Studies on Heterosis, Combining Ability and Molecular Screening of Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria Siceraria L.) for Biotic Resistance

Abstract

The health of goat farming is closely related to how the animals are raised and the gut microbiota plays a key role in the fulfilment of their productive potential. The objective of the present study was to isolate and characterize a lactobacilli strain of caprine origin from the goat faeces and assess its efficacy in-vitro as potential probiotics for goat nutrition. A total of forty two fresh faecal samples from different healthy goats were aseptically collected. The enrichment and culture of the samples was done on selective culture medium of de Man Rogosa and Sharpe broth and agar (MRS). Then two selected bacterial isolates were purified and conventionally characterized based on the morphological and biochemical analysis such as gram staining, catalase test, motility test, endospore and carbohydrate fermentation tests. All the isolates were either rod or cocci shaped, gram positive, catalase negative, non-motile and non-spore formers. On the sugar fermentation test the isolates showed positive against cellobiose, galactose, lactose, maltose, mannose and sucrose while all isolates were negative for mannitol sugar. On the basis of phenotypic and sugar utilization tests two isolates were shortlisted further by in-vitro testing of aggregation time, cell surface hydrophobicity, acid tolerance etc. to select the high viability strain after encountering likely adverse condition in gastrointestinal tract for use a potential probiotic for goat. The molecular characterization was done on the basis of 16S rONA and sequencing was done. The two lactobacilli spp. were identified as Weisse/la confusa SVPUAT-1 & SVPUAT-2. The in vivo trail was conducted on goats for evaluation of isolated caprine faecal origin Lactobacilli as probiotics for enhanced nutrient utilization and productivity. Eighteen adult goats were divided into three equal groups and fed on a basal diet supplemented with either no probiotics (CON), or with a probiotic of caprine-origin (Weisse/la confusa; tPRO) or dairy-origin (Lactobacillus acidophilus NCDC15; cPRO). The feed consumption, nutrient intake and FCR remained un-influenced by probiotic treatments. The digestibility of CF, CP and EE in tPRO and cPRO was higher (P<O.OS) than CON however digestibility OM, OM and NFE remain same in all groups. Body weight get increased during the trial period but difference was not significant among the groups. Hb and PCV were similar among the groups. The common biochemical parameters of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, albumin, globulin, TP, AL T and AST were also found similar (P>O.OS) among the groups. Based on all finding, it was concluded that isolated caprine faecal origin lactobacilli bacteria Weissel/a confusa (Gene Bank Accession No. MZ314055.1) have majority of probiotics characteristics and can be used as probiotics in the diet of goats for enhanced nutrient utilization, health and productivity.