Vol. 21 Issue 4
Halil Kizilaslan and Hasan Akea
The aim of this study was to determine the level of farmers' fertilizer use, the factors affecting it, and the relationship between agricultural policies and environmental problems arising from excessive fertiliser use. Sunflower producers have used 20.92 kg N/da, 14.33 kg P2O5/da and 2.22 kg K2O/da although the extension unit has advised 10-15 kg N/da, and 8 kg P2O5/da in sunflower production to compensate for lowered plant nutrients in the soil. This means that there is an excessive fertiliser use problem in the research area. Only 21.7% of farmers have applied fertiliser according to the result of soil analysis. In the use of plant nutrients, it has been found that factors such as farm area, source of fertiliser, irrigation possibilities, financial credit usage situation, and the quality of land were statistically significant but other factors such as land usage situation, educational level of farmers, and decision making on fertilization were not statistically significant.
Rashed Rezq Al-Hindi
Forty-eight samples of imported and locally produced honey marketed in Saudi Arabia were collected and subjected to microbiological analysis. Selected parameters adopted were standard plate count (SPC), anaerobic count using cooked meat medium (CMM) and reinforced clostridial medium (RCM), yeast and mould count, lactic acid bacteria on MRS and M17 media, coliform count and faecal streptococci count. Results were reported as log 10 cfu g^-1 for both types of honey samples studied. Overall results revealed that locally produced honey significantly surpassed (alpha=0.05) imported honey in most tested parameters. In addition, 100 bacterial isolates were isolated, purified and identified from samples of both locally produced and imported honey. Bacillus subtilis, B. larvae, B. licheniformis; Micrococcus luteus, M. variance; Staphylococcus albus; Lactobacillus plantarum, L. fermentum, L. helveticus; Enterococcus faecium; Lactococcus lactis; Streptococcus thermophilus; Clostridium perfringens and Cl. difficile were recognized using the API system.
Mohammed Abdullah Alamer
In order to evaluate the heat tolerance of three local goat breeds of Saudi Arabia, Hipsi, Aardi and Zumri, four bucks from each breed were exposed to direct sun with or without access to water during hot summer. Exposure of goats to direct sun for five hours for five consecutive days (three days with water and the last two days without water) resulted in a significant(P<0.01) increase in rectal temperature in all goats; however, it was further increased when the goats were not allowed to drink. Aardi goats had a higher rectal temperature during both pre and post-exposure when they were not watered during exposure to direct sun. Respiration rate was also increased (P<0.01) in response to exposure to solar radiation in all breeds but with varying degrees; it was increased by 133%, 205% and 290% in Hipsi, Aardi and Zumri goats, respectively. Also, there was a trend of increase in respiration activity, when water was withheld during exposure time. Sweating rate was slightly increased following exposure to direct sun. Aardi goats showed an increase in cutaneous water loss during water restriction over that recorded when they had free access to water, while it remained unchanged in the other two breeds. Hipsi goats displayed lower sweating rates in comparison to Aardi and Zumri goats. Feed consumed per kg body weight during the time of exposure to direct sun was the highest in Aardi goats, and also their feed intake was less depressed by withholding of water in comparison to the other. Furthermore, feed intake per kg body weight while the goats were kept indoors (other than the item of exposure to direct sun) as well as the daily feed intake was the highest in Aardi goats. It was concluded that there were no differences between breeds in heat tolerance when the water supply was maintained ad libitum. However, when water was withheld, Aardi goats enhanced their evaporated heat loss and maintained higher levels of feed intake despite their relatively higher rectal temperature.
Mahmoud Mahmoud Kardousha
Ten species of digenetic trematodes are fully described from fishes of the United Arab Emirates. These specimens, which have been previously described in a list which comprised different helminth fauna, commonly infest Emirati fishes. The ten species include Prosorhynchus epinepheli, Hexangium sigani, Proctotrema pritchardae, Pseudoplagioporus interruptus, Centrovarium marinum, Paracryptogonimus acanthostomus, Derogenes varicus, Lecithocladium unibulbolabrum, Lecithochirium microstomum, and Prosogonotrema pritchardae. Seven out of the ten species are described for the first time among Arabian Gulf fishes.
Fawzia Yaqoub Al-Balool
The effects of bethanechol and carbachol on fluid transport across the jejunum and ileum of fed and starved (four days) gerbils (Gerbillus cheesmani) were investigated. The effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on fluid transport across the jejunum and ileum of fed starved and undernourished (50% of control food intake for 21 days) were also investigated. Bethanechol and carbachol had no significant effects on fluid absorption in the fed jejunum but reserved fluid absorption into secretion in the starved jejunum. Similarly, in the ileum bethanechol and carbachol caused the basal absorptive tone measured in the fed ileum to be converted to secretion and increased significantly fluid secretion in the starved ileum. Moreover, in the ileum both bethanechol-induced fluid secretion as well as carbachol-induced fluid secretion was significantly higher in the starved ileum when compared to fed control. In the jejunum taken from fed, starved and undernourished gerbils, PGE2 reversed normal absorption into secretion and the amount of fluid secreted as a result of the presence of PGE2 in the starved and undernourished jejunum was significantly higher than in the fed jejunum. The basal fluid absorption in the fed ileum was converted to secretion in the presence of PGE2. Fluid secretion in the presence of PGE2 was significantly enhanced in the ileum taken from starved and undernourished gerbils. Thus, starvation sensitizes the jejunum and ileum to the effects of bethanechol and carbachol, while starvation and undernourishment sensitizes the two regions of the small intestine to the effects of PGE2.
Ali El-Toum Hassan
Cultivation of groundout (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Western Sudan is still lacking nitrogen fertilizers. Hence, three effective Rhizobium strains (IC 7001, IC 7017, and IC 6006) were introduced from ICRISAT (India) and compared to the local strains under the conditions in the Western Kordofan State during the 1999, 2000 and 2001 growing seasons. Under the conditions of higher rainfall in the 1999 and 2001 growing seasons, the introduced strains had relatively higher, but non-significant, pod yields per hectare than the control. However, the naturally inoculated plants of the indigenous strains (i.e., the control) had out yielded those of the introduced Rhizobium strains during the lowest rainfall season of 2000. These results indicate that the introduction of Rhizobia strains from abroad has no benefits for groundnut production in western SUdan. Hence, the future research on nitrogen fixation by groundnut in this area should be directed to selection and identification of the most effective rhizobia strains from the adapted local populations.
Zainab Abdulrahman El-Awamry and Siham Abdulmohsen Al-Kadeeb
A study of the properties of L-alanine dehydrogenase of Trichoderma viride was undertaken. Maximal enzyme activity occurred at pH 8 for reductive animation of pyruvate, and at pH 9.5 for oxidative deamination of L-alanine at a temperature of 50 degree Celsius. Maximum velocity of the reductive animation reaction was ten times greater than that of the oxidative deamination reaction. The Km values for pyruvate, NH4+, NADH, L-alanine and NAD+ were 17.2, 166, 0.7, 6.06 and 7.14 mM respectively. The enzyme was not inhibited by EDTA, suggesting that no metal cation is participating in enzyme catalysis. This is supported by the finding that none of the tested metal salts activated the enzyme. Alternatively, the enzyme activity was inhibited by Fe2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cu2+, and Mn2+. SH groups don't seem to play a role in the catalytic action of the enzyme, as addition of iodoacetate or reduced glutathione did not effect the enzyme activity. Stability of the enzyme under different conditions was investigated.
Aqad Habib, Near A., Qamor J., Azrot R.
A serological study was undertaken to determine the incidence of brucellosis in Tiaret District, 300 km west of the capital Algiers. A random sample of 430 participants was selected. 239 females and 194 males with an age range of 10-60 years. The sample included 60 professionals (veterinarians, abattoir workers, breeders and butchers). 37.6% were positive, of these 41% were females and 33.5% were males, all age groups were affected. The commonest type of brucellosis was due to Brucella melitensis 94.45% of cases followed by Brucella abortus 3.7% and Brucella suis 1.85%. We think most of the infections were due to cows milk consumption.