A comparison of desprouted and late sprouted seed potatoes in relation to apical dominance and tuber production

Summary Desprouting and delay in sprouting both result in a partial loss of apical dominance. A comparison of these treatments, with the late sprouted tubers allowed to sprout at the same time as the second growth of sprouts on the desprouted tubers, was made in 3 years in order to test whether the loss of apical dominance from desprouting would have occurred in any case during cool storage or whether additional effects result which can be exploited to increase tuber number. No differences occurred in the number of sprouts or mainstems produced, but there were more lateral branches on the sprouts after desprouting. InArran Pilot (1 experiment) more branch stems resulted from desprouting than late sprouting. The results for tuber production were not conclusive, but do not suggest that desprouting is a worthwhile practice for increasing tuber number.

---

Zusammenfassung Sowohl Abkeimen als auch versp?tetes Auskeimen haben einen teilweisen Verlust der apikalen Dominanz zur Folge. Ein Vergleich dieser Verfahren, bei denen die sp?te Keimung zu gleicher Zeit erfolgte wie der Neuaustrieb der Keime nach dem Abkeimen, wurde, in 3 Versuchen durchgeführt, um zu prüfen, ob der Verlust der apikalen Dominanz infolge des Abkeimes auch durch die Kühllagerung ohnehin vorgekommen w?re oder ob dadurch zus?tzliche Einflüsse entstehen, die zur Erh?hung der Knollenzahl ausgenützt werden k?nnen. Diese Verfahren sind in Tabelle 1 dargestellt. Zur Pflanzzeit war die Anzahl der Keime pro Knolle in beiden Verfahren ?hnlich und daher auch die Anzahl der Haupttriebe (Tabelle 2). Die Keime der früher abgekeimten Knollen wiesen mehr Seitentriebe auf, aber der Beweis für deren Einfluss auf die Verzweigung der Haupttriebe war begrenzt. 1966 jedoch wiesArran Pilot bedeutend mehr Seitentriebe auf nach dem Abkeimen als bei sp?tem Keimen. In keinem Fall war der Gesamtertrag in beiden Verfahren unterschielich, ausgenommen beim Vergleich Gv. G₁, der ein unerwartetes Ergebnis brachte (Tabelle 3). Nur in einem Vergleich (A v. A₁) war das Abkeimen in bezug auf Knollenzahl signifikant (P 0.05) h?her als das Sp?tkeimen; die Erh?hung betrug 10 Prozent. Bei zwei Vergleichen war der Saatgutertrag um 30% besser nach dem Abkeim-Verfahren (A v. A₁ und F v. F₁). Der Grund für diese grosse Wirkung nach einer relativ kleinen Erh?hung der Knollenzahl wird besprochen, und es wird angenommen, dass diese Wirkung auf die grosse Durchschnittsgr?sse der geernteten Knollen zurückzuführen ist, die sich aus dem weiten Pflanzabstand und dem Fehlen einer Krautvernichtung ergeben hat. Diese Ergebnisse sind nicht schlüssig, bber sie weisen nicht darauf hin, dass das Abkeimen ein lohnendes Verfahren ist, um die Knollenzahl zu erh?hen.

---

Résumé Le dégermage et le retard dans la germination causent tous deux une réduction partielle de la dominance apicale. La comparaison de ces traitements, la germination tardive apparaissant au même moment que la recroissance des germes après dégermage, a été faite dans trois essais afin de voir si la perte de la dominance apicale après dégermage serait apparue de quelque manière pendant la conservation froide ou si des effets additionnels apparaissent qui peuvent être exploités pour accro?tre le nombre de tubercules. Ces traitements sont précisés dans le Tableau 1. Au moment de la plantation, le nombre de germes par tubercule était semblable dans les deux traitements et subséquemment le nombre de tiges également (Tableau 2). Les germes des tubercules précédemment dégermés avaient davantage de branches latérales, mais la conséquence de cet effet sur la ramification des tiges principales était limitée. Cependant, en 1966,Arran Pilot avait significativement plus de tiges ramifiées après dégermage qu’avec la germination tardive. En aucun cas, la production totale ne différait avec ces deux traitements, sauf lors de la comparaison Gv Gl qui donnait un résultat inattendu (Tableau 3). Dans un cas seulement (Av Al) le dégermage, était significativement (P 0.05) supérieur à la germination tardive quant au nombre de tubercules; il y avait accroissement de 10%. Dans deux comparaisons, la production de plants était de 30% meilleure après le traitement de dégermage (Av Al et Fv Fl). Les auteurs discutent de la raison de cet effet important qui accompagne une augmentation relativement faible du nombre de tubercules; ils suggèrent que ce phénomène résulte d’une grosseur moyenne accrue des tubercules récoltés, consécutif à un large espacement à la plantation et à l’absence de destruction du feuillage. Les résultats ne sont pas concluants mais ne prouvent pas que le dégermage est une pratique utile pour accro?tre le nombre de tubercules.

     

Metal contamination from open-cast copper and sulphur mining in southeast Ireland

The metal content was determined in soil and vegetation around the eastern zone of the disused sulphur and copper mines at Avoca (southeast Ireland). A 250 m × 250 m grid survey was conducted covering a total area of 4 km². The mining belt was in the centre of the investigated site and was sampled separately. Iron, Zn, Cu and Cd concentrations in soil and plant material were determined, in addition to soil organic matter content and soil pH. Soil samples taken from the spoil showed elevated Cu and Cd concentrations, and low soil pH and organic matter content. At least 50 per cent of the agricultural sites examined around the East Avoca Mine showed elevated soil Cu and Cd concentrations, whereas Zn and Fe soil concentrations were within the range for unpolluted soils. None of the vegetation analysed had elevated Zn, Cd, Fe or Cu concentrations. Overall there was no indication of serious metal contamination in either soils or vegetation surrounding the mine in spite of extensive dust deposition during open-pit mining activity 15–30 years ago. However, a plume of elevated Cu in the soil was identified, which originated from a large spoil heap and had been spread for some 2·0 km by the prevailing wind.     

Acute intravascular hemolytic anemia in the black rhinoceros: hematologic and immunohematologic observations

To investigate the syndrome of acute intravascular hemolytic anemia in the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), laboratory techniques used in the differential diagnosis of hemolytic anemias were performed on blood samples from 6 black rhinoceroses: 3 nonrelated healthy rhinoceroses, 1 rhinoceros with iron deficiency anemia, and 2 rhinoceroses with intravascular hemolysis. Osmotic fragility, erythrocyte membrane protein composition, hemoglobin electrophoresis, and hemoglobin stability did not distinguish between healthy and affected (anemia or hemolysis) rhinoceroses. Polyclonal antiglobulin reagents were prepared in rabbits, using whole rhinoceros serum and purified rhinoceros immunoglobulin G. These reagents were nonreactive against erythrocytes of the healthy and iron-deficient rhinoceroses. Reactions with RBC from the rhinoceros with fatal hemolytic anemia indicated increased membrane coating by the third component of complement; this was not evident in a second rhinoceros that survived a hemolytic event.     

Influence of oxidised dietary oil and antioxidant supplementation on membrane-bound lipid stability in broiler meat

1. The effects of oxidised oil, dietary alpha-tocopherol and BHA/BHT-supplementation on the fatty acid composition of mitochondrial, microsomal and soluble protein fractions of broiler muscles, and on their lability to metmyoglobin/hydrogen peroxide-catalysed peroxidation were investigated. 2. Oxidised oil in the broiler diets induced rapid oxidation of the membrane-bound lipids and decreased their stability towards metmyoglobin-hydrogen peroxide-catalysed peroxidation. 3. Supplementation of the broiler diets with alpha-tocopherol increased the alpha-tocopherol concentrations in the microsomal and soluble protein fractions of the dark meat as well as the soluble protein fraction of the white meat. This, in turn, stabilised the membrane-bound lipids against metmyoglobin/hydrogen peroxide-initiated peroxidative changes.     

An Alcaligenes faecalis isolate from turkeys: pathogenicity in selected avian and mammalian species

An Alcaligenes faecalis isolate of known pathogenicity for turkeys was examined for adherence and cytotoxicity in tracheal organ cultures of turkeys, chickens, Japanese quail, guinea pigs, hamsters, and mice, and for colonization and pathogenicity in these 6 species. Adherence and colonization were detected by fluorescent antibody staining. Infected and noninfected tracheal rings were examined by phase-contrast microscopy for cytotoxicity (ciliostasis, blebing of the cell membrane, and sloughing of the ciliated epithelium). Alcaligenes faecalis adhered to the tracheal rings of all species examined. Cytotoxicity was apparent in the tracheal rings of turkeys, quail, and chickens. Cytotoxicity was not detected in tracheal rings from the mammalian species. Alcaligenes faecalis colonization of turbinates and tracheas of intact turkeys and quail was detected. Clinical signs of alcaligenes rhinotracheitis were observed and histopathologic characteristics of the disease were detected. Chickens, guinea pigs, hamsters, and mice were refractory to infection with this isolate of A faecalis.     

Urethral Extension for Correction of Urovagina in Cattle A Review of 14 Cases

Urethral extension was performed in 14 cows with clinical urovagina and infertility. Urovagina was corrected in nine cows (64%) and was reduced in the others. Formation of fistulas at the cranial end of the extension site was the most frequent complication (4 cows). In one cow, the urethral extension was not extended far enough caudally. Eleven cows (79%) returned to fertility after surgery. Severity of urine pooling, cranial displacement of the urethral orifice, and severe preoperative vaginitis may explain the failure of the urethral extension in some cows.