A new flavone glycoside from the seeds of Shorea robusta

A new flavonoid, 3,7-dihydroxy-8-methoxyflavone 7-O-α- -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-α- -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)-β- -glucopyranoside (1), was isolated from the seeds of Shorea robusta.     

Effect of inorganic nitrogen nutrition on cytokinin-induced potato microtuber production in vitro

Summary The effect of inorganic nitrogen nutrition on the induction and development of microtubers by cytokinin-induced tuberization was studied in four potato genotypes belonging to different maturity groups. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a reduction in total nitrogen level in the Murashige & Skoog medium would improve cytokinin-induced tuberization rate. The effect of three levels of total nitrogen (15, 30 and 45 meq) on tuberization was studied at constant (20 meq K) and varying potassium levels approximating to 5, 10 and 15 meq. Reducing the total nitrogen supply increased the number but decreased the size of nitrogen level on the rate of assimilate partitioning (harvest index) during cytokinin-induced microtuberization.     

Rheological characteristics of native and steamed wheat flour suspensions

Several Indian snack foods consist of an outer coating made with a wheat flour batter and a sweet or savoury filling. In order to study the possibilities of improving the rheological characteristics of batters used in the batter-coated products, wheat flour was steamed for varying periods of time (5, 15 and 30 min). The studies indicated that SDS-sedimentation values decreased from 35 to 24·5 mL, gluten forming protein was completely denatured, gel mobility increased and solubility of gliadin in the β-region decreased with an increase in the steaming period.The steamed wheat flour was used to make batters having 30, 33 and 36% solids suspended in water. The apparent viscosities of the batter increased from 9·6 to 19·2 Pa·s; the yield stress increased from 5·3 to 7·15 Pa; the consistency index increased from 27·86 to 78·31 Pa·sⁿ. The maximum values of all three parameters were observed in the batter which had a solids concentration of 36%, and which had been made with a flour steamed for 30 min. On the other hand, the flow behaviour index decreased slightly with duration of steaming and with increasing solid concentrations in the batter.     

Efficacy of single and multiple doses of fenbendazole against gill parasites (Dactylogyrus sp.) of Labeo rohita (Hamilton, 1822) and its physio‐metabolic effects on the fish

The study was conducted to investigate the efficacy and physio‐metabolic responses of single and multiple doses of fenbendazole (FBZ) in Labeo rohita against gill parasite (Dacylogyrus sp.). Two Isoenergetic (395 Kcal DE/100 g) and isonitrogenous (35% CP) purified diets viz. control (without FBZ) and treatment (0.2% FBZ) were prepared. The efficacy of FBZ was measured after administration of single dose (20 mg/kg b. wt.) on 0th day and multiple doses of FBZ, that is, 20 mg/kg b. wt. on 0th, 3rd and 7th day through diet. Although oral administration of FBZ at single dose could significantly reduce the parasite in fish in comparison with the control group, 100% efficacy of the drug was not achieved up to 15th day of treatment. On the other hand, multiple doses of FBZ could show almost 100% efficacy on 15th day in terms of elimination of parasites from gill. The drug induced oxidative stress in examined fish. There was no significant change in activities of hepatic and muscle aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase of L. rohita up to 15th day after oral administration of FBZ at single dose. But both single and multiple doses of FBZ could significantly enhance the hepatic superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione‐S‐transferase activities in fish up to 7th day of drug administration and significantly decreased thereafter up to 15th and/or 30th day. It is concluded that oral administration of FBZ at multiple doses (20 mg/kg b. wt.) on 1st, 3rd and 7th day could be effective against Dactylogyrus sp. infection in L. rohita.     

Polyclonal antibody‐based farmer‐friendly flow‐through test for the detection of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease in shrimp

Early mortality syndrome (EMS) or acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) is currently the most significant disease of shrimp in farms of Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, China and Mexico, and there is a great risk that it may spread to other shrimp farming countries. Although, an array of sophisticated detection tools for AHPND available, there is a need for a sensitive, simple and rapid detection method. In this study, a simple, sensitive, rapid and polyclonal antibody‐based farmer‐friendly flow‐through assay (FTA) test has been developed for the detection of AHPND pathogen. The recombinant Photorhabdus insect‐related (Pir) A toxin‐like protein of AHPND pathogen was used to immunize rabbits at 21‐day interval observed for highest antibody titre after third booster by ELISA. The raised rabbit antiserum was purified by affinity chromatography and characterized by Western blot. The antiserum showed no cross‐reactivity with AHPND‐free Vibrio parahaemolyticus, V. anguillarum, White Spot Virus (WSV), Aeromonashydrophila and Aphanomycesinvadans. This polyclonal rabbit antiserum was used to develop a farmer‐friendly FTA test for the detection of AHPND pathogen. This simple FTA testis is more sensitive and could detect PirA^VP toxin up to 0.121 µg/ml, compared with 0.242 µg/ml by immunodot assay. Furthermore, FTA test requires only 8–10 min for completion, compared with 3 hr by immunodot thus found to be more sensitive, specific and cost‐effective. Collectively, sensitive FTA test would help shrimp farmers to take real‐time management decisions, especially emergency harvest and finally be a better hope for the prevention of AHPND.     

Persistence of Chlorpyrifos in Soils under Different Moisture Regimes

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphorus insecticide used to control insect pests in soil. The fate of chlorpyrifos in soils under different moisture regimes is of interest because application directions specify soil-surface treatments for a number of agricultural and urban pests. Chlorpyrifos was degraded rapidly in all air-dry soils and slightly more slowly in soils at field capacity and/or under submerged conditions. Degradation rates were influenced by clay-catalysed hydrolysis under air-dry conditions and neutral or alkaline hydrolysis under submerged conditions. Degradation was faster in Bellary soil (chromic haplustert) and slower in Chettalli soil (ustic palehumult) under all three moisture regimes. The calculated half-lives ranged from 1·6 to 10·0, 5·2 to 22·0 and 8·7 to 25·1 days under air-dry, field capacity and submergence respectively at an application rate of 10 mg kg^-1. © 1997 SCI.     

Proximate Composition,Mineral Content and Fatty Acids Analyses of Aromatic and Non-Aromatic Indian Rice

Awareness on nutritive value and health benefits of rice is of vital importance in order to increase the consumption of rice in daily diet of the human beings. In this study, a total of six aromatic and two non-aromatic rice accessions grown in India were analysed for their nutritional quality attributes including proximate composition, mineral contents and fatty acids. Data with three replications were used to measure Pearson's simple correlation co-efficient in order to establish the relationship among various nutritional quality attributes. The result on proximate composition showed that Govind Bhog had the highest moisture (13.57%) and fat (0.92%) content, which signifies its tasty attribute. Badshah Bhog exhibited the highest fibre content (0.85%), carbohydrate content (82.70%) and food energy (365.23 kCal per 100 g). Among the minerals, the higher Ca (98.75 mg/kg), Zn (17.00 mg/kg) and Fe (31.50 mg/kg) were in Gopal Bhog, whereas the highest Na (68.85 mg/kg) was in Badshah Bhog, the highest K (500.00 mg/kg) was in Swetganga, Khushboo and Sarbati. The highest contents of unsaturated fatty acids viz. oleic acid (49.14%), linoleic acid (46.99%) and linolenic acid (1.27%) were found in Sarbati, whereas the highest content of saturated fatty acids viz. myristic acid (4.60%) and palmitic acid (31.91%) were found in Govind Bhog and stearic acid (6.47%) in Todal. The identified aromatic rice accessions Gopal Bhog, Govind Bhog and Badshah Bhog and non-aromatic rice accession Sarbati were found nutritionally superior among all eight tested accessions. The nutritional quality oriented attributes in this study were competent with recognized prominent aromatic and non-aromatic rice accessions as an index of their nutritional worth and recommend to farmers and consumers which may be graded as export quality rice with good unique nutritional values in international market.     

Accuracy of pregnancy/non pregnancy diagnosis in zebu and crossbred cattle and Murrah buffaloes by milk progesterone determination post insemination

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Milk samples collected on days 0, 6, 20, 22 and 24 post insemination from Sahiwal and Tharparkar (zebu) cows, Karan Swiss (Sahiwal × Brown Swiss) and...