Should spring wheat breeding for organically managed systems be conducted on organically managed land?

Organic spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) producers in the northern Great Plains use cultivars which have been bred for conventional management systems or heritage cultivars released before the widespread use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. To investigate the feasibility of organic wheat breeding and to determine common genetic parameters for each system, we used a random population of 79 F₆-derived recombinant inbred sister lines from a cross between the Canadian hard red spring wheat cultivar AC Barrie and the CIMMYT derived cultivar Attila. The population, including the parents, was grown on conventionally and organically managed land for 3 years. Heritability estimates differed between systems for 6 of the 14 traits measured, including spikes m⁻², plant height, test weight, 1,000 kernel weight, grain protein, and days to anthesis. Direct selection in each management system (10% selection intensity) resulted in 50% or fewer lines selected in common for nine traits, including grain yield, grain protein, spikes m⁻², and grain fill duration. The results of this study suggest that indirect selection (in conventionally managed trials) of spring wheat destined for organically managed production would not result in the advance of the best possible lines in a breeding program. This implies that breeding spring wheat specific to organic agriculture should be conducted on organically managed land.     

Building resilience to climate change in rain-fed agricultural enterprises: An integrated property planning tool

In response to a drying climate, an integrated property planning tool was developed over three years to help landowners make better use of available rainfall. A sequence was identified which indicated how parts of each property are affected by soil moisture limitations. The sequence was combined with soil properties to indicate targeted strategies for each location aimed to improve soil moisture availability, biomass utilisation, and long-term viability of the farm or ranching enterprise. As a result of training of land owners and operators in use of this tool, 97% of participants indicated that they have begun or intend to make changes in land management; 78% are intending to make three or more substantial changes; and 91% felt better prepared for the impacts of climate change. The key to the success of this technique is that it identifies critical sustainable production drivers in a simple plan format and offers tailored management options which can address more variable climate conditions. The integrated planning tool has application as a driver of climate change adaptation in agricultural regions where farm units contain substantial landscape variation and seasonal rainfall is frequently limiting to production.     

Topical anaesthesia alleviates short-term pain of castration and tail docking in lambs

Objective To investigate the effect of a topical anaesthetic formulation on pain alleviation, wound healing and systemic levels of local anaesthetic actives in lambs undergoing castration and tail docking. Design Three placebo-controlled and/or randomised experiments were conducted using three groups of Merino lambs (n = 62, 68 and 19) undergoing routine castration and tail docking. Procedure Surgical castration, with either surgical or hot-iron tail docking, was performed with and without the application of topical anaesthetic (Tri-Solfen®) or placebo. The effects of this procedure were compared with those of rubber ring castration and tail docking, and of the handled but unmarked controls. Wound pain was assessed using calibrated Von-Frey monofilaments over a 4-h period, pain-related behaviour was assessed over 5 h, wound healing was assessed at 14 and 28 days, and the plasma levels of lignocaine and bupivacaine were determined. Results Rapid and up to 4 h primary hyperalgesia developed following surgical castration and tail docking in the untreated and placebo-treated lambs. It was absent in the castration wounds, and significantly reduced in the tail-docking wounds, of the treated lambs. Hot-iron docking was associated with mild and transient secondary hyperalgesia, which was abolished by the topical anaesthesia. There was a significant reduction in pain-related behaviours in treated lambs, which were not significantly different in their behaviour to the sham-operation handled controls. Plasma lignocaine and bupivacaine levels were below the toxic thresholds in all tested lambs. Conclusion Topical anaesthesia alleviates wound pain and significantly reduces pain-related behaviours in lambs undergoing surgical castration plus surgical or hot-iron tail docking, without a negative effect on wound healing or a risk of systemic toxicity.     

Trauma‐associated acute mesenteric ischemia in a dog

Objective – To describe the successful management of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) in a dog. Case Summary – An 11‐year‐old, 21.4 kg, male castrated Rough‐Coated Collie was referred for evaluation of an acute abdomen following sustaining injuries in a vehicular accident. On presentation to the hospital, clinicopathologic assessments were within normal limits and distended intestinal loops were evident on abdominal palpation. Plain and contrast radiography demonstrated diffusely distended gas‐filled intestinal loops with a delayed barium transit time. Emergency surgical exploration was performed. The cecum and the proximal two‐thirds of the colon were dark purple to black in color and there were no palpable pulses in the mesenteric arteries associated with the cecum and colon. The cecum and proximal two‐thirds of the colon were resected and an ileocolic anastomosis was performed. The dog recovered well from surgery and was discharged 2 days later. Histopathologic examination was consistent with AMI. New or Unique Information Provided – AMI is uncommonly reported in human medicine and is a rare complication from even minor blunt abdominal trauma. This is the first reported case of trauma‐associated AMI in a dog.     

In vitro erythrocytic membrane effects of dibenzyl trisulfide, a secondary metabolite of Petiveria alliacea

We investigated the in vitro effect of dibenzyl trisulfide (DTS), a secondary metabolite of Petiveria alliacea, on erythrocyte elasticity, relaxation time and membrane morphology. Blood samples from 8 volunteers with hemoglobin AA were exposed to 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1000 ng/ml of DTS respectively and the elasticity and relaxation time measured. There were statistically significant, dose-dependent increases in elasticity and relaxation times. The changes in membrane morphology observed also increased with increased concentration of DTS. This suggests that DTS interaction with membrane protein resulted in increased elasticity, relaxation time and deformation of the erythrocyte membrane.     

Temperature,ethylene and the postharvest performance of cut snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus)

The effects of temperature and ethylene on the quality of snapdragon flowers (Antirrhinum majus L. cvs. ‘Potomac Pink’ and ‘Rocket’) after harvest were investigated. The flowers were stored dry or wet at 6 temperatures ranging from 0 to 12.5 °C for 5 days. Vase life and gravitropic bending were measured at 20 °C after storage. Respiration rates of flowers at 8 different temperatures (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15 and 20 °C) were measured continually using a computerized system. The respiration of cut snapdragon flowers increased exponentially as the temperature increased from 0 to 20 °C, with a mean Q₁₀ of 2.6. The vase life of flowers of the ‘Potomac Pink’ cultivar stored dry at 0 °C was 10.8 days, similar to that of freshly harvested controls (10.6 days), and 4.4 days longer than that of flowers stored at 7.5 °C. When spikes were placed horizontally at 20 °C, growth became negatively gravitropic within 20 min. Bending was significantly higher than controls (stored vertically) in all flowers stored horizontally at temperatures above 5 °C. Vase life of flowers stored for 5 days at a range of temperatures then placed in an interior environment was directly correlated with respiration rate at the storage temperature. Wet storage of cut snapdragon flowers reduced the loss of quality at storage temperatures above 5 °C but the vase life of flowers stored in water at 12.5 °C was less than half that of flowers stored dry at 0 °C. Ethylene treatment caused 100% floret abscission which was prevented by pre-treatment either with 1-methycyclopropene (1-MCP) or with silver thiosulfate (STS), but neither of these inhibitors prevented gravitropic bending.     

Genetic differentiation between fake abalone and genuine Haliotis species using the forensically informative nucleotide sequencing (FINS) method

Abalones ( Haliotis species) are a popular delicacy and commonly preserved in dried form either whole or in slices or small pieces for consumption in Asian countries. Driven by the huge profit from trading abalones, dishonest traders may substitute other molluscan species for processed abalone, of which the morphological characteristics are frequently lost in the processed form. For protection of consumer rights and law enforcement against fraud, there is a need for an effective methodology to differentiate between fake and genuine abalone. This paper describes a method (validated according to the international forensic guidelines provided by SWGDAM) for the identification of fake abalone species using forensically informative nucleotide sequence (FINS) analysis. A study of the local market revealed that many claimed "abalone slice" samples on sale are not genuine. The fake abalone samples were found to be either volutids of the genus Cymbium (93%) or the muricid Concholepas concholepas (7%). This is the first report of Cymbium species being used for the preparation and sale as "abalone" in dried sliced form in Hong Kong.     

A COMPARISON OF LUCERNE VARIETIES IN SOUTH-WEST SCOTLAND

Five early, three mid-season and two late varieties of lucerne were grown in drills in a replicated plot experiment at the Hannah Dairy Research Institute in south-west Scotland in the period 1956–59, inclusive. The lucerne was cut three times each year after the year of establishment (1956).
Average yields were 10,200 lb. of dry matter and 1970 lb. of crude protein per acre in the first harvest year, but declined rapidly to 6290 lb. of dry matter and 1190 lb. of crude protein per acre in the third year. On average, the early types of lucerne gave the highest yields of dry matter and crude protein. Over the three harvest years of the experiment, Flandria was the highest yielding variety and New Zealand B the lowest. The distribution of dry-matter yields averaged over all varieties was 44, 29 and 27% for cuts 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
The crude-protein content of the herbage from all the varieties was high, 63% of the values being greater than 19%. Grimm, a late variety, had the highest crude-protein content.
With all varieties tiller density declined rapidly from the first to the second harvest year, but increased again at the third harvest year.
11–34% of the total yield of dry matter in the second harvest year consisted of weed grasses, but this was reduced in the following year by spraying the plots with Dowpon, a selective herbicide.