Over the course of two days, Montpellier welcomes more than 250 major actors in the fields of agriculture and rural life. Farmers, leaders of rural peoples' organisations and NGOs, policy makers, development workers, researchers and concerned citizens will arrive from the four corners of the planet to reflect on the challenges of research on, for and with family farming.
François Pouget prendra ses fonctions le 2 juin prochain. Il succède à Patrick Herbin qui assurait l’intérim de la direction depuis le départ de Jacques Pagès nommé conseiller scientifique auprès de l’ambassadeur de France à la FAO.
The brochure Agricultures familiales, une chance pour la planète , produced for the general public to mark the 2014 Paris International Agricultural Show and the International Year of Family Farming, is now available in English.
Articles in the journal Bois et forêts des tropiques, published by CIRAD, are now freely accessible on the journal's website. This change fits in with the policy of open access CIRAD has been supporting for almost ten years now.
Conçue pour un large public à l'occasion dans le cadre de l’année internationale de l’agriculture familiale, la brochure Agricultures familiales, une chance pour la planète…, est désormais disponible en version anglaise.
A special issue of the journal Bois et forêts des tropiques devoted to family farming, and the first for which all articles are available free of charge on the journal's website.
Un numéro spécial de la revue Bois et forêts des tropiques entièrement consacré à l'agriculture familiale ainsi que le 1er dont tous les articles sont gratuitement accessibles sur le site web de la revue.
Les articles de la revue Bois et forêts des tropiques, éditée par le Cirad, sont désormais gratuitement accessibles sur le site web de la revue. Une évolution qui va de pair avec la politique de libre accès que soutient le Cirad depuis déjà près de dix ans.
Coorganisées par le Cirad.
Identified for the first time in 1874 in Australia, Panama disease, otherwise known as Fusarium wilt, is now affecting almost all tropical and subtropical banana-producing regions.
On 5 and 6 June 2014 the National Mycotoxins Days will be held at the University of Montpellier 2. This event was launched in 2010 in Montpellier by CIRAD’s QualiSud joint research unit (Integrated Approach to Food Quality), which will organise the meeting in 2014.
The Agropolis International dossier on family farming is now available in English. It contains examples of the research conducted over many years by the Agropolis International scientific community in Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, "on" and "for" family farming.
Il y a un an, le Cirad donnait carte blanche aux étudiants qui s’apprêtaient à découvrir leur terrain de stage dans les pays du Sud. Six futurs diplômés, issus d’Agrosup Dijon, de l’Iedes Paris I et de Supagro Montpellier, ont saisi l’opportunité offerte par le Cirad : devenir reporters ! A leur retour, ils nous ont offert des témoignages, interviews, points de vue sur l’agriculture familiale en Afrique ou en Amérique Latine, désormais regroupés dans un DVD. Autant de regards précieux et originaux à retrouver sur cette agriculture où vie de famille et production agricole sont intimement mêlées.
With the first locust invasions beginning in East Africa this year, researchers from CIRAD are questioning several widely held beliefs about solitary insects. The results of w ide-ranging genetic study with numerous African partners were both surprising and novel. Desert locusts were thought to be sedentary during their solitary phase, whereas they can travel several kilometres. Populations were considered fragile, whereas they are actually perfectly suited to their environment and have a significant ability to recolonize, along with substantial and sustainable genetic diversity. Solitary populations, which travel fast, can very quickly discover zones in which the conditions are almost ripe for reproduction. These results radically alter our vision of solitary desert locust populations. This is a boost to invasion surveillance and prevention strategies
In order to meet growing demand for chocolate products, numerous initiatives have been launched over the last 10 years with a view to increasing cocoa production. These initiatives continue to promote the input-intensive model advocated since the 1960s, even though this model has reached its agronomic, socio-economic, and environmental limits. Hence the proposal to learn from agroforestry in order to develop the current model: introducing fruit and forest tree species into cocoa plantations contributes to the agro-ecological intensification of cocoa production, while improving flexibility and resilience, which are essential to smallholder farmers, who grow 95% of the world’s cocoa.
Le dossier d'Agropolis International consacré aux agricultures familiales est désormais disponible en version anglaise. Il regroupe des exemples de recherches menées, depuis de nombreuses années, par la communauté scientifique d’Agropolis International à Montpellier en Languedoc-Roussillon, « sur » et « pour » les agricultures familiales.
Procedures in which biological specimens are mixed and tested as 1 sample (pooling) have been applied for various biological specimens and laboratory examinations. The objective of the current study was to investigate agreement between laboratory testing of fecal pools and theoretical values obtained by averaging test results from individual fecal samples in relation to a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) test for Lawsonia intracellularis. Ten diarrheic and 10 normal fecal samples were submitted from each of 43 Danish swine herds (n = 860 fecal samples). Pools (n = 43), each containing 20 individual fecal samples from the same herd, were prepared in the laboratory by pooling 10% fecal phosphate buffered saline solutions. All pools and individual fecal samples were subjected to qPCR testing for L. intracellularis. The theoretical number of L. intracellularis in the pools was calculated as the mean number of bacteria from the 20 individual fecal samples contributing to each pool. Agreement between the laboratory testing of pools and theoretical calculations based on individual sample results was evaluated. Pooling resulted in fewer L. intracellularis–positive herds (41.9%) compared with testing 20 fecal samples (53.5%). Agreement between the laboratory and the theoretical pools for dichotomized test results was 100% (95% confidence interval: 91.8–100%). For the quantitative test results, Lin concordance correlation coefficient was 0.997. The mean difference between the laboratory testing and the theoretical values was not different from zero (mean difference = 0.039 log10 bacteria/g feces; P = 0.26).
Testing for specific antibodies against Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in pooled serum may present an opportunity to decrease the cost of screening for herds of high seroprevalence and increased likelihood of active infection. Experimental serum pools (n = 280) were created by combining equal aliquots of serum from between 5 and 25 individuals. A further 188 serum pools were generated from field serum samples. All pools and individual sera were tested for BVDV-specific antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), according to manufacturer’s instructions. Pools returned repeatable results, with coefficients of variation generally below 10%. The presence of serum from a persistently infected (PI) individual in the pool had no significant effect on the ELISA sample-to-positive (S/P) ratio. The results revealed that a single strong antibody-positive individual could maintain a positive result (at the manufacturer’s threshold) in pools of up to 128, while even a single weak-positive animal would generate a positive result in pools of up to 8. The S/P ratio of the pool was positively related to the within-pool prevalence of antibody-positive individuals. However, as the strength of the individual positive animals contributing to the pool had a large effect on the pool S/P ratio, the S/P ratio could not be used to accurately predict the within-pool prevalence of field serum pools. An alternative method of S/P ratio interpretation was pursued, and a two-graph receiver operating characteristic analysis allowed segregation of pools into low, medium, and high risk with good results when applied to field serum pools.
Three adult central bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) originating from a commercial breeding facility presented with clinical signs, including anorexia, dehydration, white multifocal lesions on the dorsal aspect of the tongue, blepharospasm, and weight loss. In 1 of 3 lizards, a marked regenerative anemia was noted, and all 3 bearded dragons had erythrocytic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies. Nine bearded dragons housed in contact also had identical, but fewer intraerythrocytic inclusions. Inclusion bodies examined by electron microscopy had particles consistent with iridoviruses. Attempts to culture the virus were unsuccessful; however, amplification and sequencing of regions of the viral DNA polymerase by polymerase chain reaction confirmed the presence of an iridovirus. One of the bearded dragons died, while the 2 others showing clinical signs were euthanized. The remaining 9 infected bearded dragons of the teaching colony were also euthanized. Postmortem examination revealed a moderate, multifocal, lymphoplasmacytic or mononuclear adenitis of the tongue in the 3 bearded dragons, and a lymphohistiocytic hepatitis with bacterial granulomas in 2 lizards.
Several Actinobacillus spp. are common commensal bacteria of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, and reproductive tract of horses and can cause disease in both foals and adults. The current retrospective study was designed to review Actinobacillus spp. isolated from clinical samples or necropsies of 99 horses during 1999–2011. The cases consisted of 43 foals (<6 months of age), 4 young adults (6 months–2 years), 39 adults (>2 years of age), 2 aborted fetuses, and 11 with unspecified ages. Clinical history, signs, bacterial species isolated, and associated lesions were documented. Actinobacillus spp. were isolated 111 times. The most common isolates were Actinobacillus equuli subsp. equuli (38.7%) and hemolytic Actinobacillus spp. (24.3%). Other isolates were Actinobacillus lignieresii (5.4%), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (1.8%), and unclassified Actinobacillus spp. (28.8%). Actinobacillus equuli subsp. equuli was most commonly isolated from clinical and necropsy cases of septicemia and respiratory disease in both foals and adults. Embolic nephritis, the classical septicemic lesion of equine neonatal actinobacillosis, was also present in several adult septicemic actinobacillosis cases. Predisposing factors such as failure of passive transfer of colostral antibodies as well as concurrent pathogenic bacterial or viral infections were present in numerous actinobacillosis cases. There were many cases, however, for which a predisposing factor or concurrent infection was not documented or apparent, suggesting that Actinobacillus spp. can be primary pathogens under the right circumstances and in the right location.
The primary objective of the current study was to describe micronutrient concentrations in livers collected during postmortem examination from 501 beef calves and fetuses in western Canada. The most frequently identified deficiencies based on reported ranges for aborted fetuses were magnesium, copper, and vitamin E. For stillborn, neonatal, and postnatal calves, the most common deficiencies were magnesium, vitamin A, and vitamin E. However, for calves that died after 3 days of age, selenium deficiency was also very likely. Concentrations of all micronutrients examined in the study except zinc (P = 0.85) were different among fetuses, stillbirths, and neonatal and postnatal losses. This included liver selenium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, iron, magnesium, vitamin A, and vitamin E (P < 0.01). The percentiles of micronutrient concentrations for each age group, empirical prediction intervals for individual calves, and model predicted confidence intervals to compare with average concentrations from groups of calves were summarized for each age group. Information on cow, calf, and herd management attributes were available for 221 samples from 106 herds collected as part of study 1. Cow age, supplementation history, water quality, and herd location were associated with the concentration of iron, zinc, and molybdenum. The current study is unique in the number of samples included from young calves that were submitted as part of routine surveillance and not based on suspicion of either deficiency or toxicity. Most previous studies have been focused on older animals or fetuses and have contained a mix of beef and dairy animals with little or no information on their supplementation history.
Canine mammary gland tumor (CMT) and human breast cancer (HBC) share many similarities regarding their risk factors, histological features, and behavior. Despite the increasing evidence of molecular marker expression as a prognostic indicator for HBC, few studies have applied this approach to CMT. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the significance of the expression of estrogen receptor–alpha (ERα), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and caveolin-1 (CAV1) to the behavior and the clinical outcome of CMT. Additionally, the correlation between subtype classification (luminal A, luminal B, HER2-overexpressing, basal-like, and normal-like) and tumor behavior prognosis were assessed. Canine mammary gland tissues were immunohistochemically stained for ERα, HER2, and CAV1 and evaluated and classified into 5 subtypes on the basis of immunoreactivity. Although there were no statistically significant differences in the molecular marker immunoreactivity of different subtypes, the degree of positive staining for ERα, extranuclear ERα, HER2, and CAV1 showed significant correlations (P < 0.05) with the behavior and prognosis of the tumor. The current study indicates the prognostic value of immunohistochemical staining status of ERα, HER2, and CAV1 for CMT. In addition, some trends were seen in subtype classification on the prognosis of the tumor, implying that, although further analysis is needed, there is potential clinical application of 5-subtype classification for CMT.
Infections with Trichuris vulpis, the canine whipworm, may be challenging to diagnose even though characteristic bipolar eggs are shed by mature worms and may be recovered from feces. Decreased detection sensitivities because of using flotation solutions with specific gravities <1.3 and a lengthy prepatent period can lessen the diagnostician’s ability to detect infection. Coproantigen detection in feces is becoming an accepted form of diagnosing parasitic infections and can circumvent some of the factors that affect egg recovery. The development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of whipworm-specific coproantigens in the feces of dogs with experimental and natural T. vulpis infections is reported herein. Whipworm-specific coproantigens were evidenced in feces from experimentally infected dogs using the newly developed ELISA starting as early as day 23 postinfection, while eggs were not detected in feces until day 69. In addition, 1,156 field fecal samples were tested using fecal flotation methods and the newly developed whipworm ELISA. Of these, 27 samples were found by flotation to be whipworm egg positive, while 35 had detectable antigen on the ELISA. Discrepant results were obtained in 12 samples; 2 egg-positive samples tested ELISA negative, and 10 ELISA-positive samples did not contain detectable egg levels. Using the fecal ELISA for the detection of whipworms in dogs should allow for earlier detection of infection, aid the identification of cases in the face of low egg shedding, and increase detection sensitivity as most commercial laboratories are using flotation solutions not optimal for T. vulpis egg detection.
Talisia esculenta is a tree that produces pitomba, a fruit consumed by human beings in several regions of Brazil. The current study reports 3 outbreaks of poisoning by leaves and fruits of T. esculenta affecting sheep and cattle and the experimental reproduction of the disease in sheep. In the first investigated outbreak, sheep ingested the leaves of the plant; another outbreak affected cattle and sheep that ingested leaves and fruits; and in a third outbreak, sheep ingested only the fruits. The animals developed severe nervous signs, but most recovered. Poisoning was reproduced experimentally in 5 sheep by the administration of 30–60 g of leaves/kg body weight and in 2 sheep with doses of 5 and 10 g of seeds/kg body weight, respectively. No significant necropsy or histologic lesions were found.
The use of swabbing to sample tissue samples, prior to nucleic acid extraction and performance of a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, was investigated for the detection of the viral pathogens Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). The tissue swabbing method involved swabbing recently cut tissues, eluting the swabbed material, and extracting nucleic acid from the eluate prior to PCR amplification. Parallel testing of this method with traditional nucleic acid extraction from tissues, where small pieces of tissue are dissected and digested (typically overnight) in lysis buffer prior to nucleic acid extraction, was carried out for 50 samples for each virus. The results demonstrated that equivalent PCR results were obtained with both methods. It was also shown on a smaller number of samples that equivalent PCR results were also obtained when the lysis step of the swabbing method was reduced to only 2 hr. The ability to remove the overnight step typically associated with processing tissue samples for PCR analysis offers the potential for same-day testing of tissue. Although the current study is preliminary in nature and further validation will be required before adoption for routine use, the results show that tissue swabbing is a promising approach. It offers a convenient, simpler, and less time-consuming alternative to tissue dissection and lysis and has potential advantages for routine laboratory operation and outbreak testing, including easier pooling and sampling of large areas of tissue and carcasses.
Two separate incidents of monensin exposure in horses resulting in toxicosis provided insight into the diagnostic value and interpretive criteria of various biological samples. In case 1, 25 horses broke into a shed and ingested feed that was supplemented with 800 g/ton (880 µg/g) of monensin. Within 48 hr, 1 horse had died, 2 developed cardiac arrhythmias, lethargy, and recumbency, and another was euthanized due to severe deterioration. Minimal histologic lesions were noted in the horse that died peracutely, while another showed characteristic lesions of acute cardiomyocyte degeneration and necrosis. Stomach content, heart, liver, urine, and serum revealed various detectable concentrations of monensin in clinically affected and unaffected horses with known exposure. In case 2, a pastured horse had access to a mineral mix containing 1,600 g/ton (1,760 µg/g) of monensin. Within 48 hr, the horse became symptomatic and was euthanized because of severe respiratory distress. Histologic cardiac lesions were minimal but detectable amounts of monensin were found in blood, heart, liver, and stomach contents. In both cases, monensin toxicosis was confirmed with toxicological analysis. These cases demonstrate an overall lack of correlation of monensin concentrations in various biological samples with clinical outcome. However, serum, urine, blood, liver, heart, and stomach content can be tested to confirm exposure. More importantly, the consistently higher concentrations found in heart tissue suggest this is the most useful diagnostic specimen for postmortem confirmation of toxicosis in horses especially in cases in which associated feed cannot be tested for monensin or in cases with no histologic lesions.
Desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) is an emerging analytical technique that permits the rapid and direct analysis of biological or environmental samples under ambient conditions. Highlighting the versatility of this technique, DESI-MS has been used for the rapid detection of illicit drugs, chemical warfare agents, agricultural chemicals, and pharmaceuticals from a variety of sample matrices. In diagnostic veterinary toxicology, analyzing samples using traditional analytical instrumentation typically includes extensive sample extraction procedures, which can be time consuming and labor intensive. Therefore, efforts to expedite sample analyses are a constant goal for diagnostic toxicology laboratories. In the current report, DESI-MS was used to directly analyze stomach contents from a dog exposed to the organophosphate insecticide terbufos. The total DESI-MS analysis time required to confirm the presence of terbufos and diagnose organophosphate poisoning in this case was approximately 5 min. This highlights the potential of this analytical technique in the field of veterinary toxicology for the rapid diagnosis and detection of toxicants in biological samples.
A commercial immunoradiometric assay kit designed for the measurement of endogenous adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) concentrations in human plasma does not detect the molecule in plasma samples from cats. It was hypothesized that the inability of the assay to detect the molecule was related to variation(s) in the amino acid sequence of cat ACTH, compared with human ACTH. Cat ACTH complementary DNA was cloned from pituitary tissue and sequenced. The deduced structure showed amino acid differences from the human molecule with cat ACTH having a valine instead of alanine at amino acid 32 and a threonine instead of alanine at amino acid 34. Cat and human ACTH were synthesized along with 2 modified peptides containing alanine substitutions at cat ACTH 32 and 34. Only the human ACTH was detected using the commercial kit, indicating that an epitope recognized by one of the antibodies in the assay requires the presence of 2 alanines near the C-terminus of the molecule.
The etiology of canine gallbladder mucocele (GBM) has not yet been identified. However, several studies have linked GBM in dogs to particular breeds (Shetland Sheepdogs are commonly implicated), concurrent endocrine disease (hyperadrenocorticism and/or hypothyroidism), and a mutation in the canine ABCB4 gene (ABCB4 1583_1584G), particularly in Shetland Sheepdogs. The current study assessed ABCB4 1583_1584G, in a wider sample of dogs with GBM compared with age and breed-matched controls. ABCB4 1583_1584G was identified in 4 of 8 Shetland Sheepdogs and 13 of 28 other breeds with GBM. ABCB4 1583_1584G was also detected in 9 of 12 Shetland Sheepdogs and 23 of 37 other breeds that did not have GBM. No statistically significant association existed between ABCB4 1583_1584G and the presence of GBM for all dogs combined or for Shetland Sheepdogs alone. In contrast to previously reported findings, the current study did not identify a strong association between ABCB4 1583_1584G and GBM in Shetland Sheepdogs or other breeds.
Nonhemolytic isolates of catalase-positive, Gram-positive cocci were observed that produced strong synergistic hemolysis with colonies of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Staphylococcus schleiferi subsp. coagulans in primary cultures of clinical specimens from dogs. The isolates appeared similar to nonhemolytic staphylococci but were not identified with conventional biochemical tests or commercial biochemical test kits. Partial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences from each of 9 tested isolates were nearly identical to that of Rothia nasimurium. The isolates produced positive Christie–Atkins–Munch–Peterson test reactions with Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC strain 25923) and Staphylococcus intermedius Hajek (ATCC strain 49052). The latter was identified in the current study as S. pseudintermedius. Rothia nasimurium appears to be a previously unreported commensal organism in dogs. Its potential significance as an opportunistic contributor to polymicrobial infections in dogs is not known.
A 7-year-old, female Huacaya alpaca presented with a 3-week history of left-sided head tilt and mild ataxia. Despite aggressive supportive therapy with empirical antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, thiamine, and anthelminthic therapy, neurologic signs progressed to a right-sided head tilt, positional nystagmus, and episodes of severe ataxia and obtundation. On necropsy, discrete expansile to poorly delineated infiltrative masses with tan, creamy to grumous exudate were observed in the right petrous temporal bone, right middle and inner ear, right cerebellum and medulla as well as in lung, kidney, liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and the gastrointestinal tract. Impression cytology and histology revealed a myriad of intralesional yeast, 10–25 μm in diameter, with double-contoured walls, granular protoplasm, and broad-based budding. Culture characteristics, including conidial morphology and temperature-dependent yeast phase transformation, were consistent with Blastomyces sp. Positive Blastomyces antigenuria was identified on a postmortem sample of urine. Microsatellite typing and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region 2 identified the infecting strain as a genetic group 2 isolate of Blastomyces dermatitidis. The present report of camelid blastomycosis adds intracranial blastomycosis to the differential list for camelid neurologic disease in endemic regions.
Three spherical opaque-white tumor nodules were found in close proximity to each other in the liver of a breeding sow, postslaughter, at a veterinary food inspection. The tumor nodules were circumscribed and histologically consisted of discrete hepatocellular and cholangiocellular nests, in association with polygonal-to-oval–shaped cells with slight cellular atypia. Immunohistochemically, all cellular components were negative for carcinoembryonic antigen, but positive for p53. Both cholangiocytes and oval-shaped cells were immunoreactive to anti-cytokeratin antibodies AE1/AE3 and MNF116. In addition, cholangiocytes were exclusively immunoreactive to anti-cytokeratin antibody CAM5.2, and hepatocytes were positive for MNF116 and hepatocyte paraffin 1. All neoplastic cells were positive for the hepatic progenitor cell markers, α-1-fetoprotein, sal-like protein 4, and epithelial cell adhesion molecule. From these results, the present case was diagnosed as hepatocholangiocellular adenoma, arising from epithelial cells of the canals of Hering.
The current report describes 3 rare cases of mammary diffuse fibroadenomatoid hyperplasia in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). All of the animals were between 10 and 12 months of age. Grossly, the lesions consisted of severe diffuse swelling with homogeneous large masses in the udder. Surgical removal of the masses was curative. Microscopically, there was severe hyperplasia of the mammary epithelium and numerous well-differentiated and mildly pleomorphic acini and their associated ducts. Moderate proliferation of the fibrous connective tissue and the myoepithelial cells near the proliferating acini was also evident. The hyperplastic epithelial cells exhibited positive immunostaining for cytokeratin, estrogen receptors, and progesterone receptors. In addition, the myoepithelial cells displayed moderate positivity for alpha smooth muscle actin. Based on the clinical, morphologic, and immunohistochemical findings, a diagnosis of mammary diffuse fibroadenomatoid hyperplasia with probable hormonal influence was made.
Within hours of chick delivery, acute mortality and mucosal lesions were reported on 2 northeast Georgia broiler farms that had applied a ferric sulfate litter amendment product. Histological evaluation of the larynx, tongue, and surrounding stroma revealed multifocal areas of necrosis or degeneration of the oral mucosa, acute focal necrotizing cellulitis, and the presence of a brown-black pigmented material adhered to affected epithelial and mucosal surfaces. Multifocal to diffuse ventricular koilin degeneration and acute hemorrhage was also demonstrated in association with pigmented adherent material on affected surfaces. Perls iron stain revealed that adherent material on affected tissues was strongly positive for iron. An experiment was designed to reproduce clinical signs, lesions, and mortality using the same litter amendment product. The ferric sulfate litter amendment was confirmed as the causative agent.
Canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) is considered the main pathogen responsible for acute gastroenteritis in dogs, causing vomiting and hemorrhagic enteritis mainly. However, infection in cats by CPV variants causes clinical signs similar to Feline panleukopenia virus. The current study reports a case of CPV-2c in a domestic cat, in Portugal. The findings suggest that more surveys are needed to know the true prevalence and significance of cats in CPV epidemiology worldwide.
Soft tissue sarcomas of the equine distal limb associated with joints, sheaths, or bursae have rarely been reported. Accurate diagnosis of these tumors is challenging in both human beings and veterinary species. Immunohistochemical staining and transmission electron microscopy have been used in human beings to reduce misdiagnosis. The current report describes 2 mature horses presenting with lameness and swelling associated with the dorsal aspect of the metacarpo(tarso)phalangeal joint. In both cases, surgical excision was performed with subsequent histological analysis of the masses to determine the tissue of origin. In both cases, immunohistochemical staining and transmission electron microscopy aided the definitive diagnosis of fibrosarcoma associated with the fetlock joints of 2 horses.
When the brain is exposed to large circulating levels of Clostridium perfringens type D epsilon toxin (EXT), microvascular damage with resulting severe, generalized, vasogenic edema seems to be principally responsible for the ensuing acute, and frequently fatal, neurologic disorder. However, although the blood–retinal barrier resembles in many respects the blood–brain barrier, retinal changes in livestock with acute epsilon intoxication have not, to the authors’ knowledge, been previously reported. In rats given an acute dose of ETX, retinal microvascular endothelial injury led to widespread vasogenic edema as assessed immunohistochemically by marked plasma albumin extravasation. As laboratory rodents are a good model of the domestic livestock disease produced by ETX, it is probable that the latter sustain some visual deficit when exposed to large doses of this potent neurotoxin.
Du 5 au 6 juin 2014 se dérouleront à l’Université Montpellier 2, les Journées nationales Mycotoxines , initiées en 2010 à Montpellier par l’UMR Qualisud du Cirad, qui en portera l’organisation en 2014.
Pour satisfaire la consommation croissante de produits chocolatés, de nombreuses initiatives ont été lancées depuis une décennie afin d’augmenter la production de cacao. Ces initiatives continuent de promouvoir le modèle intensif en intrants préconisé depuis les années 1960, alors que ce modèle a atteint ses limites agronomiques, socio-économiques et environnementales. D’où la proposition de s’inspirer de l’agroforesterie pour faire évoluer le modèle actuel : introduire des arbres fruitiers et forestiers dans les cacaoyères contribue à l’intensification agroécologique de la cacaoculture, tout en apportant souplesse et résilience, nécessaires aux petits agriculteurs, qui produisent 95 % du cacao mondial.
Montpellier accueille pendant deux jours plus de 250 acteurs de l’agriculture et de la ruralité. Agriculteurs, responsables d’organisations paysannes, responsables d’ONGs, décideurs politiques, agents de développement, chercheurs, citoyens engagés, ils viennent des 4 coins du monde pour réfléchir aux enjeux de recherche, sur, pour et avec les agricultures familiales. Plus largement, ils jugeront de la place du monde de la recherche académique dans l’invention et la mise en œuvre des modèles agricoles de demain.
Alors que les premières invasions de criquets frappent cette année l’Afrique orientale, des chercheurs du Cirad remettent en cause nombre d’hypothèses portant sur le criquet solitaire. Les résultats issus d’une étude génétique d’envergure menée en collaboration avec de nombreux partenaires africains sont surprenants et novateurs. Dans sa phase solitaire, on le croyait sédentaire. Il parcourt au contraire des kilomètres. On supposait ses populations fragiles. Elles sont pourtant parfaitement adaptées à leur environnement et présentent une capacité de recolonisation élevée et une diversité génétique à la fois forte et durable. Les populations solitaires, qui se déplacent rapidement, peuvent alors découvrir très vite les zones devenant favorables à la reproduction. Ces résultats modifient radicalement la vision que l’on avait des populations de criquets pèlerins solitaires. Ils permettront de renforcer la stratégie de surveillance et de prévention des invasions.
Douze responsables d’organismes de recherche et d’universités (CEA, CNRS, CPU, Inria, ANR, Universcience, Cirad, Irstea, Ifremer, IRD, Inserm, BRGM) expriment leur inquiétude dans une déclaration commune, face aux conséquences de la relaxe par la Cour d’appel de Colmar des 54 «faucheurs volontaires» ayant détruit une parcelle de vigne OGM expérimentale de l’INRA. Selon eux, ce jugement remet en cause la possibilité de conduire des expérimentations sur des sujets faisant l’objet de controverses sociétales. Retrouvez ci-dessous le texte complet de la déclaration.
Identifiée pour la première fois en 1874 en Australie, la maladie de Panama ou Fusariose (Fusarium Wilt en anglais) se manifeste aujourd’hui dans presque toutes les zones tropicales et subtropicales de production de banane.
Avec la participation du Cirad.
Avec la participation du Cirad.
Un colloque coorganisé par la Société française d'économie rurale (Sfer), Irstea, le Cirad et l’Inra.
Organisée par le Cirad, l’Inra, l’IRD et Agropolis International avec le soutien du programme CCAFS du GCRAI, de l'Université de Wageningen (Pays-Bas) et de l'Université de Californie à Davis (USA).
Appel à communications ouvert jusqu'au : 15 Juin 2014
Date limite pour les inscriptions à tarif préférentiel : 15 Décembre 2014
Pour intensifier la production de bois tout en préservant l’environnement, l’une des solutions consiste à mettre en place des plantations mixtes, qui associent espèces sélectionnées pour les caractéristiques de leur bois et légumineuses, ces dernières, grâce la fixation d’azote atmosphérique, permettant de réduire les apports d’engrais azoté. Un projet de recherches, coordonné par le Cirad, a évalué le potentiel de ces plantations forestières et étudié comment la biodiversité influe sur les processus souterrains de facilitation et de compétition entre espèces. Des processus mal connus, qui jouent pourtant un rôle fondamental dans l’accès aux ressources en eau et en nutriments, et, en définitive, dans la production de bois.
