Book reviews

Birds Their Structure and Function, By A. S. King and J. McLelland, 1984. 2nd ed. 334 pp. illustrated. London, Baillière Tindall. £9.50. ISBN 0 7020 0872 9.

Proceedings of the 2nd European Symposium on Poultry Welfare, 1985. 360 pp. illustrated. German Branch of the World's Poultry Science Association, Celle, Institut für Kleintierzucht.     

Effects of timing and size of daylength change on brown egg laying domestic hens: Plasma luteinising hormone concentration and sexual maturity

1. Brown egg laying pullets were transferred from an 8‐h photoperiod to an 8‐, 10‐, 13‐ or 16‐h photoperiod at 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 or 20–3 weeks of age. Plasma luteinising hormone (LH) concentrations were measured at transfer and 7 and 14 d afterwards.

2. Significant increases in plasma LH occurred following light stimulations at 6, 9 and 12 weeks of age.

3. Changes in LH concentration 7 d after a light increase from 8 h to 8, 10, 13, 16 h were highly correlated with photoperiod length at 9 and 12 weeks of age.

4. Changes in LH were generally poorly correlated with age at sexual maturity, although the reduced influence on age at first egg of a light increase given close to sexual maturity was reflected in minimal LH responses at 18 and 20.3 weeks.     

Book reviews

Research and Development in Relation to Farm Animal Welfare, contributions by B. A. Baldwin, J. R. Bareham, I. J. H. Duncan, R. Ewbank, D. C. Hardwick and K. Vestergaard, Animal Management, 11, Series Edited by D. W. Fölsch. Birkhauser Verlag, Basel, 1981. ISBN‐3–7643–1241–6.

First European Symposium on Poultry Welfare. Edited by L. Yding S0RENSEN. Published by the Danish Branch of World's Poultry Science Association. 1981. 238pp. D.Kr.90. ISBN 87–88162–00–1.     

Cellular changes in the granulosa layer of the maturing ovarian follicle of the domestic fowl

1. The relationships between length, width and height of the maturing ovarian follicle of the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus) are shown.

2. During the rapid‐growth phase (yolk deposition) of the oocyte, i.e. an increase in size from about 9 mm diameter to 35 mm diameter, there is about a 15‐fold increase in its surface area. During this time the number of granulosa cells adjacent to the oocyte increases by about 5‐fold.

3. The granulosa cells become flatter during the growth period of the follicle, consequently increasing their surface area adjacent to the oocyte by about 3‐fold.

4. Together the change in shape of the granulosa cells and the increase in their number account for the increase in area of the granulosa layer during follicular growth.

5. Measurement of the DNA content of the granulosa layer indicated a progressive decrease in the cellular content of DNA as the follicle matures.     

Components of the electron transport system in the microsomal mixed-function oxidase system in wild birds

Notable differences were found among six species of wild-caught birds in the levels of cytochrome P-450, cytochrome b₅, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, and NADH-cytochrome c reductase. Ethyl isocyanide difference spectra showed significant variations among the species in peak height and in the ratios of the $\text{430}\text{455}\text{-}\text{nm}$ peaks. Substantial aldrin epoxidase activity was found in all species, and the amounts of dieldrin produced compared favorably with pigeon and rat liver microsomes. Higher content of cytochrome P-450 was not always accompanied by a similar rise in specific catalytic activity. Thus, no correlation could be established between these two parameters. Aldrin epoxidase activity with NADH as the sole electron donor was 25–49% as effective as with the NADPH-generating system. Addition of both NADH and NADPH-generating systems to the incubation mixture produced a synergistic effect with liver microsomes of two species but not with two other species. DDE and polychlorinated biphenyls residues were found in the heart tissue of all species examined, and this might indicate a possible inductive effect on the microsomal mixed-function oxidase system by environmental contaminants.     

Dose response of weeds to methyl iodide and methyl bromide

Labonuory bioassay and field experiments were conducted to characterize the dose response of weeds to methyl iodide and methyl bromide as soil fumigants. The patterns in potency of both fumigants and in sensitivity of diffcretit weed species to the fumigants were distinguished with the use of logistic dose-response models. Similar to its response to methyl hromide fumigation. Amaranthus retrofleus L. was the most sensitive to methyl iodide fumigation. Cyperus rotundtis L. was the least sensitive to methyl iodide fumigation, whereas Portuloca oleracea L. was the least sensitive to methyl hromide. Lolium multiflorum Lam. Abutilon theophrasti Medik. Chenopodium album L. P. ateracea . Brassica kaber (D.C.) L.C. Wheeler and Cyperus escuden-tus L. were similar in sensitivity to methyl iodide. Methyl iodide was as potent as methyl bromide for A. retroflexus but more potent than methyl bromide for L. multiflorum , A. theophrasti. C. album. P. oleracea. B. kaber, C. esculentus and C. rotundus. The dose response for weeds in the field was similar to that obtained in laboratory bioassays. Under fieid conditions. 280 kg ha^-1 methyl iodide killed all species tested except Solanum nigrum L Methyl iodide appears to be a suitable replacement for meihyl bromide because it can be used in situations simitar to methyl bromide fumigation, has superior efficacy against a broad spectrum of pests and has a low potential for degrading the earth's ozone lavers.     

Review: The strobilurin fungicides

The original article to which this Correction refers was published in Pest Management Science 58 (7): 649–662 (2002).Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry