Effects of music stimulus on behavior response,cortisol level,and horizontal immunity of growing pigs

An enriched environment is widely used to improve domestic animals’ welfare and promote their natural behaviors. Music can reduce abnormal behavior in humans, nonhuman primates, and rodents. However, little is known about the effects of music on pigs. This study aims to explore the effects of repeated music stimulation on the behavior, physiology, and immunity of growing pigs. A total of 72 hybrid piglets (Large White × Duroc × Minpig) were randomly divided into three groups, including music (Mozart K.448, 60 to 70 dB), noise (recorded mechanical noise, 80 to 85 dB), and control (natural background sound, <40 dB), and 6 h sound stimulation was given per day (1000 to 1600 hours) from 40 to 100 d of age. The behavioral activities of the pigs were observed during the music stimulation, and their serum cortisol, salivary cortisol, and serum immune indices were also measured. Compared with the control group, the music group and noise group increased activity but decreased lying of pigs (P < 0.05). A significant increase in tail-wagging, playing, and exploring behaviors of pigs was found in the music group (P < 0.05), and the noise significantly increased the aggressive behavior of the pigs (P < 0.05). Tail-wagging, playing, exploring, manipulating, and aggressive behaviors decreased over time. Short-term (8 d) music stimulus had a lower cortisol level than that of the noise and control groups (P < 0.05), whereas long-term (60 d) music stimulus increased immunoglobulin G (IgG), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels (P < 0.05) and decreased interleukin-4 (IL-4) level (P < 0.05). Long-term noise stimulus significantly reduced the level of IgG (P < 0.05) but did not affect the level of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ levels (P > 0.05). In conclusion, short-term music stimulus (8 d) reduced the stress response, whereas long-term music stimulus (60 d) enhanced the immune responses. In addition, the noise increased the aggressive behavior, and long-term noise reduced the immunity of the growing pigs.     

光照对箭筈豌豆及其子代生长和繁殖特性的影响

光照不仅会影响植物自身的生长,也可能会对其子代的生长具有潜在作用。以箭筈豌豆品种兰箭1号和兰箭3号为材料,分析遮荫和自然光照下箭筈豌豆及其子代的生长特性。结果表明:光照对箭筈豌豆生长和繁殖特性的影响因基因型而异。与光照条件相比,遮荫显著降低兰箭1号生物量及茎叶比,但对繁殖分配的比例影响不显著。与此相反,遮荫对兰箭3号的生长与繁殖无显著影响;母本光照环境对箭筈豌豆子代生长特性具有一定程度的影响,且这种影响因子代植株生长的光照环境而异。当子代在遮荫环境下,母本环境显著影响兰箭1号分枝数、地上生物量、总生物量、地上/地下生物量以及兰箭3号的分枝数。但当子代在光照环境下生长时,除兰箭3号分枝数外,其他生长特性均不受母本环境影响。     

我国黄瓜抗病品种选育技术研究进展

黄瓜在我国蔬菜产业中占有重要地位,然而连片种植、重茬栽培等条件下容易滋生病菌,尤其是随着我国保护地蔬菜生产规模的扩大,棚室内的温湿度条件更利于病害的发生与流行,黄瓜生产上面临着严重的病虫害威胁,包括生理性病害、感染性病害及虫害等。本文从抗病品种选育的角度分析了黄瓜病害抗病品种选育技术,并简要介绍了其他防治方法,展望了相关研究的发展方向,为黄瓜病虫害的防治提供参考。     

Cuticular protein gene LmACP8 is involved in wing morphogenesis in the migratory locust,Locusta migratoria

Cuticular proteins(CPs) are major components of the insect cuticle-associated organs such as integument and wings, although the importance of CPs for wing development and function in hemimetabolous insects remains understudied. In the present study, a wing cuticular protein LmACP8 was identified from Locusta migratoria, which belongs to the RR-2 subfamily of cuticular protein RR consensus(CPR) chitin-binding proteins. LmACP8 was mainly expressed in the wing pads and showed high expression levels before ecdysis of third-, fourth-, and fifth-instar nymphs, with its encoded protein located in the procuticle of wing pads and adult wings. Depletion of LmACP8 by RNA interference markedly reduced the amount of its protein, which consequently caused abnormal wing morphogenesis in the transition from nymph to adult of L. migratoria. We further demonstrated that the abnormal morphogenesis was caused by severe damage of the endocuticle in the wings. LmACP8 was suppressed by 20-hydroxyecdysone(20 E) in vivo, however, its expression was significantly up-regulated after knocking down the hormone receptor gene LmHR39. Thus, the LmACP8 that is negatively regulated by the LmHR39-mediated 20 E signaling pathway is involved in wing development during the nymph to adult transition.     

5种生物制剂对马铃薯种薯萌芽、极端天气下植株生长和产量性状的影响

旨在满足马铃薯生产中茬口衔接、机械化生产技术应用、不利气候下稳产等对马铃薯出苗早、齐、壮的需求,以‘费乌瑞它’为供试品种,用基于有益活菌或工程菌提取物的5种生物制剂进行种薯处理,对多重性状进行了对比分析。5种生物制剂较常规化学制剂,均能够不同程度地促进种薯萌芽和芽根同生,出苗期提前2~7天,播种后49天的出苗率提高3.33%~17.78%。其中,表现最好的为酵母核苷酸衍生物和VDAL,种薯萌发和生根均显著高于对照。霜冻后,生物剂拌种处理在恢复前期促进植株生长,由此促进恢复后期的块茎发育,较常规化学处理增产8.39%~24.03%,体现了不同程度的保产效果。多马道黑、酵母核苷酸衍生物、根肽和VDAL体现出较好的保产效果,可作为种薯处理剂投入马铃薯生产。     

欧洲葡萄‘粉红亚都蜜’NAC基因DRL1负向调节植物抗旱性

以欧洲葡萄‘粉红亚都蜜’（Vitis vinifera‘Yatomo Rose’）为材料，利用荧光定量PCR技术和转基因技术研究葡萄NAC转录因子DRL1基因对逆境的响应。欧洲葡萄‘粉红亚都蜜’在激素和逆境胁迫下，DRL1表达呈下降趋势，其中以ABA和干旱胁迫处理最为显著。在ABA处理下DRL1转基因烟草株系种子萌发率和根长均高于野生型。干旱处理下，转基因植株对干旱的耐受性降低，同时胁迫相关基因NtLEA5、NtP5CR1、NtPSCS1、NtERD10C和NtDREB3的表达水平比野生型显著下降。此外，DRL1转基因烟草茎中柱发育受到抑制，尤其是导管横切面积仅为野生型的58%。以上结果表明，DRL1基因可能作为1个负向调节子参与植物的干旱胁迫。     

11个葡萄品种在乐山地区的花芽分化规律

研究了11个葡萄品种3年生树在四川乐山地区避雨栽培条件下的花芽分化表现。结果表明,结果母枝的花芽分化率,魏可、维多利亚、黑芭拉多、金手指、金优2号和巨玫瑰6个品种的都高于50%,较易形成花芽;户太8号、巨峰、夏黑的在43%~48%;美人指和红指较难形成花芽。结果母枝不同节位的花芽分化率,多数品种在第3节位≥50%;结果枝上花穗着生节位在第3.8~4.9节,其中双花率以巨玫瑰、巨峰和户太8号较高,分别为83.45%、73.61%和73.06%。以结果母枝的花芽分化率≥50%节位作为冬剪的最低节位,则金优2号、户太8号、巨玫瑰、金手指、维多利亚5个品种在第3~4节,黑芭拉多和巨峰2个品种在第2~3节,魏可在1~2节。夏黑表现花芽分化率较低,为43.33%,可能与夏黑不耐弱光有关,设施栽培时应加强透光性。     

体外产气法评价全株藜麦与全株玉米混合青贮饲料饲用价值

为提高全株藜麦的饲料化利用率，寻找其与全株玉米的最佳青贮比，试验共设全株藜麦与全株玉米比为100：0，90：10，80：20等11个组合进行青贮发酵，发酵60 d后测定各组青贮料的体外产气发酵指标，使用灰色关联度分析筛选出最佳青贮比例。结果表明，体外发酵至36 h时，各处理组GP趋于稳定，体外发酵减弱接近停止；全株藜麦与全株玉米比例为90：10时，该青贮饲料组合的粗蛋白（CP）和粗脂肪（EE）含量显著高于其他各组（P<0.05），乙酸（AA）、总挥发性脂肪酸（TVFA）含量以及氨态氮（NH₃-N）浓度显著高于其他各处理（P<0.05）。分析表明，全株藜麦与全株玉米比例为90：10时，混合青贮饲料的营养品质和产气发酵特性综合表现最好，可作为优质混合青贮饲料在家畜养殖中推广使用。     

重庆市丘陵山区农业机械化发展研究

从重庆市农业机械化建设的现状及意义出发,指出重庆市农业机械化建设中面临的挑战,介绍了重庆市发展农业机械化的主要措施,并针对目前存在的问题提出了对应的建议。