Assessment of microbial biocontrol agent (BCA) viability to mechanical and thermal stress by simulating spray application conditions

Background

In order to improve the biological control agent (BCA) efficacy, stress factors threatening the viability of microorganisms during spray application need to be determined. The effect of spray mixture temperature and exposure time on Trichoderma harzianum T 22 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713 viability were tested. Concurrently the combined effect of mechanical and thermal stress effect on BCA viability were tested at two initial spray mixture temperatures (14 and 25 °C) by simulating a spray application using airblast sprayers featured by different tank capacity and a spray liquid circuit (without and with hydraulic agitation system). To assess the BCA microorganism viability, spray mixture samples were collected at time intervals along trials and plated to count the colony forming units (CFU).

Results

The critical temperature threshold that inhibited BCA viability was 35 °C with 30 min of exposure. The sprayer type, the initial temperature of the spray mixture and the temperature increment during the trials significantly decreased the number of CFU recovered. When simulating a spray application, the spray mixture temperature increase rate was determined mainly by the residual amount of spray mixture in the tank. Even if the tank capacity does not substantially affect the final temperature reached by the spray mixture, the higher residual spray mixture in bigger tanks can expose the BCAs for a longer time to critical temperatures.

Conclusions

Experimental trials allowed us to identify the effect of factors affecting the viability of tested BCAs, providing information about the actual chance to guarantee the biological efficacy of BCA treatments. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Challenges and opportunities of unmanned aerial vehicles as a new tool for crop pest control

The application of pesticides is not simply delivering chemicals to the target area. It also involves considering the negative aspects and developing strategies to deal with them during the application process, to ensure the maximization of pesticides use efficiency and the maintenance of the ecosystem. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sprayers demonstrate unique advantages compared to traditional ground sprayers, particularly in terms of maneuverability and labor intensity reduction, showed great potential for chemical application in pest control. It is undeniable that there exist challenges in the practice of UAV spraying, such as higher potential risks of pesticide drift or pathogen transmission, uncertainty canopy deposition for different crops, and unexpected leaf breakage induced by downwash flow. Maximizing the utilization of downwash flow while avoiding lateral air movement outside the intended target crop area is a major issue for chemical application with UAV sprayers, particularly in light of the increasingly apparent consensus on the need for enhanced environmental protection during the chemical application process. It must be considered that the operation strategy in different scenarios and for different crop targets is not the same, unique requirements should be given on nozzle atomization, flight parameters, adjuvants and aircraft types in specific working situations. In future, the implementation of spray drift prediction, technical procedures development, and other solutions aimed at reducing pesticide drift and improving deposition quality, is expected to promote the adoption of UAV sprayers by more farmers. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.     

甘肃陇西黄芩灰霉病病原菌分离鉴定及田间药剂防治

为探明黄芩(Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi)茎基部和根部灰霉病的病原菌,本文于2019—2021年春季对甘肃陇西县采集的黄芩病样进行病原菌的分离培养,运用形态学和内转录间隔区(Internal transcribed spacer, ITS)、甘油醛-3-磷酸脱氢酶(Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase,G3PDH)、热激蛋白60(Heat shock protein 60,HSP60)和RNA聚合酶亚基II(The second largest subunit of the nuclear RNA polymerase enzyme II,RPB2)多基因方法鉴定,采用菌丝生长抑制法进行药剂室内毒力测定和田间药剂防治试验。结果表明：引起黄芩灰霉病的病原菌为灰葡萄孢(Botrytis cinerea),春季发病时表现为地上部分枯死不发芽,靠近地表的根表面呈暗绿色水渍状,随后地下根木质部变软呈黄褐色腐烂,病健交界明显;室内毒力测定表明,97%咯菌腈对灰葡萄孢菌的抑菌作用最强,EC₅₀为0.01...     

规模化养鸡场A型产气荚膜梭菌的分离鉴定及其对海南霉素敏感性的测定

为探究海南霉素对产气荚膜梭菌的敏感性,在某大型养鸡场采集了209份鸡肠道样本,采用选择性培养基和MALDI-TOF质谱仪微生物鉴定仪鉴定,并对鉴定的菌株进行分型。采用琼脂稀释法测定了海南霉素、恩拉霉素、盐霉素、丁酸甘油酯对临床分离的产气荚膜梭菌的抗菌活性,以期为当前限抗禁抗后养殖场选择合适的药物控制产气荚膜梭菌提供理论依据。试验结果表明：共分离出61株产气荚膜梭菌,分离率为29.2%;通过多重PCR对所分离的产气荚膜梭菌进行分型,结果分离株均为A型产气荚膜梭菌;4种药物均有不同程度的抑菌效果,其中海南霉素与恩拉霉素对鸡源产气荚膜梭菌的抑菌效果最好,且MIC值范围均为0.004～0.06μg/mL。海南霉素具有很好的抗梭菌效果。     

土质边坡稳定安全系数影响因素的

土质边坡稳定安全系数的计算值主要与采用的简化计算方法和土工参数有关。采用正交试验法计算分析了不同的计算方法、材料参数、水位及其相关荷载、地震作用等对边坡安全系数计算值的影响，进而对设计中的计算方法和材料参数提出了一些有益的建议，并提出了在工程运行管理中应尽量避免低水位或水位骤降情况的意见，为土石坝类工程的设计与运行管理提供了重要参考。     

三道湾水电站正常溢洪洞及泄洪排

试验表明，三道湾水电站原设计存在以下问题：泄洪排沙洞单独全开运行工况下，其进口上方存在贯通性吸气漏斗漩涡；正常溢洪洞进口侧收缩十分严重，泄流量不足，闸后存在水翅、折冲波等不良流态，下游消能效果不佳；针对实际情况，试验通过在泄洪排沙洞进口增设消涡格栅，在正常溢洪洞进口设置椭圆形导墙、延长闸后收缩段，下游采用扩散挑流消能等措施，很好地解决了上述问题。     

FLUENT软件及其在植保机械方面的应用

FLUENT软件是流体力学中通用性较强的商业软件之一，由于FLUENT软件的应用，节省了大量的人力和物力。对实际应用有重大的指导作用。为此，通过简述FLUENT在植保机械方面的应用实例，提出了FLUENT在植保机械方面的发展前景。     

明甪直天王殿松木斗拱振动台试验研究

以甪直保圣寺天王殿斗拱为参考对象,进行无缩尺松木斗拱模型的地震台试验研究。通过对斗拱的加速度与动力放大系数变化趋势、斗拱在振动过程中位移响应变化特征、斗拱变形最大时刻和各构件变形最大时刻的滑移位移和回转位移数值对比分析,得出以下结论：地震加速度用于衡量地震烈度,并不能直接反映斗拱试件的最大变形;振动频率的变化对斗拱回转变形的变化起重要作用,振幅是决定各构件水平滑移的主要因素;各构件变形最大值与斗拱整体变形最大值具有很强相关性,其中栌斗和华拱的回转变形对斗拱的整体变形而言,处于支配地位;斗拱的华拱连下昂部分主要起装饰作用,其榫卯连接节点位置在振动过程中较为薄弱,在对实际文物维护修缮过程中应引起重视并采取相关加固措施。