Phosphorylation of plant actin-depolymerising factor by calmodulin-like domain protein kinase

actin-depolymerising factor (ADF)/cofilin group of proteins are stimulus-responsive actin-severing proteins, members of which are regulated by reversible phosphorylation. The phosphorylation site on the maize ADF, ZmADF3, is Ser-6 but the kinase responsible is unknown [Smertenko et al,, Plant J. 14 (1998) 187-193]. We have partially purified the ADF kinase(s) and found it to be calcium-regulated and inhibited by N-(6-aminohesyl)-[H-3]5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulphonamide. Immunoblotting reveals that calmodulin-like domain protein kinase(s) (CDPK) are enriched in the purified preparation and addition of anti-CDPK to in vitro phosphorylation assays results in the inhibition of ADF phosphorylation, These data strongly suggest that plant ADP is phosphorylation by CDPK(s), a class of protein kinases unique to plants and protozoa. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Mechanisms of plant resistance to metal and metalloid ions and potential biotechnological applications

Metal and metalloid resistances in plant species and genotypes/accessions are becoming increasingly better understood at the molecular and physiological level. Much of the recent focus into metal resistances has been on hyperaccumulators as these are excellent systems to study resistances due to their very abnormal metal(loid) physiology and because of their biotechnological potential. Advances into the mechanistic basis of metal(loid) resistances have been made through the investigation of metal(loid) transporters, the construction of mutants with altered metal(loid) transport and metabolism, a better understanding of the genetic basis of resistance and hyperaccumulation and investigations into the role of metal(loid) ion chelators. This review highlights these recent advances. © Springer 2005.

Response of soil microbial biomass to 1,2-dichlorobenzene addition in the presence of plant residues

The impact of 1,2-dichlorobenzene on soil microbial biomass in the presence and absence of fresh plant residues (roots) was investigated by assaying total vital bacterial counts, vital fungel hyphal length, total culturable bacterial counts, and culturable fluorescent pseudomonads. Diversity of the fluorescent pseudomonads was investigated using fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) characterization in conjunction with metabolic profiling of the sampled culturable community (Biolog). Mineralization of [¹⁴C]1,2- dichlorobenzene was also assayed. Addition of fresh roots stimulated 1,2- dichlorobenzene mineralization by over 100%, with nearly 20% of the label mineralized in root-amended treatments by the termination of the experiment. Presence of roots also buffered any impacts of 1,2-dichlorobenzene on microbial numbers. In the absence of roots, 1,2-dichlorobenzene greatly stimulated total culturable bacteria and culturable pseudomonads in a concentration-dependent manner. 1,2-Dichlorobenzene, up to concentrations of 50 μg/g soil dry weight had little or no deleterious effects on microbial counts. The phenotypic diversity of the fluorescent pseudomonad population was unaffected by the treatments, even though fluorescent pseudomonad numbers were greatly stimulated by both roots and 1,2-dichlorobenzene. The presence of roots had no detectable impact on the bacterial community composition. No phenotypic shifts in the natural population were required to benefit from the presence of roots and 1,2-dichlorobenzene. The metabolic capacity of the culturable bacterial community was altered in the presence of roots but not in the presence of 1,2-dichlorobenzene. It is argued that the increased microbial biomass and shifts in metabolic capacity of the microbial biomass are responsible for enhanced degradation of 1,2-dichlorobenzene in the presence of decaying plant roots.

POPULATION DYNAMICS OF PLANT PARASITIC NEMATODES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH SOIL PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS DURING THE FALLOW PERIOD AFTER SUGARBEET AND LEADING INTO TOMATO CULTIVATION

The main objective of this research was the study of the soil nematode community, and in particular plant parasitic nematodes (PPN), from a field located in Portugal’s southern region, used for sugarbeet production. The study was performed from February to July 2003, covering part of the fallow period previous to tomato cultivation, the alternative crop in the rotation. The end of the fallow period in March and the soil preparation period in May were marked by a significant reduction in the numbers of PPN, whereas their numbers increased on the following tomato crop. The genus Helicotylenchus stood out as the most representative group, forming 90% of all PPN counted each month. The genus Heterodera was relatively abundant in the months following the previous sugarbeet crop, and numbers of the genus Meloidogyne increased during the tomato crop. The correlations between these group and environmental parameters show that, apart from the direct influence of the host, pH, organic matter, temperature and soil moisture significantly influenced nematode abundance and community composition.

Application of molecular tools for detection of plant viruses

Grapevine leafroll disease (GLRD) is one of the most important virus diseases of grapevines worldwide, causing major economical impact. The disease has a complex aetiology and currently eleven phloem-limited viruses, termed in general Grapevine leafroll-associated virus (GLRaVs), have been identified. Two of the GLRaVs, GLRaV-1 and GLRaV-3, are included in the European certification scheme of propagation material. However, the flawed notion that GLRaV-3 is more frequent than GLRaV-1 and that all other GLRaVs are possibly not as relevant for GLRD, has until now precluded the development of specific serological and molecular detection assays and limited the scope of molecular characterization of the viruses known to be associated with the disease. Hence, few studies have addressed the phylodynamics of GLRaVs or even characterized the genetic structure of their natural populations. This generalized lack of molecular information, in turn underlie the deficient capacity to detect the viruses. The phylogenetic analyses were conducted on the basis of the heat shock protein 70 homologue (HSP70h) and the coat protein (CP) genes for GLRaV-1 and the HSP70h, the heat shock protein 90 homologue (HSP90h) and the CP genes for GLRaV-5. The data obtained for GLRaV-1 contributed 83 new CP sequences. This information was combined with previous analysis by other authors and used for the production of new polyclonal IgG, capable of detecting CP variants from all the phylogroups observed. Successful testing of this new tool included tissue print immunoblotting (TPIB) and in situ immunoassay (ISIA). The data obtained for GLRaV-5, contributed 61 new CP and 28 new HSP90h gene sequences. Eight phylogenetic groups were identified on the basis of the CP. Characterization of the genetic structure of the isolates revealed a higher diversity than previously reported and allowed the identification of dominant virus variants. For both GLRaV-1 and GLRaV-5, the effect of vegetative propagation on the virus transmission dynamics was addressed.

An integrated approach to Physcomitrella patens transcriptomics reveals importantclues of the evolutionary development of plant organs and sexual reproduction

Land plant evolution required the generation of a new body plan that could resist the harsher and fluctuating environmental conditions found outside of aquatic environments. Unraveling the genetic basis of plant developmental innovations is not only revealing in terms of an evolutionary point of view, but it is also important for understanding the emergence of agronomically important traits. Comparative genetic studies between basal and modern land plants, both at the genome and trancriptome levels, can help in the generation of hypotheses related to the genetic basis of plant evolutionary development.(...)

Validation of plant dynamic model by online and laboratory measurements – a tool to predict online COD loads out of production of mechanical printing papers

COD discharges out of processes have increased in line with elevating brightness demands for mechanical pulp and papers. The share of lignin-like substances in COD discharges is on average 75%. In this thesis, a plant dynamic model was created and validated as a means to predict COD loading and discharges out of a mill. The assays were carried out in one paper mill integrate producing mechanical printing papers. The objective in the modeling of plant dynamics was to predict day averages of COD load and discharges out of mills. This means that online data, like 1) the level of large storage towers of pulp and white water 2) pulp dosages, 3) production rates and 4) internal white water flows and discharges were used to create transients into the balances of solids and white water, referred to as “plant dynamics”. A conversion coefficient was verified between TOC and COD. The conversion coefficient was used for predicting the flows from TOC to COD to the waste water treatment plant. The COD load was modeled with similar uncertainty as in reference TOC sampling. The water balance of waste water treatment was validated by the reference concentration of COD. The difference of COD predictions against references was within the same deviation of TOC-predictions. The modeled yield losses and retention values of TOC in pulping and bleaching processes and the modeled fixing of colloidal TOC to solids between the pulping plant and the aeration basin in the waste water treatment plant were similar to references presented in literature. The valid water balances of the waste water treatment plant and the reduction model of lignin-like substances produced a valid prediction of COD discharges out of the mill. A 30% increase in the release of lignin-like substances in the form of production problems was observed in pulping and bleaching processes. The same increase was observed in COD discharges out of waste water treatment. In the prediction of annual COD discharge, it was noticed that the reduction of lignin has a wide deviation from year to year and from one mill to another. This made it difficult to compare the parameters of COD discharges validated in plant dynamic simulation with another mill producing mechanical printing papers. However, a trend of moving from unbleached towards high-brightness TMP in COD discharges was valid.

Identification and isolation of plant promoters induced by thiocyanate

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Cross-sectoral variation in the volatility of plant-level idiosyncratic shocks

We estimate the volatility of plant–level idiosyncratic shocks in the U.S. manufacturing sector. Our measure of volatility is the variation in Revenue Total Factor Productivity which is not explained by either industry– or economy–wide factors, or by establishments’ characteristics. Consistent with previous studies, we find that idiosyncratic shocks are much larger than aggregate random disturbances, accounting for about 80% of the overall uncertainty faced by plants. The extent of cross–sectoral variation in the volatility of shocks is remarkable. Plants in the most volatile sector are subject to about six times as much idiosyncratic uncertainty as plants in the least volatile. We provide evidence suggesting that idiosyncratic risk is higher in industries where the extent of creative destruction is likely to be greater.

Influence of plant species and richness on pollutant removal in treatment wetlands

Les marais filtrants artificiels sont des écosystèmes recréés par l’homme dans le but d’optimiser l’épuration des eaux usées. Lors de la sélection d’espèces végétales pour la mise en place de ces marais filtrants, l’utilisation d’une polyculture ainsi que d’espèces indigènes non invasives est de plus en plus recommandée. Néanmoins, la plupart des marais filtrants existants sont des monocultures utilisant des plantes envahissantes, probablement à cause du manque d’évidences scientifiques sur les avantages de la diversité végétale et de la performance des espèces locales. Ainsi, les questions de recherche autour desquelles s’oriente ma thèse sont: Les polycultures présentent-elles un potentiel épuratoire aussi ou plus grand que les monocultures, et une espèce indigène est-elle aussi efficace et performante qu’une espèce exotique envahissante dans des marais filtrants ? Trois expériences ont été conduites afin de répondre à ces questions. J’ai d’abord testé l’influence de la richesse végétale sur l’élimination des polluants en deux dispositifs expérimentaux: 1) comparant deux espèces de plantes émergentes en monoculture ou combinées séquentiellement, et 2) évaluant la performance de quatre espèces flottantes plantées en monoculture par rapport à des associations de deux (avec toutes les combinaisons possibles) et de quatre espèces. Une troisième expérience a été réalisée afin de comparer l’efficacité épuratoire de l’haplotype européen envahissant du roseau commun (Phragmites australis) et de la sous-espèce locale non-invasive (P. australis subsp. americanus). La composition en espèces végétales a produit un effet notable sur la performance des marais filtrants. La comparaison des performances en mono- et en polyculture n’a pas permis de démontrer clairement les avantages de la diversité végétale pour l’élimination des polluants dans les marais filtrants. Toutefois, les marais filtrants plantés avec une combinaison d’espèces étaient aussi efficaces que les monocultures des espèces les plus performantes. La comparaison entre les deux sous-espèces de P. australis indiquent que la sous-espèce indigène pourrait remplacer le roseau exotique envahissant, évitant ainsi les potentiels risques environnementaux sans toutefois compromettre l’efficacité du traitement. Les résultats prometteurs de la sous-espèce indigène de P. australis doivent encore être testés dans des expériences à grande échelle avant d’utiliser largement cette espèce dans les marais filtrants. Nos résultats suggèrent que, dans des conditions où la performance des macrophytes disponibles est inconnue ou ne peut être déterminée, l’utilisation d’une combinaison d’espèces présente les meilleures chances d’accomplir le plus haut niveau possible d’élimination de polluants. De plus, même si la diversité végétale ne présente pas un avantage mesurable en termes d’efficacité épuratoire, celle-ci améliore la résilience des marais filtrants et leur résistance aux stress et aux maladies.

Protection of Farmers’ Rights in India-Challenges for Law in the Context of Plant Breeders’ Rights

School of Legal Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology

Development of plant tissue culture of Plumbago rosea Linn. for enhanced production of secondary metabolites

P rosea syn. Indica belong to the family of plumbaginaceae, is an important medicinal plant, cultivated widely in India. The roots of these plant are generally used for medicinal purposes mainly as diuretic, germicidal, vessicant, and abortifacient. It is also used for anaemia, diarrhea, leprosy and common wart. The bark of the root contains orange yellow pigment named plumbagin, a crystalline substance, belongs to the class of naphthoquinone. Its chemical structure is 5-hydroxy 2-methyl 1,4naphthoquinone. Apart from P rosea, P zeylanica, P europea, Drosera and Drosophyllum also contains plumbagin. The most exploited source of plumbagin is, of course, P. rosea roots. The roots contain O.9mg/ g D.Wt. of plumbagin in the roots. These plants grow very slowly and the roots suitable for plumbagin extraction can be obtained only after several years of growth. The productivity of the plant is also rather poor. The focus of the present study was to develop alternative strategies to obtain plumbagin. The tissue culture of P rosea for micropropagation has been studied

Effect of management strategies on the performance of ruminant livestock production systems and the safety of plant and animal products in the city of Sikasso, Mali

The regional population growth in West Africa, and especially its urban centers, will bring about new and critical challenges for urban development policy, especially in terms of ensuring food security and providing employment for the growing population. (Peri-) urban livestock and vegetable production systems, which can contribute significantly to these endeavours, are limited by various constraints, amongst them limited access to expensive production factors and their (in)efficient use. To achieve sustainable production systems with low consumer health risks, that can meet the urban increased demand, this doctoral thesis determined nutrient use efficiencies in representative (peri-) urban livestock production systems in three West African cities, and investigated potential health risks for consumers ensuing from there. The field study, which was conducted during July 2007 to December 2009, undertook a comparative analysis of (peri-) urban livestock production strategies across 210 livestock keeping households (HH) in the three West African cities of Kano/Nigeria (84 HH), Bobo Dioulasso/Burkina Faso (63 HH) and Sikasso/Mali (63 HH). These livestock enterprises were belonging to the following three farm types: commercial gardening plus field crops and livestock (cGCL; 88 HH), commercial livestock plus subsistence field cropping (cLsC; 109 HH) and commercial gardening plus semi-commercial livestock (cGscL; 13 HH) which had been classified in a preceding study; they represented the diversity of (peri-) urban livestock production systems in West Africa. In the study on the efficiency of ruminant livestock production, lactating cowsand sheep herd units were differentiated based on whether feed supplements were offered to the animals at the homestead (Go: grazing only; Gsf: mainly grazing plus some supplement feeding). Inflows and outflows of nutrients were quantified in these herds during 18 months, and the effects of seasonal variations in nutrient availability on animals’ productivity and reproductive performance was determined in Sikasso. To assess the safety of animal products and vegetables, contamination sources of irrigated lettuce and milk with microbiological contaminants, and of tomato and cabbage with pesticide residues in (peri-) urban agriculture systems of Bobo Dioulasso and Sikasso were characterized at three occasions in 2009. Samples of irrigation water, organic fertilizer and ix lettuce were collected in 6 gardens, and samples of cabbage and tomato in 12 gardens; raw and curdled milk were sampled in 6 dairy herds. Information on health risks for consumers of such foodstuffs was obtained from 11 health centers in Sikasso. In (peri-) urban livestock production systems, sheep and goats dominated (P<0.001) in Kano compared to Bobo Dioulasso and Sikasso, while cattle and poultry were more frequent (P<0.001) in Bobo Dioulasso and Sikasso than in Kano. Across cities, ruminant feeding relied on grazing and homestead supplementation with fresh grasses, crop residues, cereal brans and cotton seed cake; cereal grains and brans were the major ingredients of poultry feeds. There was little association of gardens and livestock; likewise field cropping and livestock were rarely integrated. No relation existed between the education of the HH head and the adoption of improved management practices (P>0.05), but the proportion of HH heads with a long-term experience in (peri-) urban agriculture was higher in Kano and in Bobo Dioulasso than in Sikasso (P<0.001). Cattle and sheep fetched highest market prices in Kano; unit prices for goats and chicken were highest in Sikasso. Animal inflow, outflow and dairy herd growth rates were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the Gsf than in the Go cattle herds. Maize bran and cottonseed expeller were the main feeds offered to Gsf cows as dry-season supplement, while Gsf sheep received maize bran, fresh grasses and cowpea pods. The short periodic transhumance of Go dairy cows help them maintaining their live weight, whereas Gsf cows lost weight during the dry season despite supplement feeding at a rate of 1506 g dry matter per cow and day, resulting in low productivity and reproductive performance. The daily live weight gains of calves and lambs, respectively, were low and not significantly different between the Go and the Gsf system. However, the average live weight gains of lambs were significantly higher in the dry season (P<0.05) than in the rainy season because of the high pressure of gastrointestinal parasites and of Trypanosoma sp. In consequence, 47% of the sheep leaving the Go and Gsf herds died due to diseases during the study period. Thermo-tolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli contamination levels of irrigation water significantly exceeded WHO recommendations for the unrestricted irrigation of vegetables consumed raw. Microbial contamination levels of lettuce at the farm gate and the market place in Bobo Dioulasso and at the farm gate in Sikasso were higher than at the market place in Sikasso (P<0.05). Pesticide residues were detected in only one cabbage and one tomato sample and were below the maximum residue limit for consumption. Counts of thermo-tolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli were higher in curdled than in raw milk (P<0.05). From 2006 to x 2009, cases of diarrhea/vomiting and typhoid fever had increased by 11% and 48%, respectively, in Sikasso. For ensuring economically successful and ecologically viable (peri-) urban livestock husbandry and food safety of (peri-) urban foodstuffs of animal and plant origin, the dissemination and adoption of improved feeding practices, livestock healthcare and dung management are key. In addition, measures fostering the safety of animal products and vegetables including the appropriate use of wastewater in (peri-) urban agriculture, restriction to approve vegetable pesticides and the respect of their latency periods, and passing and enforcement of safety laws is required. Finally, the incorporation of environmentally sound (peri-) urban agriculture in urban planning by policy makers, public and private extension agencies and the urban farmers themselves is of utmost importance. To enable an efficient (peri-) urban livestock production in the future, research should concentrate on cost-effective feeding systems that allow meeting the animals’ requirement for production and reproduction. Thereby focus should be laid on the use of crop-residues and leguminous forages. The improvement of the milk production potential through crossbreeding of local cattle breeds with exotic breeds known for their high milk yield might be an accompanying option, but it needs careful supervision to prevent the loss of the local trypanotolerant purebreds.

Effects of plant diversity on bioenergy parameters in grassland biomass

Extensive grassland biomass for bioenergy production has long been subject of scientific research. The possibility of combining nature conservation goals with a profitable management while reducing competition with food production has created a strong interest in this topic. However, the botanical composition will play a key role for solid fuel quality of grassland biomass and will have effects on the combustion process by potentially causing corrosion, emission and slagging. On the other hand, botanical composition will affect anaerobic digestibility and thereby the biogas potential. In this thesis aboveground biomass from the Jena-Experiment plots was harvested in 2008 and 2009 and analysed for the most relevant chemical constituents effecting fuel quality and anaerobic digestibility. Regarding combustion, the following parameters were of main focus: higher heating value (HHV), gross energy yield (GE), ash content, ash softening temperature (AST), K, Ca, Mg, N, Cl and S content. For biogas production the following parameters were investigated: substrate specific methane yield (CH4 sub), area specific methane yield (CH4 area), crude fibre (CF), crude protein (CP), crude lipid (CL) and nitrogen-free extract (NfE). Furthermore, an improvement of the fuel quality was investigated through applying the Integrated generation of solid Fuel and Biogas from Biomass (IFBB) procedure. Through the specific setup of the Jena-Experiment it was possible to outline the changes of these parameters along two diversity gradients: (i) species richness (SR; 1 to 60 species) and (ii) functional group (grasses, legumes, small herbs and tall herbs) presence. This was a novel approach on investigating the bioenergy characteristic of extensive grassland biomass and gave detailed insight in the sward-composition¬ - bioenergy relations such as: (i) the most relevant SR effect was the increase of energy yield for both combustion (annual GE increased by 26% from SR8→16 and by 65% from SR8→60) and anaerobic digestion (annual CH4 area increased by 22% from SR8→16 and by 49% from SR8→60) through a strong interaction of SR with biomass yield; (ii) legumes play a key role for the utilization of grassland biomass for energy production as they increase the energy content of the substrate (HHV and CH4 sub) and the energy yield (GE and CH4 area); (iii) combustion is the conversion technique that will yield the highest energy output but requires an improvement of the solid fuel quality in order to reduce the risk of corrosion, emission and slagging related problems. This was achieved through applying the IFBB-procedure, with reductions in ash (by 23%), N (28%), K (85%), Cl (56%) and S (59%) and equal levels of concentrations along the SR gradient.