Assessing the Effects of Integrated Soil Fertility Management on Biological Efficiency and Economic Advantages of Intercropped Maize (Zea Mays L.) and Soybean (Glycine Max L.) in DR Congo

Interactions among species play an important role in determining the structure and the dynamics of plant communities. The main objectives of the study were (i) to assess and compare different competition indices and their relationship with yield component under different inorganic and organic fertilizers regimes; and (ii), to identify nutrient management regimes options that lead to high yields and incomes in a maize-soybean intercropping system. Effects of integrated soil practices management on crop competition, yields components and economics advantage in maize-soybean intercropping system in a savannah region of the DR-Congo were investigated. Field trials were conducted at two sites in a randomized complete block design with six treatments replicated four times. Grain yield and yield components increased under integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) (inorganic or mineral and organic fertilization combined) than other treatments at the two sites of the study. Organic biomass application resulted in similar grain yield production than the inorganic (mineral) fertilizer application. The required land decreased when soil was fertilized compared to the control. Land equivalent coefficient (LEC) values ranged from 0.50 to 0.79. Soybean intercropped with maize resulted in an area-time equivalency ratio (ATER) higher than 1 for all the treatments confirming the intrinsic advantage of intercropping over sole crops. Among all the treatments, integrated nutrient management (ISFM) resulted in higher yields and monetary advantage index (MAI) values for maize/soybean mixture compared to other treatments. The highest MAI of 343891 was generated by the Tithonia (organic) – inorganic applications

Insulinotropic action of α-D-glucose pentaacetate: Functional aspects

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Synergistic insulinotropic action of succinate, acetate, and glucose esters in islets from normal and diabetic rats.

Succinic acid esters are currently under investigation as possible insulinotropic tools in the treatment of noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The present article introduces three novel nutrient esters and aims mainly to explore, in both normal and GK rats, the secretory response to such esters when tested alone or in combination. It documents that in pancreatic islets from normal rats, methyl acetate (10 mM), which fails to augment basal insulin output, potentiates the secretory response to succinate dimethyl ester (also 10 mM). It also reveals that alpha-D-glucose pentaacetate (alpha GPA) (1.7 mM) stimulates insulin release in the absence of any other exogenous nutrient and even more so in the presence of succinate methyl ester. Moreover, the methyl esters of succinic acid (10 mM), when used together with either methyl acetate or alpha GPA, provoked insulin secretion in islets from diabetic GK rats incubated in the absence of D-glucose, although no significant secretory response of such islets could be detected when each of these agents was tested separately. These findings thus draw attention to the insulinotropic potential in type 2 diabetes of selected combinations of nutrient esters, including a D-glucose ester presumably able to enter into islet cells without requiring the intervention of a hexose carrier.Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe