Carbon and nitrogen natural stable isotopes in Slovene honey: adulteration and botanical and geographical aspects

Isotope parameters (δ(13)C(honey), δ(13)C(protein), δ(15)N) were determined for 271 honey samples of 7 types (black locust, multifloral, lime, chestnut, forest, spruce, and fir honeys) from 4 natural geographical regions of Slovenia. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios were measured to elucidate the applicability of this method in the identification of the botanical and geographical origin of honey and in honey adulteration. Only 2.2% of the samples were adulterated according to the internal standard carbon isotope ratio analysis method. Botanical origin did not have any major influence on the honey isotope profiles; only black locust honey showed higher δ(13)C values. Some differences were seen across different production years, indicating that the influence of season should be further tested. Statistical and multivariate analyses demonstrated differences among honeys of various geographical origins. Those from the Alpine region had low δ(13)C (-26.0‰) and δ(15)N values (1.1‰); those from the Mediterranean region, high δ(13)C (-24.6‰) and medium δ(15)N values (2.2‰); those from the Pannonian region, medium δ(13)C (-25.6‰) and high δ(15)N value (3.0‰); and those from the Dinaric region, medium δ(13)C (-25.7‰) and low δ(15)N values (1.4‰).     

Effects of differentially fermentable carbohydrates on the microbial fermentation profile of the gastrointestinal tract of broilers

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of dietary inulin and sucrose on the fermentation profile of the gastrointestinal microflora in chicken. Day-old broilers (n = 80) were assigned to four dietary treatments, either fed a basal diet or the same diet supplemented with sucrose (4%), inulin (1%) or sucrose and inulin. At day 35, birds were killed and pH, lactate, ammonia, short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and biogenic amines were determined in different parts of the digestive tract. Final body weights and the relative weights of liver, pancreas, crop, gizzard and small intestine were not influenced by treatment. The relative weights of the empty caeca and of the caecal digesta were higher with the diets containing inulin while caecal pH and ammonia were reduced. Lactate concentration was reduced in the crop (p < or = 0.01) and gizzard (p < or = 0.001) of sucrose-fed groups, while it was increased (p < or = 0.01) in the jejunum of inulin-fed group. Ammonia in the crop (p = 0.089) and gizzard (p = 0.067) tended to be lower in the group receiving inulin plus sucrose. Amongst SCFA, only acetate was detected in the crop and gizzard contents that tended to be lower (p = 0.09) in the crop digesta of sucrose plus inulin-fed group. N-butyrate (mol %) was higher (p < or = 0.001) in the caecal digesta of inulin-supplemented groups without affecting total SCFA. Dietary inulin elevated the concentration of putrescine in the jejunal and caecal contents. In the caecal digesta, total biogenic amines were increased (p < or = 0.001) in sucrose plus inulin-fed group without affecting production of biogenic amines in the jejunum. In conclusion, inulin could reduce the pH in the lower gastrointestinal tract of broilers, while sucrose had no acidifying influence in the upper digestive tract. Inulin enhanced the concentration or metabolic activity of butyrate-producing bacteria in the caecum. Further studies are needed to investigate the potential effect of inulin on the intestinal microbial composition.     

Exogenously Applied Nitric Oxide Enhances the Drought Tolerance in Fine Grain Aromatic Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Drought stress is a severe threat to the sustainable rice production, which causes oxidative damage and disturbs plant water relations, while exogenously applied nitric oxide (NO) may have the potential to alleviate these effects in rice plants. In this study, the role of NO to improve drought tolerance in fine grain aromatic rice ( Oryza sativa L. cv. Basmati 2000) was evaluated. Sodium nitroprusside, a NO donor, was used at 50, 100 and 150  μ mol l⁻¹ both as seed priming and foliar spray. To prime, the seeds were soaked in aerated NO solution of respective solution for 48 h and dried back to original weight. Primed and non-primed seeds were sown in plastic pots with normal irrigation in a greenhouse. At four leaf stage, plants were subjected to drought stress except the controls, which were kept at full field capacity. Drought was maintained at 50 % of field capacity by watering when needed. Two controls were maintained; both receiving no NO treatments as foliar application or seed treatment, one under drought conditions and the other under well-watered conditions. Drought stress seriously reduced the rice growth, but both methods of NO application alleviated the stress effects. Drought tolerance in rice was strongly related to the maintenance of tissue water potential and enhanced capacity of antioxidants, improved stability of cellular membranes and enhanced photosynthetic capacity, plausibly by signalling action of NO. Foliar treatments proved more effective than the seed treatments. Among NO treatment, 100  μ mol l⁻¹ foliar spray was more effective.     

Development of Chromosomal Segment Substitution Lines from a Backcross Recombinant Inbred Population of Interspecific Rice Cross

Genetic variation in cultivated rice has been reduced tremendously during domestication and modern plant breeding. As a consequence, slow progress in rice breeding and genetic vulnerability in rice production has been witnessed since 1980s. Wild relatives of cultivated rice remain to be highly diversified and hold various genes conferring resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, thus providing a valuable gene pool for rice genetic improvement. More and more attentions have been paid to intro…     

Application of natural plant extracts improves the tolerance against combined terminal heat and drought stresses in bread wheat

Drought and heat are among the main abiotic stresses causing severe damage to the cereal productivity when occur at reproductive stages. In this study, ten wheat cultivars were screened for combined heat and drought tolerance imposed at booting, heading, anthesis and post‐anthesis stages, and role of the foliage applied plant extracts was evaluated in improving the performance of differentially responding wheat cultivars under terminal heat and drought stresses. During both years, wheat crop was raised under ambient temperature and 70% water holding capacity (WHC) till leaf boot stage. The plant extracts (3% each) of sorghum, brassica, sunflower and moringa were foliage applied at booting, anthesis and post‐anthesis stage; and after one week of application of these plant extracts, combined heat and drought was imposed at each respective stage. Heat and drought stresses were imposed at each respective stage by placing pots in glass canopies with temperature of 4 ± 2°C above than the ambient temperature in combination with drought stress (35% WHC) until maturity. Combination of drought and heat stresses significantly reduced the performance of tested wheat cultivars; however, stress at the booting and heading stages was more damaging than the anthesis and post‐anthesis stages. Cultivars Mairaj‐2008 and Chakwal‐50 remained green with extended duration for grain filling, resulting in the maintenance of number of grains per spike and 100‐grain weight under stress conditions and thus had better grain yield and water‐use efficiency. However, in cultivars Fsd‐2008, and Shafaq‐2006, the combined imposition of drought and heat accelerated the grain filling rate with decrease in grain filling duration, grain weight and grain yield. Foliar application of all the plant extracts improved the wheat performance under terminal heat and drought stress; however, brassica extract was the most effective. This improvement in grain yield, water‐use efficiency and transpiration efficiency due to foliage applied plant extracts, under terminal heat and drought stress, was owing to better stay‐green character and accumulation of more soluble phenolics, which imparted stress tolerance as indicated by relatively stable grain weight and grain number. In crux, growing of stay‐green wheat cultivars with better grain filling and foliage application of plant extracts may help improving the performance of bread wheat under combined heat and drought stresses.     

Improving resistance against terminal drought in bread wheat by exogenous application of proline and gamma‐aminobutyric acid

Scarcity of water is a severe constraint, which hinders the wheat productivity worldwide. However, foliage application of osmoprotectants may be useful in reducing the drought‐induced yield losses in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In this study, potential of foliage applied osmoprotectants (proline, gamma‐aminobutyric acid) in improving the performance of bread wheat against terminal drought was evaluated. Both proline and gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) were foliage applied at 50, 100 and 150 mg/L at anthesis stage (BBCH‐identification code‐ 61), in two bread wheat cultivars viz. Mairaj‐2008 and BARS‐2009. After 1 week of foliage application of these osmoprotectants, drought was imposed by maintaining the pots at 35% water holding capacity. Imposition of drought caused significant reduction in the grain yield of both tested bread wheat cultivars; nonetheless, foliage applied osmoprotectants at either concentration improved the chlorophyll contents, accumulation of proline, glycinebetaine and total soluble phenolics and reduced the malondialdehyde contents, which resulted in better stay green, maintenance of grain weight and grain number under drought stress, thus resulting in better grain yield, water‐use efficiency and transpiration efficiency in both wheat cultivars. However, foliage applied proline at 150 mg/L, and GABA at 100 mg/L was most effective than other concentrations of these osmoprotectants. Performance of cultivar Mairaj‐2008 was quite better than cultivar BARS‐2009. In crux, foliar application of proline and GABA at pre‐optimized rate can be opted as a shotgun approach to improve the performance of wheat under terminal drought.     

Pharmacokinetics of carprofen in anaesthetized pigs: a preliminary study

ObjectiveTo investigate the pharmacokinetics of carprofen after a single intravenous (IV) dose and multiple oral doses administered to pigs undergoing electroporation of the pancreas.Study designProspective experimental study.AnimalsA group of eight female pigs weighing 31.74 ± 2.24 kg (mean ± standard deviation).MethodsCarprofen 4 mg kg^?1 was administered IV after placement of a central venous catheter during general anaesthesia with isoflurane. Blood samples were collected 30 seconds before and 5, 10, 20, 30 and 60 minutes and 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24 hours after carprofen administration. Subsequently, the same dose of carprofen was administered orally, daily, for 6 consecutive days and blood collected at 36, 48, 60, 72, 96, 120, 144 and 168 hours after initial carprofen administration. Plasma was analysed using liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Standard pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by compartmental analysis of plasma concentration–time curves. Data are presented as mean ± standard error.ResultsThe initial plasma concentration of IV carprofen was estimated at 54.57 ± 3.92 μg mL^?1 and decreased to 8.26 ± 1.07 μg mL^?1 24 hours later. The plasma elimination curve showed a bi-exponential decline: a rapid distribution phase with a distribution half-life of 0.21 ± 0.03 hours and a slower elimination phase with an elimination half-life of 17.31 ± 3.78 hours. The calculated pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows: the area under the plasma concentration–time curve was 357.3 ± 16.73 μg mL^?1 hour, volume of distribution was 0.28 ± 0.07 L kg^?1 and plasma clearance rate was 0.19 ± 0.009 mL minute^?1 kg^?1. The plasma concentration of carprofen, administered orally from days 2 to 7, varied from 9.03 ± 1.87 to 11.49 ± 2.15 μg mL^?1.Conclusions and clinical relevanceCarprofen can be regarded as a long-acting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug in pigs.     

Identifying and understanding factors influencing the uptake of new technologies on dairy farms in SW England using the theory of reasoned action

Whilst much is known of new technology adopters, little research has addressed the role of their attitudes in adoption decisions; particularly, for technologies with evident economic potential that have not been taken up by farmers. This paper presents recent research that has used a new approach which examines the role that adopters’ attitudes play in identifying the drivers of and barriers to adoption. The study was concerned with technologies for livestock farming systems in SW England, specifically oestrus detection, nitrogen supply management, and, inclusion of white clover. The adoption behaviour is analysed using the social–psychology theory of reasoned action to identify factors that affect the adoption of technologies, which are confirmed using principal components analysis. The results presented here relate to the specific adoption behaviour regarding the Milk Development Council’s recommended observation times for heat detection. The factors that affect the adoption of this technology are: cost effectiveness, improved detection and conception rates as the main drivers, whilst the threat to demean the personal knowledge and skills of a farmer in ‘knowing’ their cows is a barrier. This research shows clearly that promotion of a technology and transfer of knowledge for a farming system need to take account of the beliefs and attitudes of potential adopters.     

地下滴灌苜蓿根瘤菌的接种效应

采用绿色荧光蛋白基因(green fluorescent protein,GFP)标记的苜蓿中华根瘤菌(Sinorhizobium meliloti)XGL026菌株接种,研究大田地下滴灌条件下根瘤菌的竞争结瘤性能和对紫花苜蓿草产量和品质的影响。结果表明:对生长4年的1~3茬苜蓿通过地下滴灌滴施接种根瘤菌能显著增加1~3茬苜蓿结瘤数、根瘤重,提高占瘤率(P<0.05)。接种根瘤菌处理较未接菌常规施肥(N+P+K)和仅施磷肥(P)处理,1~3茬苜蓿平均结瘤数分别增加16.4个和21.2个,每株根瘤重增加0.029和0.033 g;在1~3茬苜蓿上的平均占瘤率为49%,最高可达78%。接种根瘤菌能显著增加1~3茬苜蓿的鲜、干草产量,较未接菌对照平均分别提高15.8%和18.9%。粗蛋白含量增加2.16%,NDF和ADF分别降低3.25%和5.00%,明显改善了苜蓿草的品质。接种根瘤菌同时施用氮肥和磷肥(XGL026+N+P)较接种根瘤菌施用磷肥(XGL026+P)处理其接种效果更佳。研究结果证明,与常规施肥P+N+K处理相比,XGL026+N+P不仅具有良好的接种效应,显著增加结瘤能力,而且提高了草产量和提升品质,减少了肥料的施用量。本研究为地下滴灌模式下应用根瘤菌接种,促进苜蓿生产的提质增效提供了科学依据。