Annals of Agricultural Science最新文献

African swine fever is an important viral disease of domestic pigs and wild boars. Inactivation of the African swine fever virus (ASFV) contaminating equipment and premises is an effective biosecurity risk management measure to prevent the introduction of ASFV through contaminated fomites and the environment. Even though some chemical agents' virucidal activity against ASFV was previously demonstrated, compound disinfectants are still limited. For the fact that the ASFV titer in some excretions from pigs was far >4 log. Even after the application of disinfectants as instructed by the manufacturers, the excessive ASFV load in the excretions from pigs could contaminate fomites or the environment. To solve this dilemma, the concept of contact time of disinfectant for 1–log reduction was introduced, as the decimal reduction time or D value. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the inactivation rate of four compound disinfectants against ASFV as the D value. Four compound disinfectants (iodine and phenol, quaternary ammonium and alcohol, and two quaternary ammonium and glutaraldehyde compounds) currently used in the veterinary field were evaluated in a suspension test at 25 °C in the absence of interfering substances. Primary porcine alveolar macrophages were used to determine the titer of ASFV genotype II (strain VNUA/HY-ASF1/Vietnam/2019). The virucidal activity of four compound disinfectants achieved 4–log ASFV reduction. The mean D_0.5%, D_0.25%, and D_0.125% values of all disinfectants inactivating ASFV were 1.62–3.60, 2.60–3.8, and 2.89–3.90 min, respectively. The D value of disinfectants allows users to manipulate the appropriate concentration and/or contact time of the disinfectant, depending on the magnitude of ASFV contamination, to completely inactivate the ASFV titer on the fomites to minimise a potential biosecurity risk.

Calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) are essential nutrients for plant growth but the antagonistic effect between these nutrients may reduce crop yield. A two–year field trial was carried out in a loamy sand soil to evaluate cassava response to Ca (0, 50, 100, and 200 kg ha⁻¹, as ground limestone, GL) and K (0, 50, 100, and 200 kg K₂O ha⁻¹, as potassium chloride, KCl). Calcium addition, especially 200 kg Ca ha⁻¹, adversely affected soil K availability with more pronounced on water–soluble K than on exchangeable and non–exchangeable K from day–7 onwards. Both Ca and K had no antagonistic impact on cassava. However, growth and yield responded positively to K more promptly than to Ca. Combined rates, except 100 kg Ca ha⁻¹ with no K fertilizer, significantly increased fresh tuber yield by 7.6–41.1 % over the control. To gain the highest fresh tuber yield by adding 200 kg Ca ha⁻¹, 200 kg K₂O ha⁻¹ must be implemented. This light–textured soil was physically preferable for cassava tuberization, and the optimum yield can be achieved by proper Ca and K fertilization.

Fruits of the genus Ziziphus are known for their medicinal and nutritional value. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the influence of different maturity stages (unripe, half-ripe, and ripe fruit) at harvest on the physicochemical characteristics, phytochemical composition, antioxidants, and antibacterial activities of Ziziphus mauritiana and Ziziphus spina-christi fruits. In both plant species, the unripe fruits had significantly higher (P < 0.05) phenolic and flavonoid content and antioxidant and antibacterial activity compared with ripe fruits. At all maturity stages, these features were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in Z. spina-christi fruits than in Z. mauritiana fruits. Regardless of the species, 13 phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in the fruit extracts. For both species, the concentration of individual phenolic compounds changed with fruit maturity. Among the phenolic compounds, the gallic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, salicylic acid, catechin, and rutin levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in Z. spina-christi fruits than those for Z. mauritiana fruits, whereas vanillic acid and quercetin showed the opposite trend. Additionally, trans-cinnamic acid was only detected in Z. spina-christi fruits. In conclusion, the mature unripe jujube fruit, especially in Z. spina-christi, was shown to be a promising source of various naturally occurring compounds of significant interest owing to its pharmacological and therapeutic properties as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic.

Since the application of deficit water became a dominant tactic in crop irrigation, developing and surveying newly adapted genotypes should be adopted. In this study, we determined the physio-biochemical activities of 21 maize genotypes under 100 % and 70 % crop evapotranspiration irrigation conditions (normal and deficit irrigation, respectively) in sandy soil to determine which activities can identify drought-tolerant, high-yield genotypes. The experimental design was arranged in randomized complete blocks with three replicates. Results showed that the drought-tolerant parents and hybrids had the highest relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI), chlorophyll a and b (Chl. a, b), total chlorophyll (total Chl.), chlorophyll a/b ratio (Chl. a/b), chlorophyll stability index (CSI), proline, phenolic content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) levels. They also had the lowest malondialdehyde (MDA) content. The physio-biochemical traits were positively correlated with more tolerant inbred lines and hybrids that displayed a high yield under both irrigation treatments. Furthermore, maize parents that performed well under the 100 % and 70 % evapotranspiration levels were capable of producing high-performance hybrids under both conditions. Accordingly, the hybrids P1 x P6, P2 x P5, and P4 x P6 gave a high performance in sandy soil under both conditions, based on yield attributes estimation. It could be concluded that physio-biochemical traits can be used as effective selection criteria at the silking stage of maize plants to identify high-yield inbred lines and hybrids under stress and normal conditions. These findings will undoubtedly aid maize breeders in rapidly improving and developing new drought-tolerant varieties.

The study was carried out to evaluate the genotype by environment (G × E) interaction on physicochemical and functional properties of ten (10) cassava advanced genotypes and improved varieties. The genotypes and varieties were collected from a multi-location trial (Uniform yield) of the IITA breeding program at four research stations in Malawi. Based on the results, G × E interaction was highly significant (P ≤ 0.001) in explaining the variance of the physicochemical parameters and functional properties. Thus, G × E interaction highly influenced starch and amylopectin contents, swelling power, and water binding capacity. Additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis identified I010040, MM06/0045 and TMSL110080 genotypes and Mbundumali, Mpale and Sagonja varieties as the most stable with high yield performance hence recommended for cultivation in a wide range of environments for the production of high quality cassava flour (HQCF) and starch for various industrial applications such as the production of ethanol, biofuels, starch and glucose syrup in chemical industries; thickeners, stabilizers, and texture modifiers in food, bakery and confectionery industries.

The local variety of Jarak Towo cassava has a distinctive sweet taste and soft texture, suitable for use as raw materials for the creative food industry. The development of quality commodities requires suitable soil and land. This study aims to identify soil fertility index (SFI), determinants of SFI, and provide land management recommendations for developing the Jarak Towo in Jatiyoso Sub-Regency, Indonesia. The research phase consists of (1) determination of land map unit (LMU); (2) field survey; (3) soil sample analysis; (4) determination of the minimum soil fertility indicator (MSFI); (5) determination of soil fertility index (SFI) and (6) data analysis. Land Map Units are based on an altitude of 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, and 1400 m asl (meters above sea level), with 4 sampling points at each LMU. The results showed that soil fertility in Jatiyoso Sub-Regency was classified as moderate and high. Altitude greatly affects SFI. Area 1200–1400 m asl have moderate SFI while area 400–1000 m asl have high SFI. An altitude of 1000 m asl has the potential for the development area of Jarak Towo. Determinant factors of soil fertility are total nitrogen, ratio C/N, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable calcium and exchangeable magnesium. Land management recommendations to improve soil fertility and Jarak Towo varieties' development include adding organic matter and applying manure, lime and dolomite before planting.

Aluminum (Al) is a copious element in the earth's crust, typically causing high acidity in soil-plant systems. Much research has primarily investigated adverse impacts of Al on plants, little is known about its beneficial role in enhancing mineral nutrient availability and acquisition in cassava, which is a vital economic crop relevant to human health. Herein, we examined the effect of Al levels on proton and organic acid release from the roots of two cultivars under an acid-washed sand microcosm. Consequential effects of the Al were examined on the extractability of Al and selected nutrients (iron: Fe and phosphorus: P) in the rhizosphere and bulk sands and the nutrient uptake in the plant. The results demonstrated that the highest Al level significantly demoted fresh root weight (8.53 g) but promoted the proton release from roots (2.03 μmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ fresh weight), compared to the control treatment (11.92 g and 0.40 μmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ fresh weight). Water-extractable Al and Fe concentrations in the rhizosphere sand were higher by 188–276 % and 201–291 %, respectively, than bulk sand in the highest Al level. The moderate Al levels (<50 μmol Al L⁻¹) also increased Fe accumulation in the plant, elaborating on the beneficial role of Al in enhancing Fe acquisition. The main organic anions (oxalate and tartrate) released from the roots were cultivar-dependent. Our study highlighted that moderate Al levels showed the benefits of Al in promoting proton release from roots, enhancing Fe availability in the rhizosphere zone, and Fe acquisition in the cassava plant.

Biopolymer-coated phosphorus fertilizers have shown promising results in slowing the release of P. However, their dissolution behaviour has been studied mainly in water, and their impacts on soil properties have rarely been addressed. The aim of this study was to compare the dissolution of P from uncoated triple superphosphate (TSP) and biopolymer-coated TSP fertilizers at the surface of cropped Mediterranean soils and to evaluate their impacts on the soil pH and the distributions of several P pools. The experimental treatments were: no fertilizer, uncoated TSP, TSP coated with lignin and TSP coated with lignin and carrageenan. The spatial and temporal variations in the pH of the fertilized soils were investigated using optodes. The concentrations of different pools of P (available P, microbial P), and total P as well as P recovery at different distances from the granules were determined. The coated TSP acidified the soil to a radius of 14 mm around each fertilizer granule, while the acidification spread to 21 mm in the treatment with the uncoated TSP. Moreover, an increase in microbial P was observed in the soil treated with coated TSP, possibly due to the carbon input and the consequent increase in microbial biomass. However, slower P-release was observed from the coated TSP due to the effect of the coating barrier. The P recovery results showed P migration within a 21 mm radius from each granule, and the P recovery from the TSP coated with lignin alone was significantly greater than that from the uncoated TSP treatment.

This study investigated the effects of adding carob molasses at 5 %, 10 %, and 15 % on physicochemical, rheological, and biological activities such as antioxidant, antibacterial and antitumor activities, as well as microbiological and sensory properties of stirred yoghurt samples during the cold storage period. Increasing the concentration of carob molasses increased the content of total solids (TS), titratable acidity, yellowness /blueness values, antioxidant, antibacterial, cytotoxic activity, and overall acceptability. Still, it significantly decreased the samples' ash content and water holding capacity. Furthermore, carob molasses concentration significantly affected on the fat content, viscosity, whiteness, redness /greenness values, molds, and yeast counts. In contrast, it had no significant effect on protein content, pH values, and the count of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus in the stirred yoghurt containing carob molasses. The energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) microanalysis of stirred yoghurt containing carob molasses showed differences in elemental content among samples. The stirred yoghurt fortified with 15 % carob molasses had the highest overall acceptability in the sensory evaluation and exhibited a higher effect in decreasing the viability of the three tested human tumor cell lines compared to the control and other treatments.

Among the plant nutrients, potassium (K) plays a fundamental role in plant physiology and the soil-plant dynamics of various nutrients. Careful rate recommendations for K are needed to ensure that the balance between cationic nutrients and micronutrients is maintained, especially in sandy soils. The current research aimed to evaluate the absorption dynamic of several nutrients by soybean (Glycine max. Merrill.) growing in sandy soil under the application of five rates of K (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 kg ha⁻¹) via potassium chloride (KCl) with five replications. The concentrations of K⁺ in the diagnostic leaves of the soybean plants presented quadratic behavior with the increase in K rate and reached a maximum of 17.74 mg kg⁻¹ at a rate of approximately 81 kg ha⁻¹ K, which was found through a regression test. The leaf concentrations of calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) decreased linearly with increasing K rate. By contrast, the leaf concentrations of the micronutrients; boron (B) and iron (Fe²⁺) decreased with increasing K rate. Soybean productivity was not influenced by the application of K. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed a clear influence of increasing K rates on the leaf nutritional parameters of soybean plants. The results confirm that the high application of K in sandy soils can disrupt the balance of nutrient uptake by soybean plants.