Plasma levels of cortisol and corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) and hepatic CBG mRNA expression in pre- and postnatal pigs

The relationships among hepatic corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) mRNA expression and plasma concentrations of cortisol and CBG was evaluated in fetal pigs (n=7-14 per age) on days 50, 70, 80, 90, and 104 of gestation and postnatal pigs (n=8 per age) on days 1, 3, 10, 20, 30, and 40 following birth. In fetal pigs, hepatic CBG mRNA expression was highest (P<0.01) on day 50 as compared to days 90 and 104, exhibiting an overall negative relationship (r=-0.63; P<0.01) with estimated gestation age. Plasma porcine CBG (pCBG) concentration was correlated (r=0.34; P<0.05) with hepatic CBG mRNA level. Plasma cortisol concentrations were not different over this same period. In postnatal pigs, hepatic CBG mRNA expression increased (P<0.01) from days 3 to 40. The pCBG concentration increased (P<0.01) from days 1 (6.1+/-3.4 microg/ml) to 10 (15.1+/-3.7 microg/ml), while plasma cortisol concentration remained constant. An understanding of the relation between hepatic CBG mRNA and circulating pCBG concentrations may provide insight into the mechanisms determining the bioavailability of cortisol necessary in prenatal development and the conservation of cortisol during postnatal development in the pig.     

Field evaluation of reduced insecticide spray programs for managing plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in Alabama peaches

BACKGROUND: Plum curculio (PC), Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst.), is an important pest of peaches in the southeastern United States. Commercially acceptable control of this insect is typically achieved by weekly or biweekly application of broad‐spectrum conventional insecticides, resulting in 6–12 sprays per season. Experiments were conducted in a peach orchard in Alabama during 2007–2009 to compare the conventional calendar‐based insecticide spray program involving weekly applications of phosmet with three different reduced spray programs using three targeted (well‐timed) insecticide sprays (TIS) of phosmet, permethrin or thiamethoxam applied in an alternated fashion. RESULTS: All three TIS programs significantly reduced PC damage at harvest compared with the untreated control in two of the three years (2008 and 2009). Fruit damage due to stink bugs, which are emerging pests of peaches in the region, was also significantly reduced in the TIS programs in both years. In a separate trial in which one of the TIS programs (three targeted sprays of phosmet) was evaluated in a larger peach block in 2009, percentage fruit damage due to PC increased from < 1% in June to ～4% in late July. CONCLUSION: All the TIS programs evaluated provided effective control of PC and represent potential alternatives to the conventional weekly spray program in peaches with concomitant reduction in insecticide usage and associated costs. However, an additional spray may be necessary for effective control of PC and stink bugs in late‐season peach varieties. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Genetic Models of Host–pathogen Gene Interaction Based on Inoculation of Loblolly Pine Seedlings with the Fusiform Rust Fungus

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) seedlings from 12 full-sib families obtained from a six-parent half diallel mating design were challenged in a greenhouse using two basidiospore inocula of the fusiform rust fungus (Cronartium quercuum f.sp. fusiforme) at extremely high spore density. Each basidiospore inoculum originated from a mixed gall collection of aeciospores obtained from field-infected trees. Assessments at 4.5 months after inoculation showed that rust disease levels were high for every full-sib family and were typically above 90% for most full-sib families for both inocula. However, disease (% galled) for family E by A progeny, even at 9 months post inoculation, was lower, around 75%. A genetic model for interaction of two pairs of genes was proposed to explain the observed infection levels (% galled) in this diallel based on a gene-for-gene hypothesis. The putative genotypes of host parents and virulence compositions of mixed inocula were postulated. A bulk-segregant analysis approach based on phenotype (gall vs. no gall) was used to search for dominant molecular markers associated with the potential resistance genes in the host parents. A few candidate marker polymorphisms were observed between the gall vs. no gall bulks; however, none of the candidates appropriately co-segregated with phenotype when tested across the progeny set. An alternative model involving recessive resistance controlled by a single locus was also considered, but as with the two gene model, no markers to support the appropriateness of the recessive resistance model were observed.     

Control of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus,the causal agent of ash dieback,using composting

Viability of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus inocula following temperature treatments for different exposure times was examined in vitro and in aerated flask‐ and large‐scale composting tests using green waste. After an exposure for up to 10 days at 20°C, 97.3% of H. fraxineus mycelium and pseudosclerotia plate cultures remained viable. No viability was detected following a 3‐day exposure to 40°C or a 1‐day exposure to 45°C although pseudosclerotia were more tolerant than mycelium to an exposure to 35°C. Primordial apothecia of H. fraxineus emerged from 62%–100% of infected ash rachises collected from two infected sites and stored at 4°C for 0–5 months; exposure to compost for up to 10 days at 20°C did not affect this emergence. No emergence of H. fraxineus apothecia was observed from ash rachises that were exposed to compost at 45°C for 1 day or at 35°C or 40°C for 3 days in flasks or at 40°C for 1 day or at 30°C for 5 days in a large‐scale composting system. Based on a fitted model, estimates of the survival of H. fraxineus inoculum in infected ash rachises exposed to compost at 50°C for 1 day were 0.081% of that in the untreated H. fraxineus ash rachis inoculum. Increasing loss in viability of H. fraxineus inoculum in infected ash rachises during longer and warmer exposures to compost at 35°C–45°C corresponded with a reduced concentration of pathogen DNA detected in the rachises using real‐time PCR. However, exposure of rachises to compost at >53°C resulted in a smaller reduction in pathogen DNA detected than exposure to compost at lower temperatures, possibly due to the inhibition of enzymatic degradation of DNA at elevated temperatures.     

The rural identity and the encroaching city: Governance,policy and development in Northern Virginia's Wine Country

In exurban areas, there are commonly issues and tensions associated with development and rural life. We assess how two counties located approximately one hour west of Washington, DC manage these tensions. Although both have enabled development, they have done so in different ways and neither has simply succumbed to exurban development as a given. Utilizing stakeholder interviews and document analysis, we note the different policy approaches that the two counties have taken and contrast them with the more common imagery of areas that fully acquiesce to suburban style development. Our findings suggest that tensions between the pressures of development and the persistent appeal of the rural identity occupy much time and attention in these two counties. Both counties have adopted observable policy changes driven by development pressures in recent years, underscoring a policy landscape that is in flux and the modern tension between the commercial economy of modernity, and the rural identity that is retained from the past. We observe that rural governance is largely about land, while urban governance is largely about people. As these two cases suggest, exurban governance has to be about both issues and this tension may lead to governance that is inherently unstable.     

Evaluation of a collection of wild wheat relative Aegilops geniculata Roth and identification of potential sources for useful traits

A collection comprising 157 Aegilops geniculata accessionsoriginating from different ecogeographical regions was established atENSA-INRA, Montpellier. The accessions were studied for physiologicaltraits related to drought and heat stress and screened for resistance tobarley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) and rusts. Some accessions were alsotested for resistance to Hessian fly and cereal cyst nematodes (CCN). The study allowed to distinguish different adaptive strategies to theclimatic constraints encountered by Aegilops populations in theirregion of origin. They led to significant differences in biomass and grainproduction and should be taken into account in the utilisation of Ae.geniculata germplasm in wheat breeding programs. Two accessions withresistance to BYDV were found. Both originated from South of France. Theinterest of Ae. geniculata as a source of rust resistance was confirmedand accessions with resistance to the three rusts were identified. Highresistance against populations of Heterodera avenae and H.latipons was found in accessions from Spain, Bulgaria, Jordan and Tunisia.Sources of resistance to Hessian fly were also identified.     

Simultaneous selection for resistance to five bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases in three Andean?��?Middle American inter-gene pool common bean populations

Numerous bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases cause severe damage on roots, foliage, stem, pods, and seeds, resulting in yield and quality losses in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) worldwide. Cultivars with resistance to multiple diseases are needed to reduce these losses and dependence on pesticides for disease control. Our objective was to determine the effectiveness of simultaneous selection in the F₁ and F₂ for resistance to five diseases, namely angular leaf spot (ALS), anthracnose (ANT), bean common mosaic (BCM), common bacterial blight (CBB), and common bean rust (CBR) in three Andean x Middle American inter-gene pool double-cross populations, namely ST?=???Chocho??/??Catrachita??//G 5686/VAX 3, CN?=???DIACOL Calima??/VAX 6//A 193/G 5686, and CB?=?A 483/??Talash??//Wilkinson 2/G 5686. One hundred seventy-five F₁ plants of ST, 177 of CN, and 195 of CB and their parents were evaluated in the greenhouse using sequential inoculations with pathogens causing BCM, CBR, ALS, CBB, and ANT, in that order. Progenies of surviving F₁ plants were again evaluated in the F₂, using similar sequential inoculations. The F₄-derived F₅ breeding lines were developed using single-seed descent method. No selection was practiced for any trait in the F₃ and F₄. In the F₅, five breeding lines from ST, two from CN, and one from CB exhibited intermediate to high levels of resistance to the five diseases when compared with the parents. Thus, selection in the F₁ and F₂ was effective for simultaneous introgression of resistance to the five diseases in all three Andean?×?Middle American inter-gene pool common bean populations.