Effects of different carbon sources and dietary protein levels in a biofloc system on growth performance,immune response against white spot syndrome virus infection and cathepsin L gene expression of Litopenaeus vannamei

A 5‐week study was performed to evaluate the effect of spoilage date extract (SDE) as the biofloc carbon source on Litopenaeus vannamei (5.4 ± 0.3 g) performance. The two levels of dietary protein (15% and 25% crude protein) and two carbohydrate sources (molasses‐M and SDE‐P) were tested including: M15, M25, P15 and P25. The minimum (0.2 ± 0.0 mg/L) and the maximum (0.5 ± 0.0 mg/L) of total ammonia nitrogen were observed in the P15 and M25 groups respectively. The highest protein efficiency ratio (6.1 ± 0.3) and protein productive value (112.3 ± 5.8%) were found in the P15 group (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found between biofloc treatments in the expression of cathepsin L gene in hepatopancreas (p > 0.05). The number of total haemocyte count (THC), semigranular cells (SGC) and granular cells (GC) of shrimp in SDE‐based biofloc treatments was relatively higher than those in molasses‐based biofloc treatments. Following the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) challenge, a significant decrease in THC, SGC, GC and hyaline cell values was observed in all treatments (p = 0.001). Plasma biochemical parameters were significantly influenced by dietary protein levels, biofloc carbon sources as well as WSSV challenge test. In conclusion, SDE successfully could be used as an alternative carbon source for establishing a biofloc system in L. vannamei production.     

Acidulated activation of phosphate rock enhances release,lateral transport and uptake of phosphorus and trace metals upon direct-soil application

Phosphate rock (PR) was activated via acidulation with HCl, EDTA, and oxalic acid to enhance its reactivity. The release, lateral transport, and uptake of phosphorus (P) along with trace metals from pristine and activated PRs were investigated in a soil micro-block system over a period of 27 days, using wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants. Significantly (p < 0.05) higher amounts of available soil P, Fe, Mn, and Zn were released from all the PRs after application to soil within first 9 days of seedling transplantation, while the release of other trace metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb) was minimal (<1.2 mg kg^?1). On cumulative basis, APR-O (oxalic acid activated PR) was the most efficient amendment releasing 164% more available P, followed by APR-E (EDTA activated PR) releasing 130% more available P, compared to the pristine PR. Similar results were also observed in the release of available Fe, Mn, Zn, and other trace metals. The highest diffusive mass fluxes for available P, Mn, Fe, and Zn in soil were observed after 3 days of seedling transplantation, which reduced subsequently. The uptake of P, Fe, Mn, and Zn by wheat plants was increased by 394%, 715%, 92%, and 91%, respectively, in APR-O application compared to the pristine PR, while it was increased by 280%, 188%, 16%, and 27%, respectively, in APR-E application compared to the pristine PR. Subsequently, APR-O and APR-E amendments resulted in enhanced shoot lengths, root lengths, shoot dry matter, and root dry matter contents of wheat plants. Hence, it was concluded that activation of PR with oxalic acid and EDTA prior to direct soil application may enhance the reactivity of PR and could serve as a cost-effect fertilization strategy for higher wheat crop production.     

Simulating the Production of Rice Genotypes by Flood Management and End-Season Water Stress Conditions Using AquaCrop Model

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to assess the ability of AquaCrop model in predicting of grain and biological yield of rice genotypes in water management. A two-year field experiment was conducted at the experimental farm of the Iranian Rice Research Institute in Rasht, Iran from 2016 to 2017. The experiment was established in a split-plot design with two irrigation management (continuous submergence and end season water stress) as the main plot, fourth rice genotypes as the sub-plot and three replications. The goodness-of-fit between observed and simulated grain yield and final biomass was assessed by means of the coefficient of determination (R ²), the absolute and normalized root mean square errors (RMSE). The RMSE_n of predicting grain yield at calibration and evaluation stages was in the range of 6–12% and 6–8% for biological yield. The results indicated that AquaCrop model is suitable to predict grain yield and biological yield of rice genotypes in northern Iran. AquaCrop model can be used to determine optimization strategies to improve the water consumption of rice genotypes.     

枣实蝇对不同发育期骏枣和酸枣果实的生物学响应变化

【目的】研究枣实蝇在寄主植物果实不同发育期的危害程度对其最佳防治期。【方法】分析枣园对不同寄主枣树样枝套袋枣实蝇的蛀果率,调查虫口密度;室内饲养测定果实不同发育期对枣实蝇生长发育和繁殖的影响,分析和评价枣实蝇对不同发育期骏枣和酸枣果实的生物学响应变化。【结果】枣实蝇对骏枣果实的蛀果率均大于对酸枣的蛀果率,并且枣实蝇在骏枣果实成熟期蛀果率为最大;成熟期骏枣上的虫口密度也最大;骏枣上雌虫产卵痕数、幼虫数和卵的孵化率均大于酸枣上的枣实蝇。在枣果着色期和成熟期,蛹的各项生长指标均高于膨大期;果实不同发育期,骏枣上的蛹各项生长指标均显著大于(P<0.05)酸枣上的;骏枣上枣实蝇的蛹期、雌虫怀卵量、性成熟历期、交配时间以及雌雄成虫寿命均略大于酸枣,但无显著差异(P>0.05)。【结论】枣实蝇对骏枣的选择性强于酸枣,并且成熟期的骏枣果实更适宜枣实蝇生长发育。     

盐碱地白刺不同部位微生物群落高通量分析

【目的】研究新疆盐碱环境中耐盐植物白刺的根际土壤和叶片内生微生物群落的结构丰富度和多样性。【方法】运用Novaseq测序平台对白刺根际土壤和叶片进行16SrDNA-V4区和ITS1区测序。经FLASH进行拼接,经过Qiim过滤叶绿体和线粒体序列,得到的序列在97%的序列相似性水平上聚类成为操作分类单元(OTUs)。对序列数据进行生物信息学分析,评价物种的Chao1指数、shannon指数以及Alpha多样性。【结果】白刺根际土壤细菌优势菌群为放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、芽单胞菌门(Gemmatimonadetes);真菌优势菌群为子囊菌门(Ascomycota)。叶片内生细菌优势菌群为蓝细菌门(Cyanobacteria)和放线菌门(Actinobacteria);真菌优势菌群为子囊菌门(Ascomycota),白刺不同部位的微生物菌群数量和多样性有显著差异(P<0.05),白刺各样地之间微生物群落构成差异明显。【结论】白刺不同部位微生物群落的丰富度和多样性分布。     

Effects of the addition of Calanopia elliptica,Artemia franciscana,and Brachionus rotundiformis in a nursery biofloc system on water quality,growth, gut morphology,health indices,and transcriptional response of immune and antioxidant-related genes in Penaeus vannamei

Aquaculture International - A 56-day study was carried out to examine the addition of live foods a biofloc technology (BFT) system on Penaeus vannamei postlarvae performance (PL25, initial weight:...     

Herbaceous species diversity in relation to fire severity in Zagros oak forests,Iran

Zagros forests are mainly covered byQuercus brantii L. coppices and oak sprout clumps occupy the forest area like patches. We investigated post-fire herbaceous diversity in the first growing season after fire. For this purpose neighboring burned and unburned areas were selected with the same plant species and ecological conditions. The data were collected from areas subjected to different fire severities. Overall 6 treatments were considered with respect to fire severity and the mi-crosites of inside and outside of oak sprout clumps including： unburned inside and outside of sprout clumps （Ni and No）, inside of sprout clumps that burned with high fire severity （H）, inside of sprout clumps that burned with moderate fire severity （M）, outside of sprout clumps that burned with low fire severity （OH and OM）. Different herbaceous com-position was observed in the unburned inside and outside of oak sprout clumps. The species diversity and richness were increased in treatments burned with low and moderate fire severity. However, in treatment burned with high fire severity （H）, herbaceous cover was reduced, even-ness was increased, and richness and diversity were not significantly changed. We concluded that besides the microsites conditions in forest, fire severity is an inseparable part of the ecological effect of fire on her-baceous composition.     

E-cinnamic acid derivatives and phenolics from Chilean strawberry fruits, Fragaria chiloensis ssp. chiloensis

Three E-cinnamic acid glycosides, tryptophan, and cyanidin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside were isolated from ripe fruits of the Chilean strawberry Fragaria chiloensis ssp. chiloensis. 1-O-E-Cinnamoyl-beta-D-xylopyranoside, 1-O-E-cinnamoyl-beta-D-rhamnopyranoside, and 1-O-E-cinnamoyl-alpha-xylofuranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranose are reported for the first time. The cinnamic acid glycosides and aromatic compound patterns in F. chiloensis fruits were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). HPLC analyses of extracts showed that cyanidin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and free ellagic acid are present in achenes while the E-cinnamoyl derivatives and tryptophan were identified only in the thalamus. The free radical scavenging effect of the fruit extract can be associated with the anthocyanin content.     

Interaction analysis between slenderness ratio and resin content on mechanical properties of particleboard

The interaction between particle size and resin content is one of the most important structural parameters that can influence the accuracy of predictions about wood-composite properties. We developed three kinds of equation (linear, quadratic, and exponential) for each mechanical property of particleboard based on slenderness ratio and resin content at a constant density (0.7g cm -3 ). Results from SHAZAM software (version 9) suggested that the quadratic function was not significant, but the linear and exponential functions were significant. The interaction between particle size and resin content was analyzed by Maple 9 software. The results indicated that an exponential function can better describe the simultaneous effect of slenderness and resin content than a linear equation. Under constant resin content, particles with higher slenderness ratios increased more in modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) than did particles with lower slenderness ratios. Edge withdrawal resistance (SWRe) values did not increase with increasing slenderness ratio.