Increase in the Nitrogen Content of Soil by the Introduction of Earthworms into Soil     

Takashi Ozawa  Chandra Prasad Risal  Ryoko Yanagimoto 《Soil Science and Plant Nutrition》2005,51(6):917-920

The contribution of an earthworm species ( Amynthas vittatus ) to the increase of the nitrogen content of soil was examined. Three specimens of adult earthworms were introduced into 300 g of soil (Gray Lowland soil, silty clay) supplemented with 1% carboxymethyl cellulose in a container and incubated for 32 d at 22°C in the dark. The contents of total-N, NH₄-N and NO₃-N, and the population of aerobic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in soil significantly increased after incubation with the earthworms, while the natural abundance of ¹⁵N (δ¹⁵N) in soil decreased. The amount of nitrogen in the earthworms did not decrease during the incubation in the microcosm. Both acetylene reduction activity of the microcosm and incorporation of ¹⁵N to soil from atmospheric ¹⁵N₂ were significantly enhanced by the introduction of the earthworms into soil, though the observed increment of nitrogen in soil was much higher than the estimated one based on the nitrogen-fixing activity. The results obtained in the present study indicated that the earthworms increased the nitrogen content of soil, presumably due to the enhancement of the nitrogen-fixing activity of the soil from the microcosm by the earthworms.  相似文献   

Effects of different levels of soil salinity on yield attributes,accumulation of nitrogen,and micronutrients in Brassica spp.     

K. Chakraborty  R. K. Sairam  D. Bhaduri 《Journal of plant nutrition》2016,39(7):1026-1037

The present study was conducted to assess the effect of soil salinity on yield attributes as well as nutrient accumulation in different plant parts of seven Brassica cultivars from two different species raised in pot culture experiment with two levels of salinity treatments along with control corresponding to soil electrical conductivity (EC) values of 1.65 (S₀), 4.50 (S₁) and 6.76 (S₂) dS m^?1. The experiment was consisted of twelve replications in a completely randomized design. Imposition of salinity stress affected various yield attributing characters including plant height, which ultimately led to severe yield reduction. However, tolerant cultivars, CS 52 and CS 54 performed better under salt treatment showing lesser yield loss. Salinity stress reduced the nitrogen (N) content in leaves of the Brassica plants, which reflected in decreased seed protein content. Reduced accumulation of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) was observed in leaf, stem and root at flowering and post-flowering stages, while CS 52 and CS 54 showed less reduction than susceptible cultivars under salinity stress.  相似文献   

Rust-proofing wheat for a changing climate     

Sukumar Chakraborty  Jo Luck  Grant Hollaway  Glenn Fitzgerald  Neil White 《Euphytica》2011,179(1):19-32

This paper offers projections of potential effects of climate change on rusts of wheat and how we should factor in a changing climate when planning for the future management of these diseases. Even though the rusts of wheat have been extensively studied internationally, there is a paucity of information on the likely effects of a changing climate on the rusts and their influence on wheat production. Due to the lack of published empirical research we relied on the few published studies of other plant diseases, our own unpublished work and relevant information from the vast literature on rusts of wheat to prepare this overview. Three broad areas of potential risks from a changing climate were described: increased loss from wheat rusts, new rust pathotypes evolving faster and the reduced effectiveness of rust resistances. Increased biomass of wheat crops grown in the presence of elevated CO₂ concentrations and higher temperatures will increase the leaf area available for attack by the pathogen leading to increased inoculum production. If changed weather conditions were to accelerate the life cycle of a pathogen, the increased inoculum can lead to severe rust epidemics in many environments. Likewise should the effects of climate change result in more conducive conditions for rust development there will also be a corresponding increase in the rate of evolution of new pathotypes which could increase the rate of appearance of new virulences. The effectiveness of some rust resistance genes is influenced by temperature and crop development stage. Climate change may directly or indirectly influence the effectiveness of some resistance genes but this can not be ascertained due to a complete lack of knowledge. Since disease resistance breeding is a long term strategy it is important to determine if any of the important genes may become less effective due to climate change. Studies must be made to acquire new information on the rust disease triangle to increase the adaptive capacity of wheat under climate change. Leadership within the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) is needed to broker research on rust evolution and the durability of resistance under climate change.  相似文献   

Supplemental saline drip irrigation applied at different growth stages of two bell pepper cultivars grown with or without mulch in non-saline soil     

Dagobiet Morales-Garcia  Katrine A. StewartPhilippe Seguin  Chandra Madramootoo 《Agricultural Water Management》2011,98(5):893-898

The effect of supplemental saline (2.5 dS m⁻¹) drip irrigation and black polyethylene mulch on two cultivars of bell peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) was investigated under field conditions using a randomized complete block design with split-split plot restriction. The research included six irrigation treatments (main plots): (i) non-saline irrigation control applied throughout growth (None), (ii) saline irrigation from transplanting until formation of the first fruit set (S1S2), (iii) saline irrigation from transplanting until appearance of the first flower and from first harvest to final harvest (S1S4), (iv) saline irrigation from appearance of the first flower to first harvest (S2S3), (v) saline irrigation from fruit set to final harvest (S3S4), and (vi) saline irrigation throughout growth (All); two mulch treatments (subplots): (i) black mulch and (ii) bare soil; and two bell pepper cultivars (sub-subplots): (i) Early Sunsation and (ii) Red Knight. Production of fully ripened fruits was higher in mulched plants regardless of saline irrigation treatments. In humid areas with non-saline soil, supplemental saline drip irrigation could be used with black polyethylene mulch to save water while maintaining fruit production.  相似文献   

Potent questions about India's polio vaccine     

Arya SC  Agarwal N 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2007,318(5852):914-6; author reply 914-6

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High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) profile of an insecticidal compound of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trochus radiatus</Emphasis> and assessment of mucus-associated bacterial extracts     

Mary Elizabeth K. Gnanambal  K. C. Ramya Devi  P. Hareesh Chandra  Edward J. K. Patterson 《Phytoparasitica》2011,39(2):121-127

The current study is based on the screening of novel insecticides from new sources that have not being exploited hitherto. The major objectives of this research work were to extract marine molluscs, Lambis lambis, Trochus radiatus and Chicoreus ramosus, from Tuticorin coastal waters using different solvents to test their insecticidal properties and partially purify the active components. The ethyl acetate extracts of L. lambis and T. radiatus showed 100% mortality of Sitophilus oryzae, at a concentration of 200 μg ml⁻¹. The LC₅₀ values for ethyl acetate extracts of L. lambis, T. radiatus and C. ramosus were found to be 67.08, 348.86 and 571.42 μg ml⁻¹, respectively. With regard to bacterial metabolites, at a concentration of 200 μg ml⁻¹ the ethyl acetate extract of A3 was able to elicit an activity of 40% and that of strain A1 – 20%. The LC₅₀ values of the bacterial metabolites were also investigated. Upon chromatographic separation of active ethyl acetate extracts of T. radiatus, the 100% methanol column-purified fraction was found to have an activity of 30% at a concentration of 10 μg against S. oryzae. The purity of the partially pure active compound was observed to be 72.78% on analysis with high pressure thin layer chromatography.  相似文献   

Naturally derived micelles for rapid in vitro screening of potential cholesterol-lowering bioactives     

Kirana C  Rogers PF  Bennett LE  Abeywardena MY  Patten GS 《Journal of agricultural and food chemistry》2005,53(11):4623-4627

A high plasma cholesterol level, especially low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, indicates increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Plasma cholesterol levels are influenced by diet and cholesterol biosynthesis, uptake, and secretion. Cholesterol uptake involves solubilization into complex phospholipid spherical bodies termed micelles that facilitate the transport of lipids through the gut brush border membrane into enterocytes. In vitro assays reported to date to determine potential cholesterol-lowering effects of various compounds require artificial micelle preparations that are elaborate and time-consuming to prepare. The aims of this study were to compare the efficacy of artificially prepared micelles with naturally derived micelles from pig's bile and to test their ability to assess potential inhibitors of cholesterol uptake. The suitability of pig's bile-derived micelles was tested both at the level of the micelle and at cellular uptake using cultured Caco-2 cells. Known cholesterol uptake inhibitors at the micelle (green tea catechins) and at the Caco-2 cell (beta-lactoglobulin-derived peptide, IIAEK) were used as reference inhibitory compounds. It was concluded that pig's bile was a rapid, reproducible, convenient, and cost-effective source of micelles for cholesterol micelle solubility and cellular uptake assay systems and is suitable for screening purposes focused on identifying potential cholesterol-lowering agents.  相似文献   

Potential of Eisenia foetida for Sustainable and Efficient Vermicomposting of Fly Ash     

S. K. Gupta  Anamika Tewari  Richa Srivastava  R. C. Murthy  Saurabh Chandra 《Water, air, and soil pollution》2005,163(1-4):293-302

Vermicomposting of fly ash has been attempted, using red earthworm, Eisenia foetida. Fly ash, which was obtained from thermal power station, was mixed with cowdung in different proportions (20, 40, 60 and 80%). These mixtures were used as feed for earthworms, and after 30 days, vermicast recovery, worm zoomass and numbers of juveniles produced were recorded. A total of six runs each of 30 days were conducted during the whole study. Concentrations of heavy metals in different mixtures of fly ash–cowdung, before and after vermicomposting and in the earthworms used in the study were also estimated. Results show maximum output of vermicasts and maximum number of juveniles produced was in reactors with 40% fly ash while maximum weight gain by earthworm was in 20% fly ash vermireactors. Performance of vermireactors up to 60% fly ash was more or less similar but at 80% fly ash, there is a marked reduction in overall performance of the reactors. Chemical analysis of different samples of fly ash–cowdung mixtures prior to vermicomposting revealed high concentrations of zinc, chromium, lead, nickel and copper. Chemical analysis of vermicomposted samples showed 30–50% reduction in heavy metals up to 60% fly ash and 10–30% reduction in 80% fly ash. Metal analysis of earthworms revealed considerable bioaccumulation of heavy metals in their body. The Present study indicates the feasibility of E. foetida for mitigating the toxicity of metals and up to 60% fly ash–cowdung mixtures can be used for sustainable and efficient vermicomposting.  相似文献   

Synthesis and quantitative structure-activity relationships of oxanilates as chemical hybridizing agents for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)     

Chakraborty K  Devakumar C  Tomar SM  Kumar R 《Journal of agricultural and food chemistry》2003,51(4):992-998

Chemical hybridizing agents (CHAs) can facilitate two-line breeding in heterosis programs of crops. Twenty-seven oxanilates having different aromatic substitutions were synthesized and screened as CHAs on two genotypes of wheat, PBW 343 and HD 2733, during two Rabi (winter) seasons, 2000-01 and 2001-02. The oxanilates prepared by thermal condensation of anilines with diethyl oxalate or by acylation with ethoxycarbonyl methanoyl chloride were sprayed at 1000 and 1500 ppm at the premeiotic stage of wheat, when the length of the emerging spike of the first node was 7-8 mm. Pollen sterility and spikelet sterility were measured in each treatment. Ethyl oxanilates 5, 6, and 25,containing 4-F, 4-Br, and 4-CF(3) aromatic substituents, respectively, induced greater than 98% spikelet sterility, the desired level, at 1500 ppm. Quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis revealed a direct relationship between F(p) and molecular mass but an inverse relationship between MR, E(S), and R in influencing the bioactivity. Several F(1) hybrids were developed using 5, and at least one showed heterosis.  相似文献   

Characterization, quantification, and bioactivities of anthocyanins in Cornus species   总被引：3，自引：0，他引：3  

Seeram NP  Schutzki R  Chandra A  Nair MG 《Journal of agricultural and food chemistry》2002,50(9):2519-2523

Cornus mas, Cornus officinalis, Cornus controversa, and Cornus kousa (Cornaceae) bear edible fruits that are consumed in parts of Europe and Asia. This study undertook the investigation of the presence and levels of anthocyanins in the fruits of these Cornus species by HPLC. The anthocyanins present in Cornelian cherries, C. mas, are delphinidin 3-O-beta-galactopyranoside (1), cyanidin 3-O-beta-galactopyranoside (2), and pelargonidin 3-O-beta-galactopyranoside (3). C. officinalis contains only anthocyanins 1-3, similar to C. mas, but in different proportions. However, C. controversa contains anthocyanins 1-3 among other anthocyanins, but Chinese dogwood, C. kousa, did not contain 1-3. The contents of pure anthocyanins 1, 2, and 3 in 1 kg of fresh fruits of C. mas, C. officinalis, and C. controversa were 280, 1079, and 710 ppm; 11, 77, and 230 ppm; and 600, 1000, and 700 ppm, respectively. In cyclooxygenase (COX)-I and -II enzyme inhibitory assays, anthocyanins 1-3 (all 40 microM) showed activities of 9.2 and 11.7%; 7.6 and 12.4%; and 5.3 and 7.8%, respectively, compared to Naproxen (54.3 and 41.3%; 10 microM), ibuprofen (47.5 and 39.8%; 10 microM), Celebrex (46.2 and 66.3%; 1.67 ppm), and Vioxx (23.8 and 88.1%, 1.67 ppm). In the antioxidant assay, anthocyanins 1-3 (all 40 microM) showed activities of 70.2, 60.1, and 40.3%, respectively. At 10 microM concentration, commercial synthetic antioxidants tert-butylhydroquinone, butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, and vitamin E gave 83.2, 79.7, 82.1, and 10.2% of antioxidant activity, respectively.  相似文献