Carcass characteristics,chemical and fatty acid composition and oxidative stability of meat from broiler chickens fed black cumin (Nigella sativa) seeds

A study was conducted to investigate the dietary supplementation of black cumin seeds (BCS) on carcass characteristics, chemical and fatty acid (FA) composition and antioxidant properties of thigh and breast meat of broiler chickens at 42 days of age. Three hundred sixty 1‐day‐old broiler chickens were allocated to five dietary treatment groups (each group containing eight replicate pens with each pen containing nine broiler chickens): basal diet (control; CON), CON + 0.05 g/kg of bacitracin methylene disalicylate (AB), CON + 5 g/kg of BCS (low dose of BCS), CON + 10 g/kg of BCS (medium dose of BCS) and CON + 20 g/kg of BCS (high dose of BCS). Weight (g) of slaughtered birds (p = .03), hot carcass (p = .007), breast (p = .03), thigh (p < .001), wing (p = .06), neck (p = .01), liver (p = .09), abdominal fat (p = .01) and total edible parts (p = .01) increased or tended to increase due to BCS supplementation compared with the CON. The concentrations of dry matter, crude protein and ether extract in chicken thigh and breast meat increased (p = .038 to <.001) with increasing doses of BCS in diets. The ferric reducing antioxidant activity in blood and meat increased linearly with increasing doses of BCS in the diets. However, peroxide values in meat were not affected by BCS and AB on both days 1 and 7 of storage at 4°C. Supplementation of BCS increased the concentrations of C14:1, C18:3n‐6, C20:1, C20:2 FA and PUFA linearly (p < .05) and tended to increase (p = .098) the concentration of C18:2cis linearly. However, the concentrations of C16:0 and C16:1 FA decreased linearly with increasing doses of BCS in the diets. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of BCS at 20 g/kg diet may improve slaughter body weight, beneficial FA concentrations and antioxidant properties of broiler chicken meat.     

A novel pathovar of Xanthomonas axonopodis causes gumming of Guggal (Commiphora wightii)

Guggal (Commiphora wightii (Arnott) Bhandari comb. nov.) is a small tree which is tapped for medicinally important oleo?Cgum?Cresin. Naturally infected plant oozes oleo?Cgum?Cresin from its trunk and primary branches. However, in either case, the plant dies slowly after oozing. A bacterium was established to be responsible for these phenomena. Four isolates of this bacterium were characterised by biochemical tests, Biolog GN2 microplate reaction, rDNA sequencing, which suggested that the pathogen belonged to the genus Xanthomonas. However, phylogenetic analysis based on chaperone protein (dnaK) gene, TonB?Cdependent receptor (fyuA) gene, DNA gyrase B (gyrB) gene and RNA polymerase sigma factor (rpoD) gene sequences placed it as a member of X. axonopodis 9.2 rep?CPCR/DNA?CDNA homology cluster close to X. perforans, X. alfalfae and X. euvesicatoria. Further elucidation of phylogenetic position of the test strains was achieved from a gyrB based tree considering sequences from 71 representative strains. Test strains were confirmed to be members of X. axonopodis. These had very narrow infectivity limited to Commiphora spp. Hence, we propose a novel pathovar, X. axonopodis pv. commiphoreae pv. nov. as the cause of gum oozing in guggal. Pathotype is DXA 01 = CFBP 7580 = LMG 26789.     

Cytotoxicity of Senecio in macrophages is mediated via its induction of oxidative stress

In Arunachal Pradesh and other sub-Himalayan areas of India, accidental consumption of Senecio plants by yaks is often fatal as the plant contains toxic alkaloids like Seneciophylline. The present investigation was undertaken to demonstrate the pro-oxidant effects of an ethanolic extract of Seneciochrysanthemoides (S-EtOH). S-EtOH impaired viability in macrophages, the IC₅₀ being 13.8 ± 1.11 μg/mL. The effect of S-EtOH (1 μg/mL) on generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in macrophages was measured by flow cytometry using 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (H₂DCFDA) where it caused a significant increase in the mean fluorescence channel (MFC) from 8.55 ± 0.03 to 47.32 ± 2.25 (p < 0.001). S-EtOH also effected a 3.8-fold increase in extracellular nitric oxide (NO) generation from 4.90 ± 0.72 μM to 18.79 ± 0.32 μM (p < 0.001), a 2.2-fold increase in intracellular NO production, the MFC increasing from 14.95 ± 0.48 to 33.34 ± 1.66 (p < 0.001), and concomitantly depleted non protein thiols as analyzed by flow cytometry using mercury orange, with a reduction in MFC from 632.5 ± 49.44 to 407.4 ± 12.61 (p < 0.01). Additionally, S-EtOH (14 μg/mL, 24 h) caused apoptosis as evident by increased Annexin V binding and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP DNA nick end labeling. Taken together, the cytotoxicity of S-EtOH can be partly attributed to its capacity to inflict oxidative damage via generation of both reactive oxygen and nitrogen species culminating in apoptosis.     

Antibacterial activity of Cuscuta reflexa stem and Corchorus olitorius seed

The methanol extracts of Cuscuta reflexa stem and Corchorus olitorius seed showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity.     

Electrofocusing of methanolic extracts for identification of individual flavonol biomolecules in Camellia species

An effort has been made to isolate individual catechin compounds from green tea leaves in their pure form by electrophoresis. In the present study total polyphenol extraction was carried out initially and estimated through spectrophotometric and HPLC methods. Extracted polyphenol was separated on 0.7% agarose gel and visualized at 360 nm. Fragmented individual compounds were gel eluted with methanol and confirmed as (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) by HPLC. The method developed describes a suitable method for the isolation of valuable molecules in tea.     

Comparing farmers and breeders rankings in varietal selection for low-input environments: A case study of rainfed rice in eastern India

A number of breeding institutions developed a project to assess importance of participatory plant breeding approaches for rainfed rice improvement in eastern India. The results of the first two years of participatory varietal selection are reported here. The objective was to evaluate the respective effects of participation of farmers in varietal evaluation and decentralization of varietal testing from breeding stations to farmers' fields on varietal ranking. Fields representing various hydrological situations were chosen in two to three villages at four rainfed lowland sites and one upland site. Sets of 15 to 25 varieties were tested both in farmers' fields and on-station in 1997 and 1998 and ranked by both farmers and breeders. The effect of participation was judged by comparing the rankings attributed by farmers and breeders to a given set of material in a given trial. The effect of decentralization was determined through comparisons between individual breeders' rankings across trials. Farmers' rankings were not randomly allocated, but agreement within the farmers' group was not always very strong. Except at one site, concordance among breeders' ranking was high, but, because of the limited number of breeders involved, it was seldom significant. In about two-thirds of the trials, there was a good agreement between farmers' and breeders' mean rankings. The consensus was particularly strong when severe constraints induced contrasting behavior in the genotypes. The decentralization effect appeared to be moderate, but variations due to a breeder effect were recorded. The part of genotype by environment interactions for grain yield due to location within one site and year was evaluated through various methods, showing more effect of G × E interactions at some sites than at others. Crossover interactions inducing changes in ranks represented a limited part of the yearly G × E interactions at all sites. Both farmer participation and decentralization of varietal testing in farmers' field would help in best matching the varieties to the needs, although their combined contribution would be more useful in some sites than in others. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Senescence of Flag Leaf and Glume in Rice: Role of Grains during Source-Sink Modification by Physical and Chemical Means

Senescence of flag leaf and glume of rice ( Oryza sativa L. cv. Ratna ) at different source sink ratios, through manipulating the plants by physical and chemical means, were analyzed. As judged from the chlorophyll retention capacity, induction of sterility deferred senescence of flag leaf and glume at both grain filling and post grain maturation period. Senescence of the glumes was promoted in the plants whose panicles were darkened. The time needed for achieving maximum 1000 grain dry weight was quickened, the harvest index (HI) was lowered and the flag leaf senescence was delayed by such manipulation. Spraying of urea deferred senescence of the flag leaf as well as increased 1000 grain dry weight and HI. The time taken for achieving maximum 1000 grain dry weight was, however, delayed. Senescence of glumes was promoted by α-HPMS spray, while the same was delayed by PMA spray on the whole plant. Both the chemicals deferred flag leaf senescence and decreased 1000 grain dry weight and HI. Senescence of the flag leaf at post grain filling period was also delayed by the above physical and chemical manipulations compared to that of control, the highest delaying effect was recorded in the flag leaf of sterile plant.
It is concluded that nutrient drainage is the primary cause of nonsequential senescence of the flag leaf of rice (cv. Ratna ). The involvement of senescence signal if any, is perhaps of secondary importance.     

Genetic parameters for direct and maternal effects on post-weaning body measurements of Muzaffarnagari sheep in India

Variance components and genetic parameters were estimated for post-weaning (i.e., at 6, 9, and 12 months of age) body measurements in Muzaffarnagari sheep maintained at the Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, Mathura, India over a period of 29 years (1976 through 2004). Records of 2,965 lambs descended from 162 rams and 1,213 ewes were used in the study. Analyses were carried out by REML fitting an animal model and ignoring or including maternal genetic or permanent environmental effects. Six different animal models were fitted for all traits. The best model was chosen after testing the improvement of the log-likelihood values. Direct heritability estimates were inflated substantially for all traits when maternal effects were ignored. Moderate estimates of direct heritability for body length (0.11–0.15), height at withers (0.14–0.19), and heart girth (0.14–0.24) of lambs were observed at post-weaning stages of growth. Results suggest that only direct additive genetic effects were important for body measurements at post-weaning stages of growth, and hence, modest rates of genetic progress were possible for post-weaning body measurements.     

Evaluation of bacterial strains isolated from oil-contaminated soil for production of polyhydroxyalkanoic acids (PHA)

Samples of eight geographically distinct soils contaminated with crude oil were screened for polyhydroxyalkanoic acid (PHA) producing bacterial strains. Twenty three bacterial strains were able to accumulate PHA when sodium gluconate or sodium octanoate was used as the sole carbon source. Biochemical tests and 16S rRNA sequencing identified bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Sphingobacterium, Brochothrix, Caulobacter, Ralstonia, Burkholderia and Yokenella. Three of the bacterial strains have never been reported to produce PHA. The phylogenetic analysis of the PHA synthase (phaC) gene of these bacteria showed a close homology with the phaC gene of different Pseudomonas species.This study indicates that stressed environments like oil-contaminated sites can be potential sources of medium-chain-length PHA producers.     

��Observations on Aerosol Optical Depth Over a Period of 3 Years at Kaikhali (22.022��N, 88.614��E) Inside a Special Mangrove Ecosystem��The Sundarbans��

The paper reports the observations of the aerosol studies carried-out for three years (2004-2007) during the summers and winters at Kaikhali (22.0220 N & 88.6140E) lying in the east coast of India inside a special mangrove ecosystem: 'The Sundarbans'. Aerosol optical depths were measured using a five filter channel sunphotometer with wavelengths at 340, 500,870, 936 and 1020 nm respectively. The sampling site enjoys a tropical climate and is under the strong influence of the southwest or summer monsoon and weak northeast or winter monsoon. The mean aerosol optical depth (AOD) during the winters (2004-2007) for the filter channels 340, 500, 870, 936 and 1020 nm have been found to be 1.478, 1.014, 0.579, 0.541 and 0.523 respectively whereas for the summer periods, they have been found to be 1.173, 0.859, 0.603, 0.564 and 0.597 respectively. The mean values of the angstrom exponent calculated for the winter and summer months over the years 2004-2007 have been found to be 1.283, 0.999, 1.285 and 1.094, 1.167 and 1.91 respectively. Generally the higher angstrom exponent values during the winter periods over the years from 2004-2007 except for the year 2005-2006 indicate high ratio of smaller fractions to larger fractions. The values of Angstrom exponents observed at the site suggest that the aerosol comprise mostly of the small size particles. An attempt has been made in the paper to compare the aerosol optical depth and angstrom exponent values with another study conducted in a different coastal zone in India.