Epidemiology of Q-fever in goats in Hubei province of China

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) is an intracellular bacterium, which causes zoonotic disease called Q-fever. However, scarce information is known about the...     

Silage quality as influenced by concentration and type of tannins present in the material ensiled: A meta‐analysis

Protein degradation during ensiling is a major problem. Tannins are known to prevent or decelerate protein degradation in the rumen and may be able to do so in silages as well. Therefore, the present evaluation aimed to analyse the influence of tannins on silage quality. This was done by integrating from all suitable experiments found in literature on the topic in a meta‐analysis approach. A total of 122 datasets originating from 28 experiments obtained from 16 published articles and one own unpublished experiment were included in the database. Tannins in the silages originated either from the plants ensiled or from supplementations of tanniferous plants or tannins extracted from such plants. Tannin concentrations ranged from 0 to 57.8 g/kg dry matter, and the ensiling period varied from 30 to 130 days. The analysis was based on the linear mixed model methodology in which the different studies were considered as random effects and tannin‐related properties (either concentration or type of tannins) were treated as fixed effects. Results revealed that greater concentrations of tannins were associated with a decrease of butyrate concentration in the silages (p < 0.05). An increasing tannin concentration was also accompanied with smaller proportions of soluble N, free amino acid N, non‐protein nitrogen and NH₃‐N in total silage N (p < 0.05). The relationships between hydrolysable and condensed tannins and the decline in butyrate and NH₃‐N concentrations in the silages were of different magnitude (p < 0.05). A higher tannin concentration was associated with a decline in in vitro dry matter digestibility. It was concluded that tannins apparently have the ability to limit extensive proteolysis which may occur during ensiling and thus may improve the fermentative quality of silages. A desired side effect seems to be given by the tannins' apparent property to limit the activity of the butyrate‐producing microbes.     

The effects of growth factors on proliferation of spermatogonial stem cells from Guangxi Bama mini‐pig

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different growth factors on the proliferation of Bama mini‐pig spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in vitro. The growth factors glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF), GDNF family receptor alpha‐1 (GFRα1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were investigated. The SSCs were seeded on SIM mouse embryo‐derived thioguanine‐ and ouabain‐resistant (STO) feeder layers. Cultivation of the cells were subjected to a factorial design of the growth factors GDNF + bFGF, GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1, LIF + bFGF and LIF + bFGF + GFRα1. The SSCs could propagate for 25 passages in the medium adding GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1, 22 passages in the medium adding GDNF + bFGF, 6 passages in the medium adding LIF + bFGF, or LIF + bFGF + GFRα1. qRT‐PCR analysis showed that the highest mRNA expression levels of NANOG, POU5F, DDX4, GFRα1 and UCHL1 were detected in the group adding GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1. The SSCs from the group adding GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1 also showed UCHL1‐, DBA‐ and CDH1‐positive staining. Moreover, Stra8 and Scp3 expression, and haploid peak were detected after induction of the SSCs from the group adding GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1. In conclusion, pig SSCs could be maintained for long term in the presence of GDNF, bFGF, and GFRα1.     

Effects of Different Drying Methods on Some Physical and Chemical Properties of Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) Fruits

ABSTRACT

In this communication, we have discussed and compared the different drying processes i.e. flat plate solar collector, open sun and mechanical dryer with the preservative solution of Sodium Benzoate. Loquats were pretreated with preservative solution and subject to the drying process. Drying kinetics in terms of moisture lost per hour and drying rate, texture and antioxidants retention were determined before and after drying. Statistical analysis of the data showed that the different drying process has significantly affected on the kinetics of loquat fruits with the confidence interval of (α ≤ 0.05), whereas the preservative solution showed a non-significant effect on texture and antioxidants retention. High moisture lost per hour (5.4%) was recorded in mechanical dryer followed by flat plate solar collector dryer (3.7 %) while minimum (1.8%) was recorded in open sun drying. Good textured dried loquat with optimum hardness (313 g) and stiffness (141 g mm^?1) was found in flat plate solar collector dried samples. Similarly more antioxidants (52%) retained in samples dried with hot air using flat plate solar collector followed by the mechanical dryer (47%) while minimum (41%) was recorded in open sun drying. Although mechanical drying is fast, it does not help to maintain a good texture and more antioxidants. From the study, it was concluded that hot air drying using a flat plate solar collector is better for drying process to get valuable dried loquat with good texture and more antioxidants.     

Seed priming improves growth of nursery seedlings and yield of transplanted rice

Abstract

An attempt to improve the performance of rice (Oryza sativa L.) nursery seedlings through seed priming and its effect on the yield after transplantation was made in a field trial. Priming tools employed during the investigation include pre-germination, hydropriming for 48 h, osmohardening with KCl and CaCl₂ (ψs-1.25 MPa) for 24 h, vitamin priming with 10 ppm ascorbic acid for 48 h and seed hardening for 24 h. All the priming techniques resulted in improved germination speed and spread, seedling fresh and dry weight, root and shoot length, number of secondary roots, seedling nitrogen, total sugars and α-amylase activity. Osmohardening with CaCl₂ resulted in the best performance as indicated by improved germination speed and spread, seedling vigour and starch metabolism, followed by hardening and osmohardening with KCl. However, improved starch metabolism in coarse rice was observed in osmohardening with KCl. Higher K and Ca contents were observed in seeds osmohardened with KCl and CaCl₂, respectively. Maximum straw and kernel yield and harvest index were recorded from osmohardening with CaCl₂ in fine and osmohardening with KCl in coarse rice. Increased number of secondary roots and α-amylase activity were accompanied with increased seedling nitrogen and reducing sugars, respectively.     

Effect of salinity on growth and solute accumulation in two wheat lines differing in salt tolerance

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) line, Saline Agriculture Research Center line 1 (SARC), was selected in a salinity tolerance improvement program at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. In this study we compared SARC with Pothowar which is a common wheat cultivar grown in the same region, in order to study the mechanism of salinity tolerance in the SARC line. Two wheat lines were planted in pots and were subjected to salt stress by daily application of a 200 mM NaCI solution for 30 d during the vegetative growth stage. Dry weight of plant parts, leaf area, leaf water status, and solute concentrations in the cell sap of the leaf tissues were determined at 13 and 30 d after initiation of the stress treatment. Decrease in the plant dry weight and leaf area due to salt stress was more pronounced in Pothowar than in SARC, indicating that SARC was more tolerant to salinity. SARC maintained a higher turgor at low leaf water potentials and showed a higher capacity of osmotic adjustment compared to Pothowar. Major osmotic a that increased by salinity in order to maintain a lower osmotic potential in the two lines were Na⁺, Cl^-, K⁺, and glycinebetaine. Increase in the concentrations of Na⁺, Cl^-, and glycinebetaine was much higher in SARC than in Pothower. These results suggested that the SARC line had a physiological mechanism that conferred a higher salinity tolerance.     

Inducing Salt Tolerance in Wheat by Exogenously Applied Ascorbic Acid through Different Modes

ABSTRACT

In order to assess whether exogenous application of ascorbic acid (AsA) through different ways could alleviate the adverse effects of salt-induced adverse effects on two wheat cultivars differing in salinity tolerance, plants of a salt tolerant (‘S-24’) and a moderately salt sensitive (‘MH-97’) cultivar were grown at 0 or 120 mM sodium chloride (NaCl). Ascorbic acid (100 mg L^?1) was applied through the rooting medium, or as seed soaking or as foliar spray to non-stressed and salt stressed plants of wheat. Salt stress-induced reduction in growth was ameliorated by exogenous application of ascorbic acid through different ways. However, root applied AsA caused more growth enhancement under saline conditions. Leaf ascorbic acid, catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were also maximal in salt stressed plants of both cultivars treated with AsA through the rooting medium. Furthermore, leaf ascorbic acid, CAT, POD, and SOD activities were higher in salt stressed plants of ‘S-24’ than those of ‘MH-97’. Root applied AsA caused more enhancements in photosynthetic rate. Root applied AsA caused more reduction in leaf sodium (Na⁺) compared with AsA applied as a seed soaking or foliar spray. Overall, AsA-induced growth improvement in these two wheat cultivars under saline conditions was cultivar specific and seemed to be associated with higher endogenous AsA, which triggered the antioxidant system and enhanced photosynthetic capacity.     

INCREASING SAR OF IRRIGATION WATER AGGRAVATES BORON TOXICITY IN MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.)

We evaluated the effect of boron (B) application on shoot growth and shoot B concentration and uptake by two maize cultivars (‘FHY-396’ and ‘Sonari’) on a loam soil irrigated with water of different sodium absorption ratio (SAR) values [control, 5 and 15 (mmol_c L^?1)^1/2]. Plants were harvested after forty days of growth. Shoot dry matter decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with B application due to toxicity marked by leaf injury. Toxic effect of B was further aggravated by increasing SAR of irrigation water. In both cultivars concentration and uptake of B was significantly (P < 0.05) increased over control with B application and SAR of irrigation water. Shoot Ca concentration decreased with increasing SAR and B application. The phenomena of B toxicity and low Ca marked by reduction in shoot dry matter of plants irrigated with high SAR water could be important in management of brackish water used for irrigating crops on arid and semiarid region soils.     

EFFICACY OF SUPPLEMENTAL CALCIUM ON THE GROWTH OF THREE RICE GENOTYPES DIFFERING IN SALT TOLERANCE

The effect of supplemental calcium (Ca) on the growth of three rice genotypes PVSB9, NS15, and Pokkali were assessed. Different morphological characters were studied among which the percent relative- plant height, total tillers, root dry weight (RDW), shoot dry weight (SDW), and total dry matter (TDM) were higher in Pokkali and PVSB9, but lower in NS15 under different salinity and supplemental Ca levels. These morphological characteristics significantly decreased with increasing salinity levels grown at different Ca levels, but significantly increased with increasing supplemental Ca levels. The interaction effect of genotypes and salinity levels, and genotypes and Ca levels were significant, where a negative relationship with increasing salinity levels and a positive relationship with increasing supplemental Ca levels were found. The interaction effect of salinity and Ca levels on all morphological parameters was significant, where these characteristics increased due to increasing the supplemental Ca levels at all the levels of salinity.