Toxoplasma gondii virulence prediction using hierarchical cluster analysis based on coding sequences (CDS) of sag1, gra7 and rop18

Toxoplasma gondii consists of three genotypes, namely genotype I, II and III. Based on its virulence, T. gondii can be divided into virulent and avirulent strains. This study intends to evaluate an alternative method for predicting T. gondii virulence using hierarchical cluster analysis based on complete coding sequences (CDS) of sag1, gra7 and rop18 genes. Dendrogram was constructed using UPGMA with a Kimura 80 nucleotide distance measurement. The results showed that the prediction errors of T. gondii virulence using sag1, gra7 and rop18 were 7.41%, 6.89% and 9.1%, respectively. Analysis based on CDS of gra7 and rop18 was able to differentiate avirulent strains into genotypes II and III, whereas sag1 failed to differentiate.     

Gut microbiota—a positive contributor in the process of intermittent fasting-mediated obesity control

Historically, intermittent fasting (IF) has been considered as an effective strategy for controlling the weight of athletes before competition. Along with excellent insight into its application in various spaces by numerous studies, increasing IF-mediated positive effects have been reported, including anti-aging, neuroprotection, especially obesity control. Recently, the gut microbiota has been considered as an essential manipulator for host energy metabolism and its structure has been reported to be sensitive to dietary structure and habits, indicating that there is a potential and strong association between IF and gut microbiota. In this paper, we focus on the crosstalk between these symbionts and energy metabolism during IF which hold the promise to optimize host energy metabolism at various physical positions, including adipose tissue, liver and intestines, and further improve milieu internal homeostasis. Moreover, this paper also discusses the positive function of a potential recommendatory strain (Akkermansia muciniphila) based on the observational data for IF-mediated alternated pattern of gut microbiota and a hopefully regulatory pathway (circadian rhythm) for gut microbiota in IF-involved improvement on host energy metabolism. Finally, this review addresses the limitation and perspective originating from these studies, such as the association with tissue-specific bio-clock and single strain research, which may continuously reveal novel viewpoints and mechanisms to understand the energy metabolism and develop new strategies for treating obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders.     

Water Requirements of Safflower Entries in Middle Egypt

Two promising selected land races of safflower ( Carthamns tinctorious L.) designated as line 11 and line 13, together with the local variety Giza 1 , were examined under three levels of moisture depletions, i.e. 40, 60 and 80 % ASMD at Fayoum, Middle Egypt during 1986/87 and 1987/88 seasons. In both growing seasons, the second irrigation treatment i.e. 60 % ASMD gave the highest means for growth characters as well as seed yield and most of its components. Seed oil content per cent exhibited an increased as soil moisture depletion increased with no significant difference between entries. Safflower entries showed clear differences in some yield components which compensate each other and resulted in no significant difference in seed yield per hectar.
Consumptive use of water by safflower plants increased as the available soil moisture around the root zone increased. No significant differences were found in water consumed by safflower entries used in all experiments.
In the two experimental seasons, the best water use efficiency (WUE) for seed production was obtained also from the second treatment (60 % ASMD). The line 11 gave the best WUE.     

Yields of Green Grams and Pigeonpeas under Smallholder Conditions in Machakos County,Kenya

Green grams and pigeonpeas have multiple benefits to the rural poor as food security, fodder for livestock and fuel for small-scale farmers, despite low smallholder yields in Kenya. However, little is known about the factors between different farmers that influence the yields of green grams and pigeonpeas. The objectives of this study therefore were to describe and compare how the groups of farmers in agro-ecological zones (AEZs) LM 4 and LM 5 differ by their yields of green grams and pigeonpeas and to estimate the parameters of the variables which explain the yields. Data collection was through a well-structured questionnaire, administered to 364 respondents, selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Each AEZ had an equal sample size (182 respondents). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple linear regression were used during data analysis. The ANOVA results showed that the mean of the green gram yields in AEZs LM 4 and LM 5 was 19.90 and 173.67 kg ha^?1 while the mean of the pigeonpea yields was 109.26 and 34.01 kg ha^?1, respectively. The multiple linear regression model results showed that the green gram yields were positively related to the use of improved seed (p?=?0.001), cultivated farm sizes (p?=?0.011), green gram crop intensity (p?=?0.005), oxcart (p?=?0.003) and agro-ecological zone (p?=?0.000). The farmer differences in the use of improved seed were found to be significantly and positively related to the yields of pigeonpeas (p?=?0.057), while the sizes of the cultivated farms (p?=?0.057) and the agro-ecological zones (p?=?0.000) showed inverse relationships (IRs). Based on the given research evidence, it was therefore concluded that the groups of farmers in AEZs LM 4 and LM 5 have different yields of green grams and pigeonpeas and there are factor gaps in productivity.     

Zur Wirkung von Milchsäure auf den Varroa-Befall der Biene

40% lactic acid was sprayed 3 times into each of two bee colonies. The rate of infestation was determined, before beginning the experiment and after each of the applications. The treatments showed a mean percentage reduction in the brood infestation byVarroa of 76,7% in the first colony and 85,2% in the second. These data indicate that it is possible to control the Varroasis by means of lactic acid successfully and without side effects.     

Effects of physical attributes and chemical composition of novel foods on food selection by Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus)

An organism’s food is a fundamental aspect of its survival niche. Free-ranging rodents are presented regularly with different types of novel food. To investigate the novel food selection process in Norway rats concerning chemical and physical characteristics, 288 laboratory bred Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) were tested with a 2-h free choice for each animal. First, rats were tested against eight kinds of novel foods: corn, beans, broiler ration, soybeans, peanuts, rice, potatoes, and millet. Rats preferred corn over the other novel food types, and there was a significant positive correlation between the selective coefficient and carbohydrate content; rats chose novel food with highest energy content. Rats also appeared to be less neophobic to foods of high sugar content. Regarding physical characteristic, rats effectively differentiated between spectral colors of different wavelengths, and red-colored food was more attractive for rats than foods of four other colors. Small-sized food received the highest numbers of visits and longest feeding bouts compared to other sizes. These results suggest that the carbohydrates content, red color, and small size of novel food play a role in the novel food selection of Norway rats.     

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⁺.     

Mineral bioavailability in grains of Pakistani bread wheat declines from old to current cultivars

Estimating variation in grain mineral concentration and bioavailability in relation to grain yield and the year of cultivar release is important for breeding wheat with increased content of bioavailable minerals. The grain yield and yield components, grain phytate concentration, and concentration and bioavailability of minerals (zinc Zn, iron Fe and calcium Ca) in wheat grains were estimated in 40 wheat cultivars released in Punjab (Pakistan) during the last five decades. Mean grain Zn and Ca concentrations in current-cultivars were significantly lower (≥14%) than in obsolete cultivars released during the Green Revolution (1965–1976). Much of this variation was related to increased grain weight in current-cultivars. There was a positive correlation among minerals (r = 0.39 or higher, n = 40) and minerals with phytate in wheat grains (r = 0.38 or higher, n = 40). The tested cultivars varied widely in grain yield and grain phytate-to-mineral molar ratios (phytate:mineral). Compared to obsolete cultivars, the current-cultivars had a higher phytate:mineral ratio in grains, indicating poor bioavailability of minerals to humans. The study revealed a non-significant relationship between grain yield and phytate:mineral ratios in grains. Therefore, breeding for lower phytate:mineral ratios in wheat grains can ensure increased mineral bioavailability without significant reduction in the yield potential. Future breeding should be focused on developing new genotypes suitable for mineral biofortification and with increased mineral bioavailability in grains.     

Identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with maintenance of wheat (Triticum aestivum Desf.) quality characteristics under heat stress conditions

The goal of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with the maintenance of wheat grain quality following post-anthesis heat stress in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. The response to heat stress was measured using the sodium dodecyl sulfate sedimentation test (SDSS), a significant predictor of bread baking quality. SDSS scores were used to identify QTLs associated with grain quality and QTLs associated with quality stability were identified based on percent change in SDSS score between the heat stress and control treatments. Four QTLs were identified, located one each on linkage groups 1B, 1D, 4A, and 7A. The 1B, 1D, and 4A QTLs were associated with grain quality; the QTL on linkage group 7A was associated with quality stability. To confirm the detected QTLs, eighty advanced lines grown at three Texas nurseries were tested for relationships between allelic polymorphism at QTL linked markers and quality traits. Quality trait stability in the advanced lines was estimated using the coefficient of variability (CV%) of quality traits between nurseries. The analysis supported the relationship of the predicted QTLs on linkage groups 1B, 1D, and 4A with quality traits. The confirmed QTLs may be used in marker assisted selection (MAS) to develop wheat lines possessing superior quality traits. In addition, identification of genetic regions associated with this trait will aid the identification of the underlying genes.     

Breeding for boron tolerance in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) using a high‐throughput phenotypic assay and molecular markers

This study describes the identification of a quantitative trait locus (QTL) in the recombinant inbred line population of ILL2024 × ILL6788 and subsequent validation of associated molecular markers. A high‐quality genetic linkage map was constructed with 758 markers that cover 1,057 cM, with an average intermarker distance of 2 cM. QTL analysis revealed a single genomic region on Lc2 to be associated with B tolerance and accounted for up to 76% of phenotypic variation (Vp). The best markers for B tolerance were assessed for their utility in routine breeding applications using validation panels of diverse lentil germplasm and breeding material derived from ILL2024. A marker generated from the dense genetic map of this study was found to be the most accurate of all markers available for B tolerance in lentil, with a success rate of 93% within a large breeding pool derived from ILL2024. However, given the number of the unrelated lines for which the marker–trait association was not conserved, B tolerance screening is still required at later stages to confirm predicted phenotypes.