Effects of Tobacco-dedicated Plant Nutrition Regulators on Yield and Quality of Flue-cured Tobacco Leaves

During 2012-2014,field trials were carried out in Huili County,Dechang County and Mianning County of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture to investigate effects of tobacco-dedicated plant nutrition regulators on yield and quality of fluecured tobacco leaves,aiming at providing reference for tobacco production.According to the results,in tobacco fields applied with tobacco-dedicated plant nutrition regulators,growth period of tobacco was shortened compared with control group;botanical characters（plant height,stem girth,the maximum leaf length,the maximum leaf width,internode length and leaf number） were superior to control group;after application of tobacco-dedicated plant nutrition regulators,yield,output value and the proportion of high-grade and middle-grade leaves were significantly improved compared with control group;moreover,flue-cured tobacco leaves exhibited more coordinated chemical composition.

Pesticidal character of phytoecdysteroids from Ajuga multiflora Bunge (Labiatae) on larvae of Cryptorrhynchus lapathi L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Eight kinds of phytoecdysteroids extracted from different parts of Ajuga multiflora Bunge (Labiatae) that were collected from different places at different time were tested for killing effects on the 2-instar larvae of Cryptorrhynchus lapathi L by adding them to the artificial diet of larvae. The experimental results indicated that adding 1-3-mL phytoecdysteroids to the artificial diet could lead 58%-100% of 2-instar larvae of C. lapathi to death within 24 days. The phytoecdysteroids extracted from the whole plant of A. multiflora which was collected before flowering time were much more effective than those extracted from the plants collected at flowering and after flowering periods, and the modified mortality rate of larvae reached 65.22%, 85.07%, and 98.11% at the dosage level of 1-mL, 2-mL, and 3-mL extracts, respectively. The extract made from root of A. multiflora plant was more effective in killing efficiency than those from stem and leaves, and the average death rates of larvae were up to 100%, 98.20% and 98.32% at dosage levels of 1-mL, 2-mL, and 3-mL extracts, respectively. The killing speed of the extracted phytoecdysteroids was slower than that of triflumuron, hexaflumuron or deltamethrin emulsifiable concentrate. The mortality rate of larvae is closely related to the feeding duration on the diets containing phytoecdysteroids. Feeding on the diets with addition of phytoecdysteroids for 16 days, more than 80% of treated 2-instar larvae of C. lapathi were led to death. The killing effect of the extracts was little affected by the growth areas of A. multiflora plant and the adding way to artificial diet.

Effects of salvia miltiorrhiza bge on myocardial fibrosis in hypertensive rats

Objective: To study the effects of Salvia Miltiorrhiza Bge (SMB) on myocardial fibrosis in hypertension in rats. Methods: Normal Wistar kyoto rats served as negative control (group A) . The rats with hypertension were divided into 2 groups: the hypertension group (group B) which served as the positive control and the SMB-treated hypertension group (group C). The effects of SMB on the systolic pressure, the myocardial content of aldosterone (ALD) and nitric oxide (NO) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the myocardium were detected. Results: The systolic pressure of the rats of group C showed no marked change after the administration of SMB and showed no difference from that of the rats of group B. The content of collagen Ⅰ and Ⅲ of the left ventricle, the collagen Ⅰ /collagen Ⅲ ratio and the content-of ALD were lower in group C than in group B and higher in group C than in group A. The content of NO and the activity of SOD in the myocardium were higher in group C than in group B and lower in group C than in group A. Conclusion: It was concluded that SMB was able to prevent or reverse the progress of myocardial fibrosis resulting from hypertension. The mechanism of this effect of SMB might be due to the fact that SMB can decrease the collagen synthesis and ALD content and increase collagen decomposition, NO content and SOD activity in the myocardium.

A Method for Mass-rearing Aphidius gifuensis(Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae)

[Objective] This study presents a method for mass rearing of Aphidius gifuensis, a dominant endoparasitoid of Myzus persicae on tobacco in Southwest China. [Method] The tobacco cultivar Honghuadajinyuan(Nicotiana tabacum) was used as the host plant and M. persicae was the host insect. In a greenhouse, tobacco seedlings were reared in plastic trays. The seedlings at three-true-leaf stage were inoculated with two to three aphids per plant using aphid source with a parasitism rate of 47% ±3.9%. [Result] By this inoculation method, the aphids and parasites were simultaneously inoculated on host plants. After approximately 25 d of rearing, we were able to produce 82.5±5.17 aphid mummies per tobacco seedling. A total of 445 500 aphid mummies were produced in one greenhouse(36 rearing trays per greenhouse) during an approximately 50-day rearing period. The emergence rate was 93.4% ±2.76%, and 54% of the mummies were females. [Conclusion] The demonstrated technological feasibility of using tobacco seedlings for the mass rearing of A. gifuensis increases the potential for the biological control of M. persicae.

Jamu-A Healthy Drink of Indonesia

Jamu is traditional herbal medicine and a healthy drink considered by some Indonesians to be a primary element in their lives. The term ofjamu may be derived from ancient Javanese language ＂Djampi＂ that means a healing method using herb during the era of Ancient Java emerged since the 9th century AD. Jamu is consume either in fresh or in processed one. Some jamu sellers still found carrying their wares, in a basket fastened to their torsos using a sling made of fabric, and visit door to door in local neighborhoods. The name is Jamu gendong. The use of the j amu remains the same as the ancestors did. The visible proof is the use of traditional herbal medicine of various type of ＂medical plants＂, either from the leaves, the fruits, the roots, the flowers or the barks, etc. It is truly back to nature. These herbal medicine had been used since the ancient time up to now, it is largely consumed by people of different levels： lower, middle and upper, in the villages and in the big cities. Jamu as a cultural heritage has a big potential asset of Indonesia and is also one of Indonsia＇s cultural products based on local resources and the creativity of the nation. Indonesia has natural resourses of plants totaling about 30,000 species of flowering plants, which is the third largest in the world after Brazil and Zaire, including 7,000 species of medicinal plants, 940 species one could buy easily readymade jamu packed modernly in the form of powder, pills, capsules, drinking liquid and ointments. Of course there are still jamu shops, which only sell for those have been identified, 283 species are listed as raw materials that are used routinely in the medicine industry. Jamu from time to time has been widely accepted in almost every country in the world. It is not only as a preventive maintenance, but also as a curative treatment for acute and chronic treatment. At present ingredients ofjamu and its preparation spot as required by buyers. Some women are roaming the street to sell jamu, which is a common view across the country. At present time, jamu has also been produced in mass by manufacturers for export, and mostly concerns on quality, consistency, and cleanliness either locally or internationally distributed.

Effects of Sewage Sludge Application on the Heavy Metal Content of Crested Wheatgrass （Agropyron cristatum （L.）） Gaertn

This paper presents the data from two-year experiments concerning with doses of sewage sludge （0, 7, 14 and 21 ton.ha^-1） and inorganic nitrogen doses （0, 50, 100 and 150 kg.ha^-1） from the Municipality of Van, which is located at an altitude of 1,725 m of eastern Anatolia in Turkey. A study was conducted to assess two different N sources on sandy-silty-clay soils grown to crested wheatgrass Agropyron cristatum （L.） Gaertn, grass pasture which had been amended with sewage sludge for two years. Plant tissue and DTPA （diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid） extractable soil nutrient were evaluated; twelve elements were analyzed in the plant tissue and six elements in the soil extract in different soil depths. The research demonstrated that the applications produced increase contents of N, P, Mg, Mn, Zn and Pb in the plant. There was a significant （P 〈 0.01） accumulation of DTPA extractable concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Pb in the top soil horizon. Also, sewage sludge resulted in 51 folded increase in extractable P in 0-20 cm soil horizon. However, DTPA concentrations of in soil showed that Fe exhibited a significant positive correlation with the concentrations of exchangeable fractions of Mn, Cu, Zn and Pb with the correlation. Positive correlations were also observed between Cu-Mn, Mn-Zn, Mn-Pb, Cu-Zn, Cu-Pb and Zn-Pb concentrations. In the same way, plant uptake of the Mn, Zn and Pb was highly correlated with concentrations of Cu, Zn and Pb in the soil. It was concluded that sewage sludge is a valuable source of nutrient and also provides an opportunity to increase soil organic matter.

Recent advances in molecular basis for strigolactone action

Strigolactones （SLs） are a very special class of plant hormones, which act as endogenous signals to regulate shoot branching in plants, and also serve as rhizosphere signals to regulate interactions of host plants with heterologous organisms such as symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and parasitic weeds. In this short review, we give a brief description of novel discoveries in SL biosynthesis pathway, and mainly summarize the recent advances in SL perceotion and signal transduction.

Annual mowing mitigates the negative legacy effects of N enrichment on grassland nutrient use efficiency

Aims Plant nutrient use efficiency,an important factor driving primary production,is sensitive to nitrogen(N)deposition.Because of strengthened regulations of N emissions,atmospheric N deposition is decreasing in many countries.It remains unknown whether historical N enrichment would alter plant nutrient use efficiency and whether such impacts would be mitigated by ecosystem management strategy.Methods We assessed the effects of historical N addition and mowing on plant N and phosphorus use efficiency(NUE and PUE)at both functional group and community levels in a temperate steppe after the cessation of 6-year N addition.Important Findings Historical N addition had negative legacy effects on plant NUE but not on PUE at the functional group level.There were negative legacy effects of N addition on community-level NUE and PUE,but only in the unmown plots.Mowing mitigated the negative legacy effects of N enrichment on community-level NUE and PUE by reducing the dominance of tall rhizomatous grass but enhancing that of tall bunchgrass.Our results highlight the importance of community composition variations caused by mowing in driving the legacy effects of N enrichment on community-level nutrient use efficiency.Given the slow recovery of community composition following cessation of N deposition,our findings suggest that the lower nutrient efficiency of plant community would be long-lasting.