Basrah Journal of Agricultural Sciences

Fish assemblage was studied for a first time in the Southern part of Main
Outfall Drain, in the Al-Kaii bridge region, northwest Basrah Iraq in the Al-Kaii bridge
region. The study was conducted during the period from May 2016 to April 2017. Many
types of fishing nets were used to collect the samples. Water temperature ranged from
14º C in February 2017 to 30º C in July and August 2016, while salinity ranged from 9
PSU in April 2017 to 42 PSU in December 2016. A total of 6161 individuals of fishes
were caught represented 21 fish species. Six species were freshwaters fishes; four were
alien species and 15 marine species. The species Acanthurus sohal was fished for the
first time from the Iraqi inland waters. The most abundant three species were Poecillia
latipinna, Planiliza subviridis and Thryssa whiteheadi formed 26.68%, 25.00% and
17.58%, respectively of the total number of samples. Values of the diversity index
varied from 1.23 in November to 2.17 in May, evenness index values fluctuated
between 0.52 in June to 0.88 in May, whereas richness index ranged from 1.14 in
January 2017 to 2.02 in May. The present study concluded that there is a significant
monthly fluctuation in salinity and the composition of fish community was changing
continuously according to the salinity variation

The study was focused on the red dragon fruit (Hylocerens polyrhizus) peel
which can be used as a source of pectin .The physicochemical properties were studied
moisture, protein, fat, ash, total soluble solid TSS, pH and titratable acidity TA .Using
three different concentration of ammonium oxalate 0.5 ,1 ,2 gm. At pH 4.9, temperature
90 ◦C, time 90 min to extract pectin. Highest yield with about 0.5 gm. Concentration
ammonium oxalate was 26.64% following 23.75%, 15.88% yields at concentration 1
and 2 gm. ammonium oxalate .There were significant differences in yields at (p< 0.05).
Characterization of the extracted pectin in terms of equivalent weight, methoxyl
content, degree of esterification, an hydrouronic acid AUA, Fourier-transform infrared
spectroscopy FTIR, viscosity, setting times were studied. Based on the value of
methoxyl content 2.54% and degree esterification pectin can be categorized as low
methoxyl.

Enzymes produced by microbial sources are biological molecules that known
to catalysts biochemical reactions which roles involve in lead to stimulate the necessary
chemical reactions, as well as to the formation of fermented products. Microbial
protease, lipase and β-galactosidase are important examples of such interest in industrial
food and dairy product. This is due to their thermoresistant, thermostability and
thermoacidophilic properties. In brief, hydrolyses are the substrate which includes some
enzymatic reaction that allows to avoid the health and environmental problems, and also
to catalyses chemical reaction during the formation of flavor compounds or prebiotic
and other products additives in the production and development of healthy dairy food
products. Thus, enzymes are one of the relatively important factor that expected to be
utilized in large-scale in the process of products development. This review focused on
the importance and application of three major enzymes that microbial produce which
are of great interest in dairy industries and have positive impact on consumer’s health.

The evaluation of raw and fermented water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes
(Mart.) Solms as dietary ingredient for young grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella (Val,
1844) was carried out by adding 20% of each of the alternative ingredients separately to
the control diet to completely compensate barley, a portion of wheat bran and 20% of
fish meal. Results indicated that all growth and feed efficiency parameters among
treatments were similar and there were no significant difference (p>0.05) in specific
growth rate (SGR), food conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and
protein productive value (PPV) of fish fed any of the diets. The diet containing
fermented water hyacinth (WF) was found to be more efficiently utilized by fish and of
highest digestibility values for all nutrients, which indicated that the digestibility was
stimulated by incorporation of fermented water hyacinth. The raw water hyacinth diet
(WR) produced significantly (p<0.05) highest satiation level associated with lowest
digestible energy. Evacuation rate was not affected significantly (p>0.05) by the
inclusion of raw or fermented water hyacinth to the diets. The protein, lipid and ash
levels in carcass were higher in fishes fed the control diet (C). In conclusion,
incorporation of raw or fermented water hyacinth up to 20% level was found to be
suitable and there were no adverse effects on the growth and feed efficiency of
experimental fishes.

Growth parameters of common carp Cyprinus carpio were investigated in
13 plastic tanks (550 cm diameter and 130 cm depth) of semi-closed system at Abu Al-
Khaseeb District, Basrah from 27 October to 17 December, 2016. Number of fishes in
every tank was 1300 with an average initial weight 101.9 g. Fishes were fed at a ratio of
5% on sinking pelleted food manufactured in Basrah University factory with 25%
protein ratio. Results of current study exhibited highest final weight (381.1 g) achieved
by fishes reared in tank number 1 and lowest (326.3 g) in tank number 2. Average fish
weight increments for 13 tanks were 248.2 g, with highest weight increment (266.5 g)
achieved by fishes reared in tanks 6 and 11, while lowest (222.3 g) achieved by fishes
reared in tank number 7. Result also appeared average daily growth of 4.87 g/day, with
highest (5.22 g/day) achieved by fishes reared in tanks 6 and 11 and lowest (4.36 g/day)
achieved by fishes reared in tank number 7. Average specific growth rate for 13 tanks
was 2.44 %/day, with highest (3.10 %/day) achieved by fishes reared in tank number 3
and lowest (1.99 %/day) achieved in tank number 1. Average food conversion rate
(FCR) for 13 tanks was 2.12, with highest (2.55) achieved by fishes reared in tanks
number 1 and lowest (1.74) achieved by fishes reared in tank number 3.

An experiment was conducted in fields of Agriculture college, University
of Basrah. The experiment was designed with split-spilt plots in Complete Randomized
Blocks Design Treatments included three types of moldboard plows: helical, semi
digger and general –purpose, three soil moisture content levels (10.23,16.47 and
24.68%), and four tractor speed of 0.41, 0.56, 0.86 and 1.21 m sec -1 . The soil physical
properties were determined after plowing soil by using three types of moldboard plow.
The results showed that there was significant effect of moldboard plow types, soil
moisture content and tractor speed on soil physical properties including bulk density,
soil porosity, soil penetration resistance and pulverization ratio. Results also indicated
that the effect of interaction among plow types, soil moisture content and tractor speed
was significantly on soil penetration resistance and pulverization ratios while it had not
significantly effect on bulk density, soil porosity. In general, soil physical properties,
had been improved when using high tractor speed and moderate soil moisture content
whereas optimal operation was obtained when using general-purpose plow type and
high tractor speed of 1.12 m sec -1 and soil moisture content of 16.47% where this
combination gives low bulk density (0.96Mg m-3), high soil porosity (63.90%) high soil
pulverization ratio (74%) and low soil penetration resistance (623.47 kN m-2)

Pediocin is a low molecular weight (2.7-17 KDa) cationic molecules
compose of a hydrophilic N-terminal part containing the pediocin box (YGNGV) motif
and a hydrophobic or amphiphilic C-terminal variable part which is produced by some
of Pediococcus bacteria. Pediocin has inhibition properties against several sensitive
bacterial cells and acts on the cytoplasmic membrane during pores formation. Pediocin
intervenes with the absorption of amino acids in phospholipids of cytoplasmic
membrane from target cells. The pediocin molecule has unique properties such as the
thermostability and detaining of activity at a wide pH values and resistance to some
proteases enzymes. Pediocin has inhibition activity against many food spoilage bacteria
and pathogenic bacteria including several bacterial genera such as Listeria, Clostridium,
Bacillus, Aeromonas, Staphylocoocus, Lactobacillus and Enterococcus. This review
will assist in learning the challenges that yet require to attention to apply pediocin in
food industries as food preservative.

Monthly Algal samples were collected from selected three sampling station
of Shatt Al-Arab River from August 2016 to July 2017. The most pollution tolerant
genera and species of four groups of algae were recorded from three sites of the river.
Palmer (1969) Algal Genus pollution index and Algal species pollution index were
employed to study the water quality of Shatt Al-Arab River. The total score of Algal
Genus pollution index of station 1, 2 and 3 were 21, 24 and 21 respectively. While total
score from the Algal species pollution index at station (1) was 18, station (2) was 21,
While at station (3) was 17 recorded from Shatt Al-Arab River. The total score of each
station was greater than 20 indicating the confirmed high organic pollution. The present
study showed that the water quality of Shatt Al-Arab River was affected from domestic
uses at the downstream of the river.

The current study included estimating the antioxidant activity of yolk
lipid for the quail egg, Coturnix japonica (quail), Gallus gallus L. (hen), Anas
Platyrhynchos L. (duck) and Gygnus cygnus L.(goose). The yolk and the white of
those were separated from each other and the yolk lipid was separated also. The
antioxidant activity, reducing power, chelating of iron ions and scavenging of
hydrogen peroxide of yolk lipid for fresh egg were studied. The effect of egg storage
at laboratory temperature (25-30°C) and refrigerator temperature (4±1°C) on
antioxidant activity of egg yolk lipid was studied. The results showed that there was
a significant decrease (P˂0.05) in all the antioxidant activity tests with duration of
storage compared to yolk lipid of fresh egg. The decrease was more obvious when
storing the egg at lab temperature (25-30°C) compared with the stored egg in
refrigeration (4±1°C).

The draft force of the movable boards ditch opener (MB) was compared
with that of the conventional ditch opener (CD). The parameters of the experiments
were three operating depths (30, 40 and 50 cm), three angles between the boards of MB
(45, 60 and 75º), the angle of the boards of CD was constant (65º), three wings widths
of the foot of MB whereas, one share width (35cm) for CD and two soil types
(cultivated and uncultivated soils). The texture of soils was silty clay. The results
showed that MB can penetrate the soil to the required depth easily and its draft force
requirements were lower than that for CD for all operating depths, angle between the
boards and in the cultivated and in uncultivated soils. Whereas, CD could not penetrate
the soil more than 25cm in the uncultivated soil that its draft force higher than that for
MB for operating depth of 30 and 40 cm and for all angles between the boards but the
contrary occurred with operating depth of 50cm. The draft force requirement of MB
increased slightly with the angle between the boards but it MB increased considerably
with increasing wings width of the foot. However, the wings of MB required less draft
force than the share of CD which its width was 35 cm (constant width). MB surpassed
CD in the field performance, it required less draft force and it could penetrate the soils
easily.