Effect of dietary garlic on immune response of broiler chicks to live Newcastle Disease vaccine

This study was designed to determine the effect of garlic powder on humoral immune response of broilers against NDV (Newcastle Disease Virus) vaccine. Two hundred and forty, two-day-old, Ross chicks were randomly assigned into 4 groups of 60 birds each. Chicks in groups 1 and 2 were given control mash diet during the experiment (6 week), but those in groups 3 and 4 were fed on control diet supplemented with 1 and 3% garlic powder, respectively. All groups except number 1 were vaccinated by eye-drop with B1 strain (Pestikal, Croatia) at 9 and 18 days of age. Ten blood samples were taken from each group on days 0, 14, 24 and 34 after first vaccination. The serum antibody level against NDV was measured by both HI and ELISA tests. The EDTA-mixed blood samples were examined for total and differential leukocyte count. The results showed that antibody titers in vaccinated chicks were significantly more than in non-vaccinated chicks (p < 0.05), but not influenced by the diet (p > 0.05). A significant increase of total leukocyte and percentage of lymphocytes was observed in vaccinated chicks 14 days after vaccination, but there were no difference (p > 0.05) among vaccinated groups. It is concluded that inclusion of garlic powder to the diet of broilers don't have any beneficial effect on humoral immune response to live NDV vaccine.     

The effect of density on tuber yield in plants grown from true potato seed in seed beds during two contrasting seasons

The production of potatoes from true seed was studied in direct-sown seed beds during both winter and summer seasons in Lima, Peru. After emergence, seedlings were thinned to give 6, 12, 24, 48 or 96 plants per m². In all five density treatments plants were arranged in a square configuration. In both seasons, increasing plant density significantly increased total tuber number as well as tuber weights in the grades 1–5 g, 5–20 g and 20–40 g. The yield of tubers larger than 40 g was similar in all densities. In the warm summer season, tuber number was significantly reduced and mean tuber weight was 56% greater compared with that in the winter season. The potential of producing consumer potatoes from true seed in seed beds in warm climates is discussed.     

锥栗林土壤呼吸动态变化与主要影响因子分析

通过LI-6400对闽北锥栗林的土壤呼吸进行测定与分析。结果表明,不同季节土壤温度的变化较为一致,呈单峰变化趋势,最大值出现在15：00;土壤呼吸速率昼夜变化趋势大致呈单峰变化,不同季节里呼吸速率最大值出现的时间不同,春季与冬季最高值出现在13：00,而夏季与秋季分别出现在17：00与15：00;不同季节土壤呼吸速率的日变化幅度以冬季较小,春季最大;土壤呼吸Q10值的季节变化中,冬季Q10值最大,夏季最小,Q10值随土壤温度的增高而降低。     

EFFECT OF DAY-NIGHT TEMPERATURE REGIMES ON GROWTH AND MORPHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF TIMOTHY PLANTS DERIVED FROM WINTER AND SUMMER TILLERS

Winter (vernalized) and summer (non-vernalized) timothy tillers were grown to anthesis in day/night temperature regimes of 32/26°, 27/21°, 21/15°, and 15/10°C. Herbage and total plant yields, total leaf-blade number and area, and total plant growth-rate were highest, or very nearly so, in the 21/15°C regime for both the winter and summer plants. However, summer plants reached anthesis 13 to 14 days later than winter plants in each temperature regime. Even though virtually all primary shoots produced an infiorescence, summer plants had significantiy more leaves and leaf-blade area, produced significantiy higher yields of leaf blade, stem plus sheath, stubble, and root tissues and had a significantly higher total plant growth rate than winter plants in each temperature regime.     

Effects of harvest and sowing time on the performance of the rotation of winter wheat–summer maize in the North China Plain

Rotation of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and summer maize (Zea mays L.) is the prevailing double-cropping system in the North China Plain. Typically, winter wheat is planted at the beginning of October and harvested during early June. Maize is planted immediately after wheat and harvested around 25th of September. The growing season of maize is limited to about 100–110 days. How to rectify the sowing date of winter wheat and the harvest time of summer maize are two factors to achieve higher grain yield of the two crops. Three-year field experiments were carried out to compare the grain yield, evapotranspiration (ET), water use efficiency (WUE) and economic return under six combinations of the harvest time of summer maize and sowing date of winter wheat from 2002 to 2005. Yield of winter wheat was similar for treatments of sowing before 10th of October. Afterwards, yield of winter wheat was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) by 0.5% each day delayed in sowing. The kernel weight of maize was significantly increased (P < 0.05) by about 0.6% each day delayed from harvest before 5th of October. After 10th of October, kernel weight of maize was not significantly increased with the delay in harvest because of the lower temperature. The kernel weight of maize with thermal time was in a quadratic relationship. Total seasonal ET of winter wheat was reduced by 2.5 mm/day delayed in sowing and ET of maize was averagely increased by 2.0 mm/day delayed in harvest. The net income, benefit–cost and net profit per millimetre of water used of harvest maize at the beginning of October and sowing winter wheat around 10th of October were greater compared with other treatments. Then the common practice of harvest maize and sowing winter wheat in the region could be delayed by 5 days correspondingly.     

Unusual Ether Lipids and Branched Chain Fatty Acids in Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) Viscera and Their Seasonal Variation

The sea cucumber, Cucumaria frondosa, is harvested primarily for its muscular bands and body wall. Development of a nutraceutical product based on lipid recovered from its viscera would give commercial value to the entire organism; however, such development requires knowledge of the lipid and fatty acid (FA) profiles of the viscera. Here, we describe the lipid and FA composition of viscera recovered from C. frondosa harvested in coastal waters in the northwest Atlantic, taking into account variation due to harvest season. We found highest lipid content at ~29% in winter, with diacylglyceryl ethers (DAGE) comprising ~55% of the total lipid mass and triacylglycerols (TAG), phospholipids (PL) and monoacylglycerol ethers (MAGE) at 5–25% each. The branched chain FA, 12-methyltetradecanoic acid (12-MTA), represented 42% of total FA mass in DAGE. In summer, lipid content was lower at 24% and TAG was the dominate lipid, with proportions more than double that found in winter (45% vs. 20%); DAGE in summer dropped to ~30% of total lipids. In TAG, 12-MTA was much lower than found in DAGE in winter, at only 10% but eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) content was ~20%, which brought the total EPA% to 28% of total FA—the highest among all three seasons. There was little effect of season on MAGE or PL proportions. These data can help harvesters maximize catch efforts in terms of lipid yield and profile.     

Seasonal distribution of herbage mass and nutritive value of Prairiegrass (Bromus catharticus Vahl)

A reliable supply of herbage is a crucial feature of forage‐based livestock systems. Forage resources with winter‐active growth habits can help extend the growing season in early spring and late autumn in regions with mild‐winter conditions while drought‐ and heat‐tolerant plants help meet herbage needs during summer in humid temperate regions. The prairiegrass (Bromus catharticus, Vahl) cultivars, Grassland Dixon and Grasslands Lakota, provide resistance to foliar disease and cold in addition to sustained productivity when soil moisture is low, and could be useful over a wide range of growing conditions. The cultivars were sown in spring or summer to determine seasonal distribution of productivity and nutritive value of herbage grown in a cool‐temperate region. Stands established rapidly regardless of sowing time or cultivar and were virtually pure prairiegrass once plants were well‐established. Stand composition of broadcast sowings tended to be stable in subsequent growing seasons, whereas the amount of prairiegrass varied in no‐till stands. In the growing seasons after establishment, cumulative dry matter (DM) yield of Lakota was similar regardless of when it was sown, whereas DM yield of Dixon differed with sowing time and was less in spring‐ than summer‐planted stands. Rapid stand establishment, significant late‐season yield, consistent concentrations of crude protein, non‐structural carbohydrate and total digestible nutrients in herbage, and dominance of sward composition, suggest that prairiegrass cultivars, Dixon and Lakota, are excellent resources for forage‐based livestock production systems in humid temperate conditions.     

The effect of tillage practice,input level and environment on the grain yield of winter wheat in the Czech Republic

The response of winter wheat grain yield to four variants of treatment (two input levels, combined with either conventional or reduced tillage) was tested over six seasons at three locations. These experiments with 10 and 12 winter wheat varieties were analysed within three experimental series. The environmental (location and season) effects on grain yield were large in all combinations of input level and tillage type, and the varieties responded differentially to both season and location. However, there was no varietal response either to the tillage system used, or to the level of nitrogen (and other inputs) supplied. The high input reduced tillage system (surface stubble-ploughing to a depth of 8–10 cm) resulted in all series in significantly higher grain yields than the equivalent conventional tillage system. The reduced tillage system combined with high input level delivered a yield advantage for all of the wheat varieties tested.     

17种报春苣苔属植物的组培苗移栽季节研究

探讨不同季节对报春苣苔属植物组培苗移栽成活的影响,为其今后组培苗工厂化、规模化生产提供技术支持。以17种报春苣台属植物的组培生根苗为材料,研究季节对移栽成活的影响,分析不同物种间在同一季节的移栽成活差异以及同一物种在4个不同季节的移栽成活差异。大部分种类在春季移栽具有较高的成活率;成活率最高与最低的种类为三苞报春苣苔和粗茎报春苣苔,成活率分别为100.0%、51.3%;适宜春季移栽的种类是：贵港报春苣苔、硬叶报春苣苔、永福报春苣苔、紫花报春苣苔、三苞报春苣苔、阳朔小花苣苔、褐纹报春苣苔、柳江报春苣苔、尖萼报春苣苔、大根报春苣苔。17个种类在夏季移栽具有较低的成活率;成活率最高与最低的种类为大根报春苣苔和漓江报春苣苔,成活率分别为68.7%、15.3%。在17个种类中,超过一半的种类在秋季、冬季移栽具有较高的成活率。秋季移栽成活率最高为桂海报春苣苔、那坡报春苣苔,均为100.0%,成活率最低为褐纹报春苣苔,为20.0%;适宜秋季移栽的种类是：桂海报春苣苔、粗茎报春苣苔、那坡报春苣苔。冬季移栽以冬花报春苣苔的成活率最高,为100.0%,永福报春苣苔的成活率最低,为32.7%;适宜冬季移栽的种类是：桂中报春苣苔、紫萼报春苣苔、冬花报春苣苔、漓江报春苣苔。17个种类的移栽季节以春季的最好,夏季最差,秋季和冬季介于春季和夏季之间。不同季节不同种类移栽成活率不同,不同种类其适宜移栽的季节不同,应根据季节移栽合适的种类以保证其获得较高的成活率。     

Stem elongation in Pennisetum purpureum results from a fixed pattern of vegetative development potentially enhanced by the initiation of flowering

The characterization of stem elongation is of fundamental importance in C4 tropical grasses as it affects forage quality and determines optimal management practices. The objectives of this study were to analyse the determinants of stem elongation and leaf area production in shoots of Pennisetum purpureum cv. Napier (elephant grass) using unstressed isolated plants. Three experiments were conducted in Brazil during the spring, summer and autumn seasons. Regular measurements of leaf and pseudostem length were performed on the main and primary axes. Ten destructive measurements were also performed during each experiment to monitor apical meristem height, internode length and the number of initiated leaves. The onset of stem elongation occurred at the same vegetative stage (i.e., appearance of leaf 13) irrespective of the seasons and experiments. The first internode to elongate belonged to phytomer 8, and a constant lag of five phyllochrons was systematically observed between internode production and its rapid elongation period. Higher stem and internode elongation rates were observed during the reproductive phase (autumn) versus the vegetative phase (summer and spring group). Maximal internode length reached 8–10 cm in summer and spring and 20 cm in autumn, at approximately phytomers 12–13. A similar pattern was reported for all primary axes irrespective of the experiments, the position of the first internode to elongate descending regularly down the main axis. These results provide key elements to predict the onset of stem elongation in the field from simple measurements. They could contribute to improving crop models for perennial tropical C4 grasses.     

甘蔗根际土壤 AM 真菌群落季节性变化研究

为了探明甘蔗根际土壤 AM 真菌群落季节性变化规律及其影响因素，2016 年 4 月、8 月、10 月和 12 月在里建甘蔗试验基地，采集 4 个施肥水平（0%、25%、50%、100%）下的甘蔗根际土壤，采用高通量测序技术分析不同施肥水平下 AM 真菌群落季节变化规律。结果表明：4 个季节共检测到 10 属 AM 真菌，AM 真菌 Chaol、Shannon-Wiener 指数 Shannon-Wiener 和 Invsimpson index 指数从春季到冬季呈先降后升的趋势，夏季最低；4 个季节共检测出 281 个 AM 真菌 OTUs（operational taxonomic units），春季、夏季、秋季、冬季的 OTUs 数目分别为160、68、103、198 个。4 个季节甘蔗根际土壤中球囊霉属（Glomus）占有绝对的优势，之后是类球囊霉属（Paraglomus）和多样孢囊霉属（Diversispora）。此外，也有少量的原囊霉属（Archaeospora）、巨孢囊霉属（Gigaspora）、无梗囊霉属（Acaulospora）、盾巨孢囊霉属（Scutellospora）和两性球囊霉属（Ambispora）。不同季节 AM 真菌群落组成差异显著，但总体来说冬季和春季种群结构相似，夏季和秋季相似，而夏季和秋季的 AM 真菌种类比春季和冬季的 AM 真菌种类多。     

鲜食玉米单倍体诱导率的影响因素研究

选用不同基因类型的鲜食玉米(普甜玉米、超甜玉米、加强甜玉米和糯玉米)共15个材料作为母本,4个不同诱导材料作为父本,分别在景洪冬季和昆明夏季于抽丝后的不同时期进行杂交,统计诱导的单倍体后代,研究不同遗传背景、诱导基因、生态条件以及授粉时期对单倍体诱导率的影响。结果表明,不同的遗传背景、诱导基因、生态条件以及授粉时期对单倍体诱导均有重要影响,昆明夏季进行单倍体诱导的效率显著高于景洪冬季,吐丝早期授粉比晚期授粉的诱导效率要高;不同的母本基因型与不同的诱导系都对单倍体的诱导率产生极显著影响,但同一鲜食玉米类型不同品种的单倍体诱导率表现不同,说明单倍体诱导率的表达不受甜糯基因的影响;父本诱导系的诱导率则表现较为一致,都是诱导系CAU-1和(CAU-1×CAU-5)-B的单倍体诱导率显著高于诱导系(MT1×H780)-B和MT1的诱导率。在进行鲜食玉米单倍体育种时,选用诱导系CAU-1和(CAU-1×CAU-5)-B在昆明夏季于吐丝早期进行诱导,可以大幅提高单倍体的诱导率。     

Variation in testicular histology of the spiny tailed lizard Uromastyx aegyptius microlepis during hibernation and active periods

The testicular histology of the lizard, Uromastyx aegyptius microlepis were varied considerably during hibernation and activity periods, reaching maximum values in summer. The onset of winter induces testicular regression, reduced testis size, testis diameter, diameter and epithelial height of the seminiferous tubules and epididymal epithelial height. Animals exhibit testicular recrudescence during late winter (February and March) and maximum testicular volume occurred during June. The period of maximal testicular volume was positively correlated with increasing ambient temperature. The summer season induces the testicular activity in contrast with the winter season in which the activity decreased and the testes were collapsed. Spermatocytogenesis is active in early spring and the major portion of the seminiferous epithelium comprises spermatids in various stages of maturation and their luminae were filled with spermatozoa. The size of the interstitial cells is direct correlated with changes occurring in epididymis and seminiferous epithelium. Most interstitial cell nuclei show clear regression when spermatocytogenesis were diminishes.     

Spatio-temporal variability of drought characteristics across Pakistan

Climate change in Pakistan has a great impact on the spatial and temporal variation of precipitation and ultimately alters the frequency and duration of droughts. In this study, spatial and temporal trend analyses of precipitation and droughts were observed at 58 meteorological stations across Pakistan from 1981 to 2018. The existing trend analysis methods were evaluated to address the issue of serial correlation in the climatic data. Results of precipitation analysis showed significant decreasing trends in winter (November, December) and significant increasing trends were observed in summer (June and September) at a confidence level of 95 percent. The magnitude of the precipitation trends showed the highest variation during summer season and the least variation in winter season. Rotated Principal Component (RPC) analysis showed the severe droughts (high positive loading) in southeastern side (Sindh province) of Pakistan due to lack of summer rains. Furthermore, variance correction approaches are identified as the most suitable in coping with the effect of serial correlation. The highest drought frequencies were observed in the southern areas of Pakistan and the drought events are expected to occur more frequently in the late winter, early spring, and early autumn, while droughts were expected to occur least frequently in summer.

     

Detection of epistasis,and estimation of additive and dominance components of genetic variation for synchrony in pod maturity in mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek)

Genetics of days to first flowering, first pod maturity, 90% pod maturity, and duration of the period from first flower to 90% pod maturity (DDd₁) and from first pod maturity to 90% pod maturity (DDd₂) [degree of non-synchrony of pod maturity] were investigated in mungbean using the triple test cross (TTC) technique. Ten diverse genotypes were crossed with two true breeding testers (L₁ and L₂) and the F₁ hybrid of the tester lines (L₃). The resultant single and three-way crosses were evaluated in two seasons (kharif and spring/summer).Epistatic variation was found to be an integral part of inheritance of days to first flower in both seasons and days to first pod maturity only in kharif season. Further partitioning of total epistasis revealed that additive×additive (i type) interactions had a major role in the inheritance of these traits.In the absence of epistasis both additive and dominance genetic components were significant for days to 90% pod maturity, DDd₁, and DDd₂ in both seasons, and for days to first flower in spring/summer season. The additive genetic component was predominant for days to 90% pod maturity and DDd₂ in both seasons and for DDd₁ in spring/summer season, whereas the dominance component was important for days to first flower and DDd₁ in the spring/summer season. The direction of dominance was towards early maturity of 90% pods and late maturity of the first pod. The significant additive genetic component in DDd₁ and DDd₂ could be exploited in later generations for developing mungbean genotypes with improved synchrony in pod maturity.     

稻鱼综合种养有害藻类生态防控技术

稻田养殖中,田块长期覆水,晒田时间较少,特别是夏季高温天气,由于养殖渔类,水体营养丰富,容易发生藻害,降质减产.介绍了稻田养殖中几种主要有害藻类(蓝藻、水绵、刚毛藻、水网藻)产生的原因与危害,并结合水稻(一季稻)生长时期从四个季节简述了有效防控有害藻类的技术.     

Winter and summer performance of potato (Solanum tuberosum) in isohyperthermic regimes

Potato production in isohyperthermic temperature regimes (mean annual soil temperature higher than 22°C) has been considered impractical physiologically and economically. However, recent experiments with potatoes (var. Kennebec) on a clayey, kaolinitic, isohyperthermic Tropeptic Eutrustox of Hawaii during the winters of 1980 and 1981 and the summer of 1980, indicate that although seasonal variation in the tropics is minimal when compared to temperate regions, there is enough of a distinction in temperature that potato production is possible and favored during the cooler winter months. Soil temperatures, measured at 20-cm depth, in irrigated plots range from 18 to 20°C in winter and 24 to 26°C in summer. Tuber initiation in winter and summer began at 40 and 55 days after planting, respectively. Maturity was delayed by 20 days in summer. Yields in irrigated plots were 36,000 in winter and 25,000 kg/ha in summer; in nonirrigated plots, yields were 14,600 in winter and 7,900 kg/ha in summer. Nutrient uptake and water and energy use were less efficient in summer. The results indicated that winter is the most suitable season for potato production in the warm tropics.     

Effects of elevated growth temperature and carbon dioxide levels on some physicochemical properties of wheat starch

Crops of winter wheat (cv. Hereward) were grown in the field under double-skinned polyethylene tunnels in two consecutive seasons (1991–92 and 1992–93). Air containing ambient (350 ppm) or elevated (700 ppm) concentrations of carbon dioxide was circulated through the tunnels, and temperature gradients, typically from 1°C below ambient to 4–7°C above ambient, were maintained within each tunnel. Despite a shorter crop duration and warmer temperatures in the first season, most grain and starch properties showed a similar response to temperature between seasons. Thousand grain weight and grain starch content declined with increase in temperature (from 55±5 mg to 18±2 mg, and from 31±3 mg to 7±2 mg, respectively), the latter reflecting both decreases in granule sizes and fewer amyloplasts per endosperm. Contents of total amylose and lipid-free amylose increased with temperature (from 26±1% to 31±1%, and from 21±1% to 25±1%, respectively), but the contents of lipid-complexed amylose (5·2±1·5%) and lysophospholipids (0·9±0·2%) varied independently of temperature. Starch gelatinisation temperatures ranged from 57·5 to 64·5°C in the first season, and from 58·0 to 61·9°C in the second season, increasing with increase in temperature in both seasons, the data for the two seasons providing almost separate clusters. Gelatinisation enthalpy was constant in the first season (12·6±1 J/g amylopectin) and in the second season (15·5±0·5 J/g amylopectin) with no effect of temperature. The differences in carbon dioxide concentration had no consistent effects on the parameters measured, but small effects were discernible on thousand grain weight, starch content and lipid-free amylose content. There were also effects in certain treatment combinations, specifically at warmer temperatures in the first season and at cooler temperatures in the second season, on thousand grain weight, non-starch solids and lipid-complexed amylose contents.     

Selective defoliation by sheep according to slope and plant species in the hill country of New Zealand

The objective of the study was to evaluate the grazing behaviour by sheep in hill country paddocks in New Zealand which had received two long‐term fertilization and stocking rate treatments [high fertility–high stocking rate (HH); low fertility–low stocking rate (LL)]. Herbage accumulation and selective grazing were evaluated within low slope (LS), medium slope (MS) and high slope (HS) categories. Transects lines were placed and tillers of Agrostis capillaris and Lolium perenne in the LS category; A. capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum and L. perenne in the MS category; and A. capillaris and A. odoratum in the HS category were marked. The leaf length of each marked tiller was measured and used to determine selective grazing over 3 weeks during each season. The highest herbage accumulation rates were during spring and the lowest in summer and winter. The LS category showed the highest herbage accumulation rates and HS the lowest. Except for autumn, the marked tillers were more frequently grazed in the HH than in the LL paddock. During summer, autumn and spring, grazing frequency in the slope categories was in the order LS > MS > HS. During winter sheep did not discriminate between slope category. During summer, autumn and spring, sheep did not selectively graze the species studied but this was not the case during winter. Overall, sheep selectively grazed L. perenne. In all the seasons L. perenne consistently had the longest leaves but within species there was no consistent relationship between leaf length and probability of being grazed. Selective grazing changed through the year according to herbage accumulation rate. Sheep concentrated grazing in the category LS when herbage accumulation rate was high, but they did not discriminate between slope categories in winter when herbage accumulation rate was low.     

冬春季夜间增温对冬小麦植株氮代谢和籽粒蛋白质形成的影响

为明确非对称性增温对小麦籽粒品质的影响及其机理,以不同品质类型的扬麦13（弱筋）和烟农19（中筋）为材料,采用大田模拟增温的方法研究了冬春季夜间增温对小麦籽粒蛋白质形成的影响及其与植株氮代谢的关系。结果表明,冬季增温（WT）、春季增温（ST）及冬春季持续增温（WST）均不同程度地提高了冬小麦籽粒蛋白质、麦谷蛋白大聚合体（GMP）、高分子量和低分子量麦谷蛋白亚基含量,且均以WST处理效应最大。同时,各增温处理对籽粒谷蛋白含量的提高幅度最大,并提高了谷醇比。各夜间增温处理均增加了开花期旗叶面积,提高了氮含量,增强了孕穗至花后21 d旗叶的硝酸还原酶（NR）、谷氨酰胺合成酶（GS）活性,说明夜间增温促进了叶片生长,增强了植株氮素同化能力。夜间增温处理显著提高了小麦植株氮素积累量及贮存氮素转运量,从而增加了氮素向籽粒的分配,促进了籽粒蛋白质合成。因此,冬春季夜间增温提高了小麦氮素吸收同化能力及氮素在籽粒中的分配比例,从而提高小麦籽粒蛋白质含量,且冬春季持续增温对籽粒蛋白质形成有更大的促进效应。