Identification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ascochyta rabiei</Emphasis> disease resistance in chickpea genotypes

Ascochyta blight (AB) disease, caused by the fungus Ascochyta rabiei, is a major yield limiting factor of chickpea in Australia and around the world. The aggressiveness of six A. rabiei isolates was identified using 3 chickpea varieties (Jimbour, Flipper and Yorker). These AB isolates were isolated from chickpea fields in northern NSW, one of the major chickpea production regions in Australia. Each of the six isolates produced a different aggressiveness pattern and isolate 4859 was found to be the most aggressive. The AB resistance in 16 international and Australian chickpea genotypes was then investigated by inoculating the plants with the most aggressive isolate and a mixture of the other 5 isolates. Resistance to both the most aggressive isolate and the mixed isolates has been identified in 5 genotypes (ICCV 98813, Flipper, ICCV 05111, ICCV 98801, Jimbour #1) while 10 entries (Howzat, ICCV 06108 and ICCV 98818, Jimbour, ICCV 96852, ICCV 06107, ICCV 98816, Yorker, FLIP97-114C, ICCV 96853) were moderately resistant. Only one genotype (Bumper) appeared to be susceptible to both inoculums. There was large variation observed in the pathogenicity of the isolates suggesting that the six AB isolates represent several different pathogen strains. Significant differences in leaf infection rate, plant infection rate, plant death rate and disease development were identified among the chickpea genotypes tested. These findings suggest that these chickpea genotypes carry different resistant genes, which can be exploited in breeding programmes to develop high levels of disease resistance.     

Effect of dietary α -tocopherol concentration on performance and some immune responses in broiler chickens fed on diets containing oils from different sources

1. An investigation was carried out into the effects of dietary α-tocopherol (α-T) concentration and source of supplemental oil on performance, activity of anti-oxidative enzymes and some immune responses in broilers from day-old to 41 d of age. 2. Three dietary concentrations of α-T (10, 50 and 100 mg/kg) with three sources of supplemental oil (sunflower - SFO, palm - PMO and safflower - SAO) were provided using a 3 × 3 experimental design. 3. Body weight gain and food conversion efficiency were not affected by either interaction or concentrations of α-T and sources of oil in diet. 4. Concentrations of total protein, globulin, triglycerides and cholesterol in sera increased significantly with dietary α-T concentration irrespective of the source of oil. Significantly higher concentration of serum albumin was evident in broilers fed on the SFO-based diet and the concentration of globulin was higher in groups fed on those diets containing PMO and SAO. 5. The lipid peroxidation (LP), measured as MDA release, decreased with the concentration of α-T in a dose-related manner with SFO- and SAO-based diets, although not with the PMO-based diet. With different oil sources, LP was significantly lower with the PMO-based diet compared to the others. Activities of glutathione peroxidase and RBC catalase increased and heterophil: lymphocyte ratio was reduced with concentration of α-T for each source of oil tested. 6. Assays for humoral and cell-mediated immune responses indicated no effect of the source of dietary supplemental oil or interaction, although an increasing concentration of dietary α-T improved cell-mediated immune responses. 7. It is concluded that sunflower oil, palm oil and safflower oil can be used as sources of oil for broiler diets without having any effect on performance, immune responses or the activity of anti-oxidizing enzymes. Higher concentrations of dietary α-tocopherol (50 or 100 mg/kg) reduced lipid peroxidation activity and enhanced activities of anti-oxidative enzymes, they also improved the cell-mediated immune responses in commercial broilers.     

Hydroponic experiment for identification of tolerance traits developed by rice Nagina 22 mutants to low-phosphorus in field condition

Development of phosphate (P)-deficiency tolerant rice cultivars is constrained by lack of suitable, reproducible, and consistent seedling stage screening methods in breeding programs. This study reports the screening and characterization of M5 mutants derived from an ethyl methane sulfonate treated population of rice cv. Nagina 22 (N22) in low-P field (soil Olsen P 1.94–2.01 mg kg^?1; alkaline Vertisol; pH 7.94) for high yield. The present study showed that seedling growth responses such as increase in root weight, root length, root/shoot weight, and dry weight in P-deficient medium can be taken as indices of low-P tolerance in mature plants in field. Total phosphorus content in seedlings showed an inverse relationship with total phosphorus content and low-P tolerance in mature plants in the field. But, phosphorus content in seeds and acid phosphatase activity in the seedling stage were positively correlated with survival and seed set in low-P field. In low-P field, plant height correlated most with yield per plant, and the number of productive tillers in mature plants was highly correlated with tiller number at vegetative stage. These mutants (NH776, NH710, and NH719) have agronomic importance because of their ability to grow and give higher yield than N22 in P-deficient field.     

Antimicrobial activity of Rhynchosia beddomei.

The petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts of Rhynchosia beddomei leaves showed inhibiting activity against some bacterial and fungal species at different concentrations.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of cDNA encoding CD11b of cattle

CD18, the common β subunit of β₂-integrins, associates with four distinct chains to give rise to four different β₂-integrins: CD11a/CD18 (LFA-1), CD11b/CD18 (Mac-1), CD11c/CD18 (CR4), and CD11d/CD18. Previously, we and others showed that CD18 of LFA-1 serves as a receptor for Mannheimia haemolytica leukotoxin (Lkt). Level of expression of Mac-1 is higher than that of LFA-1 and other β₂-integrins on polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), which constitute the leukocyte subset most susceptible to Lkt. Hence, it is likely that CD18 of Mac-1 also mediates Lkt-induced cytolysis. Co-expression of CD11b and CD18 of cattle on Lkt-resistant cells is necessary to irrefutably demonstrate the role of Mac-1 in Lkt-induced cytolysis. This approach is hindered by lack of availability of complete sequence of cattle CD11b. Therefore, in this study, we cloned and sequenced the full length cDNA encoding cattle CD11b. The 3459 bp cDNA of cattle CD11b encodes a polypeptide of 1152 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of CD11b of cattle exhibits 75% identity to that of humans and chimpanzees, 74% identity to that of dogs, and 70% identity to that of mice and rats. Availability of cattle CD11b cDNA should facilitate the elucidation of Lkt-receptor interactions in cattle and other species.     

Indexing serum biochemical attributes of Lutjanus argentimaculatus (Forsskal, 1775) to instrument in health assessment

The present study was aimed to establish reference data for nine serum biochemical attributes (glucose, protein, albumin, globulin, albumin/globulin ratio, cholesterol, triglycerides, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase [SGOT] and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT]) of a supreme aquaculture candidate, namely Lutjanus argentimaculatus. Further, the influence of ecotype (cage–wild), condition index and gender on biochemical attributes was evaluated. The results have shown that gender and condition index had no significant effect in the studied age group, whereas ecotype had a significant role, except on serum glucose levels, suggesting the prime importance of estimating ecotype‐specific reference intervals for interpreting fish health. Intra‐ecotype variability of serum biochemical attributes, namely serum protein, globulin, cholesterol and triglycerides, was less, suggesting the possibility of using these parameters as health indices within a specific ecotype. Consistency in terms of the least intra‐ecotype variability coupled with PCA results points serum protein as the best ecotype‐specific health index among the different parameters studied. Altogether, the results of the present study provide thought‐provoking insights on serum biochemistry of L. argentimaculatus as a platform for the health management of this supreme aquaculture candidate.     

Effect of supplementary choline on the performance of broiler breeders fed on different energy sources

1. Laying performance, egg quality, fertility and hatchability, and fat deposition in liver and abdomen were recorded in broiler breeders (29 to 48 weeks of age) fed on diets containing perarl millet (Pennisetum typhoides) (PM), broken rice (BR) or yellow maize (YM) (600 g/kg diet). Constant ratios of metabolisable energy (ME) to other nutrients were maintained in all the diets. Food grade choline chloride (50%) was added to the diets at 3 concentrations (0, 760 and 1,520 mg/kg). Each diet was offered to 3 replicate groups of 15 birds (12 hens and 3 cockerels), maintained in deep litter pens, to provide 1.46 MJ ME/bird/d. 2. Neither the source of energy nor dietary choline content had any influence on hen-d egg production, fertility or hatchability. Food efficiency and egg weight were significantly reduced in BR-fed groups compared to those fed on the other energy sources. 3. The efficiency of energy and protein utilisation increased and liver fat content was decreased significantly by dietary choline supplementation. 4. Haugh unit score, egg shell weight, liver weight and intestinal weight were not influenced by either supplementary choline or the source of energy. However, the yolk colour index was significantly reduced in PM- or BR-fed groups compared to those fed on the maize-based diet. 5. Deposition of abdominal fat was significantly greater in BR-fed birds compared to those fed on the YM-based diet, while liver fat content was significantly greater in the birds fed on the PM-or BR-based diets than those based on YM. Although supplementation of the diet with choline had no influence on abdominal fat deposition, liver fat content was significantly reduced in birds given diet containing 760 mg supplemental choline/kg diet. 6. The present study indicates that PM or BR can be used as principal energy sources in place of YM in broiler breeder diets without affecting egg production, fertility or hatchability. Liver fat content can be reduced by adding choline at 760 mg/kg to diets based on different energy sources.     

Mortality Patterns in Dairy Animals under Organized Herd Management Conditions at Karnal India

Mortality patterns of two Zebu cattle breeds, Sahiwal and Tharparkar, and two crossbred strains, Karan Swiss and Karan Fries, maintained at the National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal were studied. Nine-year (1989--90 to 1997--98) data on mortality were analysed for year, season, age and cause effects on mortality rate. The overall mortality was 14.17%. The mortality in Sahiwal, Tharparkar, Karan Swiss and Karan Fries averaged 14.35%, 7.21%, 17.12% and 13.46%, respectively. The breed mortality rate did not vary significantly between years, seasons, age categories and causes of disease. However, the trends indicated appreciable difference in mortality rates. The mortality was highest in the year 1994--95 (19.53%) and lowest in 1991--92 (8.56%). There was very little variation in seasonal mortality rate and mortality rate averaged 4.53%, 4.81% and 4.84% in hot-dry (March-June), hot-humid (July-October) and cold (November-February) seasons, respectively. The mortality up to 2 months of age accounted for a major share (50-60% or higher) in different breed groups. Digestive problems followed by respiratory disorders together accounted for 70-80% of total deaths.     

Effect of feeding diet with alternate protein sources and quality protein maize on performance and nutrient utilization in broiler chickens

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The experiment was conducted to study the effect of feeding diets with quality protein maize (QPM) along with cottonseed meal (CSM) and guar meal (GM) on...