An artificial neural network model for estimating Mentha crop biomass yield using Landsat 8 OLI

Yield forecasting is essential for management of the food and agriculture economic growth of a country. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based models have been used widely to make precise and realistic forecasts, especially for the nonlinear and complicated problems like crop yield prediction, biomass change detection and crop evapo-transpiration examination. In the present study, various parameters viz. spectral bands of Landsat 8 OLI (Operational Land Imager) satellite data and derived spectral indices along with field inventory data were evaluated for Mentha crop biomass estimation using ANN technique of Multilayer Perceptron. The estimated biomass showed a good relationship (R²?=?0.762 and root mean square error (RMSE)?=?2.74 t/ha) with field-measured biomass.

     

Evaluation of Bacillus subtilis as a probiotic to Indian major carp Labeo rohita (Ham.)

Bacillus subtilis, a Gram‐positive, aerobic, endospore‐forming bacterium, was evaluated for its probiotic potential in Indian major carp, Labeo rohita. Labeo rohita (15±2 g) were fed a feed containing B. subtilis in three concentrations for 2 weeks, e.g., 0.5 (T₂), 1.0 (T₃) and 1.5 (T₄) × 10⁷ CFU g^?1 feed. The control group (T₁) was fed feed without B. subtilis for the same period. Haematological and serum parameters were monitored at weekly intervals. The response variables were total erythrocyte count, total leucocyte count (TLC), haemoglobin, total protein, albumin, globulin, albumin–globulin ratio, alkaline phosphatase activity, alanine aminotransferase activity and aspartate aminotransferase activity. Fish were challenged intraperitoneally with a virulent strain of Aeromonas hydrophila after 2 weeks of feeding to the treatment groups and positive control group, while the negative control group was challenged with phosphate‐buffered saline only. Clinical signs and symptoms, and mortality/survival percentage were noted in each group. The haematological and serum parameters were monitored each week and during post challenge on the third and tenth day. The B. subtilis‐treated fish (T₄, 1.5 × 10⁷ CFU g^?1 feed) showed maximum per cent survival (87.50%), weight gain (35.5%), TLCs (3.23 × 10⁴ cells mm^?3), haemoglobin content (7.4 g%), total protein (2.37 gdL^?1) and globulin content (1.28 g dL^?1) during the pre‐challenge. Enzymes showed higher activities during post challenge (P<0.05). The result suggests that B. subtilis can be used effectively as a commercial product for use in aquaculture.     

Dietary supplementation of dried plum: a novel strategy to mitigate heat stress in broiler chickens

Background: Heat stress is a significant problem in the poultry industry, causing a severe economic loss due to its detrimental effects on chickens' health and performance. Dried plum(DP) is a good source of minerals, vitamins,antioxidants, and phenolic compounds. Studies have suggested that DP has several health benefits, such as maintaining the body's redox system, immune status, and calcium hemostasis. Based on the health benefits of DP,we hypothesized that the dietary supplementation of DP would alleviate the detrimental effects of heat stress on broiler chickens.Results: To test the hypothesis, day-old broiler chicks(n = 72) were randomly allocated to three treatment groups(n = 24/group): no heat stress(NHS), heat stress(HS), and heat stress with dried plum(HS + DP), and reared under standard conditions. The inclusion of 2.5% DP in the feed of the HS + DP group was made during the treatment period, while birds in other groups were provided with a standard finisher diet. After 21 days, birds in the HS and HS + DP groups were exposed to cyclic heat stress conditions(33 °C for 8 h during daytime) for 3 weeks, while those in the NHS group were reared under normal conditions(22–24 °C). Weekly body weight and feed intake were recorded to calculate the average daily gain(ADG), average daily feed intake(ADFI), and feed conversion ratio(FCR). Heat stress significantly decreased the final body weight, ADG, ADFI, and increased FCR compared to the NHS group, whereas dietary supplementation of DP significantly improved these growth performance parameters compared to the HS group. Furthermore, supplementation of DP significantly increased the expression of heat shock protein-related genes(HSF1, HSF3, HSP70, and HSP90), antioxidant-related genes(SOD1, SOD2, GPX1, GPX3,PRDX1, and TXN), tight junction-related genes(CLDN1, and OCLN), and immune-related genes(IL4, MUC2) in the ileum as compared to the HS group. The microbiota analysis showed significant enrichment of Bacillales,Christensenellaceae, Bacillaceae, Peptostreptococcaceae, and Anaerotruncus in heat-stressed birds supplemented with DP as compared to the HS group. Further, DP supplementation also significantly increased the concentration of acetate, propionate, and total VFA in the cecal digesta of the HS + DP group as compared to the HS group.Conclusion: These findings suggest that DP supplementation effectively improved the growth performances and gut health parameters in the heat-stressed birds. Thus, dried plum can be a potential feed supplement to mitigate heat stress in broiler chickens.     

Development and characterization of cell lines derived from rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton), and catla, Catla catla (Hamilton)

Two new cell lines, designated RE and CB, were derived from the eye of rohu, Labeo rohita , and the brain of catla, Catla catla , respectively. The cell lines were maintained in Leibovitz's L-15 supplemented with 20% foetal bovine serum. The RE cell line was sub-cultured for more than 70 passages and the CB cell line for more than 35 passages. The RE cells are rounded and consist predominantly of epithelial cells. The CB cell line consists of predominantly fibroblastic-like cells. Both cell lines are able to grow at temperatures between 25 and 32 °C with an optimum of 28 °C. The growth rate of the cells increased as the foetal bovine serum concentration increased from 2% to 20% at 28 °C, with optimum growth at concentrations of 15% or 20% foetal bovine serum. The cells were successfully cryopreserved and revived at different passage levels. The cell lines were not susceptible to four marine fish viruses. Extracellular products from Aeromonas sp . were toxic to the cell lines. When the cells were transfected with plasmid eukaryotic green fluorescent protein (pEGFP [Clontech, Carlsbad, CA, USA]) vector DNA, a significant fluorescent signal was observed suggesting that these cell lines could be a useful tool for transgenic and genetic manipulation studies. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of mitochondrial 12S rRNA from rohu and catla confirmed that the cell lines originated from these fish species. The cell lines were further characterized by immunocytochemistry using confocal laser scanning microscopy.     

Discovery and detection of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in coding and genomic sequences in chickpea (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cicer arietinum</Emphasis> L.)

Chickpea genetic mapping has been hampered by insufficient amplicon length polymorphism for sequence based markers. To develop an alternative source of polymorphic markers, we determined naturally abundant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in coding and genomic regions between FLIP 84-92C (C. arietinum) and PI 599072 (C. reticulatum) and identified an inexpensive method to detect SNP for mapping. In coding sequences, 110 single base changes or substitutions (47% transitions and 53% transversions) and 18 indels were found; while 50 single base changes (68% transitions and 33% transversions) and eight indels were observed in genomic sequences. SNP frequency in coding and genomic regions was 1 in 66 bp and 1 in 71 bp, respectively. In order to effectively use this high frequency of polymorphism, we used Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Site (CAPS) and derived CAPS (dCAPS) marker systems to identify a restriction site at SNP loci. In this study, we developed six CAPS and dCAPS markers and fine mapped QTL1, a region previously identified as important for ascochyta blight resistance. One of the CAPS markers from a BAC end was identified to account for 56% of the variation for ascochyta blight resistance in chickpea. Conversion of naturally abundant SNPs to CAPS and dCAPS for chickpea mapping, where absence of amplicon length polymorphism is a constraint, has potential to generate high-density maps necessary for map-based cloning and integration of physical and genetic maps.     

Long-Term Organic Amendment Application Improves Influence on Soil Aggregation,Aggregate Associated Carbon and Carbon Pools under Scented Rice-Potato-Onion Cropping System after the 9th Crop Cycle

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of long-term application of organic manures on aggregate stability, associated carbon concentrations and carbon pools as an important soil-quality parameter under a scented rice-potato-onion cropping system in silt-loam textured soil in Eastern Bihar, India (subtropical climatic condition). Five treatments were used: 1) nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) – 100% recommended dose of NPK; 2) NPK+FYM (farmyard manure) – 50%NPK+50% N as FYM; 3) FYM+VC (vermicompost)+ NC (neem cake) – different organic sources each equivalent to 1/3 of the recommended N (FYM +VC +NC); 4) FYM+VC+NC+PSB (phosphate-solubilizing bacteria – different organic sources each equivalent to 1/3 of the recommended N (FYM +VC+NC)+biofertilizers containing N and P carriers (PSB) and 5) FYM+BFN+BM+PSB – 50% N as FYM + biofertilizer for N +Bone meal to substitute P requirement of crops + PSB. The aggregate size distribution (>250 μm) at different soil depths is higher in treatment FYM+VC+NC+PSB and is at par with FYM+VC+NC, followed by FYM+BFN+BM+PSB and NPK+FYM, and the lowest in treatment receiving 100% NPK. The mean carbon concentration in each soil fraction was higher in soil depth 0–10 cm, followed by 10–20 cm and 20–30 cm. The trend of mean weight diameter (MWD) in different treatments was FYM+VC+NC+PSB ≥ FYM+VC+NC > NPK+FYM > FYM+BFN+BM+PSB > NPK. The trend of carbon concentrations in different treatments was FYM+VC+NC+PSB ≥ FYM+VC+NC > FYM+BFN+BM+PSB ≥ NPK+FYM > NPK. Non-labile pool of carbon forms the major portion (60.14%) of the total soil organic carbon (SOC) irrespective of all depths. Bulk density (BD) has a significant role in stabilizing soil aggregates as well as increasing the SOC content in soil. SOC was negatively correlated with BD (r = ?0.870, p = 0.05), MWD (r = ?0.911, p = 0.01) and geometric mean diameter (GMD) (r = ?0.958, p = 0.05) irrespective of depth. This study took further steps toward understanding the enhancing of aggregate stability on organic manures addition for soil quality improvement.     

Effects of dietary arachidonic acid on final maturation,spawning and composition of gonad of black sea urchin Diadema setosum (Leske, 1778)

This study investigated the effect of dietary arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n‐6) on final maturation, spawning performance and composition of the gonad of black sea urchin (Diadema setosum). Four different dietary ARA levels of 0.3 g/kg (Control diet), 1.4 g/kg (ARA 1.4), 2.5 g/kg (ARA 2.5) and 3.7 g/kg (ARA 3.7) were prepared and tested in this feeding trial for 90 days. The result showed that growth in terms of weight was not relatively affected by dietary ARA. Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) of animals were gradually increased in all the diets throughout the trial. The highest GSI level (25.7 ± 3.16%) was observed in animals fed with the diet ARA 1.4. ARA content in the gonad proportionally increased with dietary ARA levels. The highest larval survival rate (85.5 ± 5.67%) was found in diet ARA 2.5. The results of this study indicate that ARA plays an important role in the reproduction functions of black sea urchin and supplementing an appropriate level of ARA in the broodstock diet could induce the final maturation and improve reproduction of black sea urchin, but a higher level of ARA (3.7 g/kg) seems to have a negative effect on both growth rate and GSI.     

Antibacterial sideroxylonals and loxophlebal A from Eucalyptus loxophleba foliage

Loxophlebal A, a new antibacterial formylated phloroglucinol was isolated from the mother liquor obtained after separation of sideroxylonals from the chloroform–methanol extract of leaves of Eucalyptus loxophleba ssp lissophloia. The structure of loxophlebal A was determined to be 3-desformyl sideroxylonal A by spectroscopic methods including 1D- and 2D-NMR. The stereochemistry of loxophlebal A was determined by chemical correlation with sideroxylonal A. This article also reports an efficient, simple and economic method for large scale isolation of sideroxylonals in a purity of > 90% from the leaves of Eucalyptus loxophleba ssp lissophloia.     

Phytochemical and termiticidal study of Lantana camara var. aculeata leaves

Extracts of Lantana camara var. aculeata leaves were studied for their phytochemical constituents and termiticidal effects against adult termite workers. The 5% chloroform extract was found to be significantly effective against termite workers.