Potential physiological tolerance mechanisms in faba bean to spp. parasitism.

spp. are root parasitic plants that cause severe yield losses in faba bean ( L.).

Adaptation of indoor ornamental plants to various lighting levels in growth chambers simulating workplace environments.

Despite the growing interest in indoor greenery and its positive effects on occupants' well-being, there is limited knowledge on the optimal light levels for indoor plants that ensure energy efficiency and sustainable growth. This study explored the survival of ornamental plants under low-light conditions typical of indoor workplaces without daylight and investigated the impact of increased light intensity or extended day length on their growth. Three species of foliage plants (Epipremnum aureum, Pachira aquatica, and Rhaphidophora tetrasperma) were cultivated in growth chambers with three different lighting schemes.

Different divergence processes of isoglosses of folk nomenclature between wild trees and rice landraces imply the need for different conservation planning based on the type of plant resources.

Background: The intensification of production and socio-economic changes have accelerated the loss of local traditional knowledge and plant resources. Understanding the distribution and determinants of such biocultural diversity is essential in planning efficient surveys and conservation efforts. Because the concept of biocultural diversity in socio-ecological adaptive systems comprises biological, cultural, and linguistic diversity, linguistic information should serve as a surrogate for the distribution of local biological and cultural diversity.

GC-MS profiling, antifeedant, nematicidal and phytotoxic effects of essential oils of two subspecies of (Maiden) Maiden.

This work presents the biocidal effects and chemical compositions of two essential oils (EOs) obtained by hydrodistillation of subsp and subsp. . The two subspecies studied had different chemical composition, when analysed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with 1,8-cineole (56.

The silver lining of antibiotic resistance: Bacterial-mediated reduction of tetracycline plant stress via antibiotrophy.

The reuse of water using effluents containing antibiotics from anthropogenic activities has been mainly linked to the development of antibiotic resistance. However, we report that the development of bacterial tolerance promotes plant growth. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the efficiency of inoculation of a new antibiotic-degrading bacterium, Erwinia strain S9, in augmenting the tolerance of pea (Pisum sativum L.

Comparative anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge at different temperatures with and without heat pre-treatment.

Anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge is generally conducted under mesophilic (around 35 °C) or thermophilic (around 55 °C) conditions, whereas it is conducted at lower temperatures in some wastewater treatment plants without heating. In this study, we compared the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge at 15, 25, 30, 35, 45, and 55 °C following hyperthermophilic pre-treatment at 80 °C for 24 h. Laboratory-scale reactors were operated continuously for more than 1000 days, and batch experiments were performed to evaluate the reaction kinetics.

A Method for Evaluating Coastal Underground Barrier Wall Using Groundwater Tidal Response.

Tidal response methods are usually used to estimate the hydraulic parameters of coastal aquifers. In this study an analytical model for aquifer tidal response was used. An existing analytical solution for tidal response of groundwater levels was extended to evaluate a subsurface barrier wall to prevent saltwater penetration in a coastal aquifer.

Use of groundwater and reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation: Farmers' practices and attitudes and related environmental and health risks.

Agricultural reuse of treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigation is widely practiced. Its conjunctive use with freshwater is becoming more common to guarantee food security, while the rationale behind and its sustainability are quite arguable. The objective of this study is to better understand the drivers of the conjunctive use of TWW and groundwater (GW) in Nabeul region, Tunisia, and the potential environmental and health impacts taking into account farmers' practices and attitudes toward reuse.

Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Anti-Acetylcholinesterase, Antidiabetic, and Pharmacokinetic Properties of L. and L. Essential Oils Alone and in Combination.

Herbs and spices have been used since antiquity for their nutritional and health properties, as well as in traditional remedies for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Therefore, this study aims to perform a chemical analysis of both essential oils (EOs) from the seeds of () and () and evaluate their antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-acetylcholinesterase, and antidiabetic activities alone and in combination. Results showed that the EOs mainly constitute monoterpenes with γ-terpinene (31.

Comparison of plant Cd accumulation from a Cd-contaminated soil amended with biochar produced from various feedstocks.

The bioavailability of cadmium (Cd) in agricultural soils is a significant health concern due to the potential risk of human exposure via foods grown in Cd-contaminated fields. Biochar has been known to have a highly porous structure and high pH, as well as containing various functional groups; as such, it can immobilize heavy metals. Although it has found that biochar amendment in Cd-contaminated agricultural soils could be effective in reducing Cd bioavailability in previous studies, differences in plant Cd accumulation from Cd-contaminated soils amended with biochars produced from various types of biomass have not been fully discussed yet; we aimed to address this shortcoming in the present work.

Input and output pathways determining potassium budgets in two paddy fields subjected to countermeasures against radiocesium in Fukushima, Japan.

Countermeasures to reduce radiocesium (134Cs and 137Cs) uptake by crops have been implemented in farmlands affected by the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011. A widely practiced countermeasure is the application of potassium (K). Long-term soil K maintenance is a key issue due to the long physical half-life of 137Cs (30 years).

Utilization of high solid waste activated sludge from small facilities by anaerobic digestion and application as fertilizer.

Anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge with organic wastes has recently gained attention in small facilities. For small facilities, high solids sludge is suitable for transportation to a centralized co-digester, and direct utilization of the digested sludge as liquid fertilizer is recommended. Effects of high solid and hyperthermophilic pretreatment (80 °C, 24 hr) on anaerobic digestion at low temperatures and utilization as fertilizer are investigated by anaerobic/aerobic digestion and paddy soil incubation experiments.

Assessing the long-term impact of conservation agriculture on wheat-based systems in Tunisia using APSIM simulations under a climate change context.

Several circulation models are forecasting climate changes in the Mediterranean region. Accordingly, it is expected that water scarcity in the region will be higher with drastic shifts of hydrological and erosive watershed responses. In Tunisia, wheat yields have been variable over the years and are lower than the potential yields.

Saline soil reclamation by agroforestry species under Kalaât Landelous conditions and irrigation with treated wastewater in Tunisia.

Irrigation with treated waste water (TWW) in combination with plantation of agroforest species was tested in the Kalaât Landelous region for the reclamation of salt affected soils. Five species (Atriplex nummularia, Eucalyptus gomphocephala, Acacia cyanophylla, Casuarina glauca, Pinus halepensis) were cultivated in saline soils that are affected by shallow, saline groundwater and were irrigated with TWW during the summer season. The results after 4 years of experimentation show a distinct decrease in soil pH and salinity accompanied by a decrease in Cl and Na concentrations.

The Preliminary Study of Water-Retention Related Properties of Biochar Produced from Various Feedstock at Different Pyrolysis Temperatures.

Physicochemical properties of biochar, which are used as a soil amendment material in agricultural fields, are different depending on biomass feedstock and pyrolysis processes. In this study, we evaluated the influence of feedstock type and pyrolysis temperature on the water-retention related properties of biochar. Wood-chips [cedar (CE) and cypress (CY)]; moso bamboo (MB); rice husk (RH); sugarcane bagasse (SB); poultry manure (PM) and agricultural wastewater sludge (WS) were each pyrolysed at 400, 600 and 800 °C with a retention time of two hours.

Estimation of the economic loss due to irrigation water use inefficiency in Tunisia.

The main objective of this study is to estimate the total economic loss due to inefficient use of irrigation water in Tunisia. Several approaches have been used for this purpose. The optimal level of water application for different crops is calculated using the actual crop evapotranspiration which is based on FAO-56 method.

Tracking Infiltration Front Depth Using Time-lapse Multi-offset Gathers Collected with Array Antenna Ground Penetrating Radar.

A Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) system based on a ground-coupled, densely populated antenna array was used to collect data during an infiltration experiment conducted at a test site near the Tottori Sand Dune, Japan. The antenna array used in this study consists of 10 transmitting antennas (Tx) and 11 receiving antennas (Rx). For this experiment, the system was configured to use all possible Tx-Rx pairings, resulting in a Multi-Offset Gather (MOG) consisting of 110 Tx-Rx combinations.

Monitoring of organochlorine pesticides in blood of women with uterine cervix cancer.

In Yucatan, Mexico, chronic exposure of Mayan population to pesticides is expected as about 30 per cent are drinking polluted water. Residues of organochlorine pesticides (OCP) were monitored in 18 municipalities of Yucatan with high mortality rates due to uterine cervix cancer. 70 blood samples collected from Mayan women living in livestock, agricultural and metropolitan area were analyzed for OCP.

Adsorption efficiency of natural materials for low-concentration cesium in solution.

In this study, several natural materials were investigated in order to clarify their potential use as cesium (Cs) adsorbents in situ. Four materials--carbonized rice hull, beech sawdust, oak sawdust, and charcoal (Japanese cedar)--which were previously shown to have Cs adsorption capabilities, were examined. Cs adsorption experiments were conducted using different initial Cs and adsorbent concentrations.

Measurement and estimation of radiocesium discharge rate from paddy field during land preparation and mid-summer drainage.

In this research, we evaluated the range of (137)Cs discharge rates from paddy fields during land preparation and mid-summer drainage. First, we investigated (137)Cs discharge loads during land preparation and mid-summer drainage and their ratio to the (137)Cs inventory of paddy field soil. We found that total discharge rates were 0.

Occurrence and distribution of PAHs, PCBs, and chlorinated pesticides in Tunisian soil irrigated with treated wastewater.

Treated wastewater (TWW) is a well recognized source of organic pollutants (OPs) that may accumulate during irrigation. For the first time, data on the occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyles (PCBs) and organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs) in wastewater irrigated soil in Nabeul (Tunisia) are reported. 13 PAHs, 18 PCBs and 16 OCPs were analyzed in soil samples collected at 0-10 and 10-20 cm depth before each and every irrigation and after the irrigation period expanding from June to October.

Comparison of generalist predators in winter-flooded and conventionally managed rice paddies and identification of their limiting factors.

Winter-flooding of rice paddies without the application of agricultural chemicals is attracting attention as a new agricultural method for enhancing the habitat conditions of wintering waterfowl in rice paddy ecosystems throughout Japan and east Asia. Conditions in these paddies are expected to result in restoration of not only the winter habitats of waterfowl but also those of other taxonomic groups during the rice growing season. In this study, we tested whether the diversity of summer spiders--ubiquitous predators in rice paddies--was higher in the winter-flooded paddies than in the conventional ones by conducting field measurements in 31 winter-flooded and 7 conventional paddies.

Japanese consumers' valuation of domestic beef after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

After the radioactive contamination of agricultural and livestock products caused by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident of March 11, 2011, consumer aversion against purchasing food products from the affected areas has become a major social problem in Japan. We examine how test results for radioactive materials in beef affect consumer valuation of beef produced in no-risk and affected areas using a choice experiment survey of consumers in the Tokyo metropolitan area (N = 392). Respondents were divided into two groups: one faced choice experiment tasks under the current test condition (the test status was only "under the limit"), and the other faced choice experiment tasks under the tightened test condition (with three levels: "below the limit," "below one-tenth of the limit," and "undetected").

Japanese consumer preferences for milk certified with the good agricultural practice(GAP) label.

This study examined Japanese consumers' valuation of a good agricultural practice (GAP) label on packaged milk and investigated the effect of detailed GAP information on valuation. A total of 624 Japanese consumers were asked to select their most preferred milk through an online survey. The milk was assumed to have three attributes: the GAP label, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points certification, and price.

Consumers' attitudes toward consumption of cloned beef. The impact of exposure to technological information about animal cloning.

Novel food technologies, such as cloning, have been introduced into the meat production sector; however, their use is not widely supported by many consumers. This study was designed to assess whether Japanese consumers' attitudes toward consumption of cloned beef (specifically, beef derived from bovine embryo and somatic cell-cloned cattle) would change after they were provided with technological information on animal cloning through a web-based survey. The results revealed that most respondents did not discriminate between their attitudes toward the consumption of the two types of cloned beef, and that most respondents did not change their attitudes toward cloned beef after receiving the technological information.