Environmental Manipulation of Growth and Sexual Maturation in Yellow Perch, Perca flavescens

Yellow perch, Perca flavescens, exhibit sexually dimorphic growth detected as the fish enter puberty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differential influences of photoperiod and temperature on the sexual maturation and dimorphic growth pattern of yellow perch. Four combinations of constant (CP) or natural (NP) photoperiod with constant (CT) or natural (NT) temperature were evaluated (CPCT, CPNT, NPCT, NPNT). Following 6 months of growth, results indicate that (1) CT is the strongest promoter of overall growth regardless of photoperiod. Perch reared under CT were 26.4 ± 8.1 g heavier than perch reared under NT (P < 0.0001). (2) CP also promotes overall growth regardless of temperature. CP perch outgrew NP perch by 7.0 ± 8.1 g (P < 0.0872). (3) NP (decreasing) initiates maturation in yellow perch regardless of temperature. (4) NT is required for late maturational processes. While both NP groups initiated maturation, only NPNT females were able to recruit oocytes to a vitellogenic stage. Only NPNT males were able to sustain spermiation to the end of the study. (5) CPCT confer the best overall growth performance, fully inhibit maturation in both genders, and suppress a sexually dimorphic growth pattern up to 53 g average weight. These results indicate that using a CPCT regime during intensive fingerling production will produce a larger, more uniform fish population that could alleviate losses as a result of cannibalism. Perch that remained immature did not exhibit a dimorphic growth pattern.     

High Temperature Growth Effects on Citrus Limon Fruit Tissue as Studied in Vitro

Albedo and juice vesicle of lemon fruits exposed to the direct rays of the summer sun showed temperatures as much as 8° C. higher or 2° C. lower than the surrounding air.

In fruits damaged by excessive heat not all cells within the injured portion were lethally affected. Tissue cultures of injured parts yielded callus, although in a smaller quantity than uninjured parts.

Experiments with cultures of callus established from undamaged albedo or juice vesicle showed that lemon cells were not killed by a single continuous exposure to nearly 50 hours at 45° C., 4 hours at 50° C., and 15 minutes at 55° C. The loss in growth potential following non-lethal exposures to 45° C. or 50° C. was completely restored by reculturing the callus at 30° C. Growth depressions resulting at 55° C., however, were not reversed by a similar reculturing procedure. Callus cultures were also reduced in growth, but not killed, by short daily exposures of 3 or 6 hours to a 45° C. temperature. The reduction was more severe as the number of days of exposure was increased, and the 6-hour treatment more quickly showed the adverse effects.     

Rotifers fed various diets of baker''s yeast and/or Nannochloropsis oculata and their effect on the growth and survival of striped mullet (Mugil cephalus) and milkfish (Chanos chanos) larvae

The rotifer Brachionus plicatilis (S-type Hawaiian strain) was cultured with various combinations of baker's yeast and Nannochloropsis oculata. There were no significant differences in the daily rotifer production and amino acid profiles of the resulting rotifers. The significantly lower levels of fatty acids (C14, C16, C20:4n−6, C20:5n−3 and C22:6n−3) observed in the rotifers were found to correspond with the amount of yeast presented in their diet. The low survival and growth of striped mullet larvae recorded at Day 15 posthatching indicates that rotifers fed only yeast were nutritionally deficient in fatty acids. The fatty acid requirements of mullet, however, appeared to be satisfied with rotifers cultured on a combination of yeast and N. oculata. In contrast, no significant differences in larval milkfish survival and growth at Day 10 posthatching were detected when using rotifers fed the various diets in the larval rearing protocol.     

Starch accumulation in shoot-forming tobacco callus cultures

Microscopic histochemical examinations of cultured tobacco callus disclosed a strong correlation between starch accumulation and shoot initiation. The accumulation started before any observable organized development and was heaviest in cells of loci which ultimately gave rise to organ primordia. Treatment of tissue cultures with gibberellin prevented starch accunmulation and organ formation.