The agriculture grants program

The Competitive Research Grants Office was established in 1978 by the federal government to encourage and support basic research related to agriculture. The effort has been enfeebled by controversy and continues to teeter on the edge of congressional extinction. The origins of the Competitive Research Grants Office and its first 3 years of operation make an interesting portrait of the problems of science and government in these times.     

一个与稻瘟病菌无毒基因AVR-Pik~m连锁的SCAR标记的分离

 本研究将以前在稻瘟病菌菌株S1522获得的与决定对水稻品种梅雨明无毒性的基因(AVR-Pik^m)相连锁的1个RAPD标记OPO12₁₀₀₀进行了克隆和鉴定。核苷酸序列测定与分析结果表明:OPO12₁₀₀₀的大小为946个碱基,不含有与已报道的稻瘟病菌Mg-SINE、Fosburry、Magyy、Grasshopper、Pot2以及Pot3等同源的重复序列。根据OPO12₁₀₀₀的核苷酸序列,设计了1对24个核苷酸的特异引物,对无毒表型亲本S1522和毒性表型亲本S159、无毒表型群体基因池、毒性表型基因池以及有性杂交后代108个菌株进行了PCR扩增,所有无毒表型的菌株均能特异性地扩增出1条与OPO12₁₀₀₀大小相同的DNA条带,而毒性表型的菌株除5个重组个体外,均不能扩增出这条特异带。此结果表明,与稻瘟病菌无毒基因AVR-Pik^m连锁的RAPD标记OPO12₁₀₀₀被成功地转化为SCAR标记,为进一步通过染色体步移克隆该无毒基因奠定了基础。     

Dose response of weeds to methyl iodide and methyl bromide

Labonuory bioassay and field experiments were conducted to characterize the dose response of weeds to methyl iodide and methyl bromide as soil fumigants. The patterns in potency of both fumigants and in sensitivity of diffcretit weed species to the fumigants were distinguished with the use of logistic dose-response models. Similar to its response to methyl hromide fumigation. Amaranthus retrofleus L. was the most sensitive to methyl iodide fumigation. Cyperus rotundtis L. was the least sensitive to methyl iodide fumigation, whereas Portuloca oleracea L. was the least sensitive to methyl hromide. Lolium multiflorum Lam. Abutilon theophrasti Medik. Chenopodium album L. P. ateracea . Brassica kaber (D.C.) L.C. Wheeler and Cyperus escuden-tus L. were similar in sensitivity to methyl iodide. Methyl iodide was as potent as methyl bromide for A. retroflexus but more potent than methyl bromide for L. multiflorum , A. theophrasti. C. album. P. oleracea. B. kaber, C. esculentus and C. rotundus. The dose response for weeds in the field was similar to that obtained in laboratory bioassays. Under fieid conditions. 280 kg ha^-1 methyl iodide killed all species tested except Solanum nigrum L Methyl iodide appears to be a suitable replacement for meihyl bromide because it can be used in situations simitar to methyl bromide fumigation, has superior efficacy against a broad spectrum of pests and has a low potential for degrading the earth's ozone lavers.     

Review: The strobilurin fungicides

The original article to which this Correction refers was published in Pest Management Science 58 (7): 649–662 (2002).Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Drivers,challenges and opportunities of forage technology adoption by smallholder cattle households in Cambodia

Forage technology has been successfully introduced into smallholder cattle systems in Cambodia as an alternative feed source to the traditional rice straw and native pastures, improving animal nutrition and reducing labour requirements of feeding cattle. Previous research has highlighted the positive impacts of forage technology including improved growth rates of cattle and household time savings. However, further research is required to understand the drivers, challenges and opportunities of forage technology for smallholder cattle households in Cambodia to facilitate widespread adoption and identify areas for further improvement. A survey of forage-growing households (n = 40) in July–September 2016 examined forage technology adoption experiences, including reasons for forage establishment, use of inputs and labour requirements of forage plot maintenance and use of forages (feeding, fattening, sale of grass or seedlings and silage). Time savings was reported as the main driver of forage adoption with household members spending approximately 1 h per day maintaining forages and feeding it to cattle. Water availability was reported as the main challenge to this activity. A small number of households also reported lack of labour, lack of fencing, competition from natural grasses, cost of irrigation and lack of experience as challenges to forage growing. Cattle fattening and sale of cut forage grass and seedlings was not found to be a widespread activity by interviewed households, with 25 and 10% of households reporting use of forages for these activities, respectively. Currently, opportunities exist for these households to better utilise forages through expansion of forage plots and cattle activities, although assistance is required to support these households in addressing current constraints, particularly availability of water, if the sustainability of this feed technology for smallholder cattle household is to be established in Cambodia.     

Interactions between different media and follicle‐stimulating hormone supplementation on in vitro culture of preantral follicles enclosed in ovarian tissue derived from collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu Linneaus, 1758)

The aim was to verify the effect of follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) supplementation to α‐MEM+ or TCM199+ media on the in vitro development of ovarian preantral follicles (PFs) derived from collared peccaries. Ovaries (n = 5 pairs) were collected and divided into fragments destined to control group (non‐cultured) or treatments that were cultured for 7 days. The PFs morphology, growth and activation were evaluated by classical histology. The immunohistochemistry markers Ag‐NOR and PCNA were used for nuclear proliferation analysis, and the picrosirius red labelling was used for ovarian extracellular matrix (ECM) evaluation. After 7‐day culture, only the TCM199+ treatment maintained the proportion of intact PFs similar to day 1 (63.2%), but no differences were found among treatments (p > .05). In addition, a significant increase in the growing follicles proportion was verified for all the treatments, indicating follicular activation (p > .05). By the Ag‐NOR analysis, only the TCM199+/FSH maintained the nuclear proliferation similar to the first day (p > .05). The picrosirius red staining revealed that the ECM remained intact in all the treatments (p > .05). We suggest the use of TCM199+ medium supplemented of FSH for the in vitro development of peccaries PFs under 7‐day culturing conditions.     

Use of intralesional cisplatin to successfully treat distal limb haemangiosarcoma in a foal

A 4-month old, 200 kg, grey warmblood colt presented for a firm, non painful mass on the distal medial aspect of the left third metatarsus. Excisional biopsy revealed a diagnosis of haemangiosarcoma. Equine haemangiosarcoma is uncommon and only limited reports of successful treatment are available. The prognosis for survival is therefore considered to be poor. After two separate incidences of recurrence with incomplete excision of the tumour, intralesional treatment with cisplatin without excision or debulking was performed on three separate occasions. Intralesional cisplatin injection was performed at monthly intervals for three treatments. Four years post treatment with cisplatin, the horse remained in remission. This case report describes the diagnostic and treatment challenges for successful treatment of a primary haemangiosarcoma on the distal limb of a warmblood foal using intralesional cisplatin chemotherapy.     

稻米营养品质的研究现状及分子改良途径

本文综述了稻米营养品质(蛋白质、赖氨酸和微量营养素)的经典遗传学和分子遗传学、分子育种的研究现状，并对利用分子标记辅助育种方法提高稻米营养品质作了展望。     

龙牙百合的植株再生与遗传转化

以龙牙百合鳞片叶切块为外植体，通过多种培养基的比较试验，得出MS 2，4-D 2mg／L 6-BA 0．2mg／L是诱导愈伤的最佳培养基，MS 6-BA 1mg／L NAA 0．05mg／L是不定芽诱导及伸长的适宜培养基。MS N_AA2mg／L是生根的最佳培养基。本试验已建立了适用于龙牙百合遗传转化的快速高频再生系统。用携带有几丁质酶基因和β—1、3葡聚糖酶基因的工程菌，通过农杆菌介导法和基因枪转化法转化龙牙百合，经PCR和点杂交检测证明外源基因已经整合到植物染色体中。同时对农杆菌介导法和基因枪法进行比较，发现农杆菌介导法的转化率为16．7％，基因枪法的转化率为50％，因此可能基因枪转化法更适于龙牙百合的遗传转化。