Optimal pest management: A reproductive pollutant perspective

Abstract

Regarding pests as reproductive pollutants, pest management can be considered as an optimal stock management problem similar to that faced in fishery and forestry. Taking this view, an optimal control model with N heterogeneous farmers sharing a mobile pest is developed to investigate the conventional pest management tactic on a farm-by-farm basis and the innovative area-wide pest management tactic on a regional basis. The study results indicate that area-wide pest management (APM) is superior to farm-by-farm pest management in the presence of pest movement. We proceed to examine the stability of the cooperative solution under APM by formulating the pest management problem as a repeated game of infinite duration. The results suggest that a one-off pest suppression campaign can be a practical strategy for initiating APM programs.     

Accumulation of As,Pb, Zn,Cd and Cu and arbuscular mycorrhizal status in populations of Cynodon dactylon grown on metal-contaminated soils

Metal(loid) accumulation and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) status of the dominant plant species, Cynodon dactylon, growing at four multi-metal(loid)s-contaminated sites and an uncontaminated site of China were investigated. Up to 94.7 As mg kg^?1, 417 Pb mg kg^?1, 498 Zn mg kg^?1, 5.8 Cd mg kg^?1 and 27.7 Cu mg kg^?1 in shoots of C. dactylon were recorded. The plant was colonized consistently by AM fungi (33.0–65.5%) at both uncontaminated site and metal-contaminated sites. Based on morphological characteristics, fourteen species of AM fungi were identified in the rhizosphere of C. dactylon, with one belonging to the genus of Acaulospora and the other thirteen belonging to the genus of Glomus. Glomus etunicatum was the most common species associated with C. dactylon growing at metal-contaminated sites. Spore abundance in the rhizosphere of C. dactylon growing at the metal-contaminated soils (22–82 spores per 25 g soil) was significantly lower than that of the uncontaminated soils (371 spores per 25 g soil). However, AM fungal species diversity in the metal-contaminated soils was significantly higher than that in the uncontaminated soils. This is the first report of AM status in the rhizosphere of C. dactylon, the dominant plant survival in metal-contaminated soils. The investigation also suggests that phytorestoration of metal-contaminated sites might be facilitated using the appropriate plant with the aid of tolerant AM fungi.     

Characterisation of cold-tolerant fungi from a decomposing High Arctic moss

Given that changes in the patterns of vegetation and size of carbon (C) pools in the Arctic are likely to be profound by the end of this century, it is necessary to characterise the identity and ecological groupings, in terms of temperature response and C substrate utilisation, of saprotrophic (decomposer) fungi in organic matter in Arctic soils. Thus, the aims of this study were: (1) to identify the fungi isolated from standing-dead material of Schistidium apocarpum, as an example of a High Arctic moss, (2) to determine mycelial extension rates of these fungi at a range of temperatures (4, 10 and 25 °C), and (3) to characterise the functional potential, defined by C substrate utilisation at 6 °C, of fungal taxa.Fungi were isolated at 4 °C from standing-dead material of S. apocarpum from an area of polar semi-desert (79 degrees N), close to Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, in the High Arctic. From a collection of 662 isolates, 43 pure cultures were identified by DNA extraction, amplification, and sequencing. Phoma sclerotioides, previously known as a temperate snow mould, was isolated most frequently. The ecology of fifteen fungal isolates was characterised in detail. In terms of temperature response, two groups were apparent, one of truly psychrophilic/psychrotrophic fungi and one of more mesophilic fungi which were generally less frequently isolated. In terms of carbon substrate utilisation in semi-defined solid media, most fungi could utilise a variety of carbon substrates (degradation of casein, cellulose and starch was widespread), except for tannic acid (degraded by only two of the five P. sclerotioides isolates and Scytalidium lignicola) and lignin and chitin (not decomposed by any isolate). The majority of isolates had been recorded previously from polar environments and/or as being able to survive at low temperatures.Fungi in tundra ecosystems, therefore, have significant potential to mineralise C at temperatures below 10 °C. A better understanding of the ecology of these fungi will allow us to improve predictions of C dynamics in arctic biomes in the future.     

Endothelial interleukin-8: a novel inhibitor of leukocyte-endothelial interactions

Certain inflammatory stimuli render cultured human vascular endothelial cells hyperadhesive for neutrophils. This state is transient and reversible, in part because activated endothelial cells secrete a leukocyte adhesion inhibitor (LAI). LAI was identified as endothelial interleukin-8 (IL-8), the predominant species of which is an extended amino-terminal IL-8 variant. At nanomolar concentrations, purified endothelial IL-8 and recombinant human IL-8 inhibit neutrophil adhesion to cytokine-activated endothelial monolayers and protect these monolayers from neutrophil-mediated damage. These findings suggest that endothelial-derived IL-8 may function to attenuate inflammatory events at the interface between vessel wall and blood.     

Determining the basis of nonhost resistance in rice to cereal rusts

Cereal rusts are a constant disease threat that limits the production of almost all agricultural cereals. Rice is atypical in that it is an intensively grown agricultural cereal that is immune to rust pathogens. This immunity is manifested by nonhost resistance (NHR), the mechanisms of which are poorly understood. As part of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI), studies are being undertaken to dissect the molecular mechanisms that provide rust immunity in rice and determine if they can be transferred to wheat via transgenesis. Microscopic analyses showed that cereal rusts are capable of entering the rice leaf via formation of an appressorium over a stomate and subsequent infection of underlying mesophyll cells. However, there is considerable variation in the extent of colonization at each infection site. Our research effort has focused on screening for increased growth of cereal rust using natural and induced variants of rice. Two collections of rice mutants, T-DNA insertional mutants and chemical/irradiation-induced mutants, and diverse germplasm accessions are being screened for compromised NHR to cereal rusts. Preliminary screening with stripe rust identified several potential mutants that allow increased fungal growth. The confirmation of these lines will serve as the foundation for the isolation of gene(s) responsible for this compromised resistance. Details of the strategies being undertaken and progress to date are provided.     

Pre-warming following premedication limits hypothermia before and during anesthesia in Sprague-Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus)

In humans and other mammals, general anesthesia impairs thermoregulation, leading to warm core blood redistributing to the periphery. This redistribution is an important contributor to hypothermia that can be reduced with pre-warming before anesthesia. Additionally, sedation following premedication has been associated with hypothermia in dogs. In a prospective, randomized, cross-over study, 8 adult male and female rats (weighing 388 to 755 g) were sedated with intramuscular ketamine-midazolam-hydromorphone, then placed in an unwarmed cage or warmed box for 14 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of isoflurane anesthesia with active warming. Core body temperature was monitored throughout. After sedation, warmed rats gained 0.28°C ± 0.13°C and unwarmed rats lost 0.19°C ± 0.43°C, a significant difference between groups (P = 0.004). After anesthesia, warmed rats maintained higher core temperatures (P < 0.0001) with 2/8 and 6/8 of warmed and unwarmed rats becoming hypothermic, respectively. Pre-warming during sedation and active warming during general anesthesia is effective in minimizing hypothermia.     

Land use affects soil organic carbon of paddy soils: empirical evidence from 6280 years BP to present

Purpose

Submerged rice cultivation has been practiced in China for 7000 years. Empirical evidence on changes of soil organic carbon (SOC) contents in paddy soils over this historical time period is scarce. Therefore, a field study was conducted to investigate the effect of submerged rice cultivation on the accumulation and preservation of SOC in paddies.

Materials and methods

Two buried ancient paddy profiles (6280 years BP, named P-01 and P-03) in the Yangtze Delta of eastern China were excavated to illustrate the development of SOC contents in soils during the evolution of paddies under anthropogenic land use and environmental changes from the prehistoric period to the present time. Trends in SOC concentrations, total nitrogen concentrations, and stable carbon isotope ratio were identified for different points in time.

Results and discussion

Accumulation of organic carbon was found in the paddy soil layers of P-01 at 100–174 cm depth. This site was taken under submerged rice cultivation in about 6280 years BP. The average SOC concentration in the prehistoric paddy topsoil in 100–130 cm depth was 1.27 %, which is seven times higher than that in the adjacent uncultivated land at 103–130 cm depth of P-03. This implies that the paddy soil has experienced substantial CO₂ sequestration under submerged management during that time. By about 3320 years BP, organic carbon contents were halved, potentially due to marine inundation by sea level rise. Up to the year 2003, the SOC contents in all horizons in the present time paddy soil have increased, especially in the surface layer, indicative of continuous rice cultivation. However, due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, the cultivation of paddies in eastern China has gradually been discontinued leading to the loss of SOC stocks of approximately 10 % in a 6-year interval (from 2003 to 2009). A significant relationship between SOC and rice phytolith contents was found in the paddy soil horizons of P-01 (r?=?0.71, p?<?0.01) and P-03 (r?=?0.72, p?<?0.01), suggesting that phytolith-occluded organic carbon could be used as a biomarker to ascertain the development of SOC in the evolution of rice paddies over the past 6000 years.

Conclusions

Submerged rice cultivation led to a noticeable accumulation of SOC in paddies. Phytolith-occluded organic carbon could be used as a biomarker to monitor changes of OC contents in paddy soils.

     

Size Economies of a Pacific Threadfin Polydactylus sexfilis Hatchery in Hawaii

A spreadsheet model has been developed to determine the viable scale for a commercial Pacific threadfin Polydactylus sexfilis hatchery in Hawaii. The production scheme is modeled after current practices performed at the Oceanic Institute in Waimanalo, Hawaii. For a hatchery enterprise producing 1.2 million fry per year, the cost associated with raising one 40‐d‐old 1.00‐g fry is estimated at 22.01ø. The largest variable costs are in labor and supplies, which comprise 49% and 9% of the total production cost. The combined annualized fixed cost for development and equipment is approximately 12% of total production cost. At a sale price of 25ø per fry, the 20‐yr internal rate of return (IRR) is 30.63%. In comparison to the 22.01ø unit cost for 1.2 million fry production, analyses of smaller enterprises producing 900,000 and 600,000 fry per year reflected significant size diseconomies with unit costs of 27.41ø and 38.82ø, respectively. Demand to support a large scale Pacific threadfin commercial hatchery is uncertain. Since smaller scale commercial hatcheries may not be economically feasible, facilities may seek to outsource live feed production modules or pursue multiproduct and multiphase approaches to production. An analysis of the production period length, for example, indicates that the cost for producing a day‐25 0.05‐g fry is 17.25ø before tax and suggests the financial implications of transferring the responsibility of the nursery stage to grow‐out farmers. Evaluation of the benefits gained from changes in nursery length, however, must also consider changes in facility requirements, mortality, and shipping costs associated with transit, and the growout performance of and market demand for different size fry. Sensitivity analyses also indicate the potential cost savings associated with the elimination of rotifer, microalgae, and enriched artemia production. Managerial decisions, however, must also consider the quality and associated production efficiencies of substitutes.     

传染性法氏囊病病毒变异株主要免疫原基因cDNA的克隆及鉴定

采用反转录－聚合酶链反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ），从１株传染性法氏囊病病毒（ＩＢＤＶ）本地分离株ＧＺ９０２中扩增到编码ＩＢＤＶ主要免疫蛋白ＶＰ２的ｃＤＮＡ片断，大小约为１３５０ｂｐ。将该ｃＤＮＡ片断插入ｐＢｓＫ质粒中，用重组质粒转化大肠杆菌ＸＬ１－Ｂｌｕｅ，成功获得重组质粒转化菌。对重组质粒ＤＮＡ进行酶切鉴定，证明插入的ＤＮＡ片断与ＰＣＲ扩增的ＤＮＡ片段大小相符。对ＧＺ９０２高可变区进行了序列分析。其核苷酸序列与３株ＩＢ－ＤＶ变异株Ａ、ＧＬＳ、Ｅ的同源性分别达到９８．９％，９６．２％和９５．５％。而与其他Ⅰ型毒株的同源性较低。比较从ＤＮＡ序列推导出的氨基酸序列，发现ＧＺ９０２高可变区的两个亲水区均发生了一个氨基酸的变化，而在２４９和２５４位上的氨基酸分别为Ｋ和Ｓ，与以上３个变异株相同，但与所有标准Ⅰ型毒株不同。这两个氨基酸可以作为ＩＢＤＶ变异株的标志。