Annual ring orientation effect on bending strength of subfossil elm wood

The effect of annual rings’ orientation on bending strength was examined on subfossil elm wood. Elm is extremely rarely found as subfossil wood, and during the last 50–60 years it has almost disappeared from natural forest stands of south-eastern Europe, due to the Elm Dutch disease. The samples were cut from approximately 670 years old subfossil elm trunk retrieved from the bed of the river Sava in the area between the villages Grebnice and Domaljevac in north Bosnia. The wood was identified to the genus level based on optical microscopy analysis of three wood sections—transverse, tangential and radial. Bending strength was determined by the three-point bending test. The load was applied to the longitudinal–tangential surface (LT) and to the longitudinal–radial surface (LR). The bending strength values of subfossil elm do not differ from the values of recent elm, despite the 700-year resting in anoxic river conditions. Bending strength in LT direction was slightly higher than bending strength in LR direction. The coefficient of variation and the standard deviation of the arithmetical mean were higher for LT direction. It was found that the measured bending strength for both directions follows Weibull distribution. Coefficient of determination of Weibull functions was close to 1 for both directions. The Weibull shape parameter was higher for LR direction.     

Processing and Characterisation of Hybrid Aramid Fabrics Reinforced with Cross-linked Electrospun PVB Composite Nanofibres

The aim of this study was to fabricate a new kind of hybrid fabric composites with the cross-linked electrospun poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) composite nanofibres. The experiments were performed with the 10 wt.% PVB/ethanol solution for electrospinning where the modified silica nanoparticles (mSiO₂), the oxidised single-walled carbon nanotubes (o-SWCNT) and the o-SWCNT/mSiO₂ hybrid nanoparticles were added to the solution. The electrospun fibres were crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (GA) afterwards in order to reinforce the composite structure by bonding to the p-aramid fabrics. The chemical and thermo-mechanical properties of the hybrid fabric composites were evaluated. The greatest improvement in thermo-mechanical properties was achieved by the sample which contained the cross-linked PVB fibres with the o-SWCNT/mSiO₂ hybrid nanoparticles.     

A continuum of dead wood with various habitat elements maintains the diversity of wood-inhabiting fungi in an old-growth boreal forest

Evidence on habitat associations of threatened wood-inhabiting species in boreal forests may contribute to a better understanding of their ecology and conservation needs. We examined the diversity of wood-inhabiting fungal communities in an old-growth boreal forest with high substrate availability and continuity based on repeated surveys of fruit bodies. The number of species in morphological and functional groups in relation to coarse woody debris (CWD) attributes was estimated with generalized linear models. Additionally, we calculated species interaction networks of CWD attributes and fungal species. The composition of fungal communities was analysed using a non-metric multidimensional scaling with subsequent environmental fitting. Old conifer (especially spruce) logs and large aspen logs with branches represented the most important substrates for the red-listed species and the indicator species of old-growth boreal forests. Among “dynamic” CWD attributes such as time since tree death, decay class and stage of epixylic succession, the latter was the most important indicator of diversity of all species and their morphological and functional groups. The interaction network provided evidence of the importance of tree species diversity for fungal diversity. The composition of fungal communities was tree species specific and related to dynamic attributes, bark cover and diameter of logs. Our results suggest the importance of a continuum of dead wood from different tree species with a variety of niches such as branches, exposed wood, fragmented and complete cover of bark and patches of epixylic vegetation to maintain the assemblages of wood-inhabiting fungi in an old-growth boreal forest.     

Energy utilization,nitrogen balance and microbial protein supply in cattle fed Pennisetum purpureum and condensed tannins

The aim of the experiment was to assess the effect of condensed tannins (CT) on feed intake, dry matter digestibility, nitrogen balance, supply of microbial protein to the small intestine and energy utilization in cattle fed a basal ration of Pennisetum purpureum grass. Five heifers (Bos taurus × Bos indicus) with an average live weight of 295 ± 19 kg were allotted to five treatments consisting of increasing levels of CT (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4% CT/kg DM) in a 5 × 5 Latin square design. Dry matter intake (DMI) was similar (p > 0.05) between treatments containing 0, 1, 2 and 3% of CT/kg DM and it was reduced (p < 0.05) to 4% CT (5.71 kg DM/day) with respect to that observed with 0% CT (6.65 kg DM/day). Nitrogen balance, purine derivatives excretion in urine, microbial protein synthesis and efficiency of synthesis of microbial nitrogen in the rumen were not affected (p ≥ 0.05) by the increase in the levels of condensed tannins in the ration. Energy loss as CH₄ was on average 2.7% of the gross energy consumed daily. Metabolizable energy intake was 49.06 MJ/day in cattle fed low‐quality tropical grass with a DMI of 6.27 kg/day. It is concluded that concentrations of CT between 2 and 3% of DM of ration reduced energy loss as CH₄ by 31.3% and 47.6%, respectively, without affecting intakes of dry and organic matter; however, digestibilities of dry and organic matter are negatively affected.     

Euphresco Sendo: An international laboratory comparison study of molecular tests for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synchytrium endobioticum</Emphasis> detection and identification

An international test performance study (TPS) was organised to generate validation data for three molecular Synchytrium endobioticum tests: van den Boogert et al. (European Journal of Plant Pathology 113, 47–57, 2005), and van Gent-Pelzer et al. (European Journal of Plant Pathology, 126, 129-133, 2010) for the detection of S. endobioticum, and the pathotype 1(D1) identification test described by Bonants et al. (European Journal of Plant Pathology, 143, 495-506, 2015). Two TPS rounds were organised focussing on different test matrices, i.e. round 1: warted potato tissue, and round 2: resting spore suspensions. When using the tests for detection and identification of S. endobioticum in warted potato tissue, no significant differences were observed for diagnostic sensitivity, diagnostic specificity, overall accuracy, analytical sensitivity and robustness. When using the tests for detection and identification of S. endobioticum in resting spore suspensions, the van den Boogert and van Gent-Pelzer tests significantly outperform the Bonants test for diagnostic sensitivity and diagnostic specificity. For overall accuracy and analytical sensitivity, the van Gent-Pelzer significantly outperforms the van den Boogert and Bonants tests and is regarded as the test of choice when identifying S. endobioticum from resting spores. Tests regarded fit for purpose for routine testing of wart material and resting spore suspensions are proposed for the update of EPPO standard PM7/28(1) Synchytrium endobioticum.     

Effect of zinc‐biofortified seeds on grain yield of wheat,rice, and common bean grown in six countries

Seeds enriched with zinc (Zn) are ususally associated with better germination, more vigorous seedlings and higher yields. However, agronomic benefits of high‐Zn seeds were not studied under diverse agro‐climatic field conditions. This study investigated effects of low‐Zn and high‐Zn seeds (biofortified by foliar Zn fertilization of maternal plants under field conditions) of wheat (Tritcum aestivum L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.), and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) on seedling density, grain yield and grain Zn concentration in 31 field locations over two years in six countries. Experimental treatments were: (1) low‐Zn seeds and no soil Zn fertilization (control treatment), (2) low‐Zn seeds + soil Zn fertilization, and (3) Zn‐biofortified seeds and no soil Zn fertilization. The wheat experiments were established in China, India, Pakistan, and Zambia, the rice experiments in China, India and Thailand, and the common bean experiment in Brazil. When compared to the control treatment, soil Zn fertilization increased wheat grain yield in all six locations in India, two locations in Pakistan and one location in China. Zinc‐biofortified seeds also increased wheat grain yield in all four locations in Pakistan and four locations in India compared to the control treatment. Across all countries over 2 years, Zn‐biofortified wheat seeds increased plant population by 26.8% and grain yield by 5.37%. In rice, soil Zn fertilization increased paddy yield in all four locations in India and one location in Thailand. Across all countries, paddy yield increase was 8.2% by soil Zn fertilization and 5.3% by Zn‐biofortified seeds when compared to the control treatment. In common bean, soil Zn application as well as Zn‐biofortified seed increased grain yield in one location in Brazil. Effects of soil Zn fertilization and high‐Zn seed on grain Zn density were generally low. This study, at 31 field locations in six countries over two years, revealed that the seeds biofortfied with Zn enhanced crop productivity at many locations with different soil and environmental conditions. As high‐Zn grains are a by‐product of Zn biofortification, use of Zn‐enriched grains as seed in the next cropping season can contribute to enhance crop productivity in a cost‐effective manner.     

Structural features of tundra and taiga soil humic acids according to IR EXPERT analytical system data

Journal of Soils and Sediments - The purpose of this work is to identify the most probable structural fragments of the tundra and the taiga soil humic acids on the basis of computer analysis of...     

Lectin Histochemistry of Glycoconjugates in Horse Salivary Glands

The glycoconjugate content of major horse salivary glands was investigated by means of horseradish peroxidase-conjugated lectins. Qualitative differences were observed in the terminal sugar residues of secretory glycoproteins and glycoconjugates linked to the apical surface of excretory duct epithelial cells. Mucous acinar cells in mandibular and sublingual glands contained oligosaccharides with D-galactose, α- and β-N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylglucosamine and fucose residues, whereas mandibular, sublingual and parotid serous cells contained only oligosaccharides with terminal α- and β-N-acetylgalactosamine residues. The apical portion of striated and interlobular duct lining cells of mandibular and sublingual glands stained for α- and β-N-acetylgalactosamine and for N-acetylglucosamine. In parotid gland the cytoplasm of intercalated duct cells and the apical surface of striated duct epithelial cells stained for α-N-acetylgalactosamine.     

In vitro susceptibility of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale to several antimicrobial drugs

As part of the basic characterization of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale, the minimal inhibitory concentrations of 10 antimicrobial drugs were determined for reference strains and Mexican isolates by a broth microdilution method. For optimal growth of the organisms, a supplemented brain-heart infusion broth was used. The susceptibility of O. rhinotracheale to amoxicillin, enrofloxacin, and oxytetracycline was variable. However, consistent higher minimal inhibitory concentrations values were obtained for gentamicin, fosfomycin, trimethoprim, sulfamethazine, sulfamerazine, sulfaquinoxaline, and sulfachloropyridazine. Obtained results among Mexican isolates indicate a marked antimicrobial drug resistance trend.