Identification of blackeye cowpea mosaic virus from germplasm of yard-long bean and from soybean,and the relationships between blackeye cowpea mosaic virus and cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus

Two potyvirus isolates, one from germplasm of yard-long bean (Vigna unguiculata ssp.sesquipedalis) introduced into the Netherlands, and another one from soybean plants (Glycine max) in Indonesia, were compared with two virus isolates of blackeye cowpea mosaic virus (BICMV) from the USA and a Moroccan isolate of cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CAMV). It is proposed that all five isolates be now considered BICMV on the basis of host ranges, symptoms and serology. From our results, and a reassessment of the literature it is suggested to drop the name CAMV in favour of BICMV.Samenvatting Twee potyvirussen, de een in Nederland ingevoerd met genenmateriaal vanVigna unguiculata ssp.sesquipedalis en de ander uit planten van sojaboon (Glycine max) in Indonesië, werden vergeleken met twee isolaten van blackeye cowpea mosiac virus (BICMV) en een Marokkaans isolaat van cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CAMV). Op grond van waardplantenreeksen, symptomen en serologie stellen de auteurs voor om alle vijf isolaten te beschouwen als BICMV. Gebaseerd op de verkregen resultaten en een kritische beschouwing van de literatuur wordt de aanbeveling gedaan om de naam CAMV te laten vallen ten gunste van BICMV.     

Factors associated with variation in Neospora caninum bulk-milk S/P ratios in initially bulk-milk negative testing Dutch dairy herds

We conducted a study on 81 initially bulk-milk ELISA negative dairy herds taken from a random sample of Dutch dairy herds to evaluate variation in bulk-milk S/P ratios and to study reasons for bulk-milk conversion. These herds were repeatedly (3-month intervals) tested between April 2004 and August 2005 and serostatus of all animals had previously been established as negative (N), low-positive (LP) or high-positive (HP). Of these herds, herd- and test-related factors associated with variation in sample over positive (S/P) ratios were analysed using a multivariable linear-mixed model with ‘herd’ as random effect. In addition, changes of animal serostatus in converting herds were described. S/P ratios were calculated as the optical density of the bulk-milk sample minus the optical density of the negative serum control divided by the difference in optical density between the positive and negative serum control.

Sixteen bulk-milk conversions in 12 dairy herds were seen with few indications of serological conversion in lactating cattle except for one herd in which recrudescence of infection appeared likely in nine cows. The effect of HP serostatus on bulk-milk S/P ratio was 2–3 times stronger compared with LP serostatus. In addition, bulk-milk S/P-ratio increased when the proportion of HP animals between 1 and 60 days in milk increased and decreased when the average milk-production level of the herd increased. Besides these herd-related factors, the use of different ELISA-testkits between test rounds had a significant effect on the S/P-ratio in bulk-milk samples.     

Use of detached tomato leaves to test for resistance to tomato mosaic virus

Samenvatting Een methode werd ontwikkeld om de resistentie van in de kas geteelde tomateplanten tegen tomatemozaïek virus (ToMV) te bepalen. Bladeren van een vatbare en een resistente cultivar werden afgesneden en geïnoculeerd met ToMV. Na 6, 10 en 17 dagen werden de geïnoculeerde bladeren getoetst op de aanwezigheid van virus met ELISA en door inoculatie van bladeren vanNicotiana glutinosa. Met beide toetsmethoden kon de virustoename in de vatbare cultivar al vroeg na inoculatie duidelijk worden aangetoond. In de bladeren van de resistente cultivar was een zeer kleine hoeveelheid virus pas laat na de inoculatie aantoonbaar. Met deze methode is het mogelijk om de resistentie tegen ToMV te bepalen, tevens zaad te winnen en landbouwkundige eigenschappen te evalueren, zonder de plant te infecteren.     

Evaluating Sugarcane Diets for Dairy Cows Using a Digestion Model

To eliminate unnecessary feeding trials, a mechanistic model of sugarcane digestion was used in the search for suitable supplements to improve milk production. Milk production simulated by the model was compared with data observed in four feeding trials published in the tropical literature where crossbred dairy cows were fed sugarcane/urea diets with different types of supplements. The predicted effects of the supplements on the ruminal microbial population, concentrations of ammonia and volatile fatty acids were also compared with the published results in one experiment. The model indicated the nutrient most limiting milk production for the different feeding situations. The addtion of Leucaena to the basal sugarcane/urea improved the availability of amino acids and long-chain fatty acids, with energy becoming the limiting factor. Supplementation with rice bran increased the availability of energy and long-chain fatty acids, but amino acids then became the limiting factor. Supplementation with both Leucaena and rice bran further improved the milk yield, but availability of energy now limited milk production. Supplementation with Leucaena increased milk production more than supplementation with king grass. The main reason for this increase was increased amino acid absorption due to increased microbial outflow. In all feeding situations, the average difference between the predicted milk production and that observed experimentally was 0.57 kg/d (ranging from 0.08 to 1 kg/d).     

Electron microscopical investigations of mosaic diseased wheat plants found in Italy

Summary For some years past at several places in the province of Brescia a mosaic disease of wheat has been detected which probably must be attributede to a virus (Grancini, 1959). Presumably the same disease has recently been constatated in other provinces of North Italy.Electron microscopical study of diseased wheat leaves showed that the preparations which were obtained with the dipping method ofBrandes (1957) all contained rod-shaped virus particles with a length of 300 m. These particles were absent from healthy plants. Whether or not this virus is directly responsible for the mosaic disease could not be established, since we did not succeed in transmitting the virus artificially.Samenvatting Sedert einige jaren wordt op verschillende plaatsen in de provincie Brescia een mozaïekziekte bij de tarwe gevonden, waarvna de oorzaak waarschijnlijk aan een virus moet worden toegeschreven (Grancini, 1959).Bij elektronemicroscopisch onderzoek van zieke bladeren is gevonden, dat de preparaten, welke met de doop-methode vanBrandes (1957) verkregen waren, alle staafvormige virusdeeltjes ter lengte van 300 m bevatten (fig. 1). In preparaten van gezond bladmateriaal kwamen deze deeltjes niet voor. Of dit virus direct aansprakelijk is voor de mozaïekziekte kon nog niet aangetoond worden, aangezien het tot nu toe niet gelukt is het virus langs kunstmatige weg over te brengen.     

A dynamic model of N metabolism in the lactating dairy cow and an assessment of impact of N excretion on the environment

Improving N utilization in dairy cows and especially reducing N output in excreta is desirable due to global concerns of agricultural contribution of N to environmental pollution, particularly as ammonia. Data from five N balance experiments were used to develop a dynamic model that was evaluated with independent data. Model predictions of feces, urine, and milk outputs were close to observed values. Statistical analysis showed that 96% of mean square prediction error for feces and urine N output predictions was due to random variation. However, the model tends to overpredict milk N output, especially at higher N intake levels. Evaluation of model predictions for independent experimental observations from Agricultural Development Advisory Service at Bridgets (U.K.) showed good agreement between predicted and observed urine N output (95% due to random variation). However, there was a slight underprediction for fecal N output (14% mean square prediction error due to bias) and overprediction of milk N output (22% of mean square prediction error due to bias). The model predictions of N outputs in excreta were sensitive to changes in energy concentration of the diet. Dietary protein degradability had only a small influence on predicted fecal N output. However, the model was sensitive in its predictions of urine N when protein degradability was varied. Application of the model to assess reduction in ammonia emissions from dairy cows showed that increasing the energy concentration could potentially reduce ammonia emissions by up to 25% per cow. Similarly, reducing CP concentration in the diet to about 16% could reduce ammonia production by 20% and lower degradability of CP to match microbial requirement by 19% per cow. The model is a first step toward a mechanistic approach of nutrient modeling, and it is a valuable method for predicting N excretions and estimating N emissions from dairy systems.     

Germinal pore number in pollen grains as a selection basis in the production of tetraploid clover

Experiments with the variety Fahl of Berseem clover and with different material of red clover have shown that the occurrence of tetraploid and diploid tissues can be detected in a rapid and reliable way by determining the number and arrangement of germinal pores of the pollen. The advantages over the conventional methods are mentioned and described.The determination of the germinal pore pattern, which is combined with pair crossing of the tetraploid heads, makes it possible to obtain in an efficient way completely tetraploid material with a great genetic variability.Samenvatting Proeven met het ras Fahl van Alexandrijnse klaver en met verschillend materiaal van rode klaver hebben uitgewezen dat het voorkomen van tetraploide en diploide weefsels op een snelle en betrouwbare wijze aangetoond kan worden door middel van bepaling van het kiemporiënbeeld van het stuifmeel.De bepaling van het kiemporiënbeeld gevolgd door paarsgewijze kruising van de tetraploide hoofdjes maakt het mogelijk op een efficiënte wijze te komen tot zuiver tetraploid materiaal met een grote genetische variabiliteit.     

Impact of excreted nitrogen by grazing cattle on nitrate leaching

Abstract. At De Marke experimental farm, data on water and nitrogen flows in the unsaturated zone were gathered on two grazed pastures on sandy soils during the years 1991 to 1994. These provided a basis for calibration and validation of simulation models. The different levels of nitrate-N concentrations of the two plots could largely be explained by differences in crop uptake and simulated denitrification as influenced by different groundwater levels. The irregular distribution of excreta was taken into account by a simulation study quantifying the variability of nitrate-N concentrations under a grazed field. The resulting distribution of simulated nitrate-N concentrations explained the average and peak values of the measured concentrations. Temporal variability of weather was used to assess the nitrate leaching risk under urine patches deposited in either July or September. At site A the probability of exceeding the EC-directive by drinking water (11.3 mg/1 nitrate-N) under a urination deposited in either July or September was respectively 10 and 25%. The average field concentration at this site will hardly ever be a high risk for the environment under the current farm management. At site B the EC-directive will be exceeded under any urine patch in almost 100% of the years, affecting the field average concentration. In field B careful grazing management would result in less nitrate leaching, but the environmental goals would not be reached.