Simultaneous temporal progress of sorghum anthracnose and leaf blight in crop mixtures with disparate patterns

Field studies were conducted at Alupe in western Kenya in 1995 and 1996 to evaluate the efficacy of crop and species mixtures for the management of sorghum anthracnose (caused by Colletotrichum sublineolum) and leaf blight (caused by Exserohilum turcicum). The progress of these diseases developing simultaneously on a susceptible sorghum cultivar planted in inter- or intra-row mixtures of varying proportions with either maize or resistant sorghum was monitored. The effects of host type and mixture patterns on disease progress were compared by parameter estimates derived from fitted Lotka-Volterra competition equations and nonlinear logistic models. Competition coefficients were not significant and their confidence intervals included zero in most cases, suggesting that interactions between C. sublineolum and E. turcicum did not occur. Mixtures of the susceptible sorghum with either the nonhost maize or the resistant sorghum delayed the time when disease is first observed and reduced the rate of disease progress and carrying capacity for both anthracnose and leaf blight, with a more pronounced effect on the latter disease. The lower efficacy of mixtures in reducing anthracnose was attributed to an aggregated spatial pattern, coupled with higher rates of progress for this disease. Intra-row mixtures were more efficient than inter-row mixtures in reducing disease development in all years. The implications of these observations for the management of sorghum diseases under small-scale farming systems are discussed.     

Regulation of urease production in soil by microbial assimilation of nitrogen

Summary Studies of the effects of different forms of N on urease production in soils amended with organic C showed that although microbial activity, as measured by CO₂ production, was stimulated by the addition of NH₄ ⁺ or NO₃ ^- to C-amended soils (200 mol glucose-C g^–1 soil), urease production was repressed by these forms of N. The addition of L-methionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of inorganic N assimilation by microorganisms, relieved the NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^- repression of urease production in C-amended soil. The addition of sodium chlorate, an inhibitor of NO₃ ^- reduction to NH₄ ⁺ by microorganisms, relieved the NO₃ ^- repression of urease production, but did not eliminate the repression associated with NH₄ ⁺. These observations indicate that microbial production of urease in C-amended soils is not directly repressed by NH₄ ⁺ or NO₃ ^-, but by products formed by microbial assimilation of these forms of N. This conclusion is supported by our finding that the biologically active L-isomers of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartate, and glutamine, repressed urease production in C-amended soil, whereas the D-isomers of these amino acids had little or no influence on urease production. This work suggests that urease synthesis by soil microorganisms is controlled by the global N regulon.     

Survey of internal parasites in Western Australian pig herds. 1. Prevalence

Between September 1982 and March 1984, 101 Western Australian piggeries with 15 or more sows were surveyed to determine the prevalence of internal parasites and examine the relationship between parasitism and management practices. Faecal samples were collected from 20 pigs in 4 age groups in randomly selected piggeries, and examined for the presence of eggs of helminth parasites and protozoan cysts. Evidence of nematode parasites was found in 79% of piggeries. Sows were more commonly affected than other classes of pigs with worm eggs being found in 68% of herds. Oesophagostomum spp was the most prevalent worm species, being found in pigs from 65% of piggeries and in sows in 60% of herds. Ascaris suum was the most common species of worm found in growing pigs. There was no evidence of infection with either Metastrongylus spp or Strongyloides spp in any of the herds sampled. Oocysts of coccidia were found in pigs from 56% of piggeries and Balantidium coli cysts were detected in pigs from 42% of piggeries sampled.     

Effect of oxytocin on expression of cytosolic phospholipase A2 mRNA and protein in ovine endometrial tissue in vivo

The induction of endometrial prostaglandin (PG) F₂ synthesis by oxytocin is dependent upon activation of phospholipase (PL) A₂ and mobilization of arachidonic acid. The objective of this study was to determine if oxytocin stimulates PGF₂ synthesis by inducing synthesis of cytosolic PLA₂ (cPLA₂). In Experiment 1, 15 ovariectomized ewes were given progesterone and estradiol to simulate an estrous cycle. Ewes were then given an injection of oxytocin on Day 14 of the simulated estrous cycle. Jugular blood samples were collected and assayed for 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F₂ (PGFM). Uteri were collected at 0, 7.5, 25, 90, or 240 min postinjection (n = 3 ewes/time point). Total RNA was isolated from caruncular endometrium and subjected to dot-blot analysis. Oxytocin induced a rapid and transient increase in serum PGFM (P < 0.01). However, endometrial concentrations of cPLA2 mRNA did not change following oxytocin administration (P > 0.10). In Experiment 2, 11 ovary-intact ewes were given oxytocin (n = 5) or saline (n = 6) on Day 15 after estrus. Jugular blood samples were collected and assayed for serum concentrations of PGFM. Uteri were collected at 15 min postinjection. Homogenates were prepared from caruncular endometrium and subjected to Western blot analysis. Concentrations of PGFM were higher in oxytocin treated ewes compared to saline treated ewes at 15 min postinjection (P < 0.01). Endometrial concentrations of cPLA₂ protein were greater in the cytosolic than in the microsomal fraction (P < 0.01). Oxytocin did not affect the amount of cPLA₂ protein in either fraction (P > 0.10). In conclusion, oxytocin did not effect expression of either cPLA₂ mRNA or protein in ovine endometrium. Oxytocin may stimulate PGF₂ synthesis by activating cPLA₂ protein that is already present in an inactive form.     

Low concentrations of zearalenone in diets of boars for a prolonged period of time

Thirty-two boars were fed diets containing 0, 3, 6 or 9 ppm zearalenone from 32 d of age up to 145 or 312 d of age. Rate of gain, feed intake and gain:feed were not significantly different among treatments. Feeding of diets containing 9 ppm zearalenone did not affect the libido in seven boars. There was a tendency for boars fed 9 ppm dietary zearalenone to produce lower total and gel free volumes of semen, with lower total motile sperm; however, only the percent motility of the sperm was reduced (P less than .05).     

Relationship between level of forage intake,blood flow and oxygen consumption by splanchnic tissues of sheep fed a tropical grass forage

Four Polwarth castrated male sheep (42 ± 4.4 kg live weight (LW) surgically implanted with chronic indwelling catheters into the mesenteric, portal and hepatic veins, housed in metabolism cages and offered Cynodon sp. hay at rates (g of dry matter (DM)/kg LW) of 7, 14, 21 or ad libitum, were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square experiment to evaluate the effect of the level of forage intake on blood flow and oxygen consumption by the portal‐drained viscera (PDV), liver and total splanchnic tissues (ST). The portal blood flow and the oxygen consumption by PDV linearly increased at increased organic matter (OM) intake. No effect of level of OM intake was obtained for the hepatic artery blood flow and oxygen consumption by liver. As a consequence, the level of OM intake only tended to directly affect hepatic blood flow and oxygen consumption by total ST. Oxygen consumption was linearly and positively related to blood flow across PDV, liver and total ST. The heat production by PDV and total ST, as proportion of metabolizable energy (ME) intake, decreased curvilinearly at increased ME intake. In conclusion, the oxygen consumption by PDV, but not by liver, was directly related to the level of forage intake by sheep. Moreover, when ingested at levels below maintenance, most of ME was spent as heat produced by ST.