生物有机肥对猕猴桃土壤酶活性和微生物群落的影响

采用田间试验,研究了不施肥、施用生物有机肥、传统有机肥和化肥对猕猴桃土壤酶活性、微生物群落结构及其代谢的影响.结果表明: 施用生物有机肥在猕猴桃生育期内可显著提高土壤蔗糖酶和荧光素二乙酸酯水解酶活性,分别比对照高出12.2%～129.4%、18.8%～87.4%.施用生物有机肥在膨大期和成熟期的土壤脲酶和酸性磷酸酶活性显著高于其他处理.Biolog微平板法测定结果表明,生物有机肥在猕猴桃生育期内提高了土壤微生物的平均每孔颜色变化率,增加了物种多样性、丰富度和均匀度,改变了微生物对6大类碳源的相对利用率,降低了微生物对氨基酸类碳源的相对利用能力,提高了微生物对多酚类和多胺类碳源的相对利用能力;主成分分析表明,对土壤中微生物起分异作用的碳源种类主要是糖类、氨基酸类和羧酸类.     

不同腐熟程度有机物料对土壤微生物群落功能多样性的影响

室内培养条件下,施用有机物料初期土壤微生物群落代谢功能Shannon多样性指数降低,中期又提高。有机物料种类和腐熟水平可明显影响土壤微生物群落对Biolog微平板中碳源的利用能力,土壤微生物群落利用各类碳源的能力随培养试验的延长而降低,在25d内新鲜有机物处理对碳源的利用率的下降速度低于同类腐熟有机物料处理。糖类是各处理土壤微生物群落的主要利用碳源。土壤微生物群落主成分分析表明,在施用有机物料后25d内腐熟水平是影响土壤微生物群落的主要因素,新鲜有机物处理的土壤微生物群落相似,腐熟有机物处理的土壤微生物群落相似,培养50d后各处理的土壤微生物群落无差异。     

长期施肥处理对红壤水稻土微生物群落结构和功能多样性的影响

利用磷脂脂肪酸分析法和微平板测定法研究红壤荒地开垦为水田耕种20年后,不同施肥处理条件下土壤微生物群落结构和功能多样性变化,并分析土壤微生物学指标与土壤养分含量变化的关系。结果表明,与不施磷处理相比,施磷处理的水稻年产量、土壤有机碳、全氮、碱解氮、全磷和速效磷含量平均提高了196.6%、11.4%、19.4%、14.0%、100.6%和300.1%;而与未施有机肥处理相比,施有机肥处理上述各指标平均提高了85.4%、23.8%、25.0%、15.0%、38.6%和86.8%。与对照相比,施用磷肥和施用有机肥处理的微生物总磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)含量提高了13.6%~68.9%。磷肥和有机肥的施用也提高了各菌群微生物的PLFA含量。不同施肥处理土壤微生物群落平均吸光度(AWCD)值、Shannon指数、Simpson指数和Mc Intosh指数分别为0.17~0.30、2.79~3.03、0.93~0.94和1.46~2.27。磷肥和有机肥的施用提高了微生物群落的AWCD值和功能多样性指数。主成分分析表明,施用磷肥和施用有机肥的处理微生物群落结构和碳源利用方式明显区别于对照、单施氮肥和施用氮钾肥的处理。逐步回归分析显示,有机碳、全磷、全氮和速效磷是影响土壤微生物群落结构和功能多样性的关键因素。磷肥和有机肥的施用有利于促进土壤微生物活性和多样性,提高土壤生物功能和生产力。     

生物有机肥对土壤微生物群落结构变化及西瓜枯萎病的调控

【目的】研究施用生物有机肥处理土壤后对西瓜枯萎病发生的影响,明确可能与西瓜枯萎病发病密切相关的土壤微生物群落结构。【方法】设置2组不同年份材料对比,依次为施用生物有机肥后2016年发病期(CK2016、T12016)和2017年发病期(CK2017、T12017)。基于16S r RNA序列测定,利用Illumina Miseq高通量测序平台对施用生物有机肥后不同年份的土壤微生物群落组成和差异进行测序分析。【结果】试验结果发现,不同年份的土壤微生物群落中alpha多样性指数并无明显的差异,但是施用生物有机肥后的土壤相比对照土壤中细菌群落多样性略有增高。不同年份土壤细菌群落结构在门水平上差异不显著,其中变形菌门和硬壁菌门是构成这两个年份土壤细菌的重要组成部分,同时也是比较稳定的微生物类群。在属水平上分析发现主要动态变化菌属为芽孢杆菌属、肠球菌属、乳球菌属及水恒杆菌属。通过Spearman分析发现它们与西瓜枯萎病发生率的关系均为负相关。【结论】施用生物有机肥可帮助西瓜连作土壤的生态修复,对枯萎病防治起到一定的作用。通过对施用生物有机肥的不同年份土壤微生物种群结构动态变化及对枯萎病发生率呈正负相关的微生物菌属的分析研究,为如何利用调节土壤微生物群落结构来防治西瓜枯萎病提供了新的思路。     

生物炭对菜园土壤微生物功能多样性的影响

研究生物炭的施用及其与不同肥料混施对菜园土壤中微生物群落功能多样性的影响,为农业废弃物的合理利用和菜园土优化培肥提供科学依据和理论指导。以清远市连州县代表性菜园土(属肥熟旱耕人为土)为研究对象,通过盆栽试验,利用BIOLOG方法对10个施肥处理(对照CK(0%生物碳+无肥)、T1(0%生物碳+0.1%商品有机肥)、T2(0.1%生物碳+无肥)、T3(0.25%生物碳+无肥)、T4(0.5%生物碳+无肥)、T5(1%生物碳+无肥)、T6(100(N)+30(P_2O_5)+75(K_2O)mg/kg干土)、T7(0.1%生物碳+0.1%商品有机肥)、T8(0.1%生物碳+100(N)+0(P_2O_5)+75(K_2O)mg/kg干土)、T9(0.1%生物碳+100(N)+30(P_2O_5)+75(K_2O)mg/kg干土)、T10(0.1%生物碳+0.1%商品有机肥+100(N)+0(P_2O_5)+75(K_2O)mg/kg干土))的土壤微生物群落功能多样性进行分析。结果表明:(1)T1和T3处理比其它处理显著提高土壤微生物对碳源的利用率(P0.05),但生物炭施用量增加会降低平均颜色变化率(AWCD值);(2)T1处理可以显著提高土壤微生物的群落物种均匀度(Mclntosh指数),而T3处理显著提高土壤微生物的物种丰富度和均匀度(Shannon和Mclntosh指数);(3)T1和T3处理对聚合物类、碳水化合物类、羧酸类、氨基酸类和酚类碳源利用率最高;(4)添加化肥处理中磷肥的施用可以提高土壤微生物活性,增加土壤微生物碳源利用能力,而氮肥和钾肥的添加显著降低了土壤微生物的碳源利用能力;(5)主成分分析表明,T1、T2和T3处理的微生物碳代谢功能群结构相似;单施有机肥或适量生物炭对土壤微生物群落结构的影响较混合施用更为显著;化学磷肥的添加及在施用化肥的基础上配施适量生物炭改变了土壤微生物对碳源种类的利用。     

长期不同施肥对番茄根际土壤微生物功能多样性的影响

研究长期定位施肥对番茄根际土壤微生物群落功能多样性的影响,旨在为番茄根际生态过程中的调控提供科学依据和理论指导。以沈阳农业大学长期定位施肥基地的番茄根际土壤为研究对象,采用Biolog-ECO微平板法,分析了11个处理:N(单施氮肥)、K(单施钾肥)、P(单施磷肥)、NP(氮磷肥配施)、NPK(氮磷钾肥配施)、MN(有机肥配施氮肥)、MK(有机肥配施钾肥)、MP(有机肥配施磷肥)、MNP(有机肥配施氮磷肥)、MNPK(有机肥配施氮磷钾肥)、对照CK(不施肥)的土壤微生物群落功能多样性。结果表明:(1)配施有机肥能够显著提高土壤有机质、速效磷、速效钾和碱解氮的含量,氮肥的施入会降低根际土壤的pH,各处理间土壤理化性质的差异显著;(2)配施有机肥可以增强番茄根际土壤微生物对碳源的利用能力,提高微生物群落功能多样性,其中,MNP处理微生物对碳源利用能力最强,微生物活性最高。具体表现为:(1)长期施肥改变了土壤微生物对碳源的利用能力。配施有机肥处理的土壤微生物对6类碳源的总利用能力高于单施化肥处理,以MNP优势最明显;(2)在6类碳源中,氨基酸类碳源利用能力最强,酚酸类碳源利用能力最弱;(3)主成分分析表明,31种碳源对PC1贡献较大的有12种,对PC2贡献较大的有8种;(4)施加肥料的处理的Shannon指数、丰富度指数和优势度指数均高于不施肥的处理,但其均匀度下降。有机肥配施氮磷肥处理的Shannon指数、丰富度指数均显著高于其他处理。综合所有结果,以MNP的施肥较果最佳,能够呈现较高的根际土壤微生物功能多样性。     

苹果专用肥对旱地果园土壤酶活性以及微生物多样性的影响

在10年生旱地红富士苹果园,研究了施用等养分(N、P2O5、K2O)量的无机肥(IF)、农家肥+无机肥(MIF)、苹果专用肥(ASF)后土壤养分、酶活性和微生物群落功能多样性的变化。结果表明,MIF和ASF处理显著提高了土壤有机质含量,分别较IF处理提高24.01%和21.07%,而土壤全氮含量在处理间无显著性差异;IF和ASF处理下土壤有效氮、速效磷和速效钾含量均高于MIF处理。MIF和ASF处理均显著提高了土壤过氧化氢酶、脲酶、蔗糖酶和碱性磷酸酶活性,且ASF处理下土壤脲酶和蔗糖酶活性亦显著高于MIF处理,分别增加18.97%和13.69%。ASF处理的土壤微生物群落平均颜色变化率(AWCD)、碳源利用丰富度指数(S)、物种丰富度指数(H)、优势度指数(D)均为最高;土壤微生物利用的碳源主要是糖类、多聚物类、氨基酸类和羧酸类,ASF处理显著提高了土壤微生物对羧酸类、多酚类和胺类的利用。主成分分析结果表明,不同施肥处理改变了土壤微生物碳源利用特征出现分异,对第一主成分(PC1)影响较大的碳源主要是糖类。不同施肥对果园土壤酶活性和微生物群落功能产生了显著影响,ASF处理更有利于提高土壤酶活性以及微生物群落功能多样性。     

有机物料种类及腐熟水平对土壤微生物群落的影响

应用Biolog方法研究了温室盆栽番茄条件下,施用不同种类及不同腐熟水平的有机物料对土壤微生物群落的影响,施用有机物料60d后取土分析土壤微生物群落多样性及土壤微生物对Biolog微平板中胺、氨基酸、糖、羧酸、聚合物和其它类碳源的利用情况,结果表明,施用有机物料可提高土壤微生物群落多样性,施用新鲜酒糟的多样性指数略高于施用腐熟10d酒糟,牛粪不同腐熟水平对多样性影响显著,且对多样性具有正向或负向的影响;对照和施用酒糟的土壤微生物对聚合物的利用率高于施用牛粪处理,施用新鲜物料处理的土壤微生物对聚合物的利用率高于施用腐熟物料处理。     

不同施肥方式对苏北杨树人工林土壤微生物碳源代谢的影响

施NPK肥是提高人工林土壤肥力的有效措施之一,生物炭作为土壤改良剂,可以改良土壤物理性质,与有机肥同施有利于土壤保持养分;同时,施用生物炭被认为是缓解全球气候变暖的重要途径之一,因此受到关注。然而,关于这些不同施肥方式对土壤微生物群落碳源代谢及生态安全的影响和机制还缺乏了解。本试验以苏北沿海杨树人工林为试验基地,应用4种不同的施肥方式,即CK(对照组)、T1(NPK肥)、T2(NPK肥+生物炭)、T3(高浓度生物炭),分析不同施肥处理对土壤微生物在不同碳源利用方面的差异,以及施用生物炭是否影响土壤微生物代谢活性和碳源代谢多样性。结果表明:不同施肥方式土壤微生物代谢活性大小表现为:T3T2T1CK,其中T3与CK差异显著,表明高浓度生物炭能显著提高土壤微生物代谢活性。微生物碳源利用多样性指数表现为:T3T2T1和CK,其中仅有Mc Intosh指数T3显著高于CK,在对6类碳源中的聚合物的利用上,T3显著高于CK,表明高浓度的生物炭添加会促进喜食聚合物的微生物群落生长,并具有改变土壤微生物多样性的潜力。主成分分析结果表明,增加主成分个数能够更有效地表达完整的信息,不同施肥方式在碳源利用上差异不明显,表明微生物群落功能稳定,短期施肥没有改变微生物碳源代谢多样性,而生物炭虽然可以显著提高土壤微生物代谢活性,但并没有显著改变其碳源代谢多样性。     

长期不同施肥对稻田土壤微生物群落功能多样性的影响

微生物群落功能多样性对土壤管理具有重要指示作用,施肥措施对土壤微生物群落功能多样性产生重要的影响,从而影响土壤有机质的含量,引起土地碳贮量变化,进而影响到陆地生态系统的碳汇.以位于湖南省桃江县国家级稻田肥力长期定位试验点的土样为研究对象,采用BIOLOG测试板对不同施肥处理下土壤微生物功能多样性进行了研究.研究结果显示,土壤微生物的碳源利用率因长期不同的施肥处理而发生分异.Shannon和Simpson指数的结果显示所有施肥处理均有利于维持微生物群落多样性,但秸秆还田和习惯施肥使群落均匀度(McIntosh指数)降低.主成分分析表明,试验点土壤微生物群落利用的主要碳源为氨基酸类和糖类,但不同施肥处理碳源利用类型有差异.结果可以得出,不同的施肥对土壤微生物功能多样性产生了不同影响,从而影响土壤有机质中碳、氮含量.这些信息可以为深入研究施肥对全球碳氮循环以及全球气候变迁提供依据.     

Land,livestock, and livelihoods: Changing dynamics of gender,caste, and ethnicity in a Nepalese Village

Over the past 10 years, Ghusel VDC, Lalitpur District has moved from primarily subsistence agriculture into the wider cash economy aided by the Small Farmers' Development Program (SFDP), which provides credit to farmers mainly for the purchase of buffalo for milk production, and by the National Dairy Corporation, which supports local dairy cooperatives. Analysis reveals that buffalo-keeping and milk sales are increasing the well-being of many households, while at the same time creating new inequalities in gender roles and responsibilities, greater inequities between Brahmin and Tamang residents in Ghusel, and placing pressures on the ecosystem for increased supplies of fodder and fuelwood. Evidence suggests that there is critical, need for attention to the social, and particularly gender-based, implications of maintaining livestock for milk sales and to the ecological underpinnings of this livelihood system.     

Influence of Fluoride on Rat Kidney Antioxidant System: Effects of Methionine and Vitamin E

The aim of the study has been to determine and compare the influence upon the kidney antioxidative system, exercised by administration of vitamin E, and vitamin E in combination with methionine, under conditions of oxidative stress induced by sodium fluoride. The experiment was carried out on Wistar FL rats (adult males) that, for 35 days, were administered water, NaF, NaF with vitamin E, or vitamin E with methionine (doses: 10 mg NaF/kg of body mass/24 h, 3 mg vitamin E per 10 μl per rat for 24 h, 2 mg methionine per rat for 24 h). The influence of administered sodium fluoride and antioxidants upon the antioxidative system in kidney was examined by analyzing the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activity of the most important antioxidative enzymes (SOD, total and both its isoenzymes, GPX, GST, GR, and CAT). The studies carried out confirmed the disadvantageous effect of the administered dose of NaF upon the antixodiative system in rats (increase in the concentration MDA, decrease activity of all antioxidative enzymes). The administration of vitamin E increased the activity of studied enzymes with the exception of glutathione reductase GR; it also reduced the procesess of lipid peroxidation. It has been found that combined doses of vitamin E and methionine were most effective in inhibiting lipid peroxidation processes. The results confirmed the antioxidative properties of methionine.     

Identification of specific binding sites for leukotriene C4 in human fetal lung

Specific leukotriene C₄ (LTC₄) binding sites were identified in membrane preparations from human fetal lung. Specific binding of [³H]-LTC₄ represented 95 percent of total binding, reached steadystate within 10 minutes and was rapidly reversible upon addition of excess unlabeled LTC₄. Binding assays were performed at 4°C under conditions which prevented metabolism of [³H]-LTC₄ (80 mM serineborate, 10 mM cysteine, 10 mM glycine). Under these conditions, greater than 95 percent of the membrane bound radioactivity, as analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography, co-eluted with the LTC₄ standard. Computer-assisted analyses of saturation binding data showed a single class of binding sites with a dissociation constant (K_d) of 26 + 6 nM and a density (B_max) of 84 ± 18 pmol/mg protein. Pharmacological specificity was demonstrated by competition studies in which specific binding of [³H]-LTC₄ was displaced by LTC₄ and its structural analogs with inhibition constants (K_j) of 10 to 30 nM, whereas LTD₄, diastereoisomers of LTD₁, LTE₄ and the end organ antagonist FPL 55712 were 150 to 700 fold less potent competitors than LTC₄. These results provide evidence for specific, reversible, saturable, high affinity binding sites for [³H]-LTC₄ in human fetal lung membranes.     

Reorientation of Microfibrils and Microtubules at the Outer Epidermal Wall of Maize Coleoptiles During Auxin-Mediated Growth

Auxin-mediated elongation growth of isolated subapical coleoptile segments of maize (Zea mays L.) is controlled by the extensibility of the outer cell wall of the outer epidermis (Kutschera et al., 1987). Here we investigate the hypothesis that auxin controls the extensibility of this wall by changing the orientation of newly deposited microfibrils through a corresponding change in the orientation of cortical microtubules. On the basis of electron micrographs it is shown that cessation of growth after removal of the endogenous source of auxin is correlated with a relative increase of longitudinally orientated microfibrils and microtubules at the inner wall surface. Conversely, reinduction of growth by exogenous auxin is correlated with a relative increase of transversely orientated microfibrils and microtubules at the inner wall surface. These changes can be detected 30–60 min after the removal and addition of auxin, respectively. The functional significance of directional changes of newly desposited wall microfibrils for the control of elongation growth is discussed.     

多马胺能药物对鲇鱼促性腺激素（GtH）分泌活动的影响

以珠江流域鲇鱼（silurus asotus)为实验材料,研究了多巴胺（DA）能药物（DA及其D－2型受体拮抗物 ,DOM）对鲇鱼促性腺激素（GtH)释放的影响,结果表明,在性腺发育的各个时期,单独注射DOM（5ug/g)均不能显著提高鲇鱼血液基础GtH水平,当DOM与LHRH－A联合注射时能显著增强LHRH－A刺激GtH释放的作用;DA只能抑制GnRH诱导的GtH释放,对基础GtH释放无抑制作用,这种生殖内分泌调节方式与鲇形目的革胡子鲇（Clarias gariepinus)和大鳍Hu（Mystus macropterus)相似,而与鲤形目的鲁科（Cyrpindiae)鱼类不同。     

Gamma-glutamylcysteine protects ergothioneine-deficient Mycobacterium tuberculosis mutants against oxidative and nitrosative stress

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb.), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), cannot synthesize GSH, but synthesizes two major low molecular weight thiols namely mycothiol (MSH) and ergothioneine (ERG). Gamma-glutamylcysteine (GGC), an intermediate in GSH synthesis, has been implicated in the protection of lactic acid bacteria from oxidative stress in the absence of GSH. In mycobacteria, GGC is an intermediate in ERG biosynthesis, and its formation is catalysed by EgtA (GshA). GGC is subsequently used by EgtB in the formation of hercynine-sulphoxide-GGC. In this study, M.tb. mutants harbouring unmarked, in-frame deletions in each of the fives genes involved in ERG biosynthesis (egtA, egtB, egtC, egtD and egtE) or a marked deletion of the mshA gene (required for MSH biosynthesis) were generated. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analyses (LC-MS) revealed that the production of GGC was elevated in the MSH-deficient and the ERG-deficient mutants. The ERG-deficient ΔegtB mutant which accumulated GGC was more resistant to oxidative and nitrosative stress than the ERG-deficient, GGC-deficient ΔegtA mutant. This implicates GGC in the detoxification of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in M.tb.     

Interactions of an antitumor platinum compound with deoxyribonucleic acid, histones, L-amino acids, poly-L-amino acids, nucleosides and nucleotides

Interaction of cis-dichloro(dipyridine)platinum(II) (cis-PPC) with calf thymus DNA, calf thymus histone, l-amino acids, poly-l-amino acids, nucleosides, and nucleotides has been evaluated by equilibrium dialysis technics. At least a 28 % decrease in the association of cis-PPC with DNA occurs when the platinum compound is pre-incubated with l-amino acids. The greatest decrease in association is seen upon pre-incubation of the platinum compound with the free amino acids. Glut, Asp, Lys, Arg, and CySH, before the addition of a sack containing a solution of DNA. The low level of association between DNA and the amino acids tends to rule out competition between cis-PPC and amino acids for DNA association sites. cis-PPC was repelled from sacks containing positively charged poly-l-Lys, poly-l-Arg, and calf thymus histone; however, in the presence of poly-l-Glut and poly-l-Asp, cis-PPC associated with these negatively charged polymers to a considerable degree. Enhanced chloride dissociation from cis-PPC was observed in the presence of all of the amino acids and the nucleotides GMP, CMP, UMP, and TMP, but not in the presence of AMP or the nucleosides rG and dG. In the presence of calf thymus histone, the association of cis-PPC with calf thymus DNA was reduced by more than 50% at histone/DNA ratios of 0.8–1.0.These data suggest that cis-PPC or cis-Pt(II) may associate with electron-rich areas of not only nucleic acids and proteins but also with body pools of free nucleotides and amino acids. The presence of positively charged histones shielding DNA strands in vivo suggests that the most probable point of platinum-DNA association would be at de-repressed areas of DNA which are undergoing RNA synthesis. The aquated form of the platinum complex may also associate with acidic proteins which appear to be involved in the positive control of RNA synthesis and, as a result, this interaction may be of pharmacological significance.     

Tuning of electronic properties of one-dimensional cyano-bridged Cu-Ni, Cu-Pd, and Cu-Pt bimetallic assemblies by stereochemistry of ligands

Preparations, XPS and electronic spectroscopy, and magnetism of seven new one-dimensional cyano-bridged coordination polymers, chiral [Cu(RR-chxn)₂][Pd(CN)₄] · 2H₂O (1), [Cu(trans-chxn)₂][M(CN)₄] · 2H₂O (2, 4, and 6 for M = Pd, Ni, and Pt), and [Cu(cis-chxn)₂][M(CN)₄] · 2H₂O (3, 5, and 7 for M = Pd, Ni, and Pt) (RR-chxn = cyclohexane-(1R,2R)-diamine, trans-chxn = racemic trans-cyclohexane-(1,2)-diamine, and cis-chxn = racemic cis-cyclohexane-(1,2)-diamine) have been reported in view of tuning of their electronic properties by stereochemistry of chxn ligands and metal-substitution. Comparison of Cu 2p_1/2 and 2p_3/2 peaks of XPS and broad d-d bands around 18 000 cm⁻¹ of electronic spectra are described systematically for 1-7. Variable-temperature magnetic measurement shows that complexes 1-7 indicate weak antiferromagnetic interactions via cyano-bridges. Because of semi-coordination coupled with pseudo Jahn-Teller elongation and electrostatic interaction for 1, the axial Cu-N coordination bond distances of 2.330(7) and 3.092(8) Å are considerably longer than those of equatorial ones in the range from 2.016(6) to 2.030(6) Å. The former bond distances of 1 are intermediate values among the related Ni (2.324(6) and 3.120(8) Å) and Pt (2.34(1) and 3.09(1) Å) complexes.     

Biofortification of crops with seven mineral elements often lacking in human diets – iron, zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium, selenium and iodine

The diets of over two-thirds of the world's population lack one or more essential mineral elements. This can be remedied through dietary diversification, mineral supplementation, food fortification, or increasing the concentrations and/or bioavailability of mineral elements in produce (biofortification). This article reviews aspects of soil science, plant physiology and genetics underpinning crop biofortification strategies, as well as agronomic and genetic approaches currently taken to biofortify food crops with the mineral elements most commonly lacking in human diets: iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iodine (I) and selenium (Se). Two complementary approaches have been successfully adopted to increase the concentrations of bioavailable mineral elements in food crops. First, agronomic approaches optimizing the application of mineral fertilizers and/or improving the solubilization and mobilization of mineral elements in the soil have been implemented. Secondly, crops have been developed with: increased abilities to acquire mineral elements and accumulate them in edible tissues; increased concentrations of 'promoter' substances, such as ascorbate, β-carotene and cysteine-rich polypeptides which stimulate the absorption of essential mineral elements by the gut; and reduced concentrations of 'antinutrients', such as oxalate, polyphenolics or phytate, which interfere with their absorption. These approaches are addressing mineral malnutrition in humans globally.     

Invited Review Free Radicals in Foods

During the last decade increasing attention has been given to the role of free radicals in biological oxidations. The subject has been of increasing interest to both the food scientist and the physiologist. Free radical scavengers in the form of both indigenous and added antioxidants are necessary for the successful preservation of food; free radicals are increasingly being implicated in the onset of, among others, ischaemic heart disease and for protection against these diseases it is suggested that the dietary intake of the antioxidant vitamins should be increased especially for diets high in polyunsaturated fats. ^1,2 Convenience and snack foods which absorb substantial amounts of frying oils are being increasingly consumed. Since poly-unsaturated fatty acids are particularly susceptible to oxidation by free radicals during the storage, cooking and frying of foods, the potential risk of exposure to lipid degradation products' is likely to have increased. In foods the non-enzymic and lipoxygenase catalysed oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, β-carotene and vitamin A can result in the loss of essential nutrients and the development of off-flavours.