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Alanyl-glutamine (Ala-Gln), a highly soluble and stable glutamine dipeptide, is known to improve gut integrity and function. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether dietary Ala-Gln supplementation could improve growth performance, intestinal development and digestive-absorption function in weaned piglets. A total of 100 purebred Yorkshire piglets weaned at 21 days of age were assigned randomly to four dietary treatment groups and fed a basal diet (control group) or a basal diet containing 0.15%, 0.30% and 0.45% Ala-Gln, respectively. Compared with the control group, piglets fed the Ala-Gln diets had higher average daily gain and lower feed : gain and diarrhea rate (P < 0.05). Moreover, dietary Ala-Gln supplementation increased villous height and villous height : crypt depth ratio in duodenum and jejunum (P < 0.05), as well as the activities of maltase and lysozyme in jejunum mucosa (P < 0.05). In addition, a decrease in serum diamine oxidase activity and crypt depth in duodenum and jejunum was observed in piglets fed the Ala-Gln diets (P < 0.05). Serum cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) concentration and gene expression of cPLA2, Na+-dependent glucose transporter 1, glucose transporter 2 and peptide transporter 1 in jejunum were increased by feeding Ala-Gln diets relative to control diet (P < 0.05). These results indicated that feeding Ala-Gln diet has beneficial effects on the growth performance of weaned piglets, which associated with maintaining intestinal morphology and digestive-absorption function.

Reactions of nine olive cultivars inoculated with olive or oleander strains of Pseudomonas savastanoi were evaluated under glasshouse conditions. Two quantitative indices of pathogenicity were used: 1. gall size from standardised inoculations, measured after 2 months; 2. rate of change of gall size with increasing inoculum concentration. These two indices were combined in a single plot that appears to give the best resolution of all data. Responses of olive cultivars to olive strains of P. savastanoi suggest that cultivars Carolea, Koroneiki, Leccino and Pendolino are the most tolerant, and that Barnea, Manzanillo, Picholine, Picual and a South Australian selection of Verdale are the least tolerant. Olive and oleander strains of P. savastanoi differed in virulence, and between-plant variability in reaction to inoculation was noted. Hypersensitive reactions do not appear to be part of mechanisms of tolerance. Olive strains of P. savastanoi affected all cultivars more severely than did equivalent inoculations with oleander strains.