Extending the horizons of agricultural research and extension: Methodological challenges

The recent enthusiasm for “participation” in agricultural development has fueled the development of new approaches to research and extension. The rhetoric of “participation” extends the horizons of agricultural research and extension beyond technical problem-solving. Yet in practice few of the personal, political, and experiential aspects of this process are addressed. This paper aims to draw attention to these elements of practice and to locate research and extension within wider social processes. Through a critique of conventional methodological strategies, this paper considers the possibilities offered by “participatory” alternatives. Considering the scope and objectives of agricultural development raises a series of methodological questions: What counts as knowledge? Who defines and represents this knowledge? Whose knowledge counts? Knowledge for what? Knowledge for whom? The paper goes on to assess a number of these “new” methodologies, within and beyond agricultural development. Through a consideration of their strengths and weaknesses, a series of further issues are highlighted for future methodological development. It is argued that for agricultural research and extension to acknowledge process, closer attention needs to be paid to context. The activities of research and extension need to be set in time. Strategies are needed to explore and address diversity and difference in communities. Situating the actors and agencies involved in development within relations of power involves addressing—and redressing—the nature of interactions between these actors. These changes require not an ever increasing array of methods, it is argued, but new approaches to learning.     

HPLC-DAD-MS identification of bioactive secondary metabolites from Ferula communis roots

A simple HPLC method was developed to distinguish between 'poisonous' and 'non-poisonous' chemotypes of Ferula communis. The method was performed on a C8 reverse phase analytical column using a binary eluent (aqueous TFA 0.01%-TFA 0.01% in acetonitrile) under gradient condition. The two chemotypes showed different fingerprints. The identification of five coumarins and eleven daucane derivatives by HPLC-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and HPLC-MS is described. A coumarin, not yet described, was detected.     

Ethnobotanical knowledge of the Istro-Romanians of Zejane in Croatia

An ethno-pharmacognostic survey was carried out in one of the smallest ethnic and linguistic groups in Europe: the Istro-Romanians of the village of Zejane (in Croatia), which has a population of approximately 140 persons, mainly elderly. Using an intensive field participant observation methodology, we recorded about 60 remedies of the local folk pharmacopoeia, and mainly derived from plants. Among them, the uncommon traditions to use homemade vinegar from wild apple (Malus sylvestris) and Cornelian cherries (Cornus mas) for diverse medical purposes, and houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) against ear pains have been briefly discussed.     

Use of nutraceuticals in the stallion: Effects on semen quality and preservation

Nutritional supplements are widely used in the equine industry with the aim of improving horse health, sports or reproductive performances. Over the years, a number of studies have focused on investigating the effects of several dietary compounds on the quality and preservation of stallion semen. This paper reviews the literature available on the use of nutritional supplementation for the improvement of reproductive performance and semen quality in equine species, critically appraising the benefits and negative effects of several compounds found in complementary feeds such as PUFAs from different sources, vitamins and antioxidants, carnitine and botanical extracts. Different nutraceuticals have been highlighted to improve stallion fertility by providing optimal levels of antioxidants, with the most promising results obtained by the combination of PUFAs and antioxidants that resulted to be essential for the maintenance of normal reproductive functions and the reduction of cryodamage in cooled and frozen equine semen.     

New records of the distribution and conservation status of the endangered limpet Patella ferruginea in Sardinia (Italy,W Mediterranean)

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A proposal of interpretive criteria for cefoperazone applicable to bovine mastitis pathogens

The correct assessment of mastitis pathogens for their susceptibility/resistance to cefoperazone is currently hampered by the lack of harmonized test conditions and interpretive criteria. The aim of this study was to provide a proposal for clinical breakpoints of cefoperazone which are applicable to Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Streptococcus uberis from cases of bovine mastitis and better reflect the situation in the bovine udder than breakpoints adopted from human medicine. For this, pharmacological data and clinical efficacy data of the documents submitted for approval of cefoperazone have been revisited. In addition, 1086 bacterial pathogens of the aforementioned six species/groups collected in Germany and in the USA during recent years were tested in parallel for their cefoperazone MICs and the zone diameters using a 75 μg disk. Subsequently, MICs were plotted against zone diameters. Based on the pharmacological data, the clinical efficacy and the microbiological data, a proposal was made for veterinary-specific breakpoints which classify members of the aforementioned species/groups as (a) susceptible to cefoperazone when their MIC is ≤ 2 μg/ml and their zone diameters are ≥ 27 mm (staphylococci or E. coli) or ≥ 21 mm (streptococci), (b) intermediate when their MIC is 4 μg/ml and their zone diameters are 22-26 mm (staphylococci or E. coli) or 16-20mm (streptococci), and (c) resistant when their MIC is ≥ 8 μg/ml and their zone diameters are ≤ 21 mm (staphylococci or E. coli) or ≤ 15 mm (streptococci).     

Serosurveillance of Schmallenberg virus in Switzerland using bulk tank milk samples

Infections with Schmallenberg virus (SBV), a novel Orthobunyavirus transmitted by biting midges, can cause abortions and malformations of newborns and severe symptoms in adults of domestic and wild ruminants. Understanding the temporal and spatial distribution of the virus in a certain territory is important for the control and prevention of the disease. In this study, seroprevalence of antibodies against SBV and the spatial spread of the virus was investigated in Swiss dairy cattle applying a milk serology technique on bulk milk samples. The seroprevalence in cattle herds was significantly higher in December 2012 (99.5%) compared to July 2012 (19.7%). This high between-herd seroprevalence in cattle herds was observed shortly after the first detection of viral infections. Milk samples originating from farms with seropositive animals taken in December 2012 (n = 209; mean 160%) revealed significantly higher S/P% ratios than samples collected in July 2012 (n = 48; mean 103.6%). This finding suggests a high within-herd seroprevalence in infected herds which makes testing of bulk tank milk samples for the identification farms with past exposures to SBV a sensitive method. It suggests also that within-herd transmission followed by seroconversion still occurred between July and December. In July 2012, positive bulk tank milk samples were mainly restricted to the western part of Switzerland whereas in December 2012, all samples except one were positive. A spatial analysis revealed a separation of regions with and without positive farms in July 2012 and no spatial clustering within the regions with positive farms. In contrast to the spatial dispersion of bluetongue virus, a virus that is also transmitted by Culicoides midges, in 2008 in Switzerland, the spread of SBV occurred from the western to the eastern part of the country. The dispersed incursion of SBV took place in the western part of Switzerland and the virus spread rapidly to the remaining territory. This spatial pattern is consistent with the hypothesis that transmission by Culicoides midges was the main way of spreading.     

Tissue distribution of dexamethasone in feline ocular structures following single topical application of dexamethasone as an ointment or suspension

Objective To compare the dexamethasone concentration in various structures of the feline eye following a single topical application of dexamethasone as an ophthalmic ointment or suspension. Animals studied Nineteen cats, euthanized due to reasons not related to this study, were selected and their ocular health status evaluated. Selected animals were treated with dexamethasone ointment or suspension. Procedure The concentration of dexamethasone was determined in the following structures of the eye: third eyelid, cornea, aqueous humor, iris, lens, vitreous body, and choroid/retina. The dexamethasone concentration in the eye was measured by radioimmunoassay. The applied amount of dexamethasone was 0.05 mg in 0.05 mL Isopto Dex^® ophthalmic suspension and 0.05 mL Isopto Dex^® ophthalmic ointment, respectively. Cats were treated once with ointment or suspension and were euthanized 3 h or 6 h after treatment. Results At 3 h after topical administration the highest concentrations of dexamethasone were measured in the anterior structures of the eye. The concentrations after application of ointment and suspension were comparable. However, 6 h after administration, the concentrations decreased after administration of suspension and increased further after administration of the ointment, leading to significantly higher concentrations of dexamethasone in the third eyelid, cornea and choroid/retina after treatment with ointment. Conclusion Therapeutically relevant concentrations of dexamethasone after a single topical administration were only achieved in the anterior structures of the eye. Six hours after application there was a substantially higher amount of dexamethasone in the anterior structures of cat eyes treated with ophthalmic ointment compared to ophthalmic suspension.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Arcobacter</Emphasis> spp. in fecal samples from Brazilian farmed caimans (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Caiman yacare</Emphasis>, Daudin 1802)

The aim of this study was to perform the identification and molecular characterization of Arcobacter cryaerophilus and Arcobacter butzleri isolated from caiman (Caiman yacare), kept at a production farm, in Brazil. Forty fecal samples were analyzed. After isolation and identification, 21/40 strains of A. butzleri and 19/40 strains of A. cryaerophilus were subjected to PCR for potential virulence gene detection. The results of the PCR showed 38/40 strains positive for the cadF, cj1349, ciaB, and tlyA genes, 39/40 strains positive for the pldA gene, and 40/40 strains positive for the mviN gene. None of the strains presented the irgA gene. Hemagglutinin (hecA gene) and hemolysin (hecB) genes were detected in 21/40 and 16/40 strains, respectively. The SE-AFLP showed a great genetic diversity, but some clonally groups were disseminated in various tanks. These data reveal that the strains presented the same virulence traits described from Arcobacter isolated from food-borne disease in humans.