Survey of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sarcocystis</Emphasis> infection in slaughtered cattle in Kerman,Iran

The parasite of genus Sarcocystis is one of the most commonly found parasite in domestic animals worldwide. Some species of Sarcocystis cause important economic loss when causing clinical and sub clinical disease. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Sarcocystis in slaughtered Cattle in Kerman, Iran. The prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. infection was investigated in 480 cattle, slaughtered from May 2005 to February 2006 in the Kerman, Iran using naked eye examination for macroscopic Sarcocysts, and peptic digestion, muscle squash, squeezing methods for microscopic types. Muscles from heart, tongue, and esophagus, cervical and abdominal muscles of 480 slaughtered cattle were examined for Sarcocystis cysts. The prevalence of microscopic Sarcocystis cysts in cattle was detected in 100% and there was no macroscopic cyst in examined cattle.     

Comparison of intramuscular and footpad subcutaneous immunization with DNA vaccine encoding HSV-gD2 in mice

Herpes simplex virus type 2 is the most common infectious agent in humans that causes genital herpes disease and vaccination is a desirable method to prevent herpes infections. An effective therapeutic vaccine will need to elicit virus-specific immune responses. The route of immunization has important role in immune responses. In this study, DNA vaccine encoding glycoprotein D of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-gD2) was prepared and injected via intramuscular and footpad routes to determine the optimal method of delivery for immune stimulation. The control manipulation of immune response by concerning route of administration is highly appreciated issue by researches. Although DNA vaccine containing HSV-gD2 is effective in both intramuscular and footpad injection routes, the latter could induce significantly higher cellular responses against HSV-2.     

Effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss (Avishan Shirazi) Essential Oil on Oxidative Progress in Frozen Cobia Fish Fillets During Storage

Antioxidants have been widely used as additives to provide protection against oxidative degradation of foods by free radicals. The effect of thyme essence (Zataria multiflora Boiss) on the rancidity development in cobia (Rachycentron canadum) fillets during frozen storage was studied. Cobia fillets were treated with thyme essence (250 and 500 ppm) and then stored at??18°C for up to 6 months. Rancidity development was measured by several biochemical indices including free fatty acids (FFA), peroxide value (PV), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and complemented by sensory analysis (flesh odor, consistency, and appearance). Also, pH and expressible moisture were measured during 6-month storage. Proximate composition was also determined in the first day. TBA, PV, and FFA levels increased in all treatments due to lipid oxidation. Thyme essence showed an antioxidative effect in cobia fillets during frozen storage as indicated by TBA, PV, and FFA levels. Results showed that FFA, primary and secondary oxidation products, expressible moisture (EM), and pH of thyme essence treated samples were significantly lower than those of the control samples (p < 0.05). Thyme essence retarded oxidative changes in frozen cobia fillets, and the best oxidation inhibition was obtained using thyme essence at 500 ppm.     

Nutrient Accumulation in Faba Bean Varieties

Increasing the amount of nutrients in plant-based foods will help to improve the nutritional status of people in the World. Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) as a staple food in developing countries has the potential to provide many nutrients in human diets. The objective of this study was to characterize the nutrient concentrations in leaf, pod, and seed of faba bean varieties. A field study was conducted with six faba bean varieties. Variation in the elemental concentrations of nutrients and protein occurred among varieties and different parts of the plants. The highest concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, or copper and protein were in the seeds. However, the highest accumulation of calcium, magnesium, iron, or manganese was in the leaves. We recommend that faba bean can be considered as a valuable crop in the diet of nutrient-deficient consumers due to high concentration nutrients in edible parts of the plant.     

Effect of gypsum on potassium and iron release from phlogopite to alfalfa

This study evaluated the effects of gypsum on the release rate of potassium (K) and iron (Fe) from phlogopite to alfalfa under greenhouse conditions. The medium was a mixture of quartz sand as filling material, K- and Fe-bearing micaceous mineral (phlogopite) and different levels of gypsum (0%, 2%, 5%, 12% and 25%). During the 6-month cultivation period, the pots were irrigated and/or fed with distilled water and four different nutrient solutions. The results showed statistically significant effects of different levels of gypsum on dry weight and K and Fe concentration of shoots and roots. It seems that an increase in calcium (Ca) concentration, due to the addition of gypsum, changes the equilibrium of K and Fe in the root zone and plant tissues. The results of this study show that the rate of K and Fe release from micaceous minerals is extremely reduced in the presence of gypsum.     

The response of wildtype and mutant cultivars of soybean to salt stress - comparing vegetative and reproductive phases on the basis of leaf biochemical contents,RWC, and stomatal conductance

Soybean, as a major oilseed crop, is cultivated in many parts of the world including saline-affected regions. A four-replicated factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with five salinity levels (control, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM NaCl) and five wild-type and new mutant cultivars of soybean (Williams, Clark, M-4, M-7, and M-9) was done at two vegetative and reproductive phases to study leaf oxidants, antioxidants and osmolytes under salinity stress. The vegetative phase demonstrated higher K⁺:Na⁺ ratio, cell membrane stability, relative water content (RWC) and stomatal conductance to H₂O (gs) accompanied with lower oxidative stress, antioxidants and osmolytes contrasting to reproductive phase. At both phenological phases, saline stress stimulated antioxidative defense owing to the enhancement of oxidative stress. The results indicated that mutants possessed a better antioxidative system than their wild-types.     

An in silico approach for characterization of encoded protein from Rdr1, a black spot resistance gene in Rosa multiflora

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Black spot disease is the most common diseases of landscape roses and is caused by Diplocarpon rosae Wolf. In Rosa multiflora, the screening of black...     

Investigating Iranian Farmers' Satisfaction With Agricultural Extension Programs Using the American Customer Satisfaction Index

The aim of this article is to investigate and measure farmers' satisfaction regarding extension services to better understand why farmers do or do not participate in such programs in Iran. Our study sample consisted of 240 farmers selected through simple quota random sampling (160 male and 80 female) from a list of names from the extension organization. Data were gathered through a face-to-face survey of farmers. Structural equation modeling analysis revealed that perceived quality and perceived value significantly predicted farmers' overall satisfaction. Furthermore, farmer satisfaction can predict farmers' loyalty to extension program activities. From a practical point of view, the present study provides a justification for using perceived quality and perceived value in policy and decision making that seeks to encourage farmers to use agricultural extension programs (AEPs).     

Responses of Anise Medicinal Plant Species in Terms of Essential Oil Contents and Concentrations to Different Planting Times and Various Nitrogen Fertilizer Sources under Semi-Arid Climatic Conditions

Essential oil content and concentration of anise plant planted in different times under various sources of nitrogen was evaluated in this study. The experiment was conducted in a split plot based on a randomized complete block (RCB) design (different sources of fertilizer as the main plot and planting dates as subplots) with three replications in the Agricultural Research Station at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2015–2016. Treatments included: planting times (sub plot factor): (27^th of October, 27^th of November, 1^st of March, 10^th of March, and 8^th of April) and nutritional sources (main plot factor): (Cow Manure, Chemical Fertilizer, and mixture of Cow Manure + Chemical Fertilizer). The results showed that the anise plant essential oil qualitative characteristics were significantly influenced by treatments. Also, interaction between the fertilizer treatments and planting dates on the essential oil content and concentration of the plants were significant. The highest percentage of plant essential oil (3.71%) was found in the cow manure treatment, and the lowest percentage of essential oil (2.95%) was obtained in the chemical fertilizer. The highest essential oil yield (16.09 kg/ha) was found in the mixed treatment of the cow manure and the chemical fertilizer, and the chemical fertilizer treatment had the lowest rate of essential oil yield (11.41 kg/ha). The highest percentages of the plant oil (14.31%) and the plant oil yield (77.46 kg/ha) were found in the integrated treatment of the cow manure and the chemical fertilizers. The lowest amounts of the plant oil (12.19%) and the plant oil yield (41.28 kg/ha) were found in the chemical fertilizer. According to the percentage and the yield of the essential oil, the best planting time and fertilizer treatment was the one on 10th of March and using integrated cow manure and chemical fertilizer.     

Efficacy of combined or single use of Lactobacillus crispatus LT116 and L. johnsonii LT171 on broiler performance

1. The objective of this research was to investigate the efficacy of combined or single use of Lactobacillus crispatus LT116 and Lactobacillus johnsonii LT171 on broiler performance. 2. A total of 320 one-d-old male Ross broiler chicks were allocated in 4 experimental treatments for 6 weeks. The experimental treatments received a maize-soybean meal basal diet that was supplemented as follows: 'control', with no other additions; 'LJ', 1 × 10(6) CFU of L. johnsonii LT171; 'LC', 1 × 10(6) CFU of L. crispatus LT116; and 'LCJ', 0·5 × 10(6) CFU of L. johnsonii LT171 + 0·5 × 10(6) CFU of L. crispatus LT116/g of the diet. A suspension of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) was injected into the breast of 8 birds from each treatment on d 14 and 30, and the antibody titre was measured on d 20, 26, 36 and 42. 3. Body weight was improved when compared with control for broilers fed diets supplemented with LCJ. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) decreased in LC and LCJ groups compared with control. The number of coliforms in the ileum of LJ, LC and LCJ birds was lower than that from the control birds. However, only the LCJ treatment significantly decreased the number of coliforms in the caecum. The LCJ group had greater villus height in the duodenum than the LC group, and both LCJ and LC groups showed increased villus height in the duodenum and jejunum relative to the control. Antibody titre against SRBC was higher for the LCJ group than for the LJ and control groups in terms of secondary immune response (mean of 36 and 42 d). 4. This study showed, compared with the control, that the combination of Lactobacillus spp. could positively affect body weight, coliform numbers in the caecum and immune response.