DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE OF VIGNA RADIATA L. TO VARIED DOSES OF CHLORPYRIFOS

Twenty-day old seedlings were exposed to different concentrations ranging from 0–1.5 mM of chlorpyrifos through foliar spray in the field condition. The seedlings were uprooted for analyses and observed at the preflowering (five days after treatment, DAT), flowering (10 DAT) and post-flowering (20 DAT) stages for various morphological parameters such as plant height, number of branches, leaves per plant, total leaf area, plant biomass and photosynthetic pigments viz. Chlorophyll (Chl) a, Chl b, Total Chl, and Carotenoid (Car) content. Yield attributing characters like number of pods plant^?1, number of seeds pod^?1 and weight of 100 seeds were analyzed from both control and treated plant after harvest stage. All the growth parameters, pigments’ activity and yield parameters increased at 0.3 mM insecticidal treatment, when compared with control. Further increases in insecticide level had a negative impact upon all studied parameters.     

Regional susceptibility to domoic acid in primary astrocyte cells cultured from the brain stem and hippocampus

Domoic acid is a marine biotoxin associated with harmful algal blooms and is the causative agent of amnesic shellfish poisoning in marine animals and humans. It is also an excitatory amino acid analog to glutamate and kainic acid which acts through glutamate receptors eliciting a very rapid and potent neurotoxic response. The hippocampus, among other brain regions, has been identified as a specific target site having high sensitivity to DOM toxicity. Histopathology evidence indicates that in addition to neurons, the astrocytes were also injured. Electron microscopy data reported in this study further supports the light microscopy findings. Furthermore, the effect of DOM was confirmed by culturing primary astrocytes from the hippocampus and the brain stem and subsequently exposing them to domoic acid. The RNA was extracted and used for biomarker analysis. The biomarker analysis was done for the early response genes including c-fos, c-jun, c-myc, Hsp-72; specific marker for the astrocytes- GFAP and the glutamate receptors including GluR 2, NMDAR 1, NMDAR 2A and B. Although, the astrocyte-GFAP and c-fos were not affected, c-jun and GluR 2 were down-regulated. The microarray analysis revealed that the chemokines / cytokines, tyrosine kinases (Trk), and apoptotic genes were altered. The chemokines that were up-regulated included - IL1-alpha, IL-Beta, IL-6, the small inducible cytokine, interferon protein 10P-10, CXC chemokine LIX, and IGF binding proteins. The Bax, Bcl-2, Trk A and Trk B were all down-regulated. Interestingly, only the hippocampal astrocytes were affected. Our findings suggest that astrocytes may present a possible target for pharmacological interventions for the prevention and treatment of amnesic shellfish poisoning and for other brain pathologies involving excitotoxicity.     

Nitrogen balance,production performance,and plasma metabolites of lactating buffaloes in response to varying dietary protein levels

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aim of the study was to assess the effect of feeding the same diet to different breeds of chickens and at different ages on fatty acid (FA) composition...     

Genotoxic impact of cadmium on root meristem of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vicia faba</Emphasis> L.

Genotoxic studies with reference to pollution biomonitoring is a recent approach and can be used for maintenance of crop productivity. Effect of the cadmium chloride in the pure germ line of broad bean (Vicia faba L.) were evaluated in relation to the chromosomal abnormalities and rate of cell division. Seeds grown in the nutrient medium for 48 hrs containing different concentrations of cadmium chloride (control, 0.05 mM, 0.1 mM, 0.2 mM, 0.4 mM and 0.8 mM) showed different genotoxic effects such as polyploidy, multipolarity, chromosomal bridge with fragments, lagging chromosome and micronuclei. Relative division rate (RDR) was decreased with increasing cadmium concentration while relative abnormality rate (RAR) increased suggesting that cadmium may cause genetic changes in pure germ line and produce irrepairable damage in root meristem. Therefore, combining plant bioassays and root analysis of Cd⁺⁺ content would allow us to define phytotoxicity thresholds in plants.     

Effect of varying dietary energy levels during the last trimester of pregnancy on subsequent first lactation performance in Sahiwal heifers

The aim of the study was to determine optimum dietary energy level during the last trimester of pregnancy for Sahiwal heifers in subtropical Pakistan. Sixteen Sahiwal heifers, 5–6 months pregnant, were assigned to four dietary treatments with four heifers on each treatment. Isonitrogenous (CP = 14.1%) diets having varying energy, namely, ME 88%, ME 100% (Control), ME 112% and ME 124% of NRC recommended level for pregnant heifers, were fed until calving. All were fed a similar diet after calving. Precalving weight gain was highest (P < 0.05) in heifers fed ME 112 and 124% (486 ± 13 and 497 ± 5 g/day, respectively) followed by ME 100% (444 ± 7 g/day), and the lowest weight gain was recorded for ME 88% (397 ± 8 g/day). A similar trend was observed for feed efficiency. Body condition score at calving in groups ME 124% and ME 112% was higher than ME 88% and ME 100%. Nutrient digestibility, birth weight of calves and milk composition except fat content were not influenced by energy levels. The highest daily milk yield was observed in heifers fed ME 100% followed by ME 112, 124, and 88%. We conclude that the NRC recommendation is applicable to the subtropical region.     

Comparative Composition of Volatile Organic Compounds in the Water-Soluble Fraction of Different Crude Oils Produced in Kuwait

Kuwait's desert was inundated, in 1991, with massiveoil-spills from damaged well heads and from oil fires.Large volumes of seawater used for fire-fightingfreely mixed with oil and then seeped into the ground.The dissolved compounds not only contaminated soil butalso threaten to pollute groundwater. The compositionof the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in thewater-soluble fraction (WSF), in seawater, of tendifferent crude oils produced in Kuwait and Kuwaitcrude oil (export) was investigated. The resultsshowed that the composition of the WSFs variedconsiderably (ranging from 5970 μg L^-1 to10494 μg L^-1). On average, about 40 volatilecompounds were identified and quantified in the WSFs.Aromatics formed the bulk of the WSF of all of thecrude oils, amounting to about 90% of the total VOCs.The WSF prepared from Raudatain crude oil containedthe highest total VOCs (benzene and toluene) whilethat of Um-Ghadair contained the lowest. The WSF ofKuwait crude oil (export) was compared with that ofindividual oils and was found to contain relativelysmaller amounts of individual components and the VOCs.Relatively higher amounts of toxic VOCs in the WSF ofRaudatain crude oil has potential to impact the fonaand flora as well as potable ground water in the area.     

Sugar-Starch Metabolism and Antioxidant Potential in Potato Tubers in Response to Different Antisprouting Agents During Storage

Single applications of different antisprouting agents like hot water treatment, spearmint oil and clove oil were carried out on potato cultivar “Lady Rosetta” to compare their efficacy with that of synthetic chloro isopropyl N-phenyl carbamate (CIPC). The tubers were stored at ambient storage conditions (25?±?2 °C) for 81 days to assess changes in their sugar-starch concentrations and antioxidant potential. Antioxidant potential in the tubers was assessed as their total phenolic concentrations and radical scavenging activities. In addition, the enzymatic activities were also determined in order to evaluate the possible depletion of these antioxidants as substrate during storage. Results revealed significant response of stored potatoes to all antisprouting agents compared with the control (P?≤?0.05). CIPC and clove oil applications maintained tuber dormancy almost twice as long (81 days) as observed in the control (45 days). Application of spearmint oil and hot water treatment maintained tuber dormancy for almost 2 months. However, it was associated with an increased percentage sprouting during the last weeks of storage. At the end of storage, the highest starch (16.83%) and lowest sugar (0.99%) concentrations were estimated after CIPC application and maximum total phenolic concentration (143.57 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g), and highest antioxidant activity (39.73%) were found after clove oil application. Enzymatic activities were not statistically different between CIPC and clove oil application during most of the storage period. Results showed that efficient replacement of CIPC with clove oil in the premium potato cultivar might be useful; this may avert related food safety and environmental issues and would also ensure organic potato storage.