Inconspicuous restraint of rice seedling growth by root-infecting fungi in soil of a rice paddy field

 Rice seedling growth, estimated by plant height and root development and discoloration, was better in pasteurized soil than in unpasteurized soil obtained from a flooded rice field. Rice seedlings also grew better in sterilized soil modified by adding roots harvested from the pasteurized soil than in soil modified by adding roots harvested from the unpasteurized soil. The results demonstrate that seedling growth in the rice field soil was inhibited by soil microorganisms, even though no typical symptoms such as seedling blight or damping-off appeared. Pythium aristosporum is suggested to be involved in the inhibition. Thus, it appears that inconspicuous restraint of rice seedling growth could occur in soils of rice paddy fields. Received: May 20, 2002 / Accepted: October 16, 2002 Acknowledgments The authors thank Dr. T. Ichitani, former professor at Osaka Prefectural University, for providing an isolate of Pythium aristosporum for comparison, and Mr. Mitsuaki Sato of Akita Prefectural College of Agriculture for technical assistance.     

江汉平原水稻白叶枯病菌致病型的变异研究

 从水稻和稻田周围常见的10种杂草上来集梨孢属菌株,以涂沫法作交互接种,分离自牛筋草、狗尾草、法氏狗尾草、李氏禾、罗氏草、铺地黍、稗和马唐的梨孢菌与分离自水稻的梨孢菌可以交叉侵染其寄主,茭白和碎米莎草梨孢菌与稻梨孢菌不能交互侵染;自然诱发条件下来自牛筋草和狗尾草的梨孢菌与来自水稻的梨孢菌对其寄主同样发生交叉侵染。直接从杂草寄主上分离的梨孢菌株对水稻的致病性较弱,接种到水稻感病品种发病后再分离的菌株,对水稻致病性增强,对原寄主的致病性基本保持不变。推断稻瘟病区稻田周围牛筋草、狗尾草、法氏狗尾草、李氏禾、罗氏草、铺地黍、稗和马唐等杂草寄主上的梨孢菌在稻瘟病菌的积累和传播方面具有作用。     

熊蜂为温室茄子授粉试验

通过对温室茄子应用熊蜂授粉、人工蘸花授粉和空白对照的比较研究,结果表明熊蜂组的座果数比人工组和对照组分别增加了17.84%和33.32%,产量比人工组和对照组分别提高了27.93%和41.98%,果实含糖量比人工组和对照组分别增加了18.33%和21.16%,而且,熊蜂组的果实大而充实,商品性较好.说明利用熊蜂为温室茄子授粉,不仅能够促进座果,提高产量,而且可以改善果实品质,提升产品的附加值.     

荔枝冷害过程中果皮色泽、花色素苷和类黄酮含量的变化

 研究了‘糯米糍’荔枝果实在3 ℃和0 ℃条件下果皮的色泽和花色素苷及类黄酮含量的变化。结果表明, 果实在0 ℃下14 d 时褐变指数迅速增大, 21 d 时已遭受不可逆的冷害。在冷藏过程中, 果皮的色泽指标a、L、C 值及花色素苷、类黄酮、总酚含量均随贮藏时间的延长而下降, 0 ℃下比3 ℃下降快。0 ℃下14～21 d , a、L、C 值分别下降了27.95 %、33.58 %和58.47 % , 而21 d 时果皮花色素苷、类黄酮和总酚含量依次为采收时的18.08 %、35.99 %和41.64 %。说明冷害加速了荔枝果皮花色素苷的降解及类黄酮和总酚的变化, 促进了褐变进程的发生。果皮a、L、C 值与褐变指数、花色素苷含量呈显著相关性( P < 0.05) ,采用自动测色色度计可真实地反映果皮花色素苷含量和褐变程度。     

Functional heterogeneity in resources within landscapes and herbivore population dynamics

Large mammalian herbivores are notorious for their propensity towards population irruptions and crashes, yet many herbivore populations remain relatively stable. I explore how resource heterogeneity within landscapes dampens population instability, using a metaphysiological modelling approach considering patch state distributions. Resource heterogeneity is functionally stabilizing through spreading consumption away from preferred resources before these become critically depleted. Lower-quality resources act as a buffer against starvation during critical periods of the seasonal cycle. Enriching resource quality is destabilizing, even if patch diversity is maintained, because food quantity then becomes the limitation. The potential consequences of landscape fragmentation are explored using the Serengeti ecosystem, characterised by broadscale resource gradients, as a hypothetical example. Further insights provided by the model are illustrated with specific examples concerning the effects of patch scales and waterpoint distribution. A metaphysiological modelling approach enables the basic consequences of landscape heterogeneity to be distinguished from further effects that may arise from specific patch scales and configurations, without the distracting detail of spatially explicit models.     

Validation of the specificity and sensitivity of species-specific primers that provide a reliable molecular diagnostic for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xiphinema diversicaudatum</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">X. index</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">X. vuittenezi</Emphasis>

Xiphinema diversicaudatum and X. index are vector nematode species of economic importance in viticulture regions as they can transmit Arabis Mosaic, Grapevine Fanleaf and Strawberry Latent Ringspot viruses to grapevine. Wang et al. (2003) designed species-specific diagnostic primers from ribosomal genes for both these vector species as well as a vector and a non-vector species X. italiae and X. vuittenezi, respectively. Our study aimed to confirm the specificity and determine the sensitivity and reliability of the primers for the two vector species, X. diversicaudatumand X. indexwhen challenged with closely related longidorid species and general nematode communities typical of vineyard soil. With one exception, no PCR product was observed when the primers were tested against six Longidorus, one Paralongidorus and one Xiphinema non-target species. Occasionally (three out of eight replicate PCR reactions) a weak PCR product was noted when primers for X. index were tested with L. elongatus. Furthermore, when challenged with a range of non-target nematode species comprising the nematode community typical of viticulture soil, no PCR product was amplified. An experimental dilution series of extracted DNA rigorously demonstrated that DNA from an equivalent single specimen of the target virus-vector species, X. diversicaudatum and/or X. index, could be detected amongst 1000 equivalent non-targetX. vuittenezi. Also, extracted DNA from an equivalent single target specimen was detected when added to DNA extracted from the overall soil nematode community. The primers were assessed further by using serial mixtures of actual nematodes rather than extracted DNA to simulate field soil. Using this method, a single target nematode could be detected amongst 200 non-target specimens. Given their specificity, sensitivity and reliability, it appears that these diagnostic primers will be of great benefit to phytosanitary/quarantine services related to the viticulture industry.     

三肽囊素对环磷酰胺诱导的鸡红细胞免疫功能低下的阻断作用

本文研究了三肽囊素对环磷酰胺诱导的墟岗黄鸡红细胞免疫功能的抑制模型的影响。180只一日龄墟岗黄母鸡随机分成对照组,三肽囊素组,三肽囊素 环磷酰胺组,环磷酰胺组四个组,三肽囊素组和环磷酰胺 三肽囊素组每只鸡肌注0.01mg/kg剂量的三肽囊素;环磷酰胺组和环磷酰胺 三肽囊素组每只鸡肌注40mg/kg剂量的环磷酰胺,对照组鸡注射等量的生理盐水。结果表明,14日龄和35日龄时各试验组鸡的红细胞总数没有显著差异,而在56日龄时,环磷酰胺组显著低于其它三组(P<0.05);从14日龄开始,环磷酰胺纽的RBC-C3bR花环率显著低于其它三组,而环磷酰胺组的RBC-IC花环率显著高于其它三组,并持续到实验结束。结果提示,三肽囊素可阻断由环磷酰胺诱导的鸡红细胞免疫功能低下。     

密花香薷挥发油成分的分析研究

采用水蒸气蒸馏法和气相色谱-质谱-计算机联用法对密花香薷的挥发性成分进行了分析和鉴定.分离出93个峰,确认了其中的84种化合物,其含量占全油的88.34%.主要化学成分为大根香叶烯(18.83%);D-柠檬烯(11.17%);2,5,5-三四基-1,3,6-庚三烯(6.30%);6-亚甲基-双环[3,1,0]己烷(5.90%);氧化石竹烯(3.94%);石竹烯(3.36%);4-碳-3,5-二甲基环己-1-烯(2.88%);α-3-环己烯-1-醇(2.06%).     

A review on breeding and genetic strategies in Iranian buffaloes (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bubalus bubalis</Emphasis>)

The aim of current study was to review breeding progress and update information on genetic strategies in Iranian buffaloes. Iranian buffalo is one of the vital domestic animals throughout north, north-west, south and south-west of Iran with measurable characteristics both in milk and meat production. The species plays an important role in rural economy of the country due to its unique characteristics such as resistance to diseases and parasites, having long productive lifespan and showing higher capability of consuming low-quality forage. In Iran, total production of milk and meat devoted to buffaloes are 293,000 and 24,700 tons, respectively. Selection activities and milk yield recording are carrying out by the central government through the Animal Breeding Centre of Iran. The main breeding activities of Iranian buffaloes included the estimation of genetic parameters and genetic trends for performance traits using different models and methods, estimation of economic values and selection criteria and analysis of population structure. Incorporating different aspects of dairy buffalo management together with improved housing, nutrition, breeding and milking, is known to produce significant improvements in buffalo production. Therefore, identifying genetic potential of Iranian buffaloes, selection of superior breeds, improving nutritional management and reproduction and developing the education and increasing the skills of practical breeders can be useful in order to enhance the performance and profitability of Iranian buffaloes.     

Prevalence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haemonchus contortus</Emphasis> infection in sheep slaughtered at Jimma town municipal abattoir,Ethiopia

Haemonchus contortus is a parasite of major economic importance of most sheep-rearing areas of the world. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2015 to March 2016 with objectives of determining the prevalence and associated risk factors of Haemonchus contortus infection in sheep slaughtered at Jimma town municipal abattoir, Ethiopia. Of the total 7000 sheep slaughtered during the study time period, 384 sheep were randomly selected and examined for parasites. The overall prevalence of Haemonchus contortus infection was 264 (68.75%). Infection rate of poor body condition animals was significantly (P?=?0.000) higher than good body conditioned animals. The mean packed cell volume (PCV) values (%) of parasitemic and aparasitemic sheep were 23.73?±?3.7 SD and 37.66?±?4.736 SD, respectively. The prevalence in adult sheep (>?1 year) was insignificantly (P?=?0.653) higher than that of young sheep (≤?1 year). The highest prevalence was recorded in sheep that originated from Seka district (73.3%) and the lowest in Kersa district (63.4%) with non-significant variation (P?=?0.691). The highest monthly mean worm burdens and prevalence of Haemonchus contortus infection were recorded in November and lowest in March. The current study revealed that Haemonchus contortus infection is an important and common parasitic disease and requires special attention to its control.