Effect of agricultural management and weeds on feeding groups of Nematode in soybean

Los factores de manejo del cultivo de soja y los cambios resultantes en la composición florística y funcional (metabolitos secundarios) de las malezas modulan la composición y riqueza de los grupos funcionales de nematodos del suelo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar el efecto de los factores del manejo agrícola del cultivo de soja en (secuencia de cultivos y uso herbicida) y de la composición florística y funcional de las malezas resultante, sobre la riqueza de grupos funcionales de nematodos edáficos en la Pampa Ondulada. Para generar los tratamientos de manejo se utilizaron combinaciones de los cultivos soja y trigo y la aplicación de glifosato en un diseño experimental factorial completamente aleatorizado con tres repeticiones. Al cabo de 3 años se sembró en todas las parcelas trigo/soja y se aplicó glifosato, y al año siguiente soja y glifosato. Los nematodos y las malezas se relevaron durante la floración de soja en dos años sucesivos. La composición de nematodos fue principalmente explicada por la aplicación herbicida y la presencia de malezas como Digitaria sanguinalis, Tagetes minuta y Chenopodium album. Los incrementos en los nematodos fitófagos estuvieron relacionados con la ausencia de T. minuta y especies productoras de metabolitos secundarios como poliacetilenos y terpenos.Agricultural history related to management of soybean and changes in floristic and functional composition (secondary metabolites) of accompanying weeds can determine composition and richness of functional (feeding groups) of soil nematodes. The aim of this work was to study the effect of agricultural management factors (crops and herbicide application in the rotation) and of the resulting weed floristic and functional composition, on the richness of functional groups of soil nematodes in the Rolling Pampa. To generate different management treatments combinations of wheat and soybean crops and glyphosate application were used in a factorial completely randomized experimental design with three replications. After three years of rotations wheat/soybean was sown and glyphosate was applied in all plots followed by soybean and glyphosate in the nest year. Nematodes and weeds were surveyed during soybean flowering in two successive years. The composition of nematodes was mainly explained by the use of herbicides and the presence of weeds as Digitaria sanguinalis, Tagetes minuta and Chenopodium album. Increases in phytophagous nematodes were related to the absence of T. minuta and secondary metabolites producing species as polyacetylenes and terpenes.Fil: Suárez, Susana A.. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquimicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: de la Fuente, Elba Beatriz. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomia; ArgentinaFil: Lenardis, Adriana Ester. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomia; ArgentinaFil: Gil, A.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomia; ArgentinaFil: Doucet, Marcelo Edmundo. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicas y Naturales. Centro de Zoologia Aplicada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ghersa, Claudio Marco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; Argentin

Store-and-forward teledermatology: a case report

Abstract Background Telemedicine is increasingly being used as part of routine practice for many physicians and healthcare providers across the country. Due to its visual nature, dermatology is ideally suited to benefit from this new technology. The use of teledermatology (telemedicine in dermatology) in a primary care setting allows for an expert opinion without the need for an in-person referral. Furthermore, it can improve patient access in remote areas. Store-and-forward teledermatology is the most commonly employed method. Case presentation This case describes a Caucasian male in his fifties with no fixed address or telephone number who presented to his family doctor with an enlarging nevus on his chest, and required a dermatology referral. Given these limitations, a traditional fax and phone referral would not be possible. Instead store-and-forward teledermatology was employed. It was then determined by the dermatologist that the nevus was benign and did not require treatment. Conclusion This case demonstrates the utility of store-and-forward teledermatology in what is unfortunately not an uncommon scenario in Canada. The patient was successfully managed, and a logistically difficult and expensive in-person referral was avoided

Intercropping sunflower and soybean in intensive farming systems : Evaluating yield advantage and effect on weed and insect assemblages

47-52Agricultural intensification has encouraged both landscape homogenization and biodiversity decline in agro-ecosystems. Intercropping may over yield sole crops and simultaneously enhance landscape heterogeneity and planned and associated biodiversity in agroecosystems. Thus, we assessed yield advantage in sunflower/soybean intercrops in the Southern Pampas (Argentina). We also expected weed and insect assemblages to differ between sole crops and intercrops and to be more diverse and productive in intercrops than in sole crops. Thus, we evaluated the effects of sunflower/soybean sole and intercrops on the composition, richness, and abundance of weed and insect assemblages. Sunflower/soybean sole crops and intercrops were sown in two experiments in the Southern Pampa during two consecutive years. Weeds and insects were surveyed and both crop yields and land equivalent ratio (LER) were calculated. Cover/abundance of weeds, abundance of insects and species frequency and richness of both taxa were also estimated. Weeds were classified according to life cycle (annual or perennial) and insects according to feeding habits (herbivores and non-herbivores). Yield advantage of intercropping was indicated by LER values higher than 1 in both experiments, indicating that intercrops were more productive than sole crops. Species compositions of weed and insect assemblages differed between sole crops and intercrops because some particular species characterized each cropping system. Total species number was higher in intercrops than in sole crops. However, mean richness and abundance per plot was similar among treatments for weeds and similar or lower in intercrops than in the rest of treatments for insects. Here, we show that intercropping warm-season crops constitute a feasible alternative to promote heterogeneity within-fields and therefore sustain biodiversity in conventional cropping systems in temperate regions, which have become highly simplified after agricultural intensification such as in the Southern Pampa

Intercropping sunflower and soybean in intensive farming systems: evaluating yield advantage and effect on weed and insect assemblages

Agricultural intensification has encouraged both landscape homogenization and biodiversity decline inagro-ecosystems. Intercropping may over yield sole crops and simultaneously enhance landscape hetero-geneity and planned and associated biodiversity in agroecosystems. Thus, we assessed yield advantagein sunflower/soybean intercrops in the Southern Pampas (Argentina). We also expected weed and insectassemblages to differ between sole crops and intercrops and to be more diverse and productive in inter-crops than in sole crops. Thus, we evaluated the effects of sunflower/soybean sole and intercrops on thecomposition, richness, and abundance of weed and insect assemblages. Sunflower/soybean sole cropsand intercrops were sown in two experiments in the Southern Pampa during two consecutive years.Weeds and insects were surveyed and both crop yields and land equivalent ratio (LER) were calculated.Cover/abundance of weeds, abundance of insects and species frequency and richness of both taxa werealso estimated. Weeds were classified according to life cycle (annual or perennial) and insects accordingto feeding habits (herbivores and non-herbivores). Yield advantage of intercropping was indicated byLER values higher than 1 in both experiments, indicating that intercrops were more productive than solecrops. Species compositions of weed and insect assemblages differed between sole crops and intercropsbecause some particular species characterized each cropping system. Total species number was higherin intercrops than in sole crops. However, mean richness and abundance per plot was similar amongtreatments for weeds and similar or lower in intercrops than in the rest of treatments for insects. Here,we show that intercropping warm-season crops constitute a feasible alternative to promote hetero-geneity within-fields and therefore sustain biodiversity in conventional cropping systems in temperateregions, which have become highly simplified after agricultural intensification such as in the SouthernPampa.Fil: de la Fuente, Elba Beatriz. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Cultivos Industriales; ArgentinaFil: Suárez, Susana A.. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria. Departamento de Biología Agrícola. Cátedra de Morfología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Lenardis, Adriana Ester. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Cultivos Industriales; ArgentinaFil: Poggio, Santiago Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal; Argentin

Sustainable Fertilization in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

The nutrient level in the soil is one of the most investigated aspects of agricultural research, also including research into Medicinal and Aromatic plants. The effect of fertilization has been studied in detail for many species, with contrasting results as concerns above all the qualitative aspects of production. Generally speaking, an increased level of nutrients induces an enhancement of plant biomass, but when the goal of cultivation is different from herbage yield, i.e. when a special plant part (seeds, or roots, or flowers) is of interest, or when the quality features are especially important, the outcome of fertilization may be dramatically different. A fine-tuned fertilization practice is therefore necessary, and forms, rates and times of distribution of fertilizers must be accurately planned and managed