Learning performances of honeybees (Apis mellifera L) are differentially affected by imidacloprid according to the season

To establish the sublethal concentrations domain, acute and chronic oral tests were conducted on caged honeybee workers (Apis mellifera L) using imidacloprid and a metabolite, 5-OH-imidacloprid, under laboratory conditions. The latter showed a 48-h oral LD50 value (153 ng per bee) five times higher than that of imidacloprid (30 ng per bee). Chronic feeding tests indicated that the lowest observed effect concentrations (LOEC) of imidacloprid and of 5-OH-imidacloprid on mortality of winter bees were 24 and 120 microg kg(-1) respectively. Behavioural effects of imidacloprid and 5-OH-imidacloprid were studied using the olfactory conditioning of proboscis extension response at two periods of the year. Winter bees surviving chronic treatment with imidacloprid and 5-OH-imidacloprid had reduced learning performances. The LOEC of imidacloprid was lower in summer bees (12 microg kg(-1)) than in winter bees (48 microg kg(-1)), which points to a greater sensitivity of honeybees behaviour in summer bees, compared to winter bees.     

Epidemiological Studies on Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections of Lambs in the Coastal Savanna Regions of Ghana

The types of gastrointestinal parasites (Eimeria and helminths) encountered by 70 lambs and the seasonal pattern of both Eimeria and strongylate infections in these lambs in the derived Coastal Savanna were followed for three years. Eimeria oocysts and helminth eggs were detected in the faeces of lambs at the same time, indicating the concurrence of both Eimeria and helminth infections. Eimeria oocysts were first seen in the lambs 20 days after birth (DAB) and the level of oocyst output increased by the fourth week. Eimeria species identified in the lambs were E. parva, E. pallida, E. faurei, E. ahsata, E. bakuensis, E. intricata, E. granulosa, E. ovinoidalis and, occasionally, E. marsica. E. ovinoidalis, the most pathogenic species, dominated the oocyst output during the early part of the life of the lambs. Strongyloides papillosus eggs appeared at 46 DAB, preceding strongylate nematode eggs, which were seen at 57 DAB and those of Moniezia at 69 DAB. The pattern of Eimeria oocyst output paralleled that of the worm egg output, and high oocyst and strongylate worm egg counts corresponded with the period of high rainfall during the study period. Although oocyst and worm egg output fluctuated, high Eimeria oocyst counts were seen again in the lambs when they were 1 and 2 years old. Haemonchus species formed 71% of the infective larvae revealed by larval culture.     

Estimates of Breed Average Direct,Maternal and Heterosis Effects for Some Pre-weaning Traits of Zebu Breeds and Their Crosses in Southeastern Mexico

Information on 936 birth weights (BW), adjusted weaning weights (AWW) and average daily gains (ADG) from Brahman (B), Indubrazil (I), Gyr (G) and commercial Zebu (C) cattle and their crosses were obtained from the records of a farm in the State of Yucatan, Mexico. Two statistical models were used to analyse the data: the first included the effects of year and season of birth, sex of the calf, cow's parity number and breed group. The other model included the same environmental effects as the previous model and the genetic components of breed group (breed additive, breed maternal and heterosis effects). Additive and maternal effects were expressed as deviations from those for the B breed. The means of BW, AWW and ADG for the B breed were 33.3 ± 0.64 kg, 204.0 ± 4.9 kg and 760.06 ± 19.24 g/day, respectively. Both models gave similar results in terms of the variance explained. Additive effects were significant (p < 0.05) for AWW and ADG but not for BW. The minor additive effect was for the C breed (−10.75 kg and −40.77 g for WW and ADG, respectively). Maternal and heterosis effects were not significant (p > 0.05) for any of the traits. The correlation between the breed group means and the means estimated by the prediction equation was r = 0.88. Finally, there was no significant genetic effect on pre-weaning calf performance among the genotypes evaluated. The genetic model can be used to predict the genotype means with a high degree of accuracy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Transmission of Theileriosis in the Traditional Farming Sector in the Southern Province of Zambia during 1995–1996

The incidence of first contact with the protozoan Theileria parva was determined in three traditional cattle herds in the Southern Province of Zambia in 1995 and 1996. The majority of first contacts occurred during the dry season in June, July and August, at a time of nymphal activity and in the absence of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adults, indicating that larva to nymph transmission plays a more prominent role than nymph to adult transmission under the prevailing conditions.     

亚热带地区冷季型草坪草夏季休眠控制研究

通过了解冷季型草坪草的特性,研究冷季型草坪草在夏季的生长状况和一些相关生理指标,找出冷季型草坪草夏季休眠的原因和耐热性机理,从而推广冷季型草坪草在园林绿地中的广泛应用,促进我国园林绿化事业的迅猛发展。     

集约化猪场长大母猪繁殖性状的相关分析

本文对1020头长大母猪,2107胎次的若干繁殖性状进行了统计分析。结果表明,母猪的不同胎次对产仔数、合格产仔数、平均个体初生重均有显著影响;3~7胎次的母猪繁殖性能比较稳定,明显优于其它胎次(P<0.05);夏季和早秋的高温对母猪受胎率的影响表现为受胎率下降、不合格仔猪发生率上升、平均个体初生重减小;母猪的乳头数与断奶头数、断奶个体重均呈显著的正相关;总产仔数、产活仔数与断奶个体重呈负相关。本研究将为改进规模化猪场的技术管理、确定母猪的利用年限、提高母猪生产水平和生产效益提供参考。     

山地夏季人工草场山羊放牧适口性研究

在福州北峰的夏季人工草场,通过划区轮牧试验对山羊的适口性进行了研究.试验结果表明,在对杂交狼尾草、甘薯、百喜草等7种牧草进行的适口性评价,甘薯对山羊的适口性最好,表现为嗜食;对杂交狼尾草表现为喜食;羽叶决明、南非马唐、俯仰马唐对山羊的适口性较差.同样,山羊对百喜草、印度豇豆等牧草的不同生育期,其适口性系数也发生变化.     

苹果新品种——早红的选育

早红是从意大利引进的嘎拉自然杂交种中选育出的一个早中熟优良品种。该品种果实近圆锥形,平均单果质量223g,果实底色绿黄,果面鲜红色,鲜艳光洁;果肉细、松脆、汁多,风味酸甜适度、有香味,可溶性固形物含量为12.8%,果肉硬度为7.1kg/cm2,品质上等。郑州地区果实8月上旬成熟,冷藏条件下,可贮藏30d左右。该品种生长势强,易形成短果枝,早果、丰产,可在嘎拉品种适栽区栽培。     

青藏高原东部雨季降水量分布模型的建立

采用高分辨率的3"数字高程模型资料和青藏高原东部102个常规气象观测站5～9月份的降水资料,根据降水随高度分布将站点分为3类,采用多元逐步回归的方法,建立了青藏高原40年(1961-2000年)雨季逐年降水量和经度、纬度、海拔高度、坡度、坡向、开放度等地理、地形因子之间的关系模型,估算了青藏高原地区降水量的空间分布.结果表明:建立的关于青藏高原降水量与诸因子之间方程的相关性显著,相对误差在20%,平均相对误差在4.4%之内,估算模型的相关系数均通过置信度为0.95 的检验;并且地理地形因子对40年平均和逐年降水量分布特征的影响较为稳定,其归一化的模拟系数基本控制在±1之间,这对定量分析和评价站点稀少、地形复杂的高原降水有重要意义.     

近45a来中国西北汛期降水极值的变化分析

本文利用中国西北五省(区)1960-2004年125个台站汛期(5-9月)逐日降水资料,首先定义了不同台站的极端降水阈值,然后统计出了不同台站近45a来逐年汛期发生极端降水的频次、干日数、极端干期长度、湿日数及极端湿期长度,并对它们的长期变化趋势作了分析,结果表明:近45a来西北西部汛期极端降水发生频次、湿日数和极端湿期长度表现出增多和增长趋势,干日数和极端干期长度表现出减少和变短趋势;西北东部汛期极端降水发生频次、湿日数和极端湿期长度表现出减少和变短趋势,干日数和极端干期长度表现出增多和变长趋势;从整个西北来说,近45a来极端降水发生频次和湿日数表现出了增多趋势,极端干期长度表现为变短趋势,而干日数同极端湿期长度表现出周期波动状变化,另外干日数同极端湿期长度的变化趋势恰恰相反,而湿日数却与极端干期长度的变化趋势恰恰相反;自上世纪80年代以来降水极值变率较过去有所变大。