Skin surface lipids and skin and hair coat condition in dogs fed increased total fat diets containing polyunsaturated fatty acids

It is generally believed that diets containing increased amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) result in improved canine skin and hair coat (SHC). However, the extent to which dietary fat amount and type play a role remains to be systematically investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of both increased dietary fat amount and type on SHC assessments of dogs. Improvements of SHC conditions were investigated after feeding three diets containing increased total dietary fat (i.e. 13% total fat) for 12 weeks in relation to a lower fat acclimation diet (i.e. 9% total fat). The higher fat diets varied in polyunsaturated and saturated fat types and amounts but total fat was kept constant. Skin and hair coat assessments were performed at selected intervals by a trained group of veterinarians and graduate students. In addition, hair lipids were fractionated by thin layer chromatography after extraction of plucked hair samples. Significant improvements were found in hair coat glossiness and softness in all dogs fed the higher fat diets in relation to the acclimation diet. Improvements as a result of fat type were also seen but only at 12 weeks. A parallel finding was a marked increase in hair cholesteryl ester content determined at the end of the study at which time SHC scores were significantly improved. Skin and hair coat condition improvements may thus be related to increased cholesteryl ester deposited on the hair shaft surface when high fat diets are fed. Whereas this finding is preliminary, hair lipid analysis may be a useful, non-invasive technique with which to help assess dietary effects on canine SHC.     

Towards a resistance management strategy for Helicoverpa armigera in Bt-cotton in northwestern China: an assessment of potential refuge crops

Transgenic Bt-cotton now dominates the cotton-growing belt in northwestern China where there are few natural plant refuges to act as sources of moths susceptible to Bt toxin. As an initial step towards developing an insect resistance management (IRM) plan for the pest moth, Helicoverpa armigera, on Bt-cotton in this part of China, we assessed the potential of six crops grown in two configurations to act as refuge hosts for susceptible moth production in both broad-acre and small-holder farms. Egg and larval abundance indicated that H. armigera had a preference for chickpea, pigeon pea, and corn, over cotton, sorghum, and benne (sesame). There were no significant differences in egg or larval abundance between plot and strip configurations of these crop hosts. We found that sorghum was not attractive to H. armigera, contrary to the findings in other cotton production areas. Moreover, chickpea, pigeon pea, and corn were determined to be potential refuge hosts based on egg and larval abundance over the growing season. From the adult moth population dynamics in broad-acre and small-holder farms, the efficiency of alternative refuge crops, and local agricultural practices, we recommend that spring corn be grown as a strip crop as part of an IRM strategy to improve the probability of Bt-susceptible moth production and mating with resistant moths in broad-acre farms. In small-holder farms where current agricultural practices are entrenched, wheat and summer corn should be evaluated as refuge crops in the future.     

Elevated parathyroid hormone-related protein and hypercalcemia in two dogs with schistosomiasis.

Two adult dogs were evaluated for hypercalcemia. Diagnostic evaluation identified elevated parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) and presumptive humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy. At necropsy, schistosomiasis was diagnosed. North American schistosomiasis is caused by Heterobilharzia americana. Clinical findings may include dermatitis, coughing, diarrhea, and anorexia. Clinicopathological findings may include hypercalcemia, hyperglobulinemia, hypoalbuminemia, anemia, and eosinophilia. Diagnosis by fecal examination is difficult. Praziquantel or fenbendazole treatment may be curative or palliative. These are the first reported cases of hypercalcemia with elevated PTHrP in animals without diagnosed malignancy. Elevation of PTHrP has not been previously reported in hypercalcemic humans or in animals with granulomatous inflammation.     

Helicoverpa armigera preference and performance on three cultivars of short-duration pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan): the importance of whole plant assays

BACKGROUND

Helicoverpa armigera is a major pest of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan). Efforts to develop pigeonpea varieties resistant to H. armigera attack have been met with limited success, despite reports of high levels of resistance to H. armigera in wild relatives of pigeonpea and reports of low to moderate levels of resistance in cultivated varieties. Here we examined H. armigera oviposition preference and larval performance on whole plants of three cultivars of short-duration pigeonpea: a susceptible control (ICPL 87) and two cultivars with purported host–plant resistance (ICPL 86012 and ICPL 88039).

RESULTS

In our no-choice oviposition experiment, H. armigera laid similar numbers of eggs on all three cultivars tested, but under choice conditions moths laid slightly more eggs on ICPL 88039. Larval growth and development were affected by cultivar, and larvae grew to the largest size (weight) and developed fastest on ICPL 86012. Moths laid most of their eggs on floral structures, sites where subsequent early instar larvae overwhelmingly fed. Experimentally placing neonate larvae at different locations on plants demonstrated that larvae placed on flowers experienced greater survival, faster development, and greater weight gain than those placed on leaves. The type and density of trichomes (a potential resistance trait) differed among cultivars and plant structures, but larvae selected to feed at sites where trichomes were absent.

CONCLUSION

Future work examining host–plant resistance against H. armigera should incorporate the behavioural preference of moths and larvae in experiments using whole plants as opposed to bioassays of excised plant parts in Petri dishes. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Influence of food supplementation on the fitness of two biological control agents: a predatory nabid bug and a bollworm pupal parasitoid

Many arthropod predators and parasitoids exhibit either stage-specific or lifetime omnivory, in that they include extra-floral nectar, floral nectar, honeydew or pollen in their immature and/or adult diet. Access to these plant-derived foods can enhance pest suppression by increasing both the individual fitness and local density of natural enemies. Commercial products such as Amino-Feed^®, Envirofeast^®, and Pred-Feed^® can be applied to crops to act as artificial-plant-derived foods. In laboratory and glasshouse experiments we examined the influence of carbohydrate and protein rich Amino-Feed UV^® or Amino-Feed, respectively, on the fitness of a predatory nabid bug Nabis kinbergii Reuter (Hemiptera: Nabidae) and bollworm pupal parasitoid Ichneumon promissorius (Erichson) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). Under the chosen conditions, the provision of either wet or dry residues of Amino-Feed UV had no discernable effect on immediate or longer-term survival and immature development times of N. kinbergii. In contrast, the provision of honey, Amino-Feed plus extrafloral nectar, and extrafloral nectar alone had a marked effect on the longevity of I. promissorius, indicating that they were limited by at least carbohydrates as an energy source, but probably not protein. Compared with a water only diet, the provision of Amino-Feed plus extrafloral nectar increased the longevity of males and females of I. promissorius by 3.0- and 2.4-fold, respectively. Not only did female parasitoids live longer when provided food, but the total number of eggs laid and timing of deposition was affected by diet under the chosen conditions. Notably, females in the water and honey treatments deposited greater numbers of eggs earlier in the trial, but this trend was unable to be sustained over their lifetime. Egg numbers in these treatments subsequently fell below the levels achieved by females in the Amino-Feed plus extrafloral nectar and cotton extrafloral nectar only treatments. Furthermore, there were times when the inclusion of the Amino-Feed was beneficial compared with cotton extrafloral nectar only. Artificial food supplements and plant-derived foods are worthy of further investigation because they have potential to improve the ecosystem service of biological pest control in targeted agroecosystems by providing natural enemies with an alternative source of nutrition, particularly during periods of prey/host scarcity.     

Effects of rice and rye straw extracts on the growth of a cyanobacterium, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcystis aeruginosa</Emphasis>

This study investigated the effect of extracts with time (a range of extraction periods: 0.2 days to maximum 150 days) of rice and rye straw on the growth of Microcystis aeruginosa (a cyanobacterium). The effect was assessed by an effective concentration 50 (EC₅₀) of extracts measured by a carbon (C) content, when 50% normalized maximum growth yield (50% inhibition effect) of M. aeruginosa occurred. We found that extracts of rice and rye straw inhibited the growth of M. aeruginosa. Extracts from the earliest incubation phase (0.2 days) for rice straw and the 40-day extract for rye straw showed the most inhibitive EC₅₀ value of 28.0 mg C L^?1 and 18.9 mg C L^?1, respectively. The inhibition effect was positively related to the extraction period of the rye straw, but inversely of the rice straw. Our results suggested that the long-term decomposition of extracts during straw extraction be linked with the formation of allelochemicals. These results provided information on how allelochemicals derived from agricultural by-products affect algal growth in aquatic ecosystems.     

Genetic Diversity and Redundancy Among Potato Accessions in the Montenegrin Collection as Revealed by Microsatellite Markers

Potato was introduced in Montenegro in the middle of the eighteenth century. Since then it has become the most important crop in plant production. During the period between 2008 and 2010 a total of 52 potato accessions was collected across Montenegro and stored in a national gene bank. In the study reported here 23 accessions from the collection were examined using microsatellite (also known as simple sequence repeats or SSRs) molecular markers with the aim to explore genetic diversity and redundancy within the germplasm. The accessions were selected on the basis of preliminary characterization of all 52 accessions for 11 lightsprout traits. Molecular characterization of 23 accessions by 12 SSR markers was carried out at SASA (Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture) that manages a database of more than 3000 genetic profiles of potato from Europe and abroad. Comparison of SSR genetic profiles of Montenegrin collection against the existing SASA database allowed us to test the authenticity of the Montenegrin accessions. Out of the 23 accessions examined, 13 showed distinct genetic profiles of which seven showed perfect matching with known cultivars, two profiles showed strong similarity to another two cultivars, and four profiles were found unique with regards to the SASA database. Application of microsatellite markers in this study provided valuable information on the extent of genetic diversity residing within Montenegrin potato germplasm; it gave clear indications of the scale of redundancy within the collection; and helped clarify the identity of the accessions. Four accessions within the collection might incorporate unique variation and will be subjected to further agronomical examinations to assess their potential for breeding purposes.     

Results of the long-term field experiment IOSDV Jable at the beginning of the 21st century

The impact of organic fertilization and the level of mineral nitrogen fertilization on organic nitrogen and humus balance was studied in a long-term field experiment IOSDV Jable in central Slovenia (sub-Alpine climate, average annual precipitations 1345 mm, average annual temperature 9.5°C, heavy hydromorphic silty loam, umbric Planosols). During the period 1993–2010, precipitation increased significantly at an average rate of 19 mm a^?1; over the same period, average annual temperature increased by 0.025°C (l.f.). The increase in annual precipitation had a negative impact on the yield of all crops (maize, wheat and oats). Increases in mineral N rate led to increased yields. At the highest mineral nitrogen rate, farmyard manure (FYM) did not have a positive impact on yield in the investigated crops, although there was a positive effect of straw incorporation on the yield of maize and oats, and a negative impact on the yield of winter wheat. The organic carbon (Corg) level in the soil increased for all treatments, including FYM or straw and mineral N fertilization. The N content in the soil decreased in the treatment with no organic fertilization and no mineral N, and in the treatment with straw and no mineral N. Corg was increased in treatments with organic fertilization and the highest N rates and remained the same in treatments with moderate N fertilization. All C balances were negative.     

Tilapia wild spawning control through predator fishes: Israelitrial with red-drum and hybrid bass

Tilapia wild spawning is a nuisance in warm freshwater aquaculture growout ponds. To cope with this problem two experiments were carried out with predatory fish that do not reproduce in fresh water. One experiment tested the capacity of hybrid bass (Morone saxatilis × M. chrysops) and red-drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) as predators of wild spawning of hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus × O.aureus), and the other compared predation effectiveness of red-drum of different sizes and stocking densities.Both hybrid bass and red-drum effectively reduced tilapia wild spawning and improved by 15–20% tilapia performance and food conversion ratio. These effects were obtained stocking small red-drum (20 g) or large red-drum (60–80 g) or bass (135 g) at stocking densities of 500–1000 predators/ha, together with 15000 tilapia/ha of 65–75 g. Hybrid bass stocked at 750/ha and large red-drum stocked at 500/ha presented over 90% survival. Red-drum at higher stocking density and/or lower stocking weight presented reduced survival (40–60%). Red-drum of all examined stocking weights presented better growth rates when stocked at 500/ha than at higher densities.