Experiments on the susceptibility of conifers to Heterobasidion annosum in Great Britain

During the period 1960–71, experimental plantings were established at three sites in western Britain that were infested with Heterobasidion annosum: Ceri in mid‐Wales, Lael in north‐west Scotland and Red Marley in the West Midlands of England. At each site a randomized block experiment involving at least four species was supplemented with an ancillary trial of other species. In two of the experiments various treatments were applied to the previous stand of trees before or at felling, but only stump removal reduced the amount of disease in the succeeding crops. At Ceri, the incidence of H. annosum in stems removed at first thinning was: Picea sitchensis, 14%; Pseudotsuga menziesii 11%; Pinus contorta 3% and Abies procera 1%. At Lael, the figures were Larix decidua 59%; P. menziesii 51%; Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 37%; Abies amabilis 33% and Tsuga heterophylla 21%. There was negligible disease in A. procera;Abies grandis and Pinus sylvestris. At Red Marley, the incidence of disease was: P. menziesii 28%; T. heterophylla 18%; A. grandis 7%; Picea abies 1% and Pinus nigra var. maritima 0%. In the ancillary trial at Lael, the incidence of H. annosum in P. sitchensis was 55% and in P. abies 16%. The mean height of colonization by H. annosum within the diseased stems removed at first thinning at Lael (age 21–22 years) was 2.1 m for L. decidua, 1.4 m for P. sitchensis and 1.3 m for P. abies. Armillaria sp. caused mortality and decay in two of the experiments and these data are also presented. The results are discussed in relation to other information on the susceptibility of these species to H. annosum in the UK and elsewhere.     

Study on the behaviour of imazapyr in two Moroccan soils

Imazapyr owes its importance in Morocco to its success in controlling the perennial weed Solanumelaeagnifolium Cav., which infests the Tadla area. Persistence and mobility of imazapyr has been studied in two Moroccan soils from the Rabat area, with differing organic matter content (red and organic soils), under laboratory conditions at 75% of their field capacities and 25–28 °C. Residue analysis was performed on the basis of a bioassay test using lentil (Lens culinaris Medic.) as indicator species. The residual activity of imazapyr accounted for 69%, 25%, 50% and 62%, 46%, 66% of the initial activity for the red and organic soils at 1, 5 and 10 mg L^?1 respectively. The half-lives varied between 25 and 58 days for the red soil and 55 and 58 days for the organic soil. In the organic soil, imazapyr was highly mobile under the irrigation regime applied. Most of the activity was found in the first 3 × 75 mL of the effluents. A following biotest with the leached soil showed low remaining residual activity.     

Frequency of the severe combined immunodeficiency disease gene among horses in Morocco

Severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) of horses is an autosomal, recessive hereditary disease occurring among Arabian or crossbred Arabian horses. The genetic defect responsible was previously identified as a 5‐base pair deletion in the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of the DNA dependant protein kinase (DNA‐PKcs). This study was carried out to determine the frequency of SCID and identify horses carrying the gene for SCID among Arabian and Arabian crossbred stallions and mares in Morocco using a DNA‐based test. Twenty‐one horses were SCID carriers: 14 (7%) Arabians, 6 (4%) Arab‐Barbs and one (3.3%) Anglo‐Arab. After analysing their genealogy, 3 imported stallions were identified that disseminated the mutant gene of DNA‐PKcs in Morocco.     

Molecular detection of virulence genes in Campylobacter species isolated from livestock production systems in South Africa

Campylobacter species are a major cause of foodborne bacterial infections in both developed and developing countries worldwide. Campylobacter jejuni is responsible for the majority of infections. This study was conducted to identify virulenceassociated genes in Campylobacter species isolated from livestock production systems in South Africa. A total of 250 fecal samples consisting of cattle(n=50), chickens(n=50), goats(n=50), sheep(n=50) and pigs(n=50) were randomly collected from livestock in Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa between April and October 2018. The samples were analyzed for the presence of virulence genes in Campylobacter species using molecular PCR-based methods. It was found that 77 and 23% of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli respectively were isolated from all the livestock samples. There were positive significant(P0.05) correlations amongst all the virulence genes that were investigated. Chisquare and Fisher's exact tests were implemented to test for the effect of livestock species on the presence or absence of virulence genes. The study demonstrated that most of livestock species can potentially cause zoonotic infections and food poisoning due to the high prevalence of Campylobacter. The high prevalence of virulence genes highlights the significance of Campylobacter in livestock production systems in South Africa. This requires the implementation of one-health approaches to reduce the impact of foodborne and zoonotic diseases for the welfare of human and animal health.     

Molecular,biochemical and histopathological studies on the ameliorative effect of vitamin C on the renal and muscle tissues of Nile tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) affected by the usage of engine oil

The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of vitamin C on the performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) affected by the usage of engine oil. A total of 120 tilapia fish were randomly divided into four equal groups according to dietary treatments applied for 3 weeks: group I (control); group II was exposed to engine oil; group III was exposed to engine oil and supplemented with vitamin C: and group IV was fed only a diet supplemented with vitamin C. According to our results, the group exposed to engine oil (II) showed an induced elevation of kidney function parameters, an upregulation of CYP1A1 mRNA expression level, a reduction in antioxidant status (SOD, GSH) and severe abnormal histological and ultra‐structural changes in the head kidney, trunk kidney and muscle tissue. Supplementation of group III with vitamin C ameliorated the toxic effect induced by engine oil through improvement of kidney function parameters, elevation of the antioxidant status of tissue and improvement of the histological images of renal and muscle tissues. In conclusion, vitamin C has the ability to ameliorate engine oil oxidative stress toxicity in Nile tilapia.     

EFFECTS OF ADSORBED CATIONS ON PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF TROPICAL RED AND TROPICAL BLACK EARTHS

The liquid limits, degrees of dispersion, and moisture retention of a Tropical Red Earth consisting predominantly of kaolin and iron oxides were independent of the nature of the saturating cation. The same three properties of a Tropical Black Earth consisting predominantly of montmorillonite were dependent upon the nature of the saturating cation, with Na giving the highest values and K the lowest. Ca and Mg gave intermediate and essentially equal values. The effects of the four cations have generally been explained in terms of the balance between attractive and repulsive forces in soil solutions and pastes. Unexpected behaviour due to K saturation has been explained by specific adsorption of K in a manner similar to but weaker than irreversible fixation. Linear regression equations were derived to express the dependence of the three properties on the saturating cations. The regression equations, which were all highly significant, show that the four cations examined were acting independently. Small positive interactions between Na × K, Mg × K, and Ca × K indicated that the effect of K fixation was important only when the Black Earth was nearly saturated with K ions.     

Initial results from a long-term, multi-site field study of the effects on soil fertility and microbial activity of sludge cakes containing heavy metals

In a long‐term study of the effects on soil fertility and microbial activity of heavy metals contained in sewage sludges, metal‐rich sludge cakes each with high Zn, Cu or Cd concentrations were applied annually for 4 years (1994–1997) to nine sites throughout Britain. These sites were selected to represent agricultural soils with a range of physical and chemical properties, typical of those likely to be amended with sewage sludge. The aim was to establish individual total Zn (approx. 60–450 mg kg^?1), total Cu (approx. 15–200 mg kg^?1) and total Cd (approx. 0.2–4 mg kg^?1) metal dose–response treatments at each site. Sludges with low metal concentrations were added to all treatments to achieve as constant an addition of organic matter as possible. Across the nine sites, soil pH was the single most important factor controlling Zn (P < 0.001; r² = 92%) and Cd extracted with 1 m NH₄NO₃ (P < 0.001; r² = 72%), and total iron content the most important factor controlling Cu extracted with 1 m NH₄NO₃ (P < 0.001; r² = 64%). There were also positive relationships (P < 0.001) between soil organic carbon (C) concentrations and soil biomass C and respiration rates across the nine sites. Oxidation of sludge C following land application resulted in approximately 45% of the digested sludge cake C and approximately 64% of the ‘raw’ sludge cake C being lost by the end of the 4‐year application period. The sludge cake applications generally increased soil microbial biomass C and soil respiration rates, whilst most probable numbers of clover Rhizobium were generally unchanged. Overall, there was no evidence that the metal applications were damaging soil microbial activity in the short term after the cessation of sludge cake addition.