Anti-viral activity of methyl 1-chloro-7-methyl-2-propyl-1h-benzo[d] imidazole-5-carboxylate against white spot syndrome virus in freshwater crab (Paratelphusa hydrodromous)

Shrimp farming industries are subjected to severe economic loss due to a disease called white spot syndrome, a viral disease caused by white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in penaeid shrimp. Numerous active compounds in the market possess anti-viral activity against the white spot syndrome virus, yet the issue remains unsolved. The present study was carried out to determine the anti-viral activity of methyl 1-chloro-7-methyl-2-propyl-1h-benzo[d] imidazole-5-carboxylate (C₁₃H₁₅N₂O₂Cl) against WSSV. The anti-viral activity of the synthetic compound was determined in freshwater crabs. Crabs were divided into three different experimental groups: healthy control groups (N.C.) received NTE buffer, positive control group (P.C.) crabs received WSSV, and treatment group crabs received WSSV along with synthetic weight compound. Experimental groups were observed for 30 days post-infection. Three different organs (gills, muscles, and head soft tissue (HST)) were dissected from all three groups and analyzed using molecular-based techniques, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Western blot, and histopathology. Clinical signs of WSSV were observed in the positive and N.C. groups; however, the treatment group showed a 100% survival rate. Confirmation was done using PCR, Western blot, and histopathology. These results demonstrated that the given synthetic compound has significant anti-viral activity against WSSV.

     

Whitebacked planthopper Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Homoptera: Delphacidae) resistance in rice variety Sinna Sivappu

Whitebacked planthopper (WBPH) along with brown planthopper (BPH) has emerged as a major pest of rice in several Asian countries. Development and cultivation of varieties resistant to both planthoppers is an ecologically acceptable strategy to manage these pests. Sinna Sivappu, a Sri Lankan landrace, was reported to be resistant to both planthoppers. While inheritance of BPH resistance has been reported, the genetics of WBPH resistance in this variety is not known. Using a mapping population of 255 F_2:3 families from Taichung Native (TN)1/Sinna Sivappu cross and 128 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, genes or quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for WBPH resistance quantified in ten phenotypic tests were identified, adopting classical Mendelian segregation, correlation and QTL analyses. The inheritance pattern suggested that a single recessive gene controlled regulation of seedling damage score. Antixenosis or nymphal preference was influenced by two complementary recessive genes, whereas tolerance in terms of days to wilt was under the influence of a single dominant gene. Several of these phenotypic tests recorded high degree of positive or negative correlation between them, suggesting dependence or redundancy of the tests. QTL analysis revealed 13 loci associated with nine traits. Five major-effect QTLs were detected for damage score (chromosome 6), nymphal survival (chromosome 12), and days to wilt (three QTLs on chromosome 4). We suggest involvement of four WBPH resistance genes in Sinna Sivappu, designated as wbph9(t), wbph10(t), wbph11(t), and Wbph12(t). One of the recessive genes could be allelic to any of the recessive genes reported in cluster C on chromosome 6 which might confer resistance to both BPH and WBPH.     

Evaluation of a Suitable Extractant and Determination of Critical Limit of Boron in Soil and Mustard (Brassica Juncea L.) Plant by Various Extractants in Inceptisols of Varanasi

Pot culture experiment was conducted to evaluate the suitability of extractants and to determine the critical limit of boron (B) in soil and mustard plant in Inceptisols of Varanasi. Twenty-one bulk soil collected from different locations were used for growing mustard. Five extractants, namely hot water, hot 0.01molar (M) calcium chloride (CaCl₂), 0.01M CaCl₂ + 0.05 M mannitol, 1.0 M ammonium acetate (NH₄OAC) and 0.05 M hydrochloric acid (HCl), were assessed by correlating the amount of extractable B in untreated and B fertilizer-treated soil with Bray’s per cent yield, plant tissue B concentration and B uptake by mustard. Similarly, correlation coefficients of the B extracted by different extractants and soil properties were calculated. The suitability of B extracted by different extractants was in the order of hot 0.01M CaCl₂ (HCC-B) > hot water (HW-B) > 1.0 M NH₄OAC (AA-B) > 0.05M HCl (HA-B) > 0.01M CaCl₂ + 0.05M mannitol (CCM-B). The critical limits of extractable B in soil as determined by the graphical procedure were 0.54, 0.60, 0.36, 0.45 and 0.45 mg kg^?1 and the statistical procedures were 0.54, 0.60, 0.38, 0.46 and 0.48 mg kg^?1 with HW-B, HCC-B, CCM-B, AA-B and HA-B, respectively. Soil containing available B below the critical limit responded to B fertilization.     

Effect of paclobutrazol and salinity on ion leakage,proline content and activities of antioxidant enzymes in mango (Mangifera indica L.)

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of paclobutrazol (PBZ) on ion leakage (IL), proline content and activities of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) of 1-year-old ‘Olour’ mango plants subjected to NaCl stress. Plants were treated with two levels of salt, i.e., 0.0 g NaCl (control) and 25 g NaCl/25 kg soil and three levels of paclobutrazol (PBZ) solution (0.0 (control), 750 and 1500 mg/l). Ion leakage, proline content and activities of antioxidant enzymes were significantly altered by both salinity and PBZ treatments. Results indicated that PBZ (1500 mg/l) mitigated the salinity stress and reduced ion leakage of mango seedlings by 64% over non-PBZ-treated salinised plants. PBZ upregulated the endogenous proline content and salinised plants treated with PBZ (1500 mg/l) had 17% higher proline content than salinised plants without PBZ treatment. Higher antioxidant enzyme activity was also observed in salinised plants treated by PBZ than salinised plants without PBZ treatments. Moreover, higher dose of PBZ (1500 mg/l) resulted in higher activity of these enzymes in mango leaves. In comparison to salinised plants without PBZ treatment, salinised plants treated with PBZ (1500 mg/l) had higher SOD (24%), CAT (46%) and POD (163%) activities. Our results suggest that PBZ application under salt stress conditions alters the equilibrium between free radical production and enzymatic defense reactions in mango by enhancing the proline content and free radical scavenging capacity.     

Development of a system for measuring calcitonin in the stingray Dasyatis akajei (a cartilaginous fish): the possible involvement of stingray calcitonin in gonadal development

To elucidate the physiological role of calcitonin (CT) in stingrays (cartilaginous fish), an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system using a specific antibody against stingray CT has been developed. Synthetic stingray CT was subcutaneously injected into mice four times—once every 2 weeks—together with an adjuvant. We purified the IgG antibody fraction using the protein A affinity chromatography from collected antiserum. Evaluating the antibody titer, we found the antibody’s optimum dilution ratio to be 600 times. Competitive ELISA has been developed using the antibody diluted 600 times. Our antibody did not cross-react with teleost CTs and muscle extraction, but cross-reacted with stingray plasma and the extract of the ultimobranchial gland, the secretary organ of stingray CT. Using this ELISA, we measured the plasma CT level in stingrays and examined its correlation with several mineral concentrations. Plasma CT did not show significant correlation to calcium, magnesium, inorganic phosphorus, sodium, chlorine, or urea, although there was a correlation among the factors involved in osmoregulation, such as sodium, chlorine, and urea. On the other hand, plasma CT was significantly correlated to body weight and length. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between plasma CT and gonad weight. Since plasma CT was correlated with the weight of liver, which is involved in the synthesis of egg yolk protein, we examined the influence of 17β-estradiol (E2) on CT secretion. After E2 injection, the plasma CT level increased significantly. This is the first study to demonstrate that E2 induced plasma CT secretion in cartilaginous fish.     

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.     

Drug resistance of bacteria isolated from the intestine of yellowtail cultured with feeds containing various drugs

ABSTRACT: In order to ascertain whether the use of drugs as feed additive for fish may cause drug resistance of bacteria in the intestinal tract, viable counts and bacterial flora in the intestine of yellowtail cultivated with the feeds in the presence or absence of various drugs, drug resistance of the flora were determined. Viable counts in the intestine were lowered remarkably by the administration of each drug, suggesting that bacterial growth in the intestinal tract was inhibited by various drugs. Bacterial flora in the intestine consisted mainly of coryneform bacteria, Staphylococcus and Bacillus regardless of whether drugs were administered or not. In these floras, significant differences could not be observed for their resistance to respective drugs among the isolates from fish cultivated with feeds containing or not containing each drug. In addition, these floras mainly showed resistance to various combinations comprising from one to seven drugs; moreover, the majority of resistant strains were multidrug-resistant.     

Co-inoculation of the endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica with the phosphate-solubilising bacterium Pseudomonas striata affects population dynamics and plant growth in chickpea

In this study, inoculation of the chickpea (Cicer arietinum) with the novel symbiotic fungus (Piriformospora indica) was analysed in combination with the Tn5-lacZ-tagged phosphate-solubilising bacterium Pseudomonas striata. This study aims to evaluate whether the co-inoculation of these two species would enhance the population buildup of P. striata in the rhizosphere, P uptake, growth and yield of chickpea. Single inoculation of P. indica and P. striata has a negative effect on plant growth and yield of chickpea. Data showed that the combination of the two microorganisms had a synergistic effect on population buildup of P. striata and plant dry biomass with respect to their single inoculation. However, the P uptake was not significantly influenced by single or combined inoculation of two species. At 20 days after sowing, the influence of combined inoculation on the population of P. striata was positive; at 60 days after sowing, it was neutral as the populations in treatments with single and combined inoculation were at par; and at harvest, it was negative The population of P. striata was higher at flowering stage as compared to 20 days after sowing and at harvest.     

Formulation and pharmacokinetic evaluation of hard gelatin capsule encapsulating lyophilized Vasa Swaras for improved stability and oral bioavailability of vasicine

The oral bioavailability of vasicine (1) was investigated in hard gelatin capsules of lyophilized Vasa Swaras (aqueous extract of Adhatoda vasica Nees.,Fam.: Acanthaceae) The rat pharmacokinetic profile of lyophilized Vasa Swaras, Vasa Swaras, vasicine (1) (chief marker compounds of A. vasica) and a marketed capsule formulation of A. vasica were compared. Vasicine (1) was found to be more orally bioavailable from lyophilized Vasa Swaras, with an overall minor conversion to vasicinone (2).     

Botanical pesticide, azadirachtin attenuates blood electrolytes of a freshwater catfish Heteropneustes fossilis

The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of purified neem extract azadirachtin on the blood electrolytes of Heteropneustes fossilis for short- and long-term. In short-term exposure the fish were subjected to 0.8 (i.e. 80%) of 96 h LC₅₀ value of azadirachtin (41.89 mg L⁻¹) for 96 h. In long-term exposure the experiment was performed for 28 days by using 0.2 (i.e. 20%) of 96 h LC₅₀ value of azadirachtin (10.47 mg L⁻¹). Fish were sacrificed (anaesthesized with MS 222) from control and experimental (azadirachtin) groups after 24, 48, 72, and 96 h in short-term exposure and after 7, 14, 21, and 28 days in long-term experiment. Blood samples were analyzed for calcium and inorganic phosphate levels. Acute exposure of azadirachtin caused a progressive decrease in the serum calcium levels after 48 h in fish H. fossilis which persists till the close of the experiment (96 h). The serum inorganic phosphate levels remained unaffected till 72 h in the azadirachtin exposed fish. After 96 h the levels exhibit a decrease. Chronic azadirachtin treatment caused a decrease in serum calcium levels at day 14. This decrease continued till the end of the experiment. The serum phosphate level of the azadirachtin treated fish decreased on day 14 and 21. However, on day 28 the levels were close to the normal values.