Biotechnology
N. Khaledi; F. Hassani
Abstract
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) is rich in phenolic monoterpenes such as thymol and carvacrol. Seed-borne fungi can reduce the quality and quantity of crop and also change the amount and type of secondary metabolites in plants by affecting seed health. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify the ...
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Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) is rich in phenolic monoterpenes such as thymol and carvacrol. Seed-borne fungi can reduce the quality and quantity of crop and also change the amount and type of secondary metabolites in plants by affecting seed health. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify the seed-borne fungi from thyme seed samples and to evaluate the effects of seeds infection on the production and expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis pathway of thymol and carvacrol compounds. To identify seed-borne fungi of thyme seed samples collected from fields of Alborz province, sampling was done according to the criteria of the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). The amount of thymol and carvacrol compounds was measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the expression of TvTPS1, DXR, CYP178, and CYP180 genes was assayed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Six Alternaria brassicicola isolates were identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics. Analysis of cell wall degrading enzymes activity revealed that cellulase and pectinase were more important than xylanase and chitinase on the pathogenicity and aggressiveness of isolates. Seeds infection by A. brassicicola significantly affected vigor and seed germination indices. The findings of this study showed that the pathogenicity and aggressiveness of A. brassicicola fungal isolates can change the expression level of different genes encoding thymol and carvacrol compounds in seedlings obtained from seed pretreatments with different isolates through different mechanisms including production of extracellular enzymes resulted in increasing (isolates Ab4 and Ab5) and/or decreasing (isolates Ab1, Ab6, Ab2, and Ab3) the production and accumulation of phenolic monoterpenes in thyme seedlings. This is the first report on the identification of seed-borne fungus A. brassicicola from thyme seed samples in Iran and also the role of seeds infection on the production and expression of genes involved in the thymol and carvacrol biosynthesis pathway.
K. Chaab; Sh. Rahimi; P. Khaki
Abstract
This study was conducted to compare three herbal extracts (thyme, yarrow and garlic), antibiotic, and organic acids to reduce Campylobacter jejuni colonization in digestive tract of broiler chickens. A total of 336 one-day old male broilers (Cobb 500) were randomly allocated to 7 treatments, 4 replicates ...
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This study was conducted to compare three herbal extracts (thyme, yarrow and garlic), antibiotic, and organic acids to reduce Campylobacter jejuni colonization in digestive tract of broiler chickens. A total of 336 one-day old male broilers (Cobb 500) were randomly allocated to 7 treatments, 4 replicates with 12 birds in each replicate with a completely randomized design. The experimental groups included negative control (basal diet without challenge), the positive control (basal diet with challenge), organic acids (1 mL per liter in drinking water for first 14 days of age, then 8 hours each day until end of the experiment), antibiotic (oxytetracycline 100 ppm in feed), yarrow extract (1 mL per liter in drinking water), thyme extract (1 mL per liter in drinking water), and garlic extract (1 mL per liter in drinking water) throughout the experiment. Except for the negative control group, all chickens were orally challenged with (109cfu/mL) C. jejuni suspension on day 21. The negative control group was inoculated with 1 mL of saline solution. Feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were measured weekly. At end of the experiment (day 42), the blood samples were taken from the wing vein to determine serum biochemical parameters. The effect of treatments on the morphology of the small intestine, lymphatic organs weight, and colonization of C. jejuni were measured. The results of statistical analysis showed that treatments had significant effect (P>0.05) on Campylobacter jejuni colonization,so that, the highest and lowest levels of the bacterial colony were observed in positive control and antibiotic treatment. The negative control and yarrow treatments had a significant difference (P<0.05) with positive control. The experimental groups showed a significant effect on intestinal morphology and blood parameters (P>0.05). According to the results of this experiment, the use of above mentioned treatments had positive effects on decreasing serum cholesterol and triglyceride, as well as reducing the colonization of Campylobacter jejuni in digestive tract of broiler chickens.
M. Mohamadamini; F. Shariatmadari; S.A. Hosseini
Abstract
The effects of three herbal plant powders (thyme, cinnamon and turmeric) on growth performance and ascites were studied in broilers. Eight hundred one-day-old Arian broiler chicks were randomly allocated into eight treatment groups with four replications and 25 chicks per cage. The experiment lasted ...
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The effects of three herbal plant powders (thyme, cinnamon and turmeric) on growth performance and ascites were studied in broilers. Eight hundred one-day-old Arian broiler chicks were randomly allocated into eight treatment groups with four replications and 25 chicks per cage. The experiment lasted for 42 days. Energy and high protein diets were used to increase the speed of growth and inducing ascites in broiler chickens. Experimental treatment groups were: control treatments, consisting of two diets with different nutrient densities (high density and low density) and two base diets were supplemented with herbal powders at a rate of 5 g/Kg of the diet in a factorial arrangement. Feed intake, BW gain and feed conversion ratio of the broilers were measured. Parameters related to ascites (thyroid hormones, hematocrit value, erythrocyte osmotic fragility and right ventricle-to-total ventricle ratio (RV/TV) were measured. Results showed that there were no influences on broilers’ growth performance. On the other hand, hematocrit value, T4, T3/T4 and RV/TV were significantly decreased by using herbal plants compared with the control, but no significant changes were observed on erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) among the treatments. The results of this study suggested that herbal plants have beneficial effects in reducing ascites in broilers.
S.H. Mirdehghan; S. Zeidabadi; H.R. Roosta
Abstract
Improvement of quality and storage life of cut flowers is one of the most important subjects in postharvest and floriculture industry. In general, cut flowers have a short postharvest life and some treatments could enhance their vase life. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the interaction of ...
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Improvement of quality and storage life of cut flowers is one of the most important subjects in postharvest and floriculture industry. In general, cut flowers have a short postharvest life and some treatments could enhance their vase life. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the interaction of calcium chloride and silver nitrate with essential oils on quality and vase life of rose cut flower cv. Grand Prix in a factorial experiment on the basis of completely randomized design with 3 replications. Rose cut flowers were treated with calcium chloride (1%) and silver nitrate (2 mg/l) for 24 hours and held in solution containing 2 mg/l thyme, savory, ajowan and distilled water (control) + 2% sucrose and kept at 25±3ºC and RH=65±5 % for 9 days. Different parameters including flower weight, flower and stem diameter, wilting of flowers and leaves, uptake of preservative solution and vase life were measured every 3 days during the storage period. The results showed that combination of silver nitrate and thyme was effective in improving the flower weight and diameter of cut roses by increasing the uptake of preservative solution and also reducing the wilting of flowers and leaves. Therefore, the vase life of cut flowers is increased significantly in this treatment compared to control. On contrary, pretreatment with calcium chloride and subsequent maintenance in vegetable oils decreases the quality and vase life of cut flowers by injury to flower stems.
Z. Teymouri Zadeh; Sh. Rahimi; M.A. Karimi Torshizi; R. Omidbaigi
Abstract
This experiment was designed to investigate the comparison of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), coneflower (Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench.), garlic (Allium sativum L.) extracts and virginiamycin antibiotic as growth promoter in poultry industry on performance and carcass characteristics of Broilers. A total ...
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This experiment was designed to investigate the comparison of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), coneflower (Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench.), garlic (Allium sativum L.) extracts and virginiamycin antibiotic as growth promoter in poultry industry on performance and carcass characteristics of Broilers. A total four hundred and eighty 1-day old male broiler (Ross strain) chicks were assigned to the basal diet (control) and basal diet supplemented with 0.15% virginiamycin, 0.1% extracts of thyme (Thymus vulgaris), coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), garlic (Allium sativum) and mixture of extracts with the same dose. At the end of the experiment two chickens from each replication were randomly selected and killed to investigate the weigh of digestive organs and fat pad. There was significant difference in feed conversion ratio (FCR) between the treatments (p0.05). Lowest and highest FCR was related to virginiamycin and coneflower (pThymus vulgaris) (p>0.05). There was no difference in carcass characteristics and fat pad except small intestinal weight. Virginiamycin had the lowest small intestinal weight but the control had the highest (p
