Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (1), pp. 001-004, December, 2011. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Characterization of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Algerian arid zone raw goats' milk

Bettache GUESSAS* and Mebrouk KIHAL

Laboratoire de Microbiologie Appliquée, Faculté des sciences, Département de biologie Université d’Oran BP 1524 El-menaouer Oran 31000 Algérié.

Accepted 24 July, 20011

Abstract

Diversity and density of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Algerian raw goats' milk in arid zones were studied by determination of morphological, cultural, physiological and biochemical characteristics. 206 lactic acid bacterial strains were isolated, with 115 of them belonging to lactic acid cocci and others to the genus, Lactobacillus. The representative species of the total cocci were Lactococcus sp. (76.16%), Streptococcus thermophilus (14.78%) and Leuconostoc sp. (8.6%). The dominating species is Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis. Lactobacilli species found in local raw goats' milk and their proportion were: Lb. curvatus (25.25%), Lb. helviticus (10.98%), Lb. plantarum (9.89%), Lb. reuteri (9.89%), Lb. casei (7.69%), Lb. brevis (5.49%), Lb. bulgaricus (5.49%) Lb. paracasei (4.39%) and Lb. acidophilus (2.19%).

Key words: Lactic acid bacteria, raw milk, goat, arid zones, identification.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (1), pp. 001-005, December, 2011. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Antimicrobial resistance of bacterial strains isolated from orange juice products

Lateef  A.*, Oloke, J.K., and Gueguim-Kana, E.B.

Department of Pure and Applied Biology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, PMB 4000, Ogbomoso, Nigeria.

Accepted 11 June 2011

Abstract

Forty samples of twenty brands of sachet orange juice products were examined microbiologically. All the products were contaminated with bacteria and yeasts. The organisms encountered include Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces sp, Rhodotorula sp, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Micrococcus sp. The resistances of thirty bacterial strains isolated from orange juice products to the commonly used antibiotics were studied. About 66.67% of the isolates were resistant to augmentin and amoxycillin; 63.33% to cotrimoxazole, 56% to cloxacillin, and 23.33% to tetracycline. Resistances of 10, 6.67, and 3.33% were obtained for gentamicin, erythromycin and chloramphenicol respectively. Among the eight antibiotics tested, seven patterns of drug resistance were obtained. Six out of these are multiple-drug resistance with number of antibiotics ranging between 2 to 8. While MIC of amoxycillin ranged between 10-25mg/ml for the strains of E. coli, MIC of 10- 20mg/ml was obtained for the strains of S. aureus. The MIC for cloxacillin was 0.1-1.0mg/ml for E. coli strains, and 0.01-1.0mg/ml for S. aureus strains. In all, ten strains of the bacterial isolates had evidence for the production of -lactamases.

Keywords: Orange juice, antibiotics, resistance pattern, b-lactamase, microbiological standard.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (1), pp. 001-004, December, 2011. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Production of extra-cellular polymer in Azotobacter and biosorption of metal by exopolymer

Giti Emtiazi^a*, Zahra Ethemadifar^a and Mohammad H. Habibi^b

^aBiology Department, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran 81745-117.

^bChemistry Department, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran 81745-117.

Accepted 24 August, 2011

Abstract

Two Azotobacter strains were isolated from alkaline and acid soils. The production of alginate and exopolymer from these two strains showed that, strain AC2 produced high polymer in 2% beet molasses or 1% sucrose broth and addition of nitrogen sources (yeast extract) reduced production of this polymer. The optimum condition for production of maximum polymer production (7.5 mg/ml) was at 200 rpm shaking, pH 7 without addition of nitrogen sources. The production of polymer was reduced at pH 4. The polymer adsorbed Cu, Zn, and Fe, at 15.5, 20 and 25 mg, respectively.

Key words: Azotobacter, exopolymer, of extracellular polysaccharide, biosorption of metal.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (1), pp. 001-006, December, 2011. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Development of sorghum populations for resistance to Striga hermonthica in the Nigerian Sudan Savanna

I.E. Ezeaku¹ and S.C. Gupta²

¹International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics Western and Central Africa Region, P.M.B. 3491 Kano, Nigeria.

²International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics-New Delhi, 1^st Floor, CG Centers Block NASC Complex, Pusa, DP Shastri Marg, New Delhi 110012, India.

Accepted 14 April 2011

Abstract

Six elite sorghum varieties, ICSV 111, ICSV 400, KSV 4, Gaya Early, CS 54, and CS 95 were used to improve Striga resistance through pedigree breeding. SRN 39 and IS 9830 varieties were confirmed resistant to Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth in field trials. The two Striga resistance lines were crossed with the six elite varieties. Three hundred and sixty Striga-free plants from F₂s of good agronomic traits were identified, and selfed to produce F₃s. The number of selections varied from 12 (ICSV 400 x IS 9830) to 59 (ICSV 400 x SRN 39) per F₂ population. About 50% more plants were selected from the crosses involving SRN 39 as donor parent for Striga resistance than the crosses involving IS 9830. In addition, 58 out of the 100 plants selected were from a cross, ICSV 111 and SRN 39. Crosses from which Striga free plants were obtained were CS 54 x SRN 39 (12 plants selected), CS 95 x SRN 39 (9), ICSV 400 x SRN 39 (6), Gaya Early x IS 9830 (6), Gaya early x SRN 39 (5), and KSV 4 x IS 9830 (4). Crop syndrome reaction score was higher in 1995 (2.3 - 4.0) than in 1996 (1.0 - 2.7). Our results suggest that SRN 39 is a better donor parent for Striga resistance than IS 9830. ICSV 00090 NG, a cross between ICSV 111 and SRN 39 gave the highest grain yield of 2.02 t/ha in a replicated trial compared to the two parents, ICSV 111 (1.11 t/ha) and SRN 39 (0.86 t/ha). This variety combines potential for high yield and resistance to Striga. Our data indicates that the elite varieties can be improved for Striga resistance using pedigree breeding. A large F₂ population (500 to 1000 plants per cross) is recommended for the selection of transgressive segregants. Further efforts are required to back cross-promising segregants with established Striga resistant variety in order to develop durable Striga resistant varieties with acceptable agronomic traits.

Key words. Sorghum, Striga hermonthica, parasitic weed, resistance.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (1), pp. 001-005, December, 2011. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of nitrates on embryo induction efficiency in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Ikram-ul-Haq* and Yusuf Zafar

Plant Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Jhang Road, P. O. Box 577, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Accepted 12 September, 2011

Abstract

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cv Coker-312 callus culture was assessed in terms of its usefulness as a system for investigating the effect of nitrates from different chemical compounds of nitrogen on embryo induction percentage in calli as the plant growth and cell differentiation mainly based on nitrogen. Both sources and amount of nitrogen in in vitro medium have significant effects mainly on cell growth, embryogenesis and the production of anthocyanin. Anthocyanin production is the best indication of inhibition of cell growth in in vitro culture of cotton. Embryo induction rate was high when NH₄NO₃ was eliminated from the medium but in the presence of KNO₃. The dicotyledenary embryos were developed with in 5 weeks, these embryos developed into normal plantlets immediately when they were cultured on a simple MS basal medium supplemented with 3% glucose.

Key words: Gossypium hirsutum L, callus induction, somatic embryogenesis, nitrogen sources, plant regeneration.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology Vol. 1 (1), pp. 001-003, December, 2011. © International Scholars Journals

Perspective

Fostering biotechnology entrepreneurship in developing countries

Nyerhovwo J. Tonukari

Department of Biochemistry, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 17 May 2011

Abstract

The climate for commercial biotechnology in several developing countries is improving. As a result of the growing science base, biotechnology companies can successfully be located and thrive in these countries. The rewards which can flow from the successful exploitation of research should encourage investment in biotechnological activities.

Key words: Entrepreneur, biotechnology, investment.