Growth of zinnia, Italian ryegrass, and alfalfa and their remediation effects in diesel oil-contaminated soils.

Our objective in this study was to compare the growth of zinnia, Italian ryegrass, and alfalfa, and their remediation effects in oil-contaminated soils. The soils were prepared by mixing 2, 4, or 8% diesel oil by weight with soil. The plant height and dry weights of shoots and roots were highest for zinnia in the 2 and 4% oil treatments, and highest for Italian ryegrass in the 8% oil treatment. The reduction ratios in soil total petroleum hydrocarbons concentration (TPH) for 3 plants were lower in the 4 and 8% oil treatments than those in the 2% treatment. The reduction ratios for Italian ryegrass and zinnia contaminated with 2, 4, and 8% diesel oil treatments were significantly higher than those for alfalfa and the non-cultivation treatment at 45 days after sowing, and there were no significant differences in reduction ratios between Italian ryegrass and zinnia. The reduction ratio of soil TPH concentration brought about by zinnia was also comparable to that of Italian ryegrass. Therefore, we conclude that zinnia shows growth and remediation effects that are equivalent to those of Italian ryegrass, in soils contaminated with less than 8% oil.

Relationships between root growth of Zinnia hybrid "profusion orange" flowers and phytoremediation of oil-contaminated soil.

Relationships exist between plant root growth and the phytoremediation of oil-contaminated soils. In a previous study, we demonstrated that zinnia flowers are well suited for the remediation of oil-contaminated soil. In this study, our goal was to quantify the relationship between zinnia root growth and purification of oil-contaminated soils. Three treatments were used: (1) cultivation of zinnia in oil-contaminated soil (contaminated pots), (2) cultivation in non-contaminated soil (non-contaminated pots), and (3) contaminated soil with no cultivation and only irrigation (irrigated pots). Growth of the Zinnia plants, including their roots, was significantly reduced in the contaminated pots compared with the noncontaminated pots. The soil dehydrogenase activity increased between 45 and 90 days after planting in all parts of the contaminated pots, especially the upper parts. The soil total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations in the contaminated pots decreased throughout the study period. Interestingly, the soil dehydrogenase activity increased, and the soil TPH concentration decreased even in lower parts of the pots where there was very little root growth. Therefore, the cultivation of plants can have a remediative effect on oil-contaminated soil even below the depth reached by the plant roots.

Disinfection by Ozone Microbubbles Can Cause Morphological Change of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis Spores.

To investigate the difference in the disinfectant efficiency of ozone microbubbles (O3MB) and ozone millibubbles (O3MMB), the morphological change of the treated Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis spores was observed with scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM). The disinfectant efficiency of O3MB on F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis spores was greater than that of O3MMB. On observation with SEM, it was revealed that morphological change of F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis spores was caused by O3MB and O3MMB, and damage to the spore surfaces by O3MB occurred sooner than that by O3MMB. On observation with TEM, it was furthermore confirmed that F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis spores treated with O3MB induced wavy deformation of cell membrane and the intracellular change different from that with O3MMB. Therefore, the greater disinfection efficiency of O3MB was suggested to be caused due to the function of the MB in addition to the oxidative power of O3.

Abscisic acid is involved in aromatic ester biosynthesis related with ethylene in green apples.

The production of aromatic volatiles such as esters during the ripening process in climacteric fruits is known to be controlled by ethylene. However, we here show that abscisic acid (ABA) application accelerated the onset of short-chain ester production (hexyl propionate, ethyl-2-methyl butyrate) and the expression of biosynthesis genes (MdAAT2 and MdBCAT1) during ripening of 'Orin' apple. ABA application also promoted the production of ethylene, and caused ethylene peak shifts correlated with the expression of ethylene synthesis genes (MdACS1/3 and MdACO1), suggesting that ABA may act jointly with ethylene as a positive regulator at the ripening stage of 'Orin' apple. Additionally, endogenous levels and expression of biosynthesis (MdNCED1) and signal transduction genes (MdABF2-like) of ABA increased towards ripening. Finally, the localization of the putative MdABF2-like protein binding element, AREB/ABF, was observed in the 5'-upstream region of MdACS1/3 and MdACO1.

Effects of basal fertilizer and perlite amendment on growth of zinnia and its remediation capacity in oil-contaminated soils.

In a previous study we demonstrated that Zinnia hybrida 'Profusion White' can be effective in the remediation of oil-contaminated soil. However, the rates of removal of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) were greatest in soils containing 9000 mg/kg TPH and less in soils with higher concentrations of TPH. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of basal fertilizer rates and perlite amendments on the growth of zinnia and its remediation capacity in soils with TPH concentrations of 26,000 mg/kg. METHODOLOGY: Soils were prepared with or without TPH at an initial concentration of 26,194 mg/kg, and then each of these soils was amended with either a basal fertilizer rate with or without 20% perlite, or twice the basal fertilizer rate with or without 20% perlite. Pots were prepared with the following treatments in these soils: contaminated soil planted with zinnia (planted-contaminated), uncontaminated soil planted with zinnia (planted-uncontaminated), and contaminated soil not planted with zinnia (unplanted-contaminated). Plant growth, soil dehydrogenase activity (DHA), and TPH concentrations were analyzed at 30 and 60 days after sowing. RESULTS: Plant growth in oil-contaminated and uncontaminated soils was superior in pots with twice the basal fertilizer and with perlite. The DHA values in the planted-uncontaminated treatments were significantly lower than those in the planted-contaminated and unplanted-contaminated treatments. However, the effects of basal fertilizer amount and perlite on the DHA values of the soils were small. The TPH concentrations in the planted-contaminated soils were significantly lower than those in the unplanted-contaminated soils after 30 and 60 days. Furthermore, the TPH concentrations in the planted-contaminated soils were lowest in pots with twice the basal fertilizer and with perlite. CONCLUSIONS: These results show how phytoremediation of soils with high levels of oil contamination by Z. hybrida 'Profusion White' can be practically enhanced by amending the soil with perlite and higher basal fertilizer rates.

Lipid droplet-associated gene expression and chromatin remodelling in LIPASE 5'-upstream region from beginning- to mid-endodormant bud in 'Fuji' apple.

KEY MESSAGE: We found that lipid accumulation in the meristem region and the expression of MdLIP2A, which appears to be regulated by chromatin remodeling, coincided with endodormancy induction in the 'Fuji' apple. In deciduous trees, including apples (Malus × domestica Borkh.), lipid accumulation in the meristem region towards endodormancy induction has been thought to be an important process for the acquisition of cold tolerance. In this study, we conducted histological staining of crude lipids in the meristem region of 'Fuji' apples and found that lipid accumulation coincided with endodormancy induction. Since a major component of lipid bodies (triacylglycerol) is esterified fatty acids, we analysed fatty acid-derived volatile compounds and genes encoding fatty acid-modifying enzymes (MdLOX1A and MdHPL2A); the reduction of lipid breakdown also coincided with endodormancy induction. We then characterised the expression patterns of lipid body-regulatory genes MdOLE1 and MdLIP2A during endodormancy induction and found that the expression of MdLIP2A correlated well with lipid accumulation towards endodormancy induction. Based on these results, we conducted chromatin remodelling studies and localized the cis-element in the 5'-upstream region of MdLIP2A to clarify its regulatory mechanism. Finally, we revealed that chromatin was concentrated - 764 to - 862 bp of the 5'-upstream region of MdLIP2A, which harbours the GARE [gibberellin responsive MYB transcription factor binding site] and CArG [MADS-box transcription factor binding site] motifs-meristem development-related protein-binding sites.

α-Ketol linolenic acid (KODA) application affects endogenous abscisic acid, jasmonic acid and aromatic volatiles in grapes infected by a pathogen (Glomerella cingulata).

Effects of α-ketol linolenic acid (KODA) application on endogenous abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), and aromatic volatiles were investigated in 'Kyoho' grapes (Vitis labrusca×Vitis vinifera) infected by a pathogen (Glomerella cingulata). The expressions of 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (VvNCED1), ABA 8'-hydroxylase (VvCYP707A1), lipoxygenase (VvLOX), and allene oxide synthase (VvAOS) were also examined. The grape berries were dipped in 0.1mM KODA solution before inoculation with the pathogen and stored at 25°C for 12 days. The development of infection was significantly suppressed upon KODA treatment. Endogenous ABA, JA and phaseic acid (PA) were induced in inoculated berries. KODA application before inoculation increased endogenous ABA, PA and JA through the activation of VvNCED1, VvCYP707A1 and VvAOS genes, respectively. In addition, terpenes, methyl salicylate (Me-SA) and C6-aldehydes such as (E)-2-hexenal and cis-3-hexenal associated with fungal resistance also increased in KODA-treated berries during storage. These results suggest that the synergistic effect of JA, ABA, and some aromatic volatiles induced by KODA application may provide resistance to pathogen infection in grape berries.

Screening of plants for phytoremediation of oil-contaminated soil.

Several species of ornamental flowering plants were evaluated regarding their phytoremediation ability for the cleanup of oil-contaminated soil in Japanese environmental conditions. Thirty-three species of plants were grown in oil-contaminated soil, and Mimosa, Zinnia, Gazania, and cypress vine were selected for further assessment on the basis of their favorable initial growth. No significant difference was observed in the above-ground and under-ground dry matter weight of Gazania 180 days after sowing between contaminated and non-contaminated plots. However, the other 3 species of plants died by the 180th day, indicating that Gazania has an especially strong tolerance for oil-contaminated soil. The total petroleum hydrocarbon concentration of the soils in which the 4 species of plants were grown decreased by 45-49% by the 180th day. Compared to an irrigated plot, the dehydrogenase activity of the contaminated soil also increased significantly, indicating a phytoremediation effect by the 4 tested plants. Mimosa, Zinnia, and cypress vine all died by the 180th day after seeding, but the roots themselves became a source of nutrients for the soil microorganisms, which led to a phytoremediation effect by increase in the oil degradation activity. It has been indicated that Gazania is most appropriate for phytoremediation of oil-contaminated soil.

Quality evaluation of sake treated with a two-stage system of low pressure carbon dioxide microbubbles.

To determine optimal temperature of a two-stage system of low pressure carbon dioxide microbubbles (MB-CO2) for inactivating enzymes in unpasteurized sake (UPS), the effect of two-stage MB-CO2 containing a heating coil at various temperatures on the inactivation of the α-glucosidase in UPS was investigated, and the quality of the sake treated by two-stage MB-CO2 was estimated by sensory evaluation and component analysis. α-Glucosidase activity in the UPS was completely inactivated by two-stage MB-CO2 with a heating coil at 45 °C for 50 min, 55 °C for 5 min, 65 °C for 10 s (MB65), and 75 °C for 1 s, respectively. The quality of the MB65's sake was determined to be significantly excellent by the sensory evaluation. The reason was suggested to be due to relatively low contents of free amino acids, change in organic acid balance, and less damage to volatile compounds.

Effects of ozone microbubble treatment on removal of residual pesticides and quality of persimmon leaves.

This study investigated the effects of ozone microbubble (OMCB) treatment on the removal of residual fenitrothion (FT) and benomyl pesticides from red and green persimmon leaves, and also the treatment effect on the leaf colours, physical properties and flavour. The continuous bubbling OMCB treatment was more effective than the non-bubbling OMCB treatments at reducing the FT and benomyl agricultural pesticide residues from both the red and green persimmon leaves. Moreover, the bubbling OMCB treatment had no effect on the colour and pulling strength of the leaves. These results indicate that the treatment by bubbling OMCB is an extremely effective method for removing the residues of FT and benomyl in persimmon leaves and has relatively little effect on leaf quality characteristics.

Effect of jasmonates on ethylene biosynthesis and aroma volatile emission in Japanese apricot infected by a pathogen (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides).

The effects of the application of the jasmonic acid derivative n-propyl dihydrojasmonate (PDJ) on ethylene biosynthesis, volatile compounds, and endogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) were examined in Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb.) infected by a pathogen (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides). The fruit were dipped into 0.4 mM PDJ solution before inoculation with the pathogen and stored at 25 °C for 6 days. The inoculation induced an increase in 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), ethylene, JA, and MeJA. In contrast, PDJ application reduced the endogenous JA, MeJA, and ethylene production and expression of the ACC oxidase gene (PmACO1) caused by the pathogen infection. The lesion diameter with C. gloeosporioides decreased upon PDJ application. The alcohol, ester, ketone, and lactone concentrations and alcohol acyltransferase (AAT) activity increased in the pathogen-infected fruit, but were decreased by PDJ application. These results suggest that PDJ application might influence ethylene production through PmACO1 and that aroma volatile emissions affected by pathogen infection can be correlated with the ethylene production, which is mediated by the levels of jasmonates.

Chlorophenoxyacetic acid and chloropyridylphenylurea accelerate translocation of photoassimilates to parthenocarpic and seeded fruits of muskmelon (Cucumis melo).

We compared the effect of p-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (p-CPA) and 1-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-3-phenylurea (CPPU) on parthenocarpic and seeded muskmelon (Cucumis melo) fruits in regards to fruit development and the transport of photoassimilates from leaves exposed to ¹4CO2 to the developing fruits. Ten days after anthesis (DAA), the fresh weight, total ¹4C-radioactivity and contents of ¹4C-sucrose and ¹4C-fructose were higher in the CPPU-induced parthenocarpic fruits than in seeded fruits. However, at 35 DAA, fresh weight and sucrose content in mesocarp, placenta and empty seeds of the parthenocarpic fruits were lower than in seeded fruits. Also, total ¹4C-radioactivity and ¹4C-sugar content of the parthenocarpic fruits were lower as well as the translocation rate of ¹4C-photoassimilates into these fruits. Application of p-CPA to the parthenocarpic fruits at 10 and 25 DAA increased fresh weight and sugar content. Moreover, these treatments elevated the total ¹4C-radioactivity, ¹4C-sucrose content and the translocation rate of ¹4C-photoassimilates. The ¹4C-radioactivity along the translocation pathway from leaf to petiole, stem, lateral shoot and peduncle showed a declining pattern but dramatically increased again in the fruits. These results suggest that the fruit's sink strength was regulated by the seed and enhanced by the application of p-CPA.

Identification of (E,E)-2,4-undecadienal from coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) as a highly effective deodorant compound against the offensive odor of porcine large intestine.

The leaves of coriander ( Coriandrum sativum L.) exhibited a strong deodorizing effect against porcine internal organs (large intestine). The effective deodorizing compounds of coriander were identified by separating the volatile component of coriander, testing the effectiveness of each fraction against the offensive odor of porcine large intestine, and then identifying the compounds by GC-MS. The volatile component of coriander was first separated into six fractions (A-F) by preparative gas chromatography, and the deodorizing activity of each of these fractions against the offensive odor was measured. Fraction D, which showed the strongest deodorizing effect, was then separated into 12 subfractions by preparative GC. The deodorant activity of each subfraction was evaluated, and the deodorant compounds were identified by GC-MS. It was discovered that (E,E)-2,4-undecadienal was the most effective deodorizing compound. The deodorizing activity of (E,E)-2,4-undecadienal on the porcine large intestine increased as with concentration, reaching almost complete deodorizing ability at 10 ppb.