JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE
Year:2007 | Volume:9 | Issue:2|Papers Count:10

The follicle arrangement and secondary to primary follicle ratio (S/P) were studied in the skin of nine male and nine female Markhoz goats breed from one week to 16 weeks of age. The skin samples were taken from mid-side area of each animal in nine stages every other week. The follicles were arranged in groups, predominantly including three primary and several secondary follicles. Each primary follicle associated with sudoiferous gland, bilobed sebaceous gland and erector pili muscle and each secondary follicle associated with only monolobed (and some bilobed) sebaceous gland. The mean of S/P ratio was significantly different in different stages (except stages six and seven) (P£0.05). The maximum SIP ratio was observed at 16 weeks after birth. Effect of sex and interaction of sex and age on S/P ratio was not significant (P > 0.05).

Isolates of A. flavus obtained from different feeds such as corn, barley, wheat, cotton seed, bread waste, soybean, alfalfa, wheat bran, barley meal, canola meal, corn silage and beet pulp from nine dairy farms in Tehran province during 2004. Ability of sclerotiom production by isolates was tested. Results showed 62.9 percent of isolates produced sclerotiom on CzA medium and 68.5 percent of these isolated were aflatoxigenic. From pollution of feed by A. flavus point of view in dairy farms were between 20.37 -3.7 percent. 16.67 percent of isolates obtained from beet pulp as the most contaminated feed. Alfalfa, canola meal and corn meal with medium 1.8 percent were of the least in every contaminated feeds. Analysis of milk samples by HPLC showed that the rate of AFM1 in samples varied and ranged from 0.0009 to 0.5269 ppb. Calibration regression coefficients determined 0.99 to 0.997 for these experiments and determined recovery was between 70.31 to 1.4.93 percent in these experiments.

In this study traits of body weight in different ages and effect of selection on breeding value at 42 days were investigated in three strains of Japanese quail for two generation. In the first generation 51 male and 51 female of each strain were randomly selected from the base population and one male with one female were located in each cage. Body weight (BW) of the progeny was measured at 14, 28, 42 and 49 days of age. For the second generation in White, Canadian Wild and Brown strains a number of 30, 40 and 35 pairs of male and female birds that have the highest BV were selected. Mean differential of breeding value in two generations for male and female in White strain were 10.7 and 10.2 gr, in Canadian wild strain were 8.6 and five gr and in Brown strain were four and 9.1 gr, respectively. Heritability of BW at 14, 28 and 42 days for White strain was 0.37, 0.26, 0.74, Canadian wild strain was 0.21, 0.17 and 0.44 and for Brown strain were 0.39, 0.45 and 0.52, respectively.

An experiment conducted to evaluate the level of molybdenum, sulphur and iron supplement on the copper status and clinical deficiency in Iranian sheep and goat. Eight of one year –old Sanjabi sheep and Markhoz goats housed in individual crates in animal house of Razi University.Animals fed with the same basal diet which was supplemented with different levels of minerals of Mo, S and Fe during five months experiment. Blood samples were collected in EDTA containing tubes to measure plasma copper and thiomolybdate. Wool and Mohair samples were collected by taking patch samples (10 x 10 cm2) from the mid-side area of the animals every three weeks to measure copper content and quality parameters. Supplementing the diet with 30 mg molybdenum, 400 mg iron and 2.5 g sulfur /kg DM produced sub clinical copper deficiency with minor dipigmentation of fleeces and mohair and poorer crimp being observed. The response to high levels of molybdenum, iron, and sulfur in sheep and Markhoz goat was different. The fiber diameter significantly reduced after four months of experiment especially in goat mohair.

This research was based on survey strategy with the aim to study factors influencing research function of agricultural faculty members. The population of this research consisted of all faculty members of public agricultural faculties and colleges of Ministry of Scientific, Research and Technology (N = 1260). Using multi-phase sampling method, 172 faculty members were selected and studied Validity of questionnaire as data gathering instrument, confirmed by selected faculty members and researchers, and Coronbach Alpha coefficient (equal to .74) used to confirm its reliability. The results of priority setting of research functions based on coefficient of variation shows that agricultural faculty members, mostly engaged in postgraduate research and their participating in research outreach and international research collaboration is so partial and limited. Calculated Pearson coefficients of correlation indicated significant relationship between a number of personal and professional variables of faculty members (participation in training workshop and courses, professional internet usage, research project, etc) and their research function. Stepwise regression analysis led to a linear equation including several personal and professional variables and R2Adcoefficient indicated that this linear equation, explained 70 percent of variance of research function of faculty members as dependent variable.

Mechanical weeding is one of the non-chemical methods to control weeds. In this paper a new mechanism has been presented for mechanical cultivation. The machine works based on the manual tools operation, which farmers still use in small scale for weeding and consists of a number of four-bar linkage mechanisms. Each mechanism consists of a blade which moves forward (active course) and backward (passive course). The three precise position methods were applied to design the mechanism. The Matlah software was used for solving the equations and drawing the path of motion. Considering the parameters and solving the equations, a four-bar linkage (crank-rocker) was proposed.

The effect of four concentrations (0.5, 1, 2.5, and 5 mgl/it) of two insect growth regulators (IGRs) of Buprofezin and pyriproxifen on 1 and 4-day eggs, different nymphal instars, and pupae of Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae), was studied at 26:i: 2°C, 80:i: 5% RH, and 16: 8 (L: D) on Lantana camara in the greenhouse. The effect of both IGRs was positively related to increasing of concentrations. The susceptibility of one-day eggs of T. vaporariorum to the insecticides was more than four-day ones, and also early nymphal instars (1st and 2nd) than 3rd, 4th, and pupa. The mean percentage of adult eclusion from first to fourth nymphal instars and pupa in 2.5 mg/liter of pyriproxifen was 0, 0, 0, 61.32±11.06, and 95.73±3.66, in 5 mg/liter of it was 0, 0, 0, 54.16±10.55, and 98.09±1.14, in 2.5 mg/liter of buprofezin was 19.88±7.67, 48.35±12.05, 60.28±11.34, 85.84±7.18, and 91.85±6.55, and in 5 mg/liter of it was 12.15±4.60, 34.72±8.96, 45.92±7.87, 79.27±8.95, and 92.28±7.13 percent, respectively.