Nursery Treatments Research Articles

490 Lifetime growth performance and carcass composition of offspring when inactivated Saccharomyces cerevisiae was included in gestating and lactating gilt diets and/or offspring nursery diets

Abstract Gilts [n = 90; initial body weight (BW) = 189.1 ± 3.9 kg] were used to determine the effect of feeding a yeast additive (Saccharomyces cerevisiae inactivated through hydrolyzation; HY) to gestating and lactating gilts and/or the offspring during the nursery period on lifetime offspring growth performance. Gilts were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments (n = 30/treatment): standard gestation and lactation diets (GHY0) or supplemented with 0.25% (GHY0.25) or 1% (GHY1.0) HY. Diets were fed between d 85 of gestation until weaning at d 21 (2.6 kg/d in gestation, ad libitum in lactation). At weaning, 8 piglets/litter were placed in nursery pens and pens were randomly assigned to a control (NO) or a HY-supplemented diet (NHY), apart from GHY1.0 offspring who were only provided NO during the nursery period (n = 12). In nursery phases 1, 2 and 3, HY was included at 0.75, 0.50, and 0.25% respectively. Thereafter, pigs received standard grower and finisher rations until slaughter (160 d of age). Data were analyzed in SAS using GLIMMIX with gilt treatment as the main effect (pre-weaning); post-weaning performance used gilt and nursery treatments as the main effects, and interactive effects were tested separately due to the incomplete 3 × 2 factorial design. Mean comparisons were conducted using the Tukey-Kramer test to separate LSmeans. Gilt BW was unaffected by gilt treatment, but gilts fed GHY1.0 had greater total lactation feed intake versus GHY0.25 (128.6 vs. 109.4 ± 7.7 kg; P < 0.01). At birth, GHY0.25 offspring were 70 g heavier than pigs from GHY0 (P < 0.001) with GHY1.0 intermediate. At weaning, GHY0.25 and GHY1.0 offspring were heavier than GHY0 offspring (5.9 vs. 5.6 kg; P < 0.001). After weaning, neither gilt nor nursery diet influenced offspring BW. Pigs fed GHY1.0-NO had greater ADFI versus all other treatments in the nursery (interaction; P < 0.001), GHY0.25-NHY had greater ADFI than GHY0.25-NO and GHY1.0-NO in the grower (interaction; P = 0.005), and NHY consumed more feed than NO in the finisher phase (main effect; P < 0.001). In the nursery, NHY had less average daily feed intake (ADFI) than NO (main effect; P < 0.05), but in grower and finisher, NHY had greater ADFI than NO pigs (main effect; P < 0.001). In the nursery, gain to feed (G:F) was greater for GHY0-NHY versus GHY0.25-NHY and GHY1.0-NO, and greater for GHY0-NO versus GHY0.25-NHY with all other treatments intermediate (interaction; P < 0.05). In the grower phase, G:F was unaffected by maternal or nursery diet, but in the finisher phase, G:F was less for pigs fed NHY versus NO during the nursery phase (main effect; P < 0.05). Slaughter BW, hot carcass weight, and fat and lean percents were not influenced by gilt or nursery diet. Therefore, HY provided to gilts during gestation and lactation, improved pre-weaning offspring growth, but HY supplemented to pigs during the nursery period had greater positive effects on lifetime growth performance.

139 Effect of dietary crude protein concentration and sensory feed additive on nursery pig growth performance

Abstract Maximizing growth performance and feed intake for nursery pig diets is an ongoing challenge in the US swine industry. Using sensory feed additives is one strategy to optimize feed intake and growth rates of pigs. Weanling pigs (n = 416; average age = 19.8 d) were used to test the effects of sensory feed additive (SA; Luctamax Piglet, Lucta, Mahwah, NJ) addition to control (CON) and low crude protein (LCP; decreased 4% CP) nursery diets in a 2 x 2 factorial design (CON, CON+SA, LCP, LCP+SA). Decreased dietary CP was achieved by removing or decreasing fish meal and soy concentrate in phases 1 and 2 and reducing soybean meal in phase 3 and adding synthetic amino acids to maintain amino acid ratios (NRC 2012). Nursery treatments were fed in three phases; phase 1 (PH1, d 0-7, 0.10% SA), phase 2 (PH2, d 7-21, 0.10% SA), and phase 3 (PH3, d 21-36, 0.05% SA). Pigs were blocked by initial body weight (BW), sex, ancestry, and housed at 6 or 7 pigs/pen with 15 pens/treatment. Weekly pig BW and feed intake were used to calculate pen average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain to feed ratio (G:F). Data were analyzed using GLM procedure of SAS 9.4. During PH1 pigs receiving the CON diets tended (P = 0.065) to have a greater G:F compared with pigs receiving LCP diets. For the remainder of this study there were consistent interactions between dietary CP and SA. When SA was added to the LCP diet ADFI increased but when SA was added to CON diet ADFI decreased and these changes in feed intake often led to similar dietary interactions in ADG. During PH2, pigs fed CON or LCP+SA diets had greater ADFI (P = 0.032) and tended to have a greater ADG (P = 0.094) but reduced G:F (P = 0.100) compared with pigs fed CON+SA or LCP diets. In PH3, pigs fed CON or LCP+SA diets had a greater ADG (P = 0.027) and ADFI (P = 0.011) compared with CON+SA or LCP diets. Pigs fed LCP diets had greater ADFI (P = 0.001) but reduced G:F (P = 0.0001) than pigs fed CON diets. Overall, pigs fed CON or LCP+SA diets had greater ADFI (P = 0.016) and tended to have a greater ADG (P = 0.059) but reduced G:F (P = 0.067) compared with pigs fed CON+SA or LCP diets. Pigs fed CON diets had a greater G:F (P < 0.001) compared with pigs fed LCP diets, while LCP pigs tended to have a greater ADFI (P = 0.054) compared with CON pigs. Inclusion of SA to LCP diet mitigated the adverse impact of replacing whole dietary proteins with high inclusion of synthetic amino acids. Careful consideration is needed when using sensory feed additives so as not to impede growth performance in diets containing traditionally greater levels of crude protein.

Effect of Short Day and Low Temperature at the Nursery Stage on the Inflorescence and Yield of Six Different Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Dutch.) Cultivars in a Soilless Culture System

In Korea, the majority of strawberry cultivation follows a forcing culture, where planting occurs in mid-September after the flower differentiation, and harvesting begins at the end of November. October and November constitute off-season, resulting in higher prices. The accelerated forcing culture involves artificially promoting flower differentiation to expedite strawberry harvest. This study aimed to identify the most suitable schedule for strawberry cultivation using the short-day and low-temperature treatments through greenhouse environmental control during the nursery stage. The selection of the most suitable cultivars for accelerated forcing culture among Korean breeding cultivars (‘Sulhyang’, ‘Kuemsil’, ‘Kingsberry’, ‘Vitaberry’, ‘Jukhyang’, and ‘Altaking’) was also part of the objectives. The nursery treatments were initiated on 4 July, 14 July, and 25 July. After approximately 5 weeks of treatment, transplanting was carried out. The control group was transplanted on 15 September. When night-chilling nursery treatment was applied on 4 July, followed by transplanting on 11 August, all six cultivars exhibited flowering earlier compared to the control group, leading to increased early yield. Particularly, the ‘Sulhyang’ cultivar showed the highest marketable yield at 68.6 g per plant in October. This research contributes to identifying the nursery cultivation schedule for off-season strawberry production and selecting suitable cultivars, and is expected to contribute to increased farm income.

PSVI-9 Pigs Weaned from Sows Fed a Feed Flavor Had Improved Nursery Growth Performance, But Added Feed Flavor in Nursery Diets Did Not Impact Performance

Abstract A total of 360 weanling pigs (DNA 241 × 600: initially 5.7 ± 0.03 kg) were used to evaluate the effects of a sow lactation feed flavor treatment (control vs added flavor) with or without added feed flavor in nursery diets on pig growth performance. Pigs were weaned at approximately 19 d of age from sows fed diets with or without 0.05% feed flavor (Krave AP, Adisseo, Alpharetta, GA). Pigs were placed in pens within sow treatment with 5 to 6 pigs per pen and were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 dietary nursery treatments. There were 14 to 17 replications per treatment and the trial lasted 38 days. Nursery treatments were either a control diet or a diet containing a feed flavor (Delistart #NA 21, Adisseo, Alpharetta, GA) added at 0.05% of the diet. Dietary treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of sow and nursery treatment. Offspring from sows fed the flavor diet were heavier at weaning (P < 0.001) which was maintained throughout the nursery portion of the study (Table 1). No differences (P > 0.10) were observed for ADG, ADFI, or G:F during phase 1 (d 1 to 9). During phase 2 (d 9 to 24), there was a tendency (P < 0.10) for a main effect of both nursery and sow diet on ADG, with pigs from sows fed the flavor diet having greater ADG compared with pigs from sows fed the control diet and pigs fed the nursery diet without flavor having increased ADG compared with those fed the flavored diet. A tendency (P = 0.094) was observed for a main effect of sow treatment on ADFI during phase 2, with pigs from sows fed the flavor diet having greater ADFI. During phase 3 (d 24 to 38), a tendency (P = 0.075) was observed for an interaction between sow and nursery diet for ADG with pigs fed the flavor diet from sows fed the flavor diet having greater (P < 0.05) ADG but no difference (P > 0.10) was observed when pigs were obtained from sows fed the control diet. There was also a main effect (P < 0.05) of nursery treatment on both ADFI and G:F, where pigs fed the feed flavor diet had greater ADFI but poorer G:F. Overall, progeny from sows fed a diet containing a feed flavor had greater ADG (P = 0.038), ADFI (P = 0.043), and final BW (P < 0.001) during the nursery trial. In conclusion, offspring from sows fed a feed flavor during lactation had increased ADG, ADFI, and BW, but the presence of a feed flavor in the nursery diets did not elicit differences in overall nursery performance.

293 The Effect of Creep Feed and Nursery Diet Flavoring on Piglet Lactation and Nursery Performance

Abstract Larger litter sizes in swine production systems and potential milk limitations for piglets have given new opportunities to incorporating creep feeding as a management strategy. Sows (n = 51) and their litters were used to test the effects of creep feed and nursery diets on piglet lactation and nursery growth performance. Ten days before weaning, litters were assigned to one of three creep feeding treatments: 1) Control diet: 2) Control+Flavoring (50 ppm Allium XL, Pancosma): 3) No creep feed. Creep feed was delivered twice/day via one bowl creep feeder/litter. Sows and litters (17/treatment) were allotted to equalize parity (average = 2.8), genetics, number of piglets (average = 10.9), and weaning age (average = 19.1). Litter weights and creep feed intake were recorded on d 0, 4, and 10 (weaning). Post-weaning pigs were allotted to Control or Flavoring (50 ppm Allium XL) diets in a 3x2 factorial arrangement. During nursery there were 10 pens/treatment with 7 or 8 pigs/pen, blocked by initial BW within creep treatment. Nursery treatments were fed in phase 1 (1.13 kg/pig) and 2 (2.27 kg/pig) diets followed by common phase 3 (6.8 kg/pig) and 4 (ad lib to d 35) diets. Weekly pig BW and feed intake were used to calculate nursery pen ADG, ADFI, and G:F. Data were analyzed using GLM procedure of SAS 9.4. Creep feeding treatment during lactation did not affect litter or piglet BW gain pre-weaning. Flavoring did not affect total creep feed intake (control = 114 g/pig vs. flavoring = 110 g/pig). Providing creep feed during lactation increased ADFI on days 2, 3, and 4 post-weaning (P < 0.013). Pigs fed either creep feed increased week 1 nursery ADFI (8.8%; P< 0.02), numerically increased ADG (5.2%), and greater d ay7 BW (P = 0.055). Week 3 ADG (P < 0.05) and ADFI (P < 0.05) were greater for the no creep pigs than pigs fed the control creep feed, flavored creep feed pigs were intermediate. For week 4, ADG, and week 4 and 5 ADFI, pigs previously fed control creep had greater growth performance than pigs previously fed flavored creep with pigs fed no creep being intermediate (P< 0.05). Overall (days 0-35), pigs fed control creep had greater ADG ( P< 0.05) and ADFI (P < 0.05) than flavored creep fed pigs with no creep pigs being intermediate in ADG and greater ADFI than flavored creep fed pigs. Final BW (P < 0.05) was greater for control creep fed pigs than flavored creep fed pigs with no creep pigs being intermediate (23.5 kg, 23.0 kg, 23.3 kg, respectively). Nursery dietary flavoring treatment did not affect post-weaning ADG, ADFI, or G:F at any point during the study (P > 0.12). Lactation creep feeding significantly increases ADFI and ADG during the first week post-weaning, which could improve post-weaning performance and reduce the rate of pigs failing to thrive post-weaning.

Effect of lactation and nursery diets supplemented with a feed flavor on sow feed intake and lactation performance and subsequent weaned pig nursery performance.

A total of 105 sows (Line 241, DNA, Columbus, NE) were used across four batch farrowing groups to evaluate the effects of feeding a feed flavor in lactation diets on sow and litter performance. Sow groups 1 and 2 farrowed in an old farrowing facility during the summer months and groups 3 and 4 farrowed in a new farrowing facility during the winter months. Sows were blocked by body weight (BW) within parity on days 110 of gestation and allotted to 1 of 2 dietary treatments. Dietary treatments were a standard corn-soy-based lactation diet (control) or the control diet with the addition of a feed flavor at 0.05% of diet (Krave AP, Adisseo, Alpharetta, GA, USA). Farrowing facility environment had a large impact and resulted in many interactions with the feed flavor treatment. From farrowing to weaning, sows fed the feed flavor in the old farrowing house tended to have a higher (P = 0.058) lactation feed intake, while no difference in average daily feed intake (ADFI) was observed in the new farrowing house. Pigs weaned from sows fed with the feed flavor in the old farrowing facility had a higher (P = 0.026) BW at weaning and piglet average daily gain (ADG) from day 2 to weaning (P = 0.001) compared to piglets from sows not fed with the feed flavor; whereas the opposite occurred in the new farrowing house. Progeny from one farrowing group in the old farrowing facility was followed into the nursery. A total of 360 weaned pigs (DNA 241 × 600: initially 5.7 kg) were used in a 2 × 2 factorial in the nursery portion of the study to evaluate the effects of previous sow feed flavoring treatment (control vs. flavor) and nursery diets formulated with or without a feed flavor on growth performance in a 38-d trial. Nursery treatments were either a control diet or a diet containing a feed flavor (Delistart #NA 21, Adisseo). Offspring from sows fed with the flavor diet were heavier at weaning (P < 0.001) which was maintained throughout the study. Overall, progeny from sows fed with a diet containing a feed flavor had greater (P < 0.05) ADG, ADFI, and final BW during the trial. The presence of a feed flavor in the nursery did not improve overall nursery performance. In conclusion, when sow lactation feed intake was increased in the old farrowing house, pigs weaned from sows fed with the flavor diet were heavier (P = 0.039) at weaning compared to pigs weaned from sows fed with the control diet. Adding the feed flavor increased sow feed intake and piglet ADG in a warm environment, but not in a cool environment.

Senegalia senegal (L.) Britton Response to Microbial and Manure Amendments for the Rehabilitation of Waste Rock Dumps in the Essakane Gold Mining Site, Burkina Faso

Senegalia senegal (L.) Britton (Fabaceae) is a widespread, multipurpose tree capable of colonizing disturbed Sub-Saharan mining sites given its adaptations to arid lands. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential of the association of microbial and/or manure amendments with S. senegal seedlings for the effective rehabilitation of the environment post mining. A multi-year factorial experiment involving this species was conducted in a nursery and on waste rock dumps (Essakane gold mine, NE Burkina Faso). Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (native isolate Rhizophagus aggregatus DAOM2277128; commercial isolate Rhizophagus irregularis DAOM197198) and Mesorhizobium plurifarium strain ORS3588 was conducted on S. senegal seedlings. These were planted in black polythene bags filled with three substrate types: 100% sandy soil (substrate A); 75% sandy soil, 25% manure (substrate B); and 50% sandy soil, 50% manure (substrate C). Seedlings were then out-planted on waste rock to determine whether microbial inoculation improves their growth and survival rates. Under nursery conditions, manure-enriched substrates harboured less nodulation and AM colonization, but substantially increased plant height, and dry mass compared to un-amended substrate. Inoculation on manure-enrich substrates did not consistently increase root AM colonization and plant growth parameters among treatments. Plants that were inoculated with R. aggregatus alone or with R. irregularis or Mesorhizobium plurifarium ORS3588 showed the greatest increase in growth variables. On un-amended substrates, inoculation with R. aggregatus in combination with M. plurifarium or R. irregularis significantly enhanced root colonization rates, without altering plant growth parameters. Yet, inoculation with R. irregularis or M. plurifarium alone did not elicit increases in these parameters, although nodulation was greatly improved by the latter treatment. In field conditions, plant growth and survival were reduced under high rate manure amendments, likely due to less AM colonization and root nodulation that was observed for these treatments in nursery before out-planting. Strongly colonized plants on the un-amended substrate and moderately amended substrate showed greater survival after out-planting. Our results support the general conclusion that microbial inoculation and manure-enriched substrates are a viable option for mining site rehabilitation using S. senegal. They also suggest that manure amendments in forest nurseries should be cautiously applied given that high rates may impede establishment of plant symbioses, thereby affecting their performance on waste rock dumps following out-planting.

Pigs Weaned from Sows Fed a Feed Flavor Had Improved Nursery Performance, but Feed Flavor in the Nursery Diets did not Impact Performance

A total of 360 weaned pigs (DNA 241 × 600: initially 12.6 lb) were used to evaluate the effects of previous sow feed flavoring treatment (control vs. flavor) and nursery diets formulated with or without a feed flavor on growth performance in a 38-d trial. Pigs were weaned at approximately 19 d from sows fed diets with or without 0.05% of the feed flavor (Krave AP, Adisseo, Alpharetta, GA). Pigs were placed in pens (5 to 6 pigs per pen) within sow treatment and were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 dietary nursery treatments. There were 14 to 17 replications per treatment. Nursery treatments were either a control diet or a diet containing a feed flavor (Delistart #NA 21, Adisseo, Alpharetta, GA) added at 0.05% of the diet. Dietary treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of sow and nursery treatment. Offspring from sows fed the flavor diet had a higher (P < 0.001) BW at weaning, which was maintained throughout the study. No significant differences were observed for ADG, ADFI, or F/G during phase 1. During phase 2, there was a tendency (P < 0.10) for a main effect of both nursery and sow diet on ADG. Pigs from sows fed the flavor diet had greater ADG compared to pigs from sows fed the control diet, and pigs fed the control diet had increased ADG compared to those fed the flavor diet. During phase 2, there was a tendency (P < 0.10) observed for a main effect of sow treatment on ADFI, with pigs from sows fed the flavor diet having greater ADFI. During phase 3, there was a main effect (P < 0.05) of nursery treatment on both ADFI and F/G where pigs fed the feed flavor diet had greater ADFI but poorer F/G. A tendency (P < 0.10) was observed for an interaction between sow and nursery diet for ADG with pigs fed the flavor diet that were obtained from sows fed the flavor diet having greater ADG but no difference was observed when pigs were obtained from sows fed the control diet. Overall, progeny from sows fed a diet containing a feed flavor had greater ADG (P = 0.038) and ADFI (P = 0.043) and final BW (P < 0.001) during the trial. In conclusion, offspring from sows fed a feed flavor had increased ADG, ADFI, and BW, but the presence

Elicitor Application in Strawberry Results in Long-Term Increase of Plant Resilience Without Yield Loss.

For a first step integrating elicitor applications into the current IPM strategy increasing plant resilience against pests, we investigated repeated elicitor treatments in a strawberry everbearer nursery and cropping cycle under glass. During nursery methyl-jasmonate (MeJA), testing induction of defenses with plant bioassays was applied every 3 weeks. Thrips damage and reproduction by spider mites, whitefly and aphids were strongly reduced upon elicitor treatment. Subsequently, we applied MeJA every 3 weeks or based on scouting pests during a whole cropping cycle. Thrips leaf bioassays and LC-MS leaf metabolomics were applied to investigate the induction of defenses. Leaf damage by thrips was lower for both MeJA application schemes compared to the control except for the last weeks. While elicitor treatments after scouting also reduced damage, its effect did not last. Thrips damage decreased from vegetative to mature plants during the cropping cycle. At the end of the nursery phase, plants in the elicitor treatment were smaller. Surprisingly, growth during production was not affected by MeJA application, as were fruit yield and quality. LC-MS leaf metabolomics showed strong induction of vegetative plants decreasing during the maturation of plants toward the end of cultivation. Concurrently, no increase in the JA-inducible marker PPO was observed when measured toward the end of cultivation. Mostly flavonoid and phenolic glycosides known as plant defense compounds were induced upon MeJA application. While induced defense decreased with the maturation of plants, constitutive defense increased as measured in the leaf metabolome of control plants. Our data propose that young, relatively small plant stages lack constitutive defense necessitating an active JA defense response. As plants, mature constitutive defense metabolites seem to accumulate, providing a higher level of basal resistance. Our results have important implications for but are not limited to strawberry cultivation. We demonstrated that repeated elicitor application could be deployed as part of an integrated approach for sustainable crop protection by vertical integration with other management tactics and horizontal integration to control multiple pests concurrently. This approach forms a promising potential for long-term crop protection in greenhouses.

242 Evaluation of a DFM and OA, Alone or in Combination, on Sow Offspring’s Nursery Growth Performance

Abstract Progeny from sows fed diets containing a Bacillus licheniformis direct-fed microbial (DFM), an organic acid blend of medium and short chain fatty acids (OA), DFM+OA, or a control (CON) diet from d80 of gestation until weaning were used to determine if feeding CON, DFM, OA, or DFM+OA to the dam and/or progeny post-weaning improved nursery growth performance. Weaned pigs from 47 dams (n = 384, Initial BW=6.15 kg) were blocked by initial BW and sex and allotted (6 pigs/pen, 8 pens/treatment) to one of 8 nursery treatments. Pigs from CON sows were fed a negative (NC; no antibiotics, pharmacological Zn or Cu) or positive [PC; Neo-Terramycin phases 1 and 2 (827 and 551 ppm) and Carbadox phase 3 (55 ppm)] control diet. Pigs from sows fed DFM, OA, or DFM+OA were fed the NC diet or a diet representative of their dam. Diets with DFM contained 1.6x109 CFU/kg DFM and diets with OA contained 0.5, 0.4, and 0.3% OA in phases 1–3, respectively. Weaning weight was used as a covariate for nursery performance. For all phases and overall, PC fed pigs had greater ADG, ADFI, and G:F (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Feeding DFM or OA in sow diets improved (interaction; P&amp;lt; 0.042) nursery pig G:F, but DFM+OA offspring had no improvement for d7–14, 0–14, and 0–21 G:F. Feeding DFM or OA to sows and their progeny decreased ADFI (interaction; P &amp;lt; 0.042) but improved G:F (interaction; P &amp;lt; 0.028) for d7–14 and 0–14 with DFM+OA having no improvement above CON. For d14–21 and 0–21, feeding DFM or OA to sows and their progeny decreased ADFI whereas DFM+OA increased ADFI above CON (interaction; P &amp;lt; 0.019). In conclusion, feeding DFM or OA to sows or their offspring may improve nursery feed efficiency and feeding DFM+OA diet to sows and their progeny may increase ADFI late in the nursery period.

A Novel Bacterial-Mediated Method for the Differentiation of Aedes spp. Larvae in Mixed-Nursery Assays and Its Application in the Determination of Vegetative Lysinibacillus sphaericus Biocontrol Efficiency in Invasive Vector Eradication

The establishment of Aedes aegypti and the recent invasion of Aedes albopictus has put Colombia at risk, as it now harbours two arboviral vector species. Studies have shown the susceptibility of Aedes aegypti to the vegetative toxins produced by Lysinibacillus sphaericus. This study aims to determine the potential of two L. sphaericus strains in the control of both Aedes species present in Colombia, in both single and mixed species nurseries. Given the similarities between both species, there exists a need to differentiate them for the development of precise control strategies. Accordingly, mixed nurseries employed a red fluorescent protein (mRFP)-expressing Escherichia coli strain as a differentiator. Coloration-aided differentiation facilitated the analysis of mixed nursery treatments and provided deeper scrutiny into the variables at play. This showed an increase in the biocontrol efficiency, pointing to probable ecological variables. Bioassays involving Ae. albopictus showed a lower resistance to the one reported for Ae. aegypti in single-species nurseries. The study concludes that the use of E. coli strains expressing fluorescent proteins are useful tools to be employed in areas like public health entomology. Moreover, it was found that the use of L. sphaericus strains for biocontrol of vector mosquitoes is a viable alternative to chemical insecticides.

Effect of a genetic marker for the GBP5 gene on resilience to a polymicrobial natural disease challenge in pigs

A genomic region on chromosome 4 that is tagged by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) WUR0000125 (WUR) was previously found to be associated with host response to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus infection. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine whether genotype at the WUR SNP is also associated with resilience to a natural polymicrobial disease challenge, 2) investigate the relationship of genotype at the WUR SNP with genotype at its putative causative mutation in the GBP5 gene, and 3) compare the association of the WUR and GBP5 SNPs with host response to PRRS virus infection. Data from two studies were used: 1) Eight trials of the PRRS Host Genetic Consortium, in which ~200 naïve crossbred nursery pigs per trial were infected with the NVSL-97-7895 strain of PRRS to study the effects of genotype at the GBP5 and WUR SNPs on viral load and weight gainpost-infection; 2) a natural disease challenge, where 3139 naïve crossbred nursery barrows were entered into a grow-finish facility that was seeded with multiple pathogens to maximize expression of disease resilience. Results from the PRRS trials showed that the WUR and GBP5 SNPs are in high but not complete linkage disequilibrium (r2 = 0.94). A haplotype analysis showed that discordant genotypes between the WUR and GBP5 SNPs were due to genetic recombination and not the result of genotyping errors. We had insufficient statistical power to determine whether the GBP5 or WUR SNP had a stronger effect on phenotype. Results from the natural disease challenge indicated that the favorable allele for the WUR SNP was significantly associated with greater average daily gain (p = 0.02) and with lower numbers of treatments in the challenge nursery (p = 0.05) and across the nursery and finisher (p = 0.01). Therefore, swine breeders can continue to use the WUR SNP not only as a marker for resilience to PRRS but also as a marker for disease resilience to a polymicrobial disease challenge, although its linkage disequilibrium with the putative causative mutation in the GBP5 gene must continue to be monitored.

Reduced fungicide use in the nursery improves post-planting productivity of Pinus radiata for at least six years

The fertilisers and fungicides used in tree nurseries to stimulate growth and provide disease protection are an important component of conventional nursery management. However, it has been demonstrated that the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi associating with Pinus radiata D. Don seedlings in the nursery can be significantly affected by increasing exposure to these products, driving reductions in the relative proportion of the ECM species most positively correlated with seedling nutrient uptake. Increasing fungicide exposure was also shown to reduce seedling size. To determine the significance of these effects on post-nursery performance, 2592 P. radiata seedlings were randomly selected from within treatment plots in this nursery chemical exposure trial and established at a site in Kaingaroa Forest, New Zealand. Assessments of the ECM community present on the trees in the plantation determined that after two years there was no longer any effect of the nursery treatments, likely due to the homogenising effect of the site conditions. Over six years the performance of the trees in the plantation was not affected by the extent of fertiliser application during their time in the nursery, but decreased nursery fungicide use had slight positive legacy effects on both tree survival and diameter growth. These gains combined to produce a significant increase in plot level basal area with reduced nursery fungicide use. Further analysis incorporating the effect of thinning on stand dynamics reinforced the potential gains in the forest from reduced fungicide use in the nursery, and the lack of benefit from fertiliser use. Based on the data collected following trial establishment, it was concluded that the observed differences in tree performance were likely driven by the impact of the ECM communities initially associated with the seedlings at planting. While the authors strongly recommend any reductions in P. radiata nursery fungicide use be considered carefully due to ongoing issues with fungal pathogens in these monoculture systems, the potential for improved nursery and plantation performance is significant and should be explored more widely.

Using field and nursery treatments to establish Quercus suber seedlings in Mediterranean degraded shrubland

Abstract: Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) is a suitable species for restoring Mediterranean ecosystems due to its capacity to resprout after wildfires and its economic importance for the use of cork. Several studies have focused on improving the seedling quality and abiotic conditions at the outplanting site to favour the field performance of Q. suber, however, most studies have been conducted by independently testing treatments. The aim of this study was to assess the combined effect of three techniques that focused on reforestation success with Q. suber in Mediterranean degraded shrubland: (i) a nursery technique to improve root system development, such as the use of deep containers to develop a longer tap root, combined with two field techniques such as (ii) the use of tree shelters to diminish solar radiation stress, and (iii) shrubland treatments to reduce competition for soil water and nutrients. For this purpose, 1-year-old Q. suber seedlings were grown in two containers types: a shallow container (CCS-18) and a deep container (CCL-30). Seedlings were established in a degraded shrubland at three experimental sites in the Calderona mountain range of Castellon, Spain. A factorial design was combined based on container type (CCS-18 and CCL-30), shrubland management (undisturbed shrubland and cleared shrubland in strips) and tree shelters (vegetable fibre tree shelters and no tree shelters). After 2 years of monitoring, the outplanting results indicated that using: (i) a deep container produced a longer taproot, but did not favour better survival or better field performance of seedlings; (ii) tree shelters improved the microweather conditions around seedlings, particularly by reducing excess incoming solar radiation; (iii) cleared shrubland strips reduced competition for soil water by favouring a higher water potential, better maximum photochemical PSII efficiency and higher survival rates for the seedlings established into cleared sites. The results indicate that the cleared shrubland treatment effects overlap the effects of using deep containers and tree shelters. This, in turn, reveals that shrubland clearing is the most suitable technique for favouring the introduction of a resprouter species like Q. suber into ecosystems characterized by predominantly degraded shrublands.

Preventative treatments in nursery with different biocontrol agents and potassium phosphite salt to control Fusarium wilt agents of lettuce and rocket

Preventative treatments in nursery with different biocontrol agents and potassium phosphite salt to control Fusarium wilt agents of lettuce and rocket

Growth of radiata pine families in nursery and two years after field establishment

ABSTRACT: Pinus radiata D. Don is the most widely planted exotic species in Australia, Chile, New Zealand and Spain. In this study, growth and survival of P. radiata were compared in 30 open pollinated families grown under two contrasting watering regimes in nursery (well-watered cf. water-stress conditions) and planted on a drought-prone site with Mediterranean climate in central Chile. This study assessed phenotypic plasticity in growth and survival at nursery stage and two years after establishment in the field. Family plasticity at nursery stage was estimated by the angular phenotypic change index (APCI), while the relationship between nursery and field traits was estimated by genetic correlations (rg) and the Pearson coefficient of correlation (rxy). Families presented high plasticity in diameter, height, and survival at nursery stage. Out of 30 families, eight exhibited over 80 % survival in the well-watered treatment, but less than 20 % survival in the water-stress treatment. As expected, growth traits and survival were positively correlated (rg and rxy > 0.65) between both nursery environments. However, for growth, most genetic and phenotypic correlations between combinations of nursery treatments versus the field test were negative or not significant. As there was no detectable pattern of nursery–field correlations regarding to combinations of nursery treatments and test site, the need to include more stable families and genotypes to an appropriate developmental stage at nursery is discussed.

Seed germination and growth performance in Hardwickia binata

Hardwickia binata comes under the endemic biodiversity category and it is multipurpose tree species useful for agroforestry and dry land areas with medicinal, fodder, fuel, fibre, timber and manure utility / potential. It is essential to know more about its seed germination and growth. In present studies the attempts have been made to investigate seed germination and growth performance at three different places located in three different districts. The seed germination and growth performance experiments were carried out for one year on different treatments in nursery, laboratory and field for parameters viz. seed germination, seedling growth and survival rate in H. binata. The investigations revealed that seed germination and growth performance considerably varies with soil combination and locality or region. This study results may be useful in nursery and forestry management as well as conservation of H. binata.

The Persistence of Container Nursery Treatments on the Field Performance and Root System Morphology of Longleaf Pine Seedlings

In recent decades, container stock has become the preferred plant material to regenerate longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) forests in the southeastern United States. We evaluated the effects of container nursery treatments on early and long-term field performance in central Louisiana. Seedlings were grown in four cavity volumes (60–336 mL) with or without copper oxychloride root pruning (Cu or no-Cu) and fertilized at three nitrogen (N) rates. Across treatments, 91% of the seedlings emerged from the grass stage by the second field season, and 88% of the seedlings survived eight years after outplanting (Year 8). Seedlings grown in the largest cavities had greater total heights and stem diameters than those cultured in the 60- and 95-mL cavities through Year 8. Seedlings receiving the least amount of N in the nursery were consistently smaller in stature through Year 8 than seedlings receiving more N. Field growth was unaffected by copper root pruning through Year 8. Foliar mineral nutrient concentrations and seedling nutrient contents of Year 2 seedlings did not respond to nursery treatments. Independent of nursery treatments, seedlings excavated in Year 2 had at least 60% of their first-order lateral roots (FOLRs) originating from the top 4.0 cm of the taproots. The Cu-root-pruned seedlings had twofold the percentage of FOLRs egressed from the top 8.0 cm of the root plug when compared with the no-Cu seedlings. Moreover, the Cu root pruning treatment decreased the percentage of root plug biomass allocated to FOLRs, total within root plug FOLR lengths, and FOLR deformity index. The effects of increasing cavity volume or N rate on the root plug FOLR variables were opposite those of the Cu root pruning treatment. Our results suggest that a tradeoff may exist between seedling stature and a more natural FOLR morphology in outplanted container longleaf pine seedlings.

Effects of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 on sow and progeny performance, fecal consistency, and fecal microbes during gestation, lactation, and nursery periods1,2

This study evaluated the effects of providing a dietary probiotic, Bacillus subtilis C-3102, to sows during gestation and lactation and to progeny after weaning on performance, fecal consistency, and fecal microbes. For the sow portion of the study, 29 sows and litters were used from day 30 of gestation until weaning. Sow treatments consisted of control diet or probiotic diet with B. subtilis C-3102 at 500,000 cfu/g of gestation feed and 1,000,000 cfu/g of lactation feed. For the nursery portion of the study, 358 weaned pigs, progeny of sows on study, were used in a 42-d nursery study. Nursery treatments consisted of control diet or probiotic diet with B. subtilis C-3102 and prebiotics at 500,000 cfu/g of nursery feed. Treatments were arranged in a split-plot design with sow treatment (control or probiotic diet) as main plot and nursery treatment (control or probiotic diet) as subplot. Performance, fecal consistency by fecal score method, and fecal microbes by isolation and enumeration method were assessed. In lactation, probiotic-fed sows tended (P = 0.057) to have increased feed intake, but it did not improve (P > 0.05) sow or litter performance in lactation. In the nursery, there were no (P > 0.10) interactions or main effects of sow or nursery treatments on overall growth performance. However, pigs born from control-fed sows had greater (P < 0.05) average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and body weight in late nursery than pigs born from probiotic-fed sows. Fecal score evaluation of nursing and nursery pigs indicated no influence (P > 0.05) of sow or nursery treatments on fecal consistency. Fecal microbial analysis revealed a modest modification in fecal microbial population by increasing (P < 0.05) the number of total Bacillus sp. in probiotic-fed sows and nursery pigs. Nursing piglets born from probiotic-fed sows carried over (P < 0.05) this modification in fecal microbial population preweaning. In conclusion, providing a probiotic based on B. subtilis C-3102 to sows during gestation and lactation and to progeny after weaning did not elicit noteworthy improvements in performance or fecal consistency, but there was a benefit on sow lactation feed intake. Fecal microbial analysis indicated a maternal-progeny intestinal microbiota relationship with pigs born from probiotic-fed sows displaying similar fecal microbial population as sows. However, pigs born from probiotic-fed sows demonstrated reduced growth rate and feed consumption in late nursery.

Nursery treatments with resistant inducers, soil amendments and biocontrol agents for the management of the Fusarium wilt of lettuce under glasshouse and field conditions

AbstractLettuce Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae, represents a major problem in most lettuce production areas worldwide. In the present study, a number of resistance inducers, organic amendments and biocontrol agents were applied in a preventative way, in experimental and commercial situations, to soils artificially or naturally infested with race 1 of the pathogen, and to moderately susceptible lettuce cultivars. Potassium phosphite, acibenzolar‐S‐methyl, green composts, and Bacillus subtilis Qst713, Trichoderma asperellum + Trichoderma gamsii, and Pseudomonas strains achieved the most consistent disease control under the experimental conditions. Moreover, potassium phosphite, green compost, B. subtilis Qst713 and T. asperellum + T. gamsii, also showed a positive effect on plant development. In general, the results of the different treatments in naturally infested soil were similar to those observed in glasshouse trials under artificial inoculation. Potassium phosphite provided a consistent disease reduction (48%–62% in artificially infested soil and 60%–75% in naturally infested soil). The effects of adding 10% compost to a peat growing medium in the nursery, followed by a soil mixing application when lettuce was transplanted, significantly reduced the severity of Fusarium wilt (50%–59% efficacy) and increased fresh biomass production. Compost enrichment with Trichoderma TW2 generally further increased its efficacy. When tested under field conditions, the commercially available Trichoderma spp. and B. subtilis, together with experimental strains of Pseudomonas and Trichoderma spp., applied at the nursery level, provided a disease reduction of 30%–78%. Early application of the different control measures under nursery conditions and at lettuce transplant is noteworthy because it was carried out at a more localized level, with reduced amounts of products. Their use in practice should be integrated with other control strategies.