Relationships Among the Feeding Behaviors of a Mirid Bug on Cotton Leaves of Different Ages and Plant Biochemical Substances

Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür) (Hemiptera: Miridae) tends to feed on young plant tissues. To explore the relationship between stylet probing behaviors of adult A. lucorum and conditions of cotton leaves, we conducted an experiment using electropenetrography (EPG). Behaviors were recorded on four cotton varieties, in relation to thickness and biochemical traits of differently-aged leaves. Cotton leaf age had a significant effect on the probing behavior of A. lucorum but cotton variety did not. One-day-old leaves of A. lucorum received the highest mean number of stylet probes (penetrations) per insect, and longest mean durations per insect of combined stylet probing or its components, cell rupture and ingestion behaviors. All of the leaf traits (thickness and biochemical substances) were similar among these four cotton varieties. Leaf thickness had a significantly negative effect on the same four variables above. Gossypol and tannin also had a negative impact on combined probing duration. Redundancy analysis showed that the four EPG variables were closely related to nutrient substances (amino acids, sugar, and water) while they had the opposite relationship with plant defense substances (gossypol and tannin). On cotton in the seedling stages, A. lucorum fed more readily on the youngest, thinnest leaves in our no-choice EPG experiments. Nutrients and chemical resistance substances determined the probing duration of A. lucorum. Our findings can contribute to better understanding of patterns of feeding and host consumption by A. lucorum, ultimately improving cotton resistance to A. lucorum.     

Can within field yield variation be explained using horizontal penetrometer resistance and electrical conductivity measurements? Results from three Swedish fields

Spatial variations in yield occur in all agricultural fields to some degree. Knowledge of the reasons for these variations, especially temporally stable yield patterns, is needed in order to improve productivity by changing production methods or inputs. This information must be provided in a simple, cost-effective way. This study investigated whether field-scale measurements of penetration resistance (PR) could identify temporally stable yield patterns without complementary measurements of other properties. The PR measurements were also compared with field-scale apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) measurements and correlations between yield and PR and yield and ECa were investigated. Measurements with a newly constructed horizontal penetrometer and a non-invasive proximal electromagnetic induction sensor were carried out in three fields in east-central Sweden. The measurements were made once in each field, apart from one field where PR was measured twice in one season. The sensor measurements were compared with crop yield measured over the course of several years. The horizontal penetrometer was able to identify low-yielding areas in one field. However, single measurements of PR or ECa were insufficient to consistently identify yield variations. Parts of the fields showed more consistent patterns, with stronger correlations between PR, ECa and yield. PR and ECa data were better at explaining yield variations in drier years, but showed diverging patterns in different fields and neither showed a much stronger correlation to yield than the other. In future studies, simultaneous measurement of soil water content is recommended and also PR measurements at a water content drier than field capacity.     

不同营养元素对缺水条件下油松保护酶活性及电导率的影响

通过分析营养元素对油松抗旱能力的影响规律,以期为科学施肥提供理论依据。笔者设置S1(常规对照)、S2(清水对照)、S3(N)、S4(NK)、S5(NPK)5个处理,3次重复。结果表明:SOD活性S5在5、6、7、8月分别比S1处理提高了68.66%、64.54%、36.02%、30.03%,差异显著;POD活性S5分别高于S1处理79.96%、117.82%、51.65%、41.28%,差异显著;CAT活性S5在6、8月分别比S1提高了35.86%、33.51%,差异显著;PPO活性S5分别比S1提高92.18%、125.15%、74.95%、57.77%,差异显著;S5处理电导率始终处于最低值,分别比对照(S1)降低40.46%、24.73%、25.99%、55.55%,差异显著。S5对提高水分胁迫下油松幼苗保护酶活性和降低电导率效果最佳。     

Neoplastic pleural effusion and intrathoracic metastasis of a scapular osteosarcoma in a dog: a multidisciplinary integrated diagnostic approach

A 10‐year‐old, female spayed mixed‐breed or cross‐bred dog was referred to the Small Animal Teaching Hospital of the University of Liverpool due to tachypnea, dyspnea, and pleural effusion not responding to diuretics and antibiotics. The chest was drained and cytology of the pleural fluid was consistent with a modified transudate with presence of atypical cells initially attributed to mesothelial hyperplasia and dysplasia. Computed tomography detected, in addition to the bilateral pleural effusion, diffuse pleural thickening, multiple pleural and pulmonary nodules, and a mineralized and lytic mass in the left scapula. Imaging findings were suggestive of a primary bone tumor with intrathoracic metastasis. Cytology of the left scapular and pleural masses revealed a malignant neoplasm highly suggestive of osteosarcoma. The diagnosis was confirmed by demonstration of a positive cytochemical reaction for alkaline phosphatase on prestained cytology slides. This finding prompted review of the initial interpretation of the pleural effusion cytology. The presence of neoplastic osteoblasts in the thoracic fluid was identified by a combination of cytochemistry, cell pellet immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy findings. In this report, a multidisciplinary integrated diagnostic approach was used to diagnose and confirm a neoplastic pleural effusion due to osteosarcoma metastasis in a dog.     

四端法土壤电导率传感器恒流源设计与试验

土壤信息对于指导农业生产有着极为重要的作用，土壤电导率反映了土壤含水量、盐分、粘粒含量和类型等土壤信息，准确获取土壤电导率对于实现农业精细化生产意义重大。在各种土壤电导率测量方法中，四端法因其成本低、精度高、测量快速和操作简便而大量应用于实际测量；恒流源是四端法测量仪器的重要组成部分，其性能直接决定着测量仪器的精度以及测量范围。本文对比了3种恒流源对测量仪器测量性能的影响，发现采用Howland恒流源的四端法测量仪器高电导率测量能力强而低电导率测量范围较小，测量精度最高；采用改进型Howland恒流源的四端法测量仪器低电导率测量范围有所扩大，测量精度良好；采用基于差动放大器的恒流源的电导率仪低电导率测量范围最大，高电导率测量范围较优，测量精度良好。     

基于信号特征分析的植物体表电信号记录模式选择

为了探索不同耦合记录模式所记录植物体表波形数据特征,选择德抗961型小麦与含羞草2类植物,分别对每株植物进行直流耦合、交流耦合同步信号记录。分析光诱导下小麦所产生的局部电位中直流耦合记录与交流耦合记录的数据差异。小麦局部电位直流耦合与交流耦合记录数据波形峰峰值差异可达25倍以上;基于短时傅里叶变换,功率密度时频分布图显示直流耦合记录到的信号局部电位的频谱主要在0.2 Hz以内。而含羞草的变异电位的上述2种耦合模式记录的波形差异相对较小,功率密度时频分布图中可以反映其信号功率谱分布在0.6 Hz以内。通过记录不同下限截止频率的数据,小麦的光诱导电信号更加清晰的反映耦合方式对信号的影响,进一步地,通过含羞草变异电位的传导特性与对小麦钙通道阻滞的对照试验来验证所测信号的真实性。因此,针对不同植物及其植物电信号本身的特点,应选择适合的耦合记录方式。     

Impacts of off-road traffic on soil physical properties of forest clear-cuts: X-ray and laboratory analysis

Due to the great year-round demand for forest products, off-road forestry traffic occurs even when the ground is susceptible to soil compaction and rutting. We investigated the impacts of repeated passes with a laden forwarder (34?Mg) on the soil physical properties of two clear-cuts on stony till soils in northern Sweden. Core samples (n?=?71) were collected from the top 5?cm of mineral soil in and beside wheel tracks, after six passes with the forwarder. Soil physical properties were quantified using classical soil physical analyses and X-ray tomography. The hydraulic conductivity was 70% lower in the wheel tracks than in the soil beside. The X-ray image analysis indicated that this was due to the smaller total volume and lower connectivity of structural pores (φ?>?60?µm). Total porosity was 24% and 12% lower in the tracks at the two sites respectively, and mean bulk density was 1.39?g?cm^?3 in the tracks, compared to 1.13?g?cm^?3 beside them. To conclude, traffic changed the soil physical properties in a way that may lead to longer periods of high water content in the wheel tracks, increased risk of surface runoff and insufficient aeration for optimal seedling growth.     

Effect of effective microorganism and gypsum amendments on nutrient leaching,pH, electrical conductivity,and Okra growth parameters under coastal saline soil

Nutrients losses through leaching are the main problem facing coastal saline soil. Effective microorganisms (EM) and Gypsum (G) at the application rate of 5%G and 10%G by weight were used as soil amendments. The pot experiment aimed to improve the leaching of nitrate (NO₃), ammonium (NH₄) and total nitrogen (TN) on the coastal saline soil. The EM+ 5%G treatment effectively reduced the content of NO₃ and NH₄ in the leachate by 86.59% and 68.18%, respectively. EM treatment reduced the leaching of NO₃ and NH₄ by 70.86% and 62.12% and EM+ 10%G reduced NO₃ and NH₄ by 11.80% and 50.76%, respectively. Moreover, the content of TN in leachate was reduced up to 13.23%, 5.80%, and 2.67% in response to EM, EM+ 5%G, and EM+ 10%G, respectively, compared to the control. These results indicate that EM combined with G as soil amendments can reduce leaching of nutrients and further support the regulation of a coastal saline soil pH and EC.     

Clinical application of multidetector computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging for evaluation of cranial nerves in horses in comparison with high resolution imaging standards

Although horses are affected by cranial nerve disease, our understanding of these structures' imaging anatomy is limited, and the optimal modality for imaging of each of these nerves is unclear. The aim of this study was to describe the imaging appearance of the equine cranial nerves on high‐resolution 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans of a cadaver head, and with these as standards, examine the utility of MRI and CT performed in clinical cases. High‐resolution MRI and CT images were prospectively acquired of the head of a normal Thoroughbred gelding following euthanasia. Ten clinical cases undergoing high‐field MRI under general anaesthesia and 10 clinical cases undergoing CT in the standing horse under sedation were retrospectively evaluated by three reviewers to assess cranial nerve visibility. On high‐resolution, thin‐slice, MRI scans of the normal cadaver head, each of the 12 cranial nerves and their topographic location could be appreciated. On high‐resolution cadaver CT, cranial nerves II, V and VII were clearly visible, but others were less easily identified; osseous structures were clearly visualised. Clinical MRI and CT allowed for variable visualisation of the cranial nerves, dependent on the sequence and the orientation of scan planes. High‐field MRI allowed excellent visualisation of equine cranial nerves, whereas CT allowed for more detailed visualisation of the osseous canals and foramina. In live horses, the ability to identify all 12 nerves is challenging with either MRI or CT; however, high‐field MRI enables better visualisation of the nerve bundles than CT.     

盐碱地土壤：氧化亚氮和二氧化碳排放的潜在来源？

Increasing salt-affected agricultural land due to low precipitation,high surface evaporation,irrigation with saline water,and poor cultural practices has triggered the interest to understand the influence of salt on nitrous oxide(N_2O) and carbon dioxide(CO_2)emissions from soil.Three soils with varying electrical conductivity of saturated paste extract(EC_e)(0.44-7.20 dS m~(-1)) and sodium adsorption ratio of saturated paste extract(SARe)(1.0-27.7),two saline-sodic soils(S2 and S3) and a non-saline,non-sodic soil(S1),were incubated at moisture levels of 40%,60%,and 80%water-filled pore space(WFPS) for 30 d,with or without nitrogen(N)fertilizer addition(urea at 525 μg g~(-1) soil).Evolving CO_2 and N2 O were estimated by analyzing the collected gas samples during the incubation period.Across all moisture and N levels,the cumulative N_2O emissions increased significantly by 39.8%and 42.4%in S2 and S3,respectively,compared to S1.The cumulative CO_2 emission from the three soils did not differ significantly as a result of the complex interactions of salinity and sodicity.Moisture had no significant effect on N_2O emissions,but cumulative CO_2 emissions increased significantly with an increase in moisture.Addition of N significantly increased cumulative N_2O and CO_2 emissions.These showed that saline-sodic soils can be a significant contributor of N_2O to the environment compared to non-saline,non-sodic soils.The application of N fertilizer,irrigation,and precipitation may potentially increase greenhouse gas(N2O and CO_2) releases from saline-sodic soils.