Effects Of Chilling On Tomato Fruit Ripening

The alteration of fruit ripening is a common chilling injury (CI) symptom in tomato. To evaluate whether tomato can be used as a model study for an altered fruit ripening associated with CI, the effect of chilling on fruit ripening have been investigated in tomato fruit cv. Trust (Solanum lycopersicum L.cv Trust) and tomato introgression line 11-2 (IL 11-2). Tomato fruit were harvested at breaker stage of maturity and ripened at 20 oC for up to 14 d, or stored at 3 oC for up to 4 weeks, and then ripened at 20 degrees C. In Trust tomato, the effects of chilling on fruit ripening were small, and the mealiness disorder was not detected. Chilling had a marked effect on gene expression, total activity, and protein accumulation of PG. However, pectin solubilization and depolymerization did not seem to be affected much by chilling. The expression of LeEXP1 was reduced by chilling, but LeEXP1 protein accumulation level was not affected. Post-transcriptional regulation of PG and LeEXP1 affected by chilling was observed. In IL 11-2 tomato, the effects of chilling on fruit ripening and the expression of ripening-related genes were investigated. Genes involved in color development: PSY1, CRTISO, GGPPS2, and DXS; cell-wall modification: PG, PE1, TBG4, LeEXP1, and XTH5; and volatile biosynthesis: TomloxC, ADH2, and ATT, were down-regulated by chilling. The alteration of ethylene production correlated with the altered ACS2, ACS4, and ACO1 expression. The expression of genes involved in ethylene signal transduction pathway such as LeETR1, NR, LeETR4, LeCTR1, LeEIL3, LeEIL4, and LeERF3 was altered by chilling. The gene expression of LeMADS-RIN, a ripening-regulated transcription factor, was down-regulated by chilling. The microarray analysis suggested other transcription factors may be involved in altered fruit ripening associated with CI. In conclusion, IL 11-2 tomato had the potential of being used as a model to study of the effects of chilling in fruit ripening. How chilling affects fruit ripening at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels should be studied in this tomato

Effect of Feed Supplement Containing Dried Kratom Leaves on Apparent Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation, Serum Antioxidants, Hematology, and Nitrogen Balance in Goats

The objectives of the present study were to examine the influence of supplementation with dried kratom leaf (DKTL) on the performance, hematology, and nitrogen balance in goats. Four 12-month-old male crossbred (Thai Native x Anglo Nubian) goats with an initial body weight (BW) of 24.63 ± 0.95 kg were allocated randomly to receive four different levels of DKTL using a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The DKTL was added to a total mixed ration (TMR) diet with doses of 0, 2.22, 4.44, and 6.66 g/day to investigate the treatment’s efficacy. The DKTL was high in secondary metabolites, including mitragynine, total phenolics, total tannins, flavonoids, and saponins. There were quadratic effects on total DMI in terms of kg/day (p = 0.04), %BW (p = 0.05), and g/kg BW.75 (p = 0.02). DKTL increased apparent digestibility with quadratic effects (DM; p = 0.01, OM; p = 0.01, CP; p = 0.04, NDF; p = 0.01, and ADF; p = 0.01). The pH value was within the rumen’s normal pH range, whereas NH3-N and BUN concentrations were lower with DKTL supplementation, and also reduced cholesterol (CHOL, p = 0.05) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, p = 0.01). The protozoa population decreased linearly as DKTL levels increased (p < 0.01), whereas Fibrobacter succinogenes increased quadratically at 0 h (p = 0.02), and mean values increased linearly (p < 0.01). The average value of acetic acid (C2) and methane production (CH4) decreased linearly (p < 0.05) when DKLT was added to the diet, whereas the quantity of propionic acid (C3) increased linearly (p = 0.01). Our results indicate that DKTL could be a great alternative supplement for goat feed. We believe that DKTL could provide opportunities to assist the goat meat industry in fulfilling the demands of health-conscious consumers