Identification of barley yellow mosaic virus by immuno-electron microscopy in barley but not in Polymyxa graminis or Lagena radicicola

Samenvatting Gerstegeelmozaïekvirus (BaYMV) werd in een perceel wintergerst (cv. Igri) gevonden by Wittem in Limburg, Nederland. Het virus werd met immuno-elektronen-microscopie geïdentificeerd in bladweefsel als BaYMV. In de wortels van geïnfecteerde planten werden alle vormen die van de schimmel-vector (Polymyxa graminis Led.) bekend zijn aangetroffen nl. cystosori, plasmodia en zoosporangia. Inwendig kon geen BaYMV worden aangetoond of waargenomen inPolymyxa ofLagena spp.Cooperative investigation of the ARS, USDA, the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Plant Protection Service, Wageningen. Research conducted under Project 21-12. Published as Paper No. 7787, Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural experiment Station. Mention of a trademark or proprietary product does not constitute a guarantee or warranty by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and does not imply its approval to the exclusion of other products that may also be suitable.     

Wedge and Eggbar Shoes Change the Pressure Distribution Under the Hoof of the Forelimb in the Square Standing Horse

The shoe types most commonly applied to horses with navicular disease or other forms of palmar heel pain are shoes with heel wedges and eggbar shoes, although their efficacy has been a matter of debate among veterinarians and farriers for centuries. To quantify the effect of these different types of “navicular” shoeing on static hoof pressure distribution, 6 warmblood horses were shod with 6° wedge, eggbar, and plain shoes. While standing square with weight evenly distributed across both forelimbs, the center of pressure and pressures at selected areas of interest (AOI: toe, medial and lateral toe, medial and lateral heel) were measured using a Footscan (RsScan International, Belgium) pressure plate in a Latin square design using the plain shoe as a reference.Wedge shoes did not provide a significant shift in the center of pressure. The application of eggbar shoes did not alter the relative position of the center of pressure under the hoof. However, the absolute distance from the toe to the center of pressure was significantly larger with eggbar shoes (77 + 12 mm) compared with plain and wedged shoes (70 ± 8 mm, P < .05) resulting in an absolute, caudal shift of the center of pressure. When pressure (N/cm²) values at the five AOIs were averaged for each shoe type, the wedge and eggbar shoe recordings showed a significantly lower mean pressure than plain shoes (P < .05).In conclusion, mean AOI pressures decreased with wedge and eggbar shoes, and eggbar shoes provided a caudal shift in the center of pressure. These effects are believed to decrease the moment of the coffin joint and reduce the pressure on the navicular bone. Thus, the findings of this study might contribute to the scientific evidence of efficacy of the use of wedge and eggbar shoes in “navicular” lame horses.     

Ex ante analysis of new technology: A comparison of cassava for the feed and fresh markets in Colombia

This paper estimates the expected economic benefits of investment in two alternative research programmes to improve yields of cassava in Colombia. The benefits from an industrial cassava variety for the animal feed market are compared with those from a higher quality cassava suitable for the fresh food market. A linear programming least-cost feed mix model is used to calculate the cost reduction is poultry feed due to new cassava technology. The impact of this cost reduction is traced through single equation models of poultry supply and demand in order to estimate social benefits in an ex ante consumer surplus framework. Costs of the alternative research programmes are projected and internal rates of return are calculated.     

Selection of cowpea genotypes based on grain mineral and total protein content

Grain legumes, including cowpea, are the cheapest sources of minerals and protein to enhance human nutrition. Cultivar development and deployment of cowpea with increased grain mineral content and protein composition rely on selection of genetically unique and complementary breeding lines. The objective of this study was to assess the grain minerals and protein composition of diverse cowpea collections of eastern, southern and western Africa to select promising parents to develop a breeding population. Twenty-two genetically diverse cowpea genotypes were field evaluated using a randomised complete block design with three replications in two locations in South Africa. The dried grain mineral contents were determined using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometre, while the protein content was determined by the combustion method. Analyses of variance showed significant (P?<?0.05) effects of genotypes, locations and their interactions. The test genotypes showed considerable variation for the following nine mineral contents: calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), sodium (Na), phosphorus (P), and zinc (Zn) varying from 0.07 to 0.12?mg?kg^?1; 4.46 to 7.81?mg?kg^?1; 0.06 to 0.11?g; 11.82 to 14.45?g; 1.86 to 2.27?g; 9.24 to 13.30?mg?kg^?1; 0.26 to 0.80?g; 4.63 to 5.92?g and 0.03.00 to 0.05?g, respectively. Further, the total protein content varied from 23.16 to 28.13%. Significant correlations were detected among some mineral elements and total protein content, suggesting the possibility of simultaneous selection for these traits. The principal component analysis (PCA) identified four principal components (PCs) contributing to 70.93% of the total explained variation amongst genotypes. Overall the following genotypes with desirable grain mineral and protein attributes were selected: IT90K-59 (Ca), 98K-5301 (Ca and protein), ITOOK-1060 (Cu), ITOOK-1217 and IT845-2246 (Fe), Bensogla (K, Na, and P), TVU11424 and ITOOK-1217 (Mg), CH14 (Mn and Na), TVU12637 (Mn) and Glenda and Vuli (Zn). The selected cowpea genotypes are useful genetic resources for population and cultivar development for grain nutrients composition.     

A Laboratory Assay for Phytophthora infestans Resistance in Various Solanum Species Reflects the Field Situation

Physiological and molecular research on resistance responses of Solanum tuberosum cultivars and partially resistant Solanum species to Phytophthora infestans requires a reliable resistance test that can be used in the laboratory. Laboratory tests performed on detached leaves and intact plants were compared with field tests for similarity of late blight reactions. Detached leaves from field-grown plants were as resistant as detached leaves from climate chamber-grown plants when challenged with P. infestans. However, detached leaves incubated in covered trays at high relative humidity were more susceptible than detached leaves kept in open trays or leaves on intact plants. The incubation conditions of detached leaves in covered trays rather than detachment itself appeared to affect the resistance expression. Detached leaves of some wild Solanum genotypes became partially infected, whereas intact plants were completely resistant when inoculated. Inoculation of leaves on intact plants, however, resulted in lower infection efficiencies. These limitations should be taken into account when choosing the appropriate inoculation method for specific purposes. For resistance screening, laboratory tests proved to be a good alternative for field tests. The ranking of resistance levels for twenty plant genotypes was similar under laboratory and field conditions.     

土壤旋切振动减阻的有限元分析

提出了一种对旋耕机具施加振动载荷进行压实土壤切削减阻的方法。对板结土壤参数进行土壤三轴测试试验,结合LS—DYNA的MAT147材料模型,测试土壤材料模型参数,并建立了南方丘陵地带板结土壤本构模型及土壤振动旋切过程的有限元数值模型。通过三维数值模拟和计算,分析了外加激励的振型、频率及振幅等因素对土壤切削阻力的影响及变化规律,并得到实现最优减阻效果的各项参数组合。研究结果表明,采用振动旋耕机具进行土壤作业过程中,选择合适振动频率、幅值以及振动类型的外加刀具振动能实现土壤耕作减阻,有效降低机具的土壤切削功率。     

Pig slurry treatment modifies slurry composition,N2O,and CO2 emissions after soil incorporation

The treatment of manures may improve their agricultural value and environmental quality, for instance with regards to greenhouse gases mitigation and enhancement of carbon (C) sequestration. The present study verified whether different pig slurry treatments (i.e. solid/liquid separation and anaerobic digestion) changed slurry composition. The effect of the slurry composition on N₂O and CO₂ emissions, denitrification and soil mineral nitrogen (N), after soil incorporation, was also examined during a 58-day mesocosm study. The treatments included a non-treated pig slurry (NT), the solid fraction (SF), and the liquid fraction (LF) of a pig slurry and the anaerobically digested liquid fraction (DG). Finally, a non-fertilized (N0) and a treatment with urea (UR) were also present.The N₂O emissions measured represented 4.8%, 2.6%, 1.8%, 1.0% and 0.9% of N supplied with slurry/fertilizer for NT, LF, DG, SF and UR, respectively. Cumulative CO₂ emissions ranged from 0.40 g CO₂-C kg^?1 soil (0.38 Mg CO₂-C ha^?1) to 0.80 g CO₂-C kg^?1 soil (0.75 Mg CO₂-C ha^?1). They were highest for SF (56% of C applied), followed by NT (189% of C applied), LF (337% of C applied) and DG (321% of C applied). Ammonium was detected in the soil for all treatments only at day one, while nitrate concentration increased linearly from day 15 to day 58, at a rate independent of the type of slurry/fertilizer applied. The nitrate recovery at day 58 was 39% of the N applied for NT, 19% for SF, 52% for LF, 67% for DG, and 41% for UR. The solid fraction generally produced higher potential denitrification fluxes (75.3 for SF, 56.7 for NT, 53.6 for LF, 47.7 for DG and 39.7 mg N₂O + N₂-N kg^?1 soil for UR). The high variability of actual denitrification results obfuscated any treatment effect.We conclude that treatment strongly affects slurry composition (mainly its C, fibre and NH₄⁺ content), and hence N₂O and CO₂ emission patterns as well as denitrification processes and nitrate availability. In particular, the solid fraction obtained after mechanical separation produced the most pronounced difference, while the liquid fraction and the anaerobically digested liquid fraction did not show significant difference with respect to the original slurry for any of the measured parameters. Combining data from the different fractions we showed that separation of slurry leads to reduced N₂O emissions, irrespective of whether the liquid fraction is digested or not. Furthermore, our results suggested that the default emission factor for N₂O emissions inventory is too low for both the non-treated pig slurry and its liquid fraction (digested or not), and too high for the separated solid fraction and urea.     

Land Use Effects on Mangrove Nutrient Status in Phang Nga Bay,Thailand

Tropical mangrove forests can play an important role in the functioning of adjacent marine ecosystems, by protecting them from an excess in land‐derived sediment and nutrients. The strength of this interaction may however depend on the nutrient status of the mangrove forest. This study related the nutrient status of eight mangrove forests in Phang Nga Bay (Thailand) to the land‐cover distributions in the upstream catchment areas. Nutrient status was assessed using indicators integrating over short (porewater and sediment nutrient composition) and long timespans (mangrove leaves and sesarmid crab tissue characteristics). Using multivariate statistics (PCA analysis), these nutrient status data were then related to the land cover data, which were obtained through the analysis of satellite imagery. Nutrient availability was lowest for mangroves in catchments with large natural vegetation cover and was elevated in catchments with increasing levels of anthropogenic influence. Furthermore, nutrient availability was significantly correlated with several forms of land use, including natural forest, rice paddies, cleared ground and urban areas. While all indicators supported these results, relationships were strongest for long‐term indicators. Information on the relationship between land use in the catchment area and mangrove nutrient status may be important for the effective management of this habitat, as well as adjacent marine systems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Luminex-based triplex immunoassay for the simultaneous detection of soy, pea, and soluble wheat proteins in milk powder

An automated fluorescent microsphere-based flow cytometric triplex immunoassay, using the Luminex 100 flow analyzer with MultiAnalyte Profiling (xMAP) technology, was developed for the simultaneous detection of proteins from three vegetable sources as potential fraudulent adulterants in milk powder. In the final triplex inhibition immunoassay, soluble wheat proteins (SWP) and proteins from soy and pea were coupled to three different microsphere sets. A mixture of these microsphere sets was transferred to a microtiter plate well together with the sample and a mixture of three affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies raised against the proteins and labeled with a fluorophore (Alexa 532). After incubation for 1.5 h at room temperature in the dark, the fluorescence intensities on the microspheres were directly measured (no wash procedure) in the Luminex during 10 s per well (100 microspheres per set). The sensitivities of the three assays for plant protein extracts were determined as 0.5-0.6 microg/mL at 50% inhibition. For the detection of the vegetable proteins in milk powder, the samples were dissolved in buffer (0.1 g in 10 mL) and further diluted (20 times) to create a 50% inhibition at approximately 0.5% of the vegetable proteins in the total protein content of milk powder. With the help of calibration standards, prepared under conditions comparable to those for sample materials, the triplex immunoassay proved to be quantitative above 0.1%, although concentrations in high-heated milk powders were underestimated. Due to the xMAP technology, in which 100 different microsphere sets can be distinguished, this triplex immunoassay can easily be extended to detect other possible adulterants.     

Good feeding during gestation means healthier and heavier piglets

1妊娠期生长 妊娠母猪所消耗的饲料大都用于维持生命所需的新陈代谢,但除此以外,子宫外和子宫内的生长也是很重要的. 如果妊娠期间母猪未能合理饲喂,其体况(背脂和躯体膘情的等级)会恶化或仔猪出生体重会偏低.这可以通过整窝仔猪和窝内3头最小仔猪的称重来检验.