Characterization of recycled mushroom compost leachate by chemical analysis and thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry

Recycled compost leachate (RCL or euphemistically named "goody water") can be a potent source of foul odor on mushroom substrate production sites and contributes to composting smells. A complex mixture of sulfur compounds, fatty acids, and nitrogen containing compounds is responsible for odor production. Fifty samples, collected from 14 compost production sites in Ireland and the U.K. over a 2 year period, were analyzed for chemical properties and by thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-MS) for compositional differences. Results indicated that aerated samples had lower values of electrical conductivity, redox potential, and dry matter content than nonaerated samples and that the higher thermal stability of aerated samples measured by TGA could be attributed to greater mineralization of the substrate due to aerobic processes. The lower temperatures noted for peak evolution of methane, water, and carbon dioxide from TG-MS analysis suggested that a more energetic process had occurred in aerated RCL storage facilities, producing greater decomposition of macromolecules that volatilized at lower temperatures. Chemical composition, thermal stability of the freeze-dried leachate, pyrolysis profiles, and relative amounts of pyrolysis products were all markers of as to how effective control measures could influence RCL quality.     

花生MADS-box 基因片段的克隆

MADS-box基因是一类调控植物生长发育的关键基因。在多序列比对的基础上设计兼并引物,成功地从栽培种花生JL24DNA中扩增得到了130bp的基因片段。序列比对结果表明,该片段与26个MADS-box基因表现高度的同源性（79％～84％）．这表明花生MADS-box片段克隆成功。     

Performance stability of maize genotypes across diverse hill environments in Nepal

The national maize improvement program in Nepal regularly receives elite maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes from CIMMYT and other countries and tests them for their performance stability in highly diverse environments. Studies were conducted on research stations and farmers’ fields at five sites in three years to determine performance stability of exotic maize genotypes. Replicated on-station and on-farm studies were conducted using 25 and 10 genotypes, respectively, including a local check and an improved check (Manakamana-3), in 2004–2006. We analyzed grain yield, days to flowering, plant and ear height, plant population, husk cover, and plant and ear aspect. Stability and genotype superiority for grain yield was determined using genotype and genotype × environment (GGE) biplot analysis that compares among a set of genotypes with a reference ‘ideal’ genotype, which has the highest average value of all genotypes and is absolutely stable. Several genotypes produced significantly higher grain yield than the local check. Four genotypes (‘Across9942 × Across9944’, ‘Open Ended White Hill Population’, ‘Population 44C10’ and ‘ZM621’), that produced significantly higher grain yield than the improved check, also had other agronomic traits (days to flowering, plant and ear height, number of ears, resistance to leaf blight, plant and ear aspect and husk cover tightness) equal to or better than the improved check. GGE-biplot analysis showed that Across9942 × Across9944 and ZM621 were the most superior genotypes in the on-station and on-farm trials, respectively. The findings from this study provide new information on the stability of the maize genotypes that are also adapted to other regions of the world. Such information could be useful for maize improvement program for the highlands in Nepal and other similar environments.     

Resistance to bean common mosaic potyvirus strains and its inheritance in some Indian land races of common bean

Evaluation of 397 common bean accessions of diverse origin revealed the presence of effective sources of resistance against bean common mosaic potyvirus strains prevalent in Himachal Pradesh, a north-western Himalayan state of India. 21 accessions viz., KR 7, KR 225, KR 295, KRC 4, KRC 7, KRC 11, KRC 12, KRC 13, KRC 16, KRC 22, Amanda, Black Turtle Soup, Contender, Hans, Great Northern UI 123, Improved Tender Green 40031, Jubila, Kentucky wonder, Monroe, Premier and Sanilac, were found resistant to NL-1n and NL-7n strains. Some of the genotypes showed strain specific resistance. Pattern of inheritance studied in Hans, Contender, KRC 4 and KRC 22 of Indian origin against strain NL-1n revealed that single dominant gene governed the resistance in Hans and Contender whereas single recessive gene determined the resistance in KRC 22 and KRC 4. SCAR marker SW13₆₉₀ amplified a product of 690 bp in Hans and Contender, confirmed the presence of I gene in these cultivars. The implications of above genes in breeding for programme for BCMV resistance are discussed.     

Economic efficiency and optimum stocking densities in fish polyculture: an application of data envelopment analysis (DEA) to Chinese fish farms

Polyculture is commonly practiced in pond aquaculture where several fish species are reared together, creating a multi-output production structure. This study applied a nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) technique for multiple outputs to: (1) measure economic or ‘revenue' efficiency and its technical and allocative components for a sample of Chinese polyculture fish farms; and (2) derive the optimum stocking densities for different fish species. The mean economic efficiency was estimated to be 0.74. Technical inefficiencies accounted for most of the production inefficiencies in Chinese fish farms. On average, farmers should increase grass carp and decrease black carp stocking rates. Smaller farms and those from the developed regions were found to be relatively more technically and economically efficient.     

Mycobiotic Flora of Female Genitalia of Buffaloes and Cows with Reproductive Disorders

Veterinary Research Communications -     

Agar gel immunodiffusion test for the detection of bovine leukemia virus antibodies: lack of trans-Atlantic standardization.

Two agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) kits for the serodiagnosis of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) were imported from Europe and were compared with North American kits. The BLV AGID kits from North America and from Europe differed significantly. The punches were different, as were the pattern distribution in the agar of the reference and the test sera, resulting in differences in the reading of the immunoprecipitation lines. Based on the testing of 1200 serum samples from cattle, the European kits gave a good correlation with the American kits, as indicated by their respective kappa values. However, the European kits were found to be less sensitive when evaluated against weakly positive samples from field specimens or following a dilution trial. Only 65% and 50% of the weakly positive samples detected by the American kit #1 were detected by the European kits #2 and #3, respectively. The American kit was also capable of detecting BLV antibodies in 45% of strongly positive samples diluted 1/50 in negative sera, while antibodies were detected in only 15% of the samples with the European kit #2 and in none of the samples with the European kit #3. False negatives were also detected with the European kits. Among the false negatives, the degree of expected reactions was weak (European kit #2) or of varying degrees of positivity (European kit #3). Besides the differences in format and performance, the BLV-AGID kits in Europe are evaluated with the National Standard Serum E4 while a proficiency panel composed of a quadruplicate set of 10 reference sera is used in Canada to monitor the kits. Based on the overall observations, we noted a lack of standardization between the BLV-AGID kits used in North America and in Europe.     

Molecular markers and their applications in wheat breeding

In recent years, considerable emphasis has been placed on the development of molecular markers to be used for a variety of objectives. This review attempts to give an account of different molecular markers—restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs), random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), sequence-tagged sites (STS), DNA amplification fingerprinting (DAF), amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) and microsatellites (STMS)—currently available for genome mapping and for tagging different traits in wheat. Other markers, including microsatellite-primed polymerase chain reaction (MP-PCR), expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are also discussed. Recent information on synteny in cereal genomes, marker-assisted selection, marker validation and their relevance to cereal breeding in general and wheat breeding in particular are also examined.     

Biomass production of trees and grasses in a silvopasture system on marginal lands of Doon Valley of north-west India 2. Performance of grass species

In a long-term study (1980 to 1993), the survival, growth performance and biomass production of two grass species viz. Chrysopogon fulvus (Spreng.) Chiov. and Eulaliopsis binata (Retz.) C.E. Hubb. were assessed when intercropped with four tree species viz. Albizia lebbek (L.) Benth., Grewia optiva Drumm., Bauhinia purpurea L. and Leucaena leucocephala (Lamk.) de Wit. on the bouldery riverbed lands of Doon Valley of north-west India. The survival of grass clumps was higher under the canopy of B. purpurea (48.3% in 1993 of the initial planting density of 20,000 clumps ha⁻¹ in 1980) and G. optiva (47.4%) than of L. leucocephala (31.1%) and A. lebbek (29.4%), and at 75% intensity of tree lopping (40.9%) than at 50% (37.1%). The effect of tree species on different growth parameters of grasses was not uniform, with G. optiva and B. purpurea causing comparatively more synergistic effect on clump height and clump diameter respectively. Although the performance of grasses was good under A. lebbek and L. leucocephala in the early years (1980--1987), these tree species resulted in the lowest grass dry weight in the later years up to 1993. The beneficial effect of higher lopping intensity of 75% was observed on the growth and biomass production of grasses over 50% lopping, presumably due to increased light penetration into the under-storey. The biomass production of grasses reached a maximum at four years of growth in 1983, after which, it decreased gradually to less than half in 1993. Eulaliopsis binata showed higher survival, growth and biomass production than C. fulvus throughout the period of study. The total biomass production was highest in association with B. purpurea followed by G. optiva, which appeared to be the most suitable tree species along with E. binata for sustainable silvopasture development on the marginal lands of Doon Valley of north-west India. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Isolation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Azotobacter chroococcum from local litchi orchards and evaluation of their activity in the air-layers system

Soil samples were collected from rhizosphere of litchi-growing areas of North-Western Himalayan Region (NWHR) of India, for finding qualitative and quantitative differences in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and Azotobacter chroococcum. These samples were taken from plants being grown in different cultivation types namely, weed control with weedicides or tillage; orchard floor either clear or with cover crops; intercropping with cereals and legumes. Qualitative and quantitative differences were noticed with different cultivation types and a marked reduction in the AM fungi was observed in orchards where chemicals were used for weed control and intensive farming system was used on the orchard floor. AM fungi were generally abundant in the soils with range pH 5.5–6.6. Among different AM fungi retrieved from the soils, Glomus spp. was most dominant. Fifteen AM fungal species were isolated, identified and characterized and along with their ability to colonize the roots. In the soil samples, a marked variation in viable bacterial count of A. chroococcum was also noticed due to varied physico-chemical characteristics of the orchard soils. The changes in AM fungal species composition can be attributed to changes in soil chemical properties resulting from cultural practices such as ploughing, application of chemical fertilizers and weedicides. An experiment was also conducted to study the comparative efficacy of four dominant and frequently occurring indigenous AM species namely, Glomus fasciculatum (Thaxter sensu Gerdemann), G. magnicaulis (Hall), G. mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.), Gigaspora heterogamma (Nicol. & Gerd.) and two A. chroococcum strains viz., AZ₁ and AZ₂ singly and in dual combination to evaluate their effect in air-layers system. Dual inoculation of G. fasciculatum and AZ₁ increased total root length of air-layered shoots by 81.39% over uninoculated control. These studies indicated that indigenously isolated AM fungal species and A. chroococcum strains can be used for air-layering for better adaptation under specific agro-climatic and ecological zone conditions.