Features and applications of a field imaging chlorophyll fluorometer to measure stress in agricultural plants

Most non-destructive methods for plant stress detection do not measure the primary stress response but reactions of processes downstream of primary events. For instance, the chlorophyll fluorescence ratio F_v/F_m, which indicates the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II, can be employed to monitor stress originating elsewhere in the plant cell. This article describes the properties of a sensor to quantify herbicide and pathogen stress in agricultural plants for field applications by the F_v/F_m parameter. This dedicated sensor is highly mobile and measures images of pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) chlorophyll fluorescence. Special physical properties of the sensor are reported, and the range of its field applications is defined. In addition, detection of herbicide resistant weeds by employing an F_v/F_m-based classifier is described. The PAM-imaging sensor introduced here can provide in-field estimation of herbicide sensitivity in crops and weeds after herbicide treatment before any damage becomes visible. Limitations of the system and the use of a classifier to differentiate between stressed and non-stressed plants based on sensor data are presented. It is concluded that stress detection by the F_v/F_m parameter is suitable as an expert tool for decision making in crop management.

     

Cryopreservation of Ram Semen in Extenders Containing Soybean Lecithin as Cryoprotectant and Hyaluronic Acid as Antioxidant

A soybean lecithin‐based extender supplemented with hyaluronic acid (HA) was assayed for effectiveness to improve the quality of frozen–thawed ram semen. HA has not been tested yet in an extender containing soybean lecithin for freezing ram semen. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyse the effects of soybean lecithin at 1% or 1.5% along with HA at 0, 0.5 and 1 mg ml^‐1 in a Tris‐based extender on the motion characteristics, membrane integrity (HOST), viability, GSH peroxidase (GSH‐PX) activity, lipid peroxidation and acrosomal status after freezing–thawing. Semen was collected from four Mehraban rams during the breeding season and frozen in the six lecithin×HA extenders. The extender containing 1.5% lecithin supplemented with no HA yielded higher total motility (52.5%±1.6), viability (55.8%±1.6) and membrane integrity (44.5%±1.7), but the effects of the lecithin concentration did not reach signification. Linearity‐related parameters, ALH, BCF, lipid peroxidation, GSH‐PX activity, morphology and acrosomal status were not affected by the extender composition. In general, adding HA significantly decreased sperm velocity (1 mg ml^‐1 HA), total motility (only with 1.5% lecithin), viability (1 mg ml^‐1 HA for 1% lecithin; both concentrations for 1.5% lecithin) and membrane integrity. In conclusion, adding HA to the freezing extender supplemented with soybean lecithin failed to improve quality‐related variables in ram semen. Increasing the lecithin content could have a positive effect, but further studies are needed.     

Wirkung einer langjährig differenzierten mineralischorganischen düngung auf ertragsleistung,humusgehalt, netto‐n‐mineralisierung und N‐bilanz

Zur Untersuchung der Wechselwirkung zwischen mineralischer und organischer Düngung auf Pflanze und Boden werden seit 1966 Dauerversuche auf zwei Standorten (Spröda: anlehmiger Sand; Methau: Lehm) mit der Fruchtfolge Zuckerrüben –Sommergerste—Kartoffeln und Winterweizen durchgeführt.

Bei unterlassener und geringer mineralischer N‐Düngung bewirkte Stallmist erhebliche und Stroh keine bzw. geringe Mehrerträge. Bei optimaler N‐Düngung hingegen erreichten die Mehrerträge durch Stallmist 5% und die durch Stroh 3%. Die auf verbesserte Bodeneigenschaften beruhende Sonderwirkung von Stallmist und Stroh kann durch mineralische N‐Düngung nicht substituiert werden. Auf beiden Standorten wurden die Humusgehalte bei unterlassener organischer Düngung nahezu halbiert. Der Einfluß der Strohdüngung auf die Humusgehalte war gering, der von Stallmist deutlicher ausgeprägt.

Die Netto‐N‐Mineralisierung korrelierte negativ zur mineralischen N‐Düngung, wobei Stallmist zu 25 bis 50 kg/ha höheren Werten führte.

Optimale Erträge wurden mit leicht negativen bis leicht positiven N‐Bilanzsalden realisiert. Dabei gelten die niedrigen Werte stets für die alleinige mineralische N‐Düngung und die höheren für die Stallmist‐ bzw. Strohdüngung.

Da mit dem Anstieg der Humus‐ und Gesamt‐N‐Vorräte vor allem das Risiko der Nitratauswaschung wächst, ist eine maßvolle organische Düngung, die jedoch langfristig den Erhalt der Bodenfruchtbarkeit sichert, anzustreben. In der Regel reichen hierzu jährlich 10 t/ha Stallmist aus.     

Fear-related behaviour of dogs in veterinary practice

To investigate further the occurrence of fear-related behaviour in dogs in veterinary practice and to evaluate associated factors, 135 dogs were observed under practice conditions within the framework of a standardised test examination and the owners interviewed using a questionnaire. Most dogs exhibited fear reactions, particularly on the examination table, with 78.5% (106/135) categorised as ‘fearful’ based on their behaviour. Unlike weight and castration, age, gender and previous experience were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with fearful behaviour. Male dogs were significantly less ‘fearful’ than females and animals under <2 years were significantly less ‘fearful’ compared with older dogs. Those with only positive previous experiences in veterinary surgeries were significantly less ‘fearful’ than dogs that had a previous negative experience. Fear-related behaviour in veterinary practice is an issue of importance.     

Humus und Klimaänderung - Ergebnisse aus 15 langjährigen Dauerfeldversuchen

Zusammenfassung

Die Quantifizierung des Einflusses von Klimaänderungen auf den Humusgehalt des Bodens ist von großer wirtschaftlicher und wissenschaftlicher Bedeutung. Eine Möglichkeit dieser Quantifizierung besteht in der Auswertung von Dauerfeldversuchen mit der kontinuierlichen Bestimmung des Kohlenstoff- und Stickstoffgehaltes von Böden über einen Zeitraum von mehreren Jahrzehnten unter Wahrung des Ceteris-Paribus-Prinzips. Für die vorliegende Arbeit wurden die Ergebnisse von insgesamt 15 Dauerfeldversuchen an zehn verschiedenen Standorten mit rund 150 unterschiedlichen Düngungsvarianten ausgewertet. Die Versuchsdauer lag mit einer Ausnahme zwischen 40 und 110 Jahren. Die C_org-Daten konnten nahezu lückenlos über einen Zeitraum von jeweils 20 Jahren einbezogen werden. Die N_t-Gehalte wurden in sechs Versuchen berücksichtigt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass bei allen Prüfgliedern mit kombinierter organisch-mineralischer Düngung in der Größenordnung, wie sie der “guten fachlichen Praxis“ oder auch der Humusbilanzmethode entspricht, keine Verringerung der C_org-Gehalte eingetreten ist. In einigen Fällen waren signifikante Erhöhungen zu verzeichnen. In 11 von 15 Versuchen war auch ohne Düngung oder mit ausschließlicher Mineraldüngung keine Reduzierung und somit keine klimabedingte Verringerung der Humusgehalte im Untersuchungszeitraum nachweisbar. Stattdessen wurde in einigen Fällen eine signifikante Erhöhung gefunden. Auch bei den N_t-Gehalten war in keinem Fall eine signifikante Verringerung festzustellen. Umfangreiche Großzahlanalysen und Dauerfeldversuchsauswertungen anderer Autoren bestätigen uneingeschränkt die Ergebnisse.     

RABBIT HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE VIRUSES DETECTED IN PET RABBITS IN A COMMERCIAL LABORATORY IN EUROPE

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) is an important cause of disease and mortality in wild and domestic European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) throughout the world. Testing for 2 distinct RHD virus types (RHDV/RHDVa and RHDV2) was carried out on samples collected from 684 rabbits submitted from veterinary practices and private owners throughout Europe between January 2015 and June 2017. Four (0.6%) were positive for RHDV/RHDVa and 257 (37.4%) were positive for RHDV2. RHDV/RHDVa was detected in individual samples from Germany and the Netherlands, while RHDV2 was found in animals from Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, and Finland.     

Determination of Feeder Cell‐Based Cellular Niches Supporting the Colonization and Maintenance of Spermatogonial Stem Cells from Prepubertal Domestic Cat Testes

Recently, isolation and in vitro culture of putative spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in the domestic cat have been conducted. However, the cellular niche conditions that facilitate the establishment and long‐term maintenance of feline SSCs (FSSCs) have not been described. Therefore, we investigated the type of feeder cells used to stimulate colony formation and growth of FSSCs among the various factors in the FSSC niche. Spermatogonial stem cells isolated from feline testes were cultured on mitotically inactivated testicular stromal cells (TSCs) derived from cats, dogs and mice, and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). The formation and growth of colonies derived from SSCs cultured on each type of feeder cell were identified at passage 0, and the morphology, alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity and expression of SSC‐specific genes in surviving colonies were investigated at passage 4. Among these diverse feeder cells, TSCs from cat showed the greatest colony formation, growth and maintenance of FSSCs, and SSC colonies cultured by passage 4 showed a typical dome‐shaped morphology, AP activity and expression of SSC‐specific genes (NANOG, OCT4, SOX2 and CD9). Accordingly, these results demonstrate that feline TSCs could be used as feeder cells to support the establishment and maintenance of SSCs from domestic cats.     

Honey from plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids: a potential threat to health

Following scientific risk assessments, several countries have imposed strict regulations on herbal medicines containing 1,2-dehydro-pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Using published data on the plants used in honey production, pyrrolizidine alkaloid-containing plants are shown in this review to represent a significant source of honey worldwide. This observation, honey consumption data, reported levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honeys, and consideration of tolerable exposure levels determined for pyrrolizidine alkaloids in herbal medicines, leads to the conclusion that some honey is a potential threat to health, especially for infants and fetuses, and further investigation is warranted.     

Hydrogen radicals, nitrogen radicals, and the production of O3 in the upper troposphere

The concentrations of the hydrogen radicals OH and HO2 in the middle and upper troposphere were measured simultaneously with those of NO, O3, CO, H2O, CH4, non-methane hydrocarbons, and with the ultraviolet and visible radiation field. The data allow a direct examination of the processes that produce O3 in this region of the atmosphere. Comparison of the measured concentrations of OH and HO2 with calculations based on their production from water vapor, ozone, and methane demonstrate that these sources are insufficient to explain the observed radical concentrations in the upper troposphere. The photolysis of carbonyl and peroxide compounds transported to this region from the lower troposphere may provide the source of HOx required to sustain the measured abundances of these radical species. The mechanism by which NO affects the production of O3 is also illustrated by the measurements. In the upper tropospheric air masses sampled, the production rate for ozone (determined from the measured concentrations of HO2 and NO) is calculated to be about 1 part per billion by volume each day. This production rate is faster than previously thought and implies that anthropogenic activities that add NO to the upper troposphere, such as biomass burning and aviation, will lead to production of more O3 than expected.