The Sustainability of Quinoa Production in Southern Bolivia: from Misrepresentations to Questionable Solutions. Comments on Jacobsen (2011, J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197: 390–399)

Reviewing the situation of quinoa production in southern Bolivia, Jacobsen (2011, J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197: 390) argues that the booming export market has a negative effect on the environment and on the home consumption of quinoa, thereby leading to an environmental disaster in the region. In view of the scarcity of scientific knowledge on the rapid social and environmental dynamics in the region, we consider that Jacobsen’s review misrepresents the situation of quinoa production in southern Bolivia. Specifically, we argue that (i) the data presented by Jacobsen (2011, J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197: 390) do not support any drop in quinoa crop yield supposed to reflect soil degradation and (ii) his demonstration regarding home consumption of quinoa is ill‐founded from both a nutritional and a cultural point of view. We suggest that the diffusion of the arguments exposed by Jacobsen (2011, J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197: 390), because of their flaws, might have strong negative impacts on those concerned with sustainable food production and fair‐trade with developing countries. We conclude that, rather than reinforced agro‐technical controls on local farmers, the rising competition in the international quinoa market requires a shift towards an ethical economy and ethical research cooperation with quinoa producers.     

Risk factors for L. monocytogenes contamination of dairy products in Switzerland, 1990-1999

Our purpose was to identify the main hazards associated with the spread of Listeria monocytogenes in dairy products in Switzerland and to determine the changes in predominant serotypes of the isolates, using databases on dairy-processing and environments from the Swiss Dairy Research Station during the years 1990-1999. Overall, of 76,271 samples collected, 3722 (4.9%) were positive for the presence of L. monocytogenes. Cheese-ripening facilities had the highest proportion of positive samples (7.6%), followed by small-scale local dairies (4.4%). By sample type, the highest proportion of positive samples (9.5%) was observed in water samples used for cheese-washing, followed by cheese-surface swabs (5.0%). During the 10-year period, no positive samples were obtained from cream, ice cream, milk powder, yogurt, or fresh cheese. Of 3722 L. monocytogenes isolates, 1328 (35.7%) were serologically typeable. Serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b, and 4b accounted for 92.7% of the 1328 isolates. Until 1995, the most-prevalent serotype was 1/2b (annual proportional prevalence 39.3-72.2%)--whereas since 1996, 1/2a was the most prevalent (34.7-54.7%). During 1996-1999, serotype 1/2a increased by 88%, compared to the average of 1990-1995. In the final random-effect multivariable logistic model, the strongest predictor of a positive culture was samples from cheese-ripening plant (OR=1.54; 95% CI: 1.14, 2.08) and the second-strongest predictor was samples collected by someone who was employed by the plant (OR=1.48; 1.29, 1.71). Hard and semi-hard cheeses were more likely to be associated with serotype 1/2b and soft cheeses with serotype 1/2a.     

Prevalence and risk factors for contamination with Listeria monocytogenes of imported and exported meat and fish products in Switzerland, 1992-2000

A total of 2053 import and 164 export samples from 425 production plants were examined over a 9-year period (1992-2000) for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) in Switzerland. Overall, 282 samples (12.2%) and 85 plants (20.5%) harbored the pathogen. The highest isolation risk was for marinated fish (38%); the lowest was in cured- and dried-meat products.Unconditional fixed-effect logistic regression was used to identify the main hazards associated with the presence of L. monocytogenes. The plant-level model considered potential risk factors for a positive culture operating at the production-plant level by including a random effect of plant and year.Food category was the only significant factor; sampling site, country of origin and season were not significant. Marinated fish was a strong predictor for positive culture, whereas cooked- and cured-meat products were protective. Plant and year effects were significant. Control measures should be focused on specific food items in each production plant.     

Effects of autogenous toxoid-bacterin in lactating cows with Staphylococcus aureus subclinical mastitis

To evaluate clinical effects of autogenous toxoid-bacterin treatment for Staphylococcus aureus subclinical mastitis in lactating cows, 22 cows which had at least one S. aureus infected quarter were selected from among cows at a S. aureus prevalent dairy farm. Eleven cows were injected with their own autogenous toxoid-bacterin and the others were maintained as non-injected control. In the toxoid-bacterin injected group, 27% of infected quarters were cured during the 12-week trial, compared to 5% in the control group. New intramammary infections with S. aureus were only detected in 3 quarters of the control group. Mean IgG antibody titer against S. aureus somatic antigens and alpha-toxin in serum and milk were significantly increased in the toxoid-bacterin injected group (p<0.05) and remained higher than those of the control group which showed no significant changes (p<0.05). In contrast to the control group, from 3 weeks after the second injection of the toxoid-bacterin injected group, mean S. aureus cfu/ml in milk samples from injected quarters with S. aureus was significantly decreased until the end of the study (p<0.05). In the toxoid-bacterin injected group, significant decreases of mean SCC were detected from milk samples from infected quarters with S. aureus from week 7 to week 10 (p<0.05). These data show that autogenous toxoid-bacterin treatment against S. aureus subclinical mastitis in lactating cows may increase the cure rate of the infections, reduce the severity of the infections and also prevent occurrence of the new infections.     

Genetic evidence of stable northward extension of Pinus thunbergii Parl. forests in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii Parl.) with high salt tolerance may be an important constitutive element sustaining terrestrial ecosystem by playing a...     

Morphological and molecular characterization of garlic (Allium sativum L.) genotypes sampled from Turkey

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Garlic is a vegetable widely used both in food and as a pharmaceutical raw material in the world due to its contents. Although morphological differences are...     

Climate impact of late quaternary equatorial pacific sea surface temperature variations

Magnesium/calcium data from planktonic foraminifera in equatorial Pacific sediment cores demonstrate that tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were 2.8 degrees +/- 0.7 degrees C colder than the present at the last glacial maximum. Glacial-interglacial temperature differences as great as 5 degrees C are observed over the last 450 thousand years. Changes in SST coincide with changes in Antarctic air temperature and precede changes in continental ice volume by about 3 thousand years, suggesting that tropical cooling played a major role in driving ice-age climate. Comparison of SST estimates from eastern and western sites indicates that the equatorial Pacific zonal SST gradient was similar or somewhat larger during glacial episodes. Extraction of a salinity proxy from the magnesium/calcium and oxygen isotope data indicates that transport of water vapor into the western Pacific was enhanced during glacial episodes.     

Epidemiology and simulation of population development of Sitobion avenae in winter wheat

The epidemiology ofSitobion avenae and its natural enemies in winter wheat was studied in 1975, 1976 and 1977. Immigration was important until the end of flowering. The alate immigrants had apterous offspring. These became the driving force in population growth. Their offspring were mostly alatae which usually left the field. A model of the epidemic was developed. Quantitative relations between the aphids and their environment were obtained from literature or established in laboratory trials. The model simulated population development and population composition from the beginning of June till the population peak at the end of June or early in July. Because quantitative data on relations between aphids and their natural enemies and pathogens are scarce, and since the knowledge on wing formation is still limited, the population collapse could not be predicted. In the future, prognosis over a period of three weeks seems possible.Samenvatting De toenemende betekenis van graanbladluizen (vooralSitobion avenae) gepaard gaande met een sterke toename van het gebruik van insecticiden op granen maakte verbetering van de prognose over het schadelijk optreden wenselijk. Door gedetailleerde tellingen in het veld (Fig. 1–7) werden gegevens verkregen over het verloop van de epidemie en het optreden van natuurlijke vijanden in 1975, 1976 en 1977.Een immigratieperiode tot in de bloei kon worden vastgesteld. Daarna lijkt de aantrekkelijkheid van het gewas voor alate luizen te verminderen. De alate immigranten krijgen aptere nakomelingen. Deze vormen de stuwende kracht van de populatiegroei. De nakomelingen van apteren zijn merendeels alaat. Zij verlaten het gewas.Een model van de populatieontwikkeling gedurende de epidemie werd opgesteld. De relatiediagrammen Fig. 9 en 10 laten groei en ontwikkeling vanS. avenae en een predator (Syrphus corollae) zien. Kwantificering van de betrekkingen werd mogelijk door literatuurgegevens en laboratoriumexperimenten.Met het model kon de populatieontwikkeling vanS. avenae vanaf begin juni tot aan de populatiepiek in 1975, 1976 en 1977 vrij goed worden gesimuleerd (Fig. 12). Ook de populatieopbouw kon worden gesimuleerd (Fig. 14). De teruggang van de populatiedichtheid blijkt moeilijker te voorspellen door het ontbreken van gegevens over natuurlijke vijanden.Het lijkt waarschijnlijk dat in de toekomst met het model een prognose over de piek van de bladluispopulatie circa 3 weken tevoren mogelijk zal zijn.