Effect of Calcium on the Growth of Melon (Cucumis melo L.)

Melon (Cucumis melon L.) is an important crop for the world economy, and it is one of the most valuable crops in the market. The cultivation of melon in Cambodia is still low due to the unclear use of varieties and the inappropriate cultivation techniques that cannot achieve high yields. This is the reason why this research is conducted. The objectives of this research are: 1. to compare the growth of melon varieties with calcium in Svay Rieng province condition, 2. to study the appropriate level of calcium fertilizer on melon yield in the supplementary stage, and 3. to study the fruit quality of the five melon varieties. This experiment was arranged into Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 4 replications and 20 treatments equivalent to 80 plots totallyat the Agricultural Station of Svay Rieng University. The results showed that the application of calcium fertilizer and foliar spraying once every 7 days resulted in the highest growth of melon plants. The use of different varieties showed that the melon varieties V4 (Lady Green = 547) and V2 (Lady Gold = 518) received the highest number of seeds. Thus, in summary, comparing the growth of 5 melon cultivars with 4 levels of calcium fertilizer, the results showed that the application of calcium fertilizer and leaf spray every 4 days, every 7 days, made the melon crop. Growth, yield, and fruit quality are excellent. The use of different varieties showed that only the melon varieties V4, V1, and V2 are the best

Diarrhea illness in livestock keeping households in Cambodia: An analysis using a One Health framework

Background: Most of human diarrheal pathogens are zoonotic, and transmission of the pathogens can occur by contaminated food, water, environment and direct contact with animals especially for livestock keepers. Yet little is known of the relative importance of different risk factors especially in under-studied countries. The objectives of this study were to identify risk factors for diarrhea in livestock keepers in Cambodia and detect diarrhea-causing pathogenic bacteria in both humans and livestock within a One Health approach. Of special interest were the links between diarrhea and food consumption and livestock-keeping. Materials and methods: We used an existing dataset from a questionnaire survey conducted in 400 livestock farms in Prey Veng and Kampot Prefectures between February and March 2013 as well as laboratory results on bacterial isolation from fecal and swab samples from livestock and poultry, and human stool samples. Laboratory results were available for up to three animals of each species kept by a household, and for up to three human samples from households reporting at least one case of human diarrhea in the previous 2 weeks. Presence of Escherichia coli, Shigella spp. and Salmonella spp. was investigated in both animal and human samples, in addition to Aeromonas spp., Vibrio spp. and Plesiomonas spp. in animal samples and Campylobacter spp. in human samples. Univariable and multivariable risk factor analyses were performed by generalized linear mixed model. Results: Household-level diarrhea incidence rate was 9.0% (36/400). The most statistically significant factor associated with diarrhea in multivariable analysis was water treatment for drinking and cooking (OR = 0.33, 95%CI: 0.16–0.69, p = 0.003), followed by number of days consuming egg within 2 weeks (OR = 1.16, 95%CI: 1.04–1.29, p = 0.008), number of children under 5 years old (OR = 1.99, 95%CI: 1.14–3.49, p = 0.016) and keeping poultry (OR = 0.36, 95%CI: 0.14–0.92, p = 0.033). Animal samples for bacterial culture test were collected at 279 cattle, 165 pig and 327 poultry farms, and bacteria were detected from 6 farms with the isolation of Escherichia coli O157 (non H7) from 1 cattle and 1 pig sample, Aeromonas caviae from 1 pig sample and Salmonella spp. from 3 chicken samples. In human samples, 17 out of 67 individual samples were positive for the culture test, detecting Escherichia coli O157 (non H7) from 7 samples and Shigella spp. from 10 samples. None of the households where target bacteria were detected from animal samples had human samples collected due to lack of diarrhea episodes in the household. Conclusions: It has often been hypothesized that keeping livestock may increase the incidence of diarrhea through multiple pathways. Contrary to this, we found livestock-keeping was not associated with increased risk, but food-related behavior and children under 5 years of age were strongly associated with increased risk. We discuss mediating and confounding factors and make recommendations for reducing the burden of diarrheal disease in Cambodia and more widely in low- and middle-income countries

Diarrhea illness in livestock keeping households in Cambodia: An analysis using a One Health framework

BackgroundMost of human diarrheal pathogens are zoonotic, and transmission of the pathogens can occur by contaminated food, water, environment and direct contact with animals especially for livestock keepers. Yet little is known of the relative importance of different risk factors especially in under-studied countries. The objectives of this study were to identify risk factors for diarrhea in livestock keepers in Cambodia and detect diarrhea-causing pathogenic bacteria in both humans and livestock within a One Health approach. Of special interest were the links between diarrhea and food consumption and livestock-keeping.Materials and methodsWe used an existing dataset from a questionnaire survey conducted in 400 livestock farms in Prey Veng and Kampot Prefectures between February and March 2013 as well as laboratory results on bacterial isolation from fecal and swab samples from livestock and poultry, and human stool samples. Laboratory results were available for up to three animals of each species kept by a household, and for up to three human samples from households reporting at least one case of human diarrhea in the previous 2 weeks. Presence of Escherichia coli, Shigella spp. and Salmonella spp. was investigated in both animal and human samples, in addition to Aeromonas spp., Vibrio spp. and Plesiomonas spp. in animal samples and Campylobacter spp. in human samples. Univariable and multivariable risk factor analyses were performed by generalized linear mixed model.ResultsHousehold-level diarrhea incidence rate was 9.0% (36/400). The most statistically significant factor associated with diarrhea in multivariable analysis was water treatment for drinking and cooking (OR = 0.33, 95%CI: 0.16–0.69, p = 0.003), followed by number of days consuming egg within 2 weeks (OR = 1.16, 95%CI: 1.04–1.29, p = 0.008), number of children under 5 years old (OR = 1.99, 95%CI: 1.14–3.49, p = 0.016) and keeping poultry (OR = 0.36, 95%CI: 0.14–0.92, p = 0.033). Animal samples for bacterial culture test were collected at 279 cattle, 165 pig and 327 poultry farms, and bacteria were detected from 6 farms with the isolation of Escherichia coli O157 (non H7) from 1 cattle and 1 pig sample, Aeromonas caviae from 1 pig sample and Salmonella spp. from 3 chicken samples. In human samples, 17 out of 67 individual samples were positive for the culture test, detecting Escherichia coli O157 (non H7) from 7 samples and Shigella spp. from 10 samples. None of the households where target bacteria were detected from animal samples had human samples collected due to lack of diarrhea episodes in the household.ConclusionsIt has often been hypothesized that keeping livestock may increase the incidence of diarrhea through multiple pathways. Contrary to this, we found livestock-keeping was not associated with increased risk, but food-related behavior and children under 5 years of age were strongly associated with increased risk. We discuss mediating and confounding factors and make recommendations for reducing the burden of diarrheal disease in Cambodia and more widely in low- and middle-income countries

EFFECT OF REPLACING RICE BRAN OR FISH MEAL BY FRESH OR DRIED MULBERRY LEAVES ON DIGESTIBILITY AND NITROGEN RETENTION OF PIGS

Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of replacing rice bran or fishmeal by fresh or dried mulberry leaves on digestibility and nitrogen retention of pigs. Inexperiment 1, a double 4x4 Latin square design in a 2x4 factorial arrangement was used tostudy the effect of graded levels of mulberry leaf meal (0, 15, 30 and 50% on a dry basis,respectively) in diets based on rice brans and broken rice on the N balance of eight youngcastrate male Mong Cai pigs with a mean weight of 15 kg. Mulberry leaf meal (MLM)contained DM 30.4% and in the dry matter: ash 16.9, crude fibre 20.1 and crude protein(Nx6.25) 25.4%, respectively. Feed intake was calculated to be 50 g DM/kg body weight.Although not significant, DM and organic matter digestibility appeared to increase withincreasing levels of dietary MLM. Organic matter digestibility was significantly better(P<0.05); N balance indices improved with the inclusion of MLM in the diet, and this effectwas significant for N retention (P<0.05) when expressed as proportion of the digested N. Inexperiment 2, six Large White castrate male pigs, weighing on average 15 kg, wereallocated according to a balanced change-over design, to two diets where mulberry leaves,either in milled of sun-dried or chopped off fresh, contributed about 45% of the total dailyN intake in iso-nitrogenous diets (Nx6.25, 13.7% on a dry basis). There were no significanteffects of treatment on DM, organic matter and N digestibility but dry leaves wereassociated with slightly lower digestibility values. N balance tended to be better in pigs fedwith fresh mulberry leaves compared to mulberry leaf meal. It can be concluded that inrice-based diets, it is possible to use mulberry leaves as the main protein source.Keywords: Digestibility, leaves, mulberry, pigs, protein

EFFECT OF REPLACING RICE BRAN OR FISH MEAL BY FRESH OR DRIED MULBERRY LEAVES ON DIGESTIBILITY AND NITROGEN RETENTION OF PIGS

Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of replacing rice bran or fishmeal by fresh or dried mulberry leaves on digestibility and nitrogen retention of pigs. Inexperiment 1, a double 4x4 Latin square design in a 2x4 factorial arrangement was used tostudy the effect of graded levels of mulberry leaf meal (0, 15, 30 and 50% on a dry basis,respectively) in diets based on rice brans and broken rice on the N balance of eight youngcastrate male Mong Cai pigs with a mean weight of 15 kg. Mulberry leaf meal (MLM)contained DM 30.4% and in the dry matter: ash 16.9, crude fibre 20.1 and crude protein(Nx6.25) 25.4%, respectively. Feed intake was calculated to be 50 g DM/kg body weight.Although not significant, DM and organic matter digestibility appeared to increase withincreasing levels of dietary MLM. Organic matter digestibility was significantly better(P<0.05); N balance indices improved with the inclusion of MLM in the diet, and this effectwas significant for N retention (P<0.05) when expressed as proportion of the digested N. Inexperiment 2, six Large White castrate male pigs, weighing on average 15 kg, wereallocated according to a balanced change-over design, to two diets where mulberry leaves,either in milled of sun-dried or chopped off fresh, contributed about 45% of the total dailyN intake in iso-nitrogenous diets (Nx6.25, 13.7% on a dry basis). There were no significanteffects of treatment on DM, organic matter and N digestibility but dry leaves wereassociated with slightly lower digestibility values. N balance tended to be better in pigs fedwith fresh mulberry leaves compared to mulberry leaf meal. It can be concluded that inrice-based diets, it is possible to use mulberry leaves as the main protein source.Keywords: Digestibility, leaves, mulberry, pigs, protein

Characteristic and dynamic of backyard poultry raising systems in five Asian countries in relation to the reduction and management of AI risk : final report; Cambodia (May 4th 2007-September 3rd 2010)

This Cambodia country report is part of the larger project “Avian Influenza Risk: Characterization and Dynamics of Backyard Poultry Raising Systems in Five Asian Countries.” The project worked to characterize backyard poultry rearing systems, the variations among them, their roles in rural livelihood systems, and to work with stakeholders in this sector to devise practical, equitable and sustainable options to reduce the likelihood of human Avian Influenza (AI) pandemic. Despite high awareness and widespread knowledge about AI and personal protective measures, farmers continue to practice traditional ways of keeping chickens

Social contact patterns relevant for infectious disease transmission in Cambodia

Social contact data from a community-based survey conducted in Cambodia in 2012