In 2012, an extreme summer drought induced species‐specific die‐back in woody species in Northeastern Italy. Quercus pubescens and Ostrya carpinifolia were heavily impacted, while Prunus mahaleb was ...largely unaffected. By comparing seasonal changes in isotopic composition of xylem sap, rainfall and deep soil samples, we show that P. mahaleb has a deeper root system than the other two species. This morphological trait allowed P mahaleb to maintain higher water potential (Ψ), gas exchange rates and non‐structural carbohydrates content (NSC) throughout the summer, when compared with the other species. More favourable water and carbon states allowed relatively stable maintenance of stem hydraulic conductivity (k) throughout the growing season. In contrast, in Quercus pubescens and Ostrya carpinifolia, decreasing Ψ and NSC were associated with significant hydraulic failure, with spring‐to‐summer k loss averaging 60%. Our data support the hypothesis that drought‐induced tree decline is a complex phenomenon that cannot be modelled on the basis of single predictors of tree status like hydraulic efficiency, vulnerability and carbohydrate content. Our data highlight the role of rooting depth in seasonal progression of water status, gas exchange and NSC, with possible consequences for energy‐demanding mechanisms involved in the maintenance of vascular integrity.
•Longer shape and less flushing is the aim of pepper producer, which is achieved in the full light greenhouse with P3 and then in P5 pruning.•Pruning (P3 and P5) due to improved nutrient distribution ...enhanced the carotenoid accumulation.•There was not a certain pattern in Ca and N absorption by light and pruning, although it seems that P5 may be more productive, and Ca absorption was greater in full light greenhouse compare with low light.
Pruning and light quality and quantity can affect the fruit load, fruit shape, nutritional value, and quality of sweet pepper. The experiment was arranged as a split-plot conducted in a randomized block design. Treatments consisted of keeping 3, 5, and 7 fruits on the bush, and having un-pruned (P3, P5, and P7 Pnon=without pruning) sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L., cv. Lumos) with 3 replications. Two greenhouses including 14,000 for the full-light one and 6000-Lux for the low one were designed. The results showed that carotenoid biosynthesis and accumulation were highly related to light, with a significant effect in the full light greenhouse, as compared with the low one. Leaves carbohydrate content was raised in P3 and P5 for both greenhouses and this was more significant in the full light greenhouse, as compared with the low one. TSS was higher in full light with pruning (P3, P5, P7); the highest TSS in the low-light greenhouse was seen in P3. Phenol, antioxidant, vitamin C, and organic acid were higher in the full light greenhouse, as compared with the low one. Conclusively, pruning was more effective on weight after increased growth of bush in the second or third harvest. Longer shape and less flushing are favored by pepper producers. This can be achieved in the full light greenhouse with P3 and then P5 pruning.
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fats in diets of cattle on methane emissions, and associated impacts on digestibility, milk yield and composition, and rumen fermentation ...by using meta-analysis. For this purpose, a dataset was constructed compiling data from 29 experiments (27 publications) containing 105 dietary treatments arising from 1339 observations in cattle. Fat supplementation decreased methane production (expressed as g/day, g/kg dry matter (DM) intake, g/kg digestible DM intake, g/kg milk, % of gross energy intake) linearly (P<0.01) with moderate degree of relationship (R2=0.38 to 0.63). Fatty acids C12:0 and C18:3 had marked inhibitory effect on methanogenesis compared with other fatty acids in diets. Methane emissions were not considerably affected by total concentration of saturated fatty acid, but were depressed (P<0.05) by total concentrations of mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids in diets. Among other nutrient composition of diets, only non-fibrous carbohydrate content affected the response of fats on methane suppression. Methane yield was influenced by the interaction of fatty acid composition and neutral detergent fiber content of diets. Fats showed a quadratic response (P=0.03) on DM intake, although the relationship was very low (R2=0.15). The digestibilities of DM (R2=0.30) and neutral detergent fiber (R2=0.51) reduced linearly (P<0.01) with increasing fat concentrations. Conversely, fat digestibility increased quadratically (P=0.04; R2=0.53) with increasing fat contents. Milk yield increased quadratically (P<0.01; R2=0.41) with increasing fat supplementation. Milk production reached plateau levels within a range of 3.9–6.0% fat concentrations, and then decreased with increasing fat concentrations. Total volatile fatty acids and acetate percentage in rumen fluid were not altered (P>0.10) by fats, but percentage of propionate increased linearly (P=0.03) with increasing fat concentrations in diets. Fats tended to decrease percentage of butyrate (P=0.10) and acetate to propionate ratio (P=0.07) linearly, but degrees of relationship were very low. From this analysis, it can be concluded that fats with high concentrations of C12:0, C18:3 and polyunsaturated fatty acid up to 6% of dietary DM should, in general, be considered when developing effective feeding strategies for methane mitigation without compromising the productivity in dairy cattle.
The present study was conducted to explore the influence of dietary carbohydrate on antioxidant capacity and non-specific immunity of hybrid grouper, which would contribute to determine the tolerable ...dietary carbohydrate content. Seven diets with grade levels of carbohydrate (5.27, 8.95, 11.49, 14.37, 17.78, 20.82 and 23.65%) were fed to triplicate groups of fish for 10 weeks. Results showed that the inclusion of carbohydrate above 11.49% produced significant increased content of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in liver and malondialdehyde (MDA) in both serum and liver. The specific activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) and total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC) were significantly elevated with the increase of dietary carbohydrate from 8.95 to 23.65%, which may be associated with the reduced hepatic soluble protein content. However, opposite variation was observed in the expression of antioxidant related genes (SOD1 and Gpx), which was partly caused by the activation of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and inhibition of Kelch-like-ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) at the transcriptional level. The immunoglobulin M (lgM) content and activity of lysozyme and CCP in serum significantly depressed when dietary carbohydrate was above 11.49%. The expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-8) was significantly increased with the increase of dietary carbohydrate from 5.27 to 8.95% and thereafter significantly reduced, which was consistent with the changed expression of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and nuclear factor κΒ (NF‐κΒ). In above, high dietary carbohydrate significantly impaired the antioxidant capacity and reduced the non-specific immunity of hybrid grouper, and the tolerable dietary carbohydrate content should not exceed 11.49%.
•High dietary carbohydrate impaired the antioxidant capacity of hybrid grouper.•High dietary carbohydrate reduced the non-specific immunity of hybrid grouper.•The tolerant dietary carbohydrate of hybrid grouper was determined.
Production of instant soymilk powders was completed in three stages – ultrafiltration, spray drying, and fluidized bed agglomeration. Ultrafiltration increased total solids, protein, and fat ...contents, but decreased carbohydrate and ash contents of soymilk, leading to an increase in particle size, wettability, and dispersibility of the resultant spray-dried powders. However, all the spray-dried soymilk powders were very small (<25
μm) and very cohesive leading to their poor flowability. Agglomeration of the spray-dried powders with maltodextrin as an aqueous binder solution using a fluidized bed agglomerator improved the handling and reconstitution properties of the powders. The optimum binder concentration was found to be 10% w/v maltodextrin which resulted in the largest particle size of the agglomerated powder (260
μm) having a good flowability and low cohesiveness. The wettability of this agglomerated powder (wetting time
=
42
s) was good but its dispersibility (61%) could be improved.
Proteinaceous sewage sludge represents the sludge in which the protein content exceeds the carbohydrate content, accounts for a considerable part of sewage sludge. In this study, volatile fatty acids ...(VFA) production and synthesis pathway as well as bacterial community in acidogenic fermentation of proteinaceous sewage sludge under different pH conditions were investigated. The results indicated that the alkaline pH improved the solubilization and biodegradation of proteins in the sludge. The soluble protein concentration at pH 11.0 was 67.88% higher than that at pH 3.0. Its biodegradation efficiencies were reduced with a decrease in pH. The pH influenced not only the total VFA production yield, but also the percentage of individual VFA. The total VFA yield at pH 9.0 was 10.70 times of that at pH 3.0. The metabolic conversion pathway of proteins to VFA in acidogenic fermentation systems was investigated using a stoichiometry approach. The Stickland reaction was found to be the main pathway for the VFA accumulation from the decomposition of proteins. pH also significantly influenced the biodiversity and bacterial community in the system. The abundance of microorganisms under alkaline or acidic pH conditions was less than that under neutral pH condition, suggesting that most anaerobic fermentative microorganisms could not tolerate the hostile environment. The terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis showed that, when the pH was reduced from 12.0 to 7.0 and finally to 3.0, the dominant bacterial genuses and percentage of the total microorganisms were
Granulicatella genus (65%),
Clostridium genus (28%) and
Bacillus genus (71%), respectively.
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► Alkaline pH conditions improve proteins solubilization in sewage sludge. ► Stickland reaction was the main pathway for VFA accumulation from proteins. ►
Granulicatella and
Peptostreptococcus spp. were dominant bacteria under alkaline pHs.
The present research aims to study the long-term impacts of soil extractable carbohydrate content from the conversion of forest to paddy field, using three environmentally friendly methods: ...ultrasound assist (37 Hz/30 min), hot water (80 °C/4 h), and cold water (25 °C/30 min). Soil samples collected at the depth of 0–15 cm from natural forest, rice paddy, and border area were extracted by distilled water at the ratio 1:10 (soil: water). Contents of soil organic carbon (SOC) and extracted carbohydrate (ECH) in the natural forest and rice paddy were similar, and higher than in border area by 50%. Results showed the highest content of ECH was extracted using hot water (304–691 mg.Carbohydrate/kg soil, 4% of SOC), followed by ultrasound (102–305 mg.Carbohydrate/kg soil, 1.7% of SOC), and the lowest amount addressed to cold-water extraction (65–252 mg.Carbohydrate/kg soil, 1.2% of SOC). The ECH/SOC ratios in three soil types were the same and ranged from 0.9% to 4.2%. We conclude the long-term conversion of forest to rice paddy maintain both SOC and ECH, furthermore, hot water extraction at 80 °C/4 h is the optimum method for extraction of carbohydrate using non-chemical solvents.
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•Effects of soil carbohydrate content in long-term rice paddy cultivation.•First study to compare three sustainable methods of soil carbohydrate extraction.•Long-term rice paddy cultivation does not affect carbohydrate content in the soil.•Hot water extraction method of 80 °C/4 h showed the highest soil carbohydrate.
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•Various solvent extracts from Erigeron annuus flower were prepared.•Phenolic, flavonoid, and carbohydrate contents in solvent extracts were measured.•Antioxidant and ...enzyme-inhibitory activities in solvent extracts were measured.•Pyromeconic acid was the main antioxidant in Erigeron annuus flower and obtained by sublimation.
Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. has been used in folk medicine for the treatment of several diseases. To develop and apply it, we report (for the first time) the antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitory activities, and toxicity of various solvent extracts from Erigeron annuus flower (EAF). The EAF was extracted using seven solvents (water, methanol, ethanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and hexane) to obtain extracts, respectively. The chemical composition of extracts was also determined by spectrophotometric methods (total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total carbohydrate content (TCC), ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The aqueous extract had the highest TPC and TCC. The methanol extract showed the highest TFC. Pyromeconic acid (PY) was the major component of EAF, which was present in all extracts and was prepared by sublimation. The ethanol extract exhibited the highest content of PY (1.4 %). The methanol extract showed the strongest ability to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals. Acetone extract and PY against 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt cation radicals, and hydroxyl radicals. The methanol extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in ferric-reducing antioxidant power, and cupric ion-reducing antioxidant capacity assays. The best chelating activity of ferrous ions was shown in the chloroform extract. Methanol and acetone extracts proffered the highest protection against cellular oxidative damage. Hexane and chloroform extracts had the highest inhibitory activity towards α-glucosidase and α-amylase, respectively. The hexane extract and PY showed high toxicity against HeLa cells. Taken together, these results suggest possible novel applications of EAF as a source of innovative bioactive ingredients for human nutrition and/or phytomedicine.
Miscanthus giganteus lignin was extracted by an organosolv process under reflux conditions (4 h) with varying concentrations of ethanol (65%, 75%, 85%, 95%) and 0.2 M hydrochloric acid as catalyst. ...The resulting lignin was extensively characterized by size exclusion chromatography (SEC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS), two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (2D-NMR), and chemical analysis (residual sugars, Klason lignin, ash). The predominant linkage units present were β-O-4′ (82–84%), resinol (6–7%), and phenylcoumaran (10–11%). The 65% ethanol solvent system gave the lowest lignin yield (14% of starting biomass) compared to 29–32% of the other systems. Increasing ethanol concentration resulted in decreasing carbohydrate content of the lignins (3.6–1.1%), a higher solubility in tetrahydrofuran (THF), a slight reduction of the molecular weight (M(w) 2.72–2.25 KDa), an increasing α-ethoxylation, and an increase in ethoxylated phenylpropenoic compounds (p-coumaric and ferulic acid), but the S/G ratio of the monolignols (0.63, GC/MS) and Klason lignin content (86–88%) were unaffected. An extraction method for these ethyl-esterified phenylpropenoids and smaller molecular weight lignin compounds was developed. The effect of reaction time (2, 4, and 8 h) was investigated for the 95% ethanol solvent system. Besides increased lignin yield (13–43%), a slight increase in M(w) (2.21–2.38 kDa) and S/G ratio (0.53–0.68, GC-MS) was observed. Consecutive extractions suggested that these changes were not from lignin modifications (e.g., condensations) but rather from extraction of lignin of different composition. The results were compared to similar solvent systems with 95% acetone and 95% dioxane.
•Sucrose is an important osmolyte in pistachio submitted to osmotic drought stress.•RWC is not strongly affected by the osmotic stress up to Ψs=−1.5MPa thought cultivar differences exist.•WUE ...increases in pistachio cultivars under osmotic stress especially for Ψs=−1.5MPa.•Leaf carbon isotope composition of pistachio cultivars were not affected by a 2-week stress period.•Leaf nitrogen isotope composition decreases under a 2-week stress regardless off the cultivar.
Pistachio (P. vera L., Anacardiaceae) is cultivated in regions where soil water deficits and salinity conditions are higher than usual. Despite adult pistachio trees having been documented as being drought tolerant; there is only a limited understanding of the physiological mechanisms pistachio cultivars use to survive drought. We therefore, carried out a greenhouse experiment to evaluate the effects of three osmotic drought stress treatments including; control conditions (−0.1MPa), moderate (−0.75MPa) and severe drought (−1.5MPa) stress, using PEG 6000 for 14days with a subsequent two weeks recovery period. Carbohydrate contents, relative water content, water use efficiency, stomatal characteristics, and nitrogen and carbon isotope composition were evaluated in three Iranian pistachio cultivars, i.e. Akbari, Kaleghochi and Ohadi.
Results revealed that the drought stress treatments induced osmotic adjustment by carbohydrate accumulation. Both drought stress treatments increased soluble carbohydrate and starch contents of the leaves. Relative water content was only affected by drought stress in Kaleghochi. Stomatal density and morphology varied with pistachio cultivars but was hardly affected by the stress treatments.
Drought stress significantly increased the overall mean of water use efficiency (intrinsic and instantaneous WUE). There were no significant differences between the leaf carbon isotope compositions of all pistachio cultivars under stress. This indicates that this relation may not be used to determine pistachio cultivars with appropriate WUE via leaf carbon isotope composition within the time frame of the experiment. Leaf nitrogen isotope composition decreased under drought stress regardless off the cultivar.
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