Automated identification of sugar beet diseases using smartphones

Cercospora leaf spot (CLS) poses a high economic risk to sugar beet production due to its potential to greatly reduce yield and quality. For successful integrated management of CLS, rapid and accurate identification of the disease is essential. Diagnosis on the basis of typical visual symptoms is often compromised by the inability to differentiate CLS symptoms from similar symptoms caused by other foliar pathogens of varying significance, or from abiotic stress. An automated detection and classification of CLS and other leaf diseases, enabling a reliable basis for decisions in disease control, would be an alternative to visual as well as molecular and serological methods. This paper presents an algorithm based on a RGB‐image database captured with smartphone cameras for the identification of sugar beet leaf diseases. This tool combines image acquisition and segmentation on the smartphone and advanced image data processing on a server, based on texture features using colour, intensity and gradient values. The diseases are classified using a support vector machine with radial basis function kernel. The algorithm is suitable for binary‐class and multi‐class classification approaches, i.e. the separation between diseased and non‐diseased, and the differentiation among leaf diseases and non‐infected tissue. The classification accuracy for the differentiation of CLS, ramularia leaf spot, phoma leaf spot, beet rust and bacterial blight was 82%, better than that of sugar beet experts classifying diseases from images. However, the technology has not been tested by practitioners. This tool can be adapted to other crops and their diseases and may contribute to improved decision‐making in integrated disease control.     

A Greenhouse Test for Screening Sugar Beet (Beta Vulgaris) for Resistance to Rhizoctonia Solani

Rhizoctonia solani Kühn is a serious plant pathogenic fungus, causing various types of damage to sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.). In Europe, the disease is spreading and becoming a threat for the growing of this crop. Plant resistance seems to be the most practical and economical way to control the disease. Experiments were carried out to optimise a greenhouse procedure to screen plants of sugar beet for resistance to R. solani. In the first experiment, two susceptible accessions were evaluated for root and leaf symptoms, after being grown in seven different soil mixtures and inoculated with R. solani. The fungus infected all plants. It was concluded that leaf symptoms were not reliable for the rating of disease severity. Statistically significant differences between the soil mixtures were observed, and there were no significant differences between the two accessions. The two soil mixtures, showing the most severe disease symptoms, were selected for a second experiment, including both resistant and susceptible accessions. As in the first experiment, root symptoms were recorded using a 1–7 scale, and a significant expression of resistance was observed. The average severity of the disease in the greenhouse experiment generally was comparable with the infection in field experiments, and the ranking of the accessions was the same in the two types of experiments. It was concluded that evaluation procedures in the greenhouse could be used as a rapid assay to screen sugar beet plants for resistance to R. solani.     

Transmission of the agent causing a melon yellowing disease by the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum in southeast Spain

The agent causing a yellowing disease of melon (Cucumis melo), which results in severe losses in crops under plastic on the coastal plains of southeast Spain, was shown to be transmitted in a semipersistent manner by the greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood). The agent was transmitted by grafting, but not by mechanical inoculation or through seeds. The agent was acquired in the minimum period tested (2 h) and could infect plants in an infection feeding interval of 6 h. Capsella bursa-pastoris, Cucumis melo, C. sativus, Cucurbita moschata, Cichorium endivia, Lactuca sativa andTaraxacum officinale were found susceptible.Results suggest that the yellowing disease affecting melon crops in the southeast of Spain is due to a pathogen similar to beet pseudo yellows virus, but this has to be confirmed by serology.     

多杀菌素对甜菜夜蛾多酚氧化酶和羧酸酯酶的影响

报道了多杀菌素对甜菜夜蛾Spodopetera exigua(Hübner)多酚氧化酶(PPO)和羧酸酯酶(CarE)的影响, 多杀菌素对甜菜夜蛾表现了很高的毒力,对三龄幼虫的LC50值为0.80 mg/L。离体条件下,1.0×10-3~0.5 mg/L多杀菌素对甜菜夜蛾多酚氧化酶的抑制率超过50％,且表现为随药剂浓度的增加抑制能力增强的趋势。活体条件下,0.1~0.8 mg/L多杀菌素在处理的早期诱导虫体内多酚氧化酶的活性增加,但12 h后却显著抑制多酚氧化酶的活性。1.0×10-3~1.0 mg/L多杀菌素在离体条件下对羧酸酯酶不表现任何抑制作用,但活体条件下同样能诱导虫体内羧酸酯酶活性增强。     

甜菜粕的资源化利用及其在猪营养中的应用

甜菜粕经干燥制粒后在母猪和肥育猪日粮中的应用越来越多。文章综述了甜菜粕资源化利用现状,比较了不同甜菜粕营养成分间的差异性,并综述近年来甜菜粕作为饲料资源在母猪和肥育猪上的应用研究,以期为进一步开发利用甜菜粕提供理论基础和参考。     

Skeletal deformities associated with nutritional congenital rickets in newborn lambs

Abstract

CASE HISTORY: A group of 545 pregnant rising 2-year-old Coopdale ewes on a Southland sheep farm were grazed over winter on a fodder beet (Beta vulgaris) crop. Subsequently, 45 out of approximately 750 lambs were born with a variety of skeletal deformities, including shortened limbs, varus and valgus angular limb deformities, palmar grade stance and cranial bowing of the carpus. Analysis of the crop showed the fodder beet contained a low percentage of phosphorus. In addition, 60 out of 460 rising 2-year-old ewes that had been grazed on the fodder beet crop as 1-year-olds had incisor abnormalities and malocclusion.

PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: Two affected lambs (1-day-old and 3-days-old) with representative clinical signs examined postmortem were found to have markedly enlarged costochondral junctions, and noticeably enlarged long bone metaphyses. In addition, one lamb had a dense band of metaphyseal sclerosis beneath the physes of all long bones examined. Histopathological findings included small islands and columns of chondrocytes and eosinophilic cartilage matrix present in the metaphysis. Metaphyseal trabeculae were disorganised and often lined by accumulations of pale pink osteoid; similar pale pink osteoid was also present in the cortices. Unerupted molar teeth in the affected lambs lacked a layer of enamel, and the dentine was irregular with globular basophilia.

DIAGNOSIS: The gross and histopathological lesions were consistent with a diagnosis of rickets.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Nutritional congenital rickets has not been previously diagnosed in sheep, but is a recognised disease of human infants with vitamin D deficient mothers. The rickets in affected lambs was most likely associated with phosphorus deficiency as a result of the pregnant ewes grazing fodder beet during gestation. While vitamin D deficiency was not definitively ruled out in these cases, practitioners are alerted to the possible effects of feeding phosphorus-deficient fodder beet to ewes for long periods during gestation and to 1-year-old sheep during important growth periods.     

以甜菜粕取代小麦的全混合颗粒饲料对羔羊瘤胃pH值的影响

本试验选用24只3-3.5月龄的波德代(♂)×蒙古羊(♀)和陶赛特(♂6)×蒙古羊(♀)杂交一代羔羊,按2×2×2因子设计,研究了两个营养水平下以高果胶的甜菜粕取代小麦的全混合颗粒饲料对两种羔羊瘤胃pH值的影响。结果表明,低营养水平组的pH值显著高于高营养水平组(P=0.015);食后4 h(P-0.019)、6 h(P=0.009)的pH值在营养水平和饲料间存在互作,高营养水平组,小麦组羔羊的瘤胃液pH高于甜菜粕组,而低营养水平组、甜菜粕组的pH高于小麦组;羊品种对pH值无影响。     

干旱对甜菜叶丛期光系统Ⅱ及光合作用的影响

为探索甜菜(Beta vulgaris)叶丛期叶片光合机构和功能对干旱胁迫的响应机制,以抗旱性相对不同的品种“XJT9907”(旱敏感型)和“XJT9916”(耐旱型)为材料,在甜菜叶丛期控水为45%～50%田间持水量持续7 d时,利用植物效率分析仪(Handy-PEA)测定各处理叶片的叶绿素a荧光诱导动力学曲线(OJIP曲线),同时通过JIP-test数据分析方法,获得有关光系统Ⅱ (PSⅡ)标准化数据、比活性参数、性能指数、总性能指数和能量分配比率。结果表明：1)干旱胁迫增加了XJT9907和XJT9916叶片可变荧光强度,降低叶片电子传递效率(ΨEO, φEO, φRO);2)降低单位面积光能的吸收、捕获、耗散和传递(ABS/CSO, DIO/CSO, ETO/CSO, REO/CSO),其中对耐旱型品种XJT9916的影响较小;3)降低了PSⅡ单元之间的能量连通性和光系统之间的电子传递能力;4) PSⅡ放氧复合体(OEC)失活和PSⅡ受体侧与供体侧电子之间的不平衡;5) XJT9907和XJT9916叶片净光合速率分别降低32.2 %和10.3 %;6) 耐旱型品种XJT9916通过较强的能量耗散(DIO/CSO, DIO/RC)防止了能量被过度激发,致使叶片的净光合速率降低幅度低于旱敏感型XJT9907。XJT9907和XJT9916甜菜叶丛期土壤含水量为45%～50%田间持水量时,叶片光合系统光化学活性降低,电子传递反应和Calvin-Benson循环之间平衡失调,光合机构稳定性和光能利用效率降低,导致叶片光抑制,从而降低了叶片的光合能力。由此可知,干旱胁迫下甜菜光合能力的降低与PSⅡ功能下调有关,与Fv/Fm相比,性能指数PItotal可作为筛选抗旱基因型品种的敏感性指标。     

Feeding fodder beet (Beta vulgaris L.) with either barley straw or pasture silage to non-lactating dairy cows

AIMS: To determine the suitability of diets containing either approximately 85% fodder beet (Beta vulgaris L.) with barley straw or 65% fodder beet with pasture silage when fed to non-lactating dairy cows, by measuring intakes, digestibility, rumen function including microbial growth, and N excretion.

METHODS: Holstein-Friesian cows fitted with permanent rumen fistulae were fed either 65% fodder beet with pasture silage (Silage; n=8) or 85% fodder beet with barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) straw (Straw; n=8) in an indoor facility over a 9-day period, for measurement of intakes, digestibility, rumen function and urine production. The cows were adapted to the diets over 2 weeks before the indoor measurements. Feed was available for about 6 hours/day, as practiced commercially for wintering non-lactating cows.

RESULTS: Five cows fed the Straw diet had to be removed from the trial because of acute acidosis; four on Day 1 of the measurement period and one on Day 7. One cow allocated to the Silage diet refused to eat fodder beet bulbs and was also removed from the trial. Two cows fed the Silage diet were also treated for acidosis. DM intakes were lower with the Straw than Silage diets (6.4 (SE 0.4) vs. 8.3 (SE 0.5) kg/day) and organic matter (OM) digestibility was lower with the Straw than Silage diets (77 (SE 1) vs. 83 (SE 1) g/100g). The N content of the two diets was 1.14 and 1.75?g/100?g DM and there was a net loss of N by cows fed the Straw diet (?22.7 (SE 7) g/day). Rumen microbial N production was much lower in cows fed the Straw than the Silage diet (6.6 (SE 1.3) vs. 15.8 (SE 0.7) g microbial N/kg digestible OM intake). Concentrations of ammonia in rumen liquid collected on Days 5–6 were below detection limits (<0.1?mmol/L) in 36/48 (75%) samples collected from cows fed the Straw diet and in 27/48 (56%) cows fed the Silage diet. Mean urinary N excretion was lower in cows fed the Straw than the Silage diet (52.0 (SE 5.8) vs. 87.7 (SE 5.9) g/day).

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVENCE: An over-wintering diet for dry cows comprising about 65% fodder beet with 35% pasture silage provided adequate nutrition, although there was some risk of acidosis. In contrast, the diet containing about 85% fodder beet with barley straw resulted in lower DM intakes, poor rumen function, negative N balance so that both nutrition and welfare were compromised.     

木薯渣与甜菜颗粒粕组合效应对奶牛瘤胃发酵特性的影响

本试验旨在通过体外产气法研究木薯渣与甜菜颗粒粕组合用作泌乳中后期奶牛饲料的可行性及适宜组合比例.试验设计7个处理:木薯渣分别以0％(对照组)、5％、10％、15％、20％、25％和30％与甜菜颗粒粕(风干物质基础)组合,使用AGRS-ⅡI型微生物发酵产气系统进行体外瘤胃微生物发酵试验,监测体外培养3、6、12、24、4...