IMPACT OF PLANT GROWTH INHIBITORS ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF SORGHUM

Field experiment was carried out during the spring and fall seasons of 2019 at the Abu Ghraib Research Station of the Agricultural Research Office/ Ministry of Agriculture, was aimed to investigate the effect of plant growth inhibitors on growth and yield of several sorghum varieties .Randomized Complete Block Design within split plot arrangement with three replications was used. The main plot consists of three growth inhibitors (Cycocel, Ethiphon, and Mebiquat), which were added at stages six and eight leaf stage, in addition to the control treatment (distilled water only), the sub plot was included three cultivars (Mabrouk, Buhooth 70 and Giza 113). The results showed in both seasons significant interaction between cultivars and growth inhibitors in most of the studied traits. The plants of the variety Giza 113 sprayed with Ethiphon recorded the lowest period of reaching physiological maturity, the highest average dry matter yield, and the highest weight of 1000 grains (89.00 days, 17.32 ton ha-1, and 39.33 gm) respectively. The same variety recorded the highest content of chlorophyll in the leaves and the highest grain yield due to the effect of Mebiquat (49.50 spad, 3.93 ton ha-1. The cultivar Buhooth 70 with the effect of Cycocel achieved the highest average of dry matter yield of 33.27 ton ha-1.

IDENTIFICATION OF METHICILLIN RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS USING TOUCHDOWN PCR AND PHENOTYPIC METHODS FROM PATIENTS AND HOSPITALS ENVIRONMENTS IN DIFFERENT IRAQI CITIES

The study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of MRSA in some Iraqi hospitals and determine the most powerful methods for identification of MRSA, in order to achieve the, 278 samples were collected from different hospitals in Iraq in various intervals, 204 out of 287 were identified as Staphylococcus aureus by conventional cultural methods and microscopic characteristics and 177 isolates are identified as MRSA by using HiCrome MeReSa Agar Base medium, but 154 of 177 (87%) isolates are methicillin resistance in sensitivity test. MRSA isolates were highly resistant to β-lactam antibiotics and considered multidrug resistant (MDR) in percent of (94.9%). Touchdown PCR used to identify the isolates, 97.05% were identified as Staphylococcus aureus, while 80.88% as MRSA.

POLIMORPHIC CHARACTERIZATION OF ESR1 AND FOXL2 GENES AND THE ASSOCIATION OF THEIR INTERACTION WITH PRODUCTIVE TRAITS OF BROWN LOCAL IRAQI CHICKENS

The estrogen receptor 1(ESR1) and fork-head box L2 (FOX L2) genes play a pivotal role in regulation of egg formation in poultry. this study aimed to investigate interaction between ESR1 and FOXL2 in the productive performance of brown local Iraqi chickens (BLIC). A total of 104 BLIC represented from the F4th generation of local chicken selected for high egg productions were used. Two novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs), one of them in ESR1 (T57198C) intron 3, and another of FOX L2 (C919T) gene within encoding region were identified through PCR-DNA sequencing. Six haplotypes (H1=TTCC, H2=TTCT, H3=TCCC, H4=TCCT, H5=CCCC, H6=CCCT) were obtained due to interaction between these two SNPs. Chi-square analysis showed no significant in genotypic and allelic frequencies for each SNP which revealed that both genes were agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Association analysis of haplotypes with production traits revealed that individuals have H4 genotype achieved higher body weight at sexual maturity, at 60 weeks of age and egg weight at 45 and 60 weeks of age, whereas, the higher number of eggs were exhibited in individual with H6 from onset egg till 60 weeks of age. The two haplotypes; H4(TCCT) and H6(CCCT) showed better combination than others with respect to production performance. In conclusion, our findings provided new evidence that the two genes (ESR1 and FOXLl2) with special interaction may have potential effects on productive traits of chickens and beneficial effects in laying breeding programs.

THE INTENSITY OF THE HEAVY METALS BY TOPINAMBUR IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE OIL-POLLUTED AREAS

This study was aimed to investigate the ability of Jerusalem artichokes (Helianthus tuberous L.) to absorb heavy metals in an oil-contaminated ecosystem. The research was carried out in a territory of the oil and gas pipeline at the village of Bytkiv of Nadvirna district. Jerusalem artichokes were used for this study and planted on an area of 25 m2. The area of the experimental field in the village of Maidan of Tysmenytsia district (control option № 1). A total of eight treatments of the experiment with different rates of sewage sludge. It is established that the concentration of heavy metals in oil-contaminated soil and Jerusalem artichoke plants increases with increasing the amount of fertilizers in the soil. The maximum content of metals in the tested soils, green mass and Jerusalem artichoke roots was observed mainly in the variant of sewage sludge application at the rate of 40 t/ha and fertilizer N10P14K58.The green mass and roots of Jerusalem artichoke exhibited the highest content of heavy metals absorption the transition coefficients of metals in the system "roots - green mass" increase in the following : Pb → Co → Ni → Cd. The coefficients of biological absorption of metals by Jerusalem artichoke increase in a number of elements: Co → Ni → Ld → Ca. Where as The coefficients of biological accumulation of heavy metals with Jerusalem artichoke increase in a number of elements following series : L → Co → Ni → Ca. It is recommended to use Jerusalem artichoke as a phytoremediator of man-made areas.

IMPACT OF REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION AND AIR POLLUTION ON INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF MELIA AZEDARACH L. LEAVES

This study was performed to investigate the impact of air pollution on leaf area and anatomical features of Melia azedarach L. trees, in urban areas with three demographical classes: location (I) industrial area, location (II) roadside area and free parts (control area) as a location (III) of Duhok city/Kurdistan Region-Iraq, during July 2021. The results demonstrated that the leaf area of selected plants' leaves in location I had reduced with no noticeable change in the average stomata density in the three locations I, II and Ⅲ. Meanwhile, the results of the most anatomical features of the blade (blade, lower cuticle, epidermis (both upper and lower) thickness, palisade layer height and spongy parenchyma width) in addition to midrib parameters (epidermis thickness (upper and lower), collenchyma and parenchyma layer width, phloem and xylem width and pith diameter) were decreased in both locations I, II, and with well-developed anatomical features in location III.

EFFECTS OF SLAUGHTER’ AGE ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, CARCASS AND NON-CARCASS COMPONENTS TRAITS OF BERBER BREED LAMBS

The objective of this work was to study the lamb’s growth, the carcass yield and composition and the importance of main organs of Berber lambs slaughtered at 4 or 6 months. The study concerned 40 lambs reared under motherhood. Lambs of the first group were slaughtered at the age of 4 months (4M) and the second at 6 months (6M). Slaughter body weights (BW), hot and cold carcass weights and organs were recorded. The carcass was cut out and dissected. The average BW at birth was 4.14 + 0.506 kg while the BW at slaughter was 22.86 kg + 3.40 and 31.51 + 3.50 kg for 4M and 6M groups, respectively. The average daily gain were 172 and 164g for 4M and 6M groups, respectively. Therefore, during 2months the lambs of 6M group gained 8.67 kg in BW. The carcasses were heavier for 6M than 4M. The carcass commercial yields were 42% and 45% for 4M and 6M groups, respectively, resulting in 4.1 kg gain of meat during 2 months. The tissular (muscle, fat and bone) and the regional (leg, shoulder …) carcass composition did not differ among groups. All organs were heavier for 6M than 4M; however, their proportion in the empty body weight were variables. The BWand carcass gain at six months are encouraging to prolong the lamb’s slaughter age without carcass composition difference given the similar fat proportion in the carcass of both groups.

FORAGE YEILD AND COMPITITION INDICES OF CEREALS MIXED INTERCROPPING WITH FORAGE LEGUMES IN SULAIMANI REGION

The present study was conducted in Sulaimani region at two different locations, Kanipanka and Qlyasan during winter season of 2019-2020 to estimate the response of forage yield and some competition indices to the effect of crop pure stands and their mixtures of barley and triticale intercropped with narbon vetch and grass pea with some different patterns. The experiment was designed according to Completely Randomized Block Design with three replications. As the average of both location the maximum green forage yield was produced by pure narbon vetch 32.610 ton ha-1, while pure barley produce maximum dry forage yield and dry matter % reached 5.506 ton ha-1 and 8.55% at booting stage respectively, but the crop mixture barley/grass pea at a rate 2:1 produce maximum green and dry forage yield 32.083 and 5.616 ton ha-1 respectively at booting stage. The crop mixture barley/vetch 1:1 gave maximum dry matter% 17.88% at the same stage. The highest value for total LER was 1.401recorded by the mixture of triticale/grass pea at elongation stage, while the highest relative crowding coefficient was 1.285 recorded by the same mixture at a rate 1:1 at the same cutting stage. Maximum competitive ratio for cereals was 3.652 recorded by barley in the mixture barley/grass pea 1:2 at elongation stage, while for legume it was 2.292 for narbon vetch in the mixture triticale/vetch 2:1 at booting stage.

COMPARISON OF A RAPID TEST WITH bPAG ELISA IN PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS IN COWS

Early pregnancy detection is vital for properly managing livestock farms by re-inseminating nonpregnant females and minimizing the calving intervals. The present investigation was executed to compare a rapid test (Dairy Cow Pregnancy Test from Span Biotech Ltd. Shenzhen, China) with a commercial bPAG ELISA test (IDEXX®) for pregnancy diagnosis in non-descriptive cows. The study also aimed to elucidate if the rapid test could be an alternative method to ELISA in the field. Blood and urine samples were collected from 43 cows to measure the concentrations of bovine pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (bPAGs) in the blood samples and detect progesterone via the rapid test in the urine samples. Examining the genital tracts was achieved after slaughtering the cows to determine the uterus’ state, used as the reference standard for both tests. The results showed that the bPAG ELISA test was more accurate in pregnancy detection than the rapid test. However, there were no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) between both methods’ results. We conclude that the rapid test can be a suitable alternative method to the bPAG ELISA test for diagnosing pregnancy in cows in field conditions.

METRONIDAZOLE INDUCES SIGNIFICANT PATHOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS IN THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF MICE

The present study was aimed to investigate the possible effects caused by the antibiotic, metronidazole, on the histology of the testis and the morphology of the sperms of mice. To achieve this, adult male albino Swiss Mice were orally administrated with 0.1 ml (100 mg\ kg ) of the commercially used metronidazole (Flagyl) for 60 consecutive days. The results showed significant decreases (p<0.05) in the mean weight of body and testis in the treated mice as compared to the distilled water-treated control group. The treatment also caused several histopathological changes in the testis which included necrosis, congestion, hemorrhage, edema, germ cell downfall and rupture in the seminiferous tubules. The tests of the sperm morphology revealed a number of deformations as a result of the treatment, such as the appearance of headless, bend, broken-tailed, hook-tailed, and two-headed sperms, as well as sperms with cytoplasmic droplets. We conclude that from these results that orally administered Metronidazole exerts negative effects on the male reproductive system of mice .

THE EFFECIENCY OF ENTERIC LACTOBACILLUS IN PREVENTING HEMORRHAGIC COLITIS AND BLOCKING SHIGA TOXINS PRODUCTIONS IN RATS MODELS INFECTED WITH ENTEROHEMORRHAGIC ESCHERICHIA COLI (EHEC)

The objective of this study was to investigate the prophylactic roles of human enteric derived Lactobacillus plantarum L1 (Ll) and Lactobacillus paracasei L2 (L2), on EHEC O157:H7 infection in rodent models (In vivo). The Lactobacillus suspensions (L1 and L2) were individually and orally administered to experimental rats at a daily two consecutives of 100 μl (108 CFU/ ml/rat) for up to two weeks. Thereafter, on the 8th day of experiment rats were orally challenged with one dose infection of EHEC (105 CFU/ml/rat). Animals mortality and illness symptoms have been monitored. There was no fatal EHEC infection in rats that had been pre‑colonized with the Lactobacillus strains, while most of EHEC infected rats were died (90%). The Stx1 and Stx2 levels were significantly lower (14 and 12 folds) in the L1and L2 pre-inoculated rates respectively, compared with those in the EHEC colonized group. Histological sections were proven the prophylactic roles of L1 and L2, whereas, no effective histological upsets were detected in Lactobacillus + EHEC- colonized rats. The cytopathic symptoms were predominant in kidney and intestinal sections of EHEC infected rats. The kidney sections cytopathy manifested to lining membrane ulceration, infiltration of mononuclear cells and glomerular and tubular epithelium necrosis. The striking attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions were prominent in intestinal sections of EHEC infected animal models.