Fungicide treatments affect yield and moisture content of grain and straw in winter wheat

Straw and grain yield and water content in both grain and straw were measured during 3 years in 17 varieties of winter wheat following treatments with different fungicides. The water content of the straw varied significantly dependent on year, variety and fungicide treatment. In 1998, the water content in straw was significantly higher after the use of strobilurins compared with untreated and EBI fungicides (ergosterol biosyntesis inhibitors). On average water content in 10 varieties increased from 15% in untreated to 31% after applying two full dosages of azoxystrobin. In 1999 and 2000, lower dosages of azoxystrobin were used and water content increased only by 2–4 percentage units. The results indicate that in some years and with high doses precaution has to be taken following the use of strobilurins regarding handling and removing of the straw, which likely will include postponement of baling. Water content in grain was also increased significantly from fungicide treatments, but the increase was minor and at the maximum increase found to be 1.1% percentage unit. The effect of fungicide input on water content in grain was reduced much faster during the ripening period than for water content in straw. Fungicide treatments and varieties significantly influenced straw yields. The yield increases in straw varied between 0 and 1.0 tonnes/ha depending on year and variety, and was on average 0.42 tonnes/ha for two fungicide treatments. Two fungicide applications carried out at GS 31 and 45–55 gave only slightly higher increases compared with one application around ear emergence. Varieties showed variable increases following the use of fungicides. The variation was not influenced by the straw length (crop height). The increases in straw yield from fungicide treatments were relatively low compared to the increases in grain yield and no clear correlation was found between grain yield increases and straw yield increases.     

Sensitivity of crop yield and N losses in winter wheat to changes in mean and variability of temperature and precipitation in Denmark using the FASSET model

Abstract

Sensitivity of wheat yield and soil nitrogen (N) losses to stepwise changes in means and variances of climatic variables were determined using the FASSET model. The LARS-WG was used to generate climate scenarios using observed climate data (1961–90) from two sites in Denmark, which differed in climate and soil conditions. Scenarios involved changes to (i) mean temperature alone, (ii) mean and variability of temperature, (iii) winter and summer precipitation amounts and (iv) duration of dry and wet series.

The model predicted lower grain yield and N uptake in response to increases in mean temperatures, caused by early maturity, with little change in variability. This, however, increased soil mineral N causing increased N losses. On sandy loam, larger temperature variability lowered grain yields and increased N losses coupled with higher variability at all the mean temperature ranges. On coarse sand, grain yields either remained unaltered or were slightly reduced when larger temperature variability was introduced to increase in mean temperatures of up to +2°C above baseline. However, introducing variability to further increase in mean temperatures lowered yields without any change in variability. Larger temperature variability did not affect soil mineral N and N₂O emissions, but increased N leaching on coarse sand.

Large response in grain yield, N uptake and soil N cycling, and in their variability was predicted when summer precipitation was varied, whereas only N leaching responded to changes in winter precipitation. Doubling the duration of dry series lowered grain yield and N removed by grain, but increased N leaching, whereas doubling the duration of wet series showed opposite effect. Predicted responses to changes in precipitation patterns were larger on coarse sand than on sandy loam. This study illustrates the importance of considering effects of changes to mean climatic factors, climatic variability and soil types on both crop yield and soil N losses.     

Advances in biosecurity to 2010 and beyond: Towards integrated detection,analysis and response to exotic pest invasions

In order to limit the number and impact of exotic pest invasions, leading-edge technologies must be embraced and embedded within integrated national and international biosecurity systems. Outlined here are recent advances in the detection of exotic pests, and prospects for the early recognition of disease. Applications of new tools are described, using our understanding of the genomes of pathogens and vectors. In addition, the role of mathematical and simulation models to aid both biosecurity planning, and decision making in the face of an epidemic, are discussed, and recent attempts to unify epidemiology and evolutionary dynamics are outlined. Given the importance of emerging diseases and zoonoses, the need to align human and veterinary surveillance within fully integrated systems is underlined.     

Effect of Dietary Fibre on Digestibility and Energy Metabolism in Pregnant Sows

This study was undertaken to provide information on the effect of two levels of dietary fibre (DF) [184 vs. 407 g DF kg^-1 dry matter (DM)] on the digestibility of nutrients and energy metabolism in pregnant sows during different stages of pregnancy. The amount of DF in the high-fibre diet was supplied by dried sugar beet pulp (20%) and oats, wheat bran and grass pellets. The intake of metabolizable energy (ME) was similar for both the low-fibre and the highfibre diet, with an average daily intake of 30.74 MJ. Digestibility of DM, organic matter, protein, fat and energy was significantly decreased by a high DF level, but no effect of the diets was observed on the stage of pregnancy. A high fibre level significantly increased the digestibility of DF, indicating that fibre from sugar beet pulp is more fermentable than fibre from cereals. Protein utilization increased during the pregnancy, but at a very low level, indicating that the protein level in diets for pregnant sows could be lower. Inclusion of extra DF in the diet significantly increased the amount of energy excreted as CH₄. Heat production was affected by diet, although not significantly (28.77 vs. 29.72 MJ day^-1 in the low-fibre and highfibre diets, respectively). The utilization of ME for energy retention was lower for the high-fibre diet as a result of increased hind-gut fermentation. There was similar relation between the net energy of the standard and the high-fibre diet either calculated using the official Danish feed evaluation (0.77) or experimental estimated value (0.81).     

Public awareness in New Zealand of animal welfare legislation relating to cats

Abstract

AIMS: To ascertain the levels of awareness of legislation governing the welfare of cats, and provision of basic care, including vaccination, by cat-owners within two locations in New Zealand. To assess the ability of respondents to differentiate between the terms ‘stray’ and ‘feral’.

METHODS: A face-to-face questionnaire, consisting of 12 questions in three sections, was distributed by volunteers within Auckland (n=255) and Kaitaia (n=99) to gather information pertinent to the study's aims. Section 1 covered respondents’ personal details; Section 2, ownership and care of cats, including whether or not the cats were vaccinated against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV); and Section 3, awareness of legislation and differences between the terms ‘stray’ and ‘feral’.

RESULTS: Overall, fewer than half of respondents were aware of the animal welfare legislation within New Zealand or the semantic differences between the terms ‘stray’ and ‘feral’ as they appear in the dictionary. Respondents ≥41 years old, and individuals employed in the animal-related sector, were significantly more likely to be aware of the legislation and make the correct distinction between the terms compared with those aged ≤40, and those working in a non-animal-related profession.

A significantly greater percentage of cat-owners (42%) provided care for cats they did not own compared with non-owners (26%). Results also indicated a large majority of cat-owners may consider standard annual vaccinations to include vaccination against FIV and FeLV.

CONCLUSION: Dissemination of information about animal welfare legislation is important for the care of cats within New Zealand, and the definitions of the terms ‘stray’ and ‘feral’ need to be more clearly stated in order to prevent confusion. This is especially important when cats may be controlled using lethal measures under different legislative precedents that are not necessarily consistent with one another.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Veterinary clinics may act as a primary source for the dissemination of information about relevant welfare acts as well as preventative health care, thus improving the welfare of cats. Cat-owners need to be better educated about the diseases covered by annual vaccination.     

Distribution,structure and function of Nordic eelgrass (Zostera marina) ecosystems: implications for coastal management and conservation

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Winter cereal yields as affected by animal manure and green manure in organic arable farming

The effect of nitrogen (N) supply through animal and green manures on grain yield of winter wheat and winter rye was investigated from 1997 to 2004 in an organic farming crop rotation experiment in Denmark on three different soil types varying from coarse sand to sandy loam. Two experimental factors were included in the experiment in a factorial design: (1) catch crop (with and without), and (2) manure (with and without). The four-course crop rotation was spring barley undersown with grass/clover – grass/clover – winter wheat or wheat rye – pulse crop. All cuttings of the grass–clover were left on the soil as mulch. Animal manure was applied as slurry to the cereal crops in the rotation in rates corresponding to 40% of the N demand of the cereal crops.Application of 50 kg NH₄–N ha^?1 in manure increased average wheat grain yield by 0.4–0.9 Mg DM ha^?1, whereas the use of catch crops did not significantly affect yield. The use of catch crops interacts with other management factors, including row spacing and weed control, and this may have contributed to the negligible effects of catch crops. There was considerable variation in the amount of N (100–600 kg N ha^?1 year^?1) accumulated in the mulched grass–clover cuttings prior to ploughing and sowing of the winter wheat. This was reflected in grain yield and grain N uptake. Manure application to the cereals in the rotation reduced N accumulation in grass–clover at two of the locations, and this was estimated to have reduced grain yields by 0.1–0.2 Mg DM ha^?1 depending on site. Model estimations showed that the average yield reduction from weeds varied from 0.1 to 0.2 Mg DM ha^?1. The weed infestation was larger in the manure treatments, and this was estimated to have reduced the yield benefit of manure application by up to 0.1 Mg DM ha^?1. Adjusting for these model-estimated side-effects resulted in wheat grain yields gains from manure application of 0.7–1.1 Mg DM ha^?1.The apparent recovery efficiency of N in grains (N use efficiency, NUE) from NH₄–N in applied manure varied from 23% to 44%. The NUE in the winter cereals of N accumulated in grass–clover cuttings varied from 14% to 39% with the lowest value on the coarse sandy soil, most likely due to high rates of N leaching at this location. Both NUE and grain yield benefit in the winter cereals declined with increasing amounts of N accumulated in the grass–clover cuttings. The model-estimated benefit of increasing N input in grass–clover from 100 to 500 kg N ha^?1 varied from 0.8 to 2.0 Mg DM ha^?1 between locations. This is a considerably smaller yield increase than obtained for manure application, and it suggests that the productivity in this system may be improved by removing the cuttings and applying the material to the cereals in the rotation, possibly after digestion in a biogas reactor.Cereal grain protein content was increased more by the N in the grass–clover than from manure application, probably due to different timing of N availability. Green-manure crops or manures with a relatively wide C:N ratio may therefore be critical for ensuring sufficiently high protein contents in high yielding winter wheat for bread making.     

Evaluation of a new qPCR test to identify the organisms causing high total bacterial count in bulk tank milk

Milk quality in bulk tank milk(BTM)is measured by flow cytometry technology as total bacterial count(TBC)and somatic cell count(SCC).To investigate SCC problems,culture or PCR can be used to identify mastitis causing bacteria,e.g.,Mastit 4,a commercially available qPCR test.TBC in BTM can be investigated further using culture-based methods such as standard plate count,laboratory pasteurization count,coliform count,and spore counts.To our knowledge,no qPCR addressing the bacteria involved in TBC has been commercially introduced.The aim of this study is to evaluate a recently introduced 3-h qPCR test,TBC 4.The TBC 4 qPCR detects four target groups,Pseudomonas,Streptococci,Enterobacteriacea/Enterococcus,and Bacillus/Clostridia.These target groups relate to problems on the farm such as cooling,mastitis,environment,and silage.We will continue with new research to compare the TBC 4 qPCR test with traditional culture.For this study,BTM samples from different TBC intervals were selected based on Bacto Count results found at routine payment investigation at Eurofins laboratory(Vejen,Denmark).These samples were analyzed using TBC 4 qPCR assay within 24 h.In total,346 BTM samples were divided into six different intervals of colony forming units(CFU).For all four targets in each of the different intervals of CFU,the percent of positive samples,the average C_t-value,the percent of positive samples with C_t30 and C_t25 were calculated.For Pseudomonas,Streptococci,and Enterobacteriacea/Enterococcus,the number of positive samples with lower C_t-values(high bacteria content)correlated with the CFU mL~(–1).We found Enterobacteriacea/Enterococcus,Pseudomonas,and Streptococci in high number of bacteria(C_t25)in 25,19 and 56%of samples with CFU mL~(–1) between 50 001–100 000 and 53,44,and 39%in samples with CFU mL~(–1)100 000.The TBC 4 qPCR test showed to be a strong and fast tool for farmers,advisors and service technicians to address problems with high TBC and ensuring the delivery of good quality milk to the dairy.     

A novel multiplex RT‐qPCR method based on dual‐labelled probes suitable for typing all known genotypes of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus

Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) is a notifiable fish disease, whose causative agent is a rhabdovirus isolated from a wide range of fish species, not only in fresh but also in marine and brackish waters. Phylogenetic studies have identified four major genotypes, with a strong geographical relationship. In this study, we have designed and validated a new procedure – named binary multiplex RT‐qPCR (bmRT‐qPCR) – for simultaneous detection and typing of all four genotypes of VHSV by real‐time RT‐PCR based on dual‐labelled probes and composed by two multiplex systems designed for European and American/Asiatic isolates, respectively, using a combination of three different fluorophores. The specificity of the procedure was assessed by including a panel of 81 VHSV isolates covering all known genotypes and subtypes of the virus, and tissue material from experimentally infected rainbow trout, resulting in a correct detection and typing of all strains. The analytical sensitivity was evaluated in a comparative assay with titration in cell culture, observing that both methods provided similar limits of detection. The proposed method can be a powerful tool for epidemiological analysis of VHSV by genotyping unknown samples within a few hours.