Sirococcus shoot blight on Picea spinulosa in Bhutan

During a recent survey of forest tree diseases in Western and Central Bhutan, Sirococcus shoot blight and an associated Sirococcus sp. were found on saplings and mature trees of Eastern Himalayan spruce (Picea spinulosa). Based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequence comparisons of the ITS region of the rDNA operon, representative isolates from Bhutan were unequivocally identified as Sirococcus conigenus. The DNA sequence data also showed that these isolates belong to the P group of S. conigenus. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of Sirococcus shoot blight from the Himalayas or any other part of Asia. Sirococcus conigenus does not appear to cause dramatic damage at the moment, but this fungus has the potential to cause severe disease problems on P. spinulosa in Bhutan.     

Comparative analysis of multi-criteria probabilistic FR and AHP models for forest fire risk(FFR) mapping in Melghat Tiger Reserve(MTR) forest

A comparative study of Frequency Ratio(FR)and Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP)models are performed for forest fire risk(FFR)mapping in Melghat Tiger Reserve forest,central India.Identification of FFR depends on various hydrometeorological parameters altitude,slope,aspect,topographic position index,normalized differential vegetation index,rainfall,air temperature,land surface temperature,wind speed,distance to settlements,and distance by road are integrated using a GIS platform.The results from FR and AHP show similar trends.The FR model was significantly higher accurate(overall accuracy of 81.3%,kappa statistic 0.78)than the AHP model(overall accuracy 79.3%,kappa statistic 0.75).The FR model total forest fire risk areas were classified into five classes:very low(7.1%),low(22.2%),moderate(32.3%),high(26.9%),and very high(11.5%).The AHP fire risk classes were very low(6.7%),low(21.7%),moderate(34.0%),high(26.7%),and very high(10.9%).Sensitivity analyses were performed for AHP and FR models.The results of the two different models are compared and justified concerning the forest fire sample points(Forest Survey of India)and burn images(2010-2016).These results help in designing more effective fire management plans to improve the allocation of resources across a landscape framework.     

Analysis of a village chicken production system and performance of improved dual purpose chickens under a subtropical hill agro-ecosystem in India

This study was designed to analyze the low input backyard poultry production system practiced by the tribal farmers, and evaluate the performance of an improved dual-purpose breed, the Vanaraja. Results revealed that a significantly (p < 0.05) higher number of farmers used temporary, non-conventional poultry houses made of locally available materials, such as bamboo and wood. Most of the farmers (65.9 %) did not provide balanced feed to their poultry and did not vaccinate their birds against any disease. Under standard management conditions, the average body weight of Vanaraja birds at 6 weeks was 625 +/- 10.9 g. Under backyard conditions, the body weight at 18 months was 3.6 +/- 0.8 kg. The age at first egg was 154 +/- 9 days in the backyard system, whereas under the intensive system it was 196 +/- 4 days. Annual production under the backyard and intensive systems of rearing was 176 +/- 9 and 152 +/- 7 eggs, respectively. Mortality of adult birds was 12 % and predation by foxes and wild cats accounted for 1.67 %. This study revealed that village chickens are an important income source for household expenses, and that traditional free-range poultry production in the smallholder sector of developing countries can possibly be improved through the use of improved dual-purpose birds.     

渝西地区火烧迹地不同植被恢复方式下的物种多样性动态

以“空间序列”代替“时间序列”的方法对渝西地区不同恢复方式下不同年龄的火烧迹地进行了调查研究,结果表明：火烧迹地的植被均匀度、丰富度和Shannon-Wiener指数等随恢复年限的变化曲线在人工恢复和自然恢复两种情况下有很大差异.实验中看不出两种恢复方式的不同是否能决定群落最终的物种多样性水平,但是不同的恢复方式可以加快或减缓物种多样性恢复的过程.实验还表明：在人工恢复的35年以内,多样性的恢复是一个“S”形变动的过程.人工恢复可以缩短灌木丛阶段的年限,加快乔木层的建成,同时促使该类型林区更长时间的停留在针叶林阶段,推迟该林区向顶级群落的演替进程;在自然恢复的40年以内,多样性的恢复是一个逐渐上升的过程,在最初的8年以内,其多样性不如人工恢复,但在恢复40年左右的时候,其多样性却可以达到一个比人工恢复高很多的水平.     

Leaf and neck blast resistance reaction in tropical rice lines under green house condition

Rice blast (Magnaporthe oryzae) is the most destructive and epidemic disease of rice. Use of host resistance is the best alternative for disease management. The leaf and neck blast resistance of 182 rice breeding lines were assessed for leaf and neck blast and classified relative to a susceptible check-Masuli and resistant check-Laxmi, from greenhouse experiment in 2005 and 2006. The test plants were inoculated with 10⁵ conidial suspension/ml of M. oryzae at 21 days old seedlings for the leaf blast, and at neck base for the neck blast. Among them, for leaf blast, 77 rice lines were resistant, 43 were moderately resistant, 39 were moderately susceptible and 23 were susceptible. While among the selected 31 rice lines evaluated for neck blast, 4 lines were resistant, 4 were moderately resistant, 16 were moderately susceptible and 7 were susceptible. Leaf and neck infection was significant and positively correlated (r = 0.30, P = 0.05). The rice lines, Barkhe 1032, Barkhe 1034, Barkhe 1035, Barkhe 1036, Barkhe 2014, Barkhe 2024, Barkhe 3019, Super 3004 were resistant to leaf blast and Barkhe 1006, Barkhe 1032, Barkhe 1035, Barkhe 3004 were resistant to neck blast. The rice lines with identification # 11, 69, 137, 168, 182 from Masuli × MT4 parentage, and Barkhe 3017 were susceptible to both leaf and neck blast. Progenies of Irradiated Pusa Basmati (IPB), Kalinga III/IR64 (KIII/IR64), and Masuli/IR64 were resistant to both leaf and neck blast. However, most progenies from Masuli/MT4 showed susceptible reaction to both leaf and neck blast. Thus, rice lines form the IPB, KIII/IR64 and Masuli/IR64 will be promising resistant sources for rice blast in breeding programme.     

New host and country records of the Dothistroma needle blight pathogens from Europe and Asia

Dothistroma needle blight (DNB) is a serious disease of pines (Pinus spp.), with a worldwide distribution. It is caused by the ascomycete fungi Dothistroma septosporum (teleomorph: Mycosphaerella pini) and Dothistroma pini (teleomorph unknown). Recently, DNB was found on Pinus peuce in Austria, Pinus pallasiana in Ukraine and the European part of south-western Russia, as well as on Pinus radiata and Pinus wallichiana in Bhutan. Based on DNA sequence comparisons of the internal transcribed spacer and β-tubulin gene regions, isolates from Austria and Bhutan were identified as D. septosporum, while isolates from Ukraine and south-western Russia were identified as D. pini. Additional isolates studied from Pinus mugo in Hungary confirmed the presence of D. septosporum in this country. The record of D. septosporum on exotic P. peuce in Austria represents a new host report of this needle blight pathogen in Europe. Likewise, DNB and the associated pathogen, D. septosporum are reported from Bhutan, eastern Himalayas, for the first time. In addition, D. pini was found in two European countries and on a new host, P. pallasiana. These European records represent the only reports of D. pini from outside the north-central USA. Morphological examination of selected specimens from different hosts and countries showed that D. septosporum and D. pini overlap in the length of their conidia, while the width is slightly wider in D. pini than in D. septosporum. The differences in conidial width are so small, however, that identification of the two Dothistroma species solely based on morphology is virtually impossible. The new host and country records provided here are consistent with the continuing trend of reports of the DNB pathogens from new hosts and new geographical areas during the last two decades, particularly in the northern hemisphere.     

Effect of two-component cultivar mixtures on development of wheat yellow rust disease in the field and greenhouse in the Nepal Himalayas

Wheat yellow rust (WYR), caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (PST), is a major disease of wheat, and deployment of a single cultivar often leads to disease epidemics. Effect of inoculum level, foliar fungicide spray, and wheat cultivar mixtures were evaluated on disease development in the field and greenhouse in Nepal. Treatments were arranged in a split–split plot design with three replications in both experiments. Two inoculum levels of PST (low and high) were main plot factors; nontreated control and foliar spray of fungicides (Mancozeb and Bayleton) were subplot factors; and two-component cultivar mixtures, composed of different ratios of a susceptible (S) and a resistant (R) cultivars (90:10, 80:20, and 50:50, 100:0, and 0:100) were sub–subplot factors. WYR severity was assessed at different time intervals, and disease development was calculated as area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). Inoculum level did not cause significant differences in AUDPC in the field but did in the greenhouse. Foliar spray of fungicides reduced the AUDPC in the greenhouse and field. In both experiments, AUDPC values were low in cultivar mixtures compared with a pure stand of a susceptible cultivar. As the proportion of resistant cultivar increased compared with the susceptible cultivar in the S:R mixture component, disease severity decreased with a consequent increase in grain yield. The greater yield obtained with cultivar mixtures compared with only the susceptible cultivar, independent of inoculum level and fungicide spray in the field, revealed a promising strategy to manage WYR in Nepal.     

Predicting upslope expansion of sub-alpine forest in the Makalu Barun National Park,Eastern Nepal,with a hybrid cartographic model

The natural upper boundary of a forest (forest line) in mountain environments is an indicator of climate conditions. An increase in global average temperatures has resulted in an upward advance of the forest line. This advance may result in fragmentation of the alpine ecosystem and a loss of biodiversity. Therefore, it is important to identify potential areas where current forests can advance under scenarios of future climate change. I used expert knowledge and cartographic modeling to create a hybrid cartographic model considering five topographic variables to predict areas where forest line can expand in the future. The prediction accuracy of the model is around 82%. The model is able to predict areas above the current forest line that are suitable or unsuitable for future forest advance. Further inclusion of high-resolution satellite imagery and digital elevation models, as well as field-based information into the model can help to improve the model accuracy.     

Reproductive performance of crossbred dairy cows reared under traditional low input production system in the eastern Himalayas

Reproductive performance of crossbred cows reared under traditional low input production system was assessed. A total number of 160 farmers were surveyed and traditional fodders were evaluated for proximate composition. Total protein, albumin and cholesterol concentrations in blood serum were analyzed. The age at first service, age at first calving, calving interval, calving to first service and calving to conception interval were calculated from records of 261 crossbred dairy cows. The crude protein, crude fiber, nitrogen free extract, ether extract and total ash content varied from 7.2 to 13.9, 18.2 to 34.4, 39.1 to 59.2, 2.1 to 4.1 and 7.2 to 17.9%, respectively. The total protein and albumin concentrations in blood serum were 7.6 ± 0.3 and 4.3 ± 0.3 g/dl, respectively. The cholesterol concentration was 221.1 ± 8.2mg/dl. The mean age at first service and age at first calving was 28.6 ± 1.0 and 40.7 ± 1.1months, respectively. The mean values for calving to first service and calving to conception intervals were 182 ± 14.5 and 224 ± 9.0days, respectively. The conception rate was significantly high among the cows that showed typical fern pattern of cervical mucus (56.6%). The conception rate based on 1^st insemination was 44.4%. The incidence of repeat breeders and anestrus among the crossbred cows were 12.8 and 14.1%, respectively.     

RAP评估中的种子植物区系特征

在对中国西南山地热点地区的生物多样性快速评估调查中得出康定、丹巴、雅江三地有种子植物115科,486属,1 385种; 其中,裸子植物5科,12属,36种; 被子植物110科,474属,1 349种.区系分析显示该植物区系起源古老,地理成分复杂,整体有明显的过渡性; 在科与属级水平上,呈现出明显的泛热带和温带特性; 该区优势分类群明显,单种属和少种属异常丰富.