QTL Analysis for Grain Iron and Zinc Concentrations in Two O. nivara Derived Backcross Populations

Identification of quantitative trait loci （QTLs） for grain mineral elements can assist in faster and more precise development of micronutrient dense rice varieties through marker-assisted breeding. In the present study, QTLs were mapped for Fe and Zn concentrations in two BC2F3 mapping populations derived from the crosses of O. sativa cv Swarna with two different accessions of O. nivara. In all, 10 and 8 QTLs were identified for grain Fe and Zn concentrations in population 1, and 7 and 5 QTLs were identified in population 2, respectively. Eighty percent of the QTLs detected in both populations were derived from O. nivara. Five QTLs for Fe and three QTLs for Zn explained more than 15% phenotypic variance either in interval or composite interval mapping. The locations of O. nivara derived QTLs such as qFe2.1, qFe3.1, qFe8.2 and qZn12.1 were consistently identified in both the populations. Epistatic interaction was observed only between RM106 and RM6 on chromosome 2 and between RM22 and RM7 on chromosome 3 for Fe concentration in population 1. Sixteen candidate genes for metal homeostasis were found to co-locate with 10 QTLs for Fe and Zn concentrations in both the populations. Most of the Fe and Zn QTLs were found to co-locate with QTLs for grain yield and grain quality traits. Some of the major effect QTLs identified can be used to improve rice grain Fe and Zn concentrations.

Effects of insoluble Zn,Cd,and EDTA on the growth,activities of antioxidant enzymes and uptake of Zn and Cd in Vetiveria zizanioides

A root-bag experiment was conducted to study the effects of insoluble Zn, Cd, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid （EDTA） on the plant growth, activities of antioxidant enzymes, proline, glutathione （GSH）, water-soluble proteins and malondialdehyde （MDA） of Vetiveria zizanioides. The V. zizanioides uptake capacity of Zn and Cd also determined. The results showed that plant growth of V. zizanioides was inhibited by Zn and Cd. The shoot dry weight （SDW） and root dry weight （RDW） decrease by 14.2%, 14.1%, 17.0% and 17.3%, 32.5%, 35.7%, respectively, compared to the control without EDTA addition. After adding EDTA, shoot and root dry weight decreased over 10% and 15%, respectively. The toxicity from insoluble Zn and Cd in soil on SDW and RDW of V. zizanioides was in order： Zn＋Cd 〉 Cd 〉 Zn. The activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, peroxidase （POD） and catalase （CAT）, and contents of MDA and proline increased significantly, while the contents of GSH and water-soluble proteins decreased markedly with increasing Zn and Cd toxicity. With EDTA, shoot and root Zn concentrations increased in the Zn treatment by 7.3% and 37.4%, and Cd concentrations in the combined Zn and Cd treatment increased by 18.6% and 391.9% compared to the treatment without EDTA. However, Zn and Cd concentrations in shoot and roots decreased in the Cd treatment compared to the plants grown in absence of EDTA, with exception of root Cd concentration in the presence of EDTA.

Selective depression mechanism of combination of lime and sodium humate on arsenopyrite in flotation separation of Zn-As bulk concentrate

Lime(CaO)and sodium humate(NaHA)were used as the combined depressant for arsenopyrite pre-treated by CuSO_(4) and butyl xanthate.Micro-flotation tests show that the combined depressant CaO and NaHA achieved the selective depression of arsenopyrite.Closed-circuit lab-scale test results indicate that the synergistic effect of CaO+NaHA achieved a satisfactory flotation separation of sphalerite and arsenopyrite,for which the Zn grade and recovery of Zn concentrate were 51.21%and 92.21%,respectively.Contact angle measurements,adsorption amount measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicate that the dissolved calcium species(mainly as Ca(2+))were adsorbed on the mineral surfaces,thereby promoting NaHA adsorption.Moreover,the surface of the arsenopyrite absorbed more amount of calcium species and NaHA than that of the sphalerite,thereby accounting for the strong hydrophilic surface of arsenopyrite.The adsorption of NaHA on arsenopyrite was mainly chemical adsorption through its carboxyl groups and Ca atoms,whereas that on sphalerite surface was relatively weak.

Relative bioavailability of tribasic zinc sulfate for broilers fed a conventional corn-soybean meal diet

An experiment was carried out to investigate the relative bioavailability of tribasic zinc（Zn） sulfate relative to Zn sulfate for broilers fed a conventional corn-soybean meal diet. A total of 504 1-d-old Arbor Acres commercial male chicks were randomly assigned by body weight of birds to one of seven treatments involving a 2×3 factorial arrangement with three levels of added Zn（30, 60, or 90 mg of Zn kg–1） and two Zn sources（tribasic Zn sulfate and Zn sulfate） plus a control with no added Zn for an experimental phase of 14 d. Plasma Zn, tibia ash Zn, pancreas Zn, and pancreas metallothionein（MT） messenger RNA（m RNA） were analyzed at 6 or 14 d of age post-hatching. The results showed that plasma Zn, tibia ash Zn, pancreas Zn, and pancreas MT m RNA increased linearly（P〈0.002） as dietary Zn concentration increased at 6 or 14 d of age. The R2 for a linear model was greater on d 6 than on d 14 for the above 4 responsive criteria, and among these indices, the fitting of the tibia ash Zn concentration was the best（R2=0.99）. Therefore, based on slope ratios from the multiple linear regressions of the above 4 indices of the birds at 6 d of age on daily intake of dietary Zn, the bioavailabilities of tribasic Zn sulfate relative to Zn sulfate（100%） were 95.6%（P=0.18）, 83.5%（P=0.01）, 87.9%（P=0.53）, and 75.9%（P=0.38） for the tibia ash Zn, pancreas Zn, plasma Zn, and pancreas MT m RNA, respectively. The results indicated that generally, Zn from tribasic Zn sulfate was as available as Zn from Zn sulfate for broilers.

Evaluation of Metal Contamination of Mullet （Mullus surmuletus L., 1758） in the Bay of Oran

The present study focused on the evaluation of the contamination by three heavy metals （Cd, Cu and Zn） of a bony fish, Mullus surmuletus L., 1758, caught in the Bay of Oran. This reflects the quality of fish habitat as species common Algerian coastal waters and enjoyed by a large fish-eating population. Monthly sampling was spread over a period of six months （December 2011-May 2012）. Given their physiological importance in the body, muscle, liver and gonads were targeted. Metal concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in flame depends on three parameters （sex, size and month）. It appears from this study that the target organs of rouget （M. surmuletus） accumulate three metal pollutants sought. The highest values are those of zinc, copper and cadmium are at concentrations at least important. The results, statistically treated, showed no significant difference between the concentrations of trace metals both sexes and at all three organs considered. The average dose of heavy metals found in the mullet compared to those provided by the literature relating to DMA （Maximum Allowable Doses）, are not worrisome. Concentration levels of toxic metals reflect a certain metal pollution in the Bay of Oran.