Effect of take-all root infections on nitrate uptake in winter wheat

The effect of take-all root lesions on nitrate uptake of wheat was investigated in two experiments under controlled conditions. Plants were supplied with a nutrient solution labelled with ¹⁵N during stem elongation and flowering to assess the distribution of the isotopic tracer in the different plant organs, and particularly in root segments located on both sides of take-all lesions. The ¹⁵N atom percentage excess measured in root segments located below lesions longer than 1 cm was reduced on average by half compared with that in healthy roots and root segments above lesions, reflecting a reduction in nitrogen uptake by these root segments. This reduction probably resulted from the invasion and breakdown of phloem vessels by the fungus hyphae, interrupting energy supply and thus the uptake process. Severely infected plants showed an increase in the uptake rate per unit of efficient root, which appeared to be a compensatory response to reduction of efficient root biomass in order to satisfy shoot nitrogen demand. However, this compensatory response was insufficient to ensure nitrogen accumulation equivalent to that of healthy plants, as reductions in nitrogen accumulated in roots and aerial parts at flowering were up to 56 and 49%, respectively, for plants with more than 50% of the root system below lesions longer than 1 cm.     

Resistance to Botrytis cinerea in Solanum lycopersicoides is Dominant in Hybrids with Tomato, and Involves induced Hyphal Death

Botrytis cinerea causes gray mold disease and affects hundreds of plant species, including tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). The wild nightshade, Solanum lycopersicoides, is cross compatible with tomato and is more resistant to B. cinerea, thus representing a potential source for crop improvement. Tests involving droplet inoculation of detached leaves and spray inoculation of entire seedlings demonstrated that resistance to B. cinerea varies among S. lycopersicoides accessions, with S. lycopersicoides LA2951 being the most resistant accession tested. Expression of resistance in the intergeneric hybrid (L. esculentum cv. 'VF36' × S. lycopersicoides LA2951) suggested that resistance is at least partially dominant in tomato. A green fluorescent protein-tagged B. cinerea strain was used for confocal microscopic comparison of infection in leaves of S. lycopersicoides and tomato. Even though S. lycopersicoides supported spore germination, there was evidence for hyphal lysis and death 3 days after inoculation, at a time when lesions were expanding on susceptible tomato plants. The reduced frequency of B. cinerea lesion spread on S. lycopersicoides explains why this fungus produced fewer spores in this wild nightshade than in tomato.     

中国荷斯坦牛部分乳房结构特性对泌乳性能的影响

本研究对规模化场奶牛乳房结构部分性状进行评价和测定,旨在分析其影响因素及其与泌乳性能的关系。现场评价和测定我国北方6个规模化奶牛场荷斯坦牛的乳房均衡(2 030条)、乳头长度(1 551条)和乳头位置评分(分前、后乳头,2 839条),使用SAS 9.2 GLM过程采用固定效应模型分析影响上述3个乳房性状的因素,同时分析3个单项性状对校正日产奶量和体细胞评分的影响。结果表明:场和胎次对3个乳房性状影响极显著(P0.01);前、后乳头位置和后乳头长度对校正日产奶量有显著影响(P0.05),校正日产奶量与前乳头位置评分值呈正比,与后乳头位置评分值呈反比;前乳头位置和长度对体细胞评分有显著影响(P0.05),体细胞评分随前乳头位置评分的增大而减小;5~5.5 cm的乳头长度对于校正日产奶量和体细胞评分都最佳。本研究结果为通过乳房性状选择、淘汰并提高奶牛的生产性能、乳房健康提供了参考。     

不同处理对百香果扦插繁殖的影响

对百香果进行扦插试验研究,明确影响百香果扦插效果的关键因素,优化扦插处理的最佳组合,为百香果的快速繁殖提供技术支持。采用3因素3水平正交试验设计,研究分析插穗茎段部位、NAA浓度、扦插基质3个因素对百香果扦插效果的影响,并采用排队评分和公式评分法对扦插成活效果进行综合分析,筛选优化出百香果扦插繁殖的最佳处理组合。插穗部位对百香果扦插成活率的影响最大,NAA浓度和扦插基质的影响相对较小。对根数、平均根粗的影响由大到小为插穗部位、扦插基质、NAA浓度,对平均根长、新生蔓长、新生叶片数的影响由大到小为插穗部位、NAA浓度、扦插基质。综合评分结果表明,插穗部位是影响百香果扦插效果的最主要因素,其次为扦插基质,而NAA浓度的影响最小。百香果扦插的最佳组合为A₂B₃C₃处理,即以中部半木质化茎段为插穗,用300 mg/L的NAA溶液浸泡20 min,选用泥炭混合基质（泥炭:黄壤=1:1）为扦插基质时,百香果的扦插效果最为理想。     

Effect Of Replacing Fish Meal With Blood Meal On Chemical Composition Of Supplement For Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus)

The objective of the work was to evaluate the effect on the nutrient content of replacing fish meal (FM) with blood meal (BM) in fish supplement. Three isonitrogenous diets (35% crude protein) were formulated using FM as the main source of animal protein (BM0); 50% replacement of FM with blood meal (BM50); or 100% replacement of FM with BM (BM100). The chemical composition (ash, crude protein, crude fat and crude fibre) and amino acid composition were determined. Replacement of FM with BM did not affect the proximate composition of the diet apart from ash content which decreased with the level of substitution. Substituting fish meal with blood meal reduced the levels of methionine, lysine, isoleucine, leucine, proline, valine and increased the levels of arginine, phenylanine and alanine in the diet. Amino acid indices revealed that BM0 had more amino acids with the highest chemical scores followed by BM50 and BM100. In all the diets, methionine was the most limiting amino acid. The essential amino acid index of the diets reduced with the level of replacement of FM (0.94, 0.88 and 0.77). The study showed substitution of up to 50% FM with BM gave a useful protein diet and 100% gave almost a poor protein diet.     

Associations between postpartum diseases and milk yield and changes in body condition between drying off and parturition of dairy cows in Argentina

ABSTRACT

Aims: To assess the change in body condition score (BCS) during the early and late dry periods and its association with postpartum diseases and milk yield in grazing dairy cows from central Argentina.

Methods: BCS assessments during the dry period, and cow health and milk production records up to 90 days in milk (DIM), were collated for cows from 28 farms at monthly visits between 2007 and 2008. Cows were categorised into four groups; those in Group 1 (n=7,067) maintained or gained BCS during the early and late dry periods; Group 2 (n=2,615) maintained or gained BCS during the early dry period and lost BCS during the late dry period; Group 3 (n=1,989) lost BCS during the early dry period and maintained or gained BCS during the late dry period; and Group 4 (n=5,144) lost BCS during the early and late dry periods.

Results: Cows in Group 1 had reduced odds of having retained fetal membranes (RFM), metritis, and clinical mastitis up to 90 DIM than cows in Group 2 (p<0.001), but the odds of disease were similar to cows in Group 3. The odds of having RFM or clinical mastitis tended to be lower in cows in Group 1 than cows in Group 4 (p=0.08). The odds of cows being culled or dying during the first 90 DIM were lower for cows in Group 1 than for those in Groups 2, 3, and 4 (p≤0.05). Mean accumulated milk yield up to 90 DIM was higher in cows in Group 1 than Group 2 and Group 4 (p<0.001), but was similar to that of cows in Group 3 (p=0.28).

Conclusions and clinical relevance: Cows that lost BCS during the late dry period had increased odds of being diagnosed with several postpartum diseases and had decreased milk yield compared to cows that maintained or gained BCS during the entire dry period. Loss of BCS during any stage of the dry period was also associated with increased incidence of culling or death during the first 90 DIM. These results should raise awareness among dairy cattle producers of the importance of properly managing cow body condition during the dry period, especially during the late dry period.     

一起山羊地方性鼻内肿瘤的诊断

陕西省某山羊养殖场发生一起山羊鼻内肿瘤病,通过流行病学和临床症状调查、病理剖检、病理切片检查进行初步诊断。其次根据GenBank收录的山羊地方性鼻内肿瘤病毒基因组序列设计1对特异性引物,通过PCR方法从肿瘤组织中扩增获得目的片段并测序。序列比对分析表明,该目的基因和山羊地方性鼻内肿瘤病毒高度相似,最终确定该病为山羊地方性鼻内肿瘤病毒引起的山羊地方性鼻内肿瘤(ENT)。     

A filter-assisted culture method for isolation of Treponema spp. from bovine digital dermatitis and their identification by MALDI-TOF MS

Digital dermatitis (DD) is a major infectious foot disease of cattle worldwide. Some DD stages are associated with lameness, and the disease has significant economic and animal welfare consequences. The pathogenesis of the disease is not yet fully understood, but Treponema spp. have been associated consistently with clinical cases. Isolation of these fastidious bacteria is difficult and cumbersome. We describe an improved method enabling the culturing of the 3 Treponema spp. (T. pedis, T. phagedenis, and T. medium) from bovine foot specimens derived from DD lesions, using a combination of membrane filtering and subsequent growth on selective agar media. The entire procedure from sampling to verification of individual Treponema spp. takes up to 24 d. In addition, we established a MALDI-TOF MS–based identification method to be applied for confirmation of the different Treponema spp. This scheme provides an unambiguous, simple, and straightforward identification procedure for DD-associated Treponema spp.