The cereal cyst nematode (CCN) has a significant negative impact on production of wheat in China. The presence of pathotypes of both Heterodera avenae and H. filipjevi makes it necessary to identify genetic resources with a wide spectrum of resistance. Results of this study confirmed that the soft white winter wheat ‘Madsen’ was resistant to many different populations of both H. filipjevi and H. avenae in both naturally infested fields and artificial inoculation tests in China. Fewer juvenile nematodes penetrated roots of Madsen than susceptible ‘Wenmai 19’ in the early stages of the interaction between the nematodes and plant. Testing wheat cultivars in the pedigree of Madsen demonstrated that the CCN resistance of Madsen was inherited from ‘VPM1’ via the line ‘VPM1/Moisson 951’. Presence of a 2NS chromosome segment from Aegilops ventricosa was detected in Madsen using a Vrga1D-specific marker. However, it appears that gene Pm4b for resistance to powdery mildew (caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici) was not transferred from VPM1 into Madsen because these cultivars had different reaction patterns against 20 B. graminis f. sp. tritici isolates from China. Madsen serves as an effective source of host resistance from damage caused by CCN.

Cereal cyst nematode (CON) is becoming one of the important soii-borne pathogens in wheat {Tritioum aestivum L.) monocropping or wheatmaize {Zea mays L.)-wheat cropping systems of centrai China. Heterodera filipjevi (Madzhidov, 1981) Stelter, 1984 was recentiy recognized as a causai agent of CCN in China, but iittie information is avaiiabie on sources of resistance against this nematode species. The present study was initiated to determine the current status of resistance in wheat cultivars against H. filipjevi and to identify effective resources for improvement of CCN resistance in China. A 3-yr field study of CCN resistance that involved 174 wheat cuitivars or \Nheat-Thinopyrum derivatives was

<p>This study aimed to investigate the effect of sundried big-leaf mulberry (BLM) as a replacement for alfalfa on the growth performance, digestibility of nutrients, nitrogen (N) utilisation and meat quality in New Zealand White rabbits. One hundred and sixty weaned rabbits, aged 35±1 d and with a body weight of 755±26 g, were randomly assigned to the 4 treatments with 20 replicates of 2 rabbits (1 male and 1 female) each. Animal performance was evaluated between the 35th and 77th d of age in 40 animals per treatment. The coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of nutrients and N utilisation were measured between 77 to 83 d of age in 30 animals per treatment. The control rabbits were fed a corn-soybean meal-alfalfa meal based diet. The three experimental groups were fed a similar diet in which the alfalfa meal was replaced by 10% (BLM10), 20% (BLM20), or 30% (BLM30) BLM. The final body weights and average daily gain were higher (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05) in BLM20 rabbits compared to control and BLM30 rabbits. Although BLM inclusion had no effects on the CTTAD of dry matter, organic matter and crude protein (<em>P</em>&gt;0.10), the CTTAD of ether extract was higher in rabbits fed the diets based on BLM (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05). No effect of treatment was noted on ingested and faecal N. Urinary (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05) and retained N (<em>P</em>&lt;0.10) were higher in animals fed with BLM30 and BLM20 diets, respectively. Dietary BLM supplementation increased a* (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05) and tended to reduce L* (<em>P</em>&lt;0.10) in rabbit meat samples. It was concluded that replacing alfalfa meal with BLM (20%) can promote growth and increase ether extract digestibility. Additionally, dietary BLM supplementation can increase the redness value of meat.</p>

Cereal cyst nematode (CCN) severely threatens wheat production in many regions of China. Cultivars susceptible to CCN are the main reason for its spread. This study was initiated to determine whether wheat cultivars conferring different resistance levels are the dominant determinants of CCN populations in the rhizospheric soil. Field experiments were conducted at two locations in Henan province, China, where high populations of Heterodera filipjevi or H. avenae have occurred, during the growing seasons of 2010/11 and 2011/12. Conventional enumeration of white female nematodes on the plant roots, reproductive factor (Rf) and a molecular diagnostic approach, PreDicta B test, a soil testing service based on a sensitive quantitative PCR technique, were used to determine the nematode populations in the rhizospheric soils of seven common wheat and durum wheat cultivars with different reactions to CCN. The resistant responses to CCN conferred by durum wheat Wascana and Wakooma and common wheat Madsen were effective against both H. filipjevi and H. avenae and resulted in significantly fewer nematodes (<5 females) on the roots, and lower Rf. Those cultivars were effective in limiting nematode propagation, resulting in fewer CCN eggs in their rhizospheric soils. Taikong 6 conferred moderate resistance (5-10 females) to both Heterodera species. Tianmin 668 only showed resistance to H. avenae. Aikang 58 and Wenmai 19 were susceptible to both CCN species, which facilitated increases in the nematode populations. These results demonstrate that the reactions to CCN of wheat genotypes have obvious impact on the propagation of nematodes.