4,824 research outputs found
Manganese Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Mechanisms of Influence on Plant Resistance to Stress, and Prospects for Application in Agricultural Chemistry
No full textEffect of manganese- and selenium-containing nanocomposites on soybean resistance to Pectobacterium carotovorum and microbial landscape of soybean seedlings
No full textZinc Oxide Nanoparticles in the “Soil–Bacterial Community–Plant” System: Impact on the Stability of Soil Ecosystems
No full textThe use of man-made nanoparticles (NPs) has increased exponentially in recent years, many of which accumulate in significant quantities in soil, including through use in agriculture as nanofertilizers and nanopesticides. ZnO NPs are more environmentally friendly but have specific antimicrobial activity, which can affect soil microbiota, thereby influencing key microbial processes such as mineralization, nitrogen fixation and plant growth-promoting activities. Their behavior and persistence in soil depend on their chemical nature and soil characteristics. This review summarizes the applications of ZnO NPs in soil systems and their effects on various plants and soil microorganisms, particularly rhizobacteria that promote plant growth. A stimulating effect of ZnO NPs on the morphometric and biochemical characteristics of plants, as well as on soil microbiota and its activity at relatively low concentrations of up to 500 mg/mL and 250 mg/kg, respectively, is observed. As the concentration of ZnO NPs increases above these limits, toxic effects appear. The different effects of ZnO NPs are related to their size, dose, duration of exposure, solubility in water, as well as soil type, acidity and organic matter content. The review substantiates the need to study the behavior of ZnO NPs in the “soil-plant-microbiota” system for the possibility of using nanotechnologies in the agricultural industry and ensuring the safety of agricultural products
Effect of Selenium, Copper and Manganese Nanocomposites in Arabinogalactan Matrix on Potato Colonization by Phytopathogens Clavibacter sepedonicus and Pectobacterium carotovorum
No full textThe effect of chemically synthesized nanocomposites (NCs) of selenium (Se/AG NC), copper oxide (Cu/AG NC) and manganese hydroxide (Mn/AG NC), based on the natural polymer arabinogalactan (AG), on the processes of growth, development and colonization of potato plants in vitro was studied upon infection with the causative agent of potato blackleg—the Gram-negative bacterium Pectobacterium carotovorum—and the causative agent of ring rot—the Gram-positive bacterium Clavibacter sepedonicus (Cms). It was shown that the infection of potatoes with P. carotovorum reduced the root formation of plants and the concentration of pigments in leaf tissues. The treatment of plants with Cu/AG NC before infection with P. carotovorum stimulated leaf formation and increased the concentration of pigments in them. A similar effect was observed when potatoes were exposed to Mn/AG NC, and an increase in growth and root formation was also observed. The infection of plants with Cms inhibited plant growth. Treatment with each of the NCs mitigated this negative effect of the phytopathogen. At the same time, Se/AG and Mn/AG NCs promoted leaf formation. The Se/AG NC increased the biomass of Cms-infected plants. The treatment of plants with NCs before infection showed a decrease in the intensity of the colonization of plants by bacteria. The Se/AG NC had the maximum effect, which is probably due to its high antioxidant capacity. Thus, the NCs are able to mitigate the negative effects of bacterial phytopathogens on vegetation and the intensity of colonization by these bacteria during the infection of cultivated plants
The Causative Agent of Soft Rot in Plants, the Phytopathogenic Bacterium Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum: A Brief Description and an Overview of Methods to Control It
No full textThis review presents information obtained over the past 10 years on the methods to control the widespread worldwide phytopathogen Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc). This bacterium is among the ten most dangerous phytopathogens; it affects a wide range of cultivated plants: vegetables, ornamental and medicinal crops, both during vegetation and during the storage of fruits. Symptoms of Pcc damage include the wilting of plants, blackening of vessels on leaves, stems and petioles. At the flowering stage, the stem core gradually wilts and, starting from the root, the stem breaks and the plant dies. Pcc is a rod-shaped, non-capsule and endospore-forming facultative anaerobic Gram-negative bacterium with peritrichous flagellation. Pcc synthesizes bacteriocins—carocins. The main virulence factors of Pcc are the synthesis of N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) and plant cell wall-degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) (pectinases, polygalacturonases, cellulases, and proteases). Diagnostic methods for this phytopathogen include polymerase chain reaction (PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), multilocus genotyping of strain-specific genes and detection of unique volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The main methods to control this microorganism include the use of various chemicals (acids, phenols, esters, salts, gases), plant extracts (from grasses, shrubs, trees, and algae), antagonistic bacteria (Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Streptomyces, and lactic acid bacteria), viruses (including a mixture of bacteriophages), and nanomaterials based on metals and chitosan
Effect of Selenium–Arabinogalactan Nanocomposite on Environmental Bacteria
No full textIt has been previously shown that a selenium (Se) nanocomposite (NC) based on the natural polysaccharide arabinogalactan (AG) produced from Siberian larch wood (Larix sibirica Ledeb.), containing 0.000625% of Se, has antibacterial properties against phytopathogens, such as Clavibacter sepedonicus, Pectobacterium carotovorum, and Phytophthora cactorum. The same concentration of Se/AG NC stimulated the growth and development of potato plants in vitro, as well as the formation of their roots, while Se did not accumulate in potato tissues after plant treatment. However, to realize the full potential of Se/AG NC in agriculture for fighting phytopathogens with the aim of developing commercial nanopreparations, additional toxicological studies are needed to fully address their effects. In this study, to assess the environmental risk of using Se/AG NCs, it was applied to a number of bacteria isolated from soil (Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, and B. megaterium), water (Micrococcus luteus, B. subtilis, and Sarcina flava), and activated sludge and wastewater of treatment facilities (Serratia marcescens, M. luteus, B. cereus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). When studying the antibacterial activity of Se/AG NC against 11 test cultures of bacteria using the agar diffusion method, it was shown that Se/AG NC had a toxic effect only at high concentrations in the range from 40 mg/mL Se/AG NC (1.68 mg/mL Se) to 0.625 mg/mL Se/AG NC (0.026 mg/mL Se) on two types of bacteria M. luteus isolated from the waters of Lake Baikal and B. cereus obtained from activated sludge of treatment facilities. The maximum diameter of the growth inhibition zone of the test cultures after exposure to different concentrations of Se/AG NC was noted for M. luteus (water) and E. coli (soil) at 40 mg/mL − 26.3 and 20.3 mm, respectively. Thus, the negative impact of Se/AG NC on bacteria from different ecological niches was registered only at high concentrations, similar to the predicted concentrations of Se/AG NC in wastewater, which demonstrates the environmental safety of Se/AG NC for use in agriculture
Copyright, contratto e accesso alla conoscenza: un’analisi comparata = Copyright, contract and access to knowledge: a comparative analysis.
Get PDFIl processo di digitalizzazione e lo sviluppo dei media, stravolgendo il paradigma tradizionale del copyright/diritto d’autore conducono a reazioni opposte. Da un lato, estendendo in vario modo l’ampiezza dell’esclusiva autorale favoriscono l’adozione di regole restrittive di accesso e uso dei contenuti; dall’altro, alimentano le logiche di condivisione, specie in alcune aree di produzione del sapere.
Il contratto, pur mutata la propria natura nella dimensione digitale, rappresenta la prima leva per l’affermazione di tali divergenti dinamiche, che, in entrambe le direzioni, riguardano anche la circolazione della conoscenza scientifica. Nel senso dell’apertura, lo strumento negoziale consente di perseguire i principi affermati dal movimento dell’Open Access (OA), abbattendo le barriere economiche e giuridiche all’accesso e utilizzo dei contenuti.
Dal deposito e pubblicazione su archivi istituzionali e disciplinari di opere transitate già attraverso i canali editoriali convenzionali, comunemente definita green road, alla pubblicazione su riviste ad accesso aperto, gold road, il fenomeno si sviluppa dal basso verso l’alto grazie alle dichiarazioni di principio e alle norme informali che hanno sin ora guidato le comunità accademiche nell’affermazione dell’OA. Di recente, tuttavia, i principi dell’OA sono oggetto di attenzione da parte del decisore pubblico che, pur timidamente, ne “impone” l’attuazione a tutte le comunità accademiche. Eppure, il diritto formale non sembra da solo sufficiente: è soltanto il primo tassello di una disciplina organica tesa a definire regole e incentivi per la produzione e la disseminazione della conoscenza scientifica, allo scopo di bilanciare la libertà “accademica” con il diritto di accesso alla conoscenza. = ENGLISH VERSION = Along with a comparative perspective that takes account of the U.S. and Italian law, this work aims to explore the interface between copyright and contract lae in publishing process.
In the current publishing environment, contracts and technology play a dominant role in the exploitation of copyrighted works. Publishers are granted by assignment of all copyright rights to reproduce and publish the work, but also to exercise control over its contents through technological protection measures. At the same time, mass digitization allows libraries and other organizations to make contents available online, which it entails a redefinition of the traditional publishing process and introduces new players to the scene (e.g., Google Books).
Hence, technology proves to be a powerful instrument for the spread of knowledge and it is on this pattern that Open Access (OA) is rapidly gaining ground.
Mostly based on a bottom-up approach that is on soft law, institutional policies and contracts, OA designs a new legal environment targeting the objectives of free accessibility, further distribution, and proper archiving of publications. These aims can be achieved through the creation of new open access business models to publish on OA journals (gold road) or to self-archive in institutional or disciplinary repositories works that have been originally published in conventional journals (green road).
However, in order for OA to be fully developed it is necessary to devise a principled and feasible approach to the dissemination of scholarly works against the current social, economic and legal background.
Indeed, the importance of OA is steadily recognized by legislators who integrate OA provisions into their legal system. This is an innovation of great significance, which was first fostered in the USA, and then extended in some European countries such as Italy and Germany in the European framework. Nevertheless, considering the different law systems, the formal law need to be combined with national strategies and institutional policies providing adequate incentives to the authors, while also promoting academic freedom and the right to knowledge access
Mushroom-Derived Novel Selenium Nanocomposites’ Effects on Potato Plant Growth and Tuber Germination
No full textMulticomponent materials, where nanosized selenium (Se) is dispersed in polymer matrices, present as polymer nanocomposites (NCs), namely, selenium polymer nanocomposites (SeNCs). Selenium as an inorganic nanofiller in NCs has been extensively studied for its biological activity. More ecologically safe and beneficial approaches to obtain Se-based products are the current challenge. Biopolymers have attained great attention with perspective multifunctional and high-performance NCs exhibiting low environmental impact with unique properties, being abundantly available, renewable, and eco-friendly. Composites based on polysaccharides, including beta-glucans from edible and medicinal mushrooms, are bioactive, biocompatible, biodegradable, and have exhibited innovative potential. We synthesized SeNCs on the basis of the extracellular polysaccharides of several medicinal mushrooms. The influence of bio-composites from mushrooms on potato plant growth and tuber germination were studied in two potato cultivars: Lukyanovsky and Lugovskoi. Bio-composites based on Grifola umbellata demonstrated the strongest positive effect on the number of leaves and plant height in both cultivars, without negative effect on biomass of the vegetative part. Treatment of the potato tubers with SeNC from Gr. umbellata also significantly increased germ length. Potato plants exposed to Se-bio-composite from Ganoderma lucidum SIE1303 experienced an increase in the potato vegetative biomass by up to 55% versus the control. We found earlier that this bio-composite was the most efficient against biofilm formation by the potato ring rot causative agent Clavibacter sepedonicus (Cms). Bio-composites based on Pleurotus ostreatus promoted increase in the potato root biomass in the Lugovskoi cultivar by up to 79% versus the control. The phytostimulating ability of mushroom-based Se-containing bio-composites, together with their anti-phytopathogenic activity, testifies in favor of the bifunctional mode of action of these Se-biopreparations. The application of stimulatory green SeNCs for growth enhancement could be used to increase crop yield. Thus, by combining myco-nanotechnology with the intrinsic biological activity of selenium, an unexpectedly efficient tool for possible applications of SeNCs could be identified
Effect of Natural Polysaccharide Matrix-Based Selenium Nanocomposites on Phytophthora cactorum and Rhizospheric Microorganisms
No full textWe studied the effects of new chemically synthesized selenium (Se) nanocomposites (NCs) based on natural polysaccharide matrices arabinogalactan (AG), starch (ST), and kappa-carrageenan (CAR) on the viability of phytopathogen Phytophthora cactorum, rhizospheric bacteria, and potato productivity in the field experiment. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), it was shown that the nanocomposites contained nanoparticles varying from 20 to 180 nm in size depending on the type of NC. All three investigated NCs had a fungicidal effect even at the lowest tested concentrations of 50 µg/mL for Se/AG NC (3 µg/mL Se), 35 µg/mL for Se/ST NC (0.5 µg/mL Se), and 39 µg/mL for Se/CAR NC (1.4 µg/mL Se), including concentration of 0.000625% Se (6.25 µg/mL) in the final suspension, which was used to study Se NC effects on bacterial growth of the three common rhizospheric bacteria Acinetobacter guillouiae, Rhodococcus erythropolis and Pseudomonas oryzihabitans isolated from the rhizosphere of plants growing in the Irkutsk Region, Russia. The AG-based Se NC (Se/AG NC) and CAR-based Se NC (Se/CAR NC) exhibited the greatest inhibition of fungal growth up to 60% (at 300 µg/mL) and 49% (at 234 µg/mL), respectively. The safe use of Se NCs against phytopathogens requires them to be environmentally friendly without negative effects on rhizospheric microorganisms. The same concentration of 0.000625% Se (6.25 µg/mL) in the final suspension of all three Se NCs (which corresponds to 105.57 µg/mL for Se/AG NC, 428.08 µg/mL for Se/ST NC and 170.30 µg/mL for Se/CAR NC) was used to study their effect on bacterial growth (bactericidal, bacteriostatic, and biofilm formation effects) of the three rhizospheric bacteria. Based on our earlier studies this concentration had an antibacterial effect against the phytopathogenic bacterium Clavibacter sepedonicus that causes diseases of potato ring rot, but did not negatively affect the viability of potato plants at this concentration. In this study, using this concentration no bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity of all three Se NCs were found against Rhodococcus erythropolis based on the optical density of a bacterial suspension, agar diffusion, and intensity of biofilm formation, but Se/CAR and Se/AG NCs inhibited the growth of Pseudomonas oryzihabitans. The cell growth was decrease by 15–30% during the entire observation period, but the stimulation of biofilm formation by this bacterium was observed for Se/CAR NC. Se/AG NC also had bacteriostatic and antibiofilm effects on the rhizospheric bacterium Acinetobacter guillouiae. There was a 2.5-fold decrease in bacterial growth and a 30% decrease in biofilm formation, but Se/CAR NC stimulated the growth of A. guillouiae. According to the results of the preliminary field test, an increase in potato productivity by an average of 30% was revealed after the pre-planting treatment of tubers by spraying them with Se/AG and Se/CAR NCs with the same concentration of Se of 0.000625% (6.25 µg/mL) in a final suspension. The obtained and previously published results on the positive effect of natural matrix-based Se NCs on plants open up prospects for further investigation of their effects on rhizosphere bacteria and resistance of cultivated plants to stress factors.Open-Access-Publikationsfonds 202
Economic Impact of Rural Development Plan 2007 2013 in Tuscany
Get PDFIn 2007 in every European Union region, involved in the planning of Rural Development Plan (RDP), an independent evaluator should asses the impact of the plan in term of value added and productivity. Each region has adopted different methodologies but few of them have followed the indications of Common and Monitoring Evaluation Framework (CMEF) to evaluate the net value deriving by direct and indirect effect. IRPET, the Independent evaluator of Tuscany, utilising REMI-IRPET model has assed the impact of RDP on the main economic variables until 2020. Among 30 different measures it has been chosen only 5 of them that cover more than 54% of total amount of public and private investments. The economic impacts are also evaluated at provincial level.evaluation, regional model, rural development, Community/Rural/Urban Development,
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