Intercohort cannibalism and parturition-associated behaviour of adult swordtail, Xiphophorus helleri Heckel (Pisces: Poeciliidae)

The post‐parturition behavioural patterns of adult Xiphophorus helleri (Heckel) were described and quantified by recording their duration and/or frequency in glass tanks. All births occurred in the dark. Female behaviour might increase the chance of newborn juvenile survival: at the top of the tank, where juveniles are more vulnerable to predation, the females gave birth in the artificial refuge, while no parturition took place in the refuge at the bottom. Birth‐giving females were no less cannibalistic than males and other females. There was a reduction in cannibalism and the frequency of secondary attacks with time, even though the number of juveniles in the tank continued to increase due to ongoing parturition. Most adults were found at the bottom of the water column during the first 500 min of parturition, after which they were distributed equally in the water column. The movement of adults, away from the bottom and consequently away from the juveniles corresponded with an increase in feeding on alternative food and a reduction in cannibalism. Thus, cannibalism in swordtail might be opportunistic predation.     

Quick screening of cowpea genotypes for manganese tolerance during vegetative and reproductive growth

In cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) genotypical differences in Mn tolerance during vegetative growth are due to differences in Mn tolerance of the plant tissue, especially of the leaves. Mn applied to the petioles of fully expanded leaves induces the same toxicity symptoms on the leaf blades as Mn absorbed by the roots. There is a good agreement between the rankings of the different genotypes for Mn tolerance according to the depression of shoot dry matter production by Mn excess in long term pot experiments and the appearance of toxicity symptoms after application of Mn to the petioles. However, Mn tolerance during vegetative growth is not necessarily correlated with Mn tolerance during reproductive growth as no close relation exists between reduction by Mn excess of dry matter and of grain yield. Application of Mn to the peduncles two days after flowering causes the same toxicity symptoms on the pods as Mn adsorbed by the roots. The application of Mn to the petioles allows a very simple, quick and non-destructive screening of cowpea genotypes for Mn tolerance during vegetative growth. Application of Mn to petioles and peduncles looks promising as a screening technique of Mn tolerance in vegetative and reproductive growth.     

Spatial and stochastic simulation to evaluate the impact of events and control measures on the 1997-1998 classical swine fever epidemic in The Netherlands. II. Comparison of control strategies

Using the spatial, temporal and stochastic simulation model InterCSF, several alternative pre-emptive slaughter strategies that could have been applied in the Dutch Classical Swine Fever (CSF) epidemic of 1997–1998 were evaluated. Furthermore, effects of changes in some disease-spread and disease-control parameters were studied. InterCSF simulates the spread of CSF between farms through local spread and contacts (animals, transport and persons). Disease spread is affected by control measures implemented through different mechanisms (e.g. depopulation of infected farms, pre-emptive slaughter, movement control). The starting point for the evaluation of strategies was a simulated basic scenario, which mimicked the real epidemic. Strategies were compared using epidemiological as well as economic results. Economic results were generated by a separate model (EpiLoss) that calculated the direct losses and consequential losses for farmers and related industries. The comparison of the different alternatives to the basic scenario led to some general conclusions on the Dutch CSF-epidemic. Pre-emptive slaughter seemed to be an effective strategy to reduce the size of an epidemic, if started at an early stage. Economically, pre-emptive slaughter was not as expensive as expected; the resulting smaller size of the epidemic, combined with less welfare slaughter, led to much lower overall losses. Furthermore, although large movement control areas seemed effective in reducing the size of the epidemic, the total losses were relatively high because of subsequent welfare slaughter. If infection probabilities could be reduced, for example by improved biosecurity, the resulting epidemics would be much smaller.     

Estimation of ammonia losses after application of liquid cattle manure on grassland

Field experiments under various conditions were carried out in Hohenheim and the Allgäu to measure the effects of liquid manure properties and meteorological factors on ammonia losses. The micrometeorological method (IHF) and the wind tunnel method were used. Depending on the prevailing conditions the ammonia losses varied between 14 and 99% of the applied ammonium nitrogen. The relationship between the ammonia loss and the logarithm of the dry matter content of liquid manure was highly significant. The dry matter content also influenced the time course of the ammonia loss. Solar radiation was the other major factor affecting ammonia loss. Compared to dry matter content and-solar radiation, effects of other factors such as ammonium content and pH of liquid manure, air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed were small in the given range tested. Based on the relationships between the various parameters a simple model for estimation of ammonia loss was developed.     

Compendium of the history of veterinary anatomy of Rumania: for the 100th birthday of one of their most famous anatomists,Vasile Ghetie

The lessons of veterinary anatomy, firstly it was called "Zootomie", began in Rumania in 1853 and took place at educational establishments for ambulances and at schools for human medicine. The first veterinary school of the country was opened at the 16th of May 1861. The academically trained anatomy began with Prof. Constantin Gavrilescu. The most famous representative of anatomy was Prof. Vasile Ghetie (1903-1990). His act of life positions him beside the great anatomists of the gone century Schmaltz, Barone and Grau.     

Sulphur supply impairs spread of Verticillium dahliae in tomato

Vascular wilt caused by the soil-borne fungus Verticillium dahliae is a major yield and quality-limiting disease across a broad spectrum of crop plants worldwide. Sulphur-enhanced plant defence mechanisms provide an opportunity to effectively and environmentally safely constrain the wilt disease levels in planta. To evaluate the influence of sulphur nutrition on the protective potential of these mechanisms, two near-isogenic tomato genotypes differing in fungal susceptibility, were treated with low or supra-optimal sulphur supply. Microscopic analysis revealed a significant sulphur-induced decrease in the amount of infected vascular cells in both genotypes. However, plant shoot and severely pathogen-affected root growth did not display this distinct alleviating influence of sulphur nutrition. Rates of leaf photosynthesis were impeded by Verticillium dahliae infection in both genotypes especially under low sulphur nutrition. However, assimilate transport rates in the phloem sap were enhanced by fungal infection more in the resistant genotype and under high sulphur nutrition suggesting a stronger sink for assimilates in infected plant tissues possibly involved in sugar-induced defence. A SYBR Green-based absolute quantitative Real-Time assay using a species-specific primer was developed which sensitively reflected sulphur nutrition-dependent changes in fungal colonization patterns. High sulphur nutrition significantly reduced fungal spread in the stem in both tomato genotypes. Concentrations of selected sulphur-containing metabolites revealed an increase of the major anti-oxidative redox buffer glutathione under high sulphur nutrition in response to fungal colonization. Our study demonstrates the existence of sulphur nutrition-enhanced resistance of tomato against Verticillium dahliae mediated by sulphur-containing defence compounds.