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AbstractCommon buckwheat is a self-incompatible, insect-pollinated allogamous plant. This study examined growth and yield of the common buckwheat self-compatible and hybrid lines pollinated with and without flies. Self-compatible ‘IH3’, hybrid ‘IP2/IH3’, and standard self-incompatible ‘Kitawasesoba’ were used in field and pot experiments. Self-compatibility of ‘IH3’ was shown to be of high purity. Approximately 10% segregation of pin plants from ‘IP2/IH3’ was observed. The harvest index of ‘Kitawasesoba’ pollinated without flies was considerably lower than that pollinated with flies in both field and pot experiments. The harvest index values of ‘IH3’ and ‘IP2/IH3’ were hardly affected by the presence or absence of flies. The morphological traits of ‘IH3’ were significantly lower than those of the other two genotypes. Large differences in these traits between ‘IP2/IH3’ and ‘Kitawasesoba’ were not observed in either the field or pot experiments. The seed yield of ‘Kitawasesoba’ pollinated without flies tended to be lower than that pollinated with flies. The seed yield of ‘IP2/IH3’ tended to be higher than that of ‘IH3’. The hybrid line ‘IP2/IH3’ showed a high fertilization rate, which was nearly as high as that of ‘IH3’. Rate of fertilization and percentage of ripe seeds were higher in ‘IH3’ and ‘IP2/IH3’, wherein they were hardly affected by the presence or absence of flies, than in ‘Kitawasesoba’. The ‘IP2/IH3’ hybrid line will be useful for understanding the stable high-yielding ability of self-compatibility common buckwheat.

AbstractThe feasibility of near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopic analysis (NIR analysis) for estimating the ratio of true seed weight to fruit weight (T/F) as well as water content was examined in sugar beet (Beta vulgarisL.) seeds of 61 F1hybrid lines and 4 standard cultivars. For the calibration, partial least squares (PLS) regression was carried out with second derivative spectra and the measured data using attached software (NSAS). For estimating T/F, calibration using 7 factors was the most valid with a correlation coefficient of calibration (R) of 0.943, standard error of calibration (SEC) of 1.26% and standard error of prediction (SEP) of 1.40%. By this calibration, sugar beet varieties could be classified into 4∼5 levels according to the estimated T/F. For the estimation of the water content of sugar beet seed, calibration using 14 factors was optimal. The calibration was highly accurate since the R, SEC and SEP was 0.999, 0.23% and 0.27% respectively. Consequently, the true seed weight of sugar beet could be nondestructively and rapidly estimated by NIR analysis and weighing the air-dried seed. This technique should be useful in breeding selection for higher true seed weights, which would thereby improve the early growth of sugar beet varieties.

AbstractFor improving the yield of drilled sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. vulgaris), it is important to promote germination and early growth. In this study, the priming of sugar beet seeds was examined in six cultivars to improve their germinability in cool conditions. The optimum water content of sugar beet seeds (which botanically are fruits) during priming was 24 to 25% when they were kept at 20°C for 5 d. In further experiments, after the water content of seeds was adjusted to 24% by adding distilled water, the primed seeds were air-dried to below their original water content. The primed true seeds contained 0.5 to 4% more soluble sugar, by dry weight, than the control true seeds. The levels of amylase activity of the primed true seeds were 1.9 to 11.5 times higher than those of the control true seeds, though there was little change in α-glucosidase activity. Priming shortened the average germination period at 8°C by 1.6 to 4.0 d and seedlings from the primed seeds emerged significantly faster than did seedlings from the control seeds in the field. The advanced emergence in the primed seeds brought about a significant increase in early growth compared with control seeds, and the root yield from the primed seeds tended to exceed that from the control seeds by 3% on average at harvest time. Priming did not affect the sugar, potassium, sodium or amino nitrogen content in the root.

The aim of this study was to classify the protective mechanisms of DL‐buthionine‐(S,‐R‐)‐sulphoximine, glutathione and methimazole on cisplatin‐induced nephrotoxicity in rats. An Emaxmodel was used to study the effect of these compounds on the pharmacokinetics of cisplatin, especially renal handling and intra‐renal biotransformation.

The aim of this study was to classify the protective mechanisms of DL-buthionine-(S,-R-)-sulphoximine, glutathione and methimazole on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. An Emaxmodel was used to study the effect of these compounds on the pharmacokinetics of cisplatin, especially renal handling and intra-renal biotransformation.Cisplatin (5 mg kg−1) was administered as an intravenous bolus to rats treated with either 0–9% NaCl (control), buthionine sulphoximine, glutathione or methimazole. The blood urea nitrogen level was monitored to estimate cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. To estimate renal handling of cisplatin, cisplatin was infused intravenously to rats treated with 0–9% NaCl, buthionine sulphoximine, glutathione or methimazole. The concentrations of unchanged cisplatin in plasma, urine and kidney were determined by a post-column derivatization HPLC method. The relationship between the pharmacokinetics and toxicodynamics of cisplatin was analysed using a sigmoid Emaxmodel.All compounds studied ameliorated significantly the nephrotoxicity of cisplatin. The renal accumulation of cisplatin was reduced significantly by pretreatment with buthionine sulphoximine but not by either glutathione or methimazole. Although glutathione treatment did not affect the renal accumulation of cisplatin, it significantly decreased the binding of cisplatin to the intrarenal organelle and the decreased binding was well correlated to the decrease of the blood urea nitrogen level.In summary, pharmacokinetic-toxicodynamic analysis will be useful for classifying the protective mechanism of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

An unidentified carbohydrate was isolated from sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratusL. cv. Diana) petals using HPLC. The isolated compound was identified as L-1-O-methyl-myo-inositol, called L-bornesitol, using 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and CI-MS. L-Bornesitol was distributed in all organs at high concentrations. L-Bornesitol concentration of petals gradually decreased during flower bud development, but the L-bornesitol content increased by about 5 times.