S-RNase based S-genotyping of Japanese plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) and its implication on the assortment of cultivar-couples in the orchard

Determination of the genetic compatibility between self-incompatible cultivars is crucial in agriculture. The Rosaceae family carries the S-RNase-mediated gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) system. Each haplotype is conferred by an S-locus. The S-locus contains two highly polymorphic genes, S-RNase and SFB, which are characteristic of each haplotype and therefore these genes are ideal markers for molecular S-genotyping. In this study 43 Japanese plum cultivars grown in Israel were S-genotyped based on their S-RNase gene sequences. Four alleles, S^b, S^c, S^e and S^h are widespread and together are responsible for 87% of the S-haplotypes therefore many of the cultivar combinations are semi-compatible. In Israel semi-compatibility was shown to correlate with low yield. However, two cultivars, ‘Wickson’ S^fS^k and ‘Shiro’ S^fS^g carry rare S-haplotypes and, therefore, are fully compatible with most of the analyzed cultivars.     

Does virginiamycin supplementation affect the metabolism and performance of Nellore bulls grazing under low and high gain rates?

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of virginiamycin on the metabolism and performance of growing Nellore bulls under low and high gain rates on pasture. In experiment 1, 80 Nellore bulls (age = 12 ± 2 months, body weight = 258 ± 15 kg) were assigned to 16 paddocks in a 2 × 2 randomized block factorial arrangement. In experiment 2, 12 cannulated Nellore bulls were assigned to three 4 × 4 balanced Latin squares. The factors were: (1) mineral salt without or with virginiamycin, and (2) low or high gain rate. No interaction was noted between factors (p > .10). Animals fed virginiamycin had greater average daily gain (14%, p < .01), body weight (11 kg, p = .05), plasma nonesterified fatty acid (20%, p < .01), serum calcium concentration (2.62%, p = .04), and total protozoa (p = .03) and had the same bacterial proportion (p > .27). Animals with a low gain rate had greater serum urea concentration (19.6%, p < .01) and ruminal ammonia nitrogen (62%, p < .01). Thus, virginiamycin increases the performance and changes the metabolism of growing Nellore bulls under low and high gain rates on pasture.     

Scrotal stalk ablation and orchiectomy using electrosurgery in the male sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) and histologic anatomy of the testes and associated scrotal structures

This report describes an alternative surgical technique for performing scrotal ablation and orchiectomy in the adult male sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) using electrosurgery. Eight animals from a local small mammal shelter group that presented for routine surgical castration for population control measures were included in this study. Mean surgical time was 4.37 ± 2.13 seconds. Mean anesthesia time was 12.32 ± 5.63 minutes. Mean recovery time was 8.37 ± 3.68 minutes. Mean total procedure time was 22.24 ± 5.69 minutes. No perioperative complications were reported. All animals appeared to have sufficient pain management with an analgesia and anti-inflammatory protocol using butorphanol and meloxicam. No over grooming and or self-injurious behaviors were reported by the local shelter during both the 24-hour and 14-day recheck examinations. Electrosurgery scrotal ablation and orchiectomy therefore offers an alternate route for the practicing veterinarian to perform safe and efficient castrations in male sugar gliders. Histologically, in the epididymis, 3 of the 8 sugar gliders had evidence of a well-defined region in the head, between the efferent ducts and the remaining epididymis. The lining cells differed morphologically from those constituting the remaining epithelial lining. The presence of eosinophilic vacuoles in the cytoplasm of the cells in this region suggests a secretory activity.     

General and specific combining ability in Serrasalmidae

This work was carried out to predict the combining abilities, both general and specific, for performance traits and bodily yields of Serrasalmidae. Ninety‐six 30‐day‐old juveniles were purchased from two commercial fish farms, 12 of each of the following eight genetic groups: pacu, pirapitinga, tambaqui, tambacu, tambatinga, patinga, paqui and piraqui. Six fish from each genetic group were grown in 500‐L fibreglass tanks (two tanks per genetic group) until they were 495 days old. At the end of the growth period fish were weighed, subjected to morphometric analysis and processed to obtain their bodily yields. Two nuclear markers and one mitochondrial marker were used to confirm the identity of the animals. Combining abilities were obtained using the method proposed by Griffing in 1956 (Australian Journal of Biological Science, 4, 463–493) adapted to a mixed models analysis, environmental effects were estimated by the empirical best linear unbiased estimator method and genetic effects (general and specific combining abilities) were estimated with the empirical best linear unbiased predictor. Predictions of the combining abilities of advanced hybrids were obtained by the mixed models mixture method with normal distributions. Tambaqui showed higher general and specific combining abilities than the other groups for most of the variables, making it the most important genetic group. General combining ability makes a greater contribution to phenotypic variance than specific combining ability for most variables, indicating a predominance of genes with an additive effect in the control of evaluated traits.