A comparative slaughter trial was conducted to estimate the trace element concentrations and distributions in the main body tissues and the net requirements for maintenance and growth of Dorper × Hu crossbred lambs. Thirty-five lambs of each gender (19.2 ± 0.36 kg initial BW) were used. Seven lambs of each gender were randomly chosen and slaughtered at approximately 20 kg BW as the baseline group for measuring initial body composition. Another 7 lambs of each gender were also randomly chosen and offered a pelleted mixed diet for ad libitum intake and slaughtered at approximately 28 kg BW. The remaining 21 sheep of each gender were randomly divided into 3 groups with 7 sheep each and assigned to ad libitum or 40 or 70% of ad libitum intake of a pelleted mixed diet (42:58 concentrate:roughage, DM basis). The 3 groups of each gender were slaughtered when the sheep fed ad libitum reached approximately 35 kg BW. Empty body (head + feet, hide, viscera + blood, and carcass) trace element contents were determined after slaughter. The results showed that the trace elements were mainly distributed in viscera (blood included), except for Zn, which was mainly distributed in the muscle and bone tissues. The net requirements were calculated using the comparative slaughter technique. For males and females, the daily net trace element requirements for maintenance were 356.1 and 164.1 μg Fe, 4.3 and 3.4 μg Mn, 42.0 and 29.8 μg Cu, and 83.5 and 102.0 μg Zn per kilogram empty body weight (EBW), respectively. Net requirements for growth decreased from 65.67 to 57.27 mg Fe, 0.35 to 0.25 mg Mn, and 3.45 to 2.82 mg Cu and increased from 26.36 to 26.65 mg Zn per kilogram EBW gain (EBWG) for males. Net requirements for growth decreased from 30.66 to 22.14 mg Fe, 0.43 to 0.32 mg Mn, 2.86 to 2.18 mg Cu, and 27.71 to 25.83 mg Zn per kilogram EBWG for females from 20 to 35 kg BW. This study indicated that the net trace element requirements for Dorper × Hu crossbred lambs may be different from those of purebred or other genotypes, and more data are needed for sheep in general.

This study evaluated effects of foliar spraying 24-epibrassinoide (24-EBL) on the growth of salt-stressed canola. Seedlings at the four-leaf stage were treated with 150 mM NaCl and different concentrations of 24-EBL (10(-6), 10(-8), 10(-10), 10(-12) M) for 15 days. A concentration of 10(-10) M 24-EBL was chosen as optimal and used in a subsequent experiment on plant biomass and leaf water potential parameters. The results showed that 24-EBL mainly promoted shoot growth of salt-stressed plants and also ameliorated leaf water status. Foliar spraying of salt-stressed canola with 24-EBL increased osmotic adjustment ability in all organs, especially in younger leaves and roots. This was mainly due to an increase of free amino acid content in upper leaves, soluble sugars in middle leaves, organic acids and proline in lower leaves, all of these compounds in roots, as well as essential inorganic ions. Na(+) and Cl(-) sharply increased in different organs under salt stress, and 24-EBL reduced their accumulation. 24-EBL improved the uptake of K(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+) and NO3(-) in roots, which were mainly transported to upper leaves, while NO3(-) was mainly transported to middle leaves. Thus, 24-EBL improvements in ion homeostasis of K(+)/Na(+), Ca(2+)/Na(+), Mg(2+)/Na(+) and NO3(-)/Cl(-), especially in younger leaves and roots, could be explained. As most important parts, younger leaves and roots were the main organs protected by 24-EBL via improvement in osmotic adjustment ability and ion homeostasis. Further, physiological status of growth of salt-stressed canola was ameliorated after 24-EBL treatment.

This study was conducted to investigate the individual and combined effects of xylo-oligosaccharides ( XOS ) and gamma-irradiated Astragalus polysaccharides ( IAPS ) on the growth performance and intestinal mucosal barrier function of broiler chickens. A total of 240 1-day-old Ross-308 chicks were allocated into 5 groups for 21 d: control group (basal diet), antibiotic growth promoter ( AGP ) group (basal diet supplemented with 50 mg/kg chlortetracycline), XOS group (basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg XOS), IAPS group (basal diet supplemented with 600 mg/kg IAPS), and XOS + IAPS group (basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg XOS and 600 mg/kg IAPS). The results showed that birds in the XOS + IAPS group showed higher ADG and lower feed-to-gain ratio than those in the control group ( P < 0.05). The XOS, IAPS, and XOS + IASP treatments significantly increased villus height ( VH ) of all intestine segments, jejunal goblet cell numbers, and VH–to–crypt depth ratio ( VH/CD ) of broilers than those of the control group ( P < 0.05). Birds in the XOS + IAPS group had higher jejunal VH/CD ratio and goblet cell numbers than those from the XOS or IAPS groups ( P < 0.05). In addition, there was a synergy effect between XOS and IAPS on increasing duodenal goblet cell numbers and improving ileal morphology (higher VH and VH/CD ratio) ( P < 0.05). The XOS, IAPS and XOS + IAPS treatments increased the mRNA expression of zonula occludens-1 and occludin of the jejunum as compared with the control group ( P < 0.05). Simultaneously, birds in the XOS + IAPS group showed lower plasma D-lactic acid concentration and higher mRNA expression of claudin-1, claudin-3, and occludin in the jejunum than those in the control or IAPS groups ( P < 0.05). Moreover, there was no significant difference in growth performance, intestinal morphology, and intestinal barrier function of broilers between the AGP and XOS + IAPS groups. In conclusion, the combination of XOS and IAPS had a better potential as chlortetracycline substitute for improving the growth performance, intestinal morphology, and intestinal barrier function of broilers.

Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén) is one of the most destructive pests of rice, and has developed high resistance to imidacloprid. Our previous work indicated a strong association between imidacloprid resistance and the overexpression of a cytochrome P450 gene CYP6AY3v2 in a L. striatellus imidacloprid resistant strain (Imid-R). In this study, a transgenic Drosophila melanogaster line that overexpressed the L. striatellus CYP6AY3v2 gene was established and was found to confer increased levels of imidacloprid resistance. Furthermore, CYP6AY3v2 was co-expressed with D. melanogaster cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) in Spodoptera frugiperda 9 (SF9) cells. A carbon monoxide difference spectra analysis indicated that CYP6AY3v2 was expressed predominately in its cytochrome P450 (P450) form, which is indicative of a good-quality functional enzyme. The recombinant CYP6AY3v2 protein efficiently catalysed the model substrate P-nitroanisole to p-nitrophenol with a maximum velocity (V ) of 60.78 ± 3.93 optical density (mOD)/min/mg protein. In addition, imidacloprid itself was metabolized by the recombinant CYP6AY3v2/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide 2'-phosphate reduced tetrasodium salt (NADPH) CPR microsomes in in vitro assays (catalytic constant (K ) = 0.34 pmol/min/pmol P450, michaelis constant (K ) = 41.98 μM), and imidacloprid depletion and metabolite peak formation were with a time dependence. The data provided direct evidence that CYP6AY3v2 is capable of hydroxylation of imidacloprid and conferring metabolic resistance in L. striatellus.

Rice stripe is a serious viral disease of japonica rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars in Asia. Resistance to this disease can be divided into that to rice stripe virus (RSV) and to the pest (small brown planthopper, SBPH). Here we have used a doubled‐haploid (DH) population bred from the cross Zhaiyeqing8 (ZYQ8) × Jingxi17 (JX17) and four separate inoculation methods to genetically dissect the rice stripe resistance present in ZYQ8. Two linked RSV resistance quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were located on chromosome 1, and one on chromosome 11, jointly explaining 30 to 44% of the trait variance. The main‐effect qSTV11 was mapped close to the established RSV resistance gene Stvb‐i For resistance to SBPH, three QTLs were located, mapping to chromosomes 1, 2, and 11, and jointly explaining 44 to 51% of the trait variance. The large‐effect qSBPH1 appears to be a novel QTL conferring a degree of tolerance and antibiosis against SBPH. The positive alleles at all six QTLs were present in ZYQ8. Analysis of a set of chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) in which chromosomal segments of various indica varieties were present in a japonica background showed that rice stripe resistance genes/QTLs are common on the long arm of chromosome 1.

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Six eriophyoid mites, including four new species and two new records, from Egypt are described and illustrated. They are Stenacis aegyptius sp. nov., on Cupressus sempervirens L. (Cupressaceae); Aceria donacis Mohanasundaram, 1983, rec. n. on Arundo donax L. (Poaceae); Aceria bambusae Channabasavanna, 1966, rec. n. on Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex J.C. Wendl; Schizacea aegyptimperata sp. nov. on Imperata cylindrical (L.) (Poaceae); Epitrimerus abousettai sp. nov. on Cupressus sempervirens L. (Cupressaceae) and Abacarus donacis sp. nov. on Arundo donax L. (Poaceae). The genus Schizacea is recorded for the first time in Egyptian fauna. These species are vagrants on leaves without any damage except the forth species (S. aegyptimperata) which causes rust on inner surface of leaves of the host plant. A key to the species of Schizacea of the world is provided.