Effect of Sodium Chloride on Growth, Photosynthesis and Mineral Ions Accumulation of Different Types of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Growth, photosynthesis and mineral ions accumulation of aromatic small grain, local coarse grain and HYV types of rice were evaluated under saline conditions. Three cultivars from each type were subjected to 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mvi NaCl concentrations. After three weeks of 200 mvi NaCl application only Pokkali and Kalobail, both belonging to the local coarse grain type and IPK 37011 of the HYV type were able to survive. Plant height, green leaf area, leaf weight, shoot and root growth were seriously decreased by salinity. However, leaf area was decreased more than other growth parameters. In general aromatic small grain type showed higher salt-sensitiveness in relation to growth than other types of rice. Photosynthesis (Pn) was decreased by salinity and apparently stomatal resistance was partially responsible for the decreased Pn. Kalijira, an aromatic small grain eultivar, showed serious reduction in Pn, especially at the 150mM NaCl level. Na accumulation was increased while K accumulation was decreased by salinity in all types. Salt tolerant eultivars in all types of rice accumulated less Na and more K than susceptible ones. The K/Na ratio was also higher in tolerant eulti-vars. Ca and Mg eoncentrations were decreased by salinity although not all the eultivars showed clear accumulation patterns as observed for Na and K. As HYV and local coarse grain types of rice in general showed high salt tolerance, a comprehensive breeding programme should be of value for the improvement of salt tolerance of aromatic small grain rice which has a high demand in rice importing countries.     

Potential of Pakistani camel for dairy and other uses

Camels have the potential for milk, meat and draught power and can contribute a handsome share of the production of these commodities. The potential of this wonderful animal has never been realized and it could be harnessed as a prospective milk producing animal. The future of animals that can thrive under harsh environmental conditions, the camel being at the top of the list, is bright. The camel is still a neglected species in Pakistan and has not received the proper attention of researchers and scientists. The population explosion, urbanization and industrialization have expanded agricultural activities to produce more food for the rapid growing human population of the country. Cultivated areas are shrinking, thus reducing the fodder production area for buffalo and cattle. Under these circumstances we have to search for other available sources to enhance milk production. The environmental changes occurring on the earth and the water shortage in the region have also adversely affected the production potential of buffalo, cattle, goats and sheep. Under these changing ecological circumstances, rearing camel is the best option for more milk production and the proper utilization of the vast unused lands of this country. Most studies also have named the camel as an animal of great socioeconomic importance in large tracts of the industrializing world. The camel serves as a cheaper source of power for drawing water from wells, plowing and leveling land, working mini extraction mills (extracting from oil seeds), grinding wheat, corn and other grains and crushing sugarcane and pulling carts for the transportation of goods as well as people.     

塔里木河中游径流变化分析

在多年水文数据的基础上,分析了塔里木河中游1957~2002年间径流年际变化及1992~2002年径流月际变化的特点、趋势及其原因和影响。得出1957~2002年间塔里木河中游径流不稳定、不平衡,并且径流呈逐渐减小的趋势,其主要原因是源流区和上游区大量引水所致;塔里木河径流月际变化呈明显的西北型河流的特点,在7~9月为洪水期,水量可占全年水量的79.31%,4~6月份由于农业用水,导致径流量下降。塔里木河径流的这些特点给水资源管理加大了难度。     

Expression analysis of the genes involved in osmotic adjustment in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars under terminal drought stress conditions

Osmotic adjustment is the main component for physiological machinery of wheat drought tolerance. Some of parameters implicated in osmotic adjustment in 15 bread wheat cultivars were evaluated at soil water deficits (50% FC) and FC as the control in the greenhouse. For the physiological traits, analysis of variance showed that there are highly significant differences between treatments, i.e. water stress levels and wheat cultivars. Shahpasand and Marvdasht as sensitive wheat cultivars had significantly lower osmotic adjustment, relative water content, K+ content, soluble sugar, proline, and glycine betaine levels than the rest of the cultivars. The results of cluster analysis revealed that all cultivars were grouped into three distinct clusters. Dez, Kavir, Pishtaz, and Maron cultivars which have the highest osmoregulation activity were in cluster I, whereas clusters II (Pishgam, Aflak, Hirmand, Zagros, and Vee/Nac) and III (Ws-89-2, Sardari, Azar2, Shapasand, and Marvdasht) had intermediate activity and the lowest capacities for osmoregulation, respectively. In addition, in wheat flag leaf during the reproductive stage under drought conditions, the changes in gene expression of two key genes namely P5CS (D-Pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase) and BADH (Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase) in two selected cultivars including Dez and Marvdasht revealed that water stress can increase the expression level of the genes P5CS and BADH in the resistant cultivar, Dez, compared with Marvdasht, the sensitive one. In general, it seemed that application of the all cultivars in cluster I would enable breeders to acquire more reliable achievements under drought conditions.     

Wild pistachio tree (Pistacia mutica) in the Qalajeh forest region of western Iran

Wild pistachio tree (Pistacia mutica) is considered the most important species in the Zagros forests. It can adapt to unfavorable environmental conditions. To find the suitable ecological conditions for pistachio species, we investigated different environmental factors such as gradient, aspect and position of the slopes through the distribution area. Frequency of pistachio trees in the north and northwest of Qalajeh forests was 36.4% and 1%, respectively. Maximum (32%) and minimum (13%) number of wild pistachio trees were in 30%–60% and >120% slope classes, respectively. The most number and least number of pistachio trees were found at elevations of 1100–1200 m and 2200–2300 m, respectively. The percentage of pistachio canopy coverage was 10. The average percentage of herbaceous coverage was 6.5. Pistachio trees of diameter per hectare at breast height (DBH) >20 cm numbered 5 while average number of pistachio trees was 8 per hectare. Pistachio seedlings per hectare averaged 3.5. The number of other species per ha was 7 trees. The effect of aspect on other species was not significant (p=0.151). Slope class and geographical aspect did not affect regeneration (p=0.275 and p=0.111, respectively). Pistachio plays an important economic role in semi-arid areas, therefore it is essential to protect and restore Qalajeh forests through participation by government and local people.     

Effect of Sodium Chloride on Germination and Seedling Characters of Different Types of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The rice eultivars grown in the tropies and sub-tropics can be broadly categorized as aromatic small grain, local coarse grain and modern high yielding varieties (HYV). The first two categories are traditional rice, and are generally palatable. The aromatic rice has better market value than HYV rice, yet farmers are unwilling to expand its cultivation because of the low yield potential. One possibility to expand the cultivation of traditional rice is o t find stress tolerant cultivars for growing in marginal land. The salinity tolerance of nine rice cultivars representing three from each type of aromatic small grains, local coarse grains and HYV types, was analysed at germination and early seedling stage. Seeds were placed for germination and the seedlings were allowed to grow for nine days at NaCl concentrations of 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM. NaCl decreased the germination index (GI), speed of germination, seedling height and seedling dry matter weight. Seedling characteristics were decreased more than GI. In general aromatic small grain type showed more salt sensitivity than the other two types. Among the nine cultivars Shakkorkhora (aromatic type) showed the least salt tolerance in relation to germination and seedling characters while the other two cultivars of the same group showed tolerance as high as the tolerant cultivars in other types. Generalization of group salt tolerance of rice, therefore, has little value from the agronomic point of view at least at early growth stage. As the number of cultivars employed in this study was only three from each type it is suggested that more cultivars be considered for the purpose of salt tolerant improvement programme of various types of rice.     

Assessment of Iranian wheat germplasm for salinity tolerance using analysis of the membership function value of salinity tolerance (MFVS)

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Salinity stress is one of the most important abiotic stresses which reduce crop production worldwide. In this study, 17 morphological and agronomic...     

Impact of DNA damage on the frequency of sperm chromosomal aneuploidy in normal and subfertile men

Background: Various frequencies of sperm aneuploidy are reported in sperms of subfertile patients compared to normal individuals. Moreover, sperm DNA damage is shown to be associated with male infertility. In this study, the rate of DNA damage and frequencies of aneuploidy in sperms of subfertile patients was investigated. Methods: Semen samples were obtained from healthy normal and subfertile (oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, and oligoasthenozoospermia) men. The frequency of aneuploidy was assessed using primed in situ labeling (PRINS) analysis with specific primers for chromosomes 18, 21, X, and Y. Sperm DNA damage was assessed using alkaline comet assay. Results: The mean frequencies of disomy for the patients were significantly higher than normal for all chromosomes (P<0.01). The extent of DNA damage in sperms of subfertiles was significantly higher than in normal individuals (P<0.001). The obtained results indicated that higher rate of DNA damages led to higher frequency of chromosomal disomy except for asthenozoospermia samples which exhibited higher rate of DNA damage and lower frequency of chromosomal disomy. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that men with oligozoospermia and oligoasthenozoospermia have an elevated risk for chromosome abnormalities in their sperm, particularly sex chromosomes. DNA damage might be involved in the process of malsegregation of chromosomes.Asthenozoospermia, DNA damage, Primed in situ labeling (PRINS), Comet assay     

Effect of processing on the in vitro digestibility of proteins and carbohydrates in some Indian legumes

The effect of different types of processing such as boiling, pressure cooking, puffing, frying, germination, and germination followed by cooking on the protein and carbohydrate digestibility of chickpea, horsegram and cowpea were studied in in vitro systems. In the case of chickpea, the protein digestibility was not significantly improved by any of the treatments. However, for horsegram and cowpea, improvement in protein digestibility was observed after some of the different processing treatments. Frying decreased the protein digestibility in all of the pulses. All of the treatments, except germination, caused a marked increase in in vitro carbohydrate digestibility.     

Evaluation of ELISA in the serodiagnosis of bovine farcy

Mycobacterium farcinogenes is the causal agent of bovine farcy, a chronic infectious disease of zebu cattle in some parts of tropical Africa. Whole cell homologous antigen of M. farcinogenes was used in the standardization and evaluation of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of circulating antibodies against bovine farcy using sera from confirmed bovine farcy and from bovine farcy-free cattle. The cut-off optical density (OD) value was decided at 1.8 using filter 405nm after one hour of incubation at 37°C. Accordingly, 115 out of 124 (92.7%) serum samples from clinically proven bovine farcy cattle were reported sero-positive. Sera from cattle infected with M. avium and M. paratuberculosis revealed OD value <1.8, indicating the differential diagnostic ability of M. farcinogenes antigen. Our test sensitivity was 92.7% and specificity was 97%, therefore could be routinely employed to support early clinical diagnosis, epidemiological surveys and for screening animals before exportation to farcy-free regions.