Energy requirements of pregnant and lactating sows

The energy requirement of pregnant and lactating sows is derived on the basis of extensive experimental studies of the energy metabolism (indirect calorimetry, slaughtering) according to the factorial method. For the first reproduction cycle (RC) 0.41 MJ metabolizable energy (ME) or 0.29 MJ net energy fat, pig (NEFpig) resp. were necessary for energy maintenance requirement for pregnant and lactating sows and, depending on age, 0.44 MJ ME or 0.31 MJNEFpig in the second or third RC and 0.47 MJ ME/kg LW0.75.d or 0.33 MJ NEFpig/kg LW0.75.d in the 4th-8th RC. A linear increase of up to 6% of the energy requirement caused by pregnancy between the 85th and 115th day of pregnancy is taken into consideration. Energy requirement per 1 MJ retention both in pregnancy and lactation is 1.45 MJ ME or 1.03 MJ NEFpig, per 1 MJ milk yield it is 1.33 MJ ME or 0.91 MJ NEFpig. 1 MJ body energy for milk yield corresponds to 1.20 MJ ME or 0.82 MJ NEFpig. Equations describing energy retention in the products of conception, uterus and udder are established as well as equations characterizing the connections between live weight gain or loss and energy content of the gain or loss.     

Intersite characterization and variability of soil respiration in different arable and forest soils

Summary Soil respiration was investigated in three loamy Orthic Luvisols (two arable, one forest soil), three sandy Haplic Podzols (also two arable, one forest soil) with a modified intersite method according to Lundegardh (1924). The method allows characterization of the CO₂-flux from the soil and interpretation of the different levels with regard to temperature, nutrient and air supply. The method is sensitive to tillage and fertilization effects. In the two arable Luvisols the mean cumulative respiration rate was not uniform compared with the forest soil; in one case it was much higher and in another much lower. CO₂ evolution in the Podzol under spruce was much lower than in the two arable Podzols. In the sandy Podzols 5 replicate measurements gave adequate results, with an error probability of 10%, but in the loamy Luvisols it was necessary to use 10 replicates to specify the same degree of difference. If soil respiration is very high, immediately after fertilization with cattle slurry or dung on arable land, or after litterfall in a deciduous forest, more replicates are necessary.     

Properties and composition of soil organic matter in forest and arable soils of schleswig-holstein. 2. litter and humic compounds in mineral horizons

Organic matter composition is an important soil constituent with regard to function in soil ecosystems. In the recent paper litter and humic compound contents from about 100 mineral soil investigations are presented. The soil horizons are divided into four groups (Ah, Ap, M. Bh) in order to compare the SOM quality. Ap and Ah horizons showed a similar litter and humic compound distribution. Structural differences in the humic compound fractions were only visible with CPMAS ¹³C-NMR. SOM-containing non-spodic subsoil horizons had a similar SOM quality as the A horizons. In the Bh horizons the humic compounds dominated with about 75% in the SOM. Alkylic and O-alkylic carbon units are the main fractions. The combination of the solid-state ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy of whole soil samples and the wet chemical analysis of litter compounds allowed the estimation of the liner and chemically defined humic compound distribution in soil samples.     

Blepharmone: a conjugation-inducing glycoprotein in the ciliate blepharisma

Gamone 1 of Blepharisma intermedium was isolated, identified as a slightly basic glycoprotein (mizoleclular weight, 2 x 10(5)), and designated as blepharmnone. At the concentration of 6 x 10(-8) milligram per milliliter, it specifically transforms matinig type 2 cells, so that they can conjugate in about 2 hours.     

Engineering the provitamin A (beta-carotene) biosynthetic pathway into (carotenoid-free) rice endosperm

Rice (Oryza sativa), a major staple food, is usually milled to remove the oil-rich aleurone layer that turns rancid upon storage, especially in tropical areas. The remaining edible part of rice grains, the endosperm, lacks several essential nutrients, such as provitamin A. Thus, predominant rice consumption promotes vitamin A deficiency, a serious public health problem in at least 26 countries, including highly populated areas of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Recombinant DNA technology was used to improve its nutritional value in this respect. A combination of transgenes enabled biosynthesis of provitamin A in the endosperm.     

Bright Spots, Structure, and Magmatism in Southern Tibet from INDEPTH Seismic Reflection Profiling

INDEPTH seismic reflection profiling shows that the decollement beneath which Indian lithosphere underthrusts the Himalaya extends at least 225 kilometers north of the Himalayan deformation front to a depth of approximately 50 kilometers. Prominent reflections appear at depths of 15 to 18 kilometers near where the decollement reflector apparently terminates. These reflections extend north of the Zangbo suture to the Damxung graben of the Tibet Plateau. Some of these reflections have locally anomalous amplitudes (bright spots) and coincident negative polarities implying that they are produced by fluids in the crust. The presence of geothermal activity and high heat flow in the regions of these reflections and the tectonic setting suggest that the bright spots mark granitic magmas derived by partial melting of the tectonically thickened crust.     

Delivering high-resolution landmarks using inkjet micropatterning for spatial monitoring of leaf expansion

Background  

Inkjet micropatterning is a versatile deposition technique with broad applications in numerous fields. However, its application in plant science is largely unexplored. Leaf expansion is one of the most important parameters in the field of plant science and many methods have been developed to examine differential expansion rates of different parts of the leaf lamina. Among them, methods based on the tracking of natural landmarks through digital imaging require a complicated setup in which the leaf must remain fixed and under tension. Furthermore, the resolution is limited to that of the natural landmarks, which are often difficult to find, particularly in young leaves. To study the fine scale expansion dynamics of the leaf lamina using artificial landmarks it is necessary to place small, noninvasive marks on a leaf surface and then recover the location of those marks after a period of time.     

Evidence for natural resistance towards trifloxystrobin in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium graminearum</Emphasis>

A collection of 55 Fusarium graminearum (Gibberella zeae) strains isolated between 1969 and 2009 in Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, or the USA belonging to the three known chemotypes (3-acetylated deoxynivalenol, 15-acetylated deoxynivalenol and nivalenol) were screened for their sensitivity towards the fungicide trifloxystrobin using a liquid culture assay. None of the isolates was completely inhibited by trifloxystrobin concentrations up to 3 mM. For comparison, prothioconazole completely inhibited fungal growth of a standard isolate at concentrations as low as 0.007 mM. The maximum level of inhibition, which could be obtained by trifloxystrobin, ranged from 14 to 65% among the strains tested and was not significantly affected by the country of origin or by the chemotype. The absence of significant differences in resistance levels between the countries of origin and chemotypes as well as the fact that strains isolated before the market introduction of strobilurins in 1996 also showed a high level of resistance is evidence that this is largely a case of natural resistance and not primarily related to strobilurin use in agriculture.     

Colluvisols under cultivation in Schleswig-Holstein. 2. Carbon distribution and soil organic matter composition

Soils under intensive cultivation have altered due to water erosion. This study was conducted to determine whether soil organic matter (SOM) composition of the colluvial source (Ap horizons) differs from the colluvial sink (M horizons). The SOM of a sandy Catena with erodic Cambisols and colluvic soils (Colluvisols) in Schleswig-Holstein, Northwest Germany, was investigated. A wet chemical analysis was combined with CPMAS ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. In one case a significant correlation between the SOM composition of the Ap horizon of the erodic Cambisol and the M horizon of the Colluvisol was high (r² = 0.904^-), whereas the correlation for the other set was much weaker (r² = 0.640*). Two possible paths of pedogenesis are discussed. About 70% of the SOM of the colluvial source is decomposed during translocation or after deposition. A selective preservation or new formation of humins in the M material is probable. These humins contain, obviously, large amounts of polysaccharides, which were not detected by the wet chemical analysis. Further investigations of colluvic and erodic soils are necessary in order to specify the SOM quality and its possible modification due to soil translocation and accumulation.     

Colluvisols under cultivation in Schleswig-Holstein. 1. Genesis,definition and geo-ecological significance

In Schleswig-Holstein, F.R.G., two typical soil associations from loamy boulder marl and loamy pleistocene sands were mapped and ecologically characterized in order to show the necessity of an adequate classification of Colluvic Cumulic Anthrosols (Colluvisols). More than 50% of the original soils have been altered by erosion. The depth of the colluvic wM horizon ranges between 10 cm and more than 100 cm. The amounts of soil organic matter and plant available nutrients are much higher in the Colluvisols than in the haplic soils. Soil classification does not deal with all these aspects with regard to mapping of colluvic soils. In the German soil classification adequate and ecologically significant definitions and instructions of the nomenclature of colluvic soils are not available. Therefore, a proposal is presented to classify colluvic soils. In addition the threshold value of 0.6% soil organic matter in sandy parent material is too low in order to distinguish a Bv from a M horizon; 1.0% would be a more acceptable value. It would be necessary to investigate yield on erodic, non-erodic and colluvic soils in order to determine the effect of erosion and accumulation on crop yield.