Distribution of a juvenogen and its metabolites in a laboratory system during juvenogen-induced caste differentiation in a termite, Reticulitermes santonensis (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

BACKGROUND: Juvenoids and juvenogens have been for many years considered promising candidates for control of pest insect species including termites. Their use as termite pest management agents requires the generation of knowledge concerning their degradation and distribution in time and space. Groups of 40 Reticulitermes santonensis de Feytaud workers were provided with wood impregnated with a juvenogen, ethyl cis-N-{2-[4-(2-butyryloxycyclohexylmethyl)phenoxy]ethyl}carbamate, labelled with tritium in the benzene ring (305 GBq mmol(-1)). After 14 days the radioactivity was determined in all elements of the experimental system. RESULTS: The majority of the input activity was detected in the wood, only about 1% in the bodies of surviving termites and 1% in the substrate. A considerable part of the input activity was probably lost as gaseous termite metabolites. The activity in workers was significantly higher than in presoldiers, which had differentiated under the influence of the labelled juvenogen. A stable value of radioactivity was detected on the body surfaces. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest good stability of the compound in the wooden carrier and low contamination of the environment with non-gaseous residuals, together with the desired biological impact on termite caste differentiation.     

Is the Period of 18 Years Sufficient for an Evaluation of Changes in Soil Organic Carbon under a Variety of Different Soil Management Practices?

The influence of differing soil management practices on changes seen in soil organic carbon (SOC) content of loamy Haplic Luvisol was evaluated. The field experiment included two types of soil tillage: 1. conventional tillage (CT) and 2. reduced tillage (RT) and two treatments of fertilization: 1. crop residues with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilizers (PR+NPK) and 2. NPK fertilizers (NPK). The results of SOC fluctuated from 9.8 to 14.5 g kg^?1 and the tillage systems employed and fertilization status did not have a statistically significant influence on SOC. The SOC content was higher in RT (12.4 ± 0.86 g kg^?1) than in CT (12.2 ± 0.90 g kg^?1). On average, there was a smaller higher value of SOC in PR+NPK (12.4 ± 1.02 g kg^?1) than in NPK (12.3 ± 0.88 g kg^?1). During a period of 18 years, reduced tillage and application of NPK fertilizers together with crop residues build up a SOC at an average speed of 7 and 16 mg kg^?1 year^?1, respectively, however conventional tillage and NPK fertilizer applications caused a SOC decline at an average speed of 104 and 40 mg kg^?1 year^?1, respectively.     

Pathotypes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plasmodiophora brassicae</Emphasis> causing damage to oilseed rape in the Czech Republic and Poland

Winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) is an important crop in the Czech Republic and Poland. Clubroot disease caused by the pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae is a serious and still-growing problem for oilseed rape growers in both countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pathotype composition of P. brassicae populations from the Czech Republic and Poland, according to the three evaluation systems, and to determine soil inoculum loads for representative fields via traditional end-point PCR as well as quantitative PCR analysis. There were considerable differences between the populations of P. brassicae from both countries, and the number of pathotypes varied depending on the evaluation system and the threshold used to distinguish susceptible vs. resistant plant reactions. This is the first study comparing the effect of different thresholds. Using an index of disease (ID) of 25 % to distinguish susceptible vs. resistant reactions, there was a total of seven pathotypes identified based on the differentials of Williams, five with the system of Somé et al., and 18 with the European Clubroot Differential (ECD) set. However, based on a threshold of 50 %, there were nine pathotypes according to the evaluation system by Williams, four based on the differentials of Somé et al., and 15 with the ECD set. Changing of the thresholds led to the reclassification of some pathotypes. Several pathotypes were common in both countries. High amounts of pathogen DNA were found in many of the field soils analysed by quantitative PCR. There was a weak correlation between soil pH and infestation of P. brassicae for the Polish soils.     

Population genetic structure of Mycosphaerella graminicola and Quinone Outside Inhibitor (QoI) resistance in the Czech Republic

Damage caused by the wheat pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola increased rapidly during the last two decades in the Czech Republic. We collected isolates from naturally infected fields in seven wheat-growing locations and analysed these using eight microsatellite markers. All markers were highly polymorphic. We found a high degree of genetic diversity and low clonality within all sampled Czech populations. We identified 158 unique multilocus haplotypes among 184 isolates. Field populations showed weak genetic structure but we detected more differentiation between climatic regions within the Czech Republic. We compared the Czech field populations to populations from the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland and found a marked differentiation between Czech populations and Western European populations. We hypothesize that decades of different agricultural practices, including the use of different wheat cultivars, may explain this genetic differentiation. We detected a rapid increase in QoI fungicide resistance during the sampling period from 2005 to 2011, coinciding with the widespread application of this class of fungicides in the Czech Republic. M. graminicola populations in the Czech Republic underwent a rapid adaptive evolution from sensitivity to resistance similar to what was described earlier in Western Europe.     

Losing a staging area: Eastward redistribution of Afro-Eurasian ruffs is associated with deteriorating fuelling conditions along the western flyway

The fuelling performance of long-distance migrants at staging areas indicates local conditions and determines the viability of migration routes. Here we present a first case study where long-term fuelling performance was documented along two migration routes with differential population trends. Ruffs (Philomachus pugnax) are shorebirds of inland freshwater wetlands that migrate from the sub-Saharan wintering grounds, via Europe, to the northern Eurasian breeding grounds. Assessments from 2001 to 2008 of fuelling during northward migration at the major western and eastern staging site revealed that daily mass gain rates steeply declined across years in the grasslands for dairy production in Friesland, The Netherlands, and remained constant in the Pripyat floodplains in Belarus, 1500 km further east. Migrants in Friesland decreased from 2001 to 2010 by 66%, amounting to a loss of 21,000 individuals when counts were adjusted for length of stay as determined by resightings. In the same period numbers in Pripyat increased by 12,000. Ruffs individually ringed in Friesland were resighted in subsequent springs at increasingly eastern sites including Pripyat. Our results corroborate published evidence for an eastward redistribution of Arctic breeding ruffs and suggest that the decreasing fuelling rates in the westernmost staging area contribute to this redistribution. The shift implies that responses occur within a single generation. The hypothesis that the choice of route during northward migration may be driven by food availability can now be tested by creating greater areas of wet grasslands in Friesland. When local staging conditions improve we predict that ruffs will make the reverse shift.     

Investigation on acoustic behavior and air permeability of struto nonwovens

This work deals with the study of acoustic performance of struto nonwovens and their relation to fabric air permeability. In order to achieve the objective of the research, sound absorption coefficient of struto nonwovens was determined via impedance tube method, the average value of sound absorption coefficient (α?) was calculated. Air permeability of struto nonwovens was examined by using FX3300 Textech Air Permeability Tester. Results showed that struto nonwoven exhibited good absorption ability at frequency bands 3000-6400 Hz while it was ineffective for frequency lower than 3000 Hz. Struto nonwovens with high GSM and fabric thickness showed better acoustic performance and lower air permeability. It was observed that α? was inversely proportional to air permeability, with correlation coefficient 0.95. It was concluded that air permeability can be used as a criterion of sound absorption behavior of struto nonwovens. A lower air permeability suggests a better sound absorption performance for struto nonwoven fabrics.     

Effects of herbal preparation on libido and semen quality in boars

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a preparation from herbal extracts (PHE) on libido and semen quality in breeding artificial insemination boars. Ten fertile boars were divided into control and experimental groups according to significant difference of libido. There were no differences in semen quality between groups. Animals were fed a commercial feeding mixture for boars. The feeding mixture for the experimental group was enriched with PHE, which was prepared from Eurycoma longifolia, Tribulus terrestris and Leuzea carthamoides. Duration of the experiment was 10 weeks. Samples of ejaculate were collected weekly. Libido was evaluated according to a scale of 0-5 points. Semen volume, sperm motility, percentage of viable spermatozoa, sperm concentration, morphologically abnormal spermatozoa, daily sperm production and sperm survival were assessed. Amounts of mineral components and free amino acids were analysed in seminal plasma. Significant differences were found in these parameters: libido (4.05 ± 0.22 vs 3.48 ± 0.78; p < 0.001), semen volume (331.75 ± 61.91 vs 263.13 ± 87.17 g; p < 0.001), sperm concentration (386.25 ± 107.95 vs 487.25 ± 165.50 × 10(3) /mm(3); p < 0.01), morphologically abnormal spermatozoa (15.94 ± 11.08 vs 20.88 ± 9.19%; p < 0.001) and Mg concentration (28.36 ± 11.59 vs 20.27 ± 13.93 mm; p < 0.05). The experimental group's libido was increased by 20% in comparison with the beginning of the experiment. Results of this study showed positive effect of PHE on libido and some parameters of boar semen quality.     

Dynamics of Atmospheric Aerosol Number Size Distributions in the Eastern Mediterranean During the ��SUB-AERO�� Project

Measurements of number size distributions of submicron aerosols have been performed at the Eastern part of Mediterranean as part of an extensive measurement campaign to study photo-oxidants and aerosols (SUB-AERO Project). The measurements were made at the Finokalia station on the island of Crete (Greece) and onboard the research vessel ??Aegaeon??. Two campaigns were performed during July 2000 and January 2001 using two scanning mobility particle sizers. The particle distributions measured in the range between 7.8 < d _p < 327 nm during the summer measurements and between 7.5 < d _p < 316 nm during the winter measurements, where d _p is the mobility particle diameter. The concentration of ultrafine particles (7.5 < d _p < 30 nm) was higher during the winter period and varied mainly between 5 × 10¹ and 2 × 10³?cm^?3 with concentration peak values for this mode exceeding 1 × 10⁴?cm^?3. During the summer campaign, an average number concentration of 1 × 10²?cm^?3 at Finokalia and about 5 × 10¹?cm^?3 aboard the ??Aegaeon?? vessel was measured. An average concentration of 1 × 10³?cm^?3 was measured for the particles in the size range between 30 and 100 nm, whereas in the size range 100?C300 nm, the measured concentration ranged between 1 × 10² and 5 × 10³?cm^?3. Diurnal patterns in number concentrations were observed in connection with the transport of air masses and local sources. During the winter period, three nucleation events were observed in connection with the appearance of a particle mode at 20 nm.     

Soil organic matter in water-stable aggregates under different soil management practices in a productive vineyard

In a productive vineyard, the influence of different soil management practices on carbon sequestration and its dynamic in water-stable aggregates of Rendzin Leptosol was studied. In 2006, an experiment of different management practices in a productive vineyard was established in the locality of Nitra-Dra?ovce, in the Nitra winegrowing area of Slovakia. The following treatments were established: (1) control (grass without fertilization); (2) T (tillage); (3) T + FM (tillage + farmyard manure); (4) G + NPK3 (grass + NPK 120–55–195 kg ha^?1); and (5) G + NPK1 (grass + NPK 80–35–135 kg ha^?1). The results showed that the lowest soil organic matter content (9.70 g kg^?1) in water-stable microaggregates was determined in G + NPK3, as well as in T. However, the highest soil organic matter content in the highest size fractions of water-stable macroaggregates (>5 mm) was observed in T + FM (19.7 g kg^?1). The highest value for carbon sequestration capacity in water-stable microaggregates was observed in the ploughed farmyard manure treatment. However, the control treatment showed the highest values for carbon sequestration capacity in water-stable macroaggregates, including agronomically favourable size fractions (0.5–3 mm). In all soil management practices under a productive vineyard the most intensive changes in the soil organic matter content were observed in the highest size fractions (>3 mm) of water-stable macroaggregates.