Pinus sylvestris bark extract reduces the impact of Heligmosomoides bakeri infection on C57BL/6 but not on BALB/c mice (Mus musculus)

Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) may improve gastrointestinal health by exerting immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and/or antiparasitic effects. Bark extracts from coniferous tree species have previously been shown to reduce the burden of a range of parasite species in the gastrointestinal tract, with condensed tannins as the potential active compounds. In the present study, the impact of an acetone extract of pine bark (Pinus sylvestris) on the resistance, performance and tolerance of genetically diverse mice (Mus musculus) was assessed. Mice able to clear an infection quickly (fast responders, BALB/c) or slowly (slow responders, C57BL/6) were infected orally with 200 infective third-stage larvae (L3) of the parasitic nematode Heligmosomoides bakeri or remained uninfected (dosed with water only). Each infection group of mice was gavaged for 3 consecutive days from day 19 post-infection with either bark extract or dimethyl sulphoxide (5%) as vehicle control. Oral administration of pine bark extract did not have an impact on any of the measured parasitological parameter. It did, however, have a positive impact on the performance of infected, slow-responder mice, through an increase in body weight (BW) and carcase weight and reduced feed intake by BW ratio. Importantly, bark extract administration had a negative impact on the fast responders, by reducing their ability to mediate the impact of parasitism through reducing their performance and tolerance. The results indicate that the impact of PSMs on parasitized hosts is affected by host's genetic susceptibility, with susceptible hosts benefiting more from bark extract administration compared to resistant ones

Anforderungen im Biolandbau - Kurzfassung 2025

Die Publikation bietet einen Überblick über die wichtigsten Anforderungen der Bio-Verordnung des Bundes und weiterführende Anforderungen von Bio Suisse und Demeter für die biologische Produktion landwirtschaftlicher Rohstoffe

Unerwünschte Trächtigkeiten verhindern

Immer wieder landen tragende Kühe im Schlachthof. Um dies zu verhindern, müssen Halterinnen und Halter eine praktikable und zum Betrieb passende Lösung finden

UDVIKLING AF HAVRESORTER MED RESISTENS MOD HAVRECYSTENEMATODER

UDVIKLING AF HAVRESORTER MED RESISTENS MOD HAVRECYSTENEMATODE

Ny økologisk havre på vej med bedre resistens og større udbytte

Som regel bliver økologernes foretrukne sorter fundet blandt sorter, der som udgangspunkt er udviklet til konventionelt landbrug, men den nye havresort NOS Conrad er målrettet de økologiske havreproducenter. Det er første gang i Danmark, at der er lavet et økologisk havreforædlingsprogram

Performance of different wheat varieties and their associated microbiome under contrasting tillage and fertilization intensities: Insights from a Swiss long-term field experiment

Winter wheat is an important global cereal crop. However, conventional farming practices, characterised by intensive tillage and high fertilizer inputs, pose significant threats to the environment. In response, more conservative management practices are being applied aiming to maintain wheat production while promoting a beneficial microbiome. Here, we evaluated the suitability of three different wheat varieties for less intensive agricultural systems, focusing on reduced tillage and fertilizer intensity. The study was conducted over two consecutive years in a Swiss long-term field experiment comparing conventional versus reduced tillage and full fertilization versus half fertilization. In addition, we investigated the composition of plant-associated microbial communities using amplicon sequencing of phylogenetic marker genes, specifically targeting bacteria and fungi in rhizosphere samples and fungi in root samples. Our results revealed that in our study wheat variety most strongly predicted grain yield and quality, independent of tillage and fertilization intensity. Specifically, wheat varieties demonstrated higher yields and N uptake in plots subjected to conventional ploughing and full fertilization compared to those under reduced tillage and half fertilization. We found no significant effect of wheat variety on the composition of microbial communities. However, tillage emerged as the primary factor influencing microbial community composition in the rhizosphere, while fertilization intensity significantly impacted fungal communities in the root system. These findings underscore the complex interplay between agronomic practices, plant genetics, and microbial dynamics in agroecosystems, emphasizing the need for holistic and adaptive approaches and their further development to ensure sustainable crop production

Der Weg zu mehr biologischem Saatgut

Die EU strebt 100 Prozent Bio an. In der Schweiz gilt neu eine Meldepflicht beim Einsatz von konventionellem Saatgut auf Stufe 3

Stribedyrkning gavner bæredygtighed og biodiversitet, men har også udfordringer.

Vigtigste erfaringer fra fire års forsøg med stribedyrkning med hensyn til biologiske effekter, dyrkningsmæssige effekter og økonomiske effekter

Økologisk landbruk som spydspiss

En viktig rolle økologisk landbruk har, er å vise vei til mer miljøvennlig og bærekraftig drift for alt landbruk. Det er mange eksempler på tiltak og teknikker, utviklet i økologisk landbruk, som seinere har blitt tatt i bruk av ikke-økologiske produsenter

Resilient von der Wurzel her

Das Mikrobiom der Wurzeln steht bei gewissen Erbsensorten in Zusammenhang mit Resistenzen gegen Bodenmüdigkeit