Comparison of disease patterns assessed by three independent surveys of cassava mosaic virus disease in Rwanda and Burundi

Cassava mosaic disease (CMD) seriously affects cassava yields in Africa. This study compared the spatial distribution of CMD using three independent surveys in Rwanda and Burundi. Geostatistical techniques were used to interpolate the point‐based surveys and predict the spatial distributions of different measures of the disease. Correlative relationships were examined for 35 environmental and socio‐economic spatial variables of which 31 were correlated to CMD intensity, with the highest correlation coefficients for latitude (?0·47), altitude (?0·36) and temperature (+0·36). The most significant explanatory variables were entered in separate linear regression models for each of the surveys. The models explained 54%, 44% and 22% of the variation in CMD. The residuals of the regression models were interpolated using kriging and added to the regression models to map CMD across both countries. Significant differences were calculated in some areas after correcting for interpolation error. An important explanation of the differences is interaction between the CMD pandemic and the dates of the three surveys. Large relative prediction errors obtained in the regression kriging procedure show the need to improve the survey design and decrease measurement error. Improved maps of crop diseases such as CMD could aid targeting of control interventions and thereby contribute to increasing crop yields. This study validated the unique character of each of the survey approaches adopted and underlines the importance of specific interpretation of results for CMD management. The study emphasizes the need for optimization of sampling designs and survey protocols to maximize the potential of regression kriging.     

Pathogenic bacteria and parasites in wildlife and surface water

In the period October 2003 to August 2005, 897 faecal samples were collected from wild animals and examined for Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., and Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157, the prevalence of which was found to be 0.1%, 13.8%, and 0.5 %, respectively. Campylobacter spp. were isolated mainly from faecal samples collected from corvidae (59.8%), and meadow birds and waterfowl (22.4%). A subset of these samples was also examined for Cryptosporidium and Giardia oocysts and cysts. None of the 247 samples examined contained C. parvum oocysts, and only 1 sample (roe faeces) contained G. lamblia assemblage A cysts. In the period September to November 2006, samples of running or still surface water were collected at 10 sites on 5 days, to investigate the presence of Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., and STEC O157. Twenty (40.8%) of the surface water samples were positive for one or more bacterial pathogens. Seven (14.3%) samples were positiveforSalmonella spp., 14 (28.6%) samples were positive for Campylobacter spp., and 1 (2.0%) sample was positivefor E. coli O157. Samples collected at only 2 of the 10 sites were negative for the pathogens tested; samples collected at the other 8 sites were positive for the pathogens at least once. To gain a better picture of the potential human health risk, this study should be followed up with a more quantitative study of the occurrence of human pathogens in wildlife, taking into account the different natural habitats and behaviour of the different animal populations and a possible seasonal effect. Furthermore, the contamination of surface water with human pathogens should be investigated more extensively.     

基于库调节的温室番茄干物质生产与分配

研究了库调节对温室番茄（Lycopersicon esculentum Mill．）品种“Capita”干物质生产与分配的影响。结果表明，温室番茄干物质生产主要由LAI决定而与果穗座果数无直接关联，在果穗修剪为恒定的6（或3）个果实时，叶片修剪能显著降低LAI，从而导致植株总干物质生产的显著降低。增加果穗座果数与叶片修剪均能显著提高植株果实的累积干物质分配率。增加植株密度并不能提高植株果实干物质分配率，但可以提高LAI。高密度处理中单位面积植株果实干重的增加主要是由于总的干物质生产增加的缘故。     

Genetic and QTL analyses of yield and a set of physiological traits in pepper

An interesting strategy for improvement of a complex trait dissects the complex trait in a number of physiological component traits, with the latter having hopefully a simple genetic basis. The complex trait is then improved via improvement of its component traits. As first part of such a strategy to improve yield in pepper, we present genetic and QTL analyses for four pepper experiments. Sixteen traits were analysed for a population of 149 recombinant inbred lines, obtained from a cross between the large-fruited pepper cultivar ‘Yolo Wonder’ (YW) and the small fruited pepper ‘Criollo de Morelos 334’ (CM334). The marker data consisted of 493 markers assembled into 17 linkage groups covering 1,775 cM. The trait distributions were unimodal, although sometimes skewed. Many traits displayed heterosis and transgression. Heritabilities were high (mean 0.86, with a range between 0.43 and 0.96). A multiple QTL mapping approach per trait and environment yielded 24 QTLs. The average numbers of QTLs per trait was two, ranging between zero and six. The total explained trait variance by QTLs varied between 9 and 61 %. QTL effects differed quantitatively between environments, but not qualitatively. For stem-related traits, the trait-increasing QTL alleles came from parent CM334, while for leaf and fruit related traits the increasing QTL alleles came from parent YW. The QTLs on linkage groups 1b, 2, 3a, 4, 6 and 12 showed pleiotropic effects with patterns that were consistent with the genetic correlations. These results contribute to a better understanding of the genetics of yield-related physiological traits in pepper and represent a first step in the improvement of the target trait yield.     

Abortion of reproductive organs in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.): a review

Summary

Levels of abortion of reproductive organs (i.e., buds, flowers, and young fruits) in sweet pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.) are high, and cyclical fluctuations occur in fruit set. Stages susceptible to abortion are very young buds (< 2.5 mm), buds close to anthesis, and flowers and fruits up to 14 d after anthesis. An overview of factors and processes involved in flower and fruit abortion in sweet peppers is presented. More light, higher CO₂ concentrations, and lower planting density, increase the availability of assimilates per plant, and decrease fruit abortion. The cyclical pattern in fruit set is caused by changes in demand for assimilates. High flower abortion occurs when fast growing fruit (at approx. 3 weeks after anthesis) are present, due to competition for assimilates. Fruit set increases when fast growing fruit are almost mature and have a low assimilate demand. Prior to abortion, auxin export from the reproductive organ diminishes, ethylene production increases, and lower levels of activity of sucrose-cleaving enzymes are found. Severe water stress and low nutrient supply also increase abortion levels. Low night- and high day-time temperatures hamper pollen development, causing low seed set, which can result in fruit abortion. Two theories have been used to explain abortion: unbalanced demand for and supply of assimilates, and hormonal dominance of developing fruit over young fruit. Attempts to prevent abortion or to diminish the cyclical pattern of fruit set have not yet been successful, but new suggestions are presented.     

Propagation of positional measurement errors to agricultural field boundaries and associated costs

It has been argued that the upcoming targeted approach to managing field operations, or precision farming, requires that field boundaries are measured with cm level accuracy, thus avoiding losses such as wasted inputs, unharvested crops and inefficient use of the land. This paper demonstrates a method for verification of such claims, based on a statistical model that accounts for temporal correlation in positional measurement errors. Our implementation employs the Data Uncertainty Engine (DUE), which is free software that aids the user in defining probability distributions for uncertain spatial objects, and draws random samples from these distributions. A case study concerning the financial consequences of uncertain geometry for a farmer who uses a digital map to optimise field operations for 15 ha of a potato crop is presented. The error model was parameterised on measurement scenarios representing (1) the Dutch registry of agricultural fields; (2) differential GPS-based field checks for verification of area declarations; and (3) special purpose Real Time Kinematic (RTK)-GPS surveys. We found that a farmer who has a manually digitised map of the study area would benefit from a RTK-GPS survey in a single crop year if the survey would cost less than € 442. An independent test case showed that the results of the error model were consistent with field data.     

同步叶片修剪对温室番茄干物质优化分配的影响

 研究了同步叶片修剪对温室番茄品种‘Capita’干物质优化分配的影响。结果表明, 在每穗果实数修剪为6个时, 一方面会减少营养生长库强, 显著降低了叶面积指数(LA I) 和植株总干质量; 另一方面有利于干物质分配到果实, 显著提高果实累积干物质分配率, 补偿因植株总干质量降低而引起的果实干质量的降低。在合理增加植株密度时, 同步叶片修剪可以显著提高LA I与单位面积植株总干质量, 从而显著提高单位面积果实干质量。