Fasciation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassula argentea</Emphasis>: molecular identification of phytoplasmas and associated antioxidative capacity

The present study reports on phytoplasma induced fasciation in Crassula argintea (Crassulaceae). DNA was extracted from symptomless and fasciated tissues and amplified by nested PCR using universal primers P1/P7 followed by R16F2n/R16R2 produced amplicons of 1.2 Kb. The nucleotide sequence analyses of the amplicons indicated that fasciated plants were infected by phytoplasma. Phylogenetic analysis placed the Crassula fasciation phytoplasmas in 16SrII-D group. Histochemical staining for reactive oxygen species indicated that phytoplasma infected (PI) tissues possess significantly higher levels of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) rather than superoxide (O₂ ^·-) as compared with symptomless tissues. PI tissues were also associated with a significant increase in antioxidant enzyme activities (catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and glutathione reductase) and electrolyte leakage as compared with symptomless tissues.     

Effects of dietary Kleinhovia hospita and Leucaena leucocephala leaves on rumen fermentation and microbial population in goats fed treated rice straw

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The effects of partial replacement of dietary protein by forages on rumen fermentation and microbiology in goats were examined. Four fistulated Boer bucks...     

Immunolocalization of steroidogenic enzymes in the corpus luteum and placenta of the Japanese Shiba goat

In this study, we performed immunohistochemistry of cholesterol side-chain cleavage cytochrome P450 (P450scc), 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3betaHSD), cytochrome 17alpha-hydroxylase P450 (P450c17), and cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450arom) in the corpus luteum and placenta of Shiba goats. The aim was to clarify the steroidogenic capability of the corpus luteum and placenta of Shiba goats. Ovaries containing corpora lutea were obtained from four adult Shiba goats during the luteal phase (day10; n=2) and pregnancy (90 and 120 days of gestation). Placenta was obtained from one Shiba goat on day 120 of gestation. The sections of the ovaries and placentae were immunostained using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method (ABC) with polyclonal antibodies generated against steroidogenic enzymes of mammalian origin. All luteal cells expressed P450scc, 3betaHSD, P450c17 and P450arom. The distribution of P450scc, 3betaHSD, P450c17 and P450arom were not different during the luteal phase and pregnancy. P450arom showed a weak positive staining in late pregnancy (120 days). In addition, immunoreactions for P450c17 and P450arom were observed in syncytiotrophoblast of the placenta of one Shiba goat. These results indicate that, in Shiba goats, corpus luteum is not only an important source of progesterone but also has the ability to synthesize androgen and estrogen during the luteal phase and pregnancy. Also the placenta has the ability to synthesize androgen and estrogen in late pregnancy.     

Influence of carrot psyllid (Trioza apicalis) feeding or exogenous limonene or methyl jasmonate treatment on composition of carrot (Daucus carota) leaf essential oil and headspace volatiles

The effect of carrot psyllid (Trioza apicalis F?rster) feeding and limonene and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments on the essential oil composition and headspace volatiles of carrot (Daucus carota ssp. sativus), cvs. Parano and Splendid, leaves was studied. Carrot psyllid feeding significantly increased the concentrations of sabinene, beta-pinene, and limonene, whereas limonene treatment increased the concentration of (Z)-beta-ocimene in the leaves of both cultivars. The limonene treatment significantly increased the concentration of total phenolics in the leaves of both cultivars, and MeJA treatment increased phenolic concentration in the leaves of Parano. Exogenous limonene spray did not decrease the number of carrot psyllid eggs laid either 2 or 24 h after treatment. The results suggest that carrot psyllid feeding induces changes in the endogenous monoterpene pool in the carrot leaves. Limonene and MeJA treatments affect some induced defenses of the carrot, but the exogenous limonene spray is not an effective oviposition deterrent against carrot psyllid.     

Improving the reproductive,immunity and health status of rabbit does using honey bee venom

The aim of the present study was to investigate the long-term effect of using bee venom (BV) on the reproductive performance, immune, and health status of rabbit does and its effect on their litters. Sixty mature does, from Spanish V-line rabbit stock, were randomly assigned to four homogeneous groups with 15 does each. The 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd groups were injected twice weekly under the neck skin with 0.1 ml solution contains 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg BV/rabbit respectively. The 4^th group served as a control group. From the results, litter size at birth, litter weight and survival rate at weaning age as well as milk yield were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased in BV groups than in the control group. Serum estradiol 17-β (E2) was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher (15%) in the rabbit does treated with BV compared to the control group. The treated does with BV at any study doses showed a gradual and significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease (12%) in serum progesterone levels (P4) compared to the control. They also showed a significant (p≤0.05) increase in conception (17%) and fertility rates (10%) compared to the control does. Treatment of rabbit does with BV caused a gradual and significant (p ≤ 0.05) reduction in both aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (16%) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (37%) liver enzyme activities. Additionally, results have shown that BV resulted in a gradual and significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in total antioxidant capacity (TAC), antioxidative enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), serum IgG, IgM and IgA levels with significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in BV groups compared to the control group. Results suggest that BV can be used in rabbit farming as an effective and safe alternative to artificial chemical drugs (sexual-stimulants) to improve certain reproductive traits, immune response and health.     

Evaluation of Water Stress Tolerance of Soybean Using Physiological Parameters and Retrotransposon-Based Markers

Drought is one of the most important environmental stresses that severely reduce plant growth and crop productivity. This study was carried out to investigate the difference in the response of six soybean cultivars (Giza 21, 22, 35, 82, 83 and 111) under water stress and the genetic difference between these cultivars using retroelements technique. The results showed that drought stress caused reduction in morphological criteria, photosynthetic pigments, starch, phospholipids, glycolipids, pectin, cellulose and lignin in shoots of all soybean cultivars except Giza 22 and Giza 83. On the other hand, there was a considerable increase in root length, soluble sugars, proline, glycine betaine, total lipids and hemicellulose contents in the shoots of the soybean cultivars in response to water stress. The soybean cultivars Giza 22 and 83 were more drought tolerant than the other cultivars while Giza 21 and Giza 111 were the most sensitive. Inter-primer binding sites (iPBS) and inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphism (IRAP) techniques were used to fingerprint the six soybean cultivars using a set of eight primers. The techniques successfully tagged each cultivar with specific bands and detected molecular genetic markers related to drought tolerance in soybean.     

Beziehungen zwischen Fruchtwechselfolgen einerseits und dem Auftreten der Tomaten-Umfallkrankheit und der Zwiebelwelke sowie den Populationen ihrer Pathogene und des Antagonisten Bacillus subtilis im Boden andererseits

Crop rotation showed a pronounced effect on incidence of tomato damping-off and onion (Fusarium) basal rot as well as on the soil population of the two disease incitants. Out of nine rotation systems, wheat/sorghum and wheat/maize preceding tomato diminished damping-off while clover/maize, lentil/sorghum, wheat/sorghum and wheat/maize preceding tomato diminished damping-off while clover/maize, lentil/sorghum, wheat/sorghum and wheat/maize preceding onions increased basal rot incidence. First crops of the rotation system as well as the second crop were of noticeable effect onRhizoctonia solani andFusarium oxysporum f. sp.cepae as onBacillus subtilis (antagonistic to both fungi) population in soil. Almost all rotations increased population ofF. oxysporum f. sp.cepae andB. subtilis in soil while response ofR. solani was variable. The results show thatBac. subtilis did not correlate with tomato damping-off or onion basal rot. There must be some other factors found in the soil that play a role in effect of crop rotation on disease incidence.     

Phenotypic variation within a Hungarian landrace of runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.)

Summary A landrace seed lot of runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.), obtained from the Budapest region, Hungary, was separated into five seed groups according to seed coat colour. 131 plants were grown randomly, and observed for 27 morphological and physiological characters. The collected data were analysed by ANOVA.Numerical taxonomy of the data employed Principal Components Analysis to generate scatter diagrams and Cluster Analysis to generate dendrograms, both before and after removing data on the four anthocyanin colour characters (seed coat, calyx, stem and flower colour) as these characters are probably controlled by a single major gene. The progenies from the five distinct parental seed groups showed much overlap in characteristics, indicating that they were not distinct lines but comprised a largely panmictic population.Some character associations were detected: plants from white seeds matured significantly later than those from black seeds, plants from white seeds with a few dark spots produced seeds significantly heavier than average, whereas those from white or black seeds produced significantly lighter seeds, although the average seed yield per plant did not differ significatly.     

Metabolic Status during Germination of Nano Silica Primed Zea mays Seeds under Salinity Stress

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Priming is a safe, easy, and effective way to increase plant tolerance against stress. This research aims to study the metabolic status of the...