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Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure worsens chronic respiratory diseases through oxidative stress and inflammation. Perilla frutescens (L.) has potential respiratory protective properties, but the impact of growth stages on its beneficial metabolites is unclear. We aimed to evaluate how different growth stages affect phenolic acids, flavonoids, and polycosanols in perilla seeds and flowers and their efficacy in countering PM2.5-induced damage. Perilla seeds and flowers from five varieties at 10, 20, 30, and 40 days post-flowering were analyzed for metabolite content. Their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and respiratory protective effects were tested in RPMI 2650 cells. Our findings indicated that perilla flowers contained higher levels of functional components than seeds and exhibited significant variation with maturation. Phenolic acids of perilla flowers were highest at the early stages of maturation after flowering. However, individual flavones of perilla flowers were the highest at the late maturation stages after flowering. Extracts from perilla flowers harvested 20 days after flowering exhibited significant respiratory protection, effectively inhibiting inflammatory cytokines, mucus secretion, and oxidative stress markers. In conclusion, the flower parts of perilla, particularly those harvested 20 days after flowering, are useful materials for obtaining phenolic compounds, including rosmarinic acid, with high antioxidant and respiratory enhancement effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Owing to the complexity and variability of global climate, the study of extreme events to ensure food security is particularly critical. The standardized precipitation requirement index (SPRI) and chilling injury index (ICi) were introduced using data from agrometeorological stations on the Songliao Plain between 1981 and 2020 to identify the spatial and temporal variability of drought, waterlogging, and low-temperature cold damage during various maize growth periods. Compound drought and low-temperature cold damage events (CDLEs) and compound waterlogging and low-temperature cold damage events (CWLEs) were then identified. To measure the intensity of compound events, the compound drought and low-temperature cold damage magnitude index (CDLMI), and compound waterlogging and low-temperature cold damage magnitude index (CWLMI) were constructed by fitting marginal distributions. Finally, the effects of extreme events of various intensities on maize output were examined. The findings demonstrate that: (1) There were significant differences in the temporal trends of the SPRI and ICi during different maize growth periods. Drought predominated in the middle growth period (MP), waterlogging predominated in the early growth period (EP) and late growth period (LP), and both drought and waterlogging tended to increase in intensity and frequency. The frequency of low-temperature cold damage showed a decreasing trend in all periods. (2) The CDLMI and CWLMI can effectively determine the intensity of CDLEs and CWLEs in the study area; these CDLEs and CWLEs had higher intensity and frequency in the late growth period. (3) Compared to single events, maize relative meteorological yield had a more significant negative correlation with the CDLMI and CWLMI.

We investigate the effect of exercise training in different stages of growth on protein synthesis (4E-BP1) and proliferation of heart cells (S6K1) in male rats. 30 male Wistar rats were prepared in three age groups of 2 weeks, 8 weeks, and 90 weeks (10 in each group), and each age group was divided into two control and training groups (5 in each group). In the exercise training group, the animals performed the resistance and aerobic training program every day (interval). The amount of overload for the resistance-training program was determined based on the body weight of the animals. For the aerobic training group, the training intensity increased from 50% of maximum speed in the first week to 80% in the last week. The results showed that there is no significant difference between the control and training groups in each age, as well as between the training groups in the three age (p>0.05). In contrast, the 2-week exercise groups (p=0.022) showed a significant increase and the 90 weeks control group (p=0.002) showed a significant decrease in S6K1 protein in cardiac tissue compared to the 2-week control groups. In the analysis of gene expression, it was also found that the 2-week training group showed a significant increase in S6K1 gene expression compared to the 2-week control group (p=0.018). It seems that doing combined exercise at different ages, especially childhood, has a greater effect on the proliferation index of heart cells (S6K1). However, studies with longer training durations should also be considered.

The objective is to carry out a zoning of agri-environments and calculate the growth periods in the municipality of Maravatio, in the state of Michoacan. This is very relevant since the realization of dryland agricultural production of basic crops, vegetables and fruit trees depends on the climate. For the above, a regionalization of the territory of the municipality of Maravatio is made, through delimiting spaces with the agro-environment concept, which combines biotic and abiotic aspects, as well as calculating growth periods, based on precipitation, moisture stored in the soil, average monthly temperature and frost frequency. 9 agro-environments and 12 growth periods are obtained. 70% of the territory of Maravatio has favorable conditions to produce crops with agricultural cycles that fluctuate between 130 and 150 days. The rest must be used as spaces for the conservation of natural resources and for recreational activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the complexity and variability of global climate, the study of extreme events to ensure food security is particularly critical. The standardized precipitation requirement index (SPRI) and chilling injury index (ICi) were introduced using data from agrometeorological stations on the Songliao Plain between 1981 and 2020 to identify the spatial and temporal variability of drought, waterlogging, and low-temperature cold damage during various maize growth periods. Compound drought and low-temperature cold damage events (CDLEs) and compound waterlogging and low-temperature cold damage events (CWLEs) were then identified. To measure the intensity of compound events, the compound drought and low-temperature cold damage magnitude index (CDLMI), and compound waterlogging and low-temperature cold damage magnitude index (CWLMI) were constructed by fitting marginal distributions. Finally, the effects of extreme events of various intensities on maize output were examined. The findings demonstrate that: (1) There were significant differences in the temporal trends of the SPRI and ICi during different maize growth periods. Drought predominated in the middle growth period (MP), waterlogging predominated in the early growth period (EP) and late growth period (LP), and both drought and waterlogging tended to increase in intensity and frequency. The frequency of low-temperature cold damage showed a decreasing trend in all periods. (2) The CDLMI and CWLMI can effectively determine the intensity of CDLEs and CWLEs in the study area; these CDLEs and CWLEs had higher intensity and frequency in the late growth period. (3) Compared to single events, maize relative meteorological yield had a more significant negative correlation with the CDLMI and CWLMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study is purposed to examine the yields, chemical compositions, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Artemisia annua L. essential oils obtained at pre-flowering, initial flowering and post-flowering growth stages. The main constituent of the essential oils in pre-flowering stage was camphor (47.88%). At initial flowering, composition of the essential oil changed drastically. Artemisia ketone increased from 4.62% to 55.31% and camphor decreased to 11.50% resulting in an artemisia ketone chemotype essential oil. In post-flowering stage, both camphor and artemisia ketone did not change significantly compared to initial flowering. These changes of the essential oil compositions caused various alterations in antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the essential oils were slightly increased in parallel with artemisia ketone. On the other hand, the decrease in the camphor content executed a negative impact on antifungal activities. Correlation analysis revealed that artemisia ketone was slightly more antioxidant and more potent antibacterial while camphor was found to be more effective on investigated fungal strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Faba bean is an important member of legumes, which has richer protein levels and great development potential. Yield is an important phenotype character of crops, and early yield estimation can provide a reference for field inputs. To facilitate rapid and accurate estimation of the faba bean yield, the dual-sensor (RGB and multi-spectral) data based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was collected and analyzed. For this, support vector machine (SVM), ridge regression (RR), partial least squares regression (PLS), and k-nearest neighbor (KNN) were used for yield estimation. Additionally, the fusing data from different growth periods based on UAV was first used for estimating faba bean yield to obtain better estimation accuracy. The results obtained are as follows: for a single-growth period, S2 (12 July 2019) had the best accuracy of the estimation model. For fusion data from the muti-growth period, S2 + S3 (12 August 2019) obtained the best estimation results. Furthermore, the coefficient of determination (R2) values for RF were higher than other machine learning algorithms, followed by PLS, and the estimation effects of fusion data from a dual-sensor were evidently better than from a single sensor. In a word, these results indicated that it was feasible to estimate the faba bean yield with high accuracy through data fusion based on dual-sensor data and different growth periods.

Copyright of Harran Journal of Agricultural & Food Science is the property of Harran University, Faculty of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The current study is aimed to investigate the essential oil (EO) yields, chemical compositions, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Artemisia vulgaris L. EOs were isolated before flowering, initial flowering and post-flowering growth stages. Before the flowering stage, major constituents of the EO were α-thujone (30.68%) and β-caryophyllene (22.05%). Parallel to plant development, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (mainly β-caryophyllene) decreased and an increase was recorded in oxygenated monoterpenes, especially in α-thujone. These significant changes in the EO compositions caused various alterations in antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Antioxidant activities of EOs were drastically decreased as the amount of β-caryophyllene dropped off from 22.05 to 7.92% and α-thujone increased from 30.68 to 47.41%. Spearman's correlation coefficients exhibited that α-thujone was quite weak against oxidative stress. In contrast to antioxidant activities, correlation analysis revealed that antimicrobial activities of EOs were enhanced with the increase of α-thujone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is affecting water resources in the Mediterranean region. In olive orchards, irrigation water use efficiency could be increased by accounting for trees' alternate bearing behaviour and growth-stage sensitivity to drought. The main objective of this study is to examine olive tree phenology, morphology and physiology in "on" and "off" productive years for the improvement of irrigation scheduling. A regulated (RDI) and a sustained (SDI) deficit irrigation treatment were applied in a 'Koroneiki' olive orchard in Cyprus. Flowering occurred on 11 May 2019 and on 27 April 2021, which was caused by the lower temperatures in 2019. The Kc for the irrigation season, computed from daily water balance observations, was 0.37 in 2019 (38% canopy cover) and 0.41 in 2021 (62% canopy cover). Irrigation treatments did not significantly affect plant morphology and stem water potentials. In "on" years, shoot elongation ceased early in the season and stem water potential towards the end of September (−4.0 MPa) was lower than in the "off" year. Stem water potential recovery in the September of the "off" year indicated that irrigation could be less than 35% ETc in early fall. Water savings in RDI were 24–32% in "on" and 48% in "off" years relative to SDI, with no statistically significant effects on olive yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate evaluation of maize stalk lodging resistance in different growth periods enables timely management of lodging risks and ensures stable and high maize yields. Here, we established five different sowing dates to create different conditions for maize growth. We evaluated the effects of the different growth conditions on lodging resistance by determining stalk morphology, moisture content, mechanical strength and dry matter, and the relationship between stalk breaking force and these indicators during the silking stage (R1), milk stage (R3), physiological maturity stage (R6), and 20 days after R6. Plant height at R1 positively affected stalk breaking force. At R3, the coefficient of ear height and the dry weight per unit length of basal internodes were key indicators of stalk lodging resistance. At R6, the key indicators were the coefficient of the center of gravity height and plant fresh weight. After R6, the key indicator was the coefficient of the center of gravity height. The crushing strength of the fourth internode correlated significantly and positively with the stalk breaking force from R1 to R6, which indicates that crushing strength is a reliable indicator of stalk mechanical strength. These results suggest that high stalk strength and low ear height benefit lodging resistance prior to R6. During and after R6, the coefficient of the center of gravity height and the mechanical strength of basal internodes can be used to evaluate plant lodging resistance and the appropriate time for harvesting in fields with a high lodging risk.

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Food Research & Development is the property of Food Research & Development Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Understanding the dynamic characteristics of fruit trees is the premise of effective mechanized harvesting. This study performed a tracking test on a ginkgo tree in five phenological periods from the dormant period to the leaf-unfolding period. The frequency domain modal parameters identification method was applied to the ginkgo tree, and the relationship between the natural frequencies and resonance frequencies of the ginkgo tree was obtained. The main factors affecting the fundamental frequency and damping ratio of the ginkgo tree were not the elastic modulus and moisture content but rather the growth of the leaves. The growth of leaves caused the number of natural frequencies in the low-frequency band to be greatly reduced, and the value of the natural frequencies exhibited a slightly decreasing tendency. The damping caused by leaves had a significant weakening effect on the transmission of vibrational energy on the lateral branches. The resonance frequencies that caused strong response of the ginkgo tree were mostly near the peak frequencies of the frequency response curves (natural frequencies), but eccentric motor excitation could not effectively stimulate all the natural frequencies of the ginkgo tree to reach resonance. In the frequency response curves of the ginkgo tree, the main natural frequency with the maximum energy might not cause the maximum vibration response of the ginkgo tree, even if this excitation frequency could induce resonance. Resonance could be used to maximize the transfer of excitation energy, but each position of the tree had its own independent frequency spectrum characteristics. A single excitation frequency could not cause all positions of the ginkgo tree to resonate simultaneously. Changing the excitation frequency of harvesting equipment within a small frequency range could achieve the maximum resonance response of most positions on fruit trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Changzhou University (Social Science Edition) is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Changzhou University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Inorganic phosphate (Pi) is an essential nutrient for maintaining various biological functions, particularly during growth periods. Excess intake of dietary Pi increases the secretion of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) and parathyroid hormone to maintain plasma Pi levels. FGF23 is a potent phosphaturic factor that binds to the α-klotho/FGFR complex in the kidney to promote excretion of Pi into the urine. In addition, excess intake of dietary Pi decreases renal α-klotho expression. Down-regulation or lack of α-klotho induces a premature aging-like phenotype, resulting from hyperphosphatemia, and leading to conditions such as ectopic calcification and osteoporosis. However, it remains unclear what effects dietary Pi has on α-klotho expression at different life stages, especially during growth periods. To investigate this, we used C57BL/6J mice in two life stages during growing period. Weaned (3 weeks old) and periadolescent (7 weeks old) were randomly divided into seven experimental groups and fed with 0.02, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2, 1.5, or 1.8% Pi diets for 7 days. As a result, elevated plasma Pi and FGF23 levels and decreased renal α-klotho expression were observed in weaned mice fed with a high Pi diet. In addition, a high Pi diet clearly induced renal calcification in the weaned mice. However, in the periadolescent group, renal calcification was not observed, even in the 1.8% Pi diet group. The present study indicates that a high Pi diet in weaned mice has much greater adverse effects on renal α-klotho expression and pathogenesis of renal calcification compared with periadolescent mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The water stress had a negative effect on the photosynthetic parameters, stomatal characteristics. • The SOD activities which in leaves were higher than in roots, there was the opposite result in POD, CAT. • The fitting model based on different growth periods was established, the fitting result was well. • Furthermore, the fitting model of each growth period, especially, was better than that of the whole growth periods. • he effect of moderate water stress on physiological indexes was higher than mild water stress in the same growth period. Abstract The aim of this study is to investigate the response of physiological functions, and to establish the model between net photosynthetic rate and some other physiological indexes during the eighteen water stress days and the three subsequent re-water days in different growth periods of tomato. Our data showed that the most of the photosynthetic indicators had the decline trend under water stress, and the value under mild water stress was higher than that of moderate water stress at the same growth stage. Furthermore, all of them recovered to the initial value by and large eventually. There was a significant positive linear relationship between net photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate, net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance. The instantaneous water use efficiency peaked at the last day of water stress. The activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase in both tomato leaves and roots increased continuously under water stress conditions at three growth stages and recovered a lot after rehydration. According to the results, the superoxide dismutase activities in leaves was higher than in roots and the peroxidase, catalase activities in leaves was lower than in roots throughout the whole growth periods. The value of net photosynthetic rate reduced with the increasing of antioxidant enzyme activities in the whole growth periods, and the correlation between net photosynthetic rate and antioxidant enzyme activities was highly significant. Both the stomatal length and stomatal width had a decline trend which was differ from the stomatal density, stomatal density increased during the water stress days. There was a positive linear correlation between net photosynthetic rate and stomatal length (significant), and significant quadratic relationship between net photosynthetic rate and stomatal width; on the contrary, the negative linear correlation between net photosynthetic rate and stomatal density was highly significant. Although the water stress had negative influences on physiological indicators of tomato, the effects of water stress on physiological indexes was not irreversible, since these indexes had restored to a certain extent after rehydration. The water stress had a bigger impact on physiological parameters in anthesis period than the seedling and fruit expanding period. In conclusion, it was verified that mild water stress had no significant effect compared to the full irrigation on tomato physiological indexes during non-critical growth periods (seedling and fruit expanding period). What's more, the relationship between net photosynthetic rate and other physiological indexes can be predicted with the data of whole growth period, but it is better to use the data of each growth period for the accurate prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth periods (GPs, from planting/emergence to reproductive stage 8 (R8) of soybean cultivars vary in different ecological regions, especially in China with a very complex soybean cropping system. In this study, a 3-yr experimental study was undertaken in three geographical locations of China from 2008 to 2010, including the Northeast (40.66–45.85°N), Huang-Huai (34.75–38.04°N) and southern (22.82–30.60°N) eco-regions with about 250 accessions in each region to clarify the classification of maturity group (MG) and identify the cultivars with stable GP to increase the knowledge about the GP distribution of soybean cultivars in China. GPs of soybean cultivars in different eco-regions were significant different with a gradual decrease from 115–125 d in the Northeast part to the 85–100 d in the southern part of China. The geographical location was the major factor for GP of cultivars from the Northeast, while the year of planting was the major factor affecting the stability of GPs in Huang-Huai summer and southern summer soybean. AMMI2 (additive main effects and multiplicative interaction)-Biplot analysis showed that the GPs of soybean cultivars from the Northeast eco-region have a comparatively satisfactory environmental stability. Moreover, soybean cultivars with moderate GP/MG and stable environment adaptability in different eco-regions were identified based on the linear regression and AMMI analysis, which was important for the accurate classification of soybean MGs in future. Taken together, our results reflected the genetic diversity, geographical distribution and environmental stability of the Chinese soybean GP trait. Soybean cultivars with stable GP for various Chinese eco-regions would be beneficial for Chinese soybean genetic improvement, varietal introduction, exchange, and soybean breeding program for wide adaptability.

Copyright of Journal of Southern Agriculture is the property of Journal of Southern Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective To use the number of positive growth periods as a characterization of the growth of small renal masses in order to determine potential predictors of malignancy. Patients and Methods Patients who underwent axial imaging at multiple time points prior to surgical resection for a small renal mass were queried. Patients were categorized based on their pathological tumour grade and stage: favourable (benign, chromophobe and low-grade pT1-2 renal cell carcinoma [RCC]) vs unfavourable (high-grade of any stage and low-grade pT3-4 RCC). A positive growth period was counted each time the difference in greatest tumour diameters between two images was positive. The Cochran-Armitage trend test and Somers' D association were used to determine if the number of positive growth periods was correlated with unfavourable pathology. Results Of the 124 patients, 86 (69.4%) had favourable pathology and 38 (30.6%) had unfavourable pathology. Those who had favourable pathology were younger than those who had unfavourable pathology: median (interquartile range [IQR]) 61.0 (52.2-66.0) vs 68.5 (61.5-77.0); P < 0.001. The overall growth rate was higher in the unfavourable group, but was not statistically significant: mean (sd) 0.7 (1.7) vs 1.6 (2.8) cm/year; P = 0.07. There was a significant trend difference in the number of positive growth periods between favourability groups (P = 0.02). An association between increased number of positive growth periods and unfavourable pathology was observed: 0.15 (95% confidence interval 0.02, 0.29). The ratios of favourable to unfavourable pathology were 1.8, 1.0, 0.66, 0.59 and 0 as the number of positive growth periods increased from 0 to 4, respectively. Conclusion While overall growth rate was not predictive of pathology favourability, there was a positive association between the number of positive growth periods and unfavourable pathology. The number of positive growth periods may be a potential parameter for malignant potential in patients undergoing active surveillance for small renal masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The applicability of hyperspectral remote sensing models for forage nitrogen (N) retrieval during different growth periods is limited. This study aims to develop a multivariate model feasible for estimating the forage N for the growth periods (June to November) in an alpine grassland ecosystem. The random forest (RF) algorithm is employed to determine the optimum combinations of 38 spectral variables capable of capturing dynamic variations in forage N. The results show that (1) throughout the growth period, the red-edge first shifts toward longer wavelengths and then shifts toward shorter wavelengths, the amplitude (AMP) and absorption depth (AD) gradually decrease, and the absorption position (AP) changes slightly; (2) the importance of spectral variables for forage N estimation differs during the different growth periods; (3) the multivariate model achieves better results for the first four periods (June to October) than for the last period (when the grass is completely senesced) (V-R2: 0.58−0.68 versus 0.23); and (4) for the whole growth period (June to November), the prediction accuracy of the general N estimation model validated by the unknown growth period is lower than that validated by the unknown location (V-R2 is 0.28 and 0.55 for the validation strategies of Leave-Time-Out and Leave-Location-Out, respectively). This study demonstrates that the changes in the spectral features of the red wavelength (red-edge position, AMP and AD) are well coupled with the forage N content. Moreover, the development of a multivariate RF model for estimating alpine grasslands N content during different growth periods is promising for the improvement of both the stability and accuracy of the model.

Copyright of Academic Journal of Agriculture / Akademik Ziraat Dergisi is the property of University of Ordu, Faculty of Agriculture, Academic Journal of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Understanding the spatiotemporal distribution pattern of hail disaster risk for cotton is crucial in mitigating hail disaster and promoting the sustainability of cotton farming. Based on such indexes as hail disaster frequency, spatiotemporal exposure, and vulnerability of cotton, we assess hail disaster risk for cotton, and analyze its spatiotemporal pattern and evolution in Mainland China from 1950 to 2009, supported by geographic information system (GIS). The following conclusions are drawn: (1) The proposed risk assessment method reveals the spatiotemporal difference of hail disaster risk for cotton at the county level. (2) Hail disaster risk for cotton is low in China, except for north of the North China Plain and the cotton-planting areas in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. From 1950 to 2009, hail disaster risk for cotton gradually increased. (3) The descending orders of hail disaster risk levels for cotton are bud stage, seedling stage, sowing and seeding stage, boll stage, and boll opening stage. The growth period with the highest risk varies across the cotton-planting areas. (4) The results of this paper are important for developing hail disaster prevention and reduction measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical and biochemical characterization of freeze-dried Aloe vera L. gel (AG) has been carried out from different age groups and harvesting seasons to get a clear scenario of AG properties at different growth periods. The stability of amorphous AG under thermal perturbation was analyzed with reference to the respective glass transition temperature by differential scanning calorimetry. The functional properties of gel in the form of water holding and fat adsorption capacity were more pronounced at 3-year-old plants in summer. A higher glass transition temperature (135 ± 4.80 °C) of gel from 3-year-old aloe accounts for higher concentration and better cross-linking of the component polysaccharides. The chemometric studies encompassing principal component and partial least square analysis depict an intrinsic structure-function relation with reference to different properties considered, which has been demonstrated to be influenced by growth periods of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleotides, nucleosides and nucleobases have been proven as important bioactive compounds related to many physiological processes. Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medicus from the family of Malvaceae is an annual herbal plant of folk medicine widely distributed in Oceania and Asia. However, up to now, no detailed information could be available for the types and contents of nucleotides, nucleosides and nucleobases contained in A. manihot roots, stems, leaves as well as the flowers. In the present study, an UPLC-TQ-MS/MS method was established for detection of the twelve nucleotides, nucleosides and nucleobases. The validated method was successfully applied to identify the 12 analytes in different parts of A. manihot harvested at ten growth periods. 2′-deoxyinosine was not detected in all of the A. manihot samples. The data demonstrated that the distribution and concentration of the 12 compounds in A. manihot four parts were arranged in a decreasing order as leaf > flower > stem > root. Based on the results, the leaves and flowers of A. manihot could be developed as health products possessed nutraceutical and bioactive properties in the future. This method might also be utilized for the quality control of the A. manihot leaves and other herbal medicines being rich in nucleotides, nucleosides and nulecobases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 13 glucosinolates were quantified in Chinese cabbage during four growth periods. • Seeds had the highest concentrations of glucosinolate across the different periods. • Aliphatic glucosinolate predominated in Chinese cabbage. The aims of this study were to investigate glucosinolate variations in Chinese cabbage cultivars at different growth periods. Glucosinolates in two types of Chinese cabbage (Xiayangbai and Zaoshu-5) at different growth periods (seeds, germination, seedling, and rosette period) were investigated. Thirteen glucosinolates were identified and quantified using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Concentrations of the glucosinolates were significantly different between Xiayangbai and Zaoshu-5. The seed period generated the highest concentration of glucosinolates, and aliphatic glucosinolate predominated in seeds, seedling, and leaves of the rosette as well as during germination. However, the dominant glucosinolate in the roots was an aromatic glucosinolate (gluconasturtiin). In addition, glucoerucin was only found in the roots of rosettes. There were positive significant correlations with each other among gluconapin, glucobrassicanapin, glucoraphanin, glucoalyssin, and 4-hydroxyglucobrassicin. Our results released the metabolism pathways of glucosinolates in Chinese cabbage, which provided scientific evidence to develop functional foods with higher glucosinolate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Mineral contents in Aloe vera L. gel can be influenced by growth periods. [•] Freeze-drying renders amorphous, unorganized and dispersed structure to gel. [•] Na, K, Ca, Mg and P contents were found to be high at 2-year-old plants. [•] Se (an antioxidant mineral) is present in gel, and more at 3-year-old aloe. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Antioxidant activity of gel can be influenced by the growth periods Aloe vera. [•] Gel from summer season shows high antioxidant activity. [•] Compared to 2 and 4 year, 3-year-old aloe shows higher antioxidant activity. [•] OH, CO, CH3, COO and C O C are the predominant functional group of aloe gel. [•] Antioxidant activity depends on phenolics content and the degree of acetylation as well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Methanolic extract of A. vera gel shows UV absorbing and antioxidant activity. [•] High antioxidant activity and UV absorption is noted in 3 year-old-aloe at winter. [•] OH, C H and CO have been detected as predominant functional group. [•] Phenolic OH attributes to antioxidant activity of methanolic extract of gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to understand the relationships between yield and irrigation water applied at different growth periods and to determine the most critical period(s) for sunflower. A rainfed (non-irrigated) treatment as the control and 13 different irrigation treatments (H, F, M, HF, HM, FM, HFM, H60FM, H40FM, HF60M, HF40M, HFM60, HFM40) with full (about 360 mm) or limited (40 and 60%) irrigation water, were applied to the hybrid Sanbro (Novartis Seed Company) planted on clay soil, at three critical development periods: heading (H), flowering (F), and milking (M). Evapotranspiration (ET) increased as an increasing amount of irrigation water was applied. The highest seasonal ET (an average of 674 mm) was measured in the HFM treatment. Limited irrigation applied at different growing periods had different effects on the yield-related characters examined. The highest seed yield (4056 kg ha−1) and oil yield (1841 kg ha−1) were obtained from the HFM treatment; 85.4 and 88% increases, respectively, compared with the control. The seed yield and oil yield increases for the limited-irrigation treatments were: 78.7 and 77.4% for H60FM; 77.4 and 78.9% for H40FM; 72.2 and 75% for HF60M; 76.4 and 79.2% for HF40M; 72.7 and 73.6% for HFM60; 77.6 and 79.1% for HFM40. Therefore, we confirm that HFM irrigation is the best choice for maximum yield under the local conditions, but these irrigation schemes must be re-considered in areas where water resources are more limited. In case of more restricted irrigation, the limitation of irrigation water at the flowering period should be avoided. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The applicability of hyperspectral remote sensing models for forage nitrogen (N) retrieval during different growth periods is limited. This study aims to develop a multivariate model feasible for estimating the forage N for the growth periods (June to November) in an alpine grassland ecosystem. The random forest (RF) algorithm is employed to determine the optimum combinations of 38 spectral variables capable of capturing dynamic variations in forage N. The results show that (1) throughout the growth period, the red-edge first shifts toward longer wavelengths and then shifts toward shorter wavelengths, the amplitude (AMP) and absorption depth (AD) gradually decrease, and the absorption position (AP) changes slightly; (2) the importance of spectral variables for forage N estimation differs during the different growth periods; (3) the multivariate model achieves better results for the first four periods (June to October) than for the last period (when the grass is completely senesced) (V-R2: 0.58–0.68 versus 0.23); and (4) for the whole growth period (June to November), the prediction accuracy of the general N estimation model validated by the unknown growth period is lower than that validated by the unknown location (V-R2 is 0.28 and 0.55 for the validation strategies of Leave-Time-Out and Leave-Location-Out, respectively). This study demonstrates that the changes in the spectral features of the red wavelength (red-edge position, AMP and AD) are well coupled with the forage N content. Moreover, the development of a multivariate RF model for estimating alpine grasslands N content during different growth periods is promising for the improvement of both the stability and accuracy of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal endophytes are the most ubiquitous plant symbionts on earth and are phylogenetically diverse. Studies on the fungal endophytes in tobacco have shown that they are widely distributed in the leaves, stems, and roots, and play important roles in the composition of the microbial ecosystem of tobacco. Herein, we analyzed and quantified the endophytic fungi of healthy tobacco leaves at the seedling stage (SS), resettling growth stage (RGS), fast-growing stage (FGS), and maturing stage (MS) at three altitudes (600, 1000, and 1300 m). We sequenced the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of fungal samples to delimit operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and phylogenetically characterize the communities. The results showed that the numbers of clustering OTUs at SS, RGS, FGS, and MS were 516, 709, 469, and 428, respectively. At the phylum level, species in Ascomycota and Basidiomycota had absolute predominance, representing 97.8% and 2.0% of the total number of species, respectively. We also found the number of fungi at the RGS and FGS stages was higher than those at the other two stages. Additionally, OTU richness was determined by calculating the Observed Species, Shannon, Simpson, Chao1, abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE), Good's coverage and phylogenetic distance (PD)_whole_tree indices based on the total number of species. Our results showed RGS samples had the highest diversity indices. Furthermore, we found that the diversity of fungal communities tended to decrease with increasing altitude. The results from this study indicated that tobacco harbors an abundant and diverse endophytic fungal community, which provides new opportunities for exploring their potential utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]