QTL controlling partial resistance to Stagonospora nodorum leaf blotch in winter wheat cultivar Alba

Stagonospora nodorum blotch (SNB) is an important foliar and glume disease in cereals. Inheritance of SNB resistance in wheat appears quantitative. The development of partially resistant cultivars seems to be the only effective way to combat the pathogen. Partial resistance components like length of incubation period (INC), disease severity (DIS) and length of latent period (LAT) were evaluated on a population of doubled-haploids derived from a cross between the partially resistant cultivar Alba and the susceptible cultivar Begra. Experiments were conducted in controlled environments and the fifth leaf was examined. Molecular analyses were based on bulked segregant analyses (BSA) and screening with 240 microsatellites DNA markers. The QTL analysis revealed QTL on chromosome 6AL (designated as QSnl.ihar-6A) and putative QTL on chromosome 6D. The QSnl.ihar-6A accounted for 36% of the phenotypic variance for DIS and 14% for INC. The putative QTL accounted for 10% of the variability in INC and 8% of DIS components of SNB resistance.     

Sodium and chloride distribution in salt-stressed Prunus salicina, a deciduous tree species

Measurements were made over four growing seasons of the Na(+) and Cl(-) content of leaves and woody tissues (twigs, branches, trunk and roots) of mature, fruit-bearing Prunus salicina Lindl. (on Marianna 2624 rootstock) trees irrigated during the growing season with water containing 3, 14 or 28 mM salt (2/1 molar ratio of NaCl and CaCl(2)). At the beginning of the study, the trees were 19 years old. Woody tissues of trees irrigated with water containing 14 or 28 mM salt accumulated Na(+) and Cl(-). Leaves of trees irrigated with water containing 14 or 28 mM salt accumulated Cl(-), but not Na(+), unless they had visible symptoms of salt injury. X-Ray microanalysis of leaf mesophyll cells indicated some ability of the cells to sequester Cl(-) in the vacuole. The data demonstrate a capacity for ion compartmentation among tissues and cell organelles in mature Prunus salicina, which may explain the ability of the species to survive low levels of salinity for several years in the field.     

Reclamation of saline organic soil

Summary Reclamation of saline, organic soils in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California was accomplished by both sprinkling and continuously ponding water on the soil surface. The reclamation data support the generalized guideline established for saline, organic soil.A 70% reduction in the average root zone salinity required 3 months under ponding, compared to 4 months under sprinkling. Although accurate measures of water application on the ponded trials were not possible, the limited data indicate that the amount of water required is about the same per unit depth of soil reclaimed for both ponding and sprinkling. Reclamation proceeded more quickly under the second ponding trial than for sprinkling or the first ponding trial because of improved subsurface drainage. With sprinklers, 70% of the salt was removed from the soil profile to a depth of 1.2 m after 850 mm of leaching water entered the profile. Reclamation by ponding required about the same quantity of water but the water required for leaching could be reduced significantly by improved drainage.     

A method for estimating fish density through the catches of gillnets

We propose a new method for estimating fish density using catches obtained by gillnets of given mesh size. This method builds on work for estimating the number of fish approaching a gillnet by modelling the fish movement that leads to a gillnet encounter. The theoretical framework is developed, and the method is tested on catch data for cod Gadus morhua and Dolly Varden Salvelinus malma to demonstrate how the method can be applied. The method relies on knowledge of geometric properties of the net, and morphological and behavioural properties of the fish, so we explore the sensitivity of the estimates to some of these parameters. Estimates are most sensitive to the morphological parameter of the angle the mouth is open while swimming and largely invariant to estimates of uncertain parameters like maximum number of fish that can be caught by the particular net.     

Hemograms and microscopic lesions of herring gulls during captivity

Herring gulls (Larus argentatus) kept in captivity for a maximum of 28 days developed marked heterophilia and nonregenerative anemia. These hematologic findings remained abnormal throughout captivity. Concurrently, severe amyloid deposition was seen in vessel walls of the spleen and in other tissues, and vacuolar degeneration of catecholamine-producing cells of the adrenal glands was found in gulls necropsied at various intervals. Behavioral signs of stress were seen in the early stages of captivity, but were not seen in most gulls after day 3. Clinical signs referable to the microscopic lesions were not observed in this study. Therefore, gulls brought into captivity appear to adapt behaviorally, but maintain severe microscopic lesions and an abnormal hemogram.