Preparation and Catalytic Application of Novel Water Tolerant Solid Acid Catalysts of Zirconium Sulfate/HZSM-5

Esterification of acrylic acid（AA） to produce AA esters has widespread application in the chemical industry. A series of water tolerant solid acid catalysts was prepared, and characterized by XRD, nitrogen adsorption, TGA-DTA, XPS, and ammonia adsorption FTIR. The effects of Si/Al ratio, zirconium sulfate（ZS） loading on HZSM-5 and calcination temperature on the esterification were investigated. When 20% （mass fraction） ZS is loaded on HZSM-5, the conversion of AA reaches 100%. XRD analysis indicates that ZS is highly dispersed on HZSM-5 because no crystalline structure assigned to ZS is found. Catalytic activity and hydrophobicity of ZS supported on HZSM-5 are higher compared with those of parent ZS or HZSM-5. Results show that this kind of novel catalysts is an efficient water tolerant solid acid catalyst for esterification reactions.

Effect of Nitrogen on Water Content, Sap Flow, and Tolerance of Rice Plants to Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens

Water content (WC) and sap flow from leaf sheath of rice plants with varying nitrogen levels at different growth stages, and fluctuations in relative water content (RWC) of rice plants being damaged by brown planthoppcr (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens were determined in the laboratory, and the tolerance of rice plants to BPH at different nitrogen regimes was evaluated in the greenhouse at International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Philippines. The results indicated that both WC and RWC were increased significantly, as the amount of sap flow from rice plants was reduced statistically, with the increase of nitrogen content in rice plants. RWC in rice plants applied with high nitrogen fertilizer decreased drastically by the injury of BPH nymphs, while the reduced survival duration of rice plants with the increase of nitrogen content was recorded. These may be considered to be one of the important factors in increasing the susceptibility to BPH damage on rice plants applied with nitrogen fertilizer.

Overexpression of MdMIPS1 enhances drought tolerance and water-use efficiency in apple

Myo-inositol and its derivatives play important roles in the tolerance of higher plants to abiotic stresses, and myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase(MIPS) is the rate-limiting enzyme in myo-inositol biosynthesis. In this study, we found that increased myo-inositol biosynthesis enhanced drought tolerance in MdMIPS1-overexpressing apple lines under shortterm progressive drought stress. The effect of myo-inositol appeared to be mediated by the increased accumulation of osmoprotectants such as glucose, sucrose, and proline, and by the increased activities of antioxidant enzymes that eliminate reactive oxygen species. Moreover, enhanced water-use efficiency(WUE) was observed in MdMIPS1-overexpressing apple lines under long-term moderate water deficit conditions that mimicked the water availability in the soil of the Loess Plateau. Enhanced WUE may have been associated with the synergistic regulation of osmotic balance and stomatal aperture mediated by increased myo-inositol biosynthesis. Taken together, our findings shed light on the positive effects of MdMIPS1-mediated myo-inositol biosynthesis on drought tolerance and WUE in apple.

Differential Response of Grain Quality to Cold Water Irrigation in Cold Tolerant and Sensitive Lines of Rice

Three rice varieties and several F3 lines with high and low cold tolerance, selected from F3 segregation lines of two crossesMilyang 23/Tong 88-7 and Milyang 23/TR22183 were used to analyze the effects of cold tolerance on the response of grainquality to cold water irrigation. The result showed that cold water irrigation led to the decrease of rice grain size. Thelength, length-width ratio and weight of brown rice grain were more sensitively affected by cold water irrigation than thewidth and thickness. The shape of brown rice grain was not significantly affected by the selection for cold tolerance at theseedling stage (CTS). The gel consistency, amylose content, peak viscosity, cool viscosity, breakdown viscosity andconsistency viscosity were decreased, while alkali digestibility value and protein content were increased by cold waterirrigation. Under normal irrigation condition the physicochemical properties of milled rice and viscogram components ofmilled rice flour were not significantly different between lines with high and low cold tolerance. Under cold water irrigationthe amylose content, peak viscosity, hot viscosity, final viscosity of rice lines with high CTS or high cold tolerance at thebooting stage (CTB) were higher, while the protein content, setback viscosity, breakdown ratio and setback ratio werelower, than those of rice lines with low cold tolerance. This implied that the cold water response of rice grain quality wasless sensitive in the lines with high cold tolerance than in the lines with low cold tolerance, and the varietal improvementfor cold tolerance would be important for grain quality improvement at the same time.

Drought Tolerance in Mung Bean is Associated with the Genotypic Divergence, Regulation of Proline, Photosynthetic Pigment and Water Relation

Drought is one of the critical conditions for the growth and productivity of many crops including mung bean(Vigna radiata L.Wilczek).Screening of genotypes for variations is one of the suitable strategies for evaluating crop adaptability and global food security.In this context,the study investigated the physiological and biochemical responses of four drought tolerant(BARI Mung-8,BMX-08010-2,BMX-010015,BMX-08009-7),and four drought sensitive(BARI Mung-1,BARI Mung-3,BU Mung-4,BMX-05001)mung bean genotypes under wellwatered(WW)and water deficit(WD)conditions.The WW treatment maintained sufficient soil moisture(22%±0.5%,i.e.,30%deficit of available water)by regularly supplying water.Whereas,the WD treatment was maintained throughout the growing period,and water was applied when the wilting symptom appeared.The drought tolerant(DT)genotypes BARI Mung-8,BMX-08010-2,BMX-010015,BMX-08009-7 showed a high level of proline accumulation(2.52–5.99 mg g^(−1) FW),photosynthetic pigment(total chlorophyll 2.96–3.27 mg g^(−1) FW at flowering stage,and 1.62–2.38 mg g^(−1) FW at pod developing stage),plant water relation attributes including relative water content(RWC)(82%–84%),water retention capacity(WRC)(12–14)as well as lower water saturation deficit(WSD)(19%–23%),and water uptake capacity(WUC)(2.58–2.89)under WD condition,which provided consequently higher relative seed yield.These indicate that the tolerant genotypes gained better physiobiochemical attributes and adaptability in response to drought conditions.Furthermore,the genotype BMX-08010-2 showed superiority in terms of those physio-biochemical traits,susceptibility index(SSI)and stress tolerance index(STI)to other genotypes.Based on the physiological and biochemical responses,the BMX-08010-2 was found to be a suitable genotype for sustaining yield under drought stress,and subsequently,it could be recommended for crop improvement through hybridization programs.In addition,the identified traits can be used as markers to identify tolerant genotypes for drought-prone areas.

Recent studies on potential accident-tolerant fuel-cladding systems in light water reactors

Accident-tolerant fuel(ATF)has attracted considerable research attention since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.To improve the accident tolerance of the fuel-cladding systems in the current light-water reactors,it is proposed to develop and deploy(1)an enhanced Zrbased alloy or coated zircaloy for the fuel cladding,(2)alternative cladding materials with better accident tolerance,and(3)alternative fuels with enhanced accident tolerance and/or a higher U density.This review presents the features of the current UO2-zircaloy system.Different techniques and characters to develop coating materials and enhanced Zr-based alloys are summarized.The features of several selected alternative fuels and cladding materials are reviewed and discussed.The neutronic evaluations of alternative fuel-cladding systems are analyzed.It is expected that one or more types of ATF-cladding systems discussed in the present review will be implemented in commercial reactors.

Neutronic analysis of silicon carbide cladding accident-tolerant fuel assemblies in pressurized water reactors

In resonance with the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident lesson, a novel fuel design to enhance safety regarding severe accident scenarios has become increasingly appreciated in the nuclear power industry. This research focuses on analysis of the neutronic properties of a silicon carbide(SiC) cladding fuel assembly, which provides a greater safety margin as a type of accident-tolerant fuel for pressurized water reactors. The general physical performance of SiC cladding is explored to ascertain its neutronic performance. The neutron spectrum, accumulation of ^(239)Pu, physical characteristics,temperature reactivity coefficient, and power distribution are analyzed. Furthermore, the influences of a burnable poison rod and enrichment are explored. SiC cladding assemblies show a softer neutron spectrum and flatter power distribution than conventional Zr alloy cladding fuel assemblies. Lower enrichment fuel is required when SiC cladding is adopted. However, the positive reactivity coefficient associated with the SiC material remains to be offset. The results reveal that SiC cladding assemblies show broad agreement with the neutronic performance of conventional Zr alloy cladding fuel. In the meantime, its unique physical characteristics can lead to improved safety and economy.

Maximum tolerated volume in drinking tests with water and a nutritional beverage for the diagnosis of functional dyspepsia

AIM: Recently, drinking load tests with water or nutritional beverages have been proposed as diagnostic tools for functional dyspepsia (FD), therefore we sought to reproduce if these tests can discriminate between FD patients and controls in a Mexican population. METHODS: Twenty FD-Rome Ⅱ patients were matched by age and gender with 20 healthy controls. All underwent both drinking tests at a 15 mL/min rate, randomly, 7 d apart. Every 5 min within each test, four symptoms were evaluated (satiety, bloating, nausea and pain) by Likert scales. Maximum tolerated volume (MTV) was defined as the ingested volume when a score of 5 was reached for any symptom or when the test had to be stopped because the patients could not tolerate more volume. Sensitivity and specificity were analyzed. RESULTS: FD patients had higher symptom scores for both tests compared to controls (water: t= 4.1, P= 0.001 ＜0.01; Nutren(R): t= 5.2, P= 0.001＜0.01). The MTV forwater and Nutren(R) were significantly lower in FD (water: 1014±288 vs 1749±275 mL; t = 7.9, P = 0.001＜0.01;Nutren(R): 652±168 vs 1278±286 mL; t= 6.7, P = 0.001＜0.01). With the volume tolerated by the controls, the percentile 10 was determined as the lower limit fortolerance. Sensitivity and specificity were 0.90, 0.95 for water and 0.95, 0.95 for Nutren(R) tests.CONCLUSION: A drinking test with water or a nutritional beverage can discriminate between FD patients and healthy subjects in Mexico, with high sensitivity and specificity. These tests could be used as objective, noninvasive, and safe diagnostic approaches for FD patients.

Efficacy and tolerability of hydrogen carbonate-rich waterfor heartburn

AIM To investigate the efficacy and safety of mineralwater with a high content of hydrogen carbonate inpatients with heartburn.METHODS： This open, single-center, single-armclinical pilot study enrolled 50 patients, 18-64 yearsold, who had been suffering from heartburn at leasttwice a week for at least 3 mo before entering thestudy. Pharmacological treatment of heartburn was notpermitted, and patients with severe organic diseaseswere excluded. After a run-in period of one week, theparticipants received 1.5 L of the test water for thefollowing 6 wk; 300 mL with meals t.i.d., the remainderto be drunk throughout the day. During the trial, therewere five visits at the study center （screening, baseline,two interim visits and the final visit）. The efficacyendpoints included incidence and duration of heartburnepisodes per week by patient＇s self-assessment （heartburndiary） as well as changes in symptom severity asper symptom specific questionnaires [Reflux Disease Questionnaire （RDQ）; Quality of Life in Reflux andDyspepsia （QOLRAD）; Gastrointestinal Quality of LifeIndex] and overall health-related quality of life per SF-12（12-question short form） at each visit. At the end of thestudy, patients and investigators independently ratedthe overall efficacy of the test water on a 4-point Likertscale. Safety was assessed by evaluation of adverseevents （AEs）, vital signs （heart rate, blood pressure）and laboratory parameters. Changes from initial to finalexaminations were assessed by the non-parametricWilcoxon test; categorical variables were comparedusing the χ 2 test, and for more than 5 categories, by theU-test.RESULTS： Twenty-eight participants were men, 22women. The mean age of the patients in the fullanalysis set/intention-to treat population （FAS/ITT） was40.6 years. Forty-two participants completed the studyaccording to the study protocol and formed the perprotocolset （PP population）; 48 participants drank thewater at least once as requested and were analyzedas ITT population. The occurrence of heartburn wasstatistically significantly reduced at wk 6 in both the ITTand the PP populations. At wk 6, the mean number ofheartburn episodes/week decreased by 5.1 episodes（P 〈 0.001） and the mean duration of heartburnsymptoms by 19 min （ITT） （P = 0.002）. The frequencyof heartburn symptoms was reduced in 89.6% of thepatients （P 〈 0.001）, and the duration of symptoms in79.2% of patients （ITT） （P 〈 0.001）. All dimensions ofthe RDQ （heartburn, regurgitation, gastro-esophagealreflux disease symptoms, dyspepsia） showed asignificant improvement at 6 wk. Likewise, diseasespecificquality of life improved significantly （QOLRAD,GIQLI）. Overall, 89.4% of patients rated the efficacyof the test water as ＂good＂ or ＂very good＂, as did theinvestigators for 91.5% of the patients. There wereno serious AEs. After 6 wk, systolic and diastolic bloodpressure values decreased slightly but significantly [-3.5and -3.0 mmHg, respectively （P = 0.008 and P = 0,002）].Ninety-six percent of patients and investigators for thesame percentage of patients rated the tolerability of thewater as ＂good＂ or ＂very good＂.CONCLUSION： The data demonstrate effectiveness ofa hydrogen carbonate-rich mineral water in alleviatingheartburn frequency and severity, thereby improvingquality of life. The water has excellent tolerability.

Response of Photosynthesis, Growth, Carbon Isotope Discrimination and Osmotic Tolerance of Rice to Elevated CO_2

Four rice ( Oryza sativa L.) cultivars 'IR72', 'Tesanai 2', 'Guichao 2' and 'IIyou 4480' were grown in two plastic house (15 m×3 m) with 35 μmol/mol and 60 μmol/mol CO 2 concentration which was controlled by computer. As compared with rice at ambient 35 μmol/mol CO 2, the changes in photosynthetic rate at elevated CO 2 showed up_regulation ('IR72' and 'Tesanai 2'), stable (unchanged) in 'Guichao 2' and down_regulation type ('IIyou 4480'). Growth rate, panicle weight, integrated water use efficiency (WUE) calculated from Δ 13 C and the capacity of scavenging DPPH · (1,1_diphenyl_2_picrylhydrazyl) free radical were increased at elevated CO 2. An increment in total biomass was observed in three cultivars by elevated CO 2, with the exception of 'IIyou 4480'. Ratios of panicle weight/total biomass were altered to different extents in tested cultivars by elevated CO 2. When leaf segments were subjected to PEG osmotic stress, the electrolyte leakage rate from leaves grown at elevated CO 2 was less than that at 35 μmol/mol CO 2. Those intraspecific variations of rice imply a possibility for selecting cultivars with maximal productivity and high tolerance to stresses adapted to elevated CO 2 in the future.

Impact of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium on Brown Planthopper and Tolerance of Its Host Rice Plants

The brown planthopper(BPH),Nilaparvata lugens(St?l),appeared as a devastating pest of rice in Asia. Experiments were conducted to study the effects of three nutrients,nitrogen(N),phosphorus(P) and potassium(K),on BPH and its host rice plants. Biochemical constituents of BPH and rice plants with varying nutrient levels at different growth stages,and changes in relative water content(RWC) of rice plants were determined in the laboratory. Feeding of BPH and the tolerance of rice plants to BPH with different nutrient levels were determined in the nethouse. Concentrations of N and P were found much higher in the BPH body than in its host rice plants,and this elemental mismatch is an inherent constraint on meeting nutritional requirements of BPH. Nitrogen was found as a more limiting element for BPH than other nutrients in rice plants. Application of N fertilizers to the rice plants increased the N concentrations both in rice plants and BPH while application of P and K fertilizers increased their concentrations in plant tissues only but not in BPH. Nitrogen application also increased the level of soluble proteins and decreased silicon content in rice plants,which resulted in increased feeding of BPH with sharp reduction of RWC in rice plants ultimately caused susceptible to the pest. P fertilization increased the concentration of P in rice plant tissues but not changed N,K,Si,free sugar and soluble protein contents,which indicated little importance of P to the feeding of BPH and tolerance of plant against BPH. K fertilization increased K content but reduced N,Si,free sugar and soluble protein contents in the plant tissues which resulted in the minimum reduction of RWC in rice plants after BPH feeding,thereby contributed to higher tolerance of rice plants to brown planthopper.

Simple nonlinear model for the relationship between maize yield and cumulative water amount

Both the additive and multiplicative models of crop yield and water supply are polynomial equations, and the number of parameters increases linearly when the growing period is specified. However, interactions among multiple parameters occasionally lead to unreasonable estimations of certain parameters, which were water sensitivity coefficients but with negative value. Additionally, evapotranspiration must be measured as a model input. To facilitate the application of these models and overcome the aforementioned shortcomings, a simple model with only three parameters was derived in this paper based on certain general quantitative relations of crop yield （Y） and water supply （W）. The new model, Y/Y-W＊/（W＊＋w＊）, fits an S or a saturated curve of crop yield with the cumulative amount of water. Three parameters are related to biological factors： the yield potential （Y＊）, the water requirement to achieve half of the yield potential （half-yield water requirement, wh）, and the water sensitivity coefficient （k）. The model was validated with data from 24 maize lines obtained in the present study and 17 maize hybrids published by other authors. The results showed that the model was well fit to the data, and the normal root of the mean square error （NRMSE） values were 2.8 to 17.8% （average 7.2%） for the 24 maize lines and 2.7 to 12.7% （average 7.4%） for the 17 maize varieties. According to the present model, the maize water-sensitive stages in descending order were pollen shedding and silking, tasselling, jointing, initial grain filling, germination, middle grain filling, late grain filling, and end of grain filling. This sequence was consistent with actual observations in the maize field. The present model may be easily used to analyse the water use efficiency and drought tolerance of maize at specific stages.

Drought Tolerance in Rice: Focus on Recent Mechanisms and Approaches

Drought stress is a serious limiting factor to rice production,which results in huge economic losses.It is becoming a more serious issue with respect to the global climate change.Keeping in view of the current and forecasted global food demand,it has become essential to enhance the crop productivity on the drought-prone rainfed lands with priority.In order to achieve the production target from rainfed areas,there is a requirement of rice varieties with drought tolerance,and genetic improvement for drought tolerant should be a high priority theme of research in the future.Breeding for drought tolerant rice varieties is a thought-provoking task because of the complex nature and multigenic control of drought tolerant traits would be a major bottleneck for the current research.A great progress has been made during last two decades in our understanding of the mechanisms involved in adaptation and tolerance to drought stress in rice.In this review,we highlighted the recent progresses in physiological,biochemical and molecular adaptation of rice to drought tolerance.A brief discussion on the molecular genetics and breeding approaches for drought tolerance in rice will be focused for the future crop improvement program for development of drought tolerant rice varieties.

Heavy metal contamination, physico-chemical and microbial evaluation of water samples collected from chromite mine environment of Sukinda, India

Water samples from chromite mine quarry of Sukinda and its adjacent areas were analyzed for their heavy metal contamination along with physico-chemical and microbial contents. The chromite mine water samples possessed high concentrations of heavy metals in the order of Cr〉Fe〉Zn〉Ni〉Co〉Mn while ground water did not show any heavy metal contamination except Fe. Physico-chemical parameters of mine water samples showed deviation from those of normal water. Mine water harboured low microbial populations of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes in comparison with mine adjacent water samples. The correlation of data between metals with physico-chemical parameters showed both positive and negative responses while that of metal and microbial population exhibited negative correlation. Bacterial strains isolated from chromite mine water exhibited high tolerance towards chromium and other heavy metals as well as antibiotics which could be used as an indicator of heavy metal pollution.

Interference of CsGPA1,theα-submit of G protein,reduces drought tolerance in cucumber seedlings

The G proteinα-subunit,GPA1,is an integral component of several signaling pathways in plants,including response to abiotic stress.However,the molecular mechanism behind these processes remains largely unknown in the cucumber plant(Cucumis sativus L.).In order to further understand the role of CsGPA1 in cucumber under drought stress,changes in plant growth,physiological parameters,and gene expression of CsAQPs were all measured under water stress induced by polyethylene glycol(PEG)using wild type(WT)and CsGPA1-interference(RNAi)cucumber seedlings.Our results demonstrated that the RNAi plants had lower drought tolerance,displaying seriously withered leaves,lower relative growth rate,lower root-shoot ratio,and lower root activity under drought stress compared to WT plants.Physiological studies indicated that the suppression of CsGPA1 weakened drought stress tolerance due to higherwater loss rate in the leaves,higher levels of hydrogen peroxide(H2O2),increased malondialdehyde(MDA)content,lower free proline content,lower soluble sugar content,lower soluble protein content,and decreased antioxidant enzyme activities.qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the interference of CsGPA1 up-regulated the expression of most AQP genes(except for CsPIP2;3 in leaves)and down-regulated the expression of CsPIP1;2,CsPIP1;4,CsPIP2;1,and CsPIP2;4 in roots under drought stress when compared to WT plants.Our results demonstrated that CsGPA1 could function as a positive regulator in drought stress response by decreasing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species(ROS),improving permeable potentials,and reducing water loss in cucumber plants.

Determination of drought tolerance using root activities in Robinia pseudoacada 'Idaho' transformed with mtl-D gene

Idaho locust （Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Idaho＇） is an exotic multi-purpose tree used in landscaping, soil and water conserva- tion, fodder sources and others. To improve its drought tolerance for reclaiming arid land, five lines of transformed mtl-D gene, as osmotic regulator in plant cells, have been selected and managed to determine their drought tolerance under experimental conditions. Qualitative and quantitative variables of transformed plants were studied. The critical value of drought tolerance was determined by detecting the 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride （TTC） reductants in roots and soil water content （SWC）. The critical value for drought tolerance was SWC 6% while for the control plants the critical SWC was 8%; a moderate level of SWC is 13% and the highest SWC for plant endurance was 18%. The method proved to be reliable and sensitive in the evaluation of drought tolerance for forest trees.

Shoot and root traits in drought tolerant maize(Zea mays L.) hybrids

This study aimed to investigate the differences in shoot and root traits, and water use and water use efficiency（WUE） in drought tolerant（DT） maize（Zea mays L.） hybrids under full and deficit irrigated conditions. A two-year greenhouse study was conducted with four hybrids（one conventional hybrid, 33D53AM, two commercial DT hybrids, P1151 AM, N75H, and an experimental hybrid, Exp HB） grown under two water regimes（I（100） and I（50）, referring to 100 and 50% of evapotranspiration requirements）. Under water stress, the hybids P1151 AM, N75, and Exp HB showed more drought tolerance and had either greater shoot dry weight or less dry weight reduction than the conventional hybrid（33 D53 AM）. However, these three hybrids responded to water stress using different mechanisms. Compared with the conventional hybrid, the two commercial DT hybrids（P1151 AM and N75H） had a smaller leaf area, shoot dry weight, and root system per plant. As a result, these hybrids used less water but had a higher WUE compared with the conventional hybrid. In contrast, the experimental hybrid（ExpHB） produced more shoot biomass by silking stage at both irrigation levels than all other hybrids, but it had relatively lower WUE. The hybrids demonstrated different drought response mechanisms that may require different irrigation management strategies. More investigation and validation are needed under field conditions and in different soil types.

Selection of Rice Genotypes for Salinity Tolerance Through Morpho-Biochemical Assessment

The present study reported the morpho-biochemical evaluation of 15 selected rice genotypes for salt tolerance at the seedling stage. Growth parameters including shoot length, root length, plant biomass, plant turgid weight, plant dry weight along with relative water content were measured after exposure to saline solution （with electrical conductivity value of 12 dS/m）. Genotypes, showing significant differential responses towards salinity in the fields, were assessed through 14 salinity-linked morpho-biochemical attributes, measured at 14 d after exposure of seedling in saline nutrient solution. Relative water content, chlorophyll a/b, peroxidase activity and plant biomass were identified as potential indicators of salt tolerance. Principal component analysis and successive Hierarchical clustering using Euclidean distance revealed that Talmugur, Gheus, Ghunsi, Langalmura, Sabitapalui, and Sholerpona were promising genotypes for further breeding programmes in rice. The maximum Euclidean distance was plotted between Thavallakanan and Talmugur （7.49）, followed by Thavallakanan and Langalmura （6.82）, indicating these combinations may be exploited as parental lines in hybridization programmes to develop salinity tolerant variety.

<i>In Vitro</i>Germination and Early Vegetative Growth of Five Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i>L.) Varieties under Water Stress Conditions

Water is the main limiting factor in the cultivation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in Senegal. Thus, the selection of varieties tolerant to water stress would be an alternative solution for their production. In vitro germination, growth, total chlorophyll and proline levels were studied in five varieties of tomato subjected to increasing osmotic pressures (0, 5, 10 and 15 kPa) thanks to the PEG-8000 incorporated in an MS/2 medium for 30 days. A strong sensitivity to water stress for in vitro seed germination in the Rodeo variety (41%) is recorded at 5 kPa and maintained at 15 kPa (20.83%) while it was only noticed at 15 kPa in the other tomato varieties. The Xewel and Lady Nema varieties obtained the smallest reductions in the number of leaves of vitroplants, with 30.79% and 27.97% at 15 kPa, respectively, and the Rodeo variety recorded a reduction of 35.97%. From 5 kPa, the varieties record reductions in the number of secondary roots of more than 15%. The effect of osmotic pressures on decreasing the taproot height and length is not significant. The Xewel variety had the highest average fresh (0.483 g) and dry (0.082 g) weights of the aerial part at 15 kPa and the Rodeo variety had the lowest ones (0.308 g and 0.0501 g). The Lady Nema variety had the highest average fresh (0.171 g) and dry (0.039 g) root weights and the Rodeo variety had the lowest ones (0.086 and 0.020 g). The vitroplants of Rodeo variety recorded the highest decreases in total chlorophyll contents at all osmotic pressures and the lowest increase in proline content (53.37%) at 15 kPa. A contrario, the Xewel variety recorded the greatest increase in proline content (116.26%). Ultimately, the vitroplants of Lady Nema and Xewel varieties were more tolerant to water stress, the Ganila and Mongal varieties were moderately tolerant and the Rodeo variety was the most sensitive.

Temperature Tolerance of Large Yellow Croaker,Pseudosciaena Crocea(Richardson)Associated with Summer Season

L ethal temperature tolerance was determined for about 8 cm, age 0 Pseudosciaena crocea using both slow heating and rapid transfer protocol. The acclimatization temperature was 28 ℃ with summer season, lethal temperature ( LT50 value ) of slow heating protocol ( CTMax ) was 35.0 ℃, and the upper and lower incipient lethal temperatures of rapid transfer protocol were 34.2 ℃ and 17.5 ℃ respectively.