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Suitable for peony seed coat as raw material extraction method of total flavonoids, optimize its extraction process conditions. The effects of the enzyme type, concentration, digestion incubation temperature, incubation time and pH factors on the extraction process, and on the basis of single factor experiment, process optimization by orthogonal experiment method. Investigation results showed that pectinase 0.05 mg/mL, enzymatic incubation temperature 45, pH 4.5 were incubated hydrolysis conditions 180min, the total flavonoids yield up to 74.839 mg/g, with respect to ethanol Peony seed coat extraction yield of flavonoids increased significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzyme assisted ethanol extraction of luteolin in peony episperm was optimized in this investigation. The effects of factors including enzymolysis temperature, enzyme content, enzymolysis pH, enzymolysis time, ethanol concentration, solid-to-liquid ratio, extraction temperature, extraction time on the extraction rates of luteolin were explored by single-factor and orthogonal test. The results showed that the optimal extraction conditions were after enzyming pretreatment in the conditions of pectinase content 0.05 mg·mL-1, enzymolysis temperature 45°C, enzymolysis pH 4.5, enzymolysis time 180 min, then 80% ethanol to extract for 2 times with extraction time 4min and liquid-to-solid ratio 10:1, luteolin extraction was up to 3.241 mg·g-1. Compared with the traditional ethanol extraction, the luteolin yield was improved by 4.3 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenolic compounds belong to a class of secondary metabolites and are implicated in a wide range of responsive mechanisms in plants triggered by both biotic and abiotic elicitors. In this study, we approached the combinational effects of ethylene and MeJA (methyl jasmonate) on phenolic compounds profiles and gene expressions in the medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus. In virtue of a widely non-targeted metabolomics method, we identified a total of 34 kinds of phenolic compounds in the leaves, composed by 7 C6C1-, 11 C6C3-, and 16 C6C3C6 compounds. In addition, 7 kinds of intermediates critical for the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds and alkaloids were identified and discussed with phenolic metabolism. The combinational actions of ethylene and MeJA effectively promoted the total phenolic compounds, especially the C6C1 compounds (such as salicylic acid, benzoic acid) and C6C3 ones (such as cinnamic acid, sinapic acid). In contrast, the C6C3C6 compounds displayed a notably inhibitory trend in this case. Subsequently, the gene-to-metabolite networks were drawn up by searching for correlations between the expression profiles of 5 gene tags and the accumulation profiles of 41 metabolite peaks. Generally, we provide an insight into the controlling mode of ethylene-MeJA combination on phenolic metabolism in C. roseus leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing question whether ethylene is involved in the modulation of salt-induced cell death to mediate plant salt tolerance is important for understanding the salt tolerance mechanisms. Here, we employed Arabidopsis plants to study the possible role of ethylene in salt-induced growth inhibition and programmed cell death (PCD) profiles. The root length, DNA ladder and cell death indicated by Evan's blue detection were measured by compared to the control or salt-stressed seedlings. Secondly, the protoplasts isolated from plant leaves and dyed with Annexin V-FITC were subjected to flow cytometric (FCM) assay. Our results showed that ethylene works effectively in seedling protoplasts, antagonizing salt-included root retardation and restraining cell death both in seedlings or protoplasts. Due to salinity, the entire or partial insensitivity of ethylene signaling resulted in an elevated levels of cell death in ein2-5 and ein3-1 plants and the event were amended in ctr1-1 plants after salt treatment. The subsequent experiment with exogenous ACC further corroborated that ethylene could modulate salt-induced PCD process actively. Plant Bcl-2-associated athanogene (BAG) family genes are recently identified to play an extensive role in plant PCD processes ranging from growth, development to stress responses and even cell death. Our result showed that salinity alone significantly suppressed the transcripts of BAG6, BAG7 and addition of ACC in the saline solution could obviously re-activate BAG6 and BAG7 expressions, which might play a key role to inhibit the salt-induced cell death. In summary, our research implies that ethylene and salinity antagonistically control BAG family-, ethylene-, and senescence-related genes to alleviate the salt-induced cell death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

* Premise of the study: Thirteen polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of Pinus koraiensis. * Methods and Results: Using the Fast Isolation by AFLP of Sequences COntaining repeats (FIASCO) method with three specific PCR primers for screening the positive clones, 13 loci were found to be polymorphic in 78 individuals of P. koraiensis. Across all of the P. koraiensis samples, the number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 11. * Conclusions: These polymorphic markers will be useful for conservation genetics studies of this species and to inform the development of effective P. koraiensis conservation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present study, the performance and separation characteristics of 21 macroporous resins for the enrichment and purification of deoxyschizandrin and γ-schizandrin, the two major lignans from Schisandra chinensis extracts, were evaluated. According to our results, HPD5000, which adsorbs by the molecular tiers model, was the best macroporous resin, offering higher adsorption and desorption capacities and higher adsorption speed for deoxyschizandrin and γ-schizandrin than other resins. Columns packed with HPD5000 resin were used to perform dynamic adsorption and desorption tests to optimize the technical parameters of the separation process. The results showed that the best adsorption time is 4 h, the rate of adsorption is 0.85 mL/min (4 BV/h) and the rate of desorption is 0.43 mL/min (2 BV/h). After elution with 90% ethanol, the purity of deoxy-schizandrin increased 12.62-fold from 0.37% to 4.67%, the purity of γ-schizandrin increased 15.8-fold from 0.65% to 10.27%, and the recovery rate was more than 80%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(2'E)-1-(3-methyl-4-p-toluenesulfonyl-2-butene)-6-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetramethoxybenzene (4) is the key intermediate in the synthesis of coenzyme Q10 via a coupling reaction with solanesyl bromide. In this paper, we report a simple and effective synthesis of compound 4, starting with the readily available and inexpensive precursors p-toluenesulfonyl chloride (TsCl) and isoprene to obtain (2E)-1-p-toluenesulfonyl-2-methyl-4-hydroxy-2-butene (3) by addition, esterification and hydrolysis. Application of the Friedel-Crafts alkylation to compound 3, followed by the addition of 2,3,4,5-tetramethoxytoluene (TeMT), assembled the two parts into compound 4. The key parameters of each reaction were optimized at the same time, and the four total operations needed to produced compound 4 had a 27.9% overall yield under the optimized conditions. The structures of the compounds were characterized by 1H-NMR, IR and MS. This alternative process has the potential to be used for large-scale process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has a large area of inland saline-alkali land, equivalent to 40% of the total cultivated land in the country. The principal features of these lands are high salt content, high pH, and poor soil structure with low water infiltration and poor drainage. These conditions effectively prevent the exploitation of such land for agriculture. In this study, we have compared 17 soil conditioning agents for their abilities to promote seed germination and growth under both laboratory and field conditions. One of these, Hydrolyzed Polymaleic Anhydride (HPMA), was identified as a highly effective agent for soil improvement. Laboratory germination experiments and laboratory and field cultivation of a variety of plants both showed that addition of HPMA could significantly increase the germination percentage and plant growth rate. Distinct from other Ca-carrier agents such as gypsum, HPMA increases the dissolution of CaCO, which is abundant in the calcareous saline-alkali soils. This allows Ca in soil solution to displace the over-abundant Na in the soil colloids. This process greatly improves soil properties such as the bulk density, which decreased, and the capillary soil rise height of water and soil water infiltration rate, which increased. Direct SEM and AFM imagery showed flocculent soil precipitation (soil aggregates) after HPMA addition, and a looser structure of those aggregates. The addition of HPMA also reduced the soil pH and EC. These changes in soil chemical and physical properties are a likely explanation for the soil improvement effected by HPMA. The high content of insoluble CaCO in saline-alkali land such as that in northeastern China (up to 13%) favors the further exploration of HPMA as an ameliorative agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the implementation of the Chinese Natural Forest Conservation Program (NFCP) in 1998, over millions of hectares of forest in northeastern China have been protected through natural restoration (closure of hills). The impact of this program on the carbon budget of soil has not been evaluated until now. This paper presents results from a 6-year study of total CO2 efflux from both soil and litter ( Rtotal), CO2 flux from soil ( Rsoil), soil organic matter (SOM), soil microbe density, and litter input and root biomass at an uncut larch ( Larix gmelinii) forest and at a natural restoration site. The natural restoration area is a clear-cut site that was formerly part of a continuous portion of the uncut larch forest. Our objectives were to: (1) quantify the magnitude of CO2 efflux from typical sites in northeastern China; (2) explore the changes in thermal conditions, SOM, and annual CO2 flux during the 6-year natural restoration, and (3) evaluate the impact of NFCP on soil carbon processes. The annual Rsoil at the clear-cut site (58.6–68.2 mol m − 2 year − 1) was 113.6–228.4% (mean 141.5%) higher than that at the uncut larch site (29.6–58.4 mol m − 2 year − 1). At the same time, annual CO2 from litter at the clear-cut site (2.0–14.2 mol m − 2 year − 1) was only 23.5–84.5% (mean 52.5%) of that at the uncut larch site (5.4–16.8 mol m − 2 year − 1). SOM at the surface layer of the clear-cut site was 75% of that at the uncut larch site, but the soil microbial biomass (carbon) at the clear-cut site was much higher than that at the larch site ( p < 0.05). The percentage of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes also were largely different between both sites. Natural restoration at the clear-cut site strongly affected thermal conditions. Although the soil temperature ( Tsoil) and effective accumulated $T_{\rm soil} > 0^{\circ}$C at the clear-cut site was much higher, the temperature sensitivity ( Q10) was much lower than that at the uncut larch site, and their differences decreased linearly from 2001 to 2006 ( p < 0.05). Moreover, Q10 at the clear-cut site significantly increased with the progress of natural restoration, which diminished the Q10 difference between the two sites (slope = − 0.2792, r2 = 0.4744, p < 0.05). These data imply that the NFCP natural restoration process has positively recovered the thermal condition of the clear-cut site to the level of uncut larch forest during the 6-year period. However, linear regression analysis showed that the 6-year natural restoration only slightly affected the annual soil CO2 efflux and SOM at both sites, and also did not diminish the differences between the two sites ( p > 0.10), indicating that a much longer time is necessary to restore the soil carbon in the clear-cut site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antioxidant activities of the aqueous and ethanol extracts of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] leaves, as well as petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water fractions and the four main compounds separated from the ethanol extract, i.e. cajaninstilbene acid (3-hydroxy-4-prenylmethoxystilbene-2-carboxylic acid), pinostrobin, vitexin and orientin, were examined by a DPPH radical-scavenging assay and a β-carotene-linoleic acid test. In the DPPH system, the antioxidant activity of the ethanol extracts was superior to that of the aqueous extracts, with IC50 values were 242.01 and 404.91 μg/mL, respectively. Among the four fractions, the ethyl acetate one showed the highest scavenging activity, with an IC50 value of 194.98 μg/mL. Cajaninstilbene acid (302.12 μg/mL) and orientin (316.21 μg/mL) showed more efficient radical-scavenging abilities than pinostrobin and vitexin. In the β-carotene-linoleic acid test, the inhibition ratio (%) of the ethyl acetate fraction (94.13%±3.41%) was found to be the highest, being almost equal to the inhibition capacity of the positive control BHT (93.89%±1.45%) at 4 mg/mL. Pinostrobin (>500 μg/mL) and vitexin (>500 μg/mL) showed insignificant antioxidant activities compared with cajaninstilbene (321.53 μg/mL) and orientin (444.61μg/mL). In general, the ethyl acetate fraction of the ethanol extract showed greater activity than the main compounds in both systems, such results might be attributed to the synergistic effects of the components. The antioxidant activities of all the tested samples were concentration-dependent. Based on the results obtained, we can conclude that the pigeonpea leaf extracts may be valuable natural antioxidant sources and are potentially applicable in both medicine and the healthy food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a 3-year (2003-2005) observation of soil heat flux (SHF) in a larch (Larix gmelinii) plantation, the characteristics of soil heat conduction in the plantation and their relationships with environment factors were analyzed. The results showed that there was an obvious seasonal variation of SHF in different years and sampling sites. The SHF was positive from April to August and mostly negative from September to next March, with an almost balance between heat income and outcome at annual scale. Solar net radiation had significant effects on the SHF and soil heat conductance (k), and an obvious time-lag effect was found, with 4-5 hours' time-lag in winter and 2-3 hours' time-lag in summer. Based on the real time measurement of SHF and soil temperature difference at the study sites, the k value was significantly higher early spring (P < 0.05), but no significant difference was observed on other seasons (P > 0.05). Therefore, when we use the observation data of the soil temperature from weather stations to estimate soil heat flux, the k value in spring (from March to May) could induce a bias estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peltophorum dubium seeds were set to imbibe with four treatments, soaked with solution Captan 0.2% under 10 and 27°C, PEG 6000-1.0 MPa under 10 and 27°C. For each treatment there were four replicates with 40 seeds incubated in 9-cm Petri dishes with double filter paper moistened with testing solution. The imbibition curves showed that the final weight increase were from 70% to 150% in the treatments when inbibition entered a lag phase. Seeds were tested for effects on germination of five treatments: control group (nonprimed), primed with PEG6000-1.0 MPa at 10 and 27°C, primed with Captan 0.2% at 10 and 27°C. For each treatment, there were three sub-treatments: seeds were soaked in distilled water for 12,24 and 36h before the energy test. Germination percentages of nonprimed seeds and primed in PEG 27°C soaked in distilled water during 12 h were the highest, reaching 100%. The lowest germination percentage occurred primed seeds with PEG6000 27°C and soaked in distilled water during 36 h, which was only 52%. Germination mean time of primed seeds in PEG at 10°C, soaked 24 h was 1.08 days, mean time of primed seeds in PEG at 27°C soaked 12 h was 2.42 days. Accelerated ageing results showed low or no germination after ageing 72 h. Control group had a higher germination percentage and seeds were more resistant to deterioration than those in primed groups, both in Petri dish (27°C) and vermiculate (room temperature). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peltophorum dubium seeds provided by Anhembi, SP were scarified in 98% H2SO4 for 15 min to overcome mechanical dormancy. Seeds were primed in solutions of 0.2% Captan at 10 °C and 27°C, PEG 6000 −1.0 MPa at 10°C and 27°C, 0.5 mol KNO3, 0.75 Mol KNO3, 1.0 Mol KNO3. Eight treatments including the primed seeds and nonprimed seeds, five replicates with 100 seeds for each treatment, were set to 15-cm-Petri dish with double filter paper moistened with testing solution PEG in refrigerator at 27°C. For the experiments of all the groups, osmotic potential were 0.0, −0.2, −0.4, −0.6, −0.8, −1.0, −1.2, and −1.4 MPa. P. dubium seeds were also set to water stress experiment in rolled paper with PEG solutions from 0.0 to −1.0 M Pa. Germination percentage decreased with the increase of PEG concentration. Control group had a better germination percentage than other groups. Germination hardly occurred in PEG −1.4 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After exposure of one-year old seedlings of Swietenia macrophylla to an overnight temperature (13°C, 19°C, 25°C, 31°C or 35°C), the leaf net photosynthetic rate ( P n) was researched through measuring photosynthetic light-response curves at 360 μmol·mol−1 CO2, and photosynthetic CO2-response curves at light-saturated intensity (1500 μmol·m−2·s−1). The optimal temperature for photosynthesis measured at 360 μmol·mol−1 CO2 was from 25°C to 31°C, but which was from 31°C to 35°C at saturating CO2 concentration. At temperature of below 25°C, the decline in P n was mainly due to the drop in carboxylation efficiency ( C e), while as temperature was over 31°C, the reduction in P n resulted from both decrease in C e and increase in leaf respiration. The CO2-induced stimulation of photosynthesis was strongly inhibited at temperatures below 13°C. The results showed that, the leaf photosynthesis of tropical evergreen plants should not be accelerated at low temperature in winter season with elevated CO2 concentration in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rh. sachalinensis is a perennial, medicinal herb. The species is rare with a patchy distribution. Due to heavy disturbance by human activities, it is now endangered. Allozyme analysis was employed to estimate its genetic diversity. Nineteen loci encoding 12 enzyme systems were used. Rh. sachalinensis has a lower genetic variation within patches and higher differentiation between patches than other endangered, endemic species with limited distributions. The genetic differentiation between patches within geographic regions is lower than that among geographic regions. Genetic drift is likely a dominant factor contributing to the observed pattern of genetic structure. Because a higher degree of genetic differentiation exists between patches in Rh. sachalinensis, more populations should be protected in situ, and samples from more populations should be collected for ex situ conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The survey of seed dispersal of Rhodiola sachalinensis was carried out in Changbai Mountain in 1997. It was discovered that the dispersal of seed is not equal in all directions, but concentrates in the East and North to the cluster. Rh. sachalinensis seeds for germination test were collected from Changbai Mountains area (Antu County, Jilin Province) and Dahailin Migrating Conservation Base (Dahailing Forestry Bureau, Heilongjiang Province). The seeds were treated with 2% KNO3 for 10h and 0.02% GA3 for 5h immediately after the collection. The germinating rate (85.33%) of the seeds from Dahailin was obviously higher than that (72.66%) from Changbai Mountains. After being stored at 0–5°C for 10 months, the seeds were treated again with the same concentration of hormone mentioned above for germination test. The experimental results showed that there was almost no difference in germinating rate between newly collected seeds and 10-month storage seeds, which indicated that low-temperature storage can extend the life of seeds, and that the germinating rate increases with increasing of hormone concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By the methods of morphological anatomy and investigation in the sample fields, the main studies were carried out such as morphological anatomy of reproductive organs, birch population’s reproductive ages, reproductive allotment value and seed behavior. The relationship between birch population and their surroundings was studied. The results showed that birch’s flower organs and its seeds were suitable well for spreading by wind. The seeds by wind can fly far away in a short time. The quantity of seed spreading greatly varied with different communities. Birch’s reproduction age can be changed in different ecological surroundings. The reproductive allotment value of birch was obviously different at different reproductive stages. In the mesic habitat, birch can grow well. The lowest reproductive age of them was 12, average age 15. In most cases the age of branches to bearing fruits was more than 18. The order of reproductive allotment values was as follows: a flowering phase > flower bud phase > fruit phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Axillary buds from 3-yr.-old seedlings of Camptotheca acuminata in the greenhouse were cultured on the different basal media with different concentrations of growth regulators for shoot regeneration for studying the effects of different basal media, different concentrations of growth regulators (BA or TDZ), sucrose, agar and pH value on shoot regeneration from axillary bud. The results showed that B5 and WPM media were the optimal basal media and the optimal phyotohormone was BA of 1.0 mg/L or TDZ of 0.1 mg/L; The concentrations of sucrose of 30g/L and agar of 6g/L were most suitable for the shoot regeneration; pH value from 5.8 to 6.6 were broadly effective, but the best at pH 5.8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In eastern area of Xiaoxing’an Mountains, Heilongjiang Province (44 o 4′–47 o 26 N′, 126 o 33′–131 o 41 E′) the diameter-class structure of Quercus mongolica forest after different closed time was studied in the plots with different slope direction. Six repetitive plots within 5-year, 16-year and 24-year closed Q. mongolica forests were selected in sunny slope and shade slope, respectively. The area of each plot was 20m×20m. Diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height and canopy diameter of all the trees were measured. Six classes of diameter were determined as 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 depending on the range of DBH (0–3, 3–5, 5–7, 7–9, 9–11, and 11–13 cm). The results showed that: 1) After 5-year closed treatment, the population quantities Q. mongolica, Tilia mandshurica and Ulmsis laciniata decreased with the increase in diameter class, which indicated they were healthy populations; 2) After 16-year closed treatment the tree number of Tilia mandshurica and Ulmsis laciniata decreased because of canopy coverage increasing and became the associated species in Q. mongolica population; 3) Q. mongolica, after 24-year closed treatment, became dominant species; 4) Canopy coverage increased more rapidly in sunny slope than that in shade slope. Recession of Tilia mandshurica and Ulmsis laciniata populations in sunny slope was more obviously than that in shade slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stomatal behavior of Adenophora lobophylla of different age structures was studied in July 1995 in greenhouse of the Harbin Forest Farm of Northeast Forestry University by means of shading experiment. The effects of different shading treatments on the stomatal physiological character and ecological adaptation of A. lobophylla of different ages were compared. The results showed that the morphological characters of annual A. lobophylla were more obvious than that of the perennial, but the stomatal density of annual was less than that of perennial. Growth of annual A. lobophylla was more sensitive to the change of environment than that of the perennial. The ecological adaptation of annual was weak, which was one of the main causes of endangered population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel approach was developed to hydrolyze ester-bound biphenyl cyelooctene tignans (EBBCL) from the fruits of Schisandra chinensis Baill into flee-state biphenyl cyclooctene lignans (FSBCL) using ion exchange resin. The results of static hydrolysis tests showed that SKIB (H-type strongly acidic cation exchange resin) was the best acidic hydrolysis catalyst and 201 x 7 (OH-type strongly basic anion exchange resin) was the best basic hydrolysis catalyst. According to the underlying mechanism for hydrolytic degradation, the hydrolysis effect of basic catalyst is more obviously. The dynamic hydrolysis efficiency of 201 x 7 (146.7 ± 5.0%) was higher than that of SKIB (131.5 ± 4.7%). Compared with the purity of FSBCL (3.52 ± 0.06%) catalytic hydrolysis by traditional catalyst NaOH, the purity of FSBCL (5.85 ± 0.04%) hydrolysis by 201 x 7 resin was much higher, increased 2.94-fold under the optimization hydrolysis conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed oil from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. was extracted by supercritical fluid (CO2) extraction. The oil was analysed by GC-MS after methylation. Compounds were identified according to their mass spectra (EI, 70 eV) by comparison with authentic reference substances and literature data. Five fatty acids were identified, with linoleic acid (24.3%) and α-linolenic acid (25.51%) being the main constituents. The effects of extraction time, pressure, temperature and CO2 flow rate on seed oil yield were investigated. Results showed that, under dynamic extraction time of 1.5 h, pressure 30 MPa, temperature 50 °C and CO2 flux of 10 kg h–1, the oil yield was 2.09% (m/m). The method was efficient for the extraction of this oil. Antibacterial activity of the oil was checked against Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains, evaluated by investigation of MIC and MBC. The seed oil of Glycyrrhiza uralensis did not exhibit an antibacterial effect against the tested strains in our test system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(2'E)-1-(3-methyl-4-p-toluenesulfonyl-2-butene)-6-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetramethoxybenzene (4) is the key intermediate in the synthesis of coenzyme Q10 via a coupling reaction with solanesyl bromide. In this paper, we report a simple and effective synthesis of compound 4, starting with the readily available and inexpensive precursors p-toluenesulfonyl chloride (TsCl) and isoprene to obtain (2E)-1-p-toluenesulfonyl-2-methyl-4-hydroxy-2-butene (3) by addition, esterification and hydrolysis. Application of the Friedel-Crafts alkylation to compound 3, followed by the addition of 2,3,4,5-tetramethoxytoluene (TeMT), assembled the two parts into compound 4. The key parameters of each reaction were optimized at the same time, and the four total operations needed to produced compound 4 had a 27.9% overall yield under the optimized conditions. The structures of the compounds were characterized by 1H-NMR, IR and MS. This alternative process has the potential to be used for large-scale process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]