Genetic diversity in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eremostachys superba</Emphasis> Royle ex Benth. (Lamiaceae), an endangered Himalayan species,as assessed by RAPD

Eremostachys superba Royle ex Benth. (Lamiaceae) has undergone a severe decline in population size since its discovery in the North-western Himalayas in late 19th century. One hundred and seventy-two plants from six populations in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, located between 0.45 km and 455.72 km apart from each other were evaluated for RAPD polymorphism. Sixteen random primers generated 92 bands overall, 77 of which were polymorphic. Shannon’s index of genetic diversity within populations (H _o) ranged between 0.305 and 0.421; the average within-population diversity (H _pop) was 0.389; and the total species diversity (H _sp) was 0.478. The population from Mohand (representing the type locality) had the fewest plants, at 18, and was genetically the most depauperate. Among the other populations, ranging in size between 52 and 1,022 individuals, no relation between population size and genetic diversity was evident. It is suggested that these six populations represent relics of a larger, extended population, in which the presence of perennating rootstocks has helped preserve historic patterns of genetic diversity. AMOVA revealed that 83.01% of the variation exists within populations, which was consistent with earlier studies on the reproductive biology of E. superba, which indicated this species is predominantly allogamous. FST distances between all populations were significant, indicating geographic differentiation despite some of them being closely separated. Habitat restoration and protection from indiscriminate harvesting are proposed as primary strategies for conserving E. superba. Rejuvenation of the Mohand population through intrapopulation crossing between plants bearing diverse molecular phenotypes is also suggested.     

Dietary Moringa oleferia leaf meal induce growth,innate immunity and cytokine expression in grass carp,Ctenopharyngodon idella

The present research was designed to investigate the growth promoting and immunostimulating properties of Moringa oleferia leaf meal (MLM) in grass carp. Juvenile grass carp (22.03 g ± 1.164) were fed with diets supplemented with 0, 50, 100 and 150 g/kg MLM for 48 days. At the end of feeding trial, skin mucus was used for analysis of lysozyme, protease, antiprotease and peroxidase activity. Head kidney was used for expression analysis of tumour necrosis factor‐alpha, interleukin‐8 and interferon‐γ. The obtained results showed that fish fed with 100 and 150 g/kg MLM had significant increase in weight gain and specific growth rate (p < .05). However, condition factor was not altered. The MLM (50 and 100 g/kg) inclusion resulted in higher mucus lysozyme and protease activity (p < .05), while peroxidase activity increased only in fish fed with 100 g/kg MLM and antiprotease activity was not altered. Expression of tnf‐α increased in a dose‐dependent manner, and significant (p < .05) increase was recorded in fish fed with 150 g/kg MLM. The expression of il‐8 and ifn‐γ increased in fish fed with 50 and 150 g/kg MLM; however, the increase was not significant (p > .05). In conclusion, supplementing juvenile grass carp feed with MLM up to 150 g/kg has growth promoting and immunostimulating effects.     

Recombinant mid gut antigen (Bm95) as a vaccine against Indian Rhiphicephalus haemaphysaloides in Bos indicus cattle

In the present study, we report for the first time the efficacy of recombinant Bm95 mid gut antigen isolated from an Argentinean strain of Rhipicephalus microplus strain A in controlling the tick infestations in India. The synthetic gene for Bm95 optimized for expression in yeast was obtained and used to generate yeast transformants expressing Bm95 which was purified to apparent homogeneity. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the purified protein confirmed its identity as Bm95. Vaccine was prepared by blending various concentrations of purified Bm95 with aluminium hydroxide as an adjuvant. Immunogenicity studies of the vaccine in rabbits and cattle indicated that the vaccine was highly immunogenic. The efficacy studies of the vaccine was done in cattle. Naïve Bos indicus cattle were vaccinated with the recombinant vaccine and were challenged with the larval, nymphal and adult forms of Rhiphicephalus haemaphysaloides. The vaccine protected the animals from larval, nymph and adult tick challenges with an efficacy of 98.7%, 84.6% and 78.9% respectively. The results obtained from the above studies clearly demonstrated the advantage and possibilities of the use of Bm95 in controlling R. haemaphysaloides infestations in the field.     

Well-defined multispecies probiotic and enzyme combination outperforms traditional fermented probiotic applications in an intensive Pacific white shrimp,Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931), culture system

A series of treatments were designed to evaluate the efficacy of feeding commercial multispecies probiotics feeding with enzymes and fermentation process on the growth parameters and culture environment of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931), in an intensive culture system. Commercial multispecies probiotics and enzymes (PEs) were continuously applied in three different doses, namely (i) 0.2, (ii) 0.4, and (iii) 0.6 mg L⁻¹ and designated as 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 PE during the first 30 days of intensive culture of Pacific white shrimp, L. vannamei (Boone, 1931). The probiotics were continually applied every alternate day, while the enzymes were added every sixth day throughout the trial period. The PE dose for all treated tanks was increased by 0.2 ppm after 30 days of culture and another 0.2 ppm after day 60. Meanwhile, fermentation technique, which has become the common method applied in Indonesia in the control treatment, was added on the same day with the PE group with increasing dosage, following the same trend with the 0.6 PE group. Results showed that the group receiving 0.6 PE showed higher final biomass, higher mean weight, and protein retention efficiency as well as a lower feed conversion ratio compared with the control treatment. Abundance of Vibrio spp. remained below 10³ cfu mL⁻¹ throughout the trial. Water quality indicators TAN, NO₂ N and NO₃ N peaked in weeks 3–5 and then declined after that until the end of the culture period in all tanks. This decline was significantly faster in PE-treated tanks. Multispecies PEs have potential applications in controlling Vibrio spp., maintaining proper water quality condition, and enhancing the growth of shrimp in intensive culture system.     

Detection of Pasteurella multocida isolates from local pigs of India by polymerase chain reaction and their antibiogram

Pasteurella multocida has been recognized as an important veterinary pathogen for over a century. Conventional methods for diagnosis of pasteurellosis rely on the detection of the organism by microscopy and its isolation and identification. However, as far as pasteurellosis is concerned, it is not just sufficient to know the identity of the organism. To constitute effective control measures, it is important to know the serotype of the organism. A study was undertaken to characterize the Pasteurella isolates from local pigs in India with clinical respiratory disease by determination of their capsule types and presence or absence of toxin gene. Pasteurella could be isolated from 66.70% of pigs with clinical respiratory disease. All the isolates were confirmed through biochemical characterization and P. multocida-specific polymerase chain reaction. It has also been observed that all the isolates belonged to capsular type D. All the isolates were sensitive to chloramphenicol, chlortetracycline, doxycycline, and enrofloxacin, while the rest of the antibiotics were less effective. It has also been observed that all isolates were resistant to cephalexin, penicillin G, and sulphadiazine. The study revealed the detection of P. multocida serotype D from clinical respiratory diseases of local pigs of India, which could be one of the important respiratory tract pathogens responsible for mortality of local pigs in India.     

Status of floor vegetation under some monoculture and mixculture plantations in North India

A study conducted to assess the floor vegetation shows the presence of 17 species underPopulus deltoides in comparison to 28, 29 and 35 underAlbizia lebbeck, Dalbergia sissoo and mix-culture plantations, respectively. Further, the biomass and density of floor vegetation is considerably reduced underP. deltoides compared to other plantations. In addition, the indices for species richness, evenness, dominance and diversity are also reduced underP. deltoides showing some inhibitory mechanism being operative under these plantations. Based on available literature, allelopathy is speculated to be responsible for this reduction.     

Cloning and characterisation of the ahpA gene of Pasteurella multocida serogroup b:2 (strain P52): short communication

Pasteurella multocida B:2 is responsible for haemorrhagic septicaemia in cattle and buffaloes, causing severe economic losses in the developing countries. In the present study, the ahpA gene of P. multocida B:2 (P52) was cloned, sequenced and compared with the previously reported ahpA gene sequence in P. multocida A:1, which is responsible for its haemolytic phenotype. E. coli DH5a cells were further transformed with recombinant plasmid carrying the ahpA gene from P. multocida B:2 (P52) but SDS-PAGE analysis failed to show the expression of haemolysin protein. Slight haemolysis was albeit observed in horse blood agar plates streaked with recombinant E. coli carrying the ahpA gene. Our study indicates that there is 99.6% similarity and 0.4% divergence between ahpA gene of P. multocida B:2 (P52) and P. multocida A: 1, while membrane topology analysis has predicted that ahpA is an inner membrane protein with two strong hydrophobic regions at the N and C terminals. The presence of significant homology in ahpA sequence in A: 1 and B:2 perhaps suggests a common mechanism of pathogenesis in different species of animals.     

Resource availability through rainwater harvesting influenced vegetation diversity and herbage yield in hillslope of Aravalli in India

Recent decline in biological diversity has stimulated the research on the effects of resource conservation on biodiversity and vice versa. We examined soil water and nutrients influenced by rainwater harvesting (RWH) in hillslope and its effects on herbage diversity and productivity at up (USP), middle (MSP) and lower position (LSP) in 75 plots, each of 700-m² area laid in < 10%, 10%–20% and > 20% slopes, respectively. The five RWH treatments were Contour trench (CT), Gradonie (G), Box trench (BT), V-ditch (VD) and control. Soil water content (SWC), species number, population, diversity and herbage yield increased (P < 0.05) downward suggesting positive relations between soil resource and diversity/productivity. The highest species number, population, richness and diversity in 10%–20% slope were associated with soil water usage and NO₃-N and NH4-N concentrations. SWC was 5.0%–19.0% greater in RWH areas than in control influencing herbage species, population, growth and yields. The increase in diversity and yields was the highest (P < 0.05) in V-ditch reinforced by soil fertility. The positive effect of diversity on yield increased with resources, and the effect was compositional rather than that of species richness. Conclusively, slope gradient and soil texture influenced herbage regeneration, diversity and productivity, which were positively affected by existing soil fertility and applied RWH and mobilizing soil water and nutrients. The effect of V-ditch was the highest on composition and yield. Thus, RWH enhanced herbaceous vegetation and restoration of degraded forest/rangelands. But long-term effects of diversity in restoring ecosystem productivity could be established through long-term data collections on optimum water/nutrient usage, diversity and productivity.     

Insecticidal activity of (2<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-octyl<Emphasis Type="Italic">cyclo</Emphasis>prop-1-enyl)-octanoic acid (I) against three Coleopteran stored product insects from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sterculia foetida</Emphasis> (L.)

The insecticidal activities of the extracts, fractions, and pure compound of Sterculia foetida (L.) seeds were investigated against three major stored product pests, namely, Sitophilus oryzae (L.), Callosobruchus chinensis (L.), and Tribolium castaneum (H.), through contact and fumigation bioassay. Responses varied with test chemicals, insect species, exposure times, and doses individually. The biologically active constituent of the S. foetida seeds was characterized as a cyclopropene fatty acid structurally elucidated as (2n-octylcycloprop-1-enyl)-octanoic acid (I) by spectroscopic analysis. The filter paper application of, (2n-octylcycloprop-1-enyl)-octanoic acid (I) at 0.2 mg/cm² caused 100% mortality to all test insects 2 days after treatment (2 DAT). Among the chromatographic fractions, only the pure hexane-eluted fraction caused 100% mortality at 0.3 mg/cm² to S. oryzae and C. chinensis 2 DAT, while the dose required to obtain the same percentage of mortality with the crude seed extract was 0.6 mg/cm². Under all treatment conditions, T. castaneum exhibited less susceptibility, taking longer than the other insects to show symptoms of toxicity. In terms of fumigant activity, the compounds appeared to be more effective in a vapor form against all the three insects in closed containers compared with open containers. These results suggest that the insecticidal activities of the test compounds were attributable to contact mode of action, although there was also significant fumigant toxicity. The results indicate that the bioactive compound isolated from S. foetida could act as a potent insecticide against S. oryzae, C. chinensis, and T. castaneum populations.