Growers can do something to attract bees to orchards

Far more solitary bees than social bumblebees and honeybees were caught in pan traps in apple trees in 2016. Virtually all the solitary bees were ground nesting bees. Solitary bees require nesting sites and the fruit growers can do something to increase the number of sites

Frugtavlere kan målrette tiltrækningen af vilde bier

I 2016 gik langt flere enlige bier end sociale humlebier og honningbier i fælder opsat i æbletræer. Stort set alle de enlige bier var jordboende. Det stiller krav til redepladser, og her kan frugtavleren gøre noget for at forbedre forholdene

Clopyralid applied to winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) contaminates the food products nectar, honey and pollen

Clopyralid is a systemic herbicide used in oilseed rape and other crops. It was found in Danish honey from 2016 in concentrations exceeding the maximum residue level (MRL) of 0.05 mg kg−1. About 50% of the Danish honey is based on nectar from winter oilseed rape. In 2019 and 2020, winter oilseed rape fields were sprayed with clopyralid just before the assigned spraying deadline. At flowering, nectar and pollen samples were collected and the content of clopyralid was measured. Honey and pollen samples were also collected from beehives next to ten conventional winter oilseed rape fields sprayed with clopyralid. Clopyralid was found in nectar and pollen from the experimental fields, and in honey and pollen from beehives next to the conventional fields. For most samples the content in nectar and honey exceeded the MRL. The concentrations found, may not pose any health risk for consumers, as the MRL is based on the original detection limit and not on toxicological tests. However, it can have a significant economical consequence for the beekeepers, who are not allowed to sell the honey if the concentration of clopyralid exceeds 0.1 mg kg−1. Reducing the acceptable applicable rate of clopyralid or implementing an earlier deadline for spraying of clopyralid may reduce the risk of contaminating bee food products. However, if it is not possible to obtain a satisfactory effect of clopyralid on the weed flora under these conditions, spraying with pesticides containing clopyralid should be restricted in winter oilseed rape. Determination of an MRL value based on toxicological tests might result in a higher value and make it acceptable selling the honey containing higher levels of clopyralid.Clopyralid applied to winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) contaminates the food products nectar, honey and pollenpublishedVersio

BeeFarm – mapping resources for pollinators at the farm

The aim of the BeeFarm project is to develop a farmer’s tool for assessing resources for bees at the farm. The tool includes a guided tour through the fields and semi-natural habitats of a farm, in order for the farmer to systematically assess the bee resources on the farm. The tool will make it possible for the farmers to identify resources, which are potentially limiting wild pollinator populations

WASTE OF THE LICURI (Syagrus coronata) NUT SHELLS: AN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCE

The licuri nut shell is a potential source of biomass for energy production. The aim of this study was the physicochemical characterization of the licuri shell, focusing on the increase of its use as a fuel. The material was collected in Caldeirão Grande-BA and the characterization included a wide range of analyses such as: moisture content, bulk density, particle size distribution, ash content, volatile matter, fixed carbon, high heating value (HHV), hot water and cyclohexane/ethanol extractions, Klason lignin content, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The obtained results  were: moisture content (11,1%), HHV (4652 kcal.kg-1), Klason lignin content (36,86%), volatile content (74,91%), and fixed carbon (21,19%). The results showed that the material can be considered suitable for the purpose of generating energy when compared with other types of biomasses. The ash content (3,9%) and the extractives content (46,75%) are in accordance with the values observed for the babassu nut shell, Brazilian nut shell, and coconut. Finally, by the TGA analysis, it was observed that the degradation peak occurred at 272°C with a loss of 65% of weight. With these results, the licuri nut shell has shown to be potentially promising for the energy production

T-cell-based diagnosis of tuberculosis infection in children in Lithuania: a country of high incidence despite a high coverage with bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lithuania is a country with a high incidence of tuberculosis (TB), despite a high coverage with bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination. Until now the only method used to detect latent TB infection was the tuberculin skin test (TST). However, TST may have a cross reactivity to the BCG vaccine and to environmental mycobacteria. The aim of this study was to conduct assessments of the diagnostic accuracy of the T-cell based test (T SPOT TB) for TB in children who had previously been BCG vaccinated and compare these with the results of the TST.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Between January 2005 and February 2007, children with bacteriologically confirmed TB, children having contacts with a case of infectious pulmonary TB and children without any known risk for TB were tested with both the TST and T SPOT TB.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The TST and T SPOT TB tests were positive for all patients in the „culture-confirmed TB“ group. Whereas, in the „high risk for TB“ group, the TST was positive for 60%, but the T SPOT TB test, only for 17.8%. Meanwhile the results for the „low risk for TB“ group were 65.4% and 9.6%, respectively. A correlation between the TST and T SPOT TB was obtained in the "culture-confirmed TB" group where the TST ≥15 mm (r = 0.35, p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The T-cell based method is more objective than the TST for identifying latent TB infection in children who had been previously BCG vaccinated. This method could be useful in countries like Lithuania where there is a high incidence of TB despite a high coverage with BCG vaccination. It may also help to avoid unnecessary chemoprophylaxis when TST reactions are false-positive.</p