Effects of intracanopy lighting on photosynthetic characteristics in cucumber

Plants of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Euphorbia) were grown in a traditional high-wire cultivation system to investigate the effects of three lighting regimes on photosynthetic characteristics, leaf area and yield. The lighting regimes included overhead lighting (OH), where all the lamps were mounted above the canopy and overhead + intracanopy lighting (OH + IC) which comprised 65% of overhead lamps and 35% of lamps mounted vertically along the plant rows. All overhead lighting was provided for 20 h day⁻¹ and intracanopy lighting was provided for either 20 h or 24 h day⁻¹ lighting period. Intracanopy lighting improved the light distribution in the canopy. Gas exchange measurements showed that intracanopy lighting increased net photosynthesis (P_N) and photosynthetic capacity (P_max). Parameters calculated from CO₂ response (A/C_i) curves showed that in vivo estimate of the maximum rate of Rubisco carboxylation (Vc_max) and the maximum rate of electron transport (J_max) were affected by light regime. Intracanopy light increased yield by 11% compared to traditional overhead light.     

Selective breeding can increase resistance of Atlantic salmon to furunculosis, infectious salmon anaemia and infectious pancreatic necrosis

We reasoned that by challenging large numbers of Atlantic salmon families with the causative agents of furunculosis, infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) and infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN), we could show unequivocally that resistance to these diseases expresses moderate‐to‐high levels of additive genetic variation, and that the resistances are weakly correlated genetically. We tested this reasoning by challenging Atlantic salmon from 920 (approximately) full‐sib families with the causative agents of furunculosis and ISA, and fish from 265 of these families with the causative agent of IPN. Additive genetic variation and genetic correlations were estimated by fitting a threshold liability model to the resistances assessed as binary traits. Resistance to furunculosis, ISA and IPN was moderate –to highly heritable. The marginal posterior means for heritability on the underlying liability scale were 0.37 for resistance to ISA, and 0.55 and 0.62 for resistance to IPN and furunculosis. Genetic correlations between the resistances were weak (?0.11 to 0.07). These levels of additive genetic variation indicate that resistance to furunculosis, ISA and IPN will respond to selection. The weak genetic correlations indicate that it should be relatively easy to improve resistance to the diseases simultaneously. We believe that there is now strong evidence that selectively breeding Atlantic salmon for resistance can be highly successful.     

Effects of diurnal temperature alternations and light quality on growth,morphogenesis and carbohydrate content of Cucumis sativus L.

The effects of the difference (DIF) between day/night temperature (DT/NT) and end-of-day (EOD) light quality on growth, morphology, dry matter (DM) content and carbohydrate status in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) were examined. Plants were grown under a 12 h high light intensity period and DT/NT of 25/19 °C (positive DIF) or 19/25 °C (negative DIF) in combination with an exposure of 30 min EOD-red (EOD-R) or far-red (EOD-FR) light. A significant interaction between DIF and EOD light quality was found on morphology, DM and carbohydrate content in axial plant organs like stems and petioles, but not in leaf blades and roots. Positive DIF induced taller stems, and higher DM and carbohydrate content than negative DIF when the plants were grown under EOD-R. The stems developed under EOD-FR were tall and accumulated the highest content of DM and carbohydrates and only small differences were found between positive DIF and negative DIF. Under EOD-R a higher content of glucose and fructose was found under positive than negative DIF, while EOD-FR light resulted in a high glucose and fructose content under both positive and negative DIF and thereby equalized the effect of the two temperature treatments. The results show that positive DIF can induce similar responses in elongation growth, DM and carbohydrate accumulation as EOD-FR, and further that phytochrome status interact with the responses to alternating DT and NT.     

Utilization of H2SO4‐hydrolysed phosphorus from herring bone by‐products in feed for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) 0+ postsmolt

The utilization efficiency of phosphorus (P) hydrolysed from herring by‐products in feed for Atlantic salmon 0⁺ postsmolt was studied. Seven diets were produced with a low P level (D1): 5 g soluble P/kg, with P hydrolysed from herring by‐products (D2, D3, D4): 7, 9 and 11 g soluble P/kg, or blue whiting fish bone meal (D5): 9 g soluble P/kg, and with P from NaH₂PO₄ (D6, D7): 9 g soluble P/kg diet. Diet D7 was also added (NH₄)₂SO₄. Fish fed D1 had significantly lower growth compared to D3, D5 and D7, morphological changes in bone consistent with low mineral contents, significantly reduced scale macromineral contents and changes in P markers, that is bone ALP and NaPi in pyloric caeca. The average P retention was 3.6 and 3.2 g P/kg weight gain, respectively, in D2–D7 and in D1. Fish fed D3, D5 and D6 showed similar growth, P digestibility, tissue mineralization, P retention and P excretion. The dietary P requirement in salmon was met between 5.1 and 7.4 g/kg soluble P (DM). This study shows that P hydrolysed from fish bones can be recycled and used as an efficient P source in feed for Atlantic salmon.     

Improving production efficiency of farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) by isoenergetic diets with increased dietary protein‐to‐lipid ratio

The effects of isoenergetic diets with high (HP) and low (LP) protein‐to‐lipid ratios on feeding rate (SFR), feed conversion (FCR), growth (TGC) and relative‐ and absolute nutrient retention were investigated using both whole‐body weight (BW) and carcass weight (CW) to assess the production efficiency. Three different feeding trials in seawater were conducted: two large‐scale trials with yearling smolt (S1) and under‐yearling smolt (S0) and one small‐scale with S1 smolt. The initial body weights in the trials were 105, 319 and 978 g, respectively, and the fish were fed and monitored until they reached harvest weights. In all three trials, the dietary HP group attained significantly higher (p < .05) CW at harvest based on fish with equal BW. Also, fish fed the HP diets significantly improved FCR (p < .05) when based on CW. In the small‐scale trial, fish fed HP diet, especially during late autumn and spring, significantly (p < .001) improved FCR_BW and FCR_CW. Improved FCR coincided with significantly higher (p < .05) relative energy retention in the dietary HP group. In all three trials, the HP groups had significantly higher (p < .05) TGC with regard to both BW and CW. Taken together, the present studies indicate that growth performance and feed utilization in modern salmon farming has the potential to be further improved by increasing the dietary protein‐to‐lipid ratio. In addition, dietary influence is more precisely assessed when using carcass as the weight denominator when analysing feed utilization and growth performance.     

Factors affecting the concentration of Zn,Fe and Mn in herbage from organic farms and in relation to dietary requirements of ruminants

To obtain a general picture of the herbage zinc, iron and manganese concentrations and their relation to dietary requirements of ruminants on organic farms, we analysed soil and herbage samples from four regions in Norway. The soil median Zn, Fe and Mn concentrations were 0.18, 13 and 0.84 mg/L, respectively. The herbage median (10th–90th percentile) Zn, Fe and Mn concentrations (mg/kg) in herbage in the first cut were 19 (14–34), 50 (36–88), 34 (22–86) and in the second cut 21 (16–37), 84 (52–171) and 66 (36–205), respectively. The results of mixed model analysis of herbage Zn, Fe and Mn indicate that soil pH, soil texture, soil mineral concentration and botanical composition are the most influencing factors. We conclude that Zn, Fe and Mn did not limit plant growth, and that the herbage concentrations, except for Zn, were sufficient to meet the dietary needs of ruminants on organic dairy farms.     

Flow-through systems for culturing great scallop larvae

Rearing of great scallop (Pecten maximus L.) larvae was tested in static and flow-through systems in order to improve intensiverearing methods and avoid bacterial problems. The static systems were:standard 300 litre tanks (STD) and standard tanks supplied with anantibacterial agent (STD+A). The flow-through systems were: 500 ldown-welling tanks (FLOW) and a 4700 l up-welling tank (SILO).Bacteral counts ranked the systems in the following order SILO 90%) and day 22(52%) after fertilisation was obtained in the SILO system.The type of rearing system did not affect larval growth.     

Growth, feed efficiency, digestibility and nutrient distribution in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) fed two different fish meal qualities at three dietary levels of vegetable protein sources

Atlantic cod were fed six diets where the ratio of protein from fish meal to vegetable protein were varied from 91%, 67% to 46%, respectively. The experimental groups were performed in triplicate in a 20 week growth trial, increasing fish weight from about 167 g to 690 g. The vegetable protein sources constituted full-fat soybean meal and corn gluten meal at a fixed ratio of 1:2, and replaced either a high quality fish meal (DC_Mink 92.3%) or a lower quality fish meal (DC_Mink 85.6%) in the diet. All diets were extruded and balanced to be equal in gross energy, crude protein, lipid, carbohydrate, lysine and phosphorus. No difference in growth (SGR 1%) was observed comparing the two fish meal qualities. However, feed intake was significantly higher (9%) and feed efficiency lower (10%) for lower quality fish meal compared to high quality fish meal. Protein and amino acid digestibility was significantly reduced in the lower quality fish meal, while unaffected by vegetable protein inclusion for both fish meal qualities. Protein utilization as measured by protein efficiency ratio and net protein value was not affected by fish meal inclusion, except in the diet using lower quality fish meal and high vegetable protein inclusion. Lipid and energy digestibility was significantly reduced by vegetable protein inclusion for both fish meals. The lower fish meal quality increased lipid deposition in the liver and affected slaughter quality of cod by increasing HSI and dressing out percentage at low and intermediate substitution levels. Muscle composition showed small dietary changes except for arginine, while liver fatty acid composition clearly reflected fatty acid profile of full-fat soya in the diets. Corn gluten meal and full-fat soybean meal (2:1) can replace approximately 50% of dietary protein without affecting feed intake, growth, protein digestibility or slaughter quality of cod when exchanging high quality fish meal. For the lower quality fish meal diets some lower inclusion of vegetable protein sources seem to be acceptable.     

Size-fractionated fish hydrolysate as feed ingredient for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed high plant protein diets. II: Flesh quality, absorption, retention and fillet levels of taurine and anserine

In the work to find replacement for fish meal in feed for fish, the inclusion of plant protein sources at high dietary level is an important issue. The present experiment was carried out to reveal how different feed ingredients affected the eating quality of the grown up fish with focus on nitrogen compounds as amino acids, taurine and anserine. Six experimental diets were fed to rainbow trout in triplicates for 90 d. All diets were composed to be equal in protein, lipid, energy and lysine. Three levels of a mixture of plant sources (full fat soy, extracted soy, soy protein concentrate, corn gluten) constituting 57.2%, 73.9% and 90.6% of total dietary protein were used. A small amount of fish meal was added in 5 diets constituting 9.4% of total protein. A fish hydrolysate that was high in free amino acids, taurine and anserine was tested at 16% and 32% dietary inclusion of total protein. Two other diets contained the same level of protein from the same hydrolysate that was ultra filtrated to remove low molecular weight compounds. Digestibility of taurine and anserine was found to be close to 99% for all groups, except for the group containing high level of plant sources. The levels of taurine in whole trout and fillets decreased during the feed experiment, but were about the same for all groups at the end of the feeding experiment and independent of dietary levels. The level of anserine in fish and fillets was equal from start to end of the experiment and independent of dietary inclusion. Taurine and anserine therefore seem to be homeostatic regulated in trout and independent on dietary levels. Amino acid content in fish and fillet was also equal for all groups and independent of protein sources used in the diets. The chemical composition showed higher lipid and dry matter levels in fish and fillet in fish that grew the fastest. In conclusion, plant protein sources may be included in diets for trout at high levels without affecting the eating quality as evaluated by amino acids, taurine and anserine levels.     

Inclusion of size fractionated fish hydrolysate in high plant protein diets for Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua

Fish hydrolysate was evaluated as feed ingredient in high plant protein diets in an 89 days feed experiment with Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). The fish hydrolysate was size fractionated by ultra- and nano-filtration and the various fractions were tested specifically as feed ingredients to trace any effect observed with the hydrolysate. All diets contained 68% of total protein as plant protein, added as a mixture of corn gluten, full-fat soy bean meal, soy protein concentrate and extracted soy bean meal. The diets were equal in protein, lipid and energy. The control diet contained 21.8% fish meal. Fish hydrolysate was tested in another diet where one third of the fish meal protein was exchanged with the fish hydrolysate. Retentate after ultra-filtration of fish hydrolysate and retentate and permeate after nano-filtration were used in three separate diets at dietary inclusion levels corresponding to the absolute dry matter level of the fractions in the hydrolysate. The cod tripled in weight during the experimental period. No significant differences were observed for growth or feed intake for any groups. The diets containing retentate from ultra- and nano-filtration showed lower feed efficiency than the control diet with fish meal or the diet containing fish hydrolysate or permeate after nano-filtration. In conclusion the results show that fish hydrolysate may successfully be used as a protein source in high plant protein diets for Atlantic cod in exchange of fish meal. Removal of small molecules from the fish hydrolysate by filtration reveals poorer feed utilization indicating that this marine fraction of small compounds is important for optimal growth of Atlantic cod. This may be important in the discussion of increased dietary utilization of plant protein sources in feed for fish.