Heritability estimates and progeny testing of phenotypic selections for soluble solids content in dehydrator onion

Soluble solids comprise most of onion bulb dry mass, and dehydrator onion cultivars are developed from breeding populations that have high dry mass content. Realized and narrow-sense heritability estimates were obtained for the soluble solids content (SSC) trait in two open-pollinated dehydrator onion breeding populations (BP) using response to selection and half-sib family analysis. Parental populations, designated as BP9335-U and BP9243-U, were derived from two-way crosses of lines advanced as open- pollinated (OP) populations to the F7 or F_6 generation, respectively. BP9335-U had one previous selection cycle for increased SSC and BP9243-U had three SSC selection cycles. In these experiments, parental populations were screened again for high SSC, and selected bulbs were intermated to form half-sib progeny groups, designated as BP9335-S and BP9243-S. Mean SSC was increased by 6.6% and a realized heritability estimate of 0.64 was obtained for BP9335-S. Mean SSC was increased by 6.3% and a realized heritability estimate of 0.36 was obtained for BP9243-S. Narrow-sense heritability estimates of 0.58 ±0.05 and 0.30 ±0.03 were obtained for parental populations BP9335-U and BP9243-U, respectively. Narrow-sense heritability estimates of 0.40 ± 0.03 and 0.63 ± 0.23 were obtained for progeny populations derived from selected high-SSC bulbs of these lines (BP9335-S and BP9243-S), respectively, indicating that there is significant additive genetic control of the SSC trait in these populations. Significant differences in half-sib family performance in the advanced groups BP9335-S and BP9243-S demonstrate that progeny testing was effective for evaluating phenotypic selections. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Growing American ginseng in maple forests as an alternative land-use system in Québec, Canada

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) is a medicinal crop which provides tens of millions of dollars in income every year for Canadian farmers. Most of the ginseng roots are produced in open fields under expensive shade structures. Farmers need to plant ginseng at a very high density to achieve profitability. Since high planting densities are related to high disease levels, field-cultivated ginseng requires frequent applications of pesticide. Growing ginseng in forests eliminates the need of a shade structure and may reduce the need for pesticides. Thus, an experiment was performed in a maple (Acer rubrum) forest in Québec to evaluate the effects of nutrient inputs such as lime or compost on ginseng development. Ginseng emergence and survival rates, leaf area and foliar and root weight were evaluated for each treatment. Soil samples were taken in each plot to determine the concentration of various soil nutrients. During the first two years of the experiment, it was noted that the application of lime had a significative positive effect on ginseng growth. This effect could be related to higher calcium concentration and/or lower aluminium toxicity. Liming would be an efficient way to improve the early development of ginseng in maple forests. This practice is also known to improve the health of maple stands. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of orally administered enteric-coated omeprazole on gastric acid secretion in horses.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of orally administered omeprazole, as enteric-coated capsules, on baseline and stimulated gastric acid secretion in horses. ANIMALS: 5 healthy 8-year-old mixed-breed horses fitted with gastric cannulas. PROCEDURE: Enteric-coated granules of omeprazole were mixed with corn syrup and administered orally once daily for 5 consecutive days. On days 1 and 5 beginning 5 hours after omeprazole administration, 4 gastric fluid samples were collected, each for 15 minutes, via the gastric cannula (baseline samples). Pentagastrin was administered IV as a constant infusion for the subsequent 2 hours, and 15-minute gastric fluid samples were again collected (stimulated samples). Fluid volume, acidity (mmol H-/L), and pH and gastric acid production (mmol H+) were determined for all baseline samples and for stimulated samples collected during the second hour of pentagastrin infusion. Control experiments were done in a similar manner after giving corn syrup alone to the same horses. RESULTS: Compared with values obtained during control experiments, baseline and stimulated gastric fluid acidity and gastric acid production significantly decreased, and the mean pH of gastric fluid samples significantly increased, after horses were given 5 daily doses of omeprazole. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Enteric-coated omeprazole (1.0 mg/kg of body weight; PO) administered once daily for 5 days significantly inhibited unstimulated and pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion in horses. This commercially available formulation of omeprazole may be efficacious in the treatment of gastroduodenal ulcers in horses.     

Preservation causes shrinkage in seahorses: implications for biological studies and for managing sustainable trade with minimum size limits

• 1. The implications of shrinkage associated with desiccation and ethanol preservation for seahorses (genus Hippocampus) were investigated using Hippocampus guttulatus (European long‐snouted seahorse) as a model. Specifically, this research addressed the implications of preservation for taxonomy and life history studies and the application of minimum size limits (MSL) for managing seahorse trade.
• 2. In 2004, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) listed all seahorse species on its Appendix II, and recommended a 10 cm MSL as an interim means of ensuring sustainable international trade. Inconsistencies in seahorse measurement methods and repeatability posed challenges for applying the MSL. Moreover, the shrinking effect of desiccation on body length observed in other fish was assumed to be negligible for seahorses because of their high degree of ossification.
• 3. Changes in seahorse sizes were measured following immersion in ethanol and desiccation. H. guttulatus shrank on average by 0.1–2.3% when preserved in ethanol and 3.0–6.4% when dried, depending on the trait measured. Similar trends were observed in a sample of H. kuda (yellow seahorse). Specimen posture during drying, and measurement methods also influenced estimates of size.
• 4. Based on the shrinkage observed, 14–44% of captured seahorses that are dried could shrink to below the recommended MSL, even if all seahorses were longer than the MSL at capture. This demonstrates that small changes in body lengths can have significant implications for trade of species managed with size limits.
• 5. Recommendations are to (1) standardize seahorse measurement methods, (2) consider the effects of preservation and measurement technique on body lengths, and apply appropriate corrections in comparative studies and when developing fisheries management strategies, and (3) adjust size limits at the point of capture to ensure retained seahorses comply with the CITES recommended MSL.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tail Muscle Free Amino Acid Concentration of Pacific White Shrimp,Litopenaeus vannamei,Fed Diets Containing Protein‐bound versus Crystalline Amino Acids

Tail muscle tissue free amino acids (FAA) concentration is reported for subadult (4.3 g) Litopenaeus vannamei fed diets containing only protein‐bound amino acids, crystalline lysine as a supplement to protein‐bound lysine, and only crystalline amino acids (CAA). FAA were determined in shrimp at 0.00, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 h postfeeding. Highest total tissue concentrations of essential amino acids and individual amino acids were typically observed 4 h postfeeding for shrimp fed intact and crystalline lysine‐supplemented feeds. Those shrimp offered diets containing only CAA showed no tissue maxima. Similar uptake patterns for lysine shown by shrimp fed the intact and crystalline lysine‐supplemented diet indicate the potential use of small amounts of crystalline lysine in shrimp feeds.     

基于修正双作物系数模型估算温室黄瓜不同季节腾发量

为估算温室黄瓜植株蒸腾与土面蒸发,该研究基于FAO-56推荐的双作物系数模型,应用温室内实测微气象、叶面积指数(LAI)及土壤水分数据,对模型中基础作物系数(Kcb)和土面蒸发系数(Ke)进行修正,并基于修正后FAO-56Penman-Monteith(P-M)模型,确定温室参考作物蒸发蒸腾量(ET0),进而估算温室黄瓜蒸发蒸腾量(ETc)和植株蒸腾(Tr)。基于Venlo型温室内黄瓜不同种植季节(春夏季和秋冬季)Lysimeter和茎流计观测的黄瓜ETc和Tr,对修正后的双作物系数模型预测结果进行验证。结果表明,应用修正后的双作物系数模型估算的温室黄瓜ETc和Tr与实测值具有较好地一致性,春夏季温室黄瓜全生育期ETc估算值与实测值的日均值分别为3.05和2.94 mm/d,秋冬季分别为2.53和2.76 mm/d。修正后的双作物系数模型估算春夏季温室黄瓜日ETc的决定系数(R2)、均方根误差(RMSE)和模型效率系数(Ens)分别为0.95、0.41 mm/d和0.93;估算秋冬季ETc的误差计算结果依次为0.91(R2)、0.48 mm/d(RMSE)和0.90(Ens)。修正后的双作物系数模型估算春夏季日平均Tr与实测值分别为2.37和2.19mm/d,秋冬季分别为1.43和1.34 mm/d。研究结果还显示,不同种植季节温室黄瓜全生育期日平均Tr占ETc的比例分别为64.62%(春夏季)和68.59%(秋冬季)。该研究成果不仅为制定准确的温室黄瓜灌溉制度提供了理论依据,而且对实现温室环境智能化控制及减少温室内无效的土面蒸发具有重要意义。     

微喷灌结合滴灌对温室高温环境和作物生长生理特性的影响

微喷灌结合滴灌是指在作物根区滴灌的基础上对作物冠层进行微喷灌来改善作物生长环境的一种灌水方式。为了探明微喷灌结合滴灌（micro-sprinkler irrigation combined with drip irrigation,MSDI）和地表滴灌（surface drip irrigation,SDI）2种灌水方式下温室高温环境及作物生长生理特性的差异及响应规律,该研究以黄瓜为试验对象,于2017年2－6月开展了2种灌水方式下温室环境及黄瓜生长生理特性的观测试验。结果表明：在改变温室环境方面,MSDI灌水方式较SDI可增加温室内相对湿度,降低气温,同时降低叶片温度约4℃;在作物生长生理特性方面,采用MSDI可增加黄瓜株高与茎粗,降低作物茎流速率,促进黄瓜生长;2种灌水方式下黄瓜最大光合效率几乎一致,分别为0.74和0.77,但日平均实际光合效率差异明显,分别为0.57和0.47,MSDI灌水方式下黄瓜叶片日平均气孔导度和光合速率比SDI方式分别高182.8%和92.4%。该研究成果对于合理调控温室高温环境、提高温室作物产量具有重要的指导意义。     

Natural Enemies of the Frankliniella Complex Species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Ataulfo Mango Agroecosystems

A field survey was conducted in Ataulfo mango (Mangifera indica L.) orchards in Chiapas, Mexico, with the objective of determining the natural enemies of the Frankliniella complex species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Seven species of this genus feed and reproduce in large numbers during the mango flowering. Two representative orchards were selected: the orchard “Tres A” characterized by an intensive use of agrochemicals directed against thrips, and the orchard “La Escondida” that did not spray insecticides. During mango flowering, five inflorescences were randomly collected every 5 d in both orchards, for a total of 18 sampling dates. Results revealed the presence of 18 species of arthropods that were found predating on Frankliniella. There were 11 species in the families Aeolothripidae, Phlaeothripidae, Formicidae, Anthocoridae and Chrysopidae; and seven species of spiders in the families Araneidae, Tetragnathidae, and Uloboridae. Over 88% of predators were anthocorids, including, Paratriphleps sp. (Champion), Orius insidiosus (Say), Orius tristicolor (White), and O. perpunctatus (Reuter). The orchard that did not spray insecticides had a significantly higher number of predators suggesting a negative effect of the insecticides on the abundance of these organisms.