Impact of grain morphology and the genotype by environment interactions on test weight of spring and winter wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis> L.)

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) market grades and prices are determined in part by test weight (TW). Millers value high TW because it is typically associated with higher flour extraction rates and better end-use quality. Test weight is expected to be influenced by other directly quantifiable grain attributes such as grain length (GL), grain width (GW), shape, single-grain-density (SGD), thousand-grain-weight (TGW), and packing efficiency (PE). The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the primary morphological grain attributes that comprise TW measurements for winter and spring wheat classes; and (2) determine TW stability and genotype and genotype × environment interactions (GEIs) of the attributes that comprise TW. A market class representative group of 32 hard spring and 24 hard winter wheat cultivars was grown at several locations in South Dakota in 2011 and 2012. A regularized multiple regression algorithm was used to develop a TW model and determine what grain attribute reliably predicts TW. A GGE biplot was used for stability and GEI analyses whereas a linear mixed model was used for variance analyses. Data were collected on eight grain traits: TW, SGD, TGW, protein concentration, GW, GL, shape, size, and PE. Observations showed that in both spring and winter wheat, SGD accounted for over 90% of the phenotypic variation of TW. Cultivars with stable and high TW were identified in both wheat classes. Apart from TW; significant (p?<?0.0001) genotype, environment, and GEI variances were observed for GW and SGD, a more direct measure of which could help improve genetic gain for TW.     

Salmonella monitoring programs in Australian feed mills: a retrospective analysis

The availability of safe, commercially prepared stock feed for production animals is an important step in ensuring animal health and welfare and the safety of food animal products for human consumption. Animal feed quality assurance programs include microbiological monitoring of raw materials, mill equipment and finished feed. Over a period of 16 years, 23,963 samples for Salmonella culture and serotyping were collected from 22 stock feed mills. A multivariable generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) was used to identify mill and sample type factors that increase the odds of detecting Salmonella. The odds of detecting a Salmonella positive sample was greatest in samples from raw materials and in mills that processed restricted animal material (RAM). The percentage of positive samples ranged from 7.2% in 2003 to 2.8% in 2017. Of the 1,069 positive samples, 976 were serotyped with 61 different Salmonella serotypes isolated. The serotype most frequently isolated from raw materials was S. Agona, (n = 108) whilst S. Anatum was the serotype most frequently isolated from equipment and finished feed (n = 156). The diversity of Salmonella serotypes differed between mills and different stages of the production line. Microbiological monitoring in the commercial preparation of animal feed in Australian stock feed mills guides the implementation of quality control measures and risk mitigation strategies thereby reducing the prevalence and diversity of potentially zoonotic bacteria such as Salmonella, enhancing food safety for both animal and consumer.     

蒙古马睾丸支持细胞的体外分离培养与鉴定

为研究一种简单快速分离蒙古马睾丸支持细胞并保证其活性的基本方法,本试验采集2岁蒙古马睾丸组织于低温环境下进行机械分离,将1~3 g睾丸组织剪碎,采用重力沉淀法去除游离的红细胞和间质细胞;使用0.1%胶原酶Ⅳ和0.25%胰蛋白酶+EDTA逐步进行组织消化,并用含有10%胎牛血清的培养基进行细胞培养;在接种后采用差异贴壁法分离纯化支持细胞,使用Tris-HCl低渗法去除杂质细胞,并采用碱性磷酸酶（AKP）染色、HE染色、实时荧光定量PCR方法进行鉴定。结果显示,支持细胞贴壁性能较强,培养24 h后大多数细胞开始贴壁,细胞形状呈椭圆形;培养48 h后胞质增多,折光性变强;培养3~4 d细胞胞质展开紧密连接,此时细胞呈三角形,有明显的核仁,培养6~7 d细胞生长状态进入稳定期。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示,GATA4和GDNF基因在培养细胞中极显著表达（P<0.01）,AKP染色支持细胞呈阴性表达,表明分离培养的细胞确为支持细胞。本试验使用机械分离法与两步酶消化法处理组织,可快速高效地获得睾丸支持细胞,成功构建了蒙古马睾丸支持细胞体外培养方法。     

Spatial analysis of seroconversion of sentinel cattle to bluetongue viruses in Queensland

Objective To assess quantitatively the spatial distribution of seroconversion of Queensland cattle to bluetongue viruses.
Design A sentinel herd study. Sample population Sixty-nine sentinel herds at 30 locations.
Procedure Spatial clustering of seroconversion to blue-tongue viruses was investigated during the period from 1990 to 1994.
Results Seroconversion to only two bluetongue virus serotypes, 1 and 21, was observed. The 14 herds, in which seroconversion to bluetongue virus serotype 1 was detected, were located only along the eastern coastal and subcoastal region of Queensland, and were significantly (P < 0.05) clustered. Locations at which seroconversion to serotype 21 was detected, were not significantly clustered. The results generally agree with field observations, except for the failure to detect seroconversion to bluetongue viruses in north-western Queensland.
Conclusion Bluetongue infection of cattle in north-western Queensland may be temporally sporadic. The dominance of serotype 1 in the Queensland cattle population may be the result of differential transmission by potential vector species. Long-term surveillance programs are important for defining disease status of animal populations.     

Evidence that moxidectin is a greater risk factor than ivermectin in the development of resistance to macrocyclic lactones by Ostertagia spp in sheep in south eastern Australia

AIM: To determine associations between resistance of Ostertagia (= Teladorsagia) spp to macrocyclic lactone (ML) anthelmintics and history of use of anthelmintics, by type, on commercial sheep farms in temperate regions of southern South Australia and Victoria, Australia.

METHODS: Faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRTs) were conducted during a 2.5-year period (from August 2001 to January 2004) and records of the type of anthelmintic used in the 5 years preceding the FECRTs were collected from commercial sheep farms (n=103) in southern South Australia and Victoria, and data analysed retrospectively. ML resistance was defined as <95% reduction of Ostertagia spp 10–14 days after treatment with ivermectin (IVM), orally, at half the manufacturer's recommended dose rate. Use of anthelmintics in the preceding 5 and 10 years on each property was classified according to the nett number of years each of the following classes of drug had been used: IVM oral liquid (IVO), IVM controlled-release capsules (CRCs), abamectin (ABA), moxidectin (MOX) or a non-ML an- thelmintic. The prevalence of ML resistance, by property, was analysed for associations with prior use of anthelmintics.

RESULTS: Resistance by Ostertagia spp to ML anthelmintics was evident on 51/103 (49.5%) properties. The prevalence of resistance was lowest (23%) on properties on which MOX had not been used, and was significantly higher (64–77%) on properties on which MOX had been used for ≥2 of the preceding 5 years (p<0.001). In contrast, the prevalence of resistance was highest (70–74%) on the properties on which IVM, or IVM and/ or ABA, had not been used in the previous 5 years (on which the use of MOX was predominant), and was markedly lower (20– 42%) on properties that had used IVM or IVM and/or ABA for at least one of the preceding 5 years. Prevalence of resistance was higher for properties on which the only ML anthelmintic used was MOX (19/29=66%) than for those on which the only ML used was IVO (2/19=11%; p<0.001). Properties on which the only ML used was MOX were 2.72 times more likely to have resistance than properties on which the only ML used was IVO (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01–5.08).

CONCLUSION: Use of MOX for ≥2 of the preceding 5 years was associated with a higher prevalence of resistance to ML by Ostertagia spp on sheep farms in south eastern Australia than the use of IVO.     

Comparison of shifted multiplicative model,rank correlation,and biplot analysis for clustering winter wheat production environments

Categorization of locations with similar environments helps breeders to efficiently utilize resources and effectively target germplasm. This study was conducted to determine the relationship among winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield testing locations in South Dakota. Yield trial data containing 14 locations and 38 genotypes from 8 year were analyzed for crossover genotype (G) × environment (E) interactions according to the Azzalini-Cox test. G × E was significant (P < 0.05) and contributed a small proportion of variation over the total phenotypic variation. This suggested that for efficient resource utilization, locations should be clustered. The data were further analyzed using the Shifted Multiplicative Model (SHMM), Spearman’s rank correlation and GGE biplot to group testing locations based on yield. SHMM analysis revealed four major cluster groups in which the first and third had three locations, with four locations in each of the second and fourth groups. Spearman rank correlations between locations within groups were significant and positive. GGE biplot analysis revealed two major mega-environments of winter wheat testing locations in South Dakota. Oelrichs was the best testing location and XH1888 was the highest yielding genotype. SHMM, rank correlation and GGE biplot analyses showed that the locations of Martin and Winner in the second group and Highmore, Oelrichs and Wall in the third group were similar. This indicated that the number of testing locations could be reduced without much loss of grain yield information. GGE biplot provided additional information on the performance of entries and locations. SHMM clustered locations with reduced cross-over interaction of genotype × location. The combined methods used in this study provided valuable information on categorization of locations with similar environments for efficient resource allocation. This information should facilitate efficient targeting of breeding and testing efforts, especially in large breeding programs.     

巴美肉羊INHA和INHBA基因多态性与产羔数关系研究

为了研究INHA和INHBA这两个基因对巴美肉羊产羔数的影响,采用PCR-SSCP技术检测抑制素α亚基(α-inhibin,INHA)和βA亚基(βA-inhibin,INHBA)基因在巴美肉羊中的单核苷酸多态性。结果发现,引物1,4,6扩增片段有多态性,其余3对引物的扩增片段均不存在多态性。引物1,巴美肉羊有2种基因型AB型和AA型,平均产羔数AB型比AA型多0.17只(P<0.01)。引物4,巴美肉羊存在3种基因型(CC、DD和CD),巴美肉羊平均产羔数DD型比CC型多0.44只(P<0.01)。引物6,巴美肉羊有3种基因型(EE、FF和EF),EE型比EF型平均产羔数多0.21只(P<0.01),结果表明,抑制素α亚基(α-inhibin,INHA)和βA亚基(βA-inhibin,INHBA)基因是影响巴美肉羊产羔数的重要基因。