Leaching potential and decomposition of fluroxypyr in Swedish soils under field conditions

The mobility and decomposition of the herbicide fluroxypyr (4-amino-3,5-dichloro-6-fluoro-2-pyridyloxyacetic acid) was studied under field conditions in a sandy soil and a clay soil. Leachate was collected in lysimeters with undisturbed soil (sand) and in tile-drained plots (clay). Soil samples to a depth of one metre were also collected in both soils to characterize the temporal depth distribution of fluroxypyr in the profiles. The herbicide was applied as the I-methylheptyl ester of fluroxypyr at two rates, 187.5 and 375.0 g a.e. ha^?1, representing the normal and double the dose of the compound used for spring cereals. Some lysimeters received supplementary watering. Only two leachate samples (one from each soil) had concentrations of fluroxypyr above the detection limit (1 μg litre^?1), i.e. 2 and 5 μg litre^?1. Both samples were collected within two months after application, when less than 2 mm of drainage had been collected. The methylheptyl ester of fluroxypyr was not found in any of the samples. Fluroxypyr levels above the detection limit in soil (5 μg kg^?1 dry soil), were never found below the topsoil (0.2 m) in the clay profile, while, in the sandy profile, levels just above the detection limit were found occasionally in deeper soil layers. Concentrations were reduced to undetectable or very low levels within three months after spraying.     

Induced resistance in tomato plants against Fusarium wilt invoked by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. dianthi

Tomato plants, susceptible toFusarium oxysporum f. sp.lycopersici, were inoculated by immersing the roots in a conidial suspension ofF. oxysporum f. sp.lycopersici race 1,F. oxysporum f. sp.dianthi race 2 or a mixture of both fungi. Plants inoculated withF. oxysporum f. sp.lycopersici showed disease symptoms after 2 weeks, whereas plants inoculated withF. oxysporum f. sp.dianthi or a mixture of both fungi remained symptomless for over 7 weeks, the duration of the experiment. In another experiment root systems of plants were split and each half was separately inoculated. One half was firstly inoculated withF. oxysporum f. sp.dianthi or treated with water, followed after a week by a second inoculation of the other half withF. oxysporum f. sp.lycopersici or by a water treatment. The disease symptoms in the half firstly inoculated withF. oxysporum f. sp.dianthi were significantly delayed, compared to plants of which that half had been treated with water. BecauseF. oxysporum f. sp.dianthi reduced disease symptoms caused byF. oxysporum f. sp.lycopersici without any direct interaction with this pathogen, it is concluded thatF. oxysporum f. sp.dianthi is able to induce resistance againstF. oxysporum f. sp.lycopersici in tomato plants.     

Chemisch-mineralogische und mikromorphologische untersuchung einer eutrophen (Ramann-) braunerde des Budapester Hügellandes

In spite of the fact that Ramann's concept of Braunerde was extensively used throughout the world, some pedogenic processes and soil properties which are important for the formation and existence of Brown Forest Soils (eutrophic brown earths) are still not well known. Hence, a soil was investigated which was classified as a “Braunerde” by Ramann in 1909. The main question was, whether there might be soil constituents such as inorganic amorphous substances (allophanes) which are able to stabilize the brown-earth fabric, or to inhibit clay migration. From chemical data as well as from the magnitude of the pH-dependent CEC, it was deduced that there are no appreciable amounts of allophanes within the soil. The fabric, however, seems to be stabilized by colloid-chemical flocculation of the clay particles caused by large amounts of carbonates and silicates deposited with the parent material (loess). The decalcified solum is still rich in silicates, especially sand and coarse-silt-sized micas and feldspars (60–200 and 20–60 μm fractions, respectively). Since - in comparison - loesses and loess-derived soils of the Central German mountain region contain less silicates, mainly in fine and medium silt fractions (2–6 and 6–20 μm diameter, respectively), the coarser-grained silicates were assumed to be important for maintaining the Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ saturation of the soil by continuous weathering and thus stabilizing the brown-earth fabric.Although the soil is saturated predominantly with Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions, clay migration proceeds within the upper horizons. This was shown by calculation of the amounts of clay formed by breakdown of micas originally present in the parent material (“clay formation balance”), as well as by micromorphological studies. Furthermore, micromorphological studies and x-ray diffraction data gave some evidence for the migration of preferably finest grained montmorillonitic clays (smectites) penetrated by organic substances (humus). This kind of “selective clay migration” was assumed to be caused by high Ca²⁺ (or Mg²⁺) concentrations in soil solution required for flocculation of humus-penetrated (humus-coated) smectites. From the occurrence of these “humus-smectites” the possibility was assumed that the soil studied has been developed from a former Chernozem type.Quantitatively, clay migration does not reach the amounts of clay formation (breakdown of micas) accompanied by precipitation of iron oxides on mineral surfaces (“Verbraunung”). Thus, the soil profile visually and macromorphologically clearly exhibits the features of brown earths. On the other hand, however, some clay migration was observed. Hence, the soil was classified as a “brown earth with some clay migration” (“schwach durchschlämmte Braunerde”).Judging from the results of the “clay formation balance” an appreciable pedogenic (autigenic) clay formation from weathering products of feldspars was excluded for the soil studied.     

Effects of crushed conspecifics on growth and survival of Penaeus monodon Fabricius post larvae

In the present study, the hypothesis tested was that Penaeus monodon post‐larvae (PL) experience lower growth when exposed to crushed conspecifics, which was achieved by exposing individual P. monodon PL with abundant food for 4 weeks to a gradient from 0 to 100 crushed conspecific PL L^?1. Both dry weight (48.5±7.2 mg) and body size (28.0±1.3 mm) of animals exposed to 1 macerated PL L^?1 were significantly (P≤0.011) higher than those of animals in treatments with 0, 5 and 10 crushed PL L^?1 (average over treatments: 25.6±3.2 mg; 23.4±0.5 mm). All animals died within 1 week when exposed to 70 and 100 crushed PL L^?1, and within 3–4 weeks when exposed to 50 and 30 crushed PL L^?1. Exposure time affected mortality and it appeared that LC₅₀ values decreased from 60 to 13 crushed PL L^?1 from 1 to 4 weeks' exposure. Survival of P. monodon PL was negatively correlated to pH, biological oxygen demand, ammonia and nitrate. In conclusion, low dose of crushed conspecifics has a stimulatory effect on P. monodon PL, as larvae were heavier and larger, while high doses cause high mortality.     

Die Phosphatmobilität im Hochmoorboden in Abhängigkeit von der Düngung

Phosphate mobility in relation to fertilizing effects in raised-bog peat The phosphate solubility of raised-bog peat soils is very different from the phosphate solubility of mineral soils. Compared to mineral soils the losses of phosphates by leaching are 10 to 20 times higher. This mobility of phosphates is destined by the quantity, kind and time of fertilizing, land use (grassland or arable land) and fertilizing technique. Field and lysimeter trials with raised-bog peat soils show: 1. Water soluble phosphates are quickly translocated and leached. 2. Water insoluble phosphates are quickly solved and leached in raised-bog peat soils. The mobility of the phosphates decreases with increasing pH-value of the top soil and topdressing. At a pH-value of 4,O nearly 80% of Thomasphosphat and nearly 70% of Hyperphos phosphates are leached in lysimeter trials; at pH-value of 4 3 only 17 % of Thomasphosphat and 15 % of Hyperphos phosphates are leached. 3. To minimize leaching losses phosphate fertilizingin spring is recommended to reduce the phosphate leaching. 4. The phosphate leaching in grassland is twice or thrice less than in arable land.     

Temperatures, winds, and composition in the saturnian system

Stratospheric temperatures on Saturn imply a strong decay of the equatorial winds with altitude. If the decrease in winds reported from recent Hubble Space Telescope images is not a temporal change, then the features tracked must have been at least 130 kilometers higher than in earlier studies. Saturn's south polar stratosphere is warmer than predicted from simple radiative models. The C/H ratio on Saturn is seven times solar, twice Jupiter's. Saturn's ring temperatures have radial variations down to the smallest scale resolved (100 kilometers). Diurnal surface temperature variations on Phoebe suggest a more porous regolith than on the jovian satellites.     

Tryptamine alkaloid toxicosis in feedlot sheep

Tryptamine alkaloid toxicosis (Phalaris staggers) was diagnosed in feedlot sheep. Clinical signs of toxicosis, which were exacerbated by excitement, included gait abnormalities, muscular tremors, nystagmus, and convulsions. An estimated 8% of the most severely affected lambs had clinical signs of toxicosis. Gross lesions detected in the brain of affected lambs consisted of focal gray-green discoloration in the brain stem and thalamus; these areas had microscopic evidence of intraneuronal pigment accumulation. Brain specimens obtained at slaughter indicated that 60% of the lambs had lesions consistent with tryptamine alkaloid toxicosis. Tryptamine alkaloids were found in low concentrations in the feed. Lambs exposed to these feeds had higher death losses than those that were not exposed to the feeds. Cobalt concentration in the feed was higher than that previously reported to be associated with Phalaris staggers.     

Phosphoraustrag aus Niedermoorböden - Ergebnisse eines Lysimeterversuches ohne Pflanzenbewuchs

Leaching of phosphorus out of fen soils - Results from pot trials without growing plants In contrast to acid bog peat soils, fen soils with high content of iron, calcium und partially lime may fix phosphates in the same way as mineral soils. In model experiments without growing plants the quantity of leached phosphorus is determined. 0,4–0,5 kg P/ha are leached out of a slightly acid fen soil (pH 5,5) with 550 mm percolated water. The phosphate fertilizers (300 kg P/ha) Tripelphosphat, Novaphos, Hyperphos and Thomasphosphat have no influence on the amount of leached phosphorus. The phosphate is fixed in the depth of 0–10 cm, into which the fertilizers were mixed. However, from a very strongly acid fen soil (pH 3,0; limed in 0–10 cm to pH 4,5) with 1000 mm percolated water 25,8 kg P/ha are leached. The fertilization with Tripelphosphat and Novaphos increases the amount of leached phosphorus whereas the water insoluble phosphate fertilizers (Thomasphosphat and Hyperphos) have no influence. In a fen soil with high content of iron water soluble phosphate will be sorbed and fixed very rapidly, therefore only low parts of the water soluble phosphate fertilizers can be extracted with lactate solution (DL), in comparison to the water insoluble phosphates.