Survival and development of spotted bollworm, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Earias vittella</Emphasis> (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) on different transgenic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bt</Emphasis> and isogenic non-<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bt</Emphasis> cotton genotypes

Four Bt cotton hybrids, each with one of four different events, viz., MRC 6301 Bt (cry1Ac gene), JKCH 1947 Bt (modified cry1Ac gene), NCEH 6R Bt (fusion cry1Ac/cry1Ab gene) and MRC 7017 Bollgard II (cry1Ac and cry2Ab genes) were compared for survival and development of Earias vittella (Fabricius) along with their isogenic non-Bt genotypes. None of the neonates were able to complete the larval period and reach pupal stage on squares of 90, 120 and 150 days old crop of all Bt hybrids. Likewise, on bolls also, zero per cent larval survival was observed in all Bt hybrids except JKCH 1947 Bt where 0.67 per cent larvae could manage to reach pre-pupal stage at 120 and 150 days old crop but failed to form cocoon and enter pupal stage. The surviving larva took more development time (3.7 to 5.4 days) as compared to larvae fed on bolls of JKCH 1947 non-Bt. The average survival period (ASP) of larvae was in order of 150 > 120 > 90 days old crop among the crop ages; JKCH 1947 Bt > MRC 6301 Bt > NCEH 6 R Bt > MRC 7017 Bollgard II among Bt hybrids; and bolls > squares between fruiting bodies. However, reverse was true for speed index of toxic effect. The concentration of Cry toxin varied significantly in squares and bolls and also among the crop ages. The amount of Cry toxin in squares and bolls had significant negative correlation with ASP of the E. vittella larvae.     

A PCR-based assessment of genetic diversity,and parentage analysis among commercial mango cultivars and hybrids

Summary

Three different PCR methods [Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR), and Directed Amplification of Minisatellite DNA (DAMD)] were used to analyse genetic diversity and parentage among 20 mango cultivars, including 18 landraces and two hybrids (‘Amrapali’ and ‘Mallika’). These hybrids together with a third hybrid (‘Ratna’), and an out-group species (Mangifera sylvatica) were also analysed for parentage. Fifteen, seven and four primers were used to amplify a total of 158, 69 and 59 distinct DNA fragments by RAPD, ISSR and DAMD, respectively. Of these, approx. 85%, 64% and 90% were polymorphic, respectively. Genetic distances between pairs of mango cultivars were measured separately by each method and depicted graphically as a Neighbor Joining (NJ) tree. The three methods revealed different groupings of cultivars and hybrids. A NJ tree based on the cumulative data from all methods correlated well with the parentage of the mango hybrids, and the grouping of cultivars on a regional basis. Genetic markers likely to be associated with important agronomic traits were identified by further analysing the hybrids, with their respective parents, using all three methods. On the basis of the highest number of polymorphic bands observed (90%), DAMD was judged to be the best method with which to analyse mango germplasm.     

Inhibition of estrogen-mediated mammary tumorigenesis by blueberry and black raspberry

We previously demonstrated the protective effects of blueberry (BB) and black raspberry (BRB) supplemented at 2.5% dose in an ACI rat mammary tumor model. Here, we assessed a dose-related alteration in tumor indices with diet supplemented with 5% BB or BRB powder. The diet was well tolerated. Tumor palpation from 12 weeks revealed first tumor appearance by 84 days in the control group, that was delayed by 24 and 39 days with the BB and BRB diets, respectively (p = 0.04). Ellagic acid detected in the plasma of rats fed the BRB diet was in the range of 96.6-294.2 ng/mL. While the BB diet showed better efficacy in reducing mammary tissue proliferation and tumor burden, tumor latency was delayed efficiently by BRB. Furthermore, BB was effective in downregulating CYP1A1 expression, while BRB downregulated ERα expression effectively. Distinct anticarcinogenic effects of the two berries correspond to their distinct phytochemical signatures.     

Influence of Vermicompost on Dry Matter Yield and Uptake of Ni and Cd by Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) in Ni- and Cd-Polluted Soil

An experiment was conducted under simulated condition to study the influence of vermicompost on growth, yield and heavy metal accumulation by chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), an important essential oil bearing crop grown under simulated condition. Nickel and Cadmium applied at 20?mg?kg^?1 soil significantly enhanced the dry matter yield of the crop as compared to the control (no heavy metal). The results also revealed that addition of vermicompost (at 2.5?g?kg^?1 soil) enhanced the heavy metal accumulation by chamomile in metal-treated soil. Although a sizeable amount of metals were being translocated to flowers, the essential oil extracted by hydrodistillation of flowers did not contain any heavy metal. Similarly, chemical constituents of the oil of chamomile were within the range of those obtained from chamomile grown under normal soil condition.     

Improvement in the diagnosis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brucella abortus</Emphasis> infections in naturally infected water buffaloes (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bubalus bubalis</Emphasis>) using an ELISA with a Protein-G-based indicator system

Brucellosis caused by Brucella abortus in domestic water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) raised under the traditional system of husbandry in northern India was diagnosed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) with a Protein-G-based indicator system (Protein-G ELISA). A total of 1,551 animals that are positive (N = 61), negative (N = 243), and suspected (N = 1,247) for brucellosis were examined. Rose bengal test (RBT) was used to predict the disease, and accordingly, animals were dichotomized in positive and negative population for receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to determine the sensitivity, the specificity, and the performance index of Protein-G ELISA. Taking all animals (N=1551) into account, the ROC curve analysis revealed cut off value of 29.6% positivity (%P) with 98.40% and 94.94%, sensitivity and specificity, respectively. The results were compared with ELISA in which anti-bovine conjugate was used. The cut off in ELISA was 37.9%P and sensitivity and specificity were 96.26% and 97.07%, respectively. The performance indexes of both the assays were almost equal and were 193.34 for Protein-G ELISA and 193.33 for ELISA. The cut off values of both the tests changed, if only known positive (N = 61) and known negative (N=243) animals were used for ROC curve analysis, and accordingly, changes in sensitivity and specificity were observed with significant decrease of performance indexes of both the tests. The high optical density (P<0.0001) background signal with negative serum control and high %P (P<0.0001) in sera from negative population were noticed in ELISA in comparison to Protein-G ELISA.     

Genetic variation among highly endangered <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacopa monnieri</Emphasis> (L.) Pennell from Southern India as detected using RAPD analysis

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting approach was applied to assess genetic diversity in different accessions of rejuvenating and intellect-promoting ancient ayurvedic medicinal herb Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell collected from four Southern Indian states, along with in vitro micropropagated samples maintained in the laboratory for 5 years. With the 10 analyzed primers, 110 distinct bands, in the size range of 250–870 bp were observed, and among which 14 (12.72%) were polymorphic. Among the random primers used, only OPD 02 generated highest percentage of polymorphism with 30.77. Whereas OPD 08 generated a maximum of 18 amplified bands, but with only 1% polymorphism. Cluster analysis done on the basis of similarity co-efficient generated from RAPD profiles indicated all the accessions were divided into two sub-groups based on genetic distances under one major cluster. Major cluster is only the lone loose group of the Bm.2 collected from Kerala (KER) and in vitro micropropagated plant (IVMP) maintained in the lab. The other sub-group consisted of Bm.1 and Bm.3 collected from Tamil Nadu (TN) and Andhra Pradesh (AP) respectively, which are genetically similar and showed similarity with accessions from Karnataka Bm.4 (KK). These two sub-groups were joined together at 0.66 genetic distance level. Overall, the levels of genetic similarity within the accessions varied from 0.24 to 0.80, the matrix ranged from 0.36 to 0.80, with a mean value of 0.68 indicating genetic similarity at low level.     

Zinc source modulates zootechnical characteristics,intestinal features,humoral response,and paraoxonase (PON1) activity in broilers

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The current experiment was performed to find the potential effect of inorganic and organic forms of zinc (Zn) on growth, intestinal histomorphology, immune...     

Silicon and plant nutrition—dynamics,mechanisms of transport and role of silicon solubilizer microbiomes in sustainable agriculture: A review

Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and has numerous roles in both soils and plants, although it is inaccessible to plants in its native state (insoluble silicate minerals). This inaccessibility can lead to insufficiency, which induces anomalies in plant growth and development.Specifically, Si alleviates various biotic and abiotic stresses in plants by enhancing tolerance mechanisms at different stages of uptake/deposition as a monosilicic acid. Exclusive utiliz...     

Performance of wheat (Triticum aestivum) to incorporation of organic manure and bioinoculants

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of integrated use of farmyard manure and bio-inoculants on wheat productivity for two years in succession. Increasing levels of farmyard manure (FYM) up to 15 t ha^?1 significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved the dry matter accumulation, effective tillers per m row length, and grain weight per spike in both the years. Application of 15 t ha^?1 FYM caused significant increase in spikelets per spike and grains per spike over control and 5 t ha^?1 during two consecutive years. Inoculation with MSX-9 strain of Azotobacter chroococcum produced significantly higher dry matter accumulation to 25.63, 13.33, 7.78 and 23.66, 8.35, 5.50% over uninoculation, Azospirillum brasilense (SP-7) and Azospirillum lipoferum (A-5) at harvest during 1999–2000 and 2000–2001, respectively. Incorporation of 15 t ha^?1 FYM significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhanced grain and straw yield to 62.45 and 38.05%; 56.66 and 36.28%; 59.42 and 37.52% over control in 1999–2000, 2000–2001 and pooled analysis, respectively. The grain and straw yield of wheat significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhanced to 26.51, 10.10, 7.54 and 14.45, 5.77, 3.16% through A. chroococcum (MSX-9), A. brasilense (SP-7) and A. lipoferum (A-5) over uninoculation.     

Prospective use of bacteriocinogenic Pediococcus pentosaceus as direct-fed microbial having methane reducing potential

Direct-fed microbials(DFM), generally regarded as safe status, are successfully used in improving rumen ecology, gastro-intestinal health, feed efficiency, milk production and growth rate in ruminants. On the other hand, methanogenesis in rumen, which accounts for a significant loss of ruminant energy and increased greenhouse gas in environment, is of great concern, therefore, use of DFM for improving productivity without compromising the animal health and ecological sustainability is encouraged. The present study was conducted to investigate the methane reducing potential of bacteriocinogenic strain Pediococcus pentosaceus-34. Since, the culture showed no hemolysis on blood agar and DNase activity, hence, it was considered to be avirulent in nature, a prerequisite for any DFM. The culture also showed tolerance to pH 5.0 for 24 h with 0.5% organic acid mixture, whereas when given a shock for 2 h at different p H and organic acids concentrations, it showed growth at pH 3.0 and 4.0 with 0.1 and 1.0% organic acids, respectively, as having good animal probiotics attributes. The total gas production was significantly(P<0.05) higher in live pedicoccal culture(LPC) and dead pedicoccal culture(DPC) both with wheat straw, when compared to the control. In sugarcane bagasse, gas production was significantly lower(P<0.05) with LPC compared to the control and DPC both. Methane was reduced by the inclusion of LPC in sugarcane bagasse(0.07 mL CH4 mg–1 dry matter digestibility) with no effect on other rumen fermentation parameters. However, with wheat straw and LPC total gas, in vitro dry matter digestibility, total volatile fatty acids increased significantly but no reduction in methane production was observed in comparison to the control. Therefore, further research is warranted in this direction, if the bacteriocinogenic strains can be used as DFM for ruminants to improve the ruminant productivity.