Biosynthesis of the oxygenated diterpene nezukol in the medicinal plant Isodon rubescens is catalyzed by a pair of diterpene synthases.

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Kyle A Pelot

Full Text Available Plants produce an immense diversity of natural products (i.e. secondary or specialized metabolites that offer a rich source of known and potentially new pharmaceuticals and other desirable bioproducts. The Traditional Chinese Medicinal plant Isodon rubescens (Lamiaceae contains an array of bioactive labdane-related diterpenoid natural products. Of these, the ent-kauranoid oridonin is the most prominent specialized metabolite that has been extensively studied for its potent antimicrobial and anticancer efficacy. Mining of a previously established transcriptome of I. rubescens leaf tissue identified seven diterpene synthase (diTPSs candidates. Here we report the functional characterization of four I. rubescens diTPSs. IrTPS5 and IrTPS3 were identified as an ent-copalyl diphosphate (CPP synthase and a (+-CPP synthase, respectively. Distinct transcript abundance of IrTPS5 and the predicted ent-CPP synthase IrTPS1 suggested a role of IrTPS5 in specialized ent-kaurene metabolism possibly en route to oridonin. Nicotiana benthamiana co-expression assays demonstrated that IrTPS4 functions sequentially with IrTPS3 to form miltiradiene. In addition, IrTPS2 converted the IrTPS3 product (+-CPP into the hydroxylated tricyclic diterpene nezukol not previously identified in I. rubescens. Metabolite profiling verified the presence of nezukol in I. rubescens leaf tissue. The proposed IrTPS2-catalyzed reaction mechanism proceeds via the common ionization of the diphosphate group of (+-CPP, followed by formation of an intermediary pimar-15-en-8-yl+ carbocation and neutralization of the carbocation by water capture at C-8 to yield nezukol, as confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR analysis. Oxygenation activity is rare for the family of class I diTPSs and offers new catalysts for developing metabolic engineering platforms to produce a broader spectrum of bioactive diterpenoid natural products.

Structure and mechanism of the diterpene cyclase ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase

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Köksal, Mustafa; Hu, Huayou; Coates, Robert M.; Peters, Reuben J.; Christianson, David W. (UIUC); (Iowa State); (Penn)

2011-09-20

The structure of ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase reveals three {alpha}-helical domains ({alpha}, {beta} and {gamma}), as also observed in the related diterpene cyclase taxadiene synthase. However, active sites are located at the interface of the {beta}{gamma} domains in ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase but exclusively in the {alpha} domain of taxadiene synthase. Modular domain architecture in plant diterpene cyclases enables the evolution of alternative active sites and chemical strategies for catalyzing isoprenoid cyclization reactions.

Molecular Signaling Pathways Behind the Biological Effects of Salvia Species Diterpenes in Neuropharmacology and Cardiology.

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Akaberi, M; Iranshahi, M; Mehri, S

2016-06-01

The genus Salvia, from the Lamiaceae family, has diverse biological properties that are primarily attributable to their diterpene contents. There is no comprehensive review on the molecular signaling pathways of these active components. In this review, we investigated the molecular targets of bioactive Salvia diterpenes responsible for the treatment of nervous and cardiovascular diseases. The effects on different pathways, including apoptosis signaling, oxidative stress phenomena, the accumulation of amyloid beta plaques, and tau phosphorylation, have all been considered to be mechanisms of the anti-Alzheimer properties of Salvia diterpenes. Additionally, effects on the benzodiazepine and kappa opioid receptors and neuroprotective effects are noted as neuropharmacological properties of Salvia diterpenes, including tanshinone IIA, salvinorin A, cryptotanshinone, and miltirone. Tanshinone IIA, as the primary diterpene of Salvia miltiorrhiza, has beneficial activities in heart diseases because of its ability to scavenge free radicals and its effects on transcription factors, such as nuclear transcription factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Additionally, tanshinone IIA has also been proposed to have cardioprotective properties including antiarrhythmic activities and effects on myocardial infarction. With respect to the potential therapeutic effects of Salvia diterpenes, comprehensive clinical trials are warranted to evaluate these valuable molecules as lead compounds. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIP STUDY OF DITERPENES FOR TREATMENT OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

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Gabriel F. dos Santos

Full Text Available Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible, degenerative and age-related disease which is growing more and more with the increase in life expectancy. Kaurane diterpenes are a class of natural products available in large amounts in nature and isolated from plants grown worldwide. In the present work¸ twenty-seven kaurane diterpenes of natural origin and some readily available derivatives were assayed for acetylcholinesterase inhibition and the structure-activity relationship was analyzed. The kaurenoic acid derivatives screened showed to be promising inhibitors of AChE, which could provide new leads for drugs to fight Alzheimer's disease symptoms. Among them, eleven compounds showed activities comparable or higher than the positive control galantamine. Existence of an allylic hydroxyl group showed to be an important structural feature for AChE inhibition. In addition, presence of free hydroxyl groups at C-17 and C-19, furnished a diol especially active, able to completely inhibit AChE.

Spectroscopic data of Labdane Diterpenes: a theoretical analysis via NMR and DFT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, Fabrine S. de; Silva, Silvana de O.; Alves, Cláudio N.; Guilhon, Giselle M.S.P.

2015-01-01

Labdane diterpenes exhibit important bioactivities such as cardiovascular effects in rats as well as effects in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and Alzheimer syndrome. Recently, the labdane diterpenes ent-13-epi-manoil oxide, ribenone and ribenol were isolated from Croton palanostigma. The computational method DFT/B3LYP/cc-pVDZ was used to optimize the structures of these diterpenes and to calculate infrared data. Chemical shifts (δ H and δ C ) of the minimum energy structures (local minimum) were calculated and compared with the experimental data. Comparison of the NMR data by simple linear regression (SLR) showed satisfactory statistical results with a correlation coefficient (R 2 ) and predictive ability (Q 2 ) of over 98%. The predicted NMR data were used to confirm the δ H values that have not been published. (author)

Antifungal diterpenes from Hypoestes serpens (Acanthaceae).

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Rasoamiaranjanahary, Lalao; Marston, Andrew; Guilet, David; Schenk, Kurt; Randimbivololona, Fanantenanirainy; Hostettmann, Kurt

2003-02-01

Two new diterpenes, fusicoserpenol A and dolabeserpenoic acid A, with antifungal activity, were isolated from leaves of Hypoestes serpens (Acanthaceae). Their structures were elucidated by means of spectrometric methods including 1D and 2D NMR experiments and MS analysis. X-ray crystallographic analysis confirmed the structure of fusicoserpenol A and established the relative configuration.

Andrographis paniculata transcriptome provides molecular insights into tissue-specific accumulation of medicinal diterpenes.

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Garg, Anchal; Agrawal, Lalit; Misra, Rajesh Chandra; Sharma, Shubha; Ghosh, Sumit

2015-09-02

-LRDs biosynthesis and ApCPS3 in root diterpene biosynthesis. Moreover, simple sequence repeats (SSRs) that might assist in genotyping and developing specific chemotypes were identified in transcripts of the specialized metabolic pathways, including ent-LRDs. Comparative analysis of root and leaf transcriptomes disclosed novel genes of the ent-LRD biosynthetic pathway, including three class II diTPSs that showed discrete spatio-temporal expression patterns; thus, suggesting their participation into distinct diterpene metabolic pathways of kalmegh. Overall, these results will be useful in understanding molecular basis of the medicinal ent-LRDs biosynthesis and developing breeding strategies for improving their yields.

13C-NMR of diterpenes with pimarane skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcez, W.S.; Pereira, A.L.; Silva Queiroz, P.P. da; Silva, R.S. da; Valente, L.M.M.; Peixoto, E.M.; Cunha Pinto, A. da

1981-01-01

The effect of substituent groups on the chemical shift of carbons using nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of carbon 13 ( 13 C-NMR) is discussed. Diterpenes having pimarane skeleton, isolated from plants of Velloziaceae family are analysed. (ARHC) [pt

A Novel Diterpene Glycoside with Nine Glucose Units from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni

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Indra Prakash

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Following our interest in new diterpene glycosides with better taste profiles than that of Rebaudioside M, we have recently isolated and characterized Rebaudioside IX—a novel steviol glycoside—from a commercially‐supplied extract of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. This molecule contains a hexasaccharide group attached at C‐13 of the central diterpene core, and contains three additional glucose units when compared with Rebaudioside M. Here we report the complete structure elucidation—based on extensive Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR analysis (1H, 13C, Correlation Spectroscopy (COSY, Heteronuclear Single Quantum Coherence‐Distortionless Enhancement Polarization Transfer (HSQC‐DEPT, Heteronuclear Multiple Bond Correlation (HMBC, 1D Total Correlation Spectroscopy (TOCSY, Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy (NOESY and mass spectral data—of this novel diterpene glycoside with nine sugar moieties and containing a relatively rare 16 α‐linked glycoside. A steviol glycoside bearing nine glucose units is unprecedented in the literature, and could have an impact on the natural sweetener catalog.

A Novel Diterpene Glycoside with Nine Glucose Units from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni.

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Prakash, Indra; Ma, Gil; Bunders, Cynthia; Charan, Romila D; Ramirez, Catherine; Devkota, Krishna P; Snyder, Tara M

2017-01-31

Following our interest in new diterpene glycosides with better taste profiles than that of Rebaudioside M, we have recently isolated and characterized Rebaudioside IX-a novel steviol glycoside-from a commercially-supplied extract of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. This molecule contains a hexasaccharide group attached at C-13 of the central diterpene core, and contains three additional glucose units when compared with Rebaudioside M. Here we report the complete structure elucidation-based on extensive Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analysis (1H, 13C, Correlation Spectroscopy (COSY), Heteronuclear Single Quantum Coherence-Distortionless Enhancement Polarization Transfer (HSQC-DEPT), Heteronuclear Multiple Bond Correlation (HMBC), 1D Total Correlation Spectroscopy (TOCSY), Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy (NOESY)) and mass spectral data-of this novel diterpene glycoside with nine sugar moieties and containing a relatively rare 16 α-linked glycoside. A steviol glycoside bearing nine glucose units is unprecedented in the literature, and could have an impact on the natural sweetener catalog.

Volatile diterpene emission by two Mediterranean Cistaceae shrubs.

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Yáñez-Serrano, A M; Fasbender, L; Kreuzwieser, J; Dubbert, D; Haberstroh, S; Lobo-do-Vale, R; Caldeira, M C; Werner, C

2018-05-01

Mediterranean vegetation emits a wide range of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) among which isoprenoids present quantitatively the most important compound class. Here, we investigated the isoprenoid emission from two Mediterranean Cistaceae shrubs, Halimium halimifolium and Cistus ladanifer, under controlled and natural conditions, respectively. For the first time, diurnal emission patterns of the diterpene kaurene were detected in real-time by Proton-Transfer-Reaction-Time-of-Flight-Mass-Spectrometer. Kaurene emissions were strongly variable among H. halimifolium plants, ranging from 0.01 ± 0.003 to 0.06 ± 0.01 nmol m -2 s -1 in low and high emitting individuals, respectively. They were in the same order of magnitude as monoterpene (0.01 ± 0.01 to 0.11 ± 0.04 nmol m -2 s -1 ) and sesquiterpene (0.01 ± 0.01 to 0.52 nmol m -2 s -1 ) emission rates. Comparable range and variability was found for C. ladanifer under natural conditions. Labelling with 13 C-pyruvate suggested that emitted kaurene was not derived from de novo biosynthesis. The high kaurene content in leaves, the weak relationship with ecophysiological parameters and the tendency of higher emissions with increasing temperatures in the field indicate an emission from storage pools. This study highlights significant emissions of kaurene from two Mediterranean shrub species, indicating that the release of diterpenes into the atmosphere should probably deserve more attention in the future.

Synthesis of Neoclerodane Diterpenes and Their Pharmacological Effects

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Lovell, Kimberly M.; Prevatt-Smith, Katherine M.; Lozama, Anthony; Prisinzano, Thomas E.

Salvinorin A is a neoclerodane diterpene that has been shown to be an agonist at kappa opioid receptors. Its unique structure makes it an attractive target for synthetic organic chemists due to its seven chiral centers and diterpene scaffold. This molecule is also interesting to pharmacologists because it is a non-serotonergic hallucinogen, and the first opioid ligand discovered that lacks a basic nitrogen. There have been several total synthesis approaches to salvinorin A, and these will be detailed within this chapter. Additionally, research efforts have concentrated on structure modification of the salvinorin A scaffold through semi-synthetic methods. Most modifications have focused on the manipulation of the acetate at C-2 and the furan ring. However, chemistry has also been developed to generate analogs at the C-1 ketone, the C-4 methyl ester, and the C-17 lactone. The synthetic methodologies developed for the salvinorin A scaffold will be described, as well as specific analogs with interesting biological activities.

Furanolabdane diterpenes from Hypoestes purpurea.

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Shen, Chien-Chang; Ni, Ching-Li; Huang, Yu-Ling; Huang, Ray-Ling; Chen, Chien-Chih

2004-11-01

Four new furanolabdane diterpenes, hypopurin A (1), hypopurin B (2), hypopurin C (3), and hypopurin D (4), together with eight lignans, alpha-O-methylcubebin, beta-O-methylcubebin, hinoquinin, helioxanthin, 7-hydroxyhinokinin, dehydroxycubebin, justicidine E, and (-)-hibalactone, as well as two triterpenes, lupeol and betulin, were isolated from the dried aerial part of Hypoestes purpurea. The structures of 1-4 were elucidated mainly on the basis of NMR and MS. Compound 1 was found to be moderately cytotoxic toward the KB cell line with an IC(50) value of 9.4 microM.

Comparison of Stevia plants grown from seeds, cuttings and stem-tip cultures for growth and sweet diterpene glucosides.

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Tamura, Y; Nakamura, S; Fukui, H; Tabata, M

1984-10-01

The growth and sweet diterpene glucosides of Stevia plants propagated by stem-tip cultures were compared with those of the control plants propagated by seeds. There was no significant difference between the two groups both in growth and in chemical composition. As for the contents of sweet diterpene glucosides, however, the clonal plants showed significantly smaller variations than the sexually propagated plants; they were almost as homogeneous as the plants propagated by cuttings. These results suggest that the clonal propagation by stem-tip culture is an effective method of obtaining a population of uniform plants for the production of sweet diterpene glucosides.

Cytotoxic diterpenes from roots of Crossopetalum gaumeri, a Celastraceae species from Yucatan Peninsula.

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Miron-Lopez, Gumersindo; Bazzocchi, Isabel L; Jimenez-Diaz, Ignacio A; Moujir, Laila M; Quijano-Quiñones, Ramiro; Quijano, Leovigildo; Mena-Rejon, Gonzalo J

2014-05-01

Four new diterpenes, crossogumerins A-D (1-4) along with six known ones (5-10) were isolated from the root bark of Crossopetalum gaumeri, an endemic medicinal plant from the Yucatan Peninsula. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR techniques, including HMQC, HMBC, and ROESY experiments. Compounds 1-5, 8-10 were evaluated for cytotoxicity against HeLa (carcinoma of the cervix) and Hep-2 (lung carcinoma) human tumor cells lines and against normal Vero cells (African green monkey kidney) in lag and log phase of growth. Podocarpane diterpenes, crossogumerin B (2) and nimbiol (10), exhibited the highest activity against HeLa cells (IC50 values of 3.1 and 8.1 μM, respectively), but also selectivity on Vero cells (SI 22.6 and 7.5, respectively). The preliminary SAR studies suggest that an epoxy moiety in ring B and a hydrogen bond-donor group strategically positioned in the diterpene core are important requirements for cytotoxicity and selectivity. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids and diterpenes from Villasenoria orcuttii

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Arciniegas, Amira; Perez-Castorena, Ana L.; Gonzalez, Karina; Vivar, Alfonso Romo de, E-mail: alperezc@unam.mx [Instituto de Quimica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacan, DF (Mexico); Reyes-Lezama, Marisol [Centro Conjunto de Investigacion en Quimica Sustentable, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico-Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UAEM-UNAM), Carretera Toluca-Atlacomulco, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Villasenor, Jose Luis [Instituto de Biologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacan, DF, (Mexico)

2013-07-15

The chemical study of Villasenoria orcuttii, the only species of the genus Villasenoria, afforded three acyclic diterpenes, two of them described for the first time. Two pyrrolizidine alkaloids, florosenine and floridanine, among other known compounds were also isolated. The absolute configuration of floridanine was determined by X-ray analysis using anomalous dispersion with Cu K{sub {alpha}} radiation, and its {sup 1}H and {sup 13}C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data were corrected. (author)

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids and diterpenes from Villasenoria orcuttii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arciniegas, Amira; Pérez-Castorena, Ana L.; González, Karina; Vivar, Alfonso Romo de; Reyes-Lezama, Marisol; Villaseñor, José Luis

2013-01-01

The chemical study of Villasenoria orcuttii, the only species of the genus Villasenoria, afforded three acyclic diterpenes, two of them described for the first time. Two pyrrolizidine alkaloids, florosenine and floridanine, among other known compounds were also isolated. The absolute configuration of floridanine was determined by X-ray analysis using anomalous dispersion with Cu K α radiation, and its 1 H and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data were corrected. (author)

Investigation on traditional medicines of Guarany Indio and studies on diterpenes from Scoparia dulcis.

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Hayashi, Toshimitsu

2011-01-01

In interviews on the traditional herbal medicines of Tupi-Guarany Indians at the herbal market of Asuncion and questionnaire from their users, it was clarified that various useful medicinal plants are available in Paraguay and most of them are generally used without drying. In the search for bioactive substances from those plants, a β-glucuronidase-inhibitory diterpene called scoparic acid A (SA) was isolated from Scoparia dulcis L. together with scoparic acid B, scoparic acid C, and the aphidicolin-like tetracyclic diterpenes scopadulcic acid A (SDA) and scopadulcic acid B (SDB). HPLC analysis of diterpenes in the individual plants of Paraguayan and Asian S. dulcis revealed the presence of three chemotypes based on major component, i.e., SA type, SDB type, and SDX type containing mainly scopadiol and scopadulciol (SDC). SA and SDB were elucidated to be mainly biosynthesized in the leaves via 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol- 4-phosphate pathway, and a leaf organ culture system containing methyl jasmonate 10 µM was found to enhance the production of diterpenes by activation of Ca-signal transduction systems such as calmodulin and protein kinase C. On the other hand, SDB and SDC were found to show multifaceted pharmacological effects such as inhibitory effects on gastric acid excretion, bone resorption, replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), etc. In addition, SDC was suggested to be applicable to cancer gene therapy using ganciclovir or acyclovir and the HSV-1 thymidine kinase gene called the suicide gene.

Chemotaxonomy of three genera of the Annonaceae family using self-organizing maps and 13C NMR data of diterpenes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scotti, Luciana; Tavares, Josean Fechine; Silva, Marcelo Sobral da; Falcao, Emanuela Viana; Silva, Luana de Morais e; Soares, Gabriela Cristina da Silva; Scotti, Marcus Tullius

2012-01-01

The Annonaceae family is distributed throughout Neotropical regions of the world. In Brazil, it covers nearly all natural formations particularly Annona, Xylopia and Polyalthia and is characterized chemically by the production of sources of terpenoids (mainly diterpenes), alkaloids, steroids, polyphenols and, flavonoids. Studies from 13 C NMR data of diterpenes related with their botanical occurrence were used to generate self-organizing maps. Results corroborate those in the literature obtained from morphological and molecular data for three genera and the model can be used to project other diterpenes. Therefore, the model produced can predict which genera are likely to contain a compound. (author)

Characterization of two genes for the biosynthesis of abietane-type diterpenes in rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) glandular trichomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brückner, Kathleen; Božić, Dragana; Manzano, David

2014-01-01

normal CDP to produce an abietane diterpene. Comparison to the already characterized diterpene synthase from Salvia miltiorrhiza (SmKSL) demonstrates that the product of RoKSL1 and RoKSL2 is miltiradiene. Expression analysis supports a major contributing role for RoKSL2. Like SmKSL and the sclareol...... synthase from Salvia sclarea, RoKSL1/2 are diterpene synthases of the TPS-e group which have lost the internal gamma-domain. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis indicates that RoKSL1 and RoKSL2 belong to a distinct group of KSL enzymes involved in specialized metabolism which most likely emerged before...

The Diterpene Sclareol Vascular Effect in Normotensive and Hypertensive Rats

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Campos, Debora Ribeiro; Celotto, Andrea Carla; Albuquerque, Agnes Afrodite S.; Ferreira, Luciana Garros; Monteiro, Ariadne Santana e Neves; Coelho, Eduardo Barbosa; Evora, Paulo Roberto Barbosa

2017-01-01

Background The diterpene Sclareol has antimicrobial action, cytotoxic and cytostatic effects and anti-tumor activities. However, researches on the cardiovascular system are scarce. Objective This study was designed to investigate the mechanisms involved in the Sclareol cardiovascular effect in normotensive and hypertensive rats. Methods The arterial hypertension was promoted using 2-kidneys 1-clip model in rats. The effect of sclareol on blood pressure was performed by using three dose (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg). Cumulative dose-response curves for Sclareol were determined for endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded aortic rings in presence or absence of L-NAME and ODQ. The NOx levels were measure in the plasma sample. Results The Sclareol administration in vivo caused a significant reduction in blood pressure in both groups. In vitro the sclareol promoted relaxation in aorta, with endothelium, pre-contracted to Phe. The inhibitors of the nitric oxide synthase and soluble guanylate cyclase were as efficient as the removal of endothelium, in inhibiting the Sclareol-induced relaxation. Otherwise, it was no change of NOx. Also, for unknown reasons, the Sclareol is not selective for hypertensive animals. Conclusion The diterpene Sclareol showed in vivo hypotensive and in-vitro vasodilator effects;The chemiluminescence plasmatic NO analysis showed no significant difference between groups andThe Sclareol exhibit better effect on normotensive than hypertensive animals to reduce blood pressure. It is concluded that the diterpenes metabolites would be a promising source prototype for the development of new agents in the cardiovascular therapy. PMID:28678928

Effects of diterpene acids on components of a conifer bark beetle-fungal interaction : tolerance by Ips pini and sensitivity by its associate Ophiostoma ips

Science.gov (United States)

Brian J. Kopper; Barbara L. Illman; Philip J. Kersten; Kier D. Klepzig; Kenneth F. Raffa

2005-01-01

Conifer resin and phloem tissue contain several phytochemical groups, composed primarily of monoterpenes, diterpene acids, and stilbene phenolics. The effects of monoterpenes and phenolics on stem-colonizing bark beetles and their associated microorganisms have been studied to some extent, but the roles of diterpene acids are largely unknown. Diterpene acids are known...

Effects of diterpene acids on components of a conifer bark beetle–fungal interaction: tolerance by Ips pini and sensitivity by its associate Ophiostoma ips

Science.gov (United States)

Brian J. Kopper; Barbara L. Illman; Philip J. Kersten; Kier D. Klepzig; Kenneth F. Raffa

2005-01-01

Conifer resin and phloem tissue contain several phytochemical groups,composed primarily of monoterpenes,diterpene acids, and stilbene phenolics. The effects of monoterpenes and phenolics on stem-colonizing bark beetles and their associated microorganisms have been studied to some extent, but the roles of diterpene acids are largely unknown. Diterpene acids are known to...

A new Labdane Diterpene and Other Constituents from Marrubium deserti Noe ex coss.

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Hocine Dendougui

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The phytochemical study of the chloroform soluble part of the hydroalcoholic extract of Marrubium deserti allowed us to describe a new labdane diterpene, 6-dehydroxy-19-acetyl-marrubenol (3 beside three other diterpenes : 19-acetyl-marrubenol (6 , 6-acetyl-marrubenol (7 and 16-epoxy-9-hydroxy-labda-13(16, 14- diene (1. This latter derivative is described for the first time as natural compound. Phytol (2, and three sterols: b -sitosterol (4, stigmasterol (5 and b -sitosterol 3-O-glucoside (8 were also isolated from this species. Structure elucidation of the isolated compounds was accomplished by means of spectroscopic techniques, especially NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.

Rhizovarins A-F, Indole-Diterpenes from the Mangrove-Derived Endophytic Fungus Mucor irregularis QEN-189.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Shu-Shan; Li, Xiao-Ming; Williams, Katherine; Proksch, Peter; Ji, Nai-Yun; Wang, Bin-Gui

2016-08-26

Genome mining of the fungus Mucor irregularis (formerly known as Rhizomucor variabilis) revealed the presence of various gene clusters for secondary metabolite biosynthesis, including several terpene-based clusters. Investigation into the chemical diversity of M. irregularis QEN-189, an endophytic fungus isolated from the fresh inner tissue of the marine mangrove plant Rhizophora stylosa, resulted in the discovery of 20 structurally diverse indole-diterpenes including six new compounds, namely, rhizovarins A-F (1-6). Among them, compounds 1-3 represent the most complex members of the reported indole-diterpenes. The presence of an unusual acetal linked to a hemiketal (1) or a ketal (2 and 3) in an unprecedented 4,6,6,8,5,6,6,6,6-fused indole-diterpene ring system makes them chemically unique. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, modified Mosher's method, and chemical calculations. Each of the isolated compounds was evaluated for antitumor activity against HL-60 and A-549 cell lines.

Antimicrobial Activity of Diterpenes from Viguiera arenaria against Endodontic Bacteria

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Carlos H. G. Martins

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Six pimarane-type diterpenes isolated from Viguiera arenaria Baker and two semi-synthetic derivatives were evaluated in vitro against a panel of representative microorganisms responsible for dental root canal infections. The microdilution method was used for the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC against Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella nigrescens, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella buccae, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Bacteroides fragilis, Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinomyces viscosus, Peptostreptococcus micros, Enterococcus faecalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The compounds ent-pimara-8(14,15-dien-19-oic acid, its sodium salt and ent-8(14,15-pimaradien-3β-ol were the most active, displaying MIC values ranging from 1 to 10 μg mL-1. The results also allow us to conclude that minor structural differences among these diterpenes significantly influence their antimicrobial activity, bringing new perspectives to the discovery of new chemicals for use as a complement to instrumental endodontic procedures.

Three new cyathane diterpenes with neurotrophic activity from the liquid cultures of Hericium erinaceus.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yuting; Liu, Li; Bao, Li; Yang, Yanlong; Ma, Ke; Liu, Hongwei

2018-05-21

Three new cyathane diterpenes erinacines T-V (1-3), and two known cyathane diterpenes erinacine A (4) and erinacine P (5) were isolated from the liquid cultures of Hericium erinaceus. The structures of 1-3 were determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis. All isolated compounds were evaluated for the cytotoxicity, and neurite-promoting activities using PC12 cell line. Compounds 1-3, and 5 exhibited pronounced neurite outgrowth-promoting effects on PC12 cells in the range of 2.5-10 μM. Compound 4 showed weak cytotoxicity against PC12 cells with IC 50 of 73.7 μM.

Chemotaxonomy of three genera of the Annonaceae family using self-organizing maps and {sup 13}C NMR data of diterpenes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scotti, Luciana; Tavares, Josean Fechine; Silva, Marcelo Sobral da [Universidade Federal da Paraiba (UFPB), Joao Pessoa, PB (Brazil). Dept. de Ciencias Farmaceuticas; Falcao, Emanuela Viana; Silva, Luana de Morais e; Soares, Gabriela Cristina da Silva; Scotti, Marcus Tullius, E-mail: mtscotti@ccae.ufpb.br [Universidade Federal da Paraiba (UFPB), Rio Tinto, PB (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia e Meio Ambiente

2012-07-01

The Annonaceae family is distributed throughout Neotropical regions of the world. In Brazil, it covers nearly all natural formations particularly Annona, Xylopia and Polyalthia and is characterized chemically by the production of sources of terpenoids (mainly diterpenes), alkaloids, steroids, polyphenols and, flavonoids. Studies from {sup 13}C NMR data of diterpenes related with their botanical occurrence were used to generate self-organizing maps. Results corroborate those in the literature obtained from morphological and molecular data for three genera and the model can be used to project other diterpenes. Therefore, the model produced can predict which genera are likely to contain a compound. (author)

Cardiovascular Activity of Labdane Diterpenes from Andrographis paniculata in Isolated Rat Hearts

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Khalijah Awang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The dichloromethane (DCM extract of Andrographis paniculata Nees was tested for cardiovascular activity. The extract significantly reduced coronary perfusion pressure by up to 24.5±3.0 mm Hg at a 3 mg dose and also reduced heart rate by up to 49.5±11.4 beats/minute at this dose. Five labdane diterpenes, 14-deoxy-12-hydroxyandrographolide (1, 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide (2, 14-deoxyandrographolide (3, andrographolide (4, and neoandrographolide (5, were isolated from the aerial parts of this medicinal plant. Bioassay-guided studies using animal model showed that compounds, (2 and (3 were responsible for the coronary vasodilatation. This study also showed that andrographolide (4, the major labdane diterpene in this plant, has minimal effects on the heart.

Cardiovascular Activity of Labdane Diterpenes from Andrographis paniculata in Isolated Rat Hearts

Science.gov (United States)

Awang, Khalijah; Abdullah, Nor Hayati; Hadi, A. Hamid A.; Su Fong, Yew

2012-01-01

The dichloromethane (DCM) extract of Andrographis paniculata Nees was tested for cardiovascular activity. The extract significantly reduced coronary perfusion pressure by up to 24.5 ± 3.0 mm Hg at a 3 mg dose and also reduced heart rate by up to 49.5 ± 11.4 beats/minute at this dose. Five labdane diterpenes, 14-deoxy-12-hydroxyandrographolide (1), 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide (2), 14-deoxyandrographolide (3), andrographolide (4), and neoandrographolide (5), were isolated from the aerial parts of this medicinal plant. Bioassay-guided studies using animal model showed that compounds, (2) and (3) were responsible for the coronary vasodilatation. This study also showed that andrographolide (4), the major labdane diterpene in this plant, has minimal effects on the heart. PMID:22536026

Expanding the landscape of diterpene structural diversity by stereochemically controlled combinatorial biosynthesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen-Ranberg, Johan; Kongstad, Kenneth Thermann; Nielsen, Morten Thrane

2016-01-01

Plant derived diterpenoids are relevant as pharmaceuticals, food additives and fragrances, yet a broader industrial utilization of these bioproducts is limited due to their low natural abundance and high structural complexity. Mimicking the modularity of diterpene biosynthesis in plants, we const...

Effect of Diterpenes Isolated of the Marine Alga Canistrocarpus cervicornis against Some Toxic Effects of the Venom of the Bothrops jararaca Snake

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Thaisa Francielle Souza Domingos

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Snake venoms are composed of a complex mixture of active proteins and peptides which induce a wide range of toxic effects. Envenomation by Bothrops jararaca venom results in hemorrhage, edema, pain, tissue necrosis and hemolysis. In this work, the effect of a mixture of two secodolastane diterpenes (linearol/isolinearol, previously isolated from the Brazilian marine brown alga, Canistrocarpus cervicornis, was evaluated against some of the toxic effects induced by B. jararaca venom. The mixture of diterpenes was dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide and incubated with venom for 30 min at room temperature, and then several in vivo (hemorrhage, edema and lethality and in vitro (hemolysis, plasma clotting and proteolysis assays were performed. The diterpenes inhibited hemolysis, proteolysis and hemorrhage, but failed to inhibit clotting and edema induced by B. jararaca venom. Moreover, diterpenes partially protected mice from lethality caused by B. jararaca venom. The search for natural inhibitors of B. jararaca venom in C. cervicornis algae is a relevant subject, since seaweeds are a rich and powerful source of active molecules which are as yet but poorly explored. Our results suggest that these diterpenes have the potential to be used against Bothropic envenomation accidents or to improve traditional treatments for snake bites.

Metabolic engineering of plant monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and diterpenes--current status and future opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Lange, B Markus; Ahkami, Amirhossein

2013-02-01

Terpenoids (a.k.a. isoprenoids) represent the most diverse class of natural products found in plants, with tens of thousands of reported structures. Plant-derived terpenoids have a multitude of pharmaceutical and industrial applications, but the natural resources for their extraction are often limited and, in many cases, synthetic routes are not commercially viable. Some of the most valuable terpenoids are not accumulated in model plants or crops, and genetic resources for breeding of terpenoid natural product traits are thus poorly developed. At present, metabolic engineering, either in the native producer or a heterologous host, is the only realistic alternative to improve yield and accessibility. In this review article, we will evaluate the state of the art of modulating the biosynthetic pathways for the production of mono-, sesqui- and diterpenes in plants. © 2012 The Authors Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2012 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic activities in vitro of eight diterpenes from Daphne genkwa based on hierarchical cluster and principal component analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ling; Lan, Xin-Yi; Ji, Jun; Zhang, Chun-Feng; Li, Fei; Wang, Chong-Zhi; Yuan, Chun-Su

2018-06-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory and angiogenic diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic activities in vitro of eight diterpenoids isolated from Daphne genkwa. LC-MS was used to identify diterpenes isolated from D. genkwa. The anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic activities of eight diterpenoids were evaluated on LPS-induced macrophage RAW264.7 cells and TNF-α-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). The eight diterpenes isolated from D. genkwa were identified as yuanhuaphnin, isoyuanhuacine, 12-O-(2'E,4'E-decadienoyl)-4-hydroxyphorbol-13-acetyl, yuanhuagine, isoyuanhuadine, yuanhuadine, yuanhuaoate C and yuanhuacine. All the eight diterpenes significantly down-regulated the excessive secretion of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and NO in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. However, only 12-O-(2'E,4'E-decadienoyl)-4-hydroxyphorbol-13-acetyl markedly reduced production of VEGF, MMP-3, ICAM and VCAM in TNF-α-stimulated HUVECs. HCA obtained 4 clusters, containing 12-O-(2'E,4'E-decadienoyl)-4-hydroxyphorbol-13-acetyl, isoyuanhuacine, isoyuanhuadine and five other compounds. PCA showed that the ranking of diterpenes sorted by efficacy from highest to lowest was 12-O-(2'E,4'E-decadienoyl)-4-hydroxyphorbol-13-acetyl, yuanhuaphnin, isoyuanhuacine, yuanhuacine, yuanhuaoate C, yuanhuagine, isoyuanhuadine, yuanhuadine. In conclusion, eight diterpenes isolated from D. genkwa showed different levels of activity in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells and TNF-α-stimulated HUVECs. The comprehensive evaluation of activity by HCA and PCA indicated that of the eight diterpenes, 12-O-(2'E,4'E-decadienoyl)-4-hydroxyphorbol-13-acetyl was the best, and can be developed as a new drug for RA therapy.

Crop diversity for yield increase.

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Chengyun Li

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Traditional farming practices suggest that cultivation of a mixture of crop species in the same field through temporal and spatial management may be advantageous in boosting yields and preventing disease, but evidence from large-scale field testing is limited. Increasing crop diversity through intercropping addresses the problem of increasing land utilization and crop productivity. In collaboration with farmers and extension personnel, we tested intercropping of tobacco, maize, sugarcane, potato, wheat and broad bean--either by relay cropping or by mixing crop species based on differences in their heights, and practiced these patterns on 15,302 hectares in ten counties in Yunnan Province, China. The results of observation plots within these areas showed that some combinations increased crop yields for the same season between 33.2 and 84.7% and reached a land equivalent ratio (LER of between 1.31 and 1.84. This approach can be easily applied in developing countries, which is crucial in face of dwindling arable land and increasing food demand.

Discovery and functional characterization of two diterpene synthases for sclareol biosynthesis in Salvia sclarea (L. and their relevance for perfume manufacture

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Caniard Anne

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sclareol is a diterpene natural product of high value for the fragrance industry. Its labdane carbon skeleton and its two hydroxyl groups also make it a valued starting material for semisynthesis of numerous commercial substances, including production of Ambrox® and related ambergris substitutes used in the formulation of high end perfumes. Most of the commercially-produced sclareol is derived from cultivated clary sage (Salvia sclarea and extraction of the plant material. In clary sage, sclareol mainly accumulates in essential oil-producing trichomes that densely cover flower calices. Manool also is a minor diterpene of this species and the main diterpene of related Salvia species. Results Based on previous general knowledge of diterpene biosynthesis in angiosperms, and based on mining of our recently published transcriptome database obtained by deep 454-sequencing of cDNA from clary sage calices, we cloned and functionally characterized two new diterpene synthase (diTPS enzymes for the complete biosynthesis of sclareol in clary sage. A class II diTPS (SsLPPS produced labda-13-en-8-ol diphosphate as major product from geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP with some minor quantities of its non-hydroxylated analogue, (9 S, 10 S-copalyl diphosphate. A class I diTPS (SsSS then transformed these intermediates into sclareol and manool, respectively. The production of sclareol was reconstructed in vitro by combining the two recombinant diTPS enzymes with the GGPP starting substrate and in vivo by co-expression of the two proteins in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Tobacco-based transient expression assays of green fluorescent protein-fusion constructs revealed that both enzymes possess an N-terminal signal sequence that actively targets SsLPPS and SsSS to the chloroplast, a major site of GGPP and diterpene production in plants. Conclusions SsLPPS and SsSS are two monofunctional diTPSs which, together, produce the diterpenoid

Discovery and functional characterization of two diterpene synthases for sclareol biosynthesis in Salvia sclarea (L.) and their relevance for perfume manufacture.

Science.gov (United States)

Caniard, Anne; Zerbe, Philipp; Legrand, Sylvain; Cohade, Allison; Valot, Nadine; Magnard, Jean-Louis; Bohlmann, Jörg; Legendre, Laurent

2012-07-26

Sclareol is a diterpene natural product of high value for the fragrance industry. Its labdane carbon skeleton and its two hydroxyl groups also make it a valued starting material for semisynthesis of numerous commercial substances, including production of Ambrox® and related ambergris substitutes used in the formulation of high end perfumes. Most of the commercially-produced sclareol is derived from cultivated clary sage (Salvia sclarea) and extraction of the plant material. In clary sage, sclareol mainly accumulates in essential oil-producing trichomes that densely cover flower calices. Manool also is a minor diterpene of this species and the main diterpene of related Salvia species. Based on previous general knowledge of diterpene biosynthesis in angiosperms, and based on mining of our recently published transcriptome database obtained by deep 454-sequencing of cDNA from clary sage calices, we cloned and functionally characterized two new diterpene synthase (diTPS) enzymes for the complete biosynthesis of sclareol in clary sage. A class II diTPS (SsLPPS) produced labda-13-en-8-ol diphosphate as major product from geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) with some minor quantities of its non-hydroxylated analogue, (9 S, 10 S)-copalyl diphosphate. A class I diTPS (SsSS) then transformed these intermediates into sclareol and manool, respectively. The production of sclareol was reconstructed in vitro by combining the two recombinant diTPS enzymes with the GGPP starting substrate and in vivo by co-expression of the two proteins in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Tobacco-based transient expression assays of green fluorescent protein-fusion constructs revealed that both enzymes possess an N-terminal signal sequence that actively targets SsLPPS and SsSS to the chloroplast, a major site of GGPP and diterpene production in plants. SsLPPS and SsSS are two monofunctional diTPSs which, together, produce the diterpenoid specialized metabolite sclareol in a two-step process. They

Artificial intelligence applied to natural products; computer study of pimarane diterpene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopes, M.N.; Borges, J.H.G.; Furlan, M.; Gastmans, J.P.; Emerenciano, V. de

1989-01-01

This paper describes the study of the sup(13)C NMR characteristic signals of naturally occurring pimarane. The analysis is performed by computer, starting from a data base which encloses about 400 diterpenes and using the PICKUPS programm. BNy this way it is possible to analyse substructure from one to five atoms as well as the effects of substituents on them. (author)

Antiviral agents of plant origin. III. Scopadulin, a novel tetracyclic diterpene from Scoparia dulcis L.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, T; Kawasaki, M; Miwa, Y; Taga, T; Morita, N

1990-04-01

The structure and stereochemistry of scopadulin, a novel aphidicolane-type diterpene isolated from Scoparia dulcis L. have been established from spectral data and single-crystal X-ray analysis of its acetone solvate.

Overcoming the plasticity of plant specialized metabolism for selective diterpene production in yeast

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ignea, Codruta; Athanasakoglou, Anastasia; Andreadelli, Aggeliki

2017-01-01

of the enzymes involved. The pathway of carnosic acid-related diterpenes in rosemary and sage involves promiscuous cytochrome P450s whose combined activity results in a multitude of structurally related compounds. Some of these minor products, such as pisiferic acid and salviol, have established bioactivity...

Isolation and structural elucidation of secondary metabolites from plants of the family Flacourtiaceae and Asclepiadaceae, and evaluation of biological activity of the sesquiterpene lactones and the diterpenes of Casearia sp

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Binns Quiros, Franklin

2012-01-01

A phytochemical study was realized of the plants Casearia aculeata, Casearia nitida and Asclepias verticillata, using experiments of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of one and two dimensions. Ten secondary metabolites are isolated from C. aculeata and C. nitida. Three of the secondary metabolites have presented a structure known: a diterpene type kaurane: ent-kaurenic acid, a diterpene type pimarane: oxide of 3β-hydroximanoil and a steroid: 4-stigmastene-3-ona. Seven remaining compounds have corresponded to diterpene type clerodane of novel structure. Eight glycosides of poly oxidized pregnanes of novel structure are isolated from A. verticillata. In vitro tests of cytotoxicity and induction of caspase-3 are performed on leukemia cells type Jurkat T. These tests were performed at fifteen sesquiterpene lactones and at four diterpenes. The tests developed have had the purpose to describe structure-activity relationships that can be linked with the capacity to inhibit the factor NF-κB (sesquiterpene lactones) described in the literature and with the known mechanism of action induction of apoptosis in diterpenes type clerodane. A clear relationship between the capacity (high, intermediate or low) to inhibit the factor NF-κB and the capacity to induce to the caspase-3 has remained without observation in the sesquiterpene lactones. Some structural comparisons related with the cytotoxic capacity and the induction of the caspase-3 have been described for the series of LSs with carbon structure of pseudoguianolides. Diterpenes with carbon structure of diterpenes type clerodane have had greater cytotoxic activity with respect to without carbon structure. Diterpenes type clerodane isolated from the family Flacourtiaceae have been cytotoxics, their capacity to induce to the caspase-3 has remained without be nearby to induction realized by the actinomycin D (pure inducer of the caspase-3). (author) [es

Diterpene and other constituents from Stemodia maritima (Scrophulariaceae)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues, Francisco E.A.; Oliveira, Maria da Conceicao F. de; Vasconcelos, Jackson N.; Mafezoli, Jair; Arriaga, Angela M.C.; Lima, Jefferson Q.; Santiago, Gilvandete M.P.; Braz-Filho, Raimundo

2010-01-01

A new diterpene, (5S * ,8S * ,9R * ,10S * )-11β,12β-epoxy-9α-hydroxy-19(4 -> 3)abeo-abieta-3,13-diene-19,18-olide, together with the known compounds stemodin, D-mannitol, betulinic acid, a mixture of 3β-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-β-sitosterol and 3β-O-β-D-glucopyranosylstigmasterol and 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3,8,3'-trimethoxyflavone were isolated from the leaves and stems of Stemodia maritima. Structural elucidation of all compounds was based on interpretation of spectral data, mainly NMR (1D and 2D) and MS, including comparison with values described in the literature. (author)

Immunomodulatory Effects of Diterpene Quinone Derivatives from the Roots of Horminum pyrenaicum in Human PBMC

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K. Becker

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Several phytochemicals were shown to interfere with redox biology in the human system. Moreover, redox biochemistry is crucially involved in the orchestration of immunological cascades. When screening for immunomodulatory compounds, the two interferon gamma- (IFN-γ- dependent immunometabolic pathways of tryptophan breakdown via indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO-1 and neopterin formation by GTP-cyclohydrolase 1 (GTP-CH-I represent prominent targets, as IFN-γ-related signaling is strongly sensitive to oxidative triggers. Herein, the analysis of these pathway activities in human peripheral mononuclear cells was successfully applied in a bioactivity-guided fractionation strategy to screen for anti-inflammatory substances contained in the root of Horminum (H. pyrenaicum L. (syn. Dragon’s mouth, the only representative of the monophyletic genus Horminum. Four abietane diterpene quinone derivatives (horminone, 7-O-acetylhorminone, inuroyleanol and its 15,16-dehydro-derivative, a novel natural product, two nor-abietane diterpene quinones (agastaquinone and 3-deoxyagastaquinone and two abeo 18 (4 → 3 abietane diterpene quinones (agastol and its 15,16-dehydro-derivative could be identified. These compounds were able to dose-dependently suppress the above mentioned pathways with different potency. Beside the description of new active compounds, this study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating IDO-1 and GTP-CH-I activity in the search for novel anti-inflammatory compounds, which can then be directed towards a more detailed mode of action analysis.

Bifurcatriol, a New Antiprotozoal Acyclic Diterpene from the Brown Alga Bifurcaria bifurcata

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Vangelis Smyrniotopoulos

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Linear diterpenes that are commonly found in brown algae are of high chemotaxonomic and ecological importance. This study reports bifurcatriol (1, a new linear diterpene featuring two stereogenic centers isolated from the Irish brown alga Bifurcaria bifurcata. The gross structure of this new natural product was elucidated based on its spectroscopic data (IR, 1D and 2D-NMR, HRMS. Its absolute configuration was identified by experimental and computational vibrational circular dichroism (VCD spectroscopy, combined with the calculation of 13C-NMR chemical shielding constants. Bifurcatriol (1 was tested for in vitro antiprotozoal activity towards a small panel of parasites (Plasmodium falciparum, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, T. cruzi, and Leishmania donovani and cytotoxicity against mammalian primary cells. The highest activity was exerted against the malaria parasite P. falciparum (IC50 value 0.65 μg/mL with low cytotoxicity (IC50 value 56.6 μg/mL. To our knowledge, this is the first successful application of VCD and DP4 probability analysis of the calculated 13C-NMR chemical shifts for the simultaneous assignment of the absolute configuration of multiple stereogenic centers in a long-chain acyclic natural product.

ent-Pimarane and ent-Kaurane Diterpenes from Aldama discolor (Asteraceae and Their Antiprotozoal Activity

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Mauro S. Nogueira

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Aldama discolor (syn.Viguiera discolor is an endemic Asteraceae from the Brazilian “Cerrado”, which has not previously been investigated for its chemical constituents and biological activity. Diterpenes are common secondary metabolites found in Aldama species, some of which have been reported to present potential antiprotozoal and antimicrobial activities. In this study, the known ent-3-α-hydroxy-kaur-16-en-18-ol (1, as well as three new diterpenes, namely, ent-7-oxo-pimara-8,15-diene-18-ol (2, ent-2S,4S-2-19-epoxy-pimara-8(3,15-diene-7β-ol (3 and ent-7-oxo-pimara-8,15-diene-3β-ol (4, were isolated from the dichloromethane extract of A. discolor leaves and identified by means of MS and NMR. The compounds were assayed in vitro against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, T. cruzi and Leishmania donovani, Plasmodium falciparum and also tested for cytotoxicity against mammalian cells (L6 cell line. The ent-kaurane 1 showed significant in vitro activity against both P. falciparum (IC 50 = 3.5 μ M and L. donovani (IC 50 = 2.5 μ M and ent-pimarane 2 against P. falciparum (IC 50 = 3.8 μ M. Both compounds returned high selectivity indices (SI >10 in comparison with L6 cells, which makes them interesting candidates for in vivo tests. In addition to the diterpenes, the sesquiterpene lactone budlein A (5, which has been reported to possess a strong anti-T. b. rhodesiense activity, was identified as major compound in the A. discolor extract and explains its high activity against this parasite (100% growth inhibition at 2 μ g/mL.

ent-Pimarane and ent-Kaurane Diterpenes from Aldama discolor (Asteraceae) and Their Antiprotozoal Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Nogueira, Mauro S; Da Costa, Fernando B; Brun, Reto; Kaiser, Marcel; Schmidt, Thomas J

2016-09-15

Aldama discolor (syn.Viguiera discolor) is an endemic Asteraceae from the Brazilian "Cerrado", which has not previously been investigated for its chemical constituents and biological activity. Diterpenes are common secondary metabolites found in Aldama species, some of which have been reported to present potential antiprotozoal and antimicrobial activities. In this study, the known ent-3-α-hydroxy-kaur-16-en-18-ol (1), as well as three new diterpenes, namely, ent-7-oxo-pimara-8,15-diene-18-ol (2), ent-2S,4S-2-19-epoxy-pimara-8(3),15-diene-7β-ol (3) and ent-7-oxo-pimara-8,15-diene-3β-ol (4), were isolated from the dichloromethane extract of A. discolor leaves and identified by means of MS and NMR. The compounds were assayed in vitro against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, T. cruzi and Leishmania donovani, Plasmodium falciparum and also tested for cytotoxicity against mammalian cells (L6 cell line). The ent-kaurane 1 showed significant in vitro activity against both P. falciparum (IC 50 = 3.5 μ M) and L. donovani (IC 50 = 2.5 μ M) and ent-pimarane 2 against P. falciparum (IC 50 = 3.8 μ M). Both compounds returned high selectivity indices (SI >10) in comparison with L6 cells, which makes them interesting candidates for in vivo tests. In addition to the diterpenes, the sesquiterpene lactone budlein A (5), which has been reported to possess a strong anti-T. b. rhodesiense activity, was identified as major compound in the A. discolor extract and explains its high activity against this parasite (100% growth inhibition at 2 μ g/mL).

Diterpene and other constituents from Stemodia maritima (Scrophulariaceae)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigues, Francisco E.A.; Oliveira, Maria da Conceicao F. de; Vasconcelos, Jackson N.; Mafezoli, Jair; Arriaga, Angela M.C., E-mail: angelamcarriaga@yahoo.com.b [Universidade Federal do Ceara (DQOI/UFC), Fortaleza, CE (Brazil). Dept. de Quimica Organica e Inorganica. Curso de Pos-Graducao em Quimica; Lima, Jefferson Q. [Instituto Federal do Ceara, Juazeiro do Norte, CE (Brazil). Curso de Engenharia Ambiental; Santiago, Gilvandete M.P. [Universidade Federal do Ceara (DQOI/UFC), Fortaleza, CE (Brazil). Dept. de Farmacia; Braz-Filho, Raimundo [Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (CCT/UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Ciencias e Tecnologias

2010-07-01

A new diterpene, (5S{sup *},8S{sup *},9R{sup *},10S{sup *})-11{beta},12{beta}-epoxy-9{alpha}-hydroxy-19(4 -> 3)abeo-abieta-3,13-diene-19,18-olide, together with the known compounds stemodin, D-mannitol, betulinic acid, a mixture of 3{beta}-O-{beta}-D-glucopyranosyl-{beta}-sitosterol and 3{beta}-O-{beta}-D-glucopyranosylstigmasterol and 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3,8,3'-trimethoxyflavone were isolated from the leaves and stems of Stemodia maritima. Structural elucidation of all compounds was based on interpretation of spectral data, mainly NMR (1D and 2D) and MS, including comparison with values described in the literature. (author)

The effect of the diterpene 5-epi-icetexone on the cell cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lozano, E.; Barrera, P.; Tonn, C.; Nieto, M.; Sartor, T.; Sosa, M.A.

2012-01-01

Numerous natural compounds have been used against Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease. Here, we studied the effect of the diterpene 5-epi-icetexone on growth and morphology of parasites synchronized with hydroxyurea, at different periods of time after removal of the nucleotide.

A new rearranged dolabellane diterpene from the soft coral Clavularia inflata.

Science.gov (United States)

Alea, Glenn V; Bowden, Bruce F; Ragasa, Consolacion Y

2008-06-15

A new dolabellane type diterpene 1 has been isolated through its acetate 1a. The structure of 1a was elucidated by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and confirmed by mass spectrometry. The structure of 1 was deduced by comparison of its NMR spectral data with those of 1a, while its relative stereochemistry was deduced by NOESY. The absolute stereochemistry of C-7 was determined by analyses of 1 separately esterified with R and S O-mandelic acids.

Indole-diterpenes and ergot alkaloids in Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) infected with Claviceps cynodontis from an outbreak of tremors in cattle.

Science.gov (United States)

Uhlig, Silvio; Botha, Christo J; Vrålstad, Trude; Rolén, Elin; Miles, Christopher O

2009-12-09

Tremorgenic syndromes in mammals are commonly associated with indole-diterpenoid alkaloids of fungal origin. Cattle are sometimes affected by tremors (also called "staggers") when they graze on toxic grass pastures, and Bermuda grass ( Cynodon dactylon , kweek) has been known to be associated with tremors for several decades. This study reports the identification of paspalitrems and paspaline-like indole-diterpenes in the seedheads of Claviceps cynodontis -infected Bermuda grass collected from a pasture that had caused a staggers syndrome in cattle in South Africa and thereby links the condition to specific mycotoxins. The highest concentration (about 150 mg/kg) was found for paspalitrem B. Ergonovine and ergine (lysergic acid amide), together with their C-8 epimers, were found to co-occur with the indole-diterpenes at concentrations of about 10 microg/kg. The indole-diterpene profile of the extract from the ergotized Bermuda grass was similar to that of Claviceps paspali sclerotia. However, the C. paspali sclerotia contained in addition agroclavine and elymoclavine. This is the first study linking tremors associated with grazing of Bermuda grass to specific tremorgenic indole-diterpenoid mycotoxins.

Characterization of two genes for the biosynthesis of abietane-type diterpenes in rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) glandular trichomes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brückner, K.; Bozic, D.; Manzano, D.; Papaefthimiou, D.; Pateraki, I.; Scheler, U.; Ferrer, A.; Vos, de R.C.H.; Kanellis, A.K.; Tissier, A.

2014-01-01

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) produces the phenolic diterpenes carnosic acid and carnosol, which, in addition to their general antioxidant activities, have recently been suggested as potential ingredients for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Little is known about the

Simplexins P–S, Eunicellin-Based Diterpenes from the Soft Coral Klyxum simplex

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Shwu-Li; Su, Jui-Hsin; Huang, Chiung-Yao; Tai, Chi-Jen; Sung, Ping-Jyun; Liaw, Chih-Chung; Sheu, Jyh-Horng

2012-01-01

Four new eunicellin-based diterpenes, simplexins P–S (1–4), and the known compound simplexin A (5), have been isolated from the soft coral Klyxum simplex. The structures of the new metabolites were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, particularly 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Compounds 1 and 3–5 were shown to exhibit cytotoxicity against a limited panel of cancer cell lines, 3 being the most cytotoxic. PMID:22822367

Diterpenes and a new benzaldehyde from the mangrove plant Rhizophora mangle

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Jhessica N. Martins

Full Text Available ABSTRACT This work describes the isolation, by high-speed counter-current chromatography, of the diterpenes manool, jhanol and steviol and the benzaldehyde p-oxy-2-ethylhexyl benzaldehyde from the stilt roots hexane extract of the mangrove plant Rhizophora mangle L., Rhizophoraceae. For this, a non-aqueous biphasic solvent system composed of hexane–acetonitrile–methanol 1:1:0.5 (v/v/v was applied. As far as we know, only steviol was previously isolated in Rhizophoraceae and this is the first time that p-oxy-2-ethylhexyl benzaldehyde is reported.

Technological possibilities for increasing coarse coal yield in the Staszic mine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sikora, W; Major, M

1985-06-01

Experiments carried out in the Staszic underground black coal mine in Upper Silesia showed that there is a correlation of coarse coal yield and yield strength of shield supports used at longwall faces. The faces were equipped with Pioma 25-45, Fazos 15-31 and Fazos 19-32 shield supports, KWB 3RDU shearer loaders and Rybnik chain conveyors. Pressure of oil in water emulsion used in the Pioma 25/45 shield supports was reduced from the recommended 30 MPa to 15 MPa or to 10 MPa. Reducing emulsion pressure (and support yield strength) caused an increase in coarse coal yield. Coarse coal yield was also increased by use of Fazos 19/32 shield supports with reduced yield strength. During the tests coarse coal yield increased 1.68% and 2.65%. Test results are shown in 3 diagrams. Investigations carried out in the Staszic mine in 1983 showed that by optimizing yield strength of shield supports coarse coal yield could be increased 2 to 8%. 6 references.

Antimicrobial Evaluation of Diterpenes from Copaifera langsdorffii Oleoresin Against Periodontal Anaerobic Bacteria

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Rodrigo C. S. Veneziani

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The antimicrobial activity of four labdane-type diterpenes isolated from the oleoresin of Copaifera langsdorffii as well as of two commercially available diterpenes (sclareol and manool was investigated against a representative panel of microorganisms responsible for periodontitis. Among all the evaluated compounds, (−-copalic acid (CA was the most active, displaying a very promising MIC value (3.1 µg mL−1; 10.2 µM against the key pathogen (Porphyromonas gingivalis involved in this infectious disease. Moreover, CA did not exhibit cytotoxicity when tested in human fibroblasts. Time-kill curve assays performed with CA against P. gingivalis revealed that this compound only inhibited the growth of the inoculums in the first 12 h (bacteriostatic effect. However, its bactericidal effect was clearly noted thereafter (between 12 and 24 h. It was also possible to verify an additive effect when CA and chlorhexidine dihydrochloride (CHD, positive control were associated at their MBC values. The time curve profile resulting from this combination showed that this association needed only six hours for the bactericidal effect to be noted. In summary, CA has shown to be an important metabolite for the control of periodontal diseases. Moreover, the use of standardized extracts based on copaiba oleoresin with high CA contents can be an important strategy in the development of novel oral care products.

Interactive effects of pests increase seed yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Gagic, Vesna; Riggi, Laura Ga; Ekbom, Barbara; Malsher, Gerard; Rusch, Adrien; Bommarco, Riccardo

2016-04-01

Loss in seed yield and therefore decrease in plant fitness due to simultaneous attacks by multiple herbivores is not necessarily additive, as demonstrated in evolutionary studies on wild plants. However, it is not clear how this transfers to crop plants that grow in very different conditions compared to wild plants. Nevertheless, loss in crop seed yield caused by any single pest is most often studied in isolation although crop plants are attacked by many pests that can cause substantial yield losses. This is especially important for crops able to compensate and even overcompensate for the damage. We investigated the interactive impacts on crop yield of four insect pests attacking different plant parts at different times during the cropping season. In 15 oilseed rape fields in Sweden, we estimated the damage caused by seed and stem weevils, pollen beetles, and pod midges. Pest pressure varied drastically among fields with very low correlation among pests, allowing us to explore interactive impacts on yield from attacks by multiple species. The plant damage caused by each pest species individually had, as expected, either no, or a negative impact on seed yield and the strongest negative effect was caused by pollen beetles. However, seed yield increased when plant damage caused by both seed and stem weevils was high, presumably due to the joint plant compensatory reaction to insect attack leading to overcompensation. Hence, attacks by several pests can change the impact on yield of individual pest species. Economic thresholds based on single species, on which pest management decisions currently rely, may therefore result in economically suboptimal choices being made and unnecessary excessive use of insecticides.

Small millet farmers increase yields through participatory varietal

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

When farmers adopt a variety along with ones they already ... Increased access to quality seed of promising ... Figure 1: Potential increases in yield of small millet preferred varieties. 0. 200 ... terms of both product (farmers preferred varieties ...

Additional Minor Diterpene Glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni

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Indra Prakash

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Two additional novel minor diterpene glycosides were isolated from the commercial extract of the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. The structures of the new compounds were identified as 13-{β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3-β-D-glucopyranosyl-oxy} ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid {β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3]-O-β-D-glucupyranosyl-ester} (1, and 13-{β-D-6-deoxy-glucopyranosyl-(1→2-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3-β-D-glucopyranosyl-oxy} ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid {β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3-β-D-gluco-pyranosyl-ester} (2, on the basis of extensive 1D (1H- and 13C- 2D NMR (COSY, HSQC and HMBC and MS spectroscopic data as well as chemical studies.

Increasing crop diversity mitigates weather variations and improves yield stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudin, Amélie C M; Tolhurst, Tor N; Ker, Alan P; Janovicek, Ken; Tortora, Cristina; Martin, Ralph C; Deen, William

2015-01-01

Cropping sequence diversification provides a systems approach to reduce yield variations and improve resilience to multiple environmental stresses. Yield advantages of more diverse crop rotations and their synergistic effects with reduced tillage are well documented, but few studies have quantified the impact of these management practices on yields and their stability when soil moisture is limiting or in excess. Using yield and weather data obtained from a 31-year long term rotation and tillage trial in Ontario, we tested whether crop rotation diversity is associated with greater yield stability when abnormal weather conditions occur. We used parametric and non-parametric approaches to quantify the impact of rotation diversity (monocrop, 2-crops, 3-crops without or with one or two legume cover crops) and tillage (conventional or reduced tillage) on yield probabilities and the benefits of crop diversity under different soil moisture and temperature scenarios. Although the magnitude of rotation benefits varied with crops, weather patterns and tillage, yield stability significantly increased when corn and soybean were integrated into more diverse rotations. Introducing small grains into short corn-soybean rotation was enough to provide substantial benefits on long-term soybean yields and their stability while the effects on corn were mostly associated with the temporal niche provided by small grains for underseeded red clover or alfalfa. Crop diversification strategies increased the probability of harnessing favorable growing conditions while decreasing the risk of crop failure. In hot and dry years, diversification of corn-soybean rotations and reduced tillage increased yield by 7% and 22% for corn and soybean respectively. Given the additional advantages associated with cropping system diversification, such a strategy provides a more comprehensive approach to lowering yield variability and improving the resilience of cropping systems to multiple environmental

Diterpenes Synthesized from the Natural Serrulatane Leubethanol and Their in Vitro Activities against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

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Ricardo Escarcena

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Seventeen new derivatives of the natural diterpene leubethanol, including some potential pro-drugs, with changes in the functionality of the aliphatic chain or modifications of aromatic ring and the phenolic group, were synthesized and tested in vitro by the MABA technique for their activity against the H37Rv strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Some compounds showed antimycobacterial selectivity indices higher than leubethanol.

Synthesis and Sensory Evaluation of ent-Kaurane Diterpene Glycosides

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Venkata Sai Prakash Chaturvedula

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Catalytic hydrogenation of the three ent-kaurane diterpene glycosides isolated from Stevia rebaudiana, namely rubusoside, stevioside, and rebaudioside-A has been carried out using Pd(OH₂ and their corresponding dihydro derivatives have been isolated as the products. Synthesis of reduced steviol glycosides was performed using straightforward chemistry and their structures were characterized on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectral data and chemical studies. Also, we report herewith the sensory evaluation of all the reduced compounds against their corresponding original steviol glycosides and sucrose for the sweetness property of these molecules.

Materials and methods to increase plant growth and yield

Science.gov (United States)

Kirst, Matias

2017-05-16

The present invention relates to materials and methods for modulating growth rates, yield, and/or resistance to drought conditions in plants. In one embodiment, a method of the invention comprises increasing expression of an hc1 gene (or a homolog thereof that provides for substantially the same activity), or increasing expression or activity of the protein encoded by an hc1 gene thereof, in a plant, wherein expression of the hc1 gene or expression or activity of the protein encoded by an hc1 gene results in increased growth rate, yield, and/or drought resistance in the plant.

Involvement of an ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase in tissue-specific accumulation of specialized diterpenes in Andrographis paniculata.

Science.gov (United States)

Misra, Rajesh Chandra; Garg, Anchal; Roy, Sudeep; Chanotiya, Chandan Singh; Vasudev, Prema G; Ghosh, Sumit

2015-11-01

Ent-labdane-related diterpene (ent-LRD) specialized (i.e. secondary) metabolites of the medicinal plant kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata) have long been known for several pharmacological activities. However, our understanding of the ent-LRD biosynthetic pathway has remained largely incomplete. Since ent-LRDs accumulate in leaves, we carried out a comparative transcriptional analysis using leaf and root tissues, and identified 389 differentially expressed transcripts, including 223 transcripts that were preferentially expressed in leaf tissue. Analysis of the transcripts revealed various specialized metabolic pathways, including transcripts of the ent-LRD biosynthetic pathway. Two class II diterpene synthases (ApCPS1 and ApCPS2) along with one (ApCPS1') and two (ApCPS2' and ApCPS2″) transcriptional variants that were the outcomes of alternative splicing of the precursor mRNA and alternative transcriptional termination, respectively, were identified. ApCPS1 and ApCPS2 encode for 832- and 817-amino acids proteins, respectively, and are phylogenetically related to the dicotyledons ent-copalyl diphosphate synthases (ent-CPSs). The spatio-temporal patterns of ent-LRD metabolites accumulation and gene expression suggested a likely role for ApCPS1 in general (i.e. primary) metabolism, perhaps by providing precursor for the biosynthesis of phytohormone gibberellin (GA). However, ApCPS2 is potentially involved in tissue-specific accumulation of ent-LRD specialized metabolites. Bacterially expressed recombinant ApCPS2 catalyzed the conversion of (E,E,E)-geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP), the general precursor of diterpenes to ent-copalyl diphosphate (ent-CPP), the precursor of ent-LRDs. Taken together, these results advance our understanding of the tissue-specific accumulation of specialized ent-LRDs of medicinal importance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whey cheese: membrane technology to increase yields.

Science.gov (United States)

Riera, Francisco; González, Pablo; Muro, Claudia

2016-02-01

Sweet cheese whey has been used to obtain whey cheese without the addition of milk. Pre-treated whey was concentrated by nanofiltration (NF) at different concentration ratios (2, 2.5 and 2.8) or by reverse osmosis (RO) (2-3 times). After the concentration, whey was acidified with lactic acid until a final pH of 4.6-4.8, and heated to temperatures between 85 and 90 °C. The coagulated fraction (supernatant) was collected and freely drained over 4 h. The cheese-whey yield and protein, fat, lactose and ash recoveries in the final product were calculated. The membrane pre-concentration step caused an increase in the whey-cheese yield. The final composition of products was compared with traditional cheese-whey manufacture products (without membrane concentration). Final cheese yields found were to be between 5 and 19.6%, which are higher than those achieved using the traditional 'Requesón' process.

Two residues determine the product profile of the class II diterpene synthases TPS14 and TPS21 of Tripterygium wilfordii

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Nikolaj Lervad; Nissen, Jakob N.; Hamberger, Björn Robert

2017-01-01

residue gave mixed product profiles. Two mutants, TwTPS14:Y265H and TwTPS21:A325V, also produced ent-copalyl diphosphate, highlighting the evolutionary potential of enzymes of this family to drive rapid diversification of plant diterpene biosynthesis through neo-functionalization. Our study contributes......The medicinal plant Tripterygium wilfordii (Celastraceae) contains a pair of class II diterpene synthases (diTPS) of specialized labdane-type metabolism that, despite remarkably close homology, form strikingly different products. TwTPS21 catalyzes bicyclization of the linear C20 precursor......-directed mutagenesis, we generated a panel of six variants, where one, or both positions were exchanged between the enzymes. In coupled heterologous assays with a corresponding class I diTPS, TwTPS2, complete product interchange was observed in variants with both reciprocal mutations, while substitutions of either...

Use of (S)-trans-gamma-monocyclofarnesol as a useful chiral building block for the stereoselective synthesis of diterpenic natural products.

Science.gov (United States)

Serra, Stefano; Cominetti, Alessandra A; Lissoni, Veronica

2014-03-01

A comprehensive study of the exploitation of (S)-trans-gamma-monocyclofarnesol as a useful chiral building block for the stereoselective synthesis of natural diterpene derivatives is here described. The farnesol derivative (+)-1 was used as starting material in the preparation of the diterpenes (S)-dehydroambliol-A and (S)-trixagol, as well as for the syntheses of the dinorditerpene (S)-dinortrixagone and of the guanidine-interrupted terpenoid (S)-dotofide. Key steps of the presented syntheses were the cross-coupling between an allyl acetate and a Grignard reagent, the Wittig reaction, the selective preparation ofa diacylguanidine derivative and the alkylation of a sulfone derivative, followed by the reductive removal of the same functional group. It is worth noting that the natural products (+)-8, (+)-12 and (+)-15 were prepared stereoselectively for the first time, thus allowing the unambiguous assignment of their absolute configuration.

Diterpene synthases of the biosynthetic system of medicinally active diterpenoids in Marrubium vulgare

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zerbe, Philipp; Chiang, Angela; Dullat, Harpreet

2014-01-01

Marrubium vulgare (Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant whose major bioactive compounds, marrubiin and other labdane-related furanoid diterpenoids, have potential applications as anti-diabetics, analgesics or vasorelaxants. Metabolite and transcriptome profiling of M. vulgare leaves identified five...... different candidate diterpene synthases (diTPSs) of the TPS-c and TPS-e/f clades. We describe the in vitro and in vivo functional characterization of the M. vulgare diTPS family. In addition to MvEKS ent-kaurene synthase of general metabolism, we identified three diTPSs of specialized metabolism: MvCPS3...

Increase in extraction yields of coals by water treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masashi Iino; Toshimasa Takanohashi; Chunqi Li; Haruo Kumagai [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba (Japan). Institute for Energy Utilization

2004-10-01

The effect of water treatment at 500 and 600 K on solvent extractions of Pocahontas No. 3 (PO), Upper Freeport (UF), and Illinois No. 6 (IL) coals was investigated. All the coals used show that the water treatments at 600 K increased the extraction yields greatly in the extractions with a 1:1 carbon disulfide/N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (CS{sub 2}/NMP) mixed solvent, NMP, or 1-methylnaphthalene (1-MN). However, the water treatments at 500 K and the heat treatments at 600 K without water gave only a slight increase in the yields. Characterizations of the water-treated coals were performed using ultimate and proximate compositions, Fourier transform infrared analysis, solvent swelling, nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation time, and viscoelasticity behavior. The swelling degree in methanol and toluene was increased by the water treatment at 600 K, suggesting that crosslinks become loosened by the treatment. The results of infrared analysis and the extraction temperature dependency of the extraction yields with NMP and 1-MN suggest that the loosening of {pi} - interactions, and of both {pi} - interactions and hydrogen bonds, are responsible for the yield enhancements for PO and UF coals, respectively. However, for IL coal, which exhibited a decrease in oxygen content and the amount of hydrogen-bonded OH, suggesting the occurrence of some chemical reactions, the yield enhancements may be due to the relaxation of hydrogen bonds and the removal of oxygen functional groups, such as the breaking of ether bonds. 17 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs.

Do increases in cigarette prices lead to increases in sales of cigarettes with high tar and nicotine yields?

Science.gov (United States)

Farrelly, Matthew C; Loomis, Brett R; Mann, Nathan H

2007-10-01

We used scanner data on cigarette prices and sales collected from supermarkets across the United States from 1994 to 2004 to test the hypothesis that cigarette prices are positively correlated with sales of cigarettes with higher tar and nicotine content. During this period the average inflation-adjusted price for menthol cigarettes increased 55.8%. Price elasticities from multivariate regression models suggest that this price increase led to an increase of 1.73% in sales-weighted average tar yields and a 1.28% increase in sales-weighted average nicotine yields for menthol cigarettes. The 50.5% price increase of nonmenthol varieties over the same period yielded an estimated increase of 1% in tar per cigarette but no statistically significant increase in nicotine yields. An ordered probit model of the impact of cigarette prices on cigarette strength (ultra-light, light, full flavor, unfiltered) offers an explanation: As cigarette prices increase, the probability that stronger cigarette types will be sold increases. This effect is larger for menthol than for nonmenthol cigarettes. Our results are consistent with earlier population-based cross-sectional and longitudinal studies showing that higher cigarette prices and taxes are associated with increasing consumption of higher-yield cigarettes by smokers.

Increasing alcohol yield in sugar fermentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Colin, P

1962-02-20

The yield of alcohol from yeast fermentations of sugar solutions is increased 1.5 to 5% by the addition of 0.1 to 0.5 parts by volume of a monohydric saturated aliphatic alcohol of at least 6 C atoms in a straight chain such as hexanol or heptanol, or branched chain, such as 2-ethylbutanol or 2-ethylhexanol, or a mixture consisting mostly of C/sub 7/, C/sub 8/, C/sub 9/, or C/sub 10/ alcohols.

The increase in extraction yields of coals by water treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

M. Iino; T. Takanohashi; C. Li; N. Kashimura; K. Masaki; T. Shishido; I. Saito; H. Kumagai [Institute for Energy Utilization, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ibaraki (Japan)

2005-07-01

We have reported that the water treatments of bituminous coals at 600 K for 1 h increased their extraction yields greatly (Energy Fuels, 2005, 18, 1414). In this paper the effect of coal rank on the extraction yields enhancement by the water treatment has been investigated using four Argonne Premium coals, i.e., Pocahontas No. 3 (PO), Upper Freeport (UF), Illinois No.6 (IL), and Beulah Zap (BZ) coals with C % (daf) in the range 67 - 90%. All the coals used show that the water treatments at 600 K increased the extraction yields greatly with a 1:1 carbon disulfide / N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone mixed solvent (CS2 / NMP) at room temperature. While, the water treatments at 500 K or the heat treatments at 600 K without water gave little increase in the yields. Characterizations of the water-treated coals were carried out from ultimate and proximate compositions, FT-IR spectrum, solvent swelling, NMR relaxation time, and viscoelasticity behavior. The effect of extraction temperature on the extraction yield enhancement was also investigated using polar NMP or non-polar 1-MN solvent. From these results it is concluded that for high coal rank coals the loosening of non-covalent bonds is responsible for the extraction yields enhancement by the water treatment. The loosening non-covalent bonds may be {pi}-{pi} interactions between aromatic rings for PO, and both {pi}-{pi} interactions and hydrogen bonds for UF. While, for lower rank IL and BZ, which showed decrease in O% and hydrogen-bonded OH, the yield enhancements may be due to the loosening of hydrogen bonds and the removal of oxygen functional groups. 9 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

IRRIGATION AND LIMING AS FACTORS OF MAIZE YIELD INCREASES IN EASTERN CROATIA

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Monika MARKOVIĆ

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Maize is the main field crop on arable lands in Croatia. Climatic changes, particularly temperature regime and precipitation quantities and their distribution during growing season had often adverse effects on maize yield. Therefore, irrigation of maize crops in critical periods is useful considering the variations among annual yields caused by water stressed conditions. Acid soils are covering one-third of agricultural soils in Croatia (about 832.000 hectares and correction of pH by liming is also an important factor for increase and stabilization of annual yield values. The aim of this study was to review irrigation and liming effects on maize yield in eastern Croatia. Eastern Croatia covers an area of 12.454 km2 or 22.0% of the State territory. This region is termed as the “granary of Croatia” because 75% of wheat and 50% of maize harvested areas of the country are located in this region. Maize yields in the long-term (since 2000 irrigation experiments carried on since 2000 on Agricultural Institute Osijek increased by 20% in years with average climate conditions, while under drought conditions of three growing seasons in 2007, 2011 and 2012, yield increases were 32%, 36%, and 47%, respectively. Soil improvement by liming with increasing rates of carbocalk (by-product of sugar factory containing about 43% CaO and about 6% of organic matter up to 60 t ha-1 was also a useful management practice, because in two experiments maize yields increased up to 25% (4-year average. However, for satisfied yield increases for 16% in both experiments the lowest amount of carbocalk needed for application was 15 t ha-1.

Marine Diterpenes: Molecular Modeling of Thrombin Inhibitors with Potential Biotechnological Application as an Antithrombotic

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Rebeca Cristina Costa Pereira

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Thrombosis related diseases are among the main causes of death and incapacity in the world. Despite the existence of antithrombotic agents available for therapy, they still present adverse effects like hemorrhagic risks which justify the search for new options. Recently, pachydictyol A, isopachydictyol A, and dichotomanol, three diterpenes isolated from Brazilian marine brown alga Dictyota menstrualis were identified as potent antithrombotic molecules through inhibition of thrombin, a key enzyme of coagulation cascade and a platelet agonist. Due to the biotechnological potential of these marine metabolites, in this work we evaluated their binding mode to thrombin in silico and identified structural features related to the activity in order to characterize their molecular mechanism. According to our theoretical studies including structure-activity relationship and molecular docking analysis, the highest dipole moment, polar surface area, and lowest electronic density of dichotomanol are probably involved in its higher inhibition percentage towards thrombin catalytic activity compared to pachydictyol A and isopachydictyol A. Interestingly, the molecular docking studies also revealed a good shape complementarity of pachydictyol A and isopachydictyol A and interactions with important residues and regions (e.g., H57, S195, W215, G216, and loop-60, which probably justify their thrombin inhibitor effects demonstrated in vitro. Finally, this study explored the structural features and binding mode of these three diterpenes in thrombin which reinforced their potential to be further explored and may help in the design of new antithrombotic agents.

Spectroscopic data of Labdane Diterpenes: a theoretical analysis via NMR and DFT; Dados espectroscópicos de diterpenos Labdânicos: uma análise teórica via RMN e DFT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Souza, Fabrine S. de; Silva, Silvana de O.; Alves, Cláudio N.; Guilhon, Giselle M.S.P. [Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Belém, PA (Brazil). Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Naturais; Faria, Lênio J.G. de; Brasil, Davi do S.B., E-mail: davibb@ufpa.br [Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA (Brazil). Instituto de Tecnologia; Muller, Adolfo H. [Centro Universitário do Estado do Pará, Belém, PA (Brazil)

2015-06-15

Labdane diterpenes exhibit important bioactivities such as cardiovascular effects in rats as well as effects in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and Alzheimer syndrome. Recently, the labdane diterpenes ent-13-epi-manoil oxide, ribenone and ribenol were isolated from Croton palanostigma. The computational method DFT/B3LYP/cc-pVDZ was used to optimize the structures of these diterpenes and to calculate infrared data. Chemical shifts (δ{sub H} and δ{sub C}) of the minimum energy structures (local minimum) were calculated and compared with the experimental data. Comparison of the NMR data by simple linear regression (SLR) showed satisfactory statistical results with a correlation coefficient (R{sup 2} ) and predictive ability (Q{sup 2}) of over 98%. The predicted NMR data were used to confirm the δ{sub H} values that have not been published. (author)

A new labdane diterpene from the flowers of Solidago canadensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradette-Hébert, Marie-Eve; Legault, Jean; Lavoie, Serge; Pichette, André

2008-01-01

A new labdane diterpene, 9alpha,16xi-dihydroxy-6-oxo-7,13-labdadien-15,16-olide (solicanolide, 1) and six known compounds identified as quercetin (2), 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3, neochlorogenic acid), 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (4, chlorogenic acid), 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5), 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (6) and 3,4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (7) were isolated from the flowers of Solidago canadensis. To our knowledge, compound 7 was isolated for the first time in S. canadensis. This work describes the isolation of compounds 1-7 and the structure elucidation of a new compound identified as compound 1. Solicanolide (1) showed cytotoxic activity against A549 (IC(50): 13+/-2 microM), DLD-1 (IC(50): 26+/-2 microM) and WS1 (IC(50): 17+/-1 microM) cell lines.

Increase of alcohol yield per ton of pulp

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sokolov, B N

1957-01-01

Digestion processes of cellulose were studied under production conditions. When the digestion was carried out with acid having 5.2% total SO/sub 2/ and 0.92% CaO, the concentration of total sugars in the spent liquor was 1.8 to 2.5%. When the acidity was reduced to 4.8% total SO/sub 2/ and 0.82% CaO, all other conditions being the same, the sugar concentration in the spent liquor increased to 3.0 to 3.7%. The importance of the acid strength and CaO content of the cooking liquor was further demonstrated at the end of 1955. At that time the total SO/sub 2/ in the acid rose to 8% while the amount of CaO remained practically the same-0.85 to 0.90%. These conditions permitted an increase in the amount of ships by 25 to 30%, which further changed the ratio CaO: wood and created conditions favorable for an improved yield of sugar. The increase in the activity of the acid was reflected favorably in the degree of hydrolysis of the hemicelluloses and in the degree to which the oligosaccharides or polysaccharides were hydrolyzed to simple sugars. At that time the yield of alcohol reached 53 1/ton of unbleached pulp. The process was further improved in 1956 by the use of successive washings; at the end of the digestion period the concentrated spent liquor was piped to the alcohol unit. The yield of alcohol reached 59.4 1/ton of pulp. Sugar recovery from the tank was 92.5% of that theoretically possible. Further improvements resulted by saturating the wood chips with acid under variable pressures. As a result, the base of the cooking acid was reduced to 0.7 to 0.72% and, at the end of the process the liquor contained 0.03 to 0.06% CaO instead of 0.2 to 0.18%. The alcohol yield/ton of pulp then rose to 66.8 l.

New Ent-Kaurane-Type Diterpene Glycosides and Benzophenone from Ranunculus muricatus Linn.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bi-Ling Wu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Two new ent-kaurane diterpene glycosides, ranunculosides A (1 and B (2, and a new benzophenone, ranunculone C (3, were isolated from the aerial part of Ranunculus muricatus Linn. The chemical structures of compounds 1–3 were established to be (2S-ent-kauran-2β-ol-15-en-14-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, (2S,4S-ent-kauran-2β,18-diol-15-en-14-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, and (R-3-[2-(3,4-dihydroxybenzoyl-4,5-dihydroxy-phenyl]-2-hydroxylpropanoic acid, respectively, by spectroscopic data and chemical methods. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by the combinational application of RP-HPLC analysis and Mosher’s method.

The Diterpene Sclareol Vascular Effect in Normotensive and Hypertensive Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Campos, Debora Ribeiro; Celotto, Andrea Carla; Albuquerque, Agnes Afrodite S; Ferreira, Luciana Garros; Monteiro, Ariadne Santana E Neves; Coelho, Eduardo Barbosa; Evora, Paulo Roberto Barbosa

2017-06-29

The diterpene Sclareol has antimicrobial action, cytotoxic and cytostatic effects and anti-tumor activities. However, researches on the cardiovascular system are scarce. This study was designed to investigate the mechanisms involved in the Sclareol cardiovascular effect in normotensive and hypertensive rats. The arterial hypertension was promoted using 2-kidneys 1-clip model in rats. The effect of sclareol on blood pressure was performed by using three dose (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg). Cumulative dose-response curves for Sclareol were determined for endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded aortic rings in presence or absence of L-NAME and ODQ. The NOx levels were measure in the plasma sample. The Sclareol administration in vivo caused a significant reduction in blood pressure in both groups. In vitro the sclareol promoted relaxation in aorta, with endothelium, pre-contracted to Phe. The inhibitors of the nitric oxide synthase and soluble guanylate cyclase were as efficient as the removal of endothelium, in inhibiting the Sclareol-induced relaxation. Otherwise, it was no change of NOx. Also, for unknown reasons, the Sclareol is not selective for hypertensive animals. The diterpene Sclareol showed in vivo hypotensive and in-vitro vasodilator effects; The chemiluminescence plasmatic NO analysis showed no significant difference between groups and The Sclareol exhibit better effect on normotensive than hypertensive animals to reduce blood pressure. It is concluded that the diterpenes metabolites would be a promising source prototype for the development of new agents in the cardiovascular therapy. O diterpeno Esclareol tem ação antimicrobiana, efeitos citotóxicos e citostáticos e atividades antitumorais. No entanto, pesquisas sobre o sistema cardiovascular são escassas. Este estudo foi desenvolvido para investigar os mecanismos envolvidos no efeito cardiovascular de Esclareol em ratos normotensos e hipertensos. A hipertensão arterial foi promovida utilizando modelo de

N-acetylcysteine increased rice yield

OpenAIRE

NOZULAIDI, MOHD; JAHAN, MD SARWAR; KHAIRI, MOHD; KHANDAKER, MOHAMMAD MONERUZZAMAN; NASHRIYAH, MAT; KHANIF, YUSOP MOHD

2015-01-01

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) biosynthesized reduced glutathione (GSH), which maintains redox homeostasis in plants under normal and stressful conditions. To justify the effects of NAC on rice production, we measured yield parameters, chlorophyll (Chl) content, minimum Chl fluorescence (Fo), maximum Chl fluorescence (Fm), quantum yield (Fv/Fm), net photosynthesis rate (Pn), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and relative water content (RWC). Four treatments, N1G0 (nitrogen (N) with no NAC), ...

African crop yield reductions due to increasingly unbalanced Nitrogen and Phosphorus consumption

Science.gov (United States)

van der Velde, Marijn; Folberth, Christian; Balkovič, Juraj; Ciais, Philippe; Fritz, Steffen; Janssens, Ivan A.; Obersteiner, Michael; See, Linda; Skalský, Rastislav; Xiong, Wei; Peñuealas, Josep

2014-05-01

The impact of soil nutrient depletion on crop production has been known for decades, but robust assessments of the impact of increasingly unbalanced nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) application rates on crop production are lacking. Here, we use crop response functions based on 741 FAO maize crop trials and EPIC crop modeling across Africa to examine maize yield deficits resulting from unbalanced N:P applications under low, medium, and high input scenarios, for past (1975), current, and future N:P mass ratios of respectively, 1:0.29, 1:0.15, and 1:0.05. At low N inputs (10 kg/ha), current yield deficits amount to 10% but will increase up to 27% under the assumed future N:P ratio, while at medium N inputs (50 kg N/ha), future yield losses could amount to over 40%. The EPIC crop model was then used to simulate maize yields across Africa. The model results showed relative median future yield reductions at low N inputs of 40%, and 50% at medium and high inputs, albeit with large spatial variability. Dominant low-quality soils such as Ferralsols, which are strongly adsorbing P, and Arenosols with a low nutrient retention capacity, are associated with a strong yield decline, although Arenosols show very variable crop yield losses at low inputs. Optimal N:P ratios, i.e. those where the lowest amount of applied P produces the highest yield (given N input) where calculated with EPIC to be as low as 1:0.5. Finally, we estimated the additional P required given current N inputs, and given N inputs that would allow Africa to close yield gaps (ca. 70%). At current N inputs, P consumption would have to increase 2.3-fold to be optimal, and to increase 11.7-fold to close yield gaps. The P demand to overcome these yield deficits would provide a significant additional pressure on current global extraction of P resources.

Two new ent-kaurane-type diterpene glycosides from zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) seeds.

Science.gov (United States)

Kikuchi, Takashi; Ando, Hiromi; Maekawa, Ken-Ichiro; Arie, Hiroki; Yamada, Takeshi; Tanaka, Reiko

2015-12-01

Two new ent-kaurane diterpene glycosides; 12α-(β-d-glucopyranosyloxy)-7β-hydroxykaurenolide (1) and 7β-(β-d-glucopyranosyloxy)-12α-hydroxykaurenolide (2), a new steroid; (24S)-stigmasta-7,22E,25-trien-3-one (12), and known compounds (3-11, 13-14) were isolated from zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) seeds. The absolute structures of 1 and 2 were determined by acid hydrolysis and application of a modified Moscher's method. Furthermore, isolated compounds (1-14), and a derivative, 1a, were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on macrophage activation by an inhibitory assay of nitric oxide (NO) production. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gaschromatographic and mass spectroscopic investigations of tall oil rosin acids and diterpenioc compounds and modified diterpene acids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayr, M.

1984-12-01

Diterpene resin acids are important constituents of the coniferous wood. The composition of these nonvolatile extractives have been studied by a number of investigations; both naturally occurring resins (oleoresin) and distillation products of the alkaline sulfate pulping process (tall oil) were analyzed. These mixtures find important uses in chemical intermediates, paper sizes, ester gums, coatings and numerous other applications. Owing to the more ameliorate physical properties a major part of tall oil resin acids is chemically modified and is used in intermediate chemicals. Such modifications are the disproportionation in the presence of certain catalysts and the formation of Diels-Alder adducts. The present study was undertaken to obtain detailed information of the overall composition of diterpenoid compounds and to achieve a separation of the complex natural and tall oil mixtures using high resolution glass capillary columns. Furthermore, one objective was to characterize the identified diterpene compounds and Diels-Alder adducts by relative retention values. Additionally the presence of some major adduct components in the modified samples was checked by comparison with pure specimens, independently synthesized or purified by crystallization and the mechanism of the Diels-Alder reaction was investigated. A compilation of the mass spectra of the substances detected in the different samples closes this work. (Author)

Biologically active secondary metabolites from fungi. 12.(1) oidiolactones A-F, labdane diterpene derivatives isolated from oidiodendron truncata

Science.gov (United States)

John; Krohn; Florke; Aust; Draeger; Schulz

1999-09-01

Two known (1 and 2) and four new (3-6) diterpenes named oidiolactones A-F, respectively, and the antibiotic cladosporin were isolated from the fungus Oidiodendron truncata. The structure determination was mainly based on 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The structures of compound 4, displaying an equilibrium between open-chain and cyclized form, and of cladosporin were confirmed by X-ray analysis.

Examining the roles that changing harvested areas, closing yield-gaps, and increasing yield ceilings have had on crop production

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, M.; Ray, D. K.; Mueller, N. D.; Foley, J. A.

2011-12-01

With an increasing and increasingly affluent population, there has been tremendous effort to examine strategies for sustainably increasing agricultural production to meet this surging global demand. Before developing new solutions from scratch, though, we believe it is important to consult our recent agricultural history to see where and how agricultural production changes have already taken place. By utilizing the newly created temporal M3 cropland datasets, we can for the first time examine gridded agricultural yields and area, both spatially and temporally. This research explores the historical drivers of agricultural production changes, from 1965-2005. The results will be presented spatially at the global-level (5-min resolution), as well as at the individual country-level. The primary research components of this study are presented below, including the general methodology utilized in each phase and preliminary results for soybean where available. The complete assessment will cover maize, wheat, rice, soybean, and sugarcane, and will include country-specific analysis for over 200 countries, states, territories and protectorates. Phase 1: The first component of our research isolates changes in agricultural production due to variation in planting decisions (harvested area) from changes in production due to intensification efforts (yield). We examine area/yield changes at the pixel-level over 5-year time-steps to determine how much each component has contributed to overall changes in production. Our results include both spatial patterns of changes in production, as well as spatial maps illustrating to what degree the production change is attributed to area and/or yield. Together, these maps illustrate where, why, and by how much agricultural production has changed over time. Phase 2: In the second phase of our research we attempt to determine the impact that area and yield changes have had on agricultural production at the country-level. We calculate a production

Future Warming Increases Global Maize Yield Variability with Implications for Food Markets

Science.gov (United States)

Tigchelaar, M.; Battisti, D. S.; Naylor, R. L.; Ray, D. K.

2017-12-01

If current trends in population growth and dietary shifts continue, the world will need to produce about 70% more food by 2050, while earth's climate is rapidly changing. Rising temperatures in particular are projected to negatively impact agricultural production, as the world's staple crops perform poorly in extreme heat. Theoretical models suggest that as temperatures rise above plants' optimal temperature for performance, not only will mean yields decline rapidly, but the variability of yields will increase, even as interannual variations in climate remain unchanged. Here we use global datasets of maize production and climate variability combined with CMIP5 temperature projections to quantify how yield variability will change in major maize producing countries under 2°C and 4°C of global warming. Maize is the world's most produced crop, and is linked to other staple crops through substitution in consumption and production. We find that in warmer climates - absent any breeding gains in heat tolerance - the Coefficient of Variation (CV) of maize yields increases almost everywhere, to values much larger than present-day. This increase in CV is due both to an increase in the standard deviation of yields, and a decrease in mean yields. In locations where crop failures become the norm under high (4°C) warming (mostly in tropical, low-yield environments), the standard deviation of yields ultimately decreases. The probability that in any given year the most productive areas in the top three maize producing countries (United States, China, Brazil) have simultaneous production losses greater than 10% is virtually zero under present-day climate conditions, but increases to 12% under 2°C warming, and 89% under 4°C warming. This has major implications for global food markets and staple crop prices, affecting especially the 2.5 billion people that comprise the world's poor, who already spend the majority of their disposable income on food and are particularly vulnerable

Increase in extraction yields of coals by water treatment: Beulah-Zap lignite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masashi Iino; Toshimasa Takanohashi; Takahiro Shishido; Ikuo Saito; Haruo Kumagai [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba (Japan)

2007-01-15

In a previous paper, we have reported that water pretreatments of Argonne premium coals, Pocahontas No. 3 (PO), Upper Freeport (UF), and Illinois No. 6 (IL) at 600 K increased greatly the room-temperature extraction yields with a 1:1 carbon disulfide/N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (CS{sub 2}/NMP) mixed solvent. In this paper, the water treatment of Beulah-Zap (BZ) lignite has been carried out and the results obtained were compared with those for the three bituminous coals above. The extraction yields of BZ with CS{sub 2}/NMP increased from 5.5% for the raw coal to 21.7% by the water treatment at 600 K. Similar to the other three coals, the water treatments at 500 K gave little increase in the yields. The larger decrease in oxygen content and hydrogen-bonded OH and the increase in the methanol swelling ratio by the water treatment suggest that the yield enhancements for BZ are attributed to the removal of oxygen functional groups and the breaking of hydrogen bonds to a greater extent than that for IL. From the characterizations of the treated coals and the extraction temperature dependency of their extraction yields, it is suggested that, for high-coal-rank coals, PO and UF, the breaking of noncovalent bonds such as {pi}-{pi} interactions between aromatic layers and hydrogen bonds is responsible for the extraction yield enhancements. 14 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

Increased sbpase activity improves photosynthesis and grain yield in wheat grown in greenhouse conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Driever, Steven M.; Simkin, Andrew J.; Alotaibi, Saqer; Fisk, Stuart J.; Madgwick, Pippa J.; Sparks, Caroline A.; Jones, Huw D.; Lawson, Tracy; Parry, Martin A.J.; Raines, Christine A.

2017-01-01

To meet the growing demand for food, substantial improvements in yields are needed. This is particularly the case for wheat, where global yield has stagnated in recent years. Increasing photosynthesis has been identified as a primary target to achieve yield improvements. To increase leaf

Using Simulation to Increase Yields in Chemical Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William C. Conley

2003-06-01

Full Text Available Trying to increase the yields or profit or efficiency (less pollution of chemical processes is a central goal of the chemical engineer in theory and practice. Certainly sound training in chemistry, business and pollution control help the engineer to set up optimal chemical processes. However, the ever changing demands of customers and business conditions, plus the multivariate complexity of the chemical business can make optimization challenging. Mathematical tools such as statistics and linear programming have certainly been useful to chemical engineers in their pursuit of optimal efficiency. However, some processes can be modeled linearly and some can not. Therefore, presented here will be an industrial chemical process with potentially five variables affecting the yield. Data from over one hundred runs of the process has been collected, but it is not known initially whether the yield relationship is linear or nonlinear. Therefore, the CTSP multivariate correlation coefficient will be calculated for the data to see if a relationship exists among the variables. Then once it is proven that there is a statistically significant relationship, an appropriate linear or nonlinear equation can be fitted to the data, and it can be optimized for use in the chemical plant.

Increased SBPase activity improves photosynthesis and grain yield in wheat grown in greenhouse conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Driever, Steven M; Simkin, Andrew J; Alotaibi, Saqer; Fisk, Stuart J; Madgwick, Pippa J; Sparks, Caroline A; Jones, Huw D; Lawson, Tracy; Parry, Martin A J; Raines, Christine A

2017-09-26

To meet the growing demand for food, substantial improvements in yields are needed. This is particularly the case for wheat, where global yield has stagnated in recent years. Increasing photosynthesis has been identified as a primary target to achieve yield improvements. To increase leaf photosynthesis in wheat, the level of the Calvin-Benson cycle enzyme sedoheptulose-1,7-biphosphatase (SBPase) has been increased through transformation and expression of a Brachypodium distachyon SBPase gene construct. Transgenic lines with increased SBPase protein levels and activity were grown under greenhouse conditions and showed enhanced leaf photosynthesis and increased total biomass and dry seed yield. This showed the potential of improving yield potential by increasing leaf photosynthesis in a crop species such as wheat. The results are discussed with regard to future strategies for further improvement of photosynthesis in wheat.This article is part of the themed issue 'Enhancing photosynthesis in crop plants: targets for improvement'. © 2017 The Authors.

Microwave Energy Increases Fatty Acid Methyl Ester Yield in Human Whole Blood Due to Increased Sphingomyelin Transesterification.

Science.gov (United States)

Metherel, Adam H; Aristizabal Henao, Juan J; Ciobanu, Flaviu; Taha, Ameer Y; Stark, Ken D

2015-09-01

Dried blood spots (DBS) by fingertip prick collection for fatty acid profiling are becoming increasingly popular due to ease of collection, minimal invasiveness and its amenability to high-throughput analyses. Herein, we assess a microwave-assisted direct transesterification method for the production of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) from DBS. Technical replicates of human whole blood were collected and 25-μL aliquots were applied to chromatography strips prior to analysis by a standard 3-h transesterification method or microwave-assisted direct transesterification method under various power (variable vs constant), time (1-5 min) and reagent (1-10% H2SO4 in methanol) conditions. In addition, a standard method was compared to a 5-min, 30-W power microwave in 1% H2SO4 method for FAME yield from whole blood sphingomyelin, and sphingomyelin standards alone and spiked in whole blood. Microwave-assisted direct transesterification yielded no significant differences in both quantitative (nmol/100 µL) and qualitative (mol%) fatty acid assessments after as little as 1.5- and 1-min reaction times, respectively, using the variable power method and 5% H2SO4 in methanol. However, 30-W power for 5 min increased total FAME yield of the technical replicates by 14%. This increase appears largely due to higher sphingomyelin-derived FAME yield of up to 109 and 399% compared to the standard method when determined from whole blood or pure standards, respectively. In conclusion, microwave-assisted direct transesterification of DBS achieved in as little as 1-min, and 5-min reaction times increase total fatty acids primarily by significantly improving sphingomyelin-derived fatty acid yield.

In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Plant-Derived Diterpenes against Bovine Mastitis Bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo C. S. Veneziani

2013-07-01

Full Text Available We evaluated the antibacterial activity of three diterpenes isolated from natural sources against a panel of microorganisms responsible for bovine mastitis. ent-Copalic acid (CA was the most active metabolite, with promising MIC values (from 1.56 to 6.25 µg mL−1 against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC and clinical isolate, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus dysgalactiae. We conducted time-kill assays of CA against S. aureus, a commensal organism considered to be a ubiquitous etiological agent of bovine mastitis in dairy farms worldwide. In the first 12 h, CA only inhibited the growth of the inoculums (bacteriostatic effect, but its bactericidal effect was clearly noted thereafter (between 12 and 24 h. In conclusion, CA should be considered for the control of several Gram-positive bacteria related to bovine mastitis.

A New Abietene Diterpene and Other Constituents from Kaempferia angustifolia Rosc.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Manaf Ali

2011-04-01

Full Text Available A new abietene diterpene, kaempfolienol (5S,6S,7S,9S,10S,11R,13S-abiet-8(14-enepenta-6,7,9,11,13-ol, 1, was isolated from a rhizome extract of Kaempferia angustifolia Rosc. along with the known compounds crotepoxide, boesenboxide, zeylenol, 2′-hydroxy-4,4′,6′-trimethoxychalcone, (24S-24-methyl-5α-lanosta-9(11,25-dien-3β-ol, β-sitosterol and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. The structures of all compounds were elucidated on the basis of mass spectroscopic and NMR data. Zeylenol (2, the major constituent of the plant, was derivatized into diacetate, triacetate and epoxide derivatives through standard organic reactions. The cytotoxic activity of compounds 1, 2 and the zeylenol derivatives was evaluated against the HL-60, MCF-7, HT-29 and HeLa cell lines.

Antimicrobial monomeric and dimeric diterpenes from the leaves of Helichrysum tenax var tenax.

Science.gov (United States)

Drewes, Siegfried E; Mudau, K Esther; van Vuuren, Sandy F; Viljoen, Alvaro M

2006-04-01

The hexane extract of fresh air-dried leaves of Helichrysum tenax (Asteraceae) afforded ent-beyer-15-en-19-ol (1), its 4-epimer ent-beyer-15-en-18-ol (2), 15beta,16beta-epoxide-ent-beyeran-19-ol (3), as well as (4) consisting of two units of (1) linked as a diester of malonic acid, and (5), a compound. Its constituents are (1) and (3) also linked as a diester of malonic acid. The leaves of the plant are densely covered in fine glandular trichomes. These are extremely sticky and exude a mixture of the above diterpenes. Antimicrobial tests showed that (1), in particular, was highly active (3.1 and 3.6 microg/ml) against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, respectively.

An additive to well injection water for increasing the oil yield

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Absov, M.T.; Abutalybov, M.G.; Aslanov, S.M.; Movruzov, E.N.; Musaev, R.A.; Tairov, N.D.

1979-03-05

This invention relates to oil production using flooding. The goal of this invention is to increase the oil yield of a producing formation. This is achieved by using a saponin solution as an additive to the water injected into the formation (with related organic substances which are complex organic nitrogen-free compounds from the glycoside group; these substances yield solution that foam easily with an agitation). The use of saponin facilitates good solubility in fresh, sea and formation (alkaline and hard) waters, as well as the absence of sediment formation during dissolution, low solid adsorption, and a significant decrease in the surface water tension on the oil-water boundary. The aqueous saponin solution makes it possible to decrease the production cost of oil, as well as to decrease the development time of the fields and the volume of water injected into the formation and to significantly increase the oil yield.

Resource-conserving agriculture increases yields in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Pretty, J N; Noble, A D; Bossio, D; Dixon, J; Hine, R E; Penning De Vries, F W T; Morison, J I L

2006-02-15

Despite great recent progress, hunger and poverty remain widespread and agriculturally driven environmental damage is widely prevalent. The idea of agricultural sustainability centers on the need to develop technologies and practices that do not have adverse effects on environmental goods and services, and that lead to improvements in food productivity. Here we show the extent to which 286 recent interventions in 57 poor countries covering 37 M ha (3% of the cultivated area in developing countries) have increased productivity on 12.6 M farms while improving the supply of critical environmental services. The average crop yield increase was 79% (geometric mean 64%). All crops showed water use efficiency gains, with the highest improvement in rainfed crops. Potential carbon sequestered amounted to an average of 0.35 t C ha(-1) y(-1). If a quarter of the total area under these farming systems adopted sustainability enhancing practices, we estimate global sequestration could be 0.1 Gt C y(-1). Of projects with pesticide data, 77% resulted in a decline in pesticide use by 71% while yields grew by 42%. Although it is uncertain whether these approaches can meet future food needs, there are grounds for cautious optimism, particularly as poor farm households benefit more from their adoption.

Effect of Some Agronomic Practices to Increase Maize Yield in Ghana

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effect of Some Agronomic Practices to Increase Maize Yield in Ghana. ... Journal of Science and Technology (Ghana) ... With the increasing population and consumption of maize in the country, research must be directed to solve this problem ...

Ectopic expression of protein kinase C-β sensitizes head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to diterpene esters.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Ryan A; D'Souza, Marjorie M A; Pierce, Carly J; Korica, Natasa; Wallwork, Ben; Parsons, Peter G; Panizza, Benedict; Boyle, Glen M

2015-03-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of specific Protein kinase C (PKC) isoform re-expression in solid malignancies, particularly head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines, and the impact this may have on treatment with known activators of PKC. The constitutive expression of PKC isoforms were determined in six head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cell lines. Cytotoxicity of the prototypic phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and the novel diterpene ester PEP005 was established. Viral transduction to re-express PKCβ isoforms in two of these cell lines was performed, and its effect on the sensitivity to the compounds was quantified. Tongue and hypopharyngeal SCC cell lines were resistant to both TPA and PEP005, with the concentration required to inhibit growth by 50% (IC50) being >1,000 ng/ml. CAL-27 (tongue SCC) and FaDu (hypopharyngeal SCC) cell lines re-expressing PKCβI and -βII isoforms demonstrated IC50 of 1-5 ng/ml with TPA or PEP005. Re-expression of PKCβ in head and neck SCC cell lines leads to cells one thousand-times more sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of phorbol or diterpene esters in culture. This highlights the importance of the isoform in tumor progression and presents the potential benefit of these compounds in malignancies expressing the protein, and in combination therapy. Copyright© 2015 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Effect of increased plant density and fertilizer dose on the yield of rice variety IR-6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amin, M.; Khan, M.A.; Khan, E.A.; Ramazan, M.

2004-01-01

An experiment to evaluate the effect of increased plant density and fertilizer dose on yield of rice variety IR-6 was conducted at the farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan. Increase plant density significantly increase number of panicles per square meter, sterility and straw yield while increased fertilizer dose of NPK increase plant height, sterility, normal kernels, and 1000 grain weight. Interaction of increased plant density and fertilizer dose was found to be non significant except sterility percentage and straw yield. However efforts are required for increasing yield per unit area of rice. (author)

Chemical intervention in plant sugar signalling increases yield and resilience

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Cara A.; Sagar, Ram; Geng, Yiqun; Primavesi, Lucia F.; Patel, Mitul K.; Passarelli, Melissa K.; Gilmore, Ian S.; Steven, Rory T.; Bunch, Josephine; Paul, Matthew J.; Davis, Benjamin G.

2016-12-01

The pressing global issue of food insecurity due to population growth, diminishing land and variable climate can only be addressed in agriculture by improving both maximum crop yield potential and resilience. Genetic modification is one potential solution, but has yet to achieve worldwide acceptance, particularly for crops such as wheat. Trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P), a central sugar signal in plants, regulates sucrose use and allocation, underpinning crop growth and development. Here we show that application of a chemical intervention strategy directly modulates T6P levels in planta. Plant-permeable analogues of T6P were designed and constructed based on a ‘signalling-precursor’ concept for permeability, ready uptake and sunlight-triggered release of T6P in planta. We show that chemical intervention in a potent sugar signal increases grain yield, whereas application to vegetative tissue improves recovery and resurrection from drought. This technology offers a means to combine increases in yield with crop stress resilience. Given the generality of the T6P pathway in plants and other small-molecule signals in biology, these studies suggest that suitable synthetic exogenous small-molecule signal precursors can be used to directly enhance plant performance and perhaps other organism function.

Identification and manipulation of the pleuromutilin gene cluster from Clitopilus passeckerianus for increased rapid antibiotic production

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Andy M.; Alberti, Fabrizio; Kilaru, Sreedhar; Collins, Catherine M.; de Mattos-Shipley, Kate; Hartley, Amanda J.; Hayes, Patrick; Griffin, Alison; Lazarus, Colin M.; Cox, Russell J.; Willis, Christine L.; O'Dwyer, Karen; Spence, David W.; Foster, Gary D.

2016-05-01

Semi-synthetic derivatives of the tricyclic diterpene antibiotic pleuromutilin from the basidiomycete Clitopilus passeckerianus are important in combatting bacterial infections in human and veterinary medicine. These compounds belong to the only new class of antibiotics for human applications, with novel mode of action and lack of cross-resistance, representing a class with great potential. Basidiomycete fungi, being dikaryotic, are not generally amenable to strain improvement. We report identification of the seven-gene pleuromutilin gene cluster and verify that using various targeted approaches aimed at increasing antibiotic production in C. passeckerianus, no improvement in yield was achieved. The seven-gene pleuromutilin cluster was reconstructed within Aspergillus oryzae giving production of pleuromutilin in an ascomycete, with a significant increase (2106%) in production. This is the first gene cluster from a basidiomycete to be successfully expressed in an ascomycete, and paves the way for the exploitation of a metabolically rich but traditionally overlooked group of fungi.

Mechanical Pretreatment to Increase the Bioenergy Yield for Full-scale Biogas Plants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsapekos, Panagiotis; Kougias, Panagiotis; Angelidaki, Irini

% compared to the untreated one. The digestion of meadow grass as an alternative co-substrate had positive impact on the energy yield of full-scale biogas reactors operating with cattle manure, pig manure or mixture of both. A preliminary analysis showed that the addition of meadow grass in a manure based...... biogas reactor was possible with biomass share of 10%, leading to energy production of 280 GJ/day. The digestion of pretreated meadow grass as alternative co-substrate had clearly positive impact in all the examined scenarios, leading to increased biogas production in the range of 10%-20%.......This study investigated the efficiency of commercially available harvesting machines for mechanical pretreatment of meadow grass, in order to enhance the energy yield per hectare. Excoriator was shown to be the most efficient mechanical pretreatment increasing the biogas yield of grass by 16...

Bats and birds increase crop yield in tropical agroforestry landscapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Maas, Bea; Clough, Yann; Tscharntke, Teja

2013-12-01

Human welfare is significantly linked to ecosystem services such as the suppression of pest insects by birds and bats. However, effects of biocontrol services on tropical cash crop yield are still largely unknown. For the first time, we manipulated the access of birds and bats in an exclosure experiment (day, night and full exclosures compared to open controls in Indonesian cacao agroforestry) and quantified the arthropod communities, the fruit development and the final yield over a long time period (15 months). We found that bat and bird exclusion increased insect herbivore abundance, despite the concurrent release of mesopredators such as ants and spiders, and negatively affected fruit development, with final crop yield decreasing by 31% across local (shade cover) and landscape (distance to primary forest) gradients. Our results highlight the tremendous economic impact of common insectivorous birds and bats, which need to become an essential part of sustainable landscape management. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Crop yield response to increasing biochar rates

Science.gov (United States)

The benefit or detriment to crop yield from biochar application varies with biochar type/rate, soil, crop, or climate. The objective of this research was to identify yield response of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), corn (Zea mayes L.), and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) to hardwood biochar applied at...

Contrasting Patterns of Diterpene Acid Induction by Red Pine and White Spruce to Simulated Bark Beetle Attack, and Interspecific Differences in Sensitivity Among Fungal Associates

Science.gov (United States)

Charles J. Mason; Kier D. Klepzig; Brian J. Kopper; Philip J. Kersten; Barbara L. Illman; Kenneth F. Raffa

2015-01-01

Conifers possess a suite of physiochemical defenses that protect their subcortical tissues from bark beetle -fungal complexes. These defenses include rapid induction of terpenoids and phenolics at the site of attack. Studies of the distribution, induction, and bioactivity of conifer terpenoids have focused heavily on monoterpenes. We assessed induction of diterpene...

Unguided bronchoscopic biopsy: Does yield increase with operator experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tyagi Rahul

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background Bronchoscopic Forceps biopsy (Endobronchial Biopsy (EBB and Trans Bronchial Lung Biopsy (TBLB are commonly performed for diagnosis in patients with endobronchial abnormalities or diffuse parenchymal involvement. As the operator gains experience his yield of various diagnostic bronchoscopic biopsies is expected to increase, however, no studies on the subject are available in literature. Aims To determine the effect of on- job experience on the yield of unguided bronchoscopic biopsies. Methods A total of 244 bronchoscopies were performed between Oct 2013 and Oct 2016. A retrospective analysis of all these bronchoscopies was undertaken. All patients who underwent biopsy were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups with first group (Group A comprising of biopsies done between Oct 2013 to Apr 2015 and second group comprising biopsies done between May 2015 to Oct 2016 (Group B. The diagnostic yield in two groups was compared. Results Total 71 bronchoscopic biopsies were performed during Oct 2013 to Oct 2016. 36 patients were included in group A and 35 patients were included in group B. The groups were matched in demographic profile, clinical diagnosis, bronchoscopic findings and type of biopsy undertaken. The biopsy was diagnostic in 31 patient (43.6 per cent and nondiagnostic in 33 patients (46.4 per cent. There were 15 diagnostic biopsies in group A and 16 diagnostic biopsies in group B. The difference in the diagnostic biopsies between the two groups was not significant. Conclusion There was no significant impact of on job experience on diagnostic yield of biopsies. This may be due to adequate exposure during training leading to a diagnostic plateau being reached.

Increase of Internal CO2 of Cotton Plants by Methanol Application to Increase Yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badron Zakaria; Darmawan; Nurlina Kasim; Joseph Saepuddin

2004-01-01

A field experiment has been conducted to increase internal CO 2 and Rubisco activity detected by 14 C and to determinate which factors influence this activities. Plant material used was cotton plants which internal CO 2 concentrations and Rubisco activity was observed at 35, 50, 65, 80 days after planting (DAP). Treatments applied were methanol with concentrations of 0%, 10%,20% and 30% at available water (AW) at 25-50% AW, 50-75% AW, 75-100% AW. Results obtained showed that application of methanol at concentration of 20% at 75-100% AW, increase internal CO 2 from 266.60 ppm to 295.10 ppm (11 % increase) and this will also increase Rubisco activity from 3.81 to 14.28 (μmol. CO 2 menit -1 (μmol. Rubisco -1 ). This increase is expected to push photosynthesis rate and result in increase cotton yield. The use of 14 C was satisfactorily detected the amount of carbon. (author)

Involvement of 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate pathway in biosynthesis of aphidicolin-like tetracyclic diterpene of Scoparia dulcis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nkembo, Marguerite Kasidimoko; Lee, Jung-Bum; Nakagiri, Takeshi; Hayashi, Toshimitsu

2006-05-01

Specific inhibitors of the MVA pathway (pravastatin) and the MEP pathway (fosmidomycin) were used to interfere with the biosynthetic flux which leads to the production of aphidicolin-like diterpene in leaf organ cultures of Scoparia dulcis. Treatment of leaf organs with fosmidomycin resulted in dose dependent inhibition of chlorophylls, carotenoids, scopadulcic acid B (SDB) and phytol production, and no effect on sterol production was observed. In response to the pravastatin treatment, a significant decrease in sterol and perturbation of SDB production was observed.

Improving the sensory and oxidative stability of cooked and chill-stored lamb using dietary rosemary diterpenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Serrano, Rafael; Ortuño, Jordi; Bañón, Sancho

2014-09-01

Two dietary rosemary extracts (DREs) containing diterpenes (carnosic acid and carnosol at 1:1 and 2:1 w:w) were tested in fattening lambs to stabilize the sensory quality of cooked and chill-stored patties. A total of 63 lambs were fed freely for 80 ± 5 d with a basal diet supplemented or not with DRE. Minced leg meat from each lamb was used to make patty batches. The patties were cooked at 72 ºC for 2 min, aerobically packed, kept at 2 ºC for up to 4 d and then reheated. Sensory traits (color, odor, flavor, and texture), CIELab color, and lipid oxidation (assessed as TBARS) were determined. In a first experiment, the lamb diet was supplemented with 600 mg of 1:1-DRE or 2:1-DRE kg(-1) feed. The 1:1-DRE diet delayed discoloration, flavor deterioration, and rancidity, while the 2:1-DRE diet was ineffective in this respect. In a second experiment, 4 supplementation levels of 1:1-DRE (0, 200, 400, and 600 mg kg(-1) feed) were compared. Flavor deterioration was delayed when the lamb diet was supplemented with at least 400 mg 1:1-DRE kg(-1) feed. The effects of the diet on the odor, flavor, and color were corroborated by differences in TBARS and CIELab. The results obtained suggest that rosemary diterpenes and/or their active secondary compounds deposited in muscle can act as endogenous antioxidants in cooked lamb. The carnosol intake seems crucial in the antioxidant actions achieved through DRE. The use of rosemary antioxidants in animal feeding would allow meat-based dishes to be preserved longer without adding preservatives. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Antiangiogenic properties of cafestol, a coffee diterpene, in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Shuaiyu; Yoon, Yeo Cho; Sung, Mi-Jeong; Hur, Haeng-Jeon; Park, Jae-Ho

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Cafestol inhibits tube formation and migration of VEGF-stimulated HUVEC. ► Cafestol inhibits phosphorylation of FAK and Akt. ► Cafestol decreases NO production. -- Abstract: As angiogenesis plays important roles in tumor growth and metastasis, searching for antiangiogenic compounds is a promising tactic for treating cancers. Cafestol, a diterpene found mainly in unfiltered coffee, provides benefit through varied biological activity, including antitumorigenic, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cafestol on angiogenesis and to uncover the associated mechanism. We show that cafestol inhibits angiogenesis of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells. This inhibition affects the following specific steps of the angiogenic process: proliferation, migration, and tube formation. The inhibitory effects of cafestol are accompanied by decreasing phosphorylation of FAK and Akt and by a decrease in nitric oxide production. Overall, cafestol inhibits angiogenesis by affecting the angiogenic signaling pathway.

Increasing influence of heat stress on French maize yields from the 1960s to the 2030s

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkins, Ed; Fricker, Thomas E; Challinor, Andrew J; Ferro, Christopher A T; Kit Ho, Chun; Osborne, Tom M

2013-01-01

Improved crop yield forecasts could enable more effective adaptation to climate variability and change. Here, we explore how to combine historical observations of crop yields and weather with climate model simulations to produce crop yield projections for decision relevant timescales. Firstly, the effects on historical crop yields of improved technology, precipitation and daily maximum temperatures are modelled empirically, accounting for a nonlinear technology trend and interactions between temperature and precipitation, and applied specifically for a case study of maize in France. The relative importance of precipitation variability for maize yields in France has decreased significantly since the 1960s, likely due to increased irrigation. In addition, heat stress is found to be as important for yield as precipitation since around 2000. A significant reduction in maize yield is found for each day with a maximum temperature above 32 °C, in broad agreement with previous estimates. The recent increase in such hot days has likely contributed to the observed yield stagnation. Furthermore, a general method for producing near-term crop yield projections, based on climate model simulations, is developed and utilized. We use projections of future daily maximum temperatures to assess the likely change in yields due to variations in climate. Importantly, we calibrate the climate model projections using observed data to ensure both reliable temperature mean and daily variability characteristics, and demonstrate that these methods work using retrospective predictions. We conclude that, to offset the projected increased daily maximum temperatures over France, improved technology will need to increase base level yields by 12% to be confident about maintaining current levels of yield for the period 2016–2035; the current rate of yield technology increase is not sufficient to meet this target. PMID:23504849

Increased biomass yield of Lactococcus lactis during energetically limited growth and respiratory conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Købmann, Brian Jensen; Blank, Lars Mathias; Solem, Christian

2008-01-01

(glucose/mannose-specific phosphotransferase system). Amino acid catabolism could be excluded as the source of the additional ATP. Since mutants without a functional H+-ATPase produced less ATP under sugar starvation and respiratory conditions, the additional ATP yield appears to come partly from energy......Lactococcus lactis is known to be capable of respiration under aerobic conditions in the presence of haemin. In the present study the effect of respiration on ATP production during growth on different sugars was examined. With glucose as the sole carbon source, respiratory conditions in L. lactis...... MG1363 resulted in only a minor increase, 21%, in biomass yield. Since ATP production through substrate-level phosphorylation was essentially identical with and without respiration, the increased biomass yield was a result of energy-saving under respiratory conditions estimated to be 0.4 mol of ATP...

Supplementary material from "Increased SBPase activity improves photosynthesis and grain yield in wheat grown in greenhouse conditions"

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Driever, S.M.; Simkin, Andrew J.; Alotaibi, Saqer; Fisk, Stuart J.; Madgwick, Pippa J.; Sparks, Caroline A.; Jones, Huw D.; Lawson, Tracy; Parry, Martin A.J.; Raines, Christine A.

2017-01-01

To meet the growing demand for food, substantial improvements in yields are needed. This is particularly the case for wheat, where global yield has stagnated in recent years. Increasing photosynthesis has been identified as a primary target to achieve yield improvements. To increase leaf

Enhanced Sucrose Loading Improves Rice Yield by Increasing Grain Size.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liang; Lu, Qingtao; Wen, Xiaogang; Lu, Congming

2015-12-01

Yield in cereals is a function of grain number and size. Sucrose (Suc), the main carbohydrate product of photosynthesis in higher plants, is transported long distances from source leaves to sink organs such as seeds and roots. Here, we report that transgenic rice plants (Oryza sativa) expressing the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) phloem-specific Suc transporter (AtSUC2), which loads Suc into the phloem under control of the phloem protein2 promoter (pPP2), showed an increase in grain yield of up to 16% relative to wild-type plants in field trials. Compared with wild-type plants, pPP2::AtSUC2 plants had larger spikelet hulls and larger and heavier grains. Grain filling was accelerated in the transgenic plants, and more photoassimilate was transported from the leaves to the grain. In addition, microarray analyses revealed that carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism was enhanced in the leaves and grain of pPP2::AtSUC2 plants. Thus, enhancing Suc loading represents a promising strategy to improve rice yield to feed the global population. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Winter sowing of adapted lines as a potential yield increase strategy in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barrios, A.; Aparicio, T.; Rodríguez, M.J.; Pérez de la Vega, M.; Caminero, C.

2016-11-01

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik. subsp. culinaris) is a traditional crop in Spain although current grain yield in Spain is relatively low and unstable. The effect of an early sowing date (winter sowing) on yield in the Spanish Central Plateau (meseta) was analyzed comparing it to the traditional spring sowing. Yield from eleven cultivars currently available for sowing in Spain and two F6:7 populations of recombinant inbred lines (RIL), ´Precoz´ × ´WA8649041´ (89 lines) and ´BGE016365´ × ´ILL1918´ (118 lines), was evaluated in winter and spring sowing dates for three seasons (2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08) and two localities. Yield and stability were assessed by the method of consistency of performance with some modifications. When comparing with the best currently available cultivars sown in the traditional spring sowing date, (with an estimated average yield of 43.9 g/m in our experimental conditions), winter sowing using adapted breeding lines proved to be a suitable strategy for increasing lentil yield and yield stability in the Spanish meseta, with an average yield increase of 111% (reaching an estimated yield of 92.8 g/m). Results point to that lentil production can greatly increase in the Spanish meseta if adequate plant materials, such as some of the lines analyzed, are sown at late fall. (Author)

Winter sowing of adapted lines as a potential yield increase strategy in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abel Barrios

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik. subsp. culinaris is a traditional crop in Spain although current grain yield in Spain is relatively low and unstable. The effect of an early sowing date (winter sowing on yield in the Spanish Central Plateau (meseta was analyzed comparing it to the traditional spring sowing. Yield from eleven cultivars currently available for sowing in Spain and two F6:7  populations of recombinant inbred lines (RIL, ´Precoz´ × ´WA8649041´ (89 lines and ´BGE016365´ × ´ILL1918´ (118 lines, was evaluated in winter and spring sowing dates for three seasons (2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08 and two localities. Yield and stability were assessed by the method of consistency of performance with some modifications. When comparing with the best currently available cultivars sown in the traditional spring sowing date, (with an estimated average yield of 43.9 g/m in our experimental conditions, winter sowing using adapted breeding lines proved to be a suitable strategy for increasing lentil yield and yield stability in the Spanish meseta, with an average yield increase of 111% (reaching an estimated yield of 92.8 g/m. Results point to that lentil production can greatly increase in the Spanish meseta if adequate plant materials, such as some of the lines analyzed, are sown at late fall.

Light affects Varronia curassavica essential oil yield by increasing trichomes frequency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily V.R. da S. Feijó

Full Text Available Light can act on essential oil yield directly on synthesis of secondary metabolites, or indirectly on plant growth. Varronia curassavica Jacq., Boraginaceae, is a native medicinal species from Brazil known as “erva-baleeira”, with anti-inflammatory activity related to its essential oil. Despite pharmacological evidences of this species and its economic importance for herbal medicine production, little is known about the effect of light on growth and essential oil production. This study aimed to analyze the influence of different irradiances on growth, frequency of trichomes, essential oil yield and composition of V. curassavica. The irradiance affected plant growth, but no significant alteration on leaf biomass was detected. The increase in essential oil content under higher irradiance reflected on essential oil yield, and is associated with higher frequency of glandular, globular trichomes. The essential oil composition, rich in caryophyllene derivatives was affected by irradiance, but α-humulene, the constituent of pharmaceutical interest, remained unchanged.

Yield-increasing additives in kraft pulping: Effect on carbohydrate retention, composition and handsheet properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vaaler, David Andre Grimsoeen

2008-07-01

In this thesis, increased hemicellulose retention during kraft pulping has been studied. The work has been divided into three parts: i) Development of an accessible and reliable method for determination of carbohydrate composition of kraft pulps ii) Investigation of the composition and molecular mass distributions of the carbohydrates in kraft pulps with increased hemicellulose content iii) Investigation of the effect of increased hemicellulose content on the sheet properties of kraft pulps with increased hemicellulose content. A method for carbohydrate determination was developed. In this method, enzymes are used to hydrolyse the pulp into monosaccharides. A relatively mild acid hydrolysis is performed prior to detection on an HPLC with an RI-detector. The pulp is not derivatized and no pre-treatment (mechanical or chemical) is needed to determine the carbohydrate composition using the method developed here. Peak deconvolution software is used to improve the accuracy. Polysulphide and H2S primarily increase the glucomannan yield, which can be boosted by up to 7 % on o.d. wood. However, the cellulose yield is more affected by the cooking time and the maximum yield increase of cellulose is approximately 2 % on o.d. wood compared to an ordinary kraft pulp. The cooking time is influenced by sulphide ion concentration, AQ addition and the final Kappa number. The xylan yield is remarkably stable, however the alkali profile during the cook may influence the xylan yield. Surface xylan content of the fibres depends on residual alkali concentration in the black liquor. The molecular mass distributions of cellulose and hemicellulose were determined for pulps with increased hemicellulose content using size exclusion chromatography. Deconvolution by peak separation software is used to gain information about the degree of polymerization for cellulose and hemicellulose. The average DP of glucomannan in the kraft fibre was found to be 350 +- 30 and the average DP of xylan in the

Three New Cytotoxic ent-Kaurane Diterpenes from Isodon excisoides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li-Ping Dai

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Three types of ent-kaurane diterpenoids were isolated from the aerial parts of Isodon excisoides, including three new diterpenoids, 1α,7α,14β-trihydroxy-20-acetoxy-ent-kaur-15-one (1; 1α,7α,14β,18-tetrahydroxy-20-acetoxy-ent-kaur-15-one (2; and 1α-acetoxy-14β-hydroxy-7α,20-epoxy-ent-kaur-16-en-15-one (3; together with six known diterpenes henryin (4; kamebanin (5; reniformin C (6; kamebacetal A (7; kamebacetal B (8; and oridonin (9. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by means of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry in conjunction with published data for their analogs, as well as their fragmentation patterns. Compounds 5 and 9 were isolated from Isodon excisoides for the first time. To explore the structure-activity relationships of the isolated compounds, they were tested for their cytotoxic effects against five human cancer cell lines: HCT-116, HepG2, A2780, NCI-H1650, and BGC-823. Most of the isolated compounds showed certain cytotoxic activity against the five cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 1.09–8.53 µM. Among the tested compounds, compound 4 exhibited the strongest cytotoxic activity in the tested cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 1.31–2.07 µM. Compounds 1, 6, and 7 exhibited selective cytotoxic activity.

Artificial intelligence applied to natural products; computer study of pimarane diterpene. Aplicacao da inteligencia artificial em quimica de produtos naturais: estudo, por computador, dos diterpenos pimaranicos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopes, M N; Borges, J H.G.; Furlan, M; Gastmans, J P [UNESP, Araraquara, SP (Brazil). Dept. de Quimica Organica; Emerenciano, V de [Sao Paulo Univ., SP (Brazil). Dept. de Quimica Organica

1989-01-01

This paper describes the study of the sup(13)C NMR characteristic signals of naturally occurring pimarane. The analysis is performed by computer, starting from a data base which encloses about 400 diterpenes and using the PICKUPS programm. By this way it is possible to analyse substructure from one to five atoms as well as the effects of substituents on them. (author).

Cholesterol-raising diterpenes in types of coffee commonly consumed in Singapore, Indonesia and India and associations with blood lipids: a survey and cross sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Naidoo, Nasheen; Chen, Cynthia; Rebello, Salome A; Speer, Karl; Tai, E Shyong; Lee, Jeanette; Buchmann, Sandra; Koelling-Speer, Isabelle; van Dam, Rob M

2011-05-15

To measure the content of cholesterol-raising diterpenes in coffee sold at the retailer level in Singapore, Indonesia and India and to determine the relationship of coffee consumption with lipid levels in a population-based study in Singapore. Survey and cross-sectional study in local coffee shops in Singapore, Indonesia and India to measure the diterpene content in coffee, and a population-based study in Singapore to examine the relationship of coffee consumption and blood lipid levels. Interviews and coffee samples (n=27) were collected from coffee shops in Singapore, Indonesia and India. In addition, 3000 men and women who were Chinese, Malay, and Indian residents of Singapore participated in a cross-sectional study. The traditional 'sock' method of coffee preparation used in Singapore resulted in cafestol concentrations comparable to European paper drip filtered coffee (mean 0.09±SD 0.064 mg/cup). This amount would result in negligible predicted increases in serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. Similarly low amounts of cafestol were found in Indian 'filter' coffee that used a metal mesh filter (0.05±0.05 mg/cup). Coffee samples from Indonesia using the 'sock' method (0.85±0.41 mg/cup) or a metal mesh filter (0.98 mg/cup) contained higher amounts of cafestol comparable to espresso coffee. Unfiltered coffee from Indonesia contained an amount of cafestol (4.43 mg/cup) similar to Scandinavian boiled, Turkish and French press coffee with substantial predicted increases in serum cholesterol (0.33 mmol/l) and triglycerides (0.20 mmol/l) concentrations for consumption of 5 cups per day. In the Singaporean population, higher coffee consumption was not substantially associated with serum lipid concentrations after adjustment for potential confounders [LDL-cholesterol: 3.07 (95% confidence interval 2.97-3.18) for Singapore and India, coffee consumption in these countries does not appear to be a risk factor for elevation of serum cholesterol, whereas

Attribution of maize yield increase in China to climate change and technological advancement between 1980 and 2010

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Jianping; Zhao, Junfang; Wu, Dingrong; Mu, Jia; Xu, Yanhong

2014-12-01

Crop yields are affected by climate change and technological advancement. Objectively and quantitatively evaluating the attribution of crop yield change to climate change and technological advancement will ensure sustainable development of agriculture under climate change. In this study, daily climate variables obtained from 553 meteorological stations in China for the period 1961-2010, detailed observations of maize from 653 agricultural meteorological stations for the period 1981-2010, and results using an Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZ) model, are used to explore the attribution of maize (Zea mays L.) yield change to climate change and technological advancement. In the AEZ model, the climatic potential productivity is examined through three step-by-step levels: photosynthetic potential productivity, photosynthetic thermal potential productivity, and climatic potential productivity. The relative impacts of different climate variables on climatic potential productivity of maize from 1961 to 2010 in China are then evaluated. Combined with the observations of maize, the contributions of climate change and technological advancement to maize yield from 1981 to 2010 in China are separated. The results show that, from 1961 to 2010, climate change had a significant adverse impact on the climatic potential productivity of maize in China. Decreased radiation and increased temperature were the main factors leading to the decrease of climatic potential productivity. However, changes in precipitation had only a small effect. The maize yields of the 14 main planting provinces in China increased obviously over the past 30 years, which was opposite to the decreasing trends of climatic potential productivity. This suggests that technological advancement has offset the negative effects of climate change on maize yield. Technological advancement contributed to maize yield increases by 99.6%-141.6%, while climate change contribution was from -41.4% to 0.4%. In particular, the actual

NAL1 allele from a rice landrace greatly increases yield in modern indica cultivars.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujita, Daisuke; Trijatmiko, Kurniawan Rudi; Tagle, Analiza Grubanzo; Sapasap, Maria Veronica; Koide, Yohei; Sasaki, Kazuhiro; Tsakirpaloglou, Nikolaos; Gannaban, Ritchel Bueno; Nishimura, Takeshi; Yanagihara, Seiji; Fukuta, Yoshimichi; Koshiba, Tomokazu; Slamet-Loedin, Inez Hortense; Ishimaru, Tsutomu; Kobayashi, Nobuya

2013-12-17

Increasing crop production is essential for securing the future food supply in developing countries in Asia and Africa as economies and populations grow. However, although the Green Revolution led to increased grain production in the 1960s, no major advances have been made in increasing yield potential in rice since then. In this study, we identified a gene, SPIKELET NUMBER (SPIKE), from a tropical japonica rice landrace that enhances the grain productivity of indica cultivars through pleiotropic effects on plant architecture. Map-based cloning revealed that SPIKE was identical to NARROW LEAF1 (NAL1), which has been reported to control vein pattern in leaf. Phenotypic analyses of a near-isogenic line of a popular indica cultivar, IR64, and overexpressor lines revealed increases in spikelet number, leaf size, root system, and the number of vascular bundles, indicating the enhancement of source size and translocation capacity as well as sink size. The near-isogenic line achieved 13-36% yield increase without any negative effect on grain appearance. Expression analysis revealed that the gene was expressed in all cell types: panicles, leaves, roots, and culms supporting the pleiotropic effects on plant architecture. Furthermore, SPIKE increased grain yield by 18% in the recently released indica cultivar IRRI146, and increased spikelet number in the genetic background of other popular indica cultivars. The use of SPIKE in rice breeding could contribute to food security in indica-growing regions such as South and Southeast Asia.

Determination and Pharmacokinetic Study of Three Diterpenes in Rat Plasma by UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS after Oral Administration of Rosmarinus officinalis L. Extract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liqian Wang

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Rosmarinus officinalis L. is commonly used as a spice and flavoring agent. Diterpenes are the main active compounds of R. officinalis. An Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was developed for the determination of carnosol, rosmanol, and carnosic acid isolated from R. officinalis in rat plasma, and applied to a pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of R. officinalis extract. Sample preparation involved a liquid-liquid extraction of the analytes with ethyl acetate. Butylparaben was employed as an internal standard (I.S.. Chromatographic separation was carried out on a C18 column (ACQUITY UPLC® HSS T3, 1.8 μm, 2.1 mm × 100 mm with a gradient system consisting of the mobile phase solution A (0.1% formic acid in water and solution B (acetonitrile at the flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The quantification was obtained using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM mode with electrospray ionization (ESI. The UHPLC-MS/MS assay was validated for linearity, accuracy, precision, extraction recovery, matrix effect and stability. This study described a simple, sensitive and validated UHPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of three diterpene compounds in rat plasma after oral administration of R. officinalis extract, and investigated on their pharmacokinetic studies as well.

Increasing the biogas yield of manure by wet explosion of the digested fiber fraction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biswas, Rajib; Uellendahl, Hinrich; Ahring, Birgitte Kiær

digested manure fibers from the effluent of an anaerobic digester for enhancing biogas production and exploring the untapped biomass potential. The increase in methane yield of the digested manure fibers was investigated by applying the WEx treatment under 5 different process conditions. The pretreatment......Increasing the biodegradability of the lignocellulosic fiber fraction of manure can ensure higher methane productivity in biogas plants, leading to process profitability and thus larger production of renewable energy. A new pretreatment method, wet explosion (WEx), was investigated to treat...... condition of 180 ºC and a retention time of 10 minutes without addition of chemicals was found to be optimal, resulting in 136% increase in methane yield as compared to the untreated digested manure fibers....

Increasing production yield of tyrosine and mevalonate through inhibition of biomass formation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Songyuan; Jendresen, Christian Bille; Nielsen, Alex Toftgaard

2016-01-01

, in particular, resulted in an increase in mass yield of mevalonate and tyrosine by 80% and 50%, respectively. By tracking production and biomass concentrations, it was observed that the production was maintained for more than 10 h after inhibition of cell growth, despite cell maintenance requirements...

Plant-based assessment of inherent soil productivity and contributions to China's cereal crop yield increase since 1980.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingsheng Fan

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: China's food production has increased 6-fold during the past half-century, thanks to increased yields resulting from the management intensification, accomplished through greater inputs of fertilizer, water, new crop strains, and other Green Revolution's technologies. Yet, changes in underlying quality of soils and their effects on yield increase remain to be determined. Here, we provide a first attempt to quantify historical changes in inherent soil productivity and their contributions to the increase in yield. METHODS: The assessment was conducted based on data-set derived from 7410 on-farm trials, 8 long-term experiments and an inventory of soil organic matter concentrations of arable land. RESULTS: Results show that even without organic and inorganic fertilizer addition crop yield from on-farm trials conducted in the 2000s was significantly higher compared with those in the 1980s - the increase ranged from 0.73 to 1.76 Mg/ha for China's major irrigated cereal-based cropping systems. The increase in on-farm yield in control plot since 1980s was due primarily to the enhancement of soil-related factors, and reflected inherent soil productivity improvement. The latter led to higher and stable yield with adoption of improved management practices, and contributed 43% to the increase in yield for wheat and 22% for maize in the north China, and, 31%, 35% and 22% for early and late rice in south China and for single rice crop in the Yangtze River Basin since 1980. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, without an improvement in inherent soil productivity, the 'Agricultural Miracle in China' would not have happened. A comprehensive strategy of inherent soil productivity improvement in China, accomplished through combining engineering-based measures with biological-approaches, may be an important lesson for the developing world. We propose that advancing food security in 21st century for both China and other parts of world will depend on continuously improving

Photon up-conversion increases biomass yield in Chlorella vulgaris.

Science.gov (United States)

Menon, Kavya R; Jose, Steffi; Suraishkumar, Gadi K

2014-12-01

Photon up-conversion, a process whereby lower energy radiations are converted to higher energy levels via the use of appropriate phosphor systems, was employed as a novel strategy for improving microalgal growth and lipid productivity. Photon up-conversion enables the utilization of regions of the solar spectrum, beyond the typical photosynthetically active radiation, that are usually wasted or are damaging to the algae. The effects of up-conversion of red light by two distinct sets of up-conversion phosphors were studied in the model microalgae Chlorella vulgaris. Up-conversion by set 1 phosphors led to a 2.85 fold increase in biomass concentration and a 3.2 fold increase in specific growth rate of the microalgae. While up-conversion by set 2 phosphors resulted in a 30% increase in biomass and 12% increase in specific intracellular neutral lipid, while the specific growth rates were comparable to that of the control. Furthermore, up-conversion resulted in higher levels of specific intracellular reactive oxygen species in C. vulgaris. Up-conversion of red light (654 nm) was shown to improve biomass yields in C. vulgaris. In principle, up-conversion can be used to increase the utilization range of the electromagnetic spectrum for improved cultivation of photosynthetic systems such as plants, algae, and microalgae. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cattle manure fertilization increases fig yield

OpenAIRE

Leonel,Sarita; Tecchio,Marco Antonio

2009-01-01

Fertilization using organic compounds is complementary to chemical fertilization, being essential to integrated fruit production. Reports on fig tree (Ficus carica L.) organic fertilization and mineral nutrition are worldwide scarce, especially in Brazil. This experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of cattle manure fertilization on the yield and productivity of the fig tree 'Roxo de Valinhos' in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil, during the 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06 crop cycles....

Increase of onion yield through low dose of gamma irradiation of its seeds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiendl, F.M.; Wiendl, F.W.; Wiendl, J.A.; Vedovatto, A.; Arthur, V.

1995-01-01

The increase of onions' yield could be achieved by the common farmer through the use of nuclear techniques. This report describes the results obtained with the irradiation of onion seeds, with low doses of gamma radiations (Cobalt-60), at doses of 0 (control), 150, 400 and 700 Gy. Beyond the proper onion's variety als use of low dose rates of 13.1, 39.2 and 52.3 Gy per hour were of the great importance during irradiation. The results showed to be promising both in laboratory studies and in the field, resulting in an increase of onions production: A greater number of seedlings, bulbs and a higher yield in weight per hectar were planted. In the field the most promising dose and dose rate to the variety ''Super-X'' were respectively 150 Gy and 13.1 Gy per hour, yielding an 24.9 percent heavier weight of onions than the control. The other tested variety was ''Granex-33'', which did not respond so favorable to irradiation. However, also with this variety we harvested a 2.1 percent heavier weight than its control, if the onion seeds were irradiated with the dose of 700 Gy at a dose rate of 13.1 Gy per hour. (Author)

EARLY SPRING APPLICATION OF AMINOETHOXYVINILGLYCINE (AVG INCREASES FRUIT SET AND YIELD OF ‘ROCHA’ PEARS

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MATEUS DA SILVEIRA PASA

2017-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The low fruit set is one of the main factors leading to poor yield of pear orchards in Brazil. Ethylene is associated with abscission of flowers and fruitlets. Then, the application of ethylene synthesis inhibitors, such as AVG, is a potential tool to increase fruit set of pears. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of AVG, sprayed at different rates and timings, on fruit set, yield and fruit quality of ‘Rocha’ pear. The study was performed in a commercial orchard located in the municipality of São Joaquim, SC, during the growing seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016. Plant material consisted of ‘Rocha’ pear trees grafted on quince rootstock ‘BA29’. AVG was tested at different rates (60 mg L-1 and 80 mg L-1 and timings [full bloom, one week after full bloom (WAFB, and two WAFB, either alone or in combination. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design, with at least five single-tree replications. The fruit set, number of fruit per tree, yield, estimated yield, fruit weight, return bloom, and fruit quality attributes were assessed. Fruit set and yield were consistently increased by single applications of AVG at 60 and 80 mg L-1 at both one and two weeks after full bloom, without negatively affecting fruit quality attributes and return bloom.

Zinc, iron, manganese and copper uptake requirement in response to nitrogen supply and the increased grain yield of summer maize.

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Yanfang Xue

Full Text Available The relationships between grain yields and whole-plant accumulation of micronutrients such as zinc (Zn, iron (Fe, manganese (Mn and copper (Cu in maize (Zea mays L. were investigated by studying their reciprocal internal efficiencies (RIEs, g of micronutrient requirement in plant dry matter per Mg of grain. Field experiments were conducted from 2008 to 2011 in North China to evaluate RIEs and shoot micronutrient accumulation dynamics during different growth stages under different yield and nitrogen (N levels. Fe, Mn and Cu RIEs (average 64.4, 18.1 and 5.3 g, respectively were less affected by the yield and N levels. ZnRIE increased by 15% with an increased N supply but decreased from 36.3 to 18.0 g with increasing yield. The effect of cultivars on ZnRIE was similar to that of yield ranges. The substantial decrease in ZnRIE may be attributed to an increased Zn harvest index (from 41% to 60% and decreased Zn concentrations in straw (a 56% decrease and grain (decreased from 16.9 to 12.2 mg kg-1 rather than greater shoot Zn accumulation. Shoot Fe, Mn and Cu accumulation at maturity tended to increase but the proportions of pre-silking shoot Fe, Cu and Zn accumulation consistently decreased (from 95% to 59%, 90% to 71% and 91% to 66%, respectively. The decrease indicated the high reproductive-stage demands for Fe, Zn and Cu with the increasing yields. Optimized N supply achieved the highest yield and tended to increase grain concentrations of micronutrients compared to no or lower N supply. Excessive N supply did not result in any increases in yield or micronutrient nutrition for shoot or grain. These results indicate that optimized N management may be an economical method of improving micronutrient concentrations in maize grain with higher grain yield.

Increase in the yield of mung bean (Vigna radiata [L.] R. Wilczek) with storage of radiation-modified kappa-carrageenan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aurigue, F.B.; Montefalcon, D.R.V.; Dela Cruz, R.M.M.; Abad, L.V.

2015-01-01

Kappa-carrageenan is a sulphated polysaccharide naturally present in seaweeds. Upon gamma radiation, radiolysis produces low molecular weight κ-carrageenan with the cleavage of some of its sulphate groups. Consequently, the acidic solution may further hydrolyze κ-carrageenan. The study aims to determine the effects of application by foliar spraying of freshly prepared irradiated κ-carrageenan solution and those which has been stored for 3 months on the yield of potted mungbean (Vigna radiata) plants. Foliar application of radiation-modified κ-carrageenan solution on the Kulabo variety two weeks after sowing, at flower initiation, and at fruit formation stage resulted in 30.8% increase in pod yield and 50.2% increase in seed yield compared to plants similarly treated with NitroPlus inoculants only. Pod yield and seed yield advantage over the control plants (no inoculants and no fertilizer) were 57.2% and 83% respectively no fertilizer was used in all treatments. These result confirm the previous finding that irradiated κ-carrageenan solution sprayed every two weeks inoculants only. There was 200% yield advantage over the negative control. The increase in yield is attributed to the longer length of pod, higher number of seed per pod, heavier 100-seed weight. Interestingly, the 3 months-old solution gave better result compared to a freshly irradiated one. There was 26.5% and 26.8% difference in pod yield and seed yield, respectively. Compared with the Control plants of the Kulabo variety, those sprayed with stored κ-carrageenan solution had 105% advantage in seed yield. It was proposed that the degradation process of the oligo-κ-carrageenan continue during storage because of the acidic nature of the solution. Undoubtedly, irradiated κ-carrageenan solution has plant growth promoting activity that increase yield mung bean by spraying on the leaves at least three times before fruit development.(author)

Estimating milk yield and value losses from increased somatic cell count on US dairy farms.

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Hadrich, J C; Wolf, C A; Lombard, J; Dolak, T M

2018-04-01

Milk loss due to increased somatic cell counts (SCC) results in economic losses for dairy producers. This research uses 10 mo of consecutive dairy herd improvement data from 2013 and 2014 to estimate milk yield loss using SCC as a proxy for clinical and subclinical mastitis. A fixed effects regression was used to examine factors that affected milk yield while controlling for herd-level management. Breed, milking frequency, days in milk, seasonality, SCC, cumulative months with SCC greater than 100,000 cells/mL, lactation, and herd size were variables included in the regression analysis. The cumulative months with SCC above a threshold was included as a proxy for chronic mastitis. Milk yield loss increased as the number of test days with SCC ≥100,000 cells/mL increased. Results from the regression were used to estimate a monetary value of milk loss related to SCC as a function of cow and operation related explanatory variables for a representative dairy cow. The largest losses occurred from increased cumulative test days with a SCC ≥100,000 cells/mL, with daily losses of $1.20/cow per day in the first month to $2.06/cow per day in mo 10. Results demonstrate the importance of including the duration of months above a threshold SCC when estimating milk yield losses. Cows with chronic mastitis, measured by increased consecutive test days with SCC ≥100,000 cells/mL, resulted in higher milk losses than cows with a new infection. This provides farm managers with a method to evaluate the trade-off between treatment and culling decisions as it relates to mastitis control and early detection. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increasing plant diversity with border crops reduces insecticide use and increases crop yield in urban agriculture.

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Wan, Nian-Feng; Cai, You-Ming; Shen, Yan-Jun; Ji, Xiang-Yun; Wu, Xiang-Wen; Zheng, Xiang-Rong; Cheng, Wei; Li, Jun; Jiang, Yao-Pei; Chen, Xin; Weiner, Jacob; Jiang, Jie-Xian; Nie, Ming; Ju, Rui-Ting; Yuan, Tao; Tang, Jian-Jun; Tian, Wei-Dong; Zhang, Hao; Li, Bo

2018-05-24

Urban agriculture is making an increasing contribution to food security in large cities around the world. The potential contribution of biodiversity to ecological intensification in urban agricultural systems has not been investigated. We present monitoring data collected from rice fields in 34 community farms in mega-urban Shanghai, China, from 2001 to 2015, and show that the presence of a border crop of soybeans and neighboring crops (maize, eggplant and Chinese cabbage), both without weed control, increased invertebrate predator abundance, decreased the abundance of pests and dependence on insecticides, and increased grain yield and economic profits. Two 2 year randomized experiments with the low and high diversity practices in the same locations confirmed these results. Our study shows that diversifying farming practices can make an important contribution to ecological intensification and the sustainable use of associated ecosystem services in an urban ecosystem. © 2018, Wan et al.

Efficient preparation of incensole and incensole acetate, and quantification of these bioactive diterpenes in Boswellia papyrifera by a RP-DAD-HPLC method.

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Paul, Michael; Jauch, Johann

2012-03-01

Incensole and incensole acetate, found in incense, are encouraging potent bioactive diterpenic cembrenoids, inhibiting Nuclear Factor-kappaB activation. Furthermore, incensole acetate elicits psycho-activity in mice by activating the TRPV3 channels in the brain. Starting from crude extracts of the incense species Boswellia papyrifera Hochst., a convenient procedure for the efficient large-scale synthesis of incensole and its acetate is presented. Additionally, a reversed-phase, diode-array-detection, high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-DAD-HPLC) method for the quantification of incensole and incensole acetate is reported, indicating that these two compounds are typical biomarkers for B. papyrifera.

Grape yield, and must compounds of 'Cabernet Sauvignon' grapevine in sandy soil with potassium contents increasing

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Marlise Nara Ciotta

2016-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Content of exchangeable potassium (K in t soil may influence on its content in grapevines leaves, grape yield, as well as, in must composition. The study aimed to assess the interference of exchangeable K content in the soil on its leaf content, production and must composition of 'Cabernet Sauvignon' cultivar. In September 2011, in Santana do Livramento (RS five vineyards with increasing levels of exchangeable K in the soil were selected. In the 2012/13 and 2013/14 harvests, the grape yield, yield components, total K content in the leaves in full bloom and berries veraison were evaluated. Values of total soluble sugar (TSS, pH, total titratable acidity (TTA, total polyphenols and anthocyanins were evaluated in the must. Exchangeable K content increase in soil with sandy surface texture increased its content in leaves collected during full flowering and in berries and must pH; however, it did not affect production of the 'Cabernet Sauvignon'.

Duplication of an upstream silencer of FZP increases grain yield in rice.

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Bai, Xufeng; Huang, Yong; Hu, Yong; Liu, Haiyang; Zhang, Bo; Smaczniak, Cezary; Hu, Gang; Han, Zhongmin; Xing, Yongzhong

2017-11-01

Transcriptional silencer and copy number variants (CNVs) are associated with gene expression. However, their roles in generating phenotypes have not been well studied. Here we identified a rice quantitative trait locus, SGDP7 (Small Grain and Dense Panicle 7). SGDP7 is identical to FZP (FRIZZY PANICLE), which represses the formation of axillary meristems. The causal mutation of SGDP7 is an 18-bp fragment, named CNV-18bp, which was inserted ~5.3 kb upstream of FZP and resulted in a tandem duplication in the cultivar Chuan 7. The CNV-18bp duplication repressed FZP expression, prolonged the panicle branching period and increased grain yield by more than 15% through substantially increasing the number of spikelets per panicle (SPP) and slightly decreasing the 1,000-grain weight (TGW). The transcription repressor OsBZR1 binds the CGTG motifs in CNV-18bp and thereby represses FZP expression, indicating that CNV-18bp is the upstream silencer of FZP. These findings showed that the silencer CNVs coordinate a trade-off between SPP and TGW by fine-tuning FZP expression, and balancing the trade-off could enhance yield potential.

Genus Cistus: a model for exploring labdane-type diterpenes' biosynthesis and a natural source of high value products with biological, aromatic and pharmacological properties

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Papaefthimiou, Dimitra; Papanikolaou, Antigoni; Falara, Vasiliki; Givanoudi, Stella; Kostas, Stefanos; Kanellis, Angelos

2014-06-01

The family Cistaceae (Angiosperm, Malvales) consists of 8 genera and 180 species, with 5 genera native of the Mediterranean area (Cistus, Fumara, Halimium, Helianthemum and Tuberaria). Traditionally, a number of Cistus specie have been used in Mediterranean folk medicine as herbal tea infusions for healing, digestive problems and colds, as extracts for the treatment of diseases, and as fragrances. The resin, ladano, secreted by the glandular trichomes of certain Cistus species contains a number of phytochemicals with antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer properties. Furthermore, total leaf aqueous extracts possess anti-influenza virus activity. All these properties have been attributed to phytochemicals such as terpenoids, including diterpenes, labdane-type diterpenes and clerodanes, phenylpropanoids, including flavonoids and ellagitannins, several groups of alkaloids and other types of secondary metabolites. In the past 20 years, research on Cistus involved chemical, biological and phylogenetic analysis but recent investigations have involved genomic and molecular approaches. Our lab is exploring the biosynthetic machinery that generates terpenoids and phenylpropanoids, with a goal to harness their numerous properties that have applications in the pharmaceutical, chemical and aromatic industries. This review focuses on the systematics, botanical characteristics, geographic distribution, chemical analyses, biological function and biosynthesis of major compounds, as well as genomic analyses and biotechnological approaches of the main Cistus species found in the Mediterranean basin, namely C. albidus, C. creticus, C. crispus, C. parviflorus, C. monspeliensis, C. populifolius, C. salviifolius, C. ladanifer, C. laurifolius and C. clusii.

Bee pollination increases yield quantity and quality of cash crops in Burkina Faso, West Africa.

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Stein, Katharina; Coulibaly, Drissa; Stenchly, Kathrin; Goetze, Dethardt; Porembski, Stefan; Lindner, André; Konaté, Souleymane; Linsenmair, Eduard K

2017-12-18

Mutualistic biotic interactions as among flowering plants and their animal pollinators are a key component of biodiversity. Pollination, especially by insects, is a key element in ecosystem functioning, and hence constitutes an ecosystem service of global importance. Not only sexual reproduction of plants is ensured, but also yields are stabilized and genetic variability of crops is maintained, counteracting inbreeding depression and facilitating system resilience. While experiencing rapid environmental change, there is an increased demand for food and income security, especially in sub-Saharan communities, which are highly dependent on small scale agriculture. By combining exclusion experiments, pollinator surveys and field manipulations, this study for the first time quantifies the contribution of bee pollinators to smallholders' production of the major cash crops, cotton and sesame, in Burkina Faso. Pollination by honeybees and wild bees significantly increased yield quantity and quality on average up to 62%, while exclusion of pollinators caused an average yield gap of 37% in cotton and 59% in sesame. Self-pollination revealed inbreeding depression effects on fruit set and low germination rates in the F1-generation. Our results highlight potential negative consequences of any pollinator decline, provoking risks to agriculture and compromising crop yields in sub-Saharan West Africa.

Optimising yield and resource utilisation of summer maize under the conditions of increasing density and reducing nitrogen fertilization

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Shanshan; Wang, Xiangyu; Zhu, Qicen; Jiang, Dong; Dong, Shuting

2017-12-01

The inefficient use of resources always poses risks of maize ( Zea mays L.) yield reduction in China. We performed this research to monitor the effects of increasing plant density and reducing nitrogen (N) rate on radiation-use efficiency (RUE), N efficiency traits, grain yield (GY) and their inter-relationships. Besides, whether GY and resource-use efficiency can both be maximized was examined. Hence, a 2-year field experiment was conducted using a widely grown variety "Denghai 618" in Shandong, China. Treatments contained two different plant densities [67,500 (D1) and 97,500 (D2) plant ha-1] and three N levels [0 (N-2), 180 (N-1), 360 (Nck) kg ha-1], set D1Nck as control. Significant increases in grain yield, biomass, RUE, above-ground N uptake (AGN) and N efficiency were observed when density increased from D1 to D2. Declining N application was accompanied by reductions in yield, RUE and AGN especially under high density, yet an obvious improvement in N recovery efficiency (NRE), agronomic N efficiency and N partial factor productivity. The increased GY was positive related with population biomass ( r = 0.895**), RUE ( r = 0.769**) and AGN ( r = 0.923**), whereas it has no significant correlation with N efficiency. In this study, D2Nck obtained 18.8, 17.9, 24.8 and 29.7% higher grain yield, RUE, AGN and NRE respectively, compared to control, optimizing both yield and the efficiencies of radiation and N use. Furthermore, higher yield and RUE with more desirable N efficiency may be possible via optimizing density and N rate combination.

Combined use of Azolla and loach suppressed paddy weeds and increased organic rice yield: second season results

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Weiguo Cheng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Organic farming uses alternatives to agricultural chemicals such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The primary challenge in organic rice farming is controlling weeds without using herbicides and improving rice yield without chemical fertilizers. In our previous paper entitled as combined use of Azolla and loach suppressed weed Monochoria vaginalis and increased rice yield without agrochemicals, we reported the first year rice growth season results from an in situ container experiment. The experiment was designed with 4 treatments—control (with neither Azolla nor loach, Azolla (Azolla alone, loach (loach alone, and Az+Lo (combined Azolla and loach—with 3 replications each. The first year results showed that combined use of Azolla and loach was successful in weed suppression and increase in rice yield in 2012. In this paper, we report the second year results from the continuous container experiment in 2013. M.vaginalis emergences were very low in second year rice growth season on all treatments. Compared first year, the rice yields decreased in second year on all treatments due to different weather condition and with or without organic soybean oil cake application between two rice growth seasons. The second year results also showed the raising loach had a stronger effect to increase tiller and panicle numbers, and spikelet number per panicle, then improve rice yields to 2.3 times than control. The Azolla residues left from first year have weaker effect on rice growth and yield, but increase soil organic matter accumulation at second year. The two years study indicated that combined use of Azolla and loach can meet two of the greatest challenges in organic rice production: providing effective weed control and improving rice nutrition without agrochemicals.

Increasing plant density in eastern United States broccoli production systems to maximize marketable head yields

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Increased demand for fresh market broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) has led to increased production along the eastern seaboard of the United States. Maximizing broccoli yields is a primary concern for quickly expanding eastern commercial markets. Thus, a plant density study was carried ...

Optimising intratumoral treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma models with the diterpene ester Tigilanol tiglate.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, Catherine M E; Broit, Natasa; Yap, Pei-Yi; Cullen, Jason K; Parsons, Peter G; Panizza, Benedict J; Boyle, Glen M

2018-04-18

The five-year survival rate for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has remained at ~50% for the past 30 years despite advances in treatment. Tigilanol tiglate (TT, also known as EBC-46) is a novel diterpene ester that induces cell death in HNSCC in vitro and in mouse models, and has recently completed Phase I human clinical trials. The aim of this study was to optimise efficacy of TT treatment by altering different administration parameters. The tongue SCC cell line (SCC-15) was identified as the line with the lowest efficacy to treatment. Subcutaneous xenografts of SCC-15 cells were grown in BALB/c Foxn1 nu and NOD/SCID mice and treated with intratumoral injection of 30 μg TT or a vehicle only control (40% propylene glycol (PG)). Greater efficacy of TT treatment was found in the BALB/c Foxn1 nu mice compared to NOD/SCID mice. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated a potential role of the host's innate immune system in this difference, specifically neutrophil infiltration. Neither fractionated doses of TT nor the use of a different excipiant led to significantly increased efficacy. This study confirmed that TT in 40% PG given intratumorally as a single bolus dose was the most efficacious treatment for a tongue SCC mouse model.

Modern maize hybrids in Northeast China exhibit increased yield potential and resource use efficiency despite adverse climate change.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiaochao; Chen, Fanjun; Chen, Yanling; Gao, Qiang; Yang, Xiaoli; Yuan, Lixing; Zhang, Fusuo; Mi, Guohua

2013-03-01

The impact of global changes on food security is of serious concern. Breeding novel crop cultivars adaptable to climate change is one potential solution, but this approach requires an understanding of complex adaptive traits for climate-change conditions. In this study, plant growth, nitrogen (N) uptake, and yield in relation to climatic resource use efficiency of nine representative maize cultivars released between 1973 and 2000 in China were investigated in a 2-year field experiment under three N applications. The Hybrid-Maize model was used to simulate maize yield potential in the period from 1973 to 2011. During the past four decades, the total thermal time (growing degree days) increased whereas the total precipitation and sunshine hours decreased. This climate change led to a reduction of maize potential yield by an average of 12.9% across different hybrids. However, the potential yield of individual hybrids increased by 118.5 kg ha(-1)  yr(-1) with increasing year of release. From 1973 to 2000, the use efficiency of sunshine hours, thermal time, and precipitation resources increased by 37%, 40%, and 41%, respectively. The late developed hybrids showed less reduction in yield potential in current climate conditions than old cultivars, indicating some adaptation to new conditions. Since the mid-1990s, however, the yield impact of climate change exhibited little change, and even a slight worsening for new cultivars. Modern breeding increased ear fertility and grain-filling rate, and delayed leaf senescence without modification in net photosynthetic rate. The trade-off associated with delayed leaf senescence was decreased grain N concentration rather than increased plant N uptake, therefore N agronomic efficiency increased simultaneously. It is concluded that modern maize hybrids tolerate the climatic changes mainly by constitutively optimizing plant productivity. Maize breeding programs in the future should pay more attention to cope with the limiting

Genetic Improvements in Rice Yield and Concomitant Increases in Radiation- and Nitrogen-Use Efficiency in Middle Reaches of Yangtze River

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Guanglong; Peng, Shaobing; Huang, Jianliang; Cui, Kehui; Nie, Lixiao; Wang, Fei

2016-01-01

The yield potential of rice (Oryza sativa L.) has experienced two significant growth periods that coincide with the introduction of semi-dwarfism and the utilization of heterosis. In present study, we determined the annual increase in the grain yield of rice varieties grown from 1936 to 2005 in Middle Reaches of Yangtze River and examined the contributions of RUE (radiation-use efficiency, the conversion efficiency of pre-anthesis intercepted global radiation to biomass) and NUE (nitrogen-use efficiency, the ratio of grain yield to aboveground N accumulation) to these improvements. An examination of the 70-year period showed that the annual gains of 61.9 and 75.3 kg ha−1 in 2013 and 2014, respectively, corresponded to an annual increase of 1.18 and 1.16% in grain yields, respectively. The improvements in grain yield resulted from increases in the harvest index and biomass, and the sink size (spikelets per panicle) was significantly enlarged because of breeding for larger panicles. Improvements were observed in RUE and NUE through advancements in breeding. Moreover, both RUE and NUE were significantly correlated with the grain yield. Thus, our study suggests that genetic improvements in rice grain yield are associated with increased RUE and NUE. PMID:26876641

Andrographolide: A Novel Antimalarial Diterpene Lactone Compound from Andrographis paniculata and Its Interaction with Curcumin and Artesunate

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Kirti Mishra

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Andrographolide (AND, the diterpene lactone compound, was purified by HPLC from the methanolic fraction of the plant Andrographis paniculata. The compound was found to have potent antiplasmodial activity when tested in isolation and in combination with curcumin and artesunate against the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro and Plasmodium berghei ANKA in vivo. IC50s for artesunate (AS, andrographolide (AND, and curcumin (CUR were found to be 0.05, 9.1 and 17.4 μM, respectively. The compound (AND was found synergistic with curcumin (CUR and addictively interactive with artesunate (AS. In vivo, andrographolide-curcumin exhibited better antimalarial activity, not only by reducing parasitemia (29%, compared to the control (81%, but also by extending the life span by 2-3 folds. Being nontoxic to the in vivo system this agent can be used as template molecule for designing new derivatives with improved antimalarial properties.

Managing Southeastern US Forests for Increased Water Yield

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, S.; Kaplan, D. A.; Mclaughlin, D. L.; Cohen, M. J.

2017-12-01

Forested lands influence watershed hydrology by affecting water quantity and quality in surface and groundwater systems, making them potentially effective tools for regional water resource planning. In this study, we quantified water use and water yield by pine forests under varying silvicultural management (e.g., high density plantation, thinning, and prescribed burning). Daily forest water use (evapotranspiration, ET) was estimated using continuously monitored soil-moisture in the root-zone at six sites across Florida (USA), each with six plots ranging in forest leaf-area index (LAI). Plots included stands with different rotational ages (from clear-cut to mature pine plantations) and those restored to more historical conditions. Estimated ET relative to potential ET (PET) was strongly associated with LAI, root-zone soil-moisture status, and site hydroclimate; these factors explained 85% of the variation in the ET:PET ratio. Annual water yield (Yw) calculated from these ET estimates and a simple water balance differed significantly among sites and plots (ranging from -0.12 cm/yr to > 100 cm/yr), demonstrating substantive influence of management regimes. LAI strongly influenced Yw in all sites, and a general linear model with forest attributes (LAI and groundcover), hydroclimate, and site characteristics explained >90% of variation in observed Yw. These results can be used to predict water yield changes under different management and climate scenarios and may be useful in the development of payment for ecosystem services approaches that identify water as an important product of forest best management practices.

Melatonin implantation during the non-growing period of cashmere increases the cashmere yield of female Inner Mongolian cashmere goats by increasing fiber length and density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Z.; Duan, C.; Li, Y.; Duan, T.; Mo, F.; Zhang, W.

2018-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate if melatonin implantation at the end of April and June was able to increase cashmere production in female Inner Mongolian cashmere goats and to search for contributing factors accounting for the melatonin increasing in cashmere production. One hundred and fifty female Inner Mongolian cashmere goats (initial body weight 37.2 ± 3.3 kg) were randomly assigned to either a control (n=75) or a treatment (n=75) group. Goats in the treatment group were implanted with melatonin (2 mg/kg of body weight) on April 30 and June 30, 2014 while goats in the control received no treatment. Melatonin implantation increased cashmere yield by 23.4% while increasing the length and density of the cashmere fiber by 19.8% and 11.4%, whereas it decreased cashmere fiber diameter by 4.4%. Melatonin treatment had no effect on doe growth, litter size or birth and weaning weights of kid. Melatonin implantation promoted cashmere yield by increasing fiber length and density without impacting the performance of goats and their offspring. Therefore, melatonin implantation during the cashmere non-growing period (late April and June) is an effective way to increase cashmere yield and improve cashmere characteristics of goats.

Optimizing rice yields while minimizing yield-scaled global warming potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Pittelkow, Cameron M; Adviento-Borbe, Maria A; van Kessel, Chris; Hill, James E; Linquist, Bruce A

2014-05-01

To meet growing global food demand with limited land and reduced environmental impact, agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are increasingly evaluated with respect to crop productivity, i.e., on a yield-scaled as opposed to area basis. Here, we compiled available field data on CH4 and N2 O emissions from rice production systems to test the hypothesis that in response to fertilizer nitrogen (N) addition, yield-scaled global warming potential (GWP) will be minimized at N rates that maximize yields. Within each study, yield N surplus was calculated to estimate deficit or excess N application rates with respect to the optimal N rate (defined as the N rate at which maximum yield was achieved). Relationships between yield N surplus and GHG emissions were assessed using linear and nonlinear mixed-effects models. Results indicate that yields increased in response to increasing N surplus when moving from deficit to optimal N rates. At N rates contributing to a yield N surplus, N2 O and yield-scaled N2 O emissions increased exponentially. In contrast, CH4 emissions were not impacted by N inputs. Accordingly, yield-scaled CH4 emissions decreased with N addition. Overall, yield-scaled GWP was minimized at optimal N rates, decreasing by 21% compared to treatments without N addition. These results are unique compared to aerobic cropping systems in which N2 O emissions are the primary contributor to GWP, meaning yield-scaled GWP may not necessarily decrease for aerobic crops when yields are optimized by N fertilizer addition. Balancing gains in agricultural productivity with climate change concerns, this work supports the concept that high rice yields can be achieved with minimal yield-scaled GWP through optimal N application rates. Moreover, additional improvements in N use efficiency may further reduce yield-scaled GWP, thereby strengthening the economic and environmental sustainability of rice systems. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Testing the effect of different enzyme blends on increasing the biogas yield of straw and digested manure fibers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Njoku, Stephen Ikechukwu; Jurado, Esperanza; Malmgren-Hansen, Bjørn

In this study, enzymatic treatment was tested to increase the biogas yield of wheat straw (WS) and digested manure fibers (DMF) in the Re-Injection Loop Concept, which combines anaerobic digestion with solid separation to enhance the biogas yield per ton of manure by: 1. Digestion of the easily d...... degradable fraction of manure in the biogas process. 2. Separation of the residual recalcitrant digested fiber fraction project. 3. Ultrasound and/or enzymatic treatment of the digested fiber fraction. 4. Recirculation of the treated fiber fraction into the reactor.......In this study, enzymatic treatment was tested to increase the biogas yield of wheat straw (WS) and digested manure fibers (DMF) in the Re-Injection Loop Concept, which combines anaerobic digestion with solid separation to enhance the biogas yield per ton of manure by: 1. Digestion of the easily...

Elevated CO2 Increases Nitrogen Fixation at the Reproductive Phase Contributing to Various Yield Responses of Soybean Cultivars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yansheng Li

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Nitrogen deficiency limits crop performance under elevated CO2 (eCO2, depending on the ability of plant N uptake. However, the dynamics and redistribution of N2 fixation, and fertilizer and soil N use in legumes under eCO2 have been little studied. Such an investigation is essential to improve the adaptability of legumes to climate change. We took advantage of genotype-specific responses of soybean to increased CO2 to test which N-uptake phenotypes are most strongly related to enhanced yield. Eight soybean cultivars were grown in open-top chambers with either 390 ppm (aCO2 or 550 ppm CO2 (eCO2. The plants were supplied with 100 mg N kg−1 soil as 15N-labeled calcium nitrate, and harvested at the initial seed-filling (R5 and full-mature (R8 stages. Increased yield in response to eCO2 correlated highly (r = 0.95 with an increase in symbiotically fixed N during the R5 to R8 stage. In contrast, eCO2 only led to small increases in the uptake of fertilizer-derived and soil-derived N during R5 to R8, and these increases did not correlate with enhanced yield. Elevated CO2 also decreased the proportion of seed N redistributed from shoot to seeds, and this decrease strongly correlated with increased yield. Moreover, the total N uptake was associated with increases in fixed-N per nodule in response to eCO2, but not with changes in nodule biomass, nodule density, or root length.

Vertical farming increases lettuce yield per unit area compared to conventional horizontal hydroponics.

Science.gov (United States)

Touliatos, Dionysios; Dodd, Ian C; McAinsh, Martin

2016-08-01

Vertical farming systems (VFS) have been proposed as an engineering solution to increase productivity per unit area of cultivated land by extending crop production into the vertical dimension. To test whether this approach presents a viable alternative to horizontal crop production systems, a VFS (where plants were grown in upright cylindrical columns) was compared against a conventional horizontal hydroponic system (HHS) using lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L . cv. "Little Gem") as a model crop. Both systems had similar root zone volume and planting density. Half-strength Hoagland's solution was applied to plants grown in perlite in an indoor controlled environment room, with metal halide lamps providing artificial lighting. Light distribution (photosynthetic photon flux density, PPFD) and yield (shoot fresh weight) within each system were assessed. Although PPFD and shoot fresh weight decreased significantly in the VFS from top to base, the VFS produced more crop per unit of growing floor area when compared with the HHS. Our results clearly demonstrate that VFS presents an attractive alternative to horizontal hydroponic growth systems and suggest that further increases in yield could be achieved by incorporating artificial lighting in the VFS.

Combination of inoculation methods of Azospirilum brasilense with broadcasting of nitrogen fertilizer increases corn yield

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tânia Maria Müller

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Nitrogen (N is the most limiting nutrient for corn production. Thereby, the goal of the paper was to evaluate inoculation methods of Azospirillum brasilense in order to partially supply N required by the crop. The experiment was carried out in Guarapuava, PR, Brasil, in 2011/2012 growing season. Randomized blocks with factorial 3 inoculation methods (seed treatment, planting furrow and non-inoculated control x 5 doses of nitrogen (0, 75, 150, 225 and 300kg ha-1 x 8 replications was used as the experimental design. Leaf are index, foliar nitrogen content, total chlorophyll, grains per ear and yield were evaluated. There was significant interaction between inoculation methods and nitrogen fertilization to leaf area index, but not for yield. Inoculation with the diazotrophic bacteria provided yield increase of 702kg ha-1 for inoculation in seeding furrow and 432kg ha-1 for inoculation in seed treatment compared to the control, but both treatments did not differ between each other. Furthermore, total chlorophyll, grains per ear and yield were positively affected, with quadratic response, by the nitrogen fertilization in broadcasting

Molecular Docking Studies of Marine Diterpenes as Inhibitors of Wild-Type and Mutants HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandra M. T. de Souza

2013-10-01

Full Text Available AIDS is a pandemic responsible for more than 35 million deaths. The emergence of resistant mutations due to drug use is the biggest cause of treatment failure. Marine organisms are sources of different molecules, some of which offer promising HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT inhibitory activity, such as the diterpenes dolabelladienotriol (THD, IC50 = 16.5 µM, (6R-6-hydroxydichotoma-3,14-diene-1,17-dial (HDD, IC50 = 10 µM and (6R-6-acetoxydichotoma-3,14-diene-1,17-dial (ADD, IC50 = 35 µM, isolated from a brown algae of the genus Dictyota, showing low toxicity. In this work, we evaluated the structure-activity relationship (SAR of THD, HDD and ADD as anti HIV-1 RT, using a molecular modeling approach. The analyses of stereoelectronic parameters revealed a direct relationship between activity and HOMO (Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital-LUMO (Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital gap (ELUMO–EHOMO, where antiviral profile increases with larger HOMO-LUMO gap values. We also performed molecular docking studies of THD into HIV-1 RT wild-type and 12 different mutants, which showed a seahorse conformation, hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds with important residues of the binding pocket. Based on in vitro experiments and docking studies, we demonstrated that mutations have little influence in positioning and interactions of THD. Following a rational drug design, we suggest a modification of THD to improve its biological activity.

Pistil Smut Infection Increases Ovary Production, Seed Yield Components, and Pseudosexual Reproductive Allocation in Buffalograss

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ambika Chandra

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Sex expression of dioecious buffalograss [Bouteloua dactyloides Columbus (syn. Buchloë dactyloides (Nutt. Engelm.] is known to be environmentally stable with approximate 1:1, male to female, sex ratios. Here we show that infection by the pistil smut fungus [Salmacisia buchloëana Huff & Chandra (syn. Tilletia buchloëana Kellerman and Swingle] shifts sex ratios of buffalograss to be nearly 100% phenotypically hermaphroditic. In addition, pistil smut infection decreased vegetative reproductive allocation, increased most seed yield components, and increased pseudosexual reproductive allocation in both sex forms compared to uninfected clones. In female sex forms, pistil smut infection resulted in a 26 fold increase in ovary production and a 35 fold increase in potential harvest index. In male sex forms, pistil smut infection resulted in 2.37 fold increase in floret number and over 95% of these florets contained a well-developed pistil. Although all ovaries of infected plants are filled with fungal teliospores and hence reproductively sterile, an average male-female pair of infected plants exhibited an 87 fold increase in potential harvest index compared to their uninfected clones. Acquiring an ability to mimic the effects of pistil smut infection would enhance our understanding of the flowering process in grasses and our efforts to increase seed yield of buffalograss and perhaps other grasses.

Small millet farmers increase yields through participatory varietal ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Small millets, despite being rich in micronutrients and dietary fibre and known for their low glycemic index and tolerance of water stress, are in decline in South Asia. Existing varieties suffer from low yield and farmers lack access to improved varieties. The Revalorising Small Millets in Rainfed Regions of South Asia ...

Morphological plasticity of root growth under mild water stress increases water use efficiency without reducing yield in maize

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Qian; Zhang, Yulong; Sun, Zhanxiang; Zheng, Jiaming; Bai, Wei; Zhang, Yue; Liu, Yang; Feng, Liangshan; Feng, Chen; Zhang, Zhe; Yang, Ning; Evers, Jochem B.; Zhang, Lizhen

2017-08-01

A large yield gap exists in rain-fed maize (Zea mays L.) production in semi-arid regions, mainly caused by frequent droughts halfway through the crop-growing period due to uneven distribution of rainfall. It is questionable whether irrigation systems are economically required in such a region since the total amount of rainfall does generally meet crop requirements. This study aimed to quantitatively determine the effects of water stress from jointing to grain filling on root and shoot growth and the consequences for maize grain yield, above- and below-ground dry matter, water uptake (WU) and water use efficiency (WUE). Pot experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 with a mobile rain shelter to achieve conditions of no, mild or severe water stress. Maize yield was not affected by mild water stress over 2 years, while severe stress reduced yield by 56 %. Both water stress levels decreased root biomass slightly but shoot biomass substantially. Mild water stress decreased root length but increased root diameter, resulting in no effect on root surface area. Due to the morphological plasticity in root growth and the increase in root / shoot ratio, WU under water stress was decreased, and overall WUE for both above-ground dry matter and grain yield increased. Our results demonstrate that an irrigation system might be not economically and ecologically necessary because the frequently occurring mild water stress did not reduce crop yield much. The study helps us to understand crop responses to water stress during a critical water-sensitive period (middle of the crop-growing season) and to mitigate drought risk in dry-land agriculture.

Morphological plasticity of root growth under mild water stress increases water use efficiency without reducing yield in maize

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Q. Cai

2017-08-01

Full Text Available A large yield gap exists in rain-fed maize (Zea mays L. production in semi-arid regions, mainly caused by frequent droughts halfway through the crop-growing period due to uneven distribution of rainfall. It is questionable whether irrigation systems are economically required in such a region since the total amount of rainfall does generally meet crop requirements. This study aimed to quantitatively determine the effects of water stress from jointing to grain filling on root and shoot growth and the consequences for maize grain yield, above- and below-ground dry matter, water uptake (WU and water use efficiency (WUE. Pot experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 with a mobile rain shelter to achieve conditions of no, mild or severe water stress. Maize yield was not affected by mild water stress over 2 years, while severe stress reduced yield by 56 %. Both water stress levels decreased root biomass slightly but shoot biomass substantially. Mild water stress decreased root length but increased root diameter, resulting in no effect on root surface area. Due to the morphological plasticity in root growth and the increase in root ∕ shoot ratio, WU under water stress was decreased, and overall WUE for both above-ground dry matter and grain yield increased. Our results demonstrate that an irrigation system might be not economically and ecologically necessary because the frequently occurring mild water stress did not reduce crop yield much. The study helps us to understand crop responses to water stress during a critical water-sensitive period (middle of the crop-growing season and to mitigate drought risk in dry-land agriculture.

Sequential ethanol fermentation and anaerobic digestion increases bioenergy yields from duckweed.

Science.gov (United States)

Calicioglu, O; Brennan, R A

2018-06-01

The potential for improving bioenergy yields from duckweed, a fast-growing, simple, floating aquatic plant, was evaluated by subjecting the dried biomass directly to anaerobic digestion, or sequentially to ethanol fermentation and then anaerobic digestion, after evaporating ethanol from the fermentation broth. Bioethanol yields of 0.41 ± 0.03 g/g and 0.50 ± 0.01 g/g (glucose) were achieved for duckweed harvested from the Penn State Living-Filter (Lemna obscura) and Eco-Machine™ (Lemna minor/japonica and Wolffia columbiana), respectively. The highest biomethane yield, 390 ± 0.1 ml CH 4 /g volatile solids added, was achieved in a reactor containing fermented duckweed from the Living-Filter at a substrate-to-inoculum (S/I) ratio (i.e., duckweed to microorganism ratio) of 1.0. This value was 51.2% higher than the biomethane yield of a replicate reactor with raw (non-fermented) duckweed. The combined bioethanol-biomethane process yielded 70.4% more bioenergy from duckweed, than if anaerobic digestion had been run alone. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reverse transcription using random pentadecamer primers increases yield and quality of resulting cDNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stangegaard, Michael; Dufva, I.H.; Dufva, Hans Martin

2006-01-01

oligonucleotides (pentadecamers) consistently, yielded at least 2 fold as much cDNA as did random hexamers using either-poly(A) RNA or an amplified version of messenger RNA (aRNA) as a template. The cDNA generated using pentadecamers did not differ in size distribution or the amount of incorporated label compared...... with cDNA generated with random hexamers. The increased efficiency of priming using random pentadecamers resulted in reverse transcription of > 80% of the template aRNA, while random hexamers induced reverse transcription of only 40% of the template aRNA. This suggests a better coverage...... that random pentadecamers can replace random hexamers in reverse transcription reactions on both poly(A) RNA and amplified RNA, resulting in higher cDNA yields and quality....

Increased kilo-electron-volt x-ray yields from Z-pinch plasmas by mixing elements of similar atomic numbers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deeney, C.; LePell, P.D.; Failor, B.H.; Wong, S.L.; Apruzese, J.P.; Whitney, K.G.; Thornhill, J.W.; Davis, J.; Yadlowsky, E.; Hazelton, R.C.; Moschella, J.J.; Nash, T.; Loter, N.

1995-01-01

Magnesium-coated aluminum wire array Z pinch plasmas have been tested on a 4-MA, 6-TW pulsed electrical generator. A mixture of 80% aluminum and 20% magnesium is observed to maximize the radiated kilovolt x-ray yield at ≥50 kJ, which is 50% higher than that obtained with pure aluminum. Spectroscopic analysis and collisional radiative equilbrium models with radiation transport are employed to show that the aluminum-magnesium mixture reduces the opacity of the strongest emission lines, thus increasing the yield by increasing the probability of photon escape. Furthermore, the spectroscopic data also point to the presence of a strong temperature gradient in the pinched plasma that results in the outer magnesium coating of the wires having a higher electron temperature in the pinch. This temperature difference also plays a role in enhancing the kilovolt x-ray yield. The observation of a higher magnesium electron temperature offers evidence that the magnesium reaches the axis first, forming a core that is compressed and heated by the imploding mass of aluminum. Since the emissions from the core are not absorbed by the outer aluminum, the yields are increased. By comparison, aluminum-magnesium alloys imploded on a different but similar generator do not show a temperature difference

New approach to increasing rice lodging resistance and biomass yield through the use of high gibberellin producing varieties.

Science.gov (United States)

Okuno, Ayako; Hirano, Ko; Asano, Kenji; Takase, Wakana; Masuda, Reiko; Morinaka, Yoichi; Ueguchi-Tanaka, Miyako; Kitano, Hidemi; Matsuoka, Makoto

2014-01-01

Traditional breeding for high-yielding rice has been dependent on the widespread use of fertilizers and the cultivation of gibberellin (GA)-deficient semi-dwarf varieties. The use of semi-dwarf plants facilitates high grain yield since these varieties possess high levels of lodging resistance, and thus could support the high grain weight. Although this approach has been successful in increasing grain yield, it is desirable to further improve grain production and also to breed for high biomass. In this study, we re-examined the effect of GA on rice lodging resistance and biomass yield using several GA-deficient mutants (e.g. having defects in the biosynthesis or perception of GA), and high-GA producing line or mutant. GA-deficient mutants displayed improved bending-type lodging resistance due to their short stature; however they showed reduced breaking-type lodging resistance and reduced total biomass. In plants producing high amounts of GA, the bending-type lodging resistance was inferior to the original cultivars. The breaking-type lodging resistance was improved due to increased lignin accumulation and/or larger culm diameters. Further, these lines had an increase in total biomass weight. These results show that the use of rice cultivars producing high levels of GA would be a novel approach to create higher lodging resistance and biomass.

7755 EFFECT OF NPK FERTILIZER ON FRUIT YIELD AND YIELD ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Win7Ent

2013-06-03

Jun 3, 2013 ... peasant farmers in Nigeria. With the increased ... did not significantly (p=0.05) increase the fruit yield nor the seed yield. Key words: NPK fertilizer, Fruit ..... SAS (Statistical Analysis System) Version 9.1. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, ...

SOIL N, P AND K CONCENTRATIONS AND RICE YIELD INCREASED DUE TO THE APPLICATION OF Azolla pinnata

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Arivin Rivaie*

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Many studies showed that application of Azolla pinnata as biofertilizer improved soil fertility some agricultural crops, including rice, whereas farmers in Lampung consider that A. pinnata suppresses growth of rice seedlings, so they throw it field by raising irrigation water surface. Information on effects A. pinnata application on changes in nutrient availability and rice yield obtained from paddy fields of regions still rare. A study was carried out to investigate effects of different rates of A. pinnata on changes in N, P, K concentrations in paddy soils, N uptake, and rice yield. A well-irrigated paddy field was incorporated with A. pinnata, and then rice seedlings of Ciherang variety had been grown from June up to December 2009. Results: application of A. pinnata at dose of five t per ha increased concentration of N, P and K as well as rice yield. A. pinnata had a relatively high N content, ie 2.43 percent. Application of A. pinnata of 7.5 t per ha increased significantly available soil P, indicated that A. pinnata requires a fairly high P to grow optimally. Application of A. pinnata of 7.5 t per ha gave highest dry grain yield, suggests that application A. pinnata did not suppress rice yield, even use of A. pinnata as organic matter source will help to conserve fossil fuels and foreign exchange as well as will allow more paddy fields that can be fertilized by N.

Climatic warming increases winter wheat yield but reduces grain nitrogen concentration in east China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunlu Tian

Full Text Available Climatic warming is often predicted to reduce wheat yield and grain quality in China. However, direct evidence is still lacking. We conducted a three-year experiment with a Free Air Temperature Increase (FATI facility to examine the responses of winter wheat growth and plant N accumulation to a moderate temperature increase of 1.5°C predicted to prevail by 2050 in East China. Three warming treatments (AW: all-day warming; DW: daytime warming; NW: nighttime warming were applied for an entire growth period. Consistent warming effects on wheat plant were recorded across the experimental years. An increase of ca. 1.5°C in daily, daytime and nighttime mean temperatures shortened the length of pre-anthesis period averagely by 12.7, 8.3 and 10.7 d (P<0.05, respectively, but had no significant impact on the length of the post-anthesis period. Warming did not significantly alter the aboveground biomass production, but the grain yield was 16.3, 18.1 and 19.6% (P<0.05 higher in the AW, DW and NW plots than the non-warmed plot, respectively. Warming also significantly increased plant N uptake and total biomass N accumulation. However, warming significantly reduced grain N concentrations while increased N concentrations in the leaves and stems. Together, our results demonstrate differential impacts of warming on the depositions of grain starch and protein, highlighting the needs to further understand the mechanisms that underlie warming impacts on plant C and N metabolism in wheat.

The coffee diterpene kahweol inhibits tumor necrosis factor-α-induced expression of cell adhesion molecules in human endothelial cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyung Gyun; Kim, Ji Young; Hwang, Yong Pil; Lee, Kyung Jin; Lee, Kwang Youl; Kim, Dong Hee; Kim, Dong Hyun; Jeong, Hye Gwang

2006-01-01

Endothelial cells produce adhesion molecules after being stimulated with various inflammatory cytokines. These adhesion molecules play an important role in the development of atherogenesis. Recent studies have highlighted the chemoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of kahweol, a coffee-specific diterpene. This study examined the effects of kahweol on the cytokine-induced monocyte/human endothelial cell interaction, which is a crucial early event in atherogenesis. Kahweol inhibited the adhesion of TNFα-induced monocytes to endothelial cells and suppressed the TNFα-induced protein and mRNA expression of the cell adhesion molecules, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1. Furthermore, kahweol inhibited the TNFα-induced JAK2-PI3K/Akt-NF-κB activation pathway in these cells. Overall, kahweol has anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic activities, which occurs partly by down-regulating the pathway that affects the expression and interaction of the cell adhesion molecules on endothelial cells

New approach to increasing rice lodging resistance and biomass yield through the use of high gibberellin producing varieties.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayako Okuno

Full Text Available Traditional breeding for high-yielding rice has been dependent on the widespread use of fertilizers and the cultivation of gibberellin (GA-deficient semi-dwarf varieties. The use of semi-dwarf plants facilitates high grain yield since these varieties possess high levels of lodging resistance, and thus could support the high grain weight. Although this approach has been successful in increasing grain yield, it is desirable to further improve grain production and also to breed for high biomass. In this study, we re-examined the effect of GA on rice lodging resistance and biomass yield using several GA-deficient mutants (e.g. having defects in the biosynthesis or perception of GA, and high-GA producing line or mutant. GA-deficient mutants displayed improved bending-type lodging resistance due to their short stature; however they showed reduced breaking-type lodging resistance and reduced total biomass. In plants producing high amounts of GA, the bending-type lodging resistance was inferior to the original cultivars. The breaking-type lodging resistance was improved due to increased lignin accumulation and/or larger culm diameters. Further, these lines had an increase in total biomass weight. These results show that the use of rice cultivars producing high levels of GA would be a novel approach to create higher lodging resistance and biomass.

Increasing yield and nitrogen use efficiency of rice through multiple-split fertilizer application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rallos, R.V.; Rivera, F.G.; Samar, E.D.; Rojales, J.S.; Anida, A.H.

2015-01-01

The low availability of nitrogen (N) is one of the most important limiting factors impeding the increase in rice yield among the various factors. Split N fertilizer applications can play an important role in nutrient management strategy that is productive, profitable and environmentally responsible. In this study, the recoveries and efficiencies of a multiple-split N fertilizer application of were determined using 15N labeled fertilizer, in order to provide science-based foundation for the nitrogen management in sustainable rice production. A lysimeter experiment with five treatments in four replications was set-up T0 (control). T1 (45 kg N ha“- “1), T2 (90 kg N ha“- “1), T3 (135 kg N ha“- “1) and T4 (180 kg N ha“- “1). 15N tracer analysis showed that, on average, only 30% of applied N is recovered by the crop following one time basal application. In contrast, higher fertilizer nitrogen use efficiencies (FNUE) (>50%) were observed following multiple-split N application. The result of FNUE also corroborates with the significant increase in rice grain yield. Many crops, however, have different nutrient requirements, therefore as in all fertilization strategies, it is highly recommended that source, rate, time and place of application should be considered in making split fertilization decisions. (author)

Increased saccharification yields from aspen biomass upon treatment with enzymatically generated peracetic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Shona; Jing, Qing; Katona, Adrian; Kazlauskas, Romas J; Schilling, Jonathan; Tschirner, Ulrike; Aldajani, Waleed Wafa

2010-03-01

The recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass to enzymatic release of sugars (saccharification) currently limits its use as feedstock for biofuels. Enzymatic hydrolysis of untreated aspen wood releases only 21.8% of the available sugars due primarily to the lignin barrier. Nature uses oxidative enzymes to selectively degrade lignin in lignocellulosic biomass, but thus far, natural enzymes have been too slow for industrial use. In this study, oxidative pretreatment with commercial peracetic acid (470 mM) removed 40% of the lignin (from 19.9 to 12.0 wt.% lignin) from aspen and enhanced the sugar yields in subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis to about 90%. Increasing the amount of lignin removed correlated with increasing yields of sugar release. Unfortunately, peracetic acid is expensive, and concentrated forms can be hazardous. To reduce costs and hazards associated with using commercial peracetic acid, we used a hydrolase to catalyze the perhydrolysis of ethyl acetate generating 60-70 mM peracetic acid in situ as a pretreatment to remove lignin from aspen wood. A single pretreatment was insufficient, but multiple cycles (up to eight) removed up to 61.7% of the lignin enabling release of >90% of the sugars during saccharification. This value corresponds to a predicted 581 g of fermentable sugars from 1 kg of aspen wood. Improvements in the enzyme stability are needed before the enzymatically generated peracetic acid is a commercially viable alternative.

Conifer Diterpene Resin Acids Disrupt Juvenile Hormone-Mediated Endocrine Regulation in the Indian Meal Moth Plodia interpunctella.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Hyun-Woo; Yun, Chan-Seok; Jeon, Jun Hyoung; Kim, Ji-Ae; Park, Doo-Sang; Ryu, Hyung Won; Oh, Sei-Ryang; Song, Hyuk-Hwan; Shin, Yunhee; Jung, Chan Sik; Shin, Sang Woon

2017-07-01

Diterpene resin acids (DRAs) are important components of oleoresin and greatly contribute to the defense strategies of conifers against herbivorous insects. In the present study, we determined that DRAs function as insect juvenile hormone (JH) antagonists that interfere with the juvenile hormone-mediated binding of the JH receptor Methoprene-tolerant (Met) and steroid receptor coactivator (SRC). Using a yeast two-hybrid system transformed with Met and SRC from the Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella, we tested the interfering activity of 3704 plant extracts against JH III-mediated Met-SRC binding. Plant extracts from conifers, especially members of the Pinaceae, exhibited strong interfering activity, and four active interfering DRAs (7α-dehydroabietic acid, 7-oxodehydroabietic acid, dehydroabietic acid, and sandaracopimaric acid) were isolated from roots of the Japanese pine Pinus densiflora. The four isolated DRAs, along with abietic acid, disrupted the juvenile hormone-mediated binding of P. interpunctella Met and SRC, although only 7-oxodehydroabietic acid disrupted larval development. These results demonstrate that DRAs may play a defensive role against herbivorous insects via insect endocrine-disrupting activity.

Increasing drought and diminishing benefits of elevated carbon dioxide for soybean yields across the US Midwest.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Zhenong; Ainsworth, Elizabeth A; Leakey, Andrew D B; Lobell, David B

2018-02-01

Elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentrations ([CO 2 ]) are expected to increase C3 crop yield through the CO 2 fertilization effect (CFE) by stimulating photosynthesis and by reducing stomatal conductance and transpiration. The latter effect is widely believed to lead to greater benefits in dry rather than wet conditions, although some recent experimental evidence challenges this view. Here we used a process-based crop model, the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM), to quantify the contemporary and future CFE on soybean in one of its primary production area of the US Midwest. APSIM accurately reproduced experimental data from the Soybean Free-Air CO 2 Enrichment site showing that the CFE declined with increasing drought stress. This resulted from greater radiation use efficiency (RUE) and above-ground biomass production at elevated [CO 2 ] that outpaced gains in transpiration efficiency (TE). Using an ensemble of eight climate model projections, we found that drought frequency in the US Midwest is projected to increase from once every 5 years currently to once every other year by 2050. In addition to directly driving yield loss, greater drought also significantly limited the benefit from rising [CO 2 ]. This study provides a link between localized experiments and regional-scale modeling to highlight that increased drought frequency and severity pose a formidable challenge to maintaining soybean yield progress that is not offset by rising [CO 2 ] as previously anticipated. Evaluating the relative sensitivity of RUE and TE to elevated [CO 2 ] will be an important target for future modeling and experimental studies of climate change impacts and adaptation in C3 crops. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Andrographolide, a diterpene lactone from Andrographis paniculata and its therapeutic promises in cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, Muhammad Torequl; Ali, Eunüs S; Uddin, Shaikh Jamal; Islam, Md Amirul; Shaw, Subrata; Khan, Ishaq N; Saravi, Seyed Soheil Saeedi; Ahmad, Saheem; Rehman, Shahnawaz; Gupta, Vijai Kumar; Găman, Mihnea-Alexandru; Găman, Amelia Maria; Yele, Santosh; Das, Asish Kumar; de Castro E Sousa, João Marcelo; de Moura Dantas, Sandra Maria Mendes; Rolim, Hercília Maria Lins; de Carvalho Melo-Cavalcante, Ana Amélia; Mubarak, Mohammad S; Yarla, Nagendra Sastry; Shilpi, Jamil A; Mishra, Siddhartha Kumar; Atanasov, Atanas G; Kamal, Mohammad Amjad

2018-04-28

The diterpene lactone andrographolide, isolated from Andrographis paniculata, has been proven to possess several important protective biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiseptic, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, hypolipidemic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective effects. In addition, it has been reported to play a therapeutic role in the treatment of major human diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and colitis. This systematic review aims to highlight andrographolide as a promising agent in cancer treatment. To this purpose, a number of databases were used to search for the cytotoxic/anticancer effects of andrographolide in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Among 1703 identified literature articles, 139 were included in this review; 109 were investigated as non-clinical, whereas 24, 3, and 3 were pre-clinical, clinical, and non-pre-clinical trials, respectively. Among the model systems, cultured cell lines appeared as the most frequently (79.14%) used, followed by in vivo models using rodents, among others. Furthermore, andrographolide was found to exert cytotoxic/anticancer effects on almost all types of cell lines with the underlying mechanisms involving oxidative stress, cell cycle arrest, anti-inflammatory and immune system mediated effects, apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, inhibition of cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, invasion, anti-angiogenic activity, and other miscellaneous actions. After careful consideration of the relevant evidence, we suggest that andrographolide can be one of the potential agents in the treatment of cancer in the near future. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Carbon monoxide improves neuronal differentiation and yield by increasing the functioning and number of mitochondria.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, Ana S; Sonnewald, Ursula; Alves, Paula M; Vieira, Helena L A

2016-08-01

The process of cell differentiation goes hand-in-hand with metabolic adaptations, which are needed to provide energy and new metabolites. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an endogenous cytoprotective molecule able to inhibit cell death and improve mitochondrial metabolism. Neuronal differentiation processes were studied using the NT2 cell line, which is derived from human testicular embryonic teratocarcinoma and differentiates into post-mitotic neurons upon retinoic acid treatment. CO-releasing molecule A1 (CORM-A1) was used do deliver CO into cell culture. CO treatment improved NT2 neuronal differentiation and yield, since there were more neurons and the total cell number increased following the differentiation process. CO supplementation enhanced the mitochondrial population in post-mitotic neurons derived from NT2 cells, as indicated by an increase in mitochondrial DNA. CO treatment during neuronal differentiation increased the extent of the classical metabolic change that occurs during neuronal differentiation, from glycolytic to more oxidative metabolism, by decreasing the ratio of lactate production and glucose consumption. The expression of pyruvate and lactate dehydrogenases was higher, indicating an augmented oxidative metabolism. Moreover, these findings were corroborated by an increased percentage of (13) C incorporation from [U-(13) C]glucose into the tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites malate and citrate, and also glutamate and aspartate in CO-treated cells. Finally, under low levels of oxygen (5%), which enhances glycolytic metabolism, some of the enhancing effects of CO on mitochondria were not observed. In conclusion, our data show that CO improves neuronal and mitochondrial yield by stimulation of tricarboxylic acid cycle activity, and thus oxidative metabolism of NT2 cells during the process of neuronal differentiation. The process of cell differentiation is coupled with metabolic adaptations. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an endogenous cytoprotective

Increasing Crop Yields in Water Stressed Countries by Combining Operations of Freshwater Reservoir and Wastewater Reclamation Plant

Science.gov (United States)

Bhushan, R.; Ng, T. L.

2015-12-01

Freshwater resources around the world are increasing in scarcity due to population growth, industrialization and climate change. This is a serious concern for water stressed countries, including those in Asia and North Africa where future food production is expected to be negatively affected by this. To address this problem, we investigate the potential of combining freshwater reservoir and wastewater reclamation operations. Reservoir water is the cheaper source of irrigation, but is often limited and climate sensitive. Treated wastewater is a more reliable alternative for irrigation, but often requires extensive further treatment which can be expensive. We propose combining the operations of a reservoir and a wastewater reclamation plant (WWRP) to augment the supply from the reservoir with reclaimed water for increasing crop yields in water stressed regions. The joint system of reservoir and WWRP is modeled as a multi-objective optimization problem with the double objective of maximizing the crop yield and minimizing total cost, subject to constraints on reservoir storage, spill and release, and capacity of the WWRP. We use the crop growth model Aquacrop, supported by The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), to model crop growth in response to water use. Aquacrop considers the effects of water deficit on crop growth stages, and from there estimates crop yield. We generate results comparing total crop yield under irrigation with water from just the reservoir (which is limited and often interrupted), and yield with water from the joint system (which has the potential of higher supply and greater reliability). We will present results for locations in India and Africa to evaluate the potential of the joint operations for improving food security in those areas for different budgets.

High-yield production of biologically active recombinant protein in shake flask culture by combination of enzyme-based glucose delivery and increased oxygen transfer

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Ukkonen Kaisa

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract This report describes the combined use of an enzyme-based glucose release system (EnBase® and high-aeration shake flask (Ultra Yield Flask™. The benefit of this combination is demonstrated by over 100-fold improvement in the active yield of recombinant alcohol dehydrogenase expressed in E. coli. Compared to Terrific Broth and ZYM-5052 autoinduction medium, the EnBase system improved yield mainly through increased productivity per cell. Four-fold increase in oxygen transfer by the Ultra Yield Flask contributed to higher cell density with EnBase but not with the other tested media, and consequently the product yield per ml of EnBase culture was further improved.

Antiparasitic, Nematicidal and Antifouling Constituents from Juniperus Berries

Science.gov (United States)

A bioassay-guided fractionation of Juniperus procera berries yielded antiparasitic, nematicidal and antifouling constituents, including a wide range of known abietane, pimarane and labdane diterpenes. Among these, abieta-7,13-diene (1) demonstrated in vitro antimalarial activity against Plasmodium f...

The QTL GNP1 Encodes GA20ox1, Which Increases Grain Number and Yield by Increasing Cytokinin Activity in Rice Panicle Meristems.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yuan; Wang, Yun; Mi, Xue-Fei; Shan, Jun-Xiang; Li, Xin-Min; Xu, Jian-Long; Lin, Hong-Xuan

2016-10-01

Cytokinins and gibberellins (GAs) play antagonistic roles in regulating reproductive meristem activity. Cytokinins have positive effects on meristem activity and maintenance. During inflorescence meristem development, cytokinin biosynthesis is activated via a KNOX-mediated pathway. Increased cytokinin activity leads to higher grain number, whereas GAs negatively affect meristem activity. The GA biosynthesis genes GA20oxs are negatively regulated by KNOX proteins. KNOX proteins function as modulators, balancing cytokinin and GA activity in the meristem. However, little is known about the crosstalk among cytokinin and GA regulators together with KNOX proteins and how KNOX-mediated dynamic balancing of hormonal activity functions. Through map-based cloning of QTLs, we cloned a GA biosynthesis gene, Grain Number per Panicle1 (GNP1), which encodes rice GA20ox1. The grain number and yield of NIL-GNP1TQ were significantly higher than those of isogenic control (Lemont). Sequence variations in its promoter region increased the levels of GNP1 transcripts, which were enriched in the apical regions of inflorescence meristems in NIL-GNP1TQ. We propose that cytokinin activity increased due to a KNOX-mediated transcriptional feedback loop resulting from the higher GNP1 transcript levels, in turn leading to increased expression of the GA catabolism genes GA2oxs and reduced GA1 and GA3 accumulation. This rebalancing process increased cytokinin activity, thereby increasing grain number and grain yield in rice. These findings uncover important, novel roles of GAs in rice florescence meristem development and provide new insights into the crosstalk between cytokinin and GA underlying development process.

yield and yield componemts of extra early maize (zea mays l.)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SHARIFAI

maize crop and improve the soil structures and chemical nutrients of the soil. The significant interaction between intra-row spacing and poultry manure on cob diameter, 100 grain weight and grain yield showed the importance of poultry manure on yield and yield components of maize crop. Poultry manure increases both ...

Genetic control of soybean seed oil: II. QTL and genes that increase oil concentration without decreasing protein or with increased seed yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Eskandari, Mehrzad; Cober, Elroy R; Rajcan, Istvan

2013-06-01

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] seed oil is the primary global source of edible oil and a major renewable and sustainable feedstock for biodiesel production. Therefore, increasing the relative oil concentration in soybean is desirable; however, that goal is complex due to the quantitative nature of the oil concentration trait and possible effects on major agronomic traits such as seed yield or protein concentration. The objectives of the present study were to study the relationship between seed oil concentration and important agronomic and seed quality traits, including seed yield, 100-seed weight, protein concentration, plant height, and days to maturity, and to identify oil quantitative trait loci (QTL) that are co-localized with the traits evaluated. A population of 203 F4:6 recombinant inbred lines, derived from a cross between moderately high oil soybean genotypes OAC Wallace and OAC Glencoe, was developed and grown across multiple environments in Ontario, Canada, in 2009 and 2010. Among the 11 QTL associated with seed oil concentration in the population, which were detected using either single-factor ANOVA or multiple QTL mapping methods, the number of QTL that were co-localized with other important traits QTL were six for protein concentration, four for seed yield, two for 100-seed weight, one for days to maturity, and one for plant height. The oil-beneficial allele of the QTL tagged by marker Sat_020 was positively associated with seed protein concentration. The oil favorable alleles of markers Satt001 and GmDGAT2B were positively correlated with seed yield. In addition, significant two-way epistatic interactions, where one of the interacting markers was solely associated with seed oil concentration, were identified for the selected traits in this study. The number of significant epistatic interactions was seven for yield, four for days to maturity, two for 100-seed weight, one for protein concentration, and one for plant height. The identified molecular

Benefits of inoculation, P fertilizer and manure on yields of common bean and soybean also increase yield of subsequent maize

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rurangwa, Edouard; Vanlauwe, Bernard; Giller, Ken E.

2018-01-01

Common bean and soybean yield poorly on smallholder farms in Rwanda. We evaluated the benefits of inoculation combined with P fertilizer and manure on yields of common bean and soybean in three agro-ecological zones (AEZs), and their residual effects on a subsequent maize crop. In the first season,

Increasing crop yield and resilience with trehalose 6-phosphate: targeting a feast-famine mechanism in cereals for better source-sink optimization.

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Paul, Matthew J; Oszvald, Maria; Jesus, Claudia; Rajulu, Charukesi; Griffiths, Cara A

2017-07-20

Food security is a pressing global issue. New approaches are required to break through a yield ceiling that has developed in recent years for the major crops. As important as increasing yield potential is the protection of yield from abiotic stresses in an increasingly variable and unpredictable climate. Current strategies to improve yield include conventional breeding, marker-assisted breeding, quantitative trait loci (QTLs), mutagenesis, creation of hybrids, genetic modification (GM), emerging genome-editing technologies, and chemical approaches. A regulatory mechanism amenable to three of these approaches has great promise for large yield improvements. Trehalose 6-phosphate (T6P) synthesized in the low-flux trehalose biosynthetic pathway signals the availability of sucrose in plant cells as part of a whole-plant sucrose homeostatic mechanism. Modifying T6P content by GM, marker-assisted selection, and novel chemistry has improved yield in three major cereals under a range of water availabilities from severe drought through to flooding. Yield improvements have been achieved by altering carbon allocation and how carbon is used. Targeting T6P both temporally and spatially offers great promise for large yield improvements in productive (up to 20%) and marginal environments (up to 120%). This opinion paper highlights this important breakthrough in fundamental science for crop improvement. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

SAPONIFICAÇÃO ASSISTIDA POR MICRO-ONDAS NA EXTRAÇÃO DE DITERPENOS EM CAFÉ ARÁBICA TORRADO

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Mirelli Bianchin

Full Text Available The extraction of kahweol and cafestol involves saponification reaction. This step is important for the efficiency of the extraction as the diterpenes are susceptible to structural changes during hydrolysis. The microwave-assisted saponification has been successfully used in different matrices, but there is no previous report of the use of this technique in the saponification of diterpenes. Therefore, the effect of microwave-assisted saponification on the extraction of kahweol and cafestol in roasted coffee was evaluated. A 32 factorial experimental design was used in order to evaluate the effect of temperature (70, 80, and 90 ºC and reaction time (4, 8, and 12 min. The quantification of diterpenes was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography and the results were compared to with those obtained by a method, which uses thermostatic bath for saponification. Temperature and time had a significant effect (p < 0.05 on diterpenes levels. For simultaneous saponification of kahweol and cafestol, the optimal reaction conditions were 80 ºC / 12 min. The use of microwave-assisted procedure lead to lower yields of kahweol (24% and cafestol (35% compared to reference method. However a significant reduction of reaction time (80% was achieved, and the procedure also has the advantage of controlled process conditions and the possibility of extended scale.

Hydrogenation of the Exocyclic Olefinic Bond at C-16/C-17 Position of ent-Kaurane Diterpene Glycosides of Stevia rebaudiana Using Various Catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Chaturvedula, Venkata Sai Prakash; Prakash, Indra

2013-01-01

Catalytic hydrogenation of the exocyclic double bond present between C16 and C17 carbons of the four ent-kaurane diterpene glycosides namely rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, and rebaudioside D isolated from Stevia rebaudiana has been carried out using Pt/C, Pd(OH)2, Rh/C, Raney Ni, PtO2, and 5% Pd/BaCO3 to their corresponding dihydro derivatives with 17α and 17β methyl group isomers. Reactions were performed using the above-mentioned catalysts with the solvents methanol, water, and ethanol/water (8:2) under various conditions. Synthesis of reduced steviol glycosides was performed using straightforward chemistry and their structures were characterized on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectral data, including a comparison with reported spectral data. PMID:23896597

Hydrogenation of the Exocyclic Olefinic Bond at C-16/C-17 Position of ent-Kaurane Diterpene Glycosides of Stevia rebaudiana Using Various Catalysts

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Indra Prakash

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Catalytic hydrogenation of the exocyclic double bond present between C16 and C17 carbons of the four ent-kaurane diterpene glycosides namely rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, and rebaudioside D isolated from Stevia rebaudiana has been carried out using Pt/C, Pd(OH2, Rh/C, Raney Ni, PtO2, and 5% Pd/BaCO3 to their corresponding dihydro derivatives with 17α and 17β methyl group isomers. Reactions were performed using the above-mentioned catalysts with the solvents methanol, water, and ethanol/water (8:2 under various conditions. Synthesis of reduced steviol glycosides was performed using straightforward chemistry and their structures were characterized on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectral data, including a comparison with reported spectral data.

The In Vitro Mass-Produced Model Mycorrhizal Fungus, Rhizophagus irregularis, Significantly Increases Yields of the Globally Important Food Security Crop Cassava

Science.gov (United States)

Ceballos, Isabel; Ruiz, Michael; Fernández, Cristhian; Peña, Ricardo

2013-01-01

The arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis is formed between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant roots. The fungi provide the plant with inorganic phosphate (P). The symbiosis can result in increased plant growth. Although most global food crops naturally form this symbiosis, very few studies have shown that their practical application can lead to large-scale increases in food production. Application of AMF to crops in the tropics is potentially effective for improving yields. However, a main problem of using AMF on a large-scale is producing cheap inoculum in a clean sterile carrier and sufficiently concentrated to cheaply transport. Recently, mass-produced in vitro inoculum of the model mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis became available, potentially making its use viable in tropical agriculture. One of the most globally important food plants in the tropics is cassava. We evaluated the effect of in vitro mass-produced R. irregularis inoculum on the yield of cassava crops at two locations in Colombia. A significant effect of R. irregularis inoculation on yield occurred at both sites. At one site, yield increases were observed irrespective of P fertilization. At the other site, inoculation with AMF and 50% of the normally applied P gave the highest yield. Despite that AMF inoculation resulted in greater food production, economic analyses revealed that AMF inoculation did not give greater return on investment than with conventional cultivation. However, the amount of AMF inoculum used was double the recommended dose and was calculated with European, not Colombian, inoculum prices. R. irregularis can also be manipulated genetically in vitro, leading to improved plant growth. We conclude that application of in vitro R. irregularis is currently a way of increasing cassava yields, that there is a strong potential for it to be economically profitable and that there is enormous potential to improve this efficiency further in the future. PMID:23950975

The in vitro mass-produced model mycorrhizal fungus, Rhizophagus irregularis, significantly increases yields of the globally important food security crop cassava.

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Isabel Ceballos

Full Text Available The arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis is formed between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF and plant roots. The fungi provide the plant with inorganic phosphate (P. The symbiosis can result in increased plant growth. Although most global food crops naturally form this symbiosis, very few studies have shown that their practical application can lead to large-scale increases in food production. Application of AMF to crops in the tropics is potentially effective for improving yields. However, a main problem of using AMF on a large-scale is producing cheap inoculum in a clean sterile carrier and sufficiently concentrated to cheaply transport. Recently, mass-produced in vitro inoculum of the model mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis became available, potentially making its use viable in tropical agriculture. One of the most globally important food plants in the tropics is cassava. We evaluated the effect of in vitro mass-produced R. irregularis inoculum on the yield of cassava crops at two locations in Colombia. A significant effect of R. irregularis inoculation on yield occurred at both sites. At one site, yield increases were observed irrespective of P fertilization. At the other site, inoculation with AMF and 50% of the normally applied P gave the highest yield. Despite that AMF inoculation resulted in greater food production, economic analyses revealed that AMF inoculation did not give greater return on investment than with conventional cultivation. However, the amount of AMF inoculum used was double the recommended dose and was calculated with European, not Colombian, inoculum prices. R. irregularis can also be manipulated genetically in vitro, leading to improved plant growth. We conclude that application of in vitro R. irregularis is currently a way of increasing cassava yields, that there is a strong potential for it to be economically profitable and that there is enormous potential to improve this efficiency further in the future.

Effect of Increase in Plant Density on Stem Yield and Sucrose Content in Two Sweet Sorghum Cultivars

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A Soleymani

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract In order to evaluate the effect of increase plant density on stalk yield and sucrose content in two sweet sorghum cultivars, an experiment was conducted at Research Farm of Isfahan University located at Zaghmar village. A split plot layout within a randomized complete block design with tree replication was used. Main plots were plant densities (100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 thousand plant/ha and subplots were cultivars (Rio and Keller. The effect of plant density at hard dough harvest stage on plant height, stem diameter, number of tillers, stem fresh weight and juice yield were significant but had no significant effect on brix, sucrose percentage and purity. The highest juice yield and purity were produced by 400 thousand plants/ha. Keller was significantly superior for plant height, stem diameter, stem fresh weight, juice yield and brix at hard dough harvest stage as compared to Rio. Number of tiller per plant of Rio was significantly more than Keller. There were no significant difference between two cultivars for sucrose percentage and purity but sucrose percentage in Keller had highest as compared to Rio. Maximum stem fresh weight, juice yield, sucrose percentage and purity were obtained at hard dough harvest stag. On the basis of the results obtained, 400 thousand plant/ha plant density, Keller cultivar and hard dough harvest stage might be suitable for sweet sorghum production under the condition similar to the present study. Keywords: Sweet sorghum, Stem yield, Sucrose percentage, Harvesting stages

Slope Controls Grain Yield and Climatic Yield in Mountainous Yunnan province, China

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, X.; Rong, L.; Gu, Z.; Feng, D.

2017-12-01

Mountainous regions are increasingly vulnerable to food insecurity because of limited arable land, growing population pressure, and climate change. Development of sustainable mountain agriculture will require an increased understanding of the effects of environmental factors on grain and climatic yields. The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between actual grain yield, climatic yield, and environmental factors in a mountainous region in China. We collected data on the average grain yield per unit area in 119 counties in Yunnan province from 1985 to 2012, and chose 17 environmental factors for the same period. Our results showed that actual grain yield ranged from 1.43 to 6.92 t·ha-1, and the climatic yield ranged from -0.15 to -0.01 t·ha-1. Lower climatic yield but higher grain yield was generally found in central areas and at lower slopes and elevations in the western and southwestern counties of Yunnan province. Higher climatic yield but lower grain yield were found in northwestern parts of Yunnan province on steep slopes. Annual precipation and temperature had a weak influence on the climatic yield. Slope explained 44.62 and 26.29% of the variation in grain yield and climatic yield. The effects of topography on grain and climatic yields were greater than climatic factors. Slope was the most important environmental variable for the variability in climatic and grain yields in the mountainous Yunnan province due to the highly heterogeneous topographic conditions. Conversion of slopes to terraces in areas with higher climatic yields is an effective way to maintain grain production in response to climate variability. Additionally, soil amendments and soil and water conservation measures should be considered to maintain soil fertility and aid in sustainable development in central areas, and in counties at lower slopes and elevations in western and southwestern Yunnan province.

A natural variant of NAL1, selected in high-yield rice breeding programs, pleiotropically increases photosynthesis rate

Science.gov (United States)

Takai, Toshiyuki; Adachi, Shunsuke; Taguchi-Shiobara, Fumio; Sanoh-Arai, Yumiko; Iwasawa, Norio; Yoshinaga, Satoshi; Hirose, Sakiko; Taniguchi, Yojiro; Yamanouchi, Utako; Wu, Jianzhong; Matsumoto, Takashi; Sugimoto, Kazuhiko; Kondo, Katsuhiko; Ikka, Takashi; Ando, Tsuyu; Kono, Izumi; Ito, Sachie; Shomura, Ayahiko; Ookawa, Taiichiro; Hirasawa, Tadashi; Yano, Masahiro; Kondo, Motohiko; Yamamoto, Toshio

2013-01-01

Improvement of leaf photosynthesis is an important strategy for greater crop productivity. Here we show that the quantitative trait locus GPS (GREEN FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS) in rice (Oryza sativa L.) controls photosynthesis rate by regulating carboxylation efficiency. Map-based cloning revealed that GPS is identical to NAL1 (NARROW LEAF1), a gene previously reported to control lateral leaf growth. The high-photosynthesis allele of GPS was found to be a partial loss-of-function allele of NAL1. This allele increased mesophyll cell number between vascular bundles, which led to thickened leaves, and it pleiotropically enhanced photosynthesis rate without the detrimental side effects observed in previously identified nal1 mutants, such as dwarf plant stature. Furthermore, pedigree analysis suggested that rice breeders have repeatedly selected the high-photosynthesis allele in high-yield breeding programs. The identification and utilization of NAL1 (GPS) can enhance future high-yield breeding and provides a new strategy for increasing rice productivity. PMID:23985993

Application of Bioorganic Fertilizer Significantly Increased Apple Yields and Shaped Bacterial Community Structure in Orchard Soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lei; Li, Jing; Yang, Fang; E, Yaoyao; Raza, Waseem; Huang, Qiwei; Shen, Qirong

2017-02-01

Application of bioorganic fertilizers has been reported to improve crop yields and change soil bacterial community structure; however, little work has been done in apple orchard soils where the biological properties of the soils are being degraded due to long-term application of chemical fertilizers. In this study, we used Illumina-based sequencing approach to characterize the bacterial community in the 0-60-cm soil profile under different fertilizer regimes in the Loess Plateau. The experiment includes three treatments: (1) control without fertilization (CK); (2) application of chemical fertilizer (CF); and (3) application of bioorganic fertilizer and organic-inorganic mixed fertilizer (BOF). The results showed that the treatment BOF increased the apple yields by 114 and 67 % compared to the CK and CF treatments, respectively. The treatment BOF also increased the soil organic matter (SOM) by 22 and 16 % compared to the CK and CF treatments, respectively. The Illumina-based sequencing showed that Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria were the predominant phyla and Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria were the most abundant classes in the soil profile. The bacterial richness for ACE was increased after the addition of BOF. Compared to CK and CF treatments, BOF-treated soil revealed higher abundance of Proteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, Rhizobiales, and Xanthomonadales while Acidobacteria, Gp7, Gp17, and Sphaerobacter were found in lower abundance throughout the soil profile. Bacterial community structure varied with soil depth under different fertilizer treatments, e.g., the bacterial richness, diversity, and the relative abundance of Verruccomicrobia, Candidatus Brocadiales, and Skermanella were decreased with the soil depth in all three treatments. Permutational multivariate analysis showed that the fertilizer regime was the major factor than soil depth in the variations of the bacterial community composition. Two groups, Lysobacter

Potato yield and yield structure depending on irrigation

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Milić Stanko

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In the agroclimatic conditions of the Vojvodina Province, the application of an economic water regime and modern technology is necessary for stable and intensive potato production. A two-year experiment on calcareous chernozem was carried out to determine how irrigation and different pre-irrigation soil moisture affect potato yield and distribution of tuber fraction in the potato yield. The block-design trial had four replicates and was adapted for sprinkler irrigation conditions. It included four treatments: irrigation with pre-irrigation moisture levels of 60 % of field water capacity (FC, irrigation with pre-irrigation moisture levels of 70 % (FC, irrigation with pre-irrigation moisture levels of 80% (FC, and a non-irrigated control treatment. Irrigation significantly increased the yield of potato, which increased from 37.27 % to 75.86 %. Under irrigation, the percentage of small fractions decreased in favour of the 55 mm one, or fractions above the 45-55 mm range. On average, irrigated treatments produced significantly more tubers than the conditions of natural water supply. .

Repeated applications of CPPU on highbush blueberry cv. Duke increase yield and enhance fruit quality at harvest and during postharvest

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Jorge B Retamales

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Applications of N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl-N'-phenylurea (CPPU can increase blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. yield and fruit size, but their impact on postharvest is unknown. We studied repeated CPPU applications effects on yield and quality (harvest, postharvest, over 2 yr on mature 'Duke' plants in South-Central Chile. The first year, 5 or 10 mL L-1 CPPU was applied at 3, 10, and/or 17 d after full bloom (DAFB plus a non-sprayed control. The second year, 5 or 10 mL L-1 CPPU were sprayed 10 and 17 DAFB plus a control. The first year, only 10 mL L-1 CPPU sprayed 3+17 DAFB increased yield (32.5% > control; 10 mL L-1 CPPU applied 10 or 3+17 DAFB had highest fruit diameter; and 10 mL L-1 CPPU at 17 DAFB or at 3+10+17 DAFB had highest soluble solids. Overall, 10 mL L-1 CPPU applied 3+17 DAFB, was the best treatment for year one, since it increased fruit yield and diameter, while soluble solids and postharvest weight loss were similar to control. The second year, 10 mL L-1 CPPU reduced fruit coloration (blue color coverage index: BCCI and soluble solids, but not firmness at harvest. This rate increased berry weight (24.2% and fruit wax (59% > wax coverage index: WCI at harvest. Harvest and postharvest WCI increased consistently as CPPU rate increased. CPPU reduced fruit rotting (15% at 45+5 evaluation. During storage, CPPU-treated-fruit had a slower decrease in firmness (30.5% < control at 30+1, but no difference at 30+5. CPPU-treated-fruit usually had higher post harvest soluble solids. Ten mL L-1 CPPU retarded color evolution at harvest and at 30+1, but not at 30+5, 40+1 or 40+5.

Effect of nitrogen and water deficit type on the yield gap between the potential and attainable wheat yield

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Jiangang Liu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Water deficit and N fertilizer are the two primary limiting factors for wheat yield in the North China plain, the most important winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. production area in China. Analyzing the yield gap between the potential yield and the attainable yield can quantify the potential for increasing wheat production and exploring the limiting factors to yield gap in the high-yielding farming region of North China Plain. The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT model was used to identify methods to increase the grain yield and decrease the gap. In order to explore the impact of N and cultivars on wheat yield in the different drought types, the climate conditions during 1981 to 2011 growing seasons was categorized into low, moderate, and severe water deficit classes according to the anomaly percentage of the water deficit rate during the entire wheat growing season. There are differences (P < 0.0001 in the variations of the potential yields among three cultivars over 30 yr. For all three water deficit types, the more recent cultivars Jimai22 and Shijiazhuang8 had higher yields compared to the older 'Jinan17'. As the N fertilizer rate increased, the yield gap decreased more substantially during the low water deficit years because of the significant increase in attainable yield. Overall, the yield gaps were smaller with less water stress. Replacement of cultivars and appropriate N fertilizer application based on the forecasted drought types can narrow the yield gap effectively.

Furano diterpenes from Pterodon pubescens Benth with selective in vitro anticancer activity for prostate cell line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spindola, Humberto M.; Carvalho, Joao E. de; Ruiz, Ana Lucia T.G.; Rodrigues, Rodney A. F.; Denny, Carina; Sousa, Ilza M. de Oliveira; Foglio, Mary Ann; Tamashiro, Jorge Y.

2009-01-01

Activity guided fractionation of Pterodon pubescens Benth. methylene chloride-soluble fraction afforded novel 6α-acetoxi 7β-hydroxy-vouacapan 1 and four known diterpene furans 2, 3, 4, 5. The compounds were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic activities against human normal cells and tumour cell lines UACC-62 (melanoma), MCF-7 (breast), NCI-H460 (lung, non-small cells), OVCAR-03 (ovarian), PC-3 (prostate), HT-29 (colon), 786-0 (renal), K562 (leukemia) and NCI-ADR/RES (ovarian expressing phenotype multiple drugs resistance). Results were expressed by three concentration dependent parameters GI 50 (concentration that produces 50% growth inhibition), TGI (concentration that produces total growth inhibition or cytostatic effect) and LC 50 (concentration that produces .50% growth, a cytotoxicity parameter). Also, in vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated against 3T3 cell line (mouse embryonic fibroblasts). Antiproliferative properties of compounds 1, 4 and 5 are herein reported for the first time. These compounds showed selectivity in a concentration-dependent way against human PC-3. Compound 1 demonstrated selectivity 26 fold more potent than the positive control, doxorubicin, for PC-3 (prostrate) cell line based on GI 50 values, causing cytostatic effect (TGI value) at a concentration fifteen times less than positive control. Moreover comparison of 50% lethal concentration (LC 50 value) with positive control (doxorubicin) suggested that compound 1 was less toxic. (author)

Exogenous Cytokinins Increase Grain Yield of Winter Wheat Cultivars by Improving Stay-Green Characteristics under Heat Stress.

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Dongqing Yang

Full Text Available Stay-green, a key trait of wheat, can not only increase the yield of wheat but also its resistance to heat stress during active photosynthesis. Cytokinins are the most potent general coordinator between the stay-green trait and senescence. The objectives of the present study were to identify and assess the effects of cytokinins on the photosynthetic organ and heat resistance in wheat. Two winter wheat cultivars, Wennong 6 (a stay-green cultivar and Jimai 20 (a control cultivar, were subjected to heat stress treatment from 1 to 5 days after anthesis (DAA. The two cultivars were sprayed daily with 10 mg L-1 of 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA between 1 and 3 DAA under ambient and elevated temperature conditions. We found that the heat stress significantly decreased the number of kernels per spike and the grain yield (P < 0.05. Heat stress also decreased the zeatin riboside (ZR content, but increased the gibberellin (GA3, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA, and abscisic acid (ABA contents at 3 to 15 DAA. Application of 6-BA significantly (P < 0.05 increased the grain-filling rate, endosperm cell division rate, endosperm cell number, and 1,000-grain weight under heated condition. 6-BA application increased ZR and IAA contents at 3 to 28 DAA, but decreased GA3 and ABA contents. The contents of ZR, ABA, and IAA in kernels were positively and significantly correlated with the grain-filling rate (P < 0.05, whereas GA3 was counter-productive at 3 to 15 DAA. These results suggest that the decrease in grain yield under heat stress was due to a lower ZR content and a higher GA3 content compared to that at elevated temperature during the early development of the kernels, which resulted in less kernel number and lower grain-filling rate. The results also provide essential information for further utilization of the cytokinin substances in the cultivation of heat-resistant wheat.

Combining Urease and Nitrification Inhibitors with Incorporation Reduces Ammonia and Nitrous Oxide Emissions and Increases Corn Yields.

Science.gov (United States)

Drury, Craig F; Yang, Xueming; Reynolds, W Dan; Calder, Wayne; Oloya, Tom O; Woodley, Alex L

2017-09-01

Less than 50% of applied nitrogen (N) fertilizer is typically recovered by corn ( L.) due to climatic constraints, soil degradation, overapplication, and losses to air and water. Two application methods, two N sources, and two inhibitors were evaluated to reduce N losses and enhance crop uptake. The treatments included broadcast urea (BrUrea), BrUrea with a urease inhibitor (BrUrea+UI), BrUrea with a urease and a nitrification inhibitor (BrUrea+UI+NI), injection of urea ammonium nitrate (InjUAN), and injected with one or both inhibitors (InjUAN+UI, InjUAN+UI+NI), and a control. The BrUrea treatment lost 50% (64.4 kg N ha) of the applied N due to ammonia volatilization, but losses were reduced by 64% with BrUrea+UI+NI (23.0 kg N ha) and by 60% with InjUAN (26.1 kg N ha). Ammonia losses were lower and crop yields were greater in 2014 than 2013 as a result of the more favorable weather when N was applied in 2014. When ammonia volatilization was reduced by adding a urease inhibitor, NO emissions were increased by 30 to 31% with BrUrea+UI and InjUAN+UI compared with BrUrea and InjUAN, respectively. Pollution swapping was avoided when both inhibitors were used (BrUrea+UI+NI, InjUAN+UI+NI) as both ammonia volatilization and NO emissions were reduced, and corn grain yields increased by 5% with BrUrea+UI+NI and by 7% with InjUAN+UI+NI compared with BrUrea and InjUAN, respectively. The combination of two N management strategies (InjUAN+UI+NI) increased yields by 19% (12.9 t ha) compared with BrUrea (10.8 t ha). Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Climatic and technological ceilings for Chinese rice stagnation based on yield gaps and yield trend pattern analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tianyi; Yang, Xiaoguang; Wang, Hesong; Li, Yong; Ye, Qing

2014-04-01

Climatic or technological ceilings could cause yield stagnation. Thus, identifying the principal reasons for yield stagnation within the context of the local climate and socio-economic conditions are essential for informing regional agricultural policies. In this study, we identified the climatic and technological ceilings for seven rice-production regions in China based on yield gaps and on a yield trend pattern analysis for the period 1980-2010. The results indicate that 54.9% of the counties sampled experienced yield stagnation since the 1980. The potential yield ceilings in northern and eastern China decreased to a greater extent than in other regions due to the accompanying climate effects of increases in temperature and decreases in radiation. This may be associated with yield stagnation and halt occurring in approximately 49.8-57.0% of the sampled counties in these areas. South-western China exhibited a promising scope for yield improvement, showing the greatest yield gap (30.6%), whereas the yields were stagnant in 58.4% of the sampled counties. This finding suggests that efforts to overcome the technological ceiling must be given priority so that the available exploitable yield gap can be achieved. North-eastern China, however, represents a noteworthy exception. In the north-central area of this region, climate change has increased the yield potential ceiling, and this increase has been accompanied by the most rapid increase in actual yield: 1.02 ton ha(-1) per decade. Therefore, north-eastern China shows a great potential for rice production, which is favoured by the current climate conditions and available technology level. Additional environmentally friendly economic incentives might be considered in this region. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Co-Digestion of Sugar Beet Silage Increases Biogas Yield from Fibrous Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Einfalt, Daniel; Kazda, Marian

2016-01-01

This study tested the hypothesis that the easily degradable carbohydrates of the sugar beet silage (S) will improve the anaerobic digestion of grass silage (G) more profoundly compared to co-digestion of sugar beet silage with maize silage (M). M : S and G : S mixtures were tested in two continuous laboratory-scale AD experiments at volatile solid ratios of 1 : 0, 6 : 1, 3 : 1, and 1 : 3 at organic loading rates of 1.5 kgVS m−3 day−1. While the sugar beet effects in mixtures with maize silage were negligible, co-digestion with grass silage showed a beneficial performance. There, the specific methane production rate was 0.27 lN kg−1VS h−1at G : S ratio of 6 : 1 compared to G : S 1 : 0 with 0.14 lN kg−1VS h−1. In comparison to G : S 1 : 0, about 44% and 62% higher biogas yields were obtained at G : S 6 : 1 and 3 : 1, respectively. Also, the highest methane concentration was found in G : S at ratio of 1 : 3. Synergistic increase of methane yield was found in co-digestion in both experiments, but higher effect was realized in G : S, independently of the amount of sugar beet silage. The findings of this study emphasize the improvement of AD of grass silage by even low addition of sugar beet silage. PMID:27807538

Effect of Salinity and Silicon on Seed Yield and Yield Components of Purslane Portulaca oleracea L.(

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z Rahimi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract In order to study the effects on salinity and silicon application on yield and yield components of purslane (Portulaca oleracea L., an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized desgin with three replications and two factors consisted of four different levels of salinity using NaCl (0, 7, 14, 21dS/m and two levels of silicon (application of one mMol sodium silicate and not application. Increasing salinity concentration significantly caused a negative effect on seed yield. But yield components such as number and weight of seed were more sensitive than number of capsul in main stem in final seed yield. Application of silicon increased seed yield in control but was not significant in salinity levels and leaves and stem biomass. Seed yield and total seed weight in branches was significantly decresed. Weight of 1000 seed in main stem and branches was not significantly different in salinity levels. As a result, purslane could be extremely tolerated to saline conditions, so it seems that it can be cultivated in saline soils and arid regions. Also applied silicon can be increase yield and plant tolerance to environmental stress. Keywords: 1000 seed, Branches, Capsul, Dry weight

Kaurene diterpene induces apoptosis in U87 human malignant glioblastoma cells by suppression of anti-apoptotic signals and activation of cysteine proteases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lizarte, F.S. Neto; Tirapelli, D.P.C. [Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Cirurgia e Anatomia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP (Brazil); Ambrosio, S.R. [Universidade de Franca, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências e Tecnologia, Franca, SP (Brazil); Tirapelli, C.R. [Universidade de São Paulo, Laboratório de Farmacologia, Departamento de Enfermagem Psiquiátrica e Ciências Humanas, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP (Brazil); Oliveira, F.M. [Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP (Brazil); Novais, P.C. [Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Cirurgia e Anatomia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP (Brazil); Peria, F.M.; Oliveira, H.F. [Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP (Brazil); Carlotti, C.G. Junior; Tirapelli, L.F. [Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Cirurgia e Anatomia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP (Brazil)

2013-01-11

Gliomas are the most common and malignant primary brain tumors in humans. Studies have shown that classes of kaurene diterpene have anti-tumor activity related to their ability to induce apoptosis. We investigated the response of the human glioblastoma cell line U87 to treatment with ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (kaurenoic acid, KA). We analyzed cell survival and the induction of apoptosis using flow cytometry and annexin V staining. Additionally, the expression of anti-apoptotic (c-FLIP and miR-21) and apoptotic (Fas, caspase-3 and caspase-8) genes was analyzed by relative quantification (real-time PCR) of mRNA levels in U87 cells that were either untreated or treated with KA (30, 50, or 70 µM) for 24, 48, and 72 h. U87 cells treated with KA demonstrated reduced viability, and an increase in annexin V- and annexin V/PI-positive cells was observed. The percentage of apoptotic cells was 9% for control cells, 26% for cells submitted to 48 h of treatment with 50 µM KA, and 31% for cells submitted to 48 h of treatment with 70 µM KA. Similarly, in U87 cells treated with KA for 48 h, we observed an increase in the expression of apoptotic genes (caspase-8, -3) and a decrease in the expression of anti-apoptotic genes (miR-21 and c-FLIP). KA possesses several interesting properties and induces apoptosis through a unique mechanism. Further experiments will be necessary to determine if KA may be used as a lead compound for the development of new chemotherapeutic drugs for the treatment of primary brain tumors.

Kaurene diterpene induces apoptosis in U87 human malignant glioblastoma cells by suppression of anti-apoptotic signals and activation of cysteine proteases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lizarte, F.S. Neto; Tirapelli, D.P.C.; Ambrosio, S.R.; Tirapelli, C.R.; Oliveira, F.M.; Novais, P.C.; Peria, F.M.; Oliveira, H.F.; Carlotti, C.G. Junior; Tirapelli, L.F.

2013-01-01

Gliomas are the most common and malignant primary brain tumors in humans. Studies have shown that classes of kaurene diterpene have anti-tumor activity related to their ability to induce apoptosis. We investigated the response of the human glioblastoma cell line U87 to treatment with ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (kaurenoic acid, KA). We analyzed cell survival and the induction of apoptosis using flow cytometry and annexin V staining. Additionally, the expression of anti-apoptotic (c-FLIP and miR-21) and apoptotic (Fas, caspase-3 and caspase-8) genes was analyzed by relative quantification (real-time PCR) of mRNA levels in U87 cells that were either untreated or treated with KA (30, 50, or 70 µM) for 24, 48, and 72 h. U87 cells treated with KA demonstrated reduced viability, and an increase in annexin V- and annexin V/PI-positive cells was observed. The percentage of apoptotic cells was 9% for control cells, 26% for cells submitted to 48 h of treatment with 50 µM KA, and 31% for cells submitted to 48 h of treatment with 70 µM KA. Similarly, in U87 cells treated with KA for 48 h, we observed an increase in the expression of apoptotic genes (caspase-8, -3) and a decrease in the expression of anti-apoptotic genes (miR-21 and c-FLIP). KA possesses several interesting properties and induces apoptosis through a unique mechanism. Further experiments will be necessary to determine if KA may be used as a lead compound for the development of new chemotherapeutic drugs for the treatment of primary brain tumors

Does Integration Help Adapt to Climate Change? Case of Increased US Corn Yield Volatility

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, M.; Diffenbaugh, N. S.; Hertel, T. W.

2012-12-01

In absence of of new crop varieties or significant shifts in the geography of corn production, US national corn yields variation could double by the year 2040 as a result of climate change and without adaptation this could lead the variability in US corn prices to quadruple (Diffenbaugh et al. 2012). In addition to climate induced price changes, analysis of recent commodity price spikes suggests that interventionist trade policies are partly to blame. Assuming we cannot much influence the future climate outcome, what policies can we undertake to adapt better? Can we use markets to blunt this edge? Diffenbaugh et al. find that sale of corn- ethanol for use in liquid fuel, when governed by quotas such as US Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), could make US corn prices even more variable; in contrast the same food-fuel market link (we refer to it as intersectoral link) may well dampen price volatility when the sale of corn to ethanol industry is driven by higher future oil prices. The latter however comes at the cost of exposing corn prices to the greater volatility in oil markets. Similarly intervention in corn trade can make US corn prices less or more volatile by distorting international corn price transmission. A negative US corn yield shock shows that domestic corn supply falls and domestic prices to go up irrespective of whether or not markets are integrated. How much the prices go up depends on how much demand adjusts to accommodate the supply shock. Based on the forgoing analysis, one should expect that demand would adjust more readily when markets are integrated and therefore reduce the resulting price fluctuation. Simulation results confirm this response of corn markets. In terms of relative comparisons however a policy driven intersectoral integration is least effective and prices rise much more. Similarly, a positive world oil price shock makes the US oil imports expensive and with oil being used to produce gasoline blends, it increases the price of gasoline

Effects of nitrogen application method and weed control on corn yield and yield components.

Science.gov (United States)

Sepahvand, Pariya; Sajedi, Nurali; Mousavi, Seyed Karim; Ghiasvand, Mohsen

2014-04-01

The effects of nitrogen fertilizer application and different methods for weed control on yield and yield components of corn was evaluated in Khorramabad in 2011. The experiment was conducted as a split plot based on randomized complete block design in 3 replications. Nitrogen application was as main plot in 4 levels (no nitrogen, broadcasting nitrogen, banding nitrogen and sprayed nitrogen) and methods of weed control were in 4 levels (non-control weeds, application Equip herbicide, once hand control of weeds and application Equip herbicide+once time weeding) was as subplots. Result illustrated that effects of nitrogen fertilizer application were significant on grain and forage yield, 100 seeds weight, harvest index, grain number per row and cob weight per plant. Grain yield increased by 91.4 and 3.9% in application banding and broadcasting for nitrogen fertilizer, respectively, compared to the no fertilizer treatment. The results show improved efficiency of nitrogen utilization by banding application. Grain yield, harvest index, seed rows per cob, seeds per row and cob weight were increased by weed control. In the application of Equip herbicide+ hand weeding treatment corn grain yield was increased 126% in comparison to weedy control. It represents of the intense affects of weed competition with corn. The highest corn grain yield (6758 kg h(-1)) was related to the application banding of nitrogen fertilizer and Equip herbicide+once hand weeding.

Effect of sulfur and iron fertilizers on yield, yield components and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Jane

2011-06-13

Jun 13, 2011 ... per plant. Interaction between water stress and combination of iron and sulfur fertilizers had significant .... Results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) of water stress (W), sulfur (B) and iron (C), and their interaction with gain yield, yield components and ... the soil structure and it increased the usefulness of other.

effect of some agronomic practices to increase maize yield in ghana

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

and the comparative effect of refilling with seed and seedling on the growth, optimum population density, and yield of ... and maintaining productivity (Ekboir et al.,. 2002). Due to the ... with seed maize, planting depth, insecticide and fungicide.

INCREASING YIELDS AND BROADENING MARKETS: PROCESS INNOVATIONS IN THE MANUFACTURING OF ENERGY-SAVING WINDOW GLAZINGS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mark Burdis; Neil Sbar

2005-04-01

The goal of this project was to develop and implement advanced thin film process technology which would significantly improve the manufacturability of both static and dynamic high performance energy saving coatings for windows. The work done has been aimed at improvements to the process that will result in increases in yield, and this was divided into four main areas, dealing with improvements in substrate preparation methods, reductions in the incidence of problems caused by particulate contamination, use of in-situ optical monitoring to improve process control, and overall system integration to enable simplified, and therefore lower cost operation. Significant progress has been made in each of the areas. In the area of substrate preparation, the enhanced washing techniques which have been developed, in combination with a new inspection technique, have resulted in significant reductions in the number of EC devices which are rejected because of substrate problems. Microscopic inspection of different defects in electrochromic devices showed that many were centered on particles. As a result, process improvements aimed at reducing the incidence of particles throughout the entire process have been implemented. As a result, the average number of defects occurring per unit area has been significantly reduced over the period of this project. The in-situ monitoring techniques developed during this project have become an indispensable part of the processing for EC devices. The deposition of several key layers is controlled as a result of in-situ monitoring, and this has facilitated significant improvements in uniformity and repeatability. Overall system integration has progressed to the stage where the goal of a closed-loop monitoring and control system in within reach, and it is anticipated that this will be achieved during the scale-up phase. There has been a clear increase in the yield occurring over the period of this project (Sept 1999 to September 2003), which is

Nitrogen rate and plant population effects on yield and yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-12-17

Gan et al., 2003). Nitrogen increases yield by influencing a variety of agronomic and quality parameters. In general, there was an increase in plant height and dry matter accumulation per plant in soybean (Manral and Saxena, ...

CO₂ enrichment can produce high red leaf lettuce yield while increasing most flavonoid glycoside and some caffeic acid derivative concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Christine; Kläring, Hans-Peter

2016-05-15

Carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment is a common practice in greenhouses to increase crop yields up to 30%. Yet, reports on the effect on foliar phenolic compounds vary. We studied the effect on two red leaf lettuce cultivars, grown for 25 days in growth chambers at CO2 concentrations of 200 or 1,000 ppm, with some plants exchanged between treatments after 11 days. As expected, head mass increased with higher CO2 concentration. Regression analysis, corrected for head mass, showed increased concentrations of most flavonoid glycosides at high CO2 concentrations while only some caffeic acid derivatives were increased, and not uniformly in both cultivars. Sugar concentrations increased with CO2 concentration. Generally, conditions in the 10 days before harvest determined concentrations. We suspect that phenolic compounds were mainly accumulated because plenty of precursors were available. The results indicate that CO2 enrichment can result in high yields of red leaf lettuce rich in phenolic compounds. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effect of Different Levels of Sulphur Bentonite on Yield and Yield Components of Canola (Brassica napus L.

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B Rahimi

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In order to determine the effect of different levels of sulfur bentonite on yield and yield components of canola a factorial experiment was conducted on the basis of randomized complete block design with three replications in Mashhad in 2009-2010 growing season. Factors included four levels of sulfur bentonite (0, 300, 400 and 500 kg.h-1 and two varieties of canola (Modena and Zarfam. The result showed that the increase in sulfur increased some vegetative traits such as leaf area index and plant height. Using sulfur caused increased pod number, seed weight, in addition of oil and protein content and seed yield. Grain yield increase was due to seed weight and LAI. Two varieties were different to responses the sulfur. While in no sulfur application there was no significant difference in seed yield, in 500 Kg sulfur application yield of Zarfam compared to Modena increased about 29.63. According to the results there are significant differences between cultivars in terms of response to the sulfur fertilizer. Therefore it is necessary to evaluate effect of sulfur application of canola productivity in different climate conditions of Iran.

Optimal cofactor swapping can increase the theoretical yield for chemical production in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

King, Zachary A.; Feist, Adam

2014-01-01

Maintaining cofactor balance is a critical function in microorganisms, but often the native cofactor balance does not match the needs of an engineered metabolic flux state. Here, an optimization procedure is utilized to identify optimal cofactor-specificity "swaps" for oxidoreductase enzymes...... specificity of central metabolic enzymes (especially GAPD and ALCD2x) is shown to increase NADPH production and increase theoretical yields for native products in E. coli and yeast-including l-aspartate, l-lysine, l-isoleucine, l-proline, l-serine, and putrescine-and non-native products in E. coli-including 1...

Optimization of diterpenes bioconversion process by the fungus Cephalosporium aphidicola Otimização do processo de bioconversão de compostos diterpênicos pelo fungo Cephalosporium aphidicola

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacqueline Aparecida Takahashi

2000-06-01

Full Text Available Parameters for a more efficient biotransformation of diterpene-like compounds by the fungus Cephalosporium aphidicola were established by carrying out microscale feedings at several conditions. Experiments were guided by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography analysis. It was observed that the substrate should be added in ethanol at concentrations between 15 to 30 mg per 100 ml of medium. The extraction of the product showed to be more efficient when carried out from both mycelia and broth and using ethylacetate as the extracting solvent. The experiment should be stopped six days after feeding the substrate to the fungus for the best product yield.Condições otimizadas para a biotransformação de compostos diterpênicos pelo fungo Cephalosporium aphidicola foram determinadas, realizando-se incubações em microescala nas quais variaram-se parâmetros como o tempo de incubação e a quantidade de substrato adicionado. A velocidade (índice de bioconversão foi monitorada analisando-se os extratos de cultivo através de cromatografia em camada delgada e cromatografia gasosa. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que, para melhores rendimentos, o substrato deve ser adicionado em solução etanólica, na concentração de 15-30 mg por 100 mL de meio de cultura. A extração de produtos deve ser realizada com acetato de etila, a partir da fase aquosa e do micélio, no sexto dia após a adição do substrato. Estes resultados podem ser utilizados como um roteiro para incubações de compostos estruturalmente semelhantes com o fungo Cephalosporium aphidicola.

Greek Salvia sclarea L. Essential Oils: Effect of Hydrodistillation Time, Comparison of the Aroma Chemicals Using Hydrodistillation and HS-SPME Techniques

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Aikaterini Koutsaviti

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Since the essential oil of Salvia sclarea is used as a flavouring agent, the effect of different extraction techniques (hydrodistillation & HS-SPME and duration of hydrodistillation (2, 3 and 4 h with respect to yield, composition and identification rate of extracted essential oils from Greek cultivated S. sclarea aerial blooming parts were investigated. Linalool and linalyl acetate levels seemed to decrease with increasing duration of hydrodistillation, while diterpenes increased dramatically, while the head space analysis showed significantly lower levels of linalool in comparison to its ester. Thus, linalool (5.1-35.8%, linalyl acetate (11.3-37.6% and sclareol (0.0-41.8%, concerning the oils obtained by hydrodistillation, were the most important metabolites. Solid-phase microextraction yielded mainly oxygenated monoterpenes, especially linalyl acetate (59.3%, followed by cis-linalool oxide (8.6% and linalool (7.8%.

Quantitative Variation of Flavonoids and Diterpenes in Leaves and Stems of Cistus ladanifer L. at Different Ages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Valares Masa

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The compounds derived from secondary metabolism in plants perform a variety of ecological functions, providing the plant with resistance to biotic and abiotic factors. The basal levels of these metabolites for each organ, tissue or cell type depend on the development stage of the plant and they may be modified as a response to biotic and/or abiotic stress. As a consequence, the resistance state of a plant may vary in space and time. The secondary metabolites of Cistus ladanifer have been quantified in leaves and stems throughout autumn, winter, spring and summer, and at different ages of the plant. This study shows that there are significant differences between young leaves, mature leaves and stems, and between individuals of different ages. Young leaves show significantly greater synthesis of flavonoids and diterpenes than mature leaves and stems, with a clear seasonal variation, and the differences between leaves at different growth stages and stems is maintained during the quantified seasons. With respect to age, specimens under one year of age secreted significantly lower amounts of compounds. The variation in the composition of secondary metabolites between different parts of the plant, the season and the variations in age may determine the interactions of Cistus ladanifer with the biotic and abiotic factors to which it is exposed.

Inoculation of Schizolobium parahyba with mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria increases wood yield under field conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha Viviana Torres Cely

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum (Huber ex Ducke occurs naturally in the Brazilian Amazon. Currently, it is being planted extensively because of its fast growth and excellent use in forestry. Consequently, there is great interest in new strategies to increase wood production. The interaction between soil microorganisms and plants, specifically in the roots, provides essential nutrients for plant growth. These interactions can have growth-promoting effects. In this way, this study assessed the effect of the inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR on growth of S. parahyba var. amazonicum under field conditions. We used two native species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Claroideoglomus etunicatum (Ce and Acaulospora sp. (Ac; two native strains of Rhizobium sp. (Rh1 and Rh2; and a non-native strain of Burkholderia sp. Different combinations of microorganisms were supplemented with chemical fertilizers (doses D1 and D2 in two planting methods, seed sowing and seedling planting. In seed sowing, the results showed that treatments with Ce/Rh1/Fertilizer D2 and Ac/No PGPR/Fertilizer D2 increased wood yield. In seedling planting, two combinations (Ac/Rh2/Fertilizer D1 and Ac/Rh1/Fertilizer D1 were more effective in increasing seedling growth. In these experiments, inoculation with AMF and PGPR increased wood yield by about 20% compared to the application of fertilizer alone.

Inoculation of Schizolobium parahyba with Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Increases Wood Yield under Field Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cely, Martha V T; Siviero, Marco A; Emiliano, Janaina; Spago, Flávia R; Freitas, Vanessa F; Barazetti, André R; Goya, Erika T; Lamberti, Gustavo de Souza; Dos Santos, Igor M O; De Oliveira, Admilton G; Andrade, Galdino

2016-01-01

Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum (Huber ex Ducke) occurs naturally in the Brazilian Amazon. Currently, it is being planted extensively because of its fast growth and excellent use in forestry. Consequently, there is great interest in new strategies to increase wood production. The interaction between soil microorganisms and plants, specifically in the roots, provides essential nutrients for plant growth. These interactions can have growth-promoting effects. In this way, this study assessed the effect of the inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on growth of S. parahyba var. amazonicum under field conditions. We used two native species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Claroideoglomus etunicatum (Ce), and Acaulospora sp. (Ac); two native strains of Rhizobium sp. (Rh1 and Rh2); and a non-native strain of Burkholderia sp. Different combinations of microorganisms were supplemented with chemical fertilizers (doses D1 and D2) in two planting methods, seed sowing and seedling planting. In seed sowing, the results showed that treatments with Ce/Rh1/Fertilizer D2 and Ac/No PGPR/Fertilizer D2 increased wood yield. In seedling planting, two combinations (Ac/Rh2/Fertilizer D1 and Ac/Rh1/Fertilizer D1) were more effective in increasing seedling growth. In these experiments, inoculation with AMF and PGPR increased wood yield by about 20% compared to the application of fertilizer alone.

Rumen-protected lysine, methionine, and histidine increase milk protein yield in dairy cows fed a metabolizable protein-deficient diet.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, C; Hristov, A N; Cassidy, T W; Heyler, K S; Lapierre, H; Varga, G A; de Veth, M J; Patton, R A; Parys, C

2012-10-01

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of supplementing a metabolizable protein (MP)-deficient diet with rumen-protected (RP) Lys, Met, and specifically His on dairy cow performance. The experiment was conducted for 12 wk with 48 Holstein cows. Following a 2-wk covariate period, cows were blocked by DIM and milk yield and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 diets, based on corn silage and alfalfa haylage: control, MP-adequate diet (ADMP; MP balance: +9 g/d); MP-deficient diet (DMP; MP balance: -317 g/d); DMP supplemented with RPLys (AminoShure-L, Balchem Corp., New Hampton, NY) and RPMet (Mepron; Evonik Industries AG, Hanau, Germany; DMPLM); and DMPLM supplemented with an experimental RPHis preparation (DMPLMH). The analyzed crude protein content of the ADMP and DMP diets was 15.7 and 13.5 to 13.6%, respectively. The apparent total-tract digestibility of all measured nutrients, plasma urea-N, and urinary N excretion were decreased by the DMP diets compared with ADMP. Milk N secretion as a proportion of N intake was greater for the DMP diets compared with ADMP. Compared with ADMP, dry matter intake (DMI) tended to be lower for DMP, but was similar for DMPLM and DMPLMH (24.5, 23.0, 23.7, and 24.3 kg/d, respectively). Milk yield was decreased by DMP (35.2 kg/d), but was similar to ADMP (38.8 kg/d) for DMPLM and DMPLMH (36.9 and 38.5kg/d, respectively), paralleling the trend in DMI. The National Research Council 2001model underpredicted milk yield of the DMP cows by an average (±SE) of 10.3 ± 0.75 kg/d. Milk fat and true protein content did not differ among treatments, but milk protein yield was increased by DMPLM and DMPLMH compared with DMP and was not different from ADMP. Plasma essential amino acids (AA), Lys, and His were lower for DMP compared with ADMP. Supplementation of the DMP diets with RP AA increased plasma Lys, Met, and His. In conclusion, MP deficiency, approximately 15% below the National Research Council requirements from 2001, decreased

Inoculant of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Rhizophagus clarus increase yield of soybean and cotton under field conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha Viviana Torres Cely

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Nutrient availability is an important factor in crop production, and regular addition of chemical fertilizers is the most common practice to improve yield in agrosystems for intensive crop production. The use of some groups of microorganisms that have specific activity providing nutrients to plants is a good alternative, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF enhance plant nutrition by providing especially phosphorus (P, improving plant growth and increasing crop production. Unfortunately, the use of AMF as an inoculant on a large scale is not yet widely used, because of several limitations in obtaining a large amount of inoculum due to several factors, such as low growth, the few species domesticated under in vitro conditions, and high competition with native AMF. The objective of this work was to test the infectivity of a Rhizophagus clarus inoculum and its effectiveness as an alternative for P supply in soybean (Glycine max L. and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.. The experiments were carried out in plots and the treatments were: Fertilizer; AMF, AMF + Fertilizer and AMF + ½ Fertilizer; non-inoculated and non-fertilized plants were considered the control. The parameters evaluated were AMF root colonization and effect of inoculation on plant growth and yield under a field conditions. The results showed that AMF inoculation increased the effect of fertilizer application in soybean, and that in cotton R. clarus was more effective than chemical fertilizer

Increasing anaerobic acetate consumption and ethanol yields in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with NADPH-specific alcohol dehydrogenase.

Science.gov (United States)

Henningsen, Brooks M; Hon, Shuen; Covalla, Sean F; Sonu, Carolina; Argyros, D Aaron; Barrett, Trisha F; Wiswall, Erin; Froehlich, Allan C; Zelle, Rintze M

2015-12-01

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has recently been engineered to use acetate, a primary inhibitor in lignocellulosic hydrolysates, as a cosubstrate during anaerobic ethanolic fermentation. However, the original metabolic pathway devised to convert acetate to ethanol uses NADH-specific acetylating acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase and quickly becomes constrained by limited NADH availability, even when glycerol formation is abolished. We present alcohol dehydrogenase as a novel target for anaerobic redox engineering of S. cerevisiae. Introduction of an NADPH-specific alcohol dehydrogenase (NADPH-ADH) not only reduces the NADH demand of the acetate-to-ethanol pathway but also allows the cell to effectively exchange NADPH for NADH during sugar fermentation. Unlike NADH, NADPH can be freely generated under anoxic conditions, via the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway. We show that an industrial bioethanol strain engineered with the original pathway (expressing acetylating acetaldehyde dehydrogenase from Bifidobacterium adolescentis and with deletions of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase genes GPD1 and GPD2) consumed 1.9 g liter(-1) acetate during fermentation of 114 g liter(-1) glucose. Combined with a decrease in glycerol production from 4.0 to 0.1 g liter(-1), this increased the ethanol yield by 4% over that for the wild type. We provide evidence that acetate consumption in this strain is indeed limited by NADH availability. By introducing an NADPH-ADH from Entamoeba histolytica and with overexpression of ACS2 and ZWF1, we increased acetate consumption to 5.3 g liter(-1) and raised the ethanol yield to 7% above the wild-type level. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Transgenic tobacco overexpressing Brassica juncea HMG-CoA synthase 1 shows increased plant growth, pod size and seed yield.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pan Liao

Full Text Available Seeds are very important not only in the life cycle of the plant but they represent food sources for man and animals. We report herein a mutant of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase (HMGS, the second enzyme in the mevalonate (MVA pathway that can improve seed yield when overexpressed in a phylogenetically distant species. In Brassica juncea, the characterisation of four isogenes encoding HMGS has been previously reported. Enzyme kinetics on recombinant wild-type (wt and mutant BjHMGS1 had revealed that S359A displayed a 10-fold higher enzyme activity. The overexpression of wt and mutant (S359A BjHMGS1 in Arabidopsis had up-regulated several genes in sterol biosynthesis, increasing sterol content. To quickly assess the effects of BjHMGS1 overexpression in a phylogenetically more distant species beyond the Brassicaceae, wt and mutant (S359A BjHMGS1 were expressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Xanthi of the family Solanaceae. New observations on tobacco OEs not previously reported for Arabidopsis OEs included: (i phenotypic changes in enhanced plant growth, pod size and seed yield (more significant in OE-S359A than OE-wtBjHMGS1 in comparison to vector-transformed tobacco, (ii higher NtSQS expression and sterol content in OE-S359A than OE-wtBjHMGS1 corresponding to greater increase in growth and seed yield, and (iii induction of NtIPPI2 and NtGGPPS2 and downregulation of NtIPPI1, NtGGPPS1, NtGGPPS3 and NtGGPPS4. Resembling Arabidopsis HMGS-OEs, tobacco HMGS-OEs displayed an enhanced expression of NtHMGR1, NtSMT1-2, NtSMT2-1, NtSMT2-2 and NtCYP85A1. Overall, increased growth, pod size and seed yield in tobacco HMGS-OEs were attributed to the up-regulation of native NtHMGR1, NtIPPI2, NtSQS, NtSMT1-2, NtSMT2-1, NtSMT2-2 and NtCYP85A1. Hence, S359A has potential in agriculture not only in improving phytosterol content but also seed yield, which may be desirable in food crops. This work further demonstrates HMGS function in plant

Effect of zinc and plant-population on the yield and yield components of maize (zea mays L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kakar, K.M.; Sadiq, S.A.; Tariq, M.

2005-01-01

A field experiment was conducted during 2001 to study the effect of two levels of zinc (0 and 5 kg Zn ha-J) and three plant-densities (60,000, 80,000 and 100,000 plants ha-J) on the performance of two varieties of maize Azam and Pahari and two hybrids N7989 and Babar, at Malakandher Farm of NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar. Zinc at the rate of 5 kg ha-J increased the cob yield, grain yield and 1000-grain weight, while increase in plant-density significantly increased the number of grains cob-J, number of cob-plant-J, cob-yield, grain-yield and 1000-grain weight. Results revealed that the highest plant-density of 100,000 plant ha-J decreased the number of cobs plant-J, number of grains cob-J and 1000-grain weight. Maximum number of cobs plant-J (0.87), number of grains cob-J (313), cob yield (4602 kg ha-J), grain yield (4222 kg ha-J) and 1000-grain weight (249 g) were obtained with plant- density of 80,000 plant ha-J. The maximum grain-yield of 4333 kg ha-J was recorded in plots of hybrid variety N7989. (author)

Alumina Yield in the Bayer Process

Science.gov (United States)

Den Hond, R.

The alumina industry has historically been able to reduce alumina production costs, by increasing the liquor alumina yield. To know the potential for further yield increases, the phase diagram of the ternary system Na2O-Al2O -H2O at various temperature levels was analysed. It was found that the maximum theorical precipitation alumina yield is 160 g/l, while that for digestion was calculated to be 675 g/l.

Increasing the production yield of recombinant protein in transgenic seeds by expanding the deposition space within the intracellular compartment

OpenAIRE

Takaiwa, Fumio

2013-01-01

Seeds must maintain a constant level of nitrogen in order to germinate. When recombinant proteins are produced while endogenous seed protein expression is suppressed, the production levels of the foreign proteins increase to compensate for the decreased synthesis of endogenous proteins. Thus, exchanging the production of endogenous seed proteins for that of foreign proteins is a promising approach to increase the yield of foreign recombinant proteins. Providing a space for the deposition of r...

Evaluation of the Effect of Crop Rotations on Yield and Yield Components of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Darya)

OpenAIRE

H. A. Fallahi; U. Mahmadyarov; H. Sabouri; M. Ezat-Ahmadi4

2013-01-01

Grain yield in wheat is influenced directly and indirectly by other plant characteristics. One of the main goals in wheat breeding programs is increase of grain yield. Considering the role of crop rotation in increasing grain yield, and in order to study the difference between crop rotations for wheat yield and yield components (Darya cultivar), an experiment was conducted with six rotation treatments (wheat-chickpea-wheat, wheat-cotton-wheat, wheat-watermelon-wheat, wheat-wheat-wheat, wheat-...

Grain yield increase in cereal variety mixtures: A meta-analysis of field trials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiær, Lars Pødenphant; Skovgaard, Ib; Østergård, Hanne

2009-01-01

on grain yield. To investigate the prevalence and preconditions for positive mixing effects, reported grain yields of variety mixtures and pure variety stands were obtained from previously published variety trials, converted into relative mixing effects and combined using meta-analysis. Furthermore...... as meeting the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis; on the other hand, nearly 200 studies were discarded. The accepted studies reported results on both winter and spring types of each crop species. Relative mixing effects ranged from 30% to 100% with an overall meta-estimate of at least 2.7% (p

Effects of Foliar Application of Nitrogen, Zinc and Manganese on Yield, Yield Components and Grain Quality of Chickpea in Two Growing Seasons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Shirani

2015-09-01

Full Text Available To study the effects of foliar application of zinc, manganese and nitrogen on yield, yield components and grain quality of chickpea (Cicer arientinum L. two experiments, one in autumn and the other in spring were conducted at Research Farm, Shahrekord University in 2009-2010 growing season each as a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments were foliar application of zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate zinc sulfate and manganese sulfate mixture, nitrogen and distilled water (as control. The results showed that planting season had a significant effect on plant height, 100-seed weight and seed yield. All measured traits, except plant height, increased in winter compared to spring growing season. This increase was more than 12% for grain yield. Foliar application of nutrients significantly affected seed yield and seed yield components. Foliar application of nitrogen, presumably, through significant increase in number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant and 100-seed weight, increased the grain yield by 6.2% compared to control. Foliar application × planting season interactions were significant for plant height and number of pods per plant. Foliar application of nitrogen caused a significant increase in grain yield and protein content. Foliar application of zinc sulphate significantly increased Zn content of grains however it did not affect seed yield. In conclusion, foliar application of nitrogen could be suggested for increasing protein and grain yield in chickpea under similar conditions to that of the present study.

CONVERSION PRODUCT STRUCTURE AS TOOL TO INCREASE YIELD PROCESSING ORGANIZATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. Khorev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The authors' analysis of the performance of organizations, processing raw materials of agricultural origin, in particular, dealing with meat processing, identified the need to develop tools to increase their profitability. Unlike common approaches to assessing the profitability of the processing organizations, taking into account only the interests of the organization's leadership and buyers of products, the authors proposed and implemented a concept based on the interests of participants in the triune balance business activities: owners of capital, management organizations and consumers. As one of the tools for improving the yield of processing organizations are invited to transform their product mix of economic evaluations of profitability of each product line positions. Russian researchers income from product sales are traditionally measured by indicators such as net income, income from sales, profit margins and profitability level - in terms of return on sales. The disadvantage of using these indicators, according to the authors, is their lack of objectivity in the evaluation of the effectiveness of investment business owners. In this work was used unconventional and non-proliferation in the Russian practice, the rate of economic value added (EVA, a built - in system of profitability assortment positions. As indicators, the production of a particular product line units proposed and used two quantitative indicators - EVA level per unit of production and profitability of production (for EVA, as well as a quality parameter - the level of demand. Developed by the evaluation program transformation product structure represented as a matrix management capabilities, allowing to achieve a balance of interests of the triune main participants in business activity.

Stevia rebaudiana ethanolic extract exerts better antioxidant properties and antiproliferative effects in tumour cells than its diterpene glycoside stevioside.

Science.gov (United States)

López, Víctor; Pérez, Sergio; Vinuesa, Arturo; Zorzetto, Christian; Abian, Olga

2016-04-01

Steviol glycosides are currently being used as natural sweeteners by the food industry and Stevia rebaudiana has long been used as a sweet plant in South America for patients suffering from diabetes. In this study, a Stevia rebaudiana ethanolic extract (SREE) was prepared, analysed and tested for antioxidant activity in terms of free radical scavenging properties and antiproliferative effects in cervix (HeLa), pancreatic (MiaPaCa-2) and colonic (HCT116) cancer cells. The antiproliferative mechanism was confirmed by testing the effects on cyclin D1-CDK4. Bioassays were also performed for the diterpene glycoside stevioside. Our results demonstrate that the extract acts as an antioxidant being able to scavenge free radicals, but this activity was not due to stevioside. The extract also induced cell death in the three cell lines, being more active against cervix cancer cells (HeLa); however, the concentration of stevioside needed to produce antiproliferative effects was higher than the amount of steviol glycosides found in a lower dose of extract inducing cell death. In addition, the extract clearly inhibited CDK4 whereas stevioside did not, concluding that the antiproliferative activity of stevia may be due to inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases performed by other compounds of the extract.

Brown midrib corn silage fed during the peripartal period increased intake and resulted in a persistent increase in milk solids yield of Holstein cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, W C; Chase, L E; Overton, T R; Nestor, K E

2012-11-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate transition cow performance when brown midrib corn silage (BMRCS; Mycogen F2F444) was included in the diet during the transition period, and to determine if any production response occurring during the first 3 wk of lactation would persist from wk 4 to 15 when a common diet was fed. Seventy Holstein dairy cows were blocked by parity (either second or third and greater) and calving date and randomly assigned to the CCS (a mixture of varieties of conventional corn silage) or BMRCS treatment. Diets were formulated with the objective of keeping all ration parameters the same, with the exception of neutral detergent fiber digestibility. Neutral detergent fiber digestibility values (30 h) for CCS and BMRCS averaged 56.8 and 73.8%, respectively. Prepartum rations contained 47% corn silage, 18% wheat straw, 7% alfalfa haylage, and 28% concentrate, and averaged 45% neutral detergent fiber (DM basis). Postpartum rations contained 40% corn silage, 15% alfalfa haylage, 1% straw, and 44% concentrate. Milk weights (3×/d) and dry matter intake were recorded daily, and milk composition was measured weekly. Cows fed BMRCS had higher dry matter intake during the 2-wk period before calving (14.3 vs. 13.2 kg/d) and the 3-wk period after calving (20.1 vs. 18.1 kg/d) than did cows fed CCS. Yields of milk, solids, and lactose were increased, whereas a trend was observed for a reduction in somatic cell counts and linear scores in the postpartum period for cows receiving BMRCS during the transition. A significant carryover effect of BMRCS was observed on production from wk 4 to 15 when the common diet was fed, with yields of protein (1.36 vs. 1.30 kg/d), lactose (2.24 vs. 2.12 kg/d), and solids (5.82 vs. 5.51 kg/d) increasing significantly, and yields of fat-corrected milk, energy-corrected milk, and fat tending to increase during this period for cows that had been fed BMRCS. The increased intakes during the last 2 wk of the prepartum period in

Closing yield gaps: perils and possibilities for biodiversity conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Phalan, Ben; Green, Rhys; Balmford, Andrew

2014-04-05

Increasing agricultural productivity to 'close yield gaps' creates both perils and possibilities for biodiversity conservation. Yield increases often have negative impacts on species within farmland, but at the same time could potentially make it more feasible to minimize further cropland expansion into natural habitats. We combine global data on yield gaps, projected future production of maize, rice and wheat, the distributions of birds and their estimated sensitivity to changes in crop yields to map where it might be most beneficial for bird conservation to close yield gaps as part of a land-sparing strategy, and where doing so might be most damaging. Closing yield gaps to attainable levels to meet projected demand in 2050 could potentially help spare an area equivalent to that of the Indian subcontinent. Increasing yields this much on existing farmland would inevitably reduce its biodiversity, and therefore we advocate efforts both to constrain further increases in global food demand, and to identify the least harmful ways of increasing yields. The land-sparing potential of closing yield gaps will not be realized without specific mechanisms to link yield increases to habitat protection (and restoration), and therefore we suggest that conservationists, farmers, crop scientists and policy-makers collaborate to explore promising mechanisms.

Control of root system architecture by DEEPER ROOTING 1 increases rice yield under drought conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Uga, Yusaku; Sugimoto, Kazuhiko; Ogawa, Satoshi; Rane, Jagadish; Ishitani, Manabu; Hara, Naho; Kitomi, Yuka; Inukai, Yoshiaki; Ono, Kazuko; Kanno, Noriko; Inoue, Haruhiko; Takehisa, Hinako; Motoyama, Ritsuko; Nagamura, Yoshiaki; Wu, Jianzhong; Matsumoto, Takashi; Takai, Toshiyuki; Okuno, Kazutoshi; Yano, Masahiro

2013-09-01

The genetic improvement of drought resistance is essential for stable and adequate crop production in drought-prone areas. Here we demonstrate that alteration of root system architecture improves drought avoidance through the cloning and characterization of DEEPER ROOTING 1 (DRO1), a rice quantitative trait locus controlling root growth angle. DRO1 is negatively regulated by auxin and is involved in cell elongation in the root tip that causes asymmetric root growth and downward bending of the root in response to gravity. Higher expression of DRO1 increases the root growth angle, whereby roots grow in a more downward direction. Introducing DRO1 into a shallow-rooting rice cultivar by backcrossing enabled the resulting line to avoid drought by increasing deep rooting, which maintained high yield performance under drought conditions relative to the recipient cultivar. Our experiments suggest that control of root system architecture will contribute to drought avoidance in crops.

Identification and Functional Characterization of Monofunctional ent-Copalyl Diphosphate and ent-Kaurene Synthases in White Spruce Reveal Different Patterns for Diterpene Synthase Evolution for Primary and Secondary Metabolism in Gymnosperms1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Keeling, Christopher I.; Dullat, Harpreet K.; Yuen, Mack; Ralph, Steven G.; Jancsik, Sharon; Bohlmann, Jörg

2010-01-01

The biosynthesis of the tetracyclic diterpene ent-kaurene is a critical step in the general (primary) metabolism of gibberellin hormones. ent-Kaurene is formed by a two-step cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate via the intermediate ent-copalyl diphosphate. In a lower land plant, the moss Physcomitrella patens, a single bifunctional diterpene synthase (diTPS) catalyzes both steps. In contrast, in angiosperms, the two consecutive cyclizations are catalyzed by two distinct monofunctional enzymes, ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase (CPS) and ent-kaurene synthase (KS). The enzyme, or enzymes, responsible for ent-kaurene biosynthesis in gymnosperms has been elusive. However, several bifunctional diTPS of specialized (secondary) metabolism have previously been characterized in gymnosperms, and all known diTPSs for resin acid biosynthesis in conifers are bifunctional. To further understand the evolution of ent-kaurene biosynthesis as well as the evolution of general and specialized diterpenoid metabolisms in gymnosperms, we set out to determine whether conifers use a single bifunctional diTPS or two monofunctional diTPSs in the ent-kaurene pathway. Using a combination of expressed sequence tag, full-length cDNA, genomic DNA, and targeted bacterial artificial chromosome sequencing, we identified two candidate CPS and KS genes from white spruce (Picea glauca) and their orthologs in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis). Functional characterization of the recombinant enzymes established that ent-kaurene biosynthesis in white spruce is catalyzed by two monofunctional diTPSs, PgCPS and PgKS. Comparative analysis of gene structures and enzyme functions highlights the molecular evolution of these diTPSs as conserved between gymnosperms and angiosperms. In contrast, diTPSs for specialized metabolism have evolved differently in angiosperms and gymnosperms. PMID:20044448

Quantifying yield gaps in wheat production in Russia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schierhorn, Florian; Prishchepov, Alexander V; Koch, Friedrich J; Müller, Daniel; Faramarzi, Monireh

2014-01-01

Crop yields must increase substantially to meet the increasing demands for agricultural products. Crop yield increases are particularly important for Russia because low crop yields prevail across Russia’s widespread and fertile land resources. However, reliable data are lacking regarding the spatial distribution of potential yields in Russia, which can be used to determine yield gaps. We used a crop growth model to determine the yield potentials and yield gaps of winter and spring wheat at the provincial level across European Russia. We modeled the annual yield potentials from 1995 to 2006 with optimal nitrogen supplies for both rainfed and irrigated conditions. Overall, the results suggest yield gaps of 1.51–2.10 t ha −1 , or 44–52% of the yield potential under rainfed conditions. Under irrigated conditions, yield gaps of 3.14–3.30 t ha −1 , or 62–63% of the yield potential, were observed. However, recurring droughts cause large fluctuations in yield potentials under rainfed conditions, even when the nitrogen supply is optimal, particularly in the highly fertile black soil areas of southern European Russia. The highest yield gaps (up to 4 t ha −1 ) under irrigated conditions were detected in the steppe areas in southeastern European Russia along the border of Kazakhstan. Improving the nutrient and water supply and using crop breeds that are adapted to the frequent drought conditions are important for reducing yield gaps in European Russia. Our regional assessment helps inform policy and agricultural investors and prioritize research that aims to increase crop production in this important region for global agricultural markets. (letter)

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Latex Reveals Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Increased Rubber Yield in Hevea brasiliensis Self-Rooting Juvenile Clones.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hui-Liang; Guo, Dong; Zhu, Jia-Hong; Wang, Ying; Chen, Xiong-Ting; Peng, Shi-Qing

2016-01-01

Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) self-rooting juvenile clones (JCs) are promising planting materials for rubber production. In a comparative trial between self-rooting JCs and donor clones (DCs), self-rooting JCs exhibited better performance in rubber yield. To study the molecular mechanism associated with higher rubber yield in self-rooting JCs, we sequenced and comparatively analyzed the latex of rubber tree self-rooting JCs and DCs at the transcriptome level. Total raw reads of 34,632,012 and 35,913,020 bp were obtained from the library of self-rooting JCs and DCs, respectively, by using Illumina HiSeq 2000 sequencing technology. De novo assemblies yielded 54689 unigenes from the library of self-rooting JCs and DCs. Among 54689 genes, 1716 genes were identified as differentially expressed between self-rooting JCs and DCs via comparative transcript profiling. Functional analysis showed that the genes related to the mass of categories were differentially enriched between the two clones. Several genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, hormone metabolism and reactive oxygen species scavenging were up-regulated in self-rooting JCs, suggesting that the self-rooting JCs provide sufficient molecular basis for the increased rubber yielding, especially in the aspects of improved latex metabolisms and latex flow. Some genes encoding epigenetic modification enzymes were also differentially expressed between self-rooting JCs and DCs. Epigenetic modifications may lead to gene differential expression between self-rooting JCs and DCs. These data will provide new cues to understand the molecular mechanism underlying the improved rubber yield of H. brasiliensis self-rooting clones.

Antibacterial Activity of Daucus crinitus Essential Oils along the Vegetative Life of the Plant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amel Bendiabdellah

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The essential oils from the aerial parts of Daucus crinitus Desf. were analyzed at three developmental stages (early vegetative, early flowering, and full flowering. Oil yield was found to vary depending on the stage of development, and the highest content of oil (0.15% w/w was obtained at full flowering. The chemical composition of essential oils studied by GC and GC-MS showed a total of 71 compounds: 27 aliphatic compounds, 18 sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, 9 hydrocarbons monoterpene, 5 oxygenated monoterpenes, 5 phenolic compounds, 4 oxygenated sesquiterpenes, 2 oxygenated diterpenes, and 01 diterpene hydrocarbons. Whatever the analyzed stage, phenolic compounds were the most abundant group. Their level significantly increased during ripening and varied from 36.4 to 82.1%. Antimicrobial activities of oils were tested on four different microorganisms. The oils of various phenological stages showed high activity against Candida albicans (30 mm and Staphylococcus aureus (11–28 mm bacteria strains which are deemed very dangerous and very difficult to eliminate. Thus, they represent an inexpensive source of natural antibacterial substances that may potentially be used in pathogenic systems.

Development of a Team-Based On-Farm Learning Program While Challenging Soybean Growers to Increase Yield

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Vince M.; Kull, Linda S.; Nelson, James A.

2012-01-01

Illinois soybean growers have not been satisfied with recent lagging yield trends. A yield "challenge" was created to blend the motivation and creativity of a yield contest with the learning power of teamwork and on-farm demonstration. In the initial year (2010), 123 on-farm side-by-side demonstration plots were located throughout the…

Mixed Compound of DCPTA and CCC Increases Maize Yield by Improving Plant Morphology and Up-Regulating Photosynthetic Capacity and Antioxidants.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongchao Wang

Full Text Available DCPTA (2-diethylaminoethyl-3, 4-dichlorophenylether and CCC (2-chloroethyltrimethyl- ammonium chloride have a great effect on maize growth, but applying DCPTA individually can promote the increase of plant height, resulting in the rise of lodging percent. Plant height and lodging percent decrease in CCC-treated plants, but the accumulation of biomass reduce, resulting in yield decrease. Based on the former experiments, the performance of a mixture which contained 40 mg DCPTA and 20 mg CCC as active ingredients per liter of solution, called PCH was tested with applying 40mg/L DCPTA and 20mg/L CCC individually. Grain yield, yield components, internode characters, leaf area per plant, plant height and lodging percent as well as chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence, enzymatic antioxidants, membranous peroxide and organic osmolyte were analyzed in two years (2011 and 2012, using maize hybrid, Zhengdan 958 (ZD 958 at density of 6.75 plants m-2. CCC, DCPTA and PCH were sprayed on the whole plant leaves at 7 expanded leaves stage and water was used as control. Compared to control, PCH significantly increased grain yield (by 9.53% and 6.68% from 2011 to 2012. CCC significantly decreased kernel number per ear (by 6.78% and 5.69% and thousand kernel weight (TKW (by 8.57% and 6.55% from 2011 to 2012. Kernel number per ear and TKW increased in DCPTA-treated and PCH-treated plants, but showed no significant difference between them. In CCC-treated and PCH-treated plants, internode length and plant height decreased, internode diameter increased, resulting in the significant decline of lodging percent. With DCPTA application, internode diameter increased, but internode length and plant height increased at the same time, resulting in the augment of lodging percent. Bending strength and puncture strength were increased by applying different plant growth regulators (PGRs. In PCH-treated plants, bending strength and puncture strength were greater than other

Nitrogen rate and plant population effects on yield and yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-12-17

Dec 17, 2008 ... density and nitrogen rate increased plant height, lowest pod height, harvest index and seed yield. ... since some combine harvester heads are unable to pick ..... as effected by population density and plant distribution.

[Nutrient use efficiency and yield-increasing effect of single basal application of rice specific controlled release fertilizer].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jiansheng; Xu, Peizhi; Tang, Shuanhu; Zhang, Fabao; Xie, Chunsheng

2005-10-01

A series of pot and field experiments and field demonstrations showed that in comparing with the commonly used specific-fertilizers containing same amounts of nutrients, single basal application of rice-specific controlled release fertilizer could increase the use efficiency of N and P by 12.2% - 22.7% and 7.0% - 35.0%, respectively in pot experiment, and the use efficiency of N by 17.1% in field experiment. In 167 field demonstrations successively conducted for 3 years in various rice production areas of Guangdong Province, single basal application of the fertilizer saved the application rate of N and P by 22.1% and 21.8%, respectively, and increased the yield by 8.2%, compared with normal split fertilization.

Induction of cancer chemopreventive enzymes by coffee is mediated by transcription factor Nrf2. Evidence that the coffee-specific diterpenes cafestol and kahweol confer protection against acrolein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higgins, Larry G.; Cavin, Christophe; Itoh, Ken; Yamamoto, Masayuki; Hayes, John D.

2008-01-01

Mice fed diets containing 3% or 6% coffee for 5 days had increased levels of mRNA for NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and glutathione S-transferase class Alpha 1 (GSTA1) of between 4- and 20-fold in the liver and small intestine. Mice fed 6% coffee also had increased amounts of mRNA for UDP-glucuronosyl transferase 1A6 (UGT1A6) and the glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC) subunit of between 3- and 10-fold in the small intestine. Up-regulation of these mRNAs was significantly greater in mice possessing Nrf2 (NF-E2 p45 subunit-related factor 2) than those lacking the transcription factor. Basal levels of mRNAs for NQO1, GSTA1, UGT1A6 and GCLC were lower in tissues from nrf2 -/- mice than from nrf2 +/+ mice, but modest induction occurred in the mutant animals. Treatment of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) from nrf2 +/+ mice with either coffee or the coffee-specific diterpenes cafestol and kahweol (C + K) increased NQO1 mRNA up to 9-fold. MEFs from nrf2 -/- mice expressed less NQO1 mRNA than did wild-type MEFs, but NQO1 was induced modestly by coffee or C + K in the mutant fibroblasts. Transfection of MEFs with nqo1-luciferase reporter constructs showed that induction by C + K was mediated primarily by Nrf2 and required the presence of an antioxidant response element in the 5'-upstream region of the gene. Luciferase reporter activity did not increase following treatment of MEFs with 100 μmol/l furan, suggesting that this ring structure within C + K is insufficient for gene induction. Priming of nrf2 +/+ MEFs, but not nrf2 -/- MEFs, with C + K conferred 2-fold resistance towards acrolein

Hot spots of wheat yield decline with rising temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Asseng, Senthold; Cammarano, Davide; Basso, Bruno; Chung, Uran; Alderman, Phillip D; Sonder, Kai; Reynolds, Matthew; Lobell, David B

2017-06-01

Many of the irrigated spring wheat regions in the world are also regions with high poverty. The impacts of temperature increase on wheat yield in regions of high poverty are uncertain. A grain yield-temperature response function combined with a quantification of model uncertainty was constructed using a multimodel ensemble from two key irrigated spring wheat areas (India and Sudan) and applied to all irrigated spring wheat regions in the world. Southern Indian and southern Pakistani wheat-growing regions with large yield reductions from increasing temperatures coincided with high poverty headcounts, indicating these areas as future food security 'hot spots'. The multimodel simulations produced a linear absolute decline of yields with increasing temperature, with uncertainty varying with reference temperature at a location. As a consequence of the linear absolute yield decline, the relative yield reductions are larger in low-yielding environments (e.g., high reference temperature areas in southern India, southern Pakistan and all Sudan wheat-growing regions) and farmers in these regions will be hit hardest by increasing temperatures. However, as absolute yield declines are about the same in low- and high-yielding regions, the contributed deficit to national production caused by increasing temperatures is higher in high-yielding environments (e.g., northern India) because these environments contribute more to national wheat production. Although Sudan could potentially grow more wheat if irrigation is available, grain yields would be low due to high reference temperatures, with future increases in temperature further limiting production. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

China’s High-yield Pulp Sector and Its Carbon Dioxide Emission: Considering the Saved Standing Wood as an Increase of Carbon Storage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanhong Gao

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The production of high-yield pulp in China has increased significantly in recent years. The well-known advantages of this type of pulp include low production cost, high opacity, and good paper formation. In the context of state-of-the-art technologies, China’s high-yield pulping, which is dominated by the PRC-APMP (preconditioning refiner chemical treatment-alkaline peroxide mechanical pulping process, has a much higher energy input but a significantly lower wood consumption in comparison with the kraft pulping process. If the saved wood in the forest or plantation is considered as an increment of carbon storage, then the carbon dioxide emission from the production of high-yield pulp can be regarded as much lower than that of kraft pulp.

Increasing the yeast yield in alcohol fermentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pelc, A; Vamos, E; Varga, L; Gavalya, S; Dolanszky, F

1964-02-01

The yeast and ethanol yields (the latter being based on the substrate) are enhanced by adding the substrate (molasses) gradually to the suspension of inoculating yeast during the main fermentation period, passing air through the mash, ceasing both substrate addition and aeration at the end of the main period, and allowing the process to come to an end. This way 12 to 14 kg yeast (dry weight)/100 l ethanol could be obtained within 16 to 24 hours and the yeast obtained could be used as the inoculum for the next charge. For example: 11 to 16 kg yeast (or 18 to 25 l yeast suspension from the preceding charge, containing 18 to 20% dry matter) is kept in 30 to 35 l H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ (0.74 g/100 ml) for 1 hour, diluted with H/sub 2/O and 30 kg sterile molasses to 300 l, kept at 30 to 32/sup 0/ with mild aeration for 2 hours, 1900 l 30/sup 0/ H/sub 2/O added, then 1 m/sup 3/ air/m/sup 2//hour is passed through the mixture, with the addition of 270 kg sterile molasses, and a solution of 8 kg superphosphate and 5 kg (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ in 100 l H/sub 2/O, the latter being added in 5 portions over 2 hours. Molasses (600 kg) is added during the main period, maintaining the pH at 5 (H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/), and the temperature at 30/sup 0/, then aeration is ceased and the mixture kept until fermentation proceeds. The 3000 l medium contains 9.6% ethanol and 1.38% yeast, respectively.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Deep Placement for Increased Grain Yield and Nitrogen Recovery Efficiency in Rice Grown in Subtropical China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meng Wu

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Field plot experiments were conducted over 3 years (from April 2014 to November 2016 in a double-rice (Oryza sativa L. cropping system in subtropical China to evaluate the effects of N fertilizer placement on grain yield and N recovery efficiency (NRE. Different N application methods included: no N application (CK; N broadcast application (NBP; N and NPK deep placement (NDP and NPKDP, respectively. Results showed that grain yield and apparent NRE significantly increased for NDP and NPKDP as compared to NBP. The main reason was that N deep placement (NDP increased the number of productive panicle per m-2. To further evaluate the increase, a pot experiment was conducted to understand the N supply in different soil layers in NDP during the whole rice growing stage and a 15N tracing technique was used in a field experiment to investigate the fate of urea-15N in the rice–soil system during rice growth and at maturity. The pot experiment indicated that NDP could maintain a higher N supply in deep soil layers than N broadcast for 52 days during rice growth. The 15N tracing study showed that NDP could maintain much higher fertilizer N in the 5–20 cm soil layer during rice growth and could induce plant to absorb more N from fertilizer and soil than NBP, which led to higher NRE. One important finding was that NDP and NPKDP significantly increased fertilizer NRE but did not lead to N declined in soil compared to NBP. Compared to NPK, NPKDP induced rice plants to absorb more fertilizer N rather than soil N.

Decomposing global crop yield variability

Science.gov (United States)

Ben-Ari, Tamara; Makowski, David

2014-11-01

Recent food crises have highlighted the need to better understand the between-year variability of agricultural production. Although increasing future production seems necessary, the globalization of commodity markets suggests that the food system would also benefit from enhanced supplies stability through a reduction in the year-to-year variability. Here, we develop an analytical expression decomposing global crop yield interannual variability into three informative components that quantify how evenly are croplands distributed in the world, the proportion of cultivated areas allocated to regions of above or below average variability and the covariation between yields in distinct world regions. This decomposition is used to identify drivers of interannual yield variations for four major crops (i.e., maize, rice, soybean and wheat) over the period 1961-2012. We show that maize production is fairly spread but marked by one prominent region with high levels of crop yield interannual variability (which encompasses the North American corn belt in the USA, and Canada). In contrast, global rice yields have a small variability because, although spatially concentrated, much of the production is located in regions of below-average variability (i.e., South, Eastern and South Eastern Asia). Because of these contrasted land use allocations, an even cultivated land distribution across regions would reduce global maize yield variance, but increase the variance of global yield rice. Intermediate results are obtained for soybean and wheat for which croplands are mainly located in regions with close-to-average variability. At the scale of large world regions, we find that covariances of regional yields have a negligible contribution to global yield variance. The proposed decomposition could be applied at any spatial and time scales, including the yearly time step. By addressing global crop production stability (or lack thereof) our results contribute to the understanding of a key

New ways enhancing the vital activity of plants in order to increase crop yields and to suppress radionuclide accumulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goncharova, N. V; Zebrakova, I. V.; Matsko, V. P.; Kislushko, P. M.

1994-01-01

After Chernobyl nuclear accident it has become very important to seek new ways of enhancing the vital activity of plants in order to increase crop yields and to suppress radionuclide accumulation. It is found that by optimizing the vital activity processes in plants, is possible to reduce radionuclide uptake. A great number of biologically active compounds have been tested, which increased the disease resistance of plants and simultaneously activated the physiological and biochemical processes that control the transport of micro- and macroelements (radionuclide included) and their 'soil-root-stem-leaf' redistribution. (author)

Improving the yield from fermentative hydrogen production.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraemer, Jeremy T; Bagley, David M

2007-05-01

Efforts to increase H(2) yields from fermentative H(2) production include heat treatment of the inoculum, dissolved gas removal, and varying the organic loading rate. Although heat treatment kills methanogens and selects for spore-forming bacteria, the available evidence indicates H(2) yields are not maximized compared to bromoethanesulfonate, iodopropane, or perchloric acid pre-treatments and spore-forming acetogens are not killed. Operational controls (low pH, short solids retention time) can replace heat treatment. Gas sparging increases H(2) yields compared to un-sparged reactors, but no relationship exists between the sparging rate and H(2) yield. Lower sparging rates may improve the H(2) yield with less energy input and product dilution. The reasons why sparging improves H(2) yields are unknown, but recent measurements of dissolved H(2) concentrations during sparging suggest the assumption of decreased inhibition of the H(2)-producing enzymes is unlikely. Significant disagreement exists over the effect of organic loading rate (OLR); some studies show relatively higher OLRs improve H(2) yield while others show the opposite. Discovering the reasons for higher H(2) yields during dissolved gas removal and changes in OLR will help improve H(2) yields.

The effects of vermicompost and chemical fertilizers on yield and yield components of marshmallow (Altheae officinalis L.

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A.A. Sadeghi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the effects of vermicompost and chemical fertilizers on growth characteristics, yield and yield components of marshmallow (Altheaeofficinalis L., a field experiment was conducted as factorial layout based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, during growing season of 2012. Experimental treatments were designed based on 3 levels of vermicompost (0, 5 and 10 t ha-1 and 5 levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of 200 kg N ha-1. Results indicated that applied vermicompost had significant effects on increasing leaf area, flower weight per plant and grain yield of marshmallow. Flower weight per plant and grain yield of marshmallow was increased by 2 to 3 times by applying vermicompost at 10 t. ha-1, as compared to control treatment. In addition, nitrogen fertilizer had a significant effect on increasing flower weight per plant and grain, mucilage and oil yields of marshmallow. It seems that applying vermicompost can be suitable strategy in reducing the problems caused by excessive using of chemical fertilizers.

ZNJPrice/Earnings Ratio Model through Dividend Yield and Required Yield Above Expected Inflation

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Emil Mihalina

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Price/earnings ratio is the most popular and most widespread evaluation model used to assess relative capital asset value on financial markets. In functional terms, company earnings in the very long term can be described with high significance. Empirically, it is visible from long-term statistics that the demanded (required yield on capital markets has certain regularity. Thus, investors first require a yield above the stable inflation rate and then a dividend yield and a capital increase caused by the growth of earnings that influence the price, with the assumption that the P/E ratio is stable. By combining the Gordon model for current dividend value, the model of market capitalization of earnings (price/earnings ratio and bearing in mind the influence of the general price levels on company earnings, it is possible to adjust the price/earnings ratio by deriving a function of the required yield on capital markets measured by a market index through dividend yield and inflation rate above the stable inflation rate increased by profit growth. The S&P 500 index for example, has in the last 100 years grown by exactly the inflation rate above the stable inflation rate increased by profit growth. The comparison of two series of price/earnings ratios, a modelled one and an average 7-year ratio, shows a notable correlation in the movement of two series of variables, with a three year deviation. Therefore, it could be hypothesized that three years of the expected inflation level, dividend yield and profit growth rate of the market index are discounted in the current market prices. The conclusion is that, at the present time, the relationship between the adjusted average price/earnings ratio and its effect on the market index on one hand and the modelled price/earnings ratio on the other can clearly show the expected dynamics and course in the following period.

Rational Water and Nitrogen Management Improves Root Growth, Increases Yield and Maintains Water Use Efficiency of Cotton under Mulch Drip Irrigation

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Hongzhi Zhang

2017-05-01

Full Text Available There is a need to optimize water-nitrogen (N applications to increase seed cotton yield and water use efficiency (WUE under a mulch drip irrigation system. This study evaluated the effects of four water regimes [moderate drip irrigation from the third-leaf to the boll-opening stage (W1, deficit drip irrigation from the third-leaf to the flowering stage and sufficient drip irrigation thereafter (W2, pre-sowing and moderate drip irrigation from the third-leaf to the boll-opening stage (W3, pre-sowing and deficit drip irrigation from the third-leaf to the flowering stage and sufficient drip irrigation thereafter (W4] and N fertilizer at a rate of 520 kg ha-1 in two dressing ratios [7:3 (N1, 2:8 (N2] on cotton root morpho-physiological attributes, yield, WUE and the relationship between root distribution and dry matter production. Previous investigations have shown a strong correlation between root activity and water consumption in the 40–120 cm soil layer. The W3 and especially W4 treatments significantly increased root length density (RLD, root volume density (RVD, root mass density (RMD, and root activity in the 40–120 cm soil layer. Cotton RLD, RVD, RMD was decreased by 13.1, 13.3, and 20.8%, respectively, in N2 compared with N1 at 70 days after planting (DAP in the 0–40 cm soil layer. However, root activity in the 40–120 cm soil layer at 140 DAP was 31.6% higher in N2 than that in N1. Total RMD, RLD and root activity in the 40–120 cm soil were significantly and positively correlated with shoot dry weight. RLD and root activity in the 40–120 cm soil layer was highest in the W4N2 treatments. Therefore increased water consumption in the deep soil layers resulted in increased shoot dry weight, seed cotton yield and WUE. Our data can be used to develop a water-N management strategy for optimal cotton yield and high WUE.

Yield Improvement in barley by using gamma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ben-Amer, Ibrahim Mohammed

1993-01-01

Sixty two mutant lines in the M4 generation were studies for one year for yield components (heads per plant kernals per head and kernal weight). Four mutant lines out yielded the parent but the differences being significant only with the mutant 2-6-26. This is mainly due to significant increase in number of beads per plant. Yield per plant was correlated with number of heads per plant. In a 2-year field experiment, mutant 2-6-26 out yielded the parent variety, the difference being significant only in one experiment (1988-89). The increase in nitrogen rate from 0 to 100 kg/ha increased yield significantly. mutant 2-6-26 produced 415 g grains/m 2 in the 1987-88 experiment; in 1988-89 experiment, its yields were 426, 610 and 594 g grains/m 2 for the 0, 100 and 200 kg N/ha respectively. The differences in kernal weight were highly significant only in 1988-89 experiment. Lodging was low in 1987-88 experiment due to moisture stress. In 1988-89 experiment, Lodging increased with the increase in N application rate. None of the mutant lines showed any improvement in the resistance to lodging. Mutant 2-6-26 is very promising. It will be evaluated in large yield-trials at different locations in the country. (author)

Syntrophic microbial communities on straw as biofilm carrier increase the methane yield of a biowaste-digesting biogas reactor

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Frank R. Bengelsdorf

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Biogas from biowaste can be an important source of renewable energy, but the fermentation process of low-structure waste is often unstable. The present study uses a full-scale biogas reactor to test the hypothesis that straw as an additional biofilm carrier will increase methane yield; and this effect is mirrored in a specific microbial community attached to the straw. Better reactor performance after addition of straw, at simultaneously higher organic loading rate and specific methane yield confirmed the hypothesis. The microbial communities on straw as a biofilm carrier and of the liquid reactor content were investigated using 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing by means of 454 pyrosequencing technology. The results revealed high diversity of the bacterial communities in the liquid reactor content as well as the biofilms on the straw. The most abundant archaea in all samples belonged to the genera Methanoculleus and Methanosarcina. Addition of straw resulted in a significantly different microbial community attached to the biofilm carrier. The bacterium Candidatus Cloacamonas acidaminovorans and methanogenic archaea of the genus Methanoculleus dominated the biofilm on straw. Syntrophic interactions between the hydrogenotrophic Methanoculleus sp. and members of the hydrogen-producing bacterial community within biofilms may explain the improved methane yield. Thus, straw addition can be used to improve and to stabilize the anaerobic process in substrates lacking biofilm-supporting structures.

Effects of Salinity and Nitrogen Application Methods on Yield and Yield Components of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.

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R Farshid

2012-07-01

Full Text Available To evaluate interaction of salinity stress and nitrogen use methods on yield and yield components, in experiment was conducted in split plot in randomized complete block with 3 replications. Treatments included: salinity of irrigation water levels 1.5, 4.4 and 7.9 ds/m as main plots, and nitrogen treatments 1. using N fertilizer at 3 stage in soil, 2. using two third N fertilizer in soil at planting and tillering and heading and one third in form of foliar application of N at tillering, 4. using and one third in form of foliar application at heading, 3. Using two third of N fertilizer in soil at planting one third of N fertilizer in soil at planting and two third in form of foliar application at tillering and heading, as sub plots. Results this study showed that increased in salt stress significant decreased total yield components such that showed decrease 41/5 kg/h in yield with increase in per unite salinity. Also methods of nitrogen application in salinity condition, have significant effects on total yield components. At the tillering, one stage of foliar with soil application of urea could increase spike no. m-2 and kernels of spike compared with other treatments. Foliar application of urea at heading stage increased kernels weight.

Effects of increased CO[sub 2] concentration and temperature on growth and yield of winter wheat at two levels of nitrogen application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitchell, R.A.C.; Mitchell, V.J.; Driscoll, S.P.; Franklin, J.; Lawlor, D.W. (Institute of Arable Crops Research, Harpenden (United Kingdom). Dept. of Biochemistry and Physiology)

1993-06-01

Winter wheat was grown in chambers under light and temperature conditions similar to the UK field environment for the 1990/1991 growing season at two levels each of atmospheric CO[sub 2] concentration (seasonal means: 361 nd 692 [mu]mol mol[sup -1]), temperature (tracking ambient and ambient +4[degree]C) and nitrogen application (equivalent to 87 and 489 kg ha[sub -1] total N applied). Total dry matter productivity through the season, the maximum number of shoots and final ear number were stimulated by CO[sub 2] enrichment at both levels of the temperature and N treatments. At high N, there was a CO[sub 2]-induced stimulation of grain yield (+15%) similar to that for total crop dry mass (+12%), and there was no significant interaction with temperature. Temperature had a direct, negative effect on yield at both levels of the N and CO[sub 2] treatments. This could be explained by the temperature-dependent shortening of the phenological stages, and therefore, the time available for accumulating resources for grain formation. At high N, there was also a reduction in grain set at ambient +4[degree]C temperature, but the overall negative effect of warmer temperature was greater on the number of grains (-37%) than on yield (-18%), due to a compensating increase in average grain mass. At low N, despite increasing total crop dry mass and the number of ears, elevated CO[sub 2] did not increase grain yield and caused a significant decrease under ambient temperature conditions. This can be explained in terms of a stimulation of early vegetative growth by CO[sub 2] enrichment leading to a reduction in the amount of N available later for the formation and filling of grain.

Possible changes to arable crop yields by 2050.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaggard, Keith W; Qi, Aiming; Ober, Eric S

2010-09-27

By 2050, the world population is likely to be 9.1 billion, the CO(2) concentration 550 ppm, the ozone concentration 60 ppb and the climate warmer by ca 2 degrees C. In these conditions, what contribution can increased crop yield make to feeding the world? CO(2) enrichment is likely to increase yields of most crops by approximately 13 per cent but leave yields of C4 crops unchanged. It will tend to reduce water consumption by all crops, but this effect will be approximately cancelled out by the effect of the increased temperature on evaporation rates. In many places increased temperature will provide opportunities to manipulate agronomy to improve crop performance. Ozone concentration increases will decrease yields by 5 per cent or more. Plant breeders will probably be able to increase yields considerably in the CO(2)-enriched environment of the future, and most weeds and airborne pests and diseases should remain controllable, so long as policy changes do not remove too many types of crop-protection chemicals. However, soil-borne pathogens are likely to be an increasing problem when warmer weather will increase their multiplication rates; control is likely to need a transgenic approach to breeding for resistance. There is a large gap between achievable yields and those delivered by farmers, even in the most efficient agricultural systems. A gap is inevitable, but there are large differences between farmers, even between those who have used the same resources. If this gap is closed and accompanied by improvements in potential yields then there is a good prospect that crop production will increase by approximately 50 per cent or more by 2050 without extra land. However, the demands for land to produce bio-energy have not been factored into these calculations.

Breeding for Grass Seed Yield

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boelt, Birte; Studer, Bruno

2010-01-01

Seed yield is a trait of major interest for many fodder and amenity grass species and has received increasing attention since seed multiplication is economically relevant for novel grass cultivars to compete in the commercial market. Although seed yield is a complex trait and affected...... by agricultural practices as well as environmental factors, traits related to seed production reveal considerable genetic variation, prerequisite for improvement by direct or indirect selection. This chapter first reports on the biological and physiological basics of the grass reproduction system, then highlights...... important aspects and components affecting the seed yield potential and the agronomic and environmental aspects affecting the utilization and realization of the seed yield potential. Finally, it discusses the potential of plant breeding to sustainably improve total seed yield in fodder and amenity grasses....

Effects of heterosis for yield and yield components obtained by crossing divergent alfalfa populations

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Katić Slobodan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available When breeding alfalfa for yield performance, it is necessary to use high-yielding parents obtained by different breeding methods. The assumption at the onset of this research was that crossing highest-yielding domestic cultivars with divergent populations from geographically distant breeding centers could result in the expression of heterotic effects in their hybrids contributing to increased alfalfa yield. The objective of this study was to determine yield and yield components and heterotic effects in hybrid progenies obtained by crossing the domestic cultivars NS Banat ZMS II and NS Mediana ZMS V with the cultivars Pella, Dolichi and Hyliki from Greece, UMSS 2001 from Bolivia and Jogeva 118 from Estonia in two series. The field trial planted in 2006, included 13 F1 hybrids and 6 of 7 initial parents in both series. Heterotic effects for yields of forage and hay were observed in 4 combinations (C NS Banat ZMS II x E Hyliki; C NS Banat ZMS II x E UMSS 2001; C NS Mediana ZMS V x E Hyliki; C NS Mediana ZMS V x E Dolichi. The populations that exhibited heterosis in a set of crossings are recommended for use as parent components for development of high-yielding synthetic alfalfa cultivars. .

Experimental study on yield behavior of Daqing crude oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou, Lei [China University of Petroleum, College of Mechanical and Transportation Engineering, Beijing (China)

2012-07-15

The yield behavior of Daqing crude oil was studied by means of multi-mode controlled-stress tests with a high-precision stress controlled rheometer. Two experiments of creep and constant stress loading rate were performed. The yield stress of gelled crude oil was dependent on the test conditions such as the stress loading time and the stress loading rate, but the yield strain did not change with test conditions. The yield strain did exist objectively and it can be used as the criterion for the yielding of the structure of gelled crude oil. The yield strain of gelled oil was studied through experiments of creep, constant stress loading rate, oscillatory shear stress increase, and constant shear rate. The yield strain of gelled crude oil decreased with the increasing gel strength. The experiment of constant speed increase of stress showed the strain softening phenomena for low gel strength oil. (orig.)

Response of switchgrass yield to future climate change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tulbure, Mirela G; Wimberly, Michael C; Owens, Vance N

2012-01-01

A climate envelope approach was used to model the response of switchgrass, a model bioenergy species in the United States, to future climate change. The model was built using general additive models (GAMs), and switchgrass yields collected at 45 field trial locations as the response variable. The model incorporated variables previously shown to be the main determinants of switchgrass yield, and utilized current and predicted 1 km climate data from WorldClim. The models were run with current WorldClim data and compared with results of predicted yield obtained using two climate change scenarios across three global change models for three time steps. Results did not predict an increase in maximum switchgrass yield but showed an overall shift in areas of high switchgrass productivity for both cytotypes. For upland cytotypes, the shift in high yields was concentrated in northern and north-eastern areas where there were increases in average growing season temperature, whereas for lowland cultivars the areas where yields were projected to increase were associated with increases in average early growing season precipitation. These results highlight the fact that the influences of climate change on switchgrass yield are spatially heterogeneous and vary depending on cytotype. Knowledge of spatial distribution of suitable areas for switchgrass production under climate change should be incorporated into planning of current and future biofuel production. Understanding how switchgrass yields will be affected by future changes in climate is important for achieving a sustainable biofuels economy. (letter)

THE INFLUENCE OF FERTILIZATION ON YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENT FORMATION OF SOYBEAN VARIETIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eva CANDRÁKOVÁ

2009-03-01

Full Text Available In 2005 and 2006, the influence of fertilization was investigated on forming of yield components and yield of three soybean varieties in sugar beet growing area. Varieties Korada, Supra and OAC Vision were grown. Number of plants per m2, number of pods per plant, number of seeds in pod, thousand seeds weight, yield of seeds, yield of stems and harvest index were examined. Variants of fertilization: I. non-fertilized control, II. LAV 27 % (40 kg ha-1 net nutrient of N in growing stage of first pair of true leaves unfolded, III. Humix komplet (rate 8 l.ha-1 applied in growing stage of first pair of true leaves unfolded (4 l.ha-1 and in growing stage of first flower buds visible (4 l.ha-1, IV. Humix komplet in rate 8 l.ha-1 applied in growing stage of first pair of true leaves unfolded. The yields of seeds and stems were high significantly influenced by variety, fertilization and year. The significantly highest yield of seeds was achieved by Korada variety (4,04 t.ha-1. Varieties OAC Vision and Supra reached yields in interval 3,74-3,84 t.ha-1. Split rate of Humix komplet (III var significantly influenced yield of seeds and stems. The fertilization have increased weight of seeds in proportion to aboveground phyto-mass weight, what was expressed by harvest index.

Caffeine-mediated release of alpha-radiation-induced G2 arrest increases the yield of chromosome aberrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luecke-Huhle, C.; Hieber, L.; Wegner, R.D.

1983-01-01

Severe and partly irreversible G2 arrest caused by americium-241 alpha-particles in Chinese hamster V79 cells acted as a competing process to the yield of detectable aberrant mitoses at metaphase. With increasing dose of alpha-radiation an increasing fraction of cells was irreversibly arrested in G2 with the consequence of interphase death before the first post-irradiation mitosis. This irreversible G2 arrest (demonstrated by flow cytofluorometry and mitotic indices) could be overcome by adding caffeine 8 hours after irradiation, the time point of maximum G2 arrest (80-90 per cent of all cells). Within 3.5 hours the number of aberrant mitoses increased by this treatment from 54 to 96 per cent and from 65 to 99.9 per cent for doses of 1.75 and 4.38 Gy of alpha-particles, respectively. The aberration frequency per mitotic cell, scored as chromatid and isochromatid breaks, rings, interchanges and dicentrics increased by a factor of about 3 after releasing G2 arrested cells. The frequency distribution of aberrations per cell revealed that, after 4.38 Gy, 58 per cent of the formerly G2-arrested cells had more than five aberrations per cell compared to only 8 per cent without the interaction of caffeine. (author)

Evaluation of the prospects of using new methods of increasing the oil yields of beds in the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous SSR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sorokin, V.A.

1979-03-01

An examination is made of priority sites for the development of oil fields in the Chechen-Ingush ASSR. Basic factors are presented concerning the testing and introduction of various methods of increasing oil yield in those fields: pumping gas under high pressure, steam heat treatment, and alkaline flooding.

Introduction of distillate rosemary leaves into the diet of the Murciano-Granadina goat: transfer of polyphenolic compounds to goats' milk and the plasma of suckling goat kids.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordán, Maria José; Moñino, María Inmaculada; Martínez, Cristina; Lafuente, Arturo; Sotomayor, José Antonio

2010-07-28

The effect of the introduction of distilled rosemary leaves into the diet of the Murciano-Granadina goat on the polyphenolic profile of the goats' milk during the physiological stages of gestation and lactation was studied. The inclusion of rosemary leaves into the animal diet modified neither animal productivity (milk yield) nor milk quality. The following components were found in increased concentration (P goats' milk after the introduction of rosemary leaves into their diet: flavonoids hesperidin, naringin, and genkwanin; gallic acid; and phenolic diterpenes carnosol and carnosic acid. With regard to the transfer of polyphenols to the plasma of the suckling goat kid, a statistically significant increase (P goats' milk and allow for an increased concentration of polyphenolic components in the goats' milk and in the plasma of the suckling goat kid.

Will energy crop yields meet expectations?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Searle, Stephanie Y.; Malins, Christopher J.

2014-01-01

Expectations are high for energy crops. Government policies in the United States and Europe are increasingly supporting biofuel and heat and power from cellulose, and biomass is touted as a partial solution to energy security and greenhouse gas mitigation. Here, we review the literature for yields of 5 major potential energy crops: Miscanthus spp., Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), Populus spp. (poplar), Salix spp. (willow), and Eucalyptus spp. Very high yields have been achieved for each of these types of energy crops, up to 40 t ha −1  y −1 in small, intensively managed trials. But yields are significantly lower in semi-commercial scale trials, due to biomass losses with drying, harvesting inefficiency under real world conditions, and edge effects in small plots. To avoid competition with food, energy crops should be grown on non-agricultural land, which also lowers yields. While there is potential for yield improvement for each of these crops through further research and breeding programs, for several reasons the rate of yield increase is likely to be slower than historically has been achieved for cereals; these include relatively low investment, long breeding periods, low yield response of perennial grasses to fertilizer, and inapplicability of manipulating the harvest index. Miscanthus × giganteus faces particular challenges as it is a sterile hybrid. Moderate and realistic expectations for the current and future performance of energy crops are vital to understanding the likely cost and the potential of large-scale production. - Highlights: • This review covers Miscanthus, switchgrass, poplar, willow, and Eucalyptus. • High yields of energy crops are typically from small experimental plots. • Field scale yields are lower due to real world harvesting losses and edge effects. • The potential for yield improvement of energy crops is relatively limited. • Expectations must be realistic for successful policies and commercial production

Effects of Plant Density on Sweet and Baby Corn (Hybrid KSC 403 Yield and Yield Components

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H Bavi

2016-07-01

GlM procedure. Means of all treatments were comprised using least significant difference (LSD at 5 % probability level. Results and Discussion The effects of plant density on yield components of baby corn was significant. Increasing the plant densities increased the ear number and percentage of non-standard ears. The Highest yield of ear without husk, standard and non-standard were obtained (2649.5, 766.97, and 3043.9 kg.ha-1, respectively with 13 plants.m-2. In sweet corn, increasing plant density from 7 to 13 plants.m-2, decreased row per ear, grain per row and thousand grain weight. Highest grain yield (1232.5 kg ha-1 and green ear (12607.2 kg ha-1 of sweet corn were obtained with plant density of 9.m-2. Conclusions Analysis of correlation showed that in both baby and sweet corn, there were positive and significant correlations between yield and its components. There was the high number of non-standard ears in all experimental treatments. In sweet corn, the standard ear without husk yield has positive and significant correlation with all traits except the percentage of standard ear and sheathed ear weight. In addition, unsuitable climate conditions during silking stage reduced the yield of sweet corn through the high number of aborted florets. Yield of sweet corn yield showed negative and significant correlation with grain row per ear and grain per row. However, increasing the ear number.m-2 increased yield in higher plant densities up to 9 plant.m-2 density. Generally, the baby corn had high yield with good quality in this region, but, standard ear percent of the baby corn of the hybrid KSC 403 was very low. On the other hand, sweet corn grain yield was low due to high air temperatures during pollination and maturity stages.

Wheat yield dynamics: a structural econometric analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahin, Afsin; Akdi, Yilmaz; Arslan, Fahrettin

2007-10-15

In this study we initially have tried to explore the wheat situation in Turkey, which has a small-open economy and in the member countries of European Union (EU). We have observed that increasing the wheat yield is fundamental to obtain comparative advantage among countries by depressing domestic prices. Also the changing structure of supporting schemes in Turkey makes it necessary to increase its wheat yield level. For this purpose, we have used available data to determine the dynamics of wheat yield by Ordinary Least Square Regression methods. In order to find out whether there is a linear relationship among these series we have checked each series whether they are integrated at the same order or not. Consequently, we have pointed out that fertilizer usage and precipitation level are substantial inputs for producing high wheat yield. Furthermore, in respect for our model, fertilizer usage affects wheat yield more than precipitation level.

Effects of the Soil Incorporation of Increasing Amounts of Non-Fermented Wet Pomace on the Oil Yield and Acid Profile of Sunflower Seeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanna Cucci

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The agricultural use of olive processing waste is a strategic resource in the integrated management of the agricultural system as it satisfies the two objectives of evacuating the olive-processing residue and using it beneficially for agricultural purposes. For such aims, a research was conducted in Bari (South of Italy to study the effects of the incorporation into the soil of increasing amounts of non-fermented wet pomace (WP (0, 17.5, 35, 70, 105, 140, 175, 210 Mg ha-1 on the oil yield and acid profile of sunflower seeds. The results obtained point out that the seed yield was negatively affected by the application of WP starting from 70 Mg ha-1; an opposite trend was observed for the seed oil yield. The incorporation of WP has also affected the oil fatty acids’ composition. Oleic and linoleic acids, the principal fatty acids (beyond 90% of total fatty acids, showed significant variations: from the control treatment to the one receiving the maximum application of waste, oleic acid decreased (-5.4%, linoleic acid increased (+ 6.6%, and the saturated fatty acids fraction decreased (-7.6%.

Investigating the Effect of Cultivate Lines Direction, Bio-Fertilizer Nitroxin and Superabsorbent Materials on Yield and Yield Components of Broad Leaf Vetch (Vicia narbonensis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E Latifinia

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction The excessive use of fertilizers has caused severe damages to the bio-cycle in the fields and has destroyed the sustainable agricultural machinery. These destructive effects have led to the recommended use of bio-fertilizers. Biodiversity is one of the key sources of supplying nutrients in sustainable agriculture. The use of biological fertilizers in a sustainable agricultural system leads to sustained yield in plant production. Biological fertilizer of nitroxin has increased biological yield and grain yield in fodder corn. Water shortage as a limiting factor has limited vegetation growth and development in these areas. Considering that Iran is a dry country, the use of super adsorbent is one of the ways to reduce water consumption. Investigators in the study of superabsorbent showed that superabsorbent had a significant and positive effect on the yield of forage plants. Crop directions can affect the amount of the product by increasing the leaf area and absorbing light. Proper orientation of crop lines increases the photosynthetic efficiency and increases the yield and yield components of the plant. Research has shown that yields are much higher in plants planted on the north-south lines compared with plants planted on east-west lines. Materials and Methods In order to investigate the effect of nitroxin and superabsorbent fertilizer on yield and yield components of broad leaf vetch in a research field of agricultural faculty, Lorestan University, as a split plot factorial based on a complete block design randomization was performed in three replicates. In this research, for main lines, the main factors were considered in the North-South and East-West directions in the main plots. Sub-factors In this experiment, nitroxin biosynthesis and superabsorbent materials were applied at two levels of consumption and non-consumption in sub plots. Nitroxin fertilizer was used as a seed lot at a rate of 1 liter per hectare and the stockosorb

Oilseed rape grain yield productivity increases with hybrid varietal types: a first balance sheet with post registration tests in France and in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pinochet Xavier

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Since 1994 several oilseed rape hybrid types were proposed to farmers. Following registration experiments, Cetiom and different equivalent institutions in European Union have tested them in different post registration national networks. Grain yield productivity increases were demonstrated and a first synthesis could be done to check avantages and difficulties which had occurred. For winter types, Hybrid Composits were widely used, mainly in France and in the United Kingdom. Grain yield increases were important in the South and West part of France where their market shares increased up to 50-80%. Nevertheless, many fecondation problems occurred in several places all over Europe. Reasons of such problems were difficult to identify. Several factors, as cold temperatures, nutritionnal competitions, pollen avaibility may be involved to explain low seed sets. Restored Hybrids made with the NPZ hybridation system were successfully tested widely, and has reached significative market shares during 1999-2000 season. Less experiments were carried out with others hybrid types (Ogu-INRA Restored Hybrids, Mixed Hybrids. Ogu-INRA Restored Hybrids reached the highest grain yield levels but users are waiting for lower glucosinolates seed content hybrids which would come in the next future. Performances comparisons among countries have to be done carefully. Productivity increases with hybrid types could have been over estimated depending of pollinic environments or plot size and possible neighbouring effects. For France, results from field trials networks are coherent with results coming from postal surveys. For spring varieties, Polima restored hybrids and varietal associations have demonstrated a significative advantage compared to classical lines.

Ncl Synchronously Regulates Na+, K+, and Cl- in Soybean and Greatly Increases the Grain Yield in Saline Field Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Do, Tuyen Duc; Chen, Huatao; Hien, Vu Thi Thu; Hamwieh, Aladdin; Yamada, Tetsuya; Sato, Tadashi; Yan, Yongliang; Cong, Hua; Shono, Mariko; Suenaga, Kazuhiro; Xu, Donghe

2016-01-08

Salt stress inhibits soybean growth and reduces gain yield. Genetic improvement of salt tolerance is essential for sustainable soybean production in saline areas. In this study, we isolated a gene (Ncl) that could synchronously regulate the transport and accumulation of Na(+), K(+), and Cl(-) from a Brazilian soybean cultivar FT-Abyara using map-based cloning strategy. Higher expression of the salt tolerance gene Ncl in the root resulted in lower accumulations of Na(+), K(+), and Cl(-) in the shoot under salt stress. Transfer of Ncl with the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method into a soybean cultivar Kariyutaka significantly enhanced its salt tolerance. Introgression of the tolerance allele into soybean cultivar Jackson, using DNA marker-assisted selection (MAS), produced an improved salt tolerance line. Ncl could increase soybean grain yield by 3.6-5.5 times in saline field conditions. Using Ncl in soybean breeding through gene transfer or MAS would contribute to sustainable soybean production in saline-prone areas.

Equity Volatility and Corporate Bond Yields

OpenAIRE

John Y. Campbell; Glen B. Taksler

2002-01-01

This paper explores the effect of equity volatility on corporate bond yields. Panel data for the late 1990s show that idiosyncratic firm-level volatility can explain as much cross-sectional variation in yields as can credit ratings. This finding, together with the upward trend in idiosyncratic equity volatility documented by Campbell, Lettau, Malkiel, and Xu (2001), helps to explain recent increases in corporate bond yields. The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com.

Narrow rows reduce biomass and seed production of weeds and increase maize yield

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mashingaidze, A.B.; Werf, van der W.; Lotz, L.A.P.; Chipomho, J.; Kropff, M.J.

2009-01-01

Smallholder farmers in southern African countries rely primarily on cultural control and hoe weeding to combat weeds, but often times, they are unable to keep up with the weeding requirements of the crop because of its laboriousness, causing them to incur major yield losses. Optimisation of crop

Sensitivity of CERES-Maize yield simulation to the selected weather data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zalud, Z.; Stastna, M.

2000-01-01

Sensitivity analysis of selected weather data runs after successful parametrization and validation of the CERES-Maize simulation model. Estimation of the potential yield has been carried out during the long term experiment (1980-1997) as well as the estimation of influence of meteorological parameters on the simulation results for the water-limited yield. 10 % under and over stimulation of global radiation and precipitation as well as increasing and decreasing temperature by 1 deg C on simulated potential and water-limited yield have been done. In most of the years, air temperature underestimation resulted in a higher simulated grain yield and overstimulation shown a lower yield for water limited level. Overestimation of precipitation during wet days in growing period of the maize leads to an increase of amount of water available for the plant and to increase the yield. Underestimation of global radiation by 10 % resulted in a decline in simulated grain yield from -8.8 to -9.9 %. The overestimation caused increase of the yield from 7.8 to 10 %. Overestimation by 10 % resulted in a slight underestimation of the yield in low yielding years and underestimation of global radiation by 10 % in overestimation of the yield. The effect was opposite in high yielding years

The effects of solar ultraviolet-B radiation on the growth and yield of barley are accompanied by increased DNA damage and antioxidant responses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazza, C.A.; Battista, D.; Zima, A.M.; Szwarcberg-Bracchitta, M.; Giordano, C.V.; Acevedo, A.; Scopel, A.L.; Ballare, C.L.

1999-01-01

There is limited information on the impacts of present-day solar ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) on biomass and grain yield of field crops and on the mechanisms that confer tolerance to UV-B radiation under field conditions. We investigated the effects of solar UV-B on aspects of the biochemistry, growth and yield of barley crops using replicated field plots and two barley strains, a catalase (CAT)-deficient mutant (RPr 79/4) and its wild-type mother line (Maris Mink). Solar UV-B reduced biomass accumulation and grain yield in both strains. The effects on crop biomass accumulation tended to be more severe in RPr 79/4 (≈ 32% reduction) than in the mother line (≈ 20% reduction). Solar UV-B caused measurable DNA damage in leaf tissue, in spite of inducing a significant increase in UV-absorbing sunscreens in the two lines. Maris Mink responded to solar UV-B with increased CAT and ascorbate peroxidase (APx) activity. No effects of UV-B on total superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were detected. Compared with the wild type, RPr 79/4 had lower CAT activity, as expected, but higher APx activity. Neither of these activities increased in response to UV-B in RPr 79/4. These results suggest that growth inhibition by solar UV-B involves DNA damage and oxidative stress, and that constitutive and UV-B-induced antioxidant capacity may play an important role in UV-B tolerance. (author)

Enhancement of HHG yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serrat, C.; Biegert, J.

2011-01-01

A static electric field periodically distributed in space controls and enhances the yield in high harmonic generation. The method is relatively simple to implement and allows tuning from the extreme-ultraviolet to soft X-ray. The radiation yield is selectively enhanced due to symmetry breaking induced by a static electric field on the interaction between the driving laser and the medium. The enhanced spectral region is tuned by varying the periodicity of the static electric field. Simulations predict an increase of more than two orders of magnitude for harmonics in the water window spectral range.

Effect of Biofertilizers on the Yield and Yield Components of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Khorramdel

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Application of biological fertilizers is one of the most important methods for plant nutrition in ecological agriculture. In order to investigate the effect of biofertilizers on yield and yield components of black cumin (Nigella sativa L., a field experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications during 2007 growing season at the Agricultural Research Station of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Treatments included: (A Azotobacter paspali, (B Azospirillum brasilense, (C the fungus of Glomus intraradaices, C+A, C+B, A+B, A+B+C, and control without no biofertilizers. In all treatments except control, the amounts of 15 mg of each biofertilizer were applied to 110 g of seeds. Results indicated that application of biofertilizers enhanced yield and yield components and decreased percentage of hollow capsules. Plant performance was better with application of Azospirillum plus mycorrhiza and a mixture of Azotobacter, Azospirillum and mycorrhiza in terms of yield determining criteria. The maximum and minimum amounts of seed yield were recorded in the B+C treatment with 41.4 gm-2, and control with 24.1 gm-2, respectively. There was no significant correlation between number of capsules per plant and seed yield, but the positive and significant correlation between number of branches per plant, number of seeds per capsule, 1000-seed weight and seed yield was observed. This study showed that application of suitable biofertilizers could increase yield and yield components of black cumin. Keywords: Biofertilizer, Ecological agriculture, Medicinal plants, Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria

Brazilian Soybean Yields and Yield Gaps Vary with Farm Size

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffries, G. R.; Cohn, A.; Griffin, T. S.; Bragança, A.

2017-12-01

Understanding the farm size-specific characteristics of crop yields and yield gaps may help to improve yields by enabling better targeting of technical assistance and agricultural development programs. Linking remote sensing-based yield estimates with property boundaries provides a novel view of the relationship between farm size and yield structure (yield magnitude, gaps, and stability over time). A growing literature documents variations in yield gaps, but largely ignores the role of farm size as a factor shaping yield structure. Research on the inverse farm size-productivity relationship (IR) theory - that small farms are more productive than large ones all else equal - has documented that yield magnitude may vary by farm size, but has not considered other yield structure characteristics. We examined farm size - yield structure relationships for soybeans in Brazil for years 2001-2015. Using out-of-sample soybean yield predictions from a statistical model, we documented 1) gaps between the 95th percentile of attained yields and mean yields within counties and individual fields, and 2) yield stability defined as the standard deviation of time-detrended yields at given locations. We found a direct relationship between soy yields and farm size at the national level, while the strength and the sign of the relationship varied by region. Soybean yield gaps were found to be inversely related to farm size metrics, even when yields were only compared to farms of similar size. The relationship between farm size and yield stability was nonlinear, with mid-sized farms having the most stable yields. The work suggests that farm size is an important factor in understanding yield structure and that opportunities for improving soy yields in Brazil are greatest among smaller farms.

Effects of Sowing Date and Limited Irrigation on Yield and Yield Components of Five Rainfed Wheat Varieties in Maragheh Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. R. Tavakkoli

2013-03-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the effects of sowing date (SD and single irrigation (SI amounts on yield and yield components of rainfed wheat varieties, a field experiment was conducted as split-split plots arranged in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications during 2002-2004 at main station of Dryland Agricultural Research Institute in Maragheh, Iran. Treatments included three sowing dates (early, normal and late, three levels of single irrigation (rainfed, 50 mm and 100 mm only at planting time and five wheat varieties (three numbered lines, Azar2 and double-cross Shahi. Results revealed that interactions of SD, SI and wheat varieties were significant for grain yield, number of kernels per spike and water productivity (P≤0.01. Single irrigation at normal planting time increased grain yield, straw, biomass, harvest index, and water productivity. Grain yield and water productivity were increased by 131% and 84.8%, respectively. Single irrigation at late planting time was not significant on agronomic traits and produced low water productivity. Regarding the reaction of wheat to planting date and single irrigation, results showed that normal single irrigation can improve yield, yield components and water productivity index. The effectiveness of single irrigation under dryland conditions can be observed in all wheat cultivars. Although this effectiveness on yield and yield components is observable, but it is necessary to select the time of irrigation properly.

Long Term Evaluation of Yield Stability Trend for Cereal Crops in Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

mehdi nassiri mahalati

2016-05-01

Full Text Available During the last few decades cereals yield have increased drastically at the national level however, information about yield stability and its resistance to annual environmental variability are scare. In this study long term stability of grin yield of wheat, barley, rice, corn and overall cereals in Iran were evaluated during a 40-year period (1971-2011. Stability analysis was conducted using two different methods. In the first method the residuals of regression between crop yield and time (years were calculated as stability index. For this different segmented regression models including linear, bi-linear and tri-linear were fitted to yield trend data and the best model for each crop was selected based on statistical measures. Absolute residuals (the difference between actual and predicted yields for each year as well as relative residuals (absolute residuals as percent of predicted yield were estimated. In the second method yield stability was estimated from the slope of the regression line between average annual yield of all cereals (environmental index and the yield of each crop in the same year. Results indicted that in wheat and barley absolute and relative residuals were increased during the study period leading to reduction of stability despite considerable yield increment. However, for rice and corn residuals followed a decreasing trend and therefore yield stability of these crops was increased during the last 40 years. The same result was obtained with the environmental index but in this method reduction of yield stability in barley was lower than wheat. Based on the results, yield and yield stability of cereals crops in Iran increased during the last 40 years. However, the percentage increase in stability is lower than that of yield. Application of nitrogen fertilizers was led to reduction in stability. Yield stability of wheat, barley, rice, corn and overall cereals was improved with increasing their cultivated area.

Synthetic Brassica napus L.: Development and Studies on Morphological Characters, Yield Attributes, and Yield

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Malek

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Brassica napus was synthesized by hybridization between its diploid progenitor species B. rapa and B. oleracea followed by chromosome doubling. Cross with B. rapa as a female parent was only successful. Among three colchicine treatments (0.10, 0.15, and 0.20%, 0.15% gave the highest success (86% of chromosome doubling in the hybrids (AC; 2=19. Synthetic B. napus (AACC, 2=38 was identified with bigger petals, fertile pollens and seed setting. Synthetic B. napus had increased growth over parents and exhibited wider ranges with higher coefficients of variations than parents for morphological and yield contributing characters, and yield per plant. Siliqua length as well as beak length in synthetic B. napus was longer than those of the parents. Number of seeds per siliqua, 1000-seed weight and seed yield per plant in synthetic B. napus were higher than those of the parents. Although flowering time in synthetic B. napus was earlier than both parents, however the days to maturity was little higher over early maturing B. rapa parent. The synthesized B. napus has great potential to produce higher seed yield. Further screening and evaluation is needed for selection of desirable genotypes having improved yield contributing characters and higher seed yield.

Seed yield components and their potential interaction in grasses - to what extend does seed weigth influence yield?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boelt, B; Gislum, R

2010-01-01

 In a first-year seed crop of red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) the degree of lodging was controlled by the use of Moddus (Trinexapac-ethyl). Seed weight was found to increase by the decreasing degree of lodging prior to harvest. The higher seed weights were accompanied by higher yields even though...... the number of reproductive tillers and floret site utilization (FSU) were unaffected by the treatments. Seed yield is affected by several yield components and reflects the interaction between the seed yield potential (e.g. number of reproductive tillers, number of spikelets and florets/spikelet per...... reproductive tiller), the utilization of the potential (e.g. seed set, seed weight) and the realization of the seed yield potential, defined as the number of florets forming a saleable seed. The realization of the seed yield potential is affected by seed retention, seed weight and other traits associated...

Intermedin A, a New Labdane Diterpene Isolated from Alpinia intermedia, Prolonged the Survival Time of P-388D1 Tumor-Bearing CDF1 Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lih-Geeng; Su, Pei-Jung; Tsai, Po-Wei; Yang, Ling-Ling; Wang, Ching-Chiung

2017-01-01

Eight ethanolic extracts of indigenous Taiwanese plants of the genus Alpinia were tested for tumor cytotoxicity against AGS, Hep G2, HeLa, KB, and HL-60 cells. Among the 50 % and 95 % EtOH extracts of eight Alpinia species, the cytotoxic effects of Alpinia intermedia leaves were the strongest. When the leaf extract of A. intermedia was partitioned using n -hexane and aqueous solvents, the n -hexane layer showed a greater cytotoxic effect and could prolong the survival time of P-388D 1 tumor-bearing CDF1 mice. Two new labdane diterpene derivatives, intermedin A ( 1 ) and intermedin B ( 2 ), and coronarin E ( 3 ) were isolated from the n -hexane layer of A. intermedia . Intermedin A induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells at 30 µg/mL and significantly prolonged the survival time of P-388D 1 tumor-bearing CDF 1 mice by 48.7 % at 20 mg/kg of body weight. We suggest that intermedin A is a major compound of A. intermedia and has a cytotoxic effect on HL-60 and P-388D 1 cells. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Isolation and structure elucidation of some compounds of Solidago gigantea var. serotina (O. Kuntze) Cronquist

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lichtenberger, E.

1985-03-01

Studies on plants of the genus Solidago used in folk medicine as a remedy against diseases of the urinary-system induced the investigation of Solidago gigantea Aiton var. serotina (O. Kuntze) Cronquist = S. serotina. A methanolic extract of the aerial parts was examined for the biologically active saponin complex. The most effective constituents were found to be a mixture of closely related triterpene glycosides named saponin G, H, I and saponin K. Fractionation over a series of silicagel columns and droplet countercurrent chromatographies resulted in pure saponin G and saponin H. The screening of the hydrolized glycosides afforded the genins bayogenin as major compound, oleanolic acid and three additional aglycones in trace quantities. The identy of bayogenin, oleanolic acid and bayogeninglucosid was established by mass-, 1 H-NMR- and 13 C-NMR-measurements and by direct comparison with authentic samples. Gas chromatographic analysis of the sugar moiety yielded rhamnose, xylose, glucose and 6-desoxyglucose after KILIANI-degradation in a ratio 3:3:1:1. Beside the triterpene derivatives, mentioned above, we found a diterpene, sterol and sterolglycosed as well. The diterpene structure was confirmed by UV-, IR-, mass-, 1 H-NMR- and 13 C-NMR-spectroscopy. This diterpene was not previously known to be present in S. serotina. The sterol-compounds could be determined as α-spinasterol and the respective hexosid. (Author)

Increased [CO2] does not compensate for negative effects on yield caused by higher temperature and [O3] in Brassica napus L

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frenck, Georg; van der Linden, Leon Gareth; Mikkelsen, Teis Nørgaard

2011-01-01

in existing genotypes is vital. In this study, the responses in yield and biomass production of four different cultivars of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) were tested under five different combinations of increased [CO2] (700 ppm), temperature (+5 °C) and [O3] (+40 ppb). Especially the multifactor treatments...

Predicting paddlefish roe yields using an extension of the Beverton–Holt equilibrium yield-per-recruit model

Science.gov (United States)

Colvin, M.E.; Bettoli, Phillip William; Scholten, G.D.

2013-01-01

Equilibrium yield models predict the total biomass removed from an exploited stock; however, traditional yield models must be modified to simulate roe yields because a linear relationship between age (or length) and mature ovary weight does not typically exist. We extended the traditional Beverton-Holt equilibrium yield model to predict roe yields of Paddlefish Polyodon spathula in Kentucky Lake, Tennessee-Kentucky, as a function of varying conditional fishing mortality rates (10-70%), conditional natural mortality rates (cm; 9% and 18%), and four minimum size limits ranging from 864 to 1,016mm eye-to-fork length. These results were then compared to a biomass-based yield assessment. Analysis of roe yields indicated the potential for growth overfishing at lower exploitation rates and smaller minimum length limits than were suggested by the biomass-based assessment. Patterns of biomass and roe yields in relation to exploitation rates were similar regardless of the simulated value of cm, thus indicating that the results were insensitive to changes in cm. Our results also suggested that higher minimum length limits would increase roe yield and reduce the potential for growth overfishing and recruitment overfishing at the simulated cm values. Biomass-based equilibrium yield assessments are commonly used to assess the effects of harvest on other caviar-based fisheries; however, our analysis demonstrates that such assessments likely underestimate the probability and severity of growth overfishing when roe is targeted. Therefore, equilibrium roe yield-per-recruit models should also be considered to guide the management process for caviar-producing fish species.

Straw incorporation increases crop yield and soil organic carbon sequestration but varies under different natural conditions and farming practices in China: a system analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Xiao; Xu, Cong; Dungait, Jennifer A. J.; Bol, Roland; Wang, Xiaojie; Wu, Wenliang; Meng, Fanqiao

2018-04-01

Loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) from agricultural soils is a key indicator of soil degradation associated with reductions in net primary productivity in crop production systems worldwide. Technically simple and locally appropriate solutions are required for farmers to increase SOC and to improve cropland management. In the last 30 years, straw incorporation (SI) has gradually been implemented across China in the context of agricultural intensification and rural livelihood improvement. A meta-analysis of data published before the end of 2016 was undertaken to investigate the effects of SI on crop production and SOC sequestration. The results of 68 experimental studies throughout China in different edaphic conditions, climate regions and farming regimes were analyzed. Compared with straw removal (SR), SI significantly sequestered SOC (0-20 cm depth) at the rate of 0.35 (95 % CI, 0.31-0.40) Mg C ha-1 yr-1, increased crop grain yield by 13.4 % (9.3-18.4 %) and had a conversion efficiency of the incorporated straw C of 16 % ± 2 % across China. The combined SI at the rate of 3 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 with mineral fertilizer of 200-400 kg N ha-1 yr-1 was demonstrated to be the best farming practice, where crop yield increased by 32.7 % (17.9-56.4 %) and SOC sequestrated by the rate of 0.85 (0.54-1.15) Mg C ha-1 yr-1. SI achieved a higher SOC sequestration rate and crop yield increment when applied to clay soils under high cropping intensities, and in areas such as northeast China where the soil is being degraded. The SOC responses were highest in the initial starting phase of SI, then subsequently declined and finally became negligible after 28-62 years. However, crop yield responses were initially low and then increased, reaching their highest level at 11-15 years after SI. Overall, our study confirmed that SI created a positive feedback loop of SOC enhancement together with increased crop production, and this is of great practical importance to straw management as agriculture

simulating rice yields under climate change scenarios using

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prof. Adipala Ekwamu

The effects of climate change on rice production and yield cannot be overlooked in finding measures to increase production and yield. The CERES-Rice (Ver. 4.0) model was calibrated and evaluated for use in simulating rice yields under different climate change scenarios in Ghana using data from the Anum Valley ...

Biochar boosts tropical but not temperate crop yields

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffery, Simon; Abalos, Diego; Prodana, Marija; Catarina Bastos, Ana; van Groenigen, Jan Willem; Hungate, Bruce A.; Verheijen, Frank

2017-05-01

Applying biochar to soil is thought to have multiple benefits, from helping mitigate climate change [1, 2], to managing waste [3] to conserving soil [4]. Biochar is also widely assumed to boost crop yield [5, 6], but there is controversy regarding the extent and cause of any yield benefit [7]. Here we use a global-scale meta-analysis to show that biochar has, on average, no effect on crop yield in temperate latitudes, yet elicits a 25% average increase in yield in the tropics. In the tropics, biochar increased yield through liming and fertilization, consistent with the low soil pH, low fertility, and low fertilizer inputs typical of arable tropical soils. We also found that, in tropical soils, high-nutrient biochar inputs stimulated yield substantially more than low-nutrient biochar, further supporting the role of nutrient fertilization in the observed yield stimulation. In contrast, arable soils in temperate regions are moderate in pH, higher in fertility, and generally receive higher fertilizer inputs, leaving little room for additional benefits from biochar. Our findings demonstrate that the yield-stimulating effects of biochar are not universal, but may especially benefit agriculture in low-nutrient, acidic soils in the tropics. Biochar management in temperate zones should focus on potential non-yield benefits such as lime and fertilizer cost savings, greenhouse gas emissions control, and other ecosystem services.

Increased evapotranspiration demand in a Mediterranean climate might cause a decline in fungal yields under global warming.

Science.gov (United States)

Ágreda, Teresa; Águeda, Beatriz; Olano, José M; Vicente-Serrano, Sergio M; Fernández-Toirán, Marina

2015-09-01

Wild fungi play a critical role in forest ecosystems, and its recollection is a relevant economic activity. Understanding fungal response to climate is necessary in order to predict future fungal production in Mediterranean forests under climate change scenarios. We used a 15-year data set to model the relationship between climate and epigeous fungal abundance and productivity, for mycorrhizal and saprotrophic guilds in a Mediterranean pine forest. The obtained models were used to predict fungal productivity for the 2021-2080 period by means of regional climate change models. Simple models based on early spring temperature and summer-autumn rainfall could provide accurate estimates for fungal abundance and productivity. Models including rainfall and climatic water balance showed similar results and explanatory power for the analyzed 15-year period. However, their predictions for the 2021-2080 period diverged. Rainfall-based models predicted a maintenance of fungal yield, whereas water balance-based models predicted a steady decrease of fungal productivity under a global warming scenario. Under Mediterranean conditions fungi responded to weather conditions in two distinct periods: early spring and late summer-autumn, suggesting a bimodal pattern of growth. Saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi showed differences in the climatic control. Increased atmospheric evaporative demand due to global warming might lead to a drop in fungal yields during the 21st century. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Estimating yield gaps at the cropping system level.

Science.gov (United States)

Guilpart, Nicolas; Grassini, Patricio; Sadras, Victor O; Timsina, Jagadish; Cassman, Kenneth G

2017-05-01

Yield gap analyses of individual crops have been used to estimate opportunities for increasing crop production at local to global scales, thus providing information crucial to food security. However, increases in crop production can also be achieved by improving cropping system yield through modification of spatial and temporal arrangement of individual crops. In this paper we define the cropping system yield potential as the output from the combination of crops that gives the highest energy yield per unit of land and time, and the cropping system yield gap as the difference between actual energy yield of an existing cropping system and the cropping system yield potential. Then, we provide a framework to identify alternative cropping systems which can be evaluated against the current ones. A proof-of-concept is provided with irrigated rice-maize systems at four locations in Bangladesh that represent a range of climatic conditions in that country. The proposed framework identified (i) realistic alternative cropping systems at each location, and (ii) two locations where expected improvements in crop production from changes in cropping intensity (number of crops per year) were 43% to 64% higher than from improving the management of individual crops within the current cropping systems. The proposed framework provides a tool to help assess food production capacity of new systems ( e.g. with increased cropping intensity) arising from climate change, and assess resource requirements (water and N) and associated environmental footprint per unit of land and production of these new systems. By expanding yield gap analysis from individual crops to the cropping system level and applying it to new systems, this framework could also be helpful to bridge the gap between yield gap analysis and cropping/farming system design.

Midkine Increases Diagnostic Yield in AFP Negative and NASH-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roslyn Vongsuvanh

Full Text Available Robust biomarkers for population-level hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC surveillance are lacking. We compared serum midkine (MDK, dickkopf-1 (DKK1, osteopontin (OPN and AFP for HCC diagnosis in 86 HCC patients matched to 86 cirrhotics, 86 with chronic liver disease (CLD and 86 healthy controls (HC. Based on the performance of each biomarker, we assessed a separate longitudinal cohort of 28 HCC patients, at and before cancer diagnosis. Serum levels of MDK and OPN were higher in HCC patients compared to cirrhosis, CLD and HC groups. DKK1 was not different between cases and controls. More than half of HCC patients had normal AFP. In this AFP-negative HCC cohort, 59.18% (n = 29/49 had elevated MDK, applying the optimal cut-off of 0.44 ng/ml. Using AFP ≥ 20 IU/ml or MDK ≥ 0.44 ng/ml, a significantly greater number (76.7%; n = 66/86 of HCC cases were detected. The area under the receiver operating curve for MDK was superior to AFP and OPN in NASH-HCC diagnosis. In the longitudinal cohort, MDK was elevated in 15/28 (54% of HCC patients at diagnosis, of whom 67% had elevated MDK 6 months prior.AFP and MDK have a complementary role in HCC detection. MDK increases the diagnostic yield in AFP-negative HCC and has greater diagnostic performance than AFP, OPN and DKK-1 in the diagnosis of NASH-HCC. Additionally, MDK has a promising role in the pre-clinical diagnosis of HCC.

Systematic selection for increased fruit yield in populations derived from hybridization only, F1 irradiation, and hybridization following parental irradiation in peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emery, D.A.; Wynne, J.C.

1976-01-01

Three hybrid peanut populations involving a single pair of high yielding parents were developed to determine the effects of irradiation prior to and after hybridization on the response to selection for fruit yield. The control-hybrid population was produced by making reciprocal crosses between the two parents. The pre-hybrid-irradiated population was initiated by making reciprocal crosses between the M 1 plants of the two parents irradiated as seeds. The post-hybrid-irradiated population was developed by irradiating the mature F 1 embryos of crosses between the same parents. Each of the three original populations consisted of 55 F 1 plants. Ten F 2 plants were grown from each F 1 and one F 3 plant from each F 2 was used to initiate the yield tests. Selection for increased yield was practiced systematically and uniformly in each population over the F 3 to F 5 generations until the number of lines derived from single F 1 plants was reduced to five and the number of sublines descended from particular F 2 plants to three per line for yield trials in the F 6 generation. The mean yields of the F 1 derived lines of the irradiated populations were considerably below that of the control hybrid population when selection began but they reached 99% of the control mean in the F 6 generation. Selection gains in the irradiated populations appeared to result from the removal of inferior yielding sublines since greatest progress was made by raising the lower extremities of mean F 2 derived subline ranges rather than by extending the upper extremities of the ranges. The three highest yielding lines in the F6 generation occurred in the irradiated populations while the three highest yielding sublines were found in the hybrid-control population. No incidental association between size and yield of fruit was noted and a wide range of fruit sizes was found among the high yielding lines and sublines in all populations. (author)

Effect of Different Tillage Methods and Cover Crop Types on Yield and Yield Components of Wheat

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Z Sharefee

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction Conservation agriculture is an appropriate strategy for maintaining and improving agricultural resources which increases crop production and stability and also provides environmental protection. This attitude contributes to the conservation of natural resources (soil, water, and air and is one of the most effective ways to overcome the drought crisis, water management and compensation of soil organic matter in arid and semi-arid regions. The practice of zero-tillage decreases the mineralization of organic matter and contributes to the sequestration of organic carbon in the soil. Higher amounts of organic matter in the soil improve soil structure and root growth, water infiltration and retention, and cation exchange capacity. In addition, zero-tillage reduces soil compaction and crop production costs. Cover crops are cultivated to protect the soil from erosion and elements loss by leaching or runoff and also improve the soil moisture and temperature. Given that South Khorasan farmers still use traditional methods of cultivation of wheat, and cover crops have no place in their farming systems, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cover crops types and tillage systems on yield and yield components of wheat in Birjand region. Materials and Methods A split plot field experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research Farm of the University of Birjand over the growing season of 2014-2015. The main factor was the type of tillage (no-till, reduced tillage and conventional tillage and cover crop type (chickling pea (Lathyrus sativus, rocket salad (Eruca sativa, triticale (X Triticosecale witmack, barley (Hordeum vulgaris and control (no cover crop was considered as sub plots. Cover crops were planted on July 2014. Before planting wheat, cover crops were dried through spraying paraquat herbicide using a backpack sprayer at a rate of 3 L ha-1. Then the three tillage

The Effect of Irrigation Intervals and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Chlorophyll Index, Yield and Yield Components of Grain Sorghum

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J. Hamzei

2014-08-01

Full Text Available This experiment was carried out to study the effect of irrigation intervals and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on chlorophyll index, yield and yield components of grain sorghum. A factorial experiment was done based on randomized complete block design (RCBD with three replications at the Agriculture Research Station faculty of Agriculture, Bu- Ali Sina University in growing season of 2011. Irrigation intervals (7, 14 and 21 days with three levels of seed inoculation (control without inoculation, inoculation with Glomus mossea and inoculation with G. intraradices were the experimental treatments. Results indicated that the effect of irrigation intervals and mycorrhizal fungi were significant for traits of chlorophyll index, percentage of root symbiosis (PRS, number of grain per panicle, 1000 seed weight, grain yield and harvest index (HI. Maximum value for each trait was observed at G. mossea treatment. G. mossea treatment in comparison with G. intraradices and control treatment can increase the grain yield of sorghum up to 6.80 and 23.10%, respectively. Also, with increasing irrigation interval from 7 to 21 days, PRS increased up to 27.9%. Maximum value for grain yield (755 g m-2 was achieved at irrigation every 14 days and application of G. mossea treatment. But, there was no significant difference between irrigation sorghum plants every 14 days and application of G. mossea and irrigation every 7 days and application of either G. mossea or G. intraradices. In general, irrigation of sorghum plants every 14 days and supplying of G. mossea can produce the highest grain yield, while decreasing water consumption for sorghum production.

Effect of Black and Clear Polyethylene Mulch on Yield and Yield Components of Melon in Salinity Stress Condition

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Peyman Jafari

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The term of Mulch, is the German word (Molsh means the soft, however, not soft, and made of plant debris or synthetic substances. Many positive effects attributed to the use of plastic mulch such as adjusting the temperature in the root environment, conserve moisture, reduce weeds, increase root growth, reduce soil erosion, and soil condensation and improve germination and early plant establishment. The use of mulch can reduce the harmful effects of salt in plants. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the effects of black and clear polyethylene mulch on yield and yield components of melon in salinity stress condition, a study was conducted in 2011 using split plot randomized based on complete block design with three replications in Varamin region. Three salinity levels of irrigation water of 2, 5 and 8 dS-1 as main factor and three plastic mulch treatments (no mulch, clear mulch and black mulch were considered as sub-plots. At harvest and after determining the yield and number of fruits harvested from each plot, the average number of fruits per plant was measured and fruit pulp thickness was recorded with calipers. Results Discussion The results showed interactive effects of salinity and mulch on fruit yield, number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, fruit length, days to first harvest and fruit soluble solids percentage were statistically significant. In salinity levels of 2, 5 and 8 dS m-1, fruit yield increased, respectively, 19.6, 59, and 45.4 %in clear mulch compared to control. Similarly these increases for the black mulch were equal to 15.7, 41.9, and 21.4 percent, respectively. With 2, 5 and 8 dS m-1 salinity levels, fruit yield in the first harvest were 7.44, 7.72, and 6.98 t ha -1, respectively, which was significantly higher than without mulch and black mulch. Mulch can reduce evaporation and increase the level of moisture in the soil and thereby dilute the salt and reduce the harmful effects of salinity. Some

Quantitative Genetic Analysis for Yield and Yield Components in Boro Rice (Oryza sativa L.

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Supriyo CHAKRABORTY

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Twenty-nine genotypes of boro rice (Oryza sativa L. were grown in a randomized block design with three replications in plots of 4m x 1m with a crop geometry of 20 cm x 20 cm between November-April, in Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nagaon, India. Quantitative data were collected on five randomly selected plants of each genotype per replication for yield/plant, and six other yield components, namely plant height, panicles/plant, panicle length, effective grains/panicle, 100 grain weight and harvest index. Mean values of the characters for each genotype were used for analysis of variance and covariance to obtain information on genotypic and phenotypic correlation along with coheritability between two characters. Path analyses were carried out to estimate the direct and indirect effects of boro rice�s yield components. The objective of the study was to identify the characters that mostly influence the yield for increasing boro rice productivity through breeding program. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive genotypic correlation of yield/plant with plant height (0.21, panicles/plant (0.53, panicle length (0.53, effective grains/panicle (0.57 and harvest index (0.86. Path analysis based on genotypic correlation coefficients elucidated high positive direct effect of harvest index (0.8631, panicle length (0.2560 and 100 grain weight (0.1632 on yield/plant with a residual effect of 0.33. Plant height and panicles/plant recorded high positive indirect effect on yield/plant via harvest index whereas effective grains/panicle on yield/plant via harvest index and panicle length. Results of the present study suggested that five component characters, namely harvest index, effective grains/plant, panicle length, panicles/plant and plant height influenced the yield of boro rice. A genotype with higher magnitude of these component characters could be either selected from the existing genotypes or evolved by breeding program for genetic

Effects of low doses of gamma rays on yield, yield components, and other characters of two maize varieties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yousif, Z. B.; Jabbo, N. F.; Khalaf, M. Z.; Majid, A. H.; Ali, H. J.

1994-01-01

The study was conducted during the fall of 1991 and 1992 at Al-Latyfia Experimental Station to determine the effect of low doses of gamma rays on yield, yield components, and other characters of two maize varieties. Five doses were used in addition to control. A factorial experiment with randomized complete block design in three replications was used in the study. Results revealed that there was significant difference between varieties in plant and ear height in 1992. However, differences between varieties were also significantly affected by most yield component characters. Low doses significantly affected plant height, weight of 500 kernels in 1991, and kernel row number in 1992. Grain yield was affected significantly in 1991 and 1992 by low doses. Results showed that 2.0 krad was the most useful low dose to increase grain yield, whereas there was no significant effect between varieties in grain yield. 7 refs., 6 tabs

Closing Yield Gaps: How Sustainable Can We Be?

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Prajal Pradhan

Full Text Available Global food production needs to be increased by 60-110% between 2005 and 2050 to meet growing food and feed demand. Intensification and/or expansion of agriculture are the two main options available to meet the growing crop demands. Land conversion to expand cultivated land increases GHG emissions and impacts biodiversity and ecosystem services. Closing yield gaps to attain potential yields may be a viable option to increase the global crop production. Traditional methods of agricultural intensification often have negative externalities. Therefore, there is a need to explore location-specific methods of sustainable agricultural intensification. We identified regions where the achievement of potential crop calorie production on currently cultivated land will meet the present and future food demand based on scenario analyses considering population growth and changes in dietary habits. By closing yield gaps in the current irrigated and rain-fed cultivated land, about 24% and 80% more crop calories can respectively be produced compared to 2000. Most countries will reach food self-sufficiency or improve their current food self-sufficiency levels if potential crop production levels are achieved. As a novel approach, we defined specific input and agricultural management strategies required to achieve the potential production by overcoming biophysical and socioeconomic constraints causing yield gaps. The management strategies include: fertilizers, pesticides, advanced soil management, land improvement, management strategies coping with weather induced yield variability, and improving market accessibility. Finally, we estimated the required fertilizers (N, P2O5, and K2O to attain the potential yields. Globally, N-fertilizer application needs to increase by 45-73%, P2O5-fertilizer by 22-46%, and K2O-fertilizer by 2-3 times compared to the year 2010 to attain potential crop production. The sustainability of such agricultural intensification largely depends

Blackleg (Leptosphaeria maculans) Severity and Yield Loss in Canola in Alberta, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Sheau-Fang; Strelkov, Stephen E.; Peng, Gary; Ahmed, Hafiz; Zhou, Qixing; Turnbull, George

2016-01-01

Blackleg, caused by Leptosphaeria maculans, is an important disease of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) in Canada and throughout the world. Severe epidemics of blackleg can result in significant yield losses. Understanding disease-yield relationships is a prerequisite for measuring the agronomic efficacy and economic benefits of control methods. Field experiments were conducted in 2013, 2014, and 2015 to determine the relationship between blackleg disease severity and yield in a susceptible cultivar and in moderately resistant to resistant canola hybrids. Disease severity was lower, and seed yield was 120%–128% greater, in the moderately resistant to resistant hybrids compared with the susceptible cultivar. Regression analysis showed that pod number and seed yield declined linearly as blackleg severity increased. Seed yield per plant decreased by 1.8 g for each unit increase in disease severity, corresponding to a decline in yield of 17.2% for each unit increase in disease severity. Pyraclostrobin fungicide reduced disease severity in all site-years and increased yield. These results show that the reduction of blackleg in canola crops substantially improves yields. PMID:27447676

Blackleg (Leptosphaeria maculans Severity and Yield Loss in Canola in Alberta, Canada

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Sheau-Fang Hwang

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Blackleg, caused by Leptosphaeria maculans, is an important disease of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L. in Canada and throughout the world. Severe epidemics of blackleg can result in significant yield losses. Understanding disease-yield relationships is a prerequisite for measuring the agronomic efficacy and economic benefits of control methods. Field experiments were conducted in 2013, 2014, and 2015 to determine the relationship between blackleg disease severity and yield in a susceptible cultivar and in moderately resistant to resistant canola hybrids. Disease severity was lower, and seed yield was 120%–128% greater, in the moderately resistant to resistant hybrids compared with the susceptible cultivar. Regression analysis showed that pod number and seed yield declined linearly as blackleg severity increased. Seed yield per plant decreased by 1.8 g for each unit increase in disease severity, corresponding to a decline in yield of 17.2% for each unit increase in disease severity. Pyraclostrobin fungicide reduced disease severity in all site-years and increased yield. These results show that the reduction of blackleg in canola crops substantially improves yields.

Effect of Supplementary Irrigation on Yield, Yield Components and Protein Percentages of Chickpea Cultivars in Ilam, Iran

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A. Maleki

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In order to study the effect of supplementary irrigation on yield, yield components and protein percentages of three cultivars of chickpea an experiment carried out as split plot, based on randomized complete blocks design, with three replications in Ilam, in 2009-2010 growing season. Irrigation treatments were: control, without irrigation (I0, irrigation at the stage of %50 blooming, irrigation at the stage of %50 flowering, irrigation at the stage of pods filling, which were allocated to main plots and genotypes, ILC482, Filip93-93 and local variety to sub plots. Irrigation treatments had significantly effect on seed and biological yields, harvest index, pod numbers per plant, seed numbers per pod and 100 seed weight. The Filip93-93 produced highest (1140.51 kg/ha and the local variety lowest seed yields (1056.98 kg/ha.Irrigation at the stage of pod filling and blooming increased by seed yield %41.3 and %29.3 respectively as  compared to control .Irrigation at the pod filling period produced the highest seed yield. The Filip93-93 produced highest yield (1263.31 kg/ha when the field irrigated at pod filling stage and the local variety at control treatment (without irrigation the lowest seed yield (893.26 kg/ha.

Study of initial stage in coal liquefaction. Increase in oil yield with suppression of retrogressive reaction during initial stage; Ekika hanno no shoki katei ni kansuru kenkyu. 1.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uesugi, K.; Kanaji, M.; Kaneko, T.; Shimasaki, K. [Nippon Brown Coal Liquefaction Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-28

For the coal liquefaction, improvement of liquefaction conditions and increase of liquefied oil yield are expected by suppressing the recombination through rapid stabilization of pyrolytic radicals which are formed at the initial stage of liquefaction. Two-stage liquefaction combining prethermal treatment and liquefaction was performed under various conditions, to investigate the effects of reaction conditions on the yields and properties of products as well as to increase liquefied oil yield. Consequently, it was found that the catalyst contributes greatly to the hydrogen transfer to coal at the prethermal treatment. High yield of n-hexane soluble fraction with products having low condensation degree could be obtained by combining the prethermal treatment in the presence of hydrogen and catalyst with the concentration of slurry after the treatment. This was considered to be caused by the synergetic effect between the improvement of liquefaction by suppressing polymerization/condensation at the initial stage of reaction through the prethermal treatment and the effective hydrogen transfer accompanied with the improvement of contact efficiency of coal/catalyst by the concentration of slurry at the stage of liquefaction. 4 refs., 8 figs.

Evaluation of Yield, Yield Components and Growth Indices of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L. in Conventional and Organic Farming Systems

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Mahdieh Hajghani

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction Application of organic fertilizers in sustainable agriculture systems improves yield sustainability of field crop. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L. is native to Middle East and belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is resistant to saline conditions, water stress, and can reach the deep-lying water of soil. The humic acid (HA mentioned as an environmentally friendly, organic matter with low levels of hormonal-like compounds is useful in improving agriculture production (Samavat and Malakuti 2006. The HA influence on plant growth depends on the source, concentration and molecular weight of the substance. Vermicompost is produced by earthworms, mainly Eisenia foetida, it has higher levels of available nutrients compared to the original materials of composts produced by other methods. Recent evidences suggest that using different amounts of vermicompost increased vegetative traits and concentration of minerals in sunflower. However, there has been little discussion about organic farming of safflower. The main objectives of the present study were to determine the effect of organic treatments on yield, yield components, and growth indices of safflower and to compare it with conventional agriculture. Materials and methods This research was conducted in Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Station in Kerman, Iran during 2012–2013. It was carried out in a randomized complete block (RCB design and had three replications. The current research has been performed to investigate the effects of two different sources of organic fertilizer on spring safflower. Four levels of vermicompost (V: 0, 3, 6 and 9 t ha-1 were considered in the main plots. Liquid humic acid at four different concentrations (HA: 0, 1000, 2000 and 3000 ppm were examined and kept in the subplots. Humic acid as a foliar treatment on leaf surface was applied twice at the beginning of stem elongation and at flowering times. In this study, aimed to compare organic farming

Increasing quantum yield of sodium salicylate above 80 eV photon energy: Implications for photoemission cross sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindle, D.W.; Ferrett, T.A.; Heimann, P.A.; Shirley, D.A.

1986-01-01

The quantum yield of the visible scintillator sodium salicylate is found to increase in the incident photon-energy range 80--270 eV. Because of its use as a photon-flux monitor in recent gas-phase photoelectron spectroscopy measurements, previously reported partial cross sections for Hg (4f, 5p, and 5d subshells) and CH 3 I (I 4d subshell) in this energy range are corrected, and new values are reported. For Hg, the correction brings the experimental data into better overall agreement with theory. However, considerable uncertainty remains in the absolute scale derived from previous Hg photoabsorption measurements, and no single rescaling of the subshell cross sections could simultaneously bring all three into agreement with available theoretical calculations

Effects of Chemical and Organic Fertilizers on Growth, Yield and Yield Component of Tomato (Lycopersicon sculentum L.

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R Mirzaei Talarposhti

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction Although using animal manures and crop residues as a traditional method for increasing soil fertility and crop yield has a long history but Conventional agricultural systems rely on the use of chemical fertilizer due to its immediate availability of nutrients. In many of modern agricultural systems using chemical fertilizers as a fast and easiest way to reduce nutrient deficiency and increasing soil fertility is considered. Intensive and continuous use of chemical fertilizers leads to decreasing the stability and sustainability of agricultural systems and also poses major threat to environment and human health. Organic fertilizers have positive effects on physiochemical and biological attributes of soil and could be classified in three different groups (i.e. Animal manures, green manure and composts.Using animal manure not only increase soil fertility but also could result in increasing infiltration, aeration and water holding capacity of soil. The main role of these fertilizers is related to physical change in soil. Different types of composts such as municipal waste compost and vermicompost also have similar positive effects, but usually the farmers observe the main effect of these organic fertilizers in long term. In order to investigate the effects of different types of organic fertilizers on growth indexes, yield and yield component of tomato (Lycopersicon sculentum L. current experiment was conducted. Materials and Methods The experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design (RCBD with three replications and six treatments in the research station of Shahid Beheshti University. The experimental treatments were: Control or no fertilizer (NF, chemical fertilizer (CF, cow manure (CM, poultry manure (PM, vermicompost (VC and municipal waste compost (MC. Considering nitrogen concentration in all of the treatments different amounts of these fertilizers were used based on nitrogen recommendation for the field, so in

Yield gap analysis of Chickpea under semi-arid conditions: A simulation study

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seyed Reza Amiri Deh ahmadi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Yield gap analysis provides an essential framework to prioritize research and policy efforts aimed at reducing yield constraints. To identify options for increasing chickpea yield, the SSM-chickpea model was parameterized and evaluated to analyze yield potentials, water limited yields and yield gaps for nine regions representing major chickpea-growing areas of Razavi Khorasan province. The average potential yield of chickpea for the locations was 2251 kg ha-1, while the water limited yield was 1026 kg ha-1 indicating a 54% reduction in yield due to adverse soil moisture conditions. Also, the average irrigated and rainfed actual yields were respectively 64% and 79% less than simulated potential and water limited yields. Maximum and minimum yield gap between potential yield and actual yield were observed in Quchan and Torbat-jam respectively. Generally, yield gap showed an increasing trend from the north (including Nishabur, Mashhad, Quchan and Daregaz regions to the south of the province (Torbat- Jam and Gonabad. In addition, yield gap between simulated water limited potential yield and rainfed actual yield were very low because both simulated water limiting potential and average rainfed actual yields were low in these regions. Yield gap analysis provides an essential framework to prioritize research and policy efforts aimed at reducing yield constraints. To identify options for increasing chickpea yield, the SSM-chickpea model was parameterized and evaluated to analyze yield potentials, water limited yields and yield gaps for nine regions representing major chickpea-growing areas of Razavi Khorasan province. The average potential yield of chickpea for the locations was 2251 kg ha-1, while the water limited yield was 1026 kg ha-1 indicating a 54% reduction in yield due to adverse soil moisture conditions. Also, the average irrigated and rainfed actual yields were respectively 64% and 79% less than simulated potential and water limited yields

Genotypic Variation in Yield, Yield Components, Root Morphology and Architecture, in Soybean in Relation to Water and Phosphorus Supply

Science.gov (United States)

He, Jin; Jin, Yi; Du, Yan-Lei; Wang, Tao; Turner, Neil C.; Yang, Ru-Ping; Siddique, Kadambot H. M.; Li, Feng-Min

2017-01-01

Water shortage and low phosphorus (P) availability limit yields in soybean. Roots play important roles in water-limited and P-deficient environment, but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study we determined the responses of four soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] genotypes [Huandsedadou (HD), Bailudou (BLD), Jindou 21 (J21), and Zhonghuang 30 (ZH)] to three P levels [applied 0 (P0), 60 (P60), and 120 (P120) mg P kg-1 dry soil to the upper 0.4 m of the soil profile] and two water treatment [well-watered (WW) and water-stressed (WS)] with special reference to root morphology and architecture, we compared yield and its components, root morphology and root architecture to find out which variety and/or what kind of root architecture had high grain yield under P and drought stress. The results showed that water stress and low P, respectively, significantly reduced grain yield by 60 and 40%, daily water use by 66 and 31%, P accumulation by 40 and 80%, and N accumulation by 39 and 65%. The cultivar ZH with the lowest daily water use had the highest grain yield at P60 and P120 under drought. Increased root length was positively associated with N and P accumulation in both the WW and WS treatments, but not with grain yield under water and P deficits. However, in the WS treatment, high adventitious and lateral root densities were associated with high N and P uptake per unit root length which in turn was significantly and positively associated with grain yield. Our results suggest that (1) genetic variation of grain yield, daily water use, P and N accumulation, and root morphology and architecture were observed among the soybean cultivars and ZH had the best yield performance under P and water limited conditions; (2) water has a major influence on nutrient uptake and grain yield, while additional P supply can modestly increase yields under drought in some soybean genotypes; (3) while conserved water use plays an important role in grain yield under drought

Effect of Salicylic Acid on Yield, Component Yield and Essential Oil of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L. under Water Deficit Stress

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E. Rezaei Chiyaneh

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Since the production of medicinal plants can be influenced by environmental factors such as water limitation. In other hand salicylic acid as a plant regulator can enhance drought resistance in plants. In order to investigate the effect of different irrigation intervals on yield, yield components and essential oil of black cumin (Nigella sativa L., a field experiment was conducted a farm located in West Azerbaijan province- city Nagadeh, West- Azerbaijan, during growing season of 2011- 2012. The experiment was arranged as split plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Irrigation intervals (6, 12 and 18 days and three levels of salicylic acid concentration (0, 0.5 and 1 mM considered as in main plots and sub-plots, respectively. Results showed that irrigation had significant effects on all characteristics such as Plant height, number of follicule per plant, number of seed per follicule, biological yield, grain yield, essential oil content and essential oil yield with the exception of 1000- seed weight. With increasing irrigation intervals from 6 to 18 days, plant height, number of follicule per plant, number of seed per follicule, biological yield, grain yield, essential oil percentage and essential oil yield were decreased up to 49, 52, 40, 35, 43, 20 and 55 %, respectively. In contrast, yield components and yield were enhanced up to treatments 0.5 mM of salicylic acid. Grain yield and essential oil yield with application of 0.5 mM salicylic acid increased up to 13 and 11 % compared to control, respectively. It seems that due to the limited sources of water in the region irrigation after 12 days and 0.5 mM salicylic acid concentration are suitable for black cumin grain production.

[Study on High-yield Cultivation Measures for Arctii Fructus].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shi-yong; Jiang, Xiao-bo; Wang, Tao; Sun, Ji-ye; Hu, Shang-qin; Zhang, Li

2015-02-01

To find out the high yield cultivation measures for Arctii Fructus. Completely randomized block experiment design method was used in the field planting, to analyze the effect of different cultivation way on agronomic characters, phenological phase,quality and quantity of Arctii Fructus. Arctium lappa planted on August 28 had the best results of plant height, thousand seeds weight and yield. The highest yield of Arctii Fructus was got at the density of 1,482 plants/667 m2. Arctiin content was in an increase trend with the planting time delay and planting density increasing. The plant height, thousand seeds weight, yield and arctiin content by split application of fertilizer were significantly higher than that by one-time fertilization. Compared with open field Arctium lappa, plant height, yield, arctiin content and relative water content of plastic film mulching Arctium lappa was higher by 7.74%, 10.87%, 6.38% and 24.20%, respectively. In the topping Arctium lappa, the yield was increased by 11.09%, with 39. 89% less branching number. Early planting time and topping shortened the growth cycle of Arctium lappa plant. The high-yield cultivation measures of Arctii Fructus are: around August 28 to sowing, planting density of 1 482 plants/667 m2, split application of fertilizer for four times, covering film on surface of the soil and topping in bolting.

Effects of Vermi-compost Fertilizer Application and Foliar Spraying on Yield and Yield Component of Isabgol (Plantago ovate L. Medicinal Plant

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Asghar Rahimi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction Vermi-compost is the ability of some species of earthworms to consume and break down a wide range of organic residues such as sewage sludge, animal wastes, crop residues and industrial refuse. Vermi-composts are usually more stable than their parent materials with increased availability of nutrients and improved physicochemical and microbiological properties. Aerial compost tea contains high populations of live microorganism consisting of rhizobactria, trichoderma and pseudomonas species which increase the growth and yield of the plant. Acid humic is the main humic substance and the important ingredient of soil organic matter (humus which causes increase of yield and quality of crop. The aim of this research is evaluating the effect of vermi-compost and foliar application of compost tea and acid humic on yield, yield component and mucilage content of isabgol. Vermiwash as the extract of vermi-compost is liquid organic fertilizer obtained from unit of vermiculture and vermi-compost as drainage. It is used as a foliar spraying on the leaf. Vermiwash stimulate and increase the yield of crop products and foliar application of vermiwash can be caused of plant resistance to different factors and can prevent leaf necrosis. Material and Methods In order to study the effect of vermi-compost and foliar application of tea compost and acid humic on growth indices of isabgol (Plantago ovata, an experiment was conducted as a factorial based on complete randomized design with three replications in agricultural research farm at Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan. Treatments were included application of vermi-compost (0 (control, 4, 8, 12 and 16 t.ha-1 and 3 levels of foliar application (distilled water as control, acid humic and compost tea. Samples for evaluating of yield, yield components and mucilage content were taken from 1 m2 area of each treatment. Tea compost solution prepared using mix of vermi-compost, acid humic, yeast and alga extract

Straw incorporation increases crop yield and soil organic carbon sequestration but varies under different natural conditions and farming practices in China: a system analysis

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X. Han

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Loss of soil organic carbon (SOC from agricultural soils is a key indicator of soil degradation associated with reductions in net primary productivity in crop production systems worldwide. Technically simple and locally appropriate solutions are required for farmers to increase SOC and to improve cropland management. In the last 30 years, straw incorporation (SI has gradually been implemented across China in the context of agricultural intensification and rural livelihood improvement. A meta-analysis of data published before the end of 2016 was undertaken to investigate the effects of SI on crop production and SOC sequestration. The results of 68 experimental studies throughout China in different edaphic conditions, climate regions and farming regimes were analyzed. Compared with straw removal (SR, SI significantly sequestered SOC (0–20 cm depth at the rate of 0.35 (95 % CI, 0.31–0.40 Mg C ha−1 yr−1, increased crop grain yield by 13.4 % (9.3–18.4 % and had a conversion efficiency of the incorporated straw C of 16 % ± 2 % across China. The combined SI at the rate of 3 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 with mineral fertilizer of 200–400 kg N ha−1 yr−1 was demonstrated to be the best farming practice, where crop yield increased by 32.7 % (17.9–56.4 % and SOC sequestrated by the rate of 0.85 (0.54–1.15 Mg C ha−1 yr−1. SI achieved a higher SOC sequestration rate and crop yield increment when applied to clay soils under high cropping intensities, and in areas such as northeast China where the soil is being degraded. The SOC responses were highest in the initial starting phase of SI, then subsequently declined and finally became negligible after 28–62 years. However, crop yield responses were initially low and then increased, reaching their highest level at 11–15 years after SI. Overall, our study confirmed that SI created a positive feedback loop of SOC enhancement together with

The Effect of Crop Residue and Different NPK Fertilizer Rates on yield Components and Yield of Wheat

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fatemeh khamadi

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction Integrated nutrient management involving crop residue/green manures and chemical fertilizer is potential alternative to provide a balanced supply of nutrients, enhance soil quality and thereby sustain higher productivity. The present experiment was undertaken to evaluate the effect of different crop residue management practices and NPK levels on yield components and yield of wheat. Materials and methods Field experiments were conducted during 2012-2014 at department of agronomy, Chamran University. Experiment was laid out in a randomized block designs in split plot arrangement. With three replications. Crop residues were assigned to main plot consistent CR1: wheat residue; CR2: rape residue; CR3: barley residue; CR4: barley residue + vetch; CR5: wheat straw + mungbean; CR6: vetch residue; CR7: mungbean residue; CR8: No residue incorporation as main plot and three NPK fertilizer rates: F1: (180N-120P-100K kg.ha-1; F2: (140N-90P-80K kg.ha-1; F3: (90N-60P-40K kg.ha-1 as sub plots. Twelve hills were collected at physiological maturity for measuring yield components from surrounding area of grain yield harvest area. Yield components, viz. number of spike per m2, seed per spike, 1000- grain weight, plant height were measured. Grain and straw yields were recorded from the central 5 m2 grain yield harvest area of each treatment and harvest index was calculated. Data were subjected to analysis by SAS and mean companions were performed using the Duncan multiple range test producer. Also, graphs were drawn in Excel software. Results and discussion The result of analysis variance showed significant difference between crop residues for evaluated traits. The result indicated that the highest biological and grain yield was obtained when wheat treated with CR5: wheat straw + mungbean (green manure and CR4: barley straw + vetch (green manure. Biological and grain yield increased 31 and 26% respectively by CR5 comparing with control. The highest

Overexpression of pyruvate decarboxylase in the yeast Hansenula polymorpha results in increased ethanol yield in high-temperature fermentation of xylose.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishchuk, Olena P; Voronovsky, Andriy Y; Stasyk, Oleh V; Gayda, Galina Z; Gonchar, Mykhailo V; Abbas, Charles A; Sibirny, Andriy A

2008-11-01

Improvement of xylose fermentation is of great importance to the fuel ethanol industry. The nonconventional thermotolerant yeast Hansenula polymorpha naturally ferments xylose to ethanol at high temperatures (48-50 degrees C). Introduction of a mutation that impairs ethanol reutilization in H. polymorpha led to an increase in ethanol yield from xylose. The native and heterologous (Kluyveromyces lactis) PDC1 genes coding for pyruvate decarboxylase were expressed at high levels in H. polymorpha under the control of the strong constitutive promoter of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (GAPDH). This resulted in increased pyruvate decarboxylase activity and improved ethanol production from xylose. The introduction of multiple copies of the H. polymorpha PDC1 gene driven by the strong constitutive promoter led to a 20-fold increase in pyruvate decarboxylase activity and up to a threefold elevation of ethanol production.

Chemistry of the Calceolaria Genus. Structural and Biological Aspects

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Juan A. Garbarino

2000-03-01

Full Text Available Autochthonous species of the Calceolaria (Scrophulariaceae genus are studied. From their apolar extracts 55 new diterpenes of six skeleton types, naphtoquinones and flavonoids have been isolated. Among the different diterpenes malonic substitutions and bis-diterpenes in which both units are joined by a malonic acid unit stand out. Pimaranes present C-9 epimerisation and, consequently, H-9 has the same orientation as Me-20. From C.sessilis naphthoquinones with antichagasic activity have been isolated; and the biotransformation of 2α,19-dihydroxy-9-epi-entpimara-7,15-diene with Giberella fujikuroi produced 7 new diterpenes.

Wheat-yield response to irrigation and nitrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirda, C.; Derici, R.; Kanber, R.; Yazar, A.; Koc, M.; Barutcular, C.

2000-01-01

Wheat-yield responses to the application of different rates of N fertilizer, under irrigated and rainfed conditions, were evaluated over four growing seasons. Nitrogen applied at tillering was utilized more effectively with proportionately less residual in the soil compared to that applied at planting. Subsequent crops of maize or cotton were positively affected by residual fertilizer N. Volatilization and leaching losses of applied N were small. Crop-water consumption showed strong positive associations with N rate. No wheat-grain-yield benefits accrued from irrigation, although straw yields were increased. Tiller production increased with N-fertilizer usage, however, tiller survival decreased at high N and was highest at 160 kg N ha -1 . Higher N rates produced higher stomatal conductance, increased rates of CO 2 assimilation and higher water-use efficiency. The CERES-Wheat growth-simulation model predicted rather closely the progress of dry-matter production, leaf area index, seasonal evapotranspiration, phenological development and of many other plant-growth attributes. The data indicated that the rate of 160 kg N ha -1 , which is commonly used by the farmers of the region, is acceptable, not only for optimum grain yields but also to minimize the risks of leaching NO 3 - to groundwater. (author)

Loss of the precise control of photosynthesis and increased yield of non-radiative dissipation of exitation energy after mild heat treatment of barley leaves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bukhov, N.G.; Boucher, N.; Carpentier, R.

1998-01-01

The after effects of a short exposure of intact barley leaves to moderately elevated temperature (40°C, 5 min) on the induction transients and the irradiance dependencies of photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence are presented. This mild heat treatment strongly reduced the oscillations in the rate of photosynthesis and in the yield of chlorophyll fluorescence. However, only a 25% irreversible inhibition of maximum photosynthetic capacity of photosystem II (PSII) measured by oxygen evolution was produced and the intrinsic quantum yield of PSII measured by the chlorophyll fluorescence ratio (F m - F o )/Fm decreased by only 15%. In contrast, the above treatment increased radiationless dissipation processes in PSII by a factor of two. In heat-treated leaves, photosynthesis was not saturated even by strong light. Both ΔpH-dependent quenching of excitons in PSII (including formation of zeaxanthin) and state 1/state 2 transition were found to be stimulated. Heat exposure enhanced the control of PSII activity by PSI, as evidenced by a significant increase in the quenching effect of far-red light on the maximum yield of chlorophyll fluorescence. It was deduced that after mild heat treatment, the photosynthetic apparatus in leaves lacks the precise coordinating control of electron transport and carbon metabolism owing to the inability of PSII to support electron transport at a level adequate for carbon metabolism. This effect was not related to the small irreversible thermal damage to PSII, but was rather due to a significant increase in non-photochemical quenching of excitation energy. (author)

Carbon Monoxide Releasing Molecule-A1 (CORM-A1) Improves Neurogenesis: Increase of Neuronal Differentiation Yield by Preventing Cell Death.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, Ana S; Soares, Nuno L; Vieira, Melissa; Gramsbergen, Jan Bert; Vieira, Helena L A

2016-01-01

Cerebral ischemia and neurodegenerative diseases lead to impairment or death of neurons in the central nervous system. Stem cell based therapies are promising strategies currently under investigation. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an endogenous product of heme degradation by heme oxygenase (HO) activity. Administration of CO at low concentrations produces several beneficial effects in distinct tissues, namely anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory. Herein the CO role on modulation of neuronal differentiation was assessed. Three different models with increasing complexity were used: human neuroblastoma SH-S5Y5 cell line, human teratocarcinoma NT2 cell line and organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHSC). Cell lines were differentiated into post-mitotic neurons by treatment with retinoic acid (RA) supplemented with CO-releasing molecule A1 (CORM-A1). CORM-A1 positively modulated neuronal differentiation, since it increased final neuronal production and enhanced the expression of specific neuronal genes: Nestin, Tuj1 and MAP2. Furthermore, during neuronal differentiation process, there was an increase in proliferative cell number (ki67 mRNA expressing cells) and a decrease in cell death (lower propidium iodide (PI) uptake, limitation of caspase-3 activation and higher Bcl-2 expressing cells). CO supplementation did not increase the expression of RA receptors. In the case of SH-S5Y5 model, small amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation emerges as important signaling molecules during CO-promoted neuronal differentiation. CO's improvement of neuronal differentiation yield was validated using OHSC as ex vivo model. CORM-A1 treatment of OHSC promoted higher levels of cells expressing the neuronal marker Tuj1. Still, CORM-A1 increased cell proliferation assessed by ki67 expression and also prevented cell death, which was followed by increased Bcl-2 expression, decreased levels of active caspase-3 and PI uptake. Likewise, ROS signaling emerged as key factors in CO

The Effects of Different Nitrogen Sources on Yield and Yield Components of Sweet Corn (Zea mays L. saccharata

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ali mojab ghasroddashti

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction Sweet corn (Zea mays L. saccharata is one of the tropical cereals of graminae which is cultivated in order to use for ear. Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients and key factors to achieve desirable yield. Fertilizers play a major role in crop productivity. However, nowadays, excessive use of fertilizers have been found to have a negative impact on yield and environment. Introducing new management methods based on nitrogen and water use efficiency showed some improvements in the quality and quantity of crop production in association with the health of the community. In fact, soil organic matter content should be maintained in the appropriate level to improve fertility. Using municipal solid waste compost and poultry manure are appropriate solutions. They can increase soil organic matter, modify physicochemical properties and improve crop production. Moreover, they are able to solve problems caused by the accumulation of municipal solid waste compost and poultry manure. Material and Methods In order to investigate the impact of different sources of nitrogen on yield and yield components of sweet corn, a field experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with three replications in Marvdasht in 2013. Treatments included different resources of fertilizer: 200 kg.ha-1 net nitrogen (T1, 300 kg.ha-1 net nitrogen (T2, 8 ton.ha-1 poultry manure (T3, 24 ton.ha-1 municipal solid waste compost (T4, 150 kg net nitrogen + 2 ton municipal solid waste compost (T5, 100 kg net nitrogen + 4 ton poultry manure (T6, 150 kg net nitrogen + 6 ton municipal solid waste compost (T7, 100 kg.ha-1 net nitrogen + 12 ton municipal solid waste compost (T8 and fertilizer free (control (T9. At the time of crop maturity, two square meters from middle of each plot were harvested to measure yield and yield components. Statistical analysis was performed using the SAS statistical software. Least significant difference (LSD test at the five

Effects of Methanol Spraying on Qualitative traits, Yield and Yield Components of Soybean (Glycine max L. under Drought Stress Conditions

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J Esazadeh Panjali Kharabasi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction Soybean (Glycin max L. is one of the most important oilseed crops in the world. It can provide oil and vegetable protein suitable for feeding humans as well as animals. The productivity Increasing of this crop in Iran has been the subject of continuous investigation over the past few years. It is well known that adequate water supply is considered as a very important factor to affect the accumulation of dry matter in the plant as well as vegetative growth of most crops. Irrigation is an important factor affecting soybean growth and yield and its related components. Exposing soybean plants to soil moisture stress at any phase of its life cycle may lead to a detrimental effect on growth, yield and its components. The methanol spraying can lead to increase in yield, expediting in maturity and reduction in drought stress impacts and water requirement of crops. Material and Methods The experiment was conducted as split plots based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture of Moghan, Iran, in 2011. Treatments included three levels of drought stress as follows irrigation after, 40 (control, 55 and 70 percentage of available soil moisture depletion as main plots, and four levels of methanol spraying including 0 (control, 7, 21 and 35 volumetric percentage as sub plots. The studied traits were included plant height, leaf area, number of pod and seed per plant, 1000 seed weight, biological and seed yield, stomatal conductance and proline contents. Statistical analysis was carried out using SAS version 9.1 software. Significant difference was set at p ≤ 0.05 by using Duncan’s multiple range test. Results and Discussion The results showed that the plant height, leaf area, number of pod and seed per plant, 1000 seed weight, biological and seed yield, stomatal conductance and proline contents as well as number of leaf per plant significantly affected by drought stress and methanol

Changes in diurnal temperature range and national cereal yields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lobell, D

2007-04-26

Models of yield responses to temperature change have often considered only changes in average temperature (Tavg), with the implicit assumption that changes in the diurnal temperature range (DTR) can safely be ignored. The goal of this study was to evaluate this assumption using a combination of historical datasets and climate model projections. Data on national crop yields for 1961-2002 in the 10 leading producers of wheat, rice, and maize were combined with datasets on climate and crop locations to evaluate the empirical relationships between Tavg, DTR, and crop yields. In several rice and maize growing regions, including the two major nations for each crop, there was a clear negative response of yields to increased DTR. This finding reflects a nonlinear response of yields to temperature, which likely results from greater water and heat stress during hot days. In many other cases, the effects of DTR were not statistically significant, in part because correlations of DTR with other climate variables and the relatively short length of the time series resulted in wide confidence intervals for the estimates. To evaluate whether future changes in DTR are relevant to crop impact assessments, yield responses to projected changes in Tavg and DTR by 2046-2065 from 11 climate models were estimated. The mean climate model projections indicated an increase in DTR in most seasons and locations where wheat is grown, mixed projections for maize, and a general decrease in DTR for rice. These mean projections were associated with wide ranges that included zero in nearly all cases. The estimated impacts of DTR changes on yields were generally small (<5% change in yields) relative to the consistently negative impact of projected warming of Tavg. However, DTR changes did significantly affect yield responses in several cases, such as in reducing US maize yields and increasing India rice yields. Because DTR projections tend to be positively correlated with Tavg, estimates of yields

Selecting Native Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Promote Cassava Growth and Increase Yield under Field Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Séry, D. Jean-Marc; Kouadjo, Z. G. Claude; Voko, B. R. Rodrigue; Zézé, Adolphe

2016-01-01

The use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculation in sustainable agriculture is now widespread worldwide. Although the use of inoculants consisting of native AMF is highly recommended as an alternative to commercial ones, there is no strategy to allow the selection of efficient fungal species from natural communities. The objective of this study was (i) to select efficient native AMF species (ii) evaluate their impact on nematode and water stresses, and (iii) evaluate their impact on cassava yield, an important food security crop in tropical and subtropical regions. Firstly, native AMF communities associated with cassava rhizospheres in fields were collected from different areas and 7 AMF species were selected, based upon their ubiquity and abundance. Using these criteria, two morphotypes (LBVM01 and LBVM02) out of the seven AMF species selected were persistently dominant when cassava was used as a trap plant. LBVM01 and LBVM02 were identified as Acaulospora colombiana (most abundant) and Ambispora appendicula, respectively, after phylogenetic analyses of LSU-ITS-SSU PCR amplified products. Secondly, the potential of these two native AMF species to promote growth and enhance tolerance to root-knot nematode and water stresses of cassava (Yavo variety) was evaluated using single and dual inoculation in greenhouse conditions. Of the two AMF species, it was shown that A. colombiana significantly improved the growth of the cassava and enhanced tolerance to water stress. However, both A. colombiana and A. appendicula conferred bioprotective effects to cassava plants against the nematode Meloidogyne spp., ranging from resistance (suppression or reduction of the nematode reproduction) or tolerance (low or no suppression in cassava growth). Thirdly, the potential of these selected native AMF to improve cassava growth and yield was evaluated under field conditions, compared to a commercial inoculant. In these conditions, the A. colombiana single inoculation and the

Association between Empirically Estimated Monsoon Dynamics and Other Weather Factors and Historical Tea Yields in China: Results from a Yield Response Model

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Rebecca Boehm

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Farmers in China’s tea-growing regions report that monsoon dynamics and other weather factors are changing and that this is affecting tea harvest decisions. To assess the effect of climate change on tea production in China, this study uses historical weather and production data from 1980 to 2011 to construct a yield response model that estimates the partial effect of weather factors on tea yields in China, with a specific focus on East Asian Monsoon dynamics. Tea (Camellia sinensis (L. Kunze has not been studied using these methods even though it is an important crop for human nutrition and the economic well-being of rural communities in many countries. Previous studies have approximated the monsoon period using historical average onset and retreat dates, which we believe limits our understanding of how changing monsoon patterns affect crop productivity. In our analysis, we instead estimate the monsoon season across China’s tea growing regions empirically by identifying the unknown breakpoints in the year-by-province cumulative precipitation. We find that a 1% increase in the monsoon retreat date is associated with 0.481%–0.535% reduction in tea yield. In the previous year, we also find that a 1% increase in the date of the monsoon retreat is associated with a 0.604% decrease in tea yields. For precipitation, we find that a 1% increase in average daily precipitation occurring during the monsoon period is associated with a 0.184%–0.262% reduction in tea yields. In addition, our models show that 1% increase in the average daily monsoon precipitation from the previous growing season is associated with 0.258%–0.327% decline in yields. We also find that a 1% decrease in solar radiation in the previous growing season is associated with 0.554%-0.864% decrease in tea yields. These findings suggest the need for adaptive management and harvesting strategies given climate change projections and the known negative association between excess

Closing Yield Gaps: How Sustainable Can We Be?

Science.gov (United States)

Pradhan, Prajal; Fischer, Günther; van Velthuizen, Harrij; Reusser, Dominik E.; Kropp, Juergen P.

2015-01-01

Global food production needs to be increased by 60–110% between 2005 and 2050 to meet growing food and feed demand. Intensification and/or expansion of agriculture are the two main options available to meet the growing crop demands. Land conversion to expand cultivated land increases GHG emissions and impacts biodiversity and ecosystem services. Closing yield gaps to attain potential yields may be a viable option to increase the global crop production. Traditional methods of agricultural intensification often have negative externalities. Therefore, there is a need to explore location-specific methods of sustainable agricultural intensification. We identified regions where the achievement of potential crop calorie production on currently cultivated land will meet the present and future food demand based on scenario analyses considering population growth and changes in dietary habits. By closing yield gaps in the current irrigated and rain-fed cultivated land, about 24% and 80% more crop calories can respectively be produced compared to 2000. Most countries will reach food self-sufficiency or improve their current food self-sufficiency levels if potential crop production levels are achieved. As a novel approach, we defined specific input and agricultural management strategies required to achieve the potential production by overcoming biophysical and socioeconomic constraints causing yield gaps. The management strategies include: fertilizers, pesticides, advanced soil management, land improvement, management strategies coping with weather induced yield variability, and improving market accessibility. Finally, we estimated the required fertilizers (N, P2O5, and K2O) to attain the potential yields. Globally, N-fertilizer application needs to increase by 45–73%, P2O5-fertilizer by 22–46%, and K2O-fertilizer by 2–3 times compared to the year 2010 to attain potential crop production. The sustainability of such agricultural intensification largely depends on the way

Effects of Row Spacing and Plant Density on Yield and Yield Components of Sweet Corn in Climatic Conditions of Isfahan

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N. Khodaeian

2013-06-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the effects of row spacing and plant density on yield and yield components of sweet corn, variety KSC403, an experiment was conducted in Research Farm of Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran, in 2007, as randomized complete block design with a split-plot layout and three replications. The main plots were allocated to two row spacing (60 and 75 cm and the sub-plots accommodated four levels of plant density (50000, 70000, 90000 and 110000 plants per ha. There was significant increase in leaf area index, shoot dry weight, 100-grain fresh weight and grain fresh yield, as row width was decreased from 75 to 60 cm but the plant height was decreased. There was no significant effect of row spacing on number of rows per ear, number of grains per row and number of grains per ear. Plant height, leaf area index, shoot dry weight per m2 and number of ears per m2 were increased with an increase in plant density. The number of rows per ear, number of grains per row, number of grains per ear, 100-grain fresh weight and grain fresh yield were significantly higher under plant densities of 90000 and 110000 as compared to 50000 and 70000 plants per ha. There was significant interaction between row spacing and plant density for leaf area index, shoot dry weight, number of grains per ear, 100-grain fresh weight and grain fresh yield. Under all plant densities, the grain fresh yield was higher in 60-cm row width compared to 70-cm row width. However, the difference between these two row spacing was not significant in plant densities of 50000 and 110000 plants per ha. The highest grain fresh yield (33940 kg/ha was achieved under row spacing 60 cm and 70000 plants per ha and the least grain fresh yield (20750 kg/ha was obtained in under 75 cm row width and 110000 plants per ha. Considering the obtained results of this experiment, to have maximum grain fresh yield of sweet corn under Isfahan climate, the row spacing of 60 cm and plant density of

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Yield and Yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Declining soil fertility is one of the major problems causing yield reduction of barley ... (VC) with inorganic NP on growth, yield and yield components of food barley. ... The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with ...

The Effect of Different Fertilizer Management on Yield and Yield Components of Black Seed (Nigella sativa L.

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P rezvani moghaddam

2017-08-01

, manure + nitroxin + mycorrhizae, manure + biosulfur and control. Plots were designed with 4 m long and 2 m width (8 m2, 0.5 m apart each other. Seed sowing was done at 18th March on both sides of the furrows. Final plant density was determined equal to 200 plants m-2. At maturity stage, number of branch per plant, number of follicle per plant, seed weight per follicle and 1000- seed weight were determined based on randomly selection of eight plant. Moreover, grain and biological yields as well as harvest index of black seed were measured by considering the side effects. For statistical analysis, Duncan multiple range test (p≤0.05 was used to separate the experimental means using SAS 9.1 software. Results and discussion According to the results, effects of urea and cow manure treatments on grain and biological yields of black seed were significant. However, cow manure, in comparison with urea fertilizer, had more significant effects in increasing mentioned traits of black seed. For instance, cow manure treatment increased grain yield by 25%, compared with urea treatment. Generally, advantages of manure in comparison with chemical fertilizer can be related to the slow and more balanced release of nutrient contents as well as improving the physical and chemical soil characteristics over growing season. On the other hand, the results showed that biological fertilizers had no effects in increasing grain and biological yields of black seed, except biosulfur treatment. From the results, there was a positive correlation between 1000- seed weight with grain yield. Moreover, similar correlations were found between number of branch per plant and grain yield, number of follicle per plant and grain yield as well as seed weight per follicle and grain yield. Nonetheless, relationship between harvest index and grain yield was determined as a negative correlation. These results are in agreement with those of Moradi et al. (2010 who found a significant decrease in harvest index of

Response of maize varieties to nitrogen application for leaf area profile, crop growth, yield and yield components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akmal, M.; Hameed-urRehman; Farhatullah; Asim, M.; Akbar, H.

2010-01-01

An experiment was conducted at NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar, to study maize varieties and Nitrogen (N) rates for growth, yield and yield components. Three varieties (Azam, Jalal and Sarhad white) and three N rates (90, 120, 150, kg N ha/sup -1/) were compared. Experiment was conducted in a Randomized Complete Block design; split plot arrangement with 4 replications. Uniform and recommended cultural practices were applied during the crop growth. The results revealed that maize variety 'Jalal' performed relatively better crop growth rate (CGR) and leaf area profile (LAP) at nodal position one to six as compared to the other two varieties (Sarhad white and Azam). This resulted higher radiation use efficiency by the crop canopy at vegetative stage of development and hence contributed higher assimilates towards biomass production. Heavier grains in number and weight were due to higher LAP and taller plants of Jalal which yielded higher in the climate. Nitrogen applications have shown that maize seed yield increase in quadratic fashion with increased N to a plateau level. Considering soil fertility status and cropping system, the 150 kg ha/sup -1/ N application to maize variety Jalal in Peshawar is required for maximum biological and seed production. (author)

Effect of irrigation water salinity and zinc application on yield, yield components and zinc accumulation of wheat

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mohamad ahmadi

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Salinity stress is one of the most important problems of agriculture in crop production in arid and semi arid regions. Under these conditions, in addition to management strategies, proper and adequate nutrition also has an important role in crop improvement. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effect of 4 different irrigation water salinities (blank, 4, 8 and 12 dS m-1, prepared with 1:1 molar ratio of chlorides of calcium and sodium and magnesium sulphate salts. and 5 different zinc applications (0, 10, 20, 30 mg Kg-1 soil and foliar application of salt of zinc sulphate on yield, yield components and zinc concentration of wheat, using a completely randomized design, factorial with three replications. Plant height, spike length, 1000 grain weight, number of grain per spike, grain and straw yield was decreased by Irrigation water salinity. And all of these parameters were improved by zinc application except 1000 grain weight. Zinc absorption and concentration in straw and grain was decreased by Saline water compared to blank. And concentration of zinc significantly was increased in straw and grain by increase zinc application. The results indicated that, zinc application under low to medium salinity conditions improved growth and yield of wheat due to decreasing the impacts salinity.

Benefits of seasonal forecasts of crop yields

Science.gov (United States)

Sakurai, G.; Okada, M.; Nishimori, M.; Yokozawa, M.

2017-12-01

Major factors behind recent fluctuations in food prices include increased biofuel production and oil price fluctuations. In addition, several extreme climate events that reduced worldwide food production coincided with upward spikes in food prices. The stabilization of crop yields is one of the most important tasks to stabilize food prices and thereby enhance food security. Recent development of technologies related to crop modeling and seasonal weather forecasting has made it possible to forecast future crop yields for maize and soybean. However, the effective use of these technologies remains limited. Here we present the potential benefits of seasonal crop-yield forecasts on a global scale for choice of planting day. For this purpose, we used a model (PRYSBI-2) that can well replicate past crop yields both for maize and soybean. This model system uses a Bayesian statistical approach to estimate the parameters of a basic process-based model of crop growth. The spatial variability of model parameters was considered by estimating the posterior distribution of the parameters from historical yield data by using the Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method with a resolution of 1.125° × 1.125°. The posterior distributions of model parameters were estimated for each spatial grid with 30 000 MCMC steps of 10 chains each. By using this model and the estimated parameter distributions, we were able to estimate not only crop yield but also levels of associated uncertainty. We found that the global average crop yield increased about 30% as the result of the optimal selection of planting day and that the seasonal forecast of crop yield had a large benefit in and near the eastern part of Brazil and India for maize and the northern area of China for soybean. In these countries, the effects of El Niño and Indian Ocean dipole are large. The results highlight the importance of developing a system to forecast global crop yields.

The coffee diterpene kahweol suppresses the cell proliferation by inducing cyclin D1 proteasomal degradation via ERK1/2, JNK and GKS3β-dependent threonine-286 phosphorylation in human colorectal cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Gwang Hun; Song, Hun Min; Jeong, Jin Boo

2016-09-01

Kahweol as a coffee-specific diterpene has been reported to exert anti-cancer properties. However, the mechanism responsible for the anti-cancer effects of kahweol is not fully understood. The main aim of this investigation was to determine the effect of kahweol on cell proliferation and the possible mechanisms in human colorectal cancer cells. Kahweol inhibited markedly the proliferation of human colorectal cancer cell lines such as HCT116, SW480. Kahweol decreased cyclin D1 protein level in HCT116 and SW480 cells. Contrast to protein levels, cyclin D1 mRNA level and promoter activity did not be changed by kahweol treatment. MG132 treatment attenuated kahweol-mediated cyclin D1 downregulation and the half-life of cyclin D1 was decreased in kahweol-treated cells. Kahweol increased phosphorylation of cyclin D1 at threonine-286 and a point mutation of threonine-286 to alanine attenuated cyclin D1 degradation by kahweol. Inhibition of ERK1/2 by PD98059, JNK by SP600125 or GSK3β by LiCl suppressed cyclin D1 phosphorylation and downregulation by kahweol. Furthermore, the inhibition of nuclear export by LMB attenuated cyclin D1 degradation by kahweol. In conclusion, kahweol-mediated cyclin D1 degradation may contribute to the inhibition of the proliferation in human colorectal cancer cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expression of the Arabidopsis vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase gene (AVP1) improves the shoot biomass of transgenic barley and increases grain yield in a saline field

KAUST Repository

Schilling, Rhiannon K.

2013-11-22

Cereal varieties with improved salinity tolerance are needed to achieve profitable grain yields in saline soils. The expression of AVP1, an Arabidopsis gene encoding a vacuolar proton pumping pyrophosphatase (H+-PPase), has been shown to improve the salinity tolerance of transgenic plants in greenhouse conditions. However, the potential for this gene to improve the grain yield of cereal crops in a saline field has yet to be evaluated. Recent advances in high-throughput nondestructive phenotyping technologies also offer an opportunity to quantitatively evaluate the growth of transgenic plants under abiotic stress through time. In this study, the growth of transgenic barley expressing AVP1 was evaluated under saline conditions in a pot experiment using nondestructive plant imaging and in a saline field trial. Greenhouse-grown transgenic barley expressing AVP1 produced a larger shoot biomass compared to segregants, as determined by an increase in projected shoot area, when grown in soil with 150 mm NaCl. This increase in shoot biomass of transgenic AVP1 barley occurred from an early growth stage and also in nonsaline conditions. In a saline field, the transgenic barley expressing AVP1 also showed an increase in shoot biomass and, importantly, produced a greater grain yield per plant compared to wild-type plants. Interestingly, the expression of AVP1 did not alter barley leaf sodium concentrations in either greenhouse- or field-grown plants. This study validates our greenhouse-based experiments and indicates that transgenic barley expressing AVP1 is a promising option for increasing cereal crop productivity in saline fields. © 2013 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Expression of the Arabidopsis vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase gene (AVP1) improves the shoot biomass of transgenic barley and increases grain yield in a saline field

KAUST Repository

Schilling, Rhiannon K.; Marschner, Petra; Shavrukov, Yuri N.; Berger, Bettina; Tester, Mark A.; Roy, Stuart John; Plett, Darren Craig

2013-01-01

Cereal varieties with improved salinity tolerance are needed to achieve profitable grain yields in saline soils. The expression of AVP1, an Arabidopsis gene encoding a vacuolar proton pumping pyrophosphatase (H+-PPase), has been shown to improve the salinity tolerance of transgenic plants in greenhouse conditions. However, the potential for this gene to improve the grain yield of cereal crops in a saline field has yet to be evaluated. Recent advances in high-throughput nondestructive phenotyping technologies also offer an opportunity to quantitatively evaluate the growth of transgenic plants under abiotic stress through time. In this study, the growth of transgenic barley expressing AVP1 was evaluated under saline conditions in a pot experiment using nondestructive plant imaging and in a saline field trial. Greenhouse-grown transgenic barley expressing AVP1 produced a larger shoot biomass compared to segregants, as determined by an increase in projected shoot area, when grown in soil with 150 mm NaCl. This increase in shoot biomass of transgenic AVP1 barley occurred from an early growth stage and also in nonsaline conditions. In a saline field, the transgenic barley expressing AVP1 also showed an increase in shoot biomass and, importantly, produced a greater grain yield per plant compared to wild-type plants. Interestingly, the expression of AVP1 did not alter barley leaf sodium concentrations in either greenhouse- or field-grown plants. This study validates our greenhouse-based experiments and indicates that transgenic barley expressing AVP1 is a promising option for increasing cereal crop productivity in saline fields. © 2013 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Global climate change increases risk of crop yield losses and food insecurity in the tropical Andes.

Science.gov (United States)

Tito, Richard; Vasconcelos, Heraldo L; Feeley, Kenneth J

2018-02-01

One of the greatest current challenges to human society is ensuring adequate food production and security for a rapidly growing population under changing climatic conditions. Climate change, and specifically rising temperatures, will alter the suitability of areas for specific crops and cultivation systems. In order to maintain yields, farmers may be forced to change cultivation practices, the timing of cultivation, or even the type of crops grown. Alternatively, farmers can change the location where crops are cultivated (e.g., to higher elevations) to track suitable climates (in which case the plants will have to grow in different soils), as cultivated plants will otherwise have to tolerate warmer temperatures and possibly face novel enemies. We simulated these two last possible scenarios (for temperature increases of 1.3°C and 2.6°C) in the Peruvian Andes through a field experiment in which several traditionally grown varieties of potato and maize were planted at different elevations (and thus temperatures) using either the local soil or soil translocated from higher elevations. Maize production declined by 21%-29% in response to new soil conditions. The production of maize and potatoes declined by >87% when plants were grown under warmer temperatures, mainly as a result of the greater incidence of novel pests. Crop quality and value also declined under simulated migration and warming scenarios. We estimated that local farmers may experience severe economic losses of up to 2,300 US$ ha -1  yr -1 . These findings reveal that climate change is a real and imminent threat to agriculture and that there is a pressing need to develop effective management strategies to reduce yield losses and prevent food insecurity. Importantly, such strategies should take into account the influences of non-climatic and/or biotic factors (e.g., novel pests) on plant development. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Zinc and application to optimize seed yield of mustard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nawaz, N.; Nawaz, M.S.; Cheema, N.M.

2012-01-01

A study was conducted on a sandy clay loam soil at the National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan, during 2005 and 2006. The mustard (Brassica juncea) variety BARD-1 was treated with various levels of Zn and Fe, (0-0, 0-1.5, 0-3, 2.5-0, 2.5-1.5, 2.5-3, 5-0, 5-1.5 kgha/sup -1/ and 5-3 kgha/sup -1/, respectively. A basal dose of 90N and 60P kgha/sup -1/ was applied, in the form of Urea and triple super phosphate (TSP) with Zn and Fe. The increase in Zn and Fe fertility from 0-1.5 to 5-1.5 kg ha/sup -1/ increased yield of BARD-I. The maximum yield response was recorded when 5 kg ha/sup -1/ Zn and 1.5 kg ha/sup -1/ Fe were applied. Beyond this level, no further increase in yield was recorded in any mustard traits. A positive correlation was recorded between seed yield and 1000-seed weight with the application of 5 kg Zn ha-1 and 1.5 kg Fe ha/sup -1/ in combination at the time of sowing. It can therefore be concluded that 100 % seed yield of mustard variety BARD-l increased at 5 Zn: 1.5 Fc kg ha-1 as a result of increased pods plant/sup -l/, number of seeds pod-1 and 1000-seed weight. (author)

The Effect of Planting Pattern and Density on Yield and Yield Components of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Koocheki

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction Crop density enhancement is a method to increase yield per unit area. The spatial distribution of plants is related to radiation absorption. Therefore, it could play an effective role in photosynthesis and yield, since Crop Growth Rate (CGR is a function of used radiation energy in photosynthesis. Totally, increasing radiation absorption efficiency and yield need sufficient leaf area and suitable distribution of leaves in canopy. Ahmad et al., (2002 planted sesame with different inter row- spacing (30, 45 and 60 cm, they reported that the maximum plant height and economic yield were obtained from inter row- spacing of 45 cm. Rahnama and Bakhshandeh (2006 planted sesame with different inter row- spacing (37.5, 50 and 60 cm and the results showed that the number of capsules per plant, seed weight as well as seed oil per plant, increased with increasing inter row- spacing. Karasan et al., (2007 reported that decreasing inter row- spacing resulted in seed yield enhancement and reduction in number of capsules per plant. Material and Methods An experiment using split-plot based on randomized complete blocks design was performed. The experiment was carried with three replications in two years (2012 and 2013 at the agricultural research station of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. For this purpose, the main plot was the density per square meter with three levels (30, 40 and 50 plants per square meter and the sub main plot was planting pattern (rectangle, square and rhombic. The size of each plot was 2×3 meters. The distance between plots and blocks were 0.5 and 1 meter, respectively. Intra row- spacing for rectangle planting pattern for densities of 30, 40 and 50 plants per square meter was 6, 5 and 4 cm, respectively. In square and rhombic planting patterns, 2 lines was planted in each row and inter row- spacing for densities of 30, 40 and 50 plants per square meter were 18, 16 and 14 cm. economic yield measured at the end of growth season

Yield trends and yield gap analysis of major crops in the world

OpenAIRE

Hengsdijk, H.; Langeveld, J.W.A.

2009-01-01

This study aims to quantify the gap between current and potential yields of major crops in the world, and the production constraints that contribute to this yield gap. Using an expert-based evaluation of yield gaps and the literature, global and regional yields and yield trends of major crops are quantified, yield gaps evaluated by crop experts, current yield progress by breeding estimated, and different yield projections compared. Results show decreasing yield growth for wheat and rice, but ...

Surface-enhanced light olefin yields during steam cracking

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Golombok, M.; Kornegoor, M.; Brink, van den P.; Dierickx, J.; Grotenbreg, R.

2000-01-01

Various papers have shown enhanced olefin yields during steam cracking when a catalytic surface is introduced. Our studies reveal that increased light olefin yields during catalytic steam cracking are mainly due to a surface volume effect and not to a traditional catalytic effect. Augmentation of

Increased yield of PCR products by addition of T4 gene 32 protein to the SMART PCR cDNA synthesis system.

Science.gov (United States)

Villalva, C; Touriol, C; Seurat, P; Trempat, P; Delsol, G; Brousset, P

2001-07-01

Under certain conditions, T4 gene 32 protein is known to increase the efficiency of different enzymes, such as Taq DNA polymerase, reverse transcriptase, and telomerase. In this study, we compared the efficiency of the SMART PCR cDNA synthesis kit with and without the T4 gene 32 protein. The use of this cDNA synthesis procedure, in combination with T4 gene 32 protein, increases the yield of RT-PCR products from approximately 90% to 150%. This effect is even observed for long mRNA templates and low concentrations of total RNA (25 ng). Therefore, we suggest the addition of T4 gene 32 protein in the RT-PCR mixture to increase the efficiency of cDNA synthesis, particularly in cases when low amounts of tissue are used.

Equity yields

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vrugt, E.; van Binsbergen, J.H.; Koijen, R.S.J.; Hueskes, W.

2013-01-01

We study a new data set of dividend futures with maturities up to ten years across three world regions: the US, Europe, and Japan. We use these asset prices to construct equity yields, analogous to bond yields. We decompose the equity yields to obtain a term structure of expected dividend growth

Elucidation of terpenoid metabolism in Scoparia dulcis by RNA-seq analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamura, Yoshimi; Kurosaki, Fumiya; Lee, Jung-Bum

2017-03-07

Scoparia dulcis biosynthesize bioactive diterpenes, such as scopadulcic acid B (SDB), which are known for their unique molecular skeleton. Although the biosynthesis of bioactive diterpenes is catalyzed by a sequence of class II and class I diterpene synthases (diTPSs), the mechanisms underlying this process are yet to be fully identified. To elucidate these biosynthetic machinery, we performed a high-throughput RNA-seq analysis, and de novo assembly of clean reads revealed 46,332 unique transcripts and 40,503 two unigenes. We found diTPSs genes including a putative syn-copalyl diphosphate synthase (SdCPS2) and two kaurene synthase-like (SdKSLs) genes. Besides them, total 79 full-length of cytochrome P450 (CYP450) genes were also discovered. The expression analyses showed selected CYP450s associated with their expression pattern of SdCPS2 and SdKSL1, suggesting that CYP450 candidates involved diterpene modification. SdCPS2 represents the first predicted gene to produce syn-copalyl diphosphate in dicots. In addition, SdKSL1 potentially contributes to the SDB biosynthetic pathway. Therefore, these identified genes associated with diterpene biosynthesis lead to the development of genetic engineering focus on diterpene metabolism in S. dulcis.

Biases in Farm-Level Yield Risk Analysis due to Data Aggregation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Finger, R.

2012-01-01

We investigate biases in farm-level yield risk analysis caused by data aggregation from the farm-level to regional and national levels using the example of Swiss wheat and barley yields. The estimated yield variability decreases significantly with increasing level of aggregation, with crop yield

Effect of Mycorrhiza Symbiosis on Yield, Yield Components and Water Use Efficiency of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L. Affected by Different Irrigation Regimes in Mashhad Condition

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A Koocheki

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Plant association with mycorrhiza has been considered as one of the options to improve input efficiency particularly for water and nutrient - (Allen and Musik, 1993; Bolan, 1991. This has been due to kncreasing the absorbing area of the root and therefore better contact with water and nutrients. Inoculation with mycorrhiza enhances nutrient uptake with low immobility such as phosphorus and solphur-, improve association and could be an option to drought and other environmental abnormalities such as salinity (Rice et al., 2002. Moreover, higher water use efficiency (WUE for crops -has been reported in the literatures (Sekhara and Reddy, 1993.The sustainable use of scarce water resources in Iran is a priority for agricultural development. The pressure of using water in agriculture sector is increasing, so creating ways to improve water-use efficiency and taking a full advantage of available water are crucial. Water stress reduce crop yield by impairing the growth of crop canopy and biomass. Scheduling water application is very crucial for efficient use of drip irrigation system, as excessive irrigation reduces yield, while inadequate irrigation causes water stress and reduces production. The aim of present study was to evaluate the symbiotic effect of mycorrhiza on yield, yield components and water use efficiency of sesame under different irrigation regimes in Mashhad. Material and Methods In order to investigate the impact of inoculation with two species of Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi on yield, yield components and water use efficiency (WUE of sesame (Sesamum indicum L. under different irrigation regimes, an experiment was conducted as split plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications during two growing seasons 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 at the Agricultural Research Station, College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.. The experimental factors were three irrigation regimes include 2000, 3000 and

Effect of Nutritional Management on Yield and Yield Components of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa as a Medicinal Plant in Mashhad Condition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P Rezvani Moghaddam

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa is an annual plant with a height of about 64 to 429 cm belongs to Malvaceae family. Roselle is self-pollinated and sensitive to cold. Sepals of Roselle are used in food and pharmaceutical industries. It has been reported that Roselle is not native to Iran but it is cultivated extensively in Sistan and Baluchistan province, Iran. In order to achieve high quality and quantity yield of Roselle sepal it is necessary to improve nutritional systems of plant. Proper management of soil fertility and plant nutrition can preserve environment, improve biodiversity and also increase inputs efficiency. Results showed that use of nutritional resources will improve plant growth. Organic fertilizers such as compost can improve soil fertility as an important source of food that increase yield of plants. Nabila and Aly (2002 observed that use of hen and cow manure increased plant height, number of lateral branches, numbers of fruit and sepal yield of Roselle. Each plant species has the maximum potential in favorable conditions. Therefore, evaluation the effect of climatic and agronomic factors and nutritional management for plants is essential. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the yield and yield components of Roselle in response to use of single and combined nutritional resources. Materials and Methods In order to study the effects of single and combined organic, biological and chemical fertilizers on yield and yield components of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa, a field experiment was conducted with 12 treatments based on a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications at Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, in 2013-2014. Treatments included: 1- mycorrhiza (Glomus intraradices, 2- cow manure, 3- chemical fertilizer, 4- vermicompost, 5- chemical fertilizer + cow manure, 6- chemical fertilizer + vermicompost, 7- chemical fertilizer + mycorrhiza, 8- cow manure

Water yield issues in the jarrah forest of south-western Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Ruprecht, J. K.; Stoneman, G. L.

1993-10-01

The jarrah forest of south-western Australia produces little streamflow from moderate rainfall. Water yield from water supply catchments for Perth, Western Australia, are low, averaging 71 mm (7% of annual rainfall). The low water yields are attributed to the large soil water storage available for continuous use by the forest vegetation. A number of water yield studies in south-western Australia have examined the impact on water yield of land use practices including clearing for agricultural development, forest harvesting and regeneration, forest thinning and bauxite mining. A permanent reduction in forest cover by clearing for agriculture led to permanent increases of water yield of approximately 28% of annual rainfall in a high rainfall catchment. Thinning of a high rainfall catchment led to an increase in water yield of 20% of annual rainfall. However, it is not clear for how long the increased water yield will persist. Forest harvesting and regeneration have led to water yield increases of 16% of annual rainfall. The subsequent recovery of vegetation cover has led to water yields returning to pre-disturbance levels after an estimated 12-15 years. Bauxite mining of a high rainfall catchment led to a water yield increase of 8% of annual rainfall, followed by a return to pre-disturbance water yield after 12 years. The magnitude of specific streamflow generation mechanisms in small catchments subject to forest disturbance vary considerably, typically in a number of distinct stages. The presence of a permanent groundwater discharge area was shown to be instrumental in determining the magnitude of the streamflow response after forest disturbance. The long-term prognosis for water yield from areas subject to forest thinning, harvesting and regeneration, and bauxite mining are uncertain, owing to the complex interrelationship between vegetation cover, tree height and age, and catchment evapotranspiration. Management of the forest for water yield needs to acknowledge

Water limits to closing yield gaps

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Kyle Frankel; Rulli, Maria Cristina; Garrassino, Francesco; Chiarelli, Davide; Seveso, Antonio; D'Odorico, Paolo

2017-01-01

Agricultural intensification is often seen as a suitable approach to meet the growing demand for agricultural products and improve food security. It typically entails the use of fertilizers, new cultivars, irrigation, and other modern technology. In regions of the world affected by seasonal or chronic water scarcity, yield gap closure is strongly dependent on irrigation (blue water). Global yield gap assessments have often ignored whether the water required to close the yield gap is locally available. Here we perform a gridded global analysis (10 km resolution) of the blue water consumption that is needed annually to close the yield gap worldwide and evaluate the associated pressure on renewable freshwater resources. We find that, to close the yield gap, human appropriation of freshwater resources for irrigation would have to increase at least by 146%. Most study countries would experience at least a doubling in blue water requirement, with 71% of the additional blue water being required by only four crops - maize, rice, soybeans, and wheat. Further, in some countries (e.g., Algeria, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen) the total volume of blue water required for yield gap closure would exceed sustainable levels of freshwater consumption (i.e., 40% of total renewable surface and groundwater resources).

Effect of Mulch and Water Stress on Some Physiological Traits, Yield Components and Grain Yield of Red Kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R Amini

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Water use in agricultural production as one of the most important environmental factors affecting plant growth and development, especially in arid and semi-arid climatic conditions of Iran is of special importance (21. One of the ways of alleviating water scarcity is by enhancing its use efficiency or productivity. Improving water use efficiency in arid and semi-arid areas depends on effective conservation of moisture and efficient use of limited water. Mulching is one of the management practices for increasing water use efficiency (WUE . Straw mulch is commonly used as mulch. Straw mulching has potential for increasing soil water storage (16. Mulches modify the microclimate and growing conditions of crops (16, conserve more water and increase water use efficiency (34. Red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. is the most important food legume (25 and is an important source of proteins and minerals (28. The majority of red kidney bean production is under drought conditions, and thus yield reductions due to drought are very common (29. This research was carried out to evaluate the effect of wheat straw mulch and water stress on physiological traits, yield components and grain yield of red kidney bean cultivars. Materials and Methods A field experiment was conducted in 2012 at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Iran (latitude 38°05_N, longitude 46°17_E, altitude 1360 m above sea level. In order to investigate the effect of mulch on grain yield and yield components of red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cultivars at different water stress treatments, a factorial experiment was conducted based on RCB design with three replications. The factors were including water stress treatment (I1 and I2, irrigation after 60 and 120 mm evaporation from class A pan, respectively; mulch application at two levels (M1: (no mulch and M2: 2 ton ha-1 wheat straw mulch and red kidney bean cultivars including Akhtar and

Biogas and Methane Yield from Rye Grass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomáš Vítěz

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Biogas production in the Czech Republic has expanded substantially, including marginal regions for maize cultivation. Therefore, there are increasingly sought materials that could partially replace maize silage, as a basic feedstock, while secure both biogas production and its quality.Two samples of rye grass (Lolium multiflorum var. westerwoldicum silage with different solids content 21% and 15% were measured for biogas and methane yield. Rye grass silage with solid content of 15% reached an average specific biogas yield 0.431 m3·kg−1 of organic dry matter and an average specific methane yield 0.249 m3·kg−1 of organic dry matter. Rye grass silage with solid content 21% reached an average specific biogas yield 0.654 m3·kg−1 of organic dry matter and an average specific methane yield 0.399 m3·kg−1 of organic dry matter.

Using historical wafermap data for automated yield analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tobin, K.W.; Karnowski, T.P.; Gleason, S.S.; Jensen, D.; Lakhani, F.

1999-01-01

To be productive and profitable in a modern semiconductor fabrication environment, large amounts of manufacturing data must be collected, analyzed, and maintained. This includes data collected from in- and off-line wafer inspection systems and from the process equipment itself. This data is increasingly being used to design new processes, control and maintain tools, and to provide the information needed for rapid yield learning and prediction. Because of increasing device complexity, the amount of data being generated is outstripping the yield engineer close-quote s ability to effectively monitor and correct unexpected trends and excursions. The 1997 SIA National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors highlights a need to address these issues through open-quotes automated data reduction algorithms to source defects from multiple data sources and to reduce defect sourcing time.close quotes SEMATECH and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been developing new strategies and technologies for providing the yield engineer with higher levels of assisted data reduction for the purpose of automated yield analysis. In this article, we will discuss the current state of the art and trends in yield management automation. copyright 1999 American Vacuum Society

Interaction Between Phosphorus and Zinc on the Biomass Yield and Yield Attributes of the Medicinal Plant Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Kuntal; Dang, Raman; Shivananda, T. N.; Sur, Pintu

2005-01-01

A greenhouse experiment was conducted at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bangalore to study the interaction effect between phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) on the yield and yield attributes of the medicinal plant stevia. The results show that the yield and yield attributes have been found to be significantly affected by different treatments. The total yield in terms of biomass production has been increased significantly with the application of Zn and P in different combinations and methods, being highest (23.34 g fresh biomass) in the treatment where Zn was applied as both soil (10 kg ZnSO4/ha) and foliar spray (0.2% ZnSO4). The results also envisaged that the different yield attributes viz. height, total number of branches, and number of leaves per plant have been found to be varied with treatments, being highest in the treatment where Zn was applied as both soil and foliar spray without the application of P. The results further indicated that the yield and yield attributes of stevia have been found to be decreased in the treatment where Zn was applied as both soil and foliar spray along with P suggesting an antagonistic effect between Zn and P. PMID:15915292

Interaction Between Phosphorus and Zinc on the Biomass Yield and Yield Attributes of the Medicinal Plant Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuntal Das

2005-01-01

Full Text Available A greenhouse experiment was conducted at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR, Bangalore to study the interaction effect between phosphorus (P and zinc (Zn on the yield and yield attributes of the medicinal plant stevia. The results show that the yield and yield attributes have been found to be significantly affected by different treatments. The total yield in terms of biomass production has been increased significantly with the application of Zn and P in different combinations and methods, being highest (23.34 g fresh biomass in the treatment where Zn was applied as both soil (10 kg ZnSO4/ha and foliar spray (0.2% ZnSO4. The results also envisaged that the different yield attributes viz. height, total number of branches, and number of leaves per plant have been found to be varied with treatments, being highest in the treatment where Zn was applied as both soil and foliar spray without the application of P. The results further indicated that the yield and yield attributes of stevia have been found to be decreased in the treatment where Zn was applied as both soil and foliar spray along with P suggesting an antagonistic effect between Zn and P.

Early sowing increases nitrogen uptake and yields of winter wheat grown with cattle slurry or mineral fertilizers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Suarez, Alfonso; Rasmussen, Jim; Thomsen, Ingrid Kaag

2018-01-01

of the two cultivars did not differ consistently with respect to the effect of early sowing on crop yield, N concentration and offtake, or ANR. Within the north-west European climatic region, moving the sowing time of winter wheat from mid-September to mid-August provides a significant yield and N offtake......The current study evaluated the effect of sowing date (early, mid-August or timely, mid-September) on two winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (Hereford, Mariboss) with different rates of nitrogen (N) (0–225 kg total N/ha) applied as animal manure (AM; cattle slurry) or mineral fertilizers...... (N: phosphorus: potassium; NPK). Overwinter plant N uptake and soil mineral N content were determined during 2014/15, while harvest yields (grain, straw, N content) were determined during 2014/15 and 2015/16. Overwinter uptake of N was 14 kg N/ha higher in early than in timely-sown wheat. Despite...

Yield and Yield Components of Vetch (Vigna radiata as Affected by the Use of Vermicompost and Phosphate Bio-fertilizer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Mehdi Rahimi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the effects different levels of phosphate biofertilizer barvar-2 and vermi compost on yield and yield components of vetch plant (Vigna radiata L.in Yasouj a factorial experiments was performed in completely randomized design in crop year of 2013. Experimental treatments were phosphate biofertilizer barvar-2 at 3 levels (0, 50, 100 gram per hectare and vermicompost at 4 levels (0, 10, 20, 30 ton per hectare. In this study stem height, root length, biological yield, seed yield and harvest index was measured. ANOVA and comparison of means showed that vermicompost significantly increased stem height, economic and biological yields. Results, also, indicated that highest yield and biomass, 4.3 and 18.8 g/plant, observed respectively when 100 g/ha of barvar-2 and 30 t/ha of vermi compost were used. Using both of phosphate biofertilizer barvar-2 and vermicompost was better than their individnal usage. This indicates that combined use of these 2 factors would produce higher yield. It can be concluded that application of 100 g/ha of barvar-2 and 30 t/ha of vermicompost would a proper recommendation.

Grain, milling, and head rice yields as affected by nitrogen rate and bio-fertilizer application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saeed FIROUZI

2015-11-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the effects of nitrogen rate and bio-fertilizer application on grain, milling, and head rice yields, a field experiment was conducted at Rice Research Station of Tonekabon, Iran, in 2013. The experimental design was a factorial treatment arrangement in a randomized complete block with three replicates. Factors were three N rates (0, 75, and 150 kg ha-1 and two bio-fertilizer applications (inoculation and uninoculation with Nitroxin, a liquid bio-fertilizer containing Azospirillum spp. and Azotobacter spp. bacteria. Analysis of variance showed that rice grain yield, panicle number per m2, grain number per panicle, flag leaves area, biological yield, grains N concentration and uptake, grain protein concentration, and head rice yield were significantly affected by N rate, while bio-fertilizer application had significant effect on rice grain yield, grain number per panicle, flag leaves area, biological yield, harvest index, grains N concentration and uptake, and grain protein concentration. Results showed that regardless of bio-fertilizer application, rice grain and biological yields were significantly increased as N application rate increased from 0 to 75 kg ha-1, but did not significantly increase at the higher N rate (150 kg ha-1. Grain yield was significantly increased following bio-fertilizer application when averaged across N rates. Grains N concentration and uptake were significantly increased as N rate increased up to 75 kg ha-1, but further increases in N rate had no significant effect on these traits. Bio-fertilizer application increased significantly grains N concentration and uptake, when averaged across N rates. Regardless of bio-fertilizer application, head rice yield was significantly increased from 56 % to 60 % when N rate increased from 0 to 150 kg ha-1. Therefore, this experiment illustrated that rice grain and head yields increased with increasing N rate, while bio-fertilizer application increased only rice grain

Application of Bokashi Botom Ash for Increasing Upland Rice Yield and Decreasing Grain Pb Content in Vitric Hapludans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nunung Sondari

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Greenhouse experiment was conducted at Agricultural Faculty of Winaya Mukti University Tanjungsari SumedangRegency, from May to October 2009. The objective of this experiment was to study the effect of bokashi bottom ashon the growth, yield, and Pb content of upland rice. The experiment used a Randomized completely Block Design(RBD which consisted of five treatments and five replications. The treatments were level of bokashi bottom ash i.e.0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 Mg ha-1. The results showed that the application of bokashi bottom ash increased the growth andyield of upland rice of Situbagendit variety except plant height at age of 21 days after seedling (DAS. Application15 Mg ha -1 of bokashi bottom ash gave the best effect to the plant height, number of leaves, number of tillers andshoot/root ratio, while applications of 10, 15 and 20 Mg ha -1 increased number of productive tillers, amount of filledgrains, and weight of grains. Bokashi bottom ash did not affect the heavy metal content of upland rice grain ofSitubagendit variety.

Genetic analysis of yield in peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) using ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The yield had significant major gene effect and the results implied that not only should the two major genes' effects be considered but also the polygene's effect should be considered in breeding to increase peanut yield. Key words: Peanut, yield, major gene plus polygene inheritance model, genetic analysis.

Effect of inoculating blue-green algae and Azolla on rice yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulasooriya, S.A.

1985-01-01

Nitrogen fixing blue-green algae (BGA) and the Azolla-Anaebaena symbiosis are potential alternative sources of nitrogen for lowland rice production. A survey of the literature shows that on the average, when BGA inoculation is effective, a rice yield increase of 14% (450 kg grain ha -1 ) has been observed. However, in Sri Lanka no significant increases in grain yield have been observed due to BGA inoculation. Azolla inoculation in broadcast, transplanted, and avenue transplanted rice gave yield increases of 12, 22 and 48%, and was equivalent to 55 to 80 kg N ha -1 as urea. Azolla was observed to reduce weed growth by 53%. Azolla is easier to establish in rice fields since it can be easily recognized with the naked eye, however, BGA are better able to withstand periods of desiccation which occur in rain-fed rice production. Most algalization experiments have been performed on a ''black box'' basis where only the final grain yield has been measured. Isotope experiments can play a vital role in understanding the processes by which BGA and Azolla increase rice yields. (author)

Shotgun Approach to Increasing Enzymatic Saccharification Yields of Ammonia Fiber Expansion Pretreated Cellulosic Biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chundawat, Shishir P. S.; Uppugundla, Nirmal; Gao, Dahai; Curran, Paul G.; Balan, Venkatesh; Dale, Bruce E.

2017-01-01

Most cellulolytic enzyme blends, either procured from a commercial vendor or isolated from a single cellulolytic microbial secretome, do not efficiently hydrolyze ammonia-pretreated (e.g., ammonia fiber expansion, AFEX) lignocellulosic agricultural crop residues like corn stover to fermentable sugars. Typically reported commercial enzyme loading (30–100 mg protein/g glucan) necessary to achieve >90% total hydrolysis yield (to monosaccharides) for AFEX-treated biomass, within a short saccharification time frame (24–48 h), is economically unviable. Unlike acid-based pretreatments, AFEX retains most of the hemicelluloses in the biomass and therefore requires a more complex suite of enzymes for efficient hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose at industrially relevant high solids loadings. One strategy to reduce enzyme dosage while improving cocktail effectiveness for AFEX-treated biomass has been to use individually purified enzymes to determine optimal enzyme combinations to maximize hydrolysis yields. However, this approach is limited by the selection of heterologous enzymes available or the labor required for isolating low-abundance enzymes directly from the microbial secretomes. Here, we show that directly blending crude cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes-rich microbial secretomes can maximize specific activity on AFEX-treated biomass without having to isolate individual enzymes. Fourteen commercially available cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes were procured from leading enzyme companies (Novozymes ® , Genencor ® , and Biocatalysts ® ) and were mixed together to generate several hundred unique cocktail combinations. The mixtures were assayed for activity on AFEX-treated corn stover (AFEX-CS) using a previously established high-throughput methodology. The optimal enzyme blend combinations identified from these screening assays were enriched in various low-abundance hemicellulases and accessory enzymes typically absent in most commercial

Shotgun Approach to Increasing Enzymatic Saccharification Yields of Ammonia Fiber Expansion Pretreated Cellulosic Biomass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chundawat, Shishir P. S., E-mail: shishir.chundawat@rutgers.edu [Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers-State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ (United States); Uppugundla, Nirmal; Gao, Dahai [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (United States); Curran, Paul G. [Center for Statistical Training and Consulting (CSTAT), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (United States); Balan, Venkatesh; Dale, Bruce E. [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (United States)

2017-05-10

Most cellulolytic enzyme blends, either procured from a commercial vendor or isolated from a single cellulolytic microbial secretome, do not efficiently hydrolyze ammonia-pretreated (e.g., ammonia fiber expansion, AFEX) lignocellulosic agricultural crop residues like corn stover to fermentable sugars. Typically reported commercial enzyme loading (30–100 mg protein/g glucan) necessary to achieve >90% total hydrolysis yield (to monosaccharides) for AFEX-treated biomass, within a short saccharification time frame (24–48 h), is economically unviable. Unlike acid-based pretreatments, AFEX retains most of the hemicelluloses in the biomass and therefore requires a more complex suite of enzymes for efficient hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose at industrially relevant high solids loadings. One strategy to reduce enzyme dosage while improving cocktail effectiveness for AFEX-treated biomass has been to use individually purified enzymes to determine optimal enzyme combinations to maximize hydrolysis yields. However, this approach is limited by the selection of heterologous enzymes available or the labor required for isolating low-abundance enzymes directly from the microbial secretomes. Here, we show that directly blending crude cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes-rich microbial secretomes can maximize specific activity on AFEX-treated biomass without having to isolate individual enzymes. Fourteen commercially available cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes were procured from leading enzyme companies (Novozymes{sup ®}, Genencor{sup ®}, and Biocatalysts{sup ®}) and were mixed together to generate several hundred unique cocktail combinations. The mixtures were assayed for activity on AFEX-treated corn stover (AFEX-CS) using a previously established high-throughput methodology. The optimal enzyme blend combinations identified from these screening assays were enriched in various low-abundance hemicellulases and accessory enzymes typically absent in most

Yield gap analysis of Chickpea under semi-arid conditions: A simulation study

OpenAIRE

seyed Reza Amiri Deh ahmadi; mehdi parsa; mohammad bannayan aval; mahdi nassiri mahallati

2016-01-01

Yield gap analysis provides an essential framework to prioritize research and policy efforts aimed at reducing yield constraints. To identify options for increasing chickpea yield, the SSM-chickpea model was parameterized and evaluated to analyze yield potentials, water limited yields and yield gaps for nine regions representing major chickpea-growing areas of Razavi Khorasan province. The average potential yield of chickpea for the locations was 2251 kg ha-1, while the water limited yield wa...

[Milk yield and environmental factors: Multiple regression analysis of the association between milk yield and udder health, fertility data and replacement rate].

Science.gov (United States)

Fölsche, C; Staufenbiel, R

2014-01-01

The relationship between milk yield and both fertility and general animal health in dairy herds is discussed from opposing viewpoints. The hypothesis (1) that raising the herd milk yield would decrease fertility results, the number of milk cells as an indicator for udder health and the replacement rate as a global indicator for animal health as well as increasing the occurrence of specific diseases as a herd problem was compared to the opposing hypotheses that there is no relationship (2) or that there is a differentiated and changing relationship (3). A total of 743 herd examinations, considered independent, were performed in 489 herds between 1995 and 2010. The milk yield, fertility rate, milk cell count, replacement rate, categorized herd problems and management information were recorded. The relationship between the milk yield and both the fertility data and animal health was evaluated using simple and multiple regression analyses. The period between calving and the first service displayed no significant relationship to the herd milk yield. Simple regression analysis showed that the period between calving and gestation, the calving interval and the insemination number were significantly positively associated with the herd milk yield. This positive correlation was lost in multiple regression analysis. The milk cell count and replacement rate using both the simple and multiple regression analyses displayed a significant negative relationship to the milk yield. The alternative hypothesis (3) was confirmed. A higher milk yield has no negative influence on the milk cell count and the replacement rate in terms of the udder and general health. When parameterizing the fertility, the herd milk yield should be considered. Extending the resting time may increase the milk yield while preventing a decline in the insemination index.

Long-term no-tillage application increases soil organic carbon, nitrous oxide emissions and faba bean (Vicia faba L.) yields under rain-fed Mediterranean conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Badagliacca, Giuseppe; Benítez, Emilio; Amato, Gaetano; Badalucco, Luigi; Giambalvo, Dario; Laudicina, Vito Armando; Ruisi, Paolo

2018-05-20

The introduction of legumes into crop sequences and the reduction of tillage intensity are both proposed as agronomic practices to mitigate the soil degradation and negative impact of agriculture on the environment. However, the joint effects of these practices on nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and ammonia (NH 3 ) emissions from soil remain unclear, particularly concerning semiarid Mediterranean areas. In the frame of a long-term field experiment (23 years), a 2-year study was performed on the faba bean (Vicia faba L.) to evaluate the effects of the long-term use of no tillage (NT) compared to conventional tillage (CT) on yield and N 2 O and NH 3 emissions from a Vertisol in a semiarid Mediterranean environment. Changes induced by the tillage system in soil bulk density, water filled pore space (WFPS), organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN), denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA), and bacterial gene (16S, amoA, and nosZ) abundance were measured as parameters potentially affecting N gas emissions. No tillage, compared with CT, significantly increased the faba bean grain yield by 23%. The tillage system had no significant effect on soil NH 3 emissions. Total N 2 O emissions, averaged over two cropping seasons, were higher in NT than those in CT plots (2.58 vs 1.71 kg N 2 O-N ha -1 , respectively; P emissions in NT plots were ascribed to the increase of soil bulk density and WFPS, bacteria (16S abundance was 96% higher in NT than that in CT) and N cycle genes (amoA and nosZ abundances were respectively 154% and 84% higher in NT than that in CT). The total N 2 O emissions in faba bean were similar to those measured in other N-fertilized crops. In conclusion, a full evaluation of NT technique, besides the benefits on soil characteristics (e.g. TOC increase) and crop yield, must take into account some criticisms related to the increase of N 2 O emissions compared to CT. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improving crop yields for Sahelian Women | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2016-06-07

Jun 7, 2016 ... Less is more: Improving yields for Sahelian women with tiny dozes of fertilizer Farmers living in the semi-arid Sahel belt of West Africa are increasing the yields and income earned from their crops, thanks to a simple technique that combines small quantities of fertilizers (microdosing) with improved ...

Structure of the ent-Copalyl Diphosphate Synthase PtmT2 from Streptomyces platensis CB00739, a Bacterial Type II Diterpene Synthase.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudolf, Jeffrey D; Dong, Liao-Bin; Cao, Hongnan; Hatzos-Skintges, Catherine; Osipiuk, Jerzy; Endres, Michael; Chang, Chin-Yuan; Ma, Ming; Babnigg, Gyorgy; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Phillips, George N; Shen, Ben

2016-08-31

Terpenoids are the largest and most structurally diverse family of natural products found in nature, yet their presence in bacteria is underappreciated. The carbon skeletons of terpenoids are generated through carbocation-dependent cyclization cascades catalyzed by terpene synthases (TSs). Type I and type II TSs initiate cyclization via diphosphate ionization and protonation, respectively, and protein structures of both types are known. Most plant diterpene synthases (DTSs) possess three α-helical domains (αβγ), which are thought to have arisen from the fusion of discrete, ancestral bacterial type I TSs (α) and type II TSs (βγ). Type II DTSs of bacterial origin, of which there are no structurally characterized members, are a missing piece in the structural evolution of TSs. Here, we report the first crystal structure of a type II DTS from bacteria. PtmT2 from Streptomyces platensis CB00739 was verified as an ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase involved in the biosynthesis of platensimycin and platencin. The crystal structure of PtmT2 was solved at a resolution of 1.80 Å, and docking studies suggest the catalytically active conformation of geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP). Site-directed mutagenesis confirmed residues involved in binding the diphosphate moiety of GGPP and identified DxxxxE as a potential Mg(2+)-binding motif for type II DTSs of bacterial origin. Finally, both the shape and physicochemical properties of the active sites are responsible for determining specific catalytic outcomes of TSs. The structure of PtmT2 fundamentally advances the knowledge of bacterial TSs, their mechanisms, and their role in the evolution of TSs.

Effect of NS-nitragin application on soybean yield and yield components

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marinković Jelena

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Agricultural soils of Serbia are low in soybean symbiotic bacteria and application of bacteriological preparations has been introduced as a regular cultivation practice when growing soybean. A trial was set up on experimental field of Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops from Novi Sad on chernozem soil using a randomized block design with four replicates. Mineral nitrogen fertilizers were used in rates of 0, 30, 60, and 90 kg ha-1 in the experiment. Each of the nitrogen treatments had two variations, with and without inoculation. The effects of inoculation and different nitrogen fertilizer rates on yield and yield components were determined based on the pod number, seed number, 1000 seed mass and protein and oil content in seeds. Significantly higher pod number was observed in inoculated plants with the application of 30 kg N ha-1. Inoculation with NS-Nitragin increased seed number per plant. In treatment with no mineral nitrogen applied and with application of 30 kg N ha-1 and 60 kg N ha-1, 1000 seed mass was statistically higher in inoculated plants than in uninoculated ones. Inoculation produced statistically significant difference in soybean yield only in the treatment with no mineral nitrogen applied. Inoculation and applied mineral nitrogen rates had no significant effect on protein content in soybean grain.

Heterogeneous global crop yield response to biochar: a meta-regression analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crane-Droesch, Andrew; Torn, Margaret S; Abiven, Samuel; Jeffery, Simon

2013-01-01

Biochar may contribute to climate change mitigation at negative cost by sequestering photosynthetically fixed carbon in soil while increasing crop yields. The magnitude of biochar’s potential in this regard will depend on crop yield benefits, which have not been well-characterized across different soils and biochars. Using data from 84 studies, we employ meta-analytical, missing data, and semiparametric statistical methods to explain heterogeneity in crop yield responses across different soils, biochars, and agricultural management factors, and then estimate potential changes in yield across different soil environments globally. We find that soil cation exchange capacity and organic carbon were strong predictors of yield response, with low cation exchange and low carbon associated with positive response. We also find that yield response increases over time since initial application, compared to non-biochar controls. High reported soil clay content and low soil pH were weaker predictors of higher yield response. No biochar parameters in our dataset—biochar pH, percentage carbon content, or temperature of pyrolysis—were significant predictors of yield impacts. Projecting our fitted model onto a global soil database, we find the largest potential increases in areas with highly weathered soils, such as those characterizing much of the humid tropics. Richer soils characterizing much of the world’s important agricultural areas appear to be less likely to benefit from biochar. (letter)

The effect of sowing date and plant density on yield and yield components of safflower (Carthamus tinctorious L. in Rokh plateau .

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seyd fazel fazeli kakhaki

2009-06-01

Full Text Available To investigate the effect of sowing date and plant density on yield and yield components of safflower ( Carthamus tinctorious as well as evaluating the possibility of the second sowing of the plant in Torbat Heidariyeh , a field experiment was conducted in Rokh, Cold Season Cereal Research Station 2005 . The experiment was conducted in split plot arrangement in complete randomized block design with four replications . Main plots were sowing date in five levels including 9 April, 10 May, 31 May, 20 June, 11 July and sub plots were plant density in three levels including 300000, 400000, 500000 plants per hectar. Some charactristics such as the number of capitulum per square meter, seed number in capitulum, seed weight, harvest index and seed yeild was evaluated.The highest seed yield was obtained in first sowing date in 3347 kg/ha and a delay in sowing date resulted a decrease in yield. The cold weather in (05/11/2005 caused flower fertility not accured, consequently, sowing was not successful . Results showed that the effect of sowing date on yield depends on the number of capitulum per unit area and the number of grains per capitulum. These two characteristics in th first sowing date in respect of the other dates were higher. The effect of density on yield was significant resulted on yield increase due to capitulum increase in unit area. As a result, the first sowing date with the highest density is recommended. However, The third and fourth sowing date can be considered as the second planting in a sequeational cropping system .

FT-IR, FT-Raman, UV-visible, and NMR spectroscopy and vibrational properties of the labdane-type diterpene 13-epi-sclareol.

Science.gov (United States)

Chain, Fernando E; Leyton, Patricio; Paipa, Carolina; Fortuna, Mario; Brandán, Silvia A

2015-03-05

In this work, FT-IR, FT-Raman, UV-Visible and NMR spectroscopies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to study the structural and vibrational properties of the labdane-type diterpene 13-epi-sclareol using the hybrid B3LYP method together with the 6-31G(∗) basis set. Three stable structures with minimum energy found on the potential energy curves (PES) were optimized, and the corresponding molecular electrostatic potentials, atomic charges, bond orders, stabilization energies and topological properties were computed at the same approximation level. The complete assignment of the bands observed in the vibrational spectrum of 13-epi-sclareol was performed taking into account the internal symmetry coordinates for the three structures using the scaled quantum mechanical force field (SQMFF) methodology at the same level of theory. In addition, the force constants were calculated and compared with those reported in the literature for similar compounds. The predicted vibrational spectrum and the calculated (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR chemical shifts are in good agreement with the corresponding experimental results. The theoretical UV-Vis spectra for the most stable structure of 13-epi-sclareol demonstrate a better correlation with the corresponding experimental spectrum. The study of the three conformers by means of the theory of atoms in molecules (AIM) revealed different H bond interactions and a strong dependence of the interactions on the distance between the involved atoms. Furthermore, the natural bond orbital (NBO) calculations showed the characteristics of the electronic delocalization for the two six-membered rings with chair conformations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Yield, yield components and dry matter digestibility of alfalfa experimental populations

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Katić Slobodan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Alfalfa is the most important forage crop grown in the temperate regions. It is cultivated for production of vegetative aerial mass used fresh or as hay, and recently as haylage and silage. In many centres worldwide, efforts are made to breed and create new alfalfa cultivars with both higher yields and of higher nutritional value. The aim of this paper was to determine yield and digestibility of 12 experimental populations of alfalfa, and to compare their results to the yields of well-known domestic alfalfa commercial cultivars. The results show significant differences in yield of green forage and dry matter among alfalfa populations, as well as in yield components, height, proportion of leaves in yield and growth rate (tab. 1, 2 and 3. Differences between in vitro digestible dry matter (% and yields of in vitro digestible dry matter (t ha-1 were also significant (tab. 5 and 6. Yield and quality of experimental populations were at the same level or higher than of control cultivars. Synthetic SINUSA exceeded the control cutivars (NS Mediana ZMS V and Banat VS in yield and quality of dry matter. .

Yield and Yield Components of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L. as Affected by Micronutrient Application and Vermicompost in Two Kerman and Bardsir Regions

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Alireza Karimi Gogheri

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction Despite the importance of oily crops in development of Iran, there are few studies on nutrition with micronutrient in these crops, especially for safflower. Safflower, a deep rooted oilseed crop, is grown in many areas of world because it can be used as oil crop, vegetable, birdfeed and spices. To achieve the acceptable growth and yield of safflower, it needs the sufficient micro- and macronutrient, so that recently, there has been an increased interest in evaluation of nutrient role in quality and quantity of safflower. Application of vermicompost in oil crop production systems of Iran has been increased; which it can improve soil structure by increasing aggregate stability as well as increase in water holding capacity and aeration. On the other hand, micronutrients are nutrients required by plants in small quantities to organize a range of physiological functions. The deficiency micronutrients is widespread in many parts of the country due to cultivation of high yielding varieties, intensive agriculture and increasing use of sulphur free fertilizers in large quantities with concomitant decrease in use of organic manures. There is little information on interaction of vermicompost and micronutrients combination on safflower. thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of combinations of three important micronutrient consisted of sulphur, zinc and boron on yield and yield components as well as dry forage production of safflower in different vermicompost treatments. Material and Methods In this research, the effect of micronutrient application and vermicompost was examined on yield and yield components of safflower in Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Center of Kerman Province in two Kerman and Bardsir regions. The treatments were included vermicompost factor at two levels (0 and 6 t ha-1 and micronutrients combinations at 12 levels (no use, 100 kg ha-1 S, 200 kg ha-1 S, 3 ml L-1 Zn, 2 ml L-1 B, four twofold and two

Effect of acid treatment on thermal extraction yield in ashless coal production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chunqi Li; Toshimasa Takanohashi; Takahiro Yoshida; Ikuo Saito; Hideki Aoki; Kiyoshi Mashimo [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba (Japan). Institute for Energy Utilization

2004-04-01

Coals of different ranks were acid-treated in aqueous methoxyethoxy acetic acid (MEAA), acetic acid (AA), and HCl. The acid-treated coals were extracted with polar N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) and nonpolar 1-methylnaphthalene (1MN) solvents at temperatures from 200 to 360{sup o}C for 10 60 min. The thermal extraction yields with NMP for some acid-treated low-rank coals increased greatly; for example, the extraction yield for Wyodak coal (%C; 75.0%) increased from 58.4% for the raw coal to 82.9% for coal treated in 1.0 M MEAA. Conversely, the extraction yields changed minimally for all the acid-treated coals extracted in 1-MN. The type and concentration of acid affected the extraction yield when NMP was used as the extraction solvent. With increasing MEAA concentration from 0.01 to 0.1 M, the extraction yield for Wyodak coal increased from 66.3 to 81.4%, and subsequently did not change clearly with concentration. Similar changes in the extraction yield with acid concentration were also observed with AA and HCl. The de-ashing ratio for coals acid-treated in MEAA, AA, and HCl also increased greatly with concentration from 0.01 to 0.1 M, which corresponded to the change in the thermal extraction yield in NMP. For the acid-treated coals, high extraction yields were obtained at lower extraction temperatures and shorter extraction times than for the raw coal. The mechanisms for the acid treatment and thermal extraction are discussed. 27 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs.

Effects of Mineral N and P Fertilizers on Yield and Yield Components of Flooded Lowland Rice on Vertisols of Fogera Plain, Ethiopia

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Heluf Gebrekidan

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Despite its very recent history of cultivation in Ethiopia, rice is one of the potential grain crops that could contribute to the efforts for the realization of food security in the country. However, the scientific information available with regards to the response of flooded rice to N and P fertilizers for its optimum production on Vertisols of Fogera Plain is very limited. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted on Vertisols of Fogera plain, northern Ethiopia to study the yield and yield components response of rice and to establish the optimum N and P fertilizer levels required for improved grain yield of flooded rice. Six levels of N (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 kg ha−1 and five levels of P (0, 13.2, 26.4, 39.6 and 52.8 kg ha−1 laid down in a randomized complete block design with four replications were used as treatments. Nitrogen was applied in two equal splits (50% basal and 50% at maximum tillering as urea and the entire dose of P was applied basal as triple super phosphate at sowing. The main effects of N and P fertilizer levels showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.01 for all yield and yield components studied. The effects of N by P interaction were significant only for grain yield (P ≤ 0.05, number of panicles per m2 (P ≤ 0.01, number of spikelets per panicle (P ≤ 0.05 and plant height (P ≤ 0.01 among the different yield and yield components studied. Application of N and P significantly (P ≤ 0.01 increased grain yield of rice up to the levels of 60 kg N and 13.2 kg P ha−1. However, maximum grain yield (4282 kg ha−1 was obtained with the combined application of 60 kg N and 13.2 kg P ha−1, and the yield advantage over the control was 38.49% (1190 kg ha−1. Moreover, application of both N and P fertilizers have increased the magnitudes of the important yield attributes including number of panicles per m2, number of spikelets per panicle, panicle length, dry matter accumulation, straw yield and plant height

Yield improvement of Kenyan sesame varieties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayiecho, P.O.; Nyabundi, J.O.

2001-01-01

In an effort to improve the yield of Kenyan sesame cultivars the seeds of three cultivars, SPS SIK6, SIK 096 and SPS SIK 50/1 were subjected to 300Gy, 400Gy and 600Gy of gamma rays. A first batch of seeds were subjected to these treatments in March 1994 (Experiment I) while the second batch was treated in March 1995 (Experiment II). The M 1 , M 2 , M 3 and M 4 generations of experiment I and M 1 generation of Experiment II were raised at the University of Nairobi Dryland Research Field Station, Kibwezi from 1994 to 1996. The M 6 and M 7 generations of Experiment I and M 2 of Experiment II were raised at Siaya Farmer's Training Centre in 1997. The effects of radiation in M 1 generation were expressed in reduced and delayed seedling emergence, reduced plant height, sectorial deformed plants, delayed flowering and extremely low yield. There was increased variation in M 2 for most evaluated traits. Plants in M 2 and subsequent generations were scored for a number of yield related morphological traits and days to flowering. Selection was done in the early generations for increased capsule number and earliness. As a result of selection, a total of 88 lines from M 4 generation were used to derive M 5 generation. Further selection in M 6 generation lead to 35 lines being retained for preliminary yield trials in M 7 generations. (author)

Improving carbon dioxide yields and cell efficiencies for ethanol oxidation by potential scanning

Science.gov (United States)

Majidi, Pasha; Pickup, Peter G.

2014-12-01

An ethanol electrolysis cell with aqueous ethanol supplied to the anode and nitrogen at the cathode has been operated under potential cycling conditions in order to increase the yield of carbon dioxide and thereby increase cell efficiency relative to operation at a fixed potential. At ambient temperature, faradaic yields of CO2 as high as 26% have been achieved, while only transient CO2 production was observed at constant potential. Yields increased substantially at higher temperatures, with maximum values at Pt anodes reaching 45% at constant potential and 65% under potential cycling conditions. Use of a PtRu anode increased the cell efficiency by decreasing the anode potential, but this was offset by decreased CO2 yields. Nonetheless, cycling increased the efficiency relative to constant potential. The maximum yields at PtRu and 80 °C were 13% at constant potential and 32% under potential cycling. The increased yields under cycling conditions have been attributed to periodic oxidative stripping of adsorbed CO, which occurs at lower potentials on PtRu than on Pt. These results will be important in the optimization of operating conditions for direct ethanol fuel cells and for the electrolysis of ethanol to produce clean hydrogen.

Predicting Great Lakes fish yields: tools and constraints

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, C.A.; Schupp, D.H.; Taylor, W.W.; Collins, J.J.; Hatch, Richard W.

1987-01-01

Prediction of yield is a critical component of fisheries management. The development of sound yield prediction methodology and the application of the results of yield prediction are central to the evolution of strategies to achieve stated goals for Great Lakes fisheries and to the measurement of progress toward those goals. Despite general availability of species yield models, yield prediction for many Great Lakes fisheries has been poor due to the instability of the fish communities and the inadequacy of available data. A host of biological, institutional, and societal factors constrain both the development of sound predictions and their application to management. Improved predictive capability requires increased stability of Great Lakes fisheries through rehabilitation of well-integrated communities, improvement of data collection, data standardization and information-sharing mechanisms, and further development of the methodology for yield prediction. Most important is the creation of a better-informed public that will in turn establish the political will to do what is required.

Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Weeds Growth and Emergence and Yield and Yield Components of Corn (Zea mays L.

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M. Gholamshahi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Corn is one of the important crops of poaceae family which has important role in supplying food for human societies. Corn is third food crop in world and it has high potential compare to other crops because of its C4 photosynthetic pathway. In addition, corn is a strong and fast growing plant but it is sensitive to competition with weeds. According studies, there are 25 to 30 problematic weeds in corn farms which they include annual and perennial species. Annual weeds life cycle is similar to corn life cycle, there for the most problem of weeds in corn is summer annual weeds. Damage of weeds is different and it depends on weeds density, species composition, time of emergence, crop variety and other factors. While non control of weeds depending on those density and Variety, corn yeild may be decrease of 15 to 90 percent. Weeds which germinate in a short time can compete with crop on light, water and nutrition sources. Most of the weeds show better reaction to fertilizers compare with crops. This subject is due to weeds ability to nutrition absorption and aggregation and their high performances. Most of the weeds species are more responsive than crops to application of nitrogen fertilizer. Furthermore, the growth of most of the weed species increases with increasing nitrogen. Therefore, the increase of nitrogen in farming systems can have impacts on weeds and crops competitiveness. However, weeds compete with crop about using light, nutrient, water and soil space and the result of this competition is yield losses. Moreover, nitrogen is necessary to increase yield and nitrogen fertilizer enhances corn competitiveness, especially early in the season due to the slow growth of the plant and is necessary to achieve optimal performance. Excessive of nitrogen fertilizer during the growing season is benefit for weeds. Therefore, in order to study the effects of nitrogen fertilizer in combination with weeds management on yield and yield

Yield trends and yield gap analysis of major crops in the world

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hengsdijk, H.; Langeveld, J.W.A.

2009-01-01

This study aims to quantify the gap between current and potential yields of major crops in the world, and the production constraints that contribute to this yield gap. Using an expert-based evaluation of yield gaps and the literature, global and regional yields and yield trends of major crops are

Slaughterhouse fatty waste saponification to increase biogas yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Battimelli, A; Torrijos, M; Moletta, R; Delgenès, J P

2010-05-01

A thermochemical pretreatment, i.e. saponification, was optimised in order to improve anaerobic biodegradation of slaughterhouse wastes such as aeroflotation grease and flesh fats from cattle carcass. Anaerobic digestion of raw wastes, as well as of wastes saponified at different temperatures (60 degrees C, 120 degrees C and 150 degrees C) was conducted in fed-batch reactors under mesophilic condition and the effect of different saponification temperatures on anaerobic biodegradation and on the long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) relative composition was assessed. Even after increasing loads over a long period of time, raw fatty wastes were biodegraded slowly and the biogas potentials were lower than those of theoretical estimations. In contrast, pretreated wastes exhibited improved batch biodegradation, indicating a better initial bio-availability, particularly obvious for carcass wastes. However, LCFA relative composition was not significantly altered by the pretreatment. Consequently, the enhanced biodegradation should be attributed to an increased initial bio-availability of fatty wastes without any modification of their long chain structure which remained slowly biodegradable. Finally, saponification at 120 degrees C achieved best performances during anaerobic digestion of slaughterhouse wastes. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Agriculture and Bioactives: Achieving Both Crop Yield and Phytochemicals

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Irineo Torres-Pacheco

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Plants are fundamental elements of the human diet, either as direct sources of nutrients or indirectly as feed for animals. During the past few years, the main goal of agriculture has been to increase yield in order to provide the food that is needed by a growing world population. As important as yield, but commonly forgotten in conventional agriculture, is to keep and, if it is possible, to increase the phytochemical content due to their health implications. Nowadays, it is necessary to go beyond this, reconciling yield and phytochemicals that, at first glance, might seem in conflict. This can be accomplished through reviewing food requirements, plant consumption with health implications, and farming methods. The aim of this work is to show how both yield and phytochemicals converge into a new vision of agricultural management in a framework of integrated agricultural practices.

Effective Use of Water and Increased Dry Matter Partitioned to Grain Contribute to Yield of Common Bean Improved for Drought Resistance

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Jose A. Polania

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. is the most important food legume in the diet of poor people in the tropics. Drought causes severe yield loss in this crop. Identification of traits associated with drought resistance contributes to improving the process of generating bean genotypes adapted to these conditions. Field studies were conducted at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT, Palmira, Colombia, to determine the relationship between grain yield and different parameters such as effective use of water (EUW, canopy biomass and dry partitioning indices (pod partitioning index, harvest index and pod harvest index in elite lines selected for drought resistance over the past decade. Carbon isotope discrimination (CID was used for estimation of water use efficiency (WUE. The main objectives were: (i to identify specific morpho-physiological traits that contribute to improved resistance to drought in lines developed over several cycles of breeding and that could be useful as selection criteria in breeding; and (ii to identify genotypes with desirable traits that could serve as parents in the corresponding breeding programs. A set of 36 bean genotypes belonging to the Middle American gene pool were evaluated under field conditions with two levels of water supply (irrigated and drought over two seasons. Eight bean lines (NCB 280, NCB 226, SEN 56, SCR 2, SCR 16, SMC 141, RCB 593 and BFS 67 were identified as resistant to drought stress. Resistance to terminal drought stress was positively associated with EUW combined with increased dry matter partitioned to pod and seed production and negatively associated with days to flowering and days to physiological maturity. Differences in genotypic response were observed between grain CID and grain yield under irrigated and drought stress. Based on phenotypic differences in CID, leaf stomatal conductance, canopy biomass and grain yield under drought stress, the lines tested were classified into

Heavy metals and yield of cowpea cultivated under composted tannery sludge amendment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iuna Carmo Ribeiro Gonçalves

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The study aimed to evaluate the phytoavailability of heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Ni and Pb concentrations in leaves and grains, and yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L grown in soil amended with composted tannery sludge (CTS for two consecutive years. The experiments were carried out in 2009 and 2010 in soil amended with CTS at 0, 5, 10, 20, and 40 Mg ha-1. The CTS amendment rates applied were above 10 Mg ha-1, increased Cr concentrations in cowpea leaves. There were not increases in the heavy metals concentrations in cowpea grains after two years. In 2009, the application of CTS amendment did not promote increase in plant yield. However, in 2010, CTS amendment at 10 and 20 Mg ha-1 increased cowpea yield. The amendment of composted tannery sludge linearly increased linearly the concentration of Cr in the leaves of cowpea after two years. Composted tannery sludge promoted increases in cowpea yield.

On yield gaps and yield gains in intercropping

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gou, Fang; Yin, Wen; Hong, Yu; Werf, van der Wopke; Chai, Qiang; Heerink, Nico; Ittersum, van Martin K.

2017-01-01

Wheat-maize relay intercropping has been widely used by farmers in northwest China, and based on field experiments agronomists report it has a higher productivity than sole crops. However, the yields from farmers’ fields have not been investigated yet. Yield gap analysis provides a framework to

The Effect of Rate and Application Method of Potassium on Yield and Yield Components of Cotton in Saline Condition

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A Ardakani

2016-12-01

flowering (25P+25V+50F, and 25% at planting+50% at vegetative stage and 25%at early boll development (25P+50V+25B as the subplot. The seeds planted had been acid-delinted and treated with chemicals against seed and seedling diseases. Plots consisted of six rows spaced 0.5 min row and 0.2 m in plant (10 plants m-2 and 6 m in length. To evaluate yield components of cotton including plant height, sympodial branch number, boll number, boll weight, 10 individual plants were selected randomly from final harvest area. At harvesting time one meter square from the beginning and a half meter around each plot was removed as a marginal effect. The remaining area was harvested by hand for determine of lint and biological yield. Seed-cotton samples were ginned to separate the fiber (lint from the seed. Lint percentage (% was calculated as the weight of lint to weight of the seed-cotton. The statistical analyses were performed by SAS software Ver. 9.1. The mean separation was done through Fischer least significant difference (FLSD test at alpha 0.05. Results and Discussion Analysis of variance showed that boll weight, seed cotton yield and biological yield were significantly affected by potassium rate, whereas plant height, number of sympodial branch, boll number and lint percentage was not affected by potassium rate. All traits were affected by potassium application method except plant height and lint percentage. Plant height, boll weight, seed cotton yield and lint percentage were affected by interaction of potassium rate and application method. Increasing of K level up to 150 kg ha-1 increased boll weight (23.64%, seed cotton yield (17.67%, and biological yield (9.86% in comparison with the application of 75 kg ha-1. Plant height, sympodial branch number and lint percentage did not respond to K rate. K application as 25% at planting+25% at vegetative stage (5-8 leaves stage, 25% at first flowering and 25% at early boll development (25P+25V+25F+25B had the highest boll weight, seed

Atomic Oxygen Erosion Yield Dependence Upon Texture Development in Polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Banks, Bruce A.; Loftus, Ryan J.; Miller, Sharon K.

2016-01-01

The atomic oxygen erosion yield (volume of a polymer that is lost due to oxidation per incident atom) of polymers is typically assumed to be reasonably constant with increasing fluence. However polymers containing ash or inorganic pigments, tend to have erosion yields that decrease with fluence due to an increasing presence of protective particles on the polymer surface. This paper investigates two additional possible causes for erosion yields of polymers that are dependent upon atomic oxygen. These are the development of surface texture which can cause the erosion yield to change with fluence due to changes in the aspect ratio of the surface texture that develops and polymer specific atomic oxygen interaction parameters. The surface texture development under directed hyperthermal attack produces higher aspect ratio surface texture than isotropic thermal energy atomic oxygen attack. The fluence dependence of erosion yields is documented for low Kapton H (DuPont, Wilmington, DE) effective fluences for a variety of polymers under directed hyperthermal and isotropic thermal energy attack.

Phytochemical and pharmacological investigation of Spiraea chamaedryfolia: a contribution to the chemotaxonomy of Spiraea genus.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiss, Tivadar; Cank, Kristóf Bence; Orbán-Gyapai, Orsolya; Liktor-Busa, Erika; Zomborszki, Zoltán Péter; Rutkovska, Santa; Pučka, Irēna; Németh, Anikó; Csupor, Dezső

2017-12-21

Diterpene alkaloids are secondary plant metabolites and chemotaxonomical markers with a strong biological activity. These compounds are characteristic for the Ranunculaceae family, while their occurrence in other taxa is rare. Several species of the Spiraea genus (Rosaceae) are examples of this rarity. Screening Spiraea species for alkaloid content is a chemotaxonomical approach to clarify the classification and phylogeny of the genus. Novel pharmacological findings make further investigations of Spiraea diterpene alkaloids promising. Seven Spiraea species were screened for diterpene alkaloids. Phytochemical and pharmacological investigations were performed on Spiraea chamaedryfolia, the species found to contain diterpene alkaloids. Its alkaloid-rich fractions were found to exert a remarkable xanthine-oxidase inhibitory activity and a moderate antibacterial activity. The alkaloid distribution within the root was clarified by microscopic techniques.

Improvement of liquefaction solvent. Increase of light oil yield with a reduction in catalyst addition; Ekika yozai no kairyo kenkyu. Sekitan ekikayu no keishitsuka to shokubai tenkaryo no teigen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okuyama, N.; Yasumuro, M.; Sato, K.; Komatsu, N.; Okui, T.; Shimasaki, K. [Nippon Brown Coal Liquefaction Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-28

For developing coal liquefaction processes, it is an important problem to improve the light oil yield with increased oil yield. It was previously reported that distillate mainly containing lighter fraction can be produced with high oil yield by reducing the iron/sulfur catalyst addition in slurry, by recycling gas in the process operation, by utilizing these effects, and by using heavy oil as recycling solvent. In this study, the maximum distillate yield of Victorian brown coal was investigated through continuous liquefaction using a bench scale unit. In addition, operation conditions for obtaining sufficient oil yield were investigated under the reduced catalyst addition into one-third. Consequently, it was confirmed that the maximum content of lighter fraction in distillate product was obtained with reduced catalyst addition by using heavy oil as recycling solvent, by adopting new catalyst, and by utilizing effects of CLB recycling and gas recycling in maximum. It was also revealed that lighter distillate can be produced compared with the oil product obtained by recycling conventional solvent. 3 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.

Physical characteristics of the paper filter and low cafestol content filter coffee brews.

Science.gov (United States)

Rendón, Mery Yovana; Dos Santos Scholz, Maria Brígida; Bragagnolo, Neura

2018-06-01

The results found in the literature concerning the effect of consuming filter coffee brews on increasing the blood cholesterol levels due to the presence of diterpenes, are divergent. Thus the present research evaluated the diterpene (cafestol and kahweol) concentrations in filter coffee brews prepared with paper filters of different sizes, colors and origins (Brazil, Japan, The United States of America, Germany, France and the Netherlands), with and without micro perforations. This is the first study that reports the physical characteristics of paper filter and its importance to obtain filter coffee brew with low cafestol content. Thus, a sample of Catuai cultivar coffee with high cafestol content was roasted to a medium-light degree and used to prepare the brews in a 1:10 ratio (coffee powder to water). The diterpenes were extracted by direct saponification and quantified and identified by HPLC-DAD-MS/MS. The paper filters were physically characterized by measuring their grammage, and the fat permeation rate calculated in order to better understand the differences between the filters which allow one to obtain higher or lower diterpene contents. The cafestol and kahweol concentrations in the brews varied from 1.62 to 2.98 mg/L and from 0.73 to 1.96 mg/L, respectively. The highest cafestol and kahweol concentrations were obtained using paper filters with micro perforations, considering similar sized paper filters. The paper filters showed high fat permeability and grammages between 50.46 and 67.48 g/m 2 . The diterpene retention capacities of the filters produced in the different countries were similar. The results showed that the porosity of the paper filter and the particle size of the ground roasted coffee were determinant factors in obtaining filter coffee brews with lower cafestol contents. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of gamma rays on the yield of Linum usitatissimum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghouse, A.K.M.; Abidi, S.H.

1979-01-01

The impact of various acute doses of gamma-rays has been studied in an oil yielding Indian variety, Neelum of Linum usitatissimum. It has been found that gamma irradiation brings about an increase in the yield of the crop at lower doses upto 75 krads, while the higher ones like 125 and 150 krads reduce the yield to half. (auth.)

Interaction Effects of Planting Date and Weed Competition on Yield and Yield Components of Three white Bean Cultivars in Semirom

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A. Yadavi

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Unsuitable planting and weed competition are the most important factors that greatly reduce the yield of bean. In order to study the effect of planting date on yield and yield components of three white bean cultivars in weed infest and weed free condition a factorial experiment with randomized complete block design and three replications was carried out at Semirom in 2009. The treatments were planting date (May10, May 25 and June 9 and white bean cultivars (Shekofa, Pak and Daneshkade and two levels of weed infestation (weedy and weed free. Results showed that planting date, weed competition and cultivars had significant effects on yield and yield components of white bean. The 30-day delay in planting date reduced the number of pods per plant, seeds per pod, 100 seed weight and biological yield of white bean cultivars, 22.5, 18, 20.1 and 22.5 percent respectively. Also weed competition, reduced the number of seeds per pod, 100 seed weight and biological yield respectively by 13.5, 5.7 and 27.1 percent. Result of planting date and weed competition interaction effects indicated that the weed competition decreased grain yield (53% in third planting date more than others and delay in planting date was companion with increasing weed density and dry weight in flowering stage of bean. Also Shekofa cultivar had highest grain yield (3379 kg/ha at the first planting date and weed free condition.

Structured syncope care pathways based on lean six sigma methodology optimises resource use with shorter time to diagnosis and increased diagnostic yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Martens, Leon; Goode, Grahame; Wold, Johan F H; Beck, Lionel; Martin, Georgina; Perings, Christian; Stolt, Pelle; Baggerman, Lucas

2014-01-01

To conduct a pilot study on the potential to optimise care pathways in syncope/Transient Loss of Consciousness management by using Lean Six Sigma methodology while maintaining compliance with ESC and/or NICE guidelines. Five hospitals in four European countries took part. The Lean Six Sigma methodology consisted of 3 phases: 1) Assessment phase, in which baseline performance was mapped in each centre, processes were evaluated and a new operational model was developed with an improvement plan that included best practices and change management; 2) Improvement phase, in which optimisation pathways and standardised best practice tools and forms were developed and implemented. Staff were trained on new processes and change-management support provided; 3) Sustaining phase, which included support, refinement of tools and metrics. The impact of the implementation of new pathways was evaluated on number of tests performed, diagnostic yield, time to diagnosis and compliance with guidelines. One hospital with focus on geriatric populations was analysed separately from the other four. With the new pathways, there was a 59% reduction in the average time to diagnosis (p = 0.048) and a 75% increase in diagnostic yield (p = 0.007). There was a marked reduction in repetitions of diagnostic tests and improved prioritisation of indicated tests. Applying a structured Lean Six Sigma based methodology to pathways for syncope management has the potential to improve time to diagnosis and diagnostic yield.

Structured syncope care pathways based on lean six sigma methodology optimises resource use with shorter time to diagnosis and increased diagnostic yield.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leon Martens

Full Text Available To conduct a pilot study on the potential to optimise care pathways in syncope/Transient Loss of Consciousness management by using Lean Six Sigma methodology while maintaining compliance with ESC and/or NICE guidelines.Five hospitals in four European countries took part. The Lean Six Sigma methodology consisted of 3 phases: 1 Assessment phase, in which baseline performance was mapped in each centre, processes were evaluated and a new operational model was developed with an improvement plan that included best practices and change management; 2 Improvement phase, in which optimisation pathways and standardised best practice tools and forms were developed and implemented. Staff were trained on new processes and change-management support provided; 3 Sustaining phase, which included support, refinement of tools and metrics. The impact of the implementation of new pathways was evaluated on number of tests performed, diagnostic yield, time to diagnosis and compliance with guidelines. One hospital with focus on geriatric populations was analysed separately from the other four.With the new pathways, there was a 59% reduction in the average time to diagnosis (p = 0.048 and a 75% increase in diagnostic yield (p = 0.007. There was a marked reduction in repetitions of diagnostic tests and improved prioritisation of indicated tests.Applying a structured Lean Six Sigma based methodology to pathways for syncope management has the potential to improve time to diagnosis and diagnostic yield.

A crop model-based approach for sunflower yields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Guilherme Dal Belo Leite

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Pushed by the Brazilian biodiesel policy, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. production is becoming increasingly regarded as an option to boost farmers' income, particularly under semi-arid conditions. Biodiesel related opportunities increase the demand for decision-making information at different levels, which could be met by simulation models. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the crop model OILCROP-SUN to simulate sunflower development and growth under Brazilian conditions and to explore sunflower water- and nitrogen-limited, water-limited and potential yield and yield variability over an array of sowing dates in the northern region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. For model calibration, an experiment was conducted in which two sunflower genotypes (H358 and E122 were cultivated in a clayey soil. Growth components (leaf area index, above ground biomass, grain yield and development stages (crop phenology were measured. A database composed of 27 sunflower experiments from five Brazilian regions was used for model evaluation. The spatial yield distribution of sunflower was mapped using ordinary kriging in ArcGIS. The model simulated sunflower grain productivity satisfactorily (Root Mean Square Error ≈ 13 %. Simulated yields were relatively high (1,750 to 4,250 kg ha-1 and the sowing window was fairly wide (Oct to Feb for northwestern locations, where sunflower could be cultivated as a second crop (double cropping at the end of the rainy season. The hybrid H358 had higher yields for all simulated sowing dates, growth conditions and selected locations.

Effects of Super-Absorbent Polymer Application on Yield and Yield Components of Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.

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Fariborz SHEKARI

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Limitation of water resources and its great impact on agricultural and natural resources play a crucial role in the efficiency of water use. Applying super absorbent polymer to the soil may be one of the methods to minimize the stress of weather dryness in arid and semi-arid regions. In order to evaluate the effects of hydrophilic polymer application on yield and water use efficiency of rapeseed plants, an experiment was conducted under field condition in 2012 at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh. Treatments’ factors were: (i 3 super absorbent polymers (SAP (Taravat A200 levels of 0 (without application, 75 and 150 kg ha-1 A200 application, (ii three irrigation levels of 80, 120 and 180 mm evaporation from class A basin in main plots, (iii two cultivars ʻHyola 401ʼ and ʻRVSʼ in sub plots as factorial split plot combination based on completely randomized block design with three replications. The results showed that in all of the measured traits within the experiment there were significant differences between SAP levels. Furthermore, increasing irrigation interval led to an increase in a thousand seeds’ weight, but decreased seed yield. Increasing water stress raised seed oil percent and infertile silique and subsequently resulted in reduced oil yield. ʻHyola 401ʼ was more susceptible to embryo abortion compared with ʻRVSʼ. As a conclusion of the research, SAP (A200 application in quantities smaller than 75 kg ha-1 may be recommended for rapeseed production under field condition.

Influence of Climate Factors on Rice Yields in Cambodia

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Dek Vimean Pheakdey

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Temperature and precipitation have been known as the key determinant factors to affect rice production in climate change. In this study, the relationship between climate variables and rice yields during 1993–2012 in Cambodia was analyzed and evaluated. The Ordinary Least Squares analysis was applied to examine the relationship of three climate variables (TCV including maximum temperature, minimum temperature and rainfall against seasonal rice yields. By this period, a remarkable increasing trend of annual temperature was observed whilst rainfall was not significantly changed. The TCV explains approximately 63% and 56% of the variability of rice yields in wet and dry seasons, respectively. It is found that in Cambodia, non-climate factors such as fertilizers, water, cultivars, and soil fertility cause 40% variation to rice yields, whereas the remaining 60% can be influenced by climate variability. The levels of temperature difference (LTD between maximum and minimum temperatures of the wet season (WS and dry season (DS were 7.0 and 8.6 oC, respectively. The lower value of LTD may cause the reduction of rice in WS (2.2 tons/ha as compared to that of DS (3.0 tons/ha. Rice yield has increased 50.5% and 33.8% in DS and WS, respectively, may due to the improvement of rice cultivation practices in Cambodia such as the better use of fertilizers, pest and weed control, and irrigation, and more effective rice cultivated protocol, as the increased trend of temperature may detrimentally affect rice yield. The breeding of heat and drought tolerance rice varieties and development of irrigation system are effective to reduce the negative influence from climate change to rice production in Cambodia.

Photoperiod shift effects on yield characteristics of rice

Science.gov (United States)

Volk, G. M.; Mitchell, C. A.

1995-01-01

Edible yield must be maximized for each crop species selected for inclusion in the Controlled Ecological Life-Support System (CELSS) proposed by NASA to support long-term manned space missions. In a greenhouse study aimed at increasing biomass partitioning to rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain, plants of the high yielding semi-dwarf rice cultivar Ai-Nan-Tsao were started in pots under 8-h photoperiods at a density of 212 plants m-2. After different periods of time under 8-h photoperiods, pots were switched to continuous light for the remainder of the cropping cycle. Continuous light did not delay time to first panicle emergence (60 d) or time to harvest (83 d). There was a positive correlation between the length of continuous light treatments and nongrain biomass. Grain yield (1.6 +/- 0.2 g plant-1) did not increase in continuous light. Yield-efficiency rate (grain weight per length of cropping cycle, canopy volume, and weight of nongrain shoot biomass) was used to compare treatments. Small Ai-Nan-Tsao rice canopies grown under 8-h photoperiods were more efficient producers of grain than canopies grown under continuous light for a portion of the rice cropping cycle.

Effect of Seed Priming, Sowing methods and Bio-fertilizers on Yield and Yield Components of Seedy Watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus

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M Zarandi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus is one of the most important fresh fruits in Iran particularly during summer. After China, in terms of production and cultivation area, Iran placed second in the world. Research conducted in different regions (especially in arid and semi-arid regions, like Iran indicated that poor germination and establishment of seedlings in the field causes low yield, particularly in vegetables. Seed priming, (to increase the percentage and rate of germination and transplanting to increase plant establishment and use of bio-fertilizers to increase food availability during the growing season are inevitable to transfer to ecological agriculture. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effect of seeds osmopriming, transplanting and bio-fertilizers on watermelon grain yield. Materials and Methods This experiment was conducted at split plot based on complete block design with three replications in the Laboratory, Greenhouse and the Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2013. First factor was seed priming in two levels (unprimed and primed, the second factor was transplanting in two levels (direct sowing and transplantation and the third factor was bio-fertilizers containing pseudomonas and Azotobacter in two levels (non bio-fertilizers and bio-fertilizers. Leaf area index (LAI, number of fruits per plant, number of seeds per fruit, 1000 seed weight, grain yield and total dry matter were determined. Results and Discussion Transplants produced using osmoprimed seeds that had been sprayed with bio-fertilizers on the field (T2P2K2 had higher LAI than the other treatments (Table 3. Bio-fertilizers in both transplanting and direct sowing produced more LAI, but osmopriming of seeds with PEG 6000 had little impact on LAI (Table 3. LAI is one of the growth parameters which had a great effect to achieve maximum yield that needs to be at higher level before flowering. Izadkhah et al. (2010 and

Economics and yields of energy plantations: Status and potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenney, W.A.; Gambles, R.L.; Zsuffa, L.

1992-01-01

A study was carried out to: determine the factors affecting the cost of energy conversion feedstocks in short rotation intensive culture plantations of trees; determine the factors influencing biomass yield; identify interrelationships between the previous two objectives; present estimates of potential biomass yields and associated economics; and to identify gaps in the knowledge of the economics and yields of biomass production and their interrelationships. Reported costs for most aspects had a wide range. Currently, yields of 10-15 dry Mg/hectare/y are readily achievable. Using the cost and yield data, and assuming a biomass price of $40/dry Mg, a series of cash flow analyses were performed. For the low cost inputs, all scenarios were marginally profitable. For the high cost inputs, none of the scenarios were profitable. A current scenario, using figures for contract farming, was not profitable, however this system would break even with a yield of 23.3 dry Mg/hectare/y, within the range of some production clones. A future scenario using farm labour with increased productivity, product values, and machinery efficiencies yielded a profit-making situation. The addition of incentives increased profitability. There is great potential for the production of woody biomass in Canada as a feedstock for energy and other products. Continued and more intensive breeding and selection to develop high yielding stress tolerant clones, cost efficient harvesting systems, continued research into optimization of planting density, rotation length and cultural techniques, and characterization of promising clones with respect to nutrient-use efficiency, site requirements and pest/disease resistance are important areas for further work. 81 refs., 3 figs., 13 tabs

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.

Evolution of increased competitiveness in cows trades off with reduced milk yield, fertility and more masculine morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Sartori, Cristina; Mazza, Serena; Guzzo, Nadia; Mantovani, Roberto

2015-08-01

In some species females compete for food, foraging territories, mating, and nesting sites. Competing females can exhibit morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations typical of males, which are commonly considered as secondary sexual traits. Competition and the development of traits increasing competitiveness require much energy and may exert adverse effects on fecundity and survival. From an evolutionary perspective, positive selection for increased competitiveness would then result in evolution of reduced values for traits related to fitness such as fecundity and survival. There is recent evidence for such evolutionary trade-offs involving male competition, but no study has considered competing females so far. Using data from competitions for dominance in cows (Bos taurus), we found negative genetic correlations between traits providing success in competition, that is, fighting ability and fitness traits related to milk production and with fertility (the inverse of parity-conception interval). Fighting ability also showed low but positive genetic correlations with "masculine" morphological traits, and negative correlations with "feminine" traits. A genetic change in traits over time has occurred due to selection on competitiveness, corresponding to an evolutionary process of "masculinization" counteracting the official selection for milk yield. Similar evolutionary trade-off between success in competition and fitness components may be present in various species experiencing female competition. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution © 2015 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Adjusting slash pine growth and yield for silvicultural treatments

Science.gov (United States)

Stephen R. Logan; Barry D. Shiver

2006-01-01

With intensive silvicultural treatments such as fertilization and competition control now commonplace in today's slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) plantations, a method to adjust current growth and yield models is required to accurately account for yield increases due to these practices. Some commonly used ad-hoc methods, such as raising site...

The effect of conservation tillage on crop yield in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongwen LI,Jin HE,Huanwen GAO,Ying CHEN,Zhiqiang ZHANG

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Traditional agricultural practices have resulted in decreased soil fertility, shortage of water resources and deterioration of agricultural ecological environment, which are seriously affecting grain production. Conservation tillage (CT research has been developed and applied in China since the 1960s and 1970s, and a series of development policies have been issued by the Chinese government. Recent research and application have shown that CT has positive effects on crop yields in China. According to the data from the Conservation Tillage Research Center (CTRC, Chinese Ministry of Agriculture (MOA, the mean crop yield increase can be at least 4% in double cropping systems in the North China Plain and 6% in single cropping systems in the dryland areas of North-east and North-west China. Crop yield increase was particularly significant in dryland areas and drought years. The mechanism for the yield increase in CT system can be attributed to enhanced soil water content and improved soil properties. Development strategies have been implemented to accelerate the adoption of CT in China.

Potato yield and quality as a function of the plant density

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eero Varis

1975-05-01

Full Text Available The effects of potato plant density on yield quantity and quality were investigated at the Hankkija Plant Breeding Institute from 1971-73, using seed rates of 1600, 3200 and 4800 kg/ha, and seed sizes of 40, 80 and 120 g. The varieties used were Ijsselster and Record. The number of stems per m2 rose with increasing seed rate and with increasing seed size. Stem number increased with seed rate faster for small seed than for large. The response in stem number was greater for Ijsselster than for Record. The number of stems per seed tuber fell as the plant density rose. The number of tubers per m2 altered in the same direction as the number of stems, but less responsively. The reason for this was that the number of tubers per stem decreased with increasing plant density. The tuber yield showed a continual increase with increasing plant density. At the lowest stem densities (less than 20—25 stems/m2 small seed gave better results than other sizes, but at the higher plant densities, the importance of seed size faded away and the yield was dependant on the plant density alone. Net yield (gross yield 2 x seed rate, however, was higher the smaller the seed used, whatever the stem density. Tuber size decreased when plant density increased, the proportion of large tubers diminishing most, especially when small seed was used. The proportion of small tubers altered more for Ijsselster than for Record. Seed size and seed rate did not on average significantly affect the proportion of Class I potatoes, though small seed gave results slightly better than other sizes. The starch content of the yield rose when the seed rate was increased (16.0-16.3 -16.5 % and fell with increasing seed size (16.5 16.2 16.1 %. The maximum variation was 15.8-16.7 %. The specific gravity distribution improved with increasing plant density. Raw discolouration of the tubers did not alter significantly as the plant density rose. Blackening of the tubers decreased with increasing plant

Yield constraint analysis of rainfed lowland rice in Souteast Asia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boling, A.A.

2007-01-01

Keywords: Fertilizer application, field hydrology, plant nutrient uptake, toposequence, weed control, yield loss. Rainfed lowland rice yields are low and unstable due to uncertain water supply, low soil fertility, and pest infestation. To design management interventions aimed at increasing

Integrated crop management practices for maximizing grain yield of double-season rice crop

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Depeng; Huang, Jianliang; Nie, Lixiao; Wang, Fei; Ling, Xiaoxia; Cui, Kehui; Li, Yong; Peng, Shaobing

2017-01-01

Information on maximum grain yield and its attributes are limited for double-season rice crop grown under the subtropical environment. This study was conducted to examine key characteristics associated with high yielding double-season rice crop through a comparison between an integrated crop management (ICM) and farmers’ practice (FP). Field experiments were conducted in the early and late seasons in the subtropical environment of Wuxue County, Hubei Province, China in 2013 and 2014. On average, grain yield in ICM was 13.5% higher than that in FP. A maximum grain yield of 9.40 and 10.53 t ha-1 was achieved under ICM in the early- and late-season rice, respectively. Yield improvement of double-season rice with ICM was achieved with the combined effects of increased plant density and optimized nutrient management. Yield gain of ICM resulted from a combination of increases in sink size due to more panicle number per unit area and biomass production, further supported by the increased leaf area index, leaf area duration, radiation use efficiency, crop growth rate, and total nitrogen uptake compared with FP. Further enhancement in the yield potential of double-season rice should focus on increasing crop growth rate and biomass production through improved and integrated crop management practices.

PREOVULATORY FOLLICLE DEVELOPMENT IN HIGH YIELDING COWS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radovan Tomášek

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to examine the development of preovulatory follicles in pregnant and non-pregnant high yielding cows. The treatment by supergestran and oestrophan was used to synchronize the estrous cycle. Ovaries were monitored by transrectal ultrasonography. The linear increase of preovulatory follicles was observed in pregnant (P < 0,001 and non-pregnant (P < 0,001 cows during 8 days before ovulation. In conclusion, preovulatory follicles in pregnant and non-pregnant high yielding cows developed similarly.

Methane Yield Database: Online infrastructure and bioresource for methane yield data and related metadata.

Science.gov (United States)

Murovec, Boštjan; Kolbl, Sabina; Stres, Blaž

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a community supported online infrastructure and bioresource for methane yield data and accompanying metadata collected from published literature. In total, 1164 entries described by 15,749 data points were assembled. Analysis of data collection showed little congruence in reporting of methodological approaches. The largest identifiable source of variation in reported methane yields was represented by authorship (i.e. substrate batches within particular substrate class) within which experimental scales (volumes (0.02-5l), incubation temperature (34-40 °C) and % VS of substrate played an important role (p 63%). This calls for reconsideration of accepted approaches to reporting data in currently published literature to increase capacity to service industrial decision making to a greater extent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of components in high-yield synthesis of block copolymer-mediated gold nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ray, Debes; Aswal, Vinod Kumar

2012-01-01

The optimization to achieve stable and high-yield gold nanoparticles in block copolymer-mediated synthesis has been examined. Gold nanoparticles are synthesized using block copolymer P85 in gold salt HAuCl 4 ·3H 2 O solution. This method usually has a very limited yield which does not simply increase with the increase in the gold salt concentration. We show that the yield can be enhanced by increasing the block copolymer concentration but is limited to the factor by which the concentration is increased. On the other hand, the presence of an additional reductant (trisodium citrate) in 1:1 molar ratio with gold salt enhances the yield by manyfold. In this case (with additional reductant), the stable and high-yield nanoparticles having size about 14 nm can be synthesized at very low block copolymer concentrations. These nanoparticles thus can be efficiently used for their application such as for adsorption of proteins.

VARIABILITY OF YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS IN “EGUSI ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

journal

Estimate of expected genetic advance in seed yield plant-1 ranged between. 25.90-48.40%. ..... values in fruit and seed yield characters have been reported in culinary melon, ... and Khund, A. 2004. Extent of heterosis and heritability in some.

Predicting spring barley yield from variety-specific yield potential, disease resistance and straw length, and from environment-specific disease loads and weed pressure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergård, Hanne; Kristensen, Kristian; Pinnschmidt, Hans O.

2008-01-01

For low-input crop production, well-characterised varieties increase the possibilities of managing diseases and weeds. This analysis aims at developing a framework for analyzing grain yield using external varietal information about disease resistance, weed competitiveness and yield potential and ...... growth habit. Higher grain yield was thus predicted for taller plants under weed pressure. The results are discussed in relation to the model framework, impact of the considered traits and use of information from conventional variety testing in organic cropping systems....

Nitrogen fertilization of switchgrass increases biomass yield and improves net greenhouse gas balance in northern Michigan, U.S.A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikiema, Paligwende; Rothstein, David E.; Min, Doo-Hong; Kapp, Christian J.

2011-01-01

Nitrogen (N) fertilization can increase bioenergy crop production; however, fertilizer production and application can contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, potentially undermining the GHG benefits of bioenergy crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of N fertilization on GHG emissions and biomass production of switchgrass bioenergy crop, in northern Michigan. Nitrogen fertilization treatments included 0 kg ha -1 (control), 56 kg ha -1 (low) and 112 kg ha -1 (high) of N applied as urea. Soil fluxes of CO 2 , N 2 O and CH 4 were measured every two weeks using static chambers. Indirect GHG emissions associated with field activities, manufacturing and transport of fertilizer and pesticides were derived from the literature. Switchgrass aboveground biomass yield was evaluated at the end of the growing season. Nitrogen fertilization contributed little to soil GHG emissions; relative to the control, there were additional global warming potential of 0.7 Mg ha -1 y -1 and 1.5 Mg ha -1 y -1 as CO 2 equivalents (CO 2 eq), calculated using the IPCC values, in the low and high N fertilization treatments, respectively. However, N fertilization greatly stimulated CO 2 uptake by switchgrass, resulting in 1.5- and 2.5-fold increases in biomass yield in the low and high N fertilization treatments, respectively. Nitrogen amendments improved the net GHG benefits by 2.6 Mg ha -1 y -1 and 9.4 Mg ha -1 y -1 as CO 2 eq relative to the control. Results suggest that N fertilization of switchgrass in this region could reduce (15-50%) the land base needed for bioenergy production and decrease pressure on land for food and forage crop production. -- Highlights: → We examine the effects of N fertilization of switchgrass on GHG emissions. → Effects of N fertilization on biomass production of switchgrass bioenergy crop. → N fertilization contributed little to greenhouse gas emissions. → N fertilization greatly stimulated CO 2 uptake by the switchgrass. → N

Effect of different methods of soil fertility increasing via application of organic, chemical and biological fertilizers on grain yield and quality of canola (Brassica napus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Mohammadi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Different resource of fertilizers had an effect on grain yield, oil and grain quality. Information regarding the effect of simultaneous application of organic, chemical and biological fertilizers on canola (Brassica napus L. traits is not available. In order to study the effect of different systems of soil fertility on grain yield and quality of canola (Talayeh cultivar, an experiment was conducted at experimental farm of Agricultural Research Center of Sanandaj, Iran, during two growing seasons of 2007-2008 and 2008-2009. The experimental units were arranged as split plots based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications. Main plots consisted of five methods for obtaining the basal fertilizers requirement including (N1: farm yard manure; (N2: compost; (N3: chemical fertilizers; (N4: farm yard manure + compost and (N5: farm yard manure + compost + chemical fertilizers; and control (N6. Sub plots consisted four levels of biofertilizers were (B1: Bacillus lentus and Pseudomonas putida; (B2: Trichoderma harzianum; (B3: Bacillus lentus and Pseudomonas putida and Trichoderma harzianum; and (B4: control, (without biofertilizers. Results showed that basal fertilizers and biofertilizers have a significant effect on grain yield. The highest grain yield was obtained from N5 treatment in which organic and chemical fertilizers were applied simultaneously applied. Basal fertilizers, biofertilizers have a significant effect on leaf chlorophyll. The highest nitrogen content (42.85 mg.g-1 and least amount of (N/S were obtained from N5 treatment. The highest oil percent was obtained from N1 and N2 treatments and highest oil yield was obtained from N5 treatment. Finally, application of organic manure and biofertilizers with chemical fertilizer led to an increase in yield and quality of canola grain.

Atomistic simulations of the yielding of gold nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diao Jiankuai; Gall, Ken; Dunn, Martin L.; Zimmerman, Jonathan A.

2006-01-01

We performed atomistic simulations to study the effect of free surfaces on the yielding of gold nanowires. Tensile surface stresses on the surfaces of the nanowires cause them to contract along the length with respect to the bulk face-centered cubic lattice and induce compressive stress in the interior. When the cross-sectional area of a nanowire is less than 2.45 nm x 2.45 nm, the wire yields under its surface stresses. Under external forces and surface stresses, nanowires yield via the nucleation and propagation of the {1 1 1} partial dislocations. The magnitudes of the tensile and compressive yield stress of nanowires increase and decrease, respectively, with a decrease of the wire width. The magnitude of the tensile yield stress is much larger than that of the compressive yield stress for small nanowires, while for small nanowires, tensile and compressive yield stresses have similar magnitudes. The critical resolved shear stress (RSS) by external forces depends on wire width, orientation and loading condition (tension vs. compression). However, the critical RSS in the interior of the nanowires, which is exerted by both the external force and the surface-stress-induced compressive stress, does not change significantly with wire width for same orientation and same loading condition, and can thus serve as a 'local' criterion. This local criterion is invoked to explain the observed size dependence of yield behavior and tensile/compressive yield stress asymmetry, considering surface stress effects and different slip systems active in tensile and compressive yielding