Identification of resistance to Uromyces pisi (Pers.) Wint. in Pisum spp. germplasm

A germplasm collection of 2759 pea accessions was screened for resistance against Uromyces pisi (Pers.) Wint. All accessions displayed a compatible interaction (high infection type) both in adult plants under field conditions and in seedlings under growth chamber conditions, but with varying levels of disease reduction. The identified resistance was based on reduction of disease severity with no associated host cell necrosis, which fits the definition of Partial Resistance. No complete resistance or incomplete resistance based on hypersensitivity was observed.     

Water retention characteristics of coarse porous materials to construct purpose-designed plant growing media

ABSTRACT

Among potential components to construct Technosols for urban greening purposes, the commercially available geogenic coarse porous materials (CPMs) are mainly used in practice because of their high porosity. However, the knowledge of the hydraulic behavior of CPMs as well as of their mixtures with other substrates is limited, provoking their suboptimal usage. Therefore, we determined the water retention characteristics, including the available water capacity (AWC) of six geogenic CPMs: porlith, expanded shale, expanded clay, tuff, pumice, and lava. In order to obtain the water retention characteristics of the CPMs as well as of their mixture with sand (1:4 per volume), the following methods adapted from soil physics were applied over a wide range of pressure heads: Equi-pF apparatus, ceramic tension plates, pressure plate extractors, WP4C apparatus, and water vapor adsorption. The results were used to parametrize the modified Kosugi model (using SHYPFIT 2.0). Porlith and tuff have the highest AWC (0.37 m³ m^?3 and 0.17 m³ m^?3, respectively) and are the only ones which can be recommended as effective water-retaining materials. Further materials exhibit an AWC less than 0.10 m³ m^?3. The CPMs exhibit a bimodal pore size distribution, which can be well described by the applied model, except for pumice and expanded shale. The mixtures present overall low AWCs up to 0.07 m³ m^?3, with the pure sand having less than 0.03 m³ m^?3. For practical application a quite high ratio of CPM is needed, and the mixing material must be adapted to the hydraulic properties of the CPMs. The water inside the CPMs may be easily available for plant roots able to penetrate in the CPMs’ coarse pores.     

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—ULTRASONOGRAPHIC APPEARANCE OF SKELETAL MUSCLE METASTASES IN A DOG WITH HEMANGIOSARCOMA

A 13‐year‐old spayed female German shepherd dog was presented for acute onset of lethargy, anorexia, and disseminated erythematous skin lesions. Thoracic radiographs and abdominal ultrasonographic findings were consistent with metastatic hemangiosarcoma. Multiple, ill‐defined, irregularly shaped hypoechoic nodules were also detected within the thoracic and abdominal wall. Hemangiosarcoma metastases to the skeletal muscle were confirmed based on histopathological examination. Multivisceral involvement was also confirmed by necropsy. Metastatic neoplasia should be considered as a differential diagnosis for dogs with ill‐defined, irregular, hypoechoic, intramuscular nodules.     

Mapping of quantitative trait loci controlling partial resistance against rust incited by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Uromyces pisi</Emphasis> (Pers.) Wint. in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pisum fulvum</Emphasis> L. intraspecific cross

A quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance to pea rust, caused by the fungus Uromyces pisi (Pers.) Wint., has been identified in a F₂ population derived from an intraspecific cross between two wild pea (Pisum fulvum L.) accessions, IFPI3260 (resistant) and IFPI3251 (susceptible). Both parental lines and all the segregating population displayed a fully compatible interaction (high infection type), which indicates absence of hypersensitive response. Nevertheless, differences on the percentage of symptomatic area of the whole plant (disease severity) were observed. A genetic map was developed covering 1283.3 cM and including 146 markers (144 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPDs) and two sequence tagged sites (STSs) markers) distributed in 9 linkage groups. A QTL explaining 63% of the total phenotypic variation was located in linkage group 3. RAPDs markers (OPY11₁₃₁₆ and OPV17₁₀₇₈) flanking this QTL should allow, after their conversion in SCARs, a reliable marker-assisted selection for rust resistance.     

Antimicrobial activity of the ornamental species Salvia corrugata, a potential new crop for extractive purposes

As a part of our search for biologically active compounds from cultivated Salvia spp. we investigated Salvia corrugata Vahl. The activity of two isolated icetaxane diterpene quinones, fruticuline A and demethylfruticuline A, was assessed against 46 bacterial pathogens, mostly resistant to several primary antibiotics. The MIC for all the inhibited Gram-positive pathogens tested showed a very narrow distribution and ranged from 32 to 64 mg/L, regardless of their resistance patterns to other antibiotics. Demethylfruticuline A was shown to be highly bactericidal (>3 log(10) CFU decrease within 24 h) against Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis and bacteriostatic against Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium. Fruticuline A manifested bacteriostatic activity against all tested strains. S. corrugata can be viewed as an interesting source for these diterpenes, which, if well tolerated in vivo, may represent new medical agents useful for the treatment of serious infections caused by resistant Gram-positive pathogens.     

Influence of redox conditions and rice straw incorporation on nitrogen availability in fertilized paddy soils

Biology and Fertility of Soils - Temporal nitrogen (N) availability in fertilized rice paddies is the result of a balance of processes, mainly the gross rates of N mineralization, microbial and...     

Platelet abnormalities and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios in canine immunosuppressant-responsive and non-responsive enteropathy: A retrospective study in 41 dogs

Few studies have examined platelet alterations in dogs with chronic enteropathy. Our aim was to investigate platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in dogs diagnosed with immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy (IRE). In this retrospective study of 41 dogs, data regarding signalment, canine chronic enteropathy clinical activity index (CCECAI), endoscopic and histopathological scores, PLT, MPV, PLR, total serum protein concentrations, albumin, and iron were collected. Clinical response and relapse were assessed with the evaluation of CCECAI over time. One month after starting therapy, dogs with >25% CCECAI reduction were considered responders. During a three-month CCECAI evaluation as part of a twelve-month follow-up, a CCECAI >3 together with a ≥2 unit increase in responder dogs was considered a relapse. PLT and PLR displayed significant negative correlation with MPV. MPV was positively correlated with total protein and albumin levels and negatively correlated with CCECAI. Three dogs were classified as non-responders, and 14 relapsed within 12 months. No differences were observed in PLT, MPV, or PLR between responding/non-responding and relapsing/non-relapsing groups. PLT, MPV, and PLR correlated with total protein, albumin, and CCECAI, confirming PLT as a potential marker, and suggesting MPV as a new marker of clinical efficacy against canine IRE.