Milk: the new white gold? Milk production options for smallholder farmers in Southern Mali

Until the turn of the century, farmers in West Africa considered cotton to be the ‘white gold’ for their livelihoods. Large fluctuations in cotton prices have led farmers to innovate into other business including dairy. Yet the productivity of cows fed traditional diets is very poor, especially during the long dry season. This study combines earlier published results of farmer participatory experiments with simulation modelling to evaluate the lifetime productivity of cows under varying feeding strategies and the resulting economic performance at farm level. We compared the profitability of cotton production to the innovation of dairy. The results show that milk production of the West African Méré breed could be expanded if cows are supplemented and kept stall-fed during the dry season. This option seems to be profitable for better-off farmers, but whether dairy will replace (some of) the role of cotton as the white gold for these smallholder farmers will depend on the cross price elasticity of cotton and milk. Farmers may (partly) replace cotton production for fodder production to produce milk if the price of cotton remains poor (below US$0.35/kg) and the milk price relatively strong (higher than US$0.38/kg). Price ratios need to remain stable over several seasons given the investments required for a change in production strategy. Furthermore, farmers will only seize the opportunity to engage in dairy if marketing infrastructure and milk markets are further developed.     

Identification of chalcone synthase genes and their expression patterns reveal pollen abortion in cotton

Chalcone synthase (CHS) is a key enzyme and producing flavonoid derivatives as well play a vital roles in sustaining plant growth and development. However, the systematic and comprehensive analysis of CHS genes in island cotton (G. barbadense) has not been reported yet especially response to cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS). To fill this knowledge gap, a genome-wide investigation of CHS genes were studied in island cotton. A total of 20 GbCHS genes were identified and grouped into five GbCHSs. The gene structure analysis revealed that most of GbCHS genes consisted of two exons and one intron, and 20 motifs were identified. Twenty five pairs duplicated events (12 GbCHS genes) were identified including 23 segmental duplication pairs and two tandem duplication events, representing that GbCHS gene family amplification mainly owned to segmental duplication events and evolving slowly. Gene expression analysis exhibited that the GbCHS family genes presented a diversity expression patterns in various organs of cotton. Coupled with functional predictions and gene expression, the abnormal expression of GbCHS06, 10, 16 and 19 might be associated with pollen abortion of CMS line in island cotton. Conclusively, GbCHS genes exhibited diversity and conservation in many aspects, which will help to better understand functional studies and a reference for CHS research in island cotton and other plants.     

Bt杀虫基因在桑粒肩天牛幼虫肠道内生优势菌中的转化研究

桑粒肩天牛(Apriona germariHope,Ag)幼虫是一种营钻蛀性生活的重要林业害虫,通过传统纯培养、生理生化鉴定和16SrDNA分子生物学分析等方法分离、鉴定出其肠道优势内生菌溶血葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus haem olyticus,S.haem olytic-us)Ag06菌株和人葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus hom is)Ag08菌株。从中筛选菌株S.haem olyticusAg06进行质粒消除后作为出发菌株,利用电转化技术将含有对鞘翅目昆虫具专一性毒力B t杀虫基因cry3A的Escherichia coli-Bacillus thuringiensis穿梭表达质粒pHT305 a和pHT7911分别转入其中。经质粒稳定性试验、转化子生长特性测试等分析,结果显示cry3A基因已经成功转入Ag幼虫的优势内生菌溶血葡萄球菌中。     

猪IGF2基因外显子3的遗传多态性及遗传效应分析

采用PCR-SSCP方法检测猪胰岛素样生长因子2 (insulin-like growth factor 2，IGF2)基因外显子3多态性，分析其对初生重、断奶重、6月龄重和背膘厚的遗传效应.根据猪IGF2基因的DNA序列（AY044828）设计引物，结果在其扩增片段上检测到多态性，对纯合子进行测序，发现IGF2-ex3-A36T和IGF2-ex3-G109A两个多态性位点，并且这2个多态性位点完全连锁，检测到3种基因型（A36A/G109G，A36T/G109A 和 T36T/A109A）.统计结果表明，基因型在各品种中分布不一致，长白猪和大白猪与莱芜猪、大薄莲猪、沂蒙黑猪和里岔黑猪比较基因型分布差异极显著（Ｐ<0.01）；其它猪种间基因型分布差异均不显著（Ｐ>0.05）.固定效应模型分析结果表明，初生重和背膘厚基因型间差异显著（Ｐ<0.05），而断奶重和6月龄重基因型间差异不显著（Ｐ>0.05）.最小二乘分析结果表明，A36A/G109G基因型个体同A36T/G109A和 T36T/A109A基因型个体比较初生重和背膘厚的差异显著（Ｐ<0.05），3种基因型初生重的大小排列顺序为A36A/G109G < A36T/G109A < T36T/A109A，背膘厚的大小排列顺序为A36A/G109G > A36T/G109A >T36T/A109A.因此，推测IGF2基因对个体的初生重和胴体瘦肉率存在一定的影响，将IGF2基因应用于猪育种过程中的标记辅助选择，将可以改善猪肉品质，加快猪的育种进程.     

Farmer knowledge,attitude and practice on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) pest resistance management strategies in Zimbabwe

Cotton is an important cash crop and a means of survival for Zimbabwe’s smallholder farmers who are located in the semi-arid areas. However, it is plagued by a wide variety of pests. The cotton industry in Zimbabwe came up with sustainable pest management strategies which include within the season rotation of bollworm pesticides, a closed season and acaricide rotation scheme. The land reform programme brought new players in the cotton industry and it was critical to determine their knowledge on the pest management strategies. A survey was conducted to determine farmer knowledge, practice and perception on the resistance management strategy. Responses indicated that both communal and new farmers based their spray on egg counts. Communal farmers knew when to use pyrethroids compared to new farmers. Farmers observed the acaricide rotation scheme although they use some non acaricide pesticides. More than half of the new farmers could not say which acaricides were in the acaricide scheme. The majority of the farmers reported that they adhered to the closed season although field observation revealed otherwise. A significantly higher number of new farmers knew when to slash cotton compared to communal farmers. Knowledge of acaricides was not common among farmers. Use of pyrethroids was not limited to 1 February onwards as stipulated in the cotton pest resistance management strategy. The results suggest the need for training among the cotton farmers especially the new farmers or refresher courses among the communal farmers.     

Polyphenols des feuilles de cotonniers et influence sur leur composition d'un choc hydrique ou nutritionnel

A range of phenolic compounds were found in leaves of three cotton species. Water and nutrient stress (sulfur deficiency) both caused a significant decrease in phenolic content. Possible interpretations of the observed phenomena are given.