Growth of Shorea Leprosula Seedlings Prepared in Combo Nursery Technique to Support Mine Reclamation

Combo nursery technique is a technique where seedlings/cuttings of Shorea leprosula, Gliricidia sepium, and Brachiaria decumbens grass were planted in one polybag to support mining reclamation. To reduce competition effects among the three species, optimum media and size of polybag need to be investigated. The objective of this experiment is to analyse the effect of size of polybag and media composition on the growth of S. leprosula, G. sepium, and B. decumbens grass in the combo nursery technique. The experiment used Randomised Complete Design in Factorial with two factors, i.e. media compositions (soil : compost (2 : 1, v/v), (1 : 1, v/v), (1 : 2, v/v), and soil : compost : rice husk (7:3:1, v/v/v); and size of polybag (15 x 20 cm, 20 x 20 cm, dan 25 x 25 cm). Each treatment had four replications, and each replication consisted of four polybags. The results showed no significant interaction effects between the composition of media and the size of polybag; however, media compositions of soil: compost (1:1) and (1:2), and the sizes of polybag 20 x 20 cm and 25 x 25 cm significantly eliminated competition and significantly increased the growth of S. leprosula and the number of tiller of B. decumbens grass.

Mirsid volcanic tuff, alkaline activation, dissolved species, optimum activation time, optimum activating concentration

The purpose of this article is to study the activation of the Mir�id volcanic tuff with NaOH solutions at various concentrations. To be more specific, the work investigated the evolution of the concentrations of species that passed from the tuff into the activating solutions and the quantities of dissolved species from 100 g tuff. The species found in the activating solution were: potassium, magnesium, aluminium and silicon. The shape of the curves - a sudden increase followed by a plateau or a second stage of slower increase - allowed for setting up the optimal activation time at a half-hour. Another finding was the optimal concentration of 1 N for the activating solution. X-ray diffractograms showed the increase of clinoptilolite content in the tuff, thus improving the adsorbent as well as ion exchange properties by activation with NaOH solutions.

Host Alternative NADH:Ubiquinone Oxidoreductase Serves as a Susceptibility Factor to Promote Pathogenesis of Rhizoctonia solani in Plants

Phytopathogens have evolved mechanisms to utilize host genes (commonly known as susceptibility factors) to promote their pathogenesis. Rhizoctonia solani is a highly destructive fungal pathogen of various plants, including rice. We previously reported rice genes that were differentially regulated during R. solani pathogenesis. In this study, we analyzed the role of tomato homologs of two rice genes, isoflavone reductase (IFR) and alternative NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (NUOR), as potential susceptibility factors for R. solani. Virus-induced gene silencing of NUOR in tomato resulted in compromised susceptibility against R. solani, whereas IFR-silenced plants demonstrated susceptibility similar to that of control plants. NUOR silencing in tomato led to homogenous accumulation of reactive oxygen species (optimum range) upon R. solani infection. In addition, the expression and enzyme activity of some host defense and antioxidant genes was enhanced, whereas H2O2 content, lipid peroxidation, and electrolyte leakage were reduced in NUOR-silenced plants. Similarly, transient silencing of OsNUOR provided tolerance against R. solani infection in rice. Overall, the data presented in this study suggest that NUOR serves as a host susceptibility factor to promote R. solani pathogenesis.

Depth Selection and In Situ Validation for Offshore Mussel Aquaculture in Northeast United States Federal Waters

As mariculture progresses offshore in the US Exclusive Economic Zone, technical and ecological challenges need to be overcome, such as the choice of suitable sites that favor the production of target species. The offshore culture of blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, is performed with submerged longlines and mussels need to withstand more motion than on coastal sites. Temperature affects the ability of the byssus to adhere to farming rope, while chlorophyll concentration provides an estimation of food availability. Together, these are important factors in predicting the suitability of offshore mussel farms. To identify suitable depth of submersion for mussel ropes in New England federal waters, historical oceanographic data of temperature and chlorophyll a from 2005 to 2012 were used. The results suggest that mussel ropes were submerged during summer to a minimum depth of 15 m in northern and a 20-m depth in southern areas of New England where temperature is at a species-optimum and phytoplankton biomass is abundant. For the site offshore Massachusetts, in situ biodeposition measurements validated predicted depth, confirming satisfactory mussel performance. Promising local areas have shallow thermoclines, such as offshore Long Island, Cape Ann and New Hampshire. Recommended depths can be adjusted to future temperature increases associated with climate change.

KEBIJAKAN PEMACUAN SUMBERDAYA IKAN DI PERAIRAN UMUM DARATAN INDONESIA: TEKNOLOGI ALTERNATIF UNTUK MENINGKATKAN PRODUKSI IKAN DAN PENDAPATAN NELAYAN

Pemacuan sumberdaya ikan adalah suatu teknologi untuk meningkatkanhasil tangkapan ikan dan sekaligus pendapatan nelayan. Potensi produksi ikan perairan umum daratan Indonesia (luasnya 13,85 juta ha) ditaksir 3.034.934 ton/th, sedangkan produksi ikan yang telah dicapai 325.000 ton/th. Berdasarkan keberhasilan penerapan pemacuan sumber daya ikan di beberapa badan air, produksi ikan dapat ditingkatkan menjadi 1.452.947 ton/th. Ke depan, penerapan kebijakan pemacuan sumber daya ikan yang selama ini kurang didasarkan hasil kajian yang memadai perlu diperbaiki. Untuk setiap badan air perlu ditetapkan protokol pemacuan sumber daya ikan. Protokol tersebut meliputi identifikasi sumber daya perairan, menentukan tujuan penebaran, menentukan jenis, jumlah dan ukuran ikan, serta biaya yang diperlukan, mengembangkan strategi penebaran, monitoring dan evaluasi, serta pembentukan kelembagaan pengelolaan. Pedoman pemacuan sumber daya ikan di Indonesia perlu segera ditetapkan yang mengacu pada tata laksana perikanan yang bertanggungjawab.Fisheries enhancement is a technique to increase fish yield and fishers’income. Fish potential yield of inland open waters (13.85 million ha in area) was estimated at 3,034,934 ton/yr, while an average of the actual fish production was 325,000 ton/yr. Based on the success story of fisheries enhancement techniques applied in some water bodies, the fish yield total can be increased to be 1,452,947 ton/yr. In the future, application of policy on fisheries enhancement should be improved. Protocol on fisheries enhancement should be designed for every waterbody. The protocol should consit of identification of fisheries resources,establishment of the objective, determine a suitable fish species, optimum number and size of fish released, estimation of total cost, development of stocking strategy, monitoring and evaluation, and establishment of fisheries management unit. A guideline of fisheries enhancement in Indonesian inland open waters need to be constructed referring to code of conduct for responsible fisheries.