Further Contributions to the Development of a Differential Set of Pea Cultivars (Pisum sativum) to Investigate the Virulence of Isolates of Aphanomyces euteiches

Common root rot (Aphanomyces euteiches Drechs.) has become a very destructive disease in the French pea crops since 1993. For an accurate investigation of the virulence variability among French A. euteiches populations and between French and foreign populations, a new set of differential pea genotypes was developed. Thirty-three American and European pea lines, displaying different levels of resistance, were screened in a growth chamber against two French isolates. Symptoms (disease severity from 0 to 5, evaluating symptom surface on roots and epicotyl) and percentage of top fresh weight (inoculated/uninoculated top fresh weight ratio) were measured. From this screening 12 relatively resistant lines, from various genetic backgrounds, were identified along with a highly susceptible control. This set of 13 genotypes was inoculated under controlled conditions with 14 isolates from France, Sweden, USA, Canada and New Zealand, to investigate genotype–isolate interactions. Root symptoms were rated (disease severity), and a susceptibility/resistance threshold was established at disease severity = 1. Significant quantitative interactions were observed, and five 'resistance patterns' were identified, leading to a set of six pea genotypes: Baccara (susceptible), Capella, MN313, 902131, 552 and PI180693. Fields trials of this set in 1999 and 2000 gave the same resistance rankings than in growth chamber conditions. This set will allow more accurate assessments of the variability in virulence/aggressiveness of A. euteiches isolates from France and foreign countries, and further investigations of the epidemiological and genetic basis of pea–A. euteiches interactions.     

Effect of micronized pea seeds (Pisum sativum L.) as a substitute of soybean meal on tissue fatty acid composition and quality of broiler chicken meat

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of micronized pea seeds introduced into feed mixes for broilers on the slaughter yield, blood lipid parameters, content of fatty acids in selected tissues, and meat quality. The studies involved 150 1‐day‐old Ross 308 chicks split into three groups (for 42 days). The feed rations differed in terms of the source of proteins: in the control group (C), it was post‐extraction soybean meal (SBM) 100%; in group I, SBM 50% and micronized peas 50%; and in group II, micronized peas only, 100%. Irradiated pea seeds added to the feed ration for chicks reduced the fattening grade of carcasses (P < 0.05). Additionally, significant improvement of blood lipid indices was recorded. The share of the irradiated pea seeds in feed mixes decreased the share of saturated fatty acids in the muscles and abdominal fat and had a positive effect on the n‐6/n‐3 ratio, hypocholesterolemic / hypercholesterolemic ratio, as well as the atherogenic and thrombogenic indices (P < 0.05).     

Short-Term Agronomical Effects of Olive Oil Pomace Composts on Pisum arvense L. and Trifolium subterraneum L. and Impacts on Soil Properties

Olive oil pomace (OLP) contains organic matter and nutrients that could be recycled by composting and supplying it to crops, solving the problem of disposal.

The effects of two OLP composts (C1 and C2) were assessed on two leguminous forage crops commonly cropped in the local livestock farms. In particular, C1 was applied on proteic pea and C2 on clover, compared with a mineral fertilizer (Min) and a commercial organic–mineral fertilizer (Org-min). The influence of composts on some soil chemical properties was also investigated.

The application of C1 significantly increased proteic pea dry weight at the end of the cycle by 27.2% and 52.0% and grain yield by 23.2% and 43.6%, in comparison with Org-min and Min, respectively. The clover dry weight during the entire cycle was lower in C2, in comparison with the other treatments, while no significant difference was found between C2 and the Org-min treatment both in yield and plant height.

Soil nitrate decreased from the beginning to the end of the trial in C1 and C2 plots by 22.8% and 50.9%, respectively. Soil phosphorous content significantly increased in Min by 32.4 and 41.7% compared to C1 and C2, respectively. These results showed that the substitution of commercial fertilizers with compost could be an environmentally sustainable solution. The high presence of heavy metals in compost should not affect soil application at least in this short-term trial.     

Aggressiveness of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines isolates to soybean and hypersensitivity responses by other plants

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines ( Xag ) causes bacterial pustule disease which can significantly reduce the production of soybean. A collection of 26 isolates of Xag from different soybean-production areas of Thailand was shown to differ with regard to aggressiveness on soybean. They also differed in their ability to induce a hypersensitive response (HR) on four cultivars of tobacco and on other plant species including pepper, tomato, cucumber, pea and sesame. Tomato was most sensitive to HR induction by Xag . Isolate KU-P-34017 caused an HR on all the plant species tested. The minimal concentration of KU-P-34017 needed to induce HR on tobacco was approximately 5 × 10⁸ CFU mL⁻¹. A bacterium–plant interaction period of at least 2·5 h was necessary for HR, and different temperatures, relative humidity and light periods did not affect HR development. Inhibitors of eukaryotic metabolism, including cobalt chloride, lanthanum chloride and sodium orthovanadate (completely), and cycloheximide (partially) blocked the HR on tobacco, indicating the association of an active plant response. In contrast, the HR on tomato was inhibited only by cobalt chloride.     

Effects of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) hay feeding on dry matter intake and milk production of Murrah buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) fed rice straw ad libitum

To identify the effects of field pea hay (FPH) as a supplement of rice straw (RS) on feed intake and milk production of mid‐late lactation buffaloes in Tarai, Nepal, nine multiparous Murrah were fed a concentrate at 0.6% of their bodyweight (BW) on a concentrate dry matter (DM) basis daily while having ad libitum access to RS. The buffaloes were divided into three groups, and the experiment with three levels of FPH feeding was conducted at the following rate of BW: 0% (T1), 0.5% (T2) and 1.0% (T3) on an FPH DM basis. The DM intake (DMI) was higher in T2 and T3 than in T1. As the amount of FPH was raised, the BW change, crude protein intake (CPI) and total digestible nutrient intake (TDNI) was increased. Although the yield of milk and milk composition did not differ among the treatments, the 7% fat corrected milk yield (FCMY) tended to increase as FPH feeding amount was raised. Although there were no significant differences in FCMY/DMI and FCMY/TDNI among the treatments, FCMY/CPI decreased with FPH feeding. Supplementary FPH increased DMI, CPI and TDNI that might have raised BW, and tended to improve FCMY in mid‐late lactating buffaloes as a result of an increase in TDNI.     

Integrated disease management of ascochyta blight in pulse crops

Ascochyta blight causes significant yield loss in pulse crops worldwide. Integrated disease management is essential to take advantage of cultivars with partial resistance to this disease. The most effective practices, established by decades of research, use a combination of disease-free seed, destruction or avoidance of inoculum sources, manipulation of sowing dates, seed and foliar fungicides, and cultivars with improved resistance. An understanding of the pathosystems and the inter-relationship between host, pathogen and the environment is essential to be able to make correct decisions for disease control without compromising the agronomic or economic ideal. For individual pathosystems, some components of the integrated management principles may need to be given greater consideration than others. For instance, destruction of infested residue may be incompatible with no or minimum tillage practices, or rotation intervals may need to be extended in environments that slow the speed of residue decomposition. For ascochyta-susceptible chickpeas the use of disease-free seed, or seed treatments, is crucial as seed-borne infection is highly effective as primary inoculum and epidemics develop rapidly from foci in favourable conditions. Implemented fungicide strategies differ according to cultivar resistance and the control efficacy of fungicides, and the effectiveness of genetic resistance varies according to seasonal conditions. Studies are being undertaken to develop advanced decision support tools to assist growers in making more informed decisions regarding fungicide and agronomic practices for disease control.     

Sympatric ascochyta complex of wild Cicer judaicum and domesticated chickpea

The aim of this study was to isolate, identify and characterize ascochyta blight pathogens from Cicer judaicum , a wild annual Cicer species which grows in Israel and other Mediterranean countries in sympatric distribution with legume crops, and determine their virulence and aggressiveness to other wild and domesticated legumes. Native C. judaicum plants exhibited symptoms resembling ascochyta diseases of grain legume crops. Two distinct pathogens were isolated and identified as Phoma pinodella and Didymella rabiei using morphological and molecular tools; their infectivity was verified using Koch's postulates. The virulence of these pathogens was examined on 13 legume species, of which P. pinodella was virulent to Pisum sativum , P. fulvum , C. judaicum , C. arietinum , C. reticulatum , C. pinnatifidum and C. bijugum . Didymella rabiei infected all these Cicer species, but not the other legume species tested. Aggressiveness of the pathogens was tested on wild and domesticated chickpea and pea. Didymella rabiei isolated from C. judaicum had significantly higher ( P  < 0·001) aggressiveness than P. pinodella from C. judaicum on both wild and domesticated chickpea. Disease severity on the former species ranged from 62·5% to 70% and on the latter from 41% to 56%. Phoma pinodella isolates from C. judaicum were more aggressive on C. arietinum and P. sativum than on C. judaicum and P. fulvum . Results of the current study suggest that C. judaicum may serve as an alternative host to ascochyta pathogens that endanger chickpea and possibly other crops and wild species growing in close proximity.     

多年生香豌豆的形态特征及经济性状研究

多年生香豌豆是黄河水利委员会天水水土保持试验站引进的国外优良牧草品种。试验针对多年生香豌豆的形态特征、经济性状及其生长状况进行了试验研究，发现多年生香豌豆无论是作为牧草还是水土保持物种都具有极高的经济价值和生态价值，适于黄土高原及其与青藏高原结合部的气候条件下生长，对于解决上述地区牧草品种单一，植被退化及农村饲料短缺等实际问题，改善西北地区生态环境，促进农业产业结构调整，实现区域生态经济可持续发展等都具有重要的意义。     

地膜覆盖下豆禾混播草地根系的动态研究

使用差额法连续分层次地对燕麦＋豌豆人工草地的根系在地膜覆盖条件下的生长发育动态进行了研究，结果表明：燕麦根系的58％分布浅，豌豆的77％根系分布在10～20cm深，两者混播后，其根系可有效地互补，且在地膜覆盖条件下互补性增强。同时地膜覆盖后，使根系的分布更浅，根量减少。     

青海东部农区小黑麦与豆科牧草的混播组合与混播比例

为筛选适宜青海省东部农区推广的小黑麦( × Triticosecale Wittmack)与豆科牧草的混播组合及比例,采用裂区设计,研究了‘甘农2号’小黑麦与两种豆科牧草[‘青建1号’饲用豌豆(Pisum sativum)和毛苕子(Vicia villosa)]不同混播比例(0?? 100、20?? 80、30?? 70、40?? 60、50?? 50、60?? 40、70?? 30、80?? 20、100?? 0)的混播效应。结果表明：从混播组合看,‘甘农2号’小黑麦与‘青建1号’饲用豌豆混播的平均鲜草产量(41.80 t·hm–2)最高;从混播比例看,‘甘农2号’小黑麦与豆科牧草50?? 50混播时平均鲜草产量(44.45 t·hm–2)最高,比小黑麦和豆科牧草单播平均分别提高了17.94%和17.53%;混播组合和混播比例间的交互作用表明,‘甘农2号’小黑麦和‘青建1号’饲用豌豆以40?? 60的比例混播时总鲜草产量(45.55 t·hm–2)最高,比小黑麦和饲用豌豆单播分别提高了20.09%和17.00%。相关分析表明,混播群体的鲜草产量与小黑麦株高呈显著正相关关系(P < 0.05),与豆科牧草株高呈极显著正相关关系(P < 0.01)。因此,在青海省东部农区推荐‘甘农2号’小黑麦与‘青建1号’饲用豌豆以40?? 60的比例进行混播。