Seasonality and photoperiod influence in vitro production of buffalo embryos

Buffalo is considered short-day breeder in tropical and subtropical part of the world and seasonality and photoperiodism impart major influence on its fertility. However, its impact on in vitro embryo production (IVEP) remains elusive. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of seasonal variations and photoperiodism on morphological and molecular parameters of IVEP in buffalo. For this purpose, we conducted two different experiments on the oocytes obtained by aspirating follicles from abattoir derived ovaries. In Exp. I, retrospective analysis was performed for oocyte recovery, blastocyst and hatching rate, during four consecutive seasonal periods (i.e. January–March, April–June, July–September and October–December). In Exp. II, oocytes from peak breeding and non-breeding seasons were subjected to 24 hr in vitro maturation and evaluated for polar body extrusion to assess maturation rate. Results showed that embryo development was markedly low during second quarter (April–June) and maximum during fourth quarter (October–December) of the year; referred as non-breeding and breeding seasons, respectively. Comparative data analysis demonstrated that poor oocyte quality is major reason for lesser efficiency of embryo production during non-breeding season than peak breeding season as suggested by poor oocyte recovery (2.31 ± 0.10 vs. 3.65 ± 0.27) and maturation rate (33.32 ± 2.1 vs. 63.15 ± 7.31). Subsequently, comparative gene expression analysis of blastocysts during peak breeding season significantly upregulated pluripotency gene (OCT-4) and downregulated heat shock protein 90, as compared to non-breeding season. Therefore, it could be divulged from the present study that seasonal variations and photoperiodism have profound effect on oocyte quality and subsequent embryo development. It is recommended to find suitable additives for in vitro maturation that could mitigate seasonal effects.     

Sperm preparation through Sephadex™ filtration improves in vitro fertilization rate of buffalo oocytes

Routinely, swim‐up method is used to separate high‐quality sperm; however, long processing time and close cell‐to‐cell contact during the centrifugation step are inevitable elements of oxidative stress to sperm. The objective was to evaluate Sephadex^? and glass wool filtration to separate motile, intact and viable sperm for in vitro fertilization in buffalo. The cumulus–oocyte complexes (COC s) were collected from ovaries of slaughtered buffaloes by aspiration and matured for 24 hr in CO ₂ incubator at 38.5°C and 5% CO ₂. Matured COC s were rinsed twice in fertilization TALP and placed in the pre‐warmed fertilization medium without sperm. Cryopreserved buffalo semen was thawed at 37°C for 30 s and processed through Sephadex^?, glass wool filtration and swim‐up (control). Total and motile sperm recovery rates were assessed, resuspended in fertilization TALP and incubated for 15–20 min in CO ₂ incubator. Samples prepared by each method were divided into two aliquots: one aliquot was studied for sperm quality (progressive motility, membrane integrity, viability, liveability), while the other was subjected to co‐incubation with sets of 10–15 in vitro matured oocytes. Data on sperm quality were analysed by ANOVA , while in vitro fertilizing rates were compared by chi‐squared test using SPSS ‐20. Least significant difference (LSD ) test was used to compare treatment means. Glass wool filtration yielded higher total and motile sperm recovery rate, while Sephadex^? filtration improved (p  <  .05) sperm quality (progressive motility, membrane integrity, viability, liveability). Sperm preparation through Sephadex filtration yielded higher in vitro fertilization rate in terms of cleavage rate compared to glass wool filtration and swim‐up (control). In conclusion, cryopreserved Nili‐Ravi buffalo sperm selected through Sephadex filtration showed improved quality and yielded better fertilization rates (cleavage rate) of in vitro matured/fertilized oocytes. Sephadex filtration could be a promising technique for use in in vitro fertilization in buffalo.     

蘑菇圈形成机理及其生态学意义

简要总结了蘑菇圈的概念、形状和大小及有文献报道的蘑菇圈产生菌,分析了蘑菇圈生长特性和形成机理,论述了蘑菇圈对圈上植物和圈中土壤生态系统的影响,提出应加强蘑菇圈产生菌繁殖和进化机制及营养方式的研究。     

丘陵红壤橘园不同地面管理措施的经济生态效益研究

A three-year experiment was conducted to investigate and compare the economic and ecological benefits of six types of vegetation management measures in citrus orchards of the hilly red soil region of the eastern part of China. Six vegetation treatments, including tillage without herbicide （clean tillage） and no tillage without herbicide （sod culture） and with herbicide paraquat （paraquat）, glyphosate （glyphosate）, glyphosate-glyphosate-paraquat （G-G-P）, and paraquatparaquat-glyphosate （P-P-G）, were applied in the citrus orchards on a clayey red soil with slopes of 8° and 13°and a sandy soil with slope of 25°. The results showed that the sod culture, paraquat, glyphosate, G-G-P, and P-P-G treatments reduced surface runoff by 38.8%, 42.5%, 18.7%, 28.7%, and 37.5%, then the soil-water losses by 55.5%, 51.7%, 39.9%, 46.8%, and 50.0%, and the N, P, and K nutrient losses by 60.3%, 50.2%, 37.0%, 41.8%, and 45.4%, respectively, as compared with the clean tillage treatment. The weed regeneration ratios with the treatments of clean tillage without herbicide, paraquat, glyphosate, G-G-P, and P-P-G were reduced by 55.1%, 67.2%, 30.3%, 36.8%, and 51.2%, respectively, as compared with the sod culture. The sod culture, paraquat, glyphosate, G-G-P, and P-P-G treatments could increase the soil fertility （annual accumulation of N, P, K, and OM） by 7.1%, 6.9%, 5.3%, 6.2%, and 6.6%, respectively, whereas the clean tillage treatment without herbicide reduced soil fertility by 4.4% after the three-year experiment. The citrus fruit yields in the treatments of paraquat, glyphosate, G-G-P, and P-P-G increased by 7%-10%; the soluble solid, total sugar, total acidity, sugar-acid ratio, and single fruit weight of citrus fruits of all treatments except sod culture significantly （P 〉 0.05） exceeded that of the clean tillage treatment. In general, the paraquat treatment showed the best economic and ecological benefits among the six treatments; therefore, it could be regarded as the best available vegetation     

Fusarium commune associated with wilt and root rot disease in rice

Wilt and root rot disease in plants has been caused mainly by Fusarium species. Previous studies reported that members of the Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC) were usually associated with this disease, but there has been no report of it being caused in rice by specific Fusarium species. However, in this study, Fusarium commune was identified and characterized as a causal agent of wilt and root rot disease of rice. Four Fusarium isolates (BD005R, BD014R, BD019R, and BD020R) were obtained from different parts (root, stem, and seeds) of diseased rice plants. In morphological studies, these isolates produced key characteristics of F. commune, such as long and slender monophialides, polyphialides, and abundant chlamydospores. In molecular studies, the isolates were identified as F. commune based on sequences of the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1) gene that had 99.7%–100% sequence identity with the reference strain F. commune NRRL 28058. The phylogenetic tree showed that all four isolates belonged to the F. commune clade. A mating type test determined that three isolates carried MAT1-2. Their teleomorph stage was still unknown. Pathogenicity assays showed that all the isolates produced wilt and root rot symptoms and the isolate BD019R was observed as the most virulent among the isolates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. commune causing wilt and root rot disease on rice.     

Spatial and temporal variability of sedimentary nutrients in relation to regional development in the urbanizing lower Chao Phraya watersheds of Thailand

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Excess nutrients pose profound aquatic environmental impacts besides well-known essential elements for cropping. The enrichment of excess nutrients in riverine...     

鱼类镀膜保鲜技术研究

以褐藻酸钙膜为主要镀膜材料,通过对石斑鱼、平鲷、真鲷、七星鲈、大黄鱼等几种鱼类在保鲜过程中鲜度指标Ｋ值、ＴＭＡ、ＶＢ－Ｎ及鱼体中细菌总数、感官指标的分析测定,研究了镀膜保鲜技术在这几种鱼类中的应用效果。研究发现,经镀膜的鱼在同等条件的保鲜过程中细菌总数远低于未镀膜的鱼,各项鲜度指标、感官指标也均明显优于未镀膜的鱼,采用镀膜保鲜技术有助利延长鱼类的保质期限、其保质期可延长４～５天。     

不同土壤耕作法对作物产量及土壤硝态氮淋失的影响

针对华北平原小麦—玉米两熟区不同土壤耕法下玉米产量及玉米生育期土壤硝态氮迁移进行研究,结果表明,翻耕模式下玉米产量最高,免耕下最低。在0~180 cm土体中,收获期与苗期相比,翻耕硝态氮含量平均减少了66.6%;旋耕平均减少了21.7%;免耕则平均减少了20.9%。累积峰出现的深度与硝态氮淋失有直接关系。对比3种模式,翻耕累积峰最深,硝态氮淋失威胁最大;免耕无明显累积峰。在施肥、灌溉等影响硝态氮淋失的可控因子以外,从耕作模式上研究硝态氮淋失是今后研究的方向。     

凉山不同产区光叶紫花苕植株植物学性状的分析研究

通过对6个不同产区凉山光叶紫花苕Vicia benghalensis综合性状分析,凉山光叶紫花苕存在明显的类型划分,盐源产区生育期最短,刈割后再生能力最差,平均每株分枝数最少,其以分枝长度长、叶量大、茎秆粗壮而获得较大生物量,而昭觉产区则相反;在植株植物学性状聚类分析中,盐源、昭觉产区独自各为一类,布拖、普格、小兴场、云南并为一类,可将盐源产区凉山光叶紫花苕划分为早熟类型,昭觉产区为晚熟类型,其他4个产区性状介于二者之间,属中熟类型。通过性状相关通径分析,影响凉山光叶紫花苕生物量的主要性状是叶量和分枝长度。