Comparative studies of four cumin landraces grown in Egypt

One of the significant aromatic plants applied in food and pharma is cumin. Despite its massive trading in Egypt, there are no comprehensive reports on cumin landraces profile screening. This study aimed to investigate the variation in seeds' physical and biochemical profiles and genetic diversity as well as assess the efficiency of seeds' germination under salinity stress. Consequently, during the 2020/2021 growing season, four common cumin seed landraces were gathered from various agro-climatic regions: El Gharbia, El Menia, Assiut, and Qena. Results showed a significant variation in physical profile among the four seeds of landraces. In addition, Assiut had the highest percentage of essential oil at 8.04%, whilst Qena had the largest amount of cumin aldehyde, the primary essential oil component, at 25.19%. Lauric acid was found to be the predominant fatty acid (54.78 to 62.73%). According to ISSR amplification, El Menia presented a negative unique band, whereas other landraces offered a positive band. Additionally, the cumin genotypes were separated into two clusters by the dendrogram, with El Gharbia being located in an entirely separate cluster. There were two sub-clusters within the other cluster: El Menia in one and Assiut and Qena in the other. Moreover, the germination sensitivity to the diverse salinity concentrations (control, 4, 8, 12, and 16 dS/m) findings showed that landraces exhibited varying responses to increased salinity when El Gharbia and El Menia showed a moderate response at four dS/m. Whilst, Qena landraces showed supreme values among other landraces under 12 and 16 dS/m. The majority of the examined features had strong positive associations over a range of salinity levels, according to phenotypic correlation coefficient analysis. To accomplish the aims of sustainable agriculture in Egypt, it would be imperative that the potential breeding program for cumin landraces consider this screening study.

Application of ZnO NPs, SiO2 NPs and Date Pollen Extract as Partial Substitutes to Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilizers for Sweet Basil Production

The reduction in mineral fertilizer usage is crucial to the production of medicinal and aromatic products for safety and health purposes. Presently, nanotechnology and the utilization of natural extracts have been extensively studied due to their significant contribution. Ocimum basilicum is commonly employed for various medicinal and aromatic applications. Therefore, randomized complete block design field experiments containing 10 treatments were conducted during the 2021 and 2022 seasons to investigate the effect of nanoparticles (NPs) of ZnO (1.5 and 2.0 g/L) and SiO2 (100 and 150 mg/L) and date palm pollen extract (DPPE) at 10 and 20 g/L either alone or in combination with the ¾ or ½ NPK recommended dose (RD). The NPK RD was served as a control treatment on basil plant production in each season. The effectiveness of ZnO NPs, SiO2 NPs, and DPPE for the decrease in NPK utilization was evaluated. Meanwhile, the most effective treatment for vegetative traits (except for plant height), essential oil %, and yield was ½ NPK RD + 20 g/L DPPE + 2.0 g/L ZnO NPs. Such a treatment increased the branch number/plant, main stem diameter, relevant chlorophyll content, fresh weight/plant, dry weight/plant, essential oil %, and essential oil yield/plant by 21.00 and 9.94%, 58.70 and 40.00%, 20.69 and 15.83%, 68.83 and 58.28%, 48.70 and 56.16%, 45.71 and 35.53%, and 113.22 and 110.32% over the control in the two seasons, respectively. For total phenol and antioxidant activity, the most effective treatments were the ¾ NPK +1.5 g/L ZnO NPs and ½ NPK +2.0 g/L ZnO NPs, respectively. Simultaneously, essential oil composition (with their compound numbers identified (11-29 for control and ¾ NPK RD + 1.5 g/L ZnO NPs)) and the percentage of total compounds, monoterpene hydrocarbons, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, and oxygenated hydrocarbons were varied among the used applications. The major observed compounds (>8%) estragole, methyl eugenol, linalool, cineole, and caryophyllene were found in different treatments. Thus, the findings of this study indicate the favorable utilization of ZnO NPs, SiO2 NPs, and DPPE in reducing the application of NPK, which may present a novel strategy and beneficial approach.

Compost and humic acid amendments are a practicable solution to rehabilitate weak arid soil for higher winter field pea production

Arid soils are often weak, low in fertility, and lack essential plant nutrients. Organic amendments might be a feasible solution to counter the detrimental impact and rehabilitate weak arid soil for the growth of legumes. The study aimed to investigate how organic amendments of compost and humic acid may affect winter field pea productivity in arid soil. Over 2 years of field experiments, a range of treatments were applied, including different amounts of compost and humic acid. The results showed higher microbial carbon (C), and nitrogen (N) biomass, root length, shoot length, grains pod-1, and grain yield of pea, gained from the collective application of 8 Mg ha-1 compost and 15 kg ha-1 humic acid compared to all other treatments. Organic amendments increased soil microbial C density by 67.0 to 83.0% and N biomass by 46.0 to 88.0% compared with the control. The combined application of compost and humic acid increased soil microbial N biomass by 57.0 to 60.0% compared to the sole applications of compost-only and humic acid-only. It was concluded that organic amendments of 8 Mg ha-1 compost and 15 kg ha-1 humic acid in arid soil modulated microbial density, resulting in improved winter field pea productivity. This study suggests organic amendments of compost and humic acid might be a practicable solution to rehabilitate weak arid soil to grow legumes.

Morphological, pathogenic and genetic diversity in Diplodia seriata associated with black rot canker of apple in India

Apple cankers are extremely destructive diseases threatening the global apple industry through direct and indirect losses. The population structure of the pathogens is of paramount significance for the development of efficient management strategies. Therefore, phenotypic, pathogenic, and genetic diversity of Diplodia seriata causing black rot canker of apple was investigated in this study. All the isolates were included for investigating the in vitro mycelial growth, conidial dimensions, and pathogenic variability on two-year-old potted apple seedlings. The ISSR approach was used to investigate the molecular diversity of D. seriata. Mycelial growth rates were found to vary significantly amongst the isolates; however, there were no major variations seen between the different geographical groupings of isolates. Pathogenicity tests revealed variations in the size of cankers among the isolates indicating the presence of virulence variability. The isolates were segregated into three virulence groups based on canker length. The Bayesian analyses of ISSR data divided the isolates into two genetic clusters. The genetic clustering of the isolates revealed no relationship with geographical origin of the isolates. Furthermore, no direct relationship of genetic clustering was observed with morphological or pathogenic variability. The ISSR primers revealed very high level of variability in D. seriata; however, no distinct populations of the pathogen existed which is an indication of high level of gene flow between the diverse geographical populations. According to our knowledge, this is the first thorough investigation on the diversity of D. seriata associated with apple black rot canker in India.

Insights on the Nutritional Profiling of Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.) via 1-Naphthalene Acetic Acid

The nutritional components of cantaloupe, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fiber, contribute to overall health, improved immunity, hydration, and protection against chronic diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the influence of different concentrations (0 (control), 100, 150, and 200 ppm) of 1-naphthalene acetic acid (1-NAA) on the nutritional components of the cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. Var. Super White Honey). All the studied treatments were applied twice at the 2nd and 4th leaf stages. The applied concentrations of 1-NAA significantly improved the sex expression and fruit yield attributes. Different nutritional components like proximate contents, minerals, vitamins, selected fatty acids, and amino acids were analyzed. The results showed that the maximum moisture content, proteins, carbohydrates, ash, and energy were recorded with 100 ppm. The higher lipids were recorded during the supplementation of 150 ppm. Significantly greater fibers were recorded using 200 ppm. Regarding minerals, 100 ppm was found to be the best as it increased calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (Na), phosphorous (P), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn). Vitamins were also found to be the maximum with 100 ppm, including vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Total selected fatty acids and amino acids were also found significantly greater in the fruits administered 100 ppm.

Comparative Analysis of Growth and Physiological Responses of Sugarcane Elite Genotypes to Water Stress and Sandy Loam Soils

Stumpy irrigation water availability is extremely important for sugarcane production in Pakistan today. This issue is rising inversely to river flow due to inadequate water distribution and an uneven rainfall pattern. Sugarcane growth faces a shortage of available water for plant uptake due to the low water-holding capacity of sandy loam soil, particularly under conventional flood irrigation methods. To address this problem, sugarcane clones were evaluated for their agronomic and physiological traits under conditions of low water availability in sandy loam soil. Ten cane genotypes, HSF-240, SPF-213, CPF-249, CP 77-400, S2008-FD-19, S2006-US-469, S2007-AUS-384, S2003-US-633, S2003-US-127, and S2006-US-658, were exposed to four levels of water deficit created through skip irrigations. These deficit levels occurred during the 9th, 11th, 13th, and 16th irrigations at alternate deficit levels between 2020 and 2022. Physiological data were collected during the tillering and grand growth stages (elongation) in response to the water deficit. The sugarcane clones S2006-US-658, S2007-AUS-384, and HSF-240 exhibited resistance to low water availability at both the tillering and grand growth stages. Following them, genotypes S2006-US-658, S2007-AUS-384, and HSF-240 performed better and were also found to be statistically significant. Clones susceptible to water deficit in terms of growth and development were identified as CP 77-400, S2008-FD-19, S2006-US-469, and S2003-US-633. These genotypes showed reduced photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, relative water content, cane yield, and proline content under stressed conditions. Therefore, genotypes S2006-US-658, S2007-AUS-384, and HSF-240 were better performers concerning physiological traits under water deficit and sandy loam soil in both years. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was assessed between agronomic traits and photosynthetic rats. This study highlights that sugarcane can sustain its growth and development even with less irrigation frequency or moisture availability, albeit with certain specific variations.

Quantifying the germination response of Parthenium hysterophorus at various temperatures and water potentials by using population-based threshold model

Predicting the germination behavior of parthenium weed against different conditions of temperature and osmotic stress is helpful for studying the growth and development history of parthenium in different ecological contexts. Sustainable weed control strategies based on population-based threshold (PBT) models are profitable tools for crop planting date, herbicide application, and tillage operation time. To predict the emergence of parthenium by using thermal time (TT), hydrotime (HT), and hydrothermal time (HTT) analyses, seeds were exposed to varying constant temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40°C) and water potentials (- 0.25, - 0.5, - 0.75, and - 1.0 MPa) under a controlled environment. Parthenium seeds showed better responses in terms of higher germination percentage and lower germination time at 20 and 25°C. The use of the germination modeling approach proposed the base temperature (7.2°C), optimum temperature (20°C), and ceiling temperature (42.8°C) for this weed. Moreover, germination behavior was also studied at different water potentials under different temperature regimes (10, 20, and 30°C). The HTT model predicted higher germination percentages (82.8 and 54.8%) of parthenium seeds at water potentials from 0 to -0.25 MPa, respectively, under a temperature of 20°C, and also identified a base water potential (Ψb₍₅₀) of - 0.54 MPa for germination. In conclusion, the use of the HTT modeling approach is helpful for predicting the emergence response of parthenium in a changing climate and ultimately supportive in time scheduling of parthenium weed management in cropping systems.

Comprehensive Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of Eceriferum (CER) Gene Family in Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis) Under Fusarium kyushuense and Drought Stress Conditions

Plant surfaces are covered with cuticle wax and are the first barrier between a plant and environmental stresses. Eceriferum (CER) is an important gene family involved in wax biosynthesis and stress resistance. In this study, for the first time, 34 CER genes were identified in the passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) genome, and PeCER proteins varied in physicochemical properties. A phylogenetic tree was constructed and divided into seven clades to identify the evolutionary relationship with other plant species. Gene structure analyses revealed that conserved motifs ranged from 1 to 24, and that exons ranged from 1 to 29. The cis-element analysis provides insight into possible roles of PeCER genes in plant growth, development and stress responses. The syntenic analysis revealed that segmental (six gene pairs) and tandem (six gene pairs) gene duplication played an important role in the expansion of PeCER genes and underwent a strong purifying selection. In addition, 12 putative ped-miRNAs were identified to be targeting 16 PeCER genes, and PeCER6 was the most targeted by four miRNAs including ped-miR157a-5p, ped-miR164b-5p, ped-miR319b, and ped-miR319l. Potential transcription factors (TFs) such as ERF, AP2, MYB, and bZIP were predicted and visualized in a TF regulatory network interacting with PeCER genes. GO and KEGG annotation analysis revealed that PeCER genes were highly related to fatty acid, cutin, and wax biosynthesis, plant-pathogen interactions, and stress response pathways. The hypothesis that most PeCER proteins were predicted to localize to the plasma membrane was validated by transient expression assays of PeCER32 protein in onion epidermal cells. qRT-PCR expression results showed that most of the PeCER genes including PeCER1, PeCER11, PeCER15, PeCER17, and PeCER32 were upregulated under drought and Fusarium kyushuense stress conditions compared to controls. These findings provide a foundation for further studies on functions of PeCER genes to further facilitate the genetic modification of passion fruit wax biosynthesis and stress resistance.

Toxic and repellent impacts of botanical oils against Callosobruchus maculatus (Bruchidae: Coleoptera) in stored cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an important legume which is consumed globally for protein intake, particularly in Asian states. It is a well-known source of dietary fiber, protein, minerals, and vitamins. The cowpea grains are stored after harvest and used till the next harvest. However, the grains are infested by storage pests, primarily Callosobruchus maculatus. Hence, effective management strategies are needed to protect the stored grains form the pests. This study assessed the efficacy of some edible oils in suppressing C. maculatus infestation in stored cowpea grains. Four different botanical oils (i.e., mustard, neem, poppy, and pumpkin) at four different concentrations (i.e., 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 ml per 100 g grain) were included in the study. A control treatment without any botanical oil was also included for comparison. The relevant concentrations of botanical oils were poured into plastic containers containing 100 g cowpea grains and ten C. maculatus adults were released. The jars were sealed and placed at room temperature. Data relating to mortality, oviposition, F1 adult emergence, and seed weight loss were recorded. The tested botanical oils and their concentrations significantly affected mortality after one day. Mortality after 2nd and 3rd days remained unaffected by botanical oils and their different concentrations. The highest mortality was recorded in neem oil-treated grains followed by poppy, pumpkin, and mustard oils. Increased oviposition rate was observed in the grains treated with mustard and pumpkin oils, while those treated with neem and poppy oil recorded decreased oviposition. The control treatment had increased oviposition rate compared to tested botanical oils. All botanical oils significantly inhibited egg laying percentage. The highest germination was recorded for the grains treated with mustard oil followed by pumpkin, poppy, and neem oils, respectively. The lowest germination was recorded for control treatment. Significant differences were noted for C. maculatus repellency among botanical oils. No emergence of adults (F1 progeny) was recorded in all tested botanical oils; thus, F1 progeny was inhibited by 100%. Weight loss, damage percentage, and holes in the grains were not recorded since F1 progeny did not emerge. It is concluded that tested botanical oils are promising and could be utilized to control C. maculatus in cowpea grains during storage.

Thin layer drying kinetics and quality dynamics of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) treated with preservatives and solar dried under different temperatures

Poor postharvest handling, microbial infestation, and high respiration rate are some the factors are responsible for poor storage life of perishable commodities. Therefore, effective preservation of these commodities is needed to lower the damages and extend shelf life. Preservation is regarded as the action taken to maintain desired properties of a perishable commodity as long as possible. Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is perishable fruit with high nutritive value; however, has very short shelf-life. Therefore, effective preservation and drying is needed to extend its storage life. Drying temperature and preservatives significantly influence the quality of perishable vegetables and fruits during drying. The current study investigated the effect of different temperatures and preservatives on drying kinetics and organoleptic quality attributes of persimmon. Persimmon fruits were treated with preservatives (25% honey, 25% aloe vera, 2% sodium benzoate, 1% potassium metabisulfite, and 2% citric acid solutions) under different drying temperatures (40, 45, and 50°C). All observed parameters were significantly affected by individual effects of temperatures and preservatives, except ash contents. Similarly, interactive effects were significant for all parameters except total soluble sugars, ash contents, and vitamin C. Generally, fruits treated with citric acid and dried under 50°C had 8.2% moisture loss hour^-1, 14.9 drying hours, 0.030 g H₂O g^-1 hr^-1, 1.23° Brix of total soluble solids, 6.71 pH, 1.35% acidity, and 6.3 mg vitamin C. These values were better than the rest of the preservatives and drying temperatures used in the study. Therefore, treating fruits with citric acid and drying at 50°C was found a promising technique to extend storage life of persimmon fruits. It is recommended that persimmon fruits dried at 50°C and preserved in citric acid can be used for longer storage period.

Increasing the performance of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings by LED illumination

Light is one of the most important limiting factors for photosynthesis and the production of plants, especially in the regions where natural environmental conditions do not provide sufficient sunlight, and there is a great dependence on artificial lighting to grow plants and produce food. The influence of light intensity, quality, and photoperiod on photosynthetic pigments content and some biochemical and growth traits of cucumber seedlings grown under controlled conditions was investigated. An orthogonal design based on a combination of different light irradiances, ratio of LEDs and photoperiods was used. Treaments consisted of three light irradiance regimes (80, 100, and 150 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹) provided by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of different ratios of red and blue (R:B) (30:70, 50:50, and 70:30) and three different photoperiods (10/14, 12/12, and 14/10 h). The white light was used as a control/reference. Plant height, hypocotyl length, stem diameter, leaf area, and soluble sugar content were highest when exposed to LM9 (150 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹; R70:B30; 12/12 h) light mode, while the lowest values for the above parameters were obtained under LM1 (80 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹; R30:B70; 10/14 h). Higher pigments contents (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid) were obtained when light regime LM9 (150 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹; R70:B30; 12/12 h) was applied. In general, cucumber seedlings grown under the LM9 regime showed a significant increase in growth as well as photosynthetic capacity. It seems that the content of photosynthetic pigments is the key factor responsible for the performance of cucumber seedlings grown under different lighting modes, compared to other traits studied. We recommend monitoring the content of chlorophyll a, b, and their ratio value when studying the light requirement of cucumber plants.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of KCS Gene Family in Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis) Under Fusarium kyushuense and Drought Stress Conditions

Plant and fruit surfaces are covered with cuticle wax and provide a protective barrier against biotic and abiotic stresses. Cuticle wax consists of very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) and their derivatives. β-Ketoacyl-CoA synthase (KCS) is a key enzyme in the synthesis of VLCFAs and provides a precursor for the synthesis of cuticle wax, but the KCS gene family was yet to be reported in the passion fruit (Passiflora edulis). In this study, thirty-two KCS genes were identified in the passion fruit genome and phylogenetically grouped as KCS1-like, FAE1-like, FDH-like, and CER6-like. Furthermore, thirty-one PeKCS genes were positioned on seven chromosomes, while one PeKCS was localized to the unassembled genomic scaffold. The cis-element analysis provides insight into the possible role of PeKCS genes in phytohormones and stress responses. Syntenic analysis revealed that gene duplication played a crucial role in the expansion of the PeKCS gene family and underwent a strong purifying selection. All PeKCS proteins shared similar 3D structures, and a protein-protein interaction network was predicted with known Arabidopsis proteins. There were twenty putative ped-miRNAs which were also predicted that belong to nine families targeting thirteen PeKCS genes. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) annotation results were highly associated with fatty acid synthase and elongase activity, lipid metabolism, stress responses, and plant-pathogen interaction. The highly enriched transcription factors (TFs) including ERF, MYB, Dof, C2H2, TCP, LBD, NAC, and bHLH were predicted in PeKCS genes. qRT-PCR expression analysis revealed that most PeKCS genes were highly upregulated in leaves including PeKCS2, PeKCS4, PeKCS8, PeKCS13, and PeKCS9 but not in stem and roots tissues under drought stress conditions compared with controls. Notably, most PeKCS genes were upregulated at 9th dpi under Fusarium kyushuense biotic stress condition compared to controls. This study provides a basis for further understanding the functions of KCS genes, improving wax and VLCFA biosynthesis, and improvement of passion fruit resistance.

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria improve growth and yield related attributes of chili under low nitrogen availability

Nitrogen (N) is a macronutrient desired by crop plants in large quantities. However, hiking fertilizer prices need alternative N sources for reducing its requirements through appropriate management practices. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are well-known for their role in lowering N requirements of crop plants. This study assessed the impact of PGPR inoculation on growth, allometry and biochemical traits of chili under different N doses. Two PGPR, i.e., Azospirillum 'Er-20' (nitrogen fixing) and Agrobacterium 'Ca-18' (phosphorous solubilizing) were used for inoculation, while control treatment had no PGPR inoculation. Six N doses, i.e., 100, 80, 75, 70, 60 and 50% of the N required by chili were included in the study. Data relating to growth traits, biochemical attributes and yield related traits were recorded. Interaction among N doses and PGPR inoculation significantly altered all growth traits, biochemical attributes and yield related traits. The highest values of the recorded traits were observed for 100% N with and without PGPR inoculation and 75% N with PGPR inoculation. The lowest values of the recorded traits were noted for 50% N without PGPR inoculation. The PGPR inoculation improved the measured traits compared to the traits recorded noted in same N dose without PGPR inoculation. Results revealed that PGPR had the potential to lower 25% N requirement for chili. Therefore, it is recommended that PGPR must be used in chili cultivation to lower N requirements.

CaWRKY30 Positively Regulates Pepper Immunity by Targeting CaWRKY40 against Ralstonia solanacearum Inoculation through Modulating Defense-Related Genes

The WRKY transcription factors (TFs) network is composed of WRKY TFs’ subset, which performs a critical role in immunity regulation of plants. However, functions of WRKY TFs’ network remain unclear, particularly in non-model plants such as pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). This study functionally characterized CaWRKY30—a member of group III Pepper WRKY protein—for immunity of pepper against Ralstonia solanacearum infection. The CaWRKY30 was detected in nucleus, and its transcriptional expression levels were significantly upregulated by R. solanacearum inoculation (RSI), and foliar application ethylene (ET), abscisic acid (ABA), and salicylic acid (SA). Virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) of CaWRKY30 amplified pepper’s vulnerability to RSI. Additionally, the silencing of CaWRKY30 by VIGS compromised HR-like cell death triggered by RSI and downregulated defense-associated marker genes, like CaPR1, CaNPR1, CaDEF1, CaABR1, CaHIR1, and CaWRKY40. Conversely, transient over-expression of CaWRKY30 in pepper leaves instigated HR-like cell death and upregulated defense-related maker genes. Furthermore, transient over-expression of CaWRKY30 upregulated transcriptional levels of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40. On the other hand, transient over-expression of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40 upregulated transcriptional expression levels of CaWRKY30. The results recommend that newly characterized CaWRKY30 positively regulates pepper’s immunity against Ralstonia attack, which is governed by synergistically mediated signaling by phytohormones like ET, ABA, and SA, and transcriptionally assimilating into WRKY TFs networks, consisting of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40. Collectively, our data will facilitate to explicate the underlying mechanism of crosstalk between pepper’s immunity and response to RSI.

Fracture resistance of maxillary premolars restored with different endocrown designs and materials after artificial ageing

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of three different designs and two monolithic ceramic materials on the durability and fracture resistance of endocrowns on maxillary first premolars, in comparison to post-and-core crowns.

METHODS

Fifty-six maxillary premolars were endodontically treated and shortened to a level of 2 mm from the cervical line, and randomly categorized into six endocrown groups and post-and-core crown control group (n=8); E1; endocrowns with flat occlusal table (without ferrule), E2; endocrowns with 1.5 mm circumferential ferrule, E3; endocrowns with 1.5 mm buccal ferrule preparation. Two materials were used for endocrowns: zirconia (4YSZ; Z), and lithium disilicate (L). The control group was restored with zirconia posts, and lithium disilicate crowns. All restorations were bonded using Panavia V5 and its respective primers and underwent thermo-mechanical fatigue with a 10 kg dynamic load for 1,200,000 cycles and thermocycling between 5 and 55 °C. Thereafter all survived specimens were loaded to fracture. The results were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and T-Test.

RESULTS

None of the specimens showed any signs of debonding or fracture caused by the fatigue test. The PC control group showed no statistically significant difference in comparison to groups ZE1, ZE2 and LE2 ( p > 0.05 ). However, it was significantly different from groups LE1, LE3, and ZE3 ( p ≤ 0.05 ).

CONCLUSIONS

Preparation designs and materials affected the fracture resistance of endocrowns. The results showed a superiority of the post-and-core crowns,zirconia/lithium disilicate endocrowns with 1.5 mm circumferential ferrule, and zirconia endocrowns with the flat occlusal table.

Infectious clone construction and pathogenicity confirmation of Cotton leaf curl Multan virus (CLCuMuV), Ramie mosaic virus (RamV) and Corchorus yellow vein Vietnam virus (CoYVV) by southern blot analysis

Geminiviruses are insect-transmissible, economically vital group of plant viruses, which cause significant losses to crop production and ornamental plants across the world. During this study, infectious clones of three devastating begomoviruses, i.e., Cotton leaf curl Multan virus (CLCuMuV), Ramie mosaic virus (RamV) and Corchorus yellow vein Vietnam virus (CoYVV) were constructed by following novel protocol. All infectious clones were confirmed by cloning and sequencing. All of the infectious clones were agro-inoculated in Agrobacterium. After the agro-infiltrations, all clones were injected into Nicotiana benthamiana and jute plants under controlled condition. After 28 days of inoculation, plants exhibited typical symptoms of their corresponding viruses. All the symptomatic and asymptomatic leaves were collected from inoculated plants for further analysis. The southern blot analysis was used to confirm the infection of studied begomoviruses. At the end, all the products were sequenced and analyzed.

Effects of light spectrum on morpho-physiological traits of grafted tomato seedlings

It is already known that there are many factors responsible for the successful grafting process in plants, including light intensity. However, the influence of the spectrum of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on this process has almost never been tested. During the pre-grafting process tomato seedlings grew for 30 days under 100 μmol m-2 s-1 of mixed LEDs (red 70%+ blue 30%). During the post-grafting period, seedlings grew for 20 days under the same light intensity but the lightening source was either red LED, mixed LEDs (red 70% + blue 30%), blue LED or white fluorescent lamps. This was done to determine which light source(s) could better improve seedling quality and increase grafting success. Our results showed that application of red and blue light mixture (R7:B3) caused significant increase in total leaf area, dry weight (total, shoot and root), total chlorophyll/carotenoid ratio, soluble protein and sugar content. Moreover, this light treatment maintained better photosynthetic performance i.e. more effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry Y(II), better photochemical quenching (qP), and higher electron transport rate (ETR). This can be partially explained by the observed upregulation of gene expression levels of PsaA and PsbA and the parallel protein expression levels. This in turn could lead to better functioning of the photosynthetic apparatus of tomato seedlings and then to faster production of photoassimilate ready to be translocated to various tissues and organs, including those most in need, i.e., involved in the formation of the graft union.

Photosynthetic apparatus performance of tomato seedlings grown under various combinations of LED illumination

It is already known that the process of photosynthesis depends on the quality and intensity of light. However, the influence of the new light sources recently used in horticulture, known as Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), on this process is not yet fully understood. Chlorophyll a fluorescence measurement has been widely used as a rapid, reliable, and noninvasive tool to study the efficiency of the photosystem II (PSII) and to evaluate plant responses to various environmental factors, including light intensity and quality. In this work, we tested the responses of the tomato photosynthetic apparatus to different light spectral qualities. Our results showed that the best performance of the photosynthetic apparatus was observed under a mixture of red and blue light (R7:B3) or a mixture of red, green and blue light (R3:G2:B5). This was demonstrated by the increase in the effective photochemical quantum yield of PSII (Y[II]), photochemical quenching (qP) and electron transport rate (ETR). On the other hand, the mixture of red and blue light with a high proportion of blue light led to an increase in non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). Our results can be used to improve the production of tomato plants under artificial light conditions. However, since we found that the responses of the photosynthetic apparatus of tomato plants to a particular light regime were cultivar-dependent and there was a weak correlation between the growth and photosynthetic parameters tested in this work, special attention should be paid in future research.

Coexistence of diverse heavy metal pollution magnitudes: Health risk assessment of affected cattle and human population in some rural regions, Qena, Egypt

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to measure the mean concentrations of heavy metals including aluminum (Al), arsenic, nickel (Ni), mercury, lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) and to assess the health hazards due to the exposure of cattle/human population to a distinct or the mixture of heavy metals through various sources.

Materials and methods:

A total of 180 samples including water sources, animal feed, and raw cows’ milk from rural regions in Qena, Egypt, were examined using the inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer (ICP; iCAP 6200).

Results:

The data highlighted heavy metal pollution with variable concentrations among most of the investigated regions. All concentrations of Al, Ni, and Cd detected in the feeding stuff showed a strong correlation to their respective levels in milk rather than those detected in water (R²= 0.072 vs. 0.039, 0.13 vs. 0.10, and 0.46 vs. 0.014, respectively) (p < 0.05). Anisocytosis and poikilocytosis with a tendency to rouleaux formation were evident, and basophilic stippling was a pathognomic indicator for heavy metal toxicity, especially Pb. Leukopenia and macrocytic anemia were shown in 50% and 65% of examined cattle, respectively. The target hazard quotients values were more than one (>1) for all heavy metals from water intake for both children and adults and Al and Cd in milk for children, and the hazard index values were indicated higher for noncarcinogenic health hazards. The target cancer risk values predispose people in the surveyed villages to higher cancerous risks due to exposures to the mixture of heavy metal through the consumption of water and milk.

Conclusion:

The bioaccumulation and transmission of heavy metal mixtures from water sources and feeding material have detrimental influences on milk pollution and cattle health which seem to be a serious issue affecting public health in those rural communities.

New approach for simultaneous respiratory and cardiac motion correction in cardiac PET (NAMC-CPET)

Respiratory and cardiac motions are inevitable during the relatively long acquisition time of cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) scan. The correction of the resultant motion blur has become a significant challenge due to recent spatial resolution improvement of the PET scanners. The majority of current motion compensation algorithms are based on gating as a primary step. A new approach based on temporal basis functions is developed to correct respiratory and cardiac motion simultaneously in cardiac PET within the normal scanning time (NAMC-CPET). Simulation and experimental studies are conducted to evaluate and validate the final outputs in comparison to the existing gating methods. A dynamic digital phantom is used to simulate realistic human thorax and abdomen with respiratory and cardiac motions. GATE simulation was run at China National Grid Center to obtain realistic PET data in a reasonable time. Moreover, Tibet minipig experiments were conducted using a preclinical small animal PET scanner developed at HUST to validate the performance of the NAMC-CPET in real data. The results reveal that NAMC-CPET outperformed the existing gating methods (respiratory, cardiac, and dual) in cardiac imaging in term of noise reduction and contrast, especially in short acquisition duration. NAMC-CPET obtained better results in the conducted experiments in terms of contrast and the visibility of the heart. In contrast, the dual gating failed to obtain valuable images in the normal scan time due to the low 18F-FDG uptake. NAMC-CPET is advantageous in the low-statistic situation. The results are promising with great potential implications in cardiac PET imaging in terms of the radioactive dose and scan time reduction.