Effects of dietary lysozyme levels on growth performance,intestinal morphology,non‐specific immunity and mRNA expression in weanling piglets

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of dietary lysozyme levels on growth performance, gut health and non‐specific immunity of weanling piglets. A total of 150 weanling piglets were allocated to six treatments. The piglets were fed the same basel diet supplemented with 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 mg/kg lysozyme as well as antibiotics for 28 days. From day 14 to day 28 of dietary treatment, piglets fed 90 mg/kg lysozyme had greater average daily gain than piglets fed control diet. During the whole experimental period, piglets fed 120 mg/kg lysozyme tended to have greater average daily gain than piglets fed control diet. Compared with piglets fed control diet, piglets fed diets containing antibiotics and 90 mg/kg lysozyme had greater villus height to crypt depth ratio in duodenum and jejunum. Additionally, dietary supplementation of 60 and 90 mg/kg lysozyme as well as antibiotics enhanced the phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages in piglets. In conclusion, dietary lysozyme can accelerate the growth of weanling piglets by improving gut health and non‐specific immunity and supplementing 90 mg/kg lysozyme is as effective as antibiotics (20 mg/kg colistin sulphate + 50 mg/kg kitasamycin) in improving the growth performance of weanling piglets.     

The influence of polyphenol rich apple pomace or red-wine pomace diet on the gut morphology in weaning piglets

Alternative food ingredients, e.g. secondary plant compounds, are discussed to have beneficial effects and improve gut health. In this study, the effect of three different diets - normal piglets starter without additives, with apple pomace or with red-wine pomace - on the intestinal morphology was investigated from 3 days prior to weaning to 4 weeks post-weaning. At five time points, six piglets from each treatment group were slaughtered; at first time point only six animals from control group were slaughtered. Villus height, crypt depth and breadth of villi and crypts were determined in the jejunum, ileum and colon in 78 piglets. Additionally, the area of the Peyer's patches in the ileum was measured. In jejunum (p < 0.01) and ileum (p < 0.001) the villus length in the control group decreased after weaning but increased over the entire feeding experiment (p < 0.001). In the two-pomace groups, no decrease was measured after weaning. In jejunum, an increase in villi breadth occurred, 73% in the control group and approximately 10% in both treatment groups. A 35% increase was found in the ileum in all groups. Peyer's patches area increased approximately 21% in the control group over 26 days of treatment, whereas in other groups no significant differences were found. Different polyphenol rich pomaces have diverse effects in the gastrointestinal tract. Red-wine pomace has an inhibitory effect on the jejunum villi growth, whereas apple and red-wine pomace have stimulating effect on crypt size in piglet colon. Apple and red-wine pomace can reduce the GALT activation via the Peyer's patches in the ileum. In conclusion, the flavanoids rich feeding regimen showed positive effects on villi morphology, GALT activation and can improve pig health.     

灌木抗旱机理研究

从灌木生长性状、形态结构、细胞质膜透性、光合、渗透调节(可溶性糖、脯氨酸、甜菜碱和无机离子)、ABA和LEA蛋白变化及其与灌木抗旱性的关系方面,综述了灌木抗旱机理研究.     

Identification and distribution of fungal pathogens associated with seedling blight of rice in the southern United States

Surveys were conducted in the five southern rice-producing states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas in the United States during the 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons to determine the distribution and pathogenicity of fungal pathogens associated with seedling blight in rice. A total of 349 pathogenic fungal isolates were collected and identified as belonging to four genera: Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium spp., Sclerotium rolfsii and Marasmius graminum based on morphological characteristics, molecular analysis and Koch's postulates. R. solani (252 out of 349 pathogenic isolates) was the most prevalent fungus isolated from diseased samples. Of the 252 pathogenic R. solani isolates, 245 were further classified as anastomosis group 11 (AG-11) and 7 as AG-4. Isolates of R. solani AG-4 and M. graminum were the most aggressive, with the highest stand loss (63% to 100%) and median disease rating (DR; 5.0), followed by isolates of R. solani AG-11 (stand loss = 4% to 100% and DR = 0.6 to 5.0), Fusarium spp. (stand loss = 26% to 48% and DR = 2.0 to 5.0) and S. rolfsii (stand loss = 33% to 48% and DR = 2.0 to 3.0) in causing seedling blight in rice. R. solani (62% to 83% of total pathogenic isolates) and Fusarium spp. (10% to 24% of total pathogenic isolates) were predominant in all the five states surveyed. S. rolfsii and M. graminum were present only in Louisiana and Texas. The results of this first systematic survey of rice seedling diseases in the southern United States will help develop effective fungicide seed treatment strategies for control of stand loss caused by seedling blight, one of the major factors limiting rice production.     

不同基因型大麦苗期对干旱胁迫的响应及HvPIPs基因表达特征分析

为研究不同基因型大麦苗期对干旱胁迫的响应,挖掘优质抗旱的大麦种质资源,以4份不同基因型大麦(2个高抗品种ZDM5430和ZDM5458,2个干旱敏感型品种7DCADA和IL-12)为材料,利用聚乙二醇(PEG-6000)模拟干旱条件,综合分析不同品种大麦的苗期抗旱性差异;并通过对不同品种根系进行PIPs实时定量分析,研究水通道蛋白AQPs基因与干旱胁迫之间的应答关系。结果表明,持续干旱胁迫会使大麦生长变缓,各处理苗长、根长、叶含水量和根含水量都呈下降趋势,其中,4个品种的大麦叶含水量在干旱胁迫14 d时下降最为显著,与对照相比,其降幅分别为29.14%、52.64%、21.67%和72.15%。干旱胁迫对大麦苗期干物质积累量和根冠比的影响较小,各处理间差异不显著;但持续干旱后,抗旱品种ZDM5430的根冠比呈上升趋势,在胁迫7、14、21 d时较CK分别增加了4.92%、42.86%和21.05%。随着胁迫时间的延长,大麦旗叶叶绿素含量和根系活力也呈下降趋势,其中ZDM5430和ZDM5458较对照组降幅较小,说明抗旱品种的形态指标、叶绿素含量及根系活力受干旱胁迫的影响较小。通过PIP...     

Unraveling the morphological patterns of a subantarctic eelpout: a geometric morphometric approach

Phenotypic variation in organisms depends on the genotype and the environmental constraints of the habitat that they exploit. Therefore, for marine species inhabiting contrasting aquatic conditions, it is expected to find covariation between the shape and its spatial distribution. We studied the morphology of the head and cephalic sensory canals of the eelpout Austrolycus depressiceps (4.5–22.5 cm TL) across its latitudinal distribution in South Pacific (45°S–55°S). Geometric morphometric analyses show that the shape varied from individuals with larger snout and an extended suborbital canal to individuals with shorter snouts and frontally compressed suborbital canal. There was size variation across the sampled populations, but that size does not have a clear latitudinal gradient. Only 8% of the shape variation relates to this size variation (allometry), represented by a decrease in the relative size of the eye, and a depression of the posterior margin of the head. There were spatial differences in the shape of the head, but these differences were probably caused by allometric effects. Additionally, 2 of the canals of the cephalic lateralis pores and the head shape showed modularity in its development. This study shows that the morphology of marine fish with a shallow distribution varies across distances of hundreds of kilometers (i.e., phenotypic modulation).     

Living on the edge: morphological and behavioral adaptations to a marginal high-elevation habitat in an arboreal mammal

Habitats are characterized by different local environmental conditions that influence both behavior and morphology of species, which can result in habitat-dependent phenotypic differences among animals living in heterogeneous environments. We studied 3 alpine populations of Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris), 1 living in a marginal high-elevation habitat at the edge of the species’ altitudinal distribution, and 2 occurring in higher-quality habitats. Here, we investigated whether squirrels living in the marginal area differed in 2 morphological parameters (body size and body mass) and/or in the expression of 4 personality traits estimated with an open field test and a mirror image stimulation test (activity, exploration, activity-exploration, and social tendency). Furthermore, we tested whether within-individual variance of the traits (behavioral plasticity) was higher in the edge habitat. Male squirrels in the edge habitat were smaller and weighed less than in the other study areas, while among females, size–habitat relationships were less marked. These sex-specific patterns were explained by a strong association between body mass and reproductive success in female squirrels. Squirrels in the marginal habitat were more active, explorative, and had a more social personality than in the other habitats. However, in contrast to our predictions, behavioral plasticity was smaller in the marginal habitat, but only for the trait exploration. Our results suggest that animals choose the habitat that best fits their personality, and that habitat-related differences in selective pressures may shape animals’ morphology.     

Tissue Culture and Rapid Propagation of Actinidia chinensis

It has been briefly studied and reported that Actinidia chinensis , one of economic woody plants, has been bred with the method of plant tissue culture. Aim at the shortage of traditional plant tissue culture ways which ignored the refinement and transplant of test-tube seedling, it strengthen the study to breeding and management of Actinidia chinensis seedlings before they grow up and become mature seedlings. Through our explore, the transplant survive rate of tissue-culture seedlings attain to about 85%.This study is the improvement to traditional breeding seedling means and it is helpful to the rapid propagation of those economic woody plants.     

Tissue Culture and Rapid Propagation of Echinacea Purpurea

It is a burgeoning application field for the biotechnology that to apply the technique of plant tissue culture breed seedling. The authors study the responses of Echinacea purpurea to different proportion plant growth hormone or auxin through adopting the culture tissue technique on the MS. The integrated seedling of Echinacea purpurea can be cultivated by callus, subculture, differentiation and rhizogenesis. The surviving rate of Echinacea purpurea seedling transplant are improved by appropriate sound stimulation appropriate. Study harvest offers the gist for the large-scale breeding seedling and the officinal resource exploitation of Echinacea purpurea in our country, and avoid some traditional handicap in breeding seedling of Echinacea purpurea, such as the difficult of seed collection, low burgeoning rate, and the disadvantage for large-scale propagation.     

葡萄组培苗瓶外生根技术研究

采用不同种类和浓度的生长素诱导葡萄组培苗瓶外生根，并观察组培苗在不同处理基质、不同的温度、不同的生理年龄条件下生根的效果。通过优化技术参数，建立了葡萄组培苗瓶接生根的技术优化体系，结果表明，用浓度为0.3mg/L的IBA浸蘸处理的插条，在温度为27~29℃的环境条件下在基质珍珠岩上培养，瓶苗茎段的生根率可达85.5 %，移栽后苗木的成活率达98 %，相对于其他方法有了较大的提高。该技术的建立有助于实现葡萄工厂化育苗技术的商业化扩大。