Pine Wilt Disease: a threat to European forestry

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the pinewood nematode (PWN) and causal agent of Pine Wilt Disease (PWD), was detected for the first time, in 1999, in Portugal, and in Europe. Despite the efforts of the Portuguese National Forestry and Quarantine Authorities, the disease has spread to new forest areas in the centre of mainland Portugal, in 2008, and to the island of Madeira, in 2009. More recently, two foci of PWD were reported from Spain. The free circulation of non-treated wood and wood products, as part of global trade, may explain this phenomenon, which constitutes a threat to other European forestlands. This review gathers the most recent up-to-date information about PWD in Europe, as well as in other countries, presenting integrative management procedures for detection and control, and the scientific knowledge generated over the last decade, to understand the complex biological system behind the disease.     

Identification and isolation of psittacid herpesvirus from psittacids in Brazil

Psittacid herpesvirus (PsHV) was isolated from 41 birds kept in captivity in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais/Brazil using chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) cell cultures. For this study, leukocytes or cloacal swabs of live birds were used. Also, portions of liver, spleen or kidney from birds collected at necropsy were utilized for these tests. PCR tests confirmed the presence of PsHV in 100% of samples. Thirty-three of the PCR products were sequenced and the results disclosed a 99% and 100% identity when compared with other sequences PsHV-1 (AY372243.1 and AF261756.1), previously deposited in GenBank. In addition, histopathology was performed and 19 of the 29 birds contained random multifocal lymphoplasmacytic hepatitis with necrotic foci, suggestive of viral infection. Three samples were examined by electron microscopy to visualize the viral particles obtained from cell culture. The viral structures measured 269 nm in average, had envelopes with an icosahedral capsid and tegument, consistent with herpesvirus. Thus, a total of 41 isolates were obtained from PsHV cell cultivation in CEF, confirming the circulation of the virus between parrots kept in captivity in Belo Horizonte, and affirming the importance of further studies in this area.     

Assessing the impact of understory vegetation cut on soil epigeic macrofauna from a cork-oak Montado in South Portugal

Cork oak “Montados” are a particular Mediterranean ecosystem, which can be found in Southern Portugal. Portuguese “Montados” are man-made ecosystems, mainly used for cork production and cattle farming, that support a high biological diversity. Current sustainable management techniques imply a shrub clearing with heavy machinery, which can be highly disruptive for soil biota. In order to evaluate the effects of understory vegetation management on soil epigeic macrofauna, five zones were defined along a chronosequence of shrub clearing: a non-disturbed zone (zone 5) and zones where understory vegetation was cut at 4–5 years (zone 4), at 3–4 years (zone 3), at 2 years (zone 2) and at 1 year (zone 1). A sixth zone (zone 6) was selected in a pasture, where cattle are occasionally present. Soil fauna was sampled using “pitfall” traps and sampling took place in autumn 2003. A total of 2,677 individuals, separated into 152 species and morphospecies, were caught in the traps. With the exception of zone 6, that presented a lower number of species, all the other zones from the chronosequence presented, in most cases, a similar number of taxa, species diversity (Shannon) and species richness (Margalef). Multivariate analysis separated recently disturbed zones (plus zone 6) from those intervened at longer time; groups like Formicidae, Scydmaenidae, most families from Araneae and insect larvae appeared closely associated to zones 3–5 (with a higher shrub cover and thick litter layers), whereas, other Hymenoptera, Gastropda and most Coleoptera families, appeared associated to recently disturbed zones (zones 1 and 2) and to zone 6, characterized by a lower shrub cover and a lower accumulation of litter. This separation indicates that effects of the intervention can endure for 2 or 3 years. After that time, the normal natural regeneration of the understory vegetation seems to support the restoration of the macrofauna community, thus indicating that the sustainable management strategy adopted, i.e., making a shrub cut every 5–6 years, seems not induce a significant effect on local species richness of soil epigeic macrofauna.     

Pyogenic bacterial infections in humans with MyD88 deficiency

MyD88 is a key downstream adapter for most Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and interleukin-1 receptors (IL-1Rs). MyD88 deficiency in mice leads to susceptibility to a broad range of pathogens in experimental settings of infection. We describe a distinct situation in a natural setting of human infection. Nine children with autosomal recessive MyD88 deficiency suffered from life-threatening, often recurrent pyogenic bacterial infections, including invasive pneumococcal disease. However, these patients were otherwise healthy, with normal resistance to other microbes. Their clinical status improved with age, but not due to any cellular leakiness in MyD88 deficiency. The MyD88-dependent TLRs and IL-1Rs are therefore essential for protective immunity to a small number of pyogenic bacteria, but redundant for host defense to most natural infections.     

Serological evidence of West Nile virus circulation in Portugal

The circulation of West Nile virus in Portugal was assessed by serological surveys conducted during 2004-2010 in horses and birds. The detection of WNV antibodies in both species in all the years covered by the study as well as the presence of anti-WNV IgM in symptomatic horses that had not traveled outside the country, support the notion that WNV circulates in Portugal.     

Apparent Absorption of Zinc from Supplemental Inorganic and Organic Sources to Nile Tilapia Oreochromis doticus Juveniles

Abstract— Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings were fed with purified or practical diets, supplemented with 150 mg Zd/kg, from different sources. Dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), and gross energy (GE) apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC), as well as zinc, copper, calcium, and phosphorus apparent absorption coefficients (AAC) were determined by the addition of 0.1% chromic oxide to the diets. The supplemental zinc sources utilized were commercial grade zinc sulfate monohydrate (ZnSO)₄, zinc oxide (ZnO) and a zinc amino acid complex (Zn‐AA). Analytical grade zinc sulfate heptahydrate was also utilized as a standard reference zinc source. There was a significant difference between purified (74.9%) and practical (41.3%) zinc AAC for the ZnO supplemented diets (P< 0.05). The supplemental zinc sources presented similar AAC when purified diets were utilized. However, ZnSO₄, was the best supplemental zinc source when practical type diets were used. There were no significant differences between supplemental zinc AAC from ZnSO₄, (68.9%), and supplemental zinc AAC from Zn‐AA (61.3%) in practical diets, but Zn‐AA diet showed a statistically lower zinc AAC when compared with the standard zinc source diet (75.6%). The practical diet supplemented with ZnO had the worst supplemental zinc AAC (41.3%). Dietary copper (74.2%), calcium (70.9%), and phosphorus (71.9%) AAC of the practical diets supplemented with ZnO were statistically lower (P < 0.05) than the respective AAC of the practical ZnSO₄, supplemented diets (83.6%, 84.1%, 87.1%). The ADC of the practical ZnO supplemented diet for DM (76.30/), CP (88.6%), EE (82.4%), and GE (81.6%) were statistically lower than the respective ADC of the ZnSO₄, practical diet (86.0,92.7,93.6,89.6%, respectively) and those ADC of the Zn‐AA practical diet (84.7,92.7,93.7, 88.2%, respectively) (P < 0.05). Hence, these results indicate that ZnSO₄, and Zn‐AA have equivalent intestinal absorption as supplemental zinc sources for Nile tilapia juveniles and both are superior to ZnO.     

Nonlinear fixed and random generalized height–diameter models for Portuguese cork oak stands

• Objective   

The objective of the research was to develop a generalized height–diameter model for Quercus suber L. in Portugal, which can be applied both to undebarked and debarked trees, with diameter at breast height over cork larger than 2.5 cm.     

Organic carbon pools in a Luvisol under agroforestry and conventional farming systems in the semi-arid region of Ceará, Brazil

Many environmental benefits have been attributed to agroforestry systems in various ecosystems around the world. However, there is a limited amount of information to evaluate this agricultural system in the semi-arid region, specifically in the region of Ceará, Brazil. The objective of this work was to evaluate five agricultural (four agroforestry and one conventional) systems in order to test the hypothesis that the agroforestry systems promote an increase in the soil organic carbon stocks and organic carbon pools, thus improving soil quality. The following treatments were tested: agrosilvopasture (AGP), silvopasture (SILV), traditional agroforestry (TRAG), intensive cropping (IC), and native forest (NF). The soil samples were collected at four depths: 0–6, 6–12, 12–20 and 20–40 cm. Total soil organic carbon stocks and the organic carbon pools (microbial biomass-C, mineralizable-C, oxidizable-C, free, occluded light fraction organic matter, and C in the humic substances) were analyzed. After 5 years of experimental cultivation, the soil under the SILV system presented the best results for the attributes studied, preserving, and in some cases, improving these attributes, when compared to the other conditions. The traditional agroforestry system (TRAG) reduced total organic carbon stocks and, consequently, C in some organic matter compartments, indicating that the fallow period was not sufficient to maintain soil quality. The AGP and IC systems presented significant losses in some of the soil organic matter (SOM) pools, suggesting that the soil environment had been degraded. The most labile SOM components were considered sensitive indicators of change in the soil quality. The silvopasture system can, therefore, be recommended as an alternative soil management strategy for food production and for the maintenance of soil quality and agricultural sustainability in the semiarid region of Ceará state.     

Field sampling of cork value before extraction in Portuguese ‘montados’

The assessment of cork quality and the estimation of cork value are very important to forest landowners, for management purposes and for cork commercialisation. The Forest Producers Associations have been using a sampling scheme with the objective of estimating cork value (price per unit of weight, usually kg) before extraction, based on the sampling of individual trees along a zigzag transect that covers the entire stand. The sampling error is usually too high, but, from a practical standpoint, it is difficult to increase the sampling intensity if it would imply an increase in sampling costs. The aim of this work was to propose, from data collected in six stands representative of the cork oak stands in Portugal, an alternative sampling methodology with a more efficient precision/cost ratio. Precision and costs of alternative sampling designs based on clusters of different sizes, complemented with analysis of the intracluster correlation coefficient, were studied in order to propose the most adequate sampling strategy. Single-stage cluster sampling with clusters of 5–7 trees guarantees a reasonable sampling error (10–15%) and can be conducted without a large increase in cost.     

Quince (Cydonia oblonga miller) fruit characterization using principal component analysis

This paper presents a large amount of data on the composition of quince fruit with regard to phenolic compounds, organic acids, and free amino acids. Subsequently, principal component analysis (PCA) is carried out to characterize this fruit. The main purposes of this study were (i) the clarification of the interactions among three factors-quince fruit part, geographical origin of the fruits, and harvesting year-and the phenolic, organic acid, and free amino acid profiles; (ii) the classification of the possible differences; and (iii) the possible correlation among the contents of phenolics, organic acids, and free amino acids in quince fruit. With these aims, quince pulp and peel from nine geographical origins of Portugal, harvested in three consecutive years, for a total of 48 samples, were studied. PCA was performed to assess the relationship among the different components of quince fruit phenolics, organic acids, and free amino acids. Phenolics determination was the most interesting. The difference between pulp and peel phenolic profiles was more apparent during PCA. Two PCs accounted for 81.29% of the total variability, PC1 (74.14%) and PC2 (7.15%). PC1 described the difference between the contents of caffeoylquinic acids (3-O-, 4-O-, and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acids and 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid) and flavonoids (quercetin 3-galactoside, rutin, kaempferol glycoside, kaempferol 3-glucoside, kaempferol 3-rutinoside, quercetin glycosides acylated with p-coumaric acid, and kaempferol glycosides acylated with p-coumaric acid). PC2 related the content of 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid with the contents of 5-O-caffeoylquinic and 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acids. PCA of phenolic compounds enables a clear distinction between the two parts of the fruit. The data presented herein may serve as a database for the detection of adulteration in quince derivatives.