Motile Aeromonas septicemia (MAS) is a common freshwater fish disease and major threat to the aquaculture in Pakistan. The present study was carried out on suspected fish samples to isolate and characterize local strains of Aeromonas hydrophila, a key pathogen responsible for the said disease in aquacultured fishes. A total of ninety suspected fish specimens were collected from fish farms in Kasur, Okara and Gujranwala districts of Punjab, Pakistan from June 2018 to April 2019. The specimens were processed and A. hydrophila strains were isolated. The primary identification of sixty seven isolates were verified by colony morphology, microscopy and phenotypic characterization with ten biochemical reactions. The A. hydrophila strains of test samples were molecularly characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using 16S rRNA at desired size of 356bp. The PCR amplified product was subjected to DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed homology with related strains of Aeromonas spp. By antibiotic sensitivity test, the isolates were checked for nine antibiotics in which the pathogen was sensitive to four and resistant to five drugs. Results of genetic analysis confirmed strains as A. hydrophila which are useful to take preventive measures against the said disease.

Background: Fish health and disease management is the key factor in modern aquaculture where intensification manifolds the infestation chances of parasites. Irrespective of antibiotics, the use of dietary additives gaining attention in development of aqua feed. Vitamin D is an important dietary additive for fish in terms it can boost up the immune system of fish and unluckily fish cannot synthesize vitamin D itself. Methods: The present study was planned to determine the effect of vitamin D as feed additive on the immunity, hematology and body composition of Labeo rohita. Four diets (T1, T2, T3, T4) containing different concentration of vitamin. D (250mg, 500mg, 1.0g and 1.5g) in food and a control diet were administrated for 90 days trial. Result: At the termination of experiment there were significant differences in growth and hematological parameters between control and test diets. T3 (1.0g of vitamin D) showed the maximum weight gain with lowest FCR value (1.43±0.33) however, the RBC count of T4 group was highest (1.85±0.07) than the control, T1, T2 and T3 groups. The body composition of Labeo rohita growth factor and survival rate were significantly higher (P is less than 0.05) in fish fed on diets containing vitamin D at 1.00g/Kg concentration.

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Background: Fish contains high polyunsaturated fatty acids and has good healthy biological values, so it is considered a vital ingredient in the human diet. Antioxidants play an essential role in the food industry due to their help breaking down the oxidation process. The consumer demands fresh refrigerated foods that extend shelf life without changing taste. By using oil and vacuum packaging techniques, considerable research has been conducted to preserve and extend the shelf life of Channa marulius fillets. Since rapeseed oil and sesame oil are considered good sources of antioxidants, their role in preserving and extending the shelf life of Channa marulius fillets is limited.Methods: Channa marulius fish fillets weighing 4-5 kg each were obtained from the market. The fillets were washed and divided into 5 groups using different concentrations of sesame oil (S.O) and rapeseed oil (R.O) nanoemulsion i.e., Control (C) without treatment, T1 (S.O 20%), T2 (S.O 25%), T3 (R.O 20%) and T4 (R.O 25%). The fillets were soaked in nanoemulsion for 30 minutes and packed with a vacuum packing machine before storing at -40 oC. After an interval of 0, 4, 7, and 15 days the oxidative stability, antioxidant activity and sensory evaluation determined of each treatment were determined. Result: Compared with the control group, the free fatty acid (FFA) levels and peroxide values (PV) values were lower in the treated groups. Lipid oxidation increased over time in the control group due to lipid oxidation. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant activity of the fillets decreased due to the nanoemulsion. Oxidative stability fluctuated and increased with storage time because of more fatty acid hydrolysis. The reduction was noted in the antioxidant property because it hampered the oxidation stability. Channa marulius' sensory evaluation revealed that nanoemulsion and vacuum packaging had a higher sensory score than the control group. Conclusion: The role of rapeseed and sesame oil as natural antioxidants was investigated to preserve and extend the shelf life of Channa marulius fillets. The use of nanoemulsions by using sesame oil and rapeseed oil reduced the oxidation stability and enhance the antioxidant activity of Channa marulius fillets. Among the oils, it can be concluded that sesame oil can be recommended for nanoemulsion as a good preservative for fish fillets.

The present study was conducted to explore the nutrient ions status, their uptake ratio and floristic indices of some medicinal plants of Cholistan desert of Pakistan from Drawar fort area. Vegetations on sand dunes of approximately equal size were evaluated with three replications. In soil of zone 1 (top of dune), maximum frequency (100) of Caligonum polygonoides and minimum (33.34) of Salsola imbricata and Capparis decidua were recorded. In soil of zone 2, maximum frequency (100) of Caligonum polygonoides while minimum (33.33) of Calotropis procera while in zone 3, 100% frequency of lonely species Symbopogon jawarancusa was observed. In soil of zone 1, maximum concentrations were of sodium (Na), bicarbonate (HCO3), nitrogen ((N) and organic matter (OM) while in soil of zone 2, EC, pH, phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) were maximum. Leaf K and Na were the highest (27.10mg/g) and (118.36mg/g) respectively in Prosopis cineraria. Leaf P was the highest (0.42mg/g) in Prosopis cineraria also. Maximum stem Na (333.00mg/g) was in Salsola imbricata. In flowers, highest P (0.42mg/g) was found in flower of Salsola imbricata.