Influence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nigella sativa</Emphasis> seeds, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rosmarinus officinalis</Emphasis> leaves and their combination on growth performance,immune response and rumen metabolism in Dorper lambs

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of Nigella sativa L. seeds, Rosmarinus officinalis L. leaves and their combination on rumen metabolism, nutrient intake and digestibility, growth performance, immune response and blood metabolites in Dorper lambs. Twenty-four entire male Dorper lambs (18.68?±?0.6 kg, 4–5 months old) were randomly assigned to a concentrate mixture containing on a dry matter basis either, no supplement (control, T1), 1% R. officinalis leaves (T2), 1% N. sativa seeds (T3) or 1% R. officinalis leaves +1% N. sativa seeds (T4). The lambs had ad libitum access to urea-treated rice straw (UTRS) and were raised for 90 days. Supplemented lambs had greater (P?< 0.05) intake of DM and UTRS than the control lambs. The T4 lambs had lower (P?< 0.05) nutrient digestibility than those fed other treatments. Total and daily weight gain was greater (P?< 0.05) in T2 lambs than those fed other diets. The T3 and T4 lambs had greater (P?< 0.05) ruminal pH than the T1 and T2 lambs. Supplemented lambs had lower (P?<?0.05) ruminal total volatile fatty acids, acetate, propionate, NH₃-N and C18:0 than the control lambs. The T4 lambs had lower (P?< 0.05) population of Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, methanogens and total protozoa compared with those fed other diets. Supplemented lambs had lower (P?< 0.05) neutrophils, basophils and serum urea and greater (P?<?0.05) serum IgA and IgG compared with the control lambs. The current results emphasised the variation in the efficacy of medicinal plants in ruminant nutrition.     

Soil available potassium affected by rice straw incorporation and potassium fertilizer application under a rice–oilseed rape rotation system

Data from 147 field trials were collected to study the influence of straw incorporation on soil potassium (K) under an intensive rice–oilseed rape rotation system, while pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of rice straw incorporation on soil K availability. A significant correlation was observed between the soil available K and the relative yield (RRY) and the relative K uptake (RKU) of oilseed rape, with R² values ranging from 0.07 to 0.08 and from 0.10 to 0.11, respectively, when data were fitted to a logarithmic equation model. In approximately 30% of trials, RRY reached 90%, while soil test available K values were below the critical limit, indicating that soil K values at the time of sampling (within 1 week of rice harvest) underestimated the actual soil K supply capacity. The pot experiment results showed that soil available K was affected by straw incorporation and soil type in the fallow period. The NH₄OAc‐K and NaBPh₄‐K concentrations of soils increased at first, and then, plateaued after 28 days. Straw incorporation significantly influenced the critical soil K concentration, which is important for making accurate K fertilizer recommendation. These results suggested that straw K should be seriously considered in making K fertilizer recommendations. Extending the sampling time from 1 to 3 weeks after the harvesting of rice to stabilize the effects of straw incorporation may help achieve a more accurate evaluation of soil available K.     

Evaluation the effect of subchronic feeding of transgenic cotton line (CKC1) on the faecal microbiota of albino rabbits

Recent studies have demonstrated a strong relationship between the intestinal microbiota and the host health. As such, consumers are increasingly becoming more concerned about the potential effect of certain foods/feeds, particularly of transgenic origin on the gut microbiota. Although the European Food Safety Authority has recommended in their guidelines, to study the effect of transgenic food/feed on host-microbiota, yet, few studies have focused on the evaluation of such effects mainly due to culturing difficulties. Therefore, this study was intended to evaluate the potential adverse effects of transgenic diet consumption on some specific gut microflora (Lactobacillus group, Bifidobacterium genus, Escherichia coli subgroup and Enterococcus genus) of rabbits. A total of forty-eight rabbits were randomly assigned into four groups and fed a diet containing a variable proportion of transgenic cottonseeds at 0, 20, 30 and 40% inclusion level, respectively. Changes in the specific or total faecal bacterial population were monitored at five different experimental stages (i.e. 0, 45, 90, 135 and 180 days) using both the traditional plate count method (TM) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). No significant differences (p > .05) were observed concerning numbers of specific bacteria or total bacteria between the control and experimental groups, though qPCR showed numerically higher values in terms of 16S rRNA gene copies as compared to the values obtained from TM. However, such numerical differences were biologically insignificant (p > .05). Similarly, no significant variations were noticed in the calculated B/E (log₁₀ copies of Bifidobacterium per g faces/log10 copies of E. coli genome per g faeces) ratios in all the groups. All the ratios were in the range of 1.24 to 1.30 throughout the experiment, indicating a good balance of intestinal microflora and greater resistance to intestinal disorders. It is therefore concluded that feeding transgenic cottonseeds could not adversely affect the gut microflora of rabbits during a long-term study.     

REVIEW: Properties of Cereal Brans: A Review

Cereal brans are functional ingredients with high nutritive value and enormous health properties. Cereal brans have not been fully utilized in food systems despite their health benefits. This review presents an overview on the physical, chemical, microbiological, functional, and sensory properties of cereal brans for possible comparisons and selection to enhance the utilization of this underutilized milling fraction.     

Effects of smoke,ash and heat shock on seed germination of seven species from Central Zagros rangelands in the semi-arid region of Iran

Fire products have been widely identified as germination cues for a number of species from both fire-prone and fire-free ecosystems. However, there is uncertainty about the effects of fire products on seed germination of semi-arid rangeland species. We examined the germination of seven dominant species from Central Zagros rangelands in the semi-arid region of Iran under various heat shock (60, 80 and 120 °C), aerosol smoke, ash and control treatments. Our findings showed that fire products could enhance, inhibit or not affect the seed germination of rangeland species in this area. The germination percentage of Astragalus adscendens increased following 60 °C heat treatment in comparison with the control. The germination of Astragalus verus, Bromus tectorum, B. tomentellus and Phlomis olivieri were increased significantly using smoke treatment (P<0.0001). The seed germination of B. tomentellus and B. tectorum was promoted by ash treatment, whereas the other species exhibited no response or were inhibited by fire products. In addition, smoke treatment shortened the overall germination time of B. tectorum. These findings suggest that fire products affect the germination of several species and can serve as potential tools for understanding the vegetation dynamics and restoration of disturbed semi-arid rangelands.     

Application and mechanisms of metal-based nanoparticles in the control of bacterial and fungal crop diseases

Nanotechnology is a young branch of the discipline generated by nanomaterials. Its development has greatly contributed to technological progress and product innovation in the field of agriculture. The antimicrobial properties of nanoparticles (NPs) can be used to develop nanopesticides for plant protection. Plant diseases caused by bacterial and fungal infestations are the main types of crop diseases. Once infected, they will seriously threaten crop growth, reduce yield and quality, and affect food safety, posing a health risk to humans. We reviewed the application of metal-based nanoparticles in inhibiting plant pathogenic bacteria and fungi, and discuss the antibacterial mechanisms of metal-based nanoparticles from two aspects: the direct interaction between nanoparticles and pathogens, and the indirect effects of inducing plant resilience to disease. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.     

Towards developing resistance to chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing using multiplexed gRNAs

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Mastreviruses are an emerging group of viruses transmitted by leafhoppers and infect both monocot and dicot plants. Chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus...