The spawning cycle,fry appearance and mass collection techniques for fry of Siganus rivulatus in the Red Sea

Data on the G.S.I. of adults and appearance of fry indicated a regular lunar spawning cycle of S. rivulatus within a seasonal breeding period. A mass collection technique yielding 5000–7000 fry per day was developed.     

Antinociceptive diterpene from Euphorbia decipiens

One myrsinol-type diterpene ester (1) isolated from Euphorbia decipiens was evaluated for analgesic activity in the acetic acid induced writhing test in mice. Different dose (5-20 mg/kg i.p.) of the compound showed significant antinociceptive activity, which was comparable to standard analgesic drugs, aspirin and ibuprofen (100 mg/kg i.p.).     

Laboratory Observations Regarding Different Instars ofCyclosain-sulana (Costa, 1834) (Araneidae) During Developmental Stages

The current experiment was conducted to find out the optimal conditions for mass rearing and developmental changes of Cyclosainsulana. The lab. conditions were maintained at(27±2)℃ and(65±5)% RH. The clear perplex cages and natural diet consisting of the aphids, larvae of the house fly and larvae of drosophila were used for rearing. C. insulana took(123.12±7.26) days to develop from eggs to adults passing through eight instars under prevailing vivo conditions. The eggs were greenish white in color with average size of 0.57 mm ±0.034. The eggs spent(7.52±1.64) days in emergence. Maximum number of spiderlings survived at the 5th instar(84%) and minimum at the 1st instar(34%). The measurements of different body parts including the total body length, cephalothorax and pedipalps of the both male and female C. insulana were done with the help of micrometer and presented as mean±SD. The measurements varied in the each developing instar. It was concluded that spiders were difficult to rear in the lab. conditions and each developing stage which was regarded as instars showed variations in size colors and body characteristics.     

Synthetic seed production by encapsulating nodal segment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Capparis decidua</Emphasis> (Forsk.), in vitro regrowth of plantlets and their physio biochemical studies

Synthetic seed technology is an emerging and broadly used technique in the field of plant biotechnology to conserve economically important plants. In the present study, nodal segments of Capparis decidua were entrapped in calcium alginate gel matrix to produce firm and uniform synthetic seeds. 3% sodium alginate and 75 mM calcium chloride were found best for encapsulation. Among all the concentrations and combinations of thidiazuron (TDZ) either singly or with indole -3- acetic acid (IAA) augmented in Murashige and Skoog medium used, TDZ (5.0 µM) + IAA (0.5 µM) was found most effective in conversion of synthetic seeds into plantlets as 79% plantlets were developed on this combination with 13.2 ± 0.87 shoots and 5.5 ± 0.40 cm shoot length after 8 weeks of culture. Further, synthetic seeds stored at low temperature (4 °C) can retain their viability up to 4 weeks and showed maximum conversion rate (93%) into plantlets, when placed back to regeneration medium. Root formation was also occurred in the same regeneration medium and roots were healthy. Plantlets were successfully hardened in culture room in plastic cups filled with sterile vermiculite and after 4 weeks, they were transferred to greenhouse where they exhibited normal growth with 80% survival. Growth parameters were evaluated in micropropagated plants and compared with the seedlings of same age. Effect of different days of acclimatization were also recorded on various physio-biochemical activities and showed a positive response that can be interpreted as better protection mechanism of micropropagated plants against the stress possibly generated due to reactive oxygen species when transferred to ex vitro environment.     

Comparison of the fast‐induced and high dietary zinc‐induced molting: trace elements dynamic in serum and eggs at different production stages in hens (Gallus domesticus)

A number of 252, 70 week old, single comb white leghorn hens at the end of their first production cycle were divided into two groups: group‐I; molted by fasting and group‐II; by high dietary zinc to obtain the second and third production cycle. Sampling was carried out at 5%, peak and end of the second production cycle and at 5% and peak of the third production cycle. Serum zinc decreased at the peak of the second production cycle, while increased at the 5% of the third production cycle in zinc‐molted group. Serum copper and manganese increased at the 5% and peak of the second production cycle in zinc‐molted group. Egg albumin zinc and copper increased at the 5% and peak of the second as well as third production cycles in zinc‐molted group. Egg albumin manganese increased at 5% during the second production cycle in fasting molted group. Egg yolk zinc increased at the peak of the second production cycle in zinc‐molted group. Egg yolk copper increased at the 5% of second production cycle but decreased during the third production cycle in zinc‐molted group. Egg yolk manganese increased at the 5% and at the end of the second production cycle in zinc molted group. Egg yolk manganese and iron decreased during the third production cycle in zinc‐molted group. Eggshell zinc decreased at the end of the second production cycle in the zinc‐molted group, while eggshell copper increased at the peak of the second as well as third production cycles in fasting molted group.     

Assessment of Phosphorus Levels in Small Ruminants as Affected by Summer and Winter

An experiment was carried out to assess the phosphorus status of free grazing goats at Faisalabad,Pakistan.Samples were collected fortnightly during summer and winter seasons of 2010 from soil and plants.The highest(118±0.54 mg·kg-1)levels of feces phosphorus were recorded in lactating goats during winter and(9.87±0.99 mg·kg-1)in urine of male during winter.Similarly maximum(71.0±0.88 mg·kg-1)phosphorus concentration was observed in the plasma of lactating animals.Milk contained(31.0±0.36)mg·L-1 in winter while during the months of summer the highest values recorded in forages,soils,canal and tube well waters were(755±1.98)mg·kg-1,(785±4.98)mg·kg-1,(0.97±8.78)mg·L-1 and(4.12±0.55)mg·L-1,respectively.It was revealed from the current results that fecal matter,forage,milk,tube well and canal water contained lower amounts of P,while P levels in blood plasma was found within the critical limits.Therefore,phosphorus supplementations were required in the area under experimentation to meet the requirements of the animals for their normal growth.     

Tree-root influence on soil physical conditions, seedling establishment and natural thinning of Acacia seyal var. seyal on clays of Central Sudan

Acacia seyal is an important component of the agrosilvopastoral systems of the Sahelian zone of Africa. The relationships between lateral spreading of the tree roots and the establishment of the understorey vegetation are, however, little understood. The effect of the tree roots on soil bulk density, soil moisture content and understorey vegetation was studied in the Central Clay Plains of the Sudan. Three study sites were included: a forest, a-two-year-old logged-over area and a-one-year-old abandoned farm, and these sites were distributed over three different geographical locations. Roots of trees, tree seedlings and annual herbs were concentrated in the top 70 cm of soil, possibly due to compacted soil and the confinement of rain water in this layer. Soil bulk density at the 60 to90 cm layer was high in forest, low in logged-over and intermediate in farm. Soil moisture content varied in the reverse order. The low soil moisture content and the high soil bulk density reduced seedling survival. Abundant Acacia seyal seeds germinated and grew during the rainy season. During the first dry season, however, 86% of seedlings of forest died, whereas only 11% of logged-over and 14% of farm died; canopy shading did not seem to affect seedling survival. Tree seedlings and agricultural crops are not able to compete with the A. seyal trees for soil resources but appear to benefit from the ameliorated soil texture, structure and fertility following tree felling. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Growth of Siganus rivulatus reared in sea cages in the Red Sea

Siganus rivulatus fry stocked in extensively managed sea cage systems grew from 3 to 105 g in 150 days.     

Electrochemical Treatment of Nitrite Using Stainless Steel Electrodes

The efficiency of nitrite removal in an electrochemical cell was investigated in this study using stainless steel electrodes. The experiments were designed to study the effects of current input, volume of the solution, initial pH, and number of electrodes on removal of nitrite at a concentration typical to aquaculture system effluents. Current variation causes opposite trends, while an increase in current would increase the oxidizing efficiency of the system, the voltage induced increase in pH due to hydrogen evolution would decrease the efficiency of the oxidizing agent formed. However, the highest nitrite removal was achieved at a current of 2 A and a complete removal was attained after a duration of ten minutes. A first order reaction model was developed to predict the effect of current on nitrite removal. The energy consumption was directly proportional to the initial pH and the solution volume, while it was inversely proportional to the number of electrodes.