Predicting adoption of double cropping in paddy fields of northern Iran: a comparison of statistical methods     

Solmaz Nadaf Fahmideh  Mohammad Sadegh Allahyari  Christos A. Damalas  Zahara Daghighi Masouleh  Mona Ghazi 《Paddy and Water Environment》2017,15(4):907-917

Factors affecting the adoption of double cropping were explored in rice farms of Fouman County of Guilan Province in northern Iran using artificial neural networks (ANNs), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and logistic regression (LGR). Eleven factors (age, education, occupation, family size, type of farm ownership, distance to the agricultural service center, attending agricultural extension courses, use of financial resources and bank loans, number of domestic animals, area under cultivation, and social participation) were examined. An additional objective was to compare the ability of the three models in predicting the adoption of double cropping. ANNs showed an overall predictive power of 89.8%. LDA showed an overall predictive power of 83.2%, with seven of the eleven independent variables being effective on the adoption of double cropping. LGR indicated an overall predictive power of 87.6%, with eight of the eleven independent variables being effective on the adoption of double-rice cropping. ANNs showed higher power than LGR and LDA in predicting the adoption of double cropping. Based on all three methods used for analysis, the most important independent variables were social participation and area under cultivation (positive factors) as well as distance to the agricultural service center and family members (negative factors). Establishment of cooperatives or other kinds of farmers’ associations to foster social participation could motivate adoption of double cropping, particularly among small-scale farmers. To increase agricultural services, more local centers should be created in rural areas. The government should promote double cropping through effective incentives and technology transfer to small-scale farmers.  相似文献   

Response of Wheat and Barley during Germination to Seed Osmopriming at Different Water Potential     

Ghazi N. Al-Karaki 《Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science》1998,181(4):229-235

Pre-sowing osmotic seed treatments were evaluated as a means of improving water uptake and germination performance of wheat ( Triticum durum L. cv. Hourani-27) and barley ( Hordeum vulgare L. cv. ACSAD 176) under four levels of water potential (0, –0.4, –0.8 and –1.2 MPa) created by using polyethylene glycol 8000. Seeds were osmoprimed in aerated solutions of 0.0, 0.2, 0.4 or 0.6 M KCl at 24 ± 2°C overnight and then rinsed and dried. Rate of water uptake by seeds was higher in osmoprimed than untreated seeds of both crops regardless of the water potential level. Decreasing water potential (more stress) adversely affected rate of water uptake in seeds of both crops. Seeds osmopriming increased germination percentage and decreased time to 50% germination at high water potentials (low stress), whereas the germination at low water potentials (more stress) was not affected by osmopriming treatments. The effect of osmopriming on rate of water uptake, germination percentage, and time to 50% germination was more pronounced in wheat than in barley. Reduction in the lag time of imbibition may be accounted for in part by some germination rate enhancement in the osmopriming treatments. Fresh weight and length of shoots (plumules) and roots (radicles) were enhanced in osmoprimed seeds in comparison to untreated seeds, in both crops at high water potentials (0 and – 0.4 MPa). As water potential in the medium decreased, these traits were inversely affected regardless of osmopriming treatment. Longer roots in wheat compared to barley were noted in the positive osmopriming treatments at high water potentials (0 and – 0.4). These results might indicate that wheat is more responsive than barley at relatively high water potentials to osmopriming through rapid penetrating root system.  相似文献   

The effects of exposure duration to optimal concentration of 2‐phenoxyethanol on primary and secondary stress responses in kutum (Rutilus frisii kutum)          下载免费PDF全文

M. Javadi Moosavi  M. M. Salahi Ardekani  A. Pirbeigi  S. Ghazi 《Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition》2015,99(4):661-667

The goal of this study was to assess the anaesthetic induction and recovery time in kutum (Rutilus frisii kutum) after exposure to various concentrations (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9 ml/l) of 2‐PE as an anaesthetic, as well as the effects of optimal concentration (0.7 ml/l) of 2‐PE in relation to different exposure time (3, 10, 15 min) on some haematological and serum biochemical indices in this species. Moreover, the effects of 0.7 ml/l on blood parameters were assessed 24 h after the longest exposure. Significant increase was determined in Hb, MCH and MCHC after 10‐min exposure to 2‐PE (p < 0.05). Moreover, Hct, Hb and RBC levels increased significantly after 15 min‐exposure to 2‐PE (p < 0.05). There were no prominent changes in WBC and MCV. The plasma concentrations of glucose, cholesterol and cortisol increased significantly after 10‐ and 15‐min exposure to 2‐PE (p < 0.05) compared with the control group and all other exposure times. The activity of ALT and AST were significantly increased after 10‐ and 15‐min exposure respectively (p < 0.05). In this study, it appears that anaesthetizing kutum with 2‐PE at 0.7 ml/l for 3 min had no effect on the stress markers.  相似文献   

Optimization of Saanen sperm genes amplification: evaluation of standardized protocols in genetically uncharacterized rural goats reared under a subtropical environment     

Barbour EK  Saade MF  Sleiman FT  Hamadeh SK  Mouneimne Y  Kassaifi Z  Kayali G  Harakeh S  Jaber LS  Shaib HA 《Tropical animal health and production》2012,44(7):1513-1519

The purpose of this research is to optimize quantitatively the amplification of specific sperm genes in reference genomically characterized Saanen goat and to evaluate the standardized protocols applicability on sperms of uncharacterized genome of rural goats reared under subtropical environment for inclusion in future selection programs. The optimization of the protocols in Saanen sperms included three production genes (growth hormone (GH) exons 2, 3, and 4, αS1-casein (CSN1S1), and α-lactalbumin) and two health genes (MHC class II DRB and prion (PrP)). The optimization was based on varying the primers concentrations and the inclusion of a PCR cosolvent (Triton X). The impact of the studied variables on statistically significant increase in the yield of amplicons was noticed in four out of five (80%) optimized protocols, namely in those related to GH, CSN1S1, α-lactalbumin, and PrP genes (P??0.05). The applicability of the optimized protocols of Saanen sperm genes on amplification of uncharacterized rural goat sperms revealed a 100% success in tested individuals for amplification of GH, CSN1S1, α-lactalbumin, and MHC class II DRB genes and a 75% success for the PrP gene. The significant success in applicability of the Saanen quantitatively optimized protocols to other uncharacterized genome of rural goats allows for their inclusion in future selection, targeting the sustainability of this farming system in a subtropical environment and the improvement of the farmers livelihood.  相似文献   

Dynamics of microcrack propagation in hardwood during heat treatment investigated by synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy     

Marjan Sedighi Gilani  Julie L. Fife  Matthieu N. Boone  Karim Ghazi Wakili 《Wood Science and Technology》2013,47(5):889-896

The process of crack propagation in wood during pyrolysis is strongly linked to heterogeneities in its hierarchical porous structure. Fundamental understanding of this process is necessary for the analysis of the behavior of wood structural elements during fire exposure. Synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy combined with a recently developed laser-based furnace at the TOMCAT beamline of the Swiss Light Source provides a unique opportunity to study the heat-induced propagation of microcracks in hardwood in situ with high spatial and temporal resolutions. In this study, attention was focused on the 3D microstructure of beech and the interconnectivity between morphology and cracking patterns. It is shown that thermal cracks initiate mainly along the ray cells in hardwood and in the junction of seasonal growth layers. There is a clear indication of increased total porosity of the wood due to charring.  相似文献   

Growth,sodium, and potassium uptake and translocation in salt stressed tomato     

Ghazi N. Al‐Karaki 《Journal of plant nutrition》2013,36(3):369-379

Salinity tolerance in some plant species has been related to characteristics of potassium (K) and sodium (Na) uptake and transport. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., cv. Rossel) plants were grown in nutrient solution to determine effects of two K levels [0.2 (low) and 2 mmol (high)] combined with 0, 100, and 200 mmol NaCl on growth, and on Na and K uptake and translocation. Net uptake rates of Na and K were determined by disappearance in the growth medium and by plant accumulation. At the low level of K in solution, salinity decreased shoot and root dry weight and leaf area. Addition of 2 mmol K ameliorated of the added NaCl effects and improved growth parameters. Salinity reduced net K uptake rates and to a lesser extent K translocation from root to shoot, which resulted in higher K shoot concentration and a lower K root concentration. The inhibitory effect of salinity on K translocation was greater with low K level in nutrient solution. Net uptake of K was dependent on K level in the growth medium. Addition of K resulted in decreases of shoot Na uptake. The translocation of Na from roots to shoots was reduced by K level in nutrient solution. These results indicate that K supply and K accumulation and regulation in plant tissue contribute to salt tolerance and growth enhancement.  相似文献   

Impact of mash and crumble diets on intestinal amino acids transporters,intestinal morphology and pancreatic enzyme activity of broilers          下载免费PDF全文

Reza Mahdavi  Artyom Karlovich Osmanyan  Vladimir Ivanovich Fisinin  Shahab Ghazi Harsini  Anna Leonidovna Arkhipova  Alexander Nikolayevich Shevyakov  Svetlana Nikolaevna Kovalchuk  Gleb Yurievich Kosovsky 《Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition》2018,102(5):1266-1273

The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of mash and crumble pre‐starter diets on pancreatic enzyme activity, intestinal morphology, gene expression of intestinal peptide and amino acid (AA) transporters of broilers. Broilers in battery cages were assigned to different feed forms of pre‐starter diet from 1 to 10 days of age. Significantly increased body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI) and lowered FCR were observed in birds fed crumble pre‐starter diet (CPD, p < 0.05). Feed forms had no effect on whole and small intestine length, but relative intestinal length and relative small intestinal length significantly increased in the broilers fed a mash pre‐starter diet (MPD, p < 0.05). Feeding CPD increased the weight of pancreas (p < 0.05), but relative weight of the pancreas was not influenced by treatments. Pancreatic protease and amylase activities significantly increased in the broilers fed CPD (p < 0.05) but the activity of lipase was not influenced. Crypt depth (CD) and villus height (VH) were higher in broilers fed CPD (p < 0.05) but villus width (VW), villus surface area (VSA) and villus height‐to‐crypt depth ratio (VCR) were not influenced by treatments. mRNA levels for peptide transporter 1 (PepT1), Na⁺‐independent cationic AA transporter1 (CAT1), Na⁺‐independent cationic and Na⁺‐dependent neutral AA transporter 1 (y⁺LAT1) and Na⁺‐dependent neutral AA transporter (B⁰AT) were lower in birds fed CPD (p < 0.05). There were no differences in mRNA abundance of Na⁺‐independent cationic and zwitterionic AA transporter (b^0,+AT) among treatments. Overall, the present data showed that feeding crumble diet during first 10 days of age, through higher FI, enhanced intestinal histomorphology, increased digestive enzyme activity is beneficial to growth performance of broilers. Indeed, dietary form can be an important factor in the expression of jejunal transporters.  相似文献   

Effect of Different Levels of Flax Seed Powder as a Source of Omega-3 on the Carcass Characteristics of Karadi Lambs     

Amera Mohammad Saleh Al-Rubeit  Heron Ghazi Zahir 《农业科学与技术》2012,(10):1189-1196

  相似文献   

Improvement of the nutritive value of soybean meal by protease and alpha-galactosidase treatment in broiler cockerels and broiler chicks     

Ghazi S  Rooke JA  Galbraith H 《British poultry science》2003,44(3):410-418

1. Tube-fed broiler cockerels were used in three experiments to measure the effect of different enzyme treatments on true metabolisable energy (TME) and true nitrogen digestibility (TND) of commercial solvent-extracted, heat-treated soybean meal (SBM). 2. In experiment 1, proteases P2 and P3 (from Aspergillus niger) and alpha-galactosidase (from A. oryzae) improved TME and TND while protease P1 (from Bacillus subtilis) had little effect. The effects of enzyme treatment were similar whether treatment was applied by pre-incubation of enzymes (proteases P1, P2 and P3, 1.0 g/kg; alpha-galactosidase, 0.1 g/kg) with SBM for 2 h at 50 degrees C or by simple mixing of enzymes (proteases P1, P2 and P3, 0.25 g/kg; alpha-galactosidase, 0.1 g/kg) with SBM prior to feeding. 3. In experiment 2, the effects of mixing SBM with each of protease P1 (0 or 0.25 g/kg), protease P3 (0 or 0.25 g/kg) or alpha-galactosidase (0 or 0.1 g/kg) alone or in all possible combinations were studied. Effects of protease P1 were limited, but protease P3 and alpha-galactosidase improved TME and TND. There were significant interactions between protease P3 and alpha-galactosidase for both TME and TND; the response when enzymes were applied together was less than that expected from application of the enzyme preparations individually. 4. In experiment 3, the effect of varying the concentration of protease P3 (0, 0.1, 0.25 and 1.0 g/kg SBM dry matter) and alpha-galactosidase (0, 0.025, 0.0625 and 0.25 g/kg SBM dry matter) mixed with SBM alone or in all possible combinations of protease P3 and alpha-galactosidase were assessed. Increases in TME and TND for both enzymes were non-linear with the greatest response occurring at the lowest concentration of each enzyme. There were also interactions between the two enzyme preparations. 5. Finally, either protease P3 (0, 0.1 and 1.0 g/kg SBM dry matter) or alpha-galactosidase (0, 0.025 and 0.25 g/kg SBM dry matter) were mixed with SBM alone or in all possible combinations and treated SBMs incorporated into semi-purified diets containing 450 g SBM/kg as the sole source of dietary N and offered to growing broiler chicks for 21 d. Similar patterns of increases in chick growth rate and diet digestibility to those recorded in experiment 3 were obtained when protease P3 and alpha-galactosidase where included in the diets. 6. It is concluded that responses measured by tube-feeding SBM treated with protease P3 and alpha-galactosidase were similar to responses obtained with growing broiler chicks. Further, these responses were obtained by simple addition of enzymes to diets and nutritive value of SBM was improved by both protease and alpha-galactosidase treatment.  相似文献   

The potential for the improvement of the nutritive value of soya-bean meal by different proteases in broiler chicks and broiler cockerels     

Ghazi S  Rooke JA  Galbraith H  Bedford MR 《British poultry science》2002,43(1):70-77

1. The potential for improving the nutritive value of commercial solvent-extracted, heat-treated soya-bean meal (SBM) by protease treatment was measured using growing broiler chicks and tube-fed broiler cockerels. 2. SBM was pre-treated (50 degrees C for 2 h) with water alone; at alkaline pH (initial pH 8.25) with and without protease P1 (isolated from a Bacillus species) or at acid pH (initial pH 4.5) with and without protease P2 (isolated from an Aspergillus species) and incorporated into diets (290 g SBM/kg diet) for broiler chicks (20 chicks/treatment). Only protease P2 treatment improved chick performance; from 7 to 28 d of age, chicks fed on treated SBM had greater feed intakes and gained more weight than chicks fed on untreated SBM. Both proteases P1 and P2 significantly reduced chick serum anti-soya antibodies while protease P2 treatment increased apparent ileal nitrogen (N) digestibility and apparent N retention across the whole digestive tract. 3. Two tube-feeding experiments established that, of the treated SBMs used in experiment 1, only protease P2 treatment improved apparent N digestibility and true metabolisable energy. Also it was shown that increasing the temperature at which treated SBM was dried to 60 degrees C, compared with freeze-drying or drying at 50 degrees C reduced apparent N digestibility and true metabolisable energy of SBM with no significant interactions between enzyme treatment and drying temperature for both apparent N digestibility and TME. 4. It is concluded that, overall, the nutritional value of SBM assayed in a growth trial and by tube feeding was improved by treatment with protease P2 and not by treatment with protease P1.  相似文献