Plant regeneration by somatic embryogenesis from mature seeds of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Magnolia obovata</Emphasis>

We attempted to develop a method for the regeneration of plantlets from mature seeds of medically important Magnolia obovata via the induction of somatic embryogenesis in vitro. We initially cultured halves of mature seeds on either Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium or B₅ medium that contained 0, 1, 5 or 10 μM gibberellic acid (GA₃) for 1 month and then transferred the half-seeds to half-strength MS basal medium or B₅ basal medium for further culture in the absence of GA₃. Proembryogenic masses (PEMs) were observed 1 month after the transfer of the halved mature seeds to the medium without GA₃. The frequency of formation of PEMs was higher (28%) after initial culture in MS basal medium plus 1 μM GA₃ than in other tested media (0 or 4%). Somatic embryos that had been developed from PEMs were cultured on half-strength MS basal medium or B₅ basal medium for completion of maturation and then transferred to fresh aliquots of the same medium for initiation of germination. The frequency of germination, with the formation of normal primary leaves and roots, was above 80%. We transferred the somatic embryo-derived plantlets to soil for acclimatization and the plantlets continued to thrive.     

Characterization of bacterial community composition in rotifer cultures under unexpected growth suppression

Unexpected growth suppression is common in rotifer mass culturing, and bacteria present in culture tanks are believed to be one of the main causes. We used a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene finger-printing method to determine the bacterial community composition in water and that in association with rotifers present in tanks when rotifer growth was suppressed. Bacterial 16S rRNA genes representing Nautella sp. and Marinomonas sp. were identified as dominant in control tanks with good rotifer growth. In contrast, the bacterial community composition was more diverse at start-up in tanks where rotifer growth was suppressed. The community composition changed during rotifer cultivation, and bacterial sequences representative of Ruegeria sp. and Hyphomonas sp. were dominant when rotifer growth recovered. These findings indicate that the bacterial community composition varied according to the rotifer growth conditions and suggest that the initial microbial flora present in the culture water may cause rotifer growth suppression.     

Effects of dietary microalgal species and hormone treatment on the lorica size and reproductivity of heavy-ion beam irradiated rotifers

In aquatic seeding production, the feeding regime of fish larvae consists of rotifers to Artemia, while there is a lack of intermediate-sized feed in the range of 350–600 µm. To solve this problem, in our previous study, the euryhaline rotifer Brachionus plicatilis (L-type, Notojima strain) were irradiated with carbon heavy-ion-beams, and large-sized rotifer mutant lines (>?350 µm lorica length) were established. This study aimed to enhance the mutated morphometric characteristics and reproductivity through the combined use of three microalgal species (Nannochloropsis oculata, Tetraselmis tetrathele, and Chlorella vulgaris), and two hormones [juvenile hormone (JH) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)]. The combination of T. tetrathele and JH was effective in enhancing the mutated phenotype, and the largest lorica length of 344–425 µm was observed with no significant differences in population growth between the wild-type and mutant strains. The combination of N. oculata and GABA enhanced the population growth of the mutant line, and its growth rate was 2.4 times higher than that of the control group (without GABA). This study indicates that the morphometric characteristics and reproductivity of rotifer mutant lines could be regulated by feed and hormone supplementation. These findings can promote the efficient use of mutant rotifer lines in aquaculture facilities.

     

Retinomotor responses of juvenile bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus

SUMMARY: In bluefin tuna culture, a high mortality of juveniles is caused by bumping into the tank and net-pen walls at dawn. This bumping can possibly be attributed to visually disoriented behavior of the fish. To examine this possibility, the authors carried out retinomotor response experiments with juvenile bluefin tuna (50.7–96.8 mm total length, at which they were transferred from a indoor tank to a sea net-pen) and measured ambient light intensity at the culture site at dawn. The light intensity at which the transition from scotopic to photopic vision takes place was 7.52 lx and the time taken by the transition was 15 min. At dawn, the ambient light intensity rapidly increased from scotopic light intensity level and attained photopic light intensity level in 10 min. This incompatibility of the retinal adaptation with the change in the ambient light intensity could cause the visual disorientation of the fish. It is therefore possible that the visually disoriented juveniles cannot control their high power swimming and thus bump into the walls at dawn.