Rapid Quantification of Soilborne Pathogen Communities in Wheat-Based Long-Term Field Experiments.

Rainfed experiments operated continuously for up to 84 years in semiarid eastern Oregon are among the oldest agronomic trials in North America. Disease incidence and severity had been quantified visually but quantification of inoculum density had not been attempted. Natural inoculum of 17 fungal and nematode pathogens were quantified for each of 2 years on eight trials using DNA extracts from soil. Crop type, tillage, rotation, soil fertility, year, and their interactions had large effects on the pathogens. Fusarium culmorum and Pratylenchus thornei were more dominant than F. pseudograminearum and P. neglectus where spring crops were grown, and the opposite species dominances occurred where winter wheat was the only crop. Bipolaris sorokiniana and Phoma pinodella were restricted to the presence of spring cereals and pulse crops, respectively. Helgardia spp. occurred in winter wheat-fallow rotations but not in annual winter wheat. Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici was more prevalent in cultivated than noncultivated soils and the opposite generally occurred for Rhizoctonia solani AG-8. Densities of Pythium spp. clade F were high but were also influenced by treatments. Significant treatment effects and interactions were more prevalent in two long-standing (>50-year) annually cropped experiments (29%) than two long-standing 2-year wheat-fallow rotations (14%). Associations among pathogens occurred mostly in an 84-year-old annual cereals experiment. This survey provided guidance for research on dynamics of root-infecting pathogens of rainfed field crops and identified two pathogens (Drechslera tritici-repentis and P. pinodella) not previously identified at the location.

Resistance and Tolerance of Landrace Wheat in Fields Infested with Pratylenchus neglectus and P. thornei.

Pratylenchus neglectus and P. thornei reduce wheat yields in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Resistant landrace cultivars have been identified using controlled environments. Field resistance and tolerance characteristics were compared over 3 years and two locations for four spring wheat cultivars: the susceptible 'Alpowa' and 'Louise' and the resistant landraces AUS28451 and Persia 20. Proportions and densities of P. neglectus and P. thornei differed across seasons and locations. Resistance was evaluated by comparing preplant and postharvest densities of nematodes in soil. Tolerance was evaluated by comparing grain yield and grain quality in plots treated or untreated by the nematicide aldicarb. Alpowa was susceptible and intolerant, Louise was susceptible and moderately tolerant, AUS28451 was resistant and intolerant, and Persia 20 was moderately susceptible and moderately intolerant. The species dominance shifted from P. neglectus to P. thornei in one field over a period of 3 years in apparent response to cultivars and crops planted. Estimates of economic loss caused by Pratylenchus spp. ranged from $8 to $20/ha. Economic benefits appear to be achievable by developing a spring wheat genotype with tolerance plus resistance, such as with a cross between AUS28451 and Louise.

Influence of Nematicides and Fungicides on Spring Wheat in Fields Infested with Soilborne Pathogens.

A complex of fungal soilborne pathogens and plant-parasitic nematodes reduces wheat yields in the Pacific Northwest. On several other crops in nematode-infested soils, seed treatment with abamectin (Avicta) or Bacillus firmus (Votivo) or foliar application of spirotetramat (Movento) reduced root injury and improved yield. These products, along with fungicide seed treatments and aldicarb (Temik), were evaluated in 13 spring wheat trials over 3 years. During 2011, the mean wheat yield at four locations was 419 kg/ha greater (valued at $122/ha) from seed treated with fungicides and insecticide than from untreated seed, due to protection against soilborne fungal pathogens. Aldicarb increased the mean grain yield over the fungicide-plus-insecticide treatment by another 798 kg/ha (valued at $254/ha) and also reduced the density of Heterodera avenae but is not registered for use on wheat. Abamectin and B. firmus had negligible effects on grain yield and postharvest density of Pratylenchus spp. and H. avenae. Spirotetramat reduced density of H. avenae but did not improve grain yield. We conclude that management of fungal pathogens by seed protectants remains essential and that management of nematodes can be achieved through crop rotations and genetic resistance.

[Computer Aided Support for Deciding on Applications for Rehabilitation ("CEBRA")]. / Computergestützte Entscheidungshilfen zur Bewertung von Reha-Anträgen (CEBRA).

The CEBRA project aimed at developing a computer aided procedure by which applications for rehabilitation can be assessed according to uniform and transparent criteria so that the applications together with a recommendation for decision-making can be transferred to the sociomedical services for final decision. For this, we first analyzed the existing manuals and guidelines for assessing applications for rehabilitation with the aim of identifying the main criteria, and then to translate them into measurable parameters. We then developed questionnaires for physicians treating the applicants as well as for the applicants themselves. Finally, algorithms were defined which compress the various combinations of these parameters into a recommendation for decision-making. Between October 2004 and March 2005, a pilot study was performed which ran parallel to the normal processes of decision-making by the insurance administration. In the pilot study, 436 applications were included for which questionnaires were available both from a physician and an applicant. The recommendations given by the CEBRA programme were finally compared with the decisions that had in fact been made by the administration in these cases. The results of the pilot study showed that the algorithms employed are capable of distinguishing very clearly and in a meaningful way between applicants with only minor medical problems and disabilities, on the one hand, and with medium or severe problems on the other. The comparison with the administrative decisions in these cases showed a similar rate of approval (80%) in both procedures. This means that the CEBRA programme does not change the general rate of approval. With respect to the individual cases, however, the comparisons revealed no statistically significant concordance between the two procedures. Reasons for this finding may result from the fact that--even though the same persons were compared--the information underlying the CEBRA recommendations or the administrative decisions, respectively, were not the same and may in fact have been quite different. In sum, we conclude that the CEBRA programme can very well improve the basis of information as well as the objectivity of making decisions on applications for rehabilitation.

[Diagnosis of hernia using peritoneography]. / Herniendiagnostik durch Peritoneographie.

Peritoneography was performed in 1200 patients with ill-defined complaints concerning the abdominal wall, the groin or the pelvic floor. The purpose was to exclude or demonstrate the presence of a hernia. Amongst 750 patients, abnormalities were found in 53.5%. The examination was also carried out post-operatively in order to demonstrate possible recurrences which were not clinically obvious. Amongst 450 patients, a recurrence or a contra lateral hernia was demonstrated in 44%. These results show that a recurrence can only be demonstrated or excluded with certainty by means of peritoneography. The radiological examination is technically straightforward, can be carried out in a few minutes on an out patient basis and is simple for the patient.

[Arthrographic diagnosis of rupture of the anterior syndesmosis of the upper ankle joint]. / Die arthrographische Diagnostik der vorderen Syndesmosenruptur am oberen Sprunggelenk. Indikation, Technik und Ergebnisse anhand von 114 Fällen.

We describe 114 cases based on 2020 arthrographies of the ankle joint for diagnosing fresh tears of the tibio-fibula syndesmosis without bone lesions. Comparison of the arthrographical diagnosis with the intra-operative diagnosis showed good agreement. Diagnosis of the isolated tear of the tibio-fibular syndesmosis revealed a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 67%. The technical procedure and the isolated tear of the tibiofibular syndesmosis in combination with other capsuleligament lesions are presented, using typical x-ray images as examples.