Boron Induced Oxidative Stress,Antioxidant Defence Response and Changes in Artemisinin Content in Artemisia annua L.

Boron is an essential plant micronutrient and the range between deficient and toxic levels of boron is narrow for most of the plants. Like other elements, boron becomes toxic to growth at high concentrations. High boron concentrations in soil reduce crop productivity in many areas of the world. The effect of increasing levels of boron (0, 0.50, 1.00, 1.50, 2.00 mm ) on oxidative stress, antioxidant defence response and changes in artemisinin content in Artemisia annua were investigated in the present study. Boron toxicity reduced the growth parameters viz. stem height, fresh weight and dry weight. Treatments induced oxidative stress resulting in lower net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, internal CO₂ and total chlorophyll content. The increased activities of antioxidant enzymes like CAT, POX and SOD were also noted in response to increasing levels of boron stress. However, H₂O₂ and artemisinin content were found to be high up to 1.00 mm concentration of boron compared to control, and on applying higher doses, further reduced contents were obtained. Thus, the results suggest that a mild stress of boron can be utilized for enhanced artemisinin production.     

电子束辐照不同虫态玉米象保护酶系活力变化研究

研究了玉米象Sitophilus zeamais(Motschulsky)不同虫态(2~3龄幼虫、1~2龄蛹和羽化1天成虫)体内三种保护酶过氧化氢酶(CAT)、过氧化物酶(POD)和超氧歧化酶(SOD)活力在电子束5个辐照剂量下酶活性的变化。试验结果表明,不同虫态玉米象CAT活力为:羽化1d成虫1~2龄蛹2~3龄幼虫;POD活力为:1~2龄蛹羽化1d成虫2~3龄幼虫;SOD活力为:1~2龄蛹2~3龄幼虫羽化1d成虫。辐照处理后,保护酶活力随辐照剂量的增加呈现先上升后下降的趋势,本实验结果有助于阐明电子束辐照加强对储粮害虫生理生化效应研究。     

Enzymatic Maceration of Witloof Chicory by the Soft Rot Bacteria Erwinia carotovora Subsp. carotovora: The Effect of Nitrogen and Calcium Treatments of the Plant on Pectic Enzyme Production and Disease Development

Disease incidence of bacterial soft rot caused by Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora and activities of bacterial pectolytic enzymes were studied in witloof chicory. Disease incidence after forcing of the chicory heads was enhanced by the nitrogen treatment and reduced by the calcium treatment of the chicory plants prior to forcing. Significant differences in susceptibility to bacterial soft rot were found for the tested chicory cultivars. Disease severity after 96h ranged from 6% in Clause R2 to 100% in Bea and Tabor. Chicory cultivars Rumba and Salsa showed a final average severity of 65–70%. Activity of the pectolytic enzymes, polygalacturonase and pectate lyase increased in artificially inoculated chicory heads of cultivar Rumba and was not affected by calcium and nitrogen treatments of the plants. Polygalacturonase showed highest activity 48h after inoculation while pectate lyase activity increased throughout 72h of incubation. Maceration of the chicory tissue and bacterial growth increased continuously until 96h after inoculation, when more than 60% of the chicory heads was macerated by pectolytic enzymes of the bacteria. Enzyme activity of Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora grown on chicory cell wall extracts was influenced by nitrogen and calcium treatments of the chicory plants. The activity of polygalacturonase reached its highest level at 48h after incubation and pectate lyase activity peaked at 24h followed by a continuous decrease until 72h after inoculation.     

Productive,Physiological and Biochemical Changes in Imported and Locally Born Friesian and Holstein Lactating Cows under Hot Summer Conditions of Egypt

Twenty each of healthy lactating Friesian and Holstein cows were studied. They were of similar age and body weight, nonpregnant in their third lactation and 80–100 days post partum. The investigation was carried out for 8 weeks on two farms at the same time during the hot summer season in Egypt. The first farm was in Demietta (North east of the Nile Delta, 31° 40 N) on 20 Friesian cows and the second was in Fakous (East of the Nile Delta, 30° 40 N) on 20 Holstein cows. On each of the two farms, 10 cows were newly imported and 10 were born in Egypt.The average daily milk yield and total milk production in the third lactation of the newly imported cows were significantly higher than those of the locally born cows for both Friesians and Holsteins. At the same time, the T₄, T₃, urea-N, haematological values and AST enzyme activity in the newly imported cows were significantly lower than those in the locally born ones in both breeds, while the locally born cows showed significantly lower values for rectal temperature and respiration rate, as well as for AST and Alk-P enzyme activities, than the newly imported cows of either breed.Holstein cows surpassed the Friesians in milk production, as well as thyroid hormone secretion and cholesterol, haemoglobin, packed cell volume and erythrocyte count values. The opposite was found for serum total protein, urea-N and creatinine concentrations, leukocyte count and AST, ALT and Alk-P enzyme activities.     

Identification and quantification of amines in the equine caecum

Acute laminitis has been associated with the release of compounds, as yet unidentified, produced by hindgut fermentation which affect blood flow to the digit. The objectives of this study were to identify amine compounds in equine caecal and colonic contents, some of which are known to have vasoactive properties. In addition, the concentrations of amines in caecal contents of horses fed either grass or hay diets were compared. Fifteen amines were identified in equine hindgut contents in concentrations greater than 1 microM. The caecal concentrations of phenylethylamine, isoamylamine, cadaverine, diaminoheptane and spermidine were significantly higher in horses on spring/summer grass compared with those on winter grass or hay. These data show that many amines are present in the equine hindgut, some of which may have the potential to cause peripheral vasoconstriction if released into the circulation from the gastrointestinal tract.     

The effects of low doses of Senna occidentalis seeds on broiler chickens

The effects of 0.5%, 0.3% and 0.1% w/w concentrations of Senna occidentalis (So) seed mixed with commercial ration were studied in 18 groups of 32 broiler chicks each, from 1 day to 49 days of age. Three groups were fed one of the rations throughout their lives (TL). Three other groups were fed one of the rations from the 1st to the 28th day of life (starter phase, SP), and the final 3 groups were fed one of the rations from the 29th to 49th day (finisher phase, FP). Each experimental group was matched by a control group fed the same diet over the same period but without the inclusion of So. All the animals were killed at 49 days of age, and blood was collected from 10 birds in each group for biochemical studies (ALT, AST, GGT, LDH, UA). A complete necropsy was performed on 3 birds from each group. No significant differences in the biochemical parameters in the serum were found between the control and experimental chicks, but animals treated with 0.5% So in groups FP and TL, gained less weight and chicks that received 0.3% So or 0.5% So in the ration throughout life (TL) had a larger feed conversion ratio. Besides this, degenerative changes were found in the striated skeletal muscle in the chest, in the myocardium and in the liver in the animals that received the higher concentrations of So seeds.     

Accumulation of Sapogenin Conjugates and Histological Changes in the Liver and Kidneys of Lambs Suffering from Alveld,a Hepatogenous Photosensitization Disease of Sheep Grazing Narthecium ossifragum

Sixteen lambs exhibiting hepatogenous photosensitization (alveld) after grazing pasture containing Narthecium ossifragum and seven nonphotosensitized lambs grazing the same pastures were studied. All the alveld-affected lambs revealed liver damage dominated by single cell necrosis, portal fibroplasia and bile duct proliferation. Crystalloid clefts were demonstrated in the bile ducts of two and in the hepatocytes and Kupffer cells of nine photosensitized lambs. Plasma bilirubin concentration was severely increased in ten of the cases of alveld whereas the activity of aspartate aminotransferase was moderately to severely increased in seven cases. The activity of glutamate dehydrogenase was moderately elevated in one of the photosensitized lambs. The main histopathological findings in the kidneys from the alveld-affected lambs were dilated tubules, often with eosinophilic material in the tubular lumina. Regenerative changes were seen in a large proportion of the renal sections. Elevated plasma concentrations of urea and creatinine, and the renal histopathological changes, suggested that the photosensitized lambs had been through a phase of renal injury. Analysis of the free and conjugated sapogenin content in liver tissue and bile was performed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. There were significantly higher concentrations of conjugated episapogenins in both the liver and bile in the alveld-affected lambs than in the nonphotosensitized lambs.     

纤维素复合酶对羔羊早期生长发育的影响

为研究日粮中添加外源性纤维素复合酶对羔羊早期生长发育的影响,选取20日龄30只健康的波尔山羊羔羊,分为对照(组不添加酶制剂)和试验组(添加纤维素复合酶-格林酶,0.2%)。分别在羔羊的2、3月龄和4月龄进行体重和体尺的测量。结果表明:纤维素酶对羔羊在各月龄体尺及体尺指数有提高的趋势,但影响不显著(P>0.05),而纤维素酶明显提高了整个试验期羔羊的体重和日增重,并且在3月龄时达到极显著(P<0.01)。     

Biological activity and characterization of nucleopolyhedrovirus isolates ofSpodoptera litura

Geographical isolates ofSpodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) nucleopolyhedrovirus (SpltNPV), collected from different parts of India and maintained at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, were compared for their biological activity and subjected to Restriction Endonuclease (REN) analysis. Neonate and second instar bioassay studies revealed similarity in biological activity as shown by the overlapping fiducial limits of LC₅₀ values. However, there were differences in yield among isolates: significantly higher yields were obtained from isolates UAS and CBE than from the BARC isolate. REN analysis of the four isolates withPst I,Hind III,Bam HI andEco RI enzymes indicated genotypic variation among the isolates. Based on the commonality of the bands, the isolates could be broadly divided into two groups: isolates AU and CBE formed one group, and the other group comprised UAS and BARC based on genetic relatedness. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Nov. 21, 2005.     

纤维素复合酶对羔羊消化道组织结构的影响

为了探明纤维素复合酶提高羔羊饲料消化率的消化道组织学基础,选择刚出生且体重相近的波尔山羊公羔30只(20日龄开始自由采食优质苜蓿干草, 80日龄断奶)分为对照组和试验组(添加0.2%酶制剂),分别在2、3和4月龄每组各选体重相近的3只羔羊屠宰.结果表明,瘤胃乳头长度、宽度和单位面积瘤胃乳头表面积随月龄增加而增加,而单位面积乳头数随着月龄的增加而减少(P ＜ 0.01).酶制剂提高3、4月龄羔羊瘤胃乳头长度(P ＜ 0.01)、宽度(P ＞ 0.05)和单位面积瘤胃乳头表面积(P ＜ 0.01),减少单位面积乳头数(P ＜ 0.01).显著提高3月龄十二指肠肠绒毛的长度(P ＜ 0.05).在3、4月龄,酶制剂有增加小肠隐窝深度和黏膜厚度的趋势,但未达到显著水平(P ＞ 0.05).