The microbiota of pre-ensiled crop and silage were examined using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Wilted Italian ryegrass (IR), whole crop corn (WC), and wilted alfalfa (AL) silages stored for 2 months were examined. All silages contained lactic acid as a predominant fermentation product. Across the three crop species, DGGE detected 36 and 28 bands, and NGS identified 253 and 259 genera in the pre-ensiled crops and silages, respectively. The NGS demonstrated that, although lactic acid bacteria (LAB) became prevalent in all silages after 2 months of storage, the major groups were different between crops: Leuconostoc spp. and Pediococcus spp. for IR silage, Lactobacillus spp. for WC silage, and Enterococcus spp. for AL silage. The predominant silage LAB genera were also detected by DGGE, but the presence of diverse non-LAB species in pre-ensiled crops was far better detected by NGS. Likewise, good survival of Agrobacterium spp., Methylobacterium spp., and Sphingomonas spp. in IR and AL silages was demonstrated by NGS. The diversity of the microbiota described by principal coordinate analysis was similar between DGGE and NGS. Our finding that analysis of pre-ensiled crop microbiota did not help predict silage microbiota was true for both DGGE and NGS.

This study was conducted to examine whether cortisone (Cs) has the capacity to regulate prostaglandin E2 (PGE) and prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF) secretions by bovine endometrium around the time of ovulation. In preliminary experiment, doses of PF915275 (PF, 11-β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 inhibitor) was exanimated. PF at a dose of 1000 nM (PF1000) decreased significantly the absolute conversion of Cs to Cr (p<0.05). Thus, the PF1000 was chosen for the further studies. Tissues of endometrium were collected at the follicular stage (days 19-21), and exposed to Cs (300 nM) or Cs (300 nM) combined with oxytocin (OT, 100 nM) in the presence or absence of PF1000 in 4 h. The PGE and PGF secretion in cultured endometrial tissue did not affected by Cs and Cr converted from Cs. PGE and PGF production regulated by OT was higher in the presence than in the absence of PF1000 indicating that PGE and PGF production stimulated by OT was suppressed by Cr converted from Cs. The overall results suggest that Cr converted from Cs, but not Cs, has the capacity to regulate PGE and PGF production in bovine endometrium at the follicular stage.

Biochar was produced from rice husk at temperature from 276 to 760 oC. The objective of the study was to determine the influence of the biochar application to loamy sand soil on crop growth and nutrient balances under greenhouse conditions in Hue city. Loamy sand soil was collected in Huong Chu commune, Huong Tra town. Pot experiments with Brassica juncea (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.) were conducted in three different types of biochar quantity into soil such as 15 g/pot (765 g/m2), 30 g/pot (1531 g/m2) and 60 g/pot (3062 g/m2). Chemical fertilizer was applied to the soil at rates of 12.2÷ 24.5 g N/m2, 10.3÷ 20.6 g P2O5/m2 and 12.0 ÷ 24.0 g K2O/m2. Experimental results showed that biochar application changed soil quality, resulted in improving the growth of Brassica juncea. We will report the difference of nitrogen and phosphorus balances (crop uptake, leaching, retention, etc.) in experimental pots. Our results indicated that the use of biochar from agricultural by-products would be beneficial for farmers, the environment under soil and climatic conditions in Thua Thien Hue province.