Deposition characteristics and biological effectiveness of fungicides applied to winter wheat and the hazards of drift when using different types of hydraulic nozzles

Hydraulic-fan cone, low-pressure fan and two-chamber cone nozzles were used at 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 bar (150, 300 and 600 kPa) to deliver 140, 200 and 3001 ha⁻¹ respectively of a fungicide spray to control mildew and yellow rust in winter wheat. No significant differences in biological effect were obtained although fan nozzles deposited significantly more on the upper parts of the stems, and two-chamber cone nozzles deposited less on the flag leaf and on the upper part of the stems. Because of their higher deposit and more even distribution, fan nozzles should be preferred, operated at a pressure of 1.5–3 bar to deliver a spray volume of 140–190 lha⁻¹ at 7 km h⁻¹ and to obtain an acceptable biological effect. Higher pressure (6 bar) and volume rates gave no improvement in fungicide performance. Adding a surfactant or penetration oil did not change the volume median diameter or proportion of spray liquid in droplets < 150 μm. Less drift was found when using two-chamber cone nozzles at 3 bar than with flat-fan spray nozzles at 1.5 bar. It is concluded that the two-chamber cone nozzle is useful for fungicide application when drift must be avoided.     

Can more be learned from selection experiments of value in animal breeding programmes? Or is it time for an obituary?

Selection experiments in laboratory animals and livestock have provided a wealth of information on genetic parameters of quantitative traits and on the effectiveness of selection in the short and long term on both directly selected and correlated traits. They have stimulated developments in theory and tests of it, and extreme selected lines continue to be source material for biological study. Some of the main questions and findings are briefly reviewed. Yet much of successful animal breeding practice has been based essentially on statistical methods, assuming where necessary the infinitesimal model, and new developments such as genomic selection are similarly not based on selection experiments. Information on the genetic architecture of quantitative traits is provided by selection experiments, but new methods for deeper studies of the biology are available. I discuss the future role for selection experiments in view of changes in funding streams and technology and conclude that there is little case for starting new experiments, but retention of existing long-term lines is desirable and DNA should be collected from all lines on a continuing basis.     

Glyphosate reduces urediniospore development and Puccinia psidii disease severity on Eucalyptus grandis

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown the effects of glyphosate drift on decreasing rust intensity on Eucalyptus grandis plants. However, the effects of the herbicide on Puccinia psidii initial development are unknown. In this study the systemic action of glyphosate on rust severity was evaluated on Eucalyptus plants maintained under greenhouse conditions. Urediniospore germination and apressorium formation on detached leaves and on water agar medium, previously treated with glyphosate, were also evaluated. RESULTS: Rust severity and the number of urediniospores per leaf area were significantly reduced with increasing glyphosate doses, even on branches not directly treated with the herbicide, indicating a systemic effect of glyphosate on pathogen development. Similarly, higher glyphosate doses also reduced germination and apressorium formation on detached Eucalyptus leaves, regardless of the direct application of the product on the leaf limb or on the petiole base. Puccinia psidii urediniospore germination in water agar medium also decreased with increasing herbicide doses. CONCLUSIONS: Reductions in germination and apressorium formation of P. psidii urediniospores with increasing glyphosate dose indicate that a lower severity and intensity of the disease may perhaps be due to blockage of the shikimic acid pathway in the fungal metabolic system. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

转基因植物种植地土壤微生物区系生态变化及其外源基因的分子检测

对转基因植物种植地土壤中微生物种群数量的影响及外源基因是否转移到土壤微生物中的可能性进行检测,是转基因植物生态安全评价的重要组成部分.本研究从云南省农业科学院大棚采集了转基因西红柿及对照土壤样品12份,采用平板稀释法对该土样中的微生物进行分离鉴定,结果表明种植转基因西红柿的土样中微生物的数量和种类有一定的变化.设计35s启动子、反义基因、卡那霉素抗性标记基因等特异引物对上述土样的总DNA,以及菌株DNA进行PCR扩增,均未检测到外源基因扩增产物.     

Quality Control Verification and Mapping for Chemical Application

The quality of an agrochemical application is a combination of the efficacy of deposit, productivity of the operation, and avoidance of off-site movement. A GPS- and sensor-based system was developed to document the quality of spray applications from a self-propelled sprayer. Confirmation of the spray deposition was accomplished with spray sampling surfaces (water sensitive paper) located at surveyed sampling points in the test fields. An image analysis technique was developed to estimate quantitative and qualitative data, such as relative droplet size spectra, and spray coverage from the cards. Relative performance of two flow control techniques, namely conventional pressure-based control and blended-pulse flow control were documented. Blended-pulse control produced a wider dynamic range and superior consistency of deposit when speed varied over a 3:1 range, or a 6:1 variable rate range was desired. Real-time mitigation of spray drift was accomplished through droplet size changes when sensed weather conditions and sprayer location suggested a potential hazard.     

Genetic diversity in a Tasmanian hatchery population of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) compared with its Canadian progenitor population

The level of genetic diversity in a cultured Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) population from Tasmania, Australia was examined at 11 microsatellite loci and compared with that in its progenitor population from the River Philip in Nova Scotia, Canada. The reference progenitor population consisted of archived scales collected from wild River Philip salmon in 1971 and 1972, not long after salmon from this river were imported into Australia in the mid‐1960s. The Tasmanian hatchery stock had a significant reduction in the mean number of alleles (31–43%) and mean allelic richness (28–39%) across all microsatellite loci compared with the wild Canadian population. Mean heterozygosity levels remained unchanged. Estimates of per‐generation effective population sizes for the Tasmanian population, based on allele frequency temporal variance with the wild progenitor population, ranged from 102–207 individuals and reflected hatchery records.     

Assessing the impact of population decline on mating system in the overexploited Mediterranean red coral

1. Understanding the interactions among demographic parameters, mating system and population dynamics is key to predict the response of populations to global change. The Mediterranean red coral is a precious octocoral suffering from population decline due to overfishing and warming‐driven mass mortality events.
2. While the demographic consequences of these two pressures are well characterized, little is known regarding their impact on population dynamics and evolution of red coral populations. The main objective of this study was to fill this gap focusing more particularly on mating pattern and genetic drift.
3. Combining sibship and progeny arrays analyses, a genetic characterization of the red coral mating system was conducted. In addition, a synchronic approach was developed comparing mating patterns in two populations with contrasting demographic patterns: a pristine‐like population and a declining population.
4. The results show that polyandry is likely to be the norm in red coral. The similar patterns of genetic diversity between adults and larvae combined with the lack of differential reproductive success among putative fathers did not support significant sweepstakes effects during larval production. While instantaneous biparental inbreeding was detected, no long‐term inbreeding was observed even in the declining population. Mating patterns and effective population sizes in the two populations were not statistically different. Nevertheless, a trend towards a slightly higher inbreeding and a lower number of breeders was observed in the declining population.
5. Accordingly, we hypothesized that an increase in male gamete dispersal may buffer the increase of genetic drift expected in the declining population. This feedback between demographic decline and reproductive pattern may potentially take part in the long‐term persistence of red coral populations. However, the negative trend reported in the declining population unambiguously supports the need to maintain high densities of reproductive colonies to the functioning of red coral populations.

     

转子喷头的雾滴轨迹及雾滴飘移性能

在干旱少雨地区，大喷量家药喷洒会受到缺水的限制。采用转子式低量喷雾方法能使雾滴均匀分布，但由于转了喷头特殊的雾型，雾滴相对压力式喷头更容易飘移。对转子喷头雾滴的初速度和空间轨迹进行分析，说明了雾滴容易飘移的原因；通过与标准扇形喷头的对比试验，定量分析了转子喷头雾滴的分布特性。试验结果表明：转子喷头不适用于靶喷雾，但它的这种特性非常适合于低量或超低量喷雾；在微风环境下，转子喷头具有喷量小，喷幅宽和雾滴均匀性好等特点，适合缺水地区喷洒农药。     

均质地基地铁车站对临近建筑层间位移角的影响

以软土、中软土和中硬土3种均质地基作为研究基准,采用广义层间位移谱,结合有限元计算模型,考虑场地类型和距车站水平距离两个影响因素,分析地铁车站的存在对临近建筑结构的动力影响.结果表明,在地震动作用下,地铁车站的存在将增加临近地表建筑结构的层间位移角,给结构的安全性和抗震性能带来不利影响;随着距离车站水平距离的增加,地铁车站的影响将逐渐减小.结合本文算例初步认为,在软土场地条件下,地铁车站的影响最为显著;同时给出不同场地条件下,地铁车站所能影响的区域范围以供参考.软土场地中,地铁车站对距离车站2.0倍车站水平宽度范围外的地表建筑的影响仍十分明显,需要妥善考虑;而在硬土场地条件下,当距离车站的水平距离超过1.5倍车站宽度时,车站的影响已可忽略.