Correction to: Neopestalotiopsis clavispora and Pseudopestalotiopsis camelliae-sinensis causing grey blight disease of tea (Camellia sinensis) in Malaysia

European Journal of Plant Pathology -     

Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Seedling Growth and Physiological Traits of Melilotus officinalis L. Grown Under Salinity Stress Conditions

This study was conducted to determine the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculation on the leaf relative water content (LRWC), survival capacity, mycorrhizal dependency (MD), essential oil content and total protein content of Melilotus officinalis grown in a greenhouse under salinity stress. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized factorial arrangement design using five replications. Zero (0), 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) and two AM fungal levels were applied. Control (without inoculation) and inoculated (with AM fungi) treatments were considered two mycorrhizal levels. LRWC and survival capacity values in AM Melilotus officinalis were significantly higher than that in the non-AM-inoculated plants. Generally, MD, essential oil content and total protein content values were significantly higher in the AM-inoculated Melilotus officinalis compared with the non-AM-inoculated plants in all treatments. Results suggest that Melilotus officinalis could be used for the economic usage of the saline lands.     

Clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum) improved blood and hepatic antioxidant indices in laying hens receiving low n‐6 to n‐3 ratios

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of different levels of clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum) powder and vitamin E on serum lipid profile, enzyme activities and antioxidant indices, as well as hepatic biochemical and histological alterations in laying hens receiving different n‐6 to n‐3 ratios. A total of 160 laying hens, 43 weeks of age, were allotted to 8 experimental diets with 5 cages of 4 birds each. Dietary treatments consisted of two ratios of n‐6 to n‐3 (16.71 and 2.35), three levels of clove bud (0.0, 2.0 and 4.0 g/kg) and a high vitamin E level (200 mg/kg, as a positive control in each level of n‐6 to n‐3 ratio) in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement during 70 days of the experiment. Results showed that a decline in the n‐6 to n‐3 ratio led to a reduction in serum cholesterol concentration (p < 0.05) and an increase in serum HDL content (p < 0.05). Additionally, decreasing n‐6 to n‐3 ratio and increasing clove bud level caused a remarkable decline in serum aspartate aminotransferase (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001) and alanine aminotransferase (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05) enzyme activities. Furthermore, total antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001) as well as serum vitamin E concentration (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001) was decreased and enhanced by low n‐6 to n‐3 ratio diets (LRD) and clove bud powder respectively. Decreasing the n‐6 to n‐3 ratio lowered hepatic lipid (p < 0.05) and glycogen contents (p < 0.01) as well as tissue integrity (p < 0.05), and raised liver MDA concentration (p < 0.001), markedly. Nevertheless, increments in clove bud content led to a reduction (p < 0.01) in liver relative weight (p < 0.05) and hepatic fat vacuole numbers. In general, the best synergistic responses on modulating of blood lipids and serum enzyme activities were observed when the highest level of clove bud was supplemented in the diets with low n‐6 to n‐3 ratio. Likewise, antioxidant indices were improved by administration of dietary clove bud powder although feeding fish oil was observed to elevate the susceptibility of blood and hepatocytes to lipid peroxidation.     

Effects of dietary inclusion of silymarin on performance,intestinal morphology and ileal bacterial count in aflatoxin‐challenged broiler chicks

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of silymarin on performance, jejunal morphology and ileal bacterial population in broiler chicks intoxicated with a mix of aflatoxins. A total of three hundred thirty six 7‐day‐old Ross broiler chicks were randomly distributed between seven experimental groups with four replicates of 12 birds each. Experimental treatments consisted of a control group (unchallenged), and a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, including two aflatoxin levels (0.5 and 2 ppm) and three levels of silymarin (0, 500 and 1000 ppm). Birds were challenged with a mix of aflatoxins from 7 to 28 days of age. Results showed that increasing aflatoxin level resulted in decreased average daily feed intake (ADFI) and weight gain (ADWG), consequently impaired feed conversion ratio (FCR) throughout the trial period. Dietary supplementation of silymarin resulted in the marked increases in ADFI and ADWG, and improved FCR values in aflatoxin‐challenged chicks. Ileal bacterial populations at days 28 and 42 of age were increased by incremental levels of aflatoxins. On the other hand, dietary silymarin supplementation suppressed ileal populations of Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Klebsiella and total negative bacteria in aflatoxicated birds. Increase in dietary aflatoxin level resulted in the decreased villi height, villi height‐to‐crypt depth ratio (VH:CD), villi surface area and apparent villi absorptive area, while it increased crypt depth, goblet cell count and lymphoid follicular diameter. Feeding silymarin at the level of 1000 ppm increased villi height and VH:CD in aflatoxicated birds. Present results indicate that dietary inclusion of silymarin could improve performance by suppressing ileal bacteria and enhancing absorptive surface area in aflatoxin‐challenged broiler chicks.     

Drought and biostimulant impacts on mineral nutrients,ambient and reflected light-based chlorophyll index,and performance of perennial ryegrass

Water shortage is a critical issue worldwide, and it may adversely impact non-food landscape plants. Thus, the impact of two levels of evapotranspiration-based (ETc) water stresses and two biostimulants consisting of s-abscisic acid (s-ABA) and glycine betaine (GB), and their combined applications on perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) under climatic and soil conditions of the Intermountain West, USA, were studied. Clippings with 50% ETc had higher percentage dry weight (DW) but lower fresh weight (FW) and chlorophyll index (CI) than those with 75% ETc. The performance rating of plots with 75% ETc was significantly higher (better) than those receiving the 50% ETc treatment. Clippings with the 75% ETc treatment had higher concentrations of nitrogen (N), nitrate, phosphorous (P), sulfur (S), potassium (K), sodium (Na), and copper (Cu) than those with the 50% ETc treatment. Considering all mineral nutrient values, CIs, and performance ratings, we conclude that the application of 75% ETc is sufficient for maintaining a healthy turfgrass with a satisfactory appearance, while we can save 25% water as compared to the application of water at 100%. The application of biostimulants had no effect on clipping or root FWs, DWs, or percentage DWs. Clippings from GB-treated turfgrass had significantly higher N than those from all other biostimulants or non-treated control. Additionally, clippings from the plots with the GB treatment had significantly higher S, K, and Cl but lower Zn. Clippings from the s-ABA-treated turfgrass also had significantly higher K than those in non-treated control. Average performance ratings in s-ABA and GB, and s-ABA and GB were significantly higher than those in non-treated control, underscoring the values of these biostimulants in the reduction of drought stress.     

Soil Salinity Resistance Effect on Evaporation

Eurasian Soil Science - Soil salinity is an increasing threat to agriculture and is a major factor in reducing plant productivity in arid and semi-arid regions. Knowledge of the transport process...     

Prevalence of obesity, food choices and socio-economic status: a cross-sectional study in the north-west of Iran

AIM: To document the epidemiological features and influencing factors of obesity in the north-west of Iran, to provide baseline information for setting up a regional population-based centre to control and prevent obesity-related disorders in the area. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 300 subjects were selected/studied in Tabriz, one of the major cities in Iran. Data on basic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, dietary assessment and physical activity were collected. Obesity was defined as body mass index > or =30 kg m(-2) for both women and men. RESULTS: Total prevalence of obesity in the area was 22.4% (95% confidence interval (CI): 18.0-27.6). The prevalence of obesity was 24% (95% CI: 18.5-31.4) for women and 18% (95% CI: 12.5-25.6) for men. For both women and men obesity prevalence showed a positive association with age (P<0.001), while there was a negative correlation of obesity with education and income (P<0.001). Fruit consumption decreased the risk of obesity in both women and men (odds ratio (OR)=0.60, 95% CI: 0.49-0.71 vs. OR=0.62, 95% CI: 0.51-0.74, respectively). The same significant pattern was observed for the consumption of green vegetables (OR=0.71, 95% CI: 0.57-0.63 vs. OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.77-0.98 for women and men, respectively), legumes (OR=0.70, 95% CI: 0.59-0.84 vs. OR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.66-0.91 for women and men, respectively) and dairy products (OR=0.73, 95% CI: 0.61-0.91 vs. OR=0.77, 95% CI: 0.63-0.93 for women and men, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that educational attainment, higher income and consumption of certain food groups (i.e. vegetables, fruits, legumes and dairy products) may decrease the risk of obesity. Our findings also indicate the crucial necessity of establishing a population-based centre for obesity in the area. The essential information is now achieved to propose to local health authorities to act accordingly. However, more population-based investigations on dietary choices are needed to develop effective preventive strategies to control overweight and obesity disorders in different regions.     

Functional adaptation of BabA, the H. pylori ABO blood group antigen binding adhesin

Adherence by Helicobacter pylori increases the risk of gastric disease. Here, we report that more than 95% of strains that bind fucosylated blood group antigen bind A, B, and O antigens (generalists), whereas 60% of adherent South American Amerindian strains bind blood group O antigens best (specialists). This specialization coincides with the unique predominance of blood group O in these Amerindians. Strains differed about 1500-fold in binding affinities, and diversifying selection was evident in babA sequences. We propose that cycles of selection for increased and decreased bacterial adherence contribute to babA diversity and that these cycles have led to gradual replacement of generalist binding by specialist binding in blood group O-dominant human populations.     

Genotype×tillage interaction and the performance of winter bread wheat genotypes in temperate and cold dryland conditions

Growing concerns for food security and the alleviation of hunger necessitate knowledge-based crop management technologies for sustainable crop production. In this study, 13 winter bread wheat genotypes (old, relatively old, modern, and breeding lines) were evaluated under three different tillage systems, i.e., conventional tillage (CT, full tillage with residue removed), reduced tillage (RT, chisel tillage with residue retained) and no-tillage (NT, no-tillage with residue retained on the soil surface) in farmer's fields under rainfed conditions using strip-plot arrangements in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the west of Iran (Kamyaran and Hosseinabad locations) over two cropping seasons (2018–2019 and 2019–2020).The main objectives were to investigate the effects of tillage systems and growing conditions on the agronomic characteristics, grain yield and stability performance of rainfed winter bread wheat genotypes.Significant (P<0.01) genotype×tillage system interaction effects on grain yield and agronomic traits suggested that the genotypes responded differently to the different tillage systems. The number of grains per spike and plant height were positively (P<0.0) associated with grain yield under the NT system, so they may be considered as targeted traits for future wheat breeding. Using statistical models, the modern cultivars (“Sadra” and “Baran”) were identified as high yielding and showed yield stability across the different tillage systems. As per each tillage system, genotype “Sadra” followed by “Zargana-6//Dari 1-7 Sabalan” exhibited higher adaption to CT; while cultivars “Jam” and “Azar2” showed better performance under the RT system; and cultivars “Varan” and “Baran” tended to have better performance expression in the NT condition.The increased grain yields achieved in combination with lower costs and greater profits from conservation agriculture suggest that adapted cultivar and NT systems should be evaluated and promoted more widely to farmers in the west of Iran as an attractive package of crop management technologies.In conclusion, variations in the performance of genotypes and the significant genotype×tillage system interaction effects on grain yield and some agronomic traits assessed in this study suggest that the development and selection of cultivars adapted to the NT system should be considered and included in the strategies and objectives of winter wheat breeding programs for the temperate and cold dryland conditions of Iran.