An integrated PCR colony hybridization approach to screen cDNA libraries for full-length coding sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Pollier, Jacob; González-Guzmán, Miguel; Ardiles-Diaz, Wilson; Geelen, Danny; Goossens, Alain

2011-01-01

cDNA-Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) is a commonly used technique for genome-wide expression analysis that does not require prior sequence knowledge. Typically, quantitative expression data and sequence information are obtained for a large number of differentially expressed gene tags. However, most of the gene tags do not correspond to full-length (FL) coding sequences, which is a prerequisite for subsequent functional analysis. A medium-throughput screening strategy, based on integration of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and colony hybridization, was developed that allows in parallel screening of a cDNA library for FL clones corresponding to incomplete cDNAs. The method was applied to screen for the FL open reading frames of a selection of 163 cDNA-AFLP tags from three different medicinal plants, leading to the identification of 109 (67%) FL clones. Furthermore, the protocol allows for the use of multiple probes in a single hybridization event, thus significantly increasing the throughput when screening for rare transcripts. The presented strategy offers an efficient method for the conversion of incomplete expressed sequence tags (ESTs), such as cDNA-AFLP tags, to FL-coding sequences.

Cloning and sequencing of full-length cDNAs of RNA1 and RNA2 of a Tomato black ring virus isolate from Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Jończyk, M; Le Gall, O; Pałucha, A; Borodynko, N; Pospieszny, H

2004-04-01

Full-length cDNA clones corresponding to the RNA1 and RNA2 of the Polish isolate MJ of Tomato black ring virus (TBRV, genus Nepovirus) were obtained using a direct recombination strategy in yeast, and their complete nucleotide sequences were established. RNA1 is 7358 nucleotides and RNA2 is 4633 nucleotides in length, excluding the poly(A) tails. Both RNAs contain a single open reading frame encoding polyproteins of 254 kDa and 149 kDa for RNA1 and RNA2 respectively. Putative cleavage sites were identified, and the relationships between TBRV and related nepoviruses were studied by sequence comparison.

Effects of heat-moisture treatment reaction conditions on the physicochemical and structural properties of maize starch: moisture and length of heating.

Science.gov (United States)

Sui, Zhongquan; Yao, Tianming; Zhao, Yue; Ye, Xiaoting; Kong, Xiangli; Ai, Lianzhong

2015-04-15

Changes in the properties of normal maize starch (NMS) and waxy maize starch (WMS) after heat-moisture treatment (HMT) under various reaction conditions were investigated. NMS and WMS were adjusted to moisture levels of 20%, 25% and 30% and heated at 100 °C for 2, 4, 8 and 16 h. The results showed that moisture content was the most important factor in determining pasting properties for NMS, whereas the heating length was more important for WMS. Swelling power decreased in NMS but increased in WMS, and while the solubility index decreased for both samples, the changes were largely determined by moisture content. The gelatinisation temperatures of both samples increased with increasing moisture content but remained unchanged with increasing heating length. The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) absorbance ratio was affected to different extents by the moisture levels but remained constant with increasing the heating length. The X-ray intensities increased but relative crystallinity decreased to a greater extent with increasing moisture content. This study showed that the levels of moisture content and length of heating had significant impacts on the structural and physicochemical properties of normal and waxy maize starches but to different extents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

QTL Mapping of Kernel Number-Related Traits and Validation of One Major QTL for Ear Length in Maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Huo, Dongao; Ning, Qiang; Shen, Xiaomeng; Liu, Lei; Zhang, Zuxin

2016-01-01

The kernel number is a grain yield component and an important maize breeding goal. Ear length, kernel number per row and ear row number are highly correlated with the kernel number per ear, which eventually determines the ear weight and grain yield. In this study, two sets of F2:3 families developed from two bi-parental crosses sharing one inbred line were used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for four kernel number-related traits: ear length, kernel number per row, ear row number and ear weight. A total of 39 QTLs for the four traits were identified in the two populations. The phenotypic variance explained by a single QTL ranged from 0.4% to 29.5%. Additionally, 14 overlapping QTLs formed 5 QTL clusters on chromosomes 1, 4, 5, 7, and 10. Intriguingly, six QTLs for ear length and kernel number per row overlapped in a region on chromosome 1. This region was designated qEL1.10 and was validated as being simultaneously responsible for ear length, kernel number per row and ear weight in a near isogenic line-derived population, suggesting that qEL1.10 was a pleiotropic QTL with large effects. Furthermore, the performance of hybrids generated by crossing 6 elite inbred lines with two near isogenic lines at qEL1.10 showed the breeding value of qEL1.10 for the improvement of the kernel number and grain yield of maize hybrids. This study provides a basis for further fine mapping, molecular marker-aided breeding and functional studies of kernel number-related traits in maize.

Molecular cloning of cDNAs which are highly overexpressed in mitoxantrone-resistant cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miyake, K; Mickley, L; Litman, Thomas

1999-01-01

mitoxantrone-resistant S1-M1-80 human colon carcinoma cells was screened by differential hybridization. Two cDNAs of different lengths were isolated and designated MXR1 and MXR2. Sequencing revealed a high degree of homology for the cDNAs with Expressed Sequence Tag sequences previously identified as belonging...... to an ATP binding cassette transporter. Homology to the Drosophila white gene and its homologues was found for the predicted amino acid sequence. Using either cDNA as a probe in a Northern analysis demonstrated high levels of expression in the S1-M1-80 cells and in the human breast cancer subline, MCF-7 Ad......Vp3000. Levels were lower in earlier steps of selection, and in partial revertants. The gene is amplified 10-12-fold in the MCF-7 AdVp3000 cells, but not in the S1-M1-80 cells These studies are consistent with the identification of a new ATP binding cassette transporter, which is overexpressed...

An analysis of expressed sequence tags of developing castor endosperm using a full-length cDNA library

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wallis James G

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Castor seeds are a major source for ricinoleate, an important industrial raw material. Genomics studies of castor plant will provide critical information for understanding seed metabolism, for effectively engineering ricinoleate production in transgenic oilseeds, or for genetically improving castor plants by eliminating toxic and allergic proteins in seeds. Results Full-length cDNAs are useful resources in annotating genes and in providing functional analysis of genes and their products. We constructed a full-length cDNA library from developing castor endosperm, and obtained 4,720 ESTs from 5'-ends of the cDNA clones representing 1,908 unique sequences. The most abundant transcripts are genes encoding storage proteins, ricin, agglutinin and oleosins. Several other sequences are also very numerous, including two acidic triacylglycerol lipases, and the oleate hydroxylase (FAH12 gene that is responsible for ricinoleate biosynthesis. The role(s of the lipases in developing castor seeds are not clear, and co-expressing of a lipase and the FAH12 did not result in significant changes in hydroxy fatty acid accumulation in transgenic Arabidopsis seeds. Only one oleate desaturase (FAD2 gene was identified in our cDNA sequences. Sequence and functional analyses of the castor FAD2 were carried out since it had not been characterized previously. Overexpression of castor FAD2 in a FAH12-expressing Arabidopsis line resulted in decreased accumulation of hydroxy fatty acids in transgenic seeds. Conclusion Our results suggest that transcriptional regulation of FAD2 and FAH12 genes maybe one of the mechanisms that contribute to a high level of ricinoleate accumulation in castor endosperm. The full-length cDNA library will be used to search for additional genes that affect ricinoleate accumulation in seed oils. Our EST sequences will also be useful to annotate the castor genome, which whole sequence is being generated by shotgun sequencing at

Differential resistance reaction of maize genotypes to maize stem borer (Chilo partellus Swinhoe at Chitwan, Nepal

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Ghanashyam Bhandari

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Maize stem borer (MSB, Chilo partellus Swinhoe, Lepidoptera: Pyralidae is one of the most important insect pest of maize in Nepal. Host plant resistance is the cost-effective, ecologically sound and stable approach to reduce damage by stem borers. Forty four maize genotypes were screened for resistance to maize stem borer at the research field of National Maize Research Program, Rampur during spring seasons (March to June of two consecutive years 2013 and 2014. The maize genotypes were evaluated in randomized complete block design with three replications and data were collected on foliar damage rating, tunnel length and number of exit holes made by the borer. The foliar damage and tunnel length damage were significant for genotypes for both the years. The exit holes were not significant in 2013 but significant in 2014 ranging from 2-6 scale. The foliar rating ranged from 2 to 5.5 in 2013 and 1.1 to 4.5 in 2014 on a 1-9 rating scale. The highly resistant genotypes (10 cm scale. The least susceptible genotypes (<5 cm were RampurSO3F8, RampurSO3FQ02 and RampurS10F18. The genotypes having least exit holes (2.0 in 2014 were RampurSO3F8, RampurSO3FQ02, RampurS10F18. Thus less damage parameters were observed in R-POP-2, RML-5/RML-8, RampurSO3F8, RampurSO3FQ02 and RampurS10F18 and therefore they can be used as parents or as sources of resistance in breeding program.

Effect of different irrigation systems on root growth of maize and cowpea plants in sandy soil

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Noha A. Mahgoub

2017-10-01

Full Text Available A field experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University to study the influence of different irrigation systems on root length density and specific root length of maize and cowpea plants cultivated in sandy soil. Three irrigation systems (Surface, drip and sprinkler irrigation were used in this study. The NPK fertilizers were applied as recommended doses for maize and cowpea. Root samples were collected from the soil profile below one plant (maize and cowpea which was irrigated by the three irrigation systems by using an iron box (30 cm× 20 cm which is divided into 24 small boxes each box is (5× 5 × 5 cm. At surface irrigation, root length density of cowpea reached to soil depth 30-40cm with lateral distances 5-10 cm and 15-20 cm. Vertical distribution of root length density of maize was increased with soil depth till 20-25 cm, and then it decreased till soil depth 35-40cm. Under drip irrigation, root length density of cowpea increased horizontally from 0-5cm to 10-15cm then it decreased till soil depth 25-30 cm and below this depth root length density disappeared. For the root length density and specific root length of maize under drip irrigation, the data showed that root length density and specific root length decreased with increasing in soil depth. The root length density of cowpea under sprinkler irrigation at 0-5cm disappeared from horizontal distance at 25-30 cm. The data showed that root length density of maize under sprinkler irrigation was higher at the soil top layers 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm than other layers from 10-40 cm.

Construction and evaluation of normalized cDNA libraries enriched with full-length sequences for rapid discovery of new genes from Sisal (Agave sisalana Perr.) different developmental stages.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Wen-Zhao; Zhang, Yan-Mei; Lu, Jun-Ying; Li, Jun-Feng

2012-10-12

To provide a resource of sisal-specific expressed sequence data and facilitate this powerful approach in new gene research, the preparation of normalized cDNA libraries enriched with full-length sequences is necessary. Four libraries were produced with RNA pooled from Agave sisalana multiple tissues to increase efficiency of normalization and maximize the number of independent genes by SMART™ method and the duplex-specific nuclease (DSN). This procedure kept the proportion of full-length cDNAs in the subtracted/normalized libraries and dramatically enhanced the discovery of new genes. Sequencing of 3875 cDNA clones of libraries revealed 3320 unigenes with an average insert length about 1.2 kb, indicating that the non-redundancy of libraries was about 85.7%. These unigene functions were predicted by comparing their sequences to functional domain databases and extensively annotated with Gene Ontology (GO) terms. Comparative analysis of sisal unigenes and other plant genomes revealed that four putative MADS-box genes and knotted-like homeobox (knox) gene were obtained from a total of 1162 full-length transcripts. Furthermore, real-time PCR showed that the characteristics of their transcripts mainly depended on the tight expression regulation of a number of genes during the leaf and flower development. Analysis of individual library sequence data indicated that the pooled-tissue approach was highly effective in discovering new genes and preparing libraries for efficient deep sequencing.

Cloning of cDNAs encoding new peptides of the dermaseptin-family.

Science.gov (United States)

Wechselberger, C

1998-10-14

Dermaseptins are a group of basic (lysine-rich) peptides, 27-34 amino acids in length and involved in the defense of frog skin against microbial invasion. By using a degenerated oligonucleotide primer binding to the 5'-untranslated region of previously characterized cDNAs of these peptides, it was possible to identify new members of the dermaseptin family in the South American frogs Agalychnis annae and Pachymedusa dacnicolor. Amino acid alignment and secondary structure prediction reveals, that only five of the deduced peptides can be supposed to be also functional homologs to the known dermaseptins from Phyllomedusa bicolor and Phyllomedusa sauvagei. The remaining six peptides described in this paper have not been isolated and characterized yet.

Full-length enriched multistage cDNA library construction covering ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DR TONUKARI NYEROVWO

2012-04-10

Apr 10, 2012 ... Full Length Research Paper. Full-length enriched ... complementary DNA; pfu, plaque-forming unit. ... Chinese-native tree species in Populus section Leuce ... the infected bacteria, 2 ml melted top agar was added, and the.

ProFITS of maize: a database of protein families involved in the transduction of signalling in the maize genome

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Zhang Zhenhai

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays L. is an important model for plant basic and applied research. In 2009, the B73 maize genome sequencing made a great step forward, using clone by clone strategy; however, functional annotation and gene classification of the maize genome are still limited. Thus, a well-annotated datasets and informative database will be important for further research discoveries. Signal transduction is a fundamental biological process in living cells, and many protein families participate in this process in sensing, amplifying and responding to various extracellular or internal stimuli. Therefore, it is a good starting point to integrate information on the maize functional genes involved in signal transduction. Results Here we introduce a comprehensive database 'ProFITS' (Protein Families Involved in the Transduction of Signalling, which endeavours to identify and classify protein kinases/phosphatases, transcription factors and ubiquitin-proteasome-system related genes in the B73 maize genome. Users can explore gene models, corresponding transcripts and FLcDNAs using the three abovementioned protein hierarchical categories, and visualize them using an AJAX-based genome browser (JBrowse or Generic Genome Browser (GBrowse. Functional annotations such as GO annotation, protein signatures, protein best-hits in the Arabidopsis and rice genome are provided. In addition, pre-calculated transcription factor binding sites of each gene are generated and mutant information is incorporated into ProFITS. In short, ProFITS provides a user-friendly web interface for studies in signal transduction process in maize. Conclusion ProFITS, which utilizes both the B73 maize genome and full length cDNA (FLcDNA datasets, provides users a comprehensive platform of maize annotation with specific focus on the categorization of families involved in the signal transduction process. ProFITS is designed as a user-friendly web interface and it is

A new set of ESTs and cDNA clones from full-length and normalized libraries for gene discovery and functional characterization in citrus

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Alamar Santiago

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Interpretation of ever-increasing raw sequence information generated by modern genome sequencing technologies faces multiple challenges, such as gene function analysis and genome annotation. Indeed, nearly 40% of genes in plants encode proteins of unknown function. Functional characterization of these genes is one of the main challenges in modern biology. In this regard, the availability of full-length cDNA clones may fill in the gap created between sequence information and biological knowledge. Full-length cDNA clones facilitate functional analysis of the corresponding genes enabling manipulation of their expression in heterologous systems and the generation of a variety of tagged versions of the native protein. In addition, the development of full-length cDNA sequences has the power to improve the quality of genome annotation. Results We developed an integrated method to generate a new normalized EST collection enriched in full-length and rare transcripts of different citrus species from multiple tissues and developmental stages. We constructed a total of 15 cDNA libraries, from which we isolated 10,898 high-quality ESTs representing 6142 different genes. Percentages of redundancy and proportion of full-length clones range from 8 to 33, and 67 to 85, respectively, indicating good efficiency of the approach employed. The new EST collection adds 2113 new citrus ESTs, representing 1831 unigenes, to the collection of citrus genes available in the public databases. To facilitate functional analysis, cDNAs were introduced in a Gateway-based cloning vector for high-throughput functional analysis of genes in planta. Herein, we describe the technical methods used in the library construction, sequence analysis of clones and the overexpression of CitrSEP, a citrus homolog to the Arabidopsis SEP3 gene, in Arabidopsis as an example of a practical application of the engineered Gateway vector for functional analysis. Conclusion The new

FERMENTATION PROCESS CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT MAIZE SILAGE HYBRIDS

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Daniel Bíro

2009-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to detect the fermentation process differences in different hybrid maize silage. We conserved in laboratory conditions hybrids of whole maize plants with different length of the vegetative period (FAO number. Maize hybrids for silage were harvested in the vegetation stage of the milk-wax maturity of corn and the content of dry matter was from 377.7 to 422.8 g.kg-1. The highest content of dry matter was typical for silages made from the hybrids with FAO number 310 (400.0 g.kg-1 and FAO 300a (400.4 g.kg-1. The content of desirable lactic acid ranged from 23.7 g.kg-1 of dry matter (FAO 350 to 58.9 g.kg-1 of dry matter (FAO 420. We detected the occurrence of undesirable butyric acid in silages from hybrids FAO 250, 300b, 310 and 380. The highest content of total alcohols we found in silages made from hybrid with FAO number 240 (25.2 g.kg-1 of dry matter. Ammonia contents were in tested silages from 0.153 (FAO 270 to 0.223 g.kg-1 of dry matter (FAO 240. The lowest value of silage titration acidity we analyzed in silage made from hybrid FAO 420 (3.66. We observed in maize silages with different length of plant maturity tested in the experiment differences in content of lactic acid, total alcohols, titration acidity, pH and content of fermentation products.

A new set of ESTs and cDNA clones from full-length and normalized libraries for gene discovery and functional characterization in citrus

Science.gov (United States)

Marques, M Carmen; Alonso-Cantabrana, Hugo; Forment, Javier; Arribas, Raquel; Alamar, Santiago; Conejero, Vicente; Perez-Amador, Miguel A

2009-01-01

Background Interpretation of ever-increasing raw sequence information generated by modern genome sequencing technologies faces multiple challenges, such as gene function analysis and genome annotation. Indeed, nearly 40% of genes in plants encode proteins of unknown function. Functional characterization of these genes is one of the main challenges in modern biology. In this regard, the availability of full-length cDNA clones may fill in the gap created between sequence information and biological knowledge. Full-length cDNA clones facilitate functional analysis of the corresponding genes enabling manipulation of their expression in heterologous systems and the generation of a variety of tagged versions of the native protein. In addition, the development of full-length cDNA sequences has the power to improve the quality of genome annotation. Results We developed an integrated method to generate a new normalized EST collection enriched in full-length and rare transcripts of different citrus species from multiple tissues and developmental stages. We constructed a total of 15 cDNA libraries, from which we isolated 10,898 high-quality ESTs representing 6142 different genes. Percentages of redundancy and proportion of full-length clones range from 8 to 33, and 67 to 85, respectively, indicating good efficiency of the approach employed. The new EST collection adds 2113 new citrus ESTs, representing 1831 unigenes, to the collection of citrus genes available in the public databases. To facilitate functional analysis, cDNAs were introduced in a Gateway-based cloning vector for high-throughput functional analysis of genes in planta. Herein, we describe the technical methods used in the library construction, sequence analysis of clones and the overexpression of CitrSEP, a citrus homolog to the Arabidopsis SEP3 gene, in Arabidopsis as an example of a practical application of the engineered Gateway vector for functional analysis. Conclusion The new EST collection denotes an

Full length channel Pressure Tube sagging under completely voided full length pressure tube of an Indian PHWR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Negi, Sujay, E-mail: negi.sujay@gmail.com [Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee 247667 (India); Kumar, Ravi, E-mail: ravikfme@gmail.com [Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee 247667 (India); Majumdar, P., E-mail: pmajum@barc.gov.in [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India); Mukopadhyay, D., E-mail: dmukho@barc.gov.in [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India)

2017-03-15

Highlights: • At 16 kW/m input, thermal stability was attained at 595 °C, without PT-CT contact. • At 20 kW/m step input, PT-CT contact occurred at 637 °C near bottom-center of the tube. • PT integrity was maintained throughout the experiment. - Abstract: An experimental investigation was conducted to simulate the sagging behavior of a full length Pressure Tube of a channel of 220 MWe Indian PHWR. The investigation aimed to recreate a condition resembling Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) with Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) failure in a nuclear power plant. A full length channel assembly immersed in moderator was subjected to electrical resistance heating of Pressure Tube (PT) to simulate the residual heat after shutting down of reactor. The temperature of PT started rising and the contact between PT and CT was established at the center of the tube where average bottom temperature was 637 °C. The integrity of PT was maintained throughout the experiment and the PT heat up was arrested on contact with the CT due to transfer of heat to the moderator.

Evaluation of Flowering Characteristics of Some Maize Genotypes under Full and Deficit Irrigation Conditions in the Southeast Anatolia Region

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Timuçin TAŞ

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Abiotic stress factors such as drought and high temperature cause large yield losses in corn cultivated fields in the world and in Turkey. In this study; effects of water stress on some maize genotypes on the differences between tassel and silking flowering time, and anthesis-silking interval. The study was conducted in the southern Turkey's Harran Plain climat e and soil conditions during the main crop corn growing season of 2015 and 2016. Three hybrid maize cultivars and 17 maize pure lines were used in the study. The study was conducted according to split plots experimental design with three replicates. Main plots were water deficit (100% control and 50% and sub plots were maize genotypes. The difference between, tassel flowering time, silking flowering time and anthesis-silking interval (ASI were examined. According to results, high temperatures and applied water stress affected plants negatively in both trial years. Compared to 100% (control, tassel flowering and Silking flowering time delayed while anthesis-silking interval (ASI increased under water deficit and high temperature stress conditions.

Full-length fuel rod behavior under severe accident conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lombardo, N.J.; Lanning, D.D.; Panisko, F.E.

1992-12-01

This document presents an assessment of the severe accident phenomena observed from four Full-Length High-Temperature (FLHT) tests that were performed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) in the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor at Chalk River, Ontario, Canada. These tests were conducted for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as part of the Severe Accident Research Program. The objectives of the test were to simulate conditions and provide information on the behavior of full-length fuel rods during hypothetical, small-break, loss-of-coolant severe accidents, in commercial light water reactors

Breeding of maize types with specific traits at the Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje

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Pajić Zorica

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Maize is primarily grown as an energy crop, but the use of different specific versions, such as high-oil maize, high-lysine maize, waxy maize, white-seeded maize, popping maize and sweet maize, is quite extensive. Speciality maize, due to its traits and genetic control of these traits, requires a particular attention in handling breeding material during the processes of breeding. It is especially related to prevention of uncontrolled pollination. In order to provide successful selection for a certain trait, the following specific procedures in evaluation of the trait are necessary: the estimation of a popping volume and flake quality in popping maize; the determination of sugars and harvest maturity in sweet maize; the determination of oil in selected samples of high-oil maize types, and so forth. Breeding programmes for speciality maize, except high-amylose maize, have been implemented at the Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje, Belgrade, for the last 45 years. A great number of high-yielding sweet maize hybrids, popping maize, high-oil and high-lysine, flint and white-seeded maize hybrids were developed during this 45-year period. Auspicious selection and breeding for these traits is facilitated by the abundant genetic variability and technical and technological possibilities necessary for successful selection.

Direct recovery of infectious Pestivirus from a full-length RT-PCR amplicon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Thomas Bruun; Reimann, Ilona; Hoffmann, Bernd

2008-01-01

This study describes the use of a novel and rapid long reverse transcription (RT)-PCR for the generation of infectious full-length cDNA of pestiviruses. To produce rescued viruses, full-length RT-PCR amplicons of 12.3 kb, including a T7-promotor, were transcribed directly in vitro, and the result......This study describes the use of a novel and rapid long reverse transcription (RT)-PCR for the generation of infectious full-length cDNA of pestiviruses. To produce rescued viruses, full-length RT-PCR amplicons of 12.3 kb, including a T7-promotor, were transcribed directly in vitro......, and the resulting RNA transcripts were electroporated into ovine cells. Infectious virus was obtained after one cell culture passage. The rescued viruses had a phenotype similar to the parental Border Disease virus strain. Therefore, direct generation of infectious pestiviruses from full-length RT-PCR cDNA products...

Characterization of a Novel Polerovirus Infecting Maize in China

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Sha Chen

2016-04-01

Full Text Available A novel virus, tentatively named Maize Yellow Mosaic Virus (MaYMV, was identified from the field-grown maize plants showing yellow mosaic symptoms on the leaves collected from the Yunnan Province of China by the deep sequencing of small RNAs. The complete 5642 nucleotide (nt-long genome of the MaYMV shared the highest nucleotide sequence identity (73% to Maize Yellow Dwarf Virus-RMV. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analyses suggested that MaYMV represents a new member of the genus Polerovirus in the family Luteoviridae. Furthermore, the P0 protein encoded by MaYMV was demonstrated to inhibit both local and systemic RNA silencing by co-infiltration assays using transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana line 16c carrying the GFP reporter gene, which further supported the identification of a new polerovirus. The biologically-active cDNA clone of MaYMV was generated by inserting the full-length cDNA of MaYMV into the binary vector pCB301. RT-PCR and Northern blot analyses showed that this clone was systemically infectious upon agro-inoculation into N. benthamiana. Subsequently, 13 different isolates of MaYMV from field-grown maize plants in different geographical locations of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces of China were sequenced. Analyses of their molecular variation indicate that the 3′ half of P3–P5 read-through protein coding region was the most variable, whereas the coat protein- (CP- and movement protein- (MP-coding regions were the most conserved.

Intercropping Maize With Legumes for Sustainable Highland Maize Production

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Adirek Punyalue

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Residue burning to prepare soil for maize growing deprives the soil of both protective cover and organic matter, and it exacerbates environmental issues such as Southeast Asia's haze problem. This paper reports on a study that evaluated the effectiveness of maize/legume intercropping as an alternative to maize cultivation with residue burning. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata, mung bean (V. radiata, rice bean (V. umbellata, and lablab (Lablab purpureus were sown into a standing maize crop 30 days before harvest, and the results were compared with a maize crop grown using residue burning as the method for land preparation at Pang Da Agricultural Station in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in a replicated trial conducted over 3 growing seasons from 2012 to 2014. Intercropping increased maize grain yield by 31–53% and left 70–170% more residue containing 113–230% more nitrogen than the maize sown after residue burning, depending on the legume, and decreased weed dry weight by two-thirds after 2 seasons. Soil biodiversity was enriched by the intercrops, with a doubling in the spore density of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the root-zone soil and increased abundance, diversity (Shannon index, and richness of the soil macrofauna. The abundance of soil animals increased with crop residue dry weight (r = 0.90, P < 0.05 and nitrogen content (r = 0.98, P < 0.01. The effect of intercropping on maize grain yield and accumulation of residue and nitrogen were then confirmed in a participatory experiment involving farmers in 2 highland villages in the Phrao and Chiang Dao districts of Chiang Mai Province with maize and rice bean in 2015. The effects of maize/legume intercropping—increased nitrogen accumulation and crop residue, enhanced soil biodiversity, suppression of weeds, and protection of the soil surface, which enabled the maize to be sown without land clearing with fire—should all contribute to sustainable highland maize production.

Allelopathic potential of Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium L. on the early growth of maize (Zea mays L. and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.

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Zvonko Pacanoski

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Laboratory and glasshouse experiments were carried out to investigate the allelopathic potential of different plant parts of D. stramonium on maize and sunflower on early growth stages. The aqueous leachates of D. stramonium roots and shoot did not produc a significant effect on germination and shoot length of maize, but root length of maize was significantly reduced at the highest (1/1 D. stramonium roots leachate compared to control. From the other side, germination of sunflower was significantly reduced at the highest (1/1 D. stramonium shoot leachate concentration, but lower (1/5 and 1/2 D. stramonium roots leachate concentrations significantly increased root and shoot length of sunflower compared to control. In glasshouse experiment, no one treatment with different D. stramonium plant residues significantly affected density, height and fresh weight of maize plants compared to control. Contrary, D. stramonium mixtures with 1/1 root and shoot residues significantly reduced plants density and fresh weight of sunflower plants compared to control. Lower (1/2 and 1/5 mixtures of D. stramonium roots residues and mixture with 1/5 D. stramonium shoot residues significantly increased the height of the sunflower plants.

Display of a Maize cDNA library on baculovirus infected insect cells

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Jones Ian M

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Maize is a good model system for cereal crop genetics and development because of its rich genetic heritage and well-characterized morphology. The sequencing of its genome is well advanced, and new technologies for efficient proteomic analysis are needed. Baculovirus expression systems have been used for the last twenty years to express in insect cells a wide variety of eukaryotic proteins that require complex folding or extensive posttranslational modification. More recently, baculovirus display technologies based on the expression of foreign sequences on the surface of Autographa californica (AcMNPV have been developed. We investigated the potential of a display methodology for a cDNA library of maize young seedlings. Results We constructed a full-length cDNA library of young maize etiolated seedlings in the transfer vector pAcTMVSVG. The library contained a total of 2.5 × 105 independent clones. Expression of two known maize proteins, calreticulin and auxin binding protein (ABP1, was shown by western blot analysis of protein extracts from insect cells infected with the cDNA library. Display of the two proteins in infected insect cells was shown by selective biopanning using magnetic cell sorting and demonstrated proof of concept that the baculovirus maize cDNA display library could be used to identify and isolate proteins. Conclusion The maize cDNA library constructed in this study relies on the novel technology of baculovirus display and is unique in currently published cDNA libraries. Produced to demonstrate proof of principle, it opens the way for the development of a eukaryotic in vivo display tool which would be ideally suited for rapid screening of the maize proteome for binding partners, such as proteins involved in hormone regulation or defence.

Effect of crude oil and palm bunch ash on maize growth

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Emmanue Ogboma Dania; Temitayo Fayehun; Osemhengbe Ruth Akhabue

2016-01-01

Objective:To investigate the effect of different crude oil fractions (whole crude and water soluble fraction) at 2% contamination (98% distilled water) and the effect of 2 g of palm bunch ash (PBA) on the phytotoxicity of crude oil fraction on growth parameters such as percentage of seedling emergence, plant height, number of leaves, length of root, length of radical and leaf area in maize (Zea mays). Methods: A total of 180 bags containing 500 g of loamy soil each were used for this study, of which 30 bags containing loamy soil each served as control, 60 bags of soil were added each 2% crude oil fraction and 60 bags of soil were added each 2% crude oil fraction and 2 gPBA each, while 30 bags of soil contained each 2 g ofPBA only. The maize grown on the soil was harvested after 7, 14 and 21 days of seedling emergence and assessed for growth parameters. Results: The growth parameters (plant height, length of root, length of radicle, number of leaves, and leaf area) in maize were significantly reduced in the crude oil fraction treatment (P≤0.05). The treatment containingPBA was found to have significant improvement compared to the crude oil fraction contaminated treatment. Conclusions: The study has revealed the deleterious effect of crude oil at 2% on maize and its effect was ameliorated usingPBA.

Temperature, Sowing and Harvest Dates, and Yield of Maize in the Southwestern US

Science.gov (United States)

Kafatos, M.; Stack, D.; Myoung, B.; Kim, S. H.; Kim, J.

2014-12-01

Since sowing date of maize is sensitive to climate variability and changes, it is of a practical importance to examine how sowing dates affect maize yields in various temperature regimes in the southwestern US. A 21-year (1991-2011) simulation of maize yield using Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) with observed meteorological forcing, shows that earlier sowing dates are favorable for higher yields primarily by increasing the length of growing season in cold mountaineous regions. In these regions, warmer conditions in the sowing period tend to advance the sowing date and then enhance yield. Over low-elevation warm regions, yields are less correlated with sowing dates and the length of growing season, perhaps because growing season temperatures are high enough for fast growth. Instead, in the warm regions, maize yields are sensitive to temperature variations during the late growing season due to adverse effects of extreme high temperature events on maize development.

RiceFOX: a database of Arabidopsis mutant lines overexpressing rice full-length cDNA that contains a wide range of trait information to facilitate analysis of gene function.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakurai, Tetsuya; Kondou, Youichi; Akiyama, Kenji; Kurotani, Atsushi; Higuchi, Mieko; Ichikawa, Takanari; Kuroda, Hirofumi; Kusano, Miyako; Mori, Masaki; Saitou, Tsutomu; Sakakibara, Hitoshi; Sugano, Shoji; Suzuki, Makoto; Takahashi, Hideki; Takahashi, Shinya; Takatsuji, Hiroshi; Yokotani, Naoki; Yoshizumi, Takeshi; Saito, Kazuki; Shinozaki, Kazuo; Oda, Kenji; Hirochika, Hirohiko; Matsui, Minami

2011-02-01

Identification of gene function is important not only for basic research but also for applied science, especially with regard to improvements in crop production. For rapid and efficient elucidation of useful traits, we developed a system named FOX hunting (Full-length cDNA Over-eXpressor gene hunting) using full-length cDNAs (fl-cDNAs). A heterologous expression approach provides a solution for the high-throughput characterization of gene functions in agricultural plant species. Since fl-cDNAs contain all the information of functional mRNAs and proteins, we introduced rice fl-cDNAs into Arabidopsis plants for systematic gain-of-function mutation. We generated >30,000 independent Arabidopsis transgenic lines expressing rice fl-cDNAs (rice FOX Arabidopsis mutant lines). These rice FOX Arabidopsis lines were screened systematically for various criteria such as morphology, photosynthesis, UV resistance, element composition, plant hormone profile, metabolite profile/fingerprinting, bacterial resistance, and heat and salt tolerance. The information obtained from these screenings was compiled into a database named 'RiceFOX'. This database contains around 18,000 records of rice FOX Arabidopsis lines and allows users to search against all the observed results, ranging from morphological to invisible traits. The number of searchable items is approximately 100; moreover, the rice FOX Arabidopsis lines can be searched by rice and Arabidopsis gene/protein identifiers, sequence similarity to the introduced rice fl-cDNA and traits. The RiceFOX database is available at http://ricefox.psc.riken.jp/.

Nanoscale Zinc Oxide Particles for Improving the Physiological and Sanitary Quality of a Mexican Landrace of Red Maize

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Juan Estrada-Urbina

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In this research, quasi-spherical-shaped zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs were synthesized by a simple cost-competitive aqueous precipitation method. The engineered NPs were characterized using several validation methodologies: UV–Vis spectroscopy, diffuse reflection UV–Vis, spectrofluorometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection (ATR. A procedure was established to coat a landrace of red maize using gelatinized maize starch. Each maize seed was treated with 0.16 mg ZnO NPs (~7.7 × 109 particles. The standard germination (SG and accelerated aging (AA tests indicated that ZnO NP-treated maize seeds presented better physiological quality (higher percentage of normal seedlings and sanitary quality (lower percentage of seeds contaminated by microorganisms as compared to controls. The application of ZnO NPs also improved seedling vigor, correlated to shoot length, shoot diameter, root length, and number of secondary roots. Furthermore, shoots and roots of the ZnO NP-treated maize seeds showed a marked increment in the main active FTIR band areas, most notably for the vibrations associated with peptide-protein, lipid, lignin, polysaccharide, hemicellulose, cellulose, and carbohydrate. From these results, it is concluded that ZnO NPs have potential for applications in peasant agriculture to improve the quality of small-scale farmers’ seeds and, as a result, preserve germplasm resources.

Effects of moisture content or particle size on the in situ degradability of maize silage and alfalfa haylage in lactating dairy cows

OpenAIRE

Yang Zou; Shuangzhao Dong; Yun Du; Shengli Li; Yajing Wang; Zhijun Cao

2016-01-01

A study using four Holstein cows with ruminal cannulas was conducted to evaluate the degradability of different moisture content or particle size of maize silage and alfalfa haylage. The maize silage (MS; 20-mm length) and alfalfa haylage (AH; 40-mm length) samples were wet (wet maize silage, MSW; wet alfalfa haylage, AHW), dried (dried maize silage, MSD; dried alfalfa haylage, AHD), or ground to pass through a 2.5-mm screen (dried ground maize silage, MSG; dried ground alfalfa haylage, AHG)....

Yields of ZP sweet maize hybrids in dependence on sowing densities

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Srdić Jelena

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Sweet maize differs from maize of standard grain quality by many important traits that affect the ear appearance, and especially by traits controlling taste. The ear appearance trait encompasses the kernel row number, configuration, row pattern (direction and arrangement, seed set, kernel width and depth, ear shape and size. The quality of immature kernels is controlled by genes by which sweet maize differs from common maize. In order to obtain high-ranking and high-quality yields, it is necessary to provide the most suitable cropping practices for sweet maize hybrids developed at the Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje. The adequate sowing density is one of more important elements of correct cropping practices. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of four sowing densities in four ZP sweet maize hybrids of different FAO maturity groups on ear qualitative traits and yields obtained on chernozem type of soil in Zemun Polje. The observed traits of sweet maize (ear length, kernel row number, number of kernels per row, yield and shelling percentage significantly varied over years. The higher sowing density was the higher yield of sweet maize was, hence the highest ear yield of 9.67 t ha-1 , on the average for all four hybrids, was recorded at the highest sowing density of 70,000 plants ha-1. The highest yield was detected in the hybrid ZP 424su. The highest shelling percentage (67.81% was found in the hybrid ZP 521su at the sowing density of 60,000 plants ha-1. Generally, it can be stated that sweet maize hybrids of a shorter growing season (FAO 400 could be cultivated up to 70,000 plants ha-1, while those of a longer growing season (FAO 500 could be grown up to 60,000 plants ha-1. In such a way, the most favorable parameters of yields and the highest yields can be obtained.

Infectious Maize rayado fino virus from Cloned cDNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Michael C; Weiland, John J; Todd, Jane; Stewart, Lucy R

2015-06-01

A full-length cDNA clone was produced from a U.S. isolate of Maize rayado fino virus (MRFV), the type member of the genus Marafivirus within the family Tymoviridae. Infectivity of transcripts derived from cDNA clones was demonstrated by infection of maize plants and protoplasts, as well as by transmission via the known leafhopper vectors Dalbulus maidis and Graminella nigrifrons that transmit the virus in a persistent-propagative manner. Infection of maize plants through vascular puncture inoculation of seed with transcript RNA resulted in the induction of fine stipple stripe symptoms typical of those produced by wild-type MRFV and a frequency of infection comparable with that of the wild type. Northern and Western blotting confirmed the production of MRFV-specific RNAs and proteins in infected plants and protoplasts. An unanticipated increase in subgenomic RNA synthesis over levels in infected plants was observed in protoplasts infected with either wild-type or cloned virus. A conserved cleavage site motif previously demonstrated to function in both Oat blue dwarf virus capsid protein and tymoviral nonstructural protein processing was identified near the amino terminus of the MRFV replicase polyprotein, suggesting that cleavage at this site also may occur.

Full-length Ebola glycoprotein accumulates in the endoplasmic reticulum

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Bhattacharyya Suchita

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The Filoviridae family comprises of Ebola and Marburg viruses, which are known to cause lethal hemorrhagic fever. However, there is no effective anti-viral therapy or licensed vaccines currently available for these human pathogens. The envelope glycoprotein (GP of Ebola virus, which mediates entry into target cells, is cytotoxic and this effect maps to a highly glycosylated mucin-like region in the surface subunit of GP (GP1. However, the mechanism underlying this cytotoxic property of GP is unknown. To gain insight into the basis of this GP-induced cytotoxicity, HEK293T cells were transiently transfected with full-length and mucin-deleted (Δmucin Ebola GP plasmids and GP localization was examined relative to the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum (ER, Golgi, early and late endosomes using deconvolution fluorescent microscopy. Full-length Ebola GP was observed to accumulate in the ER. In contrast, GPΔmucin was uniformly expressed throughout the cell and did not localize in the ER. The Ebola major matrix protein VP40 was also co-expressed with GP to investigate its influence on GP localization. GP and VP40 co-expression did not alter GP localization to the ER. Also, when VP40 was co-expressed with the nucleoprotein (NP, it localized to the plasma membrane while NP accumulated in distinct cytoplasmic structures lined with vimentin. These latter structures are consistent with aggresomes and may serve as assembly sites for filoviral nucleocapsids. Collectively, these data suggest that full-length GP, but not GPΔmucin, accumulates in the ER in close proximity to the nuclear membrane, which may underscore its cytotoxic property.

Putting the Function in Maize Genomics

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Stephen P. Moose

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The 51st Maize Genetics Conference was held March 12–15, 2009 at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois. Nearly 500 attendees participated in a scientific program (available at covering a wide range of topics which integrate the rich biology of maize with recent discoveries in our understanding of the highly dynamic maize genome. Among the many research themes highlighted at the conference, the historical emphasis on studying the tremendous phenotypic diversity of maize now serves as the foundation for maize as a leading experimental system to characterize the mechanisms that generate variation in complex plant genomes and associate evolutionary change with phenotypes of interest.

Risk Adjusted Production Efficiency of Maize Farmers in Ethiopia: Implication for Improved Maize Varieties Adoption

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Sisay Diriba Lemessa

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This study analyzes the technical efficiency and production risk of 862 maize farmers in major maize producing regions of Ethiopia. It employs the stochastic frontier approach (SFA to estimate the level of technical efficiencies of stallholder farmers. The stochastic frontier approach (SFA uses flexible risk properties to account for production risk. Thus, maize production variability is assessed from two perspectives, the production risk and the technical efficiency. The study also attempts to determine the socio-economic and farm characteristics that influence technical efficiency of maize production in the study area. The findings of the study showed the existence of both production risk and technical inefficiency in maize production process. Input variables (amounts per hectare such as fertilizer and labor positively influence maize output. The findings also show that farms in the study area exhibit decreasing returns to scale. Fertilizer and ox plough days reduce output risk while labor and improved seed increase output risk. The mean technical efficiency for maize farms is 48 percent. This study concludes that production risk and technical inefficiency prevents the maize farmers from realizing their frontier output. The best factors that improve the efficiency of the maize farmers in the study area include: frequency of extension contact, access to credit and use of intercropping. It was also realized that altitude and terracing in maize farms had influence on farmer efficiency.

Effects of Wood Ash Biomass Application on Growth Indices and Chlorophyll Content of Maize and Lima bean Intercrop

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Rasheedat Ajala

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Wood ash generated from wood industries have enormous potential which can be utilized due to its properties which influences soil chemistry and fertility status of tropical acidic soils. Field experiments were conducted on an acidic sandy loam alfisol to investigate the effects of wood ash on the growth indices and chlorophyll content of maize and lima beans intercrop during the late and early seasons of 2014 and 2015 at Akure in the rainforest zone of southwestern Nigeria. The treatments were 100% sole maize with ash, 100% sole maize without ash, 75% maize + 25% lima beans with ash, 75% + 25% lima beans without ash, 50% maize + 50% lima beans with ash, 50% maize + 50% lima beans without ash, 25% maize + 75% lima beans with ash and 25% maize + 75% lima beans without ash. Wood ash was applied at 2.4kg/plot. Wood ash increased chlorophyll content in all amended treatments except in amended 25:75% maize-lima beans intercrop and 25:75% maize –lima beans intercrop without ash, however 75:25% maize-lima beans amended with wood ash significantly (P≥0.05 recorded the highest chlorophyll content. Growth parameters such as plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, leaf area index, leaf length, stem diameter, number of flowers, number of pods, weight of plant and total biomass of amended maize-lima beans intercrop were significantly (P≥0.05 increased by wood ash application. Based on experimental findings, 25:75% maize-lima beans intercrop and 75%:25% maize-lima beans intercrop amended with wood ash was concluded to be more recommendable in the study area.

A comparative phylogenetic analysis of full-length mariner elements

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Mariner like elements (MLEs) are widely distributed type II transposons with an open reading frame (ORF) for transposase. We studied comparative phylogenetic evolution and inverted terminal repeat (ITR) conservation of MLEs from Indian saturniid silkmoth, Antheraea mylitta with other full length MLEs submitted in the ...

Characterization of a Novel Polerovirus Infecting Maize in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sha; Jiang, Guangzhuang; Wu, Jianxiang; Liu, Yong; Qian, Yajuan; Zhou, Xueping

2016-04-28

A novel virus, tentatively named Maize Yellow Mosaic Virus (MaYMV), was identified from the field-grown maize plants showing yellow mosaic symptoms on the leaves collected from the Yunnan Province of China by the deep sequencing of small RNAs. The complete 5642 nucleotide (nt)-long genome of the MaYMV shared the highest nucleotide sequence identity (73%) to Maize Yellow Dwarf Virus-RMV. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analyses suggested that MaYMV represents a new member of the genus Polerovirus in the family Luteoviridae. Furthermore, the P0 protein encoded by MaYMV was demonstrated to inhibit both local and systemic RNA silencing by co-infiltration assays using transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana line 16c carrying the GFP reporter gene, which further supported the identification of a new polerovirus. The biologically-active cDNA clone of MaYMV was generated by inserting the full-length cDNA of MaYMV into the binary vector pCB301. RT-PCR and Northern blot analyses showed that this clone was systemically infectious upon agro-inoculation into N. benthamiana. Subsequently, 13 different isolates of MaYMV from field-grown maize plants in different geographical locations of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces of China were sequenced. Analyses of their molecular variation indicate that the 3' half of P3-P5 read-through protein coding region was the most variable, whereas the coat protein- (CP-) and movement protein- (MP-)coding regions were the most conserved.

Maize nutrient uptake affected by genotype and fertilization

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Đalović Ivica

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The content of nutrients in maize are commonly related with fertilization and soil quality and rarely explained with the individual hybrid properties. Therefore, the aim of this study is to access a long term fertilization system on ear leaf of Mg, Fe, Mn and Cu content in six maize hybrids(NS 3014, NS 4015, NS 5043, NS 6010, NS 6030 and NS 7020. Samples were collected from a long-term experiment at the Rimski Šančevi experimental field of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad. The study included maize monoculture and 2-year rotations with the application of NPK and manure. Results showed that ear Mg content was influenced with the treatments, hybrid and their interaction and ranged from 1.77-2.69 g kg-1. Iron variability was significantly affected with the treatments and interaction (hybrid x treatments in range from 103.2 to151.9g kg-1. The ear manganese content (41.1-63.6g kg-1 derived from treatments and hybrid effect and Cu (12.3-23.6 g kg-1 was significantly influenced with treatments. Across all treatments, in average, NS6030 had higher values of nutrient and NS3014 was lower in ear nutrient content. This indicates that vegetation length could favor nutrient accumulation. Obtained results suggested that even on fairly productive soil such as Chernozem hybrid selection and the balanced fertilization is crucial for managing the maize nutrient content. [Projekat Ministarsva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR031073

TCUP: A novel hAT transposon active in maize tissue culture

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Alan eSmith

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Transposable elements are capable of inducing heritable de novo genetic variation. The sequences capable of reactivation, and environmental factors that induce mobilization, remain poorly defined even in well-studied genomes such as maize. We treated maize tissue culture with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2-deoxcytidine and examined long-term tissue culture lines to discover silenced transposable elements that have the potential to induce heritable genetic variation. Through these screens we have identified a novel low copy number hAT transposon, Tissue Culture Up-Regulated (TCUP, which is transcribed at high levels in long-term maize Black Mexican Sweet (BMS tissue culture and up-regulated in response to treatment with 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine. Analysis of the TIGR Maize Gene Index revealed that this element is the most frequently represented EST from the BMS cell culture library and is not represented in other tissue libraries, which is the basis for its name. A full-length sequence was assembled in inbred B73 that contains the putative functional motifs required for autonomous movement of a hAT transposon. Transposon display detected movement of TCUP in two long-term tissue cultured cell lines of the genotype Hi-II AxB and BMS. This research implicates TCUP as a transposon that is capable of reactivation and which may also be particularly sensitive to the stress of the tissue culture environment. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that epigenetic alterations potentiate genomic responses to stress during clonal propagation of plants.

Screening of promising maize genotypes against maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motschulky in storage condition

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Ram B Paneru

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky is a serious pest of economic importance in stored grains. It causes major damage to stored maize grain thereby reducing its weight, quality and germination. An experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design (RCBD with 3 replications to screen 32 maize genotypes against maize weevil in no-choice and free-choice conditions at Entomology Division, Khumaltar, Lalitpur (Room temperature: Maximum 24-32°C and Minimum 18-27°C. The findings showed that the maize genotypes had different response to maize weevil damage ranging from susceptible to tolerance. The genotypes Manakamana-3, Lumle White POP Corn and Ganesh-2 showed their tolerance to S. zeamais as evidenced by lower number of weevil emerged/attracted, lower amount of grain debris release and lower proportion of bored grains, while the genotype ZM-627 was the most susceptible to weevil damage in both tests. The other remaining genotypes were intermediate types. This information is useful to improve grain protection in storage and varietal improvement/release program.

EFFICIENCY OF THE CHEMICAL TREATMENT AGAINST THE EUROPEAN CORN BORER IN SEED MAIZE PRODUCTION

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Emilija Raspudić

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a chemical treatment against larvae of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hubner. The experiment was set up in 2010 and 2011 in Čepin (eastern Croatia in two treatments: control treatment and insecticide treatment. The trial involved two hybrids of FAO group 400: PR37N01 and PR37F73. Biology of pests was monitored in order to determine population size and larvae development stage as well as the optimal time of insecticide application. After determination of thresholds, maize was treated with chemical formulations of active substance dimethoate. Towards the end of vegetation, length of stem damage, number of larvae in maize stalk and ear as well as grain yield were recorded by dissection of maize stalks. Statistical analysis shows that year, hybrid and chemical treatment significantly influenced the incidence of this pest and justified the use of chemical preparations with mandatory monitoring biology of this pest.

Irradiation performance of full-length metallic IFR fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, H.; Neimark, L.A.

1992-07-01

An assembly irradiation of 169 full-length U-Pu-Zr metallic fuel pins was successfully completed in FFTF to a goal burnup of 10 at.%. All test fuel pins maintained their cladding integrity during the irradiation. Postirradiation examination showed minimal fuel/cladding mechanical interaction and excellent stability of the fuel column. Fission-gas release was normal and consistent with the existing data base from irradiation testing of shorter metallic fuel pins in EBR-II

Seismic inference of 57 stars using full-length Kepler data sets

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Creevey Orlagh

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We present stellar properties of 57 stars from a seismic inference using full-length data sets from Kepler (mass, age, radius, distances. These stars comprise active stars, planet-hosts, solar-analogs, and binary systems. We validate the distances derived from the astrometric Gaia-Tycho solution. Ensemble analysis of the stellar properties reveals a trend of mixing-length parameter with the surface gravity and effective temperature. We derive a linear relationship with the seismic quantity ‹r02› to estimate the stellar age. Finally, we define the stellar regimes where the Kjeldsen et al (2008 empirical surface correction for 1D model frequencies is valid.

Effects of moisture content or particle size on the in situ degradability of maize silage and alfalfa haylage in lactating dairy cows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Zou

2016-09-01

Full Text Available A study using four Holstein cows with ruminal cannulas was conducted to evaluate the degradability of different moisture content or particle size of maize silage and alfalfa haylage. The maize silage (MS; 20-mm length and alfalfa haylage (AH; 40-mm length samples were wet (wet maize silage, MSW; wet alfalfa haylage, AHW, dried (dried maize silage, MSD; dried alfalfa haylage, AHD, or ground to pass through a 2.5-mm screen (dried ground maize silage, MSG; dried ground alfalfa haylage, AHG. Samples were incubated in the rumen for 2, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h. Cows were fed ad libitum and allowed free access to water. High moisture content treatment of MSW expressed a lower rinsing NDF and ADF degradability at 2 h (P < 0.05 compared with dried samples (MSD and MSG. Different moisture content and particle size had a significant impact (P < 0.05 on the NDF degradability at 72 h, ADF degradability at 36, 48, and 72 h, and ruminally degradable ADF. All of the highest values were observed in small particle size and low moisture content AHG treatment. Based on this study, sample processing, such as drying and grinding, should be considered when evaluating nutritive values of forages.

Full length prototype SSC dipole test results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strait, J.; Brown, B.C.; Carson, J.

1987-01-01

Results are presented from tests of the first full length prototype SSC dipole magnet. The cryogenic behavior of the magnet during a slow cooldown to 4.5K and a slow warmup to room temperature has been measured. Magnetic field quality was measured at currents up to 2000 A. Averaged over the body field all harmonics with the exception of b 2 and b 8 are at or within the tolerances specified by the SSC Central Design Group. (The values of b 2 and b 8 result from known design and construction defects which will be be corrected in later magnets.) Using an NMR probe the average body field strength is measured to be 10.283 G/A with point to point variations on the order of one part in 1000. Data are presented on quench behavior of the magnet up to 3500 A (approximately 55% of full field) including longitudinal and transverse velocities for the first 250 msec of the quench

Isolation and characterization of full-length cDNA clones coding for cholinesterase from fetal human tissues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prody, C.A.; Zevin-Sonkin, D.; Gnatt, A.; Goldberg, O.; Soreq, H.

1987-01-01

To study the primary structure and regulation of human cholinesterases, oligodeoxynucleotide probes were prepared according to a consensus peptide sequence present in the active site of both human serum pseudocholinesterase and Torpedo electric organ true acetylcholinesterase. Using these probes, the authors isolated several cDNA clones from λgt10 libraries of fetal brain and liver origins. These include 2.4-kilobase cDNA clones that code for a polypeptide containing a putative signal peptide and the N-terminal, active site, and C-terminal peptides of human BtChoEase, suggesting that they code either for BtChoEase itself or for a very similar but distinct fetal form of cholinesterase. In RNA blots of poly(A) + RNA from the cholinesterase-producing fetal brain and liver, these cDNAs hybridized with a single 2.5-kilobase band. Blot hybridization to human genomic DNA revealed that these fetal BtChoEase cDNA clones hybridize with DNA fragments of the total length of 17.5 kilobases, and signal intensities indicated that these sequences are not present in many copies. Both the cDNA-encoded protein and its nucleotide sequence display striking homology to parallel sequences published for Torpedo AcChoEase. These finding demonstrate extensive homologies between the fetal BtChoEase encoded by these clones and other cholinesterases of various forms and species

Image analysis in the evaluation of the physiological potential of maize seeds1

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Crislaine Aparecida Gomes Pinto

Full Text Available The Seed Analysis System (SAS is used in the image analysis of seeds and seedlings, and has the potential for use in the control of seed quality. The aim of this research was to adapt the methodology of image analysis of maize seedlings by SAS, and to verify the potential use of this equipment in the evaluation of the physiological potential of maize seeds. Nine batches of two maize hybrids were characterised by means of the following tests and determinations: germination, first count, accelerated ageing, cold test, seedling emergence at 25 and 30ºC, and speed of emergence index. The image analysis experiment was carried out in a factorial scheme of 9 batches x 4 methods of analysis of the seedling images (with and without the use of NWF as substrate, and with and without manual correction of the images. Images of the seedlings were evaluated using the average lengths of the coleoptile, roots and seedlings; and by the automatic and manual indices of vigour, uniformity and growth produced by the SAS. Use of blue NWF afffects the initial development of maize seedlings. The physiological potential of maize seeds can be evaluated in seedlings which are seeded on white paper towels at a temperature of 25 °C and evaluated on the third day. Image analysis should be carried out with the SAS software using automatic calibration and with no correction of the seedling images. Use of SAS equipment for the analysis of seedling images is a potential tool in evaluating the physiological quality of maize seeds.

Expression of cDNAs in human Natural Killer cell lines by retroviral transduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Miah, S M Shahjahan; Campbell, Kerry S

2010-01-01

Human NK-like cell lines are difficult to transfect using standard mammalian expression vectors and conventional transfection protocols, but they are susceptible to retroviral transduction as a means to introduce cDNAs. Our laboratory has exploited this technique to study a number of receptors in human NK cell lines. The method utilizes a bicistronic retroviral vector that co-expresses either drug resistance or enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in parallel with the gene of interest. After a single infection with recombinant retrovirus, transduced NK cells can be sorted for expression of EGFP or the transduced cell surface marker. Alternatively, cells expressing the transduced cDNAs can be selected for by treatment with neomycin, puromycin, or hygromycin. Using this method, the sorted/selected cells uniformly express the gene of interest and the expression is stable for many weeks of culture.

Morphological markers for microspore developmental stage in maize

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Ana Paula de Moraes

2008-10-01

Full Text Available The use of maize in anther culture has been limited because only few genotypes presented a high androgenetic potential. Obtaining the proper stage of microspore development at culture initiation is one of the most crucial factors for success in the androgenesis. For Brazilian maize genotypes there are no studies reporting a correlation between cytological features and morphological parameters. In this study, morphological parameters were recorded and associated with cytological specific stages of the the microsporogenesis in two Brazilian maize genotypes that were sowed in different places (field and growing chamber. For both genotypes, the plants of the growing chamber presented a delay in development. Spikelets length and anther length/spikelet length ratio are not good parameters since they can be greatly influenced by the environment. The anther length was the more reliable parameter to correlate with a specific developmental stage. Nevertheless, variations between genotypes and environment were detected.A utilização do milho (Zea mays na cultura de anteras é limitada devido ao baixo número de genótipos com alto potencial androgenético. A obtenção de micrósporos no estádio de desenvolvimento apropriado no início da cultura é um dos fatores cruciais para o sucesso do processo androgenético. Em genótipos brasileiros de milho não existem estudos relatando a correlação entre características citológicas e parâmetros morfológicos. Neste estudo, parâmetros morfológicos foram avaliados e associados com estádios específicos da microsporogênese em dois genótipos brasileiros de milho os quais foram semeados em diferentes locais (campo e câmara de crescimento. Para ambos os genótipos, as plantas crescidas na câmara de crescimento apresentaram atraso no desenvolvimento. O comprimento da espigueta e a razão comprimento da antera/comprimento da espigueta não são bons parâmetros uma vez que podem ser muito influenciados

Factors Affecting the Efficiency of Maize Marketing in Vandeikya ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Factors Affecting the Efficiency of Maize Marketing in Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. ... Two hundred maize marketers were selected from Vandeikya Local Area (LGA) of ... EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT

Exploring karyotype diversity of Argentinian Guaraní maize landraces: Relationship among South American maize.

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María Florencia Realini

Full Text Available In Argentina there are two different centers of maize diversity, the Northeastern (NEA and the Northwestern (NWA regions of the country. In NEA, morphological studies identified 15 landraces cultivated by the Guaraní communities in Misiones Province. In the present study we analyzed the karyotype diversity of 20 populations of Guaraní maize landraces through classical and molecular cytogenetic analyses. Our results demonstrate significant intra and inter-populational variation in the percentage, number, size, chromosome position and frequencies of the heterochromatic blocks, which are called knobs. Knob sequence analysis (180-bp and TR-1 did not show significant differences among Guaraní populations. B chromosomes were not detected, and abnormal 10 (AB10 chromosomes were found with low frequency (0.1≥f ≤0.40 in six populations. Our results allowed karyotypic characterization of each analyzed population, defining for the first time the chromosomal constitution of maize germplasm from NEA. The multivariate analysis (PCoA and UPGMA of karyotype parameters allowed the distinction between two populations groups: the Popcorn and the Floury maize populations. These results are in agreement with previously published microsatellite and morphological/phenological studies. Finally, we compared our karyotype results with those previously reported for NWA and Central Region of South America maize. Our data suggest that there are important differences between maize from NEA and NWA at the karyotype level, supporting the hypothesis that there are two pathways of input of South America maize. Our results also confirm the existence of two centers of diversification of Argentinian native maize, NWA and NEA. This work contributes new knowledge about maize diversity, which is relevant for future plans to improve commercial maize, and for conservation of agrobiodiversity.

Effects of temperature changes on maize production in Mozambique

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Harrison, L.; Michaelsen, J.; Funk, Chris; Husak, G.

2011-01-01

We examined intraseasonal changes in maize phenology and heat stress exposure over the 1979-2008 period, using Mozambique meteorological station data and maize growth requirements in a growing degree-day model. Identifying historical effects of warming on maize growth is particularly important in Mozambique because national food security is highly dependent on domestic food production, most of which is grown in already warm to hot environments. Warming temperatures speed plant development, shortening the length of growth periods necessary for optimum plant and grain size. This faster phenological development also alters the timing of maximum plant water demand. In hot growing environments, temperature increases during maize pollination threaten to make midseason crop failure the norm. In addition to creating a harsher thermal environment, we find that early season temperature increases have caused the maize reproductive period to start earlier, increasing the risk of heat and water stress. Declines in time to maize maturation suggest that, independent of effects to water availability, yield potential is becoming increasingly limited by warming itself. Regional variations in effects are a function of the timing and magnitude of temperature increases and growing season characteristics. Continuation of current climatic trends could induce substantial yield losses in some locations. Farmers could avoid some losses through simple changes to planting dates and maize varietal types.

Occurrence of toxigenic fungi in maize and maize-gluten meal from Pakistan

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Muhammad Kashif SALEEMI

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The present study was designed to isolate and identify toxigenic mycoflora of maize and maize-gluten meal. A total of 82 samples of maize and 8 samples of maize-gluten meal were collected from Faisalabad district of Pakistan over a period of two years. These samples were inoculated on different culture media. Fungal contamination of maize and maize-gluten was 56% and 75% of samples, respectively. Isolation frequencies of different genera isolated from maize were Aspergillus 33%; Penicillium 28%; Fusarium 10%; and Alternaria 1%. Isolation frequency among species was maximum for P. verrucosum, followed by A. niger aggregates, A. ochraceous, A. flavus, P. chrysogenum, A. parasiticus, A. carbonarius, Fusarium spp. and Alternaria spp. Relative density of Aspergillus isolates was maximum for A. niger aggregates and A. ochraceous (30% each followed by A. flavus (26%, A. parasiticus (11% and A. carbonarius (3%. Percentage of toxigenic fungi among Aspergillus isolates was 52%. Aflatoxigenic isolates of A. flavus and A. parasiticus were 43 and 67% and ochratoxigenic isolates of A. carbonarius, A. ochraceous and A. niger aggregates were 100, 63 and 38%, respectively. Aspergillus parasiticus produced higher concentrations of AFB1 (maximum 1374.23 ng g-1 than A. flavus (maximum 635.50 ng g-1. Ochratoxin A production potential of A. ochraceous ranged from 1.81 to 9523.1 ng g-1, while in A. niger aggregates it was 1.30 to 1758.6 ng g-1. Isolation frequencies of fungal genera from maize-gluten meal were Aspergillus (63% and Penicillium (50%. A. flavus was the most frequently isolated species. Percentage of toxigenic fungi among Aspergillus isolates was 40%. Aflatoxigenic isolates of A. flavus were 33% and ochratoxigenic isolates of A. ochraceous were 100%.

Comparative impact of genetically modified and non modified maize (Zea mays L.) on succeeding crop and associated weed.

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Ibrahim, Muhammad; Ahmed, Naseer; Ullah, Faizan; Shinwari, Zabta Khan; Bano, Asghari

2016-04-01

This research work documents the comparative impact of genetically modified (GM) (insect resistance) and non modified maize (Zea mays L.) on growth and germination of succeeding crop wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and associated weed (Avena fatua L.). The aqueous extracts of both the GM and non-GM maize exhibited higher phenolic content than that of methanolic extracts. Germination percentage and germination index of wheat was significantly decreased by GM methanolic extract (10%) as well as that of non-GM maize at 3% aqueous extract. Similarly germination percentage of weed (Avena fatua L.) was significantly reduced by application of 3% and 5% methanolic GM extracts. All extracts of GM maize showed non-significant effect on the number of roots, root length and shoot length per plant but 5% and 10% methanolic extracts of non-GM maize significantly increased the number of roots per plant of wheat seedling. Similarly, 10% methanolic extract of GM maize significantly increased the number of roots per plant of weed seedling. Methanolic extracts of GM and non-GM maize (3% and 5%) significantly decreased the protease activity in wheat as compared to untreated control. © The Author(s) 2013.

Genetic Analysis of Kernel Traits in Maize-Teosinte Introgression Populations

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Zhengbin Liu

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Seed traits have been targeted by human selection during the domestication of crop species as a way to increase the caloric and nutritional content of food during the transition from hunter-gather to early farming societies. The primary seed trait under selection was likely seed size/weight as it is most directly related to overall grain yield. Additional seed traits involved in seed shape may have also contributed to larger grain. Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays kernel weight has increased more than 10-fold in the 9000 years since domestication from its wild ancestor, teosinte (Z. mays ssp. parviglumis. In order to study how size and shape affect kernel weight, we analyzed kernel morphometric traits in a set of 10 maize-teosinte introgression populations using digital imaging software. We identified quantitative trait loci (QTL for kernel area and length with moderate allelic effects that colocalize with kernel weight QTL. Several genomic regions with strong effects during maize domestication were detected, and a genetic framework for kernel traits was characterized by complex pleiotropic interactions. Our results both confirm prior reports of kernel domestication loci and identify previously uncharacterized QTL with a range of allelic effects, enabling future research into the genetic basis of these traits.

Morphological variation in maize inbred lines

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Jiban Shrestha

2014-05-01

Full Text Available In order to identify morphological variation in maize inbred lines, one hundred five inbred lines were planted under randomized complete block design with two replications at research field of National Maize Research Program, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal during summer season (March to June, 2010. Descriptive statistics and cluster analysis were done. The results revealed a wide range of morphological variation among the tested inbred lines. The inbred lines grouped in cluster 4 namely PUTU-13, L-9, RL-105, RL-197, RL-103, RML-9, RML-41, RL-165, RL-36, RL-76, RL-125, RL-30-3, L-6, RL-107, RL-174, RL-41, L-13, RML-76 and L-5 had 0.833 days anthesis-silking interval and earlier in flowering (tasseling in 54.50 days and silking in 55.33 days. Moreover they consisted of 1.16 plant aspect, 1.25 ear aspect, 33.08 cm tassel length and 13.5 tassel branch number. Among tested lines, the above inbred lines had better morphological traits, so it was concluded that they were good candidates for development of hybrids and synthetic varieties. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i2.10521 International Journal of the Environment Vol.3(2 2014: 98-107

Using the filter paper bridge technique for initiation of vitrocultures at maize

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Cristian Felix BLIDAR

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Alongside wheat, maize is one of the most important species of cereals used for food and feed as well as in the bioethanol industry. As a result of this fact, maize is today the spotlight of many researchers, constantly trying to increase the productivity of this species, particularly important i from the economic point of view. The main aim of this article is to investigate the efficiency of the Blidar type filter-paper bridges (BFPB in initiating the maize in vitro cultures for liquid culture media, in comparison with the conventional agarized culture media – solid culture media. In these experiments a modified Murashige-Skoog culture media (1962 (free of AIA and amino acids supplemented or not with agar, were used. The inocula consisted in caryopsis of Zea mays L. (hybrid Kiskun 4255 and based on the results of these experiments it can be underlined that growth increases for the cultivated vitroplants on liquid culture media provided with filter-paper bridges compared with those conventianlly cultivated on an agarized culture media, as following 5.34% for dry weight and 356.09% for leafs length.

Genetic resources in maize breeding

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Anđelković Violeta

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Maize, wheat and rice are the most important cereals grown in the world. It is predicted that by 2025 maize is likely to become the crop with the greatest production globally. Conservation of maize germplasm provides the main resources for increased food and feed production. Conservation in gene banks (ex-situ is dominant strategy for maize conservation. More than 130 000 maize accessions, e.g. about 40% of total number, are stored in ten largest gene banks worldwide and Maize Research Institute Zemun Polje (MRIZP gene bank, with about 6000 accessions, is among them. Organized collecting missions started in 1961. in the former Yugoslavian territory, and up today, more than 2000 local maize landraces were stored. Pre-breeding activities that refer to identification of desirable traits from unadapted germplasm within genebank, result in materials expected to be included in breeding programs. Successful examples are LAMP, GEM and GENRES projects. At the end of XX century, at MRIZP genebank two pre-breeding activities were undertaken: eco-core and elite-core collections were created and landraces fulfilled particular criteria were chosen. In the last decade, MRIZP genebank collection was used for identification of sources for drought tolerance and improved grain quality. According to agronomic traits and general combining ability, two mini-core collections were created and included in commercial breeding programs.

Aflatoxins and fumonisin contamination of marketed maize, maize ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aflatoxins and fumonisin contamination of marketed maize, maize bran and maize used as animal feed in northern ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH ... African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development.

Effect of the foliar enrichment and herbicides on maize and associated weeds irrigated with drainage water

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Roshdy M.H. Tagour

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A two-year field experiment was conducted during summer seasons of 2013 and 2014, which were irrigated by drainage water which belong to salinity class (C3S1 to C4S2, to study the effect of the foliar enrichment namely (Anti-stress and weed management treatments (some pre and post-emergence herbicides and two-hand hoeing on maize growth, yield, yield components and chemical composition of maize grains and associated weeds (Portulaca oleracea, Amaranthus retroflexus and Echinochloa colonum. The results illustrated that application of the foliar enrichment enhanced the dry weight of weeds and increased maize growth characters, yield and yield components and total crude protein and total oil percentage of grain maize, as compared with untreated treatment. All weed management treatments caused a significant reduction in total dry weight of weeds at 60 and 80 days after sowing in both seasons. Two-hand hoeing treatment exerted the highest decrease in total dry weight of weeds followed by metribuzin, oxadiagyl, fluroxypyr and bentazon, respectively at 60 and 80 days after sowing compared with other weed management treatments. While, the highest values of maize growth, yield, yield components and maize grains' content of protein and oil was obtained with two-hand hoeing followed by metribuzin, oxadiagyl, fluroxypyr and bentazon, respectively. While, two hands hoeing produced the maximum values of leaf area, ear length, the weight of kernels plant−1, but applying of metribuzin treatment gave the highest values of total oil percentage of grain maize when the foliar enrichment was used.

Extraction and characterization of natural cellulose fibers from maize tassel

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Maepa, CE

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This article reports on the extraction and characterization of novel natural cellulose fibers obtained from the maize (tassel) plant. Cellulose was extracted from the agricultural residue (waste biomaterial) of maize tassel. The maize tassel fibers...

Chemical and nutritional values of maize and maize products ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Maize and maize products in selected grain markets within Kaduna, Nigeria, were obtained and investigated for proximate and mineral composition analysis using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) and flame photometer. Proximate composition of maize and maize products were in the range of 11.6- 20 .0% ...

Purification and Fibrillation of Full-Length Recombinant PrP

OpenAIRE

Makarava, Natallia; Baskakov, Ilia V.

2012-01-01

Misfolding and aggregation of prion protein (PrP) is related to several neurodegenerative diseases in humans such as Creutzfeldt–Jacob disease, fatal familial insomnia, and Gerstmann–Straussler–Sheinker disease. Certain applications in prion area require recombinant PrP of high purity and quality. Here, we report an experimental procedure for expression and purification of full-length mammalian PrP. This protocol has been proved to yield PrP of extremely high purity that lac...

VIGOR TESTS ASSOCIATION AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR PRECISE AND EFFICIENT ASSESSMENT OF MAIZE SEED QUALITY

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MARCOS ALTOMANI NEVES DIAS

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to associate two concepts of seed vigor testing, the aging and seedling growth using image analysis, providing a feasible and time-saving way to evaluate maize seed vigor in large scale. For this purpose, five seed lots with different vigor levels from two single hybrids were used. The seeds were characterized by moisture content, germination, seedling emergence, seedling emergence speed index, accelerated aging and cold tests. The treatments were composed by varying the accelerated aging periods (0, 24, 48, 72 and 96h and seedling growth periods (48 and 72h, before submitting the seedlings to image analysis for seedling root length measurement. Considering the results obtained, the adaptation of accelerated aging test by reducing the aging duration from 96h to 48h, and the replacement of the germination test by seedling root length measurement using image analysis could be considered a potential tool for maize seed vigor assessment. The treatments composed of 48h of seed aging followed by seedlings root length measurements using image analysis provided reliable data, compared to traditional vigor tests and it could be considered an efficient and timesaving approach, associating two different concepts of seed vigor analysis.

Increased circulating full-length betatrophin levels in drug-naïve metabolic syndrome.

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Liu, Dan; Li, Sheyu; He, He; Yu, Chuan; Li, Xiaodan; Liang, Libo; Chen, Yi; Li, Jianwei; Li, Jianshu; Sun, Xin; Tian, Haoming; An, Zhenmei

2017-03-14

Betatrophin is a newly identified circulating adipokine playing a role in the regulation of glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism. But its role in metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to compare the circulating betatrophin concentrations between patients with MetS and healthy controls. We recruited 47 patients with MetS and 47 age and sex matched healthy controls. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were performed, and serum betatrophin levels were detected by ELISA. Full-length betatrophin levels in patients with MetS were significantly higher than those in controls (694.84 ± 365.51 pg/ml versus 356.64 ± 287.92 pg/ml; P <0.001). While no significant difference of total betatrophin levels was found between the two groups (1.20 ± 0.79 ng/ml versus 1.31 ± 1.08 ng/ml; P = 0.524). Full-length betatrophin level was positively correlated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (r = 0.357, P = 0.014) and 2-hour plasma glucose (2hPG) (r = 0.38, P <0.01). Binary logistic regression models indicated that subjects in the tertile of the highest full-length betatrophin level experienced higher odds of having MetS (OR, 8.6; 95% CI 2.8-26.8; P <0.001). Our study showed that full-length betatrophin concentrations were increased in drug-naïve MetS patients.

Zinc solubilizing Bacillus spp. potential candidates for biofortification in maize.

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Mumtaz, Muhammad Zahid; Ahmad, Maqshoof; Jamil, Moazzam; Hussain, Tanveer

2017-09-01

Bioaugmentation of Zn solubilizing rhizobacteria could be a sustainable intervention to increase bioavailability of Zn in soil which can be helpful in mitigation of yield loss and malnutrition of zinc. In present study, a number of pure rhizobacterial colonies were isolated from maize rhizosphere and screened for their ability to solubilize zinc oxide. These isolates were screened on the basis of zinc and phosphate solubilization, IAA production, protease production, catalase activity and starch hydrolysis. All the selected isolates were also positive for oxidase activity (except ZM22), HCN production (except ZM27) and utilization of citrate. More than 70% of isolates produces ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, siderophores, exopolysaccharides and cellulase. More than half of isolates also showed potential for urease activity and production of lipase. The ZM31 and S10 were the only isolates which showed the chitinase activity. All these isolates were evaluated in a jar trial for their ability to promote growth of maize under axenic conditions. Results revealed that inoculation of selected zinc solubilizing rhizobacterial isolates improved the growth of maize. In comparison, isolates ZM20, ZM31, ZM63 and S10 were best compared to other tested isolates in stimulating the growth attributes of maize like shoot length, root length, plant fresh and dry biomass. These strains were identified as Bacillus sp. (ZM20), Bacillus aryabhattai (ZM31 and S10) and Bacillus subtilis (ZM63) through 16S rRNA sequencing. This study indicated that inoculation of Zn solubilizing strains have potential to promote growth and can be the potential bio-inoculants for biofortification of maize to overcome the problems of malnutrition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Is Investment in Maize Research Balanced and Justified? An Empirical Study

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Hari Krishna Shrestha

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate whether the investment in maize research was adequate and balanced in Nepalese context. Resource use in maize research was empirically studied with standard congruency analysis by using Full Time Equivalent (FTE of researchers as a proxy measure of investment. The number of researchers involved in maize was 61 but it was only 21.25 on FTE basis, indicating that full time researchers were very few as compared to the cultivated area of maize in the country. Statistical analysis revealed that the investment in maize research was higher in Tarai and lower in the Hills. Congruency index on actual production basis was found low across the eco-zones and even lower across the geographical regions indicating that the investment in maize research was a mismatch and not justified. While adjusted with the equity factor and the research progress factor in the analysis substantial difference was not found in congruency index. This study recommends that substantial increase in investment in maize research is needed with balanced and justified manner across the eco-zones and the geographical regions. Hills need special attention to increase the investment as maize output value is higher in this eco-zone. Eastern and western regions also need increased investment in maize according to their contribution in the output value.

Characterization and comparison of fatty acyl Delta6 desaturase cDNAs from freshwater and marine teleost fish species.

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Zheng, X; Seiliez, I; Hastings, N; Tocher, D R; Panserat, S; Dickson, C A; Bergot, P; Teale, A J

2004-10-01

Fish are the most important dietary source of the n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), that have particularly important roles in human nutrition reflecting their roles in critical physiological processes. The objective of the study described here was to clone, functionally characterize and compare expressed fatty acid desaturase genes involved in the production of EPA and DHA in freshwater and marine teleost fish species. Putative fatty acid desaturase cDNAs were isolated and cloned from common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and turbot (Psetta maximus). The enzymic activities of the products of these cDNAs, together with those of cDNAs previously cloned from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), were determined by heterologous expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The carp and turbot desaturase cDNAs included open reading frames (ORFs) of 1335 and 1338 base pairs, respectively, specifying proteins of 444 and 445 amino acids. The protein sequences possessed all the characteristic features of microsomal fatty acid desaturases, including three histidine boxes, two transmembrane regions, and N-terminal cytochrome b(5) domains containing the haem-binding motif, HPGG. Functional expression showed all four fish cDNAs encode basically unifunctional Delta6 fatty acid desaturase enzymes responsible for the first and rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of HUFA from 18:3n-3 and 18:2n-6. All the fish desaturases were more active towards the n-3 substrate with 59.5%, 31.5%, 23.1% and 7.0% of 18:3n-3 being converted to 18:4n-3 in the case of turbot, trout, sea bream and carp, respectively. The enzymes also showed very low, probably physiologically insignificant, levels of Delta5 desaturase activity, but none of the products showed Delta4 desaturase activity. The cloning and characterization of desaturases from these fish is an important advance, as they are species in which

Cloning of two individual cDNAS encoding 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase from Gentiana lutea, their tissue-specific expression and physiological effect in transgenic tobacco.

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Zhu, Changfu; Kauder, Friedrich; Römer, Susanne; Sandmann, Gerhard

2007-02-01

Two 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) cDNAs have been cloned from a petal library of Gentiana lutea. Both cDNAs carry a putative transit sequence for chloroplast import and differ mainly in their length and the 5'-flanking regions. GlNCED1 was evolutionary closely related to Arabidopsis thaliana NCED6 whereas GlNCED2 showed highest homology to tomato NCED1 and A. thaliana NCED3. The amounts of GlNCED2 transcript were below Northern detection in G. lutea. In contrast, GlNCED1 was specifically expressed at higher levels in developing flowers when petals start appearing. By genetic engineering of tobacco with coding regions of either gene under a constitutive promoter, their function was further analyzed. Although mRNA of both genes was detectable in the corresponding transgenic plants, a physiological effect was only found for GlNCED1 but not for GlNCED2. In germination experiments of GlNCED1 transgenic lines, delayed radicle formation and cotyledon appearance were observed. However, the transformants exhibited no improved tolerance against desiccation stress. In contrast to other plants with over-expressed NCEDs, prolonged delay of seed germination is the only abscisic-acid-related phenotypic effect in the GlNCED1 transgenic lines.

Effects of application of groundnut biomass compost on uptake of phosphorus by maize grown on an Ultisol of South Sulawesi

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Kasifah

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Low crop production is acid dryland area of South Sulawesi is due to low availability of P in the soils. One of alternatives that can be performed to overcome the problems of acid soils having high level of exchangeable Al, is through the addition of organic material. In the upland areas in South Sulawesi, crop rice, maize and groundnut crop residues are readily available, but the crop residues are generally only used as animal feed or even burned. This study was aimed to elucidate the effects of groundnut compost on P uptake by maize in Ultisol of Moncongloe, South Sulawesi. Eight kilograms of air dried soil was mixed with compost according to the following treatments; 0, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 t compost/ha. All pots received 200 kg/ha KCl and 300 kg Urea/ha as basal fertilizers. Two maize seeds were planted in each pot and thinned to one plant per pot after one week. At harvest maize shoot dry weight and maize root dry weight, length of maize cop, cob weight, cob diameter, weight grains per cob, P uptake by maize, P content in maize grain, soil available P were measured. Results of the study showed that groundnut compost has the ability to improve the availability of P in the soil and increase P uptake by maize grown on an Ultisol of South Sulawesi. Application of 25 t groundnut compost/ha was the optimal rate that can be used to increase P availability in an Ultisol of South Sulawesi.

Physicochemical composition and glycemic index of whole grain bread produced from composite flours of quality protein maize and wheat

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C. T. Akanbi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study entails quality assessment of whole grain bread produced from composite flours of quality protein maize and wheat. Quality protein maize and wheat were processed into flours and mixed at various ratios for bread production. The proximate compositions, physical properties, glycemic response, functional and sensory properties of the samples were evaluated using standard methods. The result showed no significant difference (p<0.05 in the proximate composition parameters of the bread samples. The loaf height (2.50 - 3.95 cm, volume (291.00 - 415.00 cm3 and specific volume(1.72 - 2.42 cm3/g decreased significantly with increasing level of quality protein maize, however, loaf length was not affected by the substitution of quality protein maize. The result of the functional properties showed that final viscosity, water absorption and swelling capacity increased with increasing level of quality protein maize. The result of the glycemic response showed that the inclusion of quality protein maize resulted in decline in the blood glucose content (glycemic index of the products. The bread samples were generally acceptable however; bread with 100% wheat was the most preferred. The result of the sensory properties showed that there was significant difference (p<0.05 in the texture and taste of 100% wheat bread and the other samples. The study concluded that substitution of quality protein maize with wheat produced acceptable whole grain loaves that have positive effect on the reduction of blood glucose level.

Resistance of maize varieties to the maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study aimed at evaluating commonly used maize varieties, collected from Melkasa and Bako Agricultural Research Centers and Haramaya University, Ethiopia, against the maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais Motsch., one of the most important cosmopolitan stored product pests in maize. A total of 13 improved maize ...

Co-inoculation of Azospirillum brasilense and Herbaspirillum seropedicae in maize

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Janaína Dartora

2016-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Bacteria from the genera Azospirillum and Herbaspirillum have been associated with increments in maize yield. The aim of this study was to evaluate the maize yield and nutritional content in response to inoculation with A. brasilense and H. seropediceae in association with nitrogen (N fertilization. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a 4 x 5 factorial scheme, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of seed inoculation (control without N and inoculation, A. brasilense strain - AbV5, H. seropediceae strain - SMR1 and co-inoculation AbV5 + SMR1 and N doses (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg ha-1. The following variables were evaluated: ear insertion height, ear length, ear diameter, number of rows per ear, number of grains per row, ear weight, yield and NPK contents in leaves and grains. There was no interaction between the factors studied. Co-inoculation with the strains promoted increments of 12% in leaf P content, compared with control, and N fertilization promoted increase in yield and leaf P content up to the maximum dose studied.

Maize response to time of nitrogen application and planting seasons

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Parbati Adhikari

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Nitrogen (N response by maize differs due to growing seasons, growth stages, duration and growing domain as N losses is higher due to leaching as well as volatilization. Objective of this study was to know the response of split applications of N and growing seasons on maize under Chitwan environments. Field experiments were conducted for two consecutive years at the research field of NMRP Rampur during the winter, spring, and summer seasons of 2012/013 and 2013/014. Experiments were laid out in factorial randomized complete block design with four replications for all the seasons. Early maturing maize genotype Arun-1 EV was used for the experiments. Five splits of recommended dose of N were tested. Grain yield, days to flowering, plant height, ear height, kernel rows per ear, no. of kernels per row, ear length and thousand grain weight significantly differed due to growing seasons and split applications of N. Significantly higher grain yield (3911 kg ha-1 was obtained with the application of 30 kg N ha-1 each at 30, 45, 60, and 75 days after sowing as compared to control (2801 kg ha-1. Regarding the growing seasons, highest grain yield was obtained in winter (4393 kg ha-1 followed by spring (3791 kg ha-1 and summer (2468 kg ha-1 season, respectively. Results of these studies revealed that four splits of N viz. application of 30 kg N each at 30, 45, 60, and 75 days after sowing respectively, would be more economical to minimize N losses from the soil and efficient use of N at critical growth and development stages of maize.

Interspecies Interactions in Relation to Root Distribution Across the Rooting Profile in Wheat-Maize Intercropping Under Different Plant Densities

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Yifan Wang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In wheat-maize intercropping systems, the maize is often disadvantageous over the wheat during the co-growth period. It is unknown whether the impaired growth of maize can be recovered through the enhancement of the belowground interspecies interactions. In this study, we (i determined the mechanism of the belowground interaction in relation to root growth and distribution under different maize plant densities, and (ii quantified the “recovery effect” of maize after wheat harvest. The three-year (2014–2016 field experiment was conducted at the Oasis Agriculture Research Station of Gansu Agricultural University, Wuwei, Northwest China. Root weight density (RWD, root length density (RLD, and root surface area density (RSAD, were measured in single-cropped maize (M, single-cropped wheat (W, and three intercropping systems (i wheat-maize intercropping with no root barrier (i.e., complete belowground interaction, IC, (ii nylon mesh root barrier (partial belowground interaction, IC-PRI, and (iii plastic sheet root barrier (no belowground interaction, IC-NRI. The intercropped maize was planted at low (45,000 plants ha−1 and high (52,000 plants ha−1 densities. During the wheat/maize co-growth period, the IC treatment increased the RWD, RLD, and RSAD of the intercropped wheat in the 20–100 cm soil depth compared to the IC-PRI and IC-NRI systems; intercropped maize had 53% lower RWD, 81% lower RLD, and 70% lower RSAD than single-cropped maize. After wheat harvest, the intercropped maize recovered the growth with the increase of RWD by 40%, RLD by 44% and RSAD by 11%, compared to the single-cropped maize. Comparisons among the three intercropping systems revealed that the “recovery effect” of the intercropped maize was attributable to complete belowground interspecies interaction by 143%, the compensational effect due to root overlap by 35%, and the compensational effect due to water and nutrient exchange (CWN by 80%. The higher maize plant

Foliar copper uptake by maize plants: effects on growth and yield

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Rogério Hidalgo Barbosa

2013-09-01

Full Text Available A slight increase in the levels of a certain nutrient can cause a significant increase in crop yield or can cause phytotoxicity symptoms. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of foliar application of copper (Cu on the growth and yield of DG-501 maize. The experiment was carried out between December 2009 and April 2010 in conventional tillage. When plants were with six to eight leaves, Cu (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600g ha-1 was applied to the leaves. Treatments were arranged in randomized complete block with five replications. When 50% of the plants were in flowering, it was evaluated the plant height, culm diameter, height of the first ear insertion, leaf area, and chlorophyll content. At harvest, it was evaluated diameter and length of the ear, yield and thousand grain weight. There was a linear reduction in the plant height and in the height of the first ear insertion with increasing Cu doses. On the other hand, chlorophyll content, leaf area, diameter and length of ear, thousand grain weight and yield increased at doses up to 100g ha-1 Cu, however, decreased at higher doses. Therefore, foliar Cu application at doses higher than 100g ha-1 has toxic effect in maize plants with losses in growth and yield.

Simulations of The Dalles Dam Proposed Full Length Spillwall

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rakowski, Cynthia L.; Perkins, William A.; Richmond, Marshall C.; Serkowski, John A.

2008-02-25

This report presents results of a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling study to evaluatethe impacts of a full-length spillwall at The Dalles Dam. The full-length spillwall is being designed and evaluated as a structural means to improve tailrace egress and thus survival of juvenile fish passing through the spillway. During the course of this study, a full-length spillwall at Bays 6/7 and 8/9 were considered. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has proposed extending the spillwall constructed in the stilling basin between spillway Bays 6 and 7 about 590 ft farther downstream. It is believed that the extension of the spillwall will improve egress conditions for downstream juvenile salmonids by moving them more rapidly into the thalweg of the river hence reducing their exposure to predators. A numerical model was created, validated, and applied the The Dalles Dam tailrace. The models were designed to assess impacts to flow, tailrace egress, navigation, and adult salmon passage of a proposed spill wall extension. The more extensive model validation undertaken in this study greatly improved our confidence in the numerical model to represent the flow conditions in The Dalles tailrace. This study used these validated CFD models to simulate the potential impacts of a spillwall extension for The Dalles Dam tailrace for two locations. We determined the following: (1)The construction of an extended wall (between Bays 6/7) will not adversely impact entering or exiting the navigation lock. Impact should be less if a wall were constructed between Bays 8/9. (2)The construction of a wall between Bays 6/7 will increase the water surface elevation between the wall and the Washington shore. Although the increased water surface elevation would be beneficial to adult upstream migrants in that it decreases velocities on the approach to the adult ladder, the increased flow depth would enhance dissolved gas production, impacting potential operations of the project because of

Bacterial endophytes from wild maize suppress Fusarium graminearum in modern maize and inhibit mycotoxin accumulation

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Walaa Kamel Mousa

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Wild maize (teosinte has been reported to be less susceptible to pests than their modern maize (corn relatives. Endophytes, defined as microbes that inhabit plants without causing disease, are known for their ability to antagonize plant pests and pathogens. We hypothesized that the wild relatives of modern maize may host endophytes that combat pathogens. Fusarium graminearum is the fungus that causes Gibberella Ear Rot (GER in modern maize and produces the mycotoxin, deoxynivalenol (DON. In this study, 215 bacterial endophytes, previously isolated from diverse maize genotypes including wild teosintes, traditional landraces and modern varieties, were tested for their ability to antagonize F. graminearum in vitro. Candidate endophytes were then tested for their ability to suppress GER in modern maize in independent greenhouse trials. The results revealed that three candidate endophytes derived from wild teosintes were most potent in suppressing F. graminearum in vitro and GER in a modern maize hybrid. These wild teosinte endophytes could suppress a broad spectrum of fungal pathogens of modern crops in vitro. The teosinte endophytes also suppressed DON mycotoxin during storage to below acceptable safety threshold levels. A fourth, less robust anti-fungal strain was isolated from a modern maize hybrid. Three of the anti-fungal endophytes were predicted to be Paenibacillus polymyxa, along with one strain of Citrobacter. Microscopy studies suggested a fungicidal mode of action by all four strains. Molecular and biochemical studies showed that the P. polymyxa strains produced the previously characterized anti-Fusarium compound, fusaricidin. Our results suggest that the wild relatives of modern crops may serve as a valuable reservoir for endophytes in the ongoing fight against serious threats to modern agriculture. We discuss the possible impact of crop evolution and domestication on endophytes in the context of plant defense.

The Genetic Basis of Natural Variation in Kernel Size and Related Traits Using a Four-Way Cross Population in Maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jiafa; Zhang, Luyan; Liu, Songtao; Li, Zhimin; Huang, Rongrong; Li, Yongming; Cheng, Hongliang; Li, Xiantang; Zhou, Bo; Wu, Suowei; Chen, Wei; Wu, Jianyu; Ding, Junqiang

2016-01-01

Kernel size is an important component of grain yield in maize breeding programs. To extend the understanding on the genetic basis of kernel size traits (i.e., kernel length, kernel width and kernel thickness), we developed a set of four-way cross mapping population derived from four maize inbred lines with varied kernel sizes. In the present study, we investigated the genetic basis of natural variation in seed size and other components of maize yield (e.g., hundred kernel weight, number of rows per ear, number of kernels per row). In total, ten QTL affecting kernel size were identified, three of which (two for kernel length and one for kernel width) had stable expression in other components of maize yield. The possible genetic mechanism behind the trade-off of kernel size and yield components was discussed.

Fungal Diversity of Maize (Zea Mays L. Grains

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Gulbis Kaspars

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Maize is becoming more and more important crop for dairy farming as forage and as substrate for biogas production. The mycotoxin producing fungi can spoil feed, reduce cattle productivity and cause health problems. The aim of this research was to study the mycoflora of maize grains in order to clarify the fungal composition and verify the presence of potential mycotoxin producing fungi. The grain samples were collected from different maize hybrid performance trial in Research and Study farm “Vecauce” of Latvia University of Agriculture in 2014. The fungi from 14 genera were isolated from surface sterilized grains. The most abundant were Alternaria, Fusarium and Penicillium spp. Mycotoxin producing fungi are present in maize grain mycoflora, and there is a risk that maize production can contain mycotoxins.

African maize porridge: a food with slow in vitro starch digestibility

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Van der Merwe, B

2001-02-15

Full Text Available maize porridge to bread. An in vitro method was used to determine the starch digestibility of African maize porridge compared to other cereal foods. Maize porridge had a much lower in vitro starch digestibility than white bread (P<0.001). There was a...

Analysis of expressed sequence tags generated from full-length enriched cDNA libraries of melon

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Bendahmane Abdelhafid

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Melon (Cucumis melo, an economically important vegetable crop, belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family which includes several other important crops such as watermelon, cucumber, and pumpkin. It has served as a model system for sex determination and vascular biology studies. However, genomic resources currently available for melon are limited. Result We constructed eleven full-length enriched and four standard cDNA libraries from fruits, flowers, leaves, roots, cotyledons, and calluses of four different melon genotypes, and generated 71,577 and 22,179 ESTs from full-length enriched and standard cDNA libraries, respectively. These ESTs, together with ~35,000 ESTs available in public domains, were assembled into 24,444 unigenes, which were extensively annotated by comparing their sequences to different protein and functional domain databases, assigning them Gene Ontology (GO terms, and mapping them onto metabolic pathways. Comparative analysis of melon unigenes and other plant genomes revealed that 75% to 85% of melon unigenes had homologs in other dicot plants, while approximately 70% had homologs in monocot plants. The analysis also identified 6,972 gene families that were conserved across dicot and monocot plants, and 181, 1,192, and 220 gene families specific to fleshy fruit-bearing plants, the Cucurbitaceae family, and melon, respectively. Digital expression analysis identified a total of 175 tissue-specific genes, which provides a valuable gene sequence resource for future genomics and functional studies. Furthermore, we identified 4,068 simple sequence repeats (SSRs and 3,073 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in the melon EST collection. Finally, we obtained a total of 1,382 melon full-length transcripts through the analysis of full-length enriched cDNA clones that were sequenced from both ends. Analysis of these full-length transcripts indicated that sizes of melon 5' and 3' UTRs were similar to those of tomato, but

Deregulation of Lesotho's maize market

OpenAIRE

van Schalkwyk, Herman D.; van Zyl, Johan; Botha, P.W.; Bayley, B.

1997-01-01

During the past year, there have been major policy reforms in Lesotho and South Africa with respect to maize pricing and marketing. In Lesotho the impact of deregulation on producers, consumers and government revenues was substantially lower than it should have been, and as a result Lesotho was not able to reap the full benefits of these changes. This is partly because information on the changes to the maize marketing system did not reach the potential beneficiaries of the new system. Free an...

Molecular variability in the maize grey leaf spot pathogens in Brazil

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Kátia R. Brunelli

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Isolates of Cercospora species from leaves displaying symptoms of grey leaf spot were collected in maize-producing areas of south-central Brazil in 2001 and 2002. Restriction digests of the internal transcribed spacer region of rDNA detected the presence of the same two Cercospora species described on maize in the United States, namely C. zeae-maydis and the recently described species, C. zeina . Genetic variability among isolates was assessed by analysing 104 amplified fragment length polymorphism loci. Cluster analysis confirmed the genetic separation of isolates into two species with a mean similarity of 35%. Similarity levels within species were high, averaging 93% and 92% among isolates of C. zeae-maydis and C. zeina , respectively. The mean genetic similarity between C. zeae-maydis and C. zeina and two isolates of C. sorghi f. sp. maydis was 45% and 35%, respectively. Results of this study showed that populations of the grey leaf spot pathogens in Brazil are similar to those in the United States regarding species composition and that C. zeina is also present in Brazil.

Expression of full-length and splice forms of FoxP3 in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ryder, L R; Woetmann, A; Madsen, H O

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to compare the presence of full-length and alternative splice forms of FoxP3 mRNA in CD4 cells from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthy controls. METHODS: A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) method was used to measure...... the amount of FoxP3 mRNA full-length and splice forms. CD4-positive T cells were isolated from peripheral blood from 50 RA patients by immunomagnetic separation, and the FoxP3 mRNA expression was compared with the results from 10 healthy controls. RESULTS: We observed an increased expression of full......-length FoxP3 mRNA in RA patients when compared to healthy controls, as well as an increase in CD25 mRNA expression, but no corresponding increase in CTLA-4 mRNA expression. The presence of an alternative splice form of FoxP3 lacking exon 2 was confirmed in both RA patients and healthy controls...

Human mast cell tryptase: Multiple cDNAs and genes reveal a multigene serine protease family

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanderslice, P.; Ballinger, S.M.; Tam, E.K.; Goldstein, S.M.; Craik, C.S.; Caughey, G.H.

1990-01-01

Three different cDNAs and a gene encoding human skin mast cell tryptase have been cloned and sequenced in their entirety. The deduced amino acid sequences reveal a 30-amino acid prepropeptide followed by a 245-amino acid catalytic domain. The C-terminal undecapeptide of the human preprosequence is identical in dog tryptase and appears to be part of a prosequence unique among serine proteases. The differences among the three human tryptase catalytic domains include the loss of a consensus N-glycosylation site in one cDNA, which may explain some of the heterogeneity in size and susceptibility to deglycosylation seen in tryptase preparations. All three tryptase cDNAs are distinct from a recently reported cDNA obtained from a human lung mast cell library. A skin tryptase cDNA was used to isolate a human tryptase gene, the exons of which match one of the skin-derived cDNAs. The organization of the ∼1.8-kilobase-pair tryptase gene is unique and is not closely related to that of any other mast cell or leukocyte serine protease. The 5' regulatory regions of the gene share features with those of other serine proteases, including mast cell chymase, but are unusual in being separated from the protein-coding sequence by an intron. High-stringency hybridization of a human genomic DNA blot with a fragment of the tryptase gene confirms the presence of multiple tryptase genes. These findings provide genetic evidence that human mast cell tryptases are the products of a multigene family

Status and prospects of maize research in Nepal

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Govind KC

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Food and nutritional securities are the major threats coupled with declining factor productivity and climate change effects in Nepal. Maize being the principal food crops of the majority of the hill people and source of animal feed for ever growing livestock industries in Terai of Nepal. Despite the many efforts made to increase the maize productivity in the country, the results are not much encouraging. Many of the maize based technologies developed and recommended for the farmers to date are not fully adopted. Therefore, problem is either on technology development or on dissemination or on both. Considering the above facts, some of the innovative and modern approaches of plant breeding and crop management technologies to increase the maize yield need to be developed and disseminated. There is a need for location-specific maize production technologies, especially for lowland winter maize, marginal upland maize production system, and resource poor farmers. Research efforts can be targeted to address both yield potential and on-farm yields by reducing the impacts of abiotic and biotic constraints. Therefore, in order to streamline the future direction of maize research in Nepal, an attempt has been made in this article to highlight the present status and future prospects with few key pathways.

Maize-Pathogen Interactions: An Ongoing Combat from a Proteomics Perspective

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Olga Pechanova

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Maize (Zea mays L. is a host to numerous pathogenic species that impose serious diseases to its ear and foliage, negatively affecting the yield and the quality of the maize crop. A considerable amount of research has been carried out to elucidate mechanisms of maize-pathogen interactions with a major goal to identify defense-associated proteins. In this review, we summarize interactions of maize with its agriculturally important pathogens that were assessed at the proteome level. Employing differential analyses, such as the comparison of pathogen-resistant and susceptible maize varieties, as well as changes in maize proteomes after pathogen challenge, numerous proteins were identified as possible candidates in maize resistance. We describe findings of various research groups that used mainly mass spectrometry-based, high through-put proteomic tools to investigate maize interactions with fungal pathogens Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium spp., and Curvularia lunata, and viral agents Rice Black-streaked Dwarf Virus and Sugarcane Mosaic Virus.

Breeding of maize types with specific traits at the Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje

OpenAIRE

Pajić Zorica

2007-01-01

Maize is primarily grown as an energy crop, but the use of different specific versions, such as high-oil maize, high-lysine maize, waxy maize, white-seeded maize, popping maize and sweet maize, is quite extensive. Speciality maize, due to its traits and genetic control of these traits, requires a particular attention in handling breeding material during the processes of breeding. It is especially related to prevention of uncontrolled pollination. In order to provide successful selection for a...

[Alleviation of salt stress during maize seed germination by presoaking with exogenous sugar].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Ying; Yang, Ke-jun; Li, Zuo-tong; Zhao, Chang-jiang; Xu, Jing-yu; Hu, Xue- wei; Shi, Xin-xin; Ma, Li-feng

2015-09-01

The maize variety Kenyu 6 was used to study the effects of exogenous glucose (Glc) and sucrose (Suc) on salt tolerance of maize seeds at germination stage under 150 mmol · L(-1) NaCl treatment. Results showed that under salt stress condition, 0.5 mmol · L(-1) exogenous Glc and Suc presoaking could promote seed germination and early seedling growth. Compared with the salt treatment, Glc presoaking increased the shoot length, radicle length and corresponding dry mass up to 1.5, 1.3, 2.1 and 1.8 times, and those of the Suc presoaking treatment increased up to 1.7, 1.3. 2.7 and 1.9 times, respectively. Exogenous Glc and Suc presoaking resulted in decreased levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content of maize shoot under salt stress, which were lowered by 24.9% and 20.6% respectively. Exogenous Glc and Suc presoaking could increase the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR) and induce glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity of maize shoot under salt stress. Compared with the salt treatment. Glc presoaking increased the activity of SOD, APX, GPX, GR and G6PDH by 66.2%, 62.9%, 32.0%, 38.5% and 50.5%, and those of the Suc presoaking increased by 67.5%, 59.8%, 30.0%, 38.5% and 50.4%, respectively. Glc and Suc presoaking also significantly increased the contents of ascorbic acid (ASA) and glutathione (GSH), ASA/DHA and GSH/GSSG. The G6PDH activity was found closely related with the strong antioxidation capacity induced by exogenous sugars. In addition, Glc and Suc presoaking enhanced K+/Na+ in maize shoot by 1.3 and 1.4 times of water soaking salt treatment, respectively. These results indicated that exogenous Glc and Suc presoaking could improve antioxidation capacity of maize seeds and maintain the in vivo K+/Na+ ion balance to alleviate the inhibitory effect of salt stress on maize seed germination.

Applying CSM-CERES-Maize to define a sowing window for irrigated maize crop - The Riacho´s Farm case study

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Denise Freitas Silva

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Irrigation use constitutes an alternative to improve maize production in Central Minas Gerais State, Brazil. However, even under adequate water supply conditions, other environmental factors may influence maize crop growth and development and may, ultimately, affect grain yield. This study aimed to establish a sowing window for irrigated maize crop, based on simulation results obtained with the decision support model CSM-CERES-Maize. Simulations were made for crop management conditions of Riacho´s Farm, located in Matozinhos, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. It was employed the model´s seasonal tool, along with a data set containing 46 years of weather data records, to simulate maize yield for weekly sowing scenarios, starting on August 1st and ending on July 24th of each year. One defined an irrigated maize sowing window, taking into account the yield break risk that a farmer would be willing to take. The model proved to be an interesting tool to assist in decision making, regarding crop and irrigation management, for an irrigated maize production system. Assuming a 10% yield break in the expected average maximum maize yield, it was defined as sowing window, the period from January 23rd to March 6th, with February 20th as the best sowing date. Other sowing windows may be established according to the risk that the farmer would be willing to take.

Construction experience with Fermilab-built full length 50mm SSC dipoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blessing, M.J.; Hoffman, D.E.; Packer, M.D.; Gordon, M.; Higinbotham, W.; Sims, R.

1992-03-01

Fourteen full length SSC dipole magnets are being built and tested at Fermilab. Their purpose is to verify the magnet design as well as transfer the construction technology to industry. Magnet design is summarized. Construction problems and their solutions are discussed. Topics include coil winding, curing and measuring, collaring, instrumentation, end clamp installation, yoking and electrical and mechanical interconnection

3G vector-primer plasmid for constructing full-length-enriched cDNA libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Dong; Zhou, Yanna; Zhang, Zidong; Li, Zaiyu; Liu, Xuedong

2008-09-01

We designed a 3G vector-primer plasmid for the generation of full-length-enriched complementary DNA (cDNA) libraries. By employing the terminal transferase activity of reverse transcriptase and the modified strand replacement method, this plasmid (assembled with a polydT end and a deoxyguanosine [dG] end) combines priming full-length cDNA strand synthesis and directional cDNA cloning. As a result, the number of steps involved in cDNA library preparation is decreased while simplifying downstream gene manipulation, sequencing, and subcloning. The 3G vector-primer plasmid method yields fully represented plasmid primed libraries that are equivalent to those made by the SMART (switching mechanism at 5' end of RNA transcript) approach.

Full-length high-temperature severe fuel damage test No. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hesson, G.M.; Lombardo, N.J.; Pilger, J.P.; Rausch, W.N.; King, L.L.; Hurley, D.E.; Parchen, L.J.; Panisko, F.E.

1993-09-01

Hazardous conditions associated with performing the Full-Length High- Temperature (FLHT). Severe Fuel Damage Test No. 2 experiment have been analyzed. Major hazards that could cause harm or damage are (1) radioactive fission products, (2) radiation fields, (3) reactivity changes, (4) hydrogen generation, (5) materials at high temperature, (6) steam explosion, and (7) steam pressure pulse. As a result of this analysis, it is concluded that with proper precautions the FLHT- 2 test can be safely conducted

A new strategy for full-length Ebola virus glycoprotein expression in E.coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Zai, Junjie; Yi, Yinhua; Xia, Han; Zhang, Bo; Yuan, Zhiming

2016-12-01

Ebola virus (EBOV) causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates with high rates of fatality. Glycoprotein (GP) is the only envelope protein of EBOV, which may play a critical role in virus attachment and entry as well as stimulating host protective immune responses. However, the lack of expression of full-length GP in Escherichia coli hinders the further study of its function in viral pathogenesis. In this study, the vp40 gene was fused to the full-length gp gene and cloned into a prokaryotic expression vector. We showed that the VP40-GP and GP-VP40 fusion proteins could be expressed in E.coli at 16 °C. In addition, it was shown that the position of vp40 in the fusion proteins affected the yields of the fusion proteins, with a higher level of production of the fusion protein when vp40 was upstream of gp compared to when it was downstream. The results provide a strategy for the expression of a large quantity of EBOV full-length GP, which is of importance for further analyzing the relationship between the structure and function of GP and developing an antibody for the treatment of EBOV infection.

A(maize)ing attraction: gravid Anopheles arabiensis are attracted and oviposit in response to maize pollen odours.

Science.gov (United States)

Wondwosen, Betelehem; Hill, Sharon R; Birgersson, Göran; Seyoum, Emiru; Tekie, Habte; Ignell, Rickard

2017-01-23

Maize cultivation contributes to the prevalence of malaria mosquitoes and exacerbates malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. The pollen from maize serves as an important larval food source for Anopheles mosquitoes, and females that are able to detect breeding sites where maize pollen is abundant may provide their offspring with selective advantages. Anopheles mosquitoes are hypothesized to locate, discriminate among, and select such sites using olfactory cues, and that synthetic volatile blends can mimic these olfactory-guided behaviours. Two-port olfactometer and two-choice oviposition assays were used to assess the attraction and oviposition preference of gravid Anopheles arabiensis to the headspace of the pollen from two maize cultivars (BH-660 and ZM-521). Bioactive compounds were identified using combined gas chromatography and electroantennographic detection from the headspace of the cultivar found to be most attractive (BH-660). Synthetic blends of the volatile compounds were then assessed for attraction and oviposition preference of gravid An. arabiensis, as above. Here the collected headspace volatiles from the pollen of two maize cultivars was shown to differentially attract and stimulate oviposition in gravid An. arabiensis. Furthermore, a five-component synthetic maize pollen odour blend was identified, which elicited the full oviposition behavioural repertoire of the gravid mosquitoes. The cues identified from maize pollen provide important substrates for the development of novel control measures that modulate gravid female behaviour. Such measures are irrespective of indoor or outdoor feeding and resting patterns, thus providing a much-needed addition to the arsenal of tools that currently target indoor biting mosquitoes.

Decomposition and fertilizing effects of maize stover and chromolaena odorata on maize yield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tetteh, F.M.; Safo, E.Y.; Quansah, C.

2008-01-01

The quality, rates of decomposition and the fertilizing effect of chromolaena odorata, and maize stover were determined in field experiments as surface application or buried in litter bags. Studies on the effect of plant materials of contrasting qualities (maize stover and C. odorata) applied sole (10 Mg ha -1 ) and mixed, on maize grain and biomass yield were also conducted on the Asuansi (Ferric Acrisol) soil series. Total nitrogen content of the residues ranged from 0.85% in maize stover to 3.50% in C. odorata. Organic carbon ranged from 34.90% in C. odorata to 48.50% in maize stover. Phosphorus ranged from 0.10% in maize stover to 0.76% in C. odorata. In the wet season, the decomposition rate constants (k) were 0.0319 day -1 for C. odorata, and 0.0081 for maize stover. In the dry season, the k values were 0.0083 for C. odorata, and 0.0072 day -1 for maize stover. Burying of the plant materials reduced the half-life (t 50 ) periods from 18 to 10 days for C. odorata, and 45 to 20 days for maize stover. Maize grain yield of 2556 kg ha -1 was obtained in sole C. odorata (10 Mg ha -1 ) compared with 2167 kg ha -1 for maize stover. Mixing of maize stover and C. odorata residues improved the nutrient content as well as nutrient release by the mixtures resulting in greater maize grain yields in the mixtures than the sole maize stover treatment. It is recommended that C. odorata be used as green manure, mulching or composting material to improve fertility. (au)

Phytotoxic Effects of Lanthanum Oxide Nanoparticles on Maize (Zea mays L.)

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yinglin; Xu, Lina; Dai, Yanhui

2018-02-01

The use of lanthanum oxide nanoparticles (La2O3 NPs) in life products have increased dramatically in the past decades, which are inevitable released into natural environment. In this study, we determined the phytotoxicity of La2O3 NPs to maize (Zea mays L.) grown in one-fourth strength Hoagland solution. After being exposed for two weeks, the biomass, roots length and the relative chlorophyll content were measured. La2O3 NPs had phytotoxicity to maize at 5 mg/L. La2O3 NPs decreased shoot biomass (≥10 mg/L), the root biomass and length (≥5 mg/L). Moreover, La2O3 NPs had adverse effects on the chlorophyll content (≥10 mg/L). The decreased chlorophyll content may reduce net photosynthetic rate. This research offers vital information about the phytotoxicity of La2O3 NPs.

Fatty acid composition of maize germ oil from high-oil hybrids wet-milling processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jovanović Petar Lj.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Maize germ was obtained by wet-milling laboratory processing of domestic high-oil maize hybrids. After separation, the germ was subjected to extraction of maize oil. Fatty acid composition of maize germ oil was determined by gas chromatography. The results showed very high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and a constant sum of oleic and linoleic acids in oils of different maize hybrids.

Effects of enhanced ultraviolet radiation-B on maize in arid regions of middle-high elevation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Lei; Wang Lianxi; Li Fusheng

2009-01-01

[Objective]The experiment aimed to explore the influence of enhanced ultraviolet radiation-B on maize in arid regions of middle-high elevation for correct assessing the influence of enhanced ultraviolet radiation-B on maize and providing scientific reference to make proper countermeasures.[Method] The location test in field and lift lamp of UV-B were used to observe the changes of maize height , leaf area and number of green leaves under influences of different UV-B radiation. [Result]In arid regions of middle-high elevation, enhanced ultraviolet radiation-B could dwarf maize plant, decrease leaf area, decline number of green leaves and yield. The reason of decreasing leaf area was that enhanced ultraviolet radiation-B shortened leaf length and leaf width while the reason of declining yield was that yield components were all negatively influenced and with the increase of ultraviolet radiation-B, the yield declined dramatically.[Conclusion]The result of this experiment would be good for maize production in arid regions of middle-high elevation

Comparison of RAPD, RFLP, AFLP and SSR markers for diversity studies in tropical maize inbred lines

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Antonio A. F. Garcia

2004-01-01

Full Text Available In order to compare their relative efficiencies as markers and to find the most suitable marker for maize diversity studies we evaluated 18 inbred tropical maize lines using a number of different loci as markers. The loci used were: 774 amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs; 262 random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs; 185 restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs; and 68 simple sequence repeats (SSR. For estimating genetic distance the AFLP and RFLP markers gave the most correlated results, with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.87. Bootstrap analysis were used to evaluate the number of loci for the markers and the coefficients of variation (CV revealed a skewed distribution. The dominant markers (AFLP and RAPD had small CV values indicating a skewed distribution while the codominant markers gave high CV values. The use of maximum values of genetic distance CVs within each sample size was efficient in determining the number of loci needed to obtain a maximum CV of 10%. The number of RFLP and AFLP loci used was enough to give CV values of below 5%, while the SSRs and RAPD loci gave higher CV values. Except for the RAPD markers, all the markers correlated genetic distance with single cross performance and heterosis which showed that they could be useful in predicting single cross performance and heterosis in intrapopulation crosses for broad-based populations. Our results indicate that AFLP seemed to be the best-suited molecular assay for fingerprinting and assessing genetic relationships among tropical maize inbred lines with high accuracy.

Advances in Maize Transformation Technologies and Development of Transgenic Maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Yadava, Pranjal; Abhishek, Alok; Singh, Reeva; Singh, Ishwar; Kaul, Tanushri; Pattanayak, Arunava; Agrawal, Pawan K

2016-01-01

Maize is the principal grain crop of the world. It is also the crop where genetic engineering has been employed to a great extent to improve its various traits. The ability to transform maize is a crucial step for application of gene technology in maize improvement. There have been constant improvements in the maize transformation technologies over past several years. The choice of genotype and the explant material to initiate transformation and the different types of media to be used in various stages of tissue culture can have significant impact on the outcomes of the transformation efforts. Various methods of gene transfer, like the particle bombardment, protoplast transformation, Agrobacterium -mediated, in planta transformation, etc., have been tried and improved over years. Similarly, various selection systems for retrieval of the transformants have been attempted. The commercial success of maize transformation and transgenic development is unmatched by any other crop so far. Maize transformation with newer gene editing technologies is opening up a fresh dimension in transformation protocols and work-flows. This review captures the various past and recent facets in improvement in maize transformation technologies and attempts to present a comprehensive updated picture of the current state of the art in this area.

Genomic variation in recently collected maize landraces from Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Clara Arteaga

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The present dataset comprises 36,931 SNPs genotyped in 46 maize landraces native to Mexico as well as the teosinte subspecies Zea maiz ssp. parviglumis and ssp. mexicana. These landraces were collected directly from farmers mostly between 2006 and 2010. We accompany these data with a short description of the variation within each landrace, as well as maps, principal component analyses and neighbor joining trees showing the distribution of the genetic diversity relative to landrace, geographical features and maize biogeography. High levels of genetic variation were detected for the maize landraces (HE = 0.234 to 0.318 (mean 0.311, while slightly lower levels were detected in Zea m. mexicana and Zea m. parviglumis (HE = 0.262 and 0.234, respectively. The distribution of genetic variation was better explained by environmental variables given by the interaction of altitude and latitude than by landrace identity. This dataset is a follow up product of the Global Native Maize Project, an initiative to update the data on Mexican maize landraces and their wild relatives, and to generate information that is necessary for implementing the Mexican Biosafety Law. Keywords: Maize, Teosinte, Maize SNP50K BeadChip, Mexican landraces, Proyecto Global de Maíces Nativos

Hydroxylation of recombinant human collagen type I alpha 1 in transgenic maize co-expressed with a recombinant human prolyl 4-hydroxylase

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Pappu Kameshwari M

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Collagens require the hydroxylation of proline (Pro residues in their triple-helical domain repeating sequence Xaa-Pro-Gly to function properly as a main structural component of the extracellular matrix in animals at physiologically relevant conditions. The regioselective proline hydroxylation is catalyzed by a specific prolyl 4-hydroxylase (P4H as a posttranslational processing step. Results A recombinant human collagen type I α-1 (rCIα1 with high percentage of hydroxylated prolines (Hyp was produced in transgenic maize seeds when co-expressed with both the α- and β- subunits of a recombinant human P4H (rP4H. Germ-specific expression of rCIα1 using maize globulin-1 gene promoter resulted in an average yield of 12 mg/kg seed for the full-length rCIα1 in seeds without co-expression of rP4H and 4 mg/kg seed for the rCIα1 (rCIα1-OH in seeds with co-expression of rP4H. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS analysis revealed that nearly half of the collagenous repeating triplets in rCIα1 isolated from rP4H co-expressing maize line had the Pro residues changed to Hyp residues. The HRMS analysis determined the Hyp content of maize-derived rCIα1-OH as 18.11%, which is comparable to the Hyp level of yeast-derived rCIα1-OH (17.47% and the native human CIa1 (14.59%, respectively. The increased Hyp percentage was correlated with a markedly enhanced thermal stability of maize-derived rCIα1-OH when compared to the non-hydroxylated rCIα1. Conclusions This work shows that maize has potential to produce adequately modified exogenous proteins with mammalian-like post-translational modifications that may be require for their use as pharmaceutical and industrial products.

Biotechnology in maize breeding

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Mladenović-Drinić Snežana

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Maize is one of the most important economic crops and the best studied and most tractable genetic system among monocots. The development of biotechnology has led to a great increase in our knowledge of maize genetics and understanding of the structure and behaviour of maize genomes. Conventional breeding practices can now be complemented by a number of new and powerful techniques. Some of these often referred to as molecular methods, enable scientists to see the layout of the entire genome of any organism and to select plants with preferred characteristics by "reading" at the molecular level, saving precious time and resources. DNA markers have provided valuable tools in various analyses ranging from phylogenetic analysis to the positional cloning of genes. Application of molecular markers for genetic studies of maize include: assessment of genetic variability and characterization of germ plasm, identification and fingerprinting of genotypes, estimation of genetic distance, detection of monogamic and quantitative trait loci, marker assisted selection, identification of sequence of useful candidate genes, etc. The development of high-density molecular maps which has been facilitated by PCR-based markers, have made the mapping and tagging of almost any trait possible and serve as bases for marker assisted selection. Sequencing of maize genomes would help to elucidate gene function, gene regulation and their expression. Modern biotechnology also includes an array of tools for introducing or deieting a particular gene or genes to produce plants with novel traits. Development of informatics and biotechnology are resulted in bioinformatic as well as in expansion of microarrey technique. Modern biotechnologies could complement and improve the efficiency of traditional selection and breeding techniques to enhance agricultural productivity.

Full-Length Venom Protein cDNA Sequences from Venom-Derived mRNA: Exploring Compositional Variation and Adaptive Multigene Evolution.

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Modahl, Cassandra M; Mackessy, Stephen P

2016-06-01

Envenomation of humans by snakes is a complex and continuously evolving medical emergency, and treatment is made that much more difficult by the diverse biochemical composition of many venoms. Venomous snakes and their venoms also provide models for the study of molecular evolutionary processes leading to adaptation and genotype-phenotype relationships. To compare venom complexity and protein sequences, venom gland transcriptomes are assembled, which usually requires the sacrifice of snakes for tissue. However, toxin transcripts are also present in venoms, offering the possibility of obtaining cDNA sequences directly from venom. This study provides evidence that unknown full-length venom protein transcripts can be obtained from the venoms of multiple species from all major venomous snake families. These unknown venom protein cDNAs are obtained by the use of primers designed from conserved signal peptide sequences within each venom protein superfamily. This technique was used to assemble a partial venom gland transcriptome for the Middle American Rattlesnake (Crotalus simus tzabcan) by amplifying sequences for phospholipases A2, serine proteases, C-lectins, and metalloproteinases from within venom. Phospholipase A2 sequences were also recovered from the venoms of several rattlesnakes and an elapid snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus), and three-finger toxin sequences were recovered from multiple rear-fanged snake species, demonstrating that the three major clades of advanced snakes (Elapidae, Viperidae, Colubridae) have stable mRNA present in their venoms. These cDNA sequences from venom were then used to explore potential activities derived from protein sequence similarities and evolutionary histories within these large multigene superfamilies. Venom-derived sequences can also be used to aid in characterizing venoms that lack proteomic profiles and identify sequence characteristics indicating specific envenomation profiles. This approach, requiring only venom, provides

Full-length cDNA sequences from Rhesus monkey placenta tissue: analysis and utility for comparative mapping

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Lee Sang-Rae

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta are widely-used as experimental animals in biomedical research and are closely related to other laboratory macaques, such as cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis, and to humans, sharing a last common ancestor from about 25 million years ago. Although rhesus monkeys have been studied extensively under field and laboratory conditions, research has been limited by the lack of genetic resources. The present study generated placenta full-length cDNA libraries, characterized the resulting expressed sequence tags, and described their utility for comparative mapping with human RefSeq mRNA transcripts. Results From rhesus monkey placenta full-length cDNA libraries, 2000 full-length cDNA sequences were determined and 1835 rhesus placenta cDNA sequences longer than 100 bp were collected. These sequences were annotated based on homology to human genes. Homology search against human RefSeq mRNAs revealed that our collection included the sequences of 1462 putative rhesus monkey genes. Moreover, we identified 207 genes containing exon alterations in the coding region and the untranslated region of rhesus monkey transcripts, despite the highly conserved structure of the coding regions. Approximately 10% (187 of all full-length cDNA sequences did not represent any public human RefSeq mRNAs. Intriguingly, two rhesus monkey specific exons derived from the transposable elements of AluYRa2 (SINE family and MER11B (LTR family were also identified. Conclusion The 1835 rhesus monkey placenta full-length cDNA sequences described here could expand genomic resources and information of rhesus monkeys. This increased genomic information will greatly contribute to the development of evolutionary biology and biomedical research.

cDNAs for the synthesis of cyclic carotenoids in petals of Gentiana lutea and their regulation during flower development.

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Zhu, Changfu; Yamamura, Saburo; Nishihara, Masashiro; Koiwa, Hiroyuki; Sandmann, Gerhard

2003-02-20

cDNAs encoding lycopene epsilon -cyclase, lycopene beta-cyclase, beta-carotene hydroxylase and zeaxanthin epoxidase were isolated from a Gentiana lutea petal cDNA library. The function of all cDNAs was analyzed by complementation in Escherichia coli. Transcript levels during different stages of flower development of G. lutea were determined and compared to the carotenoid composition. Expression of all genes increased by a factor of up to 2, with the exception of the lycopene epsilon -cyclase gene. The transcript amount of the latter was strongly decreased. These results indicate that during flower development, carotenoid formation is enhanced. Moreover, metabolites are shifted away from the biosynthetic branch to lutein and are channeled into beta-carotene and derivatives.

Full-length high-temperature severe fuel damage test No. 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanning, D.D.; Lombardo, N.J.; Hensley, W.K.; Fitzsimmons, D.E.; Panisko, F.E.; Hartwell, J.K.

1993-09-01

This report describes and presents data from a severe fuel damage test that was conducted in the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories (CRNL), Ontario, Canada. The test, designated FLHT-5, was the fourth in a series of full-length high-temperature (FLHT) tests on light-water reactor fuel. The tests were designed and performed by staff from the US Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), operated by Battelle Memorial Institute. The test operation and test results are described in this report. The fuel bundle in the FLHT-5 experiment included 10 unirradiated full-length pressurized-water reactor (PWR) rods, 1 irradiated PWR rod and 1 dummy gamma thermometer. The fuel rods were subjected to a very low coolant flow while operating at low fission power. This caused coolant boilaway, rod dryout and overheating to temperatures above 2600 K, severe fuel rod damage, hydrogen generation, and fission product release. The test assembly and its effluent path were extensively instrumented to record temperatures, pressures, flow rates, hydrogen evolution, and fission product release during the boilaway/heatup transient. Post-test gamma scanning of the upper plenum indicated significant iodine and cesium release and deposition. Both stack gas activity and on-line gamma spectrometer data indicated significant (∼50%) release of noble fission gases. Post-test visual examination of one side of the fuel bundle revealed no massive relocation and flow blockage; however, rundown of molten cladding was evident

MaizeGDB: The Maize Genetics and Genomics Database.

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Harper, Lisa; Gardiner, Jack; Andorf, Carson; Lawrence, Carolyn J

2016-01-01

MaizeGDB is the community database for biological information about the crop plant Zea mays. Genomic, genetic, sequence, gene product, functional characterization, literature reference, and person/organization contact information are among the datatypes stored at MaizeGDB. At the project's website ( http://www.maizegdb.org ) are custom interfaces enabling researchers to browse data and to seek out specific information matching explicit search criteria. In addition, pre-compiled reports are made available for particular types of data and bulletin boards are provided to facilitate communication and coordination among members of the community of maize geneticists.

Vigor-S, a new system for evaluating the physiological potential of maize seeds

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Danielle Otte Carrara Castan

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: The refinement of vigor tests and the possibility of utilizing computer resources for the effective evaluation of the seed physiological potential have attracted considerable interest from research and seed technologists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological potential of maize seeds using the newly-created Automated Analysis of Seed Vigor System (Vigor-S compared with other recommended seed vigor tests; two maize hybrids were used, each represented by seven seed lots. Germination and vigor (cold test, saturated salt accelerated aging, and field seedling emergence evaluations were conducted. For the evaluation of seed vigor with the use of seedling image analysis resources, two systems were compared: the Seed Vigor Imaging System (SVIS®, developed by Ohio State University, USA and the Vigor-S, resulting from collaboration between USP/ESALQ and EMBRAPA (Embrapa Instrumentation. Using these two systems, three day old seedlings were scanned and the images were analyzed. Similar results for the vigor index, uniformity of development, and seedling length were obtained. The computerized image analysis of seedlings using Vigor-S has advantages with respect to accuracy, speed, and the possibility of automatic application to a worksheet. It is a consistent alternative for the evaluation of maize seed vigor, and produces information compatible with that obtained by the accelerated aging test and SVIS®.

Comparative study of impact of Azotobacter and Trichoderma with other fertilizers on maize growth

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Sanjay Mahato

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Biofertilizers may be a better eco-friendly option to maintain soil fertility. The study was conducted to investigate the effect of Azotobacter and Trichoderma on the vegetative growth of maize (Zea mays L. plants. The experiment was carried out in medium sized pots, at IAAS, Lamjung (Feb 2017 - May 2017 in completely randomized design (CRD, consisting eight treatments and three replications. Treatments were namely T1 (control, T2 (Azotobacter, T3 (Trichoderma, T4 (Azotobacter + Trichoderma, T5 (NPK, T6 (Azotobacter + Trichoderma + FYM, T7 (Azotobacter + Trichoderma + FYM + NPK, T8 (FYM. Azotobacter showed a positive increase in plant height, stem girth, dry shoot weight, root length and width, and root weight while Trichoderma displayed either negative or minimal impact. Effect of FYM was lower than Azotobacter but considerably higher than Trichoderma. Trichoderma seriously inhibited the expression of Azotobacter when used together. Trichoderma even suppressed the outcome (except shoot weight of FYM when used together. Root length was the longest in Azotobacter inoculation. The highest number of leaves was in T7 followed by Azotobacter (T2 and NPK (T5. Unlike leaf width, Azotobacter showed a negligible increase in leaves length while Trichoderma wherever present showed the negative impact. Minimum chlorophyll content was found in Azotobacter or Trichoderma after 73 days. Azotobacter treatment showed early tasseling than Trichoderma. The association of Azotobacter and Trichoderma increased the biomass. Azotobacter has significant effects on growth parameters of maize and can supplement chemical fertilizer, while Trichoderma was found to inhibit most of the growth parameters.

Vulnerability of Maize Yields to Droughts in Uganda

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Terence Epule Epule

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Climate projections in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA forecast an increase in the intensity and frequency of droughts with implications for maize production. While studies have examined how maize might be affected at the continental level, there have been few national or sub-national studies of vulnerability. We develop a vulnerability index that combines sensitivity, exposure and adaptive capacity and that integrates agroecological, climatic and socio-economic variables to evaluate the national and spatial pattern of maize yield vulnerability to droughts in Uganda. The results show that maize yields in the north of Uganda are more vulnerable to droughts than in the south and nationally. Adaptive capacity is higher in the south of the country than in the north. Maize yields also record higher levels of sensitivity and exposure in the north of Uganda than in the south. Latitudinally, it is observed that maize yields in Uganda tend to record higher levels of vulnerability, exposure and sensitivity towards higher latitudes, while in contrast, the adaptive capacity of maize yields is higher towards the lower latitudes. In addition to lower precipitation levels in the north of the country, these observations can also be explained by poor soil quality in most of the north and socio-economic proxies, such as, higher poverty and lower literacy rates in the north of Uganda.

Lack of detectable allergenicity in genetically modified maize containing "Cry" proteins as compared to native maize based on in silico & in vitro analysis.

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Chandni Mathur

Full Text Available Genetically modified, (GM crops with potential allergens must be evaluated for safety and endogenous IgE binding pattern compared to native variety, prior to market release.To compare endogenous IgE binding proteins of three GM maize seeds containing Cry 1Ab,1Ac,1C transgenic proteins with non GM maize.An integrated approach of in silico & in vitro methods was employed. Cry proteins were tested for presence of allergen sequence by FASTA in allergen databases. Biochemical assays for maize extracts were performed. Specific IgE (sIgE and Immunoblot using food sensitized patients sera (n = 39 to non GM and GM maize antigens was performed.In silico approaches, confirmed for non sequence similarity of stated transgenic proteins in allergen databases. An insignificant (p> 0.05 variation in protein content between GM and non GM maize was observed. Simulated Gastric Fluid (SGF revealed reduced number of stable protein fractions in GM then non GM maize which might be due to shift of constituent protein expression. Specific IgE values from patients showed insignificant difference in non GM and GM maize extracts. Five maize sensitized cases, recognized same 7 protein fractions of 88-28 kD as IgE bindng in both GM and non-GM maize, signifying absence of variation. Four of the reported IgE binding proteins were also found to be stable by SGF.Cry proteins did not indicate any significant similarity of >35% in allergen databases. Immunoassays also did not identify appreciable differences in endogenous IgE binding in GM and non GM maize.

Maize kernel evolution:From teosinte to maize

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Maize is the most productive and highest value commodity in the US and around the world: over 1 billion tons were produced each year in 2013 and 2014. Together, maize, rice and wheat comprise over 60% of the world’s caloric intake, with wide regional variability in the importance of each crop. The i...

High-precision chronology for Central American maize diversification from El Gigante rockshelter, Honduras.

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Kennett, Douglas J; Thakar, Heather B; VanDerwarker, Amber M; Webster, David L; Culleton, Brendan J; Harper, Thomas K; Kistler, Logan; Scheffler, Timothy E; Hirth, Kenneth

2017-08-22

The first steps toward maize ( Zea mays subspecies mays ) domestication occurred in the Balsas region of Mexico by ∼9,000 calendar years B.P. (cal B.P.), but it remains unclear when maize was productive enough to be a staple grain in the Americas. Molecular and microbotanical data provide a partial picture of the timing and nature of morphological change, with genetic data indicating that alleles for some domestication traits were not yet fixed by 5,300 cal B.P. in the highlands of Mexico. Here, we report 88 radiocarbon dates on the botanical remains from El Gigante rockshelter (Honduras) to establish a Bayesian chronology over the past ∼11,000 y spanning the transition to maize-based food production. Botanical remains are remarkably well preserved and include over 10,000 maize macrofossils. We directly dated 37 maize cobs to establish the appearance and local change of maize at the site. Cobs are common in deposits dating between 4,340 and 4,020 cal B.P., and again between 2,350 and 980 cal B.P. The earliest cobs appear robustly domesticated, having 10-14 rows, suggesting strong selection for increased yield. The later cobs are comparable to these earliest ones, but show clear emergence of diverse traits, including increased cob width, rachis segment length, and cupule width. Our results indicate that domesticated landraces of maize productive enough to be a staple grain existed in Central America by 4,300 cal B.P.

Harnessing maize biodiversity

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Maize is a remarkably diverse species, adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions and farming practices. The latitudinal range of maize is immense, ranging from 54°N in Alberta, Canada, to 45°S in the province of Chubut, Argentina. In terms of altitude, maize is cultivated from sea level to 4000...

Identification and characterization of the donkey CSN1S2 I and II cDNAs

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Davide Nicodemo

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The αs2 casein, encoded by the CSN1S2 gene, is one of the three Calcium sensitive caseins present in the milk of ruminants of zootechnical interest and in the milk of Equidae species (horse and donkey. In the present study, we cloned, sequenced and analysed two different donkey CSN1S2 cDNAs that we called CSN1S2 I and CSN1S2 II. The first, which spans over a fragment of 1016 nt, is constituted by 19 exons and encodes for a predicted protein (called αs2-I of 221 aminoacids; the second, of which we determined the entire sequence (16 exons, encodes for a predicted peptide (called αs2-II of 168 aminoacids. Alternative splicing and genetic markers are reported for both genes.

Pulp regeneration in a full-length human tooth root using a hierarchical nanofibrous microsphere system.

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Li, Xiangwei; Ma, Chi; Xie, Xiaohua; Sun, Hongchen; Liu, Xiaohua

2016-04-15

While pulp regeneration using tissue engineering strategy has been explored for over a decade, successful regeneration of pulp tissues in a full-length human root with a one-end seal that truly simulates clinical endodontic treatment has not been achieved. To address this challenge, we designed and synthesized a unique hierarchical growth factor-loaded nanofibrous microsphere scaffolding system. In this system, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) binds with heparin and is encapsulated in heparin-conjugated gelatin nanospheres, which are further immobilized in the nanofibers of an injectable poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) microsphere. This hierarchical microsphere system not only protects the VEGF from denaturation and degradation, but also provides excellent control of its sustained release. In addition, the nanofibrous PLLA microsphere integrates the extracellular matrix-mimicking architecture with a highly porous injectable form, efficiently accommodating dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and supporting their proliferation and pulp tissue formation. Our in vivo study showed the successful regeneration of pulp-like tissues that fulfilled the entire apical and middle thirds and reached the coronal third of the full-length root canal. In addition, a large number of blood vessels were regenerated throughout the canal. For the first time, our work demonstrates the success of pulp tissue regeneration in a full-length root canal, making it a significant step toward regenerative endodontics. The regeneration of pulp tissues in a full-length tooth root canal has been one of the greatest challenges in the field of regenerative endodontics, and one of the biggest barriers for its clinical application. In this study, we developed a unique approach to tackle this challenge, and for the first time, we successfully regenerated living pulp tissues in a full-length root canal, making it a significant step toward regenerative endodontics. This study will make positive scientific

Full-length genomic characterization and molecular evolution of canine parvovirus in China.

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Zhou, Ling; Tang, Qinghai; Shi, Lijun; Kong, Miaomiao; Liang, Lin; Mao, Qianqian; Bu, Bin; Yao, Lunguang; Zhao, Kai; Cui, Shangjin; Leal, Élcio

2016-06-01

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) can cause acute haemorrhagic enteritis in dogs and myocarditis in puppies. This disease has become one of the most serious infectious diseases of dogs. During 2014 in China, there were many cases of acute infectious diarrhoea in dogs. Some faecal samples were negative for the CPV-2 antigen based on a colloidal gold test strip but were positive based on PCR, and a viral strain was isolated from one such sample. The cytopathic effect on susceptible cells and the results of the immunoperoxidase monolayer assay, PCR, and sequencing indicated that the pathogen was CPV-2. The strain was named CPV-NY-14, and the full-length genome was sequenced and analysed. A maximum likelihood tree was constructed using the full-length genome and all available CPV-2 genomes. New strains have replaced the original strain in Taiwan and Italy, although the CPV-2a strain is still predominant there. However, CPV-2a still causes many cases of acute infectious diarrhoea in dogs in China.

Scalable production in human cells and biochemical characterization of full-length normal and mutant huntingtin.

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Bin Huang

Full Text Available Huntingtin (Htt is a 350 kD intracellular protein, ubiquitously expressed and mainly localized in the cytoplasm. Huntington's disease (HD is caused by a CAG triplet amplification in exon 1 of the corresponding gene resulting in a polyglutamine (polyQ expansion at the N-terminus of Htt. Production of full-length Htt has been difficult in the past and so far a scalable system or process has not been established for recombinant production of Htt in human cells. The ability to produce Htt in milligram quantities would be a prerequisite for many biochemical and biophysical studies aiming in a better understanding of Htt function under physiological conditions and in case of mutation and disease. For scalable production of full-length normal (17Q and mutant (46Q and 128Q Htt we have established two different systems, the first based on doxycycline-inducible Htt expression in stable cell lines, the second on "gutless" adenovirus mediated gene transfer. Purified material has then been used for biochemical characterization of full-length Htt. Posttranslational modifications (PTMs were determined and several new phosphorylation sites were identified. Nearly all PTMs in full-length Htt localized to areas outside of predicted alpha-solenoid protein regions. In all detected N-terminal peptides methionine as the first amino acid was missing and the second, alanine, was found to be acetylated. Differences in secondary structure between normal and mutant Htt, a helix-rich protein, were not observed in our study. Purified Htt tends to form dimers and higher order oligomers, thus resembling the situation observed with N-terminal fragments, although the mechanism of oligomer formation may be different.

Benchmarking of the Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencing for quantitative and qualitative assessment of cDNA populations.

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Oikonomopoulos, Spyros; Wang, Yu Chang; Djambazian, Haig; Badescu, Dunarel; Ragoussis, Jiannis

2016-08-24

To assess the performance of the Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION sequencing platform, cDNAs from the External RNA Controls Consortium (ERCC) RNA Spike-In mix were sequenced. This mix mimics mammalian mRNA species and consists of 92 polyadenylated transcripts with known concentration. cDNA libraries were generated using a template switching protocol to facilitate the direct comparison between different sequencing platforms. The MinION performance was assessed for its ability to sequence the cDNAs directly with good accuracy in terms of abundance and full length. The abundance of the ERCC cDNA molecules sequenced by MinION agreed with their expected concentration. No length or GC content bias was observed. The majority of cDNAs were sequenced as full length. Additionally, a complex cDNA population derived from a human HEK-293 cell line was sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2500, PacBio RS II and ONT MinION platforms. We observed that there was a good agreement in the measured cDNA abundance between PacBio RS II and ONT MinION (rpearson = 0.82, isoforms with length more than 700bp) and between Illumina HiSeq 2500 and ONT MinION (rpearson = 0.75). This indicates that the ONT MinION can sequence quantitatively both long and short full length cDNA molecules.

Effect of Spatial Arrangement on Growth and Yield of Cowpea in a Cowpea-maize Intercrop

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Ocaya, CP.

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Cowpea growth and yield performance when intercropped with maize was studied for 3 consecutive seasons under three spatial arrangements, i. e., maize planted at 90 x 30, 100 x 27, and 120 x 22.5 cm, with 2 rows of cowpea between the maize rows. Growth and yield of cowpea was improved significantly by widening maize intra-row distances as compared to the 90 x 30 cm spacing. Hence, intercropped cowpea needs to be sown where maize rows are wide apart, but the maize rows should not be too wide as this would lower the grain yield of maize.

Evaluation of full-length, cleaved and nitrosylated serum surfactant protein D as biomarkers for COPD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duvoix, Annelyse; Miranda, Elena; Perez, Juan

2011-01-01

. Serum levels of SP-D are raised in individuals with COPD but there is no correlation between the serum level of SP-D and the severity of airflow obstruction. Serum SP-D is present in different forms that may have more utility as a biomarker for COPD. We report here the development of new monoclonal...... antibodies to full length and cleaved SP-D. We have assessed these and existing antibodies in 98 individuals with COPD recruited to the Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints (ECLIPSE) cohort. Our data show that neither monoclonal antibodies to full length nor cleaved SP...

Estimation of heterosis in yield and yield attributing traits in single cross hybrids of maize

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Hari Prasad Sharma

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A field experiment was conducted at National Maize Research Program, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal during winter season from 6th October, 2015 to 5th March 2016 to estimate different heterosis on single cross maize hybrids . Thirteen maize hybrids were tested randomized complete block design with three replications. Hybrid namely RML-98/RL-105 gave the highest standard heterosis (57.5% for grain yield over CP-666 followed by RML-4/NML-2 (32.6%, RML-95/RL-105 (29% and RML-5/RL-105 (20.6%. The hybrid RML-98/RL-105 produced the highest standard heterosis (75.1% for grain yield over Rajkumar followed by RML-4/NML-2(50.2%, RML-95/RL-105(46.6%, RML-5/RL-105 and (35.7%. Mid and better parent heterosis were significantly higher for yield and yield attributes viz. ear length, ear diameter, no of kernel row per ear, no of kernel per row and test weight. The highest positive mid-parent heterosis for grain yield was found in RML-98/RL-105 followed by RML-5/RL-105, RML-95/RL-105, and RML-4/NML-2. For the grain yield the better parent heterosis was the highest in RML-98/RL-105, followed by RML-5/RL-105, RML-95/RL-105, and RML-4/NML-2. These results suggested that maize production can be maximized by cultivating hybrids namely RML-98/RL-105, RML-5/RL-105, RML-95/RL-105, and RML-4/NML-2 .

Mycoflora Of Maize Zea Maize At Different Locations In Hail Area-Saudi Arabia

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Elham S. Dawood

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Zea maize is one of the main cereals produced in Hail area Saudi Arabia. The risk of mycotoxin contamination is related to mycoflora associated with corn kernel. This paper reports on isolation and identification of external and internal mycoflora of maize harvested in Hail area in 2006 2008. A mycological survey was carried out on 200 samples from two agricultural companies . Comparison between frequency and relative density of the prevalent genera and species was carried out. Genus Fusarium was the most prevalent component of the internal seed - borne mycoflora in the two companies Aspergillus spp. was the most prevalent genus as external seed borne mycoflora. The predominant species of the different genera were Fusarium moniliforrme Aspergillus flavus A. niger and Alternaria alternate.

Growing sensitivity of maize to water scarcity under climate change.

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Meng, Qingfeng; Chen, Xinping; Lobell, David B; Cui, Zhenling; Zhang, Yi; Yang, Haishun; Zhang, Fusuo

2016-01-25

Climate change can reduce crop yields and thereby threaten food security. The current measures used to adapt to climate change involve avoiding crops yield decrease, however, the limitations of such measures due to water and other resources scarcity have not been well understood. Here, we quantify how the sensitivity of maize to water availability has increased because of the shift toward longer-maturing varieties during last three decades in the Chinese Maize Belt (CMB). We report that modern, longer-maturing varieties have extended the growing period by an average of 8 days and have significantly offset the negative impacts of climate change on yield. However, the sensitivity of maize production to water has increased: maize yield across the CMB was 5% lower with rainfed than with irrigated maize in the 1980s and was 10% lower (and even >20% lower in some areas) in the 2000s because of both warming and the increased requirement for water by the longer-maturing varieties. Of the maize area in China, 40% now fails to receive the precipitation required to attain the full yield potential. Opportunities for water saving in maize systems exist, but water scarcity in China remains a serious problem.

A Method for Estimating the Aerodynamic Roughness Length with NDVI and BRDF Signatures Using Multi-Temporal Proba-V Data

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Mingzhao Yu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Aerodynamic roughness length is an important parameter for surface fluxes estimates. This paper developed an innovative method for estimation of aerodynamic roughness length (z0m over farmland with a new vegetation index, the Hot-darkspot Vegetation Index (HDVI. To obtain this new index, the normalized-difference hot-darkspot index (NDHD is introduced using a semi-empirical, kernel-driven bidirectional reflectance model with multi-temporal Proba-V 300-m top-of-canopy (TOC reflectance products. A linear relationship between HDVI and z0m was found during the crop growth period. Wind profiles data from two field automatic weather station (AWS were used to calibrate the model: one site is in Guantao County in Hai Basin, in which double-cropping systems and crop rotations with summer maize and winter wheat are implemented; the other is in the middle reach of the Heihe River Basin from the Heihe Watershed Allied Telemetry Experimental Research (HiWATER project, with the main crop of spring maize. The iterative algorithm based on Monin–Obukhov similarity theory is employed to calculate the field z0m from time series. Results show that the relationship between HDVI and z0m is more pronounced than that between NDVI and z0m for spring maize at Yingke site, with an R2 value that improved from 0.636 to 0.772. At Guantao site, HDVI also exhibits better performance than NDVI, with R2 increasing from 0.630 to 0.793 for summer maize and from 0.764 to 0.790 for winter wheat. HDVI can capture the impacts of crop residue on z0m, whereas NDVI cannot.

Cloning and molecular characterization of the cDNAs encoding the variable regions of an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody.

Science.gov (United States)

Shanehbandi, Dariush; Majidi, Jafar; Kazemi, Tohid; Baradaran, Behzad; Aghebati-Maleki, Leili

2017-01-01

CD20-based targeting of B-cells in hematologic malignancies and autoimmune disorders is associated with outstanding clinical outcomes. Isolation and characterization of VH and VL cDNAs encoding the variable regions of the heavy and light chains of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) is necessary to produce next generation MAbs and their derivatives such as bispecific antibodies (bsAb) and single-chain variable fragments (scFv). This study was aimed at cloning and characterization of the VH and VL cDNAs from a hybridoma cell line producing an anti-CD20 MAb. VH and VL fragments were amplified, cloned and characterized. Furthermore, amino acid sequences of VH, VL and corresponding complementarity-determining regions (CDR) were determined and compared with those of four approved MAbs including Rituximab (RTX), Ibritumomab tiuxetan, Ofatumumab and GA101. The cloned VH and VL cDNAs were found to be functional and follow a consensus pattern. Amino acid sequences corresponding to the VH and VL fragments also indicated noticeable homologies to those of RTX and Ibritumomab. Furthermore, amino acid sequences of the relating CDRs had remarkable similarities to their counterparts in RTX and Ibritumomab. Successful recovery of VH and VL fragments encourages the development of novel CD20 targeting bsAbs, scFvs, antibody conjugates and T-cells armed with chimeric antigen receptors.

Insertion of Introns: A Strategy to Facilitate Assembly of Infectious Full Length Clones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Ida Elisabeth; Lund, Ole Søgaard

2008-01-01

Some DNA fragments are difficult to clone in Escherichia coli by standard methods. It has been speculated that unintended transcription and translation result in expression of proteins that are toxic to the bacteria. This problem is frequently observed during assembly of infectious full-length vi...

Efficacy of nitrogen on the growth and yield of maize (Zea Mays L ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

, 170, 210 and 250 kg/ha with three replications. Urea application significantly increased plant height, number of leaves and ear weight, ear length and ear diameter per plant. The use of 210kg/ha Nitrogen produced the best maize grain yield ...

Effect of Bambara nut and cowpea intercropped with maize at different times on nutritive quality of maize for ruminant feeding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olanite, J. A.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Effects of Bambara nut and cowpea planted with maize at different times on nutritive quality of maize forage were investigated. The study was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design and the treatments were combination of crop types (Bambara nut-maize (MB and Cowpea-maize (MC and planting times of legumes (2 wks before planting maize, 2WBPM and 2 wks after planting maize, 2WAPM, and sole maize (as control. An experimental field measuring 19 m � 11 m was divided into 3 replicates; each replicate was sub-divided into 5 plots of dimension 3 m2 each, with 1 m and 2 m inter-plots and inter-blocks spacing respectively. Maize forage samples were harvested on each plot at 10 wks after planting, oven-dried, milled and analyzed to evaluate the chemical composition, mineral composition, in vitro gas production and post-incubation characteristics. Results revealed significant differences (P<0.05 among treatments with the highest (95.00% and least DM (92.12% values were recorded for MB 2WBPM and MC 2WAPM, respectively. CP values ranged from 10.36% in MB 2WBPM to 15.67% in MC 2WBPM but not significantly different from 14.19 % recorded for sole maize. Ash ranged from 7.00% in MB 2WAPM to 10.00% in sole maize. MC 2WBPM and sole maize had the highest (50.63% and least (38.40% in ADF content (P<0.05. ADL value (7.25% observed in MB 2WBPM was the highest, compared to the least (5.00% in sole maize. Sole maize recorded the least (40.40% and highest (25.91% cellulose and hemicellulose contents, respectively while MC 2WAPM had the highest (50.88% and lowest (15.80% values for cellulose and hemicellulose, respectively. Ca content (4.55g/kg of MB 2WAPM was lower than the other treatments. P content ranged from 3.54 g/kg in MB 2WAPM to 12.02 g/kg in MC 2WAPM. Gas production rates only varied (P<0.05 at the 3rd, 6th, 24th and 48th hours of incubation. MB 2WBPM yielded highest values of short chain fatty acids (0.09 �mol and metabolizable energy (3.08 MJ/kg while MB

Impaired heat shock response in cells expressing full-length polyglutamine-expanded huntingtin.

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Sidhartha M Chafekar

Full Text Available The molecular mechanisms by which polyglutamine (polyQ-expanded huntingtin (Htt causes neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease (HD remain unclear. The malfunction of cellular proteostasis has been suggested as central in HD pathogenesis and also as a target of therapeutic interventions for the treatment of HD. We present results that offer a previously unexplored perspective regarding impaired proteostasis in HD. We find that, under non-stress conditions, the proteostatic capacity of cells expressing full length polyQ-expanded Htt is adequate. Yet, under stress conditions, the presence of polyQ-expanded Htt impairs the heat shock response, a key component of cellular proteostasis. This impaired heat shock response results in a reduced capacity to withstand the damage caused by cellular stress. We demonstrate that in cells expressing polyQ-expanded Htt the levels of heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1 are reduced, and, as a consequence, these cells have an impaired a heat shock response. Also, we found reduced HSF1 and HSP70 levels in the striata of HD knock-in mice when compared to wild-type mice. Our results suggests that full length, non-aggregated polyQ-expanded Htt blocks the effective induction of the heat shock response under stress conditions and may thus trigger the accumulation of cellular damage during the course of HD pathogenesis.

Performance of initial full-length RHIC [Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider] dipoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahl, P.; Cottingham, J.; Garber, M.

1987-01-01

The first four full-length (9.7 m) R and D dipoles for the proposed Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) have been successfully tested. The magnets reached a quench plateau of approximately 4.5 T with very reasonable training - a field level comfortably above the design field of 3.45 T required for operation with beams of 100 GeV/amu gold nuclei. Measured field multipoles are considered to be quite acceptable for this series of R and D magnets

OsRAMOSA2 Shapes Panicle Architecture through Regulating Pedicel Length

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Huan Lu

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The panicle architecture of rice is an important characteristic that influences reproductive success and yield. It is largely determined by the number and length of the primary and secondary branches. The number of panicle branches is defined by the inflorescence meristem state between determinacy and indeterminacy; for example, the maize ramosa2 (ra2 mutant has more branches in its tassel through loss of spikelet determinacy. Some genes and factors influencing the number of primary and secondary branches have been studied, but little is known about the molecular mechanism underlying pedicel development, which also influences panicle architecture. We report here that rice OsRAMOSA2 (OsRA2 gene modifies panicle architecture through regulating pedicel length. Ectopic expression of OsRA2 resulted in a shortened pedicel while inhibition of OsRA2 through RNA interference produced elongated pedicel. In addition, OsRA2 influenced seed morphology. The OsRA2 protein localized to the nucleus and showed transcriptional activation in yeast; in accordance with its function in pedicel development, OsRA2 mRNA was enriched in the anlagen of axillary meristems, such as primary and secondary branch meristems and the spikelet meristems of young panicles. This indicates a conserved role of OsRA2 for shaping the initial steps of inflorescence architecture. Genetic analysis revealed that OsRA2 may control panicle architecture using the same pathway as that of the axillary meristem gene LAX1 (LAX PANICLE1. Moreover, OsRA2 acted downstream of RCN2 in regulating pedicel and branch lengths, but upstream of RCN2 for control of the number of secondary branches, indicating that branch number and length development in the panicle were respectively regulated using parallel pathway. Functional conservation between OsRA2 and AtLOB, and the conservation and diversification of RA2 in maize and rice are also discussed.

Studies on maize inbred lines susceptibility to herbicides

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Stefanović Lidija

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the analysis of results obtained during long- term studies on the response of maize inbred lines to herbicides. Under the agroecological conditions of Zemun Polje the response (reaction of maize inbred lines to herbicides of different classes was investigated. Biological tests were performed and some agronomic, morphological, physiological and biochemical parameters were determined when the response of maize inbred lines to herbicides was estimated. The use of active ingredients of herbicides from triazine, acetanilide, thiocarbamate to new chemical groups (sulfonylurea etc., have been resulted in changes in weed suppression and susceptibility of inbred lines. Obtained results show that effects of herbicides on susceptible maize genotypes can be different: they can slowdown the growth and development and affect the plant height; they can also affect the stages of the tassel and ear development and at the end they can reduced grain yield of the tested inbreds. Numerous studies confirmed the existence of differences in susceptibility level of maize genotypes in relation to herbicides. According to gained results the recommendations for growers are made on the possibility of the application of new herbicides in the hybrid seed production.

Application of csm- ceres-maize model for seasonal and multi-decadal predictions of maize yield in under subtropical condition of Chitwan, Nepal

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Lal Prasad Amgain

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The average maize yield of 2.5 t/ha in sub-tropical terai and inner terai of Nepal has been very less than its potential yield of about 5.0 t/ha, for which changing climatic scenarios have been reported the critical factors. Cropping system Model (CSM-Crop Estimation through Resource and Environment Synthesis (CERES-Maize, embedded under Decision Support System for Agro-technology Transfer (DSSAT ver. 4.2 was evaluated from a datasets of field experimentation by growing four diverse maize genotypes viz. full season OPV (Rampur Composite, Quality Protein Maize (Posilo Makai-1, Hybrid (Gaurav and Pop corn (Pool-12 under three different planting dates (September 1, October 1 and November 1 in 2009-10 at Rampur Campus, Chitwan. The experiment was laid out in two factor factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD with three replications in slightly acidic (pH 6.7 sandy loam soil having low soil available N( 0.49% and K (148 kg/ha and medium P (16.3 kg/ha status. The ancillary and yield data obtaining from field experiment was analyzed from the M-Stat C software and recorded that Gaurav hybrid produced significantly higher yield under September 1 planting (5.86 t/ha followed by Posilo Makai 1 (5.55 t/ha, Rampur Composite (5.1t/ha and the least with Pool-12 (3.45 t/ha. Further, the heat use efficiency of diverse maize genotypes were also calculated by using the mean temperature based accumulative heat unit system and found the stable yields only with Rampur Composite for all planting dates and the rest genotypes were suitable only to the early winter plantings. Model calibration was done by using September 1 planting date for all 4 maize genotypes while validation was accomplished by using the remaining treatments for predicting growth and yield of different maize genotypes. The year 2006- 07 was found 13, 18, 23 and 7% higher in producing the maize yield than the standard year 2009-10 for Rampur Composite, Posilo Makai-1, Gaurav and Pool-12

Development, applications and distribution of DNA markers for genetic information for sorghum and maize improvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, M.

2001-01-01

This final report summarizes the progress made towards the enhancement and distribution of genetic resources (e.g. genetic stocks, seed and DNA clones) used for basic and applied aspects of the genetic improvement of maize and sorghum. The genetic maps of maize and sorghum were improved through comparative mapping of RFLP loci detected by 124 maize cDNA clones and through the development of a new mapping population of maize. Comparative mapping between maize and sorghum and maize and rice, using the set of 124 maize cDNA clones (and other clones) in each study, substantiated previous observations of extensive conservation of locus order but it also provided strong evidence of numerous large-scale chromosomal rearrangements. The new mapping population for maize (intermated B73xMo17, 'IBM') was created by random intermating during the first segregating generation. Intermating for four generations prior to the derivation of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) increased the frequency of recombinants at many regions of the maize genome and provided better genetic resolution of locus order. Expansion of the maize genetic map was not uniform along the length of a linkage group and was less than the theoretical expectation. The 350 IBM RILs were genotyped at 512 loci detected by DNA clones, including 76 of the 124 supported by this contract. The production of the sorghum mapping population of RILs from the cross CK60xPI229828 has been delayed by weather conditions that were not conducive to plant growth and seed development. Seed of the IBM RILs have been distributed (approximately 5000 RILs in total) to 16 research organizations in the public and private sector. The DNA clones have been distributed (1,206 in total) to nine research labs. Further distribution of the seed and clones will be managed by curators at stock centers in the public domain. (author)

XenDB: Full length cDNA prediction and cross species mapping in Xenopus laevis

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Giegerich Robert

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Research using the model system Xenopus laevis has provided critical insights into the mechanisms of early vertebrate development and cell biology. Large scale sequencing efforts have provided an increasingly important resource for researchers. To provide full advantage of the available sequence, we have analyzed 350,468 Xenopus laevis Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs both to identify full length protein encoding sequences and to develop a unique database system to support comparative approaches between X. laevis and other model systems. Description Using a suffix array based clustering approach, we have identified 25,971 clusters and 40,877 singleton sequences. Generation of a consensus sequence for each cluster resulted in 31,353 tentative contig and 4,801 singleton sequences. Using both BLASTX and FASTY comparison to five model organisms and the NR protein database, more than 15,000 sequences are predicted to encode full length proteins and these have been matched to publicly available IMAGE clones when available. Each sequence has been compared to the KOG database and ~67% of the sequences have been assigned a putative functional category. Based on sequence homology to mouse and human, putative GO annotations have been determined. Conclusion The results of the analysis have been stored in a publicly available database XenDB http://bibiserv.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de/xendb/. A unique capability of the database is the ability to batch upload cross species queries to identify potential Xenopus homologues and their associated full length clones. Examples are provided including mapping of microarray results and application of 'in silico' analysis. The ability to quickly translate the results of various species into 'Xenopus-centric' information should greatly enhance comparative embryological approaches. Supplementary material can be found at http://bibiserv.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de/xendb/.

Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium verticillioides infection on maize seeds

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Dayana Portes Ramos

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The previous knowledge of the infection process and pathogens behavior, for evaluating the physiological potential of maize seeds, is essential for decision making on the final destination of lots that can endanger sowing. This research was carried out in order to study the minimum period required for maize seeds contamination by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe and Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc. Nirenberg, as well as these pathogens influence on seed germination and vigor, by using the cold test. Three maize seeds hybrids, kept in contact with the pathogens for different periods, were evaluated with and without surface disinfection. After determining the most suitable period, new samples were contaminated by F. graminearum and F. verticillioides, under different infection levels, and subjected to germination tests in sand. The cold test was conducted with healthy and contaminated seeds, at different periods, in a cold chamber. The contact of maize seeds with F. graminearum and F. verticillioides for 16 hours was enough to cause infection. F. graminearum and F. verticillioides did not affect the maize seeds germination, however, F. graminearum reduced the vigor of seeds lots.

The response of maize production in Kenya to economic incentives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Onono, P.A.,

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Agricultural development policy in Kenya has emphasised the use of incentives towards increased production and therefore self-sufficiency in maize which is a basic staple for most households. The channels used to provide incentives to maize farmers over the years include setting higher producer prices; subsidisation of inputs; provision of agricultural credit, research and extension services; construction and maintenance of roads, development of irrigation and water systems; legislative, institutional and macroeconomic reforms. Despite these efforts outputof maize has remained below domestic requirements in most years and the country continues to rely on imports to meet the deficits. Studies have assessed the responsiveness of maize to output price and reported inelastic responses and have recommended policies targeting non-price incentives to complement prices for the required increased production of maize. The studies, however, did not analyse the influence of the non-price incentives on the production of the crop. The findings of those studies are therefore deficient in explaining the relative importance of different non-price incentives and how they complement prices in influencing maize production in Kenya. This study investigated the response of maize production to both price and non-price incentives. The aim of this study was to ascertain the relative importance of non-price factors in influencing production of the crops as well as complementarity between price and non-price incentives. The findings show that maize production responds positively to its output price, development expenditures in agriculture, maize sales to marketing boards, growth in per capita GDP, liberalisation and governance reforms. However, maize production responds negatively to fertiliser price and unfavourable weather conditions. The response of maize output to its price is lower with rising inflation and grain market liberalisation.

Evaluation of the Aqua‎Crop Model to Simulate Maize Yiled Response under Salinity Stress

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Aida Mehrazar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Limited water resources and its salinity uptrend has caused reducing water and soil quality and consequently reducing the crop production. Thus, use of saline water is the management strategies to decrease drought and water crisis. Furthermore, simulation models are valuable tools for improving on-farm water management and study about the effects of water quality and quantity on crop yield.. The AquaCrop model has recently been developed by the FAO which has the ability to check the production process under different propositions. The initial version of the model was introduced for simulation of crop yield and soil water movement in 2007, that the effect of salinity on crop yield was not considered. Version 4 of the model was released in 2012 in which also considered the effects of salinity on crop yield and simulation of solute Transmission in soil profile. Material and methods: In this project, evaluation of the AquaCrop model and its accuracy was studied in the simulating yield of maize under salt stress. This experiment was conducted in Karaj, on maize hybrid (Zea ma ys L in a sandy soil for investigation of salinity stress on maize yield in 2011-2012. This experiment was conducted in form of randomized complete block design in four replications and five levels of salinity treatments including 0, 4.53, 9.06, 13.59 and 18.13 dS/m at the two times sampling. To evaluate the effect of different levels of salinity on the yield of maize was used Version 4 AquaCrop model and SAS ver 9.1 software .The model calibration was performed by comparing the results of the field studies and the results of simulations in the model. In calculating the yield under different scenarios of salt stress by using AquaCrop, the model needs climate data, soil data, vegetation data and information related to farm management. The effects of salinity on yield and some agronomic and physiological traits of hybrid maize (Shoot length, root length, dry weight

Development of a simple and powerful method, cDNA AFLP-SSPAG ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AJB SERVER

2006-12-18

SSPAG was descry- bed. Using this method, Differential mRNA expression was found between high and low heterosis groups of maize. Differential cDNAs were easily obtained from silver stained cDNA-AFLP separated on.

Assessment of maize stem borer damage on hybrid maize varieties in Chitwan, Nepal

OpenAIRE

Buddhi Bahadur Achhami; Santa Bahadur BK; Ghana Shyam Bhandari

2015-01-01

Maize is the second most important cereal crop in Nepal. However, national figure of grain production still remains below than the world's average grain production per unit area. Thus, this experiment was designed to determine the suitable time of maize planting, and to assess the peak period of one of the major insects, maize stem borer, in Chitwan condition. The results showed that plant damage percentage as per the maize planting month varies significantly, and the average plant damage per...

Effects of moisture content or particle size on the in situ degradability of maize silage and alfalfa haylage in lactating dairy cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Yang; Dong, Shuangzhao; Du, Yun; Li, Shengli; Wang, Yajing; Cao, Zhijun

2016-09-01

A study using four Holstein cows with ruminal cannulas was conducted to evaluate the degradability of different moisture content or particle size of maize silage and alfalfa haylage. The maize silage (MS; 20-mm length) and alfalfa haylage (AH; 40-mm length) samples were wet (wet maize silage, MSW; wet alfalfa haylage, AHW), dried (dried maize silage, MSD; dried alfalfa haylage, AHD), or ground to pass through a 2.5-mm screen (dried ground maize silage, MSG; dried ground alfalfa haylage, AHG). Samples were incubated in the rumen for 2, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h. Cows were fed ad libitum and allowed free access to water. High moisture content treatment of MSW expressed a lower rinsing NDF and ADF degradability at 2 h ( P  < 0.05) compared with dried samples (MSD and MSG). Different moisture content and particle size had a significant impact ( P  < 0.05) on the NDF degradability at 72 h, ADF degradability at 36, 48, and 72 h, and ruminally degradable ADF. All of the highest values were observed in small particle size and low moisture content AHG treatment. Based on this study, sample processing, such as drying and grinding, should be considered when evaluating nutritive values of forages.

Maize starch biphasic pasting curves

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Nelles, EM

2000-05-01

Full Text Available (150–500 rev/min). The second pasting peak is attributed to the formation of complexes between amylose and low levels of lipid present in maize starch. When lipid was partially removed by extraction with methanol-chloroform (1: 3 v/v), the second...

Adapting to warmer climate through prolonged maize grain filling period in the US Midwest

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, P.; Zhuang, Q.; Jin, Z.

2017-12-01

Climate warming is expected to negatively impact the US food productivity. How to adapt to the future warmer environment and meet the rising food requirement becomes unprecedented urgent. Continuous satellite observational data provides an opportunity to examine the historic responses of crop plants to climate variation. Here 16 years crop growing phases information across US Midwest is generated based on satellite observations. We found a prolonged grain-filling period during 2000-2015, which could partly explain the increasing trend in Midwest maize yield. This longer grain-filling period might be resulted from the adoption of longer maturity group varieties or more resistant varieties to temperature variation. Other management practice changes like advance in planting date could be also an effective way of adapting future warmer climate through lowering the possibility of exposure to heat and drought stresses. If the progress in breeding technology enables the maize grain-filling period to prolong with the current rate, the maize grain filling length could be longer and maize yield in Midwest could adapt to future climate despite of the warming.

Toxic effects of boron on growth and antioxidant system parameters of maize (Zea mays L.) roots.

Science.gov (United States)

Esim, Nevzat; Tiryaki, Deniz; Karadagoglu, Omer; Atici, Okkes

2013-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible oxidative stress and the antioxidant response, which were caused on maize by boron (B). For this, 11- and 15-day-old maize seedlings were subjected to 2 or 4 mM B in the form of boric acid (H₃BO₃) for 2 and/or 6 days. At the end of the treatment period, root length, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX) and catalase (CAT) were measured. The results revealed that root length of plants, activity of antioxidative enzymes such as SOD, POX and CAT and also H₂O₂ contents and MDA levels were seriously affected by excess B. These results suggested that the oxidative stress occurred due to the toxic effect of B.

Analysis of genetic diversity among the maize inbred lines (Zea mays L. under heat stress condition

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Manoj Kandel

2017-12-01

Full Text Available High temperature adversely affects the plant physiological processes: limits plant growth and reduction in grain yield. Heat stress is often encountered to spring sowing of maize in spring season. Twenty maize inbred lines were studied for days to 50 % anthesis and silking, anthesis–silking interval, leaf firing, tassel blast, SPAD reading and leaf senescence, plant and ear height, leaf area index, ear per plant, cob length and diameter, number of kernel/ear, number of kernel row/ear, number of kernel row, silk receptivity, shelling percentage, thousand kernel weight and grain yield in alpha lattice design at National Maize Research Program at Rampur, Chitwan,Nepal with the objective to identify superior heat stress tolerant lines. Analysis of variance showed significant difference for all the traits. Result of multivariable analysis revealed that twenty inbred lines formed four clusters. The resistance inbred lines and susceptible inbred lines formed different clusters. The members of cluster 4 were found to be tolerant to heat stress due to they had lowest value of tassel blast, leaf firing, and leaf area index with highest value of cob diameter and length, ear per plant, number of kernel row/ear, number of kernel/ear, number of kernel row, shelling percentage, silk receptivity and grain yield whereas as members of cluster 1were found most susceptible due to they had longer anthesis silking interval, with maximum tassel blast and leaf firing along with no grain yield under heat stress condition. From this study inbred lines RL-140, RML-76, RML-91 and RML-40 were found most tolerant to heat stress. These inbred lines belonging to superior cluster could be considered very useful in developing heat tolerant variety and other breeding activities.

Full-length Dysferlin Transfer by the Hyperactive Sleeping Beauty Transposase Restores Dysferlin-deficient Muscle

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Helena Escobar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Dysferlin-deficient muscular dystrophy is a progressive disease characterized by muscle weakness and wasting for which there is no treatment. It is caused by mutations in DYSF, a large, multiexonic gene that forms a coding sequence of 6.2 kb. Sleeping Beauty (SB transposon is a nonviral gene transfer vector, already used in clinical trials. The hyperactive SB system consists of a transposon DNA sequence and a transposase protein, SB100X, that can integrate DNA over 10 kb into the target genome. We constructed an SB transposon-based vector to deliver full-length human DYSF cDNA into dysferlin-deficient H2K A/J myoblasts. We demonstrate proper dysferlin expression as well as highly efficient engraftment (>1,100 donor-derived fibers of the engineered myoblasts in the skeletal muscle of dysferlin- and immunodeficient B6. Cg-Dysfprmd Prkdcscid/J (Scid/BLA/J mice. Nonviral gene delivery of full-length human dysferlin into muscle cells, along with a successful and efficient transplantation into skeletal muscle are important advances towards successful gene therapy of dysferlin-deficient muscular dystrophy.

Genome sequence of a 5,310-year-old maize cob provides insights into the early stages of maize domestication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramos Madrigal, Jazmin; Smith, Bruce D.; Moreno Mayar, José Victor

2016-01-01

The complex evolutionary history of maize (Zea mays L. ssp. mays) has been clarified with genomic-level data from modern landraces and wild teosinte grasses [1, 2], augmenting archaeological findings that suggest domestication occurred between 10,000 and 6,250 years ago in southern Mexico [3, 4......]. Maize rapidly evolved under human selection, leading to conspicuous phenotypic transformations, as well as adaptations to varied environments [5]. Still, many questions about the domestication process remain unanswered because modern specimens do not represent the full range of past diversity due...... to abandonment of unproductive lineages, genetic drift, on-going natural selection, and recent breeding activity. To more fully understand the history and spread of maize, we characterized the draft genome of a 5,310-year-old archaeological cob excavated in the Tehuacan Valley of Mexico. We compare this ancient...

Impact of chelator-induced phytoextraction of cadmium on yield and ionic uptake of maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Anwar, Sumera; Khan, Shahbaz; Ashraf, M Yasin; Noman, Ali; Zafar, Sara; Liu, Lijun; Ullah, Sana; Fahad, Shah

2017-06-03

Enhanced phytoextraction uses soil chelators to increase the bioavailability of heavy metals. This study tested the effectiveness of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and citric acid in enhancing cadmium (Cd) phytoextraction and their effects on the growth, yield, and ionic uptake of maize (Zea mays). Maize seeds of two cultivars were sown in pots treated with 15 (Cd 15 ) or 30 mg Cd kg -1 soil (Cd 30 ). EDTA and citric acid at 0.5 g kg -1 each were applied 2 weeks after germination. Results demonstrated that the growth, yield per plant, and total grain weight were reduced by exposure to Cd. EDTA increased the uptake of Cd in shoots, roots, and grains of both maize varieties. Citric acid did not enhance the uptake of Cd, rather it ameliorated the toxicity of Cd, as shown by increased shoot and root length and biomass. Cadmium toxicity reduced the number of grains, rather than the grain size. The maize cultivar Sahiwal-2002 extracted 1.6% and 3.6% of Cd from soil in both Cd+ EDTA treatments. Hence, our study implies that maize can be used to successfully phytoremediate Cd from soil using EDTA, without reducing plant biomass or yield.

[Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis influences the biological effects of nano-ZnO on maize].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei-Zhong; Wang, Fa-Yuan; Li, Shuai; Liu, Xue-Qin

2014-08-01

Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) can be taken up and accumulated in plants, then enter human bodies via food chain, and thus cause potential health risk. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi form mutualistic symbioses with the majority of higher plants in terrestrial ecosystems, and potentially influence the biological effects of ENPs. The present greenhouse pot culture experiment studied the effects of inoculation with or without arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Acaulospora mellea on growth and nutritional status of maize under different nano-ZnO levels (0, 500, 1 000, 2000 and 3 000 mg x kg(-1)) artificially added into soil. Results showed that with the increasing nano-ZnO levels in soil, mycorrhizal colonization rate and biomass of maize plants showed a decreasing trend, total root length, total surface area and total volume reduced, while Zn concentration and uptake in plants gradually increased, and P, N, K, Fe, and Cu uptake in shoots all decreased. Compared with the controls, arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation improved the growth and P, N and K nutrition of maize, enhanced total root length, total surface area and total volume, and increased Zn allocation to roots when nano-ZnO was added. Our results firstly show that nano-ZnO in soil induces toxicity to arbuscular mycorrhizae, while arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation can alleviate its toxicity and play a protective role in plants.

Maize production in mid hills of Nepal: from food to feed security

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Krishna Prasad Timsina

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study was undertaken in 2016 to analyze the production and utilization of maize in Nepal. Sixty maize growers from Kavre and Lamjung districts were selected using purposive, cluster and simple random sampling techniques. Similarly, six feed industries and five maize experts from Chitwan district were also interviewed. Study shows 56% of the total areas were used for maize production and 50% of the maize areas were covered by hybrid maize. There was no practice of contract maize production. The results revealed that 60%, 25% and 3% of the grain were used for animal feed, food and seed respectively in hill districts. Whereas the remaining amount of the maize (12% was sold to the different buyers. The proportion of maize feed supply to different animals in the study area was varying. Result shows that at least 1.5 million tons of maize is required only to the feed industries affiliated with national feed industry association in Nepal. Similarly, out of total maize used in feed production, 87% of the maize was imported from India each year by feed industries. Analysis shows negative correlation between scale of feed production and use of domestic maize due to unavailability of required quantity of maize in time. The major pre-condition of feed industries for maize buying was moisture content which must be equal or less than 14%. Very little or no inert materials and physical injury, free from fungal attack and bigger size were also the criteria for maize buying. However, some of the feed industries were also thinking about protein and amino acid contents. Result shows 13% and 8.5% increasing demand of poultry feed and animal feed, respectively over the last five year in Nepal. Most likely, maize is known as a means of food security in Nepal, however, in the context of changing utilization patterns at the farm level and also tremendous increasing demand of maize at the industry level suggest to give more focus on development and dissemination of

Productivity and profitability of maize-pumpkin mix cropping in Chitwan, Nepal

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Shiva Chandra Dhakal

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The study was conducted to determine the productivity, profitability and resource use efficiency of maize-pumpkin mix crop production in Chitwan. The study used 53 maize-pumpkin mix crop adopting farmers from among 300 farmers adopting different pollinator friendly practices. Descriptive and statistical tools including Cobb-Douglas production function were used to analyze data, collected from structured interview schedule. The benefit cost ratio (1.58 indicates that maize-pumpkin mix cropping was profitable with productivity of 2.83 ton per ha on maize main product equivalent basis. The magnitude of regression coefficients of maize-pumpkin mix cropping implied that expenditure on seed and fertilizer and irrigation had significant positive effect on gross return with estimated decreasing return to scale (0.85. According to estimated allocative efficiency indices, it is suggested to increase expenditure on seed and fertilizer cum irrigation by about 90% and 55% respectively. Extension of modern technologies with adjustment on resource use is to be encouraged for increase in productivity and profitability of maize-pumpkin mix crop production which indirectly promotes and ensure forage for pollinators

Selection and Evaluation of Maize Genotypes Tolerance to Low Phosphorus Soils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, J. C.; Jiang, H. M.; Zhang, J. F.; Li, L. L.; Li, G. H. [Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing (China)

2013-11-15

Maize species differ in their ability to take up phosphorus (P) from the soil, and these differences are attributed to the morphology and physiology of plants relative to their germplasm base. An effective method of increasing P efficiency in maize is to select and evaluate genotypes that can produce a high yield under P deficient conditions. In this study, 116 maize inbred lines with various genetic backgrounds collected from several Agricultural Universities and Institutes in China were evaluated in a field experiment to identify genotypic differences in P efficiency in 2007. Overall, 15 maize inbred lines were selected from the 116 inbred lines during the 5-year field experimental period based on their 100-grain weight in P-deficient soil at maturity, when compared to the characteristics exhibited in P-sufficient soil. All of the selected lines were evaluated in field experiments from 2008 to 2010 for their tolerance to low-P at the seedling and maturity stages. Inhibition (%) was used and defined as the parameter measured under P limitation compared to the parameters measured under P sufficiency to evaluate the genotypic variation in tolerance. Inhibition of root length, root surface area, volume, root: shoot ratio and P uptake efficiency could be used as indices to assess the genotypic tolerance to P limitation. Low-P tolerant genotypes could uptake more P and accumulate more dry matter at the seedling stage. A strong relationship between the total biomass and root length was exhibited. In order to understand the mechanisms of the genotypic tolerance to low-P soil to utilize P from the sparing soluble P forms, 5 maize genotypes selected out of the 15 maize inbred lines, according to the four quadrant distribution, was used as the criteria in a {sup 32}P isotope tracer experiment to follow the recovery of {sup 32}P in soil P fractions. The {sup 32}P tracer results showed a higher rate for water- soluble P transformation to slowly available P in P deficient soil

Screening of promising maize genotypes against maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motschulky) in storage condition

OpenAIRE

Ram B Paneru; Resham B Thapa

2017-01-01

The maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky) is a serious pest of economic importance in stored grains. It causes major damage to stored maize grain thereby reducing its weight, quality and germination. An experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications to screen 32 maize genotypes against maize weevil in no-choice and free-choice conditions at Entomology Division, Khumaltar, Lalitpur (Room temperature: Maximum 24-32°C and Minimum 18-27°C). The fin...

A review on important maize diseases and their management in Nepal

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Subash Subedi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In Nepal, maize ranks second after rice both in area and production. In recent years, maize area and production has shown a steady increase, but productivity has been low (2.46 t/ha. The major maize producing regions in Nepal are mid hill (72.85%, terai (17.36% and high hill (9.79% respectively. A literature review was carried out to explore major maize diseases and their management in Nepal. The omnipresent incidence of diseases at the pre harvest stage has been an important bottleneck in increasing production. Till now, a total of 78 (75 fungal and 3 bacterial species are pathogenic to maize crop in Nepal. The major and economically important maize diseases reported are Gray leaf spot, Northern leaf blight, Southern leaf Blight, Banded leaf and sheath blight, Ear rot, Stalk rot, Head smut, Common rust, Downy mildew and Brown spot. Information on bacterial and virus diseases, nematodes and yield loss assessment is also given. Description of the major maize diseases, their causal organisms, distribution, time and intensity of disease incidence, symptoms, survival, spreads, environmental factors for disease development, yield losses and various disease management strategies corresponded to important maize diseases of Nepal are gathered and compiled thoroughly from the available publications. Concerted efforts of NARC commodity programs, divisions, ARS and RARS involving research on maize pathology and their important outcomes are mentioned. The use of disease management methods focused on host resistance has also been highlighted.

Genomewide analysis of LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES Domain ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2014-04-23

Apr 23, 2014 ... In this study, a total of 44 LBD genes were identified in maize genome and were phylogenetically .... cDNAs were synthesized using First Strand cDNA Synthesis ..... stage, stem elongation, anthesis and inflorescence forma-.

Determination of Ochratoxin A in Wheat and Maize by Solid Bar Microextraction with Liquid Chromatography and Fluorescence Detection

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Nabil Al-Hadithi

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Solid bar microextraction (SBME, followed by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD, for the quantification of ochratoxin A in wheat and maize was developed. Ground wheat and maize grains were extracted with acetonitrile-water-acetic acid (79:20:1, v/v/v, followed by defatting with cyclohexane, and subjected to SBME-LC-FLD analysis. SBME devices were constructed by packing 2 mg sorbent (C18 into porous polypropylene micro-tubes (2.5 cm length, 600 μm i.d., and 0.2 μm pore size. SBME devices were conditioned with methanol and placed into 5 mL stirred sample solutions for 70 min. After extraction, OTA was desorbed into 200 μL of methanol for 15 min, the solution was removed in vacuum, the residue was dissolved in 50 μL of methanol-water (1:1, v/v and ochratoxin A content was determined by HPLC-FLD. Under optimized extraction conditions, the limit of detection of 0.9 μg·kg−1 and 2.5 μg·kg−1 and the precision of 3.4% and 5.0% over a concentration range of 1 to 100 μg·kg−1 in wheat and maize flour, respectively, were obtained.

Species-Specific Expression of Full-Length and Alternatively Spliced Variant Forms of CDK5RAP2.

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John S Y Park

Full Text Available CDK5RAP2 is one of the primary microcephaly genes that are associated with reduced brain size and mental retardation. We have previously shown that human CDK5RAP2 exists as a full-length form (hCDK5RAP2 or an alternatively spliced variant form (hCDK5RAP2-V1 that is lacking exon 32. The equivalent of hCDK5RAP2-V1 has been reported in rat and mouse but the presence of full-length equivalent hCDK5RAP2 in rat and mouse has not been examined. Here, we demonstrate that rat expresses both a full length and an alternatively spliced variant form of CDK5RAP2 that are equivalent to our previously reported hCDK5RAP2 and hCDK5RAP2-V1, repectively. However, mouse expresses only one form of CDK5RAP2 that is equivalent to the human and rat alternatively spliced variant forms. Knowledge of this expression of different forms of CDK5RAP2 in human, rat and mouse is essential in selecting the appropriate model for studies of CDK5RAP2 and primary microcephaly but our findings further indicate the evolutionary divergence of mouse from the human and rat species.

Structural properties of maize hybrids established by infrared spectra

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Radenović Čedomir N.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the application of the infrared (IR spectroscopy method for determination of structural properties of maize hybrid grains. The IR spectrum of maize grain has been registered in the following hybrids: ZP 341, ZP 434 and ZP 505. The existence of spectral bands varying in both number and intensity, as well as their shape, frequency and kinetics have been determined. They have been determined by valence oscillations and deformation oscillations of the following organic compounds: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, amides, alcohols, ethers, carboxylic acids, esters and aldehydes and ketones, characteristic for biogenic compounds such as carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. In this way, possible changes in the grain structure of observed maize hybrids could be detected.

Highly efficient full-length hepatitis C virus genotype 1 (strain TN) infectious culture system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Yi-Ping; Ramirez, Santseharay; Jensen, Sanne B

2012-01-01

Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important cause of end stage liver disease worldwide. In the United States, most HCV-related disease is associated with genotype 1 infection, which remains difficult to treat. Drug and vaccine development was hampered by inability to culture...... full-length TN infection dose-dependently. Given the unique importance of genotype 1 for pathogenesis, this infectious 1a culture system represents an important advance in HCV research. The approach used and the mutations identified might permit culture development for other HCV isolates, thus......) culture systems in Huh7.5 cells. Here, we developed a highly efficient genotype 1a (strain TN) full-length culture system. We initially found that the LSG substitutions conferred viability to an intergenotypic recombinant composed of TN 5' untranslated region (5'UTR)-NS5A and JFH1 NS5B-3'UTR; recovered...

QTL-By-Environment Interaction in the Response of Maize Root and Shoot Traits to Different Water Regimes

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Pengcheng Li

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Drought is a major abiotic stress factor limiting maize production, and elucidating the genetic control of root system architecture and plasticity to water-deficit stress is a crucial problem to improve drought adaptability. In this study, 13 root and shoot traits and genetic plasticity were evaluated in a recombinant inbred line (RIL population under well-watered (WW and water stress (WS conditions. Significant phenotypic variation was observed for all observed traits both under WW and WS conditions. Most of the measured traits showed significant genotype–environment interaction (GEI in both environments. Strong correlations were observed among traits in the same class. Multi-environment (ME and multi-trait (MT QTL analyses were conducted for all observed traits. A total of 48 QTLs were identified by ME, including 15 QTLs associated with 9 traits showing significant QTL-by-Environment interactions (QEI. QTLs associated with crown root angle (CRA2 and crown root length (CRL1 were identified as having antagonistic pleiotropic effects, while 13 other QTLs showed signs of conditional neutrality (CN, including 9 and 4 QTLs detected under WW and WS conditions, respectively. MT analysis identified 14 pleiotropic QTLs for 13 traits, SNP20 (1@79.2 cM was associated with the length of crown root (CR, primary root (PR, and seminal root (SR and might contribute to increases in root length under WS condition. Taken together, these findings contribute to our understanding of the phenotypic and genotypic patterns of root plasticity in response to water deficiency, which will be useful to improve drought tolerance in maize.

The Importance of Maize Management on Dung Beetle Communities in Atlantic Forest Fragments.

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Renata Calixto Campos

Full Text Available Dung beetle community structures changes due to the effects of destruction, fragmentation, isolation and decrease in tropical forest area, and therefore are considered ecological indicators. In order to assess the influence of type of maize cultivated and associated maize management on dung beetle communities in Atlantic Forest fragments surrounded by conventional and transgenic maize were evaluated 40 Atlantic Forest fragments of different sizes, 20 surrounded by GM maize and 20 surrounded by conventional maize, in February 2013 and 2014 in Southern Brazil. After applying a sampling protocol in each fragment (10 pitfall traps baited with human feces or carrion exposed for 48 h, a total of 3454 individuals from 44 species were captured: 1142 individuals from 38 species in GM maize surrounded fragments, and 2312 from 42 species in conventional maize surrounded fragments. Differences in dung beetle communities were found between GM and conventional maize communities. As expected for fragmented areas, the covariance analysis showed a greater species richness in larger fragments under both conditions; however species richness was greater in fragments surrounded by conventional maize. Dung beetle structure in the forest fragments was explained by environmental variables, fragment area, spatial distance and also type of maize (transgenic or conventional associated with maize management techniques. In Southern Brazil's scenario, the use of GM maize combined with associated agricultural management may be accelerating the loss of diversity in Atlantic Forest areas, and consequently, important ecosystem services provided by dung beetles may be lost.

Global maize production, utilization, and consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranum, Peter; Peña-Rosas, Juan Pablo; Garcia-Casal, Maria Nieves

2014-04-01

Maize (Zea mays), also called corn, is believed to have originated in central Mexico 7000 years ago from a wild grass, and Native Americans transformed maize into a better source of food. Maize contains approximately 72% starch, 10% protein, and 4% fat, supplying an energy density of 365 Kcal/100 g and is grown throughout the world, with the United States, China, and Brazil being the top three maize-producing countries in the world, producing approximately 563 of the 717 million metric tons/year. Maize can be processed into a variety of food and industrial products, including starch, sweeteners, oil, beverages, glue, industrial alcohol, and fuel ethanol. In the last 10 years, the use of maize for fuel production significantly increased, accounting for approximately 40% of the maize production in the United States. As the ethanol industry absorbs a larger share of the maize crop, higher prices for maize will intensify demand competition and could affect maize prices for animal and human consumption. Low production costs, along with the high consumption of maize flour and cornmeal, especially where micronutrient deficiencies are common public health problems, make this food staple an ideal food vehicle for fortification. © 2014 New York Academy of Sciences. The World Health Organization retains copyright and all other rights in the manuscript of this article as submitted for publication.

Genetic diversity among yellow maize with pro-vitamin A content

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Mercy Oluremi Olowolafe

2016-06-01

Full Text Available An improvement in the concentration of vitamin A in adapted yellow maize varieties grown in Africa can have a positive impact on the dietary intakes in regions where maize is a staple food. The present study was designed to identify heterotic groups and divergent parents for developing new pro-vitamin A enriched maize lines. Ten Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR markers were used to generate DNA profiles among thirteen commonly grown yellow maize lines across south western Nigeria and three high pro-vitamin A lines from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA, Ibadan. The result obtained estimated 100% polymorphism among the ten SSR markers with polymorphic information content that ranged from 0.28 to 0.71 on an average of 0.50. Genetic similarity coefficients among the 16 maize lines varied from 0.28 to 0.92 GS with an average of 0.63 GS. Four well defined groups were identified at 0.65 GS with an IITA line, PVA8, solely, formed a group. The study identified PVA8 and its most three distant relatives as potential divergent parents that could serve as important genetic resources for broadening the genetic base of the presently assessed IAR&T maize collections and also to develop new maize lines with higher level of pro-vitamin A content.

Breeding of speciality maize for industrial purposes

OpenAIRE

Pajić Zorica; Radosavljević Milica; Filipović Milomir; Todorović Goran; Srdić Jelena; Pavlov Milovan

2010-01-01

The breeding programme on speciality maize with specific traits was established at the Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje, several decades ago. The initial material was collected, new methods applying to breeding of speciality maize, i.e. popping maize, sweet maize and white-seeded maize, were introduced. The aim was to enhance and improve variability of the initial material for breeding these three types of maize. Then, inbred lines of good combining abilities were developed and used as c...

Analysis of fresh maize marketing in Anambra state, Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Analysis of fresh maize marketing in Anambra state, Nigeria. ... on marketing income in Anambra State, this study utilized descriptive statistic, Sherpherd-futrel model of determining marketing efficiency ... EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT

From many, one: genetic control of prolificacy during maize domestication.

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David M Wills

2013-06-01

Full Text Available A reduction in number and an increase in size of inflorescences is a common aspect of plant domestication. When maize was domesticated from teosinte, the number and arrangement of ears changed dramatically. Teosinte has long lateral branches that bear multiple small ears at their nodes and tassels at their tips. Maize has much shorter lateral branches that are tipped by a single large ear with no additional ears at the branch nodes. To investigate the genetic basis of this difference in prolificacy (the number of ears on a plant, we performed a genome-wide QTL scan. A large effect QTL for prolificacy (prol1.1 was detected on the short arm of chromosome 1 in a location that has previously been shown to influence multiple domestication traits. We fine-mapped prol1.1 to a 2.7 kb "causative region" upstream of the grassy tillers1 (gt1 gene, which encodes a homeodomain leucine zipper transcription factor. Tissue in situ hybridizations reveal that the maize allele of prol1.1 is associated with up-regulation of gt1 expression in the nodal plexus. Given that maize does not initiate secondary ear buds, the expression of gt1 in the nodal plexus in maize may suppress their initiation. Population genetic analyses indicate positive selection on the maize allele of prol1.1, causing a partial sweep that fixed the maize allele throughout most of domesticated maize. This work shows how a subtle cis-regulatory change in tissue specific gene expression altered plant architecture in a way that improved the harvestability of maize.

Occurrence of amylose-lipid complexes in teff and maize starch biphasic pastes

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Wokadala, OC

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The occurrence of amylose–lipid complexes was determined in maize and teff starch biphasic pastes i.e. peak viscosity pastes at short and prolonged pasting times. Maize and teff starches were pasted for 11.5 and 130 min with or without added stearic...

Aflatoxin levels in maize and maize products during the 2004 food ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aflatoxin levels in maize and maize products during the 2004 food poisoning ... district were received at the National Public Health Laboratory Services (NPHLS). On analysis, they were found to be highly contaminated with aflatoxin B1.

NS maize hybrids in production regions of Serbia

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Stojaković Milisav

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Fifteen NS maize hybrids of FAO 300-700 maturity groups were evaluated in strip trials (plot size 1,120 m2 at 30 locations in Serbia. In all locations including all production regions, the most yielding hybrid was NS 6030 with average yield of 10.9 t ha-1. The additive Main Effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI and the sites regression (SREG models were used to study basic structure of G x E interactions and the possible existence of different mega-environments in Serbian maize growing regions in 2009. The results of the 15 hybrids x 10 locations for grain yield in maize showed by biplot technique indicate several specific location-hybrid deviations (the AMMI biplot, and possible existence of at least one mega-environment (the GGE biplot. .

Proteomics of Maize Root Development

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Frank Hochholdinger

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Maize forms a complex root system with structurally and functionally diverse root types that are formed at different developmental stages to extract water and mineral nutrients from soil. In recent years proteomics has been intensively applied to identify proteins involved in shaping the three-dimensional architecture and regulating the function of the maize root system. With the help of developmental mutants, proteomic changes during the initiation and emergence of shoot-borne, lateral and seminal roots have been examined. Furthermore, root hairs were surveyed to understand the proteomic changes during the elongation of these single cell type structures. In addition, primary roots have been used to study developmental changes of the proteome but also to investigate the proteomes of distinct tissues such as the meristematic zone, the elongation zone as well as stele and cortex of the differentiation zone. Moreover, subcellular fractions of the primary root including cell walls, plasma membranes and secreted mucilage have been analyzed. Finally, the superior vigor of hybrid seedling roots compared to their parental inbred lines was studied on the proteome level. In summary, these studies provide novel insights into the complex proteomic interactions of the elaborate maize root system during development.

Euplectrus furnius parasitizing Spodoptera frugiperda in maize in Brazil

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Vinícius Soares Sturza

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Brazil is among the world's biggest maize producers and fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae, is the main insect pest on this crop in the country. Despite the importance of its natural enemies, there still is a lack of information about parasitoids species that attack this insect-pest, such as larval parasitoids. This research reports Euplectrus furnius Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae parasitizing S. fugiperda larvae on maize crop in Brazil.

Purification and Fibrillation of Full-Length Recombinant PrP.

Science.gov (United States)

Makarava, Natallia; Savtchenko, Regina; Baskakov, Ilia V

2017-01-01

Misfolding and aggregation of prion protein are related to several neurodegenerative diseases in humans such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, fatal familial insomnia, and Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease. A growing number of applications in the prion field including assays for detection of PrP Sc and methods for production of PrP Sc de novo require recombinant prion protein (PrP) of high purity and quality. Here, we report an experimental procedure for expression and purification of full-length mammalian prion protein. This protocol has been proved to yield PrP of extremely high purity that lacks PrP adducts, oxidative modifications, or truncation, which is typically generated as a result of spontaneous oxidation or degradation. We also describe methods for preparation of amyloid fibrils from recombinant PrP in vitro. Recombinant PrP fibrils can be used as a noninfectious synthetic surrogate of PrP Sc for development of prion diagnostics including generation of PrP Sc -specific antibody.

RELATIONS AMONG WESTERN CORN ROOTWORM RESISTANCE TRAITS AND ELEMENTS CONCENTRATION IN MAIZE GERMPLASM ROOTS

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Andrija Brkić

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Western corn rootworm – WCR (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte is an important maize pest in Croatia. Using native resistance of maize germplasm could reduce chemical treatments and other costs in maize production. Objectives of this study were: i to assess variability of WCR resistance traits (root injury, regrowth and size and concentrations of nine elements in roots of 128 maize genotypes, and ii to determine correlations among the traits and ion concentrations. Results revealed high variability of maize genotypes for both WCR resistance traits and ion concentrations. Significant moderate negative correlations (>-0.4 were detected between root injury and boron as well as between root regrowth and iron, manganese and zinc concentrations in root. Consequently, ion concentration in maize roots might have an impact on WCR resistance research.

Full-length mRNA sequencing uncovers a widespread coupling between transcription initiation and mRNA processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Anvar, Seyed Yahya; Allard, Guy; Tseng, Elizabeth; Sheynkman, Gloria M; de Klerk, Eleonora; Vermaat, Martijn; Yin, Raymund H; Johansson, Hans E; Ariyurek, Yavuz; den Dunnen, Johan T; Turner, Stephen W; 't Hoen, Peter A C

2018-03-29

The multifaceted control of gene expression requires tight coordination of regulatory mechanisms at transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. Here, we studied the interdependence of transcription initiation, splicing and polyadenylation events on single mRNA molecules by full-length mRNA sequencing. In MCF-7 breast cancer cells, we find 2700 genes with interdependent alternative transcription initiation, splicing and polyadenylation events, both in proximal and distant parts of mRNA molecules, including examples of coupling between transcription start sites and polyadenylation sites. The analysis of three human primary tissues (brain, heart and liver) reveals similar patterns of interdependency between transcription initiation and mRNA processing events. We predict thousands of novel open reading frames from full-length mRNA sequences and obtained evidence for their translation by shotgun proteomics. The mapping database rescues 358 previously unassigned peptides and improves the assignment of others. By recognizing sample-specific amino-acid changes and novel splicing patterns, full-length mRNA sequencing improves proteogenomics analysis of MCF-7 cells. Our findings demonstrate that our understanding of transcriptome complexity is far from complete and provides a basis to reveal largely unresolved mechanisms that coordinate transcription initiation and mRNA processing.

Design and Development of Maize Dehusker cum Sheller: A Technology for Northern Transition Zone of Karnataka, India

Science.gov (United States)

Chilur, Rudragouda; Kumar, Sushilendra

2018-06-01

The Maize ( Zea mays L.) crop is one of the most important cereal in agricultural production systems of Northern Transition Zone (Hyderabad-Karnataka region) in India. These Hyderabad Karnataka farmers (small-medium) are lack of economic technologies with maize dehusking and shelling, which fulfils the two major needs as crops and as livestock in farming. The portable medium size (600 kg/h capacity) electric motor (2.23 kW) operated Maize Dehusker cum Sheller (MDS) was designed to resolve the issue by considering engineering properties of maize. The developed trapezium shaped MDS machine having overall dimensions (length × (top and bottom) × height) of 1200 × (500 and 610) × 810 mm. The selected operational parameters viz, cylinder peripheral speed (7.1 m/s), concave clearance (25 mm) and feed rate (600 kg/h) were studied for machine-performance and seed-quality parameters. The performance of machine under these parameters showed the dehusking efficiency of 99.56%, shelling efficiency of 98.01%, cleaning efficiency of 99.11%, total loss of 3.63% machine capacity of 527.11 kg/kW-h and germination percentage of 98.93%. Overall machine performance was found satisfactory for maize dehusking cum shelling operation as well as to produce the maize grains for seeding purpose.

Design and Development of Maize Dehusker cum Sheller: A Technology for Northern Transition Zone of Karnataka, India

Science.gov (United States)

Chilur, Rudragouda; Kumar, Sushilendra

2018-02-01

The Maize (Zea mays L.) crop is one of the most important cereal in agricultural production systems of Northern Transition Zone (Hyderabad-Karnataka region) in India. These Hyderabad Karnataka farmers (small-medium) are lack of economic technologies with maize dehusking and shelling, which fulfils the two major needs as crops and as livestock in farming. The portable medium size (600 kg/h capacity) electric motor (2.23 kW) operated Maize Dehusker cum Sheller (MDS) was designed to resolve the issue by considering engineering properties of maize. The developed trapezium shaped MDS machine having overall dimensions (length × (top and bottom) × height) of 1200 × (500 and 610) × 810 mm. The selected operational parameters viz, cylinder peripheral speed (7.1 m/s), concave clearance (25 mm) and feed rate (600 kg/h) were studied for machine-performance and seed-quality parameters. The performance of machine under these parameters showed the dehusking efficiency of 99.56%, shelling efficiency of 98.01%, cleaning efficiency of 99.11%, total loss of 3.63% machine capacity of 527.11 kg/kW-h and germination percentage of 98.93%. Overall machine performance was found satisfactory for maize dehusking cum shelling operation as well as to produce the maize grains for seeding purpose.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Alternative Splicing in Paleopolyploid Maize

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenbin Mei

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Identifying and characterizing alternative splicing (AS enables our understanding of the biological role of transcript isoform diversity. This study describes the use of publicly available RNA-Seq data to identify and characterize the global diversity of AS isoforms in maize using the inbred lines B73 and Mo17, and a related species, sorghum. Identification and characterization of AS within maize tissues revealed that genes expressed in seed exhibit the largest differential AS relative to other tissues examined. Additionally, differences in AS between the two genotypes B73 and Mo17 are greatest within genes expressed in seed. We demonstrate that changes in the level of alternatively spliced transcripts (intron retention and exon skipping do not solely reflect differences in total transcript abundance, and we present evidence that intron retention may act to fine-tune gene expression across seed development stages. Furthermore, we have identified temperature sensitive AS in maize and demonstrate that drought-induced changes in AS involve distinct sets of genes in reproductive and vegetative tissues. Examining our identified AS isoforms within B73 × Mo17 recombinant inbred lines (RILs identified splicing QTL (sQTL. The 43.3% of cis-sQTL regulated junctions are actually identified as alternatively spliced junctions in our analysis, while 10 Mb windows on each side of 48.2% of trans-sQTLs overlap with splicing related genes. Using sorghum as an out-group enabled direct examination of loss or conservation of AS between homeologous genes representing the two subgenomes of maize. We identify several instances where AS isoforms that are conserved between one maize homeolog and its sorghum ortholog are absent from the second maize homeolog, suggesting that these AS isoforms may have been lost after the maize whole genome duplication event. This comprehensive analysis provides new insights into the complexity of AS in maize.

Cloning and sequencing of cDNAs specifying a novel class of phosphoribosyl diphosphate synthase in Arabidopsis thaliana

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krath, Britta N.; Eriksen, Tina A.; Poulsen, Tim S.

1999-01-01

cDNAs specifying four active phosphoribosyl diphosphate synthase isozymes were isolated from an Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA library. In contrast to other phosphoribosyl diphosphate synthases the activity of two of the A. thaliana isozymes are independent of Pi. Amino acid sequence comparison and ph...

Huitlacoche yield in some maize varieties in the Mediterranean region of Turkey

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Mehmet Aydoğdu

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Huitlacoche is the Aztecs name given to the smut galls on ears of maize caused by the pathogenic plant fungus Ustilago maydis [(DC Corda.]. It is known as maize mushroom, and it has been considered a delicacy and in Mesoamerica. The aim of the present study was to determine the responses of some maize varieties to the growth of the fungus in order to evaluate the prospect production of these smutty ears as a maize mushroom. A 2-year study was conducted in the Mediterranean region of Turkey in 2010 and 2011. Inoculations were performed by injecting inoculum into the ear through the silk channel of plants in plots. Each treatment had control plots. Average ear-gall (huitlacoche severity and incidence of all the varieties were at the rates of 4.0 and 41.6%, respectively. However, the highest severity of ear-gall (6.5 and incidence (60.6% were found in Karadeniz Yıldızı flint maize variety; colossal smutty ears were formed in the maize cultivars. This study showed that certain maize cultivars (flint corn and dent corn can be used efficiently in the production of huitlacoche.

Apparent digestibility coefficient of chickpea, maize, high-quality protein maize, and beans diets in juvenile and adult Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus

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Magnolia Montoya-Mejía

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The objective of our study was to assess the apparent digestibility of plant ingredients in diets for juvenile (50 g and adult (220 g Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus. Dietary dry matter and protein apparent digestibility coefficients of four plant-derived feedstuffs (chickpea, maize, high-quality maize protein, and beans were tested. The beans diet had the lowest apparent digestibility coefficient of dry matter (ADCDM (69.41%, while no significant differences were detected in ADCDM among the other diets; ADCDM was significantly higher in adults compared with juveniles (77.02 vs. 73.76%. Apparent dry matter digestibility coefficient of ingredients (ADCI was significantly higher in the chickpea (70.48% and high-quality protein maize (71.09% ingredients, and lower in the beans (52.79% ingredient. Apparent dry matter digestibility coefficient of ingredients was significantly higher in juveniles compared with adults (72.56 vs. 56.80%. The protein digestibility of diet (ADCCP was significantly higher in the reference diet (93.68%, while the lowest corresponded to the maize (87.86% and beans (87.29% diets. Significantly lower apparent digestibility coefficient of protein (ADCICP was obtained with the high-quality maize protein (59.11% and maize (49.48% ingredients, while higher ADCICP was obtained with the chickpea and beans ingredients (71.31 and 63.89%, respectively. The apparent digestibility coefficient of ingredient crude protein ADCICP was significantly higher in juveniles compared with adults (67.35 vs. 53.46. Digestibility is generally higher in juveniles, and we recommend using chickpea as an ingredient in diets for Nile tilapia.

[Effects of sowing depth on seedling traits and root characteristics of summer maize].

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Hui-ying; Wang, Ding-bo; Shi, Jian-guo; Zhu, Kun-lun; Dong, Shu-ting; Liu, Peng; Zhao, Bin; Zhang, Ji-wang

2015-08-01

Two summer maize hybrids, Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) and Xianyu 335 (XY335), were used as experimental materials. 4 sowing depths (3, 5, 7 and 9 cm) and uneven sowing depth (CK) were designed under sand culture and field experiments to investigate the effects of sowing depth on seedling traits and root characteristics of summer maize. The results showed that the seedling emergence rate gradually decreased and seedling emergence time gradually lengthened as the sowing depth increased. Compared with the sowing depth of 3 cm, the seedling emergence rates of ZD958 and XY335 sown at the depth of 9 cm were reduced by 9.4% and 11.8%, respectively, and the seedling emergence duration was prolonged 1.5 d. With the increasing sowing depth, the seedling length and uniformity decreased significantly, the mesocotyl length increased significantly, while the coleoptile length had no significant difference; the primary radicle length gradually decreased, the total length of secondary radicle gradually increased, and the total root length had no significant difference; the total dry mass of seedling and mesocotyl increased significantly, and the total root dry mass had no significant difference. With the increasing sowing depth, the soluble sugar content in each part of seedling increased and the amount of nutritional consumption of germinating seeds increased, the seedling root growth rate increased, but the root activity decreased, and the number of total nodal root and nodal layers increased. With the increasing sowing depth, harvested ears per unit area were reduced by decreased seedling emergence rate and seedling vigor, thus influenced the yield. In addition, uniform sowing depth could improve the canopy uniformity and relative characteristics, then increase the yield.

Thermal Changes of Maize Seed by Laser Irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez-Aguilar, C.; Dominguez-Pacheco, A.; Cruz-Orea, A.

2015-09-01

In this research, the thermal evolution in maize seeds ( Zea mays L.) was studied when low-intensity laser irradiation was applied during 60 s. The seeds were irradiated in three different conditions: suspended in air, placed on an aluminum surface, and finally placed on a cardboard; the evolution of the seed temperature was measured by an infrared camera. Photoacoustic spectroscopy and the Rosencwaig and Gersho model were used to determine the optical absorption coefficient (β ) of the seeds. The results indicate that using 650 nm laser light and 27.4 mW, it is possible to produce temperature changes (up to 9.06°C after 1 min) on the seeds. Comparing the mean temperature of the seeds, during and after the incidence of light from a laser, it was found that there were statistically significant differences (P≤ 0.05) from time t1 to time t_{16} (t1 to t_{16}) and t3 to t_{16}, for the laser turned on and off, respectively. The seed condition that had the highest temperature variation, relative to the initial temperature (during the irradiation laser exposure), involved the seeds suspended in air. With regard to the stage of decay of the temperature, it was found that the seed condition that decays more slowly was the seed placed on the cardboard. It was also found that black-dyed maize seeds are optically opaque in the 300 nm to 700 nm range Also, the thermal diffusion length is smaller than the optical penetration length. In the present investigation, it was shown that there is a thermal component associated with the mechanisms of laser biostimulation, which is also a function of the container materials of the seed. In this way, the effects of laser treatment on maize seeds involve at least a temperature effect. It is important to know the temperature changes in the seeds that have been irradiated with a laser beam since they could have substantial practical and theoretical importance.

Non-destructive testing of full-length bonded rock bolts based on HHT signal analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Z. M.; Liu, L.; Peng, M.; Liu, C. C.; Tao, F. J.; Liu, C. S.

2018-04-01

Full-length bonded rock bolts are commonly used in mining, tunneling and slope engineering because of their simple design and resistance to corrosion. However, the length of a rock bolt and grouting quality do not often meet the required design standards in practice because of the concealment and complexity of bolt construction. Non-destructive testing is preferred when testing a rock bolt's quality because of the convenience, low cost and wide detection range. In this paper, a signal analysis method for the non-destructive sound wave testing of full-length bonded rock bolts is presented, which is based on the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT). First, we introduce the HHT analysis method to calculate the bolt length and identify defect locations based on sound wave reflection test signals, which includes decomposing the test signal via empirical mode decomposition (EMD), selecting the intrinsic mode functions (IMF) using the Pearson Correlation Index (PCI) and calculating the instantaneous phase and frequency via the Hilbert transform (HT). Second, six model tests are conducted using different grouting defects and bolt protruding lengths to verify the effectiveness of the HHT analysis method. Lastly, the influence of the bolt protruding length on the test signal, identification of multiple reflections from defects, bolt end and protruding end, and mode mixing from EMD are discussed. The HHT analysis method can identify the bolt length and grouting defect locations from signals that contain noise at multiple reflected interfaces. The reflection from the long protruding end creates an irregular test signal with many frequency peaks on the spectrum. The reflections from defects barely change the original signal because they are low energy, which cannot be adequately resolved using existing methods. The HHT analysis method can identify reflections from the long protruding end of the bolt and multiple reflections from grouting defects based on mutations in the instantaneous

Influence of spatial arrangements on performance of a yam-maize ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Influence of spatial arrangements on performance of a yam-maize-pepper intercrop. JA Manu-Aduening, K Boa-Amponsem. Abstract. No Abstract. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science No. 1, 2005: 29-35. Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT.

Consumer preferences for maize products in urban Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

De Groote, Hugo; Kimenju, Simon Chege

2012-06-01

New maize varieties have been biofortified with provitamin A, mainly a-carotene, which renders the grain yellow or orange. Unfortunately, many African consumers prefer white maize. The maize consumption patterns in Africa are, however, not known. To determine which maize products African consumers prefer to purchase and which maize preparations they prefer to eat. A survey of 600 consumers was conducted in Nairobi, Kenya, at three types of maize outlets: posho mills (small hammer mills), kiosks, and supermarkets. Clients of posho mills had lower incomes and less education than those of kiosks and supermarkets. The preferred maize product of the posho-mill clients was artisanal maize meal; the preferred product of the others was industrial maize meal. Maize is the preferred staple for lunch and dinner, eaten as a stiff porridge (ugali), followed by boiled maize and beans (githeri), regardless of socioeconomic background. For breakfast, only half the consumers prefer maize, mostly as a soft porridge (uji). This proportion is higher in low-income groups. Consumers show a strong preference for white maize over yellow, mostly for its organoleptic characteristics, and show less interest in biofortified maize. Maize is the major food staple in Nairobi, mostly eaten in a few distinct preparations. For biofortified yellow maize to be accepted, a strong public awareness campaign to inform consumers is needed, based on a sensory evaluation and the mass media, in particular on radio in the local language.

Maize variety and method of production

Science.gov (United States)

Pauly, Markus; Hake, Sarah; Kraemer, Florian J

2014-05-27

The disclosure relates to a maize plant, seed, variety, and hybrid. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a maize plant containing a Cal-1 allele, whose expression results in increased cell wall-derived glucan content in the maize plant. The disclosure also relates to crossing inbreds, varieties, and hybrids containing the Cal-1 allele to produce novel types and varieties of maize plants.

Cost-effective sequencing of full-length cDNA clones powered by a de novo-reference hybrid assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuroshu, Reginaldo M; Watanabe, Junichi; Sugano, Sumio; Morishita, Shinichi; Suzuki, Yutaka; Kasahara, Masahiro

2010-05-07

Sequencing full-length cDNA clones is important to determine gene structures including alternative splice forms, and provides valuable resources for experimental analyses to reveal the biological functions of coded proteins. However, previous approaches for sequencing cDNA clones were expensive or time-consuming, and therefore, a fast and efficient sequencing approach was demanded. We developed a program, MuSICA 2, that assembles millions of short (36-nucleotide) reads collected from a single flow cell lane of Illumina Genome Analyzer to shotgun-sequence approximately 800 human full-length cDNA clones. MuSICA 2 performs a hybrid assembly in which an external de novo assembler is run first and the result is then improved by reference alignment of shotgun reads. We compared the MuSICA 2 assembly with 200 pooled full-length cDNA clones finished independently by the conventional primer-walking using Sanger sequencers. The exon-intron structure of the coding sequence was correct for more than 95% of the clones with coding sequence annotation when we excluded cDNA clones insufficiently represented in the shotgun library due to PCR failure (42 out of 200 clones excluded), and the nucleotide-level accuracy of coding sequences of those correct clones was over 99.99%. We also applied MuSICA 2 to full-length cDNA clones from Toxoplasma gondii, to confirm that its ability was competent even for non-human species. The entire sequencing and shotgun assembly takes less than 1 week and the consumables cost only approximately US$3 per clone, demonstrating a significant advantage over previous approaches.

Periods of weed interference in maize crops cultivated in the first and second cycles

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Caio Ferraz de Campos

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The interference of weeds in maize production may be reflected in grain yield losses that vary as a function of the density, stage and degree of aggressiveness of the species present. In the agricultural ecosystem, crops and weeds demand light, water, nutrients and space, which are frequently not available in sufficient quantities, leading to competition. The aim of this work was to determine the period of interference of weed plants, in particular of naked crabgrass (Digitaria nuda on maize crop in the first and second harvest. The treatments were defined as increasing periods of coexistence and increasing control of weed community (7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, and 56 days, two more controls, a control including one with weed control until the end of the culture cycle and another with coexistence until the harvest. For each period, were evaluated the stand of maize plants, length of ear, number of grains per row, number of rows per ear, cob, 100-grain weight, and grain productivity. The data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance using the F test, with average treatments compared using Tukey’s test at 5% probability. Crop productivity was evaluated by means of regressions, the critical periods of interference were estimated. The critical timing of weed removal was 25 days for both harvests. The critical weed free period was 54 and 27 days for the first and second harvest respectively. For the conditions of the first and second harvest, the critical period of weed control was of 29 and 2 days respectively.

C4 photosynthetic machinery: insights from maize chloroplast proteomics

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Qi eZhao

2013-04-01

Full Text Available C4 plants exhibit much higher CO2 assimilation rates than C3 plants. The specialized differentiation of mesophyll cell (M and bundle sheath cell (BS type chloroplasts is unique to C4 plants and improves photosynthesis efficiency. Maize (Zea mays is an important crop and model with C4 photosynthetic machinery. Current high-throughput quantitative proteomics approaches (e.g., 2DE, iTRAQ, and shotgun proteomics have been employed to investigate maize chloroplast structure and function. These proteomic studies have provided valuable information on C4 chloroplast protein components, photosynthesis, and other metabolic mechanisms underlying chloroplast biogenesis, stromal and membrane differentiation, as well as response to salinity, high/low temperature, and light stress. This review presents an overview of proteomics advances in maize chloroplast biology.

The ability to form full-length intron RNA circles is a general property of nuclear group I introns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Henrik; Fiskaa, Tonje; Birgisdottir, Asa Birna

2003-01-01

at the expense of the host. The circularization pathway has distinct structural requirements that differ from those of splicing and appears to be specifically suppressed in vivo. The ability to form full-length circles is found in all types of nuclear group I introns, including those from the Tetrahymena...... ribosomal DNA. The biological function of the full-length circles is not known, but the fact that the circles contain the entire genetic information of the intron suggests a role in intron mobility....

Dissection of Recombination Attributes for Multiple Maize Populations Using a Common SNP Assay

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Haiying Guan

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Recombination is a vital characteristic for quantitative trait loci mapping and breeding to enhance the yield potential of maize. However, recombination characteristics in globally used segregating populations have never been evaluated at similar genetic marker densities. This study aimed to divulge the characteristics of recombination events, recombinant chromosomal segments, and recombination frequency for four dissimilar populations. These populations were doubled haploid (DH, recombination inbred line (RIL, intermated B73xMo17 (IBM, and multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC, using the Illumina MaizeSNP50 BeadChip to provide markers. Our results revealed that the average number of recombination events was 16, 41, 72, and 86 per line in DH, RIL, IBM, and MAGIC populations, respectively. Accordingly, the average length of recombinant chromosomal segments was 84.8, 47.3, 29.2, and 20.4 Mb in DH, RIL, IBM, and MAGIC populations, respectively. Furtherly, the recombination frequency varied in different genomic regions and population types [DH (0–12.7 cM/Mb, RIL (0–15.5 cM/Mb, IBM (0–24.1 cM/Mb, MAGIC (0–42.3 cM/Mb]. Utilizing different sub-sets of lines, the recombination bin number and size were analyzed in each population. Additionally, different sub-sets of markers and lines were employed to estimate the recombination bin number and size via formulas for relationship in these populations. The relationship between recombination events and recombination bin length was also examined. Our results contribute to determining the most suitable number of genetic markers, lines in each population, and population type for successful mapping and breeding.

Complementation of CTB7 in the Maize Pathogen Cercospora zeina Overcomes the Lack of In Vitro Cercosporin Production.

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Swart, Velushka; Crampton, Bridget G; Ridenour, John B; Bluhm, Burt H; Olivier, Nicholas A; Meyer, J J Marion; Berger, Dave K

2017-09-01

Gray leaf spot (GLS), caused by the sibling species Cercospora zeina or Cercospora zeae-maydis, is cited as one of the most important diseases threatening global maize production. C. zeina fails to produce cercosporin in vitro and, in most cases, causes large coalescing lesions during maize infection, a symptom generally absent from cercosporin-deficient mutants in other Cercospora spp. Here, we describe the C. zeina cercosporin toxin biosynthetic (CTB) gene cluster. The oxidoreductase gene CTB7 contained several insertions and deletions as compared with the C. zeae-maydis ortholog. We set out to determine whether complementing the defective CTB7 gene with the full-length gene from C. zeae-maydis could confer in vitro cercosporin production. C. zeina transformants containing C. zeae-maydis CTB7 were generated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation and were evaluated for in vitro cercosporin production. When grown on nitrogen-limited medium in the light-conditions conducive to cercosporin production in other Cercospora spp.-one transformant accumulated a red pigment that was confirmed to be cercosporin by the KOH assay, thin-layer chromatography, and ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Our results indicated that C. zeina has a defective CTB7, but all other necessary machinery required for synthesizing cercosporin-like molecules and, thus, C. zeina may produce a structural variant of cercosporin during maize infection.

Screening for salt tolerance in maize (zea mays l.) hybrids at an early seedling stage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akram, M.; Mohsan; Ashraf, M.Y.; Ahmad, R.; Waraich, E.A.

2010-01-01

An efficient and simple mass screening technique for selection of maize hybrids for salt tolerance has been developed. Genetic variation for salt tolerance was assessed in hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) using solution-culture technique. The study was conducted in solution culture exposed to four salinity levels (control, 40, 80 and 120 mM NaCl). Seven days old maize seedlings were transplanted in themopol sheet in iron tubs containing one half strength Hoagland nutrient solutions and salinized with common salt (NaCl). The experiment was conducted in the rain protected wire house of Stress Physiology Laboratory of NIAB, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Ten maize hybrids were used for screening against four salinity levels. Seedling of each hybrid was compared for their growth under saline conditions as a percentage of the control values. Considerable variations were observed in the root, shoot length and biomass of different hybrids at different salinity levels. The leaf sample analyzed for inorganic osmolytes (sodium, potassium and calcium) showed that hybrid Pioneer 32B33 and Pioneer 30Y87 have high biomass, root shoot fresh weight and high ratio and showed best salt tolerance performance at all salinity levels on overall basis. (author)

Maize cob losses and their effects on the poverty status of maize

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study analysed fresh maize cob losses and its effect on the poverty status of maize farmers in Edo State,. Nigeria. The specific .... is the poverty gap for ... Total cost. 162,367.48. 100.00. Returns. Total expected yield (N). 327,966.63. _.

MaizeGDB: The Maize Model Organism Database for Basic, Translational, and Applied Research

OpenAIRE

Lawrence, Carolyn J.; Harper, Lisa C.; Schaeffer, Mary L.; Sen, Taner Z.; Seigfried, Trent E.; Campbell, Darwin A.

2008-01-01

In 2001 maize became the number one production crop in the world with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reporting over 614 million tonnes produced. Its success is due to the high productivity per acre in tandem with a wide variety of commercial uses. Not only is maize an excellent source of food, feed, and fuel, but also its by-products are used in the production of various commercial products. Maize's unparalleled success in agriculture stems from basic research, th...

High quality maize centromere 10 sequence reveals evidence of frequent recombination events

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Thomas Kai Wolfgruber

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The ancestral centromeres of maize contain long stretches of the tandemly arranged CentC repeat. The abundance of tandem DNA repeats and centromeric retrotransposons (CR have presented a significant challenge to completely assembling centromeres using traditional sequencing methods. Here we report a nearly complete assembly of the 1.85 Mb maize centromere 10 from inbred B73 using PacBio technology and BACs from the reference genome project. The error rates estimated from overlapping BAC sequences are 7 x 10-6 and 5 x 10-5 for mismatches and indels, respectively. The number of gaps in the region covered by the reassembly was reduced from 140 in the reference genome to three. Three expressed genes are located between 92 and 477 kb of the inferred ancestral CentC cluster, which lies within the region of highest centromeric repeat density. The improved assembly increased the count of full-length centromeric retrotransposons from 5 to 55 and revealed a 22.7 kb segmental duplication that occurred approximately 121,000 years ago. Our analysis provides evidence of frequent recombination events in the form of partial retrotransposons, deletions within retrotransposons, chimeric retrotransposons, segmental duplications including higher order CentC repeats, a deleted CentC monomer, centromere-proximal inversions, and insertion of mitochondrial sequences. Double-strand DNA break (DSB repair is the most plausible mechanism for these events and may be the major driver of centromere repeat evolution and diversity. This repair appears to be mediated by microhomology, suggesting that tandem repeats may have evolved to facilitate the repair of frequent DSBs in centromeres.

Comparison of triticale cultivars with maize grain for finishing lambs ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Comparison of triticale cultivars with maize grain for finishing lambs. TS Brand, GD van der Merwe. Abstract. No Abstract. Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians ...

THE IMPORTANCE OF WESTERN CORN ROOTWORM IN CONTINUOUS MAIZE

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Marija Ivezić

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte is considered to be one of the most important and potentially most severe pest of maize worldwide. The pest was detected in Croatia for the first time in 1995. Since then it has been spread over all areas with maize production in Croatia. The economically most efficient and preventive control measure is crop rotation and growing maize hybrids that show tolerance to WCR. The trials were settled in the area near Dubosevica where in 2002 and 2003 the economic damages caused by WCR were up to 80%. The aim of this investigation is to determine damages on maize root caused by WCR and loss in grain yield on commercial maize hybrids in continuous farming. Pheromone traps, type Csal♀m♂N®, were used in order to monitor WCR population dynamics. In the period of two months, 366 WCR adult beetles in total were captured. Root damage was evaluated according to Iowa Node Injury Scale and grain yield was measured and corrected to 14% moisture. Furthermore, the plant lodging, as a consequence of larval feeding, was assessed. The results have shown that root damage for hybrid Bc 5982 was 1.15, and 0.73 damage was on Pr 35p 12 roots. The grain yield obtained from hybrid Bc 5982 was 11.7 t/ha, and Pr 35p 12 had 12.3 t/ha. Statistical analyses showed that there were no significant differences in root damage and losses in grain yield between the two investigated hybrids. Results of this investigation indicate that growing maize for 2 to 3 years in continuous farming, in the same field, would not cause economically significant loss in maize gain yield.

Novel full-length major histocompatibility complex class I allele discovery and haplotype definition in pig-tailed macaques.

Science.gov (United States)

Semler, Matthew R; Wiseman, Roger W; Karl, Julie A; Graham, Michael E; Gieger, Samantha M; O'Connor, David H

2017-11-13

Pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina, Mane) are important models for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) studies. Their infectability with minimally modified HIV makes them a uniquely valuable animal model to mimic human infection with HIV and progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). However, variation in the pig-tailed macaque major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and the impact of individual transcripts on the pathogenesis of HIV and other infectious diseases is understudied compared to that of rhesus and cynomolgus macaques. In this study, we used Pacific Biosciences single-molecule real-time circular consensus sequencing to describe full-length MHC class I (MHC-I) transcripts for 194 pig-tailed macaques from three breeding centers. We then used the full-length sequences to infer Mane-A and Mane-B haplotypes containing groups of MHC-I transcripts that co-segregate due to physical linkage. In total, we characterized full-length open reading frames (ORFs) for 313 Mane-A, Mane-B, and Mane-I sequences that defined 86 Mane-A and 106 Mane-B MHC-I haplotypes. Pacific Biosciences technology allows us to resolve these Mane-A and Mane-B haplotypes to the level of synonymous allelic variants. The newly defined haplotypes and transcript sequences containing full-length ORFs provide an important resource for infectious disease researchers as certain MHC haplotypes have been shown to provide exceptional control of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) replication and prevention of AIDS-like disease in nonhuman primates. The increased allelic resolution provided by Pacific Biosciences sequencing also benefits transplant research by allowing researchers to more specifically match haplotypes between donors and recipients to the level of nonsynonymous allelic variation, thus reducing the risk of graft-versus-host disease.

Influence of 24-epibrassinolide on seedling growth and distribution of mineral elements in two maize hybrids

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Waisi Hadi K.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, influence of wide range of 24-epibrassinolide (24-EBL on early growth potential of two maize hybrids (ZP 434 and ZP 704 was examined. Paper concerns germination, seedling biomass, important chlorophylls content, and redistribution of elements (heavy metals and microelements, in a seedlings of the maize hybrids, as influenced by different 24-EBL concentrations. It was found that hybrids react differently to exogenously applied hormone. The biggest differences between two examined maize hybrids considering the germination level were reached with the lowest values at 86% for ZP 704 and 72% for ZP 434, gained at the highest applied concentration of 24-EBL. Seedlings of hybrid ZP 434 reacted positively moderately in the case of shoot length and biomass under the influence of 24-EBL, but seedlings of hybrid ZP 704 had lower values of these parameters under the influence of the phytohormone. Chlorophyll a/b ratios showed that photosynthetic apparatus of seedlings of the hybrids is not active in this stage of development. It was established that 24-EBL affects seedling growth and re-allocation of naturally present mineral elements in early growth stages and that could be one of the reason for poorer growth of ZP 704 treated with various concentrations of 24-EBL, comparing to control. When applied in lower concentrations, 24-EBL is blocking toxic elements such as chromium and nickel to relocate to vital parts of plant, what was case in hybrid ZP704. In case of ZP 434, lower concentrations of 24-EBL are affecting re-allocation of Cu and Cr and these findings suggest that maize hybrid seedlings treated with lower concentrations of 24-EBL could survive and be successful in polluted areas. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR31080

Maize lethal necrosis (MLN), an emerging threat to maize-based food security in sub-Saharan Africa

Science.gov (United States)

In sub-Saharan Africa, maize is a staple food and key determinant of food security for smallholder farming communities. Pest and disease outbreaks are key constraints to maize productivity. In September 2011, a serious disease outbreak, later diagnosed as maize lethal necrosis (MLN), was reported on...

High yield purification of full-length functional hERG K+ channels produced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Molbaek, Karen; Scharff-Poulsen, Peter; Hélix-Nielsen, Claus

2015-01-01

knowledge this is the first reported high-yield production and purification of full length, tetrameric and functional hERG. This significant breakthrough will be paramount in obtaining hERG crystal structures, and in establishment of new high-throughput hERG drug safety screening assays....

SPA: a probabilistic algorithm for spliced alignment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Recent large-scale cDNA sequencing efforts show that elaborate patterns of splice variation are responsible for much of the proteome diversity in higher eukaryotes. To obtain an accurate account of the repertoire of splice variants, and to gain insight into the mechanisms of alternative splicing, it is essential that cDNAs are very accurately mapped to their respective genomes. Currently available algorithms for cDNA-to-genome alignment do not reach the necessary level of accuracy because they use ad hoc scoring models that cannot correctly trade off the likelihoods of various sequencing errors against the probabilities of different gene structures. Here we develop a Bayesian probabilistic approach to cDNA-to-genome alignment. Gene structures are assigned prior probabilities based on the lengths of their introns and exons, and based on the sequences at their splice boundaries. A likelihood model for sequencing errors takes into account the rates at which misincorporation, as well as insertions and deletions of different lengths, occurs during sequencing. The parameters of both the prior and likelihood model can be automatically estimated from a set of cDNAs, thus enabling our method to adapt itself to different organisms and experimental procedures. We implemented our method in a fast cDNA-to-genome alignment program, SPA, and applied it to the FANTOM3 dataset of over 100,000 full-length mouse cDNAs and a dataset of over 20,000 full-length human cDNAs. Comparison with the results of four other mapping programs shows that SPA produces alignments of significantly higher quality. In particular, the quality of the SPA alignments near splice boundaries and SPA's mapping of the 5' and 3' ends of the cDNAs are highly improved, allowing for more accurate identification of transcript starts and ends, and accurate identification of subtle splice variations. Finally, our splice boundary analysis on the human dataset suggests the existence of a novel non

The response of parental components of ZP maize hybrids to effects of herbicides

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Stefanović Lidija

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The response of four inbred lines, parental components of ZP maize hybrids, to effects of six herbicides applied after emergence of both, maize and weeds, was observed in the present study. The following herbicides were applied in the 2-3-leaf stage of maize: isoxaflutole (Merlin 750-WG in the amount of 0.135 kg ha-1, nicosulfuron (Motivell in the amount of 1.25 l ha-1, foramsulfuron (Equip in the amount of 2.0 l ha-1, dicamba + rimsulfuron (Tarot plus in the amount of 0.3 kg ha-1, mezotrion (Callisto in the amount of 0.25 l ha-1 and thifensulfuron-methyl (Grid in the amount of 0.02 kg ha-1. The phytotoxic effect of herbicides on the maize grain yield was evaluated according to the 1-9 EWRC scale. Maize inbreds showed different susceptibility depending on the applied herbicide. The least favourable effects in both years for all genotypes were obtained in the treatments with Tarot plus and Grid, in which the lowest values of maize grain yield were recorded.

Design, Construction and Testing of Simple Solar Maize Dryer

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Joshua FOLARANMI

2008-12-01

Full Text Available This project reports the design, construction and testing of a simple solar maize dryer. It is design in such a way that solar radiation is not incident directly on the maize, but preheated air warmed during its flow through a low pressure thermosphonic solar energy air heater or collector made up of an insulating material (polystyrene of size 100mmx50mmx25.4mm, absorber plate (aluminium sheet painted black of size 100mmx50mm and a cover glass (5mm thickness measuring 100mmx50mm all arranged in this order contributed to the heating. The test results gave temperature above 45OC in the drying chamber, and the moisture content of 50kg of maize reduced to about 12.5% in three days of 9hours each day of drying.

The human keratinocyte two-dimensional gel protein database (update 1995): mapping components of signal transduction pathways

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Celis, J E; Rasmussen, H H; Gromov, P

1995-01-01

identified (protein name, organelle components, etc.) using a procedure or a combination of procedures that include (i) comigration with known human proteins, (ii) 2-D gel immunoblotting using specific antibodies, (iii) microsequencing of Coomassie Brilliant Blue stained proteins, (iv) mass spectrometry, (v......)vaccinia virus expression of full length cDNAs, and (vi) in vitro transcription/translation of full-length cDNAs. This year, special emphasis has been given to the identification of signal transduction components by using 2-D gel immunoblotting of crude keratinocyte lysates in combination with enhanced......--through a systematic study of ekeratinocytes--qualitative and quantitative information on proteins and their genes that may allow us to identify abnormal patterns of gene expression and to pinpoint signaling pathways and components affected in various skin diseases, cancer included. Udgivelsesdato: 1995-Dec...

Evidence for a Complex Mosaic Genome Pattern in a Full-length Hepatitis C Virus Sequence

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R.S. Ross

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The genome of the hepatitis C virus (HCV exhibits a high genetic variability. This remarkable heterogeneity is mainly attributed to the gradual accumulation of mutational changes, whereas the contribution of recombination events to the evolution of HCV remains controversial so far. While performing phylogenetic analyses including a large number of sequences deposited in the GenBank, we encountered a full-length HCV sequence (AY651061 that showed evidence for inter-subtype recombination and was, therefore, subjected to a detailed analysis of its molecular structure. The obtained results indicated that AY651061 does not represent a “simple” HCV 1c isolate, but a complex 1a/1c mosaic genome, showing five putative breakpoints in the core to NS3 regions. To our knowledge, this is the first report on a mosaic HCV full- length sequence with multiple breakpoints. The molecular structure of AY651061 is reminiscent of complex homologous recombinant variants occurring among other members of the flaviviridae family, e.g. GB virus C, dengue virus, and Japanese encephalitis virus. Our finding of a mosaic HCV sequence may have important implications for many fields of current HCV research which merit careful consideration.

Comparison of true metabolisable energy and true amino acid availability between normal maize and quality protein maize (Shandan 17

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Mei Li Zhang

2010-01-01

Full Text Available A precision-fed assay was conducted to determine true metabolisable energy and true amino acid digestibility in Chinese quality protein maize (QPM compared with normal maize (NM. Thirty adult roosters, kept in individual cages, were made to fast for 48h and then tub-fed 50g QPM or NM per bird and their excreta was colleted for the subsequent 48h. Additional fifteen roosters were made to fast in order to estimate endogenous losses of energy and amino acids (AA in excreta. Gross energy of the two types of maize were similar; the lysine content in NM and QPM were 0.27% and 0.41% (DM basis, respectively. True metabolisable energy (TME and true metabolisable energy nitrogen corrected (TMEn values of QPM and NM were not significantly different (P>0.05. Digestibility of some AA, including lysine and methionine, in QPM were higher than those in NM (P<0.05. The results of this study indicated that the nutritive value of QPM might be higher than that of NM.

dsRNA binding characterization of full length recombinant wild type and mutants Zaire ebolavirus VP35.

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Zinzula, Luca; Esposito, Francesca; Pala, Daniela; Tramontano, Enzo

2012-03-01

The Ebola viruses (EBOVs) VP35 protein is a multifunctional major virulence factor involved in EBOVs replication and evasion of the host immune system. EBOV VP35 is an essential component of the viral RNA polymerase, it is a key participant of the nucleocapsid assembly and it inhibits the innate immune response by antagonizing RIG-I like receptors through its dsRNA binding function and, hence, by suppressing the host type I interferon (IFN) production. Insights into the VP35 dsRNA recognition have been recently revealed by structural and functional analysis performed on its C-terminus protein. We report the biochemical characterization of the Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) full-length recombinant VP35 (rVP35)-dsRNA binding function. We established a novel in vitro magnetic dsRNA binding pull down assay, determined the rVP35 optimal dsRNA binding parameters, measured the rVP35 equilibrium dissociation constant for heterologous in vitro transcribed dsRNA of different length and short synthetic dsRNA of 8bp, and validated the assay for compound screening by assessing the inhibitory ability of auryntricarboxylic acid (IC(50) value of 50μg/mL). Furthermore, we compared the dsRNA binding properties of full length wt rVP35 with those of R305A, K309A and R312A rVP35 mutants, which were previously reported to be defective in dsRNA binding-mediated IFN inhibition, showing that the latter have measurably increased K(d) values for dsRNA binding and modified migration patterns in mobility shift assays with respect to wt rVP35. Overall, these results provide the first characterization of the full-length wt and mutants VP35-dsRNA binding functions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the genetic basis of plant height-related traits in response to ethylene by QTL mapping in maize (Zea mays L..

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Weiqiang Zhang

Full Text Available Ethylene (ET is critical importance in the growth, development, and stress responses of plants. Plant hormonal stress responses have been extensively studied, however, the role of ET in plant growth, especially plant height (PH remains unclear. Understanding the genetic control for PH in response to ET will provide insights into the regulation of maize development. To clarify the genetic basis of PH-related traits of maize in response to ET, we mapped QTLs for PH, ear height (EH, and internode length above the uppermost ear (ILAU in two recombinant inbred line (RIL populations of Zea mays after ET treatment and in an untreated control (CK group. Sixty QTLs for the three traits were identified. Twenty-two QTLs were simultaneously detected under both ET treatment and untreated control, and five QTLs were detected at two geographic locations under ET treatment only. Individual QTL can be explained 3.87-17.71% of the phenotypic variance. One QTL (q2PH9-1, q1PH9, q1EH9/q1ILAU9-1, q2ILAU9, and q2EH9 for the measured traits (PH, EH, ILAU was consistent across both populations. Two QTLs (q2PH2-5, q2ILAU2-2, q1PH2-2, and q1ILAU2-2; q1PH8-1, q1EH8-1, q2PH8-1 were identified for up to two traits in both locations and populations under both ET treatment and untreated control. These consistent and stable regions are important QTLs of potential hot spots for PH, ear height (EH, and internode length above the uppermost ear (ILAU response to ET in maize; therefore, QTL fine-mapping and putative candidate genes validation should enable the cloning of PH, EH, and ILAU related genes to ET response. These results will be valuable for further fine-mapping and quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs determination, and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of ET responses in maize.

Identification of resistance to Maize rayado fino virus in maize inbred lines

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Maize rayado fino virus (MRFV) is one of the most important virus diseases of maize in America. Severe yield losses, ranging from 10 to 50% in landraces to nearly 100% in contemporary cultivars, have been reported. Resistance has been reported in populations, but few inbred lines have been identifie...

Quench start localization in full-length SSC R ampersand D dipoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devred, A.; Chapman, M.; Cortella, J.; Desportes, A.; Kaugerts, J.; Kirk, T.; Mirk, K.; Schermer, R.; Tompkins, J.C.; Turner, J.; Bleadon, M.; Brown, B.C.; Hanft, R.; Kuchnir, M.; Lamm, M.; Mantsch, P.; Mazur, P.O.; Orris, D.; Peoples, J.; Strait, J.; Tool, G.; Caspi, S.; Gilbert, W.; Meuser, R.; Peters, C.; Rechen, J.; Royet, J.; Scanlan, R.; Taylor, C.; Zbasnik, J.

1989-04-01

Full-length SSC R ampersand D dipole magnets instrumented with four voltage taps on each turn of the inner quarter coils have been tested. These voltage taps enable accurate location of the point at which the quenches start and detailed studies of quench development in the coil. Attention here is focused on localizing the quench source. After recalling the basic mechanism of a quench (why it occurs and how it propagates), the method of quench origin analysis is described: the quench propagation velocity on the turn where the quench occurs is calculated, and the quench location is then verified by reiterating the analysis on the adjacent turns. Last, the velocity value, which appears to be higher than previously measured, is discussed

Coordination of the maize transcriptome by a conserved circadian clock

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Harmon Frank G

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The plant circadian clock orchestrates 24-hour rhythms in internal physiological processes to coordinate these activities with daily and seasonal changes in the environment. The circadian clock has a profound impact on many aspects of plant growth and development, including biomass accumulation and flowering time. Despite recent advances in understanding the circadian system of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, the contribution of the circadian oscillator to important agronomic traits in Zea mays and other cereals remains poorly defined. To address this deficit, this study investigated the transcriptional landscape of the maize circadian system. Results Since transcriptional regulation is a fundamental aspect of circadian systems, genes exhibiting circadian expression were identified in the sequenced maize inbred B73. Of the over 13,000 transcripts examined, approximately 10 percent displayed circadian expression patterns. The majority of cycling genes had peak expression at subjective dawn and dusk, similar to other plant circadian systems. The maize circadian clock organized co-regulation of genes participating in fundamental physiological processes, including photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, cell wall biogenesis, and phytohormone biosynthesis pathways. Conclusions Circadian regulation of the maize genome was widespread and key genes in several major metabolic pathways had circadian expression waveforms. The maize circadian clock coordinated transcription to be coincident with oncoming day or night, which was consistent with the circadian oscillator acting to prepare the plant for these major recurring environmental changes. These findings highlighted the multiple processes in maize plants under circadian regulation and, as a result, provided insight into the important contribution this regulatory system makes to agronomic traits in maize and potentially other C4 plant species.

Predicting weed problems in maize cropping by species distribution modelling

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Bürger, Jana

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Increasing maize cultivation and changed cropping practices promote the selection of typical maize weeds that may also profit strongly from climate change. Predicting potential weed problems is of high interest for plant production. Within the project KLIFF, experiments were combined with species distribution modelling for this task in the region of Lower Saxony, Germany. For our study, we modelled ecological and damage niches of nine weed species that are significant and wide spread in maize cropping in a number of European countries. Species distribution models describe the ecological niche of a species, these are the environmental conditions under which a species can maintain a vital population. It is also possible to estimate a damage niche, i.e. the conditions under which a species causes damage in agricultural crops. For this, we combined occurrence data of European national data bases with high resolution climate, soil and land use data. Models were also projected to simulated climate conditions for the time horizon 2070 - 2100 in order to estimate climate change effects. Modelling results indicate favourable conditions for typical maize weed occurrence virtually all over the study region, but only a few species are important in maize cropping. This is in good accordance with the findings of an earlier maize weed monitoring. Reaction to changing climate conditions is species-specific, for some species neutral (E. crus-galli, other species may gain (Polygonum persicaria or loose (Viola arvensis large areas of suitable habitats. All species with damage potential under present conditions will remain important in maize cropping, some more species will gain regional importance (Calystegia sepium, Setara viridis.

The influence of drought on the occurrence of aflatoxins in maize

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Kos Jovana J.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, a total of 78 maize samples harvested during September and October 2012 in Vojvodina were analyzed. Presence of aflatoxins (AFs was deter­mined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA method. Among the 78 analyzed maize samples, even 44 (56.4% samples were contaminated with AFs. Concentration interval between 1-10 μg/kg, 10-50 μg/kg and 50-80 μg/kg were found in 23.1%, 17.9% and 15.4% of analyzed maize samples, respectively. It was supposed that prolonged drought during spring and summer of 2012 had a great influence on high contamination frequency and concentration of AFs. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 46001

Cloning and Functional Characterization of the Maize (Zea mays L.) Carotenoid Epsilon Hydroxylase Gene

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Sheng, Yanmin; Wang, Yingdian; Capell, Teresa; Shi, Lianxuan; Ni, Xiuzhen; Sandmann, Gerhard; Christou, Paul; Zhu, Changfu

2015-01-01

The assignment of functions to genes in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway is necessary to understand how the pathway is regulated and to obtain the basic information required for metabolic engineering. Few carotenoid ε-hydroxylases have been functionally characterized in plants although this would provide insight into the hydroxylation steps in the pathway. We therefore isolated mRNA from the endosperm of maize (Zea mays L., inbred line B73) and cloned a full-length cDNA encoding CYP97C19, a putative heme-containing carotenoid ε hydroxylase and member of the cytochrome P450 family. The corresponding CYP97C19 genomic locus on chromosome 1 was found to comprise a single-copy gene with nine introns. We expressed CYP97C19 cDNA under the control of the constitutive CaMV 35S promoter in the Arabidopsis thaliana lut1 knockout mutant, which lacks a functional CYP97C1 (LUT1) gene. The analysis of carotenoid levels and composition showed that lutein accumulated to high levels in the rosette leaves of the transgenic lines but not in the untransformed lut1 mutants. These results allowed the unambiguous functional annotation of maize CYP97C19 as an enzyme with strong zeinoxanthin ε-ring hydroxylation activity. PMID:26030746

Maize YABBY genes drooping leaf1 and drooping leaf2 affect agronomic traits by regulating leaf architecture

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Leaf architectural traits, such as length, width and angle, directly influence canopy structure and light penetration, photosynthate production and overall yield. We discovered and characterized a maize (Zea mays) mutant with aberrant leaf architecture we named drooping leaf1 (drl1), as leaf blades ...

The full-length form of the Drosophila amyloid precursor protein is involved in memory formation.

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Bourdet, Isabelle; Preat, Thomas; Goguel, Valérie

2015-01-21

The APP plays a central role in AD, a pathology that first manifests as a memory decline. Understanding the role of APP in normal cognition is fundamental in understanding the progression of AD, and mammalian studies have pointed to a role of secreted APPα in memory. In Drosophila, we recently showed that APPL, the fly APP ortholog, is required for associative memory. In the present study, we aimed to characterize which form of APPL is involved in this process. We show that expression of a secreted-APPL form in the mushroom bodies, the center for olfactory memory, is able to rescue the memory deficit caused by APPL partial loss of function. We next assessed the impact on memory of the Drosophila α-secretase kuzbanian (KUZ), the enzyme initiating the nonamyloidogenic pathway that produces secreted APPLα. Strikingly, KUZ overexpression not only failed to rescue the memory deficit caused by APPL loss of function, it exacerbated this deficit. We further show that in addition to an increase in secreted-APPL forms, KUZ overexpression caused a decrease of membrane-bound full-length species that could explain the memory deficit. Indeed, we observed that transient expression of a constitutive membrane-bound mutant APPL form is sufficient to rescue the memory deficit caused by APPL reduction, revealing for the first time a role of full-length APPL in memory formation. Our data demonstrate that, in addition to secreted APPL, the noncleaved form is involved in memory, raising the possibility that secreted and full-length APPL act together in memory processes. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/351043-09$15.00/0.

Measuring Maize Seedling Drought Response in Search of Tolerant Germplasm

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Dirk Hays

2013-02-01

Full Text Available To identify and develop drought tolerant maize (Zea mays L., high-throughput and cost-effective screening methods are needed. In dicot crops, measuring survival and recovery of seedlings has been successful in predicting drought tolerance but has not been reported in C4 grasses such as maize. Seedlings of sixty-two diverse maize inbred lines and their hybrid testcross progeny were evaluated for germination, survival and recovery after a series of drought cycles. Genotypic differences among inbred lines and hybrid testcrosses were best explained approximately 13 and 18 days after planting, respectively. Genotypic effects were significant and explained over 6% of experimental variance. Specifically three inbred lines had significant survival, and 14 hybrids had significant recovery. However, no significant correlation was observed between hybrids and inbreds (R2 = 0.03, indicating seedling stress response is more useful as a secondary screening parameter in hybrids than in inbred lines per se. Field yield data under full and limited irrigation indicated that seedling drought mechanisms were independent of drought responses at flowering in this study.

SEED INOCULATION WITH Azospirillum brasilense, ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF BIOREGULATORS IN MAIZE

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ALESSANDRO DE LUCCA E BRACCINI

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The inoculation of seeds with the bacterium Azospirillum has been carried out in maize culture and other grasses. The application of growth bio-regulators is another technology whose results in maize culture have yet to become more widespread. Current study evaluates the agronomic effectiveness of seed inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense in maize, associated with the use of the growth regulator Stimulate ®. Triple hybrid maize CD 304 underwent the following treatments: 1 - control without nitrogen and without Azospirillum brasilense; 2 - Treatment without nitrogen but with Azospirillum brasilense; 3 - Treatment without nitrogen but with Azospirillum brasilense + Stimulate ®; 4 - Treatment with 50% of nitrogen dose recommended for maize culture; 5 - Treatment with 50% of nitrogen dose and inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense; 6 - Same as 5 but with Stimulate ®; 7 - Total N recommended; 8 - Total N recommended + Azospirillum brasilense ; 9 - Total N recommended + Azospirillum brasilense + Stimulate ®. The inoculation of maize seeds with Azospirillum brasilense increases plant height and grain yield when compared with rates in control. The use of 50% of N dose in sowing, associated with the inoculation of maize seeds with Azospirillum brasilense at 200 mL ha-1 (mixed to the seeds and associated with Stimulate ® (in foliar application, is viable.

Near Full-Length Identification of a Novel HIV-1 CRF01_AE/B/C Recombinant in Northern Myanmar.

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Zhou, Yan-Heng; Chen, Xin; Liang, Yue-Bo; Pang, Wei; Qin, Wei-Hong; Zhang, Chiyu; Zheng, Yong-Tang

2015-08-01

The Myanmar-China border appears to be the "hot spot" region for the occurrence of HIV-1 recombination. The majority of the previous analyses of HIV-1 recombination were based on partial genomic sequences, which obviously cannot reflect the reality of the genetic diversity of HIV-1 in this area well. Here, we present a near full-length characterization of a novel HIV-1 CRF01_AE/B/C recombinant isolated from a long-distance truck driver in Northern Myanmar. It is the first description of a near full-length genomic sequence in Myanmar since 2003, and might be one of the most complicated HIV-1 chimeras ever detected in Myanmar, containing four CRF01_AE, six B segments, and five C segments separated by 14 breakpoints throughout its genome. The discovery and characterization of this new CRF01_AE/B/C recombinant indicate that intersubtype recombination is ongoing in Myanmar, continuously generating new forms of HIV-1. More work based on near full-length sequence analyses is urgently needed to better understand the genetic diversity of HIV-1 in these regions.

Influence of growing measures on weed interference and water status in maize

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Simić Milena

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Growing modern hybrids in narrow plant spacing together with nitrogen and herbicide application gives an advantage to maize crops over weeds. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen form, maize row spacing and herbicide treatment on weed and maize biomass and water usage, as well as maize yield. The investigation was conducted at the Maize Research Institute Zemun Polje, Belgrade during 2014-2016. A field experiment was set up as a split-split-plot block design with four replications. The maize hybrid ZP388 was planted, and a standard and a slow-release form of urea were applied. For each N source, maize was grown at two row spacings: narrow of 50 cm, and standard of 70 cm, while weed control treatments included: C - without herbicide application, T - application of a pre-emergence mix of herbicides. Sowing was done in the second decade of April, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Six weeks after herbicide application, the fresh biomass of weeds uprooted from 1 m2 and aboveground biomass of ten crop plants per plot were measured together with dry matter after drying in a laboratory oven. Water content (% in weed and maize plants was calculated as a relation between fresh and dry biomass. Maize yield was measured at the end of each growing season and calculated with 14% of moisture. All data were processed by ANOVA. The fresh and dry biomass of weeds were significantly (P>0.05 higher in untreated control than in the treated variant, while differences in water content were not significant between the two treatments. Row spacing and urea form did not cause significant differences in weed parameters. Related to this, maize fresh and dry biomass, as well as water content, were higher in herbicide-treated variants than in control but differences were insignificant. Maize biomass was somewhat higher in 50 cm rows and after application of the slow-release urea fertilizer. Yield was higher from 70 cm rows and after application of

Comparative diversity of arthropods on Bt maize and non-Bt maize in two different cropping systems in South Africa.

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Truter, J; Van Hamburg, H; Van Den Berg, J

2014-02-01

The biodiversity of an agroecosystem is not only important for its intrinsic value but also because it influences ecological functions that are vital for crop production in sustainable agricultural systems and the surrounding environment. A concern about genetically modified (GM) crops is the potential negative impact that such crops could have on diversity and abundance of nontarget organisms, and subsequently on ecosystem functions. Therefore, it is essential to assess the potential environmental risk of the release of a GM crop and to study its effect on species assemblages within that ecosystem. Assessment of the impact of Bt maize on the environment is hampered by the lack of basic checklists of species present in maize agroecosystems. The aims of the study were to compile a checklist of arthropods that occur on maize in South Africa and to compare the diversity and abundance of arthropods and functional groups on Bt maize and non-Bt maize. Collections of arthropods were carried out during two growing seasons on Bt maize and non-Bt maize plants at two localities. Three maize fields were sampled per locality during each season. Twenty plants, each of Bt maize and non-Bt maize, were randomly selected from the fields at each site. The arthropods collected during this study were classified to morphospecies level and grouped into the following functional groups: detritivores, herbivores, predators, and parasitoids. Based on feeding strategy, herbivores and predators were further divided into sucking herbivores or predators (piercing-sucking mouthparts) and chewing herbivores or predators (chewing mouthparts). A total of 8,771 arthropod individuals, comprising 288 morphospecies and presenting 20 orders, were collected. Results from this short-term study indicated that abundance and diversity of arthropods in maize and the different functional guilds were not significantly affected by Bt maize, either in terms of diversity or abundance.

Effects of maize maturity at harvest and dietary proportion of maize silage on intake and performance of growing/finishing bulls

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zaralis, K.; Nørgaard, P.; Helander, C.

2014-01-01

Whole-crop maize silage as forage in diets of finishing cattle can promote high intakes and thus, enhances animal performance. In the present study we evaluated the effect of whole-crop maize maturity at harvest and the proportion of maize-silage in diets of finishing bulls, on feed intake...... of treatments, involving two maturity stages of maize at harvest (i.e. dough stage or dent stage) and two maize silage proportions (i.e. 100% maize silage or 50% maize and 50% grass silage). The diets were offered ad libitum as total mixed rations (TMRs) with inclusion of concentrates (i.e. rolled barley; dried...... distillers’ grain plus soluble; cold-pressed rapeseed cake) in a 40% proportion on DM basis. All animals were slaughtered at a target body weight of 630 kg. Bulls fed on diets containing maize silage as sole forage achieved higher live-weight gain (P

Pharmacological efficacy of anti-IL-1β scFv, Fab and full-length antibodies in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

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Qi, Jianying; Ye, Xianlong; Ren, Guiping; Kan, Fangming; Zhang, Yu; Guo, Mo; Zhang, Zhiyi; Li, Deshan

2014-02-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that mainly causes the synovial joint inflammation and cartilage destruction. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is an important proinflammatory cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of RA. In this study, we constructed and expressed anti-IL-1β-full-length antibody in CHO-K1-SV, anti-IL-1β-Fab and anti-IL-1β-scFv in Rosetta. We compared the therapeutic efficacy of three anti-IL-1β antibodies for CIA mice. Mice with CIA were subcutaneously injected with humanized anti-IL-1β-scFv, anti-IL-1β-Fab or anti-IL-1β-full-length antibody. The effects of treatment were determined by arthritis severity score, autoreactive humoral, cellular immune responses, histological lesion and cytokines production. Compared with anti-IL-1β-scFv treatments, anti-IL-1β-Fab and anti-IL-1β-full-length antibody therapy resulted in more significant effect in alleviating the severity of arthritis by preventing bone damage and cartilage destruction, reducing humoral and cellular immune responses, and down-regulating the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α and MMP-3 in inflammatory tissue. The therapeutic effects of anti-IL-1β-Fab and anti-IL-1β-full-length antibodies on CIA mice had no significant difference. However, production of anti-IL-1β-full-length antibody in eukaryotic system is, in general, time-consuming and more expensive than that of anti-IL-1β-Fab in prokaryotic systems. In conclusion, as a small molecule antibody, anti-IL-1β-Fab is an ideal candidate for RA therapy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seed Priming with Melatonin Effects on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in Maize under Salinity Stress

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Jiang, X.; Li, H.; Song, X.

2016-01-01

The effects on seed germination and seedling growth in maize under salinity stress by seed priming with melatonin were investigated. Seeds of maize cultivar Nonghua101 were soaked in 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 mM aerated solution of melatonin for 24 h, and primed seeds were germinated under the condition of 150 mM NaCl with paper media. The results showed seed priming with 0.8 mM melatonin was the best performance of all the treatments to seed germination and seedling growth in maize under salinity stress. Then primed with 0.8 mM melatonin or water for 24 h and unprimed seeds were germination under the condition of 150 mM NaCl with sand media. The results showed seed priming with 0.8 mM melatonin significantly improved germination energy, germination percentage, seedling vigor index, shoot and root lengths, seedling fresh and dry weights, K/sup +/ content, relative water content, proline and total phenolic contents, superoxide dismutase, catalase and phenylalanin ammonia lyase activities; and significantly decreased mean emergence time, Na/sup +/ content, electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content compared with untreated seeds under salinity stress. These results suggest that seed priming with melatonin alleviates the salinity damage to maize and seed priming with melatonin may be an important alternative approach to decrease the impact of salinity stress in maize. (author)

Effects of hematite and ferrihydrite nanoparticles on germination and growth of maize

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Nicolaza Pariona

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Engineered iron oxide nanoparticles (IO-NPs have been used extensively for environmental remediation. It may cause the release IO-NPs to the environment affecting the functions of ecosystems. Plants are an important component of ecosystems and can be used for the evaluation of overall fate, transport and exposure pathways of IO-NPs in the environment. In this work, the effects of engineered ferrihydrite and hematite NPs on the germination and growth of maize are studied. The germination and growth of maize were done with treatments at different concentrations of hematite and ferrihydrite NPs, namely 1, 2, 4, and 6 g/L. Biological indicators of toxicity or stress in maize seedlings were not observed in treatments with engineered hematite and ferrihydrite NPs. In contrast, the NPs treatments increased the growth of maize and the chlorophyll content, except for hematite NPs at 6 g/L, where non-significant effects were found. The translocation of engineered ferrihydrite and hematite NPs in maize stems was demonstrated using confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Transcriptome analysis of cadmium-treated roots in maize (Zea mays L.

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Runqing Yue

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Cadmium (Cd is a heavy metal and is highly toxic to all plant species. However, the underlying molecular mechanism controlling the effects of auxin on the Cd stress response in maize is largely unknown. In this study, the transcriptome produced by maize ‘Zheng 58’ root responses to Cd stress was sequenced using Illumina sequencing technology. In our study, six RNA-seq libraries yielded a total of 244 million clean short reads and 30.37 Gb of sequence data. A total of 6342 differentially expressed genes (DEGs were grouped into 908 Gene Ontology (GO categories and 198 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes terms. GO term enrichment analysis indicated that various auxin signaling pathway-related GO terms were significantly enriched in DEGs. Comparison of the transcript abundances for auxin biosynthesis, transport, and downstream response genes revealed a universal expression response under Cd treatment. Furthermore, our data showed that free indole-3-acetic acid (IAA levels were significantly reduced; but IAA oxidase activity was up-regulated after Cd treatment in maize roots. The analysis of Cd activity in maize roots under different Cd and auxin conditions confirmed that auxin affected Cd accumulation in maize seedlings. These results will improve our understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms underlying the response to Cd stress in maize roots.

Potential of Using Maize Cobs in Pig Diets — A Review

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A. T. Kanengoni

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The quest to broaden the narrow range of feed ingredients available to pig producers has prompted research on the use of low cost, unconventional feedstuffs, which are typically fibrous and abundant. Maize cobs, a by-product of a major cereal grown worldwide, have potential to be used as a pig feed ingredient. Presently, maize cobs are either dumped or burnt for fuel. The major challenge in using maize cobs in pig diets is their lignocellulosic nature (45% to 55% cellulose, 25% to 35% hemicellulose, and 20% to 30% lignin which is resistant to pigs’ digestive enzymes. The high fiber in maize cobs (930 g neutral detergent fiber/kg dry matter [DM]; 573 g acid detergent fiber/kg DM increases rate of passage and sequestration of nutrients in the fiber reducing their digestion. However, grinding, heating and fermentation can modify the structure of the fibrous components in the maize cobs and improve their utilization. Pigs can also extract up to 25% of energy maintenance requirements from fermentation products. In addition, dietary fiber improves pig intestinal health by promoting the growth of lactic acid bacteria, which suppress proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines. This paper reviews maize cob composition and the effect on digestibility of nutrients, intestinal microflora and growth performance and proposes the use of ensiling using exogenous enzymes to enhance utilization in diets of pigs.

On-Farm Study on Intercropping of Hybrid Maize with Different Short Duration Vegetables in the Charland of Tangail

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MA Rahaman, MM Rahman, S Roy, M Ahmed, MS Bhuyan

2015-12-01

Full Text Available An experiment was conducted in charland at the Multi Location Testing (MLT site Bhuapur, Tangail during 2012-13 and 2013-14 under AEZ-8 to find out the suitable intercropping system of hybrid maize with different short duration vegetables with economic return. The experiment was laid out in RCB design with six dispersed (six farmers’ field replications. The hybrid maize (ver. BARI Hybrid maize-7, potato (Diamant, spinach (local, red amaranth (BARI Lalsak-1, Radish (BARI Mula-1 were used as the planting materials. Five treatment combinations viz. T1= Sole Maize, T2= 100% Maize (maize paired row + Potato (var. Diamant, T3= 100% Maize (maize paired row + Spinach (var. local, T4= 100% Maize (maize paired row + Red amaranth (var. BARI Lalshak-1 and T5= 100% Maize (Maize paired row + Radish (var. BARI Mula-1 were studied. Maize grain yield in intercropped combination varied from 5.59-7.62 t ha-1. But the highest grain yield (8.17 t ha-1 was obtained from sole maize. Maize equivalent yields in the intercrops situation ranged from 11.39-19.68 t ha-1 where highest maize equivalent yield 19.68 t ha-1 was recorded from the treatment T3 (100 % maize + spinach. The same combinations also gave highest gross return (Tk. 373930 ha-1 and gross margin (Tk. 258585 ha-1 as well as benefit cost ratio (3.24. Though highest grain yield was recorded from sole maize but equivalent yield and economic return was much lower than the treatment T3.

Rapid Cycling Genomic Selection in a Multiparental Tropical Maize Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xuecai; Pérez-Rodríguez, Paulino; Burgueño, Juan; Olsen, Michael; Buckler, Edward; Atlin, Gary; Prasanna, Boddupalli M; Vargas, Mateo; San Vicente, Félix; Crossa, José

2017-07-05

Genomic selection (GS) increases genetic gain by reducing the length of the selection cycle, as has been exemplified in maize using rapid cycling recombination of biparental populations. However, no results of GS applied to maize multi-parental populations have been reported so far. This study is the first to show realized genetic gains of rapid cycling genomic selection (RCGS) for four recombination cycles in a multi-parental tropical maize population. Eighteen elite tropical maize lines were intercrossed twice, and self-pollinated once, to form the cycle 0 (C 0 ) training population. A total of 1000 ear-to-row C 0 families was genotyped with 955,690 genotyping-by-sequencing SNP markers; their testcrosses were phenotyped at four optimal locations in Mexico to form the training population. Individuals from families with the best plant types, maturity, and grain yield were selected and intermated to form RCGS cycle 1 (C 1 ). Predictions of the genotyped individuals forming cycle C 1 were made, and the best predicted grain yielders were selected as parents of C 2 ; this was repeated for more cycles (C 2 , C 3 , and C 4 ), thereby achieving two cycles per year. Multi-environment trials of individuals from populations C 0, C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , and C 4 , together with four benchmark checks were evaluated at two locations in Mexico. Results indicated that realized grain yield from C 1 to C 4 reached 0.225 ton ha -1 per cycle, which is equivalent to 0.100 ton ha -1  yr -1 over a 4.5-yr breeding period from the initial cross to the last cycle. Compared with the original 18 parents used to form cycle 0 (C 0 ), genetic diversity narrowed only slightly during the last GS cycles (C 3 and C 4 ). Results indicate that, in tropical maize multi-parental breeding populations, RCGS can be an effective breeding strategy for simultaneously conserving genetic diversity and achieving high genetic gains in a short period of time. Copyright © 2017 Zhang et al.

Response of maize (Zea mays L. saccharata Sturt) to different concentration treatments of deltamethrin.

Science.gov (United States)

Duran, Ragbet Ezgi; Kilic, Semra; Coskun, Yasemin

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the deltamethrin pesticide on the biological properties of maize (Zea mays L. saccharata Sturt). Maize seeds were exposed to environmentally relevant dosages (0.01, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.5 ppm) of deltamethrin. On the 7th day of germination, morphological, anatomical and physiological responses were determined. All seedling growth characters were decreased with increasing deltamethrin levels. The most negative effect on the radicle length of maize was observed by the highest deltamethrin concentration with a 61% decrease (P <0.05). Both stomatal density and stomatal dimension reduction were caused by increasing concentrations of deltamethrin. Moreover, the pigments like chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and caretonoids decreased with the increase in deltamethrin concentration. Conversely, anthocyanin and proline content increased in parallel with deltamethrin concentration. As a result, all morphological traits and pigments except for proline and anthocyanin were significantly reduced with an increase in pesticide concentration, compared to control (P <0.05). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

COMPETITIVENESS OF NIGERIAN RICE AND MAIZE PRODUCTION ECOLOGIES: A POLICY ANALYSIS APPROACH

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Victor Olusegun Okoruwa

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The Nigerian rice and maize sectors are faced with decreasing supply and increasing demand as rice and maize have taken a strategic place of other staples leading to excessive importation and increasing government intervention. This study therefore assesses the competitiveness of Nigerian rice and maize production ecologies using the policy analysis matrix (PAM on a sample of 122 farmers. Results of the PAM revealed that outputs from the production ecologies are taxed. This is further confirmed by the Effective protection coefficient (EPC and Subsidy ratio to producers (SRP values, however, the production ecologies are subsidized on the use of tradable inputs. The production ecologies show a strong competitiveness at the farm level (under irrigated rice, upland rice and upland maize and a strong comparative advantage. Sensitivity analysis indicated that a 50 percent increase in output and a 13.3 percent depreciation of the domestic currency will increase competitiveness and comparative advantage of rice and maize production in all ecologies. The study recommends that government should ensure a level of policy stability in the rice and maize sectors, assist farmers with irrigated water scheme to ensure constant water supply, and increase the level of output through provision of improved seed varieties.

Adaptation options to future climate of maize crop in Southern Italy examined using thermal sums

Science.gov (United States)

Di Tommasi, P.; Alfieri, S. M.; Bonfante, A.; Basile, A.; De Lorenzi, F.; Menenti, M.

2012-04-01

Future climate scenarios predict substantial changes in air temperature within a few decades and agriculture needs to increase the capacity of adaptation both by changing spatial distribution of crops and shifting timing of management. In this context the prediction of future behaviour of crops with respect to present climate could be useful for farm and landscape management. In this work, thermal sums were used to simulate a maize crop in a future scenario, in terms of length of the growing season and of intervals between the main phenological stages. The area under study is the Sele plain (Campania Region), a pedo-climatic homogeneous area, one of the most agriculturally advanced and relevant flatland in Southern Italy. Maize was selected for the present study since it is extensively grown in the Sele Plain for water buffalofeeding,. Daily time-series of climatic data of the area under study were generated within the Italian project AGROSCENARI, and include maximum and minimum temperature and precipitation. The 1961-1990 and the 1998-2008 periods were compared to a future climate scenario (2021-2050). Future time series were generated using a statistical downscaling technique (Tomozeiu et al., 2007) from general circulation models (AOGCM). Differences in crop development length were calculated for different maize varieties under 3 management options for sowing time: custom date (typical for the area), before and after custom date. The interactions between future thermal regime and the length of growing season under the different management options were analyzed. Moreover, frequency of spells of high temperatures during the anthesis was examined. The feasibility of the early sowing option was discussed in relation with field trafficability at the beginning of the crop cycle. The work was carried out within the Italian national project AGROSCENARI funded by the Ministry for Agricultural, Food and Forest Policies (MIPAAF, D.M. 8608/7303/2008)

Development of cold and drought tolerant short-season maize germplasm for fuel and feed utilization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo J Carena

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Maize has become a profitable alternative for North Dakota (ND farmers and ranchers. However, U.S. northern industry hybrids still lack cold and drought stress tolerance as well as adequate grain quality for ethanol and feedstock products. Moreover, there is a need to increase the value of feedstock operations before and after ethanol utilization. The ND maize breeding program initiated the development of hybrids with high quality protein content through the Early Quality Protein Maize for Feedstock (EarlyQPMF project. The North Dakota State University (NDSU maize breeding program acts as a genetic provider to foundation seed companies, retailer seed companies, processing industry, and breeders nationally and internationally. In the past 10 years, NDSU was awarded 9 PVP maize certificates and released 38 maize products. Within those, 13 inbred lines were exclusively released to a foundation seed company for commercial purposes. In addition, 2 hybrids were identified for commercial production in central and western ND.

RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN A MAIZE BREEDING PROGRAM FOR NATIVE RESISTANCE TO WESTERN CORN ROOTWORM

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Ivan Brkić

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to determine the optimum allocation of the number of plants sampled per plot and number of locations and years required for screening maize genotypes for reduced root damage caused by western corn rootworm (WCR larvae, major pest of maize in Croatia, Europe and in the USA. Field trials were conducted on two locations Eastern Croatia, a major maize production area with natural WCR occurrence under continuous maize growing conditions. The trials were set as an incomplete lattice block design in two replications in 2007, 2008 and 2009 including 128 genotypes from various maize gene-pools. Our results suggest that the effect of year and respective interactions including year were the most important factors in maize breeding programs for native resistance to WCR. Thus, screening germplasm for WCR resistance should be made in a multi-year experiment, but not necessarily as a multi-location experiment. Resource optimization should be done by reducing number of roots per plot to minimum 4 sampled plants due to small within-plot environmental variance.

Cocrystallization studies of full-length recombinant butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) with cocaine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asojo, Oluwatoyin Ajibola; Asojo, Oluyomi Adebola; Ngamelue, Michelle N.; Homma, Kohei; Lockridge, Oksana (Nebraska-Med)

2011-09-16

Human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE; EC 3.1.1.8) is a 340 kDa tetrameric glycoprotein that is present in human serum at about 5 mg l{sup -1} and has well documented therapeutic effects on cocaine toxicity. BChE holds promise as a therapeutic that reduces and finally eliminates the rewarding effects of cocaine, thus weaning an addict from the drug. There have been extensive computational studies of cocaine hydrolysis by BChE. Since there are no reported structures of BChE with cocaine or any of the hydrolysis products, full-length monomeric recombinant wild-type BChE was cocrystallized with cocaine. The refined 3 {angstrom} resolution structure appears to retain the hydrolysis product benzoic acid in sufficient proximity to form a hydrogen bond to the active-site Ser198.

Weed Dynamics during Transition to Conservation Agriculture in Western Kenya Maize Production.

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Judith A Odhiambo

Full Text Available Weed competition is a significant problem in maize (Zea mays, L. production in Sub-Saharan Africa. Better understanding of weed management and costs in maize intercropped with beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, L. during transition to conservation agricultural systems is needed. Changes in weed population and maize growth were assessed for a period of three years at Bungoma where crops are grown twice per year and at Trans-Nzoia where crops are grown once per year. Treatments included three tillage practices: minimum (MT, no-till (NT and conventional (CT applied to three cropping systems: continuous maize/bean intercropping (TYPICAL, maize/bean intercropping with relayed mucuna after bean harvest (RELAY and maize, bean and mucuna planted in a strip intercropping arrangement (STRIP. Herbicides were used in NT, shallow hand hoeing and herbicides were used in MT and deep hoeing with no herbicides were used in CT. Weed and maize performance in the maize phase of each cropping system were assessed at both locations and costs of weed control were estimated at Manor House only. Weed density of grass and forb species declined significantly under MT and NT at Manor House and of grass species only at Mabanga. The greatest declines of more than 50% were observed as early as within one year of the transition to MT and NT in STRIP and TYPICAL cropping systems at Manor House. Transitioning to conservation based systems resulted in a decline of four out of five most dominant weed species. At the same time, no negative impact of MT or NT on maize growth was observed. Corresponding costs of weed management were reduced by $148.40 ha(-1 in MT and $149.60 ha(-1 in NT compared with CT. In conclusion, farmers can benefit from effective and less expensive weed management alternatives early in the process of transitioning to reduced tillage operations.

Randomly amplified polymorphic-DNA analysis for detecting genotoxic effects of Boron on maize (Zea mays L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Sakcali, M Serdal; Kekec, Guzin; Uzonur, Irem; Alpsoy, Lokman; Tombuloglu, Huseyin

2015-08-01

This study was carried out to investigate the genotoxic effect of boron (B) on maize using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method. Experimental design was conducted under 0, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 125, and 150 ppm B exposures, and physiological changes have revealed a sharp decrease in root growth rates from 28% to 85%, starting from 25 ppm to 150 ppm, respectively. RAPD-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis shows that DNA alterations are clearly observed from beginning to 100 ppm. B-induced inhibition in root growth had a positive correlation with DNA alterations. Total soluble protein, root and stem lengths, and B content analysis in root and leaves encourage these results as a consequence. These preliminary findings reveal that B causes chromosomal aberration and genotoxic effects on maize. Meanwhile, usage of RAPD-PCR technique is a suitable biomarker to detect genotoxic effect of B on maize and other crops for the future. © The Author(s) 2013.

"Achieving Mexico’s Maize Potential"

OpenAIRE

Antonio Turrent Fernández; Timothy A. Wise; Elise Garvey

2012-01-01

Rising agricultural prices, combined with growing import dependence, have driven Mexico’s food import bill over $20 billion per year and increased its agricultural trade deficit. Mexico imports one-third of its maize, overwhelmingly from the United States, but three million producers grow most of the country’s white maize, which is used primarily for tortillas and many other pluricultural products for human consumption. Yield gaps are large among the country’s small to medium-scale maize farm...

Water-Soluble Lignins from Different Bioenergy Crops Stimulate the Early Development of Maize (Zea mays, L.

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Davide Savy

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The molecular composition of water-soluble lignins isolated from four non-food bioenergy crops (cardoon CAR, eucalyptus EUC, and two black poplars RIP and LIM was characterized in detail, and their potential bioactivity towards maize germination and early growth evaluated. Lignins were found to not affect seed germination rates, but stimulated the maize seedling development, though to a different extent. RIP promoted root elongation, while CAR only stimulated the length of lateral seminal roots and coleoptile, and LIM improved only the coleoptile development. The most significant bioactivity of CAR was related to its large content of aliphatic OH groups, C-O carbons and lowest hydrophobicity, as assessed by 31P-NMR and 13C-CPMAS-NMR spectroscopies. Less bioactive RIP and LIM lignins were similar in composition, but their stimulation of maize seedling was different. This was accounted to their diverse content of aliphatic OH groups and S- and G-type molecules. The poorest bioactivity of the EUC lignin was attributed to its smallest content of aliphatic OH groups and largest hydrophobicity. Both these features may be conducive of a EUC conformational structure tight enough to prevent its alteration by organic acids exuded from vegetal tissues. Conversely the more labile conformational arrangements of the other more hydrophilic lignin extracts promoted their bioactivity by releasing biologically active molecules upon the action of exuded organic acids. Our findings indicate that water-soluble lignins from non-food crops may be effectively used as plant biostimulants, thus contributing to increase the economic and ecological liability of bio-based industries.

NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION OF BREAD WASTE AS A REPLACEMENT FOR MAIZE IN THE DIET OF GROWING SNAILS

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A.J. OMOLE

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The effect of replacing maize fraction of the diet of growing snails partially or wholly with bread waste (BW on performance characteristics and cost benefits was studied for 12 weeks. A total of 120 growing snails (Archachatina marginata of mean weight 83.67 ± 3.5g of about 3 months of age were randomly allotted to 4 dietary treatments, BW1, BW2, BW3 and BW4 in which maize fraction of the diet was replaced at 0, 50, 75 and 100% with BW respectively, in a completely randomized design replicated 3 times. The parameters measured were feed intake, weight gain, shell length, width and thickness. Feed conversion ratio and cost/weight gain were calculated. The results showed that significant differences were not observed in the mean total feed intake, weight gain and shell increment (P>0.05. The results also revealed that dietary treatments had no significant influence on the dressing percentage (P>0.05 which varied between 41.25 and 41.28%. The total feed cost and cost per weight reduced as the level of BW in the diet increased from 0 to 100%. The highest cost/ weight gain (CW of N223.2 was recorded in diet containing 0% BW while the lowest CW was recorded in diet containing 100%BW. Based on the present results maize fraction of snail’s diet could be replaced with bread waste up to 100% at reduced cost without any adverse effect on performance of growing snails.

Genetic variation of european maize genotypes (zea mays l. Detected using ssr markers

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Martin Vivodík

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The SSR molecular markers were used to assess genetic diversity in 40 old European maize genotypes. Ten SSR primers revealed a total of 65 alleles ranging from 4 (UMC1060 to 8 (UMC2002 and UMC1155 alleles per locus with a mean value of 6.50 alleles per locus. The PIC values ranged from 0.713 (UMC1060 to 0.842 (UMC2002 with an average value of 0.810 and the DI value ranged from 0.734 (UMC1060 to 0.848 (UMC2002 with an average value of 0.819. 100% of used SSR markers had PIC and DI values higher than 0.7 that means high polymorphism of chosen markers used for analysis. Probability of identity (PI was low ranged from 0.004 (UMC1072 to 0.022 (UMC1060 with an average of 0.008. A dendrogram was constructed from a genetic distance matrix based on profiles of the 10 maize SSR loci using the unweighted pair-group method with the arithmetic average (UPGMA. According to analysis, the collection of 40 diverse accessions of maize was clustered into four clusters. The first cluster contained nine genotypes of maize, while the second cluster contained the four genotypes of maize. The third cluster contained 5 maize genotypes. Cluster 4 contained five genotypes from Hungary (22.73%, two genotypes from Poland (9.10%, seven genotypes of maize from Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (31.81%, six genotypes from Czechoslovakia (27.27%, one genotype from Slovak Republic (4.55% and one genotype of maize is from Yugoslavia (4.55%. We could not distinguish 4 maize genotypes grouped in cluster 4, (Voroneskaja and Kocovska Skora and 2 Hungarian maize genotypes - Feheres Sarga Filleres and Mindszentpusztai Feher, which are genetically the closest.

Maize Residue as a Viable Substrate for Farm Scale Cultivation of Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus

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Abena O. Adjapong

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In the search for alternatives to sawdust as growing media in commercial mushroom cultivation, three organic substrates obtainable as crop residue, maize husk, maize cob, and maize stalk, with each being supplemented with rice bran, were evaluated as growth media for the oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus (Kummer. For the tested alternatives to sawdust, the harvested weight of fruiting bodies that sprouted on a kilogram maize husk media per crop (32.99 g was the highest. Sawdust media supported significantly (P<0.001 heavier fruiting bodies (42.18 than the maize residues. The peak mushroom harvests for the various substrates were obtained between the first and seventh fruiting body flushes. The biological efficiency of the substrates, which measured usable nutrients indicated that maize stalk supplemented with rice bran, was 39% compared to that of the sawdust media (60%. The maize husk media and the maize cob media had biological efficiencies of 32% and 9.5%, respectively. These results indicate that two of the tested growing media (maize stalk or husk produced mushrooms with yield characteristics that were comparable to the well-used sawdust in the cultivation of oyster mushrooms. The environmental and economic parameters involved in the use and carting of sawdust make these on-farm crop residues a viable alternative for mushroom cultivation in especially nonforest zones of Ghana.

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) of the solid state full length rod control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shopsky, W.E.

1977-01-01

The Full Length Rod Control System (FLRCS) controls the power to the rod drive mechanisms for rod movement in response to signals received from the Reactor Control System or from signals generated through Reactor Operator action. Rod movement is used to control reactivity of the reactor during plant operation. The Full Length Rod Control System is designed to perform its reactivity control function in conjunction with the Reactor Control and Protection System, to maintain the reactor core within design safety limits. By the use of a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis, it is shown that the FLRCS will perform its reactivity control functions considering the loss of single active components. That is, sufficient fault limiting control circuits are provided which blocks control rod movement and/or indicates presence of a fault condition at the Control Board. Reactor operator action or automatic reactor trip will thus mitigate the consequences of potential failure of the FLRCS. The analysis also qualitatively demonstrates the reliability of the FLRCS to perform its intended function

Exploring maize-legume intercropping systems in Southwest Mexico

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Flores-Sanchez, D.; Pastor, A.V.; Lantinga, E.A.; Rossing, W.A.H.; Kropff, M.J.

2013-01-01

Maize yields in continuous maize production systems of smallholders in the Costa Chica, a region in Southwest Mexico, are low despite consistent inputs of fertilizers and herbicides. This study was aimed at investigating the prospects of intercropping maize (Zea mays L.) and maize-roselle (Hibiscus

Climatic and non-climatic drivers of spatiotemporal maize-area dynamics across the northern limit for maize production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Odgaard, Mette Vestergaard; Bøcher, Peder Klith; Dalgaard, Tommy

2011-01-01

It is expected that the ongoing anthropogenic climate change will drive changes in agricultural production and its geographic distribution. Here, we assess the extent to which climate change is already driving spatiotemporal dynamics in maize production in Denmark. We use advanced spatial...... regression modeling with multi-model averaging to assess the extent to which the recent spatiotemporal dynamics of the maize area in Denmark are driven by climate (temperature as represented by maize heating units [MHU] and growing-season precipitation), climate change and non-climatic factors (cattle...... cultivation and cattle farming, probably reflecting a change to a more favorable climate for maize cultivation: in the beginning of the study period, northern areas were mostly too cold for maize cultivation, irrespective of cattle density, but this limitation has been diminishing as climate has warmed...

Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza on Osmotic Adjustment and Photosynthetic Physiology of Maize Seedlings in Black Soils Region of Northeast China

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Hongwen Xu

Full Text Available ABSTRACT To investigate the effect of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi on maize growth, osmoregulation substances and photosynthetic physiology, a popular maize variety ZD 958 was measured under potted condition. Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM symbiosis promoted plant growth, and enhanced plant height, leaf length, mean leaf width and dry weight. Higher soluble sugar and protein, but lower proline concentrations were detected in AM seedlings than corresponding non-AM seedlings. Quantum yield of PSII photochemistry and potential photochemical efficiency increased by arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi, meanwhile, AM plants had lower primary fluorescence but higher maximal fluorescence and variable fluorescence than non-AM plants. AM enhanced apparent quantum efficiency, maximum net photosynthetic rate, dark respiration rate and light saturation point, but reduced light compensation point. The conclusion was that, after the seedling inoculated with Glomus. tortuosum, AM symbioses could protect cell from being hurt through regulating substances related to osmotic adjustment, besides, the efficiency of light utilization, the capacity of using low light and the capacity of fitting and using high light were all increased by AM symbiosis.

Farmers’ desired traits and selection criteria for maize varieties and their implications for maize breeding: A case study from KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

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Julia Sibiya

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Adoption of hybrids and improved varieties has remained low in the smallholder farming sector of South Africa, despite maize being the staple food crop for the majority of households. The objective of this study was to establish preferred maize characteristics by farmers which can be used as selection criteria by maize breeders in crop improvement. Data were collected from three villages of a selected smallholder farming area in South Africa using a survey covering 300 households and participatory rural appraisal methodology. Results indicated a limited selection of maize varieties grown by farmers in the area compared to other communities in Africa. More than 97% of the farmers grew a local landrace called Natal-8-row or IsiZulu. Hybrids and improved open pollinated varieties were planted by less than 40% of the farmers. The Natal-8-row landrace had characteristics similar to landraces from eastern and southern Africa and closely resembled Hickory King, a landrace still popular in Southern Africa. The local landrace was preferred for its taste, recycled seed, tolerance to abiotic stresses and yield stability. Preferred characteristics of maize varieties were high yield and prolificacy, disease resistance, early maturity, white grain colour, and drying and shelling qualities. Farmers were willing to grow hybrids if the cost of seed and other inputs were affordable and their preferences were considered. Our results show that breeding opportunities exist for improving the farmers’ local varieties and maize breeders can take advantage of these preferred traits and incorporate them into existing high yielding varieties.

Dermatoxin and phylloxin from the waxy monkey frog, Phyllomedusa sauvagei: cloning of precursor cDNAs and structural characterization from lyophilized skin secretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tianbao; Walker, Brian; Zhou, Mei; Shaw, Chris

2005-07-15

Amphibian skin is a morphologically, biochemically and physiologically complex organ that performs the wide range of functions necessary for amphibian survival. Here we describe the primary structures of representatives of two novel classes of amphibian skin antimicrobials, dermatoxin and phylloxin, from the skin secretion of Phyllomedusa sauvagei, deduced from their respective precursor encoding cDNAs cloned from a lyophilized skin secretion library. A degenerate primer, designed to a highly conserved domain in the 5'-untranslated region of analogous peptide precursor cDNAs from Phyllomedusa bicolor, was employed in a 3'-RACE reaction. Peptides with molecular masses coincident with precursor-deduced mature toxin peptides were identified in LC/MS fractions of skin secretion and primary structures were confirmed by MS/MS fragmentation. This integrated experimental approach can thus rapidly expedite the primary structural characterization of amphibian skin peptides in a manner that circumvents specimen sacrifice whilst preserving robustness of scientific data.

A Novel Strategy to Engineer Pre-Vascularized Full-Length Dental Pulp-like Tissue Constructs.

Science.gov (United States)

Athirasala, Avathamsa; Lins, Fernanda; Tahayeri, Anthony; Hinds, Monica; Smith, Anthony J; Sedgley, Christine; Ferracane, Jack; Bertassoni, Luiz E

2017-06-12

The requirement for immediate vascularization of engineered dental pulp poses a major hurdle towards successful implementation of pulp regeneration as an effective therapeutic strategy for root canal therapy, especially in adult teeth. Here, we demonstrate a novel strategy to engineer pre-vascularized, cell-laden hydrogel pulp-like tissue constructs in full-length root canals for dental pulp regeneration. We utilized gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels with tunable physical and mechanical properties to determine the microenvironmental conditions (microstructure, degradation, swelling and elastic modulus) that enhanced viability, spreading and proliferation of encapsulated odontoblast-like cells (OD21), and the formation of endothelial monolayers by endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs). GelMA hydrogels with higher polymer concentration (15% w/v) and stiffness enhanced OD21 cell viability, spreading and proliferation, as well as endothelial cell spreading and monolayer formation. We then fabricated pre-vascularized, full-length, dental pulp-like tissue constructs by dispensing OD21 cell-laden GelMA hydrogel prepolymer in root canals of extracted teeth and fabricating 500 µm channels throughout the root canals. ECFCs seeded into the microchannels successfully formed monolayers and underwent angiogenic sprouting within 7 days in culture. In summary, the proposed approach is a simple and effective strategy for engineering of pre-vascularized dental pulp constructs offering potentially beneficial translational outcomes.

Maize Diversity, Market Access, and Poverty Reduction in the Western Highlands of Guatemala

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Jon Hellin

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The western highlands of Guatemala lie within the area where maize was first domesticated, and maize remains central to farmers' livelihood security. Over 50% of the population in the region are in poverty, and over 48% suffer from chronic malnutrition. Development efforts have focused on improved land management, crop diversification, and improved access to markets, especially for high-value vegetable crops such as snow peas. As a result of successful initiatives worldwide, more attention is being directed at the extent to which farmers can benefit from market opportunities for indigenous crops by receiving a price premium for providing the environmental service of conserving agricultural biodiversity. Such an approach bridges the gap between poverty alleviation and in situ conservation. We explored this potential development pathway through both qualitative and quantitative research. Focus groups were conducted in 5 communities in the maize-growing highlands of Guatemala, followed by a survey of 989 farm households in 59 locations. Our results show that most farmers in the western highlands of Guatemala are severely maize deficient; on average, farm households produce enough maize for only 6.9 months of consumption a year and are forced to purchase maize to meet basic consumption needs. The results are in sharp contrast to research conducted in highland communities in neighboring Mexico, where many farmers are able to sell their maize in relatively lucrative specialty maize markets. In the context of renewed interest in reducing poverty in Central America, our research suggests that rather than focus on market development for local maize varieties, development efforts should target other types of interventions.

Some aspects of cultivation and utilization of waxy maize (Zea mays L. ssp. ceratina

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Agnieszka Klimek-Kopyra

2012-10-01

Full Text Available This paper is a review of available literature on Zea mays L.ssp.ceratina. It contains information on the origin, cul- tivation and utilization of waxy maize in the world and can be a contribution to the development of new research on maize cultivation and starch processing technology. Maize, as an old and economically important cereal, played an enormous role in the ancient civilisations of the New World. Among the maize subspecies compared, Z. mays ssp. indurata and Z. mays ssp. indentata are now the most important in Poland. The subspecies Z. mays ssp. saccharata has a marginal role, while Z. mays ssp. ceratina has not been hitherto cultivated. Decisions to introduce the subspecies Z. mays ssp. ceratina into cultivation are based on different grounds, taking into account both agro-climatic conditions and industrial uses of grain processing products. The growing demand for maize grain, stimulated by the increased demand for maize starch and oil in the global market as raw materials that are important in food production, is an impulse for the development of agrobiological research. The development of the starch industry, associated with the demand for industrial starch, will probably contribute to increased interest in this subspecies in Central Europe, also including Poland. Waxy maize grain can be a major ingredient of high-energy feeds for livestock, replacing in this role the type of maize that has been grown for this purpose until now. A great advantage of waxy maize is its specific structure of starch, due to its unique and high amylopectin content (95-98%, which creates unlimited possibilities of industrial use. Currently, waxy maize acreage in Europe does not exceed 2% of the maize crop area in this continent.

Purification and characterization of recombinant full-length and protease domain of murine MMP-9 expressed in Drosophila S2 cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasch, Morten G; Lund, Ida K; Illemann, Martin

2010-01-01

MMP-9. Constructs encoding zymogens of full-length murine MMP-9 and a version lacking the O-glycosylated linker region and hemopexin domains were therefore generated and expressed in stably transfected Drosophila S2 insect cells. After 7 days of induction the expression levels of the full......-length and truncated versions were 5 mg/l and 2 mg/l, respectively. The products were >95% pure after gelatin Sepharose chromatography and possessed proteolytic activity when analyzed by gelatin zymography. Using the purified full-length murine MMP-9 we raised polyclonal antibodies by immunizations of rabbits......Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is a 92-kDa soluble pro-enzyme implicated in pathological events including cancer invasion. It is therefore an attractive target for therapeutic intervention studies in mouse models. Development of inhibitors requires sufficient amounts of correctly folded murine...

Assessment and optimization of theileria parva sporozoite full-length p67 antigen expression in mammalian cells

Science.gov (United States)

Delivery of various forms of recombinant Theileria parva sporozoite antigen (p67) has been shown to elicit antibody responses in cattle capable of providing protection against East Coast fever, the clinical disease caused by T. parva. Previous formulations of full-length and shorter recombinant vers...

Lack of hormone binding in COS-7 cells expressing a mutated growth hormone receptor found in Laron dwarfism.

Science.gov (United States)

Edery, M; Rozakis-Adcock, M; Goujon, L; Finidori, J; Lévi-Meyrueis, C; Paly, J; Djiane, J; Postel-Vinay, M C; Kelly, P A

1993-01-01

A single point mutation in the growth hormone (GH) receptor gene generating a Phe-->Ser substitution in the extracellular binding domain of the receptor has been identified in one family with Laron type dwarfism. The mutation was introduced by site-directed mutagenesis into cDNAs encoding the full-length rabbit GH receptor and the extracellular domain or binding protein (BP) of the human and rabbit GH receptor, and also in cDNAs encoding the full length and the extracellular domain of the related rabbit prolactin (PRL) receptor. All constructs were transiently expressed in COS-7 cells. Both wild type and mutant full-length rabbit GH and PRL receptors, as well as GH and prolactin BPs (wild type and mutant), were detected by Western blot in cell membranes and concentrated culture media, respectively. Immunofluorescence studies showed that wild type and mutant full-length GH receptors had the same cell surface and intracellular distribution and were expressed with comparable intensities. In contrast, all mutant forms (full-length receptors or BPs), completely lost their modify the synthesis ligand. These results clearly demonstrate that this point mutation (patients with Laron syndrome) does not modify the synthesis or the intracellular pathway of receptor proteins, but rather abolishes ability of the receptor or BP to bind GH and is thus responsible for the extreme GH resistance in these patients. Images PMID:8450064

Changes to soil water content and biomass yield under combined maize and maize-weed vegetation with different fertilization treatments in loam soil

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Lehoczky Éva

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Especially during early developmental stages, competition with weeds can reduce crop growth and have a serious effect on productivity. Here, the effects of interactions between soil water content (SWC, nutrient availability, and competition from weeds on early stage crop growth were investigated, to better understand this problem. Field experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014 using long-term study plots on loam soil in Hungary. Plots of maize (Zea mays L. and a weed-maize combination were exposed to five fertilization treatments. SWC was observed along the 0–80 cm depth soil profile and harvested aboveground biomass (HAB was measured.

Translocation of the neonicotinoid seed treatment clothianidin in maize.

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Adam Alford

Full Text Available Neonicotinoid seed treatments, typically clothianidin or thiamethoxam, are routinely applied to >80% of maize (corn seed grown in North America where they are marketed as a targeted pesticide delivery system. Despite this widespread use, the amount of compound translocated into plant tissue from the initial seed treatment to provide protection has not been reported. Our two year field study compared concentrations of clothianidin seed treatments in maize to that of maize without neonicotinoid seed treatments and found neonicotinoids present in root tissues up to 34 days post planting. Plant-bound clothianidin concentrations followed an exponential decay pattern with initially high values followed by a rapid decrease within the first ~20 days post planting. A maximum of 1.34% of the initial seed treatment was successfully recovered from plant tissues in both study years and a maximum of 0.26% was recovered from root tissue. Our findings show neonicotinoid seed treatments may provide protection from some early season secondary maize pests. However, the proportion of the neonicotinoid seed treatment clothianidin translocated into plant tissues throughout the growing season is low overall and this observation may provide a mechanism to explain reports of inconsistent efficacy of this pest management approach and increasing detections of environmental neonicotinoids.

Density Stress has Minimal Impacts on the Barley or Maize Seedling Transcriptome

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Summer St. Pierre

2011-03-01

Full Text Available High planting density affects the morphology and productivity of many crop species. Our objectives were to examine the phenotypic and transcriptomic changes that occur during plant density stress in barley ( L. and maize ( L. seedlings. In maize and barley seedlings, density stress impacted several morphological traits. Gene expression profiles were examined in four barley and five maize genotypes grown at low and high plant densities. Only 221 barley and 35 maize genes exhibited differential expression in response to plant density stress. The majority of the gene expression changes were observed in a subset of the genotypes and reflected minor changes in the level of expression, indicating that the plant density stress imposed in this study did not result in major changes in gene expression. Also, little overlap was observed within barley or maize genotypes in gene expression during density stress, indicating that genotypic differences play a major role in the response to density stress. While it is clear that gene expression differences are involved in morphological changes induced by high plant densities, it is likely that many of these gene expression differences are subtle and restricted to particular tissues and developmental time.

A comparative phylogenetic analysis of full-length mariner elements ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

recent study showing non-occurance of inter-subfamily excisions because of .... length shown in our figure is greater because of the gaps introduced to maintain an ... to test the feasibility of transforming silkmoths with a foreign gene of ...

Virtually full-length subtype F and F/D recombinant HIV-1 from Africa and South America

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Laukkanen, T.; Carr, J. K.; Janssens, W.; Liitsola, K.; Gotte, D.; McCutchan, F. E.; Op de Coul, E.; Cornelissen, M.; Heyndrickx, L.; van der Groen, G.; Salminen, M. O.

2000-01-01

For reliable classification of HIV-1 strains appropriate reference sequences are needed. The HIV-1 genetic subtype F has a wide geographic spread, causing significant epidemics in South America, Africa, and some regions of Europe. Previously only two full-length sequences of each of the HIV-1

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND SANITARY QUALITIES OF MAIZE LANDRACE SEEDS STORED UNDER TWO CONDITIONS

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Raquel Stefanello

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The preservation of seed quality during the storage period depends not only on the conditions during production and harvesting but also on the storage and maintenance of appropriate storage product conditions. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological and sanitary qualities of maize landrace seeds stored under two conditions. The maize seed batch varieties Oito carreiras, Cabo roxo and Lombo baio were used. Tests included germination, first count, cold test, accelerated aging and sanity. Based on the results it was concluded that the physiological quality of these seed varieties decreased with the storage period. The major fungi identified in the maize seeds during storage were from the genera Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium, which caused deterioration and reduction of the physiological quality. Storage using a paper bag at a temperature of 10 °C did not prevent the deterioration of maize seeds but was more effective at preserving the quality of the seed compared with a plastic bag at room temperature.

Evaluation of 99 S/sub 1/ lines of maize for inbreeding depression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, M.; Khan, S.; Ahmad, F.; Shah, N.H.; Akhtar, N.

2010-01-01

The research was conducted to evaluate the performance of S1 lines for inbreeding depression regarding different parameters, using maize variety Azam. The maize variety was self-pollinated for one generation in spring season and in the next sowing season 99 S1 lines obtained from selfing was sown with a parental line. Days to silking, pollen-shedding, plant height , ear-height, ear-length, ear-diameter, number of ears/row, kernel rows/ear and 100 kernel weight showed inbreeding depression with varying degrees while yield kg/ha showed severe inbreeding depression with an average of 362.08 kg/ha. Average value of inbreeding depression for days to silking and pollen-shedding was calculated as 2.02 and 2.21 days, respectively. Average values of inbreeding depression for plant height and ear-height were recorded as 21.50 cm and 4.87 cm, respectively. While, for earlength, ear-diameter, number of ears/row, kernel rows/ear and 100 grain weight, the average value of inbreeding depression was recorded as 1.80 cm, 0.2 cm, 2.5, 2.11 and 3.89 g, respectively. Grain yield was positively and significantly correlated with plant height, ear height and yield components. Maturity traits were positively and significantly linked with each other. It is concluded that by subjecting the maize to self-pollination nearly all the lines were affected; however, some lines were affected severely and others tolerated inbreeding to some extent. The lines showing tolerance against inbreeding depression was selected for further maize breeding. (author)

Characterization and expression of the maize β-carbonic anhydrase gene repeat regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tems, Ursula; Burnell, James N

2010-12-01

In maize, carbonic anhydrase (CA; EC 4.2.1.1) catalyzes the first reaction of the C(4) photosynthetic pathway; it catalyzes the hydration of CO(2) to bicarbonate and provides an inorganic carbon source for the primary carboxylation reaction catalyzed by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase. The β-CA isozymes from maize, as well as other agronomically important NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME) type C(4) crops, have remained relatively uncharacterized but differ significantly from the β-CAs of other C(4) monocot species primarily due to transcript length and the presence of repeat sequences. This research confirmed earlier findings of repeat sequences in maize CA transcripts, and demonstrated that the gene encoding these transcripts is also composed of repeat sequences. One of the maize CA genes was sequenced and found to encode two domains, with distinct groups of exons corresponding to the repeat regions of the transcript. We have also shown that expression of a single repeat region of the CA transcript produced active enzyme that associated as a dimer and was composed primarily of α-helices, consistent with that observed for other plant CAs. As the presence of repeat regions in the CA gene is unique to NADP-ME type C(4) monocot species, the implications of these findings in the context of the evolution of the location and function of this C(4) pathway enzyme are strongly suggestive of CA gene duplication resulting in an evolutionary advantage and a higher photosynthetic efficiency. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Salmo salar and Esox lucius full-length cDNA sequences reveal changes in evolutionary pressures on a post-tetraploidization genome

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Holt Robert A

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Salmonids are one of the most intensely studied fish, in part due to their economic and environmental importance, and in part due to a recent whole genome duplication in the common ancestor of salmonids. This duplication greatly impacts species diversification, functional specialization, and adaptation. Extensive new genomic resources have recently become available for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar, but documentation of allelic versus duplicate reference genes remains a major uncertainty in the complete characterization of its genome and its evolution. Results From existing expressed sequence tag (EST resources and three new full-length cDNA libraries, 9,057 reference quality full-length gene insert clones were identified for Atlantic salmon. A further 1,365 reference full-length clones were annotated from 29,221 northern pike (Esox lucius ESTs. Pairwise dN/dS comparisons within each of 408 sets of duplicated salmon genes using northern pike as a diploid out-group show asymmetric relaxation of selection on salmon duplicates. Conclusions 9,057 full-length reference genes were characterized in S. salar and can be used to identify alleles and gene family members. Comparisons of duplicated genes show that while purifying selection is the predominant force acting on both duplicates, consistent with retention of functionality in both copies, some relaxation of pressure on gene duplicates can be identified. In addition, there is evidence that evolution has acted asymmetrically on paralogs, allowing one of the pair to diverge at a faster rate.

Evaluating the parameters of a mobile maize dryer in practice

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Josef Los

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The method of drying maize for grain has been recently employed on a large scale in the Czech Republic not only thanks to new maize hybrids but also thanks to the existence of new models of drying plants. One of the new post-harvest lines is a plant in Lipoltice (mobile dryer installed in 2010, storage base in 2012 where basic operational measurements were made of the energy intensiveness of drying and operating parameters of the maize dryer were evaluated. The process of maize drying had two stages, i.e. pre-drying from the initial average grain humidity of 28.55% to 19.6% in the first stage, and the additional drying from 16.7% to a final storage grain humidity of 13.7%. Mean volumes of natural gas consumed per 1 t% for drying in the first and second stage amounted to 1.275 m3 and 1.56 m3, respectively. The total mean consumption of electric energy per 1 t% was calculated to be 1.372 kWh for the given configuration of the post-harvest line.

Maize DRE-binding proteins DBF1 and DBF2 are involved in rab17 regulation through the drought-responsive element in an ABA-dependent pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Kizis, Dimosthenis; Pagès, Montserrat

2002-06-01

The abscisic acid-responsive gene rab17 of maize is expressed during late embryogenesis, and is induced by ABA and desiccation in embryo and vegetative tissues. ABRE and DRE cis-elements are involved in regulation of the gene by ABA and drought. Using yeast one-hybrid screening, we isolated two cDNAs encoding two new DRE-binding proteins, designated DBF1 and DBF2, that are members of the AP2/EREBP transcription factor family. Analysis of mRNA accumulation profiles showed that DBF1 is induced during maize embryogenesis and after desiccation, NaCl and ABA treatments in plant seedlings, whereas the DBF2 mRNA is not induced. DNA-binding preferences of DBFs were analysed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and showed that both DBF1 and DBF2 bound to the wild-type DRE2 element, but not to the DRE2 mutant or to the DRE1 element which differs only in a single nucleotide. Transactivation activity using particle bombardment showed that DBF1 functioned as activator of DRE2-dependent transcription of rab17 promoter by ABA, whereas DBF2 overexpression had a repression action downregulating not only the basal promoter activity, but also the ABA effect. These results show that ABA plays a role in the regulation of DBF activity, and suggests the existence of an ABA-dependent pathway for the regulation of genes through the C-repeat/DRE element.

Evaluation of the Beneficial Effects of Triple Intercropping of Maize (Zea mays L., Pinto Been (Phaseolus vulgaris L.

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P. Moradi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In order to evaluate the benefits of maize, pinto bean and naked pumpkin triple cropping, an experiment was carried out as a randomized complete block design with three replications at Faculty of Agricultural Science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran in 2012. The treatments consisted of maize, pinto bean and naked pumpkin sole cropping (100, 75 and 50% of conventional densities, maize – pinto bean and maize – pumpkin double cropping (100-100%, 75-75% and 50-50%, and maize-pinto bean-pumpkin triple cropping (100-100-100%, 75-75-75% and 50-50-50%. The highest and lowest forage fresh weights were obtained in triple cropping system with high density and sole cropping systems with low density, respectively. In double cropping systems, the maize-pumpkin out-yielded the maize-pinto bean in terms of fresh weight. The relative crowding coefficient, competitive ratio and aggressivity of maize in double cropping of maize-pinto bean and naked pumpkin in double cropping of maize-naked pumpkin were dominant. In triple cropping systems, while maize and naked pumpkin were comparable, but both of the latter crops were dominant over pinto bean. Land Equivalent Ratio (LER for double and triple cropping was greater than one, revealing the profitability of double and triple cropping systems on sole cropping. According to the LER, the cropping systems can be ranked as follows: triple cropping > double cropping maize/pinto bean > double cropping maize/pumpkin

Extreme Weather Impacts on Maize Yield: The Case of Shanxi Province in China

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Taoyuan Wei

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Extreme weather can have negative impacts on crop production. In this study, we statistically estimate the impacts of dry days, heat waves, and cold days on maize yield based on household survey data from 1993 to 2011 in ten villages of Shanxi province, China. Our results show that dry days, heat waves, and cold days have negative effects on maize yield, although these effects are marginal if these extreme events do not increase dramatically. Specifically, a one percent increase in extreme-heat-degree-days and consecutive-dry-days results in a maize yield declines of 0.2% and 0.07%, respectively. Maize yield also is reduced by 0.3% for cold days occurring during the growing season from May to September. However, these extreme events can increase dramatically in a warmer world and result in considerable reduction in maize yields. If all the historical temperatures in the villages are shifted up by 2 degrees Celsius, total impacts of these extreme events would lead to a reduction of maize yield by over 30 percent. The impacts may be underestimated since we did not exclude the offset effect of adaptation measures adopted by farmers to combat these extreme events.

SNP frequency, haplotype structure and linkage disequilibrium in elite maize inbred lines

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Smith Oscar

2002-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent studies of ancestral maize populations indicate that linkage disequilibrium tends to dissipate rapidly, sometimes within 100 bp. We set out to examine the linkage disequilibrium and diversity in maize elite inbred lines, which have been subject to population bottlenecks and intense selection by breeders. Such population events are expected to increase the amount of linkage disequilibrium, but reduce diversity. The results of this study will inform the design of genetic association studies. Results We examined the frequency and distribution of DNA polymorphisms at 18 maize genes in 36 maize inbreds, chosen to represent most of the genetic diversity in U.S. elite maize breeding pool. The frequency of nucleotide changes is high, on average one polymorphism per 31 bp in non-coding regions and 1 polymorphism per 124 bp in coding regions. Insertions and deletions are frequent in non-coding regions (1 per 85 bp, but rare in coding regions. A small number (2–8 of distinct and highly diverse haplotypes can be distinguished at all loci examined. Within genes, SNP loci comprising the haplotypes are in linkage disequilibrium with each other. Conclusions No decline of linkage disequilibrium within a few hundred base pairs was found in the elite maize germplasm. This finding, as well as the small number of haplotypes, relative to neutral expectation, is consistent with the effects of breeding-induced bottlenecks and selection on the elite germplasm pool. The genetic distance between haplotypes is large, indicative of an ancient gene pool and of possible interspecific hybridization events in maize ancestry.

Identification of Nutrient Deficiencies at Calcareous Soils for Maize

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Dedi Nursyamsi

2010-09-01

Full Text Available A pot experiment was conducted to identify nutrient deficiencies at calcareous soils for maize (Zea mays, L. in green house of Indonesian Soil Research Institute using top soil (0-20 cm samples taken from Bogor (Typic Hapludalfs and Blora (Typic Haplustalfs. The experiment used Randomized Completely Block Design, minus one test with 12 treatments and three replications, as well as maize of P21 variety as plant indicator. The results showed that use of N, P, K, Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn fertilizers increased soil macro nutrients, i.e.: soil total-N, Olsen-P, HCl-P, and HCl-K, as well as soil micro nutrients, i.e.: soil DTPA-Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn at both tested soils. Use of maize straw compost increased soil organic-C, total-N, HCl-K, and exchangeable Ca at Typic Hapludalfs and increased only soil organic-C and total-N at Typic Haplustalfs. Use of animal manure compost increased soil organic-C, exchangeable Ca and Mg, and CEC. Use of N, P, K, S, Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn fertilizers increased each plant nutrients uptake at the soils. Use of both organic matters increased plant N, P, K, and Fe uptake at Typic Hapludalfs as well as increased only plant N, P, and K uptake at Typic Haplustalfs. Identification result showed that maize growth suffered from N, P, and K deficiencies at Typic Hapludalfs as well as N and P deficiencies at Typic Haplustalfs. Beside the nutrients, soil organic matter was also found out as limiting factor for maize growth in the soils.

Socioeconomic analysis and problems of maize seed production in mid hill area of Nepal

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Mahesh Sapkota

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Maize is considered as staple food and is a way of life for the hilly region of Nepal. The production and yield of maize crop is very low which is unable to meet the current demand and is mostly affected by various insect/pests and diseases. For such a backdrop, 182 cross sectional data were collected using simple random techniques in Palpa in June, 2016. Forced scaling technique was used to rank problems based on index value. The total average landholding was 0.91 hectare with 0.32 ha under maize seed cultivation. About 90.7 and 69.8% farmers were access to extension service and had received training respectively. Infestation of insect/pests ranked at first as a major problem in maize seed production with 0.79 index value followed by infrastructure/credit, storage, unavailability of inputs and marketing problems. Similarly poor bargaining power ranked as a 1st major marketing problem. Better access to extension service as well as frequent training service to farmers should be provided to increase production and yield of maize seed. Government and other stakeholder organizations should focus to develop irrigation infrastructure for the overall development of maize sector.

SEED AND POLLEN TTRANSMISSION OF A NEW UNIDENTIFIED MOTTLE DISORDER OF MAIZE IN INDONESIA

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W. Wakman

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A new unidentified mottle disorder of maize Indonesia was found at the Research Institute for Maize and Other Cereals (RIMOC, Maros, South Sulawesi in 1995. Attempts to identify the disorder were made by mechanical inoculation, insect vector (Rhopalosiphum maidis and Peregrinus maidis transmission, seed and pollen transmission, electron microscopy, and serological test. Fifty seeds from each of 22 ears of Arjuna maize plants showing the disorder were planted and symptoms on the seedlings were recorder at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after planting. The percentage of seedlings showing the disorder ranged from 40 to 100. Pollen of affected Arjuna was then used to pollinate four sweet corn female flowers. Hybrid seeds (50 per ear of the crosses were planted and symptoms were recorded at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after planting. The results showed that percentage of seedlings showing the disorder ranged from 22 to 84. Electron microscopy and ELISA tests on 15 viruses and one phytospiroplasma antiserum however, gave negative results. Therefore, maize disorder at Maros was not identical to any known viral disease of maize. It could be a genetical disorder and has been given the name maize mottle.

Pollen-Mediated Gene Flow in Maize: Implications for Isolation Requirements and Coexistence in Mexico, the Center of Origin of Maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Baltazar, Baltazar M; Castro Espinoza, Luciano; Espinoza Banda, Armando; de la Fuente Martínez, Juan Manuel; Garzón Tiznado, José Antonio; González García, Juvencio; Gutiérrez, Marco Antonio; Guzmán Rodríguez, José Luis; Heredia Díaz, Oscar; Horak, Michael J; Madueño Martínez, Jesús Ignacio; Schapaugh, Adam W; Stojšin, Duška; Uribe Montes, Hugo Raúl; Zavala García, Francisco

2015-01-01

Mexico, the center of origin of maize (Zea mays L.), has taken actions to preserve the identity and diversity of maize landraces and wild relatives. Historically, spatial isolation has been used in seed production to maintain seed purity. Spatial isolation can also be a key component for a strategy to minimize pollen-mediated gene flow in Mexico between transgenic maize and sexually compatible plants of maize conventional hybrids, landraces, and wild relatives. The objective of this research was to generate field maize-to-maize outcrossing data to help guide coexistence discussions in Mexico. In this study, outcrossing rates were determined and modeled from eight locations in six northern states, which represent the most economically important areas for the cultivation of hybrid maize in Mexico. At each site, pollen source plots were planted with a yellow-kernel maize hybrid and surrounded by plots with a white-kernel conventional maize hybrid (pollen recipient) of the same maturity. Outcrossing rates were then quantified by assessing the number of yellow kernels harvested from white-kernel hybrid plots. The highest outcrossing values were observed near the pollen source (12.9% at 1 m distance). The outcrossing levels declined sharply to 4.6, 2.7, 1.4, 1.0, 0.9, 0.5, and 0.5% as the distance from the pollen source increased to 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 25 m, respectively. At distances beyond 20 m outcrossing values at all locations were below 1%. These trends are consistent with studies conducted in other world regions. The results suggest that coexistence measures that have been implemented in other geographies, such as spatial isolation, would be successful in Mexico to minimize transgenic maize pollen flow to conventional maize hybrids, landraces and wild relatives.

TTT and PIKK Complex Genes Reverted to Single Copy Following Polyploidization and Retain Function Despite Massive Retrotransposition in Maize

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Nelson Garcia

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The TEL2, TTI1, and TTI2 proteins are co-chaperones for heat shock protein 90 (HSP90 to regulate the protein folding and maturation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related kinases (PIKKs. Referred to as the TTT complex, the genes that encode them are highly conserved from man to maize. TTT complex and PIKK genes exist mostly as single copy genes in organisms where they have been characterized. Members of this interacting protein network in maize were identified and synteny analyses were performed to study their evolution. Similar to other species, there is only one copy of each of these genes in maize which was due to a loss of the duplicated copy created by ancient allotetraploidy. Moreover, the retained copies of the TTT complex and the PIKK genes tolerated extensive retrotransposon insertion in their introns that resulted in increased gene lengths and gene body methylation, without apparent effect in normal gene expression and function. The results raise an interesting question on whether the reversion to single copy was due to selection against deleterious unbalanced gene duplications between members of the complex as predicted by the gene balance hypothesis, or due to neutral loss of extra copies. Uneven alteration of dosage either by adding extra copies or modulating gene expression of complex members is being proposed as a means to investigate whether the data supports the gene balance hypothesis or not.

Coding sequence of human rho cDNAs clone 6 and clone 9

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chardin, P; Madaule, P; Tavitian, A

1988-03-25

The authors have isolated human cDNAs including the complete coding sequence for two rho proteins corresponding to the incomplete isolates previously described as clone 6 and clone 9. The deduced a.a. sequences, when compared to the a.a. sequence deduced from clone 12 cDNA, show that there are in human at least three highly homologous rho genes. They suggest that clone 12 be named rhoA, clone 6 : rhoB and clone 9 : rhoC. RhoA, B and C proteins display approx. 30% a.a. identity with ras proteins,. mainly clustered in four highly homologous internal regions corresponding to the GTP binding site; however at least one significant difference is found; the 3 rho proteins have an Alanine in position corresponding to ras Glycine 13, suggesting that rho and ras proteins might have slightly different biochemical properties.

Comparative assessment of maize lines produced by different breeding methods using both microbiological and metabolic profiling tools

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Barros, E

2006-02-01

Full Text Available This study is about the South African maize samples that have been analysed for mycotoxins, for presence of F.verticillioides and for metabolic profiling. 26 maize cultivars are used , and 50 kernels were plated on 10 PCNB agar plates using...

Diversity, distribution and dynamics of full-length Copia and Gypsy LTR retroelements in Solanum lycopersicum.

Science.gov (United States)

Paz, Rosalía Cristina; Kozaczek, Melisa Eliana; Rosli, Hernán Guillermo; Andino, Natalia Pilar; Sanchez-Puerta, Maria Virginia

2017-10-01

Transposable elements are the most abundant components of plant genomes and can dramatically induce genetic changes and impact genome evolution. In the recently sequenced genome of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), the estimated fraction of elements corresponding to retrotransposons is nearly 62%. Given that tomato is one of the most important vegetable crop cultivated and consumed worldwide, understanding retrotransposon dynamics can provide insight into its evolution and domestication processes. In this study, we performed a genome-wide in silico search of full-length LTR retroelements in the tomato nuclear genome and annotated 736 full-length Gypsy and Copia retroelements. The dispersion level across the 12 chromosomes, the diversity and tissue-specific expression of those elements were estimated. Phylogenetic analysis based on the retrotranscriptase region revealed the presence of 12 major lineages of LTR retroelements in the tomato genome. We identified 97 families, of which 77 and 20 belong to the superfamilies Copia and Gypsy, respectively. Each retroelement family was characterized according to their element size, relative frequencies and insertion time. These analyses represent a valuable resource for comparative genomics within the Solanaceae, transposon-tagging and for the design of cultivar-specific molecular markers in tomato.

THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATIC VARIABLES AND CROP AREA ON MAIZE YIELD AND VARIABILITY IN GHANA

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Henry De-Graft Acquah

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Climate change tends to have negative effects on crop yield through its influence on crop production. Understanding the relationship between climatic variables and crop area on the mean and variance of crop yield will facilitate development of appropriate policies to cope with climate change. This paper examines the effects of climatic variables and crop area on the mean and variance of maize yield in Ghana. The Just and Pope stochastic production function using the Cobb-Douglas functional form was employed. The results show that average maize yield is positively related to crop area and negatively related to rainfall and temperature. Furthermore, increase in crop area and temperature will enlarge maize yield variability while rainfall increase will decrease the variability in maize yield.

Full-Length High-Temperature Severe Fuel Damage Test No. 5: Final safety analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanning, D.D.; Lombardo, N.J.; Panisko, F.E.

1993-09-01

This report presents the final safety analysis for the preparation, conduct, and post-test discharge operation for the Full-Length High Temperature Experiment-5 (FLHT-5) to be conducted in the L-24 position of the National Research Universal (NRU) Reactor at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories (CRNL), Ontario, Canada. The test is sponsored by an international group organized by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The test is designed and conducted by staff from Pacific Northwest Laboratory with CRNL staff support. The test will study the consequences of loss-of-coolant and the progression of severe fuel damage

Purification and characterization of recombinant full-length and protease domain of murine MMP-9 expressed in Drosophila S2 cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasch, Morten G; Lund, Ida K.; Illemann, Martin

2010-01-01

-length and truncated versions were 5 mg/l and 2 mg/l, respectively. The products were >95% pure after gelatin Sepharose chromatography and possessed proteolytic activity when analyzed by gelatin zymography. Using the purified full-length murine MMP-9 we raised polyclonal antibodies by immunizations of rabbits...

Functional characterization of a full length pregnane X receptor, expression in vivo, and identification of PXR alleles, in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bainy, Afonso C.D. [Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States); Departamento de Bioquímica, CCB, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900 (Brazil); Kubota, Akira; Goldstone, Jared V. [Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States); Lille-Langøy, Roger [Department of Biology, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen (Norway); Karchner, Sibel I. [Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States); Celander, Malin C. [Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, SE 405 30 Göteborg (Sweden); Hahn, Mark E. [Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States); Goksøyr, Anders [Department of Biology, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen (Norway); Stegeman, John J., E-mail: jstegeman@whoi.edu [Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States)

2013-10-15

Highlights: •Full-length pxr has been cloned from zebrafish. •Alleles of pxr were identified in zebrafish. •Full length Pxr was activated less strongly than ligand binding domain in cell-based reporter assays. •High levels of pxr expression were found in eye and brain as well as in liver. •TCPOBOP and PB did not significantly alter expression of pxr in liver. -- Abstract: The pregnane X receptor (PXR) (nuclear receptor NR1I2) is a ligand activated transcription factor, mediating responses to diverse xenobiotic and endogenous chemicals. The properties of PXR in fish are not fully understood. Here we report on cloning and characterization of full-length PXR of zebrafish, Danio rerio, and pxr expression in vivo. Initial efforts gave a cDNA encoding a 430 amino acid protein identified as zebrafish pxr by phylogenetic and synteny analysis. The sequence of the cloned Pxr DNA binding domain (DBD) was highly conserved, with 74% identity to human PXR-DBD, while the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the cloned sequence was only 44% identical to human PXR-LBD. Sequence variation among clones in the initial effort prompted sequencing of multiple clones from a single fish. There were two prominent variants, one sequence with S183, Y218 and H383 and the other with I183, C218 and N383, which we designate as alleles pxr*1 (nr1i2*1) and pxr*2 (nr1i2*2), respectively. In COS-7 cells co-transfected with a PXR-responsive reporter gene, the full-length Pxr*1 (the more common variant) was activated by known PXR agonists clotrimazole and pregnenolone 16α-carbonitrile but to a lesser extent than the full-length human PXR. Activation of full-length Pxr*1 was only 10% of that with the Pxr*1 LBD. Quantitative real time PCR analysis showed prominent expression of pxr in liver and eye, as well as brain and intestine of adult zebrafish. The pxr was expressed in heart and kidney at levels similar to that in intestine. The expression of pxr in liver was weakly induced by ligands for

Thousands of primer-free, high-quality, full-length SSU rRNA sequences from all domains of life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karst, Soeren M; Dueholm, Morten S; McIlroy, Simon J

2016-01-01

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes are the consensus marker for determination of microbial diversity on the planet, invaluable in studies of evolution and, for the past decade, high-throughput sequencing of variable regions of ribosomal RNA genes has become the backbone of most microbial ecology studies...... (SSU) rRNA genes and synthetic long read sequencing by molecular tagging, to generate primer-free, full-length SSU rRNA gene sequences from all domains of life, with a median raw error rate of 0.17%. We generated thousands of full-length SSU rRNA sequences from five well-studied ecosystems (soil, human...... gut, fresh water, anaerobic digestion, and activated sludge) and obtained sequences covering all domains of life and the majority of all described phyla. Interestingly, 30% of all bacterial operational taxonomic units were novel, compared to the SILVA database (less than 97% similarity...

Negative effects of climate warming on maize yield are reversed by the changing of sowing date and cultivar selection in Northeast China.

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Liu, Zhijuan; Hubbard, Kenneth G; Lin, Xiaomao; Yang, Xiaoguang

2013-11-01

Northeast China (NEC) accounts for about 30% of the nation's maize production in China. In the past three decades, maize yields in NEC have increased under changes in climate, cultivar selection and crop management. It is important to investigate the contribution of these changing factors to the historical yield increases to improve our understanding of how we can ensure increased yields in the future. In this study, we use phenology observations at six sites from 1981 to 2007 to detect trends in sowing dates and length of maize growing period, and then combine these observations with in situ temperature data to determine the trends of thermal time in the maize growing period, as a measure of changes in maize cultivars. The area in the vicinity of these six sites accounts for 30% of NEC's total maize production. The agricultural production systems simulator, APSIM-Maize model, was used to separate the impacts of changes in climate, sowing dates and thermal time requirements on maize phenology and yields. In NEC, sowing dates trended earlier in four of six sites and maturity dates trended later by 4-21 days. Therefore, the period from sowing to maturity ranged from 2 to 38 days longer in 2007 than it was in 1981. Our results indicate that climate trends alone would have led to a negative impact on maize. However, results from the adaptation assessments indicate that earlier sowing dates increased yields by up to 4%, and adoption of longer season cultivars caused a substantial increase in yield ranging from 13% to 38% over the past 27 years. Therefore, earlier sowing dates and introduction of cultivars with higher thermal time requirements in NEC have overcome the negative effects of climate change and turned what would have otherwise been a loss into a significant increase in maize yield. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Construction of occluded recombinant baculoviruses containing the full-length cry1Ab and cry1Ac genes from Bacillus thuringiensis

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B.M. Ribeiro

1998-06-01

Full Text Available The administration of baculoviruses to insects for bioassay purposes is carried out, in most cases, by contamination of food surfaces with a known amount of occlusion bodies (OBs. Since per os infection is the natural route of infection, occluded recombinant viruses containing crystal protein genes (cry1Ab and cry1Ac from Bacillus thuringiensis were constructed for comparison with the baculovirus prototype Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcNPV. The transfer vector pAcUW2B was used for construction of occluded recombinant viruses. The transfer vector containing the crystal protein genes was cotransfected with linearized DNA from a non-occluded recombinant virus. The isolation of recombinant viruses was greatly facilitated by the reduction of background "wild type" virus and the increased proportion of recombinant viruses. Since the recombinant viruses containing full-length and truncated forms of the crystal protein genes did not seem to improve the pathogenicity of the recombinant viruses when compared with the wild type AcNPV, and in order to compare expression levels of the full-length crystal proteins produced by non-occluded and occluded recombinant viruses the full-length cry1Ab and cry1Ac genes were chosen for construction of occluded recombinant viruses. The recombinant viruses containing full-length and truncated forms of the crystal protein genes did not seem to improve its pathogenicity but the size of the larvae infected with the recombinant viruses was significantly smaller than that of larvae infected with the wild type virus.

Three cDNAs encoding vitellogenin homologs from Antarctic copepod, Tigriopus kingsejongensis: Cloning and transcriptional analysis in different maturation stages, temperatures, and putative reproductive hormones.

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Lee, Soo Rin; Lee, Ji-Hyun; Kim, Ah Ran; Kim, Sanghee; Park, Hyun; Baek, Hea Ja; Kim, Hyun-Woo

2016-02-01

Three full-length cDNAs encoding lipoprotein homologs were identified in Tigriopus kingsejongensis, a newly identified copepod from Antarctica. Structural and transcriptional analyses revealed homology with two vitellogenin-like proteins, Tik-Vg1 and Tik-Vg2, which were 1855 and 1795 amino acids in length, respectively, along with a third protein, Tik-MEP, which produced a 1517-residue protein with similarity to a melanin engaging protein (MEP) in insects Phylogenetic analysis showed that Vgs in Maxillopods including two Tik-Vgs belong to the arthropod vitellogenin-like clade, which includes clottable proteins (CPs) in decapod crustaceans and vitellogenins in insects. Tik-MEP clustered together with insect MEPs, which appear to have evolved before the apoB-like and arthropod Vg-like clades. Interestingly, no genes orthologous to those found in the apoB clade were identified in Maxillopoda, suggesting that functions of large lipid transfer proteins (LLTPs) in reproduction and lipid metabolism may be different from those in insect and decapod crustaceans. As suggested by phylogenetic analyses, the two Tik-Vgs belonging to the arthropod Vg-like clade appear to play major roles in oocyte maturation, while Vgs belonging to the apoB clade function primarily in the reproduction of decapod crustaceans. Transcriptional analysis of Tik-Vg expression revealed a 24-fold increase in mature and ovigerous females compared with immature female, whereas expression of Tik-MEP remained low through all reproductive stages. Acute temperature changes did not affect the transcription of Tik-Vg genes, whereas Tik-MEP appeared to be affected by temperature change. Among the three hormones thought to be involved in molting and reproduction in arthropods, only farnesoic acid (FA) induced transcription of the two Tik-Vg genes. Regardless of developmental stage and hormone treatment, Tik-Vg1 and Tik-Vg2 exhibited a strong positive correlation in expression, suggesting that expression of these

Maize, tropical (Zea mays L.).

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Assem, Shireen K

2015-01-01

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most important food crop globally after wheat and rice. In sub-Saharan Africa, tropical maize has traditionally been the main staple of the diet; 95 % of the maize grown is consumed directly as human food and as an important source of income for the resource-poor rural population. The biotechnological approach to engineer biotic and abiotic traits implies the availability of an efficient plant transformation method. The production of genetically transformed plants depends both on the ability to integrate foreign genes into target cells and the efficiency with which plants are regenerated. Maize transformation and regeneration through immature embryo culture is the most efficient system to regenerate normal transgenic plants. However, this system is highly genotype dependent. Genotypes adapted to tropic areas are difficult to regenerate. Therefore, transformation methods used with model genotypes adapted to temperate areas are not necessarily efficient with tropical lines. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is the method of choice since it has been first achieved in 1996. In this report, we describe a transformation method used successfully with several tropical maize lines. All the steps of transformation and regeneration are described in details. This protocol can be used with a wide variety of tropical lines. However, some modifications may be needed with recalcitrant lines.

Genetic characterization of human herpesvirus type 1: Full-length genome sequence of strain obtained from an encephalitis case from India

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Vijay P Bondre

2016-01-01

Interpretation & conclusions: Our results showed that the full-length genome sequence generated from an Indian HSV-1 isolate shared close genetic relationship with the American KOS and Chinese CR38 strains which belonged to the Asian genetic lineage. Recombination analysis of Indian isolate demonstrated multiple recombination crossover points throughout the genome. This full-length genome sequence amplified from the Indian isolate would be helpful to study HSV evolution, genetic basis of differential pathogenesis, host-virus interactions and viral factors contributing towards differential clinical outcome in human infections.

Identification of sources of resistance to anthracnose stalk rot in maize

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Alessandro Nicoli

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Adoption of resistant cultivars is the primary measure used to control anthracnose stalk rot. The goal of this study was to identify maize-resistant genotypes to anthracnose stalk rot, which are similar to the hybrid 2B710. Experiments were performed at Embrapa Maize and Sorghum experimental fields in Brazil. The first experimental trial evaluated 234 maize lines as well as two commercials hybrids, BRS1010 (susceptible and 2B710 (resistant. Artificial inoculations were performed with a strain at the blister (R2 phase, and evaluation of disease severity was performed after 30 days. The second experimental trial evaluated 48 maize lines and hybrids, inoculated with two Colletotrichum graminicola strains. In the first trial, eight resistance groups were formed, and the last lines were more resistant, as was the hybrid 2B710, with values between 11.50% and 23.0% of severity. In the second trial, there was an interaction between the two factors, lines and isolates, and the lines often showed the same reaction features as those obtained in the first trial. However, the disease severity was higher for most lines, even when using other isolates. These lines with effective levels of resistance could be used in future studies of inheritance, in programs to develop hybrids, and to identify molecular markers associated with resistance to anthracnose stalk rot in maize.

Tolerance of Glyphosate-Resistant Maize to Glyphosate Plus MCPA Amine Is Influenced by Dose and Timing

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Nader Soltani

2015-01-01

Full Text Available There is little information on tolerance of glyphosate-resistant maize to glyphosate plus MCPA amine as influenced by dose and timing under Ontario environmental conditions. A total of seven field trials were conducted at various locations in Ontario, Canada, in 2011–2013 to evaluate tolerance of field maize to tank mixes of glyphosate (900 g a.e./ha plus MCPA amine (79, 158, 315, 630, 1260, 2520, or 5040 g a.e./ha at either the 4- or 8-leaf stage. The predicted dose of MCPA amine that caused 5, 10, and 20% injury was 339, 751, and 1914 g a.e./ha when applied to 4-leaf maize but only 64, 140, and 344 g a.e./ha when applied to 8-leaf maize, respectively. The predicted dose of MCPA amine that caused 5, 10, and 20% reduction in shoot dry weight of maize was 488, 844, and 1971 g a.e./ha when applied to 4-leaf maize and only 14, 136, and 616 g a.e./ha when applied to 8-leaf maize, respectively. The predicted dose of MCPA amine that caused 5, 10, and 20% yield reduction was 2557, 4247, and >5040 g a.e./ha when applied to 4-leaf maize and 184, 441, and 1245 g a.e./ha when applied to 8-leaf maize, respectively. Based on these results, glyphosate plus MCPA amine applied at the manufacturer’s recommended dose of 630 g a.e./ha applied to 4-leaf maize has potential to cause injury but the injury is transient with no significant reduction in yield. However, when glyphosate plus MCPA amine is applied to 8-leaf maize it has the potential to cause significant injury and yield loss in maize.

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.

Characterization of Indian and exotic quality protein maize (QPM ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Polymorphism analysis and genetic diversity of normal maize and quality protein maize (QPM) inbreds among locally well adapted germplasm is a prerequisite for hybrid maize breeding program. The diversity analyses of 48 maize accessions including Indian and exotic germplasm using 75 simple sequence repeat (SSR) ...

Screening of different insecticides against maize shoot fly atherigona soccata (Rond.) and maize borer. chilo partellus (swinh.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shahid, M.A.; Rana, Z.A.; Haq, I.; Tariq, H.

2010-01-01

Field studies were carried out in the research area of the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad to determine the most effective maize seed treatment against maize shoot fly Atherigona soccata (Rond.) and insecticide against maize borer Chilo partellus (Swinh.) Trials were conducted following RCBD and replicated three times during 2005-2006. Two seed treatments Confider (imidacloprid) 70 WS and pensidor 72% WP (5 and 7 mg/kg seed) along with Confider (imidaclorid) 200 SC at the rate 40 ml/acre in the trial against maize shoot fly whereas, flubendiamide 48%, emamection 1.9 EC, spinosad 240 EC. carbofuran 3 G, indoxacarb 150 SC, alphacypermethrine 20 EC, monomehypo 5 G, bifenthrin 10 EC, cartap 4G, cyhalothrine 2.5 EC, cypermethrin 10 EC at the rate 20 ml, 150 ml, 40 ml, 8 kg, 150 ml, 200 ml, 5 kg, 150 ml, 6 kg. 250 ml and 300 ml per acre against maize borer were treated keeping one plo ast untreated check. Treatments were repeated as borer infestation reached above 5% level. All the seed treatments showed significant control of maize shoot fly in spite of dose 5 or 7 mg/kg seed along with foliar spray of confider 200 SC. The insecticides viz. flubendiamide 48% SC. emamectin 1.9 EC, spinosad 240 EC and carbofuran 3 G. indoxacarb 150 SC. alpha cypermethrin 20 EC, not only responded highest yield 5765, 5294, 5289, 5215, 5168 and 5025 kg/ha respectively but also manage the maize borer below ETL. (author)

Radiation capture and use as affected by morphologicallycontrasting maize/pea in sole and intercropping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanton, R.A.L.; Dennett, M.D.

2008-01-01

Field experiments were conducted at the Field Unit of the School of Plant Sciences in Reading, UK, during the 2000 and 2001 growing seasons to compare the radiation capture and use efficiency of morphologically and physiologically contrasting maize/pea intercrops with sole crops. The maize cultivars comprised Nancis with erect and Sophy with floppy leaves whilst the peas consisted of Maro, a conventional leaved, and Princess, a semi-leafless cultivar. Radiation capture by the sole and intercrops was measured using a Sunflek Ceptometer (Delta T Devices), with a sensor length of 80 cm. Measurements were taken at four equidistant positions in each plot, 1 m away from the edges of the plot. Before the maize grew above the peas, measurements were taken at the top of the canopy and below. When the canopies were distinct, three measurements were taken, above the canopy, above peas and below the canopy from 9.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. at weekly intervals. In both seasons the intercrops and sole pea crops intercepted more radiation compared to the sole maize crops. Towards the end of the season the intercrops and sole maize had similar interception. Intercropping both maize cultivars in 2000 with the conventional pea had the greatest interception in 2001. Radiation use efficiency (RUE) was measured by taking the respective changes in above ground dry weight and dividing by the respective changes in cumulative absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (PAR). The RUE were highest at mid-season for both intercrops and sole crops in both seasons. Comparisons were also made using cumulative radiation use efficiencies (CRUE), representing the RUE from emergence to any time. Sole pea had the lowest RUE in both seasons. The sole maize in 2000 had highest CRUE. However, in 2001 intercrops had similar RUE to sole maize, suggesting an increase in RUE of peas in intercrops. Nancis had consistently higher RUE in both seasons compared to Sophy. The results emphasize that radiation capture and

Mixing of maize and wheat genomic DNA by somatic hybridization in regenerated sterile maize plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Szarka, B.; Göntér, I.; Molnár-Láng, M.; Mórocz, S.; Dudits, D.

2002-07-01

Intergeneric somatic hybridization was performed between albino maize ( Zea mays L.) protoplasts and mesophyll protoplasts of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) by polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatments. None of the parental protoplasts were able to produce green plants without fusion. The maize cells regenerated only rudimentary albino plantlets of limited viability, and the wheat mesophyll protoplasts were unable to divide. PEG-mediated fusion treatments resulted in hybrid cells with mixed cytoplasm. Six months after fusion green embryogenic calli were selected as putative hybrids. The first-regenerates were discovered as aborted embryos. Regeneration of intact, green, maize-like plants needed 6 months of further subcultures on hormone-free medium. These plants were sterile, although had both male and female flowers. The cytological analysis of cells from callus tissues and root tips revealed 56 chromosomes, but intact wheat chromosomes were not observed. Using total DNA from hybrid plants, three RAPD primer combinations produced bands resembling the wheat profile. Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) using total wheat DNA as a probe revealed the presence of wheat DNA islands in the maize chromosomal background. The increased viability and the restored green color were the most-significant new traits as compared to the original maize parent. Other intermediate morphological traits of plants with hybrid origin were not found.

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

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Myo Kywe

2008-10-01

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

Effects of heat-shock treatment and genotype on radiosensitivity of maize seeds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamagata, Hirotada; Tanisaka, Takatoshi; Harima, Kunio

1975-01-01

In order to clarify the internal and external factors responsible for radiosensitivity of seed, and to induce mutations more effectively, two experiments were conducted using maize. (1) Seeds of an inbred line were irradiated with γ rays at an extremely low temperature (-70 0 C) and then dipped in hot water (60 0 C, 30 sec.). Through such heat-shock treatment the radiosensitivity of maize seeds was remarkably reduced: LD 50 and RD 50 for growth rose as high as about three times and about twice, respectively. (2) Seeds of seven strains including four inbred lines, two single-cross hybrids and one double-cross hybrid were exposed to γ rays by the ordinary procedure. Hybrids, regardless of whether they were single cross or double cross, were clearly proved to surpass their parental strains in radiation tolerance, both in survival rate and in culm length. These descents of radiosensitivity were considered to be due mainly to the increased heterozygosity. (auth.)

Maize Arabinoxylan Gels as Protein Delivery Matrices

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Ana Luisa Martínez-López

2009-04-01

Full Text Available The laccase induced gelation of maize bran arabinoxylans at 2.5% (w/v in the presence of insulin or β-lactoglobulin at 0.1% (w/v was investigated. Insulin and β-lacto-globulin did not modify either the gel elasticity (9 Pa or the cross-links content (0.03 and 0.015 mg di- and triferulic acids/mg arabinoxylan, respectively. The protein release capability of the gel was also investigated. The rate of protein release from gels was dependent on the protein molecular weight. The apparent diffusion coefficient was 0.99 × 10-7 and 0.79 × 10-7 cm2/s for insulin (5 kDa and β-lactoglobulin (18 kDa, respectively. The results suggest that maize bran arabinoxylan gels can be potential candidates for the controlled release of proteins.

Secretory production of tetrameric native full-length streptavidin with thermostability using Streptomyces lividans as a host.

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Noda, Shuhei; Matsumoto, Takuya; Tanaka, Tsutomu; Kondo, Akihiko

2015-01-13

Streptavidin is a tetrameric protein derived from Streptomyces avidinii, and has tight and specific biotin binding affinity. Applications of the streptavidin-biotin system have been widely studied. Streptavidin is generally produced using protein expression in Escherichia coli. In the present study, the secretory production of streptavidin was carried out using Streptomyces lividans as a host. In this study, we used the gene encoding native full-length streptavidin, whereas the core region is generally used for streptavidin production in E. coli. Tetrameric streptavidin composed of native full-length streptavidin monomers was successfully secreted in the culture supernatant of S. lividans transformants, and had specific biotin binding affinity as strong as streptavidin produced by E. coli. The amount of Sav using S. lividans was about 9 times higher than using E. coli. Surprisingly, streptavidin produced by S. lividans exhibited affinity to biotin after boiling, despite the fact that tetrameric streptavidin is known to lose its biotin binding ability after brief boiling. We successfully produced a large amount of tetrameric streptavidin as a secretory-form protein with unique thermotolerance.

The effect of rate and time of application of Nitrogen on maize yield ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of rate and time of application of Nitrogen on maize yield in Chinyika Resettlement area, Zimbabwe. M W Munguri, I K Mariga, O A Chivinge, D Musambasi. Abstract. No abstract available. Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT.

Soil Quality Indicators as Affected by a Long Term Barley-Maize and Maize Cropping Systems

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Barbara Manachini

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Most soil studies aim a better characterization of the system through indicators. In the present study nematofauna and soil structure were chosen as indicators to be assess soil health as related to agricultural practices. The field research was carried out on the two fodder cropping systems continuous maize (CM, Zea mays L. and a 3-year rotation of silage-maize – silage-barley (Hordeum vulgare L. with Italian ryegrass (R3 and grain-maize maintained in these conditions for 18 years. Each crop system was submitted to two management options: 1 the high input level (H, done as a conventional tillage, 2 the low input level (L, where the tillage was replaced by harrowing and the manure was reduced by 30%. The effects of the two different cropping systems was assessed on soil nematofauna and soil physic parameters (structure or aggregate stability. Comparison was made of general composition, trophic structure and biodiversity of the nematofauna collected in both systems. Differences in nematode genera composition and distribution between the two systems were also recorded. The monoculture, compared to the three year rotation, had a negative influence on the nematofauna composition and its ecological succession. The Structural Stability Index (SSI values indicate that both the cropping systems had a negative effect on the aggregate stability. The results indicate that nematofauna can be used to assess the effects of cropping systems on soil ecosystem, and therefore be considered a good indicator of soil health to integrate information from different chemical or physical indicators.

Soil Quality Indicators as Affected by a Long Term Barley-Maize and Maize Cropping Systems

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Anna Corsini

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Most soil studies aim a better characterization of the system through indicators. In the present study nematofauna and soil structure were chosen as indicators to be assess soil health as related to agricultural practices. The field research was carried out on the two fodder cropping systems continuous maize (CM, Zea mays L. and a 3-year rotation of silage-maize – silage-barley (Hordeum vulgare L. with Italian ryegrass (R3 and grain-maize maintained in these conditions for 18 years. Each crop system was submitted to two management options: 1 the high input level (H, done as a conventional tillage, 2 the low input level (L, where the tillage was replaced by harrowing and the manure was reduced by 30%. The effects of the two different cropping systems was assessed on soil nematofauna and soil physic parameters (structure or aggregate stability. Comparison was made of general composition, trophic structure and biodiversity of the nematofauna collected in both systems. Differences in nematode genera composition and distribution between the two systems were also recorded. The monoculture, compared to the three year rotation, had a negative influence on the nematofauna composition and its ecological succession. The Structural Stability Index (SSI values indicate that both the cropping systems had a negative effect on the aggregate stability. The results indicate that nematofauna can be used to assess the effects of cropping systems on soil ecosystem, and therefore be considered a good indicator of soil health to integrate information from different chemical or physical indicators.

Rhamnolipid Biosurfactant against Fusarium verticillioides to Control Stalk and Ear Rot Disease of Maize

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Siddhartha Narayan Borah

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Antifungal activity of rhamnolipids (RLs has been widely studied against many plant pathogenic fungi, but not against Fusarium verticillioides, a major pathogen of maize (Zea mays L.. F. verticillioides causes stalk and ear rot of maize or asymptomatically colonizes the plant and ears resulting in moderate to heavy crop loss throughout the world. F. verticillioides produces fumonisin mycotoxins, reported carcinogens, which makes the contaminated ears unsuitable for consumption. In this study, the RL produced using glucose as sole carbon source was characterized by FTIR and LCMS analyses and its antifungal activity against F. verticillioides was evaluated in vitro on maize stalks and seeds. Further, the effect of RL on the mycelia of F. verticillioides was investigated by scanning electron microscopy which revealed visible damage to the mycelial structure as compared to control samples. In planta, treatment of maize seeds with a RL concentration of 50 mg l-1 resulted in improved biomass and fruiting compared to those of healthy control plants and complete suppression of characteristic disease symptoms and colonization of maize by F. verticillioides. The study highlights the potential of RLs to be used for an effective biocontrol strategy against colonization of maize plant by F. verticillioides.

Tillage methods and mulch on water saving and yield of spring maize in Chitwan

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Ishwari Prasad Upadhyay

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Tillage methods and mulch influences the productivity and water requirement of spring maize hence a field experiment was conducted at the National Maize Research Program, Rampur in spring seasons of 2011 and 2012 with the objectives to evaluate different tillage methods with and without mulch on water requirement and grain yield of spring maize. The experiment was laid out in two factors factorial randomized complete design with three replications. The treatments consisted of tillage methods (Permanent bed, Zero tillage and Conventional tillage and mulch (with and without. Irrigation timing was fixed as knee high stage, tasseling stage and milking/dough stage. Data on number of plants, number of ears, thousand grain weight and grain yield were recorded and analysed using GenStat. Two years combined result showed that the effect of tillage methods and mulch significant influenced grain yield and water requirement of spring maize. The maize grain yield was the highest in permanent beds with mulch (4626 kg ha-1 followed by zero tillage with mulch (3838 kg ha-1. Whereas total water applied calculated during the crop period were the highest in conventional tillage without mulch followed by conventional tillage with mulch. The permanent bed with mulch increased the yield and reduced the water requirement of spring maize in Chitwan.

PCR-based isolation and identification of full-length low-molecular-weight glutenin subunit genes in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaofei; Liu, Dongcheng; Jiang, Wei; Guo, Xiaoli; Yang, Wenlong; Sun, Jiazhu; Ling, Hongqing; Zhang, Aimin

2011-12-01

Low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GSs) are encoded by a multi-gene family and are essential for determining the quality of wheat flour products, such as bread and noodles. However, the exact role or contribution of individual LMW-GS genes to wheat quality remains unclear. This is, at least in part, due to the difficulty in characterizing complete sequences of all LMW-GS gene family members in bread wheat. To identify full-length LMW-GS genes, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method was established, consisting of newly designed conserved primers and the previously developed LMW-GS gene molecular marker system. Using the PCR-based method, 17 LMW-GS genes were identified and characterized in Xiaoyan 54, of which 12 contained full-length sequences. Sequence alignments showed that 13 LMW-GS genes were identical to those found in Xiaoyan 54 using the genomic DNA library screening, and the other four full-length LMW-GS genes were first isolated from Xiaoyan 54. In Chinese Spring, 16 unique LMW-GS genes were isolated, and 13 of them contained full-length coding sequences. Additionally, 16 and 17 LMW-GS genes in Dongnong 101 and Lvhan 328 (chosen from the micro-core collections of Chinese germplasm), respectively, were also identified. Sequence alignments revealed that at least 15 LMW-GS genes were common in the four wheat varieties, and allelic variants of each gene shared high sequence identities (>95%) but exhibited length polymorphism in repetitive regions. This study provides a PCR-based method for efficiently identifying LMW-GS genes in bread wheat, which will improve the characterization of complex members of the LMW-GS gene family and facilitate the understanding of their contributions to wheat quality.

Hibiscus latent Fort Pierce virus in Brazil and synthesis of its biologically active full-length cDNA clone.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Ruimin; Niu, Shengniao; Dai, Weifang; Kitajima, Elliot; Wong, Sek-Man

2016-10-01

A Brazilian isolate of Hibiscus latent Fort Pierce virus (HLFPV-BR) was firstly found in a hibiscus plant in Limeira, SP, Brazil. RACE PCR was carried out to obtain the full-length sequences of HLFPV-BR which is 6453 nucleotides and has more than 99.15 % of complete genomic RNA nucleotide sequence identity with that of HLFPV Japanese isolate. The genomic structure of HLFPV-BR is similar to other tobamoviruses. It includes a 5' untranslated region (UTR), followed by open reading frames encoding for a 128-kDa protein and a 188-kDa readthrough protein, a 38-kDa movement protein, 18-kDa coat protein, and a 3' UTR. Interestingly, the unique feature of poly(A) tract is also found within its 3'-UTR. Furthermore, from the total RNA extracted from the local lesions of HLFPV-BR-infected Chenopodium quinoa leaves, a biologically active, full-length cDNA clone encompassing the genome of HLFPV-BR was amplified and placed adjacent to a T7 RNA polymerase promoter. The capped in vitro transcripts from the cloned cDNA were infectious when mechanically inoculated into C. quinoa and Nicotiana benthamiana plants. This is the first report of the presence of an isolate of HLFPV in Brazil and the successful synthesis of a biologically active HLFPV-BR full-length cDNA clone.

RT-PCR and sequence analysis of the full-length fusion protein of Canine Distemper Virus from domestic dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Romanutti, Carina; Gallo Calderón, Marina; Keller, Leticia; Mattion, Nora; La Torre, José

2016-02-01

During 2007-2014, 84 out of 236 (35.6%) samples from domestic dogs submitted to our laboratory for diagnostic purposes were positive for Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), as analyzed by RT-PCR amplification of a fragment of the nucleoprotein gene. Fifty-nine of them (70.2%) were from dogs that had been vaccinated against CDV. The full-length gene encoding the Fusion (F) protein of fifteen isolates was sequenced and compared with that of those of other CDVs, including wild-type and vaccine strains. Phylogenetic analysis using the F gene full-length sequences grouped all the Argentinean CDV strains in the SA2 clade. Sequence identity with the Onderstepoort vaccine strain was 89.0-90.6%, and the highest divergence was found in the 135 amino acids corresponding to the F protein signal-peptide, Fsp (64.4-66.7% identity). In contrast, this region was highly conserved among the local strains (94.1-100% identity). One extra putative N-glycosylation site was identified in the F gene of CDV Argentinean strains with respect to the vaccine strain. The present report is the first to analyze full-length F protein sequences of CDV strains circulating in Argentina, and contributes to the knowledge of molecular epidemiology of CDV, which may help in understanding future disease outbreaks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nutritional value of huitlacoche, maize mushroom caused by Ustilago maydis

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Mehmet AYDOĞDU

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Smutty maize cobs, caused by Ustilago maydis ((DC Corda., a fungus belonging to Basidiomycetes, can be seen wherever maize is grown. It is considered as a fungal disease limiting maize yield worldwide. However, in Mesoamerica, it is called as “huitlacoche” and evaluated as an edible mushroom. The present study was conducted to examine nutritional characteristics of this mushroom. In the study, smutty cobs naturally infected by U. maydis were randomly gleaned from plants in maize producing areas in the Mediterranean region of Turkey, in 2015. Huitlacoche was analyzed in terms of proximate composition, fatty acids, mineral elements, total phenolic and flavonoid matters and antioxidant activity. Average protein content was 12%, while fatty acids ranged from 0.44 to 42.49% (dry basis. Of the 11 fatty acids, oleic and linoleic acids had the highest percentages. Phosphorus (342.07 mg/kg and magnesium (262.69 mg/kg were found in high quantities. As for total phenolic and flavonoid matters were 113.11 mg GAE/kg and 28.51 mg CE/kg, respectively. The study suggests that huitlacoche has numerous good nutritional features for human diet, thus, it can be evaluated as a valuable food source in international cuisines.

Utility of RNA Sequencing for Analysis of Maize Reproductive Transcriptomes

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Rebecca M. Davidson

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Transcriptome sequencing is a powerful method for studying global expression patterns in large, complex genomes. Evaluation of sequence-based expression profiles during reproductive development would provide functional annotation to genes underlying agronomic traits. We generated transcriptome profiles for 12 diverse maize ( L. reproductive tissues representing male, female, developing seed, and leaf tissues using high throughput transcriptome sequencing. Overall, ∼80% of annotated genes were expressed. Comparative analysis between sequence and hybridization-based methods demonstrated the utility of ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNA-seq for expression determination and differentiation of paralagous genes (∼85% of maize genes. Analysis of 4975 gene families across reproductive tissues revealed expression divergence is proportional to family size. In all pairwise comparisons between tissues, 7 (pre- vs. postemergence cobs to 48% (pollen vs. ovule of genes were differentially expressed. Genes with expression restricted to a single tissue within this study were identified with the highest numbers observed in leaves, endosperm, and pollen. Coexpression network analysis identified 17 gene modules with complex and shared expression patterns containing many previously described maize genes. The data and analyses in this study provide valuable tools through improved gene annotation, gene family characterization, and a core set of candidate genes to further characterize maize reproductive development and improve grain yield potential.

Quantitative trait loci for yield and morphological traits in maize under drought stress

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Nikolić Ana

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Drought is one of the most important factors contributing to crop yield loss. In order to develop maize varieties with drought tolerance, it is necessary to explore the genetic basis. Mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL that control the yield and associate agronomic traits is one way of understanding drought genetics. QTLs associated with grain yield (GY, leaf width (LW3, LW4 plant height (PH, ear height (EH, leaf number (NL, tassel branch number (TBN and tassel length (TL were studied with composite interval mapping. A total of 43 QTLs were detected, distributed on all chromosomes, except chromosome 9. Phenotypic variability determined for the identified QTLs for all the traits was in the range from 20.99 to 87.24%. Mapping analysis identified genomic regions associated with two traits in a manner that was consistent with phenotypic correlation among traits, supporting either pleiotropy or tight linkage among QTLs.

No adjuvant effect of Bacillus thuringiensis-maize on allergic responses in mice.

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Daniela Reiner

Full Text Available Genetically modified (GM foods are evaluated carefully for their ability to induce allergic disease. However, few studies have tested the capacity of a GM food to act as an adjuvant, i.e. influencing allergic responses to other unrelated allergens at acute onset and in individuals with pre-existing allergy. We sought to evaluate the effect of short-term feeding of GM Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt-maize (MON810 on the initiation and relapse of allergic asthma in mice. BALB/c mice were provided a diet containing 33% GM or non-GM maize for up to 34 days either before ovalbumin (OVA-induced experimental allergic asthma or disease relapse in mice with pre-existing allergy. We observed that GM-maize feeding did not affect OVA-induced eosinophilic airway and lung inflammation, mucus hypersecretion or OVA-specific antibody production at initiation or relapse of allergic asthma. There was no adjuvant effect upon GM-maize consumption on the onset or severity of allergic responses in a mouse model of allergic asthma.

Using manure as fertilizer for maize could improve sustainability of milk production

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José D. Jiménez-Calderón

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the effect of organic or chemical fertilization of maize on cow performance, economic outcomes, and greenhouse gas emission. Each type of maize silage according its different fertilization was used in two rations offered to two different groups of nine Friesian-Holstein cows throughout 4 months. The production cost of the maize silage was 8.8% lower for organic than for chemical fertilization. Both silages had similar nutritive value, except a higher concentration of starch in maize with organic fertilization, which allowed a reduction in the proportion of concentrate in the ration, saving 25.3 eurocents per cow in the daily ration, generating a positive balance of 21.8 eurocents per cow and day. The milk yield and composition were unaffected depending on the type of fertilization, whereas the estimation of CH4 and N2O emissions with chemical fertilization was higher than emissions with organic fertilization. As a result, it is possible to increase the sustainability and profitability of dairy production with reuse and recycling of manure.

Performance evaluation of early maize genotypes in far western hills of Nepal

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Hari Kumar Prasai

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Initial evaluation trial of maize (early genotypes was carried out at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Doti, Nepal in 2013 and 2014. Total fourteen and fifteen genotypes of early maize were included in initial evaluation experiment of the year 2013 and 2014 respectively. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD with three replications in each year. Out of the tested genotypes, SO3TEY/LN, ZM 423 and SO3TEY-FM (ER identified as promising from statistical analysis over year. All the tested characters were found statistically significant. Similarly, the coordinated varietal trial of maize (early was also carried out in the same station at 2013 and 2014. Total fourteen genotypes in 2013 and fifteen genotypes in 2015 of maize (early were included in the experiment. The RCB design was applied and the experiment was replicated three times in every year. ZM 627 and ZM 621/Pool -15 genotypes identified as superior next to Arun-2 from the analysis of two year data. All the tested traits were found statistically significant in over year analysis.

The mechanisms of root exudates of maize in improvement of iron nutrition of peanut in peanut/maize intercropping system by 14C tracer technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuo Yuanmei; Chen Qing; Zhang Fusuo

2004-01-01

The related mechanisms of root exudates of maize in improvement iron nutrition of peanut intercropped with maize was investigated by 14 C tracer technique. Neighboring roots between maize and peanut were separated by a 30 μm nylon net, the iron nutrition of peanut was also improved just like normal intercropping of maize and peanut. The results proved that root exudates of maize played an important role in improvement iron nutrition of peanut. The photosynthesis carbohydrate of maize could exuded into the rhizosphere of peanut and transfer into shoot and root of peanut in intercropping system. Root exudates of maize could increased efficiency of iron in soil and improved iron utilization of peanut

Field performance of maize (Zea mays L. cultivars under drought stress

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Kazem GHASSEMI-GOLEZANI

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This research was carried out in 2014 at the Research Farm of the University of Tabriz, Iran. The experiment was arranged as split plot on the basis of randomized complete block with three replicates to assess the effects of four irrigation intervals (irrigations after 60, 80, 100 and 120 mm evaporation on physiological and agronomical traits of three cultivars of maize (Zea mays L.; ‘SC704’, ‘NS640’, ‘DC303’: late, mid and early maturing, respectively. Irrigation intervals and maize cultivars were assigned to the main and sub-plots, respectively. Leaf temperature of all maize cultivars significantly increased, but chlorophyll content index, maximum efficiency of photosystem II, number of grains per plant, 1000 grain mass, plant biomass, grain yield and harvest index significantly decreased with increasing irrigation intervals. Late maturing cultivar (‘SC704’ was superior in all studied traits, followed by mid (‘NS640’ and early (‘DC303’ maturing cultivars. It was concluded that water limitation can potentially reduce performance of maize cultivars in the field, but the extent of this reduction depends on genotype and severity of stress.

Swine slurry application and soil management on double-cropped oat/maize

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Marlo Adriano Bison Pinto

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The swine production in southern Brazil is concentrated in small farms that use residues as a nutrient source for crops of economic interest. This study aimed to evaluate the use of swine slurry associated with tillage systems on double-cropped oat/maize. The experiment was carried out in the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 cropping seasons, in Taquaruçu do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a factorial scheme, with four replications. Treatments consisted of the interaction of four swine slurry doses (no swine slurry, 20 m3 ha-1, 40 m3 ha-1 and 80 m3 ha-1 and mineral fertilization, in three tillage systems (no-tillage, chiseling and chiseling + disking. The swine slurry application on doublecropped oat/maize increased the dry matter and grain yield. The 80 m3 ha-1 dose provided a response statistically similar to the mineral fertilization recommended for maize. The interaction between the 80 m3 ha-1 dose and the immediate incorporation of slurry into the soil reduced N losses by ammonia volatilization, promoting a significant increase in maize grain yield, when grown on a clayish soil.

Human microcephaly protein RTTN interacts with STIL and is required to build full-length centrioles.

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Chen, Hsin-Yi; Wu, Chien-Ting; Tang, Chieh-Ju C; Lin, Yi-Nan; Wang, Won-Jing; Tang, Tang K

2017-08-15

Mutations in many centriolar protein-encoding genes cause primary microcephaly. Using super-resolution and electron microscopy, we find that the human microcephaly protein, RTTN, is recruited to the proximal end of the procentriole at early S phase, and is located at the inner luminal walls of centrioles. Further studies demonstrate that RTTN directly interacts with STIL and acts downstream of STIL-mediated centriole assembly. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated RTTN gene knockout in p53-deficient cells induce amplification of primitive procentriole bodies that lack the distal-half centriolar proteins, POC5 and POC1B. Additional analyses show that RTTN serves as an upstream effector of CEP295, which mediates the loading of POC1B and POC5 to the distal-half centrioles. Interestingly, the naturally occurring microcephaly-associated mutant, RTTN (A578P), shows a low affinity for STIL binding and blocks centriole assembly. These findings reveal that RTTN contributes to building full-length centrioles and illuminate the molecular mechanism through which the RTTN (A578P) mutation causes primary microcephaly.Mutations in many centriolar protein-encoding genes cause primary microcephaly. Here the authors show that human microcephaly protein RTTN directly interacts with STIL and acts downstream of STIL-mediated centriole assembly, contributing to building full-length centrioles.

Selection for drought tolerance in two tropical maize populations ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Drought is a major factor limiting maize (Zea mays L.) yield in much of the world. The need to breed maize cultivars with improved drought tolerance is apparent. This study compared two maize populations, ZM601 and ZM607 for drought tolerance during flowering, the most drought-vulnerable period for the maize plant.

The Conserved and Unique Genetic Architecture of Kernel Size and Weight in Maize and Rice.

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Liu, Jie; Huang, Juan; Guo, Huan; Lan, Liu; Wang, Hongze; Xu, Yuancheng; Yang, Xiaohong; Li, Wenqiang; Tong, Hao; Xiao, Yingjie; Pan, Qingchun; Qiao, Feng; Raihan, Mohammad Sharif; Liu, Haijun; Zhang, Xuehai; Yang, Ning; Wang, Xiaqing; Deng, Min; Jin, Minliang; Zhao, Lijun; Luo, Xin; Zhou, Yang; Li, Xiang; Zhan, Wei; Liu, Nannan; Wang, Hong; Chen, Gengshen; Li, Qing; Yan, Jianbing

2017-10-01

Maize ( Zea mays ) is a major staple crop. Maize kernel size and weight are important contributors to its yield. Here, we measured kernel length, kernel width, kernel thickness, hundred kernel weight, and kernel test weight in 10 recombinant inbred line populations and dissected their genetic architecture using three statistical models. In total, 729 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified, many of which were identified in all three models, including 22 major QTLs that each can explain more than 10% of phenotypic variation. To provide candidate genes for these QTLs, we identified 30 maize genes that are orthologs of 18 rice ( Oryza sativa ) genes reported to affect rice seed size or weight. Interestingly, 24 of these 30 genes are located in the identified QTLs or within 1 Mb of the significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms. We further confirmed the effects of five genes on maize kernel size/weight in an independent association mapping panel with 540 lines by candidate gene association analysis. Lastly, the function of ZmINCW1 , a homolog of rice GRAIN INCOMPLETE FILLING1 that affects seed size and weight, was characterized in detail. ZmINCW1 is close to QTL peaks for kernel size/weight (less than 1 Mb) and contains significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms affecting kernel size/weight in the association panel. Overexpression of this gene can rescue the reduced weight of the Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) homozygous mutant line in the AtcwINV2 gene (Arabidopsis ortholog of ZmINCW1 ). These results indicate that the molecular mechanisms affecting seed development are conserved in maize, rice, and possibly Arabidopsis. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Effects of maize planting patterns on the performance of cassava ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

sola

The design was a split-plot arrangement, laid out in a randomized ... significant differences (P<0.05) between the treatments in the growth and yield parameters of maize. The mean effects of companion crops on maize leaf area were 0.61, 0.60, 0.60 and 0.52 m2/plant for sole maize, maize / melon, maize / cassava and.

Heavy Metal Residues in Soil and Accumulation in Maize at Long-Term Wastewater Irrigation Area in Tongliao, China

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Yintao Lu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Soil and plant samples were collected from Tongliao, China, during the maize growth cycle between May and October 2010. Heavy metals, such as Cr, Pb, Ni, and Zn, were analyzed. The concentrations of Cr, Pb, Ni, and Zn in the wastewater-irrigated area were higher than those in the topsoil from the groundwater-irrigated area. The concentrations of metals in the maize increased as follows: Pb < Ni < Zn < Cr. In addition, Cr, Pb, and Ni mainly accumulated in the maize roots, and Zn mainly accumulated in the maize fruit. The results of translocation factors (TF and bioconcentration factors (BCF of maize for heavy metals revealed that maize is an excluder plant and a potential accumulator plant and can serve as an ideal slope remediation plant. In addition, the increasing heavy metal contents in soils that have been polluted by wastewater irrigation must result in the accumulation of Cr, Pb, Ni, and Zn in maize. Thus, the pollution level can be decreased by harvesting and disposing of and recovering the plant material.

Developing Inset Resistant Maize Varieties for Food Security in Kenya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mugo, S.

2002-01-01

The Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) project aims at increasing maize production and food security through development and deployment of stem borer resistant maize germplasm developed using conventional and through biotechnology methods such as Bt maize. Bt maize offers farmers an effective and practical option for controlling stem borers. It was recognized that the development and routine use of Bt maize will require addressing relevant bio-safety, environmental, and community concerns and research and information gathering activities are in place to address these concerns and research and information gathering activities are in place to address these concerns. Suitable Bt gene have been acquired or synthesized and back-crossed into elite maize germplasm at CIMMYT-Mexico, and the effective Cry-proteins against the major maize stem borers in Kenya were identified to better target pests. Stem borer resistant maize germplasm is being developed through conventional breeding, using locally adapted and exotic germplasm. for safe and effective deployment of Bt maize,studies on its impacts on target and non-target arthropods as well as studies on the effects of Bt maize on key non-target arthropods as well as studies on gene flow are underway. Insect resistance management strategies are being developed through quantifying the effectiveness, ???. Socioeconomic impact studies are revealing factors in the society that may influence the adoption of Bt maize in Kenya. Also, baseline data, essential for the monitoring and evaluation of the Bt maize technology in Kenya, has been established. Technology transfer and capacity building, creating awareness and communications have received attention in the project. This paper describes the major research activities as they relate to development of the stem bore resistant maize germplasm

Genetic Factors Involved in Fumonisin Accumulation in Maize Kernels and Their Implications in Maize Agronomic Management and Breeding.

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Santiago, Rogelio; Cao, Ana; Butrón, Ana

2015-08-20

Contamination of maize with fumonisins depends on the environmental conditions; the maize resistance to contamination and the interaction between both factors. Although the effect of environmental factors is a determinant for establishing the risk of kernel contamination in a region, there is sufficient genetic variability among maize to develop resistance to fumonisin contamination and to breed varieties with contamination at safe levels. In addition, ascertaining which environmental factors are the most important in a region will allow the implementation of risk monitoring programs and suitable cultural practices to reduce the impact of such environmental variables. The current paper reviews all works done to address the influence of environmental variables on fumonisin accumulation, the genetics of maize resistance to fumonisin accumulation, and the search for the biochemical and/or structural mechanisms of the maize plant that could be involved in resistance to fumonisin contamination. We also explore the outcomes of breeding programs and risk monitoring of undertaken projects.

RESPONSIVENESS OF SPATIAL PRICE VOLATILITY TO INCREASED GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION IN MAIZE GRAIN AND MAIZE MEAL MARKETING IN ZAMBIA

OpenAIRE

Syampaku, E.M; Mafimisebi, Taiwo Ejiola

2014-01-01

The study analyzed the responsiveness of maize grain and maize meal spatial price volatilities to increased government participation in maize grain marketing in Zambia using descriptive statistics and vector auto-regression (VAR). This was achieved by comparing spatial price volatility means and spatial price means for the period under increased government participation with respective means for periods under limited government participation. Also, spatial price volatilities were regressed ag...

Effects of Adopting Different Kinds of Collecting Method for Years on Film Residual Coefficient and Maize Yields

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TANG Wen-xue

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Wide usage of mulching technology has increased crop yields, but the large amounts of mulching film residue resulting from widespread use of plastic film in China has brought about a series of pollution hazards. Based on a 4-year (2011-2014 long-term experiment, the effects of different kinds of collecting mothod (zero plastic film residues, conventional plastic film residues, whole plastic film residues remainded on plastic film residues, residual coefficient and maize yield were explored. Plastic film residues mainly remained in 0~10 cm, 10~20 cm soil layers. In 0~30 cm soil layers, the two types of mulch residues (>25 cm2, 4~25 cm2 under zero plastic film residues treatment were much less than conventional plastic film residues and whole plastic film residues remainded treatments, no significant differences were observed in the mulch residues (2 among 3 treatments. After maize harvest, the amount of plastic film residues under zero plastic film residues, conventional plastic film residues and whole plastic film residues remainded treatments were 52.71, 80.85 kg·hm-2 and 152.65 kg·hm-2, respectively, the residual coefficient for zero plastic film residues, conventional plastic film residues and whole plastic film residues remainded treatments were -9.45%, 8.53% and 54.42%, respectively. The stem diameter, ear length, ear width, ear row number, grain number per row and 100-grain weight of maize decreased with the increase of residual film amount. Compared with the conventional plastic film residues, the mean grain yield of whole plastic film residues remainded treatment decreased by 15.08%, whereas the zero plastic film residues treatment increased by 4.70%. The plastic film residues, residual coefficient and maize yield were comprehensively analyzed, the conventional plastic film residues practice should be adopted currently without appropriate plastic film residues collector. But from the long-term development, we should speed up the

Association and linkage analysis of aluminum tolerance genes in maize.

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Allison M Krill

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Aluminum (Al toxicity is a major worldwide constraint to crop productivity on acidic soils. Al becomes soluble at low pH, inhibiting root growth and severely reducing yields. Maize is an important staple food and commodity crop in acidic soil regions, especially in South America and Africa where these soils are very common. Al exclusion and intracellular tolerance have been suggested as two important mechanisms for Al tolerance in maize, but little is known about the underlying genetics. METHODOLOGY: An association panel of 282 diverse maize inbred lines and three F2 linkage populations with approximately 200 individuals each were used to study genetic variation in this complex trait. Al tolerance was measured as net root growth in nutrient solution under Al stress, which exhibited a wide range of variation between lines. Comparative and physiological genomics-based approaches were used to select 21 candidate genes for evaluation by association analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Six candidate genes had significant results from association analysis, but only four were confirmed by linkage analysis as putatively contributing to Al tolerance: Zea mays AltSB like (ZmASL, Zea mays aluminum-activated malate transporter2 (ALMT2, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteinase (SAHH, and Malic Enzyme (ME. These four candidate genes are high priority subjects for follow-up biochemical and physiological studies on the mechanisms of Al tolerance in maize. Immediately, elite haplotype-specific molecular markers can be developed for these four genes and used for efficient marker-assisted selection of superior alleles in Al tolerance maize breeding programs.

A genome-wide characterization of microRNA genes in maize.

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Lifang Zhang

2009-11-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are small, non-coding RNAs that play essential roles in plant growth, development, and stress response. We conducted a genome-wide survey of maize miRNA genes, characterizing their structure, expression, and evolution. Computational approaches based on homology and secondary structure modeling identified 150 high-confidence genes within 26 miRNA families. For 25 families, expression was verified by deep-sequencing of small RNA libraries that were prepared from an assortment of maize tissues. PCR-RACE amplification of 68 miRNA transcript precursors, representing 18 families conserved across several plant species, showed that splice variation and the use of alternative transcriptional start and stop sites is common within this class of genes. Comparison of sequence variation data from diverse maize inbred lines versus teosinte accessions suggest that the mature miRNAs are under strong purifying selection while the flanking sequences evolve equivalently to other genes. Since maize is derived from an ancient tetraploid, the effect of whole-genome duplication on miRNA evolution was examined. We found that, like protein-coding genes, duplicated miRNA genes underwent extensive gene-loss, with approximately 35% of ancestral sites retained as duplicate homoeologous miRNA genes. This number is higher than that observed with protein-coding genes. A search for putative miRNA targets indicated bias towards genes in regulatory and metabolic pathways. As maize is one of the principal models for plant growth and development, this study will serve as a foundation for future research into the functional roles of miRNA genes.

Molecular profiling techniques as tools to detect potential unintended effects in genetically engineered maize

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Barros, E

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Molecular Profiling Techniques as Tools to Detect Potential Unintended Effects in Genetically Engineered Maize Eugenia Barros Introduction In the early stages of production and commercialization of foods derived from genetically engineered (GE) plants... systems. In a recent paper published in Plant Biotechnology Journal,4 we compared two transgenic white maize lines with the non-transgenic counterpart to investigate two possible sources of variation: genetic engineering and environmental variation...

Characterization of cDNAs encoding human pyruvate dehydrogenase α subunit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ho, Lap; Wexler, I.D.; Liu, Techung; Thekkumkara, T.J.; Patel, M.S.

1989-01-01

A cDNA clone (1,423 base pairs) comprising the entire coding region of the precursor form of the α subunit of pyruvate dehydrogenase (E 1 α) has been isolated from a human liver cDNA library in phage λgt11. The first 29 amino acids deduced from the open reading frame correspond to a typical mitochondrial targeting leader sequence. The remaining 361 amino acids, starting at the N terminus with phenylalanine, represent the mature mitochondrial E 1 α peptide. The cDNA has 43 base pairs in the 5' untranslated region and 210 base pairs in the 3' untranslated region, including a polyadenylylation signal and a short poly(A) tract. The nucleotide sequence of human liver E 1 α cDNA was confirmed by the nucleotide sequences of three overlapping fragments generated from human liver and fibroblast RNA by reverse transcription and DNA amplification by the polymerase chain reaction. This consensus nucleotide sequence of human liver E 1 α cDNA resolves existing discrepancies among three previously reported human E 1 α cDNAs and provides the unambiguous reference sequence needed for the characterization of genetic mutations in pyruvate dehydrogenase-deficient patients

EFFECT OF UREA-MOLASSES BLOCK SUPPLEMENTATION ON NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY AND INTAKE OF AMMONIATED MAIZE STOVERS IN COW -CALVES

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M. Usman Faizi, M.M. Siddiqui and G. Habib

2004-01-01

Full Text Available An experiment was conducted in a 4x4 Latin square design with four cow-calves {Holstein Friesian, aged' 6-8 months to investigate the effect of supplementing molasses-urea block {MUB to untreated or ammoniated maize stovers on feed intake and in viva digestibility of nutrients. Each period consisted of 10 days adaptation, followed by five days data collection. The four diets were untreated maize stovers {Diet A, untreated maize stovers with MUB {Diet B, ammoniated maize stovers {Diet 'C and ammoniated maize stovers with MUB {Diet D. Daily consumption of maize stovers and total feed by the calves were higher {P< 0.01 on the diets containing ammoniated maize stovers than those containing untreated maize stovers. Ammoniation increased the intake of maize stovers by 61 %. Supplementary feeding of MUB did not change the daily intake of both untreated and ammoniated maize stovers. Calves receiving untreated maize stovers consumed more MUB {P< 0.01 than those given ammoniated maize stovers {496.40 vs 180.20g DM/d. Daily water consumption was affected {P< 0.01 by diets and was lowest on Diet A. Calves receiving ammoniated maize stovers consumed more water than those given untreated maize stovers. MUB increased {P<0.01 the water consumption only on untreated maize stovers. Mean water consumption was 13.93, 15.91, 15.07 and 15.60 lit/d on diet A, B, C and D, respectively. In vivo digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and crude protein were Influenced {P<0.01 by diet composition. I Among the four diets, dry matter digestibility was minimum (P< 0.01 on Diet A and remained the same on diets B, C and D {55.82, 58.02 and 58.14%, respectively. Organic matter and crude protein digestibility were higher in the claves receiving ammoniated maize stovers. Supplementation of MUB increased (P< 0.01 the digestibility of all the three nutrients in untreated maize stovers but did not affect the digestibility of ammoniated maize stovers. The results demonstrated

Genomic-based-breeding tools for tropical maize improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakradhar, Thammineni; Hindu, Vemuri; Reddy, Palakolanu Sudhakar

2017-12-01

Maize has traditionally been the main staple diet in the Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa and widely grown by millions of resource poor small scale farmers. Approximately, 35.4 million hectares are sown to tropical maize, constituting around 59% of the developing worlds. Tropical maize encounters tremendous challenges besides poor agro-climatic situations with average yields recorded <3 tones/hectare that is far less than the average of developed countries. On the contrary to poor yields, the demand for maize as food, feed, and fuel is continuously increasing in these regions. Heterosis breeding introduced in early 90 s improved maize yields significantly, but genetic gains is still a mirage, particularly for crop growing under marginal environments. Application of molecular markers has accelerated the pace of maize breeding to some extent. The availability of array of sequencing and genotyping technologies offers unrivalled service to improve precision in maize-breeding programs through modern approaches such as genomic selection, genome-wide association studies, bulk segregant analysis-based sequencing approaches, etc. Superior alleles underlying complex traits can easily be identified and introgressed efficiently using these sequence-based approaches. Integration of genomic tools and techniques with advanced genetic resources such as nested association mapping and backcross nested association mapping could certainly address the genetic issues in maize improvement programs in developing countries. Huge diversity in tropical maize and its inherent capacity for doubled haploid technology offers advantage to apply the next generation genomic tools for accelerating production in marginal environments of tropical and subtropical world. Precision in phenotyping is the key for success of any molecular-breeding approach. This article reviews genomic technologies and their application to improve agronomic traits in tropical maize breeding has been reviewed in

MONTHLY PRICE ANALYSIS OF COWPEA (BEANS AND MAIZE IN AKWA IBOM STATE, SOUTHERN NIGERIA

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Sunday Brownson Akpan

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The study examined the price transmission and market integration of Maize and Beans in the rural and urban markets of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Average monthly prices (measured in naira per kilogram of Maize and Cowpea in rural and urban markets were used in the analysis. The data was obtained from the quarterly publications of the Akwa Ibom State Agricultural Development Programme (AKADEP. The data covered the period; January 2005 to June 2013. The trend analysis showed that, prices of Maize and Beans in the rural and urban markets had exponential growth rates that were less than unity, which suggested a possible co-movement of these prices in the study area. Also, the Pearson correlation coefficient generated for the pair of rural and urban prices of Maize and Beans revealed significant linear symmetric relationships. The result implies the existence of symmetric market information flows between the rural and urban markets for Maize and Beans in the state. The Granger causality test revealed bi-directional relationships between the rural and urban price of Maize and Beans in the study area. The co-integration test revealed the presence of co-integration between the rural and urban prices of Maize and Beans. The coefficients of the price variables in the co-integration equations for Maize and Beans markets converged to unity or law of one price which implied perfect market integration in the long run. The results of the error correction model (ECM also confirm the existence of the short run market integration between the rural and urban prices of Maize and Beans in the study area. In addition, it was discovered that, the rural price of Maize adjusted faster to the stable state in the long run than the urban price. Likewise, the urban price of Beans adjusted faster than its corresponding rural price. The index of market connection (IMC supported the high short run market integration for prices of Maize and Beans in rural and urban markets. Based

Transcriptome Dynamics during Maize Endosperm Development.

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Jianzhou Qu

Full Text Available The endosperm is a major organ of the seed that plays vital roles in determining seed weight and quality. However, genome-wide transcriptome patterns throughout maize endosperm development have not been comprehensively investigated to date. Accordingly, we performed a high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq analysis of the maize endosperm transcriptome at 5, 10, 15 and 20 days after pollination (DAP. We found that more than 11,000 protein-coding genes underwent alternative splicing (AS events during the four developmental stages studied. These genes were mainly involved in intracellular protein transport, signal transmission, cellular carbohydrate metabolism, cellular lipid metabolism, lipid biosynthesis, protein modification, histone modification, cellular amino acid metabolism, and DNA repair. Additionally, 7,633 genes, including 473 transcription factors (TFs, were differentially expressed among the four developmental stages. The differentially expressed TFs were from 50 families, including the bZIP, WRKY, GeBP and ARF families. Further analysis of the stage-specific TFs showed that binding, nucleus and ligand-dependent nuclear receptor activities might be important at 5 DAP, that immune responses, signalling, binding and lumen development are involved at 10 DAP, that protein metabolic processes and the cytoplasm might be important at 15 DAP, and that the responses to various stimuli are different at 20 DAP compared with the other developmental stages. This RNA-seq analysis provides novel, comprehensive insights into the transcriptome dynamics during early endosperm development in maize.

Molecular cloning and expression of full-length DNA copies of the genomic RNAs of cowpea mosaic virus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, P.

1987-01-01

The experiments described in this thesis were designed to unravel various aspects of the mechanism of gene expression of cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV). For this purpose full-length DNA copies of both genomic RNAs of CPMV were constructed. Using powerful invitro

TypeLoader: A fast and efficient automated workflow for the annotation and submission of novel full-length HLA alleles.

Science.gov (United States)

Surendranath, V; Albrecht, V; Hayhurst, J D; Schöne, B; Robinson, J; Marsh, S G E; Schmidt, A H; Lange, V

2017-07-01

Recent years have seen a rapid increase in the discovery of novel allelic variants of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes. Commonly, only the exons encoding the peptide binding domains of novel HLA alleles are submitted. As a result, the IPD-IMGT/HLA Database lacks sequence information outside those regions for the majority of known alleles. This has implications for the application of the new sequencing technologies, which deliver sequence data often covering the complete gene. As these technologies simplify the characterization of the complete gene regions, it is desirable for novel alleles to be submitted as full-length sequences to the database. However, the manual annotation of full-length alleles and the generation of specific formats required by the sequence repositories is prone to error and time consuming. We have developed TypeLoader to address both these facets. With only the full-length sequence as a starting point, Typeloader performs automatic sequence annotation and subsequently handles all steps involved in preparing the specific formats for submission with very little manual intervention. TypeLoader is routinely used at the DKMS Life Science Lab and has aided in the successful submission of more than 900 novel HLA alleles as full-length sequences to the European Nucleotide Archive repository and the IPD-IMGT/HLA Database with a 95% reduction in the time spent on annotation and submission when compared with handling these processes manually. TypeLoader is implemented as a web application and can be easily installed and used on a standalone Linux desktop system or within a Linux client/server architecture. TypeLoader is downloadable from http://www.github.com/DKMS-LSL/typeloader. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Glutathione peroxidases of the potato cyst nematode Globodera Rostochiensis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jones, J.T.; Reavy, B.; Smant, G.; Prior, A.E.

2004-01-01

We report the cloning and characterisation of full-length DNAs complementary to RNA (cDNAs) encoding two glutathione peroxidases (GpXs) from a plant parasitic nematode, the potato cyst nematode (PCN) Globodera rostochiensis. One protein has a functional signal peptide that targets the protein for

BUCKWHEAT AS A GLUTEN-FREE CEREAL IN COMBINATION WITH MAIZE FLOUR

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Stanislav Kráčmar

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages. Symptoms include chronic diarrhoea, and fatigue. The only treatment is long life diet with absence of gluten. Many researches concerning gluten-free nutrition have been done but it is still a big challenge. The main aim of this work was to observe changes in gluten-free breads quality made from maize-buckwheat mixtures depending on ratio of maize and buckwheat flour. To obtain samples, bread baking test was applied and these were provided to analyses (dough and pastry yield, baking loss, specific volume and texture analysis. The results showed that rising amount of maize flour in mixtures improved texture characteristics such as chewiness and gumminess, concerning specific volume of breads no significant differences were found and it was proved, that all texture parameters deteriorate with staling time.

Adsorption, immobilization and activity of cellulase in soil: the impacts of maize straw and its humification

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Ali Akbar Safari Sinegani

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The present work aimed to study some aspects of sorption and immobilization of cellulase molecules on soil components by the analysis of the reactions of cellulase in a soil treated with different levels of maize residue and incubated for 90 days. The analysis of variance showed that the effects of the treatments of maize straw, incubation time and their interaction on cellulase adsorption, desorption and immobilization were statistically significant. The adsorption and immobilization capacities of soil by application of maize straw increased significantly. However they decreased with decreasing the soil organic matter (SOM after 45 days of incubation. The desorption of adsorbed cellulase molecules from the soil by washing with distilled water depended on the SOM contents and its humification. The binding strength of cellulase molecule with fresh miaze straw was significantly stronger than that with humified maize straw. The immobilized cellulase activity, particularly its specific activity increased significantly by increasing the OC contents in the soil treated with maize straw.

Maize (Zea mays L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Frame, Bronwyn; Warnberg, Katey; Main, Marcy; Wang, Kan

2015-01-01

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation is an effective method for introducing genes into maize. In this chapter, we describe a detailed protocol for genetic transformation of the maize genotype Hi II. Our starting plant material is immature embryos cocultivated with an Agrobacterium strain carrying a standard binary vector. In addition to step-by-step laboratory transformation procedures, we include extensive details in growing donor plants and caring for transgenic plants in the greenhouse.

Loss of ammonia from nitrogen fertilizers applied to maize and soybean straw

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Letícia de Abreu Faria

2013-08-01

Full Text Available In Brazilian agriculture, urea is the most commonly used nitrogen (N source, in spite of having the disadvantage of losing considerable amounts of N by ammonia-N volatilization. The objectives of this study were to evaluate: N lossby ammonia volatilization from: [urea coated with copper sulfate and boric acid], [urea coated with zeolite], [urea+ammonium sulfate], [urea coated with copper sulfate and boric acid+ammonium sulfate], [common urea] and [ammonium nitrate]; and the effect of these N source son the maize yield in terms of amount and quality. The treatments were applied to the surface of a soil under no-tillage maize, in two growing seasons. The first season (2009/2010 was after a maize crop (maize straw left on the soil surface and the second cycle (2012/2011 after a soybean crop. Due to the weather conditions during the experiments, the volatilization of ammonia-N was highest in the first four days after application of the N sources. Of all urea sources, under volatilization-favorable conditions, the loss of ammonia from urea coated with copper sulfate and boric acid was lowest, while under high rainfall, the losses from the different urea sources was similar, i.e., an adequate rainfall was favorablet o reduce volatilization. The ammonia volatilization losses were greatest in the first four days after application. Maize grain yield differed due to N application and in the treatments, but this was only observed with cultivation of maize crop residues in 2009/2010. The combination of ammonium+urea coated with copper sulfate and boric acid optimized grain yield compared to the other urea treatments. The crude protein concentration in maize was not influenced by the technologies of urea coating.

IMAZAPYR-RESISTANT MAIZE TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION FOR ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prof. Adipala Ekwamu

decisions by protecting maize (Zea mays L.) crop in western Kenya from Striga. Key Words: Adopters, Zea ... Africa, efficient and profitable production of maize is severely constrained by ..... gap by understanding its source. African. Journal of ...

Growth performance and carcass characteristics of Tanzania Shorthorn Zebu cattle finished on molasses or maize grain with rice or maize by-products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Asimwe, I.; Kimambo, A. E.; Laswai, G. H.

2015-01-01

Forty five steers (2.5–3.0 years of age and 200±5 (SEM) kg body weight) were allotted randomly into five diets to assess the effects of finishing Tanzania Shorthorn Zebu (TSZ) cattle in feedlot using diets based on either molasses or maize grain combined with maize or rice by-products. The diets...... were hay and concentrate mixtures of hominy feed with molasses (HFMO), rice polishing with molasses (RPMO), hominy feed with maize meal (HFMM), rice polishing with maize meal (RPMM) and a control of maize meal with molasses (MMMO). All concentrate mixtures contained cotton seed cake, mineral mixture.......35 for HFMO) than in maize grain based diets (6.94, 6.73 and 6.19 for RPMM, MMMO and HFMM, respectively). Energy intake was highest (P

Socio-economic assessment on maize production and adoption of open pollinated improved varieties in Dang, Nepal

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Sanjiv Subedi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Research was conducted from February to May, 2017 for socioeconomic assessment on maize production and adoption of open pollinated improved maize varieties in Dang district of Nepal. Altogether, 100 samples were taken by simple random sampling from the major maize growing areas and relevant publications were reviewed. Focal Group Discussion and Key Informant Survey were also done. Descriptive statistics, unpaired t-test, probit regression and indexing were used for data analysis using statistical tools- SPSS, STATA and MS-Excel. Probit econometric model revealed that ethnicity (1% level, gender (5% level, area under open pollinated improved maize (1% level, seed source dummy (1 % level and number of visits by farmers to agrovet (5% level significantly determined the adoption of open pollinated improved maize varieties. In addition, unpaired t-test revealed that the productivity of open pollinated improved maize varieties was significantly higher (at 1% level than local; also, the multinational companies' hybrids showed significantly higher productivity (at 1% level when compared to open pollinated improved varieties. Furthermore, indexing identified- lack of availability of quality seeds and fertilizers (I= 0.86 as the major problem associated with the maize production. Giving aggressive subsidy on open pollinated improved seeds and dealership to registered agrovets for selling the subsidy seeds could enhance the adoption. Moreover, government organizations working in the areas of agricultural extension and research must focus on adoption of open pollinated improved maize varieties among the farmers, substituting the local and developing the high yielding hybrid varieties in Nepal to increase the maize productivity.

Conservation agriculture practices in rainfed uplands of India improve maize-based system productivity and profitability

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Aliza Pradhan

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Traditional agriculture in rainfed uplands of India has been experiencing low agricultural productivity as the lands suffer from poor soil fertility, susceptibility to water erosion and other external pressures of development and climate change. A shift towards more sustainable cropping systems such as conservation agriculture production systems (CAPS may help in maintaining soil quality as well as improving crop production and farmer’s net economic benefit. This research assessed the effects over three years (2011-2014 of reduced tillage, intercropping, and cover cropping practices customized for maize-based production systems in upland areas of Odisha, India. The study focused on crop yield, system productivity and profitability through maize equivalent yield and dominance analysis. Results showed that maize grain yield did not differ significantly over time or among CAPS treatments while cowpea yield was considered as an additional yield in intercropping systems. Mustard and horsegram grown in plots after maize cowpea intercropping recorded higher grain yields of 25 and 37%, respectively, as compared to those without intercropping. Overall, the full CAPS implementation i.e. minimum tillage, maize-cowpea intercropping and mustard residue retention had significantly higher system productivity and net benefits than traditional farmer practices, i.e. conventional tillage, sole maize cropping, and no mustard residue retention. The dominance analysis demonstrated increasing benefits of combining conservation practices that exceeded thresholds for farmer adoption. Given the use of familiar crops and technologies and the magnitude of yield and income improvements, these types of CAPS should be acceptable and attractive for smallholder farmers in the area. This in turn should support a move toward sustainable intensification of crop production to meet future household income and nutritional needs.

Spatial analysis of the distribution of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and losses in maize crop productivity using geo statistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farias, Paulo R.S.; Miranda, Vicente S.; Ribeiro, Susane M.; Barbosa, Jose C.; Busoli, Antonio C.; Overal, William L.

2008-01-01

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), is one of the chief pests of maize in the Americas. The study of its spatial distribution is fundamental for designing correct control strategies, improving sampling methods, determining actual and potential crop losses, and adopting precise agricultural techniques. In Sao Paulo state, Brazil, a maize field was sampled at weekly intervals, from germination through harvest, for caterpillar densities, using quadrates. In each of 200 quadrates, 10 plants were sampled per week. Harvest weights were obtained in the field for each quadrate, and ear diameters and lengths were also sampled (15 ears per quadrate) and used to estimate potential productivity of the quadrate. Geostatistical analyses of caterpillar densities showed greatest ranges for small caterpillars when semivariograms were adjusted for a spherical model that showed greatest fit. As the caterpillars developed in the field, their spatial distribution became increasingly random, as shown by a model adjusted to a straight line, indicating a lack of spatial dependence among samples. Harvest weight and ear length followed the spherical model, indicating the existence of spatial variability of the production parameters in the maize field. Geostatistics shows promise for the application of precise methods in the integrated control of pests. (author)

Spatial analysis of the distribution of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and losses in maize crop productivity using geo statistics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farias, Paulo R.S.; Miranda, Vicente S.; Ribeiro, Susane M. [Universidade Federal Rural da Amazonia (UFRA), Belem, PA (Brazil). Inst. de Ciencias Agrarias]. E-mail: paulo.farias@ufra.edu.br; Barbosa, Jose C. [UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Ciencias Agrarias e Veterinarias. Dept. de Ciencias Exatas; Busoli, Antonio C. [UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Ciencias Agrarias e Veterinarias. Dept. de Fitossanidade; Overal, William L. [Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi (MPEG), Belem, PA (Brazil). Coordenacao de Zoologia

2008-05-15

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), is one of the chief pests of maize in the Americas. The study of its spatial distribution is fundamental for designing correct control strategies, improving sampling methods, determining actual and potential crop losses, and adopting precise agricultural techniques. In Sao Paulo state, Brazil, a maize field was sampled at weekly intervals, from germination through harvest, for caterpillar densities, using quadrates. In each of 200 quadrates, 10 plants were sampled per week. Harvest weights were obtained in the field for each quadrate, and ear diameters and lengths were also sampled (15 ears per quadrate) and used to estimate potential productivity of the quadrate. Geostatistical analyses of caterpillar densities showed greatest ranges for small caterpillars when semivariograms were adjusted for a spherical model that showed greatest fit. As the caterpillars developed in the field, their spatial distribution became increasingly random, as shown by a model adjusted to a straight line, indicating a lack of spatial dependence among samples. Harvest weight and ear length followed the spherical model, indicating the existence of spatial variability of the production parameters in the maize field. Geostatistics shows promise for the application of precise methods in the integrated control of pests. (author)

Grain yield stability of early maize genotypes

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Chitra Bahadur Kunwar

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to estimate grain yield stability of early maize genotypes. Five early maize genotypes namely Pool-17, Arun1EV, Arun-4, Arun-2 and Farmer’s variety were evaluated using Randomized Complete Block Design along with three replications at four different locations namely Rampur, Rajahar, Pakhribas and Kabre districts of Nepal during summer seasons of three consecutive years from 2010 to 2012 under farmer’s fields. Genotype and genotype × environment (GGE biplot was used to identify superior genotype for grain yield and stability pattern. The genotypes Arun-1 EV and Arun-4 were better adapted for Kabre and Pakhribas where as pool-17 for Rajahar environments. The overall findings showed that Arun-1EV was more stable followed by Arun-2 therefore these two varieties can be recommended to farmers for cultivation in both environments.

CERES-Maize model-based simulation of climate change impacts on maize yields and potential adaptive measures in Heilongjiang Province, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yumei; Wu, Wenxiang; Ge, Quansheng

2015-11-01

Climate change would cause negative impacts on future agricultural production and food security. Adaptive measures should be taken to mitigate the adverse effects. The objectives of this study were to simulate the potential effects of climate change on maize yields in Heilongjiang Province and to evaluate two selected typical household-level autonomous adaptive measures (cultivar changes and planting time adjustments) for mitigating the risks of climate change based on the CERES-Maize model. The results showed that flowering duration and maturity duration of maize would be shortened in the future climate and thus maize yield would reduce by 11-46% during 2011-2099 relative to 1981-2010. Increased CO2 concentration would not benefit maize production significantly. However, substituting local cultivars with later-maturing ones and delaying the planting date could increase yields as the climate changes. The results provide insight regarding the likely impacts of climate change on maize yields and the efficacy of selected adaptive measures by presenting evidence-based implications and mitigation strategies for the potential negative impacts of future climate change. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Radiation capture and use as affected by morphologically contrasting maize/pea in sole and intercropping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanton, R. A. L.; Dennett, M. D.

2008-01-01

Field experiments were conducted at the Field Unit of the School of Plant Sciences in Reading, UK, during the 2000 and 2001 growing seasons to compare the radiation capture and use efficiency of morphologically and physiologically contrasting maize/pea intercrops with sole crops. The maize cultivars comprised Nancis with erect and Sophy with floppy leaves whilst the peas consisted of Maro, a conventional leaved, and Princess, a semi-leafless cultivar. Radiation capture by the sole and intercrops was measured using a Sunflek Ceptometer (Delta T Devices), with a sensor length of 80 cm. Measurements were taken at four equidistant positions in each plot, 1 m away from the edges of the plot. Before the maize grew above the peas, measurements were taken at the top of the canopy and below. When the canopies were distinct, three measurements were taken, above the canopy, above peas and below the canopy from 9.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. at weekly intervals. In both seasons the intercrops and sole pea crops intercepted more radiation compared to the sole maize crops. Towards the end of the season the intercrops and sole maize had similar interception. Intercropping both maize cultivars in 2000 with the conventional pea had the greatest interception in 2001. Radiation use efficiency (RUE) was measured by taking the respective changes in above ground dry weight and dividing by the respective changes in cumulative absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (PAR). The RUE were highest at mid-season for both intercrops and sole crops in both seasons. Comparisons were also made using cumulative radiation use efficiencies (CRUE), representing the RUE from emergence to any time. Sole pea had the lowest CRUE in both seasons. The sole maize in 2000 had highest CRUE. However, in 2001 intercrops had similar CRUE to sole maize, suggesting an increase in RUE of peas in intercrops. Nancis had consistently higher CRUE in both seasons compared to Sophy. The results emphasize that radiation capture

Benzoxazinoids in root exudates of maize attract Pseudomonas putida to the rhizosphere.

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Andrew L Neal

Full Text Available Benzoxazinoids, such as 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H-one (DIMBOA, are secondary metabolites in grasses. In addition to their function in plant defence against pests and diseases above-ground, benzoxazinoids (BXs have also been implicated in defence below-ground, where they can exert allelochemical or antimicrobial activities. We have studied the impact of BXs on the interaction between maize and Pseudomonas putida KT2440, a competitive coloniser of the maize rhizosphere with plant-beneficial traits. Chromatographic analyses revealed that DIMBOA is the main BX compound in root exudates of maize. In vitro analysis of DIMBOA stability indicated that KT2440 tolerance of DIMBOA is based on metabolism-dependent breakdown of this BX compound. Transcriptome analysis of DIMBOA-exposed P. putida identified increased transcription of genes controlling benzoate catabolism and chemotaxis. Chemotaxis assays confirmed motility of P. putida towards DIMBOA. Moreover, colonisation essays in soil with Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP-expressing P. putida showed that DIMBOA-producing roots of wild-type maize attract significantly higher numbers of P. putida cells than roots of the DIMBOA-deficient bx1 mutant. Our results demonstrate a central role for DIMBOA as a below-ground semiochemical for recruitment of plant-beneficial rhizobacteria during the relatively young and vulnerable growth stages of maize.

Fertilizer Use and Management Practices among Maize and Cowpea Smallholder Farmer in Ghana

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Okebalama, CB.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In most parts of West Africa, poverty contributes immensely to poor fertilizer adoption by smallholder farmers. Fertilizer adoption could be improved with micro-dosing technology. A socio-economic survey was conducted in the semi-deciduous forest zone of Ghana to assess the extent of fertilizer use and management among maize and cowpea smallholder farmers. Oral interview with structured questionnaire was used to interview one hundred farmers each at two locations. The results showed that farmers are aware of the use of fertilizer to increase crop yield. About 65% and 80% of maize and cowpea farmers respectively, identified high cost of fertilizer as a major constraint to fertilizer utilization. Consequently, only 32% maize farmers and 19% cowpea farmers were fertilizer users. In addition, the choice of fertilizer type to use was dependent on the type available on the market. As such, NPK 15:15:15 was mostly used for both maize and cowpea crops. Also, fertilizer application rate was mainly determined by the quantity farmer can purchase. On average, fertilizer application rate for maize and cowpea crops were 18.45 kg/ha and 9.05 kg/ha, respectively. The prevalent fertilizer application method on maize was mostly by point/side placement while ring application was largely used for cowpea. Awareness of fertilizer micro-dosing among the farmers was only 10%. Since the quantity of fertilizer used by the farmers as well as the fertilizer application methods were comparable to fertilizer micro-dosing, dissemination of micro-dosing technology to these farmers could promote fertilizer use and management among smallholder farmers, and ultimately sustain maize and cowpea production.

Influence of Maize Rotations on the Yield of Soybean Grown in Meloidogyne incognita Infested Soil

OpenAIRE

Kinloch, Robert A.

1983-01-01

A replicated field study was conducted from 1972 to 1980 involving soybeans grown in 2-, 3-, and 4-year rotations with maize in soil infested with Meloidogyne incognita. Monocultured soybeans were maintained as controls. Cropping regimes involved root-knot nematode susceptible and resistant soybean cultivars and soybeans treated and not treated with nematicides. Yields of susceptible cultivars declined with reduced length of rotation. Nematicide treatment significantly increased yields of sus...

Initial performance of maize in response to NPK fertilization combined with Herbaspirillum seropedicae

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Marihus Altoé Baldotto

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria can be a technological approach useful for increasing the production of maize. The objective of this study was to evaluate the initial performance of maize in response to application of doses of NPK combined with the inoculation of the diazotrophic bacteria Herbaspirillum seropedicae in an greenhouse experiment. The experiment consisted of six fertilizer levels: 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 200% of the recommended dose of NPK applied to maize inoculated and non-inoculated with H. seropedicae. At 30 days after the treatment application, the growth characteristics and nutritional status of the plants were evaluated. Plant development was influenced by fertilization, but it was enhanced by combination with the bacteria, which resulted in significant increases in the dry mass of shoots (7% and leaf area (9% when compared with non-inoculated plants. The results showed increases in the concentration of N (11%, P (30% and K (17% of maize plants in response to bacterial inoculation together with NPK compared with plants that were applied fertilize only. The greater consistency and stability response of the host plant to bacterization in the presence of chemical fertilizer indicate a promissory biotechnological approach for improving the initial growth and adaptation of maize to the cultivation environment.

Construction of a full-length infectious bacterial artificial chromosome clone of duck enteritis virus vaccine strain

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Duck enteritis virus (DEV) is the causative agent of duck viral enteritis, which causes an acute, contagious and lethal disease of many species of waterfowl within the order Anseriformes. In recent years, two laboratories have reported on the successful construction of DEV infectious clones in viral vectors to express exogenous genes. The clones obtained were either created with deletion of viral genes and based on highly virulent strains or were constructed using a traditional overlapping fosmid DNA system. Here, we report the construction of a full-length infectious clone of DEV vaccine strain that was cloned into a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). Methods A mini-F vector as a BAC that allows the maintenance of large circular DNA in E. coli was introduced into the intergenic region between UL15B and UL18 of a DEV vaccine strain by homologous recombination in chicken embryoblasts (CEFs). Then, the full-length DEV clone pDEV-vac was obtained by electroporating circular viral replication intermediates containing the mini-F sequence into E. coli DH10B and identified by enzyme digestion and sequencing. The infectivity of the pDEV-vac was validated by DEV reconstitution from CEFs transfected with pDEV-vac. The reconstructed virus without mini-F vector sequence was also rescued by co-transfecting the Cre recombinase expression plasmid pCAGGS-NLS/Cre and pDEV-vac into CEF cultures. Finally, the in vitro growth properties and immunoprotection capacity in ducks of the reconstructed viruses were also determined and compared with the parental virus. Results The full genome of the DEV vaccine strain was successfully cloned into the BAC, and this BAC clone was infectious. The in vitro growth properties of these reconstructions were very similar to parental DEV, and ducks immunized with these viruses acquired protection against virulent DEV challenge. Conclusions DEV vaccine virus was cloned as an infectious bacterial artificial chromosome maintaining full-length

Retrogradation of Maize Starch after High Hydrostatic Pressure Gelation: Effect of Amylose Content and Depressurization Rate.

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Zhi Yang

Full Text Available High hydrostatic pressure (HHP has been employed to gelatinize or physically modify starch dispersions. In this study, waxy maize starch, normal maize starch, and two high amylose content starch were processed by a HHP of the order of 600 MPa, at 25°C for 15min. The effect of HHP processing on the crystallization of maize starches with various amylose content during storage at 4°C was investigated. Crystallization kinetics of HHP treated starch gels were investigated using rheology and FTIR. The effect of crystallization on the mechanical properties of starch gel network were evaluated in terms of dynamic complex modulus (G*. The crystallization induced increase of short-range helices structures were investigated using FTIR. The pressure releasing rate does not affect the starch retrogradation behaviour. The rate and extent of retrogradation depends on the amylose content of amylose starch. The least retrogradation was observed in HHP treated waxy maize starch. The rate of retrogradation is higher for HHP treated high amylose maize starch than that of normal maize starch. A linear relationship between the extent of retrogradation (phase distribution measured by FTIR and G* is proposed.

Monitoring and evaluation of need for nitrogen fertilizer topdressing for maize leaf chlorophyll readings and the relationship with grain yield

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Maria Anita Gonçalves da Silva

2011-08-01

Full Text Available The study was carried out for two years in maize in succession to the wheat using no tillage system in a distroferric Red Latosol (Hapludox. Methods of management nitrogen fertilizer (120 kg ha-1 with ammonium sulphate were studied; the fertilizer was applied in maize sowing or in maize topdressing, and N with previous application in wheat sowing. In addition, leaf chlorophyll reading was used as an indicator for the need for topdressed nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen supply index (NSI was shown to be effective at predicting need for topdressed nitrogen fertilizer for maize. The application of N improved the yield of the maize independent of the management system. The flowering stage was carried out at the appropriate time in order to estimate the nitrogen nutrition state and yield of maize using the relative chlorophyll level (RIC.

quixotic coupling between irrigation system and maize-cowpea

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ACSS

number row-1 and maize grain yield, respectively. The ridge ... Key Words: Furrow irrigation, water use efficiency, Zea mays. RÉSUMÉ ... important in arid and semi-arid regions, with ... as maize) canopy is not able to intercept all the solar radiation during the growth period. ... Intercropping maize and legumes considerably ...

Bacterial communities in the rhizosphere of amilaceous maize (Zea mays L. as assessed by pyrosequencing

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David Correa-Galeote

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Maize (Zea mays L. is the staple diet of the native peasants in the Quechua region of the Peruvian Andes who continue growing it in small plots called chacras following ancestral traditions. The abundance and structure of bacterial communities associated with the roots of amilaceous maize has not been studied in Andean chacras. Accordingly, the main objective of this study was to describe the rhizospheric bacterial diversity of amilaceous maize grown either in the presence or the absence of bur clover cultivated in soils from the Quechua maize belt. Three 16S rRNA gene libraries, one corresponding to sequences of bacteria from bulk soil of a chacra maintained under fallow conditions, the second from the rhizosphere of maize-cultivated soils, and the third prepared from rhizospheric soil of maize cultivated in intercropping with bur clover were examined using pyrosequencing tags spanning the V4 and V5 hypervariable regions of the gene. A total of 26031 sequences were found that grouped into 5955 distinct operational taxonomic units which distributed in 309 genera. The numbers of OTUs in the libraries from the maize-cultivated soils were significantly higher than those found in the libraries from bulk soil. One hundred ninety seven genera were found in the bulk soil library and 234 and 203 were in those from the maize and maize/bur clover-cultivated soils. Sixteen out of the 309 genera had a relative abundance higher than 0.5% and the were (in decreasing order of abundance Gp4, Gp6, Flavobacterium, Subdivision3 genera incertae sedis of the Verrucomicrobia phylum, Gemmatimonas, Dechloromonas, Ohtaekwangia, Rhodoferax, Gaiella, Opitutus, Gp7, Spartobacteria genera incertae sedis, Terrimonas, Gp5, Steroidobacter and Parcubacteria genera incertae sedis. Genera Gp4 and Gp6 of the Acidobacteria, Gemmatimonas and Rhodoferax were the most abundant in bulk soil, whereas Flavobacterium, Dechloromonas and Ohtaekwangia were the main genera in the rhizosphere

Propanol in maize silage at Danish dairy farms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raun, Birgitte Marie Løvendahl; Kristensen, Niels Bastian

2010-01-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence maize silage containing propanol, the seasonal variation in propanol content of maize silage, and correlations between propanol and other fermentation products in maize silage collected from 20 randomly selected Danish dairy farms...... farms, the maize silage had ≥5 g propanol/kg DM. The present study indicates that dairy cows in Denmark are commonly exposed to propanol and that approximately 20% of the dairy cows will have an intake in the range of 75-100 g propanol/d under common feeding conditions....

Water transfer in an alfalfa/maize association

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corak, S.J.; Blevins, D.G.; Pallardy, S.G.

1987-01-01

The authors investigated the possibility of interspecific water transfer in an alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) association. An alfalfa plant was grown through two vertically stacked plastic tubes. A 5 centimeter air gap between tubes was bridged by alfalfa roots. Five-week old maize plants with roots confined to the top tube were not watered, while associated alfalfa roots had free access to water in the bottom tube (the -/+ treatment). Additional treatments included: top and bottom tubes watered (+/+), top and bottom tubes droughted (-/-), and top tube droughted after removal of alfalfa root bridges and routine removal of alfalfa tillers (-*). Predawn leaf water potential of maize in the -/+ treatment fell to -1.5 megapascals 13 days after the start of drought; thereafter, predawn and midday potentials were maintained near -1.9 megapascals. Leaf water potentials of maize in the -/- and -* treatments declined steadily; all plants in these treatments were completely desiccated before day 50. High levels of tritium activity were detected in water extracted from both alfalfa and maize leaves after 3 H 2 O was injected into the bottom -/+ tube at day 70 or later. Maize in the -/+ treatment was able to survive an otherwise lethal period of drought by utilizing water lost by alfalfa roots

A model of a successful utilization of a high genetic potential of maize yield

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Pavlov Milovan

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The principle of a system, defined as a ZP system, implying corresponding relationship among research, seed production and seed marketing, is that each segment within the system has its tasks and responsibilities, as well as, a clear interest. This system was established at the Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje, almost half a century ago. The crucial characteristic is that this system encompasses obtained results of scientific accomplishments (patent - a released hybrid, optimal utilisation of the environmental conditions, facilities for seed drying, processing and packing, staff and transport capacities. The ZP system provides the economic interest of all participants in studies and the maize seed production. The fundamental base of the quality seed production within the ZP system is a multidisciplinary programme on maize breeding, as well as, 535 released hybrids with standard and specific traits. According to regulations in foreign countries, approximately 100 ZP maize hybrids have been released abroad. Agroecological conditions in Serbia are favorable for the development of the best genotypes and the production of basic and certified maize seed. There 10 processing plants that apply recent technologies in the maize seed processing procedure. Several generations of experts have been trained and gained experience within the maize seed production. Three seed testing laboratories have been accredited by the International Seed Testing Association. According to regulations in Serbia, monitoring of seed production under field conditions, and further on, during the processing practice is done only by designate authorities. This study presents one of successful systems of the seed production organization applicable in countries with similar conditions.

Sub-Saharan African maize-based foods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ekpa, Onu; Palacios-Rojas, Natalia; Kruseman, Gideon; Fogliano, Vincenzo; Linnemann, Anita R.

2018-01-01

The demand for maize in Sub-Saharan Africa will triple by 2050 due to rapid population growth, while challenges from climate change will threaten agricultural productivity. Most maize breeding programmes have focused on improving agronomic properties and have paid relatively little attention to

Efficiency of mineral fertilizers and mucuna on the improvement of the yield of maize in zimbabwe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pieterse, P.J.; Agenbag, G.A.

2014-01-01

In Zimbabwe farmers use sub-optimal amounts of fertilizers due to cash limitations and poor access to fertilizer markets, hence the need to integrate legumes like mucuna (Mucuna pruriens) into their cropping systems. In this study, the effect of P and N along with different mucuna management options was investigated on the yield and yield components of maize. The experimental design was a split - split- plot with two P rates (0 and 40 kg P ha/sup -1/) applied to a preceding mucuna crop, four mucuna management options 1) fallow (F), 2) mucuna ploughed in at flowering (MF), 3) all mucuna above ground biomass removed at maturity and only roots were ploughed in (MAR) and 4) mucuna pods removed and the residues ploughed in (MPR 3 and four N treatments (N0 = 0, N1 =40, N2 = 80 and N3 = 120 kg N ha/sup -1/ respectively) applied to a subsequent maize crop. The various crop parameters like grain yield, cob length, number of grains per cob, cob diameter, 1000 dry grain weight, stalk weight and harvest index of maize were determined. Phosphorous application improved mean maize grain yield from 2.29 t ha/sup -1/ to 2.34 t ha/sup -1/. The MF and N3 treatment combination resulted in the highest maize grain yield. The MF and MPR and N0 treatment combinations resulted in similar grain yields when compared with F and MAR management options and N3. Other parameters followed similar trends. The MF and MPR management options could, therefore, save 80 and 120 kg N ha/sup -1/for smallholder farmers without sacrificing yield. (author)

Maize-Pathogen Interactions: An Ongoing Combat from a Proteomics Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Pechanova, Olga; Pechan, Tibor

2015-11-30

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a host to numerous pathogenic species that impose serious diseases to its ear and foliage, negatively affecting the yield and the quality of the maize crop. A considerable amount of research has been carried out to elucidate mechanisms of maize-pathogen interactions with a major goal to identify defense-associated proteins. In this review, we summarize interactions of maize with its agriculturally important pathogens that were assessed at the proteome level. Employing differential analyses, such as the comparison of pathogen-resistant and susceptible maize varieties, as well as changes in maize proteomes after pathogen challenge, numerous proteins were identified as possible candidates in maize resistance. We describe findings of various research groups that used mainly mass spectrometry-based, high through-put proteomic tools to investigate maize interactions with fungal pathogens Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium spp., and Curvularia lunata, and viral agents Rice Black-streaked Dwarf Virus and Sugarcane Mosaic Virus.

Generation and Analysis of Full-length cDNA Sequences from Elephant Shark (Callorhinchus milii)

KAUST Repository

Kodzius, Rimantas

2009-03-17

Cartilaginous fishes are the oldest living group of jawed vertebrates and therefore is an important group for understanding the evolution of vertebrate genomes including the human genome. Our laboratory has proposed elephant shark (C. milii) as a model cartilaginous fish genome because of its relatively small genome size (910 Mb). The whole genome of C. milii is being sequenced (first cartilaginous fish genome to be sequenced completely). To characterize the transcriptome of C. milii and to assist in annotating exon-intron boundaries, transcriptional start sites and alternatively spliced transcripts, we are generating full-length cDNA sequences from C. milii.

Toxigenic potential of Fusarium graminearum isolated from maize of northwest Argentina

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D.A. Sampietro

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Twenty six isolates of Fusarium graminearum from grains of maize hybrids harvested in ±west Argentina were grown on autoclaved rice grain to assess their ability to produce type B trichothecenes. Chemical analysis indicated that 38% of isolates were nivalenol (NIV producers only, 31% were major NIV producers with high DON(deoxynivalenol/NIV ratios, 8% were major DON producers with minor NIV production, and 23% were DON producers only. Isolates showed a high variability in their toxigenic potential which was not related to fungal biomass. The distribution of the different chemotypes as well as the high and the low trichothecene-producing Fusarium isolates could not be associated to a geographical origin. Our results confirmed for the first time that isolates of Fusarium graminearum from maize of northwest Argentina are able to produce DON and NIV. A substancial contamination with both NIV and DON is likely in maize from northwest Argentina. Their contents should be quantified in regional surveillances for mycotoxin contamination.

A Review of Growth Stage Deficit Irrigation Effecting Sticky Maize Production

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Ha Bui Manh

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The shortage of water resources influences the future sustainability of sticky Maize (Zea mays L. production. Deficit irrigation (DI - a water management strategy - has gained much attention from scientists because of enhanced water use efficiency (WUE. Nonetheless, in reality, when applying this technique, its impact on yield and economic returns should be considered. Through an analytical literature review, this study examined the effect of growth stage DI on Maize production factors, i.e. yield, WUE, and economic returns. The results revealed that Maize’s WUE could be improved with the lowest reduction in yield as water stress was imposed during the vegetative or maturation growth stages. Therefore, the profitable returns could be reached even if the yield was reduced; however, the economic return was sensitive to commodity prices. The present review addressed that the Maize flexible capacities under growth stage water stress presented an opportunity for the optimization of irrigated water and profit preservation by accurately judging the managing time of irrigation implementation.

The nutritive value of maize foggage for ewes and their lambs in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The nutritive value of maize foggage for ewes and their lambs in the North Eastern Free State. D.J. Kriek, J.E.J. Du Toit, M.D. Fair. Abstract. (South African J of Animal Science, 2000, 30, Supplement 1: 65-67). Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT.

Transformation of Cowpea Vigna unguiculata with a Full-Length DNA Copy of Cowpea Mosaic Virus M-RNA

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hille, Jacques; Goldbach, Rob

1987-01-01

A full-length DNA copy of the M-RNA of cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV), supplied with either the 35S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) or the nopaline synthase promoter from Agrobacterium tumefaciens, was introduced into the T-DNA region of a Ti-plasmid-derived gene vector and transferred to

Allelopathic effects of aqueous extracts of sunflower on wheat (triticum aestivum l.) and maize (zea mays l.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muhammad, Z.; Mujeed, A.

2014-01-01

Sunflower is a potent allelopathic plant which possesses important allelochemicals with known allelopathic activity on other plants. In this study, allelopathic effects of fresh aqueous extracts (FAE) and air dried aqueous extracts (DAE) of root, shoot and leaves of sunflower (Halianthus annuus L.) were investigated on germination and seedling growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) in seed bioassay experiments carried out at Botany Department of Peshawar University during 2010. Results showed significantly inhibitory effects of aqueous extracts on seed germination, growth and dry biomass of seedlings of wheat and maize. In wheat seedlings, significant germination inhibition (15.21%), increased mean germination time (MGT) (57.76%), reduced plumule and radical growth (21.66 and 28.44%) and lowered seedlings dry biomass (31.05%) were recorded under dry aqueous extracts of leaf when compared to control. Germination percentage of maize was inhibited by dry aqueous extracts of leaf by 7.81%, germination index by 16.51%, increased MGT by 25.53%, decreased plumule and radical lengths by 29.00 and 36.12% respectively, and lowered maize seedling dry biomass by 34.02 %. In both experiments, dry aqueous extracts (DAE) were more phytotoxic than fresh aqueous extracts (FAE). Similarly, inhibitory effects of aqueous extracts of different parts of sunflower were recorded in the order leaf > shoot > root for both tested plants. (author)

Maize Bioactive Peptides against Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Gómez, Jorge L.; Castorena-Torres, Fabiola; Preciado-Ortiz, Ricardo E.; García-Lara, Silverio

2017-06-01

Cancer is one of the main chronic degenerative diseases worldwide. In recent years, consumption of whole-grain cereals and their derived food products has been associated with reduction risks of various types of cancer. Cereals main biomolecules includes proteins, peptides, and amino acids present in different quantities within the grain. The nutraceutical properties associated with peptides exerts biological functions that promote health and prevent this disease. In this review, we report the current status and advances on maize peptides regarding bioactive properties that have been reported such as antioxidant, antihypertensive, hepatoprotective, and anti-tumour activities. We also highlighted its biological potential through which maize bioactive peptides exert anti-cancer activity. Finally, we analyse and emphasize the possible areas of application for maize peptides.

Assessing Risk of Fumonisin Contamination in Maize Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

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Cecile Levasseur-Garcia

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Fumonisins are major mycotoxins found worldwide in maize and maize products. Because of their toxicity for both human and animals, European Union regulations were created to fix the maximal fumonisin B1 and B2 content allowed in foods and feeds. Unfortunately, directly measuring these mycotoxins by current analytical techniques is tedious and expensive and most measurement methods do not lend themselves to online control. Alternative approaches to chemical analysis have been developed and involve models that allow the mycotoxin contamination to be predicted based on environmental conditions and analysis by near-infrared (NIR spectroscopy. In the present work, we use NIR spectroscopy to determine the fumonisin and fungal contents of 117 samples of maize. The determination coefficient between fumonisin and fungal-biomass content was 0.44. We establish herein a threshold for the number of CFUs for fungal biomass beyond which the fumonisin content is likely to exceed the European regulatory level of 4000 μg/kg. In addition, we determine the fungal content by using a NIR-spectroscopy model that allows us to sort samples of maize. Upon calibration, the percentage of well-classified samples was 96%, which compares favorably to the 82% obtained by independent verification.

Nutritive value of brewers’ grain and maize silage for fattening rabbits

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H. Guermah

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Specific knowledge of the nutritive value of raw materials is fundamental to formulate balanced diets for rabbits and allows greater use of by-products and non-conventional feedstuffs. This paper examines the feeding value of sun-dried brewers’ grain and maize silage (whole plant for fattening rabbits. Twenty-four individually caged 8-wk-old rabbits were used to determine the digestibility. Both wet products were sun-dried and ground before being incorporated into a basal diet. The inclusion level at the expense of all basal ingredients amounted to 30%. Basal diet and both experimental diets were fed ad libitum to 8 rabbits during the 4-d balance trial. The determined digestibility of protein, fat, crude fibre and neutral detergent fibre digestibility amounted to 76.2 and 77.2%; 86.5 and 99.1%; 8.1 and 8.3% and 28.0 and 13.5%, respectively, for brewers’ grain and maize silage. The digestible energy content amounted to 11.66 MJ/kg dry matter (DM (brewers’ grain and 11.10 MJ/kg DM (maize silage. Both by-products have potential as alternative feedstuff in rabbit diets. However, further experiments are necessary to determine the effect of ensilaging the whole maize plant, as a significantly lower (P<0.001 feed intake was observed.

A New Method for in Situ Measurement of Bt-Maize Pollen Deposition on Host-Plant Leaves

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Rudolph Vögel

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Maize is wind pollinated and produces huge amounts of pollen. In consequence, the Cry toxins expressed in the pollen of Bt maize will be dispersed by wind in the surrounding vegetation leading to exposure of non-target organisms (NTO. NTO like lepidopteran larvae may be affected by the uptake of Bt-pollen deposited on their host plants. Although some information is available to estimate pollen deposition on host plants, recorded data are based on indirect measurements such as shaking or washing off pollen, or removing pollen with adhesive tapes. These methods often lack precision and they do not include the necessary information such as the spatial and temporal variation of pollen deposition on the leaves. Here, we present a new method for recording in situ the amount and the distribution of Bt-maize pollen deposited on host plant leaves. The method is based on the use of a mobile digital microscope (Dino-Lite Pro, including DinoCapture software, which can be used in combination with a notebook in the field. The method was evaluated during experiments in 2008 to 2010. Maize pollen could be correctly identified and pollen deposition as well as the spatial heterogeneity of maize pollen deposition was recorded on maize and different lepidopteran host plants (Centaurea scabiosa, Chenopodium album, Rumex spp., Succina pratensis and Urtica dioica growing adjacent to maize fields.

Maize root lectins mediate the interaction with Herbaspirillum seropedicae via N-acetyl glucosamine residues of lipopolysaccharides.

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Eduardo Balsanelli

Full Text Available Herbaspirillum seropedicae is a plant growth-promoting diazotrophic betaproteobacterium which associates with important crops, such as maize, wheat, rice and sugar-cane. We have previously reported that intact lipopolysaccharide (LPS is required for H. seropedicae attachment and endophytic colonization of maize roots. In this study, we present evidence that the LPS biosynthesis gene waaL (codes for the O-antigen ligase is induced during rhizosphere colonization by H. seropedicae. Furthermore a waaL mutant strain lacking the O-antigen portion of the LPS is severely impaired in colonization. Since N-acetyl glucosamine inhibits H. seropedicae attachment to maize roots, lectin-like proteins from maize roots (MRLs were isolated and mass spectrometry (MS analysis showed that MRL-1 and MRL-2 correspond to maize proteins with a jacalin-like lectin domain, while MRL-3 contains a B-chain lectin domain. These proteins showed agglutination activity against wild type H. seropedicae, but failed to agglutinate the waaL mutant strain. The agglutination reaction was severely diminished in the presence of N-acetyl glucosamine. Moreover addition of the MRL proteins as competitors in H. seropedicae attachment assays decreased 80-fold the adhesion of the wild type to maize roots. The results suggest that N-acetyl glucosamine residues of the LPS O-antigen bind to maize root lectins, an essential step for efficient bacterial attachment and colonization.

Mutations in the maize zeta-carotene desaturase gene lead to viviparous kernel.

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Yan Chen

Full Text Available Preharvest sprouting reduces the maize quality and causes a significant yield loss in maize production. vp-wl2 is a Mutator (Mu-induced viviparous mutant in maize, causing white or pale yellow kernels, dramatically reduced carotenoid and ABA content, and a high level of zeta-carotene accumulation. Here, we reported the cloning of the vp-wl2 gene using a modified digestion-ligation-amplification method (DLA. The results showed that an insertion of Mu9 in the first intron of the zeta-carotene desaturase (ZDS gene results in the vp-wl2 mutation. Previous studies have suggested that ZDS is likely the structural gene of the viviparous9 (vp9 locus. Therefore, we performed an allelic test using vp-wl2 and three vp9 mutants. The results showed that vp-wl2 is a novel allele of the vp9 locus. In addition, the sequences of ZDS gene were identified in these three vp9 alleles. The vp-wl2 mutant gene was subsequently introgressed into four maize inbred lines, and a viviparous phenotype was observed with yield losses from 7.69% to 13.33%.

Maize seed coatings and seedling sprayings with chitosan and hydrogen peroxide:their influence on some phenological and biochemical behaviors

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Eva-Guadalupe LIZ(A)RRAGA-PAUL(I)N; Susana-Patricia MIRANDA-CASTRO; Ernesto MORENO-MART(I)NEZ; Alma-Virginia LARA-SAGAH(O)N; Irineo TORRES-PACHECO

2013-01-01

Objective:To evaluate the effect of chitosan(CH)and hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)seed coatings and seedling sprinklings on two different maize varieties by measuring their phenology,the H2O2 presence,the catalase (CAT)activity,and the protein quantity.Methods:Seven groups of ten seeds for each maize variety were treated with CH(2％(20 g/L)and 0.2％(2 g/L))or H2O2(8 mmol/L)by coating,sprinkling,or both.Germination and seedling growth were measured.One month after germination,the presence of H2O2 in seedlings in the coated seed treatments was evaluated.Protein content and CAT activity were determined under all treatments.Results:H2O2 seed coating enhanced the germination rate and increased seedling and stem length in the quality protein maize(QPM)variety.Seedlings had a higher emergence velocity under this treatment in both varieties.CH and H2O2 sprinklings did not have an effect on seedling phenology.Exogenous application of H2O2 promoted an increase of endogenous H2O2.CH and H2O2 seedling sprinkling increased the protein content in both maize varieties,while there was no significant effect on the CAT activity of treated seeds and seedlings.Conclusions:CH and H2O2 enhance some phenological and biochemical features of maize depending on their method of application.

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

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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.

Strategic Marketing Problems in the Uganda Maize Seed Industry

OpenAIRE

Larson, Donald W.; Mbowa, Swaibu

2004-01-01

Strategic marketing issues and challenges face maize seed marketing firms as farmers increasingly adopt hybrid varieties in a modernizing third world country such as Uganda. The maize seed industry of Uganda has changed dramatically from a government owned, controlled, and operated industry to a competitive market oriented industry with substantial private firm investment and participation. The new maize seed industry is young, dynamic, growing and very competitive. The small maize seed marke...

Global identification of the full-length transcripts and alternative splicing related to phenolic acid biosynthetic genes in Salvia miltiorrhiza

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Zhichao eXu

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Salvianolic acids are among the main bioactive components in Salvia miltiorrhiza, and their biosynthesis has attracted widespread interest. However, previous studies on the biosynthesis of phenolic acids using next-generation sequencing platforms are limited with regard to the assembly of full-length transcripts. Based on hybrid-seq (next-generation and single molecular real-time sequencing of the S. miltiorrhiza root transcriptome, we experimentally identified 15 full-length transcripts and 4 alternative splicing events of enzyme-coding genes involved in the biosynthesis of rosmarinic acid. Moreover, we herein demonstrate that lithospermic acid B accumulates in the phloem and xylem of roots, in agreement with the expression patterns of the identified key genes related to rosmarinic acid biosynthesis. According to co-expression patterns, we predicted that 6 candidate cytochrome P450s and 5 candidate laccases participate in the salvianolic acid pathway. Our results provide a valuable resource for further investigation into the synthetic biology of phenolic acids in S. miltiorrhiza.

Cloning and Functional Analysis of cDNAs with Open Reading Frames for 300 Previously Undefined Genes Expressed in CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qing-Hua; Ye, Min; Wu, Xin-Yan; Ren, Shuang-Xi; Zhao, Meng; Zhao, Chun-Jun; Fu, Gang; Shen, Yu; Fan, Hui-Yong; Lu, Gang; Zhong, Ming; Xu, Xiang-Ru; Han, Ze-Guang; Zhang, Ji-Wang; Tao, Jiong; Huang, Qiu-Hua; Zhou, Jun; Hu, Geng-Xi; Gu, Jian; Chen, Sai-Juan; Chen, Zhu

2000-01-01

Three hundred cDNAs containing putatively entire open reading frames (ORFs) for previously undefined genes were obtained from CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs), based on EST cataloging, clone sequencing, in silico cloning, and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The cDNA sizes ranged from 360 to 3496 bp and their ORFs coded for peptides of 58–752 amino acids. Public database search indicated that 225 cDNAs exhibited sequence similarities to genes identified across a variety of species. Homology analysis led to the recognition of 50 basic structural motifs/domains among these cDNAs. Genomic exon–intron organization could be established in 243 genes by integration of cDNA data with genome sequence information. Interestingly, a new gene named as HSPC070 on 3p was found to share a sequence of 105bp in 3′ UTR with RAF gene in reversed transcription orientation. Chromosomal localizations were obtained using electronic mapping for 192 genes and with radiation hybrid (RH) for 38 genes. Macroarray technique was applied to screen the gene expression patterns in five hematopoietic cell lines (NB4, HL60, U937, K562, and Jurkat) and a number of genes with differential expression were found. The resource work has provided a wide range of information useful not only for expression genomics and annotation of genomic DNA sequence, but also for further research on the function of genes involved in hematopoietic development and differentiation. [The sequence data described in this paper have been submitted to the GenBank data library under the accession nos. listed in Table 1, pp 1548–1552.] PMID:11042152

The physical and genetic framework of the maize B73 genome.

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Fusheng Wei

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Maize is a major cereal crop and an important model system for basic biological research. Knowledge gained from maize research can also be used to genetically improve its grass relatives such as sorghum, wheat, and rice. The primary objective of the Maize Genome Sequencing Consortium (MGSC was to generate a reference genome sequence that was integrated with both the physical and genetic maps. Using a previously published integrated genetic and physical map, combined with in-coming maize genomic sequence, new sequence-based genetic markers, and an optical map, we dynamically picked a minimum tiling path (MTP of 16,910 bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC and fosmid clones that were used by the MGSC to sequence the maize genome. The final MTP resulted in a significantly improved physical map that reduced the number of contigs from 721 to 435, incorporated a total of 8,315 mapped markers, and ordered and oriented the majority of FPC contigs. The new integrated physical and genetic map covered 2,120 Mb (93% of the 2,300-Mb genome, of which 405 contigs were anchored to the genetic map, totaling 2,103.4 Mb (99.2% of the 2,120 Mb physical map. More importantly, 336 contigs, comprising 94.0% of the physical map ( approximately 1,993 Mb, were ordered and oriented. Finally we used all available physical, sequence, genetic, and optical data to generate a golden path (AGP of chromosome-based pseudomolecules, herein referred to as the B73 Reference Genome Sequence version 1 (B73 RefGen_v1.

Modulation of energy homeostasis in maize and Arabidopsis to develop lines tolerant to drought, genotoxic and oxidative stresses

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Elizabeth Njuguna

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Abiotic stresses cause crop losses worldwide that reduce the average yield by more than 50%. Due to the high energy consumed to enhance the respiration rates, the excessive reactive oxygen species release provokes cell death and, ultimately, whole plant decay. A metabolic engineering approach in maize (Zea mays altered the expression of two poly(ADP-ribosylation metabolic pathway proteins, poly(ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP and ADP-ribose-specifIc Nudix hydrolase (NUDX genes that play a role in the maintenance of the energy homeostasis during stresses. By means of RNAi hairpin silencing and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing strategies, the PARP expression in maize was downregulated or knocked down. The Arabidopsis NUDX7 gene and its two maize homologs, ZmNUDX2 and ZmNUDX8, were overexpressed in maize and Arabidopsis. Novel phenotypes were observed, such as significant tolerance to oxidative stress and improved yield in Arabidopsis and a trend of tolerance to mild drought stress in maize and in Arabidopsis. Key words: poly(ADP-ribose polymerase, Nudix hydrolase, CRISPR/Cas9, maize, oxidative stress, drought stress

The effect of two different renal denervation strategies on blood pressure in resistant hypertension: Comparison of full-length versus proximal renal artery ablation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Weijie; Ling, Zhiyu; Du, Huaan; Song, Wenxin; Xu, Yanping; Liu, Zengzhang; Su, Li; Xiao, Peilin; Yuan, Yuelong; Lu, Jiayi; Zhang, Jianhong; Li, Zhifeng; Shao, Jiang; Zhong, Bin; Zhou, Bei; Woo, Kamsang; Yin, Yuehui

2016-11-01

Renal denervation (RDN) is used to manage blood pressure (BP) in patients with resistant hypertension (rHT), but effectiveness is still a concern, and key arterial portion for successful RDN is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of proximal versus full-length renal artery ablation in patients with resistant hypertension (rHT). Forty-seven patients with rHT were randomly assigned to receive full-length ablation (n = 23) or proximal ablation (n = 24) of the renal arteries. All lesions were treated with radiofrequency energy via a saline-irrigated catheter. Office BP was measured during 12 months of follow-up and ambulatory BP at baseline and 6 months (n = 15 in each group). Compared with full-length ablation, proximal ablation reduced the number of ablation points in both the right (6.1 ± 0.7 vs. 3.3 ± 0.6, P renal arteries (6.2 ± 0.7 vs. 3.3 ± 0.8, P  0.5). Similar office BPs was reduced by -39.4 ± 11.5/-20.9 ± 7.1 mm Hg at 6 months and -38.2 ± 10.3/-21.5 ± 5.8 mm Hg at 12 months in the full-length group (P efficacy and safety profile compared with full-length RDN, and propose the proximal artery as the key portion for RDN. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Maize production in mid hills of Nepal: from food to feed security

OpenAIRE

Krishna Prasad Timsina; Yuga Nath Ghimire; Jeevan Lamichhane

2016-01-01

This study was undertaken in 2016 to analyze the production and utilization of maize in Nepal. Sixty maize growers from Kavre and Lamjung districts were selected using purposive, cluster and simple random sampling techniques. Similarly, six feed industries and five maize experts from Chitwan district were also interviewed. Study shows 56% of the total areas were used for maize production and 50% of the maize areas were covered by hybrid maize. There was no practice of contract maize productio...

Contributions of Zea mays subspecies mexicana haplotypes to modern maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ning; Xu, Xi-Wen; Wang, Rui-Ru; Peng, Wen-Lei; Cai, Lichun; Song, Jia-Ming; Li, Wenqiang; Luo, Xin; Niu, Luyao; Wang, Yuebin; Jin, Min; Chen, Lu; Luo, Jingyun; Deng, Min; Wang, Long; Pan, Qingchun; Liu, Feng; Jackson, David; Yang, Xiaohong; Chen, Ling-Ling; Yan, Jianbing

2017-11-30

Maize was domesticated from lowland teosinte (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis), but the contribution of highland teosinte (Zea mays ssp. mexicana, hereafter mexicana) to modern maize is not clear. Here, two genomes for Mo17 (a modern maize inbred) and mexicana are assembled using a meta-assembly strategy after sequencing of 10 lines derived from a maize-teosinte cross. Comparative analyses reveal a high level of diversity between Mo17, B73, and mexicana, including three Mb-size structural rearrangements. The maize spontaneous mutation rate is estimated to be 2.17 × 10 -8 ~3.87 × 10 -8 per site per generation with a nonrandom distribution across the genome. A higher deleterious mutation rate is observed in the pericentromeric regions, and might be caused by differences in recombination frequency. Over 10% of the maize genome shows evidence of introgression from the mexicana genome, suggesting that mexicana contributed to maize adaptation and improvement. Our data offer a rich resource for constructing the pan-genome of Zea mays and genetic improvement of modern maize varieties.

Identities among actin-encoding cDNAs of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus and other eukaryote species revealed by nucleotide and amino acid sequence analyses

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Andréia B. Poletto

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Actin-encoding cDNAs of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus were isolated by RT-PCR using total RNA samples of different tissues and further characterized by nucleotide sequencing and in silico amino acid (aa sequence analysis. Comparisons among the actin gene sequences of O. niloticus and those of other species evidenced that the isolated genes present a high similarity to other fish and other vertebrate actin genes. The highest nucleotide resemblance was observed between O. niloticus and O. mossambicus a-actin and b-actin genes. Analysis of the predicted aa sequences revealed two distinct types of cytoplasmic actins, one cardiac muscle actin type and one skeletal muscle actin type that were expressed in different tissues of Nile tilapia. The evolutionary relationships between the Nile tilapia actin genes and diverse other organisms is discussed.

Genetic deletion of muscle RANK or selective inhibition of RANKL is not as effective as full-length OPG-fc in mitigating muscular dystrophy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dufresne, Sébastien S; Boulanger-Piette, Antoine; Bossé, Sabrina; Argaw, Anteneh; Hamoudi, Dounia; Marcadet, Laetitia; Gamu, Daniel; Fajardo, Val A; Yagita, Hideo; Penninger, Josef M; Russell Tupling, A; Frenette, Jérôme

2018-04-24

Although there is a strong association between osteoporosis and skeletal muscle atrophy/dysfunction, the functional relevance of a particular biological pathway that regulates synchronously bone and skeletal muscle physiopathology is still elusive. Receptor-activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK), its ligand RANKL and the soluble decoy receptor osteoprotegerin (OPG) are the key regulators of osteoclast differentiation and bone remodelling. We thus hypothesized that RANK/RANKL/OPG, which is a key pathway for bone regulation, is involved in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) physiopathology. Our results show that muscle-specific RANK deletion (mdx-RANK mko ) in dystrophin deficient mdx mice improves significantly specific force [54% gain in force] of EDL muscles with no protective effect against eccentric contraction-induced muscle dysfunction. In contrast, full-length OPG-Fc injections restore the force of dystrophic EDL muscles [162% gain in force], protect against eccentric contraction-induced muscle dysfunction ex vivo and significantly improve functional performance on downhill treadmill and post-exercise physical activity. Since OPG serves a soluble receptor for RANKL and as a decoy receptor for TRAIL, mdx mice were injected with anti-RANKL and anti-TRAIL antibodies to decipher the dual function of OPG. Injections of anti-RANKL and/or anti-TRAIL increase significantly the force of dystrophic EDL muscle [45% and 17% gains in force, respectively]. In agreement, truncated OPG-Fc that contains only RANKL domains produces similar gains, in terms of force production, than anti-RANKL treatments. To corroborate that full-length OPG-Fc also acts independently of RANK/RANKL pathway, dystrophin/RANK double-deficient mice were treated with full-length OPG-Fc for 10 days. Dystrophic EDL muscles exhibited a significant gain in force relative to untreated dystrophin/RANK double-deficient mice, indicating that the effect of full-length OPG-Fc is in part independent of the RANKL

Oven-drying reduces ruminal starch degradation in maize kernels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ali, M.; Cone, J.W.; Hendriks, W.H.; Struik, P.C.

2014-01-01

The degradation of starch largely determines the feeding value of maize (Zea mays L.) for dairy cows. Normally, maize kernels are dried and ground before chemical analysis and determining degradation characteristics, whereas cows eat and digest fresh material. Drying the moist maize kernels

PATHOGENICITY OF FUSARIUM SPP. ISOLATED FROM WEEDS AND PLANT DEBRIS IN EASTERN CROATIA TO WHEAT AND MAIZE

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Jelena Ilić

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Pathogenicity of thirty isolates representing 14 Fusarium species isolated from weeds and plant debris in eastern Croatia was investigated in the laboratory. Pathogenicity tests were performed on wheat and maize seedlings. The most pathogenic Fusarium spp. was F. graminearum isolated from Amaranthus retroflexus, Abutilon theophrasti and Chenopodium album. There was a noticeable inter- and intraspecies variability in pathogenicity towards wheat and maize. Isolates of F. solani from Sonchus arvensis and F. verticillioides from C. album were highly pathogenic to wheat seedlings and apathogenic to maize seedlings. Isolates of F. venenatum were very pathogenic to wheat and maize being the first report about pathogenicity of this species. This experiment proves that weeds and plant debris can serve as alternate hosts and source of inoculum of plant pathogens.

Root-type-specific plasticity in response to localized high nitrate supply in maize (Zea mays).

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Peng; Hochholdinger, Frank; Li, Chunjian

2015-10-01

Shoot-borne roots contribute to most of the nutrient uptake throughout the life cycle of maize (Zea mays). Compared with numerous studies with embryonic roots, detailed information on the phenotypic plasticity of shoot-borne roots in response to a heterogeneous nitrogen supply is scarce. The present study therefore provides a comprehensive profile of fine-scale plastic responses of distinct root types to localized high nitrate supply. Seedlings of the maize inbred line B73 were grown in split-root systems. The anatomy and morphological plasticity of the primary root and the roots initiated from the 2nd, 5th and 7th shoot nodes, and their lateral roots, were studied in response to local high nitrate supply to one side of the root system. In contrast to the insensitivity of axial roots, local high nitrate supply increased the length of 1st-order lateral roots on the primary root and the three whorls of shoot-borne roots at different growth stages, and increased the density of 1st-order lateral roots on the 7th shoot-borne root after silking. The length and density of 2nd-order lateral roots on the three whorls of shoot-borne roots displayed a more flexible response to local high nitrate than 1st-order lateral roots. Root diameter and number, and total area and diameter of metaxylem vessels increased from the primary root to early and then later developed shoot-borne roots, which showed a positive relationship with shoot growth and N accumulation. Maize axial roots and lateral roots responded differently to local high nitrate, and this was related to their function. The extent of morphological plasticity of lateral roots in response to local high nitrate depended on the initiation time of the shoot-borne roots on which the lateral roots developed. Morphological plasticity was higher on 2nd-order than on 1st-order lateral roots. The results suggest that higher order lateral root branching might be a potential target for genetic improvement in future maize breeding. �

An Indirect Defence Trait Mediated through Egg-Induced Maize Volatiles from Neighbouring Plants.

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Daniel M Mutyambai

Full Text Available Attack of plants by herbivorous arthropods may result in considerable changes to the plant's chemical phenotype with respect to emission of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs. These HIPVs have been shown to act as repellents to the attacking insects as well as attractants for the insects antagonistic to these herbivores. Plants can also respond to HIPV signals from other plants that warn them of impending attack. Recent investigations have shown that certain maize varieties are able to emit volatiles following stemborer egg deposition. These volatiles attract the herbivore's parasitoids and directly deter further oviposition. However, it was not known whether these oviposition-induced maize (Zea mays, L. volatiles can mediate chemical phenotypic changes in neighbouring unattacked maize plants. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the effect of oviposition-induced maize volatiles on intact neighbouring maize plants in 'Nyamula', a landrace known to respond to oviposition, and a standard commercial hybrid, HB515, that did not. Headspace volatile samples were collected from maize plants exposed to Chilo partellus (Swinhoe (Lepidoptera: Crambidae egg deposition and unoviposited neighbouring plants as well as from control plants kept away from the volatile emitting ones. Behavioural bioassays were carried out in a four-arm olfactometer using egg (Trichogramma bournieri Pintureau & Babault (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae and larval (Cotesia sesamiae Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae parasitoids. Coupled Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS was used for volatile analysis. For the 'Nyamula' landrace, GC-MS analysis revealed HIPV production not only in the oviposited plants but also in neighbouring plants not exposed to insect eggs. Higher amounts of EAG-active biogenic volatiles such as (E-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene were emitted from these plants compared to control plants. Subsequent behavioural assays with female T. bournieri and

Maize forage aptitude: Combining ability of inbred lines and stability of hybrids

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Luis Máximo Bertoia

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Breeding of forage maize should combine improvement achieved for grain with the specific needs of forage hybrids. Production stability is important when maize is used for silage if the planting area is not in the ideal agronomic environment. The objectives of the present research were: (i to quantify environmental and genetic and their interaction effects on maize silage traits; (ii to identify possible heterotic groups for forage aptitude and suggest the formation of potential heterotic patterns, and (iii to identify suitable inbred line combinations for producing hybrids with forage aptitude. Forty-five hybrids derived from diallelic crosses (without reciprocals among ten inbred lines of maize were evaluated in this study. Combined ANOVA over environments showed differences between genotypes (G, environments (E, and their interactions (GEI. Heritability (H2, and genotypic and phenotypic correlations were estimated to evaluate the variation in and relationships between forage traits. Postdictive and predictive AMMI models were fitted to determine the importance of each source of variation, G, E, and GEI, and to select genotypes simultaneously on yield, quality and stability. A predominance of additive effects was found in the evaluated traits. The heterotic pattern Reid-BSSS × Argentine flint was confirmed for ear yield (EY and harvest index (HI. High and broad genetic variation was found for stover and whole plant traits. Some inbred lines had genes with differential breeding aptitude for ear and stover. Stover and ear yield should be the main breeding objectives in maize forage breeding.

Sixteen Years of Bt Maize in the EU Hotspot: Why Has Resistance Not Evolved?

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Pedro Castañera

Full Text Available The majority of Bt maize production in the European Union (EU is concentrated in northeast Spain, which is Europe's only hotspot where resistance might evolve, and the main target pest, Sesamia nonagrioides, has been exposed to Cry1Ab maize continuously since 1998. The cropping system in northeast Spain has some similar characteristics to those that probably led to rapid resistance failures in two other target noctuid maize pests. These include repeated cultivation of Bt maize in the same fields, low use of refuges, recurring exposure of larvae to non-high dose concentrations of Cry1Ab toxin during the first years of cultivation, low migratory potential, and production concentrated in an irrigated region with few alternative hosts. Available data reveal no evidence of resistance in S. nonagrioides after 16 years of use. We explore the possible reasons for this resistance management success using evolutionary models to consider factors expected to accelerate resistance, and those expected to delay resistance. Low initial adoption rates and the EU policy decision to replace Event 176 with MON 810 Bt maize were key to delaying resistance evolution. Model results suggest that if refuge compliance continues at the present 90%, Bt maize might be used sustainably in northeast Spain for at least 20 more years before resistance might occur. However, obtaining good estimates of the present R allele frequency and level of local assortative mating are crucial to reduce uncertainty about the future success of resistance management.

Effect of organic fertilizers on maize production in Eastern Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

Jolokhava, Tamar; Kenchiashvili, Naira; Tarkhnishvili, Maia; Ghambashidze, Giorgi

2016-04-01

Maize remains to be the most important cereal crop in Georgia. Total area of arable land under cereal crops production equals to 184 thousands hectares (FAO statistical yearbook, 2014), from which maize takes the biggest share. Leading position of maize among other cereal crops is caused by its dual purpose as food and feed product. In Spite of a relatively high production of maize to other cereals there is still a high demand on it, especially as feed for animal husbandry. The same tendency is seen in organic production, where producers of livestock and poultry products require organically grown maize, the average yield of which is much less than those produced conventionally. Therefore, it is important to increase productivity of maize in organic farms. Current study aimed to improve maize yield using locally produced organic fertilizers and to compare them to the effect of mineral fertilizers. The study was carried out in Eastern Georgia under dry subtropical climate conditions on local hybrid of maize. This is the first attempt to use hybrid maize (developed with organic plant breeding method) in organic field trials in Georgia. The results shown, that grain yield from two different types of organic fertilizers reached 70% of the yields achieved with industrial mineral fertilizers. As on farm level differences between organic and conventional maize production are much severe, the results from the field trials seems to be promising for future improvement of organic cereal crop production.

Stability Parameters for Grain Yield and its Component Traits in Maize Hybrids of Different FAO Maturity Groups

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Dragan Djurovic

2014-12-01

Full Text Available An objective evaluation of maize hybrids in intensive cropping systems requires identification not only of yield components and other agronomically important traits but also of stability parameters. Grain yield and its components were assessed in 11 maize hybrids with different lengths of growing season (FAO 300-700 maturity groups using analysis of variance and regression analysis at three different locations in Western Serbia. The test hybrids and locations showed significant differences in grain yield, grain moisture content at maturity, 1,000-kernel weight and ear length. A significant interaction was observed between all traits and the environment. The hybrids with higher mean values of the traits, regardless of maturity group, generally exhibited sensitivity i.e. adaptation to more favourable environmental conditions as compared to those having lower mean values. Regression coefficient (bi values for grain yield mostly suggested no significant differences relative to the mean. The medium-season hybrid gave high yields and less favourable values of stability parameters at most locations and in most years, as compared to mediumlate hybrids. As compared to medium-early hybrids, medium-late hybrids (FAO 600 and 700 mostly exhibited unfavourable values of stability parameters i.e. a specific response and better adaptation to favourable environmental conditions, and gave higher average yields. Apart from producing lower average yields, FAO 300 and 400 hybrids showed higher yield stability as compared to the other hybrids tested. Medium-late hybrids had higher yields and showed a better response to favourable environmental conditions compared to early-maturing hybrids. Therefore, they can be recommended for intensive cultural practices and low-stress environments. Due to their more favourable stability parameter values, medium-early hybrids can be recommended for low-intensity cultural practices and stressful environments.

Human uroporphyrinogen III synthase: Molecular cloning, nucleotide sequence, and expression of a full-length cDNA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, Shihfeng; Bishop, D.F.; Desnick, R.J.

1988-01-01

Uroporphyrinogen III synthase, the fourth enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway, is responsible for conversion of the linear tetrapyrrole, hydroxymethylbilane, to the cyclic tetrapyrrole, uroporphyrinogen III. The deficient activity of URO-synthase is the enzymatic defect in the autosomal recessive disorder congenital erythropoietic porphyria. To facilitate the isolation of a full-length cDNA for human URO-synthase, the human erythrocyte enzyme was purified to homogeneity and 81 nonoverlapping amino acids were determined by microsequencing the N terminus and four tryptic peptides. Two synthetic oligonucleotide mixtures were used to screen 1.2 x 10 6 recombinants from a human adult liver cDNA library. Eight clones were positive with both oligonucleotide mixtures. Of these, dideoxy sequencing of the 1.3 kilobase insert from clone pUROS-2 revealed 5' and 3' untranslated sequences of 196 and 284 base pairs, respectively, and an open reading frame of 798 base pairs encoding a protein of 265 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 28,607 Da. The isolation and expression of this full-length cDNA for human URO-synthase should facilitate studies of the structure, organization, and chromosomal localization of this heme biosynthetic gene as well as the characterization of the molecular lesions causing congenital erythropoietic porphyria

Intercropping maize with cassava or cowpea in Ghana | Ennin ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Maize/cassava and maize/cowpea intercrops were evaluated in southern Ghana, over a 5-year period to determine the optimum combination of component crop varieties and component plant population densities to optimize productivity of maize-based intercropping systems. Results indicated that some cowpea varieties ...

A predicted protein interactome identifies conserved global networks and disease resistance subnetworks in maize.

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Matt eGeisler

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Interactomes are genome-wide roadmaps of protein-protein interactions. They have been produced for humans, yeast, the fruit fly, and Arabidopsis thaliana and have become invaluable tools for generating and testing hypotheses. A predicted interactome for Zea mays (PiZeaM is presented here as an aid to the research community for this valuable crop species. PiZeaM was built using a proven method of interologs (interacting orthologs that were identified using both one-to-one and many-to-many orthology between genomes of maize and reference species. Where both maize orthologs occurred for an experimentally determined interaction in the reference species, we predicted a likely interaction in maize. A total of 49,026 unique interactions for 6,004 maize proteins were predicted. These interactions are enriched for processes that are evolutionarily conserved, but include many otherwise poorly annotated proteins in maize. The predicted maize interactions were further analyzed by comparing annotation of interacting proteins, including different layers of ontology. A map of pairwise gene co-expression was also generated and compared to predicted interactions. Two global subnetworks were constructed for highly conserved interactions. These subnetworks showed clear clustering of proteins by function. Another subnetwork was created for disease response using a bait and prey strategy to capture interacting partners for proteins that respond to other organisms. Closer examination of this subnetwork revealed the connectivity between biotic and abiotic hormone stress pathways. We believe PiZeaM will provide a useful tool for the prediction of protein function and analysis of pathways for Z. mays researchers and is presented in this paper as a reference tool for the exploration of protein interactions in maize.

Determination of the effect of microwave energy on maize kernel quality

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Fakude, PM

2006-02-01

Full Text Available One of the major problems that affect maize quality is insect infestation of stored products. Currently, this problem is controlled by the use of chemical pesticides. Methyl bromide, the pesticide with the widest application, is being phased out...

PROFITABILITY AND MARKETING EFFICIENCY OF MAIZE IN KWANDE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

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Zacharias Ternenge Nyiatagher

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The paper presents profi tability and marketing effi - ciency of maize in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Stratifi ed random sampling was used to select three hundred (300 maize marketers comprising producers (210, wholesalers (32 and retailers (58 in eight (8 major markets in the study area. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, marketing margin and marketing effi ciency. It was found that maize marketing in the study area was dominated by males (64.7% and young people (55.0% who are energetic enough to withstand the stress involved in the business. The marketing margin of an average maize marketer in the study area was N2,012.00 per 100kg and the percentage marketing margin was 37.2%. This showed that maize marketing in the study area was profi table and 100% retail price paid by the fi nal consumer resulted in farm-to-retail price spread or marketing margin of 37.2%. The marketing effi ciency (0.28 of mai ze in the study area indicated that the marketers were ineffi cient in maize business. It was recommended that government, non-governmental organizations and the rural populace should strive hard to improve the transportation network and the marketers should belong to marketing associations so that they can collectively access loans from rural banking institutions

Growth of maize coleoptiles in the presence of natural and synthetic growth regulators. Growth correlations

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Ewa Raczek

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of natural (IAA, FC, ABA and synthetic (2,4-D growth substances on the increase of the fresh weight of maize coleoptile segments and change of the pH of the incubation medium, accepted here as criteria of maize coleoptile growth, was studied. The growth of maize coleoptiles depended on the concentration of the growth substances, as well as, on the composition of the incubation medium. The highest stimulation of coleoptile growth was seen with FC at a concentration of 10-4M, whereas ABA at 10-3 M gave the highest inhibition of maize coleoptile fresh weight increase and caused alkalization of the medium. The presence of K+ ions in the incubation medium enhanced the stimulatory effect of IAA and FC on the increase of the coleoptile fresh weight, whereas the presence of these ions and phosphate buffer abolished the growth-promoting effect of IAA and FC. The best correlation of the "fresh weight" and "pH" effects was found in the case of the growth of maize coleoptiles in the presence of FC (rxy = 0.67. The inhibition of maize coleoptile growth in the presence of high concentrations of IAA can be explained by the destructive effect of natural auxin at these concentrations on the integrity of mitochondrial membranes, and therefore on the normal functioning of mitochondria.

Maize MeJA-responsive proteins identified by high-resolution 2-DE PAGE

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Yuliang Zhang

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA is well-known to induce plant defense mechanisms effective against a wide variety of insect and microbial pests. High-resolution 2-DE gel electrophoresis was used to discover changes in the leaf proteome of maize exposed to MeJA. We sequenced 62 MeJA-responsive proteins by tandem mass spectroscopy, and deposited the mass spectra and identities in the EMBL-EBI PRIDE repository under reference number PXD001793. An analysis and discussion of the identified proteins in relation to maize defense against Asian corn borer is published by Zhang et al. (2015 [1].

Phosphate Uptake from Phytate Due to Hyphae-Mediated Phytase Activity by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xin-Xin; Hoffland, Ellis; Feng, Gu; Kuyper, Thomas W

2017-01-01

Phytate is the most abundant form of soil organic phosphorus (P). Increased P nutrition of arbuscular mycorrhizal plants derived from phytate has been repeatedly reported. Earlier studies assessed acid phosphatase rather than phytase as an indication of mycorrhizal fungi-mediated phytate use. We investigated the effect of mycorrhizal hyphae-mediated phytase activity on P uptake by maize. Two maize ( Zea mays L.) cultivars, non-inoculated or inoculated with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Funneliformis mosseae or Claroideoglomus etunicatum , were grown for 45 days in two-compartment rhizoboxes, containing a root compartment and a hyphal compartment. The soil in the hyphal compartment was supplemented with 20, 100, and 200 mg P kg -1 soil as calcium phytate. We measured activity of phytase and acid phosphatase in the hyphal compartment, hyphal length density, P uptake, and plant biomass. Our results showed: (1) phytate addition increased phytase and acid phosphatase activity, and resulted in larger P uptake and plant biomass; (2) increases in P uptake and biomass were correlated with phytase activity but not with acid phosphatase activity; (3) lower phytate addition rate increased, but higher addition rate decreased hyphal length density. We conclude that P from phytate can be taken up by arbuscular mycorrhizal plants and that phytase plays a more important role in mineralizing phytate than acid phosphatase.

Development of maizeSNP3072, a high-throughput compatible SNP array, for DNA fingerprinting identification of Chinese maize varieties.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Hong-Li; Wang, Feng-Ge; Zhao, Jiu-Ran; Yi, Hong-Mei; Wang, Lu; Wang, Rui; Yang, Yang; Song, Wei

2015-01-01

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are abundant and evenly distributed throughout the maize ( Zea mays L.) genome. SNPs have several advantages over simple sequence repeats, such as ease of data comparison and integration, high-throughput processing of loci, and identification of associated phenotypes. SNPs are thus ideal for DNA fingerprinting, genetic diversity analysis, and marker-assisted breeding. Here, we developed a high-throughput and compatible SNP array, maizeSNP3072, containing 3072 SNPs developed from the maizeSNP50 array. To improve genotyping efficiency, a high-quality cluster file, maizeSNP3072_GT.egt, was constructed. All 3072 SNP loci were localized within different genes, where they were distributed in exons (43 %), promoters (21 %), 3' untranslated regions (UTRs; 22 %), 5' UTRs (9 %), and introns (5 %). The average genotyping failure rate using these SNPs was only 6 %, or 3 % using the cluster file to call genotypes. The genotype consistency of repeat sample analysis on Illumina GoldenGate versus Infinium platforms exceeded 96.4 %. The minor allele frequency (MAF) of the SNPs averaged 0.37 based on data from 309 inbred lines. The 3072 SNPs were highly effective for distinguishing among 276 examined hybrids. Comparative analysis using Chinese varieties revealed that the 3072SNP array showed a better marker success rate and higher average MAF values, evaluation scores, and variety-distinguishing efficiency than the maizeSNP50K array. The maizeSNP3072 array thus can be successfully used in DNA fingerprinting identification of Chinese maize varieties and shows potential as a useful tool for germplasm resource evaluation and molecular marker-assisted breeding.

Romanian maize

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sauer, Johannes; Balint, Borbala

This research aims at shedding empirical light on the relative efficiency of small-scale maize producers in Romania. Farmers in transition countries still face heavily distorted price systems resulting from imperfect market conditions and socioeconomic and institutional constraints. To capture...

Plasma membrane NADH oxidase of maize roots responds to gravity and imposed centrifugal forces

Science.gov (United States)

Bacon, E.; Morre, D. J.

2001-01-01

NADH oxidase activities measured with excised roots of dark-grown maize (Zea mays) seedlings and with isolated plasma membrane vesicles from roots of dark-grown maize oscillated with a regular period length of 24 min and were inhibited by the synthetic auxin 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic [correction of dichorophenoxyacetic] acid. The activities also responded to orientation with respect to gravity and to imposed centrifugal forces. Turning the roots upside down resulted in stimulation of the activity with a lag of about 10 min. Returning the sections to the normal upright position resulted in a return to initial rates. The activity was stimulated reversibly to a maximum of about 2-fold with isolated plasma membrane vesicles, when subjected to centrifugal forces of 25 to 250 x g for 1 to 4 min duration. These findings are the first report of a gravity-responsive enzymatic activity of plant roots inhibited by auxin and potentially related to the gravity-induced growth response. c2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.

Generation of a vector system facilitating cloning of DMBT1 variants and recombinant expression of functional full-length DMBT1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

End, Caroline; Lyer, Stefan; Renner, Marcus

2005-01-01

of a vector system that facilitates cloning of DMBT1 variants. We demonstrate applicability of the vector system by expression of the largest DMBT1 variant in a tetracycline-inducible mammalian expression system using the Chinese hamster ovary cell line. Yields up to 30 mg rDMBT1 per litre of cell culture......Deleted in malignant brain tumours 1 (DMBT1) codes for a approximately 340kDa glycoprotein with highly repetitive scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) domains. DMBT1 was implicated in cancer, defence against viral and bacterial infections, and differentiation of epithelial cells. Recombinant...... yields, and protein preparations which may substantially vary due to differential processing and genetic polymorphism, all of which impedes functional research on DMBT1. Cloning of DMBT1 cDNAs is hampered because of the size and the 13 highly homologous SRCR exons. In this study, we report on the setup...

Silicon induced improvement in morpho-physiological traits of maize (zea mays l.) under water deficit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amin, M.; Ahmad, R.; Basra, S.M.A.; Murtaza, G.

2014-01-01

Current water scarcity is an emerging issue in semi-arid regions like Pakistan and cause of deterioration in productivity of crops to reduce crop yield all over the world. Silicon is known to be better against the deleterious effects of drought on plant growth and development. A pot study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Si nutrition (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) on the growth of a relatively drought tolerant (P-33H25) and sensitive (FH-810) maize hybrids. Two levels of soil water content were used viz. 100 and 60% of field capacity. Water deficit condition in soil significantly reduced morphological and physiological attributes of maize plants. Silicon application significantly improved the plant height, leaf area per plant, primary root length, dry matter of shoot and roots and plant dry matter, water relation and gas exchange characteristics of both maize cultivars under water deficit condition. Poor growth of drought stressed plants was significantly improved with Si application. The silicon fertilized (100 mg/kg) drought stressed plants of hybrid P-33H25 produced maximum (21.68% more) plant dry matter as compared to plants that were not provided with silicon nutrition. Nonetheless, silicon application (150 mg/kg) resulted in maximum increase (26.03%) in plant dry weight of hybrid FH-810 plants that were grown under limited moisture supply i.e., 60% FC. In conclusion silicon application to drought stressed maize plants was better to improve the growth and dry matter could be attributed to improved osmotic adjustment, photosynthetic rate and lowered transpiration. (author)

Maize, Sunflower and Barley Sensitivity to the Residual Activity of Clomazone in Soil

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Jelena Gajić Umiljendić

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Sensitivity of maize, sunflower and barley to clomazone residues in loamy soil wasassessed in the study using bioassay. Clomazone was applied at a series of concentrationsfrom 0.12 to 12 mg a.i./kg of soil. After 14 days, morphological (shoot height, fresh and dryweight and physiological (content of carotenoids, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b parameterswere measured. The results showed that morphological parameters are not valid indicatorsof clomazone sensitivity. Based on the results showing inhibition of the physiologicalparameters, I50 values were calculated and used to estimate the difference in sensitivitybetween the species tested. Sunflower was the most sensitive species, while the differencein sensitivity between maize and barley was not significant.Nomenclature: clomazone (2-(2-chlorbenzyl-4,4-dimethyl-1,2-oxazolidin-3-one, maize(Zea mays L., sunflower (Helianthus annuus L., barley (Hordeum vulgare L.

Evaluation of genotype x environment interactions in maize hybrids using GGE biplot analysis

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Fatma Aykut Tonk

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Seventeen hybrid maize genotypes were evaluated at four different locations in 2005 and 2006 cropping seasonsunder irrigated conditions in Turkey. The analysis of variance showed that mean squares of environments (E, genotypes (G andGE interactions (GEI were highly significant and accounted for 74, 7 and 19 % of treatment combination sum squares, respectively.To determine the effects of GEI on grain yield, the data were subjected to the GGE biplot analysis. Maize hybrid G16 can be proposedas reliably growing in test locations for high grain yield. Also, only the Yenisehir location could be best representative of overalllocations for deciding about which experimental hybrids can be recommended for grain yield in this study. Consequently, using ofgrain yield per plant instead of grain yield per plot in hybrid maize breeding programs could be preferred by private companies dueto some advantages.

Virtual Northern analysis of the human genome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evan H Hurowitz

2007-05-01

Full Text Available We applied the Virtual Northern technique to human brain mRNA to systematically measure human mRNA transcript lengths on a genome-wide scale.We used separation by gel electrophoresis followed by hybridization to cDNA microarrays to measure 8,774 mRNA transcript lengths representing at least 6,238 genes at high (>90% confidence. By comparing these transcript lengths to the Refseq and H-Invitational full-length cDNA databases, we found that nearly half of our measurements appeared to represent novel transcript variants. Comparison of length measurements determined by hybridization to different cDNAs derived from the same gene identified clones that potentially correspond to alternative transcript variants. We observed a close linear relationship between ORF and mRNA lengths in human mRNAs, identical in form to the relationship we had previously identified in yeast. Some functional classes of protein are encoded by mRNAs whose untranslated regions (UTRs tend to be longer or shorter than average; these functional classes were similar in both human and yeast.Human transcript diversity is extensive and largely unannotated. Our length dataset can be used as a new criterion for judging the completeness of cDNAs and annotating mRNA sequences. Similar relationships between the lengths of the UTRs in human and yeast mRNAs and the functions of the proteins they encode suggest that UTR sequences serve an important regulatory role among eukaryotes.

Root inoculation with Pseudomonas putida KT2440 induces transcriptional and metabolic changes and systemic resistance in maize plants

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Chantal ePlanchamp

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Pseudomonas putida KT2440 (KT2440 rhizobacteria colonize a wide range of plants. They have been extensively studied for their capacity to adhere to maize seeds, to tolerate toxic secondary metabolites produced by maize roots and to be attracted by maize roots. However, the response of maize plants to KT2440 colonization has not been investigated yet. Maize roots were inoculated with KT2440 and the local (roots and systemic (leaves early plant responses were investigated. The colonization behavior of KT2440 following application to maize seedlings was investigated and transcriptional analysis of stress- and defense-related genes as well as metabolite profiling of local and systemic maize tissues of KT2440-inoculated were performed. The local and systemic responses differed and more pronounced changes were observed in roots compared to leaves. Early in the interaction roots responded via jasmonic acid- and abscisic acid-dependent signaling. Interestingly, during later steps, the salicylic acid pathway was suppressed. Metabolite profiling revealed the importance of plant phospholipids in KT2440-maize interactions. An additional important maize secondary metabolite, a form of benzoxazinone, was also found to be differently abundant in roots three days after KT2440 inoculation. However, the transcriptional and metabolic changes observed in bacterized plants early during the interaction were minor and became even less pronounced with time, indicating an accommodation state of the plant to the presence of KT2440. Since the maize plants reacted to the presence of KT2440 in the rhizosphere, we also investigated the ability of these bacteria to trigger induced systemic resistance (ISR against the maize anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum graminicola. The observed resistance was expressed as strongly reduced leaf necrosis and fungal development in infected bacterized plants compared to non-bacterized controls, showing the potential of KT2440 to act as

Aflatoxin Accumulation in a Maize Diallel Cross

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W. Paul Williams

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Aflatoxins, produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus, occur naturally in maize. Contamination of maize grain with aflatoxin is a major food and feed safety problem and greatly reduces the value of the grain. Plant resistance is generally considered a highly desirable approach to reduction or elimination of aflatoxin in maize grain. In this investigation, a diallel cross was produced by crossing 10 inbred lines with varying degrees of resistance to aflatoxin accumulation in all possible combinations. Three lines that previously developed and released as sources of resistance to aflatoxin accumulation were included as parents. The 10 parental inbred lines and the 45 single crosses making up the diallel cross were evaluated for aflatoxin accumulation in field tests conducted in 2013 and 2014. Plants were inoculated with an A. flavus spore suspension seven days after silk emergence. Ears were harvested approximately 60 days later and concentration of aflatoxin in the grain determined. Parental inbred lines Mp717, Mp313E, and Mp719 exhibited low levels (3–12 ng/g of aflatoxin accumulation. In the diallel analysis, both general and specific combining ability were significant sources of variation in the inheritance of resistance to aflatoxin accumulation. General combining ability effects for reduced aflatoxin accumulation were greatest for Mp494, Mp719, and Mp717. These lines should be especially useful in breeding for resistance to aflatoxin accumulation. Breeding strategies, such as reciprocal recurrent selection, would be appropriate.

Full splitting of the first zero-field steps in the I-V curve of Josephson junctions of intermediate length

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansen, J.B.; Divin, Y.Y.; Mygind, J.

1986-01-01

We report on the observation of full splitting of the first zero-field steps in the I-V curves of Josephson transmission lines of intermediate length Lroughly-equal(3--5)lambda/sub J/, where lambda/sub J/ is the Josephson penetration length. We study in detail how this splitting of the step into two branches depends on the temperature of the junction and on a weak applied magnetic field. We relate the splitting to excitations in the junctions whose behavior is described by the perturbed Sine-Gordon equation

Maize flour fortification in Africa: markets, feasibility, coverage, and costs.

Science.gov (United States)

Fiedler, John L; Afidra, Ronald; Mugambi, Gladys; Tehinse, John; Kabaghe, Gladys; Zulu, Rodah; Lividini, Keith; Smitz, Marc-Francois; Jallier, Vincent; Guyondet, Christophe; Bermudez, Odilia

2014-04-01

The economic feasibility of maize flour and maize meal fortification in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia is assessed using information about the maize milling industry, households' purchases and consumption levels of maize flour, and the incremental cost and estimated price impacts of fortification. Premix costs comprise the overwhelming share of incremental fortification costs and vary by 50% in Kenya and by more than 100% across the three countries. The estimated incremental cost of maize flour fortification per metric ton varies from $3.19 in Zambia to $4.41 in Uganda. Assuming all incremental costs are passed onto the consumer, fortification in Zambia would result in at most a 0.9% increase in the price of maize flour, and would increase annual outlays of the average maize flour-consuming household by 0.2%. The increases for Kenyans and Ugandans would be even less. Although the coverage of maize flour fortification is not likely to be as high as some advocates have predicted, fortification is economically feasible, and would reduce deficiencies of multiple micronutrients, which are significant public health problems in each of these countries. © 2013 New York Academy of Sciences.

Lack of Detectable Allergenicity in Genetically Modified Maize Containing “Cry” Proteins as Compared to Native Maize Based on In Silico & In Vitro Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Mathur, Chandni; Kathuria, Pooran C.; Dahiya, Pushpa; Singh, Anand B.

2015-01-01

Background Genetically modified, (GM) crops with potential allergens must be evaluated for safety and endogenous IgE binding pattern compared to native variety, prior to market release. Objective To compare endogenous IgE binding proteins of three GM maize seeds containing Cry 1Ab,1Ac,1C transgenic proteins with non GM maize. Methods An integrated approach of in silico & in vitro methods was employed. Cry proteins were tested for presence of allergen sequence by FASTA in allergen databases. Biochemical assays for maize extracts were performed. Specific IgE (sIgE) and Immunoblot using food sensitized patients sera (n = 39) to non GM and GM maize antigens was performed. Results In silico approaches, confirmed for non sequence similarity of stated transgenic proteins in allergen databases. An insignificant (p> 0.05) variation in protein content between GM and non GM maize was observed. Simulated Gastric Fluid (SGF) revealed reduced number of stable protein fractions in GM then non GM maize which might be due to shift of constituent protein expression. Specific IgE values from patients showed insignificant difference in non GM and GM maize extracts. Five maize sensitized cases, recognized same 7 protein fractions of 88-28 kD as IgE bindng in both GM and non-GM maize, signifying absence of variation. Four of the reported IgE binding proteins were also found to be stable by SGF. Conclusion Cry proteins did not indicate any significant similarity of >35% in allergen databases. Immunoassays also did not identify appreciable differences in endogenous IgE binding in GM and non GM maize. PMID:25706412

Genetic characterization of early maturing maize hybrids (Zea mays L. obtained by protein and RAPD markers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bauer Iva

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Knowledge of maize germplasm genetic diversity is important for planning breeding programmes, germplasm conservation per se etc. Genetic variability of maize hybrids grown in the fields is also very important because genetic uniformity implies risks of genetic vulnerability to stress factors and can cause great losts in yield. Early maturing maize hybrids are characterized by shorter vegetation period and they are grown in areas with shorter vegetation season. Because of different climatic conditions in these areas lines and hybrids are developed with different features in respect to drought resistance and disease resistance. The objective of our study was to characterize set of early maturing maize hybrids with protein and RAPD markers and to compare this clasification with their pedigree information. RAPD markers gave significantly higher rate of polymorphism than protein markers. Better corelation was found among pedigree information and protein markers.

Effects of Maize Source and Complex Enzymes on Performance and Nutrient Utilization of Broilers

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Defu Tang

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of maize source and complex enzymes containing amylase, xylanase and protease on performance and nutrient utilization of broilers. The experiment was a 4×3 factorial design with diets containing four source maize samples (M1, M2, M3, and M4 and without or with two kinds of complex enzyme A (Axtra XAP and B (Avizyme 1502. Nine hundred and sixty day old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were used in the trial (12 treatments with 8 replicate pens of 10 chicks. Birds fed M1 diet had better body weight gain (BWG and lower feed/gain ratio compared with those fed M3 diet and M4 diet (p0.05, respectively. The fresh feces output was significantly decreased by the addition of enzyme B (p<0.05. Maize source affects the nutrients digestibility and performance of broilers, and a combination of amylase, xylanase and protease is effective in improving the growth profiles of broilers fed maize-soybean-rapeseed-cotton mixed diets.

Detection of Genes that Determine Maize Grain Quality Characteristics and Resistance to Stress Factors

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Markovskyi, O.V.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available 200 experimental maize samples (Maize Company were examined for the presence of genes that determine the quality characteristics of grain (wx and fl-2 genes, herbicide (bar (pat, epsps genes and insect (cry-genes resistance. The total DNA was extracted from maize living plant tissue. Primers to detect wx, fl-2, bar (pat, mepsps, CP4 epsps, cry1A(b, cry1F, cry1A.105, mcry3A, cry2Ab2, cry3Bb1, cry34Ab1, cry35Ab1 genes were designed and selected. Multiplex and Touchdown PCR were worked out. PCR amplification of certain sequences was carried out. No transgenes (bar (pat, mepsps, CP4 epsps, cry1A(b, cry1F, cry1A.105, mcry3A, cry2Ab2, cry3Bb1, cry34Ab1, cry35Ab1 were found among 200 analyzed experimental maize samples. At the same time, fl-2 gene was found in 41 samples, wx gene was found in 192 analyzed samples.

Computational prediction and molecular confirmation of Helitron transposons in the maize genome

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He Limei

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Helitrons represent a new class of transposable elements recently uncovered in plants and animals. One remarkable feature of Helitrons is their ability to capture gene sequences, which makes them of considerable potential evolutionary importance. However, because Helitrons lack the typical structural features of other DNA transposable elements, identifying them is a challenge. Currently, most researchers identify Helitrons manually by comparing sequences. With the maize whole genome sequencing project underway, an automated computational Helitron searching tool is needed. The characterization of Helitron activities in maize needs to be addressed in order to better understand the impact of Helitrons on the organization of the genome. Results We developed and implemented a heuristic searching algorithm in PERL for identifying Helitrons. Our HelitronFinder program will (i take FASTA-formatted DNA sequences as input and identify the hairpin looping patterns, and (ii exploit the consensus 5' and 3' end sequences of known Helitrons to identify putative ends. We randomly selected five predicted Helitrons from the program's high quality output for molecular verification. Four out of the five predicted Helitrons were confirmed by PCR assays and DNA sequencing in different maize inbred lines. The HelitronFinder program identified two head-to-head dissimilar Helitrons in a maize BAC sequence. Conclusion We have identified 140 new Helitron candidates in maize with our computational tool HelitronFinder by searching maize DNA sequences currently available in GenBank. Four out of five candidates were confirmed to be real by empirical methods, thus validating the predictions of HelitronFinder. Additional points to emerge from our study are that Helitrons do not always insert at an AT dinucleotide in the host sequences, that they can insert immediately adjacent to an existing Helitron, and that their movement may cause changes in the flanking

EFFECTS OF WEATHER-INDEX INSURANCE: THE CASE OF SMALLHOLDER MAIZE FARMERS IN NORTHERN GHANA

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Bashiru Haruna

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The study investigates the effect of weather-index insurance on intensity of fertilizer use and yields among 230 smallholder maize farmers in Northern Region of Ghana. Out of the total sample of selected farmers, about 35% purchased the insurance. Using an endogenous treatment regression model, the study showed that weather-index insurance purchase increased the intensity of fertilizer use but did not have a significant effect on maize yield. Past experience of crop failure due to drought, livestock ownership as well as the total area of land owned explained weather-index insurance purchase in the study area. Based on the results of this study, the Government of Ghana can use weather-index insurance as a policy tool to increase the use of fertilizer by smallholder maize farmers.

Heritability and Components of Resistance to Cercospora zeae-maydis Derived from Maize Inbred VO613Y.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Stuart G; Lipps, Patrick E; Pratt, Richard C

2006-06-01

ABSTRACT Gray leaf spot (GLS), caused by the fungus Cercospora zeae-maydis, is one of the most important foliar diseases of maize. This study was undertaken to estimate heritability of C. zeae-maydis resistance and examine the relationship between previously identified resistance loci and certain components of resistance including incubation period, lesion number, and maximum lesion length. Partially inbred progenies arising from hybridization between maize inbred lines VO613Y (high level of partial resistance) and Pa405 (susceptible) were examined in Ohio and South Africa. Heritability estimates of resistance were calculated based on severity and incubation period values. The range of heritability estimates based on severity was broad, with values ranging from approximately 0.46 to 0.81 (mean = 0.59). Estimates of mean heritability for incubation period were lowest (0.18), indicating that this component would likely be unsuitable for selection of germ plasm intended for deployment in diverse regions. Length of GLS lesions was significantly affected by host genotype, with resistant genotypes having shorter lesions from one site in Ohio during two seasons. Genotype also had a significant effect on incubation period and lesion number; the lower values for these components also were associated with resistant genotypes. The combined action of these resistance components resulted in lower overall disease severity.

Potency of full-length MGF to induce maximal activation of the IGF-I R Is similar to recombinant human IGF-I at high equimolar concentrations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.A.M.J.L. Janssen (Joseph); L.J. Hofland (Leo); C.J. Strasburger; E.S.R.D. Van Dungen (Elisabeth S.R. Den); M. Thevis (Mario)

2016-01-01

textabstractAims To compare full-length mechano growth factor (full-length MGF) with human recombinant insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and human recombinant insulin (HI) in their ability to activate the human IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR), the human insulin receptor (IR-A) and the human insulin

Stable transformation of Hi-II maize using the particle inflow gun

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

O'Kennedy, MM

1998-04-01

Full Text Available Focuses on the transformation of the embryogenic type II callus, initiated from cultured immature zygotic embryos of the maize line Hi-II, by microprojectile bombardment using a particle inflow gun. Use of the plasmid pAHC25; Tissue culture...