Red rice (Oryza sativa L.) and barnyardgrass (Echinochloa spp.) biotype susceptibility to postemergence-applied imazamox

Pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the level of imazamox tolerance in five red rice ( Oryza sativa L.) and four barnyardgrass (three Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. and one Echinochloa oryzoides (Ard.) Fritch) morphologically distinct biotypes collected from rice fields in northern Greece. The susceptibility of barnyardgrass biotypes to propanil was also studied. Red rice biotypes were not controlled by imazamox applied at 40 g ha⁻¹. In contrast, 80 g imazamox ha⁻¹ provided 56–84% red rice control (averaged across shoot number and fresh weight reduction). Not all barnyardgrass biotypes were susceptible to imazamox applied postemergence. However, propanil applied at 2.6 kg ha ⁻¹ controlled the E. crus-galli biotypes well, but propanil applied at rates of 2.6 and 5.2 kg ha ⁻¹ was not effective in reducing the shoot number and fresh weight of the E. oryzoides biotype. Propanil applied at 10.4 kg ha ⁻¹ reduced the shoot number and fresh weight of this biotype by 78 and 85%, respectively. In most cases, a linear equation ( y  = % of control, x  = g ha⁻¹) provided the best fit for regressions between red rice or barnyardgrass shoot number or fresh weight and imazamox rates. The results of this study suggest that postemergence application of imazamox is not effective against all red rice and barnyardgrass biotypes found in the rice fields of Greece and that significant variability regarding herbicide efficacy among biotypes might exist.     

Effects of herbage intake on goat performance in the mediterranean type natural pastures

This study aimed at identifying changes in natural pastures during the grazing season and investigating the effects of these changes on pasture feeding potential for high yielding dairy goats. During the study, 12 dairy goats were grazed on a 1.5 ha natural pasture for three months from April to June in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The goats were fed 0.5 kg/day of concentrate as a supplement during the grazing season. Botanical composition, herbage production and intake, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents of the pasture were determined. Live weight, milk yield, milk dry matter (DM) and fat content of the goats were monitored. The data were analyzed using a linear model, which evaluated the effects of grazing seasons in each year. Based on the three-year average, 87% of pasture was herbaceous plants and the remaining was shrubs in DM basis with Cistus creticus , Quercus ithaburensis , Pistacia atlantica and Asparagus acutifolius being the major shrub species. The herbage yield in June was significantly lower than in other months in all years ( P  = 0.001). In all experimental years, the CP content of the pasture decreased but the structural carbohydrates increased as the grazing season proceeded. While live weight was not affected by grazing periods except for 2004 ( P  = 0.001), milk yield significantly decreased with advancing grazing period ( P  = 0.001). The results of the present study indicate that natural pasture has a supportive effect in April and May on the milk yield of lactating goats which are in mid-lactation, and suggested that supplementary feeding is required in consecutive grazing periods.     

Oregano green manure for weed suppression in sustainable cotton and corn fields

A 2 year field experiment was conducted in northern Greece to study the biomass effects of four oregano (Origanum vulgare) biotypes, used as incorporated green manure, on the emergence and growth of barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus‐galli), bristly foxtail (Setaria verticillata), common purslane (Portulaca oleracea), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), and corn (Zea mays). The oregano biotypes were selected on the basis of their high phenolic content. The phytotoxic potential of the oregano biotype extracts also was determined in the laboratory by using a perlite‐based bioassay with cotton, corn, and barnyard grass. The bioassays indicated that the germination, root elongation, and fresh weight of cotton, corn, and barnyard grass were reduced by the oregano biotype extracts. In the field, the emergence of common purslane, barnyard grass, and bristly foxtail was reduced by 0–55%, 38–52%, and 43–86%, respectively, in the oregano green manure treatments, as compared with the oregano green manure‐free treatments (the controls). At harvest, the cotton lint and corn grain yields in the oregano green manure treatments were 24–88% and 5–16%, respectively, greater than those in the corresponding green manure‐free, weedy treatments. These results indicated that when the biomass of the oregano biotypes with a high phenolic content were incorporated into the soil as green manure, they could be used to suppress barnyard grass, bristly foxtail, and common purslane in cotton and corn and consequently to minimize herbicide usage.     

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY AND RADIOGRAPHIC INDIRECT LYMPHOGRAPHY FOR VISUALIZATION OF MAMMARY LYMPHATIC VESSELS AND THE SENTINEL LYMPH NODE IN NORMAL CATS

The potential of computed tomography indirect lymphography (CT‐indirect lymphography) and radiographic indirect lymphography to demonstrate the draining lymphatic vessels and sentinel lymph node of normal mammary glands was tested in 31 healthy female cats. The lymphatic drainage of each mammary gland was studied initially by CT‐indirect lymphography after intramammary injection of 0.5 ml of iopamidol, followed by images acquired at 1, 5, 15, and 30 min after injection. One day after CT‐indirect lymphography, the lymph drainage of the mammary gland was assessed using radiographic indirect lymphography after intramammary injection of 0.5 ml of ethiodized oil followed by radiographs made at 1, 5, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after injection. The time between intramammary injection and opacification of the draining mammary lymphatic vessels and the sentinel lymph node, the duration of adequate opacification of the draining mammary lymphatic vessels and of the sentinel lymph node and also the number and course of draining mammary lymphatic vessels and location of sentinel lymph node were compared for CT‐indirect lymphography vs. radiographic indirect lymphography in each examined gland. This results suggest that radiographic indirect lymphography is easy to perform and can be used for accurate demonstration of the draining lymphatic pathways of mammary glands in radiographs made at 5–30 min after injection. However, CT‐indirect lymphography was able to better demonstrate small lymphatic vessels and accurately define the exact topography of the sentinel lymph node in images acquired at 1 min after injection.     

Weed flora and weed management in established olive groves in Albania

Weed flora were surveyed during 2000 and 2001 in 10 established olive groves that were located in the area of Vlora, in south‐western Albania. The effectiveness of six weed management treatments (soil tillage, straw mulch, cover cropping [a mixture of rye with peas], and grazing, as well as glyphosate and diuron application) on the weed flora, olive yield, and fruit quality also were investigated in two locations during 2000, 2001, and 2002. More than 80 weed species were recorded, representing a total of 14 families, in which the families Poaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Ranunculaceae, and Rosaceae predominated. The glyphosate application provided the highest and most consistent level of weed control, whereas diuron achieved sufficient weed control. The straw mulch provided acceptable weed control but the cover crop and the grazing did not sufficiently control the weeds. The highest fruit and oil yields were produced by the trees treated with the straw mulch as a result of the highest mean fruit weight in each year, followed by the soil tillage treatment. However, the olive trees in the plots treated with glyphosate or grazing provided lower or equal, respectively, fruit and oil yields than did those in the untreated plots (control). The results indicated that certain non‐chemical weed control methods, such as straw mulch, can be implemented successfully in established olive groves, providing satisfactory control of weeds and promoting the highest fruit and oil yields.     

Tillage implement effects on herbicide efficacy and the yield of cotton grown under a sprinkler or drip irrigation system

Field experiments were conducted during 2003 and 2004 at four locations in northern Greece to evaluate the effects of tillage implements and herbicide treatments on the weed control and yield of cotton grown under a mobile sprinkler or drip irrigation system. The tillage implements consisted of three seedbed preparation tillage implements: a field cultivator with a double rolling basket, a disk harrow or a rotary harrow. The herbicide treatments consisted of a broadcast preplant-incorporated (PPI) application of trifluralin or S-metolachlor followed by pre-emergence (PRE)-applied prometryn, a PRE 38 cm band application of S-metolachlor plus fluometuron or a broadcast PPI application of S-metolachlor followed by early postemergence-applied trifloxysulfuron-sodium. In most cases, the PPI applications followed by the PRE application of prometryn resulted in the greatest control of black nightshade ( Solanum nigrum L.), redroot pigweed ( Amaranthus retroflexus L.), and common lambsquarters ( Chenopodium album L.). The control of black nightshade and common lambsquarters was slightly reduced when the herbicides were incorporated by rotary harrow. The cotton yield was not affected in most cases by the tillage implements, while the drip irrigation system provided a greater or similar cotton yield as compared with the sprinklers. The PPI application of trifluralin followed by the PRE-applied prometryn in the cotton grown under drip irrigation provided the greatest lint yield in most cases. Therefore, a drip irrigation system and disk harrow or field cultivator implement could be used as the first choice of cotton growers in integrated crop management production systems.     

Effect of weaning on behavior and serum parameters in dairy goat kids

This study aimed at investigating the effects of weaning kids abruptly at an average of 55 ± 13 days of age on intake, behavioral and serum parameters and, lasted for a total of six weeks; two weeks pre-weaning and four weeks post-weaning. Sixteen single kids with equal gender were used. Kids were only allowed to stay with their mothers for suckling (45 min/period) both in the morning and in the evening period during pre-weaning. Grower concentrate and hay were offered ad libitum . The duration of the study was divided into three periods for the sampling of behavioral and serum parameters; (i) pre-weaning period lasting for two weeks (P-BW) (ii) early post-weaning period lasting for one week (P-AW1) and (iii) late post-weaning period lasting for three weeks (P-AW2). Daily weight gain of kids gradually decreased as the observation period progressed ( P  = 0.001). However concentrate feed intake increased from 0.154 kg/day in P-BW to 0.479 kg/day in P-AW1 and 0.499 kg/day in P-AW2. Water intake, rumination and standing behaviors decreased in P-AW2 ( P  < 0.001), whereas activity towards concentrate feed (CF) ( P  < 0.001) and roughage ( P  = 0.012) increased as compared to P-BW and P-AW1. Abnormal oral activity was not affected by the periods ( P  = 0.906). CF was significantly higher in females ( P  = 0.003), whereas males displayed higher lying behavior ( P  = 0.007). Glucose, total protein, urea, cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol concentrations ( P  = 0.001) and ALP activity ( P  = 0.003) were significantly affected by the periods. The results of the present study suggest that behavioral and serum parameters across the periods describe changes in the nutritional conditions as a result of the transition from milk to solid feed in association with weaning.