Toxoplasma infection and abortion in dairy goats

Summary Serological investigation by the indirect haemagglutination test forToxoplasma antibodies was carried out in a flock of dairy goats. Antibody titres ranging from 1:4 to 1:1,024 were found in 34% of 371 apparently healthy animals. High antibody titres of 1:256 suggestive of recent infection were noted in 18 (4.9%) animals including 13 nannies. The occurrence of a number of non-brucella abortions associated with high serological titres and the isolation of the parasite from the brain tissues of an aborted foetus suggestedToxoplasma as a probable aetiologic factor. Sera having significant levels of haemagglutinating antibodies (1:128) were also found positive to the card agglutination test. Epidemiological aspects and the public health potential of subclinical toxoplasmosis in dairy goats are discussed.

---

Infecciones Y Abortos En Cabras Lecheras Debido AToxoplasma

Resumen Se realizaron investigaciones serológicas de toxoplasmosis mediante la prueba indirecta de hemaglutinación en un rebaño de cabras lecheras. Se encontraron títulos de 1:4 a 1:1024 en 34% de 371 animales aparentemente sanos. Títulos de 1:256 sugestivos de infecciones recientes, se encontraron en 18 (4.9%) animales, incluyendo 13 hembras paridas. La ocurrencia de un significativo número de abortos no asociados con brucela, títulos serológicos altos de toxoplasmosis y el aislamiento del parásito del cerebro de fetos abortados, sugiere que eltoxoplasma es el factor etiológico más importante. Se discuten aspectos epidemiológicos de importantcia para la salud pública, relacionados con el potencial de la toxoplasmosis (subclínica) en cabras lecheras.

---

Toxoplasmose Et Avortement Chez Les Chevres Latiteres

Résumé Des investigations sérologiques par la méthode de l'agglutination indirecte pour rechercher des anticorps toxoplasmiques ont été faites sur un troupeau de chèvres laitières. Des anticorps ont été mis en évidence chez 34 p.100 des 371 animaux apparemment sains à des titres allant de 1:4 à 1:1024. Des titres élevés d'anticorps atteignant 1:256 ont été relevés chez 18 (soit 4,9 p.100) des animaux comprenant 13 chèvres, ce qui fait penser à une infection récente.L'existence de nombre d'avortements non-brucelliques associés avec des titres sérologiques élevés et l'isolement du parasite des tittus cérébraux d'un foetus avorté suggerent que les Toxoplasmes en ont probablement été le facteur étiologique. Des sérums ayant des taux significativement élevés d'anticorps agglutinants (1:128) ont également été reconnus comme positifs par le test d'agglutination en EAT. Les aspects épidémiologiques et le danger potentiel pour l'homme de ces cas subcliniques de toxoplasmose chez les chèvres laitières sont discutés.

     

Alteration in important quality traits and antioxidant activities in Brassica oleracea with Ogura cybrid cytoplasm

In vegetable brassicas, cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) system is the most preferred mechanism for hybrid seed production and Ogura cybrid cytoplasm is the only source used widely. Effects of the alien cybrid cytoplasm on important quality traits need to be understood for their effective use in breeding programme. In analysing 38 Ogura cybrid cytoplasm‐based cauliflower CMS lines, it was revealed that introgression of Ogura cytoplasm resulted in significant alteration in important quality traits. Cupric reducing antioxidant activity and ferric reducing ability of plasma values were increased up to 5–10 times in different genotypes. Among 38 analysed CMS lines, concentration of plant pigments such as anthocyanin, total chlorophylls and ascorbic acid was reduced in 21, 17 and 32 genotypes, respectively. However, the concentration of total carotenoids and β‐carotene was elevated in most of the CMS lines and total carotenoid was increased up to 20 times in the CMS line, Ogu13‐85‐2A. The results indicate the role of nuclear–cytoplasmic interaction and mitochondrial genome in determining concentration of different quality traits.     

Multivariate analysis and genetic diversity for morphometric and root textural quality traits in ashwagandha (Withania somnifera Dunal)

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an important medicinal plant and its dried roots are used in traditional systems of medicine. The market price of roots is determined by physical (textural) quality. Brittle roots with high starch and low fiber are considered to be superior because of ease in grinding. Genetic diversity studies based on root textural parameters have not been done so far. So the present study was designed to assess genetic diversity for morphometric traits and root textural quality parameters among two morphologically distinct groups: Poshita and Nagore. The PCA separated the morphometric and root texture variables distinctly into two different principal components: PC-1 and PC-2 respectively, indicating that both are negatively associated. All the morphotypes in Poshita group showed high positive loadings in PC-1 indicating that component genotypes are high root yielding. Nagore morphotypes were low yielding but the root texture was good. Clustering of morphotypes grouped Poshita and Nagore separately with high inter-cluster distances indicating that both groups are highly divergent from each other, suggesting that there is sufficient scope for varietal improvement through hybridization.     

Bioinformatically mined simple sequence repeats in UniGene of Citrus sinensis

Characterization of microsatellites is extremely important for the development of molecular markers. Here, we present the detection and abundance of microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in UniGene sequences of Citrus sinensis. A total of 427 SSRs were mined in 8786 UniGene sequences downloaded from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Depending on the repeat units, the length of SSRs ranged from 14 to 21 for mono-, 14 to 48 for di-, 18 to 48 for tri-, 24 to 40 for tetra- and 42 bp for hexa-nucleotide repeats. Average density of SSRs (1SSR/12.92 kb of 5518.71 kb sequences mined) suggests that only 4.43% of sequences contained SSRs. Di-nucleotide repeats were most frequent repeat type (49.41%) followed by tri-nucleotide repeats (41.45%). An attempt was made to design primer pairs for 427 identified SSRs but these were found only for 216 sequences. The positions of SSRs with respect to open reading frame (ORF) detected and annotation of sequences containing SSRs were also carried out to assign function to each of the sequences.     

Lowered Antioxidant Status of Red Blood Cells in Post-Parturient Haemoglobinuria of Buffaloes

The antioxidant status of the red blood cells of buffaloes (n = 20) suffering from post-parturient haemoglobinuria (PPH) was assessed by comparing their tocopherol (vitamin E) and reduced glutathione contents with those of red blood cells from apparently healthy buffaloes (n = 20). The red cell tocopherol content of the diseased buffaloes (1.76±0.11 g/ml) was significantly (p<0.01) lower than that of healthy buffaloes (2.45±0.14 g/ml). This may be the first report comparing the concentration of tocopherol in the red blood cells of buffaloes suffering from PPH and apparently healthy buffaloes.There was a drastic reduction in the reduced glutathione content in the red cells of haemoglobinuric buffaloes (23.74±2.86 mg%) compared to the healthy control buffaloes (73.71±3.87 mg%). The diseased buffaloes also exhibited severe hypophosphataemia. These findings suggest that an impaired or insufficient antioxidant potential of the red blood cells in this disease in buffaloes is associated with the phosphorus deficiency.     

Properties of renal fructose 1,6 bis-phosphatase of goat

The renal fructose 1,6 bis-phosphatase was partially purified from goat kidney. The purified enzyme showed 10.5 as the pH optimum. The enzyme essentially required Mg2+ for its activity. Heavy metals inhibited enzyme activity. Inhibition was relieved by chelator EDTA and cysteine. These results suggest that renal fructose of goat, too, is sulfhydryl-requiring enzyme.     

Identification of a diverse mini‐core panel of Indian rice germplasm based on genotyping using microsatellite markers

Identification of a small core germplasm set representing the available genetic diversity is essential for its proper evaluation and subsequent utilization in rice improvement programmes. For constituting a small diverse mini‐core panel of Indian rice germplasm, a representative set of 6912 accessions drawn based on their geographic origin from the whole rice germplasm collection available in the National Gene Bank was genotyped using 36 microsatellite markers. Automated fragment analysis of amplicons yielded a total of 435 alleles, with an average 12.4 and range of 3–29 alleles per locus. Polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.08 (RGNMS190) to 0.86 (RM552) with an average of 0.528. Based on genotyping data, a mini‐core consisting of 98 genotypes was identified. Ninety‐four per cent of the alleles present in the core set were present in the mini‐core. The identified small but diverse panel will be useful for further intensive trait‐specific evaluation and utilization in allele mining.     

Formulating allometric equations for estimating biomass and carbon stock in small diameter trees

Biomass and carbon sequestration rate of a young (four year old) mixed plantation of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb., Acacia catechu Willd., and Albizia lebbeck Benth. growing in Terai region (a level area of superabundant water) of central Himalaya was estimated. The plantation is seed sown in the rainy season of year 2004 and spread over an area of 44 ha. Allometric equations for both above and below ground components were developed for three tree species. The density of trees in the plantation was 1322 trees ha⁻¹ The diameters of trees were below 10 cm. Five diameter classes were defined for D. sissoo and A. catechu and 3 for A. lebbeck. 5 trees were harvested in each diameter class. Individual tree allometry was exercised for developing the allometric equations relating tree component (low and above ground) biomass to d.b.h. Post analysis equations were highly significant (P > 0.001) for each component of all species. In the plantation Holoptelia integrifolia Roxb. (Family Ulmaceae) has been reduced to shrub form because of frost. Only the aboveground biomass of H. integrifolia and other shrubs were estimated by destructive harvesting method. Herbaceous forest floor biomass and leaf litter fall were also estimated. The total forest vegetation biomass was 10.86 Mg ha⁻¹ in 2008 which increased to 19.49 Mg ha⁻¹ in 2009. The forest is sequestering carbon at the rate of 4.32 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹.     

Global status of wheat leaf rust caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Puccinia triticina</Emphasis>

Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina is the most common and widely distributed of the three wheat rusts. Losses from leaf rust are usually less damaging than those from stem rust and stripe rust, but leaf rust causes greater annual losses due to its more frequent and widespread occurrence. Yield losses from leaf rust are mostly due to reductions in kernel weight. Many laboratories worldwide conduct leaf rust surveys and virulence analyses. Most currently important races (pathotypes) have either evolved through mutations in existing populations or migrated from other, often unknown, areas. Several leaf rust resistance genes are cataloged, and high levels of slow rusting adult plant resistance are available in high yielding CIMMYT wheats. This paper summarizes the importance of leaf rust in the main wheat production areas as reflected by yield losses, the complexity of virulence variation in pathogen populations, the role cultivars with race-specific resistance play in pathogen evolution, and the control measures currently practiced in various regions of the world.