Long‐term root uptake of radiocesium by several crops

Abstract

A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the long‐term availability of radiocesium (Cs‐137) to various crops grown on contaminated soil that were limed to pH 6.8 (LIME) or were limed and Zn‐ and Mn‐EDTA chelates added (LIME + CHELATE). Crops were grown either continuously or followed a cropping sequence. Continuously grown clover and bahiagrass accumulated the most Cs‐137 with levels exceeding 2,000 pCi/g dry weight in bahiagrass. Uptake of Cs‐137 was depressed by both the LIME and LIME + CHELATE treatments. Uptake was usually greatest during the first three years but only in unlimed soil. Cesium‐137 is about 3 to 8 times higher in soybean beans than in wheat grain. Uptake of Cs‐137 by plants from contaminated soil can be expected to be high in acidic soils, especially in the absence of lime treatment.     

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides sensu lato associated with anthracnose in Bauhinia forficata

European Journal of Plant Pathology - Bauhinia forficata is an important plant commonly used in traditional medicine, and as an ornamental plant in parks and gardens. Its use as an ornamental plant...     

Chickens treated with a nitric oxide inhibitor became more resistant to Plasmodium gallinaceum infection due to reduced anemia,thrombocytopenia and inflammation

Malaria is a serious infectious disease caused by parasites of the Plasmodium genus that affect different vertebrate hosts. Severe malaria leads to host death and involves different pathophysiological phenomena such as anemia, thrombocytopenia and inflammation. Nitric oxide (NO) is an important effector molecule in this disease, but little is known about its role in avian malaria models. Plasmodium gallinaceum- infected chickens were treated with aminoguanidine (AG), an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase, to observe the role of NO in the pathogenesis of this avian model. AG increased the survival of chickens, but also induced higher parasitemia. Treated chickens demonstrated reduced anemia and thrombocytopenia. Moreover, erythrocytes at different stages of maturation, heterophils, monocytes and thrombocytes were infected by Plasmodium gallinaceum and animals presented a generalized leucopenia. Activated leukocytes and thrombocytes with elongated double nuclei were observed in chickens with higher parasitemia; however, eosinophils were not involved in the infection. AG reduced levels of hemozoin in the spleen and liver, indicating lower inflammation. Taken together, the results suggest that AG reduced anemia, thrombocytopenia and inflammation, explaining the greater survival rate of the treated chickens.     

Immunolocalization of Melatonin and Follicle‐Stimulating Hormone Receptors in Caprine Ovaries and their Effects During in vitro Development of Isolated Pre‐Antral Follicles

The expression of melatonin type 1 (MT1) and FSH (FSHR) receptors in caprine ovaries and the effects of these hormones on the in vitro development of isolated pre‐antral follicles were evaluated. Follicles (≤200 μm) were cultured for 12 days in α‐MEM (control) or melatonin (100 or 1000 pg/ml) or sequential melatonin medium (100 pg/ml: from day 0 to day 6; 1000 pg/ml: from day 6 to day 12; experiment 1) and in control or sequential FSH (100 ng/ml from day 0 to day 6; 500 ng/ml from day 6 to day 12) or sequential melatonin or this latter plus sequential FSH (experiment 2). MT1 and FSHR expressions were observed in granulosa cells from secondary and antral follicles. The oocytes from primordial and primary follicles also express FSHR. Sequential melatonin increased the percentage of normal follicles and oocyte recovery compared with the control or melatonin (1000 pg/ml) at day 12. In experiment 2, all the treatments increased the normal follicles and growth compared with the control. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the presence of MT1 and FSHR in caprine ovaries. The addition of increased concentrations of melatonin (sequential medium) or FSH can be used to promote the in vitro development of caprine pre‐antral follicles.     

Toxicity of botanical insecticides on Diaphania hyalinata,their selectivity for the predatory ant Paratrechina sp., and their potential phytotoxicity on pumpkin

The use of botanical insecticides could be an alternative efficient pest management in Cucurbitaceae against melonworm Diaphania hyalinata and less harmful to its predator. Few studies jointly assess the efficiency of botanical insecticides, their effects on pest, and their effect on the natural enemy and target crop. Here we examine (1) their impact against the melonworm D. hyalinata, a key pest of Cucurbitaceae, (2) their toxicity to the predatory ant Paratrechina sp., and (3) their phytotoxicity to pumpkin plants. The botanical insecticides citronella oil and eucalyptus oil were highly toxic to D. hyalinata and they exhibited to be less harmful for the predatory ant Paratrechina sp. Andiroba oil, eucalyptus oil, garlic extract, and citronella oil caused feeding inhibition of the D. hyalinata larvae. Eucalyptus oil, andiroba oil, garlic extract, and rotenone inhibited the oviposition of D. hyalinata. None of the insecticides was phytotoxic to pumpkin plants. Eucalyptus oil and citronella oil have induced high mortality and altered the behavior of target pests. In addition, they were selective for the predator Paratrechina sp. and not exhibited phytotoxicity on pumpkin plants. Eucalyptus oil and citronella oil seem the most promising compounds for incorporation into melonworm management programs, because they induced high mortality and altered the behavior of target pests and were selective for the predator Paratrechina sp.     

Evaluation of body weight and visual scores for genetic improvement of Nelore cattle

The aims of our study were to estimate genetic parameters for body weight and visual scores and to evaluate their inclusion as selection criteria in the Nelore breeding program in Brazil. The traits studied were the body weight adjusted to 210 (W210) and to 450 (W450) days of age and visual scores for body structure, finishing precocity, and muscling evaluated at weaning (BS_W, FP_W, and MS_W) and yearling (BS_Y, FP_Y, and MS_Y) ages. A total of 33,242, 26,259, 23,075, and 26,057 observations were considered to analyze W210, W450, and visual scores at weaning and yearling. The significant (P?<?0.05) fixed effects for all traits were farm, birth season, birth year, sex, and management group. Single-trait analyses were performed to define the most fitting model to our data using the average information restricted maximum likelihood algorithm, for weaning traits. Subsequently, these models were used in single- and two-trait analyses considering the Bayesian inference algorithm. Two-trait Bayesian analyses resulted in average direct heritability estimates for BS_W, FP_W, MS_W, W210, BS_Y, FP_Y, MS_Y, and W450 of 0.28, 0.30, 0.27, 0.28, 0.40, 0.44, 0.39, and 0.50, respectively. Genetic correlations varied from 0.40 to 0.96. Benefits to animal performance can best be achieved by considering body structure, finishing precocity, and muscling as selection criteria in the Nelore breeding programs. The decision to use visual scores measured at weaning should be considered in order to decrease generation interval and assist pre-selecting individuals, expecting carcass improvements in the future progeny.     

Cover Crops as Affecting Soil Chemical and Physical Properties and Development of Upland Rice and Soybean Cultivated in Rotation

Cover crops can provide changes in soil chemical and physical properties, which could allow a sustainable development of soybean and upland rice rotation in Brazilian Cerrado. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of cover crops(cultivated in the offseason) in the soybean-upland rice rotation(cultivated in the summer season) on the soil chemical and physical properties, yield components and grain yield of the cash crops. The experimental design was a randomized block design in factorial scheme 4 × 2 with six replications. Treatments were composed by four cover crops: fallow, millet(Pennisetum glaucum) + Crotalaria ochroleuca, millet + pigeon pea(Cajanus cajans), and millet + pigeon pea + Urochola ruziziensis in the offseason with one or two cycles of cover crops, with rice(Oryza sativa)or soybean(Glycine max) in the summer season. Cover crops alone provided no changes in soil chemical properties. However, the rotation cover crops/cash crops/cover crops/cash crops reduced p H, Al and H + Al and increased Ca, Mg, K and Fe contents in the soil. The cover crops millet + pigeon pea and millet + pigeon pea + U. ruziziensis improved soil physical properties in relation to fallow,especially in the 0–0.10 m soil layer. In spite of the improvement of the soil physical properties after two years of rotation with cover crops and cash crops, the soil physical quality was still below the recommended level, showing values of macroporosity, S index and soil aeration capacity lower than 0.10 m3/m3, 0.035 and 0.34, respectively. Upland rice production was higher under mixtures of cover crops than under fallow, mainly because of soil physical changes done by these mixtures of cover crops.Soybean grain yield was similar under all cover crops tested, but was higher after the rotation cover crops/upland rice/cover crops than after only one cycle of cover crops.     

Intake and digestibility in cattle fed low-quality tropical forage and supplemented with nitrogenous compounds

The effects of supplementation with nitrogenous compounds on intake, digestibility, and microbial protein synthesis in cattle fed low-quality tropical forage were assessed. Five rumen fistulated crossbred Holstein × Gir heifers were used, with initial average live weight of 180 ± 21 kg. Signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens) hay (48.6 g kg⁻¹ of crude protein (CP), on a dry matter (DM) basis) was used as roughage. Five treatments were defined according to nitrogen supplementation level (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 g of CP kg⁻¹ above the CP level of the hay). A mixture of urea, ammonium sulfate, and albumin at the ratios of 4.5:0.5:1.0, respectively, was used as nitrogen source. The experiment consisted of five experimental periods, according to a 5 × 5 Latin square design. The average CP contents in the diets were 51.9, 71.1, 86.0, 116.7, and 130.2 g kg⁻¹, on a DM basis. A quadratic effect was detected (P < 0.10) of the CP levels in the diets on DM and neutral detergent fiber intake (kg/day), with maximum response at the levels of 102.4 and 100.5 g CP kg⁻¹ DM, respectively. The average daily concentration of rumen ammonia nitrogen showed increasing linear pattern (P < 0.01) as function of CP levels in the diet, with estimated value of 9.64 mg dL⁻¹ equivalent to the maximum DM intake. Microbial nitrogen flow in the intestine was linearly and positively related (P < 0.01) with the CP levels in the diet.