Asian Journal of Research in Biosciences
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Epidemiology of Goat Nematode Infections in Different Ecological Regions of Argentina´S Northwest
Get PDFThe aim of this work was to study the etiology and epidemiology of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) of goat from the Arid valleys and canyons (AVC), Tempered valleys (TV) and the Semiarid Chaco (SC) regions of northwestern Argentina. Ten flocks were studied and 35 to 40 goats per flock (total= 420 goats) were fecal matter sampled each 30-40 days. Individual eggs per gram of faeces (epg) and faeces cultures were performed. Differences among epg were compared using Kruskal–Wallis non-parametric test. The epg of the three regions showed the same trend: an increment from February reaching the highest average epg peak in April-May and then a fall towards the summer. Goat flocks of TV region showed the highest epg compared to the other two regions, which generally showed low epg values. Haemonchus sp. and Trichostrongylus spp. were the predominant nematode genera recovered in the three regions, although in a smaller proportion Teladorsagia, Oesophagostomum, Nematodirus, Trichuris, Skrjabinema and Strongyloides genera were also recovered. These results show that GIN would be a limiting factor of caprine production in the TV and only during critical periods and under some breeding systems in the other regions
Water Regimes and Seeding Rates Influence Grain Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Three Durum Wheat Varieties
Get PDFIn order to establish the optimal level of irrigation and seeding rate to achieve high grain yield and water use efficiency (WUE) for durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) in a Tunisian semi-arid region, three durum wheat varieties (Maâli, Nasr and Chili) were evaluated under four levels of irrigation (I3: 70% of field capacity (FC); I2: 40% FC; I1: 10% FC; I0: rainfall) and five seeding rates (D1: 250, D2: 300, D3: 350, D4: 400, D5: 450 seeds/m2). The level of irrigation significantly affected all traits except for 1000-kernel weight. I3 induced maximum grain yield (GY) (106.7 q/ha), number of spikes/m2 (607.8), number of kernels/spike (51.09), 1000-kernel weight (50.45 g) and biomass yield (BY) (349 q/ha) while the rainfed treatment (I0) showed the lowest values. GY and BY were positively correlated (r = 0.6) with number of spikes/m2. Highest WUE of grain yield (WUEg) and of biomass yield (WUEb) were observed under moderate irrigation (I2) and exceeded values obtained under the highest water regime (I3) by 11.08% and 7.9%, respectively. Seeding rate D3 showed lowest mean values of GY (71.10 q/ha), BY (238 q/ha), WUEg (1.49 kg/m3) and WUEb (4.96 kg/m3). WUEg was positively correlated to harvest index (r = 0.45).The WUEg and GY of Maâli (91.63 q/ha) were significantly higher than those of Nasr (83.88 q/ha) and Chili (66.16 q/ha). However, Chili had the highest BY. There was no significant difference in the WUEb of all three varieties. Although there was no interaction between water regimes, seeding rates and varieties, a moderate irrigation regime and high or low seeding rate are recommended to achieve high WUE
Plant Diseases: A Challenge for Food Security
Get PDFThe lack of resources committed to crop disease research, mainly in developing nations, compounds the issue. This could be due to poor management, but it could also be due to the challenge of quantitative measurements plant pathogens and connecting it to production failure to achieve reasonable yields. Plant pathology appears to be significantly defunded in comparison to its relevance because of the need to provide such solid facts to managers and representatives. We hope that this analysis will encourage crop pathologists, especially those in developing countries, to concentrate on collection of data. Furthermore, it is expected that once they have solid facts, they will become more efficient in obtaining sufficient and reasonable support from governments and other public and private sector entities in order to successfully combat plant pathogens that ruin their many valuable products
Studies on the Incidence and Persistence of Major Insect Pests of Soybean and their Bio-control Agents in Soybean Ecosystem
Get PDFAn experiment was conducted at Entomology field laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the rabi season of 2018-19 to investigate the abundances and population dynamics of major insect pests of soybean in soybean ecosystem. In this present study, a total of twelve insect pests and five beneficial arthropods were identified from seedling to pod maturity stages. Among the insect pests, five were identified as major namely jassids, whitefly, leaf beetle, grasshopper and soybean leaf roller. The rest of the seven insects were considered as minor based on the population densities and extent of damage. Five beneficial arthropods were recorded namely ladybird beetle, lynx spiders, wolf spiders, carabid beetle and green mirid bug. Among the insect pests, jassid, whitefly and leaf beetles were mainly appeared at the vegetative stage to flowering stage, grasshopper from vegetative to mid of pod formation stage and soybean leaf roller was found to be consistent from vegetative to pod maturity stage. Population incidence was observed from the mid of January to mid of March with some fluctuations but the maximum was observed in the month of February
Evaluation of Field Efficacy of Different Bacterial Fermented Insecticides against Tomato Fruit Borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner)
Get PDFTomato fruit borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae) is a polyphagous insect pest and is considered as the most important limiting factor in successful cultivation of tomato in Bangladesh. This internal feeder causes severe yield losses by boring in tomato fruits and the damaged fruits eventually rot or ripen prematurely. Field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2017-18 to evaluate the efficacy of some bacterial fermented insecticides viz. Suspend 5SG (Emamectin Benzoate) @ 1.0 and @ 1.5 g/L, Libsen 45 SC (Spinosad) @ 0.25 and 0.50 ml/L and Ambush 1.8EC (Abamectin) @ 2.0 and 3.0 ml/L against tomato fruit borer. A total of four sprays were given at 7 days interval since initiation of fruit borer infestation and tomatoes were harvested at 10 days interval. Data were collected on the number of infested and marketable fruits/m2 and yield of infested and marketable tomato fruits (t/ha). The study revealed that Suspend 5SG and Libsen 45 SC both were found to be the most effective and differed significantly over untreated control with maximum reduction in fruit infestation and maximum production of marketable yield (t/ha). In contrast with Suspend 5 SG and Libsen 45 SC efficacy, Ambush 1.8 EC was found less effective regarding the parameters studied
Influence of Strain and Feed Restriction on Haematological Parameters of Commercial Cocks
Get PDFDue to high cost of feed ingredients, and its negative effect on production cost in livestock subsector, feed restriction strategy has been adopted as a means of limiting bird’s access to feeds during the day without compromising quality of poultry products. The present study aimed at investigating the response of two strains of commercial cocks to different feed restriction regimen. A total number of 180 day-old cockerels of two strains comprising Black and White plumage (90 chicks each) were procured to examine and compare their blood parameters. At 6th week of age, the birds were distributed into four treatments with three replicates for each strain. The treatments are, T1: control (ad libitum), T2: feed restricted (6th -7th week), T3: feed restricted (8th -9th week) and T4: feed restricted (10th -11th week). At the end of the 16th week one bird per replicate was randomly chosen for blood collection into a labelled sample bottles treated with anti-coagulant and were taken to the laboratory for analysis. Analyzed results revealed that there was no significant (P>.05) effect of strain on all the parameters measured except Basophil. In addition, there was no significant (P>.05) effect of feed restriction on packed cell volume, haemoglobin, red blood cell, platelets, monocyte, eosinophil and basophil except for white blood cell, lymphocyte and heterocyte. It is however, interesting to note that the obtained mean values for all parameters were comparable, and within the ranges recorded for chickens in previous reports
Studies on Seed-Borne Fungi Associated with the Seeds of Three Acacia species by Using Nutrient Agar Test
Get PDFThe present study was initiated to investigate the seed-borne fungi associated with the seeds of three important Acacia species namely, Acacia senegal (Hashab), A. nilotica (Sunt) and A. mellifera (Kitir). Eight seed samples of these species were collected from several locations in the Sudan namely, North Kordofan State, White Nile State (Jalahat) and Blue Nile State (Damazine). The growing-on tests was conducted in the green house. Moreover, some methods were carried out in the laboratory to detect the seed-borne fungi including the dry inspection and nutrient agar tests. Nine seed-borne fungi species were isolated and identified. High incidence of seed-borne fungi, reaching 90% and 56% contamination of Asperigillus niger and A. flavus, respectively, were recorded. Less prevalent fungi detected include A. nidulans, Alternaria alternate, Curvularia lunata, Rhizopus sp., Stumphilium sp., Penicillium sp. and Cladopsporium sp. The growing-on tests revealed no virus or disease like symptoms. The dry seed inspection showed few discolored seeds. The results also showed a close relationship between the seed contamination and the percentage of germination failure. The results also indicated the need for pre-sowing treatments of Acacia seeds to improve the seedling establishment
Situation Analysis of Gum Arabic Production and Practices in North Kordofan, Sudan
Get PDFThere is a great quantity of gum arabic trees in the Gum Arabic belt and plenty of gum Arabic researches were conducted, still there are information gaps in gum production, quality aspects, marketing and adoption of innovations tools. The broad objective of this research was to assess the impact of gum Arabic researches results applied in improving and developing the gum Arabic sector in term of applied of tapping by sunki, tapping direction east and west, bags packaging gum in it, time between picking and second one and tapping operation provided by different institutions in Sheikan and Um Ruwaba localities - North Kordofan State, Sudan. Primary data was collected through face- to face interview with local farmers. A random sample of 265 respondents was selected from nine gum Arabic producers associations representing the two localities. Secondary data was obtained from thesis, journals, books, reports, web, and other relevant sources. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi- square and likert scale analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The main findings of the research are; there were significance relationship at (p= 0.05) between gum Arabic production techniques applied and production and quality gum with regards to applied tapping by sunki, tapping direction east and west and bags packaging gum in it, time between first picking and second one in Sheikan and Um Ruwaba localities. The result of binary logistic regression showed that extension and training services are the main determinants factor for adoption of gum production techniques. Drawing from the present empirical findings the taps with sunki, tapping east and west direction, jute bags packaging gum in it and the time between first picking and second one were preferred gum production techniques in Sheikan and Um Ruwaba localities. Modern and adapted tapping tools should be invented
Development of Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Toxin by Insect Pests
Get PDFInsect pests are the primary scourge of agriculture down the ages. It is estimated that 14% of crop productivity is misplaced to insect pests on a global scale. To decrease reliance on insecticide sprays, scientists have genetically engineered plants to make insecticidal proteins encoded through genes from the common bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Currently, due to their importance, more than 70 kinds of Cry genes are described (cry1 up to cry70). These endotoxins have been categorized as Cry1–Cry69 and Cyt1–Cyt3 and specific subgroups relying on their amino acid sequence. Of these, some Bt genes such as cry1Ab, cry1Ac, cry2Ab and cry9C are already being commercially used in GMP. The crystalline proteins get solubilized in midgut at high pH, releasing d-endotoxin proteins. The exquisite capability of insects to adapt to Bt-toxin and different manage systems helps the conclusion that evolution of resistance by means of pests is the important hazard to the persevered success of transgenic Bt crop. This paper ambitions to overview the resistance improvement of insect pests towards Bt toxin. Insect populations regularly have herbal genetic variant affecting response to a toxin, with some alleles conferring susceptibility and others conferring resistance. Many laboratory and field researches showed, resistance improvement of insects in opposition to Bt toxin. Field-evolved resistance happens when exposure of a discipline populace to a toxin increases the frequency of alleles conferring resistance in subsequent generations. The chance insect resistance poses to the future use of Bt plant-incorporated protectants haveled into emergence of insect resistance management concept. IRM is of received with the aid of actions taken to prolong the improvement of insect resistance to pest control measures in goal pest populations or by way of practices aimed at decreasing the achievable for insect pests to grow to be resistant to a gene. The danger insect resistance poses to the future use of Bt plant-incorporated protectants have led into emergence of insect resistance management concept
Nitrous Oxide Emissions of the Italian Mediterranean Buffalo Breeding: Influence of Management
Get PDFLivestock emissions play an important role in environmental impact.
This study is aimed to quantify the excretion of nitrogen in lactating buffaloes by comparing four different management types of livestock.
The data obtained were subjected to statistical processing to evaluate any significant differences between the farm’s object of the study achieved with different systems (management effect).
The DM administered was found to be similar for the conventional and biological conduction farm, being lower in the family farm and significantly lower in sustainable conduction.
The amount of nitrogen excreted (%N intake) varied from 69.8% for buffaloes bred in the organic farm to 75.8% for the sustainable farm.
However, this trend tends to balance out when comparing the amount of total nitrogen eliminated. Therefore, the efficiency of dietary nitrogen use (nitrogen excreted in the feces expressed as percentage of total nitrogen eliminated) was 48.0, 30.8, 45.2 and 44.0 respectively for family, conventional, organic and sustainable.
All these data show that, overall, the most efficient management system for using nitrogen, both in terms of performance (milk production) and in terms of environmental impact (excretion of nitrogen) is the biological one.
Finally, the data obtained confirmed the clear difference in the use of nitrogen between the buffalo and bovine species, leading to the conclusion that buffaloes should be considered separately from cattle in counting the environmental impact from nitrogen pollution.
High variability among the farms, related to different environmental impacts, was probably related to different management and feeding plan. Therefore, it would be advisable to consider them separately from cattle in calculating the adult bovine unit/ha (UBA/ha) for the disposal of livestock waste. Giving greater attention to the sustainability of the administered ration appears hence to be a promising strategy for the mitigation of nitrogen impact on the environment