The effect of lactic acid bacterial starter culture and chemical additives on wilted rice straw silage

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are suitable for rice straw silage fermentation, but have been studied rarely, and rice straw as raw material for ensiling is difficult because of its disadvantages, such as low nutrition for microbial activities and low abundances of natural populations of LAB. So we investigated the effect of application of LAB and chemical additives on the fermentation quality and microbial community of wilted rice straw silage. Treatment with chemical additives increased the concentrations of crude protein (CP), water soluble carbohydrate (WSC), acetic acid and lactic acid, reduced the concentrations of acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF), but did not effectively inhibit the growth of spoilage organisms. Inoculation with LABs did not improve the nutritional value of the silage because of poor growth of LABs in wilted rice straw. Inoculation with LAB and addition of chemical materials improved the quality of silage similar to the effects of addition of chemical materials alone. Growth of aerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria was inhibited by this mixed treatment and the LAB gradually dominated the microbial community. In summary, the fermentation quality of wilted rice straw silage had improved by addition of LAB and chemical materials.     

Estimation of the standardized ileal digestible lysine requirement for primiparous pregnant sows

This experiment was conducted to determine the optimal standardized ileal digestible lysine (SID Lys) level in diets fed to primiparous sows during gestation. A total of 150 (Landrace × Large White) crossbred gilts (weighing 149.9 ± 3.1 kg) were fed gestation diets (12.55 MJ of ME/kg) containing SID Lys levels of 0.43, 0.52, 0.60, 0.70 or 0.80% respectively. Gilts were fed 2.0 kg/day from day 1 to 80 and 3.0 kg/day from day 80 to 110 of gestation respectively. Gilts were allocated to treatments based on their body weight on the day of breeding. Weight gain from day 80 to 110 increased with increasing dietary SID Lys levels (p = 0.044). Fitted broken‐line (p = 0.031) and quadratic plot (p = 0.047) analysis of body weight gain indicated that the optimal SID Lys level for primiparous sows was 0.70 and 0.69% respectively. During gestation, neither backfat thickness nor loin eye area was affected by dietary SID Lys level. Increasing dietary Lys had no effect on the litter size at birth or pigs born alive per litter. Litter weight at birth was not affected by dietary SID Lys level. The litter weight variation at birth quadratically decreased with increasing dietary SID Lys (p = 0.021) and was minimized at 0.70% dietary SID Lys. Gilts fed the 0.70% SID Lys diet had the highest dry matter (p = 0.031) and protein (p = 0.044) content in colostrum. On day 110 of gestation, gilts fed the 0.70% SID Lys diet tended to have the highest serum prolactin (p = 0.085) and serum insulin (p = 0.074) levels. The data demonstrate that the optimal dietary SID Lys was 0.70% for pregnant gilts, which is similar to the recommendation of 0.69% that was estimated by the NRC (2012).     

Seasonal and photoperiodic regulation of secretion of hormones associated with reproduction in Magang goose ganders

This study examined the reproductive endocrine profile under natural and artificial photoperiods in Magang goose ganders. Group 1 ganders (n=8) served as non-treated controls and were exposed to natural photoperiod throughout the experiment from 13th January to 17th December 2004. Group 2 ganders (n=8) were exposed to 18 h long daily photoperiod for 60 days from 13 January till 15 March 2004 and again to 16 h photoperiod for 75 days till 10th October 2004, and the 11h short photoperiod in the remainder periods of the experiment. In control ganders, plasma LH concentrations were high in normal breeding seasons (August-March) and decreased to low levels in non-breeding season from April to July. Testosterone concentrations changed similarly to that of LH throughout the seasons. Seasonal pattern of PRL concentrations was opposite to those of LH and testosterone, with low values in breeding season and high values in non-breeding season. In artificial photoperiod treated ganders, increasing photoperiod increased PRL and decreased LH and testosterone concentrations, while decreasing photoperiod reversed these changes. There were no seasonal or photoperiod caused changes in plasma T3 concentrations in both control ganders and artificial photoperiod treated ganders. These results demonstrated that in Magang goose ganders that long photoperiod stimulates PRL secretion and decreases LH secretion, which terminates reproductive season in spring and early summer, and short photoperiod stimulates LH secretion and inhibits PRL secretion rendering ganders enter into reproductive season.     

Incidence and effects of West Nile virus infection in vaccinated and unvaccinated horses in California

A prospective cohort study was used to estimate the incidence of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in a group of unvaccinated horses (n = 37) in California and compare the effects of natural WNV infection in these unvaccinated horses to a group of co-mingled vaccinated horses (n = 155). Horses initially were vaccinated with either inactivated whole virus (n = 87) or canarypox recombinant (n = 68) WNV vaccines during 2003 or 2004, prior to emergence of WNV in the region. Unvaccinated horses were serologically tested for antibodies to WNV by microsphere immunoassay incorporating recombinant WNV E protein (rE MIA) in December 2003, December 2004, and every two months thereafter until November 2005. Clinical neurologic disease attributable to WNV infection (West Nile disease (WND)) developed in 2 (5.4%) of 37 unvaccinated horses and in 0 of 155 vaccinated horses. One affected horse died. Twenty one (67.7%) of 31 unvaccinated horses that were seronegative to WNV in December, 2004 seroconverted to WNV before the end of the study in November, 2005. Findings from the study indicate that currently-available commercial vaccines are effective in preventing WND and their use is financially justified because clinical disease only occurred in unvaccinated horses and the mean cost of each clinical case of WND was approximately 45 times the cost of a 2-dose WNV vaccination program.     

基于"3S"技术的甘肃子午岭自然保护区土地利用变化研究

以甘肃省子午岭自然保护区为研究对象,运用"3S"技术,对研究区的地形图、不同时相的TM遥感影像进行数据预处理,并分类提取了研究区2个时段的土地利用信息.对分类信息进行统计分析后并与实地调查数据进行比较,结果表明,近20年来甘肃子午岭自然保护区的森林覆盖面积在稳步提高,乔木林面积明显增加.为甘肃子午岭自然保护区工程的建设提供了基础信息,为林区植物种群生长及分布调查研究提供了宏观数据,并且输出了研究区不同时相土地利用专题图.     

Identification and distribution of fungal pathogens associated with seedling blight of rice in the southern United States

Surveys were conducted in the five southern rice-producing states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas in the United States during the 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons to determine the distribution and pathogenicity of fungal pathogens associated with seedling blight in rice. A total of 349 pathogenic fungal isolates were collected and identified as belonging to four genera: Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium spp., Sclerotium rolfsii and Marasmius graminum based on morphological characteristics, molecular analysis and Koch's postulates. R. solani (252 out of 349 pathogenic isolates) was the most prevalent fungus isolated from diseased samples. Of the 252 pathogenic R. solani isolates, 245 were further classified as anastomosis group 11 (AG-11) and 7 as AG-4. Isolates of R. solani AG-4 and M. graminum were the most aggressive, with the highest stand loss (63% to 100%) and median disease rating (DR; 5.0), followed by isolates of R. solani AG-11 (stand loss = 4% to 100% and DR = 0.6 to 5.0), Fusarium spp. (stand loss = 26% to 48% and DR = 2.0 to 5.0) and S. rolfsii (stand loss = 33% to 48% and DR = 2.0 to 3.0) in causing seedling blight in rice. R. solani (62% to 83% of total pathogenic isolates) and Fusarium spp. (10% to 24% of total pathogenic isolates) were predominant in all the five states surveyed. S. rolfsii and M. graminum were present only in Louisiana and Texas. The results of this first systematic survey of rice seedling diseases in the southern United States will help develop effective fungicide seed treatment strategies for control of stand loss caused by seedling blight, one of the major factors limiting rice production.     

沉默蜕皮激素受体对雌性中黑盲蝽生殖力的影响

中黑盲蝽Adelphocoris suturalis是一种重要的农业害虫,主要为害棉花、果树和牧草等作物。昆虫保幼激素(juvenile hormone, JH)与蜕皮激素(molting hormone, 20E)是调控昆虫生殖的主要因素。本研究运用基因克隆、基因沉默(RNAi)、实时荧光定量PCR(qPCR)等技术研究蜕皮激素受体(ecdysone receptor, EcR)、超气门蛋白(ultraspiracle protein, USP)在中黑盲蝽生殖调控中的作用。结果表明,中黑盲蝽EcR基因的ORF全长1 413 bp,编码470个氨基酸。预测蛋白质分子量为53.65 kD,pI值为7.79。中黑盲蝽USP基因ORF全长1 209 bp,编码402个氨基酸。预测蛋白质分子量为44.99 kD, pI值为7.94。与对照相比,注射dsEcR、dsUSP后6～18 d的中黑盲蝽体内EcR基因、USP基因在转录水平分别被显著抑制;卵巢的挂卵量分别仅有对照组的31.5%、86.6%;单雌产卵量减少36.0%～80.4%,显著低于对照。EcR和USP基因沉默后,产卵前期与对照相比无显...     

基于MaxEnt模型预测梨火疫病菌的潜在地理分布

为探究梨火疫病菌解淀粉欧文氏菌Erwinia amylovora在全球的潜在地理分布,基于其全球分布数据和筛选得到的环境变量,利用MaxEnt模型对其在当前气候和未来气候条件下的潜在地理分布进行预测,并利用刀切法和皮尔逊相关性分析法筛选对梨火疫病菌分布有重要影响的环境变量。结果显示,对梨火疫病菌分布有重要影响的环境变量包括2月平均最高温度、1月平均降水量、7月平均最低温度、温度变化方差、昼夜温差月均值和7月平均降水量,表明春季和夏季的温度和降水对梨火疫病菌的分布有较大影响。在当前气候条件下,梨火疫病菌在全球的适生区分布较广,适生区总面积达到5.58×10⁷ km²,且高适生区主要分布在北美洲沿海地区、地中海沿岸和亚洲中部及东部的部分地区;梨火疫病菌在我国的适生区总面积为7.36×10⁶ km²,占全国陆地总面积的76.70%;在未来气候SSP126和SSP585情景下,梨火疫病菌在全球的适生区总面积分别为5.52×10⁷ km²和5.24×10⁷ km²。表明梨火疫病菌对我国大部分地区有潜在威胁,应加强监测与防控。     

犬瘟热、犬细小病毒胶体金二联检测卡研制

本研究通过细胞融合、间接ELISA方法筛选出4株可稳定分泌犬瘟热病毒(canine distemper virus,CDV)和犬细小病毒(canine parvovirus,CPV)单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞株,以此为基础研制了一种可同时检测CDV和CPV的胶体金二联检测卡,并对其特异性、灵敏度及准确性进行了测试。结果显示：4株杂交瘤细胞可稳定传代,分泌的单克隆抗体纯度高,效价均在1:320以上。制备的胶体金二联检测卡特异性强,只与CDV和CPV产生特异性条带,而不与其他犬类病毒反应;灵敏度高,最低检测限可达到10²拷贝/μL;准确性好,与荧光定量PCR结果的符合率高于88.0%,与市面上单一病毒检测卡的符合率高于97.2%。结果表明,本研究制备的CDV、CPV胶体金二联检测卡特异性强、灵敏度高、准确性好,兼具操作简便、肉眼可判读、结果易保存和无需特殊仪器设备等优势,可用于两种疾病的临床快速诊断和大规模检测工作。