ALBERT

Notes: . Gregarina coronata n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) is described from the adults of the Southern Corn Root Worm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Measurements given are means, in micrometers, taken from mature gamonts in association. Primite: protomerite hemi-ellipsoidal with basal tumidus, length 47.6, width 44.0, with cytoplasmic granule, apical crown apparent; deutomerite elongate ellipsoidal, length 227.9, width 81.3; epimerite absorbed into anterior in gamont, globular in trophozoite. Satellite: protomerite hemi-ellipsoidal, truncated at association interface to appear trapezoidal, length 39.2, width 49.6, with cytoplasmic granule; deutomerite elongate ellipsoidal, length 240.6, width 80.2; epimerite absorbed into anterior in gamont. Association caudofrontal and often precocious, occurring during growth of trophozoites. Gametocysts spherical, 115.3 in diameter, 132.9 with hyaline coat; producing multiple oocyst chains under moist storage in 24–36 h. Oocysts very uniform in shape and size, dorsad: doliform, length 6.4, equatorial width 3.4, polar width 2.9; pleuron: dorso-ventrally flattened, corpus concave with bicondylic termina; corpus height 0.98, width 4.44; terminus height 1.96, width 0.98.

Notes: Substantial annual fluctuations in the performance of arable silage mixtures, comprising Minerva forage pea and Goldmarker barley, were observed from ten annual sowings between 1977 and 1986, Total dry matter (DM) yield varied between 2·5 and 11·5 t ha−1. Dry matter content also ranged widely from 10·3% to 20·0% and there was a large variation in the proportion of peas in the DM (0·44 to 0·90). Almost 80% of this yield variation was due to the fluctuation in pea performance and over 60% of all yield variation was related to the variation in sunshine hours and air temperature.In 1983 and 1984 differences in seed rate of between 20 and 140 kg ha−1 of Minerva and 80 and 160 kg ha−1 of Goldmarker influenced the forage composition at harvest, with the pea component capable of outgrowing and suppressing the other species when sown at over 80 kg ha−1. Very high yields of peas were associated with increasing stress on the undersown grass re-seed and were considered undesirable.It was concluded that sowing rates of between 120 and 160 kg ha−1 for barley and a maximum of 60 kg ha−1 for peas would, in most years, provide the best compromise between attaining good arable silage yields and avoiding excessive dangers of damage of undersown grass re-seeds.

Notes: The management of any research-intensive company must weigh carefully the expenditure on any particular development product with the sales revenues that are likely to be obtained when the new product is introduced to the market. In particular, the technical risk (whether the development product results in a marketable product) and the market risk (whether the new product can be introduced to a suitable market niche where it will generate the required revenues) have to be scrutinised.This paper sets out to develop an original model by Drews into a methodology for assessing the risk associated with a company's research portfolio. To test a model they had developed, the authors carried out in-depth interviews with three British pharmaceutical multinational companies, and compared the overall technical/market risk profiles of their respective development portfolios. Some interesting differences between the three were detected in terms of the overall risk profiles, in market risk, and in technical risk. The authors conclude that the matrix described here may be a useful tool in discriminating between the risk levels of the research portfolios of several companies; it may also be useful for plotting the movement of a particular firm's research risk over time.While this paper concentrates on comparing the portfolios of three pharmaceutical firms at a particular point in time, R&D managers in other industries and other situations may find some evaluative utility in the model.

Notes: The relationship between vascular development and the distribution of ice within overwintering forsythia flower buds was examined. Previous experiments demonstrated that ice formed in dormant buds within the bud scales, sepals, and in the peduncle and lower portions of the developing flower. The current study demonstrated that these tissues contained columns of primary xylem forming a continuous network with the subtending stem tissues. The vascular traces within the developing petals, anther filaments and pistil were not fully differentiated. Xylem vessels were not present and only procambial cells were observed. Large ice crystals did not accumulate in these tissues. When vascular development resumed in the spring, coincident changes in the distribution of ice within buds were noted. Observations were consistent with the hypothesis that ice propagates into buds via the vascular system, and that the segregation of ice within bud tissues reflects the distribution of xylem.

Notes: The Coinstone is a well known hiatus-concretion level in the Lower Lias (Lower Jurassic, Upper Sinemurian) of Dorset, southern England. It has long been recognized as a layer of bored and encrusted, early diagenetic, clay-hosted septarian concretions coincident with a biostratigraphic gap of three ammonite subzones. Several different types of concretion of variable complexity can be distinguished, of which two, probably derived from slightly different stratigraphic levels, have been juxtaposed by condensation at the erosion surface. Diagenetic and biological processes occurring before, during and after exhumation on the Jurassic sea-floor can be recognized. The relative timing of these events can be distinguished, suggesting that initial concretion consolidation, the first generation of septarian cracking, and the precipitation of the first generation of crack-lining calcite preceded exhumation. These, therefore, probably took place at an early stage, at shallow burial depths within the accumulating sediment pile. The early calcite is brown, UV-fluorescent and inclusion-rich, and is similar to the first calcite generations seen in many other clay-hosted septarian concretions. A generally early diagnetic origin of this material is thus inferred. Observations on crack textures and geometries and the interactions of the post-exhumation fauna of encrusters, borers and burrowers lend support to previous suggestions that initial cracking in some septarian concretions took place in a stiff rather than a fully rigid concretion body, possibly given coherence by initial growth of some organic substance that was only later replaced by the calcite cements seen in most such concretions today.The burrowing activities of a benthic fauna in muds cause resuspension of sediment and facilitate erosion, even in the absence of high energy physical processes. Regional stratigraphic gaps may be formed as a consequence of sea level rises or falls, or as a response to sediment supply reduction independent of sea level change. Such major episodes of biologically mediated erosion in mudstone sequences may be of more general importance than has hitherto been recognized.

Notes: The pathogenicity of Phytophthora cambivora to Mission almond seedlings was confirmed by twig inoculation in situ. An excised twig assay using four isolates of P. cambivora showed almond cvs Mission and Chellaston to be susceptible, whereas peach cv. Nemaguard, which is commonly used as a rootstock for almond, was resistant. P. cambivora isolates 179 and 108, the most and least aggressive, respectively, were selected for further studies. The excised twig assay was modified for screening micropropagated shoots in vitro for response to P. cambivora. Defoliated shoots were placed upright in agar medium colonized with the fungus, and development of necrosis was assessed over a period of 2-3 days. Shoots of Chellaston developed extensive necrosis and those of Nemaguard developed little necrosis, whereas shoots of hybrid selections from peach x almond crosses were generally intermediate in response. This method permits rapid and efficient screening of large amounts of material, and would be a useful adjunct to conventional almond breeding programmes.

Notes: Abstract. Triploidy was induced in the fighting fish, Betta splendens Regan, by varying all possible combinations of temperature (37-41°C), time after insemination (2-3min)and shock duration (2-4 min). Heat shock at 39°C for 3 min duration initiated 2-5 min after insemination gave high frequencies of triploids (86%) as assessed from chromosome number and red blood cell nuclear volume. There was no significant difference in the growth rate of triploid and diploid fish. Gonadal development in both sexes was retarded in triploids at 5 months of age. Eggs fertilized with milt from triploids developed to gastrulation. Beyond gastrulation there was increasing mortality associated with abnormalities and none of them hatched. The display frequencies of air gulping, erection of operculum and fins, striking and biting, and undulating movements were fewer in triploids compared to diploids. It appears that triploids are less aggressive than diploids. The aggressive behaviour of fighting fish may be related Io their reproductive activity.