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

Hvilke værdier har træer i grisefolde

Træernes værdi i grisefolde med fokus på udnyttelse af det beslaglagte areal, blandt andet i form af produktion af ensilage fra træernes løv

Husdyrgjødsel - Bondens gull og store utfordring

En god husdyrgjødselhandtering er avgjørende for en god næringsforsyning til eng og åker. Spesielt viktig er god husdyrgjødselhandtering for å oppnå gode avlinger ved økologisk produksjon. Riktig handtering hindrer også uønskede utslipp til vann og luft. Samtidig krever riktig handtering av husdyrgjødsel både investeringer og kunnskap. Vi har intervjuet tre gårdbrukere som driver økologisk melkeproduksjon om hvordan de har løst dette dilemmaet og hvilke tanker de har for framtidig husdyrgjødselhandtering på egen gård. Vi har også hatt en enkel spørreundersøkelse blant deltakere på møter for husdyrbrukere og fått inn 34 svar. Vi har spurt om hvilken husdyrgjødselhandtering de har i dag, hva de kunne ønske av eventuelle forbedringer og hvordan få til dette. Felles for de tre gårdbrukerne vi intervjuet er at handteringen av husdyrgjødsel tar en relativt stor andel av arbeidstida på gården, om lag en normert arbeidsmåned i løpet av året eller mer. To av gårdene har slangespreder som de deler med andre gårdbrukere. Begge gårdbrukerne som brukte slangespreder påpekte at arbeidet krever minst to personer, en ved pumpa og en på traktoren. Gårdbrukerne som ble intervjuet og gårdbrukerne fra spørreundersøkelsen som brukte slangespreder påpekte alle at slepeslange kombinert med stripespreder er en effektiv måte å gjødsle på, samtidig som det gir god gjødseleffekt av husdyrgjødsla. En flaskehals med slangespreder er de store investeringskostnadene. På små gårder, gårder med mange små skifter, og skifter som ligger langt unna kan det være krevende å få til effektiv bruk av slangespreder. Nabosamarbeid, innleie av entreprenører med egnet utstyr og /eller satellittlager kan gjøre dette lettere. En god husdyrgjødselhandtering er høyt prioritert hos mange gårdbrukere som driver økologisk. Dette gjenspeiler seg i både lagerkapasitet, spredeutstyr og spredemåte. Disse gårdene blir dermed et godt eksempel for sine naboer og kan få en spydspissfunksjon. De er viktige for kompetanseutveksling om husdyrgjødselhandtering mellom ulike gårdsbruk og mellom driftsmåter

Resurrection and description of Biscogniauxia pezizoides, the phylogenetic sister of B. repanda

Phylogenetic and morphological analyses suggest that Biscogniauxia repanda, typified on the basis of a specimen from Europe, differs from the North American B. pezizoides, although the latter has been synonymized under B. repanda shortly after it was newly described in 1889. The here provided evidence is based on ITS sequences and morphological characters of the ascocarp. As a consequence, B. pezizoides is resurrected and both species are re-described. On the basis of earlier studies by others, it is inferred that B. repanda occurs mainly in Europe and Eastern Asia on Sorbus aucuparia and B. pezizoides mainly in North America and Eastern Asia on Ulmus spp. and Acer sp

Well-performing heterogeneous varieties developed by DIVERSILIENCE: results and opportunities for introduction into cultivation

The research work carried out by the project DIVERSILIENCE highlighted the high agronomic value of (a) a few populations of wheat in Denmark and Norway, white lupin in Italy, and common or runner bean in Slovenia, and (b) a few cultivar mixtures of wheat and soybean in Romania (see the deliverable D2.1). The current deliverable aims to discuss challenges and opportunities to make the seed of these materials available to organic farmers. Key factors in this respect were the type (population or cultivar mixture), extent of morphophysiological heterogeneity, and ownership of the material, and the potential market size of the species and heterogeneous variety. Cultivar mixtures are far less challenging than populations for adoption by farmers, provided that all the relevant component cultivars are available on the market. Usually, populations ought to be registered as OHM as a precondition for their availability to organic farmers. One exception was represented by a Slovenian composite population originated from four lines that were pre-selected for identity of morphophysiological traits, which achieved sufficient homogeneity and distinctness for ordinary registration under the name of KIS Amand. For registered populations, a crucial challenge is represented by the development of a business model that could sustain the breeding of OHM, within seed systems that have been designed and regulated for genetically homogeneous varieties. The populations bred by a public breeding institution (as in the case of white lupin and bean materials) could be considered as a public good whose marketing does not need to generate funds for breeding work. However, their marketing by a licensed seed firm should involve seed fees able to compensate for seed amounts that are expectedly lower than for ordinary varieties because of wide farmers’ utilization of saved seed for future sowings. The seed marketing of the best wheat populations, which were bred by private breeders, could hardly produce enough income to support breeding activities, at least in this pioneer phase of population adoption by farmers. Agrologica has devised an original system of membership fees for farmers that require population seed. Anyway, some form of public support appears necessary to support at least in part the breeding work on populations performed by interested breeders

Granollers Manifesto: Fostering Cultivated Biodiversity in European Municipalities

We, the organisers and participants of the 1st European Symposium “Fostering Cultivated Biodiversity through Local Food Policies”, held in Granollers, Spain, on 29–30 April 2025, have jointly prepared this document to issue a call to action to European municipalities and higher levels of governance. In light of the growing unpredictability threatening European food security, in this Manifesto we propose cultivated biodiversity as a key lever for building sustainable and healthy local food systems across Europe

Cell fusion free varieties in vegetable production 2025/26

The list contains all currently available varieties of cruciferous vegetables, chicory species and root parsley that are not based on a CMS transferred by cell fusion

Liste variétale maraîchage bio. Variétés recommandées pour la Saison 2025/2026

Dans la liste variétale pour le maraîchage biologique sont publiés les recommandations variétales pour les cultures professionnelles. Le classement des espèces et des sous-groupes dans un des trois niveaux de disponibilité des semences bio est contraignant pour les exploitations Bio Suisse

Gemüsebau Info 13/2025

Die Beobachtungen aus dem Warndienst werden zur Optimierung Ihrer Pflanzenschutz-Massnahmen immer wichtiger. Aus diesem Grund unterhält Agroscope zusammen mit den kantonalen Fachstellen für Gemüse, dem FiBL und weiteren Beratern ein Überwachungsnetz, mit dem regelmässig alle wichtigen Schadorganismen erfasst werden. Mit den Pflanzenschutzmitteilungen in der Gemüsebauinfo erhalten Sie während der Saison wöchentlich topaktuelle Informationen zur Befallssituation und zum Schutz der Kulturen im integrierten und biologischen Anbau der Schweiz. Nebst dem Warndienst enthält die Gemüsebauinfo Artikel zu aktuellen Themen sowie Hinweise zu Veranstaltungen, neuen Publikationen und Merkblättern. Die Gemüsebauinfo ist in 3 Sprachen erhältlich per E-Mail oder via Internet

The organic caravan campaign: celebrating organic food as a modern, healthy lifestyle

Combining education with entertainment, music, dancing, and interactive storytelling, the Organic Food Caravan Campaign in Kenya connected farmers, consumers, and influencers, showcasing organic living as a modern, conscious lifestyle. The campaign was implemented as part of the Sustainable Lifestyle Influencing Approach (SuLIA), developed by FiBL in collaboration with Kenyan partners (KOAN, WOWZI) and the Leopold Bachmann Foundation