Variability in phosphite sensitivity observed within and between seven Phytophthora species

Phosphite is used to control and manage many phytophthora diseases in horticultural systems worldwide and natural ecosystems in Australia, Africa, New Zealand and parts of Northern America and Europe. Phosphite does not kill Phytophthora species, but inhibits growth while also stimulating host defence responses. Phytophthora species differ in their underlying tolerance to phosphite and isolates have been shown to acquire tolerance after prolonged exposure. Intra- and inter-specific variability in phosphite sensitivity is of interest to determine the efficacy and sustainability of phosphite for the treatment of phytophthora diseases, which continue to spread globally. Seven Phytophthora species were tested for their sensitivity to phosphite in vitro in a mycelial growth experiment. Phytophthora agathidicida was the species most sensitive to phosphite, being inhibited by 98.7% on average at the lowest phosphite treatment (15 µg/mL phosphite), followed by P. aleatoria, P. cinnamomi, P. pluvialis, P. multivora, P. kernoviae and P. citricola. Huge intraspecific variability was observed with P. kernoviae, which raises the question of whether diseases caused by P. kernoviae such as phytophthora needle blight of Pinus radiata could be managed effectively with phosphite. Further work is required to determine the phosphite sensitivity of different introduced and native Phytophthora species growing in key hosts and whether tolerance observed in vitro is also expressed in vivo.

Assessment of Corbicula moltkiana Growth by Different Methods on Variation of Substrates in Lake Maninjau, West Sumatera, Indonesia

Corbicula moltkiana is a mussel species in Lake Maninjau and one of the targeted fisheries resources in the lake. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of a controlled growth experiment of mollusk biota in describing their natural growth. The assessment was carried out in areas with different habitats in shore lake, namely sand and gravel-stone substrates. A consecutive 12 month- sampling was carried out from June 2013 to May 2104 using a Surber sampler at a 1-3 m depth were used to assess the wild population growth. Moreover, the growth of the controlled population was observed by rearing various sizes of mussels in artificial substrate namely three small baskets which installed in the shore area with 1-3 m depth at each station for four months. Monthly sampling was carried out to measure the shell length. The growth of C. moltkiana on wild population by VBGF methods show that at the gravel-stone substrate was higher, but the growth a controlled population in artificial substrate seemed in the sand substrate was higher than that in the gravel-stone substrate. The growth of aquatic biota in a controlled system (especially C. moltkiana) does not always reflect similar conditions to their wild growth.

The Inhibition Efficiency of Blue Light And Light Intensity On The Growth Rate of Microcystis Aeruginosa

Lake eutrophication is associated with the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms which have a negative effect on other organisms. Several studies demonstrated that blue LED irradiation inhibits the growth rate of cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa, while the efficiency varies from study to study. In this paper, the focus was on the effects of light intensity on the growth of M. aeruginosa because the light intensity used in the precious studies varied from 12 to 45 μmol photons m-2 s-1. Growth experiment of M. aeruginosa was conducted with 32 μmol photons m-2 s-1 blue light and fluorescent light, and the results were compared with the findings of previous reports. Furthermore, co-culture of M. aeruginosa and diatom Nitzschia palea was also prepared. The growth rate of M. aeruginosa was 0.33 day-1 and 0.11 day-1 under fluorescent light and blue light, respectively. The blue light dropped the growth rate by 67%. Compared with previous studies, the inhibition efficiency seemed to be the best at 20 μmol photons m-2 s-1. The growth rate of N. palea was 0.62 day-1 and 0.36 day-1 under fluorescent light and blue light, respectively. Since the efficiency of N. palea by blue light (42%) was smaller than that of M. aeruginosa, blue light is considered to be a countermeasure to cyanobacterial blooms.

Genes for degradation and utilization of uronic acid-containing polysaccharides of a marine bacterium Catenovulum sp. CCB-QB4

Background Oligosaccharides from polysaccharides containing uronic acids are known to have many useful bioactivities. Thus, polysaccharide lyases (PLs) and glycoside hydrolases (GHs) involved in producing the oligosaccharides have attracted interest in both medical and industrial settings. The numerous polysaccharide lyases and glycoside hydrolases involved in producing the oligosaccharides were isolated from soil and marine microorganisms. Our previous report demonstrated that an agar-degrading bacterium, Catenovulum sp. CCB-QB4, isolated from a coastal area of Penang, Malaysia, possessed 183 glycoside hydrolases and 43 polysaccharide lyases in the genome. We expected that the strain might degrade and use uronic acid-containing polysaccharides as a carbon source, indicating that the strain has a potential for a source of novel genes for degrading the polysaccharides. Methods To confirm the expectation, the QB4 cells were cultured in artificial seawater media with uronic acid-containing polysaccharides, namely alginate, pectin (and saturated galacturonate), ulvan, and gellan gum, and the growth was observed. The genes involved in degradation and utilization of uronic acid-containing polysaccharides were explored in the QB4 genome using CAZy analysis and BlastP analysis. Results The QB4 cells were capable of using these polysaccharides as a carbon source, and especially, the cells exhibited a robust growth in the presence of alginate. 28 PLs and 22 GHs related to the degradation of these polysaccharides were found in the QB4 genome based on the CAZy database. Eleven polysaccharide lyases and 16 glycoside hydrolases contained lipobox motif, indicating that these enzymes play an important role in degrading the polysaccharides. Fourteen of 28 polysaccharide lyases were classified into ulvan lyase, and the QB4 genome possessed the most abundant ulvan lyase genes in the CAZy database. Besides, genes involved in uronic acid metabolisms were also present in the genome. These results were consistent with the cell growth. In the pectin metabolic pathway, the strain had genes for three different pathways. However, the growth experiment using saturated galacturonate exhibited that the strain can only use the pathway related to unsaturated galacturonate.

Growth, nutritive value and dry matter degradability of three Tephrosia species

Two trials were carried out to evaluate the potential of Tephrosia bracteolata (TB), Tephrosia candida (TC) and Tephrosia linearis (TL) for animal feed. In an 18-week growth experiment, Tephrosia species differed (P <0.05) in leaf number (LN) and stem height (SH). TB and TL had apparent (P<0.05) early and persistent growth than TC until weeks 12 - 18 when all retarded in growth at the commencement of flowering. TC however, increased geometrically in LN and SH. There were significant (P<0.05) differences among the species in dry matter (DM) and acid detergent fibre (ADF). The DM, CP, NDF, ADF, EE and ash range from 30.0, 41.8, 24-26.5, 62.3–68.5, 45.8 - 48.4, 2.3-2.6 and 5.6-6.2% respectively. Calcium and sodium were highest (P<0.05) in TB and TL. species but had similar composition in P, Mg and K. In the second trial, dry matter disappearance and CP release were determined. The Tephrosia species were not significantly (P>0.05) different in degradation characteristics. Lower amounts of crude protein (10-14.81%) was released in the three Tephrosia species. As a result of rapid growth, high nutritive value and easily rumen degradable dry matter of Tephrosia shrubs, ruminants could benefit immensely from the plants.

Growth, nutritive value and dry matter degradability of three tepbrosia species

Two trials were carried out to evaluate the potential of Tephrosia bracteolata (TB), Tephrosia candido (TC) and Tephrosia linearis (TL) for animal feed. In an 18 week growth experiment, Tephrosia species differed (P<0.05) in leur number (LN) and stein height (SH). TB and TL had apparent (P<0.05) earh and persisten growth than TC until wecks 12-18 when they retarded in growth of the commencement of flowering. 7C however, increased geometrically in LN and SH. There were significant (P<0.50) differences among the species in diy matter (DM) and acid detergent fibre (ADF). The DM, CP, NDF, 4DF, EE and ash range from 30-41.8, 24-26.5, 62.5 68.5, 45.8-48.4, 2.3-26 and 5.6-6.2% respectively. Calcium and sodium were highest (P<0.05) in TB and 72 species were not significantly (P<P.05) different in degradation char amount of crude protein (10-14.81%) was released in the 3 Tephrosia species. As a result of rapid growth, high nutritive values and easily degradable nutrients of Tephrosia shrubs, ruminants could benefit immensely from the plants.

202 Dietary supplementation with a blend of essential oils and a proprietary cobalt source along monensin may be antagonistic to growth performance of Holstein yearling bulls

Our previous work has indicated that feeding a blend of essential oils and a proprietary cobalt source (EOC) in combination with monensin (MON) may not be mutually beneficial to dairy calf growth performance. To evaluate this observation further, a 240 d long-term growth experiment was conducted using 12 young growing Holstein bulls using a 2 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement. Main factors were EOC (Rum-A-Fresh, Ralco, Inc., Marshall, MN) and monensin (MON; Norvikon Biotechnology Co., Hunan, China) arranged in 4 treatments: 1) Control: ration fed without EOC or MON; 2) EOC: EOC fed at 26 mg/kg DM; 3) MON: MON fed at 25 mg/kg DM; and 4) EOC+MON: EOC and MON fed in combination. Holstein bulls were 70 d of age and similar in BW (93.3 ± 4.54 kg) and individually fed for 280 d. Body weights, frame measurements, and blood samples were collected monthly. Interactions of EOC by MON were detected for BW, BW gain, ADG, and a trend for feed conversion. Bulls fed EOC or MON demonstrated greater final BW (367.7, 385.2, 381.2, and 357.5 kg for Control, EOC, MON, and EOC+MON, respectively), while BW gains (277.2, 291.5, 284.8, and 265.2 kg) and ADG (1.16, 1.22, 1.19, 1.11 kg/d) were greatest for bulls fed EOC or MON compared with bulls fed EOC+MON, with bulls fed Control being intermediate and similar to bulls fed MON. Intake of DM was greater for bulls fed EOC (6.55, 6.99, 6.60, and 6.42 kg/d) compared with bulls fed remaining treatments. Feeding EOC or MON separately can improve growth performance of growing Holstein bulls. Why the combination of EOC and MON is antagonistic to growth performance of Holstein bulls is unknown.

The Potential for Biochar to Mitigate the Impact of Climate Change

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;The date palm tree has been mainly used as a source of food in the MENA (Middle East North Africa) region. Specifically, in the United Arab Emirates produces over 44 million date palm trees yearly, each tree generates approximately 20 Kilograms of palm frond waste per year and this waste is currently sent to landfills. In this study, we proposed that in the arid soil conditions found in the UAE, this date palm waste could be converted to biochar and used to improve the water holding capacity of UAE soils. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test whether amendments of date palm frond (DPF) and its biochar could improve the water holding capacity of soils. A mesocosm design and a plant growth experiment were used to assess the treatments at summer temperature conditions. For the mesocosm, there were 6 different biochar and DPF treatments (1%, 3%, 6%, 12%, 15% and 18% biochar or DPF in soil) along with the controls (sharp sand, DPF biochar and DPF). The experiment was divided into 3 cycles (wet, dry, and dry with a water bowl (waw)). The impact of the experimental treatments was assessed using ANOVA. Both Biochar and DPF had no significant effect during the first two cycles (wet and dry) but during the third cycle, the DPF appeared to have better water holding capacity than Biochar. A plant growth experiment was conducted with 6 different treatment (controls - sand, DPF and Biochar; and Biochar at 1%, 6%,15% and 18%). Cat grass was used for measuring its temperature, height, moisture and pH. Water was irrigated during the first 3 weeks then the soil treatments left to dry. The results of the greatest growth for 1% Biochar. Further investigations are being processed using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Carbon, Nitrogen, Hydrogen &amp; Oxygen (CHNO), &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) &amp; Computerized tomography (CT) scan.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;#160;This is to assess water binding capacity and physiochemical properties of the Biochar, DPF and soil.&amp;#160;&amp;#160;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;