Design status of ASPIICS, an externally occulted coronagraph for PROBA-3

The "sonic region" of the Sun corona remains extremely difficult to observe with spatial resolution and sensitivity sufficient to understand the fine scale phenomena that govern the quiescent solar corona, as well as phenomena that lead to coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which influence space weather. Improvement on this front requires eclipse-like conditions over long observation times. The space-borne coronagraphs flown so far provided a continuous coverage of the external parts of the corona but their over-occulting system did not permit to analyse the part of the white-light corona where the main coronal mass is concentrated. The proposed PROBA-3 Coronagraph System, also known as ASPIICS (Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetric and Imaging Investigation of the Corona of the Sun), with its novel design, will be the first space coronagraph to cover the range of radial distances between ~1.08 and 3 solar radii where the magnetic field plays a crucial role in the coronal dynamics, thus providing continuous observational conditions very close to those during a total solar eclipse. PROBA-3 is first a mission devoted to the in-orbit demonstration of precise formation flying techniques and technologies for future European missions, which will fly ASPIICS as primary payload. The instrument is distributed over two satellites flying in formation (approx. 150m apart) to form a giant coronagraph capable of producing a nearly perfect eclipse allowing observing the sun corona closer to the rim than ever before. The coronagraph instrument is developed by a large European consortium including about 20 partners from 7 countries under the auspices of the European Space Agency. This paper is reviewing the recent improvements and design updates of the ASPIICS instrument as it is stepping into the detailed design phase

Djelovanje tretmana gnojivom na intenzitet fuzarijske paleži klasa i sintezu mikotoksina u zimskoj raži

The fungi of the genus Fusarium cause Fusarium head blight (FHB), a devastating disease that reduces grain yield and quality. They also produce mycotoxins which may pose a serious threat to human and animal health. This study investigated the effects of NPK fertilisation, foliar application of Cu, Zn, and Mn, applied separately and in combination, and of the Nano-Gro® organic growth stimulator on the occurrence of FHB in cultivar Dańkowskie Diament rye based on the mycological analysis of kernels and on the concentrations of Fusarium mycotoxins in grain. The severity of FHB caused by seven species of the genus Fusarium was influenced by weather conditions in the analysed growing seasons. The applied fertilisation and the Nano-Gro® organic growth stimulator exerted varied effects on FHB development and the biosynthesis of Fusarium mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, zearalenone and fumonisins) in grain. The greatest reduction in deoxynivalenol and nivalenol concentrations was noted in 2013, and the levels of moniliformin were lower in treated samples than in absolute control (untreated) samples in both years of the study. The severity of FHB positively correlated with the concentrations of zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, and moniliformin in the grain samples. Greater accumulation of ergosterol was noted in the rye grain harvested in 2013 than in 2012, and fertiliser treatment led to higher ergosterol concentrations than did control treatment.Gljivice iz roda Fusarium uzrokuju fuzarijsku palež klasa, bolest žitarica koja uništava urod i kakvoću zrna. Osim toga, ove gljivice proizvode mikotoksine koji mogu ozbiljno ugroziti zdravlje ljudi i životinja. Istražili smo djelovanje NPK gnojiva, organskoga stimulatora rasta Nano-Gro® te lisne primjene Cu, Zn i Mn, zasebno ili u kombinaciji, na učestalost fuzarijske paleži klasa u zimskoj raži (kultivar Dańkowskie Diament) na temelju mikološke analize zrnja i koncentracije fuzarijskih mikotoksina u njima. Na intenzitet bolesti zrnja koju uzrokuje sedam vrsta Fusarium gljivica ponajviše su utjecale vremenske prilike u analiziranim razdobljima. Primijenjena gnojiva i organski stimulator rasta Nano-Gro® iskazali su različite učinke na razvoj fuzarijske paleži klasa i biosintezu fuzarijskih mikotoksina (deoksinivalenola, nivalenola, zearalenona i fumonizina) u zrnju. U 2013. najveći je pad zabilježen u razinama deoksinivalenola i nivalenola, dok su razine moniliformina bile niže u tretiranim nego u netretiranim uzorcima (apsolutna kontrola) u obje godine istraživanja. Intenzitet fuzarijske paleži klasa korelirao je s koncentracijama zearalenona, deoksinivalenola, nivalenola i moniliformina u uzorcima zrnja. Do izrazitijeg nakupljanja ergosterola došlo je u raži iz žetve 2013. u odnosu na 2012. godinu, a tretman gnojivom dodatno je povisio razine ergosterola u odnosu na kontrolu

The effect of fertiliser treatments on the severity of Fusarium head blight and mycotoxin biosynthesis in winter rye

The fungi of the genus Fusarium cause Fusarium head blight (FHB), a devastating disease that reduces grain yield and quality. They also produce mycotoxins which may pose a serious threat to human and animal health. This study investigated the effects of NPK fertilisation, foliar application of Cu, Zn, and Mn, applied separately and in combination, and of the Nano-Gro® organic growth stimulator on the occurrence of FHB in cultivar Dańkowskie Diament rye based on the mycological analysis of kernels and on the concentrations of Fusarium mycotoxins in grain. The severity of FHB caused by seven species of the genus Fusarium was influenced by weather conditions in the analysed growing seasons. The applied fertilisation and the Nano-Gro® organic growth stimulator exerted varied effects on FHB development and the biosynthesis of Fusarium mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, zearalenone and fumonisins) in grain. The greatest reduction in deoxynivalenol and nivalenol concentrations was noted in 2013, and the levels of moniliformin were lower in treated samples than in absolute control (untreated) samples in both years of the study. The severity of FHB positively correlated with the concentrations of zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, and moniliformin in the grain samples. Greater accumulation of ergosterol was noted in the rye grain harvested in 2013 than in 2012, and fertiliser treatment led to higher ergosterol concentrations than did control treatment.Gljivice iz roda Fusarium uzrokuju fuzarijsku palež klasa, bolest žitarica koja uništava urod i kakvoću zrna. Osim toga, ove gljivice proizvode mikotoksine koji mogu ozbiljno ugroziti zdravlje ljudi i životinja. Istražili smo djelovanje NPK gnojiva, organskoga stimulatora rasta Nano-Gro® te lisne primjene Cu, Zn i Mn, zasebno ili u kombinaciji, na učestalost fuzarijske paleži klasa u zimskoj raži (kultivar Dańkowskie Diament) na temelju mikološke analize zrnja i koncentracije fuzarijskih mikotoksina u njima. Na intenzitet bolesti zrnja koju uzrokuje sedam vrsta Fusarium gljivica ponajviše su utjecale vremenske prilike u analiziranim razdobljima. Primijenjena gnojiva i organski stimulator rasta Nano-Gro® iskazali su različite učinke na razvoj fuzarijske paleži klasa i biosintezu fuzarijskih mikotoksina (deoksinivalenola, nivalenola, zearalenona i fumonizina) u zrnju. U 2013. najveći je pad zabilježen u razinama deoksinivalenola i nivalenola, dok su razine moniliformina bile niže u tretiranim nego u netretiranim uzorcima (apsolutna kontrola) u obje godine istraživanja. Intenzitet fuzarijske paleži klasa korelirao je s koncentracijama zearalenona, deoksinivalenola, nivalenola i moniliformina u uzorcima zrnja. Do izrazitijeg nakupljanja ergosterola došlo je u raži iz žetve 2013. u odnosu na 2012. godinu, a tretman gnojivom dodatno je povisio razine ergosterola u odnosu na kontrolu