Effect of fertilizers with the new nitrification inhibitor DMPP (3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate) on yield and quality of agricultural and horticultural crops

In 1997-1999, 136 field trials were conducted under various soil-climatic conditions in western and southern Europe in order to assess the effects of N fertilizers with the new nitrification inhibitor (NI) 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) on the yield and quality of various agricultural and horticultural crops. Results show that DMPP may increase the mean crop yield (grain yield, winter wheat +0.25 t ha^-1, wetland rice +0.29 t ha^-1, grain maize +0.24 t ha^-1; tuber yield, potatoes +1.9 t ha^-1; corrected sugar yield, sugar beets +0.24 t ha^-1; biomass, carrots +4.9 t ha^-1, lambs' lettuce +1.9 t ha^-1, onions +0.5 t ha^-1, radish +4.6 t ha^-1, lettuce +1.4 t ha^-1, cauliflower +5.2 t ha^-1, leek +1.7 t ha^-1, celeriac +2.2 t ha^-1) and/or improve crop quality (e.g. reduced NO₃^- concentration in leafy vegetables). In some crops, the same yield level as obtained with the control (fertilizer without DMPP) was achieved with one fewer applications of N, or with a reduced N application rate. The positive effect of DMPP on crop yield was especially pronounced at sites with a high precipitation rate or intensive irrigation, and/or light sandy soil. DMPP had a negative effect on the crude protein concentration of winter wheat and on the biomass yield of spring-grown spinach.     

Determinants of adolescents' soft drink consumption

OBJECTIVE: To identify determinants of adolescents' consumption of carbonated soft drinks (regular and diet), both of total consumption and of consumption at school. DESIGN/SETTING/SUBJECTS: Regular and diet soft drink consumption was measured by food frequency questions that were dichotomised. Several potential environmental and personal determinants of consumption were measured. A total of 2870 (participation rate: 85%) 9th and 10th graders, within 33 Norwegian schools, participated in the study. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were preformed for total soft drink consumption (twice a week or more vs. less) and for consumption at school (once a week or more vs. less). RESULTS: A total of 63% and 27% of the participants reported to drink respectively regular and diet soft drinks twice a week or more, and 24% and 8%, respectively, reported to drink soft drinks once a week or more at school. Preferences, accessibility, modelling and attitudes were the strongest determinants of both regular and diet soft drink consumption. In addition, gender, educational plans and dieting were related to both total soft drink consumption and consumption at school. Pupils with longer distance from school to shop and those in schools with rules concerning soft drink consumption tended to have lower odds of drinking both regular and diet soft drinks at school. CONCLUSION: This study shows that gender, educational plans, dieting, accessibility, modelling, attitudes and preferences all seem to be strong determinants of adolescents' soft drink consumption. Parents and the home environment appear as great potential intervention targets.     

Assessment of in vitro interferon-gamma responses from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of cattle infected with Mycoplasma mycoides ssp. mycoides small colony type

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is a lung disease caused by the bacterial pathogen Mycoplasma mycoides ssp. mycoides small colony type (MmmSC). It has been spreading due to a number of factors including poor vaccine efficacy and poor sensitivity of current diagnostic tests. The purpose of this study was to assess interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) release after stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from experimentally infected cattle. PBMC collected from 15 artificially infected animals were incubated with different concentrations of total MmmSC antigen. After 72h of incubation the IFN-gamma release was measured and found to be elevated in 11 animals. We did not observe a correlation between IFN-gamma release of animals with and without pathomorphological gross lesions. Therefore, our data do not confirm a role for CD4 T-lymphocytes in protection, since there is no correlation between IFN-g secretion (supposed to be mainly derived from CD4 T-cells) and disease severity. Additionally, we applied immunocytochemistry on affected lung tissue and detected no build up of T-lymphocytes (CD4 T-cells, CD8 T-cells) but a high presence of myeloid cells.     

Assessing the net benefits of using wastewater treated with a membrane bioreactor for irrigating vegetables in Crete

The island of Crete (Greece) suffers from an increasingly severe water shortages, coupled with declining groundwater supplies. We compared the costs and benefits of alternative strategies for treating wastewater for use in irrigating vegetables: (1) using a membrane bioreactor (MBR), (2) connecting new residences to centralized wastewater-treatment plants, (3) building new wastewater-treatment plants, and (4) using natural wastewater-treatment systems in rural areas. We also examined the impact of increasing water scarcity on the net benefits of treating wastewater with an MBR. As expected, the value of treated wastewater increases with increasing water scarcity. The net benefit of treating wastewater with an MBR and using the reclaimed water to irrigate vegetables ranges from about 0.02 €/m³ to 2 €/m³ as water scarcity increases. Our results should be helpful in guiding analysts in Greece and other arid countries wishing to evaluate the financial viability of alternative methods of treating wastewater for use in agriculture.     

Serotype distribution and production of muramidase-released protein, extracellular factor and suilysin by field strains of Streptococcus suis isolated in the United States

Streptococcus suis is an important swine pathogen and a zoonotic agent. Differences in virulence have been noted among the 33 described serotypes, serotype 2 being considered the most virulent. In this study, we aimed at assessing the serotype distribution and the production of virulence-associated markers by strains recovered from diseased pigs in the United States (U.S.). Results showed that among the 100 strains evaluated, serotype 3 (20% of the isolates) and serotype 2 (17%) were the most prevalent. We then investigated the presence in these isolates of the genes sly, epf and mrp, encoding the virulence-associated markers suilysin (SLY), extracellular factor (EF) and muramidase-released (MRP) protein, respectively. The effective production of the markers by the strains was also verified. Results showed that the presence of the gene did not always correlate with actual expression of the respective protein. In the case of MRP, this was due, in most cases, to frameshift mutations at the 5′ end of the gene resulting in premature stop codons. The most prevalent phenotypes among U.S. strains were MRP⁺EF⁻SLY⁻ (40%) and MRP⁻EF⁻SLY⁺ (35%). Serotype distribution greatly differed from that reported in several European countries, as did the production of virulence markers, particularly for serotype 2. On the other hand, our results for the U.S. S. suis isolates are similar to those reported for Canadian strains, suggesting a common status in North America.     

A minor role of CD4+ T lymphocytes in the control of a primary infection of cattle with Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides

ABSTRACT: Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides, is an important livestock disease in Africa. The current control measures rely on a vaccine with limited efficacy and occasional severe side effects. Knowledge of the protective arms of immunity involved in this disease will be beneficial for the development of an improved vaccine. In previous studies on cattle infected with M. mycoides subsp. mycoides, a correlation was detected between the levels of mycoplasma-specific IFN-γ-secreting CD4+ T lymphocytes and reduced clinical signs. However, no cause and effect has been established, and the role of such cells and of protective responses acquired during a primary infection is not known.We investigated the role of CD4+ T lymphocytes in CBPP by comparing disease patterns and post mortem findings between CD4+ T cell depleted and non-depleted cattle. The depletion was carried out using several injections of BoCD4 specific murine monoclonal antibody on day 6 after experimental endotracheal infection with the strain Afadé. All cattle were monitored clinically daily and sacrificed 28-30 days post-infection. Statistically significant but small differences were observed in the mortality rate between the depleted and non-depleted animals. However, no differences in clinical parameters (fever, signs of respiratory distress) and pathological lesions were observed, despite elimination of CD4+ T cells for more than a week. The slightly higher mortality in the depleted group suggests a minor role of CD4+ T cells in control of CBPP.     

Einflu? von Jahrringbreite und Alter auf den mikroskopischen Bua von Trauben- und Stieleichenholz

Ohne ZusammenfassungÜberarbeiteter Teil einer Ingenieur-Abschlußarbeit an der Staatlichen Ingenieurschule für Holztechnik in Rosenheim des letztgenannten Verfassers.     

Zur Einstäubung von Getreide mit Kontaktinsektiziden

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Phenological phases of common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and their dependence on region and altitude in Southern Germany

Long-term observational data of the phenological network of the German Weather Service (DWD) were used to derive the altitudinal dependence of leaf unfolding (LU), leaf discolouration (LD) and the length of the vegetation period (LD-LU) of common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in different regions of Southern Germany. Depending on altitude, the vegetation period starts in Bavaria between the 2nd and 24th May with a delay of around 2 days per 100 m altitude increase (averaged over the last 30 years). In Southern Bavaria, LU starts a few days earlier as well as increases slightly faster into higher altitudes than in the northern regions. This can be explained by a more favourable supply of warmth and radiation in the south. The end of the vegetation period, defined here as the beginning of LD, showed no altitudinal dependence, which reflects an interaction of endogenous and exogenous factors as triggers for LD. In the Bavarian Forest region, altitudinal dependences are strongly influenced by sites which are affected by cold-air tailback (‘Kaltluftstau’) was obtained. Hence, phenological gradients should only be derived and applied above a phenological inversion zone. The calculated vertical gradients for LU can be used together with available observational data to estimate the beginning of the forest vegetation period of beech for different altitudes of Bavaria.