Influence of in ovo arginine feeding on hatching traits and post-hatch performance of FUNAAB-Alpha chickens in two housing types

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The demand for animal protein in Nigeria is so high that introduction of new management techniques to improve poultry production is relevant. This study...     

NUTRIENT AND GROWTH RESPONSES OF LEERSIA ORYZOIDES,RICE CUTGRASS,TO VARYING DEGREES OF SOIL SATURATION AND WATER NITROGEN CONCENTRATION

Leersia oryzoides (rice cutgrass) is an obligate wetland plant common to agricultural drainage ditches. The objective of this greenhouse study was to expose plants to various flooding and aqueous nitrogen (N) concentrations and then to quantify the allocation of nutrients and biomass to plant components. Plants in the continuously flooded treatment (CF) had the highest tissue concentrations of copper (Cu), sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), potassium (K), sodium (Na), and manganese (Mn) in one or more plant components. Plants in the partially flooded treatment (PF) had the highest concentrations of magnesium (Mg) in leaves. The N input affected phosphorus (P) and S concentrations in roots. Leaf, stem, and root biomass were highest in PF plants. Rhizome biomass was the lowest in CF plants. These results indicate that L. oryzoides may significantly affect elemental concentrations in surface waters by its ability to uptake various elements and subsequent sequestration in various biomass components.     

Selecting Rice Genotypes Tolerant to Zinc Deficiency and Sodicity: Differences in Concentration of Major Cations and Sodium/Potassium Ratio in Leaves

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a major nutritional problem for rice under sodic conditions. Seedlings (35-d old) of 30 rice genotypes were transplanted in pots at pH₂ 9.8 [diethylene triamine penta acetic acid (DTPA) Zn 1.8 ppm] to identify genotypes tolerant to both sodicity and Zn deficiency. Ten genotypes (group A) showed potential to tolerate both the stresses. Sixteen genotypes (group B) were sensitive to Zn deficiency. However, some of the seedlings of group B genotypes were normal (without Zn deficiency symptoms). Four genotypes (group C) were sensitive to sodicity. Leaves and their leaf sheaths were analyzed at 33 d after transplanting for Ca, Mg, K, and Na. Group A genotypes (CSR-88IR15, CSR-89IR14, IR4630-22-2-5-1-2, and Trichi) had significantly less Na concentrations in their leaves and the leaf sheaths compared to group B genotypes (CSR10, CSR23, CSR-88IR1, 89H1-931098, and IR47538-3B-9-3B-1). The concentration of Na was invariably higher in the leaf sheath than its leaf in both the groups, but reverse was true for Ca, Mg, and K. Zinc deficient plants had relatively higher concentrations of Ca and Mg in their leaves and the leaf sheaths than group A. Concentration of K was somewhat better in group A than group B genotypes. Higher Na/K ratio in group B genotypes compared to group A may be attributed to increased concentrations of Na rather than decreases in K concentrations. Further studies are needed to understand the processes associated with differential uptake of Na and K by Zn deficient plants of group B genotypes resulting in higher Na/K ratio compared to group A genotypes.     

Consistent responses of yield and resistance of wheat cultivars to the root-lesion nematode,Pratylenchus thornei,in the Australian northern subtropical region,but not in the temperate southern region

To understand the yield response of cereal cultivars to Pratylenchus thornei, eight experiments were conducted within the subtropical northern, and temperate southern grain-producing regions of Australia. Wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum) ranging from susceptible to moderately resistant to P. thornei were grown in Year 1 to establish a range of population densities. In Year 2 before sowing, P. thornei was quantified in each plot and six cereal cultivars were each grown on a similar range of population densities (average minimum to maximum of 3.4–60.6 P. thornei/g soil); P. thornei was quantified again at harvest. In the four experiments in the northern region there was a significant, negative logarithmic response of yield of the three most intolerant/susceptible cultivars as P. thornei population densities increased (yield decreased 172–479 kg/ha per unit increase in log_e-transformed P. thornei/g soil). The responsiveness of yield to increasing P. thornei population densities diminished as the tolerance and resistance of the cultivars improved. In the southern region, there was no relationship between yield and P. thornei in three experiments and minor, positive increases in one experiment (1.6 kg/ha per unit increase in P. thornei/g soil). Across both regions, the change in P. thornei population densities from sowing to harvest was logarithmic and positive, and generally greatest in the northern region. The contrast of responses of cereal cultivars between the regions, despite similar population densities of P. thornei, is indicative of the influence of the environment particularly on tolerance, therefore management with a regional focus is essential.     

Lethal yellowing disease: insights from predicting potential distribution under different climate change scenarios

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Coconut is recognized for its popularity in contributing to food and nutritional security. It generates income and helps to improve rural livelihood....     

Digestibility of protein and starch from sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is linked to biochemical and structural features of grain endosperm

Although a principal source of energy and protein for millions of the world's poorest people, the nutritional value of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is diminished because of low digestibility of grain protein and starch. To address this problem, we analyzed the properties of two sorghum lines that have a common pedigree but differ in digestibility. Consistent with results based on a ruminal fluid assay, the protein and starch of one line (KS48) was more thoroughly digested than that of the other (KS51) using in vitro assays based on pepsin and α-amylase. The indigestibility of KS51 relative to KS48 was shown to be due to (i) a greater abundance of disulfide-bonded proteins; (ii) presence in KS51 of non-waxy starch and the accompanying granule-bound starch synthase; and (iii) the differing nature of the protein matrix and its interaction with starch. The current findings suggest that each of these factors should be considered in efforts to enhance the nutritional value of sorghum grain.     

Recoupling fire and aspen recruitment after wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park,USA

We report on the recent growth of upland aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) thickets in northwestern Yellowstone National Park, USA following wolf (Canis lupus L.) reintroduction in 1995. We compared aspen growth patterns in an area burned by the 1988 fires to aspen growth patterns in an adjacent unburned area. Elk (Cervus elaphus L.) are the principal ungulates that use this area to meet foraging needs. Within a 2 m × 6 m belt transect established in each aspen thicket, we measured aspen densities and recorded annual browsing and height information on the three tallest post-1988 aspen stems. We found greater densities (p < 0.01) in the burned area relative to the unburned area. A decline in the percentage of stems browsed in the burned area began in 1997, with no measured browsing occurring since 2001. In contrast, the percentage of stems browsed in the unburned area began declining in 2002, with 41% of stems still being browsed in 2004. We hypothesize that the combined effect of fire and a subsequent decrease in herbivory following wolf reintroduction facilitated aspen growth. We further propose that, in addition to any changes in elk density in recent years, a recoupling of fire with increased predation risk from wolves may create a positive feedback loop that improves aspen recruitment.     

Calcium addition at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest increases sugar storage, antioxidant activity and cold tolerance in native red spruce (Picea rubens)

In fall (November 2005) and winter (February 2006), we collected current-year foliage of native red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) growing in a reference watershed and in a watershed treated in 1999 with wollastonite (CaSiO(3), a slow-release calcium source) to simulate preindustrial soil calcium concentrations (Ca-addition watershed) at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (Thornton, NH). We analyzed nutrition, soluble sugar concentrations, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity and cold tolerance, to evaluate the basis of recent (2003) differences between watersheds in red spruce foliar winter injury. Foliar Ca and total sugar concentrations were significantly higher in trees in the Ca-addition watershed than in trees in the reference watershed during both fall (P=0.037 and 0.035, respectively) and winter (P=0.055 and 0.036, respectively). The Ca-addition treatment significantly increased foliar fructose and glucose concentrations in November (P=0.013 and 0.007, respectively) and foliar sucrose concentrations in winter (P=0.040). Foliar APX activity was similar in trees in both watersheds during fall (P=0.28), but higher in trees in the Ca-addition watershed during winter (P=0.063). Cold tolerance of foliage was significantly greater in trees in the Ca-addition watershed than in trees in the reference watershed (P<0.001). Our results suggest that low foliar sugar concentrations and APX activity, and reduced cold tolerance in trees in the reference watershed contributed to their high vulnerability to winter injury in 2003. Because the reference watershed reflects forest conditions in the region, the consequences of impaired physiological function caused by soil Ca depletion may have widespread implications for forest health.     

Closing the compliance gap in marine protected areas with human behavioural sciences

Advocates, practitioners and policy-makers continue to use and advocate for marine protected areas (MPAs) to meet global ocean protection targets. Yet many of the worlds MPAs, and especially no-take MPAs, are plagued by poaching and ineffective governance. Using a global dataset on coral reefs as an example, we quantify the potential ecological gains of governing MPAs to increase compliance, which we call the ‘compliance gap’. Using ecological simulations based on model posteriors of joint Bayesian hierarchical models, we demonstrate how increased compliance in no-take MPAs could nearly double target fish biomass (91% increases in median fish biomass), and result in a 292% higher likelihood of encountering top predators. Achieving these gains and closing the compliance gap necessitates a substantial shift in approach and practice to go beyond optimizing enforcement, and towards governing for compliance. This will require engaging and integrating a broad suite of actors, principles, and practices across three key domains: (i)) harnessing social influence, (ii) integrating equity principles, and (iii) aligning incentives through market-based instruments. Empowering and shaping communication between actor groups (e.g., between fishers, practitioners, and policy-makers) using theoretically underpinned approaches from the behavioural sciences is one of the most essential, but often underserved aspects of governing MPAs. We therefore close by highlighting how this cross-cutting tool could be further integrated in governance to bolster high levels of compliance in MPAs.     

Characterization of ileal bacterial microbiota in newly-weaned pigs in response to feeding lincomycin, organic acids or herbal extract

The changes of ileal bacterial microbiota in pigs during the first 2 weeks post-weaning in response to feeding lincomycin, organic acids or herbal extract were characterized using 16S rRNA gene-based PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiling, DNA sequencing, and real-time PCR (QPCR) techniques. Both time post-weaning and the dietary treatments resulted in a shift of the microbiota composition. While time post-weaning mostly influenced Clostridium group, the feed additives increased the population of Lactobacillus and related lactic acid bacteria by ≥ 3-fold.