Effect of dioscorea opposite waste on growth performance, blood parameters, rumen fermentation and rumen bacterial community in weaned lambs

This study investigated the effects of dioscorea opposite waste(DOW) on the growth performance, blood parameters, rumen fermentation and rumen microbiota of weaned lambs. Sixty healthy weaned Small-Tailed Han lambs(male,(22.68±2.56) kg initially) were used as the experimental animals. Four levels of concentrate: 0(control, CON), 10%(DOW1), 15%(DOW2) and 20%(DOW3), were replaced with DOW in the basal diet as experimental treatments. The results showed that lambs fed the DOW2 diet had a higher(P<0.05) dry matter intake(DMI) than the other groups. There was no significant difference(P>0.05) among DOW groups in average daily weight gain(ADG), and replacing concentrate with DOW linearly or quadratically increased(P<0.05) the ADG, while lambs fed the DOW2 diet showed greater(P<0.05) ADG than the CON group. The relative plasma concentration of growth hormone(GH), insulin like growth factor-1(IGF-1) and insulin were affected by DOW, replacing concentrate with DOW linearly or quadratically(P<0.05) enhanced the plasma concentration of GH, IGF-1 and insulin, which was significantly higher(P<0.05) in the DOW2 group than in the CON, DOW1 and DOW3 groups. In addition, the DOW treatment showed a lower(P<0.05) concentration of blood urea nitrogen(BUN) than the CON group. Replacing concentrate with DOW quadratically decreased(P<0.05) the ruminal ammonia nitrogen(NH3-N) and increased(P<0.05) the total of volatile fatty acids(TVFAs) at 0 and 4 h after feeding as well as linearly decreased(P<0.05) the NH3-N at 8 h after feeding. Replacing concentrate with DOW linearly decreased(P<0.05) the propionate and increased the aceate before feeding, and linearly decreased(P<0.05) propionate and quadratically increased(P<0.05) the aceate at 4 and 8 h after feeding. Lambs fed the DOW2 diet increased the phylum Firmicutes and genera Succiniclasticum and Ruminococcus_1 groups, whereas decreased(P<0.05) the relative abundance of phylum Deferribacteres and genera intestinimonas and Ruminiclostridium. In summary, replacing the concentrate with 15% DOW was beneficial for improving the rumen fermentation and ADG by increasing the DMI and modulating the rumen microbial community.

Identification of Polysaccharides from Chinese Yam(Dioscoreae opposite “Qi”) by Infrared Spectroscopy

In this study, the structure of polysaccharides from Chinese yam （Dioscoreae opposite ＂Qi＂） was analyzed and identified by infrared spectroscopy within an infrared spectral range of 400-4 000 cm^-1, Characteristic absorption peaks were observed at 840 cm^-1 （α-glucosidic bond）, 759.21 cm^-1 （xylose）, 830.87 cm^-1 （rhamnose）, 812.81 cm^-1, 876.60 cm^-1 （mannose） and 842.64 cm^-1 （arabinose） in infrared spectra of polysaccharides from D. opposite ＂Qi＂, indicating that D. opposite ＂Qi＂ polysaccharides exist mainly in the form of α-glucosidic bonds, including xylose, rhamnose, mannose and arabinose. The experimental results could provide the basis for quantitative analysis, development and application of polysaccharides from D. opposite ＂Qi＂.

Effect of Purple Yam(Dioscorea alata L.) on Nutritional and Physiological Functions of Growing Rats

[Objective] This study was to explore the effect of purple yam on the nutritional and physiological functions of rats.[Method] Forty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups with ten rats in each group which were reared with artificial semisynthetic feed added with 10% steamed yam powder.The four groups,the casein（CK） group which was used as the control,the purple yam（PY） group,the Tiegun yam（TY） group and common Huai yam（HY） group,were supplied with feed of equal content of energy,protein and fat.The rats were pair-fed for 56 days to observe changes of relevant nutritional and physiological indices.[Result] There were no significant differences of body weight,food conversion rate and organ indices between rats in PY group and CK group.Mean corpuscular hemoglobin in PY group was significantly lower than that in CK group;hemoglobin showed no significant difference with that in CK group;eosnophils was lower than that in CK group.Low density lipoprotein-cholesterol,total cholesterol and atherogenic index in PY group were lower than that in the other three groups;anti-atherogenic index was the highest among the four groups,while showing no significant difference;triglyceride content was lower than that in CK group.Among the antioxidant indices,the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase were higher than that in CK group,while malondialdehyde content was lower than that in CK group.[Conclusion] Purple yam showed the trend of reducing the content of blood glucose,total cholesterol,low density lipoprotein-cholesterol,triglyceride,malondialdehyde,and raising the activity of glutathione peroxidase,superoxide dismutase and catalase,thus having certain antioxidative function.

Isolation of an Actinomycete Strain from Medicinal Plant Rhizosphere Soils with Inhibitory Activity against Yam Anthracnose(Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) and Its Preliminary Identification

[ Objective ] The paper was to isolate actinomycete strains with antagonistic activity against yam anthracnose from the rhizosphere soil of medicinal plants in Hainan Province, and identify its taxonomic status. [ Method ] Using HV medium, actinomycete strains were isolated from the rhizesphere soil of frangipani （Plumeria rubra L. ）. The active antagonistic actinomycetes were selected by using confrontation culture method and antifimgal test of fermentation products. Ac- cording to morphology, combined with 16S rRNA gene analysis, the taxonomic status of active actinomycetes was identified. [ Result] Twelve strains of actinomyce- tes were isolated from the rhizosphere soil of medicinal plant frangipani. Strain 51173 showed significant antifungal activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, which was identified to be a member of Streptomyces violaceusniger 16S rRNA gene clade. [ Conclusion] Strain 51173 showed a good application potential for bio- logical control against yam anthracnose.

山药DoSCF108基因的克隆及表达分析

为研究F-box蛋白GID2在DELLA蛋白介导赤霉素调节山药块茎膨大发育的分子机理,本研究根据转录组序列,设计特异引物,利用RT-PCR技术克隆到一个山药F-box蛋白GID2基因,在利用生物信息学软件对其序列进行分析的同时通过RT-qPCR技术分析了赤霉素及其抑制剂多效唑(PP333)诱导下该基因在山药块茎膨大初期的表达动态。结果显示,从GH16山药块茎cDNA中克隆到一个长604 bp片段。该片段具有长522 bp的完整开放阅读框(ORF),编码173个氨基酸。预测其分子量为19.02 kD,等电点为9.23,属不稳定亲水蛋白,亚细胞定位在细胞核上,与DELLA蛋白互作系数最大。与已报道的48个物种F-box蛋白GID2氨基酸序列同源性在45.83%~93.64%之间,其中与薯蓣(XM_039286227)同源性最高,达93.64%。推测该基因属于F-box蛋白GID2家族,命名为DoSCF108(GenBank No.MW239683)。RT-qPCR结果表明,在山药块茎膨大初期,DoSCF108基因受外源GA3诱导,相对表达量显著提高,抑制剂PP333处理则相反,不同品种之间存在较大差异。综上所述,山药DoSCF108为F-box蛋白GID2基因,可能参与DELLA介导赤霉素调控山药块茎生长和发育。

Chinese yam yield is affected by soil nutrient levels and interactions among N, P, and K fertilizers

Objective: The current fertilization methods for Chinese yam are uneconomic and unfriend to environment. A rational one is very important to achieve desired balance of high yield of Chinese yam, economic and friend to environment. Here, we studied the effects of nitrogen(N), phosphorus(P), and potassium(K) fertilizers on the yield of ’Qinfeng’ Chinese yam in shallow-groove directional cultivation.Methods: The experiments were conducted in Dehua County, Fujian Province, China using a "3414" optimal design. Overall, three fertilizer factors(N, P, and K) were evaluated at the following four levels: 0, no fertilizer;1, 0.5-fold the typical rate;2, typical fertilization rate;and 3, 1.5-fold the typical rate. There were 14 different fertilization treatments.Results: Treatment 6(N2P2K2) produced the longest(75.6 cm) and thickest tubers(4.9 cm) with the highest tuber fresh weight(1311.9 g) and yield(41 015.9 kg/hm2), whereas, treatment 1 produced the shortest(65.6 cm) and thinnest tubers(3.9 cm) with the lowest fresh weight(953.4 g) and yield(28 532.8 kg/hm2) among the 14 fertilizer combinations. The experimental data could be fitted to single-variable quadratic and binary quadratic models but not to a ternary quadratic polynomial model. Appropriate N, P, and K fertilizer application rates increased Chinese yam yield. However, excessive fertilization lowered the yield. Chinese yam yield was significantly and strongly correlated with the amounts of N, P, and K fertilizer applied.Conclusion: Based on the single variable quadratic and binary quadratic models, we propose that the quantities of N, P, and K fertilizer used to grow 1 hm^(2)’Qinfeng’ Chinese yam should be 360–388.3,90–100.95, and 416.3–675 kg, respectively.