Corn Grown as Affected by Excess Soil Water

In a two-year study, com was subjected to controlled flooding during various physiological stages of growth by using specially constructed isolated field plots to determine how growth and grain yield were affected by excess soil water. Com was most susceptible to flooding at the early-vegetative stage (36 days after planting) with maximum reductions in plant-canopy height, dry-matter production, and grain yield. Two-year averages of the crop susceptibility (CS) factors calculated from the yield data were 0.64, 0.44, 0.15, and 0.19 for early-vegetative, late-vegetative, flowering, and yield-formation stages of growth, respectively. The SDI concept was tested by comparing the relative yield-SDI relationships for a nearby area with naturally fluctuating water tables using CS values obtained in this study. The SDI models indicated a linear decrease in the relative yield with increasing wetness (SDI values), but the best-fit regression lines of the yield-SDI data for the undrained area differed considerably between years

Purification and characterization of a low molecular mass alkaliphilic lipase of Bacillus cereus MTCC 8372

A low molecular mass alkaliphilic extra-cellular lipase of Bacillus cereus MTCC 8372 was purified 35-fold by hydrophobic interaction (Octyl-Sepharose) chromatography. The purified enzyme was found to be electrophoretically pure by denaturing gel electrophoresis and possessed a molecular mass of approximately 8 kDa. It is a homopentamer of 40 kDa as revealed by native-PAGE. The lipase was optimally active at 55 &deg;C and retained approximately half of its original activity after 40 min incubation at 55 &deg;C. The enzyme was maximally active at pH 8.5. Mg 2+ , Cu 2+ , Ca 2+ , Hg 2+ , Al 3+ and Fe 3+ at 1 mM enhanced hydrolytic activity of the lipase. Interestingly, Hg 2+ ions synergized and Zn 2+ and Co 2+ ions antagonized the lipase activity. Among surfactants, Tween 80 promoted the lipase activity. Phenyl methyl sulfonyl fluoride (PMSF, 15 mM) decreased 98% of original activity of lipase. The lipase was highly specific towards p -nitrophenyl palmitate and showed a V max and K m of 0.70 mmol.mg &minus;1 .min &minus;1 and 32 mM for hydrolysis of p NPP.<br /

Identification of unprecedented anticancer properties of high molecular weight biomacromolecular complex containing bovine lactoferrin (HMW-bLf)

With the successful clinical trials, multifunctional glycoprotein bovine lactoferrin is gaining attention as a safe nutraceutical and biologic drug targeting cancer, chronic-inflammatory, viral and microbial diseases. Interestingly, recent findings that human lactoferrin oligomerizes under simulated physiological conditions signify the possible role of oligomerization in the multifunctional activities of lactoferrin molecule during infections and in disease targeting signaling pathways. Here we report the purification and physicochemical characterization of high molecular weight biomacromolecular complex containing bovine lactoferrin (&ge;250 kDa), from bovine colostrum, a naturally enriched source of lactoferrin. It showed structural similarities to native monomeric iron free (Apo) lactoferrin (&sim;78-80 kDa), retained anti-bovine lactoferrin antibody specific binding and displayed potential receptor binding properties when tested for cellular internalization. It further displayed higher thermal stability and better resistance to gut enzyme digestion than native bLf monomer. High molecular weight bovine lactoferrin was functionally bioactive and inhibited significantly the cell proliferation (p&lt;0.01) of human breast and colon carcinoma derived cells. It induced significantly higher cancer cell death (apoptosis) and cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner in cancer cells than the normal intestinal cells. Upon cellular internalization, it led to the up-regulation of caspase-3 expression and degradation of actin. In order to identify the cutting edge future potential of this bio-macromolecule in medicine over the monomer, its in-depth structural and functional properties need to be investigated further

Effect of planting geometry and training on growth and seed yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of planting geometry and training on growth and seed yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) using cultivar Solan Lalima during Kharif 2013 at Experimental Farm of Department of Seed Science and Technology, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (H.P.). The treatments comprised of four training levels i.e. Y1 (single stem), Y2 (double stem), Y3 (unpruned with horizontal string) and Y4 (unpruned bush stakes (control)) and eight plant densities viz. S1 (60×15 cm), S2 (60+30×15 cm), S3 (60×30 cm), S4 (60+30×30 cm), S5 (90×15 cm), S6 (90+30×15 cm), S7 (90×30 cm) and S8 (90+30×30 cm). Analysis of variance showed that the treatment combination Y1S7 (single stem and plant spaced at 90×30 cm) resulted in maximum ripe fruit length and width (5.86 cm and 5.06 cm, respectively), maximum number of seeds/fruit (110.67), minimum days to ripe fruit harvest (71.00) and maximum harvest duration (59.84 days) but gave the low seed yield. The combination Y2S5 (double stem and 90×15 cm) resulted highest seed yield i.e. 519.71 kg per hectare. Therefore, planting density S5 (90x15 cm) in combination with training system Y2 (double stem) may be recommended for commercial seed production of tomato

Cost Effectiveness of Rainwater Harvesting for Groundwater Recharge in Micro-Watersheds of Kolar District of India: The Case Study of Thotli Micro-Watershed

This study has estimated the supply augmentation of groundwater recharge due to creation of water harvesting structures and has assessed the cost-effectiveness of rainwater harvesting for groundwater recharge on watershed basis in one of the sub-watersheds of the Kolar district, Peninsular India — a typically hard-rock area. The study is based on the primary data for the year 2008-09 collected from a sample of 90 farmers having irrigation bore-wells in the selected watershed named Thotli. The study has indicated that the annual draft of irrigation water exceeds the annual recharge, causing a negative balance. On an average, the returns per rupee investment have been found to be ` 1.80 on farm pond, ` 1.78 on recharge pit and ` 1.39 on field bund. The cost incurred to impound a metre cube of water has been found as ` 3.01 in the case of field bund, where estimated recharge benefit is 5.6 m3, ` 1.67 /m3 in the case of recharge pit (with an estimated recharge benefit of 720 m3), and ` 1.33 /m3 in the case of farm pond (recharge benefit of 1350 m3). The discounted cost-benefit analysis of the investment on water harvesting structures has indicated that the investment on water harvesting structures is cost-effective and financially-viable.Rainwater harvesting, Economic feasibility, Groundwater recharge, Watershed, Agricultural and Food Policy, Q15, Q25,