Seed germination techniques of Phoenix dactylifera: A new experience from Bangladesh

A new experiment on seed germination technique for Phoenix dactylifera, an exotic species was conducted in the nursery of Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Bangladesh. The seeds imported from Saudi Arabia were collected from Nirala Central Mosque, Khulna, Bangladesh, in September 2008 and treated with four presowing treatments (control, immersion in normal water at room temperature (20–22°C) for 12 h, immersion in sun-heated water (25–35°C) for 12 h, and immersion in hot water (50°C) for 10 h) before seed germination with different germination media (well dried loamy soil, coarse sand, mixture of coarse and fine sand at a ratio of 3:1, mixture of coarse and fine sand at a ratio of 3:2, and mixture of coarse and fine sand at a ratio of 1:1). The experiment showed that presowing treatments significantly increased the germination rates of seeds compared to those in control (68%) and hot water treatment (69%). The highest germination success (84%) was found in the immersion in normal water and sunheated water for 12 h. Experiment also showed that seed germination with course sand and mixture of coarse and fine sand with a ratio of 3:1 performed better than the loamy soil. Germination started from 21 to 26 days and completed between 38–40 days of the germination period in all treatments. ANOVA showed a significant difference among the treatments in seed germination, but there was no significant difference among the media in seed germination. Normal water and sun-heated water for 12 h for pretreatment and coarse sand or mixture of coarse and fine sand at a ratio of 3:1 may be recommended for seed germination of the species in rural Bangladesh.     

播种预处理对苦楝种子萌发的影响

在孟加拉Khulna大学森林和木材技术学科苗圃,调查了预处理的苦楝种子的萌发情况。成熟的苦楝种子采自国家植物园内的健康植株,对种子进行了5 种处理(对照,冷水浸泡,热水浸泡,砂纸破皮和浓硫酸浸泡)。结果表明,除了冷水浸泡外,其它播种预处理的种子萌发率显著高于对照种子。砂纸破皮处理的种子萌发率最高(80%),浓硫酸浸泡和热水浸泡的种子萌发率分别是74%和69%。苦楝种子在第8～11天开始萌发,萌发周期是20～21天。方差分析表明,预处理显著影响种子萌发率,但对萌发周期没有显著影响。推荐用热水浸泡处理种植在孟加拉农村的苦楝种子促进萌发。图2表2参30。     

In vitro bile acid-binding capacity of dietary fibre sources and their effects with bile acid on broiler chicken performance and lipid digestibility

1. A 4 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted to study the effect of feeding diets-containing dietary fibre (DF) sources and a source of bile acid (BA) on growth performance and lipid metabolism. In addition, in vitro BA-binding capacity of fibre sources was investigated.

2. A total of 256 one-d-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were assigned to DF sources [maize-soybean meal (control, C), or 30 g/kg of wheat bran (WB), barley bran (BB) or soybean hulls (SH)] and BA (with or without 1.5 g Na-deoxycholate/kg). Each treatment was replicated 4 times with 8 broiler chickens per cage.

3. The highest in vitro BA-binding capacity was observed with BB (8.76 mg/g BB). From 0 to 21 d, with the addition of BA, the average daily feed intake (ADFI) decreased in broiler chickens fed on the C, WB or BB diets, while there was no difference with the SH diet. With added BA, the average daily gain decreased in broiler chickens fed on the C or SH diets, but it did not change in those fed on the other diets. The addition of BA decreased feed conversion ratio (FCR) in broiler chickens fed on the BB or WB diets, but it increased in those fed on the C or SH diets. Interaction results indicated that the apparent ileal digestibility of lipid increased in broiler chickens fed the C and other DF diets with BA compared to those fed the diets without BA. The addition of BA decreased the pancreas lipase activity (PLA) in broiler chickens fed on the C diet compared to those fed the C diet without BA, while no changes observed in those fed the DF diets with or without BA. No interaction was observed in total liver bile acid (TLBA).

4. The WB, BB and SH with little Na-deoxycholate-binding capacity (<10 mg/g of DF) under in vitro conditions had particular effects with BA on the measured criteria in broiler chickens. The magnitude of improvement in digestibility of lipid with the addition of BA depends on the source of fibre used and the addition of BA in DF diets had little effect on growth performance in young broiler chicken diets.

     

Allium vavilovii M. Popov et Vved. and a new Iranian species are the closest among the known relatives of the common onion A. cepa L. (Alliaceae)

A wild onion species from Karaj valley east of Tehran istaxonomically described as Allium asarense R. M.Fritsch et Matin. Sharing the bubble-like inflated lower scapewith A. vavilovii, the newspecies differs by semi-cylindrical leaves and small flowerswith translucent greenish-yellow tepals from all other knownspecies of Allium sect.Cepa. Molecular data suggest a closerelationship to A. cepa(but to a lesser degree than A.vavilovii) and indicate a still weakerphylogenetic connection of A.oschaninii to the common onion. The questionabout the possible wild ancestor of A.cepa is discussed against this background, and akey for determination of the Oschaninii-alliance of sect.Cepa is presented.     

Accumulation and remobilization of assimilates in different genotypes of durum wheat under terminal drought stress

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - The present research was conducted to examine the accumulation and remobilization of some promising lines of durum wheat assimilates using a randomized...