Unexpected Effects of Fungicides on Cereal Yields1

Field experiments with barley have generally shown a good relationship between disease and yield. However, in some experiments the yield response is greater than would be expected from the level of disease. In contrast, other trials have shown a reduction of yield following applications of tridemorph to spring barley. On winter wheat, trials in Germany have shown a poor relationship between disease incidence and yield following application of carbendazim or captafol at GS 30–31. About 10 96 of these responses were negative, although there was an average yield increase of 2–3 %. Similarly, in a series of trials in Britain an average yield increase of 3 % was not related to disease level. In these trials about 25 % of results showed no increase in yield. The carbendazim fungicides, and also certain others, have some cytokinin-like activity and it is possible that this is related to extended green leaf survival. Other interactions with host-cell chemistry can be envisaged. Fungicides also influence stability of the leaf microflora. By this effect they may favour diseases such as Typhula and Rhizoclonia, or else suppress secondary pathogens (Alternaria, Cladosporium) at the end of the season.     

Effect of sharp eyespot (Rhizoctonia cereatis) on yield loss in winter wheat

A single-shoot assessment method was used at 18 locations in England and Wales from 1976 to 1981 to compare the average yield of large numbers of shoots naturally infected with sharp eysspot (Rhizoctonia cerealis) with the yield of healthy shoots. Slight sharp eyespot infection had. on average, little effect on yield. Moderate infection significantly reduced yield per ear and 1000-grain weight by 5 and 4% respectively. Severe infection significantly reduced yield per ear and its components, grain number per ear and 1000-grain weight, by 26, 20 and 11% respectively. Application of the formula y = 0-05 x₁+ 0.26 x₂ (where y = percentage yield loss, X₁= percentage of moderately Infected shoots and x₂= percentage of severely infected shoots) to the results of ADAS winter wheat disease surveys from 1975 to 1982 gave estimated national yieid losses due lo sharp eyespot ranging from less than 0.1 to 0.9%. Survey results indicated that increased disease incidence and associated yield losses are associated with trends towards earlier drilling and, possibly, with increased use of carbendazimgenerating fungicides, combined with more favourable infection weather.     

Tiger,Bengal and Domestic Cat Embryos Produced by Homospecific and Interspecific Zona‐Free Nuclear Transfer

The aim of this study was to evaluate three different cloning strategies in the domestic cat (Felis silvestris) and to use the most efficient to generate wild felid embryos by interspecific cloning (iSCNT) using Bengal (a hybrid formed by the cross of Felis silvestris and Prionailurus bengalensis) and tiger (Panthera tigris) donor cells. In experiment 1, zona‐free (ZP‐free) cloning resulted in higher fusion and expanded blastocyst rates with respect to zona included cloning techniques that involved fusion or injection of the donor cell. In experiment 2, ZP‐free iSCNT and embryo aggregation (2X) were assessed. Division velocity and blastocyst rates were increased by embryo aggregation in the three species. Despite fewer tiger embryos than Bengal and cat embryos reached the blastocyst stage, Tiger 2X group increased the percentage of blastocysts with respect to Tiger 1X group (3.2% vs 12.1%, respectively). Moreover, blastocyst cell number was almost duplicated in aggregated embryos with respect to non‐aggregated ones within Bengal and tiger groups (278.3 ± 61.9 vs 516.8 ± 103.6 for Bengal 1X and Bengal 2X groups, respectively; 41 vs 220 ± 60 for Tiger 1X and Tiger 2X groups, respectively). OCT4 analysis also revealed that tiger blastocysts had higher proportion of OCT4‐positive cells with respect to Bengal blastocysts and cat intracytoplasmic sperm injection blastocysts. In conclusion, ZP‐free cloning has improved the quality of cat embryos with respect to the other cloning techniques evaluated and was successfully applied in iSCNT complemented with embryo aggregation.     

Effect of nutrient application and herbicides on root competition between green panic seedlings and a Heteropogon grassland sward

Root competition was studied between seedlings of green panic ( Panicum maximum var. trichoglume ) and Heteropogon contortus in a native grassland sward clipped regularly to a height of 5·7 cm, and to which supplementary irrigation was applied. The influence of fertilizer addition and root competition from the grassland sward on seedling growth during the 42 days following emergence was determined. Root competition was excluded by steel tubes, or eliminated by killing the native sward with herbicides.
Seedling growth was poor where neither root competition was controlled nor fertilizer was applied; at 42 days the seedlings were still less than 6 cm high with three leaves and one tiller. When root competition was controlled, either by steel tubes or herbicide, seedling growth increased significantly. Growth was greatest in the herbicide-treated plots where fertilizer was applied, seedlings at day 42 being 48 cm high with sixty-three leaves and nineteen tillers.
Competition for nutrients appeared to be the primary factor limiting seedling growth and this was largely overcome by fertilizer application. Competition for nutrients appeared to increase the fertilizer requirements of pastures oversown into live swards compared with that of pastures oversown into herbicide-treated swards.     

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—NASAL SEPTAL AND LARYNGEAL CYST‐LIKE MALFORMATIONS IN A THOROUGHBRED WEANLING COLT DIAGNOSED USING ULTRASONOGRAPHY AND MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

A foal was examined for abnormal upper airway noise. Endoscopically, there were narrowed nasal passages and an extralumenal mass of the cranial trachea. Using ultrasonography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the larynx and cranial cervical trachea, irregular margins of the laryngeal cartilages and first tracheal ring containing areas consistent with fluid were identified. In MR images, a widened nasal septum was seen that contained material consistent with fluid. Postmortem examination confirmed the diagnosis of nasal septal, laryngeal, and cranial cervical tracheal cyst‐like lesions. This is a unique congenital condition, in which premortem imaging was instrumental in defining the abnormalities.     

Principles for Sustainable Governance of the Oceans

Pressures being exerted on the ocean ecosystems through overfishing, pollution, and environmental and climate change are increasing. Six core principles are proposed to guide governance and use of ocean resources and to promote sustainability. Examples of governance structures that embody these principles are given.     

The structure of the upper atmosphere of mars: In situ accelerometer measurements from mars global surveyor

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) z-axis accelerometer has obtained over 200 vertical structures of thermospheric density, temperature, and pressure, ranging from 110 to 170 kilometers, compared to only three previous such vertical structures. In November 1997, a regional dust storm in the Southern Hemisphere triggered an unexpectedly large thermospheric response at mid-northern latitudes, increasing the altitude of thermospheric pressure surfaces there by as much as 8 kilometers and indicating a strong global thermospheric response to a regional dust storm. Throughout the MGS mission, thermospheric density bulges have been detected on opposite sides of the planet near 90 degreesE and 90 degreesW, in the vicinity of maximum terrain heights. This wave 2 pattern may be caused by topographically-forced planetary waves propagating up from the lower atmosphere.     

Comparison of tiletamine-zolazepam-ketamine and tiletamine-zolazepam-ketamine-xylazine anaesthesia in sheep

Summary The anaesthetic effects of intravenous tiletamine-zolazepam 6.6 mg/kg-ketamine 6.6 mg/kg (TK) and tiletamine-zolazepam 6.6 mg/kg-ketamine 6.6 mg/kg-xylazine 0.11 mg/kg (TKX) were evaluated in six wethers. Heart rate, respiration rate, arterial blood pressure, and the electrocardiogram were monitored during anaesthesia. Analgesia was tested by electrical stimulation in the left flank. Atropine (0.03 mg/kg) was given intramuscularly before induction, but after recording of baseline heart rate and respiratory rate. The duration of analgesia was 28.7 ± 6.9 min with TK and 82.8 ± 26.6 min with TKX. Heart rate increased significantly within 5 min after TK or TKX administration. Respiratory rate remained unchanged after TK administration, but increased significantly from 5 to 45 min after TKX administration. Arterial blood pressure decreased significantly at 15 min with TK and 30 min with TKX. Sheep remained recumbent for 201 min with TK and 166 min with TKX. All recovered uneventfully. We conclude that either TK or TKX may be used for anaesthetising sheep.     

Streptococcus suis serotypes associated with disease in weaned pigs

Streptococcus suis was recovered from 9 outbreaks of septicaemia and meningitis in weaned pigs between 1979 and 1983. Fifteen isolates from 7 outbreaks were identified as S. suis type 9, and 3 isolates from 2 outbreaks as S. suis type 2. Three further isolates of S. suis type 2 and an isolate of S. suis type 3 were recovered from cases of bronchopneumonia in weaned pigs from 4 other piggeries.