The incidence of winter wheat stem base diseases: Fusarium foot rot (Fusarium spp.), eyespot (Ramulispora herpotrichoides), sharp eyespot (Rhizoctonia spp.) and take-all (Gaeumannomyces graminis) in the years 1999–2003 was assessed in this study. Previous crops were barley and oilseed rape. Eyespot occurred on the greatest percentage of plants throughout the whole period of the study. In 2000–2003 a deficiency of rainfall was observed, especially at the time of increased water requirements of plants.

The investigations were carried out in 1996–2005 on the fields of Agricultural Experimental Station Department of SGGW Chylice in Mazowieckie voivodeship. The occurrence of diseases was assessed in 1996–2000 on winter wheat cv. Kobra, and in 2001–2005 on cv. Mikon. Weather conditions in ten-year experimental period were differentiated and had a distinct influence on plant infection by pathogens, as well as on the level of winter wheat yielding. In the first part of experimental period (1996–2000) the weather was characterized by higher temperatures compared to long-term average and higher amount of rainfall, with the exception of the year 2000 when the summer drought occurred. The highest for that period grain yield (54.70 dt/ha) was obtained in 1998. This was related to the lowest total infection of leaf surface area (22.76%) and a relatively low index of infection of stem base by Tapesia yallundae. In that year mass of 1 000 grain was also the highest. The lowest grain yield (40.80 dt/ha) was recorded in 2000 due to summer drought. In 1997 characterized by a high level of infection by T. yallundae (eyespot) obtained grain yield was also relatively low. In the second part of the experiment conducted on cv. Mikon (2001–2005) the lowest grain yield was recorded in 2001 (28.85 dt/ha) when per cent of leaf area infection of 2 upper leaves by Puccinia recondita (brown rust) was very high (44.79%), and the highest yield was obtained in 2003 (57.27 dt/ha). This was due to a moderate level of total leaf infection (30.21%) with fungal pathogens and favourable weather conditions for wheat development. In that year mass of 1 000 grain was also the highest. The occurrence of stem base infection by Fusarium spp. was maintained in the years 1996–2005 on differentiated level and it was lower in earlier years compared to the later period. The infection of ears by Leptosphaeria nodorum and Fusarium spp. was usually not high and its influence on the amount of grain yield not clearly evident. Chemical control of diseases influenced grain yield increase which was the highest in 2001 when winter wheat leaves were heavily infected by Puccinia recondita. The yield increase on fungicide treated plots was in that year 53.15%. It was evident that brown rust may pose a serious threat to winter wheat in the years of its high occurrence.

Serious losses caused by root rot of sugar beet were observed in Poland in 2001 and 2002. The disease occurred in most of regions of sugar beet cropping from June to the end of growing season. Very high losses of yield were observed on many fields especially on cultivar Lolita in 2001. The aim of this work was to detect the casual agent of root rot (2001) and to compare susceptibility of sugar beet cultivars to this disease (2002–2003). The laboratory tests (2001) showed that most of destroyed roots were infected by Aphanomyces cochlioides Drechsler. This species is very well known as a pathogen of sugar beet seedling damping-off in Poland. The fungus Rhizoctonia solani Kühn was found only in 12% of rotten roots collected in south-eastern part of Poland. In field trails the highest number of infected roots and the highest infection inde xwere found for cultivar Arthur (2002–2003). That cultivar was significantly more susceptible to root rot than the rest of tested cultivars.

In order to assess the economic benefits of reduced fungicide application for the control of paprika diseases under dryland conditions, on-farm experiments were conducted in the Chinyika Resettlement Area in the Eastern province of Zimbabwe in the 2000/2001 and 2001/2002 seasons. The six fungicide application regimes that were assessed include: weekly interval sprays; Sulphur at 2 weeks after transplanting (WAT) and copper oxychloride-Mancozeb mixture at 6 WAT; spraying after scouting; alternating Sulphur and copper oxychloride- Mancozeb every two weeks; Acibenzolar-s-methyl and unsprayed check. Parameters recorded were disease severity and yield; after harvest an economic analysis was performed. The highest added profit of Z$ 75 930/ha was recorded in the weekly sprayed plots which was not statistically different (p > 0.05) from Z$ 59 410/ha achieved by alternating copper oxychloride and Mancozeb fortnightly at Dengedza site in 2000/2001 season. There were no statistical differences (p > 0.05) between spraying after scouting and Acibenzolar-s-methyl application treatments as they added the least profits of Z$ 990/ha and Z$ 17 250/ha respectively at the same site in the same season. These have serious implications for smallholder farmers in terms of cost savings. Neither were there differences (p > 0.05) in added profits from different spraying regimes at Dengedza site in the 2001/2002 rainy season.

The aim of the study carried out during 2002–2004 was to assess the effects and economic effectiveness of application of fungicides and insecticides in winter triticale crops. Its leaves were attacked by pathogenic fungi in 43.2% to 52.2% and the damage to leaf blade surfaces by cereal leaf beetle (Oulema spp.) ranged from 23.6% to 34.4%. The effectiveness of applied fungicides ranged from 44.7% to 90.8%, and that of insecticides was within 70.1% and 94.4%. The saved crops were evaluated for PLN 198 to 1 171 per ha. The cost coverage ratio ranged from 0.7 to 9.9 and the treatment profitability index ranged from 0.9 to 7.4. Cost index in percentage ranged from 0.8 to 8.5, with its average value of 4.2.

The objective of this study was to determine the association between subclinical acidosis (SARA) and subclinical ketosis (SCK) with biomarkers from an automatic milking system (AMS) measuring in relation to rumination time (RT), milk yield (MY), bodyweight (BW), milk temperature, the milk fat-to-protein ratio, and the electrical conductivity of milk at the udder quarters-level which can be read in fresh dairy cows. During the course of the study, all of the fresh dairy cows (n=711) were examined according to a general clinical investigation plan. The cows were selected for 1-30 days of milk (DIM) and were milked using Lely Astronaut® A3 milking robots with free traffic. Rumination time shows a statistically significant positive correlation with milk yield (milk temperature) and is negatively correlated with the fat and protein ratio. Healthy cows demonstrated the highest level of rumination time and the lowest milk temperature. The average BW for these cows was 1.64% lower than for the SARA group and the BW kg was 2.10% higher than SCK cows. MY was 14.01% lower in comparison with SARA and 6.42% higher in comparison with SCK. According to these results, some biomarkers from the AMS have an association with SARA and SCK. However, further research with a higher number of cows is needed to confirm this conclusion.

Knowledge of having a deadly disease usually causes severe psychological problems, depression, or even PTSD. Can this be avoided? Can one find something positive in a tragic situation?

Senecavirus A (SVA) the only member of the Senecavirus genus within the Picornaviridae family, is an emerging pathogen causing swine idiopathic vesicular disease and epidemic transient neonatal losses. Here, SVA strain (CH-HNKZ-2017) was isolated from a swine farm exhibiting vesicular disease in Henan Province of Central China. A phylogenetic analysis based on complete genome sequence indicated that CH-HNKZ-2017 was closely related to US-15-40381IA, indica- ting that a new SVA isolate had emerged in China.

The aim of this study was to determine if reticulorumen ph, temperature and cow activity registered before calving can serve as indicators of diseases after calving.

The cows were selected according to those fitting the profile of having had two or more lactations (on average 2.9±0.13 lactations), from 60 to 0 days before and the first 30 days after calving, and being clinically healthy. The clinical examination (identification of diseases after calving) was performed from 60 days before calving to 60 days after calving. Diseases after calving were diagnosed based on clinical symptoms specific to these diseases. The pH and temperature of the contents of the cow reticulorumens and cow activity were measured using specific smaX-tec boluses manufactured for animal care.

We found that the highest pH and temperature before calving can serve as biomarkers of healthy cows after calving. The lowest reticulum temperature before calving can serve as an indicator of MF after calving. A positive correlation of reticulum pH and temperature before calving can serve as biomarkers of PR. Decreasing cow activity before calving can serve as an indicator of diseases after calving. For calving prognosis, temperature of the reticulorumen can be used; it decreased 6–7 days before calving.

The article deals with the issue of illness and suffering in Carmelite sermons of the 17th–18th centuries. The question of the origin of suffering is considered along with the role of God’s mercy and justice in the preaching discourse about the rightness and purposefulness of suffering of the human being. In addition, an analysis of the views of preachers about topics related to passing away and the attitude they advocate in the face of death is included.

Several species of Solanum produce secondary metabolites with antimicrobial activity. In

the present study, the inhibitory activity of Solanum chrysotrichum, S. erianthum, S. torvum

and S. rostratum against phytopathogenic Curvularia lunata was determined. Methanol extracts

from roots, stems, leaves and fruits were evaluated by the method of mycelial inhibition

on agar and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined on a liquid

medium. To increase the antimicrobial activity, the combined activity of the most active

extracts for each phytopathogen was also determined (a combination of intra and interspecies

extracts). The results showed that 12 of the 16 methanolic extracts of Solanum species

had antifungal effects against C. lunata. The extracts of S. rostratum and S. erianthum

developed the highest activity (~80% inhibition and 28.4 MIC μg . ml–1), even, equal to or

greater than, the reference fungicide. The mixture of the active extracts of S. chrysotrichum

and S. torvum increased their activity. Various extracts affected the macro and microscopic

morphology and most of them reduced the number of conidia of the fungus. This resulted

in the capacity to control the vegetative growth and reproduction of C. lunata, the causal

fungus of corn leaf spot disease.

Stem base health of spring barley cultivated under organic, integrated and conventional systems and fungal communities were studied. A worst plant health status was observed in the organic system. The macroscopic and subsequent mycological analyses revealed the occurrence of Bipolaris sorokiniana and Fusarium spp. The incidence of B. sorokiniana on stem bases was clearly dependent on a farming system, and the highest incidence of this pathogen was observed in the organic system. Also, in that system, Fusarium spp. were isolated more numerously in the beginning of tillering, but in dough stage B. sorokiniana was the most prevalent pathogen, and Fusarium spp. were more numerous in integrated and conventional systems. It is worth to note that organic conditions could be favourable to Gliocladium spp. Because of growing interest in ecology, excluding the use of pesticides and increasing popularity of biological disease control, these antagonistic fungi could be useful in organic systems.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), an important food crop in the world, is susceptible to many fungal pathogens including Alternaria solani and Fusarium oxysporum causing Fusarium wilt and early blight diseases. Mycoparasitic fungi like Trichoderma encode chitinases, cell wall degrading enzymes, with high antifungal activity against a wide range of phytopathogenic fungi. In this study, a binary vector harboring endochitinase gene of ~1,000 bp was constructed and used to transform potato nodes through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Out of several primary transformants, two transgenic potato lines were verified for transgene insertion and integration by Southern blot. In a pot experiment for Fusarium resistance, the transgenic potato lines didn’t show any symptoms of disease, instead they remained healthy post infection. The transgenic potato lines exhibited 1.5 fold higher mRNA expression of endochitinase at 7 days as compared to 0 day post fungus inoculation. It was evident that the mRNA expression decreased over days of inoculation but was still higher than at 0 day and remained stable upto 30 days post inoculation. Similarly, for A. solani infection assay, the mRNA expression of the endochitinase gene was 3 fold higher 7 days post inoculation compared to expression at 0 day. Although the expression decreased by1.2 fold during subsequent days post infection, it remained stable for 30 days, suggesting that protection in transgenic potato plants against fungal pathogens was achieved through an increase in endochitinase transcript.

Psychotherapist and psycho-oncologist Justyna Pronobis-Szczylik talks about the need for tenderness and the insensitivities of the healthcare system.