The effectiveness of a commercial microbial product in poorly prepared tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon (Fabricius), ponds

The efficacy of a commercial microbial product was tested in commercial tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon (Fabricius), ponds for one culture period in Kuala Selangor, Malaysia. Four ponds with replicates for treatment and control were used. The pond bottom was dried but the organic sludge was not removed as normally practised in pond preparation. The ponds were stocked with 15 post‐larvae at the rate of 31.m^?2. Physical, chemical and biological parameters of the pond were analysed every 2 weeks during the culture period. Water quality parameters remained within the optimum range for shrimp culture except for ammonia‐nitrogen being significantly higher in control ponds and silica in treated ponds. Benthic organisms were not found in any of the ponds. The average counts of different bacteria were not significantly higher in treated ponds than control. Because of poor health, the shrimp were harvested earlier (72 days) than the usual 120 days. An average of 875.60 ± 67.00 kg shrimp ha^?1 was obtained in treated ponds with a feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 1.57 ± 0.10 and survival rate of 42.35 ± 5.37% compared with 719.50 ± 130.94 kg shrimp ha^?1, 2.99 ± 0.70 and 21.25 ± 3.26%, respectively, in control ponds. Neither the microbial product nor the frequent water exchange was effective in overcoming the problems caused by the poor pond bottom.     

大杯伞柄多糖与菌丝体粗多糖的免疫识别方法初探

采用热水(80℃)提取和75%乙醇沉淀、Sepharose CL-4B凝胶过滤及DEAE Sepharose CL-4B阴离子交换等方法分离纯化大杯伞(Clitocybe maxima)柄粗多糖,获得伞柄多糖纯品,制备多糖抗体;采用热水法提取大杯伞菌丝体粗多糖。用碳二亚胺法将纯化伞柄多糖与牛血清白蛋白进行共价化学偶联,并将偶联产物(拟糖蛋白)免疫兔子以制备抗血清,以酶联免疫法检测抗体滴度。依据该抗体与来自相同菌株的菌丝体粗多糖免疫反应差异对这两种多糖进行免疫识别,结果表明:经过亲和层析纯化后,第六次免疫抗血清对伞柄多糖的抗体滴度可达64K,而且对菌丝体粗多糖反应呈阴性,显示该抗体可识别这两种多糖之间的结构差异。     

Composition of Typical Soil Minerals and Quantitative Analysis for Influence of Iron and Manganese Forms on Purple Soil Color in Northeastern Sichuan,China

Eurasian Soil Science - Eight soil samples from the Jurassic Shaximiao Formation (J2s) in the Sichuan Basin, China, were taken as the research object to explore the correlation and quantitative...     

我国农业科技成果转化存在的问题及对策

科学技术要转化为现实生产力,在很大程度上取决于农业科技成果转化成现实生产力的进程。文章分析了我国农业科技成果转化的现状与存在的问题,提出改革科研项目立项机制、改革科技评价机制、改革成果奖励制度、推进农业科技成果转化服务方式变革和加强农业科技推广体系机制创新的对策建议,以期为我国农业科技成果的顺利转化提供参考。     

Do community-conserved areas effectively conserve biological diversity? Global insights and the Indian context

The view that biodiversity-rich areas partially or largely managed by local residents, sometimes referred to as community-conserved areas (CCAs), can be effective in biological conservation has gained considerable ground over the past decade. In this paper, we review available scientific information on the conservation effectiveness of such areas globally. We compiled studies undertaken during the last 5 years (2004-2009) that use quantifiable ecological attributes to: (1) compare CCAs with strictly protected areas (SPAs); (2) compare CCAs with open-access ecosystems and (3) study trends in biological attributes of CCAs over time. We found that there were few consistent differences in diversity/species richness of flora or fauna protected under the two types of management or in deforestation rates. However, CCAs tend to harbour a species complement distinct from that of SPAs and show lowered abundances of monitored taxa that are of conservation importance. CCAs conserve biological values more effectively than open-access areas. Also, biological values tend to decline in CCAs over time. We conclude that CCAs could represent a significant improvement over open-access areas in terms of conservation effectiveness, yet fall short of the needs of comprehensive biological conservation. While extremely few studies have been undertaken in India, the trends seen largely concur with global ones. This review, based on a limited sample size, is only a beginning, and is expected to serve as an invitation for further research to address both the question of biological effectiveness of diverse forest governance regimes as well as the socio-economic, demographic and institutional reasons underlying these differences.     

Differential responses in anterior pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH) content and LHβ- and α-subunit MRNA, and plasma concentrations of LH and testosterone, in bulls treated with the LH-releasing hormone agonist deslorelin

Anterior pituitary gland contents of LH and LHß- and α-subunit mRNAs, and circulating concentrations of LH and testosterone, were determined in bulls treated with the LH-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist deslorelin. Brahman (Bos indicus) bulls (14-month-old) were allocated to two groups and received the following: Control (n = 5), no treatment; Deslorelin (n = 4), four deslorelin implants (approximately 200 μg total deslorelin/day) for 36 d. Plasma concentrations of LH were higher in bulls treated with deslorelin on Day 1, had returned to typical levels by Day 8, and did not differ for control bulls and bulls treated with deslorelin from Day 8 to Day 29. Pituitary content of LH on Day 36 was reduced (P < 0.001) in bulls treated with deslorelin (33 ± 4 ng/mg) compared with control bulls (553 ± 142 ng/mg). Relative pituitary content of LHß-subunit mRNA was also reduced on Day 36 in bulls treated with deslorelin (Control, 0.65 ± 0.10; Deslorelin, 0.22 ± 0.04; P = 0.003). However, α-subunit mRNA relative content did not differ (Control, 0.73 ± 0.15; Deslorelin, 1.06 ± 0.12; P > 0.05). Plasma concentrations of testosterone were increased over the period of the experiment in the bulls treated with deslorelin compared with control bulls. This is the first demonstration of reduced pituitary content of LHß-subunit mRNA and LH, and unaltered content of α-subunit mRNA, in bulls treated with LHRH agonist. This was associated with apparently typical plasma concentrations of LH and elevated plasma testosterone. The anterior pituitary in bulls treated with LHRH agonist, therefore, undergoes classical desensitization and downregulation, but plasma LH and testosterone are not suppressed.     

Variation amongst protoplast-derived moth bean Vigna aconitifolia plants

Summary Protoplasts were isolated from leaves of a single plant of Vigna aconitifolia, a drought resistant grain legume. The protoplasts regenerated and formed colony and calli from which 50 entire plants were regenerated and transferred to field conditions. Only 7 plants survived upto maturity and they flowered and produced pods with seed. The protoplast derived plants showed variation in important characters. Two groups of characters (one with 7 sets and another with 6 sets) were studied in the protoclones. In first group protoclones showed variations in seed germination, maturity age, pod length, pod and seed colour, number of abortive seed per pod and response to field rots, however, not much difference was recorded in pollen stainability and meiotic behaviour in these protoclones. In second group analysis of variants showed significance difference for plant height, rachis-length, length and breadth of mature odd leaflets, seed per pod and weight of seed. The results indicate that protoplast can be source of variation in this crop. However, detailed biochemical and genetical analysis of protoclones are required.     

Genetics of Five Seed Esterase Isozymes in Pearl Millet

Inheritance and linkage relationships of pearl millet seed esterase isozymes were studied using; polyacrylamide dise: gel electrophoresis and α-naphthyl acetate as substrate. The Zone of enzyme activity was resolved into five bands. The presence of a band showed complete dominance over its absence. Each one of the bands (1 to 4) was under the control of a single gene. Band five was found to be controlled by three independent loci with duplicate gent action Loci for Est₁, Est₃ and Est₄ Were found to be linked. Est₂ Was independent of this linkage group.