Phenotypic traits and establishment speed of 44 turf bermudagrass accessions     

Simone Magni  Monica Gaetani  Lisa Caturegli  Claudio Leto  Teresa Tuttolomondo  Salvatore La Bella 《Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B - Plant Soil Science》2013,63(8):722-733

Breeding of turf bermudagrass (Cynodon (L.) Rich.) has made available a broad range of turf varieties with unique morphological and growth traits. Rapid establishment is necessary in order to provide the performance of a mature turf cover in the shortest time possible. The aims of the research were: (1) to determine variation of growth, morphological and biomass traits in bermudagrass accessions belonging to different phenotypic groups during establishment and (2) to relate such variations to establishment speed in order to assess whether contrasting phenotypic traits could induce different establishment patterns in bermudagrass or if a general establishment predictor can be identified for cultivars and ecotypes belonging to the same taxon. Plant material included 44 accessions of bermudagrasses that were grouped in ‘Wild’, ‘Improved’ ‘Hybrid’ and ‘Dwarf types’. Single spaced plants were transplanted in field plots in two locations in Italy (Pisa and Palermo) and allowed to establish without mowing. The following traits were determined: stolon growth rate, internode length, internode diameter and internode volume, phytomer dry weight, leaf width, colour, seed head production, above ground dry biomass, shoot density, horizontal stem density and node density. Establishment speed of accessions was also determined. Stolon growth rate was found to be the only parameter strongly correlated to establishment speed across all entries and for each of the phenotypic groups. Based on these results, stolon growth rate could be assumed as a good predictor of establishment speed for cultivars and ecotypes belonging to the Cynodon genus.  相似文献   

Premature shoot growth termination allows nutrient loading of seedlings with an indeterminate growth strategy     

Kaitlin M. Schott  Bradley D. Pinno  Simon M. Landhäusser 《New Forests》2013,44(5):635-647

Nutrient loading of nursery seedling stock of species with an indeterminate growth strategy is challenging and poorly understood. Here, we explore the use of two potential techniques for nutrient loading of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) seedlings: (1) exponential fertilization and (2) early shoot growth termination in order to divert assimilated nutrients and carbon to storage rather than to growth. In the first study, aspen seedlings were treated with either exponential or constant fertilization rates, both of which supplied the same amount of nutrients over the growing season. Exponential fertilization resulted in overall poor planting stock form (stunted seedling growth and weak root development) and produced only marginal improvements of nutrient status. As a result, the exponential fertilization regime studied cannot be recommended as a treatment for aspen seedlings. In the second study we treated seedlings with a 2 × 2 factorial combination of fertilization and shoot growth inhibitor (SGI) applications with the fertilizer treatments varying in terms of mid-season fertilizer concentrations. Seedlings with SGI application had much higher tissue nutrient and carbon reserve concentrations than seedlings without a SGI application. In addition, nutrient uptake appeared to be more efficient in SGI treated seedlings, which could potentially result in significant reductions of nutrient application rates during aspen seedling production in nurseries. Overall, early shoot growth termination using a SGI appears to be an effective technique to produce nutrient loaded aspen seedlings.  相似文献   

Inhibition of Key Enzymes Linked to Obesity by Preparations From Mediterranean Dietary Plants: Effects on α-Amylase and Pancreatic Lipase Activities     

Mariangela Marrelli  Monica Rosa Loizzo  Marcello Nicoletti  Francesco Menichini  Filomena Conforti 《Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)》2013,68(4):340-346

One of the most important strategy in the treatment of obesity includes the development of nutrient digestion and absorption inhibitors. Inhibition of digestive enzymes is one of the most widely studied mechanisms used to determine the potential efficacy of natural products as hypolipidemic and hypoglycaemic agents. In vitro studies here reported were performed to evaluate the inhibitory activity of five species (as hydroalcoholic extracts) of edible plants from Calabria region (Italy) on amylase and lipase by monitoring the hydrolysis of p-NPC and the hydrolysis of glycoside bonds in digestible carbohydrate foods. The formulation obtained from Clematis vitalba L. exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase (IC₅₀?=?0.99 mg/ml) and on α-amylase (IC₅₀?=?31.52 μg/ml). In order to explore metabolome production HPTLC analysis of the extracts was performed, revealing the predominance of (±)-catechin, caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid in C. vitalba formulation at concentration of 23.18?±?3.14, 13.63?±?0.65 and 18.88?±?0.76 mg/g, respectively. GC/MS analysis was used to identify fatty acids and terpene composition.  相似文献   

Anti-browsing effects of birch bark extract on fallow deer     

Ulrika A. Bergvall  Michelle Co  Roger Bergström  Per J. R. Sjöberg  Monica Waldebäck  Charlotta Turner 《European Journal of Forest Research》2013,132(5-6):717-725

A major problem within forest industry is unwanted browsing on seedlings from mammalian herbivores. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of birch bark extracts as repellents towards fallow deer. Birch bark was extracted in a conventional way with ethanol as solvent at ambient temperature and with a new method, liquid CO₂ extraction. An analysis of the ethanol-extracted birch bark showed that it contained large amounts of terpenoids, of which the most abundant was betulin. In seven different treatment trials, we used 15 individually handled fallow deer. To investigate the binary taste preferences, birch bark extract was added to food and presented in two bowls in typical two-choice tests. We found that the amount of a food type consumed during a trial and the number of shifts between food bowls were dependent on the amount of the birch extract the food contained. Concentrations of above 1 % by dry weight of birch extract acted as a repellent. In addition, such concentrations produced shorter feeding bouts by a greater willingness to change bowls. Therefore, our conclusion is that birch bark extract acts as a repellent towards fallow deer and is therefore likely to act as a repellent against other deer species. In addition, we show that birch bark extract produced by the new and more environmentally sustainable method employing liquid CO₂ mixed with ethanol has the same repellent effect as the traditional ethanol extraction.  相似文献   

Deoxynivalenol and T-2 Toxin in Raw Feeds for Horses     

Cristina Cortinovis  Monica Battini  Francesca Caloni 《Journal of Equine Veterinary Science》2012

In all, 72 samples of raw materials for equine feed were collected from farms located in different parts of northern Italy, and the presence of deoxynivalenol (DON) and T-2 toxin was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. DON was detected in 38.9% of the samples tested, at levels ranging from 0.2 to 1.9 mg/kg. Maize was found to have the highest concentrations of DON, whereas barley was found to be the most commonly contaminated grain (73.3%). T-2 toxin was found in maize and rice bran at levels ranging from 12 to 102 μg/kg, with an overall incidence of 12.3% in the samples analyzed. In almost all the samples, T-2 toxin was found only in combination with DON. The occurrence of contamination observed in this survey, especially the presence of DON, is noteworthy. The levels detected are not very high, but even long-term exposure to low doses of these mycotoxins may represent a threat to horse health.  相似文献   

Failure of antimicrobial therapy to accelerate spontaneous healing of subclinical pulmonary abscesses on a farm with endemic infections caused by Rhodococcus equi     

Venner M  Rödiger A  Laemmer M  Giguère S 《Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)》2012,192(3):293-298

Mass antimicrobial treatment of foals with small ultrasonographic pulmonary lesions is common on farms with endemic disease caused by Rhodococcus equi. The objectives of this study were to compare the relative efficacy of three antimicrobial protocols for the treatment of pulmonary abscesses on a farm with endemic infections caused by R. equi and to determine the frequency of spontaneous resolution of subclinical pulmonary lesions. Foals with ultrasonographic evidence of pulmonary abscesses ≥ 1.0 cm in diameter (n=128) were randomly allocated to one of four equal treatment groups. Animals with respiratory distress or severe pulmonary lesions were excluded from the study. Treatment groups consisted of: (1) tulathromycin intramuscularly; (2) azithromycin monotherapy orally; (3) azithromycin in combination with rifampin orally; and (4) glucose orally as a placebo. Physical examination, thoracic ultrasonography and white blood cell (WBC) counts were performed weekly by individuals unaware of treatment group assignment. Foals that worsened were removed from the study and treated with azithromycin and rifampin. Overall, 14/32 (43.8%) foals in the placebo group recovered without the need for therapy. The proportion of foals that responded to the initial therapy, the duration of therapy, the kinetics of ultrasonographic lesion resolution, the proportion of foals that had to be removed from the study and the number of days to removal from the study did not differ significantly between treatment groups. The study showed that many foals with pulmonary abscesses recover without antimicrobial therapy. Moreover, treatment of sub-clinically affected foals with antimicrobial agents did not significantly hasten recovery.  相似文献   

Meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis in horses: 28 cases (1985-2010)     

Toth B  Aleman M  Nogradi N  Madigan JE 《Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association》2012,240(5):580-587

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Detection and phylogenetic analysis of an atypical pestivirus, strain IZSPLV_To     

Peletto S  Zuccon F  Pitti M  Gobbi E  Marco LD  Caramelli M  Masoero L  Acutis PL 《Research in veterinary science》2012,92(1):147-150

Recently, atypical bovine pestiviruses (BVDV-3) have been identified in batches of contaminated foetal calf serum (FCS) and in naturally infected cattle. During routine screening of FCS by conventional panpestivirus PCR assay, one batch showed traces of pestivirus nucleic acids, and the contaminating virus was typed as BVDV-3-like. Phylogenetic analysis based on three genome regions (5'UTR, N(pro) and E2) showed that this strain, named IZSPLV_To, clusters in a separate clade with CH_KaHo/cont, a cell culture contaminant detected in Switzerland. This study is the first report of the detection in Italy of a FCS batch contaminated with BVDV-3 and adds more evidence that atypical pestiviruses represent a serious cause for concern in cell culture laboratories, with potential repercussions on BVD control and vaccine biosafety. Our findings suggest that the BE/B2 primers may be able to detect BVDV-3 in a panpestivirus assay, but testing of a larger number of strains is required.  相似文献   

A trans-disciplinary study on the health risks of cryptosporidiosis from dairy systems in Dagoretti,Nairobi, Kenya: study background and farming system characteristics     

Kang&#;ethe  Erastus K.  Kimani  Violet N.  McDermott  Brigid  Grace  Delia  Lang&#;at  Alfred K.  Kiragu  Monica W.  Karanja  Nancy  Njehu  Alice N.  Randolph  Thomas  Mbugua  Gabriel  Irungu  Tabitha W.  Ombutu  Peninnah 《Tropical animal health and production》2012,44(1):3-10

This paper characterises the dairy farming system in Dagoretti, Nairobi. Characterisation was part of a broader ecohealth project to estimate the prevalence and risk of cryptosporidiosis and develop risk mitigation strategies. In the project a trans-disciplinary team addressed epidemiological, socioeconomic, environmental and policy aspects of cryptosporidiosis, an emerging zoonosis. This paper also provides background and describes sampling methods for the wider project. Three hundred dairy households were probabilistically sampled from a sampling frame of all dairy households in five of the six locations of Dagoretti, one of the eight districts of Nairobi Province. Randomly selected households identified 100 non-dairy-keeping households who also took part in the study. A household questionnaire was developed, pre-tested and administered in the dry and wet seasons of 2006. An additional study on livelihood and economic benefits of dairying took place with 100 dairy farmers randomly selected from the 300 farms (as well as 40 non-dairy neighbours as a control group), and a risk-targeted survey of environmental contamination with Cryptosporidium was conducted with 20 farmers randomly selected from the 29 farmers in the wider survey who were considered at high risk because of farming system. We found that around 1 in 80 urban households kept dairy cattle with an average of three cattle per household. Cross-breeds of exotic and local cattle predominate. Heads of dairy-keeping households were significantly less educated than the heads of non-dairy neighbours, had lived in Dagoretti for significantly longer and had significantly larger households. There was a high turnover of 10 % of the cattle population in the 3-month period of the study. Cattle were zero grazed, but productivity parameters were sub-optimal as were hygiene and husbandry practices. In conclusion, dairy keeping is a minor activity in urban Nairobi but important to households involved and their community. Ecohealth approaches are well suited to tackling the complex problem of assessing and managing emerging zoonoses in urban settings.  相似文献   

A trans-disciplinary study on the health risks of cryptosporidiosis from dairy systems in Dagoretti, Nairobi, Kenya: study background and farming system characteristics     

EK Kang'ethe  VN Kimani  B McDermott  D Grace  AK Lang'at  MW Kiragu  N Karanja  AN Njehu  T Randolph  G Mbugua  TW Irungu  P Ombutu 《Tropical animal health and production》2012,44(Z1):3-10

This paper characterises the dairy farming system in Dagoretti, Nairobi. Characterisation was part of a broader ecohealth project to estimate the prevalence and risk of cryptosporidiosis and develop risk mitigation strategies. In the project a trans-disciplinary team addressed epidemiological, socioeconomic, environmental and policy aspects of cryptosporidiosis, an emerging zoonosis. This paper also provides background and describes sampling methods for the wider project. Three hundred dairy households were probabilistically sampled from a sampling frame of all dairy households in five of the six locations of Dagoretti, one of the eight districts of Nairobi Province. Randomly selected households identified 100 non-dairy-keeping households who also took part in the study. A household questionnaire was developed, pre-tested and administered in the dry and wet seasons of 2006. An additional study on livelihood and economic benefits of dairying took place with 100 dairy farmers randomly selected from the 300 farms (as well as 40 non-dairy neighbours as a control group), and a risk-targeted survey of environmental contamination with Cryptosporidium was conducted with 20 farmers randomly selected from the 29 farmers in the wider survey who were considered at high risk because of farming system. We found that around 1 in 80 urban households kept dairy cattle with an average of three cattle per household. Cross-breeds of exotic and local cattle predominate. Heads of dairy-keeping households were significantly less educated than the heads of non-dairy neighbours, had lived in Dagoretti for significantly longer and had significantly larger households. There was a high turnover of 10?% of the cattle population in the 3-month period of the study. Cattle were zero grazed, but productivity parameters were sub-optimal as were hygiene and husbandry practices. In conclusion, dairy keeping is a minor activity in urban Nairobi but important to households involved and their community. Ecohealth approaches are well suited to tackling the complex problem of assessing and managing emerging zoonoses in urban settings.  相似文献