Comparison of Frequentist and Bayesian Generalized Linear Models for Analyzing the Effects of Fungicide Treatments on the Growth and Mortality of Piper Nigrum

Foot rot disease poses a devastating threat to pepper agriculture. In Vietnam, conventionally, fungicides are the control methods used against the disease. However, the practical effectiveness of fungicide treatment has yet to be quantitatively assessed. To fill this gap a three-factorial experiment was conducted, the factors of which were fungicide application, soil type, and infection pathway, with plant mortality and plant growth as the target variables. Two of the most common fungicides were chosen, including Agrifos 400 (potassium phosphonate) and Aliette 800WG (fosetyl-Al). The two fungicides were used in multiple treatment plans, with soil drenching selected as the means of controlling foot rot disease on red basalt soil and red basalt soil added with organic matter in a greenhouse experiment. Three-month-old pepper (Piper nigrum) plants were treated with Agrifos (application interval of 10 and 20 days), Aliette (application interval of 30 and 60 days), and a combination of both fungicides at half doses. Pepper plants were infected with the fungus Pythium spp. from soil or by direct inoculation. To assess the effect of fungicides on foot rot mortality and the growth of pepper plants, multiple generalized linear models were set up using frequentist and Bayesian approaches. Generally, both procedures suggest the same conclusions for model selection in terms of the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the deviance information criterion (DIC). Fungicide type was found to be the main factor that affected the survival of plants. Most of the treatments (except Aliette, with an interval of 60 days) effectively reduced the mortality. The usage of fungicides affected the growth of plants in interaction with soil types. Aliette suppressed the growth of plants, especially on red soil, while Agrifos had no effect on the growth of pepper plants. The combined application of Agrifos and Aliette with half doses proves to be a promising solution for balancing cost and effectiveness in protecting plants against foot rot pathogens without affecting their growth. In our case, under the inhomogeneity of variance and unbalanced samples, the Bayesian inference appeared to be the most useful because of its flexibility in terms of model structure.

Evaluating the Efficiency of Newly Formulated Pomade® and Ceftiofur Hydrochloride for Treating Foot Rot in Dairy Cattle

Background: Foot rot is an important contagious disease that causes economic loss in dairy cattle. Even though many antibiotic treatments have been tried on foot rot, very few information about new topical treatment method or product have been reported about the disease. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate an alternative new treatment for foot root disease in dairy cattle. Methods: Forty-one swap samples were collected from cattle’s feet which were further investigated under microscopic examination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum. Newly formulated pomade® and ceftiofur hydrochloride (Eficur®) applications were used in foot rot cases. Result: Polymerized chain reaction revealed D. nodosus in all the samples were as F. necrophorum was seen only in 22 (53.66%) samples. In this study, D. nodosus was considered as the primary agent involved in foot disease of cattle and F. necrophorum along with other bacterias were considered to be associated in the infection. The foot rot wounds formed in all cases (100%) in which D. nodosus, F. necrophorum and other bacteria were detected were healed along with tissue regeneration. As a result of treatment applications, a success rate of 93.33% was obtained in lameness resulting due to medium foot rot cases and 45.45% in severe acute lameness. The lameness recovery rate was found to be 80.48%.

First report of Microdochium nivale and M. majus associated with brown foot rot of wheat in China

Microdochium nivale and M. majus not only cause seedling blight of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in cold dry soils, but also cause foot rot and ear blight of wheat under favorable conditions (Haigh et al. 2009). In May 2017, 2019, and 2020, a serious foot rot of wheat with an incidence of 92%, 45%, and 51% was observed in the field in Xiangcheng County (33.43° N, 114.84° E), Tanghe County (32.43° N, 112.66° E), and Linzhou City (36.13° N, 113.75° E), Henan Province, respectively. The serious brown lesions of the lower leaf sheaths is visible. The pathogens were isolated from brown leaf sheaths on potato dextrose agar (PDA) after being surface-sterilized (70% EtOH for 30 s followed by 3% NaClO for 1.5 min) and rinsed three times in sterile distilled water. After 5 d, mycelia were transferred to fresh PDA, and nine representative isolates (G17ZK2-1, G17ZK2-2, G17ZK2-3, g19TH10-4, g19TH10-5, g19TH10-6, G20LZ1-6, G20LZ1-7, and G20LZ1-8) were further purified by hyphal tipping. Species were identified based on morphological characteristics, and sequence analysis of partial sequences of the translation elongation factor-1α (TEF), the RNA polymerase II subunit (RPB2) gene and β-tubulin gene (Abdelhalim et al. 2020). Among the nine isolates, six isolates belonged to M. majus, three isolates belonged to M. nivale. Sequences of six isolates M. majus and three isolates M. nivale were deposited in GenBank with accession numbers MW428296-MW428298, MZ734119-MZ734121and MZ734139-MZ734141(TEF), MW384889, MW428291, MW428292, MZ734203-MZ734205 and MZ734161-MZ734163(RPB2), MW428293-MW428295, MZ501004-MZ501006 and MZ501024-MZ501026 (β-tubulin). For all the genes, isolates revealed 98-100% similarity to M. majus and M. nivale accessions, respectively. Microscopy of the six M. majus isolates showed: the conidia were falcate, straight to curved, apex pointed or obtuse to subacute, lacking basal differentiation, with 1 to 6 septa, 3.6 to 5.0 × 15.0 to 30.5 μm (av.= 4.5 × 23.2; n = 60). The three M. nivale isolates showed: the conidia were hyaline, 1 to 3 septa, 2.4 to 4.4 × 11.9 to 26.0 μm (av.= 3.5 × 14.7; n = 60). Perithecia of M. majus are dark brown, globose, and 95.2 to 190.5 × 95.2 to 228.6 μm (av.= 144.4 ×152.5; n = 30). Asci are clavate, and 6.8 to 11.0 ×68.2 to 77.3 μm (av.= 8.6×72.0; n = 30), contain eight ascospores. Mature ascospores are ellipsoidal, and 3.8 to 4.9 ×11.5 to 19.2 μm (av.= 4.0 ×15.2; n = 30), with 1 to 3 septa. These morphological characteristics were consistent with previous descriptions of these two species (Glynn et al. 2005). For pathogenicity tests, mycelia of M. nivale and M. majus was prepared using the modified procedure of Zhang et al. (2015). Two-week-old healthy wheat seedlings (cv. Aikang 58) were inoculated using 1 mL of prepared mycelia to one seedling, which was sprayied on soil. Control seedlings were inoculated with 1 mL distilled water containing 0.2% gelatin. After 10 days under 15/10℃, 16h/8h, all the inoculated plants had developed brown spots; while control plants remained healthy. The pathogens were reisolated from inoculated plants and identified as M. nivale and M. majus based on morphological characteristics and molecular methods described above. Although there are reports of M. majus associated with brown foot rot of wheat in Anhui Province and M. nivale associated with seedling blight of oat in Gansu Province (Chen et al. 2021; Tai et al. 2019). To our knowledge, this is the first report of brown foot rot of wheat caused by M. nivale and M. majus in China.

Bacillus velezensis T149-19 and Bacillus safensis T052-76 as Potential Biocontrol Agents against Foot Rot Disease in Sweet Potato

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) tuberous roots are used for human consumption, animal feed, and many industrial products. However, the crop is susceptible to various pests and diseases, including foot rot disease caused by the phytopathogenic fungus Plenodomus destruens. Biological control of plant pathogens by Bacillus species is widely disseminated in agrosystems, but specific biological control agents against the foot rot disease-causing fungus are not yet available. Our previous studies showed that two Bacillus strains isolated from sweet potato roots—B. safensis T052-76 and B. velezensis T149-19—were able to inhibit P. destruens in vitro, but data from in vivo experiments using simultaneously the fungus and the bacteria were missing. In this study, both strains were shown to protect the plant from the disease and to mitigate the symptoms of foot rot disease in pot experiments. Total fungal community quantification using real-time PCR showed a significant decrease in the number of copies of the ITS gene when the bacteria were inoculated, compared to the control (with the fungus only). To determine the genes encoding antimicrobial substances likely to inhibit the fungus, their genomes were sequenced and annotated. Genes coding for mycosubtilin, bacillaene, macrolactin, bacillibactin, bacilysin, plantazolicin, plipastatin, dificidine, fengycin and surfactin were found in B. velezensis T149-19, while those coding for bacylisin, lichenysin, bacillibactin, fengycin and surfactin were found in B. safensis T052-76. Altogether, the data presented here contribute to advancing the knowledge for the use of these Bacillus strains as biocontrol products in sweet potato.

Preliminary Findings of New Citrus Rootstocks Potentially Tolerant to Foot Rot Caused by Phytophthora

Phytophthora spp. are one the most common soil-borne pathogens in citrus crops, in which Phytophthoranicotianae and P. citrophthora are the most relevant species, causing disease problems worldwide, such as foot rot and gummosis of the trunk, branch canker, brown rot of fruit, feeder root rot in orchards, and seedling damping-off in nurseries. Phytophthora-tolerant citrus rootstocks are essential for its control and for the success of the citrus industry. The aim of this study was to determine the susceptibility of new citrus rootstocks with low HLB incidence to Phytophthora diseases. Thus, plants of several commercial and new citrus rootstocks originating in different breeding programs were inoculated with an isolate of P. nicotianae. Thirty days post inoculation (DPI), the damage of lesion length in stem was measured for each plant. These results displayed a different susceptibility response to the damage caused by P. nicotianae among the citrus rootstocks tested. Thus, eleven new citrus rootstocks (B11R3T25, B11R5T25, B11R5T49, B11R5T60, B11R5T64, N40R1T18, N40R1T19, N40R3T25, WGFT + 50-7, UFR-6, and CL-5146), which have not been previously studied against Phytophthora diseases, improved the tolerance effect of Carrizo citrange. Our findings provide useful information for citrus growers on rootstock selection to address incidence problems caused by Phytophthora spp.

144 The Epidemiology of Hoof-related Lameness in Western Canadian Feedlot Cattle

The epidemiology of hoof-related lameness (HRL) in western Canadian feedlots, with a focus on digital dermatitis (DD), was described and analyzed to help inform recommendations on lameness control and prevention in western Canadian feedlot cattle. The retrospective data in this study were accessed from 28 western Canadian feedlots that placed cattle in 2014–2018, inclusive. The total population for this study was 1,796,176 cattle, with an annual placement average of 12,830 cattle per feedlot. These data were accessed through iFHMS Consolidated Database, provided by Feedlot Health Management Services by TELUS Agriculture, and manipulated using Microsoft® Office Access 365 ProPlus and Microsoft® Office Excel 365 ProPlus. Epidemiological analyses determined that lameness accounts for 25.7% of all treatments in western Canadian feedlots. Of those treatments, 71.7% are localized to the hoof, corresponding to 18.6% of all treatments. The most common HRL diseases are infectious bovine pododermatitis [foot rot (FR)]; digital dermatitis (DD), also known as hairy-heel wart or strawberry foot rot; and toe-tip necrosis syndrome (TTNS). These diseases account for 89.6%, 7.9% and 2.4% of HRL, respectively. Between 2014 and 2018, HRL prevalence ranged between 1.93% and 3.09% of the population, with FR consistently having the highest prevalence and TTNS the lowest. HRL and DD were tested for their associations with several animal-level risk factors using © Ausvet 2021 Epitools software. The resultant crude, univariate odds ratio values, evaluated at 95% confidence, are summarized in Table 1. Based on this analysis, acquisition source has the largest influence on the odds of developing HRL and DD, followed by population size, and placement quarter. Using SAS® (Version 9.4, SAS Institute Inc, Cary, North Carolina) statistical software, these preliminary findings will be subjected to a multivariate statistical model, which will provide adjusted OR values and statistical significance for the data in this study.

521 Late-Breaking: Oral Mineral Drench to Reduce Morbidity and Increace Performance on Remore Summer Pastures

Economic losses due to morbidity and mortality associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD), foot rot, pinkeye, and other health issues in yearling beef cattle are consistently over $2 billion annually. This trial was designed to test the hypothesis that yearling beef cattle individually treated with an oral micromineral drench would be associated with decreased BRD, foot rot, pinkeye, and other issues in the first 60 days with improved weight gains while grazing remote summer pastures. This trial utilized 1150 head of steers, spayed heifers, and intact heifers in areas of Idaho and Montana. Trial cattle had unknown background and nutritional history, with no metaphylaxis treatment upon arrival. Treatment data for BRD, pinkeye, and foot rot, and other abnormalities showed decreased morbidity (from 37.5–61%) in different groups P < 0.234 during the first 60 days of the trial compared to the untreated cattle. Weight gains on treatment steers showed an increase 0f 18.89 lbs. in group 2 and 12.34 lbs. in group 3 (salt only) in 100 days grazing in the treatment cattle compared to the controls. The bred heifer group 1 showed showed slight weight gains of 1% and an increase pregnancy rate of 2% compared to the controls after 100 days grazing. Further trials need to be completed to determine the desired dosage using an oral mineral drench on yearling beef cattle with unknown vaccination and nutritional history.

Effects of topical treatment of foot rot in sheep using ozonated olive ointment

Introduction Foot rot in small ruminants is highly contagious, causes severe lameness, and impairs fertility and wool and meat production. It is usually treated with parenteral antibiotics, with attendant antibiotic resistance risk, and with bactericidal footbaths, potentially harmful to humans and the environment. An alternative treatment in sheep is proposed based on repeated topical ozonated ointment application. Its effectiveness and safety were evaluated by estimation of acute-phase response, biochemical indicators of organic damage, and antioxidant/oxidant balance (AOB). Material and Methods The study was conducted on ten sheep with Egerton scale 2–3 lesions. Ozone application was repeated every day for seven days. Blood was drawn first (T0) after foot cleaning and before ozonation, then (T1) seven days after the first ozone application, and finally (T2) four days after the last application. Results High clinical effectiveness was observed, with total recovery by 28 days from the start of treatment. A significant increase in antiradical activity was noted on the basis of a 2,2ʹ-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) assay from 1.16 ± 0.04 μmolTe/mL at T0 to 1.23 ± 0.03 μmolTe/mL at T1, with a slight decrease in oxidative stress. Calculated on the basis of antiradical capacity, AOB was higher at T1 (130 ± 19%) and decreased to 110 ± 16% at T2. Calculated on the basis of reducing power, it was 169 ± 22% at T1 and 131 ± 17% at T2. Conclusion These results indicated that the AOB is efficient enough to prevent oxidative organ injury and the applied doses of ozone are safe for animals.