Differential reactivity of bovine lymphocytes to species of Brucella

The reactivity of bovine lymphocytes to 4 species of Brucella was tested in thymidine-uptake assays, using long-term cultured lymphocytes and freshly obtained blood mononuclear cells. Lymphocytes were taken from cows that had been challenge exposed with a virulent strain of B abortus at midgestation. The cows were classified retrospectively as being naturally resistant or susceptible to brucellosis. Lymphocytes taken from these cows had 3 patterns of reactivity with species of Brucella: pattern 1 was defined by reactivity with 4 species (B abortus, B canis, B suis, and B melitensis); pattern 2 was defined by reactivity with all these species, except B melitensis; pattern 3 was defined by reactivity with B abortus and B canis, but not with B suis or B melitensis. There was a statistically significant correlation between susceptibility to brucellosis and expression of lymphocyte cross-reactivity with B suis (P less than 0.01) and with B melitensis (P less than 0.001).     

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Normal Canine Larynx

The purpose of this study was to define the normal anatomic structures in the canine larynx with magnetic resonance images. TI-weighted images were taken in the sagittal and transverse planes. The MR images were obtained comparing MR images to dissection planes. Magnetic resonance imaging provides excellent anatomic detail of laryngeal structures. Therefore, it is of value for diagnostic imaging of some respiratory diseases in the dog.     

Phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere and its relation to the depletion of soil organic phosphorus

Summary The distribution of phosphatase activity and of phosphate fractions of the soil in the proximity of roots was studied in order to evaluate the significance of phosphatases in P nutrition of various plants (Brassica oleracea, Allium cepa, Triticum aestivum, Trifolium alexandrinum). A considerable increase in both acid and alkaline phosphatase activity in all the four soil-root interfaces was observed. Maximum distances from the root surface at which activity increases were observed ranged from 2.0 mm to 3.1 mm for acid phosphatase and from 1.2 mm to 1.6 mm for alkaline phosphatase. The increase in phosphatase activity depended upon plant age, plant species and soil type. A significant correlation was noticed between the depletion of organic P and phosphatase activity in the rhizosphere soil of wheat (r = 0.99^**) and clover (r = 0.97^**). The maximum organic P depletion was 65% in clover and 86% in wheat, which was observed within a distance from the root of 0.8 mm in clover and 1.5 mm in wheat. Both the phosphatases in combination appear to be responsible for the depletion of organic P.     

Spatial Modeling of Tropical Deforestation Using Socioeconomic and Biophysical Data

Tropical forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. In Central America, a hectare of forest is cleared for agriculture every 5 min. This study was conducted in a forested 4,000 ha watershed of central Honduras to find deforestation causes based on socio-economic characteristics of population. First, a multitemporal analysis of Landsat TM imagery was conducted to determine deforestation rates and agricultural–forest boundaries. A GIS buffer procedure allowed determining which households were at the deforestation front and which households were located at the rest of the area (control). GIS techniques were used to extract biophysical information such as slope, elevation, land cover, temperature, precipitation, etc. Then, we set up a data base with more than 50 socioeconomic variables (level of education, income, children per family, major economic activity, use of conservation practices, etc.). Around 500 households, distributed all over the watershed, were visited, interviewed and GPS-located. A multivariate statistical analysis allowed an exploratory analysis to eliminate non useful and redundant variables and then to determine what variables appear to be important predictors of deforestation behavior among rural families. A resulting logistic regression model showed that household with lower annual income heads and with less use of conservation practices were more statistically prone to clear the forest (α = 0.001). The study uncovered the complexity of this problem and confirmed the need of using GIS–remote sensing techniques to combine socioeconomic and environmental data in several time–space dimensions to find the causes and trends of tropical deforestation.     

Insect Pests and Mites

Abstract

Weeds are major components of agro-ecosystems and they affect the biology of pests and beneficial insects in several ways; provision of flowers, presence of neutral insects, modification of crop microclimate, production of chemical stimulus, alteration of colonisation background, etc. The more relevant beneficial crop–weed–insect interactions are discussed. The role of weeds in regulating pest populations is illustrated by studies on bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cropping systems, in which chemical interactions between Empoasca kraemeri Ross &; Moore and two grass weeds were identified. It is proposed to continue and develop this kind of research in order to incorporate weeds into pest control strategies.     

The southern route "out of Africa": evidence for an early expansion of modern humans into Arabia

The timing of the dispersal of anatomically modern humans (AMH) out of Africa is a fundamental question in human evolutionary studies. Existing data suggest a rapid coastal exodus via the Indian Ocean rim around 60,000 years ago. We present evidence from Jebel Faya, United Arab Emirates, demonstrating human presence in eastern Arabia during the last interglacial. The tool kit found at Jebel Faya has affinities to the late Middle Stone Age in northeast Africa, indicating that technological innovation was not necessary to facilitate migration into Arabia. Instead, we propose that low eustatic sea level and increased rainfall during the transition between marine isotope stages 6 and 5 allowed humans to populate Arabia. This evidence implies that AMH may have been present in South Asia before the Toba eruption.     

Citrus Black Rot is Caused by Phylogenetically Distinct Lineages of Alternaria alternata

ABSTRACT Phylogenetic analysis revealed that isolates of Alternaria alternata causing black rot of citrus were associated with six well-supported evolutionary lineages. Isolates recovered from brown spot lesions on Minneola tangelo, leaf spot lesions on rough lemon, and healthy citrus tissue and noncitrus hosts were related closely to isolates from black-rotted fruit. Phylogenies estimated independently from DNA sequence data from an endopolygalacturonase gene (endoPG) and two anonymous regions of the genome (OPA1-3 and OPA2-1) had similar topologies, and phylogenetic analysis was performed on the combined data set. In the combined phylogeny, isolates from diverse ecological niches on citrus and noncitrus hosts were distributed in eight clades. Isolates from all lineages, regardless of ecological or host association, caused black rot in fruit inoculation assays, demonstrating that small-spored Alternaria isolates associated with different ecological niches on citrus and other plant hosts are potential black rot pathogens. These data also indicated that the fungi associated with black-rotted fruit do not form a natural evolutionary group distinct from other Alternaria pathogens and saprophytes associated with citrus. The use of the name A. citri to describe fungi associated with citrus black rot is not justified and it is proposed that citrus black rot fungi be referred to as A. alternata.     

Genetic diversity and relatedness estimates for captive barramundi (Lates calcarifer,Bloch) broodstock informs efforts to form a base population for selective breeding

Aquaculture of barramundi or Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) is growing in both Australia and Southeast Asia and there is substantial interest to improve production efficiency through selective breeding. The establishment of a large and genetically diverse base population is a prerequisite for a sustainable and long‐term productive breeding program. Before selective breeding programs can begin for Australian barramundi it is important to assess the overall genetic diversity of current captive broodstock populations. To address this question, 407 captive barramundi broodstock from eight separate Australian broodstock populations were genotyped using 16 polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers. A Bayesian STRUCTURE analysis indicated that captive Australian broodstock are broadly divided into two genetic stocks. Multivariate analysis between broodstock individuals and pairwise F_ST between broodstock populations also supported the existence of two stocks. Comparisons with data obtained from natural stocks suggested that hatchery individuals were either sourced from the two stocks or represented an admixture between them. Genetic diversity was low within each broodstock population (allelic richness ranged from 2.67 to 3.42 and heterozygosity ranged from 0.453 to 0.537) and relatedness estimates within hatcheries were generally low (average r was equal to 0.141). We recommend sourcing captive individuals according to high levels of neutral genetic diversity and low levels of relatedness for the establishment of a base population. We also make recommendations about including genetically diverse wild individuals.     

The importance of non‐penetrated papillae formation in the resistance response of triticale to powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis)

Triticale is the intergeneric hybrid between wheat and rye. With the expansion of the triticale growing area, powdery mildew has emerged and become a significant disease on this new host. Recent research demonstrated that this ‘new’ powdery mildew on triticale has emerged through a host range expansion of powdery mildew of wheat. Moreover, isolates sampled from triticale still infect their previous host, wheat, but isolates sampled from wheat hardly infect triticale. Race‐specific and adult‐plant resistance have been identified in triticale cultivars. The main objective of this study was to characterize the cellular basis of powdery mildew resistance in triticale. Commonalities with resistance responses in other cereals such as wheat, barley and oat are discussed. A detailed comparative histological study of various resistance responses during cross‐inoculation of either virulent or avirulent wheat and triticale isolates on both hosts was carried out. The present data provide evidence that for incompatible interactions, the formation of non‐penetrated papillae is the predominant resistance response, while the hypersensitive response (HR) acts as a second line of defence, to cut the fungus off from nutrients, if penetration resistance fails. It is not clear yet what causes the slower growth and reduced colony size of triticale isolates when inoculated on wheat. Possibly, post‐penetration resistance mechanisms, other than HR, are switched on during these (semi‐) compatible interactions. Molecular studies on gene expression and gene function of defence‐related genes might reveal further insights into the genetic basis of these resistance responses.