Effect of spraying techniques on the brown rot of peach fruit,and on black spot,powdery mildew and the two-spotted mite of apple trees

Application by hand-held equipment of the commercially recommended doses of proprietary formulations of captan (9.0 g a. i. per tree), mancozeb (10.8 g a. i. per tree), oxythioquinox (1.1 g a. i. per tree), and cyhexatin (1.8 g a. i. per tree), in spray volumes ranging from 0.225 to 9.0 litres per tree, gave commercial control of the brown rot of peach fruit, and of black spot (apple scab), powdery mildew and the two-spotted mite (Tetranychus urticae) of apple trees. Commercial control was also obtained using a quarter of the recommended doses when applied in 0.225 or 2.25 litres per tree. The residue of oxythioquinox on the leaves, immediately after applying 1.1 g a. i. per tree, doubled as the volume of spray was reduced from 9.0 to 2.25 litres per tree, and increased further when the volume was reduced to 0.225 litres per tree. It is suggested that some of the oxythioquinox ran off the trees at the higher volumes, and that less run-off at lower volumes resulted in higher chemical residues.     

Novel chemical approaches to crop protection: Needs and solutions

The examination of conventional chemical methods of crop protection suggests problems and opportunities that call for alternative approaches. The need for such novel treatments is considered in relation to damaging organisms not controlled by traditional pesticides, biological availability, resistance, selectivity and compatibility with other methods within the concept of integrated pest, disease or weed management. Analysis of these needs and opportunities suggests directions in which to seek novel chemical agents including those which can attack vital processes not previously exploited as target sites, the modification of physicochemical properties determining mobility and availability, chemical formulation, symptom suppression and the manipulation of chemically-mediated processes other than direct toxic action, and the use of agents which extend the usefulness of existing toxic agents. Examples illustrating these approaches are discussed.     

Structural studies in azolylmethanes

The crystal structures of a number of fungicidal azolylmethanes are compared. In the benzyl compounds [1-aryl-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pentan-3-ones, the corresponding pentan-3-ols, and 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(2-fluorophenyl)-2-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)propan-1-one], the benzyl and tert-butyl groups (or 4-chlorophenyl group) are trans, whereas in the analogous phenoxy compounds [1-(4-chlorophenoxy)-3,3-dimethyl-1-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)butan-2-one and the corresponding butan-2-ol], the tert-butyl groups are trans to the triazole and gauche to the phenoxy group. Coupling constants, determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.) spectroscopy, suggest that for some compounds there is one dominant solution conformation. Intramolecular hydrogen bonding, observed by infrared spectroscopy in two of the compounds, supports the findings by n.m.r. For some compounds, the crystal and solution conformations appear to be very similar, whereas in others they are quite different. Published data on the relative activity of the enantiomers of the benzyl- and phenoxy-compounds are discussed, but differences in the relative activity of enantiomers in the two series cannot be readily rationalised. It is concluded that different enantiomers may have different modes of binding at the active site.     

Systems thinking and practices in the education of agriculturalists

A systems approach has been taken to a review of agricultural education programmes and as the essential theme of resultant curricula at Hawkesbury Agricultural College in Australia. The systems thinking and practices which have guided, and been shaped by, the innovations are outlined, and the rationale and framework of the major programme are described. The subsequent emphasis has been placed on effective learning for agricultural managers and their technologist advisors. It is argued that problem solving and learning are essentially the same psychological processes and that taking a systems approach to investigating problem situations provides a more useful paradigm for learning about agriculture than reductionist, discipline-based approaches. Experiential learning and autonomy in learning are seen as consistent with this and are basic features of the programmes. A conceptual framework for problem solving that incorporates soft and hard systems and scientific reductionist methodologies has been developed. A contingency approach to situation improving is emerging as a less restrictive and more realistic alternative to a normative approach to problem solving.     

Disease,production and culling in Holstein-Friesian cows II. Age,season and sire effects

Effects of age, season and sire on the occurrence of common diseases of Holstein-Friesian cows were evaluated in a two and a half year study. The data were from 2875 lactation records from 2008 cows in 32 commercial dairy herds within a 50 mile radius of Guelph, Ontario.Age patterns for all disease conditions were determined using χ² or quadratic regression analyses. Linear increases with age were observed for milk fever, mastitis requiring local therapy only, cystic ovaries and foot and leg problems. Quadratic relationships with age were observed for ketosis (clinical and subclinical), mastitis requiring systemic therapy, subclinical mastitis, dystocia, respiratory diseases and traumatic reticulo-peritonitis. No consistent age patterns were found for retained placentas, reproductive tract infections, abomasal displacements, teat injuries, digestive disorders and abortions.Seasonal patterns were evaluated using a formal statistical test for the seasonality of events. Significant peaks were found in the risk of ketosis and cystic ovaries during the winter, and in the risk of teat injuries in the late winter or early spring. Seasonal patterns, more complex than a simple unimodal pattern, were observed for mastitis requiring local therapy only, traumatic reticulo-peritonitis and abortions.Heritabilities were determined for 9 disease conditions. All heritabilities were low or 0 with the exception of clinical ketosis (h² = 0.31).     

黄牛正常胆囊及牛黄胆囊组织学观察

对111份正常黄牛及12份天然牛黄牛的胆囊,进行了组织学光镜观察。结果发现,在正常情况下黄牛胆囊即有轻度水肿、炎细胞浸润的胆囊炎病变;牛黄胆囊均有囊壁增厚、炎细胞的显浸润、粘液浆液腺显著增生的慢性胆囊炎。同时胆汁很少,极度粘稠。此外本文对胆囊病变与成黄的关系作了分析。     

Response of generalist and specialist insect herbivores to landscape spatial structure

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect ofchanges in landscape pattern on generalist and specialistinsects. We did this by comparing the species richness andabundance of generalist and specialist herbivorous insects inalfalfa (Medicago sativa, L.) fields on 26 agriculturallandscapes that differed in spatial structure. The insects werefrom the families Curculionidae (Coleoptera), weevils, andCicadellidae (Auchennorhyncha), leafhoppers.We hypothesized that: (1) generalist richness and abundancewould be highest in landscapes with high diversity(Shannon-Wiener); (2) specialist richness and abundance would behighest in landscapes with (i) high percent cover alfalfa and(ii) low mean inter-patch distance. We tested for these effectsafter controlling for the patch-level effects of field size,field age, frequency of disturbance and vegetation texture.The important findings of the study are: (1) generalist richness andabundance increased with increasing landscape diversity and (2)isolation (percent cover alfalfa in the landscape and/or meaninter-patch distance) does not affect specialist insects. Theseresults are significant because they indicate that bothgeneralist and specialist insects may move over much largerdistances than previously thought. This is one of the firststudies to demonstrate a large scale effect of spatial structureon insects across a broad range of landscapes.