Effects of genes increasing the number of spikelets per panicle,TAW1 and APO1, on yield and yield-related traits in rice

The genes TAWAWA1 (TAW1) and ABERRANT PANICLE ORGANIZATION1 (APO1) increase the number of spikelets per panicle (SN). In the present study, we examined the effects of these genes on morphological traits, yield, and yield-related traits including yield components using the near-isogenic lines (NILs) in the genetic background of a japonica rice variety, Koshihikari – NIL-taw1, NIL-apo1-D3, and NIL-apo1-D4 – in a field experiment. The SN and total number of spikelets per area of the three NILs were larger than those of Koshihikari. However, the yield of the three NILs did not exceed that of Koshihikari due to their low filling ability. Interestingly, our field experiments indicated that TAW1 did not affect the diameter of internodes and the PN, whereas APO1 decreased the PN and increased the diameter of internodes. These results suggest that TAW1 and APO1 differently affect yield-related traits.     

Indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aciculosporium take</Emphasis>, a causal agent of witches' broom of bamboo

 Aciculosporium take (Ascomycota; Clavicipitaceae) is a causal agent of witches' broom of bamboo plants. The symptoms of this disease are believed to be induced by plant hormones, particularly auxins. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) was identified in cultures of this fungus in an l-tryptophan-supplemented liquid medium. IAA production was confirmed on 30 isolates of A. take from various hosts and locations at levels up to 1 mg/l. The biosynthetic pathway of IAA in A. take culture was examined by analyzing intermediate products and by feeding experiments. The results showed that the indole-3-pyruvic acid pathway (l-tryptophan → indole-3-pyruvic acid → indole acetaldehyde → IAA) was the dominant pathway in A. take. Received: June 3, 2002 / Accepted: July 25, 2002     

Competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of the antibodies specific to akabane virus.

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (C-ELISA) using neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Akabane virus (AKAV) was developed to detect antibodies to AKAV in cattle sera. The performance of the test using 7 different competitor MAbs was evaluated in sequential serum samples and sera from cattle infected with various bovine arboviruses. The dynamics of the antibody response expressed by percentage of inhibition (PI) in C-ELISA coincided with those of neutralizing antibody titers in sequential serum samples from 2 cattle experimentally infected with AKAV. The value of PI in C-ELISA for convalescent sera from cattle infected with arboviruses correlated with the neutralizing antibody titer to AKAV but was unaffected by the antibodies to other arboviruses. In the validation experiment of C-ELISA using 286 bovine sera previously examined for the AKAV antibody by serum neutralization (SN) test, the relative specificity of C-ELISA was more than 98%, whereas the relative sensitivities of individual MAbs ranged from 49% to 82.2%. Overall agreement between C-ELISA and the SN test varied from 72% to 90% depending on the MAb. These results suggest that the C-ELISA is acceptable as a rapid and specific method for detecting antibodies to AKAV and is a potential alternative to the SN test.     

On the Analysis of EMCS and Its Application in the Project of Shenzhen Underground

In this paper, the selection of type, function and technological requirements of EMCS for Shenzhen Underground has been introduced.Based on the investigation for EMCS's worldwide applications and the analysis of practice in Shenzhen Underground, the comparison and selection of PLC and DDC have been done completely.At the same time,the introduction of EMCS is organized by the center level, station level and the spot level.     

Detection of Oestrus in Bunaji Cows under Field Conditions

The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of some aids for detectiong oestrus in 72 Bunaji cows synchronized using two injections of prostaglandin F₂ (PGF₂) 13 days apart. Blood samples to determine the accuracy of the aids and ovarian activity by radioimmunoassay technique were collected daily from the day of the second PGF₂ injection until oestrus or for 168 hours for `non-responders'. The aids for detecting oestrus, tail painting, KaMar detectors and a chin-ball mating device (CMD) were applied at the time of the second injection.The oestrus response rate was 73.6% and 61.1%, from the serum progesterone concentration and visual observation, respectively. Based on the total number of oestrus events observed, unaided visual observation, tail painting, KaMar and CMD detected 52.2%, 82.6%, 82.6% and 76.8%, respectively. Visual observation of standing oestrus alone failed to detect 47.8% of the occurrence of oestrus as shown by the concentration of progesterone in the serum and 30.4%, 30.4% and 24.6%, respectively, of the oestrus periods recorded by tail painting, KaMar and CMD. Twenty-eight cows showed abnormalities in progesterone concentration.These investigations showed that oestrus may be detected by using the aids in cows that have been regarded as `anoestrous' by visual observation of standing heat.     

Optimal application timing of simeconazole granules for control of rice kernel smut and false smut

We investigated the optimal timing of simeconazole (RS-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-3-trimethylsilylpropan-2-ol) application for controlling rice kernel smut in field trials in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, using formulations of simeconazole (1.5% granules). The field tests revealed that a submerged application of simeconazole granules (450–600 g ai/ha) at 1–5 weeks before heading was highly effective against kernel smut, with treatments 1–2 weeks before heading being the most effective. Submerged application of the fungicide at 2–5 weeks before heading was also highly effective against false smut, with treatment 3 weeks before heading being the most effective. These periods overlap the timing for optimal application of simeconazole to control rice sheath blight and ear blight. Consequently, we concluded that treatment with simeconazole 2–3 weeks before heading can be a useful tool for controlling all four diseases.     

金钱豹消化试验

为探讨金钱豹对含植物性成分的混合日粮的消化情况,采用市售某品牌罐装犬粮(简称罐头组)饲喂7只金钱豹,测定其主要营养成分的表观消化率,同时设牛肉和瘦猪肉组成的纯肉日粮(简称纯肉组)作为对照。结果表明,纯肉组干物质、粗蛋白、脂肪、能量等主要营养成分的表观消化率分别为：(97．37±0．69)％、(98 98±0．32)％、(97．78±0．47)％、(98．30±0 43)％,罐头组干物质、粗蛋白、脂肪、能量等主要营养成分的表观消化率分别为：(74．49±4．18)％、(85．74±1．50)％、(90．45±5．02)％、(94．92±3．27)％。其中干物质和蛋白质的表观消化率组问呈极显著差异(P＜0．01),脂肪的表观消化率组间达显著差异(P＜0．05),而能量的表观消化率组间差异不显著(P＞0．05)。     

Effects of Dietary Binders on Survival and Growth Performance of Postlarval Tongue Sole, Cynoglossus semilaevis (Günther)

A 30‐d feeding experiment was conducted in tanks to investigate the effects of four different binders (2% in microdiet) on the survival, growth performance, and specific activity of digestive enzymes in tongue sole, Cynoglossus semilaevis Günther, postlarvae (24 d after hatching, with initial average wet weight of 22.4 ± 6.65 mg [mean ± SD]). Five approximately isonitrogenous and isoenergetic microbound diets were formulated with carrageenan (Car), sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMS), sodium alginate (SA), and gelatin (Gel) as binders, and a diet with no special binder as a control. A commercial diet (RQ Com., manufactured by Marubeni Nisshin Feed Co., Ltd., Chita, Japan) was used as another tested diet, and Artemia nauplii was used as live prey control. The results showed that the survival of the fish fed SA diet (31.3%) was significantly higher than that of fish fed CMS (21.8%), Car (10.8%), and control (21.8%) diets (P < 0.05), but significantly lower than that of the fish fed the live prey (54.5%) diet (P < 0.05). The results of growth followed the similar pattern as that of survival, although there were no significant differences in specific growth rate (SGR) among fish fed SA, CMS, Gel, the control, and RQ diets (7.2, 6.8, 7.0, 6.9, and 7.3% per day; P > 0.05). However, fish fed Car diet had a significantly lower SGR (5.9% per day) than fish fed other diets. Percentages of secreted amylase in fish fed artificial diets were not significantly different, but fish fed artificial diets had significantly higher (P < 0.05) secreted amylase than live prey group. Percentage of secreted trypsin in fish fed SA diet (54.9%) was relatively higher compared with other binders, and not significantly different from RQ Com. and live prey treatments. However, trypsin in fish fed Car diets (29.3%) was significantly lower than in other groups. Specific activities of alkaline phosphatase (AP) in the intestine and AP and leucine aminopeptidase N in brush border membranes in fish fed SA diet (264.6, 1882.8, and 187.2 mU/mg protein) were relatively higher compared with other binders. These results indicate that SA is one of suitable binders compared with carrageenan, CMS, and gelatin in microdiet of postlarval tongue sole.     

Immune Responses and Resistance against Vibrio parahaemolyticus Induced by Probiotic Bacterium Arthrobacter XE-7 in Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

A 63-d feeding experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of probiotic bacterium Arthrobacter XE-7 on immune responses and resistance against Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei . The probiotic bacteria were administered orally at four different doses of 0, 10⁶, 10⁸, and 10¹⁰ colony-forming unit (CFU)/g feed for shrimp. On Day 50, the shrimp were challenged with Vibrio parahaemolyticus by bath. On Days 7, 21, 49, and 63, six shrimp per tank were sampled to take intestine and hemolymph. With increasing dietary supplementation of probiotic bacteria, shrimp mortality decreased from 63.16% (the control) to 55.9% (10⁶ CFU/g feed), 51.75% (10⁸ CFU/g feed), and 51.78% (10¹⁰ CFU/g feed), respectively. Vibrio counts in intestine of shrimp fed probiotic bacterium Arthrobacter XE-7 was generally lower than that in the control shrimp ( P  < 0.05). The probiotic bacteria generally increased the immune parameters in shrimp, that is, total hemocyte counts, percentage phagocytosis, respiratory burst activity, and serum phenoloxidase activity. The results showed that probiotic bacterium Arthrobacter XE-7 can be used as probiotic in shrimp feed.