Could phosphite be a new fungicide for organic farming?

Quote from the article "Potassium phosphite, also called «phosphonate», is a salt of phosphonic acid with the formula K2HPO3. It should not be confounded with phosphates, nor with the organophosphorous insecticides which are also called «phosphonates». Potassium phosphite can be used as a fungicide against oomycetes in various crops. In the early 1990ies, it was extensively tested on organically grown grapevines in Switzerland. It was effective against downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola), and blocked the disease up to 3 days after infection. Phosphite was mobile and very persistent in plants and could be detected in grapes harvested one year after the last application. Analyses of 53 wine samples reveiled that the treatment inevitably leads to phosphite residues in wine, usually ranging between 5000 – 10000 ppb phosphite. Phosphite residues were also found in other crops (e.g. potato, celery) treated with potassium phosphonate. From a toxicological point of view, these residues are of no concern. However, consumers of organic wine expect to buy a «natural» product, and we assume that they would not approve the presence of such quantities of fungicide residues in organic wine. Currently, potassium phosphonate is not authorized as a fungicide for organic farming in the EU, and we do not recommend its use in the future”

Focussing system for an ion source having apertured electrodes Patent

Apertured electrode focusing system for ion sources with nonuniform plasma densit

Studies of magnetopause structure

From the International Sun-Earth Explorers (ISEE) 1 magnetopause crossings on November 10, 1977, three-dimensional distribution functions for energetic ions were studied in the magnetosphere, through the magnetopause, and in the magnetosheath (Speiser and Williams, 1982). The particle distributions were particularly examined at and near the times that Russell and Elphic (1978) identified as flux transfer events (FTE). Using a simple, one-dimensional, quasi-static model, particle orbits were followed numerically, from the magnetosphere into the sheath. The inner, trapped, distribution initializes the distribution function. Liouville's theorem allows the inner distribution to be mapped into the sheath following the orbits. This mapping is shown for four mangetosheath ion flows (MIF's) corresponding to four flux transfer events. Results from the studies are discussed. A brief discussion of current sheet particle motion is presented

Evaluation and registration of plant protection inputs for organic farming

Organic farmers may only use those plant protection products which are listed in Annex II B of the ‘Organic Regulation’ 2092/91 and also registered for use at national level. At present, new compounds may only be listed in Reg. 2092/91, if they do not come into direct contact with the crop (although in perennial crops, contact outside the growing season of the edible parts is possible), which is a major obstacle for progress. The EU-funded ORGANIC INPUTS EVALUATION project aims at making Reg. 2092/91 more flexible with regard to new products, while safeguarding the principles of organic farming. Registra-tion under the ‘Pesticide Directive’ 91/414 represents a considerable financial hurdle. The REBECA project will propose registration requirements which are better adapted for biological control agents, plant extracts and other low-risk products. The aim is to accelerate registration and make it more cost-effective, without compromises to the level of safety

SUCCESS FACTORS OF CHANGE IN KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

The goal of our study is to examine, how the logic of change management implementation and analysing raster of success factors helps to lay the foundation of building up knowledge management system. We led our research first of all along theoretical basis building upon technical literature. We present a generally utilized changing logic extracting those essential elements that get similar importance in the course of building up a learning organizational culture. As a result of our work we established that the utilization of change management logic is indispensable for the successful formation of corporate knowledge management system. Accordingly with the appearance of the demand on continuous learning and putting the individual in the centre both on individual- group- and organizational level simplify work. Comparing the two logics confirms our hypothesis.organization, change management, knowledge, learning organization, knowledge management.

Lie algebra and invariant tensor technology for g2

Proceeding in analogy with su(n) work on lambda matrices and f- and d-tensors, this paper develops the technology of the Lie algebra g2, its seven dimensional defining representation gamma and the full set of invariant tensors that arise in relation thereto. A comprehensive listing of identities involving these tensors is given. This includes identities that depend on use of characteristic equations, especially for gamma, and a good body of results involving the quadratic, sextic and (the non-primitivity of) other Casimir operators of g2.Comment: 29 pages, LaTe

Guideline for handling pesticide residues in Czech organic production

This document was prepared in the project «Development of guidelines for the use of pesticide analysis in organic inspection in the Czech Republic (sampling, evaluation and interpretation)». At the beginning of this project, a workshop with stakeholders was held. The present document builds on the outcomes of this workshop, and elaborates guidance for all stakeholders involved in Czech organic production and its control, on how to deal with residue analyses. In recognition of the European dimension of the problem, the project followed a two-step approach. In the first step, the present guideline was prepared. It is written in a general style and in the English language, so that it potentially applies for many countries. Although the current project aims specifically at the situation in the Czech Republic, its use for other countries is welcome! In the second step, a national guideline for the Czech Republic will be prepared, based on this document. The present document will serve as a blueprint for this guideline, which will be tailored to the specific situation in the Czech Republic and written in the Czech language. The aim is that all control bodies and authorities dealing with organic production and organic products in the Czech Republic will use this guideline

Child Health Providers\u27 Precautionary Discussion of Emotions During Communication about Results of Newborn Genetic Screening

Objective To demonstrate a quantitative abstraction method for Communication Quality Assurance projects to assess physicians\u27 communication about hidden emotions after newborn genetic screening. Design Communication quality indicator analysis. Setting Standardized parent encounters performed in practicing physicians\u27 clinics or during educational workshops for residents. Participants Fifty-nine pediatrics residents, 53 pediatricians, and 31 family physicians. Intervention Participants were asked to counsel standardized parents about a screening result; counseling was recorded, transcribed, and parsed into statements (each with 1 subject and 1 predicate). Pairs of abstractors independently compared statements with a data dictionary containing explicit-criteria definitions. Outcome Measures Four groups of precautionary empathy behaviors (assessment of emotion, anticipation/validation of emotion, instruction about emotion, and caution about future emotion), with definitions developed for both definite and partial instances. Results Only 38 of 143 transcripts (26.6%) met definite criteria for at least 1 of the precautionary empathy behaviors. When partial criteria were counted, this number increased to 80 of 143 transcripts (55.9%). The most common type of precautionary empathy was the instruction about emotion behavior (eg, don\u27t be worried ), which may sometimes be leading or premature. Conclusions Precautionary empathy behaviors were rare in this analysis. Further study is needed, but this study should raise concerns about the quality of communication services after newborn screening

Leitfaden für die Probenahme und Rückstandsanalyse von Biolebensmitteln

Es ist heute möglich, selbst geringste Spuren von Pestiziden oder anderen Schadstoffen in Lebensmitteln nachzuweisen. Diese analytische Genauigkeit nützt jedoch nur dann etwas, wenn die richtigen Proben zur Untersuchung eingesandt und alle notwendigen Begleitinformationen festgehalten wurden. Abweichungen zwischen einzelnen Proben sind in der Praxis weitaus häufiger durch eine nicht sachgemässe Probenahme verursacht als durch technische Messunsicherheiten der Labors. Dieses Dokument gibt deshalb eine einfache Anleitung zur Probenahme für Rückstandsanalysen bei Biolebensmitteln. Der Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf häufig vorkommenden Situationen. In diesem Dokument ist von «Rückständen» die Rede. Damit gemeint sind in erster Linie Rückstände von Pestiziden. Daneben können auch diverse andere Schadstoffe (beispielsweise Desinfektionsmittel, Schwermetalle) analytisch nachgewiesen werden. Das Dokument wurde zwar nicht im Hinblick auf solche Stoffe verfasst, viele Hinweise dürften jedoch auch für diese gelten. Die Hinweise in diesem Dokument sind hingegen nicht gültig für den Nachweis von gentechnisch veränderten Nutzpflanzen (GVO), von Mykotoxinen und von Krankheitserregern; dazu sollten spezifische Anleitungen beachtet werden. Obwohl sich dieses Dokument primär mit Lebensmitteln befasst, werden im Abschnitt über Silo- und Lagerware auch Futtermittel kurz erwähnt