Preventing a new invasive alien plant from entering and spreading in the Euro‐Mediterranean region: the case study of Parthenium hysterophorus

Parthenium or famine weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) is an annual plant originating from the Americas, which is a major invasive alien plant in almost all continents. While the deleterious impacts of the species on agriculture, human and animal health have been well documented, information on the pathways of entry of the species is only occasionally mentioned in the literature. As this invasive alien plant is only recorded as established in Israel and Egypt within the Euro‐Mediterranean region, the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization identified P. hysterophorus as an emerging threat. EPPO therefore performed a Pest Risk Analysis on this species to assess the risk it represents and to consider appropriate management options. The EPPO Pest Risk Analysis main outputs are summarized in this article, indicating the probability of entry of the species via the different pathways within the EPPO region, its probabilities of establishment and spread, and the magnitude of its potential agricultural, environmental and social impacts.     

An integrated fertilization system of canola (Brassica napus L.) production under different crop rotations

Cropping systems in farmland areas of Iran are characterized by continuous cultivation of crops with consumption of chemical fertilizers leading to serious soil erosion and fertility decline. Information regarding the simultaneous evaluation of crop rotation and fertilization on the canola is lacking. Hence, field experiments were conducted during 2007-2010 using split-split plot design. Three crop rotations: chickpea, sunflower, wheat, and canola (R1); green manure, chickpea, green manure, wheat, green manure and canola (R2); canola, wheat, and canola (R3) were used as main plots. Sub plots were consisted of six methods of fertilization including (N1): farmyard manure (FYM); (N2): compost; (N3): chemical fertilizers; (N4): FYM + compost and (N5): FYM + compost + chemical fertilizers; and control (N6). Four levels of biofertilizers consisted of (B1): phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB); (B2): Trichoderma harzianum; (B3): PSB + T. harzianum; and (B4): without biofertilizers were arranged in the sub-sub plots. Results showed that green manure application in canola rotation (R2) increased grain yield and nutrient uptake. Combined application of FYM, compost and chemical fertilizers (N5) elevated the nitrogen uptake rate and grain oil yield. Simultaneous use of PSB and T. harzianum (B3) resulted in the increase of nitrogen and sulfur contents of grain. R2 rotation with regard to its biological and environmental efficiencies accompanied with FYM + compost and B3 (PSB + T. harzianum) is suggested as a low input system to obtain a more sustainable and productive farming in canola.     

Rising CO2 can alter fodder–weed interactions and suppression of Parthenium hysterophorus

Three C₄ grass (Setaria incrassata, Astrebla squarrosa and Bothriochloa decipiens) and one C₃ legume (Clitoria ternatea) suppressive fodder species, were re‐evaluated against the growth of the C₃ Parthenium hysterophorus under an ambient (390 μmol mol^?1) and an elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration (550 μmol mol^?1). Under the elevated atmospheric CO₂, shoot dry biomass and suppression index (SI) value of the C₄ S. incrassata were both reduced by 32% and 0.7 respectively, while those for A. squarrosa were reduced by 23% and 0.3. In contrast and under the same elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration, the shoot dry biomass and SI of the C₄ B. decipiens were increased by 8% and 0.1 respectively, while those for the C₃ C. ternatea were increased by 38% and 0.8. Our results suggest that C₃ fodder plants along with certain C₄ species could be utilised for the effective management of P. hysterophorus under the future elevated atmospheric CO₂ conditions. However, this system needs more fodder species to be investigated. Our results suggest that rising CO₂ per se may alter the efficacy of suppressive fodder management of an invasive C₃ species, P. hysterophorus.     

Resistance to Peach-potato Aphid,Myzus persicae Sulzer (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Potato Cultivars

Previous research suggests that potato cultivars offer little aphid resistance. However, few studies have measured the effects of host cultivar on aphid age dependent life table statistics or related these measures to field performance. In this study, laboratory and field studies assessed four commercial potato cultivars (Anya, Desiree, Pink Fir Apple, Santé) for resistance to Myzuspersicae. Cultivars were found to show considerable differences in resistance. In the laboratory, the intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) and effective fecundity of M. persicae was lowest on cv. Anya and highest on cv. Desiree. Aphids also took longer to develop to adults and were smaller in size on Anya compared with Desiree. Field studies over two seasons found that M. Persicae infestations started earlier on Desiree than on Anya and that the greatest weekly counts were recorded on the former.     

Advances in studies on the physiological and molecular regulation of barley tillering

Tillering is a crucial trait closely associated with yield potential and environmental adaptation in cereal crops, regulated by the synergy of endogenous(genetic) and exogenous(environmental) factors. The physiological and molecular regulation of tillering has been intensively studied in rice and wheat. However, tillering research on barley is scarce. This review used the recent advances in bioinformatics to map all known and potential barley tiller development genes with their chromosomal genet...     

Soil sodicity is more detrimental than salinity for quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.): A multivariate comparison of physiological,biochemical and nutritional quality attributes

Soil salinization is a serious environmental problem worldwide. To explore the comparative effects of soil salinity and sodicity on physiological, biochemical and nutritional quality attributes of four quinoa genotypes (A1, A7, Puno, Vikinga), pot and field experiments were performed on non‐saline soil and two types of salt‐affected soils designated as SS1 (saline) and SS2 (saline‐sodic). The results of both the experiments showed similar reduction pattern in biomass (11%–44%), chlorophyll content (10%–36%), stomatal conductance (18%–32%) and grain yield (30%–47%) of four genotypes on SS2 compared with SS1. Higher sodicity level of SS2 resulted in more Na accumulation (23%–40%) and oxidative damage (12%–35% decrease in membrane stability) leading to an increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT) in all the genotypes. Grain mineral contents (except Na and Mg) were decreased more in SS2 than SS1. Multivariate analysis revealed that grain Na content has negative correlation with all the nutritional quality attributes except Mg and fibre contents. Genotypes A1 and A7 were more salt tolerant with better grain nutritional quality than Puno and Vikinga. It is concluded that soil sodicity is more detrimental than salinity, and quinoa genotypes A1 and A7 are better than Puno and Vikinga for cultivation on saline and saline‐sodic soils.     

Immunoprotective role of LaSota vaccine under immunosuppressive conditions in chicken challenged with velogenic avian avulavirus-1

The first objective of the present study was to evaluate if the antibodies induced by the live LaSota and killed Newcastle disease (sub-genotype VIIi) vaccines protect the chickens against exposure with pathogenic avian avulavirus-1 (AAvV-1) of chicken and/or pigeon origins. The second objective was to study the effect of vaccines on stressed birds (dexamethasone, aflatoxin, and heat stressed) with respect to antibody production and protection against pathogenic AAvV-1 challenge. Sixty-one-day-old Hubbard chickens were divided into six groups (gA–gF) with ten animals each. All the groups received LaSota (10⁵ EID₅₀, 0.1 ml per chick) on days 7 and 27 via eye drop and one intramuscular injection of a killed vaccine (sub-genotype VIIi) (10^7.5 EID₅₀, 1 ml) on day 18, except the control birds received the PBS only. Moreover, group gC-DEX received dexamethasone intramuscularly at a dose rate of 1-mg/kg body weight daily; gD-AFLA had received aflatoxin as oral gavage at a dose rate of 30 ppb daily, and gE-HEAT was kept under heat stressed (38 °C) till challenged. All the groups were challenged with AAvV-1 strain of chicken origin of sub-genotype VIIi, except the group gA-pigeon was challenged with pigeon-origin strain (sub-genotype VIm). The result showed that the gA-pigeon and gB-chicken vaccinate showed 100% and 80% protection. The immunosuppressive birds produced low pre-challenge HI titer, and protection was observed at 40%, 50%, and 70% in gC-DEX, gD-AFLA, and gE-HEAT, respectively. Our findings suggest the stress factors such as aflatoxin in the feed and dexamethasone are immunosuppressive in nature and suppress the immune response and its associated protective role during infection.

     

Foraging technique and prey‐handling time in black‐necked stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus)

The foraging technique and prey‐handling time of the black‐necked stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) was studied in Dudhwa National Park, India, from January 1996 to June 1997. The habitat in which the storks foraged played an important role in selecting a particular technique to procure food. Black‐necked storks mostly foraged using a tactile technique (>90%), but sometimes foraged visually. When the water level was estimated to be less than 60 cm, the storks foraged using tactile techniques. There was no difference in the feeding techniques of male and female storks. Foraging attempt rates varied between the sexes in summer (May) and during late winter (February) in 1997. The search time for prey increased when the water level was high and fish were widely distributed. Decreases in water level resulted in concentration offish in certain areas and this contributed to high fish‐catching rates by black‐necked storks. Males had a higher success rate offish capture than females. However, females captured longer fish than males. Prey‐handling time increased in both sexes as fish length increased. Fish 4–6 cm long were most frequently taken by the foraging storks.     

Antagonistic potential of Trichoderma harzianum and Azadirachta indica against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici for the management of chilli wilt

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici (Foc) induces wilt disease in chilli and affects its yield. Implementing microorganisms and plant extracts for plant...     

The effect of micronutrient foliar application on yield,seed quality and some biochemical traits of soybean cultivars under drought stress

Abstract

This experiment carried out as split plot factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications during two consecutive years (2015–2016). The main plot consisted of drought stress: complete irrigation, irrigation withholding at R1 stage, irrigation withholding at R2 stage and subplots included foliar application of micronutrients: distilled water (control), zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate and zinc sulfate?+?manganese sulfate and cultivar as: Williams and Zan elite. The results showed that proline and linoleic acid were increased significantly, but chlorophyll a and b, seed yield, protein percentage, oleic and linolenic acids were decreased significantly by irrigation withholding. Also, the maximum values of chlorophyll b, protein percentage and linolenic acid were achieved by Williams. The significant increasing effect of zinc was found on the maximum root and stem proline, chlorophyll b, and oleic, linolenic and linoleic unsaturated fatty acids, meanwhile the maximum leaf proline was obtained by manganese sulfate.