Effect of Different Dietary Protein Levels on Physio-metabolic Response during Stunting of Milkfish, Chanos chanos (Forsskal, 1775) Reared under Pond Conditions

Background: Stunting is a process of suppressing growth from unfavourable conditions. The protein supplementation during stunting gives scope to maintain the nutrient reserves of fish and its quality. Methods: A feeding trial was conducted for eight months to study the effect of three hetero-nitrogenous diets with 25% (control), 30% (T1) and 35% (T2) crude protein (CP) levels on growth and physio-metabolic responses of Chanos chanos fingerlings during stunting. Milk fish fingerlings with a mean body weight of 11.71±0.18 g were stocked in earthen ponds @ 20 no/m2 in each replicate (n=3) was fed @ 2% biomass throughout the experiment. Result: Fish fed with T1 diet showed better specific growth rate (0.64±0.01% d-1), weight gain percentage (362.56±14.95) and protease activity (7.53±0.25 U/mg protein). Whereas, lower activity was observed for the enzyme assay, namely superoxide dismutase (45.41±2.50 U/min/mg protein), aspartate aminotransferase (34.01±1.88 U/min/mg protein) and alanine aminotransferase (39.64±0.64 U/min/mg protein). Hence, it may be concluded that the dietary protein inclusion level of 30% CP showed better growth performance and lower physio-metabolic response in milkfish fingerlings during the stunting.

Differential Responses of Ceratitis Capitata to Infection by the Entomopathogenic Fungus Purpureocillium Lilacinum.

Ceratitis capitata (medfly), is one of the most injurious pests of fruits with quarantine importance because of its extremely wide host range. The use of entomopathogenic fungi constitutes a promising approach for potential applications in integrated pest management. Nonetheless, developing methods of insect control can also involve the use of fungal machinery to produce metabolic disturbance that can increase its effectiveness by producing a detrimental effect on insect development. Insect species, such as Ceratitis capitata, depend on reproduction potential, nutrient reserves, metabolic activities and immune response for their survival. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to use the entomopathogenic fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum to investigate, its sublethal effects on Ceratitis capitata. Laboratory bioassays were conducted on medfly V8 strain. The bioassays were monitored to determine the virulence of P. lilacinum on the fruit fly. P. lilacinum was tested against 5 days-old males and females, through abdominal topical applications. Following the fungal inoculation, we showed (i) a significant increase of sugar amount in tissues, (ii) a significant decrease in carbohydrase activities, digestive glycosyl hydrolase and proteinase activities in whole midguts of treated flies, (iii) an over-expression of Takeout and Attacin-A genes induced by infection. Moreover, the up-regulations observed for relish, cecropin 1, ceratotox-A and defensin genes are due to physiological mechanisms occurring during infection.

An auxin signaling network translates low-sugar-state input into compensated cell enlargement in the fugu5 cotyledon

In plants, the effective mobilization of seed nutrient reserves is crucial during germination and for seedling establishment. The Arabidopsis H+-PPase-loss-of-function fugu5 mutants exhibit a reduced number of cells in the cotyledons. This leads to enhanced post-mitotic cell expansion, also known as compensated cell enlargement (CCE). While decreased cell numbers have been ascribed to reduced gluconeogenesis from triacylglycerol, the molecular mechanisms underlying CCE remain ill-known. Given the role of indole 3-butyric acid (IBA) in cotyledon development, and because CCE in fugu5 is specifically and completely cancelled by ech2, which shows defective IBA-to-indoleacetic acid (IAA) conversion, IBA has emerged as a potential regulator of CCE. Here, to further illuminate the regulatory role of IBA in CCE, we used a series of high-order mutants that harbored a specific defect in IBA-to-IAA conversion, IBA efflux, IAA signaling, or vacuolar type H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) activity and analyzed the genetic interaction with fugu5–1. We found that while CCE in fugu5 was promoted by IBA, defects in IBA-to-IAA conversion, IAA response, or the V-ATPase activity alone cancelled CCE. Consistently, endogenous IAA in fugu5 reached a level 2.2-fold higher than the WT in 1-week-old seedlings. Finally, the above findings were validated in icl–2, mls–2, pck1–2 and ibr10 mutants, in which CCE was triggered by low sugar contents. This provides a scenario in which following seed germination, the low-sugar-state triggers IAA synthesis, leading to CCE through the activation of the V-ATPase. These findings illustrate how fine-tuning cell and organ size regulation depend on interplays between metabolism and IAA levels in plants.

Management of Soil Fertility and Agricultural Intensification in NW Iberia, 1750–1900

This article describes agricultural practices of fertilization in the NW of the Iberian Peninsula between 1750 and 1900, where a leguminous plant called gorse (Ulex Europaeus) was used as bedding for livestock in order to produce manure. During the period examined, this whole region experienced a process of agricultural intensification which resulted in a net loss of nutrients in the soil. Peasants dealt with the increasing nutrient requirements by adapting land and livestock management in order to produce more manure during the second half of the 20th century. However, this was done at the expense of nutrient reserves in extensively managed areas, all of which resulted in an unsustainable agricultural pattern. Our data also suggest that the context of nutrient scarcity could be related to changes in the migration pattern, which started to be more intense after 1850 and preferred distant destinations (America), thus switching from seasonal to permanent stays.

Effects of water restriction on carbohydrates concentration, starch granules size and amylolytic activity in seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris L. and P. acutifolius A. Gray

Background: Seed mass is a key component of adaptation in plants that are strongly affected by development and maturity, and, at the same time, all is modulated by the environment of cultivation. Hypotheses: The response to water deficit in seeds of P. vulgaris L. and P. acutifolius A. Gray is species-dependent and affects their biochemical and morphological characteristics. Studied species: The studied cultivars were Rosa Bufa (P. vulgaris) and cv. 10017 (P. acutifolius). Seeds were obtained from plants grown at 100 % and 25 % soil field capacity during their pod development. Study site and dates: The experiments were performed during May and August 2018 in a greenhouse at the Colegio de Postgraduados, Texcoco, State of Mexico (altitude 2,353 m). Methods: The biochemical and morphological characteristics and the grain size of starch in seeds cotyledons were assessed. Results: Water restriction had no significant effects on the seed thickness, width, or mass only length decreased in P. acutifolius. In both species, the axis size of the starch granules decreased due to the stress, glucose concentration increased, sucrose and starch were not altered. Water imbibition increased six times in P. vulgaris seeds with no effect on the germination. The α-amylase activity was 25 - 35 % lower in both species due to the water restriction, particularly in P. acutifolius the activity was two-fold higher than in P. vulgaris. Conclusions: Comparing the carbohydrate concentration in germinating seeds of common and Tepary beans gave insights on the nutrient reserves mobilization during seed maturation and germination.

Micronutrients in Multiple Pregnancies—The Knowns and Unknowns: A Systematic Review

Maternal diet and nutritional status are of key importance with regard to the short- and long-term health outcomes of both the mother and the fetus. Multiple pregnancies are a special phenomenon in the context of nutrition. The presence of more than one fetus may lead to increased metabolic requirements and a faster depletion of maternal macro- and micro- nutrient reserves than in a singleton pregnancy. The aim of this systematic review was to gather available knowledge on the supply and needs of mothers with multiple pregnancies in terms of micronutrients and the epidemiology of deficiencies in that population. It was constructed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement (PRISMA). The authors conducted a systematic literature search with the use of three databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Embase. The last search was run on the 18 October 2020 and identified 1379 articles. Finally, 12 articles and 1 series of publications met the inclusion criteria. Based on the retrieved studies, it may be concluded that women with multiple pregnancies might be at risk of vitamin D and iron deficiencies. With regard to other microelements, the evidence is either inconsistent, scarce or absent. Further in-depth prospective and population studies are necessary to determine if nutritional recommendations addressed to pregnant women require adjustments in cases of multiple gestations.

Native Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Agro-Industries in Arid Lands: Productions, Applications Strategies and Challenges

Bio-fertilizers based on mycorrhizal fungi represent a natural way to enrich the soil in respect of environmental balance. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are the most common symbiotic association between terrestrial plants and microorganisms, which are known to improve plants development and growth, especially under stress conditions. The potential for application of AMF in agricultures is an agro-ecological approach to allow better use of soil nutrient reserves. That receives increasing consideration for their prospective application for sustainable agriculture. The present chapter aims to highlight the agro-industrial strategy of AMF bio-fertilizers production explaining agronomics, ecological and economic approaches and benefits. This study aims to focus on the importance of production of bio-fertilizers based on indigenous AMF strains and their role in improving soils enrichment, which will subsequently lead to improved production and agricultural yields on degraded arid soils.