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Publications

NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.

2006

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Abstract

At least 60–80 Phytophthora species has been described and most of them are soil-borne pathogens causing damping off, root rot, collar and stem rot and foliar blight on different woody plant species. These microbes are sometimes difficult to isolate and even more difficult to identify. A general review of isolation, detection and some newly identified species, including Phytophthora alni complex and P. ramorum, is presented in this article.

Abstract

A method for quantitative determination of extractives from heartwood of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) using gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detection (FID) was developed. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.03mg/g wood and the linear range (r=0.9994) was up to 10mg/g with accuracy within ±10% and precision of 18% relative standard deviation. The identification of the extractives was performed using gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The yields of extraction by Soxhlet were tested for solid wood, small particles and fine powder. Small particles were chosen for further analysis. This treatment gave good yields of the most important extractives: pinosylvin, pinosylvin monomethyl ether, resin acids and free fatty acids. The method is used to demonstrate the variation of these extractives across stems and differences in north–south direction.

Abstract

The optimal utilisation of a wood raw material is dependent on the wood properties. In this study near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was used to non-destructively predict density, modulus of elasticity, and modulus of rupture for small clear specimens cut from Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. (Norway spruce) trees.NIR spectra were recorded directly on the wood surface of each specimen as close as possible to the fracture developed during the bending test. Models were calibrated using partial least squares regression. The validation method was test set validation by data splitting.The correlation between predicted and measured values was highest for modulus of elasticity (0.86), followed by modulus of rupture (0.84) and density (0.79). The validation of the models showed that the average accuracies of predictions were 20.3 kg/m3 for density, 1.1 GPa for modulus of elasticity, and 6.1 MPa for modulus of rupture.Results are comparable to what has been found for other tree species, such as Pinus radiata D. Don (radiata pine), Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine), and Larix decidua Mill. (European larch). Models for predicting density, modulus of elasticity, and modulus of rupture based on NIR spectra outperformed simple regression models using the mean annual ring width as the independent variable.NIR spectroscopy is a rapid tool for characterising organic materials. It requires minimal sample preparation and spectra are collected on solid wood, rapidly and nondestructively. For these reasons the method should be tested in production lines for lumber. In future research we aim for reliable predictions of mechanical properties of industrially manufactured lumber using models based on NIR spectroscopy and multivariate statistical methods.

Abstract

Inhalation of immunomodulating mycotoxins produced by Fusarium spp. that are commonly found in grain dust may imply health risks for grain farmers. Airborne Fusarium and mycotoxin exposure levels are mainly unknown due to difficulties in identifying Fusarium and mycotoxins in personal aerosol samples. We used a novel real-time PCR method to quantify the fungal trichodiene synthase gene (tri5) and DNA specific to F. langsethiae and F. avenaceum in airborne and settled grain dust, determined the personal inhalant exposure level to toxigenic Fusarium during various activities, and evaluated whether quantitative measurements of Fusarium-DNA could predict trichothecene levels in grain dust. Airborne Fusarium-DNA was detected in personal samples even from short tasks (10-60 min). The median Fusarium-DNA level was significantly higher in settled than in airborne grain dust (p < 0.001), and only the F. langsethiae-DNA levels correlated significantly in settled and airborne dust (r(s) = 0.20, p = 0.003). Both F. langsethiae-DNA and tri5-DNA were associated with HT-2 and T-2 toxins (r(s) = 0.24-0.71, p < 0.05 to p < 00.01) in settled dust, and could thus be suitable as indicators for HT-2 and T-2. The median personal inhalant exposure to specific toxigenic Fusarium spp. was less than 1 genome m(-3), but the exposure ranged from 0-10(5) genomes m(-3). This study is the first to apply real-time PCR on personal samples of inhalable grain dust for the quanti. cation of tri5 and species- specific Fusarium-DNA, which may have potential for risk assessments of inhaled trichothecenes.

Abstract

A survey of the loose smut frequencies in certified barley seed lots in Norway during 1997"2002 showed that the disease has become more prevalent and has occurred at higher infection frequencies in recent years. Laboratory analyses (embryo method) of barley seeds harvested in 2001 and 2002, including both certified and farm saved seed, showed a large number of infected seed lots with higher than expected infection frequencies. One lot of farm saved seed (cv. Otira) from 2002 had 32% seed infection. Unexpectedly high loose smut infection frequencies recorded in fields sown with carboxin treated barley seed suggest a reduced effectiveness of the fungicide. A seed treatment experiment was conducted in 2002 using both greenhouse and field trials with two infected seed lots (cv. Otira with 14.4% and cv. Fager with 6.9% infected seeds) to evaluate and compare the effect of Fungazil C (carboxin + imazalil) and Premis Robust (triticonazol + imazalil) against loose smut. Fungazil C at normal rates reduced loose smut frequencies by approximately 50% or less. At twice the normal rate, loose smut symptoms were reduced by 60-80%. Premis Robust showed more effective loose smut control, but did not confer complete control.