Wheat grains fermented by fungal mycelia (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pleurotus ostreatus</Emphasis> or <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lentinus edodes</Emphasis>) as alternative feed ingredients for juvenile rainbow trout (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus mykiss</Emphasis>)

We investigated the effects of replacing non-fermented wheat grains with wheat grains fermented by fungal mycelia in the diet of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). We assessed growth performance, feeding parameters, and body composition in three experimental groups (0.33?±?0.01 g, in triplicates of 50 individuals each). The diets for all the groups contained ca. 43% protein and 19% lipids. Experimental diets were made by replacing the 100 g kg^?1 of wheat grains present in the basal diet (CTRL) with the same proportion of wheat grains fermented by Pleurotus ostreatus (PWD) or Lentinus edodes (LWD) mycelium. Fish were fed to apparent satiation twice a day for 56 days. Both, PWD and LWD, significantly increased fish body weight from day 28 onwards. Final body weight was 2.37?±?0.04 g (CTRL), 4.29?±?0.02 g (PWD), and 3.50?±?0.05 g (LWD), and feeding efficiency (%) was increased from 64.5?±?0.7 (CTRL) to 92.5?±?0.5 (PWD) and 84.8?±?1.5 (LWD). The experimental diets also improved nutrient retention efficiency (%): 30.0?±?0.5 (PWD), 27.7?±?1.1 (LWD), and 21.0?±?0.1 (CTRL), for crude protein; 40.3?±?0.6 (PWD), 31.0?±?1.8 (LWD), and 16.1?±?0.7 (CTRL), for ether extract; and 16.1?±?0.1 (PWD), 14.0?±?0.3 (LWD), and 11.6?±?0.6 (CTRL), for phosphorus. Body lipid content was highest for PWD followed by LWD and CTRL (81.4?±?1.4, 63.2?±?2.5, 42.3?±?2.6 g kg^?1, respectively), while viscerosomatic index was lowest for PWD (p?<?0.05). Liver glycogen in LWD and PWD fish (0.62?±?0.10 and 0.21?±?0.08% liver weight) was significantly higher than in CTRL fish (0.05?±?0.01% liver weight). Wheat-mycelium meals appear to be suitable dietary ingredients for improving juvenile rainbow trout growth and nutritional performance. These benefits vary according to the mushroom species used.     

Immunosuppression in postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome affected pigs

The present review concentrates on the clinical, pathological and immunological aspects of pigs suffering from PMWS which strongly suggest that PCV2 may be, in particular conditions, a cause of secondary immunodeficiency in pigs. From a clinical point of view, the lack of antibiotic therapy response against the disease, the existence of a litter effect and the concurrence of other disease syndromes and well-known secondary pathogens, such as Pneumocystis carinii, Chlamydia spp. and Aspergillus spp., may account as features of immunosuppression in PMWS. Furthermore, pathologic, immunohistologic and flow cytometric studies also suggest that pigs with PMWS may be immunosuppressed. Lymphocyte depletion of follicular and interfollicular areas together with macrophage infiltration of lymphoid tissues is a unique lesion, which is the basic feature of PMWS affected pigs. These findings are highly correlated with the decrease of circulating B- and T-cells and the diminution of these cell types in lymphoid organs, and with the increase of macrophage/monocytes lineage cells both in peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues in both naturally and experimentally PMWS affected pigs. The altered populations of cells participating in the immune system response both in blood and tissues suggests, at least in those severely PMWS affected pigs, a transient inability of diseased pigs to mount an effective immune response. From these points of view, strong suspicions on the immunosuppressive status of PMWS affected pigs do exist; however, future studies are needed to characterise the exact role of PCV2 on the immune system of pigs affected with PMWS.     

Management of melon bacterial blotch by plant beneficial bacteria

Plant beneficial bacteria (PBB) have shown potential for disease control and are particularly important in the management of bacterial diseases, which are poorly controlled by conventional methods. In melon, bacterial fruit blotch caused by Acidovorax citrulli is a seedborne disease that is particularly destructive under certain conditions. PBB strains were screened for their ability to protect seeds and leaves from bacterial fruit blotch, and their antibiosis activity and plant colonization were studied. When Bacillus sp. RAB9 was applied to infected seeds, it reduced the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) by 47% and increased the incubation period (the time between inoculation and the first visible symptoms) by 35%. Three of the selected strains (JM339, MEN2 and PEP91) displayed antibiosis against A. citrulli. The RAB9^Rif-Nal mutant colonized seeds epiphytically and roots and stems endophytically. Paenibacillus lentimorbus MEN2 sprayed on melon seedlings protected leaves, and when challenged with A. citrulli, it reduced the AUDPC (by 88%), disease index (by 81%) and incidence (by 77%). Given that the production of both melon seedlings and commercially grown greenhouse melons is increasing, biocontrol strategies may well be integrated into bacterial blotch management programs.     

Anchovy distribution off Peru in relation to abiotic parameters: A 32‐year time series from 1985 to 2017

Oceanographic and hydroacoustic data were obtained by the Instituto del Mar del Peru (IMARPE) during 72 cruises off the Peruvian coast between 1985 and 2017 to determine the ranges of the abiotic parameters influencing the anchovy (anchoveta) distribution and to observe the effect of the 1997–1998 El Niño event. The hydroacoustic data show a high seasonal variability in anchoveta distribution related to differences of environmental parameters as well as changes in distribution after the very strong El Niño event in 1997–1998. Geostatistic variograms were used to describe the seasonal variability and generalized additive models (GAMs) with a Tweedie distribution were applied to study the relationships between anchoveta and oceanographic parameters. The dependent variable was the value for anchoveta obtained from echosounder (nautical area scattering coefficient [NASC] of anchoveta) and the tested covariates were temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen at the sea surface; distance to the coast; year, latitude–longitude; and Oceanic Niño Index 1 + 2. The results show a high variability of anchoveta with seasonal differences in its distribution. Preferred abiotic conditions (temperature, salinity, oxygen) of anchoveta were 17.6–23.7°C, 32.30–35.14, and 5.9–8.7 ml/L in summer and 14.5–18.8°C, 34.81–35.12, and 5.2–6.3 ml/L in winter. The values in autumn and spring were intermediate and are considered as in transition. The anchoveta were detected at higher values after the 1997–1998 El Niño event, probably influenced by reduced standing stocks of congener fish species and by the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) or by a changes in climate.     

Spectral reflectance indices as proxies for yield potential and heat stress tolerance in spring wheat: heritability estimates and marker-trait associations

The application of spectral reflectance indices (SRIs) as proxies to screen for yield potential (YP) and heat stress (HS) is emerging in crop breeding programs. Thus, a comparison of SRIs and their associations with grain yield (GY) under YP and HS conditions is important. In this study, we assessed the usefulness of 27 SRIs for indirect selection for agronomic traits by evaluating an elite spring wheat association mapping initiative (WAMI) population comprising 287 elite lines under YP and HS conditions. Genetic and phenotypic analysis identified 11 and 9 SRIs in different developmental stages as efficient indirect selection indices for yield in YP and HS conditions, respectively. We identified enhanced vegetation index (EVI) as the common SRI associated with GY under YP at booting, heading and late heading stages, whereas photochemical reflectance index (PRI) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were the common SRIs under booting and heading stages in HS. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) using 18704 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from Illumina iSelect 90K identified 280 and 43 marker-trait associations for efficient SRIs at different developmental stages under YP and HS, respectively. Common genomic regions for multiple SRIs were identified in 14 regions in 9 chromosomes: 1B (60–62 cM), 3A (15, 85–90, 101– 105 cM), 3B (132–134 cM), 4A (47–51 cM), 4B (71– 75 cM), 5A (43–49, 56–60, 89–93 cM), 5B (124–125 cM), 6A (80–85 cM), and 6B (57–59, 71 cM). Among them, SNPs in chromosome 5A (89–93 cM) and 6A (80–85 cM) were co-located for yield and yield related traits. Overall, this study highlights the utility of SRIs as proxies for GY under YP and HS. High heritability estimates and identification of marker-trait associations indicate that SRIs are useful tools for understanding the genetic basis of agronomic and physiological traits.     

Effects of stocking density and natural food availability on the extensive cage culture of pejerrey (Odontesthes bonariensis) in a shallow Pampean lake in Argentina

An experiment was conducted for 80 days at La Salada de Monasterio Lake (Buenos Aires, Argentina) to assess the effect of stocking density and natural food availability on the growth and production of zooplanktivorous juveniles of pejerrey (Odontesthes bonariensis) in extensive cage culture. Ten cages were installed and stocked with 33‐day‐old fish, at three density treatments: 25, 50 and 75 ind. m^?3. Zooplankton was analysed in terms of abundance, biomass and diversity considering three size classes. Caged pejerrey diet was assessed regularly. The pejerrey gut contents composition was clearly different from cage zooplankton, showing a trend to contain bigger components. Reared fish exhibited a tendency to diversification of the diet and to change the mean prey size depending on fish length and stocking density. Regression models showed a positive and direct effect of the bigger zooplankton biomass on fish growth rates, which were also inversely affected by the availability of smaller zooplankton. The results demonstrate that stocking density and available zooplankton, in both quantity and quality, are key factors in regulating extensive cage culture of pejerrey. Handling stocking densities in a dynamic way it is possible to maximize fish growth, biomass harvest or fish number according to the goals of production.     

A simple pharmacokinetic model linking plasma progesterone concentrations with the hormone released from bovine intravaginal inserts

On the basis of pharmacokinetic modeling, this study provides some insights into predicting in vivo plasma progesterone concentrations when using bovine intravaginal inserts for systemic progesterone delivery. More significantly, this contribution is the first attempt to build a simple pharmacokinetic model that links plasma progesterone concentrations with the hormone released from bovine intravaginal inserts. After evaluating three rival pharmacokinetic models and considering some phenomena involved in the intravaginal administration of progesterone, a primary pharmacokinetic model having a good data fitting capability with only two adjustable parameters is proposed to the above mentioned task. Kinetic parameters are given for lactating Holstein dairy cows with two levels of daily milk yields; and non-pregnant, non-lactating Holstein-Friesian cattle. Model predictions indicate the occurrence of a preferential distribution of the intravaginally administered progesterone dose through a first uterine pass effect.     

The role of landscape structure on the abundance of a disease vector planthopper: a quantitative approach

Studies of patchily distributed insect populations have made clear the importance of host patch size and degree of isolation in determining the distribution of these populations. For such populations, patch connectivity will have an effect on patterns of patch occupancy and regional dynamics. In the present study we performed a series of observations to estimate the effect of landscape structure on the abundance of Delphacodes kuscheli (Homoptera: Delphacidae), vector of “Mal de Río Cuarto” disease to maize. Actively dispersing D. kuscheli individuals were collected in 19 sampling sites during the spring of 2004, using sticky traps placed at 2 m above ground level. Land use and landscape pattern were quantified, using Landsat 5 TM images for the area where each sampling site was placed. Four land use categories were considered in the analysis; winter pastures, winter cereals, perennial pasture and stubble. The spatial pattern analysis program FRAGSTATS was employed to estimate the patch area, patch proximity index, Total Class Area and the Mean Proximity Index for each of the land use categories in those sites where insect samples were taken. Partial Least Squares Regression analysis techniques were employed to relate the mean abundance of D. kuscheli and the landscape measures. Eighty percent of the variation of the mean insect abundance was explained by two first PLSR components. The proximity index of the local host patches, the amount of area left to stubble, local host patch area and total area of winter pastures were the most important variables affecting the abundance of dispersing D. kuscheli individuals. We found that the abundance of the dispersive fraction of the population of D. kuscheli is affected mostly by the surrounding landscape, particularly by the proximity of other host patches, and the permeability of the matrix represented by the stubble.     

Larven der GrasfliegeOpomyza florum Fabr. und anderer Dipteren im Wintergetreide bei Bonn

Ohne Zusammenfassung Mit 1 Abbildung J. M. Lamas, Estacion Experimental Agricola „La Molina” (Lima-Peru), war als Austauschassistent von April bis Juli 1939 am Institut für Pflanzenkrankheiten in Bonn t?tig.