Detection of Xanthomonas fragariae in symptomless strawberry plants by nested PCR*

Xanthomonas fragariae spreads in symptomlessly infected strawberry plantlets and a method for detection of latent infections is necessary. It is a very slow‐growing bacterium in culture and is easily overgrown by saprophytic bacteria. Therefore, plating is not a suitable method for detecting low numbers of bacteria in symptomless plants. In addition, selective media are not available. Serological assays like immunofluorescence are useful for testing in‐vitro plants, but they are not suitable for field‐grown plants, as cross reactions are common with the available antisera. For these plants, nested PCR with primers from Pooler ( Pooler et al., 1996 ) and Zimmermann ( Zimmermann et al., 2004 ) has proved to be a valuable method. The method was successfully applied for a survey of strawberry plants from fields in Germany and for testing imported plants (frigo and green plants).     

Der Einsatz von Trichogramma-Schlupfwespen in Deutschland

The use of Trichogramma egg parasitoids has further increased. T. brassicae, released against the European Corn Borer Ostrinia nubilalis, holds the largest share in Germany with 11,000 hectare. For small-scale fruits crops the commercial use of T. cacoeciae and T. dendrolimi against the Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella) and the Plum Moth (Grapholita funebrana) has been expanded. Trichogramma species are also being offered for controlling the vine moths, Lobesia botrana and Eupoecilia ambiguella on grapevine in homegardens. A strain of T. evanescens is available against cabbage pests, especially noctuids. Research has been conducted on the biological control of Autographa gamma in spinach, as well as of the Pea Moth (Cydia nigricana) and the Leek Moth (Acrolepiopsis assectella) in organic farming. Trichogramma is also important for the biocontrol of exotic pests in greenhouses. These are often polyphagous pests that have been introduced together with ornamental plants, such as Duponchelia fovealis and Clepsis spectrana. The Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronuba) was successfully controlled by Trichogramma in the field. The use of Trichogramma has been further established for the control of storage pests. T. evanescens is used against the Indian Meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) in stored cereal products. Other target pests in storage environments are Ephestia kuehniella and Sitotroga cerealella. In addition, Trichogramma species have been tested for the control of the Common Cloths Moth (Tineola bisselliella) under laboratory conditions. The range of target pests for Trichogramma egg parasitoids has therefore increased considerably in research and commercial applications in Germany.     

Profits and nitrate leaching under irrigated corn: a simulation

The economic impact of reducing the amount of nitrate leached out of the root zone under irrigation in the arid West was examined. The economic incentives of irrigation management were evaluated under the assumptions of both profit-maximizing and utility-maximizing (in reducing cost and effort expended in irrigation) decision-making criteria. The results indicate that there is a coincidence of interests of the farmer and the environment provided some leaching occurred. If no leaching is allowed, profit decreases markedly. Both behaviors result in less nitrate leaching than less profitable or less utility-producing irrigating practices.     

Edge effects in tropical dry forests of Madagascar: additivity or synergy?

Context

The study of habitat fragmentation is complex because multiple, potentially synergistic, ecological processes may be acting simultaneously. Further, edge effects themselves may be complex in that additivity from multiple edges can give rise to heterogeneous nearest–edge gradients.

Objectives

We used heat diffusion as a proxy for additive edge effects in two study landscapes in order to test whether two key observations recently attributed to synergy between edge and area effects could be more simply explained by additivity; namely, steeper edge gradients in larger fragments and variation in slopes of species–area relationships as a function of distances to fragment edges.

Methods

We sampled forest structure in northwestern Madagascar at various distances from the edge in fragments and continuous forest and used an inverse modelling approach to parameterize the model. In addition, we applied the model to data from a published study of beetle communities in fragmented forests in New Zealand.

Results

With increasing proximity to edges, woody stem densities decreased and, as predicted, smaller fragments had lower stem densities and less steep edge gradients than larger ones. The model successfully predicted shifts in species–area relationships as a function of nearest–edge distances for beetle species, although observed richness for forest specialists in the smallest fragments was lower than predicted.

Conclusions

Two key observations attributed to synergy between edge and area effects were explained by edge additivity. The model is particularly useful in that it can help to disentangle the complex sets of processes acting in fragmented landscapes.

     

Substrate utilization by Aspergillus flavus in inoculated whole corn kernels and isolated tissues

Utilization of the major corn (Zea mays) reserve materials (free saccharides, starch, triglycerides, and zein) was monitored during infection of detached kernels by Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) over a 12-day period. Inoculated whole kernels were compared to noninoculated kernels. Concentrations of sucrose and raffinose in inoculated seed decreased to nearly zero at 6 days, whereas concentrations of these saccharides in noninoculated seed dropped at a considerably slower rate, and significant levels remained at the end of the incubation period. Triglyceride concentrations remained unchanged in the noninoculated seed but dropped continuously after 2 days in the inoculated seed. Starch and zein concentrations did not change during the 12-day incubation period. Aflatoxin B1 was first detected after 2 days and increased to about 20 microg/g (20,000 ppb) after 12 days. Very low aflatoxin concentrations were detected in the noninoculated seed. Significant concentrations of erythritol, arabitol, and mannitol were produced during infection, with peak concentrations occurring at 8 days. Whole seed and germ tissue appeared to support good fungal growth and aflatoxin production, whereas ground tissues and endosperm did not. A. flavus preferentially utilized saccharides as initial carbon substrates followed by triglycerides. When invading nonwounded corn kernels, the fungus selectively targets the germ tissue where these materials are localized in the highest concentrations.     

Analysis of green total factor productivity trend and its determinants for the countries along silk roads

In coping with increasing energy consumption and the consequential environmental pollution, green development is becoming an important part of social development. Since the inauguration of China’s Silk Road Economic Belt Initiative (BRI), economic cooperation between China and other countries along BRI has seen much growth. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the levels of green total factor productivity (GTFP) of the countries in the Silk Roads Economic Belt (B&R) and examine how these levels vary spatially and evolve temporally. In this paper, a panel regression analysis with DEA windows is used to study the spatiotemporal trends of the levels of GTFP. The results are: (1) The B&R countries have seen an increase in their overall levels of GTFP over time; (2) There are regional differences in the levels of GTFP, with higher efficiency in Western Asia and Central and Eastern Europe, and lower efficiency in Southeast and Central Asia; (3) The analysis of GTFP for countries in these regions shows that the efficiencies of most countries have been improving, with that of only a few countries have been decreasing; (4) By using regression analysis, we find that variables such as import, export, industrial structure, and urban affect the B&R countries with growing GTFP.     

Biologische Engerlingsbekämpfung

Ohne Zusammenfassung Mit 2 Abbildungen.     

Die Schneebeere als neue Wirtspflanze der Kirschfruchtfliege

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Mycotoxicosis produced in swine by cultural products of an isolate of Aspergillus ochraceus. II. Clinicopathologic changes

Rice culture of a toxigenic strain of Aspergillus ochraceus was fed at a concentration of 25% to weanling pigs for 10 days. The clinicopathological abnormalities reflected renal damage. Activities of lactic dehydrogenase, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and isocitrate dehydrogenase were increased in the urine but not in the serum. Serum concentrations of urea nitrogen and creatinine were high. Cellular and granular casts, blood, protein, and glucose were in the urine of pigs fed toxic diet. Serum concentrations of K+, Na+ and Cl- were unchanged, but concentrations of these electrolytes were reduced in the urine.