Performance of broiler chicks fed on alkali‐treated neem (Azadirachta indica) kernel cake as a protein supplement

1. An experiment was conducted to evaluate growth and nutrient efficiency of broiler chicks from 3 to 42 d fed on diets containing alkali‐treated neem (Azadirachta indica A. juss) kernel cake (NKC) as a protein supplement in place of peanut meal (PNM).

2. NKC was treated with sodium hydroxide at 10 (ANKC 1) or 20 g (ANKC 2)/kg and incorporated into the test diets at 135 or 300 g/kg to replace 50 (low—L) or 100 (High—H) % of the PNM protein of the reference diet.

3. Despite comparable retentions of dry matter and total carbohydrate on L‐ANKC 1 and 2, fibre on L‐and H‐ANKC 2 and nitrogen, calcium and acid detergent fibre on all experimental diets compared to the retentions of chicks on the reference diet, only the chicks fed L‐ANKG 2 were found to grow and utilise food as well as those on the reference diet.

4. The activities of serum alkaline phosphatase on H‐ANKC 1 and alanine amino transferase on all test diets were depressed (P < 0.05), but the activity of serum aspartate amino transferase, total erythrocyte count and concentration of blood haemoglobin and urea were similar in all chicks.

5. No significant differences were noticed in the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the meat of chicks fed on the reference diet and on diets incorporating ANKC at the lower concentrations. Feeding ANKC protein did not impart any untoward taste as evaluated in pressure cooked meat by a semitrained panel on a 7 point Hedonic scale.

6. Except for duodenal and jejunal inflammation in chicks on both reference and test diets, all the vital organs were normal, ruling out any adverse affects caused by residual neem bitters.

7. Comparable performance and cost of chicks fed on the reference and L‐ANKC 2 diets, warrants the utilisation of hitherto wasted protein‐rich NKC after alkali treatment in broiler chick diets to spare peanut meal for human consumption in developing countries.     

抗稻瘿蚊品种多抗1的抗性遗传分析及抗性基因定位

稻瘿蚊是亚洲稻区主要害虫,采用抗虫品种进行防治是最理想的方法。1993～1995年,广东省农科院与国际水稻研究所有关专家紧密合作,对能抗华南4个稻瘿蚊生物型的品种多抗1作进一步抗性遗传分析,确认多抗1对中国稻瘿蚊生物型1和4的抗性受显性单基因控制,这个基因暂定名为GM—6(t)。以多抗1×丰银占1组合的F3代160个家系作基因标记,据DNA库分离个体分析(BSA)原理,用随机扩增多态性DNA(RAPD)标记物OPM6(1.4kb),首次成功地标记了这个抗性基因。随后多态性扩增产物经~(32)p标记,用作探针,检测另一个参考作图群体IR64×Azucena,将这个抗性基因定位在水稻第4条染色体上,位于RG214和RG163两个DNA限制性片段长度多态性(RFLP)标记之间。应用这些分子标记辅助选择有可能不必通过稻瘿蚊的直接筛选,快速准确地选育抗稻瘿蚊品种或进行抗性基因累加。     

Morpho-physio and anatomical characterization of the indigenous Himalayan crabapple: Malus baccata (L.) Borkh. (Rohru) and exotic Malus pumila Mill. for dwarfing traits

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - The wild Malus germplasm is considered as a gene reservoir for various biotic and abiotic stresses tolerance/resistance genes, including important novel...     

Genetic analysis and pyramiding of two gall midge resistance genes (Gm-2 and Gm-6t) in rice ( Oryza sativa L.)

Asian rice gall midge (Orseolia oryzae) is a major pest across much of south and southeast Asia. This pest is genetically diverse and many gall midge biotypes are known to exist in each country. During the last three decades, host plant resistance has proved to be the most effective mechanism of controlling the Asian rice gall midge. Seven genes conditioning resistance to gall midge larvae have been identified in rice (Oryza sativa) and are being used in cultivar improvement programs. However, some of these genes are rendered ineffective by new gall midge biotypes. Increased understanding of genetics, inheritance, allelic relationships and linkage is necessary to maximise the durability of major gene resistance by the pyramiding of these genes. The two genes, Gm-2 and Gm-6(t), are known to confer resistance against a number of biotypes in India and China, respectively. An F₃ population derived from a cross between Duokang #1 (donor of Gm-6(t)) and Phalguna (donor of Gm-2) was screened against Chinese gall midge biotype 4 at Guangdong, China, and Indian gall midge biotype 1 at Raipur, India. At each location, separately,a single gene governed resistance. The parallel segregation of 417 F₃progenies for both biotypes at two locations revealed that recombination had occurred between the two genes, establishing that the two genes are not allelic. However, the two genes Gm-2 and Gm-6(t), were found to be linked with a distance of ∼16.3 cM. A number of lines homozygous at one locus and segregating for the other locus were identified and selected. These lines were selfed to obtain lines homozygous for the favourable alleles at both loci (two locus pyramids). This is the first report on use of conventional host-pest interaction method for pyramiding two closely located Gm-resistance loci of dissimilar effects. The implications of deployment of these pyramids within and across country borders, with reference to the prevailing gall midge populations are discussed. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Molecular epidemiological survey of benign Theileria parasites of cattle in Japan: detection of a new type of major piroplasm surface protein gene

Benign Theileria species of cattle are found in most parts of the world. The major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP), a conserved protein in all Theileria species, has been used as a maker for epidemiological and phylogenetical studies of benign Theileria species. Parasites with Ikeda- or Chitose-type MPSP genes are dominant in Japan, but we report here mixed infection cases of Theileria parasites with an additional MPSP type parasite infecting cattle in Abashiri District, Hokkaido. The MPSP gene sequence found in the additional type was closely related to MPSP genes of Theileria parasites found in Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand (Narathiwat) and Indonesia (Java). Theileria parasites from the blood sample were also distinguishable from the Ikeda or Chitose type parasites by the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequence analysis, and they are grouped into the SSU rRNA types C/D found in Korea, North America, and Spain. The present finding of mixed infections of cattle with three different types of Theileria makes epidemiological feature of bovine theileriosis in Japan more complex. We have designed a set of primers specific to this MPSP type in order to conduct further epidemiological study.     

Water use in rice crop through different methods of irrigation in a sodic soil

Sodic soils are characterized by high exchangeable sodium on exchange sites, soil pH greater than 8.5, relatively low electrical conductivity, low infiltration rate and dispersed clay. These characteristics restrict the capacity of soil to absorb water, resulting in poor infiltration. Evidently, these soils require application of irrigation water at shorter intervals for crop production. Thus, irrigation strategy for sodic soils differs from that of normal soils. An experiment to determine the suitable irrigation strategy along with methods of application namely: surface (farmer’s practice), sprinkler (double nozzle impact sprinkler), and low-energy water application device (LEWA) were initiated in the year 2012 for rice crop. Irrigation depths of 6 cm in case of surface method and 4 cm in case of sprinkler and LEWA methods were applied at each irrigation event. The irrigation events for rice were scheduled at 2-DAD (days after the disappearance of the ponded water), 3-DAD, and 4-DAD through surface method, and at daily, 1- and 2-day intervals (after initial ponding disappeared) by sprinkler and LEWA methods. Sprinkler and LEWA methods resulted in highest rice yield of 4.4 t ha^?1 in irrigated plots at the 2-day interval which was at par with the highest yielding surface-irrigated plot scheduled at 2-DAD. At the same time, irrigation strategy of 2-day interval through sprinkler and LEWA methods registered water saving to the extent of 30–40% over 2-DAD under surface irrigation method. Results revealed that there could be substantial saving of water and energy (electricity and diesel) through the use of sprinkling devices for irrigating rice under sodic soil environments.     

Maternal salinity environment affects salt tolerance during germination in Anabasis setifera: A facultative desert halophyte

The effects of maternal salinity and light incubation on the salinity tolerance of the facultative halophyte Anabasis setifera during their germination stages were assessed. Seeds were collected from non-saline habitats in Egypt and saline habitats in the United Arab Emirates(UAE). The seeds of the two populations were germinated in 0, 100, 200, 400, 600 and 800 m M Na Cl, and incubated at 25°C/15°C in both 12-h light and 12-h darkness regimes and continuous darkness. Significantly more seeds germinated in the Egyptian population than in the UAE population. Salinity tolerance was significantly greater with the Egyptian population than with the UAE population, especially under the conditions of higher salinities. The difference in salinity tolerance between the seeds of two populations was attributed to their seed mass. In addition, germination was significantly faster for the Egyptian population than for the UAE population. Most of the saline treated seeds were able to recover their germination when transferred to distilled water, but this depended on their maternal salinity and light incubation. Recovery from higher salinities was significantly better for the seeds under darkness than for those under light in the UAE population, but the reverse was true for the seeds in the Egyptian population. The higher salinity tolerance for the A. setifera seeds from the non-saline Egyptian population and the lower salinity tolerance for the seeds from the saline UAE population cannot explain their natural distribution. Further studies about other possible roles, such as levels of different promoting and inhibiting phytohormones, are needed to understand the importance of salinity as an environmentally induced maternal effect.