Effects of dietary supplementation of bentonite and Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall on acute-phase protein and liver function in high-producing dairy cows during transition period

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of dietary endotoxin binders [bentonite (BEN) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall (SCW)] on...     

Reproduction Efficiency of Eisenia foetida and Substrate Changes During Vermicomposting of Organic Materials

ABSTRACT

Vermicomposting is the processing of organic substrates through digestion by worms, usually Eisenia foetida. The physico-chemical characteristics of the substrates and health of the worms are important parameter for effective vermicomposting. This study assessed reproduction efficiency and reproductive rate of E. foetida and changes in EC, pH, organic C, total Nitrogen and C:N ratio by vermicomposting different substrate mixtures. The study was performed as a completely randomized design with 10 treatments and 4 replicates. Manures from sheep and horse were tested alone and mixed at 50 and 75% with residues of alfalfa and wheat straw. Wheat straw was also tested alone and mixed at 75% with 25% chicken manure. E. foetida were added to the mixtures and allowed to process the substrate mixtures for three months. Final EC, pH, organic C and N levels of vermicompost were measured, as well as the reproductive efficiency and reproductive rate of the E. foetida. All measured characteristics of the finished vermicompost were significantly different depending on substrate. Substrates also changed to differing degrees during vermicomposting. Total C and EC increased in all substrates; and pH, total N, and C:N decreased in all substrates during vermicomposting The greatest change of EC was in the 25% alfalfa + 75% sheep manure mixture, which was 12.8 dS.m-1 initially and 18.6 dS.m-1 in finished vermicompost. Overall, pH declined and EC increased during the preparing of vermicompost.     

Effects of drip irrigation regimes on potato tuber yield and quality

To evaluate the effects of drip irrigation regimes on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber yield and quality, an experiment was conducted in 2009 and 2010. Experimental factors were the irrigation regimes including: FI, providing 100% of the water requirement of potato; IR1, providing 70% of the water requirement of potato by reducing the applied irrigation water between planting and tuber initiation by 30%; and IR2, providing 70% of the water requirement of potato by reducing the applied irrigation water during the whole growing season by 30%; and three potato cultivars Agria, Almera and Sinora. The results indicated that cultivars Agria and Almera were much better than Sinora in terms of tuber yield under all irrigation regimes. For Agria and Almera, the experiments show that the full irrigation regime had the highest yield and water productivity. For Sinora, however, deficit irrigation yields higher water productivity than the full irrigation regime. Consequently, deficit irrigation IR1 and IR2 should be applied to Sinora, but not to Agria and Almera.     

Distribution of iron oxides forms on a transect of calcareous soils,north-west of Iran

The iron oxides fractions of four major physiographic units obtained from a transect of calcareous materials were studied to assess the effects of key pedogenic processes and local hydrology conditions as well as physiographic units in controlling iron oxides forms in the north-west of Iran. Samples from different horizons belonging to six pedons were selected and analyzed for soil physicochemical properties, clay minerals, and Fe oxides forms (Fe_d, Fe_o, Fe_p). In general, the soils indicated some variation in the concentration of iron oxides that could be related to rate of weathering, pedogenic accumulations, geomorphologic conditions (as results of different in physiographic units), wet and dry cycle, and organic matter. A wide relative variation in mean values of Fe_d (6.4–9.9 g kg^?1), Fe_o (2.9–4 g kg^?1), and Fe_p (0.68–1.3 g kg^?1) was observed among physiographic units. On the plateau unit, the presence of the most stable geomorphologic conditions and high rate in situ weathering (reflected in clay content), coupled with minor deposition of sediment suggest that the soils have more dynamic conditions than other units, reflecting in the greatest amount Fe_d and the lowest Fe_o/Fe_d ratio. Fe_d content of the soils containing less clay content (15–25%) was significantly different from those with greater clay content (25–35%).     

Improving thermal conductivity of cotton fabrics using composite coatings containing graphene, multiwall carbon nanotube or boron nitride fine particles

Graphene, multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and fine boron nitride (BN) particles were separately applied with a resin onto a cotton fabric, and the effect of the thin composite coatings on the thermal conductive property, air permeability, wettability and color appearance of the cotton fabric was examined. The existence of the fillers within the coating layer increased the thermal conductivity of the coated cotton fabric. At the same coating content, the increase in fabric thermal conductivity was in the order of graphene > BN > MWCNT, ranging from 132 % to 842 % (based on pure cotton fabric). The coating led to 73 %, 69 % and 64 % reduction in air permeability when it respectively contained 50.0 wt% graphene, BN and MWCNTs. The graphene and MWCNT treated fabrics had a black appearance, but the coating had almost no influence on the fabric hydrophilicity. The BN coating made cotton fabric surface hydrophobic, with little change in fabric color.     

Influence of Early-Season Temperature on the Growth and Branching of Newly-Grafted Apple Trees

Newly-grafted trees of apple cv Discovery on MM.106 were grown in pots at 25°C before transfer to growth rooms at 20°C; some were then subjected to 5 or 10 d at 10°C. The continuous 5-d cool period stimulated branching without reducing main shoot growth but the 10-d cool period reduced main shoot growth and did not stimulate branching. Subjecting similar plants to a night temperature of 0°C for various periods also stimulated branching but the number of cold nights and the stage of scion shoot growth influenced the magnitude of the response.     

Some physiological characteristics of fruits of jujube (Zizyphus spina-christi L., Willd.) at different stages of maturity

Summary

Jujube fruits (Z. spina-christi L., Willd.) of the three cvs Bambawi, Zaytoni and Mallasey were harvested at three stages of maturity and their physiological characteristics measured. Moisture content, titratable acidity, total chlorophyll and pectic substances decreased with fruit maturity. Total soluble solids, carotenoids and vitamin C contents increased as the fruit matured.     

Study some characteristics in global chickpea collection

To assess some characteristics in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) global germplasm, a genetically diverse subset from the USDA global chickpea core collection was assayed. The greenhouse experiment evaluated 39 global accessions and commercial cultivar UC-5, inoculated with Mesorhizobium ciceri. The design was carried out at greenhouse of Washington State University in complete block design with 6 replications in 2011. Flower number, biomass and ratio shoot to root (shoot/root) were determined. The results showed that cultivar had significant effect on flower number and biomass. The maximum flower number and biomass obtained ACNO 360456 from Iran and ACNO 339223 from Turkey respectively. The biomass had a positive, significant correlation with number of flower. ACNO = Accession number     

Molecular study for detecting the prevalence of Fasciola gigantica in field-collected snails of Radix gedrosiana (Pulmonata: Lymnaeidae) in northwestern Iran

Fasciolosis is an important disease in veterinary medicine worldwide, and is a cause of great economic loss in livestock husbandry in Iran. This study was aimed to determine prevalence of Fasciola gigantica infection in field-collected snails of Radix gedrosiana in northwestern Iran. The snails were collected from 28 perennial and seasonal freshwater habitats from May to December 2010 and identified. A fragment of 618bp of 28s rRNA gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR products were subjected to restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) using DraII and AvaII enzymes. PCR-RFLP patterns revealed that 3.12% of the snails were infected with F. gigantica. It was also found that the infected snails had a limited distribution over the water bodies located in the central part of the region. It was concluded that PCR-RFLP was a reliable approach to detect Fasciola infection in pond snails and may be useful to establish control measures for livestock and humans' fasciolosis in the region.