Artificial Insemination of Gilts with 1.5 Billion Sperms Stored in Different Periods Associated with Different Pre-ovulatory Intervals

This study evaluated the reproductive performance of gilts inseminated at three intervals before ovulation (0-12, 13-23, 24-30 h) with sperm doses (SD) stored for 0-48 and 96-120 h. A total of 218 PIC Camborough 22 gilts were inseminated once with SD of 1.5 x 10(9) sperms. Pregnant gilts (n = 166) were slaughtered 30.8 +/- 3.7 days after artificial insemination. The number of corpora lutea (CL) and total embryos (TE) was counted. Pregnancy rates (PR) were analysed by chi-square test. TE and embryonic survival (ES), obtained as the ratio between viable embryos and CL, were analysed by GLM procedure (SAS) and mean values were compared by Tukey's test. Pregnancy rate was similar among artificial insemination-ovulation (AIOV) intervals when semen was stored for 0-48 h. However, the lowest PR was observed in the 24-30 h AIOV interval with storage time (ST) of 96-120 h (p < 0.05). There was a significant effect of the interaction between ST and AIOV (p < 0.05) on TE and ES variables. Total embryos and ES did not differ (p > 0.05) among AIOV intervals in ST of 0-48 h. However, gilts inseminated at 24-30 h AIOV interval with ST of 96-120 h showed a reduction of 6.7 embryos (p < 0.05) compared with gilts in the same interval inseminated with semen stored for 0-48 h. ES for the 24-30 h AIOV interval and ST of 96-120 h was lower than that observed in the other groups (p < 0.05).     

A perspective on management of Helicoverpa armigera: transgenic Bt cotton,IPM, and landscapes

Helicoverpa armigera is a major pest of agriculture, horticulture and floriculture throughout the Old World and recently invaded parts of the New World. We overview of the evolution in thinking about the application of area‐wide approaches to assist with its control by the Australian Cotton Industry to highlight important lessons and future challenges to achieving the same in the New World. An over‐reliance of broad‐spectrum insecticides led to Helicoverpa spp. in Australian cotton rapidly became resistant to DDT, synthetic pyrethroids, organophosphates, carbamates and endosulfan. Voluntary strategies were developed to slow the development of insecticide resistance, which included rotating chemistries and basing spray decisions on thresholds. Despite adoption of these practices, insecticide resistance continued to develop until the introduction of genetically modified cotton provided a platform for augmenting Integrated Pest Management in the Australian cotton industry. Compliance with mandatory resistance management plans for Bt cotton necessitated a shift from pest control at the level of individual fields or farms towards a coordinated area‐wide landscape approach. Our take‐home message for control of H. armigera is that resistance management is essential in genetically modified crops and must be season long and area‐wide to be effective. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

Postharvest application of ethylene and 1-methylcyclopropene either before or after curing affects onion (Allium cepa L.) bulb quality during long term cold storage

The storability of onion bulbs is dependent on the incidence and rate of sprout growth. Exogenous ethylene applied continuously has been demonstrated to act as a sprout suppressant in onion. However, the ethylene binding inhibitor, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), can also suppress sprouting in onion. Given this seemingly contradictory result, the precise role that ethylene plays during onion storage and the effect of curing on its efficacy is not understood.‘Sherpa’ and ‘Wellington’ onion bulbs were treated before or after curing (28 °C for 6 weeks) with a single dose of 10 μL L⁻¹ ethylene or 1 μL L⁻¹ 1-MCP for 24 h at 20 °C, or no treatment (control). Replicated out-turns were sampled during 38 weeks storage at 0–1 °C. Sprout growth (31 weeks after harvest) was reduced in ‘Sherpa’ treated before curing with ethylene or before or after curing with 1-MCP. However, sprout growth of ‘Wellington’ was not affected by any treatment. Following treatment, the cured, thick-skinned ‘Wellington’ released a lower concentration of treatment gas compared with the newly harvested, thin-skinned ‘Sherpa’. Onion bulb respiration rate increased immediately after being treated with ethylene but to a lesser extent or not at all when treated with 1-MCP. Fructose concentrations of onions treated with ethylene or 1-MCP before curing were not significantly different, however, after curing concentrations were about 2-fold higher compared with the control. Mean glucose and sucrose concentrations for both cultivars were higher immediately after being treated before curing with ethylene or 1-MCP than control bulbs. It appears that inhibition of sprout growth can be achieved using just a short 24 h treatment with ethylene or 1-MCP. However, skin thickness or permeability, which is dependent on cultivar and curing, may affect ethylene or 1-MCP influx and therefore efficacy of sprout suppressant action.     

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.     

Altrenogest Treatment Associated with a Farrowing Induction Protocol to Avoid Early Parturition in Sows

This study investigated the effect of altrenogest treatment on the farrowing development of sows, and birth weight (BW) and piglet survival until the third day of life. Three control groups were used: (i) sows that farrowed spontaneously before 114 day of gestation (CONT <114); (ii) sows that spontaneously farrowed at ≥114 day of gestation (CONT ≥114); (iii) sows that farrowed at ≥114 day with cloprostenol treatment (CONTCLOPR). Other sows were treated with altrenogest (Regumate^®) for 3 days (days 111, 112 and 113 of gestation): one group gave birth spontaneously (ALT) and the other group received altrenogest until day 113 and cloprostenol on day 114 (ALTCLOPR). There were no differences (p > 0.05) in farrowing duration, BW, coefficient of variation (CV) of BW, stillborn piglets, mummified foetuses, percentage of light piglets and survival until Day 3 between sows with and without cloprostenol treatment, in both control (CONT ≥114 vs CONTCLOPR) and altrenogest‐treated sows (ALT vs ALTCLOPR). Further comparisons were performed taking into account three groups: sows with early delivery (CONT <114 – farrowing before 114 days of gestation; n = 56), sows with longer gestation (CONT ≥114 – with and without cloprostenol treatment sows; n = 103) and ALT sows (with and without cloprostenol treatment; n = 105). Gestation length of CONT ≥114 and ALT sows was similar (p > 0.05), but higher than in CONT <114 sows. There were no differences (p > 0.05) between groups in farrowing duration, CV of BW, and percentages of stillborn piglets and mummified foetuses. Sows of CONT <114 group had a larger litter size and a lower BW than sows of the other two groups (p < 0.05). Sows of CONT <114 group had a higher percentage of lighter piglets and a lower piglet survival rate (p < 0.05) than ALT sows. In conclusion, altrenogest treatment proved to be an efficient method to avoid early parturition in 3–5 parity sows resulting in heavier piglets at birth.     

Effects of additions of organic matter on the penetration resistance of glacial till for the entire water tension range

Hardsetting soil properties are undesirable in agricultural soils because they hamper crop production by limiting seedling emergence and root growth via increased mechanical soil resistance at low moisture contents. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of additions of organic matter on the penetration resistance of a hardsetting soil for the entire water tension range. Investigations were carried out on Saalian glacial till, which is used as a reclamation substrate in post-lignite-mining reclamation. Proportions of 0%, 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% by mass of organic matter (OM) were used. The remoulded samples were saturated under a constant load of 2.4 kPa to achieve bulk densities equivalent to a soil depth of 15–20 cm via water-induced consolidation. Subsequently, the mixtures were adjusted to water tensions between 10⁰ and 10⁷ hPa and penetrated using a small cone penetrometer. Compared to 0% OM, the addition of 1% OM led to a very small but significant (P < 0.01) increase in the bulk density, while between 1% and 4% OM bulk density was seen to decrease in a linear fashion. At moisture contents greater than field capacity, penetration resistance values were consistent with the observed changes in bulk density, leading to an increase in the samples containing 0–1% OM to critical values for root-growth and a decrease for samples containing 2% and more organic matter reaching to values non-critical for roots. At moisture contents smaller than field capacity, penetration resistance values were inversely related to the bulk density, supporting the concept that the type of organic matter added contributed to soil cohesion. Modeling the relation between water tension and penetration resistance using a sigmoidal equation showed a high consistency between the observed data and the model.