Acute oral toxicity of zinc phosphide: an assessment for wild house mice (Mus musculus)

Irregular plagues of house mice, Mus musculus, incur major economic impacts on agricultural production in Australia. The efficacy of zinc phosphide (ZnP), the only registered broadacre control agent for mice, is reported as increasingly variable. Have mice become less sensitive over time or are they taking a sub-lethal dose and developing aversion? In this laboratory study, the sensitivity of mice (wild caught; outbred laboratory strain) was assessed using oral gavage of a range of ZnP concentrations. The estimated LD₅₀ values (72–79 mg ZnP/kg body weight) were similar for each mouse group but are significantly higher than previously reported. The willingness of mice to consume ZnP-coated grains was determined. ZnP-coated grains (50 g ZnP/kg grain) presented in the absence of alternative food were consumed and 94% of wild mice died. Mice provided with alternative food and ZnP-coated wheat grains (either 25 or 50 g ZnP/kg grain) consumed toxic and non-toxic grains, and mortality was lower (33–55%). If a sublethal amount of ZnP-coated grain was consumed, aversion occurred, mostly when alternative food was present. The sensitivity of wild house mice to ZnP in Australia is significantly lower than previously assumed. Under laboratory conditions, ZnP-coated grains coated with a new higher dose (50 g ZnP/kg grain) were readily consumed. Consumption of toxic grain occurred when alternative food was available but was decreased. Our unambiguous findings for house mice indicate a re-assessment of the ZnP loading for baits used for control of many rodents around the world may be warranted.     

Determination of Moisture Deficit and Heat Stress Tolerance in Corn Using Physiological Measurements and a Low‐Cost Microcontroller‐Based Monitoring System

In the southern United States, corn production encounters moisture deficit coupled with high‐temperature stress, particularly during the reproductive stage of the plant. In evaluating plants for environmental stress tolerance, it is important to monitor changes in their physical environment under natural conditions, especially when there are multiple stress factors, and integrate this information with their physiological responses. A low‐cost microcontroller‐based monitoring system was developed to automate measurement of canopy, soil and air temperatures, and soil moisture status in field plots. The purpose of this study was to examine how this system, in combination with physiological measurements, could assist in detecting differences among corn genotypes in response to moisture deficit and heat stress. Three commercial hybrids and two inbred germplasm lines were grown in the field under irrigated and non‐irrigated conditions. Leaf water potential, photosynthetic pigments, cell membrane thermostability (CMT) and maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) were determined on these genotypes under field and greenhouse conditions. Variations observed in air and soil temperatures, and soil moisture in plots of the individual corn genotypes helped explain their differences in canopy temperature (CT), and these variations were reflected in the physiological responses. One of the commercial hybrids, having the lowest CT and the highest CMT, was the most tolerant among the genotypes under moisture deficit and heat stress conditions. These results demonstrated that the low‐cost microcontroller‐based monitoring system, in combination with physiological measurements, was effective in evaluating corn genotypes for drought and heat stress tolerance.     

Does returning sites of historic peri‐urban waste disposal to vegetable production pose a risk to human health? – A case study near Manchester,UK

Urban waste disposal occurred on fenland to the west of Manchester, England, between 1900 and 1964. The reclaimed fenland, Chat Moss, is now used for mixed arable farming. A total of 1.92 Mt of waste including privy midden, street sweepings, clinkers and slaughterhouse refuse was incorporated into the moss resulting in a modified topsoil with raised pH and reduced organic matter content compared with the subsoil. Elevated levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are observed in the topsoil beyond the typical depth of atmospheric contamination; Cd and As concentrations exceed soil guideline values (SGVs) at 1.8 and 43 mg/kg, respectively. Sequential extraction indicates that waste‐derived Pb, Zn and Ni remain predominantly in the residual fraction, whereas Cu was mainly organically bound. Arsenic was predominately found in oxide and organic matter fractions with Cd in carbonate, oxide, organic matter and residual fractions. Pot trials indicated limited uptake of PTEs by vegetables grown on the waste‐amended soil, with the exception of Cd uptake by lettuce (0.22 mg/kg FW) and Pb uptake by radish (0.16 mg/kg FW), which exceeded current EU limits of 0.2 and 0.1 mg/kg FW, respectively. Hazard quotients (HQs) identified no risks to adults from consumption of vegetables grown in these soils with the exception of lettuce consumption with a HQ of 1.4. Risks to children were slightly greater with HQs >1 for Cd in lettuce, spinach, carrots and onion, As in lettuce, parsley and onion and for Zn in spinach.     

Prediction of codling moth egg hatch in Germany and Italy using the Californian forecasting model Bugoff21

The effectiveness of the Californian model Bugoff2 for Cydia pomonella was tested in Germany (4 years) and Italy (2 years), the Italian results confirming the German findings. In the first codling moth generation (air temperatures normally below 30 C) good agreement was found between field observations of egg hatching and the model's forecast. However, the model gave notable differences for the second generation, i.e. 3 weeks in Germany and 1 week in Italy, and a significant difference for the third generation in Italy. These divergencies arise from an overestimation of the development rate of the codling moth in Bugoff 2's heat unit table whenever air temperature exceeds the upper limit for development. As a result of modifications to Bugoff 2, an example of a better simulation of the codling moth egg hatch in Germany and Italy is discussed.     

Detection of potato virus Y in early-harvested potato tubers by cDNA hybridization and three modifications of ELISA1

The standard ELISA method for detection of PVY in dormant potato tubers was compared with recently developed methods: (1) a hybridization technique, using a complementary DNA-probe to PVY^N; (2) three modifications of ELISA (standard monoclonal, Flegg & Clark polyclonal or monoclonal). Sap of six Dutch cultivars secondarily infected with PVY was subjected to these methods directly after lifting and after six subsequent one-week intervals during storage at 20°C. During storage the detectability of PVY decreased, irrespective of the diagnostic method applied. However, decrease was less in susceptible than in resistant cultivars. Although the hybridization technique yielded slightly better results than the standard ELISA procedure, it was time-consuming and involved hazardous reagents. The modifications of ELISA investigated were not, in general, more sensitive than standard ELISA.     

Classification, nomenclature, and plant pathogenic bacteria - a clarification

ABSTRACT In a recent Letter to the Editor of Phytopathology, proposals were made for endorsement and for rejection of selected names of plant pathogenic Pseudomonas spp. and Xanthomonas spp. We believe that support for, and rejection of, several names was based on misconceptions concerning the Approved Lists of Bacterial Names and entails misinterpretations of several Rules of the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria. This letter aims to clarify those misconceptions and misinterpretations.