Enantioselective effects of optically active alpha-methylbenzyl-s-triazine on the root growth of rice and Echinochloa plants and their herbicidal activity.
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The chiral requirement on the alpha-methylbenzyl moiety of 2,4-diamino-6-chloro-s-triazine for sufficient inhibition of root growth was similar towards both rice and barnyard millet. With the monoalkylamino series, the most suitable configuration was markedly changed by the substituent on the other amino moiety. However, for the dialkylamino series, the (S)-enantiomer was an active inhibitor. Clear species selectivity between rice and barnyard millet was observed in the series for the (R)-enantiomers, providing high herbicidal activity toward Echinochloa plants and safety toward rice. The enantioselectivity against barnyard millet increased with increasing inhibitory activity of the active enantiomers, following Pfeiffer's rule. R-EtNH (3) controlled the growth of barnyardgrass with leaf-burning (LB) under paddy conditions, and S-EtNH (4) and S-Et2N (20) controlled the growth without LB. The RS-EtNH derivative is an interesting inhibitor controlling the growth of barnyardgrass from the just-germinated stage (by the (R)-enantiomer) to early-middle growth stage (by the (S)-enantiomer). (+info)
Genetic and biochemical analysis of anaerobically-induced enzymes during seed germination of Echinochloa crus-galli varieties tolerant and intolerant of anoxia.
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To compare the regulation of anaerobic metabolism during germination in anoxia-tolerant and intolerant plants, enzymes associated with anaerobic metabolism such as sucrose synthase, aldolase, enolase, pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) were assayed in two varieties of Echinochloa crus-galli, formosensis (tolerant) and praticola (intolerant). The initial and intervening enzymes of the pathway (sucrose synthase and aldolase) and enzymes in the last part of the pathway (PDC, ADH and ALDH) revealed similar changing patterns in activities during germination. This implies that each group of enzymes may be controlled by an identical regulatory mechanism. During anoxia, activities of all enzymes increased 1.5-30-fold in both varieties compared to their activities under aerobic conditions. Activities of sucrose synthase, enolase and ADH exhibited the same induction patterns under anoxia in formosensis and praticola. However, the activities of aldolase, ALDH and PDC were more strongly induced in formosensis under anoxia (1.2-2-fold) than in praticola. These enzymes were also assayed in F(3) families which varied in their anaerobic germinability. For PDC, activities under anoxia in anoxia-tolerant families were similar to those of an anoxia-intolerant family during the whole period although the family did not exhibit anaerobic germinability. This suggests that there is no correlation between PDC activity and anaerobic germinability. For ALDH, activities were more strongly induced under anoxia in anoxia-tolerant families than in anoxia-intolerant families, a trend also exhibited by the parents. This indicates that ALDH may play a role in detoxifying acetaldehyde formed through alcoholic fermentation during anaerobic germination. (+info)
Inhibitory activity of linoleic acid isolated from proso and Japanese millet toward histone deacetylase.
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Linoleic acid was isolated from both the methanol extracts of proso and Japanese millet as a histone deacetylase inhibitor. It showed uncompetitive inhibitory activity toward histone deacetylase (IC(50)=0.51 mM) and potent cytotoxicity toward human leukemia K562 (IC(50)=68 microM) and prostate cancer LNCaP cells (IC(50)=193 microM). Millet containing linoleic acid might have anti-tumor activity. (+info)
The synthesis and herbicidal activity of 1-alkyl-3-(alpha-hydroxy-substituted benzylidene)pyrrolidine-2,4-diones.
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In the search for better herbicides a series of 1-alkyl-3-(alpha-hydroxy-(un)substituted benzylidene)pyrrolidine-2,4-diones were prepared and their structure-activity relationships studied. All their structures have been confirmed by (1)H-NMR and elemental analysis. The preliminary bioassay results indicated that some of them have high herbicidal activity against annual dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants. (+info)
Dietary Japanese millet protein ameliorates plasma levels of adiponectin, glucose, and lipids in type 2 diabetic mice.
(5/19)
Millet is an important food crop in Asia and Africa, but the health benefits of dietary millet are little known. This study defined the effects of dietary Japanese millet on diabetic mice. Feeding of a high-fat diet containing Japanese millet protein concentrate (JMP, 20% protein) to type 2 diabetic mice for 3 weeks significantly increased plasma levels of adiponectin and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) and decreased the levels of glucose and triglyceride as compared to control. The starch fraction of Japanese millet had no effect on glucose or adiponectin levels, but the prolamin fraction beneficially modulated plasma glucose and insulin concentrations as well as adiponectin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene expression. Considering the physiological significance of adiponectin and HDL cholesterol levels in type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease, our findings imply that dietary JMP has the potential to ameliorate these diseases. (+info)
Simulating the evolution of glyphosate resistance in grains farming in northern Australia.
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Isolation and characterization of a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium, Serratia sp. SY5.
(7/19)
The role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in the phytoremediation of heavy-metal-contaminated soils is important in overcoming its limitations for field application. A plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium, Serratia sp. SY5, was isolated from the rhizoplane of barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) grown in petroleum and heavy-metal-contaminated soil. This isolate has shown capacities for indole acetic acid production and siderophores synthesis. Compared with a non-inoculated control, the radicular root growth of Zea mays seedlings inoculated with SY5 can be increased by 27- or 15.4-fold in the presence of 15 mg-Cd/l or 15 mg-Cu/l, respectively. The results from hydroponic cultures showed that inoculation of Serratia sp. SY5 had a favorable influence on the initial shoot growth and biomass of Zea mays under noncontaminated conditions. However, under Cd-contaminated conditions, the inoculation of SY5 significantly increased the root biomass of Zea mays. These results indicate that Serratia sp. SY5 can serve as a promising microbial inoculant for increased plant growth in heavy-metal-contaminated soils to improve the phytoremediation efficiency. (+info)
Differential oxidative metabolism and 5-ketoclomazone accumulation are involved in Echinochloa phyllopogon resistance to clomazone.
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