Quick bioassay test from tillers for detecting ALS herbicide resistance of weedy rice and barnyardgrass

Resistance to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors have increased recently in South Brazil where the major weeds of flooded rice (barnyardgrass and weedy rice) have evolved resistance to imazapyr+imazapic. The aim of this research was to evaluate a growth medium for tissue regeneration of tillers in barnyardgrass, as well as an agar-based bioassays test (also from tillers) to detect susceptible and resistant biotypes of weedy rice and barnyardgrass to imazapyr+imazapic in vitro. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to detect ALS-resistant (R) and susceptible (S) weedy rice and barnyardgrass biotypes, and bioassays were carried out to evaluate an adequate growth medium for barnyardgrass tiller regeneration and determine the concentration of herbicide to distinguish R and S plants. The culture medium that provided a suitable barnyardgrass growth was MS 50% with the addition of benzylamino-purine. The tissue regeneration in vitro with the growth medium containing imazapyr+imazapic allowed to discriminate between R and S barnyardgrass and weedy rice plants. The concentration required for satisfactory control of susceptible barnyardgrass and weedy rice explants grown in vitro was 0.9 µM and 1.3 µM of imazapyr+imazapic herbicide, respectively. The bioassay in vitro using tiller regeneration provides an opportunity to predict effectively imazapyr+imazapic resistance in barnyardgrass and weedy rice.

Phenolic Constituents and Their Anti-inflammatory Activity from Echinochloa utilis Grains

Seven phenolic compounds including p-coumaric acid (1), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (2), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (3), vanillic acid (4), luteolin (5), acacetin (6), and tricin (7), were isolated from the methylene chloride and ethyl acetate fractions of Echinochloa utilis grains. Compounds (1 - 4, 6) were isolated for the first time from this plant. These compounds were tested for inhibitory activities against LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells. Compounds 5 and 6 displayed significant inhibitory effects, with IC₅₀ values of 27.9 ± 2.6 and 14.0 ± 1.1 µM, respectively. The results suggested that E. utilis ethanolic extract may be used as a potential source of anti-inflammatory agents and functional foods for the treatment of allergic diseases.

Assessment of the quality of bran and bran oil produced from some Egyptian rice varieties

Rice [Oryza satlva L] is one of the leading food crops of the world, the staple food ofover half the world's population. Tha bran, which is an important byproduct obtainedduring rice milling, constitutes about 1/10 of the weight of the rice grain. Rice branis the outer brown layer including the rice germ that is removed during the millingprocess of brown grain. This milling byproduct is reported to be high in natural vitaminsand minerals, particularly vitamin E.The present study was conducted to determine the chemical composition of branand bran oil of 13 different rice varieties commonly produced in Egypt, to study theutilization of rice bran in [Dread production, and to assess the quality and acceptanceof the rice bran edible oil produced.Rice bran was produced from 13 Egyptian varieties of recently harvested rice as wellas from paddy rice stored for 1 year. The extracted bran was immediately stabilizedthen subjected to chemical analysis [such as moisture content, protein, fat,carbohydrates, fiber, and ash] as well as trace and heavy metals determination [P, K,Na, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mg]. Bread was produced by adding Giza172 rice bran atthree different concentrations to wheat flour then subjected to chemical analysis,caloric content, and organoleptic examination. Bran oil was extracted from the differentvarieties of rice bran [recently harvested and stored] then subjected to chemicaland organoleptic examinations as well as vitamin E and oryzanol determination.The percentage of rice bran of newly harvested Egyptian rice was 11.68% and was'10.97% in stored rice. The analysis showed mean values of 5.91 and 5.53% formoisture, 14.60 and 14.40% for crude protein, 14.83 and 15.20% for fat, 44.77 and45.40% for carbohydrates, 6.55 and 7.06% for crude fiber, and 8.87 and 8.50% forash for newly harvested and stored rice bran, respectively. Bread containing 15% ricebran showed the highest score percentages for organoleptic quality compared withthe control [100% wheat flour]. Rice bran oil showed higher scores of taste, smell,appearance, and texture than corn oil and sunflower oil.Rice bran contains high nutritional components as well as phytochemicals such asvitamin E [i.e. tocopherols and tocotrienols] and the y-oryzanol fraction that havepositive effects on human health. Storage of paddy rice before milling resulted insignificant effect on all studied rice bran characters and rice bran oil characters underthe present investigation except crude protein and carbohydrates characters,Substitution of wheat flour with rice bran by 15% in bread production to fortify thebread with vitamin E and to reduce the amount of imported flour is recommended

Influência alelopática do extrato aquoso de raiz de Sapindus saponaria L. sobre capim-arroz e corda-de-viola / Allelopathic influence of aqueous extract of Sapindus saponaria L. root on barnyardgrass and morningglory

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial alelopático do extrato aquoso de raiz de Sapindus saponaria L. (sabão-de-soldado) sobre a germinação de diásporos e crescimento de plântulas de Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Link (capim-arroz) e Ipomoea grandifolia (Dammer) O'Donell (corda-de-viola). O extrato aquoso foi preparado na proporção de 100 g de material vegetal seco para 1000 mL de água destilada, produzindo-se a concentração de 10%. A partir dele, foram feitas diluições em água destilada para 7,5, 5,0 e 2,5%. O extrato da raiz de S. saponaria não inibiu a germinabilidade dos diásporos de capim-arroz e corda-de-viola. A maior atividade alelopática ocorreu sobre o crescimento das plântulas, sendo evidenciado pelo alto índice de plântulas anormais, pela redução no comprimento da parte aérea e, principalmente, no comprimento da raiz. O efeito inibitório foi dependente da concentração e variou de acordo com a espécie receptora estudada.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the allelopathic potential of aqueous extract of Sapindus Saponaria L. (soapberry) root on diaspore germination and seedling growth of Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Link (barnyardgrass) and Ipomoea grandifolia (Dammer) O'Donell (morningglory). The aqueous extract was prepared in a proportion of 100 g of dry plant material in 1000 mL of distilled water, resulting in 10% concentration. The dilutions were made with distilled water to 7.5, 5.0 and 2.5%. The root extract of S. saponaria did not inhibit the germination of the barnyardgrass and morningglory diaspores. The highest allelopathic activity occurred on seedlings growth, being evidenced by the high rate of abnormal seedlings, reduction in shoot length and mainly on root length. The inhibitory effect was concentration-dependent and varied with the receptor species studied.

Produção de forragem e valor nutritivo de espécies forrageiras sob condições de pastejo, em solo de várzea baixa do Rio Guamá / Forage production and nutritive value of forage species under pasture conditions in lowland soils of the Guamá River

Este estudo teve os objetivos avaliar a produção de forragem, o valor nutritivo através de proteína bruta e da composição de macro e micronutrientes na canarana de Paramaribo (Echinochloa polystachya H.B.K) e na canarana erecta lisa (Echinochloa pyramidalis Lam), introduzidas em áreas inundáveis de várzea baixa do rio Guamá, Campus da Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, em Belém (PA). As forrageiras haviam sido formadas há três anos e mantidas sob pastejo rotativo, antes e durante o experimento. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o inteiramente ao acaso, em um esquema fatorial 2x4 (duas espécies e quatro períodos), com seis repetições. As amostras de forragem foram cortadas a 10 cm do solo e utilizou-se uma área de 0,25 m² como unidade amostral. As épocas de coleta foram: maio (época1), agosto (época2) e novembro/2002 (época3) e fevereiro/2003 (época4). As características analisadas foram: massa fresca, massa seca, teores de nitrogênio, proteína bruta, fósforo, potássio, sódio, cálcio, magnésio, enxofre, ferro, manganês, zinco, cobre e boro. A disponibilidade de forragem diminuiu com o tempo de uso da pastagem. Os teores médios de proteína bruta, N, P, K e Na, Fe, Zn e Cu foram maiores nas épocas mais chuvosas, enquanto que os teores de Ca, Mg, S, Mn e B foram mais elevados nas épocas menos chuvosas. A canarana erecta lisa apresentou menor decréscimo de matéria seca durante os períodos estudados e maior valor nutritivo, no entanto, a canarana de Paramaribo foi a mais produtiva. No entanto, as duas espécies forrageiras apresentaram uma redução expressiva da produção, sugerindo que o tempo de pastejo de 12 dias e/ou o retorno a cada 40 dias constituíram um manejo inadequado.

EDTA-assisted phytoextraction of lead from lead-contaminated soils by Echinochloa crusgalli var. frumentacea.

The herbaceous plant Echinochloa crusgalli var. frumentacea is highly resistant to a wide range of heavy metal concentrations. In this study we tested the phytoextraction capacity of E. crusgalli var. frumentacea. Specifically, we compared the effect of EDTA on lead (Pb) accumulation in two groups of plants: those sown in lead contaminated soil and those transplanted to the contaminated soil as seedlings. The result of the time development of the Pb concentrations in the plants in the seedling and seed groups shows that for the seedling group, the effect of adding EDTA to the Pb-contaminated soil was even more pronounced in the shoots than the roots, which showed Pb concentrations 32-fold higher. Compared to the seedling group, the Pb concentrations in the roots of plants in the seed group were approximately 5 times higher in controls and 2 to 10 times higher in the presence of EDTA. Collectively, these results might be considered that EDTA elevates the bioavailability of Pb in soil and this native species is particularly suited to use in Pb phytoextraction.