Beneficial effects of n-3HUFA enriched Artemia as food for larval palmetto bass (Morone saxatilis × M. chrysops)

The beneficial effects of feeding n−3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA ≥ 20 carbon fatty acids with three or more double bonds) to palmetto bass (striped bass × white bass) larvae, 4–30 days of age, were studied using Artemia diets enriched with six n-3HUFA levels. Dietary n-3HUFA concentrations were < 0.03% (control diet), 0.33%, 0.63%, 0.87%, 1.26%, and 2.27% of dry-wt Artemia. Larval n-3HUFA contents were reduced at a faster rate with decreasing dietary n-3HUFA intake, and were significantly different by 30 days posthatch (4–20 mg g⁻¹ dry-wt fish). Starved larvae selectively conserved endogenous n-3HUFA reserves, indicating an essential role of n-3HUFA in larval development. Mass mortality in the control and 0.33% n-3HUFA diets occurred at metamorphosis (26–28 days posthatch). At harvest, all fish, except those fed the two highest n-3HUFA diets, suffered from handling stress (shock syndrome) with increasing severity (25 to 100%) at decreasing dietary n-3HUFA intake. Recovery from shock syndrome was 100% at the 0.63% and 0.87% n-3HUFA diets, 63% at the 0.33% n-3HUFA diet and 0% at the control diet. Post-harvest survival was similar among the four highest dietary n-3HUFA groups (64–73%), whereas the two lowest n-3HUFA groups differed significantly (0 and 37%). Growth promotion was evident with increased dietary n-3HUFA intake as fish fed the highest n-3HUFA diet were twice the size of those fed the control diet (99 vs 52 mg wet-wt). Final fish sizes at the three highest n-3HUFA diets were similar. Given similar culture conditions, a minimum dietary n-3HUFA intake of 1.26% of dry-wt Artermia is recommended to avoid handling stress and promote growth in larval palmetto bass.     

The relative contributions of yield components to lint yield of upland cotton,Gossypium hirsutum L.

Summary Stepwise regression analyses provided an estimate of the net effect of yield components on lint yield of Upland cotton. Data from strain tests in the Pee Dee, South Carolina, cotton breeding program for crop years 1968 and 1969 were used in these analyses. Lint yield/m² was the dependent variable. Independent variables were: bolls/m², lint/seed, and seeds/boll.Correlation analyses indicated the relationships among yield components. Partial correlation coefficients were utilized to show the order of variable addition in the regression equations. We found that bolls/m² assumes the major role in determining yield. The lint/seed component assmes the secondary role in the development of lint yield. Seeds/boll made a relatively larger total contribution only after lint/seed had made its contribution.These data indicate that selection pressure should be placed on prolificacy (bolls/m²) and seeds/boll, concommitantly with selection to maintain or increase lint/seed. Although the lint/seed component makes a relatively smaller total contribution to lint yield, it is necessary to maintain or increase this component to secure the increased contributions of seeds/boll.Cooperative investigations of the Plant Science Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture and the Tennessee and South Carolina Agricultural Experiment Stations. South Carolina Technical Contribution No 954.     

Reproductive Behavior of Hexaploid/Diploid Wheat Hybrids 1

The bottleneck restricting introgression of useful genes directly from diploid into hexaploid wheats is the low number of BC₁F₁ seeds obtained. In crosses between hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.; AABBDD) and Aegilops squarrosa L. (DD) or T. urartu Thum. (AA), this bottleneck may be overcome simply by pollinating a sufficient number of F₁ spikes. However, hybrids between hexaploid wheat cultivars (T. aestivum) and T. monococcum L. (AA) generally are highly female-sterile, often having no pistils. One T. monococcum accession, PI 355520, when crossed with T. aestivum, produced hybrids with female fertility in the same range as that of T. aestivum/A. squarrosa or T. aestivum/T. urartu hybrids, ca. 0.5 to 1.0 backcross seed per spike. We found that female fertility was controlled by two duplicate genes in PI 355520, and that this accession can be used as a bridging parent to introgress genes from other T. monococcum accessions into hexaploid wheat. Pairing of homologous chromosomes was less frequent and weaker in such crosses than in T. aestivum/A. squarrosa crosses, but homoeologous bivalents occurred at a rate of almost 0.5 II per cell. Restitution division was detected in crosses involving all three diploid species and was confirmed cytologically in crosses with PI 355520. Chromosome numbers of BC₁F₁ plants ranged from 35 to 67; plants with 49 or more chromosomes occurred at frequencies of 0.09 to 0.21 among progeny of A. squarrosa and T. urartu and 0.29 in progeny of T. aestivum/T. monococcum crosses involving PI 355520. These results are consistent with those of previous studies, demonstrating the potential of direct Hexaploid/diploid crosses for rapidly introgressing useful genes into Hexaploid wheat with minimum disturbance of the background genotype.     

Gynogen Production in Hybrid Striped Bass

Abstract.— Meiotic gynogens were produced using hybrid striped bass (♀ white bass, Morone chrysops , ×♂ striped bass, M. saxatilis ) eggs and white perch M. americana UV-irradiated sperm. Diploidy of the fertilized eggs was restored by application of hydrostatic pressure, which induced retention of the second polar body. Use of white perch sperm provided an unmistakable marker for detection of a paternal genetic contribution. Two assays were developed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify specific regions of the Morone genome . Primers for gene amplification were developed based on the DNA sequence of the striped bass growth hormone gene (SB-GH) or an anonymous striped bass locus (SBI-10). Control experiments using DNA from the three Morone species demonstrated that gene amplification yielded species-specific patterns of DNA fragments for both of these loci. Therefore, any progeny with a paternal contribution of a set of white perch chromosomes could be identified. Using these assays, we demonstrated that greater than 75% of the progeny obtained from successful experiments were true gynogens. These striped bass hybrid gynogens will provide the basis for future efforts to calculate gene-centromere distances and to identify markers linked to specific traits of interest to aquaculture.     

Comparative Stress Dynamics of Brood Stock Striped Bass Morone saxatilis Associated with Two Capture Techniques

Mature striped bass ( Morone saxatilis ) were collected from the spawning reaches of the Choptank River, Maryland for the purpose of evaluating stress effects associated with capture. Two commonly used capture devices were evaluated—gillnetting and electrofishing. Results indicated that stress, as measured by changes in plasma corticosteroid and chloride concentrations, was significantly lower and recovery time quicker in those fish captured by electrofishing compared to gillnetting. By the end of the study period (48 h), those fish captured by electrofishing had recovered from the initial capture shock as evidenced by corticosteroid levels returning to near baseline levels. Conversely, at 48 h post-capture, those fish captured by gillnetting exhibited severe hypochloremia and elevated corticosteroid levels approaching that of the initial stress associated with capture.     

Iridium-192 interstitial brachytherapy as adjunctive treatment for canine cutaneous mast cell tumors

Eleven dogs with cutaneous mast cell tumors (MCTs) were treated with surgery and iridium-192 ((192)Ir) interstitial brachytherapy. Minimum tumor doses ranged from 47.2 to 63.3 Gy. Treated tumors were classified as grade II (n=7) or III (n=4). Five dogs had recurrences with a median progression-free interval of 1391 days, and six dogs had no recurrence at a median follow-up time of 942 days. Acute adverse effects were well tolerated, and late effects were mild. One dog developed a second tumor of a different cell type in the radiation treatment field.     

Evaluation of main-crop stubble height on ratoon rice growth and development

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) ratooning is the production of a second rice crop from the stubble left behind after the main-crop harvest. Lowering the main-crop stubble height by harvesting the main crop at a lower than traditional height is believed to alter growth parameters and increase ratoon yields. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of main-crop stubble height on ratoon grain yield, agronomics, and cumulative/weekly panicle growth parameters (density, point of origin, and weight). Main-crop ‘Cocodrie’ and ‘Trenasse’ rice cultivars were harvested to leave either a 40- or 20-cm stubble height. When the main-crop stubble was harvested at 20 cm, ratoon rice grain yield in 2007 was increased by 375 and 190 kg ha⁻¹ for Cocodrie and Trenasse, respectively. Yield was not improved in 2006 using the low (20 cm) harvest height. The yield advantage in 2007 was associated with the increased weight of the basal panicles when the main crop was harvested at 20 cm. When the main-crop stubble was 20 cm, basal and axial panicle points of origin were numerically similar 5 weeks after main-crop harvest (WAH), while panicles originating from basal nodes were predominant 6 WAH and beyond. In contrast, when the main-crop stubble was 40 cm, approximately 75% of the emerged panicles originated from axial nodes 5 WAH, panicles from both axial and basal points of origin were nearly identical 6 WAH, and basal panicles were dominant thereafter. Results from this study indicate that when the initial stubble height is reduced from 40 to 20 cm the growth of the ratoon crop is altered by shifting panicle point of origin during the early growth period and delaying maturity.     

Fish assemblages of perennial floodplain ponds of the Sacramento River, California (USA), with implications for the conservation of native fishes

To assess the likelihood of enhancing native fish populations by means of floodplain restoration projects, habitat characteristics and fish assemblages of seven perennial floodplain ponds in Yolo Bypass, the primary floodplain of the Sacramento River, California (USA), were examined during summer 2001. Although all ponds were eutrophic, based upon high chlorophyll a or dissolved nutrient concentrations, relatively large shallow ponds generally exhibited higher specific conductivity and dissolved phosphorus concentrations than small deep ponds, which exhibited greater water transparency and total dissolved nitrogen concentrations. Using multiple gear types, 13 688 fishes comprising 23 species were collected. All ponds were dominated by alien fishes; only three native species contributing <1% of the total number of individuals and <3% of overall biomass were captured. Fish assemblage structure varied among ponds, notably between engineered vs. natural ponds, and was related to specific conductance, total dissolved solids and water transparency.     

Humoral factors important in resistance of salmonid fish to bacterial disease. II. Anti-Vibrio anguillarum activity in mucus and observations on complement

It has been demonstrated that heat-stable (presumably antibody) and heat-labile (presumably complement) components are necessary to prevent the growth of Vibrio anguillarum in in vitro experiments with trout immune serum and mucus. Anti-V. anguillarum agglutinins were found in the body mucus of intraperitoneally immunized rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) 3–6 weeks after serum agglutination titers of 131072 or greater were attained. A component of rainbow trout body mucus was found to be indistinguishable from serum immunoglobulin by immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis.