Effects of entrance design on catch efficiency of arabesque greenling traps: a field experiment in Matsumae, Hokkaido

ABSTRACT:   A field experiment was conducted in the Matsumae area of Hokkaido, Japan, during June and July 2002, to investigate the effects of different entrance designs on the catch efficiency of fish traps by fishing with commercial traps (entrance inclination angle [α] = 37°; funnel length of entrance [ L _f ] = 22 cm) and experimental traps. The experimental traps were of the same size and similar design as commercial traps, with different entrance inclination angles (trap E1: α = 46°; E2: α = 27°; E3: α = 0°; all L _f  = 22 cm) or funnel lengths (E4: α = 37°, L _f  = 8 cm). In total, 2200 fish during 200 trap hauls were captured. The catch was significantly higher using both traps E2 and the commercial trap than with trap E3 ( P  < 0.05), and the catch of trap E2 was higher than that of the commercial trap. There were no significant differences in mean fish body length or the frequency distributions of body length among trap types (E1, E2, E3 and commercial). The funnel length of the entrance also affected the catch of traps. Trap E4 had significantly higher catches than the commercial trap ( P  = 0.04) when traps were deployed for a 1-day soak time. Fish body length frequency distributions did not differ between trap E4 and the commercial trap. The results showed that catch can be greatly affected by trap entrance designs.     

Gonadal morphogenesis and sex differentiation in cultured chub mackerel,Scomber japonicus

The timing of primordial germ‐cell (PGC) migration with regard to the gonadal anlagen, gonad formation and sex differentiation was examined histologically in the chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) at 5–190 days post hatching (dph). At 5 dph, PGCs appeared on the peritoneal epithelium surface or in the mesentery, on the dorsal side of the abdominal cavity. By 10 dph, stromal cells around the PGCs proliferated. The gonadal primordium was formed by 15 dph. The gonadosomatic index was 0.01% at 30 dph and increased thereafter (0.32% in females and 0.04% in males at 160 dph). Ovarian differentiation occurred at 30–40 dph, indicated by ovarian cavity formation (elongation and fusion of the upper and lower ovarian edges). Meiosis was subsequently initiated. A few meiotic oocytes surrounded the cavity at 50 dph; most were in the perinucleolus stage at 60 dph and attained a diameter of 60–70 μm at 190 dph. Testicular differentiation occurred at 30 dph, indicated by the formation of the sperm duct primordium. Spermatogonia gradually proliferated, developing into spermatocytes at the chromatin–nucleolus stage (after 90 dph) and subsequently into spermatids and spermatozoa (160 dph). These data could aid the development of seeding and cell‐engineering technologies for scombrid fish.     

Supplementation effect(s) of organic acids and/or lipid to plant protein‐based diets on juvenile yellowtail,Seriola quinqueradiata Temminck et Schlegel 1845, growth and,nitrogen and phosphorus excretion

A feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of organic acids and/or lipid supplementation on growth, utilization and environmental loading of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in juvenile yellowtail fed fishmeal (FM) and plant protein (PP) diets. Six diets as FM (FM‐based), FM+P (FM with inorganic P), FM+L (FM with lipid), PP+CA (PP with citric acid), PP+L+CA (PP with lipid and citric acid) and PP+L+FA (PP with formic acid) were formulated. Yellowtails were fed each of the diets in duplicate groups; once a day, 6 days a week to near satiation at water temperature 19.0–25.0 °C for 16 weeks. Fishmeal with inorganic P gave the best growth while PP+L+FA the lowest. However, growth increased in PP+CA and PP+L+CA. Addition of lipid significantly increased N and P retention resulting in significant reduction in N and P excretion. Citric acid and FA supplementation to PP diets also increased retention of P; hence, its excretion was lowered. Thus, CA, FA and lipid in juvenile yellowtail diets can help to partially replace FM with PP sources and reduce inorganic P use to minimize environmental loading from aquafeeds.     

Effects of high dose of vitamin A on reproduction and egg quality of Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus

ABSTRACT: The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary vitamin A on reproduction and egg quality in Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus . Broodstock were fed experimental pellets containing two levels of vitamin A [11 × 10³ IU/100 g (control diet; CD), 337 × 10³ IU/100 g (experimental diet; ED)] for approximately 2 months before spawning and during the spawning period. Two groups of five females (average weight 1.4 kg) and 10 males (average weight 0.7 kg) were randomly allocated to two 30 m³ indoor tanks. Total egg production of the CD group was slightly higher than the ED group. Percentage of buoyant eggs and hatching rate of the ED group were significantly higher than the CD. In other egg quality parameters, such as percentage abnormal larvae and starvation tolerance of larvae, no notable difference was found between these two groups. At the end of the experiment, the skin color of broodstock in the ED group was darker than that of the CD group. Vitamin A content in eggs of the ED group was significantly higher than that of the CD group. However, the difference in vitamin A content in eggs between the ED and CD groups was much smaller than that in the liver of the females between the two groups. These results indicate that feeding broodstock a higher level of vitamin A increases the vitamin A content in eggs but does not affect egg quality in Japanese flounder because excess dietary vitamin A was stored mainly in the broodstocks' liver.     

Supplemental effect of cholyltaurine and soybean lecithin to a soybean meal-based fish meal-free diet on hepatic and intestinal morphology of rainbow trout <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus mykiss</Emphasis>

The supplemental effects of cholyltaurine and soybean lecithin to a defatted soybean meal (SBM)-based fish meal-free diet on the hepatic and intestinal morphology of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were investigated. A fish meal-based diet (FM), three fish meal-free diets supplemented either with soybean lecithin (SL), bovine gall powder (BG) or cholyltaurine (C-tau) and an unsupplemented fish meal-free diet (NFM), were given to fish (−11 g) for 10 weeks. The growth was the lowest in fish fed diet NFM, intermediate in fish fed diet SL and the highest in fish fed diet FM, BG and C-tau. Hepatocytes of fish fed diet NFM were atrophied, and the distal intestine of these fish showed abnormal features: disintegrated microvilli and fatty degeneration in epithelial cells and increased amount of connective tissue in the submucosa. Hepatic and intestinal histological features in fish fed diets SL, BG and C-tau were similar to those in fish fed diet FM. These results indicate that soybean lecithin, bovine bile salts and cholyltaurine have similar effects on normalizing the hepatic and intestinal morphologies of rainbow trout fed the SBM-based diet, although growth promotion effect was limited in the soybean lecithin.     

Influence of light intensity on feeding, growth, and early survival of leopard coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus) larvae under mass-scale rearing conditions

This study investigated the effect of different light intensities on feeding, growth and survival of early stage leopard coral grouper Plectropomus leopardus larvae. Four different light intensities (0, 500, 1000 and 3000 lx) were used and larvae were kept under constant light conditions from 0 day after hatching (DAH) to 5 DAH. The larvae were fed a small S-type of Thai strain rotifers at a density of 20 individuals/mL from 2 DAH. The number of rotifers in larval digestive organ and total length of larvae were examined at 3 h intervals between 04:00 and 22:00 h on 3 DAH, and thereafter at 6 h intervals until the end of the experiment (5 DAH). Four experimental trials of the larval rearing were repeated using by 60 kL mass-scale rearing tanks. The results indicate that coral grouper larvae are visual feeders and their food intake increases with increasing light intensity. Food intake of larvae reared at 3000 lx was significantly higher than those reared at 0–1000 lx on 3 DAH despite being the first-feeding day (P < 0.01). On 4 DAH, total length of larvae reared at 3000 lx was significantly larger than those reared at the lower light intensities (0, 500 and 1000 lx), and thereafter light intensity significantly influenced larval feeding and growth until the end of the experiment. Survival on 5 DAH did not show a significant difference between light intensities, but survival rate at 3000 lx and 1000 lx had a tendency to be higher than those reared at the lower light intensities (0 and 500 lx). In contrast, larvae reared at 0 lx exhibited stagnant and/or negative growth. These results indicate that light intensity is significantly the factor affecting larval feeding, growth, and survival in coral grouper larvae under the rearing conditions.     

Genetic studies for breeding of rice cultivars with superior grain appearance and lodging resistance from the rice cultivar ‘Emi-no-kizuna’

ABSTRACT

We conducted a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of grain appearance (GA) and agronomic traits of rice, using 128 recombinant inbred lines derived from ‘Emi-no-kizuna’ and ‘Tomohonami’. We detected two promising QTLs associated with GA: qGA4 on chromosome 4 and qGA8 on chromosome 8. qGA4 contributed highly to the greater percentage of perfect grains of the Emi-no-kizuna genotype. In the same region, we detected other QTLs associated with panicle number and spikelet number per panicle. In near-isogenic lines (NILs) in which Emi-no-kizuna alleles were introgressed in the genomic region of only the semi-dwarf 1 (sd1) locus (NIL_1) and both the sd1 locus and qGA8 (NIL_2), respectively, the percentage of perfect grains was significantly higher and the percentages of milky white, basal white, and white back grains were significantly lower than in Tomohonami; and the percentages of milky white and white back grains of NIL_2 were significantly lower than those of NIL_1. These results suggest that introgression in the sd1 region could improve GA, and that the addition of qGA8 could further improve GA. The culm lengths of the NILs were significantly shorter than that of Tomohonami, indicating improved lodging resistance. Grain weight of NIL_2 was significantly smaller than that of NIL_1, suggesting that the effect of qGA8 could be pleiotropic, or the gene that underlies qGA8 could be linked with genes associated with grain weight.

Abbreviations: ANOVA: analysis of variance; AT20: mean air temperature in the 20 days after heading; BW: basal white grain; CL: culm length; DAH: days after heading; GA: grain appearance; GW: 1000-grain weight; LOD: logarithm of odds; MW: milky white grain; NIL: near-isogenic line; PG: perfect grain; PL: panicle length; PN: panicle number; PTSN: putative total spikelet number; PVE: percentage of phenotypic variation explained; QTL: quantitative trait locus; RIL: recombinant inbred line; SN: spikelet number per panicle; SNP: single nucleotide polymorphism; WB: white back grain     

Extraction of rice-planting area and identification of chilling damage by remote sensing technology: a case study of the emerging rice production region in high latitude

Rice is the second largest staple crop in the world and therefore plays an important role in food security. As a thermophilic crop, rice is sensitive to temperature changes. Thus, research on the chilling damage of rice is essential. The Sanjiang Plain is an emerging rice production area and is located at high latitudes in China, the world’s largest rice-producing country. Landsat data were used to extract rice-planting area from 1985 to 2015. MODIS 13Q1, which was uniformly distributed during the growing period of rice, was used to obtain NDVI values of paddies during 2002–2015. Dynamic Identification Index of sterile-type chilling damage and monitoring standard of delayed-type chilling damage were the proposed methods used in this paper, which were used to judge the chilling damage of rice. The results show that in the study region, the rice-planting area in 2015 is nearly 12 times larger than that in 1985. Delayed-type chilling damage occurred in 2002 and 2009, while sterile-type chilling damage occurred in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2014, and 2015. Comparing with the prevalent meteorological standards, the results indicate that the index and standards proposed in this paper are precise, applicable, and more sensitive than them. The method is a macroscopic and accurate method to identify chilling damage in rice and can also provide a scientific basis to ensuring the stability of rice yield.     

Effect of nitrogen application during ripening period on photosynthesis and dry matter production and its impact on yield and yield components of semidwarf iniica rice varieties under water culture conditions

Abstract

A water culture pot experiment was conducted to analyze the effects of N application during the ripening period (RP) on photosynthesis, dry matter production, and its impact on grain ripening and yield in two semidwarf indica type varieties viz. Gui Zhao 2 (GZ) and BR3 (BR) compared with a japonica type variety Koganemasari (KO) under four N rates viz. 0 (N₀), 10 (N₁₀), 20 (N₂₀), and 40 (N₄₀) mg L^?1. Results showed that N application enabled to maintain a higher leaf area and delay leaf senescence in both indica and japonica type varieties but the decrease in the rate, of leaf area was higher in the former than in the latter and the rate was reduced with increasing N rates. Flag leaf photosynthesis and SPAD values of N treated plants were higher throughout the RP, showing the presence of a significant correlation either for each variety or all the varieties together. Higher photosynthetic rate was supported by higher leaf chlorophyll (SPAD value basis) content, stomatai conductance, and N concentration in leaf blades. Top dry matter content increased with increasing N rates mainly due to mean leaf area rather than NAR except for BR during RP but it was higher in KO than in GZ and BR. Reduction of shoot weight due to translocation of dry matter to panicles during RP was suppressed by N rates both in GZ and BR while shoot weight increased in the N-treated plants in KO. The dependency of KO on current photosynthates for panicle weight was found to be almost hundred percent while the contribution of stored carbohydrates in shoot before heading to panicle weight in GZ and BR was in the range of 4-27 and 33-54%, respectively and the rest was contributed by current photosynthates. The percentage increased with increasing N rates. Percentage of ripened grains (PRG) increased with increasing N rates in GZ and BR due to the increase in dry matter production and in the photosynthetic rates of apex leaves, despite the larger spikelet number and larger hull size. However, KO showed almost no variation although it had the highest PRG among the varieties. Brown rice yield followed the same pattern as that of PRG in GZ and BR and the highest yield was produced by BR followed by GZ and KO. These results suggest that N application during RP was more effective in increasing yield in the semidwarf indica type varieties than in the japonica type variety.     

The effects of long-term conservation tillage, crop residues and P fertilizer on soil conditions and responses of summer and winter crops on an Andosol in Japan

A field experiment was conducted from 1983 to 1992 in Tsukuba, Japan to investigate the effects of tillage on soil conditions and crop growth in a light-colored Andosol. Three tillage methods (NT: no-tillage, RT: no-tillage for summer cropping and moldboard plowing for winter cropping, and CT: conventional rotary tillage to a depth of 15 cm) were employed in combination with crop residue application (+R, −R) and fused magnesium phosphate (FMP) fertilization (+P, −P). Under the combination of NT and +R, diurnal variation of soil temperature at a depth of 5 cm was smaller during the summer cropping season and soil temperature in the daytime was lower during the winter cropping season than under CT. Soil inorganic N concentration at a depth of 0–30 cm was +R > −R and NT > RT > CT. The early growth of summer crops was accelerated under NT in comparison with CT, and yields were higher under NT and RT in comparison with CT. On the other hand, winter crop yields were significantly reduced under NT, while they were still higher under RT in comparison with CT. Yields were higher with +R and +P application, respectively, and these effects were more pronounced in winter cropping. The positive effect of FMP fertilization was greater in combination with NT, and that of residue treatment was greater in combination with RT and NT than with CT. In conclusion, the best tillage practice for Andosols on the Kanto Plain is RT, i.e. a combination of NT for summer cropping and CT for winter cropping. The application of NT for winter cropping is not recommended, although the application of phosphate and crop residues could reduce the risk of yield reduction, because of improved soil nutrient status and moderation of diurnal soil temperature.