Influence of precipitations and sunshine hours on yield of paddy field grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Northern Kyushu,Japan

ABSTRACT

Relationships between wheat (Triticum æstivum L.) yield components and growing season weather conditions (e.g. temperature, precipitation, and sunshine duration) were investigated for a rice-wheat rotation paddy system situated in Northern Kyushu, Japan over a 17-year period (2000–2016). A 1.0 mm increase in precipitation from 21 to 32 days after sowing decreased wheat yield by about 27 kg ha^?1 at early seedling stage with one to two leaves (Zadoks (Z) growth stage Z1.1–1.2). Number of tillers and spikes showed significant negative correlations to the amount of precipitation during the period. An hour increase in mean daily sunshine hours from 94 to 111 days after sowing resulted in an 328 kg ha^?1 rise in grain yield at stem elongation stage with the first and second node detection (Z3.1–3.2). The grain number per square meter also showed strong positive correlations to sunshine hours during the same period. However, this positive effect of sunshine was negated when precipitation exceeded about 30 mm during the early seedling stage. Consequently, precipitations at early seedling stage and sunshine hours at stem elongation stage mostly determined wheat yield in Northern Kyushu paddy field. Increasing precipitations during the early seedling stage highlights the pressing need for effective paddy field drainage management from wheat sowing through harvest.

Abbreviations: CP: Chikushi Plains; FARC: Fukuoka prefectural Agriculture and Forestry Research Center; SARC: Saga prefectural Agricultural Research Center; DAS: days after sowing     

Feed intake,digestibility, nitrogen utilization,ruminal condition and blood metabolites in wethers fed ground bamboo pellets cultured with white‐rot fungus (Ceriporiopsis subvermispora) and mixed with soybean curd residue and soy sauce cake

Three types of bamboo pellets as a ruminant feed: P1 (ground bamboo (GB) cultured with the fungus Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (CGB) : soybean curd residue (T) : soy sauce cake (S) in a 5:4:1 ratio on a dry matter (DM) basis); P2 (GB : T : S = 5:4:1 on a DM basis); and P3 (CGB : T : S = 5.5:0.8:3.7 on a DM basis) were prepared. Four wethers were assigned in a 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment to evaluate the applicability of the bamboo pellets. The experimental treatments were C (control): fed alfalfa hay cubes (AC) only, and T1, T2 and T3: fed P1, P2, and P3 with AC by 1:1 on a DM basis, respectively. The digestibility of the DM, organic matter and acid detergent fiber of P1 were significantly higher than those of P2 and P3 (P < 0.05). The total digestible nutrient (TDN) contents of AC, P1, P2 and P3 were 56.5%, 60.2%, 53.2% and 47.0%, respectively. No significant differences in nitrogen retention or ruminal pH and NH₃ were observed among the treatment groups. The results indicate that bamboo pellets cultured with C. subvermispora and mainly mixed with soybean curd residue improved nutritional quality of ground bamboo because of its high digestibility and TDN content.     

Proceedings of the 2013 Joint JSTP/NTP Satellite Symposium

The first joint Japanese Society of Toxicologic Pathology (JSTP) and National Toxicology Program (NTP) Satellite Symposium, entitled “Pathology Potpourri,” was held on January 29^th at Okura Frontier Hotel in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, in advance of the JSTP’s 29^th Annual Meeting. The goal of this Symposium was to present current diagnostic pathology or nomenclature issues to the toxicologic pathology community. This article presents summaries of the speakers’ presentations, including diagnostic or nomenclature issues that were presented, select images that were used for audience voting or discussion, and the voting results. Some lesions and topics covered during the symposium include: treatment-related atypical hepatocellular foci of cellular alteration in B6C3F1 mice; purulent ventriculoencephalitis in a young BALB/c mouse; a subcutaneous malignant schwannoma in a RccHan:WIST rat; spontaneous nasal septum hyalinosis/eosinophilic substance in B6C3F1 mice; a rare pancreatic ductal cell adenoma in a young Lewis rat; eosinophilic crystalline pneumonia in a transgenic mouse model; hyaline glomerulopathy in two female ddY mice; treatment-related intrahepatic erythrocytes in B6C3F1 mice; treatment-related subendothelial hepatocytes in B6C3F1 mice; spontaneous thyroid follicular cell vacuolar degeneration in a cynomolgus monkey; congenital hepatic fibrosis in a 1-year-old cat; a spontaneous adenocarcinoma of the middle ear in a young Crl:CD(SD) rat; and finally a series of cases illustrating some differences between cholangiofibrosis and cholangiocarcinoma in Sprague Dawley and F344 rats.     

Flood damage assessment on rice crop in the Stung Sen River Basin of Cambodia

Paddy and Water Environment - In Cambodia, rice production is important for the majority of rural populations as the main source of income. However, historical extreme flood events, especially the...     

分步型流域“降雨-流出”过程数值模拟方法的研究

流域地表流出的计算是水文学的一个重要研究课题。本研究以黄土高原北部的六道沟流域为流域模型,在确定试验流域地形和土壤物理性质的基础上,利用运动波理论和拟河道网开发分布型流域的"降雨-径流"过程的数值计算方法,对观测流量数值模拟结果的分析表明,该计算方法适用于北部黄土高原的实际,研究结论为该区域的地表水资源的推求提供了一种有效的数值计算方法。     

Retrospective diagnosis of feline GM2 gangliosidosis variant 0 (Sandhoff-like disease) in Japan: possible spread of the mutant allele in the Japanese domestic cat population

GM2 gangliosidosis variant 0 (human Sandhoff disease) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by simultaneous deficiencies of acid beta-hexosaminidase (Hex) A and Hex B due to an abnormality of beta-subunit, a common component in these enzyme molecules, which is coded by the HEXB gene. In the present study, a retrospective diagnosis was performed in 2 previous suspected cases of feline Sandhoff-like disease using a DNA test to detect the causative mutation identified previously in 4 cats in 2 other families of Japanese domestic cats. Enzymic analysis was also performed using stored leukocytes and plasma collected from the subject families in order to investigate the usefulness of enzymic diagnosis and genotyping of carriers. The DNA test suggested that the 2 cases were homozygous recessive for the mutation. Consequently, 6 cats homozygous for the same mutation have been found in 4 separate locations of Japan, suggesting that this mutant allele may be spread widely in the Japanese domestic cat populations. In enzymic analysis, Hex A and Hex B activities in leukocytes and plasma measured using 4-methylumbelliferyl N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide as a substrate were negligible in affected cats, compared with those in normal and carrier cats. However, there was a wide overlap in enzyme activity between normal and carrier cats. Therefore, it was concluded that enzymic analysis is useful for diagnosis of affected cats, but is not acceptable for genotyping of carriers.     

Effect of CD4+CD25+ T cell-depletion on acute lethal infection of mice with Trypanosoma congolense

Despite the immense socio-economic repercussions of African trypanosomosis (AT), there is currently no effective control measure against the disease. Characterization of mechanisms governing resistance and/or susceptibility to AT could suggest interventions that might lead to more effective disease control. The present study was designed in an attempt to address the possible role of CD4+CD25+ T cells during an acute lethal infection of mice with Trypanosoma congolense, the causative agent of AT in domestic animals, through selective depletion using anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody. Accordingly, CD4+CD25+ T-cell-depletion resulted in a significant reduction or delay in parasitemia, pathology, and mortality, as compared to controls. The apparent resistance in CD4+CD25+-T-cell-depleted mice correlated with a profound suppression of Th2 cytokines in vitro and in vivo, culminating in a net Th1 cytokine environment. Cumulatively, these findings suggest that CD4+CD25+ T-cell- depletion improves the trypanotolerance of highly susceptible BALB/c mice acutely infected with the lethal T. congolense.     

Hypereosinophilic syndrome in two cats

Two cats showing chronic vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss were found to have leukocytosis with marked eosinophilia. Both cats were diagnosed with hypereosinophilic syndrome by the findings of increased eosinophils and their precursors in the bone marrow, eosinophilic infiltration into multiple organs, and exclusion of other causes for eosinophilia. Although cytoreductive chemotherapy with hydroxycarbamide and prednisolone was performed, these two cats died 48 days and 91 days after the initial presentation.