Seasonal Changes in Quality and Fatty Acid Composition of Black Mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis)

The study was designed to assess the seasonal variations in the quality and lipid profile of mussel meat (Mytilus galloprovincialis) harvested along the Bulgarian coast of the Black Sea. The trial period lasted from June to October, and the sampling was carried out in the area of Varna Bay. Technological quality of the mussels was determined by measuring the water holding capacity (WHC) and cooking and roasting losses. Proximate composition, total aerobic plate count, and fatty acid analysis were carried out. Technological parameters and nutritional quality of the mussel meat were strongly affected by the season. During the summer, the mussels had higher mass, meat content, and meat yield (p < 0.001) compared to the early autumn, which corresponds to the lowest protein content during this season. Lipid profile showed seasonal variations in both individual and total fatty acid amounts (p < 0.001). Saturated fatty acids (SFA) had the highest content in summer, while monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) decreased gradually until the autumn. The content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) reached its peak in October, contributing to the most favorable values of the nutritional indices of lipids in the early autumn.     

Limit of colour vision in dim light in larvae of the giant freshwater prawn <Emphasis Type="Italic">Macrobrachium rosenbergii</Emphasis>

Colour vision depends on sufficient ambient light and becomes ineffective at a particular low light intensity. It is not known how decapod crustaceans see colour in dim light. In the present study we investigated the colour vision threshold in larvae of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii in a tank under natural illumination. Plastic beads of different colours (blue, red, yellow and white) in various combinations were suspended in the tank. The larvae swam straight toward the beads and gathered around them. The number of larvae was highest on the blue and white beads. The luminance in the tank was then gradually decreased by covering it with different numbers of layers of black cloth, and the response of the larvae to the beads was video-recorded under infrared illumination. The preference for blue and white beads remained manifest as the luminance was reduced from 418 to 0.07 cd/m², but not at 0.02 cd/m², indicating a colour vision threshold between 0.07 and 0.02 cd/m². The larvae have apposition compound eyes with large optical parameters, comparable to those of apposition eyes of nocturnal insects, which presumably capture more light and show enhanced sensitivity, enabling the larvae to see colour in dim light.     

The seasonal activity of flea beetles in Bulgaria

Using allyl-isothiocyanate-baited traps, we recorded six species of flea beetles in cabbage and horseradish crops in the region of Sofia, Bulgaria in 2006 and 2007. The most abundant species in the traps was Ph. cruciferae (92–96%) followed by Ph. vittula, Ph. undulata and Ph. nigripes. The overwintering adults of these species emerge before the beginning of April and are active to the end of May–beginning of June. Catches of adults of the new generation occurred from the end of June–beginning of July to the second half of October–beginning of November. In 2006, air temperature and humidity strongly influenced the catches of the flea beetles. Investigations of the reproductive status of field collected females of Ph. cruciferae showed that this species develops one generation per year in the region. The results of this study can be used in integrated pest management approach to flea beetles control.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Samardala</Emphasis>: specificities and changes in the ethnobotanical knowledge about <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allium siculum</Emphasis> subsp<Emphasis Type="Italic">. dioscoridis</Emphasis> (Sm.) K. Richt. in Bulgaria

Allium siculum Ucria is a perennial bulbous plant that occurs in Bulgaria as A. siculum subsp. dioscoridis (Sm.) K. Richt. The plant is locally known as “samardala”. Its herbage is used traditionally by local communities in Bulgaria as edible green and for preparation of salty spice mixtures. The study was focused on the documentation of traditional knowledge about samardala, covering local collection and cultivation practices, processing methods and consumption preferences. The respondents (aged 30–86 years, 50% over 65) were local producers and small-scale salesmen of the herbage and samardala-containing spices. To assess the health features of samardala spices the total phenol and flavonoid content was measured in home-consumed or marketed flavoured salts. Overall appreciation of the plant and related food products was found to be very high; presenting a considerable engagement of the locals in plant cultivation and gathering, laborious processing and consumption. Traditional ecological knowledge about the biology, phenology and ecology of the samardala plant and methods for its processing is still preserved by elderly people who rely mostly on their own cultivated plants. Although the introduction of modern appliances has altered the method of production, its main stages and the recipes are preserved. Modernization of the processing method has not affected the quality of the products and faster processing could be a contributing factor for the higher content of biologically active substances. Phenolic content was about twice as low as the flavonoid content, following the same pattern for all tested flavoured salts. Measures for better management of natural populations and promotion of cultivation practices of A. siculum subsp. dioscoridis would ensure the sustainable quality of traditional products as well as conservation of the natural plant resources.     

Effect of calcareous and siliceous amendments on N2O emissions of a grassland soil

Liming of acidic agricultural soils has been proposed as a strategy to mitigate nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, as increased soil pH reduces the N₂O/N₂ product ratio of denitrification. The capacity of different calcareous (calcite and dolomite) and siliceous minerals to increase soil pH and reduce N₂O emissions was assessed in a 2-year grassland field experiment. An associated pot experiment was conducted using homogenized field soils for controlling spatial soil variability. Nitrous oxide emissions were highly episodic with emission peaks in response to freezing–thawing and application of NPK fertilizer. Liming with dolomite caused a pH increase from 5.1 to 6.2 and reduced N₂O emissions by 30% and 60% after application of NPK fertilizer and freezing–thawing events, respectively. Over the course of the 2-year field trial, N₂O emissions were significantly lower in dolomite-limed than non-limed soil (p < .05), although this effect was variable over time. Unexpectedly, no significant reduction of N₂O emission was found in the calcite treatment, despite the largest pH increase in all tested minerals. We tentatively attribute this to increased N₂O production by overall increase in nitrogen turnover rates (both nitrification and denitrification) following rapid pH increase in the first year after liming. Siliceous materials showed little pH effect and had no significant effect on N₂O emissions probably because of their lower buffering capacity and lower cation content. In the pot experiment using soils taken from the field plots 3 years after liming and exposing them to natural freezing–thawing, both calcite (p < .01) and dolomite (p < .05) significantly reduced cumulative N₂O emission by 50% and 30%, respectively, relative to the non-limed control. These results demonstrate that the overall effect of liming is to reduce N₂O emission, although high lime doses may lead to a transiently enhanced emission.     

Comparative Study of Subcritical Water and Microwave-Assisted Extraction Techniques Impact on the Phenolic Compounds and 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Content in Pomegranate Peel

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Two environmentally friendly innovative extraction techniques - subcritical water (SWE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were applied for the extraction of...     

Effect of single or dual inoculation of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae and root-nodulating rhizobacteria on reproduction of the burrowing nematode Radopholus similis on non-leguminous and leguminous banana intercrops

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The bio-protective effect of either single or dual mycorrhizal (AMF) and rhizobial colonisation of the roots of non-leguminous and leguminous banana...     

Evaluation of inflammation and immunity in cats with spontaneous parvovirus infection: consequences of recombinant feline interferon-omega administration

Administration of recombinant feline interferon-omega (rFeIFN) has been proposed for the prophylaxis of canine and feline parvovirosis. In the present study, the influence of the administration of rFeIFN on blood markers of inflammation (alpha-globulins, alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein) and immune system activation (gamma-globulins, IgG, IgM, specific anti-feline parvovirus IgG or IgM) was evaluated in a cattery developing an outbreak of feline panleukopenia due to feline parvovirus (FPV) infection few days after initial administration of rFeIFN. Kittens (n=23) were injected with rFeIFN (1MU/kg subcutaneously, once a day for 3 days) and their blood parameters were compared with those of 17 untreated cats. Cats that survived the outbreak were vaccinated and re-sampled 1 month after the last rFeIFN administration. Time of emergence of clinical signs and survival rate were not significantly different between the two groups. Controls and treated cats surviving the infection had high levels of gamma-globulins, total- and anti-FPV specific IgGs, likely due to passive transfer of maternal immunity. Compared to controls, treated kittens had lower levels of alpha(1)-globulins and higher mean values of gamma-globulins and immunoglobulins. Data from samples collected after vaccination revealed a higher level of gamma-globulins, total- and anti-FPV specific IgGs in treated kittens, compared with controls, suggesting that rFeIFN stimulates antibody production. Based on this results, rFeIFN should be administered to the queen, to increase passive maternal immunity, or to kittens before introduction in a potentially contaminated environment.     

Improving the floral attractant to lure <Emphasis Type="Italic">Epicometis hirta</Emphasis> Poda (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae,Cetoniinae)

In order to improve the efficiency of the known floral attractant of Epicometis hirta [(E)-anethol and (E)-cinnamyl alcohol in a ratio of 1:1], candidate synergist compounds for field tests were selected through electroantennographic tests using the antennae of female and male E. hirta adult beetles. Among synthetic floral compounds 4-methoxyphenethyl alcohol and methyl salicylate evoked high responses from the antennae and were chosen for further field studies. In trapping tests in Bulgaria, the addition of 4-methoxyphenethyl alcohol to the E. hirta bait in the ratio of 1:1:1, in Hungary in ratios of 1:1:0.3 and 1:1:1 significantly increased catches. The addition of methyl salicylate was without effect in both countries. A high-capacity trap supplied with this ternary attractant could be more efficient for mass trapping purposes of E. hirta in environment-friendly plant protection.