Inhibition of rumination in sheep by α-adrenoreceptor antagonists

Rumination activity was recorded in sheep during a period of 3 h. The amount of rumination occurring in 30 min following the intravenous injection of an alpha 1 blocking drug (prazosin, 0.1 mg/kg) and an alpha 2 blocking drug (idazoxan, 0.1 mg/kg) was reduced compared with control days when saline was given. The observation that rumination can be stimulated by a rapid, intravenous dose of adrenalin was confirmed. The induction of rumination by adrenalin was prevented by these alpha-adrenoreceptor antagonists given singly or together at the dose rate mentioned. These findings are discussed in the light of knowledge that normal reticulo-ruminal motility and food intake can be inhibited by stimulation of alpha 2-adrenoreceptors.     

Increased foliar activity of clodinafop‐propargyl and/or tribenuron‐methyl by surfactants and their synergistic action on wild oat (Avena ludoviciana) and wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis)

Surfactants can improve postemergence herbicide efficacy and reduce the amount of herbicide required to obtain weed control. The effect of surfactants on the efficacy of herbicides is complicated and depends on the interaction among the plant, surfactant, and herbicide. The effects of surfactants on the efficacy of clodinafop‐propargyl and/or tribenuron‐methyl on wild oat (Avena ludoviciana) and wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis) under greenhouse conditions were investigated. In addition, the surface tension of aqueous solutions of the surfactants and surfactants + herbicides was determined. Significantly lower surface tension values were obtained with the aqueous solutions of citofrigate (Citogate plus Frigate) alone and with the herbicides used in this study. The citofrigate surfactant lead to the greatest enhancement of clodinafop‐propargyl and/or tribenuron‐methyl efficacy and the effect was species‐dependent. The efficacy of clodinafop‐propargyl and/or tribenuron‐methyl in the presence of surfactants in controlling wild oat was higher than for wild mustard. The foliar activity of the tested herbicides rose with increasing surfactant concentrations. The tank mixture of clodinafop‐propargyl and tribenuron‐methyl showed a synergistic effect in controlling wild oat and wild mustard. The synergistic effect in controlling wild mustard was greater than for wild oat.     

Effects of the sowing depth and temperature on the seedling emergence and early growth of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) and wheat

The experiment was conducted under a controlled environment to study the effects of different temperature regimes (15/10°C, 20/15°C, and 25/20°C day/night) and sowing depths (0, 2, 4, and 6 cm) on the seedling emergence and early growth (height gain) of wheat (cv. Marvdasht) and wild barley ( Hordeum spontaneum ). The cumulative emergence and plant height gain over time were modeled with the use of a logistic function. For a particular temperature regime, the maximum percentage emergence (E _max ) of wheat was higher than that of wild barley across all sowing depths. The maximum and minimum E _max values for both species occurred at 20/15°C and 25/20°C, respectively. The time taken to reach 50% of the E _max (i.e. E₅₀) increased with the sowing depth in both species under all temperature regimes. The E₅₀ of wild barley was greater than that of wheat for all temperature regimes, with maximum differences observed at 20/15°C. The greatest maximum plant height (H _max ) was observed at the surface planting for both plants. The H _max was reduced at temperatures either lower or higher than 20/15°C, with a more notable reduction in wild barley. At all temperature regimes, the time taken to reach 50% of the H _max (i.e. H₅₀) increased linearly with the sowing depth but, at higher temperatures, the accelerated growth rate reduced the H₅₀. The wild barley seedling emergence and height gain rate, as expressed relative to those of wheat, revealed the highest superiority of wheat over wild barley at 25/20°C and the sowing depth of 4 cm.     

Studies on Plant Population and Stand Establishment Techniques for Increasing Productivity of Rice in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan

Rice production in Pakistan is constraint by many factors pertaining to prevalent planting techniques. A research on the feasibility of new planting techniques (direct seeding on flat, transplanting on flat, direct seeding on ridges, transplanting on ridges and parachute planting) in transplanted and direct wet-seeded rice was undertaken at Dera Ismail Khan region of Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province during 2002 and 2003. Among the planting techniques, the best performance for the yield formation and economic evaluation was noted for transplanting on flat during both years. Chinese parachute planting technology also showed very promising results in most of the parameters. Direct seeding on ridges could not excel transplanting on flat and parachute planting during both cropping seasons. The findings concluded the feasibility of parachute planting technology along with traditional rice transplanting on flat over all other planting techniques being practiced in the area.     

Effect of Establishment Methods and Weed Management Practices on Some Growth Attributes of Rice

In rice, the traditional system of transplanting gives the crop a 14 to 21-day growth advantage over the weeds [1]. The transplanting also enables rice to capture space earlier. This is because the young rice plants have leverage over germinating weeds due to shading and earlier establishment of root system. The immediate flooding after transplanting limits the establishment of many weeds [2]. Similarly, in direct seeded method, the use of high seed rates could reduce weed infestation to a lar…     

Development and challenges of green food in China

Green food in China refers to a wide array of primary and processed agricultural products that are safe, nutritious and of high quality for human consumption. Green food has been certified and produced following the principle of sustainability since the 1990s, making historic achievements in providing quality food, protecting the environment, increasing farmer income, and nurturing agricultural brands over the past 30 years in China. Today, the green food industry enters a steady-growth stage in terms of cultivation area, product number and sales. This article summarizes the history of the development of green food in China and current achievements, analyze major challenges that may hamper further development of the industry, and propose strategies to address these challenges, i.e., optimization of the food supply chain, deep food processing, and utilization of food wastes.     

APPARENT AND PARTIAL MOLAL VOLUMES OF CATION-SATURATED KAOLINS

Apparent and partial molal volumes of K-kaolin and K₂SO₄, Mg-kaolin and MgSO₄, and Ca-kaolin and CaCl₂ as a function of electrolyte and particle concentration were determined from density measurements at 30°C. The apparent (ø) and partial molal volumes (V) of the kaolin or the salts studied increase with concentration and are larger in salt-clay mixtures. Kaolin saturated with electro-strictive cations has lower volumes than that saturated with less strictive ones.     

UNSTEADY TWO-DIMENSIONAL INFILTRATION FROM SEMI-CIRCULAR FURROWS

The water flow equation for two-dimensional, unsteady infiltration from semicircular furrows in unsaturated soil is solved numerically with the aid of the alternating-direction implicit (ADI) difference method. Laboratory experiments were conducted on infiltration from semi-circular furrows into sandy clay loam sott contained in a model tank. Water contents measured at different locations for different times were in close agreement with the predicted moisture profiles and the locations of the wetting fronts.     

Pharmacokinetics of antipyrine and sulphadimidine (sulfamethazine) in camels, sheep and goats

The pharmacokinetics of antipyrine and sulphadimidine were studied in male camels, sheep and goats. The two drugs were administered concomitantly. Following intravenous injection of antipyrine (25 mg/kg) and sulphadimidine (sulfamethazine) (100 mg/kg), the pharmacokinetics of the two drugs were adequately described by a one-compartment model. Antipyrine half-life in goats (2.58 h) was shorter than that in sheep (4.04 h) and camels (18.78 h). The plasma clearance was greatest in goats then sheep and then camels. For sulphadimidine, a significantly greater volume of distribution was observed in camels and the greatest plasma clearance and shortest half-life were reported in goats. Sulphadimidine half-life was 2.77 h in goats, 4.72 h in sheep and 7.36 h in camels. The present results suggest that goats have the fastest elimination of these drugs from the circulation, followed by sheep and then camels.