The peptide content of the glandular secretions of Litoria rubella specimens collected from Derby and Lake Argyle (Kimberley region of Western Australia) and from near Darwin in the Northern Territory are all quite different; this suggests that there are different frog populations in these three areas. These different populations may be indicative of either different species or different sub-species of frog. There are two separate families of peptides in the glandular secretion of 'Litoria rubella': ( i ) those corresponding to the tryptophyllin family (tetra- to hepta -peptides all containing the residues Pro and Trp ), and (ii) the rubellidinins ( pentapeptides all containing two Phe residues at positions 3 and 4). To ate, no biological activity has been found for any of these peptides, but it is suspected that the tryptophyllins may be neurotransmitters or neuromodulators.

The presence and position of Asn, Arg and Lys residues in dipeptides may be determined from a consideration of the collisional activation mass spectra of the (M-H)- ions formed by fast atom bombardment. All spectra show the basic dipeptide cleavage, i.e. NH2CH(R1)CONHCH(R2)CO2- → NH2C(R1)CONHCH(R2)CO2H → NH2C(R1)=C=O + -NHCH(R2)CO2H. There are a number of fragmentations characteristic of a particular α side chain: for example, Arg loses HN=C=NH (42 u).

The collision-induced mass spectra (MS/MS) of (M - H)- ions derived from dipeptide methyl esters containing serine or threonine lack the characteristic backbone cleavage of the underivatized peptides (which provide primary sequencing data). Instead, competitive fragmentation occurs through the ester and α-side chain functions. For example, Ser methyl esters lose both CH2O (from the side chain) and MeOH ( MeO comes from the methyl ester). Isomeric dipeptides may be differentiated by competitive fragmentations; for example [ Gly Ser( OMe )-H]- fragments first by loss of CH2O, while [Ser Gly ( OMe )-H]-, in contrast, shows initial elimination of MeOH. The structures of the product ions in these spectra have been probed by deuterium labelling and MS/MS/MS studies.

A randomized block experiment was carried out in a radiata pine nursery at Benalla where the soil is weakly aggregated and slakes severely on wetting. Sunflower hulls or sudax ST6 hay or gypsum/dolomite were added during one cycle of a summer green crop, winter cover crop and a pine crop. Plots were also split for a deep ripping treatment. The aim was to improve soil conditions for the growth of pine seedlings. The addition of 170 t/ha of sunflower hulls reduced bulk density (P<0.01) and surface crust resistance (P< 0.05) and markedly increased infiltration capacity (P<0.01). Water-stable aggregation was not statistically affected by any of the treatments because the soil has a clay content of only 18%, though there was an encouraging trend of more water-stable aggregates within the size range 0.25-2 mm following the application of sunflower hulls. Germination of the pine crop was unaffected by treatments as the seed was covered with coarse sand. Seedling survival was low (range 41.1 -47.6%), due in part to saline conditions following fertilizer application. Early growth of seedlings was greater (P<0.05) where additional organic matter was incorporated, but differences between treatments were not statistically significant at harvest. We conclude that soil conditions can be improved for pine growth by adding a large quantity of organic matter, reducing cultivation and maintaining an intensive green cropping program.