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Indica
Kinds of Indica Terms modified by Indica Selected AbstractsLIPOXYGENASE ACTIVITY IN PRICKLY PEAR FRUIT (OPUNTIA FICUS INDICA [L.] MILL.JOURNAL OF FOOD BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2010CACTACEAE) ABSTRACT Prickly pear LOX activity was detected in the membrane fractions of the fruit extracts at various stages of ripening. LOX specific activity was very low in the fruit of wild plants at the green stage (0.49 ± 0.04) and increased with fruit ripening, more than doubling in the ripened fruit (1.22 ± 0.06). Moreover, it was not influenced by the cultivar, whereas it was considerably increased (13.3 ± 1.4) by agronomic processes to which prickly pear plants are submitted to improve the organoleptic properties of fruits. The apparent molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 96 kDa. The enzyme had an optimum pH value of 5.5 and a clear specificity for linolenic acid, which was oxidized at a rate one and a half times that of linoleic acid, under the same reaction conditions. The involvement of prickly pear LOX in the flavor biosynthesis of the fruit is supposed. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Over the last decade in particular, prickly pear fruits have been widely used as food, not only the whole fruit but also processed to make juices, jams and liquors popular the world over. Prickly pear production has therefore risen considerably and consequently both the labor force employed and revenues generated have increased. For those engaged in this sector it is therefore a prime objective to maximise the profile and thereby profitability of the fruit. It is here that our research into lipoxygenase activity can play a part, as it is known that this enzyme is responsible for the organoleptic properties of fruits and vegetables. The results are presented below. The relationship between lipoxygenase specific activity and specific agronomic processes utilized to improve the fruit quality is also addressed. [source] CHARACTERISTIC DRYING CURVE and MATHEMATICAL MODELING of THIN-LAYER SOLAR DRYING of PRICKLY PEAR CLADODE (OPUNTIA FICUS INDICA)JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2004S. LAHSASNI ABSTRACT Thin-layer solar drying experiments were conducted for the prickly pear cladode grown in Marrakech, Morocco. the experimental drying curves obtained show only a falling rate period. the results verified, with good reproducibility, that the drying air temperature is the main factor in controlling the drying rate. the expression of the drying rate equation was determined empirically from the characteristic drying curve. Eight different drying models were compared according to their correlation coefficient (r2) to estimate solar drying curves. the Page model could satisfactorily describe the solar drying curves of cladode with an r2 of 0.9995. the coefficient of this model could be explained by the effect of drying air temperature with an r2 of 1.0000. [source] Faunal makeup of wild bees and their flower utilization in a semi-urbanized area in central JapanENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2006Masaki HISAMATSU Abstract The species composition of wild bees and their flower utilization patterns were surveyed from April to November in 1996 in a semi-urbanized area adjacent to Sugao Marsh, Ibaraki, central Japan. A total of 750 individuals belonging to 43 species in six families were collected. The most dominant family was Halictidae, for which 13 species and 251 individuals were collected. The most dominant species was Colletes patellatus (120 individuals) of the Colletidae. The results at Sugao were compared with those obtained from three other areas of Ibaraki Prefecture, which have similar climatic conditions, yet have different environmental characteristics in terms of human impact. The four sites in Ibaraki can be classified into two groups: the first comprising Sugao and Mito in cultivated and/or human-dwelling areas, and the second comprising Yamizo and Gozen'yama, in forest areas with more natural elements. The number of species at Sugao was the smallest among the four study sites. On the other hand, the values for species evenness at Sugao were the second-highest of the four study sites. These findings show that the different characteristics of different bee communities reflect their local environmental conditions, including their floral compositions. The bees visited 36 flower species in 20 families, and 70.7% of all individuals studied visited Compositae flowers. The heavy utilization of composite flowers is possibly because of the existence of a simplified flora consisting of a few dominant composite plant species. Among these plants, Solidago altissima and Lactuca indica made large contributions to supporting autumn bees, especially Colletes patellatus and Colletes perforator, which are solitary and oligolectic on Compositae. [source] Effect of mangiferin on radiation-induced micronucleus formation in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytesENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS, Issue 1 2005Ganesh Chandra Jagetia Abstract Irradiation causes a variety of lesions in important biomolecules of the cell through generation of free radicals leading to genomic instability. DNA strand breaks, acentric fragments, or defective kinetochores are manifested as micronuclei after the first cell division. Chemicals that can trap free radicals may reduce the deleterious effects of ionizing radiation. Mangiferin (MGN), a glucosylxanthone derived from Mangifera indica (mango), was investigated for its ability to reduce the frequency of radiation-induced micronucleated binucleate cells (MNBNCs) in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBLs). HPBL cultures were pretreated with 0, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 ,g/ml of MGN for 30 min before exposure to 3 Gy of 60Co ,-radiation. The maximum decline in radiation-induced micronuclei was observed at a concentration of 50 ,g/ml MGN; thereafter, a nonsignificant elevation in MNBNC frequency was observed at 100 ,g/ml MGN. Since the lowest MNBNC frequency was observed for 50 ,g/ml MGN, dose-response studies were undertaken using this concentration. Irradiation of HPBLs with 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 Gy of ,-radiation caused a dose-dependent elevation in the MNBNC frequency, while treatment of HPBLs with 50 ,g/ml MGN 30 min before radiation resulted in significant declines in these frequencies. MGN alone did not alter the proliferation index. Irradiation caused a dose-dependent decline in the proliferation index, while treatment of HPBLs with 50 ,/ml MGN significantly elevated the proliferation index in irradiated cells. MGN treatment reduced hydrogen peroxide-induced lipid peroxidation in HPBLs in a concentration-dependent fashion. In cell-free studies, MGN inhibited the induction of ·OH (hydroxyl), O2·, (superoxide), DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), and ABTS·+ (2,2-azino-bis-3-ethyl benzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radicals in a dose-dependent manner. The results of this study indicate that MGN possesses radioprotective properties by suppressing the effects of free radicals. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 45:000,000, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Essential oil constituents of Melia dubia, a wild relative of Azadirachta indica growing in the Eastern Ghats of Peninsular IndiaFLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, Issue 4 2001M. A. H. Nagalakshmi Abstract The leaf essential oil of Melia dubia Cav. (Meliaceae) has been studied by GC,MS. The leaf essential oil consists chiefly of monoterpenes (35.71%) and oxygenated monoterpenes (27.98%), accompanied by a relatively much smaller amount of alkanes (11.17%), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (9.26%) and phenylpropanoids (3.90%). The monoterpene camphene occurs as a major constituent (21.68%) of this leaf essential oil. It is accompanied by a noticeable amount of ,- and ,-pinene (3.12% and 5.13%, respectively) and a much smaller amount of sabinene (2.75%). The oxygenated monoterpenes are distinctly dominated by the presence of the bicyclic ketone camphor (17.85%), while iso-borneol and borneol are detected in much smaller amounts (4.15% and 1.12%, respectively). Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The repellent action of neem oil (Azadirachta indica) against the Scottish biting midge (Culicoides impunctatus)FOCUS ON ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH, Issue 1 2002M Cole [source] Novel Steroidal Glycosides from two Indian Caralluma species, C. stalagmifera and C. indicaHELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA, Issue 2 2006Olaf Kunert Abstract New steroidal glycosides, stalagmosides I,V (1,5) and indicosides I and II (7 and 8), together with the known compounds carumbelloside III, lasianthoside,A, and lasianthoside,B, were isolated from whole plants of Caralluma stalagmifera and Caralluma indica, respectively. Their structures were elucidated by extensive NMR spectroscopic studies. [source] Presence of a cerebral factor showing summer-morph-producing hormone activity in the brain of the seasonal non-polyphenic butterflies Vanessa cardui, V. indica and Nymphalis xanthomelas japonica (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)INSECT SCIENCE, Issue 2 2009Ayuki Tanaka Abstract Three species of nymphalid butterflies, Vanessa cardui, V. indica and Nymphalis xanthomelas japonica, do not exhibit seasonal polyphenism in wing coloration. To determine whether seasonal non-polyphenic butterflies possess a cerebral factor affecting wing coloration, we used a Polygonia c-aureum female short-day pupal assay for detection of summer-morph-producing hormone (SMPH) activity in P. c-aureum. When 2% NaCl extracts of 25 brain-equivalents prepared from the pupal brains of V. cardui, V. indica or N. xanthomelas japonica were injected into Polygonia female short-day pupae, all recipients developed into summer-morph adults with dark-yellow wings, and the average grade score (AGS) of summer morphs showing SMPH activity was 3.8, 3.7 and 4.0, respectively. In contrast, when acetone or 80% ethanol extracts prepared from pupal brains were injected into Polygonia pupae, all recipients developed into autumn-morph adults with a dark-brown coloration and each exhibited an AGS of less than 0.5. Our results indicate that a cerebral factor showing SMPH activity is present in the pupal brain of seasonal non-polyphenic nymphalid butterflies, suggesting that a SMPH and cerebral factor showing SMPH activity occur widely among butterfly species. This finding will improve our understanding of the presence of cerebral factors showing interspecific actions of SHPH. [source] Purification and characterization of ,-glucosidase in Apis cerana indicaINSECT SCIENCE, Issue 3 2008Chanpen Chanchao Abstract Apis cerana indica foragers were used for the isolation of a full-length ,-glucosidase cDNA, and for purification of the active nascent protein by low salt extraction of bee homogenates, ammonium sulphate precipitation and diethylaminoethyl-cellulose and Superdex 200 chromatographies. The molecular mass of the purified protein was estimated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis resolution, and the pH, temperature, incubation, and substrate optima for enzymic activity were determined. Conformation of the purified enzyme as ,-glucosidase was performed by BLAST software homology comparisons between matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectroscopy analysed partial tryptic peptide digests of the purified protein with the predicted amino acid sequences deduced from the ,-glucosidase cDNA sequence. [source] Surveys of rodent-borne disease in Thailand with a focus on scrub typhus assessmentINTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2008Kriangkrai Lerdthusnee Abstract The epidemiology of many rodent-borne diseases in South-East Asia remains ill-defined. Scrub typhus and lep-tospirosis are common and medically significant, while other zoonotic diseases, such as spotted fever group Rickettsiae have been identified, but their overall medical significance is unknown. Rodent surveillance was conducted from June 2002 to July 2004 in 18 provinces from Thailand. Traps were set up for one to three nights. Blood and serum samples and animal tissue samples (liver, spleen, kidney and urinary bladder) were collected. Chiggermites, ticks and fleas were removed from captured rodents. A total of 4536 wild-caught rodents from 27 species were captured over two years of animal trapping. Rattus rattus was the dominant species, followed by Rattus exulans and Bandicota indica. Almost 43 000 ectoparasites were removed from the captured animals. Approximately 98% of the ectoparasites were chigger-mites, of which 46% belonged to the genus Leptotrombidium (scrub typhus vector). Other genera included Schoengastia and Blankaartia. Tick and flea specimens together comprised less than 1% of the sample. Among the five species of ticks collected, Haemaphysalis bandicota was the predominant species caught, followed by Ixodes granulatus other Haemaphysalis spp., Rhipicephalus spp. and Dermacentor spp. Only two species of fleas were collected and Xenopsylla cheopis (rat flea) was the predominant species. Using both commercial diagnostic kits and in-house molecular assays, animal tissue samples were examined and screened for zoonotic diseases. Seven zoonotic diseases were detected: scrub typhus, leptospirosis, murine typhus, tick typhus, bartonella, babesiosis and trypanosomiasis. Most samples were positive for scrub typhus. Other zoonotic diseases still under investigation include borrelosis, ehrlichiosis, the plague, and other rickettsial diseases. Using geographic information systems, global positioning systems and remote sensing technology, epidemiological and environmental data were combined to assess the relative risk in different biotopes within highly endemic areas of scrub typhus in Thailand. [source] Antioxidant properties of methanolic extracts from Diospyros mespiliformis (jackal berry), Flacourtia indica (Batoka plum), Uapaca kirkiana (wild loquat) and Ziziphus mauritiana (yellow berry) fruitsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2008Ashwell R. Ndhlala Summary Four wild fruits, Diospyros mespiliformis, Flacourtia indica, Uapaca kirkiana and Ziziphus mauritiana, were extracted with methanol and analysed for radical-scavenging effect of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, reducing power and anion radical effect on superoxide anion using colorimetric method. There was an increase in the radical-scavenging effect, reducing power and superoxide anion radical-scavenging effect as the concentration of sample increased. Diospyros mespiliformis had high DPPH radical-scavenging capacity. The peels of F. indica and U. kirkiana had higher DPPH radical-scavenging effects, reducing power and superoxide-scavenging effects compared with the pulp while the pulp of Z. mauritiana had high DPPH radical-scavenging effects, reducing power and superoxide-scavenging effects compared with the peel. [source] Stability of vacuolar betaxanthin pigments in juices from Moroccan yellow Opuntia ficus indica fruitsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2008Hasna El Gharras Summary Pigment stability of yellow juices prepared from Moroccan cactus pear (Opuntia ficus indica) was determined as a function of temperature and pH. The experiments were carried out at temperatures ranging from 80 to 100 °C with juices at pH 3.5, 5 and 6.5. The degree of pigment retention decreased when the temperature increased. The degradation constant rates were determined for thermal degradation rates of pseudo-first order. The Arrhenius plot obtained for the degradation of betaxanthin from the yellow fruits was not linear. Regardless of the temperature treatment, the lowest degradation was obtained for pH 5. Where some stabilizers were tested for the protection of pigments, the results showed that ascorbic acid was a better protective agent at pH 3.5, increasing the protection by 40%. [source] Seasonality and host utilization of the invasive fruit fly, Bactrocera invadens (Dipt., Tephritidae) in central TanzaniaJOURNAL OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 9-10 2006M. W. Mwatawala Abstract:, The temporal occurrence of the invasive and economically important pest fruit fly, Bactrocera invadens was studied in three agro-ecological areas of Morogoro Region, central Tanzania, during 2004,2005. Weekly and monthly trappings were carried out with methyl eugenol, protein bait and synthetic food attractant. Bactrocera invadens was permanently present at low and mid-altitudes (380,520 m a.s.l.) with peak periods coinciding with the fruiting season of mango (Mangifera indica) and guava (Psidium guajava). At high altitude (1650 m a.s.l.) its incidence was only temporal and apparently the result of dispersal from lower altitudes after the mango fruiting season. Rearing results showed mango, loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), guava and grapefruit (Citrus × paradisi) to be the favoured commercial host fruits. Other Citrus species, cucurbits, papaya (Carica papaya) and avocado (Persea americana) were less favoured. [source] Comparative effects of some botanicals for the control of the seed weevil Caryedon serratus Olivier (Col., Bruchidae)JOURNAL OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 10 2002H. A. El Atta Leaf powder, seed kernel powder and oil extracted from the seeds of A. indica and leaf powder and oil extracted from the leaves of E. camaldulensis and benzene hexachloride (BHC) were tested at 1, 3 and 5% (w/w or v/w) against C. serratus. Eucalyptus leaf oil (ELO) and neem oil (NO) at 3 and 5% were as efficient as BHC and significantly (P=0.0001) reduced egg laying by C. serratus, whereas Eucalyptus leaf powder (ELP) had no significant effect. Neem seed kernel powder (NSKP) at 5%, ELO (3 and 5%) and NO (3 and 5%) significantly (P=0.0001) reduced egg hatching more than BHC at all doses. NO (3 and 5%) and ELO (3 and 5%) significantly (P=0.0001) reduced larval development more than BHC, whereas ELP and Neam Leaf Powder had no significant effect. Adult emergence and mortality were also significantly (P=0.0001) affected by some botanicals tested, especially oils. Oils were more effective as compared with powder. The study indicated that the botanicals tested have a good potential in replacing conventional pesticides because of their high efficacy and environmental safety. [source] Effect of single and binary combinations of plant-derived molluscicides on different enzyme activities in the nervous tissue of Achatina fulicaJOURNAL OF APPLIED TOXICOLOGY, Issue 1 2003I. G. Rao Abstract Effect of single and binary treatments of plant-derived molluscicides on different enzymes,acetylcholinesterase (AChE), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and acid/alkaline phosphatase (ACP/ALP),in the nervous tissue of the harmful terrestrial snail Achatina fulica were studied. Sublethal in vivo 24-h exposure to 40% and 80% LC50 of Azadirachta indica oil, Cedrus deodara oil, Allium sativum bulb powder, Nerium indicum bark powder and binary combinations of A. sativum (AS) + C. deodara (CD) and CD + A. indica (AI) oils significantly altered the activity of these enzymes in the nervous tissue of Achatina fulica. The binary treatment of AS + CD was more effective against AChE, LDH, and ALP than the single ones. However, binary treatment of AI + CD was more effective against ALP. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Plant community distribution and variation along the Awash river corridor in the main Ethiopian riftAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Mitiku Tikssa Abstract The vegetation along the Awash River (1200-km long) in the main Ethiopian Rift, and its relationship with environmental factors was studied. Seven plant communities were described from the study area: (1) Acacia nilotica subsp. leiocarpa. , Carissa edulis type; (2) Acacia robusta subsp. usambarensis , Acokanthera schimperi type; (3) Celtis africana , Mimusops laurifolia type; (4) Acacia senegal , Acacia mellifera , Dobera glabra type; (5) Acacia nilotica subsp. indica , Ficus capreaefolia type; (6) Lannea schimperi,Glycine wightii type; and (7) Tamarix nilotica , Acacia hocki community type. It has been shown that the plant communities along the river follow an altitudinal gradient. The vegetation of the Awash River is mainly the result of the interactions between edaphic factors, the hydrology, altitude, slope and climate. Résumé Nous avons étudié la végétation qui pousse le long de la rivière Awash (1 200 km de long), dans le principal Rift éthiopien, et sa relation avec certains facteurs environnementaux. Nous avons décrit sept communautés végétales de l'aire étudiée : le type de communautéAcacia nilotica subsp. leiocarpa , Carissa edulis; 2) le type Acacia robusta subsp. usambarensis , Acokanthera schimperi; 3) le type Celtis africana , Mimusops laurifolia; 4) le type Acacia senegal , Acacia mellifera , Dobera glabra; 5) le type Acacia nilotica subsp. indica , Ficus capreaefolia; 6) le type Lannea schimperi,Glycine wightii; et 7) le type Tamarix nilotica , Acacia hocki. On a pu montrer que les communautés de plantes du long de la rivière suivent un gradient altitudinal. La végétation de l'Awash résulte principalement d'interactions entre des facteurs édaphiques tels que l'hydrologie, l'altitude, l'importance de la pente et le climat. [source] PHENOLIC COMPOUND CONTENT, ANTIOXIDANT AND RADICAL-SCAVENGING PROPERTIES OF METHANOLIC EXTRACTS FROM THE SEED COAT OF CERTAIN THAI TAMARIND CULTIVARSJOURNAL OF FOOD BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2010MANEEWAN SUKSOMTIP Methanolic extracts from the seed coats of five major tamarinds (Srichomphu, Sithong-nak, Sithong-bao, Priao-yak and Khanti) cultivated in Thailand were investigated for their content of phenolic compounds and their antioxidative properties. Antioxidative properties were evaluated by various different methods: scavenging effect on the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radical, anti-lipid peroxidation and reducing power assay. The phenolic compound contents were determined by spectrophotometric methods. Extract of Priao-yak with the highest tannin content showed the strongest reducing power, while extract of Khanti with the highest proanthocyanidin content revealed high scavenging ability on both DPPH and hydroxyl radicals. Stronger antioxidative activity measured by most assays was noted for the extract of Sithong-bao with a high content of total phenols, proanthocyanidin and tannins. The results suggest that specific phenolic constituents in the extract could be responsible for the different antioxidant properties observed in different cultivars. Furthermore, seed coat extract of Sithong-bao may be a potential source of natural antioxidant to be developed into nutraceuticals. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Components of Tamarindus indica L., a tree indigenous to India and South-East Asia, have long been used as a spice, food component and traditional medicine. According To traditional medicine, the tamarind pulp is used as a digestive, carminative, laxative, expectorant and blood tonic; the seeds are used as an anthelmintic, antidiarrheal and emetic. In addition, the seed coat is used to treat burns and aid wound healing as well as as an antidysenteric. Recent studies have demonstrated polyphenolic constituents with more potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of T. indica seed coat extract. Therefore, seed coat extracts of T. indica have economic potential for development into health promotion products as well as natural preservatives to increase the shelf life of food by preventing lipid peroxidation. [source] EVALUATION OF GLOBAL YIELD, COMPOSITION, ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND COST OF MANUFACTURING OF EXTRACTS FROM LEMON VERBENA (ALOYSIA TRIPHYLLA[L'HÉRIT.] BRITTON) AND MANGO (MANGIFERA INDICA L.) LEAVESJOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2007CAMILA G. PEREIRA ABSTRACT In this work, the global yields, composition and antioxidant activity (AA) of extracts from lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla) and mango (Mangifera indica) leaves obtained by different separation processes were determined. Lemon verbena extracts were obtained by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), while mango leaf extracts were obtained by SFE, low-pressure solvent extraction (LPSE) and hydrodistillation. The extract's constituents were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/flame ionization detector. The AA of the extracts was evaluated by the coupled reaction of , -carotene/linolenic acid. The cost of manufacturing (COM) was estimated for the SFE extracts. Higher global yields were obtained using SFE at 350 bar/45C (1.49%) for lemon verbena and LPSE (3.04%) for mango. The AAs of the extracts were larger than that of the , -carotene for both plants. The minimum values of COM were U.S.$26.96 and 52.45/kg of extract for lemon verbena and mango, respectively. [source] Oviposition preference and larval performance of the sweet potato butterfly Acraea acerata on Ipomoea species in EthiopiaAGRICULTURAL AND FOREST ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Ferdu Azerefegne 1The sweet potato butterfly Acraea acerata is an indigenous species in Ethiopia that has become a major pest on the introduced sweet potato Ipomoea batatas. To assess the role of wild Ethiopian Ipomoea species as host plants, the presence of larvae on wild ipomoeas was studied, and female oviposition choice and larval performance were tested on five wild ipomoeas, as well as on sweet potato. 2In laboratory tests, oviposition and larval development were successful on two wild ipomoeas (Ipomoea tenuirostris and Ipomoea cairica) but no oviposition occurred on the remaining three species. Of the latter, larvae did not feed on Ipomoea hochstetteri and Ipomoea indica, and survival rates were extremely low on Ipomoea purpurea. 3Sweet potato was a better host plant than I. tenuirostris and I. cairica in terms of oviposition preference, larval survival and pupal size; pupae were larger, resulting in more fecund female butterflies. 4In the wild butterfly populations were abundant on I. tenuirostris but absent on I. cairica. Females also tended to prefer I. tenuirostris to I. cairica in oviposition choice experiments. However, no significant differences in performance were found between larvae raised on I. tenuirostris and I. cairica in the laboratory. 5Wild populations of A. acerata also existed on Ipomoea obscura, a plant not investigated in the present study. 6The abundance of A. acerata on wild ipomoeas is too low to likely affect butterfly population densities on sweet potato. However, wild populations may act as reservoirs subsequent to butterfly population bottlenecks on sweet potato. [source] Influence of host plant odours on invasion of the rice leaf bug Trigonotylus caelestialium into paddy fieldsAGRICULTURAL AND FOREST ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Tatsuya Fujii 1The host-odour preferences of the rice leaf bug Trigonotylus caelestialium between the rice plant Oryza sativa L. and four species of graminaceous weeds, Poa annua, Alopecurus aequalis, Digitaria ciliaris and Eleusine indica, were investigated with an olfactometer aiming to clarify the influence of these odours on invasion of the bug to paddy fields at the flowering stage of rice. 2Both female and male adults significantly preferred the graminaceous weed A. aequalis in the flowering stage to rice in the fifth-leaf stage. The bugs also significantly preferred flowering P. annua and A. aequalis to rice in the panicle-formation stage. However, the bugs showed no preferences between rice in the flowering and grain-filling stages and the flowering graminaceous weeds P. annua, D. ciliaris and E. indica. 3The preference of the rice leaf bug for the flowering graminaceous weeds before rice flowering coincides with the fact that these bugs mainly live on these weeds before rice flowering. It is considered that the bug's similar preference for flowering rice panicles as the flowering graminaceous weeds causes the intense invasion of the bug into paddy fields at this rice developmental stage. [source] Rapid PCR-RFLP Method for the Identification of 5 Billfish SpeciesJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 4 2005Hung-Sheng Hsieh ABSTRACT: A rapid and reliable polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was developed to identify billfish species Xiphias gladius (swordfish), Makaira nigricans (blue marlin), Makaira indica (black marlin), Istiophorus platypterus (sailfish), and Tetrapturus audax (striped marlin). After DNA extraction and amplifying, the 348-bp PCR products from gene encoding of cytochrome b were subjected to restriction enzyme analysis. No single enzyme tested was able to distinguish the 5 species at the same time, but the combination of results obtained from the digests of Bsa JI and Cac 81 could be used to differentiate the 5 billfish species. This sensitive, rapid, and valid method can be used to detect fraudulent substitutes. [source] Identification and Gene Mapping of a Novel Mutant supernumerary lodicules (snl) in RiceJOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Nan Wang In order to gain a better understanding of rice flower development, a rice flower mutant supernumerary lodicules (snl), which was identified from ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS)-treated Jinhui10 (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica) was used in the present study. In the snl mutant, the palea obtained lemma identity, additional glume-like organs formed, lodicules increased and elongated, stamens decreased, and a few aberrant carpels formed. These phenotypes suggest that SNL is involved in the entire rice flower development. SNL was mapped between two simple sequence repeat markers RM3512 and RM1342 on chromosome 2, an approximate 800 kb region, and it co-segregated with SSR215. We conclude that SNL is a novel gene involved in flower development in rice. The present study will be useful for further cloning of the SNL gene, which will contribute to the elucidation of rice flower development. [source] The WRKY Gene Family in Rice (Oryza sativa)JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2007Christian A. Ross Abstract WRKY genes encode transcription factors that are involved in the regulation of various biological processes. These zinc-finger proteins, especially those members mediating stress responses, are uniquely expanded in plants. To facilitate the study of the evolutionary history and functions of this supergene family, we performed an exhaustive search for WRKY genes using HMMER and a Hidden Markov Model that was specifically trained for rice. This work resulted in a comprehensive list of WRKY gene models in Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica and L. ssp. japonica. Mapping of these genes to individual chromosomes facilitated elimination of the redundant, leading to the identification of 98 WRKY genes in japonica and 102 in indica rice. These genes were further categorized according to the number and structure of their zinc-finger domains. Based on a phylogenetic tree of the conserved WRKY domains and the graphic display of WRKY loci on corresponding indica and japonica chromosomes, we identified possible WRKY gene duplications within, and losses between the two closely related rice subspecies. Also reviewed are the roles of WRKY genes in disease resistance and responses to salicylic acid and jasmonic acid, seed development and germination mediated by gibberellins, other developmental processes including senescence, and responses to abiotic stresses and abscisic acid in rice and other plants. The signaling pathways mediating WRKY gene expression are also discussed. [source] Suppression of Root Rotting Fungi and Root Knot Nematode of Chili by Seaweed and Pseudomonas aeruginosaJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 7-8 2008V. Sultana Abstract Solvent fractions (i.e. n -hexane, chloroform and methanol) of the ethanol extracts of the seaweeds Codium iyengarii, Jania capillacea, Stokeyia indica and Solieria robusta caused more than 50% mortality of Meloidogyne javanica juveniles within 24 h at 10 mg/ml. Nematode mortality increased with an increase in fraction concentration or exposure time. The n -hexane fractions from S. indica, J. capillacea and C. iyengarii and the chloroform fraction from S. robusta also resulted in more than 50% mortality within 48 h at 1.0 mg/ml. In a screen-house experiment application of S. indica and S. robusta as soil amendments alone or with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), significantly suppressed infection of chili roots by root-infecting fungi Macrophomina phaseolina, Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani and the root knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica. Seaweed alone or with PGPR also increased plant growth. Suppressive effect on root pathogens and growth enhancement potential of seaweeds and P. aeruginosa were also effective in field plots. [source] Fodder production and soil health with conjunctive use of saline and good quality water in ustipsamments of a semi-arid regionLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2007R. K. Yadav Abstract Food and fodder shortage in arid and semi-arid regions force farmers to use marginal quality water for meeting the water requirement of crops which result in low quality, reduced production and an adverse impact on soil properties. A field study on loamy-sand (Hyperthermic Typic Ustipsamments) saline soil was conducted during 1999,2001 at Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Hisar. This involved assessment of effects of conjunctive use of saline water, EC,=,4·6,7·4,dSm,1, SAR,=,14,22 ((mmol,1)½ with good quality water on five fodder crop rotations: oat-sorghum (Avena sativa- ,Sorghum bicolor), rye grass,sorghum (Loleum rigidum,Sorghum bicolor), Egyptian clover,sorghum (Trifoleum alexandrinum,Sorghum bicolor), Persian clover,sorghum (Trifoleum resupinatum,Sorghum bicolor) and Indian clover,sorghum (Melilotus indica,Sorghum bicolor) and certain soil properties associated with it. Leguminous winter fodder crops were more sensitive to poor quality water use. Reductions in fodder yield with use of saline water alone throughout season were 85, 68, 54, 42, 36 and 26 per,cent in Indian clover, Egyptian clover, Persian clover, oat, rye grass and sorghum respectively as compared to good quality water. Leguminous fodder crops produced protein rich (12,14 per,cent) and low fibre (18,20 per,cent) fodder as compared to poor quality grassy fodder under good quality water irrigation but their quality deteriorated when saline water was used. These leguminous crops accumulated proportionately higher Na+ (1·58 per,cent) resulting in adverse impact on their growth as compared to grassy fodder crops. Higher soil salinity (12·2,dSm,1), SAR,=,20 (mmol,1)½ was recorded with saline water irrigation; and slight adverse impact was noticed on infiltration rate and contents of water dispersible clay. Alternate cyclic use of canal and saline water could be an option for fodder production under such conditions. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Post-harvest fungal quality of selected chewing sticksORAL DISEASES, Issue 2 2003E Etebu OBJECTIVE:, To study post-harvest fungal overgrowth on chewing sticks used for oral hygiene measures and role of disinfection. METHODS: ,The post-harvest fungal spoilage of chewing sticks ( Garcinia kola , Glyphea brevis and Azadirachta indica ) was investigated by subjecting the chewing sticks to different preparatory methods (some disinfected in 0.7% sodium hypochlorite before storage), storage conditions (unsealed or sealed in clear polythene) and different storage periods (2, 3 and 4 weeks). RESULTS: ,Significant differences ( P = 0.05) in mean percentage fungal colonization were dependent on plant type and storage period, but not on preparative methods and storage conditions. There were, however, significant interactions between chewing sticks and preparative methods, storage conditions and storage periods, respectively. Azadirachta indica was observed to be more susceptible to post-harvest spoilage organisms than other test plants. Generally, percentage fungal colonization increased with increase in storage period. Four genera, Penicillium spp., Aspergillus spp., Mucor spp. and Botryodiplodia spp., were implicated with post-harvest colonization of chewing sticks after 4 weeks of storage. CONCLUSION: ,The use of harvested chewing sticks after prolonged storage period is therefore not advisable for oral hygiene measures. [source] Herbicidal cyanoacrylates with antimicrotubule mechanism of actionPEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 11 2005Stefan Tresch Abstract The herbicidal mode of action of the new synthetic cyanoacrylates ethyl (2Z)-3-amino-2-cyano-4-ethylhex-2-enoate (CA1) and its isopropyl ester derivative CA2 was investigated. For initial characterization, a series of bioassays was used indicating a mode of action similar to that of mitotic disrupter herbicides such as the dinitroaniline pendimethalin. Cytochemical fluorescence studies including monoclonal antibodies against polymerized and depolymerized tubulin and a cellulose-binding domain of a bacterial cellulase conjugated to a fluorescent dye were applied to elucidate effects on cell division processes including mitosis and microtubule and cell wall formation in maize roots. When seedlings were root treated with 10 µM of CA1 or CA2, cell division activity in meristematic root tip cells decreased within 4 h. The chromosomes proceeded to a condensed state of prometaphase, but were unable to progress further in the mitotic cycle. The compounds caused a complete loss of microtubular structures, including preprophase, spindle, phragmoplast and cortical microtubules. Concomitantly, in the cytoplasm, an increase in labelling of free tubulin was observed. This suggests that the herbicides disrupt polymerization and microtubule stability, whereas tubulin synthesis or degradation appeared not to be affected. In addition, cellulose labelling in cell walls of root tip cells was not influenced. The effects of CA1 and CA2 were comparable with those caused by pendimethalin. In transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing a green fluorescent protein-microtubule-associated protein4 fusion protein, labelled arrays of cortical microtubules in living epidermal cells of hypocotyls collapsed within 160 min after exposure to 10 µM CA1 or pendimethalin. Moreover, a dinitroaniline-resistant biotype of goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L) Gaertn) with a point mutation in ,-tubulin showed cross-resistance against CA1 and CA2. The results strongly indicate that the cyanoacrylates are a new chemical class of herbicide which possess the same antimicrotubule mechanism of action as dinitroanilines, probably including interaction with the same binding site in ,-tubulin. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Identification of feeding attractants in oak sap for adults of two nymphalid butterflies, Kaniska canace and Vanessa indicaPHYSIOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2000Hisashi Ômura Abstract The active compounds of oak-sap odour in attracting adults of two butterflies, Kaniska canace (L.) and Vanessa indica (Herbst) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), were identified by chemical analyses, electroantennogram (EAG) and two behavioural assays: proboscis extension reflex (PER) and attraction to artificial tree models. Fourteen compounds were identified from two sap samples collected in 1997 and 1998, of which the major volatiles were ethanol and acetic acid (, 900 p.p.m. and 500 p.p.m. in sap, respectively). However, the chemical composition of the minor volatiles varied considerably between the two samples. Among 13 chemicals tested, V. indica showed strong PER to five aliphatic acids (acetic, propionic, butyric, isobutyric and isovaleric), 2-methylpropan-1-ol and 3-hydroxybutan-2-one, whereas the PER-active compounds for K. canace were these seven compounds and also ethanol, 3-methylbutan-1-ol and 1-hydroxypropan-2-one. In two-choice behavioural bioassays, the model scented with a sap-odour mimic, which was an aqueous mixture of the PER-active compounds, was more attractive to the two butterflies than an unscented control. These results demonstrated that the sap odour stimulates foraging behaviour of the butterfly. Although EAG responses of both butterflies to 3-methylbutan-1-ol and that of V. indica to 2-methylpropan-1-ol were positively dose-dependent, responses to other compounds were not strong and not dose-dependent at 1,100 ,g doses. These EAG responsiveness suggests that the olfactory receptors for these compounds might be few in the antenna and that the butterflies have enough olfactory sensitivity to the dose of 1 ,g. [source] Chemical characterization of Azadirachta indica grafted on Melia azedarach and analyses of azadirachtin by HPLC-MS-MS (SRM) and meliatoxins by MALDI-MSPHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS, Issue 4 2010Moacir Rossi Forim Abstract Introduction , Melia azedarach adapted to cool climates was selected as rootstocks for vegetative propagation of Azadirachta indica. Cleft grafting of A. indica on M. azedarach rootstock showed excellent survival. Little is known about the chemistry of grafting. Objective , The roots, stems, leaves and seeds of this graft were examined in order to verify if grafted A. indica would produce limonoids different from those found in non-grafted plants. Intact matured fruits were also studied to verify if they were free of meliatoxins. Methodology , After successive chromatographic separations the extracts afforded several limonoids. HPLC-MS/MS and MALDI-MS were used to develop sensitive methods for detecting azadirachtin on all aerial parts of this graft and meliatoxins in fruits, respectively. Results , The stem afforded the limonoid salannin, which was previously found in the oil seeds of A. indica. Salannin is also found in the root bark of M. azedarach. Thus, the finding of salannin in this study suggests that it could have been translocated from the M. azedarach rootstock to the A. indica graft. HPLC-MS/MS analyses showed that azadirachtin was present in all parts of the fruits, stem, flowers and root, but absent in the leaves. The results of MALDI-MS analyses confirmed the absence of meliatoxins in graft fruits. Conclusion , This study showed that A. indica grafted onto M. azedarach rootstock produces azadirachtin, and also that its fruits are free of meliatoxins from rootstocks, confirming that this graft forms an excellent basis for breeding vigorous Neem trees in cooler regions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Azadirachta indica modulates carcinogen biotransformation and reduced glutathione at peri-initiation phase of benzo(a)pyrene induced murine forestomach tumorigenesisPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 9 2008Subhash Chander Gangar Abstract The present study evaluated the effects of aqueous Azadirachta indica leaf extract (AAILE) on the activities of certain phase I (cytochrome P450, cytochrome b5 and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase) as well as phase II (glutathione- S -transferase and UDP-glucuronosyl transferase) biotransformation enzymes; and reduced glutathione (GSH) (in forestomach and hepatic tissues) during/after intra-gastric instillations of B(a)P in murine forestomach tumorigenesis bioassay protocol. The activities of phase I biotransformation enzymes were found to increase, whereas a decrease in GSH content as well as glutathione- S -transferase was observed in mice receiving only B(a)P during as well as 2 weeks after B(a)P instillations. The activity of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase decreased during B(a)P instillations, whereas after the latter, the activity increased when compared with the control mice. However, in mice that received AAILE along with B(a)P instillations, a decrease in phase I enzymes was accompanied by an increase in phase II enzymes as well as GSH contents. Only AAILE treatment reduced the activities of phase I biotransformation enzymes and enhanced the GSH contents as well as the activities of phase II enzymes. Observations of the present study seem to be quite significant and (when taken together with our earlier findings) provides evidence for A. indica mediated modulation of the peri-initiation phase of the process of forestomach tumorigenesis. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||