The settlement and reproductive success of Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Krøyer 1837; Copepoda: Caligidae) on atypical hosts

The reproductive success of Lepeophtheirus salmonis settled on host and non‐host fish has been compared. Triplicate single species tanks of Atlantic salmon, marine three‐spined sticklebacks, saithe and Atlantic cod were exposed to 10 adult female L. salmonis per tank (n=30 lice per species). Adult female L. salmonis settlement and egg string production occurred only on salmon and cod, with no egg production occurring on saithe and three‐spined sticklebacks. The number of eggs in egg strings, hatching success of eggs and the survival of all larval stages to the copepodid stage were severely affected by the species of fish on which female L. salmonis had settled. L. salmonis settled on cod produced significantly fewer eggs, lower hatching rates and lower survival rates of larvae than females on Atlantic salmon. The production of egg strings by L. salmonis females infecting cod, which successfully hatch and moult through to the infective copepodid stage, albeit in small numbers, is discussed in terms of the implications to aquaculture and salmon and cod farming scenarios.     

Comanagement for aquaculture: Suggestions from a comparative study between two major production areas of milkfish in the Philippines

ABSTRACT

This study examined if, and how, comanagement is effective in controlling aquaculture industry in the municipalities of Anda and Bolinao in the province of Pangasinan, in the Philippines, the locations of two major production areas of milkfish (Chanos chanos) in the country. Institutional and community analyses conducted in these study sites revealed a unique hierarchy of resource users, as well as unique social and economic problems in aquaculture, distinct from those of capture fishery. It was also indicated that comanagement is seen as a solution for essential practices to be enforced practically and sustainably for the management of this industry. To improve aquaculture governance, it is desired that the comanagement scheme shall include not only the governments and fishers but also business operators who often have large capital and a high degree of power.     

Morphological characterization of the IVIA persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) germplasm collection by multivariate analysis

Diospyros kaki Thunb. originated in Eastern Asia, as evidenced of its culture in China as early as several centuries B.C. In the seventh century, persimmon was introduced to Japan and later, in the fourteenth century to Korea. There is no information about persimmon culture in Europe until the seventeenth century, with the spread over the world occurring in the eighteenth century. The genus Diospyros contains more than 400 species, with levels of ploidy ranging from diploid (2n = 2x = 30) up to nonaploid (2n = 9x = 135). The primary economic crop species is Diospyros kaki Thunb., which is mainly hexaploid (2n = 6x = 90) and includes hundreds of cultivars. Although a relatively recent introduction in Europe, the species has adapted well, and the genetic diversity have been expanded with culture and selection for the past 200 years in the Mediterranean basin. These locally adapted cultivars were evaluated with cultivars from Asian origin in a germplasm collection established at IVIA in Valencia, Spain. In this paper 27 cultivars from the IVIA collection were studied by multivariate analysis, and 37 variables were analyzed using a Principal Components Analysis and cluster analysis following the method UPGMA. Studies on correlations and significance among variables identified the most relevant ones, and thus provided information for a future core collection.     

Phoma leaf spot of wasabi (Wasabia japonica) caused by Leptosphaeria biglobosa

A leaf spot disease on wasabi plants grown in commercial greenhouses in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia was characterized. Mycelial growth and pycnidial formation were observed within lesions when leaves were incubated under conditions of high humidity. Isolation from diseased tissues consistently yielded colonies of a Phoma species. Sequence analysis of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS1‐5.8S‐ITS2) region of eight isolates showed 100% nucleotide sequence identity with Phoma wasabiae and Leptosphaeria biglobosa subspecies ‘occiaustralensis’ and 99.2% identity with L. biglobosa ‘canadensis’. Pathogenicity studies on wasabi leaves showed that wounding greatly facilitated infection and enhanced lesion development for most isolates but was not required for all isolates. Chlorotic areas appeared around the inoculation sites within 4 days, followed by necrosis. Isolates displayed a range of virulence, from weakly to highly virulent, on wasabi leaves. Similar results were observed on leaves of canola cultivar Westar, i.e. wounding significantly increased lesion size and isolates displayed a range of virulence. An isolate of Leptosphaeria maculans ‘brassicae’ from canola was highly virulent on wasabi and canola leaves, causing lesions similar to those of L. biglobosa ‘occiaustralensis’ while an isolate of L. biglobosa ‘canadensis’ from canola was weakly virulent on both hosts and required wounds to infect. These results demonstrate that isolates of L. biglobosa ‘occiaustralensis’ from wasabi are as virulent as L. biglobosa ‘canadensis’ on wasabi and canola leaves but in some cases were comparable in virulence to L. maculans ‘brassicae’.     

In silico and gene expression analysis of the acute inflammatory response of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) after subcutaneous administration of carrageenin

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry - Inflammation is one of the main causes of loss of homeostasis at both the systemic and molecular levels. The aim of this study was to investigate in silico the...     

Risk factors to incidental leptospirosis and its role on the reproduction of ewes and goats of Espírito Santo state,Brazil

Ovine and caprine stockbreeding have been gaining attention in developing countries as an attractive investment. On these animals, infectious diseases of the reproductive tract, such as leptospirosis, can compromise the production leading to economic losses. The present study aimed to determine the risk factors associated with incidental leptospirosis and its influence on the reproductive parameters of ewes and goats of Espírito Santo state, Brazil. A total of 737 animals distributed on 24 herds/flocks were studied, and an overall prevalence of 10.9 % seroreactive animals was observed. Serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae was the most frequent in goats (97.0 %) as well as in ewes (78.3 %). Regarding risk factors related to leptospirosis, the presence of waterholes and the semi-intensive breeding system were the most important associated to seroreactivity. Besides, there was an observed association between seroreactivity and reproductive failures (P?<?0.05). Moreover, seroreactive ewes (relative risk (RR)?=?1.3) and goats (RR?=?1.9) presented more chances to have abortions than seronegative animals. Furthermore, seroreactive ewes presented 11.6 more chances of having premature births when compared to the seronegative ones. It can be concluded that Leptospira infection, mainly those caused incidental strains (such as Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup), is a significant factor to reduce the productivity of small ruminants’ herds/flocks in the studied region, and environmental measures must be considered on control programs.

     

B‐Mode and Doppler Sonography of the Mammary Glands in Dairy Goats for Mastitis Diagnosis

This study aimed to evaluate the sonographic characteristics of the udder and teats and to determine the Doppler indexes of mammary artery in healthy and undergoing subclinical and clinical mastitis goats. Thirty animals among Saanen and Alpine Brown goats were arranged in three groups, healthy goats (HG), goats with subclinical mastitis (SMG) and goats with clinical mastitis (CMG). Using the B‐mode, the sonographic characteristics (echotexture and echogenicity) and biometry (diameter and area of the udder cistern, diameter and area of the teat cistern and thickness of the teat wall) were evaluated. Using Doppler ultrasonography, the vascular indexes of the mammary artery were obtained. It was observed hyperechogenicity with solid component in the gland cistern when comparing animals with clinical mastitis and healthy mammary tissue. Regarding the echotexture of the breast tissue, there was heterogeneity in the mammary parenchyma on the three groups, for the milk, it was observed homogeneity for animals on HG and SMG and heterogeneity for animals on CMG. Grey‐scale quantitative assessment revealed increase in echogenicity (mean value) for all the structures when comparing the three groups. Biometry did not reveal statistical difference between groups, for none of the evaluated structures. Doppler examination of the mammary artery showed the decrease of end diastolic velocity and raise of pulsatility index between groups. The association of B‐mode and Doppler ultrasonography is useful for the evaluation of the udder of dairy goats with mastitis. It is a sensitive and specific method for the study of this disease. Doppler mode was unable to establish reliable criteria for diagnosis of subclinical mastitis. Moreover, the quantification of echogenicity is a useful technique for the evaluation of the milk in animals with mastitis; therefore, it is suggested that it can be used as complementary technique for the diagnosis of mastitis in goats.     

In vitro generation of mature neutrophils from canine Lin- bone marrow cells

The major goal of this work was to describe the in vitro generation of mature functional neutrophils derived from a canine enriched haematopoietic progenitor cell population. We have utilised lineage depletion by immunomagnetic selection to isolate a canine haematopoietic progenitor cell population. The physical, immunological, metabolical and morphological methodologies employed in this study have permitted us to isolate and define a cell population enriched in Rh-123low and CD34+ cells. Irradiated pre-established long-term bone marrow cultures (LTBMC) were utilised to determine the self-renewal ability of lineage negative (Lin-) cells, as well as their capacity to differentiate into mature functional neutrophils. The authors demonstrate for the first time that canine neutrophils derived from Lin- cells are able to produce oxyradicals, express a specific neutrophil surface antigen, and contain gelatinase granules. These characteristics enable them to migrate through basement membranes to act as a first line defence mechanism. The fact that these cells are able to differentiate into functional mature cells, and give rise to long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-IC) after 35 days of culture, allows the authors to assure that the isolated canine enriched haematopoietic cell population exhibit functional characteristics, associated with primitive haematopoietic cells.