Effects of shading and NO3:NH4 ratio on the yield,quality and N metabolism in strawberry

The effect of 50% shading and NO₃:NH₄ ratio (0:100, 75:25, 50:50, and 25:75) in the nutrient solution on growth, yield, quality and N metabolism in hydroponically grown strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa var Camarosa) was evaluated. Both fresh and dry weights of leaves were significantly lower when a high concentration of either NO₃ (100%) or NH₄ (75%) was the sole N source in the nutrient solution. In unshaded plants, increasing of both NH₄ and NO₃ ratio in the nutrient solution reduced photosynthetic (Pn) rate, however in shaded plants the reduction of Pn became more pronounced at a higher ratio of NH₄ in the nutrient solution. The yield in terms of fresh and dry weight of fruit per plant was significantly increased at the 75:25 and 50:50 (NO₃:NH₄) treatments. Fruit size was significantly affected by the treatments, so that the biggest fruits in both shaded and unshaded plants were obtained under the 75:25 and 50:50 (NO₃:NH₄) treatments. Total soluble solid (TSS) in unshaded plants was increased with increasing NH₄ ratio in the nutrient solution, however in shaded plants it was reduced at high NH₄ ratio in the nutrient solution. In both shaded and unshaded plants, higher concentration of NH₄ significantly reduced the post-harvest life of the fruits. The increase of tissue N concentration was nearly proportional to the NH₄ concentration in the nutrient solution. The activity of nitrate reductase (NR) was increased by increasing NH₄ from 0 to 50% and then reduced at a higher ratio of NH₄ in the solution. Shading increased NH₄ concentration so that the shaded plant had nearly twice as high NH₄ concentration in the leaves. The increase of NH₄ concentration induced by shading could be partially the reduction of NH₄ assimilate because of the shortage of carbohydrate.     

Removal of flowers or inflorescences affects ‘Barnea’ olive fruitlet post-anthesis abscission

A typical olive (Olea europaea L.) inflorescence consists of about 20 flowers. However, in many cultivars, only one fruit develops. This is due to massive abscission of flowers and fruitlets, which occurs during the first month after anthesis. In this study, we used the olive cultivar 'Barnea' to characterize the abscission mechanism and to try to increase fruit set by increasing the number of developed fruit per inflorescence. Removing the lateral flowers 3 weeks before anthesis increased fruit set by more than 50%. Removing all inflorescences but one from a branch increased the number of developed fruits from 0.93 to 2.8 during 2017 and from 0.91 to 3.34 fruits per inflorescence in 2018. Sugar quantification in the pistil revealed that starch level is high on the day of anthesis and low 25 days later in abscised as well as in developed fruit. Soluble carbohydrates are low on the day of anthesis, low in abscised flowers/fruitlets 25 days after anthesis and high in developed fruit. Screening the natural variation found in the Israeli germplasm collection revealed that in most cultivars less than one fruit per inflorescence has developed. However, there are unique cultivars with a higher fruit set.     

Repression of deoxynivalenol accumulation and expression of Tri genes in Fusarium culmorum by fungicides in vitro

A defined medium was developed in which to monitor deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation, fungal growth and expression of genes involved in trichothecene biosynthesis (designated Tri genes). In liquid culture, DON accumulated shortly after maximum expression of Tri6 and coincident with expression of Tri5. This was generally 96 h after inoculation. The effects of sublethal concentrations of the fungicides azoxystrobin, trifloxystrobin, kresoxim-methyl and tebuconazole on biosynthesis of the trichothecene DON by Fusarium culmorum were studied using this medium. The strobilurin fungicides trifloxystrobin and azoxystrobin significantly reduced the accumulation of DON in culture medium at a range of concentrations. Kresoxim-methyl, also a strobilurin, and tebuconazole, a triazole, did not significantly reduce the accumulation of DON, although levels were lower than those in nonamended cultures. Trifloxystrobin significantly reduced the accumulation of DON when added to cultures before initiation of trichothecene biosynthesis. RT-PCR assays of the expression of Tri6 and Tri5 genes indicated that trifloxystrobin acted by inhibiting the initiation of trichothecene biosynthesis.     

The joint action of fungicides in mixtures: comparison of two methods for synergy calculation

Two methods for evaluating the joint action of fungicides in mixtures were analysed. In order to obtain a relatively rapid answer on the type of interaction between fungicides in a mixture (additivity, synergism or antagonism), one can apply the Abbott formula to data on fungus survival. Tests with this method will not be accurate at high effective dose values. A more accurate determination of the joint action of fungicides can be made by the Wadley method, applied to data on effective doses. This involves more experimental work than the Abbott method. Optimization of mixing ratios of fungicides required a set of experimental data on effective doses with several mixing ratios.     

Intra-specific variation and inheritance of BYDV-PAV transmission in the aphid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sitobion avenae</Emphasis>

Vector efficiency of 44 clonal lines (clones) of Sitobion avenae belonging to 31 different genotypes (distinct patterns for five microsatellite loci) originating from Western France was evaluated by transmitting the isolate PAV4 of BYDV-PAV to barley seedlings. Variation in transmission rates from 3.7% to 92.5% was observed, with significant effects of the aphid clone, of the plant species on which clones were collected, and of the reproductive mode of the clones. When genotypes are considered instead of clones, a continuum in transmission rates was observed. A subset of S. avenae clones was tested for transmission of one (10 clones) and 13 (4 clones) other BYDV-PAV isolates, and a clear clone effect modulated by an isolate effect was observed. Crosses were made between clones with different vectoring phenotypes and their F1 progeny were tested for PAV4 transmission. The narrow sense heritability of the PAV transmission character was rather high in the F1 families (h²=0.5) and the segregation analyses suggested an oligo/polygenic determinism of this character. The possibility of generating new transmission variants by sexual reproduction and its consequences on transmission mechanism studies and on BYD epidemics are discussed.     

1-O-Alkylglycerol Ethers from the Marine Sponge Guitarra abbotti and Their Cytotoxic Activity

The cytotoxicity-bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethanol extract from the marine sponge Guitarra abbotti, whose 1-O-alkyl-sn-glycerol ethers (AGEs) have not been investigated so far, led to the isolation of a complex lipid fraction containing, along with previously known compounds, six new lipids of the AGE type. The composition of the AGE fraction as well as the structures of 6 new and 22 previously known compounds were established using ¹H and ¹³C NMR, GC/MS, and chemical conversion methods. The new AGEs were identified as: 1-O-(Z-docos-15-enyl)-sn-glycerol (1), 1-O-(Z-docos-17-enyl)-sn-glycerol (2), 1-O-(Z-tricos-15-enyl)-sn-glycerol (3), 1-O-(Z-tricos-16-enyl)-sn-glycerol (4), 1-O-(Z-tricos-17-enyl)-sn-glycerol (5), and 1-O-(Z-tetracos-15-enyl)-sn-glycerol (6). The isolated AGEs show weak cytotoxic activity in THP-1, HL-60, HeLa, DLD-1, SNU C4, SK-MEL-28, and MDA-MB-231 human cancer cells. A further cytotoxicity analysis in JB6 P⁺ Cl41 cells bearing mutated MAP kinase genes revealed that ERK2 and JNK1 play a cytoprotective role in the cellular response to the AGE-induced cytotoxic effects.     

The relative resistance of wheat, rye and triticale to take-all caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis

In seven field experiments conducted over 6 years with a wide range of disease severities, triticale was intermediate in resistance to Gaeumannomyces graminis between wheat (susceptible) and rye (resistant). Use of triticale is suggested as an immediately available means of introducing take-all resistance into cereal cultivation.
Octoploid triticale was slightly more susceptible than hexaploid triticale. There was little evidence of consistent variation in resistance among wheat or rye cultivars but a few hexaploid triticale cultivars varied in resistance. The resistance of triticale was not reliably expressed in the glasshouse tests used, so selection for resistance to take-all in a breeding programme would need to be conducted in the field. Individual pairs of rye chromosomes added to wheat did not significantly reduce its susceptibility. The feasibility of transferring the resistance of rye to wheat is considered.     

Evaluation of non-chemical seed treatment methods for the control of Alternaria dauci and A. radicina on carrot seeds

The current study was initiated to evaluate the efficacy of physical methods (hot water, aerated steam, electron treatment) and agents of natural origin (resistance inducers, plant derived products, micro-organisms) as seed treatments of carrots for control of Alternaria dauci and A. radicina. Control of both Alternaria species by seed treatment with the resistance inducers was generally poor. Results were also not satisfactory with most of the formulated commercial micro-organism preparations. Based on the average of five field trials, one of these, BA 2552 (Pseudomonas chlororaphis), provided a low but significant increase in plant stand. Among the experimental micro-organisms, the best results were obtained with Pseudomonas sp. strain MF 416 and Clonostachys rosea strain IK726. A similar level of efficacy was provided by seed treatment with an emulsion (1%) of thyme oil in water. Good and consistent control was generally achieved with the physical methods aerated steam, hot water and electron treatment. Aerated steam treatment was, apart from the thiram-containing chemical standard, the best single treatment, and its performance may at least partially be due to extensive pre-testing, resulting in dosages optimally adapted to the respective seed lot. In some of the experiments the effect of the hot water treatment, which was tested at a fixed, not specifically adapted dosage, was significantly improved when combined with a Pseudomonas sp. MF 416 or C. rosea IK726 treatment. The results are discussed in relation to the outcome of experiments in which the same seed treatment methods and agents were tested in other seed-borne vegetable pathosystems.     

Veterinary dairy herd health management in Europe: constraints and perspectives

The nature of veterinary work in dairy health management in Europe has changed over the past years and will change even more dramatically in the near future. The consumers and the media show increasing concern about animal welfare, safety of products of animal origin and traceability of animal products. Farmers in Europe have to produce under strict, often expensive and laborious regulations, while still commercially competing with farmers outside the EU and not subject to the same rules. Veterinarians should adapt their knowledge and skills to the new challenges and developments of the dairy sector. Dairy farmers nowadays ask for support in areas that go beyond clinical activities: environmental protection, welfare, nutrition, grassland management, economics and business management. Bovine practitioners should be able to advise in many different areas and subjects--that is the challenge to our profession. Veterinary education with regards to cattle health management should start with individual animal clinical work, which constitutes the basis of herd health advisory programmes. The bovine practitioner should then look beyond that and regard the herd as the unit. Each diseased cow or group of cows should be detected early enough to avoid financial losses or such losses should be prevented altogether by detecting and managing risk factors contributing to disease occurrence. Herd health and production management programmes represent the first level to optimise dairy farm performance. Expansions to that should further be considered, comprising both animal health and welfare issues, as well as food safety and public health issues. The latter could be addressed by quality risk management programmes following the HACCP-principles. Cattle veterinarians should follow recent developments and invest in new skills and knowledge in order to maintain their usefulness to the modern dairy farmer. Finally we are convinced that the cattle practitioner should evolve into this direction, otherwise the veterinarian as we know him will miss the train in the next years.