Transgenic expression of a sorghum gene (SbLRR2) encoding a simple extracellular leucine-rich protein enhances resistance against necrotrophic pathogens in Arabidopsis

Plant leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain-containing proteins are known to play important roles in signaling transduction and defense responses. In sorghum, SbLRR2 is pathogen-inducible gene encoding a simple extracellular LRR protein. Here, we demonstrated an earlier and stronger expression of SbLRR2 in a sorghum resistant genotype in comparison to a susceptible genotype following inoculation with the anthracnose pathogen (Colletotrichum sublineolum). In addition, SbLRR2 expression was found to be induced strongly by methyl-jasmonate treatment. Functional analysis was performed in SbLRR2 over-expression (OE) Arabidopsis plants, which showed enhanced resistance against the necrotrophic pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria brassicicola. In addition, the OE lines were found to have elevated expression of several jasmonate acid (JA)-associated genes and higher endogenous JA contents. Hence, the SbLRR2-mediated defense responses in transgenic Arabidopsis are likely to be dependent on JA-signaling through increased JA production. On the other hand, the OE lines remained susceptible to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato like the wild type plants. Consistently, there was no up-regulation of salicylic acid (SA) defense marker gene expression or SA levels in the OE lines. Our results suggested that SbLRR2 is potentially useful for enhancing resistance against necrotrophic pathogens in transgenic dicot crops.     

Are dual-purpose and male layer chickens more resilient against a low-protein-low-soybean diet than slow-growing broilers?

ABSTRACT

1. Although fattening dual-purpose types or male layer hybrid chickens appears more ethical than the common practice of culling day-old male layer chicks, the lower feed efficiency of these birds raises concerns. Replacing feed ingredients that compete with food production by those of lower value for human nutrition would be beneficial.

2. Lohmann Dual (LD), a modern dual-purpose type, Lohmann Brown (LB), a male layer hybrid, and Hubbard JA 957 (HU), a slow-growing broiler type, were fattened for nine weeks on two diets (control or ?20% crude protein; n = 6 × 12 birds). Growth, carcass and meat quality were analysed.

3. Growth performance of HU exceeded that of LD and especially of LB. The growth depression caused by the low-protein diet fed to LD (?7%) was only half of that found in HU (?13%). The LD fed the control diet had the same feed efficiency as the HU fed the low-protein diet. Even the LB had a lower performance and feed efficiency with the low-protein diet in growth. There was a gradient in carcass properties (weight, dressing percentage, breast meat yield, breast proportion and breast angle) from HU to LD to LB, with some additional adverse effects of the low-protein diet especially in HU. There were some breed differences in fatty acid profile in the intramuscular fat.

4. In conclusion, the dual-purpose type used complied with regulations for Swiss organic poultry systems in terms of growth rate and was found to respond less when fed a low-protein diet than the slow-growing broiler type. The LB males were inferior in all growth and carcass quality traits. Future studies need to determine the exact protein and amino acid requirements of dual-purpose and layer hybrid chickens and the economic feasibility of the systems, especially for organic farming.     

Mapping soil salinity and pH across an estuarine and alluvial plain using electromagnetic and digital elevation model data

Increasing pressures from agriculture and urbanization have resulted in drainage of many floodplains along the eastern Australian coastline, which are underlain by sulphidic sediments, to lower water tables and reduce soil salinity. This leads to oxidation of the sediments with a rapid decline in pH and an increase in salinity. Accurately mapping soil salinity and pH in coastal acid sulphate soil (CASS) landscapes is therefore important. One required map is the extent of highly acidic (i.e. pH < 4.5) areas, so that the application of alkaline amendments (e.g. lime) to neutralize the acid produced can be specifically targeted to the variation in pH. One approach is to use digital soil mapping (DSM) using ancillary information, such as an EM38, digital elevation models (DEM – elevation) and trend surface parameters (east and north). We used an EM38 in the horizontal (EM38h) and vertical (EM38v) modes together with elevation data to develop multiple linear regressions (MLR) for predicting EC_1:5 and pH. For pH, best results were achieved when the EM38 EC_a data were log‐transformed. By comparing MLR models using REML analysis, we found that using all ancillary data was optimal for mapping EC_1:5, whereas the best predictors for pH were north, log‐EM38v and elevation. Using residual maximum likelihood (REML), the final EC_1:5 and pH maps produced were consistent with previously defined soil landscape units, particularly CASS. The DSM approach used is amenable for mapping saline soils and identifying areas requiring the application of lime to manage acidic soil conditions in CASS landscape.     

HPLC法测定玉米酒糟中绿原酸的含量

采用浸提法提取玉米酒糟中绿原酸并用HPLC法测定其中的含量,采用安捷伦色C18（4.6mm×150mm,5μm）色谱柱,乙腈-0.5％磷酸溶液为流动相,流速为1.0mL·min-1,检测波长为327nm.结果表明绿原酸在0.232～2.784μg呈现良好的线性关系,玉米酒糟中绿原酸含量0.028％,平均回收率为95.80％,RSD=2.72％.试验证明了玉米酒糟中含有绿原酸,且其含量较高,为玉米酒糟的进一步开发提供科学依据.     

Changes in peroxidase activity and lignin content of cultured tea cells in response to excess manganese

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to identify the effects of manganese (Mn) on the activity of peroxidase (PO) and the amount of ascorbic acid (AsA) and lignin, as well as the cell viability of suspension-cultured tea cells (Camellia sinensis L. cv. Yabukita). Cells were grown in B5 medium (containing 0.06 mmol L^?1 Mn) and cultured for 24 h in medium with a Mn concentration of 0.9 mmol L^?1 as an excess treatment. No significant difference was observed between cellular growth and the viability of the cultured tea cells after treatment with excess Mn compared with cells grown under control conditions, although the content of Mn in cells in the excess Mn treatment was 12-fold higher than that of the control cells. The amount of total AsA was also not affected by the Mn treatment. The activity of ionically wall-bound peroxidase (IPO) increased in the presence of excess Mn, unlike the content of lignin. Conversely, the activities of soluble PO and covalently wall-bound PO decreased with excess Mn. These findings suggested that IPO might contribute to Mn tolerance in tea cells. However, its role in the mechanism(s) of Mn tolerance has not been elucidated.     

Relative bioavailability of organic bis-glycinate bound copper relative to inorganic copper sulfate in beef steers fed a high antagonist growing diet

To assess the relative bioavailability of bis-glycinate bound Cu, 90 Angus-cross steers (265 ± 21 kg) were blocked by body weight (BW) to pens with GrowSafe bunks and randomly assigned to dietary treatments (14 to 18 steers/treatment): 0 mg supplemental Cu/kg dry matter (DM; CON), 5 or 10 mg supplemental Cu/kg DM as Cu sulfate (CS5; CS10) or bis-glycinate bound Cu (GLY5; GLY10). Steers received a high antagonist growing diet (analyzed 4.9 mg Cu/kg DM, 0.48% S, and 5.3 mg Mo/kg DM). Steers were weighed at the beginning (days 1 and 0) and end (days 125 and 126) of the trial to determine average daily gain (ADG) and gain:feed (G:F). Blood was collected from all steers on days 0, 28, 56, 84, and 126. Liver samples were collected on days −3 or −2 and day 123 or 124. Data were analyzed using ProcMixed of SAS (experimental unit = steer; fixed effect = treatment and block). Plasma Cu was analyzed as repeated measures (repeated effect = day). Plasma and liver Cu concentrations were regressed against total Cu intake using ProcGLM to calculate relative bioavailability of GLY. Final BW and overall ADG were greatest for CS5 and CS10 and least for CON and GLY5 (P = 0.01). Overall, DMI was not affected by treatment (P = 0.14), but overall G:F tended to be greatest for CS5, CS10, and GLY5 and least for CON (P = 0.08). Total and supplemental Cu intake was greatest for steers supplemented either source at 10 mg Cu/kg DM and least for CON (P < 0.01). However, total and supplemental Cu intake was greater for CS5 than GLY5 (P < 0.01). Final liver Cu concentrations were greatest for CS10, least for CON, CS5, and CS10, and intermediate for GLY10 (P < 0.01). Final plasma Cu was greatest for steers supplemented either source at 10 mg Cu/kg DM (P < 0.01). Relative bioavailability of GLY was 82% compared to CS based on liver Cu (P < 0.01) but did not differ based on plasma Cu (P = 0.60). The lesser bioavailability of GLY relative to CS could be due to a high concentration of dietary antagonists and lower solubility of GLY (68.9% relative to CS) in pH conditions (5.2) similar to the ruminal pH of a beef animal consuming a high concentrate diet. Future studies should examine the effects of bis-glycinate bound Cu fed in blended combination with inorganic Cu sulfate to determine the most effective blend of sources for feedlot cattle experiencing varying amounts of dietary Cu antagonists.     

超高效液相色谱法测定饲料中斑蝥黄和β-阿朴-8’-胡萝卜素酸乙酯含量方法的研究

为有效快速测定饲料中斑蝥黄和β-阿朴-8’-胡萝卜素酸乙酯含量,饲料经甲醇、正己烷和乙酸乙酯混合液萃取后,在氮气保护下浓缩,用甲基叔丁基醚-乙腈溶液复溶,注入超高效液相色谱仪中进行测定。结果表明:斑蝥黄浓度为1.25~10.0μg/mL,β-阿朴-8’-胡萝卜素酸乙酯为2.50~20.0μg/mL线性关系良好;斑蝥黄和β-阿朴-8’-胡萝卜素酸乙酯的检测限为0.06 mg/kg,定量限为0.20 mg/kg。斑蝥黄5个添加水平的平均回收率为72.8%~82.8%,相对标准偏差(RSD)为0.41%~1.06%;β-阿朴-8’-胡萝卜素酸乙酯5个添加水平的平均回收率为72.0%~82.8%,RSD为0.46%~1.41%。说明该方法简便、快速、灵敏度高、准确度好,适用于测定饲料中斑蝥黄和β-阿朴-8’-胡萝卜素酸乙酯含量。     

Growth and morphologic response of rumen methanogenic archaea and bacteria to cashew nut shell liquid and its alkylphenol components

The growth and morphology of rumen methanogenic archaea (15 strains of 10 species in 5 genera, including 7 strains newly isolated in the present study) and bacteria (14 species in 12 genera) were investigated using unsupplemented in vitro pure cultures and cultures supplemented with cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) and its phenolic compound components, anti-methanogenic agents for ruminant animals. Growth of most of the methanogens tested was inhibited by CNSL and alkylphenols at different concentrations ranging from 1.56 to 12.5 μg/ml. Of the alkylphenols tested, anacardic acid exhibited the most potent growth inhibition. Three gram-negative bacterial species involved in propionate production were resistant to CNSL and alkylphenols (>50 μg/ml). All the methanogens and bacteria that were sensitive to CNSL and alkylphenols exhibited altered morphology; disruption of the cell surface was notable, possibly due to surfactant activity of the tested materials. Cells division was inhibited in some organisms, with cell elongation and unclear septum formation observed. These results indicate that CNSL and alkylphenols, particularly anacardic acid, inhibit both rumen bacteria and methanogens in a selective manner, which could help mitigate rumen methane generation.     

Apparent ileal digestibility of nutrients and amino acids in soybean meal,fish meal,spray‐dried plasma protein and fermented soybean meal to weaned pigs

This study sought to determine whether fermentation could increase apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), energy (E) and amino acids (AA) in fermented soybean meal (FSBM) greater than that of soybean meal (SBM) in weaned pigs. Four weaned pigs (10.00 ± 0.30 kg) were surgically equipped with T‐cannulas and randomly followed a 4 × 4 Latin square design of treatments (SBM, FSBM, fish meal and spray‐dried plasma protein). Overall, the fermentation process was able to reduce the amount of anti‐nutritional factors (ANF), including trypsin inhibitors, raffinose and stachyose, in the FSBM diet, which were significantly reduced by 39.4, 92.2, and 92.9%, respectively, as compared to the SBM diet. As a consequence of ANF reduction in FSBM, the AID of DM, N and E as well as AA was significantly greater with FSBM than SBM. Taken all together, the fermentation process improved the nutritional quality of SBM, due to ANF reduction, leading to improvement of digestibility of AA. As such, FSBM can be potentially used as a specialized feed ingredient, especially for young animal diets in an attempt to reduce diet costs.