The synthesis and biological activity of substituted chlorinated benzenedicarbonitriles

A number of chlorinated 1,2-, 1,3- and 1,4-benzodicarbonitriles monosubstituted by either hydroxy, arylamino, alkylthio, sulphinyl or sulphonyl groups were synthesised and assayed against P. viticola, P. oryzae, V. inaequalis, P. parasitica and a number of other fungi and bacteria. The 1,3-benzodicarbonitriles were the most active compounds and the alkylsulphiyl and sulphonyl groups the most effective substituents.     

Red Oak Borer, Enaphalodes rufulus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, U.S.A.: An Unexpected and Remarkable Forest Disturbance

A complex interaction of multiple factors has resulted in an oak decline event in oak-hickory forests of the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and Missouri, U.S.A. The most striking feature of this situation is an unprecedented population explosion of red oak borer, a species of cerambycid beetle, Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldeman), which appears to be causing extensive mortality to mature red oaks (Quercus, subgenus Erythrobalanus). The insect is a native species, historically a minor pest of oaks, found throughout the eastern United States. Beetles normally reproduce in living oaks, as larvae initially feed in phloem tissue and subsequently bore into xylem where pupation occurs. The life cycle is two years in length and synchronous adult emergence occurs in odd-numbered years. Data from previous research indicate average attack densities of less than four per tree with a high of 71 on a single tree. Historical emergence densities are similarly low and the highest reported was 15 adults from one tree. Our research is concerned with understanding factors contributing to this outbreak; developing sampling methods for red oak borer; assessing oak mortality; and evaluating site and stand conditions associated with the current outbreak. Results of our initial sampling reveal dramatically higher average attack densities of 244 per m2 and emergence densities of 18 per m2 of bark surface area. We confirm a three-week period of adult emergence and activity during mid-June to early July. We also report on possible management responses by federal and state agencies to this remarkable epidemic and oak mortality crisis.     

Design and Validation of an Assay for Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Biologically Relevant Dissolved and Heat-Extracted Organic Carbon with Neutral Potassium Phosphate Buffer

Labile soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and heat-extracted carbon (HEC) are sensitive indicators of changing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) is an important tool for studying SOC turnover and soil biological function. Several complications are involved in measuring DOC/HEC, for example salt ionic strength; solution pH; and anionic damage to elemental analyzer-IRMS. We evaluated a method for DOC/HEC analysis with 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer (PPB). This method was strongly correlated with commonly used carbon (C) extractants for C quantification. Carbon-13 comparisons between DOC/HEC extracted with Milli-Q water and PPB were similar. The δ¹³C (‰) values of particulate OC and DOC were similar, whereas the relationship between humic OC and HEC was soil specific. An incubation experiment demonstrated that DOC/HEC δ¹³C (‰) successfully explained respired microbial carbon dioxide over 90 days. We conclude that this method represents an alternative for DOC/HEC quantification and δ¹³C (‰) analyses.     

Correlations of oil and protein with isoflavone concentration in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.

Twelve isoflavones were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography in seeds of 17 soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] cultivars grown at three locations. 6' '-O-Malonyldaidzin and 6' '-O-malonylgenistin together constituted 71-81% of total isoflavones, which ranged in concentration from 2038 to 9514 microg/g and averaged 5644 microg/g across locations and cultivars. The total as well as several individual isoflavones had a moderate negative correlation with oil across locations and cultivars. Six cultivars had a moderate or strong negative correlation of total isoflavones with oil. Five cultivars had a moderate or strong positive correlation of total isoflavones with protein. These results suggest that judicious selection of germplasm for soybean breeding may facilitate development of soybean lines with desirable isoflavone concentrations.     

The prospects of reduced tillage in tef (Eragrostis tef Zucca) in Gare Arera, West Shawa Zone of Oromiya, Ethiopia

Soils in Ethiopia are traditionally ploughed repeatedly with an oxen-drawn plough before sowing. The oxen ploughing system exposes the soil to erosion and is expensive for farmers without oxen. This study was undertaken to assess agronomic and economic impacts of alternative, reduced tillage methods. Field experiments were carried out on a Vertisol and a Nitisol for 2 years to study the effect of zero tillage, minimum tillage, conventional tillage, and broad bed furrows (BBF) on the yield of tef (Eragrostis tef Zucca). No significant differences in tef biomass and grain yields were observed between the treatments on both soils in the first year. In Nitisol in the second year, yield was lower in the zero tillage treatment as compared to the other treatments. No difference in yield was observed between single plough, conventional, and BBF. On Vertisol, the yields were higher in BBF as compared to the other treatments. The yields on Vertisol were 1368, 1520, 1560 and 1768 kg ha⁻¹ for the zero tillage, minimum tillage, conventional tillage and BBF treatments respectively. More than twice as much grass weed was observed on zero tillage treatment as compared to the BBF treatment on both soils. Zero tillage gave the lowest gross margin on both soils whereas BBF gave the highest gross margin. The gross margin on Nitisols for the zero tillage and BBF treatments were −108 and 1504 Birr/ha respectively and corresponding numbers for the Vertisol were 520 and 1924 Birr ha⁻¹. On Vertisol there were no significant difference in gross margin between minimum tillage and conventional tillage. Minimum tillage is an interesting option on Vertisols, particularly for female-headed households as it reduces the tillage cost. It may also improve overall productivity of the farming system because it allows partial replacement of oxen with cows and reduces soil erosion.     

Balanites wilsoniana: Regeneration with and without elephants

Tropical forest trees that produce large fruits and/or large seeds are believed to be dependant on a few and often rare large vertebrates for dispersal. However, little is known about the population dynamics of such trees when they lose their specialised dispersers. This study examines the juvenile spatial distribution of Balanites wilsoniana, Dawe & Spraque, which is believed to be dependant solely on elephants for dispersal, in forests with and without elephants. Using camera traps, elephants were confirmed to be the only frugivores feeding and thus dispersing Balanites wilsoniana fruits. There was a high density of seedlings beneath adult trees in one forest without elephants, which was attributed to low seed and seedling predation in this forest. Nevertheless, it was only in the forest with elephants that juveniles were established away from adult trees. Analysis of the spatial distribution of these juveniles by size revealed that saplings and poles are more likely to be found away from adult trees thus providing evidence that dispersal enhances juvenile survival. This study underlines the importance of seed dispersal for trees that cannot maintain their populations through seedlings germinating and surviving beneath adult conspecifics. The study also demonstrates that loss of vertebrates has ramifications for tree species dynamics above and beyond loss of seed dispersers.     

Switchgrass Compositional Variations Arising from Spatial Distribution and Legume Intercropping

Due to genetic diversity within and among switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), there may be genotype x environment and management-induced differences among secondary cell walls. Consequently, two separate experiments were conducted to determine feedstock variance using near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS). One experiment tested legume-intercrops [red clover (RC; Trifolium pratense), crimson clover (CC; Trifolium incarnatum), hairy vetch (HV; Vicia villosa), and partridge pea (PP; Chamaechrista fasciculata)], nitrogen (N) fertilization (0, 67, and 135 kg-N ha^?1), and location impacts on characteristics. The second one determined on-farm bale variance within and across locations. Clustering NIRS data indicated that chemical signatures differed among locations and N-levels, but less so among intercrops. Results suggest that homogeneity may vary within a region responsible for supplying biomass to a biorefinery. Thus, conversion efficiencies and enzymatic requirements for ethanol production may be affected. Consequently, legumes may displace inorganic-N with minimal compositional changes, whereas location and N-level influence feedstock quality and recalcitrance level to a greater extent.     

Resistance to ascochyta blights of cool season food legumes

Ascochyta blights are the most important diseases of cool season food legumes (peas, lentils, chickpeas, and faba beans) and are found in nearly all production regions. Despite having the same common disease name, the pathogen species differ for each of the crops. These diseases cause serious yield losses under favourable cool and humid conditions. Planting resistant cultivars is often the first choice and most economical means in managing the diseases. Therefore breeding for resistance to ascochyta blights has been an important objective of many cool season food legume research programmes. Systematic screening of germplasm collections at international research centres and other national research programmes have identified useful resistance sources that have been used successfully to breed resistant or tolerant cultivars. Genetic studies have revealed inheritance patterns of the resistance genes. Genetic linkage analyses and QTL mapping have identified molecular markers that could be useful for marker-assisted selection and gene pyramiding. In general, research towards developing resistance to ascochyta blights in cool season food legume faces mainly two limitations: the lack of availability of efficient resistance sources and the lack of a good understanding of the variability of the pathogen populations. Research efforts to alleviate these limitations should be pursued. Given that modern technologies of marker development and genomics are available, further advances in deploying resistance to manage ascochyta blights in this group of legume crops will depend on concerted efforts in developing accurate screening procedures with adequate knowledge of pathogen variability and identification of additional sources of resistance.     

Principles for regulatory testing and interpretation of semi-field and field studies with non-target arthropods

This paper is a guidance document for side-effect testing with plant protection products on non-target arthropods under semi-field and field conditions. The principles, methods, endpoints and interpretation of non-target arthropod semi-field and field trials which should be conducted for registration of plant protection products in the European Union are presented and discussed. The recommendations presented reflect the opinions of the experts from authority, academia, industry and consulting which participated at the IOBC (International Organisation of Biological Control), BART (Beneficial Arthropod Regulatory Testing) group and EPPO (European Plant Protection Organisation) Joint Initiative workshop held in Versailles (France) on the 25–26 October, 1999.     

Fine-tuning banana Xanthomonas wilt control options over the past decade in East and Central Africa

Xanthomonas wilt, caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum has, since 2001, become the most important and widespread disease of Musa in East and Central Africa. Over the past decade, new research findings and especially feedback from small-scale farmers have helped in fine-tuning Xanthomonas wilt control options. During the initial years of the Xanthomonas wilt epidemic in East Africa, the complete uprooting of diseased mats and the burning or burying of plant debris was advocated as part of a control package which included the use of clean garden tools and early removal of male buds to prevent insect vector transmission. Uprooting a complete mat (i.e. the mother plant and a varying number of lateral shoots) is understandably time-consuming and labour intensive and becomes very cumbersome when a large number of diseased mats have to be removed. Recent research findings suggest that Xcm bacteria do not colonize all lateral shoots (i.e. incomplete systemicity occurs) and even when present that this does not necessarily lead to symptom expression and disease. This led to a new control method whereby only the visibly diseased plants within a mat are cut at soil level. The underlying idea is that the continued removal of only the diseased plants in a field will reduce the inoculum level and will bring down disease incidence to an acceptable level. This method is less labour intensive and takes a short time compared to the removal of a complete mat. However, single diseased stem removal needs to go hand in hand with prevention of new infections that can occur through the use of contaminated garden tools or through insect vector transmission. Novel transgenic approaches are also discussed. This paper presents an overview of past and ongoing research towards the development of a more practical and less demanding control strategy for Xanthomonas wilt.