Evaluating evaporation from field crops using airborne radiometry and ground-based meteorological data

Summary Airborne measurements of reflected solar and emitted thermal radiation were combined with ground-based measurements of incoming solar radiation, air temperature, windspeed, and vapor pressure to calculate instantaneous evaporation (LE) rates using a form of the Penman equation. Estimates of evaporation over cotton, wheat, and alfalfa fields were obtained on 5 days during a one-year period. A Bowen ratio apparatus, employed simultaneously, provided ground-based measurements of evaporation. Comparison of the airborne and ground techniques showed good agreement, with the greatest difference being about 12% for the instantaneous values. Estimates of daily (24 h) evaporation were made from the instantaneous data. On three of the five days, the difference between the two techniques was less than 8%, with the greatest difference being 25%. The results demonstrate that airborne remote sensing techniques can be used to obtain spatially distributed values of evaporation over agricultural fields.     

A description and evaluation of the physical and financial characteristics of dairy farms operating on soil types classified as poorly drained and associated with high rainfall

The physical and financial performance data used for analysis were obtained over a 6‐year period (2010–2015), from two different databases including a nationally representative data set of dairy farmers and a detailed data set of seven individual farms. Initial analysis indicated significant variations across soil type and region, across a wide range of physical and financial parameters. Further detailed analysis was completed using a group of seven farms participating in a Heavy Soils Programme (HSP), which were compared to different cohorts of the nationally representative database (National Farm Survey [NFS]), ranked on net profit per ha. The HSP farms utilized larger quantities of grass DM per ha per year than the median of the NFS farms, at similar grazing season lengths, but were using lower levels of purchased feed. Economic analysis indicated the HSP farmers achieved significantly lower net profits per hectare to the NFS median group but significantly higher net profits per kg of fat and protein. The HSP farms also achieved significantly greater overall net farm income per year (€83,788), when compared to the median nationally (€67,898), over the 6‐year period (excluding owned land and labour). The mean return on assets ascertained by the HSP farmers was also significantly greater, at 5.75% per year compared to 3.49% achieved by the median of NFS farms. In conclusion, this study has indicated that efficient dairy businesses operating on poorly drained soils can be as profitable as those across all ranges of soil types.     

Three years of banning neonicotinoid insecticides based on sub‐lethal effects: can we expect to see effects on bees?

The 2013 EU ban of three neonicotinoids used in seed coating of pollinator attractive crops was put in place because of concern about declining wild pollinator populations and numbers of honeybee colonies. It was also concluded that there is an urgent need for good field data to fill knowledge gaps. In the meantime such data have been generated. Based on recent literature we question the existence of recent pollinator declines and their possible link with the use of neonicotinoids. Because of temporal non‐coincidence we conclude that declines of wild pollinators and of honeybees are not likely caused by neonicotinoids. Even if bee decline does occur and if there is a causal relationship with the use of neonicotinoids, we argue that it is not possible on such short term to evaluate the effects of the 2013 ban. In order to supply future debate with realistic (field) data and to discourage extrapolating the effects of studies using overdoses that are not of environmental relevance, we propose – in addition to field studies performed by the chemical industry – to use the ‘semi‐field worst case’ treated artificial diet studies approach to free flying colonies in the field. This kind of study may provide realistic estimates for risk and be useful to study realistic interactions with non‐pesticide stressors. © 2017 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction: current understanding and recommendations from the Australian and New Zealand Equine Endocrine Group

The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the current knowledge and opinions about the epidemiology, clinical findings (including sequelae), diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, particularly in the Australian context. This information and the recommendations provided will assist practitioners in making informed decisions regarding the diagnosis and management of this disorder.     

Deleterious Effects of Progestagen Treatment in VEGF Expression in Corpora Lutea of Pregnant Ewes

The aim of the current study was to determine the possible effects of progestagen oestrous synchronization on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression during sheep luteogenesis and the peri‐implantation period and the relationship with luteal function. At days 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 21 of pregnancy, the ovaries from 30 progestagen treated and 30 ewes cycling after cloprostenol injection were evaluated by ultrasonography and, thereafter, collected and processed for immunohistochemical evaluation of VEGF; blood samples were drawn for evaluating plasma progesterone. The progestagen‐treated group showed smaller corpora lutea than cloprostenol‐treated and lower progesterone secretion. The expression of VEGF in the luteal cells increased with time in the cloprostenol group, but not in the progestagen‐treated group, which even showed a decrease between days 11 and 13. In progestagen‐treated sheep, VEGF expression in granulosa‐derived parenchymal lobule capillaries was correlated with the size of the luteal tissue, larger corpora lutea had higher expression, and tended to have a higher progesterone secretion. In conclusion, the current study indicates the existence of deleterious effects from exogenous progestagen treatments on progesterone secretion from induced corpora lutea, which correlate with alterations in the expression of VEGF in the luteal tissue and, this, presumably in the processes of neoangiogenesis and luteogenesis.     

Quantitative analysis of production traits in saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus): II. age at slaughter

Crocodile morphometric (head, snout‐vent and total length) measurements were recorded at three stages during the production chain: hatching, inventory [average age (±SE) is 265.1 ± 0.4 days] and slaughter (average age is 1037.8 ± 0.4 days). Crocodile skins are used for the manufacture of exclusive leather products, with the most common‐sized skin sold having 35–45 cm in belly width. One of the breeding objectives for inclusion into a multitrait genetic improvement programme for saltwater crocodiles is the time taken for a juvenile to reach this size or age at slaughter. A multivariate restricted maximum likelihood analysis provided (co)variance components for estimating the first published genetic parameter estimates for these traits. Heritability (±SE) estimates for the traits hatchling snout‐vent length, inventory head length and age at slaughter were 0.60 (0.15), 0.59 (0.12) and 0.40 (0.10) respectively. There were strong negative genetic (?0.81 ± 0.08) and phenotypic (?0.82 ± 0.02) correlations between age at slaughter and inventory head length.     

Review: The strobilurin fungicides

The original article to which this Correction refers was published in Pest Management Science 58 (7): 649–662 (2002).Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry