Characterization of Glutenin Protein Fractions from Sequential Extraction of Hard Red Spring Wheats of Different Breadmaking Quality

Gluten proteins from two cultivars of hard red spring (HRS) wheat with good and poor breadmaking quality were fractionated into 13 fractions by sequential extraction with dilute hydrochloric acid. Each subfraction was characterized by multistacking (MS) SDS‐PAGE under nonreducing conditions, followed by imaging densitometry. The glutenin polymers from the origins of MS‐SDS‐PAGE were analyzed by SDSP‐PAGE under reducing conditions to determine the composition of high and low molecular weight subunits. The results showed that fractions differed significantly in glutenin‐to‐gliadin ratios and in the size distribution of glutenin polymers. The earlier precipitated fractions were composed of more gliadins but fewer glutenin polymers. However, the glutenin polymers gradually increased in their relative quantities with the residue having the largest glutenin‐to‐gliadin ratio. The size distribution of glutenin polymers differed significantly from early precipitated to later fractions. The relative quantities of glutenin aggregates at the 4% origins increased significantly. The ratio of high molecular weight (HMW) to low molecular weight (LMW) glutenin subunits increased significantly from early to intermediate fractions. Between the two cultivars, significant differences were found in the ratio of HMW to LMW glutenin subunits and quantity of SDS insoluble glutenin polymers in the residue fraction with the better breadmaking quality cultivar ND706 having a greater ratio than the cultivar Sharp. It was concluded that the size distribution of glutenin polymers played an important role in determining the differences in breadmaking quality between the good and poor HRS wheat cultivars.     

Influence of Diet Type and Pretreatment Fasting on the Disposition Kinetics of Albendazole in Sheep

The influence of the quality and quantity of diets on the disposition kinetics of albendazole were studied in sheep in two different experiments. The plasma concentration profiles of albendazole sulphoxide and albendazole sulphone were measured following intraruminal administration of albendazole at 5.0 mg/kg body weight in weaner sheep offered three different diets: 100% green Sorghum spp., 100% dry mature Cenchrus ciliaris hay and a 50:50 mix of these two diets. The peak plasma concentrations and the availability of the albendazole metabolites, as measured by the area under the concentration–time curve, were significantly higher (p<0.01) in the animals offered exclusively dry fodder compared to other diets. Changing the diet from dry to green fodder resulted in a significantly lower systemic availability of the drug metabolites. It is suggested that a decreased transit time of the digesta in the bowel on the green diet, with its high water content, limited the systemic availability of the drug by reducing the time available for gastrointestinal absorption.An experiment on the influence of different levels of pretreatment fasting on the pharmacokinetics of albendazole revealed significantly higher (p<0.05) plasma concentrations of the anthelmintically active sulphoxide metabolite from 12 h onwards following administration of the drug in animals subjected to 24 h of pretreatment fasting compared to other groups with pretreatment fasting of 8, 12 or 18 h. The area under the concentration–time curve and the minimum residence time of the drug metabolites were significantly greater (p<0.05) in animals that had been fasted for 24 h. It is suggested that fasting induces a decrease in the flow of digesta through the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants and prolongs the duration of dissolution of the drug, resulting in enhancement of the absorption of albendazole and of the systemic availability of its metabolites.     

Influence of the Color,Shape, and Size of the Clay Model on Arthropod Interactions in Turfgrass

Many predatory arthropods occur naturally in turfgrass, and they provide adequate control of lepidopteran pests, such as fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Recording predation is challenging under field conditions because predators rarely leave any evidence. Clay models were successfully employed for studying predation, and this technique is underutilized in turfgrass. Little is known about whether the characteristics of clay models, such as color, shape, and size, influence arthropod interactions in turfgrass. To improve the utility of clay models in turfgrass, the influence of the color, shape, and size of clay models on arthropod interactions was studied by exposing clay models during daytime and nighttime in a turfgrass field. The results showed that arthropods interacted with clay models, and various types of impressions were recorded, including paired marks, scratches, cuts, and pricks. Although the color of the clay model had no significant effects on arthropod interactions during the night, significantly greater numbers of impressions were noticed on the blue and green models than on the yellow models during the daytime. The caterpillar-shaped models captured significantly greater densities of impressions than the beetle-shaped models. Additionally, the number of impressions significantly increased with an increase in the size of the model regardless of shape.     

Separation and Quantification of HMW Glutenin Subunits by Capillary Electrophoresis

The use of capillary electrophoresis in SDS (SDS‐CE) for separation and quantification of HMW glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS) was investigated. HMW‐GS were precipitated with 40% acetone from 50% 1‐propanol extract of flour under reducing conditions after removal of monomeric proteins with 50% 1‐propanol. Poly (ethylene oxide) was used in the running buffer (3% w/v) for SDS‐CE. The results indicated that HMW‐GS could be well separated by SDS‐CE, including subunits 7+8, 7+9, 2+12, 5+10, and 17+18. However, HMW‐GS showed delayed migration times compared with molecular weight protein standards. Some HMW‐GS were reversed in their mobilities in SDS‐CE compared with their mobility and molecular weights by SDS‐PAGE. Therefore, the SDS‐CE was unsuitable for MW determination of HMW‐GS. A linear response was obtained from SDS‐CE of a plot of the concentration of HMW‐GS of the 40% acetone precipitate versus corrected areas for absorbance at 214 nm. Quantification of HMW‐GS for the two biotypes (subunits 5+10 vs. 2+12) of an Australian wheat cultivar Warigal confirmed the differences between the two biotypes in their quantity of HMW‐GS. Therefore, the technique could be used to quantify HMW‐GS in conjunction with SDS‐PAGE.     

Dietary copper requirement of fingerling Heteropneustes fossilis for formulating copper‐balanced commercial feeds

Dietary copper requirement of Heteropneustes fossilis (6.74 ± 0.03 g) was determined by feeding purified diets containing same protein (400 g/kg) and gross energy (17.89 kJ/g) but different levels of copper for 12 weeks. Graded amount of CuSO₄.5H₂O (0, 1.96, 3.93, 5.89, 7.86, 9.82, 11.79 mg/kg) was supplemented to basal diet to attain desired dietary copper levels (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 mg/kg). Analysed dietary copper concentrations were 4.28, 4.63, 5.28, 5.70, 6.19 and 6.69 mg/kg. Absolute weight gain, feed conversion ratio and protein gain improved with the increasing levels of dietary copper up to 5.28 mg/kg. Further inclusion of copper at a level of 5.70 mg/kg did not improve the above parameters. Significantly higher (p < .05) plasma ceruloplasmin, liver copper‐zinc superoxide dismutase, catalase activities and lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were evident in fish receiving diets with 5.28 and 5.70 mg/kg copper compared to other groups. Whole body and liver copper concentrations increased significantly (p < .05) with increasing dietary copper levels. Quadratic regression analysis of absolute weight gain, feed conversion ratio, protein gain and broken‐line regression analysis of plasma ceruloplasmin activity and liver TBARS value against the variable dietary copper levels depicted the dietary copper requirements for fingerling H. fossilis in the range of 5.24–5.68 mg/kg.     

Evaluation of limb autotomy as a promising strategy to improve production performances of mud crab (Scylla olivacea) in the soft‐shell farming system

Soft‐shell crab, a newly moulted crab having non‐calcified and hydrated soft exoskeleton, farming has been increasing tremendously in recent years throughout the world due to its high market price and consumer preferences. However, high aggressiveness and cannibalistic behaviour of mud crab limit its culture to an individual chamber system which ultimately makes the soft‐shell mud crab farming space and labour‐intensive. Therefore, the aim of this study was to improve the efficiency of soft‐shell crab production by autotomy of the claw and/or walking legs to reduce the moulting duration and intensify the culture system through double stocking in the existing individual chamber culture system. To achieve our objectives, a series of experiment were conducted at both indoor and on‐farm levels by removing the claw and/or walking legs of Scylla olivacea for two consecutive moulting cycles. Results showed that both claw ablation significantly (p < .01) shortened the moulting duration and increased the carapace width, weight gain, specific growth rate, feeding efficiency and yield parameter compared to the non‐ablated crabs more prominently at 1st moulting than the 2nd moulting in both indoor and on‐farm trials. Ablation of all walking legs while keeping the claw intact did not significantly influence (p > .05) the moulting duration and carapace width, but significantly (p < .01) improved the specific growth rate, weight gain, feeding efficiency and yield parameters at 1st moulting compared to the non‐ablation and unilateral three walking leg ablation groups. However, ablation of all appendages (both claw and walking legs) showed significant (p < .01) improvements of carapace width, weight gain, specific growth rate, feeding efficiency and yield parameters, and shortened the moulting duration up to 23 days from 34 days during 1st moulting and up to 27 days from 40 days at 2nd moulting. The survivals of different autotomized mud crabs were statistically non‐significant (p > .05) to the non‐autotomized crabs in various indoor and on‐farm trials. Besides improving the production performances, ablation of bilateral claw and all appendages allowed to double the stocking density in the existing individual chamber‐based soft‐shell crab farming that enhanced the production about threefold higher than the existing individual chamber‐based culture system. Finally, our results suggest that autotomy could be a promising technology for the commercial farming of soft‐shell mud crab in near future.     

Effect of Hydrophilic Gums on Frozen Dough. I. Dough Quality

Disadvantages of frozen doughs are their variable performance and loss of stability over long‐term frozen storage. Changes in rheological properties of frozen doughs have been reported to be due to the physical damage of the gluten network caused by ice crystallization and recrystallization. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of hydrophilic gums on ice crystallization and recrystallization for improvement of the shelf‐life stability of frozen dough. The present research involved use of the Hard Red Spring wheat cultivar Grandin and hydrophilic gums such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), gum arabic, kappa carrageenan (κ‐carrageenan), and locust bean gum at three different levels each on doughs stored frozen for up to 16 weeks. The dough characteristics were analyzed after day 0, day 1, and after 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks of frozen storage using data from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), water activity, extensigraph, and proof time. The ΔH value of freezable water endothermic transitions obtained using DSC increased with storage time for all treatments. However, addition of different levels of the four gums lowered the ΔH value, indicating a decrease in freezable water. Doughs with locust bean gum gave a higher peak force, measured using the Kieffer dough extensibility rig of the texture analyzer, and lower proof time, indicating better retention of baking quality. Maximum resistance to extension increased upon addition of 1 and 3%; CMC; 1 and 3%; κ‐carrageenan; and 1, 2, and 3% locust bean gum as compared with the control. The various periods of storage or gum treatments did not affect the water activity of the thawed frozen doughs. Doughs with locust bean gum gave significantly lower proof time compared with the other treatments and the control. CMC gave the second lowest values, followed by gum arabic treatment. Addition of κ‐carrageenan increased the proof time compared with the control. In summary, locust bean gum, gum arabic, and CMC improved the dough characteristics to varying degrees. κ‐Carrageenan was the only gum that showed a detrimental effect on frozen dough.     

Rehabilitation of degraded sodic lands during a decade of Dalbergia sissoo plantation in Sultanpur District of Uttar Pradesh,India

The ameliorative effect of Dalbergia sissoo, planted on sodic land at Sultanpur (26° 10′–26° 40′N, 81° 45′–82° 30′E), India, in a tropical environment, was studied at 3, 6 and 9 years of age. The soil properties of the sites improved significantly, showing marked reduction in pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) and an increase in organic carbon, nitrogen and availability of nutrients in the soil. The significant reduction in Na ion was found in all the age groups. Results showed an improvement in the soil moisture regime due to increased infiltration rate (cm hr⁻¹), soil permeability (cm²), water‐holding capacity, field capacity and pore space whereas, the bulk density decreased significantly after successive years of planting. The effect on soil attributes was confined to surface soil in the young plantation and deeper in older plantation. Therefore, the study clearly indicated that the sodic soil could be desodified by growing D. sissoo plantations on these degraded sites. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization of the Carbohydrates of Nonreduced Glutenin Fractionated by Multistacking SDS-PAGE from Two Hard Red Spring Wheat Flours

Native (nonreduced) glutenin aggregates of two hard red spring wheat flours (Len of good quality and line 205 of poor quality) containing the same high molecular weight glutenin subunits (2*, 7+9, and 5+10) were investigated for the possibility of glycosylation. Glutenins isolated by pH-precipitation were separated and purified under nonreducing conditions into five different molecular weight species by multistacking SDS-PAGE and by transfer to polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membranes by electroblotting. Carbohydrate compositions of the total glutenin fraction and of the different molecular weight glutenin species separated on the stacking gels (4–12% acrylamide) were determined. More total carbohydrates were found in the total glutenin of the line 205 flour (2.33%) than in that of the Len flour (1.87%), with glucose and xylose contributing to the greater total amount in line 205. However, the total glutenin of Len had approximately twice as much of the total of arabinose, mannose, and galactose as line 205 had. After purification by electrophoresis, smaller amounts of monosaccharides (glucose, xylose, arabinose, galactose, and mannose) in the different molecular species were detected. After electroblotting to PVDF membrane to increase purification, no arabinoxylans were found. Following extraction of glutenin from membranes, the β-elimination procedure in mild base under reducing conditions was used. In that procedure, the mono- or oligosaccharide side chains are released from the protein core, and the sugars originally involved in the protein-sugar linkage are reduced to the sugar alcohol. After derivatization (with trimethylsilyl), samples were analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Glucose, galactose, and a small amount of mannitol were found in most of the different glutenin aggregates, except that mannitol was not found in the 8% stacking gel glutenin fraction. The content of mannitol was greater in the higher molecular weight glutenin species at the 4 and 6% origins. These results support the hypothesis that the carbohydrates and protein in the glutenin macropolymer may be covalently linked.     

Breeding for provitamin A biofortification of maize (Zea mays L.)

Vitamin A deficiency is widely prevailing in children and women of developing countries. Deficiency of vitamin A causes night blindness, growth retardation, xerophthalmia and increases the susceptibility against epidemic diseases. Among different interventions of overcoming malnutrition, biofortification is the most acceptable and preferred intervention among researchers, growers and consumers. Maize is grown and consumed in those regions where vitamin A deficiency is most prevalent; thus, targeting this crop for provitamin A biofortification is the most appropriate solution. Different breeding strategies including diversity analysis, introduction and stability analysis of exotic germplasm, hybridization, heterosis breeding, mutagenesis and marker‐assisted selection are practised for exploring maize germplasm and development of provitamin A‐enriched cultivars. Genome‐wide association selection and development of transgenic maize genotypes are also being practised, whereas RNA interference and genome editing tools could also be used as potential strategies for provitamin A biofortification of maize genotypes. The use of these breeding strategies for provitamin A biofortification of maize is comprehensively reviewed to provide a working outline for maize breeders.