Titan's magnetic field signature during the first Cassini encounter

The magnetic field signature obtained by Cassini during its first close encounter with Titan on 26 October 2004 is presented and explained in terms of an advanced model. Titan was inside the saturnian magnetosphere. A magnetic field minimum before closest approach marked Cassini's entry into the magnetic ionopause layer. Cassini then left the northern and entered the southern magnetic tail lobe. The magnetic field before and after the encounter was approximately constant for approximately 20 Titan radii, but the field orientation changed exactly at the location of Titan's orbit. No evidence of an internal magnetic field at Titan was detected.     

Determining a critical nitrogen dilution curve for sugarcane

Adequate measurements of the nitrogen (N) concentration in the aboveground biomass of sugarcane throughout the growth cycle can be obtained using the critical N dilution curve (CNDC) concept, which provides an N‐nutrition index (NNI). The aim of this work was to determine the CNDC value for Brazilian sugarcane variety SP81‐3250, establish the critical concentration of N, and determine the NNI in the aboveground biomass throughout the cane plant and first ratoon crop cycles. The study was performed in three experimental areas located in São Paulo, Brazil, during the crop cycles of 2005/2006 (18‐month cane plant) and 2006/2007 (first ratoon). The plant cane crop was fertilized with treatments of 40, 80, or 120 kg N ha^–1 and a control treatment without N. After the plant cane harvest, rates of 0, 50, 100, or 150 kg N ha^–1 were applied to the control plot and the 120 kg N ha^–1–treatment plot in a split‐plot experimental design with four repetitions. Throughout both sugarcane cycles, measurements of aboveground biomass were used to determine the dry‐mass (DM) production and N concentration for each treatment. CNDC varied between the growth cycles, with a higher N concentration observed in the initial stages of the first ratoon and a lower N dilution observed throughout the plant cane cycle. The NNI value indicated excessive N storage in the initial stages and limiting concentrations at the end of the growth cycle. CNDC and NNI allow for the identification of the N‐nutrition variation rate and the period in which the nutrient concentration limits the production of aboveground biomass. The equations for the critical N (Ncr) level obtained in this study for plant cane (Ncr = 19.0 DM^–0.369) and ratoons (Ncr = 20.3 DM^–0.469) can potentially be used as N‐nutritional diagnostic parameters for sugarcane N nutrition.     

MINERALIZATION AND CORN RECOVERY OF 15NITROGEN FROM BLACK OATS RESIDUES TREATED WITH HERBICIDES

Nitrogen (N) mineralization from black oat residues (Avena strigosa), with or without previous application of herbicides, and its utilization by corn crop were investigated. The experiments were performed in a completely randomized setup, with three treatments and ten replicates. The treatments were: A) control - corn grown in soil with residues of black oats harvested without herbicide application; B) glyphosate - corn grown in soil with residues of glyphosate-desiccated black oat; and C) glufosinate - corn grown in soil with residues of black oat previously desiccated with glufosinate-ammonium. The remaining black oat residues on the soil surface were smaller in the control treatment than in glyphosate and glufosinate treatments. Black oat residues from the control treatment released 30% and 20% more carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), respectively, than from herbicide treatments. Microbial biomass carbon, total and mineral soil N arising from black oat residues were reduced by herbicide management. Black oat residues treated with glyphosate reduced corn total-N by 16%; however, dry mass yield was not affected by the treatments. Herbicide application on black oat reduced the total amount of residue-released nitrogen in the corn kernels, leaves and the whole plant. Net nitrogen mineralization from black oat residues is affected by the application of glyphosate or glufosinate-ammonium.     

Effects of solid phase from pig slurry on iron,copper, zinc,and manganese content of soil and wheat plants

A two‐year lysimeter experiment was conducted using winter wheat plants on two texturally contrasting soils (soil A and soil B). The main objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of increasing doses (5, 10, 15, 20, and 251 ha^‐1) of solid phase from pig slurry (SP) on soil extractable copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) and on wheat micronutrients composition and uptake. As the control, a basic dressing of NPK fertilizer was applied. Results showed that increasing additions of SP significantly enhanced extractable Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn content on the topsoil for both soils tested. In addition, a significant increase was detected for extractable Cu, Zn, and Mn content with increasing application rates of SP for subsoil A, but no significant differences were detected for subsoil B. A significant increase in the contents of Fe, Mn, and Zn in the plants as well as total uptakes were observed from increasing doses of SP. Copper content in the plants was not significantly affected. Finally, a strong pH effect was exerted in the Mn and Zn uptake by the plants.     

Screening and selection of lentil (Lens Miller) germplasm resistant to seed bruchids (Bruchus spp.)

Seed weevil (Bruchus spp.) is one of the most damaging pests to lentil crop, and the current chemical treatments to control this insect present numerous disadvantages. In this work, we have searched for resistant or almost resistant lentil cultivars to be used as potential sources of genes for resistance to bruchids as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to diminish harvest loss. Thus, a lentil germplasm collection of 571 accessions from 27 different countries, and including wild species was screened for susceptibility to seed bruchids under natural field conditions in Central Spain. Infestation was evaluated in comparison with a check (lentil cultivar ??Lyda??) according to the number of eggs per pod and the infestation rate in seeds (IR). A large variation of IR (0?C70?%) was observed among accessions although, in general, wild species were consistently less affected by bruchids than the check. A total of 32 accessions, including Lens culinaris Medikus subsp. culinaris, Lens culinaris Medikus subsp. orientalis (Boiss.) Ponert, Lens nigricans (M. Bieb.) Godr., and Lens lamottei Cezfr., showed lower infestation rates than the check and were selected as potential sources of resistance to this pest. Potential mechanisms of resistance of selected accessions and their inclusion in a breeding program are outlined.     

Effect of arginine supplementation on the morphology and function of intestinal epithelia and serum concentrations of amino acids in pigs exposed to heat stress

The exposure of pigs to heat stress (HS) appears to damage their intestinal epithelia, affecting the absorption of amino acids (AAs). Arg is involved in the restoration of intestinal epithelial cells but HS reduces Arg intake. The effect of dietary supplementation with Arg on the morphology of intestinal epithelia, AA transporter gene expression, and serum concentration (SC) of free AAs in HS pigs was analyzed. Twenty pigs (25.3 ± 2.4 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments: Control (0.81% Arg), wheat–soybean meal diet supplemented with l-Lys, l-Thr, dl-Met, and l-Trp, and the experimental diet where 0.16% free l-Arg was supplemented to a similar Control diet (+Arg). All pigs were individually housed and exposed to HS, fed ad libitum with full access to water. The ambient temperature (AT), recorded at 15-min intervals during the 21-d trial, ranged on average from 29.6 to 39.4 °C within the same day. Blood samples were collected on day 18 at 1600 hours (AT peak); serum was separated by centrifugation. At the end of the trial, five pigs per treatment were sacrificed to collect samples of mucosa scratched from each small intestine segment. The expression of AA transporters in intestinal mucosa and the SC of AAs were analyzed. Villi height (VH) was higher (P < 0.01) in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum but the crypt depth did not differ between the Control and the +Arg pigs. Supplementation of l-Arg increased the mRNA coding for the synthesis of the cationic AA transporter b^0,+ (P < 0.01) and the neutral AA transporter B⁰ (P < 0.05) in the duodenum by approximately 5-fold and 3-fold, respectively, but no effect on mRNA abundance was observed in the jejunum and ileum. The supplementation of l-Arg increased serum Arg, His, Met, Thr, Trp, and urea (P < 0.05) and also tended to increase Val (P < 0.10) but did not affect Ile, Lys, Leu, and Phe. These results indicate that supplementing 0.16% l-Arg to the Control diet may help to improve the function of the small intestine epithelium, by increasing the VH, the abundance of AA transporters, and the SC of most indispensable AAs in pigs exposed to HS conditions. However, the lack of effect of supplemental Arg on both Lys SC and weight gain of pigs suggests that increasing the Lys content in the +Arg diet might be needed to improve the performance of HS pigs.     

Chemical characterization of the essential oil from patchouli accessions harvested over four seasons

The genus Pogostemon of the Lamiaceae family includes several species known for their medicinal and aromatic properties. The species P. cablin is especially notable because the essential oil extracted from its leaves is internationally important and valuable, principally for the perfume and cosmetic industries. Because multiple factors can affect the chemical composition of the essential oil, the aim of this work was to evaluate the chemical variations in the essential oils of nine Pogostemon accessions harvested over four seasons. Two Pogostemon accessions (P. heyneanus, but received as P. cablin) and seven P. cablin accessions from different sources were evaluated. The transplants were planted in January 2008, and the harvests were conducted in May, August, and November 2008 and February 2009. The chemical composition of the essential oils was evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively. Patchoulol was the major compound from the four harvests of all of the P. cablin accessions. The principal compound from the accessions POG-001 and POG-006 was β-pinene. Two clusters were detected by multivariate analyses of the four harvests. Cluster I was formed by the accessions POG-001 and POG-006 (P. heyneanus), and Cluster II was formed by the accessions of P. cablin (POG-002, POG-014, POG-015, POG-016, POG-019, POG-021, and POG-022).     

Effect of diatom supplementation during the nursery rearing of Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) in a heterotrophic culture system

Bio-floc shrimp culture systems have been investigated in an attempt to optimize water use and prevent the discharge of effluent into the environment. The importance of microalgae in maintaining water quality and nutrition of the shrimp is well known in conventional systems; however, its maintenance amid bio-flocs and its role in the shrimp performance in this system are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of diatoms in the performance of Litopenaeus vannamei reared during the nursery phase in intensive system with minimal water exchange. Shrimp (0.31?±?0.10?g) were reared among diatoms, bio-flocs and the combination of the two forming the mixture medium. The survival of shrimp was high in all treatments (90?C97%). However, the shrimp reared among diatoms showed higher weight gain (P?<?0.05) and feed conversion ratio significantly more efficient, reaching a value of 0.47. The results indicate the importance of diatoms in bio-floc culture systems and points out to future research in an attempt to maintain a constant presence of these microalgae in culture medium without requiring successive inoculations.     

Phylogeographic implications for release of critically endangered manatee calves rescued in Northeast Brazil

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