Immunisation against ovine caseous lymphadenitis: efficacy of monocomponent Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis toxoid vaccine and combined clostridial-corynebacterial vaccines

Sheep were immunised with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis toxoid formulated as a monocomponent vaccine with aluminium adjuvant or in combination with 5 clostridial antigens, and also in the combined form with sodium selenate. Immunised and control sheep were experimentally infected 16 days after vaccination and slaughtered and inspected after a further 3 months to determine their resistance to infection. All 3 vaccines afforded an equal and high level of protection; 91% of vaccinated sheep exhibiting no lesions of caseous lymphadenitis compared with 51.5% affected sheep in the control group. Average lesion counts were 1.2 per affected vaccinated sheep and 4.5 per affected control sheep. Antitoxin responses to the clostridial toxoids incorporated in the combined vaccines were not affected by inclusion of the C pseudotuberculosis toxoid or the sodium selenate.     

An in-vitro growth system for studying the parasitism of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) by Striga gesnerioides

An in-vitro growth system for investigating the behaviour of S. gesnerioides on cowpea has been developed. The roots of young cowpea plants were spread over glass fibre filter paper in a shallow plastic tray, and a known number of germinated Striga seeds were placed on the cowpea root surface. This allowed the infection process of the parasite to be quantified. Good access to the host-parasite association enabled the entire infection process to be easily monitored and tissue removed for cytological studies. Observations revealed for the first time that contact of S. gesnerioides radicles with host roots stimulated the development of radicular hairs and swelling of the tip of these radicles. Furthermore, penetration of cowpea roots by Striga was shown to be localized and to cause very little damage to the host roots. Swollen parasite tubercles developed on the surface of the roots only after the host stele had been penetrated by invading Striga cells. This growth system is suitable for in-vestigating the mechanisms of host resistance. and also for rapidly screening cowpea germplasm for new sources of resistance to the Parasite. Resistant cowpea cultivars offer the best potential solution for control of this Parasite.     

Mortality of larval walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma in the western Gulf of Alaska, 1988–91

Mortality rates of larval walleye pollock Theragra chakogramma were estimated from larval survey data from 1988 to 1991. Mortality estimates were based on cohort-specific losses between occupations of survey grids. Interannually, estimates of early feeding stage larval mortality rates ranged over an order of magnitude, from 0.045–0.43 day^-1, and declined sharply with age. There is some evidence that mortality rates of early feeding larvae tend to be negatively correlated with temperature and postively correlated with wind mixing.     

Mosaic histocompatibility of skin grafts from female mice

The histoincompatibility determined by one or more genes on the X chromosome of the mouse effects a complete rejection of skin of the (C57BL/6 female symbol x BALB/c male symbol) F(1) hybrid male grafted onto the reciprocal type F(1) hybrid male, but only an incomplete rejection of either reciprocal type F(1) hybrid female skin, grafted onto the same type of male host. The resulting mosaic survival pattern of the female graft is interpreted as support for the Lyon hypothesis of X-chromosome inactivation.     

A rapid method for predicting the lime requirement of acidic temperate soils with widely varying organic matter contents. I. Development of the lime requirement model

A model to describe the shapes of soil pH-CaCO₃ neutralization curves is presented. The model can be used to predict lime requirement in soils with widely varying organic matter contents. Parameters of the model are predicted from the easily measured soil properties of sample density and initial pH. The results suggest that soil titratable acidity is primarily related to soil organic matter content, and that soil organic matter content may be predicted from measurements of soil sample density. The proposed method for predicting lime requirement should be superior to other established quick-test methods for routine soil testing both in terms of speed and versatility.     

A rapid method for predicting the lime requirement of acidic temperate soils with widely varying organic matter contents. II. Testing the lime requirement model

A model for predicting lime requirement (Bailey et al. , 1989) was tested using data from independent liming experiments on soils from Northern Ireland and New Zealand. Lime requirements predicted by the model were also compared with those obtained by the methods currently used by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland and by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in England and Wales.
The model predicted lime requirement precisely for the independent set of soils from Northern Ireland, and was as reliable at predicting lime requirement for New Zealand soils as the best of seven other quick-test methods. The model was more reliable at predicting lime requirement for soils from Northern Ireland than the method currently used by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, and appeared to be as reliable as the method used by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in England and Wales.     

Method for in vitro screening of aquatic fungicides

Abstract. Methods were developed for in vitro screening of candidate aquatic fungicides for efficacy against Achlya flagellata, A. racemosa, Saprolegnia hypogyna and S. megasperma . Agar plugs containing fungal hyphae, removed from the edge of actively growing colonies, were placed in the depressions of spot plates containing 1.0, 10.0 and 100 mg/l of the candidate compounds for 15 or 60 min. After exposure, the plugs were transferred on to filter papers (0.45-μm pore) in a holder, rinsed, and then placed on cornmeal agar medium in tri-petri dishes. The plates were checked for mycelial growth after 48, 96 and 168 h of incubation in a lighted (400–800 μm) environmental control chamber at 20±2°C. Criteria for the acceptance or rejection of candidate aquatic fungicides for further study were based on the antifungal spectrum index (ASI) comparisons between respective compounds and malachite green after 48 h and the concentration level producing complete growth inhibition. Candidate compounds whose ASI was Jess than 50% that of malachite green after 48 h or did not inhibit growth at levels less than 100 mg/l were rejected. This method provides a base from, which in vivo and definitive test regimens can be developed. Preliminary in vitro screening of candidate fungicides reduces the need for costly in vivo tests on compounds that have low antifungal activity.