Die Situation im Pflanzenschutz als Problem der Qualitätsforschung

Summary Plant protection as a problem of plant quality-researchThe use of pesticides —although necessary for plant protection — gives rise to cogent criticism. This refers not only to overapplications of biocidal sprays but also to certain pesticides or herbicides themselves being rather suspect as far as their physiological and biochemical behaviour and/or their peculiar metabolism are concerned. This in turn eventually leads to rather a high accumulation of toxic residues of the pesticides or of their metabolites in food plants, the latter sometimes more toxic than the pesticide itself. Furthermore undesired alterations in plant constituents important to health may occur causing significant depressions in levels of ascorbic acid (spinach) and of carotene (carrots). Chemicals used as plantregulators such as 2,4-D and their derivates may cause a most severe detrimental effect to health (damage to the offspring) even when applied in very small concentrations ranging on nanogram-levels. Therefore the dictum of Paracelsus sola dosis facit venenum does not refer to plantregulators such as 2,4-D and related chemicals. Manifold is the propaganda pro agro- chemicals and their use by manufacturers of pesticides. But they are mostly not trustworthy, erroneous and easily to refute by significant facts.     

Wirksubstanzen der Pflanzenschutz- und Schädlingsbekämpfungsmittel

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

The fate of glycerol entering the rumen of dairy cows and sheep

This study investigated the fate of glycerol entering the rumen, in particular whether glycerol could be absorbed across the rumen epithelium. Three non‐lactating rumen‐fistulated cows were used to calculate the overall disappearance rate of glycerol in vivo and evaluate the rate of ruminal glycerol absorption. Rumen epithelial tissues isolated from sheep were used to characterise glycerol transport properties. The rate of rumen microbial degradation of glycerol was then studied in an in vitro system under anaerobic and thermo‐regulated conditions. The results showed that glycerol can be absorbed from the rumen in significant amounts. The fractional rate of absorption of glycerol was not affected by variations in glycerol concentration in the buffer solution in the in vivo study. The glycerol absorption apparently occurred largely by passive diffusion and was probably not facilitated by carriers. Glycerol also disappeared via microbial digestion and outflow from the rumen through the omasal orifice.     

Stress and pain response after oligofructose induced-lameness in dairy heifers

Lameness is one of the most painful conditions that affects dairy cattle. This study was conducted to evaluate clinical signs and plasma concentration of several pain and stress biomarkers after oligofructose-induced lameness in dairy heifers. Lameness was induced using an oligofructose overload model in 12 non-pregnant heifers. Clinical parameters and blood samples were obtained at 48 and 24 h and at 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h after induction of lameness. Clinical parameters included heart rate, respiratory rate, ruminal frequency and lameness score. Plasma biomarkers included cortisol, haptoglobin, norepinephrine, beta-endorphin and substance P. Differences were observed in all parameters between control and treated heifers. The plasma concentration of biomarkers increased significantly in treated animals starting 6 h after induction of lameness, reaching maximum levels at 24 h for cortisol, 48 h for haptoglobin, 6 h for norepinephrine, 12 h for substance P and at 24 h for beta-endorphin. Overall, our results confirm that lameness associated pain induced using the oligofructose model induced changes in clinical parameters and plasma biomarkers of pain and stress in dairy heifers.     

Quantitative sandwich ELISA for the determination of tropomyosin from crustaceans in foods

The ubiquitous muscle protein tropomyosin has been identified as the major shrimp allergen and is suggested to be a cross-reacting allergen. Previously, only a few methods for the detection of tropomyosin in food have been published. A quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of tropomyosin from crustaceans in foods has been developed and validated. A polyclonal rabbit antitropomyosin capture antibody and the biotinylated conjugate of the same antibody for detection were the basis for the ELISA, which was specific for crustaceans. The ELISA was able to quantitate tropomyosin in various food matrixes, had a detection limit of 1 microg/g, and cross-reacted to some extent with cockroach. Recoveries ranged from 63 to 120%, and the intra and interassay coefficients of variation were <6 and <14%, respectively.     

Localized Melanization of Appressoria Is Required for Pathogenicity of Venturia inaequalis

ABSTRACT During formation of appressoria produced from conidia and ascospores of Venturia inaequalis, a dark brown ring structure was detected at the base of appressoria. This melanized appressorial ring structure (MARS) was attached to the leaf surface like a sealing ring and formed the fungus-plant interface; it is believed to be required for pathogen penetration of the cuticle. Neither germ tubes nor infection structures beneath the cuticle were found to be visibly melanized. MARS were formed not only on apple leaves but also on leaves of nonhost plants and artificial surfaces differing in hydrophobicity; the formation of appressoria and MARS was confined to hard surfaces. The melanin nature of the ring was confirmed by using melanin biosynthesis inhibitors. Applications prior to inoculation largely inhibited the melanization and reduced infection rate by 45 to 80%; curative applications were not effective. Transmission electron microscopy verified a localized melanization of the cell wall around the penetration pore, and melanin was incorporated into all layers of the fungal cell wall. Appressoria without MARS were not able to infect the plant, suggesting that this structure can be considered to be a pathogenicity factor in V. inaequalis.     

Correction to: Silvicultural prescriptions for mixed-species forest stands. A European review and perspective

European Journal of Forest Research -     

Nitrogen recovery in a decoupled aquaponic system with lamellar settler and trickling biofilter: implications for system management

Careful nitrogen (N) management will be needed to nourish the growing human population while minimizing adverse environmental impacts. Aquaponic systems (AS) have a great potential to become a sustainable technology making further use of N-rich aquaculture wastewater. In the present study, we observed the N retention and losses in a running prototype of decoupled AS with Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) over 24 days. N losses amounted to 32.5% of feed N input and were observed in the recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) of the AS. Fish retained 21.1% of N input while 25.2% of N input accumulated in the RAS water. About 14.1% of the loss of N was caused probably by anaerobic denitrification processes in the lamellar settler (LS). In addition, 18.4% of N input was discharged during the three cleanings of LS. In the hydroponic unit of the AS that has been due to space limitations much smaller than an optimized AS could be (only about 20% of the optimal size relative to fish biomass), the tomato plants, including fruits, leaves, and stems, recovered 3.1% of N input with water uptake of 1700 L. The fish culture management, system design, and environmental management in the greenhouse affect the N recovery in the decoupled AS.

     

Radial stem growth in response to microclimate and soil moisture in a drought-prone mixed coniferous forest at an inner Alpine site

Dendroclimatological studies in a dry inner Alpine environment (750 m a.s.l.) revealed different growth response of co-occurring coniferous species to climate, which is assumed to be caused by a temporal shift in wood formation among species. The main focus of this study therefore was to monitor intra-annual dynamics of radial increment growth of mature deciduous and evergreen coniferous species (Pinus sylvestris, Larix decidua and Picea abies) during two consecutive years with contrasting climatic conditions. Radial stem growth was continuously followed by band dendrometers and modelled using Gompertz functions to determine time of maximum growth. Histological analyses of tree ring formation allowed determination of temporal dynamics of cambial activity and xylem cell development. Daily fluctuations in stem radius and radial stem increments were extracted from dendrometer traces, and correlations with environmental variables were performed. While a shift in temporal dynamics of radial growth onset and cessation was detected among co-occurring species, intra-annual radial growth peaked synchronously in late May 2011 and early June 2012. Moist atmospheric conditions, i.e. high relative air humidity, low vapour pressure deficit and low air temperature during the main growing period, favoured radial stem increment of all species. Soil water content and soil temperature were not significantly related to radial growth. Although a temporal shift in onset and cessation of wood formation was detected among species, synchronous culmination of radial growth indicates homogenous exogenous and/or endogenous control. The close coupling of radial growth to atmospheric conditions points to the importance of stem water status for intra-annual growth of drought-prone conifers.     

Influence of nutrition on the lipid quality of pond fish: common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and tench (Tinca tinca)

Like marine fish freshwater fish are an important source of essential fatty acids for human nutrition. However, the fatty acid composition of pond fish can vary considerably and strongly depends on that of the ingested food. Investigations on the fatty acid composition of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and tench (Tinca tinca) have shown that different methods of rearing and feeding cause substantial variations in the proportions of the n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids of these fish species. Carp reared on the basis of natural food in ponds exhibit high contents of n-6 as well as n-3 fatty acids in their muscle triacylglycerols. On the other hand carp fed supplementary wheat in ponds resulted in somewhat lower levels of these essential fatty acids. High amounts of n-3 fatty acids can be found in carp fed high-energy diets containing high levels of fish oil. Analogous results were obtained in experiments with tench reared under different nutritional conditions. While rearing on the basis of only natural food in ponds as well as feeding supplementary wheat yielded in similar levels of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, higher contents of n-3 fatty acids were recorded in tench fed pellets. High levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in foodstuffs have positive effects on human health. Experiments with different cultured fish species proved that the fatty acid composition of the edible parts can be influenced by the diet. Therefore, a finishing diet with a suitable fatty acid profile can be used to improve the nutritional quality of fish products of farmed origin.