• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제21권12호
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• pp.1322-1329
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• 2011

Filamentous fungi colonizing rice straw were collected from 11 different sites in Korea and were identified based on characterization of their morphology and molecular properties. The fungi were divided into 25 species belonging to 16 genera, including 14 ascomycetes, one zygomycete, and one basidiomycete. Fungal cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes were assessed through a two-step process, wherein highly active cellulase- and/or hemicellulase-producing fungi were selected in a first screening step followed by a second step to isolate the best enzyme-producer. Twenty-five fungal species were first screened for the production of total cellulase (TC), endo-${\beta}$-1,4 glucanase (EG), and endo-${\beta}$-1,4 xylanase (XYL) using solid-state fermentation with rice straw as substrate. From this screening, six species, namely, Aspergillus niger KUC5183, A. ochraceus KUC5204, A. versicolor KUC5201, Mucor circinelloides KUC6014, Trichoderma harzianum 1 KUC5182, and an unknown basidiomycete species, KUC8721, were selected. These six species were then incubated in liquid Mandels' media containing cellulose, glucose, rice straw, or xylan as the sole carbon source and the activities of six different enzymes were measured. Enzyme production was highly influenced by media conditions and in some cases significantly increased. Through this screening process, Trichoderma harzianum 1 KUC5182 was selected as the best enzyme producer. Rice straw and xylan were good carbon sources for the screening of cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.331-337
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• 2019

Digitaria exilis L. is an under-utilized crop with high nutritional and medicinal values. It thrives in and is well-adapted to arid areas with low soil nutrients. Using biochemical markers, this study investigates the mechanisms by which D. exilis responds to osmotic stress. Three accessions Dinat Iburua (DIN), Jakah Iburua (JAK) and Jiw Iburua (JIW) were collected from National Cereal Research Institute, Niger State. Two accessions, NG/11/JD/061 and NG/11/JD/062 were also collected from National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Ibadan. Murashige and Skoog medium of approximately 1.2 L was supplemented with polyethylene glycol 6000 to create osmotic pressures of -9.29, -13.93, -20.13, -26.32, -32.51, and 0 MPa (control). Sterilized seeds were inoculated in the medium and placed in the growth room for 4 weeks. Proline accumulation was significantly high in all JAK plants under osmotic stress. Proline and ascorbate peroxidase (p<0.05) activities were directly correlated, thus reinforcing the survivability of JAK during stress. Catalase (CAT) activity was also significantly induced in JAK under osmotic stress, which synergistically improved its tolerability. As a result, >50% of OH-, H₂O₂, and NO radicals were scavenged. However, other accessions including DIN, NG061, NG062, and JIW showed variations in their responses to different levels of osmotic stress, although not significant. Therefore, JAK possesses a well-equipped free radical quenching system that is protected by the accumulation of the osmolyte proline; therefore, accession JAK is considered osmotolerant. CAT and superoxide dismutase activities were osmostabilized against oxidative stress by proline.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제32권5호
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• pp.396-406
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• 2016

Continuous supplementation of mineral nutrients and salicylic acid (SA) as foliar application could improve efficacy in controlling basal stem rot (BSR) disease in oil palm seedling. It is revealed from the results that the highest disease severity index (58.3%) was recorded in T8 treatments at 9 months after inoculation. The best disease control was achieved by T7 treatments (calcium/copper/SA [Ca/Cu/SA]) (5.0%) followed by T1 (5.5%), T5 (5.8%), T3 (8.3%), T6 (8.3%), T4 (13.3%), and T2 (15.8%) treatments. Continuous supplementation of Ca/Cu/SA was found to be the most effective in controlling the disease and the high performance liquid chromatography results showed the detection of ergosterol at very low concentration in the treated samples. Moreover, the transmission electron microscopy analysis results clearly indicated that T7 treatment was also enhancing lignification, which was responsible for the thickness of the secondary cell walls and middle lamella compared to untreated samples. It was therefore, concluded that continuous supplementation of minerals nutrients and SA could effectively suppress disease severity by reducing ergosterol activity and also improve the process of lignification in the treated plants. Furthermore, this treatment also managed to delay the onset of BSR symptoms and promote the growth of the seedlings and eventually suppress the BSR disease.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.243-250
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• 2021

Information on butterflies in the Niger Delta Region is relatively scanty because monitoring of their activities and distribution has not been fully documented and these are paramount to establish their conservation protocols. The study therefore aimed at evaluating the species richness distribution pattern, and relative abundance of butterflies in the University of Port Harcourt. The University Park was purposively selected for this study. The park was stratified into three different habitat types (secondary forest, farmland, and residential/garden). A sampling of each stratum was done three times; twice in the morning between 8:00 am and 12:00 pm as well as once in the evening between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm along a 100 m line transects for 16 months (May 2017-August 2018). Data collected were analyzed for species diversity indices, evenness, and similarity index. A total of 1,932 individual butterflies belonging to 28 species, 18 genera, and five 5 families were identified in the study area. Species diversity and evenness were higher on farmland (1-D=0.909; H'=2.615; E=0.833), and least in the residential area/gardens (1-D=0.744; H'=1.975; E=0.659). The family Nymphalidae (39.0%) had the highest number of species occurrence while Hesperidae (0.4%) had the lowest composition. Anthene larydas (24.12%) had the highest relative abundance in the entire study area, followed by Acraea serena (17.49%). The study, therefore, recommends continuous monitoring of butterfly species diversity and composition also in other regions.