Downstream migration of European lake trout, Salmo trutta f. lacustris L., and resident brown trout, Salmo trutta f. fario L., progeny in a Lake Constance affluent river

Abstract The local migratory behaviour of lake trout, Salmo trutta L., and resident brown trout, S. trutta L., progeny from an inflowing stream of Lake Constance was compared. No differences were detected with respect to emigration rate (3.5% and 4.2% for lake trout and resident trout, respectively), rate of residency (6.8% and 8.2% for lake trout and resident trout, respectively) and rate of survival (12.3% and 12.1% for lake trout and resident trout, respectively) one year after stocking. Some of the resident brown trout offspring became migrants and vice versa . The results indicate that the progeny of riverine brown trout contribute considerable numbers to lake trout stock.     

Variation in the response of melon genotypes to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. melonis race 1 determined by inoculation tests and molecular markers

Screening of genotypes of melon ( Cucumis melo ) for resistance to wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. melonis is often characterized by wide variability in their responses to inoculation, even under carefully controlled conditions. The variability at the seedling stage of 17 genotypes susceptible to race 1 was examined in growth-chamber experiments. Disease incidence varied from 0 to 100% in a genotype-dependent manner. Using four combinations of light (60 and 90  µ E m⁻² s⁻¹) and temperatures of (27 and 31°C), only light intensity showed a statistically significant effect. Marker-assisted selection for fusarium resistance breeding using cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) and sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers were compared using a single set of genotypes that included 24 melon accessions and breeding lines whose genotype regarding the Fom-2 gene was well characterized. The practical value of the markers for discriminating a range of genotypes and clarifying the scoring of phenotypes was also tested using a segregating breeding population which showed codominant SCAR markers to be useful in marker-assisted selection.     

Nutritional quality of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.): current status and future research needs

The nutritional composition and the affects of processing and storage and anti-nutrients on nutritional value of chickpeas are reviewed. Future research needs are discussed.Submitted as J.A. No. 431 by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRASAT).     

Growth comparison of Asian Nile and red tilapia strains in controlled and uncontrolled farm conditions

Growth of several genetically improved Nile tilapia (GIFT or Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia, FaST or Freshwater Aquaculture Center Selected Tilapia, SEAFDEC-selected) and domesticated red tilapia (BFS or Binangonan Freshwater Station, NIFI-red or National Inland Fisheries Institute red, HL or Hacienda Luisita) stocks were compared in controlled (tank) and uncontrolled farm conditions (lake-based cages) with unselected NIFI or Chitralada Nile tilapia as control. Specific growth rate differed significantly (P = 0.009) in tank-reared Nile tilapia stocks where GIFT grew best at 1.358%/day followed by FaST (1.307%/day), control stock NIFI (1.257%/day) and SEAFDEC-selected (1.202%/day). Genetic effect explained 84.4% of the variance in growth of Nile tilapia in tanks. Although Nile tilapia growth in cages followed the same trend where GIFT grew best at 1.570%/day, no significant stock differences (P = 0.479) were noted. Meanwhile, red tilapia reared in either tanks or cages showed no significant stock differences in terms of growth. However, survival of the red tilapia stocks in cages differed significantly with HL having the highest percentage survival at 93.3%. The different growth responses of the Nile tilapia stocks especially under controlled (tank) farm conditions were largely due to genetic factors (stock differences).Under uncontrolled farm conditions, environmental factors were generally observed to have also affected the survival and to some extent, the growth of Asian Nile and red tilapia stocks.     

The Functional Anatomy of the Neck and Forelimbs of the Cape Golden Mole,Chrysochloris Asiatica (Lipotyphla: Chrysochloridae)

The anatomy of the neck and forelimb of Chrysochloris asiatica is described and illustrated. The sequence of events during digging and modifications for fossorial action are described. Modifications include the appearance of a third bone in the forearm; the shortening and fusion of bones in the manus; enlarged processes on the scapula, humerus and ulna for greater muscle attachment; enlarged neck muscles and a dip in the spine in the cervical region to accommodate these and the enlarged shoulder muscles; an enlarged occiput for insertion of the powerful neck muscles; a greatly enlarged triceps and movement of the shoulder girdle to a position anterior to that normal in mammals. The possibility of the third forearm bone being the ossified tendon of a flexor muscle is discussed, without any conclusion being reached as to its true origin.     

Effect of nitrogen deficiency on growth and some biochemical characteristics in salt‐tolerant and salt‐sensitive lines of Lentil (lens cul1naris medic.)

The response of a salt‐tolerant line ILL 6793 and a salt‐sensitive line ILL 6439 of lentil (Lens culinaris) to N deficiency was studied in a pot experiment under glasshouse conditions. Plants of the two lines were treated with 56, 28, 14 and 7 mg N L^?1 in Rorison's nutrient solution. The salt‐tolerant line excelled the salt‐sensitive line in relative biomass production (per cent of control basis) under varying N regimes. Of the various physiological/biochemical variables measured in the present study only chlorophyll b and total soluble sugars proved to be helpful in discriminating the lines. Chlorophyll b was significantly greater in ILL 6793 as compared with ILL 6439 at the two lower N levels. Total soluble sugars increased consistently in both lines with decrease in N level of the growth medium and the salt‐tolerant line ILL 6793 had significantly greater soluble sugars than the salt‐sensitive ILL 6439 at 28 and 14 mg N L^?1. Chlorophyll a and free amino acids were uniformly reduced in both lines with decrease in N levels. The salt‐tolerant line showing high efficiency for N utilization could be of great economic value in terms of its use in salt‐affected soils which are usually deficient in N provided it also produces reasonable grain yield.     

Vergleichende bodenphysikalische untersuchungen zwischen Lysimetern und Ihren Herkunftsflächen am beispiel von drei typischen böden mitteldeutschlands unter landwirtschaftlicher nutzung i. Mitteilung ermittlung bodenphysikalischer kenngrössen

Zur Quantifizierung möglicher Veränderungen zwischen langjährig genutzten Lysimetern und ihren Herkunftsflächen wurden ausgewählte bodenphysikalische Parameter ermittelt und eine erste Interpretation der angetroffenen Unterschiede zwischen Lysimeter und Herkunftsfläche vorgenommen.

Zur Ermittlung bodenhydraulischer Kenngrößen können unterschiedliche Verfahren eingesetzt werden. So wurden Saugspannungs‐Sättigungs‐Funktionen (pF‐Kurven) mittels AMHYP‐Anlage und mit der Verfahrenskombination: Sandbett‐Kaolinbett‐Drucktopfapparatur erstellt. Die dabei festgestellten deutlichen Abweichungen geben Anlaß zur Überprüfung der bisher verwendeten Verfahren, der damit ermittelten Meßwerte und deren Interpretation.     

The use of chance-corrected agreement to diagnose canine compulsive disorder: an approach to behavioral diagnosis in the absence of a 'gold standard'.

This study assessed the diagnostic accuracy of formal diagnostic criteria for canine compulsive disorder (canine CD). Canine CD is a syndrome of abnormal behaviors that are believed to result from conflict or frustration. Differential diagnoses include normal conflict behavior and learned behavior. In studies of canine CD, confidence in the diagnosis comes with knowing the accuracy of the diagnostic method. This accuracy may be quantified as the chance-corrected agreement between the diagnostic method and a 'gold standard' diagnostic test. The present study examined the agreement between diagnoses of canine CD made by an expert (the 'gold standard') and by using formal diagnostic criteria. The owners of 84 dogs suspected of having CD received 2 telephone interviews. The first utilized a detailed, pre-tested questionnaire; a dog was then diagnosed with CD if the behavioral history met 7 diagnostic criteria. The second interview was given by a behavioral expert whose diagnosis was based on personal experience. The interviewers were blind to each other's diagnoses. The chance-corrected agreement between diagnoses was minimal (kappa = 0.02) and disagreement was associated with 3 of the formal criteria: a history of conflict or frustration, an increase in the number of contexts that elicit the behavior, and an increase in the daily frequency of the behavior. Reasons for the disagreement include the order of the interviews, response biases, the setting of the interviews, and, possibly, the diversity of the behaviors associated with canine CD. To the authors' knowledge, this type of study is the first in clinical ethology to address validation of the diagnostic method. The results indicate 3 developmental aspects of canine CD that should be examined in future work.