Acibenzolar-S-methyl on Meloidogyne javanica control in lettuce

Nematodes are among the main limiting factors of the vegetables productivity, especially due to management restriction this crop to obtain an efficient control of pathogen. Resistance induction using acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) has presented promising results in the management of diseases, but to plant-parasitic nematodes the time required to activate latent defense mechanisms is a limiting factor, which can be prevented with the treatment of seedlings in trays. Thus, the present study aimed to assess different times of ASM application to Meloidogyne javanica control in lettuce. Lettuce seedlings were produced in trays, transplanted to pots 25 days after germination and inoculated with 2000 eggs of the nematode. The seedlings were pulverized on shoots with ASM 10 or 5 days before of transplant (DBT), on the day of transplant (DT), 5 or 10 days after transplant (5 or 10 DAT), 10 DBT?+?DT and 10 DBT?+?5 DAT. The untreated plants formed the control group. Fifty days later, these plants were collected and evaluated the nematological and vegetative parameters. The treatments promoted a decrease in M. javanica population higher than 60% when applied until 5 DAT and generally did not interfere with the vegetative parameters of lettuce, and ASM can be adopted as an alternative for the root-knot nematodes management.     

Photo-Assisted Degradation,Toxicological Assessment,and Modeling Using Artificial Neural Networks of Reactive Gray BF-2R Dye

This work investigates the degradation of Reactive Gray BF-2R dye (a blend of reactive yellow 145, reactive orange 122 and reactive black 5 dyes) using UV/H₂O₂, Fenton, and photo-Fenton-advanced oxidative processes, with artificial sunlight and UV-C radiations. The photo-Fenton process employing UV-C radiation was the most efficient under the conditions studied. The ideal conditions for the degradation of the dye, determined using a factorial design 2³ and a study of the concentration of hydrogen peroxide ([H₂O₂]), were [H₂O₂] equal to 40 mg L^?1, iron concentration [Fe] of 1 mg L^?1, and pH between 3 and 4. The Chan and Chu non-linear kinetic model predicted the kinetic data with a degradation of over 98% for color and 68% for aromatics after 60 min. The behavior of the chemical oxygen demand fitted the first-order kinetic model well, with a degradation of 64% after 60 min. The Multilayer Perceptron 7-11-2 artificial neural network model enabled to model the degradation process of the aromatics and accurately predict the experimental data. Toxicity tests indicated that the post-treatment samples were non-toxic for Escherichia coli bacteria, and Portulaca grandiflora and Basil sabory seeds. However, they inhibited the growth of Lactuca sativa seeds and Salmonella enteritidis bacteria. The photo-Fenton process with UV-C radiation degraded the dye studied efficiently and the degradation percentages were, on average, 7% and 5% higher for color than those observed when employing the Fenton and UV/H₂O₂ processes, respectively. With the aromatic, however, they were 84% and 62% higher, thus justifying the use of this process.     

Estimation of the diagnostic accuracy of the glyco-C and US9 gene-based polymerase chain reaction technique for the detection of bovine Herpesvirus type 5 DNA in decomposed brain suspension from a slaughter house using Bayesian analysis, Brazil

Brazil represents the greatest beef producer among tropical countries, and the major obstacle for meat international trade is sanitary problems especially closely related to viral encephalitis. The goal of this study was to estimate the accuracy of the glycol and US9 gene-based polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) for the detection of bovine Herpesvirus type 5 (BoHV-5) from decomposed brain samples (n = 95). For this purpose, a latent-class (Bayesian) approach was used. Sensitivity (Se) was estimated to be 70% (95% probability interval, 40–80) and specificity (Sp) 100% in the statistical analysis for both PCRs used. Accordingly, a minimum of ≥40% of the calves was estimated to harbor BoHV-5 DNA even after 72 h of decomposition at room temperature. It was concluded that US9 gene-based PCR could also be considered a cost-effective alternative in sanitary programmers. However, given the importance of veterinary diagnoses, PCR-positive samples should be further confirmed through in vitro isolation and/or sequencing.     

Threonine incorporation in tissues of growing broiler chickens using L-[15N] threonine

Most amino acid requirement trials appear for whole-body responses, but there is little information concerning amino acid incorporation in individual tissues, which may vary according to the age. L-[¹⁵N] threonine was used to evaluate its incorporation rate and distribution among broiler tissues in different ages. Seventy-two male broiler chickens were distributed into three different phases: starter (4 to 9 days old), grower (18 to 23 days old) and finisher phase (32 to 37 days old). L-[¹⁵N] threonine was added on balanced diets, and birds were fed for five days in each phase. Enriched samples of breast muscle, feathers, liver, jejunum and plasma were collected at 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hr after fed birds with the tracer in each phase. In the tissues were analysed dry matter, nitrogen and stable nitrogen. The ¹⁵N isotope abundance according to the time was fitted into exponential or linear equations using a same intercept. The ratio of the steepness or slope coefficients was determined to compare the L-[¹⁵N] threonine incorporation according to the age. In addition, L-[¹⁵N] threonine mass balances were performed to assess the L-[¹⁵N] threonine distribution among the evaluated tissues. Except for feathers, the L-[¹⁵N] threonine incorporation rate decreased with ageing. Taking into account the L-[¹⁵N] threonine distribution in the tissues, only in the jejunum was not observed an increase as the broiler grew. The L-[¹⁵N] incorporation varied in each tissue and according to the age of the broiler chickens. These outcomes could be useful to comprehend changes in amino acid requirements tissue-specific according to age.     

Suckling behavior,performance, and Kleiber index in calves of different genetic groups under shaded and unshaded environments

Tropical Animal Health and Production - According to previous studies, lamb mortality is high in the Ethiopian highlands. The present study aims to evaluate the execution of preventive sheep herd...     

Acibenzolar-S-methyl doses and application methods to Pratylenchus brachyurus control in maize

Pratylenchus brachyurus is one of the main limiting factors of agricultural yield in annual crops, particularly due its difficult management. Methods to reduce populations are constantly sought, and the use of resistance inducers deserves attention. Thus, the study aimed to assess the effect of acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) application in different doses to P. brachyurus control in maize. Initially, 1000 specimens of P. brachyurus were inoculated in maize for the multiplication. After 60 days, the aerial part (AP) was discarded and maize was sown under the treatments: seed treatment (ST), application in the AP and ST?+?AP, in the doses of 0.125, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0?g i.a./L. Vegetative and nematological parameters were assessed 60 days later. ASM did not affect plant growth, but reduced nematode population in all the treatments. The treatment methods did not differ and reduced the number of nematodes/g root by 64.25 to 80.14% compared to the control. The doses of 0.6, 0.51 and 0.65?g i.a./L promoted the most reductions in the number of nematodes/g root when applied in ST, AP and ST?+?AP, respectively. Thus, we recommend the use of ASM applied on shoot in a dose of 0.50?g i.a./L.     

Mercury Concentration and Monomethylmercury Production in Sediment: Effect of Dredged Sediment Reuse on Bioconcentration for Ragworms

The effect of dredged sediment reuse on the production and bioconcentration of monomethylmercury (MMHg) was investigated by examining sediments and ragworms found in dredge material banks and surrounding sites in the Venice Lagoon, Italy. Total Hg concentrations in the surface 20 cm of sediments were higher in the banks than in the surrounding sites, but MMHg concentrations were similar, which suggests reduced MMHg production in the banks. Monomethylmercury content in ragworms was significantly lower (p?<?0.05) in the banks than in the surrounding sites. In pore water, concentrations of both sulfate and Fe decreased with depth in the upper 20 cm of the dredge banks. In contrast, sulfate concentrations were constant with depth and large amounts of dissolved Fe occurred in the upper 20 cm of sediments of surrounding sites. Continuous sulfate reduction and possible precipitation of iron sulfide may decrease the production and bioconcentration of MMHg in the dredge material banks compared to the surrounding sites. Overall, the production of MMHg in sediments and its bioconcentration in benthic organisms were connected to the process of sediment diagenesis of organic matter through the control of pore water and sediment geochemistry involving iron and sulfur.     

Bird species abundance–occupancy patterns and sensitivity to forest fragmentation: Implications for conservation in the Brazilian Atlantic forest

Developing a predictive theory for species responses to habitat fragmentation is a large, complex challenge in conservation biology, and meeting this challenge likely requires tailoring predictions to specific habitats and taxa. We evaluate the effects of fragmentation on forest birds living in three distinct forest ecosystems found in Brazilian Atlantic forest: seasonal semi-deciduous forest (SF), mixed rain forest (MF), and dense rain forest (DF). We test the hypotheses that (1) bird species most prevalent in SF (relative to other habitat types) will be least vulnerable to population declines in fragmented SF, and (2) species with stronger affiliations with DF or MF will be relatively more sensitive to fragmentation in SF. Using an exploratory statistical technique called “Rank Occupancy–Abundance Profiles (ROAPs),” we compared distribution and abundance of birds among large “continuous” areas of each forest type, then compared abundances in continuous SF forests with patterns of abundance in small fragments of SF, where edge effects could play a marked role in population dynamics. Overall, 39 species showed substantially lower local abundance, occupancy, or both in SF fragments versus continuous SF. As predicted, a higher proportion of bird species associated with DF appeared sensitive to fragmentation in SF; by contrast, species most abundant in SF and MF were similarly abundant in fragmented SF. Our study demonstrates how quantifying distribution and abundance in diverse habitats may enhance managers’ ability to incorporate species-specific responses to human disturbances in their conservation plans, and points out ways that even small reserves may have significant conservation value.