Endosperm cell number in barley
Grain weight is one of the major components of grain yield and it has been suggested that in wheat, final grain weight may be a function of endosperm cell number1. If grain weight is to be increased by increasing the rate and/or duration of endosperm cell division, it is important to establish the stage of development at which maximum endosperm cell number is attained. Evers2 reported that no cell division occurred in the endosperm of wheat later than 16 days after anthesis and other workers3,4 have come to a similar conclusion using cell counts. However, biochemical analyses5 have shown that the maximum DNA content of wheat endosperm is not reached until 25 days after anthesis and both Donovan6 and Radley7 have suggested that endosperm cell division may continue until about 30 days after anthesis. We have estimated the number of endosperm nuclei in developing caryopses of barley and have examined transverse sections of endosperms of different ages. We report here that cell division in barley endosperm continues until 28–30 days after anthesis.
Transformation of the developing barley endosperm by particle bombardment
Delivery of DNA into intact cells of the developing barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) endosperm was performed with the BIOLISTIC particle gun. It is shown that the proximal 532 base pairs (bp) of the upstream region of a B1-hordein gene drive the expression of the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene (uidA) in sub-aleurone and starchy-endosperm cells but not in cells devoid of starch, i.e. developing aleurone cells. The 35S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus was active in all three cell types. This cell-specific activity of the hordein promoter was verified by a detailed histological study of the regions of the extruded endosperms expressing the uidA gene. The analysis included a histological study of the developing endosperm as a base for classifying the different cell types in the developing endosperm.
Study of Biogas for Power Generation at Pesantren Saung Balong Al-Barokah, Majalengka, West Java
Utilization of biogas from cow manure as a fuel alternative for power plants is done through an anaerobic process. A pilot plant with biogas production of 7 m 3 /day has been installed at Pesantren Saung Balong. Biogas is used for everyday purposes such as cooking and lighting, and used as pure biogas with 2.500 Watt scale generator. Biogas produced with the rate of 0.080 m 3 /hr. Biogas produced during the measurement (450 minutes) is 0.604 m 3 . With these data it is predicted that within a day (24 hours) biogas which can be generated is equal to 1.92 m 3 . Meanwhile, consumption of biogas to the generator with 1.047 W load is 0.019 m3/minutes, the generator will operate for approximately 101.05 minutes or 1.68 hours. Thus electricity that can be saved is 1.759 kWh per day or 52.77 kWh per month and electricity cost that can be saved that is equal to Rp.40.896/month.