Transport stress in matrinxã, Brycon cephalus (Teleostei: Characidae), at different densities

Matrinxã, Brycon cephalus, is a nativeteleost fish from the Amazon Basin, and is of economic importance forcultivation for food and sport in Brazil. Mortality losses due to handling andtransport of this stenohaline freshwater species are common. The effects oftransportation at different densities on the biochemical stress responses ofmatrinxã (mean weight 1 kg) were examined. Fish weresubjected to three different transport densities (100, 200, and 300 kgm^–3) for four h in water with added salt (0.6%). Thefish were bled at departure (baseline level), arrival (immediately aftertransportation) and at 24 and 96 h after arrival (recoveryperiod).Blood glucose, cortisol, sodium, chloride, potassium and ammonia were used asstress bioindicators. No mortality was observed and no alterations in plasmacortisol were registered. However, blood glucose and ammonia levels increasedand serum sodium and plasma chloride decreased on arrival for the fishtransported at the highest densities. These stress responses were transient andthe concentrations returned to baseline levels within 24 h. Thisstudy showed that matrinxã can be transported at densities as high asthose tested in the present study, at least under the conditions employed inthis study. A recovery period of at least 24 h is stronglyrecommended.     

Preliminary evaluation of the seaweed Gracilaria cervicornis (Rhodophyta) as a partial substitute for the industrial feeds used in shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farming

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of Gracilaria cervicornis meal as a partial substitute for the industrial feeds used in shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farming. A total of 90 L. vannamei juveniles (0.34 g) were assigned randomly into nine experimental units at a stocking density of 10 shrimp tank⁻¹ and fed a commercial shrimp feed (CSF; 35% crude protein) as a control treatment, a feed made entirely of G. cervicornis (GCM), and a mixture of equal parts of the commercial shrimp feed and the Gracilaria meal (MIX) for 30 days. Over the first 2 weeks of the experiment, the survival was high (100%) in all dietary treatments. However, at the termination of the feeding trial survival decreased to 40% in shrimp fed GCM, significantly lower (P<0.05) than survival of shrimp fed the commercial diet control (CSF) or MIX treatments (100%). The highest growth performance was obtained in the CSF or MIX treatment groups. The absolute growth increase in these groups was significantly higher than for shrimp fed GCM. Similarly, the specific growth rates (SGRs) of shrimp given feeds containing CSF (5.11% day⁻¹) and MIX (4.71% day⁻¹) were significantly greater (P<0.05) than that of shrimp fed GCM pellets (0.44% day⁻¹). The feed efficiency ratios (FERs) were 64 for CSF, 54.3 for MIX and 3.3 for GCM. The results obtained in this study indicated the effectiveness of using G. cervicornis as a partial substitute for shrimp feeds. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the concept that macroalgae can partially substitute for the industrial feeds used in shrimp (L. vannamei) farming has been demonstrated.     

Evidence of sexuality in induced tetraploids of Brachiaria brizantha (Poaceae)

Difficulties in obtaining new breeding lines of Brachiaria (Trin.) Griseb., an important forage grass in Brazil, are mostly related to differences in ploidy among the accessions, and to apomixis, an asexual mode of reproduction. Usually, sexual accessions are diploid while apomicts are polyploid. Induced tetraploids of Brachiaria brizantha (A. Rich.) Stapf have been successfully obtained and this paper presents the results of a study of their reproductive modes and fertility. Despite frequent meiotic aberrations during microspore development, the induced tetraploids produced viable pollen and produced progeny after controlled self-pollination. Similarly to the original diploid sexual progenitor, embryo sacs of the Polygonum type with confirmed meiotic origin were present in the induced tetraploids suggesting chromosome doubling did not alter the reproductive mode. The embryo sac of the Polygonum type was also observed in progenies obtained after self and open pollination. Nevertheless, embryo sacs of the Polygonum and the Panicum types within the same ovule were observed in some progenies obtained after open pollination, probably having resulted from hybridization with tetraploid, apomictic plants. Indeed, the compatibility of the progeny with tetraploid, apomictic B. brizantha was confirmed by the formation of mature caryopses after controlled pollination. Evidence is presented that the induced tetraploids and their progeny are sexual plants and that they are compatible with natural tetraploid B. brizantha. The induced tetraploids will be useful for analyses of apomictic inheritance as well as in the development of sexual tetraploid lines in Brachiaria breeding programs.     

New sources of resistance to Meloidogyne incognita race 3 in wild cotton accessions and histological characterization of the defence mechanisms

Accessions of Gossypium spp., some of them never previously tested, were evaluated for resistance to a local isolate of Meloidogyne incognita race 3 in greenhouse experiments. Nematode infection was characterized based on the galling and egg mass indexes and the reproduction factors (RF). Root‐knot nematode reproduction among the newly tested accessions varied from highly susceptible (AS0188, AS0189) to moderately resistant (MT123 no. 3), and some accessions showed highly reduced nematode reproduction (CIR1343, CIR1348, Fai Mui). Histological observations of two resistant accessions (G. barbadense CIR1348 and G. hirsutum TX‐25, respectively) showed that resistance occurs through a two‐stage mechanism in the first accession and through a single‐stage mechanism in the second. Parasitism is blocked early after second‐stage juvenile (J2) penetration or during its initial tissue migration (CIR1348) and the development of later‐stage juveniles into female adults is suppressed at a later stage (TX‐25 and CIR1348). Fluorescence and bright light microscopy showed that root cells surrounding nematodes exhibit a hypersensitivity‐like reaction, with the accumulation of presumably phenolic compounds and the presence of necrotic cells that limit the development of nematodes and the formation of giant cells. Underdeveloped giant cells with degenerated cytoplasmic content were found in small numbers in CIR1348 and in large numbers in TX‐25, along with deformed nematodes. The full characterization of the defence mechanisms of novel sources of resistance to the root‐knot nematode in cotton constitutes a first step towards their use in crop improvement.     

Brominated compounds from marine sponges of the genus Aplysina and a compilation of their 13C NMR spectral data

Aplysina is the best representative genus of the family Aplysinidae. Halogenated substances are its main class of metabolites. These substances contribute greatly to the chemotaxonomy and characterization of the sponges belonging to this genus. Due to their pharmacological activities, these alkaloids are of special interest. The chemistry of halogenated substances and of the alkaloids has long been extensively studied in terrestrial organisms, while the number of marine organisms studied has just started to increase in the last decades. This review describes 101 halogenated substances from 14 species of Aplysina from different parts of the world. These substances can be divided into the following classes: bromotyramines (A), cavernicolins (B), hydroverongiaquinols (C), bromotyrosineketals (D), bromotyrosine lactone derivatives (E), oxazolidones (F), spiroisoxazolines (G), verongiabenzenoids (H), verongiaquinols (I), and dibromocyclohexadienes (J). A compilation of their (13)C NMR data is also part of the review. For this purpose 138 references were consulted.     

Seroprevalence and risk factors of caprine toxoplasmosis in Minas Gerais, Brazil

The objective of this work was to carry out a study on caprine toxoplasmosis in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. To determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in goats in Minas Gerais, 767 sera from goats were tested by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and IFAT (indirect fluorescence antibody test). The prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii was 43.0% and 46.0% by ELISA and IFAT, respectively. It was observed that 26.8% of the goats show low-avidity IgG to T. gondii. These results suggest the presence of animals in recent phase of toxoplasmosis in Minas Gerais. The risk factors for toxoplasmosis in goats were: age over 36 months (OR = 1.21; IC 95% 1.02–1.44), use of pen (OR = 1.83; IC 95%1.01–3.31) and pure breed animals (OR = 2.49; IC 95% 1.11–5.59).     

Feed management and stocking density of the endangered wild zebra pleco: Implications for captive breeding

Due to the economic potential of Hypancistrus zebra in the ornamental fish market and its current classification as an endangered species in its natural occurrence sites, the present study sought to determine a suitable feed management strategy and stocking density to allow for an adequate captivity maintenance of this fish species. Three experiments were conducted as follows: (1) feed preference (artemia Artemia sp., shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, fish Cynoscion spp. or mussel Perna perna); (2) determination of feeding rate (5% and 10% live weight day^?1) and frequency (1, 2 or 3 meals. Day^?1); and (3) evaluation of stocking density (0.25, 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 g/L). Zebra pleco did not present the characteristic buccal scraping behaviour on the feed, commonly seen in other Loricariids. Artemia was the preferred diet followed by fish, shrimp and mussels. The frequency of two daily meals and the feeding rate of 10% live weight day^?1 allowed for an improved zootechnical performance. Zebra pleco showed enhanced specific growth rate at the density of 2 g/L. Our results suggest that, to improve the zebra pleco rearing conditions, it should be maintained at a density of 2 g/L, fed two daily meals at a feeding rate of 10% live weight day^?1. These findings correspond to useful information for an adequate management of this species and could assist in the supply of healthy specimens to the ornamental fish market as well for the restocking of declining wild populations.     

Shrimp rearing in biofloc integrated with different mullet stocking densities

This work compared the effects of different densities of Mugil curema integrated in the rearing of Litopenaeus vannamei in a biofloc system on the yield and ecological performance of the system. For that, an experiment lasting 55 days was conducted. Four groups were evaluated as follows: (a) T0: shrimp reared without mullet, (b) T10: shrimp reared with 22 fish per tank, (c) T20: shrimp reared with 43 fish per tank, and (d) T30: shrimp reared with 65 fish per tank, each treatment with four replicates. The sludge:biomass ratio was higher in the T0 treatment, while the T10–T20 treatments were more efficient, producing more biomass and less sludge. The use of water was 17% more efficient in all treatments with mullet. Mullet survival was higher in the T10 and T20 treatments (mean: 84 ± 8%) than in the T30 (61 ± 5%) treatment. The fish final biomass and yield limits of the system were 0.37 kg and 3.7 kg/m³ respectively. Finally, there was no increase in the total nitrogen output of the system up to the T10 density. In conclusion, it is possible to integrate mullet up to 3.7 kg/m³, increasing the yield in 20% and decreasing water use.     

Diversity of Meloidogyne incognita populations from cotton and aggressiveness to Gossypium spp. accessions

The root-knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne incognita is the main nematode causing losses to the cotton crop in Brazil. In order to implement control strategies within integrated management, an accurate identification of the nematode populations prevailing in the cotton production areas is necessary. This study aimed to assess the genetic variability and aggressiveness of RKN populations from cotton production areas in Bahia state, Brazil. All populations were characterized biochemically and molecularly and identified as M. incognita. RAPD and AFLP markers detected 44% of polymorphic fragments among the 13 populations of this species. The 10 M. incognita populations collected in Bahia presented 33.7% of diversity when compared to each other, and 25% when the population from Barreiras (the most polymorphic) was excluded. This polymorphism increased when populations from other Brazilian states were included. The aggressiveness and virulence among populations from Bahia towards different cotton accessions (susceptible/resistant) was also studied. None of the populations showed virulence against the moderately resistant (Clevewilt 6, Wild Mexican Jack Jones and LA 887) and highly resistant (CIR1348 and M-315 RNR) cultivars. Two M. incognita populations from Barreiras were the most aggressive, reaching reproduction factors of 539 and 218, respectively, in the susceptible cultivar FiberMax 966. The most aggressive population (8) was also the most genetically divergent in phylogenetic analyses. These results demonstrate that diversity of M. incognita populations from cotton farms in Bahia is not related to virulence against resistant accessions, which suggests that cultivars containing one or two resistance genes with good agronomic characteristics could be used in infested commercial areas in Bahia state, Brazil.