Use of netting and whitewash spray to protect papaya plants against Nivun Haamir (NH)-dieback disease

A disease causing the decline of papaya (Carica papaya) plants was noticed in the Jordan Valley in 1982. The disease caused severe yellowing of the upper leaves and dieback of the apex. The disease was not transmissible mechanically and continued efforts to associate viruses and viroids have so far been unsuccessful. Epidemiological observations suggested that the disease is airborne and probably caused by a mollicute. In order to test this hypothesis, plots were covered by an insect-proof net and with white nets providing 15, 30 and 50% shade. The 30%, 50% and insect-proof nettings provided complete protection, and the 15% netting reduced disease incidence to <2%, compared with>37% in the uncovered control plot. Spraying plants at weekly intervals with a commercial whitewash solution was also found to be effective in reducing disease incidence. The advantages of using a range of netting field treatments as a simple means for obtaining information on the epidemiological nature of a new disease are described.     

Enhancement of sulfide auto-oxidation by metal ion in artificial seawater and a seawater which is a possible source of aoshio

SUMMARY: Aoshio is hypoxic milky blue-green seawater observed in some eutrophic bays. Previous studies have shown that colloidal sulfur causes the coloration and that the source of aoshio water is attributed to coastal anoxic bottom water. Occurrences of aoshio have been reported in limited areas of coastal seawater, although hypoxic transparent water seems rather universal. Promotion in auto-oxidation of sulfide by metal ions in seawater was investigated to explain the occurrences of aoshio. Artificial seawater containing 10 μM metal ion was assayed for the sulfide oxidation rate. The velocity constant which represents the oxidation rate within the initial 30 min and the amount of reacted sulfide in 2 h were determined by oxygen monitoring and sulfide quantification, respectively. Fe²⁺ and Cu²⁺ enhanced the initial 30 min reaction. Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺ and Ni²⁺ increased the amount of reacted sulfide in 2 h, forming whitish turbid water. Seawater from a suspected source of aoshio water was also assayed for the auto-oxidation rate of sulfide. The oxidation rate in water from 12 m depth was 13–19 times higher than the artificial seawater without an addition of heavy metal ions. More than 15% of the oxidation rate in 12 m deep seawater was explained by dissolved iron in the seawater.     

Factors influencing decline in soil pH in Hawaiian Eucalyptus and Albizia plantations

Soil pH declined from 5.9 to 5.0 in 8 years beneath plantations of Eucalyptus saligna (Sm.) in Hawaii. In stands of Albizia falcataria, (L.) Fosberg, the soil pH change was more dramatic, declining from 5.9 to 4.6. We measured several components of soil acidity beneath four mixtures of the two tree species to gain insight on the processes responsible for the decline in soil pH. These components were studied using an empirical method of comparing acid quantity, degree of neutralization (depletion of base cations), and acid strength. The decline in soil pH differed between species as a result of differences in the degree of neutralization of the soil exchange complex; the larger decrease in soil pH under Albizia was produced by greater acidification of the exchange complex. Empirical titration curves suggested that differences in acid strength moderated the divergence in soil pH beneath the species. Had the acids accumulating in the soil under Albizia been as strong as those in the Eucalyptus soil, the difference in soil pH would have been greater. Though the two species had contrasting effects on soil pH, the differences in degree of neutralization, responsible for the pH decline, were small compared with differences in the amount of cations stored in tree biomass. Continued supply of nutrient cations (from weathering or fertilization) will ultimately control both the extent of soil pH decline and the level of productivity sustained by the forest.     

Studies on mutlispecific resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes to benzimidazoles on dairy-goat farms

Multispecific resistance to benzimidazoles was studied in three selected farms. These farms had bred dairy goats for more than 15 years. The helminths were introduced with the goats at the establishment of the farms which afterwards remained isolated. Nematode resistance could then be related to their own management practices. Faecal egg count tests and egg hatch assays were performed to assess intensity of resistance. The generic (infective larvae in faecal cultures) and specific richness (adult worms) were assessed. The resistant species were Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Teladorsagia circumcincta, Haemonchus contortus and Oesophagostomum venulosum. Faecal egg count reduction tests and egg-hatch assays did not match exactly. Faecal larval counts after treatments gave a distorted picture of multispecific resistance: Haemonchus and Oesophagostomum were very largely over represented. The number of species found in the three farms was relatively low compared with other reports in goat farms of the area. This reduction of diversity might also be due in part to characteristics of breeding management and history (use of permanent pasture and introduction of goats at the establishment of farm).     

对拉巴汽车雨刮间歇继电器的测试与研究

对匈牙利的拉巴(RA′BA)重型汽车所采用的西德Bosch公司生产的雨刮系统间歇继电器作了各种档位、喷水与不喷水等多种工况的测试;发现了几个新问题,根据试验结果分析原理;引出故障诊断的思路。     

室内型胶合板天然耐久性的初步研究

作为一项反映材料优劣的重要的评价指标,天然耐久性直接决定了材料的使用寿命.笔者通过对胶合板胶合强度性能连续14年的跟踪测定,讨论和分析了胶合板的天然耐久性.最后总结出了胶合板在使用过程中随时间迁移其胶合强度性能随外界变化的规律,以期为胶合板的生产制备、生产工艺的改进及其应用领域的拓宽等方面起到一定的指导作用.     

杉木林杆材阶段能量积累和分配的研究

目前森林生态系统生产力的研究 ,多以干物质量作为指标 ,这对深入了解生态系统的功能 ,生态效益都有一定的局限性。必须把生物量与能量结合起来 ,因为生物量和能流的研究 ,是人工林生态系统结构和功能的研究中最主要的一环 ,是研究物质生产、物质循环和能量流动的基础。关于森林各组织器官的热值和能量的研究 ,国内外许多学者做过这方面的工作。刘世荣等 (1990 )研究了落叶松 (Larixgmelinii)林群落能量积累、分配、固定和转化的规律 ;陶金川等 (1990 )探讨了银鹊树 (Tapisciasinensis)群落的生物量和能量的现存量 ;张文其等 (1995 )对鹤山…