Anti-diabetic potential of ursolic acid stearoyl glucoside: a new triterpenic gycosidic ester from Lantana camara

A new stearoyl glucoside of ursolic acid, urs-12-en-3β-ol-28-oic acid 3β-d-glucopyranosyl-4′-octadecanoate and other compounds were isolated from the leaves of Lantana camara L. The structure of this new glycoside was elucidated and established by standard spectroscopic methods. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats it showed significant reduction in blood glucose level.     

Field evaluation of some bait additives against Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) (Rodentia: Hystricidae)

This research study evaluated the effect of different additives on the bait consumption by Indian crested porcupine, a serious forest and agricultural pest, under field conditions. Different additives (saccharin, common salt, bone meal, fish meal, peanut butter, egg yolk, egg shell powder, yeast powder, mineral oil and coconut oil) at 2 and 5% each were tested for their relative preference, using groundnut–maize (1:1) as basic bait. All the additives were tested under a no‐choice test pattern. For control tests, no additive was mixed with the basic bait. Saccharin at 5% concentration significantly enhanced the consumption of bait over the basic bait, while 2% saccharin supplemented bait resulted in a non‐significant bait consumption. All other additives did not enhance the consumption of the bait material; rather, these worked as repellents. However, the repellency was lowest with the common salt, followed by egg yolk, egg shell powder, bone meal, peanut butter, mineral oil, fish meal and yeast powder, while coconut remained the most repellent compound. The present study suggested that groundnut–maize (1:1) supplemented with 5% saccharin was the preferred bait combination, and can be used with different rodenticides for the management of Indian crested porcupine.     

Variation in rate of phenological development and morphology between red clover varieties: Implications for clover proportion and feed quality in mixed swards

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) grown in mixtures with grasses often constitutes a lower proportion of total yield in spring than in summer growth. A more even red clover proportion between the harvests would benefit forage quality and management at feeding. We investigated whether inclusion of early versus late‐maturing red clover varieties could reduce this disproportionality. In a two‐year field trial harvested three times per season, each of six red clover varieties was grown in two grass mixtures. Rate of phenological development did not differ during spring growth, but did so in regrowth after first and second cuts. Here, the earliest varieties constituted the highest proportion. At all harvests, the early varieties had lower crude protein concentrations and a higher content of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and indigestible NDF than the late varieties. Clover proportion was higher in swards with a mixture of timothy and meadow fescue than in swards with perennial ryegrass during the first year and lower in the second year. It is concluded that developmental rate should be explored further as a key character for red clover competiveness in spring growth of rapidly elongating grasses.     

Yield potential and salt tolerance of quinoa on salt‐degraded soils of Pakistan

Quinoa is recently introduced to Pakistan as a salt‐tolerant crop of high nutritional value. Open field trials were conducted to evaluate its performance on normal and salinity/sodicity‐degraded lands at two locations of different salinity/sodicity levels, S₁ (UAF Farm, Normal Soil), S₂ (Paroka Farm UAF, saline sodic), S₃ (SSRI Farm, normal) and S₄ (SSRI Farm, saline sodic) during 2013–2014. Two genotypes (Q‐2 and Q‐7) were grown in lines and were allowed to grow till maturity under RCBD split‐plot arrangement. Maximum seed yield (3,062 kg/ha) was achieved by Q‐7 at normal field (S₁) soil which was statistically similar with yield of same genotype obtained from salt‐affected field S₂ (2,870 kg/ha). Furthermore, low yield was seen from both genotypes from both S₃ and S₄ as compared to S₁ and S₂. Q‐7 was best under all four conditions. Minimum yield was recorded from Q‐2 (1,587 kg/ha) at S₄. Q‐7 had higher SOD, proline, phenolic and K⁺ contents, and lower Na⁺ content in leaves as compared to Q‐2. High levels of antioxidants and K⁺/Na⁺ of Q‐7 helped to withstand salt stress and might be the cause of higher yields under both normal and salt‐affected soils. Seed quality (mineral and protein) did not decrease considerably under salt‐affected soils even improved seed K⁺, Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺.     

The first report on serotyping of bluetongue virus in small ruminants of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,Pakistan

Bluetongue virus (BTV), a member of Orbivirus genus (family Reoviridae), is a non-contagious infection of domestic and wild ruminants. The current study was designed to detect various serotypes of BTV in small ruminants of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province of Pakistan, along with their effects on hemato-biochemical parameters. A total of 408 serum samples in four districts (Mansehra, Abbottabad, Swabi, and Kohat) of KPK from small ruminants were screened based on competitive ELISA (cELISA). A total of 204 (50%) samples were found positive for BTV group–specific antibodies. The seropositive samples were processed for the detection of BTV serotypes through real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Out of 204 cELISA-positive samples, 60 (29.41%) were found positive through qPCR. Three serotypes [6, 8, 9] were detected from Mansehra District and two from Kohat [2, 8] and Abbottabad [6, 8], while only one from Swabi [8]. The serotype “8” was found consistently in all the four study districts. A significant (p?<?0.05) increase in the level of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was recorded in goats, whereas aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in sheep infected with BTV, compared to healthy animals. The hematological parameters showed significantly (p?<?0.05) raised total leucocyte count (TLC) in both sheep and goats, whereas only hematocrit (HCT) value was increased significantly (p?<?0.05) in infected sheep. This is the first report on serotyping of BTV among small ruminants in Pakistan.

     

Prediction of Major Agricultural Fruits Production in Pakistan by Using an Econometric Analysis and Machine Learning Technique

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to use an econometric analysis to investigate the relationship between agricultural gross domestic product (AGDP) and variables such as apple, citrus, pears, grape and banana in Pakistan; data were explored from 1980 to 2015; we used time series data collected from secondary sources, including the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Statistical Year Books and the Economic Survey of Pakistan. Data were analyzed by using the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method and Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) test, and results were interpreted by using the Johansen co-integration test. The machine learning technique was used to examine and predict the future agricultural productivity in Pakistan. We found that output of banana, citrus and pears had a positive and significant influence on AGDP, whereas apples and grapes had a negative but insignificant influence on AGDP.     

Natural products as pesticides: Two examples of stereoselective synthesis

The strategy and synthetic efforts leading to efficient stereoselective syntheses of thiangazole, a tris-thiazolinyl-oxazole metabolite isolated from Polyangium spp., and of hydantocidin, a spironucleoside metabolite isolated from Streptomyces hygroscopicus, are discussed.     

油炸糯米糕营养效应评价及其对血脂健康的影响

为研究食用油炸糯米糕的整体营养健康效应及其对血脂健康的影响,自制纯油炸糯米糕和蒸糯米糕,选用健康雄性小白鼠,分别用油炸糯米糕外壳层、中间层、油炸糯米糕全糕及蒸糯米糕进行6周连续灌胃试验,饲料、葡萄糖作为对照组。采用模拟BDI-GS体系评价法进行营养效价、健康效应评定及试剂盒法对小鼠血脂指标测定,并计算相应指标数据,做图对比分析。结果表明,外壳层组平均日采食量为（5.70 ± 0.56）g,其余各组为6.80 g左右,食用油炸外壳层组的小鼠采食量及体重显著下降;营养健康方面,油炸糯米糕和蒸糯米糕相比无显著差异,各试验样品的累加积分均大于8.0,基本益于机体整体营养和健康;血脂方面,油炸糯米糕全糕会提高小鼠血脂中总胆固醇（TC）和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）含量,油炸糯米糕外壳层会提高总胆固醇（TC）、甘油三酯（TG）和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）含量。     

Transformations of Phosphorus and Other Plant Nutrients in Poultry Litter Composted with Sugarcane and Cabbage Wastes

Poultry litter (PL) is a significant source of nutrients, but a suitable amount of carbon needs to be added as a bulking agent during its composting to a stable nutrient source. Here, we characterized the transformation of phosphorus and other plant nutrients during aerobic composting of PL with sugarcane (SW) and cabbage waste (CW) for 120 d. Periodic samples were collected during composting and analyzed for total C, P (and its fractions), K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, EC and pH. At the initial stage of composting (20 d), the P fractions varied in the order: water soluble P > NaHCO₃-P (readily plant-available) > HCl-P (Ca+Mg-bound) > residual-P > NaOH-P (Fe+Al-bound). After 120 d, the order was HCl-P > residual-P > water-P > NaHCO₃-P > NaOH-P. These variations suggested a transformation of labile Pi to more recalcitrant forms during composting. Water soluble P was the dominant fraction during the initial composting period. This declined progressively with time of composting, while the HCl-P increased, confirming the transformation of the more vulnerable water soluble P to the more recalcitrant HCl-extractable P. This indicated that the composting could be a useful way of managing manure for P stabilization and reducing its losses in runoff water following land application. The total C varied directly with the ratio of sugarcane and cabbage wastes in the manure but was inversely related to the duration of composting. Extractable K, Ca, Mg, and Na increased whereas trace elements concentrations decreased with time of composting. The higher availability of basic plant nutrients and reduced availability of heavy metals in the mature compost are valuable attributes for safe use in sustainable agricultural production.