Aluminosilicate in Chicken Nutrition: Biochemical Parameters and Antitoxic Effects

U ovom radu je ispitivan uticaj Antitoksičnognutritiva(ATN), preparata na bazi prirodnih aluminosilikata,na biohemijske, fiziološke, tehnološke i proizvodne parametre uzgoja pilića. ATN je smeša zeolita klinoptilolita, gline monmorilonita i male količine aktivnog uglja. Dodatak ovog preparata u hranivo za piliće u količini od 5 g/kg nije izazvao promene u normalnoj biohemijskoj i fiziološkoj homeostazi životinja. Hematološki parametri, koncentracija metabolita, elektrolita i aktivnost enzima seruma i jetre je bila u granicama referentnih vrednosti. ATN ne utiče na prirast životinja, ni na konverziju hrane, ali dovodi do povećanja relativnih masa pojedinih organa digestivnog trakta. Uočava se da dodatkom ATN-a u hranivo dolazi do smanjenja količine masti a povećanja količine proteina u belom mesu. ATN takođe povećava i sadržaj pepela u belom i crvenom mesu. Akutni ili hronični tronedeljni oralni unos pojedinih toksikanata (mikotoksina aflatoksina B1i ohratoksina A, herbicida parakvata, jona olova ili toksina cijanobakterija-mikrocistisa) dovodi do poremećaja normalne biohemijske i fiziološke homeostaze pojedinih organa i tkiva pilića, što je utvrđeno na osnovu rezultata hematoloških i biohemijskih analiza, određivanja enzima antioksidativne zaštite i lipidne  peroksidacije, kao i odredjivanja parametara uzgoja i težine organa. ATN, dodat u hranu u količini od 5 g/kg, mogao da bude dobar protektivni agens za delovanje aflatoksina, parakvata, jona teških metala i mikrocistisa, ali ne i ohratoksina.This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with hydrated aluminosilicate (Antitoxic Nutrient-ATN), based on zeolitic ore (clinoptilolite), clay bentonite (montmorillonite),and small amounts of activated charcoal, on  performance, hematological, serum, and liver biochemical parameters, as well as organ weights and meat quality in broiler chickens. The dietary addition of ATN has  no adverse effects on serum and liver biochemical parameters and does not affect the normal physiological homeostasis of animals. However, the results of this study demonstrate that supplementation with 5 g/kg of ATN influenced organ weights, and chemical composition of broiler chicken meat. This study also evaluated the effectiveness of ATN to protect broilers from adverse effects of five different toxic substances (mycotoxins aflatoxin B1, and ochratoxin A, herbicide paraquat, heavy metal ions supplied as lead-acetate, and microcystis, toxin of cyanobacteria). Toxic substances induced oxidative stress and disturb normal biochemical and physiological homeostasis of different tissues and organs in poultry. The results from this study demonstrate that the biochemical variables of serum, liver, kidney, lung and other organs were negatively affected by all five toxic substances. The additionof 5 g/kg of ATN was protective against aflatoxin B1, lead-acetate, paraquat and microcystis, but not against ochratoxin A

Antioxidant capacity of wild-growing orange mullein (Verbascum phlomoides L.)

Orange mullein is a biennial plant belonging to the figwort (Scrophulariaceae) family. The flowers are arranged in spikes located on the top of the stem, vivid yellow. It is a drought and cold-tolerant plant requiring much sunlight that grows on on pastures, roadsides, in dry weed associations. The subject of the study were leaves and flowers of the plant extracted in four different solvents, distilled water, 70% acetone, 70% methanol and 70% ethanol. Total phenolics are more present in the leaves and reaches a value of up to 15.70 mg of gallic acid per g of dry weight of plant material, while flavonoids are more dominant in flowers and reach a value of 5.82 mg of quercetin per g of dry weight of plant material

Effect of Trichoderma spp. on Growth Promotion and Antioxidative Activity of Pepper Seedlings

One of the main challenges in pepper production is to enhance seed germination energy and germination, and to grow healthy nursery plants with strong root system. Trichoderma species colonize roots as they grow and provide season-long benefits to plants, which is why Trichoderma species are widely used as plant growth promoter agents and promoters of plant defence mechanisms. This study evaluated the effectiveness of seed biopriming with Trichoderma isolates for growth promotion of pepper plants in early stage and their effects on seedling physiology. Nine out of ten Trichoderma isolates positively affected root weight of pepper seedlings, while three out of ten positively affected shoot weight. Root and shoot lengths were mainly unaffected. Germination energy was positively affected by five isolates with up to 40% increase compared to the control, while germination was significantly enhanced by two isolates with up to 22% increase. Considering seedling physiology, two different strain-dependent modes of actions were expressed. Promising Trichoderma isolates induced formation and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which acted as signal molecules that increased germination energy and germination. Positive correlation was found between pyrogallol peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase activity and germination in plants treated with these isolates

Pogodnost tri različite vrste leguminoza za razviće i rast populacije Acanthoscelides obtectus

Legumes are a rich source of valuable nutrients thus represent important component in human and animal nutrition. The most important and often a limiting factor in legume production is the presence of seed pests, such as the bean weevil Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say, 1831). This work tested the suitability of three different legume species (common bean, faba bean and grass pea), the species with a growing interest in the human diet, for the development of the bean weevil, aiming to provide a reliable forecast of its population growth. After four months, been weevils consumed the highest percentage of the common bean kernels (70.79%), followed by the grass pea (53.13%), and faba bean (0.42%). The progeny production and population growth were significantly affected by the tested legume species. After each month, the total number of adults was the highest on the common bean, indicating its best suitability for the weevil’s development. Based on the number of the emerged specimens after each month of the observation, the bean weevil development was unhampered and continuous also on the grass pea. The lowest number of emerged adults, in all observation periods, was in faba bean, indicating its low preference and suitability for the weevil’s development. The population growth of the bean weevil was the highest on the common bean, followed by grass pea, and it fitted best to the quadratic equation model that enabled the prediction of the population growth of the bean weevil for each legume species in the next generations.Leguminoze su višestruko značajne, jer predstavljaju dragocen izvor različitih nutrijenata u ljudskoj i životinjskoj ishrani. Njihovim uzgojem doprinosi se raznolikosti agroekosistema i pozicioniraju se kao klimatski prilagodljiv usev. Najvažniji ograničavajući faktor u proizvodnji leguminoza predstavljaju štetotočine zrna (semena), poput pasuljevog žiška Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say, 1831). U ovom radu ispitana je pogodnost tri različite leguminoze (pasulj, sastrica i bob) sa rastućom popularnošću u ljudskoj ishrani, za razviće i rast populacije pasuljevog žiška. S ciljem utvrđivanja pouzdanog modela za prognozu populacijskog rasta štetočine, rezultati su korišćeni u matematičkom modelovanju. Istraživanja pokazuju da je, posle četiri meseca, zrno pasulja konzumirano u najvišem procentu (70,79%), manje sastrice (53,13%) i najmanje zrna boba (0,42%). Na produkciju potomstva i rast populacije statistički značajno je uticala vrsta leguminoze u ishrani. Ukupan broj eklodiralih imaga, na kraju svakog meseca u eksperimentalnom periodu, bio je najveći na pasulju, što pokazuje pogodnost ove biljke hraniteljke za razviće insekta. Eklozija imaga ukazuje da je razviće moguće i na sastrici. Najmanji broj imaga je eklodirao na zrnima boba, što ukazuje na nisku preferentnost i nepogodnost za razviće ovog insekta. Rast populacije žiška najintenzivniji je na pasulju, pa na sastrici, što je u potpunosti podržano kvadratnim regresionim modelom, koji omogućava prognozu rasta populacije pasuljevog žiška u svakoj narednoj generaciji

Influence of winter savory (Satureja montana) aqueous extract on mortality of lesser grain borer (Rhyzopertha dominica)

Losses of grain quality and quantity as a result of insect activity during storage impose the need for proper pest control. One of the major pests of stored wheat is the lesser grain borer (LGB), Rhyzopertha dominica. This pest is usually controlled with insecticides. However, there is recently a growing interest in the use of plant-based products in pest management. Plants are a rich source of active compounds and for centuries have been used for the control of harmful insects. This study was carried out in order to evaluate the effects of Satureja montana aqueous extract on LGB adults in contact and contact-digestive tests. The mortality of LGB adults during contact exposure to S. montana extract was low, regardless of the concentration (16.7-33.3% after 24 h and 30.0-33.3% after 48 h). After 24 h of contact-digestive exposure, the highest mortality was caused by 2% S. montana extract (23.3%), while after 48 h the level of mortality increased in all treatments with S. montana extract (0.5, 1, and 2%) and was 28.4, 28.4, and 41.7%, respectively. After 72 h of contact-digestive exposure, it ranged from 57.5 to 63.5%, while in the control it remained the same (2.7%). After 7 days of such exposure, it was 91.6-98.4%, depending on the concentration. Based on the obtained results, we conclude that S. montana aqueous extract caused mortality of LGB adults, the level of this mortality depending on concentration of the applied extract and duration of the experiment

The influence of extraction solvents on the antioxidant potential of St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.)

Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John’s wort) is medicinal plant with high antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial and antitumoral activities, used in treatments of many diseases. In this paper content of polyphenols compounds (total phenols, tannins and flavonoids) and antioxidant potential of methanol, ethanol, acetone and aqueous extracts of Hyperici herba were evaluated. The highest concentration of total phenols and total tannins were found in acetone extracts. The highest total flavonoids amount was detected in alcohol extracts. Acetone extracts showed the strongest antioxidant capacity

Antioxidative response of tomato genotypes to late blight infection

Wild species are widely used as potential sources of resistance of tomato to late blight (LB) (causal agent Phytophthora infestans). The biochemical response of wild and cultivated tomato genotypes with different levels of resistance to P. infestans was assessed through the total phenolic and flavonoid content and antioxidative capacity. In total, six genotypes were included in the research - three cultivated tomato varieties and three wild species. The wild genotypes Solanum pimpinellifolium S 220 and Solanum habrochaites had a significantly lower infection rate compared to the other tested genotypes. After disease assessment on the leaves, biochemical analyses were performed. Grouping of the wild accessions according to principal component analysis (PCA) analysis indicated similar reaction to LB infection. Furthermore, late blight trait is closer to cultivated genotypes. Although the phenolics and flavonoids have high importance in the reaction of tomato plants to late blight infection, these traits are not closely related to wild species and the disease. According to this study, the antioxidative tests that indicate a response of wild species to late blight infection are total antioxidant activity (TAA), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and radical cation scavenging activity (ABTS)

Osetljivost na niske temperature Plodia interpunctella, Sitophilus oryzae i Sitophilus zeamais - dominantnih štetočina uskladištenog kukuruza u Srbiji

Insect's bionomics and development are highly dependent on the environmental temperature. For centuries, this fact has been used for the control of storage pests. However, the temperature threshold depends on the species, life stage, acclimation and exposure period. This work assessed the effects of low temperatures (4,-4,-10,-15 and-18°C) and exposure period (10, 30, 60, 120 and 180 min) on the survival and development of Plodia interpunctella larvae, and adults of Sitophilus oryzae and S. zeamais, the prevalent maize pests in Serbia. Data were analysed using one-way and two-way ANOVA. Additionally, Probyt analysis was performed to determine the LT 50 and LT 99. The first significant effects were recorded at-4°C for S. oryzae when the mortality was 41% after 120 and 52% after 180 min of exposure. At-10°C, the mortality of S. zeamais was significant after 180 min (52.5%) and increased with the exposure period. The significant mortality of P. interpunctella larvae was at-15°C after 10 min (55.5%). At-18°C, P. interpunctella larvae were the most susceptible and 98% of mortality was recorded after 10 min, while 77.5% of S. oryzae and 68% of S. zeamais was recorded after 10 min. Two-way ANOVA showed that both factors (temperature and exposure) significantly affected the mortality of tested species, but the first factor was the most influential. These results indicate that temperature and exposure period should be adjusted to specific pest, while in combined infestations the temperature should be adjusted to the most tolerant one.Razviće insekata je visoko uslovljeno temperaturom životne sredine. Vekovima je ova činjenica korišćena u kontroli brojnosti skladišnih štetočina. Međutim, temperaturni pragovi zavise od vrste, životnog stadijuma, aklimatizacije i trajanja ekspozicije. U ovom radu ispitivani su uticaji niskih temperatura (4, -4, -10, -15 i -18°C) i trajanja ekspozicionog perioda (10, 30, 60, 120 i 180 min) na nivo preživljavanja i razviće larvi Plodia interpunctella i imaga Sitophilus oryzae i S. zeamais, dominantnih štetočina uskladištenog kukuruza u Srbiji. Dobijeni podaci su analizirani korišćenjem one-way i two-way ANOVA. Dodatno, urađena je i Probyt analysis radi utvrđivanja LT50 i LT99. Prvi značajni efekti niskih temperature registrovani su na -4°C za imaga S. oryzae sa registrovanim uginućem od 41% posle 120 i 52% posle 180 min ekspozicije. Na -10°C uginuće imaga S. zeamais bilo je značajno posle ekpozicije od 180 min (52,5%) i raslo je sa trajanjem ekspozicionog perioda. Značajna smrtnost larvi P. interpunctella registrovana je na -15°C posle 10 min (55,5%). Na -18°C larve P. interpunctella bile su osetljivije i 98% smrtnost registrovana je posle 10 min, a u istim uslovima 77,5% kod imaga S. oryzae i 68% kod S. zeamais. Two-way ANOVA ukazuje da oba faktora (temperatura i ekspozicija) značajno utiču na smrtnost testiranih štetočina, ali je temperatura uticajniji faktor. Dobijeni rezultati pokazuju da temperatura i ekspozicija predstavljaju manipulativne faktore koje treba prilagoditi vrsti, dok u kombinovanim infestacijama treba ih prilagoditi najtolerantnijoj štetočini

Allelopathic effects and insecticidal activity of aqueous extracts of Satureja montana L.

Extensive use of synthetic insecticides, herbicides and other pesticides has negative effects on the environment and on human and animal health. Therefore, scientists are turning towards natural pesticides, such as active components of plant extracts. The effect of two concentrations (0.1 and 0.2 %) of a Satureja montana L. aqueous extract on the lipid peroxidation process, as well as on the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), pyrogallol peroxidase (PPX) and catalase (CAT) in the leaves and roots of pepper and black nightshade seedlings were examined 24, 72 and 120 h after treatment. The results showed that the higher concentration of S. montana aqueous extract induced lipid peroxidation in black nightshade roots. Furthermore, significant increases of pyrogallol and guaiacol peroxidase were detected in black nightshade leaves treated with 0.2 % of the S. montana aqueous extract. The second aim was to evaluate effectiveness of the aqueous extract as a contact toxicant against whitefly. It was observed that the 0.2% aqueous extract exhibited a toxic effect with 68.33 % mortality after 96 h

Host and ovipositional preference of rice weevil (sitophilus oryzae) depending on feeding experience

Rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae is one of the most devastating primary pests of stored grains. Adults feed mainly on endosperm, while larvae feed on germ, resulting in reduced germination and nutritional value of kernels. The influence of a commodity condition on the food preferences of S. oryzae has been well documented, but the influence of previous feeding experience ("natal habitat preference induction" - NHPI theory) has not yet been confirmed. This research aims to test the NHPI theory, to study the behavioural responses of S. oryzae virgin males and females to different grains (maize, wheat and barley) depending on rearing substrate and feeding history and to test host, feeding and oviposition preference. In a "Choice test", the host preference was determined based on the adult distribution on specific grains, feeding preferences based on grain damage (%) and grain loss (%), and ovipositional preference based on the progeny production. The results indicate that host, feeding and ovipositional preference of S. oryzae was not dependent on the previous feeding experience. Maize was the most preferential grain, regardless on the rearing substrate, for both male and female weevils. Grain damage, weight loss and progeny production were higher on maize, regardless on the rearing history