Selective modification of clay minerals for the adsorption of herbicides widely used in olive groves

Ground and surface water contamination by herbicides applied to olive groves in Spain and other Mediterranean countries is demanding strategies to prevent and remediate the environmental problems repeatedly caused by such herbicides. In this study, six different organic cations (L-carnitine, spermine, hexadimethrine, tyramine, phenyltrimethylammonium, and hexadecyltrimethylammonium) were incorporated into Na-rich Wyoming montmorillonite (SWy-2) and Ca-rich Arizona montmorillonite (SAz-1) at two different loadings (50% and 100% of the cation exchange capacity of the clays) as a strategy to enhance the affinity of the clay minerals for three herbicides widely used in olive groves: terbuthylazine, diuron, and MCPA. The modified montmorillonites were characterized and tested as adsorbents of the herbicides through batch adsorption tests. At the experimental conditions used, some of the modified montmorillonites removed more than 95% of the herbicide initially present in aqueous solution, whereas the unmodified clays removed less than 15%. All three herbicides displayed very strong affinities for SAz-1 exchanged with hexadecyltrimethylammonium cations, particularly when these were incorporated at 100% of the cation exchange capacity of the clay mineral. Terbuthylazine and diuron also displayed very strong affinities for SWy-2 exchanged with L-carnitine and spermine, respectively. The chemical characteristics of the organic cation greatly influenced the adsorptive properties of the resultant organoclay. The herbicides were in general reversibly adsorbed by the modified clays. The results indicate that some of the tested modified clays could be suitable for the removal of the assayed herbicides from contaminated water and also as possible supports for the design of slow release formulations of such herbicides to attenuate their environmental impact when used in high-risk scenarios such as olive groves.     

Effects of agricultural practices on color, carotenoids composition, and minerals contents of sweet peppers, cv. Almuden

Consumers demand organic products because they believe they are more flavorful and respectful to the environment and human health. The effects of conventional, integrated, and organic farming, grown in a controlled greenhouse, on color, minerals, and carotenoids of sweet pepper fruits ( Capsicum annuum), cv. Almuden, were studied. Experimental results proved that organic farming provided peppers with the highest (a) intensities of red and yellow colors, (b) contents of minerals, and (c) total carotenoids. Integrated fruits presented intermediate values of the quality parameters under study, and conventional fruits were those with the lowest values of minerals, carotenoids, and color intensity. As an example, the concentrations of total carotenoids were 3231, 2493, and 1829 mg kg (-1) for organic, integrated, and conventional sweet peppers, respectively. Finally, organic red peppers could be considered as those having the highest antioxidant activity of all studied peppers (agricultural farming and development stage).     

Enhancing Pinus pinea cone production by grafting in a non-native habitat

New Forests - Pinus pinea is an interesting species for its valued pine nuts. Despite the high demand for this nut, the species is mostly harvested from natural forests, because the time elapsed...     

Evidence for widespread Leishmania infantum infection among wild carnivores in L. infantum periendemic northern Spain

Leishmania spp. infection was investigated in tissue samples of wild carnivores from the Spanish Basque Country (BC), by PCR and DNA sequencing. The region is at the northern periphery of Leishmania infantum endemic Iberian Peninsula and infection in the dog (reservoir) or other species has not been previously reported. Leishmania kinetoplast DNA was detected by real-time PCR (rtPCR) in 28% (44/156) of animals. Specifically, in 26% of Eurasian badgers (n = 53), 29% of foxes (n = 48), 29% of stone martens (n = 21) and in 25–50% of less numerous species including genets, wild cats, pole cats, European mink and weasels. Infected animals particularly badgers, were most prevalent in the southernmost province of the BC (Araba) in areas dominated by arable land. Subsequent amplification and sequencing of a fragment of the rRNA internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) from a subset of rtPCR positives samples confirmed the species as L. infantum, showing a high sequence homogeneity with ITS2 sequences of L. infantum from dogs and humans from southern Spain. In summary, this study reports for the first time L. infantum infection in wild carnivores from the BC including in stone martens, pole cats and minks in which infection has not been previously described. It supports the need to study infection in dogs and people in this region and is an example of the value of infection surveillance in wildlife to assess potential risks in the domestic environment and their role in spreading infections in non-endemic areas.     

First report of Enterocytozoon bieneusi from dairy cattle in Argentina

Fecal specimens were obtained from a total of 70 dairy calves less than two months old on 11 municipalities in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After removal of fecal debris by sieving and sucrose flotation, specimens were subjected to PCR to detect the presence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi. PCR revealed a 14.3% of prevalence for E. bieneusi with 10 positive calves from 7 municipalities. Gene sequence analysis conducted in all samples positives by PCR revealed the presence of six genotypes; four previously reported in cattle as well as humans (D, I, J, and BEB4), one never reported in cattle before but previously reported in humans (EbpC), and one novel genotype (BEB10). These results constitute the first molecular characterization of E. bieneusi in Argentina, and suggest a potential risk of zoonotic transmission in this area.     

The Post‐Cervical Insemination does not Impair the Reproductive Performance of Primiparous Sows

The study evaluated the reproductive performance of primiparous sows submitted to post‐cervical insemination (PCAI) compared with cervical artificial insemination (CAI). Difficulty with catheter introduction, the occurrence of bleeding or semen backflow during insemination, and volume and sperm cell backflow up to 60 min after insemination were also evaluated. Sows were homogenously distributed, according to body weight loss in lactation, lactation length, weaned piglets, weaning‐to‐oestrus interval and total born in previous farrowing, in two treatments: PCAI (n = 165) with 1.5 × 10⁹ sperm cells in 45 ml (2.4 ± 0.04 doses per sow) and CAI (n = 165) with 3 × 10⁹ sperm cells in 90 ml (2.5 ± 0.04 doses per sow). During PCAI, sows were inseminated in the absence of boars. Transabdominal real‐time ultrasonography was performed at oestrus onset, immediately before the first insemination and at 24 h after last insemination. There was no difference (P > 0.05) between treatments in farrowing rate (91.5% × 89.1%) and litter size (12.5 × 11.9 piglets born, respectively for PCAI and CAI sows). Successful passage of the intrauterine catheter in all the inseminations was possible in 86.8% (165/190) of sows initially allocated to PCAI treatment. Difficulty of introducing the catheter in at least one insemination did not affect the reproductive performance of PCAI sows (P > 0.05). Bleeding during insemination did not affect (P > 0.05) the farrowing rate in both treatments, but litter size was reduced in CAI and PCAI sows (P ≤ 0.06). Percentage of spermatozoa present in backflow within 1 h after insemination was greater in CAI than PCAI sows (P < 0.01). More than 85% of primiparous sows can be successfully post‐cervical inseminated with doses containing 1.5 × 10⁹ sperm cells in the absence of the boar during insemination without impairing the reproductive performance.     

Treatment of a femoral fracture with a titanium locking compression plate distal femur (LCP‐DF) in a young donkey

A closed complete mid‐diaphyseal spiral fracture of the left femur in a one‐year‐old donkey was treated with a 4.5 mm titanium locking compression plate distal femur (LCP‐DF)¹. This plate was originally manufactured for human orthopaedics, primarily for femoral osteosynthesis. The LCP‐DF¹ has a distal head plate that was advantageous in this case because the distal fragment was smaller. Post operative radiographs showed optimal femoral reconstruction and a callus was present 3 weeks after surgery. The donkey was sound at the walk and trot 2 months after surgery. Radiographs taken 5 months after surgery showed stable implants and complete healing without complications.