Application of the CSM-CERES-Rice model for evaluation of plant density and irrigation management of transplanted rice for an irrigated semiarid environment

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of the Cropping System Model (CSM)-CERES (Crop-Environment Resource Synthesis)-Rice for simulating growth and yield of rice under irrigated conditions for a semiarid environment in Pakistan and to determine the impact of plant density and irrigation regime on grain yield and economic returns. The crop simulation model was evaluated with experimental data collected in 2000 and 2001 in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. The experiment utilized a randomized complete block design with three replications and included three plant densities (one seedling hill^?1, PD₁; two seedlings hill^?1, PD₂; and three seedlings hill^?1, PD₃) and five irrigation regimes (625 mm, I₁; 775 mm, I₂; 925 mm, I₃; 1075 mm, I₄; and 1225 mm, I₅). To determine the most appropriate combination of plant densities and irrigation regimes, four plant densities from one seedling hill^?1 to four seedlings hill^?1 and 17 irrigation regimes ranging from 0 to 1600 mm, for a total of 68 different scenarios, were simulated for 35 years of historical daily weather data. The evaluation of CSM-CERES-Rice showed that the model was able to accurately simulate growth and yield of rice for irrigated semiarid conditions, with an average error of 11% between simulated and observed grain yield. The results of the biophysical analysis showed that the combination of the two seedlings hill^?1 plant density and the 1,300 mm irrigation regime produced the highest yield compared to all other scenarios. Furthermore, the economic analysis through the Mean-Gini Dominance (MGD) also showed the superiority of this treatment compared to the other treatment combinations. The mean monetary return ranged from ?47 to 1,265 $ ha^?1 among all 68 scenarios. However, to be able to furnish the demand of rice grain for local consumption and to increase export, there is a need to expand this technology among the rice growers of other rice producing areas in Pakistan through extension workers.     

A monitoring study to assess the acute mortality effects of indoxacarb on honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) in flowering apple orchards

To evaluate the effect of the indoxacarb 300 g kg(-1) WG, Steward 30WDG, on the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) in apple orchards, a monitoring study was conducted in Dutch apple orchards in April/May 2004. Before apple flowering began, two honey bee colonies were placed in each orchard to investigate honey bee mortality. Each hive was provided with a Münster dead bee trap to collect dead honey bees. The numbers of dead bees found in these Münster dead traps were counted every 3-4 days for about 2 weeks before and after the period of the insecticide treatment. In nine flowering orchards no indoxacarb was applied during the flowering period, which served as control sites. In 30 flowering orchards indoxacarb was sprayed by the fruit growers according to local practice at 170-260 g formulated product ha(-1) (51-78 g AI ha(-1)). In the control orchards the average mortality was 8 honey bees colony(-1) day(-1). The average daily honey bee mortality before and after indoxacarb application was 8 and 10 honey bees colony(-1) day(-1) respectively. At one test site, indoxacarb was mixed with other plant protection products plus plant nutrients, and in this orchard a slight but biologically non-significant increase in acute honey bee mortality was recorded. It was concluded that the application of indoxacarb caused no effects on honey bee mortality, and that the number of dead honey bees counted in the Münster traps in the orchard treated with indoxacarb was comparable with those determined in control orchards.     

Investigation of serum survivin in dogs suffering from cancer: a multicenter study

BackgroundIn contrast to human medicine, only a small number of serum tumor markers are established in veterinary medicine even though they are a non-invasive diagnostic tool.ObjectivesThis study examined whether survivin could be suitable as a potential canine serum tumor marker.MethodsThis study measured the serum survivin concentrations of dogs with mammary tumors (n = 33), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 9), soft-tissue sarcoma (n = 18) and multicentric lymphoma (n = 22), using a commercially available, competitive immunoassay kit (BlueGene). The serum survivin concentrations were compared with those of a healthy control group (n = 20) and a control group of dogs with non-neoplastic diseases (n = 17).ResultsDogs with malignant tumors had serum survivin concentrations between 15 and 5,906 pg/mL (median, 72 pg/mL), those in the healthy group ranged from 7 to 99 pg/mL (median, 21 pg/mL) and those in the group of dogs suffering from non-neoplastic diseases from 15 to 93 pg/mL (median, 42 pg/mL). The differences in the survivin concentrations between the healthy dogs and dogs with malignant tumors and between the dogs with non-neoplastic diseases and those with malignant tumors were significant (p < 0.001 and p = 0.006, respectively).ConclusionsThe serum survivin concentrations in dogs with malignant tumors, with some exceptions, are higher than in dogs with benign tumors and dogs that do not suffer from a malignancy. Therefore, survivin can provide information on the presence of malignant tumors and be used as a tumor marker in dogs.