In order to improve the postharvest quality and the export ability of cut rose (Rosa hybrida L.) cv. Happy Hour, the effect of silver thiosulphate (STS) as an ethylene inhibitor was investigated. STS was used at 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mM as pulsing treatment for 6 h while control flower were kept in distilled water. STS treatment significantly extended the vase life and minimized the weight loss compared to the control. STS treatment enhanced the relative water content (RWC) of flowers and significantly retarded the degradation of chlorophyll and carbohydrate contents of cut flowers during vase life evaluation. The ethylene production by rose cut flowers was significantly decreased by applying STS treatment. The treatment of STS at 0.4 mM was recommended in order to inhibit the negative effects of ethylene and hence prolong the vase life and maintain the postharvest quality of rose cut flowers. Therefore, STS treatment is advisable during rose transport and handling in areas where the air is commonly contaminated with ethylene.

The efficacy of biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was evaluated for their potential to improve the postharvest quality of rose cut flowers cv. ‘First Red’. AgNPs were applied as pulse treatment at 25, 50 and 100 mg L−1 for 24 h. Control flowers were pulsed in distilled water for the same period of time. The treated and untreated flowers were then transferred to distilled water for vase life evaluation. All levels of AgNPs significantly prolonged the vase life compared with the control. The microbial growth was suppressed in vase solution, while relative fresh weight (RFW), relative water content (RWC) and chlorophyll content as well as membrane stability index (MSI) were maintained as a result of using AgNPs. In addition, stomatal conductance, ethylene production and malondialdehyde (MDA) were decreased in response to AgNPs application. H2O2 production was decreased while antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, SOD and POX) were increased in AgNPs treated flowers relative to the control. Among AgNPs treatments, the most effective level was 50 mg L−1. The results suggest that the biologically synthesized AgNPs could be used for improving the postharvest quality of cut roses as a promising eco-friendly, non toxic and novel alternative source to chemical and physical AgNPs sources or common chemicals used in preservative solutions in rose flowers.

In order to study the physiological response of gladiolus flowers to anti-ethylene treatments, the effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) or silver thiosulphate (STS) on the postharvest quality of gladiolus cut flowers were investigated. 1-MCP was used at 0.2, 0.3 or 0.4 g m-3 for 6 hand STS was applied at 0.2 or 0.4 mM for 6 h. The control spikes were kept in distilled water. 1-MCP or STS treatments significantly extended the vase life and minimized the weight loss of gladiolus spikes compared with the control. Both treatments enhanced the relative water content (RWC) of leaves and maintained chlorophyll and carbohydrate contents compared with the control values, which were decreased. Ethylene production was increased in florets of untreated spikes and membrane stability was reduced while 1-MCP or STS treatments minimized ethylene production and retained membrane stability. An increase in floret antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, SOD and POX) was observed in 1-MCP or STS treated spikes compared with the control. The effects of 1-MCP or STS on floret senescence seemed not entirely limited to their effects on ethylene, but they most likely had a sustainable impact on the above tested physiological parameters. - See more at: http://journalijar.com/article/2829/physiological-response-of-gladiolus-flowers-to-anti-ethylene-treatments-and-their--relation-to-senescence/#sthash.gTw4hdFR.dpuf

Reports indicate that senescence in cut flowers is accelerated. Therefore, the effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) or salicylic acid (SA) on the postharvest quality of gladiolus cut flowers and whether these treatments can regulate the flower senescence were investigated. Two concentrations of each 1-MCP (0.2 and 0.4 g m−3) or SA (0.5 and 1 mM) were studied. The control spikes were kept in distilled water. 1-MCP or SA treatments significantly prolonged the vase life and minimized the weight loss of gladiolus spikes compared with the control. Both treatments enhanced the relative water content (RWC) of leaves and maintained chlorophyll content compared with the control values, which were decreased. Ethylene production, proline accumulation and malondialdehyde content were increased in florets of untreated spikes. 1-MCP or SA reduced ethylene production, decreased both proline content and malondialdehyde level and hence maintained membrane stability. An increase in floret antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, SOD and POX) was observed in 1-MCP- or SA-treated spikes compared with the control. The effects of 1-MCP or SA on floret senescence seemed not entirely limited due to their effects on ethylene, but they most likely had a sustainable impact on the above-tested physiological parameters.

Faba bean,a combine harvested crop with about 30% of seed protein content, is a traditional, domestic source of feed protein. As legume, the bean shows a very low CO2 footprint. With Current advances in breeding for improved winter hardiness and with climate change, we expect the expansion of winter faba beans beyond UK and France into Germany. For the current projects, N =189 pure line winter beans were pheno-and genotyped; they represent the major part of German winter bean breeding germplasm and trace back to one diverse winter bean population (the Göttingen Winter Bean Population’). Phenotyping was for (1) physiological aspects of drought tolerance( e.g., drought-induced proline and glycinebetaine accumulation in leaves) and for (2) reaction to controlled frost events (after hardening; frost of - 16 to -19 °C; juvenile, potted plants). In addition, a subset of these lines (N=40) was phenotyped for reaction to drought s juvenile, potted plants in green-house and for drought induced yield depression(field-based rain-out shelters, 3 environments). Repeatabilities of traits varied between 0.61

0.9f3 or reaction to frost, 0.62

0 .89f or Physiological traits, 0.37

0.68 for reactions to drought in green-house and 0.00

0.92 for yield-based drought tolerance. Genotyping was with 1147A FLP and 175S SNP markers (MAF>S7o), the majority of which are mapped. Most SNP are traceable (www.medicaqohapmap.oring ) the (highly syntenic) M. truncatula genome sequence. Association analyses (Tassel 3 .0.169. MLM, K-matrix) yielded N =5 putative Q TL for aspects of drought tolerance and N=9 (7 AFLP and 2 SNP) putative QTL for frost tolerance. This frost trait seems most promising for an immediate marker-assisted improvement: 'maintenance vs. Ioss of leaf color and leaf turgor after frost events', with eight QTL explaining together about 36% of the phenotypic variance. Analysis is ongoing; results (e.g., identification of superior parent lines for crossing) are entering practical breeding.

The aim of this study was to testify if the growing broiler chick requires optimal level of lysine and/or methionine to be supplied continuously for 24 hrs. Three hundred one-day old Ross broiler chicks were equally distributed into 10 groups (G1 to G10), each of three equal replicates. The birds were fed four experimental diets (D1 to D4): D1 (optimal levels of lysine; 1.05% and methionine; 0.50%), D2 (suboptimal levels of lysine; 0.75% and methionine; 0.37%), D3 (suboptimal level of methionine; 0.37%), and D4 (suboptimal level of lysine; 0.75%). G1 (control) to G4 received D1 to D4; respectively continuously for 24 hrs. G5 to G7 received D1 interrupted (at three periods per day each of four hours) by discontinuous feeding of D2, D3 or D4; respectively. G8 to G10 were fed in a similar way to the last three groups except the discontinuous feeding of D2, D3 or D4 was at different time of feeding throughout the day. The effect of these treatments on body weight, body weight gain, feed consumption, feed efficiency, carcass parts and carcass composition was determined till 49 days of age. The discontinuous feeding of suboptimal level of both lysine and methionine or lysine alone had a negative effect on body weight and gain, breast and liver weights, and feed efficiency; however, the discontinuous feeding of suboptimal level of methionine was less effective on the mentioned criteria. The time of diurnal optimal feeding revealed an alleviating effect on body weight and breast weight in case of methionine; and on feed efficiency in case of lysine. It could be concluded that the diurnal discontinuous feeding of suboptimal level of lysine was more deleterious than methionine. Moreover, the effect of time (throughout the day) of discontinuous feeding suboptimal level of lysine was more pronounced than methionine. Also, it could be concluded that diurnal continuous supply of lysine and methionine at optimal level is required for better broilers performance.

Two hundred and forty chicken hens, 70 weeks old, divided randomly into five experimental groups, including five genotypes; namely New Hampshire (NH), White Selected Lohman (LW), Naked neck strain (NA), Cross of Naked neck X New Hampshire (NANH) and Cross of Naked neck X White Selected Lohman (NALW) were used in the present study. Forty eight hens per genotype (group) were equally classified into subgroups: 1 and 2, in which birds were exposed to 32 ºC (high temperature, HT) and 20 ºC (Normal temperature, NT), respectively. All birds were force molted by feed restriction during 21 days and thereafter were fed ad libitum on the layer ration. Four newly-laid eggs were taken every four weeks per each hen after the restart of laying throughout a period of twenty-eight weeks to evaluate the egg quality traits and the egg components. The achieved results indicated that inducing force molt under HT decreased significantly the studied egg quality traits (Egg weight, egg shape index, deformation of the egg, egg specific gravity, eggshell strength, Haugh units and egg yolk index) as well as the egg components (albumen, yolk and shell percentages) for the tested genotypes as compared to their corresponding values under NT. Concerning the crossing effect, the minimal decreases in egg weight, deformation of eggs, eggshell strength, Haugh units and egg yolk index under HT were found in the NALW as compared to NANH, indicating that the NALW was the highest tolerant genotype to the high temperature. Taking these results in consideration, the force molting induction in chickens is only recommended under comfortable temperature.

The aim of this study was to identify the optimal storage duration of incubated eggs of Dandarawi hens on embryonic mortality, hatchability, one-day chick weight and viability of chicks at 14 days of age. Eggs were collected 4 times daily for 15 consecutive days and stored at 16°C and 70% RH until sorted into treatments and then were incubated for 21 d under standard incubation conditions. The 15 experimental groups and control group were as follows: The fresh eggs as control incubated in the same day of lay, while eggs of one to fifteen experimental groups (G1 to G15) were stored from d 1 to 15, respectively. Three replications of 80 eggs per group treatment per incubation setting (total of 3,840 eggs) were studied. The results showed that, the albumen height, Haugh units and egg yolk index were lower (P≤0.05) in eggs stored from 1 to 15 d than in fresh eggs, but the egg yolk percentage (EYP) was higher (P≤0.05). At 0 to 5 d of storage had no effect on viability of chicks at 14 days of age (VC), but storage periods of more 5 d decreased (P≤0.05) VC. Day-old chick weights and chick weights at hatch as percentage of egg weights increased slightly when storage days increased. The hatchability of eggs was lower (P≤0.05) with longer periods of storage, but the embryonic morality percentage increased (P≤0.05) during the periods from 0 to 6 d and from 13 to 21 d of incubation. Present results suggest that hatchability declines with presetting storage start 1 d after lay, possibly due to deterioration in egg quality.