Validation and use of a qPCR protocol to quantify the spread of Ralstonia solanacearum in susceptible and resistant eucalypt plants

Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is a serious disease of eucalypt in humid and high temperature areas worldwide. Spreading of the bacterium in the field or to other nurseries occurs mainly by symptomless infected plant material. The use of pathogen-free propagating material as well as planting of resistant genotypes are currently the only strategies used for disease control. Therefore, a reliable and sensitive method for detection of low titres of R. solanacearum in infected plant tissue is essential for the success of management programmes. In this work, we adapted an efficient intercalating dye-based real-time PCR protocol to detect the bacterium in symptomless eucalypt plants as well as to investigate its movement in eucalypt clones CLR172 and CLR371, which exhibit resistant and susceptible phenotypes, respectively. We found that the bacterium translocates acropetally and basipetally in inoculated but symptomless cuttings of the resistant clone, as in cuttings of the susceptible clone displaying symptoms. Nevertheless, a smaller concentration of bacterial DNA was detected in tissues of the resistant clone. Mature biofilms occluding the xylem vessels were present in the susceptible clone whereas only single cells or small aggregates were observed in the resistant clone. This work contributes to improve our knowledge of the colonization process of R. solanacearum in eucalypt clones with different levels of susceptibility and to understand how the defence mechanisms against bacterial wilt in Eucalyptus work. Our findings could aid in the selection of the most resistant eucalypt clones to be used in wilt disease management programmes.     

Effects of pearl millet silage ammoniation with urea on carcass and meat quality of lambs

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of pearl millet silage ammoniated with urea on lamb carcass characteristics and meat quality. Thirty‐two noncastrated crossbred lambs at 4–5 months of age, with an average initial body weight of 17.39 ± 2.16 kg, were distributed into four treatments in a randomized block experimental design with eight animals per treatment. Experimental diets were composed of pearl millet silage ammoniated with four levels of urea (0%, 2%, 4% and 6%, on dry matter basis (DM). Carcass conformation and fatness decreased linearly (p < 0.05). Except for the fat content, the proximate composition was not influenced (p < 0.05) by the diets. Meat lightness and yellowness increased linearly (p < 0.05). There was no effect of diets (p > 0.05) on cooking losses or shear force. The levels of oleic and erucic fatty acid levels in the meat decreased linearly (p < 0.05), whereas linoleic and eicosadienoic acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFA:SFA ratio and ω6 contents increased (p < 0.05). Pearl millet silage ammoniated with urea allows for the production of good‐quality lamb meat, with greater concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, lambs fed diets with pearl millet ammoniated with up to 6% lead to a reduction of carcass characteristics without significantly affecting loin‐eye area possibly associated with low palatability of the additive used. The lower acceptance of the silages with higher levels of urea is due to the ammonia retention in the material is attributed to the ammonization process. Thus, in spite of the benefits on lamb meat quality, it is suggested that the use of this additive in the ammonization of tropical forages be carried out with care, in limits of up to 6%.     

Fish meals, fish components, and fish protein hydrolysates as potential ingredients in pet foods

An experiment to determine the chemical composition and protein quality of 13 fish substrates (pollock by-products, n = 5; fish protein hydrolysates, n = 5; and fish meals, n = 3) was conducted. Two of these substrates, salmon protein hydrolysate (SPH) and salmon meal with crushed bones (SMB), were used to determine their palatability as components of dog diets. Pollock by-products differed in concentrations of CP, crude fat, and total AA by 71, 79, and 71%, respectively, and GE by 4.1 kcal/g. Fish protein hydrolysates and fish meals were less variable (approximately 18, 14, and 17%, and 1.4 kcal/g, respectively). Biogenic amine concentrations were much higher in fish protein hydrolysates as compared with pollock by-products and fish meals. Pollock liver and viscera had the highest total fatty acid concentrations; however, red salmon hydrolysate and SMB had the highest total PUFA concentrations (49.63 and 48.60 mg/g, respectively). Salmon protein hydrolysate had the highest protein solubility in 0.2% KOH. Based on calculations using immobilized digestive enzyme assay values, lysine digestibility of fish meal substrates was comparable to in vivo cecectomized rooster assay values and averaged approximately 90.3%. Also, pollock milt, pollock viscera, red salmon hydrolysate, and sole hydrolysate had comparable values as assessed by immobilized digestive enzyme assay and rooster assays. A chick protein efficiency ratio (PER) assay compared SMB and SPH to a whole egg meal control and showed that SMB had high protein quality (PER = 3.5), whereas SPH had poor protein quality (PER value less than 1.5). However, using whole egg meal as the reference protein, both fish substrates were found to be good protein sources with an essential AA index of 1.0 and 0.9 for SMB and SPH, respectively. In the dog palatability experiments, a chicken-based control diet and 2 diets containing 10% of either SPH or SMB were tested. Dogs consumed more of the SPH diet compared with the control, and similar amounts of the SMB and control diets. The intake ratios for each were 0.73 and 0.52, respectively. Salmon protein hydrolysate was especially palatable to dogs. These data suggest that chemical composition and nutritional quality of fish substrates differ greatly and are affected by the specific part of the fish used to prepare fish meals and fish protein hydrolysates.     

Potential insulin secretagogue effects of isovitexin and swertisin isolated from Wilbrandia ebracteata roots in non-diabetic rats

The antihyperglycemic effect and mechanism of action of extracts, fractions and compounds from Wilbrandia ebracteata was studied. The crude extract reduced the glycemia, increased glycogen content and serum insulin in hyperglycemic rats. Also, a significant effect was observed with the n-butanol and metanol subfraction. However, the antihyperglycemic effect of the n-butanol fraction was not observed in diabetic rats. The C-glycosylflavones isovitexin and swertisin showed a strong antihyperglycemic action compared with the extracts and fractions. These results show that the extracts, fractions, and isolated C-glycosylflavones have an antihyperglycemic action that was reinforced by the stimulation on in vivo insulin secretion.     

Effects of ammoniated pearl millet silage on intake,feeding behavior,and blood metabolites in feedlot lambs

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of urea as an additive in the ensiling of pearl millet on the intake, feeding behavior, and metabolic...