Effect of Lentil Residues on the Yield and Response of Succeeding Rice to Nitrogen

A field experiment was conducted at the Division of Agronomy, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during 1983-84 and 1984-85 to study the effect of lentil residues on the yield and response of succeeding rice to nitrogen. Lentil residues benefitted the succeeding rice and gave longer and heavier panicles, more grains per panicle, higher 1000-grain weight and higher grain and straw yield of rice as compared to fallow. Rice responded well to applied nitrogen both in the absence and presence of lentil residues. The effect of lentil root residues and root residues plus incorporation of lentil straw was equivalent to 11 and 33 kg N ha⁻¹ when 60 kg N ha⁻¹ was applied to rice; the corresponding values being 54 and 60 kg N ha⁻¹ when 120 kg N ha⁻¹ was applied to rice.     

Physiological and biochemical effects of glyceryl guaiacolate-thiopentone sodium anaesthesia in buffalo calves

Glyceryl guaiacolate was used with thiopentone sodium for general anaesthesia in 10 clinically healthy male buffalo calves. When the animals were in the stage of surgical anaesthesia, there was marked hypotension and tachycardia along with a decrease in central venous pressure, tidal volume, partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood and venous plasma potassium. Hyperglycaemia was another consistent feature. The changes in the acid base status were mild and inconsistent.     

Esterase, malate, and lactate dehydrogenases activity in murine neuroblastoma

Mouse neuroblastoma tumors have only the fifth isozyme band (A(4)) of lactate dehydrogenase, whereas this band is missing in the brain which contained four other bands of lactate dehydrogenase. The alpha-esterase isozyme patterns of tumors, kidney, and brain are similar except that there is an additional slowest-moving form of esterase in all tumor tissues. The malate dehydrogenase pattern is not altered in any of the tissues.     

Effect of a Winter Cereal or Legume Crop on the Yield and Nutrient Uptake by Summer Maize/Cowpea Fodder

A field experiment conducted at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi brought out that summer maize green fodder yield was 31.8 t/ha to 34.1 t/ha, while that of cowpea fodder was only 15.5 to 16 t/ ha. Maize fodder and crude protein yield and NPK uptake was more after a winter legume (lentil) than after a winter cereal (wheat).     

Note: Proline — An inducer of resistance against pearl millet downy mildew disease caused by<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sclerospora graminicola</Emphasis>

In an attempt to find a suitable alternative to the otherwise perilous chemical control strategy of disease management, the amino acid proline was evaluated for its efficiency to elicit resistance in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) against downy mildew disease caused bySclerospora graminicola (Sacc.) Schroet both under greenhouse and field conditions. Proline treatment to seeds at 50 mM concentration for 3 h, significantly enhanced the seed germination and seedling vigor of pearl millet in comparison with the control. The same concentration and duration of seed treatment protected the pearl millet plants from downy mildew by offering 58% protection under greenhouse and 67% protection under field conditions. Studies revealed that 3 days were required for proline-treated plants to develop resistance, which was systemic and was sustained throughout the life of the plants. Apart from disease protection, proline was also found effective in enhancing vegetative and reproductive growth of the plants, as evidenced by the increase in height, fresh weight, leaf area, tillering capacity, 1000-seed weight and grain yield in comparison with the control plants. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Oct. 3, 2004.     

Isolation and characterization of neutral lipids of desilked eri silkworm pupae grown on castor and tapioca leaves

The neutral lipid of desilked eri silkworm pupae (Samia cynthia ricini) grown on two different host plants, castor (Ricinus communis Linn.) and tapioca (Manihot utilizsima Phol.) leaves, was extracted with hexane. The oil content in pupae was estimated to be in the range of 18-20% (dry basis). The pupal oil was found to be enriched with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) with palmitic acid as the second major fatty acid. The level of ALA in the oil of silkworm pupae was found to be significantly higher (P < 0.001) when grown on tapioca (58.3%) as compared to those grown on castor (42.9%). Other chemical parameters such as percent free fatty acid, peroxide value, phosphorus content, percent unsaponifiable matter, and composition of sterols were also determined in both of the oils and compared. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of triacylglycerol molecular species showed that the pupal oil is rich in molecular species with equivalent carbon numbers (ECN) C36, C40, C42, C44, and C48. There was a significantly higher level (P < 0.001) of trilinolenin (C36) in the oil of tapioca-based silkworm as compared to castor-based silkworm pupae. Regiospecific analysis of the oil showed a higher level of ALA at the sn-2 position of silkworm pupae grown on tapioca (60.2%) as compared to those grown on castor (47.3%) oil. Thus, the presence of a large amount of ALA and their predominance at the sn-2 position make the eri pupal oil highly nutritious, provided that the oxidative stability is ensured.     

A gain-of-function polymorphism controlling complex traits and fitness in nature

Identification of the causal genes that control complex trait variation remains challenging, limiting our appreciation of the evolutionary processes that influence polymorphisms in nature. We cloned a quantitative trait locus that controls plant defensive chemistry, damage by insect herbivores, survival, and reproduction in the natural environments where this polymorphism evolved. These ecological effects are driven by duplications in the BCMA (branched-chain methionine allocation) loci controlling this variation and by two selectively favored amino acid changes in the glucosinolate-biosynthetic cytochrome P450 proteins that they encode. These changes cause a gain of novel enzyme function, modulated by allelic differences in catalytic rate and gene copy number. Ecological interactions in diverse environments likely contribute to the widespread polymorphism of this biochemical function.     

Evaluation of two Indian native chicken breeds for reproduction traits and heritability of juvenile growth traits

The present study was conducted to evaluate two Indian native chicken breeds, namely, Aseel and Kadaknath for fertility, hatchability, genetic parameters of juvenile growth traits, and semen quality traits at the onset of sexual maturity. The fertility was similar in Aseel (86.96%) and Kadaknath (85.15%); however, a relatively higher hatchability was observed in Kadaknath (77.94%) than Aseel (70.74%). Heritability estimates of body weights at 4 weeks of age were almost similar in Aseel (0.37) and Kadaknath (0.39), while the estimate of body weight at 6 weeks of age was higher in Aseel (0.42) than Kadaknath (0.31). The heritability estimate of shank length at 6 weeks of age was lower in Aseel (0.16) compared to Kadaknath (0.35). The age at first egg in the flock was comparable in Aseel (148 days) and Kadaknath (150 days). Aseel breed with significantly (P ≤ 0.001) higher body weight, absolute and relative testes weights had significantly higher semen volume (P ≤ 0.05) and sperm motility (P ≤ 0.01) but had lower seminal plasma cholesterol level (P ≤ 0.05) as compared to Kadaknath. It can be concluded that there is a scope for genetic improvement of these two native breeds for juvenile growth traits since heritability estimates of these traits were relatively high.