Efficacy of oxyclozanide against the rumen fluke Calicophoron daubneyi in experimentally infected goats

Paramphistome infections are very common in ruminants and may induce clinical signs, but little is known about effective treatments. In this study, the efficacy of oxyclozanide against Calicophoron daubneyi was studied in goats and its activity tested against immature stages (10 days post-infection) at a dose of 22.5mg/kg bodyweight (BW) and against adult stages using two doses (15 and 22.5mg/kg BW). There was a reduction (82%) in the number of immature worms (compared to controls) but the result was not statistically significant. When tested against adult stages, however, oxyclozanide reduced the worm burdens by 95.6% and 95.9% at doses of 15 and 22.5mg/kg BW, respectively, with no significant difference between the two doses. The experiment demonstrated that oxyclozanide is highly effective in reducing the number of adult paramphistomes in goats.     

Distribution of Cysticercus bovis in lightly infected young cattle.

Sixty-seven young cattle grazed on a sewage farm since birth were slaughtered and the carcases finely dissected in search of Cysticercus bovis. Forty-seven (70%) were infected, but only 49% of infected cattle had cysts in tissues considered to be sites of predilection and only 19.8% of all cysts found were located in these sites. Most of the remaining cysts were distributed randomly throughout the masculature.     

Establishment of an in vitro method for evaluating whitefly resistance in tomato

An accurate and simple evaluation method is crucial for identifying whitefly resistance in tomato breeding. We developed an in vitro method for evaluating resistance of tomato leaves and tested this on wild and cultivated tomato varieties. We found that young leaves observed for whitefly oviposition after 8 hours provided appropriate comparative conditions. This method effectively distinguished resistance among tomato cultivars and wild species and also demonstrated significant difference in oviposition rates among leaf positions on susceptible cultivars. The in vitro test was as precise as in vivo test using intact plants and had advantages over in vivo test, and can be used for evaluating resistance in large populations.     

Experimental transmission of encephalopathy and retinopathy induced by nodavirus to sea bream, Sparus aurata L., using different infection models

The transmission of viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER) was investigated in juvenile sea bream, Sparus aurata L. Two different infection routes [intraperitoneal (i.p.) and intramuscular injection (i.m.)] were tested at two different temperatures (20 and 26 °C) using sea bream of mean weight 0.7, 2 and 4 g, as well as an immersion challenge performed at 26 °C with sea bream of 0.7 g. Successful transmission of the disease was only achieved by i.m. injection. Mortalities of 100% occurred in sea bream of 0.7 g at day 15 post-infection and 47% in sea bream of both 2 and 4 g at day 30 post-infection in all the experimental infections at 26 °C. No mortalities were ever observed with infections at 20 °C. When mortalities were observed, the virus was detected by immunoperoxidase staining in the SSN-1 cell line inoculated with tissues from infected fish. Histological examination of both normal and infected fish showed a vacuolization in the bipolar and granular layers of the retina of the infected sea bream. This is the first experimentally induced transmission of VER in sea bream. Differences were observed at the time of disease onset depending on water temperature, the route of infection and the age of the juvenile fish.     

Penetration of Polyethylene Film by the Shoots of Cyperus rotundus

Abstract

Orobanche is the most debilitating plant parasite of tobacco in Andhra Pradesh. The crop suffers considerably for about six weeks before the parasite appears above the ground. In the absence of effective herbicides for controlling Orobanche especially in this pre-emergence phase, it was felt worthwhile to evaluate the effectiveness of various cultivated crops as trap crops. A preliminary pot trial was conducted with 17 crop plants and the results are presented.