Enhancing pedotransfer functions with environmental data for estimating bulk density and effective cation exchange capacity in a data‐sparse situation

Soil bulk density (BD) and effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC) are among the most important soil properties required for crop growth and environmental management. This study aimed to explore the combination of soil and environmental data in developing pedotransfer functions (PTFs) for BD and ECEC. Multiple linear regression (MLR) and random forest model (RFM) were employed in developing PTFs using three different data sets: soil data (PTF‐1), environmental data (PTF‐2) and the combination of soil and environmental data (PTF‐3). In developing the PTFs, three depth increments were also considered: all depth, topsoil (<0.40 m) and subsoil (>0.40 m). Results showed that PTF‐3 (R²; 0.29–0.69) outperformed both PTF‐1 (R²; 0.11–0.18) and PTF‐2 (R²; 0.22–0.59) in BD estimation. However, for ECEC estimation, PTF‐3 (R²; 0.61–0.86) performed comparably as PTF‐1 (R²; 0.58–0.76) with both PTFs out‐performing PTF‐2 (R²; 0.30–0.71). Also, grouping of data into different soil depth increments improves the estimation of BD with PTFs (especially PTF‐2 and PTF‐3) performing better at subsoils than topsoils. Generally, the most important predictors of BD are sand, silt, elevation, rainfall, temperature for estimation at topsoil while EVI, elevation, temperature and clay are the most important BD predictors in the subsoil. Also, clay, sand, pH, rainfall and SOC are the most important predictors of ECEC in the topsoil while pH, sand, clay, temperature and rainfall are the most important predictors of ECEC in the subsoil. Findings are important for overcoming the challenges of building national soil databases for large‐scale modelling in most data‐sparse countries, especially in the sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA).     

Molecular basis of bunyavirus transmission by mosquitoes: role of the middle-sized RNA segment

In an examination of the molecular basis of oral transmission of bunyaviruses by mosquitoes., La Crosse (LAC), snowshoe hare (SSH), and LAC-SSH reassortant viruses were compared in their ability to be transmitted to laboratory mice by the natural mosquito vector of LAC virus, Aedes triseriatus. Both LAC virus and the reassortment viruses containing the middle-sized (M) segment from the LAC parent were efficiently transmitted. In contrast, SSH virus and reassortment viruses containing the M RNA from the SSH parent were inefficiently transmitted. Thus, the M RNA segment, which codes for the virion glycoproteins, may be a major determinant of oral transmission of bunyaviruses by mosquitoes.     

Genetically engineered viral insecticides–A progress report 1986 1989

Among the viruses that are pathogenic for insect species, baculoviruses have been shown to be useful as insecticides for pest control. In some cases they have been used as cost-effective and environmentally acceptable alternatives to chemical insecticides. However, because viruses need to be ingested and replicate extensively in their host before they kill it, baculovirus insecticides are much slower than chemicals or other reagents that kill insects either on contact or shortly after ingestion. The objective of the programme of genetic engineering of baculovirus insecticides is to improve their speed of action while maintaining their host specificity and other attributes that make them desirable alternatives to chemical pesticides. Since 1986 four field releases have been undertaken involving genetically engineered baculovirus insecticides. The first release used a genetically marked Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV). The study began in 1986 and was terminated in 1987. The results demonstrated that an innocuous piece of DNA, appropriately positioned in the AcNPV genome, was an effective means to tag the virus without affecting its phenotype, allowing it to be identified in bioassays of plant and soil samples. The second release, in 1987, involved a genetically marked virus from which the gene coding for the protective polyhedrin protein of the virus had been removed. The field data obtained with this virus showed that it did not persist in the environment, neither in soil, nor on vegetation, nor in the corpses of caterpillars. The third and fourth releases were undertaken in 1988. For one of these studies the marked, polyhedrin-negative virus was again used. In the other study a polyhedrin-negative virus that contained a junk' (/?-galactosidase) gene was employed.     

Behavior of 14C oryzalin in soil and plants

Radiochemical studies of field soil treated with ¹⁴C oryzalin (3,5-dinitro-N⁴,N⁴-dipropylsulfanilamide) indicated that the compound was readily degradable. One year after soil treatment with oryzalin, 45% of the original radioactivity had dissipated, 25% was extractable, and 30% was “soil bound”. The extractable fraction contained oryzalin and several degradation products, some of which were isolated and identified. No single degradation product accounted for more than 3% of the applied oryzalin. The “soil-bound” radioactivity was extractable with hot alkali. No significant radioactive residues were detectable in either seed or forage of soybean and wheat plants. No specific metabolites of oryzalin were identified in soybean plants. Trace amounts of radioactivity found in plant tissue appeared to be associated with the various plant constituents.     

Promotion of stomatal infiltration of glyphosate by an organosilicone surfactant reduces the critical rainfall period

The addition of the organosilicone surfactant ‘Silwet L77’ at 1-5 ml litre^?1 to formulated glyphosate gave complete surface wetting on application to the adaxial leaf surface of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). The wetting characteristics of the solution were associated with rapid foliar uptake and near maximal uptake in 3 h compared to greater than 5 h in the absence of ‘Silwet L77’. Evidence is presented showing that solutions containing ‘Silwet L77’ rapidly infiltrate stomata. Rapid uptake did not occur after application to the astomatous abaxial surface of perennial ryegrass leaves. The rapid rate of glyphosate uptake reduced the critical rainfall period to 2 h or less, compared to up to 10 h in the absence of ‘Silwet L77’. The use of ‘Silwet L77’ has major practical implications for the use of glyphosate in regions with unpredictable rainfall or high rainfall frequency.     

Evaluation of cinnamamide as an avian repellent: Determination of a dose—response curve

The dose-response curve was quantified for the avian repellency of cinnamamide, a derivative of the plant secondary compound cinnamic acid, using a three-day, ‘short-term no-choice’ test. This test was designed to resemble more closely the availability of alternative food in the birds' natural environment than in previous no-choice studies. Cinnamamide reduced food consumption by feral pigeons (Columba livia Gmelin) at concentrations as low as 6.17 μmole g^?1 food (0.09% w/w) and this reduction increased with concentration. An R₅₀ index, the concentration at which food consumption was reduced by 50% was interpolated from the dose-response curve as 18.4 (±0.38) μmole g^?1 food 10.26% w/w). This index can now be matched with those of related compounds in future structure-activity studies. The birds' response to cinnamamide changed over the three-day trial with respect to concentration. Repellency declined at concentrations < R₅₀ and increased at concentrations > R₅₀. This suggests that pigeons become habituated to cinnamamide at low concentrations but at high concentrations they may develop a conditioned aversion. This study provides quantitative confirmation of previous laboratory and field demonstrations of cinnamamide's effectiveness as a non-lethal chemical repellent suitable for reducing avian pest damage.     

Comparison of water trap pans and leaf counts as sampling techniques for green peach aphids on potatoes

Green peach aphid populations were monitored by using water trap pans and by taking leaf samples in 38 southwestern Idaho potato fields from 1972 to 1975. Numbers of winged aphids in trap pans were correlated with populations of aphids developing in adjacent fields but were not predictive of future population trends. Trap pan data are, however, useful in alerting growers to the possibility of damaging field populations which exist in a field at the time of sampling.