The residual level of isoprothiolane in paddy field surface water and its acute toxicity level on freshwater prawn,Macrobrachium lanchesteri

Paddy and Water Environment - The application of isoprothiolane in rice cultivation may give a risk to the aquatic ecosystem. The present study was undertaken to determine the level of...     

Review of Trends in Strawberry Research from 1960 to 2016

A review of publications on “Strawberry” was done by using the Scopus database for the period 1960–2016. A total of 10,400 articles were found in the database and analyzed using a variety of measures. Results show that publication increased exponentially from 1960 to 2016. Multiple authors are collaborating in strawberry research. Acta Horticulturae was the most productive journal. The United States of America was the most productive country. The greatest portion of the research was concerned with medicinal benefits of strawberries to humans. This work will be useful to researchers in identifying trends in strawberry research.     

Energy and water balance measurements for water productivity analysis in irrigated mango trees, Northeast Brazil

Crop water parameters, including actual evapotranspiration, transpiration, soil evaporation, crop coefficients, evaporative fractions, aerodynamic resistances, surface resistances and percolation fluxes were estimated in a commercial mango orchard during two growing seasons in Northeast Brazil. The actual evapotranspiration (E_a) was obtained by the eddy covariance (EC) technique, while for the reference evapotranspiration (E₀); the FAO Penman–Monteith equation was applied. The energy balance closure showed a gap of 12%. For water productivity analysis the E_a was then computed with the Bowen ratio determined from the eddy covariance fluxes. The mean accumulated E_a for the two seasons was 1419 mm year⁻¹, which corresponded to a daily average rate of 3.7 mm day⁻¹. The mean values of the crop coefficients based on evapotranspiration (K_c) and based on transpiration (K_cb) were 0.91 and 0.73, respectively. The single layer K_c was fitted with a degree days function. Twenty percent of evapotranspiration originated from direct soil evaporation. The evaporative fraction was 0.83 on average. The average relative water supply was 1.1, revealing that, in general, irrigation water supply was in good harmony with the crop water requirements. The resulting evapotranspiration deficit was 73–95 mm per season only. The mean aerodynamic resistance (r_a) was 37 s m⁻¹ and the bulk surface resistance (r_s) was 135 s m⁻¹. The mean unit yield was 45 tonne ha⁻¹ being equivalent to a crop water productivity of 3.2 kg m⁻³ when based on E_a with an economic counterpart of US$ 3.27 m⁻³. The drawback of this highly productive use of water resources is an unavoidable percolation flux of approximately 300 mm per growing season that is detrimental to the downstream environment and water users.     

Straw mulching with fertilizer nitrogen: An approach for improving crop yield,soil nutrients and enzyme activities

Field experiments were conducted to study soil properties, soil enzymes activities, water use efficiency (WUE) and crop productivity after six years of soya bean straw mulching in the semi‐arid conditions of China. The experiment included four treatments: CK (Control), N (240 kg N ha^‐1), H (soya bean straw mulching at half rate 700 kg ha^‐1 with 240 kg N ha^‐1) and F (soya bean straw mulching at full rate 1,400 kg ha^‐1 with 240 kg N ha^‐1). Soil organic carbon (SOC), soil labile organic carbon (LOC), soil available N (AN), available P (AP) and enzyme activities were analysed after wheat harvesting in 2016 and 2017. Results show that straw amounts had positive effects on the soil fertility indices being higher for treatment F. The SOC, LOC, AN, AP and enzyme activities (i.e. saccharase, urease and alkaline phosphatase) were in the order of F > H > N > CK. High wheat grain yield and WUE were observed for F treatment. A total of six years mulching along with 240 kg ha^‐1 nitrogen fertilizer application is sufficient for wheat yield stability and improving soil properties except urease activities in the semi‐arid condition of China. However, the straw mulching amount should be further studied with minimum nitrogen fertilizer for an environment‐friendly and effective approach for improving the soil biological properties with adequate crop production on a sustainable basis in the semi‐arid region of China.     

Naringin-loaded Poly(ε-caprolactone)/Gelatin Electrospun Mat as a Potential Wound Dressing: In vitro and In vivo Evaluation

In the present study, naringin, a flavonoid isolated from the grape and citrus fruit species, was incorporated with poly(ε-caprolactone)/gelatin composite mats in order to develop a potential wound dressing. The composite mats were prepared by electrospinning of poly(ε-caprolactone)/gelatin (1:1 (w/w)) solution incorporated with 1.50 %, 3 % and 6 % (w/w) of naringin. The electrospun mats were evaluated regarding their morphology, contact angle, water-uptake capacity, water vapor transmission rate, tensile properties, drug release, cellular response and in vivo wound healing activity. The study showed that after 2 weeks, the full-thickness excisional wounds of Wistar rats treated with the naringin-loaded dressings achieved a wound closure of higher than 94 % and the dressing containing 6 % (w/w) naringin had almost 100 % wound closure. The sterile gauze, as the control group, showed nearly 86 % of wound closure after this period of time. Our results provided evidence that supports the possible applicability of naringin-loaded wound dressing for successful wound treatment.     

Tuberculosis in dromedary camels slaughtered in Nigeria: a documentation of lesions at postmortem

Tropical Animal Health and Production - In comparison with other livestock, tuberculosis (TB) in camels has not been extensively studied in Nigeria. Camels in the hands of Nigerian pastoralists...     

Effects of dietary supplemental methionine source and betaine replacement on the growth performance and activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes in normal and heat‐stressed broiler chickens

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplemental methionine (Met) source and betaine (Bet) replacement for Met on performance and activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes (MRCEs) in normal and heat‐stressed broiler chickens. Total of 1,200‐day‐old Ross 308 chicks were allocated to two houses, each consisted of 12 treatments, five replicates of 10 birds each with 2 × 2×3 × 2 (temperature × Met source × Met level × Bet, respectively) split‐plot factorial arrangement. Met level in the basal diets was 70% requirements (Req) that was increased to the requirement or 130% by supplemental dl ‐ or l ‐Met. Bet was or was not substituted at the rate of 30% supplemental dl ‐ or l ‐Met. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) in chicks fed 70% l ‐Met was lower than those fed 70% dl ‐Met diet during 1–10 days (p = 0.04). Broilers fed diets containing requirement or 130% Met, regardless of its source, showed higher weight gain (WG) than those received 70% Met diet during 11–42 days (p < 0.001). Feed intake (FI) of broilers fed 130% Met diet was decreased compared to other two groups during 11–42 days (p < 0.05). One hundred thirty percent Met requirement diet resulted in lower FCR comparing to other two groups during 11–42 days (p < 0.001). Heat‐stressed birds grew less than those under normal condition (p < 0.05). Broilers fed Req Met diet under normal temperature exhibited higher activities of complexes (Cox) I and III (p < 0.05). Cox I activity in heat‐stressed birds fed Bet + diet was similar to those fed Bet‐diet under normal temperature (p = 0.046). It is concluded that performance and the activities of Cox I and III were increased as the level of Met increased. Bet replacement for 30% supplemental Met resulted in similar consequences comparing to non‐Bet replacement diets on performance, but increased the activity of Cox III. l ‐Met was effective than dl ‐Met at the cellular level. High ambient temperature depressed performance and MRCE activity.     

Role of genome-wide mRNA-seq profiling in understanding the long-term sperm maintenance in the storage tubules of laying hens

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Sperm storage function of the sperm storage tubules (SSTs) is directly correlated with the fertility of laying hens. SSTs are located at the utero-vaginal...     

Follicular dynamics and changes in oestradiol‐17β, progesterone and LH profiles following PGF2α induced oestrus in early and late ovulating Beetal goats

This study compares the factors associated with variable interval to oestrus and ovulation between early versus late ovulating goats following PGF_2α administration. The time of ovulation in Beetal goats (n = 38) was monitored through transrectal ultrasound at every 6 hr following a single dose of PGF_2α (experiment 1). Variations in oestrus and ovulation times were further explored through the changes in follicular dynamics, endocrine profiles and behaviour in another set of goats (n = 13) following single PGF_2α given randomly during the luteal phase (experiment 2). The ovulation time varied between 60 and 96 hr, and 57% of ovulations occurred by 72 hr following PGF_2α (experiment 1). Accordingly, the goats (n = 13) in the second experiment were retrospectively divided either into early and/or late ovulating, that is, ≤72 and/or ≥84 hr following PGF_2α. The onset of oestrus, peak estradiol‐17β concentration and LH surge after PGF_2α was first observed in early than late ovulating goats (p < 0.05). The goats ovulating early had larger follicle and smaller CL in diameter at the time of PGF_2α administration than those ovulating late (5.4 ± 0.2 vs. 4.3 ± 0.2 mm and 10 ± 0.6 vs. 11.8 ± 0.3 mm, respectively; p < 0.05). Likewise, plasma progesterone concentration tended to be lower (p = 0.087) in early than late ovulating goats. In conclusion, the size of dominant follicle and CL at the time of PGF_2a determines the interval to ovulation following a single dose of PGF_2a during the luteal phase.