Comparison of protection and viral shedding following vaccination with Newcastle disease virus strains of different genotypes used in vaccine formulation

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Newcastle disease (ND) is a devastating disease and cause high t mortality and morbidity in poultry and nonpoultry avian species worldwide. An intensive...     

大房郢水库浮游生物群落结构变化与环境因子关系研究

为了更好地了解合肥市饮用水源地水生态环境状况,于2020年夏季、秋季、冬季及2021年春季对大房郢水库的水质、浮游植物和浮游动物进行监测,对比浮游生物群落现存量与历史变化,并使用冗余分析（RDA）以及蒙特卡洛置换检验探究环境因子对浮游生物群落的影响。结果表明,研究区域浮游植物以蓝藻门为主要优势种属,密度及生物量较2005年分别增加37.7%和7.0%,浮游动物以桡足类为主要优势种,密度较2005年大幅度下降了77.5%,生物量多样性增加了47.8%,影响浮游生物群落结构的主要环境因子为NH3-N、T（温度）、pH和TN。此外,研究也揭示了季节变化对水库浮游生物的物种组成影响小,但对浮游生物的丰度及多样性影响显著。     

The changes in physiological and biochemical traits of Tibetan wild and cultivated barley in response to low phosphorus stress

Low phosphorus (LP) limits crop growth and productivity in the majority of arable lands worldwide. Here, we investigated the changes in physiological and biochemical traits of Tibetan wild barleys (Hordeum vulgare L. ssp. spontaneum) XZ99 (LP tolerant), XZ100 (LP sensitive), and cultivated barley ZD9 (moderately LP tolerant) under two phosphorus (P) levels during vegetative stage. These genotypes showed considerable differences in the change of biomass accumulation, root/shoot dry weight ratio, root morphology, organic acid secretion, carbohydrate metabolism, ATPase (Adenosine triphosphatase) activity, P concentration and accumulation under LP in comparison with CK (control) condition. The higher LP tolerance of XZ99 is associated with more developed roots, enhanced sucrose biosynthesis and hydrolysis of carbohydrate metabolism pathway, higher APase (Acid phosphatase) and ATPase activity, and more secretion of citrate and succinate in roots when plants are exposed to LP stress. The results prove the potential of Tibetan wild barley in developing barley cultivars with high tolerance to LP stress and understanding the mechanisms of LP tolerance in plants.     

Ascorbic Acid Enhances Growth and Yield of Sweet Peppers (Capsicum annum) by Mitigating Salinity Stress

Salinity is a crucial problem which has affected crop productivity globally. Ascorbic acid is considered helpful against abiotic stresses due to its powerful antioxidant potential. In the pot experiment, salinity stress (0, 35, 70, and 105?mM) was applied to sweet peppers in split doses after 20 days of transplantation. To mitigate the adverse effects of salinity, ascorbic acid (0, 0.40, 0.80, and 1.20?mM) was applied as foliar spray after a 6-day interval during vegetative growth. Sweet pepper plants sprayed with distilled water (control) recorded maximum plant height (cm), leaf area (cm²), number of branches, stem diameter (mm), number of fruit plant^?1, fruit diameter (cm), yield plant^?1 (g), and chlorophyll content (mg 100?g^?1), while the maximum polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity (unit mg protein^?1 min^?1) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity (unit mg protein^?1 min^?1) were recorded in plants treated with 70?mM NaCl application. Salinity stress beyond 70?mM significantly reduced all the studied parameters. An ascorbic acid concentration of 1.20?mM significantly mitigated the negative effects of salt stress and recorded maximum plant height (cm), number of leaves plant^?1, leaf area (cm²), number of branches plant^?1, stem diameter (mm), number of fruit plant^?1, fruit diameter (cm), yield plant^?1 (g), chlorophyll content (mg 100?g^?1), PPO activity (unit mg protein^?1 min^?1), and APX activity (unit mg protein^?1 min^?1). Hence, a 1.20?mM concentration of foliar ascorbic acid could be used in saline conditions up to 70?mM of sodium chloride (NaCl) for better growth, productivity, and enzymatic activity of sweet peppers.

     

Quality evaluation of different honey samples produced in Peshawar valley

The present study was designed to evaluate different honey samples obtained from local market for their quality parameters for assessment of their feasibility for foreign export by comparing it with international standards. The study was conducted at PCSIR laboratories complex, Peshawar, during 2006. The tested samples were evaluated for moisture content, Ash percentage, acid content, HMF and reducing sugars percentage. The moisture content of locally produced honey was in the range of 14.5 to 18.23%. The ash content of locally produced honey samples ranged between 0.047-0.35 which is within the standard limits. The acid content of the honey samples ranged between 19.5 and 38.0 meq kg(-1). The HMF contents of locally produced honeys ranged from 5.3 to 23.20 mg kg(-1). The content of reducing sugar of the tested samples ranged between 43.14 and 81.40% for the tested samples of locally produced honey. All of the samples were found to be in acceptable range of international standards for all of the tested parameters except for only one sample with lower reducing sugars. These samples were marked to be according to the international standards and are healthy for human consumption.     

Two new triterpene lactones from Centaurium pulchellum

Two new triterpene lactones, centauriol (1) and centaurione (2) were isolated from the whole plant of Centaurium pulchellum. Their structures were determined by spectral data.     

Fumigant toxicity of Carum copticum and Vitex pseudo-negundo essential oils against eggs, larvae and adults of Callosobruchus maculatus

Fumigant activity of essential oil vapors distilled from Carum copticum C. B. Clarke and Vitex pseudo-negundo Hand I. MZT. was tested against eggs, larvae and adults of Callosobruchus maculatus (F.). Fumigant toxicity was assessed at 27 ± 1°C and 60 ± 5% RH, in dark condition. The influence of different concentrations of the essential oil vapors on egg hatchability, larval and adult mortality was significant. Data probit analysis showed that lethal concentration of the essential oil to kill 50% of the population (LC₅₀) for egg, larvae and adult were found to be 1.01, 2.50 and 0.90 μl/l air of C. copticum oil, followed by 2.20, 8.42 and 9.39 μl/l air essential oil of V. pseudo-negundo, respectively. Between these essential oils, C. copticum was almost more toxic than V. pseudo-negundo on all growth stages of C. maculatus. The present study suggests that essential oils from these medicinal plants may be potential grain protectants as botanical alternative fumigants and could be used in the management of various life stages of C. maculatus.     

Contribution of Nitrogen Fixed by Mung Bean to the Following Wheat Crop

Crop rotation is a supportive management practice in which legumes greatly improve the growth and yield of subsequent cereal crops, particularly wheat. In this study, effects of mung bean (Vigna radiata)?? on the yield and quality of grains of following wheat crop were determined. An experiment was carried out with two sets of wheat (Triticum aestivum) crops: one grown following mung bean (Vigna radiata) crop and the other grown after a fallow period. Concentrations of macronutrients, sugar, protein, amino acids, and phytohormones of wheat were determined. The grain protein concentration of wheat was improved if cultivated after mung bean, and nitrogen and other macronutrients of wheat were increased significantly. In case of phytohormone contents in the wheat crop, abscisic acid concentration showed no change, but the concentrations of gibberellin increased significantly by 41% and indole acetic acid by 30% as a result of crop rotation. Sugar content in wheat cultivated after mung bean BRM-318 showed 10% increase and wheat protein content increased by 17% and 20%, respectively. The present study demonstrated that crop rotation simulated yield and improved the nutritional value of wheat grain compared to wheat which followed the fallow period.     

An Unusual Conformational Isomer of Verrucosidin Backbone from a Hydrothermal Vent Fungus,Penicillium sp. Y-50-10

A new verrucosidin derivative, methyl isoverrucosidinol (1), was isolated from the marine fungus Penicillium sp. Y-50-10, dwelling in sulfur rich sediment in the Kueishantao hydrothermal vents off Taiwan. The structure was established by spectroscopic means including HRMS and 2D-NMR spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configuration was defined mainly by comparison of quantum chemical TDDFT calculated and experimental ECD spectra. Among hitherto known compounds with a verrucosidine backbone isolated from natural resource, compound 1 represents the first example of a new conformational isomer of its skeleton, exhibiting antibiotic activity against Bacillus subtilis with MIC value 32 μg/mL.     

Quality and shelf life of mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit: As affected by cooling at harvest time

Mango fruit has high nutritional values, nice flavor, taste, etc. and hence is known as king of fruits. However, it faces number of challenges such as attack of microorganisms, having short shelf life, mismanagement during transportation and storage. Therefore, two varieties of Pakistani mango fruits namely, Langra and Sammar Bahisht Chaunsa, were harvested and endeavored to prolong the shelf life while keeping the quality up to the requirement. For the purpose, the mango fruit was harvested at hard green stage of maturity; it was cleaned and subjected to analysis for different parameters. The rest of the fruit was kept in water and/or in air, maintained at 15 °C, for different time periods and stored at 30 °C till ripening. The fruit was analyzed for different parameters at the time when the control was ripened and at the ripening stage of each sample. The results obtained were correlated with/the heat removed during the pre-storage treatment and was observed that the impact of these treatments upon the quality and shelf life of the fruit was significantly under the limit P ≤ 0.05. It was also observed that the heat removed as per treatment T₂ enhanced the quality of the fruit and prolonged the shelf life more than others.