Response of Mustard to Ethrel Spray and Basal and Foliar Application of Nitrogen

In a field trial conducted during 1992–93 and 1993–94, the effect of basal (B) nitrogen (N) (45 and 60 kg N ha⁻¹) and foliar application (F) of water (W) or 10 kg N ha⁻¹ and 400 or 600 ppm ethrel (E) (2-Chloro ethyl phosphonic acid) at 70 days after sowing was studied on leaf area index and dry mass at 90 days and pod number per plant, seeds per pod, 1000 seed weight, seed yield, oil content and oil vield at harvest of mustard ( Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss.) cv. T-59. Recommended basal (B) application of 90 kg N ha (BN₉₀) was used as control. On the basis of 2 year data it was found that basal application of 60 kg N and foliar spray of 10 kg N ha ⁻¹ and 600 ppm ethrel gave higher values for growth and yield characteristics and enhanced seed yield and oil yield by 12.5 and 14.8%, respectively over control BN_90.     

Metabolic fate of [14C]endrin in bluegill fish

Bluegill absorbed 85% of 1 ppb of endrin from water within 48 hr under static exposure conditions. The absorbed radiocarbon was eliminated linearly with a half-life of about 4 weeks. Analyses of eliminated radioactivity revealed only conjugated metabolites. 12-anti-Hydroxyendrin and 12-syn-hydroxyendrin were tentatively identified by cochromatography using thin-layer chromatography/autoradiography and gas chromatography. These metabolites were also present as conjugates in the fish organs. Seventy-three percent of the absorbed radioactivity recovered from fish extracts was in the form of unchanged endrin.     

Isolation of two anti-inflammatory and one pro-inflammatory polyunsaturated fatty acids from the brown seaweed Undaria pinnatifida

Two anti-inflammatory omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of stearidonic acid (SA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and one pro-inflammatory omega-6 PUFA of arachidonic acid (AA) were isolated from the edible brown seaweed Undaria pinnatifida. SA was active against mouse ear inflammation induced by phorbol myristate acetate, with IC50 values of 160, 314, and 235 microg per ear for edema, erythema, and blood flow, respectively. EPA was also active against edema, erythema, and blood flow, with IC50 values of 230, 462, and 236 microg per ear, respectively. Although AA at low concentrations showed anti-inflammatory activities when measured 10 h later, AA doses of more than 243 microg per ear induced inflammatory symptoms 1 h later. Mature thalli generally had larger amounts of PUFAs than young thalli. The algal blade contained more omega-3 PUFAs than were found in other parts, while the holdfast contained extremely high amounts of AA. Late-season thalli showed increased amounts of PUFAs, especially AA.     

Effect of pre-harvest foliar application of amino acids and seaweed (Ascophylum nodosum) extract on growth,yield, and storage life of different bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars grown under hydroponic conditions

The study was set up to evaluate the efficiency of amino acids and seaweed on vegetative growth, reproductive phase, yield, and postharvest storage quality of hydroponically grown bell pepper cultivars “Sven Rz F-1” and “Red Knight.” Different concentrations of amino acid and seaweed were sprayed on bell pepper plants under hydroponic conditions. Pre-harvest foliar application of amino acids and seaweed significantly increased plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, yield per plant, number of marketable fruits per plant, average fruit diameter, fruit wall thickness, and average single fruit weight. Amino acid and seaweed significantly improved postharvest physicochemical quality of both bell pepper cultivars under extended cold storage conditions. Conclusively, amino acid as well as seaweed extract not only improved growth, development, yield, and overall quality of bell pepper cultivars but also increased storage life with reduced weight loss and decay along with better physicochemical quality.     

Yield and quality of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) in relation to basal and foliar application of nitrogen and phosphorus

A split‐plot field trial was conducted to study the effect of foliar application of 0 kg/ha (control), 20 kg N/ha, 2 kg P/ha or 20 kg N + 2 kg P/ha at two basal levels, viz., 90 kg N + 40 kg P/ha (optimal dose) and 60 kg N + 27 kg P/ha (sub‐optimal dose). Each group received 50 kg K/ha, which was applied uniformly on the yield and quality of fennel. Spray was applied at the flowering stage, 120 days after sowing.

The optimal basal dose gave better results than did the sub‐optimal one. Spray of 20 kg N + 2 kg P/ha proved optimum. This spray proved more effective at sub‐optimal than at optimal basal dose. The percentage of anethole (but not of fenchone) in the essential oil was significantly higher in plants grown with the sub‐optimal basal dose. Foliar application of N, P and N + P, on the other hand, decreased the anethole content of oil and increased that of fenchone significantly. Hence, foliar feeding may be recommended if the oil is required for perfumery and confectionary industries.     

Milk progesterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as a tool to investigate ovarian cyclicity of water buffaloes in relation to body condition score and milk production

Background

Application of assisted reproductive technologies in buffaloes is limited to some extent by farmers’ inability to detect oestrus because of its poor expression. The present study aimed at investigating reliability of a milk progesterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to assess the ovarian cyclicity during post partum, oestrus and post-breeding periods in water buffaloes.

Methods

Progesterone concentrations were measured by an ELISA in milk of 23 postpartum buffaloes in relation to oestrus, pregnancy, body condition score (BCS) and milk production. Two milk samples were taken at 10 days intervals, every month starting from day 30 and continued to day 150 post partum. BCS and milk production were recorded during sample collection. Milk samples from bred buffaloes were collected at Day 0 (day of breeding), Days 10–12 and Days 22–24. Defatted milk was preserved at −80°C until analysis. Pregnancy was confirmed by palpation per rectum on Days 70–90.

Results

Seventeen buffaloes had 47 ovulatory cycles, one to four in each, 13 were detected in oestrus once (28 % oestrus detection rate). Progesterone concentration ≥1 ng/ml in one of the two 10-day-interval milk samples reflected ovulation and corpus luteum formation. The intervals between calving to first luteal activity and to first detected oestrus varied from 41 to 123 days (n = 17) and 83 to 135 (n = 13) days, respectively. Eight buffaloes were bred in the course of the study and seven were found pregnant. These buffaloes had a progesterone profile of low (<1 ng/ml), high (≥ 1 ng/ml) and high (≥ 1 ng/ml) on Day 0, Days 10–12 and Days 22–24, respectively. Buffaloes cycling later in the postpartum period had fewer missed oestruses (P < 0.05). Buffaloes with a superior BCS had a shorter calving to oestrus interval and produced more milk (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Milk progesterone ELISA is a reliable tool for monitoring ovarian cyclicity and good BCS may be an indicator of resuming cyclicity in water buffalo.     

Plants as de-worming agents of livestock in the Nordic countries: historical perspective, popular beliefs and prospects for the future.

Preparations derived from plants were the original therapeutic interventions used by man to control diseases (including parasites), both within humans and livestock. Development of herbal products depended upon local botanical flora with the result that different remedies tended to develop in different parts of the world. Nevertheless, in some instances, the same or related plants were used over wide geographic regions, which also was the result of communication and/or the importation of plant material of high repute. Thus, the Nordic countries have an ancient, rich and diverse history of plant derived anthelmintic medications for human and animal use. Although some of the more commonly used herbal de-wormers were derived from imported plants, or their products, many are from endemic plants or those that thrive in the Scandinavian environment. With the advent of the modern chemotherapeutic era, and the discovery, development and marketing of a seemingly unlimited variety of highly efficacious, safe synthetic chemicals with very wide spectra of activities, herbal remedies virtually disappeared from the consciousness--at least in the Western world. This attitude is now rapidly changing. There is a widespread resurgence in natural product medication, driven by major threats posed by multi-resistant pest, or disease, organisms and the diminishing public perceptions that synthetic chemicals are the panacea to health and disease control. This review attempts to provide a comprehensive account of the depth of historical Nordic information available on herbal de-wormers, with emphasis on livestock and to provide some insights on potentially rewarding areas of "re-discovery" and scientific evaluation in this field.     

Observations on commercial layers vaccinated with Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) bacterin on a multiple-age site endemically infected with MG

A commercially available inactivated Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) bacterin was administered to chickens on a multiple-age farm endemically infected with MG. A total of 3400 MG-free pullets were vaccinated with the MG bacterin at 19 weeks of age, and 4300 unvaccinated pullets served as controls. The vaccinated group became serologically positive by the rapid plate agglutination (RPA) test within 3 weeks, and the unvaccinated group became positive in 7 weeks. The hemagglutination-inhibition test responses were observed at approximately the same time as the RPA in both of the groups. Egg production and mortality through 50 weeks of age did not differ significantly between the two groups. MG was isolated from birds of the vaccinated and control groups near the termination of the study.     

5‐Aminolevulinic Acid Activates Antioxidative Defence System and Seedling Growth in Brassica napus L. under Water‐Deficit Stress

The present study assesses the effects of 5‐aminolevulinic acid (ALA, 0, 0.1, 1 and 10 mg l^?1) on the growth of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L. cv. ZS758) seedlings under water‐deficit stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000, 0 and ?0.3 MPa). Water‐deficit stress imposed negative effects on seedling growth by reducing shoot biomass, cotyledon water potential, chlorophyll content and non‐enzymatic antioxidants (glutathione and ascorbic acid) levels. On the other hand, water‐deficit stress enhanced the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, enzymatic antioxidants activities, reduced/oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH/GSSG) and reduced/oxidized ascorbic acid (ASA/DHA) ratio in seedlings. Application of ALA at lower dosages (0.1 and 1 mg l^?1) improved shoot weight and chlorophyll contents, and decreased MDA in rape seedlings, whereas moderately higher dosage of ALA (10 mg l^?1) hampered the growth. The study also indicated that 1 mg l^?1 ALA improved chlorophyll content, but reduced MDA content and ROS production significantly under water‐deficit stress. Lower dosages of ALA (0.1 and 1 mg l^?1) also enhanced GSH/GSSG and ASA/DHA as compared to the seedlings under water‐deficit stress. The antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase, catalase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase) enhanced their activities remarkably with 1 mg l^?1 ALA treatment under water‐deficit stress. It was also revealed that 1 mg l^?1 ALA treatment alone induced the expression of APX, CAT and GR substantially and under water‐deficit stress conditions ALA treatment could induce the expression of POD, CAT and GR to a certain degree. These results indicated that 0.1–1 mg l^?1 ALA could enhance the water‐deficit stress tolerance of oilseed seedlings through improving the biomass accumulation, maintaining a relative high ratio of GSH/GSSG and ASA/DHA, enhancing the activities of the specific antioxidant enzymes and inducing the expression of the specific antioxidant enzyme genes.