Crop management in rows.

Trial 87M71 Effect of row spacing and stubble retention on the yield of wheat. Location: Merredin Research Station. Treatments, site management and results from 1987, 1988 and 1989 have been described in previous experimental summaries. Four row spacings (9, 18, 27 and 36 cm) are compared in either burnt or stubble retained plots, on a red brown earth on the Merredin Research Station. There are six replicates laid out in a randomised block design. Trial 90ME32 Effect of row spacing and variety on the yield of wheat. Location: duplex site at Crooks (see 1989 Experimental Summary) This trial was carried out on the duplex soil site at Crooks (see 1989 Experimental Summary); in 1990, the wheat crop was sown after lupins, and aimed to look at the interaction between row spacing and variety of wheat. Varieties which differ in their canopy characteristics might be expected to differ in the rate at which they develop ground cover, and might therefore influence the partitioning of ET between soil evaporation and crop transpiration. The varieties Kuhn (low tillering, small leaf area) and Aroona (higher tillering, larger leaf area) were compared at row spacings of 9, 18 and 36 cm

Feral goats in south-western Queensland: a permanent component of the grazing lands

Feral goats were harvested in south-western Queensland at four sites under two regimes (opportunistic harvesting and sustained control). We assessed how this impacted on their contribution to total grazing pressure, on soil and pasture conditions and on the economics of goat management. The population impact was not consistent across sites with the same treatment, with 62% and 84% reductions in numbers in the two northern sites (one opportunistic harvesting site and one sustained control site) while numbers in the southern sites essentially remained the same. The contribution of goats to grazing pressure ranged from 3 to 30%; kangaroos contributed 16–36%; and livestock contributed 37–72%. Harvest rates of feral goats calculated for each of the sites ranged from 17 to 41%. There was no consistent relationship between population changes and the harvest rates. Seasonal conditions had greater influence on pasture and soil conditions than did changes in feral goat populations. The average cost of mustering goats (based on 34 operations) was $1.93 per head. Mustering costs increased markedly when goat density was lower than 10/km2. Average trapping costs (based on 7 trapping programs) were$2.08 per head. This compared with on-farm prices of $16–$25 per head in 1997. Personal circumstances and preferences of individual landholders were the key determinant of the level of control undertaken. Variability in price contributed to landholders being apprehensive about the viability of the goat industry. There are few simple tools available for landholders to estimate feral goat numbers and this makes effective management of total grazing pressure difficult

New Approach for Boat Motion Analysis in Rowing

In rowing, the study of the movement of the boat and of the rower in the boat is difficult. Indeed, the shell is quite narrow and fragile and it is impossible to use the classical apparatus for physiological and biomechanical analysis. For this reason, the physiological studies of rowers (cardiac and pulmonary parameters) have been more easily realised on specific and non specific ergometers (see Hagerman for an extensive review 1984): it is well known now, that rowers have exceptional aerobic possibilities and also use anaerobiosis for the start and the final part of the race (Hagerman 1984). In contrast, only a few publications deal with the movement of the boat and the rower. The velocity of the boat at different stroke rates (Martin and Bernfield 1980), the angular velocities of various articulations of the rowers (Nelson and Widule 1983) were studied by kinematic analysis. Though this technique is very useful, it does not catch the movements behind the subjects and is of no use to record physiological and mechanical parameters (Ishiko 1967). Some authors used DC recorder placed in a motor boat following the racing shell to record different parameters (Baird and Soroka 1952; Di Prampero 1971; Celentano 1974). But, this technique is not practical because of the need of a second operator to keep the cables out of the water. With the miniaturization, Ishiko proposed and used multichanneltelemetry to record the force of the rower and the acceleration of the boat (Ishiko 1967; Ishiko 1971). Schneider also used the same technique to record the force of the rower in the boat (Schneider 1978). Though this technique is excellent and powerful, it is also very expensive and quite sophisticated. Our goal was thus to take advantage of the miniaturization of the elements and to build and use a recorder and transducers that can be placed into the boat to record the acceleration of the boat and the propulsive force of the rower

Direct demonstration of an HLA-DR allotypic determinant on the low molecular weight (beta) subunit using a mouse monoclonal antibody specific for DR3

A murine monoclonal antibody directed against a human B cell surface antigen with the characteristics of HLA-DR is described. The antigen detected is tightly linked to HLA and is correlated with the alloantigen HLA-Dw/DR3. Reactivity with a fraction of Dw/DRw6 cells is also observed. The determinant recognized by this antibody has been shown to be present on the smaller molecular weight β subunit of the HLA-DR antigen

Micro-Water harvesting and soil amendment increase grain yields of barley on a Heavy-Textured alkaline sodic soil in a rainfed Mediterranean environment

This paper focuses on the adverse effects of soil sodicity and alkalinity on the growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in a rainfed environment in south-western Australia. These conditions cause the accumulation of salt (called ‘transient salinity’) in the root zone, which decreases the solute potential of the soil solution, particularly at the end of the growing season as the soil dries. We hypothesized that two approaches could help overcome this stress: (a) improved micro-water harvesting at the soil surface, which would help maintain soil hydration, decreasing the salinity of the soil solution, and (b) soil amelioration using small amounts of gypsum, elemental sulfur or gypsum plus elemental sulfur, which would ensure greater salt leaching. In our experiments, improved micro-water harvesting was achieved using a tillage technique consisting of exaggerated mounds between furrows and the covering of these mounds with plastic sheeting. The combination of the mounds and the application of a low rate of gypsum in the furrow (50 kg ha−1) increased yields of barley grain by 70% in 2019 and by 57% in 2020, relative to a control treatment with conventional tillage, no plastic sheeting and no amendment. These increases in yield were related to changes in ion concentrations in the soil and to changes in apparent electrical conductivity measured with the EM3

Promoting Fundamental movement skill development and physical activity in early childhood settings : a cluster randomized controlled trial

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility, acceptability and potential efficacy of a physical activity program for preschool children. A 20-week, 2-arm parallel cluster randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted. The intervention comprised structured activities for children and professional development for staff. The control group participated in usual care activities, which included designated inside and outside playtime. Primary outcomes were movement skill development and objectively measured physical activity. At follow-up, compared with children in the control group, children in the intervention group showed greater improvements in movement skill proficiency, with this improvement statically significant for overall movement skill development (adjust diff. = 2.08, 95% CI 0.76, 3.40; Cohen&rsquo;s d = 0.47) and significantly greater increases in objectively measured physical activity (counts per minute) during the preschool day (adjust diff. = 110.5, 95% CI 33.6, 187.3; Cohen&rsquo;s d = 0.46). This study demonstrates that a physical activity program implemented by staff within a preschool setting is feasible, acceptable and potentially efficacious.<br /

Nano-surgery at the leukocyte–endothelial docking site

The endothelium has an important role in controlling the extravasation of leukocytes from blood to tissues. Endothelial permeability for leukocytes is influenced by transmembrane proteins that control inter-endothelial adhesion, as well as steps of the leukocyte transmigration process. In a cascade consisting of leukocyte rolling, adhesion, firm adhesion, and diapedesis, a new step was recently introduced, the formation of a docking structure or “transmigratory cup.” Both terms describe a structure formed by endothelial pseudopods embracing the leukocyte. It has been found associated with both para- and transcellular diapedesis. The aim of this study was to characterize the leukocyte–endothelial contact area in terms of morphology and cell mechanics to investigate how the endothelial cytoskeleton reorganizes to engulf the leukocyte. We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to selectively remove the leukocyte and then analyze the underlying cell at this specific spot. Firmly attached leukocytes could be removed by AFM nanomanipulation. In few cases, this exposed 8–12 μm wide and 1 μm deep footprints, representing the cup-like docking structure. Some of them were located near endothelial cell junctions. The interaction area did not exhibit significant alterations neither morphologically nor mechanically as compared to the surrounding cell surface. In conclusion, the endothelial invagination is formed without a net depolymerization of f-actin, as endothelial softening at the site of adhesion does not seem to be involved. Moreover, there were no cases of phagocytotic engulfment, but instead the formation of a transmigratory channel could be observed

A genome-wide expression analysis identifies a network of EpCAM-induced cell cycle regulators

Expression of the epithelial cell adhesion molecule EpCAM is upregulated in a variety of carcinomas. This antigen is therefore explored in tumour diagnosis, and clinical trials have been initiated to examine EpCAM-based therapies. Notably, the possible intracellular effects and signalling pathways triggered by EpCAM-specific antibodies are unknown. Here, we show treatment of the mouse lung carcinoma cell line A2C12, of the human lung carcinoma cell line A549 and the human colorectal cell line Caco-2 with the monoclonal EpCAM antibody G8.8 to cause dose dependently an increase in cell proliferation, as determined by the MTS and the 5′-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labelling assay. Furthermore, a genome-wide approach identified networks of regulated genes, most notably cell cycle regulators, upon treatment with an EpCAM-specific antibody. Indeed, changes in the expression of cell cycle regulators agreed well with the BrdU labelling data, and an analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed the processes with the strongest over-representation of modulated genes, for example, cell cycle, cell death, cellular growth and proliferation, and cancer. These data suggest that EpCAM is involved in signal transduction triggering several intracellular signalling pathways. Knowing EpCAM signalling pathways might lead to a reassessment of EpCAM-based therapies

Crop Updates - 2003 Oilseeds

This session covers fifteen papers from different authors ACKNOWLEDGMENTS VARIETIES Large scale canola varietal evaluation in WA, Peter Nelson, Oilseeds WA Performance of IT and TT canola varieties in the medium and high rainfall agzones of WA 2001-02, Graham Walton, Hasan Zaheer and Paul Carmody, Department of Agriculture QUALITY Reproductive biology, cotyledon development and oil accumulation in canola, J.A. Fortescue and D.W. Turner, School of Plant Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia Plant and environmental factors affecting oil concentration in canola – a mini-review, D.W. Turner, School of Plant Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia Potential benefits from interspecific crosses between canola and ‘near canola’ quality Indian mustard, Janet Wroth, School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia (UWA), Wallace Cowling, School of Plant Biology, UWA and CBWA Pty Ltd, Anh-Van Pham, School of Mathematics and Statistics, UWA NUTRITION, AGRONOMY AND MACHINERY Timing of nitrogen application for producing canola grain and oil, R. F. Brennan, Department of Agriculture Managing canola for soil type and moisture stress, Paul Carmody and Hasan Zaheer Department of Agriculture Machinery lessons from 2002 – canola establishment, Glen Riethmuller, Greg Hamilton and Jo Hawksley, Department of Agriculture Machinery lessons from 2002 – harvesting short crops, Glen Riethmuller, Department of Agriculture Does increasing canola seeding rate reduce the competitiveness of grass weeds? Zaicou-Kunesch, C.M., Zaheer, S.H. and Eksteen, D, Department of Agriculture PESTS AND DISEASES Aphid damage to canola – not all cultivars are equal, Françoise A. Berlandier and Christiaan Valentine, Department of Agriculture Should we be worried about developing insecticide resistance in aphids? Owain Edwards, CSIRO Entomology Benefits provided by treating canola seed with imidacloprid seed dressing, Roger Jones, Brenda Coutts, Lisa Smith and Jenny Hawkes, Department of Agriculture, and Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture Blackleg levels in canola in 2002, Ravjit Khangura1, Moin Salam1, Art J Diggle1 and Martin J Barbetti1,2 1Department of Agriculture, 2University of Western Australia DBM in canola, Kevin Walden, Department of Agricultur