杂交稻机插秧育秧播种密度与取秧面积耦合关系

为了确保杂交稻机插秧质量,选取育秧播种密度和取秧面积为2个主要因素,进行了二因素三水平全面试验设计,试验品种为杂交稻1596。试验结果表明,育秧盘播种质量、育秧盘成苗质量和大田栽插质量的主要指标之间大都呈现出显著的相关性;0.05水平下对样本t检验结果表明,空格率（漏插率）之间有显著差异,成苗均匀度合格率和育秧盘播种均匀度合格率有显著差异,大田栽插均匀度合格率和育秧盘中成苗均匀度合格率没有显著差异;每盘播种量为73 g、取秧面积为2.38 cm2的耦合为最佳试验方案,此时育秧盘播种质量、育秧盘成苗质量和大田栽插质量的主要指标空格率（漏插率）和均匀度合格率分别为1.1%和92.5%、2.6%和90.2%、5.1%和88%,能达到的基本苗为每公顷541 665株。     

Effectiveness of electrical currents in breaking potato tuber dormancy compared with other methods

The effects of direct electrical current (DC) and alternating current (AC), were compared with bromoethane (BE), gibberellic acid (GA) and kinetin (Ki) for breaking tuber dormancy of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). BE was the most effective treatment for high sprout numbers and for short emergence times of sprouts, but the growth regulators (GA and Ki) were most effective in promoting sprout elongation. Electrical currents were more effective for sprout numbers than were growth regulators, except for BE. Amylase and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme activities were different in the tuber parenchyma and the sprouts of treated tubers. Amylase activity was higher in the parenchyma than in sprouts, in contrast to PPO activity.     

Comparison of nutritional and antinutritional factors in soybean and fababean seeds with or without cortex

The composition and contents of nutritional factors such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, fibers, amino acids, and antinutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitors, phytic acid, and tannins were compared in soybean and fababean seeds with emphasis placed on the nutritional improvement of the seeds by cortex removal. Protein hydrolysis analysis for both whole seeds and seed with cortex removed revealed the presence of a large amount of lysine, arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, and leucine while these seeds contained a low level of tryptophan, cystine, and methionine. Some antinutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitors, phytic acid, and tannins were detected in soybean and fababean seeds: phytic acid content and trypsin inhibitor activity were higher in soybean seeds than in fababean seeds while the difference in the tannin content was less pronounced. It was found that most of the tannins occurred in the cortex of the soybean and fababean seeds. Tannins are polyphenolic compounds that readily form indigestible complexes with proteins and other macromolecules under specific environmental conditions. By removal of the cortex, tannins were almost completely eliminated without changes in the protein composition and amino acids. From these results, it is assumed that since soybean and fababean seeds contained a high concentration of antinutritional factors in the cortex such as tannins, the utilization of the legume seeds after removal of all of the cortex is suitable for human diet or industrial products.     

水稻不同种植方式的比较试验与评价

为了比较水稻不同种植方式的实施效果,在中国三大稻区安排了机械插秧、机械直播、机械钵苗行栽3种种植方式与常规育秧手工插秧方式比较试验,试验的品种为当地种植面积较大的6个品种,采集了不同试验方式的各项成本,测定了水稻产量指标和作业环节消耗工时等数据.试验结果表明,南方一季稻区优选种植方式的排序为:机械插秧、机械直播和手工插秧;南方双季稻区机械插秧方式优于手工插秧;北方稻区机械钵苗行栽方式优于手工插秧.其中机械插秧方式平均增产7.53%、平均省工41.44%,平均增加效益46.78%;机械直播方式产量平均下降6.34%,平均省工31.30%,而对效益的影响因品种不同而表现出差异性;机械钵苗行栽方式平均增产8.95%、省工64.29%,增加效益22.57%.     

Efficacy of using previously used controlled internal drug release (CIDR) insert on the reproductive performance,hormone profiles and economic measures of sheep

This study was conducted using 120 multiparous Awassi ewes during the breeding season to compare the effects of using previously used controlled internal drug release (CIDR) on the hormone profiles, reproductive performance and economic measures of ewes. Ewes were randomized to receive one of five previously used CIDR (previously used for 6, 12, 18, 24 or 30 days) or the new CIDR as a control for 6 days (CIDR6, CIDR12, CIDR18, CIDR24, CIDR30, and CIDR0 [control], respectively). Blood samples were collected on four occasions, at the time of CIDR insertion, after 3 days of insertion, and at the time of withdrawal and insemination. Serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) concentrations were measured. Timed insemination was performed 48 hr post‐CIDR withdrawal. Pregnancy was diagnosed by ultrasonography 23 days after insemination and confirmed on day 35. The heat detection rate was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the CIDR0 and CIDR6 groups than in the CIDR18 and CIDR30 groups. The total pregnancy rate and fecundity were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the CIDR6 group than in other groups. P4 level was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the CIDR0 group than in the CIDR30 group at the time of removal. At each time point, the E2 level was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the CIDR6 group than at the other groups. The total variable cost, total cost, return and net profit were higher in the CIDR6 and CIDR0 groups than in the other groups. In conclusion, although previously used CIDRs are efficient at synchronizing oestrus in ewes, the duration of previously usage significantly affected the reproductive parameters and economic profit. CIDRs previously used for 6 days and new CIDRs provided the highest fertility and fecundity rates, besides return and net profit. Economically, it is not advisable to use CIDRs that previously used for 12 days or more.     

Host-dependent variations in the seasonal prevalence and intensity of heterophyid encysted metacercariae (Digenea: Heterophyidea) in brackish water fish in Egypt

The prevalence of heterophyid (Digenea: Heterophyidae) encysted metacercariae (EMC) in its second intermediate host, the fish Mugil spp. and Tilapia spp. was studied in a subtropical permanent Lake in northeastern Egypt. Seasonal changes in the occurrence of the EMC in different fish hosts were monitored in a longitudinal field survey lasting 12 months from June 2006 to May 2007. This study tested two hypotheses; (i) prevalence and intensity of heterophyid EMC fluctuate seasonally throughout the year and (ii) variation in the prevalence and intensity of heterophyid EMC is host-dependent. A total of 832 fish specimens comprising 5 species collected from Manzala Lake, northeastern Egypt were examined by artificial gastric juice digestion for EMC. All five species of brackish water fish examined were found to harbor the EMC of the family Heterophyidae in their muscles. The overall infection prevalence of EMC over 12 months was 23.2%. The adult flukes recovered from puppies experimentally infected with morphologically different metacercariae from different fish species were compatible with six species belong to five genera of Heterophyidae, namely, Heterophyes heterophyes, Heterophyes aequalis, Pygidiopsis genata, Phagicola sp., Haplorchis sp. and Stictodora sp. EMC of H. heterophyes were most abundant, detected in 56% of the total fish examined. P. genata was ranked second, followed by Phagicola sp., H. aequalis, Haplorchis sp., and Stictodora sp., respectively. Seasonal differences in infection were observed for all heterophyid species studied in all fish species examined. Heterophyid infections reached peak prevalences during the summer season 38.2% followed by spring 26.6% and autumn 19.3% seasons, whereas the lowest prevalence was recorded in the winter 8.7%. Intensity of heterophyid EMC followed the same seasonal pattern, being high during summer months and low in winter months. All fish species were infected with all the heterophyid digeneans, but with different prevalence. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed with reference to host, climatic and biotic factors.     

Molecular typing of Sarcocystis neurona: current status and future trends

Sarcocystis neurona is an important protozoal pathogen because it causes the serious neurological disease equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). The capacity of this organism to cause a wide spectrum of neurological signs in horses and the broad geographic distribution of observed cases in the Americas drive the need for sensitive, reliable and rapid typing methods to characterize strains. Various molecular methods have been developed and used to diagnose EPM due to S. neurona, to identify S. neurona isolates and to determine the heterogeneity and evolutionary relatedness within this species and related Sarcocystis spp. These methods included sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), immuno-fluorescent assay (IFA), slide agglutination test (SAT), SnSAG-specific ELISA, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprinting, and sequence analysis of surface protein genes, ribosomal genes, microsatellite alleles and other molecular markers. Here, the utility of these molecular methods is reviewed and evaluated with respect to the need for molecular approaches that utilize well-characterized polymorphic, simple, independent, and stable genetic markers. These tools have the potential to add to knowledge of the genetic population structure of S. neurona and to provide new insights into the pathogenesis of EPM and S. neurona epidemiology. In particular, these methods provide new tools to address the hypothesis that particular genetic variants are associated with adverse clinical outcomes (severe pathotypes). The ultimate goal is to utilize them in future studies to improve treatment and prevention strategies.     

Viability of Sarcocystis neurona sporocysts after long-term storage

The effect of long-term storage on the viability and infectivity of Sarcocystis neurona sporocysts was investigated. S. neurona sporocysts were harvested from the small intestine of Virginia opossums from 1996 to 2002 and stored at 4 degrees C. Viability of sporocysts was assessed by propidium iodide (PI) exclusion assay, in vitro excystation and development in tissue cultures, and bioassay in gamma-interferon gene knockout (gamma-IFN-KO) mice. The rate of excystation was apparently unaffected by long-term storage; sporocysts retained their ability to excyst after 7 years of storage at 4 degrees C. However, the ability of sporocysts to exclude PI stain, to invade and proliferate in cells in vitro, and to cause disease and lesions in gamma-IFN-KO mice appeared to decline as sporocysts age. The results demonstrated that sporocysts of S. neurona were able to survive and maintain moderate to high viability for up to 7 years when stored in phosphate buffered saline and Hank's balanced salt solution containing antibiotic-antimycotic mixture at 4 degrees C.