Comparison of maize,wheat and triticale in broiler diets

1. Wheat, triticale 131 or triticale 72‐S could replace up to half the maize in broiler diets without affecting performance. Replacing more of the maize on either an equal nitrogen basis or a weight basis adversely affected performance.

2. Triticale 72‐S appeared to be superior to triticale 131 as a direct replacement for maize, but both grains were inferior to maize as energy sources.     

Transformation of fertilizer P in a Vertisol amended with farmyard manure

Availability, fixation, and transformation of added P were studied in a 16-week incubation experiment with a Vertisol amended with farmyard manure in pots with 500 g soil each. P availability, as measured by Olsen P, decreased for up to 8 weeks with various rates of added P, when no manure was applied. In the presence of farmyard manure, P availability decreased during the first 6 weeks and then showed a considerable increase from the 8th week onwards. P fixation increased for up to 8 weeks with the rates of P in the absence of manure. With manure application, P fixation increased only during the first 6 weeks and thereafter decreased continuously. Thus the presence of farmyard manure shortened the period of P fixation and promoted its availability. After 16 weeks of incubation, when manure and fertilizer P were applied together, P was transformed into labile organic (NaHCO₃–P), moderately labile organic P (NaOH-P), and calcium-bound inorganic P (HCl-P). When manure was not applied. P accumulated predominantly as labile inorganic (NaHCO₃–P), moderately labile inorganic (NaOH-P), and inorganic HCl-P. The application of farmyard manure enriched long-term P fertility through NaHCO₃–P and NaOH–P and a shortterm P supply as HCl-P. All fractions except inorganic NaOH-P showed good relationships with Olsen P.     

HTLV-III gag protein is processed in yeast cells by the virus pol-protease

The gag-pol gene of HTLV-III (human T-lymphotropic virus), the virus linked to AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), was expressed in yeast, and processing of the gag precursor into proteins of the same size as those in the virion was observed. Processing of the gag gene in yeast cells mimics the process that naturally occurs in mammalian cells during maturation of virions. Therefore it was possible to perform mutational analysis of the virus genome to localize the gene that codes for the protease function to the amino terminal coding region of the pol gene. Since this region overlaps the gag gene, it is likely that ribosomal frameshifting occurs from gag to pol. Antibodies in all of the AIDS patients' sera tested recognized the yeast synthesized gag proteins, although the sera showed differences in relative reactivity to the individual gag proteins and the precursor. This yeast system should be valuable not only for production of viral proteins for diagnostic or vaccine purposes but also for analysis of the genetics and biochemistry of viral gene functions--parameters that are difficult to study otherwise with this virus.     

Inhibitory activity of homoisoflavonoids from Caesalpinia sappan against Beauveria bassiana

Four homoisoflavonoids, 4-O-methylsappanol (1), protosappanin A (2), brazilin (3) and caeasalpin J (4), isolated from Caesalpinia sappan, were tested for inhibitory activity against Beauveria bassiana. Compound 1 showed activity against this fungus.     

Antibacterial activity of the essential oil from Aristolochia indica

The essential oil of Aristolochia indica, containing beta-caryophyllene and alpha-humulene as major constituents, was found to show a moderate antibacterial activity.     

Prevalence and incidence of the root-inhabiting fungi, Fusarium, Cylindrocarpon and Pythium, on container-grown Douglas-fir and spruce seedlings in British Columbia

Surveys were made at the end of the 1990 and 1991 growing seasons for root-inhabiting fungi in the genera Fusarium, Cylindrocarpon and Pythium from the roots of one year-old container-grown Douglas-fir and spruce seedlings grown under greenhouse conditions. In the 1990 survey of four nurseries, it was found that 61–97% of both Douglas-fir and spruce roots were colonized with Fusarium, Cylindrocarpon or Pythium. There were significantly (p0.05) more Douglas-fir roots than spruce roots colonized by Fusarium at all nurseries, however, there were significantly (p0.05) more spruce roots than Douglas-fir roots colonized by Cylindrocarpon and Pythium. Root colonization of Douglas-fir and spruce by the three fungal genera during 1991 varied from 0–82% at three nurseries, however, only at a south coastal nursery was there significantly (p0.05) more spruce than Douglas-fir roots colonized by Cylindrocarpon. Significantly more seedlings were infected in 1990 than in 1991. In 1991, there were few significant differences between Douglas-fir and spruce, in the percentage of seedlings with colonized roots and in the percentage of growth medium colonized by the fungi. However, there were significant differences between nurseries.     

Antinociceptive activity of Wrightia tinctoria bark

The ethyl acetate, acetone and methanol extracts of Wrightia tinctoria bark showed antinociceptive activity on acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice, their effects being comparable to that of acetylsalicylic acid.     

Antinociceptive activity of Malvastrum coromandelinum

The aerial parts of Malvastrum coromandelinum showed antinociceptive activity in the 0.6% acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice, the effects of acetone extract (200 mg/kg, p.o.) being comparable with acetylsalicylic acid (100 mg/kg, p.o.)     

Foliar traits of jasmine plants intercropped in coconut

Shade is one of the important limiting factors in intercropped agro-ecosystems. Objective of this work is to analyze the role of eight foliar traits of juvenile plants of five different species of Jasminum grown under coconut shade. The results reveal the shade tolerant J. pubescence to produce more number of nodes and longer shoots in all the three seasons studied. J. grandiflorum produced longer leaves and internodal distance than other species tested. Winter season shoots were longer with more number of nodes and longer internodal distances than rainy season. Results are discussed in relation to the adaptive behavior of plants to shade.