Influence of Different Netting Structures on Codling Moth and Apple Fruit Damages in Northwest Croatia
During the vegetation season of 2015 exclusion nets were set up in IPM apple orchard in Krapina (Croatia) to test their effectiveness in preventing the attack of codling moth to apple fruits. Nets were the same in mesh size (2.4 x 4.8 mm) but different in color (white, red, yellow) in order to examine their effect on vegetative growth and quality of apples. To assess the presence of pest, weekly sampling of codling moth on pheromone traps in protected and unprotected (control) net rows was conducted. Single row netting structures resulted in a highly significant reduction of codling moth catches on pheromone traps in comparison to the unprotected control in the experimental orchard. The percentage of codling moth infested fruits during the harvest time was considerably lower, in the protected net rows in comparison with unprotected rows. The lowest percentage of damaged fruits was recorded under the red net (0.96%), followed by white net (1.04%) and yellow net (2.86%). Percentage of damaged fruits in unprotected row amounted to 11.39%. Considering the fact that the mean net efficiency amounted to almost 90%, these results confirm the effectiveness of netting structures in the protection of apple fruits from CM damages.
EXCLUSION NETS INFLUENCE ON THE ABUNDANCE OF GROUND BEETLES ( COLEOPTERA : CARABIDAE ) IN APPLE ORCHARDS
Ground beetles (fam. Carabidae) as beneficial insects are valuable organisms to study whether any of the new implemented agricultural measures in fruit production is beneficial. The aim of our study was to analyze impact of different types of exclusion nets on ground beetle species composition and abundance in an apple orchard. The study was conducted in an IPM apple orchard, situated in the northwest part of Croatia. The treatments for the study were four types of exclusion (colored) nets (Agritenax white, Agritenax yellow and Agritenax red all with photo selective properties and Stop Drosophila Normal net pearl color) and non-covered trees acted as a control. Ground beetles were collected during the summer and autumn (from July 1 until October 15 in 2015) with pitfall traps. During the study, a total of 1559 specimens of ground beetles were identified and sorted into 28 species. Significant differences in the captures under nets were observed for species: Anchomenus (Anchomenus) dorsalis (Pontoppidan 1763), Microlestes minutulus (Goeze 1777), and Pterostichus (Feronidius) melas melas (Creutzer 1799). The most of the ground beetles (413) were recorded under the Agritenax yellow nets and the least (184) in the control. Our study showed the positive effect of exclusion nets on ground beetle species composition and diversity in IPM apple orchard thus confirming their value in assessing the introduction of new agricultural measures into practice.
Genotypic diversity in field isolates of Babesia bovis from cattle with babesiosis after vaccination.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether particular genotypes of Babesia bovis were common to field isolates obtained from cattle properties in Queensland where the B bovis vaccine had apparently failed.


DESIGN
A comparative study of polymerase chain reaction genotypes in different populations of B bovis.


PROCEDURE
Two polymerase chain reaction assays were applied to analyse DNA extracts of B bovis vaccine (K, T and Dixie strains) and 27 field isolates from 24 properties where disease outbreaks had occurred despite the use of the vaccine. To evaluate the stability of the genotypes identified, 11 of the field isolates were inoculated into experimental cattle that had either been previously vaccinated with T strain or not vaccinated.


RESULTS
No particular genotype of B bovis was responsible for the problems observed in previously vaccinated herds. None of the isolates had genotypes identical to the vaccine strains used. No geographic trends among the genotypes were observed. Isolates that originated from the same property also had different genotypes. Blood passage of the 11 field isolates in either previously vaccinated or nonvaccinated cattle did not alter the original genotype.


CONCLUSION
No particular genotypes identified by the Bv80 and BvVA1 polymerase chain reaction assays could be associated with vaccine failures.