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Rice straw lignin was extracted via alkaline hydrolysis and structurally characterized using FT-IR and 1H NMR spectra. Ethyl acetate extract of acid solubilized lignin was found to contain p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid and caffeic acid as major phenolic acids which were isolated and characterized using spectral data. Amides of isolated phenolic acids were synthesized by their reaction with propyl and butyl amines using microwave irradiation and analysed using spectral studies. Phenolic acids and amides were evaluated for their effect on pollen germination and tube growth in pumpkin. Pollen tube length was significantly increased with N-butyl-3-(3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl) acrylamide and N-butyl-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) acrylamide at 5 ppm concentration than the control. These results could be utilised in increasing pollen tube length of Cucurbita pepo while making interspecific cross between C. moschata and C. pepo in order to transfer hull-less character of C. pepo to virus resistant C. moschata genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of foliar application of thiourea (500 and 1000 ppm) on antioxidant defence system of rainfed maize was evaluated for four planting methods (flat and ridge methods sown with and without mulch) in a field study conducted at Ballowal Saunkhri and at Langroya in Punjab during summer 2018. At Ballowal Saunkhri, maize sown on ridges and sprayed with 1000 ppm thiourea had significantly higher enzymatic antioxidants catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase. Thiourea and sowing methods had no effect on these enzymes at Langroya. For non-enzymatic antioxidants (total phenol, flavonoids and ascorbic acid content), maize sprayed with 1000ppm thiourea and sown on ridges had higher values at both locations. It is concluded that sowing of maize on ridges and spraying with 1000 ppm thiourea could be adopted for ameliorating moisture stress in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different hydrogels were synthesised using lignin and xylan (extracted from rice straw) as the raw material, PVA as matrix template, citric acid, and succinic acid as crosslinkers and were structurally characterised by FT-IR and SEM analysis. Citric acid cross-linked hydrogels caused loose bonding between polymers and resulted in formation of large pores whereas succinic acid cross-linked hydrogels were observed to have less porosity and tight bonding network. The swelling ratio and reswelling capacity of hydrogels revealed that lignin hydrogels outperformed all other hydrogels. All the synthesised hydrogels were tested for their use as soil culture media ingredient for the germination of rice seedlings. All the hydrogels performed well in stress conditions as compared to normal conditions. Xylan/lignin hydrogel and lignin hydrogels performed best under stress conditions. These hydrogels could be used effectively as an ingredient of soil culture media owing to their tendency to absorb and retain water properly.