Early pathogen detection under different water status and the assessment of spray application in vineyards through the use of thermal imagery

Remote detection using thermal imagery has potential for use in the pre-symptomatic diagnosis of abiotic stress or of early disease detection. The latter is an issue of great importance since late detection of fungus attacks or poor spray coverage are major factors contributing to weak disease control affecting fruit quality or reducing yield in grapes. In greenhouse experiments the effects on spatial and temporal variability of leaf temperature of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Riesling) leaves inoculated with a fungal pathogen (Plasmopara viticola (Berk. & Curt. Ex de Bary) were studied in either well-irrigated or non-irrigated potted plants. Due to the high sensitivity of leaf temperature to the amount of water transpired, infra-red thermography can be used to monitor irregularities in temperature at an early stage of pathogen development. Evidence for characteristic thermal responses in grapevines was apparent well before visible symptoms appeared. Contrasting thermal effects due to the pathogen attack were found between measurements on well-irrigated and water-stressed plants. Furthermore, from a technical point of view, thermal imagery has the potential to assess the evenness of spray coverage within a canopy, hence optimizing pesticide application efficiency.     

Galenia africana L. poisoning in sheep and goats: hepatic and cardiac changes.

Lesions in 4 field cases (3 sheep and 1 goat) of 'waterpens' or water belly, caused by the plant Galenia africana, are described. The clinical pathological and pathological findings in 7 sheep which were drenched with toxic plant material are also reported. Inappetence, ruminal stasis and apathy as well as tachycardia were noticed in some of the sheep towards the end of the dosing period. The most prominent clinical pathological change in the experimental animals was an increase in the activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase which in some animals occurred within days after commencement of dosing. This indicates liver involvement in the early stages of the intoxication, and at this stage no heart abnormalities were detected clinically, clinical pathologically or with cardiac function tests. Decrease in cardiac function were recorded in 2 sheep towards the end of the dosing period. Liver and heart lesions were present in all the animals. In some cases hepatic changes were mild and characterized by dilation of central veins and sinusoids and, less commonly, centrilobular fibrosis. More advanced lesions included centrilobular fibrosis and bridging between neighbouring lobules with adjacent areas of coagulative necrosis, lysis and ballooning degeneration of hepatocytes. Myocardial changes occurred in the free ventricular walls and interventricular septum and comprised hypertrophy of myocytes with consequent degeneration and necrosis and fibrosis. In cases of longer duration myocytes were diffusely atrophic with scattered groups of remaining hypertrophic fibres. The clinical pathological and pathological features suggest that G. africana is primarily hepatotoxic with myocardial involvement occurring only in the terminal stages of the intoxication.