• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.108-114
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• 2015

Curvularia lunata is an important maize foliar fungal pathogen that distributes widely in maize growing area in China, and several key pathogenic factors have been isolated. An yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) library is a very useful platform to further unravel novel pathogenic factors in C. lunata. To construct a high-quality full length-expression cDNA library from the C. lunata for application to pathogenesis-related protein-protein interaction screening, total RNA was extracted. The SMART (Switching Mechanism At 5' end of the RNA Transcript) technique was used for cDNA synthesis. Double-stranded cDNA was ligated into the pGADT7-Rec vector with Herring Testes Carrier DNA using homologous recombination method. The ligation mixture was transformed into competent yeast AH109 cells to construct the primary cDNA library. Eventually, a high qualitative library was successfully established according to an evaluation on quality. The transformation efficiency was about $6.39{\times}10^5$ transformants/$3{\mu}g$ pGADT7-Rec. The titer of the primary cDNA library was $2.5{\times}10^8cfu/mL$. The numbers for the cDNA library was $2.46{\times}10^5$. Randomly picked clones show that the recombination rate was 88.24%. Gel electrophoresis results indicated that the fragments ranged from 0.4 kb to 3.0 kb. Melanin synthesis protein Brn1 (1,3,8-hydroxynaphthalene reductase) was used as a "bait" to test the sufficiency of the Y2H library. As a result, a cDNA clone encoding VelB protein that was known to be involved in the regulation of diverse cellular processes, including control of secondary metabolism containing melanin and toxin production in many filamentous fungi was identified. Further study on the exact role of the VelB gene is underway.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.849-855
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• 2019

Objective: This study was conducted to compare growth performance, nutrient digestibility and meat quality of broilers fed a genetically modified organism (GMO) diet or a non-GMO diet. Methods: A total of 840 broilers with an initial body weight of 43.03 g per chick were randomly allocated into 1 of the following 2 dietary treatments lasted for 32 days (15 broilers per pen with 28 replicates per treatment): i) Trt 1, GMO maize-soybean meal based diet; ii) Trt 2, non-GMO maize soybean meal based diet. Both diets were maize-soybean meal diets. The GMO qualitative analysis, proximate analysis and amino acid analysis of the feed ingredient samples were carried out. Diets were formulated based on a nutrient matrix derived from analysis results. Growth performance was measured on day 0, 7, 17, and 32. And all other response criteria were measured on day 32. Results: The analysis results showed that the total Lys, Met, Thr of non-GMO grains were lower than that of GMO grains, the protein content of GMO soybean meal was higher than that of non-GMO soybean meal. Feed intake and feed conversion rate (FCR) were greater (p<0.05) in broilers provided with non-GMO diet than that of the GMO group from d 17 to 32. A decrease in FCR was observed in birds fed the GMO diet through the entire experiment (p<0.05). No significant impacts on blood profile, meat quality and nutrient digestibility were found in response to dietary treatments throughout the experimental period (p>0.05). Conclusion: These results indicated that non-GMO diet showed a negative effect on growth performance but nutrient digestibility, blood profile, carcass weight and meat quality were not affected by non-GMO diets.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 1998

Physicochemical properties of waxy maize starch and oxidized waxy maize starch with sodium hypochlorite $(0{\sim}60\;mg\;CL_2/g\;starch,40^{\circ}C,\;pH\;10,\;3.0\;hr)$ were studied. As sodium hypochlorite concentration was increased, the content of crude lipid and crude protein of the oxidized starch were decreased. And crude protein content and whiteness was considered to show negative regression. However, the crude ash content of the oxidized starch increased significantly with oxidation and bore a positive regression to the chlorine content. There was a progressive increase in the carboxyl content with increasing oxidant level. After pasting in hot water and cooling, viscosity of the oxidized starches were drastically lower than that of native starch . As carboxyl contents of the oxidized starch increased, the solubility and swelling power was increased. When waxy maize starch treated with 0, 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0% sodium hypochlorite, temperature of initial gelatinization of oxidized starch was shown to 65, 65, 60 and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. The oxidized waxy maize starches also form clearer pastes. Water binding capacity of the oxidized starch decreased as the degree of carboxyl group substitution increased. Waxy maize starch has polygonal and some round granules which range from about 3.7 to $20\;{\mu}m$ in diameter. Surface appearance of the waxy maize starch became rough when oxidized with sodium hypochlorite. When homogenate of the oxidized waxy maize starch solution and corn germ oil was stored under room temperature for 24 hours, the emulsion stability was considered to depend on starch concentration and degree of substitution.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.781-790
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• 2011

The effects of seedtime and maturity stage on nutritive value of five maize stover varieties, including conventional maize (Kexiangyu 11, CM), fodder maize (Huqing 1, FM), high oil maize (Gaoyou 115, HOM), sweet maize (Kexiangtianyu 1, SM) and waxy maize (Kexiangluoyu 1, WM), were examined based on chemical composition, in vitro gas production and in situ incubation techniques. Maize stover was sampled at d 17 and d 30 after tasseling, and designated as maturity stage 1 and stage 2, respectively. The average dry matter (DM) organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP) and fiber contents were the greatest for HOM, SM and FM, respectively. CM had the highest in vitro organic matter disappearance (IVOMD) and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration. The highest ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) concentration in the incubation solution, and effective degradability of DM ($ED_{DM}$) and neutral detergent fiber ($ED_{NDF}$) were observed in SM. Advanced maturity stage increased (p<0.05) DM content, $ED_{DM}$ and $ED_{NDF}$, but decreased (p<0.05) OM and CP contents, and decreased (p<0.05) b and a+b values, IVOMD and molar proportion of valerate in the incubation solution for maize stover. Maize sown in summer had greater (p<0.05) OM content, but lower DM, CP, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) content compared with maize sown in spring. Maize sown in summer had greater (p<0.001) IVOMD, $NH_3$-N concentration in the incubation solution and $ED_{NDF}$, but lower (p<0.01) ratio of acetate to propionate compared to maize sown in spring. The interaction effect of variety${\times}$seedtime was observed running through almost all chemical composition, in vitro gas production parameters and in situ DM and NDF degradability. The overall results suggested that SM had the highest nutrient quality, and also indicated the possibility of selecting maize variety and seedtime for the utilization of maize stover in ruminants.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2016

This study aimed of effects of replacing maize with rice or brown rice on laying performance, egg quality, and apparent fecal digestibility of nutrient in Hy-Line Brown laying hens. A total of 200, 25-week old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly assigned to one of 5 treatments, each of which was replicated 4 times. Four experimental diets that were formulated two different grains (brown rice or rice) with two inclusion levels of (15 and 30%) as a replacement of maize. The experimental period was 8 weeks. During the experiment, hens were provided with feed and water ad libitum and were exposed to a 16:8=L:D lighting schedule. There were no differences in feed intake, egg weight, and egg mass during the 8 weeks of the feeding trial among groups. However, hen-day egg production was greater (P<0.05) for Brown rice treatment groups than that for basal and rice treatment groups. In addition, the supplementation of brown rice or rice did not have an effect on eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, and HU during of the feeding trial (Table 4). However, egg yolk color was less (P<0.05) for basal treatment groups than that for among treatment group. ATTD of dry matter (DM) and crude fat were greater (P<0.05) for brown rice 15 treatment than for rice 30 treatment. Crude protein (CP) was greater (P<0.05) for brown rice 15 treatment than for basal treatment. In conclusion, brown rice or rice grains is a good alternative energy feedstuff and can be used in laying hens, totally replacing maize, without any negative effect on the laying performance, egg quality, and nutrient digestibility.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.588-597
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• 2020

This study was conducted to secure basic information for corn processing by comparing the quality characteristics according to maize cultivars and kernel types (dent, intermediate, flint-like). As a result of analyzing 15 cultivars, a range of measurements were observed: 100-kernel weight, 22.89~35.63 g; moisture, 7.57~8.42%; crude protein, 8.46~11.45%; crude lipids, 3.26~4.83%; Hunter's L-value, 83.70~86.79; a-value, 2.61~5.49; b-value, 22.01~28.15; and total carotenoids, 6.74~17.07 ㎍/g. Significance among the cultivars was shown in all quality characteristics (p<0.001), but the significance among the kernel types was found only in crude protein (p<0.005), crude fat (p<0.001), and Hunter's L-value (p<0.05). The hardness of maize was decreased proportionally to the soaking time for all maize cultivars (p<0.001). In particular, with the same soaking time for different kernel types, the hardness difference was shown in the order of flint-like > dent ≒ intermediate. It was confirmed that the decrease in the hardness of flint-like kernel of close to that of hard-type starch was slowed compare dent and intermediate kernels. So it is expected the some characteristic of kernel types will contribute to the appropriate customized use of the developed cultivars.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.1271-1282
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of either maize or sulla silage supplementation to grazing dairy cows in summer. Forage mixtures used in the four week trial were based on previous experimental results but inclusion of rumen fistulated cows in five treatments enabled rumen sampling and use of in sacco incubations to determine the diet effects on digestion kinetics. Sulla and maize silages were used to supplement pasture and to meet minimum requirements for dietary protein concentration. Five groups of ten cows were grazed on a restricted daily allowance of 18 kg dry matter (DM) pasture/cow to simulate a summer pasture deficit, and four of these five groups received an additional 6 kg DM $cow^{-1}d^{-1}$ of silage (sulla, maize, or sulla and maize silages). A sixth group was given a relatively unrestricted (38 kg DM $cow^{-1}d^{-1}$) pasture allowance. The silage mixtures and pasture were incubated in sacco during the final week of the trial. The pasture was of high nutritive value and not typical of usual summer conditions, which favoured a response to quantity rather than quality of silage supplements. There was no difference in cow performance with the four silage supplements and the low milk solids (MS) production (about 1.0 kg $MS\;d^{-1}$) relative to full pasture (1.3 kg $MS\;d^{-1}$) showed the principal limitation to performance was dry matter intake. Milk composition was not affected by silage type and the low level of pasture substitution (0.29) suggested metabolizable energy (ME) was the principal limitation to performance. Samples of rumen liquor and in sacco data demonstrated significant effects of supplement; DM degradation rates (k) was highest ($0.084h^{-1}$) when cows were fed 6 kg sulla silage whereas diets with a high proportion of maize silage were slowly degraded (p<0.01).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.384-388
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• 2003

Twenty yearling lambs of Southeast Nigeria dwarf, liveweight ($18{\pm}1.9 kg$) were grouped into 5 treatments. Dry brewer's grain was substituted for maize offal in the experiment diets namely A to E at 0%, 15%, 30%, 45% and 60% respectively, as supplement to low quality, dry season cassava leaf top and Andropogan gayanus hay at 1:1 ratio that lasted for 56 days. After which 5 of the lambs (average bodyweight=$24.3{\pm}1.5kg$) were transferred to metabolism crates to determine the digestibility and nitrogen/protein balance studies. While the mean group intakes were (945.9, 996.1, 1,040.5, 1,148.5 and 1,037.7 g conc. DM/day), the growth rates were (115.1, 124.1, 152.5, 168.5 and 123.1 g liveweight gain/day), respectively. There was a recorded decline in both intake (p>0.05) and growth rate (p<0.05) as the level of dry brewer's grain was increased beyond 45% of the supplement. Similar trend was observed on the protein and organic matter efficiency ratios (p>0.05) together with the organic matter intake. The urine nitrogen output was also significant (p>0.05). The work further revealed that, at a certain critical level of intake, dry brewer's grain is able to support growth rates measurable to or better than those noted when feeding maize offal to lambs, and went on to prove dry brewer's grain as an attractive supplementary feed for the drier months of the year, in the Southeast of Nigeria.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.245-249
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• 1998

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.), mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilcz.], cowpea [V. unguiculata (L.) Walp.], adzuki bean [V. angularis (Willd.) Ohwi & Ohashi], maize [Zea mays L.], sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], sorghum $\times$ sudangrass [So bicolor intraspecific hybrid], and Japanese millet [Echinochloa crusgalli var. frumentacea (Link) W.F. Wight] were grown at two planting dates (18 June and 15 July) at Cheju in 1997 to select the best forage legumes adapted to Cheju Island for grass-legume forage rotation. Averaged across planting dates and cultivars, dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and total digestible nutrient (TDN) yields were 5,646, 1,056, and 3,637 kg/ha for soybean, 4,458, 676, and 2,661 kg/ha for mungbean, 3,289, 553, and 2,055 kg/ha for cowpea, 3,931, 674, and 2,489 kg/ha for adzuki bean, 12,695, 969, and 7,642 kg/ha for maize, 17,071, 1,260, and 8,857 kg/ha for sorghum, 16,355, 1,163, and 8,543 kg/ha for sorghum $\times$ sudangrass hybrid, and 8,288, 929, and 4,091 kg/ha for Japanese millet. Soybean was higher in CP, ether extract (EE), and TON content but was lower in nitrogen free extract content compared with the three other legumes. The legumes had much higher CP (13.7 to 21.9%), EE (2.42 to 6.23%), and TDN (58.7 to 69.9%) content but lower in crude fiber (CF) content (17.3 to 25.3%) than did the grasses tested except maize which had relatively lower CF content but higher TDN content. These results suggest that soybean could be the best forage legume for grass-legume forage rotation in the Cheju region.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1156-1168
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• 2020

Drought stress is threatening the growth and productivity of many economical crops. Therefore, it is necessary to establish innovative and efficient approaches for improving crop growth and productivity. Here we investigated the potentials of the cell-free extract of Actinobacteria (Ac) isolated from a semi-arid habitat (Al-Jouf region, Saudi Arabia) to recover the reduction in maize growth and improve the physiological stress tolerance induced by drought. Three Ac isolates were screened for production of secondary metabolites, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The isolate Ac3 revealed the highest levels of flavonoids, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in addition to having abilities to produce siderophores and phytohormones. Based on seed germination experiment, the selected bioactive fraction of Ac3 cell-free extract (F2.7, containing mainly isoquercetin), increased the growth and photosynthesis rate under drought stress. Moreover, F2.7 application significantly alleviated drought stress-induced increases in H₂O₂, lipid peroxidation (MDA) and protein oxidation (protein carbonyls). It also increased total antioxidant power and molecular antioxidant levels (total ascorbate, glutathione and tocopherols). F2.7 improved the primary metabolism of stressed maize plants; for example, it increased in several individuals of soluble carbohydrates, organic acids, amino acids, and fatty acids. Interestingly, to reduce stress impact, F2.7 accumulated some compatible solutes including total soluble sugars, sucrose and proline. Hence, this comprehensive assessment recommends the potentials of actinobacterial cell-free extract as an alternative ecofriendly approach to improve crop growth and quality under water deficit conditions.