The role of “effective microorganisms” in the composting of banana (Musa ssp.) residues

“Effective microorganisms” (EM) are a poorly defined mixture of supposedly beneficial microorganisms that are claimed to enhance microbial turnover in compost and soil. In Costa Rica, EM are used to produce organic compost (bokashi) from banana residues (Musa ssp.). Given the scarcity of scientific data about the effects of EM on the mineralization of plant residues, this study aimed at investigating the effects of EM addition on the decomposition of banana residues during Bokashi production. To this end, the following non‐EM treatments were compared to EM Bokashi: Bokashi produced with water (W), with molasses (M) as an EM additive, and with sterilized EM (EMst). Subsequently, the effects of the resulting Bokashi treatments on the growth of young banana plants were evaluated. Compared with non‐EM controls, the effect of EM on the mineralization of banana material was negligible. Dry‐matter losses of the composts with different EM treatments were similar, with about 78% over 5 weeks. Ergosterol concentration was highest in EM Bokashi (77 µg (g dry soil)^–1) and lowest in EMst Bokashi (29 µg (g dry soil)^–1). Microbial biomass carbon (C_mic) and microbial biomass nitrogen (N_mic) were both lowest in EM (C_mic = 3121 µg g^–1; N_mic = 449 µg g^–1), while C_mic was highest in Bokashi produced with molasses (3892 µg g^–1) and N_mic was highest in EMst (615 µg g^–1). Treatment effects on adenylate concentrations and adenylate energy charge were negligible. Application of all Bokashi variants to young banana plants significantly increased shoot growth under greenhouse conditions compared to plants grown in a control soil without amendments. However, these effects were similar for all Bokashi treatments, even if EM Bokashi increased the K concentrations in banana leaves significantly compared to Bokashi produced with EMst and the control. Bokashi produced with only molasses and EM Bokashi decreased the number of root nematodes under greenhouse conditions compared to the control. Overall, the results confirmed the expected influence of composting on the degradation of organic material and the effect of compost application on plant growth. Hower, under the conditions of this study, EM showed no special effects in this, except for increasing the K concentrations in the leaves of young banana plants.     

Influence of measuring angle,nitrogen fertilization,and variety on spectral reflectance of winter oilseed rape canopies

A field experiment with winter oilseed rape was conducted near Göttingen (northern Germany) in the growing season 1998–99. Twelve varieties were compared at two nitrogen (N) application rates (0, 206 kg N ha^–1) regarding shoot dry matter production, shoot N content, shoot N uptake (beginning of shooting, beginning of flowering), and seed yield. Canopy reflectance was measured one week before the beginning of shooting and one week before flowering at different wavelengths between 550 and 940 nm using a spectral reflectance sensor, type FAL II. The vegetation indices red edge inflection point (RIP), soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), and normalized vegetation index (NDVI) introduced in literature as indicators of growth parameters were calculated from the reflectance values and compared with growth parameters. The results showed that the measuring angle (–45° to 45°) had a significant influence on the calculated vegetation indices. Therefore, the measuring angle should be kept constant during the measurements. Nitrogen fertilization led to an increase of all vegetation indices. The results revealed significant differences between the tested varieties, indicating problems regarding an accurate estimation of the N status of the crop. Consistent differences in the vegetation indices appeared between varieties with extremely different growth parameters. However, no general relationship between growth parameters and vegetation indices of the 12 varieties could be found. Therefore, variety‐specific calibrations are necessary. The indices RIP and SAVI resulted in similar statements and seem to be good parameters regarding N effects and variety differences, whereas NDVI could resolve variety differences in the fertilized treatments only imperfectly.     

Uncertainty analysis of a dynamic vapor sorption-fast gas chromatography-flame ionization detection method for the rapid analysis of volatile release from glassy matrices

Uncertainty analysis was conducted with a dynamic vapor sorption-fast gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (DVS-fast GC-FID) method, developed to rapidly analyze the extent of volatile release that occurs from carbohydrate glasses due to humidification and temperature increases. Triplicate samples progressed through a two-step special automatic operation method in the DVS. Samples were exposed to relative humidities ranging from 40 to 90% (in 10% increments) at 15, 25, and 35 degrees C. Uncertainty analysis shows that the DVS-fast GC-FID method uncertainty is smaller than the natural sample uncertainty, indicating that the variability in a sample's physical properties has a dominant impact on the overall uncertainty of the volatile retention results obtained using the DVS-fast GC-FID method. Uncertainty analysis also indicates that the variance associated with the mass of benzaldehyde measured by the DVS-fast GC-FID is the largest contributor to the overall benzaldehyde retention variance when the cumulative mass of benzaldehyde measured is small.     

Aeration effects on CO2, N2O,and CH4 emission and leachate composition of a forest soil

The availability of O₂ is one of the most important factors controlling the chemical and biological reactions in soils. In this study, the effects of different aeration conditions on the dynamics of the emission of trace gases (CO₂, N₂O, CH₄) and the leachate composition (NO₃^‐, DOC, Mn, Fe) were determined. The experiment was conducted with naturally structured soil columns (silty clay, Vertisol) from a well aerated forest site. The soil monoliths were incubated in a microcosm system at different O₂ concentrations (0, 0.001, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, and 0.205 m³ m^‐3 in the air flow through the headspace of the microcosms) for 85 days. Reduced O₂ availability resulted in a decreased CO₂ release but in increased N₂O emission rates. The greatest cumulative N₂O emissions (= 1.6 g N₂O‐N m^‐2) were observed at intermediate O₂ concentrations (0.005 and 0.01 m³ m^‐3) when both nitrification and denitrification occurred simultaneously in the soil. Cumulative N₂O emissions were smallest (= 0.05 g N₂O‐N m^‐2) for the aeration with ambient air (O₂ concentration: 0.205 m³ m^‐3), although nitrate availability was greatest in this treatment. The emission of CH₄ and leaching of Mn and Fe were restricted to the soil columns incubated under completely anoxic conditions. The sequence of the reduction processes under completely anoxic conditions complied with the thermodynamic theory: soil nitrate was reduced first, followed by the reduction of Mn(IV) and Fe(III) and finally CO₂ was reduced to CH₄. The re‐aeration of the soil columns after 85 days of anoxic incubation terminated the production of CH₄ and dissolved Fe and Mn in the soil but strongly increased the emission rates of CO₂ and N₂O and the leaching of NO₃^‐ probably because of the accumulation of DOC and NH₄⁺ during the previous anoxic period.     

Priming negatively affects feeding behaviour and aphid biomass of Rhopalosiphum padi on barley

Plants have developed numerous strategies for responding to abiotic and biotic stresses. In particular, the microbiota surrounding plants may have a positive effect on plant stress responses. One is the reaction to rhizobacteria, which can lead to induced systemic resistance. Gram-negative soil bacteria that produce N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHL), for example, Ensifer meliloti, induce a primed state in plants that is part of the inducible resistance phenomenon. Observing Rhopalosiphum padi feeding behaviour on a priming sensitive barley genotype, treated with the AHL-producing E. meliloti strain expR?+?ch, using electrical penetration graph technique showed decreased ingestion of food. Aphids appear to overcome this effect within the eight-hour observation period, possibly explaining the absence of differences of reproduction. Reproduction was observed for a period of 14 days on primed and control-treated plants. Long-term observations over a period of 40 days after aphid infestation showed a lower aphid biomass in contrast to a control group, interpreted as delayed population growth, and an increase in the biomass of barley plants. Priming-related genotypic effects of the defence response to aphids were observed, with no beneficial effects on the plant genotype when its sensitivity to priming was low. Previously, an AHL-priming sensitive barley genotype showed enhanced resistance against fungi when primed with the expR?+?ch strain of E. meliloti. The present study reports the same effect against R. padi. These findings suggest that sensitivity to AHL-priming may represent a new approach for plant breeding, targeting multiple pests in parallel by induced plant resistance.

     

Partial replacement of rock phosphate by sewage sludge ash for the production of superphosphate fertilizers

Thermal utilization of sewage sludge through mono‐incineration or gasification results in phosphorus (P) rich sewage sludge ash (SSA) that must be returned to agricultural production systems to fulfill the need for recycling of P resources contained in wastewater streams. As the plant‐availability of P contained in SSA is low, we propose feeding SSA directly into the production of superphosphate fertilizers, thereby opening a further pathway for the recycling of phosphorus (P) from wastewater streams to agricultural production systems by using available technologies. We carried out laboratory‐scale production of superphosphate test‐products, in which rock phosphate (RP) was partially replaced with SSA (gasification) before digestion with concentrated sulfuric acid, and evaluated these products with regard to the solubility of P in H₂O and neutral ammoniumcitrate solution. We further carried out a growth‐chamber experiment (28 d) using maize (Zea mays L. cv. Sulano) as a model plant on a low P (0.4 mg P_CAL 100g^?1), high pH (7.6) substrate to evaluate plant P availability of the test products. Our laboratory‐scale results show that at least 8% of P from RP can be replaced by P from SSA while maintaining both the high solubility of P in the fertilizer product and the growth of maize compared to pure RP digested with concentrated sulfuric acid. Further substitution of RP through SSA decreased the total P concentration of the test products, as well as the relative amounts of P soluble in H₂O and neutral ammoniumcitrate solution, which affected early plant development of maize.     

Evaluation of a serological test (indirect ELISA) for the diagnosis of sarcoptic mange in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Sarcoptic mange occurs in many parts of the world and is common in populations of domestic and wild canids, including red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). In recent years, an indirect antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), with higher sensitivity and specificity than traditional diagnostic methods, has been successfully applied in the diagnosis of sarcoptic mange in dogs. The same ELISA has also demonstrated specific antibodies to Sarcoptes scabiei in experimentally infected red foxes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the indirect ELISA when used to detect antibodies to S. scabiei in field sera from Swedish red foxes. One cohort of both infected and non-infected red foxes (cohort 1; n = 88), and one cohort of apparently non-infected foxes (cohort 2; n = 67) were examined for skin lesions and presence of S. scabiei by thorough visual examination at autopsy and skin scrapings. Samples of blood-tinted body liquid from the abdomen or thorax cavity were collected and analysed by the indirect ELISA. The relative sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA at different cut-offs (OD values) were estimated by comparing the test results to the infection status as determined by examination and skin scrapings. The highest combination of relative sensitivity and specificity, calculated based on cohort 1, was 95.4 and 100.0%, respectively. These estimates were constant for cut-offs 0.150-0.225, which included the cut-off based on the mean plus three standard deviations of test results from cohort 2 (0.165). It is concluded that this test can be useful in diagnosis and epidemiological studies of S. scabiei infection in red foxes.     

Anticholinergic medication in the dog before and during anesthesia

In clinical studies in dogs of all categories of age, which were predicted for surgical purposes under a combination anaesthesia with Fluanisone/Fentanyl/Nitrous oxide/Halothane, investigations after treatment with atropine or glycopyrrolate were performed. In experimental studies investigations about heart-rate and heart work (rate-pressure-product RPP) under different injection anaesthesia-methods (Fluanisone/Fentanyl/Metomidate, Climazolam/Fentanyl, Xylazine/l-Methadone) are performed. In the clinical studies many of the dogs produce elevated heart-rates after anticholinergic premedication. After special indicated treatment of dysrhythmias with glycopyrrolate or atropine in all cases normorhythmia can be achieved. An increase in heart rate during awaking time can be seen in non premedicated as well as in anticholinergic treated animals for a short period of time. In the experimental studies the anticholinergic treatment leads to increased heart rate and/or elevated arterial pressure, which produce an enormous increase in the rate pressure product and oxygen consumption. In conclusion a general anticholinergic premedication can not be recommended. Its use should be special indicated for bradycardia and/or dysrhythmias in the sense of AV-conduction disturbances.     

Nuclear gene indicates coat-color polymorphism in mammoths

By amplifying the melanocortin type 1 receptor from the woolly mammoth, we can report the complete nucleotide sequence of a nuclear-encoded gene from an extinct species. We found two alleles and show that one allele produces a functional protein whereas the other one encodes a protein with strongly reduced activity. This finding suggests that mammoths may have been polymorphic in coat color, with both dark- and light-haired individuals co-occurring.     

Microscopic detection of Leptospira bacterial organisms in urine sediment from a young dog with leptospirosis and a review of the pathobiology and diagnosis of canine leptospirosis

Samples collected from an 11-month-old Dachshund-mix dog with a history of acute azotemia, fever, and enlarged and irregular kidneys were received at the Colorado State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (CSU VDL). The submitting veterinarians were concerned about lymphoma versus acute nephritis/pyelonephritis. The CSU clinical pathology laboratory received urine for urinalysis and kidney aspirates for cytologic evaluation. Urine had also been submitted for aerobic culture and Leptospirosis PCR, and serum was submitted for Lepto-5 microscopic agglutination testing (MAT). Upon examination of a wet mount of the urine sediment, technical staff noted “vibrating” clumps of granular-appearing material throughout the slide, which prompted the preparation of a stained sediment slide for pathologist review. Very small, faintly staining organisms were observed, and an attempt was made to picture-match these with published reports of Leptospira in dog urine, but none could be found. In addition, some references claimed that Leptospira organisms are not seen in urine with light microscopy. The suspicion that these organisms were Leptospira sp. was supported by the MAT results and later confirmed by PCR. The organisms subsequently exhibited strong positive immunolabeling for the Leptospira antigen. This case report provides a searchable record of Leptospira organisms visualized by routine light microscopy in dog urine during natural infection and a review of canine leptospirosis pathobiology and diagnosis.