quality: 2. seed health

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bishaw, Z.; Struik, P.C.; Gastel, van A.J.G.

2013-01-01

The study assessed the health quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seed samples collected from formal and informal sector in Ethiopia and Syria. In Ethiopia, several seed-borne fungi were found on wheat samples: Cochliobolus sativum, Fusarium avenaceum, F.

Nutrient composition and nutritional importance of green leaves and wild food resources in an agricultural district, Koutiala, in southern Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Nordeide, M B; Hatløy, A; Følling, M; Lied, E; Oshaug, A

1996-11-01

This paper discusses the nutrient composition and the nutritional importance of green leaves and wild gathered foods in an area with surplus food production in Mali. In this West African country, there is little information about the nutrient composition and the nutritional quality of foods in general, and of wild gathered foods in particular. Food frequency was collected in two cross-sectional surveys. Focus group discussions with women in the area were used to collect information about seasonality, availability and preparation of various foods. Selected food samples were collected for chemical analysis of nutrient composition. The food samples of green leaves (Adansonia digitata, Amaranthus viridis, Tamarindus indica, Allium cepa), seeds and flour (Parkia biglobosa) and fruits (Tamarindus indica) were analysed for water, energy, fat, protein, minerals, amino acids and carotenoids. Availability and use of the foods varied with seasons. In the rainy season, wild gathered foods (e.g. A. digitata) were used as much as fresh cultivated foods (e.g., A. viridis and A. cepa). The wild food resources were more frequently used in rural than in urban areas, with A. digitata as the dominating green leaves. Green leaves were rich in energy, protein and minerals (calcium, iron). Leaves of A. viridis were, in particular, rich in beta-carotene (3290 micrograms/100 g). Chemical score in dried green leaves varied from 47 (A. cepa) to 81 (A. digitata), with lysine as the first limiting amino acid. P. biglobosa fermented seeds, with 35% fat and 37% protein were a complementary source of lysine in the diet. Based on the seasonality, the frequency of use and the nutrient contents of selected green leaves and wild gathered foods in Koutiala district, it is concluded that these traditional and locally produced foods are valuable and important nutrient contributors in the diet both in rural and urban areas, but most important in rural areas.

Early perception of stink bug damage in developing seeds of field-grown soybean induces chemical defences and reduces bug attack.

Science.gov (United States)

Giacometti, Romina; Barneto, Jesica; Barriga, Lucia G; Sardoy, Pedro M; Balestrasse, Karina; Andrade, Andrea M; Pagano, Eduardo A; Alemano, Sergio G; Zavala, Jorge A

2016-08-01

Southern green stink bugs (Nezara viridula L.) invade field-grown soybean crops, where they feed on developing seeds and inject phytotoxic saliva, which causes yield reduction. Although leaf responses to herbivory are well studied, no information is available about the regulation of defences in seeds. This study demonstrated that mitogen-activated protein kinases MPK3, MPK4 and MPK6 are expressed and activated in developing seeds of field-grown soybean and regulate a defensive response after stink bug damage. Although 10-20 min after stink bug feeding on seeds induced the expression of MPK3, MPK6 and MPK4, only MPK6 was phosphorylated after damage. Herbivory induced an early peak of jasmonic acid (JA) accumulation and ethylene (ET) emission after 3 h in developing seeds, whereas salicylic acid (SA) was also induced early, and at increasing levels up to 72 h after damage. Damaged seeds upregulated defensive genes typically modulated by JA/ET or SA, which in turn reduced the activity of digestive enzymes in the gut of stink bugs. Induced seeds were less preferred by stink bugs. This study shows that stink bug damage induces seed defences, which is perceived early by MPKs that may activate defence metabolic pathways in developing seeds of field-grown soybean. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Dynamics of seed rain of Tripterygium hypoglaucum and soil seed bank].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhi-Wei; Wei, Yong-Sheng; Liu, Xiang; Su, Shu; Qu, Xian-You; Wang, Chang-Hua

2017-11-01

Tripterygium hypoglaucum is an endangered species in arid areas of Xiannvshan Chongqing, China. The dynamic characteristics of seed rain and soil seed bank of T. hypoglaucum were studied in this paper．Results showed that T. hypoglaucum years of mature seeds distribution number up to October; the seed rain occurred from the last ten-day of September to in the first ten-day of November and the peak of scattered seed rain concentrated in the October．The numbers of soil seed bank at 2-5 cm soil layer,mainly concentrated in the 1.5-3.5 m range. T. hypoglaucum seeds to the wind as a force for transmission, the transmission ability is strong, but in the process of natural reproduction, full mature seed rate is low, the soil seed bank seeds seed short-lived factors these were unfavorable for the natural reproduction of T. hypoglaucum population. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

[Procedure of seed quality testing and seed grading standard of Prunus humilis].

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Hao; Ren, Guang-Xi; Gao, Ya; Luo, Jun; Liu, Chun-Sheng; Li, Wei-Dong

2014-11-01

So far there exists no corresponding quality test procedures and grading standards for the seed of Prunus humilis, which is one of the important source of base of semen pruni. Therefor we set up test procedures that are adapt to characteristics of the P. humilis seed through the study of the test of sampling, seed purity, thousand-grain weight, seed moisture, seed viability and germination percentage. 50 cases of seed specimens of P. humilis tested. The related data were analyzed by cluster analysis. Through this research, the seed quality test procedure was developed, and the seed quality grading standard was formulated. The seed quality of each grade should meet the following requirements: for first grade seeds, germination percentage ≥ 68%, thousand-grain weight 383 g, purity ≥ 93%, seed moisture ≤ 5%; for second grade seeds, germination percentage ≥ 26%, thousand-grain weight ≥ 266 g, purity ≥ 73%, seed moisture ≤9%; for third grade seeds, germination percentage ≥ 10%, purity ≥ 50%, thousand-grain weight ≥ 08 g, seed moisture ≤ 13%.

Allelopathic effect of scarlet pimpernel (anagallis arvensis) on seed germination and radical elongation of mung bean and pearl millet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salam, I.U.; Ahmed, M.; Ali, S.T.

2011-01-01

The green house based experiments were conducted in the Department of Botany FUUAST, Karachi to study the allelopathic effects of root and shoot leachates of Anagallis arvensis on the two test species viz., bajra and mungbean. The percentage of seed germination, speed of germination and radical elongation of the test species were recorded after 10 days. Both leachates have no effect on seed germination and speed of germination of the test species. Radical elongation of two test species showed different response. Mung radical growth was significantly reduced while bajra radical growth was significantly enhanced by the root leachate of weed. (author)

Effect of presowing irradiation of seed from winter rapeseed by helium-neon laser on the growth, yield and quality of the green mass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanova, R.; Stoyanova, S.

2000-01-01

The experiment was carried out with the cultivar Ossiek 4. The seed have been irradiated using helium - neon laser of 623.8 nm wave length and power 20 mwt. The average duration of seed treatment in the irradiation zone was 1-10E-3 s and the mean single irradiation doze -3.10E-7 s. The seed was irradiated 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 times. Untreated seed was used as control (C). The results of biometric analysis showed tendency for development of powerful vegetation organs from irradiated variants. It was established that the plant from irradiation seeds had most leaves and flowers. The highest stimulating effect of the three year experiment was obtained by 2 times treated seed- 103000 kg/ha which exceeded 1.7 times the control. There were no depressing effect by the higher values of irradiation. Yield and crude protein content were the highest in irradiation variants

Comparative transcriptome analysis of differentially expressed genes in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) during dehydration stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Lata, Charu; Sahu, Pranav Pankaj; Prasad, Manoj

2010-03-19

Dehydration stress is one of the most important abiotic stresses that adversely influence crop growth and productivity. With the aim to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying dehydration stress tolerance in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.), a drought tolerant crop, we examined its transcriptome changes at two time points (early and late) of dehydration stress. Two suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) forward libraries were constructed from 21-day old seedlings of tolerant cv. Prasad at 0.5 and 6h PEG-induced dehydration stress. A total of 327 unique ESTs were identified from both libraries and were classified into 11 different categories according to their putative functions. The plant response against dehydration stress was complex, representing major transcripts involved in metabolism, stress, signaling, transcription regulation, translation and proteolysis. By Reverse Northern (RN) technique we identified the differential expression pattern of 327 transcripts, 86 (about 26%) of which showed > or = 1.7-fold induction. Further the obtained results were validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to have a comparative expression profiling of randomly chosen 9 up-regulated transcripts (> or =2.5 fold induction) between cv. Prasad (tolerant) and cv. Lepakshi (sensitive) upon dehydration stress. These transcripts showed a differential expression pattern in both cultivars at different time points of stress treatment as analyzed by qRT-PCR. The possible relationship of the identified transcripts with dehydration tolerance mechanism is discussed. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of low doses of gamma radiation of Co-60 (radio-hormesis) in tomato seeds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiendl, Toni Andreas

2010-01-01

Tomato seeds of the Gladiador hybrid were exposed to gamma radiation of Co-60 with the following doses: 0; 2,5; 5; 7,5; 10; 12,5; 15 e 20 Gy. Analysis were performed on germination, seedlings height to cotyledon, seedling total height, seedling fresh and dry weight, plant height, stalk diameter at the root beginning, fresh and dry weight of the 5 th leaf, number of green fruits with diameter higher than 3 cm, number of green, half ripen and ripen fruits, total number of fruits, Brix and pH of fruits, average fruit weight and fruit total production. A variety of stimulation effects were observed on the different plant developing stages. The greatest stimulus for production was observed in the 10 Gy dose. The highest seedling average height and plant average height were observed for the 7,5 Gy dose. The biggest number of green fruits with diameter higher than 3 cm occurred for the 12,5 and 15 Gy treatments. Irradiation also stimulated a higher total number of fruits in all doses, having advantage the 10 Gy dose which produced 88% more fruits than control as well as 86% more weight production. The fruits pH acidified significantly in a dose of 12,5 Gy and higher. Production increased in all treatments comparing to control and the highest stimulus for production observed was for the 10, 12,5 and 15 Gy. The use of low gamma radiation doses of Co-60 applied as pre-sowing treatment in the seeds, efficiently stimulated the development of plants and the tomato production. (author)

Weed seed inactivation in soil mesocosms via biosolarization with mature compost and tomato processing waste amendments.

Science.gov (United States)

Achmon, Yigal; Fernández-Bayo, Jesús D; Hernandez, Katie; McCurry, Dlinka G; Harrold, Duff R; Su, Joey; Dahlquist-Willard, Ruth M; Stapleton, James J; VanderGheynst, Jean S; Simmons, Christopher W

2017-05-01

Biosolarization is a fumigation alternative that combines passive solar heating with amendment-driven soil microbial activity to temporarily create antagonistic soil conditions, such as elevated temperature and acidity, that can inactivate weed seeds and other pest propagules. The aim of this study was to use a mesocosm-based field trial to assess soil heating, pH, volatile fatty acid accumulation and weed seed inactivation during biosolarization. Biosolarization for 8 days using 2% mature green waste compost and 2 or 5% tomato processing residues in the soil resulted in accumulation of volatile fatty acids in the soil, particularly acetic acid, and >95% inactivation of Brassica nigra and Solanum nigrum seeds. Inactivation kinetics data showed that near complete weed seed inactivation in soil was achieved within the first 5 days of biosolarization. This was significantly greater than the inactivation achieved in control soils that were solar heated without amendment or were amended but not solar heated. The composition and concentration of organic matter amendments in soil significantly affected volatile fatty acid accumulation at various soil depths during biosolarization. Combining solar heating with organic matter amendment resulted in accelerated weed seed inactivation compared with either approach alone. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Customers’ Intention to Use Green Products: the Impact of Green Brand Dimensions and Green Perceived Value

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doszhanov Aibek

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to identify the relationships between green brand dimension (green brand awareness, green brand image, and green brand trust, green perceived value and customer’s intention to use green products. Data was collected through structured survey questionnaire from 384 customers of three hypermarkets in Kuala-Lumpur. Data was analyzed based on multiple regression analysis. The results indicate that there are significant relationships between green brand awareness, green brand trust, green perceived value, and customer’s intention to use green products. However, green brand image was not found to have significant relationship with customer’s intention to use green products. The discussion presented suggestions for marketers and researchers interested in green branding.

(Heckel) seeds

African Journals Online (AJOL)

UTILISATEUR

Garcinia kola seeds to six different hormonal pre-germination treatments. This consisted of ... Thus, seed dormancy in this case is not a coat- imposed .... development of the cultivation of the species. The cause .... Hormonal regulation of seed ...

Magnetic nanoparticles as a seed layer for growing ZnO nanowires for optical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

AlSalhi, M S; Atif, M; Ansari, Anees A; Khun, K; Ibupoto, Z H; Willander, M

2013-01-01

In the present work, cerium oxide CeO 2 nanoparticles were synthesised by sol-gel method and used for the growth of ZnO nanorods. The synthesised nanoparticles were studied by x-ray diffraction technique [XRD]. Furthermore, these nanoparticles were used as seed layer for the growth of ZnO nanorods by following the hydrothermal growth method. The structural study of ZnO nanorods was carried out by using field emission scanning electron microscopy [FESEM], and x-ray diffraction [XRD] techniques. This study demonstrated that the grown ZnO nanorods are well align, uniform, good in crystal quality and possess diameter of less than 200 nm. Energy dispersive x-rays [EDX] revealed that the ZnO nanorods are only composed of zinc, cerium as seed atom and oxygen atoms and no any other impurity in the grown nanorods. Moreover, photoluminescence [PL] approach was applied for the optical characterisation and it was observed that the near-band-edge emission [NBE] was same to that of zinc acetate seed layer, however the green emission and orange/red emission peaks were slightly raised due to possible higher level of defects in the cerium oxide seeded ZnO nanorods. This study provides an alternative approach for the synthesis of controlled ZnO nanorods using cerium oxide nanoparticles as seed nucleation layer which in reverse describe the application of these nanoparticles as well as due to controlled morphology of ZnO nanorods the performance of nanodevices based on ZnO can be increased using these particles as seed.

The Influence of Proactive Green Innovation and Reactive Green Innovation on Green Product Development Performance: The Mediation Role of Green Creativity

OpenAIRE

Yu-Shan Chen; Tai-Wei Chang; Chun-Yu Lin; Pi-Yu Lai; Kuan-Hung Wang

2016-01-01

This study fills the research gap in the exploration of the relationships between both proactive and reactive green innovations and green product development performance, and examines the mediating effect of green creativity. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is utilized to test the hypotheses. From the sample of 146 valid respondents, the results show that proactive green innovation positively affects green creativity and green product development performance, and green creativity positivel...

Phenolics in the seed coat of wild soybean (Glycine soja) and their significance for seed hardness and seed germination.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, San; Sekizaki, Haruo; Yang, Zhihong; Sawa, Satoko; Pan, Jun

2010-10-27

Hardseededness in annual wild soybean (Glycine soja Sieb. Et Zucc.) is a valuable trait that affects the germination, viability, and quality of stored seeds. Two G. soja ecotypes native to Shandong Province of China have been used to identify the phenolics in the seed coat that correlate with the seed hardness and seed germination. Three major phenolics from the seed coat were isolated and identified as epicatechin, cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, and delphinidin 3-O-glucoside. Of the three phenolics, only the change of epicatechin exhibited a significant positive correlation with the change of hard seed percentages both under different water conditions during seed development and under different gas conditions during seed storage. Epicatechin also reveals a hormesis-like effect on the seed germination of G. soja. Epicatechin is suggested to be functionally related to coat-imposed hardseededness in G. soja.

Seed predators exert selection on the subindividual variation of seed size.

Science.gov (United States)

Sobral, M; Guitián, J; Guitián, P; Larrinaga, A R

2014-07-01

Subindividual variation among repeated organs in plants constitutes an overlooked level of variation in phenotypic selection studies, despite being a major component of phenotypic variation. Animals that interact with plants could be selective agents on subindividual variation. This study examines selective pressures exerted during post-dispersal seed predation and germination on the subindividual variation of seed size in hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). With a seed offering experiment and a germination test, we estimated phenotypic selection differentials for average and subindividual variation of seed size due to seed predation and germination. Seed size affects germination, growth rate and the probability of an individual seed of escaping predation. Longer seeds showed higher germination rates, but this did not result in significant selection on phenotypes of the maternal trees. On the other hand, seed predators avoided wider seeds, and by doing so exerted phenotypic selection on adult average and subindividual variation of seed size. The detected selection on subindividual variation suggests that the levels of phenotypic variation within individual plants may be, at least partly, the adaptive consequence of animal-mediated selection. © 2013 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Producing the target seed: Seed collection, treatment, and storage

Science.gov (United States)

Robert P. Karrfalt

2011-01-01

The role of high quality seeds in producing target seedlings is reviewed. Basic seed handling and upgrading techniques are summarized. Current advances in seed science and technology as well as those on the horizon are discussed.

Seeds and plantlets of Myrciaria dubia “camu-camu”: biometry, germination, and initial growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anderson E. Medina Bardales

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The objectives were to determine seed biometrics, recording cellular respiration in the imbibition process, evaluate the effect of inducing chemicals in germination and early growth analysis. Cellular respiration during imbibition was measured by reduction of methylene blue and Janus Green B. The inductor effect of five chemical compounds in germination was evaluated. Initial growth was recorded by stereoscopic. Results showed that the seeds have an average weight of 520 ± 172 mg, length of 13.50 ± 1.76 mm, width of 10.61 ± 1.14 mm, and thickness of 4.68 ± 0 62 mm. These variables showed significant correlations (r of 0.494 to 0.897 and p 90% and 65% respectively. Seedling initial growth consisted of six stages and occurred over a period of 22 days after radicle emergence. In conclusion, M. dubia seeds show wide variation in their biometrics (weight, length, width and thickness, but show significant correlations with each other. Likewise, seeds are metabolically active in imbibition process, and germination is induced by sodium nitrite and potassium cyanide. Furthermore, seedling initial growth to occur over a period of 22 days after emergence of the radicle and consists of six distinct stages.

Hot seeding using large Y-123 seeds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scruggs, S J; Putman, P T; Zhou, Y X; Fang, H; Salama, K

2006-01-01

There are several motivations for increasing the diameter of melt textured single domain discs. The maximum magnetic field produced by a trapped field magnet is proportional to the radius of the sample. Furthermore, the availability of trapped field magnets with large diameter could enable their use in applications that have traditionally been considered to require wound electromagnets, such as beam bending magnets for particle accelerators and electric propulsion. We have investigated the possibility of using large area epitaxial growth instead of the conventional point nucleation growth mechanism. This process involves the use of large Y123 seeds for the purpose of increasing the maximum achievable Y123 single domain size. The hot seeding technique using large Y-123 seeds was employed to seed Y-123 samples. Trapped field measurements indicate that single domain samples were indeed grown by this technique. Microstructural evaluation indicates that growth can be characterized by a rapid nucleation followed by the usual peritectic grain growth which occurs when large seeds are used. Critical temperature measurements show that no local T c suppression occurs in the vicinity of the seed. This work supports the suggestion of using an iterative method for increasing the size of Y-123 single domains that can be grown

Report on seed born diseases in organic seed and propagation material

OpenAIRE

Micheloni, C.; Plakolm, G.; Schärer, H.

2007-01-01

The key questions which will be addressed in this report are: • Are seed born diseases an important factor that prevents seed companies from producing organic seeds and organic farmers from using them? • Which seed treatments are available in organic farming? Which treatments are or will be acceptable? To which degree are they effective? • Are the thresholds for seed born diseases different among Member States? Can this cause unfair competition among farmers and seed producers? • ...

Seed drill depth control system for precision seeding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkegaard Nielsen, Søren; Munkholm, Lars Juhl; Lamandé, Mathieu

2018-01-01

acting on the drill coulters, which generates unwanted vibrations and, consequently, a non-uniform seed placement. Therefore, a proof-of-concept dynamic coulter depth control system for a low-cost seed drill was developed and studied in a field experiment. The performance of the active control system...... depth control system this variability was reduced to±2 mm. The system with the active control system operated more accurately at an operational speed of 12 km h−1 than at 4 km h−1 without the activated control system.......An adequate and uniform seeding depth is crucial for the homogeneous development of a crop, as it affects time of emergence and germination rate. The considerable depth variations observed during seeding operations - even for modern seed drills - are mainly caused by variability in soil resistance...

Effects of seed fermentation method on seed germination and vigor ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The present study was conducted to examine the influence of Lagenaria siceraria seed fermentation method on seed germination and vigor. Three seed fermentation methods (fermented in ambient air, plastic bag stored in ambient or in plastic bag buried) were tested on two cultivars during two years. Seed germination and ...

Metaphysical green

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Earon, Ofri

2011-01-01

to adapt to urban environment. It explores the potential of Sensation of Green in the city. The paper questions whether the Sensation of Green could introduce a new spectrum of greens, beside the real green. It develops the term of metaphysical green – does green have to be green or can it be only...

Seed selection by earthworms : chemical seed properties matter more than morphological traits

OpenAIRE

Clause, J.; Forey, E.; Eisenhauer, N.; Seal, C.E.; Soudey, A.; Colville, L.; Barot, Sébastien

2017-01-01

Aims : The passage of seeds through the earthworm gut potentially damages seeds, altering seed and seedling performances depending on seed traits. This work was conducted to study to what extent chemical and morphological seed traits determine the seed attractiveness for earthworms. Methods : We tested seed selection via the ingestion and digestion of 23 grassland plant species spanning a range of 14 morphological and chemical traits by two common earthworm species: the anecic Lumbricus te...

Studies on the Vigour of Soybean Seeds : II. Varietal Differences in Seed Coat Quality and Swelling Components of Seed during Moisture Imbibition

OpenAIRE

Mugnisjah, Wahju Qamara; Shimano, Itaru; Matsumoto, Shigeo; 島野, 至; 松本, 重男

1987-01-01

Laboratory experiment was conducted to elucidate the physiological factor determining the association of seed size and seed coat quality with varietal differences in seed vigour, and to pursue an alternative on the mechanism of varietal differences in seed resistance to field weathering. Results of this study revealed that seed polymer change (seed volume change minus seed weight change during moisture imbibition) was the physiological factor determining the association of seed size and seed ...

19 CFR 10.57 - Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize... Provisions Potatoes, Corn, Or Maize § 10.57 Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize. Claim for classification as seed potatoes under subheading 0701.10.00, as seed corn (maize) under subheading 1005.10...

Physical properties of Gelidium corneum-gelatin blend films containing grapefruit seed extract or green tea extract and its application in the packaging of pork loins.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Y-H; Lim, G-O; Song, K B

2009-01-01

Edible Gelidium corneum-gelatin (GCG) blend films containing grapefruit seed extract (GFSE) or green tea extract (GTE) were manufactured, and the quality of pork loins packed with the film during storage was determined. Tensile strength (TS) and water vapor permeability (WVP) of the films containing GFSE or GTE were better than those of the control. The film's antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes increased with increasing antimicrobial concentration, resulting in a decrease in the populations of bacteria by 0.77 to 2.08 and 0.91 to 3.30 log CFU/g, respectively. Pork loin samples were inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes. The samples packed with the GCG film containing GFSE (0.08%) or GTE (2.80%) had a decrease in the populations of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes of 0.69 to 1.11 and 1.05 to 1.14 log CFU/g, respectively, compared to the control after 4 d of storage. The results showed that the quality of pork loins during storage could be improved by packaging them with the GCG film containing GFSE or GTE.

Green Disposal of Waste Bisphenol A

Science.gov (United States)

Putman, Lesley; Nyland, Chris; Parson, Kristine

2016-09-01

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an important precursor for polycarbonates and epoxy resins that are used to make products that many would consider essential for modern living. Unfortunately, BPA is an endocrine disrupter and more and more evidence is being uncovered about its negative effects on humans as well as on organisms in the environment. Sustainable chemistry means we take everything into account in designing a chemical process: the risks, the costs, the benefits, and so on. BPA is not likely to be replaced by a less toxic chemical in the foreseeable future, nor is our society willing to give up valuable polycarbonate products. As part of sustainable green chemistry, we want to assure that any toxic chemicals that leave a manufacturing plant pose a minimal risk to the environment. Using a green method to clean up effluent before it is released into the environment would be ideal. In this report, little bluestem seeds are shown to be capable of degrading BPA in aqueous solutions. This gives them the potential to be used in reducing the amount of BPA that may be in effluent. Additionally, an enzyme was isolated that was responsible for degrading BPA and this could also have potential for the treatment of effluent.

Yield and quality of white mustard seed depending on the seeding dates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jevđović Radosav

2000-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of sowing dates and harvest dates on yield and quality of white mustard seed been investigated in this study. During the experiment two sowing dates have been tested the first one based on the crops in March, and the other one when the direct sowing was carried out in late May, after the harvest of camomile crops. The harvest of the seed crops in the first seeding date was performed on 1st July, and the second on 15th September. Seed fractioning extracted the following fractions: large (3mm, medium (2 mm and small (1mm. I he objective of the laboratory' experiments was to observe the effect of the seed fraction size on the most important parameters of its quality (germination energy, total germination and absolute mass according to the stipulated terms. Based on the data obtained in the survey, it can be concluded that the seed yield is significantly affected by the varied seeding dates. Earlier seeding date produced significantly increased seed yield (1920 kg/ha than the later seeding date (1160 kg/ha. According to the seed quality parameters, the best characteristics are found in the seed fraction of 3 mm, in both seeding and harvest dates.

Effects of rodent species, seed species, and predator cues on seed fate

Science.gov (United States)

Sivy, Kelly J.; Ostoja, Steven M.; Schupp, Eugene W.; Durham, Susan

2011-07-01

Seed selection, removal and subsequent management by granivorous animals is thought to be a complex interaction of factors including qualities of the seeds themselves (e.g., seed size, nutritional quality) and features of the local habitat (e.g. perceived predator risk). At the same time, differential seed selection and dispersal is thought to have profound effects on seed fate and potentially vegetation dynamics. In a feeding arena, we tested whether rodent species, seed species, and indirect and direct predation cues influence seed selection and handling behaviors (e.g., scatter hoarding versus larder hoarding) of two heteromyid rodents, Ord's kangaroo rat ( Dipodomys ordii) and the Great Basin pocket mouse ( Perognathus parvus). The indirect cue was shrub cover, a feature of the environment. Direct cues, presented individually, were (1) control, (2) coyote ( Canis latrans) vocalization, (3) coyote scent, (4) red fox ( Vulpes vulpes) scent, or (5) short-eared owl ( Asio flammeus) vocalization. We offered seeds of three sizes: two native grasses, Indian ricegrass ( Achnatherum hymenoides) and bluebunch wheatgrass ( Pseudoroegneria spicata), and the non-native cereal rye ( Secale cereale), each in separate trays. Kangaroo rats preferentially harvested Indian ricegrass while pocket mice predominately harvested Indian ricegrass and cereal rye. Pocket mice were more likely to scatter hoard preferred seeds, whereas kangaroo rats mostly consumed and/or larder hoarded preferred seeds. No predator cue significantly affected seed preferences. However, both species altered seed handling behavior in response to direct predation cues by leaving more seeds available in the seed pool, though they responded to different predator cues. If these results translate to natural dynamics on the landscape, the two rodents are expected to have different impacts on seed survival and plant recruitment via their different seed selection and seed handling behaviors.

Alleviate Seed Ageing Effects in Silybum marianum by Application of Hormone Seed Priming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyed Ata SIADAT

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Most of the medicinal plants have seed dormancy or poor seed germination. This is due to their natural compounds or their morphological structure. Existence of such mechanisms makes the seeds able to endure harsh environments, stressful conditions or natural ageing. Different seed enhancement treatments were proposed in order to improve seed germination. In this study, it was examined Silybum marianum seed longevity (0, 48 and 72 hour of ageing and the response to seed priming when using different concentrations of cytokinin (50, 200, 350 and 500 ppm and different duration of treatment (8, 12 and 24 hour. Results revealed that ageing could be successfully alleviated using seed priming. Seed ageing significantly affected seed germination and vigour. Application of cytokinin considerably improved seed vigour in aged and non aged seeds. The most effective seed priming treatment was with 500 ppm cytokine, with the duration of 24 hours. In conclusion, it can be recommend the used of plant growth regulators like cytokine, as a good priming agent, to recover losses of seed quality and improve germination characteristics.

Allelic variation of the Waxy gene in foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.] by single nucleotide polymorphisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Van, K; Onoda, S; Kim, M Y; Kim, K D; Lee, S-H

2008-03-01

The Waxy (Wx) gene product controls the formation of a straight chain polymer of amylose in the starch pathway. Dominance/recessiveness of the Wx allele is associated with amylose content, leading to non-waxy/waxy phenotypes. For a total of 113 foxtail millet accessions, agronomic traits and the molecular differences of the Wx gene were surveyed to evaluate genetic diversities. Molecular types were associated with phenotypes determined by four specific primer sets (non-waxy, Type I; low amylose, Type VI; waxy, Type IV or V). Additionally, the insertion of transposable element in waxy was confirmed by ex1/TSI2R, TSI2F/ex2, ex2int2/TSI7R and TSI7F/ex4r. Seventeen single nucleotide polymorphims (SNPs) were observed from non-coding regions, while three SNPs from coding regions were non-synonymous. Interestingly, the phenotype of No. 88 was still non-waxy, although seven nucleotides (AATTGGT) insertion at 2,993 bp led to 78 amino acids shorter. The rapid decline of r (2) in the sequenced region (exon 1-intron 1-exon 2) suggested a low level of linkage disequilibrium and limited haplotype structure. K (s) values and estimation of evolutionary events indicate early divergence of S. italica among cereal crops. This study suggested the Wx gene was one of the targets in the selection process during domestication.

Irradiation of Egyptian Clover (Fahl) Seeds Resist The Growth of Dodder (Cuscuta Pedicellata)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Enany, M.F; Zayed, E.M.; Abdel-Daem, G.A.N.A.

2013-01-01

Two experiments were conducted at Weed Research Laboratory wire green house, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt during 2011/ 2012. In the two experiments 100 pots 25 cm in diameter, In the first experiment series of Fahl treated with dodder in same rates. In the second experiment 100 seeds of Fahl ecotype with different dodder rates, 10, 20, 30 and 40 seeds (20 in each pot) were applied. Five doses were used .The 100 seeds of Fahl ecotype were subjected to the five gamma ray treatments,100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 Gray (gamma ray is cobalt Co 60 ), of atomic Energy Authority (AEA-Egypt). The isozymes analyses were used to measure variation in Fahl resistant to the infection by dodder. The RAPD-PCR using 10 primers. The aims of this study to induced mutations and measure the difference among doses in Fahl and response to tolerance dodder. In The results showed in the isozymes fractionation: can appear the variation among doses and infection of dodder, investigated the variation between dodder rates. As molecular study results showed the existence of differences between healthy and infected Fahl

The Influence of Environmental Friendliness on Green Trust: The Mediation Effects of Green Satisfaction and Green Perceived Quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Shan Chen

2015-07-01

Full Text Available As global green trends became more prevalent, green marketing also developed into an important issue. Although prior literature explored the main factors affecting green trust, it was inconclusive as to how environmental friendliness could affect the green trust in green marketing. This study aims to focus on the positive influence of environmental friendliness on green trust, and explore the mediation effects of green satisfaction and green perceived quality. This study undertakes an empirical study by means of questionnaire survey. The respondents are consumers who have experience purchasing green products. This study applies structural equation modeling (SEM to test the hypotheses. The findings of this study indicate that (1 environmental friendliness has a significant positive impact on green satisfaction, green perceived quality, and green trust; (2 both green satisfaction and green perceived quality positively affect green trust; and (3 green satisfaction and green perceived quality partially mediate the positive relationship between environmental friendliness and green trust.

Myrmecochory and short-term seed fate in Rhamnus alaternus: Ant species and seed characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Bas, J. M.; Oliveras, J.; Gómez, C.

2009-05-01

Benefits conferred on plants in ant-mediated seed dispersal mutualisms (myrmecochory) depend on the fate of transported seeds. We studied the effects of elaiosome presence, seed size and seed treatment (with and without passage through a bird's digestive tract) on short-term seed fate in Rhamnus alaternus. In our study, we define short-term seed, or initial, seed fate, as the location where ants release the seeds after ant contact with it. The elaiosomes had the most influence on short-term fate, i.e. whether or not seeds were transported to the nest. The workers usually transported big seeds more often than small ones, but small ants did not transport large seeds. Effect of seed size on transport depended on the ant species and on the treatment of the seed (manual extraction simulating a direct fall from the parent plant vs. bird deposition corresponding to preliminary primary dispersal). Probability of removal of elaiosome-bearing seeds to the nest by Aphaenogaster senilis increased with increasing seed weight.

Analysis of seed quality in NS sunflower hybrid seed processed between 2010 and 2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jokić Goran

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzed the processed seed of five sunflower hybrid seed developed at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad. The cultivars were Rimi PR, Duško, NS Dukat, Sumo 1 PR and Sremac. The analysis was conducted on seed lots processed between 2010 and 2014 and involved the following parameters: seed purity percentage, 1000-seed weight, germination energy, germination, seed moisture, number of weed seeds per 1000 grams of seed. The results of the study produced the following average values: seed purity - 99.72%, 1000-seed weight - 67.59g, germination energy - 88.2%, germination - 91.8%, seed moisture - 8.3%. There were not found weeds seeds as well as pathogens on the seed samples, these values are all within the legally prescribed limits.

The investment in scent: time-resolved metabolic processes in developing volatile-producing Nigella sativa L. seeds.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wentao Xue

Full Text Available The interplay of processes in central and specialized metabolisms during seed development of Nigella sativa L. was studied by using a high-throughput metabolomics technology and network-based analysis. Two major metabolic shifts were identified during seed development: the first was characterized by the accumulation of storage lipids (estimated as total fatty acids and N-compounds, and the second by the biosynthesis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs and a 30% average decrease in total fatty acids. Network-based analysis identified coordinated metabolic processes during development and demonstrated the presence of five network communities. Enrichment analysis indicated that different compound classes, such as sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids, are largely separated and over-represented in certain communities. One community displayed several terpenoids and the central metabolites, shikimate derived amino acids, raffinose, xylitol and glycerol-3-phosphate. The latter are related to precursors of the mevalonate-independent pathway for VOC production in the plastid; also plastidial fatty acid 18∶3n-3 abundant in "green" seeds grouped with several major terpenes. The findings highlight the interplay between the components of central metabolism and the VOCs. The developmental regulation of Nigella seed metabolism during seed maturation suggests a substantial re-allocation of carbon from the breakdown of fatty acids and from N-compounds, probably towards the biosynthesis of VOCs.

New design of experiment combined with UV-Vis spectroscopy for extraction and estimation of polyphenols from Basil seeds, Red seeds, Sesame seeds and Ajwan seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Mabood, Fazal; Gilani, Syed Abdullah; Hussain, Javid; Alshidani, Sulaiman; Alghawi, Said; Albroumi, Mohammed; Alameri, Saif; Jabeen, Farah; Hussain, Zahid; Al-Harrasi, Ahmed; Al Abri, Zahra K M; Farooq, Saima; Naureen, Zakira; Hamaed, Ahmad; Rasul Jan, M; Shah, Jasmin

2017-05-05

New experimental designs for the extraction of polyphenols from different seeds including Basil seed, Red seed, Sesame seeds and Ajwan seeds were investigated. Four variables the concentration and volume of methanol and NaOH solutions as well as the temperature and time of extraction were varied to see their effect on total phenol extraction. The temperature was varied in the range from 25°C to 200°C while the time in the range from 30 to 200minutes. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the extraction parameters. The estimation of polyphenols was measured through phenols reduction UV-Vis spectroscopic method of phosphotungstic-phosphomolybdic acids (Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent). Calibration curve was made by using tannic acid as a polyphenols standard in the concentration range from 0.1 to 10ppm. The regression line obtained shows the value of correlation coefficient i.e. R=0.930 and Root mean square error of cross validation (RMSEC) value of 0.0654. The Basil seeds were found containing the highest amount of total phenols i.e. 785.76mg/100g. While the Sesame seeds having the least amount i.e. 33.08mg/100g. The Ajwan seeds and the Red seeds are containing the medium amounts i.e. 379mg/100g and 220.54mg/100g respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New design of experiment combined with UV-Vis spectroscopy for extraction and estimation of polyphenols from Basil seeds, Red seeds, Sesame seeds and Ajwan seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Mabood, Fazal; Gilani, Syed Abdullah; Hussain, Javid; Alshidani, Sulaiman; Alghawi, Said; Albroumi, Mohammed; Alameri, Saif; Jabeen, Farah; Hussain, Zahid; Al-Harrasi, Ahmed; Al Abri, Zahra K. M.; Farooq, Saima; Naureen, Zakira; Hamaed, Ahmad; Rasul Jan, M.; Shah, Jasmin

2017-05-01

New experimental designs for the extraction of polyphenols from different seeds including Basil seed, Red seed, Sesame seeds and Ajwan seeds were investigated. Four variables the concentration and volume of methanol and NaOH solutions as well as the temperature and time of extraction were varied to see their effect on total phenol extraction. The temperature was varied in the range from 25 °C to 200 °C while the time in the range from 30 to 200 minutes. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the extraction parameters. The estimation of polyphenols was measured through phenols reduction UV-Vis spectroscopic method of phosphotungstic-phosphomolybdic acids (Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent). Calibration curve was made by using tannic acid as a polyphenols standard in the concentration range from 0.1 to 10 ppm. The regression line obtained shows the value of correlation coefficient i.e. R = 0.930 and Root mean square error of cross validation (RMSEC) value of 0.0654. The Basil seeds were found containing the highest amount of total phenols i.e. 785.76 mg/100 g. While the Sesame seeds having the least amount i.e. 33.08 mg/100 g. The Ajwan seeds and the Red seeds are containing the medium amounts i.e. 379 mg/100 g and 220.54 mg/100 g respectively.

Seeds of hope, seeds of despair: towards a political economy of the seed industry in southern Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Zerbe, N

2001-01-01

The seed industry in Southern Africa has been radically transformed by a policy of liberalisation and privatisation started under structural adjustment. Traditionally under the domain of parastatals, seed research, production and distribution has been criticised for failing to provide modern variety seed to smallholder farmers. However, the private companies which have stepped in to replace seed parastatals in southern Africa have proven no more effective in meeting the demands of smallholders. The Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) Agreement, concluded in 1994 as part of the Uruguay Rounds of GATT negotiations, as well as certain biotechnological innovations such as Terminator or Traitor technologies, threaten to further undermine local seed production and consumption by destroying the informal seed sector so central to agricultural production in the region. What alternatives exist? The success of Zimbabwe's maize seed network offers some insight. Resting on a unique relationship between government and nationally based producer co-operatives, Zimbabwe's maize programme was able to provide nearly every farmer in the country with hybrid maize suited for local growing conditions.

Lack of caching of direct-seeded Douglas fir seeds by deer mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sullivan, T.P.

1978-01-01

Seed caching by deer mice was investigated by radiotagging seeds in forest and clear-cut areas in coastal British Columbia. Deer mice tend to cache very few Douglas fir seeds in the fall when the seed is uniformly distributed and is at densities comparable with those used in direct-seeding programs. (author)

Influence of seaweed liquid fertilizer of ulva lactuca on the seed germination, growth, productivity of Abelmoschus esculentus (L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaisarla Divya

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The present investigation is an attempt to study the influence of seaweed liquid fertiliger (SLF extracted from the marine green algae ulva lactuca on the growth parameters of Abelmoschus esculentus (l medikus. The seeds were soaked in different concentrations of SLF viz., 2.5%, 5%, 10%, 20% and control for 6h. The foliar spry was applied twice at four concentrations of seaweed extract. The maximum growth was recorded at 5% concentration viz., seed germination, shoot length, root length, no. of flowers, no. of fruits, fresh weight and dry weight when compare to control and remaining concentrations of seaweed extract. The seaweed extract are found effective in increasing the growth parameters.

Green power certification: environmental and consumer protection benefits of the Green-e programme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wingate, M.; Hamrin, J. [Center for Resource Solutions (United States); Rabago, K. [Rocky Mountain Inst. (United States); Wiser, R. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (United States)

2000-06-01

This article gives details of the Green-e environmental certification programme which certifies electricity generated from renewable energy sources in the US. This first non-profit certification programme originally was set up for California, and has now spread to other regions. The objectives of the Green-e programme, the need for the electricity product to meet minimum criteria to qualify, marketer requirements, verification of product claims, administration of the programme, and the second year programme results are discussed. The way in which the Green-e programme fits in with other programmes such as those set up by the state and federal customer protection agencies to help consumers select environmentally superior power is described.

Methods for performing crosses in Setaria viridis, a new model system for the grasses.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Hui; Barbier, Hugues; Brutnell, Thomas

2013-10-01

Setaria viridis is an emerging model system for C4 grasses. It is closely related to the bioenergy feed stock switchgrass and the grain crop foxtail millet. Recently, the 510 Mb genome of foxtail millet, S. italica, has been sequenced (1,2) and a 25x coverage genome sequence of the weedy relative S. viridis is in progress. S. viridis has a number of characteristics that make it a potentially excellent model genetic system including a rapid generation time, small stature, simple growth requirements, prolific seed production (3) and developed systems for both transient and stable transformation (4). However, the genetics of S. viridis is largely unexplored, in part, due to the lack of detailed methods for performing crosses. To date, no standard protocol has been adopted that will permit rapid production of seeds from controlled crosses. The protocol presented here is optimized for performing genetic crosses in S. viridis, accession A10.1. We have employed a simple heat treatment with warm water for emasculation after pruning the panicle to retain 20-30 florets and labeling of flowers to eliminate seeds resulting from newly developed flowers after emasculation. After testing a series of heat treatments at permissive temperatures and varying the duration of dipping, we have established an optimum temperature and time range of 48 °C for 3-6 min. By using this method, a minimum of 15 crosses can be performed by a single worker per day and an average of 3-5 outcross progeny per panicle can be recovered. Therefore, an average of 45-75 outcross progeny can be produced by one person in a single day. Broad implementation of this technique will facilitate the development of recombinant inbred line populations of S. viridis X S. viridis or S. viridis X S. italica, mapping mutations through bulk segregant analysis and creating higher order mutants for genetic analysis.

A nonspecific Setaria italica lipid transfer protein gene plays a critical role under abiotic stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanlin Pan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Lipid transfer proteins (LTPs are a class of cysteine-rich soluble proteins having small molecular weights. LTPs participate in flower and seed development, cuticular wax deposition, also play important roles in pathogen and abiotic stress responses. A nonspecific LTP gene (SiLTP was isolated from a foxtail millet (Setaria italica suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH library enriched for differentially expressed genes after abiotic stress treatments. A semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR analysis showed that SiLTP was expressed in all foxtail millet tissues. Additionally, the SiLTP promoter drove GUS expression in root tips, stems, leaves, flowers and siliques of transgenic Arabidopsis. Quantitative real-time PCR indicated that the SiLTP expression was induced by NaCl, polyethylene glycol and abscisic acid. SiLTP was localized in the cytoplasm of tobacco leaf epidermal cells and maize protoplasts. The ectopic expression of SiLTP in tobacco resulted in higher levels of salt and drought tolerance than in the wild type (WT. To further assess the function of SiLTP, SiLTP overexpression (OE and RNA interference (RNAi-based transgenic foxtail millet were obtained. SiLTP-OE lines performed better under salt and drought stresses compared with WT plants. In contrast, the RNAi lines were much more sensitive to salt and drought compared than WT. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and yeast one-hybrids indicated that the transcription factor (TF ABA-responsive DRE-binding protein (SiARDP could bind to the dehydration-responsive element of SiLTP promoter in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Moreover, the SiLTP expression levels were higher in SiARDP-OE plants compared than the WT. These results confirmed that SiLTP plays important roles in improving salt and drought stress tolerance of foxtail millet, and may partly be up-regulated by SiARDP. SiLTP may provide an effective genetic resource for molecular breeding in crops to enhance salt and

A Non-specific Setaria italica Lipid Transfer Protein Gene Plays a Critical Role under Abiotic Stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Yanlin; Li, Jianrui; Jiao, Licong; Li, Cong; Zhu, Dengyun; Yu, Jingjuan

2016-01-01

Lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) are a class of cysteine-rich soluble proteins having small molecular weights. LTPs participate in flower and seed development, cuticular wax deposition, also play important roles in pathogen and abiotic stress responses. A non-specific LTP gene ( SiLTP ) was isolated from a foxtail millet ( Setaria italica ) suppression subtractive hybridization library enriched for differentially expressed genes after abiotic stress treatments. A semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR analysis showed that SiLTP was expressed in all foxtail millet tissues. Additionally, the SiLTP promoter drove GUS expression in root tips, stems, leaves, flowers, and siliques of transgenic Arabidopsis . Quantitative real-time PCR indicated that the SiLTP expression was induced by NaCl, polyethylene glycol, and abscisic acid (ABA). SiLTP was localized in the cytoplasm of tobacco leaf epidermal cells and maize protoplasts. The ectopic expression of SiLTP in tobacco resulted in higher levels of salt and drought tolerance than in the wild type (WT). To further assess the function of SiLTP, SiLTP overexpression (OE) and RNA interference (RNAi)-based transgenic foxtail millet were obtained. SiLTP -OE lines performed better under salt and drought stresses compared with WT plants. In contrast, the RNAi lines were much more sensitive to salt and drought compared than WT. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and yeast one-hybrids indicated that the transcription factor ABA-responsive DRE-binding protein (SiARDP) could bind to the dehydration-responsive element of SiLTP promoter in vitro and in vivo , respectively. Moreover, the SiLTP expression levels were higher in SiARDP -OE plants compared than the WT. These results confirmed that SiLTP plays important roles in improving salt and drought stress tolerance of foxtail millet, and may partly be upregulated by SiARDP. SiLTP may provide an effective genetic resource for molecular breeding in crops to enhance salt and drought

The green building envelope : Vertical greening

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ottelé, M.

2011-01-01

Planting on roofs and façades is one of the most innovative and fastest developing fields of green technologies with respect to the built environment and horticulture. This thesis is focused on vertical greening of structures and to the multi-scale benefits of vegetation. Vertical green can improve

Heirloom biodynamic seeds network rescue, conservation and multiplication of local seeds in Brazil

OpenAIRE

Jovchelevich, Pedro

2014-01-01

Structuring a network organic and biodynamic seed involving farmers in the central- southern Brazil. Training, participatory breeding, edition of publications, fairs of exchange seeds, a processing unit and assessment of seed quality, commercial seed multiplication with emphasis on vegetables. This network has garanteed the autonomy of farmers in seed production and enriched agrobiodiversity through exchanges of seed.

combining high seed number and weight to improve seed yield

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ACSS

ABSTRACT. Increasing seed size and seed weight is an important trait for trade, yield component and adaptation of chickpea ... determining yield or quality, and the development of rapid and ..... C.G. 1981. Control of seed growth in soybeans.

Seed producer cooperatives in the Ethiopian seed sector and their role in seed supply improvement: A review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sisay, D.T.; Verhees, F.J.H.M.; Trijp, van J.C.M.

2017-01-01

The role of seed producer cooperatives (SPCs) in the Ethiopian seed sector and their contribution to seed supply improvement have received attention from researchers, policymakers, and development partners. However, limited work has been done in reviewing and documenting their involvement in the

genetics and inheritance of seed dormancy inflicted by seed

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mgina

ABSTRACT. The study was undertaken to investigate the genetic mode of inheritance of dormancy imposed by the hull (seed coat) in rice seeds. Freshly harvested seeds of parents, F1 and F2 populations of a cross between a dormant cultivar Kisegese and non-dormant strain K2004 were used. Germination test of the ...

GREEN MANAGEMENT: THE REALITY OF BEING GREEN IN BUSINESS

OpenAIRE

Tran, Ben

2009-01-01

Green management and going green are not as clear cut and easy as hyped by the general media. While going ecologically green is indeed beneficial and appropriate, the process and procedure of becoming green is anything but easy. Firstly, turning green is largely not a legal requirement, but a voluntary process. Thus, even though LEED (which is by far the more publicly known green certification standard) governs the certification of the green management effort, it is not a compulsory condition...

Genetic diversity and genomic resources available for the small millet crops to accelerate a New Green Revolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Travis Luc Goron

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Small millets are nutrient-rich food sources traditionally grown and consumed by subsistence farmers in Asia and Africa. They include finger millet (Eleusine coracana, foxtail millet (Setaria italica, kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum, proso millet (Panicum miliaceum, barnyard millet (Echinochloa spp., and little millet (Panicum sumatrense. Local farmers value the small millets for their nutritional and health, tolerance to extreme stress including drought, and ability to grow under low nutrient input conditions, ideal in an era of climate change and steadily depleting natural resources. Little scientific attention has been paid to these crops, hence they have been termed orphan cereals. Despite this challenge, an advantageous quality of the small millets is that they continue to be grown in remote regions of the world which has preserved their biodiversity, providing breeders with unique alleles for crop improvement. The purpose of this review, first, is to highlight the diverse traits of each small millet species that are valued by farmers and consumers (e.g. nutritional quality which hold potential for selection, improvement or mechanistic study. For each species, the germplasm, genetic and genomic resources available will then be described as potential tools to exploit this biodiversity. The review will conclude with noting current trends and gaps in the literature and make recommendations on how to better preserve and utilize diversity within these species to accelerate a New Green Revolution for subsistence farmers in Asia and Africa.

Effect of crude seaweed extracts on seed germination, seedling growth and some metabolic processes of Vicia faba L.

Science.gov (United States)

el-Sheekh, M M; el-Saied A el-D

2000-01-01

Crude extracts from three green seaweeds (Cladophora dalmatica, Enteromorpha intestinalis, Ulva lactuca) and the three red algae (Corallina mediterranea, Jania rubens, Pterocladia pinnate) were prepared. Their effects on germination, growth of seedlings, chlorophyll content and other metabolic activities of Vicia faba were investigated. The crude extract of C. dalmatica showed maximal activity, and it increased seed germination, length of main root and shoot systems and the number of lateral roots. All the crude extracts of seaweed increased protein content in both root and shoot systems, total soluble sugars and chlorophyll content in leaves. The cytokinin content of the green algae was higher than that in red algae. Growth of seedlings of V. faba was stimulated but to different degrees.

Seeds of confusion : the impact of policies on seed systems

OpenAIRE

Louwaars, N.P.

2007-01-01

Seed is basic to crop production. Next to its importance in production, food security and rural development, seed is a key element in many debates about technology development and transfer, biodiversity, globalisation and equity. The sustainable availability of good quality seed is thus an important development issue. This study deals with the impact different types of regulation have on how farmers access seed. I have analysed current regulatory frameworks in terms of their impact on differe...

Wheat seed system in Ethiopia: Farmers' varietal perception, seed sources, and seed management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bishaw, Z.; Struik, P.C.; Gastel, van A.J.G.

2010-01-01

Knowledge and information on farmers' perception and its influence on adoption of modern wheat varieties, awareness and source of new wheat production technology, wheat seed sources, and on-farm seed-management practices remain sporadic in Ethiopia. This study was conducted to understand the

Physicochemical Evaluation of Seeds and Oil of Nontraditional Oil Seeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam Ismail Ahmed

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The present work was conducted in the Laboratory of Biochemistry and Food science department, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Kordofan, in order to evaluate some nontraditional oil seeds these are i.e. Marula (Sclerocarya birrea, Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L. seeds and Christ’s thorn (Zizyphus spina-christi seeds. The seeds of the roselle and Christ’s thorn fruits were procured from Elobeid local market, North Kordofan State, while marula fruits were obtained from Elnuhod, West Kordofan State. The proximate composition of the seeds, cake and christ’s thorn pulp was done. Some chemical and physical properties were performed for the extracted oil. The results revealed that proximate composition of the seeds and cake differ statistically among the studied materials. Significant differences were observed among the oil extracted from these species; moreover, these oils differ significantly in color and viscosity only.

Robotic seeding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Søren Marcus; Fountas, Spyros; Sørensen, Claus Aage Grøn

2017-01-01

Agricultural robotics has received attention for approximately 20 years, but today there are only a few examples of the application of robots in agricultural practice. The lack of uptake may be (at least partly) because in many cases there is either no compelling economic benefit......, or there is a benefit but it is not recognized. The aim of this chapter is to quantify the economic benefits from the application of agricultural robots under a specific condition where such a benefit is assumed to exist, namely the case of early seeding and re-seeding in sugar beet. With some predefined assumptions...... with regard to speed, capacity and seed mapping, we found that among these two technical systems both early seeding with a small robot and re-seeding using a robot for a smaller part of the field appear to be financially viable solutions in sugar beet production....

Construction and application of EST library from Setaria italica in response to dehydration stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jinpeng; Liu, Tingsong; Fu, Junjie; Zhu, Yun; Jia, Jinping; Zheng, Jun; Zhao, Yinhe; Zhang, Ying; Wang, Guoying

2007-07-01

Foxtail millet is a gramineous crop with low water requirement. Despite its high water use efficiency, less attention has been paid to the molecular genetics of foxtail millet. This article reports the construction of subtracted cDNA libraries from foxtail millet seedlings under dehydration stress and the expression profile analysis of 1947 UniESTs from the subtracted cDNA libraries by a cDNA microarray. The results showed that 95 and 57 ESTs were upregulated by dehydration stress, respectively, in roots and shoots of seedlings and that 10 and 27 ESTs were downregulated, respectively, in roots and shoots. The expression profile analysis showed that genes induced in foxtail millet roots were different from those in shoots during dehydration stress and that the early response to dehydration stress in foxtail millet roots was the activation of the glycolysis metabolism. Moreover, protein degradation pathway may also play a pivotal role in drought-tolerant responses of foxtail millet. Finally, Northern blot analysis validated well the cDNA microarray data.

Seeds of confusion : the impact of policies on seed systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Louwaars, N.P.

2007-01-01

Seed is basic to crop production. Next to its importance in production, food security and rural development, seed is a key element in many debates about technology development and transfer, biodiversity, globalisation and equity. The sustainable availability of good quality seed is thus an important

Seed mass and mast seeding enhance dispersal by a neotropical scatter-hoarding rodent

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, P.A.; Bongers, F.J.J.M.; Hemerik, L.

2004-01-01

Many tree species that depend on scatter-hoarding animals for seed dispersal produce massive crops of large seeds at irregular intervals. Mast seeding and large seed size in these species have been explained as adaptations to increase animal dispersal and reduce predation. We studied how seed size

Green Power Initiative

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Butler, Patrick Barry [Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA (United States)

2013-01-28

National energy policy supports the gathering of more detailed and authoritative data on the introduction of renewable bio-based fuels into new and existing district energy systems via the application of biomass gasification. The University of Iowa developed a biomass-fueled, university-scale steam generation system based on biomass gasification technologies. The system serves as a state-of-the-art research and educational facility in the emerging application of gasification in steam generation. The facility, which includes a smaller down-draft gasifier and a larger multi-stage biomass boiler, was designed to operate primarily on wood-based fuels, but has provisions for testing other biomass fuel sources produced within a 100-mile radius, providing enough flexibility to meet the fluctuating local supply of biomass from industry and Midwest agriculture. The equipment was installed in an existing, staffed facility. The down-draft gasifier unit is operated by College of Engineering staff and students, under the direct technical supervision of qualified Utilities plant staff. The Green Power Initiative also includes a substantial, innovative educational component. In addition to an onsite, graduate-level research program in biomass fuels, the investigators have integrated undergraduate and graduate level teaching – through classroom studies and experiential learning – and applied research into a biomass-based, university-scale, functioning power plant. University of Iowa is unique in that it currently has multiple renewable energy technologies deployed, including significant biomass combustion (oat hulls) at its Main Power Plant and a new reciprocating engine based renewable district energy system. This project complements and supports the national energy policy and State of Iowa initiatives in ethanol and biodiesel. Byproducts of ethanol and biodiesel processes (distiller grains) as well as industry residues (oat hulls, wood chips, construction and demolition

Seed Placement in Permanent Breast Seed Implant Brachytherapy: Are Concerns Over Accuracy Valid?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morton, Daniel, E-mail: dmorton@bccancer.bc.ca [Department of Medical Physics, BC Cancer Agency, Centre for the Southern Interior, Kelowna, British Columbia (Canada); Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia (Canada); Hilts, Michelle [Department of Medical Physics, BC Cancer Agency, Centre for the Southern Interior, Kelowna, British Columbia (Canada); Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia (Canada); Batchelar, Deidre [Department of Medical Physics, BC Cancer Agency, Centre for the Southern Interior, Kelowna, British Columbia (Canada); Crook, Juanita [Department of Radiation Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, Centre for the Southern Interior, Kelowna, British Columbia (Canada)

2016-07-01

Purpose: To evaluate seed placement accuracy in permanent breast seed implant brachytherapy (PBSI), to identify any systematic errors and evaluate their effect on dosimetry. Methods and Materials: Treatment plans and postimplant computed tomography scans for 20 PBSI patients were spatially registered and used to evaluate differences between planned and implanted seed positions, termed seed displacements. For each patient, the mean total and directional seed displacements were determined in both standard room coordinates and in needle coordinates relative to needle insertion angle. Seeds were labeled according to their proximity to the anatomy within the breast, to evaluate the influence of anatomic regions on seed placement. Dosimetry within an evaluative target volume (seroma + 5 mm), skin, breast, and ribs was evaluated to determine the impact of seed placement on the treatment. Results: The overall mean (±SD) difference between implanted and planned positions was 9 ± 5 mm for the aggregate seed population. No significant systematic directional displacements were observed for this whole population. However, for individual patients, systematic displacements were observed, implying that intrapatient offsets occur during the procedure. Mean displacements for seeds in the different anatomic areas were not found to be significantly different from the mean for the entire seed population. However, small directional trends were observed within the anatomy, potentially indicating some bias in the delivery. Despite observed differences between the planned and implanted seed positions, the median (range) V{sub 90} for the 20 patients was 97% (66%-100%), and acceptable dosimetry was achieved for critical structures. Conclusions: No significant trends or systematic errors were observed in the placement of seeds in PBSI, including seeds implanted directly into the seroma. Recorded seed displacements may be related to intrapatient setup adjustments. Despite observed seed

Sustainable green urban planning: the Green Credit Tool

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cilliers, E.J.; Diemont, E.; Stobbelaar, D.J.; Timmermans, W.

2010-01-01

Purpose – The Green Credit Tool is evaluated as a method to quantify the value of green-spaces and to determine how these green-space-values can be replaced or compensated for within urban spatial planning projects. Design/methodology/approach – Amersfoort Local Municipality created the Green Credit

Pilot study of the efficacy and safety of lettuce seed oil in patients with sleep disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yakoot M

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Mostafa Yakoot1, Sherine Helmy2, Kamal Fawal31Green Clinic Research Center, 2Pharco Pharmaceutical Company, 3Mamorah Psychiatric Hospital, Alexandria, EgyptBackground: Lactuca sativa (garden lettuce is a popular salad herb. It has been in use in folk medicine since ancient times as both an appetite stimulant and as an aid to sleep. L. sativa seed oil (Sedan® has demonstrated a pronounced sedative effect and potentiated the hypnotic effect of barbiturates in animal models. It also exhibited significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we evaluated the sedative and hypnotic effects of L. sativa in patients suffering from insomnia.Methods: Sixty patients suffering from insomnia with or without anxiety were randomized to receive capsules containing L. sativa seed oil 1000 mg (n = 30 or placebo (n = 30. All patients were asked to complete a verbal questionnaire before the start of the trial and 1 week after starting treatment.Results: Improvements in the modified State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Sleep rating scale scores were significantly greater in patients receiving L. sativa seed oil compared with those on placebo (P < 0.05. No side effects were found to be attributable to L. sativa seed oil at the given dosage.Conclusion: L. sativa seed oil was found to be a useful sleeping aid and may be a hazard-free line of treatment, especially in geriatric patients suffering from mild-to-moderate forms of anxiety and sleeping difficulties.Keywords: Lactuca sativa seed oil, insomnia, sleeping disorder, anxiety

Fungal Microbiomes Associated with Green and Non-Green Building Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Coombs, Kanistha; Vesper, Stephen; Green, Brett J; Yermakov, Mikhail; Reponen, Tiina

2017-01-01

Water-damaged buildings can lead to fungal growth and occupant health problems. Green building materials, derived from renewable sources, are increasingly utilized in construction and renovations. However, the question as to what fungi will grow on these green compared to non-green materials, after they get wet, has not been adequately studied. By determining what fungi grow on each type of material, the potential health risks can be more adequately assessed. In this study, we inoculated green and non-green pieces of ceiling tile, composite board, drywall, and flooring with indoor dust containing a complex mixture of naturally occurring fungi. The materials were saturated with water and incubated for two months in a controlled environment. The resulting fungal microbiomes were evaluated using ITS amplicon sequencing. Overall, the richness and diversity of the mycobiomes on each pair of green and non-green pieces were not significantly different. However, different genera dominated on each type of material. For example, Aspergillus spp. had the highest relative abundance on green and non-green ceiling tiles and green composite boards, but Peniophora spp. dominated the non-green composite board. In contrast, Penicillium spp. dominated green and non-green flooring samples. Green gypsum board was dominated by Phialophora spp. and Stachybotrys spp., but non-green gypsum board by Myrothecium spp. These data suggest that water-damaged green and non-green building materials can result in mycobiomes that are dominated by fungal genera whose member species pose different potentials for health risks.

Consistent individual differences in seed disperser quality in a seed-eating fish

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pollux, Bart J.A.

2017-01-01

Animal-mediated seed dispersal (zoochory) is considered to be an important mechanism regulating biological processes at larger spatial scales. To date, intra-specific variation in seed disperser quality within seed-dispersing animals has not been studied. Here, I employed seed feeding trials to

Identification of new members of Fertilisation Independent Seed Polycomb Group pathway involved in the control of seed development in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Science.gov (United States)

Guitton, Anne-Elisabeth; Page, Damian R; Chambrier, Pierre; Lionnet, Claire; Faure, Jean-Emmanuel; Grossniklaus, Ueli; Berger, Frédéric

2004-06-01

In higher plants, double fertilisation initiates seed development. One sperm cell fuses with the egg cell and gives rise to the embryo, the second sperm cell fuses with the central cell and gives rise to the endosperm. The endosperm develops as a syncytium with the gradual organisation of domains along an anteroposterior axis defined by the position of the embryo at the anterior pole and by the attachment to the placenta at the posterior pole. We report that ontogenesis of the posterior pole in Arabidopsis thaliana involves oriented migration of nuclei in the syncytium. We show that this migration is impaired in mutants of the three founding members of the FERTILIZATION INDEPENDENT SEED (FIS) class, MEDEA (MEA), FIS2 and FERTILIZATION INDEPENDENT ENDOSPERM (FIE). A screen based on a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter line allowed us to identify two new loci in the FIS pathway, medicis and borgia. We have cloned the MEDICIS gene and show that it encodes the Arabidopsis homologue of the yeast WD40 domain protein MULTICOPY SUPRESSOR OF IRA (MSI1). The mutations at the new fis loci cause the same cellular defects in endosperm development as other fis mutations, including parthenogenetic development, absence of cellularisation, ectopic development of posterior structures and overexpression of the GFP marker.

Interactions between seed traits and digestive processes determine the germinability of bird-dispersed seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleyheeg, Erik; Claessens, Mascha; Soons, Merel B

2018-01-01

Waterbirds disperse a wide range of plant seeds via their guts, promoting biotic connectivity between isolated habitat patches. However, the intensity of digestive forces encountered by seeds, and therefore their potential to survive digestive tract passage, varies within and between waterbird species. Here, we investigate under controlled conditions how the interaction between seed traits and digestive strategies affect the germinability of seeds following waterbird-mediated dispersal. We exposed seeds of 30 wetland plant species to the main digestive processes in the dabbling duck digestive system: mechanical, chemical and intestinal digestion. These were simulated by 1) a pressure test and scarification treatment, 2) incubation in simulated gastric juice, and 3) incubation in intestinal contents of culled mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). We evaluated their separate and combined effects on seed germination, and identified the role of seed size and seed coat traits in resisting the digestive forces. Seeds were generally resistant to separate digestive processes, but highly sensitive to a combination. Resistance to mechanical break-down was reduced by up to 80% by chemical pre-treatment, especially for seeds with permeable coats. Scarified seeds were 12-17% more vulnerable to chemical and intestinal digestive processes than undamaged seeds. Large seeds and seeds with thin, permeable coats were particularly sensitive to chemical and intestinal digestion. These results indicate that efficient digestion of seeds requires multiple digestive processes. The gizzard, responsible for mechanical digestion, plays a key role in seed survival. Omnivorous birds, which have relatively light gizzards compared to pure herbivores or granivores, are thus most likely to disperse seeds successfully. Regardless of digestive strategy, small seeds with tough seed coats are most resistant to digestion and may be adapted to endozoochorous dispersal by waterbirds.

Interactions between seed traits and digestive processes determine the germinability of bird-dispersed seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Soons, Merel B.

2018-01-01

Waterbirds disperse a wide range of plant seeds via their guts, promoting biotic connectivity between isolated habitat patches. However, the intensity of digestive forces encountered by seeds, and therefore their potential to survive digestive tract passage, varies within and between waterbird species. Here, we investigate under controlled conditions how the interaction between seed traits and digestive strategies affect the germinability of seeds following waterbird-mediated dispersal. We exposed seeds of 30 wetland plant species to the main digestive processes in the dabbling duck digestive system: mechanical, chemical and intestinal digestion. These were simulated by 1) a pressure test and scarification treatment, 2) incubation in simulated gastric juice, and 3) incubation in intestinal contents of culled mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). We evaluated their separate and combined effects on seed germination, and identified the role of seed size and seed coat traits in resisting the digestive forces. Seeds were generally resistant to separate digestive processes, but highly sensitive to a combination. Resistance to mechanical break-down was reduced by up to 80% by chemical pre-treatment, especially for seeds with permeable coats. Scarified seeds were 12–17% more vulnerable to chemical and intestinal digestive processes than undamaged seeds. Large seeds and seeds with thin, permeable coats were particularly sensitive to chemical and intestinal digestion. These results indicate that efficient digestion of seeds requires multiple digestive processes. The gizzard, responsible for mechanical digestion, plays a key role in seed survival. Omnivorous birds, which have relatively light gizzards compared to pure herbivores or granivores, are thus most likely to disperse seeds successfully. Regardless of digestive strategy, small seeds with tough seed coats are most resistant to digestion and may be adapted to endozoochorous dispersal by waterbirds. PMID:29614085

7 CFR 201.33 - Seed in bulk or large quantities; seed for cleaning or processing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... quantities; seed for cleaning or processing. (a) In the case of seed in bulk, the information required under... seeds. (b) Seed consigned to a seed cleaning or processing establishment, for cleaning or processing for... pertaining to such seed show that it is “Seed for processing,” or, if the seed is in containers and in...

Physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities and protective effect against acute ethanol-induced hepatic injury in mice of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) bran oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Min; He, Shujian; Wang, Lu; Cao, Xinmin; Cao, Lili; Jiang, Shaotong

2014-08-01

This study was designed to investigate physicochemical characterization of the oil extracted from foxtail millet bran (FMBO), and the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects against acute ethanol-induced hepatic injury in mice. GC-MS analysis revealed that unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) account for 83.76% of the total fatty acids; in particular, the linoleic acid (C18:2) is the predominant polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and the compounds of squalene and six phytosterols (or phytostanols) were identified in unsaponifiable matter of FMBO. The antioxidant activity examination of FMBO in vitro showed highly ferric-reducing antioxidant power and scavenging effects against DPPH· and HO· radicals. Furthermore, the protective effect of FMBO against acute hepatic injuries induced by ethanol was verified in mice. In this, intragastric administration with different dosages of FMBO in mice ahead of acute ethanol administration could observably antagonize the ethanol-induced increases in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), and the hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, respectively, along with enhanced hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels relative to the control. Hepatic histological changes were also observed and confirmed that FMBO is capable of attenuating ethanol-induced hepatic injury.

Seed rain, soil seed bank, seed loss and regeneration of Castanopsis fargesii (Fagaceae) in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest

Science.gov (United States)

Xiaojun Du; Qinfeng Guo; Xianming Gao; Keping Na

2007-01-01

Understanding the seed rain and seed loss dynamics in the natural condition has important significance for revealing the natural regeneration mechanisms.We conducted a 3-year field observation on seed rain, seed loss and natural regeneration of Castanopsis fargesii Franch., a dominant tree species in evergreen broad-leaved forests in Dujiangyan,...

Training and research in seed technology. No quality seeds without skilled staff

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groot, S.P.C.; Hilhorst, H.W.M.

2016-01-01

The seed industry in the Netherlands is the largest exporter of horticultural seeds, reaching farmers in every country of the world. High seed quality is one of the key factors of this success. Maintaining and increasing the level of seed qualtiy requires skilled staff, innovation and collaboration

Chloroxyanion residue on seeds and sprouts after chlorine dioxide sanitation of alfalfa seed

Science.gov (United States)

The effects of a 6-h chlorine dioxide sanitation of alfalfa seed (0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg seed) on total coliform bacteria, seed germination, and on the presence of chlorate and perchlorate residues in seed rinse, seed soak, and in alfalfa sprouts was determined. Chlorate residues in 20000 ppm cal...

Induced high yielding mutant in green gram (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pulivarthi, H.R.; Mary, T.N.

1987-01-01

Green gram (mungbean) plays a significant role in meeting the protein requirements in India, with its predominantly vegetarian population. Therefore, an attempt was made to induce desirable mutants. Dry seed of cultivar 'Pusa 105' were irradiated with gamma rays ranging from 10 to 50 krad. A high yielding mutant (Hy I) identified in the M 4 generation from 40 krad dose, has shown significant increases in the number of pods/plants, number of branches/plant, and yield/plant. Further work is in progress. Comparison of the mutant HyI with the parent cultivar Pusa 105 is given

Assessment of Seed Germination and Dormancy of Thirty Seeds Lots of

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.R Ehyaee

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Most seeds of medicinal plants due to ecological adaptation to environmental conditions have several types of dormancy. Hence, it's necessary to recognize ecological factors that affect dormancy and provide optimum conditions for germination in medicinal plant species. Thirty seed lots were used to estimate germination and dormancy of medicinal plants. Treatments were KNO3, (2% and scarification of seeds by sand paper, hypochlorite sodium and removing the seed coat with four replicates of 25 seeds. Maximum and minimum germination observed in H2O for Digitalis purpure 100% and Saponaria officinalis 0%. In KNO3 treatment, Portulaca oleracea had the highest germination of 91% and Hyocyamus niger had no any germinated seeds. In sand paper treatment, the Saponaria officinalis and Datura stramonium had maximum, 33% and minimum 0% germination respectively.

Uptake of Cationic Dyes from Aqueous Solution by Biosorption Using Granulized Annona squmosa Seed

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T. Santhi

2009-01-01

Full Text Available A new, low cost, locally available biomaterial was tested for its ability to remove cationic dyes from aqueous solution. A sample of granulized Annona squmosa seeds had been utilized as a sorbent for uptake of three cationic dyes, methylene blue (MB, methylene red (MR and malachite green (MG. The effects of various experimental parameters (e.g., contact time, dye concentration, adsorbent dose and pH were investigated and optimal experimental conditions were ascertained. Above the value of initial pH 5, three dyes studied could be removed effectively. The isothermal data fitted the Langmuir model in the case of MB sorption and the Freundlich model for all three dyes sorption. The biosorption processes followed the pseudo first order rate kinetics. The results in this study indicated that granulized Annona squmosa seed was an attractive candidate for removing cationic dyes from the dye wastewater.

Early planting and hand sorting effectively controls seed-borne fungi in farm-retained bean seed

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Ernest Dube

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Home-saved bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. seed can be hand-sorted to remove discoloured seed, thereby reducing the level of contamination by certain seed-borne fungi and improving seed germination. In this study, the effect of planting date on the infection and discolouration of bean seed by seed-borne fungi was investigated in order to improve the quality of hand-sorted, farm-retained bean seeds used by resource poor smallholder farmers. The germination quality and level of seed-borne fungi in hand-sorted first-generation bean seed harvested from an early-, mid- and late-summer season planted crop was therefore assessed. The highest percentage of discoloured seed (68% was obtained from the mid-summer season planting. Non-discoloured seed from early- and late-season plantings had significantly (p"less than"0.001 higher normal germination (82% and 77%, respectively than that from the mid-season planting date (58%. Irrespective of planting date, unsorted seed and discoloured seed had higher levels of infection by Fusarium spp. and Phaeoisariopsis spp. than the non-discoloured seed. Removal of discoloured seed by hand sorting eliminated Rhizoctonia spp. from all seed lots. Farmers can eliminate this pathogen by simply removing discoloured seed. Non-discoloured seed from the early-planted crop had the lowest level of infection by Fusarium spp. and Phaeoisariopsis spp. The results indicate that planting date is an important consideration in improving the quality of hand-sorted farm-retained bean seed.

Green Building Pro-Environment Behaviors: Are Green Users Also Green Buyers?

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Xiaohuan Xie

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Pro-environment behaviors play a key role in advancing the development of green buildings. This study investigated the link between two green building pro-environment behaviors that require dissimilar resources: energy savings that do not require money in order to be more environmentally friendly and willingness to pay that involves economic resources including spending money in order to be more environmentally friendly. This study points out that the two pro-environment behaviors can be positively linked to each other. People who behave in an environmentally friendly manner at work would also be likely to pay an extra cost for a green building when buying a new home. The consistency of the two pro-environment behaviors can be explained by their common environmental beliefs: limits to growth and eco-crisis. The green building movement should prioritize pro-environmental behaviors and associated environmental beliefs to support green building policies, guidelines, and tools.

Responses of seed germination, seedling growth, and seed yield traits to seed pretreatment in maize (Zea mays L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Yu; Guan, Bo; Zhou, Daowei; Yu, Junbao; Li, Guangdi; Lou, Yujie

2014-01-01

A series of seed priming experiments were conducted to test the effects of different pretreatment methods to seed germination, seedling growth, and seed yield traits in maize (Zea mays L.). Results indicated that the seeds primed by gibberellins (GA), NaCl, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) reagents showed a higher imbibitions rate compared to those primed with water. The final germination percentage and germination rate varied with different reagents significantly (P germination experiment. 15% PEG priming reagent increased shoot and root biomass of maize seedling. The shoot biomass of seedlings after presoaking the seeds with NaCl reagent was significantly higher than the seedlings without priming treatment. No significant differences of plant height, leaf number, and hundred-grain weight were observed between control group and priming treatments. Presoaking with water, NaCl (50 mM), or PEG (15%) significantly increased the hundred-grain weight of maize. Therefore, seed pretreatment is proved to be an effective technique to improve the germination performance, seedling growth, and seed yield of maize. However, when compared with the two methods, if immediate sowing is possible, presoaking is recommended to harvest better benefits compared to priming method.

Spinach seed quality - potential for combining seed size grading and chlorophyll flourescence sorting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deleuran, Lise Christina; Olesen, Merete Halkjær; Boelt, Birte

2013-01-01

might therefore improve the establishment of spinach for producers. Spinach seeds were harvested at five different times (H1, H2, H3, H4 and H5) starting 3 weeks before estimated optimum harvest time. The harvested seeds were sorted according to chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) and seed size. Two harvest.......5–3.25 mm size seeds had germinated on day 3 than both their larger and smaller counterparts at the later time of harvest (H4). Seeds with a diameter below 2.5 mm displayed the lowest MGT. Commercially, the use of chlorophyll fluorescence (CF)-sorted seeds, in combination with seed size sorting, may provide...

[Effects of illumination and seed-soaking reagent on seed germination of Solanum nigrum].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chuan-Jie; Wei, Shu-He; Zhou, Qi-Xing; Hu, Ya-Hu; Niu, Rong-Cheng

2009-05-01

To explore a rapid seed germination method for hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum, a germination experiment with different illumination and seed-soaking treatments was conducted in constant temperature box and greenhouse, with filter as burgeon base. Under illumination, the germination rate was about 5 times high of that without illumination (P seed germination of S. nigrum. All test seed-soaking reagents could significantly improve the germination rate of S. nigrum (P seeds treated with H2O2 had the shortest germination time. The germination rate of seeds soaked but without cleaning was 2-3 times as high as that of seeds soaked and cleaned with water.

Increasing seed size and quality by manipulating BIG SEEDS1 in legume species.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Liangfa; Yu, Jianbin; Wang, Hongliang; Luth, Diane; Bai, Guihua; Wang, Kan; Chen, Rujin

2016-11-01

Plant organs, such as seeds, are primary sources of food for both humans and animals. Seed size is one of the major agronomic traits that have been selected in crop plants during their domestication. Legume seeds are a major source of dietary proteins and oils. Here, we report a conserved role for the BIG SEEDS1 (BS1) gene in the control of seed size and weight in the model legume Medicago truncatula and the grain legume soybean (Glycine max). BS1 encodes a plant-specific transcription regulator and plays a key role in the control of the size of plant organs, including seeds, seed pods, and leaves, through a regulatory module that targets primary cell proliferation. Importantly, down-regulation of BS1 orthologs in soybean by an artificial microRNA significantly increased soybean seed size, weight, and amino acid content. Our results provide a strategy for the increase in yield and seed quality in legumes.

Partitioning of seed dispersal services between birds and bats in a fragment of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

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Raissa Sarmento

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Community-level network studies suggest that seed dispersal networks may share some universal properties with other complex systems. However, most of the datasets used so far in those studies have been strongly biased towards temperate birds, including not only dispersers, but also seed predators. Recent evidence from multi-taxon networks suggests that seed dispersal networks are not all alike and may be more complex than previously thought. Here, we used network theory to evaluate seed dispersal in a strongly impacted Atlantic Forest fragment in northeastern Brazil, where bats and birds are the only extant dispersers. We hypothesized that the seed dispersal network should be more modular then nested, and that the dispersers should segregate their services according to dispersal syndromes. Furthermore, we predicted that bat and bird species that are more specialized in frugivory would be more important for maintaining the network structure. The mixed network contained 56 plant species, 12 bat species, and eight bird species, and its structure was more modular (M = 0.58 then nested (NODF = 0.21 compared with another multi-taxon network and 21 single-taxon networks (with either bats or birds. All dispersed fruits had seeds smaller than 9 mm. Bats dispersed mainly green fruits, whereas birds dispersed fruits of various colors. The network contained eight modules: five with birds only, two with bats only, and one mixed. Most dispersers were peripheral, and only specialized frugivores acted as hubs or connectors. Our results strongly support recent studies, suggesting that seed dispersal networks are complex mosaics, where different taxa form separate modules with different properties, which in turn play complementary roles in the maintenance of the associated ecosystem functions and services.

Conference Proceedings: Seed Ecology III - The Third International Society for Seed Science Meeting on Seeds and the Environment - "Seeds and Change"; June 20-June 24, 2010; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Rosemary Pendleton; Susan Meyer; Bitsy Schultz

2010-01-01

Seed Ecology III was held in Salt Lake City, Utah in June 2010, sharing the latest research on all aspects of seed ecology. Our meeting was organized around the theme "Seeds and Change." We welcomed contributions in any area of seed ecology. Our agenda also aimed to create bridges between seed ecology and plant conservation, restoration ecology, and global...

How seed orchard culture affects seed quality: experience with the southern pines

Science.gov (United States)

James P. Barnett

1996-01-01

Tree improvement programs have influenced significantly the quality of southern pine seeds produced when compared to collections from native stands. Seed orchard management practices such as fertilization can increase seed size and reduce seed dormancy. These result in the need for less complex pregermination treatments. Repeated cone collections from the same clones...

Factors influencing upon the incidence of seed migration in I-125 seed transperineal prostate implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itami, Jun; Onishi, Kayoko; Kanemura, Mikio

2005-01-01

Transperineal I-125 seed brachytherapy for prostate cancer is rapidly expanding in Japan. Seed migrations to lung and abdomen are well known complication in the seed brachytherapy. The rate of incidence and the predisposing factors were studied. From April 2004 through January 2005, 36 patients underwent transperineal I-125 seed brachytherapy for prostate cancer. In all patients loose I-125 seeds were inserted with Mick applicator according to modified peripheral loading pattern. One day, 1 week, and 1 month after the procedure, posteroanterior and lateral chest X-rays and abdominal X-ray were performed. Abdominal and chest seed migrations were seen in 11 (30.6%) and 14 (38.9%) patients, respectively. In total, 20 patients (55.6%) showed seed migrations. Forty-two I-125 seeds migrated out of 2,508 implanted seeds. Most of the migrations were seen until 1 month after the procedure. The preplanned number of the extraprostatic seeds had a statistically significant influence upon the incidence of seed migration. Seed migration is not a rare phenomenon in transperineal I-125 seed brachytherapy for prostate cancer. To confirm seed migration, X-ray examinations 1 month after the procedure are suited. At the preplanning, the number of extraprostatic seeds should be limited to minimal to decrease the incidence of seed migration. In future, the introduction of linked I-125 seeds is preferred. (author)

THE STRUCTURE OF THE SEED YIELD OF BROAD BEANS IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL ZONE OF THE SOUTH OF THE CENTRAL BLACK EARTH REGION

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Yu. N. Kurkina

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Rich in high quality protein, vitamins, carbohydrates, organic acids and trace elements seeds, green fruits and young leaves broad beans (Vicia faba L. var. major Harz has long been used in the food, and the culture of beans are promising in biological agriculture and horticulture. The aim of this work was to study the structure of seed production of different varieties of broad beans in the South Central zone of the region. At the Botanical garden BelSU (Belgorod to study the structure of seed production of different varieties of broad beans (Belarusiskie, Velena, Russkie chernie, Aquadul and determined the biochemical composition of seeds. Optimal height of attachment of the first fruit for mechanical harvesting (20-25 cm characteristic of plants of all studied varieties. Weight of the fetus, according to the coefficient of variability, equal to 45%, distinguished by a strong variability on grades with a maximum grade of Velena. The length of fruit ranged from 9 to 13 cm and were characterized by moderate variability (V=20%. Seeds production is determinened not only by size of fruits of beans, but and its important components such as 1000 seed weight. Protein content in the seeds at 30% different varieties of broad beans domestic breeding. Contents of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and iron is higher in the cotyledons than in the skin. Dark purple color of the seed varieties of Russian black is due to the biosynthesis useful for human organism anthocyanins in seed peel.

Alleviate Seed Ageing Effects in Silybum marianum by Application of Hormone Seed Priming

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Seyed Ata SIADAT

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Most of the medicinal plants have seed dormancy or poor seed germination. This is due to their natural compounds or their morphological structure. Existence of such mechanisms makes the seeds able to endure harsh environments, stressful conditions or natural ageing. Different seed enhancement treatments were proposed in order to improve seed germination. In this study, it was examined Silybum marianum seed longevity (0, 48 and 72 hour of ageing and the response to seed priming when using different concentrations of cytokinin (50, 200, 350 and 500 ppm and different duration of treatment (8, 12 and 24 hour. Results revealed that ageing could be successfully alleviated using seed priming. Seed ageing significantly affected seed germination and vigour. Application of cytokinin considerably improved seed vigour in aged and non aged seeds. The most effective seed priming treatment was with 500 ppm cytokine, with the duration of 24 hours. In conclusion, it can be recommend the used of plant growth regulators like cytokine, as a good priming agent, to recover losses of seed quality and improve germination characteristics.

Effects of Chemical Fertilizer, Algea Compost and Zeolite on Green Bean Yield

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Aysun Türkmen

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The present study used chemical fertilizer, brown algae compost and zeolite carried out in the field of Giresun Hazelnut Research Center between May-November 2014 in pots according to randomized blog design as three replicate each. Treatment groups were consist of eight different combinations as follow; G1-Control, G2-Zeolite, G3-Compost, G4-Chemical Fertilizer, G5-Zeolite+Compost, G6-Zeolite+Chemical Fertilizer, G7-Compost+ Chemical Fertilizer, G8-Compost+Zeolite+ Chemical Fertilizer. The brown algae (Cystoseira sp. were used as compost material. These combinations were applied to green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris. The green beans were seeded by hand to arrange planting depth of 5-6 cm and 20 seeds/m2. Except control group, each treatment was added fertilizers as 50 g zeolite, 50 g compost, and 25 g chemical according to treatment design. Half of the chemical fertilizers were added at seeding time and the rest after two weeks. Collected soil samples were analyzed right after harvest, the greatest values of treatment groups were determined as; Carbon% G1: 5.08, nitrogen G3: 0.09 ppm, sodium G5: 139 ppm, potassium G6 and G8: 5 ppm, magnesium G2: 1865 ppm, calcium G6: 8.33 ppm, manganese G2: 359 ppm, iron G6 : 16070 ppm, cobalt G6 and G7: 7.91 ppm, copper G2: 17.5 ppm, zinc G8: 28.0 ppm, selenium G7: 4.17 ppm, cadmium G5: 0.08 ppm, lead G4: 5.31 ppm. The greatest harvest value as g/m2 was obtained from zeolite only group G2 with 273 while the lowest was obtained from Compost only group G3 with 113 g/m2, obviously showing the effectiveness of zeolite only application moreover, also thinking that better results may get if the present study run for longer period.

Effects of seed collecting date and storage duration on seed ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of seed collecting dates (5 to 6 times from mid-November to early January, 10 days intervals) and seed storage duration (4, 8, and 12 months) at room temperature on seed germination of four Artemisia species (Artemisia sieberi, A. diffusa, A. kupetdaghensis, and A.

IMPORTANCE OF STORAGE CONDITIONS AND SEED TREATMENT FOR SUNFLOWER HYBRIDS SEEDS GERMINATION

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Goran Krizmanić

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this research we have determined germination energy and germination of seeds of sunflower hybrids ‘Luka’ and ‘Apolon’, at the beginning of storage and 6, 12 and 18 months after of storage period (2011-2012 in the floor concrete storage at two different air temperatures and humidity (S-1: air temperature 15-18°C and relative air humidity 65-70% as well as in climate chamber (S-2: air temperature 10-12°C and relative air humidity 60-65%, stored in four treatments (Control: processed-untreated seed; T-1: treated with A.I. metalaxyl-M; T-2: treated with A.I. metalaxyl-M + A.I. imidacloprid and T-3: treated with A.I. metalaxyl-M + A.I. clothianidin. Based on the obtained results we have determined that sunflower hybrid ‘Luka’, compared to hybrid ‘Apolon’, in the given storage conditions and with the same seed treatment has 5-8% higher germination energy and seed germination and that in climate chamber both hybrids have 5-7% higher germination energy. Seed treatment of both sunflower hybrids with A.I. imidacloprid maximally reduced initial germination energy and seed germination in all tested periods and conditions of storage. On the average, natural seed, after 18 months of storage did not have better seed quality compared to seed treated with A.I. metalaxyl-M while other treatments had more significant influence on reduction of germination energy and seed germination, 6-15%. On the average, compared to other variants, seeds treated with A.I. metalaxyl-M after 18 months of storage in both storage conditions had higher germination energy by 4-15%, and seed germination by 2-12%.

Proanthocyanidins in seed coat tegmen and endospermic cap inhibit seed germination in Sapium sebiferum.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Faheem Afzal; Ni, Jun; Chen, Jing; Wang, Qiaojian; Liu, Wenbo; Chen, Xue; Tang, Caiguo; Fu, Songling; Wu, Lifang

2018-01-01

Sapium sebiferum , an ornamental and bio-energetic plant, is propagated by seed. Its seed coat contains germination inhibitors and takes a long time to stratify for germination. In this study, we discovered that the S. sebiferum seed coat (especially the tegmen) and endospermic cap (ESC) contained high levels of proanthocyanidins (PAs). Seed coat and ESC removal induced seed germination, whereas exogenous application with seed coat extract (SCE) or PAs significantly inhibited this process, suggesting that PAs in the seed coat played a major role in regulating seed germination in S. sebiferum . We further investigated how SCE affected the expression of the seed-germination-related genes. The results showed that treatment with SCE upregulated the transcription level of the dormancy-related gene, gibberellins (GAs) suppressing genes, abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis and signalling genes. SCE decreased the transcript levels of ABA catabolic genes, GAs biosynthesis genes, reactive oxygen species genes and nitrates-signalling genes. Exogenous application of nordihydroguaiaretic acid, gibberellic acid, hydrogen peroxide and potassium nitrate recovered seed germination in seed-coat-extract supplemented medium. In this study, we highlighted the role of PAs, and their interactions with the other germination regulators, in the regulation of seed dormancy in S. sebiferum .

Seed-specific overexpression of AtFAX1 increases seed oil content in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Yinshuai; Lv, Xueyan; Xie, Guilan; Zhang, Jing; Xu, Ying; Chen, Fang

2018-06-02

Biosynthesis of plant seed oil is accomplished through the coordinate action of multiple enzymes in multiple subcellular compartments. Fatty acid (FA) has to be transported from plastid to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) for TAG synthesis. However, the role of plastid FA transportation during seed oil accumulation has not been evaluated. AtFAX1 (Arabidopsis fatty acid export1) mediated the FA export from plastid. In this study, we overexpressed AtFAX1 under the control of a seed specific promoter in Arabidopsis. The resultant overexpression lines (OEs) produced seeds which contained 21-33% more oil and 24-30% more protein per seed than those of the wild type (WT). The increased oil content was probably because of the enhanced FA and TAG synthetic activity. The seed size and weight were both increased accordingly. In addition, the seed number per silique and silique number per plant had no changes in transgenic plants. Taken together, our results demonstrated that seed specific overexpression of AtFAX1 could promote oil accumulation in Arabidopsis seeds and manipulating FA transportation is a feasible strategy for increasing the seed oil content. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Co-composting of green waste and food waste at low C/N ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Mathava; Ou, Y.-L.; Lin, J.-G.

2010-01-01

In this study, co-composting of food waste and green waste at low initial carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios was investigated using an in-vessel lab-scale composting reactor. The central composite design (CCD) and response surface method (RSM) were applied to obtain the optimal operating conditions over a range of preselected moisture contents (45-75%) and C/N ratios (13.9-19.6). The results indicate that the optimal moisture content for co-composting of food waste and green waste is 60%, and the substrate at a C/N ratio of 19.6 can be decomposed effectively to reduce 33% of total volatile solids (TVS) in 12 days. The TVS reduction can be modeled by using a second-order equation with a good fit. In addition, the compost passes the standard germination index of white radish seed indicating that it can be used as soil amendment.

Green thunderstorms

Science.gov (United States)

Gallagher, Frank Woolsey, III

Many people around the world have observed green light apparently emanating from severe thunderstorms, but until recently there has been no scientific study of the phenomenon. Green thunderstorms have been observed from time to time in association with deep convection or severe weather events. Some skeptics who have not personally observed a green thunderstorm suggest that they are some kind of illusion. The existence of green thunderstorms has been objectively demonstrated by recording spectra of light from thunderstorms using a handheld spectrophotometer. During the spring and summer of 1995 and the spring of 1996 numerous storms were observed and spectra of the light emanating from these storms were recorded. Observations were made both at the ground and aboard research aircraft. Furthermore, time series of spectra were recorded as the observed color of some storms changed from dark blue to a bluish-green. Several hypotheses have been advanced to explain the occurrence of green light in connection with severe storms. Fankhauser gave some observational support to the belief that green light from thunderstorms is possible and believed that the source of the light is from the blue sky penetrating thin regions in the clouds. Fraser believes that light from the setting sun, in combination with the process of scattering by atmospheric molecules, creates the green light associated with severe weather and the thunderstorm acts only as a black backdrop. Unfortunately, no cloud illuminated by the sun is black and the green airlight produced by the Fraser theory is in reality overwhelmed by light reflected by the cloud. Often the unusual coloration has been attributed to hail or to reflection of light from foliage on the ground. The quantitative measurements made during the observation period fail to support these assumptions. We have observed thunderstorms to be green over ground that was not green and we have observed blue thunderstorms over ground that was green

Physical Methods for Seed Invigoration: Advantages and Challenges in Seed Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Araújo, Susana de Sousa; Paparella, Stefania; Dondi, Daniele; Bentivoglio, Antonio; Carbonera, Daniela; Balestrazzi, Alma

2016-01-01

In the context of seed technology, the use of physical methods for increasing plant production offers advantages over conventional treatments based on chemical substances. The effects of physical invigoration treatments in seeds can be now addressed at multiple levels, ranging from morpho-structural aspects to changes in gene expression and protein or metabolite accumulation. Among the physical methods available, "magneto-priming" and irradiation with microwaves (MWs) or ionizing radiations (IRs) are the most promising pre-sowing seed treatments. "Magneto-priming" is based on the application of magnetic fields and described as an eco-friendly, cheap, non-invasive technique with proved beneficial effects on seed germination, vigor and crop yield. IRs, as γ-rays and X-rays, have been widely regarded as a powerful tool in agricultural sciences and food technology. Gamma-rays delivered at low dose have showed to enhance germination percentage and seedling establishment, acting as an actual 'priming' treatment. Different biological effects have been observed in seeds subjected to MWs and X-rays but knowledge about their impact as seed invigoration agent or stimulatory effects on germination need to be further extended. Ultraviolet (UV) radiations, namely UV-A and UV-C have shown to stimulate positive impacts on seed health, germination, and seedling vigor. For all mentioned physical treatments, extensive fundamental and applied research is still needed to define the optimal dose, exposition time, genotype- and environment-dependent irradiation conditions. Electron paramagnetic resonance has an enormous potential in seed technology not fully explored to monitor seed invigoration treatments and/or identifying the best suitable irradiation dose or time-point to stop the treatment. The present manuscript describes the use of physical methods for seed invigoration, while providing a critical discussion on the constraints and advantages. The future perspectives related to

Physical Methods for Seed Invigoration: Advantages and Challenges in Seed Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Araújo, Susana de Sousa; Paparella, Stefania; Dondi, Daniele; Bentivoglio, Antonio; Carbonera, Daniela; Balestrazzi, Alma

2016-01-01

In the context of seed technology, the use of physical methods for increasing plant production offers advantages over conventional treatments based on chemical substances. The effects of physical invigoration treatments in seeds can be now addressed at multiple levels, ranging from morpho-structural aspects to changes in gene expression and protein or metabolite accumulation. Among the physical methods available, “magneto-priming” and irradiation with microwaves (MWs) or ionizing radiations (IRs) are the most promising pre-sowing seed treatments. “Magneto-priming” is based on the application of magnetic fields and described as an eco-friendly, cheap, non-invasive technique with proved beneficial effects on seed germination, vigor and crop yield. IRs, as γ-rays and X-rays, have been widely regarded as a powerful tool in agricultural sciences and food technology. Gamma-rays delivered at low dose have showed to enhance germination percentage and seedling establishment, acting as an actual ‘priming’ treatment. Different biological effects have been observed in seeds subjected to MWs and X-rays but knowledge about their impact as seed invigoration agent or stimulatory effects on germination need to be further extended. Ultraviolet (UV) radiations, namely UV-A and UV-C have shown to stimulate positive impacts on seed health, germination, and seedling vigor. For all mentioned physical treatments, extensive fundamental and applied research is still needed to define the optimal dose, exposition time, genotype- and environment-dependent irradiation conditions. Electron paramagnetic resonance has an enormous potential in seed technology not fully explored to monitor seed invigoration treatments and/or identifying the best suitable irradiation dose or time-point to stop the treatment. The present manuscript describes the use of physical methods for seed invigoration, while providing a critical discussion on the constraints and advantages. The future perspectives

Physical methods for seed vigourization: advantages and challenges in seed technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susana eAraújo

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In the context of seed technology, the use of physical methods for increasing plant production offers advantages over conventional treatments based on chemical substances. The effects of physical vigourization treatments in seeds can be now addressed at multiple levels, ranging from morpho-structural aspects to changes in gene expression and protein or metabolite accumulation. Among the physical methods available, magneto-priming and irradiation with microwaves or ionizing radiations are the most promissory pre-sowing seed treatments. Magneto-priming is based on the application of magnetic fields and described as an eco-friendly, cheap, non-invasive technique with proved beneficial effects on seed germination, vigour and crop yield. Ionizing radiations, as gamma-rays and X-rays, have been widely regarded as a powerful tool in agricultural sciences and food technology. Gamma-rays delivered at low dose have showed to enhance germination percentage and seedling establishment, acting as an actual ‘priming’ treatment. Different biological effects have been observed in seeds subjected to microwaves and X-rays but knowledge about their impact as seed vigourization agent or stimulatory effects on germination need to be further extended. Ultraviolet (UV radiations, namely UV-A and UV-C have shown to stimulate positive impacts on seed health, germination and seedling vigour. For all mentioned physical treatments, extensive fundamental and applied research is still needed to define the optimal dose, exposition time, genotype- and environment-dependent irradiation conditions. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR has an enormous potential in seed technology not fully explored to monitor seed vigourization treatments and/or identifying the best suitable irradiation dose or time-point to stop the treatment. The present manuscript describes the use of physical methods for seed vigourization, while providing a critical discussion on the constraints and

Chemical Characteristics of Pumpkin Seed Tempeh From Soybean and Pumpkin Seeds

OpenAIRE

Pujilestari, Shanti; Sandrasari, Diny A; Marida, Rimmaria

2017-01-01

The aim of this research was to find the effect of the combination of soybean and pumpkin seeds on the chemical characteristics of pumpkin seed tempeh. The pumpkin seed tempeh samples were analyzed for its water, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrate and crude fiber. Meanwhile, support data were isoflavone and zinc. Sensory hedonic was conducted by 25 untrained panelists for selecting the best formulation of soybean and pumpkin seeds in tempeh. The result shows the formulation of soybean and pumpki...

EVALUATION OF ANNATTO (Bixa orellana L GENOTYPES THROUGH THE MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FRUITS, SEEDS PRODUCTIVITY AND BIXIN CONTENT

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Nilton César Mantovani

2013-06-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/198050989281Bixa orellana L. (annatto is considered an important source of natural colorants for food, pharmaceutical and textile industries and Brazil is one of the largest producers and exporters of this natural dye extracted from this plant. The morphological characterization of fruits, evaluation of  seed productivity and the content of carotenoid bixin present in freshly harvested and stored seeds for periods of 30, 60, 90 and 120 days, were performed on 10 genotypes of annatto to provide subsidies for the selection of superior genotypes for these characteristics. There were variations in all evaluated characteristics between the 10 genotypes. The fruit of all genotypes are covered with bristles or hairs, have reddish, green, yellow or red color, and two basic forms, oval or lanceolate. The fruits had average lengths ranging from 3.1 to 4.8 cm, and widths between 2.4 to 3.1 cm. The average number of seeds per fruit ranged from 41.5 to 50.6. The mass of 100 seeds varied from 1.1 to 2.24 g. There was significant difference in the concentration of bixin among genotypes, being possible to identify genotypes with high levels of bixin carotenoid (5.05%, superior to those already reported by other studies. The content of bixin decreased with the increase in the period of storage of seeds.

Oil palm seed distribution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Durand-Gasselin Tristan

2005-03-01

Full Text Available For a tropical plant, the oil palm commodity chain has the peculiarity of possessing a major seed production sector for reasons that are primarily genetic. This seed sector has numerous original aspects. Breeders are also propagators and usually also distribute their seeds. Oil palm seeds are semi-recalcitrant: they display pseudo-dormancy. Achieving seed germination is difficult and requires lengthy treatments and special installations. This restriction greatly influences seed distribution and the role of the different stakeholders in the commodity chain. It was only once it had been discovered how the “sh” gene functioned, which controls shell thickness, and when it became necessary to produce “tenera” seeds derived from exclusively “dura x pisifera” crosses, that a true seed market developed. In addition it is difficult to organize seed distribution to smallholders. This is partly due to difficulties that the profession, or a State-run organization, has in controlling middlemen networks, and partly to the absence of any protective systems (UPOV, plant breeder certificate, etc. that generally oblige breeders to preserve and propagate parents in their own installations. In fact there are major inequalities in the access to seeds between agroindustry and smallholders. Another peculiarity of the oil palm seed market is the virtually total absence of guarantees for buyers: the quality of the research conducted by breeders, the seed production strategies necessary for transferring genetic progress, and the technical quality of production. The only guarantee today comes from the relations of confidence established year after year between breeders/distributors and growers. In this fields, research can lead to some proposals: molecular biology offers some interesting prospects for certifying seed quality and social science develop effective communication methods.

Green shipping management

CERN Document Server

Lun, Y H Venus; Wong, Christina W Y; Cheng, T C E

2016-01-01

This book presents theory-driven discussion on the link between implementing green shipping practices (GSP) and shipping firm performance. It examines the shipping industry’s challenge of supporting economic growth while enhancing environmental performance. Consisting of nine chapters, the book covers topics such as the conceptualization of green shipping practices (GSPs), measurement scales for evaluating GSP implementation, greening capability, greening and performance relativity (GPR), green management practice, green shipping network, greening capacity, and greening propensity. In view of the increasing quest for environment protection in the shipping sector, this book provides a good reference for firms to understand and evaluate their capability in carrying out green operations on their shipping activities.

Bulk YBCO seeded with 45°–45° bridge-seeds of different lengths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, Y-H; Durrell, J H; Dennis, A R; Cardwell, D A

2013-01-01

Single grain, (RE)BCO (rare earth–barium–copper oxide) bulk superconductors in large or complicated geometries are required for a variety of potential applications, such as in motors and generators and magnetic shielding devices. As a result, top, multi-seeded, melt growth has been investigated over the past 15 years in an attempt to enlarge the size of (RE)BCO single grains specifically for such applications. Of these multi-seeding techniques, so-called bridge-seeding provides the best alignment of two seeds in a single grain growth process. Here we report, for the first time, the successful growth of YBCO (yttrium–barium–copper oxide) using a special, 45°–45°, arrangement of bridge-seeds. The superconducting properties, including trapped field, of the multi-seeded YBCO grains have been measured for different bridge lengths of the 45°–45° bridge-seeds. The boundaries at the impinging growth front and the growth features of the top, multi-seeded surface and cross-section of the multi-seeded, samples have been analysed using optical microscopy. The results suggest that an impurity-free boundary between the two seeds of each leg of the bridge-seed can form when 45°–45° bridge-seeds are used to enlarge the size of YBCO grains. (paper)

Proanthocyanidins in seed coat tegmen and endospermic cap inhibit seed germination in Sapium sebiferum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faheem Afzal Shah

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Sapium sebiferum, an ornamental and bio-energetic plant, is propagated by seed. Its seed coat contains germination inhibitors and takes a long time to stratify for germination. In this study, we discovered that the S. sebiferum seed coat (especially the tegmen and endospermic cap (ESC contained high levels of proanthocyanidins (PAs. Seed coat and ESC removal induced seed germination, whereas exogenous application with seed coat extract (SCE or PAs significantly inhibited this process, suggesting that PAs in the seed coat played a major role in regulating seed germination in S. sebiferum. We further investigated how SCE affected the expression of the seed-germination-related genes. The results showed that treatment with SCE upregulated the transcription level of the dormancy-related gene, gibberellins (GAs suppressing genes, abscisic acid (ABA biosynthesis and signalling genes. SCE decreased the transcript levels of ABA catabolic genes, GAs biosynthesis genes, reactive oxygen species genes and nitrates-signalling genes. Exogenous application of nordihydroguaiaretic acid, gibberellic acid, hydrogen peroxide and potassium nitrate recovered seed germination in seed-coat-extract supplemented medium. In this study, we highlighted the role of PAs, and their interactions with the other germination regulators, in the regulation of seed dormancy in S. sebiferum.

Biominerals doped nanocrystalline nickel oxide as efficient humidity sensor: A green approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

John Kennedy, L.; Magesan, P.; Judith Vijaya, J.; Umapathy, M.J.; Aruldoss, Udaya

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A new resistive type of sensor was prepared by green synthesis. • The mineral oxide from seed part of Hygrophila spinosa T. Anders (HST) plant is chosen as a dopant in NiO. • The HST plant is found abundantly and commercially available in many countries. • The band gap of NH2 (Ni:HST of 0.5:0.5 weight ratio) sample is greater than prepared bulk NiO due to quantum effects. • The NH2 sample shows remarkable changes in the humidity sensing properties. - Abstract: The simple and green method is adopted for the preparation of biominerals (derived from the Hygrophila spinosa T. Anders plant seeds) doped nanocrystalline NiO. The prepared samples were subjected to instrumental analysis such as XRD, FT-IR, HR-SEM, EDX, UV–vis–DRS techniques. The surface area of all the samples was calculated from the Williamson–Hall's plot. The humidity sensitivity factor (S f ) of the prepared samples was evaluated by two probe dc electrical resistance method at different relative humidity levels. The change in the resistance was observed for the entire sensor samples except pure NiO (NH0). Compared to all the other composition, HST of 0.5% in NiO (NH2 sample) enhances the sensitivity factor (S f ) of about 90,000. The NH2 sample exhibited good linearity, reproducibility and response and recovery time about 210 ± 5 s and 232 ± 4 s, respectively. It is found that the sensitivity largely depends on composition, crystallite size and surface area

Seed source, seed traits, and frugivore habits: Implications for dispersal quality of two sympatric primates.

Science.gov (United States)

Benítez-Malvido, Julieta; González-Di Pierro, Ana Ma; Lombera, Rafael; Guillén, Susana; Estrada, Alejandro

2014-06-01

• Premise of the study: Frugivore selection of fruits and treatment of seeds together with seed deposition site are crucial for the population dynamics of vertebrate-dispersed plants. However, frugivore species may influence dispersal quality differently even when feeding on the same fruit species and, while animals disperse some seeds, others simply fall beneath the parent plant.• Methods: In southern Mexico, we investigated to see if within-species seed traits (i.e., length, width, weight, and volume) and germination success differed according to seed source. For five tropical tree species we obtained ingested seeds from two sources, howler monkey (Alouatta pigra) and spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) feces; and noningested seeds from two sources, the ground and tree crowns (with predispersed seeds used as control).• Key results: A principal components' analysis showed that traits of seeds ingested by howler monkeys differed from other sources while seeds ingested by spider monkeys were similar to noningested seeds. Howlers consumed on average the larger seeds in Ampelocera hottlei, Brosimum lactescens, and Dialium guianense. Both primate species consumed the smaller seeds in Spondias mombin, while no seed trait differences among seed sources were found in Spondias radlkoferi. For all five tree species, germination rate was greatest for seeds ingested by howler monkeys.• Conclusions: For the studied plant species, seed ingestion by howler monkeys confers higher dispersal quality than ingestion by spider monkeys or nondispersal. Dispersal services of both primate species, however, are not redundant and may contribute to germination heterogeneity within plant populations in tropical forests. © 2014 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Cone and seed yields in white spruce seed production areas

Science.gov (United States)

John A. Pitcher

1966-01-01

The source of seed is an important consideration in the reforestation program on the National Forests in the North Central Region. Thirty-five seed production areas have been set up in the Region, along the lines proposed by the North Central Forest Experiment Station, to provide control of seed source. Red pine, white pine, shortleaf and loblolly pine, and white...

Green Consumerism : an Eco-Friendly Behaviour Form Through The Green Product Consumption and Green Marketing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wiwik Handayani

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This research is referred to analyse the influence of consumer attitude of green product towards purchase intention. The consumer attitude of green product is a psychological tendencies that is expressed by evaluating a certain entity with some advantage or disadvantage considerations. The problem of this research is the low of cunsumer awareness to consume green product, because the lack to comprehend the importance of green product usage for health and eco-friendly. The purpose of this research is to test the influence of consumer attitude of green products towards purchase intention. Hypothesis testing using Partial Least Square (PLS. The result of analysis show that there is influence among consumer attitude of green product towards consumer purchase intention significantly.

Unfolding Green Defense

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Kristian Knus

2015-01-01

In recent years, many states have developed and implemented green solutions for defense. Building on these initiatives NATO formulated the NATO Green Defence Framework in 2014. The framework provides a broad basis for cooperation within the Alliance on green solutions for defense. This report aims...... to inform and support the further development of green solutions by unfolding how green technologies and green strategies have been developed and used to handle current security challenges. The report, initially, focuses on the security challenges that are being linked to green defense, namely fuel...... consumption in military operations, defense expenditure, energy security, and global climate change. The report then proceeds to introduce the NATO Green Defence Framework before exploring specific current uses of green technologies and green strategies for defense. The report concludes that a number...

Potential risk of acute toxicity induced by AgI cloud seeding on soil and freshwater biota.

Science.gov (United States)

Fajardo, C; Costa, G; Ortiz, L T; Nande, M; Rodríguez-Membibre, M L; Martín, M; Sánchez-Fortún, S

2016-11-01

Silver iodide is one of the most common nucleating materials used in cloud seeding. Previous cloud seeding studies have concluded that AgI is not practically bioavailable in the environment but instead remains in soils and sediments such that the free Ag amounts are likely too low to induce a toxicological effect. However, none of these studies has considered the continued use of this practice on the same geographical areas and thus the potential cumulative effect of environmental AgI. The aim of this study is to assess the risk of acute toxicity caused by AgI exposure under laboratory conditions at the concentration expected in the environment after repeated treatments on selected soil and aquatic biota. To achieve the aims, the viability of soil bacteria Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas stutzeri and the survival of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to different silver iodide concentrations have been evaluated. Freshwater green algae Dictyosphaerium chlorelloides and cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa were exposed to silver iodide in culture medium, and their cell viability and photosynthetic activity were evaluated. Additionally, BOD5 exertion and the Microtox® toxicity test were included in the battery of toxicological assays. Both tests exhibited a moderate AgI adverse effect at the highest concentration (12.5µM) tested. However, AgI concentrations below 2.5µM increased BOD5. Although no impact on the growth and survival endpoints in the soil worm C. elegans was recorded after AgI exposures, a moderate decrease in cell viability was found for both of the assessed soil bacterial strains at the studied concentrations. Comparison between the studied species showed that the cyanobacteria were more sensitive than green algae. Exposure to AgI at 0.43μM, the reference value used in monitoring environmental impact, induced a significant decrease in photosynthetic activity that is primarily associated with the respiration (80% inhibition) and, to a lesser

Securing Access to Seed: Social Relations and Sorghum Seed Exchange in Eastern Ethiopia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McGuire, S.

2008-01-01

Access to seed is crucial for farming, though few studies investigate household-level access in the informal `farmer seed systems¿ which still supply most seed in poor countries. This paper uses empirical data of seed exchange practices for sorghum in eastern Ethiopia to analyze how social

Local Seed Business in the Context of Integrated Seed Sector Development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thijssen, M.H.; Borman, G.D.; Verhoosel, K.S.; Mastenbroek, A.; Heemskerk, Willem

2015-01-01

Quality seed is a key input for agriculture, with a direct impact on agricultural production and productivity. Integrated seed sector development (ISSD) is an inclusive approach that recognizes and builds upon a diversity of seed systems in the sector. We use the ISSD approach to guide us in the

Farmers' seed sources and seed quality: 1. Physical and physiological quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bishaw, Z.; Struik, P.C.; Gastel, van A.J.G.

2012-01-01

Understanding farmers' seed quality problem will enable farmers to devise strategies to improve quality at the farm level. The study was conducted to assess the quality of seed used by farmers from different sources and regions. A total of 304 wheat (Trticium aestivum L. and T. durum L.) seed

Improving Soil Seed Bank Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Haring, Steven C; Flessner, Michael L

2018-05-08

Problems associated with simplified weed management motivate efforts for diversification. Integrated weed management uses fundamentals of weed biology and applied ecology to provide a framework for diversified weed management programs; the soil seed bank comprises a necessary part of this framework. By targeting seeds, growers can inhibit the propagule pressure on which annual weeds depend for agricultural invasion. Some current management practices affect weed seed banks, such as crop rotation and tillage, but these tools are often used without specific intention to manage weed seeds. Difficulties quantifying the weed seed bank, understanding seed bank phenology, and linking seed banks to emerged weed communities challenge existing soil seed bank management practices. Improved seed bank quantification methods could include DNA profiling of the soil seed bank, mark and recapture, or 3D LIDAR mapping. Successful and sustainable soil seed bank management must constrain functionally diverse and changing weed communities. Harvest weed seed controls represent a step forward, but over-reliance on this singular technique could make it short-lived. Researchers must explore tools inspired by other pest management disciplines, such as gene drives or habitat modification for predatory organisms. Future weed seed bank management will combine multiple complementary practices that enhance diverse agroecosystems. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Metaphysical green

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Earon, Ofri

2011-01-01

example is a tiny Danish summer house from 1918 . The second example is ‘House before House’ , in Tokyo. The third example is a prefabricated house ‘CHU’ . The analysis evaluates the characteristics of diverse tones of green – from green image to green sensation. The analysis is based on the original...... of Sensation of Green is created by a physical interaction between the language of space and the language of nature” The notion of Sensation of Green was developed through a previous study ‘Learning from the Summer House’ investigating the unique architectural characteristics of the Danish summer houses...... the Sensation of Green? Three existing examples are agents to this discussion. The first example is a Danish summer house. The other two are international urban examples. While the summer house articulates the original meaning of Sensation of Green, the urban examples illustrate its urban context. The first...

PROTEIN L-ISOASPARTYL METHYLTRANSFERASE2 is differentially expressed in chickpea and enhances seed vigor and longevity by reducing abnormal isoaspartyl accumulation predominantly in seed nuclear proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Pooja; Kaur, Harmeet; Petla, Bhanu Prakash; Rao, Venkateswara; Saxena, Saurabh C; Majee, Manoj

2013-03-01

PROTEIN l-ISOASPARTYL METHYLTRANSFERASE (PIMT) is a widely distributed protein-repairing enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of abnormal l-isoaspartyl residues in spontaneously damaged proteins to normal aspartyl residues. This enzyme is encoded by two divergent genes (PIMT1 and PIMT2) in plants, unlike many other organisms. While the biological role of PIMT1 has been elucidated, the role and significance of the PIMT2 gene in plants is not well defined. Here, we isolated the PIMT2 gene (CaPIMT2) from chickpea (Cicer arietinum), which exhibits a significant increase in isoaspartyl residues in seed proteins coupled with reduced germination vigor under artificial aging conditions. The CaPIMT2 gene is found to be highly divergent and encodes two possible isoforms (CaPIMT2 and CaPIMT2') differing by two amino acids in the region I catalytic domain through alternative splicing. Unlike CaPIMT1, both isoforms possess a unique 56-amino acid amino terminus and exhibit similar yet distinct enzymatic properties. Expression analysis revealed that CaPIMT2 is differentially regulated by stresses and abscisic acid. Confocal visualization of stably expressed green fluorescent protein-fused PIMT proteins and cell fractionation-immunoblot analysis revealed that apart from the plasma membrane, both CaPIMT2 isoforms localize predominantly in the nucleus, while CaPIMT1 localizes in the cytosol. Remarkably, CaPIMT2 enhances seed vigor and longevity by repairing abnormal isoaspartyl residues predominantly in nuclear proteins upon seed-specific expression in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), while CaPIMT1 enhances seed vigor and longevity by repairing such abnormal proteins mainly in the cytosolic fraction. Together, our data suggest that CaPIMT2 has most likely evolved through gene duplication, followed by subfunctionalization to specialize in repairing the nuclear proteome.

Influence the Rubber Seed Type and Altitude on Characteristic of Seed, Oil and Biodiesel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salni Salni

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This research studies the influence of the type of rubber seed that is superior and local, altitude plant in South Sumatra province to the characteristic of seed, oil and biodiesel (methyl ester. Rubber plants planted from local rubber seed by seeds seedlings and superior rubber seed by selected clones. In the study, rubber plants planted at a different altitude, namely in Banyuasin district (18 m above sea level, Prabumulih District (176 m above sea level and Lahat District (627 m above sea level. The results showed that the weight of the flour, the water content and ash content in the local rubber seeds larger than the superior rubber seed for all altitude, but oil content a large in the superior rubber seeds. The major of fatty acids in the rubber seed oil in all types and altitude are a linoleic acid with a different percentage except local rubber seed oil from Lahat district with the large percentage of octadecanoic acid. Free fatty acids in the oil from the superior seeds rubber of 13.897-15.494 % large than local rubber seed oil was found 9.786-10.399 % for all altitude. By esterification process using sulfuric acid catalyst, Free Fatty Acid (FFA can be reduced to ≤ 2 %. The methyl ester made from the transesterification process of rubber seed oil after esterification using methanol and sodium hydroxide as catalyst. Analysis of methyl esters includes cetane index, flash point, kinematic viscosity, carbon residue, density, moisture content, water and sediment content and distillation compared with SNI 7182 and ASTM 6751-02.  The result indicated that the quality of methyl ester from superior rubber seed oil in the Banyuasin and Prabumulih district better than another methyl ester. The types of rubber seed altitude affect the characteristics of the seed, oil and methyl ester  but the altitude are not significantly different. Keywords: rubber seed, type, altitude, oil, biodiesel Article History: Received March 21st 2017; Received in

Seed reserve utilization and hydrolytic enzyme activities in germinating seeds of sweet corn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, X.; Xiong, F.; Wang, C.; He, S.; Zhou, Y.

2018-01-01

In this study, two sh2 sweet corn cultivars (i.e., the initial seed dry weight for FT018 and TB010 was 0.16+-0.02 g/grain and 0.09+-0.01 g/grain, respectively) were used to determine the physiological characteristics of seed reserve utilization in germination. The data implied that the weight of mobilized seed reserve (WMSR) and seed reserve utilization efficiency (SRUE) increased with seed germination. FT018 exhibited higher SRUE than TB010 due to its sufficient energy production for growth. Sugar (sucrose and fructose) contents were at different levels in the germinating seed of sh2 sweet corn. The protein content and number of protein species were highest in the early stage of germination. Enzyme activity in the germinating seed indicated that enzymes for starch and sugar hydrolysis were important and that enzyme activities significantly differed at each germination stage and between the cultivars under dark conditions. Succinate dehydrogenase, sucrose synthase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase accumulated in the late germination stage. Thus, appropriate efforts should be focused on improving the seed reserve utilization in sweet corn by identifying the physiological mechanism of germinating seed. (author)

Induction of 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase in Arabidopsis thaliana seeds enhances seed dormancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Andújar, Cristina; Ordiz, M Isabel; Huang, Zhonglian; Nonogaki, Mariko; Beachy, Roger N; Nonogaki, Hiroyuki

2011-10-11

Full understanding of mechanisms that control seed dormancy and germination remains elusive. Whereas it has been proposed that translational control plays a predominant role in germination, other studies suggest the importance of specific gene expression patterns in imbibed seeds. Transgenic plants were developed to permit conditional expression of a gene encoding 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase 6 (NCED6), a rate-limiting enzyme in abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis, using the ecdysone receptor-based plant gene switch system and the ligand methoxyfenozide. Induction of NCED6 during imbibition increased ABA levels more than 20-fold and was sufficient to prevent seed germination. Germination suppression was prevented by fluridone, an inhibitor of ABA biosynthesis. In another study, induction of the NCED6 gene in transgenic seeds of nondormant mutants tt3 and tt4 reestablished seed dormancy. Furthermore, inducing expression of NCED6 during seed development suppressed vivipary, precocious germination of developing seeds. These results indicate that expression of a hormone metabolism gene in seeds can be a sole determinant of dormancy. This study opens the possibility of developing a robust technology to suppress or promote seed germination through engineering pathways of hormone metabolism.

The Influence of Consumers Perception of Green Products on Green Purchase Intention

OpenAIRE

Wilson Kong; Amran Harun; Rini Suryati Sulong; Jaratin Lily

2014-01-01

Green consumerism has increasingly received attention since the increased level of consumer awareness towards green products. Therefore, the aim of this paper had been to examine the influence of consumer perception of green products on green purchase intention. In this study, perception of green products was conceptualized as a multidimensional variable comprised of green corporate perception, eco-label, green advertising, green packaging, and green product value. By using a survey, a total ...

Responses of Seed Germination, Seedling Growth, and Seed Yield Traits to Seed Pretreatment in Maize (Zea mays L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Tian

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A series of seed priming experiments were conducted to test the effects of different pretreatment methods to seed germination, seedling growth, and seed yield traits in maize (Zea mays L.. Results indicated that the seeds primed by gibberellins (GA, NaCl, and polyethylene glycol (PEG reagents showed a higher imbibitions rate compared to those primed with water. The final germination percentage and germination rate varied with different reagents significantly (P<0.05. The recommended prime reagents were GA at 10 mg/L, NaCl at 50 mM, and PEG at 15% on account of germination experiment. 15% PEG priming reagent increased shoot and root biomass of maize seedling. The shoot biomass of seedlings after presoaking the seeds with NaCl reagent was significantly higher than the seedlings without priming treatment. No significant differences of plant height, leaf number, and hundred-grain weight were observed between control group and priming treatments. Presoaking with water, NaCl (50 mM, or PEG (15% significantly increased the hundred-grain weight of maize. Therefore, seed pretreatment is proved to be an effective technique to improve the germination performance, seedling growth, and seed yield of maize. However, when compared with the two methods, if immediate sowing is possible, presoaking is recommended to harvest better benefits compared to priming method.

Mycoflora in Exhumed Seeds of Opuntia tomentosa and Its Possible Role in Seed Germination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Esther Sánchez-Coronado

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The funicular cover of the Opuntia tomentosa seed limits imbibition; germination occurs only when the funicle is weakened or the funicular valve is removed. We investigated the role of fungi in funicular weakening and seed germination. Seeds that had been either buried in one of two sites or stored in the laboratory were germinated with and without a valve. Disinfected or nondisinfected seeds and their naked embryos were cultivated on agar or PDA. None of the 11 identified fungal genera grew on the disinfected control seeds or the embryos. The mycoflora present on disinfected and nondisinfected exhumed seeds suggest that the fungal colonization occurred in the soil and differed between the burial sites. Exhumed seeds with and without a valve germinated in high percentages, whereas only the control seeds without a valve germinated. Scanning electron micrographs showed that the hyphae penetrated, cracked, and eroded the funicular envelope of exhumed seeds.

Genetics and Forest Seed Handling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Lars Holger

2016-01-01

High genetic quality seed is obtained from seed sources that match the planting site, have a good outcrossing rate, and are superior in some desirable characters. Non-degraded natural forests and plantations may be used as untested seed sources, which can sometimes be managed to promote outbreeding...... and increase seed production. Planted seed orchards aim at capturing large genetic variation and are planted in a design that facilitates genetic evaluation and promotes outbred seed production. Good seed production relies upon success of the whole range of reproductive events from flower differentiation...

Frugivores bias seed-adult tree associations through nonrandom seed dispersal: a phylogenetic approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Razafindratsima, Onja H; Dunham, Amy E

2016-08-01

Frugivores are the main seed dispersers in many ecosystems, such that behaviorally driven, nonrandom patterns of seed dispersal are a common process; but patterns are poorly understood. Characterizing these patterns may be essential for understanding spatial organization of fruiting trees and drivers of seed-dispersal limitation in biodiverse forests. To address this, we studied resulting spatial associations between dispersed seeds and adult tree neighbors in a diverse rainforest in Madagascar, using a temporal and phylogenetic approach. Data show that by using fruiting trees as seed-dispersal foci, frugivores bias seed dispersal under conspecific adults and under heterospecific trees that share dispersers and fruiting time with the dispersed species. Frugivore-mediated seed dispersal also resulted in nonrandom phylogenetic associations of dispersed seeds with their nearest adult neighbors, in nine out of the 16 months of our study. However, these nonrandom phylogenetic associations fluctuated unpredictably over time, ranging from clustered to overdispersed. The spatial and phylogenetic template of seed dispersal did not translate to similar patterns of association in adult tree neighborhoods, suggesting the importance of post-dispersal processes in structuring plant communities. Results suggest that frugivore-mediated seed dispersal is important for structuring early stages of plant-plant associations, setting the template for post-dispersal processes that influence ultimate patterns of plant recruitment. Importantly, if biased patterns of dispersal are common in other systems, frugivores may promote tree coexistence in biodiverse forests by limiting the frequency and diversity of heterospecific interactions of seeds they disperse. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.