Genetic and environmental effects on glucosinolate content and chemoprotective potency of broccoli

Broccoli is well recognized as a source of glucosinolates and their isothiocyanate breakdown products. Glucoraphanin is one of the most abundant glucosinolates present in broccoli and its cognate isothiocyanate is sulphoraphane, a potent inducer of mammalian detoxication (phase 2) enzyme activity and anti‐cancer agent. This study was designed to measure: glucosinolate levels in broccoli florets from an array of genotypes grown in several environments; the elevation of a key phase 2 enzyme, quinone reductase, in mammalian cells exposed to floret extracts; and total broccoli head content. There were significant environmental and genotype‐by‐environment effects on levels of glucoraphanin and quinone reductase induction potential of broccoli heads; however, the effect of genotype was greater than that of environmental factors. The relative rankings among genotypes for glucoraphanin and quinone reductase induction potential changed, when expressed on a per head basis, rather than on a concentration basis. Correlations of trait means in one environment vs. means from a second were stronger for glucoraphanin and quinone reductase induction potential on a per head basis than on a fresh weight concentration basis. Results of this study indicate that development of a broccoli phenotype with a dense head and a high concentration of glucoraphanin to deliver maximum chemoprotective potential (high enzyme induction potential/glucoraphanin content) is a feasible goal.     

A geographical approach to identify phosphorus-efficient genotypes among landraces and wild ancestors of common bean

Cultivars of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) capable of yielding well at low levels of native or added phosphorus (P) are highly desirable in many tropical production systems. The objective of the present study was to identify geographical regions which might be sources of such genotypes. A total of 364 landraces, cultivars and wild genotypes, drawn from a broad geographic range, were divided on the basis of growth habit into four field trials, each comprising two levels of P, stressed and unstressed, on an infertile Andosol in Popayan, Colombia. The regression relationship between grain yield per plant in the presence and in the absence of stress was determined, and each genotype's deviation from this relationship was used as a measure of P-efficiency. There was highly significant variation in efficiency among genotypes in all growth habits, and in climbing beans there were consistent regional differences, superior genotypes being identified with greater frequency among those from Bolivia, West Mexico and South Mexico-West Guatemala. The latter region was promising for prostrate bush genotypes also. Wild beans in general performed relatively poorly; it appears that P-efficiency traits in P. vulgaris have been acquired during or after domestication. These results confirm that genetic differences in P-efficiency exist among common bean genotypes and suggest that these are related to geographic origin. Furthermore, the use of a representative sample of germplasm can help to identify segments of the gene bank that are especially promising as sources of desirable traits. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

杨梅的营养保健和保鲜技术

杨梅是我国南方特有的水果,富含人体需要的多种营养成分,杨梅的果实、叶、仁、树皮等具有较高的医疗价值。综述了杨梅的营养保健作用和保鲜技术,为杨梅的综合利用开辟了一条途径。     

In growing pigs, chlortetracycline induces a reversible green bone discoloration and a persistent increase of bone mineral density dependent of dosing regimen

We studied in growing pigs the effects of exposure to dietary chlortetracycline on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone color. Pigs were randomly allocated to a drug-free diet (n = 48) or a diet fortified with 800 ppm of chlortetracycline, starting either at 28- or 84-d of age, and for either a 28- or 56-d duration (n = 16 pigs/group). The lumbar vertebral discoloration and BMD of randomly chosen pigs were evaluated at 28-d intervals up to 168-d of age. The odds of bone discoloration increased with dosing duration and age at treatment onset, and decreased with the withdrawal time and age at treatment onset interaction (p ? 0.001). The measured trabecular BMD linearly increased with age and squared treatment duration (p ? 0.005). Therefore, TC-induced bone discoloration is reversible, and may be prevented with proper dosing regimen design. Moreover, TC induces a persistent increase on BMD that could be detected with quantitative computed tomography.     

The relationship of feeding patterns and obesity in dogs

The rates of dog obesity are increasing and a greater understanding of feeding patterns is required to combat the problem. This study examined relationships between dietary patterns and caloric intake, and nutrient content of foods fed as it relates to obesity in dogs in the United States. Sixty‐one owners and their dogs were enrolled, and lifestyle surveys, food frequencies, and 3‐day food records were collected. Significant differences in overall kcal intake per kilogram of body weight were found (p < 0.04). Crude fibre in dog food was positively associated with protein and negatively associated with fat regardless of the dog’s weight (p < 0.001). Lean dogs received significantly more crude fibre in relation to overweight dogs regardless of the number of treats they received (p < 0.01), and their diets had greater micronutrient densities (p < 0.03) suggesting that high fibre influences body condition. Additionally, owners who ate nutrient‐rich, calorie‐poor diets had normal weight dogs, and owners that fed more table scraps had overweight dogs. Regardless of body condition, 59% of dogs received table scraps, which constituted 21% of daily caloric intake. The nutrient density of scraps fed was variable and did not meet National Research Council’s recommendations for micronutrient adequacy.     

Dietary impact on circulating glucose profiles in the white rhinoceros

Excess dietary glucose may be a factor in several captive wildlife diseases and reproductive abnormalities. The first step in understanding the health consequences of diets high in glucose is to characterize how dietary glucose concentrations change circulating glucose profiles. We adapted the glycemic index approach to detect differences in blood glucose concentrations in white rhinos in response to different meals. Six white rhinos were fasted overnight then randomly assigned to be fed 5 kg of grass hay and one of five meals varying in digestible energy (DE) availability and source (10% DE glucose, 5% DE glucose, 10% DE pelleted horse feed, 10% DE lucerne hay, 10% DE grass hay). After eating, the blood glucose response peaked 45–90 min later and remained elevated up to 180 min. Area under the curve results demonstrated that the blood glucose response was not different between diets. However, at 90 min, serum glucose levels in rhinos eating the 10% lucerne hay diet were significantly lower than the 5% glucose and 10% glucose diets but not the 10% pellet nor 10% grass hay diets. The changes in blood glucose responses to different diets were similar in magnitude to reported domestic horse profiles but are higher than predicted by allometric scaling. We conclude that the grass hay, lucerne hay and low glycemic index horse pellets fed in this study resulted in similar blood glucose responses in white rhinos. The validation of the methodology used in this study is a first step towards elucidating the relationship between glucose, obesity, health and reproduction in rhinos.     

恢复阶段退化草地资源与营养评价

摘要：选取内蒙古自治区克什克腾旗达来诺日镇典型草原区封育7年恢复中天然放牧草地,于2008年6-10月对草地进行野外实地考察和调查,分析草地生产力、草地资源以及草地营养物质动态变化并对草地牧草饲用价值进行评价,进而探讨草地理论载畜能力,为建立科学合理的围封恢复草地（原）放牧管理体系以及促进草地畜牧业的可持续发展提供理论指导。结果表明,经过7年的围封恢复,退化至冷蒿（Artemisia frigida）+小禾草阶段的草原生态系统基本恢复到以羊草（Leymus chinensis）和克氏针茅（Stipa krylovii）为主的草原群落,整个生长期群落平均盖度37.5%,密度184.6株/m2,平均自然高度18.3 cm,平均鲜草生物量154.3 g/m2,最高产量达到358.6 g/m2;在整个牧草生长期,草群保持着较高的粗蛋白（CP）、粗脂肪（EE）、可消化总养分（TDN）和代谢能（ME）含量,平均分别为12.06%、1.87%、57.4%和8.31 MJ/kg,体现出封育后草地牧草较高的饲用价值;根据草地牧草产量估算得出的暖季产量载畜量为0.656 hm2/羊单位,根据牧草与绵羊营养指标（CP、ME、TDN）供需关系估算出草地营养载畜量分别为0.513、0.802和0.774 hm2/羊单位。试验区草地经过7年围封,生态恢复效果明显,草地承载力提高,优等饲用牧草种类增多,营养价值高,家畜亦喜食,适于牛羊适度放牧利用。     

菌酶协同制备菜籽肽工艺的优化及其营养成分分析

试验旨在考察枯草芽孢杆菌B1与中性蛋白酶协同发酵和酶解处理(简称菌酶协同酵解)制备菜籽肽的最佳工艺条件及对经菌酶酵解后的菜籽粕营养成分的分析。以菜籽肽得率为主要指标,通过对加酶量、发酵温度和料水比等酶解、发酵条件的单因素和正交试验,确定了菜籽肽以菌酶同时添加为最佳制备方式,以枯草芽孢杆菌接种量1.0%、中性蛋白酶添加量150 U/g、料水比1:1.0、发酵温度35℃、发酵时间48 h为最佳菌酶协同酵解条件。在此条件下,菜籽粕中硫代葡萄糖苷(硫苷)的降解率达74.23%,单宁和植酸的降解率分别为31.17%和16.39%。发酵后菜籽粕中粗蛋白含量达41.30%,比发酵前提高1.92%,菜籽肽含量达170.12 mg/g,比发酵前提高了3.7倍,还原糖含量比发酵前提高了57.68%,钙、磷含量分别比发酵前提高了26.83%和11.57%。试验表明,菌酶协同处理的方式对菜籽粕品质的提升有较好作用。     

全混合日粮营养水平对肉牛育肥效果的影响

采用完全随机单位组设计方法,设计并开展试验,评价TMR营养水平对肉牛增重效果、产肉性能和经济效益的影响,结果表明:提高TMR营养水平可以提高肉牛日增重8.79%、采食速度、降低采食量0.65%;可以改善屠宰性能,提高肉牛屠宰率0.47%、净肉率1.28%、胴体产肉率1.46%及优质切块肉的比重;可以提高饲料报酬;两种经济效益分别提高159.53元、385.79元。综合以上结果得出,提高TMR营养水平可以提高肉牛增重效果、产肉性能及经济效益。     

温室甜樱桃采后叶片矿质营养含量变化

以‘红灯’和‘拉宾斯’甜樱桃品种为试材,研究日光温室甜樱桃采后叶片矿质营养变化。结果表明:不同品种叶片的矿质营养,除镁、锰等元素在叶片老化过程中变化不一致以外,其它元素含量的变化趋势基本一致,不同品种对矿质元素的需求量存在差异;钙素、锰素、锌素含量的升高及钾素、镁素、铁素含量的下降是导致叶片老化的原因之一。