Abiotic soil properties and the occurrence of Rhizoctonia crown and root rot in sugar beet

Since 1993, Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (Rhizoctonia solani AG 2–2 IIIB) has represented an increasing problem for sugar beet production in Germany. Up to now, the outbreak of the infection and the spread of the disease within a field cannot be predicted and effective countermeasures are not available. Although little is known about the living conditions of R. solani in soils, abiotic soil properties are likely to influence the disease occurrence. Investigations were carried out based on 60 pairwise comparisons, each consisting of a disease‐affected and an adjacent nonaffected patch on farmers' fields in 2002 and 2003. Soil samples from the top soil layer (0–30 cm) were collected before harvest, and eight of the most frequently mentioned soil properties potentially influencing Rhizoctonia crown and root rot infection were examined: bulk density, texture, carbonate carbon, potassium, phosphorus, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and pH. The occurrence of the disease was significantly related to the soil C : N ratio, indicating the influence of soil organic matter on the disease occurrence. Examinations of soil thin sections showed that organic‐matter particles in the soil serve as a substrate for R. solani. All other soil physical and chemical properties examined did not differ between the disease‐affected and nonaffected patches and seem to be of minor importance.     

A pilot study on the improvement of the lying area of finishing pigs by a soft lying mat

In this pilot study, we tested whether a soft mat (foam covered with a heat-sealed thermoplastic) reduces alterations and injuries at the skin and the leg joints.The soft mat in the lying area of partly slatted pens was compared to a lying area consisting of either bare or slightly littered (100 g straw per pig and day) concrete flooring. In this study we focused on skin lesions on the legs of finishing pigs as indicators of impaired welfare. Pigs were kept in 19 groups of 8-10 individuals and were examined for skin lesions around the carpal and tarsal joints either at a weight of <35 kg, or at close to 100 kg. The likelihood of hairless patches and wounds at the tarsal joints was significantly lower in pens with the soft lying mat than in pens with a bare concrete floor. Pens with a littered concrete floor did not differ compared to pens with a bare concrete floor. The soft lying mat thus improved floor quality in the lying area in terms of preventing skin lesions compared to bare and slightly littered concrete flooring. Such soft lying mats have thus the potential to improve lying comfort and welfare of finishing pigs.     

An insect growth inhibitor--lufenuron--enhances albendazole activity against hydatid cyst

The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of lufenuron, a benzylphenylurea with ability to interfere with the formation of insect exoskeleton, as a therapeutic drug for larval echinococcosis (hydatid disease). For this purpose lufenuron, alone or in combination with albendazole, was administered to CD1 mice bearing Echinococcus granulosus hydatid cysts in the peritoneal cavity. Neither of the drugs alone was able to exert parasiticidal effects. However, in combination with albendazole, lufenuron reduced the growth of cysts (30-40% in cyst diameter respect to control, p<0.05). This effect was associated with ultrastructural alterations of the hydatid cyst wall and a reduction of the content of myo-inositol-hexakisphosphate, the major component of the electron dense granules of the laminated layer. Overall, this work provides evidence that lufenuron could represent a useful compound for the use in chemotherapy against larval echinococcosis, by enhancing albendazole parasiticidal activity.     

Correlation between loss of efficacy of macrocyclic lactone heartworm anthelmintics and P-glycoprotein genotype

Macrocyclic lactone (ML) molecules have been used for heartworm control for more than 25 years. However, in recent years, there have been reports of loss of efficacy of ML heartworm preventatives against Dirofilaria immitis in some locations in the United States. Macrocyclic lactone resistance is a common problem in nematode parasites of livestock, and more recently, evidence of ivermectin resistance has been reported in the human filarial nematode Onchocerca volvulus. In this study, four D. immitis sample groups from the United States with different treatment histories were investigated for evidence of ML-driven genetic selection. DNA from individual adult worms and microfilariae was amplified by polymerase chain reaction to investigate a gene encoding a P-glycoprotein, a protein class known to be involved in ML pharmacology. A significant correlation of a GG-GG genotype with ivermectin response phenotype was found. Moreover, a significant loss of heterozygosity was found in a low responder group; loss of heterozygosity is commonly seen in loci when a population has been under selection. Further studies are required to confirm ML resistance in heartworm populations. However, the genetic changes observed in this study may be useful as a marker to monitor for ML resistance in D. immitis.     

The Effect of Inoculation Treatment and Long-term Application of Moisture on Fusarium Head Blight Symptoms and Deoxynivalenol Contamination in Wheat Grains

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is an important disease of wheat, which can result in the contamination of grains with mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON). Artificial inoculation of flowering ears with conidial suspensions is widely used to study FHB diseases. Our goal was to compare four inoculation treatments in which a conidial suspension was sprayed on flowering ears and to study the effect of the application of moisture during kernel setting and filling with a mist-irrigation system. Ten wheat genotypes were inoculated with a DON-producing Fusarium culmorum strain. Inoculation treatments varied in time of application of the inoculum (morning or evening) and in the method of controlling humidity during inoculation (bagging or mist irrigation). A wet season was simulated with a mist-irrigation system, keeping the crop canopy wet for at least 26 days after flowering. The severity of FHB symptoms (area under disease progress curve (AUDPC)), yield loss and DON contamination in the grains were determined. AUDPC data obtained with the different inoculation treatments were highly correlated (r=0.85–0.95). Mist irrigation after inoculation resulted in a higher mean disease severity, but in a overall lower toxin contamination as compared to the non-irrigated treatments. Genotypic differences in DON accumulation were present: for one wheat line toxin contamination significantly increased when irrigated, while two genotypes accumulated significantly less toxin. The closest relationships (r=0.73–0.89) between the visual symptoms and the DON content were obtained under moderate mean infection pressure. This relation between visual symptoms and the DON content deteriorated at higher infection levels.     

A concept in adaptive ecosystem management—An engineering perspective

Uncertainty how ecosystems will behave and look like in the future has been increasing. Several concepts, such as sustainable, adaptive, or risk-based management, were proposed to cope with uncertain, incomplete knowledge, and with changing environmental conditions. However, there is a lack of agreement what those concepts mean and how they differ from traditional forest management approaches. The paper aims at (1) exploring general systems theory, control theory, and risk management theory for general principles that may be guiding the future development of ecosystem management, and that (2) developing a concept in adaptive ecosystem management that may act as a shared mental model for both scholars and practitioners.     

Spatial variability of fusarium head blight pathogens and associated mycotoxins in wheat crops

The spatial pattern of Fusarium‐infected kernels and their mycotoxin contamination was studied in four wheat fields in Germany using geo‐referenced sampling grids (12–15 × 20–30 m, 28–30 samples per field) at harvest. For each sample, frequency of Fusarium‐infected kernels and spectrum of species were assessed microbiologically; mycotoxin contents were determined by HPLC‐MS/MS analysis. Spatial variability of pathogens and mycotoxins was analysed using various parameters including Spatial Analysis by Distance IndicEs (sadie^® ). Microdochium majus, the most frequent head blight pathogen in 1998, was less frequent in 1999 and could not be detected in kernels from two fields in 2004. Fusarium avenaceum, F. graminearum and F. poae were the most frequent Fusarium species, with 7–8 species per field. The frequency of Fusarium‐infected kernels was 3–15% and the incidence of species showed considerable within‐field variability. Spatial patterns varied among Fusarium species as well as from field to field. Although pathogens and mycotoxin were often distributed randomly in the field, F. avenaceum, F. graminearum, F. poae, F. sporotrichioides, F. tricinctum and the mycotoxin moniliformin had an aggregated pattern in at least one field. Patterns are discussed in relation to spread of Fusarium species depending on inoculum sources, spore type, kind of dispersal, availability of susceptible host tissue and micro‐climate. Sampling of wheat fields for representative assessment of mycotoxins is complicated by random patterns of Fusarium‐infected kernels, especially where the frequency of infection is small.