Synergised cyfluthrin and cypermethrin as grain protectants on bulk wheat

Duplicate field trials were carried out on bulk wheat in commercial silos in Queensland and New South Wales. Laboratory bioassays on samples of treated grain at intervals over 8 or 9 months storage using malathion-resistant strains of insects established that treatments were generally effective. Cyfluthrin (2 mg kg^?1) plus piperonyl butoxide (10 mg kg^?1) and cypermethrin (4 mg kg^?1) plus piperonyl butoxide (10 mg kg^?1) completely controlled two strains of Sitophilus oryzae L. Control of a third strain by the cypermethrin combination was incomplete after 11/2 months and neither controlled a multi-resistant laboratory strain. Both combinations were effective against Rhyzopertha dominica F., Tribolium castaneum Herbst and Ephestia cautella Walker. No natural infestation developed in the treated grain in any silo. Mean residues of cyfluthrin and cypermethrin after 9 months storage were 58% and 52% of the calculated application rates, respectively. Compared with overall concentrations in the wheat, residue levels were higher in bran and pollard and lower in white flour. During baking, residues decreased by up to 29%. Operators experienced respiratory irritation associated with exposure to both combinations and alternative formulations would be required for use of these materials in grain storage.     

Genetic diversity of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus from Feather River and Lake Oroville, California, and virulence of selected isolates for Chinook salmon and rainbow trout

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is a significant pathogen of young salmonid fishes worldwide but particularly within the historical range of the Pacific Northwest and California. In the Sacramento and San Joaquin River drainages of California, IHNV outbreaks in juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha have been observed regularly at large production hatcheries, including Coleman National Fish Hatchery (established in 1941) and Feather River State Fish Hatchery (FRH; established in 1967), since facility operations began. Recent severe epidemics at the FRH in 1998 and 2000-2002 prompted investigations into the characteristics and potential sources of virus at this facility. Both phylogenetic analyses of a variable portion of the glycoprotein gene and serologic comparisons based on neutralization with three polyclonal rabbit sera were used to characterize 82 IHNV isolates from the Feather River watershed between 1969 and 2004. All isolates examined were in the L genogroup and belonged to one of three serologic groups typical of IHNV from California. The IHNV isolates from the Feather River area demonstrated a maximum nucleotide sequence divergence of 4.0%, and new isolates appeared to emerge from previous isolates rather than by the introduction of more diverse subgroups from exogenous sources. The earliest isolates examined from the watershed formed the subgroup LI, which disappeared coincidently with a temporal shift to new genetic and serologic types of the larger subgroup LII. Experimental challenges demonstrated no significant differences in the virulence for juvenile Chinook salmon and rainbow trout O. mykiss from selected isolates representing the principal types of IHNV found historically and from recent epidemics at FRH. While most isolates were equally virulent for both host species, one isolate was found to be more virulent for Chinook salmon than for rainbow trout.     

Evaluation of Two Techniques: mFC AND mTEC for Determining Distributions of Fecal Pollution in Small,North Carolina Tidal Creeks

Most tidal creeks in North Carolina are closed or partially closed to shellfishing. These creeks often remain closed due to the inability to determine sources of fecal pollution. This study was designed for intensive fecal coliform monitoring of Futch Creek, N.C., to try and determine sources(s) of fecal pollution. Futch Creek is a mildly polluted tidal creek, with marginal levels of fecal coliforms and could potentially be reopened. Problems in interpreting levels of fecal coliforms and pollution risks are two fold and were extremely pronounced in this study. First, several environmental factors have been shown to influence levels of fecal coliforms. Therefore, effects of temperature, salinity, tidal cycles, and rain events on fecal coliform counts were examined. There were higher fecal coliform levels in the warmer temperatures. There was a strong inverse relationship with salinity, with highest fecal coliform counts in the 10–14 g L^-1 range for both the mFC and mTEC counts with no apparent source of pollution. This trend was also observed in three other tidal creeks. Tidal cycles did affect fecal coliform counts with substantially higher counts during low tide and appeared to be more important than rain events. It is apparent that when evaluating several stations in a creek, samples must be taken during the same tidal cycle stage in order to have comparative data. Counts obtained using the mTEC method were consistently higher than mFC counts in all salinity ranges. Basic taxonomic tests were performed on fecal coliforms isolated from three salinity regimes: 0 g L^-1, 10–14 g L^-1, and 23–26 g L^-1. The mFC method in the 10–14 g L^-1 (45%) and 23–26 g L^-1 (70%) salinity range had the highest incidence of false-positive counts (non E. coli). The mTEC method also had the highest incidence of false-positive counts in the 23–26 g L^-1 (27%) and 10–14 g L^-1 (24%), none as high as the mFC method. Therefore, the mTEC method appears to be the better of the two but is still not an ideal approach.