A review of microplastic impacts on seagrasses, epiphytes, and associated sediment communities.

Background: The current study was assigned to evaluate the
antioxidant, general toxicity, anti-proliferative and antimicrobial activities
of different extracts obtained from rhizomes of Eremostachys macrophylla
(Lamiaceae).
Methods: All activities were evaluated by obtaining extracts
of E. macrophylla in n-hexane, DCM (dichloromethane) and MeOH (methanol)
by soxhlet apparatus. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated in
terms of FRST (free radical scavenging activity test) by DPPH (2,
2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl). BSLT (Brine shrimp lethality tests), MTT (3-[4,
5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and disc
diffusion method were carried out to determine the general toxicity,
anti-proliferative and antibacterial activities of the different extracts,
respectively.
Results: The findings
of the study for antioxidant, anti-proliferative and antibacterial effects
showed that DCM extract was the most active fraction, but n-hexane extract
indicated the most potent effect against Artemia salina.
Conclusion: The results revealed strong bioactive effects of
nonpolar fractions of E. macrophylla rhizomes. Thus, it is possible to
suggest some new potential antioxidant, cytotoxic and antibacterial agents with
no harmful effects on noncancerous cells.

https://ps.tbzmed.ac.ir/PDF/PHARM-23-238.pdf

Bioactive Properties of Eremostachys macrophylla Montbr. & Auch. Rhizomes Growing in Iran

瑞斯假浪妇在米饭(Oryza sativa L) 成为了逐渐地严重的疾病世界范围的生产。这疾病的典型特征是真菌的病原体 Ustilaginoidea virens (Uv ) 明确地感染米饭花并且形成假浪妇球，包含 ustiloxin 像球的真菌的殖民地，尺寸通常比一粒成熟米饭种子的若干次大。然而， Uv 大米相互作用的内在的机制糟糕被理解。这里，我们使用了显微镜的时间功课和 transcriptional 途径调查米饭回答到 Uv 感染。结果证明包括 ARF6 和 ARF8，联系抄写因素的花洞进程和表达式在感染 Uv 的小穗状花小穗被禁止。在感染的小穗状花小穗的卵巢在授精被打断并且因此是不能的设置种子。然而，包括种子存储蛋白质基因，淀粉同化基因和内乳特定的抄写因素(RISBZ1 和 RPBF ) ，很多 grain-filling-related 基因高度被抄录好像卵巢被使肥沃。另外，象 NPR1 和 PR1 一样的批评防卫相关的基因是由 Uv 感染的 downregulated。我们的数据暗示因为假浪妇球的生长和形成， Uv 可以由充满谷物的网络的激活劫持主机营养素水库。

Infection of Ustilaginoidea virens intercepts rice seed formation but activates grain-filling-related genes

Rice false smut (RFSm) is a disease of interest globally and in Bangladesh. Its occurrence and spread have drawn attention since 2010 in the country. While many reports are available on the yield loss from the disease, little is known of its effect on grain quality. Besides, there has been no information on how RFSm affects the seed quality with respect to germination. This study attempted evaluation of seed germination and grain quality of rice as affected by false smut disease. Three years’ study provided strong indication of inferior milling outturn and head rice yield in RFSm contaminated seeds. Results further revealed reduced amylose content and increased protein content in the contaminated seeds. Tendency in reduced seed germination, and less cooking time was observed in RFSm contaminated seeds. Future research is suggested to fully understand those causations. 
Bangladesh Rice j. 2018, 22(1): 1-7

/pdf/seed-germination-and-grain-quality-of-rice-as-affected-by-4x28lkgbod.pdf

Seed Germination and Grain Quality of Rice as Affected by False Smut Disease

Rice false smut (RFSm) is an international disease. The effect of the disease has become seriously evident in Bangladesh since 2010. The disease is predominant in the country in the ‘T. Aman’ rice growing season. Its occurrence in other rice growing seasons not well studied and recorded. Information on driving weather variable(s) causing the disease epidemic is scanty and not ground-truthed. This study, conducted in the experimental farm of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh, attempted to fill those information gaps. The association of disease incidence and weather parameters such as relative humidity, cloud hour and rainfall, was inconsistence except for the daily average temperature. High disease incidence occurred when the average temperature during panicle emergence period ranged between 22-27°C; any temperature below or above the range linearly decreased the disease incidence. RFSm disease was recorded in the study area in all the months, except for in February and March. The distribution in the incidence of disease in the three rice growing seasons followed the order of ‘T. Aman’ > ‘Aus’ > ‘Boro’; it was ~ six times less in ‘Aus’ and ~ eight times less in ‘Boro’ season, compared to ‘T. Aman’ season. New balls formed on infected panicles in batch by batch. High number of such batches formed in ‘T. Aman’ season. The final status of the disease in an infected crop was the accumulation of incidence of the disease in each batch. This study provided key epidemiology on the development of RFSm in nature and it is concluded such information on the disease under local conditions would be the key to designing management options. 
Bangladesh Rice j. 2018, 22(1): 57-64

/pdf/weather-condition-seasonal-variation-and-ball-development-3ks6dn9z2m.pdf

Weather Condition, Seasonal Variation and Ball Development Pattern in Relation to Rice False Smut Disease in Bangladesh

Indonesia is referred as the second largest contributor of marine debris in the world after China, with an estimated 0.48-1.29 million metric tons per year. High anthropogenic activities from locals and tourists can produce large marine debris and impact the seagrass ecosystem. This research aimed to identify marine debris in the habitat of seagrass beds on Pramuka Island. Extensive surveys include observing seagrass community structures, the measurement of chemical and physical parameters of the water, and marine debris inventory at three stations in Pramuka Island. Observation results found six seagrass species, with coverage ranged from 1.67-47.32% while the density 28-112.76 stand/m2. Marine debris can be classified into six types: plastic, metal, rubber, glass, organic matter, and others. The weight of marine debris for each type ranges from 0.03–2.38 kg. In addition, microplastic found consisted of fiber, film, and fragment with a unit weight of 20–440 particles/kg. In conclusion, the seagrass conditions of each station are classified as damaged. The marine debris that has the most impact on the seagrass beds is plastic. Fiber type microplastic has the most abundance. this can interfere with respiration and the photosynthesis process of seagrass.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/967/1/012014/pdf

Assessment of marine debris in seagrass beds of Pramuka Island, Kepulauan Seribu

Rice false smut (RFSm), considered as a minor importance, has become a serious disease in many rice growing areas of Bangladesh and other parts of the world. Many aspects of its epidemiology still remained unclear, notable the life cycle of RFSm pathogen, its infection site and the smut ball formation on infected panicles. Present research was undertaken to investigate the density and distribution of false smut balls on infected rice panicles aiding to understand on how severe the disease can be in a rice-ecosystem, on which position the smut balls form on infected panicles and likely yield reduction from such disease severity. This study included field observation of natural RFSm infection during 2014, 2015 and 2016, and simulated infection during 2015 in T. Aman rice in the experimental farm of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur, Bangladesh. While the number of smut balls reached as many as 136 (recorded in one panicle in 2015), the study shows there was 81, 54 and 30% probability that maximum of nine, three and only one smut ball would form, respectively. With the scenarios of density of smut ball formation in the study area, the yield loss was estimated as 0.15% for each 1% incidence level. The level of smut ball density varied between years; this severity was most likely influenced by low daily minimum temperature. In the natural observation 34.4, 53.9 and 11.7% of the smut balls were located at the base, mid and apex part of the infected panicles, respectively. When compared the balls of these three positions in relation to potential grain number, the proportion accounted for the base and mid remained almost similar, whereas the proportion in the apex was much lower. It is concluded that false smut balls predominantly form on the lower half of the infected rice panicles. Bangladesh Rice j. 2016, 20(2): 73-79

/pdf/density-and-distribution-of-false-smut-balls-on-infected-7fhfphicuk.pdf

Density and Distribution of False Smut Balls on Infected Rice Panicles

The aim of the present research was to evaluate the antimicrobial potential and phytochemical profile of Eremostachys laciniata plant to look into possible natural therapy agents. The shade-dried whole plant material of Eremostachys laciniata was soaked in methanol for 10 days. The powdered drug was extracted with 80 % methanol three times and filtered at room temperature. The filtrate was evaporated in rotary to get a dark-greenish residue (extract), which was further suspended in water and partitioned successively with n-hexane, chloroform, distill water and n-butanol to obtain nhexane- soluble, chloroform-soluble, distill water-soluble, n-butanol soluble and aqueous fractions, respectively. Different fractions (chloroform, n-hexane, butanol, water and ethyl acetate) of the plant were tested against various bacterial strains namely E.coli, S.aureus, S.typheae, P.auriginosa.The extracted fractions of the plant exhibit moderate activities showing 9mm to 18mm inhibition against different strains of bacteria as compared to the control, which gave maximum inhibition upto 29mm. The Eremostachys laciniata was found to be good source of alkaloids, flavonoids, tennins, resins, carbohydrate, starch, proteins, glycosides, coumarin, terponides, steroids and saponine. Anthranol glycosides were absent in the plant. The above results revealed that Fagonia cretica have an excellent anti-bacterial activity and can be used for disease therapy.

/pdf/antibacterial-and-phytochemical-evaluation-of-the-crude-20k79rdtrs.pdf

Antibacterial and Phytochemical Evaluation of the crude extract and Fractions of Eremostachys laciniata.

Wheat is a widely grown cereal crop under rain-fed conditions of semi-arid areas of the world including Pakistan. Unfortunately, its yield remains low due to heavy weed infestation and scarce moisture supply in root zone from erratic rainfall. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to observe the influence of different organic mulches on the soil moisture, weeds, growth and yield of wheat crop. Four organic mulches i.e. wheat straw, saw dust, rice straw and rice husk were applied up to 2 inches surface layer between the rows of wheat crop. Application of wheat straw mulch conserved maximum soil moisture (72.3%) at 0-15cm depth six weeks after sowing and caused maximum weed suppression with 81.17% weed control efficiency and 63.70% weed control index as compared to non-mulched (control). Maximum plant height (70.8cm), productive tillers (137.33 m -2 ), grain weight per spike (2.37g), grains per spike (52.3), 1000-grain weight (50.66 g), biological yield (9393.9 kg ha -1 ), grain yield (3665.6 kg ha -1 ), harvest index (38.60%) and benefit cost ratio (1.69) were observed in rain-fed wheat crop treated with wheat straw mulch. Wheat crop total rainfall use efficiency followed the order of wheat straw > rice straw > saw dust> rice husk> control. The highest weed density and dry weight while lowest soil moisture and grain yield were recorded with no mulch and rice husk treatments.

Munir

Papers

Assessment of marine debris in seagrass beds of Pramuka Island, Kepulauan Seribu

Density and Distribution of False Smut Balls on Infected Rice Panicles

Antibacterial and Phytochemical Evaluation of the crude extract and Fractions of Eremostachys laciniata.

Impact of organic mulches on weed dynamics and productivity of rainfed wheat (