Journal Of Agrobiotechnology (Journal of UniSZA - Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin)
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Plant-Pathogen Interaction between Exserohilum monoceras with Oryza sativa and Echinochloa crus-galli
Get PDFExserohilum monoceras was isolated from infected Echinochloa crus-galli, and maintained in the dark under near visible ultraviolet (NUV) light at 30 oC on V8 (half-strength) agar. Conidia were collected from 14 day old V8 (half-strength) agar plates by washing the surface with sterile distilled water and using a rubber spatula to rub. Prior research has indicated that E. monoceras was pathogenic to E. crus-galli and other Echinocloa species under optimum greenhouse conditions. Rice was also infected by E. monoceras, but it exhibited a resistant reaction and the inoculated plants recovered over time. The aims of this study were to examine the physical aspects of infection by E. monoceras on the leaf surfaces of the resistant rice (Oryza sativa) and susceptible E. crus-galli plants, and to suggest ways to make the pathogen an effective bioherbicide agent. Observation of the infection was done by light microscopy which involved cross section and leaf clearing method and also by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Formation of appressorium indicated that an infection on the susceptible plant was clearly seen on both methods used. Germination of the conidia was always associated with appressoria formation on the leaf and formation of appressoria was significantly higher (98%) on E. crus-galli leaves as the target plant compared to rice leaves (20%). This research also shows the germ tubes rarely ever penetrated via the stomata but through the cuticle (direct penetration) instead. Keywords: Exserohilum monoceras, Echinochloa cruss-galli, appressoria, bioherbicide Exserohilum monoceras telah diperolehi dari Echinochloa crus-galli yang dijangkiti dan disimpan di bawah cahaya ultralembayung hampir nampak (NUV) pada suhu 30 oC di atas agar V8 (separuh kekuatan). Konidia diperolehi dari piring petri agar V8 (separuh kekuatan) pada hari ke 14 dengan membasuh permukaan dengan air suling steril. Kajian sebelumnya menunjukkan bahawa E. monoceras adalah patogenik kepada E. crus-gali dan spesis Echinochloa yang lain di bawah keadaan optimum dalam rumah hijau. Pokok padi turut dijangkiti oleh E. monoceras tetapi menunjukkan reaksi rintang dan seterusnya pulih mengikut masa. Matlamat kajian ini adalah untuk mengkaji aspek fizikal jangkitan oleh E. monoceras di permukaan daun padi (Oryza sativa) yang rintang dan E. crus-galli yang rentan penyakit, serta mencadangkan kaedah untuk meningkatkan keberkesanannya sebagai agen bioherbisid. Pemerhatian terhadap proses jangkitan telah dilakukan dengan mikroskopi cahaya yang merangkumi keratan rentas (histologi) dan penyahwarnaan daun serta mikroskopi imbasan elektron (SEM). Pembentukan apresorium menunjukkan jangkitan di permukaaan daun yang rentan adalah jelas kelihatan dalam kedua-dua kaedah yang digunakan. Percambahan konidia selalunya berkait dengan pembentukan apresoria di permukaan daun dan pembentukan apresoria adalah tinggi secara signifikan (98%) pada permukaan daun E. crus-galli yang merupakan sasaran berbanding hanya 20% pada daun O. sativa. Kajian ini juga menunjukkan jangkitan pada keseluruhanya adalah melalui kutikel daun (jangkitan terus) dan jarang dijumpai melalui rongga terbuka seperti stomata. Kata kunci: Exserohilum monoceras, Echinochloa cruss-galli, apresoria, bioherbisi
A Preliminary Study on the Antimicrobial Properties of Several Plants Collected from Terengganu, Malaysia
Get PDFEthanol extracts of six plants used by local residents of Terengganu as medicinal plants were selected and screened for antimicrobial activities using the disc diffusion method. All plant extracts were effective against Staphylococcus aureus. The root extracts of Abutilon indicum and Melastoma malabathricum, and the leaf extracts of Piper betel exhibited antimicrobial activity against all microorganisms tested, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the yeast Candida albicans. The leaf extracts of Molineria latifolia and Abutilon indicum were also effective against Escherichia coli while the extract of roots of Molineria latifolia, the tuber of Dioscorea daemona, and the leaves of Piper sarmentosum and Melastoma malabathricum exhibited an activity against Candida albicans. The results obtained were comparable to commercially available antibiotics, antifungals and Cassia alata extracts at equivalent concentrations. In conclusion, the tested plants possess potential antimicrobial activity and require further studies. Keywords: Antimicrobial activity, disc diffusion, medicinal plants, ethanol extracts Ekstrak etanol dari enam jenis tumbuhan yang digunakan oleh para penduduk di negeri Terengganu sebagai tumbuhan perubatan telah dipilih dan disaring bagi mengenalpasti aktiviti antimikrob melalui teknik penyerapan cakera. Semua ekstrak dari tumbuhan-tumbuhan terpilih menunjukkan keberkesanan ke atas Staphylococcus aureus. Ekstrak akar dari pokok Abutilon indicum dan Melastoma malabathricum serta ekstrak daun Piper betel menunjukkan aktiviti antimikrob terhadap semua jenis mikroorganisma seperti Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa dan Candida albicans. Manakala ekstrak daun Molineria latifola dan Abutilon indicum juga efektif terhadap Escherichia coli, ekstrak akar Molineria latifola dan daun Dioscorea daemona, Piper sarmentosum dan Melastoma malabathricum mempamerkan aktiviti menentang Candida albicans. Hasil ujikaji menunjukkan keputusan yang setara dengan antibiotik, antikulat dan ekstrak Cassia alata di pasaran komersial pada kadar konsentrasi yang sama. Kesimpulan, semua tumbuhan yang melalui proses ujikaji menunjukkan potensi bagi aktiviti antimikrob dan memerlukan kajian lanjut. Kata kunci: Aktiviti antimikrob, penyerapan cakera, tumbuh-tumbuhan perubatan, ekstrak etano
Effects of Different Stages of Cryopreservation of Red Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Sperm and the Variability between Three Individual Fish in Response to Cryopreservation
Get PDFCryopreservation is a technique that makes long term storage of fish semen possible. The objectives of the present study were to determine the effects of different stages of cryopreservation and individual variability of fish in the cryopreservation process. This study involved five stages of cryopreservation (fresh sperm, sperm + extender, after equilibration time, after vapor phase and after freezing) and three different fish. Sperm movement and velocity distribution for fresh and after frozen-thawed semen were evaluated using an automated semen analyzer. The motility of red tilapia fish sperm decreased gradually in the freezing process. The highest value of motility was obtained at fresh sperm (96.93 ± 0.53%), followed by sperm with extender (92.64 ± 1.05%), after equilibration time (84.86 ± 2.26%) and after vapor phase (67.82 ± 3.28%), whilst the lowest value of motility was obtained for sperm after freezing (61.39 ± 3.62%). For individual fish, Fish 1 significantly showed the highest total motility (77.50 ± 1.86%). Keywords: Cryopreservation, red tilapia sperm, sperm motility Kriopengawetan semen ikan adalah salah satu teknik yang membolehkan penyimpanan semen ikan. Tujuan kajian ini dijalankan adalah untuk menentukan kesan peringkat yang berbeza dalam kriopengawetan dan perbezaan individu ikan dalam proses kriopengawetan. Kajian ini melibatkan lima peringkat kriopengawetan (sperma asal, sperma + ekstender, selepas masa pengimbangan, selepas fasa wap, dan selepas penyejukbekuan) dan ikan-ikan yang berbeza. Motiliti sperma dan halaju penyebaran untuk sperma asal dan selepas sejukbeku dinilai menggunakan penganalisa sperma automatik. Motiliti sperma ikan tilapia merah menurun secara beransur-ansur dalam proses penyejukbekuan. Nilai motiliti yang paling tinggi adalah pada sperma asal (96.93 ± 0.53%), diikuti dengan sperma + ekstender (92.64 ± 1.05%), selepas masa pengimbangan (84.86 ± 2.26%) dan selepas fasa wap (67.82 ± 3.28%), sementara itu, nilai motiliti sperma yang paling rendah adalah selepas penyejukbekuan (61.39 ± 3.62%). Bagi individu ikan, Ikan 1 menunjukkan motiliti yang paling tinggi (77.50 ± 1.86%) secara bererti. Kata kunci: Kriopengawetan, sperma tilapia merah, motiliti sperm
Determination of Fluroxypyr-MHE in Clay Soil during Dry and Wet Season
Get PDFLeaching of fluroxypyr-MHE in an oil palm agroecosystem was conducted for two seasons; the dry and wet season. The oil palm estate is situated in central Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia at an altitude of 70 m to 100 m above sea level. The study plot covered six ha, and consisted of nine subplots of 0.66 ha each. The nine subplots received three treatments namely; the manufacturer’s recommended dosage (T1), double the manufacturer’s recommended dosage (T2), and the control (T3) with no herbicide treatment. Each treatment was done in triplicate each subplot was separated by a two meter buffer zone. The herbicide fluroxypyr-MHE (Starane 200 EC; Dow Elanco Ltd.) was applied as an aqueous spray using a knapsack sprayer at a spraying volume of 250 L/ha. Soil samples collected at different depths (viz. 0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40 and 40-50 cm) and at the following intervals -1 (before treatment), 1, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days after treatment. Fluroxypyr-MHE was observed at all depths (0-50 cm) for the wet season when applied at the recommended and doubles the recommended dosages. Meanwhile for the dry season, fluroxypyr-MHE was detected in the soil up to 1 and 5 days after treatment when applied at the recommended and double the recommended dosages, respectively
Three Dimensional Structure Prediction of Recombinant Endochitinase from Trichoderma virens UKM-1
Get PDFChitinases (EC 3.2.11.14) are capable of hydrolyzing chitins by splitting their ß-1,4-glucosidic bonds. They are present in a wide range of organisms including the fungus Trichoderma virens UKM-1. A gene encoding endochitinase from Trichoderma virens UKM-1 had successfully been cloned (with GenBank Accession number DQ 865246) and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). As a member of glycosyl hydrolases, chitinases are assumed to have a similar catalytic mechanism and structure as other enzymes such as lysozyme. A predicted three dimensional (3D) structure of endochitinase derived from Trichoderma virens UKM-1 was successfully constructed using the Swiss-Prot model server and analyzed by PyMOL software. The prediction of the structure was done by comparing T. virens UKM-1 endochitinase with seven published 3D structures of chitinases from the Swiss-Prot database. Recombinant endochitinase from T. virens UKM-1 was shown to have a TIM-barrel structure with eight parallel ß-sheets and eight ?-helices laid down in the inner barrel together with three-stranded ß-sheets. These characteristics revealed the aspects of the catalytic centers of family 18 chitinases. An extensive study was done on the multiple sequence alignment of various class V, family 18 chitinases by using DNASIS Software. Two conserved consensus motif boxes SxGG (Box 1) and DxxDxDxE (Box 2) were found at the N-terminal amino acid sequence of endochitinase from T. virens UKM-1 which were involved in catalysis. Keywords: Catalytic domain, recombinant endochitinase, three dimensional prediction structure, Trichoderma virensKitinase (EC 3.2.11.14) berupaya menghidrolisis kitin dengan memutuskan ikatan ß-1,4-glikosidik yang wujud pada sebilangan organisma termasuk kulat, Trichoderma virens UKM-1. Gen yang mengkodkan endokitinase telah berjaya dipencilkan dari Trichoderma virens UKM-1 dan dizahirkan di dalam E. coli BL21 (DE3) dengan nombor pendaftaran GenBank DQ 865246. Kitinase dikelaskan di bawah kumpulan glikosil hidrolase, oleh itu kitinase dianggap mempunyai mekanisma katalitik dan struktur tiga dimensi (3D) yang sama seperti sebahagian enzim, sebagai contohnya lisozim. Melalui kajian ini, struktur tiga dimensi bagi endokitinase daripada Trichoderma virens UKM-1 dibentuk daripada jujukan asid amino hasil daripada analisis Pengkalan Swiss-Prot serta perisian PyMOL. Struktur tersebut dibentuk berdasarkan analisis perbezaan antara endokitinase dari Trichoderma virens UKM-1 dengan tujuh struktur kitinase lain dalam simpanan rangkaian data Swiss-Prot. Endokitinase rekombinan daripada Trichoderma virens UKM-1 menunjukkan struktur tong-TIM dengan lapan kepingan-ß selari serta lapan ?-heliks berada di tong dalaman dengan tiga jalinan kepingan-ß di luar. Ciri-ciri katalitik seperti ini membuktikan ia tergolong dalam kumpulan 18 kitinase. Kajian lanjut telah dibuat melalui kaedah penjajaran berbilang jujukan ke atas beberapa enzim kitinase dari kelas V kumpulan 18, dengan menggunakan perisian DNASIS. Hasil dari kaedah tersebut didapati terdapat dua motif yang mempunyai jujukan amino asid yang sama, iaitu SxGG (Kotak 1) dan DxxDxDxE (Kotak 2) di terminal-N, yang berkait rapat dengan aktiviti katalitik enzim tersebut. Kata kunci: Domain katalitik, endokitinase rekombinan, struktur ramalan tiga dimensi, Trichoderma viren
Inhibitory Effect of Kanamycin on In Vitro Culture of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv. Mt11
Get PDFExcised cotyledons of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv. MT11) were cultured on selective medium containing kanamycin at various concentrations (50, 100, 200, 300 mg/L). Significant toxic effects were observed when the cotyledon explants were grown on MS medium supplemented with 5 mg/L kinetin and 100 mg/L kanamycin. The regeneration of callus was decreased as the concentration of kanamycin increased from 200 to 300 mg/L. Explants grown on MS medium supplemented with 5 mg/L kinetin and 50 mg/L kanamycin showed the least toxic effects (mean survival rate 48.0% ± 0.19) compared to the rest of the concentrations tested. Even though 100 mg/L of kanamycin allows the non-transformed explants to grow on the medium, the shoot primordia would not develop further. The result suggests that 100 mg/L of kanamycin can be used effectively to differentiate between non-transformed and transformed MT11 tomato explants with a death rate of more than 82% of non-transformed explants, after 4 weeks of incubation on selection medium. Therefore, 100 mg/L kanamycin is suitable for minimal inhibition concentration for MT11 and true transformants can be selected at this concentration for the transformation system
Basal Media for In Vitro Germination of Red-Purple Dragon Fruit Hylocereus polyrhizus
Get PDFFive types of basal media, DM 94 (a modified MS), Gamborg B5 (1968), Murashige and Skoog (1962, MS), Lloyd and McCown (1980, LM), and Chinese A (a modified MS) were screened for germination of dragon fruit seeds obtained from the local supermarket. Based on preliminary experiments to determine the potential hormone combinations giving high germination percentage, three combinations were selected. The treatments consisted of 0.8 ppm IBA, 0.5 ppm IBA + 1.0 ppm BAP, 0.5 ppm IBA + 1.0 ppm kinetin and control. Germination of seeds, after three weeks in the media, varied between 62.8% and 89.3%. The highest and the lowest percentages came from similar treatment consisting of 0.5 ppm IBA + 1.0 ppm kinetin but different basal media, Chinese A and DM 94, respectively. The best medium for germination and subsequent growth was a modified MS called Chinese A, which gave 100% transplanting success. This screening experiment showed that this medium can be used for future seed germination of red-purple dragon fruit Hylocereus polyrhizus
Phytate-Degrading Enzyme and Its Potential Biotechnological Aplication: A Review
No full textoai:agrobiotechnology.www.journal.unisza.edu.my:article/1The Phytate and phytate-degrading enzyme, the source of phytate-degrading ezyme, and phytate-degrading enzymes-producing microorganisms were reviewed in this paper. Bacterial phytate-degrading ezyme formation along with in vivo function of bacterial phytate-degrading enzyme and biotechnological application of the enzymes as animal feed, food nutrition, soil nutrient enhancement, synthesis of lower inositol phospate, potential in aquaculture and semisyntesis of peroxidase are also discussed
Cytotoxicity and Immunomodulatory Effects of Damnacanthal and Nordamnacanthal Isolated from Roots of Morinda elliptica
Get PDFMorinda elliptica has been used traditionally as a medicine to treat various diseases in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. In this present study, the cytotoxicity and immunomodulatory effects of damnacanthal and nordamnacanthal isolated from the roots of Morinda elliptica were studied. Cytotoxic study was performed on human leukemia cell lines (HL-60) and mouse myelomonocyte leukemia (Wehi-3B) cell line, whereas immunomodulatory effect was evaluated by using lymphocytes proliferation assay on mice thymocytes and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The production of extracellular human interleukin-2 (IL-2) and human interleukin-12 (IL-12) were also assessed by using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results indicated that both damnacanthal and nordamnacanthal inhibited the proliferation of HL-60 cells with the IC50 of 4.0 µg/mL and 20 µg/mL, respectively, and were able to activate mice thymocytes and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) at low concentration (0.47 µg/mL). Moreover, the production of extracellular human interleukin-2 (IL-2) and human interleukin-12 (IL-12) from both compounds-activated PBMC were prominently upregulated after 24 hours and the concentration remained almost constant up to 72 hours. Based on the results, both damnacanthal and nordamnacanthal can be cytotoxic and immunomodulatory agents which have the potential in cancer treatment
Variation of Specific Gravity in Acacia mangium
Get PDFThe study involved 13-year old provenance trials of Acacia mangium which were established at five sites in Sabal, Jakar, Oya, Labang and Sawai in Sarawak, Malaysia. Five provenances were planted in the trial. Three provenances were from Australia and two from Indonesia. The main objectives of this study are to establish a radial trend of specific gravity from pith to bark and to establish the extent of variation contributed by planting site, provenance, tree, orientation and radial position on specific gravity. Radial variation in specific gravity increased from pith to bark. It ranged from 0.20 at pith to 0.80 at bark with a mean and coefficient of variation of 0.56 and 17.05%, respectively. Site, provenance and radial contributed significantly towards specific gravity in Acacia mangium. Interaction between provenance and site was highly significant which involved a change in provenance ranking across the sites. Radial was the largest contributor to the total variance component in specific gravity