Humic Substances on Soybeans Grown Under Water Stress

Hypothetically, humic substances (HSs) can improve the response of plants in sandy soils. The objective was to assess the effect of applying an organomineral fertilizer enriched with HSs on soybean plants grown with and without water stress. The experimental design was entirely randomized, in a greenhouse, in a 2 × 5 factorial setup (two moisture levels and five fertilizer doses: 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 mL dm^?3), for a total of 10 treatments, with eight repetitions, using as substrate a Psamment. The organomineral fertilizer was applied in the soil 21 days after plant emergence, and the water regimes were established 1 week thereafter. Plant height, shoot and root dry mass, mineral nutrition, and grain yield were evaluated. There was a positive response to the doses, with the most efficient one under water stress being 6.5 mL dm^?3 and HSs favored the uptake of micronutrients.     

Combined linkage maps and QTLs in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) from different populations

The construction of genetic maps is an expensive and time-consuming process. The breeder is therefore interested in using maps developed from other mapping populations but this is only possible if the genetic structure is similar for the chromosomal regions of interest. In this paper, maps of three populations of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) with common polymorphic marker loci are compared. Maps were constructed with MAPMAKER 3.0 and JOINMAP 2.0. Both mapping programs gave, in general, the same order for common markers. However, the number of common markers was too low to construct a combined map for all chromosomes. For one population, in contrast to the other two, the map constructed with MAPMAKER 3.0 was much longer than that constructed with JOINMAP 2.0. For two of these populations yield traits were also available from different environments. For quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis of the yield data, the packages MAPMAKER/QTL 1.1 and PLABQTL were used. No QTL common for the two populations could be detected. The program and the version used strongly influenced the estimated positions of QTLs. There was also a strong interaction with environments.     

Investigations on Heat Tolerance of Spring Wheat Varieties of Different Origin Under Growth Chamber Conditions

Winter wheat has replaced spring wheat to a large extent under the climatic conditions of Western and Central Europe. But spring wheat genotypes are still important under the warm climate in large parts of Africa and Central America, since spring wheat needs no vernalization. To reach optimal yield, genotypes must be well adapted to heat stress. In this study 11 spring wheat varieties of Egypt, Sudan, CIMMYT and Germany were exposed to high temperatures at ear emergence and beginning of anthesis. There were reductions in kernel yield and kernel number of the main ear for all genotypes, but the differences in reduction were remarkable. The German variety 'Naxos' was best adapted. Some varieties showed an increased number of florets per spikelet under heat treatment, but this does not prohibit a reduction in kernel number per spikelet.     

A modeling study on the sustainability of a certification-and-monitoring program for paratuberculosis in cattle

Certification-and-monitoring programs for paratuberculosis are based on repetitive herd testing to establish a herd's health status. The available tests have poor sensitivity. Infected but undetected herds may remain among certified "paratuberculosis-free" herds. The objective was to determine if truly free herds acquire a certified status and keep it over time when infected but undetected herds remain. The Dutch program was used as a basis to construct a mechanistic deterministic model of the evolution over 25 years of the number of herds per health status. Three health states for herds were defined: not detected as infected in the certification process to obtain a free status; not detected as infected by any of the repetitive tests for monitoring the certified free status; detected as infected. Among undetected herds, two types were defined: truly free versus undetected but infected. Transitions between states were due to the purchase of an infected animal, infection via the environment, clearance via culling or sales, detection of an infected animal, and certification. A sensitivity analysis was carried out. We showed that--for a 100% specific test only--most of the truly free herds at the beginning of the program got a certified free status and kept it over time. Most infected herds were either detected as infected or cleared. The number of certified truly free herds increased with a decrease in the animal-level prevalence or in the risk of purchasing an infected cattle, for example by restricting purchases to cattle from herds at the highest level of certification.     

Evaluation of antiviral activity and toxicity of recombinant human interferon alfa-2a in calves persistently infected with type 1 bovine viral diarrhea virus

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate antiviral activity and toxicity of recombinant human interferon alfa-2a in calves persistently infected with noncytopathic type 1 bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). ANIMALS: 5 Holstein heifers, 4 to 12 months of age. PROCEDURES: Calves persistently infected with noncytopathic type 1 BVDV were treated with recombinant human interferon alfa-2a every other day for 12 weeks. Viral loads were measured during the treatment period and compared with pre- and post-treatment values. Complete physical examinations were performed weekly, and calves were observed daily for signs of systemic illness. Complete blood counts and serum biochemical analyses were performed before, during, and after the treatment period. Because calves developed anemia during the treatment period, bone marrow biopsy specimens were collected. Antirecombinant human interferon alfa-2a antibody concentrations in serum samples obtained before, during, and after the treatment period were measured by use of an ELISA. RESULTS: Recombinant human interferon alfa-2a had no antiviral activity against noncytopathic type 1 BVDV in persistently infected calves. All calves developed microcytic anemia during the treatment period that persisted for up to 13 weeks after cessation of treatment. Anti-interferon antibodies were detected during the treatment period and persisted for at least 2 weeks after cessation of treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Because of lack of in vivo antiviral activity against BVDV, recombinant human interferon alfa-2a has little promise as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of BVDV infection, at least in persistently infected cattle. Furthermore, treatment was associated with adverse immunologic and hematologic effects.     

High mortality in egg layers as a result of necrotic enteritis

A new facility was designed to hold 1.8 million birds in 10 houses; chickens were placed in five of the houses, and the remaining five houses were under construction when this outbreak occurred. An increase in mortality was reported in five houses; however, mortality in house 7 was quite high. Well-fleshed birds were suddenly found dead without a significant drop in egg production. The middle and distal intestines were distended with gas, congested, thin walled, atonic, and bluish or pale in color with sloughed mucosa in some places. Necrotic enteritis was diagnosed as the cause of increased mortality. The ingesta in the crop occasionally contained flies. The 4-wk mortality in house 7 was 6.55% with a loss of 10,898 chickens. The 4-wk mortality rate in the other houses ranged from 0.54% to 1.98%. The houses affected with necrotic enteritis were treated for coccidiosis with amprolium because low numbers of the oocysts were present in the intestinal specimens of some of the chickens. Household bleach was added to the water at a dilution of one part bleach to 1040 parts water to control bacterial contamination. The fly (Musca domestica) population was out of control. Clostridium perfringens was isolated from the alcohol-washed macerated flies caught from houses 4 and 7. Dead flies were often seen in the feed troughs. The chickens may possibly have had C. perfringens infection as a result of consumption of dead flies or their secretions/excretions. The alcohol-washed, macerated, clarified fly extract from the affected houses caused death in 11 inoculated mice and paralysis in one mouse. Similarly, illness and mortality were present in four mice inoculated with clarified intestinal contents. The bacterium isolated on anaerobic culture was identified as C. perfringens by polymerase chain reaction. The disease was brought under control after straw was added and mixed in with the litter. As a result, the litter temperature increased, causing a decrease in the fly population. This study suggests that flies in the poultry houses acted as mechanical transmitters of C. perfringens and that the development of necrotic enteritis was by ingestion of bacteria present in the flies and their secretions/excretions.     

Bone marrow hypoplasia and intestinal crypt cell necrosis associated with fenbendazole administration in five painted storks

Five painted storks were treated with fenbendazole for 5 days for internal parasitism. Four birds died following treatment. Profound heteropenia was a consistent finding in all samples evaluated; additionally, the 1 surviving bird had progressive anemia. Consistent necropsy findings in the 4 birds that died were small intestinal crypt cell necrosis and severe bone marrow depletion and necrosis. Fenbendazole has been associated with bone marrow hypoplasia and enteric damage in mammals and other species of birds. The dosages of fenbendazole used in birds are often substantially higher than those recommended for mammals, which may contribute to bone marrow hypoplasia and intestinal crypt cell necrosis associated with fenbendazole administration in birds.