Agrocenosis Stability during Long-Term Application of Fertilizers on Soddy-Podzolic Soil

Eurasian Soil Science - In a long-term field experiment in the western part of the nonchernozemic zone of Russia (Smolensk oblast) on sandy loamy soddy-podzolic soil (Albic Glossic Retisol...     

Death of a neonatal lamb due to Clostridium perfringens type B in New Zealand

ABSTRACT

Case history and clinical findings: A flock of 20 sheep was kept within three paddocks on a single property. None of the animals in the flock had been vaccinated against any disease for at least three years. Abdominal bloating and haemorrhagic diarrhoea were observed in Lamb 1 at 24 hours-of-age. The lamb subsequently died within an hour of the onset of clinical signs. Lamb 2 was 3-days-old when observed to be recumbent with opisthotonus. The lamb was treated with dextrose, vitamins B1 and B12, and penicillin G, but died 4 hours later.

Pathological findings: Examination of Lamb 1 revealed markedly increased gas within the peritoneum and within dilated loops of intestine. The intestines were dark red and contained large quantities of haemorrhagic fluid. Histology of the intestines revealed peracute mucosal necrosis with minimal accompanying inflammation. The intestinal lumen contained cell debris, haemorrhage, and myriad large Gram-positive bacilli. The intestines of Lamb 2 did not appear bloated or reddened. However, multiple fibrin clots were visible within the pericardial sac. Histopathological examination revealed small foci of necrosis within the mucosa of the distal intestine. The necrotic foci were often associated with large numbers of large Gram-positive bacilli.

Immunohistochemsitry and molecular biology: Intestinal samples from Lamb 1 were processed for Clostridium perfringens immunohistochemistry, which revealed large numbers of intralesional, positively immunostained rods. Fragments corresponding to the expected sizes for genes encoding alpha, beta, and epsilon C. perfringens typing toxins were amplified by PCR from DNA extracted from formalin-fixed sections of intestine.

Diagnosis: Lamb dysentery due to C. perfringens type B.

Clinical relevance: C. perfringens bacteria have a worldwide distribution, but disease due to C. perfringens type B has only been diagnosed in a small number of countries and has never been reported in New Zealand or Australia. C. perfringens type B produce both beta toxin and epsilon toxins, therefore both haemorrhagic enteritis and systemic vascular damage can develop. As many animals are exposed to C. perfringens without developing disease, there must be additional unknown factors that resulted in disease in these particular sheep. Vaccines that specifically protect against C. perfringens type B are available and may be recommended for use in smaller non-commercial flocks, as in the present case.     

Maize harvest index and water use efficiency can be improved by inhibition of gibberellin biosynthesis

Possibilities to improve maize harvest index and nutrient utilization efficiency by application of plant growth regulators were investigated. In container experiments, the effects of different growth regulators on the development of the maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars Pioneer 3906 and Fabregas were tested. Paclobutrazol (PAC) and chlorocholine chloride (CCC), two inhibitors of gibberellin biosynthesis, as well as gibberellic acid (GA₃) were applied at growth stage V5. Three weeks after application of PAC, shoot growth of both maize cultivars was strongly affected with a significant decrease in plant height in the PAC treatment by 44% and 36% for Pioneer 3906 and Fabregas, respectively. The growth‐retarded plants had higher leaf areas and reduced transpiration rates. The higher shoot growth after GA₃ application was accompanied by a reduction in leaf area and an increase in transpiration rate during 1 week before anthesis. CCC treatment showed no significant effects on plant height, leaf area and transpiration rate. The PAC‐treated cultivar Pioneer 3906 produced several cobs per plant, which were mainly barren at maturity. However, PAC application to Fabregas resulted in just one cob per plant with good kernel development and a grain yield, which was not significantly reduced in comparison with the control. With this similar grain yield in combination with a straw yield decrease of 32%, the harvest index was significantly improved by 12%. In addition, with PAC‐treated Fabregas plants, a 19% increased water use efficiency of the grain (WUE_grain) during the critical period of kernel setting was achieved. In this maize cultivar, CCC application also improved harvest index by 5%, but no effect on WUE_grain occurred. GA₃ treatment decreased harvest index of both maize cultivars, and it either reduced WUE_grain (Pioneer 3906) or showed no effect (Fabregas). Utilization efficiencies of N, P and K were not increased with growth regulator application, even in the PAC‐treated Fabregas plants with a significantly improved allocation of assimilates to the grain, mirrored by the higher harvest index. The results indicate that fertilizer applications must be adjusted to the reduced demand of growth‐retarded plants, most likely leading to higher nutrient utilization efficiencies.     

Summer drought decreases Leymus chinensis productivity through constraining the bud,tiller and shoot production

Extreme drought events can directly decrease productivity in perennial grasslands. However, for rhizomatous perennial grasses it remains unknown how drought events influence the belowground bud bank which determines future productivity. Ninety‐day‐long drought events imposed on Leymus chinensis, a rhizomatous perennial grass, caused a 41% decrease in the aboveground biomass and a 28% decrease in belowground biomass. Aboveground biomass decreased due to decrease in both the parent and the daughter shoot biomass. The decreases in daughter shoot biomass were due to reductions in both the shoot number and each individual shoot weight. Most importantly, drought decreased the bud bank density by 56%. In addition, drought induced a bud allocation change that decreased by 41% the proportion of buds that developed into shoots and a 41% increase in the buds that developed into rhizomes. Above results were supported by our field experiment with watering treatments. Thus, a 90‐day‐long summer drought event decreases not only current productivity but also future productivity, because the drought reduces the absolute bud number. However, plasticity in plant development does partly compensate for this reduction in bud number by increasing bud development into rhizomes, which increases the relative allocation of buds into future shoots, at the cost of a decrease in current shoots.     

云南省昆明市执业兽医考试现状及管理措施

昆明市通过加强考务工作,积极宣传动员,建立长效机制等举措,近年来执业兽医考试工作成效显著,2010—2018年昆明市执业兽医累计报考4 819人,其中(助理)执业兽医师共考取通过1 222人。通过对2010—2018年的考试情况分析发现:昆明市报考人数逐年上升,学历水平不断提升;报考人员职业以动物诊疗机构、学生、非兽医从业人员为主;报考人员通过率以科研教育人员、诊疗机构、学生等居前列。上述情况提示,今后应进一步优化执业兽医注册备案管理,强化行业对执业兽医的重视与认可,完善执业兽医考试和继续教育制度。     

我国生猪价值链各环节生物安全水平调查

为分析我国生猪养殖、流通和屠宰等环节的生物安全水平,提升非洲猪瘟防控工作的针对性、科学性,采用问卷调查和现场调查相结合的方式,对湖南、河南、重庆、辽宁、安徽等5个省(直辖市)15个县(市、区)的196个生猪养殖场(户)、69个生猪经纪人和19个屠宰场进行调查。结果显示:截至2019年9月,调查县(市、区)养猪场(户)数较2017年减少了50%～80%;生猪饲养模式以自繁自养为主,小规模场生物安全措施实施率较低;生猪经纪人行为复杂,如经纪对象多样、活动范围广、兼营其他相关业务、同批次收购不同养殖场(户)生猪等,仍有47.8%的经纪人称还会进圈挑选猪;73.7%的屠宰场运猪车辆没有有效执行离场清洗消毒措施。结果表明,我国生猪价值链各环节的生物安全水平仍有较大上升空间。提议继续推进规范化养殖场建设,加强生猪经纪人管理,加强生猪运输车辆的清洗消毒,促进生猪产业一体化发展。     

利用分子标记辅助选择改良春恢350稻瘟病抗性

水稻抗稻瘟病基因Pigm(t)抗谱广、抗性强。春恢350是超级早稻春光1号的恢复系,该恢复系配合力强,丰产性好,但不抗稻瘟病。本研究以携带抗稻瘟病基因Pigm的谷梅4号为抗源,以春恢350为轮回受体亲本,在回交选育过程中,通过表形筛选与分子标记辅助选择相结合,将Pigm(t)基因导入到春恢350中,获得3个带有目标基因的改良恢复系纯合株系。以江西近年来具有代表性的20个菌株对这3份材料进行抗性鉴定,其抗性频率为85%~100%,而原始对照春恢350的抗性频率仅为5%,表明抗性基因已成功导入春恢350中并表达;并用不育系江农早4号A与改良的春恢350测配,其杂种一代田间表现优势强,抗性强。