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Management of heavy metal‐contaminated soil under drought and other harsh hydrological conditions is critical for protecting soil ecosystem services. In this study, we examined the effect of pig manure digestate‐derived biochar as a soil amendment (15 t ha−1) with N fertilizer (180 kg ha−1) on soil and plant heavy metal levels and nutrient availability under various moisture regimes (optimal moisture ~15%, drought condition ≤5%, and flooded condition ≥35% wt.). It was observed that biochar applications significantly decreased heavy metals in the spring wheat plants, lowering Cr by 90%, Ni by 50%, Cd by 9% and Pb by 34% compared to non‐biochar (control) treatments. However, the pig digestate‐derived biochar increased heavy metals in soil under all moisture regimes, increasing soil Cr by 21%, Ni by 43%, Cu by 55%, Zn by 70%, and Pb by 12%. The availability of macroelements also increased with the biochar applications under the optimum moisture regimes in both soil and plants, increasing Mg2+ by 11%, P by 4%, K+ by 50%, and Ca2+ by 56% in the soil, and Mg2+ by 13%, P by 69%, K+ by 29, and Ca2+ by 39% in plants. Biochar addition also improved chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) levels in the crop for the entire season (12th to 62nd day) and the aboveground crop biomass and dry matter contents both increased. Consequently, the use of pig manure digestate‐derived biochar with N fertilizer under normal moisture conditions was able to reduce heavy metal availability to plants and thus could be used in contaminated soils to maintain better crop growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxins are highly toxic fungal metabolites that occur naturally in feed ingredients in various concentrations. We investigated the effect of dietary levels of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on the growth performance and tissue distribution of AFB1 and aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) residues in broilers reared under open house production system. One hundred and twenty broilers chicks were randomly assigned to four diets, containing 0 (control), 100, 200 or 400 ng/g of AFB1 for 42 days and their growth performance and meat quality were analysed. With increasing AFB1 intake, feed consumption, body weight gain, meat of the carcass and dressing percentage were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced whereas an increase was noted in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the birds. AFB1 and AFM1 residues were readily detectable in both liver and muscle tissues when the birds were fed with >200 ng/g AFBi in the feed. At 400 ng/g of AFBi in the feed, AFB1 and AFM1 residues levels in the liver and muscles were 0.071 and 0.048 ng/g, and 0.140 and 0.061 ng/g, respectively. Overall, the concentrations of AFB1 and AFM1 were higher in the liver compared to muscle tissues. The study revealed that AFB1 contamination in the feed affects not only broilers performance but also the consumers through its residues in the poultry meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garlic and coriander play an obligatory role in the metabolism of lipids leading to the reduction of CVD development. We hypothesized that garlic, coriander and their mixture improves the lipid profile, BMI and blood pressure of CVD patients. Eighty patients were partitioned into 4 groups, each group consisting of twenty patients. The groups were randomly assigned to three supplements i.e. garlic powder (GP), coriander seed powder (CSP) and mixture (1:1 dry weight basis) of GP and CSP at a dose rate of 2 g/day. The fourth group was kept as placebo. The patients were examined for serum lipid profile, BMI and blood pressure at the start (0 day), 20, 40 and 60th day of supplementation. The initial 40 days were the intervention period whereas the last 20 days were the follow up period. The results indicated that all the supplements significantly (p<0.05) influenced the BMI, HDL, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and systolic blood pressure of the patients. Among the supplements, GP had the highest influenced on BMI, TC, LDL and HDL whereas the impact of GP-CSP and CSP was more pronounced on TGL and blood pressure of the patients, respectively. All the parameters decreased with supplementation except HDL, which increased with the consumption of supplements. It was concluded that consumption of garlic, coriander and their mixture at a dose rate of 2 g/day is improving the lipid parameters of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of nutritional formulations, viz. Bristol's medium (BM), water extract of dairy waste (DW), commercial fertilizers mix (FM), and carbon sources such as NaHCO3, CaCO3, and wheat flour hydrolysate on the biomass productivity and oil content of the algal species Sirogonium sticticum, Temnogyra reflexa, Uronema elongatum, and Chroococcus turgidus. Among the nutritional formulations tested, BM showed the highest average effect, followed by DW, on the biomass and oil contents of the species. As for carbon sources, CaCO3 was more efficient in enhancing algal biomass, while NaHCO3 was proficient in increasing the oil content of the species. S. sticticum produced the highest average biomass and oil content regardless of the media and carbon sources. It was concluded that in terms of cost effectiveness and commercial availability, DW was a suitable medium for commercial cultivation of microalgae on a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was conducted to investigate the effect of various combinations of potassium from organic and inorganic sources on the growth, yield and fruit quality of two tomato cultivars i.e., Falcon and Rio Grande for two years. The response of tomato cultivars was assessed to six combinations viz. 0-0 (control), 100-0, 75-25, 50-50, 25-75 and 0-100% of poultry manure (PM) and Sulphate of Potash (SOP). All the factors (K-sources, cultivars and years) alone and in combination significantly affected the growth, yield and fruit quality of tomato. The highest number of leaves plant-1 (75.25) and yield (49.25 t ha-1) were gained by Falcon in 50-50 treatment during, 2010. However, the plant height (134 cm) and fruit size (147.1 cm3) were higher at 25-75 and 75-25 treatment, respectively. Whereas, the less number of leaves plant-1 (15), plant height (28.25 cm), fruit size (92.3 cm3) and tomato yield (7.5 t ha-1) were recorded for Rio Grande in control during, 2009. The fruit weight (69.25 g) and TSS (4.55 °Brix) were higher in Rio Grande cultivar in treatment 75-25 and 50-50, respectively. It is concluded that a combination of PM and SOP at 50-50 and 75-25 ratio may be used as an optimum fertilization dose for obtaining higher yield and improved fruit quality of tomato crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An isolate of Macrophomina phaseolina from muskmelons ( Cucumis melo )was reported by Dunlap and Bruton to produce red pigment(s) in melons and in culture in the presence of added glycine, alanine, leucine, or asparagine in the medium, but not with some other amino acids and nitrogen-containing compounds. We explored the generality and mechanism of this pigment production response using pathogenic M. phaseolina isolates from soybean plants expressing symptoms of charcoal rot disease. A survey of 42 M. phaseolina isolates growing on Czapek-Dox agar medium supplemented with glycine confirmed pigment production by 71% of isolates at the optimal glycine concentration (10 g/L). Studies in this laboratory have demonstrated that some pathogenic isolates of M. phaseolina produce the mycotoxin (-)-botryodiplodin, which has been reported to react with amino acids, proteins, and other amines to produce red pigments. Time course studies showed a significant positive correlation between pigment and (-)-botryodiplodin production by selected M. phaseolina isolates with maximum production at seven to eight days. Pigments produced in agar culture medium supplemented with glycine, beta-alanine, or other amines exhibited similar UV-vis adsorption spectra as did pigments produced by (±)-botryodiplodin reacting in the same agar medium. In a separate study of 39 M. phaseolina isolates, red pigment production (OD 520 ) on 10 g/L glycine-supplemented Czapek-Dox agar medium correlated significantly with (-)-botryodiplodin production (LC/MS analysis of culture filtrates) in parallel cultures on un-supplemented medium. These results support pigment production on glycine-supplemented agar medium as a simple and inexpensive in-culture method for detecting (-)-botryodiplodin production by M. phaseolina isolates., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.