Automated system of seedling image analysis (SVIS) and electrical conductivity to assess sun hemp seed vigor

The development of new procedures for quickly obtaining accurate information on the physiological potential of seed lots is essential for developing quality control programs for the seed industry. In this study, the effectiveness of an automated system of seedling image analysis (Seed Vigor Imaging System - SVIS) in determining the physiological potential of sun hemp seeds and its relationship with electrical conductivity tests, were evaluated. SVIS evaluations were performed three and four days after sowing and data on the vigor index and the length and uniformity of seedling growth were collected. The electrical conductivity test was made on 50 seed replicates placed in containers with 75 mL of deionised water at 25 ºC and readings were taken after 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 hours of imbibition. Electrical conductivity measurements at 4 or 8 hours and the use of the SVIS on 3-day old seedlings can effectively detect differences in vigor between different sun hemp seed lots.

Ileal amino acid digestibility in canola meals from yellow- and black-seeded Brassica napus and Brassica juncea fed to growing pigs

Twelve ileal cannulated pigs (30.9 ± 2.7 kg) were used to determine the apparent (AID) and standardized (SID) ileal digestibility of protein and AA in canola meals (CM) derived from black- (BNB) and yellow-seeded (BNY) Brassica napus canola and yellow-seeded Brassica juncea (BJY). The meals were produced using either the conventional pre-press solvent extraction process (regular meal) or a new, vacuum-assisted cold process of meal de-solventization (white flakes) to provide 6 different meals. Six cornstarch-based diets containing 35% canola meal as the sole source of protein in a 3 (variety) × 2 (processing) factorial arrangement were randomly allotted to pigs in a 6 × 7 incomplete Latin square design to have 6 replicates per diet. A 5% casein diet was fed to estimate endogenous AA losses. Canola variety and processing method interacted for the AID of DM (P = 0.048), N (P = 0.010), and all AA (P < 0.05), except for Arg, Lys, Phe, Asp, Glu, and Pro. Canola variety affected or tended to affect the AID of most AA but had no effect on the AID of Lys, Met, Val, Cys, and Pro, whereas processing method had an effect on only Lys and Asp and tended to affect the AID of Thr, Gly and Ser. The effects of canola variety, processing method, and their interaction on the SID values for N and AA followed a similar pattern as for AID values. For the white flakes, SID of N in BJY (74.2%) was lower than in BNY and BNB, whose values averaged 78.5%; however, among the regular meals, BJY had a greater SID value for N than BNY and BNB (variety × processing, P = 0.015). For the white flakes, the SID of Ile (86.4%), Leu (87.6%), Lys (88.9%), Thr (87.6%) and Val (84.2%) in BNB were greater than BNY and BJY. Opposite results were observed for the regular processing, with SID of Lys (84.1%), Met (89.5%), Thr (84.1%), and Val (83.6%) being greater in BJY, followed by BNB and BNY(variety × processing, P < 0.057). The SID of Met was greatest for the white flakes (90.2%) but least for the regular processing (83.0%) in BNY (variety × processing, P < 0.057). It was concluded that the AID and SID of N and AA of the CM tested varied according to canola variety and the processing method used. Overall, the SID values for Ile, Leu, Lys, Met, Thr, and Val averaged across CM types and processing methods were 81.8, 82.6, 83.4, 85.9, 80.8, and 78.4%, respectively.

Control biológico de Fusarium graminearum : utilización de Trichoderma spp. y biofumigación con parte aérea de Brassica juncea

Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron: determinar la factibilidad de la utilización combinada de dos métodos de control biológico: la aplicación del hongo antagonista Trichoderma spp. y la biofumigación con la parte aérea de Brassica juncea en el estadio de fin de fructificación; evaluar su efecto sobre el crecimiento del patógeno Fusarium graminearum. Se trituraron plantas de B. juncea y se colocaron en recipientes de plástico en dosis de 5 y 10 g. Sobre el material triturado se apoyó una caja de Petri con agar papa glucosado al 2%, que contenía un disco con micelio de F. graminearum o Trichoderma spp. o ambos hongos. Los recipientes de plástico se cerraron e incubaron a 25±2°C en oscuridad durante 7 días. Finalizado este período, se midió el diámetro de las colonias. Se obtuvieron los siguientes resultados: i) cuando se biofumigaron por separado, no se observó efecto fungistático de B. juncea sobre Trichoderma spp. ni sobre F. graminearum; ii) en ausencia del biofumigante, Trichoderma spp. inhibió significativamente el crecimiento de las colonias de F. graminearum, iii) la combinación de Trichoderma spp. y la biofumigación con B. juncea mostró un efecto sinérgico sobre el control del crecimiento miceliar de F. graminearum. Los resultados in vitro sugieren que el crecimiento de Trichoderma spp. y su potencial efecto de biocontrol sobre F. graminearum, no son afectados por la biofumigación con B. juncea. La utilización combinada de Trichoderma spp. y la biofumigación con B. juncea, tendría un efecto sinérgico sobre el control del crecimiento de F. graminearum.

Phytostabilization of metals in mine soils using Brassica juncea in combination with organic amendments

Background and aims The high metal bioavailability and the poor conditions of mine soils yield a low plant biomass, limiting the application of phytoremediation techniques. A greenhouse experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of organic amendments on metal stabilization and the potential of Brassica juncea L. for phytostabilization in mine soils. Methods Plants were grown in pots filled with soils collected from two mine sites located in Central Spain mixed with 0, 30 and 60 tha?1 of pine bark compost and horse- and sheep-manure compost. Plant biomass and metal concentrations in roots and shoots were measured. Metal bioavailability was assessed using a rhizosphere-based method (rhizo), which consists of a mixture of low-molecular-weight organic acids to simulate root exudates. Results Manure reduced metal concentrations in shoots (10?50 % reduction of Cu and 40?80 % of Zn in comparison with non-amended soils), bioconcentration factor (10?50 % of Cu and 40?80 % of Zn) and metal bioavailability in soil (40?50 % of Cu and 10?30 % of Zn) due to the high pH and the contribution of organic matter. Manure improved soil fertility and was also able to increase plant biomass (5?20 times in shoots and 3?30 times in roots), which resulted in a greater amount of metals removed from soil and accumulated in roots (increase of 2?7 times of Cu and Zn). Plants grown in pine bark treatments and in non-amended soils showed a limited biomass and high metal concentrations in shoots. Conclusions The addition of manure could be effective for the stabilization of metals and for enhancing the phytostabilization ability of B. juncea in mine soils. In this study, this species resulted to be a potential candidate for phytostabilization in combination with manure, differing from previous results, in which B. juncea had been recognized as a phytoextraction plant.

Floral structure, breeding system and fruit-set in the threatened sub-shrub Tetratheca juncea Smith (Tremandraceae)

Tetratheca juncea Smith (Tremandraceae) has undergone a range contraction of approx. 50 km in the last 100 years and is now listed as a vulnerable sub-shrub restricted to the central and north coast regions of New South Wales, Australia. There are approx. 250 populations in a 110 km north-south distribution and populations are usually small with fewer than 50 plants/clumps. The reproductive ecology of the species was studied to determine why seed-set is reportedly rare. Flowers are bisexual, odourless and nectarless. Flowers are presented dependentally and there are eight stamens recurved around the pistil. Anthers are poricidal, contain viable pollen and basally contain a deep-red tapetal fluid that is slightly oily. Thus flowers are presented for buzz pollinators, although none were observed at flowers during our study. The species was found to be facultatively xenogamous with only one in 50 glasshouse flowers setting seed autogamously, i.e. without pollinator assistance. Field studies revealed fertile fruit in 24 populations but production varied significantly across sites from exceedingly low (0.6 fruits per plant clump) to low (17 fruits per plant clump). Fruit-set ranged from 0 to 65%, suggesting that pollen vectors exist or that autogamy levels in the field are variable and higher than glasshouse results. Fruit production did not vary with population size, although in three of the five populations in the south-west region more than twice as much fruit was produced as in populations elsewhere. A moderately strong relationship between foliage volume and fruit : flower ratios suggests that bigger plants may be more attractive than smaller plants to pollinators. A review of Tetratheca pollination ecology revealed that several species are poorly fecund and pollinators are rare. The habitat requirements for Tetratheca, a genus of many rare and threatened species, is discussed. (C) 2003 Annals of Botany Company.

Produção de biomassa e composição química de adubos verdes cultivados no Vale do Ribeira

The contribution of green manure to soil improvement and crop production depends primarily on biomass production and its chemical composition, which vary depending on the species, region and growing season. The aim of this research was to evaluate the chemical composition of biomass produced by green manures in Vale do Ribeira, São Paulo, Brazil. In order to develop this research, was carried an experiment in Pariquera-Acu, in 2006/2007, in completely randomized blocks design with four treatments (three green manure and spontaneous vegetation) and five replications. At 30, 60, 90 and 120 after sowing samples were collected in 1m(2) of the shoots and determined fresh and dry, and chemical composition biomass. Sunhemp, pigeon pea and mucuna produced, in decreasing order, the largest quantities of biomass and were more efficient than the spontaneous vegetation. The biomass produced by green manure had higher quality than that produced by spontaneous vegetation. Sunhemp and pigeon pea have a higher proportion of dry matter in stems which have low N, high C/N and L/N ratio, variables indicating slow decomposition of residues. The analysis of dry matter partitioned to better indication of the chemical composition of the residues and the prevision of the availability of nutrients in the soil.

Dessecação de espécies de crotalária visando à implantação de canaviais em sucessão.

2015

Atributos químicos de um Argissolo e rendimento de melão mediante o uso de adubos verdes, calagem e adubação.

Este experimento foi realizado no Campo Experimental de Bebedouro, da Embrapa Semi-Árido, em Petrolina-PE, de janeiro de 1999 a dezembro de 2001, num Argissolo Amarelo eutrófico textura arenosa, com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito de adubos verdes associados à calagem e adubação mineral e orgânica nos atributos químicos do solo e na produtividade e qualidade do melão (Cucumis melo) irrigado. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos casualizados, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos alocados nas parcelas constituíram-se dos adubos verdes: (1) milho (Zea mays) com retirada da palhada do local, como testemunha (MI); (2) mucuna-preta (Mucuna aterrima) (MP); (3) milho + caupi (Vigna unguiculata) (MC); e (4) adubos verdes diferentes em cada ano: dois cultivos sucessivos de crotalária (Crotalaria juncea) no primeiro ano, milheto (Pennisetum glaucum) + caupi no segundo e crotalária + caupi no terceiro (RA). Nas subparcelas, os tratamentos corresponderam a: dose completa de calagem e adubação mineral e orgânica conforme a análise do solo (DC); e metade da dose do tratamento anterior (MD). Os cultivos dos adubos verdes foram realizados no primeiro semestre, seguidos do cultivo do melão no segundo. Todos os adubos verdes proporcionaram aumentos nos valores de Ca e da CTC do solo nas camadas de 0?10 cm e 10?20 cm em relação à testemunha (MI), com exceção da MP para CTC na primeira profundidade. Na camada de 0?10 cm, houve aumento também nos teores de K e matéria orgânica do solo, exceto nos teores de K do MC. Em 2001, ano em que o meloeiro atingiu a maior produtividade, o adubo verde RA proporcionou maior rendimento de melão que o adubo MP e a testemunha. Da mesma forma, o tratamento DC promoveu maior produtividade que o MD. Nesse mesmo ano, os teores de sólidos solúveis totais dos frutos foram mais elevados no tratamento com MP que na testemunha.

Diversidade da entomofauna em milho consorciado com sorgo e crotalária em diferentes arranjos.

2016

Expression of VP1 protein of serotype A and O of foot-and-mouth disease virus in transgenic sunnhemp plants and its immunogenicity for guinea pigs

Recently, transgenic plants expressing immunogenic proteins of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) have been used as oral or parenteral vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). They exhibit advantages like cost effectiveness, absence of processing, thermostability, and easy oral application. FMDV VP1 protein of single serotype has been mostly used as immunogen. Here we report the development of a bivalent vaccine with tandem-linked VP1 proteins of two serotypes, A and O, present in transgenic forage crop Crotalaria juncea. The expression of the bivalent protein in the transgenic plants was confirmed by Western blot analysis. Guinea pig reacted to orally or parenterally applied vaccine by humoral as well as cell-mediated immune responses including serum antibodies and stimulated lymphocytes, respectively. The vaccine protected the animals against a challenge with the virus of serotype A as well as O. This is the first report on the development of a bivalent FMD vaccine using a forage crop.

转基因油菜和野芥菜杂交种的适合度

转基因植物与野生亲缘种间的基因流动是目前生物安全的研究热点。甘蓝型油菜（Brassica napus 以下简称油菜）及其亲缘种是基因流研究中的模式植物体系，油菜的亲缘种之一野芥菜(B. juncea)在中国分布广泛，是常见的农田杂草。本文以转基因抗虫油菜和野芥菜为研究材料，分别用综合适合度(基于生长和生殖)和适合度(仅基于种子产量)的指标来评估其杂交种在模拟农田情况下的适合度，揭示转基因在自然环境中的命运，以期为中国的油菜基因流的管理和控制提供参考。主要结果如下： 由于杂种优势和亲本效应的影响，转基因杂交种在不同的种植季节的生长与长势较好的亲本相近。因而转基因杂交种的综合适合度介于双亲之间，或与表现较好的亲本相似。因结实较差，从种子产量上来看，转基因杂交种的适合度较低。杂交种的后代因母本效应保留了一定的休眠特性，这有助于杂交种在种子库中持续存在。野芥菜和杂交种秋播时在冬季覆大棚条件下的适合度较高，在全球变暖的情况下，野芥菜和杂交种有可能在原先较冷不适宜的地区生长，从而促进转基因的散布。 杂交实验表明，转基因花粉与野芥菜的亲和性略高于非转基因花粉，但不显著；在两种花粉发生竞争时，转基因花粉的亲和性显著较高。混合花粉授粉的结实率高于单种花粉的结实率。可见在转基因花粉在授粉阶段不存在适合度代价。同时两季秋播田间实验表明，转基因油菜与非转基因油菜的适合度没有明显差异，即在植株的生长结实阶段，当没有竞争和虫害选择压力时，转基因没有适合度代价。也证明转基因散布的潜在可能性较大。此外，转基因杂交种的开花量很大，而回交实验中转基因杂交种花粉的育性高于胚珠的育性。转基因有可能通过持续的回交逃逸。 油菜的种子较大，野菜芥的种子较小，转基因油菜与野芥菜的杂交种基本都是小种子，其种子直径低于双亲。种子大小影响了发芽率、出苗率和营养生长期。小种子出苗率和发芽率较低，营养生长期较长。在没有竞争的条件下，春播实验中，种子大小对植物的适合度及综合适合度没有影响。秋播实验中种子大小对除转基因油菜外的所有植物基因型的综合适合度有显著影响。但对于依据种子产量计算的适合度指标来说，种子大小仅对野芥菜有影响，而对其它基因型影响不大。竞争扩大了种子大小之间生长表现的差异。竞争条件下，不同种子级别间的生长变异系数大于无竞争的情况。 总之，转基因花粉较强的竞争能力和其与野芥菜的亲和性使转基因杂交种的产生成为可能。来自母本的休眠特性有助于杂种种子在种子库中存在并在条件适宜时萌发、开花，有助于转基因的进一步扩散。转基因杂交种具有较高的综合适合度，虽然结实率很低，但其开花量比较大，可能会产生大量可育的花粉，在与野生亲本的持续回交过程中，转基因有可能逃逸。同时，转基因杂交种的种子级别偏小有可能会加剧这种逃逸。

镉、铅污染土壤的植物-微生物联合修复研究

植物－微生物联合修复是利用微生物作为植物修复重金属土壤的一种强化手段，在弥补单纯植物及微生物修复技术不足的同时，利用植物和微生物的共存体系提高植物修复效率。本研究考察了向日葵（Helianthus annuus L.），芥菜（Brassica juncea L.），紫花苜蓿（Medicago sativa L.）和蓖麻（Ricinus communis L.）对Cd、Pb的富集特征，并筛选出向日葵作为富集植物；探讨了向日葵根系分泌物在重金属胁迫下的变化；通过重金属耐受菌株与向日葵的配伍对Cd、Pb污染土壤进行联合修复，结果如下： 液体培养实验结果表明，四种植物对Cd、Pb富集能力明显不同，其中向日葵对两种重金属的提取效果较好。四种植物对重金属的富集量随着浓度的增加而增加，而富集系数随重金属浓度的增加而减小，转移系数同重金属浓度及地上部/地下部生物量比值呈现一定的相关性；Cd、Pb复合处理中，一种重金属的存在会在不同程度上影响植物对另一种重金属的吸收；此外，不同植物及重金属处理中根际区域的酸碱度及氧化还原电位呈现负相关性。 砂培实验结果表明，向日葵对重金属的富集规律基本同液体培养实验相似。富集系数与重金属浓度和培养时间呈现线性相关关系。复合处理中，当Cd和Pb在适当浓度比例时，向日葵可以增加对某一重金属的吸收效率。向日葵的根系分泌物组成因重金属的存在而明显减少，根系分泌物中的草酸、酒石酸、苹果酸、柠檬酸、乙酸及丁二酸含量随着不同浓度Cd、Pb而发生不规则变化。 在以根系分泌物作为唯一营养来源筛选重金属耐受菌株实验中，细菌和真菌对Cd及Pb的耐性及吸附效率不同。总体上看，微生物生物量随重金属浓度升高而降低，而重金属吸附量随浓度升高而增加，重金属复合毒性也减少了微生物对单一重金属的吸收；另外，培养基中酸碱度因微生物种类及重金属浓度而有所差异。 将筛选出的优势微生物与向日葵配伍处理Cd、Pb污染土壤的实验中，由于Cd、Pb污染模式及菌株种类的不同，微生物对向日葵吸收重金属的强化效果呈现很大差异，其中真菌对植物吸收重金属的强化能力较细菌强；同时，根系分泌物中6种有机酸的含量在不同处理中变化较大；在处理单一Cd或Pb污染的时候选用菌株B1、F1或混合菌B1+B2、F1+F2、B2+F1、B1+F2与向日葵配伍修复的效果较好；混合菌F1+F2、B1+F2、B2+F1的添加能较好的强化Cd、Pb复合污染中向日葵吸收重金属的能力。

Época de plantio de leguminosas para adubação verde, em relação ao milho, em plantio consorciado.

O trabalho objetiva definir a melhor época de plantio de Crotalaria juncea, feijão de porco (Canavalia ensiformis) e guandu (Cajanus cajan) em relação ao plantio do milho e seu efeito sobre a produção de grãos desta cultura sobre a produção de biomassa das leguminosas mais milho para adição ao solo como adubo verde.

Selenium in higher plants: understanding mechanisms for biofortification and phytoremediation:understanding mechanisms for biofortification and phytoremediation

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for many organisms, including plants, animals and humans. As plants are the main source of dietary Se, plant Se metabolism is therefore important for Se nutrition of humans and other animals. However, the concentration of Se in plant foods varies between areas, and too much Se can lead to toxicity. As we discuss here, plant Se uptake and metabolism can be exploited for the purposes of developing high-Se crop cultivars and for plant-mediated removal of excess Se from soil or water. Here, we review key developments in the current understanding of Se in higher plants. We also discuss recent advances in the genetic engineering of Se metabolism, particularly for biofortification and phytoremediation of Se-contaminated environments.