Use of netting and whitewash spray to protect papaya plants against Nivun Haamir (NH)-dieback disease

A disease causing the decline of papaya (Carica papaya) plants was noticed in the Jordan Valley in 1982. The disease caused severe yellowing of the upper leaves and dieback of the apex. The disease was not transmissible mechanically and continued efforts to associate viruses and viroids have so far been unsuccessful. Epidemiological observations suggested that the disease is airborne and probably caused by a mollicute. In order to test this hypothesis, plots were covered by an insect-proof net and with white nets providing 15, 30 and 50% shade. The 30%, 50% and insect-proof nettings provided complete protection, and the 15% netting reduced disease incidence to <2%, compared with>37% in the uncovered control plot. Spraying plants at weekly intervals with a commercial whitewash solution was also found to be effective in reducing disease incidence. The advantages of using a range of netting field treatments as a simple means for obtaining information on the epidemiological nature of a new disease are described.     

Enhancement of sulfide auto-oxidation by metal ion in artificial seawater and a seawater which is a possible source of aoshio

SUMMARY: Aoshio is hypoxic milky blue-green seawater observed in some eutrophic bays. Previous studies have shown that colloidal sulfur causes the coloration and that the source of aoshio water is attributed to coastal anoxic bottom water. Occurrences of aoshio have been reported in limited areas of coastal seawater, although hypoxic transparent water seems rather universal. Promotion in auto-oxidation of sulfide by metal ions in seawater was investigated to explain the occurrences of aoshio. Artificial seawater containing 10 μM metal ion was assayed for the sulfide oxidation rate. The velocity constant which represents the oxidation rate within the initial 30 min and the amount of reacted sulfide in 2 h were determined by oxygen monitoring and sulfide quantification, respectively. Fe²⁺ and Cu²⁺ enhanced the initial 30 min reaction. Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺ and Ni²⁺ increased the amount of reacted sulfide in 2 h, forming whitish turbid water. Seawater from a suspected source of aoshio water was also assayed for the auto-oxidation rate of sulfide. The oxidation rate in water from 12 m depth was 13–19 times higher than the artificial seawater without an addition of heavy metal ions. More than 15% of the oxidation rate in 12 m deep seawater was explained by dissolved iron in the seawater.     

Factors influencing decline in soil pH in Hawaiian Eucalyptus and Albizia plantations

Soil pH declined from 5.9 to 5.0 in 8 years beneath plantations of Eucalyptus saligna (Sm.) in Hawaii. In stands of Albizia falcataria, (L.) Fosberg, the soil pH change was more dramatic, declining from 5.9 to 4.6. We measured several components of soil acidity beneath four mixtures of the two tree species to gain insight on the processes responsible for the decline in soil pH. These components were studied using an empirical method of comparing acid quantity, degree of neutralization (depletion of base cations), and acid strength. The decline in soil pH differed between species as a result of differences in the degree of neutralization of the soil exchange complex; the larger decrease in soil pH under Albizia was produced by greater acidification of the exchange complex. Empirical titration curves suggested that differences in acid strength moderated the divergence in soil pH beneath the species. Had the acids accumulating in the soil under Albizia been as strong as those in the Eucalyptus soil, the difference in soil pH would have been greater. Though the two species had contrasting effects on soil pH, the differences in degree of neutralization, responsible for the pH decline, were small compared with differences in the amount of cations stored in tree biomass. Continued supply of nutrient cations (from weathering or fertilization) will ultimately control both the extent of soil pH decline and the level of productivity sustained by the forest.     

Studies on mutlispecific resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes to benzimidazoles on dairy-goat farms

Multispecific resistance to benzimidazoles was studied in three selected farms. These farms had bred dairy goats for more than 15 years. The helminths were introduced with the goats at the establishment of the farms which afterwards remained isolated. Nematode resistance could then be related to their own management practices. Faecal egg count tests and egg hatch assays were performed to assess intensity of resistance. The generic (infective larvae in faecal cultures) and specific richness (adult worms) were assessed. The resistant species were Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Teladorsagia circumcincta, Haemonchus contortus and Oesophagostomum venulosum. Faecal egg count reduction tests and egg-hatch assays did not match exactly. Faecal larval counts after treatments gave a distorted picture of multispecific resistance: Haemonchus and Oesophagostomum were very largely over represented. The number of species found in the three farms was relatively low compared with other reports in goat farms of the area. This reduction of diversity might also be due in part to characteristics of breeding management and history (use of permanent pasture and introduction of goats at the establishment of farm).     

田间小棚繁殖烟蚜茧蜂的繁蜂效果研究

研究了田间小棚繁殖烟蚜茧蜂的繁蜂效果,比较了在不同接蜂量和蚜量范围条件下的僵蚜数量及其羽化情况。接蜂量和接蜂时的蚜量是影响僵蚜数量的2个重要因素,以接蜂时的蚜量对繁蜂效果的影响更为明显。在接蜂量为蜂(♀)蚜比1∶100、蚜量范围2 000~3 000头/株的条件下,可获得较好的繁蜂效果,僵蚜的数量可达到8 000个/株以上。在繁蜂前期僵蚜的质量较高,僵蚜的羽化率可保持在90%以上,在繁蜂后期受重寄生蜂的影响,僵蚜的质量明显下降。应用田间小棚繁殖烟蚜茧蜂时,重寄生蜂是影响后期繁蜂质量的重要因素。     

Quantitation of adenine nucleotides in equine colonic mucosal tissue using high performance liquid chromatography.

The objectives were to use high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to validate an established method for adenine nucleotide separation in equine colonic mucosal tissue, to determine the inherent variability in the tissue and extraction method, and to determine the stability of ATP, ADP, and AMP in the tissue with time. Equine colonic mucosal tissue obtained from a single horse was immediately submersed in liquid nitrogen, and stored at -70 degrees C. Samples were lyophilized, extracted, and separated by HPLC. The limit of quantitation was 0.05 microg/mL. The coefficient of variation for the instrument was less than 10% for all nucleotides measured. When the tissue was not homogenized prior to sampling, there were significant differences in adenine nucleotide content between samples. However, when the tissue was homogenized prior to analysis, these differences were no longer significant. There was no significant decrease in ATP, ADP, or AMP content over a 54-day analysis period.