Novel inhibitors of sterol C-14 demethylase and Δ14 Reductase/Δ8 → Δ7 isomerase for cereal disease control

The activity of five experimental fungicides combining structural elements responsible for sterol C-14 demethylase inhibition and sterol nuclear double-bond transformations has been investigated by examining sterol accumulation in Ustilago maydis (DC.) Corda, inhibition of sterol-biosynthesis enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Meyer using a cell-free system and protective activity in cereals against Erysiphe graminis DC. and Puccinia coronata Corda. Combining the fenpropidin/fenpropimorph basic structure with a pyridine moiety offered no advantage in fungicidal activity. However, the combination of the pyrifenox structure with a morpholine moiety yielded a compound which was a good inhibitor of C-14 demethylase and Δ⁸ → Δ⁷ isomerase in vitro and gave good cereal protection.     

Vaccination of weaner pigs against classical swine fever with the subunit vaccine "Porcilis Pesti": influence of different immunization plans on excretion and transmission of challenge virus

Excretion and transmission of CSFV after vaccination with the CSF subunit marker vaccine "Porcilis Pesti" have been studied using the following different vaccination schedules: Group A--two vaccinations with an interval of 28 d, challenge 14 d after second vaccination (p.v2.); group B--two vaccinations with an interval of 14 d, challenge 14 d later; group C--two vaccinations with an interval of 28 d, challenge at time of booster vaccination; group D--two vaccinations with an interval of 14 d, challenge 7 d p.v2.; group E--single vaccination and infection 14 d later. After infection one sentinel pig was added to the vaccinated and infected pigs of each group. A single vaccination did not induce protective immunity against a CSFV challenge. Double vaccination at a four-week interval protected piglets from clinical infection, and neither viraemia and leukopenia nor virus excretion were detected if infected 14 d p.v2. Two vaccinations at a two-week interval followed by a challenge 7 d p.v2. led to a short viraemia on day 5 p.i. but without excretion of CSFV. Though all other vaccination schedules induced a reduction in virus shedding and a decrease in CSFV replication, in all these cases in-contact controls became infected. The results of transmission of CSFV are discussed in relation to a potential use of subunit marker vaccines in CSF control.     

CerealBeta-Amylases

Cerealbeta-amylases are perhaps best known in terms of the vital role they play in releasing easily fermentable sugars from cereal grain starch to fuel the production of alcohol by yeast in brewing. The extent to which they have been investigated is indeed largely due to their significance in this economically important industry. However, cerealbeta-amylases are also, or could be, employed in many other aspects of the food industry and the analysis of starch, and they constitute valuable markers in cereal assessment and breeding studies. Quite apart from their practical significance, they are rewarding objects of biochemical and physiological research. They are interesting models for the study of enzyme polymorphism, post-translational modification and the differential expression of isoenzymes. In spite of their often high activitiesin situand all that is known about their generation, they are an enigma in that their physiological function, or even necessity, remains unclear. It has been recently recognised that there are two different categories of cerealbeta-amylases which exhibit different tissue and taxonomic specificities and physiological developmental patterns. The «classical»beta-amylases present at high activities in cereal seeds appear to be limited to the endosperm of the species of the Triticeae tribe of the Festucoideae subfamily of the Gramineae (wheat, barley and rye), whereas all cereals exhibit a different, tissue-«ubiquitous» form of the enzyme which is present at much lower activity levels. The physiological phenomenology and the usage of cerealbeta-amylases are discussed in relation to these two categories of enzyme.     

Bedeutung eines jahreszeitlich unterschiedlichen Einschlagszeitpunktes für das Trocknungsverhalten des Schnittholzes von Fichten (Picea abies (L.) Karst.)

Zusammenfassung:   Die vorliegende Untersuchung hat zum Ziel, die Auswirkungen eines jahreszeitlich unterschiedlichen Einschlagszeitpunktes von Fichten (Winter- und Sommereinschlag) auf die Dimensionsstabilität des daraus erzeugten Schnittholzes zu erfassen und zu quantifizieren. Hierzu wurden jeweils 12 Fichten aus Winter- und Sommereinschlag unmittelbar nach der Aufarbeitung im Bestand zu Bauschnittholz in praxisüblichen Dimensionen verarbeitet. Die Erfassung der trocknungsbedingten Verwerfungen des Schnittholzes erfolgte mittels Vermessung der Kantholzform vor und nach einer technischen Kammertrocknung (Zielfeuchte u = 15 ± 3%). Dabei zeigte sich, dass der saisonal unterschiedliche Zeitpunkt der Fällung der Bäume keinen statistisch abgesicherten Einfluss auf die durchschnittlichen Verwerfungen bzw. die Dimensionsstabilität der daraus erzeugten Kanthölzer hatte.     

PROGRESS ON IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY: UK-CHINA VIRTUAL JOINT CENTERS ON NITROGEN AGRONOM

● Virtual joint centers on N agronomy were established between UK and China. ● Key themes were improving NUE for fertilizers, utilizing livestock manures, and soil health. ● Improved management practices and technologies were identified and assessed. ● Fertilizer emissions and improved manure management are key targets for mitigation. Two virtual joint centers for nitrogen agronomy were established between the UK and China to facilitate collaborative research aimed at improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in agricultural production systems and reducing losses of reactive N to the environment. Major focus areas were improving fertilizer NUE, use of livestock manures, soil health, and policy development and knowledge exchange. Improvements to fertilizer NUE included attention to application rate in the context of yield potential and economic considerations and the potential of improved practices including enhanced efficiency fertilizers, plastic film mulching and cropping design. Improved utilization of livestock manures requires knowledge of the available nutrient content, appropriate manure processing technologies and integrated nutrient management practices. Soil carbon, acidification and biodiversity were considered as important aspects of soil health. Both centers identified a range of potential actions that could be taken to improve N management, and the research conducted has highlighted the importance of developing a systems-level approach to assessing improvement in the overall efficiency of N management and avoiding unintended secondary effects from individual interventions. Within this context, the management of fertilizer emissions and livestock manure at the farm and regional scales appear to be particularly important targets for mitigation.