Broiler growth and feeding behaviour in three different lighting regimes

1. Female broiler chicks reared in a 12‐h photoperiod which included a simulated “dawn” and “dusk” grew slightly faster than those reared in a 12‐h photoperiod of uniform light and others kept in continuous light.

2. This was apparently because the chicks subjected to dawn and dusk ate more food than those subjected to 12‐h uniform light and converted food more efficiently than those in continuous light.     

Ultrastructural changes in leaf and needle segments treated with herbicides containing picloram

The herbicide Tordon 50D (picloram+2,4-D) affected the integrity of the nucleus and cell membranes in Pinus radiata needle segments and caused the swelling of internal chloro plast membranes and the eventual disintegration of the chloroplasts. Tordon 22K (picloram) only affected chloro plast structure. Both herbicides had similar adverse effects on cell membranes and chloroplasts of Eucalyptus viminalis.     

The effect of soil aggregate size and water content on herbicide concentration in soil water

Suspensions of wettable powders of metribuzin and simazine were sprayed onto samples of two soils of two particle size grades, > 2.5 mm and <0.5 mm. The soils were either air-dry or at a water content of 12%. After either 1 h or 1 week, water was added to give a soil to water ratio of 1:1. Samples of solution were analysed after 1, 24 and 48 h. With metribuzin the intial concentration for both soils after wetting was greater from the >2.5 mm samples than the <0.5 mm samples, following application to dry soil, but by 48 h the differences were negligible. With simazine WRO soil did not show this effect at all and with Kirton soil only small differences were seen. If the soil was wet at the time of application, particle size had no effect except with simazine in Kirton soil. Generally metribuzin concentrations were higher after application to wet than to dry soils for at least 24 h after wetting whereas simazine concentrations were higher from initially dry soils and the differences had virtually disappeared 24 h after wetting. With the WRO soil herbicide concentrations in soil water were higher if the soil was wetted 1 h after spraying than if left for 1 week but the differences rarely persisted for 48 h. No such trend was observed with Kirton soil. It is concluded that the differences observed in these experiments could be responsible for variations in the performance of soil-applied herbicides.     

The selectivity of methabenzthiazuron between barley, perennial ryegrass and Poa trivialis

In field experiments methabenzthiazuron at 1.1 kg ai/ha applied pre-emergence gave good control of Poa trivialis L. in perennial ryegrass S23 which was undersown in spring barley (Zephyr); no significant damage to barley or perennial ryegrass resulted from 2.2 kg ai/ha. However this dose applied when barley had three to four leaves decreased the subsequent barley yield. In pot experiments in the glasshouse methabenzthiazuron was active mainly due to uptake through the soil. Much greater damage to barley and perennial ryegrass resulted when herbicide-treated soil was placed below seed level than above the seed. The difference was less marked with P. trivialis. The latter started to develop secondary roots near the soil surface earlier than either perennial ryegrass or spring barley.     

Structure-activity relationships of 1,2,3-benzothiadiazoles as synergists for carbaryl against the house fly (Musca domestica)

Fifty six 1,2,3-benzothiadiazoles and related compounds were evaluated as carbaryl synergists against the house fly (Musca domestica). Many of these were excellent synergists, the most active being those containing various combinations of halogen, alkyl, or alkoxy substituents in the 5- and/or 6-positions of the ring.Regression analysis on the data from 14 compounds for which substituents constants were available established that synergistic activity can be satisfactorily described by equations in terms of the hydrophobic bonding constant (π) and the homolytic free radical constant (σ ·).The results with compounds related to the 1,2,3-benzothiadiazoles suggest that synergistic activity is associated primarily with the diazosulfide moiety.     

Biochemical genetics of oxidative resistance to diazinon in the house fly

The genetics and biochemistry of oxidative resistance to diazinon were investigated in a diazinon-resistant strain of the house fly, Musca domestica L. The resistant strain was crossed with a multimarker susceptible strain and substrains containing portions of the resistant strain genome were prepared. Resistance, microsomal oxidase, and cytochrome P-450 spectral characteristics were then compared in the different strains. The major gene for resistance to diazinon is semidominant and is located on chromosome II, 13 crossing over units from the recessive mutant stubby wing. Additional resistance genes occur on chromosome II and on other chromosomes as well. Resistance to diazinon was introduced into a susceptible mutant-marked strain via genetic crossing over. Increases in parathion oxidase, total and P-450-specific N- and O-demethylase activity, and resistant strain type I binding spectrum were introduced along with resistance, indicating genes controlling these parameters and resistance are either identical or closely linked. No increase in activity of cytochrome P-450 itself was introduced into the mutant strain. Additional genes controlling the amount of cytochrome P-450 and several spectral changes characteristic of the resistant strains are apparently controlled by genes located at different loci on chromosome II. Resistance factors on other chromosomes are also present, but were not characterized.     

Comparative enzyme activities and cytochrome P-450 levels of some rat tissues with respect to their metabolism of several pesticides

Cytochrome P-450, A- and B-esterase, amidase, and glutathione S-aryl transferase were assayed in the postmitochondrial centrifugal fraction, microsomes, and supernatant of rat liver, lungs, kidneys, and testes. Liver microsomes contained the highest P-450 levels and A-esterase activity. B-esterase activity was more generally distributed and higher in the microsomal tissue fractions. Microsomal amidase activity was highest in rat lung and lowest in the liver (per mg protein). Glutathione S-aryl transferase activity was highest in the liver. The in vitro metabolism of carbaryl, phosphamidon, and chlorotoluron by the various centrifugal fractions revealed many differences. Carbaryl metabolism was greater in the liver microsomal fractions than in any other preparation. 1-Naphthol was the major metabolite in all tissue fractions. Although very little metabolism of phosphamidon occurred in the rat, metabolism in the rat liver postmitochondrial fraction was slightly higher with respect to the production of metabolites than in the supernatant and microsomes combined. Chlorotoluron was not metabolized by any of the tissue fractions of the rat. At least a low level of activity toward some compounds was observed in all tissues, but this study confirmed that the liver was the most active metabolizing tissue as well as having the highest levels of enzymatic activity usually associated with pesticide metabolism.     

Balance of conversion of [14C]lindane in lettuce in hydroponic culture

After application of [¹⁴C]lindane to the nutrient medium (1.45 ppm), 14.1% of the radioactivity was taken up by 12 lettuce plants during 4 weeks; in the nutrient medium, 7.8% was recovered after the same time interval. The radioactivity in the nutrient extract comprised: unchanged lindane (about 82%); free 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, free pentachlorophenol, conjugates of pentachlorophenol, and an unidentified polar compound (a total of 15%); 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene, 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, hexachlorobenzene, 2,3,4,5,6-pentachlorocyclohex-1-ene, and probably 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexene (a total of 3%). The radioactivity extracted from plants consisted of unchanged lindane (about 77%); free 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol, conjugates of a tetrachlorophenol and pentachlorophenol, and a strongly hydrophilic compound that was not identified (a total of 20%); 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, 2,3,4,5,6-pentachlorocyclohex-1-ene, and probably 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexene (a total of 3%). Identification was carried out by means of comparisons of chromatographic properties and of the mass spectra with those of authentic reference compounds. The significance of hexachlorobenzene as a metabolite of lindane is discussed.     

Dissociation and phosphorylation constants for the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by a series of novel O-ethyl O-phenyl S-n-propyl phosphorothioates

The phosphorylation, dissociation, and bimolecular reaction constants were determined for several members of a series of substituted O-ethyl O-phenyl S-n-propyl phosphorothioates in the presence of substrate. The data obtained are discussed in relation to electronegativity of substituents and in vivo toxicity.     

Biological Control of Take-all by Phialophora radicicola Cain1

Biological control of take-all by Phialophora radicicola Cain and similar fungi is reviewed, and new evidence is presented on the possible role of hyper-parasites, like Pythium oligandrum Drechsler, to augment this. Phialophora radicicola var. graminicola Deacon is abundant in British grasslands. Its role in biological control of take-all has been demonstrated in the glasshouse with natural soils and natural population levels of this control agent. Also there is much circumstantial evidence for its beneficial role in agriculture, especially in cereal monoculture following grass crops, and in natural and amenity grasslands. Some other similar fungi control take-all in the glasshouse, but their roles in current agricultural practice are not known. The take-all fungus, itself, can reduce infection of roots by P. radicicola, so there is a dynamic interaction between these fungi. This is affected by host type, relative inoculum potentials of the fungi, and possibly by environmental conditions. By careful manipulation, therefore, it might be possible to control take-all under a wide range of field conditions. The chief role of P. radicicola and similar fungi is to delay establishment of severe take-all early in cereal monoculture, rather than to combat an existing high disease level. It may therefore be desirable to combine different biocontrols, and hyperparasites like Pythium oligandrum may be important in this respect. This fungus was tested against varieties of Gaeumannomyces graminis Arx & Olivier and Phialophora radicicola in the laboratory; the host responses differed greatly, from marked susceptibility (P. radicicola var. radicicola) to almost complete resistance (G. graminis var. graminis). Hence, P. oligandrum might be used to alter relative population levels of these fungi in the field, but first its behaviour in natural soils must be studied.