Frequency of symptomatic trees removal in small citrus blocks on citrus huanglongbing epidemics

Among the recommended measures for citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) management, the systematic elimination of symptomatic trees is the most argued and difficult to be accepted and accomplished by citrus growers. Elimination of recently affected HLB trees represents a short term yield loss and cost increase due to the need of frequent inspections and removal operations. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of different frequencies of inoculum reduction applied at individual citrus blocks scale (or local inoculum reduction) on HLB temporal progress. Eight experiments were carried out in new planted and older citrus blocks with 504–1290 trees/plot. In all experiments, inspections to detect symptomatic trees were done in a fortnightly or monthly frequency. The treatments of frequencies of local inoculum reduction varied from fortnightly to 6 months. Annual disease progress rate was estimated by logistic model for each plot. No difference on HLB progress rates among treatments was observed, except in experiments 1 and 3 where less frequent tree removal resulted in higher disease progress rate. This ineffectiveness of local inoculum reduction on the disease progress rate was explained by the higher weight of primary spread on HLB epidemics than the secondary spread within plots associated with small size and narrow shape of treated plots (except for experiments 1 and 3), high dispersal capacity of HLB-insect vector among plots and groves, and strong control of psyllid within the plots (except for experiment 1, with poor insecticide spray program). Also, the high amount of inspections to detect symptomatic trees before the eradication treatment, which reduced the escapes (asymptomatic and non visual detectable diseased trees) contributed for these results. It is important to note that these results were obtained with only small citrus plots (0.8–2.9 ha) and they cannot be extended to larger groves and farms amenable to HLB management by the symptomatic tree removal and vector control.     

Control of Helminthosporium leaf blight of spring wheat using seed treatments and single foliar spray in Indo-Gangetic Plains of Nepal

Four fungicides for seed treatments and one as foliar spray were tested in replicated field experiments in a strip plot design to determine the effect of fungicides on Helminthosporium leaf blight (caused by Cochliobolus sativus and Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) severity and grain yield of wheat. Wheat seed cv. RR 21 was treated with fungicides, carbendazim (Areestin), triadimenol (Baytan), tebuconazole (Raxil), and carboxin + thiram (Vitavax 200B). Single foliar application of propiconazole (Tilt) was sprayed at flowering stage. Controls were included for both factors and treatments were replicated four times. Triadimenol and carboxin + thiram increased seed germination in both years. Triadimenol, tebuconazole, and carboxin + thiram reduced the number of infected seedlings and seedling root rot severity in both years. Number of tillers was higher in carboxin + thiram treated plots compared to other seed treatments. Compared to the control, carboxin + thiram increased grain yield by 9% and 8% in 2004 and 2005, respectively, and triadimenol by 6% in both years. The foliar spray of propiconazole significantly reduced Helminthosporium leaf blight severity and increased thousand-kernel weights. Propiconazole spray increased grain yield by 15% and 14% in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Therefore, seed treatment either with triadimenol or carboxin + thiram in combination with single post-flowering foliar spray of fungicides should minimize grain yield loss due to wheat foliar blight in South Asia. The findings of this study could be useful in developing strategies to manage Helminthosporium leaf blight in South Asia and other warm wheat growing regions of the world.     

Research advances in genetics and breeding ofpopulus davidiana dode in China

In this paper a general introduction is given to research advances in genetics improvement and breeding of Chinese aspen (Populus davidiana Dode) in China. This introduction includes natural distribution and collection, conservation, gene diversity, provenance trial, crossing breeding, vegetative propagation and disease resistant etc. Based on the current situation of forest tree breeding in China, some strategic suggestions concerning the future development of Chinese aspen genetics improvement in China are presented, taking into consideration the existing domestic demands of forestry production and international trends in forest tree breeding. Responsible Editor: Chai Ruihai     

调整玉米播期对玉米粗缩病控制作用研究初报

通过罩笼接虫和自然开放式状态下试验 ,对不同播期的玉米粗缩病病情进行了比较 ,明确了玉米敏感叶龄为可见叶 9叶以下 ,展开叶为 6叶以下。研究证实 ,将田间灰飞虱转移迁入高峰期与玉米敏感叶龄期错开 ,可以减轻玉米粗缩病的发病 ,春玉米播期 4月 10～ 15日 ,夏玉米在 6月 10～ 15日 ,能显著控制玉米粗缩病的危害。     

进境斑节对虾检疫和防治

本文系统地报道了进境斑节对虾亲虾及育苗期疫病的检疫方法、结果和防治措施。检出了多种致病性弧菌、微孢子虫和斑节对虾杆状病毒。细菌分离药敏试验和敏感药物防治是当前对付虾细菌病的先进方法。针对当前虾病,提出了加强检疫、建立育苗场用药指南、创造良好的育苗环境、防止虾病发生、培育壮苗的对策。     

云南河口香蕉黄化束顶病研究:Ⅰ.症状与发病规律

 作者通过连续六年的田间定点调查与研究认为发生在云南河口及其邻近县市香蕉上的黄化束顶病不同于已往记载的BBTV所致的香蕉束顶病。病株新抽叶短小、窄、叶缘失绿黄化或整叶白化;假茎外表面紫红色;果穗从假茎中不能或部分抽出;根部着生根结。病株地上部发病高峰表现在植株进入快速生长而原根系已腐烂、新根尚未形成的春季,而夏末秋初为根结形成高峰。健株根围接种根结线虫后表现典型的黄化束顶症状。田间增施氮肥加重发病,香蕉宿根年限越长病情愈重。连作地、熟地、旱作地分别较轮作地、荒地以及低洼稻作地的发病率高。部分病株进入雨季或移植长期隔置的香蕉土壤中能恢复正常生长。病害的自然传播与土壤密切相关。     

Spatial and stochastic simulation to evaluate the impact of events and control measures on the 1997-1998 classical swine fever epidemic in The Netherlands. II. Comparison of control strategies

Using the spatial, temporal and stochastic simulation model InterCSF, several alternative pre-emptive slaughter strategies that could have been applied in the Dutch Classical Swine Fever (CSF) epidemic of 1997–1998 were evaluated. Furthermore, effects of changes in some disease-spread and disease-control parameters were studied. InterCSF simulates the spread of CSF between farms through local spread and contacts (animals, transport and persons). Disease spread is affected by control measures implemented through different mechanisms (e.g. depopulation of infected farms, pre-emptive slaughter, movement control). The starting point for the evaluation of strategies was a simulated basic scenario, which mimicked the real epidemic. Strategies were compared using epidemiological as well as economic results. Economic results were generated by a separate model (EpiLoss) that calculated the direct losses and consequential losses for farmers and related industries. The comparison of the different alternatives to the basic scenario led to some general conclusions on the Dutch CSF-epidemic. Pre-emptive slaughter seemed to be an effective strategy to reduce the size of an epidemic, if started at an early stage. Economically, pre-emptive slaughter was not as expensive as expected; the resulting smaller size of the epidemic, combined with less welfare slaughter, led to much lower overall losses. Furthermore, although large movement control areas seemed effective in reducing the size of the epidemic, the total losses were relatively high because of subsequent welfare slaughter. If infection probabilities could be reduced, for example by improved biosecurity, the resulting epidemics would be much smaller.     

Classical swine fever in The Netherlands 1997-1998: a description of organisation and measures to eradicate the disease

The central and regional organisation of the campaign to eradicate the CSF epidemic in the Netherlands in 1997/1998 is described. The main instruments used in the campaign were based on stamping-out and movement restrictions specified by the European Union. Additional instruments were used for the first time, namely, pre-emptive culling of contact and neighbouring farms, compartmentalisation of transport, monthly serological screening in established surveillance areas and supervised repopulation of all farms in the former surveillance zone. Two other measures, the killing of very young piglets and a breeding ban were introduced to reduce production in established surveillance zones. Several factors complicated the eradication campaign, for instance, the late detection of the first infection; artificial insemination as a source of infection; the organisation of pig farming in the Netherlands, with its highly concentrated production and dependence on the transport of stock from one unit to another; insufficient rendering capacity; decreasing sensitivity of clinical inspection; and extremely high costs.     

Association between bovine-leukosis virus seroprevalence and herd-level productivity on US dairy farms

Bovine-leukosis virus (BLV; also termed ‘bovine-leukemia virus’) is a retrovirus that primarily affects lymphoid tissue of dairy and beef cattle. Our objective was to investigate the association between BLV infection and annual value of production (AVP) on dairy herds within the United States, as part of the USDA National Animal Health Monitoring System’s 1996 dairy study. 1006 herds (in 20 states) with at least 30 dairy cows were interviewed during 1996. The agar-gel immunodiffusion test was used to detect serum antibodies to BLV. 10–40 cows from each herd were tested and each tested cow was classified as negative or positive based on results of a single test.

A multivariable regression model was used with the 976 herds with complete data for analysis. When compared to herds with no test-positive cows, herds with test-positive cows produced 218 kg per cow (i.e. 3%) less milk. The average reduction in AVP was $ 59 per cow for test-positive herds relative to test-negative herds. For the dairy industry as a whole, BLV seropositivity was associated with loss to producers of $ 285 million and $ 240 million for consumers. Most of this $ 525 million industry loss was due to reduced milk production in test-positive herds.     

6株猪O型口蹄疫病毒VP1基因的克隆与序列分析

根据口蹄疫病毒（FMDV）VP1基因的序列，设计并合成了2对用于扩增VP1基因的引物。从组织中提取总RNA，首先用P1、P2引物对6株猪。型口蹄疫病毒进行RT—PCR扩增，获得1000bp的片段；再用P3、P4引物进行巢式PCR扩增，结果获得850bp的片段。将850bp的片段克隆到pMD18—-T载体中，通过PCR鉴定，将阳性重组质粒进行测序并分析。结果发现6株FMDV的核苷酸同源性为80．2％～99．4％，其推导的氨基酸序列同源性为86．9％～99．5％；构建遗传发生树，发现6株FMDV属于两个不同的基因型，其中的Shunde00、Sihui01、Shenzhen99、Fushan01株属一个基因型（与Hongkong93、广东86分离株属同一基因型）；Guangzhou99、Shenzhen00株属另一个基因型（与UKG-12—2001株、JPN2000株属同一基因型）。通过对口蹄疫病毒VP1基因的测序与分析，了解其变异情况，为科学地防控FMD提供分子水平的依据。