Abstract: Among the many promising nanomaterials with antifungal properties, metal nanoparticles (silver nanoparticles) stand out due to their high chemical activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against Phomopsis sp. AgNPs were synthesized by silver nitrate reduction with sodium citrate and stabilized with ammonia. The synthesized AgNPs have further been characterized by UV/Visible spectroscopy, Biophysical techniques like Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The average diameter of the prepared silver colloidal nanoparticles was about 52 nm. Absolute inhibitions (100%) were observed on treated with a 270 and 540 µg ml-1 concentration of AgNPs. The results from the study of the AgNPs antifungal effect are significant and suggest that the synthesized silver nanoparticles may have an advantage compared with conventional fungicides.
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the
chemical and biological properties of local cowpea seed protein
cultivated in Gizan region. The results showed that the cowpea and
its products contain high level of protein (22.9-77.6%), high
carbohydrates (9.4-64.3%) and low fats (0.1-0.3%). The trypsin and
chymotrypsin activities were found to be 32.2 and 15.2 units,
respectively. These activities were not affected in both defatted and
protein concentrate whereas they were significantly reduced in
isolated protein and cooked samples. The phytate content of cooked
and concentrated cowpea samples varied from 0.25% -0.32%,
respectively. Tannin content was found to be 0.4% and 0.23% for
cooked and raw samples, respectively. The in vitro protein
digestibility was very high in cowpea seeds (75.04-78.76%). The
biological evaluation using rats showed that the group fed with
animal feed containing casein gain more weight than those fed with
that containing cowpea. However, the group fed with cooked cowpea
gain more weight than those fed with uncooked cowpea. On the
other hand, in vivo digestion showed high value (98.33%) among the
group consumed casein compared to other groups those consumed
cowpea contains feed. This could be attributed to low antinutritional
factors in casein contains feed compared to those of cowpea contains
feed because cooking significantly increased the digestion rate
(80.8% to 83.5%) of cowpea contains feed. Furthermore, the
biological evaluation was high (91.67%) of casein containing feed
compared to that of cowpea containing feed (80.83%-87.5%). The
net protein utilization (NPU) was higher (89.67%) in the group fed
with casein containing feed than that of cowpea containing feed
(56.33%-69.67%).
Abstract: Principally, plants grown in soilless culture may be
attacked by the same pests and diseases as cultivated traditionally in
soil. The most destructive phytopathogens are fungi, such as
Phythium, Phytophthora and Fusarium, followed by viruses, bacteria
and nematodes. We investigated effect of carbon nanotube filters on
disease management of soilless culture. Tomato seedlings transplant
in plastic pots filled with a soilless media of vermiculite. The crop
irrigated and fertilized using a hydroponic nutrient solution. We used
carbon nanotube filters for nutrient solution disinfection. Our results
show that carbon nanotube filtration significantly reduces pathogens
on tomato plants. Fungal elimination (Fusarium oxysporum and
Pythium spp.) was usually successful at about 96 to 99.9% all over
the cultural season. It is seem that in tomato soilless culture,
nanofiltration constitutes a reliable method that allows control of the
development of diseases caused by pathogenic fungi
Abstract: Our results showed that for the growth of qualitative
seedling and vegetative raw material of ðó. marschallianus Willd. and
T. serphyllum L. it is more profitable to use the in vitro and
hydroponics combined method. In in vitro culture it is possible to do
micro-propagation whole year with 98-99% rhizogenesis. 30000
micro-plants were obtained from one explant during 9 months.
Hydroponic conditions provide the necessary microclimate for
microplants where the survival rate without acclimatization was
93.3%. The essential oil content in hydroponic dry herb of both
species in vegetative and blossom phase was 1.3% whereas in wild
plants it was 1.2%, the content of extractive substances and vitamin
C also exceeded wild plants. Our biochemical and radiochemical
investigations indicated that the medicinal raw materials obtained
from hydroponic and wild plants of Thymus species correspond to
the demands of SPh XI, and the content of artificial radionuclides
does not exceed the MACL.
Abstract: Ozone (O3) is considered as one of the most
phytotoxic pollutants with deleterious effects on living and non living
components of Ecosystems. It reduces growth and yield of many
crops as well as alters the physiology and crop quality. The present
study described series of experiments to investigate the effects of
ambient O3 at different locations with different ambient levels of O3
depending on proximity to pollutant source and ranged between 17
ppb/h in control experiment to 112 ppb/h in industrial area
respectively. The ambient levels in other three locations (King Saud
University botanical garden, King Fahd Rd, and Almanakh Garden)
were 61,61,77 ppb/h respectively. Tow legume crops species (vicia
vaba L ; and Pisum sativum) differ in their phenology and sensitivity
were used. The results showed a significant negative effect to ozone
on morphology, number of injured leaves, growth and productivity
with a difference in the degree of response depending on the plant
type. Visia Faba showed sensitivity to ozone to number and leaf area
and the degree of injury leaves 3, pisum sativum show higher
sensitivity for the gas for degree of injury 1,The relative growth rate
and seed weight, it turns out there is no significant difference
between the two plants in plant height and number of seeds.
Abstract: Biochemical and molecular analysis of some
antioxidant enzyme genes revealed different level of gene expression
on oilseed (Brassica napus). For molecular and biochemical
analysis, leaf tissues were harvested from plants at eight different
developmental stages, from young to senescence. The levels of total
protein and chlorophyll were increased during maturity stages of
plant, while these were decreased during the last stages of plant
growth. Structural analysis (nucleotide and deduced amino acid
sequence, and phylogenic tree) of a complementary DNA revealed a
high level of similarity for a family of Catalase genes. The
expression of the gene encoded by different Catalase isoforms was
assessed during different plant growth phase. No significant
difference between samples was observed, when Catalase activity
was statistically analyzed at different developmental stages. EST
analysis exhibited different transcripts levels for a number of other
relevant antioxidant genes (different isoforms of SOD and
glutathione). The high level of transcription of these genes at
senescence stages was indicated that these genes are senescenceinduced
genes.
Abstract: An attempt was made to study of nitrogen
components response of corn (Zea mays L.) to drought stress. A farm
research was done in RCBD as split-plot with four replications in
Khorramabad, west Iran. Drought stress levels as irrigation regimes
after 75 (control), 100, and 120 (stress) mm cumulative evaporation
were in main plots, and four seed corn varieties include 500 (medium
maturity), 647, 700, and 704 (long maturity) were as subplots.
Soluble protein, nitrate and proline amino acid were measured in
shoot and root at flowering stage, and grain yield was measured in
harvesting stage. As the drought progressed, the amount of nitrate
and proline followed an increasing trend, but soluble protein
decreased in shoot and root. The highest amount of nitrate and
proline was observed in longer maturity varieties than shorter ones,
but decrease yield of long maturity varieties was higher than medium
maturity varieties in drought condition, because of long duration of
stress.
Abstract: The influences of pulsed electric fields on early
physiological development in Arabidopsis thaliana were studied.
Inside a 4-mm electroporation cuvette, pre-germination seeds were
subjected to high-intensity, nanosecond electrical pulses generated
using laboratory-assembled pulsed electric field system. The field
strength was varied from 5 to 20 kV.cm-1 and the pulse width and the
pulse number were maintained at 10 ns and 100, respectively,
corresponding to the specific treatment energy from 300 J.kg-1 to 4.5
kJ.kg-1. Statistical analyses on the average leaf area 5 and 15 days
following pulsed electric field treatment showed that the effects
appear significant the second week after treatments with a maximum
increase of 80% compared to the control (P < 0.01).
Abstract: In order to study of hydropriming and halopriming on
germination and early growth stage of wheat (Triticum aestivum) an
experiment was carried out in laboratory of the Department of
Agronomy and Plant breeding, Shahrood University of Technology.
Seed treatments consisted of T1: control (untreated seeds), T2:
soaking in distilled water for 18 h (hydropriming). T3: soaking in -
1.2 MPa solution of CaSO4 for 36 h (halopriming). Germination and
early seedling growth were studied using distilled water (control) and
under osmotic potentials of -0.4, -0.8 and -1.2 MPa for NaCl and
polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000), respectively. Results showed that
Hydroprimed seeds achieved maximum germination seedling dry
weight, especially during the higher osmotic potentials. Minimum
germination was recorded at untreated seeds (control) followed by
osmopriming. Under high osmotic potentials, hydroprimed seeds had
higher GI (germination index) as compared to haloprimed or
untreated seeds. Interaction effect of seed treatment and osmotic
potential significantly affected the seedling vigour index (SVI).
Abstract: The acid rain causes change in pH level of soil it is
directly influence on root and leaf growth. Yield of the crop was
reduced if acidity of soil is more. Acid rain seeps into the earth and
poisons plants and trees by dissolving toxic substances in the soil,
such as aluminum, which get absorbed by the roots. In present
investigation, effect of acid rain on crop Vigna radiata was studied.
The effect of acid rain on change in soil fertility was detected in
which pH of control sample was 6.5 and pH of 1% H2SO4 and 1%
HNO3 were 3.5. Nitrogen nitrate in soil was high in 1% HNO3 treated
soil & Control sample. Ammonium nitrogen in soil was low in 1%
HNO3 & H2SO4 treated soil. Ammonium nitrogen was medium in
control and other samples. The effect of acid rain on seed
germination on 3rd day of germination control sample growth was
6.1cm with plumule 0.001% HNO3 & 0.001% H2SO4 was 5.5cm
with plumule and 8cm with plumule. On 10th day fungal growth was
observed in 1% and 0.1% H2SO4 concentrations when all plants were
dead. The effect of acid rain on crop productivity was investigated on
3rd day roots were developed in plants. On 12th day Vigna radiata
showed more growth in 0.1% HNO3 and 0.1% H2SO4 treated plants
as compare to control plants. On 20th day development of
discoloration of plant pigments were observed on acid treated plants
leaves. On 34th day Vigna radiata showed flower in 0.1% HNO3,
0.01% HNO3 and 0.01% H2SO4treated plants and no flowers were
observed on control plants. On 42th day 0.1% HNO3, 0.01% HNO
and 0.01% H2SO4 treated Vigna radiata variety and control plants
were showed seeds on plants. In Vigna radiate variety 0.1%, 0.01%
HNO3, 0.01% H2SO4treated plants were dead on 46th day and fungal
growth was observed. The toxicological study was carried out on
Vigna radiata plants exposed to 1% HNO3 cells were damaged more
than 1% H2SO4. Leaf sections exposed to 0.001% HNO3 & H2SO4
showed less damaged of cells and pigmentation observed in entire
slide when compare with control plant.
Abstract: Presence of phytosterol compound in Durian seed
(Durio zibethinus) or known as King of fruits has been discovered
from screening work using reagent test. Further analysis work has
been carried out using mass spectrometer in order to support the
priliminary finding. Isolation and purification of the major
phytosterol has been carried out using an open column
chromatography. The separation was monitored using thin layer
chromatography (TLC). Major isolated compounds and purified
phytosterol were identified using mass spectrometer and nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR). This novel finding could promote
utilization of durian seeds as a functional ingredient in food products
through production of standardized extract based on phytosterol
content.
Abstract: Segmentation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) images is the most challenging problems in medical imaging. This paper compares the performances of Seed-Based Region Growing (SBRG), Adaptive Network-Based Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and Fuzzy c-Means (FCM) in brain abnormalities segmentation. Controlled experimental data is used, which designed in such a way that prior knowledge of the size of the abnormalities are known. This is done by cutting various sizes of abnormalities and pasting it onto normal brain tissues. The normal tissues or the background are divided into three different categories. The segmentation is done with fifty seven data of each category. The knowledge of the size of the abnormalities by the number of pixels are then compared with segmentation results of three techniques proposed. It was proven that the ANFIS returns the best segmentation performances in light abnormalities, whereas the SBRG on the other hand performed well in dark abnormalities segmentation.
Abstract: The comparative analysis of different taxonomic
groups of microorganisms isolated from dark chernozem soils under
different agricultures (alfalfa, melilot, sainfoin, soybean, rapeseed) at
Almaty region of Kazakhstan was conducted. It was shown that the
greatest number of micromycetes was typical to the soil planted with
alfalfa and canola. Species diversity of micromycetes markedly
decreases as it approaches the surface of the root, so that the species
composition in the rhizosphere is much more uniform than in the
virgin soil. Promising strains of microscopic fungi and yeast with
plant growth-promoting activity to agricultures were selected. Among
the selected fungi there are representatives of Penicillium bilaiae,
Trichoderma koningii, Fusarium equiseti, Aspergillus ustus. The
highest rates of growth and development of seedlings of plants
observed under the influence of yeasts Aureobasidium pullulans,
Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Metschnikovia pulcherrima. Using
molecular - genetic techniques confirmation of the identification
results of selected micromycetes was conducted.
Abstract: TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal
method at 180°C from TiOSO4 aqueous solution with1m/l
concentration. The obtained products were coated with silica by
means of a seeded polymerization technique for a coating time of
1440 minutes to obtain well defined TiO2@SiO2 core-shell structure.
The uncoated and coated nanoparticles were characterized by using
X-Ray diffraction technique (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared
Spectroscopy (FT-IR) to study their physico-chemical properties.
Evidence from XRD and FTIR results show that SiO2 is
homogenously coated on the surface of titania particles. FTIR spectra
show that there exists an interaction between TiO2 and SiO2 and
results in the formation of Ti-O-Si chemical bonds at the interface of
TiO2 particles and SiO2 coating layer. The non linear optical limiting
properties of TiO2 and TiO2@SiO2 nanoparticles dispersed in
ethylene glycol were studied at 532nm using 5ns Nd:YAG laser
pulses. Three-photon absorption is responsible for optical limiting
characteristics in these nanoparticles and it is seen that the optical
nonlinearity is enhanced in core-shell structures when compared with
single counterparts. This effective three-photon type absorption at
this wavelength, is of potential application in fabricating optical
limiting devices.
Abstract: In this work, biohydrogen production via dark
fermentation from alcohol wastewater using upflow anaerobic sludge
blanket reactors (UASB) with a working volume of 4 L was
investigated to find the optimum conditions for a maximum hydrogen
yield. The system was operated at different COD loading rates (23,
31, 46 and 62 kg/m3d) at mesophilic temperature (37 ºC) and pH 5.5.
The seed sludge was pretreated before being fed to the UASB system
by boiling at 95 ºC for 15 min. When the system was operated under
the optimum COD loading rate of 46 kg/m3d, it provided the
hydrogen content of 27%, hydrogen yield of 125.1 ml H2/g COD
removed and 95.1 ml H2/g COD applied, hydrogen production rate of
18 l/d, specific hydrogen production rate of 1080 ml H2/g MLVSS d
and 1430 ml H2/ L d, and COD removal of 24%.
Abstract: We present here the results for a comparative study of
some techniques, available in the literature, related to the relevance
feedback mechanism in the case of a short-term learning. Only one
method among those considered here is belonging to the data mining
field which is the K-nearest neighbors algorithm (KNN) while the
rest of the methods is related purely to the information retrieval field
and they fall under the purview of the following three major axes:
Shifting query, Feature Weighting and the optimization of the
parameters of similarity metric. As a contribution, and in addition to
the comparative purpose, we propose a new version of the KNN
algorithm referred to as an incremental KNN which is distinct from
the original version in the sense that besides the influence of the
seeds, the rate of the actual target image is influenced also by the
images already rated. The results presented here have been obtained
after experiments conducted on the Wang database for one iteration
and utilizing color moments on the RGB space. This compact
descriptor, Color Moments, is adequate for the efficiency purposes
needed in the case of interactive systems. The results obtained allow
us to claim that the proposed algorithm proves good results; it even
outperforms a wide range of techniques available in the literature.
Abstract: The effect of flooding can be a serious problem for
wheat farmers, even at dry land condition. Amount of flooding
damage depends on duration flooding, developmental stage, wheat
type and variety. Therefore as a factorial experiment in randomized
complete design based on winter bread wheat cultivars (Pishtaz,
Marvdasht, Shiraz, Zarin, Shahriar, C-81-4, Sardari, Agosta seed,
FGS and Azar2) at stages (Non- flooding stress, flooding at tillering
and stem elongation stages for 15 days) carried out in Faculty of
Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran. During flooding,
soil environment of plant roots were water saturated. Analysis of
variance showed that flooding had a significant effect on the number
of grains per spike, grain weight per spike and a grain weight. Hence
flooding reduces the number of grain per spike between 27.1 to 42.5
percent, grain weight per spike between 34.7 to 54.4 percent and
single grain weight between 12.1 to 15.1 percent. Effects of flooding
at the tillering stage reduced higher than stem elongation stage on
studied traits. The result also showed that flooding at tillering stage
delayed spikelet primordial and floret. Between wheat cultivars was
significant for traits, but were different reactions. "Shiraz", "Zarin"
and "Shahriar" had the most no. grain per spike, but "Zarin" and
"Sardari" had the most grain weight per spike and single grain
weight, respectively. Also, interaction between start of flooding and
cultivar was significant.
Abstract: New biostimulator from wheat seeds which by its
chemical composition relates to fusicoccin is presented in this article.
New biostimulator could be used as powerful hormonal substance
that has ability to increase productivity and salt tolerance of
agricultural plants. Also on the basis of biostimulator we have
developed vegetative method for fast reproduction of perennial plants
as desert plant - Tamarix gracilis.
Abstract: The agriculture lignocellulosic by-products are receiving increased attention, namely in the search for filter materials that retain contaminants from water. These by-products, specifically almond and hazelnut shells are abundant in Portugal once almond and hazelnuts production is a local important activity. Hazelnut and almond shells have as main constituents lignin, cellulose and hemicelluloses, water soluble extractives and tannins. Along the adsorption of heavy metals from contaminated waters, water soluble compounds can leach from shells and have a negative impact in the environment. Usually, the chemical characterization of treated water by itself may not show environmental impact caused by the discharges when parameters obey to legal quality standards for water. Only biological systems can detect the toxic effects of the water constituents. Therefore, the evaluation of toxicity by biological tests is very important when deciding the suitability for safe water discharge or for irrigation applications.
The main purpose of the present work was to assess the potential impacts of waters after been treated for heavy metal removal by hazelnut and almond shells adsorption systems, with short term acute toxicity tests.
To conduct the study, water at pH 6 with 25 mg.L-1 of lead, was treated with 10 g of shell per litre of wastewater, for 24 hours. This procedure was followed for each bark. Afterwards the water was collected for toxicological assays; namely bacterial resistance, seed germination, Lemna minor L. test and plant grow. The effect in isolated bacteria strains was determined by disc diffusion method and the germination index of seed was evaluated using lettuce, with temperature and humidity germination control for 7 days. For aquatic higher organism, Lemnas were used with 4 days contact time with shell solutions, in controlled light and temperature. For terrestrial higher plants, biomass production was evaluated after 14 days of tomato germination had occurred in soil, with controlled humidity, light and temperature.
Toxicity tests of water treated with shells revealed in some extent effects in the tested organisms, with the test assays showing a close behaviour as the control, leading to the conclusion that its further utilization may not be considered to create a serious risk to the environment.
Abstract: A new SUZ-4 zeolite membrane with
tetraethlyammonium hydroxide as the template was fabricated on
mullite tube via hydrothermal sol-gel synthesis in a rotating
autoclave reactor. The suitable synthesis condition was SiO2:Al2O3
ratio of 21.2 for 4 days at 155 °C crystallization under autogenous
pressure. The obtained SUZ-4 possessed a high BET surface area of
396.4 m2/g, total pore volume at 2.611 cm3/g, and narrow pore size
distribution with 97 nm mean diameter and 760 nm long of needle
crystal shape. The SUZ-4 layer obtained from seeding crystallization
was thicker than that of without seeds or in situ crystallization.