Screening of Urfa pepper landraces for resistance to Meloidogyne incognita

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are significant pathogens that affect the yield and fruit quality in pepper cultivars (Capsicum spp.)....     

Tick-borne encephalitis epidemic in Hungary 1951–2021: The story and lessons learned

The authors analysed epidemiological data of the Hungarian tick-borne encephalitis epidemic from the past seven decades. A total of 911 meningitis serosa cases were described from 1930-1950 s by local hospital physicians, indicating that the virus had been present in the country decades before its official identification in 1952. The virus spread freely in the 1950s–1960s, occupying almost all habitats where ticks occurred in large numbers. The increasing number of cases drove authorities to classify this illness as a notifiable disease in 1977 and to organize the first measures to stop the epidemic. Statistical analysis revealed that the large-scale vaccination launched from the 1990s was responsible for the sharp decrease in the number of human cases from 1997. A significant negative correlation was found between the number of vaccine doses sold and human cases 6 years later. The TBEV endemic area covers 16.57% of the territory and 16.65% of the population of the country. In the last 10 years, 186,000 vaccine doses/year in average were enough to keep the incidence of human TBEV infections between 0.45 and 0.06/100,000 persons. A 20-year-long study found evidence for easing clinical signs in TBEV-infected hospitalized patients. Statistics found a sharp decrease in the number of samples sent for TBEV diagnosis after 1989. Male dominance of patients was characteristic of the epidemics since the 1940s, but now analysis of detailed data from the 1981–2021 period (60.5%–87.5%) proved the statistical significance of this dominance. Obviously, the voluntary vaccination programme was the tool which broke the spread of the epidemic. Widespread public awareness of the disease and the tick vector, probable evolutionary spread of less pathogenic virus strains supplemented with the vaccination campaign led to a negligible level of human TBE cases in Hungary in the last years.     

基于斜率比法评定断奶仔猪对不同铜源的相对生物学利用率

本试验旨在研究不同铜源（硫酸铜、碱式氯化铜和柠檬酸铜）和铜添加水平（20和30 mg/kg）对断奶仔猪生长性能、血清铜含量与含铜酶活性以及组织铜含量的影响,探讨断奶仔猪对不同铜源的相对生物学利用率。试验采用3×2双因子随机区组设计,选取平均体重为（8.98±0.48） kg的杜×长×大三元杂交断奶仔猪112头,随机分为7组,每组4个重复,每个重复4头猪。对照组饲喂玉米-豆粕型基础饲粮（铜含量为7.80 mg/kg）,各试验组分别在基础饲粮中添加20或30 mg/kg硫酸铜、碱式氯化铜或柠檬酸铜（均以铜含量计）。试验预试期3 d,正试期28 d。结果表明：1）试验组与对照组断奶仔猪平均日增重、平均日采食量和料重比均无显著差异（P>0.05）。2）饲粮铜源和铜添加水平对断奶仔猪血清铜含量具有显著影响（P<0.05）,但对血清铜蓝蛋白和铜锌超氧化物歧化酶活性均无显著影响（P>0.05）。3）饲粮铜源和铜添加水平对断奶仔猪肝脏铜含量具有显著影响（P<0.05）,但对心脏、肾脏、胰脏和跖骨铜含量均无显著影响（P>0.05）。4）根据多元线性回归斜率比法计算,以血清铜...     

凝结芽孢杆菌对热应激肉鸡生长性能及肠道消化与吸收功能的影响

本试验旨在研究凝结芽孢杆菌对热应激肉鸡生长性能及肠道消化与吸收功能的影响。选择320只28日龄健康爱拔益加（AA）肉公鸡,随机分为5个组,每组8个重复,每个重复8只。常温对照组（TC组）肉鸡饲养于（22±1）℃的常温环境,饲喂基础饲粮;热应激组（HS组）肉鸡饲养于（34±1）℃的高温环境,饲喂基础饲粮;热应激试验组肉鸡饲养于（34±1）℃的高温环境,分别饲喂在基础饲粮中添加0.2×107(HS-BC0.2组)、1.0×107(HS-BC1.0组)、5.0×107CFU/g(HS-BC5.0组)凝结芽孢杆菌的试验饲粮。试验期14 d。结果表明：与TC组相比,HS组的末重、平均日增重（ADG）、平均日采食量（ADFI）,干物质和粗蛋白质表观代谢率,空肠食糜总淀粉酶和总蛋白酶酶活,空肠绒毛高度、绒毛高度/隐窝深度以及空肠钠/葡萄糖协同转运蛋白1(SGLT1)、基础氨基酸转运载体（r-BAT）、y+L氨基酸转运载体-1(y+LAT1) mRNA表达量均显著降低（P<0.05）,料重比（F/G）显著增加（P<0.05）。与HS组相比,HS-BC1.0和HS-BC5.0组的ADG、粗蛋...     

“WaterMan”: an on-farm water management game with heuristic capabilities

A modern computer-based simulation tool (WaterMan) in the form of a game for on-farm water management was developed for application in training events for farmers, students, and irrigators. The WaterMan game utilizes an interactive framework, thereby allowing the user to develop scenarios and test alternatives in a convenient, risk-free environment. It includes a comprehensive soil water and salt balance calculation algorithm. It also employs heuristic capabilities for modeling all of the important aspects of on-farm water management, and to provide quantitative performance evaluations and practical water management advice to the trainees. Random events (both favorable and unfavorable) and different strategic decisions are included in the game for more realism and to provide an appropriate level of challenge according to player performance. Thus, the ability to anticipate the player skill level, and to reply with random events appropriate to the anticipated level, is provided by the heuristic capabilities used in the software. These heuristic features were developed based on a combination of two artificial intelligence approaches: (1) a pattern recognition approach and (2) reinforcement learning based on a Markov decision processes approach, specifically the Q-learning method. These two approaches were combined in a new way to account for the difference in the effect of actions taken by the player and action taken by the system in the game world. The reward function for the Q-learning method was modified to reflect the suggested classification of the WaterMan game as what is referred to as a partially competitive and partially cooperative game.     

Improving Drought Tolerance of Rice by Designed QTL Pyramiding

Drought is the most important factor limiting rice yields in the rainfed areas of Asia. To overcome the problem, we developed a new strategy ＇designed QTL pyramiding＇ to more efficiently develop drought tolerant （DT） rice cultivars. In the first phase of this strategy, we developed large numbers of introgression lines （ILs） in elite backgrounds using backcross （BC） breeding, each of which carries multiple genomic segments for improved DT from a known donor. Then, we genotyped all ILs with SSR markers to track the genomewide pattern of introgression in the DT ILs of 16 BC populations derived from crosses between 2 recipients （IR64 and Teqing） and four different donors. X^2 tests and linkage disequilibrium analyses of introgression in the DT ILs revealed significant frequency shifts at many loci across the genome and non-random associations at the multilocus level as a result of selection for DT in the ILs, which led us to the discovery of putative genetic networks underlying DT in the ILs. The networks each containing all DT loci detected in ILs from a BC population showed some interesting features.     

Cloning and Sequence Analysis of Lipoxygenase Gene cDNA from Cucumber Fruit （Cucumis sativus L.）

Lipoxygenases are nonheme-iron-containing dioxygenases that catalyze the hydroperoxidation of unsatrated fatty acids containing a cis, cis-1,4-pentadiene structure producing hydroperoxy acids with conjugated dienes. LOX activity has been found in a wide range of plants. Typical substrates for LOX in plants are linoleic acid and linilenic acid fatty acids. The function of various LOXs in plants is unknown, but their participation in all stages of plant growth and development has been suggested （Hildebrand, 1989; Siedow, 1991）. Some of the physiological processes in whicn lipoxygenses have been implicated include wounding （Saravitz and Siedow, 1996）, pathogen attack （Melan et al., 1993）, seed germination （Kato et al., 1992）, fruit ripening （Ferrie et al., 1994）, plant senescence （Paliyath and Droillard, 1992）. The study on the role of lipoxygenase in ripening and senescence fruit focused on tomato and strawberry. Cloning LOX gene of cucumber fruit will make us further understand the molecularaction mode of this enzyme during fxuit ripening and senescence. In this paper we isolated the partial nucleotide sequences of cucumber fiuit lipoxygenase gene and discuss the characterization of it.     

Water stability of aggregates in subtropical and tropical soils (Georgia and China) and its relationships with the mineralogy and chemical properties

Water-stable aggregates isolated from three subtropical and one tropical soil (Western Georgia and China) were studied for their organic carbon, cation exchange capacity (CEC), specific surface area, magnetic susceptibility, and total chemical elements. The soils were also studied for their particle-size distribution, mineralogy, and nonsilicate Fe and Al oxides. Describe the water stability, three indices have been used: the content of water-stable macroaggregates (>0.25 mm), the mean weighted diameter of the aggregates, and the numerical aggregation index. The yellow-cinnamonic soil (China) was neutral, and the three other soils were acid. The soils were degraded with a low content of organic matter. The yellow-cinnamonic soil was characterized by the lowest water stability due to the predominantly vermiculite composition of the clay. The high water stability of the Oxisol structure was determined by the kaolinites and high content of oxides. In three out of the four soils studied, the hierarchical levels of the soil structure organization were defined; they were identified by the content of organic matter and the Ca + Mg (in Oxisols). Iron oxides mainly participated in the formation of micro-aggregates; Al and Mn contributed to the formation of macroaggregates. The water-stable aggregates acted as sorption geochemical barriers and accumulated Pb, Zn, Cd, Cs, and other trace elements up to concentrations exceeding their levels in the soil by 5 times and more. The highest correlations were obtained with CEC, Mn, and P rather than with organic carbon and Fe.     

The effect of low-molecular-weight organic acids and inorganic phosphorus concentration on the determination of soil phosphorus by the molybdenum blue reaction

Low-molecular-weight organic acids play an important role in the mobilization of soil phosphorus (P). The molybdate blue colorimetric method, based on the formation of P molybdenum blue compound, is commonly used for analysis of phosphate in soil and environmental samples. However, some organic acids can act as a ligand to bond with molybdenum acid, which subsequently interfere with the colorimetric reaction. The recoveries of P were inhibited by the addition of oxalic (>2 mM) and citric acids (>3 mM) both in standard P solutions and soil extracts, but formic and maleic acids did not interfere with the P determination. The inhibition of oxalic and citric acids on P recovery remained even at higher level of P (up to 100 μg P 100 ml⁻¹) though such interferences decreased by increasing P concentration. Comparison between oxalic and citric acids revealed the more pronounced interference by the addition of oxalic acid. The results suggested that the interference of organic acids with P determination is related to the types of organic acids and the ratio of organic acid ligands to P anions in the solutions. Thus, analysis of P using the molybdate blue colorimetric method should be undertaken cautiously in the presence of relative strong ligands like oxalic and citric acids.     

Simulating site-specific impacts of climate change on soil erosion and surface hydrology in southern Loess Plateau of China

Proper spatial and temporal treatments of climate change scenarios projected by General Circulation Models (GCMs) are critical to accurate assessment of climatic impacts on natural resources and ecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the site-specific impacts of climate change on soil erosion and surface hydrology at the Changwu station of Shaanxi, China using a new spatiotemporal downscaling method. The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model and climate change scenarios projected by the U.K. Hadley Centre's GCM (HadCM3) under the A2, B2, and GGa emissions scenarios were used in this study. The monthly precipitation and temperature projections were downloaded for the periods of 1900–1999 and 2010–2039 for the grid box containing the Changwu station. Univariate transfer functions were derived by matching probability distributions between station-measured and GCM-projected monthly precipitation and temperature for the 1950–1999 period. The derived functions were used to spatially downscale the GCM monthly projections of 2010–2039 in the grid box to the Changwu station. The downscaled monthly data were further disaggregated to daily weather series using a stochastic weather generator (CLIGEN). The HadCM3 projected that average annual precipitation during 2010–2039 would increase by 4 to 18% at Changwu and that frequency and intensity of large storms would also increase. Under the conventional tillage, simulated percent increases during 2010–2039, compared with the present climate, would be 49–112% for runoff and 31–167% for soil loss. However, simulated soil losses under the conservation tillage during 2010–2039 would be reduced by 39–51% compared with those under the conventional tillage in the present climate. The considerable reduction in soil loss in the conservation tillage indicates the importance of adopting conservation tillage in the region to control soil erosion under climate change.