Influence of foliar application of mineral nutrients at different growth stages of guava

Foliar application of nutrients enhances efficient use along with quick response. The experiment was undertaken to study the effect of foliar application of mineral nutrients viz., boron (B), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), and potassium (K) sprayed at different growth stages viz., at fruit set and at two weeks after fruit set of guava (Psidium guajava L.). Increase in plant canopy and minimum seed index was in Zn (0.03%) sprayed at fruit set. Fruit size, sugar: acid, and organoleptic score were better in K (0.5%) sprayed at two weeks after fruit set. Increased yield in Zn (0.01%) and pectin enhancement with B (0.03%) was found at two weeks after fruit set, respectively. Minimum physiological loss in weight of fruits was with Ca (0.5%) sprayed at two weeks after fruit set. In general, for most of the desirable characters 0.5% potassium (K) spray at 2 weeks after fruit set had better results.     

甘蔗应答黑穗病菌侵染相关酶活性和内源激素含量的变化

[目的]研究不同甘蔗品种与黑穗病菌长期互作过程中相关酶活性及内源激素含量的变化,为甘蔗应答黑穗病菌侵染的抗性机制提供理论依据.[方法]选用抗黑穗病品种桂糖29号和感黑穗病品种崖城71-374,用浸渍法接种黑穗病菌,对照组用无菌水模拟接菌.在接菌后30、60、90和180 d取甘蔗+1位叶为样品,分析几丁质酶、β-1,3-葡聚糖酶和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性及生长素(IAA)、细胞分裂素(CTK)和乙烯(ETH)含量的变化.[结果]在整个侵染期间,两个甘蔗品种叶片的几丁质酶活性、β-1,3-葡聚糖酶活性及IAA、CTK含量呈逐步降低或波动下降趋势,均在接种后180 d达最低值,而CAT活性整体上呈上升趋势,在接种后180 d达最高值;其中抗性品种桂糖29号的β-1,3-葡聚糖酶活性和ETH含量在整个浸染过程均高于感病品种崖城71-374.[结论]甘蔗在不同时期应答黑穗病菌胁迫的生理生化反应不同,感病品种与抗病品种的防御机制可能存在差异.     

Effect of conjoint application of indigenous PGPR and chemical fertilizers on productivity of maize (Zea mays L.) under mid hills of Himachal Pradesh

The present study was conducted to work out the conjoint application of indigenous PGPR (plant growth promoting rhizobacteria) and chemical fertilizers levels on the productivity of maize (Zea mays L.). Three best PGPR isolates (B1N1, MAT1 and DHK) having maximum PGP (plant growth promoting) traits were screened at different recommended doses (80%, 60% and 40%) of NP (Nitrogen and Phosphorous) under net house conditions, and finally two isolates (B1N1 and MAT1) along with optimum dose i.e. 80% of NP were selected for field experimentation, which was performed for two years consecutively i.e. 2013–2015 under random block design (RBD). Conjoint application of 80% recommended doses of NP with PGPR (B1N1) significantly increased maize yield (11.7%), plant height (12.9%) and biomass (17.9%), over control (100% recommend dose of fertilizer (RDF) of chemical fertilizer). Therefore, the results revealed the potential of indigenous PGPR isolates to supplement about 20% NP fertilizers without hampering the productivity of maize.     

Nutrients,amino acid,fatty acid and non‐starch polysaccharide profile and in vitro digestibility of macadamia nut cake in swine

The highly variable cost and limited availability of conventional feedstuffs make it imperative to explore alternative feedstuffs to be used in swine. Macadamia nut cake (MNC), a coproduct of the macadamia nut oil industry, has not been well studied. MNC was analyzed for its nutrient profile, gross energy (GE), fibers, amino acids and fatty acids content. Dry matter (DM) and GE digestibility of MNC in swine was determined using an in vitro model. On a DM basis, ash, crude protein, ether extract, NDF, ADF, lignin and GE were found to be 3.7, 25.5, 11.9, 35.8, 28.0, 16.0% and 5581 kcal/kg, respectively. Total and soluble non‐starch polysaccharide content were 32.2 and 11.8%, respectively. The concentration of lysine was found to be 0.7%. The DM and GE digestibility were found to be 75.7 and 71.4%, respectively. Gross energy content of MNC is comparable with that of corn and higher than soybean meal, while protein content is twice as high as corn but lower than soybean meal. In conclusion, MNC is not merely a good source of protein and energy but also has fairly high digestibility in swine. Hence, it can be used as a viable alternative source of energy and protein in swine diets.     

Fusarium equiseti is associated with the wilt and dieback of Aquilaria malaccensis in Northeast India

Aquilaria malaccensis, categorized by IUCN as globally vulnerable, is in high demand in the Middle East and Asian markets for its unique resinous agarwood. In August 2015, symptoms of dieback were observed on A. malaccensis trees planted in the Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Garden, Panbari, Golaghat of the Assam Forest Department. The entire crowns of 70 trees showed complete leaf loss and severe dieback. Rotting at the collar region and of roots was also observed. Isolation from the infected roots consistently yielded Fusarium equiseti identified following standard laboratory procedures and analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence of the ribosomal DNA. Symptoms of wilt, dieback and root rot were observed on 5‐month‐old Aquilaria seedlings 25 days after inoculation with the isolated fungus. This paper is the first report of F. equiseti causing wilt and dieback of A. malaccensis.     

Nanoclay polymer composites loaded with urea and nitrification inhibitors for controlling nitrification in soil

Nanoclay polymer composites (NCPCs) were synthesized with partially neutralized acrylic acid and bentonites and loaded with urea and nitrification inhibitors (NIs) to act as a slow release carrier of nitrogen (N). The resulting product was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD of NCPCs revealed that the bentonite layers were completely exfoliated and dispersed in the composite after the polymerization. The water absorbency of pure polymer (Acrylic acid + Acrylamide) was 197.53 g g^?1 and 137.75 g g^?1 by nanocomposite (8% nanobentonite) in distilled water. The nitrification inhibition ability of these NCPCs was evaluated by incubation study for 60 days in laboratory at 28°C and 50% water-holding capacity. The Schiff base -NCPCs were most effective at inhibiting nitrification (30–87%) compared to dicyandiamide and Neem oil. A column study was performed to know the movement of NH₄-N and NO₃-N at three different depths. Result showed that the Schiff base -NCPC decreased nitrate movement by 78.5% at the depth of 5 cm in soil column. The slow release of nitrogen and good water retention capacity confirmed that these NCPCs can be viably exploited for application in agriculture.     

Understanding the Effects of the Invasive Plants on Rural Forest-dependent Communities

Small-scale Forestry - Most of the studies on invasive species are disproportionately focused on their ecological effects and more investigations are needed to understand the effects of invasive...     

Development and characterization of cell lines derived from rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton), and catla, Catla catla (Hamilton)

Two new cell lines, designated RE and CB, were derived from the eye of rohu, Labeo rohita , and the brain of catla, Catla catla , respectively. The cell lines were maintained in Leibovitz's L-15 supplemented with 20% foetal bovine serum. The RE cell line was sub-cultured for more than 70 passages and the CB cell line for more than 35 passages. The RE cells are rounded and consist predominantly of epithelial cells. The CB cell line consists of predominantly fibroblastic-like cells. Both cell lines are able to grow at temperatures between 25 and 32 °C with an optimum of 28 °C. The growth rate of the cells increased as the foetal bovine serum concentration increased from 2% to 20% at 28 °C, with optimum growth at concentrations of 15% or 20% foetal bovine serum. The cells were successfully cryopreserved and revived at different passage levels. The cell lines were not susceptible to four marine fish viruses. Extracellular products from Aeromonas sp . were toxic to the cell lines. When the cells were transfected with plasmid eukaryotic green fluorescent protein (pEGFP [Clontech, Carlsbad, CA, USA]) vector DNA, a significant fluorescent signal was observed suggesting that these cell lines could be a useful tool for transgenic and genetic manipulation studies. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of mitochondrial 12S rRNA from rohu and catla confirmed that the cell lines originated from these fish species. The cell lines were further characterized by immunocytochemistry using confocal laser scanning microscopy.     

Productivity of radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don.) clones in monoclonal and clonal mixture plots at age 12 years

Productivities of monoclonal plots and clonal mixtures of 10 radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don.) clones were compared in a trial established in 1993 at Dalethorpe, Canterbury, New Zealand. Ten monoclonal and one mixture of the 10 clones were planted in a complete randomised block design with three replications using 40-tree plots (un-thinned, pruned to 2.5 m, stocking of 1250 stems per hectare). The study was conducted to determine if mode of deployment (monoclonal versus clonal mixture) affected overall productivity and how or if each clone was affected by mode of deployment.     

Efficacy of various lipid supplements in formulated pellet diets for juvenile Scylla serrata

Efficacy of sunflower oil (diet SF) and soybean oil (diet SB) alone and in combination with cod liver oil (diets M1‐2.80:1.40:1.40, M2‐2.80:2.24:0.56 and M3‐2.80:0.56:2.24; cod liver oil:sunflower oil:soybean oil) as lipid supplements (5.6%) in formulated diets (crude fat ～9.79%) for juvenile Scylla serrata (weight=0.28±0.07 g, carapace width=9.7±0.1 mm) were compared with diet CL, containing cod liver oil alone as the lipid supplement (6 diets × 24 crabs stocked individually, randomized block design). Growth performance, nutrient (protein and lipid) intake and gain of crabs fed M1, M2 and M3 were higher (P≤0.05) than the crabs fed SF and SB, but were not significantly different (P≥0.05) from crabs fed CL. Dietary fatty acids (FAs) are found to influence the FA profile of test crabs. Higher tissue levels of 16:1n‐7, 18:1n‐9 and 18:1n‐7 reflected the essential FA deficiency in crabs fed diets supplemented only with vegetable oils. Results confirmed that S. serrata could utilize vegetable oil supplements in the formulated diets as a partial replacement (50%) of cod liver oil without compromising growth and survival. Partial substitution of marine fish oil with suitable vegetable oils can reduce the feed cost considerably, in the context of rising fish oil prices.