Canesio D. Predo, Kenneth Menz, Anne Shangrila Fuentes, Evy Carusos, and Jailyn N. Puerto The study measured trust and trustworthiness in a conflict-vulnerable area of the Philippines, using a trust game approach, and compared the results with a direct questionnaire approach. The participants were potential farmer cooperators in a project seeking innovative extension methods, emphasizing social capital enhancement. Trust is a key component of social capital. The trust game can be considered as a behavioral experiment and it produced a credible baseline quantitative (peso) measure of trust. That baseline measure can subsequently be compared with trust levels following interventions that focus on social capital enhancement. Various socioeconomic factors were positively related to trust. In particular, the positive relationships between trust/youth and trust/education provide encouragement for the future, as the education variable is obviously amenable to change. Another positive relat...

Violeta Mandić, Snežana Đorđević, Zorica Bijelić, Vesna Krnjaja, Dragana Ružić Muslić, Maja Petričević, and Aleksandar Simić The effects of three intra-row spacings (20, 24 and 28 cm) with inter-row spacing of 70 cm and seed inoculation with plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) [(Azotobacter chroococum, Azotobacter vineland, Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus licheniformis)] were investigated on stem diameter (SD), stem lodging (SL), percentage of barren plants (PBP), grain yield (GY) and rain-use efficiency (RUE) in maize hybrid Dijamant 6 in the province of Vojvodina, Northern Serbia in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The highest SD and GY and the lowest SL and PBP were recorded in favorable climatic conditions in 2006. The lowest RUE was recorded in 2008 (unfavorable climatic conditions). The lowest SD and RUE and the highest SL, PBP and GY were obtained at the smallest spacing between plants in a row (20 cm). Seed inoculation significantly increased SD, GY and RUE, and SL and PBP significa...

Siti Norayu Idris, Abdul Bakrudeen Ali Ahmed, and Rosna Mat Taha Callus culture method was used to extract stigmasterol in mass amount. The current study aims to enhance the production of stigmasterol by manipulation of sucrose concentrations in Murashige and Skoog (MS) media. A combination of 2 mg NAA L-1 (an auxin) and 2.5 mg 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) L-1 (a cytokinin) in MS medium was the best concentration to stimulate callus formation from stem explants of W. biflora with the fastest response (10 d), the highest biomass of callus (55 mg dry weight) and the best callus characteristic (green and compact). Application of 4% (w/v) sucrose in MS medium enhanced callus formation along with callus biomass and stigmasterol production (88 mg g-1) compared with the control (58.3 mg g-1) and in vivo grown stem (53.4 mg g-1). Production of stigmasterol from W. biflora with reduced production time and cost is now possible with the methods obtained from the current study.

Rezaul Karim, Yew Seong Tan, Pooja Singh, Mohammed Nuruzzaman, Norzulaani Khalid, and Jennifer Ann Harikrishna Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration are important developmental processes of in vitro culture, in which cells must undergo dedifferentiation, activation of cell division and reprograming of their metabolism, of their physiology and of their gene expression patterns. The processes of somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration are also associated with changes in DNA methylation. In this study, the expression of METHYLTRANSFERASE 1, CHROMOMETHYLASE 3 and DOMAIN REARRANGED METHYLTRANSFERASE 2 was determined by Quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) while the DNA methylation level was determined by Bisulfite sequencing of plant cells from meristematic block, embryogenic and non-embryogenic calli, prolonged cell suspension culture, ex vitro leaf and in vitro leaf of regenerated plants of Boesenbergia rotunda. We observed that the express...

Jena Joy G. Apolinario, Celia DR. Medina, Luis Rey I. Velasco, and Merlyn S. Mendioro Chico-chico in mango fruits, which has been reported only in mango-growing areas in Southern Mindanao, Philippines, has been known to be caused by the feeding of Scirtothrips dorsalis in young mango fruits. As chico-chico was not observed in other parts of the country, morphological, molecular, and biological studies were conducted to find evidences of variations among the local population of S. dorsalis in the Philippines. The local collection sites included Zambales, Bulacan, Laguna, Palawan, and Davao. Discriminant and cluster analysis of the various morphological characters measured showed no distinct differences among the local populations of S. dorsalis. In the molecular studies, the sequences from internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of the different local populations used were found to be 100% identical. Larval performance of the local populations coll...

Zhuang Li, Lei Wei, Zhongqiang Cai, Jiarong Li, Man Chen, Guangbin Li, Chaowei Gai, Wen Guo, and Xiaotong Wang During the hatchery culture process of Pacific oyster larvae, larval metabolites and the accumulation of dead larvae and microalgae contribute to an increase in the organic content of the water, leading to the proliferation of bacteria and deterioration in water quality. Frequent seawater changes are therefore necessary for the successful hatchery culture of oyster larvae. In order to shorten the time taken for water changes and to decrease larval loss and mortality, we designed a method for fast water change by manufacturing a new, specialized device. One large cage was split into six areas with six sieves that could be used to change water synchronously. Two operators coordinated the transport of two sieves of larvae to the new pond while keeping the remaining four sieves filtering. We also investigated the advantages of the new method by comparing it with two traditional...

Mark Anthony I. Jose and Esperanza C. Cabrera Multiple drug resistance (MDR) in Escherichia coli poses great risks to both human and animal health as it compromises the management of diseases caused by E. coli strains. E. coli was isolated from the gills of 35 Oreochromis niloticus or Nile tilapia procured from the Balintawak, Cubao and Libertad wet markets in Metro Manila. The isolates were studied for their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns using the standard disc diffusion method, and for the transferability of their resistance determinants. Results showed the highest percentage resistance of the isolated E. coli to ampicillin (77.14%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (60%). These were followed by the resistance to tetracycline (45.71%), cephalothin (17.14%), gentamicin (11.43%), nalidixic acid (8.57%), and the least to ciprofloxacin (5.71%). On the other hand, all the isolates were found to be susceptible to the aminoglycoside amikacin, and were also found to be susceptible...

Zhongqi Sun, Yun Deng, Huai Sun, Yanyun Zhao, Haiyan Gao, Hangjun Chen, and Honglei Mu Pectin was used to modify poly (lactic acid) (PLA) to develop an amphiphilic packaging material. Molecular dynamics was employed to assess the compatibility of pectin and PLA. The structure and the hydrophilicity of the pectin–PLA blend films, prepared using graded hot-pressing, were characterized. The results showed that pectin and PLA were not compatible in molecular dynamic simulation, and the thermodynamic test of pectin–PLA blend films also indicated the incompatibility which showed two glass transition temperatures (62.2 °C and 157.3 °C, respectively). Moreover, the thermal stability of the blend films increased with increasing pectin content in the films, and the films maintained good hydrophilic property with the contact angle less than 90°. This study could inspire further macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of blend films.

Manuela A. Samaco, Neilyn O. Villa, and Glenn B. Gregorio Salinity tolerance of MAGIC (Multiparent Advanced Generation Intercross) indica population of rice (Oryza sativa L.) was investigated at the seedling stage through phenotypic screening, morpho-physiological measurements and SSR analysis. Out of the original 970 MAGIC rice genotypes, 205 genotypes were initially selected based on salinity tolerance. After a second screening, 36 lines were subjected to a final replicated screening along with eight founder lines of MAGIC indica, and two checks (FL 478 and IR 29). Ten MAGIC indica genotypes (28%) were scored as tolerant and 26 (72%) moderately tolerant. Among the founder lines, IR 45427-2B-2-2B-1-1 scored tolerant, 4 lines scored moderately tolerant and 1 scored susceptible. Relatively, the percent reduction in fresh weight content for shoot biomass was observed to be higher among the genotypes than percent reduction in dry weight content. A reverse trend was observed for percent...

Abdul Basir, Adnan Tahir, Kilwat Afridi, Shah Fahad, Zahoor Ahmad, Muhammad Adnan, Mukhtar Alam, Shaheen Shah, Ahmad Khan, Fazli Wahid, Muhammad Ibrahim, Inayat-ur-Rahman, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, and Rehad Ali Optimization of planting time and seed rate are of prime importance to determine crop yield with change in climate. Hence, a field experiment was conducted using two-factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) with split-plot arrangement where sowing time was assigned to main plots and seed rates were assigned to subplots to evaluate the response of wheat to varying seed rates (90, 100, 110, 120, 130 and 140 kg ha-1) and planting time (sowing started from October 25 with a 10-d gap till December 15). Different planting time significantly affected heading stage, spike length, plant height, number of spikes per unit area, 1000-grain weight, biological and grain yield, and harvest index. Similarly various seed rates also had significantly affected spike production, grains per s...