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Kudzu (Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi) is a fast growing leguminous vine plant that has strong reproductive ability and low requirements on its growing conditions. It has been considered an invasive plant in some places because of its aggressive growth, which can destroy the habitat for native plants and animals. However, its strong environmental adaptability makes it easily cultivated as a sustainable resource. Kudzu can also keep soil from washing away and play an important role in ecological protection. Kudzu has had numerous practical uses in our daily lives since ancient times. For example, its root, stem, flower and pod are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Its root is a healthy food. And its leaf is used as fodder and forage for livestock. Moreover, some recent studies on kudzu have found that it is in rich of bioactive ingredients, especially isoflavones, which further broadens its uses in medicine, healthy food, and cosmetics industries. Its high starch and cellulose content makes it a promising feedstock for biofuel production and paper preparation. This editorial will give a brief discussion on kudzu and its comprehensive utilization.

Background: Studying green manure decomposition in various returning methods can establish a scientific foundation for farmland nutrient management. Methods: In a rubber plantation on Hainan Island, China, utilized the nylon mesh bag method to imitate the decomposition of kudzu (whole plant, stem, and leaf) under two returning methods (mulching and burying) in two different sites (young and mature rubber plantations). The study examined the decomposition rate and nutrient release dynamics of kudzu, as well as the effects of kudzu reintroduction on several soil properties including soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N), available phosphorus (AP), and enzyme activities. Results: Compared with mulching, the burying returning method significantly increased the kudzu decomposition rate and nutrient release proportions. After 270 days, more than 80% of the C, N, and P in different components of kudzu were released. The decomposition rate was found to be more affected by the initial soil factors than by the endogenous nutrients of kudzu. Compared with CK, all kudzu treatments led to significant increases in soil enzyme activities and soil pH, SOC, NO3−-N, and AP concentrations in two rubber plantations. The TN and NH4+-N concentrations were significantly increased in mature rubber plantations, while the TP was the opposite. Conclusion: The kudzu returned can effectively alleviate soil acidic, improve soil nutrient availability, regulating soil enzyme activities of the rubber plantation in the short-term. These results provide a scientific basis for the rational application of kudzu in rubber plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an invasive plant species with wide ecological tolerance and fast infestation, kudzu has posed persistent challenges to the ecosystem and economy in the southeastern United States. However, current studies on kudzu mapping and invasive mechanisms are inadequate to unveil the characteristics of kudzu’s spatiotemporal dynamics. In this study, we investigate kudzu distribution and its influential factors based on continuous Sentinel-2 satellite images and a multi-temporal mapping strategy. The study was conducted in Knox County, Tennessee, a representative region highly impacted by kudzu in the southeastern United States. Our results revealed a steady increase in the kudzu invasion area from 2020 to 2022, with a phenology of a growth season from May to September (peak in August) and a rapid defoliation in the fall. We found precipitation is not a limiting factor for kudzu growth, while temperature has strong correlations with kudzu growth, exhibiting seasonal variations in this humid subtropical region. Human activities play an important role in kudzu distribution with a sharp decrease in kudzu density away from road networks, residential clusters, and the edges of urban forests. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex nature of the kudzu invasion in Knox County, as well as other similar areas in the southeastern United States. The observed unique growth patterns of kudzu and its interactions with various environmental factors in this study are also of importance for future initiatives related to mapping the distribution and devising strategies for the prevention and control of kudzu invasion.

Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata), a plant native to Southeastern Asia, has become a major noxious weed covering millions of hectares in the Southern United States. A kudzu patch displaying virus-like symptoms located in Ackerman, northeastern Mississippi (MS), was used as a source for virus isolation and characterization involving mechanical and vector transmission, ultrastructural observation, surveys, Sanger and high-throughput genome sequencing, and sequence analyses. The results revealed the presence of a new potyvirus in infected kudzu, closely related to wisteria vein mosaic virus (WVMV) and provisionally named kudzu chlorotic ring blotch virus (KudCRBV). Genome features and pairwise comparison with six WVMV genomes currently available in GenBank and three additional isolates from MS sequenced in this work suggest that KudCRBV is likely a member of a new species in the genus Potyvirus. Furthermore, under experimental conditions, KudCRBV was successfully transmitted by cotton and potato aphids and mechanically to soybean and beans. A state-wide survey revealed several kudzu patches infected by the virus in northern MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marble is one of the materials most susceptible to copper leaching, resulting in easily identifiable turquoise stains on the marble. This problem is particularly relevant when we are talking about marble structures of heritage value. For this reason, conservators look for cleaning materials that are specific to the structure to be treated without damaging the original surface. Materials such as agar have been studied for a long time. Agar creates a controlled water release system that adapts to the needs of conservators who seek the greatest possible cleanliness without damaging the material to be treated. To improve the cleaning, chelating agents such as EDTA are added to the agar composition. However, the microbiological growth and the damage it produces to the original material are disadvantages to take into account. In order to solve these problems, other natural materials with cleaning potential such as kudzu and konjac gels were studied in combination with other chelating agents such as citrate, oxalate, and gluconic acid. For the characterization and evaluation of copper cleaning, various analytical techniques were used, including Raman spectroscopy, colorimetry, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In this study, both konjac and kudzu emerged as promising alternatives to agar, revealing distinctive features such as simplified preparation methods and inherent antimicrobial properties. The EDTA chelator was found to be the most harmful for marble surfaces, as it extracted a greater amount of calcium from the marble during application of the gels doped with it. Citrate and gluconic acid have been identified as a promising substitute to prepare doped gels for the removal of copper stains. These compounds exhibit comparable or potentially superior cleaning capabilities than EDTA, with no negative side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Pueraria montana var. lobata (kudzu) is an important food and medicinal crop in Asia. However, the phylogenetic relationships between Pueraria montana var. lobata and the other two varieties (P. montana var. thomsonii and P. montana var. montana) remain debated. Although there is increasing evidence showing that P. montana var. lobata adapts to various environments and is an invasive species in America, few studies have systematically investigated the role of the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary patterns of plastomes between P. montana var. lobata and its closely related taxa. Results 26 newly sequenced chloroplast genomes of Pueraria accessions resulted in assembled plastomes with sizes ranging from 153,360 bp to 153,551 bp. Each chloroplast genome contained 130 genes, including eight rRNA genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 85 protein-coding genes. For 24 newly sequenced accessions of these three varieties of P. montana, we detected three genes and ten noncoding regions with higher nucleotide diversity (π). After incorporated publically available chloroplast genomes of Pueraria and other legumes, 47 chloroplast genomes were used to construct phylogenetic trees, including seven P. montana var. lobata, 14 P. montana var. thomsonii and six P. montana var. montana. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that P. montana var. lobata and P. montana var. thomsonii formed a clade, while all sampled P. montana var. montana formed another cluster based on cp genomes, LSC, SSC and protein-coding genes. Twenty-six amino acid residues were identified under positive selection with the site model. We also detected six genes (accD, ndhB, ndhC, rpl2, rpoC2, and rps2) that account for among-site variation in selective constraint under the clade model between accessions of the Pueraria montana var. lobata clade and the Pueraria montana var. montana clade. Conclusion Our data provide novel comparative plastid genomic insights into conservative gene content and structure of cp genomes pertaining to P. montana var. lobata and the other two varieties, and reveal an important phylogenetic clue and plastid divergence among related taxa of P. montana come from loci that own moderate variation and underwent modest selection.

Objectives: Plant viruses are a significant contributor to the economic losses experienced in numerous plant species. Begomoviruses exhibit a wide range of host species, encompassing both cultivated and non-cultivated plants. The kudzu plant, scientifically known as Pueraria montana, is indigenous to the Southeast Asian region. Moreover, it exhibits varied attributes with regards to its utilization in the fields of medicine, food, cosmetics, and the herbal industry. Methods: During a routine survey, some P. montana plants having typical symptoms of yellowing, mosaic, and mottle were observed in areas including Fort-Minro (FM) and Anari of district Dera Ghazi Khan and Maari (MA) of district Rajanpur. The genomic DNA was extracted from the collected samples. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and rolling circular amplification (RCA) was carried out to isolate the DNA and DNA- β from the collected plant specimens. An evolutionary research was conducted to assess the lineage of this virus inside a novel geographical region. Results: A 500-bp amplicon size was obtained from the samples of the FM and MA, while the approximately 2.7-kb amplicon size of its full genome was obtained from the samples of both locations. The results of the sequence analysis demonstrated conclusively that the plants in question are infected with Kudzu mosaic virus (KMV). The evolutionary history analysis has confirmed the virus's lineage in a new region, and the nucleotide frequencies of obtained sequences were variable. Conclusion: The presence of a novel bipartite begomovirus in the tropical region has been substantiated using a phylogenetic and evolutionary investigation. The observation of a white fly population on infected plants has also suggested that the transmission of this virus through the migration of this insect vector can be a viable mechanism.

Summary: Flexible packaging has become indispensable in the food industry due to its numerous advantages. However, it has certain drawbacks, such as limited recyclability and environmental contamination. While efforts are underway to develop more sustainable and eco‐friendly packaging options, the food industry's reliance on flexible packaging made from unsustainable petro‐based plastics is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. Therefore, more sustainable alternatives that do not sacrifice performance are required. One such option is to use nanocellulose, especially cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), which can be reinforced into biopolymer to enhance mechanical and barrier properties. The present study aims to isolate kudzu CNCs by depolymerisation, bleaching, acid hydrolysis with 51% sulfuric acid, and mechanical dispersion. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was conducted to assess the thermal stability of kudzu fibres. Further, the FTIR spectra were measured at wave number ranged 4000–500 cm−1, which showed changes in the structure after treatments and confirmed the removal of lignin and hemicellulose from the cellulose. The isolated CNCs were found to have lengths and diameters of 285.01 ± 150.33 nm and 42.78 ± 13.26 nm, respectively, with an aspect ratio of 6.43 ± 1.78. This study showed that kudzu CNCs are a suitable reinforcing material for nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Kudzu root, fern root, lily, and yam bean are characteristic plant resources in Wuling Mountain Area, the gelatinization and instant properties of these four starches was analyzed in this study. Methods: SEM, RVA, and DSC were used to investigate the gelatinization properties of the starches, and the transparency and apparent fluidity of starch pastes was used to analysis the instant properties. Results: The granule of kudzu root, fern root, and yam bean starches showed similar morphology, most of which are spherical, but lily starch exhibited spindle-shaped morphology. The RVA results showed that the peak viscosity of lily starch was the highest [(7.00±0.03) Pa·s] among these four starches. The setback value of kudzu root starch and lily starch was more than fern root starch and yam bean starch, which indicating that kudzu root starch and lily starch was easy to retrograde. The DSC results showed that the initial gelatinization temperature of fern root starch was 59.4 ℃, which was the lowest among these starches, indicating that it was easy to gelatinize. Lily starch has the highest gelatinization enthalpy, which is 15.64 J/g, indicating that more heat was required for gelatinization. After gelatinization, the kudzu root starch paste has the best transparency with a light transmittance of 29.11%, while lily starch paste has a light transmittance of only 12.25%. Kudzu root starch paste and lily starch paste was easy to form gels, but the fluidity was poor. Conclusion: Lily starch and kudzu root starch have similar instant properties and have potential for the development of instant foods, fern root starch and cold potato starch showed a lower retrogradation value, and their paste showed better fluidity, which can be used to inhibit the retrogradation of food.

Background: Pueraria montana var. lobata (kudzu) is an important food and medicinal crop in Asia. However, the phylogenetic relationships between Pueraria montana var. lobata and the other two varieties (P. montana var. thomsonii and P. montana var. montana) remain debated. Although there is increasing evidence showing that P. montana var. lobata adapts to various environments and is an invasive species in America, few studies have systematically investigated the role of the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary patterns of plastomes between P. montana var. lobata and its closely related taxa. Results: 26 newly sequenced chloroplast genomes of Pueraria accessions resulted in assembled plastomes with sizes ranging from 153,360 bp to 153,551 bp. Each chloroplast genome contained 130 genes, including eight rRNA genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 85 protein-coding genes. For 24 newly sequenced accessions of these three varieties of P. montana, we detected three genes and ten noncoding regions with higher nucleotide diversity (π). After incorporated publically available chloroplast genomes of Pueraria and other legumes, 47 chloroplast genomes were used to construct phylogenetic trees, including seven P. montana var. lobata, 14 P. montana var. thomsonii and six P. montana var. montana. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that P. montana var. lobata and P. montana var. thomsonii formed a clade, while all sampled P. montana var. montana formed another cluster based on cp genomes, LSC, SSC and protein-coding genes. Twenty-six amino acid residues were identified under positive selection with the site model. We also detected six genes (accD, ndhB, ndhC, rpl2, rpoC2, and rps2) that account for among-site variation in selective constraint under the clade model between accessions of the Pueraria montana var. lobata clade and the Pueraria montana var. montana clade. Conclusion: Our data provide novel comparative plastid genomic insights into conservative gene content and structure of cp genomes pertaining to P. montana var. lobata and the other two varieties, and reveal an important phylogenetic clue and plastid divergence among related taxa of P. montana come from loci that own moderate variation and underwent modest selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a highly mobile and polyphagous pest known to feed on over 300 cultivated and wild host plant species. Larvae cause significant economic damage to several commercial row crops over multiple generations each growing season. The objective of this study was to compare biological fitness of H. zea on 5 weedy host plants commonly found across the mid-south US. Crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), kudzu (Pueraria montana [Lour.] Merr. (all Fabaceae), and honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.; Caprifoliaceae) were evaluated as primary food sources for H. zea under laboratory conditions at 27 ± 0.5 °C, a relative humidity of 60 ± 5%, and a 14:10 h (L:D) photoperiod. This study measures the development, biomass, survival, and fecundity of H. zea when reared on the reproductive tissues of 5 common weeds. Larvae of H. zea successfully developed on all 5 weeds to adulthood, but significant mortality (> 50%) was observed for larvae reared on hairy vetch, honeysuckle, and kudzu. Larval developmental periods ranged from 30 d to 39 d for H. zea reared on honeysuckle and white clover, respectively. Pupal biomass ranged 158.1 mg to 161.2 mg for individuals reared on hairy vetch, followed by 196.2 mg to 202.8 mg on crimson clover, and 204.6 to 217.4 mg for individuals on white clover, honeysuckle, and kudzu collectively. Pupal emergence varied from 92.1% to 61.8% for crimson clover and hairy vetch, respectively. Larval mortality varied from 25.3% on crimson clover to 68.9% for hairy vetch. Average adult longevity ranged from 10 d to 11 d for females and males reared on crimson clover to 4 d on kudzu and 4 d on white clover for female and male, respectively. The average number of eggs laid by females reared on crimson clover, white clover, hairy vetch, honeysuckle, and kudzu were 553.5, 512.3, 288.2, 194.7, and 142.2, respectively. Our findings indicate crimson and white clover were among the most suitable hosts, and kudzu the most unsuitable based on larval mortality and reproductive capability. El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar los parámetros biológicos de Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) en cinco plantas hospederas comunes de mid-south: trébol carmesí (Trifolium incarnatum L.), trébol blanco (Trifolium repens L.), arveja vellosa (Vicia villosa Roth), kudzu (Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr.) (todos Fabaceae) y madreselva Lonicera japonica Thunb. (Caprifoliaceae) evaluadas bajo condiciones de laboratorio a 27 ± 0.5 °C, 60 ± 5% de humedad relativa y un fotoperíodo de 14:10 (L:O). Se midió el tiempo de desarrollo de huevo, larva y pupa, peso pupal, longevidad y fecundidad del adulto de H. zea. La larva se desarrolló con excito hasta adulto sobre las cinco plantas hospederas, sin embargo, se observo una diferencia significativa de > 50% in larvas criadas en arveja vellosa, madreselva y kudzu. El rango del periodo de desarrollo larval vario de 30 d a 39 d en madreselva y trébol blanco, respectivamente. El rango de biomasa de pupa vario de 217.4 mg para hembras criadas en trébol blanco y 213.6 mg para machos criados en madreselva a 161.2 y 158.1 mg para hembras y machos criados en arveja vellosa. La emergencia de pupa vario de 92.1% a 61.8% para trébol carmesí y arveja vellosa, respectivamente. La mortalidad de larva vario de 25.3% en trébol carmesí a 68.9% en arveja vellosa. El rango promedio de longevidad del adulto vario de 10.3 d a 11.2 d para hembras y machos criados en trébol carmesí a 4 d en kudzu y 4 d en trébol blanco, respectivamente. El promedio de huevos ovipositados por hembras criadas en trébol carmesí, trébol blanco, arveja vellosa, madreselva y kudzu fueron de 553.5, 512.3, 288.2, 194.7 y 142.2, respectivamente. Nuestros resultados indican que los tréboles blanco y carmesí fueron los mas susceptibles comparados con el resto de las plantas hospederas y con base en mortalidad de larva y capacidad reproductiva de adultos, kudzu fue el mas resistente. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Pueraria lobata is a traditional medicinal and edible plant. Its root is often used as a nutritional supplement, but its stems and leaves are often discarded. In this study, the types and contents of compounds in roots, stems and leaves of kudzu were studied by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 446 metabolites were identified, which were mainly divided into eight categories; 40 unique compounds were detected in roots. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences in the contents of metabolites in the roots, stems and leaves of kudzu, and the most significant differences were found in the roots and stems. Most flavonoids and terpenoids accumulated in roots, while alkaloids, flavonoid glycosides, lignans and coumarins accumulated in stems and leaves. In addition, isoflavones accumulated least in stems and most in roots. These results improved our understanding of the accumulation of metabolites in kudzu and provided a reference for the full study of the medicinal value of different parts of kudzu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kudzu (Pueraria montana [Lour.] Merr. var. lobata [Willd.] Maesen & S.M. Almeida ex Sanjappa & Predeep) is an invasive woody vine widespread throughout much of the southeastern United States. New occurrences and recent studies using climatic parameters suggest that the Midwestern region of the United States is at the greatest risk of kudzu invasion. As there are already multiple reports of kudzu within the Great Lakes basin and no previous landscape models exist specifically for the basin, we developed probability models from existing spatial data (forest type, geology, land cover, precipitation, temperature, and known kudzu locations) by using maximum entropy methods at the national, regional, and basin scales. All three models had relatively high accuracy and strong positive correlation between predicted and observed values. Based on evaluation of the models using a testing data set, we determined a presence threshold and categorized areas within each model as suitable or unsuitable habitat. We pooled the models and calculated mean habitat suitability within the Great Lakes basin. Much of the southern half of the basin was suitable for kudzu. Continuing management and further monitoring of kudzu spread are likely necessary to limit further introduction and mitigate spread of kudzu within the Great Lakes region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the average longevity of humans increases, the number of patients with osteoporosis has also increased. Chemoprevention for osteoporosis, especially through food intake, may extend the healthy life expectancy. We previously reported that kudzu (Pueraria lobata) vine ethanol extract (PVEE) in the diet (20 mg/kg body weight/d) suppresses bone resorption and prevents bone loss in ovariectomized mice. However, experiments with lower PVEE concentrations are necessary to determine whether PVEE is a suitable functional food resource to improve osteoporosis. This study thus examined the effects of PVEE intake (2 or 5 mg/kg body weight/day, approximately 0.07 or 0.17 mg PVEE isoflavone/d/mouse) for 6 months. The dose was calculated on the basis of the recommended daily isoflavone allowance in Japan. Both 2 and 5 mg PVEE successfully prevented ovariectomy-induced bone loss in mice. These results indicated that PVEE was effective at these doses. Thus, PVEE has the potential to be a promising resource for osteoporosis-preventing functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Megacopta cribraria (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), commonly called the kudzu bug, is a pest of concern in many soybean and legume-producing states. It was first detected in the United States in 2009. In the southeastern United States, M. cribraria reduced crop yields by 47% in untreated soybean fields. Paratelenomus saccharalis (Dodd) (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) is a known parasitoid of the kudzu bug, and a potential biological control agent. This study was comprised of three phases: (1) Preliminary assessment of the presence of the kudzu bug and its parasites in north Florida and south Georgia. (2) Measurements of the levels of parasitism in 12 sites selected from the preliminary evaluation to compare population dynamics in two growing seasons in agricultural, forested, and urban areas. (3) Laboratory studies to measure parasitism after 21 days in controlled environments. The preliminary assessment showed that in both 2016 and 2017, P. saccharalis emerged from eggs of M. cribraria collected in Leon and Gadsden County. Additionally, parasitism was recorded for the recently discovered egg parasitoid in north Florida, Ooencyrtus nezarae (Ishii) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). In the assessment of parasitism in the field, differences were observed in the average level of parasitism within the urban and forest area in both years, and in the agricultural area for 2017. Between-group comparisons indicated significant differences between the average parasitism levels in agricultural, urban, and forested areas in 2016; in 2017, the differences between the areas were not significant. In the laboratory, after 21 days of observation, an average of 77.4% of freshly laid and 61.6% of cooled eggs were parasitized by P. saccharalis, and adult parasitoids emerged. There was a significant difference in the emergence of freshly laid eggs over cooled eggs. This study suggests that both P. saccharalis and O. nezarae exert some levels of natural control of the kudzu bug in the field and may be useful as biological control agents in an integrated pest management program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marble is one of the materials most susceptible to copper leaching, resulting in easily identifiable turquoise stains on the marble. This problem is particularly relevant when we are talking about marble structures of heritage value. For this reason, conservators look for cleaning materials that are specific to the structure to be treated without damaging the original surface. Materials such as agar have been studied for a long time. Agar creates a controlled water release system that adapts to the needs of conservators who seek the greatest possible cleanliness without damaging the material to be treated. To improve the cleaning, chelating agents such as EDTA are added to the agar composition. However, the microbiological growth and the damage it produces to the original material are disadvantages to take into account. In order to solve these problems, other natural materials with cleaning potential such as kudzu and konjac gels were studied in combination with other chelating agents such as citrate, oxalate, and gluconic acid. For the characterization and evaluation of copper cleaning, various analytical techniques were used, including Raman spectroscopy, colorimetry, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In this study, both konjac and kudzu emerged as promising alternatives to agar, revealing distinctive features such as simplified preparation methods and inherent antimicrobial properties. The EDTA chelator was found to be the most harmful for marble surfaces, as it extracted a greater amount of calcium from the marble during application of the gels doped with it. Citrate and gluconic acid have been identified as a promising substitute to prepare doped gels for the removal of copper stains. These compounds exhibit comparable or potentially superior cleaning capabilities than EDTA, with no negative side effects.

Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata), a plant native to Southeastern Asia, has become a major noxious weed covering millions of hectares in the Southern United States. A kudzu patch displaying virus-like symptoms located in Ackerman, northeastern Mississippi (MS), was used as a source for virus isolation and characterization involving mechanical and vector transmission, ultrastructural observation, surveys, Sanger and high-throughput genome sequencing, and sequence analyses. The results revealed the presence of a new potyvirus in infected kudzu, closely related to wisteria vein mosaic virus (WVMV) and provisionally named kudzu chlorotic ring blotch virus (KudCRBV). Genome features and pairwise comparison with six WVMV genomes currently available in GenBank and three additional isolates from MS sequenced in this work suggest that KudCRBV is likely a member of a new species in the genus Potyvirus. Furthermore, under experimental conditions, KudCRBV was successfully transmitted by cotton and potato aphids and mechanically to soybean and beans. A state-wide survey revealed several kudzu patches infected by the virus in northern MS.

Abstract Background Kudzu is a term used generically to describe members of the genus Pueraria. Kudzu roots have been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine in view of their high levels of beneficial isoflavones including the unique 8-C-glycoside of daidzein, puerarin. In the US, kudzu is seen as a noxious weed causing ecological and economic damage. However, not all kudzu species make puerarin or are equally invasive. Kudzu remains difficult to identify due to its diverse morphology and inconsistent nomenclature. Results We have generated sequences for the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and maturase K (matK) regions of Pueraria montana lobata, P. montana montana, and P. phaseoloides, and identified two accessions previously used for differential analysis of puerarin biosynthesis as P. lobata and P. phaseoloides. Additionally, we have generated root transcriptomes for the puerarin-producing P. m. lobata and the non-puerarin producing P. phaseoloides. Within the transcriptomes, microsatellites were identified to aid in species identification as well as population diversity. Conclusions The barcode sequences generated will aid in fast and efficient identification of the three kudzu species. Additionally, the microsatellites identified from the transcriptomes will aid in genetic analysis. The root transcriptomes also provide a molecular toolkit for comparative gene expression analysis towards elucidation of the biosynthesis of kudzu phytochemicals.

The study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of added sucrose on the fermentation quality and microbial community of kudzu (Pueraria lobata) silage. The three sucrose supplementation levels utilized were 0, 0.5, and 1.0%, and kudzu was silaged for 15, 30, and 60 days. Sucrose supplementation significantly decreased the pH levels, acid detergent fiber, ammonia nitrogen content, and relative abundance of Pantoea in the silages (p < 0.05). The addition of 1% sucrose to kudzu silage at 60 days had the lowest acid detergent fiber content, the highest crude protein, and the highest relative feed value. Additionally, the sucrose-supplemented silage had a lower pH than that of the control group at each time point. The dominant genera in all groups were Klebsiella, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus, and Weissella, and the relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae was lower in the 1% sucrose-supplemented group than in the control group. These results showed that sucrose addition could improve the quality of kudzu silage and increase its beneficial microbial community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) is an important medicinal plant, which can associate with rhizobia for nitrogen fixation. The mutualistic symbiosis between rhizobium and kudzu is not well understood, but it is necessary to fully utilize kudzu. Nodules and rhizosphere soils collected from 16 sampling sites were characterized based on phylogenetic analyses of the rpoB gene; 16S rRNA gene; the housekeeping genes SMc00019, truA, and thrA; and the symbiotic genes nodA and nifH. The relationships between biogeographic pattern, nitrogenase activity, and environmental factors were studied. Results indicated that a clear biogeographic pattern of rhizobial communities in the kudzu rhizosphere existed in southern China; latitude and soil pH were found to be the most important factors affecting the biogeographic pattern. Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens and Bradyrhizobium erythrophlei were the dominant species in kudzu rhizosphere. The symbiotic rhizobia in kudzu nodules mainly belonged to B. lablabi, B. elkanii, B. pachyrhizi, and B. japonicum. Nitrogenase activities in the nodules of kudzu in the Jiangxi sampling region were significantly higher than those in the Guangxi and Hunan sampling regions, and they were significantly negatively correlated to pH and exchangeable Ca. These results constitute the first report of the existence of symbiotic genes in kudzu bradyrhizobia, which are similar to those in B. elkanii and B. pachyrhizi. Our findings could improve the understanding of kudzu–rhizobium symbiosis and could advance the application of rhizobial inoculation in medicinal legumes in terms of increasing the content of active ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid and non-destructive prediction of starch content in kudzu is essential for the food industry. In this work, we present an approach combining hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and deep learning (DL) techniques for predicting kudzu root starch content. Practical constraints such as equipment and experimental conditions limit the quantity of spectral data and labels obtained, which leads to diminish model performance. To address this restriction, we employ Wasserstein generative adversarial networks with gradient penalty (WGAN-GP) to augment spectral and starch content data simultaneously. Through numerous iterations, synthetic data that closely resemble real data is generated, which is validated through comprehensive evaluations using various qualitative and quantitative analysis. Additionally, we establish and compare partial least squares regression (PLSR), support vector regression (SVR) and one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1DCNN) model before and after data augmentation. Experimental results demonstrate that the introduction of synthetic data could improve model performance significantly. Particularly, 1DCNN model exhibits the best performance, achieving correlation coefficients (R2) of 92.97% and 93.43% for starch content in the two types of kudzu roots. Overall, this study not only provides an effective method for rapidly, non-destructively, and accurately determining starch content in kudzu roots, but also addresses the challenge of requiring a large amount of data. • Integrating hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and deep learning (DL) techniques for predicting starch content in kudzu roots. • Utilizing WGAN-GP for simultaneous augmentation of spectral and starch content data, validated through extensive qualitative and quantitative analyses. • Establishing and comparing the performance of PLSR, SVR, and 1DCNN models before and after data augmentation to assess the effectiveness of the generated data. • Demonstrating significant improvements in predictive accuracy of the models with the inclusion of synthetic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Niche dynamics represent an important element in predicting potential invasion areas of alien species and their impacts as well as in understanding mechanisms underlying invasion success. Pueraria lobata, commonly named "kudzu", is an Asian vine and one of the 100 worst invasive species in the world. In Europe, it is a serious pest although its distribution is quite localized. At present, no detailed information about niche dynamics following its introduction to Europe is available, so it is not known whether the plant has shifted its niche or not, as well as whether it has filled the whole available climatic niche. To fill this gap of knowledge, we applied the unified COUE (i.e., centroid shift, overlap, unfilling, and expansion) framework to evaluate the shift in the climatic niche in the invasive with respect to the native range. According to our analysis, kudzu showed climatic niche conservatism following its introduction to Europe: we detected a shift in the position of centroids of native and invasive niche of kudzu, likely due to a difference in climate availability rather than to a colonization of novel climatic conditions. In Europe, kudzu is occupying a subset of the climate of the native range, mainly characterized by colder and drier conditions than those characterizing the Asian Pacific range of the plant. These conditions are marginal and rarely experienced by the plant in its native range. Furthermore, the absence of any niche expansion indicates that a spread to novel climates should be excluded for the European kudzu. The high niche unfilling suggests that kudzu has not yet occupied the majority of suitable climates available in Europe, even if, climatic conditions similar to its native range are not so widespread in Europe. Multivariate environmental similarity surface analysis suggests that it may expand its European range. Thus, it is pivotal that measures of prevention, early detection and monitoring are timely and effectively implemented to avoid its spread throughout Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research evaluated the influence of kudzu leaf meal particle size on body weight, feed consumption, feed conversion, breast weight, and organ weights of broilers. Treatments (4) included a control and kudzu leaf meal added to replace 2.5% soybean meal in a broiler starter diet at three particle sizes (1.00, 2.00, and 3.35 mm). Dietary treatments were fed to 240 male broilers over a 21 day grow out. Overall, there were no significant treatment effects for body weight, feed consumption, breast weight, or organ weights. There were no treatment effects for day 1 to 7 feed conversion (p > 0.05). There tended to be treatment differences for day 1 to 14 feed conversion (p = 0.052) and a significant effect between day 1 to 21 (p = 0.002). Feed conversion between day 1 to 21 was depressed at the 1.00 mm kudzu particle size. Based on this study, kudzu remains a viable protein source for inclusion in broiler diets and a particle size of 2 to 3 mm would be recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kudzu is a term used generically to describe members of the genus Pueraria. Kudzu roots have been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine in view of their high levels of beneficial isoflavones including the unique 8-C-glycoside of daidzein, puerarin. In the US, kudzu is seen as a noxious weed causing ecological and economic damage. However, not all kudzu species make puerarin or are equally invasive. Kudzu remains difficult to identify due to its diverse morphology and inconsistent nomenclature. Results: We have generated sequences for the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and maturase K (matK) regions of Pueraria montana lobata, P. montana montana, and P. phaseoloides, and identified two accessions previously used for differential analysis of puerarin biosynthesis as P. lobata and P. phaseoloides. Additionally, we have generated root transcriptomes for the puerarin-producing P. m. lobata and the non-puerarin producing P. phaseoloides. Within the transcriptomes, microsatellites were identified to aid in species identification as well as population diversity. Conclusions: The barcode sequences generated will aid in fast and efficient identification of the three kudzu species. Additionally, the microsatellites identified from the transcriptomes will aid in genetic analysis. The root transcriptomes also provide a molecular toolkit for comparative gene expression analysis towards elucidation of the biosynthesis of kudzu phytochemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many organisms experience relatively predictable environmental conditions throughout development, others, as a result of ontogenetic changes, inhabit very different environments across life stages, requiring them to navigate into habitats or microhabitats that they have not previously encountered. For holometabolous insects, late instars must often locate a safe site before undergoing pupation. In Lepidoptera, many pre‐pupae cease feeding and wander in search of an appropriate pupation site; their preferences display a shift in behavioral responses to habitat‐specific environmental cues, relative to those of feeding larvae. Having previously determined that pre‐pupae of Epargyreus clarus (Cramer) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) move from their Fabaceae host plant down into the leaf litter, where they construct a pupal refuge out of dried leaves and silk, we investigated the sensory cues used by E. clarus in selecting a pupation location. We further explored how responses to these cues vary between actively feeding larvae and non‐feeding pre‐pupae, both for individual insects and for stage‐based cohorts. Using Y‐tube assays, we determined that pre‐pupae used visual (light) and gravitational cues to move from host plants into the leaf litter, whereas the odor cues we tested did not appear to influence their decision‐making. Directional responses to both light and gravity reversed over ontogeny, allowing the two life stages to make use of the same cues to produce stage‐appropriate adaptive behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kudzu (Pueraria montana [Lour.] Merr. var. lobata [Willd.] Maesen & S.M. Almeida ex Sanjappa & Predeep) is an invasive woody vine widespread throughout much of the southeastern United States. New occurrences and recent studies using climatic parameters suggest that the Midwestern region of the United States is at the greatest risk of kudzu invasion. As there are already multiple reports of kudzu within the Great Lakes basin and no previous landscape models exist specifically for the basin, we developed probability models from existing spatial data (forest type, geology, land cover, precipitation, temperature, and known kudzu locations) by using maximum entropy methods at the national, regional, and basin scales. All three models had relatively high accuracy and strong positive correlation between predicted and observed values. Based on evaluation of the models using a testing data set, we determined a presence threshold and categorized areas within each model as suitable or unsuitable habitat. We pooled the models and calculated mean habitat suitability within the Great Lakes basin. Much of the southern half of the basin was suitable for kudzu. Continuing management and further monitoring of kudzu spread are likely necessary to limit further introduction and mitigate spread of kudzu within the Great Lakes region.

Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi, known as kudzu and used as a "longevity powder" in China, is an edible plant which is rich in flavonoids and believed to be useful for regulating blood sugar and treating diabetes, although the modes of action are unknown. Here, a total of 53 flavonoids including 6 novel compounds were isolated from kudzu using multidimensional preparative liquid chromatography. The flavonoid components were found to lower blood sugar levels, promote urine sugar levels in mice, and reduce the urine volume. Molecular docking and in vitro assays suggested that the antidiabetic effect of kudzu was attributed to at least three targets: sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2), protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP1B), and alpha-glucosidase (AG). This study suggests a possible mechanism for the antidiabetic effect that may involve the synergistic action of multiple active compounds from kudzu.

Megacopta cribraria (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), commonly called the kudzu bug, is a pest of concern in many soybean and legume-producing states. It was first detected in the United States in 2009. In the southeastern United States, M. cribraria reduced crop yields by 47% in untreated soybean fields. Paratelenomus saccharalis (Dodd) (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) is a known parasitoid of the kudzu bug, and a potential biological control agent. This study was comprised of three phases: (1) Preliminary assessment of the presence of the kudzu bug and its parasites in north Florida and south Georgia. (2) Measurements of the levels of parasitism in 12 sites selected from the preliminary evaluation to compare population dynamics in two growing seasons in agricultural, forested, and urban areas. (3) Laboratory studies to measure parasitism after 21 days in controlled environments. The preliminary assessment showed that in both 2016 and 2017, P. saccharalis emerged from eggs of M. cribraria collected in Leon and Gadsden County. Additionally, parasitism was recorded for the recently discovered egg parasitoid in north Florida, Ooencyrtus nezarae (Ishii) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). In the assessment of parasitism in the field, differences were observed in the average level of parasitism within the urban and forest area in both years, and in the agricultural area for 2017. Between-group comparisons indicated significant differences between the average parasitism levels in agricultural, urban, and forested areas in 2016; in 2017, the differences between the areas were not significant. In the laboratory, after 21 days of observation, an average of 77.4% of freshly laid and 61.6% of cooled eggs were parasitized by P. saccharalis, and adult parasitoids emerged. There was a significant difference in the emergence of freshly laid eggs over cooled eggs. This study suggests that both P. saccharalis and O. nezarae exert some levels of natural control of the kudzu bug in the field and may be useful as biological control agents in an integrated pest management program.

In this paper, the terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) combined with chemometric methods, is used to explore the rapid and undamaged detection of kudzu powder's adulteration. The spectral data in the range of 0.1–7 THz is collected. The absorption coefficient of the 0.5–3.0 THz band is selected for analysis. The chemometric methods are adopted to build the analytical model of the spectrum's absorption coefficient. In qualitative modelling, the partial least squares decision analysis (PLS-DA) analyses the absorption coefficient data. The result shows that the misjudgment rate is 57.6%. The least squares support vector machines decision analysis (LS-SVM-DA) basing on Linear (LIN), and radial basis function (RBF) as the kernel function is used to analyze the data, the results show that the misjudgment rate is all 13.3%. Finally, the successive projections algorithm (SPA) and the elimination of uninformative variables (UVE) are used to select the spectrum's absorption coefficient to optimize the model, the misjudgment rates of PLS-DA model basing on SPA and UVE are 33.3% and 23.3%, respectively. The LIN of LS-SVM-DA and the RBF of LS-SVM-DA basing on SPA are all 43.3%, the misjudgment rates of the LIN of LS-SVM-DA and the RBF of LS-SVM-DA basing on UVE are13.3% and 6.7%, respectively. The comparison found that the RBF of LS-SVM-DA basing on the UVE prediction model for the adulteration of kudzu powder is more accurate than the others. It can come true the judgment of adulteration of kudzu powder well. Studies have shown that THz-TDS combined with chemometric methods can provide a fast and accurate analytical way for qualitative analysis of kudzu powder's adulteration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of added sucrose on the fermentation quality and microbial community of kudzu (Pueraria lobata) silage. The three sucrose supplementation levels utilized were 0, 0.5, and 1.0%, and kudzu was silaged for 15, 30, and 60 days. Sucrose supplementation significantly decreased the pH levels, acid detergent fiber, ammonia nitrogen content, and relative abundance of Pantoea in the silages (p < 0.05). The addition of 1% sucrose to kudzu silage at 60 days had the lowest acid detergent fiber content, the highest crude protein, and the highest relative feed value. Additionally, the sucrose-supplemented silage had a lower pH than that of the control group at each time point. The dominant genera in all groups were Klebsiella, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus, and Weissella, and the relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae was lower in the 1% sucrose-supplemented group than in the control group. These results showed that sucrose addition could improve the quality of kudzu silage and increase its beneficial microbial community.

Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi is an essential traditional oriental medicine with therapeutic effects. In this study, we assembled the complete chloroplast genome of P. lobata. The total genome size was 153,442 bp in length, containing a large single-copy (LSC) region of 84,162 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) of 17,998 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,641 bp, and possessing 35.41% GC content. In addition, the whole chloroplast genome encodes a total of 129 genes, including 84 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. Phylogenetic tree analysis of 48 species in the family Papilionoideae of Leguminosae indicated that P. lobata was belong to Papilionoideae and closely related to the genus, Pachyrhizus, Vigna and Phaseolus.

Early and late season kudzu leaves were collected to analyse dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF), and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) in situ rumen disappearance to assess kudzu quality. Four studies were conducted during different growing periods [2 repeated early season (ES); 2 repeated late season (LS)] to determine age variability effects. Kudzu was incubated in the rumen between 0.25 and 72 h to determine total rumen degradation (%) and the rate of disappearance (% h−1). Data were analysed as a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with repeated measures. Regression analysis was used to determine the degradation rate. Overall season effects (across incubation times) for dry matter disappearance (DMD) were significantly different (P

Kudzu, a vine originating in East Asia, is notorious in the South for its invasive nature and destruction of the environment. This article describes the impact of Western European culture on Cherokee culture brought about by sustained exposure to one another. Kudzu is employed as a metaphor to describe the destructive, invasive impact of Western European values at the expense of the Cherokee people. The creep of Western European culture upon the Cherokee culture started subtly, but over time and through stealth, Cherokee culture has not only been overtaken but torn apart in a way that was unnoticed until it was too late to fully recover. This essay serves as a warning to not only the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (ECBI) but to Americans in general. The lessons of encroachment by cultural kudzu must be learned and understood by all. In the current state of American society, we are on fertile political ground for the expansion of cultural kudzu. Much like the planting of kudzu, it only takes one cultural seed, dropped in fertile soil, to propel the invasive creep that can infest and destroy other cultures in America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pueraria species are listed in the Chinese Pharmacopeia and are being used for the treatment of various health ailments and in protecting health. Puerarin, a chemotaxonomic marker of Pueraria, received investigational drug status for the treatment of alcohol abuse and listed in DRUGBANK database. The purpose of this review is to provide insights on health benefits of Pueraria, its bioactive constituents and molecular mechanisms. The information is retrieved from various databases. The most investigated plant part is tuber and the major bioactive constituents are isoflavones. The Pueraria is reported to possess a lots of health benefits on brain, liver, heart, kidney, bone, stomach, muscle, skin, and reproductive system. Pueraria also shown beneficial effects in postmenopausal women. In this review, the scientific information on Pueraria reported until May 2020 were analysed and summarized logically to appreciate its health benefits and to identify research gaps.

Abstract Background Kudzu, Pueraria montana var. lobata, is a woody vine native to Southeast Asia that has been introduced globally for cattle forage and erosion control. The vine is highly invasive in its introduced areas, including the southeastern US. Modern molecular marker resources are limited for the species, despite its importance. Transcriptomes for P. montana var. lobata and a second phaseoloid legume taxon previously ascribed to genus Pueraria, Neustanthus phaseoloides, were generated and mined for microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms. Results Roche 454 sequencing of P. montana var. lobata and N. phaseoloides transcriptomes produced read numbers ranging from ~ 280,000 to ~ 420,000. Trinity assemblies produced an average of 17,491 contigs with mean lengths ranging from 639 bp to 994 bp. Transcriptome completeness, according to BUSCO, ranged between 64 and 77%. After vetting for primer design, there were 1646 expressed simple sequence repeats (eSSRs) identified in P. montana var. lobata and 1459 in N. phaseoloides. From these eSSRs, 17 identical primer pairs, representing inter-generic phaseoloid eSSRs, were created. Additionally, 13 primer pairs specific to P. montana var. lobata were also created. From these 30 primer pairs, a final set of seven primer pairs were used on 68 individuals of P. montana var. lobata for characterization across the US, China, and Japan. The populations exhibited from 20 to 43 alleles across the seven loci. We also conducted pairwise tests for high-confidence SNP discovery from the kudzu transcriptomes we sequenced and two previously sequenced P. montana var. lobata transcriptomes. Pairwise comparisons between P. montana var. lobata ranged from 358 to 24,475 SNPs, while comparisons between P. montana var. lobata and N. phaseoloides ranged from 5185 to 30,143 SNPs. Conclusions The discovered molecular markers for kudzu provide a starting point for comparative genetic studies within phaseoloid legumes. This study both adds to the current genetic resources and presents the first available genomic resources for the invasive kudzu vine. Additionally, this study is the first to provide molecular evidence to support the hypothesis of Japan as a source of US kudzu and begins to narrow the origin of US kudzu to the central Japanese island of Honshu.

As an invasive plant species, kudzu has been spreading rapidly in the Southeastern United States in recent years. Accurate mapping of kudzu is critical for effective invasion control and management. However, the remote detection of kudzu distribution using multispectral images is challenging because of the mixed reflectance and potential misclassification with other vegetation. We propose a three-step classification process to map kudzu in Knox County, Tennessee, using multispectral Sentinel-2 images and the integration of spectral unmixing analysis and phenological characteristics. This classification includes an initial linear unmixing process to produce an overestimated kudzu map, a phenological-based masking to reduce misclassification, and a nonlinear unmixing process to refine the classification. The initial linear unmixing provides high producer’s accuracy (PA) but low user’s accuracy (UA) due to misclassification with grasslands. The phenological-based masking increases the accuracy of the kudzu classification and reduces the domain for further processing. The nonlinear unmixing further refines the kudzu classification via the selection of an appropriate nonlinear model. The final kudzu classification for Knox County reaches relatively high accuracy, with UA, PA, Jaccard, and Kappa index values of 0.858, 0.907, 0.789, and 0.725, respectively. Our proposed method has potential for continuous monitoring of kudzu in large areas.

Yogurt provides an organism with probiotics, which can help digestion. However, many people do not consume dairy for a lot of reasons such as lactose intolerance, milk protein allergy, environmental and ethical concerns. The aim of the research was to develop formulation and technology of plant-based yogurt made of coconut and soy milk. The possibility of using the composition of coconut and soy milk was investigated. The effect of using different ratios of coconut and soy milk on rheological and sensory acceptability was studied. Soy milk containing 20, 30, 40 and 50% coconut milk were used in the production of soy yoghurt using commercially available yoghurt starter. The physico-chemical composition, water activity, rheological and organoleptic properties, fatty acid composition and microorganism viability were investigated. Presented production procedure enables the manufacture of a product with satisfactory functional properties and organoleptic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental stressors may induce variation in the number of larval instars of holometabolous insects. Host plant quality and ambient temperature can both induce this life history shift in the silver-spotted skipper, Epargyreus clarus (Cramer 1775) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). To better understand this phenomenon, we raised larvae on high-quality (kudzu) or low-quality (wisteria) host plants in growth chambers under three temperature regimes (20, 26, and 32°C) that were either constant or diurnally fluctuating (T ± 5°C), and recorded survival and incidence of supernumerary instars. Larvae feeding on the low-quality host and/or experiencing thermal stress were more likely to show supernumerary development (SD). A subset of treatments yielded a mix of SD and TD (typical development) individuals, allowing for comparisons between phenotypes. Under the most stressful treatment (20 ± 5°C, wisteria), development time was 9 days longer in SD than in TD individuals; by contrast, at typical summer temperatures (26 ± 5°C), also on wisteria, total development time did not differ between these two phenotypes. Head capsules of both second and third instars were smaller in SD individuals. A retrospective logistic regression analysis indicated that third-instar head capsule size could be used to predict expression of the SD phenotype. By the ultimate instar, however, there were no detectable differences in head capsule size, and SD and TD individuals did not differ in pupal mass, strongly suggesting that the SD phenotype functions as a compensatory mechanism allowing E. clarus larvae to achieve the same size at metamorphosis (a strong fitness correlate) as TD larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of acid-tolerant rhizobia isolates on growth, nodulation and yield of tropical kudzu, grown under acidity conditions, was determined. By measuring the diameter of the colony and the number of viable cells, the pH tolerance of three Bradyrhizobium strains: K2, 1_2 and 2_4 was established under acidity conditions. Two inoculation tests of tropical kudzu were carried out: one under controlled conditions, and another in the field. The effect of acidity on nodulation, growth and yield of crop was determined. A simple classification ANOVA and a two-factor arrangement were used in the statistical analysis. The three strains of rhizobia were tolerant at pH 4.5. This condition did not decrease its dispersion in the Petri dish, the diameter of the colonies or the number of viable cells. The acidity did not decrease the nodulation or the growth of kudzu plants, inoculated with K2 and 1_2 under controlled conditions. The inoculation of kudzu with rhizobia isolates produced effectiveness in the biological fixation of nitrogen, more than 90% of the total nodules, more than 75% of the aerial dry mass yield, and more than 45% of the nitrogen content of the aerial biomass of plants, under field conditions. The elaboration and application of inoculants based on K2 and 1_2 would contribute to reducing the use of mineral fertilizers in soils affected by acidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study an isolated bacteria from the kudzu vine (Pueraria Lobata), identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides, was determined to be a type of lactic acid bacteria. The physiological functions of heated L. mesenteroides were examined and the results indicated that the production of Interleukin (IL)-12 in mouse splenocytes showed a higher value than the control OK432. In addition, the result demonstrated that the test substance exhibited an immunostimulatory effect in mice. In particular, it showed a higher value when the lactic acid bacteria was cultured in kudzu starch treated with a heated enzyme instead of glucose, resulting in a heightened immune-stimulating activity. Moreover, an anti-tumor effect was also observed in murine breast cancer 4T1 cells subcutaneously transplanted in mice. The result indicated a lower value tendency relative to the average tumor volume and weight in the group administered with the culture substance containing kudzu dextrin in comparison with an untreated group, suggesting the possibility of an anti-tumor effect. In the same study an anti-influenza virus effect was also observed in infected mice. Three days after administering a viral infection the amount of infected broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was significantly less, and 14 days after infection neutralizing antibodies titer, as well as specific IgA in serum and BALF, was significantly elevated in comparison to the control. It was concluded that an enhancement of the living organism􀁠s immunity produced the anti-influenza viral effect and that the oral administration of the culture substance with the L. mesenteroides kudzu dextrin was effective in preventing influenza virus viral infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]