Effects of organic fertilisers and compost extracts on organic tomato production

The effects of various fertilizers and different compost extracts on crop health and tomato yield were studied in the field in 2004–2005 in two locations in Iran. Treatments included different fertilizers (cattle, sheep and chicken manures, green waste and household composts and chemical fertilizers) and five aqueous extracts (from cattle manure, chicken manure, green-waste and house-hold composts and water as control). The effect of fertilizer type on tomato yield was significant in both locations (P < 0.05). Organic fertilizer use did not obtain higher yields compared to using chemical fertiliser. Generally, chicken manure and green-waste compost led to the highest and lowest tomato yield among different organic fertilizers, respectively. The effect of aqueous extracts was not significant on either crop health or tomato yield with these results were being very limited and inconsistent. Improved efficacy of acceptable alternatives to agrochemicals, especially in organic farming, is required

Effect of different dietary levels of plant protein on growth indexes of white Leg shrimp

The influence of different dietary levels of plant protein (30, 50 and 70%) on growth indices of White Leg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) fed with an original 38 percent protein was assessed and compared with that of the commercial shrimp diet. The average weight gain at the end of the culture period in treatment 1 (30% plant protein and 70% animal protein), was 5.89 plus or minus 0.06 grams, for treatment 2 (50% plant protein and 50% animal protein), was 6.22 plus or minus 0.25 grams, for treatment 3 (70% plant protein and 30% animal protein), was 6.19 plus or minus 0.24 grams and for the control treatment (20% plant protein and 80% animal protein), was 6.42 plus or minus 0.40 grams. Our study of the influence of experimental and control diets on growth indices including growth rate (GR), food conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), specific growth rate (SGR), and average daily gain (ADG), demonstrated that the indices were better in the control compared to the treatments. No significant difference was found among the treatments and between the treatments and the control for the indices (P>0.05). The percent of net protein utilization (NPU) in treatment 1 was significantly more than other treatments (P<0.05). We also found that the application of diets containing 50% plant protein (with 20% soybean meal) and 70% plant protein (with 41.72% soybean meal) can decrease diet costs. Cost of one kilogram of pellet in treatments 1, 2, 3 were 83.3%, 68.3% and 53.3% lower than the control diet respectively. Decrease of cost in treatment 2 and 3, in comparison to control in terms of lowering shrimp production cost is very important

Catecholamines are active plant-based drug compounds in Pisum sativum, Phaseolus vulgaris and Vicia faba Species

Introduction: Catecholamines (L-DOPA and dopamine) are the key metabolites found in nervous system and their endogenous deficiency is associated with different patho-physiological disorders. Therefore, it is important to screen the new herbal sources of catecholamines for drug preparation. In this study, the amount of L-DOPA and dopamine were investigated in the leaves and roots of three species from legume family such as Pisum sativum (garden pea), Phaseolus vulgaris (haricot bean) and Vicia faba (broad bean); using TLC and HPLC. Methods: The seeds of P. sativum, P. Vulgaris and V. faba were treated and cultured under the glasshouse conditions. The extraction from 1 gram of each plant sample was obtained and assayed for L-DOPA and dopamine using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and reversed-phase HPLC. Results: The results indicated that all cultivars accumulated different levels of L-DOPA and dopamine in leaves and roots. The quantitative results showed that the metabolites concentrations were high in the leaves of P. Sativum and V. faba compared to that in roots. Conclusion: The present study may provide a new avenue for preparation and estimation of L-DOPA and dopamine from plant sources and may be used for further analysis and therapeutic studies.</p

Excellent Teachers’ Thinking Model : Implications For Effective Teaching

This study aimed to suggest an Excellent Teacher Thinking Model that has the potential to be utilized in the development of excellent teachers. Interaction survey method using survey questions, observation, document review and interview was conducted in this study. One hundred and five excellent teachers were selected randomly as research respondents. Two sets of instrument constructed and used in this study were Teachers’ Thinking questionnaire and Teachers’ Teaching Performance observation form. Cronbach Alpha reliability value was between 0.73-0.92 for every component in each division. Multiple regression analysis (stepwise) was used to answer the research questions. R square value (R2 = 0.31) showed that the overall contribution of the two significant variables (expectations and subject expertise) to teaching performance was 31.10 percent. The linear regression equation was Y = 40.30 + 13.39 (Expectations) - 1.37 (Subject Expertise). Excellent Teacher Thinking Model generated from this study showed that all five components of thinking domain contributed significantly to excellent teachers’ teaching performance. Among the five thinking components, teacher expectation showed the highest contribution to excellent teacher teaching performance. This study showed that teacher expectations play a vital role in shaping the objectives, goals, curriculum, and instructional methods of schools. Hence, excellent teachers’ professional development programs will help school teachers improve the profession

A Process Mineralogy Approach to Gravity Concentration of Tantalum Bearing Minerals

This is the final version of the article. Available from MDPI via the DOI in this record.The historic Penouta mine in northwest Spain is the focus of efforts to extract tantalum from tin mining waste. This paper describes the characterisation of the tantalum mineralogy of waste material from the deposit. Characterisation was realised using quantitative mineralogy and geochemistry. This paper further identifies other phases of interest and investigates the potential for extraction using gravity separation techniques. The gravity concentrate obtained through these tests was analysed using quantitative mineralogy and electron probe microanalysis. Following characterisation of the sample material to identify the key Ta-bearing mineral phases and assess liberation, a series of gravity separation trials were conducted using Heavy Liquid Separation (HLS), Mozley table, Knelson concentrator separation and shaking table. The laboratory shaking table used to conduct a rougher test and a rougher/cleaner test to simulate a spiral-table circuit using the Penouta material. Mass balance calculations were carried out to calculate the contained metal content of the feed material and concentrate products in order to assess recovery rates for Ta, Sn and Nb across a range of grains sizes. Ta was found to be present predominantly in the solid-solution columbite-group mineral, along with minor Ta present as microlite and as impurities within cassiterite. It was found that over 70% of the Ta is contained within the −125 μm fraction, with the Ta-bearing minerals tantalite and microlite being closely associated with quartz. Mozley table separation resulted in recoveries of 89% Ta and 85% Nb for the −125 μm fraction. The Knelson Concentrator trial was carried out on the −625 μm size fraction, thereby eliminating low grade material found in the coarsest fractions. Size analysis of the recovery rate for each product, shows that the Knelson concentrator is most efficient for recovery of −125 μm particles.This work is part of the OptimOre project. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 642201. Authors are thankful from the Strategic Minerals enterprise for their help in sampling, visit and information provided

Chewing activity, metabolic profile and performance of high- producing dairy cows fed conventional forages, wheat straw or rice straw

In this study, production and physiological responses of high-producing dairy cows fed wheat (WS) or rice (RS) straw, as a partial forage replacement for the conventional forages lucerne hay (LH) and maize silage (MS ), were investigated. The straws were treated under dry alkaline conditions, adjusted pH (pH ~12), and then ensiled. Twelve lactating Holstein cows were used in a replicated (n = 4) 3 × 3 Latin square design experiment with three periods of 21 days. Cows were offered one of three diets that differed in their forage sources: 1) 20% LH and 20% MS (control); 2) 12.8% LH, 12.8% MS; and 12.8% WS; and 3) 12.8% LH, 12.8% MS and 12.8% RS. Diet 1 had 60% concentrate, and diets 2 and 3 had 61.6% concentrate. Diets were iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic. Supplemental buffer (NaHCO3) was omitted from the straw diets. However, straw diets contained greater sodium and dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) compared with the control diet. Cows fed the WS had significantly greater apparent dry matter (DM) (69.7 versus 63.9%) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (55.4 versus 42.4%) digestibility than cows fed the control. Additionally, feeding either WS or RS significantly increased dry matter intake (DMI) (27.5 versus 25.6 kg/d ) and milk production (48.4 versus 45.6 kg/d) compared with control, but milk components were unaffected by treatments. Plasma minerals and metabolites concentrations and ruminal, urinary and faecal pH were similar across treatments. Feeding WS and RS resulted in lower time spent chewing per kg DMI compared with the control ( P = 0.01 ). Although there were no significant differences in performance between WS and RS, nutrient digestibility (DM, OM, and CP) was significantly higher while total chewing was lower for the WS diet than the RS diet. Partial inclusion of dry treated straw in lactating diets (12.8% DM basis) led to increases in sodium and DCAD levels and improved digestibility, DMI and milk yield without negative effects. Keywords: Cation and anion difference, cereal straw dietary sodium, lactating [email protected]

Measurement of immunoreactive Interleukin-1 beta from human mononuclear cells : optimization of recovery, Intrasubject consistency, and comparison with interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor

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Density and dry weight of pigweed by various weed control methods and various resources of nitrogen fertilizer in corn forage farm

This study evaluates effects of various weeds control methods and nitrogen fertilizer resources on density and dry weight of pigweed and the performance of corn forage as factorial in full random block design with 3 repetitions in research farm of Ferdowsi Mashhad University in 2014. The test treatments include weed control methods such as chemical control, compound (mechanical+ chemical) control, and no control and types of nitrogen fertilizer including (urea, sulfate ammonium, nitrate calcium, nitrate ammonium, and nonusing fertilizer). Density and dry weight of pigweed was measured four times in growing season to determine changes procedure. In the Corn primary stage, the performance of wet forage was also measured. The obtained results from test showed that forage performance at the end of growing season, and density and dry weight of pigweed after 60 days of planting were significantly influenced by control methods, type of nitrogen fertilizer, and interaction of control methods and type of nitrogen fertilizer. (P&gt;0.01) the highest forage performance was obtained in compound control method and nitrate calcium fertilizer treatment with approximate weight of 12072kg/hec.In no control and studied fertilizers treatment in test, the pigweed density has stayed constant with soft descending slope 20 days after planting so on, and its weight increased until 60 days of planting and then decreased until the growing season.Keywords: Compound Control, Nitrogen Fertilizer Resource, Pigweed, Corn Forag