Current approaches toward production of secondary plant metabolites

PubMed Central

Hussain, Md. Sarfaraj; Fareed, Sheeba; Ansari, Saba; Rahman, Md. Akhlaquer; Ahmad, Iffat Zareen; Saeed, Mohd.

2012-01-01

Plants are the tremendous source for the discovery of new products with medicinal importance in drug development. Today several distinct chemicals derived from plants are important drugs, which are currently used in one or more countries in the world. Secondary metabolites are economically important as drugs, flavor and fragrances, dye and pigments, pesticides, and food additives. Many of the drugs sold today are simple synthetic modifications or copies of the naturally obtained substances. The evolving commercial importance of secondary metabolites has in recent years resulted in a great interest in secondary metabolism, particularly in the possibility of altering the production of bioactive plant metabolites by means of tissue culture technology. Plant cell and tissue culture technologies can be established routinely under sterile conditions from explants, such as plant leaves, stems, roots, and meristems for both the ways for multiplication and extraction of secondary metabolites. In vitro production of secondary metabolite in plant cell suspension cultures has been reported from various medicinal plants, and bioreactors are the key step for their commercial production. Based on this lime light, the present review is aimed to cover phytotherapeutic application and recent advancement for the production of some important plant pharmaceuticals. PMID:22368394

Entropy production and optimization of geothermal power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michaelides, Efstathios E.

2012-09-01

Geothermal power plants are currently producing reliable and low-cost, base load electricity. Three basic types of geothermal power plants are currently in operation: single-flashing, dual-flashing, and binary power plants. Typically, the single-flashing and dual-flashing geothermal power plants utilize geothermal water (brine) at temperatures in the range of 550-430 K. Binary units utilize geothermal resources at lower temperatures, typically 450-380 K. The entropy production in the various components of the three types of geothermal power plants determines the efficiency of the plants. It is axiomatic that a lower entropy production would improve significantly the energy utilization factor of the corresponding power plant. For this reason, the entropy production in the major components of the three types of geothermal power plants has been calculated. It was observed that binary power plants generate the lowest amount of entropy and, thus, convert the highest rate of geothermal energy into mechanical energy. The single-flashing units generate the highest amount of entropy, primarily because they re-inject fluid at relatively high temperature. The calculations for entropy production provide information on the equipment where the highest irreversibilities occur, and may be used to optimize the design of geothermal processes in future geothermal power plants and thermal cycles used for the harnessing of geothermal energy.

Plant cell cultures: bioreactors for industrial production.

PubMed

Ruffoni, Barbara; Pistelli, Laura; Bertoli, Alessandra; Pistelli, Luisa

2010-01-01

The recent biotechnology boom has triggered increased interest in plant cell cultures, since a number of firms and academic institutions investigated intensively to rise the production of very promising bioactive compounds. In alternative to wild collection or plant cultivation, the production of useful and valuable secondary metabolites in large bioreactors is an attractive proposal; it should contribute significantly to future attempts to preserve global biodiversity and alleviate associated ecological problems. The advantages of such processes include the controlled production according to demand and a reduced man work requirement. Plant cells have been grown in different shape bioreactors, however, there are a variety of problems to be solved before this technology can be adopted on a wide scale for the production of useful plant secondary metabolites. There are different factors affecting the culture growth and secondary metabolite production in bioreactors: the gaseous atmosphere, oxygen supply and CO2 exchange, pH, minerals, carbohydrates, growth regulators, the liquid medium rheology and cell density. Moreover agitation systems and sterilization conditions may negatively influence the whole process. Many types ofbioreactors have been successfully used for cultivating transformed root cultures, depending on both different aeration system and nutrient supply. Several examples of medicinal and aromatic plant cultures were here summarized for the scale up cultivation in bioreactors.

9 CFR 590.24 - Egg products plants requiring continuous inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Egg products plants requiring..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION INSPECTION OF EGGS AND EGG PRODUCTS (EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION ACT) Scope of Inspection § 590.24 Egg products plants requiring continuous inspection. No plant in...

9 CFR 590.24 - Egg products plants requiring continuous inspection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Egg products plants requiring..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION INSPECTION OF EGGS AND EGG PRODUCTS (EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION ACT) Scope of Inspection § 590.24 Egg products plants requiring continuous inspection. No plant in...

Editorial: from plant biotechnology to bio-based products.

PubMed

Stöger, Eva

2013-10-01

From plant biotechnology to bio-based products - this Special Issue of Biotechnology Journal is dedicated to plant biotechnology and is edited by Prof. Eva Stöger (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria). The Special Issue covers a wide range of topics in plant biotechnology, including metabolic engineering of biosynthesis pathways in plants; taking advantage of the scalability of the plant system for the production of innovative materials; as well as the regulatory challenges and society acceptance of plant biotechnology. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Official control of plant protection products in Poland: detection of illegal products.

PubMed

Miszczyk, Marek; Płonka, Marlena; Stobiecki, Tomasz; Kronenbach-Dylong, Dorota; Waleczek, Kazimierz; Weber, Roland

2018-04-03

Market presence of illegal and counterfeit pesticides is now a global problem. According to data published in 2012 by the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA), illegal products represent over 10% of the global market of plant protection products. Financial benefits are the main reason for the prevalence of this practice. Counterfeit and illegal pesticides may contain substances that may pose a threat to the environment, crops, animals, and humans, inconsistent with the label and registration dossier. In Poland, action against illegal and counterfeit plant protection products is undertaken by the Main Inspectorate of Plant Health and Seed Inspection (PIORiN), the police, the prosecution, and the pesticide producers. Results of chemical analyses carried out by the Institute of Plant Protection - National Research Institute Sośnicowice Branch, Pesticide Quality Testing Laboratory (PQTL IPP-NRI Sosnicowice Branch) indicate that a majority of illegal pesticides in Poland are detected in the group of herbicides. Products from parallel trade tend to have the most irregularities. This article describes the official quality control system of plant protection products in Poland and presents the analytical methods for testing pesticides suspected of adulteration and recent test results.

Modifying plants for biofuel and biomaterial production.

PubMed

Furtado, Agnelo; Lupoi, Jason S; Hoang, Nam V; Healey, Adam; Singh, Seema; Simmons, Blake A; Henry, Robert J

2014-12-01

The productivity of plants as biofuel or biomaterial crops is established by both the yield of plant biomass per unit area of land and the efficiency of conversion of the biomass to biofuel. Higher yielding biofuel crops with increased conversion efficiencies allow production on a smaller land footprint minimizing competition with agriculture for food production and biodiversity conservation. Plants have traditionally been domesticated for food, fibre and feed applications. However, utilization for biofuels may require the breeding of novel phenotypes, or new species entirely. Genomics approaches support genetic selection strategies to deliver significant genetic improvement of plants as sources of biomass for biofuel manufacture. Genetic modification of plants provides a further range of options for improving the composition of biomass and for plant modifications to assist the fabrication of biofuels. The relative carbohydrate and lignin content influences the deconstruction of plant cell walls to biofuels. Key options for facilitating the deconstruction leading to higher monomeric sugar release from plants include increasing cellulose content, reducing cellulose crystallinity, and/or altering the amount or composition of noncellulosic polysaccharides or lignin. Modification of chemical linkages within and between these biomass components may improve the ease of deconstruction. Expression of enzymes in the plant may provide a cost-effective option for biochemical conversion to biofuel. © 2014 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

No consistent effect of plant diversity on productivity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huston, M.A.; Aarssen, L.W.; Austin, M.P.; Cade, B.S.; Fridley, J.D.; Garnier, E.; Grime, J.P.; Hodgson, J.; Lauenroth, W.K.; Thompson, K.; Vandermeer, J.H.; Wardle, D.A.

2000-01-01

Hector et al. (1) reported on BIODEPTH, a major international experiment on the response of plant productivity to variation in the number of plant species. They found “an overall log-linear reduction of average aboveground biomass with loss of species,” leading to what the accompanying Perspective (2) described as “a rule of thumb—that each halving of diversity leads to a 10 to 20% reduction in productivity.” These conclusions, if true, imply that the continuing high rate of plant extinction threatens the future productivity of Earth's natural and managed ecosystems and could impair their ability to produce resources essential for human survival and to regulate the concentration of atmospheric CO2.The three sites with proper experimental design (Portugal, Sweden, and Sheffield) all showed significant positive regressions of productivity across two or three doublings of species richness [Fig. 1; (12)]. This is the pattern expected from random selection from a set of objects with different properties (13–15), because the probability of including any specific member of the set—such as a plant species that grows rapidly or fixes nitrogen—increases with the number of objects selected. Such a pattern, found consistently in randomly assembled experimental plant communities but only rarely in natural plant communities (4, 5,13–15), has been identified as a statistical artifact of experimental design (5, 13, 14). Although one study (15) suggested that the pattern constitutes a natural mechanism by which diversity affects productivity, this requires the biologically unrealistic assumption that plant communities are randomly assembled with respect to productivity (5).

Plants for water recycling, oxygen regeneration and food production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bubenheim, D. L.

1991-01-01

During long-duration space missions that require recycling and regeneration of life support materials the major human wastes to be converted to usable forms are CO2, hygiene water, urine and feces. A Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) relies on the air revitalization, water purification and food production capabilities of higher plants to rejuvenate human wastes and replenish the life support materials. The key processes in such a system are photosynthesis, whereby green plants utilize light energy to produce food and oxygen while removing CO2 from the atmosphere, and transpiration, the evaporation of water from the plant. CELSS research has emphasized the food production capacity and efforts to minimize the area/volume of higher plants required to satisfy all human life support needs. Plants are a dynamic system capable of being manipulated to favour the supply of individual products as desired. The size and energy required for a CELSS that provides virtually all human needs are determined by the food production capacity. Growing conditions maximizing food production do not maximize transpiration of water; conditions favoring transpiration and scaling to recycle only water significantly reduces the area, volume, and energy inputs per person. Likewise, system size can be adjusted to satisfy the air regeneration needs. Requirements of a waste management system supplying inputs to maintain maximum plant productivity are clear. The ability of plants to play an active role in waste processing and the consequence in terms of degraded plant performance are not well characterized. Plant-based life support systems represent the only potential for self sufficiency and food production in an extra-terrestrial habitat.

Application of plant cell and tissue culture for the production of phytochemicals in medicinal plants.

PubMed

Pant, Bijaya

2014-01-01

Approximately 80% of the world inhabitants depend on the medicinal plants in the form of traditional formulations for their primary health care system well as in the treatment of a number of diseases since the ancient time. Many commercially used drugs have come from the information of indigenous knowledge of plants and their folk uses. Linking of the indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants to modern research activities provides a new reliable approach, for the discovery of novel drugs much more effectively than with random collection. Increase in population and increasing demand of plant products along with illegal trade are causing depletion of medicinal plants and many are threatened in natural habitat. Plant tissue culture technique has proved potential alternative for the production of desirable bioactive components from plants, to produce the enough amounts of plant material that is needed and for the conservation of threatened species. Different plant tissue culture systems have been extensively studied to improve and enhance the production of plant chemicals in various medicinal plants.

Fact Sheet - Phosphate Fertilizer Production Plants and Phosphoric Acid Manufacturing Plants NESHAP

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Fact sheet summarizing National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Phosphate Fertilizer Production Plants and Phosphoric Acid Manufacturing Plants (40 CFR 63 Subparts AA and BB).

Rhizosphere engineering: Enhancing sustainable plant ecosystem productivity

DOE PAGES

Ahkami, Amir H.; White, III, Richard Allen; Handakumbura, Pubudu P.; ...

2017-04-21

Here, the rhizosphere is arguably the most complex microbial habitat on earth, comprising an integrated network of plant roots, soil and a diverse microbial consortium of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and microeukaryotes. Understanding, predicting and controlling the structure and function of the rhizosphere will allow us to harness plant-microbe interactions and other rhizosphere activities as a means to increase or restore plant ecosystem productivity, improve plant responses to a wide range of environmental perturbations, and mitigate effects of climate change by designing ecosystems for long-term soil carbon storage. Here, we review critical knowledge gaps in rhizosphere science, and how mechanistic understandingmore » of rhizosphere interactions can be leveraged in rhizosphere engineering efforts with the goal of maintaining sustainable plant ecosystem services for food and bioenergy production in an ever changing global climate.« less

Rhizosphere engineering: Enhancing sustainable plant ecosystem productivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahkami, Amir H.; White, III, Richard Allen; Handakumbura, Pubudu P.

Here, the rhizosphere is arguably the most complex microbial habitat on earth, comprising an integrated network of plant roots, soil and a diverse microbial consortium of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and microeukaryotes. Understanding, predicting and controlling the structure and function of the rhizosphere will allow us to harness plant-microbe interactions and other rhizosphere activities as a means to increase or restore plant ecosystem productivity, improve plant responses to a wide range of environmental perturbations, and mitigate effects of climate change by designing ecosystems for long-term soil carbon storage. Here, we review critical knowledge gaps in rhizosphere science, and how mechanistic understandingmore » of rhizosphere interactions can be leveraged in rhizosphere engineering efforts with the goal of maintaining sustainable plant ecosystem services for food and bioenergy production in an ever changing global climate.« less

Diverse urban plantings managed with sufficient resource availability can increase plant productivity and arthropod diversity

PubMed Central

Muller, Jonathon N.; Loh, Susan; Braggion, Ligia; Cameron, Stephen; Firn, Jennifer L.

2014-01-01

Buildings structures and surfaces are explicitly being used to grow plants, and these “urban plantings” are generally designed for aesthetic value. Urban plantings also have the potential to contribute significant “ecological values” by increasing urban habitat for animals such as arthropods and by increasing plant productivity. In this study, we evaluated how the provision of these additional ecological values is affected by plant species richness; the availability of essential resources for plants, such as water, light, space; and soil characteristics. We sampled 33 plantings located on the exterior of three buildings in the urban center of Brisbane, Australia (subtropical climatic region) over 2, 6 week sampling periods characterized by different temperature and rainfall conditions. Plant cover was estimated as a surrogate for productivity as destructive sampling of biomass was not possible. We measured weekly light levels (photosynthetically active radiation), plant CO2 assimilation, soil CO2 efflux, and arthropod diversity. Differences in plant cover were best explained by a three-way interaction of plant species richness, management water regime and sampling period. As the richness of plant species increased in a planter, productivity and total arthropod richness also increased significantly—likely due to greater habitat heterogeneity and quality. Overall we found urban plantings can provide additional ecological values if essential resources are maintained within a planter such as water, light and soil temperature. Diverse urban plantings that are managed with these principles in mind can contribute to the attraction of diverse arthropod communities, and lead to increased plant productivity within a dense urban context. PMID:25400642

Production Planning and Planting Pattern Scheduling Information System for Horticulture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitadiar, Tanhella Zein; Farikhin; Surarso, Bayu

2018-02-01

This paper present the production of planning and planting pattern scheduling faced by horticulture farmer using two methods. Fuzzy time series method use to predict demand on based on sales amount, while linear programming is used to assist horticulture farmers in making production planning decisions and determining the schedule of cropping patterns in accordance with demand predictions of the fuzzy time series method, variable use in this paper is size of areas, production advantage, amount of seeds and age of the plants. This research result production planning and planting patterns scheduling information system with the output is recommendations planting schedule, harvest schedule and the number of seeds will be plant.

Approaches to achieve high-level heterologous protein production in plants.

PubMed

Streatfield, Stephen J

2007-01-01

Plants offer an alternative to microbial fermentation and animal cell cultures for the production of recombinant proteins. For protein pharmaceuticals, plant systems are inherently safer than native and even recombinant animal sources. In addition, post-translational modifications, such as glycosylation, which cannot be achieved with bacterial fermentation, can be accomplished using plants. The main advantage foreseen for plant systems is reduced production costs. Plants should have a particular advantage for proteins produced in bulk, such as industrial enzymes, for which product pricing is low. In addition, edible plant tissues are well suited to the expression of vaccine antigens and pharmaceuticals for oral delivery. Three approaches have been followed to express recombinant proteins in plants: expression from the plant nuclear genome; expression from the plastid genome; and expression from plant tissues carrying recombinant plant viral sequences. The most important factor in moving plant-produced heterologous proteins from developmental research to commercial products is to ensure competitive production costs, and the best way to achieve this is to boost expression. Thus, considerable research effort has been made to increase the amount of recombinant protein produced in plants. This research includes molecular technologies to increase replication, to boost transcription, to direct transcription in tissues suited for protein accumulation, to stabilize transcripts, to optimize translation, to target proteins to subcellular locations optimal for their accumulation, and to engineer proteins to stabilize them. Other methods include plant breeding to increase transgene copy number and to utilize germplasm suited to protein accumulation. Large-scale commercialization of plant-produced recombinant proteins will require a combination of these technologies.

Amino acid production exceeds plant nitrogen demand in Siberian tundra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wild, Birgit; Eloy Alves, Ricardo J.; Bárta, Jiři; Čapek, Petr; Gentsch, Norman; Guggenberger, Georg; Hugelius, Gustaf; Knoltsch, Anna; Kuhry, Peter; Lashchinskiy, Nikolay; Mikutta, Robert; Palmtag, Juri; Prommer, Judith; Schnecker, Jörg; Shibistova, Olga; Takriti, Mounir; Urich, Tim; Richter, Andreas

2018-03-01

Arctic plant productivity is often limited by low soil N availability. This has been attributed to slow breakdown of N-containing polymers in litter and soil organic matter (SOM) into smaller, available units, and to shallow plant rooting constrained by permafrost and high soil moisture. Using 15N pool dilution assays, we here quantified gross amino acid and ammonium production rates in 97 active layer samples from four sites across the Siberian Arctic. We found that amino acid production in organic layers alone exceeded literature-based estimates of maximum plant N uptake 17-fold and therefore reject the hypothesis that arctic plant N limitation results from slow SOM breakdown. High microbial N use efficiency in organic layers rather suggests strong competition of microorganisms and plants in the dominant rooting zone. Deeper horizons showed lower amino acid production rates per volume, but also lower microbial N use efficiency. Permafrost thaw together with soil drainage might facilitate deeper plant rooting and uptake of previously inaccessible subsoil N, and thereby promote plant productivity in arctic ecosystems. We conclude that changes in microbial decomposer activity, microbial N utilization and plant root density with soil depth interactively control N availability for plants in the Arctic.

Freshwater aquatic plant biomass production in Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reddy, K.R.; Sutton, D.L.; Bowes, G.

1983-01-01

About 8% (1.2 million ha) of the total surface area of Florida is occupied by freshwater. Many of these water bodies are eutrophic. Nutrients present in these water bodies can be potentially used to culture aquatic plants as a possible feedstock for methane production. This paper summarizes the results of known research findings on biomass production potential of freshwater aquatic plants in Florida and identifies key research needs to improve the quality and quantity of biomass yields. Among floating aquatic plants, biomass yield potential was in the order of water-hyacinth > water lettuce > pennywort > salvinia > duckweed >more » azolla. Pennywort, duckweed, and azolla appear to perform well during the cooler months compared to other aquatic plants. Among emergent plants, biomass yield potential was in the order of southern wild rice > cattails > soft rush > bulrush. Cultural techniques, nutrient management, and environmental factors influencing the biomass yields were discussed. 68 references.« less

In vitro plant tissue culture: means for production of biological active compounds.

PubMed

Espinosa-Leal, Claudia A; Puente-Garza, César A; García-Lara, Silverio

2018-05-07

Plant tissue culture as an important tool for the continuous production of active compounds including secondary metabolites and engineered molecules. Novel methods (gene editing, abiotic stress) can improve the technique. Humans have a long history of reliance on plants for a supply of food, shelter and, most importantly, medicine. Current-day pharmaceuticals are typically based on plant-derived metabolites, with new products being discovered constantly. Nevertheless, the consistent and uniform supply of plant pharmaceuticals has often been compromised. One alternative for the production of important plant active compounds is in vitro plant tissue culture, as it assures independence from geographical conditions by eliminating the need to rely on wild plants. Plant transformation also allows the further use of plants for the production of engineered compounds, such as vaccines and multiple pharmaceuticals. This review summarizes the important bioactive compounds currently produced by plant tissue culture and the fundamental methods and plants employed for their production.

Biotechnological production of pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals in plant cell and organ cultures.

PubMed

Hidalgo, Diego; Sanchez, Raul; Lalaleo, Liliana; Bonfill, Mercedes; Corchete, Purificacion; Palazon, Javier

2018-03-09

Plant biofactories are biotechnological platforms based on plant cell and organ cultures used for the production of pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals, although to date only a few of these systems have successfully been implemented at an industrial level. Metabolic engineering is possibly the most straightforward strategy to boost pharmaceutical production in plant biofactories, but social opposition to the use of GMOs means empirical approaches are still being used. Plant secondary metabolism involves thousands of different enzymes, some of which catalyze specific reactions, giving one product from a particular substrate, whereas others can yield multiple products from the same substrate. This trait opens plant cell biofactories to new applications, in which the natural metabolic machinery of plants can be harnessed for the bioconversion of phytochemicals or even the production of new bioactive compounds. Synthetic biological pipelines involving the bioconversion of natural substrates into products with a high market value may be established by the heterologous expression of target metabolic genes in model plants. To summarize the state of the art of plant biofactories and their applications for the pipeline production of cosme-, pharma- and biopharmaceuticals. In order to demonstrate the great potential of plant biofactories for multiple applications in the biotechnological production of pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals, this review broadly covers the following: plant biofactories based on cell and hairy root cultures; secondary metabolite production; biotransformation reactions; metabolic engineering tools applied in plant biofactories; and biopharmaceutical production. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

ENERGY PRODUCTION AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AT SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS USING FUEL CELL POWER PLANTS

EPA Science Inventory

The paper discusses energy production and pollution prevention at sewage treatment plants using fuel cell power plants. Anaerobic digester gas (ADG) is produced at waste water treatment plants during the anaerobic treatment of sewage to reduce solids. The major constituents are...

Plants and plant products with potential antipsoriatic activity--a review.

PubMed

Kaur, Arshdeep; Kumar, Suresh

2012-12-01

Psoriasis vulgaris is a hyper proliferative, autoimmune skin disorder affecting 1-3% of the world's population. The prescribed synthetic drugs for the treatment of psoriasis are associated with severe side effects, thus, researchers around the globe are searching for new, effective, and safer drugs from natural resources. The present review has been prepared with an objective to compile exhaustive literature on pharmacological reports on antipsoriatic plants, plant products, and formulations. An attempt has been made to incorporate chemical constituents (with structures) isolated from different plants responsible for antipsoriatic activity and their possible mechanism of actions in this review. The review has been compiled using references from major databases like Chemical Abstracts, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Abstracts, PubMed, Scirus, Google scholar, Open J Gate, Scopus, Science Direct and Online Journals, and includes 127 references. A survey of literature revealed that extracts/fractions/isolates from 18 plants, 23 chemical constituents of plant origin and 40 plant-based formulations from various systems of medicine have been reported to possess antipsoriatic activity, and 37 antipsoriatic formulations containing plants have been patented. Preliminary antipsoriatic activity studies have been carried out on crude extracts of traditionally used and medicinally promising plants. Such plants need to be explored properly with a view to isolate antipsoriatic constituents, and to evaluate their possible mode of actions so that these plant drugs could be exploited properly as potential antipsoriatic drugs.

Effect of iodine disinfection products on higher plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Janik, D.; Macler, B.; Macelroy, R. D.; Thorstenson, Y.; Sauer, R.

1989-01-01

Iodine is used to disinfect potable water on United States spacecraft. Iodinated potable water will likely be used to grow plants in space. Little is known about the effects of iodine disinfection products on plants. Seeds of select higher plants were germinated in water iodinated using the Shuttle Microbial Check Valve, and water to which measured amounts of iodine was added. Percent germination was decreased in seeds of most species germinated in iodinated water. Beans were most affected. Germination rates, determined from germination half-times, were decreased for beans germinated in iodinated water, and water to which iodide was added. Development was retarded and rootlets were conspicuously absent in bean and several other plant species germinated in iodinated water. Iodide alone did not elicit these responses. Clearly iodine disinfection products can affect higher plants. These effects must be carefully considered for plant experimentation and cultivation in space, and in design and testing of closed environmental life support systems.

Antioxidant Capacity Determination in Plants and Plant-Derived Products: A Review

PubMed Central

Pop, Aneta; Cimpeanu, Carmen; Predoi, Gabriel

2016-01-01

The present paper aims at reviewing and commenting on the analytical methods applied to antioxidant and antioxidant capacity assessment in plant-derived products. Aspects related to oxidative stress, reactive oxidative species' influence on key biomolecules, and antioxidant benefits and modalities of action are discussed. Also, the oxidant-antioxidant balance is critically discussed. The conventional and nonconventional extraction procedures applied prior to analysis are also presented, as the extraction step is of pivotal importance for isolation and concentration of the compound(s) of interest before analysis. Then, the chromatographic, spectrometric, and electrochemical methods for antioxidant and antioxidant capacity determination in plant-derived products are detailed with respect to their principles, characteristics, and specific applications. Peculiarities related to the matrix characteristics and other factors influencing the method's performances are discussed. Health benefits of plants and derived products are described, as indicated in the original source. Finally, critical and conclusive aspects are given when it comes to the choice of a particular extraction procedure and detection method, which should consider the nature of the sample, prevalent antioxidant/antioxidant class, and the mechanism underlying each technique. Advantages and disadvantages are discussed for each method. PMID:28044094

Ethylene production throughout growth and development of plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, Raymond M.; Peterson, Barbara V.; Stutte, Gary W.

2004-01-01

Ethylene production by 10 or 20 m2 stands of wheat, soybean, lettuce, potato, and tomato was monitored throughout growth and development in an atmospherically closed plant chamber. Chamber ethylene levels varied among species and rose during periods of canopy expansion and rapid growth for all species. Following this, ethylene levels either declined during seed fill and maturation for wheat and soybean, or remained relatively constant for potato and tomato (during flowering and early fruit development). Lettuce plants were harvested during rapid growth and peak ethylene production. Chamber ethylene levels increased rapidly during tomato ripening, reaching concentrations about 10 times that measured during vegetative growth. The highest ethylene production rates during vegetative growth ranged from 1.6 to 2.5 nmol m-2 d-1 during rapid growth of lettuce and wheat stands, or about 0.3 to 0.5 nmol g-1 fresh weight per hour. Estimates of stand ethylene production during tomato ripening showed that rates reached 43 nmol m-2 d-1 in one study and 93 nmol m-2 d-1 in a second study with higher lighting, or about 50x that of the rate during vegetative growth of tomato. In a related test with potato, the photoperiod was extended from 12 to 24 hours (continuous light) at 58 days after planting (to increase tuber yield), but this change in the environment caused a sharp increase in ethylene production from the basal rate of 0.4 to 6.2 nmol m-2 d-1. Following this, the photoperiod was changed back to 12 h at 61 days and ethylene levels decreased. The results suggest three separate categories of ethylene production were observed with whole stands of plants: 1) production during rapid vegetative growth, 2) production during climacteric fruit ripening, and 3) production from environmental stress.

In-Situ Propellant Production on Mars: A Sabatier/Electrolysis Demonstration Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, David L.

1997-01-01

An efficient, reliable propellant production plant has been developed for use on Mars. Using a Sabatier reactor in conjunction with a water electrolysis system, a complete demonstration plant has produced methane and liquid oxygen from simulated Martian atmosphere. The production plant has demonstrated high efficiency, extended duration production and autonomous operations. This paper presents the results and conclusions relating to eventual use in a Mars sample return mission. This work was funded by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The production plant was built and tested at the Propulsion Center of Lockheed Martin at the Denver Colorado facility.

Tocopherol production in plant cell cultures.

PubMed

Caretto, Sofia; Nisi, Rossella; Paradiso, Annalisa; De Gara, Laura

2010-05-01

Tocopherols, collectively known as vitamin E, are lipophilic antioxidants, essential dietary components for mammals and exclusively synthesized by photosynthetic organisms. Of the four forms (alpha, beta, gamma and delta), alpha-tocopherol is the major vitamin E form present in green plant tissues, and has the highest vitamin E activity. Synthetic alpha-tocopherol, being a racemic mixture of eight different stereoisomers, always results less effective than the natural form (R,R,R) alpha-tocopherol. This raises interest in obtaining this molecule from natural sources, such as plant cell cultures. Plant cell and tissue cultures are able to produce and accumulate valuable metabolites that can be used as food additives, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. Sunflower cell cultures, growing under heterotrophic conditions, were exploited to establish a suitable in vitro production system of natural alpha-tocopherol. Optimization of culture conditions, precursor feeding and elicitor application were used to improve the tocopherol yields of these cultures. Furthermore, these cell cultures were useful to investigate the relationship between alpha-tocopherol biosynthesis and photomixotrophic culture conditions, revealing the possibility to enhance tocopherol production by favouring sunflower cell photosynthetic properties. The modulation of alpha-tocopherol levels in plant cell cultures can provide useful hints for a regulatory impact on tocopherol metabolism.

Current Perspectives on Biotechnological Cannabinoid Production in Plants.

PubMed

Schachtsiek, Julia; Warzecha, Heribert; Kayser, Oliver; Stehle, Felix

2018-03-01

The plant Cannabis sativa contains a number of psychoactive chemical compounds, the cannabinoids, which possess a significant pharmaceutical potential. Recently, the usage of Cannabis for medicinal purposes was legalized in many countries. Thus, the study on the influence of different cannabinoids in combination with other Cannabis -derived compounds with respect to the treatment of various diseases becomes increasingly important. Besides the production of distinct cannabinoids in a heterologous host, like tobacco or yeast, transgenic Cannabis plants would be a suitable alternative to modify and therefore optimize the cannabinoid profile. This perspective highlights the current efforts on Cannabis cell culture systems, in vitro propagation, and transformation of the plant and reveals the resulting opportunities concerning biotechnological production of cannabinoids. Furthermore, alternative platform organisms for the heterologous production of cannabinoids, like tobacco, are considered and evaluated. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Plant Products for Pharmacology: Application of Enzymes in Their Transformations

PubMed Central

Zarevúcka, Marie; Wimmer, Zdeněk

2008-01-01

Different plant products have been subjected to detailed investigations due to their increasing importance for improving human health. Plants are sources of many groups of natural products, of which large number of new compounds has already displayed their high impact in human medicine. This review deals with the natural products which may be found dissolved in lipid phase (phytosterols, vitamins etc.). Often subsequent convenient transformation of natural products may further improve the pharmacological properties of new potential medicaments based on natural products. To respect basic principles of sustainable and green procedures, enzymes are often employed as efficient natural catalysts in such plant product transformations. Transformations of lipids and other natural products under the conditions of enzyme catalysis show increasing importance in environmentally safe and sustainable production of pharmacologically important compounds. In this review, attention is focused on lipases, efficient and convenient biocatalysts for the enantio- and regioselective formation / hydrolysis of ester bond in a wide variety of both natural and unnatural substrates, including plant products, eg. plant oils and other natural lipid phase compounds. The application of enzymes for preparation of acylglycerols and transformation of other natural products provides big advantage in comparison with employing of conventional chemical methods: Increased selectivity, higher product purity and quality, energy conservation, elimination of heavy metal catalysts, and sustainability of the employed processes, which are catalyzed by enzymes. Two general procedures are used in the transformation of lipid-like natural products: (a) Hydrolysis/alcoholysis of triacylglycerols and (b) esterification of glycerol. The reactions can be performed under conventional conditions or in supercritical fluids/ionic liquids. Enzyme-catalyzed reactions in supercritical fluids combine the advantages of

Decreased plant productivity resulting from plant group removal experiment constrains soil microbial functional diversity.

PubMed

Zhang, Ximei; Johnston, Eric R; Barberán, Albert; Ren, Yi; Lü, Xiaotao; Han, Xingguo

2017-10-01

Anthropogenic environmental changes are accelerating the rate of biodiversity loss on Earth. Plant diversity loss is predicted to reduce soil microbial diversity primarily due to the decreased variety of carbon/energy resources. However, this intuitive hypothesis is supported by sparse empirical evidence, and most underlying mechanisms remain underexplored or obscure altogether. We constructed four diversity gradients (0-3) in a five-year plant functional group removal experiment in a steppe ecosystem in Inner Mongolia, China, and quantified microbial taxonomic and functional diversity with shotgun metagenome sequencing. The treatments had little effect on microbial taxonomic diversity, but were found to decrease functional gene diversity. However, the observed decrease in functional gene diversity was more attributable to a loss in plant productivity, rather than to the loss of any individual plant functional group per se. Reduced productivity limited fresh plant resources supplied to microorganisms, and thus, intensified the pressure of ecological filtering, favoring genes responsible for energy production/conversion, material transport/metabolism and amino acid recycling, and accordingly disfavored many genes with other functions. Furthermore, microbial respiration was correlated with the variation in functional composition but not taxonomic composition. Overall, the amount of carbon/energy resources driving microbial gene diversity was identified to be the critical linkage between above- and belowground communities, contrary to the traditional framework of linking plant clade/taxonomic diversity to microbial taxonomic diversity. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Induction of a dwarf phenotype with IBH1 may enable increased production of plant-made pharmaceuticals in plant factory conditions.

PubMed

Nagatoshi, Yukari; Ikeda, Miho; Kishi, Hiroyuki; Hiratsu, Keiichiro; Muraguchi, Atsushi; Ohme-Takagi, Masaru

2016-03-01

Year-round production in a contained, environmentally controlled 'plant factory' may provide a cost-effective method to produce pharmaceuticals and other high-value products. However, cost-effective production may require substantial modification of the host plant phenotype; for example, using dwarf plants can enable the growth of more plants in a given volume by allowing more plants per shelf and enabling more shelves to be stacked vertically. We show here that the expression of the chimeric repressor for Arabidopsis AtIBH1 (P35S:AtIBH1SRDX) in transgenic tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum) induces a dwarf phenotype, with reduced cell size. We estimate that, in a given volume of cultivation space, we can grow five times more AtIBH1SRDX plants than wild-type plants. Although, the AtIBH1SRDX plants also showed reduced biomass compared with wild-type plants, they produced about four times more biomass per unit of cultivation volume. To test whether the dwarf phenotype affects the production of recombinant proteins, we expressed the genes for anti-hepatitis B virus antibodies (anti-HBs) in tobacco plants and found that the production of anti-HBs per unit fresh weight did not significantly differ between wild-type and AtIBH1SRDX plants. These data indicate that P35S:AtIBH1SRDX plants produced about fourfold more antibody per unit of cultivation volume, compared with wild type. Our results indicate that AtIBH1SRDX provides a useful tool for the modification of plant phenotype for cost-effective production of high-value products by stably transformed plants in plant factory conditions. © 2015 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pharmaceuticals and Personal-Care Products in Plants.

PubMed

Bartrons, Mireia; Peñuelas, Josep

2017-03-01

Pharmaceuticals and personal-care products (PPCPs) derived from agricultural, urban, and industrial areas accumulate in plants at concentrations (ng to μg kg -1 ) that can be toxic to the plants. Importantly, the dietary intake of these PPCP-contaminated plants may also pose a risk to human health, but currently little is known about the fate of PPCPs in plants and their effect on or risk to the ecosystem. In this Opinion article we propose that in-depth research on the use of plants as a monitoring device for assessing the use and environmental presence of PPCPs is warranted. The toxicity of PPCPs to plants and their microbiota needs to be established, as well as any toxic effects on herbivores including humans. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plant Products as Antimicrobial Agents

PubMed Central

Cowan, Marjorie Murphy

1999-01-01

The use of and search for drugs and dietary supplements derived from plants have accelerated in recent years. Ethnopharmacologists, botanists, microbiologists, and natural-products chemists are combing the Earth for phytochemicals and “leads” which could be developed for treatment of infectious diseases. While 25 to 50% of current pharmaceuticals are derived from plants, none are used as antimicrobials. Traditional healers have long used plants to prevent or cure infectious conditions; Western medicine is trying to duplicate their successes. Plants are rich in a wide variety of secondary metabolites, such as tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids, which have been found in vitro to have antimicrobial properties. This review attempts to summarize the current status of botanical screening efforts, as well as in vivo studies of their effectiveness and toxicity. The structure and antimicrobial properties of phytochemicals are also addressed. Since many of these compounds are currently available as unregulated botanical preparations and their use by the public is increasing rapidly, clinicians need to consider the consequences of patients self-medicating with these preparations. PMID:10515903

Metabolic engineering of microorganisms for the synthesis of plant natural products.

PubMed

Marienhagen, Jan; Bott, Michael

2013-01-20

Of more than 200,000 plant natural products known to date, many demonstrate important pharmacological activities or are of biotechnological significance. However, isolation from natural sources is usually limited by low abundance and environmental, seasonal as well as regional variation, whereas total chemical synthesis is typically commercially unfeasible considering the complex structures of most plant natural products. With advances in DNA sequencing and recombinant DNA technology many of the biosynthetic pathways responsible for the production of these valuable compounds have been elucidated, offering the opportunity of a functional integration of biosynthetic pathways in suitable microorganisms. This approach offers promise to provide sufficient quantities of the desired plant natural products from inexpensive renewable resources. This review covers recent advancements in the metabolic engineering of microorganisms for the production of plant natural products such as isoprenoids, phenylpropanoids and alkaloids, and highlights general approaches and strategies to gain access to the rich biochemical diversity of plants by employing the biosynthetic power of microorganisms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

STRESS ETHYLENE PRODUCTION - A MEASURE OF PLANT RESPONSE TO STRESS

EPA Science Inventory

Contents: Introduction to the symposium; Environmental data acquisition; Plant organ chambers in plant physiology field research; Interpreting the metabolic responses of plants to water stress; Stress ethylene production.

Cameroonian Medicinal Plants: Pharmacology and Derived Natural Products

PubMed Central

Kuete, Victor; Efferth, Thomas

2010-01-01

Many developing countries including Cameroon have mortality patterns that reflect high levels of infectious diseases and the risk of death during pregnancy and childbirth, in addition to cancers, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases that account for most deaths in the developed world. Several medicinal plants are used traditionally for their treatment. In this review, plants used in Cameroonian traditional medicine with evidence for the activities of their crude extracts and/or derived products have been discussed. A considerable number of plant extracts and isolated compounds possess significant antimicrobial, anti-parasitic including antimalarial, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetes, and antioxidant effects. Most of the biologically active compounds belong to terpenoids, phenolics, and alkaloids. Terpenoids from Cameroonian plants showed best activities as anti-parasitic, but rather poor antimicrobial effects. The best antimicrobial, anti-proliferative, and antioxidant compounds were phenolics. In conclusion, many medicinal plants traditionally used in Cameroon to treat various ailments displayed good activities in vitro. This explains the endeavor of Cameroonian research institutes in drug discovery from indigenous medicinal plants. However, much work is still to be done to standardize methodologies and to study the mechanisms of action of isolated natural products. PMID:21833168

Plant Diversity Surpasses Plant Functional Groups and Plant Productivity as Driver of Soil Biota in the Long Term

PubMed Central

Eisenhauer, Nico; Milcu, Alexandru; Sabais, Alexander C. W.; Bessler, Holger; Brenner, Johanna; Engels, Christof; Klarner, Bernhard; Maraun, Mark; Partsch, Stephan; Roscher, Christiane; Schonert, Felix; Temperton, Vicky M.; Thomisch, Karolin; Weigelt, Alexandra; Weisser, Wolfgang W.; Scheu, Stefan

2011-01-01

Background One of the most significant consequences of contemporary global change is the rapid decline of biodiversity in many ecosystems. Knowledge of the consequences of biodiversity loss in terrestrial ecosystems is largely restricted to single ecosystem functions. Impacts of key plant functional groups on soil biota are considered to be more important than those of plant diversity; however, current knowledge mainly relies on short-term experiments. Methodology/Principal Findings We studied changes in the impacts of plant diversity and presence of key functional groups on soil biota by investigating the performance of soil microorganisms and soil fauna two, four and six years after the establishment of model grasslands. The results indicate that temporal changes of plant community effects depend on the trophic affiliation of soil animals: plant diversity effects on decomposers only occurred after six years, changed little in herbivores, but occurred in predators after two years. The results suggest that plant diversity, in terms of species and functional group richness, is the most important plant community property affecting soil biota, exceeding the relevance of plant above- and belowground productivity and the presence of key plant functional groups, i.e. grasses and legumes, with the relevance of the latter decreasing in time. Conclusions/Significance Plant diversity effects on biota are not only due to the presence of key plant functional groups or plant productivity highlighting the importance of diverse and high-quality plant derived resources, and supporting the validity of the singular hypothesis for soil biota. Our results demonstrate that in the long term plant diversity essentially drives the performance of soil biota questioning the paradigm that belowground communities are not affected by plant diversity and reinforcing the importance of biodiversity for ecosystem functioning. PMID:21249208

Convergence of terrestrial plant production across global climate gradients.

PubMed

Michaletz, Sean T; Cheng, Dongliang; Kerkhoff, Andrew J; Enquist, Brian J

2014-08-07

Variation in terrestrial net primary production (NPP) with climate is thought to originate from a direct influence of temperature and precipitation on plant metabolism. However, variation in NPP may also result from an indirect influence of climate by means of plant age, stand biomass, growing season length and local adaptation. To identify the relative importance of direct and indirect climate effects, we extend metabolic scaling theory to link hypothesized climate influences with NPP, and assess hypothesized relationships using a global compilation of ecosystem woody plant biomass and production data. Notably, age and biomass explained most of the variation in production whereas temperature and precipitation explained almost none, suggesting that climate indirectly (not directly) influences production. Furthermore, our theory shows that variation in NPP is characterized by a common scaling relationship, suggesting that global change models can incorporate the mechanisms governing this relationship to improve predictions of future ecosystem function.

Optimized production planning model for a multi-plant cultivation system under uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ke, Shunkui; Guo, Doudou; Niu, Qingliang; Huang, Danfeng

2015-02-01

An inexact multi-constraint programming model under uncertainty was developed by incorporating a production plan algorithm into the crop production optimization framework under the multi-plant collaborative cultivation system. In the production plan, orders from the customers are assigned to a suitable plant under the constraints of plant capabilities and uncertainty parameters to maximize profit and achieve customer satisfaction. The developed model and solution method were applied to a case study of a multi-plant collaborative cultivation system to verify its applicability. As determined in the case analysis involving different orders from customers, the period of plant production planning and the interval between orders can significantly affect system benefits. Through the analysis of uncertain parameters, reliable and practical decisions can be generated using the suggested model of a multi-plant collaborative cultivation system.

The theoretical limit to plant productivity.

PubMed

DeLucia, Evan H; Gomez-Casanovas, Nuria; Greenberg, Jonathan A; Hudiburg, Tara W; Kantola, Ilsa B; Long, Stephen P; Miller, Adam D; Ort, Donald R; Parton, William J

2014-08-19

Human population and economic growth are accelerating the demand for plant biomass to provide food, fuel, and fiber. The annual increment of biomass to meet these needs is quantified as net primary production (NPP). Here we show that an underlying assumption in some current models may lead to underestimates of the potential production from managed landscapes, particularly of bioenergy crops that have low nitrogen requirements. Using a simple light-use efficiency model and the theoretical maximum efficiency with which plant canopies convert solar radiation to biomass, we provide an upper-envelope NPP unconstrained by resource limitations. This theoretical maximum NPP approached 200 tC ha(-1) yr(-1) at point locations, roughly 2 orders of magnitude higher than most current managed or natural ecosystems. Recalculating the upper envelope estimate of NPP limited by available water reduced it by half or more in 91% of the land area globally. While the high conversion efficiencies observed in some extant plants indicate great potential to increase crop yields without changes to the basic mechanism of photosynthesis, particularly for crops with low nitrogen requirements, realizing such high yields will require improvements in water use efficiency.

Antibody Production in Plants and Green Algae.

PubMed

Yusibov, Vidadi; Kushnir, Natasha; Streatfield, Stephen J

2016-04-29

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have a wide range of modern applications, including research, diagnostic, therapeutic, and industrial uses. Market demand for mAbs is high and continues to grow. Although mammalian systems, which currently dominate the biomanufacturing industry, produce effective and safe recombinant mAbs, they have a limited manufacturing capacity and high costs. Bacteria, yeast, and insect cell systems are highly scalable and cost effective but vary in their ability to produce appropriate posttranslationally modified mAbs. Plants and green algae are emerging as promising production platforms because of their time and cost efficiencies, scalability, lack of mammalian pathogens, and eukaryotic posttranslational protein modification machinery. So far, plant- and algae-derived mAbs have been produced predominantly as candidate therapeutics for infectious diseases and cancer. These candidates have been extensively evaluated in animal models, and some have shown efficacy in clinical trials. Here, we review ongoing efforts to advance the production of mAbs in plants and algae.

Capabilities for managing high-volume production of electric engineering equipment at the Electrochemical Production Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Podlednev, V.M.

1996-04-01

The Electromechanical Production Plant is essentially a research center with experimental facilities and power full testing base. Major products of the plant today include heat pipes and devices of their basis of different functions and power from high temperature ranges to cryogenics. This report describes work on porous titanium and carbon-graphite current collectors, electrocatalyst synthesis, and electrocatalyst applications.

Classification of explosives transformation products in plant tissue

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larson, S.L.; Jones, R.P.; Escalon, L.

Explosives contamination in surface or groundwater used for the irrigation of food crops and phytoremediation of explosives-contaminated soil or water using plant-assisted biodegradation have brought about concerns as to the fate of explosives in plants. Liquid scintillation counting, high-performance liquid chromatography, and gel permeation chromatography were utilized to characterize explosives (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine and trinitrotoluene) and their metabolites in plant tissues obtained from three separate studies. Analyzing tissues of yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus), corn (Zea mays), lettuce (Lacuta sativa), tomato (Lyopersicum esculentum), radish (Raphanus sativus), and parrot feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) from three studies where exposure to explosives at nontoxic levels occurred showedmore » that extensive transformation of the explosive contaminant occurred, variations were noted in uptake and transformation between terrestrial and aquatic plants, the products had significantly higher polarity and water solubility than the parent compounds, and the molecular sizes of the transformation products were significantly greater than those of the parent compounds.« less

Studies on saponin production in tropical medicinal plants Maesa argentea and Maesa lanceolata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faizal, Ahmad; Geelen, Danny

2015-09-01

The continuous need for new compounds with important medicinal activities has lead to the identification and characterization of various plant-derived natural products. As a part of this program, we studied the saponin production from two tropical medicinal plants Maesa argentea and M. lanceolata and evaluated several treatments to enhance their saponin production. In this experiment, we present the analyses of saponin production from greenhouse grown plants by means of TLC and HPLC-MS. We observed that the content of saponin from these plants varied depending on organ and physiological age of the plants. In addition, the impact of elicitors on saponin accumulation on in vitro grown plants was analyzed using TLC. The production of saponin was very stable and not affected by treatment with methyl jasmonate, and salicylic acid. In conclusion, Maesa saponins are constitutively produced in plants and the level of these compounds in plants is mainly affected by the developmental or physiological stage.

Reconceptualizing cancer immunotherapy based on plant production systems

PubMed Central

Hefferon, Kathleen

2017-01-01

Plants can be used as inexpensive and facile production platforms for vaccines and other biopharmaceuticals. More recently, plant-based biologics have expanded to include cancer immunotherapy agents. The following review describes the current state of the art for plant-derived strategies to prevent or reduce cancers. The review discusses avenues taken to prevent infection by oncogenic viruses, solid tumors and lymphomas. Strategies including cancer vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and virus nanoparticles are described, and examples are provided. The review ends with a discussion of the implications of plant-based cancer immunotherapy for developing countries. PMID:28884013

Design of a lunar oxygen production plant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radhakrishnan, Ramalingam

1990-01-01

To achieve permanent human presence and activity on the moon, oxygen is required for both life support and propulsion. Lunar oxygen production using resources existing on the moon will reduce or eliminate the need to transport liquid oxygen from earth. In addition, the co-products of oxygen production will provide metals, structural ceramics, and other volatile compounds. This will enable development of even greater self-sufficiency as the lunar outpost evolves. Ilmenite is the most abundant metal-oxide mineral in the lunar regolith. A process involving the reaction of ilmenite with hydrogen at 1000 C to produce water, followed by the electrolysis of this water to provide oxygen and recycle the hydrogen has been explored. The objective of this 1990 Summer Faculty Project was to design a lunar oxygen-production plant to provide 5 metric tons of liquid oxygen per year from lunar soil. The results of this study describe the size and mass of the equipment, the power needs, feedstock quantity and the engineering details of the plant.

Occurrence and typing of Listeria monocytogenes strains in retail vacuum-packed fish products and in a production plant.

PubMed

Johansson, T; Rantala, L; Palmu, L; Honkanen-Buzalski, T

1999-03-01

One hundred and ten samples of ready-to-eat, vacuum-packed, smoked and cold-salted fish products were collected from retail outlets in southern Finland during 1996 for examination of the occurrence and level of Listeria monocytogenes. The samples originated from 12 producers. Positive samples with levels exceeding 100 CFU/g were encountered mainly in one of the producers (no. 8). Therefore, 200 samples from the plant and the products of this producer were studied during August-September 1996 and May-September 1997, as well as 55 samples from the six fish farms providing raw material fish to this plant, during September 1997-January 1998. The isolates were characterised by serotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). L. monocytogenes was isolated in 20% (22/110) of the samples from the retail market, originating from 6 producers. Ten of these positive samples contained L. monocytogenes at > 100 CFU/g (maximum 1.37 X 10(4) CFU/g). Seventeen percent (5/30) of cold-smoked and 50% (16/32) of cold-salted rainbow trout samples were contaminated. Only one hot-smoked fish product (2%) was found to be positive by enrichment. Nineteen (86%) of the strains isolated from the retail samples belonged to serovar 1/2a and three (14%) to serovar 4b. In further studies the production line of plant no. 8 was found to be contaminated. All of isolates from up until autumn, 1997 both the products and the production plant were serovar 1/2a; thereafter one strain of 4b and one of 1/2 (H-antigen untypeable) were isolated from the plant. The samples from raw material fish were all negative for L. monocytogenes. The samples from retail market fell into seven PFGE types. Five and nine PFGE types, respectively, were found from the products and the plant of producer no. 8. PFGE type A was detected from the retail products of four producers and was also dominant among the isolates from production plant no. 8. PFGE type A was the only one found repeatedly from skinning, salting and

Silencing of tryptamine biosynthesis for production of nonnatural alkaloids in plant culture.

PubMed

Runguphan, Weerawat; Maresh, Justin J; O'Connor, Sarah E

2009-08-18

Natural products have long served as both a source and inspiration for pharmaceuticals. Modifying the structure of a natural product often improves the biological activity of the compound. Metabolic engineering strategies to ferment "unnatural" products have been enormously successful in microbial organisms. However, despite the importance of plant derived natural products, metabolic engineering strategies to yield unnatural products from complex, lengthy plant pathways have not been widely explored. Here, we show that RNA mediated suppression of tryptamine biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus hairy root culture eliminates all production of monoterpene indole alkaloids, a class of natural products derived from two starting substrates, tryptamine and secologanin. To exploit this chemically silent background, we introduced an unnatural tryptamine analog to the production media and demonstrated that the silenced plant culture could produce a variety of novel products derived from this unnatural starting substrate. The novel alkaloids were not contaminated by the presence of the natural alkaloids normally present in C. roseus. Suppression of tryptamine biosynthesis therefore did not appear to adversely affect expression of downstream biosynthetic enzymes. Targeted suppression of substrate biosynthesis therefore appears to be a viable strategy for programming a plant alkaloid pathway to more effectively produce desirable unnatural products. Moreover, although tryptamine is widely found among plants, this silenced line demonstrates that tryptamine does not play an essential role in growth or development in C. roseus root culture. Silencing the biosynthesis of an early starting substrate enhances our ability to harness the rich diversity of plant based natural products.

Fungal Production and Manipulation of Plant Hormones.

PubMed

Fonseca, Sandra; Radhakrishnan, Dhanya; Prasad, Kalika; Chini, Andrea

2018-01-01

Living organisms are part of a highly interconnected web of interactions, characterised by species nurturing, competing, parasitizing and preying on one another. Plants have evolved cooperative as well as defensive strategies to interact with neighbour organisms. Among these, the plant-fungus associations are very diverse, ranging from pathogenic to mutualistic. Our current knowledge of plant-fungus interactions suggests a sophisticated coevolution to ensure dynamic plant responses to evolving fungal mutualistic/pathogenic strategies. The plant-fungus communication relies on a rich chemical language. To manipulate the plant defence mechanisms, fungi produce and secrete several classes of biomolecules, whose modeof- action is largely unknown. Upon perception of the fungi, plants produce phytohormones and a battery of secondary metabolites that serve as defence mechanism against invaders or to promote mutualistic associations. These mutualistic chemical signals can be co-opted by pathogenic fungi for their own benefit. Among the plant molecules regulating plant-fungus interaction, phytohormones play a critical role since they modulate various aspects of plant development, defences and stress responses. Intriguingly, fungi can also produce phytohormones, although the actual role of fungalproduced phytohormones in plant-fungus interactions is poorly understood. Here, we discuss the recent advances in fungal production of phytohormone, their putative role as endogenous fungal signals and how fungi manipulate plant hormone balance to their benefits. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

[Effective productions of plant secondary metabolites having antitumor activity by plant cell and tissue cultures].

PubMed

Taniguchi, Shoko

2005-06-01

Methods for the effective production of plant secondary metabolites with antitumor activity using plant cell and tissue cultures were developed. The factors in tannin productivity were investigated using culture strains producing different types of hydrolyzable tannins, i.e., gallotannins (mixture of galloylglucoses), ellagi-, and dehydroellagitannins. Production of ellagi- and dehydroellagitannins was affected by the concentrations and ratio of nitrogen sources in the medium. The formation of oligomeric ellagitannins in shoots of Oenothera tetraptera was correlated with the differentiation of tissues. Cultured cells of Eriobotrya japonica producing ursane- and oleanane-type triterpenes with antitumor activities were also established.

Electric plant cost and power production expenses 1989. [Glossary included

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-03-29

This publication presents electric utility statistics on power production expenses and construction costs of electric generating plants. Data presented here are intended to provide information to the electric utility industry, educational institutions, federal, state, and local governments, and the general public. This report primarily presents aggregate operation, maintenance, and fuel expense data about all power plants owned and operated by the major investor-owned electric utilities in the United States. The power production expenses for the major investor-owned electric utilities are summarized. Plant-specific data are presented for a selection of both investor-owned and publicly owned plants. Summary statistics for each plantmore » type (prime mover), as reported by the electric utilities, are presented in the separate chapters as follows: Hydroelectric Plants; Fossil-Fueled Steam-Electric Plants; Nuclear Steam-Electric Plants; and Gas Turbine and Small Scale Electric Plants. These chapters contain plant level data for 50 conventional hydroelectric plants and 22 pumped storage hydroelectric plants, 50 fossil-fueled steam-electric plants, 71 nuclear steam-electric plants, and 50 gas turbine electric plants. Among the operating characteristics of each plant are the capacity, capability, generation and demand on the plant. Physical characteristics comprise the number of units in the plant, the average number of employees, and other information relative to the plant's operation. The Glossary section will enable the reader to understand clearly the terms used in this report. 4 figs., 18 tabs.« less

Nuclear driven water decomposition plant for hydrogen production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, G. H.; Brecher, L. E.; Farbman, G. H.

1976-01-01

The conceptual design of a hydrogen production plant using a very-high-temperature nuclear reactor (VHTR) to energize a hybrid electrolytic-thermochemical system for water decomposition has been prepared. A graphite-moderated helium-cooled VHTR is used to produce 1850 F gas for electric power generation and 1600 F process heat for the water-decomposition process which uses sulfur compounds and promises performance superior to normal water electrolysis or other published thermochemical processes. The combined cycle operates at an overall thermal efficiency in excess of 45%, and the overall economics of hydrogen production by this plant have been evaluated predicated on a consistent set of economic ground rules. The conceptual design and evaluation efforts have indicated that development of this type of nuclear-driven water-decomposition plant will permit large-scale economic generation of hydrogen in the 1990s.

Dominant plant taxa predict plant productivity responses to CO 2 enrichment across precipitation and soil gradients

DOE PAGES

Fay, Philip A.; Newingham, Beth A.; Polley, H. Wayne; ...

2015-03-30

The Earth’s atmosphere will continue to be enriched with carbon dioxide (CO 2) over the coming century. Carbon dioxide enrichment often reduces leaf transpiration, which in water-limited ecosystems may increase soil water content, change species abundances and increase the productivity of plant communities. The effect of increased soil water on community productivity and community change may be greater in ecosystems with lower precipitation, or on coarser-textured soils, but responses are likely absent in deserts. We tested correlations among yearly increases in soil water content, community change and community plant productivity responses to CO 2 enrichment in experiments in a mesicmore » grassland with fine- to coarse-textured soils, a semi-arid grassland and a xeric shrubland. We found no correlation between CO 2-caused changes in soil water content and changes in biomass of dominant plant taxa or total community aboveground biomass in either grassland type or on any soil in the mesic grassland (P > 0.60). Instead, increases in dominant taxa biomass explained up to 85% of the increases in total community biomass under CO 2 enrichment. The effect of community change on community productivity was stronger in the semi-arid grassland than in the mesic grassland,where community biomass change on one soil was not correlated with the change in either the soil water content or the dominant taxa. No sustained increases in soil water content or community productivity and no change in dominant plant taxa occurred in the xeric shrubland. Thus, community change was a crucial driver of community productivity responses to CO 2 enrichment in the grasslands, but effects of soil water change on productivity were not evident in yearly responses to CO 2 enrichment. In conclusion, future research is necessary to isolate and clarify the mechanisms controlling the temporal and spatial variations in the linkages among soil water, community change and plant productivity responses

The second green revolution? Production of plant-based biodegradable plastics.

PubMed

Mooney, Brian P

2009-03-01

Biodegradable plastics are those that can be completely degraded in landfills, composters or sewage treatment plants by the action of naturally occurring micro-organisms. Truly biodegradable plastics leave no toxic, visible or distinguishable residues following degradation. Their biodegradability contrasts sharply with most petroleum-based plastics, which are essentially indestructible in a biological context. Because of the ubiquitous use of petroleum-based plastics, their persistence in the environment and their fossil-fuel derivation, alternatives to these traditional plastics are being explored. Issues surrounding waste management of traditional and biodegradable polymers are discussed in the context of reducing environmental pressures and carbon footprints. The main thrust of the present review addresses the development of plant-based biodegradable polymers. Plants naturally produce numerous polymers, including rubber, starch, cellulose and storage proteins, all of which have been exploited for biodegradable plastic production. Bacterial bioreactors fed with renewable resources from plants--so-called 'white biotechnology'--have also been successful in producing biodegradable polymers. In addition to these methods of exploiting plant materials for biodegradable polymer production, the present review also addresses the advances in synthesizing novel polymers within transgenic plants, especially those in the polyhydroxyalkanoate class. Although there is a stigma associated with transgenic plants, especially food crops, plant-based biodegradable polymers, produced as value-added co-products, or, from marginal land (non-food), crops such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), have the potential to become viable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics and an environmentally benign and carbon-neutral source of polymers.

Long-distance endosome trafficking drives fungal effector production during plant infection

PubMed Central

Bielska, Ewa; Higuchi, Yujiro; Schuster, Martin; Steinberg, Natascha; Kilaru, Sreedhar; Talbot, Nicholas J.; Steinberg, Gero

2014-01-01

To cause plant disease, pathogenic fungi can secrete effector proteins into plant cells to suppress plant immunity and facilitate fungal infection. Most fungal pathogens infect plants using very long strand-like cells, called hyphae, that secrete effectors from their tips into host tissue. How fungi undergo long-distance cell signalling to regulate effector production during infection is not known. Here we show that long-distance retrograde motility of early endosomes (EEs) is necessary to trigger transcription of effector-encoding genes during plant infection by the pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis. We demonstrate that motor-dependent retrograde EE motility is necessary for regulation of effector production and secretion during host cell invasion. We further show that retrograde signalling involves the mitogen-activated kinase Crk1 that travels on EEs and participates in control of effector production. Fungal pathogens therefore undergo long-range signalling to orchestrate host invasion. PMID:25283249

Long-distance endosome trafficking drives fungal effector production during plant infection.

PubMed

Bielska, Ewa; Higuchi, Yujiro; Schuster, Martin; Steinberg, Natascha; Kilaru, Sreedhar; Talbot, Nicholas J; Steinberg, Gero

2014-10-06

To cause plant disease, pathogenic fungi can secrete effector proteins into plant cells to suppress plant immunity and facilitate fungal infection. Most fungal pathogens infect plants using very long strand-like cells, called hyphae, that secrete effectors from their tips into host tissue. How fungi undergo long-distance cell signalling to regulate effector production during infection is not known. Here we show that long-distance retrograde motility of early endosomes (EEs) is necessary to trigger transcription of effector-encoding genes during plant infection by the pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis. We demonstrate that motor-dependent retrograde EE motility is necessary for regulation of effector production and secretion during host cell invasion. We further show that retrograde signalling involves the mitogen-activated kinase Crk1 that travels on EEs and participates in control of effector production. Fungal pathogens therefore undergo long-range signalling to orchestrate host invasion.

Gene Delivery into Plant Cells for Recombinant Protein Production

PubMed Central

Chen, Qiang

2015-01-01

Recombinant proteins are primarily produced from cultures of mammalian, insect, and bacteria cells. In recent years, the development of deconstructed virus-based vectors has allowed plants to become a viable platform for recombinant protein production, with advantages in versatility, speed, cost, scalability, and safety over the current production paradigms. In this paper, we review the recent progress in the methodology of agroinfiltration, a solution to overcome the challenge of transgene delivery into plant cells for large-scale manufacturing of recombinant proteins. General gene delivery methodologies in plants are first summarized, followed by extensive discussion on the application and scalability of each agroinfiltration method. New development of a spray-based agroinfiltration and its application on field-grown plants is highlighted. The discussion of agroinfiltration vectors focuses on their applications for producing complex and heteromultimeric proteins and is updated with the development of bridge vectors. Progress on agroinfiltration in Nicotiana and non-Nicotiana plant hosts is subsequently showcased in context of their applications for producing high-value human biologics and low-cost and high-volume industrial enzymes. These new advancements in agroinfiltration greatly enhance the robustness and scalability of transgene delivery in plants, facilitating the adoption of plant transient expression systems for manufacturing recombinant proteins with a broad range of applications. PMID:26075275

Ethylene Production by Plants in a Closed Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, R. M.; Peterson, B. V.; Sager, J. C.; Knott, W. M.

1996-01-01

Ethylene production by 20-sq m stands of wheat, soybean, lettuce and potato was monitored throughout growth and development in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) Biomass Production Chamber. Chamber ethylene concentrations rose during periods of rapid growth for all four species, reaching 120 parts per billion (ppb) for wheat, 60 ppb for soybean, and 40 to 50 ppb for lettuce and potato. Following this, ethylene concentrations declined during seed fill and maturation (wheat and soybean), or remained relatively constant (potato). Lettuce plants were harvested during rapid growth and peak ethylene production. The highest ethylene production rates (unadjusted for chamber leakage) ranged from 0.04 to 0.06 ml/sq m/day during rapid growth of lettuce and wheat stands, or approximately 0.8 to 1.1 ml/g fresh weight/h. Results suggest that ethylene production by plants is a normal event coupled to periods of rapid metabolic activity, and that ethylene removal or control measures should be considered for growing crops in a tightly closed CELSS.

Production of novel biopolymers in plants: recent technological advances and future prospects.

PubMed

Snell, Kristi D; Singh, Vijay; Brumbley, Stevens M

2015-04-01

The production of novel biopolymers in plants has the potential to provide renewable sources of industrial materials through agriculture. In this review we will highlight recent progress with plant-based production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), silk, elastin, collagen, and cyanophycin with an emphasis on the synthesis of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB), a renewable biodegradable PHA polymer with potential commercial applications in plastics, chemicals, and feed markets. Improved production of PHB has required manipulation of promoters driving expression of transgenes, reduction in activity of endogenous enzymes in competing metabolic pathways, insertion of genes to increase carbon flow to polymer, and basic plant biochemistry to understand metabolic limitations. These experiments have increased our understanding of carbon availability and partitioning in different plant organelles, cell types, and organs, information that is useful for the production of other novel molecules in plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modulation of endothelial nitric oxide by plant-derived products.

PubMed

Schmitt, Christoph A; Dirsch, Verena M

2009-09-01

Nitric oxide (NO), produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), is recognised as a central anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic principle in the vasculature. Decreased availability of NO in the vasculature promotes the progression of cardiovascular diseases. Epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated that a growing list of natural products, as components of the daily diet or phytomedical preparations, may improve vascular function by enhancing NO bioavailability. In this article we first outline common pathways modulating endothelial NO production or bioavailability to provide a basis for subsequent mechanistic discussions. Then we comprehensively review natural products and plant extracts known to positively influence eNOS activity and/or endothelial function in vitro or in vivo. We will discuss red wine, highlighting polyphenols, oligomeric procyanidins (OPC) and resveratrol as modulators of endothelial NO production. Other dietary products and their active components known to activate eNOS include cocoa (OPC and its monomer (-)-epicatechin), pomegranates (polyphenols), black and green tea (flavanoids, especially epigallocatechin gallate), olive oil (oleic acid and polyphenols), soy (genistein), and quercetin, one of the most abundant flavonoids in plants. In addition, phytomedical preparations made from ginkgo, hawthorn and ginseng, as well as formulations used in traditional Chinese Medicine, have been shown to affect endothelial NO production. Recurring phytochemical patterns among active fractions and purified compounds are discussed. In summary, there is increasing evidence that several single natural products and plant extracts influence endothelial NO production. Identification of such compounds and characterisation of their cellular actions may increase our knowledge of the regulation of endothelial NO production and could provide valuable clues for the prevention or treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Antimicrobial peptide production and plant-based expression systems for medical and agricultural biotechnology.

PubMed

Holaskova, Edita; Galuszka, Petr; Frebort, Ivo; Oz, M Tufan

2015-11-01

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are vital components of the innate immune system of nearly all living organisms. They generally act in the first line of defense against various pathogenic bacteria, parasites, enveloped viruses and fungi. These low molecular mass peptides are considered prospective therapeutic agents due to their broad-spectrum rapid activity, low cytotoxicity to mammalian cells and unique mode of action which hinders emergence of pathogen resistance. In addition to medical use, AMPs can also be employed for development of innovative approaches for plant protection in agriculture. Conferred disease resistance by AMPs might help us surmount losses in yield, quality and safety of agricultural products due to plant pathogens. Heterologous expression in plant-based systems, also called plant molecular farming, offers cost-effective large-scale production which is regarded as one of the most important factors for clinical or agricultural use of AMPs. This review presents various types of AMPs as well as plant-based platforms ranging from cell suspensions to whole plants employed for peptide production. Although AMP production in plants holds great promises for medicine and agriculture, specific technical limitations regarding product yield, function and stability still remain. Additionally, establishment of particular stable expression systems employing plants or plant tissues generally requires extended time scale for platform development compared to certain other heterologous systems. Therefore, fast and promising tools for evaluation of plant-based expression strategies and assessment of function and stability of the heterologously produced AMPs are critical for molecular farming and plant protection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dominant plant taxa predict plant productivity responses to CO2 enrichment across precipitation and soil gradients.

PubMed

Fay, Philip A; Newingham, Beth A; Polley, H Wayne; Morgan, Jack A; LeCain, Daniel R; Nowak, Robert S; Smith, Stanley D

2015-03-30

The Earth's atmosphere will continue to be enriched with carbon dioxide (CO2) over the coming century. Carbon dioxide enrichment often reduces leaf transpiration, which in water-limited ecosystems may increase soil water content, change species abundances and increase the productivity of plant communities. The effect of increased soil water on community productivity and community change may be greater in ecosystems with lower precipitation, or on coarser-textured soils, but responses are likely absent in deserts. We tested correlations among yearly increases in soil water content, community change and community plant productivity responses to CO2 enrichment in experiments in a mesic grassland with fine- to coarse-textured soils, a semi-arid grassland and a xeric shrubland. We found no correlation between CO2-caused changes in soil water content and changes in biomass of dominant plant taxa or total community aboveground biomass in either grassland type or on any soil in the mesic grassland (P > 0.60). Instead, increases in dominant taxa biomass explained up to 85 % of the increases in total community biomass under CO2 enrichment. The effect of community change on community productivity was stronger in the semi-arid grassland than in the mesic grassland, where community biomass change on one soil was not correlated with the change in either the soil water content or the dominant taxa. No sustained increases in soil water content or community productivity and no change in dominant plant taxa occurred in the xeric shrubland. Thus, community change was a crucial driver of community productivity responses to CO2 enrichment in the grasslands, but effects of soil water change on productivity were not evident in yearly responses to CO2 enrichment. Future research is necessary to isolate and clarify the mechanisms controlling the temporal and spatial variations in the linkages among soil water, community change and plant productivity responses to CO2 enrichment. Published

Biosynthesis and regulation of cyanogenic glycoside production in forage plants.

PubMed

Sun, Zhanmin; Zhang, Kaixuan; Chen, Cheng; Wu, Yanmin; Tang, Yixiong; Georgiev, Milen I; Zhang, Xinquan; Lin, Min; Zhou, Meiliang

2018-01-01

The natural products cyanogenic glycosides (CNglcs) are present in various forage plant species including Sorghum spp., Trifolium spp., and Lotus spp. The release of toxic hydrogen cyanide (HCN) from endogenous CNglcs, which is known as cyanogenesis, leads to a serious problem for animal consumption while as defensive secondary metabolites, CNglcs play multiple roles in plant development and responses to adverse environment. Therefore, it is highly important to fully uncover the molecular mechanisms of CNglc biosynthesis and regulation to manipulate the contents of CNglcs in forage plants for fine-tuning the balance between defensive responses and food safety. This review summarizes recent studies on the production, function, polymorphism, and regulation of CNglcs in forage plants, aiming to provide updated knowledge on the ways to manipulate CNglcs for further beneficial economic effects.

Woody plants of North America [product review

Treesearch

Don C. Bragg; Hope A. Bragg

2001-01-01

The authors review a 2-CD set created to aid in identifying woody plants. The product is intended to supplement (rather than replace) field instruction for identifying 470 of the most common native and introduced trees and shrubs in North America.

Production of plant-derived polyphenols in microorganisms: current state and perspectives.

PubMed

Milke, Lars; Aschenbrenner, Jennifer; Marienhagen, Jan; Kallscheuer, Nicolai

2018-02-01

Plants synthesize several thousand different polyphenols of which many have the potential to aid in preventing or treating cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases. However, plants usually contain complex polyphenol mixtures impeding access to individual compounds in larger quantities. In contrast, functional integration of biosynthetic plant polyphenol pathways into microorganisms allows for the production of individual polyphenols as chemically distinct compounds, which can be synthesized in large amounts and can be more easily isolated. Over the last decade, microbial synthesis of many plant polyphenols could be achieved, and along the way, many decisive bottlenecks in the endogenous microbial host metabolism as well as in the heterologous plant pathways could be identified. In this review, we present recent advancements in metabolic engineering of microorganisms for the production of plant polyphenols and discuss how current challenges could be addressed in the future.

[Iron from soil to plant products].

PubMed

Briat, Jean-François

2005-11-01

As an essential mineral, iron plays an important role in fundamental biological processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, nitrogen fixation and assimilation, and DNA synthesis. Iron is also a co-factor of many enzymes involved in the synthesis of plant hormones. The latter are involved in many pathways controling plant development or adaptative responses to environmental conditions. Iron reactivity with oxygen leads to its insolubility (responsible for deficiency) and potential toxicity, and complicates iron use by aerobic organisms. If plants lacked an active root system with which to acquire iron from the soil, most would experience iron deficiency and show physiological changes. In contrast, an excess of soluble iron, which can occur in flooded acidic soils, can lead to ferrous iron toxicity due to iron reactivity with reduced forms of oxygen and subsequent free radical production. An optimal iron concentration is thus required for a plant to grow and develop normally. This concentration depends on multiple regulatory mechanisms controlling iron uptake from soil by the roots, as well as iron transport and distribution to the various plant organs. Optimized seed iron content is a major biotechnological challenge identified by the World Health Organization, and it is therefore crucial to understand the underlying mechanisms. Iron delivery to seeds is tightly controlled, and depends on the nature of iron speciation in specific chelates, and their transport.

Bacterial secondary production on vascular plant detritus: relationships to detritus composition and degradation rate.

PubMed Central

Moran, M A; Hodson, R E

1989-01-01

Bacterial production at the expense of vascular plant detritus was measured for three emergent plant species (Juncus effusus, Panicum hemitomon, and Typha latifolia) degrading in the littoral zone of a thermally impacted lake. Bacterial secondary production, measured as tritiated thymidine incorporation into DNA, ranged from 0.01 to 0.81 microgram of bacterial C mg of detritus-1 day-1. The three plant species differed with respect to the amount of bacterial productivity they supported per milligram of detritus, in accordance with the predicted biodegradability of the plant material based on initial nitrogen content, lignin content, and C/N ratio. Bacterial production also varied throughout the 22 weeks of in situ decomposition and was positively related to the nitrogen content and lignin content of the remaining detritus, as well as to the temperature of the lake water. Over time, production was negatively related to the C/N ratio and cellulose content of the degrading plant material. Bacterial production on degrading plant material was also calculated on the basis of plant surface area and ranged from 0.17 to 1.98 micrograms of bacterial C cm-2 day-1. Surface area-based calculations did not correlate well with either initial plant composition or changing composition of the remaining detritus during decomposition. The rate of bacterial detritus degradation, calculated from measured production of surface-attached bacteria, was much lower than the actual rate of weight loss of plant material. This discrepancy may be attributable to the importance of nonbacterial organisms in the degradation and loss of plant material from litterbags or to the microbially mediated solubilization of particulate material prior to bacterial utilization, or both. PMID:2802603

Molecular farming of human cytokines and blood products from plants: challenges in biosynthesis and detection of plant-produced recombinant proteins.

PubMed

da Cunha, Nicolau B; Vianna, Giovanni R; da Almeida Lima, Thaina; Rech, Elíbio

2014-01-01

Plants have emerged as an attractive alternative to the traditional mammalian cell cultures or microbial cell-based systems system for the production of valuable recombinant proteins. Through recombinant DNA technology, plants can be engineered to produce large quantities of pharmaceuticals and industrial proteins of high quality at low costs. The recombinant production, by transgenic plants, of therapeutic proteins normally present in human plasma, such as cytokines, coagulation factors, anticoagulants, and immunoglobulins, represents a response to the ongoing challenges in meeting the demand for therapeutic proteins to treat serious inherited or acquired bleeding and immunological diseases. As the clinical utilization of fractionated plasma molecules is limited by high production costs, using recombinant biopharmaceuticals derived from plants represents a feasible alternative to provide efficient treatment. Plant-derived pharmaceuticals also reduce the potential risks to patients of infection with pathogens or unwanted immune responses due to immunogenic antigens. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in molecular farming of cytokines. We also examine the technological basis, upcoming challenges, and perspectives for the biosynthesis and detection of these molecules in different plant production platforms. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The relationship of proline content and metabolism on the productivity of maize plants

PubMed Central

Špoljarević, Marija; Agić, Dejan; Lisjak, Miroslav; Gumze, Andrej; Wilson, Ian D; Hancock, John T

2011-01-01

The free proline content in maize ear-leaves, silk and pollen were analyzed in field grown plants which had matured to the pollination stage. Using maize hybrids PR34F02, PR35P12 and PR36B08 field trials were set up at two locations in eastern Croatia in two different years. Two enzymes of proline metabolism were analyzed in the same leaf samples and specific activities of synthetase (P5CS) and proline dehydrogenase (PDH). Plant productivity was evaluated at harvest by the estimation of total and fully developed grain number per ear and per plant, the mean single grain mass, and the mass of grain per plant. The year in which the plants were grown had a very significant effect on the free proline content in the leaf and pollen, as well as on the enzyme activities assayed. The differences between the plants from the two localities were very significant in all tested parameters of plant grain productivity. There was a significant genotype effect on proline content and P5CS total activity in leaf and on all the productivity parameters. Some of the correlations established suggest that the rate of proline synthesis and degradation in maize ear-leaf at pollination might contribute to the final grain production of the maize plant. Multiple regression analyses was used to further analyze the relationship between proline and grain productivity, but it is clear that future work should include other environmental conditions, plant species and organs such as roots. PMID:21415600

Phytotoxicity and Plant Productivity Analysis of Tar-Enriched Biochars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, M. L.; Masiello, C. A.; Dugan, B.; Rudgers, J. A.; Capareda, S. C.

2008-12-01

Biochar is one of the three by-products obtained by the pyrolysis of organic material, the other two being syngas and bio-oil. The pyrolysis of biomass has generated a great amount of interest in recent years as all three by-products can be put toward beneficial uses. As part of a larger project designed to evaluate the hydrologic impact of biochar soil amendment, we generated a biochar through fast pyrolysis (less than 2 minutes) of sorghum stock at 600°C. In the initial biochar production run, the char bin was not purged with nitrogen. This inadvertent change in pyrolysis conditions produced a fast-pyrolysis biochar enriched with tars. We chose not to discard this batch, however, and instead used it to test the impact of tar-enriched biochars on plants. A suite of phytotoxicity tests were run to assess the effects of tar-rich biochar on plant germination and plant productivity. We designed the experiment to test for negative effects, using an organic carbon and nutrient-rich, greenhouse- optimized potting medium instead of soil. We used Black Seeded Simpson lettuce (Lactuca sativa) as the test organism. We found that even when tars are present within biochar, biochar amendment up to 10% by weight caused increased lettuce germination rates and increased biomass productivity. In this presentation, we will report the statistical significance of our germination and biomass data, as well as present preliminary data on how biochar amendment affects soil hydrologic properties.

Automated production of plant-based vaccines and pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Wirz, Holger; Sauer-Budge, Alexis F; Briggs, John; Sharpe, Aaron; Shu, Sudong; Sharon, Andre

2012-12-01

A fully automated "factory" was developed that uses tobacco plants to produce large quantities of vaccines and other therapeutic biologics within weeks. This first-of-a-kind factory takes advantage of a plant viral vector technology to produce specific proteins within the leaves of rapidly growing plant biomass. The factory's custom-designed robotic machines plant seeds, nurture the growing plants, introduce a viral vector that directs the plant to produce a target protein, and harvest the biomass once the target protein has accumulated in the plants-all in compliance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines (e.g., current Good Manufacturing Practices). The factory was designed to be time, cost, and space efficient. The plants are grown in custom multiplant trays. Robots ride up and down a track, servicing the plants and delivering the trays from the lighted, irrigated growth modules to each processing station as needed. Using preprogrammed robots and processing equipment eliminates the need for human contact, preventing potential contamination of the process and economizing the operation. To quickly produce large quantities of protein-based medicines, we transformed a laboratory-based biological process and scaled it into an industrial process. This enables quick, safe, and cost-effective vaccine production that would be required in case of a pandemic.

The components of crop productivity: measuring and modeling plant metabolism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bugbee, B.

1995-01-01

Several investigators in the CELSS program have demonstrated that crop plants can be remarkably productive in optimal environments where plants are limited only by incident radiation. Radiation use efficiencies of 0.4 to 0.7 g biomass per mol of incident photons have been measured for crops in several laboratories. Some early published values for radiation use efficiency (1 g mol-1) were inflated due to the effect of side lighting. Sealed chambers are the basic research module for crop studies for space. Such chambers allow the measurement of radiation and CO2 fluxes, thus providing values for three determinants of plant growth: radiation absorption, photosynthetic efficiency (quantum yield), and respiration efficiency (carbon use efficiency). Continuous measurement of each of these parameters over the plant life cycle has provided a blueprint for daily growth rates, and is the basis for modeling crop productivity based on component metabolic processes. Much of what has been interpreted as low photosynthetic efficiency is really the result of reduced leaf expansion and poor radiation absorption. Measurements and models of short-term (minutes to hours) and long-term (days to weeks) plant metabolic rates have enormously improved our understanding of plant environment interactions in ground-based growth chambers and are critical to understanding plant responses to the space environment.

Evolution of Regolith Feed Systems for Lunar ISRU 02 Production Plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, Robert P.; Townsend, Ivan I., III; Mantovani, James G.; Metzger, Philip T.

2010-01-01

The In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) project of the NASA Constellation Program, Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) has been engaged in the design and testing of various Lunar ISRU O2 production plant prototypes that can extract chemically bound oxygen from the minerals in the lunar regolith. This work demands that lunar regolith (or simulants) shall be introduced into the O2 production plant from a holding bin or hopper and subsequently expelled from the ISRU O2 production plant for disposal. This sub-system is called the Regolith Feed System (RFS) which exists in a variety of configurations depending on the O2 production plant oxygen being used (e.g. Hydrogen Reduction, Carbothermal, Molten Oxide Electrolysis). Each configuration may use a different technology and in addition it is desirable to have heat recuperation from the spent hot regolith as an integral part of the RFS. This paper addresses the various RFS and heat recuperation technologies and system configurations that have been developed under the NASA ISRU project since 2007. In addition current design solutions and lessons learned from reduced gravity flight testing will be discussed.

Ontogeny and Season Constrain the Production of Herbivore-Inducible Plant Volatiles in the Field

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Herbivores may induce plants to produce an array of volatile organic compounds (herbivore-induced plant volatiles, or HIPVs) after damage, and some natural enemies of herbivores are attracted by those HIPVs. The production of HIPVs by the undomesticated species Datura wrightii was quantified in response to damage by its natural community of herbivores or the plant hormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA) over plant’s 6-month growing season. Patterns of HIPV production were compared to the seasonal abundance of D. wrightii’s two most abundant herbivores, the chrysomelid beetle Lema daturaphila and the mirid bug Tupiocoris notatus, and their shared generalist predator, the lygaeid bug Geocoris pallens. HIPV production was especially high in the spring, when plants were growing vegetatively, but HIPV production declined after plants began to flower and produce fruit, and these volatiles no longer were inducible by September. The composition of the HIPV blends also changed seasonally. HIPV production and composition were partially restored by “rejuvenating” plants back to the vegetative growth stage independently of season by cutting them back and allowing them to resprout and regrow vegetatively. HIPV production of D. wrightii in the field is limited to the earlier ontogenetic stages of growth, despite the fact that both herbivores and their shared natural enemy inhabited plants throughout the full season. The adaptive value of HIPV production in D. wrightii may be constrained by plant ontogeny to the vegetative stages of plant growth. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10886-010-9878-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. PMID:21058044

Antibacterial and Antidiarrheal Activities of Plant Products against Enterotoxinogenic Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

Dubreuil, J. Daniel

2013-01-01

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) produces two types of enterotoxins: heat-labile (LT) and heat-stable (STa and STb). These molecules are involved in the induction of secretory diarrhea in animals including humans. This condition is currently treated using a fluid replacement therapy and antibiotics. This treatment is often not available to people in developing countries, and several die from the condition provoke by ETEC. Over the years, plants and plant extracts have been use as traditional medicine to treat various gastrointestinal ailments including diarrhea. Many of these plant products have been claimed to be active against diarrhea, however few have been extensively studied. The main objective of this review was to gather the scattered information on the antidiarrheal activities reported for various plant products on ETEC. This includes two major effects: (1) The inhibitory effect on bacterial growth or viability and (2) The interference with ETEC enterotoxins activity upon the intestinal epithelium. We will focus on plant products and extracts for which we have major indications of their biological activity against ETEC and their enterotoxins. Because Vibrio cholerae toxin (CT) is structurally, antigenically and mechanistically related to LT, it will also be discussed in this review. PMID:24212181

Efficient production of glycosylated Cypridina luciferase using plant cells.

PubMed

Mitani, Yasuo; Oshima, Yoshimi; Mitsuda, Nobutaka; Tomioka, Azusa; Sukegawa, Masako; Fujita, Mika; Kaji, Hiroyuki; Ohmiya, Yoshihiro

2017-05-01

Cypridina noctiluca luciferase has been utilized for biochemical and molecular biological applications, including bioluminescent enzyme immunoassays, far-red luminescence imaging, and high-throughput reporter assays. Some of these applications require a large amount of purified luciferase. However, conventional protein expression systems are not capable of producing sufficient quantities of protein with a high quality and purity without laborious and costly purification processes. To improve the productivity and expand the breadth of possibilities for Cypridina luciferase applications, we employed a variety of secretion expression systems, including yeast, mammalian cells, and silk worms. In this study, we established a simple production procedure using plant cell cultures. The plant cell culture BY-2 efficiently secreted luciferase, which was easily purified using a simple one-step ion-exchange chromatography method. The production yield was 20-30 mg of luciferase per liter of culture medium, and its Km for the luciferin (0.45 μM) was similar to that of the native protein. Additionally, we characterized its glycosylation pattern and confirmed that the two potential N-glycosylation sites were modified with plant-type oligosaccharide chains. Interestingly, the oligosaccharide chains could be trimmed without any detectable decrease in recombinant protein activity. Therefore, the results of our study indicate that this method offers a more cost-effective production method for Cypridina luciferase than conventional methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

9 CFR 590.35 - Eggs and egg products outside official plants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Eggs and egg products outside official... OF AGRICULTURE EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION INSPECTION OF EGGS AND EGG PRODUCTS (EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION ACT) Relation to Other Authorities § 590.35 Eggs and egg products outside official plants. Any State...

9 CFR 590.35 - Eggs and egg products outside official plants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Eggs and egg products outside official... OF AGRICULTURE EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION INSPECTION OF EGGS AND EGG PRODUCTS (EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION ACT) Relation to Other Authorities § 590.35 Eggs and egg products outside official plants. Any State...

Engineering microbial cell factories for the production of plant natural products: from design principles to industrial-scale production.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaonan; Ding, Wentao; Jiang, Huifeng

2017-07-19

Plant natural products (PNPs) are widely used as pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, seasonings, pigments, etc., with a huge commercial value on the global market. However, most of these PNPs are still being extracted from plants. A resource-conserving and environment-friendly synthesis route for PNPs that utilizes microbial cell factories has attracted increasing attention since the 1940s. However, at the present only a handful of PNPs are being produced by microbial cell factories at an industrial scale, and there are still many challenges in their large-scale application. One of the challenges is that most biosynthetic pathways of PNPs are still unknown, which largely limits the number of candidate PNPs for heterologous microbial production. Another challenge is that the metabolic fluxes toward the target products in microbial hosts are often hindered by poor precursor supply, low catalytic activity of enzymes and obstructed product transport. Consequently, despite intensive studies on the metabolic engineering of microbial hosts, the fermentation costs of most heterologously produced PNPs are still too high for industrial-scale production. In this paper, we review several aspects of PNP production in microbial cell factories, including important design principles and recent progress in pathway mining and metabolic engineering. In addition, implemented cases of industrial-scale production of PNPs in microbial cell factories are also highlighted.

9 CFR 590.680 - Approval of labeling for egg products processed in exempted egg products processing plants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Approval of labeling for egg products processed in exempted egg products processing plants. 590.680 Section 590.680 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION INSPECTION OF...

9 CFR 590.680 - Approval of labeling for egg products processed in exempted egg products processing plants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Approval of labeling for egg products processed in exempted egg products processing plants. 590.680 Section 590.680 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION INSPECTION OF...

Principles and limitations of stable isotopes in differentiating organic and conventional foodstuffs: 1. Plant products.

PubMed

Inácio, Caio Teves; Chalk, Phillip Michael; Magalhães, Alberto M T

2015-01-01

Among the lighter elements having two or more stable isotopes (H, C, N, O, S), δ(15)N appears to be the most promising isotopic marker to differentiate plant products from conventional and organic farms. Organic plant products vary within a range of δ(15)N values of +0.3 to +14.6%, while conventional plant products range from negative to positive values, i.e. -4.0 to +8.7%. The main factors affecting δ(15)N signatures of plants are N fertilizers, biological N2 fixation, plant organs and plant age. Correlations between mode of production and δ(13)C (except greenhouse tomatoes warmed with natural gas) or δ(34)S signatures have not been established, and δ(2)H and δ(18)O are unsuitable markers due to the overriding effect of climate on the isotopic composition of plant-available water. Because there is potential overlap between the δ(15)N signatures of organic and conventionally produced plant products, δ(15)N has seldom been used successfully as the sole criterion for differentiation, but when combined with complementary analytical techniques and appropriate statistical tools, the probability of a correct identification increases. The use of organic fertilizers by conventional farmers or the marketing of organic produce as conventional due to market pressures are additional factors confounding correct identification. The robustness of using δ(15)N to differentiate mode of production will depend on the establishment of databases that have been verified for individual plant products.

Viral vectors for production of recombinant proteins in plants.

PubMed

Lico, Chiara; Chen, Qiang; Santi, Luca

2008-08-01

Global demand for recombinant proteins has steadily accelerated for the last 20 years. These recombinant proteins have a wide range of important applications, including vaccines and therapeutics for human and animal health, industrial enzymes, new materials and components of novel nano-particles for various applications. The majority of recombinant proteins are produced by traditional biological "factories," that is, predominantly mammalian and microbial cell cultures along with yeast and insect cells. However, these traditional technologies cannot satisfy the increasing market demand due to prohibitive capital investment requirements. During the last two decades, plants have been under intensive investigation to provide an alternative system for cost-effective, highly scalable, and safe production of recombinant proteins. Although the genetic engineering of plant viral vectors for heterologous gene expression can be dated back to the early 1980s, recent understanding of plant virology and technical progress in molecular biology have allowed for significant improvements and fine tuning of these vectors. These breakthroughs enable the flourishing of a variety of new viral-based expression systems and their wide application by academic and industry groups. In this review, we describe the principal plant viral-based production strategies and the latest plant viral expression systems, with a particular focus on the variety of proteins produced and their applications. We will summarize the recent progress in the downstream processing of plant materials for efficient extraction and purification of recombinant proteins. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Nectar Sugar Production across Floral Phases in the Gynodioecious Protandrous Plant Geranium sylvaticum

PubMed Central

Varga, Sandra; Nuortila, Carolin; Kytöviita, Minna-Maarit

2013-01-01

Many zoophilous plants attract their pollinators by offering nectar as a reward. In gynodioecious plants (i.e. populations are composed of female and hermaphrodite individuals) nectar production has been repeatedly reported to be larger in hermaphrodite compared to female flowers even though nectar production across the different floral phases in dichogamous plants (i.e. plants with time separation of pollen dispersal and stigma receptivity) has rarely been examined. In this study, sugar production in nectar standing crop and secretion rate were investigated in Geranium sylvaticum, a gynodioecious plant species with protandry (i.e. with hermaphrodite flowers releasing their pollen before the stigma is receptive). We found that flowers from hermaphrodites produced more nectar than female flowers in terms of total nectar sugar content. In addition, differences in nectar production among floral phases were found in hermaphrodite flowers but not in female flowers. In hermaphrodite flowers, maximum sugar content coincided with pollen presentation and declined slightly towards the female phase, indicating nectar reabsorption, whereas in female flowers sugar content did not differ between the floral phases. These differences in floral reward are discussed in relation to visitation patterns by pollinators and seed production in this species. PMID:23614053

Microbial production of isoquinoline alkaloids as plant secondary metabolites based on metabolic engineering research.

PubMed

Sato, Fumihiko; Kumagai, Hidehiko

2013-01-01

Plants produce a variety of secondary metabolites that possess strong physiological activities. Unfortunately, however, their production can suffer from a variety of serious problems, including low levels of productivity and heterogeneous quality, as well as difficulty in raw material supply. In contrast, microorganisms can be used to produce their primary and some of their secondary metabolites in a controlled environment, thus assuring high levels of efficiency and uniform quality. In an attempt to overcome the problems associated with secondary metabolite production in plants, we developed a microbial platform for the production of plant isoquinoline alkaloids involving the unification of the microbial and plant metabolic pathways into a single system. The potential applications of this system have also been discussed.

Economic Effectiveness of Healthy Potato Planting Material Production with the Use of Simulated Microgravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishchenko, I. A.; Galushko, V. P.; Taran, O. P.

2008-06-01

Research of potato crop productivity under simulated microgravity allows to identify the plants which can become potentially productive under such stress conditions and that might allow to identify the technological parameters of potato production in other space expeditions. One of the traditional practices of planting material treatment against the viruses are the species in vitro. The study of infectious process flow is conducted in the vitro potato in the conditions of clinorotation. The introduction into culture of the meristems from clinostated plants allowed to obtain the regenerants free from the PVX infection. The employment of simulated microgravity for plant remediation reduced the expenditures on the production of in vitro culture 4,5 times, as compared to termoteraphy.

Potential application of glycerol in the production of plant beneficial microorganisms.

PubMed

Vassilev, Nikolay; Malusa, Eligio; Requena, Antonia Reyes; Martos, Vanessa; López, Ana; Maksimovic, Ivana; Vassileva, Maria

2017-05-01

This review highlights the importance of research for development of biofertilizer and biocontrol products based on the use of glycerol for further process scale-up to industrial microbiology. Glycerol can be used successfully in all stages of production of plant beneficial microorganisms. It serves as an excellent substrate in both submerged and solid-state fermentation processes with free and immobilized microbial cells. Glycerol is also one of the most attractive formulation agents that ensures high cell density and viability including in harsh environmental conditions. Future research is discussed to make this inexpensive material a base for industrial production of plant beneficial microorganisms.

Microbial production of isoquinoline alkaloids as plant secondary metabolites based on metabolic engineering research

PubMed Central

SATO, Fumihiko; KUMAGAI, Hidehiko

2013-01-01

Plants produce a variety of secondary metabolites that possess strong physiological activities. Unfortunately, however, their production can suffer from a variety of serious problems, including low levels of productivity and heterogeneous quality, as well as difficulty in raw material supply. In contrast, microorganisms can be used to produce their primary and some of their secondary metabolites in a controlled environment, thus assuring high levels of efficiency and uniform quality. In an attempt to overcome the problems associated with secondary metabolite production in plants, we developed a microbial platform for the production of plant isoquinoline alkaloids involving the unification of the microbial and plant metabolic pathways into a single system. The potential applications of this system have also been discussed. PMID:23666088

A technique for estimating seed production of common moist soil plants

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laubhan, Murray K.

1992-01-01

Seeds of native herbaceous vegetation adapted to germination in hydric soils (i.e., moist-soil plants) provide waterfowl with nutritional resources including essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that occur only in small amounts or are absent in other foods. These elements are essential for waterfowl to successfully complete aspects of the annual cycle such as molt and reproduction. Moist-soil vegetation also has the advantages of consistent production of foods across years with varying water availability, low management costs, high tolerance to diverse environmental conditions, and low deterioration rates of seeds after flooding. The amount of seed produced differs among plant species and varies annually depending on environmental conditions and management practices. Further, many moist-soil impoundments contain diverse vegetation, and seed production by a particular plant species usually is not uniform across an entire unit. Consequently, estimating total seed production within an impoundment is extremely difficult. The chemical composition of seeds also varies among plant species. For example, beggartick seeds contain high amounts of protein but only an intermediate amount of minerals. In contrast, barnyardgrass is a good source of minerals but is low in protein. Because of these differences, it is necessary to know the amount of seed produced by each plant species if the nutritional resources provided in an impoundment are to be estimated. The following technique for estimating seed production takes into account the variation resulting from different environmental conditions and management practices as well as differences in the amount of seed produced by various plant species. The technique was developed to provide resource managers with the ability to make quick and reliable estimates of seed production. Although on-site information must be collected, the amount of field time required is small (i.e., about 1 min per sample); sampling normally is

Foods for Special Dietary Needs: Non-dairy Plant-based Milk Substitutes and Fermented Dairy-type Products.

PubMed

Mäkinen, Outi Elina; Wanhalinna, Viivi; Zannini, Emanuele; Arendt, Elke Karin

2016-01-01

A growing number of consumers opt for plant-based milk substitutes for medical reasons or as a lifestyle choice. Medical reasons include lactose intolerance, with a worldwide prevalence of 75%, and cow's milk allergy. Also, in countries where mammal milk is scarce and expensive, plant milk substitutes serve as a more affordable option. However, many of these products have sensory characteristics objectionable to the mainstream western palate. Technologically, plant milk substitutes are suspensions of dissolved and disintegrated plant material in water, resembling cow's milk in appearance. They are manufactured by extracting the plant material in water, separating the liquid, and formulating the final product. Homogenization and thermal treatments are necessary to improve the suspension and microbial stabilities of commercial products that can be consumed as such or be further processed into fermented dairy-type products. The nutritional properties depend on the plant source, processing, and fortification. As some products have extremely low protein and calcium contents, consumer awareness is important when plant milk substitutes are used to replace cow's milk in the diet, e.g. in the case of dairy intolerances. If formulated into palatable and nutritionally adequate products, plant-based substitutes can offer a sustainable alternative to dairy products.

Aquatic food production modules in bioregenerative life support systems based on higher plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bluem, V.; Paris, F.

Most bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) are based on gravitropic higher plants which exhibit growth and seed generation disturbances in microgravity. Even when used for a lunar or martian base the reduced gravity may induce a decreased productivity in comparison to Earth. Therefore, the implementation of aquatic biomass production modules in higher plant and/or hybrid BLSS may compensate for this and offer, in addition, the possibility to produce animal protein for human nutrition. It was shown on the SLS-89 and SLS-90 space shuttle missions with the C.E.B.A.S.-MINI MODULE that the edible non gravitropic rootless higher aquatic plant Ceratophyllum demeresum exhibits an undisturbed high biomass production rate in space and that the teleost fish species, Xiphophorus helleri, adapts rapidly to space conditions without loss of its normal reproductive functions. Based on these findings a series of ground-based aquatic food production systems were developed which are disposed for utilization in space. These are plant production bioreactors for the species mentioned above and another suitable candidate, the lemnacean (duckweed) species, Wolffia arrhiza. Moreover, combined intensive aquaculture systems with a closed food loop between herbivorous fishes and aquatic and land plants are being developed which may be suitable for integration into a BLSS of higher complexity.

Role of Osmotic Adjustment in Plant Productivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gebre, G.M.

2001-01-11

Successful implementation of short rotation woody crops requires that the selected species and clones be productive, drought tolerant, and pest resistant. Since water is one of the major limiting factors in poplar (Populus sp.) growth, there is little debate for the need of drought tolerant clones, except on the wettest of sites (e.g., lower Columbia River delta). Whether drought tolerance is compatible with productivity remains a debatable issue. Among the many mechanisms of drought tolerance, dehydration postponement involves the maintenance of high leaf water potential due to, for example, an adequate root system. This trait is compatible with productivity, butmore » requires available soil moisture. When the plant leaf water potential and soil water content decline, the plant must be able to survive drought through dehydration tolerance mechanisms, such as low osmotic potential or osmotic adjustment. Osmotic adjustment and low osmotic potential are considered compatible with growth and yield because they aid in the maintenance of leaf turgor. However, it has been shown that turgor alone does not regulate cell expansion or stomatal conductance and, therefore, the role of osmotic adjustment is debated. Despite this finding, osmotic adjustment has been correlated with grain yield in agronomic crop species, and gene markers responsible for osmotic adjustment are being investigated to improve drought tolerance in productive progenies. Although osmotic adjustment and low osmotic potentials have been investigated in several forest tree species, few studies have investigated the relationship between osmotic adjustment and growth. Most of these studies have been limited to greenhouse or container-grown plants. Osmotic adjustment and rapid growth have been specifically associated in Populus and black spruce (Picea mariuna (Mill.) B.S.P.) progenies. We tested whether these relationships held under field conditions using several poplar clones. In a study of two hybrid

Buzz in Paris: flower production and plant-pollinator interactions in plants from contrasted urban and rural origins.

PubMed

Desaegher, James; Nadot, Sophie; Dajoz, Isabelle; Colas, Bruno

2017-12-01

Urbanisation, associated with habitat fragmentation, affects pollinator communities and insect foraging behaviour. These biotic changes are likely to select for modified traits in insect-pollinated plants from urban populations compared to rural populations. To test this hypothesis, we conducted an experiment involving four plant species commonly found in both urban and rural landscapes of the Île-de-France region (France): Cymbalaria muralis, Geranium robertianum, Geum urbanum and Prunella vulgaris. The four species were grown in four urban and four rural experimental sites in 2015. For each species and each experimental site, plants were grown from seeds collected in five urban and five rural locations. During flowering, we observed flower production and insect-flower interactions during 14 weeks and tested for the effects of experimental site location and plant origin on flower production and on the number of floral visits. The study species had various flower morphology and hence were visited by different floral visitors. The effect of experimental sites and seed origin also varied among study species. We found that (1) insect visits on P. vulgaris were more frequent in rural than in urban sites; (2) for C. muralis, the slope relating the number of pollinator visits to the number of flowers per individual was steeper in urban versus rural sites, suggesting a greater benefit in allocating resources to flower production in urban conditions; (3) as a likely consequence, C. muralis tended to produce more flowers in plants from urban versus rural origin.

Efficacy of Specific Plant Products on Microorganisms Causing Dental Caries.

PubMed

Kanth, M Rajini; Prakash, A Ravi; Sreenath, G; Reddy, Vikram Simha; Huldah, S

2016-12-01

Dental caries and periodontal diseases are the most common oral diseases seen globally, both in developed and developing countries. Oral microorganisms that is gram positive and gram negative bacteria are known to be involved in causation of these diseases. Nowadays commercially available dentrifices and mouth rinses are known to contain ingredients that can alter the oral microbial flora and have undesirable side effects such as vomiting, diarrhoea, disarrangement of oral, intestinal flora and tooth staining. Naturally available plant products are known to be less harmful with fewer side effects and also economical for the patient. The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial properties of 10 naturally available plant products against oral microorganisms causing caries and to check the efficacy of these products in-vitro and to use these in mouth washes and dentrifices. Sample of caries material was scrapped out from the extracted teeth and transferred to liquid broth, streaked over the agar media to allow for the growth of microorganisms. Plant products like clove oil, neem, ginger-garlic paste, tea tree oil, ginger, garlic, cinnamon oil, green tea, eucalyptus oil and turmeric were used. Antimicrobial efficacy of these products, was estimated by measuring zones of inhibition in the nutrient agar media. Clove oil was the most effective of all products against microorganisms causing caries with zone of inhibition - 30mm followed by ginger-garlic paste - 25mm, Neem - 15mm, tea tree oil - 15mm. Based on the above results, it can be inferred that these natural products have the maximum efficacy against microorganisms and can be recommended in dentifrices, mouth rinses, topical gels, etc.

Technical feasibility and carbon footprint of biochar co-production with tomato plant residue.

PubMed

Llorach-Massana, Pere; Lopez-Capel, Elisa; Peña, Javier; Rieradevall, Joan; Montero, Juan Ignacio; Puy, Neus

2017-09-01

World tomato production is in the increase, generating large amounts of organic agricultural waste, which are currently incinerated or composted, releasing CO 2 into the atmosphere. Organic waste is not only produced from conventional but also urban agricultural practices due recently gained popularity. An alternative to current waste management practices and carbon sequestration opportunity is the production of biochar (thermally converted biomass) from tomato plant residues and use as a soil amendment. To address the real contribution of biochar for greenhouse gas mitigation, it is necessary to assess the whole life cycle from the production of the tomato biomass feedstock to the actual distribution and utilisation of the biochar produced in a regional context. This study is the first step to determine the technical and environmental potential of producing biochar from tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum arawak variety) waste biomass and utilisation as a soil amendment. The study includes the characterisation of tomato plant residue as biochar feedstock (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and metal content); feedstock thermal stability; and the carbon footprint of biochar production under urban agriculture at pilot and small-scale plant, and conventional agriculture at large-scale plant. Tomato plant residue is a potentially suitable biochar feedstock under current European Certification based on its lignin content (19.7%) and low metal concentration. Biomass conversion yields of over 40%, 50% carbon stabilization and low pyrolysis temperature conditions (350-400°C) would be required for biochar production to sequester carbon under urban pilot scale conditions; while large-scale biochar production from conventional agricultural practices have not the potential to sequestrate carbon because its logistics, which could be improved. Therefore, the diversion of tomato biomass waste residue from incineration or composting to biochar production for use as a soil amendment

Application of succulent plant leaves for Agrobacterium infiltration-mediated protein production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Infiltration of tobacco leaves with a suspension of Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring a binary plant expression plasmid provides a convenient method for laboratory scale protein production. When expressing plant cell wall degrading enzymes in the widely used tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana), diffic...

A plant factory for moth pheromone production

PubMed Central

Ding, Bao-Jian; Hofvander, Per; Wang, Hong-Lei; Durrett, Timothy P.; Stymne, Sten; Löfstedt, Christer

2014-01-01

Moths depend on pheromone communication for mate finding and synthetic pheromones are used for monitoring or disruption of pheromone communication in pest insects. Here we produce moth sex pheromone, using Nicotiana benthamiana as a plant factory, by transient expression of up to four genes coding for consecutive biosynthetic steps. We specifically produce multicomponent sex pheromones for two species. The fatty alcohol fractions from the genetically modified plants are acetylated to mimic the respective sex pheromones of the small ermine moths Yponomeuta evonymella and Y. padella. These mixtures are very efficient and specific for trapping of male moths, matching the activity of conventionally produced pheromones. Our long-term vision is to design tailor-made production of any moth pheromone component in genetically modified plants. Such semisynthetic preparation of sex pheromones is a novel and cost-effective way of producing moderate to large quantities of pheromones with high purity and a minimum of hazardous waste. PMID:24569486

Biogas production from plant biomass used for phytoremediation of industrial wastes.

PubMed

Verma, V K; Singh, Y P; Rai, J P N

2007-05-01

In present study, potentials of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and water chestnut (Trapa bispinnosa) employed for phytoremediation of toxic metal rich brass and electroplating industry effluent, were examined in terms of biogas generation. Inability of the plants to grow in undiluted effluent directed to select 20%, 40% and 60% effluent concentrations (with deionized water) for phytoremediation experiments. Slurry of both the plants used for phytoremediation produced significantly more biogas than that by the control plants grown in unpolluted water; the effect being more pronounced with plants used for phytoremediation of 20% effluent. Maximum cumulative production of biogas (2430c.c./100gdm of water hyacinth and 1940c.c./100gdm of water chest nut) and per cent methane content (63.82% for water hyacinth and 57.04% for water chestnut) was observed at 5mm particle size and 1:1 substrate/inoculum ratio, after twenty days incubation. Biogas production was quicker (maximum from 8-12days) in water hyacinth than in water chestnut (maximum from 12-16days). The qualitative and quantitative variations in biogas production were correlated with COD, C, N, C/N ratio and toxic metal contents of the slurry used.

Enhancement of Plant Productivity in the Post-Genomics Era.

PubMed

Thao, Nguyen Phuong; Tran, Lam-Son Phan

2016-08-01

Obtaining high plant yield is not always achievable in agricultural activity as it is determined by various factors, including cultivar quality, nutrient and water supplies, degree of infection by pathogens, natural calamities and soil conditions, which affect plant growth and development. More noticeably, sustainable plant productivity to provide sufficient food for the increasing human population has become a thorny issue to scientists in the era of unpredictable global climatic changes, appearance of more tremendous or multiple stresses, and land restriction for cultivation. Well-established agricultural management by agrotechnological means has shown no longer to be effective enough to confront with this challenge. Instead, in order to maximize the production, it is advisable to implement such practices in combination with biological applications. Nowadays, high technologies are widely adopted into agricultural production, biological diversity conservation and crop improvement. Wang et al. has nicely outlined the utilization of DNA-based technologies in this field. Among these are the applications of (i) DNA markers into cultivar identification, seed purity analysis, germplasm resource evaluation, heterosis prediction, genetic mapping, cloning and breeding; and (ii) gene expression data in supporting the description of crop phenology, the analytic comparison of crop growth under stress versus non-stress conditions, or the study of fertilizer effects. Besides, various purposes of using transgenic technologies in agriculture, such as generating cultivars with better product quality, better tolerance to biotic or abiotic stress, are also discussed in the review. One of the important highlights in this issue is the review of the benefits brought by high-throughput sequencing technology, which is also known as next-generation sequencing (NGS). It is not so difficult to recognize that its application has allowed us to carry out biological studies at much deeper level

Use of space for development of commercial plant natural products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Draeger, Norman A.

1997-01-01

Plant experiments conducted in environments where conditions are carefully controlled reveal fundamental information about physiological processes. An important environmental parameter is gravity, the effects of which may be better understood in part through experiments conducted in space. New insights gained can be used to develop commercial plant natural products in industries such as pharmaceuticals and biocontrol.

Computational genomic identification and functional reconstitution of plant natural product biosynthetic pathways

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Covering: 2003 to 2016 The last decade has seen the first major discoveries regarding the genomic basis of plant natural product biosynthetic pathways. Four key computationally driven strategies have been developed to identify such pathways, which make use of physical clustering, co-expression, evolutionary co-occurrence and epigenomic co-regulation of the genes involved in producing a plant natural product. Here, we discuss how these approaches can be used for the discovery of plant biosynthetic pathways encoded by both chromosomally clustered and non-clustered genes. Additionally, we will discuss opportunities to prioritize plant gene clusters for experimental characterization, and end with a forward-looking perspective on how synthetic biology technologies will allow effective functional reconstitution of candidate pathways using a variety of genetic systems. PMID:27321668

Synthetic biology approaches for the production of plant metabolites in unicellular organisms.

PubMed

Moses, Tessa; Mehrshahi, Payam; Smith, Alison G; Goossens, Alain

2017-07-10

Synthetic biology is the repurposing of biological systems for novel objectives and applications. Through the co-ordinated and balanced expression of genes, both native and those introduced from other organisms, resources within an industrial chassis can be siphoned for the commercial production of high-value commodities. This developing interdisciplinary field has the potential to revolutionize natural product discovery from higher plants, by providing a diverse array of tools, technologies, and strategies for exploring the large chemically complex space of plant natural products using unicellular organisms. In this review, we emphasize the key features that influence the generation of biorefineries and highlight technologies and strategic solutions that can be used to overcome engineering pitfalls with rational design. Also presented is a succinct guide to assist the selection of unicellular chassis most suited for the engineering and subsequent production of the desired natural product, in order to meet the global demand for plant natural products in a safe and sustainable manner. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

9 CFR 590.26 - Egg products entering or prepared in official plants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Egg products entering or prepared in..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION INSPECTION OF EGGS AND EGG PRODUCTS (EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION ACT) Scope of Inspection § 590.26 Egg products entering or prepared in official plants. Eggs and...

9 CFR 590.26 - Egg products entering or prepared in official plants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Egg products entering or prepared in..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION INSPECTION OF EGGS AND EGG PRODUCTS (EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION ACT) Scope of Inspection § 590.26 Egg products entering or prepared in official plants. Eggs and...

Commercial Plant Production and Consumption Still Follow the Latitudinal Gradient in Species Diversity despite Economic Globalization

PubMed Central

Nelson, Erik J.; Helmus, Matthew R.; Cavender-Bares, Jeannine; Polasky, Stephen; Lasky, Jesse R.; Zanne, Amy E.; Pearse, William D.; Kraft, Nathan J. B.; Miteva, Daniela A.; Fagan, William F.

2016-01-01

Increasing trade between countries and gains in income have given consumers around the world access to a richer and more diverse set of commercial plant products (i.e., foods and fibers produced by farmers). According to the economic theory of comparative advantage, countries open to trade will be able to consume more–in terms of volume and diversity–if they concentrate production on commodities that they can most cost-effectively produce, while importing goods that are expensive to produce, relative to other countries. Here, we perform a global analysis of traded commercial plant products and find little evidence that increasing globalization has incentivized agricultural specialization. Instead, a country’s plant production and consumption patterns are still largely determined by local evolutionary legacies of plant diversification. Because tropical countries harbor a greater diversity of lineages across the tree of life than temperate countries, tropical countries produce and consume a greater diversity of plant products than do temperate countries. In contrast, the richer and more economically advanced temperate countries have the capacity to produce and consume more plant species than the generally poorer tropical countries, yet this collection of plant species is drawn from fewer branches on the tree of life. Why have countries not increasingly specialized in plant production despite the theoretical financial incentive to do so? Potential explanations include the persistence of domestic agricultural subsidies that distort production decisions, cultural preferences for diverse local food production, and that diverse food production protects rural households in developing countries from food price shocks. Less specialized production patterns will make crop systems more resilient to zonal climatic and social perturbations, but this may come at the expense of global crop production efficiency, an important step in making the transition to a hotter and more

Commercial Plant Production and Consumption Still Follow the Latitudinal Gradient in Species Diversity despite Economic Globalization.

PubMed

Nelson, Erik J; Helmus, Matthew R; Cavender-Bares, Jeannine; Polasky, Stephen; Lasky, Jesse R; Zanne, Amy E; Pearse, William D; Kraft, Nathan J B; Miteva, Daniela A; Fagan, William F

2016-01-01

Increasing trade between countries and gains in income have given consumers around the world access to a richer and more diverse set of commercial plant products (i.e., foods and fibers produced by farmers). According to the economic theory of comparative advantage, countries open to trade will be able to consume more-in terms of volume and diversity-if they concentrate production on commodities that they can most cost-effectively produce, while importing goods that are expensive to produce, relative to other countries. Here, we perform a global analysis of traded commercial plant products and find little evidence that increasing globalization has incentivized agricultural specialization. Instead, a country's plant production and consumption patterns are still largely determined by local evolutionary legacies of plant diversification. Because tropical countries harbor a greater diversity of lineages across the tree of life than temperate countries, tropical countries produce and consume a greater diversity of plant products than do temperate countries. In contrast, the richer and more economically advanced temperate countries have the capacity to produce and consume more plant species than the generally poorer tropical countries, yet this collection of plant species is drawn from fewer branches on the tree of life. Why have countries not increasingly specialized in plant production despite the theoretical financial incentive to do so? Potential explanations include the persistence of domestic agricultural subsidies that distort production decisions, cultural preferences for diverse local food production, and that diverse food production protects rural households in developing countries from food price shocks. Less specialized production patterns will make crop systems more resilient to zonal climatic and social perturbations, but this may come at the expense of global crop production efficiency, an important step in making the transition to a hotter and more

Nectar sugar production across floral phases in the Gynodioecious Protandrous Plant Geranium sylvaticum [corrected].

PubMed

Varga, Sandra; Nuortila, Carolin; Kytöviita, Minna-Maarit

2013-01-01

Many zoophilous plants attract their pollinators by offering nectar as a reward. In gynodioecious plants (i.e. populations are composed of female and hermaphrodite individuals) nectar production has been repeatedly reported to be larger in hermaphrodite compared to female flowers even though nectar production across the different floral phases in dichogamous plants (i.e. plants with time separation of pollen dispersal and stigma receptivity) has rarely been examined. In this study, sugar production in nectar standing crop and secretion rate were investigated in Geranium sylvaticum, a gynodioecious plant species with protandry (i.e. with hermaphrodite flowers releasing their pollen before the stigma is receptive). We found that flowers from hermaphrodites produced more nectar than female flowers in terms of total nectar sugar content. In addition, differences in nectar production among floral phases were found in hermaphrodite flowers but not in female flowers. In hermaphrodite flowers, maximum sugar content coincided with pollen presentation and declined slightly towards the female phase, indicating nectar reabsorption, whereas in female flowers sugar content did not differ between the floral phases. These differences in floral reward are discussed in relation to visitation patterns by pollinators and seed production in this species.

Modern plant metabolomics: Advanced natural product gene discoveries, improved technologies, and future prospects

DOE PAGES

Sumner, Lloyd W.; Lei, Zhentian; Nikolau, Basil J.; ...

2014-10-24

Plant metabolomics has matured and modern plant metabolomics has accelerated gene discoveries and the elucidation of a variety of plant natural product biosynthetic pathways. This study highlights specific examples of the discovery and characterization of novel genes and enzymes associated with the biosynthesis of natural products such as flavonoids, glucosinolates, terpenoids, and alkaloids. Additional examples of the integration of metabolomics with genome-based functional characterizations of plant natural products that are important to modern pharmaceutical technology are also reviewed. This article also provides a substantial review of recent technical advances in mass spectrometry imaging, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, integrated LC-MS-SPE-NMR formore » metabolite identifications, and x-ray crystallography of microgram quantities for structural determinations. The review closes with a discussion on the future prospects of metabolomics related to crop species and herbal medicine.« less

Vaccine antigen production in transgenic plants: strategies, gene constructs and perspectives.

PubMed

Sala, Francesco; Manuela Rigano, M; Barbante, Alessandra; Basso, Barbara; Walmsley, Amanda M; Castiglione, Stefano

2003-01-30

Stable integration of a gene into the plant nuclear or chloroplast genome can transform higher plants (e.g. tobacco, potato, tomato, banana) into bioreactors for the production of subunit vaccines for oral or parental administration. This can also be achieved by using recombinant plant viruses as transient expression vectors in infected plants. The use of plant-derived vaccines may overcome some of the major problems encountered with traditional vaccination against infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases and tumours. They also offer a convenient tool against the threat of bio-terrorism. State of the art, experimental strategies, safety and perspectives are discussed in this article.

Use of space for development of commercial plant natural products

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Draeger, N.A.

1997-01-01

Plant experiments conducted in environments where conditions are carefully controlled reveal fundamental information about physiological processes. An important environmental parameter is gravity, the effects of which may be better understood in part through experiments conducted in space. New insights gained can be used to develop commercial plant natural products in industries such as pharmaceuticals and biocontrol. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}

The effect of radiation on the long term productivity of a plant based CELSS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, B. G.; Lake, B. H.

1987-01-01

Mutations occur at a higher rate in space than under terrestrial conditions, primarily due to an increase in radiation levels. These mutations may effect the productivity of plants found in a controlled ecological life support system (CELSS). Computer simulations of plants with different ploidies, modes of reproduction, lethality thresholds, viability thresholds and susceptibilities to radiation induced mutations were performed under space normal and solar flare conditions. These simulations identified plant characteristics that would enable plants to retain high productivities over time in a CELSS.

Drivers of inter-year variability of plant production and decomposers across contrasting island ecosystems.

PubMed

Wardle, David A; Jonsson, Micael; Kalela-Brundin, Maarit; Lagerström, Anna; Bardgett, Richard D; Yeates, Gregor W; Nilsson, Marie-Charlotte

2012-03-01

Despite the likely importance of inter-year dynamics of plant production and consumer biota for driving community- and ecosystem-level processes, very few studies have explored how and why these dynamics vary across contrasting ecosystems. We utilized a well-characterized system of 30 lake islands in the boreal forest zone of northern Sweden across which soil fertility and productivity vary considerably, with larger islands being more fertile and productive than smaller ones. In this system we assessed the inter-year dynamics of several measures of plant production and the soil microbial community (primary consumers in the decomposer food web) for each of nine years, and soil microfaunal groups (secondary and tertiary consumers) for each of six of those years. We found that, for measures of plant production and each of the three consumer trophic levels, inter-year dynamics were strongly affected by island size. Further, many variables were strongly affected by island size (and thus bottom-up regulation by soil fertility and resources) in some years, but not in other years, most likely due to inter-year variation in climatic conditions. For each of the plant and microbial variables for which we had nine years of data, we also determined the inter-year coefficient of variation (CV), an inverse measure of stability. We found that CVs of some measures of plant productivity were greater on large islands, whereas those of other measures were greater on smaller islands; CVs of microbial variables were unresponsive to island size. We also found that the effects of island size on the temporal dynamics of some variables were related to inter-year variability of macroclimatic variables. As such, our results show that the inter-year dynamics of both plant productivity and decomposer biota across each of three trophic levels, as well as the inter-year stability of plant productivity, differ greatly across contrasting ecosystems, with potentially important but largely overlooked

Plant cell wall engineering: applications in biofuel production and improved human health.

PubMed

Burton, Rachel A; Fincher, Geoffrey B

2014-04-01

Plant cell walls consist largely of cellulose, non-cellulosic polysaccharides and lignin. Concerted attempts are underway to convert wall polysaccharides from crop plant residues into renewable transport fuels and other valuable products, and to exploit the dietary benefits of cereal grain wall polysaccharides in human health. Attempts to improve plant performance for these applications have involved the manipulation of the levels and structures of wall components. Some successes in altering non-cellulosic polysaccharides has been achieved, but it would appear that drastic changes in cellulose are more difficult to engineer. Nevertheless, future prospects for both genetically modified (GM) and non-GM technologies to modify plant cell wall composition and structure remain bright, and will undoubtedly find applications beyond the current focus on human health and biofuel production. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Potential for polyhydroxyalkanoate production on German or European municipal waste water treatment plants.

PubMed

Pittmann, T; Steinmetz, H

2016-08-01

Biopolymers, which are made of renewable raw materials and/or biodegradable residual materials present a possible alternative to common plastic. A potential analysis, based on experimental results in laboratory scale and detailed data from German waste water treatment plants, showed that the theoretically possible production of biopolymers in Germany amounts to more than 20% of the 2015 worldwide biopolymer production. In addition a profound estimation regarding all European Union member states showed that theoretically about 115% of the actual worldwide biopolymer production could be produced on European waste water treatment plants. With an upgraded biopolymer production and a theoretically reachable biopolymer proportion of around 60% of the cell dry weight a total of 1,794,656tPHAa or approximately 236% of today's biopolymer production could be produced on waste water treatment plants in the European Union, using primary sludge as raw material only. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pharmacologically active plant metabolites as survival strategy products.

PubMed

Attardo, C; Sartori, F

2003-01-01

The fact that plant organisms produce chemical substances that are able to positively or negatively interfere with the processes which regulate human life has been common knowledge since ancient times. One of the numerous possible examples in the infusion of Conium maculatum, better known as Hemlock, a plant belonging to the family umbelliferae, used by the ancient Egyptians to cure skin diseases. The current official pharmacopoeia includes various chemical substances produced by secondary plant metabolisms. For example, the immunosuppressive drugs used to prevent organ transplant rejection and the majority of antibiotics are metabolites produced by fungal organisms, pilocarpin, digitalis, strophantus, salicylic acid and curare are examples of plant organism metabolites. For this reason, there has been an increase in research into plants, based on information on their medicinal use in the areas where they grow. The study of plants in relation to local culture and traditions is known as "ethnobotany". Careful study of the behaviour of sick animals has also led to the discovery of medicinal plants. The study of this subject is known as "zoopharmacognosy". The aim of this article is to discuss the fact that "ad hoc" production of such chemical substances, defined as "secondary metabolites", is one of the modes in which plant organisms respond to unfavourable environmental stimuli, such as an attack by predatory phytophagous animals or an excessive number of plant individuals, even of the same species, in a terrain. In the latter case, the plant organisms produce toxic substances, called "allelopathic" which limit the growth of other individuals. "Secondary metabolites" are produced by metabolic systems that are shunts of the primary systems which, when required, may be activated from the beginning, or increased to the detriment of others. The study of the manner in which such substances are produced is the subject of a new branch of learning called "ecological

Hydroponic potato production on nutrients derived from anaerobically-processed potato plant residues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackowiak, C. L.; Stutte, G. W.; Garland, J. L.; Finger, B. W.; Ruffe, L. M.

1997-01-01

Bioregenerative methods are being developed for recycling plant minerals from harvested inedible biomass as part of NASA's Advanced Life Support (ALS) research. Anaerobic processing produces secondary metabolites, a food source for yeast production, while providing a source of water soluble nutrients for plant growth. Since NH_4-N is the nitrogen product, processing the effluent through a nitrification reactor was used to convert this to NO_3-N, a more acceptable form for plants. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Norland plants were used to test the effects of anaerobically-produced effluent after processing through a yeast reactor or nitrification reactor. These treatments were compared to a mixed-N treatment (75:25, NO_3:NH_4) or a NO_3-N control, both containing only reagent-grade salts. Plant growth and tuber yields were greatest in the NO_3-N control and yeast reactor effluent treatments, which is noteworthy, considering the yeast reactor treatment had high organic loading in the nutrient solution and concomitant microbial activity.

Aquatic food production modules in bioregenerative life support systems based on higher plants.

PubMed

Bluem, V; Paris, F

2001-01-01

Most bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) are based on gravitropic higher plants which exhibit growth and seed generation disturbances in microgravity. Even when used for a lunar or martian base the reduced gravity may induce a decreased productivity in comparison to Earth. Therefore, the implementation of aquatic biomass production modules in higher plant and/or hybrid BLSS may compensate for this and offer, in addition, the possibility to produce animal protein for human nutrition. It was shown on the SLS-89 and SLS-90 space shuttle missions with the C.E.B.A.S.-MINI MODULE that the edible non gravitropic rootless higher aquatic plant Ceratophyllum demeresum exhibits an undisturbed high biomass production rate in space and that the teleost fish species, Xiphophorus helleri, adapts rapidly to space conditions without loss of its normal reproductive functions. Based on these findings a series of ground-based aquatic food production systems were developed which are disposed for utilization in space. These are plant production bioreactors for the species mentioned above and another suitable candidate, the lemnacean (duckweed) species, Wolffia arrhiza. Moreover, combined intensive aquaculture systems with a closed food loop between herbivorous fishes and aquatic and land plants are being developed which may be suitable for integration into a BLSS of higher complexity. Grant numbers: WS50WB9319-3, IVA1216-00588. c 2001. COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engineering strategies for the fermentative production of plant alkaloids in yeast

PubMed Central

Trenchard, Isis J.; Smolke, Christina D.

2015-01-01

Microbial hosts engineered for the biosynthesis of plant natural products offer enormous potential as powerful discovery and production platforms. However, the reconstruction of these complex biosynthetic schemes faces numerous challenges due to the number of enzymatic steps and challenging enzyme classes associated with these pathways, which can lead to issues in metabolic load, pathway specificity, and maintaining flux to desired products. Cytochrome P450 enzymes are prevalent in plant specialized metabolism and are particularly difficult to express heterologously. Here, we describe the reconstruction of the sanguinarine branch of the benzylisoquinoline alkaloid pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, resulting in microbial biosynthesis of protoberberine, protopine, and benzophenanthridine alkaloids through to the end-product sanguinarine, which we demonstrate can be efficiently produced in yeast in the absence of the associated biosynthetic enzyme. We achieved titers of 676 µg/L stylopine, 548 µg/L cis-N-methylstylopine, 252 µg/L protopine, and 80 µg/L sanguinarine from the engineered yeast strains. Through our optimization efforts, we describe genetic and culture strategies supporting the functional expression of multiple plant cytochrome P450 enzymes in the context of a large multi-step pathway. Our results also provided insight into relationships between cytochrome P450 activity and yeast ER physiology. We were able to improve the production of critical intermediates by 32-fold through genetic techniques and an additional 45-fold through culture optimization. PMID:25981946

Oxidant induced alteration of carbohydrate production and allocation in plants

Treesearch

Robert L. Heath

1998-01-01

Urban air basin produced oxidants, notably ozone, induce a decline in productivity in plants. This loss of productivity is manifested by slower growth, hindered development, lower reproduction rates, impaired ability to resist disease, and other stresses. While many metabolic events have been linked to oxidant exposure, three major shifts have been well-studied:...

Evolution of crop production under a pseudo-space environment using model plants, Lotus japonicus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomita-Yokotani, Kaori; Motohashi, Kyohei; Omi, Naomi; Sato, Seigo; Aoki, Toshio; Hashimoto, Hirofumi; Yamashita, Masamichi

Habitation in outer space is one of our challenges. We have been studying space agriculture and/or spacecraft agriculture to provide food and oxygen for the habitation area in the space environment. However, careful investigation should be made concerning the results of exotic environmental effects on the endogenous production of biologically active substances in indi-vidual cultivated plants in a space environment. We have already reported that the production of functional substances in cultivated plants as crops are affected by gravity. The amounts of the main physiological substances in these plants grown under terrestrial control were different from that grown in a pseudo-microgravity. These results suggested that the nutrition would be changed in the plants/crops grown in the space environment when human beings eat in space. This estimation required us to investigate each of the useful components produced by each plant grown in the space environment. These estimations involved several study fields, includ-ing nutrition, plant physiology, etc. On the other hand, the analysis of model plant genomes has recently been remarkably advanced. Lotus japonicus, a leguminous plant, is also one of the model plant. The leguminosae is a large family in the plant vegetable kingdom and almost the entire genome sequence of Lotus japonicus has been determined. Nitrogen fixation would be possible even in a space environment. We are trying to determine the best conditions and evolution for crop production using the model plants.

Plant-Derived Natural Products as Sources of Anti-Quorum Sensing Compounds

PubMed Central

Koh, Chong-Lek; Sam, Choon-Kook; Yin, Wai-Fong; Tan, Li Ying; Krishnan, Thiba; Chong, Yee Meng; Chan, Kok-Gan

2013-01-01

Quorum sensing is a system of stimuli and responses in relation to bacterial cell population density that regulates gene expression, including virulence determinants. Consequently, quorum sensing has been an attractive target for the development of novel anti-infective measures that do not rely on the use of antibiotics. Anti-quorum sensing has been a promising strategy to combat bacterial infections as it is unlikely to develop multidrug resistant pathogens since it does not impose any selection pressure. A number of anti-quorum sensing approaches have been documented and plant-based natural products have been extensively studied in this context. Plant matter is one of the major sources of chemicals in use today in various industries, ranging from the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food biotechnology to the textile industries. Just like animals and humans, plants are constantly exposed to bacterial infections, it is therefore logical to expect that plants have developed sophisticated of chemical mechanisms to combat pathogens. In this review, we have surveyed the various types of plant-based natural products that exhibit anti-quorum sensing properties and their anti-quorum sensing mechanisms. PMID:23669710

Biomass production and potential water stress increase with planting density in four highly productive clonal Eucalyptus genotypes

Treesearch

Rodrigo Hakamada; Robert M. Hubbard; Silvio Ferraz; Jose Luiz Stape; Cristiane Lemos

2017-01-01

The choice of planting density and tree genotype are basic decisions when establishing a forest stand. Understanding the interaction between planting density and genotype, and their relationship with biomass production and potential water stress, is crucial as forest managers are faced with a changing climate. However, few studies have investigated this relationship,...

Lost in diversity: the interactions between soil-borne fungi, biodiversity and plant productivity.

PubMed

Mommer, Liesje; Cotton, T E Anne; Raaijmakers, Jos M; Termorshuizen, Aad J; van Ruijven, Jasper; Hendriks, Marloes; van Rijssel, Sophia Q; van de Mortel, Judith E; van der Paauw, Jan Willem; Schijlen, Elio G W M; Smit-Tiekstra, Annemiek E; Berendse, Frank; de Kroon, Hans; Dumbrell, Alex J

2018-04-01

There is consensus that plant species richness enhances plant productivity within natural grasslands, but the underlying drivers remain debated. Recently, differential accumulation of soil-borne fungal pathogens across the plant diversity gradient has been proposed as a cause of this pattern. However, the below-ground environment has generally been treated as a 'black box' in biodiversity experiments, leaving these fungi unidentified. Using next generation sequencing and pathogenicity assays, we analysed the community composition of root-associated fungi from a biodiversity experiment to examine if evidence exists for host specificity and negative density dependence in the interplay between soil-borne fungi, plant diversity and productivity. Plant species were colonised by distinct (pathogenic) fungal communities and isolated fungal species showed negative, species-specific effects on plant growth. Moreover, 57% of the pathogenic fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) recorded in plant monocultures were not detected in eight plant species plots, suggesting a loss of pathogenic OTUs with plant diversity. Our work provides strong evidence for host specificity and negative density-dependent effects of root-associated fungi on plant species in grasslands. Our work substantiates the hypothesis that fungal root pathogens are an important driver of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships. © 2018 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2018 New Phytologist Trust.

Spot drip application of dimethyl disulfide as post-planting treatment for the control of plant-parasitic nematodes and soilborne pathogens in grape production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

BACKGROUND: Plant-parasitic nematodes and soilborne pathogens can reduce the overall productivity in grape production. Not all grape growers apply soil fumigants before planting and there is no single rootstock resistant to all nematode species. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the effe...

A trial of production of the plant-derived high-value protein in a plant factory: photosynthetic photon fluxes affect the accumulation of recombinant miraculin in transgenic tomato fruits.

PubMed

Kato, Kazuhisa; Maruyama, Shinichiro; Hirai, Tadayoshi; Hiwasa-Tanase, Kyoko; Mizoguchi, Tsuyoshi; Goto, Eiji; Ezura, Hiroshi

2011-08-01

One of the ultimate goals of plant science is to test a hypothesis obtained by basic science and to apply it to agriculture and industry. A plant factory is one of the ideal systems for this trial. Environmental factors affect both plant yield and the accumulation of recombinant proteins for industrial applications within transgenic plants. However, there have been few reports studying plant productivity for recombinant protein in closed cultivation systems called plant factories. To investigate the effects of photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) on tomato fruit yield and the accumulation of recombinant miraculin, a taste-modifying glycoprotein, in transgenic tomato fruits, plants were cultivated at various PPFs from 100 to 400 (µmol m(-2) s(-)1) in a plant factory. Miraculin production per unit of energy used was highest at PPF100, although miraculin production per unit area was highest at PPF300. The commercial productivity of recombinant miraculin in transgenic tomato fruits largely depended on light conditions in the plant factory. Our trial will be useful to consider the trade-offs between the profits from production of high-value materials in plants and the costs of electricity.

Colour bio-factories: Towards scale-up production of anthocyanins in plant cell cultures.

PubMed

Appelhagen, Ingo; Wulff-Vester, Anders Keim; Wendell, Micael; Hvoslef-Eide, Anne-Kathrine; Russell, Julia; Oertel, Anne; Martens, Stefan; Mock, Hans-Peter; Martin, Cathie; Matros, Andrea

2018-06-08

Anthocyanins are widely distributed, glycosylated, water-soluble plant pigments, which give many fruits and flowers their red, purple or blue colouration. Their beneficial effects in a dietary context have encouraged increasing use of anthocyanins as natural colourants in the food and cosmetic industries. However, the limited availability and diversity of anthocyanins commercially have initiated searches for alternative sources of these natural colourants. In plants, high-level production of secondary metabolites, such as anthocyanins, can be achieved by engineering of regulatory genes as well as genes encoding biosynthetic enzymes. We have used tobacco lines which constitutively produce high levels of cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside, delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside or a novel anthocyanin, acylated cyanidin 3-O-(coumaroyl) rutinoside to generate cell suspension cultures. The cell lines are stable in their production rates and superior to conventional plant cell cultures. Scale-up of anthocyanin production in small scale fermenters has been demonstrated. The cell cultures have also proven to be a suitable system for production of 13 C-labelled anthocyanins. Our method for anthocyanin production is transferable to other plant species, such as Arabidopsis thaliana, demonstrating the potential of this approach for making a wide range of highly-decorated anthocyanins. The tobacco cell cultures represent a customisable and sustainable alternative to conventional anthocyanin production platforms and have considerable potential for use in industrial and medical applications of anthocyanins. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Forecasting Plant Productivity and Health Using Diffuse-to-Global Irradiance Ratios Extracted from the OMI Aerosol Product

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knowlton, Kelly; Andrews, Jane C.; Ryan, Robert E.

2007-01-01

Atmospheric aerosols are a major contributor to diffuse irradiance. This Candidate Solution suggests using the OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) aerosol product as input into a radiative transfer model, which would calculate the ratio of diffuse to global irradiance at the Earth s surface. This ratio can significantly influence the rate of photosynthesis in plants; increasing the ratio of diffuse to global irradiance can accelerate photosynthesis, resulting in greater plant productivity. Accurate values of this ratio could be useful in predicting crop productivity, thereby improving forecasts of regional food resources. However, disagreements exist between diffuse-to-global irradiance values measured by different satellites and ground sensors. OMI, with its unique combination of spectral bands, high resolution, and daily global coverage, may be able to provide more accurate aerosol measurements than other comparable sensors.

Ant-plant mutualism: a dietary by-product of a tropical ant's macronutrient requirements.

PubMed

Arcila Hernández, Lina M; Sanders, Jon G; Miller, Gabriel A; Ravenscraft, Alison; Frederickson, Megan E

2017-12-01

Many arboreal ants depend on myrmecophytic plants for both food and shelter; in return, these ants defend their host plants against herbivores, which are often insects. Ant-plant and other mutualisms do not necessarily involve the exchange of costly rewards or services; they may instead result from by-product benefits, or positive outcomes that do not entail a cost for one or both partners. Here, we examined whether the plant-ant Allomerus octoarticulatus pays a short-term cost to defend their host plants against herbivores, or whether plant defense is a by-product benefit of ant foraging for insect prey. Because the food offered by ant-plants is usually nitrogen-poor, arboreal ants may balance their diets by consuming insect prey or associating with microbial symbionts to acquire nitrogen, potentially shifting the costs and benefits of plant defense for the ant partner. To determine the effect of ant diet on an ant-plant mutualism, we compared the behavior, morphology, fitness, stable isotope signatures, and gaster microbiomes of A. octoarticulatus ants nesting in Cordia nodosa trees maintained for nearly a year with or without insect herbivores. At the end of the experiment, ants from herbivore exclosures preferred protein-rich baits more than ants in the control (i.e., herbivores present) treatment. Furthermore, workers in the control treatment were heavier than in the herbivore-exclusion treatment, and worker mass predicted reproductive output, suggesting that foraging for insect prey directly increased ant colony fitness. The gaster microbiome of ants was not significantly affected by the herbivore exclusion treatment. We conclude that the defensive behavior of some phytoecious ants is a by-product of their need for external protein sources; thus, the consumption of insect herbivores by ants benefits both the ant colony and the host plant. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Engineering strategies for the fermentative production of plant alkaloids in yeast.

PubMed

Trenchard, Isis J; Smolke, Christina D

2015-07-01

Microbial hosts engineered for the biosynthesis of plant natural products offer enormous potential as powerful discovery and production platforms. However, the reconstruction of these complex biosynthetic schemes faces numerous challenges due to the number of enzymatic steps and challenging enzyme classes associated with these pathways, which can lead to issues in metabolic load, pathway specificity, and maintaining flux to desired products. Cytochrome P450 enzymes are prevalent in plant specialized metabolism and are particularly difficult to express heterologously. Here, we describe the reconstruction of the sanguinarine branch of the benzylisoquinoline alkaloid pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, resulting in microbial biosynthesis of protoberberine, protopine, and benzophenanthridine alkaloids through to the end-product sanguinarine, which we demonstrate can be efficiently produced in yeast in the absence of the associated biosynthetic enzyme. We achieved titers of 676 μg/L stylopine, 548 μg/L cis-N-methylstylopine, 252 μg/L protopine, and 80 μg/L sanguinarine from the engineered yeast strains. Through our optimization efforts, we describe genetic and culture strategies supporting the functional expression of multiple plant cytochrome P450 enzymes in the context of a large multi-step pathway. Our results also provided insight into relationships between cytochrome P450 activity and yeast ER physiology. We were able to improve the production of critical intermediates by 32-fold through genetic techniques and an additional 45-fold through culture optimization. Copyright © 2015 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nut production in response to thinning and fertilization for planted walnut

Treesearch

Felix Ponder; Steve Rutledge; J.W. Van Sambeek

2013-01-01

Nut production from nursery-run black walnuts grown on 225 acres at the Hammons Products Company's Sho-Neff Black Walnut Farm in Stockton, MO, was evaluated from 1995 to 2010 to determine if nut production increased after thinning and fertilization in 2001. The farm consists of 11 upland and 10 bottomland plantings on sites ranging from unsuitable to well suited...

Root traits contributing to plant productivity under drought

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

ROOT TRAITS CONTRIBUTING TO PLANT PRODUCTIVITY UNDER DROUGHT L.H. Comas1, S.R. Becker2, V.M.V. Cruz3,4, P.F. Byrne2, D.A. Dierig3 1USDA-ARS, Water Management Research Unit, Fort Collins, CO, USA 2Colorado State University, Soil and Crop Sciences, Fort Collins, CO, USA 3USDA-ARS, National Center fo...

Biosynthesis and molecular actions of specialized 1,4-naphthoquinone natural products produced by horticultural plants

PubMed Central

Widhalm, Joshua R; Rhodes, David

2016-01-01

The 1,4-naphthoquinones (1,4-NQs) are a diverse group of natural products found in every kingdom of life. Plants, including many horticultural species, collectively synthesize hundreds of specialized 1,4-NQs with ecological roles in plant–plant (allelopathy), plant–insect and plant–microbe interactions. Numerous horticultural plants producing 1,4-NQs have also served as sources of traditional medicines for hundreds of years. As a result, horticultural species have been at the forefront of many basic studies conducted to understand the metabolism and function of specialized plant 1,4-NQs. Several 1,4-NQ natural products derived from horticultural plants have also emerged as promising scaffolds for developing new drugs. In this review, the current understanding of the core metabolic pathways leading to plant 1,4-NQs is provided with additional emphasis on downstream natural products originating from horticultural species. An overview on the biochemical mechanisms of action, both from an ecological and pharmacological perspective, of 1,4-NQs derived from horticultural plants is also provided. In addition, future directions for improving basic knowledge about plant 1,4-NQ metabolism are discussed. PMID:27688890

Canola meals from different production plants differ in ruminal protein degradability

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lactation trials have shown that production and N efficiency were improved when dietary soybean meal was replaced with equal crude protein (CP) from canola meal. Three or four canola meal samples were collected from each of 12 Canadian production plants (total = 37), and analyzed for differences in ...

A case study of printing industry plant layout for effective production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswajit, T.; Teja, T. Ravi; Deepthi, Y. P.

2017-07-01

This paper presents the overall picture of the processes happening in printing industry. This research is aimed to improve the plant layout of existing plant. The travel time was reduced by relocating machinery. Relocation is based on systematic layout planning (SLP). The complete process of raw material entering the industry to dispatching of finished product is shown in 3-D Flow diagram. The process happening in each floor explained in detail using Flow Process chart. Travel time is reduced by 25% after modifying existing plant layout.

Polyol production during heterofermentative growth of the plant isolate Lactobacillus florum 2F.

PubMed

Tyler, C A; Kopit, L; Doyle, C; Yu, A O; Hugenholtz, J; Marco, M L

2016-05-01

This study examined the fermentative growth and polyol production of Lactobacillus florum and other plant-associated lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Sugar consumption and end-product production were measured for Lact. florum 2F in the presence of fructose, glucose and both sugars combined. The genome of Lact. florum was examined for genes required for mannitol and erythritol biosynthesis. The capacity for other plant-associated LAB to synthesize polyols was also assessed. Lactobacillus florum exhibited higher growth rates and cell yields in the presence of both fructose and glucose. Lactobacillus florum 2F produced lactate, acetate and ethanol as well as erythritol and mannitol. Lactobacillus florum 2F synthesized mannitol during growth on fructose and erythritol during growth on glucose. Gene and protein homology searches identified a mannitol dehydrogenase in the Lact. florum 2F genome but not the genes responsible for erythritol biosynthesis. Lastly, we found that numerous other heterofermentative LAB species synthesize erythritol and/or mannitol. Lactobacillus florum is a recently identified, plant-associated, fructophilic LAB species. Our results show that Lact. florum growth rates and heterofermentation end-products differ depending on the sugar substrates present and growth yields can be improved when combinations of sugars are provided. Lactobacillus florum 2F produces erythritol and mannitol, two polyols that are relevant to foods and potentially also in plant environments. The capacity for polyol biosynthesis appears to be common among plant-associated, LAB species. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

The Value of Native Plants and Local Production in an Era of Global Agriculture

PubMed Central

Shelef, Oren; Weisberg, Peter J.; Provenza, Frederick D.

2017-01-01

For addressing potential food shortages, a fundamental tradeoff exists between investing more resources to increasing productivity of existing crops, as opposed to increasing crop diversity by incorporating more species. We explore ways to use local plants as food resources and the potential to promote food diversity and agricultural resilience. We discuss how use of local plants and the practice of local agriculture can contribute to ongoing adaptability in times of global change. Most food crops are now produced, transported, and consumed long distances from their homelands of origin. At the same time, research and practices are directed primarily at improving the productivity of a small number of existing crops that form the cornerstone of a global food economy, rather than to increasing crop diversity. The result is a loss of agro-biodiversity, leading to a food industry that is more susceptible to abiotic and biotic stressors, and more at risk of catastrophic losses. Humans cultivate only about 150 of an estimated 30,000 edible plant species worldwide, with only 30 plant species comprising the vast majority of our diets. To some extent, these practices explain the food disparity among human populations, where nearly 1 billion people suffer insufficient nutrition and 2 billion people are obese or overweight. Commercial uses of new crops and wild plants of local origin have the potential to diversify global food production and better enable local adaptation to the diverse environments humans inhabit. We discuss the advantages, obstacles, and risks of using local plants. We also describe a case study—the missed opportunity to produce pine nuts commercially in the Western United States. We discuss the potential consequences of using local pine nuts rather than importing them overseas. Finally, we provide a list of edible native plants, and synthesize the state of research concerning the potential and challenges in using them for food production. The goal of our

The Value of Native Plants and Local Production in an Era of Global Agriculture.

PubMed

Shelef, Oren; Weisberg, Peter J; Provenza, Frederick D

2017-01-01

For addressing potential food shortages, a fundamental tradeoff exists between investing more resources to increasing productivity of existing crops, as opposed to increasing crop diversity by incorporating more species. We explore ways to use local plants as food resources and the potential to promote food diversity and agricultural resilience. We discuss how use of local plants and the practice of local agriculture can contribute to ongoing adaptability in times of global change. Most food crops are now produced, transported, and consumed long distances from their homelands of origin. At the same time, research and practices are directed primarily at improving the productivity of a small number of existing crops that form the cornerstone of a global food economy, rather than to increasing crop diversity. The result is a loss of agro-biodiversity, leading to a food industry that is more susceptible to abiotic and biotic stressors, and more at risk of catastrophic losses. Humans cultivate only about 150 of an estimated 30,000 edible plant species worldwide, with only 30 plant species comprising the vast majority of our diets. To some extent, these practices explain the food disparity among human populations, where nearly 1 billion people suffer insufficient nutrition and 2 billion people are obese or overweight. Commercial uses of new crops and wild plants of local origin have the potential to diversify global food production and better enable local adaptation to the diverse environments humans inhabit. We discuss the advantages, obstacles, and risks of using local plants. We also describe a case study-the missed opportunity to produce pine nuts commercially in the Western United States. We discuss the potential consequences of using local pine nuts rather than importing them overseas. Finally, we provide a list of edible native plants, and synthesize the state of research concerning the potential and challenges in using them for food production. The goal of our

Hyperspectral and in situ data fusion for the steering of plant production systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verstraeten, W. W.; Coppin, P.

2009-04-01

Plant production systems are governed by biotic and a-biotic factors and by management practices. Some of the relevant parameters have already been identified and incorporated as inputs into existing models for production assessment, early-warning, and process management. These parameters originate nowadays primarily from in-situ measurements and observations. Non-invasive remotely sensed data, the diagnostic tools of excellence where it concerns the interaction of solar energy with biomass, have seldom been included and if so, mostly to support yield assessment and harvest monitoring only. The availability of new-generation hyperspectral/hypertemporal signatures will greatly facilitate their integration into full-fledged plant production model either via direct use, forcing, assimilation or re-initialization strategies. The main objective of IS-HS (Integration of In Situ data and HyperSpectral remote sensing for plant production modeling) is to set up a multidisciplinary research platform to deepen our system understanding and to develop production-oriented schemes to steer capital-intensive vegetation scenarios. Real-time steering in a 10-15 year timeframe is envisaged, where current system state is monitored, and steered towards an ideal state in terms of production quantity and quality. IS-HS focuses on hyperspectral sensor design, time series analysis tools for remote sensing data of vegetation systems, on the establishment of two stream communication between satellite and ground sensors, on the development of citrus plant production systems, and on the design of in-situ data sensor networks. The general framework of this system approach will be presented. In time, this integration should allow to cross the bridge from post-harvest assessment to near real-time potential and actual yield monitoring in terms of crop.

Tools of pathway reconstruction and production of economically relevant plant secondary metabolites in recombinant microorganisms.

PubMed

Dziggel, Clarissa; Schäfer, Holger; Wink, Michael

2017-01-01

Plant secondary metabolites exhibit a variety of biological activities and therefore serve as valuable therapeutics or flavoring compounds. However, the small amounts isolated from plants often cannot meet market demands. This led to the exploration of other, more profitable methods for their production, including plant cell culture systems, chemical synthesis and biotechnological production in microbial hosts. The biotechnological production can be pursued by reconstructing metabolic pathways in selected microbial systems. But due to their complexity, most of these pathways are not completely understood and require the expression of a multitude of genes in a foreign organism. Recently, next generation sequencing data and advances in gene silencing in plants allowed the elucidation of some biosynthetic pathways in more detail. Thus, the de novo production of some natural products, including morphine, strictosidine, artemisinin, taxol ® and resveratrol, in extensively engineered microbial hosts has become feasible. This review highlights the reconstruction of these pathways, missing pieces and novel techniques employed. Copyright © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Concept for Sustained Plant Production on ISS Using VEGGIE Capillary Mat Rooting System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stutte, Gary W.; Newsham, Gerard; Morrow, Robert M.; Wheeler, Raymond M.

2011-01-01

Plant growth in microgravity presents unique challenges associated with maintaining appropriate conditions for seed germination, seedling establishment, maturation and harvest. They include maintaining appropriate soil moisture content, nutrient balance, atmospheric mixing and containment. Sustained production imposes additional challenges of harvesting, replanting, and safety. The VEGGIE is a deployable (collapsible) plant growth chamber developed as part of a NASA SBIR Phase II by Orbitec, Madison, WI. The intent of VEGGIE is to provide a low-resource system to produce fresh vegetables for the crew on long duration missions. The VEGGIE uses and LED array for lighting, an expandable bellows for containment, and a capillary matting system for nutrient and water delivery. The project evaluated a number of approaches to achieve sustained production, and repeated plantings, using the capillary rooting system. A number of different root media, seed containment, and nutrient delivery systems were evaluated and effects on seed germination and growth were evaluated. A number of issues limiting sustained production, such as accumulation of nutrients, uniform water, elevated vapor pressure deficit, and media containment were identified. A concept using pre-planted rooting packs shown to effectively address a number of those issues and is a promising approach for future development as a planting system for microgravity conditions.

54 FR 38044: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants; Benzene Emissions From Maleic Anhydride Plants, Ethylbenzene/Styrene Plants, Benzene Storage Vessels, Benzene Equipment Leaks, and Coke By- Product Recovery Plants

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Final Rule on National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants; Benzene Emissions From Maleic Anhydride Plants, Ethylbenzene/Styrene Plants, Benzene Storage Vessels, Benzene Equipment Leaks, and Coke By-Product Recovery Plants.

Discovery and resupply of pharmacologically active plant-derived natural products: A review

PubMed Central

Linder, Thomas; Wawrosch, Christoph; Uhrin, Pavel; Temml, Veronika; Wang, Limei; Schwaiger, Stefan; Heiss, Elke H.; Rollinger, Judith M.; Schuster, Daniela; Breuss, Johannes M.; Bochkov, Valery; Mihovilovic, Marko D.; Kopp, Brigitte; Bauer, Rudolf; Dirsch, Verena M.; Stuppner, Hermann

2016-01-01

Medicinal plants have historically proven their value as a source of molecules with therapeutic potential, and nowadays still represent an important pool for the identification of novel drug leads. In the past decades, pharmaceutical industry focused mainly on libraries of synthetic compounds as drug discovery source. They are comparably easy to produce and resupply, and demonstrate good compatibility with established high throughput screening (HTS) platforms. However, at the same time there has been a declining trend in the number of new drugs reaching the market, raising renewed scientific interest in drug discovery from natural sources, despite of its known challenges. In this survey, a brief outline of historical development is provided together with a comprehensive overview of used approaches and recent developments relevant to plant-derived natural product drug discovery. Associated challenges and major strengths of natural product-based drug discovery are critically discussed. A snapshot of the advanced plant-derived natural products that are currently in actively recruiting clinical trials is also presented. Importantly, the transition of a natural compound from a “screening hit” through a “drug lead” to a “marketed drug” is associated with increasingly challenging demands for compound amount, which often cannot be met by re-isolation from the respective plant sources. In this regard, existing alternatives for resupply are also discussed, including different biotechnology approaches and total organic synthesis. While the intrinsic complexity of natural product-based drug discovery necessitates highly integrated interdisciplinary approaches, the reviewed scientific developments, recent technological advances, and research trends clearly indicate that natural products will be among the most important sources of new drugs also in the future. PMID:26281720

Discovery and resupply of pharmacologically active plant-derived natural products: A review.

PubMed

Atanasov, Atanas G; Waltenberger, Birgit; Pferschy-Wenzig, Eva-Maria; Linder, Thomas; Wawrosch, Christoph; Uhrin, Pavel; Temml, Veronika; Wang, Limei; Schwaiger, Stefan; Heiss, Elke H; Rollinger, Judith M; Schuster, Daniela; Breuss, Johannes M; Bochkov, Valery; Mihovilovic, Marko D; Kopp, Brigitte; Bauer, Rudolf; Dirsch, Verena M; Stuppner, Hermann

2015-12-01

Medicinal plants have historically proven their value as a source of molecules with therapeutic potential, and nowadays still represent an important pool for the identification of novel drug leads. In the past decades, pharmaceutical industry focused mainly on libraries of synthetic compounds as drug discovery source. They are comparably easy to produce and resupply, and demonstrate good compatibility with established high throughput screening (HTS) platforms. However, at the same time there has been a declining trend in the number of new drugs reaching the market, raising renewed scientific interest in drug discovery from natural sources, despite of its known challenges. In this survey, a brief outline of historical development is provided together with a comprehensive overview of used approaches and recent developments relevant to plant-derived natural product drug discovery. Associated challenges and major strengths of natural product-based drug discovery are critically discussed. A snapshot of the advanced plant-derived natural products that are currently in actively recruiting clinical trials is also presented. Importantly, the transition of a natural compound from a "screening hit" through a "drug lead" to a "marketed drug" is associated with increasingly challenging demands for compound amount, which often cannot be met by re-isolation from the respective plant sources. In this regard, existing alternatives for resupply are also discussed, including different biotechnology approaches and total organic synthesis. While the intrinsic complexity of natural product-based drug discovery necessitates highly integrated interdisciplinary approaches, the reviewed scientific developments, recent technological advances, and research trends clearly indicate that natural products will be among the most important sources of new drugs also in the future. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exergy analysis of an industrial-scale ultrafiltrated (UF) cheese production plant: a detailed survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasiri, Farshid; Aghbashlo, Mortaza; Rafiee, Shahin

2017-02-01

In this study, a detailed exergy analysis of an industrial-scale ultrafiltrated (UF) cheese production plant was conducted based on actual operational data in order to provide more comprehensive insights into the performance of the whole plant and its main subcomponents. The plant included four main subsystems, i.e., steam generator (I), above-zero refrigeration system (II), Bactocatch-assisted pasteurization line (III), and UF cheese production line (IV). In addition, this analysis was aimed at quantifying the exergy destroyed in processing a known quantity of the UF cheese using the mass allocation method. The specific exergy destruction of the UF cheese production was determined at 2330.42 kJ/kg. The contributions of the subsystems I, II, III, and IV to the specific exergy destruction of the UF cheese production were computed as 1337.67, 386.18, 283.05, and 323.51 kJ/kg, respectively. Additionally, it was observed through the analysis that the steam generation system had the largest contribution to the thermodynamic inefficiency of the UF cheese production, accounting for 57.40 % of the specific exergy destruction. Generally, the outcomes of this survey further manifested the benefits of applying exergy analysis for design, analysis, and optimization of industrial-scale dairy processing plants to achieve the most cost-effective and environmentally-benign production strategies.

Genetic improvement of plants for enhanced bio-ethanol production.

PubMed

Saha, Sanghamitra; Ramachandran, Srinivasan

2013-04-01

The present world energy situation urgently requires exploring and developing alternate, sustainable sources for fuel. Biofuels have proven to be an effective energy source but more needs to be produced to meet energy goals. Whereas first generation biofuels derived from mainly corn and sugarcane continue to be used and produced, the contentious debate between "feedstock versus foodstock" continues. The need for sources that can be grown under different environmental conditions has led to exploring newer sources. Lignocellulosic biomass is an attractive source for production of biofuel, but pretreatment costs to remove lignin are high and the process is time consuming. Genetically modified plants that have increased sugar or starch content, modified lignin content, or produce cellulose degrading enzymes are some options that are being explored and tested. This review focuses on current research on increasing production of biofuels by genetic engineering of plants to have desirable characteristics. Recent patents that have been filed in this area are also discussed.

Pollen viability, physiology, and production of maize plants exposed to pyraclostrobin+epoxiconazole.

PubMed

Junqueira, Verônica Barbosa; Costa, Alan Carlos; Boff, Tatiana; Müller, Caroline; Mendonça, Maria Andréia Corrêa; Batista, Priscila Ferreira

2017-04-01

The use of fungicides in maize has been more frequent due to an increase in the incidence of diseases and also the possible physiological benefits that some of these products may cause. However, some of these products (e.g., strobilurins and triazoles) may interfere with physiological processes and the formation of reproductive organs. Therefore, the effect of these products on plants at different developmental stages needs to be better understood to reduce losses and maximize production. The effect of the fungicide pyraclostrobin+epoxiconazole (P+E) was evaluated at different growth stages in meiosis, pollen grain viability and germination, physiology, and production of maize plants in the absence of disease. An experiment was carried out with the hybrid DKB390 PROII and the application of pyraclostrobin+epoxiconazole at the recommended dose and an untreated control at 3 different timings (S1 - V10; S2 - V14; S3 - R1) with 5 replications. Gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, pollen viability and germination, as well as the hundred-grain weight were evaluated. Anthers were collected from plants of S1 for cytogenetic analysis. The fungicide pyraclostrobin+epoxiconazole reduced the viability of pollen grains (1.4%), but this was not enough to reduce production. Moreover, no differences were observed in any of the other parameters analyzed, suggesting that P+E at the recommended dose and the tested stages does not cause toxic effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of water table position and plant functional group on plant community, aboveground production, and peat properties in a peatland mesocosm experiment (PEATcosm)

Treesearch

Lynette R. Potvin; Evan S. Kane; Rodney A. Chimner; Randall K. Kolka; Erik A. Lilleskov

2015-01-01

Aims Our objective was to assess the impacts of water table position and plant functional type on peat structure, plant community composition and aboveground plant production. Methods We initiated a full factorial experiment with 2 water table (WT) treatments (high and low) and 3 plant functional groups (PFG: sedge, Ericaceae,...

System Evaluation and Economic Analysis of a HTGR Powered High-Temperature Electrolysis Hydrogen Production Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michael G. McKellar; Edwin A. Harvego; Anastasia A. Gandrik

2010-10-01

A design for a commercial-scale high-temperature electrolysis (HTE) plant for hydrogen production has been developed. The HTE plant is powered by a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) whose configuration and operating conditions are based on the latest design parameters planned for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP). The current HTGR reference design specifies a reactor power of 600 MWt, with a primary system pressure of 7.0 MPa, and reactor inlet and outlet fluid temperatures of 322°C and 750°C, respectively. The power conversion unit will be a Rankine steam cycle with a power conversion efficiency of 40%. The reference hydrogen production plantmore » operates at a system pressure of 5.0 MPa, and utilizes a steam-sweep system to remove the excess oxygen that is evolved on the anode (oxygen) side of the electrolyzer. The overall system thermal-to-hydrogen production efficiency (based on the higher heating value of the produced hydrogen) is 40.4% at a hydrogen production rate of 1.75 kg/s and an oxygen production rate of 13.8 kg/s. An economic analysis of this plant was performed with realistic financial and cost estimating assumptions. The results of the economic analysis demonstrated that the HTE hydrogen production plant driven by a high-temperature helium-cooled nuclear power plant can deliver hydrogen at a cost of $3.67/kg of hydrogen assuming an internal rate of return, IRR, of 12% and a debt to equity ratio of 80%/20%. A second analysis shows that if the power cycle efficiency increases to 44.4%, the hydrogen production efficiency increases to 42.8% and the hydrogen and oxygen production rates are 1.85 kg/s and 14.6 kg/s respectively. At the higher power cycle efficiency and an IRR of 12% the cost of hydrogen production is $3.50/kg.« less

Developing microbe-plant interactions for applications in plant-growth promotion and disease control, production of useful compounds, remediation, and carbon sequestration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, C.H.; Bernard, S.; Andersen, G.L.

2009-03-01

Interactions between plants and microbes are an integral part of our terrestrial ecosystem. Microbe-plant interactions are being applied in many areas. In this review, we present recent reports of applications in the areas of plant-growth promotion, biocontrol, bioactive compound and biomaterial production, remediation and carbon sequestration. Challenges, limitations and future outlook for each field are discussed.

Historical forest seedling production in the southern United States: 2008 to 2009 planting season

Treesearch

Scott A. Enebak

2011-01-01

Seedling production across the southern US for the 2008 to 2009 planting season was 1.05 billion seedlings, a decrease of 53.6 million (5%) from the 2007 to 2008 planting season. The vast majority (90%) of reduction in conifer seedling production from 2008 was bareroot loblolly (Pinus taeda) and slash (P. elliottii) pine. Hardwoods were about 1% of regional seedling...

Heterologous Expression of Plant Cell Wall Degrading Enzymes for Effective Production of Cellulosic Biofuels

PubMed Central

Jung, Sang-Kyu; Parisutham, Vinuselvi; Jeong, Seong Hun; Lee, Sung Kuk

2012-01-01

A major technical challenge in the cost-effective production of cellulosic biofuel is the need to lower the cost of plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCDE), which is required for the production of sugars from biomass. Several competitive, low-cost technologies have been developed to produce PCDE in different host organisms such as Escherichia coli, Zymomonas mobilis, and plant. Selection of an ideal host organism is very important, because each host organism has its own unique features. Synthetic biology-aided tools enable heterologous expression of PCDE in recombinant E. coli or Z. mobilis and allow successful consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) in these microorganisms. In-planta expression provides an opportunity to simplify the process of enzyme production and plant biomass processing and leads to self-deconstruction of plant cell walls. Although the future of currently available technologies is difficult to predict, a complete and viable platform will most likely be available through the integration of the existing approaches with the development of breakthrough technologies. PMID:22911272

Enhanced Methanol Production in Plants Provides Broad Spectrum Insect Resistance

PubMed Central

Dixit, Sameer; Upadhyay, Santosh Kumar; Singh, Harpal; Sidhu, Om Prakash; Verma, Praveen Chandra; K, Chandrashekar

2013-01-01

Plants naturally emit methanol as volatile organic compound. Methanol is toxic to insect pests; but the quantity produced by most of the plants is not enough to protect them against invading insect pests. In the present study, we demonstrated that the over-expression of pectin methylesterase, derived from Arabidopsis thaliana and Aspergillus niger, in transgenic tobacco plants enhances methanol production and resistance to polyphagous insect pests. Methanol content in the leaves of transgenic plants was measured using proton nuclear spectroscopy (1H NMR) and spectra showed up to 16 fold higher methanol as compared to control wild type (WT) plants. A maximum of 100 and 85% mortality in chewing insects Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura larvae was observed, respectively when fed on transgenic plants leaves. The surviving larvae showed less feeding, severe growth retardation and could not develop into pupae. In-planta bioassay on transgenic lines showed up to 99 and 75% reduction in the population multiplication of plant sap sucking pests Myzus persicae (aphid) and Bemisia tabaci (whitefly), respectively. Most of the phenotypic characters of transgenic plants were similar to WT plants. Confocal microscopy showed no deformities in cellular integrity, structure and density of stomata and trichomes of transgenic plants compared to WT. Pollen germination and tube formation was also not affected in transgenic plants. Cell wall enzyme transcript levels were comparable with WT. This study demonstrated for the first time that methanol emission can be utilized for imparting broad range insect resistance in plants. PMID:24223989

Circular linkages between soil biodiversity, fertility and plant productivity are limited to topsoil at the continental scale.

PubMed

Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel; Powell, Jeff R; Hamonts, Kelly; Reith, Frank; Mele, Pauline; Brown, Mark V; Dennis, Paul G; Ferrari, Belinda C; Fitzgerald, Anna; Young, Andrew; Singh, Brajesh K; Bissett, Andrew

2017-08-01

The current theoretical framework suggests that tripartite positive feedback relationships between soil biodiversity, fertility and plant productivity are universal. However, empirical evidence for these relationships at the continental scale and across different soil depths is lacking. We investigate the continental-scale relationships between the diversity of microbial and invertebrate-based soil food webs, fertility and above-ground plant productivity at 289 sites and two soil depths, that is 0-10 and 20-30 cm, across Australia. Soil biodiversity, fertility and plant productivity are strongly positively related in surface soils. Conversely, in the deeper soil layer, the relationships between soil biodiversity, fertility and plant productivity weaken considerably, probably as a result of a reduction in biodiversity and fertility with depth. Further modeling suggested that strong positive associations among soil biodiversity-fertility and fertility-plant productivity are limited to the upper soil layer (0-10 cm), after accounting for key factors, such as distance from the equator, altitude, climate and physicochemical soil properties. These findings highlight the importance of surface soil biodiversity for soil fertility, and suggest that any loss of surface soil could potentially break the links between soil biodiversity-fertility and/or fertility-plant productivity, which can negatively impact nutrient cycling and food production, upon which future generations depend. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Plants as natural antioxidants for meat products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomović, V.; Jokanović, M.; Šojić, B.; Škaljac, S.; Ivić, M.

2017-09-01

The meat industry is demanding antioxidants from natural sources to replace synthetic antioxidants because of the negative health consequences or beliefs regarding some synthetic ones. Plants materials provide good alternatives. Spices and herbs, generally used for their flavouring characteristics, can be added to meat products in various forms: whole, ground, or as isolates from their extracts. These natural antioxidants contain some active compounds, which exert antioxidative potential in meat products. This antioxidant activity is most often due to phenolic acids, phenolic diterpenes, flavonoids and volatile oils. Each of these compounds often has strong H-donating activity, thus making them extremely effective antioxidants; some compounds can chelate metals and donate H to oxygen radicals, thus slowing oxidation via two mechanisms. Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of natural antioxidants when used in meat products. Based on this literature review, it can be concluded that natural antioxidants are added to fresh and processed meat and meat products to delay, retard, or prevent lipid oxidation, retard development of off-flavours (rancidity), improve colour stability, improve microbiological quality and extend shelf-life, without any damage to the sensory or nutritional properties.

In vitro induction of lipo-chitooligosaccharide production in Bradyrhizobium japonicum cultures by root extracts from non-leguminous plants.

PubMed

Lian, Bin; Souleimanov, Alfred; Zhou, Xiaomin; Smith, Donald L

2002-01-01

Bradyrhizobium japonicum can form a N2-fixing symbiosis with compatible leguminous plants. It can also act as a plant-growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) for non-legume plants, possibly through production of lipo-chitooligosaccharides (LCOs), which should have the ability to induce disease resistance responses in plants. The objective of this work was to determine whether non-leguminous crop plants can induce LCO formation by B. japonicum cultures. Cultures treated with root extracts of soybean, corn, cotton or winter wheat were assayed for presence and level of LCO. Root extracts of soybean, corn and winter wheat all induced LCO production, with extracts of corn inducing the greatest amounts. Root washings of corn also induced LCO production, but less than the root extract. These results indicated that the stimulation of non-legume plant growth by B. japonicum could be through the production of LCOs, induced by materials excreted by the roots of non-legume plants.

Exploring plant tissue culture in Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal: in vitro propagation and secondary metabolite production.

PubMed

Shasmita; Rai, Manoj K; Naik, Soumendra K

2017-12-26

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (family: Solanaceae), commonly known as "Indian Ginseng", is a medicinally and industrially important plant of the Indian subcontinent and other warmer parts of the world. The plant has multi-use medicinal potential and has been listed among 36 important cultivated medicinal plants of India that are in high demand for trade due to its pharmaceutical uses. The medicinal importance of this plant is mainly due to the presence of different types of steroidal lactones- withanolides in the roots and leaves. Owing to low seed viability and poor germination, the conventional propagation of W. somnifera falls short to cater its commercial demands particularly for secondary metabolite production. Therefore, there is a great need to develop different biotechnological approaches through tissue and organ culture for seasonal independent production of plants in large scale which will provide sufficient raw materials of uniform quality for pharmaceutical purposes. During past years, a number of in vitro plant regeneration protocols via organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis and in vitro conservation through synthetic seed based encapsulation technology have been developed for W. somnifera. Several attempts have also been made to standardize the protocol of secondary metabolite production via tissue/organ cultures, cell suspension cultures, and Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformed hairy root cultures. Employment of plant tissue culture based techniques would provide means for rapid propagation and conservation of this plant species and also provide scope for enhanced production of different bioactive secondary metabolites. The present review provides a comprehensive report on research activities conducted in the area of tissue culture and secondary metabolite production in W. somnifera during the past years. It also discusses the unexplored areas which might be taken into consideration for future research so that the medicinal properties and

Productivity is a poor predictor of plant species richness

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adler, Peter B.; Seabloom, Eric W.; Borer, Elizabeth T.; Hillebrand, Helmut; Hautier, Yann; Hector, Andy; Harpole, W. Stanley; O'Halloran, Lydia R.; Grace, James B.; Anderson, T. Michael; Bakker, Jonathan D.; Biederman, Lori A.; Brown, Cynthia S.; Buckley, Yvonne M.; Calabrese, Laura B.; Chu, Cheng-Jin; Cleland, Elsa E.; Collins, Scott L.; Cottingham, Kathryn L.; Crawley, Michael J.; Damschen, Ellen Ingman; Davies, Kendi F.; DeCrappeo, Nicole M.; Fay, Philip A.; Firn, Jennifer; Frater, Paul; Gasarch, Eve I.; Gruner, Daneil S.; Hagenah, Nicole; Lambers, Janneke Hille Ris; Humphries, Hope; Jin, Virginia L.; Kay, Adam D.; Kirkman, Kevin P.; Klein, Julia A.; Knops, Johannes M.H.; La Pierre, Kimberly J.; Lambrinos, John G.; Li, Wei; MacDougall, Andrew S.; McCulley, Rebecca L.; Melbourne, Brett A.; Mitchell, Charles E.; Moore, Joslin L.; Morgan, John W.; Mortensen, Brent; Orrock, John L.; Prober, Suzanne M.; Pyke, David A.; Risch, Anita C.; Schuetz, Martin; Smith, Melinda D.; Stevens, Carly J.; Sullivan, Lauren L.; Wang, Gang; Wragg, Peter D.; Wright, Justin P.; Yang, Louie H.

2011-01-01

For more than 30 years, the relationship between net primary productivity and species richness has generated intense debate in ecology about the processes regulating local diversity. The original view, which is still widely accepted, holds that the relationship is hump-shaped, with richness first rising and then declining with increasing productivity. Although recent meta-analyses questioned the generality of hump-shaped patterns, these syntheses have been criticized for failing to account for methodological differences among studies. We addressed such concerns by conducting standardized sampling in 48 herbaceous-dominated plant communities on five continents. We found no clear relationship between productivity and fine-scale (meters-2) richness within sites, within regions, or across the globe. Ecologists should focus on fresh, mechanistic approaches to understanding the multivariate links between productivity an

Chemical diversity of microbial volatiles and their potential for plant growth and productivity

PubMed Central

Kanchiswamy, Chidananda Nagamangala; Malnoy, Mickael; Maffei, Massimo E.

2015-01-01

Microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) are produced by a wide array of microorganisms ranging from bacteria to fungi. A growing body of evidence indicates that MVOCs are ecofriendly and can be exploited as a cost-effective sustainable strategy for use in agricultural practice as agents that enhance plant growth, productivity, and disease resistance. As naturally occurring chemicals, MVOCs have potential as possible alternatives to harmful pesticides, fungicides, and bactericides as well as genetic modification. Recent studies performed under open field conditions demonstrate that efficiently adopting MVOCs may contribute to sustainable crop protection and production. We review here the chemical diversity of MVOCs by describing microbial–plants and microbial–microbial interactions. Furthermore, we discuss MVOCs role in inducing phenotypic plant responses and their potential physiological effects on crops. Finally, we analyze potential and actual limitations for MVOC use and deployment in field conditions as a sustainable strategy for improving productivity and reducing pesticide use. PMID:25821453

Techno-economical efficiency and productivity change of wastewater treatment plants: the role of internal and external factors.

PubMed

Hernández-Sancho, F; Molinos-Senante, M; Sala-Garrido, R

2011-12-01

Efficiency and productivity are important measures for identifying best practice in businesses and optimising resource-use. This study analyses how these two measures change across the period 2003-2008 for 196 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Spain, by using the benchmarking methods of Data Envelopment Analysis and the Malmquist Productivity Index. To identify which variables contribute to the sustainability of the WWTPs, differences in efficiency scores and productivity indices for external factors are also investigated. Our results indicate that both efficiency and productivity decreased over the five years. We verify that the productivity drop is primarily explained by technical change. Furthermore, certain external variables affected WWTP efficiency, including plant size, treatment technology and energy consumption. However, plants with low energy consumption are the only ones which improve their productivity. Finally, the benchmarking analyses proved to be useful as management tools in the wastewater sector, by providing vital information for improving the sustainability of plants.

Aquatic plant Azolla as the universal feedstock for biofuel production.

PubMed

Miranda, Ana F; Biswas, Bijoy; Ramkumar, Narasimhan; Singh, Rawel; Kumar, Jitendra; James, Anton; Roddick, Felicity; Lal, Banwari; Subudhi, Sanjukta; Bhaskar, Thallada; Mouradov, Aidyn

2016-01-01

The quest for sustainable production of renewable and cheap biofuels has triggered an intensive search for domestication of the next generation of bioenergy crops. Aquatic plants which can rapidly colonize wetlands are attracting attention because of their ability to grow in wastewaters and produce large amounts of biomass. Representatives of Azolla species are some of the fastest growing plants, producing substantial biomass when growing in contaminated water and natural ecosystems. Together with their evolutional symbiont, the cyanobacterium Anabaena azollae, Azolla biomass has a unique chemical composition accumulating in each leaf including three major types of bioenergy molecules: cellulose/hemicellulose, starch and lipids, resembling combinations of terrestrial bioenergy crops and microalgae. The growth of Azolla filiculoides in synthetic wastewater led up to 25, 69, 24 and 40 % reduction of NH 4 -N, NO 3 -N, PO 4 -P and selenium, respectively, after 5 days of treatment. This led to a 2.6-fold reduction in toxicity of the treated wastewater to shrimps, common inhabitants of wetlands. Two Azolla species, Azolla filiculoides and Azolla pinnata, were used as feedstock for the production of a range of functional hydrocarbons through hydrothermal liquefaction, bio-hydrogen and bio-ethanol. Given the high annual productivity of Azolla, hydrothermal liquefaction can lead to the theoretical production of 20.2 t/ha-year of bio-oil and 48 t/ha-year of bio-char. The ethanol production from Azolla filiculoides, 11.7 × 10 3  L/ha-year, is close to that from corn stover (13.3 × 10 3  L/ha-year), but higher than from miscanthus (2.3 × 10 3  L/ha-year) and woody plants, such as willow (0.3 × 10 3  L/ha-year) and poplar (1.3 × 10 3  L/ha-year). With a high C/N ratio, fermentation of Azolla biomass generates 2.2 mol/mol glucose/xylose of hydrogen, making this species a competitive feedstock for hydrogen production compared with other bioenergy crops

Use of a Geothermal-Solar Hybrid Power Plant to Mitigate Declines in Geothermal Resource Productivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dan Wendt; Greg Mines

2014-09-01

Many, if not all, geothermal resources are subject to decreasing productivity manifested in the form of decreasing brine temperature, flow rate, or both during the life span of the associated power generation project. The impacts of resource productivity decline on power plant performance can be significant; a reduction in heat input to a power plant not only decreases the thermal energy available for conversion to electrical power, but also adversely impacts the power plant conversion efficiency. The reduction in power generation is directly correlated to a reduction in revenues from power sales. Further, projects with Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) contractsmore » in place may be subject to significant economic penalties if power generation falls below the default level specified. A potential solution to restoring the performance of a power plant operating from a declining productivity geothermal resource involves the use of solar thermal energy to restore the thermal input to the geothermal power plant. There are numerous technical merits associated with a renewable geothermal-solar hybrid plant in which the two heat sources share a common power block. The geo-solar hybrid plant could provide a better match to typical electrical power demand profiles than a stand-alone geothermal plant. The hybrid plant could also eliminate the stand-alone concentrated solar power plant thermal storage requirement for operation during times of low or no solar insolation. This paper identifies hybrid plant configurations and economic conditions for which solar thermal retrofit of a geothermal power plant could improve project economics. The net present value of the concentrated solar thermal retrofit of an air-cooled binary geothermal plant is presented as functions of both solar collector array cost and electricity sales price.« less

Modification of starch metabolism in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana increases plant biomass and triples oilseed production

DOE PAGES

Liu, Fushan; Zhao, Qianru; Mano, Noel; ...

2015-08-19

Here, we have identified a novel means to achieve substantially increased vegetative biomass and oilseed production in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Endogenous isoforms of starch branching enzyme (SBE) were substituted by either one of the endosperm–expressed maize ( Zea mays L.) branching isozymes, ZmSBEI or ZmSBEIIb. Transformants were compared with the starch–free background and with the wild–type plants. Each of the maize–derived SBEs restored starch biosynthesis but both morphology and structure of starch particles were altered. Altered starch metabolism in the transformants is associated with enhanced biomass formation and more–than–trebled oilseed production while maintaining seed oil quality. Enhanced oilseedmore » production is primarily due to an increased number of siliques per plant whereas oil content and seed number per silique are essentially unchanged or even modestly decreased. Introduction of cereal starch branching isozymes into oilseed plants represents a potentially useful strategy to increase biomass and oilseed production in related crops and manipulate the structure and properties of leaf starch.« less

Modification of starch metabolism in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana increases plant biomass and triples oilseed production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Fushan; Zhao, Qianru; Mano, Noel

Here, we have identified a novel means to achieve substantially increased vegetative biomass and oilseed production in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Endogenous isoforms of starch branching enzyme (SBE) were substituted by either one of the endosperm–expressed maize ( Zea mays L.) branching isozymes, ZmSBEI or ZmSBEIIb. Transformants were compared with the starch–free background and with the wild–type plants. Each of the maize–derived SBEs restored starch biosynthesis but both morphology and structure of starch particles were altered. Altered starch metabolism in the transformants is associated with enhanced biomass formation and more–than–trebled oilseed production while maintaining seed oil quality. Enhanced oilseedmore » production is primarily due to an increased number of siliques per plant whereas oil content and seed number per silique are essentially unchanged or even modestly decreased. Introduction of cereal starch branching isozymes into oilseed plants represents a potentially useful strategy to increase biomass and oilseed production in related crops and manipulate the structure and properties of leaf starch.« less

Modification of starch metabolism in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana increases plant biomass and triples oilseed production.

PubMed

Liu, Fushan; Zhao, Qianru; Mano, Noel; Ahmed, Zaheer; Nitschke, Felix; Cai, Yinqqi; Chapman, Kent D; Steup, Martin; Tetlow, Ian J; Emes, Michael J

2016-03-01

We have identified a novel means to achieve substantially increased vegetative biomass and oilseed production in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Endogenous isoforms of starch branching enzyme (SBE) were substituted by either one of the endosperm-expressed maize (Zea mays L.) branching isozymes, ZmSBEI or ZmSBEIIb. Transformants were compared with the starch-free background and with the wild-type plants. Each of the maize-derived SBEs restored starch biosynthesis but both morphology and structure of starch particles were altered. Altered starch metabolism in the transformants is associated with enhanced biomass formation and more-than-trebled oilseed production while maintaining seed oil quality. Enhanced oilseed production is primarily due to an increased number of siliques per plant whereas oil content and seed number per silique are essentially unchanged or even modestly decreased. Introduction of cereal starch branching isozymes into oilseed plants represents a potentially useful strategy to increase biomass and oilseed production in related crops and manipulate the structure and properties of leaf starch. © 2015 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Increased light-use efficiency sustains net primary productivity of shaded coffee plants in agroforestry system.

PubMed

Charbonnier, Fabien; Roupsard, Olivier; le Maire, Guerric; Guillemot, Joannès; Casanoves, Fernando; Lacointe, André; Vaast, Philippe; Allinne, Clémentine; Audebert, Louise; Cambou, Aurélie; Clément-Vidal, Anne; Defrenet, Elsa; Duursma, Remko A; Jarri, Laura; Jourdan, Christophe; Khac, Emmanuelle; Leandro, Patricia; Medlyn, Belinda E; Saint-André, Laurent; Thaler, Philippe; Van Den Meersche, Karel; Barquero Aguilar, Alejandra; Lehner, Peter; Dreyer, Erwin

2017-08-01

In agroforestry systems, shade trees strongly affect the physiology of the undergrown crop. However, a major paradigm is that the reduction in absorbed photosynthetically active radiation is, to a certain extent, compensated by an increase in light-use efficiency, thereby reducing the difference in net primary productivity between shaded and non-shaded plants. Due to the large spatial heterogeneity in agroforestry systems and the lack of appropriate tools, the combined effects of such variables have seldom been analysed, even though they may help understand physiological processes underlying yield dynamics. In this study, we monitored net primary productivity, during two years, on scales ranging from individual coffee plants to the entire plot. Absorbed radiation was mapped with a 3D model (MAESPA). Light-use efficiency and net assimilation rate were derived for each coffee plant individually. We found that although irradiance was reduced by 60% below crowns of shade trees, coffee light-use efficiency increased by 50%, leaving net primary productivity fairly stable across all shade levels. Variability of aboveground net primary productivity of coffee plants was caused primarily by the age of the plants and by intraspecific competition among them (drivers usually overlooked in the agroforestry literature) rather than by the presence of shade trees. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Metabolic engineering approaches for production of biochemicals in food and medicinal plants.

PubMed

Wilson, Sarah A; Roberts, Susan C

2014-04-01

Historically, plants are a vital source of nutrients and pharmaceuticals. Recent advances in metabolic engineering have made it possible to not only increase the concentration of desired compounds, but also introduce novel biosynthetic pathways to a variety of species, allowing for enhanced nutritional or commercial value. To improve metabolic engineering capabilities, new transformation techniques have been developed to allow for gene specific silencing strategies or stacking of multiple genes within the same region of the chromosome. The 'omics' era has provided a new resource for elucidation of uncharacterized biosynthetic pathways, enabling novel metabolic engineering approaches. These resources are now allowing for advanced metabolic engineering of plant production systems, as well as the synthesis of increasingly complex products in engineered microbial hosts. The status of current metabolic engineering efforts is highlighted for the in vitro production of paclitaxel and the in vivo production of β-carotene in Golden Rice and other food crops. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Storage of plant protection products in farms: minimum safety requirements].

PubMed

Dutto, Moreno; Alfonzo, Santo; Rubbiani, Maristella

2012-01-01

Failure to comply with requirements for proper storage and use of pesticides in farms can be extremely hazardous and the risk of accidents involving farm workers, other persons and even animals is high. There are still wide differences in the interpretation of the concept of "securing or making safe", by workers in this sector. One of the critical points detected, particularly in the fruit sector, is the establishment of an adequate storage site for plant protection products. The definition of "safe storage of pesticides" is still unclear despite the recent enactment of Legislative Decree 81/2008 regulating health and work safety in Italy. In addition, there are no national guidelines setting clear minimum criteria for storage of plant protection products in farms. The authors, on the basis of their professional experience and through analysis of recent legislation, establish certain minimum safety standards for storage of pesticides in farms.

Responses of plant community composition and biomass production to warming and nitrogen deposition in a temperate meadow ecosystem.

PubMed

Zhang, Tao; Guo, Rui; Gao, Song; Guo, Jixun; Sun, Wei

2015-01-01

Climate change has profound influences on plant community composition and ecosystem functions. However, its effects on plant community composition and biomass production are not well understood. A four-year field experiment was conducted to examine the effects of warming, nitrogen (N) addition, and their interactions on plant community composition and biomass production in a temperate meadow ecosystem in northeast China. Experimental warming had no significant effect on plant species richness, evenness, and diversity, while N addition highly reduced the species richness and diversity. Warming tended to reduce the importance value of graminoid species but increased the value of forbs, while N addition had the opposite effect. Warming tended to increase the belowground biomass, but had an opposite tendency to decrease the aboveground biomass. The influences of warming on aboveground production were dependent upon precipitation. Experimental warming had little effect on aboveground biomass in the years with higher precipitation, but significantly suppressed aboveground biomass in dry years. Our results suggest that warming had indirect effects on plant production via its effect on the water availability. Nitrogen addition significantly increased above- and below-ground production, suggesting that N is one of the most important limiting factors determining plant productivity in the studied meadow steppe. Significant interactive effects of warming plus N addition on belowground biomass were also detected. Our observations revealed that environmental changes (warming and N deposition) play significant roles in regulating plant community composition and biomass production in temperate meadow steppe ecosystem in northeast China.

Responses of Plant Community Composition and Biomass Production to Warming and Nitrogen Deposition in a Temperate Meadow Ecosystem

PubMed Central

Gao, Song; Guo, Jixun; Sun, Wei

2015-01-01

Climate change has profound influences on plant community composition and ecosystem functions. However, its effects on plant community composition and biomass production are not well understood. A four-year field experiment was conducted to examine the effects of warming, nitrogen (N) addition, and their interactions on plant community composition and biomass production in a temperate meadow ecosystem in northeast China. Experimental warming had no significant effect on plant species richness, evenness, and diversity, while N addition highly reduced the species richness and diversity. Warming tended to reduce the importance value of graminoid species but increased the value of forbs, while N addition had the opposite effect. Warming tended to increase the belowground biomass, but had an opposite tendency to decrease the aboveground biomass. The influences of warming on aboveground production were dependent upon precipitation. Experimental warming had little effect on aboveground biomass in the years with higher precipitation, but significantly suppressed aboveground biomass in dry years. Our results suggest that warming had indirect effects on plant production via its effect on the water availability. Nitrogen addition significantly increased above- and below-ground production, suggesting that N is one of the most important limiting factors determining plant productivity in the studied meadow steppe. Significant interactive effects of warming plus N addition on belowground biomass were also detected. Our observations revealed that environmental changes (warming and N deposition) play significant roles in regulating plant community composition and biomass production in temperate meadow steppe ecosystem in northeast China. PMID:25874975

A DNA replicon system for rapid high-level production of virus-like particles in plants.

PubMed

Huang, Zhong; Chen, Qiang; Hjelm, Brooke; Arntzen, Charles; Mason, Hugh

2009-07-01

Recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs) represent a safe and effective vaccine strategy. We previously described a stable transgenic plant system for inexpensive production and oral delivery of VLP vaccines. However, the relatively low-level antigen accumulation and long-time frame to produce transgenic plants are the two major roadblocks in the practical development of plant-based VLP production. In this article, we describe the optimization of geminivirus-derived DNA replicon vectors for rapid, high-yield plant-based production of VLPs. Co-delivery of bean yellow dwarf virus (BeYDV)-derived vector and Rep/RepA-supplying vector by agroinfiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves resulted in efficient replicon amplification and robust protein production within 5 days. Co-expression of the P19 protein of tomato bush stunt virus, a gene silencing inhibitor, further enhanced VLP accumulation by stabilizing the mRNA. With this system, hepatitis B core antigen (HBc) and Norwalk virus capsid protein (NVCP) were produced at 0.80 and 0.34 mg/g leaf fresh weight, respectively. Sedimentation analysis and electron microscopy of transiently expressed antigens verified the efficient assembly of VLPs. Furthermore, a single replicon vector containing a built-in Rep/RepA cassette without P19 drove protein expression at similar levels as the three-component system. These results demonstrate the advantages of fast and high-level production of VLP-based vaccines using the BeYDV-derived DNA replicon system for transient expression in plants. (c) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A DNA replicon system for rapid high-level production of virus-like particles in plants

PubMed Central

Huang, Zhong; Chen, Qiang; Hjelm, Brooke; Arntzen, Charles

2009-01-01

Recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs) represent a safe and effective vaccine strategy. We previously described a stable transgenic plant system for inexpensive production and oral delivery of VLP vaccines. However, the relatively low level antigen accumulation and long time frame to produce transgenic plants are the two major roadblocks in the practical development of plant-based VLP production. In this paper, we describe the optimization of geminivirus-derived DNA replicon vectors for rapid, high-yield plant-based production of VLPs. Co-delivery of bean yellow dwarf virus (BeYDV)-derived vector and Rep/RepA-supplying vector by agroinfiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves resulted in efficient replicon amplification and robust protein production within five days. Co-expression of the P19 protein of tomato bush stunt virus, a gene silencing inhibitor, further enhanced VLP accumulation by stabilizing the mRNA. With this system, hepatitis B core antigen (HBc) and Norwalk virus capsid protein (NVCP) were produced at 0.80 and 0.34 mg/g leaf fresh weight, respectively. Sedimentation analysis and electron microscopy of transiently expressed antigens verified the efficient assembly of VLPs. Furthermore, a single replicon vector containing a built-in Rep/RepA cassette without p19 drove protein expression at similar levels as the three-component system. These results demonstrate the advantages of fast and high-level production of VLP-based vaccines using the BeYDV-derived DNA replicon system for transient expression in plants. PMID:19309755

Plant diversity enhances productivity and soil carbon storage

PubMed Central

Chen, Shiping; Wang, Wantong; Xu, Wenting; Wang, Yang; Wan, Hongwei; Tang, Xuli; Zhou, Guoyi; Xie, Zongqiang; Zhou, Daowei; Shangguan, Zhouping; Huang, Jianhui; Wang, Yanfen; Sheng, Jiandong; Tang, Lisong; Li, Xinrong; Dong, Ming; Wu, Yan; Wang, Qiufeng; Wu, Jianguo; Chapin, F. Stuart; Bai, Yongfei

2018-01-01

Despite evidence from experimental grasslands that plant diversity increases biomass production and soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, it remains unclear whether this is true in natural ecosystems, especially under climatic variations and human disturbances. Based on field observations from 6,098 forest, shrubland, and grassland sites across China and predictions from an integrative model combining multiple theories, we systematically examined the direct effects of climate, soils, and human impacts on SOC storage versus the indirect effects mediated by species richness (SR), aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), and belowground biomass (BB). We found that favorable climates (high temperature and precipitation) had a consistent negative effect on SOC storage in forests and shrublands, but not in grasslands. Climate favorability, particularly high precipitation, was associated with both higher SR and higher BB, which had consistent positive effects on SOC storage, thus offsetting the direct negative effect of favorable climate on SOC. The indirect effects of climate on SOC storage depended on the relationships of SR with ANPP and BB, which were consistently positive in all biome types. In addition, human disturbance and soil pH had both direct and indirect effects on SOC storage, with the indirect effects mediated by changes in SR, ANPP, and BB. High soil pH had a consistently negative effect on SOC storage. Our findings have important implications for improving global carbon cycling models and ecosystem management: Maintaining high levels of diversity can enhance soil carbon sequestration and help sustain the benefits of plant diversity and productivity. PMID:29666315

Plant diversity enhances productivity and soil carbon storage.

PubMed

Chen, Shiping; Wang, Wantong; Xu, Wenting; Wang, Yang; Wan, Hongwei; Chen, Dima; Tang, Zhiyao; Tang, Xuli; Zhou, Guoyi; Xie, Zongqiang; Zhou, Daowei; Shangguan, Zhouping; Huang, Jianhui; He, Jin-Sheng; Wang, Yanfen; Sheng, Jiandong; Tang, Lisong; Li, Xinrong; Dong, Ming; Wu, Yan; Wang, Qiufeng; Wang, Zhiheng; Wu, Jianguo; Chapin, F Stuart; Bai, Yongfei

2018-04-17

Despite evidence from experimental grasslands that plant diversity increases biomass production and soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, it remains unclear whether this is true in natural ecosystems, especially under climatic variations and human disturbances. Based on field observations from 6,098 forest, shrubland, and grassland sites across China and predictions from an integrative model combining multiple theories, we systematically examined the direct effects of climate, soils, and human impacts on SOC storage versus the indirect effects mediated by species richness (SR), aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), and belowground biomass (BB). We found that favorable climates (high temperature and precipitation) had a consistent negative effect on SOC storage in forests and shrublands, but not in grasslands. Climate favorability, particularly high precipitation, was associated with both higher SR and higher BB, which had consistent positive effects on SOC storage, thus offsetting the direct negative effect of favorable climate on SOC. The indirect effects of climate on SOC storage depended on the relationships of SR with ANPP and BB, which were consistently positive in all biome types. In addition, human disturbance and soil pH had both direct and indirect effects on SOC storage, with the indirect effects mediated by changes in SR, ANPP, and BB. High soil pH had a consistently negative effect on SOC storage. Our findings have important implications for improving global carbon cycling models and ecosystem management: Maintaining high levels of diversity can enhance soil carbon sequestration and help sustain the benefits of plant diversity and productivity.

Biotechnological Strategies to Improve Plant Biomass Quality for Bioethanol Production

PubMed Central

del Moral, Sandra; Núñez-López, Lizeth; Barrera-Figueroa, Blanca E.; Amaya-Delgado, Lorena

2017-01-01

The transition from an economy dependent on nonrenewable energy sources to one with higher diversity of renewables will not be a simple process. It requires an important research effort to adapt to the dynamics of the changing energy market, sort costly processes, and avoid overlapping with social interest markets such as food and livestock production. In this review, we analyze the desirable traits of raw plant materials for the bioethanol industry and the molecular biotechnology strategies employed to improve them, in either plants already under use (as maize) or proposed species (large grass families). The fundamentals of these applications can be found in the mechanisms by which plants have evolved different pathways to manage carbon resources for reproduction or survival in unexpected conditions. Here, we review the means by which this information can be used to manipulate these mechanisms for commercial uses, including saccharification improvement of starch and cellulose, decrease in cell wall recalcitrance through lignin modification, and increase in plant biomass. PMID:28951875

29 CFR 788.11 - “Transporting [such] products to the mill, processing plant, railroad, or other transportation...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false âTransporting [such] products to the mill, processing plant... EMPLOYED § 788.11 “Transporting [such] products to the mill, processing plant, railroad, or other transportation terminal.” The transportation or movement of logs or other forestry products to a “mill processing...

PKI solar thermal plant evaluation at Capitol Concrete Products, Topeka, Kansas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauger, J. S.; Borton, D. N.

1982-07-01

A system feasibility test to determine the technical and operational feasibility of using a solar collector to provide industrial process heat is discussed. The test is of a solar collector system in an industrial test bed plant at Capitol Concrete Products in Topeka, Kansas, with an experiment control at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque. Plant evaluation will occur during a year-long period of industrial utilization. It will include performance testing, operability testing, and system failure analysis. Performance data will be recorded by a data acquisition system. User, community, and environmental inputs will be recorded in logs, journals, and files. Plant installation, start-up, and evaluation, are anticipated for late November, 1981.

PKI solar thermal plant evaluation at Capitol Concrete Products, Topeka, Kansas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hauger, J. S.; Borton, D. N.

1982-01-01

A system feasibility test to determine the technical and operational feasibility of using a solar collector to provide industrial process heat is discussed. The test is of a solar collector system in an industrial test bed plant at Capitol Concrete Products in Topeka, Kansas, with an experiment control at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque. Plant evaluation will occur during a year-long period of industrial utilization. It will include performance testing, operability testing, and system failure analysis. Performance data will be recorded by a data acquisition system. User, community, and environmental inputs will be recorded in logs, journals, and files. Plant installation, start-up, and evaluation, are anticipated for late November, 1981.

Isolated and Community Contexts Produce Distinct Responses by Host Plants to the Presence of Ant-Aphid Interaction: Plant Productivity and Seed Viability.

PubMed

Canedo-Júnior, Ernesto Oliveira; Santiago, Graziele Silva; Zurlo, Luana Fonseca; Ribas, Carla Rodrigues; Carvalho, Rafaela Pereira; Alves, Guilherme Pereira; Carvalho, Mariana Comanucci Silva; Souza, Brígida

2017-01-01

Ant-aphid interactions may affect host plants in several ways, however, most studies measure only the amount of fruit and seed produced, and do not test seed viability. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of the presence of ant-aphid interactions upon host plant productivity and seed viability in two different contexts: isolated and within an arthropod community. For this purpose we tested the hypothesis that in both isolated and community contexts, the presence of an ant-aphid interaction will have a positive effect on fruit and seed production, seed biomass and rate of seed germination, and a negative effect on abnormal seedling rates, in comparison to plants without ants. We performed a field mesocosm experiment containing five treatments: Ant-aphid, Aphid, Community, Ant-free community and Control. We counted fruits and seeds produced by each treatment, and conducted experiments for seed biomass and germinability. We found that in the community context the presence of an ant-aphid interaction negatively affected fruit and seed production. We think this may be because aphid attendance by tending-ants promotes aphid damage to the host plant, but without an affect on seed weight and viability. On the other hand, when isolated, the presence of an ant-aphid interaction positively affected fruit and seed production. These positive effects are related to the cleaning services offered to aphids by tending-ants, which prevent the development of saprophytic fungi on the surface of leaves, which would cause a decrease in photosynthetic rates. Our study is important because we evaluated some parameters of plant fitness that have not been addressed very well by other studies involving the effects of ant-aphid interactions mainly on plants with short life cycles. Lastly, our context dependent approach sheds new light on how ecological interactions can vary among different methods of crop management.

Isolated and Community Contexts Produce Distinct Responses by Host Plants to the Presence of Ant-Aphid Interaction: Plant Productivity and Seed Viability

PubMed Central

Santiago, Graziele Silva; Zurlo, Luana Fonseca; Ribas, Carla Rodrigues; Carvalho, Rafaela Pereira; Alves, Guilherme Pereira; Carvalho, Mariana Comanucci Silva; Souza, Brígida

2017-01-01

Ant-aphid interactions may affect host plants in several ways, however, most studies measure only the amount of fruit and seed produced, and do not test seed viability. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of the presence of ant-aphid interactions upon host plant productivity and seed viability in two different contexts: isolated and within an arthropod community. For this purpose we tested the hypothesis that in both isolated and community contexts, the presence of an ant-aphid interaction will have a positive effect on fruit and seed production, seed biomass and rate of seed germination, and a negative effect on abnormal seedling rates, in comparison to plants without ants. We performed a field mesocosm experiment containing five treatments: Ant-aphid, Aphid, Community, Ant-free community and Control. We counted fruits and seeds produced by each treatment, and conducted experiments for seed biomass and germinability. We found that in the community context the presence of an ant-aphid interaction negatively affected fruit and seed production. We think this may be because aphid attendance by tending-ants promotes aphid damage to the host plant, but without an affect on seed weight and viability. On the other hand, when isolated, the presence of an ant-aphid interaction positively affected fruit and seed production. These positive effects are related to the cleaning services offered to aphids by tending-ants, which prevent the development of saprophytic fungi on the surface of leaves, which would cause a decrease in photosynthetic rates. Our study is important because we evaluated some parameters of plant fitness that have not been addressed very well by other studies involving the effects of ant-aphid interactions mainly on plants with short life cycles. Lastly, our context dependent approach sheds new light on how ecological interactions can vary among different methods of crop management. PMID:28141849

Steam explosion and its combinatorial pretreatment refining technology of plant biomass to bio-based products.

PubMed

Chen, Hong-Zhang; Liu, Zhi-Hua

2015-06-01

Pretreatment is a key unit operation affecting the refinery efficiency of plant biomass. However, the poor efficiency of pretreatment and the lack of basic theory are the main challenges to the industrial implementation of the plant biomass refinery. The purpose of this work is to review steam explosion and its combinatorial pretreatment as a means of overcoming the intrinsic characteristics of plant biomass, including recalcitrance, heterogeneity, multi-composition, and diversity. The main advantages of the selective use of steam explosion and other combinatorial pretreatments across the diversity of raw materials are introduced. Combinatorial pretreatment integrated with other unit operations is proposed as a means to exploit the high-efficiency production of bio-based products from plant biomass. Finally, several pilot- and demonstration-scale operations of the plant biomass refinery are described. Based on the principle of selective function and structure fractionation, and multi-level and directional composition conversion, an integrated process with the combinatorial pretreatments of steam explosion and other pretreatments as the core should be feasible and conform to the plant biomass refinery concept. Combinatorial pretreatments of steam explosion and other pretreatments should be further exploited based on the type and intrinsic characteristics of the plant biomass used, the bio-based products to be made, and the complementarity of the processes. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Plant diversity effects on grassland productivity are robust to both nutrient enrichment and drought

PubMed Central

Isbell, Forest; Manning, Pete; Connolly, John; Bruelheide, Helge; Ebeling, Anne; Roscher, Christiane; van Ruijven, Jasper; Weigelt, Alexandra; Wilsey, Brian; Beierkuhnlein, Carl; de Luca, Enrica; Griffin, John N.; Hautier, Yann; Hector, Andy; Jentsch, Anke; Kreyling, Jürgen; Lanta, Vojtech; Loreau, Michel; Meyer, Sebastian T.; Mori, Akira S.; Naeem, Shahid; Palmborg, Cecilia; Polley, H. Wayne; Reich, Peter B.; Schmid, Bernhard; Siebenkäs, Alrun; Seabloom, Eric; Thakur, Madhav P.; Tilman, David; Vogel, Anja; Eisenhauer, Nico

2016-01-01

Global change drivers are rapidly altering resource availability and biodiversity. While there is consensus that greater biodiversity increases the functioning of ecosystems, the extent to which biodiversity buffers ecosystem productivity in response to changes in resource availability remains unclear. We use data from 16 grassland experiments across North America and Europe that manipulated plant species richness and one of two essential resources—soil nutrients or water—to assess the direction and strength of the interaction between plant diversity and resource alteration on above-ground productivity and net biodiversity, complementarity, and selection effects. Despite strong increases in productivity with nutrient addition and decreases in productivity with drought, we found that resource alterations did not alter biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships. Our results suggest that these relationships are largely determined by increases in complementarity effects along plant species richness gradients. Although nutrient addition reduced complementarity effects at high diversity, this appears to be due to high biomass in monocultures under nutrient enrichment. Our results indicate that diversity and the complementarity of species are important regulators of grassland ecosystem productivity, regardless of changes in other drivers of ecosystem function. PMID:27114579

Non-Edible Plant Oils as New Sources for Biodiesel Production

PubMed Central

Chhetri, Arjun B.; Tango, Martin S.; Budge, Suzanne M.; Watts, K. Chris; Islam, M. Rafiqul

2008-01-01

Due to the concern on the availability of recoverable fossil fuel reserves and the environmental problems caused by the use those fossil fuels, considerable attention has been given to biodiesel production as an alternative to petrodiesel. However, as the biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils and animal fats, there are concerns that biodiesel feedstock may compete with food supply in the long-term. Hence, the recent focus is to find oil bearing plants that produce non-edible oils as the feedstock for biodiesel production. In this paper, two plant species, soapnut (Sapindus mukorossi) and jatropha (jatropha curcas, L.) are discussed as newer sources of oil for biodiesel production. Experimental analysis showed that both oils have great potential to be used as feedstock for biodiesel production. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) from cold pressed soapnut seed oil was envisaged as biodiesel source for the first time. Soapnut oil was found to have average of 9.1% free FA, 84.43% triglycerides, 4.88% sterol and 1.59% others. Jatropha oil contains approximately 14% free FA, approximately 5% higher than soapnut oil. Soapnut oil biodiesel contains approximately 85% unsaturated FA while jatropha oil biodiesel was found to have approximately 80% unsaturated FA. Oleic acid was found to be the dominant FA in both soapnut and jatropha biodiesel. Over 97% conversion to FAME was achieved for both soapnut and jatropha oil. PMID:19325741

Production of engineered long-life and male sterile Pelargonium plants

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Pelargonium is one of the most popular garden plants in the world. Moreover, it has a considerable economic importance in the ornamental plant market. Conventional cross-breeding strategies have generated a range of cultivars with excellent traits. However, gene transfer via Agrobacterium tumefaciens could be a helpful tool to further improve Pelargonium by enabling the introduction of new genes/traits. We report a simple and reliable protocol for the genetic transformation of Pelargonium spp. and the production of engineered long-life and male sterile Pelargonium zonale plants, using the pSAG12::ipt and PsEND1::barnase chimaeric genes respectively. Results The pSAG12::ipt transgenic plants showed delayed leaf senescence, increased branching and reduced internodal length, as compared to control plants. Leaves and flowers of the pSAG12::ipt plants were reduced in size and displayed a more intense coloration. In the transgenic lines carrying the PsEND1::barnase construct no pollen grains were observed in the modified anther structures, which developed instead of normal anthers. The locules of sterile anthers collapsed 3–4 days prior to floral anthesis and, in most cases, the undeveloped anther tissues underwent necrosis. Conclusion The chimaeric construct pSAG12::ipt can be useful in Pelargonium spp. to delay the senescence process and to modify plant architecture. In addition, the use of engineered male sterile plants would be especially useful to produce environmentally friendly transgenic plants carrying new traits by preventing gene flow between the genetically modified ornamentals and related plant species. These characteristics could be of interest, from a commercial point of view, both for pelargonium producers and consumers. PMID:22935247

Production of engineered long-life and male sterile Pelargonium plants.

PubMed

García-Sogo, Begoña; Pineda, Benito; Roque, Edelín; Antón, Teresa; Atarés, Alejandro; Borja, Marisé; Beltrán, José Pío; Moreno, Vicente; Cañas, Luis Antonio

2012-08-31

Pelargonium is one of the most popular garden plants in the world. Moreover, it has a considerable economic importance in the ornamental plant market. Conventional cross-breeding strategies have generated a range of cultivars with excellent traits. However, gene transfer via Agrobacterium tumefaciens could be a helpful tool to further improve Pelargonium by enabling the introduction of new genes/traits. We report a simple and reliable protocol for the genetic transformation of Pelargonium spp. and the production of engineered long-life and male sterile Pelargonium zonale plants, using the pSAG12::ipt and PsEND1::barnase chimaeric genes respectively. The pSAG12::ipt transgenic plants showed delayed leaf senescence, increased branching and reduced internodal length, as compared to control plants. Leaves and flowers of the pSAG12::ipt plants were reduced in size and displayed a more intense coloration. In the transgenic lines carrying the PsEND1::barnase construct no pollen grains were observed in the modified anther structures, which developed instead of normal anthers. The locules of sterile anthers collapsed 3-4 days prior to floral anthesis and, in most cases, the undeveloped anther tissues underwent necrosis. The chimaeric construct pSAG12::ipt can be useful in Pelargonium spp. to delay the senescence process and to modify plant architecture. In addition, the use of engineered male sterile plants would be especially useful to produce environmentally friendly transgenic plants carrying new traits by preventing gene flow between the genetically modified ornamentals and related plant species. These characteristics could be of interest, from a commercial point of view, both for pelargonium producers and consumers.

Prescribed Fire, Grazing and Herbaceous Plant Production in Shortgrass Steppe

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We examined the independent and combined effects of prescribed fire and livestock grazing on soil resources and herbaceous plant production in shortgrass steppe in northeastern Colorado. Burning was implemented in March, prior to the onset of the growing season. During the first post-burn growing se...

Greenhouse production of Impatiens wallerana using a controlled-release fertiliser produces quality finished plants with enhanced garden performance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nutrient management during production can greatly influence post-production quality of plants. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of controlled release fertilizer (CRF) applied at the time of plug planting on the garden performance (post-production) of impatiens (Impatiens wal...

Risk analysis of sterile production plants: a new and simple, workable approach.

PubMed

Gapp, Guenther; Holzknecht, Peter

2011-01-01

A sterile active ingredient plant and a sterile finished dosage filling plant both comprise very complex production processes and systems. The sterility of the final product cannot be assured solely by sterility testing, in-process controls, environmental monitoring of cleanrooms, and media fill validations. Based on more than 15 years experience, 4 years ago the authors created a new but very simple approach to the risk analysis of sterile plants. This approach is not a failure mode and effects analysis and therefore differs from the PDA Technical Report 44 Quality Risk Management for Aseptic Processes of 2008. The principle involves specific questions, which have been defined in the risk analysis questionnaire in advance, to be answered by an expert team. If the questionnaire item is dealt with appropriately, the answer is assigned a low-risk number (1) and if very weak or deficient it gets a high-risk number (5). In addition to the numbers, colors from green (not problematic) through orange to red (very problematic) are attributed to make the results more striking. Because the individual units of each production plant have a defined and different impact on the overall sterility of the final product, different risk emphasis factors have to be taken into account (impact factor 1, 3, or 5). In a well run cleanroom, the cleanroom operators have a lower impact than other units with regard to the contamination risk. The resulting number of the analyzed production plant and the diagram of the assessment subsequently offers very important and valuable information about a) the risk for microbiological contamination (sterility/endotoxins) of the product, and b) the compliance status of the production plant and the risk of failing lots, as well as probable observations of upcoming regulatory agency audits. Both items above are highly important for the safety of the patient. It is also an ideal tool to identify deficient or weak systems requiring improvement and upgrade

Planting pattern and weed control method influence on yield production of corn (Zea mays L.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purba, E.; Nasution, D. P.

2018-02-01

Field experiment was carried out to evaluate the influence of planting patterns and weed control methods on the growth and yield of corn. The effect of the planting pattern and weed control method was studied in a split plot design. The main plots were that of planting pattern single row (25cm x 60cm), double row (25cm x 25cm x 60cm) and triangle row ( 25cm x 25cm x 25cm). Subplot was that of weed control method consisted five methods namely weed free throughout the growing season, hand weeding, sprayed with glyphosate, sprayed with paraquat, and no weeding.. Result showed that both planting pattern and weed control method did not affect the growth of corn. However, planting pattern and weed control method significantly affected yield production. Yield resulted from double row and triangle planting pattern was 14% and 41% higher, consecutively, than that of single row pattern. The triangle planting pattern combined with any weed control method produced the highest yield production of corn.

Trade-offs in plant responses to herbivory influence trophic routes of production in a freshwater wetland.

PubMed

Cherry, Julia A; Gough, Laura

2009-09-01

Responses of aquatic macrophytes to leaf herbivory may differ from those documented for terrestrial plants, in part, because the potential to maximize growth following herbivory may be limited by the stress of being rooted in flooded, anaerobic sediments. Herbivory on aquatic macrophytes may have ecosystem consequences by altering the allocation of nutrients and production of biomass within individual plants and changing the quality and quantity of aboveground biomass available to consumers or decomposers. To test the effects of leaf herbivory on plant growth and production, herbivory of a dominant macrophyte, Nymphaea odorata, by chrysomelid beetles and crambid moths was controlled during a 2-year field experiment. Plants exposed to herbivory maintained, or tended to increase, biomass and aboveground net primary production relative to controls, which resulted in 1.5 times more aboveground primary production entering the detrital pathway of the wetland. In a complementary greenhouse experiment, the effects of simulated leaf herbivory on total plant responses, including biomass and nutrient allocation, were investigated. Plants in the greenhouse responded to moderate herbivory by maintaining aboveground biomass relative to controls, but this response occurred at the expense of belowground growth. Results of these studies suggest that N. odorata may tolerate moderate levels of herbivory by reallocating biomass and resources aboveground, which in turn influences the quantity, quality and fate of organic matter available to herbivores and decomposers.

Plant productivity in controlled environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salisbury, F. B.; Bugbee, B.

1988-01-01

To assess the cost and area/volume requirements of a farm in a space station or Lunar or Martian base, a few laboratories in the United States, the Soviet Union, France, and Japan are studying optimum controlled environments for the production of selected crops. Temperature, light, photoperiod, CO2, humidity, the root-zone environment, and cultivars are the primary factors being manipulated to increase yields and harvest index. Our best wheat yields on a time basis (24 g m-2 day-1 of edible biomass) are five times good field yields and twice the world record. Similar yields have been obtained in other laboratories with potatoes and lettuce; soybeans are also promising. These figures suggest that approximately 30 m2 under continuous production could support an astronaut with sufficient protein and about 2800 kcal day-1. Scientists under Iosif Gitelzon in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, have lived in a closed system for up to 5 months, producing 80% of their own food. Thirty square meters for crops were allotted to each of the two men taking part in the experiment. A functional controlled-environment life-support system (CELSS) will require the refined application of several disciplines: controlled-environment agriculture, food preparation, waste disposal, and control-systems technology, to list only the broadest categories. It has seemed intuitively evident that ways could be found to prepare food, regenerate plant nutrients from wastes, and even control and integrate several subsystems of a CELSS. But could sufficient food be produced in the limited areas and with the limited energy that might be available? Clearly, detailed studies of food production were necessary.

Plant productivity in controlled environments.

PubMed

Salisbury, F B; Bugbee, B

1988-04-01

To assess the cost and area/volume requirements of a farm in a space station or Lunar or Martian base, a few laboratories in the United States, the Soviet Union, France, and Japan are studying optimum controlled environments for the production of selected crops. Temperature, light, photoperiod, CO2, humidity, the root-zone environment, and cultivars are the primary factors being manipulated to increase yields and harvest index. Our best wheat yields on a time basis (24 g m-2 day-1 of edible biomass) are five times good field yields and twice the world record. Similar yields have been obtained in other laboratories with potatoes and lettuce; soybeans are also promising. These figures suggest that approximately 30 m2 under continuous production could support an astronaut with sufficient protein and about 2800 kcal day-1. Scientists under Iosif Gitelzon in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, have lived in a closed system for up to 5 months, producing 80% of their own food. Thirty square meters for crops were allotted to each of the two men taking part in the experiment. A functional controlled-environment life-support system (CELSS) will require the refined application of several disciplines: controlled-environment agriculture, food preparation, waste disposal, and control-systems technology, to list only the broadest categories. It has seemed intuitively evident that ways could be found to prepare food, regenerate plant nutrients from wastes, and even control and integrate several subsystems of a CELSS. But could sufficient food be produced in the limited areas and with the limited energy that might be available? Clearly, detailed studies of food production were necessary.

Shifting plant species composition in response to climate change stabilizes grassland primary production

PubMed Central

Liu, Huiying; Mi, Zhaorong; Lin, Li; Wang, Yonghui; Zhang, Zhenhua; Zhang, Fawei; Wang, Hao; Liu, Lingli; Zhu, Biao; Cao, Guangmin; Zhao, Xinquan; Sanders, Nathan J.; Reich, Peter B.

2018-01-01

The structure and function of alpine grassland ecosystems, including their extensive soil carbon stocks, are largely shaped by temperature. The Tibetan Plateau in particular has experienced significant warming over the past 50 y, and this warming trend is projected to intensify in the future. Such climate change will likely alter plant species composition and net primary production (NPP). Here we combined 32 y of observations and monitoring with a manipulative experiment of temperature and precipitation to explore the effects of changing climate on plant community structure and ecosystem function. First, long-term climate warming from 1983 to 2014, which occurred without systematic changes in precipitation, led to higher grass abundance and lower sedge abundance, but did not affect aboveground NPP. Second, an experimental warming experiment conducted over 4 y had no effects on any aspect of NPP, whereas drought manipulation (reducing precipitation by 50%), shifted NPP allocation belowground without affecting total NPP. Third, both experimental warming and drought treatments, supported by a meta-analysis at nine sites across the plateau, increased grass abundance at the expense of biomass of sedges and forbs. This shift in functional group composition led to deeper root systems, which may have enabled plant communities to acquire more water and thus stabilize ecosystem primary production even with a changing climate. Overall, our study demonstrates that shifting plant species composition in response to climate change may have stabilized primary production in this high-elevation ecosystem, but it also caused a shift from aboveground to belowground productivity. PMID:29666319

Shifting plant species composition in response to climate change stabilizes grassland primary production.

PubMed

Liu, Huiying; Mi, Zhaorong; Lin, Li; Wang, Yonghui; Zhang, Zhenhua; Zhang, Fawei; Wang, Hao; Liu, Lingli; Zhu, Biao; Cao, Guangmin; Zhao, Xinquan; Sanders, Nathan J; Classen, Aimée T; Reich, Peter B; He, Jin-Sheng

2018-04-17

The structure and function of alpine grassland ecosystems, including their extensive soil carbon stocks, are largely shaped by temperature. The Tibetan Plateau in particular has experienced significant warming over the past 50 y, and this warming trend is projected to intensify in the future. Such climate change will likely alter plant species composition and net primary production (NPP). Here we combined 32 y of observations and monitoring with a manipulative experiment of temperature and precipitation to explore the effects of changing climate on plant community structure and ecosystem function. First, long-term climate warming from 1983 to 2014, which occurred without systematic changes in precipitation, led to higher grass abundance and lower sedge abundance, but did not affect aboveground NPP. Second, an experimental warming experiment conducted over 4 y had no effects on any aspect of NPP, whereas drought manipulation (reducing precipitation by 50%), shifted NPP allocation belowground without affecting total NPP. Third, both experimental warming and drought treatments, supported by a meta-analysis at nine sites across the plateau, increased grass abundance at the expense of biomass of sedges and forbs. This shift in functional group composition led to deeper root systems, which may have enabled plant communities to acquire more water and thus stabilize ecosystem primary production even with a changing climate. Overall, our study demonstrates that shifting plant species composition in response to climate change may have stabilized primary production in this high-elevation ecosystem, but it also caused a shift from aboveground to belowground productivity.

Soil fungal diversity in natural grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau: associations with plant diversity and productivity.

PubMed

Yang, Teng; Adams, Jonathan M; Shi, Yu; He, Jin-Sheng; Jing, Xin; Chen, Litong; Tedersoo, Leho; Chu, Haiyan

2017-07-01

Previous studies have revealed inconsistent correlations between fungal diversity and plant diversity from local to global scales, and there is a lack of information about the diversity-diversity and productivity-diversity relationships for fungi in alpine regions. Here we investigated the internal relationships between soil fungal diversity, plant diversity and productivity across 60 grassland sites on the Tibetan Plateau, using Illumina sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region for fungal identification. Fungal alpha and beta diversities were best explained by plant alpha and beta diversities, respectively, when accounting for environmental drivers and geographic distance. The best ordinary least squares (OLS) multiple regression models, partial least squares regression (PLSR) and variation partitioning analysis (VPA) indicated that plant richness was positively correlated with fungal richness. However, no correlation between plant richness and fungal richness was evident for fungal functional guilds when analyzed individually. Plant productivity showed a weaker relationship to fungal diversity which was intercorrelated with other factors such as plant diversity, and was thus excluded as a main driver. Our study points to a predominant effect of plant diversity, along with other factors such as carbon : nitrogen (C : N) ratio, soil phosphorus and dissolved organic carbon, on soil fungal richness. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Boosting Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Production With Rhizobacteria From Various Plants in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Daur, Ihsanullah; Saad, Maged M; Eida, Abdul Aziz; Ahmad, Shakeel; Shah, Zahid Hussain; Ihsan, Muhammad Z; Muhammad, Yasir; Sohrab, Sayed S; Hirt, Heribert

2018-01-01

This study focused on rhizobacteria to promote sustainable crop production in arid regions of Saudi Arabia. The study isolated 17 tightly root-adhering rhizobacteria from various plants at Hada Al Sham in Saudi Arabia. All 17 rhizobacterial isolates were confirmed as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria by classical biochemical tests. Using 16S rDNA gene sequence analyses, the strains were identified as Bacillus, Acinetobacter and Enterobacter . Subsequently, the strains were assessed for their ability to improve the physiology, nutrient uptake, growth, and yield of alfalfa plants grown under desert agriculture conditions. The field trials were conducted in a randomized complete block design. Inoculation of alfalfa with any of these 17 strains improved the relative water content; chlorophyll a; chlorophyll b; carotenoid contents; nitrogen (N), phosphorus, and potassium contents; plant height; leaf-to-stem ratio; and fresh and dry weight. Acinetobacter pittii JD-14 was most effective to increase fresh and dry weight of alfalfa by 41 and 34%, respectively, when compared to non-inoculated control plants. Nevertheless, all strains enhanced crop traits when compared to controls plants, indicating that these desert rhizobacterial strains could be used to develop an eco-friendly biofertilizer for alfalfa and possibly other crop plants to enhance sustainable production in arid regions.

Boosting Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Production With Rhizobacteria From Various Plants in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Daur, Ihsanullah; Saad, Maged M.; Eida, Abdul Aziz; Ahmad, Shakeel; Shah, Zahid Hussain; Ihsan, Muhammad Z.; Muhammad, Yasir; Sohrab, Sayed S.; Hirt, Heribert

2018-01-01

This study focused on rhizobacteria to promote sustainable crop production in arid regions of Saudi Arabia. The study isolated 17 tightly root-adhering rhizobacteria from various plants at Hada Al Sham in Saudi Arabia. All 17 rhizobacterial isolates were confirmed as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria by classical biochemical tests. Using 16S rDNA gene sequence analyses, the strains were identified as Bacillus, Acinetobacter and Enterobacter. Subsequently, the strains were assessed for their ability to improve the physiology, nutrient uptake, growth, and yield of alfalfa plants grown under desert agriculture conditions. The field trials were conducted in a randomized complete block design. Inoculation of alfalfa with any of these 17 strains improved the relative water content; chlorophyll a; chlorophyll b; carotenoid contents; nitrogen (N), phosphorus, and potassium contents; plant height; leaf-to-stem ratio; and fresh and dry weight. Acinetobacter pittii JD-14 was most effective to increase fresh and dry weight of alfalfa by 41 and 34%, respectively, when compared to non-inoculated control plants. Nevertheless, all strains enhanced crop traits when compared to controls plants, indicating that these desert rhizobacterial strains could be used to develop an eco-friendly biofertilizer for alfalfa and possibly other crop plants to enhance sustainable production in arid regions. PMID:29670582

75 FR 38127 - Visteon Systems, LLC North Penn Plant Electronics Products Group Including On-Site Leased Workers...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-01

..., North Penn Plant, Electronics Products Group to be covered by this certification. The intent of the... North Penn Plant Electronics Products Group Including On-Site Leased Workers From Ryder Integrated... Certification Regarding Eligibility To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance and Alternative Trade Adjustment...

Direct impact of the sustained decline in the photosystem II efficiency upon plant productivity at different developmental stages.

PubMed

Tian, Yonglan; Ungerer, Petra; Zhang, Huayong; Ruban, Alexander V

2017-05-01

The impact of chronic photoinhibition of photosystem II (PSII) on the productivity of plants remains unknown. The present study investigated the influences of persistent decline in the PSII yield on morphology and productivity of Arabidopsis plants that were exposed to lincomycin at two different developmental stages (seedling and rosette stage). The results indicated that, although retarded, the lincomycin treated plants were able to accomplish the entire growth period with only 50% of the maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry (Fv/Fm) of the control plants. The decline in quantum yield limited the electron transport rate (ETR). The impact of lincomycin on NPQ was not significant in seedlings, but was pronounced in mature plants. The treated plants produced an above ground biomass of 50% compared to control plants. Moreover, a linear relationship was found between the above ground biomass and total rosette leaf area, and the slope was decreased due to photoinhibition. The starch accumulation was highly inhibited by lincomycin treatment. Lincomycin induced a significant decrease in seed yield with plants treated from the rosette state showing higher yield than those treated from the seedling stage. Our data suggest that the sustained decline of PSII efficiency decreases plant productivity by constraining the ETR, leaf development and starch production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Plant functional diversity increases grassland productivity-related water vapor fluxes: an Ecotron and modeling approach.

PubMed

Milcu, Alexandru; Eugster, Werner; Bachmann, Dörte; Guderle, Marcus; Roscher, Christiane; Gockele, Annette; Landais, Damien; Ravel, Olivier; Gessler, Arthur; Lange, Markus; Ebeling, Anne; Weisser, Wolfgang W; Roy, Jacques; Hildebrandt, Anke; Buchmann, Nina

2016-08-01

The impact of species richness and functional diversity of plants on ecosystem water vapor fluxes has been little investigated. To address this knowledge gap, we combined a lysimeter setup in a controlled environment facility (Ecotron) with large ecosystem samples/monoliths originating from a long-term biodiversity experiment (The Jena Experiment) and a modeling approach. Our goals were (1) quantifying the impact of plant species richness (four vs. 16 species) on day- and nighttime ecosystem water vapor fluxes; (2) partitioning ecosystem evapotranspiration into evaporation and plant transpiration using the Shuttleworth and Wallace (SW) energy partitioning model; and (3) identifying the most parsimonious predictors of water vapor fluxes using plant functional-trait-based metrics such as functional diversity and community weighted means. Daytime measured and modeled evapotranspiration were significantly higher in the higher plant diversity treatment, suggesting increased water acquisition. The SW model suggests that, at low plant species richness, a higher proportion of the available energy was diverted to evaporation (a non-productive flux), while, at higher species richness, the proportion of ecosystem transpiration (a productivity-related water flux) increased. While it is well established that LAI controls ecosystem transpiration, here we also identified that the diversity of leaf nitrogen concentration among species in a community is a consistent predictor of ecosystem water vapor fluxes during daytime. The results provide evidence that, at the peak of the growing season, higher leaf area index (LAI) and lower percentage of bare ground at high plant diversity diverts more of the available water to transpiration, a flux closely coupled with photosynthesis and productivity. Higher rates of transpiration presumably contribute to the positive effect of diversity on productivity. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

Production efficiencies of U.S. electric generation plants: Effects of data aggregation and greenhouse gas and renewable energy policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lynes, Melissa Kate

Over the last few decades there has been a shift in electricity production in the U.S. Renewable energy sources are becoming more widely used. In addition, electric generation plants that use coal inputs are more heavily regulated than a couple decades ago. This shift in electricity production was brought on by changes in federal policy -- a desire for electricity produced in the U.S. which led to policies being adopted that encourage the use of renewable energy. The change in production practices due to policies may have led to changes in the productivity of electric generation plants. Multiple studies have examined the most efficient electric generation plants using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach. This study builds on past research to answer three questions: 1) Does the level of aggregation of fuel input variables affect the plant efficiency scores and how does the efficiency of renewable energy input compare to nonrenewable energy inputs; 2) Are policies geared toward directly or indirectly reducing greenhouse gas emissions affecting the production efficiencies of greenhouse gas emitting electric generation plants; and 3) Do renewable energy policies and the use of intermittent energy sources (i.e. wind and solar) affect the productivity growth of electric generation plants. All three analysis, presented in three essays, use U.S. plant level data obtained from the Energy Information Administration to answer these questions. The first two essays use DEA to determine the pure technical, overall technical, and scale efficiencies of electric generation plants. The third essay uses DEA within the Malmquist index to assess the change in productivity over time. Results indicate that the level of aggregation does matter particularly for scale efficiency. This implies that valuable information is likely lost when fuel inputs are aggregated together. Policies directly focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions may improve the production efficiencies of

Consequences of plant phenolic compounds for productivity and health of ruminants.

PubMed

Waghorn, Garry C; McNabb, Warren C

2003-05-01

Plant phenolic compounds are diverse in structure but are characterised by hydroxylated aromatic rings (e.g. flavan-3-ols). They are categorised as secondary metabolites, and their function in plants is often poorly understood. Many plant phenolic compounds are polymerised into larger molecules such as the proanthocyanidins (PA; condensed tannins) and lignins. Only the lignins, PA, oestrogenic compounds and hydrolysable tannins will be considered here. Lignins slow the physical and microbial degradation of ingested feed, because of resilient covalent bonding with hemicellulose and cellulose, rather than any direct effects on the rumen per se. The PA are prevalent in browse and are expressed in the foliage of some legumes (e.g. Lotus spp.), but rarely in grasses. They reduce the nutritive value of poor-quality diets, but can also have substantial benefits for ruminant productivity and health when improved temperate forages are fed. Beneficial effects are dependent on the chemical and physical structure, and concentration of the PA in the diet, but they have been shown to improve live-weight gain, milk yield and protein concentration, and ovulation rate. They prevent bloat in cattle, reduce gastrointestinal nematode numbers, flystrike and CH4 production. Some phenolic compounds (e.g. coumestans) cause temporary infertility, whilst those produced by Fusarium fungi found in pasture, silage or stored grains can cause permanent infertility. The HT may be toxic because products of their metabolism can cause liver damage and other metabolic disorders.

Refuse derived soluble bio-organics enhancing tomato plant growth and productivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sortino, Orazio; Dipasquale, Mauro; Montoneri, Enzo, E-mail: enzo.montoneri@unito.it

2012-10-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Municipal bio-wastes are a sustainable source of bio-based products. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Refuse derived soluble bio-organics promote chlorophyll synthesis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Refuse derived soluble bio-organics enhance plant growth and fruit ripening rate. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sustainable chemistry exploiting urban refuse allows sustainable development. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Chemistry, agriculture and the environment benefit from biowaste technology. - Abstract: Municipal bio-refuse (CVD), containing kitchen wastes, home gardening residues and public park trimmings, was treated with alkali to yield a soluble bio-organic fraction (SBO) and an insoluble residue. These materials were characterized using elemental analysis, potentiometric titration, and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and then applied as organic fertilizers tomore » soil for tomato greenhouse cultivation. Their performance was compared with a commercial product obtained from animal residues. Plant growth, fruit yield and quality, and soil and leaf chemical composition were the selected performance indicators. The SBO exhibited the best performance by enhancing leaf chlorophyll content, improving plant growth and fruit ripening rate and yield. No product performance-chemical composition relationship could be assessed. Solubility could be one reason for the superior performance of SBO as a tomato growth promoter. The enhancement of leaf chlorophyll content is discussed to identify a possible link with the SBO photosensitizing properties that have been demonstrated in other work, and thus with photosynthetic performance.« less

Medical molecular farming: production of antibodies, biopharmaceuticals and edible vaccines in plants

PubMed Central

Daniell, Henry; Streatfield, Stephen J.; Wycoff, Keith

2017-01-01

The use of plants for medicinal purposes dates back thousands of years but genetic engineering of plants to produce desired biopharmaceuticals is much more recent. As the demand for biopharmaceuticals is expected to increase, it would be wise to ensure that they will be available in significantly larger amounts, on a cost-effective basis. Currently, the cost of biopharmaceuticals limits their availability. Plant-derived biopharmaceuticals are cheap to produce and store, easy to scale up for mass production, and safer than those derived from animals. Here, we discuss recent developments in this field and possible environmental concerns. PMID:11335175

From miracle fruit to transgenic tomato: mass production of the taste-modifying protein miraculin in transgenic plants.

PubMed

Hiwasa-Tanase, Kyoko; Hirai, Tadayoshi; Kato, Kazuhisa; Duhita, Narendra; Ezura, Hiroshi

2012-03-01

The utility of plants as biofactories has progressed in recent years. Some recombinant plant-derived pharmaceutical products have already reached the marketplace. However, with the exception of drugs and vaccines, a strong effort has not yet been made to bring recombinant products to market, as cost-effectiveness is critically important for commercialization. Sweet-tasting proteins and taste-modifying proteins have a great deal of potential in industry as substitutes for sugars and as artificial sweeteners. The taste-modifying protein, miraculin, functions to change the perception of a sour taste to a sweet one. This taste-modifying function can potentially be used not only as a low-calorie sweetener but also as a new seasoning that could be the basis of a new dietary lifestyle. However, miraculin is far from inexpensive, and its potential as a marketable product has not yet been fully developed. For the last several years, biotechnological production of this taste-modifying protein has progressed extensively. In this review, the characteristics of miraculin and recent advances in its production using transgenic plants are summarized, focusing on such topics as the suitability of plant species as expression hosts, the cultivation method for transgenic plants, the method of purifying miraculin and future advances required to achieve industrial use.

Effects of plant diversity, community composition and environmental parameters on productivity in montane European grasslands.

PubMed

Kahmen, Ansgar; Perner, Jörg; Audorff, Volker; Weisser, Wolfgang; Buchmann, Nina

2005-02-01

In the past years, a number of studies have used experimental plant communities to test if biodiversity influences ecosystem functioning such as productivity. It has been argued, however, that the results achieved in experimental studies may have little predictive value for species loss in natural ecosystems. Studies in natural ecosystems have been equivocal, mainly because in natural ecosystems differences in diversity are often confounded with differences in land use history or abiotic parameters. In this study, we investigated the effect of plant diversity on ecosystem functioning in semi-natural grasslands. In an area of 10x20 km, we selected 78 sites and tested the effects of various measures of diversity and plant community composition on productivity. We separated the effects of plant diversity on ecosystem functioning from potentially confounding effects of community composition, management or environmental parameters, using multivariate statistical analyses. In the investigated grasslands, simple measures of biodiversity were insignificant predictors of productivity. However, plant community composition explained productivity very well (R2=0.31) and was a better predictor than environmental variables (soil and site characteristics) or management regime. Thus, complex measures such as community composition and structure are important drivers for ecosystem functions in semi-natural grasslands. Furthermore, our data show that it is difficult to extrapolate results from experimental studies to semi-natural ecosystems, although there is a need to investigate natural ecosystems to fully understand the relationship of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

Medicinal plants and natural products in amelioration of arsenic toxicity: a short review.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, Sanjib

2017-12-01

Chronic arsenic toxicity (arsenicosis) is considered a serious public health menace worldwide, as there is no specific, safe, and efficacious therapeutic management of arsenicosis. To collate the studies on medicinal plants and natural products with arsenic toxicity ameliorative effect, active pre-clinically and/or clinically. Literature survey was carried out by using Google, Scholar Google and Pub-Med. Only the scientific journal articles found on the internet for last two decades were considered. Minerals and semi-synthetic or synthetic analogs of natural products were excluded. Literature study revealed that 34 medicinal plants and 14 natural products exhibited significant protection from arsenic toxicity, mostly in preclinical trials and a few in clinical studies. This research could lead to development of a potentially useful agent in clinical management of arsenicosis in humans.

Safety of plant-made pharmaceuticals: product development and regulatory considerations based on case studies of two autologous human cancer vaccines.

PubMed

Tusé, Daniel

2011-03-01

Guidelines issued by regulatory agencies for the development of plant-made pharmaceutical (PMP) products provide criteria for product manufacturing and characterization, safety determination, containment and mitigation of environmental risks. Features of plant-made products do not always enable an easy fit within the criteria subscribed to by regulators. The unconventional nature of plant-based manufacturing processes and peculiarities of plant biology relative to that of traditional biological production systems have led to special considerations in the regulatory scrutiny of PMP. Presented in this review are case studies of two plant-made autologous (patient-specific) cancer vaccines, the nature of which introduced challenges to conventional and standardized development and preclinical evaluation routes. The rationale presented to FDA by the sponsors of each vaccine to build consensus and obtain variances to existing guidelines is discussed. While development of many plant-made biologics can be accomplished within the existing regulatory framework, the development of specialized products can be defended with rational arguments based on strong science.

Plant Atrium System for Food Production in NASA's Deep Space Habitat Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Massa, Gioia; Simpson, Morgan S.; Newsham, Gerard; Stutte, Gary W.; Wheeler, Raymond M.

2012-01-01

In preparation for future human exploration missions to space, human habitat designs and concepts need to be tested to assess integration issues, power requirements, crew operations, and technology I subsystem performance. One potential subsystem for early habitats is supplemental food production. Fresh foods, such as vegetables and small fruits, could be harvested on a continuous basis to improve the diet and quality of life. The system would need to fit conveniently into the habitat and not interfere with other components or operations. To test this concept, a plant growing "atrium" was designed to surround the lift between the lower and upper modules of the Deep Space Habitat and deployed at NASA DRA TS test site in 2011 and at NASA's JSC in 20I2. With this approach, un-utilized volume provided an area for vegetable growth. For the 20 II test, mizuna, lettuce, basil, radish and sweetpotato plants were grown in trays using commercially available red I blue LED light fixtures. Seedlings were transplanted into the atrium and cared for by the crew. Plants were then harvested two weeks later following completion of the test. In 20I2, mizuna, lettuce, and radish plants were grown similarly but under flat panel banks of white LEDs. In 20 I2, the crew went through plant harvesting, including sanitizing the leafy greens and radishes, which were then consumed. Each test demonstrated successful production of vegetables within a functional hab module. The round red I blue LEDs for the 20Il test lighting cast a purple light in the hab, and were less uniformly distributed over the plant trays. The white LED panels provided broad spectrum light with more uniform distribution. Post-test questionnaires showed that the crew enjoyed tending and consuming the plants, and that the white LED light in 2012 provided welcome extra light for the main hab area.

Plant Atrium System for Food Production in NASA's Deep Space Habitat Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Massa, Gioia D.; Simpson, Morgan; Wheeler, Raymond M.; Newsham, Gerald; Stutte, Gary W.

2013-01-01

In preparation for future human exploration missions to space, NASA evaluates habitat concepts to assess integration issues, power requirements, crew operations, technology, and system performance. The concept of a Food Production System utilizes fresh foods, such as vegetables and small fruits, harvested on a continuous basis, to improve the crew's diet and quality of life. The system would need to fit conveniently into the habitat and not interfere with other components or operations. To test this concept, a plant growing "atrium" was designed to surround the lift between the lower and upper modules of the Deep Space Habitat and deployed at NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) test site in 2011 and at NASA Johnson Space Center in 2012. With this approach, no-utilized volume provided an area for vegetable growth. For the 2011 test, mizuna, lettuce, basil, radish and sweetpotato plants were grown in trays using commercially available red I blue LED light fixtures. Seedlings were transplanted into the atrium and cared for by the. crew. Plants were then harvested two weeks later following completion of the test. In 2012, mizuna, lettuce, and radish plants were grown similarly but under flat panel banks of white LEDs. In 2012, the crew went through plant harvesting, including sanitizing tlie leafy greens and radishes, which were then consumed. Each test demonstrated successful production of vegetables within a functional hab module. The round red I blue LEDs for the 2011 test lighting cast a purple light in the hab, and were less uniformly distributed over the plant trays. The white LED panels provided broad spectrum light with more uniform distribution. Post-test questionnaires showed that the crew enjoyed tending and consuming the plants and that the white LED light in 2012 provided welcome extra light for the main HAB AREA.

Climate driven crop planting date in the ACME Land Model (ALM): Impacts on productivity and yield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drewniak, B.

2017-12-01

Climate is one of the key drivers of crop suitability and productivity in a region. The influence of climate and weather on the growing season determine the amount of time crops spend in each growth phase, which in turn impacts productivity and, more importantly, yields. Planting date can have a strong influence on yields with earlier planting generally resulting in higher yields, a sensitivity that is also present in some crop models. Furthermore, planting date is already changing and may continue, especially if longer growing seasons caused by future climate change drive early (or late) planting decisions. Crop models need an accurate method to predict plant date to allow these models to: 1) capture changes in crop management to adapt to climate change, 2) accurately model the timing of crop phenology, and 3) improve crop simulated influences on carbon, nutrient, energy, and water cycles. Previous studies have used climate as a predictor for planting date. Climate as a plant date predictor has more advantages than fixed plant dates. For example, crop expansion and other changes in land use (e.g., due to changing temperature conditions), can be accommodated without additional model inputs. As such, a new methodology to implement a predictive planting date based on climate inputs is added to the Accelerated Climate Model for Energy (ACME) Land Model (ALM). The model considers two main sources of climate data important for planting: precipitation and temperature. This method expands the current temperature threshold planting trigger and improves the estimated plant date in ALM. Furthermore, the precipitation metric for planting, which synchronizes the crop growing season with the wettest months, allows tropical crops to be introduced to the model. This presentation will demonstrate how the improved model enhances the ability of ALM to capture planting date compared with observations. More importantly, the impact of changing the planting date and introducing tropical

Efficacy of different methanolic plant extracts on anti-methanogenesis, rumen fermentation and gas production kinetics in vitro

PubMed Central

Sirohi, S.K.; Goel, N.; Pandey, P.

2012-01-01

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of methanolic extracts of three plants, mehandi (Lawsonia inermis), jaiphal (Myristica fragrans) and green chili (Capsicum annuum) on methanogenesis, rumen fermentation and fermentation kinetic parameters by in vitro gas production techniques. Single dose of each plant extract (1 ml / 30 ml buffered rumen fluid) and two sorghum fodder containing diets (high and low fiber diets) were used for evaluating the effect on methanogenesis and rumen fermentation pattern, while sequential incubations (0, 1, 2, 3, 6 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 96 h) were carried out for gas production kinetics. Results showed that methane production was reduced, ammonia nitrogen was increased significantly, while no significant effect was found on pH and protozoal population following addition of different plant extracts in both diets except mehandi. Green chili significantly reduced digestibility of dry matter, total fatty acid and acetate concentration at incubation with sorghum based high and low fiber diets. Among all treatments, green chili increased potential gas production, while jaiphal decreased the gas production rate constant significantly. The present results demonstrate that methanolic extracts of different plants are promising rumen modifying agents. They have the potential to modulate the methane production, potential gas production, gas production rate constant, dry matter digestibility and microbial biomass synthesis. PMID:26623296

Efficacy of different methanolic plant extracts on anti-methanogenesis, rumen fermentation and gas production kinetics in vitro.

PubMed

Sirohi, S K; Goel, N; Pandey, P

2012-01-01

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of methanolic extracts of three plants, mehandi (Lawsonia inermis), jaiphal (Myristica fragrans) and green chili (Capsicum annuum) on methanogenesis, rumen fermentation and fermentation kinetic parameters by in vitro gas production techniques. Single dose of each plant extract (1 ml / 30 ml buffered rumen fluid) and two sorghum fodder containing diets (high and low fiber diets) were used for evaluating the effect on methanogenesis and rumen fermentation pattern, while sequential incubations (0, 1, 2, 3, 6 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 96 h) were carried out for gas production kinetics. Results showed that methane production was reduced, ammonia nitrogen was increased significantly, while no significant effect was found on pH and protozoal population following addition of different plant extracts in both diets except mehandi. Green chili significantly reduced digestibility of dry matter, total fatty acid and acetate concentration at incubation with sorghum based high and low fiber diets. Among all treatments, green chili increased potential gas production, while jaiphal decreased the gas production rate constant significantly. The present results demonstrate that methanolic extracts of different plants are promising rumen modifying agents. They have the potential to modulate the methane production, potential gas production, gas production rate constant, dry matter digestibility and microbial biomass synthesis.

Plants and other natural products used in the management of oral infections and improvement of oral health.

PubMed

Chinsembu, Kazhila C

2016-02-01

Challenges of resistance to synthetic antimicrobials have opened new vistas in the search for natural products. This article rigorously reviews plants and other natural products used in oral health: Punica granatum L. (pomegranate), Matricaria recutita L. (chamomile), Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (green tea), chewing sticks made from Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst. ex A.D.C., Diospyros lycioides Desf., and Salvadora persica L. (miswak), honey and propolis from the manuka tree (Leptospermum scoparium J.R. Forst. & G. Forst.), rhein from Rheum rhabarbarum L. (rhubarb), dried fruits of Vitis vinifera L. (raisins), essential oils, probiotics and mushrooms. Further, the review highlights plants from Africa, Asia, Brazil, Mexico, Europe, and the Middle East. Some of the plants' antimicrobial properties and chemical principles have been elucidated. While the use of natural products for oral health is prominent in resource-poor settings, antimicrobial testing is mainly conducted in the following countries (in decreasing order of magnitude): India, South Africa, Brazil, Japan, France, Egypt, Iran, Mexico, Kenya, Switzerland, Nigeria, Australia, Uganda, and the United Kingdom. While the review exposes a dire gap for more studies on clinical efficacy and toxicity, the following emerging trend was noted: basic research on plants for oral health is mainly done in Brazil, Europe and Australia. Brazil, China, India and New Zealand generally conduct value addition of natural products for fortification of toothpastes. African countries focus on bioprospecting and primary production of raw plants and other natural products with antimicrobial efficacies. The Middle East and Egypt predominantly research on plants used as chewing sticks. More research and funding are needed in the field of natural products for oral health, especially in Africa where oral diseases are fuelled by human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B

Soil organic matter decomposition follows plant productivity response to sea-level rise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, Peter; Jensen, Kai; Megonigal, James Patrick

2015-04-01

The accumulation of soil organic matter (SOM) is an important mechanism for many tidal wetlands to keep pace with sea-level rise. SOM accumulation is governed by the rates of production and decomposition of organic matter. While plant productivity responses to sea-level rise are well understood, far less is known about the response of SOM decomposition to accelerated sea-level rise. Here we quantified the effects of sea-level rise on SOM decomposition by exposing planted and unplanted tidal marsh monoliths to experimentally manipulated flood duration. The study was performed in a field-based mesocosm facility at the Smithsonian Global Change Research Wetland, a micro tidal brackish marsh in Maryland, US. SOM decomposition was quantified as CO2 efflux, with plant- and SOM-derived CO2 separated using a stable carbon isotope approach. Despite the dogma that decomposition rates are inversely related to flooding, SOM mineralization was not sensitive to varying flood duration over a 35 cm range in surface elevation in unplanted mesocoms. In the presence of plants, decomposition rates were strongly and positively related to aboveground biomass (p≤0.01, R2≥0.59). We conclude that rates of soil carbon loss through decomposition are driven by plant responses to sea level in this intensively studied tidal marsh. If our result applies more generally to tidal wetlands, it has important implications for modeling carbon sequestration and marsh accretion in response to accelerated sea-level rise.

Estimation of potential biomass resource and biogas production from aquatic plants in Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzsimons, R. E.; Laurino, C. N.; Vallejos, R. H.

1982-08-01

The use of aquatic plants in artificial lakes as a biomass source for biogas and fertilizer production through anaerobic fermentation is evaluated, and the magnitude of this resource and the potential production of biogas and fertilizer are estimated. The specific case considered is the artificial lake that will be created by the construction of Parana Medio Hydroelectric Project on the middle Parana River in Argentina. The growth of the main aquatic plant, water hyacinth, on the middle Parana River has been measured, and its conversion to methane by anaerobic fermentation is determined. It is estimated that gross methane production may be between 1.0-4.1 x 10 to the 9th cu cm/year. The fermentation residue can be used as a soil conditioner, and it is estimated production of the residue may represent between 54,900-221,400 tons of nitrogen/year, a value which is 2-8 times the present nitrogen fertilizer demand in Argentina.

Beneath the veil: Plant growth form influences the strength of species richness-productivity relationships in forests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oberle, B.; Grace, J.B.; Chase, J.M.

2009-01-01

Aim: Species richness has been observed to increase with productivity at large spatial scales, though the strength of this relationship varies among functional groups. In forests, canopy trees shade understorey plants, and for this reason we hypothesize that species richness of canopy trees will depend on macroclimate, while species richness of shorter growth forms will additionally be affected by shading from the canopy. In this study we test for differences in species richness-productivity relationships (SRPRs) among growth forms (canopy trees, shrubs, herbaceous species) in small forest plots. Location: We analysed 231 plots ranging from 34.0?? to 48.3?? N latitude and from 75.0?? to 124.2?? W longitude in the United States. Methods: We analysed data collected by the USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis program for plant species richness partitioned into different growth forms, in small plots. We used actual evapotranspiration as a macroclimatic estimate of regional productivity and calculated the area of light-blocking tissue in the immediate area surrounding plots for an estimate of the intensity of local shading. We estimated and compared SRPRs for different partitions of the species richness dataset using generalized linear models and we incorporated the possible indirect effects of shading using a structural equation model. Results: Canopy tree species richness increased strongly with regional productivity, while local shading primarily explained the variation in herbaceous plant richness. Shrub species richness was related to both regional productivity and local shading. Main conclusions: The relationship between total forest plant species richness and productivity at large scales belies strong effects of local interactions. Counter to the pattern for overall richness, we found that understorey herbaceous plant species richness does not respond to regional productivity gradients, and instead is strongly influenced by canopy density, while shrub species

The effects of grassland degradation on plant diversity, primary productivity, and soil fertility in the alpine region of Asia's headwaters.

PubMed

Wang, Xuexia; Dong, Shikui; Yang, Bing; Li, Yuanyuan; Su, Xukun

2014-10-01

A 3-year survey was conducted to explore the relationships among plant composition, productivity, and soil fertility characterizing four different degradation stages of an alpine meadow in the source region of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, China. Results showed that plant species diversity, productivity, and soil fertility of the top 30-cm soil layer significantly declined with degradation stages of alpine meadow over the study period. The productivity of forbs significantly increased with degradation stages, and the soil potassium stock was not affected by grassland degradation. The vegetation composition gradually shifted from perennial graminoids (grasses and sedges) to annual forbs along the degradation gradient. The abrupt change of response in plant diversity, plant productivity, and soil nutrients was demonstrated after heavy grassland degradation. Moreover, degradation can indicate plant species diversity and productivity through changing soil fertility. However, the clear relationships are difficult to establish. In conclusion, degradation influenced ecosystem function and services, such as plant species diversity, productivity, and soil carbon and nitrogen stocks. Additionally, both plant species diversity and soil nutrients were important predictors in different degradation stages of alpine meadows. To this end, heavy degradation grade was shown to cause shift of plant community in alpine meadow, which provided an important basis for sustaining ecosystem function, manipulating the vegetation composition of the area and restoring the degraded alpine grassland.

21 CFR 1308.35 - Exemption of certain cannabis plant material, and products made therefrom, that contain...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 9 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Exemption of certain cannabis plant material, and... ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SCHEDULES OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES Exempt Cannabis Plant... cannabis plant material, and products made therefrom, that contain tetrahydrocannabinols. (a) Any processed...

21 CFR 1308.35 - Exemption of certain cannabis plant material, and products made therefrom, that contain...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 9 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Exemption of certain cannabis plant material, and... ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SCHEDULES OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES Exempt Cannabis Plant... cannabis plant material, and products made therefrom, that contain tetrahydrocannabinols. (a) Any processed...

21 CFR 1308.35 - Exemption of certain cannabis plant material, and products made therefrom, that contain...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 9 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Exemption of certain cannabis plant material, and... ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SCHEDULES OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES Exempt Cannabis Plant... cannabis plant material, and products made therefrom, that contain tetrahydrocannabinols. (a) Any processed...

Tropane and nicotine alkaloid biosynthesis-novel approaches towards biotechnological production of plant-derived pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Oksman-Caldentey, Kirsi-Marja

2007-08-01

Many plants belonging to the Solanaceae family have been used as a source of pharmaceuticals for centuries because of their active principles, tropane and nicotine alkaloids. Tropane alkaloids, atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine, are among the oldest drugs in medicine. On the other hand nicotine, the addictive agent in tobacco, has only recently gained attention as a backbone for novel potential alkaloids to be used for certain neurological diseases. The biotechnological production of alkaloids utilizing plant cells as hosts would be an attractive option. However, to date very little success in this field has been gained because of the lack of understanding how these compounds are synthesized in a plant cell. Metabolic engineering attempts have already shown that when the rate-limiting steps of the biosynthetic pathway are completely known and the respective genes cloned, the exact regulation towards desired medicinal products will be possible in the near future. The new functional genomics tools, which combine transcriptome and metabolome data, will create a platform to better understand a whole system and to engineer the complex plant biosynthetic pathways. With the help of this technology, it is not only possible to produce known plant metabolites more effectively but also to make arrays of new compounds in plants and cell cultures.

Benefits of production extension and shifting with thermal storage for a 1MW CSP-ORC plant in Morocco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennouna, El Ghali; Mimet, Abdelaziz; Frej, Hicham

2016-05-01

The importance of thermal storage for commercial CSP (concentrated Solar Power) plants has now become obvious, this regardless of the solar technology used and the power cycle. The availability of a storage system to a plant operator brings a lot of possibilities for production management, cash flow optimization and grid stabilizing. In particular, and depending on plant location and local grid strategy, thermal storage can contribute, when wisely used, to control production and adapt it to the demand and / or power unbalances and varying prices. Storage systems design, sizing and configuration are proper to each power plant, hence systems that are now widely installed within large commercial solar plants are not necessarily suited for small scale decentralized production, and will not have the same effects. In this paper the benefits of thermal storage are studied for a 1MWe CSP plant with an ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle), this plant has many specific features which call for a detail analysis about the appropriate storage design and optimum operating strategies for decentralized solutions.

Yield improvement strategies for the production of secondary metabolites in plant tissue culture: silymarin from Silybum marianum tissue culture.

PubMed

AbouZid, S

2014-01-01

Plant cell culture can be a potential source for the production of important secondary metabolites. This technology bears many advantages over conventional agricultural methods. The main problem to arrive at a cost-effective process is the low productivity. This is mainly due to lack of differentiation in the cultured cells. Many approaches have been used to maximise the yield of secondary metabolites produced by cultured plant cells. Among these approaches: choosing a plant with a high biosynthetic capacity, obtaining efficient cell line for growth and production of metabolite of interest, manipulating culture conditions, elicitation, metabolic engineering and organ culture. This article gives an overview of the various approaches used to maximise the production of pharmaceutically important secondary metabolites in plant cell cultures. Examples of using these different approaches are shown for the production of silymarin from Silybum marianum tissue culture.

Context dependency and saturating effects of loss of rare soil microbes on plant productivity.

PubMed

Hol, W H Gera; de Boer, Wietse; de Hollander, Mattias; Kuramae, Eiko E; Meisner, Annelein; van der Putten, Wim H

2015-01-01

Land use intensification is associated with loss of biodiversity and altered ecosystem functioning. Until now most studies on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning focused on random loss of species, while loss of rare species that usually are the first to disappear received less attention. Here we test if the effect of rare microbial species loss on plant productivity depends on the origin of the microbial soil community. Soils were sampled from three land use types at two farms. Microbial communities with increasing loss of rare species were created by inoculating sterilized soils with serially diluted soil suspensions. After 8 months of incubation, the effects of the different soil communities on abiotic soil properties, soil processes, microbial community composition, and plant productivity was measured. Dilution treatments resulted in increasing species loss, which was in relation to abundance of bacteria in the original field soil, without affecting most of the other soil parameters and processes. Microbial species loss affected plant biomass positively, negatively or not at all, depending on soil origin, but not on land use history. Even within fields the effects of dilution on plant biomass varied between replicates, suggesting heterogeneity in microbial community composition. The effects of medium and severe species loss on plant biomass were similar, pointing toward a saturating effect of species loss. We conclude that changes in the composition of the soil microbial community, including rare species loss, can affect plant productivity, depending on the composition of the initial microbial community. Future work on the relation between function and species loss effects should address this variation by including multiple sampling origins.

Deposition of fission and activation products after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Shozugawa, Katsumi; Nogawa, Norio; Matsuo, Motoyuki

2012-04-01

The Great Eastern Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, damaged reactor cooling systems at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The subsequent venting operation and hydrogen explosion resulted in a large radioactive nuclide emission from reactor containers into the environment. Here, we collected environmental samples such as soil, plant species, and water on April 10, 2011, in front of the power plant main gate as well as 35 km away in Iitate village, and observed gamma-rays with a Ge(Li) semiconductor detector. We observed activation products ((239)Np and (59)Fe) and fission products ((131)I, (134)Cs ((133)Cs), (137)Cs, (110m)Ag ((109)Ag), (132)Te, (132)I, (140)Ba, (140)La, (91)Sr, (91)Y, (95)Zr, and (95)Nb). (239)Np is the parent nuclide of (239)Pu; (59)Fe are presumably activation products of (58)Fe obtained by corrosion of cooling pipes. The results show that these activation and fission products, diffused within a month of the accident. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Techno-economic analysis of a transient plant-based platform for monoclonal antibody production

PubMed Central

Nandi, Somen; Kwong, Aaron T.; Holtz, Barry R.; Erwin, Robert L.; Marcel, Sylvain; McDonald, Karen A.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Plant-based biomanufacturing of therapeutic proteins is a relatively new platform with a small number of commercial-scale facilities, but offers advantages of linear scalability, reduced upstream complexity, reduced time to market, and potentially lower capital and operating costs. In this study we present a detailed process simulation model for a large-scale new “greenfield” biomanufacturing facility that uses transient agroinfiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana plants grown hydroponically indoors under light-emitting diode lighting for the production of a monoclonal antibody. The model was used to evaluate the total capital investment, annual operating cost, and cost of goods sold as a function of mAb expression level in the plant (g mAb/kg fresh weight of the plant) and production capacity (kg mAb/year). For the Base Case design scenario (300 kg mAb/year, 1 g mAb/kg fresh weight, and 65% recovery in downstream processing), the model predicts a total capital investment of $122 million dollars and cost of goods sold of $121/g including depreciation. Compared with traditional biomanufacturing platforms that use mammalian cells grown in bioreactors, the model predicts significant reductions in capital investment and >50% reduction in cost of goods compared with published values at similar production scales. The simulation model can be modified or adapted by others to assess the profitability of alternative designs, implement different process assumptions, and help guide process development and optimization. PMID:27559626

Techno-economic analysis of a transient plant-based platform for monoclonal antibody production.

PubMed

Nandi, Somen; Kwong, Aaron T; Holtz, Barry R; Erwin, Robert L; Marcel, Sylvain; McDonald, Karen A

Plant-based biomanufacturing of therapeutic proteins is a relatively new platform with a small number of commercial-scale facilities, but offers advantages of linear scalability, reduced upstream complexity, reduced time to market, and potentially lower capital and operating costs. In this study we present a detailed process simulation model for a large-scale new "greenfield" biomanufacturing facility that uses transient agroinfiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana plants grown hydroponically indoors under light-emitting diode lighting for the production of a monoclonal antibody. The model was used to evaluate the total capital investment, annual operating cost, and cost of goods sold as a function of mAb expression level in the plant (g mAb/kg fresh weight of the plant) and production capacity (kg mAb/year). For the Base Case design scenario (300 kg mAb/year, 1 g mAb/kg fresh weight, and 65% recovery in downstream processing), the model predicts a total capital investment of $122 million dollars and cost of goods sold of $121/g including depreciation. Compared with traditional biomanufacturing platforms that use mammalian cells grown in bioreactors, the model predicts significant reductions in capital investment and >50% reduction in cost of goods compared with published values at similar production scales. The simulation model can be modified or adapted by others to assess the profitability of alternative designs, implement different process assumptions, and help guide process development and optimization.

The Conceptual Design of an Integrated Nuclearhydrogen Production Plant Using the Sulfur Cycle Water Decomposition System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farbman, G. H.

1976-01-01

A hydrogen production plant was designed based on a hybrid electrolytic-thermochemical process for decomposing water. The sulfur cycle water decomposition system is driven by a very high temperature nuclear reactor that provides 1,283 K helium working gas. The plant is sized to approximately ten million standard cubic meters per day of electrolytically pure hydrogen and has an overall thermal efficiently of 45.2 percent. The economics of the plant were evaluated using ground rules which include a 1974 cost basis without escalation, financing structure and other economic factors. Taking into account capital, operation, maintenance and nuclear fuel cycle costs, the cost of product hydrogen was calculated at $5.96/std cu m for utility financing. These values are significantly lower than hydrogen costs from conventional water electrolysis plants and competitive with hydrogen from coal gasification plants.

Plant-derived isoprenoid sweeteners: recent progress in biosynthetic gene discovery and perspectives on microbial production.

PubMed

Seki, Hikaru; Tamura, Keita; Muranaka, Toshiya

2018-06-01

Increased public awareness of negative health effects associated with excess sugar consumption has triggered increasing interest in plant-derived natural sweeteners. Steviol glycosides are a group of highly sweet diterpene glycosides contained in the leaves of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana). Mogrosides, extracted from monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii), are a group of cucurbitane-type triterpenoid glycosides. Glycyrrhizin is an oleanane-type triterpenoid glycoside derived from the underground parts of Glycyrrhiza plants (licorice). This review focuses on the natural isoprenoid sweetening agents steviol glycosides, mogrosides, and glycyrrhizin, and describes recent progress in gene discovery and elucidation of the catalytic functions of their biosynthetic enzymes. Recently, remarkable progress has been made in engineering the production of various plant-specialized metabolites in microbial hosts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae via the introduction of biosynthetic enzyme genes. Perspectives on the microbial production of plant-derived natural sweeteners are also discussed.

In vitro propagation and withaferin A production in Withania ashwagandha, a rare medicinal plant of India.

PubMed

Mir, Bilal Ahmad; Mir, Shabir Ahmad; Koul, Sushma

2014-07-01

Withania ashwagandha, belonging to the family Solanaceae, is an important medicinal herb of India with restricted geographic distribution. It is a rich source of withaferin A (WA) and other bioactive withanolides. In the present study a rapid in vitro mass propagation protocol of W. ashwagandha was developed from nodal explants. Nodal explants were cultured on MS medium supplemented with various concentrations and combinations of plant growth regulators (PGRs). The highest number of regenerated shoots per ex-plant (33 ± 2.7) and highest WA (13.4 ± 1.15 mg/g of DW) production was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 5.0 μM 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 1.0 μM Kinetin (Kn). In vitro raised shoots were further rooted on half-strength MS medium containing 2.0 μM Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and analyzed for WA production. The rooted plantlets when transferred to poly bags in the greenhouse showed 90 % survival frequency. Levels of WA were higher in the in vitro and ex vitro derived shoot and root tissues as compared to field grown mother plants. In an attempt to further maximize WA production, shoot cultures were further grown in liquid MS medium supplemented with 5.0 μM 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 1.0 μM Kinetin (Kn). Root cultures were grown on half strength MS liquid medium fortified with 2.0 μM of IBA. WA production in the liquid cultures was significantly higher compared to the static composition of the same media. This protocol, first of its kind in this plant, can be successfully employed for conservation, proliferation and large-scale production of WA. The regenerated plants can also be used in traditional medicine as an alternative to naturally collected plants.

Cyanide Metabolism in Relation to Ethylene Production in Plant Tissues 1

PubMed Central

Yip, Wing-Kin; Yang, Shang Fa

1988-01-01

HCN is the putative product of C-1 and amino moieties of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) during its conversion to ethylene. In apple (Malus sylvestrus Mill.) slices or auxin-treated mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) hypocotyls, which produced ethylene at high rates, the steady state concentration of HCN was found to be no higher than 0.2 micromolar, which was too low to inhibit respiration (reported Ki for HCN to inhibit respiration was 10-20 micromolar). However, these tissues became cyanogenic when treated with ACC, the precursor of ethylene, and with 2-aminoxyacetic acid, which inhibits β-cyanoalanine synthase, the main enzyme to detoxify HCN; the HCN levels in these tissues went up to 1.7 and 8.1 micromolar, respectively. Although ethylene production by avocado (Persea gratissima) and apple fruits increased several hundred-fold during ripening, β-cyanoalanine synthase activity increased only one- to two-fold. These findings support the notion that HCN is a co-product of ethylene biosynthesis and that the plant tissues possess ample capacity to detoxify HCN formed during ethylene biosynthesis so that the concentration of HCN in plant tissues is kept at a low level. PMID:16666329

Medicinal plants and finished marketed herbal products used in the treatment of malaria in the Ashanti region, Ghana.

PubMed

Komlaga, Gustav; Agyare, Christian; Dickson, Rita Akosua; Mensah, Merlin Lincoln Kwao; Annan, Kofi; Loiseau, Philippe M; Champy, Pierre

2015-08-22

Ethnobotanical survey was performed to document medicinal plants employed in the management of malaria in the Bosomtwe and Sekyere East Districts of the Ashanti Region (Ghana), in comparison with the plant ingredients in herbal antimalarial remedies registered by the Ghana Food and Drug Administration. Two hundred and three (203) herbalists from 33 communities within the two districts were interviewed on medicinal plants they use to manage malaria. A literature search was made to determine already documented plants. In addition, 23 finished marketed herbal products indicated for the management of malaria were identified and their labels examined to find out which of the plants mentioned in our survey were listed as ingredients and whether these products are in anyway regulated. Ninety-eight (98) species of plants were cited for the management of malaria. In comparison with literature citations, 12 (12.2%) species were reported for the management of malaria for the first time and 20 (20.4%) others for the first time in Ghana. Twenty-three (23) finished marketed herbal antimalarial products examined contained aerial or underground parts of 29 of the plants cited in our survey as ingredients. Twenty-two (22) of these products have been registered by the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority, four (4) of which were included in the recommended herbal medicine list for treating malaria in Ghana. This study provides new additions to the inventory of medicinal plants used for the management of malaria and reports the commercial availability and regulation of finished marketed labelled herbal products intended for the treatment of malaria in Ghana. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Growth and Productivity Response of Hybrid Rice to Application of Animal Manures, Plant Residues and Phosphorus

PubMed Central

Amanullah; Khan, Shams-ul-Tamraiz; Iqbal, Asif; Fahad, Shah

2016-01-01

The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of organic sources (animal manures vs. plant residues at the rate of 10 t ha−1 each) on the productivity of hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) production under different levels of phosphorus (0, 30, 60, and 90 kg P ha−1) fertilization. Two separate field experiments were conducted. In experiment (1), impact of three animal manures sources (cattle, sheep, and poultry manures) and P levels were studied along with one control plot (no animal manure and P applied) was investigated. In experiment (2), three plant residues sources (peach leaves, garlic residues, and wheat straw) and P levels were studied along with one control plot (no plant residues and P applied). Both the experiments were carried out on small land farmer field at District Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (Northwest Pakistan) during summer 2015. The results revealed that in both experiments the control plot had significantly (p ≤ 0.05) less productivity than the average of all treated plots with organic sources and P level. The increase in P levels in both experiments (animal manure vs. plant residues) resulted in higher rice productivity (90 > 60 > 30 > 0 kg P ha−1). In the experiment under animal manures, application of poultry manure increased rice productivity as compared with sheep and cattle manures (poultry > sheep > cattle manures). In the experiment under plant residues, application of peach leaves or garlic residues had higher rice productivity than wheat straw (peach leaves = garlic residues > wheat straw). On average, rice grown under animal manures produced about 20% higher grain yield than rice grown under crop residues. We conclude from this study that application of 90 kg P ha−1 along with combined application of animal manures, especially poultry manure increases rice productivity. Also, the use of either garlic residues or peach leaves, never applied before as organic manures, can increase crop productivity and will help

Transport and transcriptional regulation of oil production in plants.

PubMed

Manan, Sehrish; Chen, Beibei; She, Guangbiao; Wan, Xiaochun; Zhao, Jian

2017-08-01

Triacylglycerol (TAG) serves as an energy reservoir and phospholipids as build blocks of biomembrane to support plant life. They also provide human with foods and nutrients. Multi-compartmentalized biosynthesis, trafficking or cross-membrane transport of lipid intermediates or precursors and their regulatory mechanisms are not fully understood. Recent progress has aided our understanding of how fatty acids (FAs) and phospholipids are transported between the chloroplast, the cytoplasm, and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and how the ins and outs of lipids take place in the peroxisome and other organelles for lipid metabolism and function. In addition, information regarding the transcriptional regulation network associated with FA and TAG biosynthesis has been further enriched. Recent breakthroughs made in lipid transport and transcriptional regulation has provided significant insights into our comprehensive understanding of plant lipid biology. This review attempts to highlight the recent progress made on lipid synthesis, transport, degradation, and their regulatory mechanisms. Metabolic engineering, based on these knowledge-powered technologies for production of edible oils or biofuels, is reviewed. The biotechnological application of metabolic enzymes, transcription factors and transporters, for oil production and composition improvement, are discussed in a broad context in order to provide a fresh scenario for researchers and to guide future research and applications.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production on Waste Water Treatment Plants: Process Scheme, Operating Conditions and Potential Analysis for German and European Municipal Waste Water Treatment Plants

PubMed Central

Pittmann, Timo; Steinmetz, Heidrun

2017-01-01

This work describes the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) as a side stream process on a municipal waste water treatment plant (WWTP) and a subsequent analysis of the production potential in Germany and the European Union (EU). Therefore, tests with different types of sludge from a WWTP were investigated regarding their volatile fatty acids (VFA) production-potential. Afterwards, primary sludge was used as substrate to test a series of operating conditions (temperature, pH, retention time (RT) and withdrawal (WD)) in order to find suitable settings for a high and stable VFA production. In a second step, various tests regarding a high PHA production and stable PHA composition to determine the influence of substrate concentration, temperature, pH and cycle time of an installed feast/famine-regime were conducted. Experiments with a semi-continuous reactor operation showed that a short RT of 4 days and a small WD of 25% at pH = 6 and around 30 °C is preferable for a high VFA production rate (PR) of 1913 mgVFA/(L×d) and a stable VFA composition. A high PHA production up to 28.4% of cell dry weight (CDW) was reached at lower substrate concentration, 20 °C, neutral pH-value and a 24 h cycle time. A final step a potential analysis, based on the results and detailed data from German waste water treatment plants, showed that the theoretically possible production of biopolymers in Germany amounts to more than 19% of the 2016 worldwide biopolymer production. In addition, a profound estimation regarding the EU showed that in theory about 120% of the worldwide biopolymer production (in 2016) could be produced on European waste water treatment plants. PMID:28952533

Method for production of petroselinic acid and OMEGA12 hexadecanoic acid in transgenic plants

DOEpatents

Ohlrogge, John B.; Cahoon, Edgar B.; Shanklin, John; Somerville, Christopher R.

1995-01-01

The present invention relates to a process for producing lipids containing the fatty acid petroselinic acid in plants. The production of petroselinic acid is accomplished by genetically transforming plants which do not normally accumulate petroselinic acid with a gene for a .omega.12 desaturase from another species which does normally accumulate petroselinic acid.

Kainic Acid-Induced Excitotoxicity Experimental Model: Protective Merits of Natural Products and Plant Extracts

PubMed Central

Mohd Sairazi, Nur Shafika; Sirajudeen, K. N. S.; Asari, Mohd Asnizam; Muzaimi, Mustapha; Mummedy, Swamy; Sulaiman, Siti Amrah

2015-01-01

Excitotoxicity is well recognized as a major pathological process of neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases involving the central nervous system (CNS). In the animal models of neurodegeneration, excitotoxicity is commonly induced experimentally by chemical convulsants, particularly kainic acid (KA). KA-induced excitotoxicity in rodent models has been shown to result in seizures, behavioral changes, oxidative stress, glial activation, inflammatory mediator production, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and selective neurodegeneration in the brain upon KA administration. Recently, there is an emerging trend to search for natural sources to combat against excitotoxicity-associated neurodegenerative diseases. Natural products and plant extracts had attracted a considerable amount of attention because of their reported beneficial effects on the CNS, particularly their neuroprotective effect against excitotoxicity. They provide significant reduction and/or protection against the development and progression of acute and chronic neurodegeneration. This indicates that natural products and plants extracts may be useful in protecting against excitotoxicity-associated neurodegeneration. Thus, targeting of multiple pathways simultaneously may be the strategy to maximize the neuroprotection effect. This review summarizes the mechanisms involved in KA-induced excitotoxicity and attempts to collate the various researches related to the protective effect of natural products and plant extracts in the KA model of neurodegeneration. PMID:26793262

Breeding for genetic improvement of forage plants in relation to increasing animal production with reduced environmental footprint.

PubMed

Kingston-Smith, A H; Marshall, A H; Moorby, J M

2013-03-01

Animal production is a fundamental component of the food supply chain, and with an increasing global population production levels are set to increase. Ruminant animals in particular are valuable in their ability to convert a fibre-rich forage diet into a high-quality protein product for human consumption, although this benefit is offset by inefficiencies in rumen fermentation that contribute to emission of significant quantities of methane and nitrogenous waste. Through co-operation between plant and animal sciences, we can identify how the nutritional requirements of ruminants can be satisfied by high-quality forages for the future. Selective forage plant breeding has supported crop improvement for nearly a century. Early plant breeding programmes were successful in terms of yield gains (4% to 5% per decade), with quality traits becoming increasingly important breeding targets (e.g. enhanced disease resistance and digestibility). Recently, demands for more sustainable production systems have required high yielding, high-quality forages that enable efficient animal production with minimal environmental impact. Achieving this involves considering the entire farm system and identifying opportunities for maximising nutrient use efficiency in both forage and animal components. Forage crops of the future must be able to utilise limited resources (water and nutrients) to maximise production on a limited land area and this may require us to consider alternative plant species to those currently in use. Furthermore, new breeding targets will be identified as the interactions between plants and the animals that consume them become better understood. This will ensure that available resources are targeted at delivering maximum benefits to the animal through enhanced transformation efficiency.

Recent advances in the metabolic engineering of lignan biosynthesis pathways for the production of transgenic plant-based foods and supplements.

PubMed

Satake, Honoo; Ono, Eiichiro; Murata, Jun

2013-12-04

Plant physiological, epidemiological, and food science studies have shed light on lignans as healthy diets for the reduction of the risk of lifestyle-related noncommunicable diseases and, thus, the demand for lignans has been rapidly increasing. However, the low efficiency and instability of lignan production via extraction from plant resources remain to be resolved, indicating the requirement for the development of new procedures for lignan production. The metabolic engineering of lignan-biosynthesizing plants is expected to be most promising for efficient, sustainable, and stable lignan production. This is supported by the recent verification of biosynthetic pathways of major dietary lignans and the exploration of lignan production via metabolic engineering using transiently gene-transfected or transgenic plants. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the biosynthetic pathways, biological activities, and metabolic engineering of lignans and also perspectives in metabolic engineering-based lignan production using transgenic plants for practical application.

The Giant Knotweed (Fallopia sachalinensis var. Igniscum) as a new plant resource for biomass production for bioenergy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebzien, S.; Veste, M.; Fechner, H.; Koning, L.; Mantovani, D.; Freese, D.

2012-04-01

The cultivation of bioenergy crop for energetic biomass production and biogas will increase in the next decades in Europe and the world. In Germany maize is the most commonly used energy crops for biogas. To optimize the sustainability of bioenergy crop production new land management systems and crop species are needed. Herbaceous perennials have a great potential to fulfill this requirement. A new species for bioenergy production is the Giant Knotweed or Sakhalin Knotweed (Fallopia sachalinensis F. Schmidt ex Maxim., Fam. Polygonaceae) The knotweed is originated from Sakhalin, Korea and Japan .The plant is characterized by a high annual biomass production and can reach heights up to 3-4 m. As a new bioenergy crop the new cultivars IGNISCUM Basic (R) and IGNISCUM Candy (R) were cultured from the wild form and commercially used. Important is that both cultivars are not invasive. IGNISCUM Basic is used for combined heat and power plants. IGNISCUM Candy can be harvested 2-3 times during the growing season and the green biomass can be used for biogas production. Comprehensive test series are carried out to analyze the biogas. First results from lab investigations and experiments in biogas plants show that fresh matter of IGNISCUM Candy can well substitute maize as substrate in biogas power plants. Yields per hectare and the amount of biogas per ton of organic dry matter can be considered as almost equal to maize. Concerning the wooden biomass of IGNISCUM Basic values of combustion can be compared with wood chips from forest trees. For a sustainable and optimal production of biomass we develop cultivation technology for this species. Field experiments are arranged under different climatic and soil conditions across Germany from Schleswig-Holstein to southern Germany to investigate the plant growth and biomass production on the field scale. Physiological parameters are determined for the relations between growth stages, chlorophyll content, photosynthesis and plant

The world's biomes and primary production as a triple tragedy of the commons foraging game played among plants

PubMed Central

Gonzalez-Meler, Miquel A.; Lynch, Douglas J.; Baltzer, Jennifer L.

2016-01-01

Plants appear to produce an excess of leaves, stems and roots beyond what would provide the most efficient harvest of available resources. One way to understand this overproduction of tissues is that excess tissue production provides a competitive advantage. Game theoretic models predict overproduction of all tissues compared with non-game theoretic models because they explicitly account for this indirect competitive benefit. Here, we present a simple game theoretic model of plants simultaneously competing to harvest carbon and nitrogen. In the model, a plant's fitness is influenced by its own leaf, stem and root production, and the tissue production of others, which produces a triple tragedy of the commons. Our model predicts (i) absolute net primary production when compared with two independent global datasets; (ii) the allocation relationships to leaf, stem and root tissues in one dataset; (iii) the global distribution of biome types and the plant functional types found within each biome; and (iv) ecosystem responses to nitrogen or carbon fertilization. Our game theoretic approach removes the need to define allocation or vegetation type a priori but instead lets these emerge from the model as evolutionarily stable strategies. We believe this to be the simplest possible model that can describe plant production. PMID:28120794

The world's biomes and primary production as a triple tragedy of the commons foraging game played among plants.

PubMed

McNickle, Gordon G; Gonzalez-Meler, Miquel A; Lynch, Douglas J; Baltzer, Jennifer L; Brown, Joel S

2016-11-16

Plants appear to produce an excess of leaves, stems and roots beyond what would provide the most efficient harvest of available resources. One way to understand this overproduction of tissues is that excess tissue production provides a competitive advantage. Game theoretic models predict overproduction of all tissues compared with non-game theoretic models because they explicitly account for this indirect competitive benefit. Here, we present a simple game theoretic model of plants simultaneously competing to harvest carbon and nitrogen. In the model, a plant's fitness is influenced by its own leaf, stem and root production, and the tissue production of others, which produces a triple tragedy of the commons. Our model predicts (i) absolute net primary production when compared with two independent global datasets; (ii) the allocation relationships to leaf, stem and root tissues in one dataset; (iii) the global distribution of biome types and the plant functional types found within each biome; and (iv) ecosystem responses to nitrogen or carbon fertilization. Our game theoretic approach removes the need to define allocation or vegetation type a priori but instead lets these emerge from the model as evolutionarily stable strategies. We believe this to be the simplest possible model that can describe plant production. © 2016 The Author(s).

Modeling and control for closed environment plant production systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleisher, David H.; Ting, K. C.; Janes, H. W. (Principal Investigator)

2002-01-01

A computer program was developed to study multiple crop production and control in controlled environment plant production systems. The program simulates crop growth and development under nominal and off-nominal environments. Time-series crop models for wheat (Triticum aestivum), soybean (Glycine max), and white potato (Solanum tuberosum) are integrated with a model-based predictive controller. The controller evaluates and compensates for effects of environmental disturbances on crop production scheduling. The crop models consist of a set of nonlinear polynomial equations, six for each crop, developed using multivariate polynomial regression (MPR). Simulated data from DSSAT crop models, previously modified for crop production in controlled environments with hydroponics under elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, were used for the MPR fitting. The model-based predictive controller adjusts light intensity, air temperature, and carbon dioxide concentration set points in response to environmental perturbations. Control signals are determined from minimization of a cost function, which is based on the weighted control effort and squared-error between the system response and desired reference signal.

Method for production of petroselinic acid and OMEGA12 hexadecanoic acid in transgenic plants

DOEpatents

Ohlrogge, J.B.; Cahoon, E.B.; Shanklin, J.; Somerville, C.R.

1995-07-04

The present invention relates to a process for producing lipids containing the fatty acid, petroselinic acid, in plants. The production of petroselinic acid is accomplished by genetically transforming plants which do not normally accumulate petroselinic acid with a gene for a {omega}12 desaturase from another species which does normally accumulate petroselinic acid. 19 figs.

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria reduce aphid population and enhance the productivity of bread wheat.

PubMed

Naeem, Muhammad; Aslam, Zubair; Khaliq, Abdul; Ahmed, Jam Nazir; Nawaz, Ahmad; Hussain, Mubshar

2018-04-24

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria increase plant growth and give protection against insect pests and pathogens. Due to the negative impact of chemical pesticides on environment, alternatives to these chemicals are needed. In this scenario, the biological methods of pest control offer an eco-friendly and an attractive option. In this study, the effect of two plant growth promoting rhizobacterial strains (Bacillus sp. strain 6 and Pseudomonas sp. strain 6K) on aphid population and wheat productivity was evaluated in an aphid susceptible (Pasban-90) and resistant (Inqlab-91) wheat cultivar. The seeds were inoculated with each PGPR strain, separately or the combination of both. The lowest aphid population (2.1tiller -1 ), and highest plant height (85.8cm), number of spikelets per spike (18), grains per spike (44), productive tillers (320m -2 ), straw yield (8.6Mgha -1 ), and grain yield (4.8Mgha -1 ) were achieved when seeds were inoculated with Bacillus sp. strain 6+Pseudomonas sp. strain 6K. The grain yield of both varieties was enhanced by 35.5-38.9% with seed inoculation with both bacterial strains. Thus, the combine use of both PGPR strains viz. Bacillus sp. strain 6+Pseudomonas sp. strain 6K offers an attractive option to reduce aphid population tied with better wheat productivity. Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Regulations applicable to plant food supplements and related products in the European Union.

PubMed

Silano, Vittorio; Coppens, Patrick; Larrañaga-Guetaria, Ainhoa; Minghetti, Paola; Roth-Ehrang, René

2011-12-01

This paper deals with the current regulatory and legal settings of traditional plant food supplements and herbal medicinal products in the European Union (EU). Marketing of botanicals in foods and food supplements in the EU is subject to several provisions of food law, which cover aspects of safety, production, labelling and product composition, including the use of additives and maximum levels of contaminants and residues. However, due to limited harmonization at the EU level, specific national regulations adopted at a Member State level also apply and mutual recognition is the mechanism through which such products can be marketed in EU countries other than those of origin. Unlike food supplements, marketing of traditional herbal medicinal products is regulated by an ad hoc Directive (i.e. Directive 2004/24/EC) covering in detail all the relevant aspects of these products, including a facilitated registration procedure at national level. However, by distinguishing traditional herbal medicinal products from plant food supplements and establishing selective marketing modalities for these two product categories, the EU has been confronted with implementation difficulties for traditional herbal medicinal products and a lack of homogeneity in the regulatory approaches adopted in different EU Member States. In fact, currently the nature of the commercial botanical products made available to consumers as traditional medicinal products or food supplements, depends largely on the EU Member State under consideration as a consequence of how competent National Authorities and manufacturing companies interpret and apply current regulations rather than on the intrinsic properties of the botanical products and their constituents. When the EU approach is compared with approaches adopted in some non-European countries to regulate these product categories, major differences become evident.

Forage Production on Dry Rangelands of Binary Grass-Legume Mixtures at Four Plant Densities

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Forage production on Western US rangelands can be increased with the right combination of plants. Our objective was to demonstrate the relative forage production advantage of including a legume on dry rangelands. A falcata and rhizomatous alfalfa (medicago sativa L.), alti wildrye [Leymus andustus...

Process design and economic analysis of a hypothetical bioethanol production plant using carob pod as feedstock.

PubMed

Sánchez-Segado, S; Lozano, L J; de Los Ríos, A P; Hernández-Fernández, F J; Godínez, C; Juan, D

2012-01-01

A process for the production of ethanol from carob (Ceratonia siliqua) pods was designed and an economic analysis was carried out for a hypothetical plant. The plant was assumed to perform an aqueous extraction of sugars from the pods followed by fermentation and distillation to produce ethanol. The total fixed capital investment for a base case process with a capacity to transform 68,000 t/year carob pod was calculated as 39.61 millon euros (€) with a minimum bioethanol production cost of 0.51 €/L and an internal rate of return of 7%. The plant was found to be profitable at carob pod prices lower than 0.188 €/kg. An increase in the transformation capacity of the plant from 33,880 to 135,450 t/year was calculated to result in an increase in the internal rate of return from 5.50% to 13.61%. The obtained results show that carob pod is a promising alternative source for bioethanol production. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Micro-scale energy valorization of grape marcs in winery production plants.

PubMed

Fabbri, Andrea; Bonifazi, Giuseppe; Serranti, Silvia

2015-02-01

The Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) of winery organic waste, with reference to two Italian red and white grapes (i.e. Nero Buono and Greco) by-products was investigated. The study was carried out to verify the possibility to reduce the production impact in a green-waste-management-chain-perspective. The possibility to efficiently utilize wine-related-by-products for energy production at a micro-scale (i.e. small-medium scale winery production plant) was also verified. Results showed as a good correlation can be established between the percentage of COD removal and the biogas production, as the winery can produce, from its waste methanization, about 7800 kW h year(-1) electrical and 8900 kW h year(-1) thermal. A critical evaluation was performed about the possibility to utilize the proposed approach to realize an optimal biomass waste management and an energetic valorization in a local-energy-production-perspective. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protein body-inducing fusions for high-level production and purification of recombinant proteins in plants.

PubMed

Conley, Andrew J; Joensuu, Jussi J; Richman, Alex; Menassa, Rima

2011-05-01

For the past two decades, therapeutic and industrially important proteins have been expressed in plants with varying levels of success. The two major challenges hindering the economical production of plant-made recombinant proteins include inadequate accumulation levels and the lack of efficient purification methods. To address these limitations, several fusion protein strategies have been recently developed to significantly enhance the production yield of plant-made recombinant proteins, while simultaneously assisting in their subsequent purification. Elastin-like polypeptides are thermally responsive biopolymers composed of a repeating pentapeptide 'VPGXG' sequence that are valuable for the purification of recombinant proteins. Hydrophobins are small fungal proteins capable of altering the hydrophobicity of their respective fusion partner, thus enabling efficient purification by surfactant-based aqueous two-phase systems. Zera, a domain of the maize seed storage protein γ-zein, can induce the formation of protein storage bodies, thus facilitating the recovery of fused proteins using density-based separation methods. These three novel protein fusion systems have also been shown to enhance the accumulation of a range of different recombinant proteins, while concurrently inducing the formation of protein bodies. The packing of these fusion proteins into protein bodies may exclude the recombinant protein from normal physiological turnover. Furthermore, these systems allow for quick, simple and inexpensive nonchromatographic purification of the recombinant protein, which can be scaled up to industrial levels of protein production. This review will focus on the similarities and differences of these artificial storage organelles, their biogenesis and their implication for the production of recombinant proteins in plants and their subsequent purification. © 2011 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2011 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied

Consequences of buffelgrass pasture development for primary productivity, perennial plant richness, and vegetation structure in the drylands of Sonora, Mexico.

PubMed

Franklin, Kimberly; Molina-Freaner, Francisco

2010-12-01

In large parts of northern Mexico native plant communities are being converted to non-native buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) pastures, and this conversion could fundamentally alter primary productivity and species richness. In Sonora, Mexico land conversion is occurring at a regional scale along a rainfall-driven gradient of primary productivity, across which native plant communities transition from desert scrub to thorn scrub. We used a paired sampling design to compare a satellite-derived index of primary productivity, richness of perennial plant species, and canopy-height profiles of native plant communities with buffelgrass pastures. We sampled species richness across a gradient of primary productivity in desert scrub and thorn scrub vegetation to examine the influence of site productivity on the outcomes of land conversion. We also examined the influence of pasture age on species richness of perennial plants. Index values of primary productivity were lower in buffelgrass pastures than in native vegetation, which suggests a reduction in primary productivity. Land conversion reduced species richness by approximately 50% at local and regional scales, reduced tree and shrub cover by 78%, and reduced canopy height. Land conversion disproportionately reduced shrub species richness, which reflects the common practice among Sonoran ranchers of conserving certain tree and cactus species. Site productivity did not affect the outcomes of land conversion. The age of a buffelgrass pasture was unrelated to species richness within the pasture, which suggests that passive recovery of species richness to preconversion levels is unlikely. Our findings demonstrate that land conversion can result in large losses of plant species richness at local and regional scales and in substantial changes to primary productivity and vegetation structure, which casts doubt on the feasibility of restoring native plant communities without active intervention on the part of land managers. �

A conserved amino acid residue critical for product and substrate specificity in plant triterpene synthases

PubMed Central

Salmon, Melissa; Thimmappa, Ramesha B.; Minto, Robert E.; Melton, Rachel E.; O’Maille, Paul E.; Hemmings, Andrew M.; Osbourn, Anne

2016-01-01

Triterpenes are structurally complex plant natural products with numerous medicinal applications. They are synthesized through an origami-like process that involves cyclization of the linear 30 carbon precursor 2,3-oxidosqualene into different triterpene scaffolds. Here, through a forward genetic screen in planta, we identify a conserved amino acid residue that determines product specificity in triterpene synthases from diverse plant species. Mutation of this residue results in a major change in triterpene cyclization, with production of tetracyclic rather than pentacyclic products. The mutated enzymes also use the more highly oxygenated substrate dioxidosqualene in preference to 2,3-oxidosqualene when expressed in yeast. Our discoveries provide new insights into triterpene cyclization, revealing hidden functional diversity within triterpene synthases. They further open up opportunities to engineer novel oxygenated triterpene scaffolds by manipulating the precursor supply. PMID:27412861

Spectral filtering for plant production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Young, R.E.; McMahon, M.J.; Rajapakse, N.C.

1994-12-31

Research to date suggests that spectral filtering can be an effective alternative to chemical growth regulators for altering plant development. If properly implemented, it can be nonchemical and environmentally friendly. The aqueous CuSO{sub 4}, and CuCl{sub 2} solutions in channelled plastic panels have been shown to be effective filters, but they can be highly toxic if the solutions contact plants. Some studies suggest that spectral filtration limited to short EOD intervals can also alter plant development. Future research should be directed toward confirmation of the influence of spectral filters and exposure times on a broader range of plant species andmore » cultivars. Efforts should also be made to identify non-noxious alternatives to aqueous copper solutions and/or to incorporate these chemicals permanently into plastic films and panels that can be used in greenhouse construction. It would also be informative to study the impacts of spectral filters on insect and microbal populations in plant growth facilities. The economic impacts of spectral filtering techniques should be assessed for each delivery methodology.« less

Engineering The Unicellular Alga Phaeodactylum tricornutum For High-Value Plant Triterpenoid Production.

PubMed

D'Adamo, Sarah; Schiano di Visconte, Gino; Lowe, Gavin; Szaub-Newton, Joanna; Beacham, Tracey; Landels, Andrew; Allen, Michael J; Spicer, Andrew; Matthijs, Michiel

2018-05-13

Plant triterpenoids constitute a diverse class of organic compounds that play a major role in development, plant defense and environmental interaction. Several triterpenes have demonstrated potential as pharmaceuticals. One example is betulin, which has shown promise as a pharmaceutical precursor for the treatment of certain cancers and HIV. Major challenges for triterpenoid commercialization include their low production levels and their cost-effective purification from the complex mixtures present in their natural hosts. Therefore, attempts to produce these compounds in industrially relevant microbial systems such as bacteria and yeasts have attracted great interest. Here we report the production of the triterpenes betulin and its precursor lupeol in the photosynthetic diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, a unicellular eukaryotic alga. This was achieved by introducing three plant enzymes in the microalga: a Lotus japonicus oxidosqualene cyclase and a Medicago truncatula cytochrome P450 along with its native reductase. The introduction of the L. japonicus oxidosqualene cyclase perturbed the mRNA expression levels of the native mevalonate and sterol biosynthesis pathway. The best performing strains were selected and grown in a 550L pilot scale photobioreactor facility. To our knowledge, this is the most extensive pathway engineering undertaken in a diatom and the first time that a sapogenin has been artificially produced in a microalga, demonstrating the feasibility of the photo-bio-production of more complex high-value, metabolites in microalgae. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Good manufacturing practices production of a purification-free oral cholera vaccine expressed in transgenic rice plants.

PubMed

Kashima, Koji; Yuki, Yoshikazu; Mejima, Mio; Kurokawa, Shiho; Suzuki, Yuji; Minakawa, Satomi; Takeyama, Natsumi; Fukuyama, Yoshiko; Azegami, Tatsuhiko; Tanimoto, Takeshi; Kuroda, Masaharu; Tamura, Minoru; Gomi, Yasuyuki; Kiyono, Hiroshi

2016-03-01

The first Good Manufacturing Practices production of a purification-free rice-based oral cholera vaccine (MucoRice-CTB) from transgenic plants in a closed cultivation system yielded a product meeting regulatory requirements. Despite our knowledge of their advantages, plant-based vaccines remain unavailable for human use in both developing and industrialized countries. A leading, practical obstacle to their widespread use is producing plant-based vaccines that meet governmental regulatory requirements. Here, we report the first production according to current Good Manufacturing Practices of a rice-based vaccine, the cholera vaccine MucoRice-CTB, at an academic institution. To this end, we established specifications and methods for the master seed bank (MSB) of MucoRice-CTB, which was previously generated as a selection-marker-free line, evaluated its propagation, and given that the stored seeds must be renewed periodically. The production of MucoRice-CTB incorporated a closed hydroponic system for cultivating the transgenic plants, to minimize variations in expression and quality during vaccine manufacture. This type of molecular farming factory can be operated year-round, generating three harvests annually, and is cost- and production-effective. Rice was polished to a ratio of 95 % and then powdered to produce the MucoRice-CTB drug substance, and the identity, potency, and safety of the MucoRice-CTB product met pre-established release requirements. The formulation of MucoRice-CTB made by fine-powdering of drug substance and packaged in an aluminum pouch is being evaluated in a physician-initiated phase I study.

Towards a sustainable bio-based economy: Redirecting primary metabolism to new products with plant synthetic biology.

PubMed

Shih, Patrick M

2018-08-01

Humans have domesticated many plant species as indispensable sources of food, materials, and medicines. The dawning era of synthetic biology represents a means to further refine, redesign, and engineer crops to meet various societal and industrial needs. Current and future endeavors will utilize plants as the foundation of a bio-based economy through the photosynthetic production of carbohydrate feedstocks for the microbial fermentation of biofuels and bioproducts, with the end goal of decreasing our dependence on petrochemicals. As our technological capabilities improve, metabolic engineering efforts may expand the utility of plants beyond sugar feedstocks through the direct production of target compounds, including pharmaceuticals, renewable fuels, and commodity chemicals. However, relatively little work has been done to fully realize the potential in redirecting central carbon metabolism in plants for the engineering of novel bioproducts. Although our ability to rationally engineer and manipulate plant metabolism is in its infancy, I highlight some of the opportunities and challenges in applying synthetic biology towards engineering plant primary metabolism. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PRODUCTION OF HEAVY WATER SAVANNAH RIVER AND DANA PLANTS. Technical Manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bebbington, W.P.; Thayer, V.R. eds.; Proctor, J.F. comp.

1959-07-01

A summary is presented of the basic technical iniormation that pertains to processes that are used at the Dana and Savannah River Plants for the production of heavy water. The manual is intended primarily for plant operating and technical personnel and was prepared to supplement and provide technical support for detailed operating procedures. Introductory sections contain some background information on the history, uses, available processes, and analytical procedures for heavy water. They also include a general comparison of the design and laserformance of the two plants and an analysis of their differences. The technology of the heavy water separation processesmore » used, namely hydrogen sulfide exchange, distillation of water, and electrolysis is discussed in detail. The manufacture and storage of hydrogen sulfide gas and the process water treatment facilities are also discussed. (auth)« less

Investigation of increased listeriosis revealed two fishery production plants with persistent Listeria contamination in Finland in 2010.

PubMed

Nakari, U-M; Rantala, L; Pihlajasaari, A; Toikkanen, S; Johansson, T; Hellsten, C; Raulo, S M; Kuusi, M; Siitonen, A; Rimhanen-Finne, R

2014-11-01

In 2010, a marked increase in listeriosis incidence was observed in Finland. Listeria monocytogenes PFGE profile 96 was responsible for one-fifth of the reported cases and a cluster of PFGE profile 62 was also detected. Investigations revealed two fishery production plants with persistent Listeria contamination. It appears likely that the plants were at least partly responsible for the increase of listeriosis. Epidemiological investigation revealed that 57% (31/54) of cases with underlying immunosuppressive condition or medication reported eating gravad or cold-smoked fish. Two public notices were issued by THL and Evira informing which groups were most at risk from the effects of listeriosis and should therefore be cautious in consuming certain products. Systematic sampling of foods and adequate epidemiological investigation methods are required to identify the sources of Listeria infections. Continuous control measures at fishery production plants producing risk products are essential.

Hydrogen from renewable energy: A pilot plant for thermal production and mobility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degiorgis, L.; Santarelli, M.; Calì, M.

In the mainframe of a research contract, a feasibility pre-design study of a hydrogen-fuelled Laboratory-Village has been carried out: the goals are the design and the simulation of a demonstration plant based on hydrogen as primary fuel. The hydrogen is produced by electrolysis, from electric power produced by a mix of hydroelectric and solar photovoltaic plants. The plant will be located in a small remote village in Valle d'Aosta (Italy). This country has large water availability from glaciers and mountains, so electricity production from fluent water hydroelectric plants is abundant and cheap. Therefore, the production of hydrogen during the night (instead of selling the electricity to the grid at very low prices) could become a good economic choice, and hydrogen could be a competitive local fuel in term of costs, if compared to oil or gas. The H 2 will be produced and stored, and used to feed a hydrogen vehicle and for thermal purposes (heating requirement of three buildings), allowing a real field test (Village-Laboratory). Due to the high level of pressure requested for H 2 storage on-board in the vehicle, the choice has been the experimental test of a prototype laboratory-scale high-pressure PEM electrolyzer: a test laboratory has been designed, to investigate the energy savings related to this technology. In the paper, the description of the dynamic simulation of the plant (developed with TRNSYS) together with a detailed design and an economic analysis (proving the technical and economical feasibility of the installation) has been carried out. Moreover, the design of the high-pressure PEM electrolyzer is described.

Control of Cowpea Weevil, Callosobruchus Maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), Using Natural Plant Products.

PubMed

Tiroesele, Bamphitlhi; Thomas, Kesegofetse; Seketeme, Seipati

2014-12-31

A laboratory study was conducted to investigate the effects of natural products on the reproduction and damage of Callosobruchus maculatus, the cowpea weevil, on cowpea seeds at Botswana College of Agriculture in Gaborone, Botswana. The cowpea variety Blackeye was used in the study. Fifty grams of each plant product (garlic, peppermint and chilies) was added to 500 g of the cowpea seeds. Findings of this experiment revealed that chilies and garlic had negative effects on cowpea weevils for all parameters measured. Peppermint also showed significant reduction in the F₁ progeny of the cowpea weevils but with less effect on weevils than garlic and chilies. The results indicate that these plant products have the potential to protect cowpea seeds from cowpea weevils' damage compared to when the seeds are left or stored unprotected. They should, therefore, be included in pest management strategies for cowpea weevil in grains stored on-farm in rural tropical and subtropical regions.

Control of Cowpea Weevil, Callosobruchus Maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), Using Natural Plant Products

PubMed Central

Tiroesele, Bamphitlhi; Thomas, Kesegofetse; Seketeme, Seipati

2014-01-01

A laboratory study was conducted to investigate the effects of natural products on the reproduction and damage of Callosobruchus maculatus, the cowpea weevil, on cowpea seeds at Botswana College of Agriculture in Gaborone, Botswana. The cowpea variety Blackeye was used in the study. Fifty grams of each plant product (garlic, peppermint and chilies) was added to 500 g of the cowpea seeds. Findings of this experiment revealed that chilies and garlic had negative effects on cowpea weevils for all parameters measured. Peppermint also showed significant reduction in the F1 progeny of the cowpea weevils but with less effect on weevils than garlic and chilies. The results indicate that these plant products have the potential to protect cowpea seeds from cowpea weevils’ damage compared to when the seeds are left or stored unprotected. They should, therefore, be included in pest management strategies for cowpea weevil in grains stored on-farm in rural tropical and subtropical regions. PMID:26463066

Spectral filtering for plant production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Roy E.; Mcmahon, Margaret J.; Rajapakse, Nihal C.; Decoteau, Dennis R.

1994-01-01

Both plants and animals have one general commonality in their perception of light. They both are sensitive primarily to the 400 to 700 nm wavelength portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. This is referred to as the visible spectrum for animals and as the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) spectrum for plants. Within this portion of the spectrum, animals perceive colors. Relatively recently it has been learned that within this same spectral range plants also demonstrate varying responses at different wavelengths, somewhat analogous to the definition of various colors at specific wavelengths. Although invisible to the human eye, portions of the electromagnetic spectrum on either side of the visible range are relatively inactive photosynthetically but have been found to influence important biological functions. These portions include the ultraviolet (UV approximately equal to 280-400 nm) and the far-red (FR approximately equal to 700-800 nm). The basic photoreceptor of plants for photosynthesis is chlorophyll. It serves to capture radiant energy which combined with carbon dioxide and water produces oxygen and assimulated carbon, used for the synthesis of cell wall polysaccarides, proteins, membrane lipids and other cellular constituents. The energy and carbon building blocks of photosynthesis sustain growth of plants. On the other hand, however, there are other photoreceptors, or pigments, that function as signal transducers to provide information that controls many physiological and morphological responses of how a plant grows. Known photomorphogenic receptors include phytochrome (the red/far-red sensor in the narrow bands of 655-665 nm and 725-735 nm ranges, respectively) and 'cryptochrome' (the hypothetical UV-B sensor in the 280-320 nm range). Since the USDA team of W. L. Butler, S. B. Hendricks, H. A. Borthwick, H. A. Siegleman and K. Norris in Beltsville, MD detected by spectroscopy, extracted and identified phytochrome as a protein in the 1950's, many

Spot drip application of dimethyl disulfide as a post-plant treatment for the control of plant parasitic nematodes and soilborne pathogens in grape production.

PubMed

Cabrera, J Alfonso; Wang, Dong; Gerik, James S; Gan, Jay

2014-07-01

Plant parasitic nematodes and soilborne pathogens can reduce the overall productivity in grape production. Not all grape growers apply soil fumigants before planting, and there is no single rootstock resistant to all nematode species. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) applied at 112, 224, 448 and 897 kg ha(-1) as a post-plant treatment against soilborne plant parasitic nematodes and pathogens on the grape yield in established grapevines. In microplot and field trials, post-plant fumigation with DMDS controlled citrus (Tylenchulus semipenetrans), root-knot (Meloidogyne spp.), pin (Paratylenchus spp.) and ring (Mesocriconema xenoplax) nematodes in established Thomson Seedless grapevines. However, DMDS did not control the soilborne pathogens Pythium ultimum and Fusarium oxysporum. No indications of phytotoxicity were detected after post-plant fumigation with DMDS. In the field trial, grape yield was significantly higher with the lowest DMDS rate, but no difference among other rates was observed in comparison with the untreated control. Post-plant fumigation with DMDS controlled plant parasitic nematodes in established grapevines but was less efficacious against soilborne pathogens. Low rates of DMDS were sufficient for nematode control and increased the grape yield, probably without affecting beneficial soil organisms. Further research on evaluating the potential effect of DMDS against beneficial soil organisms is needed. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Hydrolyzable tannins of tamaricaceous plants. IV: Micropropagation and ellagitannin production in shoot cultures of Tamarix tetrandra.

PubMed

Orabi, Mohamed A A; Taniguchi, Shoko; Terabayashi, Susumu; Hatano, Tsutomu

2011-11-01

Shoot cultures of Tamarix tetrandra on Linsmaier-Skoog (LS) agar medium with 30 g l(-1) sucrose, 2.13 mg l(-1) indoleacetic acid and 2.25 mg l(-1) benzyl adenine produced ellagitannins found in intact plants of the Tamaricaceae. This was demonstrated by the isolation of 14 monomeric-tetrameric ellagitannins from the aq. Me2CO extract of the cultured tissues. This is the first report on the production of ellagitannin tetramers by plant tissue culture. The effects of light and certain medium constituents on tissue growth and ellagitannin production were examined. The contents of representative tannins of different types [i.e., tellimagrandin II (monomer), hirtellin A (linear GOG-type dimer), hirtellin B (hellinoyl-type dimer), hirtellin C (macrocyclic-type dimer), and hirtellin T1 (linear GOG-type trimer)] in the resultant tissues in response to these factors were estimated by HPLC, and the optimal condition for production of these tannins were established. Shoots cultured on LS hormone-free medium promoted root development, and regenerated plants could adapt to ordinary soil and climate. Acclimatized and intact T. tetrandra plants that were collected in November and May, respectively, demonstrated seasonal differences in individual ellagitannin contents. HPLC comparison of individual ellagitannin contents in different plant materials (i.e., leaves, stems, and roots) of intact T. tetrandra plants is also reported. The results are discussed with respect to cellular deposition and biosynthetic relationship of tannins. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extraterrestrial fiberglass production using solar energy. [lunar plants or space manufacturing facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ho, D.; Sobon, L. E.

1979-01-01

A conceptual design is presented for fiberglass production systems in both lunar and space environments. The raw material, of lunar origin, will be plagioclase concentrate, high silica content slag, and calcium oxide. Glass will be melted by solar energy. The multifurnace in the lunar plant and the spinning cylinder in the space plant are unique design features. Furnace design appears to be the most critical element in optimizing system performance. A conservative estimate of the total power generated by solar concentrators is 1880 kW; the mass of both plants is 120 tons. The systems will reproduce about 90 times their total mass in fiberglass in 1 year. A new design concept would be necessary if glass rods were produced in space.

Diversifying soybean production risk using maturity group and planting date choices

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Due to the long growing season for soybean (Glycine max) production in the region, producers in the Mid-southern US plant from late March to June and have a range of maturity group (MG) choices that are physiologically and economically viable. Three years of field trial data from nine locations in s...

Amphibians and plant-protection products: what research and action is needed?

PubMed

Aldrich, Annette; Junghans, Marion; Aeberli, Caroline; Brühl, Carsten A; Streissl, Franz; Schmidt, Benedikt R

2016-01-01

The majority of Swiss amphibians are threatened. There is a range of factors which have been discussed as possible causes for their decline, including plant protection products (PPPs). The influence of PPPs on amphibian populations has not yet been studied to any great extent, neither for active ingredients nor for the wetting agents, breakdown products or tank mixtures. A further topic of discussion was how to better protect amphibians by reducing their exposure to PPPs in agricultural fields. Experts at a workshop concluded that further research is needed.

Properties of various plants and animals feedstocks for biodiesel production.

PubMed

Karmakar, Aninidita; Karmakar, Subrata; Mukherjee, Souti

2010-10-01

As an alternative fuel biodiesel is becoming increasingly important due to diminishing petroleum reserves and adverse environmental consequences of exhaust gases from petroleum-fuelled engines. Biodiesel, the non-toxic fuel, is mono alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from renewable feedstock like vegetable oils, animal fats and residual oils. Choice of feedstocks depends on process chemistry, physical and chemical characteristics of virgin or used oils and economy of the process. Extensive research information is available on transesterification, the production technology and process optimization for various biomaterials. Consistent supply of feedstocks is being faced as a major challenge by the biodiesel production industry. This paper reviews physico-chemical properties of the plant and animal resources that are being used as feedstocks for biodiesel production. Efforts have also been made to review the potential resources that can be transformed into biodiesel successfully for meeting the ever increasing demand of biodiesel production. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fungal diversity, dominance, and community structure in the rhizosphere of clonal Picea mariana plants throughout nursery production chronosequences.

PubMed

Vujanovic, V; Hamelin, R C; Bernier, L; Vujanovic, G; St-Arnaud, M

2007-11-01

Fungal diversity in the rhizosphere of healthy and diseased clonal black spruce (Picea mariana) plants was analyzed with regard to nursery production chronosequences. The four key production stages were sampled: mother plants (MP), 8-week-old cuttings (B + 0), second-year cuttings (B + 1), and third-year cuttings (B + 2). A total of 45 fungal taxa were isolated and identified based on cultural, phenotypic, and molecular characters. Members of phylum Ascomycota dominated, followed by Basidiomycota and Zygomycota. Diagnosis characters and distance analysis of the internal transcribed spacer rDNA sequences allowed the identification of 39 ascomycetous taxa. Many belong to the order Hypocreales, families Hypocreaceae and Nectriaceae, which contain many clusters of potentially pathogenic taxa (Cylindrocladium, Fusarium, and Neonectria) and are also ecologically associated with antagonistic taxa (Chaetomium, Hypocrea, Microsphaeropsis, Penicillium, Paecilomyces, Verticillium, Trichoderma, and Sporothrix). This is also the first report of a Cylindrocladium canadense association with disease symptoms and relation with Pestalotiopsis, Fusarium, Exserochilum, Rhizoctonia, and Xenochalara fungal consortia. Both production chronosequence and plant health considerably influenced fungal taxa assemblages. Unweighted pair-group arithmetic average clustering showed that isolates from MP, B + 0, and B + 1 plant rhizospheres clustered together within healthy or diseased health classes, whereas isolates from healthy and diseased B + 2 plants clustered together. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed substantial alteration in community assemblages with regard to plant health and yielded a principal axis direction that regrouped taxa associated with diseased plant rhizosphere soil, whereas the opposite axis direction was associated with healthy plants. Two diversity indices were defined and applied to assess the fungal taxa contribution (Tc) and persistence (Pi) throughout the

A Simple Demonstration of Carbon Dioxide Fixation and Acid Production in CAM Plants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, John R. L.; McWha, James A.

1976-01-01

Described is an experiment investigating carbon dioxide fixation in the dark and the diurnal rhythm of acid production in plants exhibiting Crassulacean Acid Metabolism. Included are suggestions for four further investigations. (SL)

Interaction Effect Between Herbivory and Plant Fertilization on Extrafloral Nectar Production and on Seed Traits: An Experimental Study With Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae).

PubMed

De Sibio, P R; Rossi, M N

2016-08-01

It is known that the release of volatile chemicals by many plants can attract the natural enemies of herbivorous insects. Such indirect interactions are likely when plants produce nectar from their extrafloral nectaries, and particularly when the production of extrafloral nectar (EFN) is induced by herbivory. In the present study, we conducted experiments to test whether foliar herbivory inflicted by Spodoptera frugiperda Smith (Noctuidae) increases nectar production by extrafloral nectaries on one of its host plants, Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae). Due to the current economic importance of R. communis, we also investigated whether the following seed traits-water content, dry mass, and essential oil production-are negatively affected by herbivory. Finally, we tested whether or not nectar production and seed traits are influenced by plant fertilization (plant quality). We found that nectar production was increased after herbivory, but it was not affected by the type of fertilization. Seed dry mass was higher in plants that were subjected to full fertilization, without herbivory; plants maintained in low fertilization conditions, however, had higher seed mass when subjected to herbivory. The same inverted pattern was observed for oil production. Therefore, our results suggest that EFN production in R. communis may act as an indirect defense strategy against herbivores, and that there is a trade-off between reproduction and plant growth when low-fertilized plants are subjected to herbivory. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Release of lipoxygenase products and monoterpenes by tomato plants as an indicator of Botrytis cinerea-induced stress.

PubMed

Jansen, R M C; Miebach, M; Kleist, E; van Henten, E J; Wildt, J

2009-11-01

Changes in emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from tomato induced by the fungus Botrytis cinerea were studied in plants inoculated by spraying with suspensions containing B. cinerea spores. VOC emissions were analysed using on-line gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, with a time resolution of about 1 h, for up to 2 days after spraying. Four phases were delimited according to the starting point and the applied day/night rhythm of the experiments. These phases were used to demonstrate changes in VOC flux caused by B. cinerea infestation. Tomato plants inoculated with B. cinerea emitted a different number and amount of VOCs after inoculation compared to control plants that had been sprayed with a suspension without B. cinerea spores. The changes in emissions were dependent on time after inoculation as well as on the severity of infection. The predominant VOCs emitted after inoculation were volatile products from the lipoxygenase pathway (LOX products). The increased emission of LOX products proved to be a strong indicator of a stress response, indicating that VOC emissions can be used to detect plant stress at an early stage. Besides emission of LOX products, there were also increases in monoterpene emissions. However, neither increased emission of LOX products nor of monoterpenes is specific for B. cinerea attack. The emission of LOX products is also induced by other stresses, and increased emission of monoterpenes seems to be the result of mechanical damage induced by secondary stress impacts on leaves.

Organic blueberry production systems: management of plant nutrition, irrigation requirements, and weeds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A long-term systems trial was established to evaluate management practices for organic production of northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). The factorial experiment included two planting bed treatments (flat and raised beds), source and rate of fertilizer (feather meal and fish emuls...

Production of Se-methylselenocysteine in transgenic plants expressing selenocysteine methyltransferase

PubMed Central

Ellis, Danielle R; Sors, Thomas G; Brunk, Dennis G; Albrecht, Carrie; Orser, Cindy; Lahner, Brett; Wood, Karl V; Harris, Hugh H; Pickering, Ingrid J; Salt, David E

2004-01-01

Background It has become increasingly evident that dietary Se plays a significant role in reducing the incidence of lung, colorectal and prostate cancer in humans. Different forms of Se vary in their chemopreventative efficacy, with Se-methylselenocysteine being one of the most potent. Interestingly, the Se accumulating plant Astragalus bisulcatus (Two-grooved poison vetch) contains up to 0.6% of its shoot dry weight as Se-methylselenocysteine. The ability of this Se accumulator to biosynthesize Se-methylselenocysteine provides a critical metabolic shunt that prevents selenocysteine and selenomethionine from entering the protein biosynthetic machinery. Such a metabolic shunt has been proposed to be vital for Se tolerance in A. bisulcatus. Utilization of this mechanism in other plants may provide a possible avenue for the genetic engineering of Se tolerance in plants ideally suited for the phytoremediation of Se contaminated land. Here, we describe the overexpression of a selenocysteine methyltransferase from A. bisulcatus to engineer Se-methylselenocysteine metabolism in the Se non-accumulator Arabidopsis thaliana (Thale cress). Results By over producing the A. bisulcatus enzyme selenocysteine methyltransferase in A. thaliana, we have introduced a novel biosynthetic ability that allows the non-accumulator to accumulate Se-methylselenocysteine and γ-glutamylmethylselenocysteine in shoots. The biosynthesis of Se-methylselenocysteine in A. thaliana also confers significantly increased selenite tolerance and foliar Se accumulation. Conclusion These results demonstrate the feasibility of developing transgenic plant-based production of Se-methylselenocysteine, as well as bioengineering selenite resistance in plants. Selenite resistance is the first step in engineering plants that are resistant to selenate, the predominant form of Se in the environment. PMID:15005814

RAMI modeling of selected balance of plant systems for the proposed Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radder, J.A.; Cramer, D.S.

1997-06-01

In order to meet Department of Energy (DOE) Defense Program requirements for tritium in the 2005-2007 time frame, new production capability must be made available. The Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) Plant is being considered as an alternative to nuclear reactor production of tritium, which has been the preferred method in the past. The proposed APT plant will use a high-power proton accelerator to generate thermal neutrons that will be captured in {sup 3}He to produce tritium (3H). It is expected that the APT Plant will be built and operated at the DOE`s Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, Southmore » Carolina. Discussion is focused on Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Inspectability (RAMI) modeling of recent conceptual designs for balance of plant (BOP) systems in the proposed APT Plant. In the conceptual designs for balance of plant (BOP) systems in the proposed APT Plant. In the conceptual design phase, system RAMI estimates are necessary to identify the best possible system alternative and to provide a valid picture of the cost effectiveness of the proposed system for comparison with other system alternatives. RAMI estimates in the phase must necessarily be based on generic data. The objective of the RAMI analyses at the conceptual design stage is to assist the designers in achieving an optimum design which balances the reliability and maintainability requirements among the subsystems and components.« less

Refuse derived soluble bio-organics enhancing tomato plant growth and productivity.

PubMed

Sortino, Orazio; Dipasquale, Mauro; Montoneri, Enzo; Tomasso, Lorenzo; Perrone, Daniele G; Vindrola, Daniela; Negre, Michele; Piccone, Giuseppe

2012-10-01

Municipal bio-refuse (CVD), containing kitchen wastes, home gardening residues and public park trimmings, was treated with alkali to yield a soluble bio-organic fraction (SBO) and an insoluble residue. These materials were characterized using elemental analysis, potentiometric titration, and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and then applied as organic fertilizers to soil for tomato greenhouse cultivation. Their performance was compared with a commercial product obtained from animal residues. Plant growth, fruit yield and quality, and soil and leaf chemical composition were the selected performance indicators. The SBO exhibited the best performance by enhancing leaf chlorophyll content, improving plant growth and fruit ripening rate and yield. No product performance-chemical composition relationship could be assessed. Solubility could be one reason for the superior performance of SBO as a tomato growth promoter. The enhancement of leaf chlorophyll content is discussed to identify a possible link with the SBO photosensitizing properties that have been demonstrated in other work, and thus with photosynthetic performance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production characteristics of lettuce Lactuca sativa L. in the frame of the first crop tests in the Higher Plant Chamber integrated into the MELiSSA Pilot Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhomirova, Natalia; Lawson, Jamie; Stasiak, Michael; Dixon, Mike; Paille, Christel; Peiro, Enrique; Fossen, Arnaud; Godia, Francesc

Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA) is an artificial closed ecosystem that is considered a tool for the development of a bioregenerative life support system for manned space missions. One of the five compartments of MELiSSA loop -Higher Plant Chamber was recently integrated into the MELiSSA Pilot Plant facility at Universitat Aut`noma deo Barcelona. The main contributions expected by integration of this photosynthetic compartment are oxygen, water, vegetable food production and CO2 consumption. Production characteristics of Lactuca sativa L., as a MELiSSA candidate crop, were investigated in this work in the first crop experiments in the MELiSSA Pilot Plant facility. The plants were grown in batch culture and totaled 100 plants with a growing area 5 m long and 1 m wide in a sealed controlled environment. Several replicates of the experiments were carried out with varying duration. It was shown that after 46 days of lettuce cultivation dry edible biomass averaged 27, 2 g per plant. However accumulation of oxygen in the chamber, which required purging of the chamber, and decrease in the food value of the plants was observed. Reducing the duration of the tests allowed uninterrupted test without opening the system and also allowed estimation of the crop's carbon balance. Results of productivity, tissue composition, nutrient uptake and canopy photosynthesis of lettuce regardless of test duration are discussed in the paper.

Shifting grassland plant community structure drives positive interactive effects of warming and diversity on aboveground net primary productivity.

PubMed

Cowles, Jane M; Wragg, Peter D; Wright, Alexandra J; Powers, Jennifer S; Tilman, David

2016-02-01

Ecosystems worldwide are increasingly impacted by multiple drivers of environmental change, including climate warming and loss of biodiversity. We show, using a long-term factorial experiment, that plant diversity loss alters the effects of warming on productivity. Aboveground primary productivity was increased by both high plant diversity and warming, and, in concert, warming (≈1.5 °C average above and belowground warming over the growing season) and diversity caused a greater than additive increase in aboveground productivity. The aboveground warming effects increased over time, particularly at higher levels of diversity, perhaps because of warming-induced increases in legume and C4 bunch grass abundances, and facilitative feedbacks of these species on productivity. Moreover, higher plant diversity was associated with the amelioration of warming-induced environmental conditions. This led to cooler temperatures, decreased vapor pressure deficit, and increased surface soil moisture in higher diversity communities. Root biomass (0-30 cm) was likewise consistently greater at higher plant diversity and was greater with warming in monocultures and at intermediate diversity, but at high diversity warming had no detectable effect. This may be because warming increased the abundance of legumes, which have lower root : shoot ratios than the other types of plants. In addition, legumes increase soil nitrogen (N) supply, which could make N less limiting to other species and potentially decrease their investment in roots. The negative warming × diversity interaction on root mass led to an overall negative interactive effect of these two global change factors on the sum of above and belowground biomass, and thus likely on total plant carbon stores. In total, plant diversity increased the effect of warming on aboveground net productivity and moderated the effect on root mass. These divergent effects suggest that warming and changes in plant diversity are likely to have both

Inhibition of nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages by Jeju plant extracts

PubMed Central

Yang, Eun-Jin; Yim, Eun-Young; Song, Gwanpil; Kim, Gi-Ok; Hyun, Chang-Gu

2009-01-01

Nitric oxide (NO) produced in large amounts by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is known to be responsible for the vasodilation and hypotension observed during septic shock and inflammation. Thus, inhibitors of iNOS may be useful candidates for the treatment of inflammatory diseases accompanied by the overproduction of NO. In this study, we prepared alcoholic extracts of Jeju plants and screened them for their inhibitory activity against NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages. Among the 260 kinds of plant extract tested, 122 extracts showed potent inhibitory activity towards NO production by more than 25% at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. Plants such as Malus sieboldii, Vaccinium oldhamii, Corylus hallaisanensis, Carpinus laxiflora, Styrax obassia, and Securinega suffruticosa showed the most potent inhibition (above 70%) at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. The cytotoxic effects of the plant extracts were determined by colorimetric MTT assays and most plant extracts exhibited only moderate cytotoxicity at 100 µg/mL. Therefore, these plants should be considered promising candidates for the further purification of bioactive compounds and would be useful for the treatment of inflammatory diseases accompanying overproduction of NO. PMID:21217861

Search for bioactive natural products from medicinal plants of Bangladesh.

PubMed

Ahmed, Firoj; Sadhu, Samir Kumar; Ishibashi, Masami

2010-10-01

In our continuous search for bioactive natural products from natural resources, we explored medicinal plants of Bangladesh, targeting cancer-related tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-signaling pathway, along with some other biological activities such as prostaglandin inhibitory activity, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free-radical-scavenging activity, and cell growth inhibitory activity. Along with this, we describe a short field study on Sundarbans mangrove forests, Bangladesh, in the review.

Biotic Interactions in the Rhizosphere: A Diverse Cooperative Enterprise for Plant Productivity1[C

PubMed Central

De-la-Peña, Clelia; Loyola-Vargas, Víctor M.

2014-01-01

Microbes and plants have evolved biochemical mechanisms to communicate with each other. The molecules responsible for such communication are secreted during beneficial or harmful interactions. Hundreds of these molecules secreted into the rhizosphere have been identified, and their functions are being studied in order to understand the mechanisms of interaction and communication among the different members of the rhizosphere community. The importance of root and microbe secretion to the underground habitat in improving crop productivity is increasingly recognized, with the discovery and characterization of new secreting compounds found in the rhizosphere. Different omic approaches, such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, have expanded our understanding of the first signals between microbes and plants. In this review, we highlight the more recent discoveries related to molecules secreted into the rhizosphere and how they affect plant productivity, either negatively or positively. In addition, we include a survey of novel approaches to studying the rhizosphere and emerging opportunities to direct future studies. PMID:25118253

Coal flow aids reduce coke plant operating costs and improve production rates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bedard, R.A.; Bradacs, D.J.; Kluck, R.W.

2005-06-01

Chemical coal flow aids can provide many benefits to coke plants, including improved production rates, reduced maintenance and lower cleaning costs. This article discusses the mechanisms by which coal flow aids function and analyzes several successful case histories. 2 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab.

Inflammatory Effects of the Plant Protection Product Stifenia (FEN560) on Vertebrates.

PubMed

Teyssier, Lény; Colussi, Julie; Delemasure, Stéphanie; Chluba, Johanna; Wendehenne, David; Lamotte, Olivier; Connat, Jean-Louis

2017-01-01

Plant defense stimulators (PDSs) rely on the activation of plant innate immunity in order to protect crops against various pests. These molecules are thought to be a safer alternative to classical plant protection products. Given that innate immune systems share common features in plants and vertebrates, PDS can potentially cross-react with innate immunity of non-target organisms. To test this hypothesis, we studied effects of the commercial PDS Stifenia (FEN560), which is composed of crushed fenugreek seeds. We tested various concentrations of Stifenia (0.03-1 mg mL -1 ) on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and checked, 20 h later, cell metabolic activity (MA) using XTT assay, cell death by flow cytometry analysis, and IL-1β inflammatory cytokine released in the culture medium using ELISA. Stifenia induced a general decrease of the cell MA, which was concomitant with a dose-dependent release of IL-1β. Our results highlight the activation of human immune cells. The inflammatory effect of Stifenia was partially inhibited by pan-caspase inhibitor. Accordingly, Stifenia induced the release of p20 caspase-1 fragment into the culture medium suggesting the involvement of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Furthermore, we observed that Stifenia can induce cell death. We also tested the effect of Stifenia on Zebrafish larvae. After 24 h of exposure, Stifenia induced a dose-dependent IL-1β and TNFα gene expression. The human-cell-based approach developed in this work revealed a high sensitivity concerning inflammatory properties of a plant protection product. These tests could be routinely used to screen the potential adverse effects of this type of compounds. Finally, our results suggest a potential danger of using extensively certain PDS for crop protection.

Inflammatory Effects of the Plant Protection Product Stifenia (FEN560) on Vertebrates

PubMed Central

Teyssier, Lény; Colussi, Julie; Delemasure, Stéphanie; Chluba, Johanna; Wendehenne, David; Lamotte, Olivier; Connat, Jean-Louis

2017-01-01

Plant defense stimulators (PDSs) rely on the activation of plant innate immunity in order to protect crops against various pests. These molecules are thought to be a safer alternative to classical plant protection products. Given that innate immune systems share common features in plants and vertebrates, PDS can potentially cross-react with innate immunity of non-target organisms. To test this hypothesis, we studied effects of the commercial PDS Stifenia (FEN560), which is composed of crushed fenugreek seeds. We tested various concentrations of Stifenia (0.03–1 mg mL−1) on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and checked, 20 h later, cell metabolic activity (MA) using XTT assay, cell death by flow cytometry analysis, and IL-1β inflammatory cytokine released in the culture medium using ELISA. Stifenia induced a general decrease of the cell MA, which was concomitant with a dose-dependent release of IL-1β. Our results highlight the activation of human immune cells. The inflammatory effect of Stifenia was partially inhibited by pan-caspase inhibitor. Accordingly, Stifenia induced the release of p20 caspase-1 fragment into the culture medium suggesting the involvement of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Furthermore, we observed that Stifenia can induce cell death. We also tested the effect of Stifenia on Zebrafish larvae. After 24 h of exposure, Stifenia induced a dose-dependent IL-1β and TNFα gene expression. The human-cell-based approach developed in this work revealed a high sensitivity concerning inflammatory properties of a plant protection product. These tests could be routinely used to screen the potential adverse effects of this type of compounds. Finally, our results suggest a potential danger of using extensively certain PDS for crop protection. PMID:28484691

Introduction to metabolic genetic engineering for the production of valuable secondary metabolites in in vivo and in vitro plant systems.

PubMed

Benedito, Vagner A; Modolo, Luzia V

2014-01-01

Plants are capable of producing a myriad of chemical compounds. While these compounds serve specific functions in the plant, many have surprising effects on the human body, often with positive action against diseases. These compounds are often difficult to synthesize ex vivo and require the coordinated and compartmentalized action of enzymes in living organisms. However, the amounts produced in whole plants are often small and restricted to single tissues of the plant or even cellular organelles, making their extraction an expensive process. Since most natural products used in therapeutics are specialized, secondary plant metabolites, we provide here an overview of the classification of the main classes of these compounds, with its biochemical pathways and how this information can be used to create efficient in and ex planta production pipelines to generate highly valuable compounds. Metabolic genetic engineering is introduced in light of physiological and genetic methods to enhance production of high-value plant secondary metabolites.

Establishment of a sensor testbed at NIST for plant productivity monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, D. W.; Hutyra, L.; Reinmann, A.; Trlica, A.; Marrs, J.; Jones, T.; Whetstone, J. R.; Logan, B.; Reblin, J.

2017-12-01

Accurate assessments of biogenic carbon fluxes is challenging. Correlating optical signatures to plant activity allows for monitoring large regions. New methods, including solar-induced fluorescence (SIF), promise to provide more timely and accurate estimate of plant activity, but we are still developing a full understanding of the mechanistic leakage between plant assimilation of carbon and SIF. We have initiated a testbed to facilitate the evaluation of sensors and methods for remote monitoring of plant activity at the NIST headquarters. The test bed utilizes a forested area of mature trees in a mixed urban environment. A 1 hectare plot within the 26 hectare forest has been instrumented for ecophysiological measurements with an edge (100 m long) that is persistently monitored with multimodal optical sensors (SIF spectrometers, hyperspectral imagers, thermal infrared imaging, and lidar). This biological testbed has the advantage of direct access to the national scales maintained by NIST of measurements related to both the physical and optical measurements of interest. We offer a description of the test site, the sensors, and preliminary results from the first season of observations for ecological, physiological, and remote sensing based estimates of ecosystem productivity.

Coupling sensing to crop models for closed-loop plant production in advanced life support systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavazzoni, James; Ling, Peter P.

1999-01-01

We present a conceptual framework for coupling sensing to crop models for closed-loop analysis of plant production for NASA's program in advanced life support. Crop status may be monitored through non-destructive observations, while models may be independently applied to crop production planning and decision support. To achieve coupling, environmental variables and observations are linked to mode inputs and outputs, and monitoring results compared with model predictions of plant growth and development. The information thus provided may be useful in diagnosing problems with the plant growth system, or as a feedback to the model for evaluation of plant scheduling and potential yield. In this paper, we demonstrate this coupling using machine vision sensing of canopy height and top projected canopy area, and the CROPGRO crop growth model. Model simulations and scenarios are used for illustration. We also compare model predictions of the machine vision variables with data from soybean experiments conducted at New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station Horticulture Greenhouse Facility, Rutgers University. Model simulations produce reasonable agreement with the available data, supporting our illustration.

Inhibition of aflatoxin B production of Aspergillus flavus, isolated from soybean seeds by certain natural plant products.

PubMed

Krishnamurthy, Y L; Shashikala, J

2006-11-01

The inhibitory effect of cowdung fumes, Captan, leaf powder of Withania somnifera, Hyptis suaveolens, Eucalyptus citriodora, peel powder of Citrus sinensis, Citrus medica and Punica granatum, neem cake and pongamia cake and spore suspension of Trichoderma harzianum and Aspergillus niger on aflatoxin B(1) production by toxigenic strain of Aspergillus flavus isolated from soybean seeds was investigated. Soybean seed was treated with different natural products and fungicide captan and was inoculated with toxigenic strain of A. flavus and incubated for different periods. The results showed that all the treatments were effective in controlling aflatoxin B(1) production. Captan, neem cake, spore suspension of T. harzianum, A. niger and combination of both reduced the level of aflatoxin B(1) to a great extent. Leaf powder of W. somnifera, H. suaveolens, peel powder of C. sinensis, C. medica and pongamia cake also controlled the aflatoxin B(1) production. All the natural product treatments applied were significantly effective in inhibiting aflatoxin B(1) production on soybean seeds by A. flavus. These natural plant products may successfully replace chemical fungicides and provide an alternative method to protect soybean and other agricultural commodities from aflatoxin B(1) production by A. flavus.

Spatial and temporal shifts in gross primary productivity, respiration, and nutrient concentrations in urban streams impacted by wastewater treatment plant effluent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ledford, S. H.; Toran, L.

2017-12-01

Impacts of wastewater treatment plant effluent on nutrient retention and stream productivity are highly varied. The working theory has been that large pulses of nutrients from plants may hinder in-stream nutrient retention. We evaluated nitrate, total dissolved phosphorus, and dissolved oxygen in Wissahickon Creek, an urban third-order stream in Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, PA, that receives effluent from four wastewater treatment plants. Wastewater treatment plant effluent had nitrate concentrations of 15-30 mg N/L and total dissolved phosphorus of 0.3 to 1.8 mg/L. Seasonal longitudinal water quality samples showed nitrate concentrations were highest in the fall, peaking at 22 mg N/L, due to low baseflow, but total dissolved phosphorous concentrations were highest in the spring, reaching 0.6 mg/L. Diurnal dissolved oxygen patterns above and below one of the treatment plants provided estimates of gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER). A site 1 km below effluent discharge had higher GPP in April (80 g O2 m-2 d-1) than the site above the plant (28 g O2 m-2 d-1). The pulse in productivity did not continue downstream, as the site 3 km below the plant had GPP of only 12 g O2 m-2 d-1. Productivity fell in June to 1-2 g O2 m-2 d-1 and the differences in productivity above and below plants were minimal. Ecosystem respiration followed a similar pattern in April, increasing from -17 g O2 m-2 d-1 above the plant to -47 g O2 m-2 d-1 1 km below the plant, then decreasing to -8 g O2 m-2 d-1 3 km below the plant. Respiration dropped to -3 g O2 m-2 d-1 above the plant in June but only fell to -9 to -10 g O2 m-2 d-1 at the two downstream sites. These findings indicate that large nutrient pulses from wastewater treatment plants spur productivity and respiration, but that these increases may be strongly seasonally dependent. Examining in-stream productivity and respiration is critical in wastewater impacted streams to understanding the seasonal and

Production assurance program strategy for N Reactor balance of plant systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

House, R.D.; Bitten, E.J.; Keenan, J.P.

1986-03-18

A production assurance program has been established for N Reactor, a dual purpose reactor plant, operated to produce special nuclear materials and steam for electricity. N Reactor, which began operation in December 1963, is now approaching the end of its design life. This paper describes the two phase program for Balance of Plant (BOP) systems. The Phase I evaluation has been completed and indications are that the lifetime of systems and components could be extended by implementing appropriate surveillance, operations and maintenance strategies. In Phase II, a thorough evaluation of components and systems is underway and action items are beingmore » identified which will allow component and system extended operation.« less

Plant Production Systems for Microgravity: Critical Issues in Water, Air, and Solute Transport Through Unsaturated Porous Media

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, Susan L. (Editor); Ming, Doug W. (Editor); Henninger, Don (Editor)

2002-01-01

This NASA Technical Memorandum is a compilation of presentations and discussions in the form of minutes from a workshop entitled 'Plant Production Systems for Microgravity: Critical Issues in Water, Air, and Solute Transport Through Unsaturated Porous Media' held at NASA's Johnson Space Center, July 24-25, 2000. This workshop arose from the growing belief within NASA's Advanced Life Support Program that further advances and improvements in plant production systems for microgravity would benefit from additional knowledge of fundamental processes occurring in the root zone. The objective of the workshop was to bring together individuals who had expertise in various areas of fluid physics, soil physics, plant physiology, hardware development, and flight tests to identify, discuss, and prioritize critical issues of water and air flow through porous media in microgravity. Participants of the workshop included representatives from private companies involved in flight hardware development and scientists from universities and NASA Centers with expertise in plant flight tests, plant physiology, fluid physics, and soil physics.

Ethylene induced plant stress tolerance by Enterobacter sp. SA187 is mediated by 2‐keto‐4‐methylthiobutyric acid production

PubMed Central

Xie, Yakun; Rolli, Eleonora; Guerard, Florence; Colcombet, Jean; Benhamed, Moussa; Depaepe, Thomas

2018-01-01

Several plant species require microbial associations for survival under different biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, we show that Enterobacter sp. SA187, a desert plant endophytic bacterium, enhances yield of the crop plant alfalfa under field conditions as well as growth of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana in vitro, revealing a high potential of SA187 as a biological solution for improving crop production. Studying the SA187 interaction with Arabidopsis, we uncovered a number of mechanisms related to the beneficial association of SA187 with plants. SA187 colonizes both the surface and inner tissues of Arabidopsis roots and shoots. SA187 induces salt stress tolerance by production of bacterial 2-keto-4-methylthiobutyric acid (KMBA), known to be converted into ethylene. By transcriptomic, genetic and pharmacological analyses, we show that the ethylene signaling pathway, but not plant ethylene production, is required for KMBA-induced plant salt stress tolerance. These results reveal a novel molecular communication process during the beneficial microbe-induced plant stress tolerance. PMID:29554117

Diet Modeling in Older Americans: The Impact of Increasing Plant-Based Foods or Dairy Products on Protein Intake.

PubMed

Houchins, J A; Cifelli, C J; Demmer, E; Fulgoni, V L

2017-01-01

To determine the effects of increasing plant-based foods or dairy products on protein intake in older Americans by performing diet modeling. Data from What We Eat in America (WWEIA), the dietary component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007-2010 for Americans aged 51 years and older (n=5,389), divided as 51-70 years (n=3,513) and 71 years and older (n=1,876) were used. Usual protein intake was compared among three dietary models that increased intakes by 100%: (1) plant-based foods; (2) higher protein plant-based foods (i.e., legumes, nuts, seeds, soy); and (3) dairy products (milk, cheese, and yogurt). Models (1) and (2) had commensurate reductions in animal-based protein intake. Doubling intake of plant-based foods (as currently consumed) resulted in a drop of protein intake by approximately 22% for males and females aged 51+ years. For older males and females, aged 71+ years, doubling intake of plant-based foods (as currently consumed) resulted in an estimated usual intake of 0.83±0.02 g/kg ideal body weight (iBW))/day and 0.78±0.01 g/kg iBW/day, respectively. In this model, 33% of females aged 71+ years did not meet the estimated average requirement for protein. Doubling dairy product consumption achieved current protein intake recommendations. These data illustrate that increasing plant-based foods and reducing animal-based products could have unintended consequences on protein intake of older Americans. Doubling dairy product intake can help older adults get to an intake level of approximately 1.2 g/kg iBW/day, consistent with the growing consensus that older adults need to consume higher levels of protein for health.

Isolation and screening of endophytes from the rhizomes of some Zingiberaceae plants for L-asparaginase production.

PubMed

Krishnapura, Prajna Rao; Belur, Prasanna D

2016-01-01

Endophytes are described as microorganisms that colonize the internal tissues of healthy plants without causing any disease. Endophytes isolated from medicinal plants have been attracting considerable attention due to their high biodiversity and their predicted potential to produce a plethora of novel compounds. In this study, an attempt was made to isolate endophytes from rhizomes of five medicinal plants of Zingiberaceae family, and to screen the endophytes for L-asparaginase activity. In total, 50 endophytes (14 bacteria, 22 actinomycetes, and 14 fungi) were isolated from Alpinia galanga, Curcuma amada, Curcuma longa, Hedychium coronarium, and Zingiber officinale; of these, 31 endophytes evidenced positive for L-asparaginase production. All the L-asparaginase-positive isolates showed L-asparaginase activity in the range of 54.17-155.93 U/mL in unoptimized medium. An endophytic fungus isolated from Curcuma amada, identified as Talaromyces pinophilus, was used for further experiments involving studies on the effect of certain nutritional and nonnutritional factors on L-asparaginase production in submerged fermentation. Talaromyces pinophilus initially gave an enzyme activity of 108.95 U/mL, but gradually reduced to 80 U/mL due to strain degeneration. Perhaps this is the first report ever on the production of L-asparaginase from endophytes isolated from medicinal plants of Zingiberaceae family.

Micropropagation of tulip: production of virus-free stock plants.

PubMed

Podwyszyńska, Małgorzata; Sochacki, Dariusz

2010-01-01

We describe here a new tulip micropropagation method based on the cyclic shoot multiplication in presence of the thidiazuron (TDZ), which enables the production of virus-free stock plants, speeds up breeding, and provides new genotypes for the market. In our novel protocol, cyclic shoot multiplication can be performed for 2-3 years by using TDZ instead of other cytokinins, as 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and N(6)-(-isopentyl)adenine (2iP). It makes possible to produce 500-2,000 microbulbs from one healthy plant. There are six main stages of tulip micropropagation. Stage 0 is the selection of true-to-type and virus-free plants, confirmed by ELISA. Fragments of flower stems isolated from bulbs are used as initial explants. Shoot multiplication is based on the regeneration of adventitious shoots, which are sub-cultured every 8 weeks. In the Stage 3, the specially prepared shoots are induced by low temperature treatment to form bulbs which finally develop on a sucrose-rich medium at 20 degrees C. Bulbs are then dried for 6 weeks and rooted in vivo. The number of multiplication subcultures should be limited to 5-10 cycles in order to lower the risk of mutation. Virus indexing should be repeated 3-4 times, at the initial stage and then during shoot multiplication. Genetic stability of micropropagated shoots can be confirmed using molecular markers.

Under which climate and soil conditions the plant productivity-precipitation relationship is linear or nonlinear?

PubMed

Ye, Jian-Sheng; Pei, Jiu-Ying; Fang, Chao

2018-03-01

Understanding under which climate and soil conditions the plant productivity-precipitation relationship is linear or nonlinear is useful for accurately predicting the response of ecosystem function to global environmental change. Using long-term (2000-2016) net primary productivity (NPP)-precipitation datasets derived from satellite observations, we identify >5600pixels in the North Hemisphere landmass that fit either linear or nonlinear temporal NPP-precipitation relationships. Differences in climate (precipitation, radiation, ratio of actual to potential evapotranspiration, temperature) and soil factors (nitrogen, phosphorous, organic carbon, field capacity) between the linear and nonlinear types are evaluated. Our analysis shows that both linear and nonlinear types exhibit similar interannual precipitation variabilities and occurrences of extreme precipitation. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance suggests that linear and nonlinear types differ significantly regarding to radiation, ratio of actual to potential evapotranspiration, and soil factors. The nonlinear type possesses lower radiation and/or less soil nutrients than the linear type, thereby suggesting that nonlinear type features higher degree of limitation from resources other than precipitation. This study suggests several factors limiting the responses of plant productivity to changes in precipitation, thus causing nonlinear NPP-precipitation pattern. Precipitation manipulation and modeling experiments should combine with changes in other climate and soil factors to better predict the response of plant productivity under future climate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biorefining of by-product streams from sunflower-based biodiesel production plants for integrated synthesis of microbial oil and value-added co-products.

PubMed

Leiva-Candia, D E; Tsakona, S; Kopsahelis, N; García, I L; Papanikolaou, S; Dorado, M P; Koutinas, A A

2015-08-01

This study focuses on the valorisation of crude glycerol and sunflower meal (SFM) from conventional biodiesel production plants for the separation of value-added co-products (antioxidant-rich extracts and protein isolate) and for enhancing biodiesel production through microbial oil synthesis. Microbial oil production was evaluated using three oleaginous yeast strains (Rhodosporidium toruloides, Lipomyces starkeyi and Cryptococcus curvatus) cultivated on crude glycerol and nutrient-rich hydrolysates derived from either whole SFM or SFM fractions that remained after separation of value-added co-products. Fed-batch bioreactor cultures with R. toruloides led to the production of 37.4gL(-1) of total dry weight with a microbial oil content of 51.3% (ww(-1)) when a biorefinery concept based on SFM fractionation was employed. The estimated biodiesel properties conformed with the limits set by the EN 14214 and ASTM D 6751 standards. The estimated cold filter plugging point (7.3-8.6°C) of the lipids produced by R. toruloides is closer to that of biodiesel derived from palm oil. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic Analysis of Planting Forests on Rice Lands in Texas: Sequestering Carbon and Avoiding Methane Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kronrad, G. D.; Huang, C.

2005-12-01

Global climate change is predicted due to increases in greenhouse gasses (i.e. CO2, CH4, CFCs, N2O, O3) in the atmosphere caused by human activities. The atmospheric concentration of methane (CH4), which absorbs and retains heat 21 times more effectively than CO2, has increased. Anaerobic bacterial activity in rice paddies constitutes one of major emission sources of CH4. The rice fields of Texas, for example, accounted for an annual CH4 emission of between 1.1 and 1.6 million tons of CO2 equivalent between 1990 and 2000. Converting marginal rice fields to forests plantations will remove CO2 from the atmosphere, sequester carbon in the forests and prevent the production of CH4. Therefore, carbon credits can be claimed for the carbon sequestered and the avoidance of CH4 production. Analyses were conducted to calculate the amount of carbon sequestered and methane avoided, and the profitability, measured in net present worth (NPW), of managing loblolly pine plantation for 1) timber production only, 2) the dual products of timber products and carbon credits in forests planted on marginal agricultural and unused pastureland and 3) the dual products of timber and carbon storage in forests planted on marginal rice lands. Calculations were performed using three discount rates, three site qualities and five prices for carbon credits. The results indicate that on average quality land, using a discount rate of 8 percent, forests planted on marginal agricultural and unused pastureland earn a NPW of 346 per acre from timber production only; a NPW of 438 per acre from timber and carbon credits (54.4 tons of carbon sequestered), assuming carbon is worth 10 per ton, during one rotation (32 years). The profitability of forest management increases due to the inclusion of carbon credits. The profitability of planting forests on marginal rice fields is even higher, earning a NPW of 566 per acre from timber and carbon credits (54.4 tons of C sequestered and 33.3 tons of C emission

PAD4, LSD1 and EDS1 regulate drought tolerance, plant biomass production, and cell wall properties.

PubMed

Szechyńska-Hebda, Magdalena; Czarnocka, Weronika; Hebda, Marek; Bernacki, Maciej J; Karpiński, Stanisław

2016-03-01

Arabidopsis and poplar with modified PAD4, LSD1 and EDS1 genes exhibit successful growth under drought stress. The acclimatory strategies depend on cell division/cell death control and altered cell wall composition. The increase of plant tolerance towards environmental stresses would open much opportunity for successful plant cultivation in these areas that were previously considered as ineligible, e.g. in areas with poor irrigation. In this study, we performed functional analysis of proteins encoded by PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT 4 (PAD4), LESION SIMULATING DISEASE 1 (LSD1) and ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY 1 (EDS1) genes to explain their role in drought tolerance and biomass production in two different species: Arabidopsis thaliana and Populus tremula × tremuloides. Arabidopsis mutants pad4-5, lsd1-1, eds1-1 and transgenic poplar lines PAD4-RNAi, LSD1-RNAi and ESD1-RNAi were examined in terms of different morphological and physiological parameters. Our experiments proved that Arabidopsis PAD4, LSD1 and EDS1 play an important role in survival under drought stress and regulate plant vegetative and generative growth. Biomass production and acclimatory strategies in poplar were also orchestrated via a genetic system of PAD4 and LSD1 which balanced the cell division and cell death processes. Furthermore, improved rate of cell division/cell differentiation and altered physical properties of poplar wood were the outcome of PAD4- and LSD1-dependent changes in cell wall structure and composition. Our results demonstrate that PAD4, LSD1 and EDS1 constitute a molecular hub, which integrates plant responses to water stress, vegetative biomass production and generative development. The applicable goal of our research was to generate transgenic plants with regulatory mechanism that perceives stress signals to optimize plant growth and biomass production in semi-stress field conditions.

Plant Productivity and Characterization of Zeoponic Substrates after Three Successive Crops of Radish (Raphanus sativus L.)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gruener, J. E.; Ming, Douglas W.; Galindo, C., Jr.; Henderson, K. E.; Golden, D. C.

2007-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has developed a zeolite-based synthetic substrate, termed zeoponics. The zeoponic substrate (consisting of NH4(-) and K-exchanged clinoptilolite, synthetic apatite, and dolomite) provides all of the plant-essential nutrients through mineral dissolution and ion exchange, with only the addition of water. Previous studies have shown high productivity of wheat in zeoponic substrates; however, no experiments have been conducted on other crops. The objective of this study was to determine the productivity and nutrient uptake of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) grown in zeoponic substrates with three successive crops in the same substrate. Radish was chosen because of its sensitivities to NH4(+). Average fresh weights of edible roots were similar for radish grown in zeoponic substrates watered with deionized H2O (10.97 g/plant) and in potting mix control substrate irrigated with nutrient solution (10.92 g/plant). Average fresh weight production of edible roots for radish grown in same zeoponic substrate increased in yield over time with the lowest yield in the first crop (7.10 g/plant) and highest in the third crop (13.90 g/plant). The Ca plant tissue levels in radishes (1.8-2.9 wt. %) grown in zeoponic substrates are lower than the suggested sufficient range of 3.0-4.5 wt. % Ca; however, the Ca level is highest (2.9 wt. %) in radishes grown in the third crop in the same zeoponic substrates. The higher radish yield in the third crop was attributed to a reduction in an NH4(-) induced Ca deficiency that has been previously described for wheat grown in zeoponic substrates. The P levels in plant tissues of radish grown in the zeoponic substrates ranged from 0.94-1.15 wt. %; which is slightly higher than the sufficient levels of 0.3-0.7 wt. %. With the exception of Ca and P, other macronutrient and micronutrient levels in radish grown in zeoponic substrates were well within the recommended sufficient ranges. After three

Validating Vegetable Production Unit (VPU) Plants, Protocols, Procedures and Requirements (P3R) using Currently Existing Flight Resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bingham, Gail; Bates, Scott; Bugbee, Bruce; Garland, Jay; Podolski, Igor; Levinskikh, Rita; Sychev, Vladimir; Gushin, Vadim

2009-01-01

Validating Vegetable Production Unit (VPU) Plants, Protocols, Procedures and Requirements (P3R) Using Currently Existing Flight Resources (Lada-VPU-P3R) is a study to advance the technology required for plant growth in microgravity and to research related food safety issues. Lada-VPU-P3R also investigates the non-nutritional value to the flight crew of developing plants on-orbit. The Lada-VPU-P3R uses the Lada hardware on the ISS and falls under a cooperative agreement between National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Russian Federal Space Association (FSA). Research Summary: Validating Vegetable Production Unit (VPU) Plants, Protocols, Procedures and Requirements (P3R) Using Currently Existing Flight Resources (Lada-VPU-P3R) will optimize hardware and

Elevating optimal human nutrition to a central goal of plant breeding and production of plant-based foods

PubMed Central

Sands, David C.; Morris, Cindy E.; Dratz, Edward A.; Pilgeram, Alice

2010-01-01

High-yielding cereals and other staples have produced adequate calories to ward off starvation for much of the world over several decades. However, deficiencies in certain amino acids, minerals, vitamins and fatty acids in staple crops, and animal diets derived from them, have aggravated the problem of malnutrition and the increasing incidence of certain chronic diseases in nominally well-nourished people (the so-called diseases of civilization). Enhanced global nutrition has great potential to reduce acute and chronic disease, the need for health care, the cost of health care, and to increase educational attainment, economic productivity and the quality of life. However, nutrition is currently not an important driver of most plant breeding efforts, and there are only a few well-known efforts to breed crops that are adapted to the needs of optimal human nutrition. Technological tools are available to greatly enhance the nutritional value of our staple crops. However, enhanced nutrition in major crops might only be achieved if nutritional traits are introduced in tandem with important agronomic yield drivers, such as resistance to emerging pests or diseases, to drought and salinity, to herbicides, parasitic plants, frost or heat. In this way we might circumvent a natural tendency for high yield and low production cost to effectively select against the best human nutrition. Here we discuss the need and means for agriculture, food processing, food transport, sociology, nutrition and medicine to be integrated into new approaches to food production with optimal human nutrition as a principle goal. PMID:20467463

Co-generation and innovative heat storage systems in small-medium CSP plants for distributed energy production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giaconia, Alberto; Montagnino, Fabio; Paredes, Filippo; Donato, Filippo; Caputo, Giampaolo; Mazzei, Domenico

2017-06-01

CSP technologies can be applied for distributed energy production, on small-medium plants (on the 1 MW scale), to satisfy the needs of local communities, buildings and districts. In this perspective, reliable, low-cost, and flexible small/medium multi-generative CSP plants should be developed. Four pilot plants have been built in four Mediterranean countries (Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan, and Italy) to demonstrate the approach. In this paper, the plant built in Italy is presented, with specific innovations applied in the linear Fresnel collector design and the Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system, based on a single the use of molten salts but specifically tailored for small scale plants.

The use of short and long PCR products for improved detection of prunus necrotic ringspot virus in woody plants.

PubMed

Rosner, A; Maslenin, L; Spiegel, S

1997-09-01

The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for detection of prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) in dormant peach and almond trees by the application of two different pairs of primers yielding a short and a long product, respectively. The relative amount of the short (200 base pair, bp) product was higher than the longer (785 bp) product. PNRSV was detected better in plant tissues with a low virus concentration (e.g. dormant trees) by amplification of the short PCR product, whereas the long product was product was produced at higher virus titers. Simultaneous amplification of both short and long products was demonstrated using a three-primer mixture in a single reaction tube. In this assay, amplification of either PCR product indicated the presence of PNRSV-specific sequences in the plant tissue examined, thus covering a wide range of virus concentrations in a single test. Dilution of the RNA extracted from infected plant material resulted in a steep decline in the amplification of both short and long PCR products. In contrast, serial dilutions of the intermediate cDNA template differentially affected the amplification patterns: the relative amount of the short product increased whereas that of the long product decreased. These results may explain the preferential amplification of the short PCR product observed in samples containing low virus concentrations.

System Evaluation and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis of a Commercial-Scale High-Temperature Electrolysis Hydrogen Production Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edwin A. Harvego; James E. O'Brien; Michael G. McKellar

2012-11-01

Results of a system evaluation and lifecycle cost analysis are presented for a commercial-scale high-temperature electrolysis (HTE) central hydrogen production plant. The plant design relies on grid electricity to power the electrolysis process and system components, and industrial natural gas to provide process heat. The HYSYS process analysis software was used to evaluate the reference central plant design capable of producing 50,000 kg/day of hydrogen. The HYSYS software performs mass and energy balances across all components to allow optimization of the design using a detailed process flow sheet and realistic operating conditions specified by the analyst. The lifecycle cost analysismore » was performed using the H2A analysis methodology developed by the Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Program. This methodology utilizes Microsoft Excel spreadsheet analysis tools that require detailed plant performance information (obtained from HYSYS), along with financial and cost information to calculate lifecycle costs. The results of the lifecycle analyses indicate that for a 10% internal rate of return, a large central commercial-scale hydrogen production plant can produce 50,000 kg/day of hydrogen at an average cost of $2.68/kg. When the cost of carbon sequestration is taken into account, the average cost of hydrogen production increases by $0.40/kg to $3.08/kg.« less

Production of plant growth modulating volatiles is widespread among rhizosphere bacteria and strongly depends on culture conditions.

PubMed

Blom, D; Fabbri, C; Connor, E C; Schiestl, F P; Klauser, D R; Boller, T; Eberl, L; Weisskopf, L

2011-11-01

Recent studies have suggested that bacterial volatiles play an important role in bacterial-plant interactions. However, few reports of bacterial species that produce plant growth modulating volatiles have been published, raising the question whether this is just an anecdotal phenomenon. To address this question, we performed a large screen of strains originating from the soil for volatile-mediated effects on Arabidopsis thaliana. All of the 42 strains tested showed significant volatile-mediated plant growth modulation, with effects ranging from plant death to a sixfold increase in plant biomass. The effects of bacterial volatiles were highly dependent on the cultivation medium and the inoculum quantity. GC-MS analysis of the tested strains revealed over 130 bacterial volatile compounds. Indole, 1-hexanol and pentadecane were selected for further studies because they appeared to promote plant growth. None of these compounds triggered a typical defence response, using production of ethylene and of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as read-outs. However, when plants were challenged with the flg-22 epitope of bacterial flagellin, a prototypical elicitor of defence responses, additional exposure to the volatiles reduced the flg-22-induced production of ethylene and ROS in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that bacterial volatiles may act as effectors to inhibit the plant's defence response. © 2011 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Upgrading plant amino acids through cattle to improve the nutritional value for humans: effects of different production systems.

PubMed

Patel, M; Sonesson, U; Hessle, A

2017-03-01

Efficiency in animal protein production can be defined in different ways, for example the amount of human-digestible essential amino acids (HDEAA) in the feed ration relative to the amount of HDEAA in the animal products. Cattle production systems are characterised by great diversity and a wide variety of feeds and feed ration compositions, due to ruminants' ability to digest fibrous materials inedible to humans such as roughage and by-products from the food and biofuel industries. This study examined the upgrading of protein quality through cattle by determining the quantity of HDEAA in feeds and animal products and comparing different milk and beef production systems. Four different systems for milk and beef production were designed, a reference production system for milk and beef representing typical Swedish production systems today and three alternative improved systems: (i) intensive cattle production based on maize silage, (ii) intensive systems based on food industry by-products for dairy cows and high-quality forage for beef cattle, and (iii) extensive systems based on forage with only small amounts of concentrate. In all four production systems, the quantity of HDEAA in the products (milk and meat) generally exceeded the quantity of HDEAA in the feeds. The intensive production models for beef calves generally resulted in output of the same magnitude as input for most HDEAA. However, in beef production based on calves from dairy cows, the intensive rearing systems resulted in lower output than input of HDEAA. For the extensive models, the amounts of HDEAA in meat were of the same magnitude as the amounts in the feeds. The extensive models with beef calves from suckler cows resulted in higher output in meat than input in feeds for all HDEAA. It was concluded that feeding cattle plants for production of milk and meat, instead of using the plants directly as human food, generally results in an upgrading of both the quantity and quality of protein, especially

A Model of Water Resources & Thermoelectric Plant Productivity Considering Changing Climates & Environmental Policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miara, A.; Vorosmarty, C. J.; Stewart, R. J.; Wollheim, W. M.; Rosenzweig, B.

2012-12-01

In the Northeast US, approximately 80% of the available capacity of thermoelectric plants is dependent on the constant availability of water for cooling. Cooling is a necessary process whereby the waste thermal load of a power plant is released and the working fluid (typically steam) condensed to allow the continuation of the thermodynamic cycle and the extraction of electrical power through the action of turbines. Power plants rely on a minimum flow at a certain temperature, determined by the individual plant engineering design, to be sufficiently low for their cooling. Any change in quantity or temperature of water could reduce thermal efficiencies. As a result of the cooling process, power plants emit thermal pollution into receiving waters, which is harmful to freshwater aquatic ecosystems including its resident life forms and their biodiversity. The Clean Water Act of 1972 (CWA) was established to limit thermal pollution, particularly when rivers reach high temperatures. When river temperatures approach the threshold limit, the power plants that use freshwater for cooling are forced to reduce their thermal load and thus their output to comply with the regulations. Here we describe a model that quantifies, in a regional context, thermal pollution and estimates efficiency losses as a result of fluctuating river temperatures and flow. It does this using available data, standard engineering equations describing the heat cycle of power plants and their water use, and assumptions about the operations of the plant. In this presentation, we demonstrate the model by analyzing contrasting climates with and without the CWA, focusing on the productivity of 366 thermoelectric plants that rely on water for cooling in the Northeast between the years 2000-2010. When the CWA was imposed on all simulated power plants, the model shows that during the average winter and summer, 94% and 71% of required generation was met from the power plants, respectively. This suggests that if

A new NDVI measure that overcomes data sparsity in cloud-covered regions predicts annual variation in ground-based estimates of high arctic plant productivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rune Karlsen, Stein; Anderson, Helen B.; van der Wal, René; Bremset Hansen, Brage

2018-02-01

Efforts to estimate plant productivity using satellite data can be frustrated by the presence of cloud cover. We developed a new method to overcome this problem, focussing on the high-arctic archipelago of Svalbard where extensive cloud cover during the growing season can prevent plant productivity from being estimated over large areas. We used a field-based time-series (2000-2009) of live aboveground vascular plant biomass data and a recently processed cloud-free MODIS-Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data set (2000-2014) to estimate, on a pixel-by-pixel basis, the onset of plant growth. We then summed NDVI values from onset of spring to the average time of peak NDVI to give an estimate of annual plant productivity. This remotely sensed productivity measure was then compared, at two different spatial scales, with the peak plant biomass field data. At both the local scale, surrounding the field data site, and the larger regional scale, our NDVI measure was found to predict plant biomass (adjusted R 2 = 0.51 and 0.44, respectively). The commonly used ‘maximum NDVI’ plant productivity index showed no relationship with plant biomass, likely due to some years having very few cloud-free images available during the peak plant growing season. Thus, we propose this new summed NDVI from onset of spring to time of peak NDVI as a proxy of large-scale plant productivity for regions such as the Arctic where climatic conditions restrict the availability of cloud-free images.

Evaluation of mustard plants and other products to control sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A major insect pest of vegetables and horticultural crops in the southeast US is the sweetpotato whitefly.Scientists at the USDA-Agriculture Research Service, Center for Veterinary Entomology, Gainesaville, Florida, evaluated the effect of giant red mustard plants and commercial products to control ...

Plant functional traits improve diversity-based predictions of temporal stability of grassland productivity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) varies in response to temporal fluctuations in weather. Temporal stability (mean/standard deviation) of community ANPP may be increased, on average, by increasing plant species richness, but stability also may differ widely at a given richness level imply...

Evaluation of phytochemicals from medicinal plants of Myrtaceae family on virulence factor production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

PubMed

Musthafa, Khadar Syed; Sianglum, Wipawadee; Saising, Jongkon; Lethongkam, Sakkarin; Voravuthikunchai, Supayang Piyawan

2017-05-01

Virulence factors regulated by quorum sensing (QS) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of an opportunistic human pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa in causing infections to the host. Hence, in the present work, the anti-virulence potential of the medicinal plant extracts and their derived phytochemicals from Myrtaceae family was evaluated against P. aeruginosa. In the preliminary screening of the tested medicinal plant extracts, Syzygium jambos and Syzygium antisepticum demonstrated a maximum inhibition in QS-dependent violacein pigment production by Chromobacterium violaceum DMST 21761. These extracts demonstrated an inhibitory activity over a virulence factor, pyoverdin, production by P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of 23 and 12 phytochemicals from the extracts of S. jambos and S. antisepticum respectively. Three top-ranking phytochemicals, including phytol, ethyl linoleate and methyl linolenate, selected on the basis of docking score in molecular docking studies lowered virulence factors such as pyoverdin production, protease and haemolytic activities of P. aeruginosa to a significant level. In addition, the phytochemicals reduced rhamnolipid production by the organism. The work demonstrated an importance of plant-derived compounds as anti-virulence drugs to conquer P. aeruginosa virulence towards the host. © 2017 APMIS. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Biofertilizers function as key player in sustainable agriculture by improving soil fertility, plant tolerance and crop productivity

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Current soil management strategies are mainly dependent on inorganic chemical-based fertilizers, which caused a serious threat to human health and environment. The exploitation of beneficial microbes as a biofertilizer has become paramount importance in agriculture sector for their potential role in food safety and sustainable crop production. The eco-friendly approaches inspire a wide range of application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs), endo- and ectomycorrhizal fungi, cyanobacteria and many other useful microscopic organisms led to improved nutrient uptake, plant growth and plant tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress. The present review highlighted biofertilizers mediated crops functional traits such as plant growth and productivity, nutrient profile, plant defense and protection with special emphasis to its function to trigger various growth- and defense-related genes in signaling network of cellular pathways to cause cellular response and thereby crop improvement. The knowledge gained from the literature appraised herein will help us to understand the physiological bases of biofertlizers towards sustainable agriculture in reducing problems associated with the use of chemicals fertilizers. PMID:24885352

Modeling, simulation, and high-autonomy control of a Martian oxygen production plant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schooley, L. C.; Cellier, F. E.; Wang, F.-Y.; Zeigler, B. P.

1992-01-01

Progress on a project for the development of a high-autonomy intelligent command and control architecture for process plants used to produce oxygen from local planetary resources is reported. A distributed command and control architecture is being developed and implemented so that an oxygen production plant, or other equipment, can be reliably commanded and controlled over an extended time period in a high-autonomy mode with high-level task-oriented teleoperation from one or several remote locations. During the reporting period, progress was made at all levels of the architecture. At the remote site, several remote observers can now participate in monitoring the plant. At the local site, a command and control center was introduced for increased flexibility, reliability, and robustness. The local control architecture was enhanced to control multiple tubes in parallel, and was refined for increased robustness. The simulation model was enhanced to full dynamics descriptions.

Characterization of composting mixtures and compost of rabbit by-products to obtain a quality product and plant proposal for industrial production.

PubMed

Bianchi, Biagio; Papajova, Ingrid; Tamborrino, Rosanna; Ventrella, Domenico; Vitti, Carolina

2015-01-01

In this study we have observed the effects of using rabbit manure and slaughtering by-products in a composting process. Three piles of this material, 4700 kg each, with different amount and C/N ratio, have been investigated and experimental tests were carried out in an industrial horizontal axe reactor using a prototype of turning machine. The composting time lasted 85 days; 2 experimental cycles were conducted: one in Winter and one in Summer. In the Winter test, mesophilic reaction started only in the control mixture (animal manure + slaughtering by-products without straw). It is noteworthy that, the 3 investigated mixtures produced soil amendment by compost with good agronomical potential but with parameters close to the extreme limits of the law. In the Summer test, there was thermophilic fermentation in all mixtures and a better quality compost was obtained, meeting all the agronomic and legislative constraints. For each pile, we examined the progression of fermentation process and thus the plant limitations that did not allow a correct composting process. The results obtained in this study are useful for the development of appropriate mixtures, machines, and plants assuring continuance and reliability in the composting of the biomass coming from rabbit industry.

Changes in plant growth and seed production in wild lima bean in response to herbivory are attenuated by parasitoids.

PubMed

Cuny, Maximilien A C; Gendry, Johanna; Hernández-Cumplido, Johnattan; Benrey, Betty

2018-03-29

Lima bean plants (Phaseolus lunatus) exhibit compensatory growth responses to herbivory. Among the various factors that have been identified to affect plant compensatory growth are the extent and type of tissue damage, the herbivore's feeding mode and the time of damage. Another factor that can greatly impact plant responses to herbivory, but has been largely ignored in previous studies, is the action of parasitoids. In most cases, parasitoids halt or slow down the development of herbivorous hosts, which, can result in decreased leaf damage, thereby affecting plant responses and ultimately plant fitness. Here, we investigated the effects of two koinobiont parasitoids on the amount of leaf damage inflicted by the Southern armyworm Spodoptera latifascia to wild lima bean, and the consequences of this for plant growth and seed production in the field. We specifically tested the hypothesis that the action of parasitoids will reduce plant damage and that this reduction will alter plant growth responses and seed production. Indeed, we found that in the presence of parasitoids plants suffered less damage than plants with only herbivores. As a consequence, compensatory growth was reduced and more and heavier seeds were produced earlier in the season, compared to plants exposed to only herbivores.

[Effect of an introgression from Aegilops cylindrica host on manifestation of productivity traits in winter common wheat F2 plants].

PubMed

Kozub, N A; Sozinov, I A; sozinov, A A

2004-12-01

The effect of introgression of a chromosome 1D segment from Aegilops cylindrica to winter common wheat on productivity traits in F2 plants was studied using storage protein loci as genetic markers. An allele of the gliadin-coding Gli-D1 locus served as a marker of the introgression. Using of two- and three-locus interaction models, it was shown that the introgression tagged with Gli-D1 affected the manifestation of productivity traits (productive tillering, grain weight per plant and grain number per plant) through interaction with other marker storage protein loci: Glu-B1, Glu-D1, and Gli-B2.

Production of marine plant biomass: Management, cultivation, and genetic modification of macrophytic algae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vandermeer, J. P.

1982-12-01

Every second of every day, the Sun's fusion reactions convert thousands of tons of hydrogen into helium with the release of almost unimaginable amounts of energy. Through the photosynthetic activity of plants, both aquatic and terrestrial, a small fraction of this energy is trapped and stored as plant biomass. The oceans cover a greater fraction of the globe than do the land masses, making it appropriate to consider their contribution to the total biomass production, and their potential as a source of raw materials for the extraction of chemicals and fuels. A rather broad synthesis, convering the total seaweed resource and some of the constraints placed on harvesting these plants, attempts to farm the oceans to increase the supply of desirable species, attempts to cultivate seaweeds in enclosures where environmental parameters are controlled, and finally, the limited amount of genetic manipulation that was applied to these plants was presented. Only the larger red and brown seaweeds were considered because they represent the bulk of the biomass.

Disturbances in production of progesterone and their implications in plant studies.

PubMed

Janeczko, Anna; Oklestkova, Jana; Novak, Ondrej; Śniegowska-Świerk, Katarzyna; Snaczke, Zuzanna; Pociecha, Ewa

2015-04-01

Progesterone is a mammalian hormone that has also been discovered in plants but its physiological function in plants is not explained. Experiments using inhibitors of progesterone synthesis and binding would be useful in studies on the significance of this compound in plants. Until now, trilostane and mifepristone have been used in medical sciences as progesterone biosynthesis and binding inhibitors, respectively. We tested these synthetic steroids for the first time in plants and found that they reduced the content of progesterone in wheat. The aim of further experiments was to answer whether the potential disturbances in the production/binding of progesterone, influence resistance to environmental stress (drought) and the development of wheat. Inhibitors and progesterone were applied to plants via roots in a concentration of 0.25-0.5mg/l water. Both inhibitors lowered the activity of CO2 binding enzyme (Rubisco) in wheat exposed to drought stress and trilostane additionally lowered the chlorophyll content. However, trilostane-treated plants were rescued by treatment with exogenous progesterone. The inhibitors also modulated the development of winter wheat, which indicated the significance of steroid regulators and their receptors in this process. In this study, in addition to progesterone and its inhibitors, brassinosteroid (24-epibrassinolide) and an inhibitor of biosynthesis of brassinosteroids were also applied. Mifepristone inhibited the generative development of wheat (like 24-epibrassinolide), while trilostane (like progesterone and an inhibitor of biosynthesis of brassinosteroids) stimulated the development. We propose a model of steroid-induced regulation of the development of winter wheat, where brassinosteroids act as inhibitors of generative development, while progesterone or other pregnane derivatives act as stimulators. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Resource use efficiency of closed plant production system with artificial light: Concept, estimation and application to plant factory

PubMed Central

KOZAI, Toyoki

2013-01-01

Extensive research has recently been conducted on plant factory with artificial light, which is one type of closed plant production system (CPPS) consisting of a thermally insulated and airtight structure, a multi-tier system with lighting devices, air conditioners and fans, a CO2 supply unit, a nutrient solution supply unit, and an environment control unit. One of the research outcomes is the concept of resource use efficiency (RUE) of CPPS. This paper reviews the characteristics of the CPPS compared with those of the greenhouse, mainly from the viewpoint of RUE, which is defined as the ratio of the amount of the resource fixed or held in plants to the amount of the resource supplied to the CPPS. It is shown that the use efficiencies of water, CO2 and light energy are considerably higher in the CPPS than those in the greenhouse. On the other hand, there is much more room for improving the light and electric energy use efficiencies of CPPS. Challenging issues for CPPS and RUE are also discussed. PMID:24334509

Resource use efficiency of closed plant production system with artificial light: concept, estimation and application to plant factory.

PubMed

Kozai, Toyoki

2013-01-01

Extensive research has recently been conducted on plant factory with artificial light, which is one type of closed plant production system (CPPS) consisting of a thermally insulated and airtight structure, a multi-tier system with lighting devices, air conditioners and fans, a CO2 supply unit, a nutrient solution supply unit, and an environment control unit. One of the research outcomes is the concept of resource use efficiency (RUE) of CPPS.This paper reviews the characteristics of the CPPS compared with those of the greenhouse, mainly from the viewpoint of RUE, which is defined as the ratio of the amount of the resource fixed or held in plants to the amount of the resource supplied to the CPPS.It is shown that the use efficiencies of water, CO2 and light energy are considerably higher in the CPPS than those in the greenhouse. On the other hand, there is much more room for improving the light and electric energy use efficiencies of CPPS. Challenging issues for CPPS and RUE are also discussed.

Integrating Plant Science and Crop Modeling: Assessment of the Impact of Climate Change on Soybean and Maize Production.

PubMed

Fodor, Nándor; Challinor, Andrew; Droutsas, Ioannis; Ramirez-Villegas, Julian; Zabel, Florian; Koehler, Ann-Kristin; Foyer, Christine H

2017-11-01

Increasing global CO2 emissions have profound consequences for plant biology, not least because of direct influences on carbon gain. However, much remains uncertain regarding how our major crops will respond to a future high CO2 world. Crop model inter-comparison studies have identified large uncertainties and biases associated with climate change. The need to quantify uncertainty has drawn the fields of plant molecular physiology, crop breeding and biology, and climate change modeling closer together. Comparing data from different models that have been used to assess the potential climate change impacts on soybean and maize production, future yield losses have been predicted for both major crops. When CO2 fertilization effects are taken into account significant yield gains are predicted for soybean, together with a shift in global production from the Southern to the Northern hemisphere. Maize production is also forecast to shift northwards. However, unless plant breeders are able to produce new hybrids with improved traits, the forecasted yield losses for maize will only be mitigated by agro-management adaptations. In addition, the increasing demands of a growing world population will require larger areas of marginal land to be used for maize and soybean production. We summarize the outputs of crop models, together with mitigation options for decreasing the negative impacts of climate on the global maize and soybean production, providing an overview of projected land-use change as a major determining factor for future global crop production. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists.

Patterns of plant carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentration in relation to productivity in China’s terrestrial ecosystems

PubMed Central

Xu, Wenting; Zhou, Guoyi; Bai, Yongfei; Li, Jiaxiang; Tang, Xuli; Liu, Qing; Ma, Wenhong; Xiong, Gaoming; He, Honglin; Guo, Yanpei; Guo, Qiang; Zhu, Jiangling; Han, Wenxuan; Hu, Huifeng; Fang, Jingyun; Xie, Zongqiang

2018-01-01

Plant nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content regulate productivity and carbon (C) sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. Estimates of the allocation of N and P content in plant tissues and the relationship between nutrient content and photosynthetic capacity are critical to predicting future ecosystem C sequestration under global change. In this study, by investigating the nutrient concentrations of plant leaves, stems, and roots across China’s terrestrial biomes, we document large-scale patterns of community-level concentrations of C, N, and P. We also examine the possible correlation between nutrient content and plant production as indicated by vegetation gross primary productivity (GPP). The nationally averaged community concentrations of C, N, and P were 436.8, 14.14, and 1.11 mg·g−1 for leaves; 448.3, 3.04 and 0.31 mg·g−1 for stems; and 418.2, 4.85, and 0.47 mg·g−1 for roots, respectively. The nationally averaged leaf N and P productivity was 249.5 g C GPP·g-1 N·y−1 and 3,157.9 g C GPP·g–1 P·y−1, respectively. The N and P concentrations in stems and roots were generally more sensitive to the abiotic environment than those in leaves. There were strong power-law relationships between N (or P) content in different tissues for all biomes, which were closely coupled with vegetation GPP. These findings not only provide key parameters to develop empirical models to scale the responses of plants to global change from a single tissue to the whole community but also offer large-scale evidence of biome-dependent regulation of C sequestration by nutrients. PMID:29666316

Plant functional trait diversity regulates the nonlinear response of productivity to regional climate change in Tibetan alpine grasslands.

PubMed

Wu, Jianshuang; Wurst, Susanne; Zhang, Xianzhou

2016-10-19

The biodiversity-productivity relationship is still under debate for alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. We know little about direct and indirect effects of biotic and abiotic drivers on this relationship, especially in regard to plant functional trait diversity. Here, we examine how aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and precipitation use efficiency (PUE) respond to climate, soil and community structure across alpine grasslands on the Northern Tibetan Plateau. We found that both ANPP and PUE showed nonlinear patterns along water availability and site altitude variation, which together accounted for 80.3% and 68.8% of variation in ANPP and PUE, respectively, by optimal generalized additive models. Functional trait divergence (FTD) and community weighted mean (CWM) of plant functional traits were as important as plant species diversity (PSD) for explaining the nonlinear productivity-climate relationship. These findings were confirmed by results from principal component analyses and structural equation models. We also found that FTD was negatively correlated with PSD across different alpine grasslands. Our results implicate: first, the combinatorial influences of temperature and precipitation gradients are important for predicting alpine grassland dynamics; second, the convergence and divergence of plant functional traits may have the potential to elucidate the effect of plant diversity on ecosystem functionality.

Plant functional trait diversity regulates the nonlinear response of productivity to regional climate change in Tibetan alpine grasslands

PubMed Central

Wu, Jianshuang; Wurst, Susanne; Zhang, Xianzhou

2016-01-01

The biodiversity-productivity relationship is still under debate for alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. We know little about direct and indirect effects of biotic and abiotic drivers on this relationship, especially in regard to plant functional trait diversity. Here, we examine how aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and precipitation use efficiency (PUE) respond to climate, soil and community structure across alpine grasslands on the Northern Tibetan Plateau. We found that both ANPP and PUE showed nonlinear patterns along water availability and site altitude variation, which together accounted for 80.3% and 68.8% of variation in ANPP and PUE, respectively, by optimal generalized additive models. Functional trait divergence (FTD) and community weighted mean (CWM) of plant functional traits were as important as plant species diversity (PSD) for explaining the nonlinear productivity-climate relationship. These findings were confirmed by results from principal component analyses and structural equation models. We also found that FTD was negatively correlated with PSD across different alpine grasslands. Our results implicate: first, the combinatorial influences of temperature and precipitation gradients are important for predicting alpine grassland dynamics; second, the convergence and divergence of plant functional traits may have the potential to elucidate the effect of plant diversity on ecosystem functionality. PMID:27759112

Plant growth and arbuscular mycorrhizae development in oil sands processing by-products.

PubMed

Boldt-Burisch, Katja; Naeth, M Anne; Schneider, Uwe; Schneider, Beate; Hüttl, Reinhard F

2018-04-15

Soil pollutants such as hydrocarbons can induce toxic effects in plants and associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). This study was conducted to evaluate if the legume Lotus corniculatus and the grass Elymus trachycaulus and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi could grow in two oil sands processing by-products after bitumen extraction from the oil sands in northern Alberta, Canada. Substrate treatments were coarse tailings sand (CTS), a mix of dry mature fine tailings (MFT) with CTS (1:1) and Pleistocene sandy soil (hydrocarbon free); microbial treatments were without AMF, with AMF and AMF plus soil bacteria isolated from oil sands reclamation sites. Plant biomass, root morphology, leaf water content, shoot tissue phosphorus content and mycorrhizal colonization were evaluated. Both plant species had reduced growth in CTS and tailings mix relative to sandy soil. AMF frequency and intensity in roots of E. trachycaulus was not influenced by soil hydrocarbons; however, it decreased significantly over time in roots of L. corniculatus without bacteria in CTS. Mycorrhizal inoculation alone did not significantly improve plant growth in CTS and tailings mix; however, inoculation with mycorrhizae plus bacteria led to a significantly positive response of both plant species in CTS. Thus, combined inoculation with selected mycorrhizae and bacteria led to synergistic effects. Such combinations may be used in future to improve plant growth in reclamation of CTS and tailings mix. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Productivity as related to diversity and age in planted versus natural forests

Treesearch

Qinfeng Guo; Hai Ren

2014-01-01

Little is known about the performance of plantations relative to natural forests of the same climate zone and age. China has more plantations than any other country as a consequence of massive afforestation efforts.We use data from China to comparatively examine tree biomass and productivity of planted and natural stands in relation to climate zone, latitude, elevation...

High CO2 concentration as an inductor agent to drive production of recombinant phytotoxic antimicrobial peptides in plant biofactories.

PubMed

Ruiz, Cristina; Pla, Maria; Company, Nuri; Riudavets, Jordi; Nadal, Anna

2016-03-01

Cationic α-helical antimicrobial peptides such as BP100 are of increasing interest for developing novel phytosanitary or therapeutic agents and products with industrial applications. Biotechnological production of these peptides in plants can be severely impaired due to the toxicity exerted on the host by high-level expression. This can be overcome by using inducible promoters with extremely low activity throughout plant development, although the yields are limited. We examined the use of modified atmospheres using the increased levels of [CO2], commonly used in the food industry, as the inductor agent to biotechnologically produce phytotoxic compounds with higher yields. Here we show that 30% [CO2] triggered a profound transcriptional response in rice leaves, including a change in the energy provision from photosynthesis to glycolysis, and the activation of stress defense mechanisms. Five genes with central roles in up-regulated pathways were initially selected and their promoters successfully used to drive the expression of phytotoxic BP100 in genetically modified (GM) rice. GM plants had a normal phenotype on development and seed production in non-induction conditions. Treatment with 30 % [CO2] led to recombinant peptide accumulation of up to 1 % total soluble protein when the Os.hb2 promoter was used. This is within the range of biotechnological production of other peptides in plants. Using BP100 as a proof-of-concept we demonstrate that very high [CO2] can be considered an economically viable strategy to drive production of recombinant phytotoxic antimicrobial peptides in plant biofactories.

Rich nutrition from the poorest - cereal fermentations in Africa and Asia.

PubMed

Nout, M J Rob

2009-10-01

Cereal fermentations in Africa and Asia involve mainly the processing of maize, rice, sorghum and the millets. Lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus, Pediococcus), Enterobacter spp., yeasts (Candida, Debaryomyces, Endomycopsis, Hansenula, Pichia, Saccharomyces and Trichosporon spp.) and filamentous fungi (Amylomyces, Aspergillus, Mucor, and Rhizopus spp.) contribute to desirable modifications of taste, flavour, acidity, digestibility, and texture in non-alcoholic beverages (e.g., uji, and ben-saalga), porridges (e.g., mawè) and cooked gels (e.g., kenkey, idli, and mifen). In addition, alcoholic beverages (beers such as tchoukoutou and jnard; and spirits e.g. jiu) are obtained using malt, or using amylolytic mixed microbial starter cultures as generators of fermentable substrates. Wet processing, marketing of multi-purpose intermediate products, co-fermentation for texture and nutrition, and mixed culture fermentations as practiced in indigenous fermentation processes are of interest for industrial innovation and for better control of natural mixed culture fermentation systems. On the other hand, the nutritional properties of traditional cereal fermented products can be enhanced by increasing their nutrient and energy density, as well as by increasing their mineral status by combining mineral fortification and dephytinization.

Plant Growth Optimization by Vegetable Production System in HI-SEAS Analog Habitat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ehrlich, Joshua W.; Massa, Gioia D.; Wheeler, Raymond M.; Gill, Tracy R.; Quincy, Charles D.; Roberson, Luke B.; Binsted, Kim; Morrow, Robert C.

2017-01-01

The Vegetable Production System (Veggie) is a scientific payload designed to support plant growth for food production under microgravity conditions. The configuration of Veggie consists of an LED lighting system with modular rooting pillows designed to contain substrate media and time-release fertilizer. The pillows were designed to be watered passively using capillary principles but have typically been watered manually by the astronauts in low-Earth orbit (LEO). The design of Veggie allows cabin air to be drawn through the plant enclosure for thermal and humidity control and for supplying CO2 to the plants. Since its delivery to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2014, Veggie has undergone several experimental trials by various crews. Ground unit testing of Veggie was conducted during an 8-month Mars analog study in a semi-contained environment of a simulated habitat located at approximately 8,200 feet (2,500 m) elevation on the Mauna Loa volcano on the Island of Hawaii. The Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) offered conditions (habitat, mission, communications, etc.) intended to simulate a planetary exploration mission. This paper provides data and analyses to show the prospect for optimized use of the current Veggie design for human habitats. Lessons learned during the study may provide opportunities for updating the system design and operational parameters for current Veggie experiments being conducted onboard the ISS and for payloads on future deep space missions.

Crop Production under Drought and Heat Stress: Plant Responses and Management Options

PubMed Central

Fahad, Shah; Bajwa, Ali A.; Nazir, Usman; Anjum, Shakeel A.; Farooq, Ayesha; Zohaib, Ali; Sadia, Sehrish; Nasim, Wajid; Adkins, Steve; Saud, Shah; Ihsan, Muhammad Z.; Alharby, Hesham; Wu, Chao; Wang, Depeng; Huang, Jianliang

2017-01-01

Abiotic stresses are one of the major constraints to crop production and food security worldwide. The situation has aggravated due to the drastic and rapid changes in global climate. Heat and drought are undoubtedly the two most important stresses having huge impact on growth and productivity of the crops. It is very important to understand the physiological, biochemical, and ecological interventions related to these stresses for better management. A wide range of plant responses to these stresses could be generalized into morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses. Interestingly, this review provides a detailed account of plant responses to heat and drought stresses with special focus on highlighting the commonalities and differences. Crop growth and yields are negatively affected by sub-optimal water supply and abnormal temperatures due to physical damages, physiological disruptions, and biochemical changes. Both these stresses have multi-lateral impacts and therefore, complex in mechanistic action. A better understanding of plant responses to these stresses has pragmatic implication for remedies and management. A comprehensive account of conventional as well as modern approaches to deal with heat and drought stresses have also been presented here. A side-by-side critical discussion on salient responses and management strategies for these two important abiotic stresses provides a unique insight into the phenomena. A holistic approach taking into account the different management options to deal with heat and drought stress simultaneously could be a win-win approach in future. PMID:28706531

Pesticides residues and metals in plant products from agricultural area of Belgrade, Serbia.

PubMed

Ethorđević, Tijana; Ethurović, Rada

2012-03-01

The objective of study was to assess the levels of selected metals and pesticides in plant products from agricultural area of Belgrade, Serbia in order to indicate their possible sources and risks of contamination and to evaluate their sanitary probity and safety. The concentrations of cadmium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc were below limits established by national and international regulations (maximum found concentrations were 0.028, 1.91, 11.16, 1.77, 0.605, 0.073 and 1.76 mg kg(-1) respectively). Only residue of one of examined pesticides was found in amount below MRL (bifenthrin 2.46 μg kg(-1)) in only one of analysed samples, while others were below detection limits. Obtained results indicate that crops from examined agricultural areas are unpolluted by contaminants used for plant protection and nutrition, indicating good agricultural practice regarding pesticides and fertilizer usage as well as moderate industrial production within examined areas.

Use of a plant-derived enzyme template for the production of the green-note volatile hexanal.

PubMed

Schade, Frank; Thompson, John E; Legge, Raymond L

2003-11-05

Hexanal is a key organoleptic element of green-note that is found in both fragrances and flavors. We report a novel process for the production of hexanal using immobilized enzyme templates extracted from different plant sources in combination with hollow-fiber ultrafiltration for in situ separation. Enzyme templates, known to be responsible for the synthesis of hexanal from linoleic acid (18:2), were isolated from naturally enriched tissues including carnation petals, strawberry and tomato leaves. These templates were immobilized in an alginate matrix and used as a biocatalyst in a packed-bed bioreactor. Continuous product recovery was achieved using a hollow-fiber ultrafiltration unit. The effects of pH, reaction temperature, and substrate and enzyme concentrations were studied and their effects on hexanal generation identified and optimized. Utilizing optimized conditions, hexanal production 112-fold higher than endogenous steady-state levels in a corresponding amount of plant tissue could be achieved over a 30-minute period. Based on the reactor studies, product inhibition also appears to be an important factor for bioreactor-based hexanal production. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Sugar Chain Construction of Functional Natural Products Using Plant Glucosyltransferases].

PubMed

Mizukami, Hajime

2015-01-01

Plant secondary product glycosyltransferases belong to family 1 of the glycosyltransferase superfamily and mediate the transfer of a glycosyl residue from activated nucleotide sugars to lipophilic small molecules, thus affecting the solubility, stability and pharmacological activities of the sugar-accepting compounds. The biotechnological application of plant glycosyltransferases in glycoside synthesis has attracted attention because enzymatic glycosylation offers several advantages over chemical methods, including (1) avoiding the use of harsh conditions and toxic catalysts, (2) providing strict control of regio-and stereo-selectivity and (3) high efficiency. This review describes the in vivo and in vitro glycosylation of natural organic compounds using glycosyltransferases, focusing on our investigation of enzymatic synthesis of curcumin glycosides. Our current efforts toward functional characterization of some glycosyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of iridoids and crocin, as well as in the sugar chain elongation of quercetin glucosides, are described. Finally, I describe the relationship of the structure of sugar chains and the intestinal absorption which was investigated using chemoenzymatically synthesized quercetin glycosides.

9 CFR 590.411 - Requirement of formulas and approval of labels for use in official egg products plants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... products than for bulk packaged egg products not for sale or distribution to household consumers, label... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Requirement of formulas and approval of labels for use in official egg products plants. 590.411 Section 590.411 Animals and Animal...

9 CFR 590.411 - Requirement of formulas and approval of labels for use in official egg products plants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... products than for bulk packaged egg products not for sale or distribution to household consumers, label... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Requirement of formulas and approval of labels for use in official egg products plants. 590.411 Section 590.411 Animals and Animal...

Antioxidant activity of an invasive plant, Melastoma malabathricum and its potential as herbal tea product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, N. M.; Kuspradini, H.; Amirta, R.; Kusuma, I. W.

2018-04-01

East Kalimantan possesses abundant biodiversity of tropical medicinal plant. Melastoma malabathricum (known locally as karamunting, senduduk) is an invasive plant along with other species in the family of Melastomataceae with traditional medicinal purposes. This research explored the potential of Karamunting (M. malabathricum) plant for its antioxidant activity and the potential as a material for herbal tea product. The plant was macerated to yield ethanolic extract, and at the same time plant powder was packed into tea bags and extracted with hot water to obtain the infused water. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging assay. The results showed that the ethanol extracts of plant samples displayed ability to inhibit DPPH free radical formation by 82% at 50 ppm concentration. Evaluation of the tea water extract showed that the highest inhibition obtained by leaves powder by 90% and fruit 88% at 1 minutes immersion time. This finding suggest that leaves and fruit of M. malabathricum plants display potential as herbal tea material having antioxidant activity if the safety aspect can be assured.

Honokiol and magnolol production by in vitro micropropagated plants of Magnolia dealbata, an endangered endemic Mexican species.

PubMed

Domínguez, Fabiola; Chávez, Marco; Garduño-Ramírez, María Luisa; Chávez-Avila, Víctor M; Mata, Martín; Cruz-Sosa, Francisco

2010-02-01

An efficient protocol for the in vitro propagation of Magnolia dealbata Zucc., an important medicinal plant that is the source of the anxiolytic and anticancer compounds honokiol and magnolol, was established. This plant is wild-crafted, and conservationists have expressed concerns with regard to the sustainability of production. In the present work, two factors were found to be of importance for the regeneration of M. dealbata and the production of honokiol and magnolol. These factors were the type of explants and the combination and concentration of plant-growth regulators. Green, compact, nodular organogenic callus was obtained from leaf explants in a medium fortified with Murashige and Skoog salts and supplemented with 1.5 mg/L 2,4-dicholorophenoxyacetic acid and 1.5 mg/L kinetin. Shoots multiplication from callus cultures was achieved in the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with 1.5 mg/L thidiazuron (TDZ). Phenol secretion was controlled by the addition of 250 mg/L of activated charcoal. For rooting, shoots were transferred to MS medium supplemented with several auxins. After root induction, the plants were hardened in earthen pots containing sand, soil, and vermiculite. The contents of honokiol (HK) and magnolol (MG) were determined in different plant materials by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode-array detection techniques. This analysis revealed that the honokiol and magnolol content in aerial and underground parts of micropropagated M. dealbata were higher than that observed in wild plants (both 6 months old). Our results suggest that conservation of M. dealbata is possible by means of in vitro multiplication of leaf-derived callus. The usefulness of M. dealbata regeneration and production of HK and MG may be attributed to the proper selection of explant sourcing and identification of the correct growth medium to support adequate growth. This careful selection of explants and growth medium leads to a very useful source of plant material for

Single-tube hydroponics as a novel idea for small-scale production of crop seed in a plant incubator.

PubMed

Kuroda, Masaharu; Ikenaga, Sachiko

2015-01-01

We present a novel protocol for small-scale production of crop seed in a plant incubator termed "Single-tube hydroponics." Our protocol minimizes the materials and methods for cultivation whereby a large number of independent plants can be cultured in a limited space. This study may aid in the improvement of crop seed components, especially in the cultivation of transgenic plants.

Scientific basis and regulatory aspects for the toxicology of plant protection products in the European Union.

PubMed

Anadón, A; Martínez-Larrañaga, M R; Martínez, M A

2001-10-01

Authorization of plant protection products/agrochemicals/pesticides in the European Union is done on the basis of their toxicological properties. This paper reviews the current legislation for placing an agrochemical on the market (ie a new substance or a existing active substance), and the toxicology studies needed for inclusion of a substance in any of the annexes of the Council Directive of the European Economic Community 91/414/ EEC. Risk analysis and its steps is discussed. The "threshold toxicity" employed to allow risk characterisation of plant protection products is described, such as acceptable daily intake, acceptable operator exposure level, acute reference dose, and maximum admissible concentration in water.

Dual application of duckweed and azolla plants for wastewater treatment and renewable fuels and petrochemicals production.

PubMed

Muradov, Nazim; Taha, Mohamed; Miranda, Ana F; Kadali, Krishna; Gujar, Amit; Rochfort, Simone; Stevenson, Trevor; Ball, Andrew S; Mouradov, Aidyn

2014-02-28

Shortages in fresh water supplies today affects more than 1 billion people worldwide. Phytoremediation strategies, based on the abilities of aquatic plants to recycle nutrients offer an attractive solution for the bioremediation of water pollution and represents one of the most globally researched issues. The subsequent application of the biomass from the remediation for the production of fuels and petrochemicals offers an ecologically friendly and cost-effective solution for water pollution problems and production of value-added products. In this paper, the feasibility of the dual application of duckweed and azolla aquatic plants for wastewater treatment and production of renewable fuels and petrochemicals is explored. The differences in absorption rates of the key wastewater nutrients, ammonium and phosphorus by these aquatic macrophytes were used as the basis for optimization of the composition of wastewater effluents. Analysis of pyrolysis products showed that azolla and algae produce a similar range of bio-oils that contain a large spectrum of petrochemicals including straight-chain C10-C21 alkanes, which can be directly used as diesel fuel supplement, or a glycerin-free component of biodiesel. Pyrolysis of duckweed produces a different range of bio-oil components that can potentially be used for the production of "green" gasoline and diesel fuel using existing techniques, such as catalytic hydrodeoxygenation. Differences in absorption rates of the key wastewater nutrients, ammonium and phosphorus by different aquatic macrophytes can be used for optimization of composition of wastewater effluents. The generated data suggest that the composition of the petrochemicals can be modified in a targeted fashion, not only by using different species, but also by changing the source plants' metabolic profile, by exposing them to different abiotic or biotic stresses. This study presents an attractive, ecologically friendly and cost-effective solution for efficient bio

High-level rapid production of full-size monoclonal antibodies in plants by a single-vector DNA replicon system

PubMed Central

Huang, Zhong; Phoolcharoen, Waranyoo; Lai, Huafang; Piensook, Khanrat; Cardineau, Guy; Zeitlin, Larry; Whaley, Kevin J.; Arntzen, Charles J.

2010-01-01

Plant viral vectors have great potential in rapid production of important pharmaceutical proteins. However, high-yield production of heterooligomeric proteins that require the expression and assembly of two or more protein subunits often suffers problems due to the “competing” nature of viral vectors derived from the same virus. Previously we reported that a bean yellow dwarf virus (BeYDV)-derived, three-component DNA replicon system allows rapid production of single recombinant proteins in plants (Huang et al. 2009). In this article, we report further development of this expression system for its application in high-yield production of oligomeric protein complexes including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in plants. We showed that the BeYDV replicon system permits simultaneous efficient replication of two DNA replicons and thus, high-level accumulation of two recombinant proteins in the same plant cell. We also demonstrated that a single vector that contains multiple replicon cassettes was as efficient as the three-component system in driving the expression of two distinct proteins. Using either the non-competing, three-vector system or the multi-replicon single vector, we produced both the heavy and light chain subunits of a protective IgG mAb 6D8 against Ebola virus GP1 (Wilson et al. 2000) at 0.5 mg of mAb per gram leaf fresh weight within 4 days post infiltration of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. We further demonstrated that full-size tetrameric IgG complex containing two heavy and two light chains was efficiently assembled and readily purified, and retained its functionality in specific binding to inactivated Ebola virus. Thus, our single-vector replicon system provides high-yield production capacity for heterooligomeric proteins, yet eliminates the difficult task of identifying non-competing virus and the need for co-infection of multiple expression modules. The multi-replicon vector represents a significant advance in transient expression technology for

Effect of woody-plant encroachment on livestock production in North and South America

PubMed Central

Anadón, José D.; Sala, Osvaldo E.; Turner, B. L.; Bennett, Elena M.

2014-01-01

A large fraction of the world grasslands and savannas are undergoing a rapid shift from herbaceous to woody-plant dominance. This land-cover change is expected to lead to a loss in livestock production (LP), but the impacts of woody-plant encroachment on this crucial ecosystem service have not been assessed. We evaluate how tree cover (TC) has affected LP at large spatial scales in rangelands of contrasting social–economic characteristics in the United States and Argentina. Our models indicate that in areas of high productivity, a 1% increase in TC results in a reduction in LP ranging from 0.6 to 1.6 reproductive cows (Rc) per km2. Mean LP in the United States is 27 Rc per km2, so a 1% increase in TC results in a 2.5% decrease in mean LP. This effect is large considering that woody-plant cover has been described as increasing at 0.5% to 2% per y. On the contrary, in areas of low productivity, increased TC had a positive effect on LP. Our results also show that ecological factors account for a larger fraction of LP variability in Argentinean than in US rangelands. Differences in the relative importance of ecological versus nonecological drivers of LP in Argentina and the United States suggest that the valuation of ecosystem services between these two rangelands might be different. Current management strategies in Argentina are likely designed to maximize LP for various reasons we are unable to explore in this effort, whereas land managers in the United States may be optimizing multiple ecosystem services, including conservation or recreation, alongside LP. PMID:25136084

[Production of inhibiting plant growth and development hormones by pathogenic for legumes Pseudomonas genus bacteria].

PubMed

Dankevich, L A

2013-01-01

It has been studied the ability of pathogenic for legumes pathovars of Pseudomonas genus to produce ethylene and abscisic acid in vitro. A direct correlation between the level of ethylene production by agent of bacterial pea burn--Pseudomonas syringae pv. pisi and level of its aggressiveness for plants has been found. It is shown that the amount of abscisic acid synthesized by pathogenic for legumes Pseudomonas genus bacteria correlates with their aggressiveness for plants.

Co-expression of peppermint geranyl diphosphate synthase small subunit enhances monoterpene production in transgenic tobacco plants.

PubMed

Yin, Jun-Lin; Wong, Woon-Seng; Jang, In-Cheol; Chua, Nam-Hai

2017-02-01

Monoterpenes are important for plant survival and useful to humans. In addition to their function in plant defense, monoterpenes are also used as flavors, fragrances and medicines. Several metabolic engineering strategies have been explored to produce monoterpene in tobacco but only trace amounts of monoterpenes have been detected. We investigated the effects of Solanum lycopersicum 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (SlDXS), Arabidopsis thaliana geranyl diphosphate synthase 1 (AtGPS) and Mentha × piperita geranyl diphosphate synthase small subunit (MpGPS.SSU) on production of monoterpene and geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) diversities, and plant morphology by transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana and overexpression in transgenic Nicotiana tabacum. We showed that MpGPS.SSU could enhance the production of various monoterpenes such as (-)-limonene, (-)-linalool, (-)-α-pinene/β-pinene or myrcene, in transgenic tobacco by elevating geranyl diphosphate synthase (GPS) activity. In addition, overexpression of MpGPS.SSU in tobacco caused early flowering phenotype and increased shoot branching by elevating contents of GA 3 and cytokinins due to upregulated transcript levels of several plastidic 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathway genes, geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthases 3 (GGPPS3) and GGPPS4. Our method would allow the identification of new monoterpene synthase genes using transient expression in N. benthamiana and the improvement of monoterpene production in transgenic tobacco plants. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Do plant population and planting date make a difference in corn production?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

One management practice that can positively or negatively impact corn yield is plant population. Yield potential can also be influenced by the date of planting, which is strongly linked to the at-planting and in-season weather and climatic conditions. Even when considering management changes, we nee...

Photosynthetic light reactions--an adjustable hub in basic production and plant immunity signaling.

PubMed

Kangasjärvi, Saijaliisa; Tikkanen, Mikko; Durian, Guido; Aro, Eva-Mari

2014-08-01

Photosynthetic efficiency is a key trait that influences the sustainable utilization of plants for energy and nutrition. By now, extensive research on photosynthetic processes has underscored important structural and functional relationships among photosynthetic thylakoid membrane protein complexes, and their roles in determining the productivity and stress resistance of plants. Photosystem II photoinhibition-repair cycle, for example, has arisen vital in protecting also Photosystem I against light-induced damage. Availability of highly sophisticated genetic, biochemical and biophysical tools has greatly expanded the catalog of components that carry out photoprotective functions in plants. On thylakoid membranes, these components encompass a network of overlapping systems that allow delicate regulation of linear and cyclic electron transfer pathways, balancing of excitation energy distribution between the two photosystems and dissipation of excess light energy in the antenna system as heat. An increasing number of reports indicate that the above mentioned mechanisms also mediate important functions in the regulation of biotic stress responses in plants. Particularly the handling of excitation energy in the light harvesting II antenna complexes appears central to plant immunity signaling. Comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms and regulatory cross-talk, however, still remain elusive. This review highlights the current understanding of components that regulate the function of photosynthetic light reactions and directly or indirectly also modulate disease resistance in higher plants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Biological detoxification of fungal toxins and its use in plant breeding, feed and food production.

PubMed

Karlovsky, P

1999-01-01

Enzymatic inactivation of fungal toxins is an attractive strategy for the decontamination of agricultural commodities and for the protection of crops from phytotoxic effects of fungal metabolites. This review summarizes research on the biological detoxification of fungal toxins by microorganisms and plants and its practical applications. Some mycotoxins are detoxified during ensiling and other fermentation processes (aflatoxins, alternariol, mycophenolic acid, patulin, PR toxin) while others are transformed into toxic products or survive fermentation unchanged. Plants can detoxify fomannoxin, fusaric acid, HC-toxin, ochratoxin A and oxalate but the degradation of deoxynivalenol has yet to be proven. Microflora of the digestive tract of vertebrates and invertebrates exhibit detoxification activities towards aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, oxalate and trichothecenes. Some toxin-producing fungi are able to degrade or transform their own products under suitable conditions. Pure cultures of bacteria and fungi which detoxify mycotoxins have been isolated from complex microbial populations by screening and enrichment culture techniques. Genes responsible for some of the detoxification activities have been cloned and expressed in heterologous hosts. The detoxification of aflatoxins, cercosporin, fumonisins, fusaric acid, ochratoxin A, oxalic acid, patulin, trichothecenes and zearalenone by pure cultures is reviewed. Finally, current application of these results in food and feed production and plant breeding is summarized and expected future developments are outlined. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Metabolic engineering of higher plants and algae for isoprenoid production.

PubMed

Kempinski, Chase; Jiang, Zuodong; Bell, Stephen; Chappell, Joe

2015-01-01

Isoprenoids are a class of compounds derived from the five carbon precursors, dimethylallyl diphosphate, and isopentenyl diphosphate. These molecules present incredible natural chemical diversity, which can be valuable for humans in many aspects such as cosmetics, agriculture, and medicine. However, many terpenoids are only produced in small quantities by their natural hosts and can be difficult to generate synthetically. Therefore, much interest and effort has been directed toward capturing the genetic blueprint for their biochemistry and engineering it into alternative hosts such as plants and algae. These autotrophic organisms are attractive when compared to traditional microbial platforms because of their ability to utilize atmospheric CO2 as a carbon substrate instead of supplied carbon sources like glucose. This chapter will summarize important techniques and strategies for engineering the accumulation of isoprenoid metabolites into higher plants and algae by choosing the correct host, avoiding endogenous regulatory mechanisms, and optimizing potential flux into the target compound. Future endeavors will build on these efforts by fine-tuning product accumulation levels via the vast amount of available "-omic" data and devising metabolic engineering schemes that integrate this into a whole-organism approach. With the development of high-throughput transformation protocols and synthetic biology molecular tools, we have only begun to harness the power and utility of plant and algae metabolic engineering.

Risk-managed production of bioactive recombinant proteins using a novel plant virus vector with a helper plant to complement viral systemic movement.

PubMed

Fukuzawa, Noriho; Ishihara, Takeaki; Itchoda, Noriko; Tabayashi, Noriko; Kataoka, Chiwa; Masuta, Chikara; Matsumura, Takeshi

2011-01-01

A plant viral vector has the potential to efficiently produce recombinant proteins at a low cost in a short period. Although recombinant proteins can be also produced by transgenic plants, a plant viral vector, if available, may be more convenient when urgent scale-up in production is needed. However, it is difficult to use a viral vector in open fields because of the risk of escape to the environment. In this study, we constructed a novel viral vector system using a movement-defective Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) vector, which is theoretically localized in the inoculated cells but infects systemically only with the aid of the transgenic helper plant that complements viral movement, diminishing the risk of viral proliferation. Interestingly, the helper plant systemically infected with the vector gave strong cross-protection against challenge inoculation with wild-type CMVs. Using CMV strains belonging to two discrete CMV groups (subgroups I and II), we also improved the system to prevent recombination between the vector and the transgene transcript in the helper plant. We here demonstrate the expression of an anti-dioxin single chain variable fragment (DxscFv) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1-Ra) in Nicotiana benthamiana by this viral vector confinement system, which is applicable for many useful high-quality recombinant proteins. © 2010 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2010 Society for Experimental Biology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

An amino acid substitution inhibits specialist herbivore production of an antagonist effector and recovers insect-induced plant defenses