Australian Uromyces viciae-fabae: Host and nonhost interaction among cultivated grain legumes

Uromyces viciae-fabae, rust of faba bean, parasitizes other legume crops such as lentils (Lens culinaris) and field peas (Pisum sativum) in some environments. In this study we examined the host range of two Australian isolates of U. viciae-fabae collected and purified from a faba bean crop and classified as U. viciae-fabae ex V. faba. Field pea (P. sativum), chickpea (Cicer arientinum), lupin (Lupinus spp.), lentil (L. culinaris), and mung bean (Vigna radiata) genotypes were tested with these isolates, as well as resistant and susceptible genotypes of the faba bean host. Race specificity for these two pathogen isolates was observed on Vicia faba, with two faba bean genotypes showing partial resistance. Both U. viciae-fabae isolates also colonized field pea seedlings and successfully produced uredinia under glasshouse conditions, despite this fungus not being known as a pathogen of Australian field pea crops. No sporulation of either isolate of U. viciae-fabae ex V. faba was observed on any of the remaining legume species tested. However, obvious differences in fungal growth were observed, ranging from small infection sites with very rare haustorium formation in mung bean to more extensive growth and the development of potential uredinial structures in chickpea. These observations are discussed in relation to the phylogenetic relationship of these host and nonhost species.     

Reduced Germination and Seedling Vigor of Weeds with Root Extracts of Maize and Soybean,and the Mechanism Defined as Allelopathic

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Due to the negative consequences of synthetic herbicides use and their reducing effectiveness due to development of resistant weeds, promotion of...     

Aerobic microbial respiration in 86-million-year-old deep-sea red clay

Microbial communities can subsist at depth in marine sediments without fresh supply of organic matter for millions of years. At threshold sedimentation rates of 1 millimeter per 1000 years, the low rates of microbial community metabolism in the North Pacific Gyre allow sediments to remain oxygenated tens of meters below the sea floor. We found that the oxygen respiration rates dropped from 10 micromoles of O(2) liter(-1) year(-1) near the sediment-water interface to 0.001 micromoles of O(2) liter(-1) year(-1) at 30-meter depth within 86 million-year-old sediment. The cell-specific respiration rate decreased with depth but stabilized at around 10(-3) femtomoles of O(2) cell(-1) day(-1) 10 meters below the seafloor. This result indicated that the community size is controlled by the rate of carbon oxidation and thereby by the low available energy flux.     

Pronuclear Embryo Yield in Canindé and Saanen Goats for DNA Microinjection

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of donor breed on pronuclear‐stage embryo yield to be used for DNA microinjection in a transgenesis goat program. Twelve Canindé and twelve Saanen goats were heat synchronized using a progestagen‐cloprostenol treatment. Forty‐eight hours before the sponge removal, superovulation was induced with a total administration of 4.4 mg/kg bodyweight NIH‐FSH‐P1, given twice daily in decreasing doses over 3 days. In addition, goats received 100 μg of GnRH and they were hand‐mated at 36 and 48 h after progestagen removal. Embryo recovery was performed by oviduct flushing at 72 h after sponge removal. Embryos were microinjected with a DNA construct and noticeable swelling of the nuclei was the criterion for successful microinjection. The total diameter, cytoplasm diameter, zona pellucida thickness and pronuclei diameter were measured for each microinjected embryo. A higher (p < 0.05) percentage of fertilized ova was observed in Canindé (89.9%) than Saanen (36.2%) goats. In addition, Canindé donors produced a higher percentage of pronuclear embryos when compared with Saanen: 72.5% vs 20.6% (p < 0.05), respectively. Successful microinjection was verified in 96.7% and 73.3% of times in Canindé and Saanen embryos, respectively (p < 0.05). Significant differences were observed for all morphometric parameters except for cytoplasm diameter. In conclusion, under our study experimental conditions, Canindé were more efficient than Saanen goats concerning the pronuclear embryo yield and manipulation. The use of Canindé goats in transgenesis programs could be increase the interest in their breeding and could be contribute to saving them from extinction.     

Epidemiological studies of pig diseases: 1. Use of French protocols for risk factor assessment to predict the health status of Australian herds

Objective To determine in Australian pig herds the accuracy of French protocols for risk factor assessment.
Procedure Data on health indicators and risk factors were collected for three syndromes, 'pre-weaning diarrhoea', 'post-weaning diarrhoea' and 'respiratory problems', using the French protocols. The protocols were used on 118 occasions in 32 Western Australian pig herds during 3 years (1988 to 1991).
Results There was a wide variation in pre-weaning performance, for example growth rate was 107 to 273 g/day (< 200 g/day in 33% of herds). Respiratory lesions at weaning were associated with poor pre-weaning performance. Post-weaning (21 days after weaning) growth rate was 114 to 408 g/day (< 250 g/day in 54% of herds). In the grower herds, 91% of herds had pneumonia, and growth rate was 439 to 625 g/day (< 550 g/day in 54% of herds). Pleurisy as well as pneumonia was associated with reduced growth rate. The risk factor most closely associated with respiratory health status was air volume per pig.
Conclusion Risk factors were most accurate at predicting the health status in post-weaning problems. A weaning weight of at least 7.9 kg and weaning age of 30 days optimised weaner performance. Stocking densities and shed designs providing at least 3 m³ air volume and 0.6 m² floor space per pig throughout the growing phase should be considered for an improved respiratory health status. Australian pig sheds often do not provide a satisfactory environment for optimum health. The technique of risk factor assessment as an aid to the maintenance of health in pig herds is applicable in Australia, but further research is necessary to determine the most important Australian risk factors.     

The Post‐Cervical Insemination does not Impair the Reproductive Performance of Primiparous Sows

The study evaluated the reproductive performance of primiparous sows submitted to post‐cervical insemination (PCAI) compared with cervical artificial insemination (CAI). Difficulty with catheter introduction, the occurrence of bleeding or semen backflow during insemination, and volume and sperm cell backflow up to 60 min after insemination were also evaluated. Sows were homogenously distributed, according to body weight loss in lactation, lactation length, weaned piglets, weaning‐to‐oestrus interval and total born in previous farrowing, in two treatments: PCAI (n = 165) with 1.5 × 10⁹ sperm cells in 45 ml (2.4 ± 0.04 doses per sow) and CAI (n = 165) with 3 × 10⁹ sperm cells in 90 ml (2.5 ± 0.04 doses per sow). During PCAI, sows were inseminated in the absence of boars. Transabdominal real‐time ultrasonography was performed at oestrus onset, immediately before the first insemination and at 24 h after last insemination. There was no difference (P > 0.05) between treatments in farrowing rate (91.5% × 89.1%) and litter size (12.5 × 11.9 piglets born, respectively for PCAI and CAI sows). Successful passage of the intrauterine catheter in all the inseminations was possible in 86.8% (165/190) of sows initially allocated to PCAI treatment. Difficulty of introducing the catheter in at least one insemination did not affect the reproductive performance of PCAI sows (P > 0.05). Bleeding during insemination did not affect (P > 0.05) the farrowing rate in both treatments, but litter size was reduced in CAI and PCAI sows (P ≤ 0.06). Percentage of spermatozoa present in backflow within 1 h after insemination was greater in CAI than PCAI sows (P < 0.01). More than 85% of primiparous sows can be successfully post‐cervical inseminated with doses containing 1.5 × 10⁹ sperm cells in the absence of the boar during insemination without impairing the reproductive performance.     

Effect of ammonia-N on growth and feeding of juvenile Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De-Man)

Survival rate, growth and feed intake were determined for late juveniles (4.31 ± 0.18 g) of river prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii in freshwater with total ammonia‐N (NH₃‐N+NH₄‐N) concentrations of 0.015 (control), 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg L⁻¹ for 60 days at pH 7.53 ± 0.04 and temperature 24.0 ± 2.5°C. Survival rate was significantly (P<0.05) lower (54 ± 4.2–70 ± 5.4%) for total ammonia concentrations from 0.5 to 1.5 mg L⁻¹ [0.0139–0.0419 mg L⁻¹ of unionized ammonia (NH₃)]. Growth (0.026–0.030 g day⁻¹ range) of the prawns did not differ for the different NH₃ levels but were significantly (P<0.05) lower compared with control (0.056 g day⁻¹). Feed intake rates also diminished significantly (P<0.05) from 77.60 ± 2.45% at control (0.015 mg L⁻¹ NH₃‐N) to 48.69 ± 2.13% at 1.5 mg L⁻¹ NH₃‐N (0.0419 mg L⁻¹ of unionized NH₃).     

Effect of calcium and magnesium hardness on acute copper toxicity to Indian major carp, Labeo rohita (Hamilton) and catfish, Channa punctatus (Bloch)

Four experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of calcium and magnesium hardness on the acute toxicity of copper sulphate to Indian major carp, rohu (Labeo rohita, Hamilton) fingerlings and juvenile catfish (Channa punctatus, Bloch) in medium alkalinity experiments. A preliminary bioassay determined the 96 h LC₅₀ of copper sulphate to be 0.56 mg L^?1 for L. rohita fingerlings and 11.78 mg L^?1 for juvenile C. punctatus placed in water with calcium hardness and total alkalinity set at 100 mg L^?1 CaCO₃. In the first experiment, rohu were exposed to 0.56 mg L^?1 copper sulphate in environments where calcium hardness was varied from 50 to 350 mg L^?1 CaCO₃ and total alkalinity was 100 mg L^?1 CaCO₃. As calcium hardness increased, copper‐induced rohu mortalities decreased significantly from 90% at 50 mg L^?1 CaCO₃ to 7% at 350 mg L^?1 CaCO₃. In the second experiment, rohu were exposed to 0.56 mg L^?1 copper sulphate in environments where magnesium hardness was varied from 50 to 350 mg L^?1 CaCO₃ with total alkalinity set at 100 mg L^?1 CaCO₃. Hundred percent mortality was observed in magnesium‐based hardness treatments. In the third experiment, catfish were exposed to 11.78 mg L^?1 copper sulphate in environments where calcium hardness was varied from 50 to 400 mg L^?1 and total alkalinity was 100 mg L^?1 CaCO₃. As calcium hardness increased, copper‐induced catfish mortalities decreased significantly from 90% at 50 mg L^?1 CaCO₃ to 4% at 400 mg L^?1 CaCO₃. In the fourth experiment, catfish were exposed to 11.78 mg L^?1 copper sulphate in environments where magnesium hardness was varied from 50 to 400 mg L^?1 CaCO₃, with total alkalinity set at 100 mg L^?1 CaCO₃. In this case, 100% mortality was also observed in magnesium‐based treatments. Mortality rates in magnesium hardness treatments were consistent with those in the second experiment. These data suggest a calcium‐specific mechanism with respect to acute copper toxicity both in rohu and catfish.