Utilization of gelatinized carbohydrate in diets of Labeo rohita fry

A total of 180 Labeo rohita fry (≈1 g) were distributed into six treatment groups with three replicates each. Six isoenergetic (15.8 kJ g^?1) diets were prepared with varying levels of protein (CP) and gelatinized carbohydrate (GC), viz. D₁: 450 g kg^?1 CP, 258 g kg^?1 GC; D₂: 400 g kg^?1 CP, 302 g kg^?1 GC; D₃: 350 g kg^?1 CP, 399 g kg^?1 GC; D₄: 301 g kg^?1 CP, 447 g kg^?1 GC; D₅: 249 g kg^?1 CP, 517 g kg^?1 GC and control diet, D₆: 400 g kg^?1 CP, 468 g kg^?1 GC and these were fed to fish at 40 g kg^?1 wet body weight per day for 60 days. Highest growth was recorded for fish fed D₄, decreasing for D₅. Protein utilization, amylase activity and carbohydrate digestibility were significantly positively correlated with GC (P < 0.05) and were highest in fish fed D₅. Hypertrophy of hepatic cells was only recorded for D₅. Lysine, which may be affected during gelatinization, was estimated in diets and found to be above the minimum level required. Survival rate was unaffected by diet. The results of the present study indicate that a diet containing 450 g kg^?1 GC and 300 g kg^?1 CP was efficiently utilized by L. rohita fry.     

Purification of cattle oviduct specific proteins and their effect on in vitro embryo development

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of oviduct specific proteins as a media supplement for in vitro embryo development in cattle. The proteins were extracted from oviducts of cows and precipitated by ammonium sulfate (30%, 40%, 50% and 60%) followed by dialysis in 50 mM Tris–HCl (pH 7.0) buffer. The dialyzed proteins were fractionated into acidic, basic and neutral fractions using SP sephadex cation exchange and DEAE sephadex anion exchange column chromatography respectively. Cow oviduct specific proteins (cOSPs) constituting all the extracted proteins were used as media supplement in three different concentrations (10, 50 and 100 μg/ml) for in vitro maturation, fertilization and culture (IVMFC) of cow oocytes. Acidic, basic and neutral (unbound) fractions were also used as media supplement in three different concentrations (10, 30 and 50 μg/ml) for IVMFC. Cumulus oocytes complexes were collected from slaughterhouse ovaries, washed thoroughly and cultured in maturation media for 24 h in 5% CO₂ at 38.5 °C with maximum humidity. In vitro matured oocytes were co-incubated with in vitro capacitated sperm in Fert-BO media at 38.5 °C for 18 h in 5% CO₂. The fertilized oocytes were washed and cultured in embryo development media for cleavage. After 40–42 h cleavage was observed and embryos were put in the replacement media for further development. The cleavage rates (%) for cOSPs were observed as 68.24±2.46, 69.28±2.05, 61.77±0.93 and 42.62±1.31 at concentrations of 0, 10, 50 and 100 μg/ml respectively. Rates of blastocyst stage development were 14.49±3.61, 21.17±2.77, 14.66±1.06 and 11.98±1.84. These results indicate that addition of cOSP at10 μg/ml increased blastocyst formation as compared to other concentrations (0, 50 and 100 μg/ml). Although acidic, basic and neutral fractions seemed to have no major effect on cleavage rate, but both acidic and neutral fraction of oviduct specific proteins improved the cleavage rate at 30 μg/ml concentration and basic fraction improved the blastocyst formation at 10 μg/ml concentration.     

Probiotics in fish and shellfish culture: immunomodulatory and ecophysiological responses

Aquaculture is emerging as one of the most viable and promising enterprises for keeping pace with the surging need for animal protein, providing nutritional and food security to humans, particularly those residing in regions where livestock is relatively scarce. With every step toward intensification of aquaculture practices, there is an increase in the stress level in the animal as well as the environment. Hence, disease outbreak is being increasingly recognized as one of the most important constraints to aquaculture production in many countries, including India. Conventionally, the disease control in aquaculture has relied on the use of chemical compounds and antibiotics. The development of non-antibiotic and environmentally friendly agents is one of the key factors for health management in aquaculture. Consequently, with the emerging need for environmentally friendly aquaculture, the use of alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in fish nutrition is now widely accepted. In recent years, probiotics have taken center stage and are being used as an unconventional approach that has numerous beneficial effects in fish and shellfish culture: improved activity of gastrointestinal microbiota and enhanced immune status, disease resistance, survival, feed utilization and growth performance. As natural products, probiotics have much potential to increase the efficiency and sustainability of aquaculture production. Therefore, comprehensive research to fully characterize the intestinal microbiota of prominent fish species, mechanisms of action of probiotics and their effects on the intestinal ecosystem, immunity, fish health and performance is reasonable. This review highlights the classifications and applications of probiotics in aquaculture. The review also summarizes the advancement and research highlights of the probiotic status and mode of action, which are of great significance from an ecofriendly, sustainable, intensive aquaculture point of view.     

Effects of stocking density of Labeo rohita on survival, growth and production in cages

Labeo rohita (139.92 ± 0.76 mm/24.33 ± 0.45 g) was reared for 92 days in floating square cages (10 m² area, 1.5 m height) in a pond (2 ha) at six stocking densities (5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 fish m^?2) each with 3 replicates. Fish were fed daily once in the morning with rice polish and groundnut oil cake (1:1) in dough form at 3 % of the total body weight. Survival ranged from 96 to 100 % in different stocking densities. Final average body weight, average body weight gain, mean daily body weight gain and SGR decreased (P < 0.05) with increasing stocking density. Conversely, final biomass, biomass gain and FCR increased (P < 0.05) with increasing stocking density. The highest growth rate of fish could be achieved up to 60 days at 5 fish m^?2 and 92 days at other densities. The reduced growth rate at 10–25 fish m^?2 for 60 days of culture indicated that stress is related to size and density of the fish, suggesting that utmost care is required to reduce the stress at high densities. Maximum production and profit was observed at the highest stocking density. Non-lethal levels of water and soil qualities at different sites (cage premises, and 20 and 200 m away from cage area) suggested that cage aquaculture could be done safely covering 0.9 % of pond area. Production of advanced fingerlings in cages was found a viable alternative to their culture in pond.     

Estimation of area under the disease progress curves in a rice-blast pathosystem from two data points

Attempts were made to estimate the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) of rice blast disease caused by Pyricularia grisea from two data points on the disease progress curve. Forty-two rice genotypes were exposed to high disease pressure in a nursery over nine seasons. A conducive condition was created for maximum disease development through high nitrogen application, close spacing and maintenance of high relative humidity. Disease severity was recorded on alternate days beginning from disease initiation until the end of the epidemic. The estimation of AUDPC, and logistic and Gompertz apparent infection rates using either all-points (AP) or two-point (TP) methods revealed significant correlations among them. This was also confirmed through regression analysis and factor analysis. Hence, the estimation of AUDPC from two data points i.e. initial and final disease scores of the disease progress curves is recommended as providing information similar to that from all the data points; this should save valuable time, labour and economic resources.     

Genetic analysis and conservation of endangered medicinal tree species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Taxus wallichiana</Emphasis> in the Himalayan region

Taxus wallichiana is one of the most important medicinal tree species of the Himalayan region. Leaf and bark of the species yield an important drug called taxol, which is used for treatment of many types of cancer. There is a serious threat to the existence of the species due to over exploitation in its native habitat. Adequate information on the nature and the extent of genetic diversity in this important species is required for developing suitable strategy for its conservation. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) were used to assess genetic variation in nine natural populations of T. wallichiana from western part of the Himalayan ranges. Both the markers revealed low genetic diversity in these populations. Average heterozygosity for AFLP and RAPD were 0.3715 and 0.3072, respectively. Φ_ST values derived from molecular variance were 0.0855 and 0.1005 for AFLP and RAPD, respectively, whereas the corresponding G_ST values were 0.1796 and 0.2140. Most part of the genetic variation was present within the populations. However, between population variation was low but statistically significant, which suggested that the sampled populations might not constitute a single panmictic population. Cluster analysis and Mantel’s correlation revealed that genetic differentiation broadly followed geographic distribution of the populations. T. wallichiana thus urgently needs to be conserved using both in situ and ex situ conservation approaches.     

Effect of a probiotic bacterium <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus circulans</Emphasis> PB7 in the formulated diets: on growth,nutritional quality and immunity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Catla catla</Emphasis> (Ham.)

Bacillus circulans PB7, isolated from the intestine of Catla catla, was evaluated for use as a probiotic supplement in the feeds for the fingerlings of Catla catla. The effect of supplement on the growth performance, feed utilization efficiency, and immune response was evaluated. Catla fingerlings (ave. wt. 6.48 ± 0.43 g) were fed diets supplemented with 2 × 10⁴ (feed C1), 2 × 10⁵ (feed C2), and 2 × 10⁶ (feed C3) B. circulans PB 7 cells per 100 g feed for 60 days at 5% of the body weight per day in two equal instalments in triplicate treatments. The control feed (CC) was not supplemented with the B. circulans. All the feeds were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Fish fed with feed C2 displayed better growth, significantly (P ≤ 0.05) highest RNA/DNA ratio, a lower feed conversion ratio (FCR), and a higher protein efficiency ratio (PER) than the other experimental diets. Highest carcass protein and lipid was also observed in the fish fed C2 feed compared to the others. Significantly (P ≤ 0.05), highest protease was recorded in fish fed feed C2 (47.9 ± 0.016) and lowest in fish fed feed C3 (32.10 ± 0.009), where α-amylase activity did not differ significantly (P ≤ 0.05) beyond the lowest inclusion level. ALP, ACP, GOT, and GPT in the liver of Catla catla were the highest (P ≤ 0.05) in fish fed C2 feed. The highest TSP, albumin, and globulin was observed in fish treated with C2 feed after 60 days feeding trial, but the lowest glucose level was observed in the same treatment. After the feeding trial, the non-specific immunity levels and disease resistance of fish were also studied. Phagocytic ratio, phagocytic index, and leucocrit value were the highest in fish fed feed C2. After the feeding trial, the fish were challenged for 10 days by bath exposure to Aeromonas hydrophila (AH1) (10⁵c.f.u. ml⁻¹ for 1 h, and, after 7 days, 10⁷c.f.u. ml⁻¹ for 1 h). Highest survival percentage was observed in fish fed with feed C2 compared with only 6.66% in the controls, which indicated the effectiveness of B. circulans PB 7 in reducing disease caused by A. hydrophila.     

Enhancement of Carbofuran Degradation by Soil Enrichment Cultures,Bacterial Cultures and by Synergistic Interaction among Bacterial Cultures

Suspensions of soil repeatedly treated with carbofuran under glasshouse conditions enhanced the degradation of carbofuran significantly in a mineral salts medium. Ninety-seven per cent of the applied carbofuran degraded in a medium inoculated with soil suspensions treated with carbofuran, compared to 15% in uninoculated medium in 10 days. Out of the seven bacterial cultures isolated from the enrichment culture, two cultures identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri and Bacillus pumilis enhanced carbofuran degradation, resulting in more than 98% loss of the applied carbofuran in 30 days. The other cultures enhanced the degradation up to 70% within the same period. The mixture of all the seven cultures, however interacted synergistically, enhancing the degradation of carbofuran residues to 96% in 10 days. © 1997 SCI.     

Hybridization in Brassica juncea × Brassica campestris through ovary culture

Summary Ovary culture has been employed for the production of interspecific hybrids of a partially compatible cross of Brassica juncea (2n=36) × Brassica campestris (2n=20). Five to seven days old ovaries cultured on White's medium supplemented with casein hydrolysate (300 mg/l) and sucrose (5%) produced more seeds than any other media tried, but seed development was better on media fortified with plant hormones. The seed yield was better in B. juncea × B. campestris than their reciprocal cross. The plants obtained from ovary-derived seeds were transferred to the field; they were intermediate in some morphological characters and chromosome number (2n=28) as compared to their parents. The flower buds generally did not open and had poorly developed anthers with mostly sterile pollen. The pod size/setting was very much reduced, but healthy seeds were obtained.