Numerical investigation of the influence of texture,surface drip emitter discharge rate and initial soil moisture condition on wetting pattern size

Knowledge of the dimensions of the wetted zone formed under point source surface drip irrigation is essential to the design of cost-effective and efficient irrigation systems. Numerical simulations were carried out with Hydrus-2D/3D to investigate the influence of emitter discharge rates and initial soil moisture conditions on the wetting pattern dimensions of a series of soils with varying textures. Numerical simulations of simple 2D soil tank irrigation experiments were also conducted on two soil types. Based on the simulation results, the parameters of the Schwartzman and Zur model were refined. The results showed a small influence of discharge rates >1 L h^?1 on the size of the wetting pattern. The only major difference was observed for the rates lower than 0.5 L h^?1, where the largest wetting patterns were observed. Higher initial soil water content caused larger wetting pattern sizes in all directions. When compared to the 2D tank experimental results, Hydrus-2D/3D predicted the wetting pattern dimensions with a relatively small root mean square error not exceeding 2.6 cm. The numerical data obtained for a wide range of textures provided the opportunity to refine the parameters of the Schwartzman and Zur model, which, when compared to experimental data from the literature, provided good estimates of wetting pattern dimensions. This suggests that this simple model, for which the only soil parameter required is the saturated hydraulic conductivity, could provide a valuable and practical tool for irrigation design.     

Orientation of bovine CTL responses towards PIM, an antibody-inducing surface molecule of Theileria parva, by DNA subunit immunization

East Coast fever, an acute lymphoproliferative disease of cattle, is caused by the apicomplexan parasite Theileria parva. Protective immunity is mediated by CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes directed against schizont-infected cells. The polymorphic immunodominant molecule, although an antibody-inducing surface molecule of the schizont, has been hypothesized to play a role in protective immunity. In order to evaluate the immunogenicity of PIM for inducing CTL, cattle were immunized with PIM in isolation from other T. parva antigens, forcing the presentation of PIM-derived epitopes on the MHC class I molecules. Although parasite-specific cytotoxicity was induced in both vaccinated animals, their immune response was clearly different. One animal generated MHC-restricted parasite-specific CTL against PIM while the other calf exhibited a strong PIM-specific proliferative response but non-MHC-restricted parasite-specific cytotoxicity. Only calf 1 survived a lethal sporozoite challenge. This DNA immunization technique with an antigen in isolation of CTL-immunodominant antigens might open possibilities for directing CTL responses against predefined antigens, such as strain cross-reacting CTL antigens.     

The effect of carbohydrate source, inclusion level of gelatinised starch, feed binder and fishmeal particle size on the apparent digestibility of formulated diets for spiny lobster juveniles, Jasus edwardsii

The development of cost-effective and digestible formulated diets is essential for the commercialisation of spiny lobster aquaculture. Large juvenile spiny lobsters, Jasus edwardsii (115 g), were used to measure the apparent digestibility of formulated diets with six different carbohydrate sources, three levels of gelatinised starch, three types of binder, and two ranges of particle size of fishmeal. Carbohydrate source, inclusion level and binder type all had a significant effect on the dry matter digestibility (ranging 61–79%) of formulated diets for J. edwardsii. The digestibility of the carbohydrates included at 35% by dry weight were: dextrin (99%), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC; ~ 94%), native wheat starch (91%), gelatinised maize starch (84%), native potato (60%) and maize (59%) starches. Gelatinised maize starch inclusion level (ranging from 15% to 55% by dry weight) was negatively correlated with starch digestibility (ranging from 92% to 79% respectively). Dry matter digestibility of the diets was improved by using gelatine (73%) instead of alginate (68%) and agar (61%) as a binder. Nitrogen digestibility (ranging 82–89%) did not differ significantly among diets. Reducing the particle size distribution of the fishmeal from < 500 µm to < 106 µm did not improve digestibility. The results indicate that using digestible carbohydrate sources (dextrin, CMC, and native wheat starch) for energy, reducing the inclusion level of gelatinised starch, and using CMC or gelatine as binders improve the apparent digestibility of formulated diets. Furthermore, the results also indicate that the use of more soluble and pre-hydrolysed protein sources in diets for J. edwardsii may greatly improve digestibility which is critical in these spiny lobsters where overall food intake is limited.     

Analysis of ethylidene-bridged flavan-3-ols in wine

A method was developed to determine the amount of ethylidene-bridged flavan-3-ols in wine. The method was based upon the analysis of 2,2'-ethylidenediphloroglucinol (EDP), a product formed after acid-catalyzed cleavage of wine flavan-3-ols in the presence of excess phloroglucinol. In the developed analytical method, the wine was purified and concentrated using C18 solid-phase extraction before the phloroglucinolysis reaction was carried out. This procedure was used to quantify ethylidene-bridged flavan-3-ols in wine and the molar ratio between ethylidene-bridged linkages and native interflavan linkages. The method validation showed 9.2% repeatability. The recovery of the ethylidene-bridged flavanols in wine was 90% for concentrations up to 4.5 mg.L-1 of ethylidene-bridged linkages, and it decreases to 83% above and until the concentration reached 7.6 mg.L-1. Initial results showed that the concentration of ethylidene-bridged flavan-3-ols measured in wines was very low (less than 1.3 mg.L-1) and that they represented less than 1.3% of the total interflavonoid linkages on a molar ratio.     

Estimations of total ecosystem carbon pools distribution and carbon biomass current annual increment of a moist tropical forest

With increasing CO₂ in the atmosphere, there is an urgent need of reliable estimates of biomass and carbon pools in tropical forests, most especially in Africa where there is a serious lack of data. Information on current annual increment (CAI) of carbon biomass resulting from direct field measurements is crucial in this context, to know how forest ecosystems will affect the carbon cycle and also to validate eddy covariance flux measurements. Biomass data were collected from 25 plots of 13 ha spread over the different vegetation types and land uses of a moist evergreen forest of 772,066 ha in Cameroon. With site-specific allometric equations, we estimated biomass and aboveground and belowground carbon pools. We used GIS technology to develop a carbon biomass map of our study area. The CAI was estimated using the growth rates obtained from tree rings analysis. The carbon biomass was on average 264 ± 48 Mg ha⁻¹. This estimate includes aboveground carbon, root carbon and soil organic carbon down to 30 cm depth. This value varied from 231 ± 45 Mg ha⁻¹ of carbon in Agro-Forests to 283 ± 51 Mg ha⁻¹ of carbon in Managed Forests and to 278 ± 56 Mg ha⁻¹ of carbon in National Park. The carbon CAI varied from 2.54 ± 0.65 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in Agro-Forests to 2.79 ± 0.72 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in Managed Forests and to 2.85 ± 0.72 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in National Park. This study provides estimates of biomass, carbon pools and CAI of carbon biomass from a forest landscape in Cameroon as well as an appropriate methodology to estimate these components and the related uncertainty.     

Composition and cellular localization of tannins in grape seeds during maturation

Cell walls were isolated from seeds of grape berries (Vitis vinifera L.), and proanthocyanidin composition was determined over the course of ripening for different levels of vine water status. During the ripening period the tannins from the cell walls were always more polymerized than those from the inner part of the cell. At maturity this difference becomes more significant compared to véraison, due to a significant increase in the mean degree of polymerization of the cell wall tannins. The tannin composition was typical of grape seed tannins and was quite similar in the two cell fractions studied, but the epicatechin gallate proportion was significantly higher in the cell wall fraction. There were no significant effects of water deficit on composition and polymerization of seed tannins.     

Community of vascular epiphytes on some phorophytes in the Babadjou Subdivision (Western Cameroon): Case of Bamelo

The environmental degradation of the western region of Cameroon has intensified over time and has contributed to the perturbation of the original floristic uniformity of pioneer vegetation. Epiphytes, which are very sensitive plants, have refuge mostly on phorophyte, hence permitting the evaluation of the conservation state of natural ecosystems. The present study aims to assess a floristic inventory of vascular epiphytes in the locality of Bamelo. Sampling was carried out on 100 individuals, 20 individuals for each of the five phorophyte species based on their abundance in the locality. A total of 36 species divided into eight families and 19 genera were recorded. Monocotyledons were the most abundant with 58.33% of community and represented only by the Orchidaceae family; pteridophytes and dicotyledons represent 22.22 and 19.44%, respectively. Persea amercina and Cola anomala were the most diversified phorophytes (19 species); Dacryodes edulis was the least diversified (eight). The principal component analysis revealed affinities between the epiphytic flora of Dacryodes edulis and Persea americana; Croton macrostachyus and Spathodea campanulata. At a time where the degradation of biodiversity occurs at an alarming rate, the conservation of such species becomes problematic. In view of the present results, epiphytes found refuge on fruit trees in plantations.