The effect of silver nanoparticle on Fenugreek seed germination under salinity levels

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect s of silver nanoparticles for ameliorating negative effects of salinity on germination and growth of Fenugreek seeds. In order to investigate salinity stress on Fenugreek germination indices, an experiment was carried out in Iran from October 2014 to November 2014 at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, in the biotechnology Laboratory, to create salinity stress, sodium chloride (NaCl) at the levels of 0 (as control), 5, 10, 15 and 20 dS/m and Five levels of silver nanoparticles (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 μg mL^–1) on Fenugreek seed (Trigonella foenum-graecum); were tested Germination characteristics such as total germination (GT), Germination Speed Index (GSI), Shoot and Root of seedling long, Fresh Mass and Dry Mass were measured. Results showed the great effects of silver nanoparticles to improve salinity stress on Fenugreek seed germination. Results showed a significant reduction in germination percent and seedling growth due to the salinity stress while significantly increased with silicon nano-particles application. In without silver nanoparticle low level of salinity (0 dS/m) increased seed germination percentage, while the high levels (5, 10, 15 and 20 dS/m) inhibited the seed germination significantly. The results showed that the effect of AgNPs was significant on germination percentage in P ≤ 0.05. Overall, application of AgNPs was beneficial in improving salinity tolerance in the Fenugreek seedling and its application may stimulate the differences defense mechanisms of plants against salt toxicity.     

Impact of drought stress on yield,photosynthesis rate,and sugar alcohols contents in wheat after anthesis in semiarid region of Iran

Owing to the importance of after anthesis water deficit in Mediterranean regions (such as Iran), this study has focused on harmful impact of after anthesis drought stress on grain yield (GY), photosynthesis, and some physiological characteristics of wheat. To this aim, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was used in greenhouse conditions in Razi University in Kermanshah city of Iran, during 2010–2011 growing season. Two bread wheat genotypes, “Zagros” (tolerant to drought) and “Marvdasht” (sensitive to drought) were grown in normal water supply condition (100% of field capacity) and drought stress from anthesis until maturity (50% of field capacity). The results indicated that after anthesis water deficit considerably reduced grain and biological yields, thousand grain weight (TGW) and a number of grains per spike (NGS) among different traits in genotypes. Under well-watered and drought-treated conditions, genotypes in terms of all evaluated traits had considerable variations. Water deficit caused more reduction of net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), relative water content (RWC) of leaf, chlorophyll a, b (Chl), and soluble proteins content in sensitive genotype; values were respectively 66.3, 73.2, 14.6, 32.1, 46.2, and 25.6%. Better performance of tolerant genotype under water deficit was associated with a great ability in production of some osmoprotectants as inositol, glycerol, and erythritol sugars. Rather adaptation of tolerant genotype to water deficit may be attributable to having maximum soluble protein, sugar alcohols, Chl content, RWC, gs and Pn in drought stress, and with respect to the results, wheat might not be able to synthesize mannitol. Transfer of gene(s) producing mannitol may cause more improvement of growth performance of wheat under stresses.     

Ocimum basilicum L. growth and nutrient status as influenced by biochar and potassium-nano chelate fertilizers

In sustainable agriculture, the protection of environment against pollution is the main goal for consumers. Nowadays, the overuse of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, are one of the main causes of environmental pollution. It is claimed that incorporation of organic compound into soil enhances nutrient availability and plant productivity. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the effects of 0%, 1.5% and 3% cattle manure biochar and 0, 300 and 600 mg K-nano chelate kg^?1 soil on agronomic properties and nutrient status of Ocimum basilicum L. Biochar increased leaf area and plant height, significantly. Application of 1.5% and 3% biochar increased fresh weight by 40% and 42% and dry weight by 50% and 49%, respectively. Addition of 3% biochar increased P, K and Mn concentrations by 45%, 17% and 109%, respectively. Biochar increased N, P, K, Zn and Mn uptake, significantly. Addition of 300 mg K increased dry weight by 15%; while application of 600 mg K decreased it. Application of 300 and 600 mg K-nano chelate increased K and Zn concentration and K uptake significantly. Furthermore, 300 mg K increased Cu and Zn uptake. In order to achieve sustainable agricultural productions, biochar application is recommended especially in the soils of arid and semiarid regions.     

Reproductive performance of Holstein dairy cows in Iran

The objectives of the present study were to describe the current reproductive parameters of Holstein dairy cows in Iran and to determine factors which have a significant effect on reproductive performance with emphasis on high-producing dairy cows. Five large Holstein dairy herds from the major milk production areas of Iran were selected for this study. Reproduction data including parity of dam, calving date, days to first service, days open, number of services, dry period, and occurrence of diseases for cows that calved from 2004 to 2007 were collected from the herds' databases. To determine the effects of year and season of calving, disease status, level of milk production, and parity of dam on reproductive parameters, the proc-mixed procedure in SAS software was used. Overall, data about 8,204 lactation were collected for the study. Results showed that mean (±SD) days open, calving interval, and days to first service for study herds were 134 (±89), 403 (±86), and 67 (±38) days, respectively. Conception rates at the first service and the overall service-conception rate were 41.6% and 41%, respectively. The level of milk production and diseases had significant negative effects on days open and service per conception (P < 0.05); statistical analysis showed that for every 100-kg increase in milk yield, days open will increase by about 0.3 days. However, no significant effect of level of productivity was observed on days to first service. The results of this study indicate that high milk production is a risk factor for decreasing fertility in Iran, like many other parts of the world.     

Prevalence of Salmonella associated with chick mortality at hatching and their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents

The prevalence of Salmonella associated mortality at hatching was investigated in three hatcheries in Jos, central Nigeria. Their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents was also evaluated. S. Kentucky and S. Hadar were isolated. While half of the isolates were from internal organs, 26.7% came from meconial swabs of dead-in-shell embryos, 17.8% from intestinal samples and 4.4% from egg shells. S. Hadar is known to colonise only the gut and is classified as non-invasive, but in this study 82% were obtained from internal organs which suggests that infections with this serotype may also cause invasive disease. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests showed a high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in the study area with complete resistance to gentamycin, enrofloxacin, nalidixic acid, tetracycline and streptomycin and substantial resistance to triple sulphur and ciprofloxacin. Six multiple resistance profiles were recorded with a high level of multiple resistance to quinolones. Quinolone resistance has implications for veterinary and human therapy as their misuse in poultry could lead to the emergence of resistant animal and zoonotic pathogens.     

Phenotypic diversity and relationships of fruit quality traits in inter-specific almond × peach backcrosses breeding progenies

Nineteen agrochemical traits of 20 almond inter-specific backcrosses progenies were evaluated and compared for three consequence years to find out their phenotypic diversity and determine the relationships of fruit quality traits in almond × peach backcrosses breeding progenies. The variation was observed for traits of phenology parameters (blooming time, ripening time), Physical parameters (fruit weight, width, height, shape, thickness, skin pubescences, colour and flower type), chemical parameters (total sugar content, soluble solids content and acidity) and sensory parameters (attractiveness, taste, and flavor) and yield. Many fruit characteristics that are important to breeders are present in this collection. A high variability was found in the evaluated almond progenies and significant differences were found among them in all studied quality attributes. Year-by-year variations were observed for majority of traits. A significant correlation was found among the fruit height, fruit width, skin pubescences and yield. Fruit height showed a significant positive correlation with fruit weight and fruit thickness and some other traits and a negative correlation with the titratable acidity, skin pubescences and fruit flavour. A high negative correlation was found between the fruit weight and titratable acidity (?0.8). Low coefficients were got between the flower colour and skin pubescences. In addition, principal component analysis it possible to established similar groups of genotypes depending on their quality characteristics and to study relationships among pomological traits in almond progenies evaluated.     

Effect of growth regulators and explant on plant regeneration of Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme

Tomato serves as a model to introduce agronomically important genes into dicotyledonous crop plants and to develop edible vaccines and produce cost-effective therapeutics. This study has developed an efficient protocol of shoot organogenesis for Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. through using of different types of explants and growth regulators. Generally, all explants responded significantly to presence of BAP. Best shoot regeneration for leaf (100%) was achieved on MS supplemented with BAP (2 mg/L) + IAA (0.1 mg/L), whereas it was recorded on MS supplemented with BAP (2 mg/L) and BAP (2 mg/L) + IAA (0.5 mg/L) for cotyledons (95%). In addition, hypocotyls (77%) showed the best shoot response on MS supplemented BAP (3 mg/L). Highest number of shoots per explant was 13.33, 12.25, 7.94 respectively for hypocotyls, leaves, cotyledons. The best medium for highest length of shoot was in the presence of BAP (3 and 2 mg/L) + IAA (0.1 mg/L) respectively for hypocotyl (45 mm) and leaf (40.50 mm) explants. This parameter was achieved for cotyledons (13.32 and 12.5 mm) on MS medium supplemented with BAP (3 and 2) mg/L + IAA (0.1 mg/L), respectively. The increasing of BAP concentration up to 3 (mg/L) causes shoot length to continue developing, but it fell down in the presence of BAP (4 mg/L) due to the toxic effect of growth regulators accumulation. Root formation took place within 10–14 days after culturing on the rooting media. Best root induction (100%) was observed on MS medium supplemented with IAA (0.1 and 0.2 mg/L). All rooted shoots acclimated in phytotron and then cultivated in the greenhouse.     

Expression analysis of the genes involved in osmotic adjustment in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars under terminal drought stress conditions

Osmotic adjustment is the main component for physiological machinery of wheat drought tolerance. Some of parameters implicated in osmotic adjustment in 15 bread wheat cultivars were evaluated at soil water deficits (50% FC) and FC as the control in the greenhouse. For the physiological traits, analysis of variance showed that there are highly significant differences between treatments, i.e. water stress levels and wheat cultivars. Shahpasand and Marvdasht as sensitive wheat cultivars had significantly lower osmotic adjustment, relative water content, K+ content, soluble sugar, proline, and glycine betaine levels than the rest of the cultivars. The results of cluster analysis revealed that all cultivars were grouped into three distinct clusters. Dez, Kavir, Pishtaz, and Maron cultivars which have the highest osmoregulation activity were in cluster I, whereas clusters II (Pishgam, Aflak, Hirmand, Zagros, and Vee/Nac) and III (Ws-89-2, Sardari, Azar2, Shapasand, and Marvdasht) had intermediate activity and the lowest capacities for osmoregulation, respectively. In addition, in wheat flag leaf during the reproductive stage under drought conditions, the changes in gene expression of two key genes namely P5CS (D-Pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase) and BADH (Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase) in two selected cultivars including Dez and Marvdasht revealed that water stress can increase the expression level of the genes P5CS and BADH in the resistant cultivar, Dez, compared with Marvdasht, the sensitive one. In general, it seemed that application of the all cultivars in cluster I would enable breeders to acquire more reliable achievements under drought conditions.     

Isolation and identification of bubaline herpesvirus 1 (BuHV-1) from latently infected water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) from Iran

In order to isolate buffaloes herpesvirus 1 (BuHV-1) from latently infected water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), 16 buffalo heifers were selected from a herd. At first, animals were bled and their sera were tested by virus neutralization (VN) test, using bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1). According to the results of VN test and dexamethasone injection (0.1 mg/kg BW) for 5 consecutive days, the examined buffaloes were divided into 4 groups. Vaginal and nasal swabs were daily collected from all buffaloes from day 0 to 10 days later. Based on the cytopathic effects in cell culture, a herpesvirus was isolated only from nasal swabs of three seropositive buffaloes which they had received dexamethasone. The nasal swabs of these three buffaloes were also positive in PCR, using primers specific for ruminant herpesviruses gD gene. The identity of the isolated viruses was determined according to partial amino acid sequences of gD, deduced from the nucleotide sequences of the PCR products. On the basis of sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis, and genetic distances, the three buffalo virus isolates were more closely related to BuHV-1 and BoHV-5 than to BoHV-1.

     

The necessity of antioxidant inclusion in caprine and ovine semen extenders: A systematic review complemented with computational insight

The inclusion of antioxidants (AOXs) has been proposed in various protocols to conserve the normal physiology of spermatozoa during (cryo) preservation. The main aim of this review was to understand the necessity of AOXs inclusion in semen extenders of caprine and ovine semen samples and to decipher physico-chemical space of AOXs used in semen extenders till now. A total 27 full-text relevant articles were finally discussed here. This systematic review showed that the inclusion of AOXs may improve the success of semen cryopreservation although at least three studies could not support this finding. AOXs have been not added after assaying total antioxidant capacity of the sample of interest, and this is principal measurement bias of all papers. Furthermore, no rational dose–response curve and precise posology have been considered in comparable studies. Furthermore, new methodologies are requested to detect the oxidative status of semen specimens before AXOs fortification and new methodologies like imaging are also needed to detect various injuries of sperms during semen (cryo)preservation. Defining computational chemical and physical spaces of AOXs which used in semen (cryo)preservation would be an interdisciplinary effort to hasten deciphering epoch-making compounds. In conclusion, more in-depth analytical, toxicological and pharmacological methodologies should be pursued in supplementation or addition of AOXs during caprine and ovine semen (cryo)preservation after determining the oxidative status of semen samples.