Response of Rice Seedlings to Copper Toxicity and Acidity

Metal toxicity and soil acidity affect plant growth. A hydroponic experiment was conducted to simulate effects of pH and copper concentration [Cu] on early growth and biomass production of high-yielding rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L. cv. ‘NIAB 6’). The rice seedlings were allowed to grow in Yoshida nutrient solution with 1 (control), 8, 16, and 32 μM Cu at buffered pH levels of 4.5, 5.0, and 5.5, respectively. Shoot and root growth, leaf chlorophyll content, and root lipid peroxidation and K⁺ leakage of 15-day-old rice seedlings were determined. Results show that [Cu] had significant adverse effects on rice seedlings. Shoot height and root length were reduced by 18%–60% and 7%–69%, respectively, compared with the control, and shoot and root weight decreased by 26%–56%, and 25%, respectively, in response to progressive increases in [Cu]. Similarly, leaf chlorophyll content decreased by 150%–245% compared with the control treatment. Rice seedling roots suffered from significant increases in lipid peroxidation followed by K⁺ leakage (> 8–23 times) in response to increasing [Cu]. Averaged across [Cu], seedling growth and biomass were greater at pH 5.5 than at other pH treatments. In some instances, increasing pH minimized the adverse effects of Cu at low concentrations on rice seedlings.     

Postharvest quality response of strawberries with aloe vera coating during refrigerated storage

Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) were coated either with chitosan (1, 1.5, and 2% solution, w/v) or aloe vera (AV) gel and the coatings were air dried. Coated strawberries were put in a polypropylene box and stored in refrigerator (6 ± 1°C and 50 ± 5% relative humidity. The success of coating in retaining the postharvest quality of the strawberries was evaluated by determining respiration rate, firmness, weight loss, external colour change, ascorbic acid content, total soluble solids, acidity, pH, microbial decay and sensory quality. The incidence of microbial rot started on day-6 in uncoated and 1% chitosan coated strawberries. Strawberries coated with 1.5 and 2% chitosan were affected by microbial decay on day-9 of storage. On the other hand, rot incidence was initiated in AV gel coated strawberries on day-15 of storage. Aloe vera gel or chitosan coating reduced respiration rate, weight loss, and microbial decay and preserved firmness, ascorbic acid content, and other quality parameters, thus delaying ripening and the progress of fruit decay due to senescence or microbial attack. Furthermore, AV gel delayed the changes in external colour and retained all other postharvest quality of strawberries compared to chitosan coated or uncoated ones throughout the storage.     

Fecal carriage of multi-drug resistant and extended spectrum β-lactamases producing E. coli in household pigeons,Bangladesh

Antibiotic resistance and ESBL constitute a risk to human and animal health. Birds residing close to humans could mirror the spectrum of human associated antibiotic resistance. Household pigeons were screened in Bangladesh to shed light on human associated, as well as, environmental antibiotic resistance. Escherichia coli from pigeons (n = 150) were tested against 11 antibiotics. 89% E. coli isolates were resistant to one or more critically important human antibiotics like ampicillin, cefadroxil, mecillinam, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin and tigecycline. No carbapenamase-producers were detected and the lower ESBL prevalence (5%) in pigeons. ESBL-producing E. coli isolates had bla_CTX-M-15 genes. Pigeons shared some bacterial clones and had bird associated sequence types like E. coli ST1408. Fecal carriage of bacteria resistance of critically important human antibiotics, together with examples of shared genotypes among pigeons, indicate the human-birds and bird to bird transmissions are important in the epidemiology of antibiotic resistance.     

Milk progesterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as a tool to investigate ovarian cyclicity of water buffaloes in relation to body condition score and milk production

Background

Application of assisted reproductive technologies in buffaloes is limited to some extent by farmers’ inability to detect oestrus because of its poor expression. The present study aimed at investigating reliability of a milk progesterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to assess the ovarian cyclicity during post partum, oestrus and post-breeding periods in water buffaloes.

Methods

Progesterone concentrations were measured by an ELISA in milk of 23 postpartum buffaloes in relation to oestrus, pregnancy, body condition score (BCS) and milk production. Two milk samples were taken at 10 days intervals, every month starting from day 30 and continued to day 150 post partum. BCS and milk production were recorded during sample collection. Milk samples from bred buffaloes were collected at Day 0 (day of breeding), Days 10–12 and Days 22–24. Defatted milk was preserved at −80°C until analysis. Pregnancy was confirmed by palpation per rectum on Days 70–90.

Results

Seventeen buffaloes had 47 ovulatory cycles, one to four in each, 13 were detected in oestrus once (28 % oestrus detection rate). Progesterone concentration ≥1 ng/ml in one of the two 10-day-interval milk samples reflected ovulation and corpus luteum formation. The intervals between calving to first luteal activity and to first detected oestrus varied from 41 to 123 days (n = 17) and 83 to 135 (n = 13) days, respectively. Eight buffaloes were bred in the course of the study and seven were found pregnant. These buffaloes had a progesterone profile of low (<1 ng/ml), high (≥ 1 ng/ml) and high (≥ 1 ng/ml) on Day 0, Days 10–12 and Days 22–24, respectively. Buffaloes cycling later in the postpartum period had fewer missed oestruses (P < 0.05). Buffaloes with a superior BCS had a shorter calving to oestrus interval and produced more milk (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Milk progesterone ELISA is a reliable tool for monitoring ovarian cyclicity and good BCS may be an indicator of resuming cyclicity in water buffalo.     

Characterization of oil palm empty fruit bunch and glass fibre reinforced recycled polypropylene hybrid composites

The effects of hybridization of glass fibre on oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) and recycled polypropylene-based composites are described in this paper. The compounding process involved extrusion followed by injection moulding technique to prepare the samples for characterizations. Fibre loading were considered as 40 % of the total weight of the blends and EFB:glass fibre ratio was maintained as 30:70, 50:50, 70:30 and 90:10. Two types of coupling agents of maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene such as polybond-3200 and fusabond P-613 of different molecular weight and maleic anhydride level were used to improve the interfacial adhesion between the fibres and the matrix. Composites were characterized by density, melt flow index, tensile, Izod impact and flexural testing. Morphological images of the fractured surfaces of the composites were examined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Samples were also characterized by thermal tests such as thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry to evaluate the thermal and crystalline properties, respectively. Optimization of hybridization of the fibres and effect of coupling agents were evaluated in terms of various properties of the samples. The composite prepared with EFB:glass fibre ratio of 70:30 showed better reinforcing properties than that of others.     

Lodging-related morphological traits of hybrid rice in a tropical irrigated ecosystem

Hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) has been proven to be effective in increasing yield potential, but lodging often limits its yield in high-yielding environments. This study was conducted to determine genotypic variation in lodging resistance and lodging-related morphological traits among hybrid and non-hybrid check varieties, and to identify the key morphological traits associated with lodging resistance. Lodging behavior of 16 rice genotypes, including 12 hybrids and four inbreds, was studied at the International Rice Research Institute farm during the 2004 wet season (WS) and 2005 dry season (DS). Grain yield and visual score of lodging were determined at maturity. Lodging-related morphological traits were measured at 30 days after flowering. Large genotypic differences in lodging-related morphological traits were observed. Among these traits, dry weight per unit length, breaking resistance, and lodging index (bending moment/breaking resistance × 100) of lower internodes were significantly correlated with visual score of lodging. Several hybrids demonstrated high lodging resistance although their average plant height was over 120 cm. The lodging-related morphological traits and visual score of lodging in these hybrids were comparable with those of the non-hybrid check varieties with strong lodging resistance. These results suggest that increases in dry weight per unit length and breaking resistance of lower internodes are primary targets for reducing lodging index, thus improving overall lodging resistance of hybrid rice in a breeding program.     

Development and testing of a surface roughness measurement device based on aerial ultrasonic reflections

Paddy and Water Environment - Repairs of concrete irrigation channels in Japan are guided to a large extent by the degree to which their walls have degraded over decades of use. Current methods of...     

Evaluation of management principles and performance of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in Bangladesh

Experiments were conducted at irrigated and rainfed lowland rice sites in Bangladesh to assess the performance of management practices that have become known as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). At a research station, SRI management principles such as seedling age, plant spacing, application of organic manure, seedling densities, duration of planting, planting shape and time of planting were evaluated under SRI management as compared to previously established Best Management Practices (BMPs). In on-farm trials, SRI was compared with BMP on 40 farmers’ fields. Nutrient inputs and water management in BMP and SRI treatments were kept at comparable levels. Seedling age, ranging from just sprouted seed to 40-day-old seedlings, had no effect on grain yield in the winter season. In a plant spacing experiment subject to SRI, the highest and lowest grain yields of 7.82 and 5.41 t ha⁻¹ were obtained with spacing of 25 cm × 15 cm (narrow) and 40 cm × 40 cm (wide), respectively. In SRI, seedling density (1–2 seedlings per hill), planting durations (≤15 min to 1–3 h after uprooting) or root placement (L-shape and J-shape) had no effect on grain yield. With regard to time of planting, the highest grain yields were observed with transplanting in the 3rd week of December, with no difference between SRI and BMP management systems. In on-farm trials, BMP gave significantly higher grain yield compared to SRI and farmers’ practice in a triple-cropped area, but grain yields were similar with SRI in a double and single-cropped area when spacing was narrow. The highest profit was obtained with BMP followed by SRI and farmers’ practice in the single-cropping area. Major findings from this study are that under comparable levels of net nutrient input and water management (i) well-implemented BMPs for rice are more efficient for producing high yields than SRI and (ii) there is no intrinsic yield advantage of SRI that could be caused by its individual crop management techniques or some unknown synergism of the different SRI practices proposed.