Variation In Growth Parameters Research Articles

The Potential Effects of Azolla as a Growth Promoter for Labeo rohita Fingerlings

Non-conventional aqua feeds are crucial for promoting sustainability, reducing costs, and minimizing environmental impact in aquaculture, fostering industry growth and addressing environmental concerns. The 60 days experiment was conducted for the introduction of Azolla into the diet of Labeo rohita fingerlings resulted in significant variations (p<0.05) in several growth parameters, including percentage weight gain, percentage length gain, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and survival rate. While no significant difference in FCR was observed among treatments during the initial 0 to 45-day interval, a notable disparity emerged between 45 to 60 days, with the highest FCR recorded in T3 and the lowest in T3. Similarly, although there were no significant differences in SGR among treatments at various intervals, the highest SGR was observed in T3, while the lowest was in T1. Furthermore, percentages of weight increment were significantly different between the intervals of 15-30 days and 30-45 days, with the highest percentage gain observed in T3 and the lowest in T1. Likewise, percentages of length increment showed significant differences between the intervals of 15-30 days, with T1 exhibiting the highest percentage gain and T1 the lowest. The survival rate % of different treatments at the end of the experiment varied, with T3 showing the highest survival rate and T0 the lowest. Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences in percent length gain, percent weight gain, SGR, and FCR among the treatments. These findings underscore the complex interplay between fish species, feed nutrients, additives, and rearing conditions on the growth process of Labeo rohita fingerlings. The observed variations in growth parameters highlight the potential of Azolla as a growth promoter in aquaculture practices. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving these effects and to optimize Azolla supplementation protocols for enhanced growth performance and sustainability in Labeo rohita aquaculture.

Influence of salinity, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of two Chlorophyceae isolated from Fez freshwater, Morocco

Microalgae are widely exploited for numerous biotechnology applications, including biofuels. In this context, Chlamydomonas debaryana and Chlorococcum sp. were isolated from Fez freshwater (Morocco), and their growth and lipid and carbohydrate production were assessed at different concentrations of NaCl, NaNO3, and K2HPO4. The results indicate a small positive variation in growth parameters linked to nutrient enrichment, with no considerable variation in carbohydrate and lipid levels in both algae. Moreover, a negative variation was recorded at increased salinity and nutrient limitation, accompanied by lipid and carbohydrate accumulation. Chlorococcum sp. showed better adaptation to salt stress below 200 mM NaCl. Furthermore, its growth and biomass productivity were strongly reduced by nitrogen depletion, and its lipid production reached 47.64% DW at 3.52 mM NaNO3. As for Chlamydomonas debaryana, a substantial reduction in growth was induced by nutrient depletion, a maximal carbohydrate level was produced at less than 8.82 mM NaNO3 (40.59% DW). The effect of phosphorus was less significant. However, a concentration of 0.115 mM K2HPO4 increased lipid and carbohydrate content without compromising biomass productivity. The results suggest that growing the two Chlorophyceae under these conditions seems interesting for biofuel production, but the loss of biomass requires a more efficient strategy to maximize lipid and carbohydrate accumulation without loss of productivity.

Growth and survival of milkfish (Chanos chanos), tiger prawns (Panaeus monodon), and oysters (Crassostrea sp.) in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system with varying stocking densities

Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture System (IMTA) is a sustainable approach to aquaculture, utilizing ecosystem dynamics by integrating various species. This study examined the growth and survival of milkfish (Chanos chanos), tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon), and oysters (Crassostrea spp.) in IMTA systems with different stocking densities. A 30-day experiment using a nonfactorial-completely randomized design with four treatments and three replications was conducted. The results showed that the implementation of IMTA had no significant impact on the survival rate of milkfish, tiger prawns or oysters in all treatments. However, important variations in growth parameters were observed. Milkfish and tiger prawns showed the highest weight and length gain in treatment B, followed by treatments A, C, and D. Similarly, oysters showed optimal growth in treatment B, followed by A, C, and D, based on weight gain, length, width, and shell thickness. Throughout the study, the physicochemical parameters of the water remained within acceptable ranges, thus supporting ideal growth conditions for the cultured species. These findings underscore the potential of IMTA to increase aquaculture productivity while upholding the principles of environmental sustainability. By optimizing stocking density and encouraging species diversity, IMTA presents a promising avenue for advancing integrated aquaculture practices, in line with the FAO's blue economy concept and ecosystem approach to aquaculture. Future research should concentrate on refining the IMTA system and evaluating its long-term ecological and economic consequences.

Quantitative analysis of [formula omitted] thin film micrographs with machine learning

Isolating the features associated with different materials growth conditions is important to facilitate the tuning of these conditions for effective materials growth and characterization. This study presents machine learning models for classifying atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of thin film MoS2 based on their growth temperatures. By employing nine different algorithms and leveraging transfer learning through a pretrained ResNet model, we identify an effective approach for accurately discerning the characteristics related to growth temperature within the AFM micrographs. Robust models with test accuracies of up to 70% were obtained, with the best performing algorithm being an end-to-end ResNet fine-tuned on our image domain. Class activation maps and occlusion attribution reveal that crystal quality and domain boundaries play crucial roles in classification, with models exhibiting the ability to identify latent features that humans could potentially miss. Overall, the models demonstrated high accuracy in identifying thin films grown at different temperatures despite limited and imbalanced training data as well as variation in growth parameters besides temperature, showing that our models and training protocols are suitable for this and similar predictive tasks for accelerated 2D materials characterization.

(Invited) Application of 3D in-Situ X-Ray Visualization to Track the Formation of Dislocation Clusters during PVT Growth of SiC

SiC has become the key player among wide bandgap semiconductors for power electronic applications. Since the first description of the physical vapour transport (PVT) growth process of SiC by Tairov and Tsvetkov (J. Crystal Growth, 43, 209(1978)), there has been steady progress in SiC-based crystal growth, epitaxy and device processing. The success of SiC compared to Si is related to its superior material properties such as extremely high electrical breakdown field and high thermal conductivity compared to the standard silicon counterpart. In addition, SiC device processing utilises much of the standard Si processing equipment. A major reason for the success of SiC in power electronic applications compared to other wide bandgap counterparts such as GaN, Ga2O3 and diamond is related to the availability of large diameter SiC wafer materials (150mm = standard, 200mm = developped). Bulk SiC growth is now a very well developed process with comparatively high yields. The extraordinary physical properties also include obstacles related to the strong chemical bonding and complex phase diagram of the material, which pose challenges to the growth process. Therefore, there are still a number of open questions related to the nucleation, progression and termination of the bulk growth process that require fundamental research in materials science and technology.The aim of this presentation is (i) to give an overview of the state-of-the-art PVT growth process and (ii) to discuss a current research topic dealing with the early stage of the growth process and the defect formation that can occur during the initial nucleation of SiC. We have applied 3D in-situ visualisation of the growth process using X-ray computed tomography to visualise island formation on the large seeding area. These data are related to growth process instabilities such as temperature variations during the seeding process and axial doping level changes from the seed to the newly grown crystal. Both process instabilities induce mechanical stress on the SiC lattice and act as sources for dislocation generation and multiplication. We will show a series of growth processes with varying growth parameters that shed light on the initial growth stage of SiC.As the crystal diameter of SiC increases from 150 mm to 200 mm, the results of this study become increasingly important.

Understanding interfacial conductance in non-stoichimetric Ca x Ta y O3−δ /SrTiO3

In search of novel conducting oxide heterointerfaces, we previously uncovered an distinctive quasi two-dimensional electron gas (q-2DEG) type behaviour in non-stoichimetric CaxTayO3-δ/SrTiO3 heterostructure. However, the underlying mechanism remained enigmatic. In this study, we delve into the intricate interplay of growth conditions, stoichiometry, and transport properties of these heterostructures. Using (Ca0.5TaO3)2 Target and the pulsed laser deposition technique, we grow the epitaxial thin films while systematically varying growth parameters, inculding laser energy density, oxygen pressures, and post-deposition annealing. Structural analysis unveiled a notable presence of oxygen vacancies in the as-grown films, while annealed samples exhibited an oxygen surplus. Building upon these findings, our comprehensive charge transport measurements revealed that while oxygen vacancies do contribute to conductivity, the polar catastrophe model takes precedence as the primary source of interfacial conductance in these heterostructures. This study provides valueable insights into the behavior of these innovative heterostructures, paving the way for future advancements in the field.

Self-regulating plasma-assisted growth of epitaxial BaBiO3 thin-film on SrTiO3-buffered Si(001) substrate

The BaBiO3 perovskite oxide is an interesting material system because of its superconductivity when p-doped and the predicted topological insulating nature when n-doped. Single crystalline BaBiO3 films are grown by molecular beam epitaxy with high quality utilizing the adsorption-controlled regime, where volatile Bi is supplied in excess in the presence of oxygen radicals. BaBiO3 films are integrated on Si(001) substrates through growth on a SrTiO3(001) buffer layer. Despite the 11.77% lattice mismatch, by systematically varying growth parameters, such as plasma conditions, substrate temperature, and metallic fluxes, a growth window for the BaBiO3 is well-established. Within the optimum growth window, films are stoichiometric and of high crystalline quality based on the different physical characterization techniques. The development of robust layers is facilitated by accessing the self-regulating regime, where only the stoichiometric quantity of Bi sticks during the epitaxy.

Characterization of protrusions and stacking faults in 3C-SiC grown by sublimation epitaxy using 3C-SiC-on-Si seeding layers

In this article, sublimation growth of 3C-SiC on 3C-SiC-on-Si seeding layers was evaluated by characterizing the densities of protrusions and stacking faults (SF). Both defects are among the most critical concerning the growth process and the realization of high quality material for device applications. By variation of growth parameters like temperature, growth rate and 3C-SiC-thickness we conducted a series of experiments and characterized these layers by optical microscopy and KOH etching. The protrusion density is predetermined by the seeding layers and was kept at a constant level, whereas a decrease of SF-density was observed with increasing layer thickness during subsequent sublimation growth steps. Therefore, in the case of Sublimation Epitaxy (SE) it has been found appropriate to distinguish between defects that can be reduced during SE and defects that are merely reproduced from the seeding material during sublimation growth. Furthermore, a weak trend towards a decrease of SF-density with increasing growth temperature was observed. The findings in this work demonstrates the potential of SE in growing thick and high-quality 3C-SiC layers if sufficiently good seeding layers were available. Copyright © 2017 VBRI Press.

Seasonal Changes of Length-Weight Relationships and Condition Factor of Three Fish Species from the Tanoe-Ehy Swamp Forest (Côte d’Ivoire)

Aims: The Tanoe-Ehy swamp forest (TESF) is a freshwater swampy area characterized by seasonal variation of environmental parameters and fish diversity. So, the aim of this study was to analyze seasonal variations of growth parameters and condition factors of the three abundant species.
 Methodology: Specimens were collected by using gill nets and fyke nets, measured and weighed. Length-weight relationship (LWR), Fulton’s condition (KF) and relative condition (KR) factors were analyzed from Standard Length (SL) and body weight (BW).
 Results: The Standard Length of Clarias buettikoferi, Thysochromis ansorgii and Parachana obscura varied between 9.50 and 29.30 cm, 4.60 and 11.50 cm, 10.70 and 29.30 cm, respectively. The growth type of population was allometric negative for C. buettikoferi and P. obscura and isometric for T. ansorgii. In terms of seasonal variation, C. buettikoferi females and P. obscura specimens exhibited isometric growth in dry seasons (DS) against a negative allometric growth in flooded seasons (FS). In contrast, female and combined sex specimens of T. ansorgii showed positive allometric growth in DS and isometric growth type in FS. KR varied between 0.76 and 2.02 and was significantly higher in FS than in DS, indicating a state of well-being during flooded seasons in the 3 species.
 Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between length with weight and both condition factor for the three species. This study provided the first data about fish body measurements in the TESF and concluded that LWRs and condition factors of the three fish species were strongly influenced by seasonal variations in hydrological conditions.

Variation in winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) growth parameters, seed yield, nodulation, and nitrogen fixation

Abstract. Adegboyega TT, Abberton MT, Abdelgadir AH, Mahamadi D, Olaniyi OA, Ofodile S, Babalola OO. 2021. Variation in winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) growth parameters, seed yield, nodulation, and nitrogen fixation. Asian J Agric 5: 61-71. Underutilized legumes are widely distributed in tropical agriculture and associated with low yield. Thus they have not really been fully explored due to lack of research investment, breeding programs targeting crop improvement, marketing, and low awareness of nutritional benefits. This study was conducted to determine the variation in growth parameters, seed yield, nodulation, and nitrogen fixation in winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) germplasms. High genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variances were observed in traits evaluated. The combined analysis of variance for five variables of 25-winged bean accessions showed that replication by year interaction was statistically significant (p ? 0.0001) for nodule parameters and dry shoot weight while it was not significant (p = > 0.05) for dry root weight, and total biomass. Significant variations (p = ? 0.05) were observed among the accessions on some growth parameters. The genetic variability of winged beans could be carefully exploited to provide higher grain yield, as well as other economic and important traits to boost food security and conservation of the plant genetic materials.

Early postnatal growth and subsequent neurodevelopment in children delivered at term: The ELFE cohort study.

Despite the limited evidence, accelerated early postnatal growth (EPG) is commonly believed to benefit neurodevelopment for term-born infants, especially those small for gestational age. To investigate the existence of critical time windows in the association of EPG with neurodevelopment, considering birth size groups. In the French ELFE birth cohort, 12,854 term-born neonates were classified as small, appropriate or large for gestational age (SGA, AGA, LGA, respectively). Parents reported their child's development by using the Child Development Inventory (CDI-score) at age 12months and the MacArthur-Bates Development Inventory (MAB-score; 100score units) assessing language ability at age 24months. Predictions of individual weight, body mass index (BMI), length, and head circumference (HC) from birth to age 24months were obtained from repeated measurements fitted with the Jenss-Bayley mixed-effects model. For each infant, conditional gains (CG) in these growth parameters were generated at four-time points (3, 6, 12 and 24months) representing specific variations in growth parameters during 0-3, 3-6, 6-12, 12-24months, independent of previous measures. Using multivariable linear regression models, we provided the estimate differences of the neurodevelopmental scores according to variation of each growth parameter CG, by birth size group. For SGA infants, the MAB-score differed by 5.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.2, 11.8), 6.7 (95% CI -0.1, 13.3), and 9.7 (95% CI 1.9, 17.5) score units when CG in BMI, weight, and HC at 3months varied from -2 to 1standard deviation, respectively. For all infants, MAB-score was linearly and positively associated with length conditional gains at 12months, with stronger magnitude for SGA infants. Results for the CDI-score were overall consistent with those for MAB-score. For term-born SGA infants, moderate catch-up in HC, BMI and weight within the first 3months of life may benefit later neurodevelopment, which could guide clinicians to monitor EPG.

The improved inverted AlGaAs/GaAs interface: its relevance for high-mobility quantum wells and hybrid systems

Two dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) realized at GaAs/AlGaAs single interfaces by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) reach mobilities of about 15 million cm2 V s−1 if the AlGaAs alloy is grown after the GaAs. Surprisingly, the mobilities may drop to a few millions for the identical but inverted AlGaAs/GaAs interface, i.e. reversed layering. Here we report on a series of inverted heterostructures with varying growth parameters including temperature, doping, and composition. Minimizing the segregation of both dopants and background impurities leads to mobilities of 13 million cm2 V s−1 for inverted structures. The dependence of the mobility on electron density tuned by a gate or by illumination is found to be the identical if no doping layers exist between the 2DEG and the respective gate. Otherwise, it differs significantly compared to normal interface structures. Reducing the distance of the 2DEG to the surface down to 50 nm requires an additional doping layer between 2DEG and surface in order to compensate for the surface-Schottky barrier. The suitability of such shallow inverted structures for future semiconductor-superconductor hybrid systems is discussed. Lastly, our understanding of the improved inverted interface enables us to produce optimized double-sided doped quantum wells exhibiting an electron mobility of 40 million cm2 V s−1 at 1 K.

Fundamental Understanding of Tea Growth and Modeling of Precise Tea Shoot Picking Based on 3-D Coordinate Instrument

Tea is a popular beverage worldwide and also has great medical value. A fundamental understanding of tea shoot growth and a precision picking model should be established to realize mechanized picking of tea shoots with a small product loss. Accordingly, the terminal bud length (Lbud), tea stem length (Lstem), terminal bud angle (αbud), tea stem angle (αstem), and growth time (t) were considered as the key growth parameters; the sum of the vertical lengths of the terminal bud and stem (ξ), the picking radius (r), and the vertical length of the stem (Zstem) were considered as the picking indexes of the tea shoots. The variations in growth parameters with time were investigated using a 3-D coordinate instrument, and the relationships between the growth parameters and the picking indexes were established using an artificial neural network (ANN). The results indicated that the tea growth cycles for periods P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, and P6 were 14, 7, 6, 4, 4, and 6 d, respectively. A growth cycle diagram of the tea growth was established. Moreover, a 5-2-12-3 ANN model was developed. The best prediction of ξ, r, and Zstem was found with 16 training epochs. The MSE value was 0.0923 × 10−4, and the R values for the training, test, and validation data were 0.99976, 0.99871, and 0.99857, respectively, indicating that the established ANN model demonstrates excellent performance in predicting the picking indexes of tea shoots.

Biosurfactant assisted design treatments for remediation of petroleum contaminated soil and metabolomics based interactive study with Brassica nigra L

Soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons has been considered as a serious problem for more than two decades, as it inhibits microbial population, soil enzymatic activity and exhibits abiotic stress in plants as well as affects their metabolites. In the present study, a novel and effective treatments for managing petroleum contaminated soil has been developed. The design treatments were grouped in five classes (T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5) which include petroleum contaminated soil, cow dung, cow urine and crude biosurfactant in various concentrations. After, 90 days of treatment the soils of each group were screened for microbial population dynamics, enzymatic activity, oil reduction assay, SEM and FTIR analysis. The treated soils were further employed for growing Brassica nigra L and targeted metabolomics based approach study was executed to demonstrate the effect of the treatments on the chlorophyll metabolites. The results revealed that treatments (T1, T2, T3 and T4) enhanced the microbial population dynamics and enzymatic activity of the soil with maximum 67% oil reduction in the treatment T1 (600 g Petroleum Contaminated Soil + 400 g Cow Dung + 200 ml Cow Urine + 50 ml crude Biosurfactant + 250 ml Water). Further, the results of growth parameters and targeted metabolomics based model study complemented the effectiveness of the design treatments as variation of growth parameters and chlorophyll metabolites were observed. Hence, the treatments and metabolomics model developed and can be applied commercially as an effective way for the restoration of petroleum contaminated wastelands .

Phytofabrication of cupric oxide nanoparticles using Simarouba glauca and Celastrus paniculatus extracts and their enhanced apoptotic inducing and anticancer effects

Cupric oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were phytofabricated utilizing leaf extract of Simarouba glauca and aerial extract of Celastrus paniculatus and are considered to hold excellent anticancer capability. Synthesized CuO NPs were characterized for their morphology, crystallinity, and structure. The presence of functional groups of phytochemicals on synthesized nanoparticles was validated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) examination reveal the uniform distribution of particles and the average particle size is 35 nm. The anticancer activities on MCF-7 and HT-29 cell lines revealed that CuO NPs synthesized using leaf extract of S. glauca (CuO-SG) induced cell death with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 107.56 µg/mL and 208.57 µg/mL, while CuO NPs synthesized using the aerial extract of C. paniculatus (CuO-CP) indicated IC50 values of 97.39 µg/mL and 205.11 µg/mL, respectively. To be more precise for anti-cancerous effect, the molecular mechanism was examined in MCF-7 cell line treated with CuO-CP NPs by cell cycle analysis that depicted 75.28% of cell arrest in Sub G0/G1 phase and 71.29% of cells were gated in the late apoptotic phase of Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) compared to control cells. The present work reports in vivo antitumor studies of CuO-CP NPs against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) bearing C57 mice for the first time and was examined by variations in growth parameters, biochemical assays, hematological profile, and histopathological analysis. CuO-CP NPs could eliminate oxidants like lactoperoxidase and myeloperoxidase, stimulate reduced glutathione, restore the hematological profile and increase the life span of tumor-bearing mice treated by them in comparison with control.

Effect of three commercial floating fish feeds on survival and growth performance of juvenile African catfish (Clarias gariepinus )

There is paucity of information regarding efficiency and suitability of most imported floating feeds used for growing catfish in Nigeria. This study therefore determined proximate compositions of three commercial floating fish feeds (Vital Feed, Top Feed and Allier Aqua Feed) and their effects on growth parameters when fed to juvenile African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). 65 litre capacity rectangular plastic tanks were stocked with healthy juveniles catfish of similar average weight were fed with these feeds for a period of 56 days (8weeks at the rate of 20 fish per tank. A triplicate trial was maintained for each feed, totalling nine tanks in all and 60 fish per feed. The tanks were labelled based on the type of feed. The rearing water quality parameters were monitored throughout the experiment. The results indicated that catfish fed with Top Feed had significantly (p80%) were observed in all groups while water quality parameters were not affected due to the feed offered. The results of the proximate composition attested to the fact that feed with high protein and lipid contents results in better fish growth i.e. Top feeds with high protein (45.16±2.73) and Allier Aqua with high (13.00±2.11) content. Variations in growth parameters and estimated cost of feeding observed in the present study imply that catfish that catfish farmers should exercise great caution in selecting commercial floating feeds for their fish since these feeds produce different growth effects on fish.

Dynamic graphitization of ultra-nano-crystalline diamond and its effects on material resistivity

Detailed structural and electrical properties of ultra-nano-crystalline diamond (UNCD) films grown in H2/CH4/N2 plasma were systematically studied as a function of deposition temperature (Td) and nitrogen content (% N2) to thoroughly evaluate their effects on resistivity. It was found that even the films grown with no nitrogen in the synthetic gas mixture could be made as conductive as 10−2 Ω cm. The overall resistivity of all the films was tunable over 4 orders of magnitude through varying growth parameters. On a set of 27 samples, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy show a progressive and highly reproducible material phase transformation from ultra-nano-crystalline diamond to nano-crystalline graphite as deposition temperature increases. The rate of this transformation is heavily dependent on the N2 content estimated by secondary ion mass spectroscopy. The addition of nitrogen greatly increases the amount of sp2 bonded carbon in the films, thus enhancing the physical connectivity in the grain boundary (GB) network that has high electronic density of states. However, the addition of nitrogen greatly slows down crystallization of the sp2 phase in the GBs compromising electron transport. Therefore, the proper balance between GB connectivity and crystallinity is the key in resistivity engineering of UNCD.

Changes in prey, turbidity, and competition reduce somatic growth and cause the collapse of a fish population

AbstractSomatic growth exerts strong control on patterns in the abundance of animal populations via effects on maturation, fecundity, and survival rates of juveniles and adults. In this paper, we quantify abiotic and biotic drivers of rainbow trout growth in the Colorado River, Arizona, USA, and the resulting impact on spatial and temporal variation in abundance. Inferences are based on ~10,000 observations of individual growth rates obtained through an intensive mark–recapture effort conducted over 5 yrs (2012–2016) in a 130‐km long study segment downstream of Glen Canyon Dam. Prey availability, turbidity‐driven feeding efficiency, and intraspecific competition were the dominant drivers of rainbow trout growth. Discharge, water temperature, and solar insulation were also evaluated but had a smaller influence. Mixed‐effect models explained 79–82% of the variability in observed growth rates, with fixed covariate effects explaining 79–87% of the total variation in growth parameters across five reaches and 18 quarterly sampling intervals. Reductions in growth owing in part to a phosphorous‐driven decline in prey availability, led to a substantive loss in mass and poor fish condition. This in turn lowered survival rates and delayed maturation, which led to a rapid decline in abundance and later recruitments. Reductions in feeding efficiency, due to episodic inputs of fine sediment from tributaries, and warmer water temperatures, contributed to reduced growth in downstream reaches, which led to more severe declines in abundance. Somatic growth rates increased following the population collapse due to reduced competition, and in the absence of substantive increases in prey availability. Our study elucidates important linkages between abiotic and biotic factors, somatic growth, and vital rates, and demonstrates how variation in somatic growth influences temporal and spatial patterns in abundance.

Evaluation of various selections on growth, flowering, yield and quality in papaya

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the different selections along with Pusa Dwarf as a check for growth, flowering, yield and quality traits in papaya. The experiment was conducted at Fruit Research Station, Madhadi bag farm, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, JAU, Junagadh (Gujarat). The study revealed that the maximum number of fruits per plants (36.38) and fruit yield (33.81 kg/pl. & 84.52 ton/ha) were noted in Selection-4 (GJP-1). The bearing height is good shine and the check vareity Pusa Dwarf performed with lowest bearing height, but was found at par with Selection-4 (GJP-1). Variation in growth parameters was found significant and lowest plant height and maximum number of leaves/plant were recorded in Pusa Dwarf, while, highest stem girth was noted in Selection-6, but they were observed at par with Selection-4 (GJP-1). Flowering is the main object of plant to target the yield. Significantly the lowest days to flowering was noted in Selection-1 but maturity in Selection-4 (GJP-1). Maximum number of female flower /node was registered in Selection-3, whereas, highest length of pistilate flower, staminate flower and male flower stalk were noted in Selection-6, however, all were found at par with Selection-4(GJP-1). Among the various physical parameters studied, highest fruit length & weight (25.02 cm & 1832 g) were noted in Selection-6, whereas, highest fruit girth (47.3 cm) was noted in Pusa Dwarf but was observed at par with Selection-4 (GJP-1). It was also performed better for highest pulp weight (1327.93 g) and pulp seed ratio (1230.56). Likewise, highest pulp-peel ratio (5.74) was noted in Selection-8, but lowest peel weight (166.10 g) and seed weight (63.63 g) were registered in Selection-2 & 7. In the present study, Selection-6 & 4 (GJP-1) established its supremacy in quality parameters viz., TSS, total sugars, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar over the other varieties. The organolaptic parameters have also great significant to judge the prefarability of the vareity. Highest score of pulp color and taste were noted in Selection-6 & 5, respectively, whereas, the highest flavor, texture and over all acceptibility were registerd in Selection-2, however, it was found at par with Selection-4 (GJP-1). Fruit firmness and shelf life of the fruit is also an important feature which enhances the more market price for longer period due to good keeping quality. Highest fruit firmness and shelf life were noted in Selection-7. Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV) is the major devastating disease of papaya. The result was also observed significant and lowest PRSV infestation was noted in Selection-4 (GJP-1).

Sexual maturity and fertility-related measures in young Nellore bulls receiving long-term dietary supplementation with rumen-protected polyunsaturated fatty acids

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of long-term supplementation with rumen-protected fatty acids (FA) on growth and reproductive parameters of young Nellore bulls in a grazing regime. Forty-eight young bulls were distributed into two groups: FA (supplemented with rumen-protected polyunsaturated FA); and control (control fat-free supplement). The animals were supplemented from 14.3 to 24.6 months of age and growth and reproductive parameters were evaluated at 28-day intervals. The semen was cryopreserved in the last collection and fresh and post-thaw semen samples were evaluated. Feeding FA did not affect (P > 0.05) growth, reproductive parameters (scrotal circumference, sperm concentration per mL of ejaculate, percentage of sperm defects, sperm quality and fertility in vitro), or testicular ultrasonographic characteristics. However, thawed semen from bulls fed FA exhibited better quality (P < 0.05) than control semen for the following parameters evaluated by computer-assisted sperm analysis: average path velocity [μm/s: 90.48 vs. 79.66 post-thaw and 74.81 vs. 72.80 post-rapid thermoresistance test (TRT)], straight-line velocity (μm/s: 72.37 vs. 65.20 post-thaw and 64.96 vs. 63.25 post-TRT), and curvilinear velocity (μm/s: 148.44 vs. 131.31 post-thaw and 115.68 vs. 113.35 post-TRT). In addition, feeding FA increased peripheral concentrations of testosterone, leptin, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein. In conclusion, the increase in testosterone concentrations in bulls fed FA was not related to variations in growth parameters and sexual maturity. In addition, post-thawing sperm velocities were enhanced by diet, however, such increases were not related to better in vitro embryo production rates.