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January 2009 issue
Articles
Beta Web site
January 2009
Table of Contents
.
Life history and behaviour of Rastrococcus invadens Williams on Ficus thonningii in Nigeria
A.J. Akintola, and A.T. Ande
Abstract
Investigations were conducted on life history of Rastrococcus invadens William (Hemi:Pseudococcidae ) reared on Ficus thonningii plant in the southern guinea savanna of Nigeria. Microscopic slides were prepared for the existing life forms according to the conventional method in entomology. Observations were made on the body structure and dimensions. Attention was paid to body outgrowth and appendages as possible future tools in taxonomic key’s construction. Result showed that there were three instars and the adult stage. The entire life history lasted 50 days, adult body length ranged between 10.05mm and 11.34mm (x = 10.80 ± 0.9mm) n = 20 while the body width ranged between 7.34mm and 8.67mm (x= 8.00 ± 0.94mm) n = 20. Behaviours of the neonates and adult regarding movement,feeding and growth were monitored and reported which were found to be greatly different from what was observed in Togo and Benin, (close neighbouring countries of Nigeria) with different abiotic factors such as rainfall, humidity and wind. The possible ecological factors responsible for these differences are discussed.
Key words: Mealybug; Ficus thonningii; antenna; stylet
(Pages 1-5) Full text PDF
Impact of olive pomace wastes and fungicide treatment on indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under field conditions
Assaf TA, Turk MA and Hameed KM
Abstract
The effect of soil amendment with olive pomace wastes (OPW) on population and root infection of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi associated with chickpea has been studied under field conditions. Yield components, phosphorus (P) percentage, AM spore density and root length colonization of AM fungi were recorded. We found that OPW increased biomass, seed yield, and shoot phosphorus concentration of chickpea plants. Our results also indicated that AM fungal spore population and colonization levels were substantially enhanced by the application of OPW. Fungicide applications significantly decreased both spore population and colonization length of AM fungi. We concluded that organic matter amendments potentially increased AM fungal association and hence might increase growth and yield of chickpea plants in the field.
Key words: Microorganisms; Organic matter; Olive pomace; Soil amendment; Spore populations.
(Pages 6-12) Full text PDF
Relative efficacy of organic manures in spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L. ) production
Ofosu-Anim J and Leitch M
Abstract
The effect of organic sources of nutrients on the growth of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was studied in a pot experiment in a heated glasshouse at the University of Wales, Aberyswyth from November 2006 to March 2007. Spring barley seeds were sown in 120 pots containing a mixture of peat and 180g dry weight of poultry manure, cowdung, chicken manure pellet, sheep manure and horse manure. Chicken manure pellet was applied at 3.0 g pot-1 as top dressing. Mineralization pattern of the organic manures was monitored in a parallel experiment with 24 pots containing only the growth media. In this study, organic manures significantly increased plant height and chlorophyll content of leaves over the control plants. The application of inorganic fertilizer increased plant height over chicken manure and compost. In addition chlorophyll content was higher with inorganic fertilizer than cowdung at six weeks after germination. N mineralization significantly varied among organic manure sources with compost having the highest mineralized N and sheep manure the least. Plant tissue analysis revealed significant differences in plant tissue nutrient composition under organic manure treatment. Growing plants in organic manure resulted in 1.2 to1.6-folds, 1.1 to 4-fold and 1.1 to 4.1-fold increases in total N content of plant tissue at four weeks, eight weeks and twelve weeks after germination, respectively. Dry matter production by plants was also significantly increased under organic manure treatments. Organic manure application had the potential of increasing spring barley yield by 1.5 to 4-fold. Cowdung appeared to be the best source of organic manure for spring barley production.
Key words: Barley; organic manures; mineralization; nutrient uptake
(Pages 13-19) Full text PDF
Growth and sucrose synthase activity of developing chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seeds under field conditions
Ashok Kumar and Neil C. Turner
Abstract
Seed growth characteristics and sucrose synthase activity in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) were examined in a field experiment at Merredin, Western Australia. ‘Sona’, a small-seeded desi cultivar, and ‘Kaniva’, a large-seeded kabuli cultivar, were grown after flowering with irrigation and under a rainout shelter, used to induce terminal drought. Seed and pod wall dry weight followed a similar pattern in the two cultivars with terminal drought significantly reducing the dry weight of the pod wall and seed in both cultivars. The pod wall reached its maximum dry weight 21 days after podding (DAP) in ‘Kaniva’ and 28 and 35 DAP in ‘Sona’ with terminal drought and irrigation, respectively. The dry weight of the pod wall decreased during seed filling, particularly in the plants subjected to terminal drought. The increase in seed dry weight followed a sigmoid curve with a lag phase of 14 DAP and 21 DAP in ‘Kaniva’ and ‘Sona’, respectively, followed by a rapid almost-linear phase until 35 DAP when the dry weight leveled off and even decreased slightly near maturity. Sucrose synthase activity peaked at 32 DAP in ‘Kaniva’ and 35 DAP in ‘Sona’ and then decreased to near zero at maturity. A significant and positive association was observed between seed dry weight at maturity and peak sucrose synthase activity in both cultivars and both treatments. We suggest that sucrose synthase is a good physiological indicator for use in breeding for improved seed size in chickpea.
Key words: seed growth; water stress; pod wall; seed coat; cotyledon; remobilization; terminal drought
(Pages 20-27) Full text PDF
Identification of a glutathione S-transferase inhibitor in onion bulb (Allium cepa L.)
M. M. Rohman, T. Suzuki and M. Fujita
Abstract
A glutathione S-transferase (GST, EC 2.5.1.18) inhibitor was isolated from the onion bulb by fractionation and purification using Sep-pak Vac C18 column, TLC and HPLC. Five partially purified onion bulb GSTs (GSTa and GSTb as minor GSTs, and GSTc, GSTd and GSTe as dominant GSTs) separated by DEAE column were used to detect the inhibitory substance in onion bulb extract. Among the three fractions of onion bulb extract, the water fraction showed the strongest inhibition on the CDNB conjugating activities of onion bulb GSTs followed by EtOAc faction. The n-hexane fraction had very low or all most no inhibition. Among the GSTs, GSTc and GSTd were found to be highly sensitive to the inhibition of the fractions; where GSTe was poorly sensitive, and GSTa and GSTb were almost insensitive to such inhibition. Substance(s) present in 45% methanol-elution of Sep-pak-Vac C18 column of water fraction was found to strongly inhibit the activity of GSTc. A yellow fraction (Rf = 0.48) on TLC representing 445 mg fresh onion bulb tissue showed 50% inhibition on the activity of GSTc. After purifying by HPLC, the inhibitory substance was identified as quercetin-3,4´-diglucoside by NMR and FAB-MS spectroscopes. The IC50s of quercetin-3,4´-diglucoside were 76.3 µM and 69.3 µM on GSTc and GSTd, respectively. Quercetin-3,4´-diglucoside showed poor inhibitory expression on GSTe, and almost no inhibition on GSTa and GSTb.
Key words: Onion; glutathione S-transferase; inhibitor; quercetin-3,4´-diglucoside; onion bulb
(Pages 28-36) Full text PDF
Partial resistance to yellow rust in introduced winter wheat germplasm at north of Pakistan
Sajid Ali, S. Jawad A. Shah, I. H. Khalil H. Raman, K. Maqbool and Waseem Ullah
Abstract
Thirty-seven winter wheat lines introduced from Oklahoma State University, along with local check were studied to assess their partial resistance level, at Hazara Agricultural Research Station (HARS), Abbottabad. Pathotypes of Puccinia striiformis West. tritici (Pst) prevalent at the site were found virulent on all of the introduced winter wheat lines. Partial resistance level was assessed through final rust severity (FRS), area under rust progress curve (AURPC) and coefficient of infection (CI). A considerably high disease pressure was observed with a maximum FRS up to 95% recorded for line F5-34. Six lines were having FRS value more than 70%, while remaining 24 lines along with local check were having FRS value less than 70%. Seventeen lines were having higher AURPC values while remaining 21 lines were having AURPC values ranging from 300 to 1100, marked to be partially resistant. Based on CI value, four lines (F5-64, F5-71, F5-15 and OK00611W) were marked as highly partially resistant, having CI value up to 20; F5-4, F5-21, F5-69, F5-78, F5-103, F5-122, F5-141, OK99212, OK00608W, Intrada and Ghaznavi, with CI value 21-40, were marked as moderately resistant; and F5-5, F5-9, F55-38, F5-70, F5-83, F5-99, F5-110, F5-139, OK95616-56, OK98G508W, OK00421, OK00514 and OK00618W, with CI value 41-60, were designated to have low level of partial resistance. Line OK00611W performed better, producing maximum grain yield with an increase of 2736 kg ha-1 over the local check as well as having better level of partial resistance. Cluster analysis of the OSU introduced winter wheat lines revealed four major groups/cluster, based on partial resistance parameters and grain yield. Considerable diversity was observed for level of partial resistance of these introduced winter wheat breeding lines, which may be advanced further for manipulation in breeding or inheritance studies.
Key words: Winter wheat; yellow rust; introduced lines; partial resistance.
(Pages 37-43) Full text PDF
Trichoderma harzianum L1 as a potential source for lytic enzymes and elicitor of defense responses in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) against wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri.
Jayalakshmi S.K, Raju S, Usha Rani S, Benagi V.I and Sreeramulu K
Abstract
The effect of some natural lignocellulosic substances on the production of ß-glucanase, chitinase, protease and xylanase from Trichoderma harzianum L1 has been studied under solid state fermentation conditions. Maximum activities of all these enzymes were observed in the fermentation medium containing the mixture of 1% rice bran, neem cake and 0.1% crab shell powder. The induction of plant defense response was investigated by inoculating the roots of chickpea cv JG62 with the biocontrol agent, T. harzianum L1. A root extract of chickpea inoculated with T. harzianum L1 showed increased activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase and polyphenol oxidase, as well as induction of new trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors. The Fusarium oxysporum protease-2 was inhibited completely by root extract of chickpea inoculated with T. harzianum L1 and showed maximum resistance to rotting of roots caused by wilt disease.
Key words: Trichoderma harzianum L1; biocontrol; Fusarium oxysporum; chickpea; protease inhibitors; polyphenol oxidase.
(Pages 44-52) Full text PDF
Table of Contents
.
Life history and behaviour of Rastrococcus invadens Williams on Ficus thonningii in Nigeria
A.J. Akintola, and A.T. Ande
Abstract
Investigations were conducted on life history of Rastrococcus invadens William (Hemi:Pseudococcidae ) reared on Ficus thonningii plant in the southern guinea savanna of Nigeria. Microscopic slides were prepared for the existing life forms according to the conventional method in entomology. Observations were made on the body structure and dimensions. Attention was paid to body outgrowth and appendages as possible future tools in taxonomic key’s construction. Result showed that there were three instars and the adult stage. The entire life history lasted 50 days, adult body length ranged between 10.05mm and 11.34mm (x = 10.80 ± 0.9mm) n = 20 while the body width ranged between 7.34mm and 8.67mm (x= 8.00 ± 0.94mm) n = 20. Behaviours of the neonates and adult regarding movement,feeding and growth were monitored and reported which were found to be greatly different from what was observed in Togo and Benin, (close neighbouring countries of Nigeria) with different abiotic factors such as rainfall, humidity and wind. The possible ecological factors responsible for these differences are discussed.
Key words: Mealybug; Ficus thonningii; antenna; stylet
(Pages 1-5) Full text PDF
Impact of olive pomace wastes and fungicide treatment on indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under field conditions
Assaf TA, Turk MA and Hameed KM
Abstract
The effect of soil amendment with olive pomace wastes (OPW) on population and root infection of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi associated with chickpea has been studied under field conditions. Yield components, phosphorus (P) percentage, AM spore density and root length colonization of AM fungi were recorded. We found that OPW increased biomass, seed yield, and shoot phosphorus concentration of chickpea plants. Our results also indicated that AM fungal spore population and colonization levels were substantially enhanced by the application of OPW. Fungicide applications significantly decreased both spore population and colonization length of AM fungi. We concluded that organic matter amendments potentially increased AM fungal association and hence might increase growth and yield of chickpea plants in the field.
Key words: Microorganisms; Organic matter; Olive pomace; Soil amendment; Spore populations.
(Pages 6-12) Full text PDF
Relative efficacy of organic manures in spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L. ) production
Ofosu-Anim J and Leitch M
Abstract
The effect of organic sources of nutrients on the growth of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was studied in a pot experiment in a heated glasshouse at the University of Wales, Aberyswyth from November 2006 to March 2007. Spring barley seeds were sown in 120 pots containing a mixture of peat and 180g dry weight of poultry manure, cowdung, chicken manure pellet, sheep manure and horse manure. Chicken manure pellet was applied at 3.0 g pot-1 as top dressing. Mineralization pattern of the organic manures was monitored in a parallel experiment with 24 pots containing only the growth media. In this study, organic manures significantly increased plant height and chlorophyll content of leaves over the control plants. The application of inorganic fertilizer increased plant height over chicken manure and compost. In addition chlorophyll content was higher with inorganic fertilizer than cowdung at six weeks after germination. N mineralization significantly varied among organic manure sources with compost having the highest mineralized N and sheep manure the least. Plant tissue analysis revealed significant differences in plant tissue nutrient composition under organic manure treatment. Growing plants in organic manure resulted in 1.2 to1.6-folds, 1.1 to 4-fold and 1.1 to 4.1-fold increases in total N content of plant tissue at four weeks, eight weeks and twelve weeks after germination, respectively. Dry matter production by plants was also significantly increased under organic manure treatments. Organic manure application had the potential of increasing spring barley yield by 1.5 to 4-fold. Cowdung appeared to be the best source of organic manure for spring barley production.
Key words: Barley; organic manures; mineralization; nutrient uptake
(Pages 13-19) Full text PDF
Growth and sucrose synthase activity of developing chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seeds under field conditions
Ashok Kumar and Neil C. Turner
Abstract
Seed growth characteristics and sucrose synthase activity in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) were examined in a field experiment at Merredin, Western Australia. ‘Sona’, a small-seeded desi cultivar, and ‘Kaniva’, a large-seeded kabuli cultivar, were grown after flowering with irrigation and under a rainout shelter, used to induce terminal drought. Seed and pod wall dry weight followed a similar pattern in the two cultivars with terminal drought significantly reducing the dry weight of the pod wall and seed in both cultivars. The pod wall reached its maximum dry weight 21 days after podding (DAP) in ‘Kaniva’ and 28 and 35 DAP in ‘Sona’ with terminal drought and irrigation, respectively. The dry weight of the pod wall decreased during seed filling, particularly in the plants subjected to terminal drought. The increase in seed dry weight followed a sigmoid curve with a lag phase of 14 DAP and 21 DAP in ‘Kaniva’ and ‘Sona’, respectively, followed by a rapid almost-linear phase until 35 DAP when the dry weight leveled off and even decreased slightly near maturity. Sucrose synthase activity peaked at 32 DAP in ‘Kaniva’ and 35 DAP in ‘Sona’ and then decreased to near zero at maturity. A significant and positive association was observed between seed dry weight at maturity and peak sucrose synthase activity in both cultivars and both treatments. We suggest that sucrose synthase is a good physiological indicator for use in breeding for improved seed size in chickpea.
Key words: seed growth; water stress; pod wall; seed coat; cotyledon; remobilization; terminal drought
(Pages 20-27) Full text PDF
Identification of a glutathione S-transferase inhibitor in onion bulb (Allium cepa L.)
M. M. Rohman, T. Suzuki and M. Fujita
Abstract
A glutathione S-transferase (GST, EC 2.5.1.18) inhibitor was isolated from the onion bulb by fractionation and purification using Sep-pak Vac C18 column, TLC and HPLC. Five partially purified onion bulb GSTs (GSTa and GSTb as minor GSTs, and GSTc, GSTd and GSTe as dominant GSTs) separated by DEAE column were used to detect the inhibitory substance in onion bulb extract. Among the three fractions of onion bulb extract, the water fraction showed the strongest inhibition on the CDNB conjugating activities of onion bulb GSTs followed by EtOAc faction. The n-hexane fraction had very low or all most no inhibition. Among the GSTs, GSTc and GSTd were found to be highly sensitive to the inhibition of the fractions; where GSTe was poorly sensitive, and GSTa and GSTb were almost insensitive to such inhibition. Substance(s) present in 45% methanol-elution of Sep-pak-Vac C18 column of water fraction was found to strongly inhibit the activity of GSTc. A yellow fraction (Rf = 0.48) on TLC representing 445 mg fresh onion bulb tissue showed 50% inhibition on the activity of GSTc. After purifying by HPLC, the inhibitory substance was identified as quercetin-3,4´-diglucoside by NMR and FAB-MS spectroscopes. The IC50s of quercetin-3,4´-diglucoside were 76.3 µM and 69.3 µM on GSTc and GSTd, respectively. Quercetin-3,4´-diglucoside showed poor inhibitory expression on GSTe, and almost no inhibition on GSTa and GSTb.
Key words: Onion; glutathione S-transferase; inhibitor; quercetin-3,4´-diglucoside; onion bulb
(Pages 28-36) Full text PDF
Partial resistance to yellow rust in introduced winter wheat germplasm at north of Pakistan
Sajid Ali, S. Jawad A. Shah, I. H. Khalil H. Raman, K. Maqbool and Waseem Ullah
Abstract
Thirty-seven winter wheat lines introduced from Oklahoma State University, along with local check were studied to assess their partial resistance level, at Hazara Agricultural Research Station (HARS), Abbottabad. Pathotypes of Puccinia striiformis West. tritici (Pst) prevalent at the site were found virulent on all of the introduced winter wheat lines. Partial resistance level was assessed through final rust severity (FRS), area under rust progress curve (AURPC) and coefficient of infection (CI). A considerably high disease pressure was observed with a maximum FRS up to 95% recorded for line F5-34. Six lines were having FRS value more than 70%, while remaining 24 lines along with local check were having FRS value less than 70%. Seventeen lines were having higher AURPC values while remaining 21 lines were having AURPC values ranging from 300 to 1100, marked to be partially resistant. Based on CI value, four lines (F5-64, F5-71, F5-15 and OK00611W) were marked as highly partially resistant, having CI value up to 20; F5-4, F5-21, F5-69, F5-78, F5-103, F5-122, F5-141, OK99212, OK00608W, Intrada and Ghaznavi, with CI value 21-40, were marked as moderately resistant; and F5-5, F5-9, F55-38, F5-70, F5-83, F5-99, F5-110, F5-139, OK95616-56, OK98G508W, OK00421, OK00514 and OK00618W, with CI value 41-60, were designated to have low level of partial resistance. Line OK00611W performed better, producing maximum grain yield with an increase of 2736 kg ha-1 over the local check as well as having better level of partial resistance. Cluster analysis of the OSU introduced winter wheat lines revealed four major groups/cluster, based on partial resistance parameters and grain yield. Considerable diversity was observed for level of partial resistance of these introduced winter wheat breeding lines, which may be advanced further for manipulation in breeding or inheritance studies.
Key words: Winter wheat; yellow rust; introduced lines; partial resistance.
(Pages 37-43) Full text PDF
Trichoderma harzianum L1 as a potential source for lytic enzymes and elicitor of defense responses in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) against wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri.
Jayalakshmi S.K, Raju S, Usha Rani S, Benagi V.I and Sreeramulu K
Abstract
The effect of some natural lignocellulosic substances on the production of ß-glucanase, chitinase, protease and xylanase from Trichoderma harzianum L1 has been studied under solid state fermentation conditions. Maximum activities of all these enzymes were observed in the fermentation medium containing the mixture of 1% rice bran, neem cake and 0.1% crab shell powder. The induction of plant defense response was investigated by inoculating the roots of chickpea cv JG62 with the biocontrol agent, T. harzianum L1. A root extract of chickpea inoculated with T. harzianum L1 showed increased activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase and polyphenol oxidase, as well as induction of new trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors. The Fusarium oxysporum protease-2 was inhibited completely by root extract of chickpea inoculated with T. harzianum L1 and showed maximum resistance to rotting of roots caused by wilt disease.
Key words: Trichoderma harzianum L1; biocontrol; Fusarium oxysporum; chickpea; protease inhibitors; polyphenol oxidase.
(Pages 44-52) Full text PDF
Southern Cross Publisher©2009
