Problems of implementing compulsory integrated pest management

Compulsory integrated pest management poses a number of challenges and issues for debate. Some of are discussed with reference to European Union requirements set out in Annex III of Directive 128/2009. Requirements on the use of plant protection products bring with them problems with dose reduction in the light of a resistance prevention strategy, the lack of threshold levels, the necessity of chemical treatments and the limited availability of effective products of biological origin. Use of preventive measures of pest control faces barriers related to profitability and a lack of knowledge on the part of farmers. Challenges to control the system, as well as the fact that some legally enforced rules are not suitable for all crops, seem also to be an issue. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

增施氮肥和地面管理对酸樱桃园土壤营养状况的影响

在一个连续进行了 ８年Ｎ肥定位试验的酸樱桃园,调查了每年施用 Ｎ６０ ｋｇ· ｈｍ~(－２)和行间生草制对土壤营养状况的影响。结果表明：在肥沃土壤里ＮＨ_４~＋是速效Ｎ的主要存在形式,而ＮＯ_３~－的含量很低。生草地土壤中含有较多的 ＮＨ_４~－,而清耕带土壤中含有较多的 ＮＯ_３~－。施肥增加土壤速效 Ｎ的含量。土壤 ＮＯ_３~－的季节性变化表明 ５至 ６月份土壤中 ＮＯ_３~－的含量高,而花前和 ７月份土壤中 ＮＯ_３~－含量低。 Ｐ、Ｋ在清耕带 １０ ｃｍ以下土壤的含量低于生草地土壤,但在 ０～ １０ｃｍ土层中Ｋ的含量高于生草地。Ｐ的含量不受影响。施Ｎ减少了土壤Ｐ、Ｋ的含量。土壤中Ｍｇ的含量分布均匀,不受施Ｎ和地面管理制度的影响。     

Sediment load variability in response to climate and land use changes in a Carpathian catchment (Raba River,Poland)

Journal of Soils and Sediments - This study analyzes the variability of sediment loads under variant climate change and land use scenarios in a Carpathian catchment with a dam reservoir. The areas...     

Forest recovery in set-aside windthrow is facilitated by fast growth of advance regeneration

Key message

The disturbance of a research plot by a windstorm allowed us to study the role of the seedling bank in the regeneration processes. The released advance regeneration dominated among the saplings; taller individuals retained their position until the end of the study. Pioneer species occurred sporadically. Seven years after the disturbance, the windthrow was covered by a dense thicket of young trees.

Context

The dominant role played by advance regeneration in natural regeneration processes after intense wind disturbances is still a matter of dispute.

Aims

We took advantage of a windstorm in one of our research plots to study the role of the seedling bank released by the disturbance in the regeneration processes.

Methods

We collected data in 70 plots, recording the survivorship of seedlings, annual height growth, and signs of browsing. The height ranking was analyzed with Kendall’s concordance coefficient, and the height growth rates were compared using Dunn’s test.

Results

The density of seedlings increased from 6.7/m² in 2008 to 8.1/m² in 2010 and then decreased to 1.2/m² in 2015. The density of saplings increased continuously from 0.14 to 1.9/m². The highest size differentiation occurred in sycamore maple; the individuals which were taller before the windstorm retained their position until the year 2015. The only species that was recruited mainly from germinants was European hornbeam.

Conclusion

The advance regeneration released by the windstorm played a major role in the regeneration process, while pioneer species occurred only sporadically. Seven years after the disturbance, the windthrow was already covered by a dense thicket of young trees.

     

The Impact of Fertilization Methods on the Nutrient Balance and Changes of Soil Chemical Features in Crop Rotation

The effect of various fertilization methods on the simplified nutrients balance and changes of soil chemical features in crop rotation was estimated on the basis of 7-year (1994-2000) studies carried out on loess-based, sedimentary-gley, light-clay soil. Different fertilization methods were used: A - mineral fertilization; B - mineral and manure fertilization; C - straw, green manure and mineral fertilization; D - ecological compost and biodynamic preparation fertilization. Particular fertilization methods caused a significant differentiation of the nutrients balance. A positive phosphorus balance was found out in all the fertilization systems. It has been observed that the nitrogen and potassium carry-in with fertilizers was higher than the carry-out with crops in system B and C. A favorable calcium balance was achieved in systems C and D while a favorable magnesium balance - only in the ecologically fertilized systems (D). The changes of soil chemical features were only insignificantly dependent on the nutrient balance. After seven years of research, the contents of humus, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium increased while the soil reaction decreased in the soil of all the fertilized systems except the ecologically fertilized system.     

Detection of equine X chromosome mosaicism in a mare using an equine X whole chromosome painting probe (WCPP)--a case report

An infertile mare with hypoplastic ovaries was subjected to cytogenetic analysis. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) using the equine X whole chromosome painting probe (WCPP) was carried out on a chromosome preparation obtained from blood lymphocyte culture. The number of analysed spreads was high (235) and in the X chromosome aneuploidy in mosaic form was diagnosed. The karyotype formula was 63,X / 64,XX / 65,XXX. The ratio of the three lines was 15%, 82% and 3%, respectively. The application of the FISH technique with WCPP is discussed.     

Herbicidal activity of phosphonic and phosphinic acid analogues of glutamic and aspartic acids

Phosphonic and phosphinic acid analogues of glutamic and aspartic acids were synthesized and screened for herbicidal activity on Lepidium sativum L. Depending on the chemical structure, they exhibited significant or moderate herbicidal activity against L. sativum roots (with some representatives being equipotent with phosphinothricin), while their influence on shoot growth was negligible. Cucumis sativus L. appeared to be more tolerant to these analogues. The origin of this selectivity remains to be determined.     

Plant protection means used in organic farming throughout the European Union

Following the obligatory implementation of integrated pest management in the European Union (EU), the plant protection means suitable for application in organic agriculture attracted the attention of quite a wide group of potential users. In spite of the common rules of organic production, as well as the uniform principles of placing plant protection products on the market, the availability of products that can be legally used in organic crop protection differs significantly among the Member States. There is a uniform list of 10 basic substances that can be used in the protection of organic crops throughout the entire EU. Twelve Member States have official registers of plant protection products for use in organic agriculture, and the total number of qualified products per country varies from 11 in Lithuania to 576 in Italy. Some products that improve plant vigour or resistance and may be of use in protection of organic crops are placed on the market as biostimulants. They fall under the law that governs fertilisers and the systems of their registration vary widely among the Member States. In addition, there exist a number of products that have been legally introduced onto the markets of some Member States without registration as a consequence of a loophole in the law. The use of unregistered products in organic agriculture raises some doubts, but currently it seems that there is no legal basis on which to explicitly prohibit the practice. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

Normal electrocardiographic and echocardiographic (M-mode and two-dimensional) values in Polish Landrace pigs

Background

Swine are recognized animal models of human cardiovascular diseases. Normal values of cardiac morphology and function have been published for swine but for smaller number of pigs and not for swine whose weights ranged up 100 kg. In order to improve the value of results of an investigation on cardiac morphology and function in swine when such data are extrapolated to humans, the aim of this study was to document electrocardiographic and echocardiographic measures of cardiac morphology and function in swine. The study comprised 170 single and repeated measurements that were made in 132 healthy domestic swine (Sus domesticus) whose weights ranged between 20-160 kg and were used as controls in three different experiments. All electrocardiographic and echocardiographic measurements in all swine were done under general anaesthesia.

Results

Statistically significant correlations were found between body weight and heart rate (HR), the duration of the P-wave, the duration of the QRS interval, the duration of the QT interval, and the corrected QT ratio (QTc). Since body weight was positively correlated with age, statistically significant correlations were also found between age and HR, the duration of the P-wave, the duration of the QRS interval, the duration of the QT interval, and the QTc. We found that the thickness of the left ventricular wall and the internal diameter of the left ventricle increased with age and body weight. We also found positive trends between body weight and ejection fraction and body weight and fractional shortening. We also found a positive relationship between age, body weight, and the ratio of the left ventricular internal diameter to its wall thickness, as well as the relative left atrial size.

Conclusion

Many electro- and echocardiographic measures of cardiac morphology and function of healthy swine are related to their body weight. When the electro- and echocardiographic measures of domestic swine and humans are compared, the most comparable electrocardiographic values are those that were determined in swine whose body weights are not greater than 70 kg. In contrast, the most comparable echocardiographic measures are those that were determined in swine with a body weight of 40–110 kg.