Melatonin Alleviates Abscisic Acid Deficiency Inhibition on Photosynthesis and Antioxidant Systems in Rice under Salt Stress

Melatonin and abscisic acid,as major plant hormones,play important roles in the physiological and biochemical activities of crops,but the interaction between the two under salt stress is not yet clear.This study investigated the endogenous levels of melatonin and abscisic acid in rice by using exogenous melatonin,abscisic acid,and their synthetic inhibitors,and examined their interactions under salt stress.The research results indicate that melatonin and abscisic acid can improve rice salt tolerance.Melatonin alleviated the salt sensitivity caused by abscisic acid deficiency,increased antioxidant enzyme activity and antioxidant content in rice treated with abscisic acid synth-esis inhibitors,and reduced total reactive oxygen species content and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance accu-mulation.Melatonin also increased the activity of key photosynthetic enzymes and the content of photosynthetic pigments,maintaining the parameters of photosynthetic gas exchange and chlorophyllfluorescence.In summary,melatonin alleviated the effects of abscisic acid deficiency on photosynthesis and antioxidant systems in rice and improved salt tolerance.This study is beneficial for expanding the understanding of melatonin regulation of crop salt tolerance.

Pervaporation performance and characterization of hydrophilic ZSM-5 zeolite membranes for high inorganic acid and inorganic salts

The hydrophilic ZSM-5 zeolite membranes are applied to separate the inorganic acid solutions and inorganic acid/inorganic salt mixtures by pervaporation,and the membrane presents good stability,dehydration,and desalination performance.Influences of inorganic acid type(H_(2)SO_(4),H_(3)PO_(4),HNO_(3),and HCl),H_(2)SO_(4)concentration(1-6 mol·L^(-1)),test temperature(60-90℃)and inorganic acid/inorganic salt type(2 mol·L^(-1)H_(2)SO_(4)and sulfate,2 mol·L^(-1)H3PO4 and phosphate)on the pervaporation performance are investigated in this work.Either for concentrating 3%(mass)H_(2)SO_(4)solution or consecutive dehydrating 20%(mass)H_(2)SO_(4)solution,the hydrophilic ZSM-5 zeolite membrane has a good dehydration performance and stability.Even though the H_(2)SO_(4)concentration and test temperature are increased to 6 M and 90℃,only H_(2)O molecules could pass through the membrane and pH value of the permeation is kept neutral.Besides,the membrane has good dehydration and desalination performance for H_(2)SO_(4)/sulfates and H_(3)PO_(4)/phosphate mixtures,and the rejection of natrium salt,molysite,and magnesium is almost 100%.

Abscisic acid-mediated yield gain through reduced oxidative damage caused by salt and water stress in Cyperusesculentus

The investigation of the response mechanisms of Cyperus esculentus to water and salt stresses is crucial for the enhancement of the productivity of saline soils.Previous studies have indicated that plant hormones,antioxidant systems,and osmoregulation may contribute to the stabilization of yield.However,the contributions and interactions of these mechanisms remain poorly understood under combined water and salt stress in natural environments.A dual-factor(salt and water)orthogonal test was used to investigate the growth and biochemical responses of C.esculentus,under combined salt and water stress in a field experiment conducted on a typical saline area in northern China.The findings reveal that C.esculentus adjusted its biomass allocation strategies and activated hormone responses,antioxidant system,and osmoregulation mechanisms to maintain stable yield.Due to the negative synergism when salt and water stress coexist,the homogeneous limitations of both are weakened.Thus,the key to maintaining yields under combined water and salt stress may depend on indirectly enhancing tolerance to oxidative damage through abscisic acid,rather than focusing on accumulating low molecular weight osmoregulants and antioxidant enzymes to directly alleviate homogeneous limitations.Also,under combined salt and water stress,insufficient irrigation may have a greater impact on morphological characteristics than high salinity.The above results contribute to a deeper understanding of the process of adapting C.esculentus to combinedsaltandwaterstress.

Syntheses and Application of All-lithium Salts of Heteropolyacid as Electrolyte of Lithium-ion Battery

The all-lithium salts of heteropoly acid Li_xXM_ 12O_ 40(HPA-Li)(X=P, Si; M=Mo, W) were obtained via ion exchange and characterized by means of IR and UV spectroscopies, TG and elemental analyses. The conductivity of the electrolytic solution consisting of Li_3PW_ 12O_ 40 and PC/DME mixing solvent(1/2.5, volume ratio) is up to 7.2×10 -2 S/cm, being higher than that of LiClO_4 as the electrolyte. The all-lithium salts were used as electrolytes in secondary lithium-ion batteries. The discharge capacity of the PAS/Li batteries with Li_3PW_ 12O_ 40 electrolyte solutions reaches to 148 (mA·h)/g and the cyclic life is up to 380 times, much better than those of commercialized products with LiClO_4 and LiAsF_6 as electrolytes.

HYDROXYLATION OF BENZENE BY HETEROPOLY ACIDS(SALTS)CONTAINING VANADIUM

Direct hydroxylation of benzene catalyzed by vanadium-con- taining heteropoly compounds with Keggin or Dawson structure has been investigated.The effects of several factors upon the hydroxylation reaction have also been examined.It is indicated that the highest yield of phenol reached 76%(based on H_2O_(?))with 99.4～100% selectivity.

Effects of Salt Stress on Fatty Acid Composition of Thylakoid Membrane of Two Rice Cultivars Differing in Salt Tolerance

[Objective] The aim of the study is to understand the changes of fatty acid composition of rice thylakoid membrane under salt stress.[Method] Under salt stress of different concentrations of NaCl,rice seedlings of Pokkali and Peta with six leaves and one central leaf were used as experimental materials to extract the fatty acid from their thylakoid membranes,and gas chromatograph(1890)was used to analyze fatty acid composition.[Result] Fatty acid component 14∶0,18∶0,16∶1(3t),18∶1 in both the two experimental materials showed little variations in the first four days of salt stress,whereafter they increased slightly;while the fatty acid component 16∶0 and level of saturation of fatty acid(LSFA)showed the similar variation trend in the first four days of treatment compared to those of the fatty acid components mentioned above,whereafter they rose in Pokkali and presented an opposite variation trend in Peta;fatty acid component 18∶3 and level of unsaturation of fatty acid(LUFA)reduced all the time under stress condition,and the reducing amplitude in 100 mmol/L NaCl treatment group was smaller than that of 100 mmol/L NaCl treatment group,and in Pokkali was smaller than that in Peta under specific conditions.Meanwhile,level of saturation of fatty acid in both experimental materials increased,and the rising amplitude in Peta was smaller than that of Pokkali.[Conclusion] With regard to LUFA,Pokkali is endowed with more salt tolerance than Peta.

Physiological Mechanism of Salicylic Acid for Alleviation of Salt Stress in Rice

Soil salinity is one of the most important problems of crop production in estuarine and coastal zones. Improvement in salt tolerance of major food crops is an important way for the economic utilization of coastal zones. This study proved that the application of salicylic acid(SA) improved the growth and yield under salt stress conditions and investigated its physiological mechanisms for salt tolerance. The investigation on the effect of SA for salt tolerance during germination showed that the decreased rates of germination and growth(in terms of shoot and root lengths) by the salt stress were significantly increased by the SA application(SA + NaCl). The treatment of SA to the high and low saline soils enhanced the growth, yield and nutrient values of rice. The effects of SA on Na^+, K^+ and Cl~– ionic accumulation were traced under salt stress condition by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and ion chromatography. It was revealed that the increased accumulation of Na^+ and Clˉ ions by the salt stress were reduced by SA application. An increased concentration of endogenous SA level was detected from the SA-treated rice varieties(ASD16 and BR26) by liquid chromatography electrospray Ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase were increased by salt stress whereas decreased by the SA application. The study proved that the application of SA could alleviate the adverse effects of salt stress by the regulation of physiological mechanism in rice plants. In spite of salt stress, it can be applied to the coastal and estuarine regions to increase the rice production.

Effect of Ascorbic Acid and Silicium on Photosynthesis, Antioxidant Enzyme Activity, and Fatty Acid Contents in Canola Exposure to Salt Stress

The effects of exogenous ascorbic acid and silicium on leaf fresh weigh, seed yield, photosynthesis, changes of the activities of major antioxidant enzymes, nitrate reductase activity, proline accumulation, chlorophyll content, and fatty acid composition were investigated in salt-stressed canola. A hydroponic pot experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design, factorial arrangement was used with 16 combinations of salinity stress （0, 100, 200, and 300 mmol L-1 NaC1）, ascorbic acid （0 and 30 mmol L-1）, and silicium （2 and 4 mmol L-1 from potassium silicate） with three replicates. The results showed that salinity significantly decreased leaf area and leaf fresh weight, seed yield, photosynthesis, nitrate reductase activity, chlorophyll content, and seed protein percentage. Conversely, respiration, antioxidant enzymes activity, proline accumulation, and linolenic acid percentage increased due to salt stress. Ascorbic acid application improved photosynthesis and seed yield and mitigated antioxidant enzyme activity. In addition, nitrate reductase activity and chlorophyll a and b were positively affected by ascorbic acid. Regarding silicium application, that was found that leaf area, leaf fresh weight, seed yield and photosynthesis, ascorbate peroxidase activity, nitrate reductase activity, and chlorophyll content increased, while respiration decreased. Furthermore, silicium had not significant effect on antioxidant enzyme activity. In general, ascorbic acid and silicium were involved in the defensive mechanisms against salinity stress and it can be suggested that, ascorbic acid and silicium application had positive effect on canola growth under conditions of salt stress.

Effects of Cinnamic Acid on Bacterial Community Diversity in Rhizosphere Soil of Cucumber Seedlings Under Salt Stress

To investigate the effects of a plant autotoxin, cinnamic acid, on bacterial communities in the rhizosphere soil of cucumber seedlings under salt stress, we used cucumber as the experimental material, cinnamic acid as the autotoxin, and NaCl to apply salt stress. Bacterial communities in the rhizosphere soil were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction （PCR）, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE）, and clone sequencing. Salt stress decreased the diversity of bacterial species in rhizosphere soil of cucumber seedlings at several growth stages. Cinnamic acid exacerbated the effects of salt stress at high concentrations, but alleviated its effects at low concentrations. Cloning and sequencing results indicated that DGGE bands amplified from soil samples showed high homology to uncultured bacterial species. Cinnamic acid at 50 mg kg^-1 soil improved cucumber growth and was the most effective treatment to alleviate the effects of salt stress on bacterial communities.

Toluene Alkylation with Methanol to p-Xylene over Heteropoly Acids Supported by Clay

The alkylation of toluene with methanol for the selective formation of p-xylene was systematically studied. Very few studies have been reported on the use of superacids such as heteropolyacids on cheap supports, such as clay. This article deals with the use of different heteropoly acids （HPAs）, viz, Dodeca-Tungstophosphoric acid [H3PO4.12WO3.xH2O] （TPA）, Dodeca-Molyhdo phosphoric acid ammonium salt hydrate [H12Mo12N3O40P＋aq] （DMAA）, Dodeca-Molyhdo Phosphoric acid （PMA） on clay （MontmoriUonite, K-10） and as such plain clay. This comparative study reveals that 20%PMA/Clay shows 62% toluene conversion and 100% selectivity toward p-xylene.

Reductive smelting of spent lead–acid battery colloid sludge in a molten Na_2CO_3 salt

Lead extraction from spent lead–acid battery paste in a molten Na2CO3 salt containing Zn O as a sulfur-fixing agent was studied. Some influencing factors, including smelting temperature, reaction time, Zn O and salt dosages, were investigated in detail using single-factor experiments. The optimum conditions were determined as follows: T = 880°C; t = 60 min; Na2CO3/paste mass ratio = 2.8:1; and the Zn O dosage is equal to the stoichiometric requirement. Under the optimum conditions, the direct recovery rate of lead reached 98.14%. The results suggested that increases in temperature and salt dosage improved the direct recovery rate of lead. XRD results and thermodynamic calculations indicated that the reaction approaches of lead and sulfur were Pb SO4→Pb and Pb SO4→Zn S, respectively. Sulfur was fixed in the form of Zn S, whereas the molten salt did not react with other components, serving only as a reaction medium.

Alkali salts of heteropoly tungstates: Efficient catalysts for the synthesis of biodiesel from edible and non-edible oils

Alkali salts of tungsten based heteropoly acids with different central atom such as P, Si and Co were prepared and evaluated for transes- terification of both edible and non-edible oils to their corresponding fatty acid methyl esters. The catalyst of sodium salt of tungstic acid with Co as central atom （Na5CoW12O40） showed optimum activity towards transesterification compared with other heteropoly tungstates. The catalysts activities were correlated with the observed physico-chemical characteristics derived from FT-infrared （FT-IR）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia （NH3-TPD） and carbon dioxide （CO2-TPD）. The Na5CoW12O40 catalyst exhibiting high activity even at 65 ℃ is due to the presence of strong acidic as well as basic sites. The disclosed catalyst is tolerable towards water and free fatty acids present in the oils. The influence of catalyst loading, reaction time and reaction temperature is studied to optimize the reaction parameters.

Highly efficient synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones catalyzed by heteropoly acids in water

Heteropoly acids efficiently catalyzed the cyclocondensation reaction of anthranilamide with aldehydes in water at ambient temperature and afforded the corresponding 2,3-dihydro-4（1H）-quinazolinones compounds in good to excellent yields.This method provides mild reaction conditions and clean reaction profiles,using a small quantity of catalyst and a simple workup procedure.

Hydroxylation of Benzene with Hydrogen Peroxide over Highly Efficient Molybdovanadophosphoric Heteropoly Acid Catalysts

Keggin type molybdovanadophosphoric heteropoly acids, H3＋nPMo12-nVnO40（n=1-3）, were prepared by a novel environmentally benign method, and their catalytic performances were evaluated via hydroxylation of benzene to phenol with hydrogen peroxide as oxidant in a mixed solvent of glacial acetic acid and acetonitrile. Various reaction parameters, such as reaction time, reaction temperature, ratio of benzene to hydrogen peroxide, concentration of aqueous hydrogen peroxide, ratio of glacial acetic acid to acetonitrile in solvent and catalyst con- centration, were changed to obtain an optimal reaction conditions. H3＋nPMo12-nVnO40（n=1-3） are revealed to be highly efficient catalyst for hydroxylation of benzene. In case of H5PMo10V2O40, a conversion of benzene of 34.5% with the selectivity of phenol of 100% can be obtained at the optimal reaction conditions.

Effect of acid phosphatase produced by Trichoderma asperellum Q1 on growth of Arabidopsis under salt stress

Salt stress is a major environmental factor that inhibits crop growth.Trichoderma spp.are the most efficient biocontrol fungi and some of the strains can stimulate plant growth.Phosphate solubilization is known as one of the main mechanisms in promoting plant growth,but the underlying mechanisms of phosphate solubilization in the salinity still need to be explored.The Trichoderma asperellum Q1 isolated and identified in our lab is a beneficial rhizosphere biocontrol fungus with a high phosphate solubilization activity.It could produce acid and alkaline phosphatases when using insoluble organic phosphorus as the sole phosphorus source,the salt stress increased the phosphorus-solubilization ability of the strain and the activities of the two enzymes.Furthermore,an acid phosphatase was purified from the fermentation broth by ammonium sulphate precipitation,ion-exchange,and gel filtration chromatography.Its molecular weight was 55 k Da as determined by SDS-PAGE.The purified acid phosphatase was used to investigate growth performance of Arabidopsis thaliana by plate assay and the result showed that it contributed to Arabidopsis growth by transforming organic phosphate into a soluble inorganic form under salt stress.To our knowledge,this is the first report on acid phosphatase purification from T.asperellum and its function in regulation of plant growth under salt stress.

CATIONIC RING-OPENING POLYMERIZATION OF TETRAHYDROFURAN WITH KEGGIN-TYPE HETEROPOLYCOMPOUNDS AS SOLID ACID CATALYSTS

Three Keggin-type heteropolyanions, namely H3PMo12O40-13H2O, （NH4）3PMo12O40·4H2O and H3PW12O40·13H2O were prepared and tested in the ring-opening polymerization reaction of tetrahydrofuran. The effects of the counter-cation （H＋, NH4＋） and the peripheral atoms （Mo, W） on the polymerization were investigated. It has been found that when the protons of H3PMo12O40·13H2O were replaced by the ammonium cations the polymerization rate decreased dramatically. Whereas, when the peripheral atoms （Mo） were replaced by their homologous （W）, the polymerization rate increased twofold. As for the viscosity average molecular weight （My） of polymer products, it was found that the high molecular weight （7930） was obtained by using H3PW12O40·13H2O. The molecular weight （My） obtained by H3PMo12O40·13H2O and （NH4）H3PMo12O40·13H2O was 6470 and 6810, respectively.

Analysis of Organic Acids Accumulated in Kochia Scoparia Shoots and Roots by Reverse-phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography Under Salt and Alkali Stress

Several organic acids accumulated in Kochia Scoparia shoots and roots were studied by means of reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography with a C18 column. Five types of binary organic acids were separated. The organic acid concentrations were determined in K. Scoparia seedlings stressed by saline （NaCI） and alkaline （NaHCO3） at the same Na^＋ concentration. Concentrations of organic acids are stimulated by alkaline because the cells will adjust their pH values through the accumulation of organic acids, when the environment is basic. The concentrations of oxalic acid and succinic acid are higher than those of other organic acids, including tartaric acid and malic acid, and the concentration of citric acid is the lowest. The concentrations of the organic acids in the roots are higher than those in the shoots under salt（NaCI） stress, but the results are opposite while the roots are under alkali （ NaHCO3 ） stress. This indicates that there are different adaptive strategies for K. Scopar/a seedlings in organic acid metabolism under salt and alkali stress.

Effects of Exogenous Trehalose on the Metabolism of Sugar and Abscisic Acid in Tomato Seedlings Under Salt Stress

Salt stress a ects the growth and development of plants, which results in a decrease in crop quality and yield. In this study, we used tomato seedlings treated with salt and trehalose as experimental materials and analyzed them using the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution analysis to select the optimal trehalose concentration for treatment. We also determined the contents of sugar and abscisic acid (ABA) and detected the expression of genes involved in the metabolism of sugar and ABA by quantitative real-time PCR. Results showed that the optimal trehalose concentration was 2 mmol/L for tomato seedlings under salt stress. Exogenous trehalose decreased the starch content and increased the soluble sugar con- tent by a ecting the expression of genes related to the metabolism of starch and soluble sugar. Exogenous trehalose altered the accumulation and distribution of sugar by inducing the upregulation of sugar transporter genes. Furthermore, trehalose increased the ABA content to induce salt stress response by regulating the expression of genes related to the synthesis and metabolism of ABA. In conclusion, trehalose can e ectively alleviate salt stress and enhance salt tolerance of tomato. These ndings provide a novel perspective and a better resource to investigate the salt tolerance mechanism and a new method for alleviating salt stress in tomato.

Three Salts of Labdanic Acids from Andrographis paniculata (Acanthaceae)

Three salts of labdanic acids, named as magnesium andrographate, disodium andrographate and dipotassium andrographate 19-O-beta -D-glucoside were isolated from the hydrophilic extract of Andrographis paniculata Nees. (Acanthaceae), together with guanosine, uridine, 6-epihardpagide, procumbide, violanthin and apigenin 7-O-beta -D-glucoside. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis and chemical transformation.

Anodising of 2024-T3 aluminium alloy in electrolyte of sulphuric-boric-phosphoric mixed acid containing cerium salt as corrosion inhibitor

The effect of cerium salt as an inhibitor in anodising of the2024-T3aluminium alloy was studied.Scanning electronmicroscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used to study the surface composition of the alloy before andafter surface preparation.A mixed electrolyte of10%sulphuric acid,5%boric acid and2%phosphoric acid containing0.1mol/Lcerium sulphate salt was used as the anodising electrolyte.Sealing treatment was also done in boiling water and molten stearic acid.Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and salt spray techniques were performed in order to investigate the corrosion behaviourand durability of the oxide films,respectively.It was concluded that the presence of cerium ions in anodising electrolyte resulted inthe increase in homogeneity,the rate of oxide film growth and also the thickness of the oxide layer,owing to the high oxidisingpower of cerium ion.