Fitness of logistics model for predicting quails egg production reared in a tropical environment with dietary betaine supplementation

Betaine is a methyl group donor and organic osmolyte, optimizing quail’s performance, particularly in a tropical environment. This study determined the fitness of the logistic model to predict the quail egg production with dietary betaine supplementation. Two hundred and four quails were divided into two dietary treatments, and six replicates with 17 quails each. The treatment diets were control (CTR) and 0.12% betaine supplementation (BET). Egg production data were collected for eleven weeks, and a T-test was performed. Next, the data is plotted to get the actual egg production curve. The fit of the logistic model is calculated according to the coefficient of determination (R2). Quail that received betaine supplementation produced more eggs than control (P<0.05). The actual egg production curve shows the effect of betaine supplementation seen after the fourth week. The logistic model predicts CTR to reach peak production faster than BET but to have lower peak production than BET (56.63% vs. 63.56%). Prediction of egg production both CTR and BET showed high accuracy with a relatively high R2 (0.88; CTR and 0.87; BET). Thus, the logistic model accurately predicted quails egg production reared in a tropical environment with betaine supplementation.

Seasonal changes in stress metabolites of native and introduced red algae in New Zealand

Intertidal algae have to cope with diurnally and seasonally fluctuating environmental factors such as salinity, temperature, dehydration, and light. In New Zealand, solar radiation, including the ultraviolet wavelengths, is also an important stress factor for such algae. Therefore, two native (Bostrychia arbuscula W.H.Harvey [Ceramiales], Champia novae-zelandiae (J.D.Hooker & Harvey) Harvey [Rhodymeniales]) and one introduced red algal taxon (Schizymenia spp. J. Agardh [Nemastomatales]) were investigated over 12 months in terms of stress metabolites which contribute to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and salinity tolerance. Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), which act as sunscreens, and organic osmolytes were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. Porphyra-334, shinorine, and palythine were the most dominant MAAs yet distributed differently among the species. B. arbuscula showed a correlation between photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)/UVR and slightly higher MAA concentrations in summer. In contrast, C. novae-zelandiae displayed the lowest level of MAAs in summer, and no correlation was found between MAA values and solar radiation. In Schizymenia spp., the highest MAA amounts were found in summer, and for most months, a correlation with PAR/UV radiation was visible. While digeneaside and sorbitol were the dominant organic osmolytes in B. arbuscula, floridoside occurred in C. novae-zelandiae and Schizymenia spp. Only B. arbuscula exhibited higher organic osmolyte concentrations in summer. In contrast, floridoside contents in C. novae-zelandiae and Schizymenia spp. were low and highly variable over the course of the seasons. Our data indicate that both native red algal species are well acclimated to the intertidal zone. For the introduced Schizymenia spp., a more narrow salinity tolerance can be assumed, while the high MAA values may explain its establishment in New Zealand.

Changes in Organic and Inorganic Osmolytes of Maize (Zea mays L.) by Sulfur Application Under Salt Stress Conditions

Mineral nutrients have favourable potential in alleviation of salinity problem in plants. Sulfur has specific functions in regulating plant growth, metabolism, enzymatic reactions and osmolyte homeostasis in plants. Hence, an experiment was carried out to explore the role of sulfur in ameliorating salt toxicity in maize by changes in organic and inorganic osmolyte contents. A range of sulfur levels (40, 80 mM) were used to induce salinity tolerance in maize. Various treatments of salinity (25, 75 mM) were applied by using sodium chloride. Results revealed that glycine betaine, proline, total soluble sugars, total soluble proteins and total free amino acids contents were increased by applying salinity while the application of sulfur lowered the proline and increased other studied organic osmolyte contents in all studied maize organs (leaf, shoot, root). The maximum improvement in organic osmolyte contents were found at 40 mM sulfur, however, at 80 mM sulfur proline contents were reduced. Applied salinity increased leaf tissue concentration of Na+ and decreased that of K+, Ca2+, NO3-, PO43-, SO42- leading to a severely declined in K+/Na and Ca2+/Na+ ratio. However, application of sulfur reduced the Na+ contents and improved K+, Ca2+, NO3-, PO43-, SO42-, K+/Na+ and Ca2+/Na+ ratio in the salinity grown plants. Moreover, 40 mM level of sulfur was greatly effective in osmolyte homeostasis at all levels of salinity. This indicated that use of sulfur (40 mM) ameliorated the effect of salinity by changing organic and inorganic osmolyte contents in maize plants.

Salt effects on proline and glycine betaine levels and photosynthetic performance in Melilotus siculus, Tecticornia pergranulata and Thinopyrum ponticum measured in simulated saline conditions

We measured proline and glycine betaine levels and photosynthetic performance (net-photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ)) in relation to Na+ and Cl– accumulation in Melilotus siculus (Turra) B.D.Jacks. (Fabaceae), Tecticornia pergranulata (J.M.Black) K.A.Sheph. & Paul G.Wilson (Amaranthaceae: Salicornioideae) and Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Z.-W.Liu & R.-C.Wang (Poaceae) grown under saline conditions in the greenhouse. These plants were selected in this study because of their known salt-tolerance capacity and value as forage plants. Moreover, the pasture legume M. siculus is considered to have particular potential for saline land remediation because of its salinity and waterlogging tolerance. Maximum Na+ and Cl– accumulation occurred in Te. pergranulata shoots. Minimum was in Th. ponticum shoots. Maximum Na+ accumulation occurred in the roots of Te. pergranulata, whereas that of Cl– occurred in the roots of Th. ponticum. Accumulation of both Na+ and Cl– was the least in M. siculus roots. Te. pergranulata metabolized high levels of glycine betaine (110 µmol g–1 DW). M. siculus metabolized high levels of proline (6 µmol g–1 DW). Th. ponticum accumulated intermediate levels of these organic osmolytes. No significant change occurred in Fv/Fm values. Pn value increased and NPQ value decreased in Te. pergranulata with increasing salinity and the reverse occurred in both M. siculus and Th. ponticum. A negative significant correlation occurred between Pn and glycine betaine in M. siculus and Th. ponticum. A positive significant correlation occurred between NPQ and glycine betaine in M. siculus. No correlation occurred between proline and Pn, proline and NPQ in the tested three plants. Te. pergranulata could maintain cell-osmotic balance by synthesising high levels of organic osmolytes especially glycine betaine and concurrently showing the most efficient photosynthetic performance. Compared with the levels of osmolytes in Te. pergranulata, the levels of osmolytes that occur in M. siculus and Th. ponticum were insufficient to maintain cell-osmotic balance and also that M. siculus and Th. ponticum showed a lower level of photosynthetic performance. We conclude that glycine betaine is potentially the vital organic osmolyte for Te. pergranulata and Th. ponticum enabling salinity stress tolerance. However, in M. siculus, proline appears to be the potential organic osmolyte in salinity stress tolerance. In terms of the potential of these species for stabilising saline soils in central-western New South Wales, Te. pergranulata would be the candidate of choice; however, for greater pasture value Th. ponticum would be the next.

In vitrocharacterization of a novel C,N-cyclometalated benzimidazole Ru(ii) arene complex: stability, intracellular distribution and binding, effects on organic osmolyte homeostasis and induction of apoptosis

Applying a novel protocol for the characterization of metal-based drugs reveals the potential of a new Ru-based compound in overcoming Cisplatin resistance.