Comparison of black,purple, and yellow barleys

Many barley landraces are purple-or black-seeded, but the chemical composition of these purple-and black- seeded barley is rarely examined. Therefore, studies were conducted to determine if the chemical composition of purple and black barleys differs from that of yellow barleys. Four sets of genetic materials were used for these studies: 96 doubled-haploid (DH) lines, 10 near-isogenic lines, 40 landraces, and four F3 bulks. The results showed that purple DH lines contained a similar amount of lignin as yellow DH lines and that anthocyanin-containing isogenic lines did not differ from anthocyanin-free lines in lignin content. Therefore, these results suggest that anthocyanin biosynthesis is independent of lignin biosynthesis in barley. The results also showed that black barley contained more protein and more lignin than yellow barley in two crosses and that among the 40 landraces studied, the three with the highest concentration of lignin happened to be black seeded. Lignin content was not associated with seed weight except in defective endosperm lines. The presence of pigments and a relatively high concentration of lignin might help reduce the level of kernel blight severity in black barley. More studies are needed to determine the chemical composition and pest resistance associated with purple and black barleys.     

Evaluation of seven essential oils identifies cubeb oil as most effective attractant for detection of Xyleborus glabratus

Redbay ambrosia beetle, Xyleborus glabratus, is an exotic wood-borer that vectors the fungal agent that induces laurel wilt. Since its introduction into Georgia in 2002, X. glabratus has spread throughout the southeastern U.S., and laurel wilt has decimated native Persea trees, particularly redbay (P. borbonia) and swampbay (P. palustris). The lethal disease now threatens avocado (P. americana) in Florida. To control the spread of laurel wilt, effective attractants are needed for early detection of the vector. Phoebe oil lures are the best known attractant, but they are no longer available. Current detection relies on manuka oil lures, but our previous research indicated they have a field life of only 2–3 weeks in Florida. Therefore, we evaluated seven essential oils as attractants for X. glabratus, and ethanol as a potential synergist. Field tests and electroantennography (EAG) were conducted to compare attraction and olfactory response to angelica seed, cubeb, ginger root, manuka, phoebe, tea tree, and orange oils. The highest captures were obtained with cubeb, manuka, and phoebe oils; ginger and angelica oils were intermediate, and tea tree and orange oils were not attractive. Addition of ethanol to oil lures did not increase captures. In subsequent tests with commercial formulations, cubeb lures captured more X. glabratus than manuka lures, were better for early detection at low population levels, and had longevity of at least 8 weeks. The highest EAG responses were elicited with phoebe and cubeb lures. Our results indicate that cubeb lures are the best attractant currently available for detection of X. glabratus.     

How to foster good husbandry of private native forests

It is generally agreed that effective conservation requires the cooperation of private landholders to complement reserve-based efforts, but there is little agreement about how this can best be achieved. Various stakeholders lobby for tough regulations, for greater landholder freedom, and for incentives for activities or outcomes. A review of these alternatives suggests an emerging consensus that incentives are the most effective approach. Policy-makers should consider incentive-based approaches such as stewardship support to foster conservation outcomes on private lands.

Species-site matching in mixed species plantations of native trees in tropical Australia

Mixed species plantations using native trees are increasingly being considered for sustainable timber production. Successful application of mixed species forestry systems requires knowledge of the potential spatial interaction between species in order to minimise the chance of dominance and suppression and to maximise wood production. Here, we examined species performances across 52 experimental plots of tree mixtures established on cleared rainforest land to analyse relationships between the growth of component species and climate and soil conditions. We derived site index (SI) equations for ten priority species to evaluate performance and site preferences. Variation in SI of focus species demonstrated that there are strong species-specific responses to climate and soil variables. The best predictor of tree growth for rainforest species Elaeocarpus grandis and Flindersia brayleyana was soil type, as trees grew significantly better on well-draining than on poorly drained soil profiles. Both E. grandis and Eucalyptus pellita showed strong growth response to variation in mean rain days per month. Our study generates understanding of the relative performance of species in mixed species plantations in the Wet Tropics of Australia and improves our ability to predict species growth compatibilities at potential planting sites within the region. Given appropriate species selections and plantation design, mixed plantations of high-value native timber species are capable of sustaining relatively high productivity at a range of sites up to age 10 years, and may offer a feasible approach for large-scale reforestation.     

Spawning Characteristics of the South African Mudcrab Scylla serrata (Forskål) in Captivity

Scylla serrata is a potential aquaculture species in Southern Africa. Information about its reproductive biology is required as a prerequisite to establishing hatchery technology. Adult female S. serrata were caught in the Umlalazi estuary on the subtropical east coast of South Africa and kept in captivity to observe and record spawning characteristics. Data collected included crab size and mass, time in captivity prior to spawning, fecundity per batch, relative fecundity, individual egg mass and size, size of zoea 1 larvae, incubation time, and hatch success rate. Of the 119 crabs kept in captivity 83% spawned in the maturation system– most within 40 d of capture. The crabs were highly fecund (mean relative fecundity per batch = 10,655 ± 4,069 eggs/g female) and the majority of the batches hatched within 288 h (12 d) at 27 C. Spawning in captivity occurred throughout the year, with a peak in late winter/early spring. This differs slightly from records of ovarian maturity stages of the crabs in the wild. A pattern of synchronous spawning was recorded where the females were observed to extrude their eggs in groups, commonly within 3 d of one another, separated by long periods of inactivity, suggesting an exogenous spawning cue. A total of 1,374,488 zoea larvae were obtained per kg of female per month. This means that if sufficient mature females can be caught from the wild, these could be used for stocking hatchery operations. The crabs were easy to maintain, mature, and spawn in captivity. This will facilitate future domestication which will eventually reduce the need for wild caught broodstock. The spawning characteristics of South African 5. serrata At in well with those observed for the genus throughout its distribution implying that ecological and fisheries management could be similar.     

The impact of landscape disturbance on grizzly bear habitat use in the Foothills Model Forest,Alberta, Canada

The Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada are subject to a growing number of human activities that cause landscape disturbances. This region is important for large carnivore species such as grizzly bears, whose population decline is a serious management concern. Understanding the impact of landscape disturbance on grizzly bear habitat use is necessary to effectively manage this region and beyond. The goal of this research is to explore the spatial–temporal pattern of habitat use and to characterize the impact of disturbance on use through time. Research was conducted using radio-telemetry location data of female grizzly bears from 1999 to 2003. Kernel home ranges were created annually for three foraging seasons: hypophagia, early hyperphagia, and late hyperphagia. For each season, locations (30 m × 30 m grid cells) were characterized by the temporal persistence or variability in annual use by grizzly bears. Spatial–temporal trends were then compared for disturbed and undisturbed landscapes. Results indicate that in some foraging seasons, particularly hypophagia, the grizzly bear population's use of disturbed areas was proportionally higher than use in undisturbed areas. In other foraging seasons the trends are less clear, but all show instances of preferential selection of disturbed areas. Given that grizzly bear mortality tends to rise when bears use disturbed areas, this preferential selection of disturbed areas is a management concern. To enhance conservation efforts it may be beneficial to control human use in high-quality habitats. This protection may be most important for high-quality habitats used in the spring, as bears appeared to use smaller areas during this period.     

Plasma concentration and cardiovascular effects of intramuscular medetomidine combined with three doses of the peripheral alpha2-antagonist MK-467 in dogs

Objective

We investigated the plasma concentrations and cardiovascular effects of intramuscularly (IM) administered medetomidine, administered alone or with three different doses of MK-467.

Site Index Equation for Smallholder Plantations of Gmelina arborea in Leyte Province, the Philippines

The equation SiteIndex = Height × Log(IndexYear+0.5)/Log(Age+0.5) is suggested as a robust way to classify site index of small private Gmelina arborea plantations in Leyte province in the Philippines. Estimates of site index from this equation correlate well with other indicators of site productivity, including the observed mean annual volume increment and soil depth. An alternative equation based on slope and soil depth offers an indication of potential site productivity on unforested sites where no crop trees are present.