Improved innate immunity in juvenile vimba bream (Vimba vimba) fed a dry diet with an additive of hydrochloric acid (HCl)

A few reports indicate the beneficial effects of organic acids and their salts on anti-infective immunity in fish species. In the role of immunostimulants, inorganic acids may prove to be a much cheaper alternative to their organic equivalents. However, no report has described the effect of using inorganic acid as a feed additive on fish immunity. This study is the first attempt to evaluate the effect of hydrochloric acid (HCl) as a fish feed supplement on cellular immunity in the stomachless fish, cypriniform vimba bream, Vimba vimba (L.). Two groups, three replicates each, of juvenile vimba were fed a commercial dry fish diet or its variant containing a 1.5% additive of HCl for 55 days. The experiment was conducted in a recirculating aquaculture system at 25°C. Mortality, growth, condition factor, feed conversion ratio, respiratory burst activity (RBA), potential killing activity (PKA), and the proliferative response of head kidney lymphocytes were determined for both groups at the end of the experiment and compared. The PKA was higher in the group fed the diet with HCl. For all other parameters studied, there were no significant differences between the experimental groups. The results of the current study prove that the dietary additive of inorganic hydrochloric acid can substantially improve immune response to bacterial infections in juvenile vimba bream

Effects of Soil Application of Chitosan and Foliar Melatonin on Growth, Photosynthesis, and Heavy Metals Accumulation in Wheat Growing on Wastewater Polluted Soil

Due to freshwater scarcity in developing countries, irrigating the arable land with wastewater poses potential ecological risks to the environment and food quality. Using cheap soil amendments and foliar application of a newly discovered molecule “melatonin” (ML) can alleviate these effects. The objectives of this pot study were to evaluate the effectiveness of the sole addition of chitosan (CH) and sugar beet factory lime (SBL) in wastewater impacted soil, foliar application of ML, and combining each soil amendment with ML on the heavy metals (HMs) accumulation, growth, nutritional quality and photosynthesis in wheat. Results showed that CH was more effective than SBL for reducing HMs bioavailability in soil, HMs distribution in plants, improving photosynthesis, nutritional quality, and growth. ML application also influenced plant parameters but less than CH and SBL. The CH+ML treatment was the most effective for influencing plant parameters and reducing HMs bioavailability in the soil. Compared to control, CH+ML significantly reduced the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Co in roots, shoots, and grain up to 89%. We conclude that adding CH+ML in wastewater impacted soils can remediate the soil; reduce HMs concentrations in plants; and improve their photosynthesis, plant growth, grain yield, and nutrition

Effects of Soil Application of Chitosan and Foliar Melatonin on Growth, Photosynthesis, and Heavy Metals Accumulation in Wheat Growing on Wastewater Polluted Soil

Due to freshwater scarcity in developing countries, irrigating the arable land with wastewater poses potential ecological risks to the environment and food quality. Using cheap soil amendments and foliar application of a newly discovered molecule “melatonin” (ML) can alleviate these effects. The objectives of this pot study were to evaluate the effectiveness of the sole addition of chitosan (CH) and sugar beet factory lime (SBL) in wastewater impacted soil, foliar application of ML, and combining each soil amendment with ML on the heavy metals (HMs) accumulation, growth, nutritional quality and photosynthesis in wheat. Results showed that CH was more effective than SBL for reducing HMs bioavailability in soil, HMs distribution in plants, improving photosynthesis, nutritional quality, and growth. ML application also influenced plant parameters but less than CH and SBL. The CH+ML treatment was the most effective for influencing plant parameters and reducing HMs bioavailability in the soil. Compared to control, CH+ML significantly reduced the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Co in roots, shoots, and grain up to 89%. We conclude that adding CH+ML in wastewater impacted soils can remediate the soil; reduce HMs concentrations in plants; and improve their photosynthesis, plant growth, grain yield, and nutrition