Effects of Organic Amendments on Soil Physical Attributes and Aggregate-Associated Phosphorus Under Long-Term Rice-Wheat Cropping

The quantification of phosphorus(P) in bulk soil and P distribution in different size fractions of water-stable aggregates(WSAs)are important for assessing potential P loss through runoff. We evaluated available and total P distribution within WSAs of a sitty clay to clay soil in a long-term fertility experiment of a rice-wheat cropping system in India. Surface soil samples were collected from seven plots amended with NPK fertilizers in combination with or without organic amendments, farmyard manure(FYM), green manure(GM), and paddy straw(PS). The plot with no NPK fertilizers or organic amendments was set as a control. The soil samples were separated by wet sieving into four soil aggregate size fractions: large macroaggregates( 2.0 mm), small macroaggregates(0.25–2.0 mm), fine microaggregates(0.05–0.25 mm), and a silt + clay-sized fraction( 0.05 mm). Structural indices were higher in the soil receiving organic amendments than in the soil receiving inorganic fertilizer alone. Organically amended soil had a higher proportion of stable macroaggregates than the control and the soil receiving inorganic fertilizer alone, which were rich in microaggregates. Total and available P contents within WSAs were inversely related to the aggregate size, irrespective of treatment. The distribution of available and total P in the soil aggregate size fraction was as follows: silt + clay-size fraction small macroaggregates fine microaggregates large macroaggregates. Within a size class, aggregate-associated available and total P contents in the organically amended soil were in the following order: FYM PS ≥ GM. The available P content of the microaggregates( 0.25 mm) was 8-to 10-times higher than that of the macroaggregates( 0.25 mm), and the total P content of the microaggregates was 4-to 5-times higher than that of the macroaggregates. Cultivation without organic amendments resulted in more microaggregates that could be checked by the application of organic amendments such as FYM and GM, which increased the proportion of water-stable macroaggregates by consolidating microaggregates into macroaggregates.     

An Update of Lectins from Marine Organisms: Characterization,Extraction Methodology,and Potential Biofunctional Applications

Lectins are a unique group of nonimmune carbohydrate-binding proteins or glycoproteins that exhibit specific and reversible carbohydrate-binding activity in a non-catalytic manner. Lectins have diverse sources and are classified according to their origins, such as plant lectins, animal lectins, and fish lectins. Marine organisms including fish, crustaceans, and mollusks produce a myriad of lectins, including rhamnose binding lectins (RBL), fucose-binding lectins (FTL), mannose-binding lectin, galectins, galactose binding lectins, and C-type lectins. The widely used method of extracting lectins from marine samples is a simple two-step process employing a polar salt solution and purification by column chromatography. Lectins exert several immunomodulatory functions, including pathogen recognition, inflammatory reactions, participating in various hemocyte functions (e.g., agglutination), phagocytic reactions, among others. Lectins can also control cell proliferation, protein folding, RNA splicing, and trafficking of molecules. Due to their reported biological and pharmaceutical activities, lectins have attracted the attention of scientists and industries (i.e., food, biomedical, and pharmaceutical industries). Therefore, this review aims to update current information on lectins from marine organisms, their characterization, extraction, and biofunctionalities.     

The chronic toxicity of inorganic mercury in goats: clinical signs,toxicopathological changes and residual concentrations

Chronic mercury toxicity was induced in goats by administering mercuric chloride at 100 µg/ml in deionized drinking water offered ad libitum for 90 days. Toxic signs of gastrointestinal disturbances and renal dysfunction developed from 43 days onwards without any mortality. The toxicity also induced nephrosis and tubular nephritis; centrilobular necrosis of liver; mild to moderate necrosis in spleen, intestine and lymph node; Zenker's degeneration of cardiac muscles; exudative pneumonia; and pial congestion, oedema and vacuolation in the brain. In addition, hyperaemia, oedema and tissue haemorrhages were evident in most of the organs. The kidneys contained the largest residues of mercury, followed by liver, spleen, intestine, lymph node, skeletal muscles, lungs, heart, brain and the omental fat. The intensity of the cytotoxic changes in the various organs was proportional to the amount of mercury accumulated.     

Effects of soil types and fertilizers on growth,yield, and quality of edible Amaranthus tricolor lines in Okinawa,Japan

Soil types and fertilizer regimes were evaluated on growth, yield, and quality of Amaranthus tricolor lines, IB (India Bengal), TW (Taiwan), BB (Bangladesh B), and BC (Bangladesh C) in developing management practices in Okinawa. Growth and yield of all amaranth lines were higher in gray soil (pH 8.4) than in dark red soil (pH 6.6) and red soil (pH 5.4). The combined NPK fertilizer resulted in highest growth parameters and yield of amaranths in all soils. Nitrogen fertilizer alone did not affect growth parameters and yield of amaranths in dark red and red soils. Growth parameters and yield increased similarly with the 30, 40, and 50 g m^?2 of NPK fertilizer in BB line, and with the 20, 30, 40, and 50 g m^?2 in BC line. Agronomic efficiency of NPK fertilizer at 50 g m^?2 was not prominent on the amaranths, compared to the fertilizer at 40 g m^?2. Amaranth lines had higher Na in dark red and red soils, while K and Mg in gray soil, Ca in gray and red soils, and Fe in dark red soil. The NPK fertilizer resulted in higher Na, Ca, Mg, and P in BB line in glasshouse. These minerals in BB line were not clearly affected, but in BC line were lower with NPK fertilizer at 20–50 g m^?2 in field. These studies indicate that gray soil is best for amaranth cultivation and combined NPK fertilizer at 20–40 g m^?2 is effective in gray soil in Okinawa for higher yield and minerals of amaranth.     

Development of production management strategies for a long-duration rice variety: Rajendra Mahsuri—using crop growth model,DSSAT, for the state of Bihar,India

Paddy and Water Environment - Increasing crop production is an inevitable demand of a current growing population all over the world. Implementation of best field crop practices potentially enables...     

Cadmium Induced Inhibition of Type-I Iodothyronine 5′-monodeiodinase in Young Cockerel: The Possible Involvement of Free Radicals

The possible involvement of free radicals in the cadmium-induced thyroid dysfunction with special reference to hepatic type-I iodothyronine 5′-monodeiodinase (5′-D) enzyme activity has been studied in cockerels. Cadmium chloride (CdCl₂) administration (i.m. 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg body weight for 30 days) enhanced hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) but, decreased 5′-D activity and serum triiodothyronine (T₃) concentration. Serum thyroxine (T₄) was decreased only by the highest dose indicating that cadmium (Cd) is thyroid inhibitory only at higher doses. Liver appears to be highly sensitive to the metal as disruption of membrane configuration evidenced by increased hepatic LPO and inhibition of 5′-D enzyme activity were observed by all the three doses. We suggest that, Cd-induced inhibition of extrathyroidal conversion of T₄ to T₃, the major source of the generation of latter hormone, is dose dependent and the free radicals generated due to Cd intoxication could be one of the mechanisms involved in the inhibition 5′-D activity in hepatic tissues.     

Goat flea (order Siphonaptera) as a possible vector for the transmission of caprine mycoplasmal polyarthritis with septicaemia

Goat fleas of the order Siphonaptera were collected from the body surfaces of naturally infected polyarthritic goat kids with septicaemia. These fleas and the infected kids were positive for Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides (large colony type) identified by cultural, morphological, biochemical and growth inhibition tests. Blood from the infected fleas contained 1 × 10²−1 × 10⁵ viable subsp. mycoides ml⁻¹. Experimental transmission of the disease to other kids was established by placing 120 infected fleas on each kid's body surfaces. All experimentally infected kids developed characteristic clinical signs and showed leucopenia with neutropenia, an increased amount of fibrinogen and mortality with lesions of suppurative polyarthritis associated with septicaemia. The organisms were also recovered in high numbers from heart blood, body fluids, and infected organs and joints. The results suggested that fleas of the order Siphonaptera acted as vectors for the transmission of the spontaneous disease in kids.     

Acquired immunity to Eimeria tenella in lasalocid-treated chickens

The effect of restricted medication with lasalocid sodium on the development of acquired immunity against Eimeria tenella was evaluated. The medication was allowed for all or part of 6-day test period (one day before until 4 days after infection). The parameters used for such evaluations were lesion score, caecal, bursal and splenic weights. The optimum treatment time for the drug was clearly indicated by lesion score which was very low when the medication was initiated 1 day before until 1 day after inoculation, but only partly effective if given on Day 2 post-inoculation. The challenge with higher doses on 14th day of immunizing infection revealed a reverse picture where the higher lesions were recorded by the groups where medication was started earlier than the delayed treatment groups. This indicates partial interference with the development of immunity in the earlier treatment groups. Birds treated on Day 4 p.i. were not significantly different (P less than 0.05) from the infected unmedicated control group, suggesting no interference in acquired immunity. A correlation was noticed between day of treatment, the lesion score and weight gain of the caecum as well as the spleen. After both immunizing and challenge infections, the bursa did not show any significant variation in weight, whereas the weight of the spleen did vary. The infected unmedicated group and the delayed-treatment groups had a comparatively higher splenic weight than the uninfected unmedicated group of birds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Bioavailability of allelochemicals as affected by companion compounds in soil matrices

Multicompound allelochemical interactions were studied using Centaurea maculosa as a model source to understand how the bioavailability of complex allelochemical mixtures is modified in soil-microbial systems. Litter decomposition of C. maculosa in sandy loam soil yielded five phenolic acids, namely, hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, protocatechuic, p-coumaric, and ferulic acids. The degradation studies were conducted by exogenous application of catechin, the primary allelochemical exuded by C. maculosa, and the phenolic acid cosolutes in a sandy loam and silt loam soil. Compared to a single-solute system, in a multisolute system the persistence of individual allelochemicals was significantly increased in both soils. Oxidation and sorption were primarily involved in the disappearance of allelochemicals. Mass spectrometric data showed that catechin rapidly underwent polymerization to form procyanidin dimer both in soil and in bioassay medium, resulting in reduced persistence and phytotoxicity. Hence, catechin phytotoxicity could occur only under conditions that would inhibit these condensation reactions. This study clearly demonstrates that various soil mechanisms including competitive sorption and preferential degradation would increase the persistence of allelochemical mixtures in a soil matrix.