Dry Weight Measurements Research Articles

Effect of pH and Temperature on Growth of Fungi from City Waste of Bareilly

Growth and activity of ten fungal isolates from city waste were observed at different temperature and pH by using colony diameter and dry weight measurement methods. All the tested fungal isolates showed the different cardinal growth and different degree of tolerance of pH and temperature. Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium chrysogenum and Emericella nidulans grew optimally at 35 and 40oC while the rest showed their maximum growth at 45oC. Among tested isolates Aspergillus niger Aspergillus fumigatus and Emericella nidulans did not grow at 50oC. While Thermoascus exhibited maximum growth at 50oC. Maximum pH optima were showed most of the tested isolates while Aspergillus flavus and Emericella nidulans exhibited acidic range of pH. Initial pH was also found to change in liquid medium because of metabolic activities of growing fungus.

PERTUMBUHAN DAN HASIL KACANG HIJAU DALAM PERSAINGAN DENGAN TEKI DAN RUMPUT BELULANG DI TANAH STERIL DAN NON STERIL

This study aimed to determine the effect of competition with nutsedge and Eleucine grasses in autoclave sterilized and non-sterililized soil on growth and yield of mungbean. The experiment was carried out in the glasshouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mataram, from January to March 2015, arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), testing 3 treatment factors namely; two soil conditions (autoclave sterilized and non-sterilized), two types of weeds (nutsedge and Eleucine), and weed populations (0, 2 and 4 clumps / polybag), each of which was replicated 3 times, so there were 36 experimental units for each series. The experiment was made in 2 series; first series for measurement of plant dry weight at 6 weeks after seeding, and the second series was for measurement of mungbean seed yield. The results indicated that the three treatment factors affected growth and yield of mungbean. Growth of the mungbean plants was better in the non-sterilized soil compared with in sterilized soil. In terms of weed competition, Eleucine grass was more severe in suppressing growth and yield of mungbean compared with nutsedge grass, whereas of weed population, the treatment without (0) weeds resulted in much better growth of mungbean plants than the treatments of 2 or 4 weeds per polybag

Dry weight model, capacitance and metabolic data as indicators of fungal biomass growth in solid state fermentation

Developing improved industrial bioprocesses has been a driver for the growing research attention to solid state fermentation, in particular involving filamentous fungi. Accurate description of fungal growth in these systems is crucial and certainly needed to enable optimal deployment of subsequent engineering work. This manuscript proposes a model based on total dry weight measurement to describe biomass growth for Aspergillus awamori on wheat grains in two systems: Petri dishes and a 1L packed bed bioreactor. The proposed dry weight model can be used not only for identifying growth phases of the fungus but also to calculate key growth parameters such as specific growth rate and maximum biomass concentration. The use of techniques based on capacitance measurements and on metabolic data were also used in order to estimate fungal growth and to validate the proposed model.

The effect of wheat bran soil inoculant of Monacrosporium eudermatum isolated from North Sumatera in the reduction of gall development by Meloidogyne incognita in Nicotiana x sanderae

A wheat-bran soil inoculant containing 109/ml conidia of Monacrosporium eudermatum isolated from North Sumatera, Indonesia was used as inoculant. The potential of this fungi to control nematodes was compared with that achieved by using the chemical control agent carbofuran at 200μg/ml. A susceptible plant, ornamental Tobacco (Nicotiana sanderae) was inoculated with 1000 second juvenile of M. incognita per pot. Analysis of variance by Anova was used to find the significant differences between treatments. Based on mean value of plant height, stem fresh weight, stem dry weight, root depth and root fresh weight measurements, almost all treatments improved and enhanced the ornamental tobacco growth. Carbofuran and M. eudermatum was efficient in reducing the number of vermiform nematode and swollen roots after 7 days; mature, immature female and sausage shaped roots after 15 days; and immature and mature females, sausage shaped and galls after 30 days of infection by M. incognita. Treatment with M. eudermatum was seen to be comparable with carbofuran in reducing infection of M. incognita. Based on this study there was no evidence of resistance to Meloidogyne incognita in ornamental tobacco plants N. sanderae.

Bioutilization of poultry feather for keratinase production and its application in leather industry

Keratinase, a protease was produced from keratinolytic bacterium, Bacillus paralicheniformis MKU3, using poultry feather as substrate. Statistical analyses were carried out to enhance the activity of keratinase produced as a result of which enzyme activity was improved 6-fold yielding a maximum of 1872.5 U/ml and a specific activity of 1143.19 U/mg in 72 h. The keratinase produced was used to hydrolyze poultry feather waste which resulted in an almost 90% degradation by measurement of dry weight. Large scale production of keratinase was performed from 5-L to 500-L and it has been observed that an increase in the volume of bioreactor greatly improved the rate of production of keratinase along with a sharp decrease in production time. The keratinase produced was used to study dehairing on sheepskin and the efficiency was observed to be 100%. SEM and histochemical analysis on the skin confirmed efficient dehairing. The processed leather crust was further tested for physical strength and histochemistry wherein it has been proved that the quality of the leather crust produced is good. The environmental impact of the effluent produced as a result of dehairing was also assessed.

Comparison of some physiological responces to salinity and normal conditions in Sugar Beet

This study was carried out in the Agricultural Research Center of West Azerbaijan, Iran in 2016. In this research, variations in different physiological and yield traits measurement of total dry weight, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight, relative water content, relative water loss, root length, leaf area, root/shoot ratio, specific leaf weigh, sodium content, potassium content and proline were investigated in normal and saline condition. The results indicated that in saline condition, total dry weight, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root/Shoot ratio, specific leaf weight, root length, proline and Na content were increased and the other traits were decreased. Study of correlation of traits showed that most significant difference between the two conditions was observed for the root/shoot ratio, so that, this trait has negative significant relation with total dry weight, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight, relative water content, leaf area, root length, specific leaf weight in saline condition, but in normal condition correlation is positive and significant only in the total dry weight, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight and root dray weight and was not significant in the other traits. Step-wise regression analysis for total dry weight as dependent variable revealed that in normal condition, root fresh weight, shoot fresh weight and Na content expound of 93.1% and in saline condition root fresh weight, root length, Na content and proline explicate of 81.3% of total variation exist in total dry weight. Therefore, it is suggested to consider different traits in breeding programs for normal and saline conditions.

Interference of starch accumulation in microalgal cell growth measurement

Starch accumulation in microalgae is a subject of growing interest in the energy sector since this polysaccharide can be used as feedstock to produce ethanol and biogas. Microalgal cell growth dynamics are commonly monitored by measuring the optical density (OD) of the culture, which then is converted to either biomass dry weight or cell concentration with the aid of standard curves. However, starch accumulation causes changes in the cell morphology, which may impair the use of OD for the measurement of cell growth. Therefore, this study investigated the correlation of OD to cell concentration and dry weight during the cultivation of Chlorella sorokiniana, a starch-accumulating green microalga. A linear correlation between OD and cell concentration was observed only during the exponential and the decelerating growth phases. The OD increase during the stationary phase was related to starch accumulation rather than to cell growth. Similarly, a lack of correlation between OD and biomass dry weight occurred during the stationary growth phase, as the increase of dry weight, due to the pronounced starch accumulation, was greater than the OD changes. Thus, this study shows that the use of OD to measure microalgal cell growth in starch-accumulating cultures can be misleading. The direct measurement of cell concentration and dry weight is advisable for monitoring the full cell growth cycle and accurately calculating biomass productivity.

Effect of garlic solution to Bacillus sp. removal

Biofilm is a microbial derived sessile community characterized by cells that are irreversibly attached to a substratum or interface to each other, embedded in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances that they have produced. Bacillus sp. was used as biofilm model in this study. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of Garlic solution in term of ratio of water and Garlic solution (W/G) and ratio of Garlic solution to Bacillus sp. (GS/B) on Bacillus sp removal. Garlic solution was used to remove Bacillus sp. In this study, Garlic solution was prepared by crushing the garlic and mixed it with water. the Garlic solution was added into Bacillus sp. mixture and mixed well. The mixture then was spread on nutrient agar. The Bacillus sp. weight on agar plate was measured by using dry weight measurement method. In this study, initially Garlic solution volume and Garlic solution concentration were studied using one factor at time (OFAT). Later two-level-factorial analysis was done to determine the most contributing factor in Bacillus sp. removal. Design Expert software (Version 7) was used to construct experimental table where all the factors were randomized. Bacilus sp removal was ranging between 42.13% to 99.6%. The analysis of the results showed that at W/G of 1:1, Bacillus sp. removal increased when more Garlic solution was added to Bacillus sp. Effect of Garlic solution to Bacillus sp. will be understood which in turn may be beneficial for the industrial purpose.

Seedling Quality in Serbia – Results from a Three-Year Survey

During a three-year survey in 14 forest nurseries in Serbia we measured seedlings of 19 species and 96 stocktypes of both conifers and broadleaves. Seedlings were measured in the nurseries for height and diameter, and subsamples was taken for measurements of shoot and root dry weight, and presence of mycorrhiza. Results of mean values and variation of measured morphological attributes are presented and compared to Serbian standard for seedlings quality. We found mycorrhiza on seedlings root from almost every nursery, seedbed and tray. Our results show that current nursery cultural practice need to be improved and that seedlings quality standards should be updated.

Lytic and Chemotactic Features of the Plaque-Forming Bacterium KD531 on Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

Phaeodactylum tricornutum is a dominant bloom forming species and potential biofuel feedstock. To control P. tricornutum bloom or to release lipids from P. tricornutum, we previously screened and identified the lytic bacterium Labrenzia sp. KD531 toward P. tricornutum. In the present study, we evaluated the lytic activity of Labrenzia sp. KD531 on microalgae and investigated its lytic mechanism. The results indicated that the lytic activity of KD531 was temperature- and pH-dependent, but light-independent. In addition to P. tricornutum, KD531 also showed lytic activity against other algal species, especially green algae. A quantitative analysis of algal cellular protein, carbohydrate and lipid content together with measurements of dry weight after exposure to bacteria-infected algal lysate indicated that the bacterium KD531 influenced the algal biomass by disrupting the algal cells. Both chemotactic analysis and microscopic observations of subsamples from different regions of formed plaques showed that KD531 could move toward and then directly contact algal cells. Direct contact between P. tricornutum and KD531 cells was essential for the lytic process.

Visualization of Biofilm Formation in Candida albicans Using an Automated Microfluidic Device.

Candida albicans is the most common fungal pathogen of humans, causing about 15% of hospital-acquired sepsis cases. A major virulence attribute of C. albicans is its ability to form biofilms, structured communities of cells attached to biotic and abiotic surfaces. C. albicans biofilms can form on host tissues, such as mucosal layers, and on medical devices, such as catheters, pacemakers, dentures, and joint prostheses. Biofilms pose significant clinical challenges because they are highly resistant to physical and chemical perturbations, and can act as reservoirs to seed disseminated infections. Various in vitro assays have been utilized to study C. albicans biofilm formation, such as microtiter plate assays, dry weight measurements, cell viability assays, and confocal scanning laser microscopy. All of these assays are single end-point assays, where biofilm formation is assessed at a specific time point. Here, we describe a protocol to study biofilm formation in real-time using an automated microfluidic device under laminar flow conditions. This method allows for the observation of biofilm formation as the biofilm develops over time, using customizable conditions that mimic those of the host, such as those encountered in vascular catheters. This protocol can be used to assess the biofilm defects of genetic mutants as well as the inhibitory effects of antimicrobial agents on biofilm development in real-time.

Experimental evaluation of carbonated brine-limestone interactions under reservoir conditions-emphasis on the effect of core scale heterogeneities

CO2 injection into deep geological structures is very often accompanied by chemical interactions between the host rock and injected fluids and/or the in-situ created solute (i.e. carbonated brine). In fact, the in-situ reactions are considered one way through which the injected CO2 may be trapped for perpetuity. Depending on the nature and mineralogy of the host rock formation, such reactions may eventually result in a degree of change in the petrophysical properties of the rock. Carbonate formations, due to the presence of highly reactive minerals in their composition, are expected to be more prone to such changes than their sandstone counterparts.This manuscript presents the results of an experimental study conducted to evaluate possible changes in the petrophysical properties of five heterogeneous limestone samples (calcite concentration >91wt%). The study includes five reservoir condition core-flood experiments (i.e. one per each rock sample) complemented by other laboratory measurements/analyses including porosity-permeability measurements, X-ray CT (X-ray Computed Tomography) and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) imaging.The results show a significant increase in the post-flood permeability of 80% of the samples caused by the dissolution and removal of carbonate minerals. The X-ray CT images reveal signs of significant mineral dissolution and establishment of flow paths through the initial larger pores in the samples leading, eventually, to the formation of wormhole features along the length of the samples. On the contrary, reduction in permeability is observed in one sample which was a relatively long (15.8cm) composite sample consisting of two core segments placed one after the other in series. The other four samples were shorter with a nominal length of 6.4cm. This reduction in permeability is observed predominantly in the outlet segment. This change is thought to have been primarily caused by possible migration of carbonate fines released by mineral dissolution in the inlet plug of the long composite core and to a lesser extent by the precipitation of minerals dissolved and transported from the inlet plug. This hypothesis finds further support in the pre- and post-flood dry weight measurements as well as a post-flood SEM image of the plug which reveals signs of fines migration and mineral precipitation. Slight reductions in the porosity and pore sizes are observed in most of the samples. This is likely to have been caused by the combined effect of fines migration, possible mineral precipitation and physical compaction mechanisms. Mechanical compaction is further evident from the reductions in the physical dimensions of the samples.Overall, the results obtained show that the nature and degree of any change in the petrophysical properties of the rock samples vary to some degree from one sample to the next. This variation is found to depend on the significance and degree of dominance of the three mechanisms of mineral dissolution, mineral precipitation and mechanical compaction if they occur during the flooding process. The migration of carbonate fines also seems to be an important factor in shaping the post-flood sample properties. The presence of any initial core scale heterogeneity in the pre-flood samples is also believed to be a critical factor controlling the eventual outcome.

Early plant growth and biochemical responses induced by Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 lipopolysaccharides in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings are attenuated by procyanidin B2

This study analyzes the effects of procyanidin B2 on early wheat plant growth and plant biochemical responses promoted by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) derived from the rhizobacteria Azospirillum brasilense Sp245. Measurements of leaf, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight showed in vitro plant growth stimulation 4days after treatment with A. brasilense as well as LPS. Superoxide anion (O2·-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels increased in seedling roots treated with LPS (100μgmL-1). The chlorophyll content in leaf decreased while the starch content increased 24h after treatment in seedling roots. The LPS treatment induced a high increase in total peroxidase (POX) (EC 1.11.1.7) activity and ionically bound cell wall POX content in roots, when compared to respective controls. Early plant growth and biochemical responses observed in wheat seedlings treated with LPS were inhibited by the addition of procyanidin B2 (5μgmL-1), a B type proanthocyanidin (PAC), plant-derived polyphenolic compound with binding properties of LPS. All results suggest first that the ionically bound cell wall POX enzymes could be a molecular target of A. brasilense LPS, and second that the recognition or association of LPS by plant cells is required to activate plant responses. This last event could play a critical role during plant growth regulation by A. brasilense LPS.

Is There a Trade-Off between Radiation-Stimulated Growth and Metabolic Efficiency?

Beneficial protective effects may result from an adaptive respose to low dose radiation exposure. However, such benefits must be accompanied by some form of cost because the responsible biological mechanisms are not normally maintained in an upregulated state. It has been suggested that stimulation of adaptive response mechanisms could be metabolically costly, or that the adaptive response could come at a sacrifice to other physiological processes. We exposed developing lake whitefish embryos to a fractionated regime of gamma radiation (662 keV; 0.3 Gy min-1) to determine whether radiation-stimulated growth was accompanied by a trade-off in metabolic efficiency. Developing embryos were exposed at the eyed stage to different radiation doses delivered in four fractions, ranging from 15 mGy to 8 Gy per fraction, with a 14 day separation between dose fractions. Dry weight and standard length measurements were taken 2-5 weeks after delivery of the final radiation exposure and yolk conversion efficiency was estimated by comparing the unpreserved dry weight of the yolk to the unpreserved yolk-free dry weight of the embryos and normalizing for size-related differences in somatic maintenance. Our results show that the irradiated embryos were 8-10% heavier than the controls but yolk conversion efficiency was slightly improved. This finding demonstrates that stimulated growth in developing lake whitefish embryos is not "paid for" by a trade-off in the efficiency of yolk conversion.

Plant-mediated restriction of Salmonella enterica on tomato and spinach leaves colonized with Pseudomonas plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

Reducing Salmonella enterica association with plants during crop production could reduce risks of fresh produce-borne salmonellosis. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) colonizing plant roots are capable of promoting plant growth and boosting resistance to disease, but the effects of PGPR on human pathogen-plant associations are not known. Two root-colonizing Pseudomonas strains S2 and S4 were investigated in spinach, lettuce and tomato for their plant growth-promoting properties and their influence on leaf populations of S. enterica serovar Newport. Plant roots were inoculated with Pseudomonas in the seedling stage. At four (tomato) and six (spinach and lettuce) weeks post-germination, plant growth promotion was assessed by shoot dry weight (SDW) and leaf chlorophyll content measurements. Leaf populations of S. Newport were measured after 24h of leaf inoculation with this pathogen by direct plate counts on Tryptic Soy Agar. Root inoculation of spinach cv. ‘Tyee’, with Pseudomonas strain S2 or S4 resulted in a 69% and 63% increase in SDW compared to non-inoculated controls (p<0.005 and p<0.01, respectively). Similarly, Romaine lettuce cv. ‘Parris Island Cos’ responded positively to S2 and S4 inoculation (53% and 48% SDW increase, respectively; p<0.05), and an increase in leaf chlorophyll content (p<0.001), compared to controls. Tomato cv. ‘Nyagous’ yielded significantly greater SDW (74%, p<0.01 and 54%, p<0.05 for S2 and S4, respectively), and also higher leaf chlorophyll content (19% and 29%, p<0.001, respectively) relative to controls. Leaf chlorophyll content only increased in S4-inoculated tomato cv. ‘Moneymaker’ plants (27%, p<0.001), although both S2 and S4 promoted plant growth by over 40% compared to controls (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). No significant growth promotion was detected in tomato cv. ‘BHN602’, but S2-inoculated plants had elevated leaf chlorophyll content (13%, p<0.01). Root inoculation with Pseudomonas S4 restricted S. Newport populations inoculated on leaves of spinach (p<0.001) and all three tomato cultivars (p<0.05), compared to controls, 24h post Salmonella inoculation. Impairment of S. Newport leaf populations was also observed on spinach when plant roots were inoculated with S2 (p<0.01). With an initial leaf inoculum of approximately 6.0logCFU of S. Newport/plant, the significantly greater reduction of S. Newport populations on Pseudomonas-treated plants than those on non-inoculated control plants after 24h was modest with differences of one log or less. By contrast, the survival of S. Newport on the leaves of Romaine lettuce was not influenced by Pseudomonas root colonization. These findings provide evidence that root inoculation of certain specialty crops with beneficial Pseudomonas strains exhibiting PGPR properties may not only promote plant growth, but also reduce the fitness of epiphytic S. enterica in the phyllosphere. Plant-mediated effects induced by PGPR may be an effective strategy to minimize contamination of crops with S. enterica during cultivation.

A Comparison of 2 Respiratory Devices for Sputum Clearance in Adults With Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis.

Airway clearance techniques are a vital part of routine care for patients with bronchiectasis. There is no clear superior modality. The Flutter combines oscillations (6-20 Hz) and positive expiratory pressure; the Lung Flute combines positive expiratory pressure and low frequency acoustic waves (18-22 Hz), to augment clearance. This project aimed to compare these devices. This was a randomized crossover study of adult subjects with stable non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (expectorating > 25 mL/d). Subjects attended 2 separate out-patient visits, 1 week apart, and completed a supervised sputum clearance regime and Lickert scale (8 questions regarding subjects' perception of the experience using each device). Total sputum expectorated during supervised intervention (T1) and after 30 min from the end of T1 (T2) was recorded as wet sputum weight. Total wet sputum weight desiccated in a microwave (10 min at 300 watts), allowed measurement of total dry sputum weight. Data were compared using paired t test. We recruited 40 subjects with a mean ± SD age of 63 ± 16 y. Overall, there was no significant difference in wet sputum weight (Flutter, 5.78 ± 6.47 g; Lung Flute, 5.75 ± 0.22 g) and dry sputum weight (Flutter, 0.40 ± 0.86 g; Lung Flute, 0.22 ± 0.21 g). At T1, wet sputum weight was higher for the Flutter (5.10 ± 6.26 g) compared with the Lung Flute (3.74 ± 3.44 g) (P = .038). At T2, wet sputum weight was higher for the Lung Flute (2.02 ± 3.01 g) compared with the Flutter (0.68 ± 0.75 g) (P = .001). Subjects perceived the Flutter as being significantly better at clearing secretions (P = .01), easy to understand (P = .03), and simple to use (P = .01) compared with the Lung Flute. Both devices were well-tolerated and successfully augmented secretion clearance. Most subjects preferred the Flutter because of increased speed of secretion clearance, and greater ease of use.

A Discussion on the Management of Wilson Disease

Prof Peter Ferenci opened the meeting by providing a background to Wilson disease (WD), an enigmatic condition where no two cases are the same. He explored the aetiology, peak age of presentation, and long-term outlook. Dr Gideon Hirschfield considered the wide variation in WD symptom presentation, the lack of a diagnostic gold standard, and the difficulties around choosing WD endpoints for clinical trials. He went on to consider how study endpoints have evolved over time, and how, in real-life clinical practice, therapies need to be tolerable for patients with negative copper balances. Prof Anil Dhawan focussed on diagnostic challenges in paediatric WD, reviewing the size of liver biopsies needed for measurement of liver copper dry weight, the penicillamine challenge test, and Leipzig scores. Regarding treatment, he stressed that improvements in liver scores take time on chelation therapy, making it important not to rush patients to transplant. Prof Dhawan explored the development of disease severity scores for transplantation, including the revised cut-off points for the Nazer score. He provided reassuring data around the success of living related liver transplantation from parents heterozygous for WD and raised the possibility of auxiliary liver transplants. Prof Karl Heinz Weiss considered three WD cases reflecting different aspects of the condition. The neurological case showed deterioration of neurological symptoms after starting D-penicillamine. This, Prof Weiss speculated, may relate to treatment causing shifts in the copper pool from bound copper to unbound copper. The second case involved a young woman with WD who was planning a pregnancy; Prof Weiss showed the importance of patients remaining with therapies they are used to. Finally, he considered a patient with decompensated cirrhosis referred for liver transplantation but for whom, when reassessed with the modified Nazer score, the level did not indicate the need for transplantation. The patient showed side effects with one treatment but subsequently did well on a second treatment and was delisted for transplant.

Nitrogen Uptake and Allocation at Different Growth Stages of Young Southern Highbush Blueberry Plants

Southern highbush blueberry (SHB, Vaccinium corymbosum L. interspecific hybrid) is the major species planted in Florida because of the low-chilling requirement and early ripening. The growth pattern and nitrogen (N) demand of SHB may differ from those of northern highbush blueberry (NHB, V. corymbosum L.). Thus, the effect of plant growth stage on N uptake and allocation was studied with containerized 1-year-old SHB grown in pine-bark amended soil. Five ‘Emerald’ plants were each treated with 6 g 10% 15N labeled (NH4)2SO4 at each of 12 dates over 2 years. In the first year, plants were treated once in late winter, four times during the growing season, and once in the fall. In the second year, treatment dates were based on phenological stages. After a 14-day chase period following each 15N treatment, plants were destructively harvested for dry weight (DW) measurements, atom% of 15N, and N content of each of the plant tissues. Total DW increased continuously from mid-May 2015 to Oct. 2015 and from Mar. 2016 to late Sept. 2016. From August to October of both years, external N demand was the greatest and plants absorbed more N during the 2-week chase period, about 0.53 g/plant in year 1 and 0.67 g/plant in year 2, than in chase periods earlier in the season. During March and April, N uptake was as low as 0.03 g/plant/2 weeks in year 1 and 0.21 g/plant/2 weeks in year 2. Nitrogen allocation to each of the tissues varied throughout the season. About half of the N derived from the applied fertilizer was allocated to leaves at all labeling times except the early bloom stage in 2016. These results suggest that young SHB plants absorb greater amounts of N during summer and early fall than in spring.

Productivity and stress-tolerance of transgenic tobacco plants with constitutive expression of rapeseed glutathione synthetase gene BnGSH

Summary: Glutathione is the most important part of plant antioxidant defense system. Biosynthesis of glutathione in the cells is performed by two enzymes: glutamylcysteine ligase and glutathione synthetase, the latter catalyzing the attachment of glycine to a dipeptide glutamylcysteine. In literature there is information on the improvement of heavy metal-tolerance of transgenic plants due to the increase in the expression level of glutathione synthetase genes. However there is not enough data on the tolerance of these plants to other types of abiotic stress. Therefore the aim of our research was to make transgenic tobacco plants with constitutive expression of rapeseed glutathione synthetase gene BnGSH and to estimate their growth parameters in normal conditions and under salt, drough and cold stress. Using agrobacterial transformation method, we generated 17 lines of transgenic plants containing rapeseed BnGSH gene under control of 35S promoter. The presence of transgenes was confirmed by PCR method and histochemical analysis of the activity of GUS reporter gene. 12 lines with the highest expression of BnGSH gene were chosen on the basis of the results of RT-PCR. We performed morphological analysis, including measurements of stem hight, leaf area, flower length, fresh and dry weight of shoots and root length. Some transgenic plants demonstrated increased productivity in normal conditions as well as under NaCl stress. However, no change in drought and cold tolerance was observed in transgenic plants.

FACTORIAL ANALYSIS ON BACILLUS SP. REMOVAL USING GARLIC SOLUTION

Biofilm is a microbial derived sessile community characterized by cells that are&#x0D; irreversibly attached to a substratum or interface to each other, embedded in a matrix of&#x0D; extracellular polymeric substances that they have produced. Many different microbes&#x0D; can be found in biofilm such as Bacillus sp., Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus&#x0D; sp., Escherichia coli and many more. Bacillus sp. was used as biofilm model in this&#x0D; study. The purpose of this study is to determine the most affecting factors in Bacillus sp&#x0D; removal. Garlic solution was used to remove Bacillus sp. In this study, garlic solution&#x0D; was prepared by crushing the garlic and mixed it with water. Bacillus sp. was mixed&#x0D; with nutrient broth before it was incubated. Then, the garlic solution was added into&#x0D; Bacillus sp. mixture and mixed well. The mixture then was spread on nutrient agar. The&#x0D; Bacillus sp. weight on agar plate was measured by using dry weight measurement&#x0D; method. The selected factors were ratio of water to garlic (W/G) (1:1 and 1:5), ratio of&#x0D; garlic solution to Bacillus sp. (GS/B) (1:1 and 1:3), agitation speed (50 – 100 rpm) and&#x0D; reaction time between Bacillus sp. and garlic (12 – 24 hours). Design Expert software&#x0D; (Version 7) was used to construct experimental table where all the factors were&#x0D; randomized. The most contributing factor and interaction between the factors was&#x0D; analyzed via two level factorial analysis by using the same software. The results showed&#x0D; that the most significant factors were GS/B and agitation speed, while for the interaction&#x0D; effect was between W/G and GS/B. The Bacillus sp. removal best condition was&#x0D; determined at W/G at 1:1, GS/B at 1:3, agitation speed at 50 rpm and reaction time at 12&#x0D; hours. The result of the best condition was 88.46% of Bacillus sp. removal.