• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2013

Hevea brasiliensis is a natural source of rubber and an important plantation tree species in Malaysia. Leaf blight disease caused by Fusicoccum substantially reduces the growth and performance of H. brasiliensis. The aim of this study was to use a combination of both morphological characteristics and molecular data to clarify the taxonomic position of the fungus associated with leaf blight disease. Fusicoccum species were isolated from infected leaves collected from plantations at 3 widely separated locations - Selangor, Perak, and Johor states - in Peninsular Malaysia in 2010. All the isolates were identified according to their conidial patterns and DNA sequences generated from internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2), the 5.8S rRNA, and an unknown locus (BotF15) containing microsatellite repeats. Based on taxonomic and sequence data, Neofusicoccum ribis was identified as the main cause of leaf blight disease in H. brasiliensis in commercial plantations in Malaysia. A pathogenicity trial on detached leaves further confirmed that N. ribis causes leaf blight disease. N. ribis is an important leaf pathogen, and its detection in Malaysia has important implications for future planting of H. brasiliensis.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.142-148
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• 2017

Drought stress is one of the important factors that restrict the expansion of Hevea brasiliensis cultivation to non-traditional regions experiencing extreme weather conditions. Plants respond to drought stress by triggering expression of several drought responsive genes including transcription factors which in turn trigger expression of various downstream signalling pathways and adaptive networks. Expression of such drought responsive genes may revert back to their original level upon re-watering. However, no reports are available on such phenomenon in Hevea and hence, this study was initiated. For this purpose, NAC transcription factor (NAC tf) was chosen as candidate gene. Its expression levels were monitored under intermittent drought as well as irrigated conditions in two clones (RRII 105 and RRIM 600) of H. brasiliensis with contrasting tolerance level. Copy number of NAC tf was found similar in both the clones. Expression of NAC tf was found highly up-regulated in RRIM 600 (a relatively drought tolerant clone) than in RRII 105 (a relatively drought susceptible clone) throughout the drought incidences which upon re-watering, reached back to its original levels in both the clones. The study indicated the existence of an association between expression of NAC tf and drought tolerance trait exhibited by the tolerant clone RRIM 600. The study also proves the influence of drought and re-watering on the leaf photosynthesis and expression of NAC tf in H. brasiliensis.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.273-282
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• 2008

Increasing demand for timber and the depletion of natural forest have encouraged utilization of many non-popular species. The understanding of wood properties and behavior is important to evaluate the potential of these species to produce high quality end products. This study determines the anatomical and physical properties of Hevea species viz Hevea pauciflora, Hevea guianensis, Hevea spruceana, Hevea benthamiana and Hevea brasiliensis. Each sample tree was cut into three different portions along the height (bottom- B, middle- M and upper -T parts) and two radial samples (outer- O and inner- I parts). H. brasiliensis clone RRIM 912 exhibited the longest fibre with $1214{\mu}m$, followed by H. benthamiana (HB, $1200{\mu}m$), H. pauciflora (HP, $1189{\mu}m$), H. spruceana (HS, $1158{\mu}m$) and H. guianensis (HG, $1145{\mu}m$). Fibre length has a positive correlation with specific gravity. The largest fibre diameter ($24.9{\mu}m$) and lumen diameter ($12.5{\mu}m$) were recorded in H. guianensis. The highest moisture content was obtained from H. spruceana (64.34%) compared to the lowest with 60.01% (Clone RRIM912). The higher moisture content is normally associated with lower strength. Overall, the properties of clone RRIM 912 is found to be comparatively better because of higher strength due to longer fibre length, thicker cell walls and higher specific gravity than the other Hevea species. Therefore, this species can be used as a general utility timber.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.333-339
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• 2018

The mature zygotic embryos of the Hevea brasiliensis were cryopreserved through the use of the vitrification and encapsulation/dehydration techniques. In all the experiments, the zygotic embryos were pre-cultured for three days in the MS medium supplemented with 0.3 M sucrose before they were used for the cryopreservation technique. In the vitrification procedure, the effect of the plant vitrification solutions (PVS2 and PVS3) and exposure time were studied. The highest survival rate (88.87%) and regrowth (66.33%) were achieved when the precultured zygotic embryos were incubated in a loading solution for 20 minutes at $0^{\circ}C$. They were subsequently exposed to PVS2 for 120 minutes at $0^{\circ}C$ and plunged directly into liquid nitrogen. Cryopreservation by the encapsulation-dehydration method was successfully done by leaving the encapsulated zygotic embryos in a laminar flow for 4 hours prior to plunging into a LN. The survival rate and regrowth of the encapsulated zygotic embryos were 37.50% and 27.98%, respectively. The cryopreserved zygotic embryos were able to develop into whole plants.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.29-32
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• 1993

3 $Tocotrienol-{\alpha}-,\;{\gamma}-\;and\;{\delta}-tocotrienol-from$from latex(Hevea Brasiliensis) were isolated and the oily tocotrienol concentrates obtained. To isolate tocotrienols, the fractionation by semipreparative HPLC of the unsaponifiable fraction in the raw lipid extract from latex was carried out. By this method, the total content of tocotrienols in latex was ca. 400 ppm, and the purities of ${\alpha}-,\;{\gamma}-\;and\;{\delta}-tocotrienol$ were 98.3, 99.3 and 96.2%, respectively.

• Genes and Genomics
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.1181-1197
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• 2018

Tropical plant rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is the sole source of commercial natural rubber and low-temperature stress is the most important limiting factor for its cultivation. To characterize the gene expression profiles of H. brasiliensis under the cold stress and discover the key cold stress-induced genes. Three cDNA libraries, CT (control), LT2 (cold treatment at $4^{\circ}C$ for 2 h) and LT24 (cold treatment at $4^{\circ}C$ for 24 h) were constructed for RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and gene expression profiling. Quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) was conducted to validate the RNA-Seq and gene differentially expression results. A total of 1457 and 2328 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in LT2 and LT24 compared with CT were respectively detected. Most significantly enriched KEGG pathways included flavonoid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction, cutin, suberine and wax biosynthesis, Pentose and glucuronate interconversions, phenylalanine metabolism and starch and sucrose metabolism. A total of 239 transcription factors (TFs) were differentially expressed following 2 h or/and 24 h of cold treatment. Cold-response transcription factor families included ARR-B, B3, BES1, bHLH, C2H, CO-like, Dof, ERF, FAR1, G2-like, GRAS, GRF, HD-ZIP, HSF, LBD, MIKC-MADS, M-type MADS, MYB, MYB-related, NAC, RAV, SRS, TALE, TCP, Trihelix, WOX, WRKY, YABBY and ZF-HD. The genome-wide transcriptional response of rubber tree to the cold treatments were determined and a large number of DEGs were characterized including 239 transcription factors, providing important clues for further elucidation of the mechanisms of cold stress responses in rubber tree.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.183-196
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• 2023

Recently, the morphological and molecular features of five stain fungi infecting rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis), namely Paecilomyces maximus, Paecilomyces formosus, Penicillium crustosum, Paecilomyces lecythidis and Aspergillus chevalieri, have been studied. Prior to this study, the authors revealed that catechin from gambir (Uncaria gambir) could inhibit the growth of the white-rot fungus Schizophyllum commune, and it was important to determine the bioactivity of the aforementioned agent against A. chevalieri. The efficacy of the biocidal agent was examined using a laboratory wooden block test. Rubberwood blocks, 8 mm in thickness, 20 mm in width, and 30 mm in length, were impregnated with catechin solution at concentrations of 6%, 9%, 12%, and 15% (w/v) using the vacuum-pressure method, and their bioactivity was monitored over three weeks through visual and scanning electron microscope assessment of fungal growth as well as the discoloration intensity of the wood samples. The results showed that catechin treatment increased the resistance of wood samples to A. chevalieri. Overall, the higher the catechin concentration, the lower the fungal growth. The lowest fungal growth was observed in the wood samples treated with 12% and 15% catechin (score of 0), demonstrating no discoloration. In contrast, the fungal growth score of the untreated wood samples reached 4, indicating severe discoloration. Catechins appear to be adequate biofungicides against stain fungi in rubberwood.

• Carbon letters
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 2007

The activated carbon produced from rubber wood sawdust by chemical activation using phosphoric acid have been utilized as an adsorbent for the removal of Cu(II) from aqueous solution in the concentration range 5-40 mg/l. Adsorption experiments were carried out in a batch process and various experimental parameters such as effect of contact time, initial copper ion concentration, carbon dosage, and pH on percentage removal have been studied. Adsorption results obtained for activated carbon from rubber wood sawdust were compared with the results of commercial activated carbon (CAC). The adsorption on activated carbon samples increased with contact time and attained maximum value at 3 h for CAC and 4 h for PAC. The adsorption results show that the copper uptake increased with increasing pH, the optimum efficiency being attained at pH 6. The precipitation of copper hydroxide occurred when pH of the adsorbate solution was greater than 6. The equilibrium data were fitted using Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm equation. The kinetics of sorption of the copper ion has been analyzed by two kinetic models, namely, the pseudo first order and pseudo second order kinetic model. The adsorption constants and rate constants for the models have been determined. The process follows pseudo second order kinetics and the results indicated that the Langmuir model gave a better fit to the experimental data than the Freundlich model. It was concluded that activated carbon produced using phosphoric acid has higher adsorption capacity when compared to CAC.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.641-650
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• 2020

In this study, the chemical components and termiticidal activities of bamboo vinegar against subterranean termite were evaluated. Bamboo vinegar used in this study were produced from Mayan (Gigantochloa robusta Kurz.), Balcoa (Bambusa balcooa Roxb.), and Taiwan (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro). It was analyzed by gravimetric methods. Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) was soaked for 24 h and tested against Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren according to the Indonesian National Standard (SNI 7207-2014). The bamboo vinegar demonstrated antitermite activities against subterranean termite. Vinegar of 400℃ recorded higher total phenol and acid than that of 300℃. Results from this study suggest that the phenolic and acidic component of the bamboo vinegar contributed to 100% mortality rate of the termite, some wood weight loss, and a decrease in the termite feeding rate. These results strongly recommend that bamboo vinegar from D. latiflorus Munro is a potential environmentally friendly preservative.

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.66-75
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• 2019

A new species of Alternaria causing leaf spots on the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) in Yunnan, China, was isolated, examined, and illustrated. Morphologically, it belongs to the section Porri of Alternaria, which produces relatively large conidia and a simple or branched, filamentous long beak. It is, however, characterized by conidiophores gradually enlarging near the apex into a clavate conidiogenous cell and long ellipsoid to obclavate, smoothwalled conidia with a long filamentous beak. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on ITS rDNA, GAPDH, and TEF1-alpha sequences demonstrate that the phytopathogen falls in the clade of the section Porri, being most closely related to A. sidae, A. sennae, A. deseriticola, A. cyamopsidis, A. rostellata, A. nitrimali, A. crassa, and A. thunbergiae.