Response of Amaranthus cruentus cv Mexicano to nitrogen fertilization under irrigation in the temperate,semiarid climate of North Patagonia,Argentina

This article explores the response of three genotypes of Amaranthus to different sowing date and to different doses of nitrogen (N) fertilization. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with three replicates for cultivars, planting date and fertilization per treatment. Mexicano sown in early December had the best yield (5285?kg ha^-1) with highly significant differences (p?<?0.001) respect to Dorado and Antorcha. To assess the N fertilization Mexicano cultivar was sown at the end of spring (1 December). Morphophysiological variables increased as the N fertilization dose was raised. Higher doses of N fertilizer resulted in greater economic yields this was mainly due to the increase in grain number rather than that of a 1000 grain weight. The results of this investigation suggest that sowing Amaranthus cruentus cv Mexicano on 1 December with 150?kg N ha^?1 favors its general development and allows to obtain high economic and biological yields with an appropriate protein content.     

Protein content, oil content and fatty acid profiles as potential criteria to determine the origin of commercially grown chia (Salvia hispanica L.)

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.), an annual herb of the Labiatae family, produces seeds which were one of the basic foods of Central American civilizations in pre-Columbian times. Chia seed contains the highest known percentage of α-linolenic fatty acid of any plant source. In recent years, chia seed has become increasingly important for human health and nutrition because of its high content of α-linolenic fatty acid, and the beneficial health effects that arise from its consumption. A study was undertaken to characterize protein and oil contents as well as fatty acid composition of chia seeds grown in some larger commercial fields, in an attempt to determine how these components are affected by location. Oil saturation tended to decrease as elevation of seed production increased, with decreasing levels of palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic fatty acids found. The main constituent in the chia oil was ω-3 α-linolenic fatty acid, and ranged from 64.8% to 56.9%. Differences were significant (P < 0.05) among locations. Significant differences in protein content and fatty acid composition were also found for the commercially grown chia originating from three ecosystems. It is possible that these differences could be used to distinguish chia's origin, if additional research was undertaken to characterize such differences.     

Sugarcane bagasse whiskers: Extraction and characterizations

This work evaluates the use of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as a source of cellulose to obtain whiskers. These fibers were extracted after SCB underwent alkaline peroxide pre-treatment followed by acid hydrolysis at 45 °C. The influence of extraction time (30 and 75 min) on the properties of the nanofibers was investigated. Sugarcane bagasse whiskers (SCBW) were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in air atmosphere. The results showed that SCB could be used as source to obtain cellulose whiskers and they had needle-like structures with an average length (L) of 255 ± 55 nm and diameter (D) of 4 ± 2 nm, giving an aspect ratio (L/D) around 64. More drastic hydrolysis conditions (75 min) resulted in less thermally stable whiskers and caused some damage on the crystal structure of the cellulose as observed by XRD analysis.     

Effect of three bacterial isolates from a commercial hatchery on early red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) postlarvae

Three bacterial strains, GHrC11, GHrC13 and GHrC15, were isolated from an abalone postlarval culture system in a commercial farm at Baja California, México. The strains were phenotypically characterized and sequenced (16S rDNA). Strain GHrC11 was a Gram-positive coccobacillum, while strains GHrC13 and GHrC15 were Gram-negative bacilli. Strain GHrC11 was identified as Exiguobacterium sp. The strains GHrC13 and GHrC15 were identified as Vibrio splendidus. The effects of these strains for the development of early abalone postlarvae (2 days old) were evaluated following a completely randomized design with three replicates using 5-mL-volume Petri dishes as experimental units. The experiment considered two different bacterial concentrations of each strain (10³ and 10⁵?cells?ml^?1) and two controls (with and without the benthic diatom Navicula incerta). After 10?days of experimentation, the highest mortality (90?±?5.8?%) and the lowest growth rate (4.1?±?0.1?μm?day^?1) were recorded for the strain GHrC11. In contrast, the lower mortality (16.7?±?3.3?%) and the highest growth rate (11.2?±?0.9?μm?day^?1) corresponded to the control fed N. incerta. Our results suggest that pathogenic effects of these bacterial strains were stronger than any potential benefits derived from the ingestion of bacteria by early abalone postlarvae. In conclusion, the most pathogenic strain was GHrC11, and the intensity of pathogenicity could be ordered as Exiguobacterium sp.?>?V. splendidus (C13)?>?V. splendidus (C15).     

Growth of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Euterpe edulis</Emphasis> Mart. (Arecaceae) under forest and agroforestry in southern Brazil

The palm Euterpe edulis has high ecological and economic importance in Brazil. Currently, this species is being cultivated and managed for spontaneous regeneration in banana plantations. However, there are no data comparing its plantation growth performance to its native forest growth. We evaluated growth and mortality (M) of individuals of E. edulis planted in secondary dense ombrophilous forest and in banana plantations, as well as their relationships with site variables (canopy opening, soil nutrient availability, density of existing E. edulis, and herbivory). Twelve banana plantation sites and 12 sites in secondary dense ombrophilous forests were selected. At each site, 25 young individuals of E. edulis were planted in 2003. Annually until 2008, morphometric, herbivory, and M of the individuals were evaluated. In 2008, canopy and soil variables were measured at each plot. E. edulis growth was five times higher in banana plots compared to forest plots; current annual increment on height reached 38.9 cm in banana plots, compared to 7.3 cm in forest plots. M was relatively low and similar at both sites, presenting an intraspecific density-dependence pattern. Significant correlations were found between morphometric variables, M, and herbivory of E. edulis and canopy and soil variables. Euterpe edulis presented plasticity that allows for its establishment in banana plantations, indicating high potential for management in agroforestry consortia. Such management may be a useful conservation strategy for this and other shade-tolerant species.     

Polylepis australis’ regeneration niche in relation to seed dispersal,site characteristics and livestock density

Establishment of Polylepis forests endemic to the mountains of South America may be affected by seed dispersal, site characteristics and livestock density. Polylepis australis (“tabaquillo”) grows in the high mountains of central Argentina, where we set up 76 square study plots of 900 m². To determine dispersal distance, we distributed 6 seed traps per plot in and around 20 plots. To determine the best site characteristics and livestock stoking rates, at two river basins differing in historic stocking rates, we analyzed the presence of seedlings in 56 plots and recorded topography, vegetation types and indicators of livestock activity. We also measured microsite characteristics in a sample of 32 comparable pairs of 1 m² quadrats, with and without seedlings. Maximum recorded dispersal distance of P. australis seeds was 6 m, and seedlings were found no more than 10 m from seed trees. The numbers of seedlings and seed trees were 3.5 and 4 times higher, respectively, in the basin with less livestock. At the 900 m² plot scale, a Poisson regression indicated a positive relationship between seedling number and P. australis canopy cover. At the quadrat scale (1 m²), seedlings were found in quadrats with significantly lower evidence of soil erosion than comparison quadrats without seedlings. We conclude that the main limitations to recruitment are short seed dispersal distances, lack of seed trees and extreme soil erosion. Management should therefore aim at preserving seed trees and reducing livestock density to prevent erosion.     

Genomic features of Pseudomonas sp. RGM2144 correlates with increased survival of rainbow trout infected by Flavobacterium psychrophilum

This study evaluated the probiotic potential of the biofilm formed by the strain Pseudomonas sp. RGM2144 on rainbow trout survival. When challenged with the fish pathogen Flavobacterium psychrophilum, Pseudomonas sp. RGM2144 increased rainbow trout survival to 92.7 ± 1.2% (control: 35.3 ± 9.5%, p < .0001). The draft genome of Pseudomonas sp. RGM2144 is 6.8 Mbp long, with a completeness 100% and a contamination of 0.4%. The genome contains 6122 protein-coding genes of which 3564 (~60%) have known functions. The genome and phylogeny indicate that Pseudomonas sp. RGM2144 is a new species in the Pseudomonas genus, with few virulence factors, plasmids, and genes associated with antimicrobial resistance, suggesting a non-pathogenic bacterium with protective potential. In addition, the genome encodes for 11 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters that could be involved in the inhibition of F. psychrophilum. We suggest that Pseudomonas sp. RGM2144 may be applied as a probiotic in salmonid fish farming.     

Genetic parameters for growth and survival traits in Pacific white shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei from a nucleus population undergoing a two-stage selection program

A multivariate animal model and multi-generational data from a two-stage selection shrimp breeding program were used to estimate genetic parameters for a genetic nucleus of Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei. A total of 408,648 records from years 2008 to 2010 production cycles provided by a Mexican hatchery were analyzed. The studied traits were survival from 0 to 28 days of age (S1), square root of body weight at 28 days of age (W1^1/2), survival from 65 to 130 days of age (S2), and body weight at 130 days of age (W2). Mean (standard deviation) for W1^1/2 and W2 were estimated as 5.4 mg^1/2 (1.55) and 13.6 g (3.1), respectively, while mean (standard deviation) for S1 and S2 (as proportions) were estimated as 0.20 (0.41) and 0.71 (0.45), respectively. Heritabilities for S1, W1^1/2, S2, and W2 were 0.03 ± 0.01, 0.13 ± 0.03, 0.04 ± 0.01, and 0.21 ± 0.04, respectively. Genetic correlations of S1 with W1^1/2, S2, and W2 were ?0.49 ± 0.21, ?0.29 ± 0. 21, and ?0.40 ± 0.16, respectively. Genetic correlations of W1^1/2 with S2, and W2 were 0.55 ± 0.17, and 0.71 ± 0.12, respectively, and genetic correlation between S2 and W2 was 0.56 ± 0.10. Results show that selection based on W2 has a positive effect on S2, while selection based on W1^1/2, as an early selection criterion, would increase the selection responses for W2 and S2.     

Use of Spray-Dried Blood Meal as an Alternative Protein Source in Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) Diets

We evaluated the effects of various dietary blood meal levels on the growth performance and body composition of pirarucu (Araipama gigas) juveniles. Fish (8.5 ± 0.4 g) were stocked into 24 tanks and fed for 60 days with eight isoproteic diets, having 0% to 21% incorporation of blood meal. Fish increased weight by six to 15 times from their initial weight. The highest body weights (117–135 g), growth rates (4%–5% BW/day), and protein retentions (19%–20%) were observed in fish fed 0% to 6% blood meal. Feed intake increased from 2.9% to 4.4% BW/day with increasing blood meal level. Feed conversion ratio (FCR: 1.0–1.1) did not vary among groups fed 0% to 6% blood meal (P < 0.001). However, when fish were fed more than 6% blood meal, FCR (1.3–1.7) and protein retention (11.1–13.7) deteriorated sharply. Lipid (7.7–11.7%) and energy (18.7–21.2 kJ/g) content increased with increasing blood meal levels up to 9%.     

Carotenoid Pigments Composition of Two Commonly Discarded Decapod Crustaceans in Grand Sole and the Galician-Northern Portugal Coast Fisheries

ABSTRACT

Carotenoid composition of two commonly discarded decapod crustaceans, Liocarcinus depurator and Munida spp., was assessed in different catching months. Total carotenoid content ranged between 7 ± 1 and 22.4 ± 0.7 μg g^?1. Pigment separation was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector. Astaxanthin accounted for 21 to 50% of total carotenoids, and the remaining percentage corresponded mainly to esters of astaxanthin. The fatty acid profile of carotenoid extracts for each species was evaluated. Overall total unsaturated fatty acids content ranged from 406 to 1,631 μg g^?1. Both species were rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which on average represented 68% of total unsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, the use of these low value by-catch species as a source of carotenoid pigments and fatty acids (e.g., for aquaculture formulations) is a possible alternative to their disposal at sea.