Compatibility of root growth and tuber production of potato cultivars with dynamic and static water‐saving irrigation managements

The important root characteristics of root length density (RLD) and root mass density (RMD) generally differ among irrigation managements and potato cultivars. The objective of this study was to investigate the RLD and RMD variations and their functional relationships with gross potato tuber yield for two commercial potato cultivars, Agria and Sante, under different irrigation strategies. Full irrigation and water‐saving irrigation strategies, deficit and partial root drying irrigations, were applied statically (S) and dynamically (D) based on daily crop evapotranspiration. Results showed that SPRD had significantly greater RLD (3.64 cm/cm³) and RMD (132.7 μg/cm³) than other irrigation treatments. Between the potato cultivars, Agria had significantly larger values of RLD (3.50 cm/cm³) and RMD (138.7 μg/cm³) than Sante. The functional relationship between the root growth characteristics and tuber yield showed that under water‐saving irrigations, Agria increased root mass at the expense of gross tuber yield but Sante increased root mass to maintain larger gross tuber yields. However, Agria produced more roots and gross tuber yield than Sante, and it is concluded that Agria is a more drought‐tolerant potato cultivar, which is recommended for tuber production in regions where water might be scarce. It was shown that larger root production in potatoes was associated with improved tolerance to water stress.     

Getting cosy in freshwater: Assumed to be brackish pike are not so brackish after all

Pike (Esox lucius) occupy coastal streams and rivers of the Baltic Sea, where they attain large sizes (>5 kg). These large sizes are perhaps due to the fact that they can tolerate relatively high salinities and can thus forage in the nearby more productive brackish environments. In an attempt to quantify the extent to which pike utilise brackish environments, and to provide some insight into the underlying causes for brackish water migrations, we tagged 30 pike from a western Baltic river with acoustic transmitters and were able to track 21 individuals for 1 year. Based on experienced from local anglers, this population was assumed to be brackish in nature, where individuals underwent freshwater migrations to spawn. Our findings however suggest that the smallest and most active individuals make short exits into brackish waters and do so on rare occasions. Our results further indicate that neither sex nor size is related to activity level. We suggest that these patterns reflect two distinct behaviours—active and passive—and that large pike can be supported by the food availability in the river, without the need to venture into coastal zones, thus defying the conventional view that Baltic pike are all brackish in nature.     

呼和浩特市大气污染状况的研究及遥感信息的利用

利用遥感技术结合地物波谱测定和叶表面内大气污染元素的含量测定分析研究大气污染是一种有效可靠的方法。克服了常规大气监测的弊病。充分显示了快速、准确的优越性。为城市规划和环境的综合治理提供了可靠的科学依据。     

Prevalence of the enteroaggregative Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin 1 gene and its relationship with fimbrial and enterotoxin genes in E. coli isolated from diarrheic piglets.

A total of 720 Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrheic piglets on 756 swine farms were screened for the presence of the enteroaggregative E. coli heat-stable enterotoxin 1 (EAST1) gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Escherichia coli strains that carried EAST1 genes were also tested by PCR for the presence of 4 fimbriae (F4, F5, F6, F41), 2 heat-stable enterotoxins (STa and STb), and 1 heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) gene. One hundred sixty-four (22.7%) of the 720 E. coli isolates carried genes for EAST1. Of these 164 isolates, 62 (37.8%) carried EAST1 genes only, 11 (6.7%) carried genes for at least 1 of the fimbrial adhesins, 51 (31.1%) carried genes for at least 1 of the enterotoxins, and 40 (23.8%) carried genes for at least 1 of the fimbrial adhesins and enterotoxins. Forty-six percent of strains that carried EAST1 genes carried STa genes, and 16% of strains that carried EAST1 genes carried F4. The isolation rate of enterotoxigenic E. coli strains carrying genes for EAST1 gene was 63%. The 6 major genotypes observed in this study (in decreasing order) were EAST1+, EAST1+STa+, EAST1+STa+STb+, EAST1+STa+F5+, EAST1+STa+F4+, and EAST1+STb+F4+. EAST1 is widely prevalent among diarrheagenic strains of E. coli and may represent an important virulence determinant in the pathogenesis of enteric colibacillosis of preweaned pigs.     

大豆室内耐冷筛选及其在田间的应用研究

本试验把生长箱大豆耐低温萌发筛选与田间早春播研究相结合,验证耐低温发芽的可靠性。在实验室,萌发期表现抗冷的大豆,田间出昔期仍表现抗冷或较抗冷。实验表明,大豆出苗的生物学最低温度平均为7.1℃,所需有效积温136℃。地温的高低直接影响大豆早春出苗的多寡,两者呈密切的正相关。黄、青、黑豆中,以黑豆抵抗早春不良气候条件的能力最强。     

鸭瘟病毒的PCR检测及其产物分析

根据基因库中已有的鸭瘟 Ul6的序列 ,合成一对引物 ,对 3株鸭瘟病毒进行 PCR扩增 ,均扩增出大小约 42 0 bp的特异性片段。进行测序 ,结果表明 3个毒株扩增后的片段均为 42 1bp。经重复实验后确定最佳反应条件 ,按该条件对两例临床病料进行检测 ,结果均出现大小约为 42 0 bp的特异片段。PCR产物与 L ake Andes株的相关序列比较 ,广东毒株与 L ake Andes株同源性较高     

Investigation of Cervical Patency and Uterine Appearance in Domestic Cats by Fluoroscopy and Scintigraphy

The cervical patency of six domestic female cats was monitored under sedation by infusion of contrast medium (Omnipaque) into the cranial vagina during early oestrus, mid‐oestrus, late oestrus and interoestrus or a radiopharmaceutical (^99mTc‐HSA) during mid‐ and interoestrus in a non‐ovulatory oestrous cycle. The transport of the contrast medium or the radiopharmaceutical through the cervix and within the uterine horns was observed under fluoroscopy and with the aid of scintigraphy. In three of the queens, transcervical transport of contrast medium was demonstrated in all stages of oestrus, in one queen during mid‐oestrus, late oestrus and 1 day after oestrus, and in two queens only during late oestrus. The relations between the cervical patency to the contrast medium and the oestrous behaviour, cornification of the vaginal cells and the serum oestradiol‐17β concentration were evaluated, and a relationship was found between the cervical patency and the degree of vaginal cornification. Transcervical transport of the radiopharmaceutical was observed in three queens during mid‐oestrus. When the cervix was open, hysterography under a fluoroscope and hysteroscintigraphy were performed. The fluoroscopic and scintigraphic recordings revealed the patterns of the uterine contractions during oestrus in both ascending and descending directions, and the movement of the uterine contents back and forth between the uterine horns. The hysterograms were classified according to the shape of the uterine horns and the appearance of the endometrial lining. Spiral‐shaped uterine horns with a smooth inner contour were observed in two queens, and a corkscrew appearance with irregular filling defects in the uterine lumen was shown in two queens that had developed subclinical cystic endometrial hyperplasia. These findings demonstrated that fluids or particles deposited in the cranial vagina of the cat can be transported into the uterus during some stages of the oestrous cycle. The fluoroscopic and scintigraphic techniques developed in this study may be further modified to permit more detailed studies of uterine contractile patterns and sperm transport in the feline female reproductive tract. Hysterography proved useful to diagnose uterine disease. The information on cervical patency is of value also for the development of techniques for artificial insemination in this species, and should be studied also in the ovulatory cycle.