油菜肥料运筹的动态知识模型

通过分析和提炼油菜施肥管理方面的最新研究资料,利用养分平衡原理,以产量目标和土壤理化特性等为基础,建立了系统化和广适性的油菜肥料运筹动态知识模型。该模型可用于精确定量不同环境条件下油菜生产过程中的总施氮量、施磷量、施钾量和施硼量、有机氮与无机氮的比例以及氮、磷、钾基肥与追肥的比例等。利用南京、仪征和如皋3个不同生态点常年气象资料、不同土壤类型和不同产量目标等对所建肥料运筹知识模型进行了实例分析,结果表明,所建知识模型总体上具有较好的决策性和适用性。     

转基因抗草甘膦油菜的检测方法

目的:建立检测田间转基因抗草甘膦油菜的方法。方法:用CTAB法提取DNA,经PCR分别扩增内参基因BnACCg8,及抗草甘膦外源基因CP4-EPSPS、FMV 35S启动子和E9 3’终止子等4种基因的片段,以琼脂糖凝胶电泳对扩增产物进行分析比对。结果:抗草甘膦油菜中分别扩增出与外源基因FMV 35S启动子、E9 3’终止子和CP4-EPSPS大小一致的片段。结论:该方法能有效地用于转基因抗草甘膦油菜的检测。     

Increase of the tocochromanol content in transgenic Brassica napus seeds by overexpression of key enzymes involved in prenylquinone biosynthesis

Lipid soluble tocochromanols, only synthesised in photosynthetic organisms, are industrially interesting compounds because of their antioxidative properties and their essential function in nutrition. In order to increase the tocochromanol content in the seed oil of transgenic plants, approaches were undertaken to engineer the flux of substrates and intermediates through the pathway. To this end, we overexpressed genes encoding hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenases, alone or in combination with chimeric homogentisate phytyltransferase and tocopherol cyclase genes, in seeds of transgenic Brassica napus plants and analysed total tocochromanol content and composition. Overexpression of chimeric hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase genes, both in the cytosol or in the plastids of developing seeds, yielded a slight although significant increase in total tocochromanol level. Coexpression of a hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase gene with both a homogentisate phytyltransferase gene and a tocopherol cyclase gene elevated this effect with maximum increases of up to two-fold in individual lines and this phenotype was found to be stably inherited. These data showed that the three enzymes are critical in determining the total tocochromanol content in the seed oil of Brassica napus plants, while the tocopherol cyclase, unlike hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase and homogentisate phytyltransferase, had additionally an effect on the relative abundance of individual tocochromanol species and resulted in an increase of δ-tocopherol and plastochromanol-8 in the seeds.Mirela Raclaru and Jens Gruber contributed equally     

The promotive effect of combustion products from plant vegetation on the release of seeds from dormancy

In darkness, dormancy was imposed on seeds of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Grand rapids) by high temperature and on seeds of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L. cv. Apex) by osmotic stress using polyethylene glycol (PEG 8000). In both cases, dormancy was broken by incubating the seeds in aqueous extracts of combustion products from Salix viminalis wood chips or Themeda triandra leaves. Dormancy of rapeseed, but not lettuce, was also broken by a solution of smoke from burnt straw of Triticum aestivum. The greatest stimulation from burnt vegetation was achieved with an aqueous extract of pyrolysed willow wood chips, which had been subjected to temperatures of up to 800 °C during combustion in a down-draught gasifier. This suggests that some biologically active substances obtained from combustion of plant tissues are highly heat-stable.     

Effect of sodium dodecyl sulphate on the high molecular weight protein fraction of mustard (Brassica juncea) and rapeseed (Brassica campestris)

The effect of sodium dodecyl sulphate on mustard and rapeseed 12S protein has been monitored by the techniques of ultracentrifugation, viscosity, difference spectra and fluorescence spectrophotometry. At low concentration of sodium dodecyl sulphate (<3.47 mM) mustard protein undergoes aggregation and at higher concentrations it dissociates to 1.8 S protein, the dissociation being complete at 17.3 mM sodium dodecyl sulphate. The rapeseed protein, on the other hand, undergoes dissociation at all the concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulphate. The reduced viscosity values of mustard protein in the presence of the denaturant are higher than those of rapeseed protein. Similarly in difference spectra change in absorbance values of mustard protein are higher.’ The relative fluorescence intensity of the mustard protein increases with sodium dodecyl sulphate concentration, upto 0.87 mM and this is followed by fluorescence quneching at higher denaturant concentrations. However, with the rapeseed protein fluorescence quenching was observed at all concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulphate.     

Effects of feeding intact,ground and/or pelleted rapeseed on nutrient digestibility and growth performance of broiler chickens

ABSTRACT

In this study, the effect of grinding or pelleting of rapeseed on the digestibility, apparent metabolisable energy (AME_N), growth performance and gizzard weight of broiler chickens was evaluated. In Exp. 1, four treatments were tested (240 broiler chickens, 20 replications, 3 birds per cage). Birds received either a basal diet or were fed with rapeseed of different sized particles (fine, medium and coarse ground, respectively). In Exp. 2, 10 treatments were assessed (360 chickens, 12 replications, 3 birds per cage), where five different diets (a basal diet and four diets with intact rapeseed, fine ground, medium ground or coarse ground rapeseed, respectively) were fed non-pelleted or pelleted. In Exp. 3, two treatments were compared (224 broiler chickens, 14 replications, 8 birds per floor pen): fine ground rapeseed (FG) and intact rapeseed (IS). Compared with medium and coarse ground rapeseed, fine grinding increased in Exp. 1 the AME_N of rapeseed and the precaecal digestibility (PD) of dry matter and ether extract (EE) (p < 0.05). In Exp. 2, the content of AME_N and the PD of EE and crude protein (CP) increased as the degree of grinding increased when diets were not pelleted (p < 0.01). In contrast, the significantly highest values for these parameters were measured after pelleting without effect of grinding, resulting in a significant interaction between pelleting and grinding (p < 0.001). In Exp. 3, performance of chickens was not affected by dietary treatments, but gizzard weight and the PD of CP were higher when IS were included in the diet (p < 0.05). The results suggested that fine grinding may be used to increase the feeding value of full-fat rapeseed for broiler chickens. Nevertheless, pelleting of diets with rapeseed seemed to be much more effective in the reduction of particle size than grinding.     

The effects of supercritical carbon dioxide extraction and cold-pressed hexane extraction on the chemical composition and feeding value of rapeseed meal for broiler chickens

ABSTRACT

The chemical characteristics of rapeseed meal (RSM) produced from two cultivars of UK-grown rapeseed, by both supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (ScCO₂) and cold-pressed hexane extraction (CpHe) were examined. Their nutritional value, with and without protease, was then assessed in a broiler digestibility trial. Basal feed was substituted with one of four RSM batches (200 g/kg) following adjustments for dry matter (DM) and ether extract (EE) content. Half of each diet was supplemented with a mono-component protease derived from Bacillus subtilis (Axtra®PRO, Danisco Animal Nutrition, Malborough, UK) giving a total of eight test diets. Two control diets, with and without protease were also fed. At 13 d age male Ross 308 broilers were randomly allocated to seven replicate pens (five birds per pen) and assigned to one of 10 diets. Total excreta were collected from 17 to 21 d age and feed intake was recorded. Pre-caecal protein digestibility (pcPd) was determined using TiO₂ as an indigestible marker. Colourimetrically CpHe RSM was substantially darker than ScCO₂ counterparts. The influence of oil recovery method (ORM) was also evident in DM, EE, ash free neutral detergent fibre (aNDFom), neutral detergent insoluble crude protein (NDICP) and glucosinolate content (GLS). The content of DM, EE and GLS was higher in ScCO₂ RSM whereas aNDFom and NDICP levels were greater in CpHe RSM. Protein solubility in KOH was greater in ScCO₂ RSM whilst levels of NDICP were lower. Collectively these results suggest that less heat damage was incurred to the RSM during ScCO₂ extraction. There was no significant main effect of cultivar nor were any significant interactions observed between treatment factors. Rapeseed meal ScCO₂ produced greater metabolisable energy, pcPd, nitrogen retention and energy metabolisability (p < 0.05). Protease supplementation increased pcPd (p < 0.05) irrespective of ORM and cultivar. The key implications of these findings are that by adopting oil recovery methods that minimise the exposure of RSM to thermal treatments and by adding a compatible protease there is scope to increase the nutritional value of RSM for broilers and increase its utilisation in modern poultry production.     

LCA of cleaning and degreasing agents in the metal industry

An LCA of cleaning and degreasing agents in the metal industry was carried out. A comparison was made between a solvent product (VOC: a mixture of dearomatised hydrocarbons) and two products derived from vegetable oils (VOFA: rapeseed methyl ester and ethylhexyl laurate derived from coconut oil). The comparison was based on 1000 kg of used product. Results from the inventory and characterisation show that VOFA are environmentally favourable on aspects related to their low volatility and their use of renewable resources. However, they are less favourable on aspects predominantly related to cultivation of the crops. The environmental favourability of VOFA compared to VOC is strongly dependent upon the amounts needed for the task to be performed. Incorporation of data from practical experience concerning the use and waste treatment of VOFA in the metal industry may possibly further improve the environmental profile of VOFA. This work was presented at the 17th Annual Meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), November 19,1996, in Washington, DC. It was one of a series of presentations during the LCA session.