Habitat selection by the Mediterranean horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus euryale (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) in a rural area of southern Italy and implications for conservation

We studied habitat selection by Rhinolophus euryale in a rural area of southern Italy in 1998-2000 by radio-tracking. Two comparisons were carried out, one between habitat occurrence within individual home ranges and within the study area, the other between time spent in each foraging habitat and habitat occurrence within the home range. The first analysis showed that olive groves and conifer plantations were, respectively, the most and the least important habitats. The second analysis highlighted the importance of woodland for R. euryale, while urban sites, open areas and conifer plantations were avoided. We recommend that clearing of continuous, large areas of woodland for tree harvesting should be avoided. Conifers should not be used for reforestation. Urbanisation should be limited in the areas of greatest importance for the species, and linear landscape elements such as tree lines and hedgerows should be maintained.     

Transformation of Eutypa dieback and esca disease pathogen toxins by antagonistic fungal strains reveals a second detoxification pathway not present in Vitis vinifera

Eutypine, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and 3-phenyllactic acid are some of the phytotoxins produced by the pathogens causing Eutypa dieback and esca disease, two trunk diseases of grapevine (Vitis vinifera). Known biocontrol agents such as Fusarium lateritium and Trichoderma sp. were screened for their ability to consume these toxins. Transformation time courses were performed, and an high-performance liquid chromatography-based method was developed to analyze toxin metabolism and to identify and quantify the converted products. The results show that the aldehyde function of eutypine was reduced to eutypinol, as by V. vinifera cv. Merlot, the cultivar tolerant to Eutypa dieback. We revealed a supplementary detoxification pathway, not known in Merlot, where the aldehyde function was oxidized to eutypinic acid. Moreover, some strains tested could further metabolize the transformation products. Every strain tested could transform 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde to the corresponding alcohol and acid, and these intermediates disappeared totally at the end of the time courses. When biological assays on cells of V. vinifera cv. Chasselas were carried out, the transformation products exhibited a lower toxicity than the toxins. The possibility of selecting new biocontrol agents against trunk diseases of grapevine based on microbial detoxification is discussed.     

Hepatic profile of Gallus gallus Linnaeus, 1758 experimentally infected by Plasmodium juxtanucleare Versiani & Gomes, 1941

One of the species that causes avian malaria is Plasmodium juxtanucleare. It is commonly found in poultry, especially when the birds receive food free of coccidiostats. Since industrial and organic poultry breeding is increasing in the world and few studies have been conducted examining the clinical parameters of both healthy and infected birds, this work evaluated whether the infection caused by P. juxtanucleare in Gallus gallus provokes alterations in the birds' hepatic profile. We analyzed the activity of ALT and AST and carried out histological analyses of liver sections of infected fowls by intracelomic inoculation with infected blood from a donor fowl with a parasite load of around 7%. The infected birds' parasite load was evaluated during 45 days by means of blood smears. There was a positive correlation between the increase in parasite load and higher ALT activity in the infected fowls, but there was no significant variation of the AST activity between the control and infected groups, possibly because of the non-specificity of this enzyme as an indicator of hepatic lesion. The results show that infection caused by P. juxtanucleare in G. gallus provokes hepatic alterations, indicated by the increase in the ALT enzyme activity and by the inflammatory infiltrates found in the liver sections of the infected fowls.     

Association between major histocompatibility complex microsatellites, fecal egg count, blood packed cell volume and blood eosinophilia in Pelibuey sheep infected with Haemonchus contortus

The objective of this study was to assess the correlation among traits associated with resistance or susceptibility to Haemonchus contortus infestation and to evaluate the participation of the ovine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in Pelibuey sheep, a prevalent breed in tropical and sub-tropical regions in Mexico and elsewhere. Association among the fecal egg count (FEC), blood packed cell volume (PCV), antibody (AB) levels, serum proteins (SP) and blood eosinophil count (EOS) was assessed in 52 lambs experimentally infected with H. contortus, and the participation of the MHC was evaluated using polymorphisms in three microsatellites, located at the class I (OMHC1) and class II (OLADRB1, OLADRB2) regions of the MHC. Spearman correlation analysis among the traits showed a negative association (P<0.01) between FEC and PCV (-0.35), EOS (-0.50), SP (-0.30) and AB (-0.57), and a positive correlation of antibodies with EOS (0.50). The homozygotes for the OMHC1-188 and OLADRB2-282 alleles were associated with a reduction in FEC (-813 and -551, respectively). Conversely, the OMHC1-200 and OMHC1-206 alleles were associated with an increase in FEC (1704 and 1008, respectively). Furthermore, the OLADRB1-482 allele was associated with an increase of 163 EOS by allele copy, while the OMHC1-200 allele showed a reduction of 95 EOS in homozygotes. The associations among microsatellite MHC loci and the remaining variables were not significant. These results reinforce the evidence that MHC polymorphisms have an important role in parasite resistance or susceptibility in Pelibuey sheep and could be used as genetic markers to assist selection and improve parasite resistance to H. contortus.     

Pseudopestalotiopsis elaeidis associated with leaf spots on Cycas revoluta in Brazil

Cycas revoluta (Cycadaceae) is commonly cultivated as an ornamental tree in several countries. In April 2015, C. revoluta leaves showing brownish spots with a yellow halo that progressed to leaflet necrosis were observed in Belém, Pará state, Brazil. This study aimed to determine the aetiology of this disease on sago palm in Brazil. Based on DNA sequence-based phylogeny, morphology, and colony characterization, the fungus was identified as Pseudopestalotiopsis elaeidis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of P. elaeidis associated with leaf spots on C. revoluta worldwide.     

Searching for bioactive compounds from Solanaceae: lethal and sublethal toxicity to Spodoptera frugiperda and untargeted metabolomics approaches

Journal of Pest Science - The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a major pest of maize crops and others row crops on the American continent, and this...     

Impact of fungicide application volume on ASIAN rust control and soybean crop yield

European Journal of Plant Pathology - Multisite fungicides are an anti-resistance strategy to control Phakopsora pachyrhizi. Among the protective fungicides, mancozeb is a fungicide that has been...