Prefertilization barriers to interspecific hybridization involving Gossypium hirsutum and four diploid wild species

Interspecific hybridization among species of cotton has lead to improvement in productivity, earliness, fibre quality and resistance to pests and diseases. However, wide crosses is often limited by the operation of either pre‐ or/and post‐fertilization barriers. An investigation on pollen tube behaviour of four wild species in the pistils of Gossypium hirsutum was taken up. Pollen germination was normal in crosses involving Gossypium triphyllum and Gossypium armourianum and markedly inhibited in the crosses involving Gossypium davidsonii and Gossypium thurberi. Pollen tubes reached the pistils and fertilization was accomplished within 8 h after pollination (HAP) in control cross. Even though delay in pollen tube was a common phenomenon in all the four crosses successful fertilization was observed in crosses involving G. triphyllum and G. armourianum, as they reached the ovary at 24 HAP. In crosses with G. davidsonii and G. thurberi, pollen tubes failed to reach the ovary even at 24 HAP indicating the presence of strong stylar and ovarian incompatibility. Measures to overcome such barriers to interspecific hybridization in the incompatible crosses are discussed.     

Dyeing of cotton yarn with five water soluble fungal pigments obtained from five fungi

The present study aimed to assess the potentiality of water soluble fungal pigments for dyeing on cotton yarn. Five different shades of pigments were extracted from Monascus purpureus, Isaria farinosa, Emericella nidulans, Fusarium verticillioides, and Penicillium purpurogenum using ethanol. Maximum concentration of pigment was obtained from Monascus purpureus (red, 25.02±1.6 UA) followed by Penicillium purpurogenum (yellow, 23.05±0.3 UA). The optimum dyeing condition was observed at a pigment concentration of 1 gram, pH 5, temperature 80 °C, time duration 90 min, and a liquor ratio of 1:30 was found to be the optimal for dyeing. Maximum uptake of 80 % was achieved with Monascus purpureus red pigment. Moreover, the effect of mordant in dyeing was evaluated by different mordanting methods. A strong variation in shade and color depth could be achieved by using pre-mordanting method with alum and ferrous sulfate giving better wash fastness properties when compared with post-mordanting or without a mordant.     

Suicidal germination for parasitic weed control

Parasitic weeds of the genera Striga and Orobanche spp. cause severe yield losses in agriculture, especially in developing countries and the Mediterranean. Seeds of these weeds germinate by a chemical signal exuded by the roots of host plants. The radicle thus produced attaches to the root of the host plant, which can then supply nutrients to the parasite. There is an urgent need to control these weeds to ensure better agricultural production. The naturally occurring chemical signals are strigolactones (SLs), e.g. strigol and orobanchol. One option to control these weeds involves the use of SLs as suicidal germination agents, where germination takes place in the absence of a host. Owing to the lack of nutrients, the germinated seeds will die. The structure of natural SLs is too complex to allow multigram synthesis. Therefore, SL analogues are developed for this purpose. Examples are GR24 and Nijmegen‐1. In this paper, the SL analogues Nijmegen‐1 and Nijmegen‐1 Me were applied in the field as suicidal germination agents. Both SL analogues were formulated using an appropriate EC‐approved emulsifier (polyoxyethylene sorbitol hexaoleate) and applied to tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) fields infested by Orobanche ramosa L. (hemp broomrape), following a strict protocol. Four out of 12 trials showed a reduction in broomrape of ≥95%, two trials were negative, two showed a moderate result, one was unclear and in three cases there was no Orobanche problem in the year of the trials. The trial plots were ca 2000 m²; half of that area was treated with stimulant emulsion, the other half was not treated. The optimal amount of stimulant was 6.25 g ha^?1. A preconditioning prior to the treatment was a prerequisite for a successful trial. In conclusion, the suicidal germination approach to reducing O. ramosa in tobacco fields using formulated SL analogues was successful. Two other options for weed control are discussed: deactivation of stimulants prior to action and biocontrol by Fusarium oxysporum. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of intestinal ischemia on in vitro activity of adjacent jejunum in samples obtained from ponies.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether intestinal ischemia would alter activity of the jejunum in vitro or alter staining characteristics for certain types of enteric neurotransmitters. SAMPLE POPULATION: Jejunal samples obtained from 10 ponies. PROCEDURE: Jejunal samples were obtained from locations proximal and distal to an area of small intestine made ischemic for 60 minutes. A portion of each sample was stained to detect substance P-like immunoreactivity, cholinergic and adrenergic neurons, and nitric oxide synthase. Portions of the remaining samples were suspended in muscle baths. General activity patterns (frequency and amplitude of contraction), responses to neuronal depolarization induced by electrical field stimulation (EFS), and responses to 1 microM norepinephrine (NE) were compared with responses of a normal section of small intestine obtained prior to ischemic insult. RESULTS: Staining patterns were not altered. Proximal and distal sections had evidence of decreased contractility, compared with the normal section. Contraction frequency also was decreased, and distal sections had lower contraction frequency than proximal sections. Relaxation responses were decreased in distal sections. Responses to NE differed significantly for distal and proximal sections, compared with normal sections. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Short-term ischemia can significantly affect adjacent bowel. Contractile and relaxation responses are impaired. Discrepancies in intestinal motility patterns and alterations in response to NE for sections proximal and distal to ischemic intestine could lead to clinical ileus or slowed transit of ingesta.     

Influence of different handling methods and crating periods on plasma corticosterone concentrations in broilers

1. Experiments were conducted to determine whether different handling methods and crating periods differentially affect plasma corticosterone (CS) concentrations in 6 to 7‐week‐old broilers.

2. Broilers were subjected to 1 of 3 handling methods for 2 min: (i) 3 birds held in an inverted position in one hand (multiple inverted, MI), (ii) 1 bird held in an inverted position (single inverted, SI), or (iii) upright handling (U), which consisted of holding a bird gently with both hands in an upright position.

3. In experiment 1 birds were returned to their respective pens after handling and in experiment 2 they were crated for up to 4 h after the imposition of handling. In experiment 2 food deprived (FD) and fully fed (FF) uncrated birds were also sampled as controls. Blood samples were collected immediately after handling and at 1‐h intervals after handling or handling and crating.

4. In experiment 1, MI and SI birds had higher CS concentrations than U birds.

5. In experiment 2, there were no significant differences in CS concentrations of crated birds despite the different handling treatments. FD birds had higher mean CS concentrations than FF birds, although not as high as those of crated birds. CS concentrations peaked at 3 h after crating. Birds showed predominantly resting behaviour after crating.

6. These results suggest that handling stress can be reduced in broilers by the use of upright handling. However, the methods of handling is not important in influencing CS concentrations if the birds are crated after handling, either because crating is a more potent stressor than handling or due to stressor additivity.     

Cost-effective tissue culture media for large-scale propagation of three commercial banana (Musa spp.) varieties

Cost-effective tissue culture protocols have been established for the commercial multiplication of three banana varieties, ‘Rasthali’ (AAB – Silk), ‘Grand Naine’ (AAA – Cavendish), and ‘Udhayam’ (ABB – Pisang Awak). Reverse osmosis water and 3% (w/v) table sugar were used as the low-cost water and carbon source, respectively. Six different gelling agent treatments were tested: sago alone (T1), Isabgol alone (T2), sago + agar (T3), Isabgol + agar (T4), sago + Isabgol (T5), and agar alone as a control (T6). Full-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 3 mg l^–1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 1 mg l^–1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were used for culture initiation and subculturing. Rooting was accomplished on low-cost MS medium containing 1.0 mg l^–1 α-napthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 1.0 mg l^–1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), and 250 mg l^–1 activated charcoal. Statistical analysis indicated that sago + Isabgol (T5) produced the maximum number of shoots (10 per explant) in ‘Udhayam’ and ‘Rasthali’, while sago alone (T1) produced the maximum number of shoots (6 per explant) in ‘Grand Naine’. The genetic stability of tissue-cultured banana plantlets produced using these low-cost substitutes was assessed using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. The results indicated that the ISSR profiles of the five treatments and the control (T6) were similar, indicating genetic stability using these cost-effective tissue culture protocols. Reductions in cost over the control (l^–1 of MS medium) ranged from 65% to 86%, while the per plant production cost was reduced by 12.5%–20.0%. Adoption of these treatments (T1–T5) as low-cost tissue culture protocols for in vitro propagation would reduce production costs significantly, leading to an expansion of the area planted with tissue-cultured banana, thereby increasing productivity.     

Bacteriocins and their applications for the treatment of bacterial diseases in aquaculture: a review

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food producing sectors in the world. The increase in the world population requires faster growth in aquaculture for better food availability and to overcome malnutrition. But this worldwide growth of aquaculture is overwhelmed by catastrophic fish diseases and spoilage during cultivation and preservation problems caused by pathogenic bacteria. Various remedies are available for food preservation and also from the bacterial diseases in the fish production. Due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance and adverse effects, an alternative to antibiotic is the need of the hour. The proteins such as bacteriocins, i.e. ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and possess antagonistic against closely related and other bacteria. These proteins are produced by most lineages of bacteria which are playing key roles in recognition and possess a cognate immunity system for self‐protection as well as host protection from infections. These proteins are potent immunomodulators with broad spectrum inhibition properties which are further used as novel therapeutic agents. In this review, we have tried to summarize the bacteriocins on the basis of their classifications, structural and functional attributes, mode of actions, bacteriocins isolated from fish and gut microbiota and presence of beneficiary bacteria in the fish gut. Further, this study highlighted where further research is a prerequisite to increase our basic understanding and search for novel bacteriocins to elucidate the proteins/peptides having antimicrobial properties for disease control in aquaculture as an alternative to antibiotics.     

Perfluorinated compounds in human blood, water, edible freshwater fish, and seafood in China: daily intake and regional differences in human exposures

Despite the growing public interest in perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), very few studies have reported the sources and pathways of human exposure to these compounds in China. In this study, concentrations of 10 PFCs were measured in human blood, water (tap water and surface water), freshwater fish, and seafood samples collected from China. On the basis of the data, we calculated daily intakes of PFCs, regional differences in human exposures, and potential risks associated with ingestion of PFCs from diet, drinking water, and indoor dust for the Chinese population. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the most predominant PFC found with a mean concentration of 12.5 ng/mL in human blood from Tianjin and 0.92 ng/g wet wt in freshwater fish and seafood; perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the major PFC found in drinking water at a concentration range of 0.10 to 0.92 ng/L. The estimated daily intake of PFOS and PFOA via fish and seafood consumption (EDI(fish&seafood)) ranged from 0.10 to 2.51 and 0.13 to 0.38 ng/kg bw/day, respectively, for different age groups (i.e., toddlers, adolescents and children, and adults) from selected locations (i.e., Tianjin, Nanchang, Wuhan, and Shenyang). The EDI(fish&seafood) of PFCs decreased (p < 0.05) with age. The estimated daily intake of PFOS and PFOA via drinking water consumption (EDI(drinking water)) ranged from 0.006 to 0.014 and 0.010 to 0.159 ng/kg bw/day, respectively. Comparison of EDI(fish&seafood) and EDI(drinking water) values with those of the modeled total dietary intake (TDI) of PFCs by adults from Tianjin, Nanchang, Wuhan, and Shenyang showed that contributions of fish and seafood to TDI of PFOS varied depending on the location. Fish and seafood accounted for 7%, 24%, 80%, and 84% of PFOS intake in Nanchang, Shenyang, Wuhan, and Tianjin, respectively, suggesting regional differences in human exposure to PFOS. Drinking water was a minor source of PFOS (<1%) exposure in adults from all the study locations.     

Influence of dietary condensed tannins from sericea lespedeza on bacterial loads in gastrointestinal tracts of meat goats

This research assessed the potential use of a low input forage containing a high amount of condensed tannins (CT) to reduce foodborne pathogens prior to slaughter of meat goats. In a completely randomized design, twenty Kiko × Spanish intact male kids (BW = 19.2 ± 0.74 kg) were fed ground sericea lespedeza [SL; Lespedeza cuneata (Dum-Cours) G. Don; 2 pens], a high-CT legume, or bermudagrass hay [BG; Cynodon dactyon (L.) Pers.; 2 pens], at 75% of daily intake with a corn-based supplement (25% of intake) for 14 weeks (n = 10 goats/treatment). At the end of the feeding trial, the animals were slaughtered using standard procedures. Immediately after evisceration, rumen and rectal samples were collected to assess bacterial loads and volatile fatty acids in the rumen. Concentrations of rumen volatile fatty acids were significantly different between dietary treatments. Goats fed SL hay had higher (P < 0.05) contents of butyric (8.66 vs 7.16 mM), isobutyric (1.94 vs 1.44 mM), isovaleric (3.03 vs 2.13 mM), and valeric (1.43 vs 1.07 mM) acids than those fed BG hay; however, the content of acetic acid (78.6 vs 64.4 mM) was higher (P < 0.05) in the BG-fed groups than in SL-fed groups. Escherichia coli (2.33 vs 1.13 log₁₀ CFU/g) counts of rumen contents were higher (P < 0.05) in the SL-fed group compared with the BG-fed group. However, E. coli counts in feces were not different (P > 0.05) between dietary treatments. The high-CT influenced (P < 0.05) total plate counts in the feces; and the total plate counts in feces of SL- and BG-fed goats were 4.95 and 6.57 log₁₀ CFU/g, respectively. The results indicated that high CT in the diet might influence rumen volatile fatty acid composition, but might not reduce the bacterial loads in gastrointestinal tracts of meat goats.     

Diversity in selected wild and cultivated species of pigeonpea using RFLP of mtDNA

Diversity in 28 accessions representing 12 species of the genus, Cajanus arranged in 6 sections including 5 accessions of the cultivated species, C. cajan, and 4 species of the genus Rhyncosia available in the germplasm collection at ICRISAT was assessed using RFLP with maize mtDNA probes. Cluster analysis of the Southern blot hybridization data with 3 restriction enzymes – 3 probe combinations placed the genus Rhyncosia in a major group well separated from all the species belonging to the genus Cajanus. Within the genus Cajanus, the 4 accessions of C. platycarpus belonging to section Rhynchosoides formed a separate group in contrast to those in other sections of pigeonpea. In the section, Cajanus all the 5 accessions of C. cajan were grouped together and C. cajanifolius belonging to the same section was in a subgroup by itself closer to the main group. The four accessions of C. scarabaeoides, were together and the other species belonging to section Cantharospermum were in different subgroups. The intra-specific variation was seen even within accessions of certain pigeonpea wild species such as C. scarabaeoides, C. platycarpus, C. acutifolius, and even the cultivated species of C. cajan. This study suggests that RFLP of mtDNA can be used for the diversity analysis of pigeonpea and it gives some indications on the maternal lineage among the species. The variations in the mitochondrial DNA hybridization patterns also suggest the extensive rearrangement of the organelle genome among the Cajanus species. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.