Effects of pymetrozine, an antifeedant of Hemiptera, on Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, feeding behavior, survival and transmission of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus

BACKGROUND: Vector‐borne plant disease management can be enhanced by deployment of antifeedants in addition to the use of broad‐spectrum neurotoxic insecticides. The effects of pymetrozine on Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, feeding behaviour, survival and transmission of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las), the presumed causal pathogen of huanglongbing, were investigated. RESULTS: Pymetrozine applied at 52 and 104 µg mL^?1 to citrus plants [Swingle citrumelo (X Citroncirus webberi Ingram and Moore)] modified the feeding behavior of ACP and increased the amount of time spent performing non‐penetration behaviors while decreasing the time spent performing ingestion behaviors compared with the controls 1 day after treatment. However, the antifeedant effect of pymetrozine subsided 5 days after application. Pymetrozine reduced the survival of both adults and nymphs on treated plants compared with the control. However, it had a greater impact on survival of nymphs than on survival of adults. Pymetrozine applied at 52 and 104 µg mL^?1 on Las‐infected ‘Valencia’ sweet orange plants [Citrus sinensis L. (Osbeck)] reduced acquisition (12 and 21% respectively) and transmission (11 and 18% respectively) of Las by feeding ACP adults compared with the controls; however, these reductions were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Pymetrozine exhibited moderate antifeedant effects by modifying the feeding behavior of ACP adults with short residual activity. The impact of pymetrozine on survival of nymphs was greater than on adults at the higher concentrations tested. Pymetrozine also reduced the acquisition and transmission of Las by feeding ACP adults up to 21 and 18%, respectively, compared with untreated controls. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Molecular characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Potato spindle tuber viroid</Emphasis> in dahlia

A new variant of Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) was detected for the first time from dahlia grown in Japan. The dahlia isolate of PSTVd formed a quasi-species and a major sequence variant consisting of 361 nucleotides in length, including five substitutions, three insertions, and one deletion, when compared to the intermediate strain from potato. In bioassays with the new isolate, Rutgers tomato developed mild stunting and leaf curling.     

Skin mucus of Cyprinus carpio inhibits cyprinid herpesvirus 3 binding to epidermal cells

ABSTRACT: Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) is the aetiological agent of a mortal and highly contagious disease in common and koi carp. The skin is the major portal of entry of CyHV-3 in carp after immersion in water containing the virus. In the present study, we used in vivo bioluminescence imaging to investigate the effect of skin mucus removal and skin epidermis lesion on CyHV-3 entry. Physical treatments inducing removal of the mucus up to complete erosion of the epidermis were applied on a defined area of carp skin just before inoculation by immersion in infectious water. CyHV-3 entry in carp was drastically enhanced on the area of the skin where the mucus was removed with or without associated epidermal lesion. To investigate whether skin mucus inhibits CyHV-3 binding to epidermal cells, tail fins with an intact mucus layer or without mucus were inoculated ex vivo. While electron microscopy examination revealed numerous viral particles bound on the fins inoculated after mucus removal, no particle could be detected after infection of mucus-covered fins. Finally, anti-CyHV-3 neutralising activity of mucus extract was tested in vitro. Incubation of CyHV-3 with mucus extract reduced its infectivity in a dose dependent manner. The present study demonstrates that skin mucus removal and epidermal lesions enhance CyHV-3 entry in carp. It highlights the role of fish skin mucus as an innate immune protection against viral epidermal entry.     

黑龙港流域夏玉米生育期降水、需水和干旱时空分布特征

黑龙港流域地下水超采导致水分极度匮乏,提高降水利用效率成为该区夏玉米生产的关键。该文利用黑龙港流域18个地面气象观测站1966—2015年逐日气象数据,对玉米全生育期及各生育阶段的有效降水量、需水量、作物水分亏缺指数、干旱发生频率的时空分布特征等进行了分析。结果表明,夏玉米全生育期有效降水量292.89～361.56 mm,呈"东北高、西南低"的趋势;需水量362.82～444.04 mm,呈"南部高,北部低"的趋势;近50年总有效降水量和需水量均呈下降趋势,且需水量的变化与平均日照时数、平均风速呈高度正相关;全区干旱发生频率为48.30%,其中南部超33.3%,中部及北部超66.6%;黑龙港中部和北部在成粒和灌浆阶段出现干旱的几率较大,南部在成粒阶段出现干旱的几率较大。该研究为黑龙港夏玉米降水资源的高效利用提供了理论依据。     

Long-term effects of intensive rice–wheat and agroforestry based cropping systems on build-up of nutrients and budgets in alluvial soils of Punjab,India

ABSTRACT

A detailed study was conducted to investigate the long-term effects of rice–wheat and poplar-based agro-forestry systems existing on a large area for last 25 years on the distribution of macro as well as micronutrients in surface soils, as well as their profiles. To achieve these objectives, profile soil samples (0–150 cm) were collected from 10 randomly scattered locations each from rice–wheat and poplar-based agro-forestry systems and analyzed for various physico-chemical properties. The results of our investigation revealed that pH, EC, OC available N, P and K reported significantly higher levels in agro-forestry as compared to rice–wheat system. On the other hand, DTPA-extractable and total Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn were significantly higher in D1 (0–15 cm), D2 (15–30 cm) and D3 (30–45 cm) depths of rice–wheat system which may be attributed to the reduced conditions prevailing during rice crop. Nutrient budgeting also assessed the impact of crop removal and fertilizer inputs along with recycling of crop residue and leaf litter. Also, the build-up of available nutrient status in surface layer (0–15 cm) and soil profiles (0–150 cm) continuously under these two systems helped in maintaining agricultural sustainability and soil fertility over a long period of time.     

Experimental verification of two calculation methods for relating horizontal infiltration to soil-water diffusivity

Two recently proposed methods are used to relate horizontal infiltration data to soil- moisture diffusivity. The theoretical background is only discussed briefly and more emphasis is given to an experimental verification. With the described methods numerous experiments were performed on two soils under varying initial moisture content in the same soil samples. Data of four representative experiments are summarized in a table and a number of figures.The horizontal infiltration into a silty loam soil with an initial moisture content of 0.08 cm³/cm³ is not in accordance with theoretical expectations, whereas that into a fine sand with the same initial moisture content is in accordance with theory. The latter may be due to the building up of a soil-air pressure in the silty loam which was recorded to be in the order of 40 mbar.It further appears that the approximate method of the two referred to above yields similar results in terms of D(θ) as compared with the exact but more laborious method only if the soil was air dry.Finally two examples of (re)-using the obtained D(θ) data are given.     

Development of biofilm of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vibrio alginolyticus</Emphasis> for oral immunostimulation of shrimp

Biofilm (BF) of Vibrio alginolyticus was developed on chitin flakes. BF formation was studied at various nutrient concentrations and incubation time. Highest colony-forming units of BF cells were obtained with 0.15% trypticase soya broth and at 3 days of incubation. The BF cells could be completely inactivated at 80°C in 10 min and with 10% formalin in 24 h. SDS–PAGE profile of BF cells revealed repression of four proteins and expression of three new proteins compared to free cells (FC). The preliminary immune response studies showed that BF cells were superior to FC in stimulating the non-specific immune response of Penaeus monodon.     

Effect of combinations of morphine,dexmedetomidine and maropitant on the electroencephalogram in response to acute electrical stimulation in anaesthetized dogs

This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of combinations of morphine, dexmedetomidine and maropitant in preventing the changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) indices of nociception in anaesthetized dogs subjected to a noxious electrical stimulus. In a crossover study, eight healthy adult dogs were randomly allocated to four groups: Mor: morphine 0.6 mg/kg; Dex + Mor: morphine 0.3 mg/kg + dexmedetomidine 5 μg/kg; Maro + Mor: morphine 0.3 mg/kg + maropitant 1 mg/kg; and Dex + Maro + Mor: morphine 0.2 mg/kg + dexmedetomidine 3 μg/kg + maropitant 0.7 mg/kg. Following intramuscular administration of test drugs in a minimal anaesthesia model, a supramaximal electrical stimulus (50 V at 50 Hz for 2 s) was applied and the EEG data were recorded. There were significant increases (p < .05) in the poststimulus median frequency (F50) only in groups Mor and Maro + Mor. Dex + Mor group had a significantly lower change in F50 and F95 compared to all other treatment groups. There was no correlation of the changes in EEG frequencies with blood plasma concentration of the drugs during and after noxious stimulation. Combination of dexmedetomidine and morphine was most effective in abolishing the changes in EEG indices in response to a noxious stimulus indicating a supra-additive interaction between these two drugs.     

High efficacy of white spot syndrome virus replication in tissues of freshwater rice‐field crab,Paratelphusa hydrodomous (Herbst)

An attempt was made to determine the replication efficiency of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) of shrimp in different organs of freshwater rice‐field crab, Paratelphusa hydrodomous (Herbst), using bioassay, PCR, RT‐PCR, ELISA, Western blot and real‐time PCR analyses, and also to use this crab instead of penaeid shrimp for the large‐scale production of WSSV. This crab was found to be highly susceptible to WSSV by intramuscular injection. PCR and Western blot analyses confirmed the systemic WSSV infection in freshwater crab. The RT‐PCR analysis revealed the expression of VP28 gene in different organs of infected crab. The indirect ELISA was used to quantify the VP28 protein in different organs of crab. It was found that there was a high concentration of VP28 protein in gill tissue, muscle, haemolymph and heart tissue. The copy number of WSSV in different organs of infected crab was quantified by real‐time PCR, and the results revealed a steady increase in copy number in different organs of infected crab during the course of infection. The viral inoculum prepared from different organs of infected crab caused significant mortality in tiger prawn, Penaeus monodon (Fabricius). The results revealed that this crab can be used as an alternate host for WSSV replication and production.     

Inheritance of plumage colour variations in a large flock of Japanese quail

1. The inheritance of various plumage colour variants and their underlying interactions were investigated in a large flock of Japanese quail maintained at CARI (India) by conducting reciprocal crosses between four breeding stocks inheriting Pharaoh, White Breasted, White and Brown plumages, followed by test crosses. 2. Based on the proportion of plumage-colour types in the progeny, putative genotypes were determined for parents and offspring for each of the crosses. 3. The White and Brown phenotypes were attributed to the Panda (S) and Roux (Br) loci respectively in agreement with contemporary quail stocks. 4. The White Breasted plumage type present in our stock was caused by a novel mutation with dominant gene action at an autosomal locus that was not allelic to either Panda or the White feather locus. 5. A recessive epistatic action of the Panda locus (S) on White Breasted (Wb) resulted in a White colour phenotype. 6. A novel phenotype, White Breasted-Brown was co-expressed with the Br and Wb loci. 7. It was concluded that breeding for customized feather colour phenotypes in Japanese quail using colour mutations was feasible and would be advantageous in order to overcome the limitations of legislation to protect wildlife in India.