Why extensive research and development did not promote use of peach palm fruit in Latin America

Agroforestry Systems - Peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) was domesticated as a fruit crop by the first Amazonians in traditional Neotropical agroforestry systems, but research and development...     

Outbreak of septicaemic colibacillosis in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

We have carried out an aetiological and pathological study of an outbreak of septicaemia caused by the O165 serogroup of Escherichia coli in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) which resulted in high mortality (90%). After treatment with amoxicilin in drinking water (200 mg/l), morbility and mortality rates dropped markedly. Microbiological studies showed that the organism responsible was an atypical E. coli strain, on the basis of the non-fermentation of lactose (ONPG-), which belonged to the O165 serogroup and was highly virulent for 1-day-old chickens.     

Effect of light limitation on the water quality,bacterial counts and performance of Litopenaeus vannamei postlarvae reared with biofloc at low salinity

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of light limitation on the water quality, bacterial counts and performance of Litopenaeus vannamei postlarvae reared with biofloc at low salinity (≈9 g L^?1). Two treatments were designed: T₁ = culture with natural sunlight and T₂ = culture in darkness. After 28 days, in both treatments, the final weight of shrimp was over 0.6 g with a specific growth rate over 7.4% d^?1, and a survival rate over 70%. In both treatments, Vibrio sp. concentration presented low values (culture with natural sunlight = 0.1 to 9.9 × 10² CFU mL^?1, culture in darkness = 0.4 to 11.7 × 10² CFU mL^?1) and Bacillus sp. had high values (culture with natural sunlight = 0.7 to 66.0 × 10⁴ CFU mL^?1, culture in darkness = 0.7 to 65.8 × 10⁴ CFU mL^?1). All water quality parameters remained within the ranges suitable for shrimp culture, except for alkalinity during the first stage of the study. Although in some sampling periods some significant differences were found in bacterial counts and water quality parameters, shrimp productive performance under culture with biofloc at low salinity was not affected significantly by light limitation.     

Importance of banana flour and its effect on growth performance of broiler

The main objective of this work was to study the effects of banana flour as energy sources on broiler performance. Seventy‐five broilers were randomly distributed into five groups each with 15 broilers (n = 15 broilers/group). The broilers were grouped to maize–soybean meal diet as control, T₁: (5% of banana flour), T₂: (10% of banana flour), T₃: (15% of banana flour), and T₄: (20% of banana flour). The parameters analyzed in this research were body weight, daily weight gain, and daily feed intake at days 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40. The results showed no significant effects on body weight during the time of assessment, showing healthy values (>1,400 g) in all treatments (p > .05). Daily Weight gain was affected significantly during the days of assessment (p < .05). In all treatments and at different days of assessment, T₃ showed the highest daily weight gain at day 10 (37.56 ± 4.52 g) compared to the other experimental treatments. Regarding daily feed intake, significant differences were observed at day 10 in the control and treatments T₁, T₂, T₃, and T₄ compared to days 20, 30, and 40 (p < .05), being the highest value for T₁ (35.14 ± 2.77).     

Genetic diversity and spatial structure in a new distinct <Emphasis Type="Italic">Theobroma cacao</Emphasis> L. population in Bolivia

Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is an important economic crop in the Bolivian Amazon. Bolivian farmers both cultivate cacao, and extract fruits from wild stands in the Beni River region and in valleys of the Andes foothills. The germplasm group traditionally used is presently referred to as “Cacao Nacional Boliviano” (CNB). Using DNA fingerprinting technology based on microsatellite markers, we genotyped 164 Bolivian cacao accessions, including both cultivated and wild CNB accessions sampled from the Amazonian regions of La Paz and Beni, and compared their SSR profiles with 78 reference Forastero accessions from Amazonian cacao populations, including germplasm from the Ucayali region of Peru. Results of multivariate ordination and analysis of molecular variance show that CNB cacao has a unique genetic profile that is significantly different from the known cacao germplasm groups in South America. The results also show that cultivated CNB and wild CNB populations in the Beni River share a similar genetic profile, suggesting that the cultivated CNB is of indigenous origin in Bolivia. The level of genetic diversity, measured by allele richness and gene diversity in the Bolivian cacao, is moderately high, but was significantly lower than gene diversity in the other Amazonian cacao populations. Significant spatial genetic structure was detected in the wild CNB population, using analysis of autocorrelation (rc = 0.232; P < 0.001) and Mantel tests (Rxy = 0.276; P < 0.001). This finding is also highly valuable to support in situ conservation and sustainable use of CNB genetic diversity in Bolivia.     

Population genetic structure and differential selection in mussel Mytilus chilensis

This study examines the genetic connectivity between natural banks of Chilean mussel, Mytilus chilensis, located in Reloncaví Fjord. This sector is the principal source of seed for commercial farming and has the second‐largest aquaculture production volume in the country. The objects of this work are as follows: (1) to estimate the degree of connectivity between patches (microscale) located in the intertidal/subtidal zones, evaluating the presence of selection processes; and (2) to identify connectivity patterns by gene flow between subpopulations (mesoscale) in order to determine whether they all correspond to a common population (meta‐population). We analysed individuals distributed in the intertidal and subtidal zones of five locations by sequencing the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene and eight nuclear DNA microsatellite loci. Comparison of the two tidal zones presented differences revealed by the COI gene. The locations presented low genetic differentiation; however, differences were found in both markers at the mouth of the fjord. The differences between the tidal zones may result from differentiated natural selection processes between the intertidal and subtidal environments, with those in the intertidal subjected to greater selective pressure. There is effective connectivity between the locations, facilitated by the capacity for dispersion of the larvae and certain oceanographic processes, which would also explain the differences observed in the location at the mouth of the fjord. Because these banks sustain mussel aquaculture activity throughout the country, it is important to take measures to ensure their proper maintenance, observing all the indicators including their genetic diversity and structure.     

Outbreak of Septicaemic Colibacillosis in Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

We have carried out an aetiological and pathological study of an outbreak of septicaemia caused by the O165 serogroup of Escherichia coli in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) which resulted in high mortality (90 %). After treatment with amoxicilin in drinking water (200 mg/l), morbility and mortality rates dropped markedly. Microbiological studies showed that the organism responsible was an atypical E. coli strain, on the basis of the non-fermentation of lactose (ONPG–), which belonged to the O165 serogroup and was highly virulent for 1-day-old chickens.