Mechanical injury and fungal infection induce acquired resistance in Norway spruce

Norway spruce trees (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) pretreated by wounding and fungal infection showed highly enhanced resistance to a subsequent challenge inoculation with the pathogenic bluestain fungus Ceratocystis polonica (Siem.) C. Moreau. This is the first time the effectiveness of the constitutive and inducible defenses has been shown to depend on prior wounding and infection in conifers, although such acquired resistance has previously been found in several angiosperms. Trees that were pretreated with a combination of 12 bark wounds (1.6 x 10 cm), four fungal inoculations and four sterile inoculations 1-15 days before mass inoculation with C. polonica at 400 inoculations per square meter over a 0.8 m stem section had significantly shorter necroses in the phloem, less bluestained sapwood, and less dead cambium than untreated control trees. Pretreatment with four fungal or sterile inoculations alone did not lead to enhanced resistance. Pretreatment by bark wounding alone seemed to provide an intermediate degree of resistance compared to bark wounding, fungal inoculations and sterile inoculations combined. All trees had a marked increase in the number of resin ducts in the year of inoculation compared with previous years, suggesting that formation of traumatic resin ducts play an important role in the development and maintainance of enhanced resistance.     

Evidence of low levels of genetic diversity for the Phytophthora austrocedrae population in Patagonia,Argentina

Phytophthora austrocedrae is a recently discovered pathogen that causes severe mortality of Austrocedrus chilensis in Patagonia. The high level of susceptibility of the host tree, together with the distribution pattern of the pathogen, have led to the hypothesis that P. austrocedrae was introduced into Argentina. The aim of this study was to assess the population structure of P. austrocedrae isolates from Argentina in order to gain an understanding of the origin and spread of the pathogen. Genetic diversity was determined based on amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). In total, 48 isolates of P. austrocedrae were obtained from infected A. chilensis trees, representing the geographical range of the host. Four primer combinations were used for the AFLP analysis. Of the 332 scored bands, 12% were polymorphic. Gene diversity (h) ranged from 0·01 to 0·03; the Shannon index (I) ranged from 0·01 to 0·04. A high degree of genetic similarity was observed among the isolates (pairwise S values = 0·958–1; 0·993 ± 0·009, mean ± SD). A frequency histogram showed that most of the isolate pairs were identical. Principal coordinate analysis using three‐dimensional plots did not group any of the isolates based on their geographical origin. The low genetic diversity (within and between sites) and absence of population structure linked to geographic origin, together with the aggressiveness of the pathogen and the disease progression pattern, suggest that P. austrocedrae might have been introduced into Argentina.     

The metabolism of [14C]aldicarb in the root of sugar beet plants

Sugar beet plants were grown in the field, after in-furrow application of [¹⁴C]- aldicarb (3 kg of aldicarb ha^?1) at planting. The ripe sugar beet plants were harvested, and the roots were analysed. The roots were fractionated according to a procedure similar to the normal beet-sugar manufacturing process. Expressed as a proportion of the total radioactivity incorporated into the root, the pulp contained 29.7%, the lime cake 9.7%, the crystallised sugar 17.7% (which gave, with the radioactivity found in the sugar in the molasses, a total of 20.7% of the radioactivity in the total sugar), and the molasses, 42.9%. A part of the labelled carbon from the radio- active aldicarb and its metabolites had thus been metabolised and incorporated into sugar molecules. Except for the radioactivity in the sugar and in the lime cake from the processing, the proportion of radioactive non-conjugated organosoluble compounds was very low (2.6%), and perhaps partially corresponded to the very low amount of aldoxycarb (aldicarb sulphone) in the root (less than 0.001 mg of [¹⁴C]-aldicarb equivalents kg^?1 fresh weight). Hydrolysis of the molasses yielded free radioactive 2-methyl-2-(methylsulphinyl)propan-1-ol (3.1%), 2-mesyl-2-methyl-propan-I-ol (8.9%) and 2-mesyl-2-methylpropionic acid (12.0%) which had been conjugated to plant constituents in the root. The corresponding concentrations (expressed as mg of [¹⁴C]aldicarb equivalents kg^?1 fresh weight of root) were 0.004, 0.011, and 0.016, respectively. No aldicarb, aldicarb sulphoxide or aldoxycarb (nor the corresponding nitrile, generated from aldicarb during the fractionation procedure) was liberated by the hydrolysis, indicating the absence of conjugates of these compounds in the root.     

The in vitro degradation of [14C]malathion by enzymatic extracts from resistant and susceptible strains of Drosophila melanogaster

Enzyme preparations from Drosophila melanogaster flies degraded [¹⁴C]malathion to α- and β-malathion monoacids and, hence, were considered to contain malathion carboxylesterase (ME) activity. Although ME- activity was stable during preincubation in the absence of malathion, it decreased dramatically during the course of the reaction, and could not be completely recovered by Sephadex G-25 chromatography. Furthermore, the protein fraction after chromatography still contained ¹⁴C, suggesting that the enzyme had become inhibited by a bound, ¹⁴C-labeled derivative. Extracts from a resistant (malathion-selected), an intermediate control, and the susceptible Canton S strains of D. melanogaster differed in the lability of ME activity during the reaction. This difference was partly attributed to the production of small amounts of malaoxon (2–8%) by the extracts from the more resistant strains. No consistent strain differences were found when the rate of malathion degradation was measured during the first minute of reaction, either with or without a microsomal oxidase inhibitor (metyrapone) present. These results, together with the cross-resistance of the malathion-selected strain to other insecticides and the lack of a synergistic effect of two carboxylesterase inhibitors (triphenyl phosphate and S,S,S-tributylphosphorotrithioate) suggested that malathion carboxylesterase does not contribute significantly to the observed differences in malathion resistance between strains.     

木束形态对沙柳材重组木性能的影响

以沙柳材为原料,在沙柳材重组木制造关键参数正交试验的基础上,探讨了沙柳(Salix mongolica)材重组木木束形态对产品物理力学性能的影响,以及实验室条件下制造沙柳材重组木的较佳木束形态.     

The role of European starlings in the spread of coccidia within concentrated animal feeding operations

To investigate the relationship between European starlings and bovine coccidiosis we collected samples from European starlings, cattle feed bunks, cattle water troughs, and cattle feces within concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). These samples were screened for coccidia spp. to investigate (i) the prevalence of coccidia in starlings using CAFOs; (ii) if there is a relationship between bovine coccidiosis and starling numbers; (iii) if coccidia contamination of cattle feed and water is related to the number of starlings observed on CAFOs. Coccidia belonging to the genus Eimeria were detected in cattle feces and one water sample but no Eimeria spp. were detected in European starlings or cattle feed. However, many European starling samples were positive for Isospora. Starling use of CAFOs did not appear to be associated with coccidia spp. shedding by cattle and there was no correlation between starling numbers and contamination of cattle feed and water, suggesting that starling do not contribute to the amplification and spread of Eimeria in CAFOs.     

Isolation of Bartonella henselae from a serologically negative cat in Bloemfontein, South Africa

Sera collected from apparently healthy 6-12-month-old cats (n = 31) presented to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Veterinary Clinic in Bloemfontein for neutering were tested for antibodies reactive to Bartonella henselae (Houston-1 strain) by indirect fluorescent antibody testing. Whole blood collected from the cats was used in isolation experiments and subsequent identification of Bartonella species was based on comparison of the nucleotide base sequence of polymerase chain reaction-amplified citrate synthase gene fragments. While none of the cats had antibodies reactive with B. henselae at titres > or =1/64, an organism with a partial citrate synthase gene sequence identical to that of B. henselae (Houston-1) was isolated from 1 cat.     

Experimental studies of the role of the little raven (Corvus mellori) in surveillance for West Nile virus in Australia

Objective To study the potential role of an Australian corvid, the little raven (Corvus mellori), in the surveillance for exotic West Nile virus (WNV) in Australia. Method In a series of trials, little ravens were infected with WNV (strain 4132 New York 1999) and Kunjin virus (strain K42886) by the intramuscular route. They were observed for 20 days during which blood and swab samples were taken for virus isolation. Tissue samples were taken from ravens humanely killed during the acute infection period, and at the termination of the trials, for virus isolation, histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Results Ravens infected with WNV became mildly ill, but all recovered and seroconverted. Blood virus titres peaked around 3 to 4 days after inoculation at levels between 10^3.0 to 10^7.5 plaque forming units/mL. Virus or viral antigen was detected in spleen, liver, lung, kidney, intestine, testis and ovary by virus isolation and/or immunohistochemistry. WNV was detected in oral and cloacal swabs from 2 to 7 days post inoculation. The molecular and pathogenic characteristics of the inocula were consistent with them being of high virulence, as expected for this isolate. Ravens infected with Kunjin virus developed viraemia and seroconverted, although they did not develop disease. Conclusions Little ravens do not develop severe disease in response to virulent WNV infection and for this reason may not be important sentinel hosts in the event of an outbreak of WNV, as in North America. However, as they have relatively high viraemias, they may be able to support virus cycles.     

Amino acid digestibility of corn distillers dried grains with solubles, liquid condensed solubles, pulse dried thin stillage, and syrup balls fed to growing pigs

Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) has low and variable AA digestibility. The variability is often attributed to damage during the heating process, and it has been suggested that the damage happens to the soluble components of DDGS such as reducing sugars. Combining solubles and grains sometimes produces syrup balls (SB); their digestibility is unknown. The objective of this experiment was to identify potential sources of poor and variable AA digestibility in DDGS. Specifically, our objective was to determine whether the problems are associated with the solubles component or with SB. The ingredients evaluated were DDGS, intact SB, ground SB, liquid condensed solubles (LCS), and pulse dried thin stillage (PDTS) obtained from the same ethanol plant. The LCS is produced by evaporation of thin stillage. Each ingredient was used as the only source of AA in an experimental diet. In a duplicate 6 × 6 Latin square design with 7-d adaptation and collection periods, the 6 treatments consisted of an N-free diet and the 5 test ingredients. Pigs had 5 d of adaptation to each diet, and on d 6 and 7 ileal digesta were collected from an ileal cannula for 8 h each day. Both SB treatments had apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of AA that were similar or greater (P < 0.05) than those of DDGS. The AID and SID values of Lys and a few other AA were similar in LCS (SID Lys: 63.1%) and DDGS (SID Lys: 61.5%), but the digestibility values of most AA in LCS were less than in DDGS (P < 0.05). The low digestibility of AA in LCS was most pronounced for Met (SID: LCS, 41.9% vs. DDGS, 82.8%). The LCS had less (P < 0.05) AID and SID of CP (SID: 67.8%) than intact SB (SID: 85.2%) and ground SB (SID: 85.9%) as well as all AA. The PDTS generally had the least AID and SID and had less (P < 0.05) CP (SID: 55.3%) and several AA, including Lys, compared with LCS. In conclusion, the presence of SB does not decrease AA digestibility of DDGS, and the LCS evaluated has less indispensible AA digestibility than DDGS. The LCS has low digestibility of AA that seems to not be caused by heat damage.