Genetic structure of the oak wilt vector beetle Platypus quercivorus: inferences toward the process of damaged area expansion

Background  

The ambrosia beetle, Platypus quercivorus, is the vector of oak wilt, one of the most serious forest diseases in Japan. Population genetics approaches have made great progress toward studying the population dynamics of pests, especially for estimating dispersal. Knowledge of the genetic structuring of the beetle populations should reveal their population history. Using five highly polymorphic microsatellite loci, 605 individuals from 14 sampling sites were assessed to infer the ongoing gene flow among populations as well as the processes of expansion of damaged areas.     

Cutting rot of chrysanthemum (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysanthemum morifolium</Emphasis>) caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plectosporium tabacinum</Emphasis>

Cutting rot of chrysanthemum was found on cuttings of cv. Jimba No.2 in 2008. The cuttings were imported, then transplanted in Aichi Prefecture. Root development was not initiated in about 30% of the cuttings. The cut stem ends developed black discolouration and decay. When healthy cuttings were the fungus isolated from diseased cuttings, these cuttings developed the same disease symptoms. The characteristics and morphology of the fungal culture were identical to those of Plectosporium tabacinum. We propose that the new disease be named cutting rot of chrysanthemum.     

Therapeutic and adverse effects of flunixin-meglumine in adult and young cats

In this study, we elucidated the difference in nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug sensitivities between young and adult cats on therapeutic and adverse effects. In the prevention of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hyperthermia using flunixin-meglumine, young (<3 months old) and adult (>12 months old) cats of both sexes were given LPS (0.3 μg/kg, i.v.), and body temperature was measured 24 hr later. Flunixin (1 mg/kg, s.c.) was administered 30 min before the LPS injection. LPS-induced hyperthermia was almost completely inhibited by pre-treatment with flunixin in both adult and young cats. In addition, flunixin showed almost the same antipyretic effects in both young and adult cats. The animals were administered flunixin (1 mg/kg, s.c.) once a day for 3 days, and sacrificed 24 hr later to examine the gastrointestinal mucosal lesions. In adult cats, flunixin caused many severe lesions in the small intestine. In contrast, very few gastrointestinal lesions were produced by flunixin in young cats. In the pharmacokinetics of flunixin, plasma concentrations of flunixin were analysed using a high performance liquid chromatography. There were no significant differences in plasma concentration of flunixin between young and adult cats from 0.5 to 4 hr after the injection. These results demonstrated that NSAIDs could be used more safely in young than in adult cats from the points of gastrointestinal adverse effects. Furthermore, this difference in gastrointestinal lesions between adult and young cats was not related with the plasma concentration of flunixin.     

Basal levels and GnRH-induced responses of peripheral testosterone and estrogen in Holstein bulls with poor semen quality

The present study investigated the basal levels and GnRH-induced responses of peripheral testosterone and estrogen in Holstein bulls with poor semen quality. On the basis of semen parameters, bulls (n=5) having poor semen quality were selected as experimental bulls, and good semen quality bulls (n=4) were used as control bulls. Both groups were treated intramuscularly once with GnRH (250 μg of fertirelin acetate). Blood samples were collected at -1 day (d), -30 min and 0 h (treatment) followed by every 30 min for 5 h and 1, 3 and 5 d post-GnRH treatment (PGT), and LH, testosterone and estradiol-17β (E(2)) concentrations were measured. The pretreatment concentrations were used as basal levels. The percentage increments based on the 0-h levels were calculated per bull for each sampling time until 5 h PGT, and differences were compared between the experimental and control groups. The PGT concentrations of testosterone and basal and PGT concentrations of E(2) were significantly lower in the experimental group. The testosterone increment in the experimental group was delayed and significantly lower from 1 to 5 h PGT than those in the control group. It can be suggested that bulls with poor semen quality have delayed and lower GnRH-induced testosterone response and may also have lower estrogen levels.     

Effect of Organic matter application on the fate of 15N-labeled ammonium fertilizer in an upland soil

Abstract

The clay mineral composition of two “terra roxa estruturada” (TRE) soils occurring in the tropical rain forest and tropical forest/savannah transition zone, and a reddish brunizem in the savannah/semi-arid transition zone was studied comparatively in the southeast Amazon region.

Kaolin minerals were dominant in these soils, and hematite and goethite were found in the clay fraction. A small amount of 2 : 1-type clay minerals was found in two soils. The mineral composition of the clay fraction in the TRE soils was hardly influenced by the difference of the meteorological factor or their water condition in this region, and this factor should not control the influence of parent materials derived from basic rocks. The TRE soils were developed under the condition of laterite genesis, and were regarded claymineralogically as a kind of the lateritic soils.     

Metabolite profiling of Komatsuna (Brassica rapa L.) field-grown under different soil organic amendment and fertilization regimes

Among agricultural soil fertility management options, the environmental benefits of organic amendments have recently drawn particular attention. However, little information exists about their effects on crop metabolites or quality. Field plots of Komatsuna (Brassica rapa L. var. perviridis) were planted in a fractional factorial design with the following treatments: soil amendments of cattle manure (0, 2 or 4?kg?m^?2), wheat straw (0, 0.05 or 0.1?kg?m^?2), fast release nitrogen (N) (0, 6 or 12?g?N?m^?2 of ammonium sulfate), slow release N (0, 3 or 6?g?N?m^?2 of coated ammonium nitrate), phosphorus (P) [0, 5 or 10?g phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅)?m^?2 of lime superphosphate] and potassium (K) [0, 6 and 12?g potassium oxide (K₂O)?m^?2 as potassium sulfate]. Metabolite profiling was carried out using a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS), which yielded 62 and 67 metabolites in the leaves and the petioles, respectively. Metabolite peak areas were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA). The first component accounted for 44.1% of the total variance and bore a close relationship to N. The third component accounted for 8.8% of the total variance and was used to distinguish between different levels of manure application. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) of treatment factor effects on individual metabolites showed that the three most significant factors, from highest to lowest, were N absorption, manure amendments and slow release N. The effects of the manure amendments were not fully explained by its attendant N, P or K inputs. This result raises the question as to what mechanisms may bring about the metabolic changes caused by the manure amendment. The current findings will serve to direct further studies on the relationship between crop quality and cultivation procedures and will lead to more efficient quality control methods.     

Physiological role of potassium in the carbohydrate metabolism of plants (part II)

Potassium is a macronutrient still shrouded in mystery despite considerable effort to elucidate its role in the plant growth. Many investigators have demonstrated that a high carbohydrate content in the plant is associated with a love potassium content. Among them, WALL showed using tomato plants that this high carbohydrate content in plants with love potassium characterized the first stage of potassium deficiency (1).     

引种日本落叶松原生种源及优树半同胞家系苗期试验初报

引种日本落叶松原生种源及优树半同胞家系苗期试验研究结果表明：原生种源问高生长具有明显差异,确定松本、伊那、日光为优良种源;家系间的高生长也具有明显差异,确定县诹访１号等２０个家系为优良家系;原生种源的遗传变异幅度极大,具有相当的遗传改良潜力和遗传资源保存价值。     

Effects of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) hay feeding on dry matter intake and milk production of Murrah buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) fed rice straw ad libitum

To identify the effects of field pea hay (FPH) as a supplement of rice straw (RS) on feed intake and milk production of mid‐late lactation buffaloes in Tarai, Nepal, nine multiparous Murrah were fed a concentrate at 0.6% of their bodyweight (BW) on a concentrate dry matter (DM) basis daily while having ad libitum access to RS. The buffaloes were divided into three groups, and the experiment with three levels of FPH feeding was conducted at the following rate of BW: 0% (T1), 0.5% (T2) and 1.0% (T3) on an FPH DM basis. The DM intake (DMI) was higher in T2 and T3 than in T1. As the amount of FPH was raised, the BW change, crude protein intake (CPI) and total digestible nutrient intake (TDNI) was increased. Although the yield of milk and milk composition did not differ among the treatments, the 7% fat corrected milk yield (FCMY) tended to increase as FPH feeding amount was raised. Although there were no significant differences in FCMY/DMI and FCMY/TDNI among the treatments, FCMY/CPI decreased with FPH feeding. Supplementary FPH increased DMI, CPI and TDNI that might have raised BW, and tended to improve FCMY in mid‐late lactating buffaloes as a result of an increase in TDNI.     

The complete mitochondrial genome of the domestic red deer (Cervus elaphus) of New Zealand and its phylogenic position within the family Cervidae

We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial genome of the semidomestic red deer (Cervus elaphus) of New Zealand. The genome was 16 357 bp long and contained 13 protein‐coding genes, 12SrRNA, 16SrRNA, 22 tRNAs and a D‐loop as found in other mammals. Database homology searches showed that the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence from the New Zealand semidomestic deer was similar to partial mtDNA sequences from the European, Norwegian (C. e. atlanticus) and Spanish red deer (C. e. hispanicus). Phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial protein‐coding regions revealed two well‐defined monophyletic clades in subfamilies Cervinae and Muntiacinae. However, red deer and Sika deer were not found to be close relatives. The analysis did identify the red deer as a sister taxon of a Samber/Sika deer clade, although it was more closely related to the Samber than the Sika group.