Predicting adoption of double cropping in paddy fields of northern Iran: a comparison of statistical methods

Factors affecting the adoption of double cropping were explored in rice farms of Fouman County of Guilan Province in northern Iran using artificial neural networks (ANNs), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and logistic regression (LGR). Eleven factors (age, education, occupation, family size, type of farm ownership, distance to the agricultural service center, attending agricultural extension courses, use of financial resources and bank loans, number of domestic animals, area under cultivation, and social participation) were examined. An additional objective was to compare the ability of the three models in predicting the adoption of double cropping. ANNs showed an overall predictive power of 89.8%. LDA showed an overall predictive power of 83.2%, with seven of the eleven independent variables being effective on the adoption of double cropping. LGR indicated an overall predictive power of 87.6%, with eight of the eleven independent variables being effective on the adoption of double-rice cropping. ANNs showed higher power than LGR and LDA in predicting the adoption of double cropping. Based on all three methods used for analysis, the most important independent variables were social participation and area under cultivation (positive factors) as well as distance to the agricultural service center and family members (negative factors). Establishment of cooperatives or other kinds of farmers’ associations to foster social participation could motivate adoption of double cropping, particularly among small-scale farmers. To increase agricultural services, more local centers should be created in rural areas. The government should promote double cropping through effective incentives and technology transfer to small-scale farmers.     

Effect of Dietary Gamma‐irradiated and Fermented Soybean Meal on the Growth Performance,Body Composition,and Digestive Enzymes Activity of Caspian Brown Trout,Salmo trutta caspius,Juvenile

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of gamma‐irradiated soybean meal (SBM) as a dietary ingredient on the performance, body composition, and digestive enzyme activity of Caspian brown trout, Salmo trutta caspius, juveniles. Five isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated, in which fish meal was replaced by untreated (untreated SBM), gamma‐ray irradiated at 15 (15ISBM) and 30 (30ISBM) kGy, fermented (FSBM), fermented 15 KGy irradiated soybean meal (FISBM), respectively. Juvenile fish (2.1 ± 0.3 g) were fed with the test diets for 6 wk. Final body weight was significantly affected by dietary SBM treatment with highest values in fish fed FISBM and FSBM (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in hepatosomatic and visceral indexes, condition factor, and survival among experimental groups (P > 0.05). The carcass proximate composition of lipid and protein in Caspian brown trout in FSBM and FISBM groups was higher than that of other groups. Levels of most whole‐body amino acids were not significantly different among Caspian brown trout fed the five diets. Results of this experiment showed that replacing SBM with FSBM and FISBM in the diet significantly increased the activities of proteolytic enzymes activities (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in both amylase and lipase activities among dietary treatments. Results of this study indicated that the level of gamma radiation used did not work but fermentation of SBM did increase some growth parameters of Caspian brown trout.     

Cestodes and trematodes of wild sheep,Ovis ammon orientalis,and goitered gazelle,Gazella subgutturosa,in Iran

Two hundred and fifty wild sheep, Ovis ammon orientalis, and sixty five gazelles, Gazella subguttorosa, from different National Parks and Protected Regions of Iran, were shot and examined for the presence of metazoan parasites. Among the parasites recovered, Moniezia benedeni, Helicometra giardi, Cysticercus tenuicollis, Fasciola SPP. and Dicrocoelium dendriticum were absent in gazelle, whereas the other parasites were seen in both species of animals examined.Five adult tapeworms (Moniezia expansa, M. benedeni, Helicometra giardi, Stilesia globipunctata, and Avitellina centripunctata), three larval cestodes (Hydatid cyst, Cysticerucus tenuicollis and C. ovis) and three trematodes (Fasciola hepatica, F. gigantica and Dicrocoelium dendriticum) were found in the infected animals.     

Intestinal cryptosporidiosis in turkeys in Iran

Naturally occurring cryptosporidiosis is reported in turkey poults suffering from diarrhoea and unthriftness in Iran. Histological and ultrastructural studies revealed high number of Cryptosporidium developmental stages mainly located in the mid and terminal portions of small intestine of the poults. Other portions of the intestinal tract were less frequently infected. Oocyst shedding was detected only in 29% of the histologically positive birds. Based on host species, clinical signs, pathology and tissue location of the parasites, Cryptosporidium meleagridis was most likely responsible for these infections. This parasite was also reported recently in a child with diarrhoea in Iran.     

Determination of artemisinin in Artemisia sieberi and anticoccidial effects of the plant extract in broiler chickens

Artemisinin has received much attention in the treatment of malaria in recent years, and it is now considered as a potential candidate to reduce coccidial infection in chickens. It is a sesquiterpene compound which has been isolated from Aretemisia annua for the first time. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence of artemisinin in A. sieberi (AS) and to test the anticoccidial effects of plant extract in broiler chickens. The aerial parts of the plant were collected during different seasons from Yazd Province, in the centre of Iran. The artemisinin content of the AS was extracted with petrol ether and analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography using UV detection. Anticoccidial effects of the plant extract were tested on chicks challenged with various species of Eimeria. The infected chickens were treated with doses of 1 or 2.5 mg/kg per day artemisinin via oral administration of plant extract. The analytical results showed that the level of artemisinin in AS was 0.2% and 0.14% of dried weight (DW) of plant materials in summer and autumn, respectively. Treatment of experimentally infected chickens with AS extracts showed that artemisinin was able to reduce the severity of coccidial infection induced by Eimeria tenella and E. acervulina, but not E. maxima. The anticoccidial effects of artemisinin were shown by significant decrease in output of number of oocysts per gram of faeces in chickens challenged with different species of Eimeria. This study showed that the levels of artemisinin in AS were comparable with those in other species including A. annua, and that the extract of this plant can reduce coccidial infection in broiler chickens.     

Non-escaping frost tolerant QTL linked genetic loci at reproductive stage in six wheat DH populations

Reproductive stage frost poses a major constraint for wheat production in countries such as Australia.However,little progress has been made in identifying key genes to overcome the constraint.In the present study,a severe frost event hit two large-scale field trials consisting of six doubled haploid(DH)wheat populations at reproductive stage(young microspore stage)in Western Australia,leading to the identification of 30 robust frost QTL on 17 chromosomes.The major 18 QTL with the phenotype variation over 9.5%were located on 13 chromosomes including 2 A,2 B,2 D,3 A,4 A,4 B,4 D,5 A,5 D,6 D,7 A,7 B and7 D.Most frost QTL were closely linked to the QTL of anthesis,maturity,Zadok stages as well as linked to anthesis related genes.Out of those,six QTL were repetitively detected on the homologous regions on 2 B,4 B,4 D,5 A,5 D,7 A in more than two populations.Results showed that the frost damage is associated with alleles of Vrn-A1 a,Vrn-D1 a,Rht-B1 b,Rht-D1 b,and the high copy number of Ppd-B1.However,anthesis QTL and anthesis related genes of Vrn-B1 a and Ta FT3-1 B on chromosomes 5 B and 1 B did not lead to frost damage,indicating that these early-flowering phenotype related genes are compatible with frost tolerance and thus can be utilised in breeding.Our results also indicate that wild-type alleles Rht-B1 a and Rht-D1 a can be used when breeding for frost-tolerant varieties without delaying flowering time.     

Inter and intra-specific genetic variation of avian Eimeria isolated from Iran by random amplified polymorphic DNA--polymerase chain reaction

Eimeria species from poultry breeder farms without previous exposure to anticoccidial vaccines in five distinct geographical regions of Iran were examined for genetic relatedness by the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay. Eight different oligonucleotide decamers with arbitrary DNA sequences were tested as primers to amplify DNA from five isolates of each E. acervulina, E. tenella, and E. maxima. Depending on the species/isolate-primer combination, between 1 and 14 DNA fragments ranging in size from 240 to 3000 bp were amplified. The two isolates originated from Northeast and North parts of Iran showed minor differences and two isolates originated from Northeast and Southwest of Iran showed major differences in their amplified DNA patterns. The intra-specific similarity coefficient within five isolates of each species of, E. acervulina, E. tenella, E. maxima was 74, 82 and 72%, respectively. The distance indices observed between species were greater than those found between isolates (80-90%) with all examined primers. The inferred phylogenetic tree on the fingerprinting of all species revealed that the RAPD-PCR can easily differentiate within and between species and could be a useful and valuable tool in future epidemiological studies, designing and developing of vaccines against avian coccidosis, here in Iran and neighboring countries.     

Logistic Regression Analysis on Factors Affecting Adoption of Rice-Fish Farming in North Iran

We evaluated the factors influencing the adoption of rice-fish farming in the Tavalesh region near the Caspian Sea in northern Iran.We conducted a survey with open-ended questions.Data were collected from 184 respondents(61 adopters and 123 non-adopters) randomly sampled from selected villages and analyzed using logistic regression and multi-response analysis.Family size,number of contacts with an extension agent,participation in extension-education activities,membership in social institutions and the presence of farm workers were the most important socio-economic factors for the adoption of rice-fish farming system.In addition,economic problems were the most common issue reported by adopters.Other issues such as lack of access to appropriate fish food,losses of fish,lack of access to high quality fish fingerlings and dehydration and poor water quality were also important to a number of farmers.