Oxidative discolouration in whole-head and cut lettuce: biochemical and environmental influences on a complex phenotype and potential breeding strategies to improve shelf-life

Lettuce discolouration is a key post-harvest trait. The major enzyme controlling oxidative discolouration has long been considered to be polyphenol oxidase (PPO) however, levels of PPO and subsequent development of discolouration symptoms have not always correlated. The predominance of a latent state of the enzyme in plant tissues combined with substrate activation and contemporaneous suicide inactivation mechanisms are considered as potential explanations for this phenomenon. Leaf tissue physical properties have been associated with subsequent discolouration and these may be influenced by variation in nutrient availability, especially excess nitrogen and head maturity at harvest. Mild calcium and irrigation stress has also been associated with a reduction in subsequent discolouration, although excess irrigation has been linked to increased discolouration potentially through leaf physical properties. These environmental factors, including high temperature and UV light intensities, often have impacts on levels of phenolic compounds linking the environmental responses to the biochemistry of the PPO pathway. Breeding strategies targeting the PALand PPOpathway biochemistry and environmental response genes are discussed as a more cost-effective method of mitigating oxidative discolouration then either modified atmosphere packaging or post-harvest treatments, although current understanding of the biochemistry means that such programs are likely to be limited in nature and it is likely that they will need to be deployed alongside other methods for the foreseeable future

Improvement of baby corn yield by using green manure

Suitable rates of compost and chemical fertilizers to improve baby corn yield have been reported ; information on an appropriate type of green manure to increase its yield is rather limited. Use of green manure showed from a farmer with a practicable method in actual fields, which is not expensive and can be adjusted to the physical and chemical characteristics of soil. Therefore , the major objective of this experiment was to find a way to improve the yield of baby corn through the use of five types of green manure treatments and control, comprising no green manure (control), mung bean (Vigna radiata L.), hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus L.), sword bean (Canavaria ensiformis L.), copwea (Vigna unguiculata L.) and sesbania (Sesbania rostrata Brem.). The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications on June 2000, tested at the experimental field of Agricultural Technology Department, Technology Faculty, Mahasarakham University, Kantharawichai District, Maha Sarakham Province. The results indicated that sesbania used as green manure resulted in a fresh weight content higher than the others, and promoted plant height, plant diameter, leaf area, ear number / plant, yield both before and after peeling / rai, ear weight both before and after peeling / ear, ear diameter after peeling and standard yield content / rai consequently. In addition, the ear color after peeling was satisfactory for consumers. Yield contents / rai grown on the other sources of green manures were significantly lower (P < 0.01

Developing an Implementation Guideline to International Standard School for Schools under Secondary Educational Service Area Office 25

The objectives of developing an implementation guideline to international standard school for schools under secondary educational service area office 25 were ; 1) to study present and problem an implementation guideline to international standard school for schools under secondary educational service area office 25 and 2) to develop an implementation guideline to international standard school for schools under secondary educational service area office 25. There were 68 samples ; administrators, deputy administrators, head of quality management systems, and academic teachers by purposive sampling. The tools used to collect the data were the five level scale questionnaire and structured interviews. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and descriptive analysis. The researcher set the research by 2 phase. The first phase educated present and problem an implementation guideline to international standard school for schools under secondary educational service area office 25. The research was assessed feasibility of developing an implementation guideline to international standard school for schools under secondary educational service area office 25 by 5 experts. The research results were: 1. The present and problem an implementation guideline to international standard school for schools under secondary educational service area office 25 found that the overall present were at the high level and each one was at the high level. The overall problem were at the low and each one was at the moderate 2 aspects ; The leadership and the focus on personnel. Then it was at the low level. 2. Developing an implementation guideline to international standard school for schools under secondary educational service area office 25 found that 1) the leadership had set with the vision, values, performance of the school’s senior leadership, including good governance of the school, implementation of the ethics law, and responsibility for the community, 2) strategic planning had managed the preparation of the strategic objectives and the action plan of the school, 3) the focus on learners and stakeholders had managed to build strong ties with students and stakeholders, 4) measurement, analysis and knowledge management had managed to collect, analyze, manage, improve information, knowledge assets, and Information technology management 5) the focus on personnel had managed about the bunch, the development, and personnel management, 6) process management had managed to define core competencies and systems, design management and improve critical processes, and 7) the results had managed available to management on how to assess the performance of schools and improvements in important aspects. In summary, the results of research on developing an implementation guideline to international standard school for schools under secondary educational service area office 25 ; educational institutions, government organizations and the private sector can bring research results to be used effectively

Guidelines Developing for Participatory Management Administration of the School Board under the Office of Secondary Educational Service Area 21

This purposes of this research were: 1) to study factors and indicators of the participatory administration of the school board. 2) to study current and desirable situations of the participatory administration of the school board. 3) to develop a guidelines for development in the participatory administration of the school board. The research was designed into 3 phrases. Phrase 1 was to study factors and indicators of administration participatory of the school board. Phrase 2 was to study the current and desirable situations of administration participatory of the school board. Phrase 3 was to develop a guidelines for administration participatory of the school board. Sample in phrase 1 were 5 experts. Phrase 2 were 248 the school board. phrase 3 were 5 experts. The research instruments were the questionnaire with 5 rating scale and the appropriate evaluation form. The data were analyzed by percentage, mean, standard deviation and Modified Priority Needs Index. The research results were as followed 1. Administration of the school board under the Secondary Education Service Area Office 21 consisted of 3 factors and 16 indicators. The factors were: 1) Planning including 6 Indicators 2) Implementation including 7 indicators 3) Evaluation and monitoring of school performance including 6 Indicators. 2. The current situations of participatory administration of the school board under The Secondary Education Service Area Office 21 as the whole and each factor were at the amoderate level. The desirable situations of participatory administration of the school board under The Secondary Education Service Area Office 21 as the whole and each factor were at the high level 3. The development the guidelines for the participatory administration of the school board under the Secondary Education Service Area Office 21. results of the analysis of modified priority needs index found that the priority items were Planning, Implementation, Evaluation and monitoring of school performance. The guidelines for administration participatory of the school board were 3.1) planning: schools provided the knowledge of roles and functions of the school board via the various mode of training ; communicated the school board constantly in order to participate in planning vision formation, annually action plan, the short-term and long-term school development plan ; participated in planning for fund raising and educational resources ; participated in planning for staff and students development 3.2) implementation: be the leaders for fund raising ; collaborated with local wisdom for providing career skills and learning for local arts and cultural conservation ; participate in the events which the enhancement of school and community relationship ; collaborated with the private and gorvermental sectors for school supportion, 3.3) evaluation and monitoring of school performance: monitored the various school administrative affairs which were congruent to the school policy and annually action plan. The evaluation of guidelines for administration participatory of the school board was at the highest level of appropriateness

Distribution of Silicified Microstructures, Regulation of Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase and Lodging Resistance in Silicon and Paclobutrazol Mediated Oryza sativa

Lodging is a phenomenon that affects most of the cereal crops including rice, Oryza sativa. This is due to the fragile nature of herbaceous plants whose stems are non-woody, thus affecting its ability to grow upright. Silicon (Si), a beneficial nutrient is often used to toughen and protect plants from biotic and abiotic stresses. Deposition of Si in plant tissues enhances the rigidity and stiffness of the plant as a whole. Silicified cells provide the much needed strength to the culm to resist breaking. Lignin plays important roles in cell wall structural integrity, stem strength, transport, mechanical support, and plant pathogen defense. The aim of this study is to resolve effects of Si on formation of microstructure and regulation of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), a key gene responsible for lignin biosynthesis. Besides evaluating silicon, paclobutrazol (PBZ) a plant growth retartdant that reduces internode elongation is also incorporated in this study. Hardness, brittleness and stiffness were improved in presence of silicon thus reducing lodging. Scanning electron micrographs with the aid of energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) was used to map silicon distribution. Presence of trichomes, silica cells, and silica bodies were detected in silicon treated plants. Transcripts of CAD gene was also upregulated in these plants. Besides, phloroglucinol staining showed presence of lignified vascular bundles and sclerenchyma band. In conclusion, silicon treated rice plants showed an increase in lignin content, silicon content, and formation of silicified microstructures