AN ECONOMIC OUTLOOK OF THE NUT TREES SECTOR IN GREECE
EDITORIAL of the Walnut Subnetwork, is in charge of its publication. As both publications are species germplasm related, the Subnet-work on Genetic Resources has been closely involved in the editing. We, as Coordination Centre of the Nut Network, are very grateful to all institutions and researchers who contributed by sending useful information and encouraging curators to complete it. The Inventory on Chestnut Germplasm, Research and References is being produced by G. Bounous, Liaison During 1999 a number of planned activities were carried out within the FAO-CIHEAM Interregional Cooperative Research Network on Nuts following the agreed programme (1997-2002). National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) under the auspices of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) and supported by the Centre technique interprofessionnele des fruites et légumes (Ctifl), FAO and CIHEAM. In each case, corresponding Subnetwork meetings took place. However, an International Congress on Stone Pine, planned to be held in Valladolid, Spain, was rescheduled for February 2000. Officer of the Chestnut Subnetwork. The Inventory on Pistachio Germplasm, Research and References, which will be produced jointly with the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), was relaunched during the XI GREMPA Meeting on Pistachio and Almond held in San-liurfa, Turkey and now N. Kaska, Liaison Officer of the Pistachio Subnetwork and B.E. Ak are compiling the information requested via internet. All these catalogues are being funded by FAO's Regional Office for Europe (REU), the Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service (AGPS) together with CIHEAM-IAMZ. In addition, a special volume of Options Méditerranéennes containing the papers presented at the Economics Subnetwork Meeting held in late 1996 in CIHEAM-IAMZ, Zaragoza, to review the economic situation of the nut sector in different Me-diterranean countries, has been edited. This volume will be used as a base document for calling a new meeting of the Economics Subnetwork during 2000 in Reggio Calabria, Italy. The approach of the next century has generated many discussions and uncertainties about the future. The trend to a global economy and the new trade agreements have originated significant changes in most aspects of horticultural production and thus also on nut tree production. It seems clear that the ability to predict new trends and to adjust them to the future market efficiently will afford new opportunities for nut tree growers. It is necessary to quickly adopt changes for global competition while covering customer demands. Changes are needed at all levels: training, research and industry. Research …
Shot hole encourages almond drop, doesn't harm kernels
Severe spring outbreaks of shot hole disease are often accompanied by leaf fall and fruit drop. Although fruit are shed in response to defoliation, the direct effect of shot hole infection on developing fruit was not known. When fruit at various stages of development were inoculated with high concentrations of the shot hole pathogen, very young and midsized fruit fell, whereas older fruit were retained. Typical shot hole lesions developed on midsized fruit, and full-sized fruit became resistant to infection when embryo development began. Infection did not affect kernel weight, but caused a slight, economically unimportant reduction in kernel length.
Diagnostic and therapeutic studies on chronic diarrhea in dairy animals
The study was conducted to determine the etiology of chronic diarrhea in dairy animals. Seven causes of chronic diarrhea were established in dairy cattle and buffaloes. Balantidiasis in 37.6 per cent, dietary diarrhea in 9.9 per cent, chronic salmonellosis in 6.9 per cent cases of chronic diarrhea, secondary copper deficiency and amphistomiasis in 6.9 per cent, clinical Johne‘s disease in 3.9 per cent and chronic peritonitis in 2.97 per cent of dairy animals, manifest chronic diarrhea. The precise diagnosis could not be established in 24.50 per cent of animals. Lymphosarcoma was confirmed in one of the dairy cattle. Body condition score was associated to the etiology of chronic diarrhea. B. coli infected cattle and buffalo revealed cysts in 32.3 per cent cases while 5 per cent positive cases revealed both cysts and trophozoites. Mean cyst count was 2.73±0.91 hpf in diarrheic animals compared to 0.11±0.447 hpf in healthy animals. Clinical Johne‘s disease was confirmed in four animals. Hematological changes revealed anemia and neutrophilia with morphological changes suggestive of regenerative to degenerative left shift. High plasma phosphorus, hypoproteinaemia and hypoalbuminaemia was seen in clinical Johne‘s disease. Salmonella isolates showed higher in-vitro sensitivity to enrofloxacin (87%), ciprofloxacin (87%), gentamicin (75%), and tetracycline (66.7 %) and were resistant to ampicillin and amoxicillin. Mean cyst count reduction from 2.41±1.16 to 0.11±.33 was observed in oral metronidazole treated group where as reduction of mean cyst count from 2.73±0.918 to 0.18±0.44 in intravenous metronidazole treated group. Recovery rate with oral and intravenous metronidazole was 42.1 and 63.1 per cent respectively. Recovery results in significant decrease in eiosionphil count and increase in total plasma protein in both oral and intravenous treatment groups. Complete recovery response approaches 60 per cent in balantidiasis affected adult dairy animals. Balantidiasis was the major cause of chronic diarrhea and intravenous administration of metronidazole was more effective than oral metronidazole.