International Journal of Agriculture and Biosciences

Nanobiotechnology is an emerging field that has made its way towards medical imaging, pharmaceuticals, cancer treatment, diagnosis, tissue regeneration and implantation. Quantum dots are widely applicable in the fields of diagnostics, biomedical imaging, sensors and drug delivery. Quantum dots range in the size from 2-10nm. Quantum dots have ability to give specific fluorescence after binding with target. The synthesis of Quantum dots CdS nanoparticles required special inert conditions of high temperature and pressure by using reflux method up to 16 hours. 3.3×10 20 grams Quantum dots CdS nanoparticles per moles were calculated from stoichiometric analysis. The conjugation of cysteine with Quantum dots CdS nanoparticles required sulphur-sulphur bond (-S-S-). The development of maroon-purple color has confirmed this binding via Ninhydrin test. The bioconjugation of IgY with Quantum dots CdS nanoparticles and cysteine has occurred by glutaraldehyde method. This bioconjugation appeared between -NH- groups of the cysteine and IgY. FTIR analysis has confirmed conjugation of Quantum dots CdS nanoparticles to cysteine and further conjugation to IgY through its peaks. A UV-visible spectrum of Quantum dots CdS nanoparticles conjugated with cysteine has shown maximum absorbance of 0.818 at 245nm. UV-visible spectra of Quantum dots CdS nanoparticles with cysteine conjugated to IgY has shown maximum absorbance of 2.119 at 320nm. The absorption peaks of spectra have indicated that the size of nanaoparticles was around 100nm. A yellow color product has confirmed IgY through ELISA and brown coloration has confirmed IgY through immnuo-dot blot. The culture of ORT was obtained from Amber Lab. The binding of ORT with Quantum dots CdS nanoparticles gave green fluorescence under fluorescence microscope by using the scale of 100μm. The binding of QDs CdS conjugated with IgY has helped for the rapid in-vitro identification and diagnosis of ornitobacterium rhinotracheale caused by the infection of ORT. This diagnostic tool has helped poultry industry to save from massive economical losses.

Keywords: Nanobiotechnology, Ornitobacterium Rhinotracheale, Poultry Industry.

Dermanyssus gallinae (Poultry red mite) is known to be the most dangerous ectoparasite of poultry. Specifically, it causes vascular damage, loss of blood, skin rashes in the host, and sometimes leads to death. D. gallinae has animal health and welfare issues but it mainly affects eggs-production industry. Global annual loss due to D. gallinae is 3.92 billion USD. Different chemical compounds and pesticides are used to control poultry red mites in poultry farms. However, the emergence of drug resistance against different chemical compounds and harmful drug residues in meat and eggs limit chemical control. In this scenario, there is a dire need to find alternatives to chemical control. This review mainly highlights the alternates of chemical control i.e. volatile compounds, pheromones, and kairomones. Pheromones and kairomones attract D. gallinae and hamper the parasite growth. While certain volatile compounds and plant extracts exert repellent effects on D. gallinae leading to decreased or no growth. Finally, effective treatments against D. gallinae are required to control infestation in poultry. In the future, different devices that have been tested on species of the Acari genus can be used to control poultry red mites.

Keywords: Pheromones, Kairomones, Plant Extracts, Essential Oils, Poultry Red Mite.

Pakistan is deficient in edible oil production. The sunflower being an important oilseed crop due to better oil composition, short duration as a cheapest source of energy and major component of our daily diet can be used for overcoming the gap. In this experiment combining ability was computed for achene yield and its related trait. 15 Genotypes of sunflower were crossed by using line × tester pattern. Out of 15 genotypes, A6, A7, A10, A11, A12, A17, A19, A20, A21 and A26 were taken as females (lines) and A8, A9, A16, A18 and A22 were taken as male (testers) in this experiment. 50 Crosses were made. The parental and F1 cross seeds was sown in randomized complete block design in 3 replications in next growing season. The data was recorded for number of leaves/plant, leaf area, plant height, head angle, fresh head diameter, dry head diameter, No of achenes/head, average yield/plant, 100 achene weight and harvest index. The recorded data was used to estimate the genetic variation among the genetic material. Line × tester analysis was used for estimating combining ability effects of sunflower genotypes. Analysis of variance, Line × Tester and Crosses vs parents showed highly significant differences among the sunflower accessions. Significant and positive GCA was found among lines A10, A21 for average yield and A17, A26 for 100 achene weight. Among testers significant and positive GCA values were found in A9 for average yield, A18 for 100 achene weight. Dominance variance represented that the ratio of GCA: SCA variance for all of the investigated traits is more than unity. All the lines had highest contribution to the total variance which indicated the presence of maternal effects. The findings suggest that crosses can produce heterotic effects which can be utilized for developing sunflower hybrids with high yield potential.

Keywords: GCA, SCA, Dominance Variance, Maternal Effects.

The architecture of the canopy tends to affect how light is reflected and distributed within it. Rational modelling and trimming can improve crop architecture, maximize the use of space, light, and resources such as land, and lay the groundwork for initial maturing, and maximum yield. Determining the interception of light inside the canopy is critical aimed at increasing the population’s photosynthetic production. By implementing cultural practices that produce optimal plant populations and alter the plant canopy components, it is possible to maximize light utilization in the production of cotton. In order to forecast the expected yield for uses like crop management and agronomic decision-making, as well as to investigate potential impacts of environmental alteration on food security, crop growth models are used to estimate the correlation between plants and the environment. In this study, we highlight the light interception, canopy architecture and their use in crop growth models to improve crop productivity. Constructing a strong technological system capable of phenotyping crops in a high-throughput, multidimensional, large-data, efficient, and mechanically determining manner is the ultimate objective.

Keywords: Cotton, photosynthesis, light-energy.

Plants possess two immunity systems, such as PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI). PTI is the basic defense possessed by plants that is evaded by pathogens because of specific effectors which are not recognized by plants’ basal defense system. However, plants have nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat proteins (NLR) in their genome that recognize the evaded pathogenic attack, which in turn activates the NLR proteins, and the hypersensitive response (HR) is activated to ingress the pathogenicity. Based on a similar mechanism, lesion mimic mutants (LMMs) have been identified and intentionally developed to induce HR in the absence of pathogens. These LMMs are not only present in a single crop but are present throughout the kingdom planate. Researchers have produced many LMMs in plants by treating the germplasm with EMS or other sources such as genome editing tools, gamma rays, and X-rays. Owing to the simple Mendelian inheritance of these LMMs, conventional and novel plant breeding techniques can be exploited to introduce the causative genes in plants to keep them safe against biotic and abiotic stresses.

Keywords: Autoimmunity in Plants, Disease lesion mimic mutants, NLR proteins, Biotic and Abiotic stresses.

Nanotechnology plays an important role in every field of science. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) show the best antibacterial activity when utilized in the active packaging of food. In this study silver nanoparticles were synthesized using the green synthesis method. Characterization of the synthesized silver nanoparticles was conducted through Ultra Violet (UV) visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The solvent evaporation method was employed to successfully prepare a low-density polyethylene-based film containing silver nanoparticles (LDPE/Ag nanocomposite). To evaluate the antibacterial activity of the synthesized silver nanoparticles and LDPE/Ag nanocomposite, the disc diffusion method was employed against food-borne pathogenic bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The LDPE/Ag nanocomposite demonstrated effective performance as an active packaging material, thereby enhancing the shelf life of bread, chicken, and cheese, as assessed in the challenge study.

Keywords: Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), Silver nanocomposite, Low density poly ethylene (LDPE), Active packaging of packaging.

Poultry farming is facing complicated diseases including salmonellosis throughout the world. Avian salmonellosis renders heavy economic losses not only by causing high mortality (maybe up to 80%) but also by a reduction in meat and egg production. Salmonella has zoonotic importance. There are more than 2500 species of Salmonella, among these species important for poultry are Salmonella Gallinarum, S. pullorum, S. Typhimurium, S. enteritidis, etc. Among these Salmonella Gallinarum causes fowl typhoid (FT). FT affects mostly adult chickens resulting in greenish diarrhea and enteritis and high mortality. In the past, only antimicrobial drugs were used to control Salmonella in poultry which was causing also a threat to human beings as residues of the drugs were coming in meat and eggs. Day by day, antimicrobial resistance is developing against Salmonella in poultry, thus new ways and means are being searched for its control. Both live and inactivated vaccines have been in application against S. Gallinarum. Previously, Salmonella species were diagnosed by traditional ways of isolation, biochemical reactions, and microscopy. With the passage of time, there are new advancements in its diagnosis. Many techniques have been adopted for the detection of the causative agent. The PCR is useful for the rapid and correct diagnosis of Salmonella serotypes in poultry. Multiplex-PCR, Real-time PCR, PCR-RFLP assay, capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE), PFGE, indirect ELISA, and RAPD DNA are being used for diagnosis. Various strategies have been applied to curtail or control Salmonella infection in poultry. As Salmonella antibiotic resistance is developing, alternative treatment/prevention strategies are being opted for. Organic compounds such as prebiotics, probiotics, and phytobiotics are in use to limit salmonella growth. Organic compounds have several benefits to the chicken, and eggs and meats are free from residues and have public health safety. Omic technologies and bacteriophages as an alternative solution to control Salmonellosis have also been suggested.

Keywords: Fowl Typhoid, Etiology, Present Scenario, Diagnosis, Prevention, Control Measures.

Cotton fibers, derived from the outer layer of seeds, are widely used in the textile industry for fabric production worldwide. Expression profiling techniques are valuable for identifying tissue (stem and roots) and stage-specific gene expression in cotton fibers. Expression analysis is a popular and successful technique for studying gene expression levels during tissue and stage-specific fiber development. In this study, expression profiling was conducted using real-time PCR on three different staple length genotypes of cotton (G. hirsutum L.): long, medium, and short staple length. The analysis was performed at five different stages of fiber elongation (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 DPA). Three fiber development genes (PEPc, XTH and GA-20 Oxidase) were examined from the initiation phase (5 DPA) to the termination phase (20 DPA) of cotton fibers. Two internal control genes (ubiquitin and 18sr RNA) were used for data normalization. The primary focus of the study was to investigate the transcript levels of genes related to long staple length at different stages of cotton fiber development. All three genes showed similar expression levels during the elongation phase (15 DPA) of fiber development, but PEPc exhibited higher expression at 15 DPA in all three lines. The main objective of this expression profiling study was to identify and select genes associated with long staple length in cotton genotypes. The selected novel genes with high transcript levels could extend the elongation phase of cotton fiber morphogenesis, leading to improved long fiber characteristics. As a result of expression analysis studies using RT-PCR, cotton with high staple length genotypes has been commercially cultivated and utilized in the textile industry, reducing the need for imported long staple length cotton in local textile production.

Keywords: Fiber elongation phase, RT- PCR, DPA, GA-20 Oxidase, PEPc, Long staple length.

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of the application of the probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. Boulardii -RC009 to different times on productive parameters of calves in the feedlot in the rearing stage. The concentration of S. boulardii RC-009 in the probiotic additive was 1×1010 CFU/g, mixed with the diet to obtain a dose of 1 g/animal/day. Treatments: T1- control (TMR without probiotic additive); T2- Probiotic (TMR with 5×1011 CFU/t S. boulardii -RC009). Experiment 1: 82 weaned calves (Aberdeen Angus) of 9-10 months old (males and females) with an initial weight of 175 and 183.5kg were used. The animals were weighed and separated into two groups of 41 animals each. The animals were weighed on days 1, 34, and 53 days of the experiment. Experiment 2: 140 Aberdeen Angus calves 12 months old (males and females) with an initial weight of 260-291kg were used. The animals were weighed and separated into 2 groups of 70 animals each. The animals were weighed on days 1, 18, and 35 days of the experiment. Calves from experiment 1, showed a conversion efficiency of 4% compared to the control animals (7.1-7.4: 1, respectively). Calves from experiment 2, showed a conversion efficiency of 3.77% compared to control animals (5.1-5.3:1, respectively). In conclusion, this is the first time that a product based on S. boulardii -RC009 demonstrates a better conversion efficiency in crossbred feed-lot calves in the rearing stage with an administration period of 35 days, positively impacting production costs.

Keywords: Probiotic, S. Boulardii -RC009, Weaned Calves, Productive Performance.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) has long been used in cosmetics and paints without knowing its possible side effects in human beings. This study was conducted to find whether ZnO-NPs toxicity can be reversed by the administration of ascorbic acid in mouse. Swiss albino mice were divided into 4 groups; control group, ascorbic acid (100mg/kg), ZnO-NPs (30mg/kg) and ascorbic acid + ZnO-NPs for 21 alternate days. After that mice were decapitated and liver was preserved for histopathological analysis. Ascorbic acid groups showed the normal liver structure while ZnO-NPs group exhibited inflammation and necrosis of hepatocytes. The combination of ascorbic acid+ZnO-NPs showed reduced inflammation and necrosis after 28 days of treatment. Ascorbic acid showed hepatoprotective effect against liver fibrosis by increasing the activity of anti-oxidant enzyme and lowering of pro-oxidant effects in mice. This study concluded hepatoprotective effect of ascorbic acid against ZnO-NPs induced liver damage in mice.

Keywords: Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles, Ascorbic Acid, Liver, Mouse Model.